Search Results

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – According to some sources, nine out of ten churches in North America are losing ground in their communities. Many are declining or dying because they refuse to change. The good news is that new churches are being planted, others are revitalizing, and some are replanting (https://www.namb.net/church-replanting/). The cost of change is scary, but as Dr. Thom Rainer says, “It wouldn’t take faith if we could tackle these challenges in our own strength and power. It is a sin to be good when God has called us to be great. We need change leaders in our churches who are willing to do something great.” The road leading to change in the church (or community, or convention) can be bumpy and even dangerous at times, but it’s worth it. Jesus is still building his church (Matthew 16:18). With thanks to John Kotter, Professor Chris Thompson, Thom Rainer, and others, I offer this simple overview of a seven-stage roadmap for leading change in your church. 1. Pray like you’ve never prayed before. You either want to lead change or be a part of leading change, so you need to pray. Leaders often want to see tangible results yesterday. But that’s a mistake. Leading change begins in the power and strength of God. Pray for God’s wisdom, courage, and strength (James 1:5, Joshua 1:9). Pray like you’ve never prayed before. 2. Establish and communicate a sense of urgency. John Kotter says we need to “inspire people to act – with passion and purpose – to achieve a bold, aspirational opportunity. Build momentum that excites people to pursue a compelling (and clear) vision of the future… together.” That is what the apostles and elders did in Acts 15 in the Council at Jerusalem. False teachers came from Judea to Antioch, so the apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and boldly addressed them, speaking the truth in love. He inspired them to act in a way that would honor Jesus and promote the true gospel. Some people in our churches or state conventions don’t see the need to make changes because they don’t see reality for what it is. They don’t see the decline, the worn facilities, or that the church is not reaching unbelievers as it once did. You must lead the congregation to understand what is happening around them and communicate a sense of urgency. “We must do this or that because people need to hear about Jesus!” 3. Build an enthusiastic coalition. We cannot lead change on our own. Lone Ranger leaders only have one opinion and one agenda: their own. Church and convention leadership teams need to invite others to the table with the right chemistry, influence, expertise, and leadership, including the next generation, to guide it, coordinate it, and communicate its activities. Large-scale change can only occur when large numbers of people rally around a common opportunity. Start with a guiding coalition and enlist a volunteer army! 4. Share your hope. “Change agents are agents of hope,” says Rainer. Read your Bible daily, pray like mad, and share your hope in Christ and in the church. We need more beacons of hope. Celebrate even the smallest victories and infuse the hope of the gospel into your people. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV). 5. Deal with stuff. I hate conflict. I grew up in a dysfunctional home that did not deal with “stuff,” and I’m still running a deficit when it comes to crucial conversations and confronting bullies. We need to love hard, expect opposition, and build a team of like-minded leaders. “Remove the obstacles that slow things down or create roadblocks to progress. Clear the way for people to innovate, work more nimbly across silos, and generate impact quickly,” says John Kotter. Often, you’ll need to deal with negative stuff. 6. Move to an outward focus. Almost every church begins with an earnest desire to reach its community with the Good News of Jesus. Over time, the energy, programs, ministry, and money move inward, for the members. The church that just a few years earlier proclaimed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is now focused on Great Comfort. Move to an outward focus and Jesus-exalting evangelism (John 14:6) or you will die. 7. Implement and consolidate change. Changes made in your family routines, your workplace, your church, or your convention need to be instituted or implemented. Someone has to make it happen. You must carefully, prayerfully, and repeatedly articulate the connections between new behaviors and organizational success. You must over-communicate until old habits are replaced by new ones. Explain it. Illustrate it. Appy it. Repeat. Churches and organizations across the country are losing ground because they simply refuse to change. Maybe we can be the exception. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Garth Leno is the Pastor/Planter Care Specialist with the BSCM. He serves in a similar role with the Canadian National Baptist Convention, and he is the founding pastor of The Gathering Church in Windsor, Ontario, a church he planted with his wife, Patty, and a few of their friends. #OCTOBER23

JACKSON – On September 10, 2023, our church gathered to celebrate its 100 Year Anniversary. The occasion was met with much joy by our members as we had a special worship service to praise God for his faithfulness to our congregation. This was accompanied by a special recognition from Tony Lynn of the BSCM. The many hands of Grace members who worked together to make this anniversary happen cannot be thanked enough. But ultimately it is our good God and Father who is due all praise and honor for redeeming and preserving this body of believers for a century. What follows is a condensed version of the history that was provided for attendees of the anniversary event. It is our hope that by sharing an account of the history of our church would be an encouragement to you and your congregations as you continue to bear witness to the goodness of our God and the hope found only in the gospel of Christ. Gorham Baptist Church began as a mission founded in 1910. Soon it became affiliated with Memorial Baptist Church, on the corner of Griswold and 3rd St., and became known as Memorial Baptist Mission. The small mission, with a membership of 30 people, originally began meeting over a bowling alley on Michigan Avenue. Shortly thereafter, a small lot on the corner of Gorham and Ganson was purchased for $300 with the purpose of erecting a church building there. The lot at 140 N. Gorham St. was secured and construction of the building began in 1913. The church building, which still stands today, was completed in 1914 and the dedication was held on June 28th of that year. Frank Osborn was the first pastor of Gorham Baptist Church, serving from 1915-1917. In 1923 the church on Gorham St. was constituted as Gorham Street Baptist Church. In 1927 Gorham became associated with the Franklin Association of Southern Illinois, becoming the first Southern Baptist Church in Michigan. Prior to this date Gorham had been a member church of the Northern Baptist Convention, but had withdrawn from it for some time. Although it functioned as an independent church, it was still formally associated with the NBC. Gorham affiliated with the Western Association of Michigan after the latter began in 1957. In 1957 the Southern Baptist Convention of Michigan was organized, at which point Gorham officially became an affiliating church and was recognized as the first Southern Baptist church in the state. Though there are four other churches in Michigan with earlier constituting dates, Gorham has been a Southern Baptist church longer than any other church in Michigan. In 1936, Virtus L. Buzbee, originally from Southern Illinois, was called as pastor. He faithfully served in that capacity for 36 years, retiring in 1972, giving him the honor of being the longest serving pastor in our church’s history. His ministry is remembered for preaching with a quiet strength, placing an emphasis on the Bible as our source of doctrine and instilling in the church a love for the Word of God. In the 1940s, Gorham sponsored its own mission, Page Avenue Mission, which would later be renamed Harmony Baptist Church which eventually constituted in 1959. In 1961, Gorham, along with nine other churches in central Michigan, committed to forming the Central Association of Baptists. This was to be a cooperation of Southern Baptist churches in the central Michigan area that would work together in order to promote efforts in and through the churches in the Association in their work of evangelism, education, and benevolence. On October 14, 1961, the first annual meeting of the Central Association of Baptists was held in Jackson at Gorham Street Baptist. In February of 1972, Pastor Buzbee retired and in November of the same year Milton L. Wood from Georgia was called to lead the church. Pastor Wood would go on to serve the church for twenty-two years. His ministry is remembered for placing an emphasis on individual commitment and focusing on the unity of the church family. On September 23, 1973, the church voted to purchase ten acres of property on N. Dettman Rd. as the site for a new church building. Groundbreaking took place within the year and the building was finished and dedicated in January 1976. During the mid-1980s, Grace began a second mission in Napoleon on the corner of M-50 and Wheaton Rd. This mission would eventually be incorporated as Faith Baptist Chapel in 1996 and remains as such to this day. The successful planting of Faith Baptist Chapel makes it the second church plant undergone by the efforts of Gorham Church and its partners. In 1994, Pastor Wood resigned to move back towards his childhood home and pastor First Baptist Church in Social Circle, Georgia. Pastor Mike Lee was called as pastor in June of that year. In 2001, the membership voted to change the name of the church from Gorham Baptist to Grace—A Southern Baptist Church. Pastor Mike would pastor from 1994-1998, at which point he accepted a call as an evangelism consultant from the Baptist Sunday School Board. Pastor Rich Ratts was called to pastor in 1998 until 2004 when he resigned to plant a church in Traverse City. Pastor Mike returned to pastor Grace in 2004 and would remain until 2010. Under Pastor Mike and Pastor Rich, Grace Church grew numerically and financially. During their time here the vision cast was for missionary zeal, evangelistic fervor, and Christian compassion as guides in the tasks of the church, namely worship, witness, education, ministry, and application of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2011, Grace Church extended a call to Pastor James Walling to pastor Grace. He accepted this calling and remains the primary preaching pastor at Grace to this day. His ministry has sought to emphasize the importance of expository preaching and implement it in practice as well as emphasizing the missional nature of the church and reflecting that in our church philosophy. We must recognize that our history has and will never be without its hardships. Leadership changes, building projects, and educational initiatives are just some of the things within a church that provide ample room for disagreement and oftentimes strife. It is helpful for us to acknowledge and accept this reality. Yet, throughout the years, during the highs and lows, one thing that seems to mark the congregation of Grace is a dedication to seeing the gospel preserved and passed down to following generations. The legacy of the church and understanding the local church as family have been central to our members over the course of this past century, allowing for moments of tremendous sacrifice, service, and genuine growth in mind and spirit for our congregation. Being a church in existence for a century allows for our longtime members to see these generations of new believers grow, inherit, and cherish the same truths and commitments they themselves have held dear. This is certainly a rare and special blessing and encouragement from the Lord, for which we pray all true churches in Michigan will one day be able to celebrate. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dustin Elliott serves as a deacon and the Coordinator of Family Ministries at Grace Church in Jackson, MI. He is attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he is pursuing his MDiv in Christian Ministry. He and his wife have two children and make their home in a small town outside of the city of Jackson. #OCTOBER23

ROSCOMMON – We want to share what God has done in Roscommon. In 1981, a Bible Study and fellowship began at Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center. They moved to St. Helen for a few years, then the faithful followed the Spirit’s leading to begin a church plant of Roscommon Baptist Church. They grew and followed God to a larger building. In 2000, as a growing congregation, the faithful felt the Spirit leading to move again. They prayed, trusted, and followed God. Hearing the Spirit of God say, “GO!” They prayed, trusted, and obeyed. They asked the Lord, “Where?” They prayed. The second property inquired about was 18 wooded acres with a small cardboard handwritten sign saying, “For Sale by Owner” with a phone number. They prayed, called, and God said, “HERE!” The task would be enormous. They prayed. The labor would be hard. They trusted and God worked. The debt would be significant. They prayed, trusted, and God provided. They knew they could not do it. They trusted God. Those few faithful had no idea how God would provide. August 2014, a groundbreaking occurred, followed by laying of the foundation. April 8, 2015, Dr. Michael Ritchie stated, “This is a big deal for our little church, yet we know God is leading us along the way. We want to reach our world for Christ. We start June 1st with framing and work throughout the summer with an expected Grand Opening this fall. We ask you to pray for uu and God bless you for praying!” June 2015, through prayer, obedience, a grant from John C Lasko Foundation and a 15-year $265,000 loan, God built an almost 10,000 square foot building, giving the property an approximately $1.2 million value. The building was raised in a week, by God’s doing alone. Dankert Construction, Hull Building Company, Beardsley’s Plumbing and Heating, Milltown Electric, S&J Excavating, Chilton Baptist Builders from Clinton County, Alabama, and church members with other teams provided physical labor. During the first week, the “For Sale by Owner” sign was replaced with the Chilton Baptist Builders slogan, “GOD IS ABLE”. Having the Occupancy Permit, a Dedication Service occurred September 5, 2015, in the sanctuary. On the frames and trestles are written words of God and prayers for the church. In the foyer, the cross symbolizes how we stand only on the Word and work of God. The faithful pledged to give a designated offering monthly to pay on the mortgage. January 2023, Dr. Michael Ritchie motioned to use $10,000 from the checking account to pay down the mortgage and continue monthly payments for the loan to be paid off in September. The motion failed. Discouraged, he took his seat and prayed. A member of the Building Committee, Terry Miller, motioned to pay the mortgage in full. The faithful passed the motion unanimously. Ten years from property purchase, 8 years from dedication, and only 7 ½ years of payments, Roscommon Baptist Church is DEBT FREE! On September 9, we invited church family, building crew, and community to celebrate with archery, hayrides, a Titanic slide, popcorn, snow cones, pig roast, wild game stew, side dishes, and desserts. It was a great day of fellowship. Words from Pastor Erikson Aldridge, Dr. Michael Ritchie, Terry Miller, and a Burning of the Mortgage closed the celebration. Celebrating freedom from debt in 7 ½ years, with seven representing completion, we do not look back and say, “Look what we have done”. Instead, we say, “Come and see what God has done…GOD IS ABLE!!“ Celebrating what God began, we know He will be faithful to complete it. Not of works of any man, lest we could boast, but that we stand here basking in the work and splendor of God. We lift up to Heaven an offering of thanksgiving and praise. As the people of God thousands of years ago, we offer up thanksgiving for all God has done and praise for what we have witnessed. We thank God for what we know He will accomplish for His glory and His kingdom in the future. As eight represents new beginnings, Roscommon Baptist Church is praying for God’s direction in this new beginning of being JUSTIFIED. GOD IS ABLE. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Glenda Aldridge serves alongside her husband, Pastor Erikson Aldridge at Roscommon Baptist Church. She home-educates their two children, Nadya (13) and Vanya (10). #OCTOBER23

BRENTWOOD, TN (BP) – If you’re looking for a Southern Baptist church, you’re most likely to find one in the South. If you want to find a growing Southern Baptist church, however, you might want to try the Northeast. Analysis of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Church Profile (ACP) by Lifeway Research revealed the convention is made up of mostly smaller churches dotting the southern United States. Still, more than 1 in 5 churches are outside of the South. And the only region where Southern Baptist churches are growing numerically is in New England. Additionally, churches started since 2000 are the most likely to be currently growing. “The trends revealed in this analysis confirm that Southern Baptists must prioritize church planting in our effort to reach people for Christ,” said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. “As we do that, not only will we see lives changed with the Gospel, we will also grow our base of churches which will expand our Great Commission efforts throughout the world. I’m grateful for every church that is planting new churches, but we need even more to take up this challenge.” Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, noted that the largest Protestant denomination is growing in the least Protestant region of the U.S. “While it’s easiest to achieve high percentage growth in areas with fewer Southern Baptists to begin with, the growth is a sharp contrast to numerical declines throughout much of the country,” he said. General picture of Southern Baptist churches The Southern Baptist Convention mostly reflects its name, as 78 percent of its churches are in the South. Far fewer are in the Midwest (10 percent), West (9 percent), Northeast (3 percent) or U.S. territories (less than 1 percent). Not quite half (45 percent) of churches are in suburban areas with a population of at least 2,500 but less than 50,000. The remaining percentage are split between urban areas (28 percent) with at least 50,000 in population and rural places (27 percent) with less than 2,500. Churches in the Northeast and West are more likely than those in the other regions to be in urban areas, while churches in the Midwest and South are mostly in rural and suburban places. Most Southern Baptist churches (52 percent) were founded since 1950, including 23 percent that were started since 2000. Another 21 percent began between 1900 and 1949, while 27 percent trace their founding to before the 20th century. The newest group of churches, those founded since 2000, make up an increasingly larger percentage of all Southern Baptist churches, climbing from 19 percent of churches in 2017 to 23 percent in 2022. “Southern Baptists are the most prolific starter of new churches, but older churches continue to close at a slightly faster pace,” McConnell said. Almost 3 in 4 churches (73 percent) have an average worship service attendance below 100, including 46 percent who have fewer than 50 for a typical service. One in 5 (19 percent) are between 100 and 249, while 5 percent average between 250 and 499. And 3 percent usually have at least 500 for their weekend worship service. Churches in the Northeast (53 percent), Midwest (55 percent) and West (53 percent) are more likely than those in the South (43 percent) to have an average worship service of fewer than 50 attendees. The Southern Baptist Convention is increasingly comprised of the smallest churches. From 2017 to 2022, the percentage of Southern Baptist churches that were below 50 in worship attendance grew from 36 percent to 45 percent of the convention. For most Southern Baptist churches, most of their worship attendees are also in a Sunday school class or small group Bible study. Still, 35 percent of churches have fewer than 50 percent of those who gather for worship also participating in a small group. Almost 2 in 5 churches say their participation rate runs between 50 percent to 74 percent. Slightly less than 1 in 5 (18 percent) report 75 percent to less than 100 percent are involved in a small group. Around 1 in 10 (9 percent) have 100 percent or more involvement. The smallest churches, those with fewer than 50 in attendance for a worship service, are the most likely to have 25 percent or less of their congregation involved in small groups (21 percent). They are also among the most likely to have at least 100 percent participating (10 percent). An increasing number of Southern Baptist churches have few small group participants. From 2017 to 2022, the percentage of churches that had fewer than 25 percent of their worship service attendees involved in a small group jumped from 5 percent to 16 percent, a 219 percent increase. A 2022 Lifeway Research study found the average U.S. Protestant church had 44 percent of attendees involved in a small group, down from 50 percent in 2008. “Declines in Sunday School and small group participation is not a short-term problem. It also does not bode well for the future,” McConnell said. “Having a higher percentage of your attendees attending small groups each week is one of four measures that predict higher worship attendance five years down the road.” Mostly declines but pockets of growth The most recent Annual Church Profile of the Southern Baptist Convention highlighted continued membership decline since 2006, falling to 13,223,122, the lowest number since 1978. The analysis comparing 2017 and 2022 indicates declines in most types of churches with occasional areas of membership and attendance growth. Membership in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont churches together grew by 1 percent from 2017 to 2022. Every other area saw a numerical decline for Southern Baptist churches. The regions with the smallest declines were the Mid-Atlantic—New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania—which fell 5 percent, and the East South Central—Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee—which dropped 7 percent. Every other area had a double-digit percentage decrease over the past five years, with the largest decline happening in the Pacific region—Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington—which fell 22 percent. “The West has the most churches with declining membership. And the Pacific portion of the West has the most dramatic declines among reporting churches,” McConnell said. “California churches had particularly low reporting on the ACP in 2022, making their numbers less reliable.” Declining, plateaued or growing Grouping churches according to their percentage change in membership since 2017 gives a picture of which types of churches are most likely to be growing and which must overcome the trends surrounding them. Those who saw an increase in total membership of 10 percent or more are classified as growing, a decrease of 10 percent or more are considered declining and those in between are plateaued. Overall, 18.5 percent of Southern Baptist churches are growing, 42.5 percent are plateaued and 39 percent are declining. Newer Southern Baptist churches are more than twice as likely to have grown than churches started before the 21st century. More than 2 in 5 of those founded since 2000 are growing churches (42 percent). The younger the grouping a church falls into, the less likely they are to be plateaued, ranging from 52 percent of those founded before 1900 to 22 percent of those founded since 2000. Churches founded in the 20th century are the most likely to be declining—45 percent of those started between 1950 and 1999 and 39 percent of those that began between 1900 and 1949. Specific analysis was conducted on churches started within the past five years. At least two-thirds of Southern Baptist churches founded in those years are either plateaued or growing. Within the 2017-2021 time frame, the longer a church has existed, the more likely it is to be a growing congregation. For those founded in 2021, 33 percent experienced at least 10 percent growth by 2022, while 2 in 3 churches planted in 2017 (67 percent) are currently growing. The largest churches are the most likely to have grown. More than a quarter of churches with an average attendance of 500 or more (26 percent) report a membership increase of more than 10 percent in the past five years. Those churches are also among the least likely to have declined (35 percent). Churches in larger population areas do not automatically equal growth. Southern Baptist churches in urban areas are the most likely to have grown since 2017 (22 percent), but those churches are also the most likely to have declined (46 percent). In fact, the likelihood of a church growing and declining increases moving from a smaller population grouping to a larger one. While rural churches are the least likely to have grown (16 percent), they are also the least likely to have declined (35 percent). Similar extremes are also found in the regions of the country. Southern Baptist churches in the Northeast (36 percent) and the West (29 percent) are the most likely to have grown, but they are also the most likely to have declined (46 percent and 47 percent respectively). Churches in the South (45 percent) and Midwest (40 percent) are the most likely to have plateaued. “It is increasingly difficult for a church to see growth today,” McConnell said. “Southern Baptists have never had more declining churches and fewer growing churches than we see today. As the majority of churches decline, they have fewer resources to invest in ministry. But the God who gave past growth is no less capable today.” For more information, view the ACP Church Statistic report, the ACP Church Performance report and visit LifewayResearch.com. Methodology This analysis was based on data reported on the Annual Church Profile (ACP) in 2022 and 2017. The ACP is an annual statistical census of Southern Baptist congregations conducted cooperatively by local associations, state conventions, and Lifeway Christian Resources. Around 7 in 10 Southern Baptist churches (69 percent) reported at least one item on the 2022 ACP. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources. #OCTOBER23

International Mission Board missionary Sheila Crowder entered the worn apartment building. She’d cleared her schedule to meet with a woman she’d been praying for long before this coffee date. As she entered the apartment, the smell of coffee grounds welcomed her in, and she knew she’d be there for a while. Her friend is from an unreached people group who takes as much joy in a freshly brewed, aromatic cup of joe as they do the conversations that naturally develop around the experience. She’d bathed the encounter in prayer, but she still wasn’t prepared for what came next. Sheila and her husband, Aaron, have been trying to reach this people group for years. The people, who have dispersed and can be found in a nearby city, are traditionally nomads who live in a tumultuous and hard-to-reach area. They’re oral learners, as the majority cannot read or write. They practice folk Islam. There are very few known believers among them, as generally their hearts are resistant to the gospel. That day, after Sheila yet again poured her heart out sharing the gospel with her friend, the woman made a bold decision. She wanted to follow this Jesus Sheila had been sharing about. The missionaries and their team rejoiced as Aaron baptized her. Her salvation was the fruit of many years of labor and prayer. It wasn’t just the missionaries who were praying though. They weren’t the only ones celebrating either. An ocean away, a small church in Wilson, Arkansas, had been praying for believers among this people group. Now, they were rejoicing too. When First Baptist Church in Wilson, Arkansas, connected with this IMB missionary family, reaching the nations became personal for them. As a result, God moved in their congregation and their little community. Pastor Paul Huenefeld realized that most of the members in his church had never met a real-life missionary. He reached out to the IMB asking if one could visit his church. Through the IMB’s efforts, he was connected to Aaron and Sheila Crowder. Even before church members organized a trip overseas, they began praying for this unreached people group, fervently. When they heard that the Crowders saw this woman come to Christ and be baptized, the church not only rejoiced, but they began to look at their own lives and draw closer to God. “Their simple decision for Christ in their situation caused our people to rethink their own spiritual lives,” Huenefeld said. Soon, his church doubled in size, from 35-40 on a Sunday morning to nearly 80 each week. Huenefeld’s church members were so excited by this work God did an ocean away that their passion was ignited to reach people in their own community. He saw his church begin to grow as they started to reach the world around them. At the beginning of this year, Huenefeld, his wife, Angela, and another member of his church, Justin Cissell, put boots on the ground. Traveling to another continent, they met missionaries, national believers and missionaries who are working with the UPG, and learned how God is working in the lives of this people group the Arkansan church adopted. “Once we began to minister outside of our own area, that’s where the growth really came from,” he said. “People got more of a passion, and our community was hearing that we were not just sitting in the pews on Sunday morning, but we were out doing stuff.” The church members aren’t the only people encouraged by this connection-turned-partnership. For the missionaries, having a church host them, join in on their monthly prayer meetings, be a part of their ministry overseas, and most importantly, pray for them, is invaluable. Sheila shared, “It was just surprising to find a church that jumped into ministry and was so encouraging, to be honest.” “It’s easy to feel disconnected from churches in the States,” Sheila added. The missionary couple is grateful for every church that has invested in their ministry, prayed for them, given through IMB giving channels or the Cooperative Program, and connected with them. Still, FBC Wilson holds a special place in their hearts. “We don’t feel disconnected anymore.” Interested in experiencing growth and encouragement for your congregation by connecting with an IMB missionary? Call 800-999-3113 or email info@imb.org. *Some names have been changed for security purposes. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Myriah Snyder writes and edits for the IMB. #OCTOBER23

MONTREAL – Numbers don’t do justice in describing the last two years for Kevin and Casey Kilgore and their family, but it’s a start. In just a little more than 24 months, the Kilgores have surpassed 70,000 miles traveled in their RV. They’ve visited and encouraged 265 pastors and missionaries. They’ve been to 48 out of 50 U.S. states. And as of September 16, with the family’s visit to Montreal, they’ve encouraged church planters in all 32 of Send Network’s Send Cities. Ask what they’ve learned about North American missions in the process of this epic journey, and Kevin Kilgore doesn’t hesitate. No matter the size of the community or the region of the continent they visit, Kevin sees a need for new, gospel-centered churches to push back lostness throughout North America. “Church planters are rock stars,” Kevin said. “In our minds, they’re our heroes. They’re doing something that’s very, very difficult. Starting new churches is not easy. That’s why NAMB [the North American Mission Board] talks about churches planting churches. The denomination doesn’t do it. Individuals don’t do it. But when churches can get behind planting churches, then that’s when we’ve seen the greatest success.” God began leading the Kilgores toward this missions adventure not long after a tumultuous 2020. On top of all the turmoil everyone faced during that year, the Kilgores lost their beloved pastor, Fred Evers of Northside Baptist Church in Tifton, Georgia. Kevin had served as the church’s associate pastor for 14 years. Then, God led the family to sell their home, pull up stakes and take off across North America, visiting NAMB missionaries in the most strategic cities on the continent. At every stop, in big cities and small, the Kilgores have both served church planters and served alongside them. Whether providing a night out for the church planter and his family, providing practical help for his ministry or simply being an encouragement, the family tries to do what they can together. The Kilgore girls — ages 17, 15, 13, and 11 — have embraced the adventure and enjoyed serving in diverse spots throughout North America. Before two years ago, they all attended public schools. Today, they are homeschooled and serve with their family in ministry throughout the week. “What always stands out to me are the opportunities we’ve had to do ministry together,” Casey said. “We’ve had quite a few opportunities to do that this year, which has been fabulous.” Casey points specifically to a weeklong mission experiences in South Dakota and participation in Send Relief’s Serve Tour event in Chicago. In 2023, they had several opportunities to revisit church planters they’d met along the way, sometimes for the third time. This has allowed the family to build longer-term relationships with some of the missionary families they’ve served. For example, the Kilgores have visited church planter Joshua Page and his family three times in the past two years during their trips through Pittsburgh. Page planted The Church at Mon River about 18 months ago. He says he regularly gets messages from Kevin saying he is praying for him. On the Kilgores’ second trip through Pittsburgh, the Pages had just lost a child to a miscarriage. “It was a really difficult time for us,” Page said. “They came in with the attitude of just wanting to be a blessing and encouragement. Their girls watched our young boys, and they treated us out to dinner, and just loved on us, wept with us and encouraged us. That was just a really, really sweet time.” Page notes that planting a church in the Northeast isn’t easy. Support and encouragement from Southern Baptists, like the Kilgores, has helped them keep going whenever they’ve felt discouraged. “Their encouragement in our lives has been really huge,” Page said. “They just came through Pittsburgh again, like two weeks ago, and we went out to dinner with them. My wife is pregnant again, and we had an ultrasound, so it’s a real triggering time for us due to what’s happened in the past. And they were very quick to say, ‘Hey, how can we help?’ And so, they watched our youngest boy, so that I could go to the ultrasound with my wife. It is just crazy, because here’s these random people from Georgia, loving on our family as if they were an aunt and uncle to our kids.” Once the Kilgores leave Montreal, they plan on visiting church planters in New York, Boston, and Washington D.C., before heading back to Georgia for the holiday season. The Kilgores aren’t sure what’s next for their family in 2024, but they’re committed to following God whatever happens. In two years of trusting God for their next step, he has never failed to give direction and provide. “As soon as we know what he’s leading us to, we’ll move in that direction,” Kevin said. “If it’s continuing exactly what we’re doing, he’ll make a way to make that happen.” To follow the Kilgores’ ministry and find more information about how individuals and churches can support their work, visit throughtheeyesofourtribe.com. To learn about NAMB’s church planting efforts, visit SendNetwork.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tobin Perry has written professionally for churches and Christian organizations for more than 20 years. He has served as a writer and editor on the staffs of Saddleback Church and the North American Mission Board. He has also served as a local church pastor in Southern Indiana and a two-year missionary for the International Mission Board. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism (B.A. ’98) and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’07). Today Tobin operates New Creations Editorial Services, which provides content that helps Christian organizations engage and equip their audiences. For more information, visit www.tobinperry.com. #OCTOBER23

PLYMOUTH – The Frances Brown State Mission Offering and Week of Prayer will be September 10-17. The goal for this year’s offering is $80,000. Gifts will be used to assist Michigan pastors, church leadership, and churches with revitalization. Every year Michigan Baptists set aside a week to specifically pray for the spiritual needs of our state. To participate in the Week of Prayer, you can download a prayer guide and other free resources at bscm.org/smo. Some of the prayer emphasis for this year will include; praying for pastors and leaders, praying for local Michigan communities, praying for Michigan churches that are struggling, and praying for our Michigan language churches. Studies show that 80% of American churches are in decline or plateaued, and that includes Michigan churches. That’s why this year’s offering will be used to provide tools and guidance to churches that need to revitalize the mission to their community. The Frances Brown State Mission Offering is an annual offering taken by Michigan Baptist churches to fund special mission projects for starting and strengthening churches within the state of Michigan. To download this video, click here. #SEPTEMBER23

MONROE – The Ragged Women’s Conference is being held at Monroe Missionary Baptist Church on September 22-23. Our desire in planning this conference is that women will be reaffirmed in the vast love Christ has for them, strengthened in their faith, encouraged in their eternal hope (Hebrews 6:17-20), and refreshed as they go about their daily lives. Ultimately, God will receive glory because of it. If you are weary in your responsibilities, struggling in your faith, feeling guilty about your failures, overwhelmed with expectations, or experiencing anxiety about your weaknesses, this conference is for you. In her blog post, The Gift of Collaboration, Gretchen Ronnevik shares some of the thoughts she had while writing her book, Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for The Spiritually Exhausted. She says, “…the message I want to drive home is that it is finished. We are complete in Christ. Christian women are inundated with “law” in what feels like every single publication. It’s a constant. I wanted to write about “gospel.” I wanted to write about how the gospel wasn’t just for salvation (justification), but for all of the Christian life (sanctification). I wanted to relentlessly point to Christ, not our works.” Clear your calendars and register right away! We are so excited that Gretchen is coming to share with us in person the themes in her book. Her author bio describes Gretchen Ronnevik as someone who “loves rich theology rooted in real life. She created Gospel Mentoring, a training program for intergenerational discipleship and is the co-host of Freely Give, a podcast on living free in Christ. She has published articles at 1517, the Gospel Coalition, and Women’s Ministry Toolbox and regularly speaks at events. She lives on the family farm in Minnesota with her husband and six children.” Gretchen’s book, Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for The Spiritually Exhausted is full of grace and encouragement. Everyone who attends the conference will be given a copy of the book. There will be one session on Friday evening, with light refreshments following. Saturday morning holds two sessions with a coffee bar during the break. After the two morning sessions, there will be a question-and-answer time with Gretchen. We’ll end the conference with a delicious soup and salad lunch with dessert. You can register online at www.mmbconline.org/events/mmbc-womens-conference/. If you prefer not to register online, you can call the church office at 734-241-6860 and speak with Anna, who will get you registered. The price is $35.00 and includes all three conference sessions, a copy of Ragged, all the food and refreshments, a goodie bag containing items for your encouragement and enjoyment, and several giveaways. There are also “Freely Given” podcast stickers for the first 100 people to register. Feel free to listen to the conference playlist on Spotify to encourage your heart. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cara Schramm is the Women’s Ministry Leader at Monroe Missionary Baptist Church. Her interest in women’s ministry began during a season of numerous heartaches in which she was greatly ministered to by ordinary women. She and her husband Marty are parents to six children aged 7-25. Together, they share a heart for everyday hospitality. #SEPTEMBER23

ANN ARBOR – It was two weeks before the world closed down for the Covid pandemic, and Rhiza Church launched its very first church service in Ann Arbor. It was a joyous and successful launch, but 14 days later it felt like it was over before it began. Rhiza Church had been meeting in a public school so immediately they were without a home. Pastor Tito Diaz, his wife Mollie and the remaining members of the church would spend the next 3 years trying to find a place they could call home. During that time, the church met in six different locations. Meanwhile, in another part of Ann Arbor a much more established church was facing its own challenge. Graceway Church had been around for decades, but even before the pandemic, they were in decline. By 2022, there would be fewer than 20 people on a Sunday. They had all the space they needed, and no one to fill it. One of the few remaining leaders at Graceway, Steve Worrell, said he would have to give himself a pep talk each week because the church “was just so empty.” Steve and the other leaders were facing a decision of whether to close the doors of the church forever. But before they took that step, they decided to reach out to the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) to see if the BSCM staff had any suggestions. Steve said, “It was worth a shot.” BSCM staff knew about Rhiza’s struggles for a permanent place to meet, and they introduced the Diaz’s to Graceway’s leadership. In just a few months, the two churches had merged into one. Steve Worrell said, “It just seemed like a perfect fit.” A year later, the churches came together as one, and after three years Rhiza Church now has a permanent place to meet. Mollie Diaz recalls the first Sunday together saying, “It was home, it was actually home.” The Frances Brown State Mission Offering is an annual offering taken by Michigan Baptist churches to fund special mission projects for starting and strengthening churches within the state of Michigan. This year’s State Mission Offering goal is $80,000, and will be used to revitalize churches like Graceway who are in decline. BSCM will provide support and training to leaders to help churches begin to reverse declines, or to find other paths to continue their witness. EDITOR'S NOTE: You can find free resources to promote the State Mission Offering at bscm.org/smo. Resources include videos, poster, flyer, and prayer guide. #SEPTEMBER23

MONROE – September is here, which means it’s time for Michigan students to head back to school. No doubt they have been taking advantage of their last opportunities to enjoy the luxuries of summer. Staying up past midnight and sleeping in until noon or later. Filling their days with all manner of entertainment; from swimming to video games to riding dirt bikes. Spending days at their friends' houses while parents wonder if they’re wearing the same clothes for the third day in a row. Families have wrapped up any last minute vacations and quality time together. Summer is filled with fantastic highs for churches as well. Events like youth camp, VBS and summer mission trips pack church calendars with activity. Excitement builds and builds from seeing the way that God is at work in His people through their ministry to one another. Then - just like when an energy drink wears off - you feel the crash of back to school. It’s time to get back to normal life, a life that’s scheduled, predictable, and repetitive. Compared to a summer full of late nights, camps, retreats, vacations and hours with good friends, “scheduled, predictable, and repetitive” does not sound very appealing. Despite how it sounds, there’s a lot of good that comes from normal, and churches should welcome its return. Families thrive in the midst of routine. Parents of young children know how important a predictable routine is for their kids and, the truth is, a routine is just as helpful for adults and even churches. Routine provides structure, communicates expectations, and protects what’s important from a world full of distractions. Routines are freeing; in a world that presents you with so many options and choices, established routines make the choice for you. It’s through routines that we can complete some of the most difficult tasks and accomplish our greatest achievements. Everyone has seen the transformation video of someone who showed the results of a workout routine after one week, four weeks, four months, one year. We look at the transformation in wonder and awe, but if we saw the routine that was used to get there we would understand that there was nothing wonderful or awesome about it. It was actually pretty predictable and repetitive. Churches - especially youth and children’s ministries - can fall into the trap of expecting big results from big, one-time events that happen in the summer. But it is usually the repetitive, predictable - dare I say ordinary - things the church does that make the biggest difference in the lives of families. Parents want to know how to help their children grow spiritually. The freeing news for them is that it’s actually pretty simple. Utilize simple, ordinary routines in your family’s life that will produce fruit over time. This is why going back to school provides churches and families with a great opportunity. Families are already transitioning back to the routine of school life; encourage them to return to the routine of church life. Come to church on Sunday, attend a Sunday school class since you’re already there. If your church provides a mid-week service or utilizes small group meetings throughout the week, make those part of the rhythm of your family's life. Encourage families to take 15 minutes to read a devotion and pray together a few times a week, on the same day at the same time - because routine is important. To serve families well, churches need to encourage a routine that is simple and practical. Overburdened, complex schedules only lead to more stress, guilt and frustration. The most important thing for pastors to do is pray for families. There are so many things competing for attention and time in their lives. School, sports, clubs, hobbies, the list goes on. We can’t force them to choose and we can’t compete with the world. What we can do is pray that God would lead them to trust Him to use the ordinary, repetitive, and predictable things in the lives of their kids. So let's go back to school on our knees. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Slater lives in Monroe, MI with his wife, Alesha and their three children: Nolin, Thomas and Abigail. He serves as the Family Ministry Pastor at Monroe Missionary Baptist Church. #SEPTEMBER23

PLYMOUTH – Pastor Amer Safadi, originally from Jordan, and Pastor Amgad Beshai, originally from Egypt are two of the key leaders driving and fueling the ever-growing, bilingual Arabic Church Planters & Pastors Network & Gathering. Both men, with their families, reside in Ohio and Michigan, respectively. Though the ministry is a daily undertaking led by these two volunteers, two annual gatherings offer a glimpse of this young network’s expansion. Inspiring Growth Look at the comparison. Last year, in July of 2022, approximately fifteen leaders from across North America came together for the first annual gathering in Cincinnati, Ohio. This year, on July 13-15, 2023, forty-six pastors, church leaders, church planters, potential planters and their wives came from California, Arizona, Florida, Alabama, Ohio, and Michigan met in Troy, Michigan. That is an inspiring increase in just one year! Busy Lives While creating and sustaining this one-of-a-kind network, Safadi and Beshai serve as full-time pastors, husbands, and fathers. Safadi is the lead pastor of the Arabic Church of Cincinnati, of West Chester, Ohio. Beshai is the lead pastor of Evangel Baptist Church of Troy in Michigan. Both congregations are growing and yet Safadi and Beshai carve out time from their personal schedules to make personal visits, conduct online interviews, provide assessments, and answer questions from the curious who have heard about the outstanding reputation of this network. Safadi and Beshai rely heavily on the valuable resources of the Send Network. Personal Multiplication Safadi and Beshai are respected practitioners. Safadi and his young church plant are assisting an Arabic-language church plant in the state of Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River. This bluegrass Arabic-language church plant will be the first of its kind in Kentucky! Beshai, during the most recent gathering in July, announced that not only did his congregation launch the newest Arabic-language earlier in 2023, but that they have plans to launch three new church plants within the next twenty-four months during 2024 and 2025. These two titans of church planting are sterling examples of vision and determination. Partnership Working with Safadi and Beshai for years, Tony Lynn, the Church Planting Leader for the Send Network in Michigan, says, “The partnership between these two men is perfect. The skills and insights of one is complemented by other strengths found in the other man.” Tony goes on to explain that “Having trustworthy, reliable men of God, like Safadi and Beshai, whose interest in a Gospel movement both locally and globally is contagious!” Lynn reports that specific state conventions and specific Send Network regions contributed to and sent individuals to the two annual gatherings. Partnerships in the bilingual Arabic Church Planters & Pastors Network & Gathering are continually expanding and are processed personally by Safadi and Beshai. Horrible and Heroic Stories “Because my adult daughter would not wear a veil at the university, those in my country took her life. All she wanted to do was become a doctor and help others,” is what the man said without a hint of emotion on his face, reported Lynn. Stunned by the horror, Lynn was silenced. He thought carefully before speaking his next words of sympathy and support. Lynn says that his new friend went on to explain the heroism of others, “Friends and family helped us escape our country knowing that our teenage daughter would be next if we didn’t flee. After a series of refugee camps overseas we finally ended up living in southeastern United States. Relieved and safe there, we felt lonely and sad until attending this network, Pastor Safadi and Pastor Beshai invited us to come.” Contact the Leaders That is just one of the stirring conversations Lynn had at the second annual meeting of the “Arabic Church Planters & Pastors Network & Gathering,” during July 13-15, 2023, in Troy, Michigan. If you are interested in connecting with the leaders of this network you can contact them directly with your questions: Pastor Amer Safadi at amer.safadi.sm@gmail.com or (414) 949-4900 and Pastor Amgad Beshai at pastor@churchoftroy.com or (248) 583-1833. Next Year’s Gathering Safadi and Beshai welcome those interested in attending, supporting, or contributing to the network. Next year’s gathering is already scheduled for July 11-13, 2024. The location will be announced at a later time. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the State Director of Missions for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as lead pastor for more than six years at Crosspoint Church in Monroe, Michigan. He and his wife, Jamie, also served with the International Mission Board in Africa and in Europe. #SEPTEMBER23

PLYMOUTH – These are words of hope and new beginnings. They grab our attention in the opening seconds of our 2023 state mission offering video. They remind us that our mission as the church is critically important and must always be our primary objective. Jesus’ words to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 have been on my heart as we enter this season of prayer and giving. They describe how each of the seven churches need differing degrees of adjustment for greater Kingdom impact. From the church at Ephesus that loses her first love in the midst of an incredibly active ministry, to the church at Laodicea that seemingly has everything, Jesus gives these seven churches course corrections they need to make to follow Him moving forward. Even before the first century comes to a close, Jesus gives His church new directives for a world in transition. Churches need to constantly reposition themselves under the Lordship of Christ to thrive in the present and live in the next generation. Revitalization takes a posture of constant prayerfulness and surrender as the church listens to Jesus and follows His directives in an ever-changing world filled with new opportunities to advance the Kingdom. The message of the gospel never changes. Its power is sufficient to transform people in every culture, every language, every race, and in every generation. It is more than sufficient for the days we face. The risen Lord Jesus is with us! Some of our churches are facing discouragement. The difficult challenges that surround them feel overwhelming, but there is hope. Michigan Baptists are praying together and giving to help churches experience the “Reset, Refocus, and Revitalization” they need. Two words stand out to me as I read Revelation 2 & 3: “I know….” Jesus speaks these two words to each of the seven churches. He knows what each church is experiencing and what steps need to be taken by each church. He provides each one with a path forward. He knows where each church is: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon…. He knows what each church is facing: hardships, affliction, and poverty… He knows the path forward: remember, repent, do the things you did at first… Jesus both affirms and corrects the seven churches. Some of the words fill His church with joy. Some are hard to hear, but they are spoken to reveal how each church can thrive in the present and live fruitfully in the next generation. Every one of the seven churches has a future, but only as each realigns herself fully to Jesus moving forward. Continuous alignment to Christ’s direction is an essential component of church vitality. It’s Christ’s church and His mission. Totally following Him is the only way forward. Let’s read the Word, pray, and obey. In the words of an old hymn: Trust and Obey For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey! EDITOR'S NOTE: You can find free resources to promote the State Mission Offering at bscm.org/smo. Resources include videos, poster, flyer, and prayer guide. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Durbin is the State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before joining the state convention staff, Mike served as Church Planting Catalyst and Director of Missions in Metro Detroit since 2007. He also has served as a pastor and bi-vocational pastor in Michigan, as well as International Missionary to Brazil. #SEPTEMBER23