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CLARKSTON, MI – When my husband and I were in youth ministry together we noticed quickly, this ministry needed both men and women mentors. So, we made sure to encourage healthy numbers of both to be youth workers for our teens. All of us, male and female, have a common need of people who can understand and mentor us through our struggles. I had not thought about this need for years until this past January when God prompted me, for the first time, to publicly share my private horror of experiencing sexual assault. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but God had His reasons which became apparent at the close of each and every event. One woman after another came forward with hands shaking and tears in their eyes bravely sharing their traumatic experiences. The sheer number of women who whispered, “I have never heard this addressed in church before”, was both crushing and convicting. It brought me right back to our years in youth ministry, and the unique needs of women of all ages. We need Women’s Ministry because women really do need each other. Healing from trauma and addiction, trying to fit society’s mold of female perfection, infertility, miscarriages, surviving abuse, being single in ministry, and many more struggles are rarely, if ever, mentioned in polite church circles. If God’s healing is to come, we need to change the narrative, open up, and begin to embrace our imperfections, struggles, and failures. We need our obedient and brave Deborahs to speak truth boldly into the dark places of our lives. We need the loyal companionship of the Ruths who stick with us through our worst pain. We need the Esthers who will stand up with us and for us against injustice. We need the loving wise mentorship of Eunice. We need the hope given from the Sarahs who tell us miracles can still happen, even when we least expect them. This last year I needed my dear friend Carolyn Minot, who’s never wavered in praying for my healing or Ebony Robinson, who directed me to place my burdens back on our heavenly Father. I find the courage to continue because of Kelly Yang, whose diligence in helping persecuted Christians reminds me to never give up or Melanie, Angela, and Lindsey whose gift for words and encouragement keep me moving forward in faith. There is the beautiful Joyya Pettus who reminds me what it looks like to unabashedly love everyone without fear, and Allison Hix whose passion for God’s word contagiously pushes me to read my Bible more. There are so many amazing women I still haven’t mentioned, but I would not have met any of them, if it had not been for WMU and Women’s ministry. If Robin, Shar, Karen, Marta, Sharon, and Sue had not invited, mentored, and encouraged me to join the Women’s ministry here in Michigan I would not have found the deep encouragement and wisdom I had been longing for. We all need women of God in our lives, and Women’s Ministry is an amazing way to meet that need. For more information on how to impact the women in your life, contact us at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). For more information about BSCM Women's Ministry, contact wmu@bscm.org. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Heather Windeler is a Mercy & Justice Ministries Coach with Michigan WMU who serves with Women Without Walls and Be the Bridge racial reconciliation ministries. She is a speaker, artist, wife, and mother of 3 who loves being a Cross Waves Church Hotspot leader with her husband Josh. #NOVEMBER18

ROSCOMMON, MI – There are many places in Michigan that one can view the creativity of our almighty God. One, in particular, is Bambi Lake Baptist Conference Center and Campground. When my wife and I first visited five years ago, we were struck with the beauty of the lake, the trees, and the night sky. It allows you to grasp the awesomeness of our Creator and marvel at His glory. However, the glory of God does not end at the tree line and I would like to share with you how Bambi Lake ministers to Michigan and to the nations. A large part of the ministry at Bambi is providing an opportunity for groups and individuals to come and experience God in a way that is meaningful and unique. This summer we were able to experience God’s spirit move through the lives of adults and teenagers alike. We had the opportunity to put on two weeks of summer camps for Michigan teens that we called Wild Week. During these two weeks, youth groups from all over the state came together to worship God and to hear His word. We had many that made decisions to follow Christ and dedicate their lives to live for the Lord. Although we only see some of these students once a year, we can praise God for allowing us to be a part of their spiritual journey. Along with weeklong camps, Bambi Lake also hosts and produces weekend retreats. Throughout the year, you will find retreats for women, men, married couples, worship leaders, and youth. Themes can vary from being a simple getaway to a time of training and growing in your walk with Christ. A lot of times adults don’t have the luxury to take a week off of work for a retreat, and that is why weekend retreats are a wonderful opportunity for believers to come and be refreshed and rejuvenated in their walk with Christ. Our hope is that Bambi will not only be a place to experience God, but a place for believers to create long lasting friendships that extend beyond their time at Bambi Lake. Finally, Bambi Lake is a mission field. Not only are their few churches in the area, but also many people who don’t know Christ. Bambi Lake has a 25-site campground that is open to the public year-round. Many of our campers are here for our events, but we do get some that are not, and that can produce an opportunity to share Christ. A unique situation happened this summer where our camp director Michael Schatz had the opportunity to share Christ with a young couple. This young couple was from Israel and on their honeymoon, traveling America. They happened to see our sign and decided to stop for lunch. Although Bambi Lake is a private camp,an unexpected visitor is not uncommon, and we were curious who was visiting the camp. Michael approached them and asked who they were and where they were from, and in the midst of their conversation they asked what the cross that looks over the lake meant. This gave Michael an opportunity to share the gospel. Although they didn’t respond to the invitation to follow Christ, it showed us how Bambi Lake is a ministry that has kingdom impact, not only on churches in Michigan, but to people from all over the world. For more information about Bambi Lake, visit bscm.org/bambi. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brett Luker is a collegiate church planter at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI where he works with students to reach the lost for Christ. He serves as campus pastor for Jacob's Well on Campus Church. #NOVEMBER18

FENTON, MI – In 2019, Michigan Disaster Relief will continue to meet the needs of communities that are affected by disasters whether this is in our state or in other states across the country. One way those needs can be met is with increased attendance at Disaster Relief training events. There will be one scheduled training event in May at Bambi which will be in combination with a week-long chainsaw mission to help Bambi remove unwanted trees and brush. Additional training will be conducted at the request of churches or associations. We have found when training is requested and scheduled by a church or association, it is better attended and the resulting trained volunteers tend to step up, and respond sooner to a disaster callout. Michigan Disaster Relief will continue to be represented at the Michigan Homeland Security Conference and the Michigan Emergency Managers Conference to demonstrate the areas that Disaster Relief can assist in and how to request assistance. Michigan Disaster Relief will also attend regional and national Disaster Relief roundtables to share best practices and resources. For more information about Michigan Disaster Relief, visit bscm.org/dr. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Kiger serves as the Michigan Disaster Relief Director for the BSCM. He has been involved in Disaster Relief since 2008. Bob brings a wealth of diverse experience to the State Director’s position. His first major call out was in 2012 when he went to New York to help prepare meals for displaced residents after Hurricane Sandy. He was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ when he was twelve years old and has been a Baptist all his life. #NOVEMBER18

FENTON, MI – When I read, “Ministry Grid makes it simple to train every volunteer and leader in your church,” I had to know more. As a pastor, my assignment was to “...equip the saints for the work of the ministry....” so why wouldn’t I be eager to learn of innovative ways to raise up trained leaders in our congregation. Speaking directly to every pastor in Michigan, take these words seriously. Ministry Grid equips people through preaching, teaching, modeling, books and workshops. Church leaders and volunteers earnestly desire to serve Christ as effectively as possible. They long for training, growth opportunities and to learn lucid ways of serving better. The Challenge Let’s be honest, one reality every church faces is that it’s never been harder to get church leaders and ministry volunteers together for training. Life is busy. Schedules are full. People are balancing jobs, school schedules, community activities, family time, church and more. As a result, LifeWay Research tells us that only 1 in 4 churches has a plan in place to train and develop leaders today. If we aren’t training then how are we growing? Can we grow? The Solution What if your church could make first rate, trusted training, available 24 hours a day to your ministry leaders and volunteers? Would you be interested? Would the flexibility encourage growth opportunities for your volunteers? Well, that’s what Ministry Grid is doing. It provides every person in your church access to training anytime of the day or night. That means training to fit everyone’s schedule and to allow them to move at their individual pace. LifeWay is making Ministry Grid available, for a limited time, to Michigan Baptists for $399. If your church budgeted monthly to pay for this plan, it would cost more than a thousand dollars! But Wait, There’s More We, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM), are committed to help churches train their leaders, so the BSCM will reimburse any church that gives through the Cooperative Program $200 toward the $399 special Ministry Grid price. That’s right, your BSCM will partner with you to pay the cost of this outstanding training resource. For more information, check out Ministry Grid At a Glance (From ministrygrid.com): Pre-built Training: Choose from our library of 3,000+ videos and pre-built Training Pathways for ministry area. “Train Every Leader: Every leader in every ministry area deserves training, and Ministry Grid helps you make it happen. Easy Onboarding: Invite individuals, small teams, or the entire organization in just a few clicks Coaching Dashboard: Track progress, take notes, and walk alongside your leaders as they train. Intuitive Workflow: Training appears as a simple “to-do list,” guiding leaders click by click through the process. Mobile-First Design: Because your people are busy, Ministry Grid is optimized for training on the go via any mobile or tablet device or computer” “Ministry Grid makes it simple to train every volunteer and leader in your church.” It catches your attention, doesn’t it. Interested? Go to ministrygrid.com and sign up for a free trial and check it out. If Ministry Grid is a tool you can use, subscribe your church through the special Michigan Baptist link: ministrygrid.com/bscm. The BSCM will reimburse cooperating churches $199 dollars toward the cost. That’s a full year of training for every person in your church for $200! Just send a copy of the receipt to mike@bscm.org and we will send your church a $200 check. Please note that checks will only be written to churches. Give the leaders and volunteers that serve Christ the versatile and trusted training that Ministry Grid provides. Michigan Baptists - Redeemed, Equipped, and On Mission. 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. #NOVEMBER18

FLUSHING, MI – Westside Baptist Church is continually trying to do new things in and around our community to help spread the Gospel of Christ more effectively. We have tried many different evangelism events, but a couple years ago we wanted to try something new. We called it Harvest Days, and leading up to it we had three different evangelists come once-a-month for three months. But there was a problem. To make this new evangelism event a success was going to be expensive. I shared this idea with a staff member with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM), and he said I should apply for an “Evangelism Grant.” I never knew the BSCM even had such a thing. They pointed me to the application on our website, I filled out the grant, and they quickly answered my request with a “Yes.”. It was such a simple process, and BSCM State Director of Evangelism, Mike Durbin, even helped us make sure we invited great quality evangelists. I would encourage you to look into requesting the BSCM Evangelism Grant the next time God gives you a dream of evangelizing your community, and it seems a little too big for you and your church to handle financially. As Southern Baptists we cooperate together and this is a great way to experience that cooperation. Evangelism is at the very core of who we are so working in partnership seems only natural. So here’s how the Cooperative Program investment in our Harvest Days worked out. We had more people saved on those 3 Sundays than the rest of the year combined. There were 22 salvation decisions, and we were able to baptize the majority of those new believers in the next few months. If you are sensing God challenging you to take a step of faith in your ministry to do something creative in evangelism, you do not have to walk it alone. Our cooperating churches and the BSCM staff are ready to walk with you. So be sure and make an application soon. Hurry, because I have already received another grant and will soon be apply for a third. Partnership is great especially when it is for His Kingdom work. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ed Emmerling is pastor of Westside Baptist Church, Flushing, Michigan. Ed and his wife Reneé together have 4 children and 4 grandchildren. Pastor Ed has been privileged to be Pastor of Westside Church since 2002. #NOVEMBER18

HOUGHTON, MI – We’re in a season of great adversity and trials because we have caught the eye of the enemy. We have seen 16 come to Christ and 63 baptized in the last two years. Our church is full of unchurched or de-churched people. The lost are coming. Broken and battered families are coming. Even the homeless are coming to our church. So, why I am sharing this? Why do I want you to know these things are happening? Are possible? Because across our state and nation churches are dying. Churches have plateaued or are in decline. It’s heartbreaking. Churches are shutting their doors never to be opened again. I know, because we faced this just five years ago. Our numbers were dwindling, and it was a scary time for us. But then we started to change the culture at Houghton Baptist Church (HBC). We started to make cuts where they were needed. We began to realize a new day. As a church we shifted our focus from keeping people to reaching people. We poured ourselves into the community instead of the church building. We moved people from rows to places of service. We stopped making it so difficult for new people or less mature people to serve and be apart. We made our church a place where lost people and unchurched people felt they could come and grow at their own pace. And, it’s worked. It’s grown the kingdom. It’s grown the church numerically. It’s grown our hearts for the lost and unchurched, and it’s completely changed our church and our community. If we make the mission number one, God promises to do great things. If we love the lost more than ourselves and our church routines, God begins to shake things up. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s quite painful at times. Church people typically don’t like or enjoy change, but it’s necessary and it’s worth it. We’re headed into this next year believing God for more of the same, bigger and better things. We’re hoping to launch a new Saturday night service that will only further increase growth and extend our reach. We’re in a season where we’re praying that God would send us additional help, additional mature believers to help us build up these new concerts. We need more staff to help manage and run the day to day as we grow. We’re believing God for the resources we need to keep ministering to some of the most poverty-stricken people in our area. Moving forward, we don’t plan to change a thing, but keep believing this act of God will continue. We’re grateful we’re seeing things that many don’t experience in a lifetime of ministry. We count it all joy, the trials and difficulty that we have faced because it has produced such kingdom fruit. Our struggles are minor compared to what God is doing. And all of these things, we give God the glory for. He changed us. He shifted our focus. He changed and adjusted the culture to cultivate the harvest we are reaping. It’s all Him and all His doing. We’re thankful we didn’t choose to go down with a sinking ship, but let our great God do great things through us at Houghton Baptist Church. Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” and our church is just one example of what God can do. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Whitaker is Pastor of Houghton Baptist Church in Houghton, MI. He and his wife have been married 12 years and in ministry for 10 of them. They have three amazing kids who keep them super busy and of course Pastor one of the larger Churches in our area along with our Executive Directors position with Love Inc of the Copper Country. You could say, We’re all in for Jesus!!! #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

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 – Everything stopped. Instantly. It was the first day of school and a six-year-old girl in our extended family was missing. Our daughter-in-law called my wife in tears. Her twin sister’s daughter didn’t get off the bus after school. She called the school to let them know. Surveillance cameras showed her daughter leaving the building after school, but not getting on her bus. School officials started calling the bus drivers, obviously thinking she got on the wrong bus. They searched the school, but she was nowhere to be found. The family was getting more and more concerned as time passed. Every moment seemed like an eternity. A lot of time had already passed and no one knew where she was. Immediately, I began to process the information my wife was sharing and the questions began to fly; Have the police been notified? Have the buses been checked? Have they called any friends she might have gone home with? Have they searched the school? The playground? The neighborhood? Nearby businesses? Is the family mobilizing to search? How can I help? My wife couldn’t answer any of my questions. She had given me all the information she had. I asked her to call our daughter-in-law back, and find out any other information that she could. It was already late afternoon. I didn’t say anything, but I knew that the window to find a missing child grows smaller as time passes. There was a growing urgency in me to mobilize family and friends to start searching quickly if she wasn’t found. I continued praying as I waited for my wife to call back. I also started writing a note to ask for people to join us in prayer. A little girl, a six-year-old, was lost on the first day of school. My mind went to the quote: The only thing worse than being lost is to be lost and no one is looking for you. Shar called back. The police had been called. She wasn’t found playing in the school or playground. Bus drivers were returning calls but so far she wasn’t on any of the buses. I was scheduled to leave town later that day for a four-day training. I cancelled the trip in my mind knowing that the family would need me if they didn’t find her. We waited. We prayed. We tried to remain calm, but anxiety grew as time passed. Another call. Every bus driver had checked in or finished the route, but one. They tried repeatedly to contact that one bus driver, but he didn’t respond. Hope was alive, but I could tell by the way Shar spoke that anxiety was rapidly growing in our daughter-in-law and the family. I was about to send out the emergency prayer request when the phone rang again. The little girl was on that last bus! I was immediately relieved and grateful to God that she was safe. Though I did not see it, that must have been a particularly sweet embrace between momma and daughter that afternoon. I suspect time and again that mom would hold her daughter close as tears filled her eyes. I suspect that dad did likewise, and the family prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. As I recall the events of that day, I wonder if that is a picture of what God feels when a lost child comes home spiritually. Jesus punctuates the stories of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son with the words, “But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:32). It’s an incredible picture of Heaven celebrating and rejoicing that the lost are found! 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. #NOVEMBER18

ROSCOMMON, MI – “Bambi Lake Life” is more than a catchy tagline, it’s an attitude, a mindset. It describes the spiritual impact encountered at Bambi Retreat and Conference Center. “Bambi Lake Life” is about God-Life and transformed hearts. It’s about experiencing God for the first time. It’s about deepening our relationship with Him and refreshing our souls. It’s about drinking from the Fountain of Life and overflowing into the world surrounding us everyday! 2018 has been a fantastic year at Bambi Lake, full of new ideas and new faces. It has been a year of new building and renovation for the future. We celebrate an amazing year of life-changing retreats and camps resulting in dozens of salvations and recommitments to follow Christ. We were excited to host many first-time Bambi Lake guests who enjoyed the amenities and refreshing atmosphere of the property. This year witnessed the building of church group and family friendly cabins in the campground along with a renovated and updated bath-house for the convenience of our campers. The lakefront swimming area became home to the Bambi Booyah!, a 140 foot high water thrill slide. With the help of many servant teams from churches all over Michigan, and even out-of-state, we were able to accomplish many Bambi Lake enhancement projects. From fresh coats of paint, to cleaning, roofing, log splitting, brush clean-up, tree cutting, mulching and many other tasks, servant teams made a visible impact on the beauty of Bambi Lake. A beautiful impact enjoyed by every guest who enters our property. With the addition of new full-time volunteers, Bambi Lake will be able to properly maintain the beautifications and upgrades. Bambi Lake is a resource every church in the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) can be proud to use and promote. Nevertheless, although 2018 was a great year for Bambi Lake, we are just getting started! BSCM churches - Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center is your camp. It’s “Your Camp, Your Legacy!” Looking ahead to 2019 Bambi Lake is poised to have it’s best year yet with the addition of events such as Couples Retreats, a Pastor/Spouse Retreat, Tween Retreat, Parent/Teen Weekend, Sportsman's’ Retreat, Worship and Youth Leader Retreat, exciting Summer Camps and numerous other events for all ages. Bambi Lake is offering a cornucopia of resources and equipping experiences to the churches of Michigan. No matter the size there is an event to enrich the body of Christ in Michigan. Over the last five years only 10-12% of the approximately 300 churches in the BSCM have actually participated in an event at Bambi Lake. Our goal in 2019 is to move that number to 20%. This 10% increase would greatly assist Bambi Lake and its future impact for the Kingdom. We are actively striving to be a “Tool” in the ministry tool box of every church in the BSCM. At Bambi Lake we will continue to manage and upgrade our facilities and grounds for the benefit of our guests. We will continue to provide the best guest experience by serving with humble hearts gracious hospitality. We will continue to host quality, focused camps and retreats to equip, encourage and empower the local church. Michigan, its “Your Camp, Your Legacy!” Let’s make it magnificent! Bambi Lake is excited to serve the churches of the BSCM as together we “Punch Holes in the Darkness” for the Kingdom of Heaven! For more information about Bambi Lake, visit bscm.org/bambi. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake. #NOVEMBER18

BATTLE CREEK, MI – We Southern Baptists are known for many things, some good (commitment to the Word, missions, and evangelism) and some, well, not so good (prohibitions against dancing and card-playing). And then, there are those business meetings. Most of us can probably share a personal experience regarding a church business meeting that would raise goosebumps on even the most seasoned and stalwart Baptist pastor (ask me sometime about the six hour, single issue business meeting I once sat through that went unresolved and continued the next day!). It’s no surprise, encouraging attendance at a state convention meeting can quickly elicit that classic Christian way of saying no - “Let me pray about it!” Participating as a messenger to the annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) is nowhere near as bad as you might think. In fact, in the seven years I’ve been attending and actively involved, I have found it to be a joy – even during those meetings where some difficult and contentious decisions had to be made. As I think about how to encourage others to attend this year’s convention, eight reasons come to mind. The business portions are a small part of the meeting, but they are important. We don’t spend the entire convention in business session (thankfully!), but the items that are discussed and prayerfully handled are important for the advancement of the Kingdom in our state. Whether it’s adopting the budget, voting for officers, or debating motions, your voice as a messenger helps set both the tone and the direction of our convention of churches. Hearing about works throughout our state. When you hear how God is moving in every corner of Michigan, from Iron Mountain to Detroit, you can’t help but be excited. Churches are being planted, revitalized, and mobilized so that the Gospel is proclaimed and holes are punched in this present darkness. Visiting with, and making new, friends from around the state. Every year at the convention, I get to visit with brothers and sisters whom I have known for several years, as well as making new friends and connections. This is a sweet fellowship. Worshiping and praising the Lord together. It’s wonderful seeing the people of God, from many different ethnic backgrounds and styles of worship, standing side by side, singing their praises to God. This is just a small foretaste of what we can expect before the Throne of God. Receiving reports from state and national entities. The annual meeting of the BSCM allows you the opportunity to hear and see first hand how your Cooperative Program (CP) giving is being used for the cause of Christ, as well as an opportunity to ask any questions you might have. Chances are, if you have a question, you’re not the only one. Being encouraged and challenged. Each year we have the chance to hear some good preaching from solid pastors from both in and out of our state. The messages they bring from the Lord not only encourage us to continue running the race, but also challenge us to rely more on God’s grace for that endurance. Becoming connected. By being involved in the annual meeting, you will get to know other believers and churches who are in similar contexts as you, and who can be helpful partners in Kingdom work. God is glorified in the unity of His Church. When the world sees us standing together despite our differences, the power of the Gospel is on display and God is glorified. This year, I encourage you to join with your brothers and sisters from around Michigan as we meet at Grace Church in Jackson on November 9 for the BSCM Annual Meeting. You’ll be glad you did. To register for the 2018 BSCM Annual Meeting, visit bscm.org/2018. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Roy Henry is blessed to be the husband to Aryn and father of Isaac, Reagan and Elijah. He serves as Senior Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Battle Creek, Michigan, as well as the Recording Secretary for the BSCM and the NAMB Trustee from Michigan. In his spare time, he enjoys making the Grand Rapids bookstore circuit, discussing theology, and cheering on his beloved UGA Dawgs! #OCTOBER18

ALPHARETTA, GA – What’s the greatest hindrance to effective church planting? You might expect to get varied answers to this question from church planting theorists, strategists, and practitioners, but among those consistently participating in this conversation one comment bubbles to the top almost every time: A scarcity of prepared leaders. This wasn’t true in the not-too-distant past. As networks and denominations fanned the fires of church planting fervor, the early adopters were quick to launch out and start new churches. There was once a substantial pond of would-be church planters from which to fish, and numerous groups threw their lines in the water and caught strings of quality leaders. For example, Chris Railey, Senior Director of Leadership and Church Development for the Assemblies of God, reports that they planted 406 churches three years ago and the North American Mission Board’s Send Network saw a similar rise in church planting in 2014, with 985 new church planted. So, what’s the problem? To many, all looked good. But there was a problem that most didn’t foresee over the horizon. It soon became obvious that ready-made, pre-prepared church planters were becoming a difficult fish to catch. The pool of church planters was becoming fished out and no one was stocking the pond. The pool of church planters was becoming fished out and no one was stocking the pond. The years that followed were met with diminishing or plateaued results among even the most aggressive denominations or networks. No amount of altered strategy or focused resourcing can make up for a lack of pre-prepared leaders to plant the churches that North America so desperately needs. Which prompts the question: How many churches do we need? Currently, there are approximately 4,000 churches being planted across North America by all evangelical groups. At the same time, somewhere around 3,700 churches close their doors for good each year, leaving a net addition of approximately 300 churches annually across North America. Most missiologists estimate that we need at least twice as many new churches started each year simply to keep up with the increases in population between now and 2050. One thing is certain: We’ll never hit those numbers while our strategy remains fishing from a fishless pond. We’ll never hit those numbers while our strategy remains fishing from a fishless pond. How do we get there? The future will hinge on the vitality and multiplication prowess of the average local church. For us to evangelize the lost and plant healthy churches we must return to the centrality of the local church in our church planting endeavors. No network or denomination is capable of training and sending leaders at the rate we need, nor do they have the God-ordained role and responsibility for such a task. The local church must be the epicenter from which multiplication spreads, and denominations and networks should come alongside of, not usurp, the work of these local churches. Local church centrality in church multiplication initiatives also depends on the average church to get in the game. The unspoken assumption by some is that the megachurch, led by the nationally-known pastor, is the only type of church that can set loose a movement. Our day is certainly testimony to the fact that many such churches are stewarding their capacity to send their best to share the gospel, make disciples, and establish churches. But, there simply aren’t enough of these churches to keep up with the church planting need. In addition, many church planting residencies across North America do a tremendous job in “finishing” a called and pre-prepared church planter, but have no discipleship processes for developing church planting teams from within their own congregations The future is for the multiplying church What we need are more churches with passion and process for taking Jesus’ command of disciple-making from pre-believers all the way to church planters. At the North American Mission Board, we say that multiplying churches discover, develop, and deploy church planting teams from within. This necessitates churches shifting their strategies from raising up volunteers to serve in their internal machinery, to developing missional leaders with a heart for evangelism/disciple-making who in turn will form the foundation of a new church. To this end, we have developed some tools to assist a local church in the process of organic multiplication – we call it the Church Planting Pipeline. Our goal is that by 2030, we will be able to identify 1,800 churches giving themselves away in this manner. A shortage of missional leaders is the greatest hindrance to the church planting momentum that North America requires. The answer to Jesus’ prayer request in Luke 10:2 will only be found when churches recalibrate their scorecards of success in alignment with their eternal kingdom assignment – that is, making disciples that are thrust into a waiting harvest. It’s not new. It’s not innovative. It’s not complicated. But like our King, it is sacrificial. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeff Christopherson is about fostering Kingdom movements of reproducing churches that transform neighborhoods and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jeff leads NAMB’s Send Network, the SBC’s church planting arm. He is the author of Kingdom Matrix: Designing a Church for the Kingdom of God, and Kingdom First: Starting Churches that Shape Movements. He and his wife, Laura, live in Milton, Georgia. They have two married children, Kelley and James. #OCTOBER18