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J. Robert Clinton of Fuller Seminary has found that 70% of leaders do not finish well. Over the past few years it has become very apparent to me and a host of others that many who begin to run the Good Race of God do not finish well. Something happens to them at the beginning, or during their race, that causes them to falter and fall. Many never finish at all. All along the course we see the bleached bones of fallen believers who have succumbed to the snares of the evil one and to self imposed failures. The path that they run is pocked with moral traps and secret sinkholes at every turn. These traps litter the road of life like so many explosive mines just waiting for their next victim. This phenomenon is not relegated to the layman in the pew, but is sadly being seen in those whom God has called to be his pastors and prophets. The very men that God has called to live and lead exemplary lives before His people are failing at an alarming rate. It seems as though there is some satanic sharpshooter perched in a tower just above the running field who is picking off the leaders in the race as well as those who are running close behind. It appears that not a week goes by that I do not hear of some child of God falling to some heinous sin. The lost world giggles with glee at each fallen runner as they privately and publicly use this fallen Family member as an excuse to justify their own immorality and unbelief. Many of these unbelievers ridicule all Runners, and take these defeated disciples and their stumblings and use them as nails to secure the coffin they have prepared for God. It reminds me of an old story about a group from a local community who began to notice the almost lifeless and helpless bodies of their neighbors and friends floating down a river. They all became very alarmed at the seriousness of the situation and called together a symposium of their greatest minds and most gifted leaders. After much discussion and analyzation, they formed teams of rescue workers to retrieve those who could be saved. One team used the human chain approach and joined hands as they wadded out into the raging waters to help their fallen friends. Others used ropes and pulleys that stretched across the expanse of the waters so that the victims could be pulled back to shore. Others built elaborate powerboats that could cut through the waves and torrents to obtain access to their fallen friends. Day and night the rescue went on. Day after day and week after week, fallen neighbors and friends were being pulled from the floods. Some even noticed that the numbers of those being rescued were growing exponentially. Every day more and more came floating down the river. One day a young man began to ponder the problem. He asked himself the very important question: “Where are these people coming from and how are they coming to be in the water?” So, the young man walked up-stream for several miles until he came to a place in the river where at one time it had been spanned by a Perfectly Unblemished Rigid and Exquisite bridge. For some reason the bridge had fallen into disrepair. Gaping holes could be seen in several places and entire sections were missing in others. It appeared that the whole structure could fall at any moment. There he saw hundreds of his friends and neighbors blindly falling into the water. Evil forces were pushing others, and some were willingly jumping into the rolling waters. He also noticed that many of those who had been rescued earlier were again falling into the water. After surveying the situation and thinking about it for some time he had an amazing revelation and came to this conclusion: “We must do everything we can to stop our friends from falling, jumping or being thrown into the water. If we do not, the flood of fallen friends will never end and our labors will be in vain.” My sentiments are the same as that young man. Rescuing those who are fallen is important, but more so, is that we help our brothers and sisters from getting into this fallen state in the first place. We must stop the headlong rush into destruction. It has been my observation in social media blogs and outlets that some Christians are flaunting and using the unmerited Grace of God as an excuse to indulge in acts that are more than questionable. It appears that their new-found freedom in Christ has become a license to sin. (I am sure they would argue that their actions are not sins at all.) When I was a youth pastor in South Texas I was sponsoring a group of boys at a local summer camp. There were boys there from every walk of life. One of my responsibilities was to make sure they went to bed at the proper time and stayed in their respective bunks until morning. In the wee hours of the morning I was startled awake with the sound of a loud thud that sounded much like a melon being thrown to the ground. I jumped up and ran toward the sound. There on the floor was Juan. He had fallen from the top bunk onto the cement floor. I asked him how that could happen and he said, “Well Pastor Tim, I guess I just got too close to where I got in at.” It is my humble opinion that many Believers today are staying too close to where they got in at! Too close to the old life they left, and the sins that so easily pull them back in. There are so many Biblical principles that point us toward a new life in Christ and away from the old. Principles that teach us to be examples to other “weaker Believers” and not to use our freedoms in a way that would cause others to fall back. We must encourage one another to, “Stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has set us free and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.” We must warn those who run the race, and we must equip those who are members of the Family with the tools to live Godly lives. We must rebuild the bridges of holiness and purity that have fallen in disrepair. We desperately need the Power of Purity to flow through our members unimpeded by the impurities of this world. We must guard our own hearts, and run well the race that is set before us. The best way to accomplish this is not to stay too close to where we got in at. 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. #JULY19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Imagine at 10:00 PM tomorrow night you open the front door to your home, and the County Sheriff’s Department informs you that your dearest loved-one was in a severe car accident. Imagine that as you walk into the lobby of the local hospital a friend working on the ambulance calls out your name, hugs you, and whispers into your ears, “It’s one of the worst accidents I’ve ever seen. If something isn’t done quickly, they’re not going to make it.” You stiffen-up in fear as you walk toward the emergency department. You plead with the woman at the desk to tell you something about your loved one. The woman in the pink sweater shivering against the cold air coming from the air conditioning vent sees the fear in your eyes, and she urges you to go straight to surgery-waiting. She leans-in and whispers, “Surgery was immediately ordered due to the severe injuries. Hurry. You’re in my prayers.” As you come to the surgical area you check-in with the receptionist who assures you that your loved one is behind the doors in pre-op. You measure the time when you know the accident occurred, and you ask in an urgent voice, “What do you mean they’re in pre-op? The accident occurred over an hour ago. I was told the ambulance arrived here 45-minutes ago. I was told injuries are life-threatening. Why isn’t someone doing something, right now?” The receptionist silently gestures, with a glance of her eyes, and a tilt of her head to the medical professionals down the hall standing outside of the surgical area. You walk with a determined step toward the small group clad in surgical clothing who are talking over one another in loud, angry voices and irritated expressions on their faces. You cannot believe what you hear, coming from their mouths, as you freeze in your tracks. “I’m in charge when we go in there, the patient’s condition requires my attention first.” “No, I’m in charge, I’ve had surgical privileges in the hospital long before you got here.” “I’m tired of working with all of you. Not one of you can get along with the other.” “I don’t know why I continue to work here. No one treats me with respect.” “Go ahead and quit. All you’ve done since coming here is change things. Leave!” How would you feel knowing your loved one was on the brink of life or death while the medical professionals debated? What would go through your mind as you replayed their comments without seeing them move toward rescuing your loved one from pain and death? What actions might you take listening to the medical professionals stop the care for your loved one while they argued about their preferences and feelings? It may seem absurd to you that a group of medical professionals would delay a life-saving surgery because of their disagreements or debates. But let me ask you a pivotal question: “Does it seem equally absurd that God’s people would allow conflict over personal preferences and traditions to interfere with the life-saving message of the good news of Jesus Christ? It should. When God’s people forget to keep the Gospel above-all and divisions are left unaddressed: Lost people in the community will not hear the good news of Christ because the Christians are too busy fighting one another. Family members and friends will not come to church because they hear the complaints at home. Unsaved spouses will grow even more skeptical of the Christian faith, and remain far from knowing God’s grace. Christians will remain spiritual babies focusing on their selfish needs because they see other Christians focused on their convenience and comfort. Maturing, serving Christians will find another church to attend where they see meaningful engagements with a lost world. Please, consider the following words from the Bible: 1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. Proverbs 6:16-19 – There are six things the Lord hates — no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family (italics added to clarify the point). How is the health of the church you attend? Is conflict or the fear of conflict hindering the effectiveness of the church? Are you the one sowing discord in the church? Call me, Tony Lynn, if you want to talk: (734) 770-0608. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tony 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. #JULY19

I recently had breakfast in a restaurant that had originally been a church building. The architecture, ornamental woodwork, and stained glass windows revealed that it had once been a beautiful place of worship. As I ate, I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the church family that met in this space. Hopefully it outgrew the building and is thriving in another location, but that’s probably not the case. The reality is that thousands of churches close their doors forever every year. Buildings, once meant for the worship or our great God, are converted into art galleries, houses, and clubs. Thom Rainer projects that as many as one out of every ten churches are on a trajectory toward death, and unless something happens they will die in the not so distant future. Recent research by LifeWay reveals that the majority of Protestant churches in the United States are plateaued or declining. According to the study, 28% of churches have declined by more than 6% in the last three years, while 33% have stayed within 6% (March 2019). That means that it’s more likely than not that you are in a church that is plateauing or declining. Church growth is rarely a straight line. There is an ebb and flow in church life. There are seasons of growth often followed by seasons of stability. Hopefully, growth starts again. Sometimes, a season of stability is followed by decline. If something is not done to stop the decline, the church is on a trajectory toward death. That’s what happens to 900 to 1000 Southern Baptist churches. They die! Is there hope for churches that are plateaued or declining? The answer is a resounding, “yes,” but there are no silver bullets. To make a declining church “vital again” takes years. It’s often incredibly difficult and painful, but it’s worth the effort because Christ loves the church and gave His life for her. As I’ve been studying and praying about church revitalization, Hebrews 12:1-2 often comes to mind. After sharing about the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us, the author exhorts us to “... run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith....” We are reminded that following Christ is not an all out sprint until we fall from exhaustion. It’s more like a marathon that must be run with endurance as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. I like to use the word “PACE” when talking about church revitalization. It carries the idea of sustainable movement forward. A PACE must be set that endures for the long haul. Churches rarely move from health and vitality to plateau and decline quickly (unless there has been a scandal or split). In fact, churches are often plateaued for years before noticeable decline sets in. Decline doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does revitalization. Church revitalization takes time. To borrow the imagery of Hebrews, it is a race that must be run with endurance. It’s a marathon that must be run at a PACE that lasts for the long haul. If the church is going to experience revitalization, all eyes must be fixed on Jesus. What does that PACE look like for churches needing revitalization? P - PRAYER: Prayer must take center stage. God’s people must earnestly turn to God for direction in prayer based on His Word. The church belongs to God and exists for His glory and His glory alone. Revitalization depends on God, and the church must desperately turn to Him for renewed life. Extended times of private, small group, and corporate prayer are held as the church listens to God. The church cries out to God for renewed life and vitality in mission and ministry. A - ASSESS: The church needs accurate information. Churches needing revitalization often have little or no interaction with the community around them. Often, programs are shells of what they once were, and are no longer effective. Assessment tools provide information about the community and the church. Data helps the church understand the challenges that need to be addressed, and the opportunities that need to be seized. C - COURAGE: It takes courage for churches that are plateaued or declining to make necessary changes. God’s people must radically, sacrificially, courageously love each other as some preferences change, programs are eliminated, and new initiatives started. All eyes must be fixed on Jesus who said: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” E - EXECUTE: The church must act on what God says. The calendar needs to be updated, responsibilities assigned, and budgets realigned. The Pastor must shepherd the people through any transitions. He must cast vision, equip the saints, encourage the people, and tell the story of what God is doing over and over again. The race must be run with endurance. There may be difficult seasons. Some things may be harder than others to implement. People may become tired, wearied by the long race ahead. Spiritual battles may seem harder and more frequent. Be faithful. Remain steadfast. Run at a sustainable pace forward. Above all, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus! 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. #JULY19

I think, actually, I hope as I look at the coming forecast with 80-degree weather, summer has finally arrived here at Bambi Lake.  It’s refreshing to hear the sound of children, teenagers and adults splashing in the lake, screaming as they fly down the Bambi Booyah water slide, or just enjoying the many activities available here at the camp.  The snow is gone and the grass is growing fast! Projects put on hold during the long winter have resumed as well as new projects beginning. This reality is actually the subject of my thoughts as I write this article.  It seems as if we are always UNDER CONSTRUCTION here at Bambi Lake. There is always maintenance to be done or projects to be started or completed. Every day seems to bring with it the promise of new opportunities to repair or build. Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated at the seemingly endless projects can be a battle.Fortunately, we have a great staff who can prioritize and accomplish the tasks at hand. So, let me ask you a question - “Have you ever experienced this in your own life?” Have you ever felt as if you were constantly UNDER CONSTRUCTION? I have felt this way and still do every day that I’m breathing six feet above the ground. The good news is that we should feel this way if we are following Christ in our life journey. In his letter of encouragement to the believers at Philippi, Paul put it this way - “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” Philippians 1:6. This truth should bring us great joy and encouragement each day we are alive. God is constantly shaping and molding us to be more like Him! This means we are in His process, and He loves us too much to leave us the way we are.  God is continually allowing situations in our life to strengthen our character, and remind us of our need to totally depend upon Him. Growing and maturing spiritually requires constant maintenance and attention. And just like here at Bambi, sometimes deconstruction has to happen before reconstruction can begin. Out with the old and in with the new is typically the only solution. This is especially true in our lives. God has to take out the old habits, faulty attitudes, toxic sinfulness, and build something completely brand new and beautiful. Just as being UNDER CONSTRUCTION is making Bambi a better and stronger camp, Christ is also transforming us more and more into His image through his construction on us. It may seem endless in the moment, but Christ has promised to complete us so we are perfected for His return. As for Bambi, I know God’s hand is on this camp and He is shaping and molding us to have a greater and greater impact on this world for His Kingdom.  So, for now, I’m happy to be UNDER CONSTRUCTION! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake. #JULY19

BIRMINGHAM, AL (BP) – Alex and Stephen Kendrick have an ambitious vision for their new movie, "Overcomer." And the vision has nothing to do with winning any awards or box-office glory. Instead, they say, it's about helping people discover their identity in Christ. "When the church rises up and knows who she is in Christ and knows she is forgiven, redeemed, loved and chosen, she is going to operate differently," Alex said. "We want you guys to be bold in your faith, to have the confidence to know I am forgiven because God says I am. I am loved because God says I am, regardless of my feelings and regardless of what the world says about me. That's going to impact our behavior. That's going to impact how we express our faith. That's what we want with this film." The new movie, set to debut Aug. 23, is the sixth movie made by the three Southern Baptist brothers: Alex, Stephen, and Shannon. All three are active members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. Alex and Stephen shared their hopes for the new movie June 11 during a live question-and-answer session on the Cooperative Program stage during the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. The movie tells the story of a championship-level high school basketball coach who loses half of his team when a factory in his small-town closes and families move away. As he transitions to become the school's track coach, he wrestles with the nature of his identity and what happens when he can no longer find his identity in his work. "Like our previous films, we went through the stage of, 'God, what should this movie be about? What theme should we focus on,'" Alex said. "After a season of prayer, He said, 'Identity in Christ. Remind my church who they are in Christ.'" The culture today, Alex noted, is trying to redefine identity and "who gets to tell you who you are." "We believe your Creator gets to define who you are," he said. The Kendrick brothers talked about some of the things they do to try to keep Christ central in the creation and production of the movie. They described a process that begins with prayer and then moves on to discerning a theme for the film. They also discussed how during the production of the movie they have a time of prayer every day and have pastors share devotionals with the cast and crew daily. The movie was filmed in Columbus, Ga., and nearly 80 churches, across racial and denominational lines, helped support the film in some manner, Stephen said. LifeWay Christian Resources is producing 11 different resources to help churches engage the movie's content as part of their ministry efforts. "How many times have you watched a movie that made you laugh or cry and the next day, you didn't care anymore?" Stephen asked. "It's very important to us that when the credits roll on a film --[and] people are very interested and hungry to study fatherhood or prayer or whatever else -- that they dive into God's Word to see what He says about it. "All of these resources are based on Ephesians," he said. "That's the undergirding foundation. We walk through what does Ephesians teach us about our identity in Christ, who we are in Him, who we were apart from Him and how we can live that out on a daily basis. That is our heart. The Great Commission is our heart." Watch the discussion: ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tobin Perry is a freelance writer online at tobinperry.com. #JULY19

GARDEN CITY, KS (BP) – Laughter and squeals abound as water balloons fly through the air. Boys run after girls, trying to drench them. Older teens slink off to the corner, feigning that they're too cool until a counselor is in range and they let the water fly. The traditional water balloon fight of summer camp comes to an end with a not-so-traditional announcement: "Time to muck out the stalls and feed the horses." Everyone stoops over to grab cowboy hats strewn across the pavement and clomps their way to the barn, laughing and teasing along the way. Journey to the Cross Rodeo Bible Camp in Garden City, Kan., does just what the title suggests, mixing two traditions -- church camp and rodeo -- into one experience. The camp began 12 years ago on Randy Fisher's ranch with 12 campers and a few volunteers from the Journey to the Cross cowboy church/Christian fellowship. Now it meets on Garden City's rodeo grounds and uses the local college's practice facilities. It averages 80 students from five states per year and nearly 40 counselors. "Our goal in the beginning was just to show Jesus in us," Fisher says. "We had three passions: Christ, kids and cowboying. So we put them together in this camp." Campers, ranging in age from 9 to 18, sign up for teams to learn a rodeo event like bull riding, barrel racing, horseless horseman, pole bending, goat tying or cutting. Each event team includes counselors who have often competed either in college or the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as well as a spiritual counselor to lead Bible studies and spiritual growth. Campers have a chance to practice their events or learn a new event in a safe environment with coaching. They also do the typical "church camp" things like Bible study, worship services and crazy games. Lakin Getz, an eighth-grader from Quinter, Kan., had no idea there was such a thing as "rodeo Bible camp" until this year. "It's great," he says. "We have fun with friends and practice our rodeo events. The best part is that we do it all with the love of Christ." Getz, of Quinter, Kan., signed up to learn chute dogging. This is similar to steer wrestling but cowboys start out in the chute with the steer. When the gate opens, Getz already has it by the horns as the steer tries to make an escape. A counselor holds the tail taut to keep the animal from getting too wild. Getz sets his feet wide and yanks back, brings the steer down to the ground. He jumps up and lets out a "whoop." While pulling down the steer was a rush, Getz quickly points out that's not the best thing he's learned at camp. "I've learned how to talk to God and get closer to Him," he says as other chute doggers nod their agreement. "We are learning to be cowboys who serve Christ." Across the rodeo grounds, a group of barrel racers learn about following God's lead via studying horse halters and bits. The counselor, Audra Campbell of Amarillo, Texas, shows different styles of bits and how each is used. She then asks what happens when the horse trusts the rider. Campers answer that it will follow the rider anywhere. Campbell smiles and expands the analogy to encompass Christians following Christ and being properly equipped. This transition from "cowboying" to living a life for Jesus happens naturally throughout the camp and is what keeps Brekken Hoffman coming back. The recent Sublette High School graduate learned about Jesus' love seven years ago. She was having trouble with a barrel horse and a friend suggested the camp could help with its group of rodeo counselors. "At that time, my family didn't go to church or talk about religion. I came because I just wanted to fix my horse," Hoffman remembers. "Something bigger happened that week, though. Every night I bawled and cried because my heart was opening to Christ. I was baptized at camp in Randy's horse tank." Most of the repeat campers say they can't remember a time when someone wasn't baptized in the horse tank after the rodeo for parents and grandparents on the last day of camp. This year, 11 made decisions to follow Christ in believer's baptism after talking with counselors and their parents. Many of the campers compete against each other during the year and keep up via social media. Hoffman says they become a "giant group of supporters," even helping one friend through the grief of losing a grandparent last year. "The atmosphere at Rodeo Bible Camp is all about loving and caring for people," she says. "It doesn't matter who you are. If you are in trouble, we learn to stop and help, all while showing Christ. I love it here!" ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Sprenkle is a writer based in Kansas. #JULY19

MANTI, UT (BP) – Four hundred evangelical witnesses, including Southern Baptists, encouraged one another as they sought to share the Gospel with Mormons who attended the "Mormon Miracle" pageant in Manti, Utah, during the pageant's 53rd and final year. The Mormon Miracle, with a cast of 900, was held the last two weekends in June, drawing 100,000 or more Mormons to the rural mountain town and its majestic Gothic/French Revival temple, located two hours southeast of Salt Lake City. The 90-minute pageant depicts historical "moments" in Mormon history, such as the persecution they faced on their trek West in the 1800s. Suzie Oliver has traveled from Malaysia for 18 years to cook for Christians who come to witness to Mormons on their own turf during the pageant’s six-day schedule. Oliver's noontime hot meal of ham and cabbage included several songs and an extended time of prayer on June 21 asking God to "lead these people to the members of the LDS [Latter-day Saints] who are ready for your light to shine in their lives" and to "take the fear of man and replace it with excitement for what You're doing tonight," among other prayers voiced under a sun-shaded pavilion in what has become known during the pageant as the "Christian area." Dozens upon dozens of dome-shaped tents bordered the pavilion, including at least one Mormon family, where a man at the tent didn't want to give his name and a woman said, "We're Christian. We're LDS," while five elementary-age children listened with eyes wide open. Part of the difficulty in witnessing to Mormons stems from the fact they use the same words as evangelical Christians but attach different meanings to them, said James Walker, president of Watchman Fellowship and a member of Fielder Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Arlington, Texas. He was onsite with a 21-person mission team from June 16-23 that spent the early part of the week in training. The budding apologists, who came to Manti from several states to share their faith, learned from Walker and Watchman's senior apologist Brady Blevins, who used Facebook comments by Mormons to help them know how to respond when witnessing. They also heard from Sandra Tanner, a longtime Christian analyst of LDS beliefs, and had a two-hour lunch and training time with Travis Kerns, a Send City missionary with the North American Mission Board. And they learned about the Mormon religion by seeing the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City and by talking for several days with Mormons they encountered in Manti. The Salt Lake temple is slated to close in January 2020 for a four-year renovation, but will be open when the Southern Baptist Convention's 2025 annual meeting is held at the Salt Palace Convention Center on June 24-25. "Mormon leaders have made the tragic mistake of pointing their people toward a church instead of toward the Savior," Tanner told the Watchman team at her Utah Lighthouse Ministry, a Salt Lake City research center that compares Mormon and Christian doctrines. "They claim theirs is the only true church and that all others are false and have no authority. This tends to make the people more concerned about the organization than about their relationship with Christ." Kerns discussed starting and growing churches in a culturally-Mormon environment, noting the ups, downs and nature of ministry in Utah; the difficulty of spiritual warfare; and the need to have a strong support group "back home" praying and otherwise encouraging those God sends to Utah. "Don't come to Utah to focus on Mormons, because you can reach Mormons everywhere across the world," Kerns told the group that included two men who said they were considering church planting in Utah. "Come to Utah because God has called you here to reach lost people." In addition to Watchman Fellowship, several apologetics ministries like Mormonism Research Ministries sent teams to minister in Manti during the pageant. Students from at least three Southern Baptist seminaries -- New Orleans, Southwestern and Midwestern -- also were on hand to share their faith as part of various groups. Chris Eller, associate executive director of the Baptist Convention of Iowa who was there, described the pageant as "a great opportunity for whole families to share the Gospel with a group of people who badly need the Gospel right here in our own country." A 10-year veteran of the evangelistic ministry in Manti, Eller was part of an 18-person group from First Family Church, a Southern Baptist congregation of Ankeny, Iowa. "What we're trying to do," Walker said, "is meet people, build relationships and have Gospel conversations that last longer than just a few minutes. We've been coming here long enough that some people seek us out and pick up on conversations we were having last year. It might take seven years for someone wih doubts about their religion [Mormonism] to come to a true faith in the Jesus of the Bible." Bill McKeever of Mormonism Research Institute pulled a child's red wagon in Manti, stopping in the middle of street closed off to vehicular traffic when asked to explain the wagon's contents. A group of about 20 listened as McKeever explained that the heavy ring-bound "book" of metal plates in the wagon was a replica of what Joseph Smith said he found in the woods prior to founding in 1830 what today is known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Smith wrote that he was accosted three times while carrying the book written by an angel-man named Mormon -- hence, Book of Mormon. According to Smith, the plates were returned to Moroni and haven't been seen since. "If the plates aren't real, Moroni [the angel-man who protected Mormon's book] isn't real," McKeever stated. "Does it honor God to believe something that is false? Is dishonoring God a sin?" A listener dressed in African attire stalked away after objecting vociferously to McKeever. "I believe what I want to believe," he shouted while waving his hands as if to clear the air of the words that troubled him. Several other evangelistic groups had their own attention-drawing items for interacting with Mormons. Still others just chatted with people until they found receptivity. By the end of the six days -- two weekends of three days each, almost two dozen professions of faith had been reported, and countless seeds were sown. "We're here to share God's unconditional love," Walker said, "with those who so desperately need to hear it." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen L. Willoughby is a national correspondent for Baptist Press. #JULY19

BIRMINGHAM, AL (BP) – By overwhelming votes, Southern Baptists strengthened their stances against sexual abuse and racism during the opening day of their June 11-12 SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, told messengers after their votes, "I believe this is a very significant moment in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention. And I believe that every one of us needs to thank God for this moment." Messengers cast their votes -- raising booklets that contained their printed ballots -- for amendments to the SBC constitution to specifically state that sexual abuse and discrimination based on ethnicity are grounds for a church to be deemed as "not in friendly cooperation" with the convention. Messengers likewise voted to amend the SBC's bylaws to repurpose the SBC's Credentials Committee into a standing committee to make inquiries and recommendations for action regarding instances of sexual abuse, racism or other issues that call a church's relationship with the SBC into question. "May this world know that the Southern Baptist Convention stands against all forms of sexual abuse," Floyd said. "May this world know that this convention of churches -- 47,000 churches, plus a few thousand congregations, just under 52,000 churches and congregations -- has given a clear signal not only about what we believe about sexual abuse, but we also stand against all ethnic discrimination in the United States and around the world." Repurposing the Credentials Committee, which formerly dealt with the messenger registration process, "is an incredible move for the future of this convention," Floyd said. "While we may not understand it all and how it's all going to work, we have done our very best to present to you a process." The constitutional amendments will require a second two-thirds messenger vote at next year's SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. The repurposing of the Credentials Commission required only a two-thirds vote this year as an amendment to the convention's bylaws. The Credentials Committee will consist of nine members: the chairman of the Executive Committee; the SBC registration secretary; three members nominated by the Executive Committee; and four members nominated by the SBC Committee on Nominations. The changes to the bylaws included the creation of a Registration Committee to handle the duties of the former Credentials Committee. Floyd acknowledged to messengers that the bylaws can be changed as may be needed for optimal functioning of the Credentials Committee. "If it's not working the right way in our minds, we can always change it," he said. "But thank God we have today, once again, sent a clear signal, a concrete statement, that it's not only about what we say, but it's about what we do" in calling Southern Baptist churches to be "faithful to the things of God and to the ways we treat one another." "And to God be the glory for what He has done this day," Floyd said. Recommendations for the constitutional amendments and repurposed Credentials Committee were placed before messengers by the Executive Committee, which approved the proposals during their June 10 session preceding the annual meeting. Messenger deliberation over the constitutional amendment on sexual abuse spanned nearly 20 minutes; there was no discussion of the racism amendment or the Credentials Committee. An amendment to the sex abuse wording was proposed by Ryan Hutchinson, a messenger from Open Door Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., who proposed replacing "Does not act in a manner inconsistent with the Convention's beliefs regarding sexual abuse" with "Does not condone or dismiss or leave unaddressed sexual abuse within their church." Hutchison voiced concern for greater clarity for the constitutional amendment, stating that the only official statement of the convention's beliefs regarding abuse is a brief mention in Article 15 of the SBC's Baptist Faith and Message 2000 statement of beliefs. EC chairman Mike Stone spoke in opposition to the amendment, citing the many hours the Executive Committee had spent on crafting the wording. The proposed amendment did not "afford the proposed clarity" the messenger sought, Stone, a Georgia pastor, said. In addition to the Baptist Faith and Message, he said the convention's beliefs on sexual abuse also are lodged in the Word of God, which the convention believes is "inspired, inerrant, authoritative and completely sufficient." Hutchison's amendment failed to draw a majority of messengers' raised ballots. Other business Messengers approved: -- an addition to the Southern Baptist Convention Organization Manual regarding trustee training, stating, "Entity administrators should reinforce with their trustees the principle that entity trustees are to represent the interests of the entire Convention as well as those of the entity." The action stemmed from a messenger's motion at the 2018 SBC annual meeting in Dallas. -- approved a 2019-2020 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget of $196,500,000, up from the SBC's current $194,000,000 budget. The budget maintains current allocations to the convention's ministries, including 50.41 percent of receipts to the IMB and 22.79 percent to NAMB. The convention's six seminaries and the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives will receive 22.16 percent; the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, 1.65 percent; and the SBC Operating Budget, encompassing the work of the Executive Committee and SBC annual meeting costs, 2.99 percent. -- approved a 2019-2020 Executive Committee and SBC Operating Budget of $5,874,350. -- approved resolutions of appreciation for two SBC entity presidents, Chuck Kelley of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, who retires July 31, and Thom Rainer of LifeWay Christian Resources, who retired on Feb. 28. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Reported by Baptist Press senior editor Art Toalston, BP general assignment reporter/editor Diana Chandler and Erin Roach, a writer based in Nashville. #June19

COLUMBIA, SC (BP) – "I already know, Dad." I had my doubts over the confidence that my oldest son exuded as he took the car keys from me. He put the car in drive and sped off entirely too fast. A lot of thoughts flowed through my mind: -- "I wish I was 15 years old again so that I would already know everything." -- "You may know everything, but I've got 25 years of experience on you." -- "If the DMV signed off on you after only 20 minutes, they should be required to ride with you the next six months, not me!" It's funny how things come full circle. It seems like just yesterday I was giving the same instructions to my own father when I was 15. With an eye roll and a sigh of disgust, I would listen to instructions that I already knew, like checking my blind spot and not going backwards when I wasn't looking in that direction. My dad told me once, "I know that you are 15 and already know everything, but give me the pleasure of pretending like I'm teaching you something and just listen." Your heavenly Father knows just how you feel, Dad: "If my people would only listen to Me, if Israel would only follow My ways" (Psalm 81:3). You may be a religious straight-A student who has heard all the Bible stories -- with Bible drill medals to prove it. God may be attempting to speak to you through others and His Word about your brokenness, but you are reluctant to listen to Him and do what He says. Maybe He is trying to get your attention to get behind the wheel, take a risk and share hope with your neighbor. What else has God got to do to get your attention? "Dad, I hit a tree." Now before you go feeling sorry for him, the tree had been in the same place for the past 50 years. It was in just the right spot where a 15-year-old who wasn't looking behind would back right into it. I like to think my heavenly Father planted it there to remind my son that maybe his earthly father may still know a few more things than he does (and also as a catalyst to get his first job to pay for a dented tailgate). Maybe it was planted there as a reminder to warn all of us: "Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge" (Proverbs 19:27). God has planted an abundance of divine counsel so that we may be "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither" (Psalm 1:3). ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lee Clamp, team leader of evangelism for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, is online at @leeclamp and www.facebook.com/leeclamp. #June19

GRAPEVINE, TX (BP) – This Father's Day is a little more special. Our son is now a father. It happened on April 12. The fifth-generation "James" came into the Richards family. He will go by his middle name, Graham. His great-great-grandmother was a Graham who was born in Wood County, Texas, in 1898. This new addition to our other three grandchildren is a blessed time. Father's Day conjures up precious memories. I was blessed to have a godly, loving dad who has been with the Lord 25 years. He loved me without reservation. Dad was a firefighter, funeral director, chief civil deputy sheriff, director of security and a bivocational minister of music. With all of the hats he wore, the one he wore best was "Dad." He never grew tired of supporting me. He set the example for me to follow. He loved Mother. He never forgot a birthday or anniversary. I never saw him get angry at her, speak to her unkindly or touch her in a harmful way. Mother worked outside the home. She was a registered nurse and worked over 30 years delivering babies. But her first priority was being a homemaker. She loved Dad. She sacrificed for me. When she had to work evening shifts, Dad and I would eat at a restaurant. In the 1950s and '60s not a lot of people ate out. With all of Dad's good qualities, he couldn't boil an egg and would not eat leftovers. We ate a couple of nights a week at the Capitol Steakhouse in Monroe, La. One night when I was about 8 or 9, we were eating at the restaurant and a man who was sitting at a table near us began using vulgar language. Dad calmly asked the man to not use those words because I could hear them. The large imposing man immediately stood up challenging my dad. I thought I was going to see my dad die before my eyes. Instead, the man froze and then walked out of the restaurant. I was so proud of my dad. I used this as an illustration in a sermon once when my dad was present. After church, Dad told me the rest of the story. The owner of the restaurant, George Camporis, kept a handgun under the counter. When he saw potential danger, he placed the gun on the counter. The disruptive man saw it and decided to leave. Although this altered the story, it didn't diminish the stand Dad took to protect me. In this day with all the talk of "toxic masculinity," he was a gentle soul who was strong, courageous and kind. He was a man's man. Debate is raging about women's roles. Let me say that with an incredible wife, two loving daughters, a precious daughter-in-law and two awesome grandgirls, I'm all for women. I want to see all of the women in my life excel to the highest potential God has for them. I say this for all women. But the problem we are having in our churches and the culture in general is not with women. It is with men. We need men who will follow the biblical order of being the "heads" of their homes. Ephesians 5 is about Christ's relationship with the church. The analogy used is about the relationship of husband and wife. Jesus is Lord of the church but men are not "lords" over their wives. In almost 46 years of marriage, I have never been called "Lord Jim." Headship is not about my rights. It is about responsibility. While Jesus is Lord of the church, men are to be leaders in the home. Leaders provide direction. Leaders set examples. Leaders love and care for those they lead. Men, be the one who leads in family worship. Set aside time to pray and read Scripture daily with your loved ones. It is time for men to step up and fulfill God's calling on their lives. Being a father is more than biologically producing offspring. Being a father means giving time, resources and influence to those God has placed under your leadership. The feminization of our culture has caused some men to shirk their God-given role. It is time for men to live the old hymn "Rise Up, O Men of God": Rise up O men of God, Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength, To serve the King of Kings. Lift high the Cross of Christ, Tread where His feet have trod, As brothers of the Son of Man, Rise up O men of God. We need men to answer the call to preach. We need men to answer the call to serve the church. We need men who will lead their homes. As we observe a day this month recognizing fathers, my prayer is that all men will rise up to serve the King of Kings. And by the way, happy first Father's Day, Nate! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Richards is executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. This article first appeared at the Southern Baptist TEXAN (www.texanonline.net), the convention's newsjournal. #June19

PLYMOUTH, MI – It’s the middle of May as I write these words. The sights, sounds, and smells of Spring are everywhere. A pair of mallards are swimming in water beside our home and chipmunks are scurrying back and forth. Spring flowers have burst through the soil and are in full bloom. Almost all of the trees around our house are full of buds and the birds are chirping songs. In the distance, we can hear the high school band playing and the crowd cheering for one of the teams. Winter’s darkness is gone and we are enjoying, not just the warmth of Spring, but the long hours of daylight it brings. It’s very noticeable that people are outside once again. They’re riding bikes, walking, or like us, doing yard work. For many of us, it’s much easier to connect with our neighbors outside during the warmer months of the year. We greet one another and catch up on each other’s lives. These informal moments help us build relationships with the people who live closest to us. As followers of Christ, we want our neighbors to know Him. We count on our churches helping us to share our faith and giving us opportunities to invite our neighbors to events where the Gospel will be shared. If your church hasn’t already done so, this is a great time to plan summer and fall outreach events: Block parties, concerts in the park, service projects, VBS, BBQ’s, outdoor baptisms, or neighborhood movie nights. Events like these (and many others) help us share our faith by giving us opportunities to invite family, friends, and neighbors to participate. Bless Every Home is an excellent prayer strategy that uses an interactive website that helps us pray by name for our neighbors. When you sign up as a "light" in your neighborhood, you will receive daily notifications to pray for 5 neighbors by name. In addition to Prayer, Bless Every Home will provide you with the resources to Care for your neighbors, Share the Gospel with them, and Disciple them for a life journey of faith. Visit bscm.org/blesseveryhome for more information. While you’re planning your outreach events, remember that we have Evangelism Grants available to help Michigan Baptist churches who give through the Cooperative Program to engage your communities with the Gospel. Churches can apply for two Evangelism Grants up to $1,000 each per year. It is our desire to partner with your church as you share the Gospel in your community. The Evangelism Grant Form only takes a few minutes to fill out, but it can really help your church conduct quality outreach events. For those who have received a grant in the past, there is a significant change on the form that I want to explain to you. To receive a grant, a church has to fill out the Annual Church Profile (ACP). In recent years, only about one-third of Michigan Baptist Churches have filled out the ACP. As a result, baptism totals for our state have plummeted to about half what they were a decade ago. This is concerning because it represents fewer people being reached for Christ. Hopefully, that is not the case, and it is only a reduction in reporting. The only way we can get an accurate picture of what is happening across our state is for churches to fill out the ACP. It helps us measure the effectiveness of our evangelistic and other efforts. To update your ACP, contact Andrew at our office and he will help you. It’s quick, and it matters. 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. #June19

On Sunday, June 2, The Gathering in Windsor, Ontario celebrated its 5th Birthday as a church planted with the help of the SEND Network. More than 360 people descended on The Gathering for this annual celebration. Dr. Garth Leno is the senior pastor of The Gathering. "We have received so much support and encouragement from our friends and partners in the SEND Network, and we would not be where we are today with this partnership," said Pastor Garth. "We're grateful for the two people who trusted in Jesus during the invitation, and for the two new families who have decided to make The Gathering their home church!" Launched in 2014, The Gathering has grown to over 300 people and in September they will launch a second service.  The elders have also made public their goal of planting another church nearby "as soon as possible." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Garth Leno is the senior pastor at The Gathering in Windsor, Ontario, a church that he and some friends planted in 2014. He and his wife Patty have three grown children and four amazing grandkids! #June19