When the women of Ridgecrest Baptist Church gathered for their annual conference this year, they came expecting to grow in their faith. What they didn’t expect was to raise enough funds to provide not one, but two motorcycles for women’s ministry leaders in South Sudan.
The theme of the conference was “Deeper”—inspired by John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” With sessions focused on going deeper through God’s Word, through trials, and through missions, the event challenged every woman in the room to grow in their trust and obedience to Christ.
One of the most powerful moments came during a panel discussion on missions. Set in a casual, living room-style format, the panel featured three Ridgecrest women who had traveled to South Sudan with Empower One:
Callie Potts shared deeply about how spending the summer in South Sudan with her husband and young children profoundly shaped their family’s faith. She described how her children returned to the U.S. with a newfound boldness to share the Gospel, often talking about South Sudan with their friends and praying regularly for the people they met. Callie reflected on how the Lord helped her personally overcome fears and step into obedience, and how meaningful it was to witness her entire family serve together in a new cultural context. What moved her most, she said, was seeing how much it encouraged the South Sudanese believers to know that a whole family would come to stand with them in ministry. It was a powerful picture of mutual encouragement and the global body of Christ at work.
Denyse Bench, Ridgecrest’s Children’s Director and wife of Pastor Joel Bench, also shared her experience from traveling to South Sudan this past summer. She spoke with admiration about the unwavering faith of the South Sudanese believers—faith that held strong despite hardship and lack of resources. What struck her most was how joyfully and sacrificially they lived out the Gospel. Denyse reflected on how witnessing that kind of faith challenged her own walk with God, stretching her dependence on Him and deepening her commitment to trust Him more fully. The trip not only impacted her personally but also reshaped how she thinks about ministry and the global Church.
Tiffney Darrow rounded out the panel by sharing about her very first mission trip with Empower One to South Sudan. She quickly discovered that stepping into obedience opened the door to incredible growth. Tiffney spoke about how God used the trip to deepen her faith, ignite a stronger desire to make Christ known, and stir a fresh passion to trust Him in every area of life. Being in South Sudan gave her a new perspective, not only on the challenges believers face there, but also on the unity of the global Church and the power of simple obedience. Her testimony reminded the women at the conference that you don’t have to be an expert to be used by God—you just have to be willing.
Their stories painted a vivid picture of God’s work in South Sudan—and how He uses everyday people who are simply willing to say yes.
A Simple Idea with a Big Impact
The idea to raise money for motorcycles came from the Ridgecrest women who had seen firsthand the challenges faced by African women’s ministry leaders trying to reach remote areas. The Ridgecrest Women’s Ministry team caught the vision and began preparing weeks ahead of the event—sharing the need through flyers, social media, and a silent auction.
Each woman at the conference received a handout with a QR code to give, and the response was immediate and enthusiastic.
“The Lord was gracious to exceed our goal,” one leader shared. “We raised $4,279—enough for two motorcycles!”
Same God, Different Continent
One of the most moving takeaways from the weekend was the realization that God is at work on both sides of the globe. As one panelist said, “God is the same God in the U.S. as He is in South Sudan.” That truth, echoed throughout the event, deepened the sense of connection between the women in the room and their sisters in Africa as part of the global body of Christ.
The success of the conference didn’t just result in funds raised—it sparked something deeper in the hearts of those who attended. Ridgecrest’s women’s ministry is already planning future events with a continued focus on missions.
“The Lord used simple obedience to ultimately bring glory to Himself,” the ministry leader shared, “and to continue meeting the needs of the saints all over the world.”
Want to Make a Difference?
If your church or women’s ministry is considering a similar partnership, take this as encouragement: You don’t have to do something huge. Start with prayer. Share the stories. Invite your people to give. And watch how God multiplies your small steps of obedience into something far greater than you imagined.