Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close this search box.
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close this search box.
  • Latest News
  • SBC 2023
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • SBC 2023
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Pastor becomes ‘living example’ of faith through cancer journey

  • January 13, 2023
  • Georgia's The Christian Index
  • Church Life, Georgia, Latest News
Pastor Chris Winford and his wife Angela hold up a T-shirt created by their church family at First Baptist Brunswick, after they received the good news that “the tumor is gone.” The church produced and sold the shirts to support Winford and raise funds to help with the family’s medical bills.
(Photo courtesy of the Christian Index)

Pastor becomes ‘living example’ of faith through cancer journey

Chris Winford started last year with a prayer that the Lord would make him a man of deeper faith.

“Little did I know I was about to become a living example,” the pastor at First Baptist Church in Brunswick, Georgia, said.

A grim cancer diagnosis caused Winford to trust in the Lord more than ever before.

His is an encouraging story of faith and courage amid uncertainty and of a gracious God who provided a happy ending. It all began just over a year ago in January 2022, when Winford asked the Lord to give him a word for the year.

“The word He gave me was faith,” Winford said. “And so, in January 2022, I preached a sermon on faith. I told our church, ‘God can turn our impossibles into Him-possibles.’ That became our church’s slogan for the year.”

Three months later, Winford was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. That was followed by months of radiation and chemotherapy that wreaked havoc on his body.

‘International prayer time’

“People were praying for me not only in our church but all over the state of Georgia, all over the nation, all over the world,” he said. “It turned into an international prayer time. I literally felt as if I was being carried by the prayers of the people.”

It was a time of exponential spiritual growth. Winford, his wife, Angela, and his children, Abigail, 16, and Avery, 14, could do nothing other than trust God.

Angela said she saw incredible strength and endurance in her husband.

“That strength came from his faith, from his relationship with the Lord,” she said. “And that strength filtered out to everyone who was following our journey. It strengthened their faith watching him lean into the Lord. It was a hard journey. In those deep dark days, he would look to the Lord to get him through the next moment, the next hour, the next day.”

Geoff Cannon, a deacon at the church and a local football coach, was among those who watched and prayed.

‘Resilient’ man

“I certainly saw a fighter, someone who received the bad news and came out swinging,” Cannon said. “He was certainly courageous, certainly faithful, and certainly resilient.”

The people of FBC pulled even closer to Winford and his family amidst the uncertainty of the diagnosis. They showed their love and support in so many ways, including in the printing of T-shirts for a fundraiser to help with his medical bills. That shirt said “TEAM CHRIS” on the front.  On the back it said, “In this church family, no one fights alone.”

Cannon said Winford, a leader among state Baptists who serves on the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s administration committee, was also a great example to his church of how a Christian should face adversity, praying and trusting God while realizing the outcome could go a number of different ways.

“Your mortality becomes a reality,” Winford said. “In a moment, your life changes. You realize your mortality, but you also realize there’s something after this mortal world.”

What Winford came away with was a much deeper appreciation for the place that God has prepared for those who love Him.

‘Hope in Jesus’

“The idea of having a perfect body that is not affected by disease is appealing,” he said. “The thought of a place where there is no more pain and no more tears brings me an appreciation for heaven that I’ve never had. The year 2022 was filled with pain, was filled with tears, was filled with the realization that my body was broken. But hope in Jesus tells us these things are temporary, and that I can look forward to a whole body, a glorious body.”

Some nine months later, on Dec. 22, 2022, Winford received a glowing report from his doctor: “Your blood levels are normal. Your CT scan is clear. Your MRI is clear. Other tests are clear. The tumor is gone.”

Those words touched off a celebration in the Winford home, in his church, across Georgia and around the world. The ordeal, Winford said, has made him more empathetic.

“Now, when someone is dealing with cancer, I can say to them, ‘I know what it’s like,’” he said. “I know the thoughts that are going through their minds.”

Words, Winford said, aren’t necessary, but presence is crucial.

“Just to know someone is near, that’s a great comfort,” he said.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Roger Alford and originally published by the Christian Index.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • NextGen teams ‘on front lines of lostness,’ reaching nations with gospel
    NextGen teams ‘on front lines of lostness,’ reaching nations with gospel
    June 8, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Sixteen members of Nigerian church released after being kidnapped
    Sixteen members of Nigerian church released after being kidnapped
    June 8, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson dies at 93
    Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson dies at 93
    June 8, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

NextGen teams ‘on front lines of lostness,’ reaching nations with gospel

Sticky notes plastered to the wall represented all the ways summer volunteers will embark on the missionary task in the next few weeks and months.

Sixteen members of Nigerian church released after being kidnapped

Sixteen members of Bege Baptist Church of Masala in central Nigeria were released June 4 after being kidnapped nearly a month earlier. Gunmen abducted 43

Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson dies at 93

Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, died June 8 at his Virginia Beach home. Robertson was 93. “Pat Robertson has gone home to

First Person: Gaining altitude — WMU celebrates 135 years of SBC missions

According to an insect identification database, 647 types of bugs and insects are found in Alabama. Some downright scare me. I looked at images of

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel