Living in the far western desert of Arizona, one thing you really grow to appreciate is accessibility. As I serve as pastor of Quartzsite Southern Baptist Church, my family and I have discovered what it is like to live 90 miles from any major metropolis.

The remoteness of our field of ministry makes me appreciate the Arizona Campus of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary all the more. This campus has allowed me to continue to equip myself for ministry without leaving the mission field where God has called me.

While the school commute of just over 300 miles almost every week for the past four years has been challenging, the blessings have been overwhelming! I have grown immensely in my walk with the Lord. I have seen firsthand how God is working in the lives of my fellow students. I especially appreciate the Christian fellowship and Godly instruction that takes place as I meet for class on Monday nights. This type of encouragement and training is invaluable.

I am so thankful that, because of Southern Baptist churches giving through the Cooperative Program, seminary training is affordable and accessible. It is important to remember, though, that the Cooperative Program is far more than just dollars and cents. It is the equipping of people for God’s kingdom work. My family has been blessed to be a beneficiary of this ongoing partnership.

My life, my ministry, my church, and my community have been greatly blessed by the partnership of Southern Baptists. We may live in the middle of nowhere, but we are not alone in pursuing what God is doing in Quartzsite, Arizona.

I am Aaron Chicoine, and I am the CP.

Because you and your church give, You are the CP.