Meet New CPC Sterling Edwards
Executive Director David Johnson talks with Sterling Edwards, the new North American Mission Board church planting catalyst in the West Valley. Find out about his family and his prayer for church planting in the West Valley.
New church planting catalyst serves in Phoenix West Valley
Sterling and Jenna Edwards are church planters at heart. They share almost 16 years of church planting experience and ministry to potential and established church planters and their wives.
In March, Sterling, accompanied by Jenna and their children, arrived in Arizona to continue the work in the Phoenix West Valley as a North American Mission Board church planting catalyst.
Mathew Mueller: Christ Stays Faithful Through Trials, Our ‘Shifty’ Faith
In a world that is desperate for truth and full of pain and trials, Mathew Mueller has seen Christ transform and help His followers remain grounded through it all.
And for the Phoenix, Arizona, church planter, that has included broken dreams and disappointment while also providing unexpected opportunities. He shared his story during the second day of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference in Anaheim, California, June 12. 
Marslender Names Arizona Sexual Abuse Response Team

Arizona Southern Baptist Mission Network President Jack Marslender has appointed a Sexual Abuse Response Team to review the recommendations coming out of Guidepost Solutions’ investigation, which was released publicly by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Sexual Abuse Task Force May 22. The Arizona team will “report to our annual convention in November with specific recommendations on what our Arizona network can do to make sure that we have the necessary tools and procedures to protect our children, members, and attenders,” Marslender wrote in his announcement of the team.
Council Recommends Increased CP to SBC, Approves Church Affiliations

The Arizona Southern Baptist Convention Council adopted Cooperative Program budget distribution percentages for 2023 and accepted the affiliation of three churches with Arizona Southern Baptists at its meeting by Zoom on May 17. As part of the 2023 budget, the Cooperative Program distribution plan will be presented to messengers for approval at the annual meeting in November. The plan calls for an increase of one percentage point to the Southern Baptist Convention for national and international missions and ministries, bringing the total sent beyond Arizona to 40%. It will be the ninth consecutive annual increase in the SBC portion of the distribution plan, resulting in a total rise of 14 percentage points.
Gateway Arizona Campus Graduates 11

Eleven students at the Arizona Campus of Gateway Seminary graduated May 28 in commencement ceremonies led by Dallas Bivins, director of the Arizona Campus. Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway, delivered the commencement address at the formal ceremony held at Northwest Chinese Baptist Church in Phoenix.
Mission Matters Most
New Cooperative Program Brochure
For 176 years, one thing has held us together. Through wars, pandemics, political controversies, economic crises and theological battles, everything else took a back seat to this cause.

Mission matters most!

The Cooperative Program makes it possible
for you and your church to reach all the world,
all the time with the gospel. From Arizona to the uttermost parts of the earth. For the glory of God. To reach the lost. To expand God’s kingdom. Now, more than ever!

Order Brochures to share with your church.
Pray for Summer Youth Events
Unity Conference, Zona Camp
The Unity Conference is June 23-25 at Tierra Fertil in Yuma, and Zona Camp is June 26-July 1 at California Baptist University. Pray for the students who attend these events to sense God's leading in their lives as they are revived by His Word, learn to be leaders in their churches and communities, and serve the community through missions. Pray that campers and leaders will remain healthy and that leaders will have patience and endurance as they serve. 

Lena Eckhart*

IMB worker Lena Eckhart* meets with a group of Muslim-background women in the United Kingdom who have chosen to commit their lives to Christ. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns in the U.K., the group wasn’t able to study the Bible together for nearly three months. The women had a hard time staying in the Word because they did not have privacy during the lockdown. Most of the women have to hide their faith from their families. When lockdown restrictions eased, Lena was able to meet with a few of the ladies. She asked them to meet with those not in attendance and do the Bible study with them so that no one missed out. In this way, restrictions during COVID-19 helped these believers become leaders and disciple-makers. Your support through the Cooperative Program allows missionaries to build Gospel-centered relationships with people all around the world. Pray for these women to continue making disciples and that God would strengthen their ministry.
*name changed for security
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