PLYMOUTH – I am going to make a prediction as if I am a spiritual-meteorologist. Are you ready for it? Here it is.
Something BIG, I mean really BIG, created by the Lord, with the evidence and current conditions that I observe has moved-in and over the language churches who are part of the Michigan Baptist family!
Did you know that Michigan Baptists already have approximately 30 language churches within the family? Did you know that each week, Michigan Baptists worship, conduct Bible studies, develop disciples, and share life as church families in 12 languages? Are you surprised?
In the immediate months and coming years, we are going to see established-language-churches regain the vitality of their early years, then exceed what they once thought was their maximum performance; additionally, as a result of that renewed focus those same churches are going to launch new church plants all over Michigan; in metropolitan cities, urban communities, suburban neighborhoods, small towns, rural areas, near university/college campuses, and among many language/people groups!
Why the confidence?
Michigan Baptist history gives me good cause to believe in another movement of the Lord. I’ve witnessed it! Nine years ago, on the first day of October, I was hired by the Send Network of the North American Mission Board to offer strategic leadership to church planting in all of Michigan. Those who enlisted me said, “Your thirteen years of prior service with the International Mission Board will help.”
Rapidly during the first and second year of my assignment, I saw the robust pathways and processes of the Send Network church planting system. I liked what I saw and knew God was on the move in Michigan. I recommended, and Michigan Baptists agreed, to become the very first Send Network partnering state convention with the North American Mission Board.
Since then, a continental movement erupted and many more state conventions followed the example of Michigan Baptists. It was a blessing for me to have online meetings with other state conventions who were asking questions about the benefits of the change. That movement to partner their state conventions with the Send Network resulted in an amazing rate of new church plants among Southern Baptists unlike any other time in our history. Since 2010, Southern Baptists have planted more than 11,000 churches all across North America, and Michigan Baptists are part of that movement.
If the Lord can use Michigan Baptists as an early, tiny part of his massive movement to accelerate church planting across the continent in the past, I believe the Lord can use Michigan Baptists again to launch another massive movement of language church multiplication unlike we have ever seen. Michigan Baptists have proven themselves resilient, industrious, generous, and dedicated for many years.
3 Signs of Movement!
As that spiritual-meteorologist I mentioned earlier, I am going to share three conditions that convince me that the Lord is in the process of doing something BIG when it comes to language church planting.
1. Relocation
First, people from other nations are, both freely by choice and sadly by force, scattering from their homelands. People from the nations are coming to North America for security, education, and advancement. We have multiple opportunities to interact with those from other nations who desperately want to improve their English and thrive in the North American culture. We have professionals, small business owners, international university students, neighbors, public school students/parents, immigrants, and refugees.
The largest Arab population outside the Middle East in the United States is in Dearborn with 55% of its residents identifying as having Middle East or North African ancestry.
There is a “crescent shape” of South Asian Indians that stretches over the Greater Detroit Metropolitan area from the north starting in Shelby Township to the southwestern corner ending in the community of Canton. In some of the neighborhoods/townships of that area the percentage of residents from South Asia is as high as 27-33% of the local population.
The small town of Coldwater with a total population of 10,000 reports that an estimated 2,100 Yemeni live among them. Women wear the full-length black burqas covering their entire body while shopping at local stores.
2. Resolution
Second, during the fourth week of September, I was in a Livonia restaurant with 25 influential, dedicated friends who love the ministry of Michigan Baptists. Three guests had joined us from a newly created venture of 4 Southern Baptist entities called the Diaspora Missions Collective. It was the premier gathering of one of the most diverse people groups when it comes to origin and languages. English was the common-spoken language among us at dinner even though 1/3 of us would return home speaking another language with family members.
At a particular moment during the interaction I asked, “How many languages can we speak in this room while quoting a Bible verse that could lead someone to Jesus Christ?” One after another, people recited evangelistic Bible verses in various languages until a total of 10 languages had been spoken! The languages spoken were from the Western Hemisphere, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Europe. It was an awe-inspiring, reverent moment that will remain in my memory for a long time. The experience brought to mind the ability to speak different languages displayed in Acts 2 and Acts 10.
I am convinced those key leaders are just as resolute as I am in their aim to see that those coming to and living in Michigan from different places, cultures, and languages are invited to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ in a gracious and understandable manner. I think the tribe of courageous, mission-minded individuals from that restaurant banquet room will grow larger and stronger month-by-month, year-after-year. If you want to join the movement, let me know.
3. Relationships
Third, the Lord created all things without any assistance from any of us; yet he invites us repeatedly in Scripture to join him and his missionary task of living out, displaying, and expressing the Good News of Jesus Christ to others. I can report that there are some unusual, underlying actions that can only be described as time-sensitive actions from the Lord. When I see a variety of God’s people forming engaging partnerships, I know I am seeing the Lord at work!
Hikari City, a young Japanese church plant, last month, hosted a traditional, annual Japanese festival called, “Matsuri.” Two sister churches, one in English, the other in Spanish, helped the Japanese church with the arrangements and event. The result surpassed everyone’s expectations with hundreds of Japanese people attending Matsuri who were dressed in traditional Japanese garments having fun, laughing, and getting to know one another on a Friday night.
A ministry to Arabic language people located in the heart of Dearborn is partnering with a Send Network endorsed church planter in Michigan who is originally from Egypt but relocated to Michigan years ago. That pastor/church planter is strategically forming the foundation for two new church plants in Dearborn and Flint.
Join the BIG Movement!
Remember, you were warned. Something BIG is underway.
In the immediate months and coming years, we will see established-language-churches regain the vitality of their early years, then exceed what they once thought was their maximum performance; additionally, as a result of that renewed focus those same churches are going to launch new church plants all over Michigan; in metropolitan cities, urban communities, suburban neighborhoods, small towns, rural areas, near university/college campuses, and among many language/people groups!
If you want to take part in this movement, please send me an email indicating how you would like to get involved: tlynn@namb.net.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the Send Network Director for Michigan and the Language/Ethnic Church Planting Catalyst. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as a lead pastor in Michigan churches and as an international missionary, along with his wife Jamie, in the Niger Republic, France, and Canada.