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WINDSOR, ONTARIO – When I was a young pastor, I confided in a dear saint who attended our church. Retired, traditional beyond measure, and a spiritual legalist, he loved Jesus deeply but carried some weird ideas about ministry and the Christian life. He told me it was a sin for a pastor to be discouraged. With his thick German accent, he chided me for feeling blue that day. It took me a long time to shake the guilt and shame that he piled on my shoulders, and from time to time I still think about that interaction. Charles Spurgeon faced a lifelong battle with discouragement. Spurgeon saw discouragement as such a normal part of ministry that he included a lecture called “The Minister’s Fainting Fits” in his Lectures to My Students. “Our work, when earnestly undertaken, lays us open to attacks in the direction of depression. Who can bear the weight of souls without sometimes sinking to the dust? Passionate longings after men’s conversion, if not fully satisfied (and when are they?), consume the soul with anxiety and disappointment. To see the hopeful turn aside, the godly grow cold, professors abusing their privileges, and sinners waxing more bold in sin—are not these sights enough to crush us to the earth?” (https://www.crossway.org/articles/the-ministers-fainting-fits/) Put this way, it would be unusual not to feel discouraged as pastors. We all battle with feelings of discouragement or despair. Spurgeon went on to say, “By all the castings down of his servants God is glorified, for they are led to magnify him when again he sets them on their feet, and even while prostrate in the dust their faith yields him praise. They speak all the more sweetly of his faithfulness, and are the more firmly established in his love.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote a classic book on this subject entitled Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure. The central text of the book is from Psalm 42:5. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Just as the psalmist rebukes his own soul over the gloom that has cast it down, reasoning with himself that God is still worthy of praise, Lloyd-Jones makes this observation: The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: ‘Why art thou cast down’–what business have you to be disquieted? You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, condemn yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself: ‘Hope thou in God’–instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: “I shall yet praise Him….” (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures, pp. 20-21) Pastors are not the only ones who get discouraged, of course. Doctors, accountants, schoolteachers, and retail salespeople all face discouragement too. But pastoral ministry has its own set of unique pressures. It’s why, when Paul listed his sufferings — “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” — he finished the list by saying, “I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NIV). The churches were a source of joy to Paul, but they also produced concern or anxiety (ESV) for him. So, we pastors are not so different from Paul in this regard. We experience the highest highs and the lowest lows by virtue of being pastors in the glorious church of God! If you’re a pastor, expect to be discouraged. It’s not necessarily a sign that you’re doing something wrong, that you have sinned, that everyone is against you, or that your ministry is over. It is par for the course. Even while prostrate in the dust, put your hope in God and praise him (Psalm 42:5 NIV). ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Garth Leno is the Pastor/Planter Care Specialist with the BSCM. He serves in a similar role with the Canadian National Baptist Convention, and he is the founding pastor of The Gathering Church in Windsor, Ontario, a church he planted with his wife, Patty, and a few of their friends. #AUGUST23

INDEPENDENCE, MO (BP) – Ten years ago Brian Grout accepted a call to be the pastor for what would soon become The Church at Three Trails. Approximately 200 people were on the membership role. That number has dropped by half since then. On the surface it can appear to be a negative, but the surface hardly tells the whole story. When Grout arrived, the church hadn’t baptized anyone in at least five years, but there have been approximately 55 since. Attendance hovered at 15 to start. Now it is consistently at 75-80. Leaner yet stronger, there are opportunities to grow internally and outwardly. The steady growth was all but wiped out by COVID, but the church slowly built back. Three Trails ministers in an area where 60 percent of the populace makes around $29,000 or less per year, Grout said. There is also a lot of turnover in residents. The Church at Three Trails offers a sense of stability through sharing the Gospel as well as focusing on where the church can best contribute to its community at the moment. “COVID killed a lot of things for us,” Grout said. One of those was a strong partnership with a nearby school that included monthly, home-cooked breakfasts by senior adult ladies delivered to teachers. Church members also took part in a school-connected program that encouraged relationship-building in families through simple means such as having dinner together and engaging in conversation with each other. The church has four official staff members, all bivocational. Grout’s full-time job is as a field missionary for the Multiplying Churches group with the Missouri Baptist Convention. His wife, Sarah, has been a key leader in the women’s ministry. She had led worship before the arrival of associate pastor Chris Bailey and still fills that role whenever needed. Grout estimates that 70 percent of his church members serve in some role, from teaching to greeting. “We highlight our volunteers about once a month through social media and videos on Sunday morning. They explain what they do and the reward they get from it,” Grout said. There are steps to ward off burnout among volunteers. Sunday mornings, for instance, are dedicated to worship with Bible study classes typically taking place throughout the week when best suited for participants. Should groups want to hold theirs at the church on Sunday mornings, that would be fine as well. There is value to ministry developing organically. The large-scale outreach events that Three Trails used to host are fine, but crowds of attendees weren’t leading to new church members and disciples. Instead, church leadership focused on encouraging members to think of themselves as missionaries. “We have discipleship programs on Wednesdays and things like that, but we don’t want there to be something at the church every night,” Grout said. “We want our people engaged with others, inviting them into their homes, building relationships and being a missionary whether it’s on the softball field or riding Harleys.” That’s a real example of a Three Trails church member. Another one who was a recovering addict asked to host a support group at the church. The missionary mindset has also led to beginner guitar classes for children and a Hapkido self-defense class. “We encourage our people to be the Gospel light wherever they are,” Grout said. It is healthy for churches to assess their ministry gaps and effectiveness, noted a recent Lifeway Research post. “Maximizing disciple-making in today’s world requires agile, responsive leadership that cuts past the noise of models, and instead focuses on real-time evaluation of outcomes (or fruit) on your people’s journeys,” wrote Clint Grider, author of “Mind the Gap.” “I’m the guy who doesn’t want to repeat what other churches are doing,” Grout said. “When I first got here our people suggested we start a food pantry. I pointed out that there were four churches within a mile who did that, so instead of starting another one let’s support them. “We want to be flexible, to evaluate and not get bogged down in things that are ineffective. If we try something new and it doesn’t work, at least we gave it a shot.” As a pastor he is called to lead, but also called to listen. “Know your people. Love your people. Serve your people,” he said. “And encourage them to know their friends, love their friends and serve their friends.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #AUGUST23

Cuban Baptists are poised to go to the nations. International Mission Board teams are eager to receive these missionary candidates as Global Missionary Partners. But it’s sometimes difficult for them to get visas, and at times, when they do, they’re finding it hard to renew them. Prayer is desperately needed as these potential Cuban Global Missionary Partners face obstacles in procuring visas, in many countries, and sufficient funding. Currently, more than 50 potential missionaries in Cuba are preparing to go. These missionaries, backed by the mission boards of the Cuban Baptist conventions on the eastern and western sides of the island, are largely sent by funds provided through the Cubans to the Nations project. Cuban GMPs ready to serve include Saul and Dora. This couple was working with the lost in Colombia. Both the husband and wife are musicians, and they’ve been able to use their musical giftings to compose songs, sharing the gospel in the musical style of each of the people groups. They’re now back in Cuba awaiting reassignment because of visa issues. Another Cuban missionary family also worked with unreached groups in Colombia. The husband is a doctor, and he was able to provide medical and gospel access to several communities. The wife is a musician. She was able to work with the other GMP musicians to share the gospel through music. Currently, they are also back in Cuba waiting to be reassigned because their visas were denied. There are other candidates ready to be deployed, but they’re awaiting visa approval and funding to enter their assigned countries. These missionaries can bring gospel access to places many Americans have trouble reaching with their U.S. passports. This is largely due to governmental relationships between Cuba and various hard-to-access countries, Roy Cooper, an IMB team leader in Latin America, explained. He and his wife, Dirce, have worked with the Cuban church for more than 20 years. Ronald and his family are examples of Cuban GMPs who still have valid visas and are impacting lostness in the “circle of silence” in Mexico. That area is believed to be less than 2% evangelical. It’s filled with unreached people groups just a few hours south of the American border. In just over one year in this hard-to-reach place, GMPs have seen three baptisms and a church planted. Hector is another Cuban GMP serving in Uganda. He works with IMB teams there. He evangelizes, disciples and trains young leaders, using sports to connect with refugees in camps there. Oscar and Yolanda are Cuban GMPs who are using sports, music and other tools to take the gospel to unreached communities in Colombia. Not only do Cuban passports provide different avenues of access, but shared traumatic experiences uniquely equip Cubans to go to hard places. “God has just so specially prepared Cubans because of the kind of pressures they’ve had to face in their churches as believers preaching the gospel,” Cooper explained. Instability and unrest dominated the political landscape in Cuba. Association with an evangelical church was frowned upon. Even something as simple as getting permission to leave the country to be a missionary seemed out of reach for most Cubans for years. In the early 1990s, Cuba began to open its borders and religious liberty was more widely accepted. The fear of practicing evangelical Christianity openly abated. And home missions flourished in Cuba. Around 2014, the Cuban Baptist conventions on both sides of the island reached out to the IMB to help facilitate the training and sending of their candidates to the nations. Cooper acknowledged that God uses these tragic circumstances Cubans have endured for His glory. Now, these Cuban missionaries “have been prepared to go into hard places and can identify with folks who are hurting and who have gone through challenges,” he said. Things back home in Cuba still aren’t ideal, but “I think that God, in a very special way, has been preparing a missions force to be able to go to these places.” With international travel being more open, Cubans are understanding the missionary task, and they’re ready to go. While some Cuban GMPs have been allowed to remain on the field, others are struggling to renew or maintain visas. They need prayer to fulfil their calling to the nations. Would you pray for Cubans who are eager to go to the nations and partner with IMB teams? Pray God will continue to call Cubans to reach the lost around the world. Pray He will give leadership, guidance and clarity as they assess and train potential missionary candidates. Pray that the right places will be open for them to go, and they will be granted visas to enter these difficult places. Pray that God will call many partners who will share in this vision to help send and sustain these GMPs to the nations. You can give to help Cuban Baptists take the gospel to the unreached world as Global Missionary Partners, working alongside IMB teams. *Some names may have been changed for security purposes. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Myriah Snyder writes and edits for the IMB. #AUGUST23

NASHVILLE (BP) – European nations and scientific professional societies are rethinking the wisdom of adolescent gender transitions. “The experience of gender dysphoria has existed for many years. The recommended treatment for gender dysphoria, however, has changed significantly,” said Lilly Park, associate professor of biblical counseling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. “European medical and mental health communities are paying attention to studies and testimonies that disprove the efficacy of surgery and hormone therapy. We’re hearing more stories of regret and long-term health problems as a result of surgery or hormone therapy.” Following a wave of legislation over the past two decades permitting so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors, Norway, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom are among European nations that have backtracked on hormone and surgical treatments for children who struggle with gender identity. In Norway, the government’s Healthcare Investigation Board recommended earlier this year that legal guidelines be revised to define adolescent hormone therapy and gender-reassignment surgery as experimental and not supported by sufficient medical evidence. Finnish health authorities conducted a systematic review of evidence and concluded there is low certainty that hormone treatments will help minors questioning their gender identity. Subsequently, Finland restricted hormone therapy access for adolescents. In Sweden, the government’s National Board of Health and Welfare said last year that hormone treatments for minors “should be provided within a research context” and offered “only in exceptional cases.” The U.K. is conducting an ongoing review of gender dysphoria treatments for minors that has put a hold on hormone and surgical treatments for some teens seeking gender transitions. The groundswell of medical hesitation about gender transitions for youth led 21 clinicians and researchers from nine European countries to take their case to The Wall Street Journal. In a letter to the editor, they took issue with a claim published by The Journal in early July that “gender-affirming care improves the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse people.” “Every systematic review of evidence to date … has found the evidence for mental-health benefits of hormonal interventions for minors to be of low or very low certainty,” the medical professionals wrote. “By contrast, the risks are significant and include sterility, lifelong dependence on medication and the anguish of regret. For this reason, more and more European countries and international professional organizations now recommend psychotherapy rather than hormones and surgeries as the first line of treatment for gender-dysphoric youth.” Further, “there is no reliable evidence to suggest that hormonal transition is an effective suicide-prevention measure,” the European experts said. They called the “politicization of transgender healthcare” in the United States “unfortunate” and urged American policymakers to follow the science. Europe’s penchant for socialized medicine may have something to do with its retreat from adolescent gender transitions, said Debbie Steele, professor of Christian counseling at Gateway Seminary. Each minor in America who makes a gender transition will generate approximately $60,000 for pharmaceutical companies over his or her lifespan, she said. That leads to tremendous pressure from the pharmaceutical industry on U.S. politicians to maintain the availability of hormone and surgical therapies for minors. European nations with government health care are insulated from some of that financial pressure. “Endocrinologists and other medical professionals in socialist countries are rethinking,” said Steele, who lived in the former Yugoslavia for 12 years. “They have a different relationship with the big pharm companies than politicians and the medical community have in America.” At least 19 U.S. states have placed limitations on gender transitions for minors, but those restrictions typically are enacted by state legislatures and not medical authorities, as in Europe. The issue was the subject of a hearing held Thursday (July 27) in the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. The committee heard testimony from at least one well-known “detransitioner” – 19-year-old Chloe Cole. Cole, who began attempting to transition to a man at age 12 and underwent a mastectomy at age 15, testified that she has suffered “lifelong, irreversible harm” and called medical gender transition of minors “one of the biggest medical scandals in the history of the United States of America.” The increased reticence to let teens attempt to change their gender has led some to wonder if Christianity offers a better approach to gender identity struggles. Park and Steele say it does. The first step to helping with youth gender confusion is treating the struggling teen “as a person going through a difficult time,” Park said. “Listening and asking good questions are essential to better understand a person’s struggles,” Park said. “We want to demonstrate love in how we engage with the teenager but also be true to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality.” Park’s approach aligns at least partially with that of Riittakerttu Kaltiala, chief psychiatrist at one of Finland’s two government-approved pediatric gender clinics. Eighty percent of teenagers who struggle with their gender identity will come to terms with their biological sex eventually, Kaltiala said, advocating mental health care instead of rushing into medical treatments. Steele added that Christians should “be trained to validate and normalize the emotional pain and despair that teenagers are experiencing.” Believers should exhibit “care and compassion” without “accepting this barbaric practice of mutilation.” “Family therapy makes sense for these kids and their families,” Steele said. “Teenagers can have their real-life struggles addressed without normalizing the need for mutilation, permanence and sterility.” In June, SBC messengers in New Orleans adopted a resolution “opposing ‘gender transitions.’” The resolution stated that Southern Baptists “condemn and oppose ‘gender-affirming care’; and all forms of ‘gender transition’ interventions.” That biblical wisdom bears remarkable similarities to what European clinicians seem to be discovering through trial and error. “Health care should not provide interventions that we do not know to be safe and beneficial,” Mikael Landén, a professor and chief physician at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden told U.S. News and World Report. “From the lack of evidence follows that a conservative approach is warranted.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is a writer in Mobile, Ala. #AUGUST23

EAST PALESTINE, OH (BP) – Joe Sheely had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. It was for previous issues, such as a hernia. But he also found out during a CT scan that there are tumors on his lungs. The news made for a night of little sleep. It also came five and a half months after a Norfolk Southern train derailment containing hazardous materials took place near his home. “I’m not one to struggle with depression and anxiety,” said Sheely, pastor of Solid Rock Community Church in Salem, Ohio. “But my wife had a mild heart attack in May and now she’s on medication. With all of this, it feels like one attack after another.” He and his wife, Carolyn Sue, left their home soon after the derailment and a “controlled breach” that produced a large fire and resulting cloud that settled over the area, including the Sheelys’ home. “They called it a controlled burn, but it wasn’t. It sent that plume into the air and it came and rested right over our property,” Sheely said. Hazardous carcinogenic chemicals such as vinyl chloride were in the derailment. Sheely can’t claim the chemicals contributed to his recent diagnosis, but he also can’t help but think about it. He and his wife moved back home after Norfolk Southern assured them it was safe. “They found traces of vinyl chloride in our water, but told us it was already there [before the derailment],” Sheely said. Norfolk Southern has created a page online titled “Making it Right” that chronicles its steps toward addressing the aftermath of the derailment. That includes daily air monitoring and testing the drinking water in conjunction with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Despite those assurances, Purdue University professor Andrew J. Whelton is less than convinced. “Toxins released by the derailment have caused acute health impacts,” Whelton, professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, told Baptist Press Tuesday (July 25). Whelton has led research teams to the area to chronicle what he says Norfolk Southern and the EPA are refusing to acknowledge – assessing the danger to the long-term health of area residents is far from over. Tensions remained high in East Palestine following the derailment, with citizens expressing their frustration to Norfolk Southern representatives. Seven members of a government investigative team in early March became ill while studying the crash site for possible health impact. The University of Kentucky and Wayne State University have likewise studied the area. Whelton’s team from Purdue followed one made up of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Texas A&M. His concern is that the data exists to show the likelihood of ill effects from long-term exposure to harmful chemicals, but that those responsible don’t want to know about it. “In my interactions with the EPA and Norfolk Southern, they have not been responsive,” he said. “Norfolk Southern has responded in no way that is helpful. The [Making it Right] website has little value for people to try and understand what happened and what to do about it.” Contaminated water under buildings eventually contaminates the buildings themselves and the air inside, he noted. The USEPA never tested buildings and deferred to Norfolk Southern, who didn’t use the appropriate equipment and generated information of little value, Whelton charged. “I sent emails to them notifying them of this,” he said. “I also sent data but it has not prompted any change. I’ve contacted congressional representatives and implored them to act on their constituents’ behalf. They told me they have been in discussions with the agencies involved. I also contacted the White House because the USEPA was permitting some residents and business owners to be chemically exposed inside their buildings.” At a July 6 information meeting, citizens expressed frustration over a lack of coordination among national and local agencies. This is leaving those who are sick without needed resources, they said. “Somebody has dropped the ball,” said one community member. “… People in East Palestine and surrounding areas are sick. There should be some collaboration in what’s going on.” For instance, she had heard representatives from the Center for Disease Control were knocking on doors, conducting a study on the well-being of those inside. “Well guess what, they went down Taggart Street. Never came down my street and asked us what’s going on. I’m very sick,” she said. Though that speaker had insurance, many others do not, she added. Whelton said he has repeatedly encouraged residents and business owners with contaminated buildings to contact the USEPA. “They said they did and the USEPA came and visited some buildings, but won’t test indoor air,” he said. He added that business owners also claim Norfolk Southern won’t help them unless they drop a lawsuit. The need to conduct focused indoor air testing and building decontamination is urgent, said Whelton. “I’ve recommended this to them before. They’ve simply chosen to do nothing instead. It’s a wholly fixable problem, but the longer they delay, the less chance those people exposed will understand what they were harmed by.” Looking for answers will continue, but competes with responsibilities that existed prior to the derailment. The day after learning of his tumors, Sheely prepared to drive the 16 miles to Solid Rock Community Church to meet with someone. He admitted he felt weak, but it didn’t matter. “I made a commitment to them,” he said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #AUGUST23

As we enter the Atlantic hurricane season, Southern Baptists are intentionally preparing at-risk communities to navigate the perils of natural disasters and their aftermath. In Puerto Rico, many are weary from the past decade of nearly 20 back-to-back tropical storms. Families hardly have any time to recover from the physical loss and emotional trauma before another storm breaks on their shores. This perpetual state of exhaustion is pervasive, so Send Relief and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief partnered together to hold a preemptive disaster response training for almost 250 Spanish-speaking trainees, as well as 10 coaches, this month. “Volunteers here were extremely enthusiastic about the training,” said Send Relief Crisis Response Director Coy Webb. “It greatly strengthens the ability of Puerto Rican Baptist churches and trainees to be equipped to respond when crises arise in this new hurricane season.” Last year during Hurricane Fiona, hundreds of trained Puerto Rican Baptists partnered with Send Relief teams to deliver food, water, laundry services and temporary roofing to those impacted, and these teams are prepared to replicate last year’s projects in the wake of the current earthquake, flooding and storm predictions. Over the last three years, Send Relief, in partnership with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, has been able to train more than 800 volunteers in crucial project management for mass feedings, mobile kitchen maintenance, chainsaw response, debris clean-up, flood recovery, roof tarping, initial damage assessment and—most importantly—spiritual and emotional care. “I’m excited that Send Relief had the opportunity to partner with local churches to offer them and strengthen local believers in their efforts to provide real help and hope to those suffering and devastated by disasters,” Webb continued. “As we minister, it enables us to demonstrate the love of Christ as 1 John 3:18 teaches us to – both ‘in actions and in truth.’” Pray for Puerto Rico and the disaster response teams in place to be given extra measures of peace and comfort as they re-enter hurricane season. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Natalie Sarrett writes for the Southern Baptist Texan. #AUGUST23

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (BP) – Southern Baptists have hidden treasure in the Caribbean: the Convención de Iglesias Bautistas del Sur de Puerto Rico (CIBSPR) – in English, the Convention of Southern Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico. But it won’t be hidden for long if Luis Soto and Félix Cabrera have anything to do with it. As Baptist leaders on the Spanish-speaking island of Puerto Rico, they are determined to hold up God’s little-known work in the U.S. territory as a model of cooperative ministry for the entire Southern Baptist family. “Puerto Rico is a great example of shared resources and joint ministry,” said Cabrera, vice president of Send Network Español, the Puerto Rico-based Spanish church planting ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “Here is a demonstration of what Southern Baptists can do when we work together.” The advance of Puerto Rican Southern Baptist work over the past five years has been remarkable – spurred in part by increased focus on the island following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Soto, the CIBSPR’s executive director, reported on the progress last month in New Orleans at a meeting of the National Baptist Hispanic Fellowship. Baptisms reported by Puerto Rican Southern Baptist churches are up 68 percent since 2017, according to data from the SBC’s Annual Church Profile. The number of churches in Puerto Rico has increased more than 60 percent over five years to nearly 60 congregations. A joint goal of NAMB and the CIBSPR is to have at least one church in each of the territory’s 78 cities. The CIBSPR’s Cooperative Program giving to SBC causes has increased 278 percent from approximately $4,800 in 2015-16 to more than $18,000 in 2021-22. The convention forwards 18 percent of its CP receipts to SBC causes. The Puerto Rico convention also is active in collegiate ministry, with a presence on at least four university campuses. The Woman’s Missionary Union of Puerto Rico hosts three women’s events per year. Baptist work in Puerto Rico has been a case study in cooperation. While NAMB helps fund church planting and Send Relief supports compassion ministry, the local convention funds the island’s other ministry endeavors. “The [Puerto Rico] convention is strong in its work with pastors,” Cabrera said. “But we recognize that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. If NAMB has a process for church planting and for compassion ministry, or to help us with chaplaincy or student ministry, we unite forces to work together.” Last year, a Send Relief Ministry Center opened in Puerto Rico, culminating the compassion ministry that had occurred since Hurricane Maria. The center helps coordinate the work of mission teams from the continental U.S. To date, dozens of churches have participated in Puerto Rico mission trips. But can progress continue at this pace? Yes, says Soto, if Southern Baptists will continue coming to help. “We know where the needs are in our local churches,” Soto said. “We need help in construction, evangelism, in establishing economic partnerships to bring missionaries from your churches.” Amplifying the need for ministry partners, he said, is the reality that “most of our pastors are bivocational. Sometimes they don’t have the financial support to expand various ministries of the church. Sometimes they don’t have a team to do evangelism or work at VBS.” The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) is among the Puerto Rico convention’s ministry partners. Texas Southern Baptists have begun a multiyear partnership focusing on church revitalization. The partnership kicked off in February with a team from Texas leading a marriage retreat for Puerto Rican pastors and their wives. “Our aim in the partnership is two-fold,” said SBTC missions mobilization associate Colin Rayburn, “to mobilize our churches towards disciple-making movements and take years off the runway for the Puerto Rico convention to achieve their Great Commission goals.” Among other state conventions to launch or consider Puerto Rico missions partnerships are Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Send Puerto Rico invites pastors to see the partnership opportunities in church planting and compassion ministry for themselves on vision trips each February and November. Churches of all sizes and from all 50 states can join the labor in Puerto Rico, Soto said. Mission trips can be coordinated by contacting either Send Relief or the CIBSPR through their websites. Benefits of Puerto Rico missions are not confined to the territory’s churches, Rayburn said. Their example inspires Southern Baptists on the mainland. “I would encourage the churches and conventions across the SBC to not neglect missions for other more localized ministry needs,” Rayburn said. “Domestic and global missions are the perfect way to keep our local church from becoming too inwardly focused.” Visiting Puerto Rico also is easier than many imagine, Soto said. “One unique advantage of doing mission work with the churches here is that you don’t need a passport,” he said. “It’s like traveling to any state of the United States.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is a writer in Mobile, Alabama. #AUGUST23

NASHVILLE (BP) – A growing percentage of Protestant pastors report experiencing increased feelings of loneliness and isolation, while simultaneously feeling a decreased sense of support from people close to them, according to research by Barna. According to the 2022 survey of more than 500 pastors done by the Barna Group, 47 percent of pastors reported they “sometimes” felt lonely or isolated in the past three months, while 18 percent said they “frequently,” experience these feelings. This total – 65 percent – of pastors reporting these feelings is an increase compared with the 42 percent of pastors who reported the same in a 2015 survey, where 28 percent answered sometimes and 14 percent answered frequently. Mark Dance, director of pastoral wellness for GuideStone Financial Resources, said the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in the increase in feelings of isolation, but the issue has been around for ages. “I think isolation has been a challenge on-going for decades, and of course that challenge was exaggerated during COVID,” Dance said. “I’m not sure that isolation is unique to the ministry. I just think isolation is a challenge for everyone. What makes it unique is that pastors are surrounded by people constantly, and so in my opinion, isolation and loneliness are among the most preventable challenges a pastor has.” Dance said one factor in the survey data may be a younger generation of pastors who are more willing to be transparent about their feelings or ask for help. He even wonders if some of the percentages should be higher. “I wonder if the other percentage are being honest with themselves,” Dance said. “It is very normal to sometimes feel isolated. Some times are better than others. I would expect them to say sometimes they are lonely.” The same survey showed 49 percent of pastors reported they frequently felt “well-supported by people close to you,” within the past three months. This is a noticeable decrease compared with 68 percent who answered such in the 2015 survey. Dance said he often challenges pastors that feeling isolated starts with them, and they need to take an active role in seeking out people both inside and outside of their church who can “refresh” them in their ministry. “When I speak to pastors, which is almost every week, I remind them of how dangerous isolation can be, but also challenge them to embrace the responsibility to change that,” he said. “Isolation is downright dangerous, but it is avoidable. “The pain of isolation exceeds the awkwardness of church friendships, whether it’s staff friendships, member friendships or other pastors in your community. As Southern Baptists, we’ve got associations and state conventions that would absolutely fall over themselves if you called them or showed up for one of their events. “We have people cheering us on from every corner of our convention, so if we are feeling isolated, make sure that we are not isolating ourselves, because it is one of the most preventable challenges out there.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Timothy Cockes is a Baptist Press staff writer. #AUGUST23

BRENTWOOD, TN (BP) – Many churchgoers are not familiar with the term “deconstruction,” but if they are, they’ve likely seen it within the church pews they sit in on a regular basis. A Lifeway Research study of Protestant churchgoers in the United States found more than 1 in 3 (36 percent) are familiar or very familiar with the concept of deconstruction. Meanwhile, more than 1 in 4 (28 percent) have not heard of the term before. A similar Lifeway Research study shows pastors are more likely to be familiar with deconstruction. Among U.S. Protestant pastors, more than 2 in 5 (46 percent) are familiar or very familiar with the concept of deconstruction, and 14 percent have not heard the term. However, among those who have heard of the term, churchgoers are more likely than pastors to say they have seen attendees of their church methodically deconstruct their faith (37 percent v. 27 percent). “It’s not surprising the majority of churchgoers are not very familiar with the term ‘deconstruction,’ since it often describes a person’s private journey or one that’s shared within a limited social set,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The fluid nature of the term and its affinity among those on social media or podcasts distances it from many Christians. The term can be used both to represent a total abolishing of one’s faith or to describe one’s personal questioning and working out their salvation to greater faith.” Familiarity with the term There is a correlation between the churchgoer’s age and their familiarity with the term “deconstruction.” Churchgoers over the age of 65 are the most likely to say they have not heard the term “deconstruction” before (51 percent) and the least likely to say they are familiar or very familiar with the term (12 percent). The younger the churchgoer, the more likely they are to have heard the term before and be familiar with it. Similarly, younger pastors, those 18-44, are the most likely to say they’re very familiar with deconstruction (36 percent), while pastors 65 and older are the least likely to possess that same level of familiarity (12 percent). “The study did not ask churchgoers the characteristics of those they see deconstructing their faith, but strong age patterns in those noticing the dissection of their faith imply it is more common among those under age 50,” McConnell said. African American pastors are more likely than white pastors to not have heard of deconstruction (24 percent v. 13 percent). Within the pews, however, white churchgoers (33 percent) are among the most likely and African American churchgoers (16 percent) are among the least likely to say they’re not familiar with the term. Churchgoers with evangelical beliefs are less likely than those without these beliefs to be familiar or very familiar with the term “deconstruction” (33 percent v. 39 percent) and more likely to have not heard the term before (32 percent v. 26 percent). Deconstruction in the pews More than 1 in 3 churchgoers who have heard of deconstruction have seen it play out among church attendees in their congregations (37 percent). The oldest churchgoers, those over 65, are the most likely to say they have not seen it in the pews of their churches (64 percent). And younger churchgoers, those age 18-34 (48 percent) and 35-49 (49 percent), are more likely to say they have than those age 50-64 (31 percent) and over 65 (15 percent). Denominationally, Methodist (19 percent) and Restorationist movement (29 percent) churchgoers are among the least likely to say they have not seen deconstruction among attendees in their churches. However, the majority of Methodist (63 percent) and Restorationist movement (55 percent) pastors say they have not seen people in their congregation deconstructing their faith. “While the majority of churchgoers have not seen anyone in their own congregation deconstructing their faith, the numbers are not insignificant,” McConnell said. “When a culture moves away from God, individuals question the teachings they have received.” Similar to the fact that evangelical pastors are more likely than mainline pastors to say they haven’t seen deconstruction taking place in their churches (72 percent v. 62 percent), churchgoers with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs to say they have not seen someone in their church deconstruct their faith (54 percent v. 43 percent). For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com. Methodology Lifeway Research conducted the online survey of 1,002 American Protestant churchgoers Sept. 19-29, 2022, using a national pre-recruited panel. Respondents were screened to include those who identified as Protestant/non-denominational and attend religious services at least once a month. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education and religion to more accurately reflect the population. The completed sample is 1,002 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.3 percent. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Comparisons are made to a Lifeway Research phone survey of Protestant pastors conducted Sept. 1-29, 2021. “Evangelical beliefs”are defined using the National Association of Evangelicals and Lifeway Research evangelical beliefs research definition based on respondent beliefs. Respondents are asked their level of agreement with four separate statements using a four-point, forced-choice scale (strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree). Those who strongly agree with all four statements are categorized as having Evangelical Beliefs. The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marissa Postell Sullivan is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources. #AUGUST23

WATERFORD – These are the words spoken by missionary hero William Carey as he kicked back off the ledge and rappelled into an unreached India. Carey was compelled to go where the rocks of countless souls had not yet been turned by the Gospel. But, for Carey to go and make any considerable dent in the darkness, someone would have to “hold the rope.” In April, I had the opportunity to visit another location in South Asia where many rocks remain unturned. As I walked the streets of the city, I was overwhelmed by the mass of humanity in every direction, a city with more than 25 million people in a country less than 1% Christian. As the lostness ran through my mind, tears would run down by my face. It’s happening again as I type these words. So many people and so many stories. So much religion yet so little hope. Millions trying to make their way up to God, totally unaware that God came down to us. Thankfully, there are those like Carey who’ve said, “I will go down…” In this city, I encountered families who had also kicked back off the ledge and rappelled into the unreached. It was amazing to see in a city of 25 million, in an absolute sea of souls, authentic relationships are being formed and substantial Gospel conversations are taking place. Years of days of faithfulness are stacking up on one another. Sure, we saw some sites. This know-nothing country boy even got to lay his eyes on some crocodiles. But the most beautiful sight was a small group of people giving their lives away so that the nations can know God. There are those who’ve said, “I will go down.” Now, who will “hold the rope?” You’ve probably heard the words of Matthew 28:19-20. The resurrected Jesus appears to the 11 remaining disciples and says… “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” On this recent adventure to South Asia, I was reminded that Jesus’ commission was not just for the eleven or the elite, this is God’s vision for every follower and every church: “Go and make disciples of all nations…” We all have a part to play. Some of us will be compelled to go down, while others of us must plant our feet on the edge of the cliff, shouting “we’re still here” and refusing to let go of the rope. I may have given the hint earlier that I’ve still not recovered from my visit. If you’ve ever been on one of these “global engagement” trips, you know what it’s like to “see what you can’t unsee.” You’ve got to do something to reconcile your life choices with the lostness that exists around the world. With this mind, I want to share 2 questions that I’m still wrestling through and invite you to do some wrestling too… 1. What am I doing with my life? Another missionary hero, Hudson Taylor to China, once said, “If in the sight of God, you cannot say you are sure that you have a special call to stay at home, why are you disobeying the Savior’s plain command to go?” I think it’s good and right, healthy and God-glorifying, to periodically ask questions like, “What does God want me to do with my life?” In a lost world full of dark places, where would the light of my Gospel-changed life shine the brightest? 2. What is my church doing with its life? As a Pastor, I want to lead a church that matters in eternity. When I stand before Jesus, I don’t think He’s going to ask, “So, how many people showed up last Sunday?” Transformation Church must live for more. We have limited resources. Our moment in time is brief. How can our church leverage our time, money, and people to honor Jesus’ commission and impact lostness around the world? How can we make disciples, develop leaders, and then release and resource them to live out God’s calling on their lives? What is my church doing with its life? How are we holding the rope? I’d like to close with a strategic prayer we’ve been praying at Transformation Church these last 3 years. It’s nothing fancy, but God is starting to answer it. Maybe He would lead you and your church to pray something similar… “God, please allow us to participate in a Gospel Movement in Waterford, Oakland County, and to the Ends of the Earth.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Thomas (Seth) Springs is Church Planter/Pastor of Transformation Church Waterford, Michigan. He and his wife Taylor have 3 children. #JULY23

PLYMOUTH – It was a really cold winter morning in the Glass Mountains of West Texas. This small range of barren outcroppings was located just to the north of the Big Bend National Park with one rancher owning a good portion of this entire mountain range. The foreman of that ranch was a member of our church and had on many occasions invited me to go out with him on one of his trapping excursions as he tried to capture renegade mountain lions. About three quarters of the livestock on this ranch consisted of sheep, and as you may know, sheep are one of the main listings on the menu for mountain lions. For a lion to take one or two sheep a week from flocks that consist of thousands is not a serious problem for ranchers and is considered acceptable losses, but one particular lion was doing far more than taking an occasional meal here and there. This lion was a mother of at least two young adolescent cubs that she was teaching how to hunt and kill prey. Her prey of choice just happened to be mutton a la rare. It was not unusual for this lioness to kill more than 100 sheep per night and not consume any of them. She would sneak into a herd at night as they slept and begin taking them down one by one while her children observed and learned. As one might imagine, an entire flock could be decimated in a very short period of time. The destructive habit of this lion had caused my friend, Robert, to set out on a trapping run to try to capture the lion so that it might be sedated and transported to another location where there was no livestock. He asked me to go with him, so we saddled up our trusty steeds and headed up the mountain. My ride of choice was a mule, but he preferred his favorite horse from the stables. I didn’t ride in the rough terrain of the mountains very often, and I wanted a mount that was sure-footed and stable. My beast was not pretty, but it sure was steady. At times on our way up we would have to cross some very steep valleys, and then climb up almost vertical slopes. On more than one occasion I was laying all the way back on my mule with my head resting on its rump, my feet pointing past its ears and holding on for dear life. The mule just took it in stride and deftly descended and ascended the rocky terrain with ease. Robert knew where the den of the lion was located, and most of its haunts. The lion had made its home in the very top of a mountain range in a secluded spot. It was a long hard ride, and the weather was deteriorating by the minute. A cold North wind was blowing, and the clouds had begun to shed a few flakes of snow. When we got to the area where a trap had been set, we found that the lion had been there, but had escaped. Our arduous trek had seemingly been for naught. As Robert reset the trap and placed more bait, I decided to ride over to the edge of the cliffs and take in the view from the top. As I approached the edge and began to peer over the side, my eyes widened with amazement and wonder. Never in my life had I seen such a beautiful sight. There I was at what seemed to be the top of the world looking down at an ever-expanding valley that stretched for hundreds of miles. It was cold and nasty on top of the mountain, but down below it was beautiful. Herds of cattle and sheep splattered and speckled the landscape like so many drops of ink from an artist’s pen. A small creek snaked its way across the canyon floor with small pools of water periodically finding a resting place along its course. What a beautiful place. The way I had traveled to attain this perspective was rough and rocky. My intended purpose and goals were never really met, but I found a visual treasure that has been one of my most prized memories. Could it be the way you are going is rough and rocky? Could it be that your purposes and plans have all been dashed on the hard places of life? Has your present destination brought only disappointment and grief? Just as Wayne Watson, one of my favorite songwriters and singers of decades past has so insightfully said, “sometimes the rough and rocky road will lead you to a beautiful place.” I want to encourage you today in this wonderful journey we call Christianity. Many times, our plans and purposes can be completely different from what the Father has for us. Remember, He sees what we cannot and knows well what we truly need. If you are frustrated with the way things are “not working out” or are disappointed with the place your chosen path has taken you, never forget that He is in control. He knows you well and His plans for you. Trust Him. Rest in His sovereign care. Let the peace that passes beyond your understanding have control of your heart and emotions. Be patient and wait. To be in the middle of the will of God is a beautiful place. Proverbs 16:9 – "A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 19:21 – "There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand." Romans 8:28 – "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." 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. #JULY23

ANN ARBOR – One of the core memories that I have of my dad was a phone call. I have no memory of what the phone call was about, but what has stuck in my mind is the way that the phone call ended. I was in college and must have been between some classes and had called just to kill some time. Around five to ten minutes into the conversation he apologetically asked if we might continue a little bit later because he needed to get back into a meeting he had stepped out of. What became clear to me was that my dad was in the middle of a fairly important board meeting where he was presenting. He had paused the meeting to answer a call from his son, and upon finding out it was just a casual invitation to talk, he proceeded to step out of the meeting and talk with me for almost 10 minutes while everyone else waited for him to come back and continue. The reason I often think back to this moment is because it is representative of almost all my interactions with my dad. No matter what he was leading, involved in or busy with… I had his whole attention. Over the past twelve years as God has called us into different ministry roles, I have had the opportunity to help lead thousands of college students. Not many have stories like this. What each did have was a view of themselves, their world and their God that had been profoundly shaped by their view of their father. Five years ago, was the first time that I held my son Silas in my arms. I know now that he couldn’t really see much, but for about 15-20 minutes he just quietly stared up into my eyes. It was a powerful moment that I doubt I will ever forget. I was a father. This was my son. As his little eyes searched around for what was real and what was true of his world, in that moment he knew that he had the full attention of his father. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I wish that were still true today. As a father of two with a third on the way I often wonder how the mismanagement of my attention will affect the way that my children step out into life. I wonder if they too will find themselves enamored with their phones when they get them, or whether they will disdain technology as the mistress of their father’s attention. I wonder if they will see their father as a hard worker who built a home for his family, or whether they will see him as someone who preferred remodeling kitchens to playing with them on the floor. What I wonder most often is if they will believe that the heart and the eyes of their father are fixed on them, or whether they were somewhere else. The greatest lie ever told was spoken to the very first children of our world, and this lie still haunts the caverns of our soul. It was a lie about the heart and the attention of their Father. Apparently, those who don’t believe that they have the attention and heart of their Father will journey all the way to hell looking for something to replace it. Tozer said that “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What if the most important thing about our view of God is what we believe about his attention over us? A few years ago, I read a passage in Deuteronomy that I haven't stopped thinking about since: "Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day." Of all that is in creation, God has uniquely set his heart in love… on you. That while he owns the heavens and while the pulsating energy of the stars scream across the dark corners of the universe, his gaze pierces past the light of ten trillion suns to look at you. While he holds the unexplored and unseen edges of the cosmos in the palm of his hands, God cares most about holding your hand. And despite all the noise in the universe, his ears are tuned to the sound of your voice. As I think back to the gift that God gave me in my dad, there’s a profound and long list of things he gave me. Before I even became a Christian, my dad instilled in me a deep sense of the sovereignty of God. He gave me my doctrine and theology. He taught me how to think and how to love the outdoors. He taught me how to work on cars and fix things with my hands. He gave me wisdom and life advice. He showed me how to build a home, a marriage and a faith. Though more than anything, he gave me his attention. And somehow.. more than anything else in my life, this has helped me believe that I also have the attention of my Father in heaven. What if the greatest gift that a father can give his children isn’t his provision, wisdom or inherited skills, but simply his attention? Sometimes it is the simplest things that change the world. Through the course of my life, I have found that it was simply the time and attention of my dad that has helped unwind the lies at the center of my soul. The clearest gospel he ever preached to me was simply the way his eyes and his heart were always on me. So, to all the fathers with little eyes looking up at them to see what is real and true about their world: Let’s give them a picture that might help lead them home. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Livingston is Church Planter/Pastor of Treeline Church in Ann Arbor Michigan. Treeline Church is less than one year old. It is their passion to reach the students in the surrounding universities with the message of Christ. Dave and his wife, Steffi, have three children, one of which will be born later this year. #JULY23