My name is Mike McCord. I’m new to AIM and am really excited to be here. I will be working in the Set Up department in the fall but prior to that my wife, Sarah, and I will be the Ministry Coordinators for New Orleans this summer.
I’ve felt the call to full time ministry for about the last eight years and have had that call narrowed to short term missions for at least the last six years.
I grew up in Marion, VA, went to church, went to youth group, and got a foothold in missions through my youth experience. When God really got a hold of my life in the fall of 1999, missions started to play a large role. I started doing missions trips with my church in Mobile, AL and found my niche in helping to plan and lead them. In 2003, I married a wonderful, missions minded woman, Sarah. In 2005, Sarah and I moved across the country to attend Western Seminary in Portland, OR because “everyone who goes into full time ministry needs seminary”. I got some great training in Biblical interpretation and missions but found out that I wasn’t getting the practical training to help me do what I was called to do. I wanted something more practical to help people on the mission field and since I had always had an interest in first aid I signed up for an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. I started that class with the sole idea of helping on the mission field but somewhere along the way I got the idea that I was supposed to do that full time. I could do some mission stuff on the side I thought. We moved back to the South in the winter of 2007 and I ended up working for an ambulance company in Birmingham, AL. Something wasn’t right though. I started to sense that I was running from God’s call on my life. Long story short, God used multiple events and specific individuals to renew His call on my life and get me back in line. I yielded fully, and here I am. It has been an awesome thing to watch God grow me and see what happens when you are walking the path He has called you to. By the way, as to the practical training, I can now clearly see how God has used my passions, gifts, interests, and all of the “secular” jobs I’ve had since college to bring me to this point. I can see it all “working together for the good” (Romans 8:28).
So there it is. I’m a 31 year old, married, EMT-Basic who loves to hike, camp, ski, rappel, and run (need to love that more at the moment) who loves missions, discipleship, and teaching the Bible and my wife and I are about to embark on a career in full time ministry doing EXACTLY what I’m called to do. Our God is AWESOME!!!!
A bit about Sarah…
Sarah is the pretty one in the picture and is an absolutely incredible asset to Team McCord. While the position at AIM is my job it is very much our ministry. Without her love, support, and prayer I would not be able to serve.
Sarah is God’s servant in her own right. Sarah was a children’s ministry intern at her church in Montgomery, AL. In college, Sarah was on the campus ministries staff. We met when she was hired by our church in Mobile to be the children’s minister. I have great respect for her ability in that area as children’s ministry is not my gift at all.
Sarah is missions minded too. She went on several mission trips while growing up in Montgomery, AL. Over New Year’s of 2002/2003 she went on a mission trip to Japan. This was just after our second date. When she left I was supposed to be leaving for Wheaton College for seven months of outdoor leadership school. My funding didn’t come through and by the time she got back I met her at the airport with the news that I wasn’t leaving. That was January 2003. On March 7, 2003 we were engaged and on October 18, 2003 we were married.
Since our marriage, Sarah has been to Romania with me once and has taken some classes at Western Seminary as well. She has a double major in psychology and sociology from the University of Mobile. She currently works as the Business Office Lead at a doctor’s office and is excited about working in New Orleans this summer.
“Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)
