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Moments with Your Mission Strategist Dr. Dennis Love “Needing God More Than We Realize”
Let me take you to Acts 17, where the Apostle Paul walks into the intellectual capital of the ancient world—-Athens. This was not the Bible Belt. This was Mars Hill. A place full of idols, philosophies, and people who thought they had everything figured out. Sound familiar?
Paul was not intimidated in a place full of idols. His heart was stirred by the idolatry around him, and he preached boldly the Good News of the Gospel, and he introduced them to the One true God of this universe. He told them something that is just as true for us today: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) We just do not need God when we are in trouble. We do not just need Him when we are sick, scared, or stuck. We need Him every hour. We need Him every moment. And we need Him every breath. But the world tells us otherwise. The world says: “You got this.” “Manifest your own destiny.” “Follow your heart.” “Be your own person.” Even we as Christians can fall into the trap of thinking we are fine without Him. We post about our problems before praying about them. We give credit to luck instead of thanking God. We make decisions without every consulting the One who made us. God made the world. God rules the world. And God invites us to seek Him—-not because He is far away, but because He is near. So, let me ask you something. Do you realize how much you need Him? Not just when tragedy strikes. But when you are washing dishes, sitting in traffic, helping your kids with their homework, or making a tough decision at work. Because the truth is, every moment is a moment we all need God. So today, do not wait for a crisis to call on Him. Acknowledge Him in your joy. Depend on Him in your routine. Thank Him for your breath. And seek Him like your life depends on it—because it does! Let me take you to Acts 17, where the Apostle Paul walks into the intellectual capital of the ancient world—-Athens. This was not the Bible Belt. This was Mars Hill. A place full of idols, philosophies, and people who thought they had everything figured out. Sound familiar? Paul was not intimidated in a place full of idols. His heart was stirred by the idolatry around him, and he preached boldly the Good News of the Gospel, and he introduced them to the One true God of this universe. He told them something that is just as true for us today: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) We just do not need God when we are in trouble. We do not just need Him when we are sick, scared, or stuck. We need Him every hour. We need Him every moment. And we need Him every breath. But the world tells us otherwise. The world says: “You got this.” “Manifest your own destiny.” “Follow your heart.” “Be your own person.” Even we as Christians can fall into the trap of thinking we are fine without Him. We post about our problems before praying about them. We give credit to luck instead of thanking God. We make decisions without every consulting the One who made us. God made the world. God rules the world. And God invites us to seek Him—-not because He is far away, but because He is near. So, let me ask you something. Do you realize how much you need Him? Not just when tragedy strikes. But when you are washing dishes, sitting in traffic, helping your kids with their homework, or making a tough decision at work. Because the truth is, every moment is a moment we all need God. So today, do not wait for a crisis to call on Him. Acknowledge Him in your joy. Depend on Him in your routine. Thank Him for your breath. And seek Him like your life depends on it—because it does! God is Good Dennis
Eph. 3:20-21
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Her office is located at 130 Logan Street, Marion.
One of the themes that often comes up in counseling is an absentee parent. When a child has a parent who is absent or inconsistently involved in their lives, it affects that child’s life. However, that does not end when the child becomes an adult. The impact of an absentee parent has long-lasting consequences that impact the self-esteem and well-being of the child long into adulthood.
People generally recognize the effects of an absentee mother. On the other hand, absentee fathers have become so prevalent that it can be dismissed as ‘that’s just the way things are’. “American culture tells the wounded that they should not be hurt in the first place because father’s do not matter that much anyway” (Smithbaker, J.A, 2025). Extensive research has examined the effects of positive, negative, and absent fathering. Absentee or inconsistent parenting can be due to divorce, abandonment, neglect, addiction, generational patterns, death, or any number of reasons. Regardless of the reasoning, it’s the result of sin and has long-lasting negative impacts on the child. Statistics show that in America, more than 25 million children under the age of 18 are growing up without a consistent presence of a father.
Research indicates that children that live in homes where the father is absent are much more likely to live in poverty, to become involved with drugs and alcohol, and, have behavior problems that could lead to criminal activity in adulthood. Research also indicates that children with absentee dads are more likely to experience physical and emotional difficulties, be sexually active at an early age and perform lower academically. All of this makes it more difficult for the child to grow up, be a productive citizen and not repeat the generational cycle of neglect, abuse, or abandonment.
So, what do we do about all of this? The Bible tells us in various places to care for orphans and “defend the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17, NKJV). The NIV words it this way, “Take up the case of the fatherless.” The church is called to step in and help support when a father (or mother) is not present. This may mean taking time to mentor a child without a father. It may also mean supporting the family through education and encouraging counseling.
In his article, “Fathering Research: problems, prospects and potential”, Ken Canfield suggest a number of ways to help encourage fathers, particularly those who themselves did not grow up with a father. Here he suggests encouraging counseling, developing support groups to teach practical parenting and life skills, identifying barriers to healthy parenting (Canfield, Ken, (2025). In my practice, I can help with the emotional aspects of an absentee parent. However, across the board, patient success rates increase when they have a good support system in place. The church needs to be that support!
Canfield, Ken (2025). Fathering research: Problems, prospects, and potential. Christian Counseling Today, 27(2), 10-14.
Smithbaker, J. (2025). The Wounds of Father Abandonment and God’s path to Restoration.
Christian Counseling Today, 27 (2), 24-27.
The extent of fatherlessnesss. National Center for Fathering (n.d.). https;//fathers.com/the-extent-of -fatherlessness./
LIVE LIKE MEGAN FOUNDATION
The Live Like Megan Foundation is on a mission to bring hope, education, and opportunity to children navigating life-altering circumstances. Whether facing serious health challenges or entering the uncertainty of foster care, these children are met with unwavering love, support, and dignity through the foundation’s expanding programs.
At the heart of this mission is Meg’s Place—a warm, comforting home in McDowell County where children entering foster care can stay instead of spending the night on the floor of a DSS office. It’s a soft landing during a traumatic time, offering safety, stability, and peace when they need it most.
And this is just the beginning.
With God’s provision and the continued support of the community, the foundation is working to bring similar homes to Yancey and Burke counties. “No child should ever have to spend the night on the floor while waiting for a foster placement,” says Executive Director Amber Vess. “We believe every community should have a space like Meg’s Place—where love meets children in their hardest moments.”
In addition to emergency housing, the foundation supports foster families and kinship caregivers through monthly support group meetings and by providing essentials like clothing, furniture, and toys—ensuring caregivers have what they need to welcome children to their homes.
The Live Like Megan Foundation also hosts Outdoor Adventures, a mentorship-based program that connects children with nature and caring adults. This spring, several children participated in a guided bird hunt, and this fall, the program continues with a multi-day bear hunt, offering adventure, mentorship, and unforgettable memories.
As the new school year approaches, the foundation is preparing for its annual Back to School Bash, equipping children in foster care with brand-new backpacks and school supplies—giving them the items necessary to start the year strong and feel just like their peers.
From backpacks and bear hunts to bedrooms and support groups, the Live Like Megan Foundation is a living testimony of what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in a broken world. With new homes on the horizon in Yancey and Burke, that testimony is only growing.
To support the mission of the Live Like Megan Foundation or learn more, visit https://livelikemeganfoundation.com
Associational Mission Team
Please be in prayer for your associational mission team of 6 going to Beckley WV July 16-20. We will be helping a new church plant with community outreach events. If you or your church would like to be a part of this mission trip, we could use help with the cost of gas and food. You can mail it, drop it by the office, or call Dennis and he will gladly come to you! Thanks for praying and giving.
UPDATE: One team member is very sick and cannot go on the trip. There is room for one more. If interested, contact Dennis 925-0735.
The one year anniversary of Hurricane Helen is just three months away. Baptists on Mission would like the opportunity to share with churches around September 27, 2025. We want to thank people for their generosity, prayers, and for their hard work. There is still much to be done and we plan to be rebuilding homes in WNC for at least the next five years. Baptists on Mission has completed repairs to more than 300 homes in WNC so far.
If your church didn’t exist, would your community notice? Whether it’s painting a school, cleaning up a yard or serving meals to those in need, your church knows your community’s specific needs and can choose the best project to make a difference through ServeNC. Please go to SERVENC.COM to sign up.
It was a joy to be with the good people at Nebo First on Sunday morning, May 4th. I presented Pastor Doug and his church family a certificate from Baptist on Mission and the NC Baptist State Convention for being the largest giving church in our association in giving to the NC State Missions Offering. They gave $4,467.00. Pastor Doug preached from Matthew 16:24 and made it clear if we are truly following Jesus, we will stay close to Him and represent Him in this world. Thanks, Pastor Doug, for bringing a good word from the Lord.
I was honored to go to Wilkesboro and kick off a revival service at Zion Hill Baptist Church on Sunday, May 18th. I preached the am and pm service and the people responded well to both messages. It’s a joy to represent our association whenever God gives me opportunities to do so.
It was great to be with the good people at Friendship on Sunday, June 1st. Interim Pastor, Dustin Duncan preached from Matthew 6:33 a message titled, “Where Do Our Priorities Lie.” He emphasized from this verse that Jesus, and the work of His kingdom, and the burden for lost people must take first place in our lives. He emphasized that if you want God to be first in your life, then you must show it. Thanks, Brother Dustin, for bringing a much-needed word to the church.
I was blessed to worship with the good people at Greenlee on Sunday, June 15th. Pastor Jonathan Tipper was winding up a series on grief he titled, “Good Grief.” The past four Sunday’s he had talked about the various ways people grieve. The last way he preached on grief was “Acceptance.” Accepting that God is loving, merciful, faithful and enough! Accepting these four attributes of God can get any person through times of grief. Thanks, Dr. Tipper for delivering a powerful word from the Lord.
JULY BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
05 Mrs. Amy Conner (Cherry Springs)
04 Rev. and Mrs. Danny White (Hankins)
12 Rev. and Mrs. Drew Dalton (First Baptist Church of Old Fort)
29 Rev. and Mrs. Michael Chambers (Cross Memorial)
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
04 Dr. Jonathan Tipper (Greenlee)
05 Dr. Jonathon Watson (Chapel Hill)
18 Rev. and Mrs. Michael Robinson (Sugar Hill)
Blue Ridge Baptist Association,
Your gift has already made an impact…
We currently have 8 youth in our weekly programs!
Thank you for your generous gift of $526.61 to Hope 29:11 on May 19, 2025.
As the Director, I would like to personally thank you for making Hope 29:11 possible. Your kindness enables us to love, encourage, guide, and share Jesus with hurting youth that have been referred to our Program. To date, with the current 8 youth, we have had 75 kids and teens participate in Hope 29:11 since its beginning in October, 2016. We plan for that number to keep rising and for our program to keep growing in the future. We can only do that through generous donations like yours.
With deep gratitude,
Paula Burgin
The NC Missions Offering is an annual offering collected in September. This offering is critical as it provides the entire regular budget for Baptists on Missions. The NC Missions Offering supports disaster relief, church planting and associational missions. BRBA encourages all of our churches to receive an offering or do a fundraiser for Baptists on Mission now that we have seen them in action here in our own county.
Region 8 NC Missions Rally 2025 – Statesville
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Fairview Baptist Church
349 Turnersburg Hwy
Statesville, NC 28625
We look forward to seeing you there. As a reminder we have these rallies all across the state. These rallies (10 of them) will highlight the variety of opportunities NC Baptists have to be involved in missions across our state, in our nation, and around the world. Featured will be worship, testimony, mission video, and a prayer time for missions. These rallies are for men, women and youth- everyone interested in missions is encouraged to attend. A main focus of these rallies will be state, national, international partnerships and projects (including Disaster Relief) and the NC Missions Offering.
A meal is provided for the NC Mission Rallies at no charge.
If you would like to add additional people, please make a new reservation for the number of additional people rather than adding to your existing number.
The cut-off date for reserving a meal for each rally is one week PRIOR to the event.
If you have questions please call at 919-459-5596.
Meal
5:45 pm
Missions Program
6:50 – 8:30 pm