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MONROE, MI – As I come to retirement, I have some random thoughts about ministry. Most of these are gleaned from other sources (but I don’t remember most of the sources so I’ve not cited them). 1. People Don’t Care What You Know Until They Know that You Care Love God’s people. I think that’s what Jesus meant when he told Peter three times, “Tend My sheep” (John 21). I recently heard that a pastor needs to be like a rhinoceros, a big heart and thick skin. 2. The Business of the Church Is Making Disciples The church’s business is fulfilling the Great Commission. That means full-bodied discipleship which includes helping persons come to know Jesus, and grow to be more like Him. Too often we think the church’s business is maintaining the building, administering the programs or managing the finances. 3. Don’t Overestimate What You Can Do in One Year and Underestimate What You Can Do in Five Change is slow; plan for the long haul. The vast majority of your people are not early adopters, and it takes them time to process change. I have a pastor friend who says when he presented a new idea the first answer was always “No.” Given time the answer became, “Maybe.” Finally, after time to process, the answer was “Yes.” 4. Don’t Quit Before You’re Finished Ministry is hard; it takes perseverance. We’re tempted to give up too soon. We’re tempted to move on to a greener pasture. Ask God to give you the strength to stay where He’s placed you until He’s done with you there. 5. When You’re Tired of Saying Something Is When Many of Your People Are Just Beginning to Get it “Over-communicate.” People have to hear ideas, especially new ideas, multiple times, and in multiple ways. They need to hear it and read it. That said, the most powerful communicator is the pastor, and the most powerful place of communication is the pulpit. 6. Things Rarely Turn Out as Bad as We Imagine Seems like we can always imagine the worst-case scenario. We can imagine all the ways things could go wrong. However, when we step out in faith in obedience to the Lord, things almost always turn out better than we could ever have imagined. 7. God Is Still Working in the World and He’s Still in Control Even when the situation looks bleak, God is still in control. God is never surprised by your situation. He never says, “I didn’t know that was going to happen.” Faith means being obedient to God, and trusting Him to work in our situation. 8. Don’t Rush Your Quiet Time I saved the best to last. This is from Henry Blackaby. It’s a reminder that our personal relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. We won’t be effective in ministry unless we walk closely with the Lord. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Wood is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe, where he has served for more than 5 years. He served as a Church Strengthening Missionary with the BSCM from September 2006 to July 2014. He also recently served as VBS Training Coordinator for the BSCM and as Coordinator for the Church Planter Assessment Retreat for Send Detroit for NAMB. #JANUARY20

ROSCOMMON, MI – The holidays are over, and we need a break from the hustle and bustle! We also need a break from the everyday issues of life. Jesus needed to take a break from the distractions and get away to meet with His father. If Jesus needed to get away, we too must take time out of our busy schedules and get away just to meet with God. This February 21-23, at Bambi Lake the women’s winter mission retreat will be an exciting time away with God. The theme is Set Free…to Serve, with an emphasis on compassion. Dr. Michelle White will inspire us with Bible Study, and Melba Clark, missionary to East Asia, will share stories from around the world. Get your worship on as Pastor Mick Schatz leads us to the throne to praise and worship the Father. If that’s not enough… there is more! We will have breakout sessions to help learn to show compassion to the hurting of our world. We will be collecting items for the river ministry in Texas, and taking time to make new friends and see old ones. Our state is big and we miss out on fellowship with our sisters from other areas. You can take that much needed break and get together again. Are you ready to enjoy home cooked meals that you don’t have to prepare, and better yet, don’t need to clean up? Bambi staff are ready to serve and to make our stay pleasant. Saturday afternoon will offer opportunities to rest or take on the challenge of Monster Hill, to grab a shake and popcorn, catch up on a euchre game, or just sit and visit. This would be a great time just to relax and reflect on all that God has done. Saturday night the Women’s Missionary Union team want to serve you, we want to show love and compassion, and our appreciation for you. Let us paint your nails, or have henna applied, or give you a facial and a backrub, plus take your picture! There are a lot of places to get away, so why choose Bambi? Bambi offers serenity in its natural beauty, a place to “unplug”, a place to focus on God, a chance to be alone with God while surrounded by people who love and support you. Bambi is unique to Michigan Southern Baptists, and a place one must experience to really appreciate its worth. We will be waiting to greet you, so save the date, Feb.21-23,2020, and come take a break with us. CLICK HERE to register. For more information, contact wmu@bscm.org. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sharon Greer is a native of Michigan and lives in Kalkaska, MI. She is serving as president of Michigan WMU, and as a trustee for LifeWay. She is a member of the Orchard Church in Kingsley, where she serves in the children's department and directs VBS, she is also a trustee for the church. Semi-retired but working for Northwest Baptist Association, she hopes to be able to travel more with her missionary husband, Darren. #JANUARY20

PLYMOUTH, MI – Well, Christmas has come and gone and another year has just begun. Are you like the little boy who was asked what he wanted for Christmas, and his reply was: “I want contentment, cause that’s what I’m gonna need when I don’t get what I want.” Are you content or just cantankerous? How is your tension level? About this time of the year when we have just brought to a close the Season of all Seasons, you are probably strung as tight as a banjo at a bluegrass concert. If not, it is because something popped when you were shopping a few weeks ago, and your emotions are just hanging there like a broken string. Is this any way to live? Is this the way we are to feel having just celebrated the greatest Gift of all? If not, then what has happened? If you are like me, this holiday season has been an opportunity for a multitude of events to cross your path at those “special intersections of life”. Not big or major intersection collisions, but small bumps and dings that just happen. Do you remember just a few short weeks ago when you had worked all day and rushed to the grocery store to buy all that swell food for your annual Thanksgiving feast? You felt like you had just finished the Boston Marathon and you were forced to pull the living members of your family tree in a wagon tied to your waist through the entire race. The aisles of the store were so crowded that you had to use turn signals and a portable horn to maneuver between the beans and carrots. When you finally found your place in the check out line there were ten people in front of you, and that was the shortest line. As the person just ahead of you cleared the end of the counter you looked into the eyes of that "sweet little checker" and smiled with all the Christian love that filled your heart and the season. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead and confusion blanketed her face. The cash register paper had run out, and she didn't know how to replace it. Everyone with an IQ above 30 and the advanced technical ability to correct her problem was up to his or her eyeballs with customers. What did you do? How did you react? Did you bring your blood pressure medicine with you? How did you fare at this intersection of life? Or do you remember that Friday night that you were going out with your significant other to that special dining spot that made the most incredible edible delights. You starved yourself all day so that you could play “Porky the Pig” that evening and lessen your gluttony guilt. After an hour and a half wait you were finally seated, and some teenager brings you a menu and a glass of water and says, "Buffy your waiter will be with you in just a sec!" Thirty minutes later "Buffy" shows up, but by that time you have chewed all four corners off the menu and have seriously considered making soup out of the ketchup. "Sorry to keep you waiting. What will you have tonight?" As you run through your list of culinary selections your mouth waters almost uncontrollably. It is at that point Buffy tells you, "I sorry, but all we have left is goose liver pate' and boiled fish." There it is. Another intersection in life. What did you do? Put the pedal to the metal, speed through that intersection, and make like “Buffy” was a bump in the road or did you respond with kindness and cordiality. Life during the holidays can be tough. Tensions can run at extremely high levels and even to the point of exploding. But folks, remember who we represent. We don't have the privilege of "losing it" and running over others. EVER! Slow down. Be prepared to stop. Keep you eyes on "the road" and watch out for the other drivers. For all you know, they could have just come from the grocery store as well or a family reunion where all the crazy uncles gathered, and sibling rivalries escalated into fistfights. Just smile and be pleasant. Treat everyone with dignity and respect, but I would advise you not to smile too much. Those you encounter may think you stopped at the bar before you were seated. Enjoy this new season of life and loosen up. The season to be jolly has come and gone, and now you have a whole new year to work on they way you drive and navigate through life. Be very mindful of those intersections. It is easy to run through them and over others. Stop. Look both ways. Especially up and into the eyes of those you meet. Never forget, they are the very ones for whom our Lord gave His life. 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. #JANUARY20

PLYMOUTH, MI – As we move into 2020 and close out 2019, it’s important to remember some of the important milestones of this past year. At the Baptist Beacon, a great part of our mission is to share the voices from across our state whether they are pastors, church planters or mission volunteers. They may be serving in the Send City of Detroit or in the Upper Peninsula, in a big church or a normative-sized one. Here are three stories that highlight the BSCM motto, “Starting Strengthening, Sending.” BSCM Sells Office Property The Executive Board of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) voted to accept the purchase agreement for the sale of the convention’s Fenton office building and subsequently voted, in total agreement, to lease 1900 square feet of office space in the historical Burroughs Building in Plymouth, Michigan. Through the sale of the building and acreage the state convention netted nearly one million dollars to be placed into the state convention’s foundation. The large investment into the foundation will provide annual dividends that can be disbursed for meaningful ministry priorities or reinvested in order to increase the strength of the Michigan Southern Baptist Foundation. See the whole story here. 27 New Churches in Michigan BSCM State Director of Missions, Dr. Tony Lynn introduced some of the planters of the 27 new churches that have been planted over the last three years. Many of these plants were supported by Send Detroit and the newly formed Send Network Michigan. See the rest of the story here. A Comeback Story First Baptist Church of Swartz Creek is one of three stories of churches that came back from a low point. It was part of the emphasis of the Frances Brown State Mission Offering. This year’s goal is $100,000, and a portion of the offering will go to strengthening churches. FBC Swartz Creek’s story was told in a podcast produced by the BSCM. You can listen to it here. #JANUARY20

SWARTZ CREEK, MI – There are so many ways to connect people to churches. My wife and I traveled to Florida to escape the dreariness of a Michigan winter in January 2019. After renting a home in Lake Alfred, we started investigating a place of worship. We searched the SBC website and Google to find Southern Baptist Churches in our area. There were many choices available for us. Most factors didn’t matter to us with the exception of an early service on Sunday mornings because we are early risers. Being close to our rental property, First Baptist of Lake Alfred’s website gave us all the information we needed. We were able to electronically “meet” the Pastor, see pictures of many gatherings, see Worship times, beliefs, post offerings and get directions. The site also offered a phone app to see prayer requests. We could request prayer through a link and it would be posted after verification. One of the benefits for the snowbirds or visitors like us, this app gave us the opportunity to participate not only in prayer for needs, but also to participate in church functions and church needs. We enjoyed the time we were there. By the way, I still have the app on my phone and regularly pray for those on the list even though in most cases, I have no idea of who they are. You see, through the app I am still connected to this church. They are on my mind and in my prayers every time a notification hits my phone! We are back in Florida in a new area, and we have encountered a different story. Our goals did not change, but discovered a few close churches in our area using SBC.org and Google. Only one said they had an early service so that first Sunday we headed there to find out they no longer have an early service. In fact, we met another couple from Indiana that happened to be there in the parking lot waiting for the early service too. We had a good visit and we both left. Strike ONE. The following Sunday we tried the same church again only to be “late” for Sunday School because they started at 9:30 instead of 9:45 which was on their website. Strike TWO. Sadly, I did not see the Indiana couple in Sunday School, or at their 11 o’clock service. I hope they found a church. Our second church choice did not fare any better. The 9:30 AM start of Sunday School contradicted their website’s 9:45 start, and so we were late again. Strike ONE. Worship started at 10:45 instead of 11 as posted, and experienced by another snowbird couple. Strike TWO. The third church had an old website with nothing updated since 2016! So we drove to the church on Saturday to see if worship schedules were posted on their sign and they were. I was a little sad that they felt it was unimportant to have a website to connect with people seeking a place of worship and service. All of the churches we visited were small to medium churches, 80-250 in size. I cannot imagine it would take much time to update a church website and attach it to the SBC.org web page. There are far too many benefits to having an up-to-date web page for members and prospective worshipers in this electronic age. Power of the Internet can point people to your church. Is your church taking advantage of every opportunity to connect with new people in our community? When was the last time you looked at your church’s website? Take a minute and see what your experience would be if you were looking for a church. Not everyone might be at tenacious as we were in Florida. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Terry Whitehead serves the Lord at First Baptist Church of Swartz Creek as Chairman of the Deacons, Sunday School Teacher and Men's Ministry. He is married to his wife, Joanne. #JANUARY20

PLYMOUTH, MI – Venturing into something new is always easier and more enjoyable with others. If I could go back and redo many events in life, I would invite more to come along with me, or I would join others in their adventures. I would discuss the kernel of my ideas before taking my first step meaning I would avoid some of my major mistakes; and, with the practical suggestions of others, I would squeeze more out of my positive experiences. Four years of childhood solitude was miserable. My family and home life was great, but I drifted through my late childhood like a lonely survivor in an apocalypse. Fourth grade to eighth grade was rough. I did not tell my parents. I managed it alone. My family moved to a different school district midyear when I was in fourth grade. I went from being known, well-liked, and secure to being bullied and feeling worthless in one month’s time. That feeling of being “nothing” lasted four years. Boys bounced dusty chalk erasers on my back during class until everyone roared. I slumped my shoulders, and disappeared into my isolation. Bow-legged David, at recess, repeatedly slammed me with a football. The teacher enrolled me in a special class that lasted one-hour per week with three other kids and a counselor which convinced the “normal” kids that they were correct judging me “defective.” The great news is that God provided people to pry me out of my isolation. John Ayers, who formerly led worship at Warren Woods Baptist Church, is someone who likely is not aware of how he saved my life at the end of those sad years. John and I met in band. We played cornets. John, even back then, had a calm and a class about him that remains. We competed for chair positions in the brass section, we hung out together; and, ultimately, I started enjoying school because John shared life with me. It gave me confidence to try out for football where I learned the value of teams. With John, I ventured into something new because I had a calm, consistent friend. Mike Durbin, who serves the Lord as well on the state convention level, has become increasingly more valuable to me as a friend with every passing year. Neighbors since our teenage years in the Flint area, we have simultaneously moved through every phase of life. We were risky, out-of-control-teenagers. God called us both to salvation at the same church. We both surrendered to ministry during the same week. We married women from our hometown, far above what we deserve. We went to the same university and same seminary at the same time. Both of us took our children and wives overseas as international missionaries. We now serve the Lord as partners throughout Michigan. Mike’s drive to be set-apart for God’s service was evident from the earliest days of his salvation and continues to this day. Because of Mike’s devotion, I started this intimidating state-level role with an inspirational model walking beside me offering encouragement every step of the way. I am grateful God saw a way for Mike and me to continue as neighbors in our ministries and lives. Jamie Lynn, who shares a ministry calling, three children, nine grandchildren and an arena of godly friends with me, is the greatest “someone” of all who walks beside me with a library filled with stories of “something new.” In fact, secrets be revealed, living life with Jamie and the Lord is new every day. Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV) says it accurately when it states, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Life nor death can stop what Lamentations describes. I held Jamie’s hand during the birth of our three children; she held me up while I fought-off cancer for years. Jamie has never fainted away from a new faith opportunity. Her confidence in God is harder than concrete. Jamie’s desire to impact others for Christ is immeasurable. Others might look at our lives and take note of the changes in our mailing address and see those occasional addresses and dates as something new; but, in some amazing graceful way, God has blessed our lives so that every single morning begins with a “Good morning, love” and a hug. Our days begin with an insatiable hunger to start something meaningful and new for the Lord. We are not perfect with one another; life is not always easy; but, we prefer to start something new with someone rather than try alone. Have you found the joy of sharing life with others? Why not start something new with someone in 2020? Lead a Bible study during a break or lunch with coworkers Invite family members, neighbors and coworkers to sit with you at church Host people often in your home for meals and visits Serve in a new role in church Read the entire New Testament or Bible Volunteer in the community where you can share life with those outside church Rescue someone who lives in solitude as I did in the past Write down a list of new initiatives then select one to start with someone Venturing into something new is always easier and more enjoyable with others. Ask me. I know. 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. #JANUARY20

PLYMOUTH, MI – God has encouraged me numerous times with His words to Joshua: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). In Joshua 1, the people of God are about to go a way they have never gone before, into a land they did not know, and experience a life unlike any they have ever lived. They are on the edge of a new reality as they prepare to enter the “Promised Land.” This is the moment and the place they have been moving toward their entire lives. The journey started four decades earlier when God delivered them from Egyptian bondage under the leadership of Moses. A lot happened in those 40 years. They were tough years, long years, heartbreaking years, but they’re all behind them as the book of Joshua begins. The Promised Land, the land that flowed with milk and honey, is just across the Jordan River. It’s so close that Joshua and the people can see it. Everything they have been through has brought them to this moment in time. This is not just another tick on the clock. It’s not just the passing of one day to the next, or one year to the next. This is time that is pregnant with opportunity. It’s life changing time. It’s history making time. It’s God’s time. It is time that is measured not by the clock but by the impact it has on life. Joshua knows the significance of the moment and it terrifies him - so much so that God tells him three times in chapter 1 to be “strong and courageous.” This is more than a passing difficulty in his life. Joshua is struggling with deep seated feelings of weakness and fear. He’s about to be placed in a position of leadership that he doesn’t feel ready for. He’s afraid. He’s unsure of himself. He doesn’t feel adequate for the responsibilities and challenges that lay ahead. Sometimes the most difficult land to conquer is not what lies before us, but what lies within us. Joshua experienced this reality first hand. The first battle of the conquest took place in his heart and mind as he fully surrendered to God. Before the Jordan River would be crossed, before the walls of Jericho would come tumbling down, God spoke courage and strength into Joshua’s life and gave him the life altering promise of His presence. Joshua had been Moses’ assistant. He had been mentored by the best, but it was his personal encounter with God that made him a transformed spiritual leader. Several things stand out to me in the early days of Joshua’s leadership of the people of God: God actively guided the leadership transition from Moses to Joshua. This is a truth God’s people of every generation need to understand when they experience leadership transition. The book of Joshua begins with the words, “After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’s assistant.” The most radical reason for leadership transition is the death of the leader, but it also happens when leaders retire, move or leave ministry. The death of Moses must have been an exceptionally difficult time for the people of God. He was the only leader they had ever known. They loved Moses, but he was gone forever. God chose Joshua to be the next leader. He was the God-called leader of the people. Don’t miss this: the real leader through the transition was God! It was God who took Moses home and it was God who placed Joshua in leadership. The new leader Joshua and the people he led were following God together! God can always be trusted through change. For 40 years, the people of God had followed a routine that didn’t change much from day to day. Life was going to change radically, not because of Joshua, but because of God. God was leading His people to the Promised Land. There was a change in leadership, but the mission remained the same. Joshua did many of the same things Moses did, but he also did things that were totally new. God gave him the assignment to lead the people to a land where they had never been and by a way they had never gone (Joshua 3:4). This was not an assignment for Joshua. Just look at what happened when Moses tried to lead the people into the Promised Land 40 years earlier (Numbers 14). God’s plan did not change during the 40 years the people wandered in the wilderness. Forty years later, there’s a new leader, a new generation of people, a new route to travel, but it’s the same destination. They learned God can always be trusted during changing times. New strategies are needed for changing realities. I can only imagine what the people thought when Joshua told them to march around the city of Jericho for six days without saying a word. The only sound was that of the ram’s horn trumpets. On the seventh day, he told them march around the city seven times and then to shout with a great shout. They did so, and the walls came tumbling down. It had never been done that way before and hasn’t been repeated since, but it worked! The world around us is changing faster than it ever has, and will continue to do so in 2020. As we enter this New Year, I am reminded that God can be trusted to lead through it, to provide spiritually transformed leaders, and to give new strategies for the reality of our time. It’s going to be an exciting year as we follow God together. Happy New Year! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Durbin is the State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before joining the state convention staff, Mike served as Church Planting Catalyst and Director of Missions in Metro Detroit since 2007. He also has served as a pastor and bi-vocational pastor in Michigan, as well as International Missionary to Brazil. #JANUARY20

ROSCOMMON, MI – Happy New Year from Bambi Lake! 2019 was a fantastic year for the camp. We anticipate 2020 being even more exciting as we witness God using Bambi Lake in amazing ways. A new year for many of us often marks a “New Beginning”. An opportunity to rethink or retool our everyday life and our plans for the future. Maybe a new year sparks new dreams, or prompts us to refresh old ones in a new way. However we approach this “New Beginning,” it will most likely require a reboot to our thinking. How we view our finances, our health, our relationships, our family - we have to look at these through different lenses. I recently had to start wearing glasses and they have literally changed how I see the world. They are progressive lenses so they help me see things far away, not so far away and up close. I now have the choice to live in my former blurred reality or a new clear reality. It has been a “New Beginning” that is now allowing me to see clearly - I can read my phone now! However, making the decision to go to the eye doctor and have my sight examined required a new mindset. I had to acknowledge my eyes were not functioning properly, and decide this was no longer acceptable. As silly as it may seem, this required admitting I was getting older, going to the doctor, probably wearing glasses (one more thing to keep up with), paying for something I don’t want, etc., etc. Nevertheless, I decided my need was greater than my pride. This was my “New Beginning” moment that ushered in a new reality. Which brings me to this question - Is pride keeping you from a “New Beginning”? Is pride keeping you from a “New Reality”? I have no way of knowing the area of life you desire a “New Beginning”, but allow me to encourage you with this thought, this reality, “Grace Has Overcome!”. Grace wins! What a liberating and life altering reality to live in! However, it requires a new mindset. It requires surrender. Humility is the key that unlocks this “New Beginning” in our lives. We have to acknowledge our insufficient strength and resources to handle life on our own. Only by completely surrendering to and relying on the work of God’s grace can we truly have a “New Beginning” in any area of our life. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8 (ESV). Grace saved you, let it change you! Let it permeate every breathing moment of your existence. Choose a “New Beginning” with grace. Live in the reality that your striving is insufficient, BUT His grace is sufficient! My only hope is in the cross, my Savior died, He paid my cost A slave to sin my soul in chains, until His grace, flowed down like rain Your Grace, Your Grace has overcome, overcome! Your Grace, Your Grace the battle won, the battle won! Forgiven I stand in victory, for the glory, of my Savior King, Your Grace has overcome! (Grace Has Overcome-Michael Schatz) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake. #JANUARY20

ANN ARBOR, MI – On December 8, 2019, 21 believers covenanted together to establish Treasuring Christ Church of Ann Arbor, MI. As we approached this day, the most pressing question that swirled in my mind was, “What kind of church would God have us to be?” There are so many helpful resources available to church planters today, for which we should be grateful. Yet, in the midst of all the resources, we cannot forget our one essential resource—God’s Word. Our understanding of the church and what God’s Word has to say about it should not be an optional feature to our church planting strategy, but should be foundational to it. Where would you turn for such instruction and direction? My mind was drawn to the Pastoral Epistles. Over the years, I have been fortunate to see faithful pastors model 2 Timothy 2:2, investing in me and entrusting me with the task of leading God’s church through faithfully teaching God’s Word. In 1 Timothy 3:14-16, Paul provides a brief summary of God’s design for the church. Listen to what he says: (14) I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, (15) if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (16) Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. Paul makes clear that the church is the household of God. If we are to understand our calling as the church, we must understand that we are not our own. Together, we belong to God; together, we are the household of God. God has taken up residence among His people, the church. He has tasked His church to be the faithful guardian of the truth of His Word. He has entrusted us with a great confession to hold fast and hold high. Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 1 Timothy provides a robust description of the kind of church God desires. Just consider these points: The church should teach sound doctrine and commit itself to God’s Word (1:8-11; 4:6-16). The church should proclaim Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners (1:15; 2:4-6). The church should be a people of prayer; for those in authority, for one another, and for others to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ (2:1-10) The church should be led by godly, qualified pastors and served by godly, qualified deacons (3:1-13; 5:17-25) The church should be known for pursuing and growing in godliness (4:6-10; 6:6-10) The church should care for the needy among them (5:1-16) This is God’s design for His church, and this is the church I want to labor faithfully to shepherd and lead. When church planters work towards this week in and week out, God will bear fruit deep and wide in our churches. I recently read a quote from Charles Spurgeon, the great “Prince of Preachers” who pastored in London in the latter half of the 19th century. Since I read it, I haven’t been able to get it off my mind. It describes my desire for Treasuring Christ Church, and I pray it is the desire of church planters and pastors all over our state. Spurgeon was asked, “What does a strong church look like? He responded, “They are earnest, devoted, at peace, loving each other, and striving together to do the Master’s work. Such a congregation is strong, whether it is composed of a dozen or five hundred members!” Imagine church plants and churches all over Michigan laboring to this end. Now that Treasuring Christ Church has been established, you will find us laboring to be a strong church like this, and seeking to plant other strong churches all over southeast Michigan, across North America, and to the ends of the earth. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Guyer is the Lead Pastor of Treasuring Christ Church in Ann Arbor, MI. He is married to Emily and they have two children. In addition to hanging out with his family, Michael loves a good cup of Ethiopian coffee, anything with peanut butter, and just about every sport. His greatest desire is to see Jesus treasured above all things and His church established right here in Ann Arbor and to the ends of the earth. #JANUARY20

MAYHILL, NM (BP) – Rural ministry was not what pastor Matt Henslee envisioned for himself when he was growing up in the DFW Metroplex, but it's where God led him, and now he loves it. He's urging other pastors to consider that God does some of his best work in rural settings. As pastor of Mayhill Baptist Church in Mayhill, N.M., Henslee wrote "Replanting Rural Churches: God's Plan and Call for the Middle of Nowhere" with another rural southern New Mexico pastor, Kyle Bueermann of First Baptist Church in Alamogordo. Henslee was on the front row of his church in Grand Prairie from the age of 2, he said, and was saved at age 7. He was discipled by an associate pastor, visiting hospitals and nursing homes weekly until he was a teenager. In high school, he interned in the worship ministry at a church in Fort Worth and then served a church in Irving that met in a funeral home. "Later I returned to Grand Prairie to be the student pastor and after school director at Westridge Baptist Church, which is where I'd also meet Rebecca, who later became my wife the day before I went in view of a call as the pastor of worship and children at a church quite literally in the middle of nowhere, Josephine, Texas," Henslee told the TEXAN. "I fell in love with rural life and would later become the associate pastor at First Baptist Church Blue Ridge, which didn't have much more than a gas station, grocery store and a Mexican food restaurant that was rarely open." He ended up back in Grand Prairie as the pastor of students and education at Inglewood Baptist Church, and he and Rebecca adopted four girls through foster care. "It was then that I sensed God calling me to the pastorate and we moved to Pipe Creek, Texas, about 35 to 40 miles outside of San Antonio," Henslee said. "A little over two years later, I found myself choking back tears as I left to serve in Mayhill." He has been in New Mexico for more than two years. Along the way, Henslee earned a master of divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now he's working on a doctorate in expository preaching at Southwestern, and along with pastoring serves as managing editor of LifeWay Pastors, a division of Facts & Trends. "Pastoring in small, rural towns requires creativity to reach people with the good news," Henslee said. "In Pipe Creek, I did all of my studying at a mom and pop coffee shop in town, which allowed me to meet folks passing through, tell them about Jesus and invite them to church. We grew from about 40 to just over 100 in worship during my time there. "In Mayhill, I do something similar. I often read outside the local café, where I'll evangelize and invite people to church. We've grown from about the same to as many as 170 in worship in a town of not much more than 60 to 70." A welcome difference Henslee noticed right away when he moved to Josephine years ago was how quiet rural life was compared to the city. The slower pace helps him slow down spiritually, he said, and the hour-long trips to make hospital visits give him time to pray, unwind or make phone calls. Certainly there are downsides to living so far out, he said, such as when his family runs out of sugar and must either travel an hour each way to the store or go to the nearest neighbor to ask for sugar. In rural America, neighbors rely on each other more, Henslee said. Also in Josephine, he noticed a farmer might invite him out to toss hay or some other task, which provided several hours of quality time talking with the farmer about life, marriage and spiritual matters while working together. "You can't really do that in the city with a banker," he said. Henslee's daughters "absolutely love" living in Mayhill and often spend their family days hiking in the mountains. "They have more fun doing that than when we would spend a day baking in the sun at Six Flags," he said. Bueermann, Henslee's coauthor, grew up in tiny Tahoka, Texas, and didn't think he wanted to pastor a small town church once he finished school, Henslee said, but it turns out he is passionate about ministering in Alamogordo after following God and falling in love with the New Mexico culture. "Never in a million years would I have thought that this is where I would like to be for the duration of my ministry," Henslee said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Erin Roach is a correspondent for the TEXAN magazine, located in Grapevine, Texas. This story appeared in the texanonline.net. #JANUARY20

NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – As Southern Baptists head toward 2020, they close the books on a year of transitions at several national entities, along with decisive action across the Convention to help churches care well for those affected by sexual abuse and harassment. With increased giving to both national missions offerings and the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists are poised to continue their Great Commission advancement efforts. These 10 news stories, selected by both the editors of Baptist Press and a poll of Southern Baptist state publication editors, represent the most important stories of 2019. 1. Southern Baptists take action to curb sexual abuse in the Convention Over the past year, Southern Baptists have taken historic steps to address the issue of sex abuse within the Convention. In February, Southern Baptist leaders expressed brokenness over the findings of a series of Houston Chronicle articles detailing the plight of victims of sex abuse in SBC churches. The newspaper released a database of 220 individuals who had been convicted or pled guilty to sexual abuse. Greear called the abuse "pure evil" and resolved to mobilize the SBC in "stopping predators in our midst." After 10 months of work, the Sexual Abuse Advisory Study initiated by Greear issued a 52-page report it hoped would "spark a movement of healing and reform" within the Convention. The three sections of the report called for the education of SBC churches to understand abuse and its impact, the equipping of SBC churches to care for abuse survivors, and the preparing of SBC churches to prevent abuse. Southern Baptists overwhelmingly approved bylaw and constitutional changes at the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting to specifically deal with systemic issues the report addressed (more on this in story number five in this list). In May, the International Mission Board released the findings of an independent investigation into past allegations of sexual abuse and harassment and began implementing recommended reforms. In June, the mission board announced the hiring of a full-time senior staff member to oversee sex abuse prevention response efforts. The IMB also said it would involve outside legal counsel when reports of child abuse and sexual harassment were received. In June, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, LifeWay Christian Resources and the Sexual Abuse Advisory Study released an eight-step guide to equip congregations to prevent predatory behavior and to care for survivors. A free training resource and a conference with 1,650 registrants were a part of the eight-step plan. 2. Four new presidents elected to lead SBC entities In a historic year of Southern Baptist transitions, SBC trustee boards elected four new entity presidents. In February, the trustees of The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, elected Adam W. Greenway as the seminary's ninth president. Previously, Greenway had served as dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. At his introductory press conference shortly after the election, he declared his desire to continue the seminary's legacy as the "big-tent seminary of the SBC," where students who may differ on secondary theological issues can unite behind "rigorous scholarship, missions and evangelism." Less than two months later, the SBC Executive Committee elected former SBC President Ronnie Floyd to be its new president and CEO. Floyd was in his 33rd year as the pastor of Cross Church, a multi-site church in northwest Arkansas. At his September inauguration, Floyd urged Southern Baptists forward in prayer, unity and a "hyper-focus on missions" in order to finish their Great Commission task. In early June, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees tapped Jamie Dew as the school's ninth president. Previously, he had served as vice president for undergraduate studies and distance learning at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. At a press conference shortly after his election, Dew outlined a four-part vision for his first year at the seminary, calling Leavell College his "priority number one." He also included enrollment, marketing and communications and building denominational relationships among his top four priorities. LifeWay Christian Resources trustees chose Denver church planter Ben Mandrell as the entity's 10th president at a June 28 meeting in Atlanta. Trustees chose the 42-year-old Mandrell to lead LifeWay during a time of historic change. When he was installed as president in late August, Mandrell stressed the need for unity and teamwork as the entity pushed forward with large-scale changes to how it distributes products. In November 2018, IMB trustees selected Paul Chitwood to be the board's 13th president, which meant five new SBC entity heads took over in less than eight months' time. IMB officially installed Chitwood as president on Feb. 6, 2019. 3. LifeWay closes brick-and-mortar stores in historic shift to new online strategy In the most significant transition since its 1891 founding, LifeWay Christian Resources announced the closure of its remaining 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019 as part of a shift to a broader digital retail strategy. As part of this announcement, the entity said it would continue to offer a "broad selection of resources" through its website and the LifeWay Customer Service Center. LifeWay also announced a number of new strategies to better engage customers in 2019. To compensate for a lack of physical storefronts, LifeWay implemented an Authorized Dealership program, allowing local, independent Christian bookstores to sell LifeWay-branded Bible studies. LifeWay's partnerships also go beyond independent bookstores, extending to established chain stores such as Walmart, Books-a-Million and Mardel Stores. 4. Great Commission Giving surges throughout the Convention Southern Baptist churches gave generously to fund Great Commission efforts throughout the Convention in 2019. In October, the North American Mission Board announced a record $61.4 million Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. The offering marks the third consecutive year the AAEO hit a record high. Southern Baptists also gave their third-highest total in history to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. One hundred percent of the $157.3 million given through the offering goes directly to missionaries on the international mission field. The offering exceeded the IMB's goal for the 2018-2019 offering by $2.9 million. As the SBC Executive Committee's 2018-19 budget came to a close at the end of September, the committee reported that Cooperative Program giving had exceeded budget for the fifth year in a row. Southern Baptists gave $196,731,703.44 to Great Commission causes through the Cooperative Program. Last month, the Executive Committee reported the strongest first two months of Cooperative Program giving since 2009. Contributions to the Cooperative Program exceeded $32.5 million, surpassing last year's budgeted contributions through two months by more than $1 million. A number of state Baptist conventions reported higher than expected -- even record -- missions giving. Several passed budgets to increase the percentage of their giving going to national Cooperative Program efforts. 5. SBC votes overwhelmingly to approve significant bylaw and constitutional changes At June's SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala., messengers approved two amendments to the SBC constitution, which stated that sexual abuse and discrimination based on ethnicity were grounds to declare churches "not in friendly cooperation" with the Convention. The two constitutional amendments will require a second two-thirds vote of messengers at the 2020 meeting in Orlando. Messengers at the 2019 annual meeting also approved an amendment to the SBC's bylaws to repurpose the Convention's Credentials Committee into a standing committee. This new standing committee will make inquiries and recommendations for actions regarding sexual abuse, racism and other issues that could call into question a church's relationship with the SBC. The bylaw change required a vote at only one annual meeting. In December, the new standing Credentials Committee announced the establishment of a portal for reports of a church's alleged departure from Southern Baptist polity, doctrine or practice. Submissions to the portal can be made both online and in print. 6. A flurry of pro-abortion and pro-life laws come before state legislatures nationwide after Supreme Court shifts As state governments reacted to the perception of ideological change on the U.S. Supreme Court, some state governments made moves to protect unborn life while others made abortion laws more permissive. The moves come as a new report once again documented a decline in the number of abortions throughout the United States. In an effort to defend abortion rights amid the Supreme Court's suspected rightward shift, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Reproductive Health Act, making the state likely the most permissive on abortion in the nation. The controversial law legalized abortion until birth for the mother's "health." The recent New York pro-abortion law and controversial comments on abortion by the Virginia governor sparked the passage of a number of pro-life pieces of legislation in state legislatures, including several "heartbeat" bills that passed in the spring. These heartbeat bills restrict abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. A bill to protect "abortion survivors" failed in the U.S. Senate just days after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam defended the killing of babies who survived abortions. In May, the Alabama Senate passed a bill banning abortion in the state, two weeks after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the law the following day. The law is one of the toughest in the nation and makes a doctor performing an abortion guilty of a Class A felony with the possibility of life imprisonment. In October, California became the first state to require all of its public universities to offer abortion-inducing pills to on-campus students. With passage of the law, state taxpayers and students will likely underwrite the costs of the abortions. 7. Mohler announced as 2020 presidential nominee In November, Florida pastor H.B. Charles announced he will nominate Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. to be SBC president at the 2020 annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Shortly thereafter, Mohler said he would accept the nomination, becoming the first confirmed 2020 presidential candidate. Mohler's nomination comes a year after he celebrated his 25th year as president of SBTS. If elected, Mohler would become the first entity head to simultaneously serve as Convention president since Paige Patterson did so in 1999-2000. 8. NAMB launches 'Who's Your One?' emphasis The North American Mission Board officially launched the "Who's Your One?" evangelism initiative in February. The emphasis asks Southern Baptists to pray for and focus on one person in the hope he or she will come to faith in Christ. NAMB made a free kit available to all churches with resources designed to help them with the initiative. In August, NAMB launched a "Who's Your One" nationwide tour to catalyze evangelism within the SBC. The tour began Aug. 11-12 in Fayetteville, N.C., with a Sunday evening rally and an evangelism workshop the next morning. NAMB continued the pattern at later stops of the tour. The rallies include preaching from Johnny Hunt, former SBC president and current NAMB evangelism vice president. Each rally also includes worship led by different groups. The evangelism workshops the following day are designed for pastors, church staff and lay leaders. The tour traveled to eight states in 2019. According to whosyourone.com, NAMB has planned 21 such events for 2020. 9. SBC president J.D. Greear appoints the most diverse committees in SBC history In February, SBC president J.D. Greear named a diverse selection of Southern Baptists to serve on the Convention's Committee on Committees. In total, 34 percent of the influential 68-member committee were female. The ethnic breakdown of the committee included 50 percent white, 24 percent African American, 15 percent Hispanic, 7 percent Asian and 4 percent other/multi-ethnic. More than half of the appointments came from churches of 250 members or less, and 24 percent from churches of 100 or less. At the SBC annual meeting in June, messengers approved 150-plus new or renominated trustees and committee members. Of these new and renominated appointments, nearly a third were female or non-Anglo. 10. Southwestern Seminary removes stained-glass windows commemorating the Conservative Resurgence In April, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary sent a letter to donors explaining their decision to remove 40 stained-glass windows commemorating leaders of the SBC Conservative Resurgence from the J.W. MacGorman Chapel. While the seminary gave no official reason for removing the windows, Jimmy Draper, chairman of the Southwestern Advisory Council, said the decision was under consideration for a year prior to the removal. The J.W. MacGorman Chapel and Performing Arts Center has become a centerpiece of the campus, and Draper believed it was no longer a good place to spotlight a small segment of the school's 111-year history. Draper and his wife Carol Ann were two of the 40 individuals depicted on the windows. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tobin Perry is a writer living in Evansville, Ind. #JANUARY20

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) – Two Southern Baptist entity heads have greeted the repeal of a two-year-old tax on churches and other nonprofit organizations with gratitude. President Trump signed into law Dec. 20 a spending bill that includes language rescinding a section of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that requires houses of worship and other nonprofits to pay a 21 percent tax on such employee benefits as parking and transportation. The Senate approved the legislation that included the repeal Dec. 19 in a bipartisan, 71-23 roll call. The House of Representatives passed the measure also in bipartisan fashion by a 297-120 vote Dec. 17. If it had not been repealed, the provision -- which took effect Jan. 1, 2018 -- would have cost the charitable sector an estimated $1.7 billion in the next decade, according to opponents of the law. It also would have burdened churches and others with accounting and compliances costs not previously required. Both the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and GuideStone Financial Resources had worked since 2018 as members of coalitions seeking to reverse the tax provision. ERLC President Russell Moore said in a written statement, “This repeal comes as a welcome relief for millions of Americans, lifting this burden from nonprofits and houses of worship around the country. Churches must never again be seen as untapped sources of government revenue.” Moore thanked House and Senate leaders, as well as other elected officials, who “worked hard on this issue. And I’m glad to see the President formalize this repeal with his signature.” “In these contentious days, finding a bipartisan area of agreement in Congress is worth celebrating.” GuideStone -- the SBC’s health and financial benefits entity -- “expresses its thanks to the President for signing this important legislation, and to members of the House and Senate who prioritized this legislation for the benefit of all Americans,” President O.S. Hawkins said in a written release. “We are thankful the parking tax has been repealed.” The ERLC and other coalition allies sent letters in both November 2018 and March 2019 urging repeal of the tax on churches and other nonprofits. The ERLC continued working for repeal as the end of the year neared. As members of the Church Alliance, GuideStone and other organizations commented publicly against the tax twice in 2018 and once this year, noting their “fundamental opposition to the taxation of churches and church-related ministries.” Two Southern Baptist members of Congress – Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C. – helped lead the effort to repeal the tax provision. Lankford reintroduced the Lessening Impediments From Taxes (LIFT) for Charities Act in February of this year, while Walker reintroduced his companion bill in March. The House voted 220-183 last December to rescind the tax on nonprofits, but the Senate did not have the votes to approve the measure. In June of this year, the House Ways and Means Committee approved repeal of the tax. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. Roy Hayhurst serves as director of denominational and public relations services at GuideStone. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JANUARY20