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
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Thousands of miles, thousands of dollars for North American missions

  • June 9, 2022
  • Grace Thornton
  • Featured, Latest News, North American Mission Board, North Carolina
Toby Thorpe raised nearly $12,000 for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, encouraging people to sponsor his cross-country bike ride.
(Photo courtesy of Toby Thorpe)

Thousands of miles, thousands of dollars for North American missions

Toby Thorpe had bicycled in the mountains many times before. But when he headed out from San Diego on the first day of a cross-country bike trip, he realized something: The mountains of California are different from the mountains of North Carolina.

“Back home you’ve got transitions in landscape that slowly build toward the mountains,” he noted. “But in California we came out of San Diego and there was no transition. We immediately hit mountains. They’re rocky, they’re more rugged than we are used to, and I was honestly laying in bed that night wondering what I’d gotten myself into.”

Pedaling with purpose

That memory stuck with him. Thorpe, 65, and two friends, Mike Stanley and Earl McMahon, planned the trip with the intention of raising money for causes dear to their hearts. Thorpe picked the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.

And as he rode he thought about the church planters that the offering supports — those in largely unreached cities who might find the ground rocky or have days when they wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into.

Along the way Thorpe met some of them and recorded their stories to share with his church, North Albemarle Baptist in Albemarle, North Carolina. He posted them on his Facebook page, Pedaling for Annie.

“We tried to make people who were watching the video aware of the specific challenges these pastors are meeting,” Thorpe explained.

Send Cities

The first was Jeremy Aylett, teaching pastor at Mesa Church in San Diego. Next was Alex Dennis, who planted Asante Church in Surprise, Arizona a suburb of Phoenix. And the third was Bobby Williams, who planted Next Level in Christ Church in New Orleans.

All three are Send Cities, places where the North American Mission Board focuses on strategically sending church planters to reach largely unchurched populations. Part of the planters’ support comes from gifts to AAEO.

Thorpe said he was challenged by their stories.

“Bobby Williams’ unique challenge, for instance, is that he’s trying to plant a church in a party town,” Thorpe related. “Not only that, Hurricane Katrina hit right after they planted, and then they faced COVID, too.”

A long journey

Thorpe’s 2,897-mile route — called the Southern Tier and mapped out by the Adventure Cycling Association — started in San Diego and ended six weeks later in St. Augustine, Florida on April 25. Another friend, Keith Holloway, accompanied them, driving their rented RV from destination to destination.

Before he left North Carolina, Thorpe encouraged anyone who was interested in sponsoring his ride to consider giving a penny, a nickel, a dime or a quarter per mile to the AAEO.

So far he’s raised more than $12,000.

“It’s not about me — this is about God and what He’s doing through church planters,” Thorpe declared. “We had a great trip, but it wasn’t about us.”

For more information or to see videos and photos from the trip visit facebook.com/pedaling4annie. To learn more about the AAEO visit anniearmstrong.com.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Former SWBTS professor of missions Samuel Shahid dies at 87
    Former SWBTS professor of missions Samuel Shahid dies at 87
    March 22, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Churches more financially equipped to weather hardships, study shows
    Churches more financially equipped to weather hardships, study shows
    March 22, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Tony Wolfe elected new SCBC executive director-treasurer
    Tony Wolfe elected new SCBC executive director-treasurer
    March 22, 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

Former SWBTS professor of missions Samuel Shahid dies at 87

Samuel Shahid, professor of missions in the Islamic Studies program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1998–2013, died March 2. He was 87 years old.

a stack of money sitting on top of a laptop computer

Churches more financially equipped to weather hardships, study shows

After enduring difficult economic seasons recently, churches are better prepared for financial rainy days than they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Lifeway Research study

Tony Wolfe elected new SCBC executive director-treasurer

South Carolina Baptist Convention messengers unanimously elected Tony Wolfe as the new executive director-treasurer Monday afternoon (March 20) in a special called meeting at Shandon

person holding black iphone 5

Could potential TikTok ban impact online outreach?

As the social media app TikTok continues to raise security concerns, some churches and ministries would face a significant shift in outreach strategy if the

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