Brooks Beike, associate/young family pastor at First Baptist Church in Chiefland, clasps his hands in prayer for those actively sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
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Florida Baptists gather for mission prayer breakfast

By Margaret Colson
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Photos by Michael Duncan

ORLANDO–Just minutes after the sun had risen in Orlando Nov. 12, close to 200 Florida Baptists gathered for a mission prayer breakfast, praying specifically for North American Mission Board and International Mission Board missionaries, chaplains and others who are on the “frontlines” of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stephen Rummage, executive director-treasurer for the Florida Baptist Convention, encouraged those in attendance, saying, “What you are doing through prayer is making an eternal difference.”

The prayer breakfast was held in conjunction with the 2024 Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting held at First Baptist Church, Orlando.

Stephen Rummage, executive-director treasurer for the Florida Baptist Convention, shares his passion for praying for those serving Christ in Florida, North America and the world. He talks about how he and his wife took their son, even from a young age, on mission trips throughout the world. By the time their son was a teen, he had his own personalized way of sharing the gospel.

 

The early hour does not deter close to 200 Florida Baptists from gathering to pray for missions. Myles Dowdy, Florida Baptists’ lead catalyst for mission and ministries, tells attendees, “Prayer is our greatest missions activity,” as individuals from young to old have opportunity to pray for those sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Nick Manzie, chaplain of the Port St. Lucie Police Department, shares his journey of becoming a chaplain. Manzie also serves as pastor of Central Baptist Church in Port St. Lucie. His enthusiasm for opportunities to share the gospel as a chaplain is unmistakable.

 

Brooks Beike, associate/young family pastor at First Baptist Church in Chiefland, clasps his hands in prayer for those actively sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

 

Brandon and Elizabeth Rodriguez, who serve Fifth Street Baptist Church in Key West, join their hearts together in prayer at the 2024 Florida Baptist mission prayer breakfast. Brandon teaches and models to congregants at Fifth Street Baptist Church, the southernmost English-speaking Southern Baptist congregation in the country, about the priority of prayer.

 

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer Carmen Mack, from Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, approaches every disaster relief opportunity with prayer, seeking God’s guidance as she serves those in crisis and offers the hope of the gospel. Here, she joins her fellow Florida Baptists in a concert of prayer.

 

Shauntelle Malone (left) and pastor’s wife Pamela Stallworth, from New Beginnings Ministries in Naples, bow their heads in quiet prayer for those taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it. Pastor Irvin Stallworh put his prayers into action as he planted New Beginnings Ministries in 2019.

 

Ted Spangenberg, from Blue Lake Baptist Church in Chipley, relies on prayer to share the gospel with young people involved in scouting. A certified Florida Baptist chaplain, Spangenberg serves as chairman of the BSA’s national chaplaincy committee for the Boy Scouts of America.

 

Chaplains serving in correctional institutions gather for prayer at First Orlando. Chaplains have a network throughout the Sunshine State to serve and share God’s love with those who are incarcerated. Shown here (left to right) are Jonn Derbyshire (navy blue shirt), Mark Prevatt, Doug Sanders, Clint Stasney, Bo Hammock, Chris Wynn and Christopher Bailey.
Margaret Colson

Margaret Colson began serving as consulting communications editor for the Florida Baptist Convention in April 2022, but she has a long history of working with Florida Baptists in telling the story of how God is at work in the Sunshine State.

Margaret earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Georgia and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She is a leader in denominational communications, serving as executive director for Baptist Communicators Association as well as for Association of State Baptist Publications. She is married to Keith Colson.

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