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DETROIT, MI – We must constantly remind ourselves that Jesus is on the throne and that He rules and reigns today. I say this because, everything around us reports on the activity of the enemy. Every time you turn on the TV or read the paper you are confronted with the reminder that Satan is alive and at work. If you listen to Christians talk among themselves, you could quickly be led to believe that we are on the losing team. Friends, that is a lie from Hell. God is at work in our day and in the state of Michigan and we need to point one another to His activity. During the Baptist State Convention meeting in 2014, we were given the opportunity to invite Michigan Baptists to join us in Detroit, praying that, “the Lord of the Harvest would send out laborers into the harvest,” (Luke 10:2). In that meeting we reported the work of the Send Detroit Strategy Team and the recognition of 72 neighborhoods that we believed needed a Gospel-centered New Testament church. That revelation begged the question, “Where are we going to find all those church planters?” Our only strategy was prayer. I am thrilled to report that God has been answering your prayers. We have seen 23 launches and are working with another 30 men that are at different levels of preparation for the launching of new churches. But that is not all. Of these 53 men that God has raised up, 48 are from here. Several have launched churches in their home town and some in the High School they attended. This is evidence that God is moving among us. He is raising up laborers from the harvest! In September, we saw three new church launches in the Send Detroit area. Alin Patularu launched Life-giver Church in Windsor on September 24th at the Forest Glade Arena. Here is a couple that literally launched pregnant. Alin and his wife, Shelly, recently announced that they are expecting twins next spring. On September 17th, City Church launched under the leadership of Corey Parker at Ypsilanti high school with approximately 300 in attendance. Another plant, Journey Church, launched in Mount Clemens. This new church is meeting in the historic Emerald Theater and had 145 in attendance as they opened their doors to the city. As we celebrate these new beginnings, please understand that we cannot afford to become complacent. God’s kingdom is advancing. We can see the movement of His hand, but our enemy has not given up nor is he asleep. Therefore, we need to be all the more diligent in our prayers. These church planters are under attack. They need our encouragement and our support. If you could hear directly from them, you would be encouraged by story after story of life change, salvation, transformation as entire families who have been restored by the life-giving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But, you would also hear about the hardships they are facing. Often these challenges are simply attacks from the evil one and they need our prayers. We also ask for continued prayer because we know that the task is not complete. We need to persistently pray that God will raise up more laborers for the harvest. We must continue to tell the story of how God is at work. At the same time, we are reminded that Jesus is ruling from His Throne today. He may not need us, but wants us to be involved, serving Him, and crying out for the lost and dying all around us. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Wayne Parker grew up in metro Detroit. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in education and received his Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Parker now serves as the senior pastor for Merriman Road Baptist Church in Garden City, an inner-ring suburb of Detroit. Wayne and his wife Cindy have five children. Together they enjoy skiing, hiking, hunting and fishing. #FEBRUARY18

ALLEN PARK, MI – The threat to Christianity runs rampant across our globe. From Christian genocide in the Middle East to threats and acts of violence in America, each day’s news brings word of another attack to the Church. In the wake of the recent shootings, churches across America are beginning to see the need to protect their congregations during church functions. Yet our greatest threat is our own denial. We cannot continue to deny that we live in dark and wicked times; sin, immorality, racism, terror and violence is on the rise. Of course, it is. Biblically it is clear the devil will stop at nothing to continue persecuting Christians, and that he will use any method that he can. However, this does not mean that we should lock our doors and huddle within the four walls of church buildings. Jesus said that the we are to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15 HCSB). He also said that we should not hinder others from coming to Him (Matt. 19:14). As leaders of the church we have been given a great responsibility to protect the flock without sacrificing the mission. We must have a way to anticipate and handle situations that may arise in the church; this is called Crisis Management. “Crisis Management” is defined as a process by which a business or other organization deals with a sudden emergency situation.” For the Church, Crisis Management is the process by which we deal with disruptive and/or an unexpected event that threatens to harm the worship experience of people, the building(s), and/or property by identifying threats and using methods to handle the threats. The group that handles this in our Church is called the “Security Team”. As I look to scripture that supports the mission of church security and safety I am reminded of Nehemiah who, after finding out the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed, prayed and fasted. It must be said that your security team should operate as a ministry of the church and always begin in prayer. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, assessed the current situation; the damage and what was needed to complete the renovation. He gave the people a vision and plan to rebuild the wall. He recruited help who brought tools and armory items necessary to build and to defend against the attacks. Nehemiah gave instructions to all those working on the wall what they must do if an attack was to occur. Nehemiah implemented God’s plan and reassessed as they built the wall and gates, restoring safety to Jerusalem (Nehemiah Chapter 1-6). In our Church Security Training Program, we have outlined nine steps resulting in a successful church security team. Nehemiah also did something that all pastors must do, he devoted himself to working on the wall (Neh 5:16). Church security and safety is the pastor’s responsibility and you, fellow pastor, should lead from the front to have a great Security and Safety ministry. It is my prayer that you or your security team will find the time to attend one of our Security and Safety Workshops hosted by the BSCM and that you implement a security team for the safety of God’s flock. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Timothy D. Jones is senior pastor at The Road Church in Allen Park, MI. theroadbyfaith.org #FEBRUARY18

ROSCOMMON, MI – This is a year of change and fresh vision for Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center. With 240 acres of land, much of which is wooded and rustic, located in the beautiful setting of northern Michigan on the I-75 corridor, there is amazing potential for expansion and growth of our existing facilities. Thanks to the Francis Brown State Mission Offering being designated solely for Bambi Lake, the camp’s potential and expansion can now begin to be truly realized. Our vision is great, but our God is greater! The renovation and expansion of Bambi Lake will focus on three areas: people, programs and property. All three of these areas integrate and flow together so when we improve one area we are improving all three. Over the last nine months much progress has already be achieved in each of these areas. Bambi Lake strives to intentionally encourage, disciple and empower Christians and non-Christians of all ages in their relationship with Jesus. Whether it’s their first time to experience Jesus, the living Gospel, or if they have been a believer for years, Bambi Lake can play a special role in one’s journey with Christ. As Bambi Lake continues to expand we are excited to engage more and more people with the gospel. With every retreat or summer camp we are privileged to witness the Holy Spirit work in the lives of young and old, boys and girls, men and women. We are excited to see campers answer the call to serve in ministry. God loves people and so does Bambi! Helping people have a “difference making” moment with Jesus Christ is the motivation behind everything we do at Bambi Lake. This is why the Frances Brown State Mission Offering means so much - it gives us the much-needed resources to build upon the heritage Bambi Lake already has as a place where you can experience God. As we endeavor to encourage, disciple, and empower our attendees over this next year, we are exploring new programming options for our retreats and summer camps. We are also adding in some exciting one and two-day events to the calendar. Striving to provide high quality, relevant speakers and ministry equipping events, we are inviting The Smalley Institute, Ken Freeman, and Dr. Paige Patterson to be with us in 2018. Bambi will be hosting two gospel music weekends featuring “The Martins” and “Karen Peck and New River” along with other regional gospel groups. The funding provided by the State Offering will allow us to construct a stage and amphitheater so Bambi can host concerts and big outdoor events. To enhance our summer camps, we are adding activities such as paintball, archery and archery tag. A forty-foot water slide and water trampoline will be welcomed sites to the lakefront by campers, creating unforgettable summer camp memories. The tremendous variety of retreats and camps we offer at Bambi Lake truly provides something for everyone of all ages. Improving and upgrading the landscaping and facilities at Bambi Lake are essential to our vision and mission. We are committed to Bambi Lake being well-maintained, clean and refreshing. Minor repairs and paint have already improved the exterior look of the lodge. While there are still some upgrades needed on the exterior one major area we hope to address inside the lodge is the flooring. The first floor still has some of the original carpet. We are excited about the possibility of installing new flooring in the lodge to give it a fresh, new look. One of our guest rooms has been upgraded already and serves as a template for how we want to enhance and renovate the rest of the guest rooms. All of the chalets and cabins need a fresh coat of paint on the exterior, as well as complete renovating on the interior. In the Wilson Building, the dining room and worship center need new flooring and a fresh coat of paint. The gym needs a heating solution to make it usable in all seasons for indoor basketball, volleyball, field hockey, soccer, etc. This will expand the number of activities available for retreats and camps when the weather is not conducive to outdoor play. Funding from the Francis Brown State Offering will help us in remodeling, repairing and expanding the usability of our facilities. Landscaping upgrades are already in process. People who have come on the camp in recent months have noted many improvements and we are just getting started. Overgrown shrubs have been removed. Low maintenance shrubs, flowering shrubs and trees, perennial plants that are suited to the conditions at Bambi will be added in 2018. More clearly defined roads and driveways are also part of our landscape vision. State Mission Offering funds will be used to purchase new, maintenance free signs that show ½ mile from the entrance on Old 76 coming from the east or west. If you are approaching the back entrance, we hope to add a sign there to tell you to stay on the paved road and follow it to Old 76 and then turn right to the camp. As if that weren’t enough, another improvement we are looking forward to adding is in our campground facility. It is essential that all of our sites are sufficient to accommodate large motorhomes or small pop-up campers. We also have plans to accommodate families and groups who love to camp, but don’t have a camper and don’t like tents. We are planning to build cottages that provide electricity and sleep four to six comfortably. A remodeled bathhouse will be essential to provide bathroom and bathing facilities. Our vision is large. More buildings with more beds for more people to come. More rooms equipped for couples for married/family events. More activities to do when people are here. Maybe even a boardwalk by the beach with water features. Through the generous giving of Michigan Southern Baptists to the Francis Brown State Mission Offering many of these plans and renovations will become reality. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the generous giving of Michigan Southern Baptists will impact present and future generations to come. Amen! For more information about Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat and Conference Center or to register for Bambi Lake events, visit bscm.org/bambi. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz arrived in 2017 to serve on the staff of the BSCM as the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats. He spends the majority of his time at Bambi Lake where he resides, along with his wife Jackie and their three children. #FEBRUARY18

MONROE, MI – Seven Michigan Baptist leaders attended a national Vacation Bible School (VBS) Institute at the Ridgecrest Conference Center on January 5-6, 2018. Along with Southern Baptist Leaders from across the eastern United States, they received training to improve planning and preparation for conducting VBS. Commenting on the event, Megan Line said, “It was a blessing to be surrounded by men and woman at Ridgecrest who not only love VBS but had a passion to make it better, to reach children for the Glory of God! It was great to get pumped up, trained and equipped to teach others how to provide an amazing VBS for their communities!” Another team member, Betty Ward, observed, “I enjoyed being at Ridgecrest and seeing people from other states getting as excited as I am about VBS. It was encouraging to see their willingness to take time out of their busy lives to come and learn and go back to their states to teach others.” This exceptional training equipped the team to return to Michigan and lead VBS Institutes for our local church leaders across the state. Shar Durbin commented, “VBSI gives a huge boost of excitement and an urgency to prepare for VBS. Although it is in the dead of winter, and VBS will be in the heat of summer, it is not too soon to get our hearts and materials ready. This year's songs are super loaded with Scripture and catchy tunes designed to stay in the hearts of children and leaders for years to come. They are already in mine.” The Michigan VBS leadership team members, who took this training, come from churches across Michigan. The team includes Shar Durbin, Megan Line, Nickol Mearnic, Carla Saunders, Debbie Turner, Betty Ward and Bob Wood. Michigan VBS Institutes will be held April 29, 2018 at Merriman Road Baptist Church, Garden City and again May 5, 2018 at Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center. VBS Institutes are on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A LifeWay VBS bookstore will be available at both locations. You can contact any of the team members, or call the BSCM office, for VBS information, training or assistance. Register online at bscm.org/register. Each VBS Institute starts with a worship / pep rally and includes core leadership workshops for all VBS leaders in the morning. After lunch, which is provided, breakout enrichment workshops are offered. Carla Saunders described from her experience with the breakout, Gospel-centered Children’s Ministry, “We learned the Bible stories we read and teach are truly centered around Christ.” Core leadership workshops will all feature LifeWay’s VBS theme. Most of the breakouts are curriculum-neutral; they are applicable to VBS no matter which curriculum you choose to use. Vacation Bible School continues to be one of the most effective outreach and evangelism tools your church can use. VBS Training enhances your evangelistic effectiveness. Research has shown that on average we baptize one person from VBS for every worker we train for VBS. Receive inspiration and training for your VBS leaders at one of the Michigan VBS Institutes sponsored by the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Wood is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe, Michigan. He also serves as a VBS consultant for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before coming to Heritage Baptist Church, he served as a state missionary for the BSCM. #FEBRUARY18

NASHVILLE, TN – Pastors not only want to succeed at church and home, we are required to. Is there any profession on this planet besides ours that requires you to win at work and home? Not that I am aware of. Having been a pastor and husband for thirty years, I realize the challenges that come with the territory and enjoy helping pastors win through our initiatives at LifeWay Pastors. You are blessed to belong to a state convention who also understands what is at stake. Last April, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) and LifeWay co-hosted two Pastor Date Nights in metro Lansing and Detroit for about 80 couples. My wife, Janet, and I moderated a panel discussion with Executive Director Tim and Sabrina Patterson, and Southgate pastor Billy and Laurie Walker. Those date nights typically involve a meal or dessert and a conversational Q&A centered around helping pastors win at home and church. 2018 Event Dates: July 15-16 The Shack Lodge Inn & Hotel (shackcountryinn.com) July 17-18 Bavarian Inn Lodge (bavarianinn.com) July 19-20 The Kensington Hotel (kcourtaa.com) I am encouraged with how Michigan Baptists are taking pastoral health seriously. The BSCM website and events have been designed to equip pastors to lead their lives, homes, and ministries in a biblically intentional way. When state director of evangelism Mike Durbin asked Janet and me to speak at their marriage conferences this coming July, we jumped at the opportunity. These events will be regional, which will make it easier for you to attend and build your ministry marriage. Stay tuned for more details, and when they come, please save the date and inform your spouse. LifeWay just released a groundbreaking study in September about the lives of Protestant pastors’ spouses. “The representative study of 720 spouses found their lives are complicated and filled with blessing and stresses,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. Among the findings: 93 percent believe their spouse is a good fit for the present church. 90 percent think ministry has had a positive effect on their family. 85 percent say, “The church we serve takes good care of us.” 83 percent enjoy their ministry work. 79 percent are satisfied with their role in ministry. Still, there are many challenges. Conflict in a church and a sense of loneliness are commonplace. Among the issues: 72 percent say their spouse has experienced resistance in the church. 69 percent say they have few people they can confide in. 68 percent worry about having enough money for retirement. 59 percent say church commitments limit family time. 49 percent say, “If I were honest at church about my prayer needs, they would just become gossip.” Why is investing in your marriage so important to your ministry? Because your ministry will never be stronger than your marriage. The last two pastors I followed ended their ministry with a marriage meltdown. You already know that prevention is less painful, and less expensive, than intervention. Everyone is equal in God’s sight, but you and I are not God, so let your convention and LifeWay invest in your most important discipleship group—your family, starting with your spouse. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Dance served as a pastor for nearly three decades before becoming the Director of LifeWay Pastors in 2014. Mark is a graduate of Howard Payne University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Janet, live in Nashville, TN. #FEBRUARY18

BATTLE CREEK, MI – Aryn and I were blessed to be able to participate in the Pastors and Wives date night at FBC DeWitt. With three younger children, having opportunities to get away with just each other – even for a few hours in the evening for dinner – is a challenge. It can be even more difficult when you factor in the uniqueness of pastoral ministry, where, as much as we may not like it or try to lessen its impact, we are “on the clock” 24/7. The organizers and volunteers put on a lovely evening that included child care. Our youngest child has some severe food allergies (dairy and tree nuts) that can complicate meals and snacks, but the child care team went out of their way to ensure he not only had food that he could eat, but that he was included in all the events. We were thankful not only for the opportunity to enjoy dinner with each other, but also to spend it with dear brothers and sisters in Christ who know and understand the pressures of serving in ministry. The gracious gifts and presentations were much appreciated and helped to make it a relaxing and refreshing evening! Thank you! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Roy Henry serves as Senior Pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Battle Creek. He and wife, Aryn, have been married for 13 years and they have three wonderful PKs. #FEBRUARY18

FORT WORTH, TX – There isn’t a preacher among us who doesn’t desire to become a better preacher. At least, there shouldn’t be! A pastor wears many hats, but the one that fits him the best is preaching the Word. I was a pastor of two churches for 21 years and have been an interim pastor of 13 churches. I’ve also taught preaching for the past 30 years. I am the Dean of the newly launched School of Preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I love preaching! That’s why I am excited to be in Michigan on April 20-21, 2018 at Cedar Street Baptist Church in Holt, MI, to lead the Preaching Workshop sponsored by the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). This will be a time of practical instruction as I speak on “How to Preach 1 John”. Other topics we will cover include: What is the structure of 1 John and how would you preach a series of sermons from it? How do you move from text to sermon? How do you outline a paragraph for preaching? What about illustrations? Finally, how can I be creative in my sermon preparation and delivery? You will walk away from this workshop with 20 sermon outlines, one for each paragraph in 1 John. You will also receive a copy of my book 1-3 John: Fellowship in the Family, in the “Preaching the Word” series published by Crossway. This book contains complete expository sermons, including exposition, illustration, and application, on every paragraph of 1 John. When I was a pastor, 1 John was one of my favorite books to preach through. It is all about fellowship within the church centered around Jesus. It is a message the church today needs to hear. Studies continue to demonstrate that the number one reason people choose to attend and join a particular church is the preaching. Other factors play a role, but nothing is more important than the pastor’s sermon week by week. People continue to be hungry to know what the Bible says. That is why we must preach today with excellence and faithfulness to the Word of God. Spurgeon said, “Bible hearers will become Bible lovers.” Our people certainly won’t be doers of the word until they are first hearers of it. “And how shall they hear without a preacher,” as Paul asks in Romans 10:14? None of us should be attempting to carve out our niche in the preaching hall of fame. But each of us should be attempting to become the best communicators of God’s word we can possibly be. I’m excited about this opportunity to join with pastors from all over the great state of Michigan to spend some time honing our skills in preaching. To register for the Text-Driven Preaching Conference, visit bscm.org/register. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Allen is Dean of the School of Preaching and Distinguished Professor of Preaching, George W. Truett Chair of Ministry, Director for the Center of Expository Preaching, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX. #FEBRUARY18

FENTON, MI – How are you providing missions education to the next generation? Great question. Missions is a lifestyle! Learning begins at a very young age so the WMU missions education starts with a very simple foundation. It is important to see a child learn and understand the ways of our Savior, accepting His gift of eternal life. Then, as the student continues to learn about missions, their foundation is build up. As this young person enters high school and grows into their young adult years the Holy Spirit does a work in their hearts leading them to be open and obedient to the call of God on their life and to the mission field they are to serve. This is how we are providing mission education to the next generation and the next and the next. One young woman who had the opportunity to learn in the WMU missions education program, "AJ” now serves as an IMB missionary. For security reasons, we cannot share her name. For AJ it all began at GA camp (Girls' Mission Camp). Here is her story: I was the child that would rather have a book in my hand than playing with the other kids on the playground. I was not a talker, and that kept me from sharing my faith with others. GA camp at Bambi Lake was the place where I learned that God's heart is for all the Nations of the World to know Him. GA camp was where I met real world missionaries. They told awesome stories and shared amazing pictures, including some with them riding camels. They were rock stars to me! At that time, I had never thought that God wanted me to go to some faraway place and talk to people about Him. I had trouble talking to people at my middle school so, to me, the idea of going to a place to talk to people was probably the scariest career choice ever. Even so, I felt God tug at my heart telling me that one day I was going to be the one going to some far-off place to share the gospel. SAY WHAT?!!! However, scared as I was, I determined to follow what God had called me to do. With each passing year talking with people got easier and easier until it became natural to share my faith with strangers. Now whenever I meet a new person I am looking for a way to begin to tell them about the greatest, most life changing story ever. It began small by me going on short term trips in America, and then I got to spend a summer working at Bambi Lake. From there God called me out of my Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. I signed on with the International Mission Board (IMB) and spent 6 months in France and England and then two years in South East Asia as a Journeyman. The country I was in was mostly Muslim. It is a place where most people have NEVER heard the story of Jesus. I constantly had young women over for dinner and they would continue to ask questions about Jesus far into the night. I was even able to give a few girls Bibles. We began a Bible study and would meet regularly to read through the Gospels together. I prayed God would give these young women a dream or vision to reveal His truth to them. It became routine to ask Nita, a local girl, if she had any dreams since we last saw her. In Islam, they believe that Allah speaks to his people mostly through their dreams. Most Muslims who end up converting to Christianity will say they had a dream where Jesus revealed who He is to them. "Nita, did you dream about Jesus last night." "No... but I did have a dream." She then describes a very vivid dream where she confronts a snake and a baby boy. After Nita woke up she went to look up what her dream meant. Teachers of Islam have published many books used for dream interpretation. Nita said the interpretation was "Someone will come to me and give me Good News." After a moment of shock, I slide over a Bible that was on the table and placed it right in front of her so she could see it had the words "Good News" printed on the cover in her local language. I told her, "Well that just came true." A closer look into her dream brought us to the book of Isaiah chapter 11. Not only does this chapter talk about a baby playing over the hole of the cobra, the chapter itself is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. God has allowed me to do some pretty amazing things and to be part of something so much bigger than me. I am constantly humbled by it all. I would like to thank the WMU and other women who have supported the IMB and making programs like GA camp possible. Thank you for helping me find my voice and sending me out. “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10 We are thankful to the home church AJ attends. They understand the importance of providing WMU missions education for their members. If you are interested in learning more about WMU missions education for your church, life group or home schooling program, send me an email at wmu@bscm.org. I would love to share the many resources and passion we have for missions. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Hodnett is the Women’s Ministry & WMU Consultant for the BSCM as well as the Executive Director for WMU of Michigan. She attends Lakepointe Church in Macomb, MI. #FEBRUARY18

ORLANDO, FL – Do you have a passion to see your church revitalized? Then the Michigan Renovate Church Revitalization Conference is for you! The Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference is coming to Michigan for two One-Day strategic conferences across the Baptist State Convention of Michigan March 22 & 24, 2018. The Renovate Annual Conference launched in 1997 and now is the largest gathering of pastors, church revitalizers, and laity meeting on church revitalization and renewal anywhere in the country. Beginning in 2014, Dr. Tom Cheyney the Founder and Directional Leader of the Renovate Group began offering additional conferences all across the United States as one-day events, and the response has been incredible. In conjunction with Mike Durbin, the State Director of Evangelism who focuses on Strengthening Churches, the Renovate Conference will partner with the convention to help churches all over Michigan. The two Renovate One-Day Conferences are a great place to start your church revitalization efforts and get the tools you need for revitalizing your church. In a day where it is reported that more than ninety percent of protestant churches in North America are in decline, the time for such a conference across Michigan is urgent. Church Revitalization is a movement within protestant evangelicalism, which emphasizes the missional work of turning a plateau or rapidly declining church around, and moving it back towards growth. It is lead through a Church Revitalization Initiative, which is when a local church begins to work on the renewal of the church with a concerted effort to see the ministry revitalized and the church become healthy. Church Revitalization means that the local church knew how, at one time previously, to renew, revitalize, and re-establish the health and vitality of the ministry. One of the challenges for the laity in the days in which we live, is that they have lost the knowledge of church renewal and no longer want to cultivate the skill sets necessary to see their church experience revitalization. Even sadder is when a congregation does not have the corporate memory that there was a day when the local church was reaching people for Christ Jesus and active as evangelistic witnesses into their community. Renovate is more than a conference, it is a movement of church revitalizers, both laity and ministerial, committed to learning, growing, changing, and leading change. This church revitalization conference is designed to connect, inspire, equip, and challenge church revitalizers. To register for the Renovate conference, visit bscm.org/register. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Founder and Directional Leader of RENOVATE National Church Revitalization Conference. Cheyney also serves as the Executive Director of Missions, Greater Orlando Baptist Association. Tom is a nationally recognized conference leader in church revitalization. He has taught all over the world and is the author of: Slaying the Dragons of Church Revitalization: Dealing with the Critical Issues that are Hurting Your Church, as well as countless others. Dr. Cheyney lives in Orlando with his wife Cheryl, Florida. #FEBRUARY18

ROSCOMMON, MI "I will make you fishers of men." ~ Jesus Like many people who move to Roscommon County I love to hunt and fish. This affinity continued when I came to Christ. At times, I felt guilty because I enjoyed them too much. Still the Lord said he would give us the desires of our hearts. He never took the desire to hunt and fish away from me. Like the disciples who went fishing after Jesus left the earth I told Jesus that if he wanted me to give more time to evangelism and not hunting I was willing. Instead he did something even more miraculous, He made me a fisher of men. Twenty-three years ago, Roscommon Baptist Church (RBC) started a wild game dinner to share the gospel with sportsmen who may never darken the door of any church. We feed them all kinds of wild game, and homemade desserts. We give out amazing door prizes and we earn the right to share the gospel with these hard-core outdoors men, women and children. It is important to try to get the best speakers available, and this past year we asked Chuck McAllister the former host of Adventure Bound Outdoors TV and the Evangelism director for the Kentucky Baptist Association. Working with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) we saw an opportunity to get Chuck here, and have him speak at the March men's retreat and stay over for the Wild Game Dinner at Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat and Conference Center. More than 400 people attended this year’s event. Fourteen men made decisions for the Lord during the men's retreat and 79 people during the Wild Game Dinner. What is the key to such results? Affinity evangelism! Chuck McAllister who used and taught this form of outreach in Kentucky and many other states says, "Affinity Evangelism is a strategy to help churches find exciting, innovative ways to share Jesus with the “people groups” in their communities. These groups aren’t necessarily ethnic in nature; the groups are made up of people who have a common affinity—a similar interest, hobby, need, or concern. When churches design appealing ways to connect with people according to their affinities, they find an open door to building friendships and helping people encounter Jesus.” McAllister continues, “Jesus and His disciples used Affinity Evangelism, meeting people where they were, and sharing the good news using parables and illustrations the common man could understand. When Paul visited Athens (Acts 17:16-34), he preached boldly in the marketplaces and to the community leaders, connecting with those listening to him by starting with what was important to them. He found a way to use their interests as an “in” for the Gospel." To extend relationships with outdoors people the “Outdoor ministries program” at RBC has joined a youth archery program called “Centershot Ministries”, a hunter safety program, “hooked for life” fishing program and a Kicking Bear Camp weekend retreat at Bambi Lake for families. We also do youth hunts to give youngsters a chance to enjoy the great outdoors. Each event has had varying degrees of response, but we are focused on the outdoor affinities because 2 of 3 people in our area recreate in the out of doors. We will be doing another dinner March 10, 2018 and Big game hunter and President of Southern Seminary, Paige Patterson, will be share his hunting stories and his first love Jesus Christ. What's cooking at your church? I think I smell the muskrat stew! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Mike Ritchie attends Roscommon Baptist Church in Roscommon, MI where he serves as the Director for Outdoor Ministries as well as the Sunday School Director. He also runs the local chiropractic office in town along with assistance from his wife, Laurie. #FEBRUARY18

ROSCOMMON, MI – It is not by chance as Bambi Lake nears its 60 year anniversary that people are being drawn back to the roots of their faith experiences. Only God can orchestrate such events that bring meaning to those from the past, while instilling God’s grace and design for those working in the present. We wonder what God is doing here. What is drawing so many people from past to come to Bambi Lake? They come to walk where they walked as a young child. “It has been a strange few weeks,” says Janice Fuller. “I can’t remember any time that this has happened so frequently.” These are the early steps of their Christian walk; as a GA, as a college student on mission for the summer, as a boy watching his father build the new Cafeteria, as a previous employee, as a volunteer who spent the summers helping at camp, and on and on. Their memories are so vivid and bring such delight as they walk around sharing how things used to look, and how much the camp has grown and changed. With tears in her eyes, one lady reminisced of being in the original chapel. She was reminded of cool days and needing to grab a sweatshirt. More memories triggered as we walked out the door. How many pictures of groups at camp have been taken on the steps of the Hubbs lodge by the water? There is excitement as they see the Wilson Building with its Worship Center and Cafeteria, the cabins and chalets, the changes to the lodge as it has evolved since the beginning days of camp. They love the new water slide that is underway. As the vision is shared to make the gym into a multi-season activity center, to renovate the cottage for a center for a small group retreats, to put café tables in JBs for a casual “shake shop” feel, to build small cabins in the campground to house families, and more. The anticipation grows. The potential of Bambi Lake is growing. Events need to be great, too. So, looking forward, Bambi has scheduled some fabulous events for 2018. A Comedy of Love Retreat for married couples will be held in April with Michael Smalley from the Smalley Institute. With the addition of an outdoor stage to be built in the area near the Lodge parking, there will be outdoor gospel concerts. On Saturday, May 26, during the Memorial Day Camping Weekend, the gospel concert day will be topped off with The Martins in concert at 7:00 pm. On the Fourth of July, Karen Peck and New River will be performing in the evening as well as many local gospel groups. Our other scheduled events include the men’s retreats, women’s retreats, youth retreats, summer camps, all with excellent, featured speakers and new amenities. Linens-sheets, blankets and towels will be provided no matter where you are staying. Guests will be pleased with the new approaches in the dining room, too. Event planners are being encouraged to choose the menu and serve family style dinners when possible. Registration is easier with online deposits. If you cannot register online for any reason, call the office for assistance. And when you arrive, stop by the Coffee Bar for coffee and a cookie as you check in. The staff is anticipating your arrival with many preparations and prayer. The best success is when visitors come with minimal distractions, and hear God speak. Bambi Lake has a great heritage. God is moving in some very special ways. The camp is changing and improving because of the gifts and support of Michigan Baptists. The legacy of Bambi Lake is and has always been transformed lives. For more information about Bambi Lake or its events, visit bscm.org/bambi. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nancy Spears is a ministry assistant for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan and serves on the council for Michigan’s Women’s Missionary Union (WMU). She is member of Anchor Community Church in Grand Rapids where she has served as event coordinator for ten years. God has blessed her with an understanding and supportive husband of 42 years, children and grandchildren. #FEBRUARY18

LANSING, MI – Michigan Baptist churches have been sending mission teams to minister at home and aboard for decades. Unfortunately, many of these teams lacked representation from the African-American community. Today, we praise God that this no longer true. The Michigan African American Fellowship, a group of African-American Churches sent their first mission team to St. Croix earlier this year. The team was made up of individuals from various churches and was multi-generational. They were on mission for seven-days, serving others who were in need. Kamyra Thomas, a student from Michigan State University was part the team. She says, “Being my first mission trip, and being able to share Jesus Christ was truly awesome and a life changing experience for me.” Kamyra has already signed up to go back to St. Croix in 2018. The mission team provided ministry in the form of backyard Bible clubs, sports, face painting and skits at the Harbourview Housing Complex. Harbourview is one of the largest housing complexes on the island. The children and adults who live there opened their arms and welcomed the team with smiles and love. The residents were happy to see visitors who looked like them. Prior to leaving for St. Croix the team was provided with mission training. The training helped the team understand the Island’s needs, and how the culture, while similar, is different from the United States. Upon arrival the team was hosted by Missionary, John Smith, a native from Pontiac, Michigan, and a North American Mission Board (NAMB) church planter. Pastor Smith is the only Southern Baptist church active on St. Croix Island. Serving with Pastor Smith was indeed a joy as the team was able to help him with planting Shepherd Fold Church, while also serving the residents at Harbourview housing complex. The mission trip became a reality due to several Fifth Sunday Fellowship Services which are sponsored by the Fellowship. The churches were challenged by the Fellowship President, Dr. Stan Parker, to become more involved with missions. Parker and Faith Fellowship Baptist Church have been involved in mission field ministry for more than twenty years. He brought his hunger for mission work to the African American Fellowship, and they answered the call. The recent trip to St. Croix provided spiritual growth for all who were part of the team, and has served to wet the appetite for others. Therefore, the Michigan African American Fellowship is making plans to return in August of 2018. The Fifth Sunday Fellowship services also provide for training and great preaching. The Fellowship hosted a Pastor Shift Conference in April, and Pastor Mark Croston was the keynote speaker. There were seminars of evangelism, financial stewardship, missions, and a special session for pastor’s wives. Parker says, “Those who attended left with a strong urgency to be part of what God is doing in Michigan as we work together to stamp out darkness in our state.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Stan Parker serves as senior pastor for the Faith Fellowship Baptist Church of Lansing, MI. He has a passion for communicating the Gospel with people of all races and in every corner of our world. #FEBRUARY18