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ALPHARETTA, GA – I took Intermediate Greek in seminary with Dr. John Polhill, and we did our work in Philippians for the entire semester. Each student had to select a passage in Philippians on which to write three exegetical papers. I grew up listening to my dad preach a wonderful message on Philippians 2:1-11, so I selected that passage for my papers. That beautiful passage that some think was an early Christian hymn tells all about the humility of Christ and how he voluntarily set aside privileges that were rightly his in order to serve humanity. I was pumped about digging into the Greek syntax and learning more about it. I studied that passage for four months. I did lexical work, syntactical work and exegetical work. I knew the ins and outs of all the Greek clauses. In fact, I memorized the passage in Greek. You could say I was an expert on Philippians 2. The problem is that while I worked hard to become an intellectual expert on Philippians 2, I didn’t work hard to become a practical expert on it. Far from having the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) and far from displaying the humility of Christ, I actually became more arrogant and prideful. Despite Dr. Polhill’s best efforts to challenge the students, including me, to make this more than an intellectual exercise, I failed to adequately apply the passage to my life. Regretfully, as a young minister, I have often been guilty of arrogance and pride. I have often thought I knew better than my elders. I have often been cocksure that my solutions to the problems were always the correct ones. I still have Philippians 2:5-11 memorized, at least in English, but I often fail in having the mind of Christ. And yet, the other day I was convicted and challenged anew to apply Philippians 2 in my life when I got to see firsthand a brother in Christ powerfully demonstrate the humility of Jesus to me. I met recently with some state convention executive directors. Backstory: I have at times been very critical of state conventions and state convention leaders. So, I was meeting with some men who had every reason to be upset with me. One of the men in the room was Dr. J. Robert White, the executive director of Georgia’s state convention, and he asked to go first. I braced myself wondering what he would say. However, Dr. White turned the conversation on a dime and changed the temperature of the room with his first sentence, “Jonathan, I want to ask you to forgive me.” I was caught off guard and humbled within seconds. Dr. White went on to say that I had written some hurtful things about the Georgia Baptist Convention, and he said that instead of doing the biblical thing that he knew to do—call me or come see me to talk it out like brothers—he chose to just be upset with me. For that he said he was sorry and sought my forgiveness. It was such a powerful moment. I was almost moved to tears and did choke up when it was my turn to speak (especially since it’s a ministry of Georgia Baptists that led my mom to faith in Christ while she lived at the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home). It was a powerful moment because Dr. White displayed the mind of Christ. Dr. White is a man in a very important position. He is my elder. He has tenure in ministry longer than I have been alive. He honestly didn’t owe me anything. I hadn’t had the respect or courtesy to call him or sit down with him before I wrote those things. And yet, he voluntarily humbled himself before me. He apologized to me. He sought my forgiveness. In that moment I was reminded of Philippians 2 again, and I knew that’s the kind of man I want to be. I was staggered. I was humbled by Dr. White. Of course, I forgave him and I sought his forgiveness in return. In my zeal to see more resources get to the places with little to no gospel witness, I have sometimes been guilty of being uncharitable to other brothers and have arrogantly thought my proposed solutions are the only right ones. Dr. White graciously forgave me as well. It was an encouraging and convicting meeting—one I’ll never forget. And it’s a reminder to me that knowing the Word is one thing but practicing the Word is quite another. I hope this will be a challenge to all students and young pastors. I know it’s a challenge to me. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5) and “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jonathan Akin, pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Lebanon, TN, since 2011, has been named to begin a young leader initiative of the SBC Executive Committee and North American Mission Board to better engage pastors between the ages of 25-45. This article first appeared in The Christian Index, newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention and more recently in the Southern Baptist Texan newsjournal. #MAY17

MIDLAND, MI – Southern Baptists have long insisted that the local church is primary in our denomination and that associations and conventions are secondary – existing to serve the local church so it can carry out its mission. The local church does not exist to serve associations and conventions. (Jesus never said, “I will build my association” or “I will build my convention.”) Since denominational entities exist to serve the churches, we believe churches should be directing the convention rather than the convention directing the churches. Southern Baptists also believe that stronger, healthier churches result in stronger, healthier associations which ultimately result in stronger, healthier state and national conventions. In other words, it is advantageous for associations and conventions to serve and invest in the churches because, in the long run, they will benefit from it. Associational leaders across Michigan believe that the local Association can play a vital biblical role in helping our churches fulfill the Great Commission. We desire to see Associational Champions arise, receive training and take leadership in the Associations that lack Associational Missionaries. This Champion would become a Pastor-to-Pastors and attempt to build community, trust, fellowship and relationships. As this occurs, he would learn and understand the uniqueness of each pastor and his church, their needs, and how the Association could best serve them. Occasional Association-wide events could serve to rebuild relationships, trust, provide opportunities for networking between churches and pastors, and such events would allow everyone to celebrate what God is doing in the local churches. Things like this would strengthen and encourage the churches and pastors in that area. Bay Area Baptist Associational missionary, David Roberts, says, “We believe there needs to be more ‘cooperation’ among our churches and less ‘program’. We need more associating so we can get more done together than we can do alone. Sometimes churches and pastors needlessly suffer and struggle because they feel they are alone in the work. Listen… YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And the best way to experience the reality of cooperation where you are is to get involved in your local Association and start fellowshipping with other pastors and other churches. If the Association you are a ‘member’ of is not functioning, START A NEW ONE! You don’t need anyone’s permission to do that. You know what you need where you are and you know what you have where you are. How can you use that to elicit, combine and direct the energy of the Southern Baptist pastors and congregations in your part of Michigan?” If any of your state Associational Missionaries can help you revamp and revitalize your Association (or start a new one), reach out to them and let them know. We want to do whatever we can to make that happen. It’s time to move forward in Michigan. We need each other. Let’s do it together! There are five associational missionaries who serve across Michigan: Jon Beard (Motor Cities Metro) Jim Glidewell (South Central) Jim Marcus (Genesee) David Roberts (Bay Area Baptist) Chuck Turner (Central and Lendale) There are 14 Associations of Southern Baptist Churches in Michigan, eight of which do not have an Associational Missionary: Greater Detroit Huron Northwest Pines Southeastern Southwestern Upper Peninsula Woodland Michigan Associational leaders have asked Jim Marcus to serve as Associational Liaison to the BSCM to represent Associations of churches and advocate on their behalf. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roberts has 23 years of pastoral ministry experience in MI, NY and NC and has served as an Associational Missionary in the Bay Association for 2.5 years. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – There are many demands on the time of not just Pastors, but their wives as well. Those demands can make if very difficult for them to just get away together for a few hours and focus on their own relationship. In the month of April, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) partnered with Lifeway to make that get away a little bit easier. They sponsored two “Pastor’s Date Night” events. One was held April 20th at the First Baptist Church of Dewitt in the Lansing area. The other was set at the Epicurean House in the Greater Detroit area. Pastors and their wives were invited to enjoy a meal and childcare was provided. After the meal, a panel of seasoned, ministry couples took anonymous questions on such topics as; raising children in a ministry setting, when children rebel, romantic life, dating, balancing life and ministry, dealing with conflict, the wife’s calling, and emotional struggles like depression. The panel included; Dr. Tim Patterson, executive director of the BSCM and his wife, Sabrina, Billy and Laurie Walker and Mark and Janet Dance. The three couples transparently shared about the highs and lows of serving Christ in pastoral and church staff ministry. To top off the evening, Lifeway gave each husband and wife gift boxes worth $250. One of the BSCM’s major priorities in strengthening churches, and keeping the marriages of Michigan Baptist leaders strong is an important way to achieve that goal. BSCM State Director of Evangelism, Mike Durbin said, “It was great to see Michigan Baptist pastors and wives connecting with each other.” #MAY17

Introduction by Tony Lynn: Every now and then you see the right thing. That is how Grace Ferraro, her family, and her church captured my attention. This 11 year old has been shaped by God through the ministry of her family and church. I am dreaming of a day when all of our families and churches are developing more young women like Grace. GARDEN CITY, MI – Hi, my name is Grace Ferraro and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I am 11 years old and I am in the 6th grade. I live in Garden City, Michigan. I am a member at Merriman Road Baptist Church. I am homeschooled along with 5 brothers and a sister. In my free time I enjoy doing ballet. I love missions and telling people about Jesus. I will first tell you about how I made jewelry for the More Beautiful than Diamonds Boutique. At a women’s event at our church I was in the kitchen helping to cook the food. I saw the ladies out in the gym selling items. I asked them why and they told me they were giving it to a shelter for women and girls who were taken and forced to do things they did not want to do. I wanted to help so that weekend I went home and made about 30 pieces of jewelry for the boutique. Another mission activity that I did was help my dad with a backyard Bible club in Dearborn. The kids that were invited were Muslim, and some of them did not speak English. To tell the Bible stories we used a big picture Bible. We played games, made cupcakes, and colored with chalk. The children were happy that we came even though most of them did not understand us. My dad and I also got to attend the North American Mission Board’s SEND Conference in California. The first night we were at dinner and we invited our waiter Saul to the conference with us. He had attended Bible College and was very excited to go with us. I really liked hearing David Platt speak and hearing the bands. It was a wonderful experience. On Wednesday nights, at my church, I attend Girls in Action. During our class we study missionaries, pray for them, and do mission projects. This past year we collected food for the food pantry, hosted a tea party for the girls who attend our Vacation Bible School, we went to the nursing home to hand out Christmas mugs, decorated bags for children in foster care and filled them with items that would be their own, we hosted a car in our city’s Trunk or Treat, handed out water at the local 5k race, and we made cards for our pastors to hand out when they visit the hospital. My teachers, Mrs. Maureen Gray, Mrs. Jessica Kogelmann, and Ms. Erica Horton take a lot of time to prepare all the mission activities we do with our group. I learn so much about doing and giving to others. I also enjoy reading missionary stories with my family. We usually read these with my mom before bed. My mom also took me to a women’s retreat at the Bambi Lake Retreat and Conference Center where I learned and talked about missions. My favorite missionary story is Temple Runaway. It is about Amy Carmichael. When she was a young girl she wished she had blue eyes like her mother. She prayed over and over again that God would change her eyes blue. Amy grew up to become a missionary in India. God used her to help save almost 1000 children from slavery in Hindu temples. If God had changed her eyes to blue, she would not have been able to sneak into the Temples dressed as an Indian woman and save the children. It makes me sad that girls and women are being kidnapped, children are forced to be slaves, and people die because they are Christians. If I could have my mission dream it would be to start a church among the Amish. My favorite time period is the 1800’s. I love the way they dress, how they cook and grow their own food, how they have farms, the way they go to school in a one room schoolhouse, and the slower way of life. The Amish live very similar to the way they did in the 1800’s. The Amish need a missionary that is willing to live like them, so they would be willing to listen to them. I pray that God would open the door one day for me to go and serve among the Amish. I hope that churches in Michigan keep giving to our missionaries so they can keep helping the woman and girls that are being kidnapped, children that are stuck as slaves, and people that die because of their lack of faith in Jesus Christ. If you want to know how to impact girls in your church contact Sue Hodnett, our BSCM Women’s Ministry and Women’s Missionary Union consultant at sue@bscm.org. #MAY17

ALPHARETTA, GA – What would it look like for a generation of collegiate Christians to live their lives on mission? What would happen if this generation leveraged their careers, their majors and the places they live for the sake of the gospel and for the needs of their neighbors? These are the years when you can discover your place in God’s great work, to see where your gifts and passions intersect with the greatest needs in North America. We want to connect you to opportunities to “taste and see” what it looks like when you live your life on mission. It might be in one of the great urban cities of North America or in the rural hills of Appalachia. It could be helping to plant a church, meeting the needs of refugees, rebuilding a community after a disaster or freeing those trapped in human trafficking. In the end, it is all about being the hands and feet of Christ and taking the gospel to those who need to hear the good news of a great Savior. If you are ready to take the next step in leveraging your life for your King, take a look at the opportunities to serve. Come join us! Let’s see what an army of collegians can do in the hands of an almighty and unstoppable God. Get involved, to learn more: https://www.namb.net/send-relief/collegiate-mobilization GENSEND The world is in desperate need of more men and women to respond to His voice when He asks, “whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” The millennial generation is ready to answer the call. The GenSend 6-week summer program is designed to be one of the most exciting, intense and unique student missionary experiences in North America. It immerses young adults into an urban context in one of 15 cities where they gain practical knowledge of the realities of missions and leadership. Participants will spend their time learning to live life on mission under the guidance of urban ministry leaders. While reinforcing gospel foundations and simple missiological practices, the intention of GenSend is to be an extension of the local church’s church planting and mission efforts, allowing students to taste what it is like to be a church planter or missionary. Matthew 9:37-38 “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” How you can help: “Invest” Support these students financially while they go out to cities across North America. Would you consider giving, or sponsoring as a group, the approximate $3,900 to send one student as he or she seeks to answer the call of missions? Estimated Costs for six weeks: Lodging: $1,600 Food: $1,200 Travel and Commuting: $1,100 Total: $3,900 To learn more, sign up or give visit: https://www.namb.net/send-relief/generation-send #MAY17

WASHINGTON, DC – Among the Pew Forum’s findings for 2015 in its study of 198 countries: 40 percent of the world's countries have "high" or "very high" levels overall of restrictions/hostilities, a rise of six percent from 2014. 79 percent of the world's population lives in these countries, a hike of five percent. 53 percent of countries reported "widespread government harassment of religious groups," an increase of 10 percent. 12 percent of countries documented more than 200 cases of the use of government force against religious groups, a growth of one percent. Among factors in the global increase in social animosities were rises in religiously related mob violence, assaults against and displacement of people of faith, and attacks to impose religious rules. Southern Baptist religious freedom leader Russell Moore said in response to the Pew report, "For millions, including many of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world, conscience freedom is constantly in peril. This new data confirms how urgent the need is for advocacy on behalf of so many who face danger for their convictions. “I pray that the United States would continue its important work for global religious freedom and, more importantly, that the church of Jesus Christ would tirelessly work and pray for our fellow believers who are being persecuted by Caesar," said Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, in written comments for Baptist Press. Government harassment and use of force against religious groups surged in 2015, Pew reported. Four of the five geographic regions examined in the report -- the Middle East-North Africa, Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and Europe -- had increases in these categories. Europe experienced the greatest growth in government harassment or use of force against religious groups, with 53 percent of its countries showing such increases in 2015, according to the study. Sub-Saharan Africa was next, with 48 percent of its countries experiencing growth in such actions. The Middle East-North Africa, however, continues to lead all regions, with 95 percent of its countries marked by government harassment or use of force against religious bodies. In Europe, Jews and Muslims experienced social hostilities in more countries than did Christians, according to Pew. Such animosities against Jews were found in 33 of Europe's 45 countries and against Muslims in 32 European countries. Christians experienced such hostilities in 21 countries. Harassment and the use of force by European governments against Muslims came in a year when 1.3 million immigrants -- more than half from the Muslim-majority countries of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria -- sought asylum on the continent, Pew noted. It also was a year marked by threats and deadly attacks by Islamic terrorists in European countries. Worldwide, Christians and Muslims continue to be harassed in the largest number of countries, according to the study. The number of countries in which Christians were harassed jumped from 108 to 128 in 2015. For Muslims, the number surged from 100 to 125. Twenty-three countries had "very high" levels of government limitations in 2015, an increase of seven from 2014. At the top of the list were Egypt, China, Iran, Russia, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Syria and Morocco. Last year, the U.S. State Department designated 10 "countries of particular concern," a category reserved for especially severe violators of religious liberty. They were Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. For its study, Pew relied on nearly a dozen sources, including annual reports from the State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The Pew study may be accessed at http://www.pewforum.org/2017/04/11/global-restrictions-on-religion-rise-modestly-in-2015-reversing-downward-trend/?utm_source=adaptivemailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17-04-11%20religious%20restrictions&org=982&lvl=100&ite=947&lea=204503&ctr=0&par=1&trk=. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief 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. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – I have done some pretty lame things in my life that to this day still send a rush of blood-surging embarrassment through my being. Now these acts of misguided judgement were not really malicious or done with evil intent, but were just not real smart. Like the time several of my high school freshmen friends and I decided to sneak into the county pool late one hot summer night for a cool respite from the oppressive heat of a West Texas night and to have a few laughs. Everything went well until the evening police patrol noticed the highly agitated water in a pool that should have been calm and proceeded to investigate. We saw the headlights from their cruiser turn toward the pool enclosure, which caused us to scramble like a covey of quail. When the officers entered the pool area, they simply followed the wet foot prints we left behind, to an equipment shack where they found us huddled together, wearing only smiles and our goose-pimpled birthday suits. That was embarrassing enough, but the embarrassment intensified when they marched us down the sprawling boulevard of School Street, in nothing but our underwear. There, in all of our damp and almost nude bodies, a group of cheerleaders, who just happened to be out painting the street at 1:00am, gained new insight into what freshmen boys looked like without their clothes. It has always been my belief that some of those cheerleaders were never the same again, and required months of psychological counseling to help them cope with the horror they had witnessed. It was not a pretty sight. I heard of another embarrassing situation that occurred in a large regional airport. It was the kind of thing that I probably would have done. It seems as though while waiting at the airport terminal for her plane to begin boarding, a woman sat reading a newspaper. Earlier, she had purchased a package of cookies in the airport snack shop to eat after she got on the plane. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the man sitting next to her was eating a cookie. She looked down and noticed that her package of cookies had been opened and the man was eating them. The woman couldn’t believe that the man would have such nerve as to eat her cookies. So that she wouldn’t lose all of her cookies to the man, she slowly reached over, took a cookie, and ate one herself. To her amazement, the man continued to eat more cookies. Getting more and more irritated, the woman removed all but one cookie from the package and ate them. At that point, the man reached down and took the last cookie. Before eating it, though, he broke it in half and left half of the cookie for the woman. This made the woman so angry; she grabbed the empty package with the half cookie and crammed it in her purse. Then, to her shock, she noticed that there in her purse was her unopened package of cookies. My mother always told me to “look before you leap.” I thought that only applied to my physical escapades as a child, but as I have grown in stature and maturity, I have come to understand that it has much more to do with life than leaping. In my estimation, we as a nation, have become a people who react to things instead of making thoughtful responses. Facts, circumstances and history have little to do with our reactions. We immediately assume the worst in a matter or of a person, and then let our emotions dictate our actions. This kind of reasoning or the lack of, will create an atmosphere that is ripe for embarrassment. I know. I excel at this! It has and will cause embarrassment not only for us but also for our Lord and His church. If there is one thing that I have learned in life it is I don’t like to be embarrassed and to keep that from happening, I would do well to follow my dad’s advice. “Son, don’t never assume nothing and don’t mess with another man’s cookies.” Think about it. Proverbs 12:18 Book of the Month: Be sure to check out Tim’s recommendation for valuable resources you should have on your bookshelf. 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. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – Horton Hears a Who! was written by Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel and published in 1954. Born in 1959 the book was one of my childhood favorites. Today when I close my eyes, I can still hear my mother’s sweet voice reading those famous words, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” The book's struggle to save Whoville is enclosed in the efforts of two individuals: Horton the Elephant and Jojo, who stopped playing with his yo-yo long enough to utter the word, “Yopp!” Jojo’s one additional, tiny voice caused all of Horton’s skeptical friends to finally save Whoville because “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” This month, as we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 14 and the Baptist Association Emphasis from May 21-28, we are celebrating powerful collaborations like that of Horton and Jojo. Here are two examples from my history. First, my mother was a peacemaker and created partnerships out of moments of occasional discord. When one of my sisters and I squabbled over something Mom would say, “Okay you two. There are dishes to wash. Get in the kitchen. One of you wash and the other dry. Get going.” If you knew my mother you would understand her smile never left her face while she gently gave those directions. She knew what she was doing. In seconds, whatever had put my sister and me at odds vanished. We would grumble in whispers, “She waits for us to fight just so we will do her dishes. That’s not fair.” Today, my mom reports that she was willing to be the bad guy so that my sister and I would rally together. Second, after I decided to follow Christ as member of the First Baptist Church of Swartz Creek I joined the church’s youth group. I learned the joy of being connected with other teens. To this day, I especially remember the precious couple that persuaded our youth group to interact with the other youth groups in the local area. We called that group of churches an association. The couple that enlarged our naïve, adolescent idea of God’s Kingdom was Brother Dwain and Dawn Lairamore. This precious couple made time for teenagers after spending long hours at the office and in meetings with adults who led associational churches. Brother Dwain and Miss Dawn invested their lives in teenagers of the seventies in Genesee Baptist Association. Today, as a result of their investment and belief in us, many of us are serving the Lord in churches throughout Michigan, throughout the world, and on mission fields where other languages are spoken. As we move into the future, I want to say thank you to those who partnered together and contributed to my life. Each individual contributed something worthwhile. I have learned something from every person in my life. I am the total of all that I have experienced from those who loved me. From the very first who held me upon my birthday to the ones who continue to speak into my life and share my experiences, to all of you I am grateful. Let me encourage you in something important as I reflect on the collaborations my mom created, the partnership of churches, and the imagination of Dr. Seuss with Horton and Jojo. Here in Michigan we pride ourselves on being self-reliant. As individuals we boast, “Count on me I can do it.” Or we utter, “Even if no one else commits, I will.” Those phrases are heroic and inspiring. But might it be that collaborations between the smallest to the biggest of us are the strength of our future? I hope as members that we will collaborate. I pray that as churches we will cooperate. I want to see our congregations associate, doing more together than each church could ever do apart from one another. Paul wrote in Romans 15:5-6 (NLT), “May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Did you catch the condition within these verses? We can give praise and glory to God after we live in complete harmony with each other. What might that praise and glory look like in your life? In your church? In Michigan? In the world? Join a partnership this summer and attempt something risky for the Lord. 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. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – One of my first experiences as a follower of Jesus with our larger Baptist family was at Bambi Lake. The Genesee Baptist Association scheduled a winter youth retreat. Students from churches all over Genesee County packed the retreat center for an incredible weekend of worship, fellowship, and fun. Our youth group (First Baptist Church of Swartz Creek) was scheduled to present the plan of salvation in one of the sessions. I remember getting the assignment to lead none other than Dr. Tony Lynn to Jesus (I got to baptize him too, but that's another story). I had only been a believer for a few months, but I accepted the challenge. There in the downstairs chapel of the Lodge at Bambi, I shared the Gospel with Tony. To be totally transparent, he had to help me get through parts of the presentation, but I did ok for a new believer. That retreat made an impression on my life. It was encouraging to see scores of other teen-aged believers together. God was moving in our lives as we gathered around His Word and worshipped. I learned that the retreat happened because local churches worked together through their association to plan the event. Our youth group wasn't big enough to put together a retreat like that on our own. I doubt that any of the other churches were able to do so either, but together they did an awesome job. A sense of community and mission was established as sister churches worked together. It was the first of countless times I experienced an association at work. I learned quickly that sharing Christ was at the heart of bringing churches together in associational life. The Genesee association asked me to share my personal testimony at an event they planned. It was scheduled for the night of my 18th birthday. I had been looking forward to that day for many years. It meant no more sneaking around, fake ID's, or having to get someone to buy for me. On the night that I became "legal", I stood before a packed church and shared how I came to Christ. Jesus dramatically changed my life and I wanted everyone to know Him. It was the first of many evangelistic emphases I have participated in with other associational churches. God called me to preach as I neared the end of high school. In my college and seminary days, I had a lot more enthusiasm than experience or knowledge. The English Baptist Church called me as their pastor. It wasn't long before there was a death in the church family, and I got a call asking me to officiate the funeral service. If memory serves me, the only funeral I had ever been to at that time was my grandmother's when I was twelve. I had no clue what to do or say, so I called a retired pastor who was serving as the Director of Missions for our local association. He gave me an outline for the service, scriptures to use, and some helps for the message. Years later, I got a similar call from a young pastor needing help for one of his first funeral services. I learned early in ministry that the local association connected me to people who could help me and people I could help. Some of the most practical and beneficial training I've experienced has been in the association. The local association is a champion for missions to our churches. It was the local association that gave me the opportunity to really interact with some Southern Baptist Missionaries. The churches we served faithfully supported missions through the Cooperative Program. We read stories about our missionaries and prayed for them during our mission emphases. There were hundreds of them, but we didn't really get to know one until our association had a World Mission's Conference. The church planned special services so we could hear from North American, International, State, and Associational Missionaries. We listened as they told stories about their ministries, shared meals together, and transported them to other churches to speak. I can still remember the first time one of them asked, "Have you ever considered missions?" I hadn't, but the question immediately grabbed Shar's heart (my wife). The association brought missionaries to our churches, and God used them to speak to our lives. For many of us, it made missions come alive. We felt the heartbeat of God for a lost world as they shared. They challenged us to pray more fervently, give more generously, and serve more willingly. Our lives have been forever impacted by the association and their work with local churches. We are living proof of just how valuable the association is to the local church yesterday, today and for tomorrow. 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. #MAY17

ROSCOMMON, MI – With Mother’s day just around the corner I have been thinking about my own mother and qualities that make her so special. As a boy I was stubborn, threw temper-tantrums, kept a messy room, well, I think you get the picture. Obviously just being my mom gives her the distinguished title and position of “special”. However, among the many things that endear her to me, the one trait I have come to appreciate the most, is her prayer life. No matter the circumstance or situation, she is fully confident her Father in Heaven is listening and active in the moment. I have seen her walk through financial woes, health setbacks, family drama and the passing of my dad with a humble boldness and peace that only comes from a strong personal prayer life. Even now she faithfully prays for my brother, myself and our families. In 1 Thessalonians 5 we are encouraged to rejoice always, pray constantly and give thanks in everything. I believe praying always is the key. It’s hard to feel hopeless when you pray. It’s hard to be ungrateful when you pray. Continually communicating with our Heavenly Father is the bedrock of a growing, authentic relationship that allows us to filter every situation through His eyes and rely confidently on His strength for each day. I have seen my mom personify this in her life and I hope one day my kids will say the same thing about me. Thanks, Mom. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Schatz, State Director of Spiritual Enrichments and Retreats since March 1, 2017 when he moved from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. He and his wife Jackie have 3 children, Julia, Noah, and Emily. #MAY17

FENTON, MI – Did you know dozens of missionaries live near you? They do and you can find them and their email addresses at: www.bscm.org/SendMeMI. Each of these men and their wives are considered missionaries. They have answered God’s call to plant a church. Yet, in other ways these men and couples are a lot like you. They have bills to pay. They have children who become ill. They are caring for aging parents. They need date nights. They need encouragement. They need your prayers. I will share a few examples. Daniel Tackett is a Detroit police officer and police chaplain. Tackett often works the night shift and then after brief hours of sleep connects daily with the church leadership and members. His wife and family are passionate partners in the ministry. Despite their early stage at the church, Tackett has two associate pastors helping the church in outreach and discipleship in Wyandotte. Our church planters serve in a variety of settings: Rural communities Small towns Lakeside resorts Medium-sized cities Suburbs Urban pockets of Detroit Stanley McLellan is the pastor in Standish. Retired women make up the church membership and faithful, and support McLellan as Pastor. They are waiting on a miracle of new and continual growth. The women report that McLellan, who suffers from cerebral palsy and is legally blind, has led them in some of the best Bible teaching they have ever received over the years. Our church planting families are different in their make-up: Single men Young couples with no children Young couples with plenty of children Middle-aged couples with adult children out of the home Semi-retired couples redeploying as missionaries Drew Ansley labors in Detroit on two fronts. First, he and his wife disciple residents and the homeless of his area often times allowing them to live with them and their daughter in their home. Those who share their home are overcoming addictions and dark phases in their lives. Secondly, Ansley is focused on reaching the students of Wayne County Community Colleges. Ansley, a Florida surfer who moved to Michigan, impressed me one day when he said, “Tony, I focus on the students at the community colleges knowing that most of them will remain in Detroit after graduation. If I can reach them for Christ during their college years and they remain in the community then Detroit will really be transformed.” I thought, “Wow!” Our church plants are at different stages of growth, some are: Getting started and gathering a core team of volunteers Growing rapidly and consistently Leveling off on a plateau and must redefine their future advances Less than 1 year old, many are 1-3 years old, and a few are 7 years old David Pennell and his tireless team organized a short-term solution for the homeless and helpless in Menominee. Church members join Pennell daily caring for those in need. In a former Catholic school, Pennell and his team feed school children before they are transported to nearby public schools. The daily morning devotion time is where the adults are instructed in the Bible and vent their feelings. Everyone feels the mutual sense of family and connection whether you are there for days or a few weeks. Stories of rebuilding and renewal occur each month. Local business people and vendors participate and believe in what Pennell and the church are doing for their city. On occasion, I hear people say, “I would like to meet some missionaries.” Well, here is your opportunity. Let me suggest you plan two or three getaways this summer traveling throughout Michigan. Locate the church planter and location that peaks your interest and make plans to visit their church. While traveling, here are some ways in which you can assist or encourage the missionaries serving in Michigan: Pray for them & send them a note letting them know you prayed Visit a church plant and express your gratitude face to face to the family Gather a special offering and give it to the church plant Ask the church planter for a special need that requires funds and mobilize people in your church to collect until the amount is achieved and then celebrate with the church plant Ask the church planter if you can organize a short-term event or ministry that would increase relationships for the new church; such as, Vacation Bible School, a concert, door-to-door gifts and invitations, remodeling/updating the building or church yard, or follow one of your inspirational ideas Whether you are in a new church plant or a church celebrating a 40-year anniversary our mission is the same, we’re here to punch holes in the darkness and lead our neighbors to Christ. Please, take time to look at www.bscm.org/SendMeMI. 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. #APRIL17

GRANDVILLE, MI – Easter is the most important Sunday of the year! It’s the day when many people who don't attend church regularly go to church. When I was a kid, I can remember going out the Saturday before Easter to buy new clothes, because on Easter Sunday everyone dressed up. It was important to look good on Easter, and for some reason wearing a tie equalled “best.” It was the only Sunday I wore a tie as a kid to church. I remember singing songs, and people being more excited about being together. I remember hearing more “Amens” on that day than any other Sunday the rest of the year. I remember it was very clear who we were worshipping as well. We were all gathered together, dressed in our best, to worship the Resurrected King! Why did we make sure we were in church that day? Why were we dressed in what we thought was our best? Why were we more excited to worship and gather together? Because it was the Superbowl of Sundays’… It was Easter Sunday! Now, as I am in the process of leading a Church plant, which will be two years old this Easter, I have a different view than I did when I was a kid. We wrestled with these questions when embracing the prompting of the Spirit to plant Redemption Church in Grandville, Michigan. Even though we go all out at Easter… What if what we celebrated on Easter, we celebrated every single time we gathered as a church? What if Jesus' resurrection was not just celebrated once a year, but celebrated every week? What if we realized that Jesus is the point of our existence? What if every message brought people into a deeper understanding of all that is ours in Christ? What if we understood that the Gospel is the most profound message the world has ever heard? What if we understood the great depths of the Gospel and had a commitment to never move past it? What if we recognized that if we move past the Gospel, then our message would turn into moralism? What if we realized that Hell will be full of really good moral people? What if we never told our people what to do without first reminding them of what Jesus has done? What if we were convinced of this important biblical truth-that we would never give a message where Jesus wasn’t the point? What if we understood that the person and work of Jesus is the greatest motivation in our obedience to him? What if we understood that God has you where he has you to advance the Gospel through you? What if we embraced the reality that everybody around me has been intentionally placed there by the Lord? What if we understood that everything we do is because Jesus is the point? What if we believed that Jesus changes everything? How would this change everything? Whether you're reading this right before Easter Sunday, or two weeks after Easter Sunday, or even if you’re reading this in mid December, know that this coming Sunday is another HUGE opportunity to celebrate the glorious truths of the Gospel, the reality that Jesus is alive, and that HE changes everything! What if we never missed the main point and we realized that Jesus is the main point, and further, realize that Jesus wasn’t joking when He said… John 5:39, “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Josh Tovey is Lead Pastor of Redemption Church in Grandville, Michigan. Redemption will be two years old in April of 2017. Redemption has been blessed to see God move in mighty ways in their short history. We are currently praying through what God is calling us to do next to reach greater Grand Rapids for Jesus. Redemption is excited about future opportunities to multiple what God is currently doing in Grandville throughout West Michigan. #APRIL17