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TENAKEE SPRINGS, AK (BP) – A small church in southeast Alaska is inviting its community to Thanksgiving dinner. The invitation is extended to all 100 residents and anyone else in Tenakee Springs who may not have local gatherings of family and friends that day. Tenakee Springs Community Church has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for most of the 10 years bivocational pastor Todd Buck and his wife Jodie have served there. "Initially I went out there on a request for supply preaching, and I just kept going," Todd said. "After about a year I was definitely the pastor." To get "out there," the Bucks travel 120 miles round-trip from their home in Juneau to Tenakee Springs on Chichagof Island. Todd is a civilian marine information specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard. Jodie owns a sewing and quilting shop. The Bucks go to the island on Thursday and return to Juneau on Saturday after the church's worship service and a fellowship meal. They go once a month in winter when they usually take the ferry, and every other week in the summer when they sometimes make the trip in their own boat. "We have about 15 to 25 people who come on a regular basis," Todd said. "And it has just grown in community. It's grown a little bit in size, but mainly in community." The Bucks attribute recent growth in community to the purchase of a cabin in Tenakee Springs last summer. For 10 years they rented places to stay, camped on a boat or stayed with friends. Their own cabin, Todd said, gives them a place to relax and where "people can come and see us." "We've already seen some very significant growth in the couple of months since we've been able to spend more time there," Todd said. The Thanksgiving dinner has become a significant community-building occasion in Tenakee Springs. The church started it to provide for those who might not be able to prepare a traditional holiday dinner. Many residents live in tiny one-room cabins with limited means for cooking and makeshift plumbing that's prone to freezing before Thanksgiving. So the church invites town residents and visitors to Thanksgiving dinner at the community center where the church regularly meets. The facility's plumbing is freeze-proof, and there's a kitchen and other amenities for putting on a big meal. The church provides the turkey. "People will bake desserts or other dishes. It's essentially a potluck," Todd said. "We usually have about 30 to 35 people," about double the number of people who attend church services. The gathering will include a brief time "to share how God has blessed over the year and then just a time of fellowship," Todd said. Laura Strong, a 12-year Tenakee Springs resident and church member, said the Thanksgiving event is just one important expression of the Bucks' witness, leadership and influence. "I think that Todd and Jodie bring a lot more than just the Thanksgiving ministry," Strong said. "They're well-known and respected in our community for a lot of the other volunteer aspects like Fourth of July, which is a really big deal here. For years they've found ways to volunteer and help out with that." With his Coast Guard training, Strong added, Todd "is able to serve in a lot of ways in this community." In addition to his current 12-year civilian career, Todd, now 55, served on active duty in the Coast Guard from age 19-29, during which he became a Christian and met and married Jodie. Strong recalled that Todd has helped with emergency medical evacuation and also a Thanksgiving weekend search-and-rescue incident. "So Thanksgiving is another nice addition," she said, "but it's certainly not the only way that the church and Todd and Jodie stand as witnesses in our community." Through sewing and quilting, Todd said, Jodie has befriended some people there who aren't attracted to Christianity. But because there is a shared interest in sewing, Todd said, "It's like, 'Oh, well, let's get together.'" "And so things like that have provided opportunities," Todd said. "And now that we have a cabin there, that changes the dynamic incredibly." Before the Bucks started coming to Tenakee Springs, Strong said, "We had different preachers" and "other people sent out periodically" to offer youth activities or Sunday School or Christian mentorship. Jae McKee of the Alaska Baptist Convention said the ministry at Tenakee Springs, sponsored by Glacier Valley Baptist Church in Juneau, has "been going on a long time before Todd got there." But for the past 10 years, Todd "has really been the consistent person to go," McKee said. Todd's "excited about it and very consistent," McKee said. "He loves the people and I think that's what really pushes him: his love for the people and his desire for them to know Christ." Frances Ziel, an 18-year Tenakee Springs resident, said the Bucks "minister to every walk of life in this community, and they have brought many people together that probably normally would never be together -- many different denominations -- just to learn the Word of God and to praise God." "I have been battling stage 4 colon cancer for 10 years," Ziel said, "and the Tenakee Springs Community Church has rallied around me like no one else. My colon cancer metastasized to my lungs, so although I've got no active cancer in my colon, it's now in my lungs. I just went through radiation for that. And just every day is a gift. "And Thanksgiving is such a special time because it evokes that feeling of family. And every day that I'm here I just praise God." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Tune is a writer based in Fort Worth, Texas. #NOVEMBER18

RICHMOND, VA – The International Mission Board trustees’ Presidential Search Committee announced Tuesday, Nov. 6, that the committee will recommend Dr. Paul Chitwood, 48, to be elected as the 173-year-old entity’s 13th president. The vote to elect Chitwood is scheduled for the Nov. 15 plenary session during the Nov. 14-15 IMB board meeting in Richmond. A former chairman of IMB’s board of trustees, Chitwood currently serves as executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the state’s largest religious organization with 750,000 members in 2,400 churches and 70 associations. He has served in the role since 2011. For 18 years, Chitwood served as the pastor of local churches of varying sizes: First Baptist Church, Mt. Washington (2003-11), where he is a member; First Baptist Church of Somerset (1999-2003); First Baptist Church of Owenton (1995-99); and South Fork Baptist Church in Owenton (1993-95). As a pastor, his churches averaged giving 18.5 percent through the Cooperative Program. During his pastorates, he served as chairman of the IMB trustees from 2008-10, part of his tenure as an IMB trustee from 2002-10. His overseas short-term mission involvement includes work in Brazil, Peru, India, China, South Africa, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, England, Spain, Germany and Haiti. “A decade ago, I had the privilege of working with IMB President Jerry Rankin, Clyde Meador, Tom Elliff, and David Steverson to pen the IMB’s vision statement,” Chitwood said. “While the wording was and is important, it simply captures the vision God has graciously given us in His Word. It’s His vision, and the culmination of the work that He has been doing through His church and, since 1845, through Southern Baptists. Our vision is unchanged: a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‘We need him’ “It is so obvious that God has been preparing Paul for this role in so many ways,” said Dr. Rick Dunbar, chairman of IMB’s trustees and a member of the Search Committee from Madison, Mississippi. “Examine his work history, denominational experience, trustee background, educational history, leadership and team-building history; hear his heart for missions and the Lord, to be shared with the entire world; listen to his wife as she eagerly anticipates this role — and I think you will agree: We need him.” Dunbar said the more the search committee talked, prayed and thought about Chitwood, “the more the entire committee has come together united in knowing he is God’s choice for our next president. He has the biblical foundation, a heart for missions and a proven track record of leading a big organization.” Dr. Chuck Pourciau, chairman of the Presidential Search Committee and senior pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, echoed Dunbar’s endorsement. “Little did the Presidential Search Committee anticipate the meandering path that would be this search,” Pourciau said. “There were many twists and turns, but our commitment remained singular. It didn’t matter what path we took as long as we ended up in the right place. The right place is to locate and recommend to the trustees the person God had already chosen as the next leader of the International Mission Board. “We are unanimously agreed that we have done just that in recommending to the IMB trustees Dr. Paul Chitwood as our next president. Dr. Chitwood is uniquely qualified to lead us into the next era of Southern Baptists reaching the nations. His missions heart and leadership acumen will serve us well in the years to come. I am eager to watch God work through him as he leads our international missions efforts. Yes, brothers and sisters, we did indeed arrive at the right place, and that right place is Dr. Paul Chitwood.” ‘Passionate about missions’ As executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, Chitwood has led the organization to a greater focus on strengthening local churches, planting new congregations, evangelizing the unchurched, and shifting more funding to international missions. He identified the need to move more Cooperative Program funds from state mission budgets to the Southern Baptist Convention budget and, ultimately, to the IMB budget. Last year, the convention reported more churches planted and growth in the number of Kentucky Baptists involved in volunteer mission work in Kentucky and around the world. In consideration of leading the largest denominational missionary-sending body among American evangelicals, Chitwood has stated that he is committed to the organization’s next executive vice president being someone with significant mission-field experience. Chitwood has traveled extensively overseas in support of the IMB and worked alongside IMB missionaries, Dunbar said, which gives him a view into the missionary life and task but also makes him realize how much he will depend on men and women who have long-term overseas experience. “I am very happy to join with the rest of the Presidential Search Committee in recommending that Dr. Paul Chitwood be approved as our next IMB president,” said Duane Ostem, an IMB field leader from Asia who served on the committee to provide a field-based perspective. “Dr. Chitwood is passionate about missions. He understands the workings of the IMB. He loves missionaries. His humble but strong leadership style will enable him to work well with our Richmond personnel, our field missionaries, and our Southern Baptist churches. His vision for the future will inspire and guide the IMB as we seek to make disciples of all nations.” By Chitwood’s request, pending trustee approval, Dr. Clyde Meador will remain in the President’s Office as interim EVP during the transition. Meador has served as IMB interim president since Sept. 27, 2018. “I have known Paul for 16 years and have consistently been impressed by and thankful for his commitment to the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth, as well as his excellent leadership skills,” Meador said. “When Paul was serving as chairman of IMB trustees, he became an integral part of the leadership team, even to the point of having a significant part in crafting our vision statement that continues as a guide even today. “Paul’s keen insight, leadership strength, commitment to the Great Commission, humility, and understanding of the lost world that lies before us, as well as unusual knowledge of the SBC, all combine to make him the ideal next president of IMB.” ‘A proven leader’ Chitwood was Kentucky Baptist Convention president in 2005-06; first vice president in 2003-04; and president of the state pastors’ conference in 2002. He was chairman of the SBC Committee on Nominations in 2015-16, and he also has served on several other state mission committees and in associational leadership committees. He has served as a trustee of Crossings Ministries, Sunrise Children’s Services, Kentucky Baptist Foundation, Oneida Baptist Institute, Baptist Haiti Mission, and Bridges to Nigeria. He is an adjunct professor of leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously has been an assistant professor of missions and evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of the Cumberlands, and Boyce College. A native of Jellico, Tenn., Chitwood is a 1992 graduate of Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands), where he has served as a trustee. He earned a master of divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1995 and a doctorate from the seminary in 2001. He currently is pursuing a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. “As I have studied our IMB history and our past presidents, it is clear that God continues to build on the foundation laid down by so many,” Dunbar said. “I have served as a trustee under Jerry Rankin, Tom Elliff, David Platt and Clyde Meador. They are all different, but I believe that each was called to this position with a unique perspective and giftedness, and we thank God for all of them. Paul brings a unique perspective also. He is a proven leader, motivator, and mobilizer, he is committed to missions, and he gives his all to the pursuit of God’s will.” Chitwood and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 25 years. Their family includes son Daniel, 22, and daughter-in-law Derrika; daughter Anna, 20; daughter Cai, 12; and a foster daughter, age 6, who they hope will soon join the family through adoption. “Michelle, his wife, is fully committed to this role, and we see qualities in her that will compliment Paul in the president’s role,” Dunbar said. “She is eager to be an active part and sees this as a calling for her also. She embraces the challenges this role presents. She sees their family’s role not as a sacrifice but an opportunity. She will be a great asset to the IMB. You will love her.” Transitional activity On Feb. 12, 2018, former president David Platt asked trustees to begin their search for the next president of the mission entity. The trustees’ presidential search committee accepted presidential nominations through May 15, and a committee of more than a dozen trustees plus a former field leader have worked diligently since February. Trustees will vote on the recommendation of Chitwood as president during their plenary session, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15, at 10 a.m. EST. Prior to the vote, Southern Baptists will honor the appointment of new missionaries during a Sending Celebration in Richmond on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. EST. Join the celebration via Livestream. Forty-two Southern Baptists will be presented as candidates for appointment at the Nov. 14 meeting. A digital press conference for media is slated for Nov. 15 from 2-3 p.m. EST, contingent on Chitwood’s election. Media interested in attending the Nov. 15 plenary session or the press conference should contact Julie McGowan (jmcgowan@imb.org) and Jennifer Nix (jnix@imb.org) by Noon on Friday, Nov. 9. The plenary session also will be viewable via Livestream. The press conference will be accessible for media by WebEx, and it also will be broadcast on Facebook Live (@imb.sbc). ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie McGowan is public relations manager for the IMB. #NOVEMBER18

Urgent Mission With nearly 10,000,000 people in the state, Michigan ranks 10th among all of the United States in population. In terms of landmass, Michigan ranks 11th. The Great Lake State has the longest freshwater shoreline in the entire world. If we mathematically divided the state’s population by the number of Southern Baptist churches, each church would be responsible for reaching out to, engaging, witnessing, and discipling an estimated 31,250 people. That is per church! Crunch the Numbers Can you imagine your church and you bridging relationships with 31,250 people this next year? How many new people entered and remained at your church this past year? What would each church have to do to reach radically more people for Christ? If each church, by the numbers, did their part next year that would mean each church would have to engage 86 new people every single day for 365 days. Each church would have to engage 86 new people every single day for 365 days. This summer, I was in Dallas, Texas speaking to a retired policeman at one of the large, well-know congregations. He was directing security for the church. The man’s face was wrinkled and tanned. I could hear voices coming from the earbud in his left ear even though he tried to conceal it with his gray hair. His eyes had a gleam as he scanned the congregation of thousands gathering for worship. After learning I was from Michigan, he said to me, “I lived and worked in Michigan all my life; but only after retiring and moving to Texas did someone tell me about Jesus Christ. I am so glad my wife and I found Him and we love our church.” Insert: One man said to me, “I lived and worked in Michigan all my life; but only after retiring and moving to Texas did someone tell me about Jesus Christ.” Keeping it Brief In the shadow of the overwhelming numbers and in light of the urgency to reach more people for Jesus Christ as described above, I want to share a vision, a mission, and 5 values for church starting. We want to see healthy churches starting new churches in places and among people groups in the Great Lakes region, so that everyone is extended an invitation to follow Jesus Christ. In fewer words, our mission is starting new churches everywhere for everyone. Starting new churches everywhere for everyone 5 Core Values Reliance upon God - We rely upon God for His leadership through the study and application of the Bible. By means of private and corporate prayers, we pursue obedience and boldness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Through corporate and private worship, we treasure God above all things and we display that dedication by starting new churches. Collaboration with others – This network is a mosaic of cultures, colors, communities, and languages with one mission, which is starting new churches. Working together we are powerful. Working together, under the Lord’s leadership, we are unstoppable. Sacrificial Focus – We come together to do one thing with excellence. We dedicate ourselves to starting new churches within population segments and among people groups in the Great Lakes region. We sacrifice other worthy endeavors knowing that this intense focus changes eternity for people in the region. Leadership Development – We gather and engage leaders for the purpose of starting new churches. We develop leaders, so they anticipate, prepare for, and overcome challenges. We offer leaders the tools and the processes by which they can multiply and empower others, so that new generations will produce new leaders. Urgency – Though God is eternal, our involvement to achieve His desires in each of our lifetimes is limited; therefore, we take the responsibility to do as much as we can in the time each of us is allocated in our respective lives. We do not wait on something to change or someone else to lead. We take the initiative to do as much as we can with the resources God provides in each season of our lives. There are waves from the Great Lakes that shape the shoreline of the state, night and day. What if there was an ever-increasing wave of churches that saturated every population segment and every people group within the Great Lakes region with the Gospel? Can you imagine what God could accomplish, during the coming years, if we would strive to increase the number of Southern Baptist churches in Michigan? What part will you take-on in this endeavor? 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. #NOVEMBER18

FENTON, MI – The question I have is, where did it go? You know, Thanksgiving. Back to school sales were displayed in every store beginning in July, and then came the adornments for Halloween. The next thing I saw were Christmas decorations and those came up at the same time the jack-o-lanterns found a place on store shelves. What happened to Thanksgiving? And the fact is, that when I did find some “Thanksgiving” decorations or advertisements for this great national celebration, most of it had nothing to do with giving thanks. It seems as though it is not politically correct to give thanks to God. Most stores just say “happy holidays” or some other “fall greetings” that is as generic as it can be. With all that has transpired over the past months, the political upheaval, hurricanes, mass shootings and a myriad of catastrophes, we need to give thanks to God now more than ever. We need to be thankful to God for His wonderful provision and protection. Many want to play the part of historical revisionist and deny the intent and purpose of this holiday, but the fact remains it is a call for the people of America to pause and be thankful to a benevolent God. Thanksgiving Day in the United States is an annual day of thanks for the blessings of the past year. It is observed on the fourth Thursday in November in each of the states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It has its historical roots as a national, and religious holiday that began with the Pilgrims. After the survival of their first colony through the bitter winter, and the gathering of the harvest, Gov. William Bradford of Plymouth Colony issued a thanksgiving proclamation in the autumn of 1621: "Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience. Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all blessings." That first Thanksgiving lasted three days, during which the Pilgrims feasted on wild turkey and venison with their Indian guests. Days of thanksgiving were celebrated sporadically until, on Nov. 26, 1789, President Washington issued a proclamation of a nation-wide day of thanksgiving. He made it clear that the day should be one of prayer and giving thanks to God. It was to be celebrated by all religious denominations, a circumstance that helped to promote a spirit of common heritage. The origin, purpose and history of the Thanksgiving holiday is complete and without question. This day was established for the sole purpose of giving thanks back to God for what He has given us. As with so many of our religious holidays, Thanksgiving seems to have lost its meaning and purpose, or at least the way we celebrate it. As a nation we must return to a humble gratitude toward our Father who is our source and supply. What if He were to cease being our source? One such story illustrates this well. One day the sun did not rise. Six o'clock came and there was no sign of dawn. At seven o'clock, there was still no ray of light. At noon, it was as black as midnight. No birds sang and only the hoot of an owl broke the silence. Then came the long black hours of the afternoon. Finally, evening arrived but no one slept that night. Some wept, some wrung their hands in anguish. Every church was thronged with people on their knees. Thus, they remained the whole night through. After that long night of terror and agony, millions of eager, tear-streaked faces were turned toward the east. When the sky began to grow red and the sun rose, there was a loud shout of joy. Millions of lips said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" because the sun had risen after one day of darkness. The very consistency of God's blessings sometimes dulls our gratitude. The wonderful thing about the mercies of God is that they are fresh every morning and new every evening. Let us remember to be constantly thankful to our gracious God. I believe we must have an attitude of living in Thanksgiving. Twenty four hours a day. The question has been asked and rightly so, “What if we only had what we gave thanks for yesterday?” There is a story in Luke 17:11-17 that tells of 10 lepers who were healed and the rewards of thankfulness. 11 Now it happened  as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers,  who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them,  “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so, it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice  glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a lSamaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” May your life be full of thanksgiving today and every day. 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. #NOVEMBER18

DETROIT, MI – As we move from summer to fall, we are celebrating a great season of growing partnerships, and the exciting potential of advance in the Kingdom of God. We have experienced an amazing summer of partner investment and participation with church plants in Detroit. Early in the summer, a team from several churches in Arkansas came to work with 3 of our planters. They brought with them a new Block Party trailer, fully equipped for our church plants to use in outreach efforts in their communities. Our planters and mission teams have kept that trailer busy all summer. I had the opportunity to help with an event that Reaching Out Church sponsored at the Yemen American Cultural Center in Dearborn. The Hope Church of Las Vegas sent a team to help the new church plant share the love of Christ with hundreds of Muslims from the area. It was such a blessing to be able to be part of that effort. But, I am so thankful for partners who help to make these efforts truly reflect the Good News we have in Christ. We should all be thrilled with the fruit that efforts like these produce for the Kingdom. Reaching Out Church officially launched last month with 7 house discipleship groups and a public worship service among the Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist peoples of Hamtramck. Many other teams served with us this summer as well some from Michigan churches and others from around the country. We try to track these connections, but this year it has been hard to keep up. We did record 45 unique partner connections with both teams and support. This marks a significant increase for Detroit plants and is a great encouragement to our planters. Even small teams can make a large impact. Several teams numbered only 5 or 6. Yet, they were able to help pass out flyers for church launches, clean up and paint buildings, assist church plant core-teams, host Block Parties that, in turn, helped them to serve their community and share Christ. This fall has been a season of advance. In addition to Reaching Out Church's launch on September 2nd, New Found Hope Community Church under the leadership of Pastor Ray Ruffin Jr., launched public worship services. Their sending church is Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Lansing, and is also supported by Forrest Park Baptist Church who is assisting them with a place to worship. Pray for Pastor Ray as they are seeking to reach people for discipleship in Christ in the community of Redford. We are also asking you to pray with the Middlebelt Baptist Church as they help to launch Pastor Antonio Wimberly and the One Mission Church on November 4th. The new church has targeted a strategic location at the crossroads of Inkster, Romulus, and Westland. They have been working all summer to get the word out, and get things ready for a Christ-honoring launch of a new Church. This is what Send Detroit is all about. Praying, supporting, and encouraging new churches to establish Gospel-preaching, disciple-making churches for the 7.4 million people of Metro Detroit. Thank you, Michigan Baptists, for your partnership in what God is doing in the city. For more information, visit bscm.org/detroit. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Wayne Parker grew up in metro Detroit. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in education and received his Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Parker now serves as the senior pastor for Merriman Road Baptist Church in Garden City, an inner-ring suburb of Detroit. Wayne and his wife Cindy have five children. #NOVEMBER18

CLARKLAKE, MI – I have watched and prayed for my husband, Terry, as he served on Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Teams, while waiting for the time when I would be able to retire and join the Michigan team, too. Little did I know, one month later, God would be sending me to Galveston, Texas where Hurricane Harvey flooded Southern Texas. My husband and team members tried to prepare me for the destruction that I would personally see, but nothing could prepare me for the thousands of people I would be serving with hurt and broken hearts. A feeding team was needed in Galveston, but my husband was not trained in this area and he didn’t feel led to go at that time. I had just spent time that month asking God what I would be doing for the next part of my life. Retired and an empty nest left me wondering. Little did I know that when Harvey hit, I would feel the spirit say go! Just go! I left with a couple from our church who would be leading our feeding team. As we entered Texas we were rerouted to Houston. We had a couple on our bus who spoke Spanish, and was needed to help with the spanish-speaking community that was near the supply warehouse. The next 10 days would change my heart and grow my faith in God. I was asked to serve in the warehouse with Omega Sosa. I did not know how to speak Spanish, but we had people from all walks of life who needed help. The loss and destruction of their homes was the first thing we heard from each person we encountered at the warehouse. Their hearts were broken and hurting; they needed help. People came to the warehouse to get water and supplies, and needed to dry out their homes. Sometimes it was tools, and other times food and water. With each person that entered and needed help, we listened as they shared their traumatic stories of flooding with us. Their lives were shattered in a matter of minutes because most of them never expected flood waters to reach Houston like it did. We were able to help many with supplies and information to assist them in the cleanup, and to give the paperwork to help them get started. We also were able to pray with 80% of the hurting and struggling men and women who walked in. Many people stopped what they were doing to bow their heads as we prayed with them. God opened doors and hearts plus several times we prayed for things needed and God supplied them within minutes of praying. A truck would drop off what was needed, or a person would walk in delivering exactly what we prayed for. Our God is a good and faithful. He is in the miracle business. Many times, Omega would be praying in Spanish with some people, holding hands and her sweet voice filled the room with words. Some of us did not understand, but we knew she was sharing Jesus or praising Him for keeping that family safe and providing for their needs. God changed my heart that week and filled me with His love as I have never experienced before. Prayer after prayer was answered, and my faith in God grew in leaps and bounds. My heart felt as it would explode at God’s goodness. The Almighty God was there in the midst of that storm. One man in particular will always be in my heart and mind. He was about 60 years old, very tall and strong. He walked in and stood in one place not moving. A sad, tired look covered his entire face, he looked lost. I thought maybe he was in the wrong place. He looked like an executive of some kind, and I asked if I could help him with something. He looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said he had lost everything. He had just built his retirement house on the lake; an eight hundred-thousand-dollar home, but had only lived in it for a month. He had no flood insurance, which was not needed in Houston, so the insurance people had told him. “Then it was all gone!” Now what would he do? He looked like he was still in shock, so I asked God for wisdom and the right words before I spoke. I asked him if he still had his wife? He said, “yes .“ I asked him if he had children? He said, “yes.” I asked him if he believed in God? He responded, “yes.” I asked if he read his Bible or prayed or talked to Jesus. Then the tears ran down his face. I asked if he remembered the story of Job and how Job lost everything, but Job loved God and God loved Job. I reminded this man that he had his family and God blessed Job again with a new home and family. That same God is our hope in dark times. our only hope, and with Him we have everything. This man’s eyes brightened. We prayed together, and then we set him up with the supplies he needed. I pray the Holy Spirit spoke to him at that moment. I saw God working every day in the people's hearts, and in the team's hearts who were serving them, but especially in mine. I am so very thankful for our Disaster Relief teams in Michigan, and encourage others to get trained, step out in faith and go watch God at work. It will change your life. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeannie Meinka is from Clarklake, MI and serves as a Michigan SBC Disaster Relief volunteer. #NOVEMBER18

MONROE, MI – Every church has strengths and weaknesses. It helps us to be encouraged when we focus on what God is doing in our church and to be diligent daily. For the first eight years of Heritage Baptist Church’s existence, the congregation met in a school, and then we rented space in another church’s building. Two years ago we moved into our first permanent facility. The building’s location just west of town has allowed us to reach people from throughout Monroe County. The location on a main highway, M50, has given the church visibility and resulted in first-time, walk-in guests almost every Sunday morning. God has blessed the church financially through the faithful giving of our members. In spite of payments for the new building, the church has also continued to give generously to the Cooperative Program. For many years the church gave 15% to CP. Two years ago, 1% was set apart to help church members participate directly in missions and the church continues to give 14% to CP. One thing God is doing in our church is that we are “getting younger.” Even though the church began with a diversity of ages, the church reached the point where it was made up mostly of older adults. That did not bode well for the long-term survival of the church; every church must reach the next generation. God has been blessing the church with more younger adults. We just restarted a group of young, single adults and the attendance of that group is better than we have ever had. One positive change in ministry that has helped the church “become younger” is a transition to more contemporary worship. Initially, the church used video-driven contemporary music and piano accompanied traditional hymns. God has since provided the musicians needed to have live music with a single team leading all of our music, contemporary and more traditional. As the music quality has improved, more musicians are joining us. Even though the church is getting younger and transitioning to more contemporary music, God is still using the church to reach older generations, too. We have senior adults attending and joining the church. In fact, over the last two years, two adults over 70 years old have made public professions of faith and been baptized. God is still working among senior adults. So we are seeing God’s handiwork regardless of age.About the pastor: Bob Wood is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe. Previously he served as a state missionary with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He has been in vocational Christian ministry since 1983. Sharon, his wife, and he have five grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Wood is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe. Previously he served as a state missionary with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He has been in vocational Christian ministry since 1983. Sharon, his wife, and he have five grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. #NOVEMBER18

WINDSOR, CANADA – When “The Gathering” began, we were a ragtag collection of people who gathered on Saturday nights for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship over coffee and baked goods. In the beginning, it was super casual. But when we organized and launched our small, but enthusiastic, church plant with Send Detroit, we knew we needed to implement some structure. Since then The Gathering has taken on much more organization and ministry diversity, and lately the lanes are feeling a bit crowded with so many “good things” for us to do. Jesus is adamantly opposed to anything that gets in the way of people encountering Him, so we need to ensure that our church plants do not become cluttered. Clutter makes it difficult for people to encounter the simple, powerful, life-changing message of the gospel. We don’t want our plants to get so weighed down with programs that people get busy doing church instead of being the church. So we are convinced we must cling to a simple process that pulls everything together; a compelling process that moves people toward spiritual maturity (Col. 1:28). What are we here for? The Gathering exists to bring glory to God through lives changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission statement succinctly describes our heart. We exist to bring glory to God. This is the chief aim and purpose of humanity and of all creation. The glory of God is ultimate (1 Cor. 10:31). Why gospel-centered? The gospel is the historical narrative of the triune God orchestrating the reconciliation and redemption of a broken creation and fallen creatures through the life, death, resurrection, and second coming of Jesus. In short, the gospel is the good news that the everlasting and ever-increasing joy of the never-boring, ever-satisfying Christ is ours freely and eternally by faith in the sin-forgiving death and hope-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ (John Piper). We are unashamedly gospel-centered at The Gathering, as every church plant ought to be, because the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, and in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed (Rom. 1:16-17). We intentionally emphasize the centrality of the gospel in our preaching and teaching, in worship, in calling people into community with one another, in service that seeks to extend his grace and mercy to others, and in making disciples who make disciples and planting churches (Matt. 28:16-20). How can we avoid “drift?” The expanding ministries of our church must keep the vision and mission dead center at all times. We must remove congestion from our church by courageously saying “no” to good opportunities so we can say “yes” to the best opportunities (Mary, in Luke 10:42). We cannot allow the vision to leak or the mission to drift off course. We must be tenacious and bold in order to maximize the energy of everyone in our church by creating alignment. If ministries or events do not align with our vision and purpose, we must firmly say no. At our church we seek to make gospel-centered disciples by following a simple plan: Create significant, meaningful, Christ-centered Sunday morning worship experiences that are full of simple worship, passionate prayer, and strong teaching. Expand the scope and influence of small groups so everyone has an opportunity to join a gospel-centered fellowship where they can get connected, grow in faith, and serve God and others. Life-change happens best in small groups! Offer courses, seminars, workshops or conferences (on topics like marriage, parenting, dealing with addictions, etc.) that supplement the teaching and life-change ministry of our church. Say “no” to everything else. Let’s keep it simple, focused, directed, gospel-centered ministry. It’s the better way to make disciples. Courtesy NAMB: Originally published with the North American Mission Board on August 28, 2018 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Garth Leno is a church planter working with SEND Detroit and is the lead pastor at The Gathering in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. #NOVEMBER18

BSCM Annual Meeting – November 9, 2018 MORNING - Session 1 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Presiding: Jerome Taylor, BSCM President 9:00 am Opening Music Dan Dameron & Band, Chief Musicians 9:10 am Welcome & Prayer James Walling, Grace Church Pastor 9:15 am Call to Order Jerome Taylor 9:16 am Seating of Messengers Roy Henry, BSCM Recording Secretary 9:18 am Approval of Agenda Jason Robinson, BSCM Programming Team Chair 9:20 am BSCM Executive Director’s Report Tim Patterson, BSCM Executive Director 9:45 am Michigan Baptist Foundation Report David Roberts, MBF Chair 9:50 am 2018 Proposed Budget & Vote Scott Blanchard, BSCM 1st Vice-President 10:00 am 1st Introduction of Motions Roy Henry 10:10 am Committee on Resolutions Report Eric Stewart, OneLife Church 10:15 am BSCM Executive Board Report Roy Henry 10:25 am SBC President’s Greeting J.D. Greear (Video) 10:30 am Bambi Lake Mission Report Rick Bowen, Bambi Lake Advisory Team Chair Michael Schatz, Director of Bambi Lake Spiritual Renewal & Retreat Ministries 10:45 am 2nd Introduction of Motions Roy Henry 10:50 am LifeWay Christian Resources Report Nancy Hefferon 10:55 am Women’s Ministry Report Sue Hodnett, Women’s Ministry Director/WMU Director 11:00 am Congregational Worship Dan Dameron & Band 11:15 am President’s Message Jerome Taylor 12:00 pm Benediction Luncheon Panel 12:15 – 1:45 pm AFTERNOON - Session 2 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 pm Presiding: Scott Blanchard, BSCM 1st VP 2:00 pm Opening Music Dan Dameron & Band 2:10 pm Time of Prayer 2:15 pm Reading of Motions & Vote Roy Henry 2:30 pm Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Report Russell Moore, ERLC President 2:35 pm Election of Officers Nominations & Election for President Nominations & Election for 1st Vice-President Nominations & Election for 2nd Vice-President Nominations & Election for 1st Recording Secretary Nominations & Election for 2nd Recording Secretary 2:45 pm Cooperative Program Report Ashley Clayton 2:50 pm Seminaries Report 2:55 pm Guidestone Financial Resources Report Mirachal Johnson 3:00 pm Michigan Disaster Relief Report Bob Kiger, Michigan DR Director 3:10 pm Vote on Submitted Resolutions Eric Stewart 3:15 pm Vote on Book of Reports Roy Henry 3:20 pm Congregational Worship Dan Dameron & Band 3:30 pm Executive Director’s Challenge Tim Patterson 4:00 pm Benediction EVENING - Session 3 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Presiding: Larry Johnson, BSCM 2nd Vice-President 6:00 pm Opening Music Dan Dameron & Band 6:10 pm Time of Prayer Ken Nether, Crossover Church 6:15 pm BSCM Church Sending Kevin Hester, Church Sending Team Chair Mike Durbin, BSCM Director of Evangelism 6:30 pm International Mission Board Report Danny & Sherry, Central Asian Peoples Affinity 6:40 pm BSCM Church Strengthening Mike Durbin, BSCM Director of Evangelism 6:55 pm North American Mission Board Report Wayne Parker 7:05 pm SEND Detroit Wayne Parker 7:15 pm BSCM Church Starting Ken Render, Church Starting Team Chair Tony Lynn,BSCM Director of Missions 7:30 pm Recognitions & Speaker Introduction Tim Patterson, Pastors & Staff 7:40 pm Congregational Music Dan Dameron & Band 8:05 pm Evening Message Ken Whitten, Idlewild Baptist Church 9:00 pm Benediction & Adjournment For more information about the 2018 BSCM Annual Meeting, visit bscm.org/2018. #NOVEMBER18

FENTON, MI – We often refer to God as our friend because we know that He wants what is best for us. We confide in Him because we trust Him. In return God wants us to become friends to others. Friendship can be defined as “knowing the heart of another and sharing one’s heart with another.” We share our hearts with those we trust, and trust those who care about us. We confide in our friends because we have confidence that they will use the information to help us, not harm us. They in turn confide in us for the same reason. Good friendship involves walking with one another down some hard roads, losses, a bad diagnosis, financial problems and much more. We need friends to help us remember what God has done for us and that He will be faithful. In similar fashion, the vision for Women’s Ministry is to develop a caring network of women devoted to Christ, through significant and deepening relationships with one another. Building friendships is key to the success of this ministry. A Christ-centered focus on spiritual encouragement and growth is also an essential component to women’s ministry. The framework is currently being laid to begin a high impact mentoring program statewide to provide training for any woman who is interested in developing their leadership skills. Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) continues to help create a wide spread mission concentration on meeting the needs of each other in all seasons of our lives, and of those in our community and around the world. Look for further information to be forthcoming. Any programs or events in which we offer will most certainly change, grow or re-focus as God leads, and gives passion and mission to individuals & leaders. The event programs, retreats and trainings that we offer are basically about women playing their part in making a difference, by responding to the brokenness in our communities around the state. They’re about celebrating together a good, loving and faithful God who has a plan and a purpose for each of us in bringing transformation to the settings that he positions us in. So along with great worship, teaching and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will reflect on lives that are being changed in very powerful ways. To begin 2019, we are excited to be offering the following women’s events: January 5th - Mosaic: Broken & Beautiful at Warren Woods Baptist Church February 15th-17th - ARISE: Women’s Missions Retreat at Bambi Lake, Roscommon April 6th - Women: Servants of God at Central Bible Church, Clinton Township April 13th - Women’s Conference with Courtney Veasey at Faith Baptist Church, Battle Creek April 26th-27th - Titus 2 – Multi Generational Retreat at Bambi Lake, Roscommon May 17th-18th - The Gathering: DREAM at Legacy Church, Novi Who does God want you to Friend request? Who can you invite to some of these events? Who will you walk beside in the next year to love and share Christ’s love with? Find a new Friend, you will be glad you did, because you will love harder, laugh louder, live richer and become more than you could ever be without them. It’s putting your heart and your name in the hands of another person and saying, "I trust you with all of this," as they do the same. Follow His lead. For more information about BSCM Women's Ministry, contact wmu@bscm.org. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Hodnett is the Women's Ministries/WMU Director for the BSCM. She attends Lakepointe Church in Macomb, MI. #NOVEMBER18

SWARTZ CREEK, MI – I would like to encourage every church planter, pastor or church member who reads this article to understand that God has already given us everything we need to grow and mature our churches. There is no BIG secret…only FAITHFULNESS to His Word and OBEDIENCE to His call. I know that sounds simplistic but I’ve found it to be true in the life of the church that I have been blessed to pastor for 25 years. Don’t get me wrong, there have been challenges along the way. Challenges that no doubt you are all too familiar with. I hear you, but I want to encourage you! When God called us to pastor 1ST Baptist Church of Swartz Creek, it was after some hurt and pain endured by this church community. I knew it well, because I was here. Many folks had left and just sort of drifted away. Not far, just away. Attendance went down, down, down. Workers were hard to come by. The budget suffered incredibly, as you can imagine. Who would want to come to a church like that? Afterall, there was no pastor and no staff—only a few dedicated people trying their hardest to plug the holes of a leaking ship. There is no BIG secret...only FAITHFULNESS to His Word and OBEDIENCE to His call. When God called, I wanted to say “No thanks, God,” but I knew I would never be happy outside of His will. So, “Here I am Lord, send me.” God showed me that it was His church, and He would do the multiplying. I just needed to be faithful. Our responsibility is to Him, and I promise you He wants nothing more than for His church to be obedient to the ministry that He has for it. He desires for His church to be…dare I say, “successful”? That success may look different from one church to another, but it will have some common foundational truths that guide it. What we’ve learned is to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. With a very small congregation and few workers, we prayed earnestly for God to send people, but not just anyone—servants to jump right in and get to work. Incredibly, God answered and two families who had served as deacons and teachers and song leaders showed up and asked, “What can we do?” Let me tell you, when you see God answer like that it brings an excitement to the whole body. It’s a fresh wind in the sails. We also learned to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Those folks who had left were hurting, and felt as though God had abandoned them. So, we reached out to them, loved them, and shared with them that God had not left them. Again, faithfulness to God’s Word brought many of them back, and they are still serving today. One more lesson, we needed to learn was to always be true to the WORD, WORD, WORD. We live in a time when many church leaders feel as though we have to somehow water down the Word to make it palatable to the unchurched. Not so! I find what our culture is longing for is the truth. Church planter, pastor, church member, be true to the Word, and you will find there are many in your community who just want the truth. Pray, Love and Teach the Word of God. There are many things that can be difficult about church, but we’ve learned that if you “Love one another as Christ has loved you,” your church will be a magnet to a lost and searching world needing a place of refuge. Let me encourage you. Never give up and never give in. Our God is mighty to save and that’s the TRUTH. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Nelson is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Swartz Creek. #NOVEMBER18

KINGSLEY, MI – “Why do people want to hear preaching today?” I’ve asked this question a number of times. I’ve discussed it over the years with colleagues and students, and at a recent Send Network Church Planter Assessment it was asked of a candidate. Think about it. Preaching in the 21st century is utterly absurd. With YouTube, Netflix, and multi-million dollar blockbuster movies, who wants to sit and listen to a guy talk for thirty minutes? I’ve seen church budgets, and I’ve never seen a line-item for “preaching” approaching anywhere near a small independent film budget, let alone a blockbuster. People don’t just tolerate preaching – it is the primary reason they come to church in the first place. A Gallup poll conducted in 2017 found that 75% of churchgoers cited the preaching as the biggest reason to attend church. Think about it. People choose to watch one guy talk, rather than staying home and binge-watching Netflix dramas. It is absolute insanity. So why do people still gather, and still want to hear preaching today? I think Martin Luther came to a good answer which the reformers summed up as: The preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God. It is a very provocative statement. But it doesn’t mean that everything that we call preaching is actually preaching. No, the quote is referring to correctly communicating the biblical text. I think Luther and the reformers were right, though. And I think this is why people – millions of people – gather every Sunday in a physical place. I think this is why Christians around the world want to sit and listen. People want to hear the audible voice of God, and preaching offers them the opportunity. I suspect this is why congregations often place their pastor on a pedestal. Even if he constantly communicates his absolute need for Christ, he is still speaking the words of God. This is why a pastor who is not a particularly skilled communicator is still the best preacher in the eyes of his congregation – because he is speaking the Living Word in their physical presence. Luther’s idea is simultaneously horrifying and encouraging to me. It is horrifying because as James said, “Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” But it is encouraging because I have come to realize that something always happens when the Word of God is faithfully preached. God speaks through his Word, through his servant, and to his people. Whether people are conscious of this reality or not, this is why millions gather every week to hear preaching. This is why a multi-billion dollar film industry cannot compete with preaching. No, we don’t have a special-effect budget or large marketing firms, but we do have something that no one else can ever offer: The opportunity to hear God’s voice in person every week. Trembling confidence. Bold humility. God speaks every week at your local church. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nathan J. Norman is the senior pastor of The Orchard Church in Kingsley, MI, and the moderator of the North West Baptist Association. He teaches preaching in Vietnam through CrossTalk Global – a multiplying teaching organization. And he produced the Untold Podcast – a storytelling program. #NOVEMBER18