Dec. 2025

  "For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..”

Isa. 9:6

Dear friends,

As part of our mission to equip and multiply disciple-making leaders, BALM partners with Metro Baltimore Seminary to lead the Urban Ministry track and the Church Planting & Renewal track.

What does this mean? Pastors Craig and Stan:

• serve as deans and associate deans for these two tracks;
• teach several classes;
• serve as part of MBS's administrative leadership;
• meet with students as mentors;
• oversee students' practicum work (which provides 1/3 of their credit hours);
• provide technology and oversight at MBS's second site (Freedom Church in northeast Baltimore city)

We receive no financial support as deans for the dozens of hours invested every week in these students. This unique funding structure enables students to attend MBS for a fraction of the cost of attending a brick-and-mortar seminary. For example, students can earn an accredited bachelor's or master's degree in three years for under $10,000.

At left: Pastor Craig's New Testament Survey class. On screen is MBS alumna and missionary to El Salvador Danielle Snyder, the Teaching Assistant.

Our students travel from greater Baltimore, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and DC. They are diverse in every way, and include engineers, an HVAC technician, programmers with the Department of War, a hip hop artist working in youth ministry, a Phd in Mathematics, several men from the Helping Up Mission, a suicide lifeline supervisor, a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, an ESL/Spanish teacher, and a Director of Multicutural Ministries from an evangelical denomination. Some are single. Some are single, and others are married with multiple kids. Some are taking the class for a Bachelor's in Theology, and others are pursuing a Master's in Divinity. As a norm, most will continue to be bi-vocational leaders in the Kingdom. We are helping equip them for their gospel callings as disciple-makers!

Rev. Daisuke Kimura and long-time missionary Dr. Dan Iverson will supervise students' mentoring and practicum hours in Tokyo. The long-term goal is more church planting in a nation where less than 1% are Christians.

Continue to Pray for Pastor Stan

Pastor Stan is recovering from surgery to treat a brain bleed he suffered in late October. Although he still is advised to not overtax his brain, he reports that his guitar playing is up to speed after some initial brain-fingers glitches! This week, a non-invasive procedure to stop some leaking near his brain was successful. This will dramatically reduce the chance of further bleeding. Doctors say he can resume driving this weekend! Pray for his continued recovery.

Prayer Requests

• BALM has applied for a significant grant to renovate a building and launch a multi-purpose, disciple-making hub in Baltimore. Pray that this request will be approved! More details will come next month.
• Pray for Pastor Stan's complete healing. Pray for wisdom for our BALM board and Pastor Craig as they find leaders to step into Pastor Stan's responsibilities as necessary.
• Pray that God would help us to match the $25,000 gift before the end of the year. To help us with a financial gift, please click this link.
• Pray for our ongoing renewal work at Inverness Presbyterian Church.

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