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HARVEY – One would have to be living under a rock somewhere to not realize we are living in a different day. We are living in a day where we can see a lot of the verses in God’s Word that speak on the latter days playing out all around us. Even the unsaved seem to recognize that there is something different about the days that we are living in. We can see a lot of similarity in 2 Timothy 3 where it say that perilous times will come: For men will be  lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lover of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. This is quite a list, and we know that these things have always been part of our sin nature, but we see an increase of these things in our society to where it is out of control. You see an occurrence of these things happening in a split second on your phone, and there doesn’t seem to be any escape to a normal world. A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with an unsaved friend of mine that had made the statement “I would love just a little sense of normalcy in the world.” People cannot put their finger on what is going on. The world is changing so fast, and we that know Him, know that his return is so close. So, looking at this, we in Christ, should understand we no longer live in a country or a world that has a biblical worldview. Without a biblical view you have confusion, disorder, and chaos. It is like trying to put together this beautiful jigsaw puzzle, but someone has put in other pieces that don’t fit. The picture just doesn’t make sense. This is why so many people are losing hope. We see a huge increase in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and increased suicide in our culture and it’s not slowing down. We that have come to faith in Christ, been born again, drank from the well, and tasted the Living Water, been set free, that have been forgiven, that have been redeemed have the answer…the truth which is in Jesus Christ. We have been given the mystery to the Kingdom. If ever there was a time in the history of the church, the body of Christ, that the harvest is plentiful, I think it’s now. I can tell you this truly excites me. We have a world that is hungry for the truth. However it’s also a time for me to fully understand 1 Peter 3:15, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; I was so convicted when I heard someone say, when is the last time someone asked about the hope inside me. As a pastor I have come to understand this as one of my main missions, to train the laborers. There are some great resources, and they are at our fingertips. But the one place where we must begin is in the heart. When God started to change my heart for the lost, it started to be my focus. Someone told me recently that the Pastor can imprint his heart on the congregation. This is where I as a pastor want to lead, by my Savior every step of the way. These are exciting times, and we can see it if we keep our focus on Him and not the world.  One of the things we find in his Word is when God moved in miraculous ways, the people moved first. We are living in a different day, but they are exciting days. These are the days to be so close to the Savior and to be led by the Holy Spirit. In words of encouragement, don’t miss out on being a part of His Kingdom work. This is where you will find JOY. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ron Sego is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. For the last 22 years he has worked in many parts of the ministry working along some great pastors as an adult Sunday school teacher, working as part of evangelistic team and worship leader. 2 years ago, he answered the call to pastor Harvey Baptist Church where he serves today. He also has been with the Michigan Department of Correction for the past 26 years as a correction officer, and the last nine as a trades instructor with the Education Department. #APRIL24

Jeff Iorg has been unanimously elected as the new president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee. In one way, this is not a surprising event. In another way, given our recent past experiences, this is almost miraculous. I see Jeff Iorg as a true difference maker as our new leader in this most important position. He has a resume that speaks volumes about his leadership gifts. As a longtime president of a seminary and a well-known author and preacher/public speaker, Jeff is well known in SBC life. When he was nominated, I indicated that he and I have been friends and colleagues for almost 26 years. During that time, I have witnessed how the Lord has used him in strategic positions of influence. In my mind, the Executive Committee made the right choice, especially at this juncture in our history. What do I expect of him? Several words come to mind. Faithful is one of them. He is the epitome of faithfulness to God and to his calling. Excellence is another word. In all things, Jeff strives for excellence. Difference maker is my favorite description. Jeff will seek to provide clarity as to our mission. In this time of confusion, we are in much need for someone – or someones – to offer the kind of clarity to see us through some divisive issues and difficult situations. Jeff is that kind of leader. Any church or group can experience what the military calls “mission creep.” In the fog of war, this often happens to the military. How do you operate or function when you cannot see clearly? Perhaps we are in a fog as Southern Baptists. We need someone who can help provide clarity so we can reaffirm our mission as a people of faith. Jeff Iorg will seek to promote stability at the SBC Executive Committee. I think in looking back at the history of the EC we would be hard pressed to ascertain a time when stability is more needed than now. The Executive Committee has struggled in recent years in ways in which many of us would never have imagined. Good people have different views as to why this has happened, but the most essential matter before us is how can this important leadership position regain stability. A leader who provides clarity as to our mission and seeks to promote stability will be one who can lead best in the present and in the future. Granted, this clarity and stability will not happen overnight. No one leader can do this alone. Dr. Iorg will need assistance, but he is the kind of person who will find that help as needed. Jeff Iorg will seek to personify unity among our people. Clarity leads to stability, and then there is an opportunity for unity. Of course, unity does not mean uniformity. After all we are Baptists. However, I believe that 95-98 percent of us agree on the major issues. I believe Jeff Iorg is the kind of leader who will remind us of that reality. Like you, I will be praying for Dr. Jeff Iorg as he assumes his new duties. I commit to being a good partner with him in Great Commission ministries. I will do my best to help him to be effective as our leader. The Biblical phrase “For such a time as this…” is often quoted, but I am not sure that I have known a time when this is more applicable than right now. We are with you, Jeff Iorg. We want to be a part of the team of difference makers for today and tomorrow. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rick Lance writes for Baptist Press. #APRIL24

Here is the reality: Many declining churches recognize they are struggling and in need of help. They know things are not looking up and that something needs to be done. They know things can’t stay exactly the same. The question is, how does a potential pastor and leader distinguish between a church that is truly ready to do what it takes to turn things around, and a church that isn’t ready? In other words, how do you determine whether a church is actually ready to be revitalized? One of the keys in this assessment of readiness pertains to giving up control and trusting the Lord to lead them in a new direction. This will involve asking very specific questions that will help you get to this congregation’s heart. These questions will help determine whether the time is right to help revitalize this church. There are three primary types of questions that need to be asked to those inside the church when assessing its readiness for revitalization. The first is what I’m calling questions that lead to joyful celebration. These are the easiest questions to ask. These five questions help the remaining folks celebrate the good of their church – of what God has done and is doing in their congregation. We start with this type of question in order to encourage them and begin to build trust with them. Questions that lead to joyful celebration (Easy) In your opinion, what are the three best things about the church? What do you think the average person in the church would say is the best thing about the church? What is your dream for how the church might 10 years from now? Who is the favorite pastor in the history of the church and why? What is your fondest memory of the church? At this point, we begin to push in a little bit more. With these questions, we are moving from easy to moderate in terms of comfort level for those answering. These 13 questions will be a bit more difficult and uncomfortable to answer. They’re not quite as hard as we’ll get to in a moment, but these questions lovingly force individuals to reflect honestly on where they are as a church. Questions that lead to honest reflection (Moderate) How are decisions made in the church (both formally and informally)? If a big decision needs to be made, to whom do the members look for the blessing or approval? What was the biggest mistake made by any of your previous pastors? What is something I might say from the pulpit that would cause a number of members to cringe? In other words, what are some of the “hot button” issues for this congregation? How does church membership work in this church? What are the expectations laid upon church members? Do church members generally (and happily) follow the lead of their pastors and leaders? What items in the current services are non-negotiable? What other items are acceptable and have been featured in the past? Would the congregation have any objection to the pastor working on sermons from outside the church? A coffee shop? My home study? What is the policy and general understanding regarding the pastor’s days off and holidays? Do you think it would be relatively easy for a young family to settle into the church/town? What challenges might my wife and the children face? Does this church network with other churches? Who? How? What are the spoken and unspoken expectations for the pastor in this church? What are the spoken and unspoken expectations for the pastor’s wife and children in this church? This third and final group of questions are the most difficult and uncomfortable questions to both ask and answer, but they are the most important. Each of these questions will probably have follow up questions needed to press in further. As you will see, these 15 questions shed light on the culture of the congregation, as well as some of the sacred cows that may exist. Questions that help produce necessary evaluation (Difficult) In your opinion, what are the three biggest challenges in the church right now? What would the average person say is the biggest problem in the church right now? How would you sum up the spiritual health of the congregation in regard to prayer, a heart for evangelism, love for one another, etc.? What portion of the church is most happy with direction the church has been going and why? What portion of the church is least happy with the direction the church has been going and why? In your opinion, what was the best quality of the former pastor? What was the most difficult or challenging quality? Why did your previous pastor leave? How long did he serve the church? How long have pastors typically stayed in this congregation? Over the past 30 years, how long is the pastor’s average tenure? What do you think he would say was the biggest difficulty in pastoring this church? What are some of the “sacred cows” I need to be aware of? How well does this congregation do with change? Can you share some of the changes that have been made (big or small) in this congregation in the past few years? How has that been received? If I was your pastor, what advice would you give me in order to most effectively lead some kind of change for everyone? What would be the appropriate process to do so, in your opinion? What has been the biggest conflict in the church in the past five, 10, 20 years? What was the biggest conflict in the history of the church? Has there ever been a church split? What were the issues involved? What was the topic of your last contentious business meeting? What was the disagreement about? How was the issue settled? How well does this church handle conflict? Can you share an example of a conflict in the past two years and how it was handled? What is potentially the most divisive issue in the church (practical, doctrinal, personal)? Ask good questions … listen humbly and carefully I’ve heard it said that the No. 1 job of a leader is always to name reality. What we must do when we’re assessing a church’s readiness for revitalization is to identify where the church really is, now. What are the real strengths? What are the real challenges? What are the potential pitfalls? What does this church need to become healthy again? These are the types of questions that must be wrestled with in order to clearly see the reality of the situation. This post originally appeared at Mark’s blog. #APRIL24

SHELBY TOWNSHIP – Don’t you love the first few warm days of spring after the long, cold, and dreary winter? I moved to Michigan from Florida almost 15 years ago. I lived in Florida my whole life and didn’t realize how good I had it. There is a reason it is called the “Sunshine State.”  After the first winter in Michigan, I realized how important it is to enjoy the sunny days in the wintertime, even if it is just recognizing them and soaking the sun in from the car windows. There is something lifegiving about the sunshine! Over the last few years, God has been showing me how the winter season is important in our lives as well. When it comes to plants, perennials take advantage of the winter as a much-needed time of rest. In late fall as winter approaches, perennial plants begin to prepare for freezing temperatures, dry weather, and water or nutrient shortage. Instead of continuing to try to grow in these conditions, the plants know to stop growing and save their energy until warmer weather returns. This also allows the plants’ roots to continue to develop and thrive. In Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV), Solomon writes, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven. I love this quote by Christy Nockles in her book, The Life You Long For: “We love the marking of seasons and how we can trust that God is working in ways we cannot see. We know that every season is named with purpose. A season of sowing brings forth a season of harvest, just as the harsh cold of winter brings forth a season of dying… a necessary bridge to new life.” Sometimes we only validate the growth we can see in the moment, and we forget that the growth that we see is actually because of the work God has done in the winter seasons of our lives. The winter season allows us time to rest and recharge. God didn’t create us to always be producing and working. He established rhythms for us to follow, just as he set in creation. We have rhythms set for us daily by the sun and moon, and we know that we can’t function without rest. As the day comes to an end and the sun goes down, we begin to feel tired and ready for rest. This rest allows our bodies to recharge and be ready for the next day, just as the perennials follow their seasonal rhythms. There will be times in our lives that God is calling us to rest. We may not understand it in the moment, but God is wanting to do something in us during this season. He may be healing us from a busy season, or He may be preparing us for something that is to come. The winter season prunes away what we no longer need. If we want new growth to occur in the spring, the old must die. As winter approaches, we pull out all the dead plants to make room for the new growth to come up in the spring. In the winter seasons of our lives, we must trust that God is pruning away what we no longer need in order to do something new. Isaiah 43:19 (NIV) says, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? Next time you feel as if you are going through a winter season, remember that God has you in that season for a purpose and that He is working in your life. When we tuck away and allow ourselves to rest, God is able to show us things in our lives that need to be removed, changed, or surrendered. Winter is a necessary season for new growth. It recharges us. It refocuses us. It realigns us. God is working in the dark and dreary season of winter, even when we don’t see it. The fruit of the winter season will come. Stay faithful and abide in Christ and believe God will bring forth new growth in your life. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area! #APRIL24

PLYMOUTH – A total solar eclipse will take place at the Moon's ascending node on Monday, April 8, 2024, visible across North America, and dubbed the Great North American Eclipse by many in the media. Many of us here in Michigan will be able to see a partial eclipse, but for the closest place to see a full eclipse we would have to travel south into Ohio near Bloomville or Norwalk. Solar and Lunar eclipses have been recorded in historical records, writings, and hieroglyphs for thousands of years. Accompanying many of those ancient records were hundreds of different myths and legends about the source, substance, and omens concerning these heavenly events. Eclipses generated panic, fear and feelings of doom and impending destruction. A sense that the world would soon end and a great evil would follow the solar phenomenon. To cope with this unknown and inexplicable occurrence, many cultures would create myths and stories to explain and to rationalize these terrorizing episodes. In ancient Colombia the people could be found shouting and crying to the heavens that they would work harder and mend their evil ways. It is said that the Chippewa tried to shoot flaming arrows into the darkened sun to ignite its flame that had been extinguished. The Norse people imagined that the gods had placed Loki in chains and to secure revenge, he created two giant heavenly wolves in which one would swallow the sun and the other the moon. Those who at one time lived in Transylvania, had a similar perspective as did the ancient Columbians in that they believed an eclipse was the result of the angry Sun turning away from mankind because of its bad behavior. One that surprised me a bit is from the Benin people of West Africa. They believed that the sun and moon were male and female respectively and were very busy moving about the heavens, but when they came together, they turned out the lights for privacy. Even today, a popular misconception is that solar eclipses can be a danger to pregnant women and their unborn children. In many cultures, young children and pregnant women are asked to stay indoors during a solar eclipse. Scientists and astronomers around the world have debunked any such claims. There is no scientific evidence that solar eclipses can affect human behavior, health, or the environment. Scientists, however, do emphasize that anyone watching a solar eclipse must protect their eyes. And I would highly advise you to use only certified eclipse viewing lenses if you want to take a glimpse of the celestial event. SUNGLASSES WILL NOT DO! You could seriously damage your eyes otherwise. So many times in life, the things which we do not understand can, as did eclipses in ancient times, generate panic, fear, feelings of doom and impending destruction. It may be a phone call from your physician informing you of some invasive disease or renegade malignancy that has taken over your body. You don’t understand its origin and to be honest, the medical experts are as perplexed as you. An automobile accident takes place or an incident at work and your future becomes dark, foreboding and filled with fear. World affairs and political chaos seem so out of control that fear of the future for yourself, and your loved ones has gripped your heart and soul like a giant boa constrictor, causing all faith and hope to be squeezed out like some mangled tube of toothpaste. It’s during these times of the unknown and misunderstood that we have the tendency to create myths that mollify our confusion and give reason to our ignorance. That’s what we do in our frail, fragile and fallen condition. In place of trusting Him who is the Creator of all that is, and holds us in the palm of His hands, we generate excuses, explanations, and stories that have nothing to do with reality. Proverbs 3:5 is clear when it says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Looking back at the myths surrounding an eclipse has been quite enlightening and at times humorous. Yet, looking back deeply into my life and the myths I have created concerning the unknown and inexplicable, instead of trusting God, is not that funny. There has never been a time when the God of all the universe has not provided for me and met me at the greatest point of my need. He holds the future and yes, He holds me! The old Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier said it well. I know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise, Assured alone that life and death, His mercy underlies. May we never forget the verse of a “new” song we sing. All my life You have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. So no matter how dark it becomes or how frighteningly unknown the future may be, just know that He who is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End is still on the throne and in control. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Patterson is Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Elected unanimously in May of 2015, Patterson formerly served for 9 years as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. He also served as trustee chair and national mobilizer for the North American Mission Board. #APRIL24

PLYMOUTH – I am halfway through exploring all of the language groups within our Michigan Baptist Church family, and I am loving every minute of it! I am reminded that we serve a great God with an enormous love for every nation, tribe, people, and language. The Bible proves the Lord’s love is for everyone. A diverse crowd of color and languages was stunned upon hearing the sacrifice Christ made on their behalf so they could receive eternal salvation in Christ. Acts 2:11 reports them saying, “We all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” Peter, who always needed extra attention when learning a lesson from the Lord, made his announcement of a tremendous discovery about the inclusion of the Lord’s love when in Acts 10:34-35 he said to a crowded room of people before their public profession of faith, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.” One of the earliest mentions of God’s promise of eternal love to the world was made to Abram, in Genesis 15:3 when he said, “All the families on the earth will be blessed through you.” The Book of Revelation projects a startling image that grips my imagination when it says in Revelation 7:9-10, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation, and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a roar, Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” How Many Lives? Look at this image and you will discover that during 2022, 7% of the population in Michigan was foreign born. That means that approximately 700,000 people in the state very likely speak a language other than English in their daily lives; that they may have different religious practices; that they may have a long list of questions on how to live in the United States as a newcomer; and that they rarely if ever have been in the home of someone born in Michigan. Through the practice of hospitality and with an attitude of love, we have an opportunity to bridge relationships upon which we can share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others from around the world. What could you do for a foreign-born neighbor living near you? Dinner? Patio party? Invitation to an outing in the community? Coffee break to let them ask questions? Look at this as an opportunity to live a Book of Acts experience. Where Are They From? Study this pie-chart chart closely and it might surprise you to see from where the newest residents of Michigan are coming. Another side of the exploration is that everyone is not settling in Michigan’s largest cities. There are small-towns with significant language groups. For instance, would it surprise you that back in 2020, the city of Coldwater reported that of the 10,000 people living in the city that over 2,000 were from the country of Yemen? That means that one in five residents in Coldwater are from Yemen. The pie-chart reveals that the three largest regions of the world contributing new residents to Michigan are the Americas with 23/5%, the Middle East with 19.2%, and South-Central Asia with 17.8%. The pie-chart reveals the rest of the story. Arabic This image shows you two families who are leading two different Arabic language congregations in the Troy region. They moved to Michigan through different pathways from their homelands of Iraq and Egypt. As the original families in the church have been growing and multiplying generations, the younger generations within the churches are more familiar with English than Arabic. These leaders are focused on creating new leaders and new congregations in cities throughout Michigan. Some of the churches will be created with Arabic speakers and others with English speakers. Would you pray for the multiplication of dedicated personnel and sites to create new churches? Burmese The picture shows three families who came to North America from the country of Myanmar. These wonderful families are leading congregations near the cities of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids. The unrest in their homeland forced some in this picture to make their way to North America by residing in refugee camps before making the United States their home. Many in this language group actually speak a particular dialect from their region and find themselves using a commercial language from Myanmar as a way to share life with one another. Their stories of suffering are real and make me weep, but their courage is revealed in an often-repeated phrase when I am in their company. They say, “The Lord is faithful. The Lord is faithful.” Would you pray for the newest ones among us to find people of peace in Michigan to help them feel they are welcomed, loved, and included? Filipino In this picture taken at our home, Jamie is standing in the middle of one of the longest partnerships with Michigan Baptists. This image reveals two or three generations of brothers and sisters in church leadership with origins from the Philippines. Many of the congregations revealed in this picture are growing in the Greater Detroit area. It was inspiring to hear the leaders pray and speak about planting new churches north of Detroit in small towns where newer generations are settling and growing their young families. Additionally, this language group may be the most active at taking mission trips back to the Philippines to create new churches, develop leaders, and inspire church multiplication. Would you ask the Lord to call out dedicated new leaders to plant new churches in Michigan and in the Philippines? Japanese Older and newer come together in the image taken in the family room of our home. One couple represents a marriage born out of foreign exchange student program decades ago that created a Japanese ministry in Ann Arbor, and the other couple is the story of the Lord’s calling of a Korean woman and a Japanese man who married because the Lord called both of them at two different times, in two different places to be missionaries together to the Japanese in Michigan. They now lead a new church plant in Plymouth. Would you pray for these two couples who often have a limited amount of time with people from Japan who come to Michigan for three to four years before returning to their homeland. Careers and wealth consume the attention and energy of most who come to America from Japan. Yet, these four champions are finding ways to create friendships, express the Good News of Christ, and to develop leaders for the future. Would you ask the Lord to give these four connections that will create believers who will come alongside these four leaders to share the work of the ministry? Romanian The pastor, wife, and family of the Romanian church in Warren invited us to their loving home to enjoy an authentic Romanian meal, a time of prayer, and to hear the stories of salvation each one of us experienced in Jesus Christ. Listening to the heroic efforts of this couple whose families lived through the Communist Revolution of the 1980s to overcome the Communist rule was enlightening. Jamie and I recalled the exact days of that change of government during the 1980s because we were enjoying the holidays with Jamie’s family in Michigan when news reports took over the TV programs. We never knew then that we would be hosted by a family, in Michigan, who lived those dreadful experiences over thirty years ago. It is obvious the Lord has a plan for drawing us together. Would you pray for the pastor and his congregation who would like to find a larger meeting place more to the north of Detroit where their congregation can grow and multiply? Spanish This image from the living room in our home is filled with older and newer elements of the Spanish ministry. One couple in the picture became our friends when we returned to Michigan from seminary during the 1980s and other couples in the image are as new to us as the last twenty-four months. That shows you how the Lord continues to work his ways in our lives while never giving up. Within this crew there are those leading ministries in multiethnic communities and others concentrating on creating churches focused on Spanish and second to third generation ministries that will likely need to be formed in English. The challenges are many, but this team has an energetic creativity that is unstoppable when fueled by the Holy Spirit. Would you pray asking the Lord to create an ongoing conversation within this newly gathered group that will come up with solutions for challenges that can be overcome as the Lord directs? Not Finished Yet I still have more language groups to explore and with each language group, I hope to see each group take lead on implementing plans that will magnify how the Lord is at work, locally and globally which is one of our core values where we seek first the kingdom of the God. If during the reading of this article, you sensed a Lord-like nudge to help one of the language groups with whom we are working, act quickly and write or call me: Tony Lynn, tlynn@namb.net, (734) 770-0608. I will happily put you in contact with the language, pastor, or planter that the Lord placed on your heart. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the Send Network Director for Michigan and the Language/Ethnic Church Planting Catalyst. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as a lead pastor in Michigan churches and as an international missionary, along with his wife Jamie, in the Niger Republic, France, and Canada. #APRIL24

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – Most of our churches changed significantly due to the Covid pandemic.  It seemed like everything shifted overnight for us. One Sunday morning we had 300 people in the worship service. The next Sunday we closed. Thank you, Mr. Covid! The virus changed us. The pandemic altered our vocabulary. We started using words we did not use before. Phrases like “social distance” and “frontline workers” took on new meaning. Covid reformed our words, our language, and our expressions. Furthermore, researchers discovered that levels of anxiety, depression and suicide skyrocketed during the pandemic. There was a sharp increase in alcohol consumption, too. Our cultural psyche was modified by Covid. The corporate unity in and among many of our churches also took a big hit. The pandemic spawned injurious ideas and attitudes. Instead of respecting one another and loving one another like Jesus loves us, we took sides. Anyone who disagreed with us became our enemy and automatically “cancelled.” So, yes, much has changed because of the Covid restrictions and lockdowns. We made a lot of mistakes and so did our governments and churches. But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He never changes, and we find our greatest hope in Him. The character of God has not changed In Malachi 3:6, God says, “For I the Lord do not change…” Everyday we count on the unchanging, hope-inducing character of God. He is consistent and utterly reliable. God’s love will always be unswerving and unfailing (1 John 4:7-8). We can lock ourselves in a dark room to get away from the sun, but we cannot keep the sun from shining. The sun still shines. So it is with God's love. We can reject it. We can walk away from it. We can try to avoid it. But God keeps loving us. No matter what choices you make, God still loves you. One of the hymns we sing goes like this: When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. Never give up. Jesus is our Rock in times of unprecedented change and turmoil. The condition of man has not changed The pandemic changed many things, but the condition of man is still as drastic as it was before Covid. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The pandemic only exposed more of our sinfulness.  It prompted people to act out of their sinful nature. We live in a world that is full of brokenness. Broken lives, broken relationships, broken systems, broken governments, broken marriages. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden it set the whole world on a collision course, and we experience brokenness every day now. We need a Savior. We need someone to rescue us. We still need Jesus. The only thing that can help us is the grace and mercy of God through Christ (John 1:17). The provision of the cross has not changed Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave to set us free from the power and dominion of sin. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people. Jesus made it possible for us to be saved, forgiven, and free! For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18). Years ago, in the Cathedral of Santiago the archbishop was hearing confessions of sin from three hardened teenagers in the church. All three boys were trying to make a joke out of confession, so they met with the archbishop and confessed to a long list of sins that they had not committed. It was all a joke. But the archbishop knew what they were doing, so he played along with the first two who ran out of the church laughing. Then he listened carefully to the third boy, and before the boy could run away like his friends had done, the priest said to him, "Okay, you have confessed these sins. Now I want you to do something to show your repentance. I want you to walk up to the far end of the church, and I want you to look at the painting of Jesus hanging on the cross, and I want you to look at his face, and I want you to say, 'You did all that for me and I don't care.' And I want you to do that three times." The boy looked up at the picture of Jesus and said, "You did all that for me and I don't care." Then he stood and stared at Jesus hanging on the cross. He stared at that painting for a long time, and finally, he broke down in tears. The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). No pandemic can change that. The mission of the church has not changed The mission of the church is to go into the world in the power of the Spirit and make disciples by proclaiming this gospel, calling people to respond in ongoing repentance and faith, and demonstrating the truth and power of the gospel by living under the lordship of Christ for the glory of God and the good of the world. The pandemic has not, and cannot, modify the mission God has given us (Matthew 28:19-20). The task – the mission – of the church has not changed in 2000 years! So, let’s get on with it. 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. #APRIL24

LANSING – It was December of 1971. I had just returned from my tour in Vietnam as an infantry soldier. I had a lot of things on my mind. While on leave I visited my mother’s place of employment. There I met a young lady named Jackie Casebolt. In a short time we were married. I was not a Christian and she was. We set up house in Radcliff KY near Ft. Knox. In the evening Jackie would read her Bible before retiring for the night. Not being a Christian, it seemed like I had nothing to do while she read her Bible. I decided I would start reading the Bible as well. I happened upon Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” I didn’t understand everything in that verse, but I did understand that the Bible was telling me that had I died in Vietnam, and there were many times when I could have, that I would spend an eternity in hell. God spoke to me clearly in that verse. I desperately needed to know where I would spend eternity if I died that day. I had no idea where to start. I had not been raised in a Christian home. Fortunately, my wife could clearly see that I was troubled. She showed me what I needed to do from God’s Word and that night I gave my life to the Lord. It is a sad thing for me to recall to this day. Forr the first twenty-one years of my life no one had ever sat down and showed me exactly from God’s Word what I needed to do to go to heaven. We need to keep the main thing the main thing and it seems to me that we focus on everything ahead of Biblical evangelism. We need to get back to that today more than ever. How do we know for sure? Today I know for a fact that if I die today that I will go to heaven. I know this for three reasons… I have done everything God has told me in his Word that I need to do to become a born-again Christian. I realized that I am a sinner I confessed my sins and repented of them I received the free gift of eternal life that God has promised me I received Him as Lord and believe with all my heart that God had raised Him from the dead. His Word promised me that I am saved. (The Romans Road) God’s Spirit bears witness to my spirit that I am a son of God. Romans 8:15-16 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” NKJV. His Spirit lives within my heart and empowers me to live for him. I am living a changed life. I am not the same person that knelt beside his bed more than fifty years ago. The Bible makes it clear that those that are genuinely saved will be changed daily to live a life that honors and glorifies Him. James 2:14 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” We as believers need to be clearly sharing the plan of salvation from God’s Word in order to make any real difference in this chaotic world. We don’t need clever plans, programs, or anything else. We need to get as close to the Lord as we can and make it a point to share the Gospel clearly to everyone we can. That’s how the Gospel turned the world upside down in the first century. It has the power to do it again. Let’s get at it! May God pour His blessings on all the churches and ministries in the SBC. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Kemper is a 75-year-old army brat (his dad was a career soldier). He was raised and has lived in four different countries and numerous states. He became a born-again Christian in 1971 shortly after returning from a tour in Vietnam. He has been an ordained minister since 1975. He has enjoyed dual careers, pastoring and being a systems analyst (computer programmer). He has pastored churches in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and now Michigan. He has been pastoring the Discover Life Church in Lansing, MI for over five years now. #APRIL24

PLYMOUTH – Each person’s story of that journey is distinct but shares the common foundation of our loving God sending His Son to die for our sins, being raised, and is now in heaven with His Father interceding for us. He wants a relationship with us. I’m humbled by that truth. My story of coming to know and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior is the bedrock of my life. I am a Michigander and my family lived in Swartz Creek. I grew up in a home where we prayed before meals, attended church every Sunday (morning and evening) as well as Wednesday evening. My dad worked for General Motors, and my mom stayed home with my 6 siblings and me. My connection with the church was more important to me than the friends and classes at school. From a young age, I loved to hear preaching from the Bible, singing hymns, and being part of the discussions in Bible studies. At nine years old, I asked my dad what people whispered in the ear of the pastor when they went to the altar at the end of service. He explained the Gospel to me and seemed so happy that I asked. The next week, I went after service to talk with the evangelist, Sam Cathy, who had me repeat a prayer of salvation. Shortly afterwards, I was baptized. I tried to live a clean sin-free life, but I found it more of a struggle than it should have been since I was professing to be a Christian. I noticed how others seemed to have a vibrant personal faith whereas I felt like I was part of a church culture instead of having a real relationship with Holy God. I watched how my dad was moved by people’s testimonies, and how he would stay up to take us to church on Sunday mornings after having worked all night. His prayers seemed to come from his heart. His faith felt real. Mine didn’t. As a young teen, I remember that service so clearly. An evangelist came to our church. He explained the rebellion and ugliness of sin, and how it separated us from God. Our only chance to be freed from the penalty of that sin-guilt was by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ. My head and heart exploded! For the first time, I saw my real need for a savior. All my clean living wasn’t going to earn my way to be in God’s presence. My heart was broken. I prayed and asked God to forgive and save me. I told Him how I believed that His Son died for my sin, was buried, and rose again after 3 days. Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice for my sin. He saved me! I was so filled with peace and joy. I no longer felt like I was playing the part of ‘Christian’. I had an inner transformation that changed my point of view on everything. Since I had been ‘baptized’ at 9 years old, I thought I didn’t need to tell anyone that I had just become a new believer at age 13. After having spiritual doubts at 18 years old, I spoke with my pastor, sharing with him that I was truly saved at age 13, but wasn’t growing in Christ as I should. He walked me through Scriptures and told me that being baptized was an act of obedience as a believer. I came to realize that I had never been baptized as a follower of Christ. Being baptized was an amazing experience to show the world that I was dead to my sinful way of life, and risen with Christ to a new life and commitment to follow Jesus! After my baptism, I began to grow with leaps and bounds in my Christian walk! My perspective had changed. I was looking at life, my life, its purpose, and my part in God’s plan through a whole new lens. I was married the next year (age 19) and continued my intentional journey to grow in maturity and sanctification in Christ. Serving and loving God and His Son Jesus Christ is the best privilege of my life. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie works as Executive Assistant for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Her greatest joy is serving Jesus Christ. Her husband, Tony, their three children, and nine grandchildren are gifts from God that fill Jamie's life to overflowing. Mentoring young women in the Lord is a ministry of delight. Jamie and her family served 13 years with the IMB international mission work in Niger Republic, West Africa, and Paris, France. #APRIL24

The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) wants to welcome the new pastor and his family to The Valley Church in Saginaw, Michigan. On March 10, 2024  Jason Craver accepted the call as Pastor to The Valley Church in Saginaw. He & his wife, Rachel and their 3 daughters, Julianna, Aria and Kaylee live in Breckenridge, Michigan. We are very excited that God has provided the man who shares our hearts in serving our community. We are looking forward to working alongside Jason and his family. God has truly blessed The Valley Church (TVC). #APRIL24

DEWITT – When I was growing up, I attended the same church as Nicky Cruz and had the opportunity to hear him share his testimony. For those who don’t know, Nicky was a gang member who was the focus of David Wilkerson’s book, The Cross and The Switchblade. Nicky was the head of a street gang on trial for murder when God used Wilkerson’s ministry to reach him and other gang members with the gospel. They came to the crusade as a way to have a gang fight without the police being involved and tried to steal the offering from the event, but instead God stole them out of the devil’s grasp. Once he had shared his testimony, he allowed us to ask questions. One person introduced his question by saying, “I wish I had a testimony like you, but I was raised in a Christian home.” Nicky jumped on him before he could even get the question out. Nicky emphasized that this young man had a much better testimony than Nicky ever did because God had saved him from a life of sin instead of out of a life of sin. While I agree with Nicky’s heart in his answer, in my opinion Nicky was wrong. Nicky’s testimony wasn’t greater or less than this young man because both of them are infinitely beautiful examples of God’s grace. While I identify with the young man who questioned Nicky, I think that in my testimony you will see that even in my life, God saved me from a life of sin. I was blessed to be raised in a Christian household. My parents faithfully attended church each week. My grandparents and great-grandparents were missionaries in Latin America. I was blessed to be in an environment where I heard Christian things all the time. When I was about 5, I was in children’s church at Christian Center church in Colorado Springs when we sang the song, The Lord’s Army: ♬♪♩♫ I may never march in the infantry  ♬♪♩♫ Ride in the cavalry  ♬♪♩♫ Shoot the artillery  ♬♪♩♫ I may never shoot for the enemy  ♬♪♩♫ But I'm in the Lord's army! After singing that song they asked us if we wanted to be fighting for God or against God and I raised my hand saying I wanted to fight for God. As far as I can remember, that is the point when I first asked Jesus into my heart. My parents might remember something different, but that is what sticks in my heart and mind. From that point my life, externally, looked pretty good. I was active in Sunday school and the youth group, eventually being seen as a leader. I even joined the Bible Quiz team and memorized large portions of scripture. I was a good kid. I believed I was saved, but my view of salvation was “fire insurance”. If I died, I wouldn’t go to hell, but other than that I lived my life for myself. I wasn’t a good kid because I was letting God work through me, but because that was my nature. I would regularly raise my hands during the singing at church, not because I felt called to glorify God, but because someone had once told me how impressed they were when I did that. When I was a good Christian youth, it made me look good and, I thought, made God look good. When I was a junior in high school we went to a youth retreat. I honestly don’t remember much of what happened that weekend, but one thing I do remember is on the first night hearing the speaker say, “It is pretentious to claim Jesus as savior unless you also make Him your Lord.” That struck me to the heart. It was all I could think about for the next couple days. That weekend in the back stairway of a resort hotel in Vail, Colorado, God got ahold of my life. I don’t honestly know if I was saved by the ignorant prayer as a 5 year old or if the moment of salvation was in that stairway, but after that moment, I knew God had a special plan for my life. From that time my life changed. Externally people would not have seen a difference, but my motivation changed. I now wanted to act in a way that pleased God, and wanted Him to get the glory. My life was not all roses from that point on, I still struggled to let God be in control. I wanted to be an engineer and struggled against God’s call when I felt he was calling me to be a minister. That fight with God led me to a time of clinical depression as I tried to get God to see things my way, while simultaneously trying to follow His guidance (James 1:5-8). That fight also led me into traps of immorality in my thoughts that still attempt to reenter my life. Over time, I realized that the fight was not about what God wanted, but about truly recognizing that God’s plans for me were better than my own. Once I surrendered to His guidance, God ended up having me complete an engineering degree in computer science, and has used that to help provide since most of my time in ministry has been bi-vocational. More importantly, once I surrendered to His full control, I had peace and was able to trust Him because He proved Himself faithful. It took me far too many years to recognize the fullness of the gospel. You may ask yourself, what is the gospel? The gospel is good news, but to understand the good news, you must put it in context of the bad news. As you read this, picture yourself each time you read “I”. I have sinned. Whether the sin is murder or pride in living a “good” life, all of those sins are equally abhorrent to God and should be abhorrent to me. If my sin is not abhorrent to me, then I don’t recognize the depth of my own sin. Romans 3:10-18,23 I deserve God’s wrath. When I sin, it is against God, anyone else I harmed was a secondary victim. My sin rejects His plan for my life. My sin asserts that I believe I can do things more effectively than God. My sin mutilates the image of God in my life and the way that others view God. My sin damages others made in God’s image. In short, I deserve death and hell. The only way to pay for sin is by a sacrifice of blood, but the sacrifice of animals, or even my own blood, is insufficient to erase my sin against God. Leviticus 17:11, Romans 6:23a, Hebrews 9:19-22 I cannot stop sinning, I cannot clear away the consequences of sin in my life, I cannot make up for sin. Even when I resist sin in my own strength, I become prideful in my ability to withstand sin, thus again living in sin. Romans 7:19-25 God loved me in spite of my sin. Jesus loved me enough to die for me. Even more startling to me, now that I am a father, is God loved me enough to allow His Son, Jesus, to die for me. God loves me enough that He wants me to live forever with Him. John 3:16, Romans 5:8 While I can do nothing to earn or merit salvation, God paid the penalty for my sin and was a blood sacrifice on my behalf. Since He is infinite and perfect God, His blood perfectly and permanently covered the penalty of death my sin deserved. Hebrews 9:24-28 I am not saved by doing right things, but by accepting His gift of salvation. Romans 6:23b I accept that gift by believing He died to pay the price for me and rose from the dead to prove His victory over sin. As a result, I can trust Him to direct my life (be my Lord) and will share that with other people. Romans 10:9-10 I can now let God work through me trusting that He has paid the price and confident that one time I will spend eternity with Him. Whether you are new to church or have been a pastor for decades, I pray that you too can join in that confidence, if not, ask a Christian to help you understand and to pray with you today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kevin Finkenbinder has been the pastor at FBC DeWitt since 2020 and lived in Michigan since 2005, marrying his wife, Amy in 2008; they have 3 kids. Kevin was raised in Colorado Springs, CO. #APRIL24

ROSCOMMON – Thinking of the Bambi Lake Friends and Alumni Gathering, May 17-19, made me remember this old hymn, Precious Memories. This is the third verse: “In the stillness of the midnight, Echoes from the past I hear, Old-time singing, gladness bringing, From that lovely land somewhere. Precious mem-ries, how they linger, How they ever flood my soul, In the stillness of the midnight, Precious, sacred scenes unfold.” So many sermons. So many long talks with friends. So many worship and camp songs. So many lingering strolls along the beach. So many amazing chalk talks. So much good food. So many slippery rides down the hill, tubing. So many blazing bonfires. Bambi Lake is such a special place, one where all these things, and more, have happened over and over again. I am so grateful that this place, this “Lovely Land,” is set apart for a sacred reason—to experience and be reminded of the goodness of God. Many of us have stories about how we were impacted at Bambi, and I hope that you will plan to come to this Gathering weekend so that your story can be heard and God will be glorified in it. Take Rachel, for example. Her first experience at Bambi Lake was as a toddler with her parents, then as a camper at Mom and Me, Girls In Action Camp, Metamorphosis Teen Camp, and Youth Winter Retreats. At each of these events, Rachel experienced God, layer by layer, and forged lasting relationships. Her favorite places were sitting in front of the cozy fire playing endless games of Uno, swinging on the beach swing at night while talking with a friend, and finding solitude to pray at the prayer chapel. All was well. Until it wasn’t. Life-as she knew it-abruptly ended for Rachel in the middle of her high school years. Her family was broken apart and her brother was away at college, leaving her alone in a very dark, tumultuous sea of more questions than answers. She had to figure out who God really was. Was He faithful? Was He good? Was He only-wise? Rachel was raised in church and had a good Biblical foundation, but there comes a time in our lives when we all need to take real ownership of our faith. Rachel was no different. But navigating these dark times became easier as she knew that Bambi would provide the space she needed to heal. At Bambi, she was able to quiet herself enough to seek God’s face, gaining her own set of sea legs in the faith that would go on to serve her well into adulthood. “Bambi has always been a safe and comfortable space where God has met me in my pain and my joy, providing clarity in my journey as I have followed His leading.” Rachel is now a Pastor’s wife and mom to 3 busy kids. She sees Bambi as a safe haven that she will share with her own kids this summer. Her hope and prayer is that they, too, will find Bambi to be a place where they can encounter the goodness of God. For 65 years, God has used Bambi Lake to touch thousands of lives, just like Rachel’s. We extend a warm invitation for you to join us on this weekend that is set apart to honor our past, celebrate the present and work toward a bright and blessed future. It will be a time of fun, fellowship, music, testimony, food, and an abundance of love and laughter. “Praise the LORD…young men and women, old men, and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” Psalm 148 To register and get all the details, go to Bambilake.churchcenter.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mickey Gross lives in Garden City, MI and is a member of Resurrection Church in Lincoln Park. She has devoted years in church leadership as a children's ministry director, praise team member, pianist, facilities coordinator, and event planner. Mickey loves camp ministry and has had the privilege of spending time at camp as a camper, serving as a volunteer, and operating on the leadership team for Harvest Retreat. #APRIL24