CBC Alumni Story

When I was 16, there was a summer camp in Siloam Springs Arkansas that I went to with our student and children’s’ ministries. I heard a sermon about the lost that stirred my heart, and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I accepted the call to pastoral ministry. God was working. I saw a great example of how to pastor a church through my fathers’ ministry but I (personally) lacked the equipping needed to have a biblical and purposeful ministry.

My Journey to CBC

A few short years later I started the journey of picking a college to go to. Like a lot of 18-year old’s do, I ran from God my first semester of college. But after many humbling events that God put me through there, I remember receiving a letter in the mail from CBC with the word ‘scholarships’ in it. God was working. It was the only Bible teaching college near me with accreditation that I felt had sound doctrine and could equip me to preach and minister to people.

The CBC Singers

My parents and I called and set up a time to go to CBC to try out for the Singer scholarship led by Mr. Jim Turner. God was working. I was ill prepared for that audition and I believe I sang, “Amazing Grace” because that was the only song that came to mind. After a couple minutes Mr. Turner told me there just happened to be a tenor position open. It’s funny how that works isn’t it? I got the scholarship! WOAH! That was the 3rd week of December ’06. I hadn’t filled out an application yet to the school. I had two weeks to pack up all my things and move to a dorm I didn’t know I had. On top of that, I didn’t have the money to pay for the full room and board,

God at work

Within a week of moving there, some of the staff let me move into the missionary room on the bottom floor of the guys dorm (that room was meant for visiting missionaries). I remember within a couple days of arriving getting a job at Marketplace in Conway.

With school starting the next day, I was officially moved in and had classes picked. I had yet to come up with the funds to pay for my education. I remember nervously sitting with my dad talking with registration and financial aid about how we could pay for my college. Then something happened that I’ll never forget. In the midst of us trying to figure out how we were going to pay for the place I knew God wanted me to be, a man came over and noticed the struggle. He gave a nod to his staff and somehow, we were able to pay as we went for my Bible college without any money down. God was working.

Felt like home

I was living what God had for me and I knew it! With things starting to line out, I had to go back and finalize some things with my previous college and some things at home. I came into class two days late and remembered feeling like this was my home now. I was very nervous. God’s plan was at work and I knew He had amazing things planned.

I got the opportunity through my scholarship to travel to several BMAA churches with “The Singers” (which I felt was an odd name at the time, but now I love being a part of the Singers legacy). I made many friends and memories during that first semester, my heart is still full from it!

My time at CBC early on was a hard one but a good one. I had many personal battles that I lost, and I saw many spiritual victories the Lord won. I got the opportunity to evangelize to a ton of people. Even during my battles at CBC, I got the privilege (by the gracious moving of the Holy Spirit) to lead 6-7 people to a new faith in Jesus. God was working. I was part of two Bible studies that met on the campus during the week. At one of the Bible studies I went to, I met a young man that introduced me to one of my current best friends and brothers in the ministry, Dustin Wisely. Through Dustin and his wife Angela, and his ministry to students, I met my future wife and best friend Rachel Beth. God was working.

Blessings

The Singers would typically meet in the summer before classes began to memorize and learn new music for the churches we would travel to and lead worship. Guess who I got to practice music with all day for 2 weeks straight? Rachel Beth! One of the strongest (and gorgeous) Christian young women I’d ever seen and one of the most amazing singers this earth has to offer. Plus, she had a personality and was fun to talk to. Boy she was out of my league! But God was working.

I was pursuing a Music Major at that time. I knew what God had called me to and I was trying to figure out what part music had in my life. Rachel Beth and I had all our classes together in the music department, which at the time was smaller than it is now, from 8am-4pm every day for 6 months. Wanna guess what happened? We fell hard for each other. She is going to hate me for saying this, but she actually chased me! I know I know, I can see you rolling your eyes right now. I wasn’t aware of the feelings I had for her, much less the feelings she had (and showed) for me. What can I say? If you know me, you know I am a little bit of a goober! Men are thick sometimes, and all the ladies say, preach! I knew she loved Jesus and loved serving His church which was enough for me to know she was the one God had for me.

We started dating and it was incredible to get to know her and learn about her in a Christian environment. But I didn’t know at the time that she had previously committed to the Lord to marry a pastor. So, one thing was missing from our relationship, I wasn’t pursuing pastoral ministry. I didn’t know the questions to God in her heart in the beginning of our relationship. But when I switched to the Bible department and started moving towards pastoral ministry is when the Lord showed her his purpose for us. God was working.

I found my place

From the very first class I took as a Bible student, I knew I was where I was supposed to be. Getting to hear and talk about Jesus to others inside and outside of class, are you kidding me? I had also started working with a church as their student pastor in Bigelow, Arkansas. Look what I got to do: I got to talk about Jesus all day in class, spend time talking about Jesus with my almost fiancée, then go to a school and church and teach Jesus to students, then go to work at Marketplace and witness to my co-workers. I had found my calling. Proclaiming Jesus and His wonderful works. God was working. Since that time, at every single ministry, I have used the Theological training I had there. I learned about who Jesus really was, and what He wanted His church to look like. It helped me teach other disciples of Jesus about why we do what we do in church and in life. God is moving friends.

Living out God’s plan

I am writing this article today from my current position as Adult and Worship Pastor at Park Place Baptist Church. My wife and I celebrate 10 years together in May. We have a miracle baby boy (Roman Micah) and plan to adopt all the children God will give us. Ministry is always challenging but God is always faithful, and we don’t plan to stop anytime soon. So, what did I get out of CBC? Theological training that has sharpened my Sword for the rest of my ministry, my Bride (one of the greatest Christian women of our generation), fulfillment of God’s calling on my life as a pastor, brothers in the ministry to lean on when I’m weak or struggling, memories with the staff that I was honored to rub shoulders with, 6-7 new brothers in Christ, and a love for God that can rival the sinners love for this world. God’s Still Moving Friends.

Written by Micah Powell – Adult and Worship Pastor at Park Place Baptist Church in Bryant, AR.

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