On September 6, 1982, I was a student at Midwestern Seminary. That day I walked into the kitchen at the dormitory and saw a young woman. There was a spark in her eyes that lit a fire in my soul. On October 26, we went on our first date. On Thanksgiving Day, I asked her […]
We need more like them
When Gerald and Betty Steffy came to Fairfield in August 1959, the couple were in their mid-twenties. Gerald had just completed his theological training, and he was called to serve North Side Baptist Church. Gerald and Betty served churches in Illinois well into their eighties. Gerald died in September 2022, and Betty just a few […]
Cloyd: Why a doctor’s warning still rings in my heart
My wife, Jeanette, has walked with a slight limp for as long as I have known her. She has had joint issues that required her to exercise caution when moving about. For years, some degree of numbness has been present in her hands and feet. Earlier attempts to identify and correct these matters were not […]
Dreams lost, assurance found in tornado-ravaged Kentucky
(Editor’s note: Brent Cloyd made two trips to Kentucky after the December tornado that left 77 people dead, serving with the Disaster Relief team from Greater Wabash Baptist Association. There he found hurt, hope, and promises from God holding fast. He offered these reflections.) The churches of our association were generous in their efforts to […]
Personal resurrection
Matthew 28 takes us to the first Sunday morning after the crucifixion. Two days prior, the disciples and friends of Jesus had witnessed his brutal execution and saw his body placed in the tomb. Many of them had restructured their lives in order to follow Jesus. They had found pride in being a part of […]