Kingdom Impact: Churches in Yuma Association help one another

Churches in Yuma Southern Baptist Association work together in ministry for greater kingdom impact. Damascus Road conducts its homeless ministry, for which Foothills Southern Baptist Church provides food.

In October 2023, a group of people could be seen in Yuma neighborhoods knocking on doors and inviting people to Foothills Southern Baptist Church’s Fall-O-Ween event. But the group wasn’t from Foothills; they were members of Damascus Road in Yuma.

This is one of the many examples of Southern Baptist churches in Yuma linking arms to make a bigger impact for the kingdom of God.

“We are seeing some great cooperation among our churches,” said Don Vickers, associational mission strategist for Yuma Southern Baptist Association.

The examples are many. When Immanuel Southern Baptist Church and Morningside Southern Baptist Church were without a pastor, men from Tierra Fertil in Yuma filled their pulpits. Pastor Michael Blackside is the incoming pastor of Morningside and recounts the blessing of his congregation being shepherded and encouraged before he arrived.

Churches in Yuma Association help each other with ministry projects, including Foothills’ Fall-O-Ween event.

“It was such a beautiful thing,” he said. “In my previous state, there was so much competition within SBC churches. I don’t see that here. Everyone here is more focused on expanding the kingdom of God.”

While Immanuel needed help in one area, they were quick to provide churches assistance in others. Along with Damascus Road, members of Immanuel served at Foothills’ Fall-O-Ween, running booths and speaking with visitors.

Damascus Road, who’s been partnering with Foothills for several months now, built the information booth for Fall-O-Ween and served in a variety of ways, including evangelizing at the event.
“We should be one church without walls,” said Pastor Randy Mosley of Damascus Road. “We should walk beside each other and help each other while being humble. It’s for the glory of God.”

Churches in Yuma Association help each other with ministry projects, including Damascus Road’s homeless ministry.

Meanwhile, Foothills contributes food items to Immanual’s food pantry and Damascus Road’s homeless ministry, which provides breakfast and three-days’ worth of food for their community. Foothills also, along with Stone Ridge Church, financially supported Keams Canyon Community Church — the only Southern Baptist church on the Hopi Indian Reservation — with building repairs. First Southern Baptist Church of Wellton led the initiative.

“We have a missional opportunity meeting every other month,” Vickers said. “These opportunities allow us to share what we are doing, let other churches know how they can help, and hopefully inspire us to do more to reach our community with the gospel.

“We need to be willing to invite others to come and be part of what our church is doing,” he continued. “ Churches need to be willing to collect resources and send people to help other churches in their efforts. No strings attached.”

Churches in Yuma Association help each other with ministry projects, including Foothills’ Fall-O-Ween event.

Next Steps

• Consider opportunities your church may have to improve in an area and pray that God directs other churches who can help.
• Identify strengths in your church and pray about partnering with local churches who need assistance in those areas.
• Speak with your church about meeting regularly with other churches in your community to find areas where you can serve one another and serve the community together.

Claudia Macdonald, a freelance writer living in Phoenix, is a member of First Southern Baptist Church at Sahuaro Ranch, Glendale.