Brief History of Spark of Grace Ministries

Soon after entering full-time ministry as a youth pastor in 1992, Bro. Aikens realized that there was untapped potential in his youth group—young people burdened for souls yet not experienced enough to be effective door-to-door soul-winners. “How can they get involved in reaching people?” He asked the Lord. It seemed there needed to be an “entry level” for personal workers to be developed and trained into effective soul-winners. The answer: utilizing these inexperienced workers to screen for prospects, thus preparing the way for effective soul-winning just as Jesus did in His ministry (Luke 10 & John 4). The MBCCC Department was born!

Soon after launching this program, Bro. Aikens realized that the Lord had shown him the key to effectively getting into the doors of adult prospects who would be willing to hear a gospel presentation and be saved. How the Lord blessed! For the first six-week time period, not a week went by that someone wasn't saved and at church the following Sunday as a direct result of this new soul-winning program being followed by a small youth group at Bellwood Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. God had launched a new approach that mobilized untapped workers and accelerated the process of door-to-door soul-winning. Now the experienced, well-trained soul-winners started their visitation night with names of prospects who had already admitted they were lost and also had expressed an interest in knowing more about how to be saved and sure of it. The FREE Department was born!

For the next twelve years, the process of SGM would be refined, and a discipleship ministry would be added. The Lord laid on Bro. Aikens' heart the need for new converts to be discipled on purpose. Too many new believers were slipping through the hands of soul-winners who were challenged to go to the next door, and the new converts were left to themselves to be destroyed by the enemy. Thus, the third department—ACTION—was born! Over the years, it has been a big surprise to us that the ACTION (discipleship) department regularly sees as many saved as the FREE (soul-winning) department. It is amazing that when we purposefully follow through with our new converts how many other opportunities for soul-winning they create for us.

What began as a local church program to assist Bro. Aikens' calling as a youth pastor, and later as a pastor, has now been transformed into a ministry to assist local churches worldwide, allowing them to tap into the eighteen years of experience and development the Lord has given him. He desires to pass along this wisdom to other pastors who also have a heart for people and a desire to be effective in their soul-winning and discipleship efforts of fulfilling the Great Commission.

In 2004, SGM was founded and the process begun of publishing the first run of essential materials needed by local churches to launch the program. In the fall of 2007, the ministry was finally ready to offer training and materials to local churches so that they may effectively implement the process of SGM into their ministry strategy. The burden is to supply local churches with first class resources at wholesale prices that will save them time, money, and frustration. SGM is not a money-making mission and desires only to provide a “spark” to ignite the fires that seem to have died down in many good fundamental works—many times not in the pulpit, but certainly in the pews. We give our lives to help each pastor mobilize a work force that will assist him in winning souls and building people through his ministry.

This ministry began by faith with a desire for our local church to touch other local churches and help strengthen their resolve to fulfill the Great Commission in their areas. God has miraculously provided every need, and we look to Him to continue to supply as we seek to accomplish the vision He has given us of supporting and helping 1,000 churches or more in the USA to win 50 souls to Christ each year who are not already being reached with the gospel. Jesus said, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35).

Will you help us “finish His work” (John 4:34)?

Affiliated with

Emmanuel Baptist Temple

An Independent Baptist Church

AHeartforHagerstown.com