People are important to God, and people are important to Mac Dickman. Mac was saved at age eight in his hometown in Alabama, and ever since his childhood, he has been building relationships with people. One relationship that he has been building for a long time is with Pastor Scott Olson.
Mac’s relationship with Pastor Scott was what brought him to International Baptist College and Seminary. Looking back over his time at IBCS, Mac says, “You could take it all away and just give me the time spent with my mentors, and it would have all been worth it.”
Mac doesn’t feel called into full-time, vocational ministry, so he decided to take the FOCUS Year. This was perfect for him because, as Mac puts it, “It’s very affordable and it has a lighter load, so I have more freedom to do other things that I wanted to pursue as well.”
Outside of classes, Mac has been mentored by Pastor Scott, Pastor Jeff Caupp, Pastor Nathan Mestler, and others. He has also enjoyed the blessings of the beauty of Arizona: “I get to see an amazing sunset almost every single evening. The year has been full of cool adventures like paddleboarding, jeep rides in the desert, retreats with the men, sleeping under the stars… it’s just been an abundance of gifts that I don’t even deserve.”
“The most impactful thing about IBCS is the way you are taught to approach God’s Word.” When Mac arrived at IBCS, he received a new journaling Bible with these words written inside the front cover: “Make all that God’s Word is the treasure of all that you are.” During his time at IBCS, Mac has been mentored and taught that no matter what doubts and lies our flesh tells us, “We come back to God’s Word and we trust it.”
Reflecting on his time at IBCS, Mac says, “IBCS is such a greenhouse for growth that you’re a little afraid of what life is going to be like once you leave. But if you have the right roots in God’s Word, that is going to be a really big help.”
Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” With this verse in mind, Mac wants to get a marketing degree, join the military, start his own HVAC business, and have a family along the way. However, because of his time at IBCS, Mac has learned the value of “staying very involved in church ministry.” Whether he’s running his own business or serving his country, Mac has an ambition to make an eternal impact on the world.