Brian Bauer’s story echoes the Lord’s question to Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones: “Can these bones live?”
In rural Five Forks, God is doing something new through Brian Bauer. A senior systems engineer, Brian moved to Virginia in May 2023. One day, while driving by a quaint country church with “Bethpeor” written above the doors, he mentioned to his wife that he would love to preach there someday. Little did he know that the church had not held weekly services in years. Brian and his family settled into their new home and began engaging with the community, discovering numerous ministry opportunities and reaching individuals who were often overlooked by or resistant to traditional church settings.
Eventually, Brian heard about and attended a monthly prayer breakfast at Mt. Tirzah Baptist Church, one of the SBCV churches in the area, where he met Pastor Charles Maney. Charles began praying for him and sending texts on Sunday mornings. “I text a lot of these pastors,” noted Pastor Maney, “especially some of the young guys, to let them know someone is thinking about them and praying for them.” This was a tremendous encouragement for Brian, who said, “When he would send it, it was always at the right time. Every time, it was an affirmation to me.” Charles also encouraged Brian to explore the SBCV and consider its resources for churches and pastors.
Weeks later, while driving by the same country church, Brian’s four-year-old son exclaimed, “Daddy, there’s your church!” Brian was surprised by the statement and wondered where his son got the idea.
Brian also joined the local fire station as a volunteer firefighter. It was there that fellow fireman Lou Gillam noticed Brian’s passion for Jesus and invited him to church. When Brian attended, he discovered it was Bethpeor Baptist Church—the very church he had mentioned to his wife. It was just Lou and Brian. Lou then invited Brian to help relaunch a weekly worship service at Bethpeor, a church Lou’s grandfather had helped build in the early 1900s.
Following Charles’ advice, Brian contacted the SBCV’s regional strategist, Shawn Ames, who explained the SBCV’s goal of partnering with local churches to fulfill the Great Commission. Ames invited Brian to join the monthly Farmville Pastors Network luncheon, led by SBCV Pastor Rick Caldwell of Concord Baptist Church in Farmville. There, Brian found additional encouragement from fellow pastors. “The guys were amazing!” Brian recalled. “Almost all of them came up to me and offered help. ‘Whatever you need, just ask!’ they said.”
Brian also learned about SBCV resources like the upcoming Small Town/Rural Church Pastors and Leaders Workshop in Appomattox, Revitalization Cohorts, Church Planting, coaching, and more. Ames noted, “He seemed humble and willing to receive input from others while also being bold in following the Lord wherever He might lead. It’s amazing to see how SBCV pastors and resources have encouraged Brian and how God has opened doors for ministry.”
Brian Bauer’s story echoes the Lord’s question to Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones: “Can these bones live?” With the help of the Spirit, encouragement from fellow ministry leaders, and Brian’s leadership, dozens of people now gather each Sunday morning at Bethpeor Baptist Church, believing that they indeed can.
