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NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Many Southern Baptist churchgoers believe still more revelations of sexual abuse and misconduct by pastors and other church staff will be exposed, but few know of specific individuals in their church whose misconduct is still hidden, according to a new study from LifeWay Research. The 2019 Sexual Misconduct and Churchgoers Study by LifeWay Research and sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources explored the perceptions and experiences of Southern Baptist and Protestant churchgoers. Brad Waggoner, acting CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, commended SBC President J.D. Greear on the way he has led the convention to view the issue of sexual abuse. "Protecting people from abuse of any kind should be of utmost importance to churches and our convention," Waggoner said. "LifeWay decided to sponsor this research because it's imperative we make our churches safe places for people to hear the Gospel and grow in their walk with Jesus Christ." The study found 1 in 3 (32 percent) Southern Baptist churchgoers believe many more Protestant pastors have sexually abused children or teens than have been currently exposed. More disagree -- 43 percent -- while 25 percent say they don't know. Fewer Southern Baptist churchgoers say there are many more undiscovered instances of Protestant pastors who have sexually assaulted adults -- 29 percent -- while 46 percent disagree and 25 percent don't know. Relatively few, however, know someone attending their church who has sexually abused a child (3 percent) or sexually assaulted someone (3 percent) but has not yet come to light. "Perceptions are reality," said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, based in Nashville. "When almost a third of churchgoers sense there is an avalanche of abuse and assault cases coming, churches must address this head on even if few say they actually know someone whose abuse is still hidden." Room for improvement More than a third of Southern Baptist churchgoers (37 percent) say they have been victims of the following types of sexual misconduct: unwanted sexual joking, unsolicited sexual messages, unwanted compliments and inappropriate glances. Researchers asked those victims where the misconduct took place. Seven percent say the misconduct occurred at church. Six percent of those Southern Baptists who say unwanted sexual joking was directed at them say it happened at church. The same is true for 7 percent of those who received unwanted compliments that implied the person viewed them sexually, 3 percent of those who received unwanted pictures or sexual advances via text or direct message, and 6 percent of females who experienced prolonged glances or staring at their chest. When asked if they received compliments that implied the person viewed them sexually, 6 percent of Southern Baptist churchgoers say they heard such remarks as a child and 15 percent as a teenager. When asked from where the person had given the sexually-insinuating comments, 36 percent say school, 34 percent say their home or family and 10 percent say church. Similar issues continued in adulthood. Southern Baptist churchgoers are more likely to say inappropriate behavior occurred in settings other than the church, but some still reported occurrences in church. Some churchgoers expressed wariness over the greetings they receive from others at church. Around 1 in 6 (18 percent) say some attendees express physical greetings in ways that seem to go beyond a simple gesture. A 2018 LifeWay Research study found 1 in 8 Protestant pastors said a church staff member had sexually harassed a member of the congregation at some point in the church's history. One in 6 pastors said a staff member had been harassed in a church setting. Overall, in the 2019 study, most SBC churchgoers (86 percent) say the church is a better environment when it comes to encountering sexually inappropriate comments compared to other places where they socialize with people. That's slightly better than the 75 percent of all Protestant churchgoers who say the same. Few Southern Baptist churchgoers (1 percent) believe the church is a worse environment, while 6 percent say it is the same as other places and 7 percent aren't sure. "The findings of this study are similar to previous research through the years," McConnell said. "Churchgoers and the church setting have statistically fewer cases of immoral behavior, but those issues still have a very real presence." Church preparation & optimism Most Southern Baptist churchgoers believe their church is prepared to handle issues of sexual abuse and trust their congregation to respond appropriately if confronted with instances of misconduct. A majority say their church would respond to someone who had experienced sexual abuse, sexual assault or rape with respect (73 percent), sympathy (70 percent), privacy (62 percent) and protection (56 percent). Few believe their church would ignore the person who shared their experience (2 percent), see them as an attention-seeker (2 percent) or as partly to blame (2 percent). Nearly 8 in 10 Southern Baptist churchgoers (76 percent) consider their congregation at least somewhat prepared to help someone who has experienced sexual assault, with 38 percent saying their church is very prepared. Fewer than 1 in 10 (7 percent) believe their church is unprepared. Eighteen percent aren't sure. The vast majority of Southern Baptist churchgoers (95 percent) agree their church is a safe place where adults are actively protected from sexual assault in the church; 3 percent aren't sure and 1 percent disagree. More than 8 in 10 (86 percent) believe their church is at least somewhat prepared to protect children from sexual abuse in ministry programs, with 62 percent saying their church is very prepared. One in 20 (5 percent) say their church is unprepared and 9 percent are unsure. Virtually all Southern Baptist churchgoers (96 percent) say their church is a safe place where children and teenagers are protected from sexual abuse. Few aren't sure (3 percent) or disagree (1 percent). Southern Baptist churchgoers believe safety measures have improved in the last decade. Three in 4 (74 percent) believe their church is more prepared to protect children from sexual abuse than 10 years ago. Few say their church has had no additional preparation (6 percent) or was doing well then and now (7 percent). Thirteen percent say they don't know. "Those in the pews are noticing progress in the prevention efforts at their own church," McConnell said. "Additional steps need to be taken and clearly communicated, however, so that more can say their congregation is very prepared to protect those who attend from sexual assault and child sexual abuse." If someone did experience sexual abuse, Southern Baptist churchgoers feel confident their church would be a safe place for victims. More than 9 in 10 (92 percent) say someone who experienced sexual abuse as a child or teenager would find healing at their church; 4 percent disagree. Similarly, 94 percent say their church would be a place of healing for adult victims of sexual assault; 2 percent disagree. Eight in 10 Southern Baptist churchgoers (80 percent) say an adult attending their church could share that they have experienced sexual assault by a fellow attendee and be believed. Fourteen percent aren't sure and 6 percent disagree. "When a church communicates it is a safe place for those who are hurting to find healing, it teaches truths about the identity and worth of every individual," McConnell said. "More importantly it answers the fundamental question of whether God cares." If sexually inappropriate things happened within the church, 5 percent believe church leaders would try to cover it up. Nine in 10 (90 percent) say their church is likely to report suspicions of abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. Churchgoers also have faith in their leaders to correctly address sexual misconduct that may occur in the church even if it is costly or hurts the congregation's image. Around 8 in 10 (83 percent) agree their church would respond appropriately, regardless of the cost. If sexual misconduct allegations were made against a pastor, most Southern Baptist churchgoers say they would want a careful investigation of the facts (79 percent), the truth to be made known (66 percent) and the alleged victim protected (54 percent). Four in 10 (40 percent) would want the police involved. Fewer say they would want the pastor protected (17 percent), doubt the validity of the accusation (11 percent) or want the situation dealt with quietly (9 percent). Most Southern Baptist churchgoers feel safe attending their church. Few current churchgoers say they have ever attended less frequently because of advances from other attendees (2 percent). A similar number of churchgoers say they have ever stopped attending a church because they felt sexual misconduct was not taken seriously (3 percent) or because they didn't feel safe from sexual misconduct (2 percent). "Among people who are currently attending church, few said they stopped attending because of issues related to sexual misconduct," McConnell said. "This does not measure, however, any who left due to these problems and have not returned to any church since." McConnell said although the research indicates churches are suffering from negative perceptions with many churchgoers bracing for more pastor-related sexual abuse stories to emerge, it hasn't worsened churchgoers' opinions of their own church or caused them to attend less frequently. But they still see areas church leaders should prioritize. "From the perspective of the pew, there is room for churches to improve their process to prevent sexual abuse and assault, their communication of what is being done, and their handling of investigating accusations," McConnell said. For more information on the study, visit LifeWayResearch.com, view the complete report or a video summary. Methodology: The online survey of 1,815 Americans was conducted Feb. 27 to April 8, 2019. Respondents were invited to participate from a large national panel. Respondents were screened to only include adults whose religious preference is Protestant and who attend church services once a month or more. Southern Baptists were oversampled (457 completes) to provide reliable estimates for this subgroup, and subsequently downweighted. Maximum quotas and slight weights were used for gender, region, age, ethnicity, education and Southern Baptist affiliation to more accurately reflect Protestant churchgoers using statistics published by Pew Research. The completed sample of 1,815 surveys provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error does not exceed plus or minus 2.9 percent. Margins of error are higher in subgroups. Due to mandatory reporting requirements, respondents could not be asked if they personally had been a victim of child sexual abuse or sexual assault. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources. #June19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Some of you who just read the title to this article had to race to the medicine cabinet because you had to take your blood pressure prescription in order to keep you from going into cardiac arrest. You can't believe that anyone would have the audacity to think that God would come down on the side of the pro-abortionist. Others of you may be saying to yourself or someone in your presence, "Now that's the kind of enlightened thinking I like to hear." But before any of you "blows a gasket" or enters into a joyous jig, you should consider what the title states and what it does not. Your presuppositions have again taken over your thoughts before you know all the facts.  You see, presuppositions are like wearing tinted glasses. Everything you see through those eye coverings effects and changes your perception of reality. Even though the change may be slight, nonetheless what you perceive is not completely accurate. The problem is that we get our presuppositions much like we contract the measles. We are not quite sure where they come from, but the evidence that we have been infected is without doubt. The question then arises, "Can we truly be without presuppositions?" The answer is no, but we can be aware that we are affected by them and adjust our actions, attitudes and decisions accordingly. It is vitally important that we see and understand things from God's perspective.  That is, we must presuppose that God is the ultimate source of truth and knowledge. Such an issue to which we can apply this premise is that of "Pro-Choice vs Pro-Life". First of all, I believe (presupposition! based on the fact of and faith in the living, personal, creative God) that He sets apart human life as unique and valuable since it bears His image. [Gen.1:26,27]. Secondly, He therefore preserves and protects human life as no other life on earth. [Psa. 8:4-5] We are not just plants and animals that are only pieces of an enormous floating ecosystem. Third, that kind of life begins at conception and continues to develop in the womb where God is at work; shaping the child into the precise kind of person He desires it to be. [Psa. 22;9-10; Psa. 51:5; Psa. 139:13-16; Matt.1:18-20; Luke 1:41] Fourth, since it is God's will that every child's life be protected after birth, (thou shall not kill) it is certainly His will that such protection applies to the child in his or her prenatal state. It is my presupposition that we are ultimately responsible and accountable to God for our actions. If my logic and presuppositions are correct, then I understand God to be Pro-Choice. That is, He chooses life for all humans and so should we. We should especially do so for those who do not have the opportunity to choose for themselves, the pre-born. "He chooses life for all humans and so should we." The sanctity of human life is precious to God and thus must be precious to man. Those who do not choose life, but say that before birth the human within a mother’s womb is nothing more than a mass of lifeless tissue presuppose that God is not who He says that He is and that life within a womb is not precious. Their argument is based on the faulty presupposition that a woman’s right of choice, whether for convenience, health or circumstance must take precedence over the rights of the pre-born to choose life and the choice of God to give it. What we must do in addressing this or any issue is to honestly analyze our logic and reasoning, and decide whether or not we are presupposing there is a God to whom we are accountable or not. The man or woman who believes they are nothing more than animals, and that there is no God, will ultimately act and think as animals. The Choice is up to us. 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. #June19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Were you the ignored “good kid” in the family because you were not causing any obvious trouble? Yet, underneath the pleasant veneer you were in a private war? Did you feel neglected? Or did you grow comfortable with your secret battles? Would you have liked some help with the struggles you kept private? Would it have helped if someone would have taken the time to sit down with you to ask, “How are you really doing?” Would you have gushed all that you wanted to confess? Now, as an adult, a pastor, a ministry leader or a teacher are you neglecting the good behaving “Penitent Baptist” right in front of you? In one church ministry, a pastor frequently gave a teenage boy the opportunity to perform a musical special on Sundays because members of the congregation were inspired when they saw the young man perform. On another occasion, a pastor was thankful to have an energetic man serve others throughout the church with an enthusiasm and intensity rarely seen in anyone else. The man’s instant response to the pastor’s request for help was always, “Yes, whatever you need pastor.” In another circumstance, a woman who was a wife, mother, and faithful servant in the church committed suicide after her husband was called by their local bank asking why they were severely behind in their house payments? What I have come to call the Penitent Baptist is the church member who by all obvious observations appears to have their lives all together, but in reality they are suffering alone. Many admire them. Some want to be like them. Yet, all the while they are caving into temptation, they are trying to win more credit with God by doing good, or they are ashamed of the private pattern of life that has enslaved them. After the Holy Spirit stirred the pastor’s heart, he approached the adolescent with a simple question, “Why do you want to perform a musical piece on particular Sunday mornings in such a spontaneous, urgent way?” The teen looked down focusing on the floor between them and muttered, “When I am out on the weekends with my girlfriend or my buddies I give into temptations and afterwards I feel guilty; yet, after I perform on Sundays I feel I am brought back closer to God because he forgives me.” After the pastor and helpful man became closer friends, the pastor realized his friend was driven by strong emotions. The man lacked self-assurance. He required constant affirmation by other people. The man kept account of what he considered offenses against him. He easily grew resentful of those who he thought made critical remarks or did not esteem him enough. As the pastor and man visited over coffee one day, the man realized that he worked hard in public to offset the private, negative resentments and anger he felt toward others who had done him wrong. Later it was discovered, the woman in the rural county took her own life because she had taken the earnings, savings and investments from her family’s life to gamble. Within six-hours in a single day, the woman went from the discovery of concealing her gambling losses to ending her own life without facing and overcoming the challenge with the love and support of her family and her church. How can those who seem so admirable and heroic go unnoticed when they actually need help? Why do adults, pastors, ministry leaders and teachers neglect those who may be privately struggling? I believe there are two myths that cause us to neglect those who struggle while they serve frequently and happily in the church. The two myths are: Service means sinless – We incorrectly assume those who are busy in ministry do not struggle with sin. We do not assume perfection, but we assume too much. Service means maturity – We make the mistake of believing those who enthusiastically serve the Lord are spiritually mature in every area of their lives. Is there a better way to help the Penitent Baptist? Can we rethink the way we see the energetic servants of Christ so that we don’t leave them abandoned in their quiet, swirling whirlpools of guilt and shame? I believe we can help by practicing the following three mandates. The three mandates are: Cultivate relationships of trust – People who are in trouble are more apt to approach someone with whom they already have an established trustful relationship. Time and depth build those meaningful relationships. Good leaders set aside time to regularly visit with energetic servants offering opportunities for those in trouble to ask for help. A simple question such as, “How are you doing spiritually?” can rescue someone in a world of trouble. Build a culture of mutual reliance – Many of us teach others to be self-reliant and not to disturb us with their difficulties. We give the impression, “You have been given a task and empowered to do it. Get your job done while I do mine.” The danger is that those who follow our example think we do not want to be bothered by their spiritual battles. In our communities of faith, we will assist one another to pull-off a big church event, but we ignore those who need help to win a spiritual victory that could change a life. Good leaders model mutual reliance by communicating, “We are here for one another.” Teach that sanctification is a lifelong process – We need to lead people to find comfort in the fact that much of the Bible was written to offer correction to average people like us. Prophets and people who walked with Christ were often corrected or spoke to others about changing life toward patterns that would glorify God. There is the comfort; but, the other side of that reality is that no one should become content at being anything less than entirely faithful to the Lord. All of us should pursue obedience and we best work out that obedience together, not in solitude. As we walk through our community of faith, let’s walk slowly watching for the Penitent Baptist, those who are busy for the Lord while burdened with sin. As we have conversations, let’s listen carefully to the dedicated, earnest servants who labor out of love but who may also have a heavy load of guilt that they need to share. By doing so, we will help the silent ones caving to temptation, those trying to earn their salvation, or the men and women enslaved to  patterns of addiction hiding their troubles in shame. 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. #June19

ROSCOMMON, MI – What a ride! In March I began my third year here at Bambi Lake, and what a ride it has been! Each day brings new challenges and opportunities so no one day is ever the same as the last. However, there are three things about Bambi Lake I am passionate about– it’s past, present, and future. PAST At every camp or retreat that we host, I encounter stories of how Bambi Lake has impacted a life for eternity.  I hear testimonies of individuals who were saved here as a child, and now serve in a church or full-time ministry. Most often those individuals are now bringing their family,student group, or church to Bambi Lake. I watch as friends reunite and share memories of first meeting each other at a camp or retreat fifteen or twenty years ago. I listen to students tell of the first time they heard the voice of God speak to them in the quietness and calm sitting by the lake.  Numerous are the tales of cramming a few hundred into Hubbs chapel, but it did not matter because worship was the priority of the day. Being uncomfortable was not an issue because God was in the house and His presence was imminent. That will preach! Many, many lives have been transformed by the power of the gospel here at Bambi Lake. What a heritage, what a legacy. PRESENT It has been said the best gift we can give ourselves and those around us is to be present.  With such an amazing heritage to learn from and stand on, and by the grace of God, Bambi Lake now has the responsibility to be present. We cannot be satisfied and rest on the accomplishments of our past – however great – we must be present. We must be engaged in raising up new leaders and fiercely empowering young and old alike to share the Good News of salvation, the Good News of Jesus. I am excited to say that this is a reality at Bambi Lake. Every camp and every retreat, new stories are emerging in people’s lives. New chapters are being written in the lives of those who are discovering freedom, healing, joy, and forgiveness in Christ.  Bambi Lake is discovering new ways to encounter the culture with the love of Christ. We are implementing new programs and opportunities for the Body of Christ to be encouraged and empowered for the Kingdom. Bambi Lake is striving to be a lighthouse in our community, state, nation and world. Bambi Lake is Present! FUTURE With a legacy of life change, and a mandate to be present, I am ecstatic about the future of Bambi Lake. We should all be! As great as the past has been, I believe the future is going to be even more amazing. Not just because of new camps, retreats, or new activities, but because of people like you. Yes, people just like you reading this article, God’s people, Christian Michiganders who love God and worship together with other believers at churches filled with worship because the presence of God is evident. How you ask? By praying for Bambi Lake and taking advantage of opportunities to participate. Many of you already have stories written at Bambi Lake. Others have yet to experience a weekend or week of enjoying fellowship with God and making new friends and memories.  I believe, like many of you, God has great plans and designs for Bambi Lake. His presence is being felt and experienced here in new and refreshing ways. The cool part? He is inviting you and me to come. So, come join the ride. Come be refreshed. Come find rest. Come be present and see God move! For more information about Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat and Conference Center, visit bambilake.camp. 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. #June19

FORT WORTH, TX (BP) – I have a small collection of "war Bibles" carried by U.S. soldiers and sailors in our various wars (Revolutionary up to the current Global War on Terror). Many have personal notes from family members, Sunday School teachers and sweethearts. Those Bibles were given in the hopes that they would be a source of comfort and peace in an environment of conflict and death. I have researched the lives and military careers of some of the individuals and have imagined how they made use of those little books. Some returned after the war(s), but some did not. It always strikes me that each Bible represents an average American family like my own who loves their soldier/sailor/airman/marine/coast guardsman and wishes the best for them. When I read the personal notes and reflections inside, I often pause and pray for those families, knowing that God has them in His loving hands. Memorial Day offers us a time to recognize the martyrs of our nation; it is a day we set aside to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to the United States and the ideals of her people enshrined in the Constitution. For those in the military community, it can be particularly moving and a time of acute sensitivity. We not only remember and honor heroes far removed, but we recall and commemorate those we knew intimately, cared deeply for, and still miss: our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, friends and colleagues. Many will no doubt recall personal experiences in which they were injured or their lives were in danger, and they may be looking for hope and meaning. The Christian church has its own memorial day of sorts. All Saints Day, celebrated annually on Nov. 1, is a day in which many Christians remember those who have gone before us in the faith and paid the ultimate price for the sake of the Gospel. In the book of Hebrews, the author offers encouraging words of hope to a dispersed and persecuted Jewish Christian community. They have already suffered some loss but have not yet had to face martyrdom (10:32-36; 12:4). The writer encourages his audience to a life of faithful endurance, pointing them to Jesus Christ as the key to finding the needed strength. After reminding them of Christ's magnificence as the divine Son, agent of creation, radiance of God's glory, and by His very nature, God, the author points the Hebrews to three things to consider for aid in endurance: 1) those who have gone before in the faith, 2) the goal toward which they strive (i.e., Christlikeness and our heavenly home) and 3) Jesus, the author and perfector of faith. At the beginning of chapter 12, the author of Hebrews encourages his audience to run the race with endurance because they (we) are surrounded by a large number of witnesses. He refers them back to chapter 11 -- the roll call of faith -- which begins by recounting great acts of faith and culminates by noting the courageous resolve of prophets and others killed for their faith (11:32-38). Those who went before serve as an example and an encouragement for us to remain faithful. In the early church, stories of martyrs were told to encourage Christians to remain steadfast, even in the face of persecution, even if they were called upon to give their lives for Christ. These stories tell of how those persons testified to Christ not only in life but also in death, and they serve to strengthen Christians by providing examples of faithfulness grounded in the hope of a future resurrection and eternal life with Christ. In an analogous way on Memorial Day, when we reflect on the stories of heroism and sacrifice of those men and women who put on the uniform, we are inspired in several ways. First, we are stirred with a sense of thanksgiving for those who have sacrificed so that we may enjoy the freedoms of our nation that are grounded in our creation in God's image. Second, we are moved to consider how we may serve our local communities, states and nation. We gain a greater appreciation for what it means to be a participant in society and are impressed with the responsibilities of citizenship. Last, we hope to use those stories to inspire future generations of Americans to grasp the ideals of duty, honor, integrity, loyalty, commitment, selfless service, respect, excellence and courage that are so central to the armed forces and that touch upon the ideals of Christian character. We Baptists have always cherished the notion of religious freedom like that found in the First Amendment, partly because our forebears were often persecuted (even by other Christians) and partly because many were simply convinced of liberty of conscience. As Americans, we benefit from the service and sacrifice of our military members. This Memorial Day, may we all offer thanksgiving to God for the men and women who have died defending our ideals, may we support their families, and may we pray for those who continue to serve and place themselves in harm's way on our behalf, whether in the various armed forces or in support of their mission. ABOUT THE AUTHOR John D. Laing teaches systematic theology, philosophy and chaplaincy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a colonel in the United States Army Reserves, serving as the senior chaplain for the Texas Military Department. #May19

Newly elected International Mission Board (IMB) president, Dr. Paul Chitwood, recently visited a border crossing between Colombia and the troubled country of Venezuela. Chitwood shares some of the heartbreaking stories that he heard by people who cross here, sometimes every day. The IMB president expressed gratitude to Southern Baptists whose gifts are allowing Baptist Global Response and IMB missionaries to be here to meet the physical and spiritual needs. #May19

MACOMB TOWNSHIP, MI – Being a mom is one of the most rewarding, yet terrifying, roles of my life. I have two children, Nathan is 12 and Abigail is 6. They are so different, and bring me joy in so many ways. However, I never knew before becoming a mom, all the fear I would experience in this role. As moms, we tend to worry a lot about our kids. In every stage of life, there is something new for us to worry about. When our kids are babies, we tend to worry whether we are feeding them enough. We worry about them when they sleep. Now, we have monitors with video, temperature, and movement readings. We baby proof the house so there is no way they can hurt themselves, and we do all this before they even start walking! When they become toddlers, new fears set in. We follow them around like little helicopters to make sure they don’t fall down, get hurt, or put something in their mouths that might choke them. When my son Nathan, first started school, his bus was an hour late dropping him off on the first day of school. I freaked out. Instead of thinking through the rational reasons why his bus may have been late (first day of school, traffic, driver learning the new route), my mind started spiraling into all the thoughts of the bad things that could have happened. It was a miserable hour that I waited, and yes, I called transportation a few times! This past summer Nathan was old enough to go to summer camp with our youth group. I came up with many reasons why he wasn’t old enough or ready to go away yet. After talking to my husband, our youth pastor, and praying about it a lot, God showed me that it was my fear that was keeping me from allowing him to go. I love this verse: Psalm 139:16 - Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. This verse has made all the difference in my life when it comes to fear and worry. All my kids’ days were written in God’s book, before any of them come to be! I can rest in that! No amount of worrying will ever change what God has ordained for my kids’ lives. When I started reciting this verse and truly believing it, it started changing everything! What about you? Do you have a hard time trusting God with your children? God is sovereign. Sovereign means God is the supreme authority, and all things are under His control. If we truly believe that God is sovereign, then we can trust God with our kids’ futures. He loves them more than we do because he created them. When I sent Nathan to camp last summer, the fear definitely creeped in. I was in tears as the bus pulled away. Every time a fear would come into my mind, I would stop and pray and thank God that he loves Nathan more than I love him, and I would ask God to protect Nathan and keep him safe. Then I would leave Nathan in His hands. The Bible says to take every thought captive, and make it obedient to him. I now refuse to dwell on what I can’t control. This Mother’s Day, I want to challenge you to surrender your kids to God. We aren’t in control anyway! Trust that God has a good plan for their lives, and that He is in control. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen Blanchard 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 Macomb Township. They just celebrated 9 years of God’s blessings and faithfulness on their church! She is Head of Volunteer Experience at Lakepointe and she loves helping people find their “sweet spot” in ministry. She also leads women’s life groups and loves walking beside them in their faith journey. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. #May19

What is Girls Missions Camp? Girls Missions Camp, formerly known as GA/Acteen Camp, has been around almost 60 years. This camp takes place one or two weeks each year, meeting at Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center, and has been faithful to the girls and women of our state. Girls who have finished 3rd through 12th grade come together to make new friends, have fun, learn about missions, and learn about God. Girls are assigned to a family (cabin) group with a coach assigned to every 6-7 girls who live together for the week. Our camp has a yearly theme, and our schedule of activities compliments that theme. Girls participate in daily worship time in which they learn a theme song and listen to God’s word being shared by our missionary. The girls have time to connect with the theme through daily devotion books, bible studies, and missionary studies. They also have the opportunity to interact with God’s nature through activities that interest them with friends like fishing, hiking, crafts, sports, cooking, and drama. Girls love coming together on Thursday night, and having the opportunity to share what they have learned with each other in their own way. Preparation for Camp God provides camp coaches from all over our state who are committed to our campers and love our Lord. Our coaches are active members of our Michigan SBC churches who attend mandatory training every year giving our coaches an understanding of our mission and guidelines used for camp. The training ensures that our camp coaches are trained to mentor the girls through teaching the Bible, educating them about missionaries, sharing the gospel, and encouraging them to see that God has a plan for their lives. Our coaches provide references, go through background checks, and many have committed to serve at camp from 2-25 years, or longer. Much time and prayer is put into camp with some of our camp staff starting the afternoon the girls leave camp to meet, plan and prepare for the next camp. We reflect on how the camp went, and what we can improve next year to stay in the knowledge of what is going on in the world in order to provide training for our coaches in that subject matter. Coaches are trained to recognize abuse, and to be aware of how to handle situations that may come up. There is a nurse/health officer on site 24/7 to distribute medications, and take care of any medical needs and emergencies. Missions Experience Every year we have a missionary representative that comes to camp with us, shares real life experiences, and provides activities and testimonies to help the girls learn about missions, and how they can live out the Great Commission. They challenge girls to listen for God’s plan for their lives. Missionaries range from single missionaries, couple missionaries, and family missionaries, and have served in various places like Yemen, Africa, America and Russia. Girls also have the opportunity to participate in hands on mission projects that allows them to have the opportunity to do something for someone in need. Mom and Me Camp Mom and Me camp gives women of all ages; moms, daughters, grandmothers, and adopted women in a girl’s life the opportunity to experience 24 hours away from everyday life to focus on one another. It also allows a great time for girls who are not old enough to attend the week long camp to come to Bambi Lake to learn about missions with their moms. It gives these younger girls the opportunity to see what camp is all about, and get them excited for the opportunity to attend Girls Missions Camp when they are old enough. Similar to Girls Missions Camp the women and girls are grouped together in family groups to meet others, and participate in many of the same activities as the Girls Missions Camp does and experience them together. Life Changing Experience Mom and Me Weekend and Girls Mission Camp have proven to be life changing for so many of those who have attended. Whether a girl commits to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior, commits to mission service overseas, in her neighborhood, to follow God’s call for her life, every girl leaves camp changed. They experience God in a new and better way each year they come. Many have gone on short term mission trips, and have learned to share Jesus with their friends back home. God has blessed Michigan with Bambi Lake, and we are so glad that we, as coaches, are being used to help change lives and inspire our girls to listen to God’s call. Please consider sharing the publicity inserts with the parents of girls in your church. Challenge them to plan to attend camp this year. We are available to answer any questions you or parents may have. To register for Girls' Mission Camp, click here. To register for Mom and Me Camp, click here. To download a promotional flyer for these events, go to bscm.org/flyers. ABOUT THE AUTHORS This article was written by Mission Camp Team Coaches from the Michigan WMU. #May19

FENTON, MI – You might think I am crazy, if you watched my life without sound. I bounce my shoulders with laughter in my quiet car after a meeting. I shed tears listening to a man share his call to ministry. I throw out a victorious fist-pump into the air after I hear great news! I sob with joy when I am praying with other men. I talk faster and with an ear-to-ear grin without taking a breath when I report another breakthrough in church planting to my wife, my partners in ministry and to complete strangers as a way to bring up the good news of Jesus Christ. I might look crazy, but it is only because I am awed by God’s actions. Let me give you a quick overview of these past six months. Send Network Michigan The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) is the first state to share the distinguished “Send Network” trademark of the North American Mission Board. The highly recognized and respected Send Network brand identifies the church planting division of the state convention. More about “Send Network Michigan” and “Send Detroit” can be found at: sendnetworkmichigan.com bscm.org under “Starting” @sendmichigan for Facebook @sendmichigan for Twitter @senddetroit for Facebook @senddetroitmi for Twitter Because we share the Send Network brand university and seminary graduates, experienced pastors, bi-vocational pastors and laypeople throughout the nation have a strong confidence in Michigan’s church planting ministry. A variety of inspirational videos on the sites listed above explain how the network serves the Lord. Interest has arisen noticeably in recent months. Our state continues to drive its own vision and strategy, but the Send Network supports us in ways you cannot imagine. I am thankful for our partners. Eight Launches During Past Six Months Michigan saw eight churches launch during these past six months because of the prayers, provisions and participation of God’s people and the Lord’s desires. Seven of the eight were right out of the gate whereas Refuge Church, who has been underway for some time, decided to gather weekly for worship services central to their vast community. One Mission Church in Westland with Antonio Wimberly Commonwealth of Faith Church in Redford with Torion Bridges Hope Church in Zeeland with Dave Abberger Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Traverse City with Ricky Pearson Mile City Lyon Church in Lyon Township with Phillip Box Transformation Church in Waterford with Seth Springs Redemption Church Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids with Matt Thompson Refuge Church in Detroit with Drew Ansley (underway but started weekly worship) Two Church Plants Multiply & Two Apprentices Start For years, we have been praying that God would help original church plants create new church plants that flourish. That day has arrived, and the results surpass our expectations. Near the occasion of their four year anniversaries, Redemption Church Grandville and Mile City Plymouth launched two new churches which are Redemption Grand Rapids and Mile City Lyon. Our network celebrates church plants multiplying new generations of church plants. In less than four years, Mile City Plymouth under the leadership of Travis Whittaker has grown rapidly and strongly. Furthermore, Mile City Plymouth planted two churches in less than four years while maintaining healthy growth and momentum: Grumlaw Church in Grand Blanc and now Mile City Lyon mentioned above. Those two new churches appear to be on their trajectory to healthy reproduction in the future. Equally exciting, Mile City Plymouth and Grumlaw Grand Blanc intentionally took on two recently assessed and approved apprentices in preparation for future church plants. Jeremiah Williams, Jason Loewen and their wives will benefit from sharing life with two thriving church plants as they prepare to plant in the near future. At sendnetworkmichigan.com more details about church planting apprenticeships can be found by following the site’s pathway to “Plant” to “Apprenticeship.” Please, reach out to us if you are interested. Seven Children Added to Five Church Planting Families Five church planting families added seven children to their families this winter: John Robinson Guyer was born on January 2 to Michael & Emily Guyer of Treasuring Christ Church, Ann Arbor Noah Cruz Caldwell was born on January 5 to Roland & Tedi Caldwell of the House of Restoration Church, Detroit Lily Joy Springs was born on February 5 to Seth & Taylor Springs of the Transformation Church, Waterford Mahlek, Mya & Jonathon were adopted on March 20 by Joshua & Stephanie Tovey of Redemption Church, Grandville Hannah Elizabeth Marie Bridges was born on April 18 to Torion & Jasmine Bridges of the Commonwealth of Faith Church, Redford Two University Plants Underway & Two Start in September 2019 Another answer to years of prayer, is the unprecedented collaboration I see in what I call new adults, especially those on university campuses throughout the state. Young adults are delaying the start of profitable careers in order to help start new churches in new communities. Other graduates are selecting their post-graduate residence so they can leverage their new careers to help new church plants. We have examples here in Michigan. Baptisms, growth, discipleship and leadership development are well underway on the campuses of Wayne State University in Detroit with New Life Church and Church Planter Kevin Armstrong, and at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with H2O Church and Church Planter Chris Gentz. Two of the newest church planters are preparing to launch during September 2019. Treasuring Christ Church with Church Planter Michael Guyer will lead his launch team to share their lives with the students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Austin Wadlow, another church planter, will lead his launch team to saturate Michigan State University in East Lansing with the good news of Christ. Crazy? As I said, you might think I am crazy, but I assure you I am not. I simply relish, enjoy and celebrate what God is doing in our region. If you are interested in sharing in my experience let me offer you a simple invitation that you can act on right now. Here is the invitation. Detroit’s Catch the Vision Tour: October 14-16, 2019 Pastor Wayne Parker of Merriman Road Baptist Church and Send City Missionary of Detroit with the North American Mission Board invites pastors and associational missionary strategists, including those in Michigan, Ontario and throughout the nation to join him on a 3-day, 2-night guided-tour of Greater Detroit during October 14-16, 2019. Visit communities, meet people and hear the inspiring stories of God’s intervention in the lives of people transformed by the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are interested and want more details please send an email to Wayne Parker at wparker@namb.net. After your visit to Detroit, you will want to invite friends and other churches to return with you to Greater Detroit and experience what God is doing. 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. #May19

FENTON, MI – You might think I am crazy, if you watched my life without sound. I bounce my shoulders with laughter in my quiet car after a meeting. I shed tears listening to a man share his call to ministry. I throw out a victorious fist-pump into the air after I hear great news! I sob with joy when I am praying with other men. I talk faster and with an ear-to-ear grin without taking a breath when I report another breakthrough in church planting to my wife, my partners in ministry and to complete strangers as a way to bring up the good news of Jesus Christ. I might look crazy, but it is only because I am awed by God’s actions. Let me give you a quick overview of these past six months. Send Network Michigan The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) is the first state to share the distinguished “Send Network” trademark of the North American Mission Board. The highly recognized and respected Send Network brand identifies the church planting division of the state convention. More about “Send Network Michigan” and “Send Detroit” can be found at: sendnetworkmichigan.com bscm.org under “Starting” @sendmichigan for Facebook @sendmichigan for Twitter @senddetroit for Facebook @senddetroitmi for Twitter Because we share the Send Network brand university and seminary graduates, experienced pastors, bi-vocational pastors and laypeople throughout the nation have a strong confidence in Michigan’s church planting ministry. A variety of inspirational videos on the sites listed above explain how the network serves the Lord. Interest has arisen noticeably in recent months. Our state continues to drive its own vision and strategy, but the Send Network supports us in ways you cannot imagine. I am thankful for our partners. Eight Launches During Past Six Months Michigan saw eight churches launch during these past six months because of the prayers, provisions and participation of God’s people and the Lord’s desires. Seven of the eight were right out of the gate whereas Refuge Church, who has been underway for some time, decided to gather weekly for worship services central to their vast community. One Mission Church in Westland with Antonio Wimberly Commonwealth of Faith Church in Redford with Torion Bridges Hope Church in Zeeland with Dave Abberger Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Traverse City with Ricky Pearson Mile City Lyon Church in Lyon Township with Phillip Box Transformation Church in Waterford with Seth Springs Redemption Church Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids with Matt Thompson Refuge Church in Detroit with Drew Ansley (underway but started weekly worship) Two Church Plants Multiply & Two Apprentices Start For years, we have been praying that God would help original church plants create new church plants that flourish. That day has arrived, and the results surpass our expectations. Near the occasion of their four year anniversaries, Redemption Church Grandville and Mile City Plymouth launched two new churches which are Redemption Grand Rapids and Mile City Lyon. Our network celebrates church plants multiplying new generations of church plants. In less than four years, Mile City Plymouth under the leadership of Travis Whittaker has grown rapidly and strongly. Furthermore, Mile City Plymouth planted two churches in less than four years while maintaining healthy growth and momentum: Grumlaw Church in Grand Blanc and now Mile City Lyon mentioned above. Those two new churches appear to be on their trajectory to healthy reproduction in the future. Equally exciting, Mile City Plymouth and Grumlaw Grand Blanc intentionally took on two recently assessed and approved apprentices in preparation for future church plants. Jeremiah Williams, Jason Loewen and their wives will benefit from sharing life with two thriving church plants as they prepare to plant in the near future. At sendnetworkmichigan.com more details about church planting apprenticeships can be found by following the site’s pathway to “Plant” to “Apprenticeship.” Please, reach out to us if you are interested. Seven Children Added to Five Church Planting Families Five church planting families added seven children to their families this winter: John Robinson Guyer was born on January 2 to Michael & Emily Guyer of Treasuring Christ Church, Ann Arbor Noah Cruz Caldwell was born on January 5 to Roland & Tedi Caldwell of the House of Restoration Church, Detroit Lily Joy Springs was born on February 5 to Seth & Taylor Springs of the Transformation Church, Waterford Mahlek, Mya & Jonathon were adopted on March 20 by Joshua & Stephanie Tovey of Redemption Church, Grandville Hannah Elizabeth Marie Bridges was born on April 18 to Torion & Jasmine Bridges of the Commonwealth of Faith Church, Redford Two University Plants Underway & Two Start in September 2019 Another answer to years of prayer, is the unprecedented collaboration I see in what I call new adults, especially those on university campuses throughout the state. Young adults are delaying the start of profitable careers in order to help start new churches in new communities. Other graduates are selecting their post-graduate residence so they can leverage their new careers to help new church plants. We have examples here in Michigan. Baptisms, growth, discipleship and leadership development are well underway on the campuses of Wayne State University in Detroit with New Life Church and Church Planter Kevin Armstrong, and at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with H2O Church and Church Planter Chris Gentz. Two of the newest church planters are preparing to launch during September 2019. Treasuring Christ Church with Church Planter Michael Guyer will lead his launch team to share their lives with the students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Austin Wadlow, another church planter, will lead his launch team to saturate Michigan State University in East Lansing with the good news of Christ. Crazy? As I said, you might think I am crazy, but I assure you I am not. I simply relish, enjoy and celebrate what God is doing in our region. If you are interested in sharing in my experience let me offer you a simple invitation that you can act on right now. Here is the invitation. Detroit’s Catch the Vision Tour: October 14-16, 2019 Pastor Wayne Parker of Merriman Road Baptist Church and Send City Missionary of Detroit with the North American Mission Board invites pastors and associational missionary strategists, including those in Michigan, Ontario and throughout the nation to join him on a 3-day, 2-night guided-tour of Greater Detroit during October 14-16, 2019. Visit communities, meet people and hear the inspiring stories of God’s intervention in the lives of people transformed by the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are interested and want more details please send an email to Wayne Parker at wparker@namb.net. After your visit to Detroit, you will want to invite friends and other churches to return with you to Greater Detroit and experience what God is doing. 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. #May19

RIVERSIDE, CA – The video produced to promote Send Network Michigan was recognized at the annual gathering of communicators from Southern Baptist state conventions, universities, seminaries and other organizations. The Baptist Communicators Association (BCA) held its annual workshop and competition in Riverside, California. The video was awarded 2nd Place in the category for short promotional videos. Send Network Michigan is the pilot partnership with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Its purpose is to promote the relationship between church planters and partnering churches to establish new churches in the Michigan region. The video describes all the contributions of Michigan and the Great Lakes region. It shows the cars, resources and music that come from here. It explains how starting new churches is the most effective way to reach everyone in the region with the gospel in a way that they can understand. It invites those considering God’s call to start a new church, whether they are a church planter or a partnering church, to consider Michigan as a ready field to plant. The Baptist State Convention of Michigan’s (BSCM) communication team, oneMISSION.tv, are members of the Baptist Communicators Association (BCA), and submitted the Send Network Michigan video for competition. #May19

As Christians, the Great Commission is to share our faith through evangelism. However; many of the members in our congregations feel they are not adequately prepared to share the Good News. The Michigan Shift Conference 2019 was one tool that was made available to assist in training our congregations so they can be prepared to share their faith. Traditionally, our church Sunday school classes were considered the headquarters for developing the knowledge to learn how to share your faith. Today, churches are experiencing lower attendance due to the changing priorities in our families. The Michigan Shift Conference 2019 was designed so that the entire family could participate in learning how to share their faith and provide the tools to assist in discipleship. Our congregations must be trained in order to answer the questions today’s generation is asking. Many of the younger generation want to know the real Jesus. Often, our members are not prepared to provide a correct biblical response. The Shift conference had workshops available to help answer those questions. Our churches are full of people who agree that we should share our faith and be prepared to answer questions regarding Jesus and Christianity, but many of those same people will say they are not ready. The Shift Conference filled that void. To set the spiritual atmosphere, a special prayer concert took place on March 23, 2019 at the Detroit Association office to lift up the various presenters and those who attended the Shift Conference.There were three primary goals for the Shift Conference this year. First, to provide information which will equip pastors, church leaders and church members to share the gospel of Jesus Christ unashamedly. Second, to offer workshops for all age groups in the church and to address the needs of each group. Finally, to have an audience which reflects diversity within the body of Jesus Christ and to praise our God in one voice. To achieve these goals, we asked Pastor Fred Luter, the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) African American President to open our conference with an inspirational message.The conference had other SBC leaders providing impactful workshops. They included Preparing the Next Generation, Reaching Young Couples in Today’s Culture, Ministering to our Youth, Learning to Lead Me, and a Women’s Symposium. LifeWay Resources was represented at the conference by Mark Croston and Michael Pigg. Our SBC Executive Committee Vice President Ken Weathersby also presented a workshop on SBC Life. The Shift Conference was held at People’s Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit. Next year’s Shift Conference will be held on April 3rd and 4th at the Middlebelt Baptist Church in Inkster. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stan Parker is senior pastor of Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Lansing, MI and a regular contributor to the Baptist Beacon. #May19