What a Blessing: AZMN has a mission house

The Arizona Mission Network of Southern Baptists now has a house for International Mission Board missionaries with Arizona ties to stay in while stateside.

When the Spacht family, who are leaving soon to serve as IMB missionaries in France, could not sell their northwest Glendale home, the Lord led David Johnson and the AZMN to enter into a rental agreement with the Spachts on their home.

“This is such a ‘win-win,’” Johnson said. “We have had a great need for additional housing for IMB missionaries who spend their stateside visit in Arizona. We currently only have a small apartment, furnished by NPHX Church (North Phoenix Baptist Church), and a missionary house in Green Valley (provided by Green Valley Baptist Church). The Spachts very much needed to dispose of their house and AZMN very much needed additional mission housing. The Lord was gracious and it became a ‘win-win’ for both.”

The Spachts will soon re-occupy their home for a couple of weeks when they return from orientation near Richond, Virginia. Two families, both faithfully serving in separate locations in Southeast Asia, will be housed in the new “Spacht Mission House” in the next several months.

But, the need continues. We covet your prayers as we ask God for more housing and maybe a car or two for the missionaries to use while stateside.

Pastor Gary Derbyshire and Apollo Baptist Church in Glendale have made a monthly financial commitment toward the rental of the Spacht Mission House. Would you and your church pray about financially supporting this ministry?

In addition to rent and utilities, there will be ongoing maintenance needs at the house. If you would be willing to be a resource in the maintenance of the Spacht Mission House, such as plumbing, air conditioning, garage door repair, landscaping, etc., we would love to hear from you.

Please email Lorri Paetz, AZMN missions coordinator, at lorri@azsbc.org to learn more about how you and your church might partner with the AZMN in this venture. Also, if you know of an IMB missionary family who may be in need of housing while stateside, Lorri would be your contact for this as well.

Our IMB missionaries serve so faithfully around the globe. What a privilege for Arizona Southern Baptists to be able to minister to them in such a tangible way when they are back in the States to refresh and renew! Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of this new Spacht Mission House! And, our prayers go with the Spacht family as they obediently follow God’s call to share the Gospel in Paris.

Lorri Paetz is the missions coordinator for the Arizona Mission Network of Southern Baptists.