On Thursday, August 22, approximately 50 church leaders from the San Diego Southern Baptist Association (SDSBA) gathered at Kings Cross Church in La Jolla with one mission in mind—preparing for the upcoming Serve Tour. The event, hosted by Send Relief, brought a wave of inspiration and excitement as church leaders began to envision the transformative impact they could have on their communities.
The Serve Tour, scheduled for February 21-22 in San Diego, is part of a national effort by Send Relief to mobilize volunteers and churches to meet practical needs and share the love of Christ in tangible ways. Sammy Simmons, National Project Director of Send Relief, led the gathering, taking questions and strongly encouraging early participation.
Before closing the meeting in prayer, Rolland Slade, Elected President of the California Southern Baptist Convention (CSBC), was asked if the state convention was committed to the Serve Tour. Slade responded, “Absolutely. Kendrick Neal, our Disaster Relief Director, is here to show his support, and Sarah Graham from CSBC Communications is here with her camera in hand. The California Convention is all in!”
The enthusiasm in the room was palpable, particularly for pastors like Frank Keeler of Lifeway Church of Vista. Keeler admitted he wasn’t aware of the Serve Tour’s full scope prior to the meeting but was encouraged by Mike Carlisle, Director of Missions for the SDSBA, to get involved early. Now, his mind is buzzing with possibilities.
“Our church sits on 4.5 acres, and half of it is undeveloped,” Keeler shared. “There’s an elementary school just around the corner, and we’ve already started stepping up our ministry there. We brought lunch for the teachers for their first day of school, and they loved it and we’re planning a back-to-school ice cream social for the families.”
But Lifeway Church sees how their ministry can be more impactful than just a one-off blessing. “A couple of us at the church are committed to tutoring and helping students with their reading. We even had a soccer event with lunch and a Bible story, and one little boy asked if we could do it every Saturday,” Keeler continued with a slight crack in his voice.
When asked about his “God Only” project—something so big that only God could make it happen—Keeler didn’t hesitate. “I’d love to turn some of that acreage into a soccer field for the kids in the community. It might be too big of a project, but that’s the dream.”
Pastor Obed Brefo of Kings Cross Church, the very church that hosted the gathering, admitted to feeling overwhelmed initially by the scope of the Serve Tour as well. “It’s going to feel overwhelming to my whole church,” Brefo shared. Kings Cross had only moved into its current building a year prior and was still establishing its presence in the community. Despite the challenges, Brefo’s excitement was evident.
“There are a lot of projects to think about, but we’re not doing it alone,” he noted. “Our church is across from military housing and local schools, and I’m excited to partner with local beach town councils to address issues like graffiti.” But when asked about his “Only God” project, Brefo’s face lit up.
“There is this one thing,” he began, “moving our playground—that would be a dream come true for the community. Imagine it. Opening it up for the kids to come here anytime and see this is a place for families.”
The Serve Tour isn’t just about serving; it’s about transforming the community in ways that are only possible with God’s intervention. As church leaders from across San Diego rally their congregations to participate, the anticipation is building for what promises to be a powerful demonstration of faith in action.
President Slade is strongly encouraging all churches, not just San Diegans, to prayerfully consider being an active participant in The Serve Tour this coming February. NAMB has challenged him to get California Southern Baptists involved. Slade responded with, “I accept that challenge! I know CSBC will step up because we are Better Together. Come on out to sunny San Diego!”
(L to R) Darryl Speers, Sammy Simmons, Mike Carlisle, Phil Herrington, Kendrick Neal, Rolland Slade
To learn more and register your church for the Serve Tour go to: https://www.sendrelief.org/serve-tour/san-diego/
