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LAHAINA, HI (BP) – When Mari Finn awoke on Aug. 8 to heavy winds and no power, she assumed it was like any other storm that would pass. But as the storm progressed, a wildfire blazed through Lahaina. It ultimately destroyed more than 2,000 acres and killed 97 people. Months later, Finn finally was allowed to return to her property, but she was not alone. A team of Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers were right beside her in October as she sifted through the ash, hoping to find anything that may have survived. Standing on her property and looking at the devastation, she recounted Aug. 8, when the fire erupted. Finn, a technology coordinator at a high school in Lahaina on the island of Maui, expected to go to school for the first day of freshman orientation. She never made it. Maui was expecting a hurricane, but not in Lahaina. By 6:30 a.m., there were rumors of a wildfire by the elementary school, but soon cell phone service was disrupted, cutting all communication and access to social media. The wind continued to intensify. “You couldn’t walk around straight because of the way the wind was pushing you,” Finn said. “You had to kind of lean so you wouldn’t be knocked over.” Gusts of wind pelted the sand against her legs so hard she had bruises the next day. The wind continued to blow, and the fires continued to grow. Policemen used their car radios to inform residents to evacuate, but many residents felt they were safe from the fire. Because of the winds, it was hard to smell the fire, Finn said. It gave a false sense of security. Residents had no way of knowing how close the fires were until they could see them. By then, there was little time to escape. Finn and her family were able to evacuate, but many others didn’t make it. Some died trying to save their families. When Finn was allowed to return to her home two months later, it was destroyed. Dust, ash and rubble were all that remained of the home she lived in with her parents and niece. “It was surreal,” Finn said. “It still doesn’t feel right.” Finn returned to her property to recover any possessions that may have survived and connected instantly with the TBM volunteers there to help her. “This experience is horrible,” Finn said. “But these people [the TBM volunteers] are amazing humans. They have been a blessing in this entire experience, and I am so thankful and grateful to have them here helping. As we got through the day together, they became like family. I mean, they are just like extended members of our family now.” ‘There’s a lot of tears flowing’ TBM volunteers have been in Maui since Oct. 7, helping residents, like Finn, sort through the ash and rubble and look for possessions on their property. “There’s a lot of emotion that happens whenever they see their house for the first time,” said Curt Neal, TBM fire and flood coordinator. “When they left their house, it was fully intact. … And of course, they’ve seen their house from afar, that there appears to be nothing but ashes. But when they get up close, that’s when reality hits. So, there’s a lot of tears flowing.” Due to the condition of the properties and the potential of unsafe particles, volunteers must be fully suited in personal protective equipment from head to toe – white Tyvek suits, booties, a hood, goggles and a mask. The protective gear is meant to keep the unsafe particles away from the body, but it also blocks ventilation. It gets hot, almost suffocating, in the suits in the mid-80s temperature and no shade. The work is so physically demanding, the teams are required to rest 20 minutes for every 20 minutes of work. “Fire recovery efforts can be very demanding physically, emotionally and spiritually because we’re working with families that literally had to run from their homes to escape a fire,” said Gary Herndon, a TBM volunteer in Maui. “When they come back, oftentimes, there may be nothing left but a pillar or part of a cinder block wall. Trees, the vegetation, everything burned up. And so, it’s a work of love.” The volunteers were able to help Finn recover several items – ceramic bowls and plates, coins, some jewelry and her brother’s army medals, which she said was a blessing to discover. “I don’t believe we found a lot of things that are of great monetary value,” said TBM volunteer Ann Neal. “But what you find when you’re doing these ash outs is most people are not looking for those material things. They’re looking for things that mean something to them and their family that they can pass down through the generations.” Being at her property and seeing the destruction was overwhelming for Finn. But she found comfort looking to her left and seeing the same mountain that was always there and looking to her right and seeing the ocean and hearing the comforting sounds of the waves crash against the beach just as it always does. “The fire destroyed the material things in our lives, but left us with what is important – us,” Finn said. “Nobody in my family got injured or passed away, and we thank God for that every day.” This story appeared in the Baptist Standard. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aimee Freston writes for Texas Baptist Men. #NOVEMBER23

TROUP, TX (BP) – Preston Lindsey has worn a lot of hats in his lifetime. He’s been a logger, pipe-fitter, oil field roughneck, telephone lineman, and a shipping manager and transportation director for a grocery chain. He spent 15 years as an agriculture teacher with the Troup Independent School District before becoming its director of support services, a position he holds today. One thing the 65-year-old never expected to be was a pastor. Yet, since January 2023, he has worn that hat as well, pastoring at First Baptist Church of Troup where, through an emphasis on prayer, the church is experiencing new life. A native East Texan, Lindsey was raised in Mixon – a tiny community with fewer than 100 residents located seven miles southwest of Troup. He trusted Christ at age 10. He married Kelli, his high school sweetheart, attended Kilgore College, and later earned a degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. Lindsey still resides near Mixon on 50 acres with Kelli and two adult children, both with special needs. Another daughter and her family also live nearby. No stranger to church work, Lindsey served 40 years as a deacon at FBC Mixon, where he led dozens of mission trips. Following a mission trip to Mexico two decades ago, he realized he was serving himself more than serving God. “I realized then I wanted to serve Christ with all my heart,” he recalled. As he reached his 60s, he “really began to feel the call.” God was doing something. “He was leading me to be a pastor somewhere,” Lindsey said. “It pretty much scared me to death.” Meanwhile, FBC Troup lost its pastor in June 2022. Lindsey understood some of the circumstances. He knew many people at the church and was saddened by its struggles. One Monday morning, Lindsey drove by FBC Troup as usual on his way to work at the school district. He pulled into the church parking lot to pray for the church, its members and the community. Within 30 minutes, he received a call from one of the FBC Troup deacons asking him to fill the pulpit the following Sunday. He agreed, thinking the Lord might use him to help the deacons reorganize. He preached that Sunday and met with the deacons about the church’s issues. The next Monday morning, he once again found himself praying in the FBC Troup parking lot. “Lord, what are you asking me to do?” Lindsey recalled praying. Within 15 minutes, another FBC Troup deacon called to ask him to preach again the following Sunday. Lindsey agreed. The deacons then asked him to serve as interim pastor until things could be “straightened out.” Lindsey was astonished. Yes, he was a lifelong Bible student, but he had no formal seminary training. He had just gotten through studying Moses with the youth group at FBC Mixon. Was it time to step out in faith? “I wanted to serve the Lord,” he said. So he said yes. What followed is a “crazy story of what God’s doing,” Lindsey said. A matter of prayer If his ministry at FBC Troup was to honor God, Lindsey knew it had to begin in prayer – a truth he had learned at the 2021 Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting in nearby Flint. At that gathering, he said he heard “preacher after preacher” talking about how prayer had changed their lives and their churches. “I brought that focus to Troup,” he said. If his involvement at the church began with prayer in the parking lot, his time as pastor would also start with prayer. Whereas FBC Troup had once averaged around 120 in services, only 35-40 attended during the new pastor’s first month. The four deacons and Lindsey committed to pray, a commitment the church body, though small, also embraced. They focused on 2 Chronicles 7:14-16, Lindsey said, spending weeks on that passage. “We prayed in church services. We prayed as a deacon group. We really wanted to understand what humbling ourselves meant,” he said. The church held a 12-hour prayer vigil in 2022 and again this fall, with people signing up for time slots and coming to the church to pray. “After our church fell on our knees and asked the Lord for His direction, things happened,” Lindsey said. It started in the youth department. Tragedy brings unity “Our youth exploded,” Lindsey said, crediting youth director Matt Ranshaw and his wife, Brooke, for bringing new life to the group and encouraging mission trips. Like Lindsey, Ranshaw is bivocational, serving also as a policeman for Tyler schools. Students started sharing Christ with their friends. The youth brought their parents, friends and family to church. More than 170 kids and 35 volunteer workers participated in a recent Wednesday night youth group meeting, Lindsey said. That increase has spilled over into the church, which now averages 200 on Sundays. “We’ve had 60 baptisms so far this year,” Lindsey said. “We’ve seen amazing things through our youth and the leadership. All that is of the Holy Spirit.” Some of those amazing things started after a tragedy. Youth camp at Piney Woods in July 2022 started out as a struggle, Ranshaw said. Kids were not gelling. Groups kept to themselves. Ranshaw was discouraged. Wednesday of camp week, he called Lindsey and learned that the congregation had prayed for youth camp that evening. Things started changing quickly. Kids at camp started opening up that same night: students shared their struggles, some admitted to needing salvation, and others revealed brokenness. Camp ended on a spiritual mountaintop for many, and the students wanted to continue that when they got home. The youth group started growing in numbers and spiritual maturity, which would soon be tested. On Sept. 9, 2022, during the Troup homecoming football game, junior player Cooper Reid – Lindsey’s cousin’s son – collapsed on the field. Cooper had gone to camp with the FBC Troup kids, although he attended another church. Instead of the planned homecoming the following night, the school held a community prayer vigil for Cooper. FBC Troup kids attended, as did pastors, kids from other schools and community members. Ranshaw saw his students’ faith in action. “Sometimes you can teach kids all you want. Until they experience it, they won’t buy in,” he said, adding that he told his youth group, “Now you understand intercessory prayer.” The youth and church continued to pray for Cooper, who has since returned home and continues to make progress. Progress is real for Ranshaw, Lindsey and FBC Troup. And all the progress has come as God has continued to show Himself faithful through their continued prayers. This article appeared in the Southern Baptist TEXAN. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jane Rodgers is a correspondent for the Southern Baptist TEXAN (www.texanonline.net), newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. #NOVEMBER23

Over the past several years, Southern Baptists state conventions and associations have been taking significant steps to prevent abuse within their churches and provide support for survivors. While the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has faced criticism for its handling of sexual abuse cases in the past, many state conventions are now prioritizing abuse prevention and survivor care. Here is a sampling of the efforts made by various state groups to address this issue and protect the vulnerable within our congregations. Alabama Alabama Baptists have a webpage dedicated to helping churches be safer places, which includes resources to help churches create protection policies such as a screening form, permission for background and credit checks and a covenant of ministerial ethics. The convention also offers tools to implement the plan such as a sexual harassment policy, social media policy and computer and internet use policy. Additionally, the Alabama Baptists State Board of Missions offers a discount for churches to provide training and resources to prevent sexual abuse in churches. Alabama Baptists have also established a Sexual Abuse Task Force, which challenges church leaders to continue the work of preventing sexual abuse in churches. They have released a joint statement expressing their sadness and grief over reports of sexual abuse and how they were handled. Furthermore, Alabama law requires pastors, church staff and volunteers to report suspicions of child abuse. Florida The Florida Baptist Convention has established an affiliate relationship with the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP), a partnership that provides access to exclusive resources for child safety programs, training events from experts in the field and discounted admission to ECAP events. The Florida Baptist Convention has committed $30,000 in financial resources to aid churches that desire to develop robust abuse prevention. The Florida Baptist Convention has also adopted a special committee report regarding sexual abuse policies and procedures. The committee was authorized by the convention to address abuse allegation reporting, survivor care and prevention within the state convention. Additionally, the Florida Baptist Convention offers child protection training to raise awareness for abuse prevention and child protection. It also provides ministry leaders with resources to assist them in prevention and connect ECAP with area churches. Georgia The Georgia Baptist Mission Board offers a program called “Reduce the Risk,” which is designed to help churches train pastors, staff members and volunteer leaders every year with ease. This program is available through Ministry Grid, which is an online platform that provides training resources for churches. Georgia Baptists also provide free access to a Sexual Abuse Awareness Training. This training is designed to help churches prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors. Illinois The Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA) encourages churches to study and establish effective policies for security and childcare, including check-in and check-out procedures. It also recommends background checks for all workers, including fingerprint checks of the FBI database and examination of the Sex Offender Registry maintained by the Illinois State Police. IBSA provides SafeChurch, a program designed to help churches prevent abuse and protect their members. The program includes training on recognizing and responding to abuse, creating a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults and developing policies and procedures to prevent abuse. IBSA is also part of the Caring Well Initiative, which is a unified call to action for churches to confront the abuse crisis. Kentucky The Kentucky Baptist Convention is offering training on sexual abuse prevention, response and care to church staff and lay leaders. The training covers child sexual abuse in Christian environments, understanding offender behaviors and the grooming process, appropriate prevention and responding to allegations, as well as understanding a trauma-informed response and care for survivors. The Kentucky Baptist Convention has also established a Sexual Abuse Task Force to help churches prevent and respond to sexual abuse. It has prepared a handbook to help churches prevent and respond to sexual abuse, with a particular emphasis on caring for survivors. Additionally, Kentucky Baptist leaders are responding to charges of sexual abuse in a number of Southern Baptist churches across the United States. Maryland and Delaware The Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware (BCM/D) approved a constitutional change that requires churches to take steps toward preventing sexual abuse and caring for survivors. The BCM/D also provides initial and ongoing training for staff, volunteers and church members that raises awareness and shares effective actions to prevent incidents. Pathways is a resource they use that provides churches with a clear and concise plan to prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors. The BCM/D is part of the Caring Well Initiative. The convention is also able to leverage faith-based and community initiatives which support several programs in mental health services, substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment at the national, state and local levels. North Carolina N.C. Baptists have created a guide to help survivors of sexual abuse. The guide provides information on how to determine the classification of the information that is shared with you, how to report the information, how to listen and provide counsel, how to train the leaders within your women’s ministry and how to refer to a counselor. They also provide resources to help churches by providing training to help churches recognize and prevent abuse, as well as care for those who have been affected by abuse. Pennsylvania and South Jersey The Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania and South Jersey is focusing on creating awareness of abuse issues and vulnerabilities in churches, as well as providing information and resources for churches to be compliant and safe. Some of the specific actions the network has taken include: Making it a requirement for all affiliated churches to have protocols in place for the security of minors and vulnerable adults, as already required by state law. Promoting local resources available to individuals and churches, such as Keep Kids Safe, Pennsylvania, which explains state laws and procedures governing child protection and the reporting of child abuse, and the PA Family Support Alliance, which provides education, support and training programs to make Pennsylvania safe for children. Offering ministry and care for those affected by abuse, recognizing the seriousness of these issues. In addition to these efforts, the Baptist Resource Network has also partnered with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to utilize resources such as the SBC’s guide on preventing abuse, which provides information on topics like preparing church leadership for disclosure by a sexual abuse victim, screening and training volunteers and more. This collaboration with the SBC allows the BRN to leverage the expertise and resources of a larger network in their efforts to prevent abuse in churches. Tennessee The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) provides resources to help churches prevent abuse and care for survivors. These resources include training and education on how to recognize and prevent abuse, as well as how to care for those who have been affected by abuse. In 2019, TBMB developed a task force composed of Baptist physicians, therapists, student and children’s ministers and pastors to develop increased resources for Tennessee Baptist Churches. The information gathered by the task force is provided on the TBMB website as a starting place for church leaders. In November 2022, the Tennessee Baptist Convention presented a sexual abuse report, urging the adoption of best practices to prevent abuse. The task force was asked to evaluate the process of how the Tennessee Baptist Convention responds to allegations of sexual abuse and to evaluate the best practices to prevent abuse. Texas (SBTC) The Southern Baptist of Texas Convention (SBTC) offers Sexual Abuse Awareness Training, which is a 1.5-hour online course designed to help churches prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors. The SBTC also provides training and resources to help churches prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors The SBTC assists churches with awareness and education on the topic of sexual abuse prevention, specifically in ministry contexts. It offers resources and training to help churches prevent abuse and care for survivors. Texas (BGCT) The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) equips churches to combat sexual abuse through a proactive strategy of protection, reporting and caring well. Through a relationship with MinistrySafe, the BGCT provides numerous no-cost training opportunities to affiliated churches, covering topics including a 5-Part Safety System, Skillful Screening and more. Online resources explain when and how to report abuse and the biblical principles behind reporting. Texas Baptists Counseling Services provides financial support and referrals to its state-wide network of more than 250 licensed counselors for abuse survivors, their families and others impacted by instances of abuse across the Texas Baptists family. The BGCT has also produced a new 35-page sexual misconduct handbook outlining steps for abuse prevention and appointed a new Sexual Abuse Task Force to be comprised of executive board members, pastors, and licensed counselors to provide ongoing guidance in addressing the Convention’s abuse response. Virginia SBC Virginia provides resources to help churches prevent abuse and care for survivors. These resources include training and education on how to recognize and prevent abuse, as well as how to care for those who have been affected by abuse. One of the programs offered is Safe Church Training, which is a comprehensive program designed to help churches prevent abuse and protect their members. The training covers topics such as recognizing and responding to abuse, creating a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults, and developing policies and procedures to prevent abuse. SBC Virginia has also established a Sexual Abuse Task Force to help churches prevent and respond to sexual abuse. The task force provides resources and training to help churches create safe environments for their members. Editor’s note: This story was updated after initial publication to include information from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. #OCTOBER23

This summer, as thousands of kids, students and chaperones at Lifeway camps developed a greater understanding of missions and a heart for missionaries, they gave generously, entrusting their gifts for Great Commission purposes. As a result of this generosity, Ben Mandrell, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, presented checks totaling $587,484.97 to International Mission Board (IMB) President Paul Chitwood and North American Mission Board (NAMB) President Kevin Ezell on Monday, Sept. 18, during the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee trustee meeting. “Every year, one of my favorite moments is presenting the checks to NAMB and IMB from thousands of campers from across the country who have put their money together to support Southern Baptist missions efforts,” Mandrell said. “I love missions, and our team at Lifeway is honored to help support our Southern Baptist missionaries.” This summer, as Lifeway hosted more than 111,000 kids and students at camps across the nation, representing more than 4,000 churches, it continued its partnership with the IMB and NAMB, providing missions discipleship and promoting missional giving among kids and students attending Lifeway camps. “One thing people may not realize is the amount of missions education we do at our Lifeway camps every summer,” Mandrell told SBC EC members. “Students who attend camp learn about a church planter who serves through NAMB and a people group we are praying for and trying to reach with the gospel through the work of IMB missionaries.” In 2023, campers, camp staff and adult chaperones at FUGE Camps, CentriKid, Student Life Camp and Student Life Kids Camp across the country gave $400,310.67 to the IMB and $187,174.31 to NAMB. “Tomorrow’s missionaries, pastors and ministry leaders are in our churches today. And we must do everything we can to invest in them and raise them up so they are ready to answer the call,” Ezell said. “Specifically, to this year’s campers and their leaders, I want to say thank you for your generosity.” International missions FUGE Camps, CentriKid, Student Life Camp and Student Life Kids Camp all emphasized international missions partners through the IMB. Kids and students gave to the IMB through Lifeway camps, knowing their gifts would help fund efforts to reach unreached people groups, specifically supporting the work of missionaries serving in Panama working with the Emberá people. The Emberá people of Panama are one of more than 300 unreached people groups in the Americas. They live in remote river communities in the vast jungle between Panama and Colombia. Throughout the week, students learned about the Emberá people and culture and how IMB missionaries Kenny and Cheryl share the Gospel with them. And through daily videos at camp, they met some Emberá who have come to know Jesus, including Cenaida and her son Santiago. “We have formed a missionary team of local believers who have a heart to reach the Emberá for Christ,” Cheryl explained in a video that played each week at CentriKid and Student Life Kids Camp. “Teams like this are the reason people like Santiago know Jesus.” Through the missions emphasis in videos, teaching and prayer, Lifeway camps challenged students to consider how the Emberá could know and love God if no one told them, if they didn’t have access to the Gospel. By giving to the missions offering, these students are helping reach the lost for Jesus as God uses these gifts to change lives for eternity. North American missions Alongside this international focus, FUGE Camps and CentriKid also had a North American missions emphasis for kids and students each week at camp. Throughout the week, campers learned how missionaries Vergil and Kelsey Brown, along with their family, are planting a church in Portland, Ore. “The Lord made it clear to us that there were other communities in Portland that needed a new, healthy church,” Vergil explained in a video for campers. So, their family moved to Portland. “We wanted to be a role model of when the Lord asks you to go, you go,” Kelsey said. As campers heard the Browns’s story of faithfulness through daily missions videos, they were able to associate the faces of a specific family with the offerings they would be giving—offerings that will help more families like the Browns plant more churches in more places to reach more people with the Gospel. Giving for Gospel impact “Providing an opportunity to give at camp allows kids to learn they can be a part of the work God is doing all around the world,” Henry Dutton, CentriKid manager said. “Giving allows them to engage with God.” At the end of each week of camp, kids and students had the opportunity to give to the missions offering. “This partnership affords us a strategic opportunity to invest in the next generation of missionaries,” said Andy Pettigrew, IMB’s NextGen mobilization manager. “We know camp is one of the most important experiences in the life of a teenager. It is incredibly exciting to know that international missions is in front of them day by day to help them catch God’s vision for His purposes around the world.” This week, the IMB and NAMB reaped the financial fruit of this summer’s weekly offerings. “I hope students left camp knowing God is at work in their lives and at work all around the world,” said Justin McDowell, Student Life Camp event specialist. “Whether it be in their local communities today or in a mission field one day, I hope students’ hearts were moved to love others and share the Gospel.” These students were inspired to give because of the stories they heard of faithful missionaries and redeemed souls. Not only do these stories give students a vision for giving to missions but also a vision for going on mission. “I can’t imagine how many seeds are planted of future church planters, missionaries and church leaders who will one day start a brand-new Gospel work because they saw it demonstrated at camp,” Mandrell said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marissa Postell Sullivan is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources. #OCTOBER23

PRUDENVILLE – Our church is tucked away in the pines, off the beaten path of M 55, and is commonly known as ”The Little Church in The Woods”. We talk about the church as a building, structure, or a location, but we all know the church is really people like you and me. People who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and risen from the dead. Pathway Baptist Church is a loving church that has a heart to reach the lost with the Gospel. The church is active in many evangelistic outreaches and ministries: The Lions Den addiction ministry, the Roscommon County Jail Ministry, Christian Motorcycle Association, Tract Ministry, Children’s Ministry, and Video Ministry, (pbcupnorth.com). But for more than a decade the Outdoor Service and Dinner on The Grounds has been our largest outreach. An outdoor service is nothing new, Christians have been worshiping, singing, praising and praying to the Lord, and preaching his Holy Word in the grand cathedral of God’s creation for generations. No man made structure can match it. It’s been our experience that many folks are more likely to attend an outdoor service with an invitation. It is always our highest attended day of the year. The logistics of an outdoor service and dinner on the grounds puts the church at Pathway to work, and to work together. It is not glorious work, or work that is even recognized by most. There is weed eating, trimming, raking, mowing, power washing, cleaning, power cords, sound systems, amplifiers, mics (checked once, twice, three times), praying, and trusting God for good weather, food shopping, food preparation, food ordering, and serving each one with gratitude because they have come, at our invitation, to know the Savior through the hearing of the gospel, believing on him, and seeing him in us. What a privilege. Serving a good dinner after the service gives an opportunity for names to be spoken and remembered, friendships to be made and deepened, and personal ministry to happen as God's goodness and warm sun shines on us all. We have seen many come to faith in Christ, some follow through with baptism, church membership, and discipleship. The annual Outdoor Service and Dinner on the Grounds brings a smile to our faces here at Pathway. It is nothing new, but it is always a blessing. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Jeff and Judy Tuttle have served at Pathway Baptist Church, Prudenville, MI. beginning in 2009. They have four children and 10 grandchildren. #OCTOBER23

MARSHFIELD, MO (BP) – The first day of autumn may have officially come on Sept. 23, but the season associated with cooler weather had already started for ministries set in the outdoors. Webster County Baptist Association in Marshfield, Mo., held its 17th annual Outdoor Sportsman Event on Aug. 26. Admission was free with a $10 fee for shooters over the age of 10, bringing approximately 800 to the people event that included entertainment, food, kids’ activities and most important, a Gospel presentation. “We started this to reach a demographic of men who love the outdoors,” said the association’s appropriately named director, Mitch Fisher. “They love to hunt and fish but aren’t churchgoers. We gear it toward that. These guys are very capable with their crossbows and compound bows.” Such skills aren’t uncommon in rural counties like his. “It’s a way of life for us. So, to reach these people we speak their language. The speakers we get are usually local, too,” he said. There are various subgroups for whom these types of events are held. “We have people who don’t know Christ as their Savior. Or maybe they are a Christian but have fallen away and need to get back in church, to reconnect with their family and become better husbands and fathers,” Fisher said. The most recent national statistics from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service state that nearly 104 million U.S. residents at least 16 years old participate in some kind of wildlife-related recreational activity. That includes 11.5 million hunters, 35.8 million anglers and 86 million wildlife watchers. In addition to being a pastor, Chuck McAlister’s career has centered around introducing others to the Creator through the outdoors, whether that comes with wild game dinners or inviting war veterans to his private fishing pond. In those efforts, though, he stressed that it’s important to know who you’re talking to. When it comes to wild game dinners, for instance, he advises against praise music that may be good for churchgoers, but for others not so much. “Play some non-cheatin’, non-drinkin’ country songs,” he said. “I was at one not too long ago and the band broke out in “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. The whole place erupted. “I told them stories about my daddy and grandaddy, then moved quickly into the greatest lesson they ever taught me. That was how to have a relationship with the God who made the great outdoors.” That connects naturally into a Gospel presentation and invitation. McAlister, senior pastor of Dutch Fork Church in Irmo, S.C., uses those same principles on his 200-acre farm. His farm serves as the setting for HomePlace Ministries, which offers a variety of ministries including those addressing evangelism, church/pastor consultations, sermon preparation assistance and marriage encounter weekends. Soldiers, like those from nearby Fort Stewart, in Georgia, often take part in retreats. “We hosted 9 wounded soldiers from Fort Stewart for a weekend of fishing, fun, fellowship, and worship,” said a Sept. 17 post to the ministry’s Facebook page. “A lot of people don’t realize that these aren’t grizzled, old veterans,” said McAlister. “A lot of them are young. I’m talking 19, 20, 21 years old. “We get wounded warriors who have never been fishing. They may have grown up in a city and don’t have much exposure to the outdoors. So, it’s a wonderful opportunity to give them that and teach them to fish.” One soldier – while pulling in yet another fish – learned from McAlister of a direct connection between the activity and the Bible. “I said, ‘Do you know that Jesus said if we follow Him, that He makes us fishers of men?’ That amazed him, so I presented the Gospel to him right there on the edge of our pond,” McAlister said. “And he prayed and gave his heart to Jesus.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #OCTOBER23

PLYMOUTH – Looking at my walk as a Jesus follower, I found that my prayer life was weak in both frequency and depth. It seemed like every sermon, every worship song, every Jesus following friend I spoke with, and every book I read spoke of a deep prayer life that I knew I wasn’t experiencing. That appears to be the way God speaks to me. I hear His voice speaking through His Word and through those around me. It was coming through loud and clear that I was lacking in prayer and was missing out on an enormous intimacy in my faith. I love reading the Bible and soaking in the Words of Truth. Reading the Word of God and seeing Jesus revealed gives my Christian walk a solid direction. I find a strong foundation to stand on, and a reason and order to the world that God created when I read His Word. But prayer is more of a mystery. It feels more subjective and emotional instead of concrete like the Bible. And yet, Jesus prayed…. I decided at the beginning of 2023 that this year I would be intentional about growing in my prayer life. I wasn’t sure where to begin but I asked God to help me. I knew He wanted me to spend more time and understand the gift of prayer and that He would direct my growth. I’m far from totally spiritually mature in my prayer life, but I’m excited about what is beginning to happen. Here are the steps that I’m taking in learning to crave time in prayer with God: 1. I pray to God as soon as I wake, but before I get up. It’s a short prayer but acknowledges that God is God and I’m His creation. I give Him the day. 2. I make sure I get up early enough to read my Bible (one chapter a day from a Bible Reading Plan) and save ten minutes for time of prayer. Two minutes of the prayer time I try to just be quiet before God and hear what He wants me to hear. (I’m still just learning this and seeing how God is going to use this time.) 3. I purchased a book, Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions by Arthur Bennett. My sister had purchased this book for my mother after my dad passed away, and mom was groping her way through the dark corridors of deep grief. I know that God is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and I thought this book of prayers might help me in my prayer journey. I love the depths of these Puritan prayers and how they see the seriousness of their sin, the goodness of God, and the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse and free us. I read one prayer after my Bible reading and time of prayer. The depth of these prayers staggers and humbles me. 4. My pastor recommended that I read Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton. The description says to trade your doubts, disappointments, and misconceptions about prayer for a powerful connection with God! I can tell you that I’ve never read a book like this one about how to pray and talk with God. It has been life changing for me. I listened to the audio book while highlighting the book. I’m now going back and just reading the book again. I want to make permanent changes in my prayer life. 5. I’m working to find a rhythm of prayer. I want to pray more than just mornings and before meals, but to take time for intercessory prayer near noon each day. (I’m at work but take time during lunch.) The most loving thing I can do for someone is understand that I can’t help them, love them, keep them safe enough all by myself…. but I can lift them up in prayer to our Creator who is All Powerful, All Knowing and who loves them even more than I do. Also, to add prayer in the evening about my interactions during the day, even if it’s five minutes alone with God. There is the beginning of a prayer revival that is moving across our nation especially with young people. I find myself wanting that, too. I desire closeness with God not only in His Word, but together with Him in conversation, breathing Him in, basking in His presence, and feeling the joy of just being with Him, my Father, my God. Thank You, my Holy Father, for wanting me in your presence. Your goodness overwhelms me. Your gift of salvation and closeness with You is undeserved. Thank you for giving us a way to communicate with You and You with us. Praise You, my God! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie Lynn works at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. She's a member at Treeline Church in Ann Arbor (new church start that is focusing on university students). It's her joy to mentor several young women. Jamie loves spending time with her husband Tony, her three kids and spouses, and nine grandchildren. #OCTOBER23

SALISBURY, MD – Send Network’s new podcast, “Terminal: The Dying Church Planter,” is more than just a story about a guy with cancer, said producer Tony Hudson. It’s a story about one man’s monsters, metamorphosis, church planting ministry and church members. Most of all, it’s the story of God’s kindness through it all and His ability to work all things together for good. “Terminal” follows Richard Pope, a Send Network church planter who found out one month before launching Canvas Church in Salisbury, that he had terminal cancer and three to five years left to live. Despite his diagnosis, Richard and his team launched Canvas Church on April 4th, 2021, and since then, more than 100 people have made decisions to follow Christ and have been baptized there. This past year, the church has doubled in size, trained a dozen ministry leaders and is sending out their own church plant, Garden Church in Cambridge, later this year. But, upon walking into his crowded church plant in Salisbury, there’s more to Pope’s story than meets the eye. “I’ve been through a lot,” Pope shared on the podcast. “There’s so much, even before you get to the cancer.” Some months after initially recording the soon-to-be released podcast, Pope said he’s still a bit nervous about sharing parts of his story: “There’s a certain rawness to the way it’s told in the podcast, so I’m nervous about that.” In fact, the 26-year-old church planter wasn’t keen on the idea of sharing his story in podcast form until he met Tony Hudson, a multimedia writer at the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “Tony didn’t come and treat me like I was a product he was writing a story about. Tony treated me like I was a person, and that God was doing something and that was a story worth telling,” Pope said. Perhaps Hudson’s ability to connect with Richard had to do with Hudson’s own battle with cancer 23 years ago. As Hudson put it, “I think it gave me an opening that maybe just some other person who’s not had that experience might not have had. And the fact that God could have some kind of purpose out of my experience, which was pretty unpleasant, that’s a pretty great thing.” So last fall, a few weeks after meeting Hudson in person, Pope found himself in a makeshift recording studio set up inside his church — sharing with Hudson, and now, the world, some of the most difficult parts of his life story. Hudson, who narrates the podcast, said the six-hour interview with Pope was the longest in his career. Over the course of five days, he interviewed 29 people who all helped tell the story of Pope and his church. Hudson returned home with a 992-page transcript. For Pope and his wife, Payton, listening to the eight-episode podcast was both gut-wrenching and encouraging. “After each episode, we asked each other, ‘How do you feel about that? Are you good with that?’ And yet,” said Pope, “the podcast might have been one of the first times we actually just listened to what God has done here, and that was encouraging.” Pope said he hopes sharing his story will encourage struggling pastors and believers that their struggles don’t limit God’s goodness. In fact, though the journey of planting a church while battling cancer has been incredibly hard, Richard has already seen glimpses of how God has used his cancer as a tool to share the gospel. The podcast offers listeners a reminder that everyone is terminal, even though most do not know how long they have left. So, everyone, like Pope, should dedicate their life to something — and Someone — that matters. “Terminal” is available on every major podcast platform, with photos and additional podcast materials on TerminalChurchPlanter.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anna Skudarnova writes for the North American Mission Board. #OCTOBER23

SHELBY TOWNSHIP – When farmers harvest wheat they must perform a process of sifting. First, they must thresh the wheat. The old-fashioned form of threshing was to place the wheat on the concrete or stone ground and crush it hard enough so it would separate the grain from the stalks. The farmers would then have to undertake the process of winnowing. In this part of the process, the farmers would throw the mixture into the air and the wind would blow the chaff away where only the heavy, edible grain would remain. There are times in our lives where we will endure a sifting season. We may feel as if we are being crushed on all sides. These seasons of our lives are hard, painful, and agonizing. Have you ever been there? Maybe you are there now. For me, I am coming out of a season of sifting. During this season, God led me to the passage in Luke when Jesus was participating in the Last Supper with the disciples. Jesus says to Simon: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 (NIV) As soon as I read this passage in Luke, I knew it was speaking directly to me. I was in a sifting season. In these verses God showed me three very important things that I needed in that season. Three truths to hold onto when you are in a sifting season: 1. Jesus allows the sifting season. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat….” We see in this verse that Satan has asked Jesus to sift Simon. When I feel like I am going through spiritual warfare, I can feel the heaviness of the battle and begin to feel defeated and afraid. God made it very clear that whatever warfare or “sifting” we experience in our lives, it first goes through Jesus. Our God is sovereign, which means everything is under His control. Any sifting we go through in our lives is meant to separate our chaff from our wheat so that He can get rid of any impurities that we still have. 2. Jesus prays for us. “… But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.” Jesus is praying for us. He never loses sight of us, and is always interceding to the Father on our behalf. During my sifting season, God sent three people in the span of six weeks (who didn’t know my situation) to tell me I had been in their dreams and that they felt led to pray for me. During these six weeks, I was at the height of my threshing. Then a few months later, when I was in what felt like a second round of threshing, a fourth person contacted me. She told me that I had been in her dreams for a few nights in a row and that she didn’t know what was going on, but that she was praying for me. When these four people reached out to me, I felt seen and heard by God. I know God hears my prayers, but He showed me in such a powerful way that He was using His people to intercede on my behalf. 3. Jesus sees the end of the process. “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” I love this part of this passage where Jesus states, “when you have turned back.” He knew that Simon would make it through this season and when he did, he would be stronger and ready to lead the other disciples. Simon was going to learn some very important things that would prepare him for his calling. He would not be the same person on the other side of the sifting. Just as Simon grew and changed during his sifting season, I can say the same for myself. I have been able to thank God for my sifting season, because if it wasn’t for that season I wouldn’t be where I am today. Truth is, we wouldn’t choose a sifting season, but God knows exactly what we need to continue to mold us into the person he created us to be. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV) Next time you go through a sifting season, remember to thank God for loving you so much that he wants to separate the grain from the chaff in your life. It isn’t easy, but it is necessary. The hard times will make you stronger if you do not give up! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area! #OCTOBER23

PLYMOUTH – On September the 9th of this year I awoke and breathed in the air of this terrestrial globe for the 25,550th time. Yes, I hit that monumental and somewhat unenviable goal of living for seventy years. It is only unenviable because of the accelerated deterioration of my body and the ensuing challenges and difficulties it brings. Over these decades I replaced or repaired so many parts and appendages that I am not sure where the original me ends and the new and improved begins. There have been times when my maturing condition has created an atmosphere that was conducive for anxiety and depression. It was during those times that I came to the realization that I must make a choice. Would I allow my physical condition to control my attitude, or would my attitude control my condition as a whole? In my soul and spirit, I thought, felt, and viewed life as a 25-year-old young man. Every time I looked in a mirror, I had a very difficult time recognizing the reflection therein. “Who was that old guy staring back at me? That’s not me! I’m 25!” The fact is, that no matter what we may try or believe, the aging process will continue and eventually our bodies will diminish and return to dust. Aging is inevitable but growing old is not. The great theologian, Toby Keith (HA!) wrote a song that Willie Nelson made popular. The sentiment of the song is one from which I believe we could all benefit. Don't let the old man in I wanna live some more Can't leave it up to him He's knocking on my door. I knew all of my life That someday it would end Get up and go outside Don't let the old man in. Many moons I have lived My body's weathered and worn Ask yourself how old you'd be If you didn't know the day you were born. Try to love on your wife And stay close to your friends Toast each sundown with wine And don't let the old man in. When he rides up on his horse And you feel that cold bitter wind Look out your window and smile And don't let the old man in. It truly is a choice. As I said previously, aging is inevitable, but growing old is not. We don’t have to let the old man in! This is true in our physical life, but even more so in our spiritual life. Every day it is a choice as to whether we are going to walk in the Spirit or in the flesh, and my friends, the battle is real! How I act or react in most of my interactions and conversations is the direct result of the choice I make concerning Who will be in control of my life. I believe with all my heart that “Any person in Christ is a new creation. Old things pass away, Behold, all things have become new.” Yet, until our body is finally redeemed and in the presence of our Lord, we will battle with the pull of the “flesh”, that is, the Old Man. In the next few weeks there will be much discussion and interaction about monumental decisions that will be made at our upcoming Annual Meeting of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). These discussions and the exchange of information are absolutely necessary for this family of believers to make wise, and God-directed decisions. But what matters most is the decision we make before our gathering together for deliberation. We all must come to a point where we decide if we are going to let the Old Man in and allow him to control our actions and attitudes, or will we allow the Spirit of God to have His way? Before you write anything on social media, in an email, or voice in any public forum, please ask yourself if these are the responses of a person controlled by the Spirit of God or by the old man and the flesh. The world is watching and listening. May they see and hear a godly people living a Spirit controlled life where they have chosen to not let the old man in. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:9-10 [1] [1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Col 3:8–12). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 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. #OCTOBER23

PLYMOUTH – International travelers descended on the newest of Christians in Michigan! High school students, university students, and young adults without college degrees learned the International Mission Board (IMB) has wide open pathways of service waiting for them. Opportunities of service for them can be as long as 1-2 weeks, 1 summer, 1 semester, 1-2 years fully funded without a college degree, or 2+2 experience w/ a fully funded mission experience for two years added to two years of education at one of the six seminaries which results in an outstanding degree. More details can be found at www.imb.org/go. BSCM’s Dan Carty and Mile City’s Jordan Duncan can be seen, in the image, standing in a small circle of enthusiastic students who represent a portion of the crowd who arrived and engaged in the day’s discussions. Carty and Duncan were perfect co-emcees who magically turned the crowd into a family of mission explorers. The Mile City Church Plymouth team along with Lead Pastor Travis Whittaker, on September 23, hosted the international missions rally in the excellent way in which they faithfully provide help to many. Travis is seen, in the image, with Ryan who won a $200 scholarship to purchase a passport or to pay for an airline ticket for an International Mission Board assignment. Ryan’s humility and generosity was clear when he remarked, “I was recently hired by one of the major car companies in Michigan. Can I share my scholarship with someone who might not have the means I do now with my new employment?” I thought Ryan’s kindness and open spirit would make Ryan perfect for the IMB’s Project 3000 where adults who are 21-29 years of age, with or without a college degree, can explore one of more than 3,000 unengaged, unreached people groups across the globe. The IMB’s goal is to send 300 missionaries on a two-year fully funded mission assignment. The day’s talks, fun, food, and worship would have not been the inspirational event we experienced without Matt Wagner of MatthewWagner.org creating a worship team of Michigan’s dedicated musicians. Matt’s creativity both in music and video transport people through stories and experiences to deeper moments of reflection which is exactly what was needed for those attending. The two images shown here reveal the important times of contemplation where heads were bowed in private prayer or eyes were raised during songs of worship. Matt, raised overseas as a child of missionaries, knew how to clearly lead all of us toward the Lord through worship. Repeatedly, the three speakers of the day urged the students and young adults to respond to the lostness of the world’s population from the depth of their love and adoration for the Lord. Julius Tennal II from the Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina spoke from the 96th Psalm highlighting how the Lord led him into deeper devotion to the Lord through the influence of inspirational, caring men like J.D. Greear, lead pastor of Summit Church. Seen in the image, Julius explained how he went from the deep south to South Africa then to Summit Church where he trains people for overseas service in remarkable numbers. Tiffany, an active IMB missionary, joined us through a video connection in which Tiffany displayed brilliantly how a young, single woman serves the Lord overseas with the IMB. The worship center was still and quiet, as seen in the image, while people watched Tiffany talk from the streets of her location in Europe, her apartment, a marketplace, and with a windmill looming in the background. Tiffany is midway on a two-year, classic journeyman assignment where she works with career missionaries in a country among a people group. Details on Tiffany’s assignment can be discovered by clicking here: Journeyman. There was a strong connection with Tiffany because the audience learned that she grew up in western Michigan but only learned about serving the Lord through the IMB after she moved to the southern United States in pursuit of a college degree. Patrick Schwarz, the NextGen Leader for the IMB, using two biblical passages as his starting point, ended his talk by showing the many pathways of service offered to members of churches associated with Michigan’s network. As seen in the image, Patrick explained the turns of life that took him from Connecticut to Scotland, then to Virginia as the primary voice to the younger generations. High school students and their leaders leaned into the topic when they learned there are prepared assignments written by missionaries on the field who are waiting for high school students to explore the world and share Christ with others. Details about high school youth group assignments can be found at Go Impact with the IMB. The specific details of where, with whom, dates, and costs are online for everyone to see and select. The two images shown here reinforce why we coordinated this amazing event. The new generations are hungry to give their lives through meaningful expressions to the Lord. In one image, Jamie is seen with Bre and Layla who won prizes from one of the games we played while getting acquainted. Layla, a third grader and a daughter of a church planter with the North American Mission Board, with a gleaming smile expressed to everyone that she was a “high schooler” on this Saturday because she wanted to learn about missions. In the other image, we see two of the main speakers standing with Kim and Gwen. Julius and Patrick took time as the morning started to celebrate and pray with Gwen who is a high school student who during a recent youth retreat with Mile City declared that she is called to missions. This amazing Saturday was about people like Gwen matching her expression of devotion to the Lord to a location on a world map. On the IMB’s website for students, they placed a quote of the famous missionary William Carey, who wrote years ago, “To know the will of God, we need and open Bible and an open map.” The Sending Out New Generations Rally is updating William Carey’s practical instruction. Look, pray, and respond to what you see on the site for high school students and young adults by following this link: Students. Join us as we open up more discussions and gatherings as the spiritual appetite of the new generations increases. The best days are still ahead of us. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. 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. #OCTOBER23

PLYMOUTH – God called me to preach my senior year of high school. I had not been a follower of Jesus for very long, and didn’t really know anything about preaching or ministry. I needed direction and my first pastor knew it. He met with me and several other men early on Saturday mornings to disciple us and prepare us to pursue our ministry callings. Pastor David gave us our first opportunities to preach. I remember sitting on the front pew during the worship service getting more and more nervous as my first sermon approached. I started praying something like this: “Lord Jesus, you say in your Word that you’re coming back. Please, Jesus come back now. I can’t do this. Come back Lord, please! Save me and these people from what is about to happen.” Jesus didn’t come back, and my pastor didn’t stop working with me. His investment in a not so promising kid helped give me a foundation that I continue to build on nearly a half century later. It was a pastor and wife who invited Shar and me into their lives during college for a premarital seminar for engaged couples. We met weekly in their home with six other couples as they poured their lives into ours. Pastor Harlan and JoAnn shared openly about the blessings and challenges of life together in the covenant of marriage. They gave of themselves to help prepare us for our journey together as a husband and wife following Christ. Their transparency spoke volumes about the joys and challenges of what it really means “that two shall become one.” When our family served as missionaries in Brazil, a Brazilian pastor befriended me. We walked together in the early mornings before the blistering heat of the sun took over. I learned much from this dear brother about life and culture of Brazil. Shortly after preaching one Sunday, I fell to the ground in the most intense physical pain I have ever experienced. It was a difficult moment. We had no family doctor, no experience in the health care system in the city, and insufficient words in Portuguese to describe what was happening. I called Pastor Bené. He stopped everything he was doing and immediately took me to the Emergency Room. He understood my painful, broken Portuguese and helped me communicate with the doctor. I gave birth to a kidney stone - an experience I never want to repeat! When Shar and I made the decision to start a business and minister bi-vocationally for a season, three Michigan pastors stepped into our lives to help us. It was a critical moment for us, and God used them. Pastor Larry Rednower invited us to help New Haven Baptist Church with a second campus. Pastor Irv (Salty) Saultman, a long-time contractor and bi-vocational pastor, mentored us in carpentry skills and life balance. Jim Marcus, Director of Missions for the Genesee Baptist Association, served as my ministry coach. Serving in associational and convention life is unique in that there are seasons when it seems like I am in a different church each week. Relocating several times in the last 17 years to be closer to our ministry setting has been challenging at times. It meant finding a new church home. Pastors like Bob Galey, Ed Emmerling, and Wayne Parker have faithfully preached God’s Word every time we have been blessed to attend and we are grateful for them. In recent years, a man we all know has made an incredible impact in my life - Pastor Tim Patterson. Serving with him has taught me much about leadership, grace, and vision. I had serious concerns about the future of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) before God brought Pastor Tim and Sabrina to our state. By the time he arrived, Anne Glissman and Yolanda Chapa were the only convention staff left. Our beloved Pastor Jimmy Jones, stepped into the void as Interim Executive Director and Pastor Gerald Colbert came back and forth from Georgia to serve as Interim Director of Missions. These men and women did an admirable job providing stability in what I considered a Convention in crisis. Michigan Baptists called Pastor Tim and he has led us through a revitalization of our cooperative mission efforts. God has used him to guide us toward restored health. It hasn’t been easy or without pain. His framework through it all has been: “Give God’s people the information and trust them with the decision.” Pastor Tim and Sabrina have loved pastors and wives across our state, and they have loved Shar and me. Thank you! Many pastors have influenced my life, but I want to close with a special thank you to Pastor (Dr.) Tony Lynn. Many of you know that Shar and I went to the same middle and high school as Tony and Jamie, but it wasn’t until the end of high school that the four of us really started doing life together. It was Tony that invited me to a church Christmas Pageant where I realized for the first time that God loved me, and it was his family that loved me to Christ. We ended up going to the same college and seminary to prepare for a lifetime of ministry. We have watched each other’s children, preached in each other’s churches, and been brothers for a lifetime. We spent a season ministering on different continents, only to end up serving Michigan Baptists together. From mischief to ministry, Tony and I have been lifelong friends. (Shar and Jamie will tell you that the mischief never stopped). Thank you, Pastor Tony! My heart is filled with gratitude as I think back to the many pastors who have impacted my life. I appreciate each one and am thankful for their ministry in my life. You probably have a pastor in your life who has blessed your life. Take a moment this month to tell him so. 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. #OCTOBER23