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MONROE – If you’ve spent time around church planters or revitalizers, you've probably heard the phrase, "It's easier to give birth than raise the dead." It's brief. It's funny. And for the humans among us, it's true. But thankfully, we serve a God that can do both. In John 3, Jesus famously tells Nicodemus that he "must be born again." A few chapters later in John 11, Jesus walked up to a tomb in Bethany and cried, "Lazarus, come out." So, this begs the question, which is more difficult for God, a birth, or a resurrection? Matthew, known among the gospels for his use of the Old Testament prophets, includes his largest Old Testament quotation in Matthew 12:18-21 drawing from the book of Isaiah and painting a beautiful picture of the Messiah's work. When describing the ministry of who we now know to be Jesus Christ, the prophet wrote "a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench." What good is a bruised reed? In both Isaiah's Hebrew and Matthew's Greek, the word "bruised" is perhaps a little more severe than our English translations as these words can also mean "crushed" or even "shattered." Isaiah is describing a fragile plant that has been damaged in such a way that, although the outside may be minimally affected, the inside is irreparably destroyed. Through our human lens, this reed is worthless. It can no longer produce grain or seeds and is only going to be taking nutrients from the soil that could be used by another plant. But Isaiah describes the Messiah as one who refuses to break the bruised reed. Why? Because Jesus is not only capable of bringing about a new birth, but He can take seemingly worthless items well past their prime and make them fruitful again. In the throes of ministering to an established congregation, it can be easy to look at certain baggage and wonder if it's not worth stepping away and starting something new. And if God has called you to a new work, go! But when God calls you to a place with an established culture, He calls you to a work of perseverance. Eugene Peterson coined the phrase "a long obedience in the same direction" to describe how disciples are made. But how will members of that church learn long obedience if pastors are unwilling to model it? It can be easy to assume that the lack of health is based on one monolithic cause or another, but once you get into the situation, you'll find complexities that show that there is likely much more work than you anticipated on the surface. Too often, it can be easy to look at churches and individuals who have walked through significant struggles and only see the bruises. And the bruises are there. But we must remember that Jesus, as surely as He is the catalyst of the new birth, can breathe new life into these established churches and help them to thrive again. If He can mend bruised reeds, He can bring dying churches back to fruitfulness. And if Jesus hasn't given up on broken reeds, neither should we. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nate Click has served as the Senior Pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe, MI, since 2021. He also serves as a member of the Southeastern Baptist Association Leadership Team. #MARCH23

As a 22-year-old Journeyman, Jeri Whitfield saw long-term missionaries commit their lives to God and the people they served. That was her model for missions — a missionary presence that creates gospel access and transforms lives. It’s still her desire today, 40 years later. It’s also why she’s returned to serve in Thailand through the International Mission Board three times. “My heart was still here. I didn’t feel like the job was done.” The first time she left, she’d finished a two-year Journeyman term. She was in her 20s. She returned to Thailand as a career missionary in her 40s. At age 55, she faced health concerns from cancer at the same time the IMB was reducing the number of missionaries on the field. She made the difficult decision to take an early retirement and return to the U.S. Once again, now in her 60s, she’s returned to the field. This time she brings with her a passion to connect students to what God is doing around the world, especially in Thailand – where she’s beginning her 17th year of service with the IMB. Whitfield recalls visiting a Thai “spirit doctor” during some of her in-between years. After her retirement with the IMB, she became a college professor. She took a group of students from California Baptist University on a short-term mission trip to her beloved Thailand. Her students were learning local customs and a spirit doctor hosted them in his home to talk about practices within his field. Whitfield was struck by the fact that usually, spirit doctors in this culture recognize the “Jesus Spirit” as more powerful than the spirts they call upon. But this man was different, and he stuck out. Whitfield carried a burden for him in her heart, knowing that even though he’d heard a gospel presentation, he was still lost. Recently, Whitfield returned to visit him, this time back as a full-time missionary. He was bedridden and could no longer speak after suffering a stroke. “But with his eyes, he spoke, he knew me, and I certainly remembered him,” Whitfield recalled. “It saddened me that he knows and has heard the gospel. He’s still not interested in changing, and we don’t know how long he’s got.” It’s a burden for this spirit doctor and the people like him that Whitfield has encountered over her time of service in Thailand that has driven her back. She’s convinced God’s call on her life is until He calls her home. Whitfield has experienced many other aspects of life in between her terms of service. “But my whole life since I was a Journeyman, I felt called to missions,” Whitfield shared. “My heart has been to give as many years as I can with this.” Those years with the IMB have included times of collaborative ministry with national partners, times of serving alongside her mom who would come aid her as a volunteer — even into her golden years — sweet moments showing Jesus’ love to villagers by washing their feet before gifting them flip-flops and adventurous times pulling up to do ministry in a remote area on a motorcycle. She’s also seen how God has used unique experiences in the U.S. to better equip her for serving in Thailand. Why does she keep returning to reach the nations through the IMB? The answer for Whitfield is simple. She’s committed her life to being a steadfast missionary presence, even though the commitment hasn’t been easy. God isn’t finished using her to reach the nations. “My experience with missions was that when you’re called, it’s for life,” she said. “When you look at the stats, you know the IMB has always tried to put people first. They take care of their personnel and solve problems.” Are you feeling called to the nations through the IMB like Whitfield? Visit IMB.org/go or reach out to info@imb.org. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Myriah Snyder writes and edits for the IMB. #MARCH23

NASHVILLE, TN – Do you know where you will be when you get where you’re going? Well, someone does! You are headed somewhere whether you like it or not. The journey will come to an end at some appointed time. If that is not good news to your ears, then check this out. Right now, it can be the beginning of a new journey, a better road, and maybe even the best days of your life! Here are some faith steps you can take to maximize your most excellent life. One of the smartest guys who ever lived once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. If you want to keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Einstein was correct. Step 1 is to never completely stop. God gives you only so many days; use each with purpose. John D. Rockefeller noted, “If you want to succeed, you must strike out on new paths rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.” So don’t let the fear of the unknown or something new and different hinder you from taking necessary leaps of faith. Your new journey is never supposed to be all spelled out from beginning to end. Proverbs says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” In other words, it shines more and more as you go ...as you do... as you live by faith! By the way, any other new adventure (not by faith) is not worth the effort. So, Step 2 is to go boldly, fearlessly, and consistently where none have traveled before—as God leads. Steps 3 and 4 have some similarities: “To reach a port, we MUST SAIL. SAIL, not tie an anchor. SAIL, not drift.” (Franklin D Roosevelt) On all human levels—there is a natural tendency to hit the pause button and just DRIFT! And to fulfill God’s pilgrimage here—we must keep sailing! Avoid the drift that will ultimately cause you to throw down the anchor!! “You can’t change the wind. But you can adjust your sails to reach your destination.” (Paulo Coelho) Yes, brothers and sisters, we all are afraid of change, and we don’t like it. Well get over it dearly beloved. There will be many times in your future that an attitude adjustment is just what the great physician ordered. So, to reiterate—steps 3 and 4 are to avoid drifting (sail intentionally), never put down permanent anchors—and always let God adjust your thinking. So maybe at this point you are saying to yourself, “Self, you don’t even have a mission statement “let me help you. The mission statement of Chik-Fil-A is (wait for it…) “To Glorify God”. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Maybe your excuse is that you can’t do a lot. Can you sit? In 1986, nurse Sandra Clarke could not stay with a patient who asked her to stay and when she returned, the patient had died alone. It took 15 years, but in 2001 she was key in starting No One Dies Alone – a program where volunteers sit with terminally ill patients who have no one else! Today it is worldwide! So please don’t say there is nothing for me to do. I love what my favorite inventor said, “To invent, all you need is good imagination and a pile of junk.” (T. Edison). Never, ever, ever, stop dreaming!!! If you are simply stuck in a rut; get out!! A rut is just a GRAVE with both ends knocked out! Peyton Manning said, “It’s not wanting to win that makes you a winner, it’s refusing to FAIL.” Adrian Rogers taught, “Sin can’t win, and faith can’t fail.” And John wrote, “this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.“ Lastly, it’s my prayer that these thoughts may serve as your personal challenge to go for it this year. Hold nothing back. Sail like there is no tomorrow. As some unknown person quipped, “He who has a WHY to live can bear almost any HOW”!! Go get your WHY back! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #MARCH23

MIDLAND – I’ve often been blessed by the ministry of the Blackaby family. Studies like Experiencing God have taught me to trust God because He is faithful. We too often underestimate God and His Word. Here are a few things I’ve learned from the Blackabys that I hope will challenge you to trust and obey God for more than you are. Self-sufficiency can kill a church and a pastor. Look what happened to the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:17). Do you think God would want you or your church in a position where you don’t need Him? The important thing is not how much treasure you or your church have, but how much God has. You might see your situation one way while God sees it another (Rev. 2:9). Don’t allow your poverty to determine your ministry. Most of our churches are small. We always need more people, money, equipment, volunteers, leaders, musicians, etc. We know what we don’t have – but so does God. When God initiates a work, He bases it on heaven’s bank account, not ours. Your church's ability to minister is never limited by your resources; it is driven by God's provision. It is dangerous for a church or a pastor to be in a position where they think they don’t need God. God does not need to provide any resources for what you are not doing. Some people think, "as soon as we get the money, we'll do it." God did not stop the waters of the Jordan River until the priests stepped into the water. Peter had never walked on water until he stepped out of the boat. God often waits until we step out in faith before He provides the required resources. God is faithful to provide for every need we have as we obey Him. God does not promise to supply our good intentions; He will provide as we obey. God can take what you already have and use it powerfully. At times, churches can fixate on what they don't have and fail to recognize what God has already given them. A church is in a precarious position when the phrase "we can't afford to" is uttered more than "God is leading us to...". Jesus said, "if you are faithful in a little, God will give you more" (Matt. 25:21,23). God will not hold you accountable for what you don't have. But He will hold you accountable for what you did with what He gave you. On Judgment Day, there will be no rewards for having merely preserved what we have. We should be those who so believe in and trust God that we take what the Master has given us and invest it so that we can earn the greatest possible return for our King. You will never make disciples of all nations if you only attempt what you think you can afford. Let God set the agenda for your church and confidently obey His commands, trusting that God can well afford to accomplish whatever He leads you to do. Don't limit God by attempting what only you can afford; attempt what you think He can afford. I encourage you to read Flickering Lamps by Richard and Henry Blackaby, as much of what I shared came from that book. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David Roberts is Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Midland and also serves as the Associational Mission Strategist for the Bay Area Baptist Association. #FEBRUARY23

Editor’s note: The following story is the first in a three-part series about the challenges of training pastors under the Iron Curtain in Romania. by Doru Radu Behind the Iron Curtain that separated the Soviet communist block from Western countries, it was difficult to study theology. Officially, there was religious freedom, but Christians were still persecuted and discriminated against. The state had to approve everything church related, including the number of students at religious seminaries. The sole Baptist Seminary in Romania used to get approval for only 3-4 students every other year. The government kept a tight control on books and other publications—resulting in a small, limited library at this Seminary, and made it difficult to establish a high academic standard. Church activity was developed at 2 levels: an official government sanctioned activity/gathering, and the unofficial activity/meeting called “underground church”. Because of the small number of pastors, each pastor had to serve in several churches. Seeing this great need for pastors and Christian workers, American missionaries came up with a smart idea: an unofficial, moving seminary called Biblical Education by Extension (B.E.E.). This type of education was used in communist Poland for unapproved university studies. I was part of this secret system of training, and I think that today when we see expanding restrictions in the US opposing religious freedom, it might be interesting to take a brief look at the education and life of Christians in communism. Many Americans are more and more attracted to socialism and communism due to the neo-Marxism that dominates American college teachings. These students believe that this is different from former Soviet Union socialism, but the basis is the same. The secret seminar (B.E.E.) that we were part of was a real blessing despite the many risks involved. The teachers came to us from the missionary base in Vienna by rotation to confuse the suspicious and xenophobic border officers. In addition, those with dual citizenship used different passports alternately. We never knew the teachers’ real names. To do not draw attention, they dressed as Romanian as possible and avoided any interactions with the locals I had a B.E.E. student number, which might seem conspiratorial even though it wasn't. No pictures were allowed; the only proof I have is the Certificate issued after communism fell. The Americans had been smart. For instance, the book storage for the students from my city of Arad was in another town—Simleul Silvaniei. And the book warehouse for those in Simleul Silvaniei was în Arad. We only found out about the existence of the book warehouse in Arad (which supplied books to another center) by chance; the Militia was about to search for the Zene family. That's how I found out about the warehouse. Mr. Zene was a perfect choice to host a secret book storage. He was discreet, spoke German, and lived in a remote area. We owed him a lot of gratitude for the job he did. Due to so many precautions, I thought the Secret Police (“Securitate” – in Romanian) didn't know anything about us, but it wasn't like that. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Doru Radu is one of the elders at Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan. Radu immigrated from the communist Romania and likes to write stories about the good hand of our Lord who protected us during the 45 years of communist persecution. #DECEMBER22

Editor’s note: This month’s episode of the “Punching Holes in the Darkness” podcast, discusses church revitalization, a special tool the BSCM is offering Michigan churches. Click this link to listen. https://www.bscm.org/podcast/episode/ebf9bab1/church-revitalization PLYMOUTH – “M&S (Mike and Shar) Construction.” That’s the name Shar and I chose for a business we started to “make ends meet” during a transitional time in our lives. I shake my head and chuckle at the name as I think back. We didn’t build homes - we remodeled them. We couldn’t use “M&S Remodeling” because another company was using it at the time. It was amazing how God provided for us as one job led to another over a three-year period. In one neighborhood, we ended up hanging vinyl siding on four houses and painting the interior of another. As business picked up, we quickly realized that we needed a plan to replace worn out tools, and buy new ones for some of the work we were doing. We decided to invest 10 percent of the profits from every job to buy new tools (I feel a grunt like “Tim the tool man Taylor” coming on right now. I love tools!) Shar went into the home center where we purchased most of our building materials and picked up a set of tools she saw me eyeing on an earlier trip. When she put the tools in the cart to buy them as a surprise for me, she got a kick out of it when the salesperson we dealt with often said in jest, “I wish you were my wife” as he looked at my new tools. “The right tool for the right job” was a mantra we developed because it often made work quicker and safer. Over time, a few handheld hammers became a collection of framing nailers, roofing nailers, finishing nailers, and floor nailers. That happened with saws and other tools as well. We ended up having the tools we needed for the types of remodeling jobs we did. Every contractor needs a toolbox with the tools necessary for the work. Every pastor needs a toolbox with the “tools” necessary for the work. Chief among them, and in a category all their own, are his saving relationship with Christ, his walk and filling with the Spirit, his calling by God to the Gospel ministry, and his commitment to the Bible as the ultimate guide for faith and practice. Other tools make an incredible difference too - study Bible notes, Bible dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, books on theology, church history, and Biblical counseling to name just a few. Seminary, if at all possible, should be pursued. It is an incredible blessing not only to the pastor, but to the church he serves as well. Another “tool” that every pastor needs in his toolbox today is an understanding of church revitalization. It is estimated that as many as 90% of churches in the United States need some level of church revitalization. It can be something as simple as a course correction of a ministry area to a total replant of the church. 900 Southern Baptist churches do not experience the revitalization they need and close every year. The reality is that almost every seminary graduate heading into pastoral ministry will go to a church needing revitalization. Almost every pastor or follower of Christ reading these words will be in a church that needs some level of revitalization. These words about the overwhelming need for revitalization seem “shocking” to me as I write them. And yet, the last words of Jesus to His church called her to revitalization (Revelation 2 & 3). The church at Ephesus in Rev. 2 was doing just about everything right, but she abandoned the love she had at first. Jesus calls her to remember, repent, and return. Jesus doesn’t mention anything the church at Laodicea is doing right, yet He says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). She was loved and invited to repent and be zealous. We want to equip pastors and church leaders with revitalization tools to put in their toolbox. There are no revitalization “silver bullets,” but there are Bible based, church tested, resources that help churches take their next steps toward renewed life and vitality. We have partnered with a church revitalization ministry called Corpus. Their “toolbox” is a six-step process that pastors and church leaders can use for church revitalization. THE SIX STEPS THE DISCOVERY A seven-step assessment designed to synthesize data and discoveries, helping pastors to accurately evaluate the current state of the church. THE CONVERGENCE A series of “sweet spot” exercises considering church purpose, leadership passion, and community potential; designed to identify where to position the church’s ministry for maximum impact. THE PYRAMID An in-depth series of exercises designed to develop all of the directional elements for the church, including mission, strategy, values, vision, annual plan, and goals. THE PATH A process to develop a customized plan for evangelism and discipleship. THE LADDER Creation of a customized, multi-level plan for leadership development using a four-fold framework. THE TOOLKIT Practical resources and ideas to help pastors and church leaders launch the new vision and build momentum toward its fulfillment. Dr. Rob Peters is going to be in Michigan on Monday and Tuesday, March 27-28, to meet with pastors and church leaders who want to learn more about Corpus Revitalization. We will organize his schedule based on the pastors that are interested in talking with him. Please contact mike@bscm.org for more information. The cost for each church going through the training is $1,999. Because of the generosity of Michigan Baptists in the Frances Brown State Mission Offering, the BSCM will invest $1,500 of the cost for each church team. The cost for each church will be $499. Corpus Informational Meetings: Monday, March 27th, 2023 Dinner 6:00pm (RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corpus-informational-meeting-monday-march-27th-6pm-at-eastgate-baptist-tickets-530647550107) Eastgate Baptist Church 4226 E. Atherton Road Burton, MI 48519 Tuesday, March 28th, 2023 Dinner at 6;00pm (RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corpus-informational-meeting-tuesday-march-28th-6pm-bscm-office-tickets-530664721467) BSCM Office 41100 Plymouth Road Bldg.1, Suite 315 Plymouth, MI 48170 Some daytime meetings are available if you and your team are not able to make the evening sessions. Please contact mike@bscm.org to schedule a meeting or for more information. 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. #FEBRUARY23

NASHVILLE, TN – Within a few hours of the “New Year”, some of the most famous people in the world—passed out of this world! Question: what would you do if you knew this was your last year to live on this side of eternity? Or to put it more succinctly, how would you live if you knew you had only one more year to live—at least on earth—on this side of heaven or hell? Jesus tells the following parable in just a few short sentences, but in those brief statements, He teaches and gives us so much to think about: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, but found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, “Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.” – Luke 13:6-9 New Question for the New Year: are you a fruit bearing believer? If not—then why not? This article is simply about you. It’s about doing a major introspection of your life. It’s about understanding that you were not promised a year, or a month, or even a week to live, you were only promised today! This article is about you, examining your own life to see, if in fact, you are bearing fruit. So, as not to be confusing, I believe there is one primary fruit of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, that fruit is called “LOVE." Every other thing listed is an aspect of love whether it is peace or joy or gentleness. (Galatians 5) Additionally, when Jesus is teaching his followers in the last hours of his life, He describes fruit that is to exist in the life of each believer, in this context, he discusses his own life being laid down for his friends, and that is called the greatest “LOVE” of all! (John 15) The challenge I believe from the parable, though, is not so much about fruit as it is about the fact that we have a very limited time on this planet to do what we are supposed to do! The vine dresser asks for one more year, and if no fruit, then—well then… cut it down—he pleads with the owner of the Vineyard, let me dig around it he says, let me fertilize it with dung” Last question: Are you willing to let God dig around in your life and to fertilize what needs to grow in order for you to produce the fruit he made you to produce? Some of us don’t bear fruit because we are afraid it won’t be perfect enough or we will make a mistake! Learn what some have learned from their own mistakes: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.“ (George Bernard Shaw). So my advice—just act! Do something! So said Neil Gaiman—“I hope in this year to come that you make mistakes…, because if you are making mistakes, you are making new things, trying new things… Learning, living, pushing yourself, changing your life—changing your world.“ So don’t be afraid to try and try and try—and yes—fail! “We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but we should never ever carry them forward into the new year with us .” (L.M.Montgomery) Lastly—Sophocles poignantly reminds us— “All men make mistakes… but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs this evil. The only crime is pride.” True that—it may be that the greatest sin on judgment day is the sin of omission, afraid to love our neighbor, afraid to love your wife as Christ loved the church, afraid to love one another. Afraid we will make a mistake, and it will be worse. Trust me, it will never be worse! So this year, maybe your last year, let God do what he wants to… in and through you… and bear fruit like never before! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #FEBRUARY23

MONROE – On the mountain, Jesus taught his disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). The overall aim of the Christian life is to pursue God’s kingdom, not our own kingdoms in this world. Turning away from ourselves, we look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. Assured of Christ’s love and centered upon His completed work for us, we have a firm foundation upon which to resist darkness and seek the kingdom of God. Monroe Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe, Michigan is hosting their 2023 Men’s Conference on the theme of, “The Purpose of the Christian Life”. Their Men’s Conference aims to ground and grow men in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Through a mixture of learning and fellowship, they desire to encourage men to follow Christ in their various callings in life. The guest speaker this year is Jon Moffitt, who serves as pastor of Grace Reformed Church, in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Originally from Southern California, he has served churches in Utah, California, and Tennessee, and in addition to preaching at his local church, can be heard on the Theocast Podcast. Jon and his wife, Judith, have four children. Registration: online at mmbconline.org/mens-conference or call (734) 241-6860 Dates: March 3-4 Cost: $20/person Location: 14260 S Dixie Hwy, Monroe, MI, 48161 For more information about the conference and schedule, click here. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Spencer Snow has served as Discipleship Pastor of Monroe Missionary Baptist Church since 2019. Originally from Missouri, he’s a graduate of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and makes his home in Monroe with his wife, Courtney, and their three children. #FEBRUARY23

EASTPOINTE – In October and November 2022, I was doing a series called Standing Together, a 7-week series that focused on the local church and in our church. It was a way to teach a new members class to the entire church. I did this series because Eastside Community Church had very little if any information on our current members due to a change in leadership, Covid-19, record keeping ability, and various other reasons. This series did two things; it taught in a church setting to all who come on Sunday who we are as a church, and asked those attending to become a partner in ministry with our church. In the first message of the series we looked at the responsibility of the pastor to the church. The point of focus for the pastor was Ephesians 4:11-12 “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ”. From this passage, we were able to see one of the main responsibilities of our church’s pastors; to prepare and equip this local assembly of believers to do ministry. There are many pastors who minister bi-vocationally. You work hard for a living to support your families. You spend time ministering to them, loving them, and being the shepherd they need. Then turn around with what is left of your time, and give it to a local assembly of believers. This is done because God has called you to teach, to lead, and to sacrifice so that a group of believers will stand together sharing with others that Jesus Christ is the Rock of Salvation, and the gates of hell will not prevail against this truth. However, we sometimes get lost in where we should focus our time which is precisely what I had done. After this series, I was praying ahead to 2023 to see what and how God would use our midweek Bible study. I felt I had an answer, but I reached out to one of my good friends in ministry and asked him this serious question, “What would you focus your pastoral time on if it was limited, so it can be maximized?” His answer back to me was the same I had come up with, but in a different order. My answer was preaching and leadership development, his answer was leadership development and preaching. This essentially was the role of the Pastor that I had given Eastside Community Church a few weeks earlier, to equip them for ministry. Now that I know the what, I had to figure out the how. How and or what can I do to invest my time in developing leaders? We have a Wednesday night program that serves as a more in-depth Bible study. We are currently doing a through the Bible series, I announced that after we finished this series, we would be transitioning our Wednesday Night meetings into a leadership training process. It will focus on training individuals in our church with the Timothy Initiative: Disciples Making Disciples. You can read more about this program at ttionline.org. The basis of the program started out with missionaries, and it was used to assist them in their discipleship making process. Intentional, the program teaches families how to become a disciple that will go out and reach another family and disciple them. The concept is to use these families as small churches that keep planting more churches. It has become so effective that it is now being used here in America. The desire and dream are to turn our small group of Wednesday Night attenders into ferocious church planters. I share these thoughts and our story to encourage you with the opportunities you have to put in an intentional leadership development strategy. If you're pastoring bi-vocationally, you will probably need to be creative on the when, where, and how. You might look at your situation and think there isn’t any more time! I encourage you to look through the things you're doing and cut something, so you can replace it with training leaders. If you're fortunate enough to be able to pastor vocationally, and you're not developing leaders intentionally, I encourage you to reserve a weekly spot in your calendar and be available for a small group of people. Invite them to go on a journey with you. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Damon Gardzelewski is pastor at Eastside Community Church in Eastpointe, Michigan. He holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master in Religious Education from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and a B.S. in Religion from Liberty University. Damon has served churches in student ministry and lead pastor roles. #FEBRUARY23

Editor’s note: The following story is the last in a three-part series about the challenges of training pastors behind the Iron Curtain in Romania. I am grateful to American churches and Christians for sponsoring international missions. I have met with Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru), behind the iron curtain, as well as with the Navigators, Brother Andrew, and many others. Biblical Education by Extension (B.E.E.) was a seminary with the purpose of preparing pastors. While it was not the only one, it was the most widespread in Romania. As the mission grew, the risks grew also. We didn’t do anything illegal, but the Communists were xenophobic, and they told us each missionary is a CIA agent in disguise. Even with the omnipresence of the Secret Police (“Securitate” in Romanian), they couldn’t stop us. We didn’t know the national leaders. We heard a search of one of the pastors found literature, and he was charged and awaiting trial, but we didn’t know at that time that he was one of the leaders. The good hand of the Lord was upon us (Ezra 8:22b.)! After a couple of years, the teachers who came got used to the addresses, and no longer needed the first generation of students to wait for them at the train station. Only first time missionaries needed to be met at the train station when the meeting location was not predetermined. Occasionally, we saw real miracles. My city, Arad, was only 30 miles from the border and usually the hotels were filled with foreign students. But during the cold winters with electric and heat restrictions few tourists would come, so the missionaries would be more conspicuous. One February we were very concerned. There were few foreigners that winter and two Americans in the hotel would be suspicious. “Why didn't they move our class to April or, at least March?!” We were waiting nervously in a small apartment, and there was a heavy fog outside. How would the missionaries find us? The fog was so thick that I got lost twice, and I knew the area. The missionaries knew the address because they had been there before, but they could not ask anybody for directions or take a cab. Two hours behind schedule, the doorbell rang. Someone joked, “Well, it’s either the Secret Police or the missionaries.” Relieved, the host greeted the missionaries and teachers. Only the angels could have led them to the meeting place! Professor Thomas was afraid of a strip search at the border, and he ate the note with the address to Doru Popa’s house, our designated host. “Lord, please help me find Popa’s apartment,” he prayed. All he remembered was apartment number 5. Walking on the streets, during a hot summer, he was praying desperately. Suddenly, he saw a big door to an old Habsburg style building; it resembled the description his preceding teacher gave him. He went into a court and saw the five stairs that led to apartment 5. We were there waiting for him. Thomas was relieved. What Thomas didn’t know, but the Holy Spirit knew, was that in my city of Arad there were probably hundreds of Habsburg style buildings with the same type of huge and heavy wooden door; there was nothing special about that building. Once again, the good hand of our precious Lord was with us again! The Romanian communist regime fell in 1989 and the trials against two pastors involved in B.E.E. never took place. The B.E.E. became free to do its work and continues to this day. It also continues in other countries, freely or in secret. The irony is that God’s plan was for Romanian Communism to fall around Christmas. It started with Christmas caroling at the house of a reformed pastor who was under house arrest (1). The Communists told us in the early sixties that by the year 2000, religion and the church would disappear. Guess what? The Communists disappeared 11 years before the scheduled funeral of Romanian Christianity. The Lord protected His church! There was nothing dangerous or subversive in our studies. However, the young generation interested in socialism should know that the totalitarian regimes would find Christian ideas, and other ideas in general, more dangerous than stealing, carjacking, bank robbery or even murder. That’s why they invested so much into a supervision apparatus. I hope that my modest memories would motivate us to remember and pray more fervently for the persecuted Christians (Hebrew 13:3) and for the missionaries. Soli Deo gloria! (1) The picture attached is from the Romanian Revolution in my city, Arad, on December 23, 1989. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Doru Radu is one of the elders at Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan. Radu immigrated from the communist Romania and likes to write stories about the good hand of our Lord who protected us during the 45 years of communist persecution. #FEBRUARY23

PLYMOUTH – There are some things in life I miss. The fact is, we all do. Big and small. Great and even the insignificant. It is ingrained in our souls to long for people, places, possessions, and experiences of our past. These nostalgic desires are natural and pervasive throughout humanity. Yet, we all have different longings and for different things. A recent study by Harvard University found that happiness and well-being have a strong correlation with deep relationships. No surprise there! We need each other. At certain times I find myself thinking of and reminiscing about long past friends and family. It’s good for me and reminds me of how blessed my life has been. Some days, when my thoughts wander and I begin to wonder, small and seemingly insignificant things in my past can instill a peace and calmness in my heart. Things like a gum eraser and the unmistakable scent it gives, takes me back to my earliest days of school at Kermit Elementary and the carefree and unencumbered life I lived. Fun, play, friends, and no pressing responsibilities. A longing wells up in me for those lost times. Something else that I miss is the sound of a wooden screen door opening and closing, and its accompanying sounds produced by the long metal spring and the well-worn henges as they squeaked and banged about. Fresh watermelon in the summertime being eaten and the juices from its crimson flesh running down one’s face and arms as you try to take as much in as your immature mouth can hold. The deafening silence of a deep winter’s night after a fresh fallen snow with the only sound perceptible being the exhale of your breath and the crunch made by your boots as you imprint the new fallen blanket of white. The smell of a newborn baby and the purity of that perfect skin. Thunderstorms advancing across the desert sands and mesquite, foretelling its approach with rumbles of thunder, growing louder and louder as it advances and the distinct odor of moisture in the air. Funny, is it not, how what we miss and what we remember can be so small and insignificant. Of course, it is the emotions and experiences that are attached to them that give weight to their worth. I miss singing certain hymns. Now before you think I am getting on a “soap box” about contemporary worship styles, I am not. I love the fresh, new and expressive ways many within our younger generations glorify God. But nonetheless, I miss the way certain hymnists and musicians of the past expressed the awe and wonder they found in God. Hymns like the Quaker John Whittier wrote: I know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise, Assured alone that life and death His mercy underlies. Or Daniel W. Whittle’s conversion confession in a Confederate prison: I know not why God’s wondrous grace To me he hath made known, Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love Redeemed me for his own. But “I know whom I have believed, And am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I’ve committed Unto Him against that day.” This one you may not remember but it speaks volumes to me. Written by a Methodist minister, Fred Pratt Green, immediately following WWII. When in our music, God is glorified, And adoration leaves no room for pride, It is as though the whole creation cried, Alleluia! I miss these things. I am not sad or angry. Just thankful and blessed that they are part of my life’s collective. To walk in those memories brings great joy and happiness. I miss these things and it is so good to remember. 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. #FEBRUARY23

PLYMOUTH – Do you and others, in the church, want to reignite those past feelings of expectancy again. How do you do that? Is there a pathway where you can rediscover that passion you once had? Is there an answer to, “How will the church influence the surrounding community by bringing people a step closer to the Lord?” Four Easy Steps There is some good news and four easy steps that will build a fresh new anticipation in your souls and hearts. All you need is the following: 1. Book for each person Reclaiming Glory (Updated Version): Revitalizing Dying Churches written by our friend Mark Clifton and published by B&H Books, January 6, 2023, available on Amazon for $14.99. Ask members, and especially the influencers, to read the book within a specific span of time. Conversations and ideas will start to flow in a fresh new way. 2. Videos to watch together Sign up for access to free accompanying videos that will enrich the book’s contents and your discussions: https://bit.ly/3QSaQar - watching and interacting with one another after viewing the videos will bring a deeper level of examination. 3. Meeting schedule Create a high-priority schedule where church leaders and members can meet, while reading sections of the book prior to gathering and for viewing the videos together as a family. Perhaps make this content part of one of the already scheduled gatherings when your church family meets. 4. Set into motion This final stage is the most rewarding because the congregation will know what needs to be done to reignite that holy expectancy in the church. Convinced by what needs to be done to reclaim God’s glory in the church and community, the ideas formulated after weeks of reading the book, viewing the videos, and discussing the materials will turn into practical plans in which everyone can participate. Across North America, including Canada, church members and leaders are gathering together to courageously renew the focus of their local congregation for greater impact on the community while reclaiming God’s glory in the church. Join the renewal. This material and content are so practical that every pastor and church member, working together with a sincere desire to glorify the Lord, will achieve the renewal they crave. Act now and become the catalyst for church revitalization. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. 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. #FEBRUARY23