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'The Power of One' FENTON, MI – I am blessed to work with a team of women dedicated to serving Jesus and the women of Michigan. I am thankful to God for these women and their support and commitment to building our team Jesus-style, and their focus on the needs of the women in our churches and across our state. The development, equipping, and commissioning of the Women’s Ministry Team continues to be an exciting process. The advancement of the ministry will continue to reflect what we believe to be the vision and direction of God. Our objective is to build relationships and networks to assist in resourcing and supporting women leaders in ministry at churches of like-minded faith throughout our convention and state. The importance of developing and equipping new women leaders and the next generation will not be overlooked. Not on our watch! We will not permit a generation to lose the knowledge and understanding of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Reaching women in communities that need to know of the hope found only in Jesus is a commitment we intend to keep. Jesus is the builder of the team and a leader is only as good as her dependence on the Lord. 'The Power of One' = Jesus! Administration The resources to help you raise awareness for the special mission’s offering and weeks of prayer will be provided by the women’s ministry team. Offering envelopes, prayer guides, and posters are free to our churches for each of the offerings, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (March 4-11), Frances Brown State Missions Offering (September 9-16) and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (December 2-9). To order, simply email wmu@bscm.org. 'The Power of One' = Prayer Supporter, Offering Contributor, Missionary Special Events Are you ready for some girlfriend time? Are you ready for some “just you and God time”? When is the last time you sat before God without a To-Do list hanging over you, a pile of laundry you need to fold or transfer from washer to dryer, or family members pressing in on all sides? If you can’t remember, you need to attend a retreat, an intentional time away from it all so your soul can focus on being fed by the Lord. “To retreat” means to leave our normal routines and go to a place of safety, quiet, and seclusion. By going to a retreat, we physically remove ourselves from life’s distractions, the call of chores, and the demands of people in order to make space for God. If you think you’re less spiritual because you struggle to hear from God in the distractions of your daily life, be encouraged. Even Jesus recognized the value and need to get away, regularly stepping away from the crowds, sometimes even His disciples. In 2018, women’s ministry will offer several opportunities “to retreat”. Three day weekends at Bambi Lake, overnighters or one day conferences close to home, and three-hour evening sessions. All retreats will focus on bringing you closer to God and building ministry partnerships. Continue to check for retreat and conference information on our page at: BSCM.org, Strengthening, Women’s Ministry/WMU Missions. 'The Power of One' = Conference Leader, Renewed Retreater, New Believer Care Support Life is hard. We all need encouragement and support. Life isn't meant to be lived alone. As women in ministry we can come to a point of exhaustion quickly, if we are not careful. Care Support offers all women in leadership an opportunity to deepen their understanding of how much Jesus loves them. We provide safe and secure settings with other leaders who are available and willing to coach and mentor. We want to love on our leaders the way Jesus would. We know that pastor’s wives and church planters (wives) carry a heavy load of responsibility as they care for their families, their husbands, and people in the church. We provide care groups to remind them that they are appreciated and loved. Care Support offers opportunities for new leaders and encourages younger women with a desire to get started in their ministry roles with a safe place to ask questions. Our desire is to make sure they have the resources and training needed to be our successful leaders of the future. 'The Power of One' = Coach, Mentee, New Leader, Pastor’s Wife Social Concerns The purpose of the Social Concerns group is to bring together leaders working in ministries so they can share their successes, concerns, and difficulties, network together and assist one another to better serve our churches and those in our communities. We serve to share information, communication, and network with many of our churches who are already doing social concerns ministries. This allows pastors, and leaders, the opportunity to gather with the many social concerns ministries, to encourage them, support them, and help them to better serve those in need. Social concerns ministries that are now in place include: Multi-Cultural Relationship Building, fighting against Human Trafficking, Abortion Care, Addiction Care, Adoption Care, and Grief/Crisis Care. 'The Power of One' = Rescued Victim, Healing Addict, Adoptive Parent, Valued Person Pathways You know God has called you to ministry, but where do you start? Looking for more resources to take your missions ministries to the next level? Pathways will provide, or can direct, you to foundational, advanced, and expert-level training within specific ministry areas. Whether you're looking to train volunteers, teachers, or missions leaders, we can direct you to resources to equip all individuals within your church. There are limitless ways to serve on mission. All you know right now is God has called you! Come, let’s discover all the various and exciting opportunities awaiting you. If God has called you to it, there are resources out there and we will help you find them! 'The Power of One' = Bible Study Leader, Discipleship Shepherd, Evangelist, Missionary Missions / Women’s Missionary Union This year, Michigan WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) celebrates 60 years of serving in our state convention. How inspiring and encouraging to know that we continue a legacy of many who had a heart of passion and excitement to serve God. The women of WMU have always been there with prayer support and encouragement. Bringing together tools and resources that help churches realize the importance of the necessity of mission education, continues to be our focus. Awakening leaders by sharing insight into the social issues and what is happening around them, provides information to start much needed ministries in their communities. Opening doors to the world of mission whether the focus is local, national, or international, and creating a passion and a desire to be on mission and to go, wherever He leads. With knowledge, comes power. 'The Power of One' = a Church with a Missions Mindset (Preschooler, Child, Student and Adult) Don’t ever underestimate 'The Power of One'! Take your place in God’s plan, be the ONE! Seriously, as you read this article, I know God has been speaking to you and this hasn’t been the first time He has tried to get your attention. What is He asking you to do? Where is He asking you to serve? Everyone who is saved by the power of His grace has ‘The Power of One”. You also have the choice to use that power. How will you use that power for His Glory? 'The Power of One' = YOU ! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Hodnett is the Women’s Ministry & WMU Consultant for the BSCM as well as the Executive Director for WMU of Michigan. She attends Lakepointe Church in Macomb, MI. #FEBRUARY18

FENTON, MI – When disaster strikes, “gold shirts” move. Some wear blue caps and others wear white caps as a distinction. Sometimes they stage themselves in advance of the catastrophe and danger. At other times, these generous heroes are instructed to stand down and arrive in waves, relieving one team after another, because the recovery in the hard hit region is going to take months. Regardless of the requests or directions, team members assist strangers because their faith in Christ drives their response to those in crisis. The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been around for fifty years. Throughout the nation over 80,000 trained volunteers respond when troubles come. One member’s pick-up is laden with relief tools because of his burden to be ready at a moment’s notice. A chainsaw swims in the bed of the pick-up while he drives. Unopened water bottles are wrapped in plastic and covered from dust from a previous relief effort. Volunteers always hydrate on the job. Rubber boots and leather boots, stained and scarred with evidence of previous missions, tell stories of long days, sore muscles and hearts of gold. In particular, Michigan Southern Baptists have a tested and performance-proven Disaster Relief (DR) team. They provide hot meals, clean water, childcare, laundry, and structure repairs. Many of them know how to safely cut 4-foot thick trees with chain saws. Others know how to remove the mud, filth, and water from a family’s basement while comforting the grieving family members. Married couples, sons and fathers, and teams from various churches form the brotherhood known as Michigan Disaster Relief. They are an elite group who find the balance between practical, rapid assistance and emotional, spiritual care. They work hard and show their compassion for others in the tears that stream over their soiled and exhausted faces. Michigan residents have benefited repeatedly from this army of volunteers. Tornadoes Years ago when a tornado followed highway M-50 across two counties in southeastern Michigan, trees were uprooted and thrown on top of homes and cars. House exteriors were ripped off and scattered miles away like debris from a tossed trash can. Finally, after the tornado had passed, residents exited the safe haven of their basements only to learn that their roof had vanished, or some other disaster has befallen them. Within hours, volunteers from Michigan, established their base of operations at Dundee Baptist Church. They spent weeks assisting those in need. Sawing, praying, feeding, counseling, their work was never-ending. They reminded residents that even in the aftermath of chaos that God is there to calm their fears. Floods One week in recent years, a storm dropped so much water in Warren that the infrastructure could not move or absorb the rain fast enough. Basements of homes were flooded. Bedrooms were destroyed. Within days, personal belongings were covered with mildew and stench. Mold grew from the floor toward the ceiling in mere days. The catastrophe was unmatched. Volunteers slept in the gymnasium of Warren Woods Baptist Church. Daily, they carried brown-bags lunches to their work sites scattered throughout the city. They walked many miles up and down slimy staircases carrying water-soaked, heavy belongings out of the basements to the yard where the resident would decide whether to save or discard the personal possession laying in front of them. Frazzled and exhausted, the resident would look to the Disaster Relief Chaplain for encouragement and wisdom to make the best decision. On occasion the chaplain responds with, “We have safe chemicals that we can use to wash that down. We can save it.” At other moments, the Chaplain will say, “Mold is likely growing inside that. It will cause you respiratory problems if you keep it.” Regardless of the option, the DR volunteer reminded residents that God had not forgotten them in their times of trouble. Poisoned Water More recently, lead in Flint’s water made international news. Fortunately, Michigan’s Disaster Relief team was there throughout the crisis. Team leaders coordinated the call-out for volunteers as well as the delivery and distribution of water during the coldest months of winter. Some volunteers distributed water from icy parking lots where residents would gather while others installed water filters inside homes. Westside Baptist Church and Mount Carmel Baptist Church, in Flint, partnered with DR providing places for volunteers to sleep, eat, and recover after long, cold days of service. Michigan Disaster Relief members are eager to serve. The next time disaster strikes remember that someone from their fraternity is rapidly responding. When their phone or a text message calls them into action. The mail is stopped. The pets are entrusted to family members. Their homes are secured. They grab their go-bags and their suitcases are filled. The vehicle is fueled and they are ready to work. If you want to know more about how to support or join the Michigan Disaster Relief Team you can find the information you need at bscm.org/disaster-relief. 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. #FEBRUARY18

FENTON, MI – I don't know about you folks but I am a connoisseur of certain types of food. There are very few kinds of foods that I don't like and from a quick glance at my physical condition it is obvious that I don't pass up any of them. But there is one food in particular that I am an expert in determining its quality and worth, and that is gravy. Gravy, the sauce of saints. The heavenly concoction that can make the poorest of dishes edible. That flowing food that can turn a day old biscuit into a breakfast fit for a king and make over-cooked turkey a memorable event. But there is something very interesting about gravy. Not just anyone can make it. This stuff that comes in a jar and has a close resemblance to toxic waste, does not count. It is nothing more than the left-overs' from some soup company. Yuck! To make real gravy is an art and one that takes time to learn and master. Many a marriage has almost come to an early end because the new groom does not understand that good gravy only comes with age. I will never forget our early years of marriage when the gravy that was produced at our house was not served in bowl but on a plate and was sliced and then placed on your preferred food. At other times it had the consistency and look of skim milk. But the grace of God took us through those difficult times and I am glad to say that the gravy at our house today is of the highest caliber. One of the biggest problems of new-comer gravy is lumps. You know, those large bodies of unidentifiable matter that seem to never go away no matter how much you stir. You may try to spoon them out or just push them to the side of your plate but nonetheless, they are still there. Lumps! They come with every new marriage. Big ones, little ones, hard ones, mushy ones, and ones that seem to grow. Lumps are an inevitability of life, but just because you have lumps in your gravy doesn't mean that you throw it out. More than likely you will have just as many lumps the second time you try to make another batch because you are frustrated and in a hurry to make things just right. Your spouse and family will have to take your gravy, lumps and all, until you are able to build the skills and talents you need to perfect that sensational sauce. Not only is it inevitable that gravy will have lumps but so will your marriage. It's natural and normal to experience things that you don't like or understand. They will not be pleasant and could even be the source of some heated interaction. Just because you run into some lumps in your marriage doesn't mean you need to throw the whole relationship down the drain. Keep stirring, changing, giving, taking, and trying again and again. Don't give up and don't give in. Do a lot more encouraging and a great deal less criticizing. Learn to deal with the lumps together. Just like good gravy, a good marriage only comes with age. Give it time and patience. If you do, you might even hear yourself and others say, "Good gravy, what a marriage." 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. #FEBRUARY18

FENTON, MI – I served 13 years overseas as an international missionary. During that time, I learned to rely more on prayer. As missionaries, my wife and I, analyzed, planned, created action plans; but we did those things only after we prayed. Obstacles would fall down after we petitioned the Father. Opportunities arose that were simply not there, days earlier. Those who once opposed us, finally embraced us. Prayer has proven, for us, to be a powerful, underused practice in Christian ministry. Here in Michigan, I see similar miracles happening; but more must be done rapidly if we are going to shatter the spiritual darkness with God’s light. Jesus said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father,” Matthew 5:16 (NLT). If each one of us did one thing each day to dispel the darkness for Christ, our state would radically change. Prayer! Below are five areas of our state in which your prayers could make a big difference. Imagine if we prayed for each of these areas, one day each week, every week. Imagine the impact on our prayer lives as God’s focus falling on a particular area of our state each workday became reality. The results would be inspiring. We want to see churches planted in rural areas, small towns, suburban sites, large cities, and the urban centers of the state. With our intense, united prayers they will make the change we need in 2018. The affluence and beauty of our state should not keep us from seeing the lost spiritual condition of millions. An estimated two-thirds of 9.9 million people may not know the Lord Jesus Christ. I love the hope found in Isaiah 35:5 when God moves throughout a territory. It says, “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.” Are you like me and crave to see that happen in our lifetime? If you’re willing, please join me in asking the Father for: Church planters to rise up to create new churches Launch teams of adults to work alongside the planters Church plants to give birth and guidance to newer church plants Mature, existing churches to spread the Gospel through church planting I would love to see the Lord create new church plants in the following areas: Monday - Marquette County From the Northern Lights to culinary pleasures there is something for everyone. Northern Michigan University, with 9,000 students and 100 academic programs, hosts cultural and sporting events year round. The university is a training center for Olympic athletes. A unique structure called the Superior Dome is the world’s largest wooden dome. The city of Marquette’s population is approximately 22,000 people with over 67,000 throughout the county due to a 4% growth rate in recent years. There are 77 waterfalls in the county. Inside or outside, the area is like a gemstone in the crown of the Upper Peninsula. Christ said in Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refused to believe will be condemned.” Tuesday - Grand Traverse County Over 90,000 people call this area and the city of Traverse City home. The greater metropolitan area boasts almost 150,000 residents. The shoreline along Lake Michigan is one of the favorite vacation spots of the state’s residents. Many are retiring to the area after years of employment down state. Amusing events or places such as the National Cherry Festival and the Victorian City Opera add style and moments of fun for everyone. People can climb the sand dunes, sail the bay, fish the streams, or play one of the 16 golf courses in the region. Christ posed one of the most important questions ever uttered in history. In Mark 8:36 (NLT) Jesus asked, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” Wednesday - Ottawa & Kent Counties The two counties, with outstanding growth rates in Michigan, are identified with the metropolitan area of Grand Rapids and a population of over one million people, making it the second largest city in Michigan. The family atmosphere in the region is remarkable. The number of universities and colleges will overwhelm anyone. The variety of industries and businesses in the area keep people employed and content. Local governments and businesses have created a utopia for their residents. The many year-round, downtown activities are the results of an outstanding tourism strategy. Many are continually drawn to this area of the state with its stronger and diverse economic base. 1 Corinthians 9:22 was written by one of the boldest church planters in history. Paul described in simple words how he reaches a diverse population when he said, “Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some,” (NLT). Thursday - Ingham County The state capital of Lansing is located in this county. The metropolitan area of this area has over 464,000 residents with the city of Lansing showing over 114,000 within the city limits. Michigan State University reports over 50,000 students are enrolled at the school. The region is filled with communities of various types: charming rural areas, distinctive small towns, bustling suburbs, and a redevelopment of downtown Lansing. When we survey the center of legislation we might think, “What’s the use?” But I’m reminded of the words of a prophet in Zechariah 4:6 who learned how God achieves his desires, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit,” (NLT). Friday - Greater Detroit: Oakland, Macomb, & Wayne Counties This region has a population of 4 million people comprised of residents from Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties. Almost half of the state’s population lives in this metro area. All of the major professional sports teams play in Detroit. Major industries and research facilities are scattered throughout the region. The world headquarters of Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors are still icons of endurance in the area. While many outside this area view Greater Detroit as one large metropolitan mystery, locals identify themselves more by their relationships and workday pathways. True Detroiters will boast about their urban connections because they’re proud of the people’s resilience and the renaissance of their community. Those in the surrounding areas will quickly identify where they reside by saying, “I live in Warren.” Or “I’m from Pontiac.” Or “I work in Detroit but I live in Dearborn.” Regardless of their mailing address, the people are making the most out of the relationships and resources in this world-class city. Motown needs to hear the Psalmist say once again loud and clear, “Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good,” Psalm 127:1 (NLT) Be forewarned. The power of A year-long prayer vigil, over the state, might frighten us as God releases His Spirit. It would be something larger and more powerful than we could control; but isn’t that what we want? Let’s ask the Lord to do more than He has ever done so that others become devoted followers of Christ. 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. #FEBRUARY18

FENTON, MI – Two of the largest freshwater lakes in the world separate the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. We are the only state in the nation to have two peninsulas completely disconnected from each other. It is impossible to get from one peninsula to the other by land from anywhere in the state. Before the Mackinac Bridge was built, traffic could back up for 16 miles and people waited as long as 18 hours for a ferry to take them from one side to the other. The Mackinac Bridge united Michigan and is an iconic image known around the world. At the time, the Mighty Mac was built, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Contractors brought together the largest collection of maritime construction equipment ever assembled in peacetime to build the bridge. It was a massive four-year construction project that makes it possible for approximately 11,000 vehicles a day to cross from one side to the other in minutes. As you approach the Straits of Mackinac, the majestic towers of the Mighty Mac can be seen from every direction. They rise 552 feet above the water and descend 210 feet into the depths below. As massive as the bridge looks above the water, 75% of it lies under the waves. It has been described as a “man-made mountain.” One of the most fascinating features of the Mackinac Bridge is its flexibility. It moves with the wind and changes in temperature. A strong wind can move the bridge up to 35 feet to the east or west. The temperature can lift it up or down by 10 feet and the towers can move toward each other by up to 15 feet. It’s flexible, but strong enough to withstand the waves, ice, and wind of the harshest Michigan winter. The Mackinac Bridge united the divided state of Michigan. This unique Michigan reality is a powerful illustration of the Gospel. The separation between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas dramatically illustrates the Biblical truth that our sins have separated us from God It is as though God is on one peninsula and man is on the other. The two are separated from each other by our sin. The Apostle Paul captures the reality of what sin does to us and the hope of the Gospel in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Wages, sin, and death paint a dramatically different picture than gift, God, and eternal life. The difference between living in one reality or the other is Jesus Christ and our relationship to Him. The free gift of God is His Son Jesus. Jesus dies on the cross, is buried, and rises again to reconcile us to God. He is the bridge that unites us with God. He makes eternal life possible when we turn from our sin and place our trust in Him as Savior and Lord. The cross pales physically in size to the Mackinac Bridge, but there is no comparison to the scope of what Jesus does on the cross. There are limits to how far the Mackinac Bridge can move up and down, side to side, and inward, but there are no limits to what Jesus does through His death, burial, and resurrection. He descends from the heights of heaven to become Immanuel - God with us. His grace reaches beyond our greatest failures, and He leans in so close that He is an ever-present help in time of trouble. Receiving Him is, and forever will be, MI greatest moment! For more information and to download free resources, visit bscm.org/mimoment. 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. #FEBRUARY18

ROSCOMMON, MI – Have you ever felt so out of balance, that no matter how hard you rearrange your life, it is still tilted one way or the other? Did you stop to figure out the cause of your imbalance? What are your priorities? Human nature causes us to find answers in ourselves. “I can do this, I don’t need anyone's help.” Pride is a huge factor in this. We say to ourselves, “I can find the next answer, the next big thing, the thing that will make my life complete.” Even as Christians we often forget that we don't have to do it alone. Yes, God has called us to be servants, to stand in the gap for those who do not know Jesus. Many times we find ourselves saying “Yes” to everything asked of us yet trying to do it in our own strength. When we give “all” that we have, in our own strength, our own level of balance gets tilted. We need to take a break to refill our hearts with God’s great love. Psalm 100:5 tells us “For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. Love, we feel it in many ways, for our family and friends. It is how we prioritize people in our lives. We love what we see when we look outside. The great beauty of God’s creation. God’s love is forever, never ending. In our busy lives we can sometimes forget this and our lives spiral out of balance. Well how do you fix this? When the battery on your phone is almost out of charge what do you do? Plug it in to recharge, of course. You cannot communicate with a dead battery. Or, have you ever tried to call a friend, loved one or spouse and it just kept going to voicemail? Sometimes, I believe we do that with God. He is constantly trying to speak into our lives but we send the message to our voicemail because we are not plugged-in, we are not charged. Communication is so very important in our walk with God, we need to continually be in touch with our Heavenly Father. When we are too busy even for Him, we need to find a way to get ourselves plugged in and recharge. Bambi Lake, in its many years of operations, has seen many generations come and go. People are now bringing their children and even their grandchildren to Bambi Lake. They are showing them the natural beauty of God’s Love. But they are also teaching them they need to take a step back, hit the pause button, so that their heart and soul can get a recharge. Bambi Lake offers so many opportunities to get away and recharge. Come for a retreat or just come alone and take a walk down the nature trail. Many people over the years have said all they have to do is pull in the driveway and immediately they feel that wonderful steadfast love of God come over them and begin to recharge their batteries. God’s love is so important that we need to continue to share this with others, but if we are not fully charged then we won’t be able to share or show His great love as we should. Remember, when you feel like your life is getting unbalanced, stop right then and figure out the cause. Find a way to recharge your heart and soul, so that you can be fully charged to follow the perfect plan God has for you. When we are at “full charge”, we can show others that God will always stand in the fire with us. And, when all else fails, come on over to Bambi. We will leave a light on. 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. #FEBRUARY18

LOUISVILLE, KY (SBTS) – Ministers of the gospel are instruments of God’s plan to renew the world, delivering humanity from its curse, said R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, at the seminary’s 220th commencement exercises, December 8. During the ceremony in the school’s historic Alumni Memorial Chapel, four master’s and doctoral students from Michigan received their degrees. In total, 156 students received their degrees as members of a 211-person graduating class. “Graduates, you are wearing the gowns of academic and ministry preparation. You will soon hold diplomas as evidence of your seriousness of preparation and devotion to the ministry,” Mohler said. “You are surrounded by a host of friends and family and faculty. Their own hopes and dreams of ministry go with you and in you. This faculty has taught you with conviction and affection, and now you go to bear the gospel of Christ and to preach the Word.” Mohler tied his address to the December graduates directly to the Christmas season. Many musicologists and worship leaders affirm that “Joy To the World,” published by Isaac Watts in 1719, is the most-sung Christmas carol every December, he suggested. But the hymn, which is a bold and ecstatic declaration of God’s rule and reign over creation, is not fundamentally about Christmas, said Mohler in his commencement address, titled Far as the Curse is Found. It instead points to Christ’s second Advent, when he will make everything new. While it applies to the arrival of Christ incarnate, Mohler said, it reminds Christians that the full promises of God’s dominion are not yet fulfilled. The third verse of the hymn — which reads that Christ’s return makes his “blessings flow, far as the curse is found” — provides a clear summary of the church’s mission, which is also the mission of all ministers of the gospel, according to Mohler. The Lord commissions his people to take the message of renewal and restoration to every corner of the world where sin reigns. “We are gathered here because Jesus saves,” Mohler said. “We are gathered here because, on the cross, he bore the full penalty of our sin. We are gathered here because Christ, our substitute, died for us the death that was rightly ours. We are here because we celebrate this gospel. We are here because we are ready to send these graduates out to teach, to preach, and to tell this gospel.” Using Genesis 3 and Galatians 3 as his texts, Mohler showed how the curse of sin is traced out through the storyline of the Bible. Since Adam was installed at creation as the representative of all humanity, his sin condemned the entire created order to suffer under the curse of God’s righteous judgment of sin, Mohler said. “Everywhere we look, we see the curse and its malignant effects,” he said. “[It extends] to every atom and molecule of creation — from coast to coast, horizon to horizon, shore to shore, sky to sky, and to every square inch of the planet.” The curse not only affects the world around humanity, but it also renders every human soul to a state of condemnation. Every human is born under this curse and, according to Galatians 3:10-14, can do nothing to escape it. But God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on behalf of humanity, taking the penalty of their sin and removing the power of the law to condemn, Mohler said. Now, the mission falls to those who have experienced redemption from the curse of the law to take a message of forgiveness to the ends of a still-fallen world. “The world is full of sinners who live every day under the curse, and the penalty of the curse is sin. You go to preach the gospel and to declare salvation to all who believe in Christ and repent of their sin,” Mohler said to the graduates. “You go to feed Christ's flock and to shepherd the church for whom Christ died.” Those who still live under this curse need to hear God’s message of victory over sin and deliverance from its destructive effects, Mohler said. Graduates of Southern Seminary are sent out to preach the gospel and proclaim that salvation is available for those who repent and believe. “How far does the gospel reach? To what lengths must the gospel be taken? It is answered in the third verse of this hymn: ‘Far as the curse is found,’” Mohler said. “Go and preach. Go and tell. Teach the good news that Christ has redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us. Take the message of the gospel of Christ far as the curse is found.” During the ceremony, the seminary awarded a degree posthumously to Ronney Plemons, an Ohio pastor who completed the requirements of his doctor of ministry degree in Biblical Spirituality before he died on August 22. He most recently pastored at First Baptist Church in Fairborn, Ohio, and previously served at Southside Baptist Church in Lakeland, Florida, and Cornerstone Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Susan Plemons, a professor of music and worship at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, and Ronney’s wife, was present to receive the diploma on behalf of her husband.“He had fulfilled all of the responsibilities for the doctor of ministry degree,” said Mohler, who attended the same church as a child that Plemons later pastored in Lakeland, Florida. “More than that, by God’s grace, he had fulfilled all of the commission that had been given to him as a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Mohler also presented the Josephine S. and James L. Baggott Outstanding Graduate Award to Tyson W. Ziegler, a master of divinity graduate from Independence, Kentucky. The award was established in 1980 to recognize the outstanding graduate of each graduating class. Mohler’s address is available in audio and video at equip.sbts.edu/video/far-curse-found/. A manuscript of the address, “Far as the Curse is Found,” is available at albertmohler.com. The following are the students and their information: NAME: Jerrica L. Baxter HOMETOWN: Carleton, Michigan HOME CHURCH: NorthBrook Church, Carleton Michigan SCHOOL: SBTS DEGREE: TH-Master of Divinity UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE: Bachelor of Business Administration, Siena Heights University NAME: Douglas Brubaker HOMETOWN: Midland, Michigan HOME CHURCH: Crossway Christian Church, Bay City, Michigan SCHOOL: SBTS DEGREE: TH-Master of Arts in Theological Studies UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University - 1999 NAME: David R. Coleman HOMETOWN: Lake Orion, MI HOME CHURCH: Saginaw Valley Baptist Church, Saginaw, MI SCHOOL: SBTS DEGREE: BG-Doctor of Philosophy UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE: Saginaw Valley State University, 2006 NAME: Douglas R. Wallaker HOMETOWN: Midland, MI SCHOOL: SBTS DEGREE: TH-Doctor of Philosophy UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE: Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 2002 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron is the Editorial Director for Relevant Media Group in Louisville, KY. #DECEMBER17

FENTON, MI – Well folks, this is the season when we celebrate the birth of our Lord with all sorts of traditions, parties, food and gifts. It truly is the happiest time of the year. As I reflect on Christmases past my heart and mind are filled with childhood memories of cold, December nights when it was so hard to go to sleep, and then wide eyed Christmas mornings that glistened with the wonder of tinsel laden trees and Christmas wishes wrapped in colorful paper. I can still smell the strong scent of an evergreen tree and the sweet, citrus aroma of fresh fruit. My mother would always buy the largest oranges and apples she could find, and fill our stockings with those and other candies. And of course, the comforting fragrance of a perfectly roasted turkey settled in around it all. Throughout the years I have received all sorts of gifts and gadgets at Christmas, but as a young boy a gift that became one of my most memorable was a pet hamster. I had seen a whole family of them in our local “five & dime” with their labyrinth of tubes and tunnels, and I just had to have one of these energized entertainers. Sure enough, Christmas morning came and there under the tree was my very own hamster and self-contained habitat. Inside this rodent residence was a complete gymnasium of gadgets to keep the most lethargic and sedentary of fuzzy friends healthy and happy. Right in the center of all this menagerie of moving parts was an enormous wire wheel where upon my new found friend could race and run for hours on end. And run he did. In the middle of the night when all self-respecting relatives of the rat family should be fast asleep, ol’ fleet of foot would be running his race to nowhere. The first night of our new family member’s stay in the home, my dad got up to try and find out why the refrigerator or our home heating unit had suddenly developed an annoying squeak. It took him several sleepless nights until he discovered it was “Herman the Hamster” and his midnight marathons that were disturbing our long winter naps. Herman would get in his “nowhere wheel” and run for hours on end. He would then get off, have a bite to eat, rest, get a drink of water, and then begin again. I never could figure out why he put so much energy into something that left him in the same place he started. Have you ever felt like Herman the Hamster? That life was going nowhere fast, and all you had to look forward to was another round in the marathon wheel of a monotonous life? Have you been scurrying about with all your Christmas traditions, trying to produce some modicum of fulfillment, and still find yourself going in circles? Is it possible that you have been quoting Old Testament passages like, “Vanity. Vanity. All is vanity.” There is a better Way. There is a Way that doesn’t leave you dizzy, dazed and desiring more. There is a Way that doesn’t make you feel like a termite in a YO-YO. There is a Way that has a destination of hope, peace, and fulfillment. That Way is He who was born in a manger on that wonderful Christmas morning more than 2000 years ago. And our Lord is the one who has come to provide for us hope, peace, and purpose in life. Let me invite you to get off the “wheel of misfortune” and step on to the Road of Life that leads to purpose and peace. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” The Gift of Christmas awaits and believe me, it’s much better than a hamster. 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. #DECEMBER17

SEARCY, AR (BP) – Bill Roussel has a heart for widows and widowers. For years Bill visited with two widows on Sunday mornings at First Baptist Church in Searcy. One day he told his wife Amy they should do something for the ladies, who had long worked in the children's ministry, to add an extra measure of joy to their lives during the holiday season. The Roussels decided to host a Christmas dinner for the church's widows and widowers at a local barbecue restaurant. "Most of our widows and widowers [have been] longtime workers in our church and community," Amy Roussel said. "[Bill] wanted to do something that was separate from the church and funded by ourselves. That way, the folks we invited would know it was not something that was an obligation but heartfelt." Each year about 30 people attend the dinner, which has been held for more than a decade. Evening festivities include door prizes and games, and Hal Stroupe, minister of education and administration at FBC Searcy, drives the church bus to take attendees on a tour of local Christmas lights. A few years ago the Roussels asked fellow church members Bob and Karen Davis to help out with the dinner. "There is no better reward for us than the hugs, smiles and thanks we receive from all the widows and widowers," Bob Davis said. "The fun and pleasure they get from eating, playing the games and fellowship enjoyed is evident in their faces. It truly is a festive affair where Christmas spirit abounds." Pat Charboneau, who has attended the dinner since her husband passed away in 2007, said it's "a wonderful thing they are doing, and I believe it is scriptural." "It is very much appreciated by all of us. It is a very special thing for us to be cared for in this way," Charboneau said. The Roussels and Davises see the Christmas dinner as reflecting the biblical mandate to care for widows and orphans in James 1:27: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (ESV)." "The two dear women who inspired my husband are no longer with us but their lives are not forgotten," Amy Roussel said. "I believe the Holy Spirit touched my husband's heart to share in his unique way to provide a little light in these special lives. We hope this will inspire others to do even one small thing." Beyond the Roussels' Christmastime ministry, First Baptist members are engaged in carrying their faith into the local community and beyond. Its members help in staffing Searcy's interdenominational Good Samaritan Center each December. The church provides toiletries and other necessities as well as a ham for each needy family. At the end of December, the church's youth gather at the center to clean up and organize for the next year. In foster care ministry, several church families are either foster parents or have adopted foster children. Additionally, First Baptist provides a meeting place monthly during the school year for foster care training and childcare services. Church members also provide meals for foster families. In its missions outreach, First Baptist supports mission trips at home and abroad and contributes to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The church's women's group hosts "Lattes with Lottie" during the first week of December, learning about Lottie Moon while having lattes and raising money for the Christmas offering. First Baptist also contributes to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering. "When it comes to multi-generational ministries and global missions, the First Baptist Church family seeks to make a difference in the lives of people inside and outside the church," pastor Brian Whitney said. "I am grateful for the multiplicity of ministries this body involves themselves in for God's glory. Both at the Thanksgiving/Christmas season and all year long, this local church is loving each other, praying for the advancement of the Gospel, and serving each other in Jesus' name." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Smith is a freelance writer based in Brandon, FL. #DECEMBER17

COMERÍO, PUERTO RICO (BP) – Even in the aftermath of Puerto Rico's devastation from Hurricane Maria, church planting missionary Jorge Santiago has been experiencing the truth of Romans 8:28 that all things can work together for good. In July, Santiago and his wife Rebeca moved to Puerto Rico with their two children, Sebastian and Sophia, to serve as North American Mission Board church planting missionaries in Comerío, a municipality of 20,000 about 30 miles south of San Juan. "Right after the storm," Santiago said, "we just focused on helping people. We started looking for resources, food and water so that we could take it to Comerío." Southern Baptist pastors on the island have rallied together along with some from other denominations to help one another in their mission to serve those in need. As Santiago prayed and ventured to find food and other resources, he noticed, both from personal experience and from others' stories, just how difficult it was to wash clothes by hand. Santiago saw different groups passing out food and water but no one was seeking to meet the need of helping people clean their clothes. "My wife's dad is a pastor whose church sent us some money," most of which Santiago used to buy three washing machines "by faith." They eventually were able to acquire three more washing machines that they've used to start a community outreach called Proyecto Mi Ropa Limpia -- My Clean Clothes Project. "God hasn't stopped giving to us," Santiago said, "and we haven't stopped giving to the people everything that comes our way." Santiago and his family have been hard at work ministering in Comerío, leaving for the town around 4:30 in the morning and not returning to their base in San Lorenzo, 30 miles to the east, until 8:30 or 9:00 at night. Rebeca manages the washing machines while Santiago travels around searching for food and water and distributing what he is able to find. Santiago received one of the pastor packs that NAMB's Send Relief ministry sent to Puerto Rico, and he said the package arrived at a time when he was having difficulty finding resources. Whenever he went to search, Santiago would pray and ask God to lead him to where the resources would be. After three days of not finding anything, he received a phone call telling him to go to the Send Relief warehouse. "Then, when I saw the pastor package, I started crying because I saw all the things they brought to us," Santiago recounted. The generator that was included in the package is being used to power some of the washing machines for My Clean Clothes Project, and the other food and resources have been a boost for his ministry to the community. "God gave us the privilege to show the people how committed we are to them and to God," Santiago said. "We get to live the gospel by serving the people." Initially, Santiago and his family had been planning to start church services in January. Hurricane Maria changed those plans, however, and Sunday, Nov. 12, Santiago had the opportunity to preach the Gospel and pray with a group of people as they gathered to share a hot meal. "It is good, all that we are doing right now to help serve people," he said. "It's important to the people, but more important than that is the need to share the Gospel." A passage from Mark 1:32-38 helped Santiago see that it was time to start preaching. The community was open. "People every day started asking me what my church is, but I don't even have a church yet," he said. "They kept asking me the time of the service, and they wanted to hear the Word of God." Their plan is to keep gathering with people every Sunday and preaching the Word. The way that Santiago and his wife served the community opened the door for the Gospel and has made him eager to preach the Good News. "We are not here to play or waste our time or God's time." Santiago said. "We are here with a mission, and we are here to accomplish our mission." Santiago continues to move toward an official launch for the church, but in the meantime, he and other churches like his will make use of resources that arrive through financial donations made through Send Relief. "As a pastor, I still need resources to help the people," Santiago said. "People don't believe in what you're going to say to them unless you prove to them that you love them. The way that they experience your love for them is by giving to them." Visit sendrelief.org to volunteer or donate funds to the continuing disaster relief efforts for men, women and children in Puerto Rico who still need aid as they recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board. #DECEMBER17

EDITOR'S NOTE: David Platt is president of the International Mission Board. This year's Week of Prayer for International Missions in the Southern Baptist Convention is Dec. 4-11 with the theme of "The Gospel Resounds." The theme undergirds the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. The offering, in tandem with Cooperative Program gifts from Southern Baptist churches, supports international workers in seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. Gifts to the Lottie Moon offering are received through local Southern Baptist churches or online at IMB.org, where there are resources to promote the offering. This year's goal is $155 million. RICHMOND, VA. (BP) – If you are reading this article, you are likely a part of one of more than 46,000 churches the International Mission Board partners with to spread the Gospel around the world, particularly among people who have never heard the Gospel. That's a pretty awesome thought: you and your church are joined with 46,000 other churches who say, "Together we want to get the Gospel to every person and group of people on the planet." And the primary way we do that together is by sending and supporting missionaries all over the world. Thousands of missionaries have been sent out from this coalition of Southern Baptist churches. These missionaries are not just sent out; they're also supported by the giving of our churches. God's Word shows us in 1 Thessalonians 1 why giving together like that makes sense -- and, even more, how giving in your church is resounding to God's glory around the world. First Thessalonians is the first letter Paul writes to the church that he, Silas, and Timothy had played a part in starting. These men had a close relationship with this church -- 15 different times in this letter, Paul calls them his "brothers," over and over emphasizing his love for them. And over and over again, he expresses thanks for them, for who they are, and for what they are doing. That's what draws me to this book when I think about you and your church: As a part of this coalition of churches who are sending and supporting thousands of missionaries around the world, I just want to thank you over and over and over again. I want to thank you for what you're doing, not just as a family of brothers and sisters there in your church, but as a family of brothers and sisters far beyond your church. In that sense, then, I want to say some of the same things to this entire coalition of churches that Paul says to the Thessalonians. Paul starts by reminding this church how the Gospel has affected them -- how the Gospel has changed their lives -- and how that Gospel has spread through them. First Thessalonians 1:8 tells us the Gospel has sounded forth from Thessalonica not just throughout Macedonia and Achaia (the nearby areas), but everywhere around the world. In the same way, then, I want to encourage you to stop and reconsider how the Gospel has affected you -- how the Gospel has changed your life. And I want to celebrate with you how the Gospel is spreading through you everywhere around the world. How the Gospel affected you Paul reminded the Thessalonian church that the Gospel is our foundation. He said, "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:4–5, ESV). This same reality unites our coalition of churches, including your church. You exist because the Gospel came to you one day in power and in the Holy Spirit with great conviction. You exist as a church for one reason: God loves you. God brought you the Good News that though we have rebelled against Him and deserve His judgment, He has not left us to die in our sin. Instead, He has saved us from our sin. This is the greatest news in all the world: we have been delivered from the ultimate penalty of sin -- death itself! This Gospel is good, and it's the whole reason the International Mission Board exists. It's the whole reason this coalition of churches is working together to send and support missionaries around the world: the multitude of people in the world who have never heard this Gospel. We estimate that there are at least 2.8 billion people today who have little to no knowledge of the Gospel. In other words, no one has ever even told them the Good News of what God has done for us in Jesus. It's not tolerable for us that billions of people in the world still haven't heard this Good News, and together we want to change that. Paul also reminded the Thessalonians that the Gospel is our motivation. The Gospel was driving, compelling, motivating and changing the early Church (1 Thessalonians 1:3). It produced work marked by faith, labor driven by love, and endurance driven by hope. The Thessalonians not only believed the Gospel in their heads and their hearts; it affected their hands. Their love for God and for each other enabled them to endure through the persecution and trials they faced. The Gospel at work in you The same is true today. As you care for one another in the church, and as you love and serve the community around you, that's the Gospel at work in you. Last year, our coalition of churches gave the highest amount we collectively have given in the history of the IMB: $165.8 million (to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions). That broke our all-time record by over $11 million! And when I saw that number come in, I thought, "What a picture of God's grace." What a picture of the Gospel at work in the hearts of God's people, that you would be compelled to give $165.8 million together for the spread of the Gospel around the world. I praise God for your faith-driven work, your love-driven labor, and your hope-driven endurance. I praise God for your Gospel-driven giving. I praise Him that the Gospel is your ambition, just as it was for the Thessalonians, to sound forth God's glory not only in our communities, but around the world. Right now, because of your giving, there are missionaries going up and down the Amazon and proclaiming the Gospel to remote tribes. Right now, people in European cities who are being attacked continually by terror are also hearing the hope of the Gospel because of your giving. Right now, as a result of your giving, there are brothers and sisters spreading the Gospel across West African villages, sub-Saharan countries, Middle Eastern cities, South Asian fields, Central Asian mountains, and Southeast Asian islands. Your faith is literally resounding around the world for the glory of God. A couple of months ago, I was actually in Thessaloniki. The city has become a holding place for refugees fleeing Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran who want to get into Macedonia. I walked late at night on the Macedonian border, north of Thessaloniki, through a sea of refugee tents swimming in mud as freezing rain fell on them. I looked at lines of men and women standing and waiting for small rations of food in the freezing rain, listening to the sounds of their children crying and their babies coughing in these tents, children the same age as my kids. These are men and women just like you and just like me, living in semblance of hell on earth. But here's the good news. Right now, because of your giving, missionaries are living and working right in the middle of those refugees. People from Syria, for example, who have never heard the Gospel before, are hearing it for the first time, and they're responding. One Syrian woman said to our missionary, "I'm tired of being tied to a religion that doesn't offer me hope; I want to be a new person." She, her husband, and their friend all placed their faith in Christ that day and were baptized outside the camp. Two Kurdish brothers whose family had been killed by radicals in Iraq, including their parents right in front of their eyes, straight up said, "We don't want to be Muslim anymore. We want to follow Jesus." A Palestinian-born man who was raised in Syria because of conflict in Palestine, who was separated from his wife and children and not sure when or how in the world he will reunite with them, saw our missionary distributing water. He pulled him aside and asked him two questions. "Do you speak Arabic?" (To which our missionary said, "Yes.") The second question was, "Can you tell me how to become a Christian?" Because of your church's giving, right now refugees are hearing the greatest news in all the world. Or to put it in the words of 1 Thessalonians: because of the Gospel in you and your church, God's glory is sounding forth right at the border of Macedonia, and everywhere around the world. So I want to thank you. And at the same time, I want to encourage and challenge you. I want to encourage you to give all the more generously and all the more sacrificially and all the more cheerfully in the days ahead so that people who have never heard the Gospel might hear this Good News of what God has done for us in Jesus, that they might receive it, just as you have -- and that through them, this Gospel might resound all the more in the world to the glory and praise of God. Take the next step at IMB.org/LMCO. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Platt is the president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. This article originally ran in the Winter 2016 issue of SBC LIFE. #DECEMBER17

This article first appeared in The Alabama Baptist Newspaper on Nov. 16, 2018 BIRMINGHAM, AL – Church shootings are becoming more commonplace in today’s society. Keeping church members safe from active shooters has become a new concern for Southern Baptist pastors and staff. Recently, on Sunday, November 5, the small congregation at First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs Baptist Church, in Texas fell victim to an active shooter who walked into the church about 11:30 a.m. He killed 26 church members, including the pastor’s 14-year-old daughter, and wounded about 20 others before he died from gunshot wounds. The event was an overwhelming tragedy for this close-knit community, home to about 400 residents. Like most small Southern Baptist churches, First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs has minimal church and grounds security. In the wake of such terror, many pastors and church leaders are asking how they can protect their church members against this kind of unexpected violence. Here are some ways to protect your church: (This list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it suggested a church needs to act on all of these recommendations) Hire security guards as a first line of defense. Train volunteer church greeters to be watchful for those who are suspicious and may cause violence. Provide them with two-way radios to report possible danger to an appointed church person. Meet with local police and learn their strategy for responding to an active shooter. Give police a detailed blueprint of every room in the church to be used if they might need to secure the building. Ask police for up-to-date contact information in case of a church crisis and distribute to church leadership/staff. Ask law officials about a lockdown policy for your church to avoid the chaos of an unexpected evacuation. Train your deacons to be watchful before, during, and after church worship services and events. Teach them to be actively aware of people/things that seem out of the ordinary. During worship services, place deacons throughout the sanctuary, balcony, and building. Most church shootings take place after the worship service begins. Consider locking some church entrances after services begin, but use doors that allow members to leave the building if necessary. Put greeters or a security guard outside entrance doors left unlocked to meet latecomers. Establish an emergency plan in the event of an act of violence and practice it regularly. Equip church leaders and staff with information on how to respond to emergencies, as well as how to get police and medical assistance. Create a list of counselors in your area who can be contacted in case of an emergency. Hold a disaster leadership workshop. Ask a local police chief to train appointed key leadership/people in your church to deal with active shooters. Also plan for a post-incident course of action: evacuation and assembly points, witnesses speaking with police, prayer time and counseling, etc. Make the congregation aware of all emergency exits in the building. Ask members to report any concerns and/or anything out of the ordinary to the appointed central person. Teach them what to do in case of an emergency. This can be done with the congregation as a whole or through newsletters and brochures. Practice emergency procedures together as a church on a selected day. In your children’s ministry area, organize a safe system of drop off and pick up for each child. Make sure each volunteer worker with children has passed a criminal background check. Station security volunteers or professionals at the entrance of the children’s area. Report any suspicious persons. In case of an emergency, alert your members to places they can take cover and hide, as well as a designated rally point inside or outside the church. Know your church members, especially those people who have criminal records, a history of violent behavior, or a grudge against the church and/or leadership. Establish a good method to communicate among church leaders, staff, and security teams. Install closed-circuit televisions, alarm systems, and good lighting for church grounds at night, especially in parking lots. When reporting an active shooter, call 911 immediately. Tell first responders the following urgent information (if you know it): The estimated number of shooters The shooter’s location in the building The type of weapon shooter might be using The immediacy of the threat The location of nurseries, children’s ministries, and other sensitive areas Stay on the line to keep police informed about happenings, etc. While church shootings are rare, shooting violence is escalating. Taking preventive measures: carefully-placed safeguards, designated security teams, and a practiced plan of action/evacuation can help Southern Baptist churches avoid the tragic results of active shooters and other acts of violence. Note: To help your church guard against violence and other disasters, you can order a church safety toolkit through GuideStone through a partnership with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company at this website: www.guidestonepropertycasualty.org. The Definition of An Active Shooter An armed person(s) whose action is immediately causing death or great bodily injury. Why the Church May Be Targeted By An Active Shooter Churches are welcoming to strangers, inviting them inside to join worship services and church events; Most churches have no pre planned emergency guidelines or established safety precautions; Security is limited and/or non-existent at many churches; Church members are often too trusting of those who pass through the church doors; Churches may not conduct professional criminal background checks before they allow or hire volunteers to work with children, nurseries, etc. Church worship services provide a shooter with open opportunities to enter church sanctuaries and the greatest number of people to kill or injure at any given time and space. Most outside and inside doors are unlocked and easily accessible. Oftentimes church doors may be left unlocked at night. Who Are the Shooters? Most shooters are in the 19-50 age bracket. Few shooters are under 18 years old. [Church Mutual Insurance Company] More than 90% of shooters are male. The day most shooters choose for violence is Sunday after the worship service begins; the second choice is Wednesday. Although violence can happen at any time, most active shooters choose the hours between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Most shooters kill themselves after inflicting violence, or are stopped through internal intervention. Few shooters are killed by police because most incidents end before police can arrive on the scene. Primary motive for the shooter: revenge Other motives might include: Physical/mental illness Mad at the world Domestic and/or marital problems Child custody disputes Congregation disputes and/or denied services Hatred, anger against church leadership ABOUT THE AUTHOR Denise George, author of 30 books, is co-author of the new Penguin Random House book: The Lost Eleven: The Forgotten Story of Black American Soldiers Brutally Massacred in World War II. She is married to Dr. Timothy George, founding dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, AL. #DECEMBER17