by carol pipes

GodTalk is talk of the town
When Pastor Chris Wells began asking God to show him a way he could effectively engage the culture, he had no idea that God would answer him in such an unusual way.

As pastor of The River in Winnipeg, Chris is on the lookout for opportunities to take the message of Jesus outside the walls of the church. So when CJOB, the citys top talk radio station, asked Chris to co-host a live Christian call-in show, he jumped at the chance.

It all started in 1997 when Peter Warren, host of the morning call-in show, verbally attacked a Christian guest and kicked him off the show.

The radio station was flooded with mail from irate listeners. Chris also responded but in a positive, loving tone. He challenged the host to an on-air debate on the facts of Christianity. The program manager accepted Chris challenge. The three-hour show prompted such an amazing caller response that CJOB offered Chris and another Winnipeg pastor, David Balzer, a regular slot on Sunday evenings for their own call-in show.

Chris Wells (right) and co-host David Balzer chat with listeners about their views on religion and other spiritual issues from the perspective of evangelical Christianity.

GodTalk was born and is now in its third season. Chris and David designed GodTalk to be a safe place for people to ask questions about God and have honest dialogue about faith and spirituality. Capitalizing on the interest in spirituality, they bring in guests with different perspectives.

This makes for lively, thought-provoking and sometimes controversial dialogue, says Chris. Our views evangelical Christian beliefsare the springboard for every discussion. Interviewing rabbis, Hindus, Muslims, atheists and agnostics, Chris and David open discussion with: This is what we firmly believewhats your view?

Our perspective is unapologetically Christ-centered. We believe all people have dignity and worth no matter what they believe. And we believe all people are looking for God whether theyre conscious of it or not.

Chris gets excited when a nonbeliever calls in with a tough question. Thats one more person we can share the gospel with.

GodTalk can be heard on Winnipegs CJOB 68 on Sundays, 7-9 p.m., CST. Listeners can also tune in on the Web during the program at www.cjob.com.

Nothing can still her voice
Clara McCormick is 63 years old and suffers from diabetes, but she doesnt let her age or the disease keep her from singing the gospel and sharing her faith with others.

Known as C & S Adorned, Clara and her singing companion, Sherry Alderson, have been sharing Christ through music in nursing homes for more than a year. Clara doesnt let being in a wheelchair slow her down. I pick her up in a van equipped for handicapped people, and off we go, says Sherry. Clara wants to reach as many people as she can with the gospel for as long as God gives her.

My ministry with C & S Adorned is one of the greatest things that has happened to me, because it gives me the opportunity to tell others what God has done in my life, she says.

Clara McCormick (seated) and partner, Sherry, minister to ailing senior adults in spite of Claras own battle with diabetes.

Clara felt a burden to start sharing her faith one day when she was home with her daughter doing housework. I started to focus on Christs death on the cross and His shed blood for my sins. I began crying and praising the Lord with such deep-felt emotions.

I believe God was burdening me to share my faith with others.

With all her family gone now, Clara focuses her attention on performances at area nursing homes and the small choir she started at the senior apartment building where she lives. When I sing for people who are unable to walk, or go to church or to a concert, I feel this is really Gods will. Its such a blessing to be able to share with others my love for the Lord.

Please dont send me to Africa
Kelly Swain was nine years old when she first knew God was calling her to missions. I attended a youth musical. There was a song about a girl who was afraid God was going to call her to Africa, Kelly recalls. I sat in the pew, scared to death, and told God I could never go to Africa or be a missionary and begged Him never to call me.

Soon, God changed my heart and all I wanted to do was be an international missionary. I wasnt sure where or what to do, but I knew thats what He was calling me to do. Kelly focused on social ministries at the Scottish Baptist College in Glasgow.

She also interned with the Glasgow City Mission. I worked with the mothers at the center, and God really used that time to confirm that this was the direction of ministry I should head.

As a US/C-2 missionary, Kelly now serves at the York County Christian Womens Job Corps in Rock Hill, South Carolina. This ministry helps low-income women become more self-sufficient, explains Kelly. I work with the children of the women who are in the program. Ive been developing prevention and intervention activities such as mentoring, after-school programs and summer activities.

It was in Scotland that Kelly realized how important it is to have non-Christian friendships. I went through a period in college when I was surrounded by Christians and pretty much abandoned the things and activities I loved like music and dance to be more involved in church-related pursuits, says Kelly.

Since moving to Rock Hill, Kelly has rediscovered her love for dance and has started taking lessons again. Im a firm believer that God wants us to use the gifts and talents He gives us for Him to work through, but also for us to enjoy. Dance happens to be my thing. I love it, and it gives me an incredible opportunity to get to know and be friends with non-Christians. Ive been able to share similar struggles with them and how God brought me through. They are also curious about my job, so that opens opportunities to share my faith as well.

She says her best advice for being on mission is to figure out who you are and who God has made you to be, and then live lifesharing as you go.

US/C-2 missionaries serve for two years in the U.S. or Canada. For more information call 770-410-6499 or visit www.answerthecall.net. 

Cowboy preacher
Ive been a country kid all my life, says Mike Infanzon, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of Cornville, Arizona. This certified journeyman farrier, or horseshoer by trade, once led the life of a rodeo cowboy. Now when he attends a rodeo or heads out to the prairie, its not to ride bulls or rope cattleits to preach the gospel and share the love of Christ with cowboys and cowgirls. You wont find me in a suit on Sunday mornings, says Pastor Mike. I preach in my cowboy boots and Wranglers.

When most kids were playing ball, Mike was learning to ride bulls in the junior rodeo. He was six when he rode his first bull, and at 18 he decided to go pro. And so he began his life on the Professional Rodeo Circuit (PRC).

The rodeo is a gypsy life with lots of temptations, he recalls. I participated in more than 100 rodeos in 52 weeks. So between January and December I was away from home probably 300 days out of the year.

Mike Infanzon (front) watches a fellow bull rider compete at the Champion of Champions rodeo in Cave Creek, Arizona.

Mike became a Christian at 25. I was taught about Jesus growing up, but no one ever told me about having a relationship with Him.

A nights drinking binge changed everything. I woke one morning in the barn of the only Christian I knew. Only God knows how I got there. This fella told me I was messing up my life and that what I needed most was Jesus. I asked Jesus into my heart right there on the barn floor.

Mike started going to First Baptist Church, Lancaster, Texas, and was discipled by one of the deacons. He continued on and off the PRC for the next seven years. I slowed down a lot.

During that time he moved to Arizona. I felt God calling me into the ministry almost immediately after I became a Christian, but I had no idea He wanted me to be a pastor. He eventually saw that God was leading him in that direction.

Aside from his ministry at First Southern Baptist Church, Pastor Mike also ministers at rodeos. He helped plan a Christian rodeo last November as part of Phoenixs Strategic Focus City emphasis. I have a fierce love for cowboys on the rodeo circuit brought about by years of competing side by side with them.

Building partnerships
Lincoln Bingham describes himself as having been born into ethnicity, poverty and obscurity simultaneously, all of which were to be barriers to hinder success, he says. But a total surrender of my life to the lordship of Jesus Christ has not only overcome those barriers but all others.

As cooperative ministries consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention, Lincoln tries to determine everything from pulpit exchanges to church partnerships. We have churches that do joint worship services, training events, reconciliation dialogues and recreational activities. Our goal at the state convention is to have churches of different ethnicities working together in Christian ministries.

Under Lincolns leadersip, African-American ministries in Kentucky have seen amazing growth including the establishment of an annual pastors conference and the J.L. Roberts School of Religion which both host 3,000 participants.

Lincoln attributes the success of his ministry to a total surrender to Christ. Its absolutely awesome how God can use you, says Lincoln. It will amaze and surprise you.

For information about how you can impact African-American church planting, contact Ken Weathersby at 770-410-6232 or visit www.namb.net.