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
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

‘Serving God is an adventure’: NC couple’s mission work spans 13 states

  • October 14, 2022
  • Trennis Henderson
  • Featured, Latest News, Missions, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont
Serving as missions volunteers for more than 40 years, Dewey and Kathie Aiken of North Carolina currently are involved as on-site coordinators for three partnerships that encompass a total of 13 states.
(Photo by Pam Henderson/The Baptist Paper)

‘Serving God is an adventure’: NC couple’s mission work spans 13 states

For Dewey and Kathie Aiken, their missions field is simply wherever God leads them and opens doors for ministry.

The North Carolina couple has been involved in volunteer missions projects for more than 40 years. They currently serve as on-site coordinators for North Carolina Baptists on Mission with projects in Pennsylvania/South Jersey, New England and Appalachia. Those three partnerships span a total of 13 states.

“Since about 1981, we’ve been involved in volunteer missions, personally leading missions teams each year,” Kathie explained. “That’s become very much a part of us. Our heart is volunteer missions. 

“What we’re doing right now is an extension of that,” she shared. After they retired from their professional careers, “the Lord decided for us to take another track of ministry full-time and that’s what we are — full-time missionaries. … We’re able to work closely with pastors, church leaders, listen to their hearts, hear their needs, pray with them, link up those hands with volunteers.”

Dewey said the couple’s life verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.’” Describing that truth as the motivation for their long-term missions service, he added, “We need to share that future and hope with other people.”

Recalling that he and Kathie took their first mission trip four decades ago with the former Home Mission Board, Dewey said, “We were able to take a bunch of inner-city kids from New Orleans out to the east Texas border and spend a week at camp with them. They put us in charge of recreation and we hung out with the kids all week. 

“We had the opportunity to lead three of those kids to the Lord,” he added. “After we came back, it was never a question of if we were going to be involved in volunteer missions; it was just where and what.”

Following God’s call

Kathie said one of their major life transitions came in 2002, five years after they took part in a missions trip to New England.

“We realized that we were being led to go back to New England full-time,” she said. Although the timing was delayed for a few years, they eventually were invited to serve as church strengtheners as well as managers for the Calef House and Retreat Center in Washington, Vermont.

“It was an easy transition for us although we were leaving family, leaving careers, leaving church,” Kathie reflected. “It was not a question in our minds about going because we knew that was where God was leading us. And so for the next seven years, we were able to minister there.”

Affirming that “it was a blessing to be with those dear, dear friends,” Kathie added, “Even today, right now, we’ve been reassigned to New England as partnership coordinators and so we’re back where we started 20 years ago.”

As they serve in a variety of ministry settings, Dewey said, “I think it’s kind of amazing because we have to understand that God has given all of us different skills and abilities. … It’s thrilling just to see what God is doing.”

The Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey’s Volunteer Mission House hosts mission teams serving throughout the region. Dewey and Kathie Aiken, on-site coordinators for BRN, have helped renovate the mission house over the past few years. (Photo by Pam Henderson/The Baptist Paper)

For the past six months, the Aikens have worked closely with the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey, including providing hospitality and logistics coordination for visiting missions teams staying in the network’s Volunteer Mission House. Over the past few years, they also have helped renovate the missions house where they live while on the field.

“You make yourself available to the people, you engage the people and you find yourself very accepted,” Kathie said. “Every day is full, every day is different.

“While we’ve been here in Pennsylvania, we’ve been basically in a different church every Sunday. We’ve enjoyed getting to meet the pastors and visit with the church families.”

Ministry of encouragement

Shannon Baker, director of communications for Pennsylvania/South Jersey, and her husband, Larry, recently launched a new church, Anastasis Fellowship Church in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Citing the Aikens’ prayer ministry on behalf of PA/SJ pastors, spouses and churches, Shannon said the couple “was such an encouragement” as they “came to see our mission field and prayer walked with us.”

“As we engaged people house-to-house, they were positioned down the street, faithfully praying every time we had a conversation with a resident,” she added.

“It was such an exciting day when I later called the Aikens to tell them a resident we had witnessed to that day had just prayed to receive Christ with us,” Shannon said. “The Aikens’ prayer was fruitful! And their prayers didn’t cease.”

Kathie noted that along with offering prayer support and encouragement to pastors coping with discouragement, isolation and other challenges, “we’re firm believers in prayer walking.

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from, you can walk and you can pray,” she shared. “We need to be doing more and more of that because that’s where the seeds are able to be planted, where the soil has been wet and tilled. That’s where the churches are going to grow.”

Dewey declared, “Serving God is an adventure. He’s got work for us all to do. All He asks us for is obedience.”

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • When should you see a therapist?
    When should you see a therapist?
    July 13, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable
    First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable
    July 12, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse
    Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse
    July 11, 2025/
    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

When should you see a therapist?

Remember all those things that happened back then — the things that you “just don’t think about?” Yeah. They’re still there.

First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable

The healthiest churches I know have small groups that are intentional about reaching non-believers. They set that goal, and they seek to reach lost people and then disciple new believers. At the same time, though, I’m reminded of reasons unchurched or newly-churched folks may be uncomfortable attending your small group.

Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse

Many churches have begun using background checks to help prevent abuse, but fewer are trained in reporting potential abuse. Lifeway Christian Resources and Clear Investigative

First person: Where is God in our pain?

The recent flooding in Texas has left so many of us reeling. The loss of lives, especially the lives of children at Camp Mystic, is beyond comprehension.

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 © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

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