DAVIDSONVILLE, Md. — Nearly 700 women filled Riva Trace Baptist Church for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s second annual Revive Conference.
The worship center echoed with singing, praying and praising as women from teens to octogenarians relaxed inhibitions and freely worshipped Jesus. At the end of the two days, the crowd wanted to stay longer as the praise band continued, and many came forward, raising hands while others locked arms as they sang and swayed.
“I cannot recall such a turnout for any BCM/D event in my 72 years of life,” said retired pastor Gary Glanville. “I pray this is a sign of the things to come.”
BCM/D Women’s Missionary Somer Phoebus said the March 8-9 event surpassed expectations both in attendance and in participation.
“I have served in the local church for more than 20 years, and what I experienced at Revive was unlike anything I have seen before,” she said. “Women arrived excited to experience the presence of God, eager to be equipped by His Word, and ready to invest in building up one another. When Revive doubled in size weeks prior to the event, it posed numerous logistical challenges. We pushed every aspect of this conference to its limit. However, amidst the very crowded hallways and long lunch lines, the women who attended remained joyful and patient. It was evident that they had come to experience God’s presence, and because of that, I believe we saw the Spirit move in a mighty way.”
BCM/D Executive Director Tom Stolle welcomed the crowd, which represented more than 120 churches.
“I’m so thankful for how God uses our women,” Stolle said. “I’m so thankful that God put you in places where you can share your love, share your wisdom, share your voice, and all of you bring so much that is magnificent to the church. I want you to know we see you, we value you, we respect you, we care about you, we love you, and without you, the church is not complete.”
Under the theme “Made for More: A Counter-Cultural Approach to Womanhood,” attendees heard from Emily Copeland, Jamie Caldwell, Nicole Warren and Dan Hyun as well as several local and national breakout leaders.
Copeland, an author and former nationally known model, told the women, “We don’t have a ‘confidence in self’ problem. We believe that confidence comes from what we can bring to God and not what God is trying to do and what He can do through us. And because I know I’m in a room full of women who are hungry to know Jesus and experience Him and do life His way, I want to lovingly tell you confidence is only good when the focal point of it and the source of it is holy.”
Caldwell, BCM/D church planting team leader and pastor of South Shore Church, in Crownsville, Md., encouraged women to seek a fresh vision, fresh conviction, and fresh mission and encouraged all to beware of distraction. Caldwell confessed his obsession with the reality show, “Top Chef.”
“Top Chef isn’t sinful — until it is,” he said. “Your Instagram is not sinful until it is. Your TikTok is not sinful until it is. Your social media isn’t sinful until it is. Your idolatry of your family is always sinful, but hear me when I tell you that God has given you what he has given you so you can honor Him. But it’s so easy for us to get distracted by the gifts He has given us that we forget the giver of the gifts.”
Nicole Warren is a mom, Bible teacher, and speaker who recently left her 20-plus-year career as a six-figure-earning HR executive to follow God’s call to work in her local church.
“Ministry needs business, and business needs ministry,” Warren said, adding: “If you don’t know how to deal with clients and customers and the people who are over them, you won’t be able to grow. It’s a business and ministry aspect. How can we expect people to come and experience the love of God if we don’t care for them individually?”
Dan Hyun, BCM/D church partnership team leader, shared about the woman with the issue of blood mentioned in Mark 5 and how Jesus treated her with compassion and love.
“It’s one of the most countercultural things about Jesus,” he said. “The kings of the world do everything they can to distance themselves from broken people. But not Jesus.” Hyun said Jesus used His power to draw those who were hurting and broken to Himself.
“May we be those countercultural people who grant the same kind of honor and dignity to all who bear the beautiful image of our great God,” he said. “Not just the important people. Not just the people who can get something for us. Even the ones who are invisible to the rest of society.”
Women also attended a number of breakouts on various topics, including dealing with anxiety, discipleship and sexual abuse prevention.
