Search Results

ROSCOMMON, MI – This month Bambi Lake will host its first-ever motorcycle event on September 16th-18th! It will be a time of renewal and refreshing. It will be a great time to unite together in the beautiful surroundings God created at Bambi Lake. Everyone is welcome no matter what or if you ride. The theme is "Can These Bones Live?" based on Ezekiel 37:1-14. God tells the dry bones to hear the word of the Lord. The bones pull together with muscle, flesh, and breath and begin to live. That's something only God can do in our lives. Join us for some bone refreshing in the Lord. There will also be a color ride of cruising Northern Michigan's great scenery at such a perfect time of the year. Registration is open now. Go to bambilake.campbrainregistration.com or call (989) 275-5844 or check out the event page on Facebook at facebook.com/mrbcfaithriders/events Registration is now open! The pricing for 4 meals and 2 nights lodging at Bambi Lake: 1 per room = $122 2 per room = $102 3 per room = $86 4 per room = $78 5 per room = $72 Dorm/Pinegrove = $70 Camping = $82 w/ meals Camping = $58 w/out meals Price per person includes dinner Friday, & Saturday and Breakfast Saturday & Sunday, a commemorative t-shirt and choice of 2 really cool color tours on Saturday, plus guest speakers and great fellowship! For more information about the event, you can also contact Darrel Manuel at ChaplainD13@gmail.com. For more information about Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat and Conference Center, visit bscm.org/bambi. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Darrel Manuel was born and raised in Michigan, graduated Garden City High School in 1986, married my beautiful wife Theresa in the fall of 1994, I have 2 sons one 20 and one 17. Employee of Ford Mo.Co. (Millwright). Saved and baptized in the spring of 2001 at 32 years of age, at Merriman Road Baptist Church, served in many capacities within the church, currently youth worker, and Chaplain/Director of the MRBC F.A.I.T.H. Riders Chapter, Commissioned as a SBC Chaplain in 2010, I'm a LifeChangers board member, Mayors Committee for Underprivileged Children board member, Ride for Kids Task Force Member, Wolverine State Victory Riders Victory Motorcycle Club Chaplain, Bambi Lake advisory team member. #SEPTEMBER16

ALPHARETTA, GA (BP) – The death toll in south Louisiana's unprecedented flooding has risen to 11, and at least 40,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. In response, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) is deploying volunteers, equipment and resources to the affected area, including four kitchens in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Lafayette and Walker. The American Red Cross has requested four kitchens which each have capacity of 10,000 meals per day. All four DR teams deploying have twice that capacity. Additional support is expected given the scope of the disaster and the long-term nature of the relief work to be accomplished. "The spring floods in Louisiana this year affected 10,000 homes, and the response duration was 80-90 days," said David Melber, vice president for Send Relief at the North American Mission Board (NAMB). "Currently we are estimating as many 50,000 affected homes and a much longer response." The four kitchens will be staffed by SBDR volunteers from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Alabama SBDR, like many states, is preparing for the response and will be sending volunteers and at least one shower unit. "We have multiple states getting mobilized at this point," Melber said. "The four key meal preparation areas will be located at Baptist churches, including Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Woodlawn Park Baptist Church in Hammond, The Bayou Church in Lafayette and Walker Baptist Church in Walker. Additionally, we have 16 other Baptist churches set up as defined worksites." First Baptist Church in Livingston will host the Incident Command Center. Louisiana Baptist Convention state SBDR director Gibbie McMillan is directing the state's response. Arkansas SBDR is providing an Incident Command team to help coordinate relief efforts. "Eddie Blackmon from NAMB's SBDR team is already at the American Red Cross headquarters in Baton Rouge," said Mickey Caison, executive director for SBDR at NAMB. "There were reports of 280 road closures and some recues still occurring yesterday. This is going to be a long-term response, and the water has yet to recede." Caison said some south Louisiana residents have compared the magnitude and scope of the devastation to Hurricane Katrina. He said he expects the long-term nature of the rebuild to take years. "We are, of course, still serving in West Virginia, and there are 5,000 homes to restore there," Caison said. "This is a marathon, not a sprint. The amount and type of responses we have already experienced this year have been taxing on disaster relief funds. People have been generous, but we will need a tremendous amount of support to address the recovery in south Louisiana." "Almost immediately starting tomorrow, we will be bringing our Emergency Response Vehicles, our ERVs, will start going into neighborhoods and distributing food and will continue that for a long time," Craig Cooper told Lake Charles' KPLC TV on Wednesday (Aug. 17). Cooper is coordinating the American Red Cross response in Baton Rouge. "One of our partners is the Southern Baptists," Cooper said. "If you remember, after Katrina, Ike and other disasters, the Southern Baptists are contracted to set up these massive mobile kitchens. They are four or five semi-trucks, and they pop up like a kid's Transformer toy and produce the food that will feed a very large crowd." Melber and Caison will be in Louisiana late this week for a site visit as SBDR volunteers begin the task of assessment. The four kitchens are expected to be operational by Thursday (Aug. 18). Those wishing to donate to SBDR relief can contact the Baptist convention in their state or visit donations.namb.net/dr-donations. For phone donations, call 1-866-407-NAMB (6262) or mail checks to NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Designate checks for "Disaster Relief." NAMB coordinates and manages Southern Baptist responses to major disasters through partnerships with 42 state Baptist conventions, most of which have their own state Disaster Relief ministries. Southern Baptists have 65,000 trained volunteers -- including chaplains -- and 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, child care, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joe Conway writes for the North American Mission Board. #SEPTEMBER16

BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL (BP) – Southern Baptists returning from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are sharing testimonies of widespread revival in churches, communities, prisons and schools, following an 8-day schedule of crusades, medical ministries and other outreach efforts in this South American country. Wayne Jenkins, director of evangelism and church growth for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said there were a recorded 3,202 salvation decisions resulting from events conducted July 10-17. "God did exceedingly above all that we could think or ask," Jenkins said. "Even working for the first time with this Brazilian association, the way was smooth in constructing three church buildings in five business days and reaching the number of people who came to know Christ, especially in some difficult areas. "Moreover, the Gospel was received by every age group and social class," he added. "On top of that," Jenkins noted, "it is remarkable to think that Burl Cain was given favor, in such a short amount of time, in lining up the three entities in the country needed to get permission to replicate in a Brazilian federal prison the same spiritual and moral rehabilitation program we have in Angola." Cain served as warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola for 21 years before retiring in 2016. In 1995, he initiated a four-year college degree program at the prison -- with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary -- which is now being reproduced around the United States because of its success in the moral rehabilitation of its graduates. Jenkins coordinated the mission trip, his 25th to Brazil with the Louisiana Baptist Convention but the first time to work in Belo Horizonte. He was joined by 60 Louisiana Baptists representing 10 congregations, and another 37 Southern Baptists from Utah, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and California. Testimonials Mission team members shared a number of compelling reports about individuals who responded positively to the presentation of the Gospel in Brazil. Stones will cry out Carlos Meza, pastor of Calvary Spanish Mission Church in Shreveport, and his wife Lupe told the Baptist Message the mission trip was "exciting and memorable" even though it was his 16th outreach in Brazil and her ninth. He said one of the highlights of the trip "was using a mannequin" to lead a young man to the Lord while conducting street evangelism in a small village. "I started 'witnessing' to the mannequin using an evangelism tract," in order to attract the attention of passers-by, Meza said. "A young man stopped and said, 'Mister that mannequin can't talk or read,' and I asked him if he could," Meza explained. "When he said, 'Of course I can,' I handed him the tract, he read it and after a brief explanation of the Gospel he said, 'I believe every word the tract says' and he surrendered his life to Christ!" "Yes, God can use a mannequin to lead someone to His kingdom. To God be the Glory!" Meza exclaimed. Every tongue confess His wife Lupe was a member of the medical services team which included a pediatrician, ophthalmology staff and a physician and nurse, as well as other volunteers. She said a particularly special blessing was sharing the Gospel with an "18-year-old girl from Bolivia." "It was so unusual to witness to someone in Spanish while in Brazil," where Portuguese is the official language, Lupe Meza said. "She was so young, and it was apparent she had been influenced by the Jehovah's Witnesses," Meza observed. "I felt I had to be gentle, so as not to frighten her or make her feel like I was being pushy." The girl had a blank look early on, Meza shared. But after carefully explaining about Jesus as the Son of God, "she accepted Christ, and she was at church service Sunday night!" Blind shall see In all, the medical outreach effort responded to the health needs of nearly 700 community members, Monday through Friday, including free prescription eyeglasses for about 350 individuals with vision problems. But team members also inquired about the spiritual condition of everyone who came to the clinic and 106 were recorded as professing Christ as Lord. Sue Johns, a member of First Baptist Church in Graceville, Fla., who came with her son, Brent Johns, administrative and discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church in Houma, La., was one of several volunteers with the ophthalmology team who helped fit individuals with eyeglasses -- matching right and left eye measurements for near and far vision, astigmatism, as well as reading clarity. Johns said two older patients stood out in her mind. A 72-year-old man had heard the Gospel several times during his visit to the eye clinic, and while waiting for Johns to find a pair of glasses which matched his vision needs, "he came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit" and began singing a hymn, Johns said. "He had fallen away from church for some time and I prayed with him to get right with God and get back into church." During the Sunday night service he found me before the service to say "I am here," she added, and after the message, he went forward and "prayed to ask Christ to forgive his sins." Johns also told of a frail woman well past 80 years of age, who was almost blind and lived alone with her dog. "She was frequently falling because of her lack of vision and church members were worried about her," she said. "We were able to find her some very strong prescription glasses," Johns recalled, "allowing her to see the top 3 lines on the eye chart and do close up reading. She came in unable to read at all and unable to see the chart. We were all very emotional when we saw that smile come on her face when she realized she could see." Captives set free Tamarah Wales, who was raised at First Baptist Church in Lafayette and is a member at Family Life Church, Lafayette, served as a member of the street evangelism team which had a unique prison visit. Wales said they typically encounter "some difficulty" when they try to minister to inmates. "The warden and his assistant came out to talk to the team and just like at other facilities there was some reluctance to let us in," she explained. "But during the course of the conversation, we had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them and both trusted Christ. "After that they allowed us to go to every area of the prison to talk with the prisoners," Wales said, adding, "and the warden and his assistant led the way. We witnessed almost 300 salvation decisions that day!" Bread of Life (& Gumbo) June Charrier and Lisa Breaux conducted a unique cooking ministry while in Brazil. Charrier, wife of church planter Louis Charrier, both members of Washington Baptist Church in Opelousas, and Breaux, a member of First Baptist Church in Lafayette, provided a gumbo meal as an enticement for influential individuals -- who were unsaved and resistant to home visits or invitations to attend worship services -- to hear the Gospel. Charrier mentioned in particular the meal at First Baptist Church in Veneza where 30 people had gathered for what was billed as "a Louisiana specialty prepared by Americans." "We cooked dinner and a dessert and shared a little bit about the history of gumbo and its origins with African slaves," she said. "After the meal the people listened to a message on 'Who needs Jesus'," she continued, "and they were given a chance to repent of their sins and submit their hearts and lives to Jesus as Lord." When the prayer ended, Charrier said she looked up and four men had been saved -- a vice mayor, city attorney, well-known businessman and church "member" who had been the subject of many prayers by the congregation, according to the pastor. Breaux summed up for both of them the joy they take away from their cooking ministry. "It reminds us a little gumbo goes a long way, even to eternity," she said. Unfinished business Jenkins said the group intends to return to Belo Horizonte next year to build on the work accomplished in 2016. "One of the Brazilian convention officials told us this region has more cities with fewer believers than cities in Saudi Arabia," Jenkins said, and he challenged Louisiana Baptists to consider joining the 2017 team that will be going there. "There is a place for everyone," Jenkins said. "VBS teams, drama teams, construction teams, sports camp teams -- every member of a family can find a place to plug in and I want Louisiana Baptists to seriously pray about being part of this family mission trip. "Moreover, this is a great place to go for a first-time church mission trip," he said. "We have lodging in a safe place, and everyone is well-fed. But most importantly, this is the place where you can faithfully do the work of an evangelist and see growth and experience growth. Gary and Darlene Maroney agreed. Gary is president of the Louisiana Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, a multi-state organization, and both are members of Eastside Baptist Church in New Braunfels, Texas. In a note to the Baptist Message, they jointly expressed strong sentiments about their experiences. "There are so many people in bondage all over the world, and we were blessed to be a part of this team who diligently fulfilled their specific assignments and saw God work miracles in the lives of 3,202 people," they said. "We are confident that there were many more individuals who made decisions for Christ, but this 'Pentecost number' represents those whose names are recorded and will be followed up by the national pastors. "Belo Horizonte means beautiful horizon," the Maroney's explained in closing. "We were so blessed to see the spiritual horizon that stretched across that city last week and know that we were used of God to witness such beauty!!" For more coverage on this mission work in Brazil visit BaptistMessage.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Will Hall is editor of the Baptist Message (www.baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. #SEPTEMBER16

NASHVILLE, TN – The Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram has a new leader who has vowed to bomb churches and kill Christians while ending attacks on mosques and markets used by ordinary Muslims. Here are five facts you should know about one of Africa’s most dangerous extremist groups: 1. Boko Haram is the Hausa language nickname for Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad). The nickname, which translates to “Western education is sinful,” was given because of the group’s initial focus on opposing Western education in African countries. 2. Founded in 2002, the terrorist group is comprised of radical Islamists who oppose both Westerners and “apostate” Muslims. Based in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Niger, the organization seeks to establish a “pure” Islamic state ruled by sharia law, putting a stop to what it deems “Westernization.” Its followers are said to be influenced by the Koranic phrase which says: “Anyone who is not governed by what Allah has revealed is among the transgressors. 3. Despite the group’s nickname, Boko Haram’s agenda is much broader than just education. The group promotes a version of radical Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers, or receiving a non-Muslim education. 4. In 2009 the group launched military operation to create an Islamic state in Africa. The group carried out a number of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri. Nigeria's security forces were able to capture the group’s leader, Muhammad Yusuf, the group's headquarters, and many of its fighters. The Nigerian government thought the threat was suppressed, but the organization regrouped under a new leader, Abubakar Shekau. 5. Since 2009, Boko Haram has carried out numerous attacks against Christians. (In Kano, a city of more than 9 million people, Boku Haram even threatened to kill any Christians living there.) On Easter 2012, 38 people were killed in a car bombing in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna. Kaduna lies on the dividing line between Nigeria's largely Christian south and Muslim north. During the night of April 16, 2014, dozens of armed men from Boko Haram captured over 300 Christian girls aged 12 to 15 who were sleeping in dormitories at Chibok Government Girls Secondary School in northeast Nigeria. Some of the kidnapped girls have been forced into “marriage” with their Boko Haram abductors, sold for a nominal bride price of $12, according to parents who talked with villagers. All of the girls risk being forced into marriages or sold in the global market for human slaves. The kidnappings were the focus of the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ social media campaign that garnered significant attention in 2014. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elizabeth Bristow is Communications Coordinator for the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission (ERLC). The Weekly is a rundown of news by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission highlighting the week’s top news stories from the public square and providing commentary on the big issues of our day. #SEPTEMBER16

BATON ROUGE, LA (BP) – Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continue flood recovery efforts across south Louisiana, coping with intermittent rain as they tear out insulation, sweep mud from houses and carry buckets of sodden clothing to curbs. Few areas were left unscathed last week when nearly 7 trillion gallons of rain fell, killing 13 people and damaging more than 60,000 homes in 20 parishes. State officials estimate the damages will exceed $20 billion, making the 500-year flood event one of the worst disasters to strike the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The damage begins in Hammond, La., and extends 160 miles west toward the Texas border. Along Interstate 12, once lush foliage is withered and gray. Trash flanks fences. Advertisements for home guttings become more numerous with every mile. Neighborhoods and side streets tell a heartbreaking story. Clothes, mattresses and household furniture lay strewn across wet lawns in hopes that the sun will shine long enough to dry them. Everything that was not salvageable is piled high along the roadways, transforming shady lanes to narrow pathways, children's toys providing the occasional jolt of color. Even some of the most seasoned volunteers were surprised by both the scope and intensity of the damage. A few weeks ago, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) chaplain Roy Christy, a member of Northern Hills Baptist Church in Holt, Mo., was tearing out walls in flood-damaged Texas. This week, he is assessing homes and offering emotional support to flood survivors in Baton Rouge, where more than 19 inches of rain fell in 15 hours. In Watson, La., northeast of Baton Rouge, more than 31 inches of rain fell. "The damage is impressive, very extensive," Christy said. "But the people here help each other out a lot. They're very focused on the community, not just themselves." Christy and his team are working out of Zoar Baptist Church while assisting local homeowners. Flood survivor Fay McDowell, 82, has been a member of Zoar since 1962. Her home, located on a busy inland highway, has never flooded, but when the water began rising, she knew she had to leave. She had just enough time to pack a few clothes and place her terrified cat, Mimi, in her attic. Then she grabbed her suitcase and her dog, Honey, and opened the door. Water poured into her kitchen, and it was continuing to rise. So she fled to the only place she knew she would be safe -- her beloved church. When she was finally able to return home, the sight brought her to her knees. Everything in the house below waist-level was ruined. "Oh, God, how do people make it that don't have God's help," she said Monday morning, crying as she recalled how bleak things looked. Her husband died three years ago, and she wasn't sure how she would get the help she needed to begin piecing her home -- and her life -- back together. Hope arrived wearing gold shirts and carrying shovels. "God brought me to my knees, and I want to tell you, y'all made me stand back up," McDowell said as she stood in a prayer circle with Christy and the other SBDR volunteers. "God sent me angels." Their work is a race against time. They have already removed most of the sheetrock, baseboards and flooring, but mold is beginning to appear, and they are scrambling to get the house gutted and sprayed with Shockwave, a disinfectant designed to kill and prevent mold. McDowell is currently living in her 12-by-18-foot sunroom with her dog and cat but hopes she will soon be back in her three-bedroom house. She is appreciative for the little things. While one group of volunteers set up a dog kennel in her backyard, filling it with cushions and a bucket of fresh water, others struggled to get her air conditioner running. "Thank the Lord," she said, when the first wafts of cool air began flowing from the vents. "I'll never again doubt God and His miraculous work. These people are like angels. God has some special people doing this work." But the blessings go both ways, said volunteer Sheila Gatlin. She and her husband Roger Gatlin attend Pisgah Baptist Church in Excelsior Springs, Mo. The couple began volunteering with SBDR several years ago. "We feel very blessed as a couple that we can serve the Lord and communities in need," Sheila Gatlin said. "Fay has such a spirit of knowing that the Lord is in control and He's going to provide." Emotions after the flood run from one extreme to the other, Christy said. Some, like McDowell, draw comfort from their faith. Others are struggling. Christy carries orange pens bearing the words, "Jesus loves you." When he said those words to a flood survivor during Sunday services at Zoar, she wrapped her arms around his neck and began crying. Minutes passed as he held her, absorbing her pain as she sobbed. She never spoke. "She needed to get that out," Christy said. "We are here to give people hope and help. We always feel when we go home that we were the ones who were blessed." Disaster relief efforts are ongoing as assessors traverse the state, looking for people in need. So far, more than 96,000 individuals and households have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As for McDowell, she said she knows now that she will be okay. She renewed her flood insurance, just in time. And SBDR is on the scene to provide not only labor but also the emotional and spiritual support she needed. "My faith was strengthened beyond belief when I saw those yellow shirts," McDowell said. "They gave me hope the minute they came in and said, 'Jesus is with us. We came to help.'" Those wishing to learn more about disaster relief efforts can contact the Baptist convention in their state or donate to the cause by going to donations.namb.net/dr-donations. Or, call 1-866-407-NAMB (6262) or mail checks to NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Designate checks for "Disaster Relief." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Carmen K. Sisson is a freelance writer reporting for the North American Mission Board. #SEPTEMBER16

NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Politics trumps God for most Americans when it comes to conversations with their friends, a new study shows. Six in 10 Americans are more comfortable talking about politics than their spiritual beliefs. And most say they aren't interested in having more spiritual conversations. By contrast, evangelical Christians prefer talking about God over politics by a 2-to-1 margin. Those are among the findings of an online survey of 1,004 Americans about their views on spirituality and politics from LifeWay Research. Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, said Americans like to talk about both politics and religion, which are sometimes considered off limits in polite conversation. But they often prefer one to the other. "People tend to discuss the things that matter most to them," he said. "For evangelicals, that is their faith." As part of the survey, researchers compared how often Americans talk to others about politics to the number of times they talk about spirituality. Two-thirds of Americans (64 percent) say they had at least three conversations about politics in the last month. Eight percent had no conversations about politics. By contrast, fewer than half (44 percent) had three or more spiritual conversations in the same time frame. Twenty-two percent had no conversations about spirituality. Overall, 6 in 10 Americans (59 percent) say they're more comfortable discussing their political views than their spiritual beliefs. But there are distinctions among certain groups. Women (51 percent), those who go to church at least once a week (57 percent), and those with evangelical beliefs (63 percent) prefer to talk about their spiritual views. Men (69 percent) and those who don't have evangelical beliefs (65 percent) prefer to talk about politics. Most Americans also say they have about as many conversations about spirituality as they can handle. About half (51 percent) say they have "just the right amount" of discussions on spiritual beliefs. A quarter (23 percent) want fewer spiritual discussions. Only 1 in 5 wants more. Six percent aren't sure. Hispanics (38 percent), those 18 to 35 (35 percent), and those who live in the West (30 percent) are more likely to say they have spiritual conversations "more often than I would like." Those with evangelical beliefs (32 percent), those 55 and over (26 percent), and those in the South (24 percent) are more likely to say they have such conversations "less often than I would like." Churchgoers are split. Three in 10 (29 percent) of those who attend at least once a week say they want fewer spiritual conversations. One in 4 (26 percent) wants more spiritual conversations. Still, many Americans are open to hearing what other people think about faith. About half (52 percent) believe they have as much to find out as they do to share during a spiritual conversation. A quarter (26 percent) say they have more to find out. A similar number (22 percent) think they have more to share. Evangelicals are more likely to believe they have more to share (32 percent) in a spiritual conversation. They're less likely to say they have more to find out (17 percent). Frequent churchgoers also believe they have more to share (33 percent). Those findings don't surprise McConnell. Sharing one's faith in order to convert others is a core evangelical conviction. Still, he said, those with evangelical beliefs may need to listen more during a spiritual conversation. "If you don't care what your neighbors believe, chances are they won't listen to what you have to say," he said. Philip Nation agrees. Nation helps manage Bible Studies for Life, which sponsored the survey. Evangelicals who want to share their faith may need to listen first, he said. "The culture wants dialogue about spiritual beliefs," said Nation, director of content development for LifeWay Christian Resources. "Evangelicals too often only want to lecture our neighbors," he said. "We need to learn the needs and worldview of our neighbors so we can effectively discuss the Gospel." Among other findings: -- Americans are split over sharing spiritual beliefs on social media. While 38 percent are comfortable or very comfortable doing so, a similar number (36 percent) are either not comfortable or don't use social media. -- Few Americans (17 percent) say they are most comfortable sharing their views on social media. Three-quarters would rather discuss their beliefs one-on-one (40 percent) or in a small group (33 percent). Six percent would prefer not to share their views. -- Americans seem lukewarm about starting a spiritual conversation. Three in 10 say starting a conversation is interesting (30 percent), easy (29 percent) or natural (29 percent). Few say starting a conversation is scary (9 percent), boring (5 percent) or embarrassing (4 percent). -- Most churchgoers (72 percent) say they have the right amount of training to help them share their faith. -- About half of churchgoers (49 percent) say their church treats sharing the Gospel as extremely urgent (24 percent) or urgent (25 percent). -- Seven in 10 Americans say they are "not concerned at all" if their neighbors hold beliefs different from their own. Six in 10 (61 percent) say they aren't concerned if their family has different beliefs. Overall, McConnell believes Americans are open to talking about faith. Few seem turned off by spiritual conversations, he said, especially if those conversations are in person and are respectful. "If your friends are tired of arguing about politics on Facebook, trying asking them about God," he said. Methodology: The online survey of adult Americans was conducted March 17, 2016. A sample of an online panel representing the adult population of the United States was invited to participate. Responses were weighted by region, age, ethnicity, gender and income to more accurately reflect the population. The completed sample is 1,004 online surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from this panel does not exceed plus or minus 4.2 percent. Margins of error are higher in subgroups. For more information, view the survey PDF at LifeWay Research. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Smietana is senior writer for Facts & Trends magazine. LifeWay Research is a Nashville-based evangelical research firm specializing in surveys about faith in culture and matters that affect the church. #SEPTEMBER16

WASHINGTON D.C. – Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, announced a multi-faith statement calling on the California Assembly to abandon Senate Bill 1146, a bill that takes drastic measures against the free exercise of religion in higher education in California. Commenting on both the Senate bill and the statement itself, Moore said: “The fundamental problem with SB 1146 is not that it advances a particular viewpoint, but that it seeks to suppress and undermine dissent, harming students along the way. Applying legal or political pressure on institutions that disagree with the cultural majority of the moment is not merely unwise or unfair—it is un-American. A healthy American culture is one in which ideas can freely be discussed and debated, in good faith, among people who, though they disagree, would defend the right of the other to participate. “I’m joined on this statement by men and women from a diverse set of backgrounds. Many of us disagree on important points of theology, and not all of us agree on questions of sexuality and gender identity, but we all agree that our country is better when dissenters are protected, not prosecuted. We stand opposed to legislation that attacks these institutions' right to self-definition and free exercise. Signatories on the statement include pastors, college administrators, academic and legal scholars from across the theological and political spectrum, including Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon and Muslim representatives. A few of the notable signatories include: Russell Moore President Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Barry Corey President Biola University Rick Warren Pastor Saddleback Church Robert P. George McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Princeton University Yuval Levin Fellow Ethics and Public Policy Center Hamza Yusuf Hanson President Zaytuna College Helen Avare Professor of Law Scalia Law School at George Mason University Douglas Laycock Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law University of Virginia David Blankenhorn President Better Angels Signatories of the letter said in the statement, that though this bill, “purports to eliminate discrimination, Senate Bill 1146 results in its own form of discrimination by stigmatizing and coercively punishing religious beliefs that disagree on contested matters related to human sexuality. If SB 1146 were to pass, it would deny students’ ability to participate in state grant programs—programs that exist to help low-income students, and which are overwhelmingly used by racial minorities—at schools that are found in violation of the bill. Moreover, it would severely restrict the ability of religious education institutions to set expectations of belief and conduct that align with the institution’s religious tenets.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elizabeth Bristow is Communications Coordinator for the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission (ERLC). The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.2 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is the SBC’s ethics, religious liberty and public policy agency with offices in Nashville, Tenn., and Washington, D.C. #SEPTEMBER16

FENTON, MI – Dad said that if I could get it running he would let me drive it around the back roads in the oilfields where I couldn’t do any real damage. It was an old clunker of a truck that had seen much better days but to a boy of 14 it was as beautiful as a new sports car. Apparently it had been in the employ of our state government at one time because what paint was still remaining on its metal skin could be definitely identified as “highway department yellow”. The rest of the color was bondo pink, mixed with a beautiful brown rust. The bumpers were missing, as was the right rear fender. The odometer had turned over so many times that it had vertigo. The wooden bed was absent several slats, which made it very difficult to deliver a complete load of gravel, dirt or for that matter anything smaller than a basketball. Then again, my desire for this marvel of machinery was not for the purpose of hauling stuff, but for hauling me. I wanted to drive (learn to drive) in the worst way and this was my chance. I worked for days just trying to clean out all of the debris that had accumulated in the cab. I was forced to evict several rat families and all of their household possessions. They seemed to highly prize the stuffing material that was used in the seats of that old metal behemoth, and had rearranged most of it to suit their lifestyles. The interior of the cab needed special attention. The bench seat was in such bad shape that it had to be replaced with a turquoise beauty that came from a Nash Rambler. The seat was never bolted down but that just added to the excitement of driving this rolling rattle trap, especially when we came to a sudden stop. It had a straight six engine under the hood that was supported by the finest six-volt electrical system known to man at the time of its creation. I scavenged spark plug wires and battery cables from other junk cars that were stored behind our service station and borrowed the necessary tools from good old Dad. After removing at least 300 lbs of multilayered grease and dirt from under the hood it actually began to look like it had the slightest vestiges of life remaining. When I finally cranked the old girl, and she sputtered to life it was like giving birth. My new baby was alive and kicking. It consumed almost as much oil as it did gasoline, but my dad owned a service station so the financial drain on me was not too bad and Dad never complained. It did create a small atmospheric disturbance when running because of the unquantified amounts of smoke it produced. My neighbors said that thanks to me there was not a mosquito within five miles of our neighborhood. The only mechanical problem that was of any real annoyance to me was that the shifting linkage on the transmission. It was a column shift and the linkage to the transmission was as loose as the morals of a New Orleans hooker and periodically if one did not allow the rpm’s of the engine and transmission to come to a mutual revolutionary agreement, then it would lock up between first and second gear. The only way to resolve the problem was to turn off the ignition, let it come to a complete stop, get out of the truck, crawl under it, and coax the linkage to release its grip. And of course, during the whole procedure I would get covered with grease and dirt. When you are first learning to drive and the sheer thrill of just having a means of transportation is of foremost importance then this is a mere necessity that comes with the privilege of being cool. But as the new and the excitement wears off, so does one’s patience. This was especially disconcerting and annoying when there happened to be a female peer in the vehicle or driving by and within eyesight. It was not cool! I didn’t learn until years later that the problem with my linkage was caused by the loss of a few spacing parts called grommets. They were just small plastic or brass washers that kept the opposing gears at bay and allowed the proper gears to engage. Linkage is important, especially when it comes to the transmissions of 40 model trucks with a bazillion miles on them, but linkage is also important in the life of a Believer. Linkage to the Father. Linkage to family. Linkage to friends. Linkage to the church. Linkage to life as a whole. I have found that most of the time when we get locked up in moving from one point to another in a relationship with our Father, family, friends or any other situation, the culprit can usually be identified as something as small and seemingly unimportant as a grommet. A harsh word. An unconfessed sin. A promise broken. A call not returned. You get the picture. Things can be running along smoothly then all of the sudden you are going nowhere fast. Not only is it not cool, but it's embarrassing and can be downright debilitating. Like my old truck, you may not have what you consider the best-life-around but nonetheless this is who you are. It is your only means of transport while on this terrestrial ball. Don’t let some little thing keep you from enjoying the ride of your life. Replace the grommets of relationships that have gone bad, and get back on the road. Don’t put up with having to stop and coax those gears back into agreement every time you shift. Take the time to fix the problem. You will go a lot farther, faster and you will enjoy the ride. Besides, all that grease and dirt doesn’t do much for your appearance. 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. #SEPTEMBER16

FENTON, MI – August 7, 2014, my wife, Jamie and I attended an important event in the life of New Beginnings Baptist Church in Dodge City, Michigan. Two roads converge at the church’s site and an ever-flowing pipe provides refreshing water for everyone from an artesian well three feet from the church building. The church is seven miles east of Harrison, Michigan. That morning, I knelt, at the altar, beside a young boy named Michael. He might be 12 years old. He wore a t-shirt with a camouflage pattern, shorts, and tennis shoes. Pastor Alan LaVigne invited anyone who wanted to come to the altar at the beginning of worship to silently pray while pastor voiced the congregation’s requests and gratitude. My parents tell me that when I was very young, 4-9 years old, that I had a keen interest in all things God, church, and ministry. I don’t recall the early events they recount today. But I believe them because in 1977 I experienced an undeniable call to ministry. On this recent August 7, I knelt beside Michael because I saw his intense interest in all things God. What’s more, I saw Pastor Allan and his wife, Vilna, love and guide people as if they were their children, whether they were young or old. Preschoolers twirled in place as Vilna led worship. Pastor Allan gently hushed a little boy who was getting a little noisy trying to get the attention of a little girl. The young father of that toddler admiringly watched as Pastor Allan quieted his son without stress. We watched and listened all day long as Pastor Allan shared pearls of wisdom from God’s Word with his loving congregation. I also enjoyed seeing the rewards of others who had invested in this church plant. Pastor Bruce Winter of Sunrise Church in Midland, Michigan was the “sending pastor.” That means that Winter and Sunrise, two years ago, had accepted the responsibility of praying for and encouraging the new church plant from start to sustained. Sunrise Church was blessed to nurture a Bible study that now has birthed into a new church. Pastor Darren Greer is the church planting catalyst in the area. He is the man who reaches out to potential church planters and church planters providing guidance and resources, as they need them. It is important for Pastors to have someone they can turn to for godly wisdom. Pastor Allan can seek guidance and help from Darren. Dr. David Roberts was also there to encourage the constitution of New Beginnings Baptist Church. David is the associational minister serving the local churches in that region of Michigan. He will stay connected with Pastor Allan and the new congregation and help them in any way possible. David, like the other men, craves to see lives transformed by Christ. As I look back on that special August 7th Sunday, when a mission became a church, I remember the sound and the sight of that artesian well. An Artesian well is created by pressure from a mysterious source that pushes water up out of the ground without the assistance of a pump. That is what the people of New Beginnings Baptist Church have become. They are an artesian well of Living Water, locally and globally. John 14:4 records the words of Jesus Christ who said, “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life,” (NLT). 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. #SEPTEMBER16

FENTON, MI – Breathtaking! That's the best word to describe what Shar and I saw during a hike to Pictured Rocks in Munising in the Upper Peninsula. We both grew up in Michigan but neither one of us had ever been to this fascinating place. We decided on the spur of the moment to make the trip. It wasn't our best planned outing to be honest, but it was an incredibly refreshing time together. The cool wind and crystal clear blue water of Lake Superior were amazing. As we stood on the cliffs looking over the rock formations and the vastness of the lake, our hearts were moved to thank God for the beauty of His creation. We made our way down to the beach and walked hand in hand in the sand together taking in every moment of this idyllic setting. The sheer size of Lake Superior overwhelmed us. It looked more like the ocean than a freshwater lake. I read on a display in the park that Lake Superior is big enough to hold the other four Great Lakes combined and then some! We didn't talk much as we made the mile long hike up the hill to our car. The sound of the waves eventually disappeared as we walked further away. Our breathing grew deeper, beads of sweat formed on our foreheads, and we felt muscles we hadn't used in a while. Yet somehow we felt alive, refreshed, and rested. Our impromptu get-a-way was a spiritual experience. The natural beauty of Michigan moved us to worship. The glory of God was on full display in the cliffs, the water, the sand, the trees, wildlife, and flowers. We experienced the grandeur of God through the canvas of His creation. The Psalmist declared, "Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable" (145:3). I did a quick search through the Gospels and saw that Jesus often made His way to natural settings like mountains, the Sea of Galilee, and even wilderness places. These were quiet, less populated places where Jesus could seek God uninterrupted and spend time investing in His disciples. Jesus knew when it was time to withdraw and where He could refresh Himself. These moments, surrounded by the testimony of creation proclaiming the Glory of God, refreshed our awe of Him. Getting away was also good for my relationship with Shar. We have been married for 38 years and are on a journey through this life "till death do us part." We've been through some incredible moments together that we will cherish the rest of our lives. We've also weathered some threatening storms, but we've done so together. Investing in us - in our relationship as husband and wife - is never a waste of time or money. I have left a number of ministry settings, and they have all survived (some have even thrived) without me. Others can pick up where I left off, but no one can take my place in Shar's life or hers in mine. Many years ago, God gave me a verse for our marriage; "Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth. As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19). During our time together, we laughed, we talked, we remembered, we dreamed, we had moments of silence that were not awkward at all, and we loved. Just being together renewed our love and made God smile. We covered a lot of miles between our home and Marquette in this little get-a-way. We passed everything from densely populated areas to places where homes are few and far between. We talked about places we passed where we had churches punching holes in the darkness and places where we need churches. There were a lot of things we passed on our trip, but we didn't pass a single person in this state who God doesn't care about. Our little get-a-way rekindled in us the reality that God loves every person in Michigan and beyond. He knows each of them by name, but not all of them know Him. We were reminded that our work isn't done until all have heard the Good News of Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Durbin is the State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before joining the state convention staff, Mike served as Church Planting Catalyst and Director of Missions in Metro Detroit since 2007. He also has served as a pastor and bi-vocational pastor in Michigan, as well as International Missionary to Brazil. #SEPTEMBER16

FENTON, MI – “There are places where we need to truly impact Michigan, and this offering gives us the opportunity to do that” – Tim Patterson, Executive Director, Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Every year Michigan Southern Baptists set aside the month of September to focus on the missions and ministries that are touching the lives and changing hearts across the state. It’s all part of the Frances Brown State Mission Offering and Week of Prayer for State Missions. This year’s theme is “Sharing the Light”, based on the passage in John 12:46 where Jesus says, “I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness.” This year’s week of prayer begins on Sunday, September 11th and continues through the following Sunday, September 18th. Our goal for the State Mission Offering is $90,000. It is a big step forward from offerings of past years, but the challenge is so much greater, as well. The funds raised during this time of prayer and giving will be shared in the areas of “Starting, Strengthening, and Sending”. It’s a unique opportunity for Michigan Southern Baptists, for you and me, to directly support the ministries that are “punching holes in the darkness” here in Michigan. The “Sharing the Light” emphasis has a number of new tools to share the mission with our Michigan Southern Baptist churches in a range that have not been available in the past. There are four videos available to help church leadership educate their members about the Michigan mission field and the kind of ministries the offering supports. The first video describes the “Sharing the Light” theme through the words of the BSCM Executive Director, Dr. Tim Patterson. The other three tell the stories of church planters and pastors who are carrying the Gospel in three different areas of our state. A packet of promotional materials including the DVD with all of the videos is being prepared for every church and will be delivered mid-August. All of the promotional materials are also available online at www.bscm.org/smo. Some of the other materials include a poster, flyers, bulletin inserts, and prayer bookmarks. The BSCM leadership and State Mission Offering committee are encouraging church and mission leaders with a heart for the mission field here in Michigan to use these exciting new tools to help their churches catch the vision of what we can do together as we go forward “Sharing the Light”. #AUGUST16

FENTON, MI – I am excited and looking forward to coming together as a Michigan Baptist family at our Annual Meeting in November at the Eastgate Baptist Church. It promises to be a great time of celebration and worship. There will be many exciting reports of what God is doing across our state through Michigan Baptists. There is an outstanding lineup of preachers with Fred Luter speaking at the Pastor's Conference prior to our meeting. Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB), will be with us, and our own Executive Director, Pastor Tim Patterson will preach. Make plans to attend and renew old friendships, make new ones, and celebrate what God is doing in these days. Registration will take place on-site. More information is available at BSCM.org/2016. You may want to check back periodically for updates. If you're interested in nominating someone for the position of BSCM President during the upcoming Annual Meeting, that you please submit their names to the office (tim@bscm.org) by October 15th in order that we may have these prepared for the November 4th-5th meetings. Thank you! TEAMS FOR 2016 BSCM CONVENTION MEETING PROGRAM PLANNING TEAM – Roy Henry (C0-CH), Roy Southerland (CO-CH), Marc Burnett, Brian Jones, Jerome Taylor (host Pastor), Tim Patterson, Chuck Turner, Jeff Bucholz, Kevin Litchfield, Jim Marcus TIME, PLACE AND PREACHER TEAM – Larry Allen (CH), Kevin Hester, Carlos Liese RESOLUTIONS TEAM – David Roberts (CH), Art Werry GRADUATE TO GLORY TEAM – Sharon Fishell-Greer, Tom Tengler (CH) TELLERS – David Roberts, Mike Elsey, Stan Parker, Timothy Jones (CH) PARLIMENTARIAN – Larry Allen ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chuck Turner is the Director of Missions for the Central and Lendale Baptist Associations in Michigan, and currently serves as President of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. #AUGUST16