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by Tony Lynn PLYMOUTH, MI – Last month during two warm and sunny October days in Alpharetta, Georgia, approximately 275 field personnel of the Send Network of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) gathered with eager anticipation to hear about the changes and the refined focus that the President of the Send Network, Vance Pitman would share. Six from Michigan were part of the mission force: Tony Lynn, Wayne Parker, Ken Nether, Matt Thompson, Barry Martin, and Dan Carty. Pitman introduced one word to the most often heard and repeated phrase within the mission organization. Mission personnel in the past often said, “Planting churches everywhere for everyone.” Pitman added one word to remind all of us that congregations are the leading force in the mission, so from now on the mission force will say, “Churches planting churches everywhere for everyone.” Pitman took the time to display and explain five new guiding values. Pitman said during his presentation, “As a family of churches planting churches everywhere for everyone, we want to be clear about the values that drive our decisions. These values impact everything we do.” Here are those five Send Network values: Seek first the kingdom Deepen devotion Stick together Think multiplication Engage your city (community) During one of the sessions, Pitman introduced five men as members of the Send Network executive team who will serve alongside him with specific tasks assigned to each man. Pitman spoke of the respect he had for each man regarding their personal lives and ministry service. In turn, it was obvious that each man had responded affirmatively to Pitman’s invitation to serve the Send Network because they believe in the mission and are confident in Pitman’s vision and leadership. The members of the executive team are: Vance Pitman, President of the Send Network Travis Ogle, Executive Vice President Felix Cabrera, Vice President of Send Network Español Matt Carter, Vice President of Mobilization Michael Crawford, Vice President of Strategies & Development Bryan Loritts, Vice President of Regions The field personnel were touched by the humility of each vice president who accepted an important role in the Send Network while simultaneously continuing in his personal, vibrant ministry. Today’s Send Network mission personnel are continually impressed and inspired by those who actively practice ministry while offering administrative and visionary leadership in larger mission collaborations. The two day event marked a renewed focus on the urgency and sacrifice it is going to take to see churches planting churches everywhere for everyone. 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. #NOVEMBER22

by Karen Blanchard SHELBY TOWNSHIP – Have you ever been around someone who just radiates positivity? This type of person lights up the room with their presence and vibrance for life. I have a friend like this; she loves life and loves people. She makes it her mission to make people feel loved and cared for. My spirits are always lifted after spending time with her. I don’t know about you, but I like to be around people like this. Positive people have a way of helping others see the good in the world, which in turn helps to shift our perspective higher. The Bible says, A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22 NIV When we surround ourselves with positive, Spirit-filled people, they begin to rub off on us and make a difference in our lives. Proverbs says, having a cheerful heart is good medicine. Do you ever wonder why you feel the way you do or act a certain way - whether good or bad? Below are a few suggestions on how to develop a cheerful heart. 1 – Take inventory I am a firm believer that we need many different types of people in our lives. However, we need to be careful whom we allow in our inner circle. The people we allow to speak into our lives make a huge difference to the state of our hearts. Our inner circle of friends should be people who know the Lord, build us up, hold us accountable, and encourage us to be better. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20 NIV 2 – Recognize negativity Have you ever heard the saying, “Negativity breeds negativity?” This is true! Negativity does not come from God! The more you are around negativity, the more it seeps into your soul and will affect your heart. Negative people are draining and toxic. It is important that you recognize negativity as soon as possible and put a stop to it. Negative talk and behavior will spread like a cancer if not stopped! Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation… – Philippians 2:14-15a NIV 3 – Speak life The words we say reflect the state of our hearts. Are you careful about what you share with others or do you allow whatever comes to mind come out of your mouth? This takes some training and discipline, but by the power of the Holy Spirit we can overcome it. We want to speak words that are life giving and not life sucking. Do not let unwholesome talk come from your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29 NIV 4 – Stay connected It is vital to the state of our hearts to stay connected to our true source of life, Jesus. We must make time to meet with God and read his Word. By reading God’s Word, he will teach us what we need to know and guide us down the right paths. When we take time to meet with him, he breathes new life into our dry bones. He lifts our spirit and gives us what we need to face the days ahead. As we go deeper into the Word and learn more about God, we begin to realize he is all we need. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5 NIV As we enter this season of thanksgiving, I pray you reflect on the state of your heart. Ask God to reveal to you anything in your heart that is keeping you from having a cheerful heart. Then pray and confess those things to God and ask him to give you a new heart, a cheerful heart. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area! #NOVEMBER22

by Chip Faulkner HILLSDALE, MI – Have you ever received a word of encouragement or a gift that improved your whole attitude? Opening a card from our local hospital, I was shocked to find a handwritten thank you note and a $100.00 gift certificate to a nice restaurant in town. Over the decades of ministry, I’ve been to many hospitals making countless pastoral visits, but this was the first time a hospital ever sent me a gift! The hospital administrators wrote of their appreciation for the difference I was making in their patients' lives. Their kindness and generosity lifted my outlook, and I’ve been telling others about what was done for me. In Psalm 16 we don’t find David in a hospital, but his heart did need healing. What began with a prayer asking for protection soon turned into praise in recognition of God’s unexpected manner of provision. David’s whole mindset improved as he learned that the safest refuge during any attack is in finding his ultimate pleasure in the presence of God. David realized that the strongest defense was in trusting God as his highest delight. From this vantage point David was then able to look beyond his mortal life towards a secure eternity of abundant joy. Attitudes are shaped from habits of thought which in turn influence behavior. The inspired truths of Psalm 16 can be used to diagnose our attitudes, particularly when external enemies or inner fears are festering. We can allow our conduct to be held captive by our circumstances, or we can choose to find freedom within the “beautiful boundaries” provided as a portion of our inheritance in Christ. Because God is always present to guide us, we can rejoice in the security He provides. Delighting in God is a product of learning to trust in His counsel. The path of life God has chosen for each of us will hold challenging days and long nights yet practicing appreciation in all situations will help keep attitudes well adjusted. Receiving a thank you card with a gift certificate is encouraging. Even better is finding joyful contentment and blessed calm in the presence of our God who holds our future. We can be grateful for the confidence that no matter what we face, God is always near as our refuge. Praise really does change perspective. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chip was called to Hillsdale Baptist Church in March of 2020. He has served churches in Oklahoma and Illinois and also as a missionary with the IMB. Chip and his wife Gail have three grown children and 5 grandchildren. #NOVEMBER22

by Brandon Porter More than 1,100 potential IMB missionaries are now in a pipeline awaiting preparation and assignment. Isn’t that exciting? It is an answer to prayer and a work of God. This encouraging response to the call of the Great Commission is evidence of God’s work to bring all people to Him through Jesus Christ. When I hear that others are answering God’s call to go to the nations, I want to do my part. Don’t you? Maybe we aren’t all called to physically go to the nations, but there is a role for all believers. Upon hearing the news of the 1,100 missionaries in the pipeline, I was immediately reminded of an article IMB President Paul Chitwood wrote in 2021. In the piece, he specifically asked us to focus on increasing the mission force, to give toward it and to pray for it. In that piece, Chitwood lamented, “Those of us who have been in a Southern Baptist church since at least 2008 should be sobered by the fact that gospel troops have been cut by nearly half on our watch.” He issued a call to action for frontline missionaries, “We have a target of seeing the number of frontline missionaries grow by 500 over the next five years. And here’s what we need to do right now: we need to deliver the draft notice. We need to get the word out. We need to call out the called and encourage every pastor and preacher across the SBC to call out the called.” God is at work and His people are responding. We may not all be sent to the uttermost, but we are all called to pray and give for the sake of the Great Commission. This is a not a new call to action. Another Paul, the apostle Paul, called on Christians to contribute to the needs of the saints. (Romans 12:13) That same apostle looked forward to his own personal help from those Roman Christians as he continued in his mission work (Romans 15:24). He was counting on them to help carry the gospel to those who had never heard. The need for us to increase our giving to reach the nations is great. “I’m asking Southern Baptists for more money, the money it will take to support those 500 more missionaries,” Chitwood said. The apostle Paul was also counting on Christians to pray for missions and church planting. In at least five different places in the New Testament, he asks believers to pray for his mission work. In the summer of 2021, messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Nashville passed Vision 2025. Two aspects in that urgent vision play a key role in news of the increased pipeline. First, messengers agreed to pray and act to see a net gain of 500 full-time, fully funded missionaries through the IMB. God is at work and His people are responding. There is also a call to increase giving through the Cooperative Program (CP). The way to get the missionaries from the pipeline to the field is by giving generously through the Cooperative Program. God is at work. Will His people respond? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Porter serves as associate vice president for Convention News at the SBC Executive Committee. #NOVEMBER22

by Hugh Johnson Help reach the worshipers of Santa Muerte Casting a long shadow across one of Mexico City’s poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods stands a seven-story image of Santa Muerte – the Saint of Death. She takes the form of a human skeleton clad in black plastic sheeting with arms outstretched, inviting residents in from the streets to make offerings of flowers, fruit, burned cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. Even in a country known for its fascination with death (which is celebrated every November during the Day of the Dead festivities), Santa Muerte seems macabre and gruesome. The Catholic church denounces devotion to the folk saint as cult, but for her many worshipers, the city’s poorest-of-the-poor, Santa Muerte promises prosperity, healing, protection and vengeance in criminal gang battles. “The bony lady,” as her followers call her, is believed to be the one who will come to collect us when it’s our time to die. The cult of Santa Muerte was popularized by Jonathan Legaría, the ambitious son of a middle-class family in Mexico City. Always fascinated by magic and the occult, Legaría convinced many that he had healing powers. After his violent death in a hail of bullets in 2008, at just 26, the cult grew rapidly under the organization of his now-deceased mother, Enriqueta Vargas. There are now an estimated 10 million followers — not just in Mexico, but across the Americas. You can even find altars to the saint in various cities in the U.S. Carlos Llambes, International Mission Board missionary, has ministered among followers of this cult. “They think the only thing in life that is sure is death, so we better be on good terms with her,” Llambe says, explaining the mindset behind the worship of death. As many parts of the United States participate in fall festivals and Halloween, join IMB missionaries in prayer. Use the decorations as a visual reminder to pray for: the people in Mexico City who are deceived by this false saint and its false prophets. Pray that they will see their sin in taking shelter from death, covenanting with her for eternal security. Pray for them to understand that the only truly sure thing in this life is Jesus. God to sustain missionaries and evangelical Christians ministering in the midst of much spiritual darkness. Join them in praying that people will choose to follow the true God of eternal life who casts out fear. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hugh Johnson is a retired IMB worker. #NOVEMBER22

by Diana Chandler GREEN BROOK, NJ (BP) – Gloria Gaynor recalls the heyday of her iconic Grammy-winning disco hit “I Will Survive” when the Lord reined her in. “I think I was about to go off the deep end, to make a long story short, and the Lord grabbed me in my collar and said that’s enough. I mean, literally,” she told Baptist Press years after the jolt she experienced during a party she hosted in her home in 1984. “I was visibly shaken. I thought everyone else in the room saw it, and I went into the bathroom shaking and crying and realizing that the Lord had grabbed me, that I was about to go beyond what He was willing to allow me to go as His child.” Gaynor spent a year’s sabbatical in 1988 discerning God’s call on her life. Musically, would she adopt the sacred and let go of the secular? Would she sing a combination? “There’s a long way between the secular and the sacred, but not everything is purely sacred or purely secular,” Gaynor said. “After that year, He sent me back with this. ‘My Word speaks of all of the issues of life. What would make you think that I wouldn’t want you to sing about all of the issues of life from My point of view?’ And that’s what I do in my show.” Gaynor’s sole Gospel album would come decades later. The Grammy-winning “Testimony” released in 2019 by Gaither Music Group includes vocals by Bart Millard, Jason Crabb, Yolanda Adams and Mike Farris. The 20th studio album of her career garnered her second Grammy, this time for Roots Gospel Album. “I’ve always believed that Gospel music or Christian music should minister to people and should do what the Bible does; it should make known to them the love, the knowledge, the design and desire of God’s life for every human being. My purpose was to have songs that did that,” she said of Testimony. “That was what I had in mind, trying to get across to them the character of God, the design of God for the life of His children.” Now 79, Gaynor spoke with Baptist Press in the midst of several projects including live performances in the U.S. and France, and a biographical documentary set to release next year. On Nov. 1, Pure Flix will release the inspirational Christmas movie, “The Thursday Night Club,” featuring Gaynor as a physician and encouraging good deeds particularly among young adults. “I love the idea that it’s young people who are learning to give back, learning to be altruistic, learning to pay it forward,” she said of the movie. “I stand in awe of a God Who gives you gifts, talents, abilities, wealth and welfare to share with other people, and then blesses you even more as you share it and use it to bless others. He’s amazing.” Gaynor was in her 30s when the Lord drew her back to Himself. At that time, she was riding high on I Will Survive, her disco hit in the days of vinyl records. The song was originally produced as a B-side recording designed to take a back seat. But it soared. “When I read the lyrics, I was thinking about the fact that I’d just had surgery on my spine and I was actually standing there recording in a back brace and hoping that I would survive the surgery,” she told Baptist Press. “I was thinking about the fact that my mother had only passed away a few years prior, and I was hoping to survive all of that, and survive not only her death, but survive keeping intact her memory and the things that she taught me about life. Those were the things that the song was about to me, at that point.” Her mother Quinnie Mae Proctor had been Gaynor’s compass when the performer was baptized as a teenager at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark. But Gaynor had lost her way when God drew her back to Himself at the house party she hosted in 1984. “That’s when I really changed my life, and about a year later I found a baptismal certificate that I had completely forgotten about. When I found it, all of these memories came rushing back, about how when I was 16 years old, I’d told my mother I wanted to be baptized, I wanted to give my life to the Lord. “And I did that. I was baptized and then I forgot about it,” Gaynor said. Her mother died in 1970. “She was my rock. I lost my moral compass and completely forgot about the Lord, but praise God, He never forgot about me,” Gaynor said. “And I believe that at that at that party, whatever might have gone on, He just said to the enemy, ‘Not this one. This one’s mine.’” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #NOVEMBER22

by David Thompson NASHVILLE, TN – Like beauty— success is often in the eye of the beholder. Plato believed “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” Let us never ever forget that the world is a stage—- and others are always watching. Everything you do inspires someone to do something…good or bad. Yet still— at the heart of true success is the idea of “Resolve.” That’s why Peter Drucker noted, “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes, but no plans.” So, in a world of very little commitment— please know that ultimate dedication wins the day! Having noted this—it is what you do, not say that matters. Said Andrew Carnegie, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say, I just watch what they do.” In a world of too many “talking heads” with too many “talking points” let us do more than we say! Along that vein, it’s relevant to know how our framers understand success. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have NO meaning.”— Benjamin Franklin. Ole Ben was right……why? Who you are carries more weight than words and even more than what you do. So, what is success? Hear from one of the most successful coaches of all time, John Wooden who had similar beliefs when he preached to his team, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of the self-satisfaction of knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” And believe it or not, halfway around the world, and in a completely different society with completely different ideas, one idealist notes a very similar thought said Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, “The meaning of earthly existence lies, not as we have grown used to thinking, in prospering, but in the development of the soul.” You may be thinking this, “Well they don’t know the struggles I have had” ……. maybe not, but my guess is they learned to deal with it. And so, Frederick Douglas touted, “If there is no struggle…. there is no progress.” If I have learned anything— it is that successful folk never ever allow themselves to make excuses!! Parenthetically— the attitude and mindset of achievers is often a matter of the heart, soul, and spirit. Ralph Waldo Emerson believed— “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” Also, herein lies yet another matter of the heart to consider. So, what is your crowning achievement? What is the crown you wear? (The Invisible Crown). Said William Shakespeare, ”My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.” And that being factual, the opposite is true to form “worry” must be the opposite of said contentment. Hear the lighthearted heart of Robert Frost, “The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.” So even though it sounds like a line from a cheesy song, “Don’t worry…Be Happy!” Now surely there is more than that. I love what Albert Einstein taught, “Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” So maybe you just need a new motto, by the way, each state has one, Ohio finally got one, it took them 156 years but they finally did and they got it right, ”With God, all things are possible.” So, if everything else has failed for you, I dare you to just try that and trust the God who alone can be trusted! That equals success!! 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. #NOVEMBER22

by Brandon Elrod PUERTO RICO – Following Hurricane Fiona’s landfall in Puerto Rico Sunday, Sept. 18, Southern Baptist churches on the island have begun meeting crisis needs and engaging their communities with the Gospel through Send Relief. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, all North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Send Relief staff are safe,” said Jonathan Santiago, Send Relief’s ministry center director in Puerto Rico. “We are in the process of responding all across the island.” The entire island lost power, which has made feeding those in need a top priority. Send Relief has launched six response sites through local churches across the island, some of them Send Network churches that were recently planted. “My heroes! Our Send Puerto Rico church planters are at work, meeting needs and changing lives with the gospel,” tweeted Felix Cabrera, director for Send Puerto Rico. “Please continue praying for them.” Send Relief’s immediate response so far is focusing on providing meals and water as long as these needs persist. Each site can produce up to 2,000 meals a day, and local Puerto Rican Southern Baptist volunteers have been driving the response. Before Fiona made landfall, Send Relief leadership pre-staged equipment and resources to enhance their ability to respond, and on Tuesday morning, Sept. 20, they began delivering food, water and other emergency supplies to the six churches, which are located in the hardest hit areas. “Puerto Rican Southern Baptists have been eager to serve their neighbors and communities,” said Coy Webb, Send Relief’s crisis response director. “That’s why hundreds of people have trained to respond to crises like Hurricane Fiona in recent years, and now they’re putting themselves into action to meet needs and proclaim the hope of the Gospel as they serve.” Volunteers also began removing debris from people’s yards and started the recovery process. Local churches are receiving calls from people who need help, which may open up opportunities for volunteers from the mainland in the coming weeks. Hurricane Fiona is the first major hurricane of the 2022 hurricane season and has reportedly killed five people across the various islands of the Caribbean. After hitting Puerto Rico as a Category 1 storm, Fiona has since migrated further north into the Atlantic where it has become a Category 4 storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, it is slated to make landfall in northeast Canada by this weekend. Fiona made landfall nearly five years to the day after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. Send Relief was still actively organizing trips to help homeowners rebuild from the historic 2017 storm when Fiona hit. “Southern Baptists, we want to thank you for your prayers. Thank you for reaching out and thank you for all you’ve done to make this response possible,” Santiago said. “Thank you for your giving that allows us to bring the gospel through serving people.” To learn more and donate to Send Relief’s hurricane response fund, visit Send Relief’s Hurricane Fiona response page. Send Relief’s opportunities for teams to serve on mission trips remain available as well. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board. #OCTOBER22

by Sue Hodnett CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – One step at a time. We all have a next step to take, whether it’s your first step or one of many in a long journey with God. Leading and serving is about more than liking Jesus or knowing about Him. It's about becoming like Him. “Rather than view women as risks, liabilities, or burdens, Jesus invited them to draw near.” ~ Jen Wilkin. How as women do we view Jesus? “We see Him as the one who welcomes women and defends their right to learn from Him.” ~ Rebecca McLaughlin. Bible studies, small groups, leadership training and trustworthy courses to assist women into God’s Word are not only vital but biblical. Our desire is to assist you in developing the leadership skills needed to make disciples of Jesus who live on mission. Sharing knowledge and tools needed to start a new ministry or take the next step in your current ministry. Ministry Center Training and Resourcing for Christian Women Leaders. Bible Studies & Leadership Courses (FALL 2022) 1) ISAIAH: STRIVING LESS & TRUSTING GOD MORE (Melissa Spoelstra |Lifeway) Discover a life truth: Following God isn’t about striving; it’s about trusting God more. In this study, we will unpack Isaiah’s words to reveal that we can trust God more than our human effort. You won’t be striving harder, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is so worthy of our utter dependence. Wednesdays 10am – 12pm @ the Ministry Center 7 Weeks / Begins October 3rd 2) SPIRITUAL FORMATION AS A LEADER (by Dr. Noel Forlini Burt) CWLC, National WMU Participants look closely at the role of grace in their lives and to accept the invitation to go in the way of peace as they lead. Upside-Down Leadership (New Hope Publishers), by Taylor Field, is the course text. Online Course/Student completes assignment on their own, we meet on zoom weekly to review and encourage. Thursdays 7:00pm – 8:30pm via zoom call 4 Weeks / Begins October 3rd Cost: $30 / online course fee 3) THE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LEADERSHIP (Dr. Andrea Mullins) CWLC, National WMU Gives participants opportunities to discover the meaning of leading with a biblical perspective based on Christian values. Real Women Leading with Proverbs 31 Values (New Hope Publishers), by Lisa Troyer and Dawn Yoder, is the course textbook. Online Course/Student completes assignment on their own, we meet on zoom weekly to review and encourage. Tuesdays 7:00pm – 8:30pm via zoom call 4 Weeks / Begins November 1st Cost: $30 / online course fee 4) MINISTRY TO WOMEN (Kelly D King |Lifeway) The Essential Guide for Leading Women in the Local Church Providing a theological framework as a foundation for practical ministry, this guide by Women’s Ministry Specialist Kelly D. King covers a range of topics relevant to the modern leader, including discipleship, events, mentorship, communication, crisis, and more. Wednesdays 7:00pm – 8:30pm @ the Ministry Center 7 Weeks / Begins October 3rd To Register for Course(s) https://form.jotform.com/222408253865155 National WMU National WMU has launched a focus on mental health. This self-guided course will provide you with an understanding of mental health challenges and how they impact those around you. It will equip you with resources for leading training conferences on mental health. This course costs $20. Register Now Lifeway Women Academy Online Courses for Women We want to fuel the ministry of women just like you in churches around the world by helping you to treasure biblical truth for yourself. Learn more about the Academy at: https://www.lifeway.com/en/special-emphasis/lifeway-women-academy Women's Ministry is dedicated to strengthening the women of BSCM by encouraging, equipping, and engaging them to live intentional lives to the glory of God. Our ministry opportunities are of culturally relevant content, guided by a missional mindset, compassionate care, and places value on the development of women in leadership. Women’s Ministries provide encouragement and support the professional development of women leaders in our churches. We come alongside our pastors and ministry leaders to provide resources and support in Leadership Development, Compassion Ministries, Missions Discipleship and Administration. Visit: www.facebook.com/bscmwmu for the most current women’s ministry information. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Hodnett serves as women’s ministry leader for the BSCM as well as WMU Michigan Executive Director. She has dedicated her life to ministering to women in Michigan. #OCTOBER22

by Glenda Lassiter CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – A few years before I retired from teaching, I felt God pulling me in the direction of teaching English to immigrants. Soon after my retirement, I began searching for opportunities for teaching English, and my first thought was to seek a part-time job with the local public school adult education program. I also started looking for training, but wasn’t having much success.. In January of 2021 I began volunteering with the English as a Second Language (ESL) group at my local public library. One of the teachers there told me about the North American Mission Board (NAMB) training through the Georgia Association where he was trained. When I reached out to Georgia for information I was told that I had missed the registration deadline by three days, the class was already full, and I didn’t live in Georgia, so I couldn’t be enrolled. Three days later I got a call from Karen Elrod, Georgia WMU. She said that the teacher had agreed to accept an additional student and I could enroll. Within a week I started the five week online training. After my first online training session, it became clear that God was calling me to start an ESL ministry rather than finding a secular English job. The training was wonderful, not only for learning how to teach English to Internationals, but it also gave excellent direction for launching a successful ministry. When I shared the possibility of starting a ministry at Lakepointe Church with my pastor, Scott Blanchard, he was very supportive. 14% of Macomb County residents speak another language as their native tongue, so there is definitely a need. And Matthew 28:19-20 and Leviticus 19:33-34 give us the call to love immigrants and share the gospel with them. The next step was to enlist a few other teachers and get them enrolled in the Georgia Association online training. Once their training was complete, we began to meet and plan out what the ESL ministry would look like at Lakepointe. I also had help planning from several ESL leaders in Georgia and North Carolina. I was given excellent advice on materials to use, advertising, and organization. They have answered questions and given me great encouragement along the way. By October 2021 we were ready to launch the ministry. Our first night we had 3 trained teachers, 7 rotating childcare volunteers, 3 adult students, and no children. By the end of our school year in May 2022, we had 4 trained teachers, 13 adult students, and 7 children. Our students were from 7 different countries. Most of the students are not Christians. Most of our volunteers are senior citizens, which shows we’re never too old for ministry! Every week we begin class with a devotional message, and our students have been open to hearing the Word and asking questions about our faith. We have been so blessed and have had opportunities to meet with our students outside of class to build relationships. Several have reached out to us for prayer. Two of our Albanian students became United States citizens with the help of their English teacher. We gave a baby shower for one of our students whose family lives far away in Turkmenistan. One of our students from Iraq needed transportation to purchase necessities for her apartment and her teacher provided that. We saw needs to be met, and God helped us to meet them. We have set a goal to double our enrollment this year. This summer we expanded our advertising, especially reaching out to places that employ immigrants and to libraries in neighboring communities. To be prepared for the students that God will bring our way, we will have 5 trained teachers, allowing us to offer 5 levels of instruction. We have also enlisted 12 rotating childcare volunteers. As we begin our new school year, we look forward to seeing what God is going to do! God is always at work, in our hearts, in our lives, and in our churches. Now, looking back on these last few years, it is clear that He was leading and lining up everything for an ESL ministry at Lakepointe Church according to His will. Maybe He has ESL plans for your church. Is He calling you to reach the nations through ESL? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Glenda Lassiter lives in Clinton Township with her husband, Dan, who is also an ESL teacher. She is a member of Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township where she serves as Director of ESL Ministry. She also serves in children’s ministry and co-teaches an adult Life Group with Dan. She recently retired from 35 years of public school teaching but doesn’t plan to retire from ministry. #OCTOBER22

by Brian Jones TECUMSEH, MI – I don’t know why people do it. Why do they treat fast food restaurants better than they treat churches? Well, if not better, at least in showing more grace. Let me explain what I mean. Imagine that you went to the local burger fast food chain. Maybe it is known for a certain golden letter of the alphabet. As a hypothetical. You go through the drive thru, which now takes longer than it used to, you pay (which now takes more than it used to), you receive your bag of goodies and head home. And what do you find when you arrive safely to your abode? A messed-up order. The double burger that was supposed to be no onion has onions, no pickles, and extra mustard. The fries are cold and the drink now comes in a container big enough to satisfy the thirst of King Kong. So, what does any reasonable person do at this point? Clearly, they decide that they will never again go to any fast food restaurant. Ever. Anywhere. Of any type. Period. But that isn’t what happens, at least not in the real world. In the real world you might not go back to that particular clown endorsed establishment (although in truth you will probably end up there again and sooner than you would like to admit). But you will most likely visit another of the same chain, just at a different location. Maybe you are so frustrated that you abandon that chain all together and decide to take your hard-earned money to other dining options. After all, they aren’t the only burger place in town. (Unless they actually are the only burger place in town.) And who said it has to be burgers? Taco Tuesday anyone? Chicken? Chinese? Sub sandwiches? Roast beef sandwiches? You won’t give up fast food, but you might stop supporting the one that just can’t get it right. We don’t take one bad experience and throw them all to the curb. But what do people do when they attend a church? Imagine that you went to the local Baptist church. And let’s imagine that they were cold and distant. No one greeted you. No one welcomed you to service. And the service was a mess. So, what does any reasonable person do at this point? Clearly, they decide that they will never again go to any church. Ever. Anywhere. Of any type. Period. And sometimes, that is exactly what happens. They don’t give the church another shot. They don’t try other churches of the same denomination. They don’t visit other denominations. They have one bad experience and throw them all to the curb. Now, it may seem silly to point this out in the official newsletter of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. After all, everyone reading this probably goes to church on a regular basis. But maybe it will come in handy when you talk with others. One time our church was hosting a health screening, and one of the nurses was mentioning how she didn’t go to church anymore because she caught the pastor and the secretary in an embrace. [This analogy is not meant to diminish the true hurts that people can experience and the analogy isn’t perfect, but hopefully it gets people to think.] Now, she had told me earlier that she was recently engaged. So, I asked her if all the men she had previously dated treated her well, or if there were some bad experiences. She was quick to respond that she had indeed dated some less than excellent men. And that is when I asked her. But you didn’t give up on men, did you? She smiled sheepishly. She understood perfectly. Men were important enough to her to give them another shot. For most of us, so is fast food. For all of us, church should be too. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Brian Jones, Tecumseh Missionary Baptist Church, MDiv. SBTS. His wife, Lisa, and family came to TMBC in March 2008, and have been privileged to serve at TMBC for over a decade. #OCTOBER22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – While I was continuing my theological education, Sabrina and I were living in Dallas, Texas. We experienced the good and bad of big city life. The 6:00 am traffic and the smog on hot summer days were sights and sounds we will never forget. We had very little money at any time, so we looked for ways to entertain ourselves on a pocket full of nothing. One of our favorite pastimes was to go to a local mall and “people watch”. We would find a comfortable location that was as close to the center of the flow of foot traffic as possible and just sit. You can learn a great deal about people and our society, just by careful observations. This was great fun, but for a short period of one year there was a rash of car thefts at the mall, and a series of breaking into automobiles and stealing stereos and contents. Because of this, many were afraid to patronize this particular mall. Business dropped and many stores were in jeopardy of closing until the mall association put a great deal of money into security, promotions, and subsidized sales at all the stores. People began to flood back to the mall in herds. A pastor friend of mine told me the story of an elderly lady in his church who had been afraid to go shopping at this mall, but because of the super sales they were advertising, she had decided to deny her fears and to give into the enticement of a great bargain. (I have since heard this story told about different women at different malls, so I don’t vouch for its veracity. It’s still a great story.) It was said that her husband wouldn’t go near a mall, but was concerned for her safety, so he made her take their “38 snub nose revolver” with her. He told her, “If you get into trouble, don’t hesitate to show your fire power”. (In order for you to have a better grasp of the situation and setting, this was in 1980!) Well, she had been shopping for an hour or so and had collected all the bargains she could hold, and made her way to her car. As she approached her white, Buick LA Sabre, she saw two men standing at the doors and one was trying to open the driver's side. At that moment she dropped her packages, pulled the ‘38” from her purse, spread her legs just like she had seen on the television cop shows, held the pistol with both hands and pointed it at the would-be intruders. “All right you scum bags! Get away from that car or I’ll fill you full of lead”. The two men didn’t wait to discuss the matter, and went running as fast as they could in opposite directions. She put her gun back in her purse, picked up her packages and walked over to the car. She took her keys from her purse and placed one in the door lock. When she tried to turn the lock, it wouldn’t budge. That’s when she realized she was at the wrong car. Her car was parked several rows over. Have you ever done anything like that? I mean, leap before you look? Speak before you think? Purchase before you determine if you can afford something? React to a situation of which you do not have a full understanding? Make important decisions based purely on emotion? If so, it is very likely that you have risked causing great damage not only to yourself but to those around you. A term I often use and can easily relate to is “Stepped in Stupid!” We all do it and most of the time we regret it. It’s a characteristic of our human nature. Or should I say our fallen human nature. One of my greatest fears is that I will react to a situation and say something that will hurt someone else or cause damage to our relationship. Sadly, this still happens in my life. I have found when I am not at my best physically, spiritually, and emotionally is when I am most susceptible to acting in the “flesh”. If I am over fatigued, don’t sleep well, don’t eat properly, and let myself get physically depleted, that is when I can succumb to these reactions. I am not giving an excuse, but stating the reasons. I have a choice in those matters, and when I choose poorly, the results are evident. The same is true in my spiritual life. When I neglect the spiritual disciplines of practicing the presence of Jesus in my life through prayer, study, and meditating on His Word, I am susceptible to inappropriate actions. Here are some practices that will help you stay out of trouble: Stop. Think. Pray. Ask God for wisdom. Use discernment. Get wise counsel from others. Men, ask your wives. Wives, ask you husbands. But whatever you do, don’t be so quick on the draw and shoot off your mouth until you know what is really going on. Remember, Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.[1] "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5 KJV) "Through presumption comes nothing but strife, But with those who receive counsel is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10 NASB) 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. [1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Pr 17:28). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. #OCTOBER22