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CARY, NC (BP) – A review of this year's top stories reveals one particular topic that seems to stand out -- change. And it is presented here as a call to pray for the many churches, organizations and individual Christians involved -- that is to say, all of us. The Southern Baptist Convention began what appears to be a season of change in 2018, signaled most noticeably by vacancies in executive leadership roles at five SBC entities. Yet, there was also a wave of other openings, transitions or announced departures in seats of influence at state and national entities, as well as local churches. Below is a collection of news snippets that, when stitched together, offers a broad perspective on current events in Southern Baptist life. Frank S. Page resigned his position as head of the SBC Executive Committee in March due to personal, moral failings. Paige Patterson, a dominant personality in Baptist life, was terminated as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in May amid a swirl of controversy and scandal. Thom S. Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, announced in August his intentions to retire in the coming year. In September, David Platt exited his leadership role at the International Mission Board to pastor full-time at McLean Bible Church in metro Washington, D.C. Chuck Kelley announced in late fall his intentions to retire from his post at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2019. Also declaring plans to retire in the coming months were three Baptist state executive directors: David Hankins in Louisiana, Robert White in Georgia and Lynn Nikkel in Wyoming. Three editors of Baptist state news agencies reported their upcoming retirements as well: Gerald Harris of Georgia's Christian Index; Allan Blume of North Carolina's Biblical Recorder and Bob Terry of the Alabama Baptist. A number of pastors at influential churches across the SBC signaled plans to pursue various ministry opportunities. Well-known preacher and former SBC president Johnny Hunt left First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., to lead the North American Mission Board's evangelism and leadership training initiative. Mark Harris stepped away from the pulpit of First Baptist Church in Charlotte to campaign for office in the United States Congress. And former SBC president Bryant Wright announced his plans to retire as pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga. A spate of faculty resignations over moral concerns touched three of the SBC's six seminaries this year, including Alvin Reid from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, David Sills from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Christian George from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A small number of the vacancies listed above have been filled, but many are still open or are expected to be filled soon. Jeffery Bingham was named interim president of SWBTS shortly after Patterson's departure. Paul Chitwood was chosen to replace Platt as the next leader of the IMB, leaving open his former position as executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Jeremy Morton now occupies Hunt's former pulpit at Woodstock in Georgia. Jennifer Davis Rash currently works as editor-elect for the Alabama Baptist and will assume the lead role Jan. 1, 2019, upon Terry's retirement. Thomas Hammond will step into Georgia's executive director seat after the first of the year following White's departure. Likewise, Quin Williams will bear the leadership mantle for the Wyoming Convention on Nikkel's exit. Some of the transitions listed above are somber and sobering. Others are the result of the natural ebb and flow of life and ministry. Still more changes are exciting and encouraging. Regardless, each is an opportunity for Southern Baptists to pray. We are, above all else, a praying people, believing in God’s faithfulness to answer our prayers. This story first appeared on the Biblical Recorder website (brnow.org), newsjournal of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. #JANUARY19

LOUISVILLE, KY (BP) – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's 71-page report on the institution's history of slavery and racism garnered coverage in hundreds of media outlets during the week following its release. Reaction to the report ranged from affirmation by many evangelicals to criticism from both the left and right. "Insofar as there is any legitimacy to any criticism, we need to hear it," Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said Dec. 17 on NPR's On Point radio broadcast. "... I intend to deal with honest partners in this, with people who want to engage in a conversation about the Christian responsibility that we face as Southern Seminary. And I think Southern Baptists would be willing to enter into that conversation." The report was researched and drafted by a six-member committee of current and former faculty appointed by Mohler in late 2017. Their work, released Dec. 12, documents the racist history of the Southern Baptist Convention's flagship seminary -- from its slaveholding founders in the antebellum South to its segregation-defending faculty in the early 20th century. Overall, reaction has been "overwhelmingly positive," Southern told Baptist Press. Among those to praise the report are African American pastors on social media. Dwight McKissic, a Texas pastor long known for speaking to racial justice issues in the SBC, tweeted Dec. 12, "I'm unaccustomed to reading racial truth & transparency at this level from author(s) who were not liberal or African American. Refreshing to get an honest, insightful, and helpful historical overview of race/slavery. Truth that you acknowledge & act upon will set you free." Thabiti Anyabwile, a Washington pastor and speaker at Gospel Coalition events, tweeted Dec. 12, "One of the things to point out about this report is that there's a faculty at the institution that was being prepared over many years, not just when someone decided to write a report. The report is only possible because the Spirit has been at work in private for a long time." Among conservative evangelical critics of the report was Douglas Wilson, a Reformed author and pastor known for defending some aspects of the Confederacy. The report, Wilson wrote in a Dec. 17 blog post, seems to succumb to "a bizarre form of works righteousness" that repeatedly rehashes past racial sins without offering full forgiveness and pardon to members of the offending group. "With regard to this original sin of American slavery, under no conceivable scenario will Al Mohler ever be allowed to stand before the students of Southern Seminary and declare to them that their sins are entirely and completely forgiven," Wilson wrote. Other critics claimed the report should not have ended its historical survey with the mid-1960s. Emory University historian Alison Greene told the Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal the report failed to address more recent alleged instances of white supremacy among Southern Baptists. "You don't get the whole story of the seminary's history of white supremacy," Greene said. "They are almost claiming it is not relevant." Lawrence Ware, an Oklahoma State University philosophy professor, said "the vast majority" of Southern Baptist churches still "are going to be white supremacist churches, and we have to kind of deal with that and be honest about that." Ware made his comments during an On Point appearance with Mohler and Curtis Woods, a member of the report's drafting committee. Woods, co-interim executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, challenged Ware. "We have to have research in order to back a statement like that up," he said. Woods also recounted steps toward racial inclusion taken by the SBC and its entities. Still other critics claimed Southern Seminary must revise its theology entirely to address adequately its racist history. North Carolina Baptist minister Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove wrote in a Dec. 13 Washington Post op-ed that Southern Baptists stand in the tradition of "slaveholder religion" and need "a theological reckoning that gets to the heart of what it means to read the Bible, to share its Good News and to be saved." "Slaveholder religion makes a relationship with God separate from one's obligation to work for God's justice," Wilson-Hartgrove wrote. "It made it possible for Southern Baptists in the early 20th century" to "feel righteous in their defense of white supremacy" and for today's Southern Baptists "to say they're concerned about the evangelization of migrants" while also claiming "they are in no way obligated to work for policies that would help those people find homes in the United States or anywhere else." When asked on NPR about such criticism, Mohler said he thinks "there will be very little interest on the part of Southern Baptists -- or for that matter, evangelical Christians -- in discussing the dismantling of Christianity in order to meet a political objective." SBC President J.D. Greear was among positive reactors to the report. He tweeted Dec. 13, "I am grateful for this historic step of gospel healing @albertmohler & @sbts have taken. No matter how painful it can be to learn, we cannot heal what we do not know." ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JANUARY19

FENTON, MI – A few years ago I was in the Trauma Center at University Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. A member of our church family was there with her father who was involved in a serious automobile accident. People were running everywhere and it seemed like mass chaos. One group of people were huddled in the corner, clinging to each other as tears rolled down their faces, and open sobs were heard throughout the waiting area. Nurses and technicians were scurrying about trying to meet the needs of so many hurting people. It was not unlike some scene from a television program like E.R. or New Amsterdam. I am not a stranger to these situations or places, but this time there seemed to be a more intense atmosphere that filled the corridors. I needed to be with my friends and their father, but others needed more immediate attention. I tried to get someone to help me, but they were busy with more important matters. The actual treatment areas where the patients were cared for were separated from the waiting and admission area by a large double door. I knew I needed to be on the other side of that door, but I was not allowed. The sign over it clearly stated that absolutely no one was to be admitted without proper clearance. I did not have that clearance, and only someone with such authorization could get me in. This one door kept me from where I needed to be. But something fascinated me about this door, and it was the fact that it did not have a conventional lock and key system or a push button lock activation pad. The entrance locking mechanism was controlled by a biometrics security system. I had seen these devices in various places in my travels, but I had not seen one of these in use at a hospital before, so it did catch my attention. A biometrics security system is a system that scans fingerprints, palm prints, voice and facial patterns, or even the retinal structures of the eye, and then compares what it "sees" with data stored in a digitized memory bank. At this particular door a palm print scan was used, and all that was necessary to open the door was “yourself” --as long as you had your hand with you and you were on record. After finally getting the attention of one of the trauma nurses and explaining my situation she simply placed her hand on the scanner and in less than two seconds the door opened. No fuss and no problem. I was in. No worrying with keys or numbers that could be stolen, lost or forgotten, all one need do is lightly place their hand on the scanner. If I had tried to enter through that door by placing my hand on the scanner it would have denied me entrance. No matter how much I needed to be on the other side of those doors, and no matter how much I desired to be given entrance, it would still be denied me because I was not on record with the data bank. One day we will all stand before the gates of heaven. They won't be controlled by some biometrics security system, but one fact will still be the same, unless you and I are found in the "Heavenly Data Bank", (The Book Of Life) no matter how important it is for us to enter in or how much we desire to be on the other side of the Gates of Heaven, we will be denied entrance. No good works, no church membership, not ritual or deed will let us in. What is required is for you and me to be sure the right information is in the right book? Is your name there? I know mine is and I want you to know yours is as well. Read, John 3:16-18. Cry out to God for His forgiveness and believe. You will be saved! May I encourage you to begin this year knowing your eternal information is recorded in the Book of Life. Don’t be denied entrance into heaven. If you have questions or want to talk to someone about this, call me! (904) 408-9521 is my direct number, and I am always eager to talk about the love of Jesus. 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. #JANUARY19

FENTON, MI – Happy New Year! I would like to give you an overflowing bucket of “new-starts” for 2019. I want this year to be “God-sized” and unlike any other year for you! If you know me, you know I do not enjoy ordinary routines. I do not watch car races circling on tracks hundreds of times. I watch movies one time. I do not watch TV reruns. I do not repeatedly return to the same vacation spots. I do not eat habitually at the same restaurant. Instead, I love to explore new territories. I want to meet new people. I want to have new conversations on new subjects with old friends. I enjoy new adventures. When it comes to a new year, if we are not careful, we will end up running around the same track and filling the calendar with the same past events with no anticipation of God-sized outcomes while looking to the same team members and leaders. The teams with whom we work might be community groups, civic clubs, or church teams. By placing the “correct” people on teams, you can come to expect bolder outcomes. When we are looking for new teammates, let’s examine the following areas: Character – Is this person trustworthy in all that they do in life? Would I trust them to care for my spouse and my savings? Does this person display the same type of self-control in challenging times that he or she does during the good times? Calling – Does this person understand the intense focus of a team, and what the team is specifically trying to achieve? Are they willing to invest physically and emotionally into the task? Competency – Is this person knowledgeable on the necessary subjects or hungry to learn all that is needed to become a valued team member? Will they read, study, and train in order to acquire all they can on the matter at hand? Commitment – Is there a proven track record in other areas of life that this teammate does not give-up when striving to achieve new results in his or her own life? Will he or she be able to dream-up new initiatives and implement the important steps to achieve bolder outcomes? Chemistry – Does this person play well with others? When you see them at gatherings, are they surrounded by other people? Do others feel valued by this person? Do not be fooled by those who use people, enlist those who love people. Confirmation – Ask other people their opinion as to whether or not an individual would make a valued teammate. Sometimes in our circles, out of mercy, we enlist the broken and put them onto teams before they are ready, before they are healed. Spiritually, emotionally, and morally unfit team members slow and derail a team’s effectiveness. In closing consider three final questions. If you were to measure yourself by these six areas, how would you measure up? Are there any changes that need to take place in your life? Will you make those changes before redesigning the teams with whom you work? I hope these brief suggestions will encourage you and help to create vibrant teams around you for the glory of the Lord. Each year, I see many talented and devoted people working hard and often alone, who would be strengthened by working alongside the “right” people. God says it best in Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT), “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” May we all live by that text during 2019. Happy New Year! 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. #JANUARY19

FENTON, MI – Applause filled Grace Church during the 2018 BSCM Annual meeting as Tim Patterson announced our new partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT). It’s something that the BSCM Executive Director and David Hardage (BGCT Executive Director) have been working on for three years. These two visionary leaders developed this partnership to punch holes in the darkness of both states. The Michigan/Texas Partnership will focus on 3 key areas: Church Revitalization, Church Starting, and Evangelizing Urban Centers. Tom Howe, representing Texas Baptists, was with us to kick off the partnership. During his report to the convention messengers, Tom challenged Michigan Baptists to help Texas Baptists meet the massive human needs on the border with Mexico. He set the tone by saying, “I’m going to let the politicians take care of the politics. I’m talking about the human need that we can meet to make a difference in people’s lives.” He shared that about 300 people make their way to the Texas border every day from Mexico and other countries. Many of these men, women and children arrive after a long, arduous journey, often without money and supplies that have long since been depleted. They need help with basic human needs. One of the many ways Texas Baptists demonstrate their compassion is by providing hygiene kits. Tom said, “It’s a way to love people in the name of Jesus.” We, churches of Michigan, can make these kits and send them to Texas for distribution. Below is a list of the items that go into make the Hygiene Kits. Please lead your church to collect these items, especially during the months of January and February. A mission team from Michigan will be leaving for McAllen, Texas February 28. Let’s help them help others in the name of Jesus by providing a truck load of hygiene kits to share! Let’s serve well alongside our Texas Partners to share the love of the Lord. Michigan Baptists, after you’ve collected and bagged the hygiene kits, bring them to the Baptist State Convention of Michigan Ministry Building at: 8420 Runyan Lake Road, Fenton, MI 48430. The hours are Monday – Thursday, 8am-4pm. We will ship the items to the River Ministry Hygiene Kit Project in Texas. That’s just one way Michigan Baptist churches can help our Texas Partners. January is the month of new beginnings. This year your church can be part of helping others beyond our state through the new BSCM partnership with Texas Baptists. Ask how your church can get involved. 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. #JANUARY19

ROSCOMMON, MI – Happy New Year from Bambi Lake! 2018 was a fantastic year for the camp, and we anticipate 2019 being even more exciting as we witness God using Bambi Lake in amazing ways. A new year for many of us often marks a “New Beginning,” an opportunity to rethink or retool our everyday life and our plans for the future. Maybe a new year sparks new dreams or prompts us to refresh old ones in a new way. However we approach this “New Beginning” it will most likely require a reboot to our thinking. How we view our finances, our health, our relationships, our family - we have to look at these through different lenses. I recently had to start wearing glasses and they have literally changed how I see the world. They are progressive lenses so they help me see things far away, not so far away and up close. I now have the choice to live in my former blurred reality or a new clear reality. My new glasses have provided me a “New Beginning” that is now allowing me to see clearly - I can read my phone now! However, making the decision to go to the eye doctor, and have my sight examined required a new mindset. I had to acknowledge my eyes were not functioning properly, and decide this was no longer acceptable. As silly as it may seem, this required admitting I was getting older, going to the doctor, probably wearing glasses (one more thing to keep up with), paying for something I don’t want, etc., etc. Nevertheless, I decided my need was greater than my pride. This was my “New Beginning” moment that ushered in a new reality. Which brings me to this question - Is pride keeping you from a “New Beginning”? Is pride keeping you from a “New Reality” like it was me? I have no way of knowing the area of life you desire a “New Beginning”, but allow me to encourage you with this thought, this reality - “Grace Has Overcome!” Grace wins! What a liberating and life altering reality to live in, just realize this reality requires a new mindset. It requires surrender. Surrender demands humility and humility is the key that unlocks this “New Beginning” in our lives. We have to acknowledge our insufficient strength and resources to handle life on our own. Only by completely surrendering to and relying on the work of God’s grace can we truly have a “New Beginning” in any area of life. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8 (ESV). Grace saved you, now let it change you and let it permeate every breathing moment of your existence. Choose a “New Beginning” with grace. Live in the reality that your striving is insufficient BUT His grace is sufficient! 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. #JANUARY19

DURHAM, NC (BP) – What do we mean when we talk about the "favor of God"? The house you've always wanted goes into foreclosure and you buy it for a steal. Your kids bring their report cards home and it's straight A's. You find out that a long lost relative left you a tidy sum of money. Many people may think that God's favor is something like that. When life seems to break your way, it's easy to think, "God is really smiling down on me now. He must really love me." When we turn to the New Testament, though, we get a splash of cold water. The favor of God doesn't always line up with great circumstances. Case in point: Mary. When the angel Gabriel shows up to announce the first Christmas to Mary in Luke 1, he tells her twice that she has God's favor. But her situation sure doesn't look like it. Gabriel has just told her she is going to be pregnant out of wedlock in a culture where this isn't just frowned upon but could have been punishable by death. The man she loves, Joseph, is probably not going to understand the situation or believe her bizarre explanation and might leave her. She's already poor, and if Joseph rejects her, she'll be destitute. She might have to beg for a living. So here's Mary -- financially insolvent, with a ruined reputation, her most important relationship in tatters. Maybe you can relate if you sense no joy or good cheer this Christmas season, but dread. Your life doesn't look like one "blessed and highly favored." For you, Christmas only reminds you of all the good you don't have in your life. If that's you, then Mary's circumstances are particularly relevant, because she supposedly has the favor of God in the midst of all her mess. How? Because a Son is being born to her -- a Son, the angel says, whose name will be "Jesus," meaning that He will save His people from their sins. Like all of us, Mary's main problem was a severed relationship with God. Jesus was coming to restore that. But Jesus was coming to do more than merely save from sin. Gabriel points out that He'll also rule from the throne of David (Luke 1:32). It's easy to miss how big that promise is. David's throne symbolized the restoration of worldwide peace and blessing -- a condition called shalom. Think of the promise in Joel where the prophet says, "I will restore the years that the swarming locusts have eaten." Not just forgive, but restore. Bodies destroyed by disease will leap and run in perfect health. Reputations that have been ruined will be exonerated. Relationships torn apart by death will be mended, as we see, in Tolkien's words, "all the sad things come untrue." We know that God will do this because He did this with Jesus. At the cross, Jesus went through pain that looked like a defeat. But the Father used that pain for our good. He reversed it and turned the devil's strongest attack into an opportunity to redeem us and restore the world. Mary isn't the only one with a miraculous birth in Luke 1. Her relative Elizabeth also gets a visit from Gabriel, and even though she's barren, she is promised a child. Barrenness has never been easy, but in those days it would have been devastating, the biggest disappointment a woman could imagine. The lead-up to Jesus' birth includes an elderly, barren woman getting pregnant because the birth of Jesus is God's promise to erase our deepest disappointments. What that means is we don't have to be frantic if we don't get to everything on our "bucket list." Many of us live with such an urgency to experience everything that life becomes worthless if we don't. It's not the glib stuff, like not seeing the Grand Canyon, that really leads us to disappointment. It's not getting married, or having children, or being financially comfortable, or overcoming an illness. What we need to see is that in the resurrection, under the reign of the Son of David, every disappointment will be fulfilled. We have pain; He will reverse it. We have disappointment; He will erase it. We yearn for justice; He will restore it. When we go through seasons of racial strife in our country, many people start to ask, "Will there ever be justice?" Or maybe the yearning for justice is more personal: You've been wronged and just can't get past it. You want to cry out like the psalmist, "Will the wicked go unpunished?" Unless we look to God's perfect justice -- instead of our judicial system or our own efforts -- we'll always be bitter. Perfect justice will be restored but only when Jesus rules from David's throne. That truth gives us the hope to continue working for justice now while enduring the injustice in the world. In the end, that's what God's favor is all about. It's what Christmas is all about -- hope. God's favor isn't always easy. Sometimes, as with Mary, it brings with it a lot of difficulties. But it's always good because it brings us a hope in God's promises and an assurance that His presence will be with us. ABOUT THE AUTHOR J.D. Greear is president of the Southern Baptist Convention; pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; and author of several books including "Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches That Send." #DECEMBER18

NASHVILLE, TN – Most Americans want more religious meaning to the Christmas season, and for some that includes the seasonal greetings we say to each other. A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) say, “Christmas should be more about Jesus.” Those looking for more Christ in Christmas in 2018 are significantly fewer than four years ago, however. A 2014 LifeWay Research study found 79 percent of Americans at that time said Christmas should be more about Jesus. While similar numbers disagreed in 2014 and 2018 (18 and 19 percent respectively), the percentage who said they were unsure if Christmas should be more about Jesus jumped from 3 percent four years ago to 16 percent today. “Saying Christmas should be more about Jesus is a little like saying Thanksgiving should be more about giving thanks. It’s in the name of the holiday,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Yet, it appears there is less cultural expectation for celebrations of the Christmas holiday to include the religious aspect.” Much of the shift came from non-Christians. In 2014, a majority of members of other faiths (63 percent) and almost half of the non-religious (46 percent) agreed that Christmas should be more about Jesus. Today, those numbers have been cut in half. In 2018, around a third of Americans of other religious persuasions (35 percent) and slightly more than a quarter of the non-religious (28 percent) believe Christmas needs more Christ. Fewer Christians also say Christmas should be more about Jesus. In 2014, 92 percent agreed, while 81 percent agree today. Still, 97 percent of those with evangelical beliefs agree today. One of the ways some want to see more recognition of Jesus in the celebrations this time of year is in our greetings. Around a third of Americans (32 percent) say it is offensive when someone says “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” A similar number (33 percent) say the same about using “X-mas” instead of “Christmas.” Those numbers are similar to four years ago. In 2014, 39 percent found “X-mas” offensive and 29 percent said the same about “Happy holidays.” Today, 40 percent of Christians find “Happy holidays” to be offensive, compared to 12 percent of members of other religions and 15 percent of the non-religious. Around two-thirds of those with evangelical beliefs (65 percent) say they are offended by “Happy holidays” being used instead of “Merry Christmas.” Americans 50 and over are almost twice as likely to say they find “Happy holidays” offensive than those under 50—42 percent to 22 percent. “It’s likely that Christians and older Americans are nostalgic for previous years or reluctant to acknowledge that not everyone celebrates Christmas this time of year,” said McConnell. “Many have the idea that most Americans are the same or that we share one culture of baseball, apple pie and Christmas, but that’s not the case,” he said. “And when we encounter someone who believes differently from us, that can be jarring and even seem offensive for some.” Frequent religious service attenders are more likely to be offended by “Happy holidays.” Almost half of those who attend a worship service once a week or more (47 percent) say the substitute greeting is offensive, compared to 35 percent who attend once or twice a month, 32 percent of those who attend a few times a year, 23 percent of those who attend once a year or less, and 21 percent of those who say they never attend. “Instead of refusing to accept there are other belief systems in our country today,” McConnell said, “Christians may be better served finding a way to wish their non-Christian friends and family would experience all the blessings possible during the season in which believers celebrate God blessing Earth with His Son.” For more information, visit LifeWayResearch.com or view the complete report. Methodology: LifeWay Research conducted the study of 1,004 Americans, Sept. 21-23, 2018. The survey was conducted using the web-enabled KnowledgePanel®, a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. Initially, participants are chosen scientifically by a random selection of telephone numbers and residential addresses. Persons in selected households are then invited by telephone or by mail to participate in the web-enabled KnowledgePanel®. For those who agree to participate, but do not already have internet access, Ipsos (formerly GfK) provides at no cost a laptop and ISP connection. Sample stratification and base weights were used for gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, metro/non-metro, home ownership, education and income to reflect the most recent U.S. Census data. Study-specific weights included for gender by age, race/ethnicity, region and education to reflect GSS 2016 data. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error does not exceed plus or minus 3 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Comparisons are made to a LifeWay Research phone survey of 1,000 Americans conducted Sept. 26–Oct. 5, 2014. Those with evangelical beliefs were determined using the National Association of Evangelicals and LifeWay Research evangelical beliefs research definition. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources. #DECEMBER18

DETROIT, MI – It’s here, it’s here, the greatest time of the year. As I have traveled from the sandy beaches of Miami to the snowy frozen lakes of Michigan Christmas time is the celebrated the same everywhere. We start thinking about this season on January 2 of each year. As the ole song goes: "City sidewalks, busy sidewalks. Dressed in holiday style. In the air, there is a feeling of Christmas. Children laughing, people passing. Meeting smile after smile. And on every street corner you hear. Silver bells, (silver bells) silver bells (silver bells)!" I believe that Christmas is truly a time to celebrate. It should be a season of Thanksgiving and High praise. As a Christian, I see that we many times forget the true reason for the season. I get chills every time I read Prophet Isaiah say in Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: "and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”. Yes, we are celebrating the World’s all-time greatest Gift; Jesus Christ, provided to us by the world greatest giver Our Father God. And he gave us a gift not because we deserved it but John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Our God wanted to spend eternity with us. I am truly excited that I, a young man from Miami gets to live with this perfect gift. The thought “I want to be just like my daddy” comes to mind. That is why I believe this is the season of giving. We can give Our Father and Lord Jesus the gift of praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 100 says “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Do not let the day we call “thanksgiving” be the only day you give the great gift of thankfulness and praise. It should signify the start of the season. Praise God this season come on, people let the world hear you. Shout it from the mountaintop that Jesus is the Lord and Savior. On our Church sign at Temple of Faith it will read “It’s Jesus Birthday, and we are having a party.” The perfect gift to others is to give “Love” in Christmas season; Love is a gift worth giving. The world needs the Love of Jesus Christ. How do we give the Love that is life altering and life renewing? First, we can support Lottie Moon Christmas offering that will fund the missionaries that are out spreading God’s love and sharing Gospel around the world. Secondly, let us support our local Pastors and wives that are at the crossroads. Invite them to dinner and share your listening ear. Finally, let us give the world one of our most powerful resources our healing power of prayer. James 5:16 says "therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." This Christmas find a family member, missionary, enemy, a friend and tell them “You pray for me, I’ll pray for you. Watch God change things. The perfect gift for us and large enough to share with others is Jesus Christ. So let us celebrate today and make this the Merriest Christmas yet. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rev. David Cox, Sr. serves as Youth Pastor and Director of Stewardship at Temple of Faith Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. He is also a Trustee for Michigan on the GuideStone Financial Resources board. He serves as Treasurer for the Greater Detroit Baptist Association, Secretary for the Michigan African American Fellowship, and President of Education U-4 Life, CDC. David is married to Tiffany, his wife of 21 years. They have 3 children, Nya, David Jr. and Kelli. #DECEMBER18

JACKSON, MI (BP) – The Baptist State Convention of Michigan authorized its Executive Board to sell the convention's office building in Fenton, Mich., and adopted an increased 2019 budget. Messengers to the BSCM annual meeting also launched a church planting and revitalization partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and adopted resolutions affirming "the dignity and worth of women" and denouncing domestic abuse. The Michigan convention convened Nov. 9 at Grace Church in Jackson, Mich., with 132 messengers representing 50 of the convention's 305 cooperating churches. The meeting's theme was "The Power of ONE -- Multiplied." A building sale was authorized because the BSCM's current office building contains 25 offices along with space for support staff though only five BSCM employees work in the building. A move would cut costs, but no offers to purchase the building have been made to date. The 2019 budget of $2,843,701 -- a 5.6 percent increase from the current year -- anticipates $1,300,000 in Cooperative Program giving from churches, $710,576 from the North American Mission Board and $55,000 from LifeWay Christian Resources. The convention will forward 27.5 percent of CP receipts to Southern Baptist Convention national and international causes, the same percentage forwarded in 2018. There are no budget provisions for shared ministry expenses. The convention launched two new partnerships. The partnership with Texas Baptists will focus on revitalization and church planting in inner-city Detroit. The Southern Baptist Foundation of Michigan began a partnership with WatersEdge Advisors, a tradename of The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma, in which the Oklahoma foundation will manage the Michigan foundation's accounts. Eight of the nine resolutions adopted by BSCM messengers largely mirrored resolutions adopted by the SBC at its annual meeting this summer in Dallas. A resolution "on the dignity and worth of women as co-heirs and co-laborers in the mission of God's church" "honor[ed] the immeasurable contribution of women to our cooperative mission of Great Commission work." A separate resolution "on domestic violence and abuse" "acknowledge[d] that abuse dishonors the marriage covenant, and fundamentally blasphemes the relationship between Christ and the church." Other resolutions addressed the integrity of ministry leadership, "the full dignity of every human being," "Christlike communication," immigration and domestic terrorism. The newly elected slate of officers included: president, Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church in Macomb, Mich.; first vice president, Roy Henry, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Battle Creek, Mich.; second vice president, Ed Emmerling, pastor of Westside Church in Flushing, Mich.; recording secretary, Eli Garza, pastor of First Spanish Baptist Church in Detroit; and assistant recording secretary, Roland Caldwell, pastor of Burnette Baptist Church in Detroit. Next year's annual meeting will be Nov. 8 at a location to be determined. EDITOR'S NOTE: Newly elected President of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, Scott Blanchard, is the pastor of Lakepointe Church in Macomb. Blanchard shared a few thoughts about where he would like to help lead Michigan Baptists in the coming year. He says his greatest desire is to see unity among the churches of our state. He adds, “I want to see Michigan churches root for each other, not compete with each other. I want us to realize that we are part of one team, and part of the capital “C” Church. When we are stronger together, we can make a greater impact in our communities.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #DECEMBER18

The goal? Raise $160 million dollars by the end of the year The purpose? To send more light into the darkness, to touch more lives with the Gospel, and to raise up more nations in His name. How does it happen? One way is giving and lots of it. Another way is prayer - 2018 Week of Prayer for International Missions – during December, and everyone can be part of both. Generous giving to the 2018 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® makes a massive difference in the world. Men, women, children, and entire communities are transformed as a result of this offering. Your gifts enable thousands of missionaries to live among, serve, and share the gospel with people who have never heard it until now. Where does all that money go? Through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, you and your church are: Supporting over 3,600 missionaries Enabling disciples to be made and churches to be multiplied around the world Continuing the SBC’s 173-year commitment to missions, worldwide To view additional videos, visit imb.org/lottie-moon-christmas-offering-resources In addition to the week of dedicated prayer for world missions there are stories to share: Larry Pepper traded a space mission for a medical mission among the sick and hurting in Africa. God is using a small church in Tennessee to make a big difference in the work of IMB missionaries in Asia. Hispanic churches are crossing cultures and engaging the world with the gospel. A partnership between a Kentucky church and a Brazil-based team is reaching Sao Paulo with the gospel. Ukrainian believers are planting churches, trained by IMB missionaries and supported by a North Carolina congregation. The impact is mutual when American students travel to East Asia to serve college students alongside IMB workers. It takes the support of many churches to keep a small hospital running in Tanzania. Refugee ministry is both local and global for a church in Atlanta. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is just one way of making the Christmas Holiday all about the Baby Jesus coming to save the world. Won’t you be part of continuing the efforts that all may hear?! To lear more about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and to download free resources, visit imb.org/lottie-moon-christmas-offering #DECEMBER18

FENTON, MI – The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) staff has announced that Michigan Baptists are closing in on this year’s goal for the Frances Brown State Mission Offering. This year’s goal is a faith-stretching $90,000, and as of December 1st, churches and individuals have given $83,756.74. With less than a month to go that places the remaining amount to reach the goal at just more than $6,000. The State Mission Offering is one of the primary methods that Michigan Baptists use to fund starting churches, strengthening churches and sending churches across the state. This year’s offering will be shared between those three areas as well as the Bambi Lake Conference Center. BSCM designates one week in September to highlight the ministries supported by the Frances Brown Offering, as well as to pray for them. But Michigan Baptists are free to support the offering at any time throughout the year. That gives churches and individuals a few more weeks to help BSCM to reach this year’s goal whether they have not given to the offering yet, or they would choose to give more to help the state top the offering mark. BSCM Executive Director, Tim Patterson, calls on Michigan Baptists to continue to pray for the state’s many ministries. He says, “The fuel that fires the engines of the ministries of BSCM is prayer. Without prayer to power the work of God, our efforts would be useless.” This year’s theme for the state offering is “The Power of One; Multiplied.” BSCM Women Ministries Director, Sue Hodnett says, "This has been an amazing state missions campaign. Our goal of $90,000 for 2018 is so attainable, just $6,000 more to go. Working together we are MULTIPLYING are resources! We are laying new foundations for our next generation of churches! The Power of ONE, the Power of HIM, working together through US!" To support Michigan missions, give to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering by visiting bscm.org/giving. #DECEMBER18