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by Brandon Elrod NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Over the course of the next decade, demographic projections estimate the Hispanic population will increase by 30 percent, up from the 2016 figure of 57 million to 74 million people by 2030. In recognizing these demographic shifts, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) will emphasize Hispanic church planting starting in 2021. “We are on the path to becoming the largest ethnic group in the United States, even larger than the Anglo population,” said Julio Arriola, executive director of Hispanic relations and mobilization with the the SBC Executive Committee. “Most of these Hispanics don’t have a relationship with Jesus.” The Hispanic population currently makes up nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population and is far and away the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S., a fact that led NAMB in recent years to produce Send Network planting resources in the area of assessment, training and coaching for Spanish-speaking church planting missionaries. Send Network also made a Spanish version of its Multiplication Pipeline available. “We want to be strategic in reaching North America with the hope of the Gospel,” NAMB president Kevin Ezell said. “That means that we need to be sure to emphasize Hispanic church planting. The demographic shift that is taking place is incredible, and we must take the Gospel to the places where it is needed most.” Ezell announced the Hispanic focus at a meeting with NAMB’s Board of Trustees Oct. 6. Arriola, whose role with the Executive Committee is jointly funded by NAMB, serves as a major catalyst for seeing more Hispanic churches launched. “We have great interest from church planters to plant more Hispanic churches, but we need more missionaries,” Arriola said. “We ought to pray and call out the called. We need to explore all of the different ways to harvest champions for Hispanic church planting in the United States.” Anglo Southern Baptist churches across North America can help, Arriola said, by opening their eyes to the Hispanic communities found within their own cities, towns and neighborhoods. From there, a team effort within the Southern Baptist ecosystem could lead to flourishing Hispanic ministries and church plants. “Those churches located in communities with large Hispanic populations should consider opening Spanish-speaking services and starting Hispanic churches,” Arriola said. “Those in the SBC are here to help and assist in the process through collaboration with NAMB, our seminaries and through the state and regional conventions,” Arriola said. While emphasizing the need for this focus, Arriola also spoke about the need to conduct these Hispanic ministries with excellence. “There are no shortcuts to developing a healthy, thriving Hispanic church or service,” Arriola said. “Churches need to make sure those leaders and church planters are well trained and biblically sound in their beliefs and practice.” Through seminaries, the SBC’s Hispanic fellowships, NAMB and state conventions, there is a pipeline of Hispanic ministers who are ready to serve. “We are putting together a pool of new leaders and future church planters that will help us reach our goals,” Arriola said. “America has the second highest population of Hispanics in the world behind Mexico. Through all of our Southern Baptist partners and our 3,500 Hispanic SBC churches, we are seeing leaders prepared and developed for the ministry.” Arriola believes Latino culture is a major asset for reaching everyone, not just Hispanics. There is a need beyond simply focusing on Spanish-speaking ministry opportunities. “We can’t expect Anglo churches to be intentional in reaching Latinos and other ethnic groups if we, Latinos, are only intentional in reaching Hispanics,” Arriola said. “We ought to reach all people from every town, every city and every nation. Our unique Hispanic culture is a great platform to help us reach more people even beyond our own ethnicity.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board. #NOVEMBER20

by David Ferraro “…give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 GARDEN CITY, MI – If you’re like many people, you may find it challenging to heed Paul’s admonition here to “give thanks in everything”. People often struggle to express gratitude in our attitude from day to day - this year is no exception. You may feel like the year 2020 can’t end soon enough! And yet God desires that we would give thanks even for 2020! So, let me suggest a few ways that we can learn to trust the Lord more with this command to give thanks in everything. True gratitude is a heart condition. Gratitude comes through the personal awareness of what God has done. Believers know God’s gift of grace through his Son, Jesus Christ, but we can still become short-sighted, forgetful and ungrateful. All of us can become overly busy and neglect to pause, rest and remember what God has done. We need rest. Rest teaches us this reality - the Lord is God and we are not! When we rest from our labors, we can see more clearly all that God continues to do without us. Resting places us in a posture to learn gratitude. We can see God’s wisdom in giving us the Lord’s Day and the Lord’s Supper as opportunities to remember Him and express our gratitude. How are you taking time to rest and reflect? Gratitude comes as we recognize God’s grace in every situation that we are in. The kingdom of God has come in Christ – He is reigning today! Rather than looking with a critical eye at what we think may be wrong, we learn gratitude when we look for the grace of God at work in making all things new. In every situation we can look for God at work. We can see the people God has placed in our lives and how he is drawing people to salvation and growing them in faith. We can look at our unique situation as an opportunity God has entrusted to us. We can view resources we have as treasures to make eternal investments. Resist the temptation to dwell on what is wrong or to criticize what you feel may be wrong. Remember to answer the question, “Where is God working?” Gratitude comes when we take time to acknowledge progress. We can fall into discouragement when our goals or expectations are not realized. While we make mistakes along the way, remember that God does not. Acknowledge to God and to others how you see God working for your good, the good of his people even in difficult circumstances or unrealized expectations. When you reflect on a day, week or year answer the question, “What went well?” Amidst this pandemic many have experienced heightened isolation, yet we know we are called by God into community and cooperation. Amidst the challenges, make every effort you can to continue to maintain your relationships in the body of Christ and forge new ones. Working for the Lord with others allows us to see how God has gifted other people in the body of Christ, and gives us occasion to thank God for his wisdom in gifting each one uniquely according to His will. I thank God for you as co-laborers in the Gospel across Michigan! Trust God to give thanks in all things so that you might experience His will to receive the blessing of seeing how He is working in the world from day to day. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Ferraro is husband to his bride Becky and father of 7 super kids. He serves as Pastor of Discipleship of Merriman Road Baptist Church in Garden City, MI and also as Coaching Champion for Send Detroit. #NOVEMBER20

Doctor's family of nine arrives safely in Kenya Kenya looks a lot different than Alabama, but Eric and Heather McDonald made it safely to Africa with their seven children, six travel partners and around 75 pieces of luggage. One month into their new lives as IMB missionaries, they remain hopeful, content and sure of God’s calling on their lives. “Learning to live in an unfamiliar culture is a full-time job, but God is so faithful,” Eric says. “Life looks very different, but God has shown us that different is not bad, it's just different.” Eric, a medical doctor, and Heather, a registered nurse, will serve as healthcare professionals at the Baptist hospital in Kigoma, Tanzania. But first, they will make a home in Kenya while they study the language. Eric says that they have already visited local churches and have met with people in their village homes. “The kids are thriving,” they have begun school, both virtually and in-person, and are making friends in the area surrounding their home. “We are growing our community every day and enjoying investing in those that are around us,” says Eric. Eric shares the following prayer requests: “After visiting local churches and doing some home visits in the village, the need for language and culture learning is even more evident. We are so thankful to be sent by churches and an organization that believes people should hear the gospel in their heart language. “Pray that we can quickly learn the language and culture we need to effectively share with people in a meaningful way. “Pray for continued transition, that we will be solidly rooted in the faithfulness of our heavenly father to remember our calling to be here--even when times are hard. “Finally, pray for our marriage and family as a unit that we will, not only, be supportive and loving to one another, but also that we will be a light in the community and that God will prepare the hearts of those that we run into.” Your generous gift to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® will sustain the vital work of missionaries Eric and Heather McDonald. Will you join Southern Baptists in giving for the first time or increasing your offering this year? Our goal is $175 million and every dollar will go directly to the work on the mission field. With your support, we will surpass this goal and advance the kingdom as never before. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® is a registered trademark of Woman’s Missionary Union. #NOVEMBER20

by Scott Barkley GREENSBORO – The physical effects of COVID-19 hit people hard, but the impact is felt just as strong in areas a little harder to measure. Pastor Neftali Coronado arrived in the United States from southern Mexico 21 years ago and would soon plant La Iglesia Bautistia El Buen in Central Baptist Association. A prolific church starter, he would go on to begin congregations in the Georgia cities of Washington, Athens, and most recently, Milledgeville. With the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent shutdown in travel, many of those Hispanic church members were cut off from visiting their families. Coronado, said Georgia Baptist Missions East Central Region consultant Jeff Gongwer, decided to use technology in helping keep families together digitally. “Pastor Neftali had the idea of connecting his church members’ families who had COVID-19 through What’s App and Zoom,” Gongwer stated. “He’d get the phone numbers of their loved ones in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and other Central American countries to do this.” Neftali himself would become part of the calls, asking questions as to how he could pray for the families. Over time, he would present the gospel. “In one instance he led an entire family of six to the Lord,” Gongwer reported. “The mother of this family had COVID and was in a coma. He prays over her during Zoom calls often.” Three times a week, Neftali produces recordings of him singing Christian songs and sharing Scripture. The recordings of 2-3 minutes are received by approximately 120 people. The effort has become a long-distance digital outreach, one where consistency has been the key. “He’s also leading several families through basic discipleship materials, focusing on five subjects,” Gongwer said. “Those are ‘Read the Bible,’ ‘Memorize the Bible,’ ‘Share the Bible,’ ‘Apply the Bible,’ and ‘Meditate on the Bible.’” In addition, people from different churches and countries join for the worship services Neftali leads on Tuesdays and Thursdays over Zoom. The services stay within the 45 minutes limited on Zoom’s free accounts. Future plans include Coronado contacting pastors local to those he has reached. Whether they have become believers or are still investigating Christianity, finding a nearby church home is important to maintain personal contact. Hispanic church planting is a growing need in the Peach State, Gongwer stated, and ministers such as Coronado are leading the way. “Pastor Neftali’s passion is for the gospel and planting churches,” he testified. “He’s always looking for opportunities to plant churches or to assist others to do that. His dream is to have a center where he can train Hispanic church planters and see churches started.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is editor of The Christian Index. #NOVEMBER20

by Diana Chandler CHICAGO, IL (BP) – With Chicago Public Schools continuing virtual learning, Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles is working with Progressive Baptist Church to distribute hundreds of laptops to low-income students. Progressive Baptist Church Senior Pastor Charlie Dates announced the donation on social media. “Today, our church received hundreds of these, Acer Google Chromebooks, that are being given to students in Chicago who are doing school remotely, some of them even on a cellphone,” Dates said Thursday (Oct. 22). “Our friend, Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles, has helped us once again meet a real need so that we can introduce people to the personal work of Jesus Christ. “And when we give these to students who are in need, here will be our message, ‘Only Jesus,'” Dates said, referencing the work of Jesus among the less fortunate. “Thank you Nick.” Chicago Public Schools (CPS), with enrollment of more than 340,000 students, will begin the second quarter of the current school year Nov. 9, with remote learning, the district has announced. The CPS hopes to phase in onsite learning for students who are not served well under any form of remote learning. Foles, an evangelical Christian who runs the philanthropic The Foles Believe Foundation with his wife Tori, launched a program in September to serve low-income communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in cooperation with The Chicago Partnership for Church Planting (TCP). Dates is a board member of TCP, a group of six churches representing multiple denominations and ethnicities. In cooperation with TCP outreach Chicago Delivers and using Progressive’s parking lot, the Foles foundation has distributed more than 3,500 hot meals since September to vulnerable populations, the foundation said in a press release. The TCP has planted more than 20 churches in Chicago over the past 12 years and has a vision to plant more than 100 over the next decade, according to TheChicagoPartnership.com. The Foles Believe Foundation describes its mission as “dedicated to impacting and serving those in need … in Jesus’ name,” and refers to Luke 3:11 (“He replied to them, ‘The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same’”). In April, the foundation announced inaugural grants to nine food banks across the nation, including locations in Illinois, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania. Foles, who has played with the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, was Super Bowl LII most valuable player when the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in 2018. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' senior writer. #NOVEMBER20

by Karen Blanchard SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI – This year has been one we will never forget! We have experienced a pandemic, shutdowns, multiple losses, racial tensions and political uneasiness. It is so easy to focus on our circumstances, and get burdened with all that is going on around us. Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Back in the Spring, I was among the parents who were “homeschooling” their kids virtually. I used to be a schoolteacher, and I was excited for this new adventure with my kids. The first day we got up, had our devotions, and I was excited for this new opportunity to be home with them and teach them! It didn’t take long for the excitement to wear off. I was running back and forth all morning between both kids and helping them with whatever needs they had. By 1:00 pm I was exhausted, my kids were frustrated, and I hadn’t even had the chance to do any of my work. This continued for a few weeks. I had a bad attitude about the situation, and I wasn’t being the mom and teacher my kids needed me to be. I was focusing on all I was missing, and I was having a hard time seeing past my current circumstance. To put it plainly, I was having a “pity party.” Finally, I began to pray for God to help me find joy in this situation. After a few days of praying this, I went out to walk one morning; which was my big adventure of the day. As I was walking, I took a different route than normal. I remember stepping over something right in the middle of my path. I wasn’t really paying attention, but I felt led to go back and see what it was. When I looked down, I saw a purple painted rock that said, “JOY.” Tears filled my eyes. I remember looking up and thinking how much God loves me to send me this reminder that He sees me, He hears me, and He cares about me. Some people may look at this and think it is a coincidence, but I assure you it was not. God had directed my steps that day. This is how He works. When we surrender our circumstances to him, He is faithful to meet us where we are. That little touch from God was exactly what I needed to help shift my perspective. I began to look each day for little moments of joy. My situation didn’t change, but my perspective did. When I began to focus on what I was thankful for in my life and not in my current situation, my joy increased. I love this quote from Lysa TerKeurst, “The mind feasts on what it focuses on.” If we allow our mind to focus on the negative or what we are missing, then it will spiral us down to a bad place. Once we flip the script in our mind and begin to focus on what we are thankful for and all God has done in our life, then we can have joy because our circumstances won’t dictate the way we feel. I love Philippians 4:8 – Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. What are you allowing your mind to think on? I encourage you to think on the things of God and the blessings in your life and not on what your circumstances are. 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 does administrative work as well as event planning. She loves being part of what God is doing at Lakepointe! #NOVEMBER20

by Noah Adams ELGIN, IL (BP) – No matter what you believe, what you think, how you vote, or how you live your life, someone is going to disagree with you. Even in church, disagreement is inevitable, especially in this political season. But how do we handle it? From the Book of Proverbs, I find 13 or so passages about disagreeing wisely. And from those verses, I see six principles to help guide political discussions. They’re not for posting on Facebook for all who disagree with me to see. These verses are for me. (And maybe you.) 1. Disagree only after listening, hearing and seeking to understand (Proverbs 12:15; 18:2, 13). These verses are a gut punch to me. Reading them, I realized just how often I “think my own way is right,” just how often I “have no interest in understanding and only want to air my opinion,” and just how often I “give an answer” before I really stop to hear the other person. I have several close friends who have helped me realize this very practically in my life. I have political disagreements with one and theological disagreements with another. Both are patient enough with a hothead like me to calmly explain their stances. And I am very grateful for both of these friendships because they have helped me begin to grow in wisdom. 2. Disagree with patience, calmness and gentleness (Proverbs 12:16; 15:1). Fools get into arguments with people due to quick tempers and harshness. Even when people speak in anger, the wise person doesn’t return the favor. Wisdom responds to disagreement by being slow-tempered, by staying calm when insulted, by refusing to retaliate. This may be hard to do, but the only way to end escalating insults is for one person to respond with a gentle answer. Proverbs says a gentle answer will deflect the anger. Bullying rarely leads to unity. 3. Disagreeing wisely can be persuasive or beneficial (Proverbs 15:2; 16:21-24; 18:20). Solomon calls an attack of insults “belching out foolishness.” By contrast, wise words “satisfy like a good meal” and “bring satisfaction.” Healthy, wise, godly disagreement is defined by pleasant words, kindness, wisdom, and self-control. Pleasant words are persuasive. And even if we don’t persuade the other person, our demeanor makes all the difference. The other person can walk away saying, “Well, I sure disagree with them, but at least that Christian listened to me.” 4. Only disagree if you can preserve relationship (Proverbs 17:9; 18:19). Have you hit “block” or “hide” on Facebook for someone who annoyed you with their political posts? You may think their political ideology is crazy, unethical or even unbiblical, but relationships with the people around us are always more important than our opinions of their opinions. Proverbs warns that “an offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.” Ideally, we never let relationships get ruined by disagreement in the first place. But when we cross a line or someone crosses a line against us, the wise thing to do is to forgive and pursue reconciliation. People will have different opinions – even in church– and that’s OK. But we can’t let disagreement “separate close friends.” 5. Only disagree if you know when to stop (Proverbs 20:3, 9). This is a big one. One of my favorite quotes is “Never argue with a fool. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” It’s a sort of silly quote that really echoes the truth of Proverbs: “Don’t waste your breath on fools.” The problem today is that people don’t know where to draw the line. Some fights aren’t worth having. It is not wise when we argue about something that neither person will ever change their minds on. Don’t even start disagreeing with someone if you don’t have it in you to stop. Because if that happens, you’re probably falling into a spiritual trap that is dangerous to you personally. 6. Don’t spend time with disagreers or become one yourself (Proverbs 22:24-25). Some might read this proverb as hyperbole, but I think that would be a mistake. There’s a very real, destructive threat to our lives by associating with disagreers. “You will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” Sadly, non-Christians already tend to see Christians as argumentative because we believe in absolutes. What’s at stake if we become argumentative? Joy and happiness in this life are at stake. Healthy relationships are at stake. Evangelism and effective witness are at stake. Jesus didn’t lay down His life on the cross so that we could argue our way through life. We are not called to shove our opinions about politics and everything else on other people. Instead, to live wisely, even when we disagree, is to live like Christ. If that hasn’t been proved before the election, it surely will afterward. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Noah Adams is pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Elgin, Ill. #NOVEMBER20

by Diana Chandler MOBILE, AL (BP) – Fifty-two years after the U.S. outlawed the importation of enslaved persons, the Clotilda docked in Mobile Bay with 110 West Africans purchased for $9,000 in gold and valued at 20 times more in 1860 Alabama. “The Deep South has a skilled passive resistance mechanism,” in the words of white Southern Baptist pastor Ed Litton, who helped write the regional “Deep South Joint Statement on the Gospel, Racial Reconciliation, and Justice,” which was released today (Oct. 27) by three groups of diverse Christian pastors spanning two states. “It took time for me to really see (the passive resistance) and get under conviction of what I needed to do and start to lead my church in that direction,” said the senior pastor of Redemption Church in the Mobile suburb of Saraland, Ala. Litton, who noted the slave ship while discussing the city’s scarred past during an interview with Baptist Press, has worked for racial reconciliation for at least six years as a member of The Pledge Group of Mobile. Since August, pastors and community leaders comprising the Pledge Group, One Charleston of Charleston, S.C., and Awaken Together of Montgomery, Ala., have worked on the statement aimed at spurring Bible-based racial reconciliation, multiracial conciliation and racial justice across the nation. Together, they represent decades of racial reconciliation efforts in the region. “The reality is we have a steep history. We have a deep and painful scarred past, and we’re saying in spite of that, we believe God can heal us,” Litton told Baptist Press. The statement noted that all three cities were prominent in the slave trade. Mobile is the last city where slaves were known to have been imported. The charred remains of the Clotilda were discovered in 2018 in the Mobile River. The ship’s captain had claimed he had scuttled and burned the ship in 1860 after the illegal delivery of enslaved persons. The pastors and community leaders released the joint statement in a Zoom press conference today, announcing a Change.org petition that had garnered 85 of a desired 100 signatures at the time of this article’s publication. Leaders encouraged other grassroots groups to start additional petitions across the nation. African American Southern Baptist Philip Pinckney, pastor of Radiant Church and a church planting associate with the Charleston Baptist Association (CBA), said he hopes the statement will encourage pastors in knowing that others within and outside the Southern Baptist Convention are concerned with their historical plight. Principally in the statement, leaders “recognize and lament how the historic nature of our cities and region contributed to racial oppression and division in our country;” “realize that the problems we face are broad, the division caused by sin goes deep, and the hearts and souls of our neighbors remain profoundly and justly hurt by this sin;” and say they “believe that every person no matter what their color, culture, or creed is made in the image of God and because of that they have infinite worth, value, and dignity.” The leaders, who come from several denominations, confessed that “our churches and our leaders have focused more on keeping things comfortable than on making things right;” and that the “Good News of Jesus mandates Christians to pursue a reconciliation that is centered on His redemptive work for humanity.” They committed to act in their own cities and in the region “to sacrificially love our neighbors of all backgrounds, to lay down our lives for one another, to work for justice to right past wrongs, and to rebuild our ancient cultural and relational ruins and raise up the age-old foundations (Isaiah 58:12) of trust, peace, and integrity….” The statement comes as America prepares to elect a president and as the nation continues in months of racial strife following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. Leaders use the analogy of the Parable of the Good Samaritan in saying that to ignore the issues of racial reconciliation and justice is tantamount to passing by on the other side of the street as the injured bleed in pain. Marshall Blalock, senior pastor of Charleston First Baptist Church, who was among those who collaborated on the statement, was unable to participate in the news conference because of a funeral at the church. But in an interview with Baptist Press, he noted that for more than 100 years, Charleston First’s membership included enslaved Blacks who worshiped in the church’s balcony without the comfort of seating. They had to stand, as white members sat in pews on the main floor of the church. “One of the steps involved in racial reconciliation is to acknowledge the sin and the wrong,” Blalock said. “Now I didn’t personally put slaves in balconies, but the legacy of that lives in the pain that people even today still experience as a result both of slavery and Jim Crow, separation, separate but not equal, all those things that have been heartbreaking, divisive and the result of sin and hatred. “But the Gospel calls us to reconciliation. Ephesians 2 joins the atonement of Christ and the breaking down of the barrier of the dividing wall of hostility,” Blalock said. “There’s no more theological truth in the Bible than the atonement of Christ. And the apostle Paul tells us the atonement of Christ calls us to break down the barrier of the dividing wall of hostility between people of different backgrounds.” In addition to Litton and Pinckney, other Southern Baptists on the call included One Charleston Executive Director RaShan Frost, pastor of the Bridge Church in Charleston; Craig Tuck, a One Charleston leader and CBA director of missions; Neal Hughes, director of missions for the Montgomery Baptist Association and member of the SBC Executive Committee; Jay Wolf, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church of Montgomery; and former Alabama pastor Alan Cross, who now pastors Petaluma Baptist Church in Petaluma, Calif. Leading the Zoom conference was Bishop Kyle Searcy, senior pastor of Fresh Anointing House of Worship in Montgomery and an international church leader. The statement, printed in full below, is also online at change.org. Deep South Joint Statement on the Gospel, Racial Reconciliation, and Justice As a group of racially, ethnically, and politically diverse church leaders in the Deep South areas of Charleston, SC, Montgomery, AL, and Mobile, AL, we recognize and lament how the historic nature of our cities and region contributed to racial oppression and division in our country. Each of our cities were centers of the slave trade in the Antebellum South as well as racial oppression and division through Jim Crow segregation. However, we now see growing networks of Christian pastors and churches from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds loving, praying, and serving together in their communities as they work together to follow Jesus in the midst of continuing challenges. It is from these historic cities that we speak. When the very public killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in 2020 brought the nation to a crisis, our cities were affected too. The pain, the fear, and the trauma in our communities revealed a division that many hoped had been relegated to the past. We realize that the problems we face are broad, the division caused by sin goes deep, and the hearts and souls of our neighbors remain profoundly and justly hurt by this sin. To ignore this, or hope it will go away, is to become the indifferent priest in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We believe that every person no matter what their color, culture, or creed is made in the image of God and because of that they have infinite worth, value, and dignity. As followers of Jesus, we believe every life is irreplaceable, unique, and valuable and that the pursuit of justice is absolutely essential as commanded by God throughout the Bible. Because of this, we believe that all followers of Jesus are called to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), value others above ourselves, and look not to our own interests, but to the interest of others (Philippians 2:3-4), and be peacemakers in the midst of personal and societal conflict (Matthew 5:9). Therefore, We Confess that, too often, our churches and our leaders have focused more on keeping things comfortable than on making things right. We confess that, too often, people of color in our cities have borne alone the burden of contending for racial unity and of educating people in the community regarding issues of race and justice. We Believe that the good news of Jesus mandates Christians to pursue a reconciliation that is centered on his redemptive work for humanity. Furthermore, we believe that in this specific moment, God is calling the church to respond in a way that acknowledges past and current sin, proclaims the good news of Jesus as the only source for true reconciliation and peace, and commits to strengthening our discipleship structures in order to bring about generational change. We Commit to act locally in our own cities and region to sacrificially love our neighbors of all backgrounds, to lay down our lives for one another, to work for justice to right past wrongs, and to rebuild our ancient cultural and relational ruins and raise up the age-old foundations (Isaiah 58:12) of trust, peace, and integrity so that the church would be unified in love and concern for each member and for our communities regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, economic status, or zip code and so the church can give a witness to the watching world of the justice, love, right actions, and humility that should accompany followers of Jesus (Micah 6:8). We Invite Christians across the South and across America to join us in this endeavor to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24) and to bring healing and unity to our long-standing divisions. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' senior writer. #NOVEMBER20

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – Fall as a youngster was not fun. Maybe I should clarify that. Before I started school, Fall was a great time of year and filled with more fun than a boy should be allowed. At the first breeze of cool air following a long hot West Texas summer I began to get excited about the days and weeks that lay ahead. I knew that within just a few days all the leaves would begin to fall from the elm trees that lined the streets of Kermit and I would literally have piles of fun for weeks. My dad would rake the fallen tree clothing into enormous mountains that would be strategically located on our property. These huge heaps of dying deciduous delights were much more than decaying leaves, but they were the very building materials for houses, burrows and caves. They also made a dandy bed for an afternoon nap. As soon as the seasons began to give way to the other, I knew that Halloween and all its trappings were waiting just around the corner. My Aunt Wilma’s famous popcorn balls would soon be sticking to my teeth and palate, and my siblings and I would be happily trying to pry them loose. More candy than anyone should eat in several years would be gathered and consumed in a matter of days, and on some occasions hours. We didn’t have enough money to buy costumes at the grocery store for Trick-or-Treating, so we always dressed as hobos. All that was needed was a pair of my dad’s work pants, an old shirt, his boots and some of mom’s makeup. We could have developed our own line of clothing called Hobos R Us. However, one year we dressed my sister as an angel. A nightgown and a halo made from a coat hanger and some tin foil was all that was needed. She already looked like an angel, but only acted like one when she was asleep. Hot on the tail of Spook Week was Thanksgiving. This was more of an adult time, but the food was great and getting together with all the cousins was fun for the most part. One cousin always bloodied my nose, and each time he said it was an accident. He got his later in life. Then of course came the most glorious holiday of all. The holy grail of holidays. The Mecca of merriment. Christmas! The holiday for which all the rest of the year waited. All of this was part of the excitement I felt as a 5 or 6-year-old when the fall season began, but all of that changed when I started to wade through the trenches of school. To say that I had an intense dislike for school would be to understate the fact. I was a severe asthmatic and spent many weeks every year in the hospital or at home in bed, and subsequently I had gaping holes in my education. These holes created frustration and eventually an attitude of despondence, and helped me form my dislike for school. The fact that I was dyslexic did not help matters. As I grew older when the fall winds began to blow, they would not trigger a rush of excited anticipation, but a cold chill of despair and gloom. I actually came to the point that I hated the fall. Just the sound of rustling leaves stirred up dark emotions and a fearful foreboding. After trudging through school year after school year I finally graduated and went on to college. Learning was still difficult for me, but I eventually began to fill in the gaps and holes that had plagued me, and came to the point of enjoying the educational process. Today, when the cool fall winds begin to blow, I have a completely different attitude toward the seasonal changes. The coolness, the colors, and the season of gatherings warms my soul instead of chilling it. I love the smell of fallen leaves after an afternoon rain. The colors of the changing leaves, especially those in the Carolina Mountains, and here in the beautiful state of Michigan are candy for the eyes and sweetness to my senses. The relief from the sweltering summer heat is life giving. I love the Fall! Isn’t it strange how the things we once despised are now so cherished, and the things that we once cherished are now looked at with disdain? If you had asked me when I was six years old if I liked the fall my answer would have been a resounding “Yes!”, and yet if you had asked me that question just a few years later, I would have responded with a definite “No.” Now, if I were asked if I like the fall the countenance of my face would answer without a word being spoken. As with the changing of the seasons the hearts and lives of people change. The things we once loved, we now despise and the things we despised are cherished. How can that be? How can people be so radically different? Check out these verses: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. II Corinthians 5:17 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; 8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 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. #OCTOBER20

by David Roach/TEXAN AUSTIN, TX (BP) – COVID-19 may have impeded some traditional avenues of evangelism, but it hasn’t stopped the Gospel’s advance. Rick Pittman, a member of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, reinforced that lesson when a tree limb fell on one of his neighbor’s vehicles and the neighbor asked him for assistance. Pittman removed the limb with a chainsaw, hauled it away and shared his personal testimony with the neighbor as they drove to dispose of the wood. Later, the neighbor came to Pittman with follow-up questions. “We hear stories like that” regularly, Great Hills pastor Danny Forshee said. While masks, social distancing and extra time cloistered at home have made personal evangelism more challenging, Forshee and other evangelism leaders have found ways around those challenges. The apostle Paul “didn’t let being shackled in place prevent him from sharing the Gospel,” said Matt Queen, L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. If Paul “can do it shackled, we can do it sheltered.” Still, the challenges for personal evangelism are real. Distributing Gospel literature, inviting people to church and holding evangelistic meetings all have been impeded by the pandemic, according to an analysis by Ed Stetzer, executive director of The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. Added to that, conversations can be hindered by face coverings, and many social settings require people to keep their distance from one another. Yet the challenges are met with opportunity. Four evangelism leaders interviewed by the TEXAN all said lost people are more open to the gospel than they have been in recent memory. It remains to be seen whether Christians will take full advantage of the openness. Sharing the Gospel with those in our normal social circle generally is not inhibited by coronavirus restrictions, Queen said. But it can “be kind of awkward” to bring up Christ if a Christian has known someone for years but has never broached the subject. To break the ice, a believer can say, “I’ve really been thinking a lot through COVID,” and “I realized that I have sinned against you. I want you to know I need to ask your forgiveness.” Tell the person the sin is failing to talk about the hope available in Jesus, Queen said. Then admit the reason for hesitancy was fear of how they would react. Finally, begin a Gospel presentation. Another method of witnessing to people in familiar social circles is telling “the story of you and Jesus,” said Chuck Kelley, president emeritus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Believers should consider the people they encounter regularly during their pandemic routines, he said, and ask, “Has each one of them heard my testimony?” People love stories, and often they are open to hearing both salvation testimonies and accounts of “some life experience when Jesus really helped,” Kelley said. If social distancing makes sharing a testimony face to face difficult, Kelley said, write a letter telling a lost friend you’re praying for them and that you realized you have never told them how you met Jesus. Then write your story. It may be helpful to include a Gospel tract with the letter. “You’re not having to worry about social distancing with a letter,” Kelley said. Because mask wearing isn’t expected at meals, they present opportunities to overcome the conversational impediments of face coverings, Kelley said. He has begun Gospel conversations with servers by telling them, “I just want to say on behalf of all us you’re serving how grateful we are you’re wearing that mask all day.” Servers typically appreciate the acknowledgment and are willing to talk further. Shane Pruitt of the North American Mission Board recommended sharing a testimony via social media to overcome pandemic restrictions. Using a smart phone, make a 60-second video of yourself explaining “who you were before you met Jesus, how you met Jesus and what Christ has done in your life,” said Pruitt, NAMB’s national next gen evangelism director. Then post the video on a social media platform – which can lead to hundreds or even thousands of views. “If you did that in person, we would make a really big deal about” it, he said. “On social media, it’s still the same thing. I think we need to celebrate that and make it a big deal like it is.” To take the witness a step farther, Pruitt said, text lost friends a link to the social media post and ask them to share their thoughts after watching it. “That’s an immediate door to a Gospel conversation.” Forshee recommended using current events to spur Gospel conversations. When speaking with someone of another race, it can be helpful to reference America’s racial turmoil and say, “We’re living in crazy times. I know there’s a lot of tension. I just want to let you know that I care for you,” he said. Gospel conversations also can result when a Christian references the pandemic, along with ensuing economic woes and political tensions, then says, “There’s a lot going on. Can I just take a minute and pray with you?” Churches can corporately take advantage of spiritual openness during the pandemic. Among suggestions offered by the four evangelism leaders: Make sure benevolence ministries include intentional Gospel witness to those receiving assistance. Have church members share their testimonies during worship services to model how it can be done. Include invitations to receive Christ for online viewers of each internet broadcast. Participate in the Who’s Your One? campaign launched by NAMB and Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear. The campaign asks every Southern Baptist to select one lost friend and make that person a focus of prayer and witnessing efforts. “God is doing something in this season that really is softening hearts,” Pruitt said, noting he preached at fewer student camps than normal this summer but saw larger-than-normal rates of response to evangelistic invitations. Christians must “preach the Gospel and give everyone an opportunity to respond.” Forshee is modeling for his church that the coronavirus need not halt personal evangelism. This summer, he led a pest control man at his house to Christ. #OCTOBER20

by Mark Maynard OWENSBORO, KY (BP) – Pleasant Grove Baptist Church stared down COVID-19 and never blinked. Oh, they respected the disease that has put a stranglehold on the world, wearing masks and keeping a proper distance from each other. But they didn’t let COVID define them or even slow them down. They made the adjustments and let God do the rest, according to new pastor Jonathan Bonar. “I feel like it’s just a move of God really,” he said. The Owensboro church has finished building a new $2.5 million sanctuary, hired a pastor, nearly doubled weekly giving and added dozens of new members – all during the past six months when “COVID” became the most frightening word in the world. Sunday morning attendance has grown from 320 in June to 477 Sept. 13. Two months ago, Bonar became the church’s first pastor in nearly two years, and his leadership came at a critical time as COVID-19 made decisions for churches more difficult by the day. The confirmation from God that he received was eye-opening, too, making it obvious to him that he was sent for such a time as this. On the day he delivered his trial sermon, Bonar received 100 percent of the vote after the morning session. His wife Cathryn was so sure the call from the church was coming that she made a call to a realtor – from the front row pew in the church – to put a bid on a home that was perfect for their family even before her husband spoke a second time. He received 100 percent of that vote too. That hasn’t happened ever in the church’s 185-year history. As for how the church has attacked COVID-19, the new pastor said they have done it with extreme caution but not fear. “I think we’ve tried to be respectful of COVID sensitivities but not allowed it to keep us from pushing aggressively for the Great Commission and reaching people,” he said. “It’s been a delicate ballet of being careful and doing some of the things we’ve done in the past.” The pastor said it was a “Genesis 50 thing, when Joseph told his brothers, ‘What the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good.’” T-ball players hold up their trophies proudly in front of friends and family at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Rather than cancel them, the church made adjustments to longtime outreaches like a t-ball baseball league that normally reaches about 500 families. “We weren’t able to have as many kids as we normally do,” Bonar said. But the outreach was effective. “We gave them a taste of the children’s ministry for kids, led them into some crazy worship and said, ‘Hey! Come join us!’ We were able to reach many families through that program.” The lesson, Bonar said, was that while it may not look exactly like it did before COVID, the programs that were successful can still be done with some creativity. That creativity was on display in the church’s handling of face masks. “We ask everyone to wear masks,” he said. “At first, we had a little concern from people about it. We had a mask competition in church. Who could have the best masks? The leaders of the church began taking pictures and the deacons judged. We gave away a prize to a child and an adult with the best mask. We were trying to have fun with it. Those people who were upset about it or didn’t want to do it felt like they were missing out because everybody was having fun and laughing.” The church also added services to allow social distancing in the sanctuary. Numbers have grown to the point that church leaders are considering adding an additional service. “We’ve had a great balance of being careful and mindful of the pandemic, but at the same time we were motivated and aggressively pushing forward and not just waiting and sitting back,” Bonar said. “We’re doing some of the same things, just in a different way. … “How do you make it very safe for people to feel comfortable in church? No handouts, open every door for them. And we have reinforced online giving, and our giving has gone through the roof too. We had it but we weren’t giving it any oxygen or talking about it.” The weekly donations have nearly doubled, he said, adding: “God is doing something supernatural. It can’t be traced to men. He provides the wave; we just steward that momentum and ride that wave as long as we can.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Maynard writes for Kentucky Today, www.kentuckytoday.com, where this article first appeared. Kentucky Today is a news resource of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. #OCTOBER20

by Tony Lynn PLYMOUTH, MI – Good news! During 2019-2020, we saw new church affiliations and new church plants in spite of COVID-19. We want to thank you for your daily prayers, your faithful contributions and help. 1. New Churches 9 total new churches were, or soon, will be added to our convention 4 new affiliations Trinity Baptist Church, Detroit, Pastor Maurice Flaniken Chapel Pointe Church, Hudsonville, Pastor Joel Wayne Love Ministries, Detroit, Pastor Charles Stubbs Venture Church, Howell, Pastor Shea Prisk (application coming soon) 5 new church plants Rhiza Church, Ann Arbor, Pastor Tito Diaz (SEND/BSCM) Trails Church, Farmington Hills, Pastor Phillip Box (SEND/BSCM) Journey Church, Gaylord, Pastor Donn Broeker (Pines Association) Cross and Anchor Church, Detroit, Pastor Josh Bowers (SEND/BSCM) CrossLife Community Church, Bay City, Pastor Mick Schatz (SEND/BSCM) 2. Recent In-Person Church Plant Assessment Our last in-person church planter assessment took place on November 11-12, 2019. We saw six men or couples approved as church planting missionaries. Some will apprentice before launching the church plant. Malcolm & Maisha Griswold, Detroit David Clark, Detroit Jon & Chelsea Hackett, Ann Arbor Bryan & Tonia Kent, Mason Jason & Amanda Aaron, Monroe Jamison & Chelsea Bebiak, Owosso 3. Future Virtual Church Plant Assessments The first Detroit Virtual Assessment is taking place September 29-30 with Nathan & Alison Sharpe of Greater Grand Rapids being assessed. Simultaneously, an additional 12 men, or couples, are being prepared for their assessments and future launches: 1 Grand Rapids area 1 Flint area 2 below the bridge area 1 Michigan Bay area 1 Michigan Thumb area 6 in the Greater Detroit area 4. Six-Month Send Network Training After passing assessment, 8 church planters collaborated with peers, for six-months, refining their vision and strategy for launching, planting and growing a new church that will start new churches. Tim Shrader & Darren Greer led church planters Ricky Pearson and Rick Marcus to successfully complete their training earlier this year, below the bridge. Ken Nether & Tony Lynn led church planters Bryan Kent, Torion Bridges, Jon Hackett, Jason Aaron, David Clark and Malcolm Griswold to successfully complete their training earlier this year, in Plymouth. 5. Coaches for Planters We are grateful for Dave Ferraro who matches coaches to planters in Send Detroit and Dan Russell who matches coaches to planters in Send Network Michigan throughout the year. Planters benefit from having two conversations per month with a minister with whom they can “talk things out” concerning ministry and life. Coaches listen attentively, ask questions and allow the planter to discover what the Holy Spirit is leading him to do in his circumstance and context. 6. Send Network Orientation Twice each year, we provide an occasion for planters to participate in a nationwide orientation where they fellowship with brothers sharing their calling throughout North America. The upcoming events are scheduled for: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 Tuesday, March 16, 2021 Tuesday, November 9, 2021 7. Planter Care The Send City Missionary, 6 church planting catalysts and I continue our quest to discover, develop and deploy church planters throughout the region, while caring for almost 50 church planters somewhere in between their year-of-preparation to their fifth year of church planting. The state convention and the Send Network regularly bless the planters with expressions of love on your behalf. Would you, please, pray for us by name one time per week during your daily devotions? Wayne Parker, Detroit Send City Missionary Ken Nether, Church Planting Catalyst Barry Martin, Church Planting Catalyst Tim Shrader, Church Planting Catalyst Matt Thompson, Church Planting Catalyst Eric Stewart, Church Planting Catalyst Darren Greer, Church Planting Catalyst Tony Lynn, State Director of Missions 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. #OCTOBER20