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DALLAS, TX (BP) – Among a sea of attendees and volunteers in the Dr. Pepper Arena, the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board's Send Conference challenged attendees to examine and redefine their lives on mission. More than 4,000 people paid and registered for the sold-out conference May 19-20 less than 30 miles north of Dallas in Frisco, Texas, which drew people from all states and three continents. "Be careful not to manufacture a heart for missions outside a heart for Christ," IMB president David Platt said to the crowd during opening session. "There is no one without the other, and if you think there is, you've got to redefine your thinking. There are times in your life that are redefining, and that's what we're praying the next couple of days will be." The theme, Redefine, brought church revitalizer John Herring of First Baptist Church in Prosper, Texas, back to Send even though he had attended the first one in Long Beach, Ca., earlier this year in February. This time, Herring brought 20 church members to Dallas for two days of biblical teaching and next steps. "The conference was encouraging and refreshing for us personally, and it was incredibly helpful for us in our work at First Prosper," Herring said. "We talk a lot about Jesus' mission at our church -- that we are called to be sent. Send helped us refocus on that mission and put feet to it." Send in Dallas included worship led by Austin Stone Worship, Thomas Keys III and Crowder, and main sessions and breakouts with 30 diverse topics and speakers. "The breakout sessions were especially helpful," Herring noted. "At the conclusion of Send, my notebook was filled with pages of ideas and resources. What a blessing to have some 'blue sky' moments under the wisdom of these experienced leaders." Church planter Aaron Clayton of Remedy Church in Waxahachie, Texas, was also taking notes with hopes to bring back "some nuts and bolts for how we can effectively equip and send church planters." "I am also looking forward to bringing back some fresh enthusiasm and energy," Clayton said. "I am hoping our people catch more of the vision for why and how they can live on mission in all of life. I hope they feel better equipped and more confident themselves and in their ability to rally together in community to live out the mission of God." With breakouts such as "Addressing poverty through local schools," "Risk in missions," "Leading women to advance the Gospel," "Leveraging the power of ordinary" and "Giving purpose to our jobs," the conference reinforced how every believer -- at any time -- can be on mission. New Orleans youth minister and bivocational church planter Dallas Guidry, of Lakeshore Church in Louisiana, called the conference "unlike any other." "There are so many lost where our church plant is," Guidry said. "But it's all about relationships. Right now, I'm in seminary and coaching a baseball team. I'm developing trust and relationships with those around me by being engaged in the community. And coming to this Send conference, I feel more refreshed than ever. It's awesome to see how people here are so willing to support one another in living on mission for God's glory. Everything we do is for Him." A similar spirit and enthusiasm for missions gripped many hearts at the event. Georgia College and State University (GCSU) student Carson Gregors and her peers drove 14 hours to attend Send in Dallas. Gregors and 12 others started Full Accord Ministry (FAM) to serve their fellow students on campus with authentic family relationships. They attended the Send Conference to take leadership tips and engagement tactics home to students at GCSU in Milledgeville, Ga. "I was especially looking forward to what Kathy Litton had to say about women in mission," she said. "She has incredible insight and hearing her breakout talk was inspiring. It was so great to hear such strong truth spoken over discipleship. It revolutionized how I'm going to approach my small group when I get back to school in the fall." "It's so encouraging to see thousands of people at an event focused on helping believers take Jesus to the people around them as an everyday lifestyle," said Kevin Ezell, NAMB's president. "I am thrilled as well to see such a young, diverse group. So many pastors worked hard to bring their people. The conference is for them, so it is great to see so many participate." Every video, social media post, breakout and main session was designed to share messages that moved people toward their next missional opportunity. "It's exhilarating to see local churches taking mission seriously," Platt said. "And that's what this conference is all about: Men and women from churches in all 50 states and Canada -- and a few other countries, as well -- considering how God has sent them right where they live for the spread of the Gospel and contemplating where God might lead them around the world to people who've never heard of the Gospel. "It's an awesome sight," he said, "to see thousands of people at a conference representing thousands of churches in the SBC and beyond who together are saying that we want to spend our lives making disciples from our neighbors to the nations." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Josie Bingham is a writer for the North American Mission Board. #JUNE17

FENTON, MI – “Diets are for people who are thick and tired of it!” I read that line in one of those humorous greeting cards some years ago, and I have never forgotten it. It sort of sums up the whole reason for trying to cut back on the groceries and trim off a few pounds. Since our married life began, Sabrina and I have been on some kind of a diet for each and every day of that span of time. Being in ministry is not conducive for healthy eating. There are way too many pot-luck dinners, socials, banquets, weddings, anniversaries and lunch meetings. In the midst of all of that “fellowshipping”, we have dieted. You name it! We have tried it! Fad diets. Sane diets. Insane diets. Grapefruit diets. Protein diets. No fat diets. No sugar diets. Hot dog diets. (Really! I liked this one since I am a connoisseur of quality dogs.) The one characteristic of each and every one of those diets is that I get hungry. I mean the kind of hungry that tells your stomach that your throat has been cut. Not just hungry in general, but specifically and pointedly hungry. Anyone can eat enough grapefruit so that you won’t have an unquenchable desire for much of anything. You will just have an enormous urge to go to the bathroom. Yet a craving hunger goes beyond the general. Some time ago, Sabrina and I decide to get serious about our weight and began a sensible and balanced diet. (Well, she is serious about it!) She works really hard at it and I periodically work hard at it. But the truth of the matter is that I still get hungry for certain things. Some days I just want a big ol’ juicy hot dog with all the trimmings. Nothing else will do. It’s got to be a “dog” and not some imitation soy substitute. That which you crave is the only thing that will satisfy a craving hunger. Nothing else will do. What is fascinating to me is that you don’t REALLY crave something until you cannot have it. At least I don’t. When something is taken away and is no longer available then the desire for that one object becomes unbearable. I crave a great many things in my life. Not just food. I crave and long for places and periods in life that have brought me great joy or peace. I long for the sounds and seasons of days gone by and the feelings of comfort that come from carefree days of a less cluttered life. I hunger and crave for old friends and family. It has become apparent that I have a desperately gnawing father hunger. It is a hunger to be with and talk to my father who has been gone for many years now. It is a hunger to hear his voice and glean from him words of wisdom and advice. To sing along with one of his old country songs and smell the sweet aroma of Old Spice after his morning shower. I have a hunger to go fishing at Shores Creek, and gather wild plums in old well buckets and paper grocery sacks. It’s a hunger to eat pecans freshly exposed by a deft hand and very sharp, Old Timer pocket knife. There is a hunger in my soul to play catch in the back yard with a new ball glove and a patient pitcher who never threw to hard. Nagging at my heart is a hunger to work on an old 1950 Chevy truck with a man that knew every bolt and nut of that antique machine personally. There is a hunger in me to hunt jackrabbits on a cold winter night, and hear my father tell of how good he is with a pistol and then watch him amaze me with the facts. When cravings such as these for my dad begin to pull at my soul until it aches, it is then that I am reminded as to how temporal and fragile our lives really are. Many times we speak of the “tie that binds” not realizing how frayed this cord has become. Any and all of us are but just a threads breadth away from death. Just the slightest of a tug from heaven will cause it to snap and the separation is complete. The way I see things is that there are certain hungers and cravings that should not be denied while others should be battled with all our might. Foods filled with fat-grams, saturated with sugar, and chocked full of cholesterol should be denied. But father hungers and the like, should be joyfully surrendered to. I have taken a long hard look at our physiques and have determined that fat is going to be with us forever, but our fathers will not. Give in to the cravings that really count while you can. Love and indulge your father cravings while he is still here. Not just on Father’s Day, but every day. I miss you, Dad. 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. #JUNE17

FENTON, MI – Pastor Jim Marcus, the Genesee Baptist Associational Director of Missions and I walked onto the campus of the “International Learning Center” (ILC) and stayed overnight where our missionaries prepare for overseas service. Many of them refer to it affectionately as “The Farm.” It is located in the rolling hills outside of Richmond, Virginia with a calming lake as you drive in and a backdrop of trees surrounding one edge of the campus like a dark emerald tiara. Jim and I were overwhelmed by the limitless opportunities to serve God overseas. The International Mission Board (IMB), under the leadership of Dr. David Platt, is mobilizing lay people in ways never seen before in the history of the IMB. When Dr. Platt joined our session to share from his heart we felt the burden he carried and felt the hope he has placed in the lay people found within the churches. Language learning Cultural studies Tribes The Gospel Church planting Making disciples Risk taking Leaving family members behind College students, professionals, retired baby-boomers and even high school students are provided paths of overseas service lasting from a few weeks to years. Below are a few of the opportunities available to you and your church: internationally, in North America, and in Michigan. Imagine and dream big as you read. By cooperating with others, our churches can engage people groups and populations outside of our local congregations. Here are 3 interesting options with different time demands and costs you may pray about participating. INTERNATIONAL – www.imb.org $300 - $3,000 with 1-2 day travel times Missions College, January 15-19, 2018 at approximately $300 includes training, housing, and meals at the International Learning Center in Rockville, VA. An intensive week of missions training for churches interested or already engaged in mission opportunities. Connect with missionaries and learn best practices in missions directly from those serving in East Asia, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Write to info@imb.org indicating you would like more information. Global Cities Initiative – www.imb.org/global-cities-initiative Submit you’re an application to get involved in 1 of 4 world-class cities. Mission Trips to China – contact me & I will put in you contact with “Wally,” our International Mission Board liaison to East Asian Peoples. NORTH AMERICA – www.bscm.org/montreal or www.namb.net $1,000 - $2,000 with 1 day travel time Help new and young church plants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada who are experiencing a season of harvest by contacting Chad Vandiver, 940-268-6792 or cvandiver@namb.net - a missionary strategist who connects volunteers with churches for 5-10 day mission trips. MICHIGAN – www.bscm.org/sendmemi $100 - $500 with ½ day to 1 day travel times By searching our own website page, www.bscm.org/sendmemi - you can discover the pastors, locations, and email addresses of those churches within our state who would welcome your partnership. Your people will grow in the challenge while their congregation grows in size. If you have further questions or desire more details on how you, your church, or your association write or call me at tlynn@namb.net or (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. #JUNE17

FENTON, MI – Shar and I sat across the table from our youngest son Jon and his fiancé Bonnie. They were in their second year of college and we were glad to see them. Jon caught us completely off guard a few weeks earlier when he told us that he was getting an apartment. Between classes, work and time with Bonnie, we only caught glimpses of him coming and going. I was seriously not ready for him to move out. We helped him move, but as we left him at his apartment there was a loneliness in me that's hard to describe. As we drove away I realized I wasn't ready to be an empty nester. I should have been. We had been through a similar situation when our oldest son, Christian, moved out. He was in college and engaged to Brooke. He bought a house and rented rooms to his buddies until just before he married Brooke. The rehearsal was emotionally draining. I could hardly say a word without crying. I blubbered through the whole evening. It was so bad I wondered if I could make it through the ceremony - so did everyone else. With God's help, I pulled myself together and the ceremony was beautiful. Now we were sitting across from Jon and Bonnie. They dated through much of high school and Bonnie was already a part of our lives. I could hardly believe what Jon was saying. He had just moved out in May, gotten engaged in June, and now he was telling us that they were getting married in August. I thought we were just going to have dinner! I sat there with a blank look on my face as I tried to process it all. My head was spinning. I'm so grateful for my wife. Shar responded with incredible joy at the news. Her response pulled me out of my shock, and helped me respond with the support I had deep in my heart for them. I was honored when they asked me to perform the wedding ceremony. Two and a half decades of our lives had been wrapped up in parenting. We struggled for a while with infertility and a miscarriage of our first child, but God blessed us with two incredible boys. Now we were entering a new phase of life as our youngest son moved out and got married. We were living the reality of God's plan: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It's been ten years since Jon and Bonnie were married and 12 for Christian and Brooke. Tears of gratitude rolled down my cheeks several times as I thought about these events. It was hard to see them leave home, but we watched two men follow God's plan and two parents' prayers for strength, guidance, and wisdom answered. God was going to take me through another growing season in my life. What felt like loss at the time ushered us into a new phase of life. God was taking us to a new place where He would teach us new truths and help us experience joys we never imagined. We didn't lose two sons. We gained two daughters. Brooke is a totally devoted mother and doing an incredible job raising our grandchildren. I couldn't be more proud of the father Christian has become. Our eight-year-old granddaughter, Iris, just had her first dance recital. Her six-year-old brother, Ethan, gave her a bouquet of flowers. Bonnie is in Cambodia for two weeks working with the underprivileged, and Jon just helped the company he works for through a successful merger. As for the empty nest......if I had only known! 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. #JUNE17

ROSCOMMON, MI – One hour into our canoe trip and I was beginning to think maybe marriage was a bad idea. No, we were not married yet but we were engaged. How could I marry someone who obviously had no idea how to paddle a canoe, keep us out of the bushes, or just keep balanced. Needless to say our conversation (arguing) and sarcastic remarks did not bring out the best in each other. I was a big selfish jerk, she was a frustrating human being, and we were supposed to be having fun! Two hours later and still in the canoe we couldn't go in a straight line or keep off the shallows, but we were laughing and cracking jokes in the rain. It turned out to be one the best memories we share now as a married couple of twenty-two years. Yes, I can still be a jerk, and yes, I now realize she is perfect (she will probably read this article). The point is we worked it out. We were stuck in a canoe. Working it out, and working together was the only way we could reach our destination. Together we were still a mess, we weren't going to win any canoe races, but together we could survive and finish the trip and amazingly love each other even more than we did before. My wife and I have discovered that if we choose to let problems and circumstances pull us apart, they will. If we choose to lean on each other, we become stronger and closer as husband and wife. Of course, frustration, blame, selfishness and "strong" discussion still happens from time to time, but humility and forgiveness brings us and keeps us together. In our relationship with Christ, we make the same choice. We can choose to back away and blame Him, or with humility and by asking forgiveness, we can lean into Him and discover a strength and depth of relationship like we have never known. The more we learn to trust Christ in the canoe trips of life, the easier it is as a couple to do the same. We have decided that being stuck in the canoe is okay as long as Jesus is in it too! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Schatz, State Director of Spiritual Enrichments and Retreats since March 1, 2017 when he moved from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. He and his wife Jackie have 3 children, Julia, Noah, and Emily. #JUNE17

BURTON, MI – Being a “good mother,” the title we as moms hope to achieve is a whole lot easier said than done. It doesn’t just happen. My first year as a mother I felt mostly unprepared and inadequate to the task. To be honest, this still is a struggle for me from time to time. I had believed that I had a pretty decent grasp on the expectations of motherhood. I read the books and went to the classes, but this small yet potent gift of life still threw me curveballs every day. Not only this, but I also felt pressure from all directions about how this should be a “natural thing”, but natural doesn't equal easy. And then the questions come especially for those who serve as the spouses of church leaders. On my first Mother's Day, I was asked what it meant to me to be a mother. Hmm? In one word,sacrifice. It's probably not the usual expected response, but it's a very real one. I began to realize that I couldn't be all things and do all things, or at least all the “expected things.” It was time to prioritize for my child(ren) or present the best acceptable image. I'm not a high maintenance person to begin with, but I still had some areas that needed to be scaled back. I placed a lot of weight on what others thought of me and my reputation (hmm… what’s a people pleaser, again?). But now here was this first baby (followed later by three more beauties) that did not always follow a schedule, and did not like to sleep in their crib. Added to this, the often disapproving looks would fall on my wee free spirit child(ren). I began receiving more advice and even more parenting books on how I could do and be better. As these children became the fiery strong-willed toddler, the quiet but rugged bam-bam, the care-free dancer, or the play-filled rascal, I have had much of my walls peeled back exposing my soft spots. There have been many days I felt under attack for the actions of these little created beings. These children are who they were meant to be, not a blank slate to fill in what I wanted. Though God has charged me to guide, teach, and disciple them, I am reminded that it is God who has uniquely designed each of them in my womb (Psalm 139) and He has uniquely designed me (Ephesians 2:10) to parent them. God has a plan to better both the child and the mom. Where you are not enough, God gives the extra measure. At the end of it all, we will stand before the all-knowing, all-powerful, always-present God and give an account of how we invested in His treasures. There will be no mother-in-law, Pinterest mom, or well-meaning older woman standing there for approval. Just the gracious King saying “well done” to His faithful followers. Seek wise counsel to be the sacrificial parent, but do not forget who is the wisest of Counselors. He is with you, child of God we call… mothers. ABOUT THE OTHER Melinda Taylor is a wife, a mother of 4, a homeschool teacher and a registered nurse in Flint, MI. She attends Eastgate Baptist Church in Burton, MI where she leads the Awana ministry. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a mom when I grew up. That was my dream job--my plan. However...... life doesn't always work out the way we plan it. Proverbs 16:9 says, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." Mike and I married while in college. Our plan was to wait until he finished seminary before having children. Everything was going according to plan until...... Mike's 9 year-old brother came to stay the summer with us. After making some plans of his own, he approached us. "You know, I should go to school here. You'd be like my mom and dad. We could be a family." That's all it took for me. I tried so hard to be his mom, but I couldn't. He already had one and it wasn't me. Sometime later, we decided we were "ready" to begin our family. Months went by and nothing happened. It never occurred to me that I might not be able to have children. "What if God doesn't give me any?" What if He wanted me to give all my motherly love to Mike's little brother? The reality of Sara, Hannah, and Elizabeth of ancient days became more real to me than ever. For the first time, I got a glimpse of what it's like to be barren. Then, it finally happened! My folks came to visit and brought me all kinds of maternity clothes. But I miscarried. God showed the agony over loss of life before even holding your baby. Too quickly afterward, we conceived again. I was afraid I would not be able to carry this baby and would lose yet another. It wasn't until the 4th month we told people. Three weeks early, our 9 lb. son, Christian, was born. The doctor said, "It's a boy!", I shouted, "Praise God it's a boy!" Two years later, our son, Jonathan, was born, weighing in at 10 lbs, 9 oz. Like so many American couples, we were done after two. It wasn't until years later it occurred to me: we never even asked our Heavenly Father about it. We just made our own plans. God gave us two beautiful daughter-in-laws: Brooke and Bonnie. Our family wouldn't be complete without them. Honestly, we couldn't have hand-picked them better. Being a mother-in-law is a whole different experience. For me, it's a joy. A few years ago, Brooke's mom passed into eternity. She'd been ill most of Brooke's life, but no one expected she would die so young. I will never be her mother, but now my role has an even deeper meaning for both of us. Grandchildren are one of God's best ideas. It's not just because you get to spoil them and send them home. (That is wonderful, though). The impossible task of being the "perfect parent" is no longer a burden. Through the years, we grow more patient. Priorities change. We're not in such a hurry all the time. When I'm with our grandchildren, I could let the rest of the world pass by. Grandma love is a very special, unexplainable love. My mother is 84 years old. I don't know how much longer I will have her. She's a widow, she's slowing down, and needs help sometimes. "I hate to keep asking you to do stuff," she says. My repeated response is, "I'm sure we're not even yet, for all my diapers you changed." As my mom enjoyed living her dream of being a mom, I, too, have been blessed by how God made me and the privilege of loving on them, their spouses and now grandchildren. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shar Durbin has served alongside her husband, Mike, in ministry in Kentucky, Michigan, Brazil, then back home in Michigan. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – Motherhood is very rewarding, but it can also be very demanding. Scripture shares that Eve was the first example of a mother. Poor Eve had many firsts! She was the first to encounter Satan, the first to be tempted, and worst of all she was the first to sin. Because of her sin, she was also the first woman to go through a painful childbirth all by herself. No doctor, no one coaching her on correct breathing techniques and definitely nothing for the pain. But, the rewards were great. She had her precious son in her arms to raise into the man of God he was intended to become. Then came son number two. She experienced all the pain as before as well as the great reward in the end of holding another precious son in her arms. We are not exactly sure how many children Eve had, but Genesis does tell us she had other children. You have to give this first mother some credit in rearing her children. She didn't have any examples or books to read on how to cope with a newborn that cries all night, or how to handle temper tantrums, little girls that cry over everything (and I mean everything), or how to deal with hormonal teenagers. No, she had to learn on her own. In spite of all the hardships and demands children can bring at times, I'm sure Eve had wonderful moments with all her children, as well. But we can never forget, Eve was also the first mother to suffer heartache from her children. What heart terror just knowing that one of your sons had became so angry with his brother that he had killed him. Eve had the heartbreak of burying her firstborn son, but also the heartbreak of understanding the dreadful impact sin has on one's life. She lost both sons that day. Scripture doesn't give us much insight into her life, but it had to be difficult for her to bear. In contrast, our 4-year-old granddaughter, Kailyn, was visiting at Christmas one year when we were making our annual Christmas traditional birthday cake for Jesus. When someone would come around she would announce, "Christmas is Jesus' birthday and we're going to make Him a cake." Then she got very thoughtful and proclaimed, "But He is up in the sky and cannot come down to eat the cake, so we have to eat it." We do receive many blessings because of Jesus and some of them are as sweet as birthday cake. One of my sweetest blessings God has given me in this life is being the mother of my two sons and the grandmother of my six beautiful granddaughters. One of those joyous times came when the next to the oldest granddaughter, Sarah, was five years old. She was at my house spending the night, as she did on many occasions, and was doing one of her favorite things that she loved to do at my house, which was swim in my very large garden tub with her sister. On this one occasion, she had pulled the stopper to let the water run down the drain, so I picked up her sister to dry her off and get her something to eat. I could hear Sarah playing in the now waterless bathtub so I believed all was harmless. I kept checking on her, but didn't want to stop her fun as she was laughing, rolling around in the bottom of the tub and sliding down the back of the tub, as if she were having the time of her life. When she called me to come get her out I wondered then why she didn't just get out on her own like she always did. I quickly found out why she couldn't get out on her own. When I went to lift her out of the tub she slid right through my hands. She was one great big slime ball! You see, I had left the "Body" Baby Oil on the edge of the tub and she was just beginning to read. She looked at me when she saw the look on my face and quickly said, "It says body, so I used it for my body" and was so pleased with herself. Yes, it was for the body, but not half a bottle at one time. Do you know baby oil does not wash out? I washed her hair three times in dawn dishwashing soap and she still went to church the next day with very oily hair. It took over a week for the baby oil to wear off. So we may not be going through a lot of "firsts" like Eve, but we are mothers who experience the same up and down emotions, feelings, childbirth, motherhood, child rearing, and then even becoming grandmothers as Eve did. We may not be the first mother, but in our "mothering", who is first in our lives? When we keep Christ first in our lives, that's when we can become the mother he intended us to become. When we keep Christ first in our lives, then we are able to deal with the temptations that come our way. When we keep Christ first, He will give us the strength to become the best mothers we were meant to be. When we keep Christ first, then we can rest in Him when we go through the worst heartache we have ever experienced. My question for you, “Is Christ first in your life?” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sabrina Patterson, wife, mother, grandmother, Bible teacher, and conference leader. Genuine lover of the Lord. Born and raised in Jal, New Mexico. She lived all her married life in Texas and Florida. She is the wife of Pastor Tim Patterson, Executive Director of the Baptist State Director of Michigan. #MAY17

The Baptist State Convention of Michigan wants to hear about your mission trip, so they have designed a simple three question survey at BSCM.org/survey. The survey can be completed in less than one minute, but will help the BSCM serve Michigan Baptists with resources and future mission opportunities. BSCM staff are looking forward to your helpful feedback. #MAY17

BESSEMER, MI – As a pastor, I encourage people to visit the churches in their area because different families and people have different personalities, and the churches in communities will appeal to different people for different reasons. As the leader of our family, when we move to a new area, we conduct internet searches and list a number of churches in our area we would like to visit before selecting a church to join. This can be a long process as we would not settle for one visit, but would make multiple visits to churches so we would have more than just a snapshot of their services. We wanted to make an informed decision. Of course, if we found a church during our shopping we liked, we stopped shopping. There is no need to keep shopping when a fit is found. Hang a shingle and become active in the church. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4: 1-6, there is one Spirit and one body, so get active and begin lifting others, growing in faith, and lifting the whole body. It is important to become active with the church as each believer has a role within the church. So many have forgotten they belong to something bigger than themselves in the church, instead focusing on themselves while shorting the rest of the body. Like I said, I support shopping after a move because options exist. But once a fit is identified, make the relationship with the body personal. The problem occurs when people find a church, but elect not to get involved. What I witness happening with people that do not get involved is a problem of shallow faith. Not only is the faith shallow, it frequently also comes with an extra dose of judgment on others. The church hopper frequently recognizes the hopping tendency in their practices without seeing they might be the problem. The hopper is not shopping for a church to get active in, the hopper is looking for their next reason to leave, and that reason is you or me, but seldom them. Maybe someone is wearing something they do not like, or the church does not play enough hymns, or the church plays too many hymns. The problem is not the church, even when the church has problems; the real issue is the hopper thinks the church exists to please them, instead of glorifying God. This is a terribly sinful way to avoid fellowship and membership in a body. Instead of getting active, bearing one another’s burdens, and being part of something bigger than themselves (Gal 6: 1-10), the hopper leaves for greener pastures. The church hopper finds reasons to leave, and before long, discovers they have exhausted every church in the community. What the church hopper is missing is the only reason to stay in any church. God took mercy on man and sent Jesus to die in our place. We could not earn or buy our way into heaven and eternal life, so God opened the door through the work of Jesus. In response, we sinfully put ourselves as the reason for the church and ignore the lesson of the nine lepers that did not return to glorify God and worship Jesus (Luke 17: 11-19). One out of ten recognized the mercy of God in his restoration and went to the source. The others focused on themselves, ritual cleanliness, and went in search of a human priest. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ian Minielly is pastor of Catalyst Baptist Church located in Bessemer, MI. He is also a NAMB/BSCM Church Planter to “the farthest northwest reaches of Michigan.” #MAY17

FENTON, MI – As a pastor, when I would attend a meeting with other pastors, the conversation would always find its way to the subject of preaching. Without fail, the question would arise, “Do you know of any good resources and or commentaries for….?” Together we would pool our knowledge and try to compile a helpful list. I just received a copy of Dr. David Allen's book, Preaching Tools, published by Seminary Hill Press. It does an admirable job of listing the best commentaries and preaching resources for every book of the Bible. He has prepared the lists with the theologically conservative expository preacher in mind. What he does that is truly helpful is to compile them for each book under three different categories: • Exegetical Commentaries. • Expository Commentaries. • Devotional Commentaries. • And in some cases, Special Studies. A brief one or two sentence description is provided, along with the author, title, publisher and date. It is my opinion that this book is a must for the library of every preacher and student of the Word. I wholeheartedly recommend Preaching Tools to you. 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. #MAY17

BATTLE CREEK, MI – When my husband, Roy, and I married thirteen years ago, being a pastor’s wife was not on my radar. Our plan was for Roy to finish up his PhD and become a college professor. That, however, was not God’s plan for us, and after five years of marriage my husband submitted to his calling to be in ministry. That meant that me, with all my doubts, fears, opinions, and insecurities would stand alongside my husband with a new title of pastor’s wife, and that caused me much uncertainty. So what is it about the title “pastor’s wife” that caused me, and probably many others, so much doubt and anxiety? I never used to worry or think twice about what people would think, but suddenly my life would be viewed under the microscope with the title of “pastor’s wife”. For example, would others question my motives for working fulltime outside the home? For sending my kids to public school instead of homeschooling? Those concerns (and many more) flooded my mind. I felt that there had been a whole new set of expectations thrust upon me, and I had no idea how to live up to it all. In the days and weeks that followed, I prayed and began to explore what God’s expectations were for me in this new role. Again and again, He revealed to me three simple expectations. Love Jesus. Love your husband. Love His church. Love Jesus - The first and most important expectation is to love Jesus. In Deuteronomy 6:5 we are told to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might, meaning that we are to love God with all that we are and all that we have. Our love for Jesus must be the priority, above our families, above our jobs, above our to-do lists. Only when we love Jesus most completely, can we love others most honestly. Love your husband - As pastors, our husbands are on the spiritual frontlines every single day and they need us to fight for them, not against them. The enemy would love to see a minister of the gospel proclaiming God’s word crumble. We need to love our husbands in a way that encourages, strengthens, and enables them to stand strong. Respect their calling to ministry and support them as they meet the needs of the church, even during those days and weeks when it means we must sacrifice some of our wants. As a wife you know your husband better than anyone else. Love him in a way that points Him towards Christ so that he may be empowered to live out the calling as a Pastor from the Lord. Love His church - Meeting this expectation can be tough. For so many pastor’s wives, the church has been a source of judgment and pain. There are many demands and sacrifices that a pastor’s wife must make for the church and it can be easy to allow those hard things to get in the way of seeing the church for what it is - the beautifully broken tool that God ordained to use to serve, edify, encourage, and evangelize to a bruised and broken world. So, love His church for what God created it to be. Find joy in being with His people. Forgive those who cause strife and pain, and remember no offense that has been committed against you is more severe than the offense we committed against Jesus that resulted in Him being nailed to the cross. Meeting expectations is not always easy but we can always meet God’s expectations through His love and grace. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aryn and her family live in Tekonsha, MI and her husband, Roy, is the Senior Pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Battle Creek, MI. She is a mother a three, special education teacher in a small public school, and the women’s ministry director at Faith Baptist. #MAY17