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PHILADELPHIA (BP) – Scripture engagement remains down among Americans, but a widespread curiosity gives ground for evangelism, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in releasing the first chapter of its 2023 State of the Bible survey. Only 47 million Americans, or about 18 percent of the adult population, ranked as Scripture-Engaged in the 2023 study, using a descriptor based on Bible use and its impact in one’s life. Scripture-engaged described 49 million adults in 2022, down from 71 million adults in 2020 or about 27 percent of the adult population. While Scripture engagement remains low, adults ranked in a category termed the Movable Middle grew by 10 million from 2022 to 2023, the study found, rising to 76 million. The movable middle spiked to 95 million in the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic year, but dropped back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, reverting to 66 million. The ABS finds hope in the newest numbers. “The Movable Middle is awash in curiosity, with more than two thirds (68 percent) “very” or “extremely” curious and only a smidgen (3 percent) not curious at all,” the ABS wrote. “Granted, there’s a difference between wondering and actively searching, but this is a start. Curiosity is a growth platform for Bible ministry in the U.S. How will we respond?” While 138 million adults are ranked as Bible Disengaged – those who score lowest on the Bible engagement scale – the number is lower than the 145 million who were characterized as disengaged in 2022. And those who are disengaged see Scripture as increasingly central to their lives and impactful in their behavior. “That leads us to say that, not only are there 10 million fewer Bible Disengaged Americans than there were last year, they aren’t as disengaged as they used to be,” the ABS said. “If the trend continues, we might see even more migration into the Movable Middle in 2024.” Participants in the study registered frustrations in Bible reading. Including all three categories of scripture engagement, 26 percent said they don’t have enough time to read the Bible; 17 percent don’t know where to start, 16 percent are not excited to read Scripture, 15 percent have difficulty relating to the language, 9 percent find the layout difficult to navigate, and 8 percent find the stories confusing. But those who do read the Bible cite positive motivations including wanting to be closer to God (47 percent), gaining wisdom for making life decision (20 percent), for comfort (15 percent), learning God’s nature (9 percent), learning how to treat others (4 percent), a sense of duty (3 percent) and to fulfill class or Bible study requirements (2 percent). The ABS encourages churches to engage members in Scripture by asking communities about their practices, motivations and frustrations regarding the Bible, sincerely listening to their answers and finding ways to help; making a positive case for the benefits of Scripture engagement in youth, showing people how to start reading Scripture, and creating or curating mood-based resources to engage those who rank as Bible-disengaged. The ABS released its first chapter of the 2023 study April 6 and plans to release subsequent chapters monthly, focusing on Changing Faith and The Faith of Our Mothers, Flourishing and the Bible, Spiritual Vitality in America, The Faith of Generation Z, The Bible and Behavior in America, Technology and the Bible and Giving it All: Philanthropy and Service. Now in its 13th year, the State of the Bible annually looks at the Bible, faith and the church in America. The ABS collaborated with the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC) in designing the study conducted online and via telephone to NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel. The 18-minute survey, conducted Jan. 5-30, produced 2,761 responses from a representative sample of adults 18 and older within the 50 states and D.C. The first chapter is available here. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #MAY23

BOSTON (BP) – Had it gone as planned, Josh Wyatt’s wife Becky and their three young children would have been outside Marathon Sports when the first explosion blasted the storefront at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Wyatt himself was on a plane, hoping to land and join his family as they cheered a family friend who was running the race. “By the grace of God that morning, one of my wife’s friends talked her out of going to the finish line,” Wyatt, founding pastor of Charles River Church in Boston, told Baptist Press. “They said it would be just too difficult with three young children to meet me there. I’m so grateful to the Lord that she took that advice.” As Boston marked the 10th anniversary of the bombing, Wyatt’s family – his children now 16, 14 and 12 – and members of his congregation cheered him as he joined a field of 30,000 in the iconic race and clocked a personal best of 03:00:22, he told Baptist Press. “It was a stark contrast to 2013,” he said. “Ten years later, there was so much joy and excitement, and (we were) just able to see the resiliency of the city, and that was very encouraging. We had lots of folks from our church family scattered throughout the marathon course cheering me on. (There was) lots of joy compared to the horror of that day 10 years ago.” Charles River Church ministered to the community and first responders after the 2013 bombing that killed three pedestrians on race day, a police officer who was killed in a confrontation with the bombers and a second police officer who died in 2014 of a head injury suffered in pursuing the suspects. Another 281 were injured along the route. The tragedy lit a fire in Wyatt’s heart. The 2023 race was his third Boston Marathon in a line of several he has run. “That year when the bomb went off,” he said, “from that point forward there was a draw in my heart towards all things Boston Marathon. I just love the race. I love the people of Boston. From that point forward I just started to feel a tug towards the marathon. I eventually started to do the work to qualify for the marathon, and I0 marathons later I found myself running my first Boston marathon. “Yesterday I set a personal record and had the best time I ever had.” Wyatt planted Charles River Church in 2012, and it had about 40 members when the bombing occurred. It has grown to 280 members, with some of them classified as covenant members who have signed church covenants or pledges. Aided by others, the young church distributed care packages to medical workers at Massachusetts General Hospital where many of the injured were taken. Running the race on the 10th anniversary of the bombing was important to Wyatt. “It just meant so much to me,” he said. “It means I’m joining so many of my friends in this city who love this city and are excited to see the city bounce back and show its resiliency after just a really horrific season.” The City of Boston held numerous anniversary events the weekend before this year’s race to honor victims, with family members of those killed participating, Boston.com reported. Killed in the bombing were Martin Richland, 8; Lingzu Lu, 23, and Krystle Campbell, 28. Police officers who died were Sean Collier in 2013 and Dennis Simmonds in 2014. Many of the injured lost limbs in the bombing. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' senior writer. #MAY23

WASHINGTON (BP) – Refugee resettlement in the U.S., a cause promoted by Southern Baptists and other evangelicals, doubled in March from the previous month, the Department of State said in its monthly report. The U.S. accepted 6,122 refugees in March, double the February total of 3,069 and far surpassing previous months this fiscal year ranging from 2,152 to 2,481. Yet, if resettlement continues monthly at the March count, resettlement would fall far below the annual national cap of 125,000, the National Immigration Forum reported. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) praised the increase but said more progress is needed. “It is encouraging to see, at long last, the U.S. refugee resettlement program regain traction in helping the most vulnerable reach safety” ERLC Policy Manager Hannah Daniel told Baptist Press. “There is certainly more work to be done in rebuilding this vital program, but these recent numbers offer a first glimpse that progress is being made. “Southern Baptists remain committed to supporting the refugee resettlement program, welcoming those who arrive in our communities, and sharing the Gospel with as many of them as possible.” At the March rate, the U.S. would accept about 55,000 refugees through the fiscal year ending in September, less than half the number allowed. Resettlement through March this fiscal year is 18,429. The ERLC has advocated for an increase in the refugee resettlement ceiling and the amount of resources committed to the work to help a range of refugees including those persecuted for their faith and those fleeing hostile authoritarian regimes. Texas accepted the largest number of refugees in March – 1,664 – although the report doesn’t indicate whether the refugees remained within the state. Others accepting the largest numbers, according to the State Department, were New York at 1,125, California with 1,089, Kentucky, 964, and North Carolina, 850. The smallest numbers were reported for Mississippi, which accepted none; followed by Alaska with 11, Arizona with 12 and Louisiana, 26. Refugees predominantly came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2,441; Syria, 711; Afghanistan, 495, and Iraq, 169, but numbers and origins vary greatly monthly. An influx of asylum seekers at the southern border is anticipated in May when Title 42 limitations aimed at controlling COVID-19 will expire. The limitations allowed asylum seekers to be returned to their country of origin or the country through which they entered the U.S., often Mexico. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #MAY23

PLYMOUTH – Vacation Bible School is an incredible outreach opportunity. Why? “If you total it up, VBS results in 15 hours of intense discipleship, the gospel being shared daily, and 7 months of ministry in 1 week. IT’S WORTH IT!” (LifeWay.com). Go all out with VBS this summer. It changes lives! Many believers across the country and beyond had their first encounter with the Gospel in VBS. Ask any group of Christians at a conference about VBS and there likely will be someone there whose life was impacted. Need more leaders? Thousands of today’s Sunday School and Small Group leaders had their first teaching experiences in VBS. Many churches intentionally staff VBS with a primary leader, an assistant, and a teenage helper in each group knowing that VBS starts many of them on a lifelong ministry of teaching the Word of God! From the Worship Rally to Bible Study, Missions, Crafts, Snacks, Music, and Recreation, the whole church is working together to share the Gospel and make disciples. Special Note: If you are using Lifeway VBS materials, apply for a $250 VBS grant at: https://www.bscm.org/grants. (Please note that we use the same form for all Evangelism Grant Requests including this special VBS grant). Interact with your community through evangelistic block parties, movie nights, wild game dinners, sport camps, concerts in the park, and more. Perhaps your church could volunteer to serve at a community event like “Hometown Days.” Give water out at a local 5K run. Clean up a local park or help paint classrooms at a local school. The BSCM will help you with evangelism grants up to $1,000. For long term ministry in your community, Send Relief has excellent training materials to get your church started in compassionate ministries. Send Relieve is a collaboration between the North American and International Mission Boards to help churches be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world filled with needs. Send Relief recently released ministry courses to empower your church to: Respond to sudden emergencies and disasters Embrace newly arrived refugees Fight the epidemic of human trafficking Meet basic needs in your community Show love to local children in foster care I worked through the Send Relief: How To Strengthen Your Community course. It contained 6 video lessons, a 21-page Church Guide to Ministry, Reflection Questions, and a City and Target Community Assessment. The course was informative, thought-provoking, and helpful. The free courses are available at: https://courses.sendrelief.org. 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. #MAY23

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – It was early Thursday morning. We met in the usual breakfast joint where the eggs-and-bacon special was always $2.99. Here we could talk openly and honestly. We met here every week for years. We shared a lot of life in that spot. Four guys huddled in a booth talking about kids, marriages, careers, hopes, joys, and church. One guy was a parts manager at the local Ford dealership. Another, a social worker. Steve was the city Parks Manager. And I was a young pastor with two small kids. On this day, when I walked through the door, my heart was heavy, and they could sense it. I tried to keep it together emotionally because the restaurant was full, and I didn’t want to break down and cry in front of all these people. The mayor and some of his cronies were sitting just two tables away! Our daughter Jamie was not quite three years old, but something serious was going on with her. We would later discover that she had a rare genetic condition that could cause severe mental and physical disability. In this breakfast meeting the weight of the world was on my shoulders. The pressure in my chest was so intense I could hardly breathe. But I was The Pastor to these men, and I had to “hold it together.” At least that’s what I told myself. That’s what pastors do, right? I finally cracked and told the guys what was happening in my soul and in my home. It wasn’t pretty and I was scared. Broken, scared, and so alone… Our daughter was three and she could not walk or talk or feed herself. Our marriage was strained. I didn’t know what to do. I felt paralyzed. “I don’t think I can walk out of this place,” I said. “I am so drained and broken-hearted.” That’s when Steve said to me with tears in his eyes, “Then let us carry you!” That was more than 30 years ago, but I will never forget those words. “Let us carry you.” When we survey the life and ministry of the apostle Paul, we see his confidence in the sufficiency of the gospel, his commitment to making disciples, and his willingness to suffer for Jesus. But there’s another, often overlooked, feature of the Pauline mission: friendship. As Paul planted churches throughout the Roman world, he didn’t do so as a one-man band. Paul was relationally connected. He traveled with friends, stayed in their homes, and visited them. He worked and preached alongside his friends. He encouraged them and stood by them. A quick read through Acts shows Paul’s commitment to, and genuine concern for, his friends: Barnabas, Titus, Silas, Luke, Priscilla, Aquilla, Lydia, Onesiphorus, Epapharoditus, John Mark, the Ephesian elders, and more. In Romans 16, he mentions more than 30 names. The list oozes with affection. It magnifies the gospel, demonstrates grace in diversity, and contains moving expressions of honor. In our zeal to help churches take their next step and accelerate the gospel movement in Michigan, we emphasize Paul’s pattern of preaching the grace of Christ. But we should also highlight his deep commitment to friendship. Jesus regularly strengthens us through the presence and ministry of others. Consider Paul’s statement about Titus: “For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without, and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Cor. 7:5–6). God used Titus to give Paul a boost. Let’s learn to carry one another, encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thess. 5:11). I lead a cohort of pastors once a month in which we help one another seek first the kingdom of God, accelerate gospel movement, and develop a healthy, humble posture in ministry. If you need more information about forming a cohort in your area, please contact Pastor Luke Bilberry of Chapel Pointe Church, Hudsonville, MI at Be The Church. He’ll be glad to help! Eugene Peterson once said that “Friendship is a much-underestimated aspect of spirituality. It’s every bit as significant as prayer and fasting.” So, Pastor, who are your friends? Who is pouring into your life? What can you do to cultivate gospel friendships in your sphere of influence? Who will carry you? 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. #MAY23

ROSCOMMON – The great philosopher, Jimmy Buffett, released a song in the late 70’s called Volcano. The hook of the song had these words - “I don’t know where I’m a gonna go when the volcano blows!” According to Wikipedia “the album and its title song are named for the then dormant Soufrière Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies where Buffett recorded the album in May 1979 at AIR Studios.” Ironically the studio was severely damaged when the Volcano erupted in 1995 further bolstering the notoriety of the song. I remember hearing my dad sing or hum the chorus quite often as I was growing up, and of course, it got stuck in my head and my own kids have had to endure me singing it. Over the last 20 years of my life the big “what if” in the chorus of the song has resonated louder and louder in my mind. “What if” the Volcano blows? “What if” my health or my wife’s health goes bad? “What if” the economy tanks? “What if” my kids make poor life choices? “What if, What if, What if”?!? Unfortunately, it’s easy as a husband, dad, or pastor to get caught-up in listening to the broken record of “What if”. It seems every arena in my life can cause worries to play in my mind and sometimes become louder than reality. I imagine if you’re reading this you have experienced or do experience this to some degree. Reality is we will always be inundated with worries, fears, and anxieties. “The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional” –Max Lucado. God never intended for our lives to be ruled by anxiety and “What if”. The apostle Paul explains this in Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Paul is giving us some practical steps we can take to avoid being a prisoner of worry and anxiety - talk to God, ask for help, and thank Him for His help and presence in our lives. The promise of God’s supernatural peace is His protection for us against the onslaught of fear and worry. How awesome is that! Peace instead of anxiousness! All I have to do is set my eyes on Him and not the specter of “What if”. So what if the Volcano blows? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake. #MAY23

PLYMOUTH – The longer I live the more I realize that the persons we have become are a composite of all the experiences of our lives. Some of those experiences or events are more impacting and pivotal than others while some are mere blips on the historical radar screens of our past. It is usually in late evenings when I retire to my study that my mind puts on its hiking shoes and treks back over the landscape of my memories. Sometimes those shoes take me forward to the things that might be, but as more of my years are found behind me than ahead, I seem to walk around in those hills of previous days. The mental exercise does me good, and sometimes I stumble upon things that had been long forgotten or for some strange reason I am seeing for the first time. Last night I had one of those mental hiking epiphanies. I came to realize that life is a lot like really good lasagna. It consists of layer after layer of spices, pasta, sauces, cheeses, meats, and who knows what else, baked together to form one unique dish. Each item, though unique in and of itself, has melded with all the others to form something special. As I was inspecting a slice of my “lasagna life” I discovered a cheesy piece that I had not recalled since the event. At the time I was living in Marathon, Texas near the Big Bend National Park. I was serving there as the Associate Pastor (official title for flunky) of First Baptist Church under the watchful eye and tutelage of Pastor Walt Gallaway. He was a great preacher and a wonderful friend who taught me much about life and ministry. There was not a great deal to do in that little village, so we learned to entertain ourselves with various hobbies. Walt found pleasure and relaxation in tilling and cultivating a small patch of land as his own personal garden. Now that was no small task seeing that the ground there was composed of 90% rock, and water was at a premium. We may have gotten six inches of rain a year, and as the old ranchers out there would say, “you should have seen the day that it came.” He had worked for several weeks to get the ground prepared, and finally had a good crop of vegetables forcing their way through the hard surface. He had a really good stand of tomatoes and okra, and of course his favorite, Chiltepin Peppers. Most of the parishioners were quite amazed at his agrarian abilities. He was faithful to care for them and to keep up a regimen of spraying and fertilization. He was very knowledgeable about his little farming operation because he had worked with his father at his cottonseed processing plant in South Texas which had been relatively successful. He was aware of what insecticides were best, how to use them, and had several bottles of them in his storage area. One day his wife Gail, decided she would help him with his maintenance and she sprayed his entire garden with what she thought was a premixed concoction of his best bug killer. Her intentions were pure and her motives were sincere, but what she did not know was that the liquid mixture in the pump up sprayer was the very powerful defoliant 2-5-4-T, better known as Agent Orange. Within a matter of hours every green limb and leaf lay limp on the ground. It was not a pretty sight nor was the discussion that ensued. Gail, like so many in this life, was very sincere and well meaning, but she was sincerely wrong. Many have and still proclaim loudly and fervently if a person is really sincere in the matters of religion and life then that is all that is required. “Sincerity” and “Tolerance” have become the politically correct and socially acceptable standards by which we are to judge a person's veracity. My friends, ax murderers and rapists are sincere, but that does not make them right. There is only one standard by which we may judge something to be right or wrong, and His standard does not change with the winds of social and political variables. God’s Word is the standard by which we must live, not by present cultural norms or today’s acceptable practices. In fact, there was another woman named Eve who was very sincere in her dealings with a certain Garden and look where that got us. She was sincerely wrong. 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. #APRIL23 #MARCH23

Editors Note: To hear more about “Be the Church” listen to this recent “Punching Holes in the Darkness'' podcast. https://www.bscm.org/podcast/episode/d61f7417/be-the-church-the-cohorts HUDSONVILLE – I was sitting on the beach at Gull Lake. I was done. Hurt. Broken. I was wrestling with so many things. My life had not gone the way I expected. Ministry had not gone the way I expected. I believed deep down that I was called to the local church, but I had no idea what that was going to look like. A friend introduced me to Joel Wayne. He came and sat next to me on the beach that day. He believed that God had so much more in store for me. Since that day, I have had the honor to step in and help other pastors see the greater call God has for their lives. The Church is desperate to see spiritual leaders step up to the plate. According to the New York Times, 46% of pastors under 45 and 34% of pastors over 45 are considering quitting. We launched Be The Church in order to serve the local church. We help leaders clarify the vision God has for them. Sometimes that is all that it takes. We listen to the stories of pastors and help them to assess what the future looks like. We help pastors connect to other pastors through cohorts to foster healthy relationships in which they can grow, encourage, and sharpen one another. We develop a practical curriculum for leadership development. Most importantly, Be The Church lives to empower the Bride of Christ to be all that she can be. Spiritual leaders live from a place of deep conviction. They know without a doubt what they are called to and will do whatever it takes to accomplish what God has put on their hearts. Our churches are longing for leaders who live in deep communion with God and will boldly teach His Word no matter the cost. They are willing to step into conflict and suffer the consequences. We want to lift up the Bride of Christ. We believe the best way to do that is by empowering spiritual leaders within the local church. Has God called you to more? Maybe you are restless. You feel something stirring inside you. If you want to connect with like-minded, like-hearted people to explore the greater thing God has called them to, connect with us. Or maybe you’re just tired and you need help parsing out what next steps look like for you and your congregation. We want to provide you with a community that can help you see the potential that you could have in the next season. Wherever you are at in your journey, come join us at one of our leadership summits. We host several throughout the state and throughout the year. Our next Leadership Summit will be on May 18. Learn more about what Be the Church (bethechurch.org) is doing throughout the nation as we serve to empower pastors and how you can go. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Luke Bilberry is the Director of Operations for Be The Church at Chapel Pointe Church, Hudsonville, MI. He and his wife, Kathryn, have 4 children. #APRIL23

TROY – Early in my childhood years, growing up in Egypt, I was impressed and fascinated by America. I saw it as the most unique of all the other countries in the World. This created in my heart a special attachment and desire to seek and to know more about America. I was especially thrilled when I watched the movies that were so popular in my growing up years. Movies with stars like the late John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and others. Watching those movies, and seeing the beautiful nature and cities created in the heart of this young boy, a dream and a desire to one day be there, but means made it nearly impossible. Years went by, this young boy grew up and became a man, and went to school, learned about Christ and was miraculously saved. After I was saved, I learned a fact about America I never knew before; I learned of the important influence of American missionaries in impacting the Middle East and the Church in general through translated Arabic Christian literatures and even the Arabic Bible I carried in my hand which was translated from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts by American scholars. Not to mention the college of theology where I studied and earned my graduate degrees was founded by American missionaries. I graduated and started serving the Lord in Egypt and neighboring countries. In 2005, the Lord brought me to America, the country of my childhood dream. Not to be charmed by it, but to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ among my fellow Arabs living in the states. I was asked to preach in a conference of Arabic churches in the states. My visit made me realize that Arabs living in the States need the Gospel of Christ just as much as those living in the Middle East. Nevertheless, I returned back to Egypt preaching and teaching where God called me. Three years later, as I was serving the Lord in Egypt, I got a phone call from the States. A pastor friend of mine asked me if I would be interested in pastoring an Arabic church in the States, a church in Michigan. I had never been to Michigan, and all I knew was that it was the “car capital of the world,” where all three auto giants are headquartered. I did not know about the sub zero temperatures, where I grew up the temperatures hit between 100-120º F. I agreed to check it out. The Lord brought me to Michigan in a miraculous way, and I started pastoring Evangel Baptist Church of Troy. A church that had almost closed. But Christ told us; "…I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." Mt 16:18 In a short period of time church attendance grew, and we had no room in the building. We built a larger sanctuary, and the Lord multiplied the ministry. In 2014, the church joined the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM), and the church outreach ministry multiplied. Our live broadcasts reach the Arab World. Our youth are growing in the Lord and being trained to become future leaders. Evangel Arabic Baptist Church of Troy has become a fortress for proclaiming the Arabic Gospel worldwide on radio, TV, and internet. The State of Michigan has the world’s largest Arabic speaking population outside the Middle East. Yet, it only has a few Arabic churches serving here. The Arabs living here are souls in need of the Gospel of Christ. In the past, American missionaries burdened in reaching the Middle East had to spend years raising support, learning the language, adjusting to the culture and weather, and being away from their loved ones and families. Today, however; God is raising His servants from their own people to reach them with the Gospel of Christ. We need to join hands in lifting up the ministry together and work side by side proclaiming the truth that sets ALL mankind Free! Believe me when I tell you from experience, not just talk, that the need for reaching Arabs in the States is just as vital as reaching them in the Middle East. In Michigan, Middle Easterners are here with their many Arabic accents, backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, traditions, and needs. Our responsibility as partners in the BSCM is to reach those Arabic communities with the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Please pray for me and the Evangel Arabic Baptist Church of Troy, as we seek to launch an Arabic Church planting ministry to serve the increasing need among the Middle Eastern community in Michigan. May the coming days bring about multiplied fruit as together we proclaim the salvation of Christ. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Amgad Beshai is pastor of the Evangel Church of Troy, Michigan. It is Arabic speaking. Amgad and wife, Eman, have 3 children, daughter Verine (20), son Kevin (17), and son Christopher (15). #APRIL23

SUWANEE, GA – Pastors are feeling increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs and more than 40 percent have considered leaving the ministry in the past 12 months. That’s according to data released this week by the Barna Group, a research organization that monitors cultural and religious trends in America. "The number of pastors who feel burnt out, lonely or unwell is growing," Barna said, pointed to findings from a recent survey of the nation’s pastors. "To put it bluntly, Barna Group’s current data does not paint a pretty picture of the state of the American pastor. Barna said pastors are also losing confidence in their calling and their overall sense of well-being is on the decline. That's especially true of young pastors, the researchers said. In 2015, 72 percent of pastors told Barna researchers that they felt “very satisfied” with their jobs. In 2020, that number had dropped to 67 percent. In 2022, only 52 percent of pastors reported being “very satisfied” with their jobs. "That’s an eye-popping 20-point drop over the course of just six years, and it’s notable for a few reasons," Barna reported. "First, the trend has continued as the pandemic response has eased, instead of leveling out as lockdown restrictions relaxed. Additionally, the drop is especially notable among younger pastors — just 35 percent of pastors under 45 say they are 'very satisfied.' This troubling decline in vocational satisfaction may cause significant problems for churches in the future." In 2015, 66% of pastors said they were “more confident” in their calling than they were when they started their jobs. By 2022, only 35 percent of pastors said they were more confident. “While only 14 percent are ‘less confident’ now than they were when they started ministry, this is a huge jump from the 3 percent who said the same in 2015,” Barna said. Barna said the overall percentage of pastors who say they have gone through a period when they significantly doubted their calling has more than doubled from the 24 percent reported in 2015. “Pastors aren’t just broadly less happy with their work than they used to be, they may also be less sure of where they’re supposed to be," Barna said. "The pastorate is increasingly stressful in our day and age,” said Ray Gentry, a longtime Georgia associational mission strategist and leader of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders. “So many different pressures are coming against pastors and churches.” Gentry said congregations need to show their love and appreciation for their pastors and provide sabbaticals and retreats so that they can rejuvenate and rekindle spiritually. “Church members need to keep their pastors at the top of their prayer lists all the time,” he said. “Pastors are like everybody else in that they need encouragement, trust and appreciation.” Gentry said the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the stress pastors are feeling. “Most churches have less attendance than they had before the pandemic,” he said. “That makes it harder for pastors to feel like their ministries are as fruitful as they used to be. We know that numbers are not everything, but they are still an important factor to be considered, so it’s hard on pastors when the numbers are not what they used to be. And in many cases, the pastor is working as hard or harder than ever.” Chris Reynolds, who leads the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's pastor wellness team, said the Barna findings are consistent with what he and his colleagues have seen among the state's pastors. "When we are overwhelmed, we have a tendency to isolate ourselves physically and emotionally," Reynolds said. "This is not healthy. I encourage our Georgia Baptist pastors and staff members to reach out to the pastor wellness team. We are equipped with resources and relationships to walk beside you through the stressful times." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Roger Alford is the editor of the Christian Index which was founded in Washington, DC in 1822 by legendary Baptist leader Luther Rice. The Christian Index is the nation's oldest continuously published religious newspaper. #APRIL23

U.S. Protestant Hispanic churches are finding success in building community within their congregations and reaching those outside their walls. Hispanic churches in the United States face unique challenges but are finding success in building community within their congregations and reaching those outside their walls. Lifeway Research partnered with two dozen denominations and church networks to include what is likely the largest number of Protestant Hispanic congregations in the U.S. ever invited to a single research study. Sponsored by Lifeway Recursos, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, the study surveyed 692 pastors of congregations that are at least 50% Hispanic. “For decades, the Hispanic population in the U.S. has been growing exponentially, and it is imperative for churches to be informed about the specific needs of this community,” said Giancarlo Montemayor, director of global publishing for Lifeway Recursos. “This study will help us to continue the ongoing conversation of how to serve our brothers and sisters in a more strategic way.” Congregational snapshot The study reveals a picture of Hispanic churches that are newer, younger and more effectively evangelistic than the average U.S. Protestant church. Most Hispanic Protestant churches (54%) have been established since 2000, including 32% founded in 2010 or later. Fewer than 1 in 10 (9%) trace their history prior to 1950. Not only are the churches relatively new, but most people in the congregations are also new to the United States. The majority are first generation Americans (58%), born outside of the country. A quarter are second generation (24%), with parents who were born outside of the U.S. And 17% were born in the U.S. to parents who were also born in the U.S. As a result, a majority conduct their services only in Spanish (53%), while 22% are bilingual. Half of the churches (50%) are in a large metropolitan area with a population of 100,000 or more. Around 3 in 10 (31%) are located in small cities, 9% are in rural areas and 8% are in suburbs. In the average Hispanic Protestant church, a full third of the congregation (35%) is under the age of 30, including 18% under 18. Another 38% are aged 30-49, and 28% are 50 and older. For the Spanish-language version click here “The growth in the number of Hispanic churches in the U.S. has been remarkable,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “While some of these congregations were started within Anglo churches — 14% of Hispanic congregations in this study currently are conducting services within a church that is predominantly non-Hispanic — the missional impetus has clearly come from within the Hispanic community itself as two-thirds of these congregations are led by first-generation immigrant pastors.” In U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches, the average worship service attendance is 115. Like most other churches, they’ve not yet fully recovered from the pandemic. In January 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the average attendance was 136. Still, 13% of churches are currently around their pre-pandemic levels. And 32% say they’ve grown in the past three years, despite the pandemic. Almost every Hispanic Protestant pastor (99%) agrees, including 94% who strongly agree, their congregation considers Scripture the authority for their church and their lives. Around 7 in 10 (69%) say their church has the financial resources it needs to support their ministry, which include some aspects that are common among most other Protestant congregations. Most Hispanic Protestant churches say they regularly offer weekly adult small groups or Bible studies (74%), weekly prayer meetings (66%) and weekly children’s small groups (52%). Fewer have weekly youth small groups (45%), weekly young adult small groups (40%), one-on-one discipleship or mentoring (34%), evening large group Bible study (25%) or evening praise and worship (24%). Just 3% say they offer none of these. When asked about moving weekend worship service participants to small groups, 42% of pastors say at least half of their adult churchgoers are involved in group Bible studies, including 15% who say at least 75% are connected to a small group. Around a third (34%) say fewer than 1 in 4 churchgoers also are members of small group Bible studies, including 9% of pastors who say none of those attending worship services are involved in groups. As to what hinders their congregation from participating more regularly in church activities, most pastors point to long work hours for their churchgoers (61%). Others say extended family gatherings (35%) and personal hardships or crises (30%). Around a quarter point to recreational or entertainment pursuits (26%) and lingering fear of COVID (24%). Fewer say sports activities (20%), a preference to watch online (18%), lack of transportation (17%), school events (13%) or caregiver responsibilities (11%). For the Spanish-language version click here “Many of the activities within Hispanic Protestant churches look similar to those in non-Hispanic churches in the U.S. with worship services, prayer meetings, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes being common,” said McConnell. “But pastors of Hispanic congregations are quick to point out immigrant families often have less time for church as many are working long hours, have family traditions and are impacted by American cultural distractions.” Evangelistic outreach Almost 4 in 5 pastors at U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches (79%) say they regularly schedule opportunities for members to go out and share the gospel. Specifically, most pastors say their outreach activities in the past year included church members inviting people to church (86%), using social media to share church activities (74%), children’s special events like VBS, Easter egg hunts or Fall festivals (59%), community programs like food distribution, toy giveaways, or providing clothing (58%), and church members sharing the gospel in conversations (56%). Additionally, some congregations did door-to-door evangelism (30%), evangelism training (24%) and provided financial support for a new church start (12%). Hardly any churches (1%) say they have not been able to do any of those recently. Their outreach seems to be effective, as close to half (47%) say 10 or more people have indicated a new commitment to Christ in the past year, including 24% who have seen 20 or more such commitments. Fewer than 1 in 10 (9%) report no new commitments. For the Spanish-language version click here As they’ve reached these new individuals, pastors say most are sticking around. Almost 3 in 4 (73%) of those new commitments have become active participants in the life of the church, according to pastors. As a result, 88% of Hispanic Protestant pastors say they consistently hear reports of changed lives at their churches. “Hispanic congregations are very active in engaging new people,” said McConnell. “Not only is there much evangelistic activity in Hispanic churches, but God is also blessing them with new people who commit to following Jesus Christ.” Building community As new members join Hispanic Protestant churches, they become part of congregations that are actively trying to grow together, according to their pastors. Almost 9 in 10 (88%) say their church has a plan to foster community in their church, including 53% who strongly agree. Pastors point to numerous activities as vital to building a strong sense of community within their congregations. At least 9 in 10 say praying together (96%), studying the Bible together (95%), choosing to get along and promoting unity (93%), welcoming those from different cultures and backgrounds (93%), choosing to be transparent and accountable with one another (89%) and checking-in or noticing when others are absent (90%) are very or extremely important aspects of unity in their churches. Additionally, most say the same about members working together to serve people in the community (79%), socializing outside of church (81%) and sharing resources with each other (74%). Most pastors say they’ve heard about their church members engaging in each of those actions at least a few times in the past month. “Fellowship among believers in a local congregation is something the Bible communicates should be taking place,” said McConnell. “Hispanic churches take this seriously and invest in these relationships.” Pastoral portrait Among pastors of U.S. Hispanic Protestant congregations, 93% are Hispanic themselves. Almost all (95%) are the senior or only pastor of a congregation, while 5% are Hispanic campus pastors with a multi-site church. More than half (56%) serve as a full-time pastor, 27% are bi-vocational, 10% are part-time, 6% are volunteer and 1% are in interim positions. Almost half of pastors in Hispanic Protestant churches (48%) are between the ages of 50 and 64. Pastors are more than twice as likely to be under 50 (37%), including 4% under 30, than 65 or older (16%). Almost 8 in 9 pastors (85%) are male. Two in 3 (66%) are first generation Americans, while 15% are second generation and 19% are third. Close to 3 in 4 are college graduates, including 44% who have a graduate degree, while 17% have some college and 10% have a high school education or less. Theologically, 4 in 5 (79%) pastors at U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches self-identified as evangelical. Around 1 in 6 (16%) say they’re mainline. For the Spanish-language version click here. Icons from the Noun Project via Santri Icon, Ali Coşkun, Deemak Daksina, Niloy Som, Made by Made For more information, view the complete quantitative, qualitative, and significant differences reports. View the Spanish-language release and access Spanish-language resources. Lifeway Research studies can be used and referenced in news articles freely. This news release can also be republished in its entirety on other websites and in other publications without obtaining permission. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron is the senior writer at Lifeway Research. #APRIL23

PLYMOUTH – I am going to an undisclosed location in South-Central Asia, and I cannot believe the privilege I get to experience. My travel partners, the missionaries on-site, and the people we are going to meet would love to have you pray for us. Four of us are going from Michigan this year. On April 21, 2023, I will depart from Detroit Metro Airport participating in the first-ever, joint effort of the International Mission Board (IMB) and North American Mission Board (NAMB) venture to send church planters overseas to discover how international mission works among our churches and the world! Dr. Paul Chitwood, President of the International Mission Board along with Dr. Kevin Ezell, President of the North American Mission Board, and Dr. Vance Pitman, President of the Send Network made this enduring mission effort possible. I agree with, and I am inspired by, their collective vision and the priority of resourcing such an undertaking. This year, approximately fifty church planters will visit one of five mission sites: two are in Europe and three are in South-central Asia. In the coming years, we are hoping one-hundred planters, annually, will take the plunge into a short international mission’s experience. Very few of today’s newest church leaders grew up attending age-graded classes at church learning missionary stories, world geography, and memorizing Bible verses about going to the nations with the Gospel. Fewer have met and interacted with missionaries from our churches on assignment in their mission field. Meeting and interacting with courageous heroes of the faith can be life-altering! I am certain the experiences for these church planters will do the following: Personalize international missions for the man and the church he leads. Increase their generosity in terms of prayers, personnel, and provisions. Display the international pathways open to church members and church leaders. The outcome of this experience is going to yield results for generations. Here are a few examples of what I believe will occur. See The church planters will see a contrast. Endorsed church planters, serving in North America, receive limited supplements to help them and their families create new churches. Endorsed, commissioned international missionaries receive overwhelming support while living abroad for years at a time. Language learning, lodging, travel expenses (locally and globally), salaries, health insurance, and other needs to complete the mission are generously made possible by the generosity of church members in the North American churches. Those funds are distributed worldwide in efficient ways by the IMB to those on the frontlines of the mission. Hear The church planters will hear people who need to know Jesus. There is nothing more powerful than the following two experiences: worshiping with believers in a language you do not understand and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through a translator then hear the recipient of the message say that he or she wants to invite Jesus Christ into their lives. Those two experiences display how great God is, and how alike human beings are worldwide. Lostness is the world’s greatest problem and Jesus Christ is the solution. Increase The church planters will learn to enlarge their vision. As I lived overseas during my thirteen years of international service in Africa then Europe my heart grew three times larger for the multiple people groups scattered throughout the world. It took an overseas life for me to increase my vision. I have watched as church planters in North America experience their first calling to church planting, aim at reaching a precise people in a location or a language group become so focused that the church planter becomes a spiritual “sniper” targeting precise individuals his local church can reach and disciple. That is normal for North American church planters; but it is going to be inspiring to watch as the hearts of minds of my travel buddies become burdened for the peoples of the world during our excursion. That burden will be lived out locally in North America after their return, as well as overseas as these men will send future generations from their churches to the world. That larger vision will transform the prayers, the lives, the preaching, and even the future of these North American church planters. I am certain! Prayer Requests If you would join the families and churches of the church planters in prayer during our preparation and during our excursion, we would be grateful. This is literally the first-ever IMB/NAMB overseas trip in history among our tribe of churches. Here are the prayer requests: Continued good health in the church planters and their family members so that no one needs to cancel their overseas trip. Precise planning among the IMB missionaries that will bring about the Lord’s desires for salvations and life-dedications among the people groups with whom we will serve. Avoidance of distractions from the mission goals, such as the political riots in the city streets where we are going in South-Central Asia. Life’s unexpected happens all the time, but we want the Lord’s will to be done within our circle of influence while in country. Receive updates during the next 45 days on Facebook or Twitter, on my personal page DrTonyLLynn or at SendNetworkMichigan/SendMichigan. 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. #APRIL23