Purpose Statement

The Building Tomorrow’s Church conference ministry, or BTC, was established for the purpose of encouraging young adults who are professing believers, both those from member churches of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA) and from the larger Reformed Baptist community, to love Christ and to love that which Christ loved and died for—His bride, the Church.

BTC is a one of a kind conference geared towards Reformed Baptist young adults—singles and married couples, ages 18 to 30-something—who desire to learn more about the importance of the local church and how to serve Christ through it. It is vital that today’s young adults continue in the building of Christ’s kingdom through evangelizing sinners and edifying the saints. The goal of BTC is to see this generation of young people filled with a sincere enthusiasm for strengthening the body of Christ by pursuing godly living and actively participating in Christian service.

Download the BTC Purpose Statement here.

Conference Distinctives

The BTC conference has come to be identified by the following three traits:

• Reformed

• Relational

• Real

For more details about these three distinctives, click here.

BTC Essentials

Here is a list of the defining characteristics of the Building Tomorrow’s Church conference; in other words, those attributes which makes BTC what it is: click here.

Please note that this list of "Essentials" is important for any church interested in hosting a future BTC conference to read and acknowledge.

Music Statement

BTC is a ministry that falls under the direct oversight and biblical authority of the elders at Grace Covenant Church in Gilbert, Arizona, a member church of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA). Grace Covenant Church holds to the Regulative Principle of worship. Both Grace Covenant Church and the BTC conference ministry are unashamedly confessional and distinctively reformed. Therefore, the music at the BTC conferences strives to be God-honoring, Christ-exalting, believer-edifying, doctrinally-sound, and aesthetically-beautiful.

We have chosen to utilize a variety of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs in our singing to the Lord at the BTC conferences. Our sources for songs have included the Trinity hymnal, the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) hymnbook, songs produced by Sovereign Grace Music, modern hymns written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty, and a small variety of psalms, scripture songs, and miscellaneous hymns. For a sample list of songs, click here.

ARBCA Update Article

Read about BTC in the Winter 2011 edition of the ARBCA Update here.

Statistics

BTC 2008

August 8-11, Prescott, AZ (United Christian Youth Camp)

"Building Tomorrow's Church"

Pastor Bob Selph, Grace Baptist Church, Taylors, SC

BTC 2009

May 22-25, Prescott, AZ (United Christian Youth Camp)

"Sanctified Service: The Importance of Godly Living in the Local Church”

Pastor Earl Blackburn, Heritage Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA

Pastor Robert Briggs, Immanuel Baptist Church, Sacramento, CA

BTC 2010

August 6-9, Prescott, Arizona (Prescott Pines Camp)

"The Church and Missions"

Pastor Don Donell, Crosspoint Church, Ashville, NC

Pastor Raymond Perron, Église Baptiste Réformée de la Capitale, Montreal, Quebec

Testimonials

“It has really been amazing to see what God did in all our hearts that weekend. …It's awesome to see God igniting the next generation of the church!” –Kari, Indiana

“I wanted to thank everyone who was involved and participated in this year’s conference! I had a wonderful time. Words can't describe the fellowship that takes place between true brothers and sisters in Christ! The messages I heard were both convicting and powerful. Thanks again....through grace and Christ alone we are adopted into His family!” –Jason, North Dakota

“The Building Tomorrow’s Church conference was one of the richest and most defining experiences of my summer. …The teaching caused me to step back and look at my own church attendance and attitude, and challenged me to pursue Christ more by becoming more a part of His body. …I would definitely encourage any of our 18-30 age group to consider going next year!”  –Rachel, Louisiana

“Wow, what a great conference! I enjoyed every minute. Thanks so much to all of you who gave your time and effort into making it happen!” –Anne, California

“This conference was a blast and such an encouragement to my soul. Thank you to everyone who put in so much hard work and praise be to God who blessed in manifold ways.” –Whitney, South Carolina

“Enjoyed it! What a tremendous blessing all around—from the fellowship of brethren from multiple states to encouraging and convicting messages. Truly it was more than I imagined it to be. Soli Deo Gloria!” –John, Georgia

Read more testimonials by clicking here.

Audio/Video/Photo

Coming soon!...

Pray for BTC

• Pray for the BTC committee at Grace Covenant Church as they prepare for the conference.

• Pray for godly wisdom for the speakers as they prepare their messages.

• Pray for journey mercies for all who will be traveling to AZ to attend the conference.

• Pray for our young adults to be spiritually energized and come away from the conference with renewed zeal and commitment to serve in their local church.

• Pray for encouraging fellowship opportunities.

A Pastor's Perspective

“The twenties are not an age that generally finds young adults well rooted in church life. In fact, statistics show that even those who grew up in church are leaving the church in large numbers during this decade of their lives. How refreshing to find a conference for young adults whose mission is worn on their sleeve: Building Tomorrow's Church. The first year it was held we offered financial assistance as a church to any of our young adults desiring to go. They came back with a contagious vision and love for the church as Christ's chosen bride. The following year they returned with a desire to faithfully use their gifts to serve in the church. And this year their burden widened to bring the gospel to the lost outside the church. Each year we have offered scholarships and each year the number attending has increased. And each year our conviction has deepened that this is some of our best invested money for the building up of Christ's church. Why not start by offering $200 to help your young adults to attend next year? I believe that both they and your church will profit from it, and if so, Christ himself will delight in the growing beauty of his church.” –Pastor Jon Hueni, Grace Fellowship Church, Bremen, IN

Social Networking

Because BTC is only a 3 1/2-day conference once a year, attendees are encouraged to exchange contact information so they may stay in touch throughout the year until the next BTC conference. We have been amazed to see how God has used modern technology to build and strengthen relationships even across thousands of miles! Please feel free to stay in touch with BTC and all of its many friends through Facebook and Twitter by following the links at the bottom of this page.

Donate to BTC

A central part of the vision behind BTC is to provide a ministry to the young people of Reformed Baptist churches across North America.  In our ministry-mindedness, we diligently strive to keep both the planning expenses and registration cost of the yearly retreat as low as possible. For the past three years, we thank the Lord that we have not had to raise the cost of attending the conference. Since 2007, the people of Grace Covenant Church (Gilbert, AZ)  have raised the “seed money” through genorous donations from its members and fundraisers within the larger community. However, in order to keep the registration cost low—and to lower the current costs in future years, Lord-willing—our goal is to see other churches partner with Grace Covenant in sponsoring BTC through regular financial contributions.

BTC attendees are encouraged to communicate with their elders about the possibility of adding BTC as a line-item to their annual church budget for at least one year. A contribution of any size would benefit the BTC conference by helping off-set up-front expenses currently handled by Grace Covenant Church and will help maintain a quality conference experience at a realistic cost. Compared to many other national conferences right now, we believe the registration cost for BTC is quite comparable; and we would like to keep it that way!

For more information about the opportunity to partner with Grace Covenant and contribute to the BTC conference ministry, please feel free to email us. Also, you may refer your pastor and elders to the elders of Grace Covenant Church to discuss the benefits of contributing financially to the BTC conference.

Click on the button below to make a one-time donation to BTC right now!

Fundraising Ideas

Conference attendees are encouraged to work together in their churches to raise funds to help off-set the cost of travel and registration. Here are just a few fundraising ideas for you and your church:

• Organize a rummage sale

• Plan a chili lunch

• Do a bake sale

• Host a Valentine's Day Dinner

• Team up with local restaurants

• Do a carwash

• Write letters to family and friends

• Sponsor a Christmas banquet

Hosting a Conference in Your Area

The BTC planning committee and the elders of Grace Covenant Church have a vision to see BTC reach out to a larger group of young people from all over the country. To make the conference more accessible to more people, we are hoping to move the conference to different locations across the country, similar to the way the ARBCA General Assembly is hosted by a different church every year. Since its inception the BTC conference has been held in Prescott, Arizona, just two hours away from the hosting church. As the conference continues to grow, however, and more churches from all parts of the nation begin to show more interest, we hope to see a church or state association 

If you would like to see a BTC conference hosted in your area, first contact your elders and discuss the possibility. If your elders are interested, please feel free to email us and let us know.We would be happy to discuss the possibility with your church!

We are currently working on putting together an information packet for potential BTC host churches, so be sure to check back for updated information.

David Giarrizzo, Conference Coordinator

Born in the summer of 1983, David was brought up in the home of godly parents, John and Roberta, in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona. From the time he was born, David heard the Word of God preached to him daily and he saw the love of Jesus lived out before his eyes by his parents. David grew up listening to Bible stories and learning the catechism. In 1985, David’s father helped plant Grace Covenant Church, a Reformed Baptist congregation and member church of ARBCA, in his hometown of Mesa. A year later, David’s brother and only sibling Paul was born. For as long as either of them can remember, church was a part of their lives.

Growing up, David attended church every week, and not just on Sunday’s. Since his dad was a pastor, David had the blessed privilege of being involved in many various church activities, from Sunday school, prayer meetings, and youth group to the children’s choir, church picnics, and missionary conferences. Almost every Sunday afternoon David’s mother would make a large lunch for them and a few other families from the church. It was not uncommon for the Giarrizzo’s to invite missionaries and pastors from out of town to stay with them in their home. David recalls with fondness their fellowship with one such saint, David Straub, former missions coordinator for Reformed Baptist Missions Service (RBMS). Clearly, David grew up in an environment of warm hospitality and loving Christian fellowship. From a young age he saw the church family to be an extension of his own family. It was this environment, in part, which God used to develop David’s love for the local church body. But most importantly, God used his parents, his church family, and his Christian school teachers to teach David the importance of Biblical truth and to soften his heart towards the Gospel.

Even prior to his conversion, David had a desire to see a regular conference established for the purpose of encouraging young people like him from Reformed Baptist churches across the country. It was in his late teen years that David was transformed by the powerful grace of God. After years of conviction of his sin and months of wrestling with assurance of salvation, David found forgiveness of his sins and rest in Jesus Christ granted to him only by God’s mercy. In 2003, David was baptized by his pastor and father at the age of 19.

In July of 2004 David made a special, secret trip to Baxter Springs, Kansas, to ask his high school sweetheart to marry him.  David had met Paige Satterfield in junior high at the Christian school they both attended in Arizona. In 2001, with their parent’s approvals, they began a “more-than-friendship” relationship that lasted and grew, even after Paige’s father took a pastoral position in Baxter Springs. By God’s gracious providence, David and Paige’s relationship continued to grow even over the 1,200 miles between them. After a year-long engagement, David and Paige were married by both of the pastor-fathers in Mesa on July 16, 2005.

David and Paige currently reside in Mesa, Arizona, and are active members at Grace Covenant Church. David holds a BA/English from Ottawa University and makes his living working full-time as an educational advisor at a for-profit, private university based in Phoenix. He enjoys spending any free time he finds by travelling with Paige, spending time in God’s creation, reading and writing, or planning another national conference.  On another note, one of David’s life goals is to worship in every ARBCA church across the country. So far he’s been to 12.

David praises God for the blessing that BTC has been in his own life, and he prays that the Lord would continue to encourage young people to be at work for the sake of the Gospel for as long as they have the strength to do so.

David by the BTC table at the 2009 ARBCA General Assembly.

Kelly Gonzales, Administrative Assistant/Registrar

Kelly and her husband Steven have been involved with BTC planning since 2009. Kelly recently came aboard in an official capacity as the BTC Administrative Assistant and Registrar for BTC 2011. The Gonzales' have been members of Grace Covenant Church since 2009, where Steven recently became a deacon earlier this year. They have one son, Josiah, and they continue to be a blessing to both GCC and BTC.

Email: buildingtomorrowschurch@gmail.com

Matt Johnson, Treasurer

Matt and his wife Sarah have been members at Grace Covenant Church for about 10 years. They have one son, Lukas. Matt and Sarah have been involved with planning BTC since its conception in 2007, helping with everything from picking the conference name to organizing fundraisers and managing BTC funds. Matt recently became a deacon at GCC and continues to remain an important asset to the BTC conference committee.

Grace Covenant Church, Sponsor Church

One of the "Essentials," or non-negotiables, of BTC is that it must always operate under the authority and oversight of a board of elders of a Reformed Baptist church or churches. Since its inception, BTC has been sponsored by Grace Covenant Church in Gilbert, AZ, and continues to be an extension of the ministry of GCC. BTC will continue to remain under the authority of the elders of GCC until the conference ministry changes hands to another Reformed Baptist church or it ceases to exist.

Grace Covenant Elders:

• Mark Flin

• Pastor John Giarrizzo

• Pastor Darrell Gustafson

• Josh Rusev

• Pete Smith

Contact us at:

BTC Email: buildingtomorrowschurch@gmail.com

Mailing Address: 1255 N. Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234

Phone Number: 480-329-2860