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ABERDEEN, NC (BP) – Labor Day's origination is rooted in the late 19th-century struggle between factory owners and factory workers. The Industrial Revolution had created enormous prosperity for a few through the exploitation of many. As the mass production of factories, mills and mines increased, so did the misery of the common American worker. Low wages, long work days and unsafe working conditions eventually led to organized protests, strikes and workers' unions. Labor reforms increasingly improved workers' lives, including getting the kids out of the factories. As the labor movement succeeded, the federal government in 1894 declared the first Monday of September an official holiday to honor and celebrate the contributions of the American worker. For us who live on this side of the hardships of the Industrial Revolution, Labor Day tends to simply mark the end of summer, the beginning of cooler weather and the return of college football. But knowing a little of the history hopefully allows us to appreciate the reality of work in our lives and the blessings of our current conditions compared to that of the 19th century. In addition, Labor Day can be an opportunity for more than just a cookout or taking advantage of the Labor Day sales, which if you stop to think about it, are ironic since Labor Day was conceived to give the worker a day off. Even though the holiday's observance today is far from the original intent, the occasion does give us a moment to reflect biblically on ourselves as workers. Those of us who follow Christ through the Bible and who work need to have a robust biblical worldview in regard to work. At the most basic level, work is the regular means through which God provides the material things we need for living. In this regard, work is intrinsically good. In the beginning, God placed the man in the garden to work it and keep it (Genesis 2:15). The nature of the work is not detailed but it is clear that God gave Adam some kind of job. Work was part of the good creation. After Adam's sin, the work became laborious (Genesis 3:19). However, God designed from the beginning that our provision would come through work. The goodness of work is always affirmed in Scripture. We are to be wise in our work and make future preparations through work so we have proper provision (Proverbs 6:6-11). We are to have a good work ethic so that our provision possesses the integrity of being earned (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). We are to work to provide for ourselves and our family as a God-given responsibility (1 Timothy 5:8). Additionally, God calls us to nurture generous lifestyles through our work. Although many of us don't fit the American category of rich, if we step back and make a global comparison, most of us are indeed rich. The instruction of Scripture is that we should be mindful not to spend every dollar we make on ourselves. God provides through our work, and He instructs us that some of it is intended for others. Part of our stewardship is generosity, and an integral part of generosity is planning to be generous (1 Timothy 6:18-19). And, if we view our work and stewardship of God's provision in this way and obey, then we are assured that our generosity will not deprive us any need at all (Proverbs 11:24-25). Lastly, God gives us work as a platform to glorify Him in how we do our work and how we model and share the Gospel. It doesn't matter what kind of work we do, as long as it doesn't violate God's clear commands and principles. However, it does matter what we do with our work. Whether we are the pastor, politician, pottery thrower, police officer or public school teacher, our work space should be approached as a divine stewardship. We should take pride in the quality of our work and give our best effort for the Lord's sake (Colossians 3:23-24). Our motivation for striving for excellence is founded on our desire to please our heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 10:31). However, we also know that a job well done is typically respected by people and brings favor. Also, in any work setting there will always be the opportunity to demonstrate godly behavior in our speech and conduct. We can be looking for opportunities for Gospel conversations. We can see our work as space God has given us to advance the Gospel in deed and word. When we see our labor as more than merely the means of a paycheck, we get a larger, God-sized vision of His purpose for our labor -- a vision that puts God's glory, the Gospel and blessing others at the center of our work. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Daryl Cornett is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Aberdeen, NC. #AUGUST19

NASHVILLE, TN – American Protestant churchgoers say God is on their mind throughout their day in both intentional and impromptu moments. The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research identified seeking God as one of eight signposts of spiritual maturity. About 2 in 3 Americans who regularly attend a Protestant church (67%) disagree with the statement: “Throughout many of my activities I don’t think about God,” with 40% strongly disagreeing. Fewer (19%) agree or say they neither agree nor disagree (14%). “A Christian has the opportunity to walk with God,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Most churchgoers affirm their thoughts are on God as they go about life’s activities.” Women are more likely than men (45% to 33%) to strongly assert they’re thinking about God throughout their day. Middle-aged churchgoers are more likely to say they think about God during many of their activities. Those age 35 to 49 (42%) and 50 to 64 (46%) are more likely to strongly affirm their constant thoughts of God than those 18 to 34 (33%) and those 65 and older (36%). African American (55%) and Hispanic churchgoers (51%) are more likely to strongly assert they regularly think about God during the day than white churchgoers (33%) or churchgoers of other ethnicities (32%). Black Protestants (58%) are more likely than evangelical Protestants (40%) or mainline Protestants (27%) to strongly disagree they don’t think about God throughout many of their activities. Those who attend worship services at least weekly (41%) are more likely than those who attend less frequently (36%) to strongly disagree. Intentional moments Around 2 in 5 churchgoers (38%) say they set aside time for private worship, praise or thanksgiving to God every day. Another 29% say they do so a few times a week, while 13% set aside the time once a week, 7% a few times a month, 4% once a month, and 9% rarely or never. “Having an attitude of praise requires noticing who God is and what He is doing. This takes intentionality,” said McConnell. “Once we choose to observe His work, however, the thanks and worship come naturally.” Female churchgoers (40%) are more likely than their male counterparts (36%) to say they set aside those moments every day. African Americans (45%) and Hispanics (43%) are also more likely than whites (36%) or other ethnicities (31%) to have specific times for private worship, praise or thanksgiving every day. Black Protestants (46%) and evangelical Protestants (40%) are more likely than mainline Protestants (29%) to say they have such times daily. Those who attend church at least weekly (40%) are more likely than those who attend less frequently (33%) to have set aside times for private worship every day. Impromptu moments Around three-quarters of Protestant churchgoers (78%) agree they find themselves praying at the spur-of-the-moment throughout the day, with 44% strongly agreeing. Few disagree (8%), while 14% neither agree nor disagree. “Who we turn to when we have good or bad news says a lot about our relationships,” said McConnell. “If we immediately want to share life’s ups and downs with God and ask Him for help and guidance, that demonstrates we value our relationship with Him.” Around half of women who regularly attend a Protestant church (49%) strongly agree they find themselves praying throughout the day, compared to 36% of male churchgoers. Evangelical Protestants (46%) and black Protestants (45%) are more likely to strongly agree than mainline Protestants (32%). Those who attend a worship service four times a month or more (46%) are more likely to strongly agree than those who attend less frequently (38%). “Jesus opened the way for people to enter God’s presence through His death on the cross,” said McConnell. “As individuals respond to Christ’s call, they see Deuteronomy 4:29 fulfilled in their lives—when they seek God with all their soul, they will find Him.” For more information on the study, visit LifeWayResearch.com or view the complete report. Methodology: The online survey of 2,500 Protestant churchgoers was conducted Jan. 14–29, 2019. Respondents were screened to include those who identified as Protestant or non-denominational and attend religious services at least once a month. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, income and denominational affiliation. The completed sample is 2,500 surveys. The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 2.0%. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources. #AUGUST19

JACKSON, TN – We celebrated our nation's 243rd birthday in July, and now we celebrate those who have worked to build our nation into what it is. While Labor Day may conjure good feelings of time off and laid back gatherings with friends and family at the end of summer, it actually is our country's tribute to the American laborer and all that these workers have accomplished. This federal holiday, however, was not born in ease. Nearly 140 years ago, 10,000 workers in New York marched from City Hall to Union Square, holding what some say was the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. However, in reality it wasn't so much a parade as it was a protest. While The New York Times headline from 1882 read, "Working Men on Parade," many in the parade risked their jobs by participating in a one-day strike to do so. Our Labor Day holiday emerged from what was a lamentable chapter in American labor history. In the early 1800s, manufacturing workers were pounding out 70-hour work weeks on average. Later that century, hours dropped, but people were still working long 60-hour weeks. Work was often physically demanding. Jobs were low paying. Conditions were often harsh and unsafe. In farms and factories, even young children labored. Growing out of the 19th-century organized labor movement, President Grover Cleveland signed an act in 1894 establishing the first Monday in September as a federal holiday -- Labor Day. Today, work conditions are better than they used to be. When we work 40-hour weeks (thanks to the Adamson Act of 1916), enjoy weekends off, take lunch breaks at work and spend quality time with our families on paid vacations, we can be thankful for yesterday's workers and the U.S. labor movement. Indeed, our land has "houses full of all good things that [we] did not fill, and cisterns that [we] did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that [we] did not plant" (Deuteronomy 6:11). As Americans on this Labor Day, we look back and reflect on our benefits. As Christians, we look forward to the day after Labor Day when we will get to go back to work, for we realize that our work is a gift from God whereby we may glorify Him. In the beginning, just 46 verses into the Scriptures, we read that "the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). Work was never a curse. Pain and sweat in work was the curse and was a result of the fall. Work itself is a gift from God. In "Why Work?" the late English writer Dorothy Sayers asked the question, "What is the Christian understanding of work?" She replied that namely, "work is the natural exercise and function of man -- the creature who is made in the image of his Creator." She went on to say "work is not, primarily, a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or it should be, the full expression of the worker's faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God." In speaking of the sacred duty of work, Sayers wrote, "The Church's approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours, and to come to church on Sundays. What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables." On this Labor Day, let us enjoy a weekend to go shopping and have picnics, but let us also wake up the next morning and eagerly go back to work -- glorifying God in the spirit of Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Todd Brady is vice president for university ministries and assistant professor of ministry at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. #AUGUST19

NASHVILLE, TN – A majority of Protestant churchgoers believe making sacrificial decisions to serve Christ is essential to their faith, and most try to avoid situations that might lead to immoral thoughts or actions. The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found two-thirds (66%) of Protestant churchgoers agree with the statement: “A Christian must learn to deny himself or herself to serve Christ,” with 38% strongly agreeing. Only 6% strongly disagree denying self is essential to serving Christ, while 10% somewhat disagree and 18% neither agree nor disagree. The study identifies obeying God and denying self as one of eight signposts that consistently show up in the lives of growing Christians. Researchers found significant statistical differences when it comes to ethnicity, religious tradition, geography and education. Among Protestant churchgoers, Hispanics are the most likely ethnic group to strongly agree (53%) Christians must deny self to serve Christ. Evangelical Protestants (44%) and black Protestants (40%) are more likely to strongly agree than mainline Protestants (18%). Protestant churchgoers in the South (40%) are more likely to strongly agree than those in the Midwest (34%). Those with a high school diploma or less (40%) or with some college education (40%) are more likely to strongly agree than those with a graduate degree (34%). “Choosing God’s agenda over our own is not natural,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Many churchgoers understand this tradeoff and are willing to say they should deny their own desires to serve God. But most churchgoers also acknowledge they are not completely letting go.” Researchers also asked Protestant churchgoers if they try to avoid situations in which they might be tempted to think or do immoral things. Almost 8 in 10 (77%) Protestant churchgoers agree they try to avoid these situations, with 41% strongly agreeing. Another 6% somewhat disagree, while 3% strongly disagree, and 15% neither agree nor disagree. Female churchgoers are more likely to strongly agree they avoid tempting situations than males (43% vs. 38%). Protestant churchgoers in the South (44%) are more likely to strongly agree than those in the Northeast (37%) and Midwest (36%). Evangelical Protestants (44%) and black Protestants (39%) are more likely to strongly agree than mainline Protestants (30%) they avoid situations that might tempt them to think or do immoral things. Those who attend a worship service four times a month or more are more likely to strongly agree than those who attend less than four times a month (42% vs. 38%). “Walking with Christ involves our beliefs, desires and actions,” McConnell said. “When it comes to obedience, our desires are reflected in how much we want to obey and are trying to avoid things that may lead us astray. The majority of churchgoers admit they could be trying harder to avoid temptation.” Two-thirds (66%) of Protestant churchgoers say they live as if they exist to praise and glorify God. A third strongly agrees, with another third somewhat agreeing. Around 1 in 4 (24%) neither agrees nor disagrees, while 10% disagree they live as if they exist to praise and glorify God. Hispanics (50%) and African Americans (43%) are more likely to strongly agree than whites (27%) and other ethnicities (28%). Black Protestants (43%) and evangelical Protestants (35%) are more likely to strongly agree than mainline Protestants (20%). And those with a high school diploma or less are more likely to strongly agree (38%) they live as if they exist to praise and glorify God than those with more education. “Being a disciple of Christ is more than a label. It is living out one’s purpose. That purpose is not one we design for ourselves, but one God created for us,” McConnell said. “Obeying God brings glory to God.” Obeying God and denying self is one of eight signposts measured in the Discipleship Pathway Assessment, which measures an individual’s spiritual growth and is addressed in LifeWay’s Bible Studies for Life curriculum. For more information, visit DiscipleshipPathwayAssessment.com. For more information on this study, visit LifeWayResearch.com or view the complete report. Methodology: The online survey of 2,500 Protestant churchgoers was conducted Jan. 14–29, 2019. Respondents were screened to include those who identified as Protestant or non-denominational and attend religious services at least once a month. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, income and denominational affiliation. The completed sample is 2,500 surveys. The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 2.0%. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Carol Pipes is director of corporate communications for LifeWay Christian Resources. #AUGUST19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Southern Baptist churches across the nation will celebrate the saving work of Christ on Baptism Sunday, September 8. Joy will fill our churches as new believers publicly profess their faith in Christ in the waters of baptism. The national Baptism Sunday highlights the renewed emphasis on evangelism in our Convention and is a cause for celebration. Many Michigan Baptist churches are already taking advantage of the Who’s Your One? initiative from the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Who’s Your One? focuses on praying for and sharing the Gospel with the one person in our lives who we most most want to come to Christ. NAMB provides Bulletin Inserts, Prayer Guides, Book Markers, Posters, Social Media helps and an Implementation Guide - all for free! A new resource has just been added to Who’s Your One. It’s a 40-day Devotional Guide that your church can use. It has come out just in time to use as we approach Baptism Sunday, September 8. You can download a free copy by going to bscm.org/whosyourone. For those who use the YouVersion Bible app, you can access the Devotional Guide (as well as the Prayer Guide) to use with your daily Bible reading plan. J.D. Greear, President of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and Johnny Hunt, Senior Vice President of Evangelism at the NAMB, have also produced a series of videos to answer frequently asked questions about baptism services. You can watch the videos on the Who’s Your One social media channels. Who’s Your One? provides churches with a wealth of resources to share the Gospel. Below are simple suggestions your church can consider as you plan an evangelism strategy. BAPTIZE 5% – Set a church goal to baptize 5% of your church’s average worship attendance every year. A yearly baptism goal helps the church prioritize evangelism in every believer’s life. A church baptism goal is SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. The old adage is still true: “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” (Zig Zieglar) SHARE 4 – Challenge every believer to intentionally share the story of how he or she came to faith in Christ 4 times this year (once every quarter). ENGAGE 3 – Engage your community through a threefold evangelistic strategy: Attractional events like block parties, back to school emphases, or VBS. Missional projects that bless your community and make it better in the name of Jesus. Relational opportunities for believers to invite their family and friends to experience Biblical community and hear the Gospel. EQUIP 2 – Schedule evangelism training twice a year to equip believers to share the Gospel. WHO’S YOUR 1? – Who’s the one person in your life who you most want to come to Christ? Commit to pray and share the Gospel with that person this year. There’s a wealth of resources at bscm.org/whosyourone. 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. #AUGUST19

PLYMOUTH, MI – You can thank my mother and father for my earliest training. Without my parents’ perseverance I might still be wearing diapers, eating with my fingers and crawling on my hands and knees to get to that lunch meeting with you. I can just see you stooping down to shake my dirty hands crusted with floor grime. Yuck! I do not remember one thing about those training moments in my life, and yet I am grateful I went through them. The effort of others improved my future. Training is sometimes practical and at other times it is inspirational. Both are vital elements to quality training. One moment, an infant is guided with a mother’s gentle touch on how to hold the spoon and at another moment a cheering grandmother stands four-feet away from her precious grandbaby with outstretched hands saying, “Come on honey. You can do it. Walk to your grandma. You can do it.” Everyone needs to build competency, and all of us could do with more commitment. It is time for you to register specific church members for the September 28, 2019 Church Equipping Conference. With pen and paper in hand, write down the names of those who influence others in a positive way in the church. Call them, invite them, ask them to save this one Saturday for the Lord and register them this week. Plan on sharing an early breakfast and commute together on that September Saturday. You will be glad you did. One Saturday could be the first step to revitalizing the church. Back during the late 1980’s, an associational missionary strategist encouraged me to consider becoming the pastor of a small church in Michigan. He cast an image that caught my attention. With his hands shaking an imaginary set of keys in front of my eyes he said, “Tony, there is a wonderful tiny group of people who are ready to hand me the keys to the church building if they cannot find the right pastor to lead them to grow. I think you can help them turn the church around.” By God’s intervention I became the pastor of that tiny church. It was a loving fellowship. The people were friendly, but we desperately needed training. Preschool leaders were simply babysitters. Children’s leaders brought crafts, cakes, and crayons spending only a few brief minutes with an open Bible. The youth ministry was a free for all discussion time while the adult Bible class was an hour-long lecture. No one meant any harm because they did not know any better. I remembered the wisdom of a professor who warned us in seminary class, “Poorly equipped Sunday School or Bible study teachers can empty a church classroom faster than the best outreach or evangelism can fill a church.” As I look around in the region, I see two things that concern me. First, I see individual pastors who appear to be pulling on a stubborn rope, by themselves, trying to tug their respective churches forward into better spiritual health with no progress. Second, I see men and women in churches who have the compulsion to do more for the Lord and His Kingdom, but they just do not know how to help. No one is instructing them. They have the heart; they just lack the know-how. This church equipping conference could be the first step to correcting both challenges. Pastors and church members need to spend more time discussing, identifying and designing solutions that will take the church into better spiritual health. In the second and third year of leadership at that tiny church, I was entrusted with training people who would train others in the local area. I wanted to share the blessing of training, so I called the other local pastors asking them to recommend members of their churches. To my surprise, they did not recommend anyone, not one person. Required to fill a list of people who would be trained to then train others, I selected people exclusively from my church. It seemed selfish but I was not going to fail at the first phase. The state convention provided the high-quality training at low or no-cost. Can you imagine what happened? Within one year’s time of starting the training that tiny church became healthier and started growing as healthy churches do. Before you knew it, the congregation each month was on-the-average baptizing two new people who professed faith in Christ and receiving two new members by transfer of a church letter. Training people within that tiny church saved it from dying! What is equally exciting was that the pastors who earlier did not want to recommend church members for training were now pleading with me to train the people within their congregations so they could experience good spiritual health and growth. We did so and that period of time in that local association became a time of growth and strength. I hope to see you on September 28, at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, Michigan with 10-20 people commuting with you. That Saturday’s travel time is when inspirational dreams will take root in the heart of influential church members who will then influence the church toward good health. Consequently, the pastor will find others tugging on the rope with him and good people will know why we do what we do (commitment) and how to do what we do (competency). See you on that Saturday in September. 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. #AUGUST19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Michigan Baptist churches are starting to promote the Frances Brown State Mission Offering which is happening September 8-15. The goal for this year’s offering is $100,000. The mission offering is taken every year to fund special mission projects in the areas of starting, strengthening, and sending churches in the state of Michigan. This year’s theme for the offering is “Re-Envision”. Tim Patterson, Executive-Director of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM), explains,”When we talk about re-envision, we’re not talking about something new. The vision that God has given has not changed. That vision is to reach Michigan for the gospel.” There are five areas of focus where the offering will be used this year; starting, strengthening, women’s ministry, disaster relief and the Bambi Lake Conference Center. Women’s ministry and disaster relief play a big role in helping to send Michigan Baptist churches on mission both in the state and around the world. The Bambi Lake Conference Center supports all three areas of starting, strengthening, and sending by giving church pastors, leaders and lay people a place to train and recharge. The BSCM is providing a wealth of resources to help Michigan churches promote the special offering. Churches can find posters, flyers, and bulletin inserts to share with their members the areas of need, and how they can support the offering. The state convention is also providing three videos for download. Two of the videos tell the stories of Michigan churches who had gone into decline, but then made a comeback. The third video is an overview of the offering explaining the (Re-Envision” theme and the areas of impact. Finally, there is a podcast story sharing the ups and downs of a Michigan church over 50 years of its life. The podcast is an excellent story to share by social media. Go to bscm.org/smo to order free posters, prayer guides, and offering envelopes to promote the offering in your church. There are also additional information and free downloadable for resources such as flyers, bulletin inserts, videos, and audio podcasts. #AUGUST19

HOUGHTON, MI – Houghton Baptist Church is the northernmost church in the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). It sits on Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of the state. Even for Michigan, the winters can be hard here. David Whitaker who has pastored Houghton Baptist for 9 years says the story of his ministry and the church is a longshot, but he adds, “I think God is in the business of longshots.” Whitaker says Houghton can be a lonely place to serve. The church is a long way from other BSCM churches, and it is a more than a ten hour drive from the state convention offices. But that has not prevented state staff from supporting Houghton Baptist and its pastor. Due in part to the gifts of Michigan Baptists to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering, staff like BSCM State Director of Evangelism, Mike Durbin, can make the drive to be there. Durbin says, “We are able to encourage pastors across our state, north and south, east and west, and your gifts make that possible.” After six years of few professions of faith and baptisms, Whitaker led his church through a difficult transition, and beginning three years ago, things began to change. To learn about that change, watch the rest of the story below. #AUGUST19

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The vision to start a Filipino-American work for church started with the inspiration from Arnold and Cora Villanueva in 2016. They were members of Philippine International Baptist Church located in Taylor. Arnold and Cora moved to Grand Rapids to start a Tim Horton’s franchise. In October of 2016, Aaron and Nancy Tanap visited the Villanueva’s at their Tim Horton’s store in Kentwood/Grand Rapids. The Tanaps wanted to visit, pray and encourage them. There are a lot of challenges in starting your own business. It was at that visit, Arnold and Cora shared their desire to start a Filipino-American church in their new location. They felt that they needed help from a mentor and/or pastor in starting the new church start. Even with the challenges in starting a franchise, that didn’t prevent them from pursuing the desire God placed in their hearts to start a church that focused on Filipino/Americans. The Tanaps were excited about their vision, and told Alex and Cora that they would share their desires with our church leaders and meet with them again soon. The Tanaps committed to pray, and over the next few months, kept in touch. They all were committing this to the Lord. Arnold and Cora started doing the groundwork, and began telling people about the possibility of a new Filipino/American church start. Because of their Tim Horton business, they found that they had the opportunity to meet people and connect with them. Six months later, the Tanaps took the next step, and went through the North American Mission Board (NAMB) Church Planting Assessment process. Aaron worked with Dr. Tony Lynn, (Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) State Director of Missions, Mike Durbin, BSCM State Director of Evangelism, and Dan Ghramm, his assigned Church Planting Catalyst. The Bethlehem Baptist Church of Belleville, which Aaron helped start in 1999, and is currently pastoring, approved and allowed him to also help in the Grand Rapids new church work. The next 6 months, the Tanaps began to go to Grand Rapids every other Friday to help Arnold and Cora in laying the groundwork for a new church start. A year later, Aaron and Nancy were approved by the BSCM and North American Mission Board (NAMB) as a Church Planter. Their situation is unique in that they do not live in Grand Rapids, only go there twice-a-month, Arnold (mentee) has a full-time job, instead of Arnold being the Church Planter, Aaron functions as Church Planter even though he still pastors in Belleville. In spite of the uniqueness of the situation, the work has begun and continues presently. The new church start hasn’t launched yet, but over the spring and summer, with much prayer and efforts, there are 15-24 regularly attending our Bible Study groups. So far, 4 have accepted Christ as personal Lord and Savior. The core group has met many couples, and most of the Filipino wives are married to Caucasian-Americans. They have expanded from meeting as a group at Arnold and Cora’s residence to now meeting in 3 home locations. Aaron says, “During the year and a half of work here, we’ve seen exciting things! The people come and are eager to learn the Word of God.” They are teaching “Firm Foundations, from Creation to Christ. A few of the husbands are showing interest, and starting to come to the Bible studies. There are challenges as the enemy continually tries to hinder the work. But Aaron says that the Lord is greater than our enemy and that He is always with us. Due to the unique situation of pastoring while trying to help lead a new church start, the Tanaps feel that the work would reach its full potential more quickly if there was a church leader who would have more time to lead the groups and live and work in Grand Rapids. They have committed to pray for that person. Until then, they continue to do the work, and trust and depend upon God because this is His work. It is a strong seed planted in Grand Rapids area and in the Lord’s time, a robust, vibrant group of believers will be established for God’s glory and honor until His return. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Tanap and his wife, Nancy, have 3 children, Chrissy, Ivan, and Jourdane. They have 4 grandchildren. Aaron and Nancy live in Canton, Michigan where he has served as Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Belleville since 1999. The Tanaps also planted two churches in the Philippines. They are currently serving as Church Planters to help a new Filipino/American work in Grand Rapids. #AUGUST19

MIDDLEBELT, MI – “We prayed that God would take us off the sidelines and put us in the game, and that was like a crazy prayer.” That’s how Carmen Johnson describes the decision she and her husband Larry made to go into ministry. Before the Johnson’s even moved to Louisville to go to Southern Seminary, the trials began. They experienced the loss of parents, their daughter had to undergo a series of surgeries, and Carmen began battling health issues. Larry says, “I just wondered, ‘God, what’s going on? What’s going on?” Three years ago, Larry was called to Middlebelt Baptist Church back in Michigan when the church had begun to experience a downturn. Since then, the church has begun to turnaround, and to see young people return. But despite the blessings at the church, there have still been personal trials as Carmen’s physical challenges have continued. Ministering to Michigan pastors is an important way that the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) helps strengthen churches. BSCM State Director of Evangelism, Mike Durbin, says, “ Sometimes people think that because pastors are pastors, life doesn’t happen to them, but it does.” When you give to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering, you are helping our BSCM staff minister to our Michigan pastors and churches. To hear more about Middlebelt Baptist Church, watch the rest of the story below. #AUGUST19

PLYMOUTH, MI – Let me introduce you, briefly, to some fantastic people planting churches around you. During the last three years, twenty-seven new churches were launched in SEND Network Michigan and SEND Detroit. One of our church planters has wavy hair and a deep southern-accent when he speaks. He loves to watch entertainment-wrestling, and when he preaches his southern expressions fill the sermon, “Grinnin’ like a possum eatin’ a sweet tater.” I am glad the Lord called he, his wife and two little ones to plant a new church in Waterford. Another church planter and his wife who have outstanding careers in business and incredibly courteous children answered the call to plant a new church in Redford. This husband and wife team display a love and respect for one another that is notable. I do not know how they manage their time and energy with so much going on in their lives, but they do, and they do it well. They are planting a church, raising a family, and succeeding in their careers all at the same time. Kalamazoo has one of the most eligible bachelors in Michigan leading a church planting team on the campus of Western Michigan University. His primary passion is seeing others come to know and grow in Jesus Christ. When I watch the ease with which he meets and interacts with people, I am impressed. His sincere compassion for everyone is seen as he talks to a crowd of people one-at-a-time making each person feel valued. It was said of a church planter in Traverse City, “He has made more friends and created more networks within a few months than I have though I have lived in this region for decades. He draws people.” My response was, “I am so glad God redeployed this couple to Michigan rather than letting them retire into oblivion.” Many around the beautiful bays of the north are going to hear about Christ because this couple is on mission. If you can locate these following cities on a map, you will see where the Lord planted twenty-seven new churches these past three years! Zeeland, Detroit, Wyoming, Grand Rapids, Redford, Petoskey, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Clawson, Mount Clemons, Farmington Hills, Ypsilanti, Windsor, Grand Blanc, Wyandotte, Alanson, Plymouth, Westland, Waterford, South Lyon, Clio, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Fenton Would you like to know the names of the twenty-seven newest churches? Hope Church, Refuge Church, New Life Church Detroit, CrossWinds Community Church Godfrey Lee, CrossWinds Community Church Westside, The Commonwealth of Faith, True North Community Church, H2O Church, The Valley Church, Church at Clawson, The Journey Church, Crossover Church, City Church Clio, Life Giver Church, Grumlaw Church, Heart & Soul Community Church, New Found Hope Community Church, Restoring Hope Church, Lake Life Church, Mile City Church, One Mission Church, Transformation Church, Mile City Church South Lyon, City Church Ypsilanti, Cornerstone Fellowship, Redemption Church Grand Rapids, The Way Church Would you like to personally meet some of our church planters, their wives and hear their stories? You can if you will register and attend the upcoming Church Equipping Conference 2019 on September 28, 2019 at Cornerstone Baptist Church at 17017 East Twelve Mile Road, Roseville, Michigan 48066. Please, prepare now. Make a list of influential people. Bring them with you for a day of inspiration from 8:30 to 4:00. I will host a “speed dating” time with church planters and their wives. Register as early as you can a place for yourself and 10-20 from your church at bscm.org/register - they will thank you for inviting them. 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. #AUGUST19

ROSCOMMON, MI – “We are going to do tug of war!” belts out Ray Howell, founding servant of Kicking Bear Camps, “Boys against the girls!” This was a special year at Roscommon’s Centershot/Kicking Bear camp, because Ray Howell was bringing his joyful exuberance to Bambi Lake Camp in Roscommon, MI and Aaron Scheer was bringing his Genesis “Wordless Bow” to share its special story with the camps participants. This would be the fifth year that Roscommon Baptist had sponsored the event supported by the two organizations. “The camp has become much more fun since Kicking Bear Camps have joined us,” says Michael Ritchie, the event’s organizer and board member of Centershot Ministries. “Ray has been commissioned by God to be a big brother to all these kids and they just love being with him.” The two day camp included: 3-D archery, archery tag, tomahawk throwing, crossbow shooting, swimming, Tug of war, minnows and sharks, relay races of all kinds, a marshmallow fight with 50 bags of marshmallows, and culminating in Aaron sharing the gospel message by using the Genesis “Wordless bow”. Fireworks ended the busy day with lights out at 11 pm. Saturday started off early with breakfast and a NASP/Centershot outdoor tournament. Lunch and awards followed the tourney and a baptism was planned for those who were saved through the ministry of the word. “We are seeing a clear pattern around the country: revival is happening in churches, communities and families through the sport of archery. Kicking Bear draws families in, the vehicle is the Genesis bow and Centershot Ministries encourages families into discipleship at the local church level,” says Centershot Ministries Director Aaron Scheer. Ray Howell agrees. “Like Moses delivered the people of Israel with a shepherd’s staff, God is doing the same thing with a bow and arrow.” The Tug of war began between the boys and the girls with the boys narrowly beating the girls in 2 straight matches. “You know, we had one of our ropes let loose one time, there were so many kids pulling in opposite directions” Ray told Ritchie. “Now we have a 2-5/8” ropes 100 foot long just to make sure it never happens again.” The world is pulling families apart these days and it is up to God’s church to bring them together. The three-fold cord the Holy Spirit used this weekend was Kicking Bear Camps, the Genesis Bow and a Centershot Church that has made Christ the target of their lives. The commitment cards after the evening message showed that 12 young people gave their hearts to Jesus and 11 rededicated their lives to him. Five young people and a grandmother committed to baptism. “One woman that brought her daughter and grandson to the camp told me that Eli (grandson) went home and told his mom he got saved and baptized. He had the biggest smile on his face” said Ritchie. Ritchie had the privilege of baptizing Grandma and grandson the next day at Roscommon Baptist Church’s morning service. “Jo-Jo, her daughter, also wants to be baptized in two weeks so that her friend can be there.” Kicking Bear’s motto is “Put a bow in the hands of a kid and win them and their family to the Lord.” A mentor, a bow, a kid and the Lord is a cord not easily broken! The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:12, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." I would personally like to thank the BSCM and the staff for supporting us in our events. At Roscommon Baptist we do our best as a small church to fulfill the great commission. We think a great commission church is a church that supports the Cooperative Program, and our state and mission offerings. As a cord of many strands the body of Christ is stronger and more able to see the world won for Him! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael and Laurie Ritchie have been members of Roscommon Baptist Church since 1983. They were baptized in Bambi Lake July 3rd that same year. They have 2 grown children Jacob (Kaleigh) and Sarah Ritchie and are grandparents to Lucas who Mike says is the best child born since Jesus! #AUGUST19