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by David Kemper LANSING, MI – Are we living in ‘perilous times’? II Timothy 3:1 - “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:” This passage then goes on to describe what Paul meant by ‘perilous times’. It sounds like the world today. What is different from any other day is that it is a global situation. Does the Bible give instruction about being prepared physically for such a time? My approach is found in a simple but direct passage, Proverbs 6:6-11 6) Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7) Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8) Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9) How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10) A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11) So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. Be committed to Jesus Christ first and foremost. Matthew 6:33 says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” It is impossible to properly be prepared for worldly difficulties without putting Jesus first. It does say though, that if you put Jesus first He will make it possible to prepare for the physical danger that we face. Put Jesus first! “Pray without ceasing”, read your Bible, be fanatically faithful to church and witness for Christ at every opportunity. Make sure you put your family second to Christ. It’s natural for us to be so concerned about the success of our church, ministry or job that we neglect our family and they go the way of the world. It is essential that we provide for our family’s spiritual welfare. But it is also essential to provide for their physical welfare. I Timothy 5:8 - “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” It’s clear that this means physical welfare. I have been preparing for the difficult times ahead for many years. I keep a thorough and balanced supply of food and water in my house. Our own government encourages us to do that! When our government gives us such warnings, it is past time for us to prepare. I have found that such preparation gives me peace about having done what the Bible says in this area. I would encourage all to do the same. Put your local church third in this list of priorities. During the time of pandemic there seems to be a new saying. That is ‘the building is not the church; we are the church’. I understand the point of the saying. I fear that many have been lost to the local church because a saying like this is all some need to absent themselves from church. Remember that local church attendance is a command. Hebrews 10:25 - “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” This command is in the context of the persecution of the early church. To be strong in the Lord we must obey His commands. Going to church provides an encouragement we cannot get any other way. Continue to reach out to your local community in every way possible. The great commission was not to be obeyed just during easy times. It is to be obeyed in every age and circumstance. Matthew 28:19-20 - “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” Our methods may change due to the problems of the pandemic, but we have no excuse for disobeying our Commander-In-Chief’s last command. REACH OUT! God will bless you. There are physical things we must do to provide for and protect our families and churches. May we be busy doing them. May God provide, protect and keep safe all of the churches and ministries in the SBC. And may He keep us pure through His Spirit. ABOUT THE AUTHOR I am a 72-year-old army brat (my dad was a career soldier). As a result, I was raised and have lived in four different countries and numerous states. I became a born-again Christian in 1971 shortly after returning from a tour in Vietnam. I have been an ordained minister since 1975. I have enjoyed dual careers, pastoring and being a systems analyst (computer programmer). I have pastored churches in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and now Michigan. I have been pastoring the Discover Life Church in Lansing, MI for almost three years now. #OCTOBER22

by Doru Radu WARREN, MI – On July 12, 2007, the 85-year-old Nicolae Moldoveanu, prolific hymn writer, died in Sibiu, Romania. For more than 62 years, God enhanced our faith through his music, lyrics and especially his uncompromised Christian testimony during Romania’s dark communist era of forty-five years. It was a great joy for the Romanian evangelicals living in America to find out that this saint’s work and life was presented at the 2016 conference of the Hymn Society of USA and Canada, at the Redlands University, California. Named “the Bach of Romania” (1), Moldoveanu could more readily be identified with hymnists Charles Wesley (1707-1788) or Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) (2). This prolific hymn writer wrote more than 6,000 songs, with 361 of them written while being persecuted for the faith in prison. While he was alive he rarely ventured out of his city, or even his personal residence for that matter, he was still present in the lives of at least one million Romanians that, “we could not believe he could ever die”, said M. Cruceru, Dean Of Theology, Emanuel University, Oradea.(3) Born on February 3, 1922, to a very poor family, this extraordinary man lost his father by the age of three and a half and his only opportunity for education involved enlisting in the military program called the “Army’s Children” at the age of twelve. These destitute children lived in garrisons with soldiers, but due to his love for music, Moldveanu was enrolled in the military’s brass ensemble. There, a conductor recognized his talents and helped him develop his musical ability. Later, he would write, “I am now seeing God’s hand in everything that has happened in my life, good or bad”. When he would come home for short vacations, Moldoveanu would accompany his mother to a newly-founded church belonging to “The Lord’s Army”, a reforming arm of the Greco-Orthodox Church that emphasized the need for repentance and of being born-again. Shortly, Moldoveanu met his Savior and also fell in love with the Lord’s Army’s musical tradition, putting its words and music to paper and publishing them, as well as his own original music, in “Village’s Light”. Music also likely saved his life during WWII, as his ensemble was stationed far from the war-ravaged front lines. Still young, Moldoveanu wrote very mature music and spiritually-deep lyrics during this time of conflict. To buy his first Bible, he sold half of his bread ration and his entire milk ration for an entire month; he would eventually keep this very same Bible until his death. During this and the short post-war period of freedom, before the communist regime’s ascent to power, Moldoveanu was able to publish hundreds of songs. (4) In 1948, the Communists declared the Lord’s Army illegal and threw its leaders in prison. Nicolae continued to worship in secret and in 1959, after refusing to stop attending Christian gatherings and writing songs, he was arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison for “conspiring to overthrow the communist regime”, despite his right hand’s infirmity due to an accident. Still, he praised the Lord and in return God “gave” him the optimistic song: Heaven Bright. On the day of his arrest, Moldoveanu was able to whisper to his wife. “Lena, look at the skies”. It was “the only thing we could share while separated”, he later said. The comment was to prove prophetic as after months spent in an underground section of the prison, Moldoveanu was finally allowed above ground. The cell he had been moved to had a broken window, and although it was a bitterly cold day, at least he could share the same sky as his wife. (This song is sung in English here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDr4pHtOW6k) In prison, he met Traian Dorz, a prolific Christian poet from Lord’s Army, and many well-known Christian brothers, including Tortured for Christ’s author and The Voice of the Martyr’s founder Richard Wurmbrand. Moldoveanu and Wurmbrand praised each other for their testimonies during persecution. Both considered it an honor and a grace to suffer for the Lord. “Moldoveanu was one of the two greatest saints I have met in my 14 years of prison”, Wurmbrand said in a sermon. “He came smiling from the torture room. His approach was that of a lamb. While I was protesting the guards’ abuses against others or me, he never protested'' continued R.W. (5) Amnestied five years later, though still under secret police’s surveillance, he continued to meet with his small church house whenever possible.Warrantless home searches, abuses and threats continued for decades, but he always thanked the Lord for them, and also prayed for persecutors.In a time when the communist regime kept a tight grip on any publication, even owning a typewriter could put you in prison for a couple of years. However, the spread of his songs could not be stopped. Memorized, copied by hand, and later recorded, Moldoveanu’s songs were used by the Lord to nurture our faith for more than six decades. Because of the surveillance, poverty, and poor health, he could not work or travel too far. But he was visited daily by Christians from all of Romania who were welcome in the small apartment he was renting. And a visit to him was quite an experience! In a country of religious divisions, Moldoveanu mended all fences and never asked visitors for anything other than their first names. He was even aware that some “Christians" might be police agents, but “they needed to hear the good news too”! There was one exception to his presence though: after waking up, for at least two hours, he used to sing songs of praise to the Lord, alone and without any audience. Most of the songs he would write were granted to him during this intimate time. After that, he shared freely with anybody what God “gave” him, whether a song or a meditation. Even in more recent years, when recording artists sold CDs or DVDs with recordings and performances that included his songs, he never asked for copyright royalties. On the contrary, he encouraged musicians to arrange his songs for choirs or orchestras as he always looked upon his hymns as “God’s copyright”. At times, his lyrics move one to feel spiritual immaturity; “This is a curse”, said Jan Staneschi, former Bucharest Baptist Seminary Principal, when he heard the song ``Break my Will, Even with Heavy Blows. “It is not a curse”, Moldoveanu would reply. “It is my commitment to God’s will, as was the Virgin Mary’s”, recounted him, at a ’99 symposium, as saying and adding: “and His will is good and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). (6) (this song inspired the group This Hope, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnjorXxSmew) It has been God’s infinite wisdom to choose a hymn writer and not a preacher to enhance our faith.In a country where translated Evangelicals’ music was considered a means to westernize Romanians, Moldoveanu’s folk style met no resistance. Although many of his songs are more sophisticated and require elevated vocal capability, most of Moldoveanu’s songs came naturally for Christians, whether alone or in church, and they went directly to our souls. It is my prayer that these humble words would bring some well-deserved recognition to this miracle of God, Nicolae Moldoveanu. “May the Lord be praised”, was the Lord’s Army’s old greeting. And the answer was, “For Ever and Ever, Amen”. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Doru Radu is one of the elders at Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan. Radu immigrated from the communist Romania and likes to write stories about the good hand of our Lord who protected us during the 45 years of communist persecution. (1) D. Sida Hodoroaba-Roberts – “Nicolae Moldoveanu (1922-2007) A Short Biography”. Article presented during the Hymn Society of USA & Canada’s 2016 conference, University of Redlands California. (2) Doina Catana, Director - Ioan Vidu National College of Arts, Timisoara – remarks on a special presentation of Moldoveanu in “Viata Spirituala”, a weekly series on Romanian public television, broadcast on July 22, 2007 (3) Marius Cruceru’s blog: “lapatratosu” , July 12, 2007 (4) All biographic details come from “Hope’s Hostages”, “Strigatul de la miezul Noptii” Book House, November 2002, Arad, Romania (A book, printed in Romanian, and dedicated to Christians who spent years in communist prisons for their faith). (5) Richard Wurmbrand, Audio Recordings of Sermons 1987- 1996 (6) Moldoveanu Symposium, 1999 Maranatha Baptist Church, Arad, Romania, Video Recordings. #OCTOBER22

by David Thompson NASHVILLE, TN – There are two statements made by the apostle Paul in the same paragraph that seem to be almost contradictory. In the last chapter of his letter to the Galatians, Paul says “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Then he says something that seems quite the opposite when he states to the believers that “each one should bear his own burden.” Which one is it, Paul? Or is it possible that both are true at the same time. Let us consider where to find the balance in this journey we call the Christian life. Question: what does it mean to bear your own burden? One thing for sure is that we are to take complete responsibility for our own actions and be prepared to deal with the result. The result is always better when we follow the advice of Jesus who said, “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” I love pastors— but even pastors need to follow their own advice. This summer, a bishop in Brooklyn, New York was preaching. The sermon was being broadcast live on the Internet. In the middle of his homily, three masked gunmen walked in and everyone got on the ground at the preacher’s request. The gunman forced the bishop to the pulpit’s floor and removed $1 million worth of jewelry from his person and left. From my humble perspective, that is not being wise as serpents and harmless as doves. No other person but he himself should bear the burden of choosing to wear $1 million worth of jewelry live on the Internet and not expect someone to take notice. Yes, sometimes it is good to bear one’s own burden. Parenthetically, you should always be ready to help bear the burdens of another soul. I like this idea from Marcus Aurelius, “Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” You need not look very far to discover that there is always someone who is having a bad day and that person might need you. A half century ago, a band called the Hollies sang a song that still rings true today, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” A young mother of five beautiful children and a friend of mine, was just diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. I told her of my prayers. She replied back that she can actually feel the prayers and that those prayers are making an incredible difference and giving her courage and confidence. Certainly, there are one million ways to bear one another’s burdens, prayer is not only one of the simplest, but the most powerful. Question: does one person‘s influence really make a difference? Alexander the Great said,” Remember upon the conduct of each, depends the fate of all.” God has actually equipped you to not only bear your own burden, but to alleviate the burden that others carry. God will give you what you need when you need it! He also expects you to learn and grow in the process. It was the late Eleanor Roosevelt who humorously quipped, ”Learn from the mistakes of others. You cannot live long enough to make them all yourself.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #OCTOBER22

Each year thousands of students volunteer to serve overseas. They leave the comfort zones of their universities and churches to join International Mission Board missionary teams around the world. For more than 50 years, college students have made a lasting impact around the world by building relationships with nationals through English classes, sports, activities and sharing heart-to-heart conversations. Students from Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, chose to serve in Krakow, Poland, this past summer. They shared everyday life moments and demonstrated what it means to be Christ followers in one of the most religious countries in Europe. Many of these interactions resulted in Polish students hearing the gospel for the first time and coming to know Christ as their Savior and Lord. The Old Town Square in the heart of Krakow, Poland, is the largest town square in Europe. It has many gift shops and food stalls that tourists enjoy. The students took time to learn some of the city’s history so they could better understand the people they interacted with. Poland is predominantly Catholic (90%) and is home to many beautiful churches. As part of their summer mission trip, students prayer walked the city. They spent time praying for their peers at the Polish universities. They visited specific places university students frequent to prepare the harvest through prayer. Meghann Bledsoe and her friends talk to Emma Mackey, a Polish student, on the street. The three OBU students befriended Mackey at a coffeeshop conversation group. The Arkansas students engaged with Polish students to help strengthen English conversation skills. Krakow ministry involved a lot of walking. It’s the life of university students in this city, so the OBU students joined in. They visited a university and the parks surrounding it. While there, they ran into their new friends and had natural conversations about school and the gospel. Left: Emma Mackey talks with Polish students in the coffee shop. Right: Meghann Bledsoe (second from right) laughs about a word misused in a sentence within her discussion group. The Ouachita students helped their peers practice English as part of discussion groups outside of class. Many of these discussions led to talking about the gospel and sharing how Jesus transforms lives. The volunteers visited a university and prayed together. They asked God to open the hearts of students to the gospel. College is a time when many are developing beliefs their own and not just following what their parents told them. The team prayed for God to use them to plant seeds of the gospel and to be present in the lives of their new friends who were watching what being an evangelical Christian is all about. Emma Mackey highlights a verse in the Bible that will be given to a Polish student as a gift. OBU students spent a lot of time with Polish university students practicing English and just hanging out. Many of the discussions led to Bible passages and their meanings. The Arkansas students found out most of their new friends did not own a Bible that was easy to read. Most owned ones written in old, formal Polish. A Polish student practices her English with students from Arkansas. The OBU mission team prepared some extra classroom helps for their Polish peers. Sometimes speaking student–to–student is easier than using a new language in a formal class. It’s easier to make mistakes and laugh it off. This bonding time in an informal setting led to both sets of students getting into deeper conversations outside of the classroom. Kaitlyn Norris talks with Claudia, a Polish student, in a coffee shop. The two first met online when IMB missionaries asked OBU students for help. Claudia and Kaitlyn met in a video chat and practiced English. By the time they met face-to-face, they were able to have deeper conversations as friends. Kaitlyn and other OBU students presented the gospel and gave an English Bible to Claudia. Claudia is excited to receive an English Bible as a gift from the summer volunteers. She wished to have an English Bible of her own. Her friends from Arkansas marked Scripture passages they thought would be helpful and offered to discuss them with her. Is a college gathering even a thing without food? The OBU volunteers and Polish students chowed down at a game night hosted by IMB missionaries. Meghann Bledsoe (second from right) and Emma Mackey (far left) fellowship with Polish students at their table. Most of the students had been to classes or coffee discussion groups with the OBU team. Bonding and practicing English, students laugh and play a game of UNO. Living life and being a steadfast presence is often one of the first steps in sharing the gospel. OBU students spent time getting to know their Polish college peers. Through these relationships and just normal fun, they were able to have conversations about the gospel. The student volunteers and IMB missionaries get together with Ukrainian refugees at a local park for fellowship. The mission team came to work with university students but jumped at the chance to do any kind of ministry and gain experience working cross-culturally. Click here to support the missionaries you read about in this story. Entering Communities - Gospel Outreach in Europe $2,546 of $75,000 goal GIVE NOW IMB is a 501(c)3 charity. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by U.S. law. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for this gift. The IMB handles all gifts according to government regulations and is professionally audited each year. Student mission trips have a rich tradition of providing personal and spiritual growth for the college students while also impacting the world around them for Christ. You can be part of the largest generation sharing the gospel with the nations. Join thousands of students reaching the lost with IMB missionary teams by serving for a week, a gap season, a summer, or two years as a fully-funded Journeyman. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Luke In is a photographer for the IMB. #OCTOBER22

by Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Americans experienced seismic changes over the past two years, including, for many, how they attend church. The shift in behavior coincides with a shift in theology. The biennial State of Theology study conducted by Lifeway Research found relative stability in some of the religious and cultural beliefs U.S. adults hold. After months of quarantines and social distancing, however, Americans increasingly believe worshiping apart from a church is as good as attending church services. In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning in the United States, 58 percent of Americans said worshipping alone or with one’s family was a valid replacement for regularly attending church, with 26 percent strongly agreeing. In 2022, 66 percent believe worshiping apart from a local congregation is as valid as worshiping with one, with 35 percent strongly agreeing. Additionally, most Americans (56 percent) don’t believe every Christian has an obligation to join a local church. Fewer than 2 in 5 (36 percent) say this is something all Christians should do. Tracking surveys from Lifeway Research throughout the pandemic found U.S. Protestant churches were open at pre-pandemic levels by summer of 2021 and into 2022, but early this year few churches had reached pre-pandemic attendance levels. “Religious identity, beliefs and behavior are interrelated,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “When in-person church attendance behaviors were interrupted and habits were broken, it affected some Americans’ beliefs about the need to gather with other believers to worship.” With many theological beliefs remaining stable, those that did shift point to areas where a changing U.S. culture may be impacting Americans’ religious perspectives. The 2022 State of Theology study, sponsored by Ligonier Ministries, surveyed more than 3,000 Americans and follows previous versions in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. God-sized confusion Most Americans believe in God, but they’re a little confused about who the divine is. While 66 percent of U.S. adults say God is a perfect being and cannot make mistakes, half (51 percent) say God learns and adapts to different circumstances. Almost 7 in 10 Americans (67 percent) say God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. A similar percentage (71 percent) say there is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Despite a majority of Americans affirming a Trinitarian God with three divine persons, most still aren’t sure about how that applies to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Slightly more than half (55 percent) believe Jesus is the first and greatest created being. Another 53 percent say He was a great teacher but not God. Close to 3 in 5 (59 percent) believe the Holy Spirit is a force but not a personal being. When thinking about these theological convictions, most Americans classify them as opinions not facts. For 60 percent of U.S. adults, religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it’s not objective truth. “Many Americans think about God as if He had only revealed himself in a vague, nondescript way. They seem to fill in the gaps with whatever they want to believe,” McConnell said. “This creates sharp contrasts between what Americans believe about God and how He revealed Himself in great detail in the Bible.” Social issues and sin Hot button cultural issues often intersect with theological beliefs, and Americans often aren’t sure how to balance the two. A growing number says Christians should stay out of the discussion. While 3 in 4 Americans (78 percent) say God created male and female, they’re more split on whether gender identity depends on personal preference. More than 2 in 5 (42 percent) say gender identity is a matter of choice, the highest in the history of the State of Theology. Half (51 percent) disagree. The American public is more divided than American pastors. A 2020 study of U.S. Protestant pastors found 72 percent believe it is morally wrong for an individual to identify with a gender different than the sex they were born. Half of U.S. adults (53 percent) say sex outside of traditional marriage is a sin, while 42 percent disagree. Those who view non-marital sex as sinful has increased slightly but steadily since 49 percent said the same in 2016. Americans are also split on whether the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior is still applicable. Slightly less than half (46 percent) say it doesn’t apply today, and 42 percent disagree. Additionally, Americans are closely divided over the issue of abortion. While 53 percent say abortion is a sin, 39 percent disagree. Still, a previous Lifeway Research study specifically on abortion found 12 percent of U.S. adults say abortion shouldn’t be legal in any situation. When asked specifically what time period they believe abortion should be a legal option assuming there are no health issues for the woman or the fetus, half of Americans say no later than 12 weeks. Three in 10 Americans (30 percent) say Christians should stay silent on political issues, an increase from 24 percent in 2020 and the highest percentage recorded in any previous State of Theology study. Around 3 in 5 Americans (61 percent) disagree. “Discussions of sin are inherently theological, because they explore whether God set standards and what behaviors miss this mark,” McConnell said. “So, those who acknowledge certain behaviors as sin are acknowledging a deity’s standards. This is a different discussion than whether society agrees on an ethical standard of conduct that we determine.” Eternal destinations Americans believe God cares about what we do each day, most people are generally good, but hell is a real place where some people will spend eternity in punishment. While 58 percent of U.S. adults disagree, a growing number believe God is unconcerned with their day-to-day decisions. Around a third of Americans (32 percent) say God isn’t concerned with what they do on a daily basis, up from 25 percent in 2020 and the highest since the State of Theology first asked the question in 2014. As people consider their actions and their nature, most believe they’re naturally good and start off innocent before God. Two in 3 Americans (66 percent) say everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature. Seven in 10 (71 percent) say everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God. Still, 3 in 5 Americans (59 percent) say hell is a real place where certain people will be punished forever, up from 56 percent in 2020 and 54 percent in 2018. A quarter (25 percent) also believe even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation, consistent with the 26 percent from 2020 after climbing up in each State of Theology study starting at 18 percent in 2014. “An interesting paradox exists regarding Americans’ views of sin and punishment,” McConnell said. “More than two-thirds of Americans believe everyone is inherently good, yet almost as many believe divine judgement will occur in the future.” Biblical balance Americans tend to trust the Bible, especially what it teaches about Jesus, but may have some doubts in other areas. Two in 3 U.S. adults (66 percent) say biblical accounts of the physical or bodily resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. They believe the event actually occurred. And Americans do not believe the Holy Spirit will contradict Scripture. More than 3 in 5 (62 percent) don’t believe the Holy Spirit can tell them to do something that is forbidden in the Bible. In many ways, Americans are split on the trustworthiness of the Bible. Around half say the Bible is 100 percent accurate in all that it teaches (51 percent) and the Bible has the authority to tell us what to do (52 percent); however, 53 percent of Americans say the Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true. And 40 percent say modern science disproves the Bible. “As a society, views on the Bible probably best summarize how split Americans are when it comes to theology,” McConnell said. “Half see Scripture as dependable and authoritative while half see it as fiction. Higher numbers acknowledge the story it tells, but more than half also give weight to their personal opinions.” For more information: View the complete report Read the white paper Visit the data explorer TheStateOfTheology.com Find previous versions at LifewayResearch.com/StateOfTheology View trends over the years at LifewayResearch.com/TheologyTrends Methodology A demographically balanced online panel was used for interviewing American adults for the 2022 State of Theology study sponsored by Ligonier Ministries. A total of 3,011 surveys were completed from January 5-23, 2022. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the online panel does not exceed plus or minus 1.9 percent. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Slight weights were used to balance gender, age, ethnicity, income, region, and religion. Evangelical Beliefsare defined using the NAE Lifeway Research Evangelical Beliefs Research Definition based on respondent beliefs. Respondents are asked their level of agreement with four separate statements using a four-point, forced choice scale (strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree). Those who strongly agree with all four statements are categorized as having Evangelical Beliefs: The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources. ABOUT LIGONIER Since its founding in 1971 by Dr. R.C. Sproul, Orlando, Florida-based Ligonier has been a fellowship of teachers dedicated to making the deep truths of the Christian faith accessible to growing believers. For more information, visit Ligonier.org. ABOUT LIFEWAY RESEARCH Lifeway Research is a Nashville-based, evangelical research firm that specializes in surveys about faith in culture and matters that affect churches. For more information, visit LifewayResearch.com. #OCTOBER22

by Diana Chandler WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) – Christians are projected to comprise less than half of the U.S. population by 2050 in a Pew Research study of how current trends might play out among believers and non-believers in the coming decades. In the best-case scenario of how trends might continue to unfold, which Pew presents as the most unlikely and most optimistic possibility, Pew projects the Christian share of the U.S. population to shrink from a current 64 percent to between 54 percent and 35 percent by 2070. In the scenario Pew described as most likely, Christians would comprise 39 percent of Americans by 2070, losing their majority status as early as 2050 at 47 percent of the national population. “Nones,” or the religiously unaffiliated, would constitute the largest share of Americans at 48 percent in 2070, under the scenario Pew said is the most likely of four considered. Among factual trends Pew considered in its hypothetical scenarios of the future of religion in America are the pace at which adults switch to a religion other than that of their childhood, and various demographic trends including migration, births and deaths. “None of the scenarios in this report demonstrate what would happen if switching into Christianity increased. This is not because a religious revival in the U.S. is impossible,” Pew postured in the study released Sept. 13. “New patterns of religious change could emerge at any time. Armed conflicts, social movements, rising authoritarianism, natural disasters or worsening economic conditions are just a few of the circumstances that sometimes trigger sudden social – and religious – upheavals. “However, our projections are not designed to model the consequences of dramatic events, which might affect various facets of life as we know it, including religious identity and practice. Instead, these projections describe the potential consequences of dynamics currently shaping the religious landscape.” The trend-based scenarios Pew hypothesized are: What if the rate of switching remains steady among 15- to- 29-year-olds, the ages most susceptible? Based on trends, in each new generation 31 percent of people raised Christian would become religiously unaffiliated while 21 percent of those who grew up with no religion would become Christian. The result? Christians would retain their plurality but lose their majority, first dipping below 50 percent in 2060 and sitting at 46 percent by 2070. “Nones” would register at 41 percent or below by 2070. What if switching became more common, seeing progressively larger shares of Christians leave the faith by age 30, but leveled off to prevent the share of Christianity from falling below the neighborhood of 50 percent? This scenario, which Pew deemed most plausible, would result in Christians falling to 47 percent of the population by 2050, compared to 42 percent of the population that would describe themselves as unaffiliated. By 2070, “nones” would constitute a plurality of the population at 48 percent. The plausibility is based on how switching has played out in 79 other countries where, amid switching, the percentage of Christians “has not been known to fall below about 50 percent,” Pew said. What if switching continues to increase unabated in popularity, pushing Christianity below the neighborhood of 50 percent? If so, Pew said, Christians would fall from the majority by 2045. By 2055, Christians would comprise 43 percent of the population, ranking behind “nones” at 46 percent. By 2070, 52 percent of Americans would be considered “nones,” while 35 percent would be Christian. Finally, in the scenario Pew describes as most unrealistic among the four considered, what if switching ceases altogether? Only in this case would Christians retain their majority as late as 2070, ranking at 54 percent of the population. Still, the majority ranking would represent a 10 percentage point decrease from today. “While the change in affiliation rates in the United States is largely due to people voluntarily leaving religion behind, switching is not the only driver of religious composition change worldwide,” Pew said. “For example, differences in fertility rates explain most of the recent religious change in India, while migration has altered the religious composition of many European countries in the last century. Forced conversions, mass expulsions, wars and genocides also have caused changes in religious composition throughout history. “Moreover, the scenarios in this report are limited to religious identity and do not project how religious beliefs and practices might change in the coming decades.” Progressively since 1990, a larger share of adults who were raised Christian no longer describe themselves as such. In the early 1990s, nearly 90 percent of U.S. adults described themselves as Christian, a percentage that has fallen to 64 percent. About 30 percent of U.S. adults said they have no religion today. The remaining six percent of the population reflects several faiths including Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. Scenario 2 “best illustrates what would happen if recent generational trends in the U.S. continue, but only until they reach the boundary of what has been observed around the world, including in Western Europe,” Pew said of the possibilities. “Overall, this scenario seems to most closely fit the patterns observed in recent years.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #OCTOBER22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – Here in Michigan the shift in temperatures has begun, and the fall toward the frigid climes that will embrace us for too many months has started in earnest. Whether we are ready or not, this inevitable change in our weather is upon us. Most of us “sun loving “people are not particularly prepared for the climatic shifts on the horizon. Yet, the changes will come, prepared or not. The truth is that I love the winter months as much as basking in those warm and sunny ones. It really is a matter of choice. Embrace that which is inevitable and part of God’s grand scheme, and your attitude toward your station or place in life will improve remarkably. One sage said, “your attitude directly affects your altitude.” Whether you soar or are sore, depends on this. Accompanying these coming autumnal days are other changes that can be very difficult to embrace. This is the time of returning or beginning the educational process for millions of American children and their families. I know parents who will rejoice and throw a party as soon as their kids are out the door. Not all have that perspective. Some parents are sending their little ones off for the very first time. Those in this category can have the most difficult and emotionally traumatic experience. Especially those mothers who are sending their “babies” to school and this is their initial experience with releasing their children to the care of a stranger. It is also a severe shock to their psyche as this event signals a rite of passage from being a baby in their arms to “growing up” way too fast. In many ways it is a time of intense grief and profound loss. When I was pastoring in Florida and in my inaugural year in a small rural community, I was made aware of this difficult rite of passage when the first day of school commenced. For no reason that I could understand, mothers from our church and the community who had just left their children at a school for the very first time started gathering on our church campus. They would huddle together as they cried and hugged one another. Honestly, I had no idea what was going on or how to handle the situation. I thought someone had died. The sobs and tears were so intense. Finally, after conversing with older mothers of my congregation I began to understand the matter. They were grieving the loss of innocence within their babies and the change in their own lives. From that day forward my staff and I prepared for the first day of school each year. We set up our fellowship hall and publicized that we were the gathering place of mothers who were experiencing the loss and heartbreak this season in life delivers. It became common knowledge in our community that our church was the “Wailing Wall” for first time school moms. We provided coffee, drinks, pastries and as much comfort and understanding we could supply. Out of this simple act of kindness and concern for our community, many became part of our church family, and many relationships were built. As a result of these open doors, many of those who did not identify with our church, came to a saving faith in Jesus in the months and years to come. The seed of compassion and understanding that were planted that one day a year, grew to produce the fruits of His Grace and Righteousness. I would like to encourage all our churches and their leaders to be always sensitive to the needs of your community and especially during the days of this season. It is the small things and acts of kindness that can open the door for Gospel conversations and the building of life changing relationships. Every church needs a “Wailing Wall.” 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. #SEPTEMBER22

by Dr. Tony L Lynn PLYMOUTH, MI – Church planting in Michigan looks and sounds different, and I am loving it! Synonyms for diverse, or diversity, are fun words like these: Assorted Different Dissimilar Distinctive Divergent Like night & day Medley Mixture Potpourri Mixed bag Unalike Varied I love variety! A vacation with mixed experiences fills my senses. I enjoy contrasting flavors, a morsel of chocolate pressed between a piece of sourdough bread. I listen to an assortment of music in one day’s time: Christian, classical, jazz, and the oldies. I am not monochrome when it comes to life and ministry. My days are filled with diverse skin colors, assorted sounds of languages that I can and cannot understand, and an explosion of experiences that are challenging to describe in words but let me try. Arabic Language I live with a new anticipation. I believe we will see many new church plants in Michigan among those whose heritage comes from North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East. For the first time in years, I have two new valuable partners in the ministry who help me connect more effectively with Arabic-speaking church leaders and potential planters. I often refer to both men as Arabic Consultants for Send Network Michigan: Pastor Amgad Beshai of Evangel Baptist Church of Troy, Michigan and Pastor Amer Safadi of the Arabic Church of Cincinnati, Ohio. Both men exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, as they serve their churches, state conventions, and the Send Network. Recently, Beshai, Safadi, and I had an online morning that we concluded by taking turns voicing our personal prayers aloud. I introduced our time of prayer, reminding them that while an international missionary for thirteen years, I used three languages in my daily life: sharing Christ, writing sermons, speaking to audiences, and teaching students. I invited Beshai and Safadi to pray aloud from their “heart-language,” meaning the earliest language they used when they were raised by their mothers. I wanted them to feel a liberty to pray deeply from their hearts and souls. They did so, each one taking a turn, and the time was so sweet as I heard a melody of language as all three of us were before our Heavenly Father. I was swept by emotion as I was reminded that the Lord, we serve, understands every language of every single person in this world. We serve an amazing God. Spanish Speakers The images show only a portion of the eighty people who were registered attending the second bilingual Spanish/English conference in recent months. The audience keeps increasing, at each event, with this gathering focusing on Discipleship. We have seven potential, Spanish-speaking church planting candidates at different levels of intake who might plant a new church in Michigan. Send Network Consultant Jorge Altieri recently moved his family to Columbus, Ohio making his ease at serving those of us in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana more convenient. His hard work and networking in two languages are showing obvious results. We are so thankful for the first Latin American Baptist Church of Detroit and Pastor Kevin Casillas who generously share their newly dedicated community center with us. Korean and Japanese Languages Let me wrap things up by making an announcement; during August, a Korean couple was assessed as a church planting couple for a community here in Michigan, and they were approved! Now an entire new community here in Michigan will have the prayers and support of many churches as they reach out, in the Korean language, to their local community and the world. Our network of churches helps churches take their next step to accelerate Gospel movement – in every language possible! That is what the Lord desires. Finally, please mark October 16, 2022 on your calendars for Hikari City Church, which is a new church plant led by Planter/Pastor Maki Umakoshi. That date represents their official launch date in Plymouth, Michigan. The young church start whose name, Hikari, means “light,” will share space with an English-speaking church so the children can share discipleship-life with one another while the adults meet in separate worship spaces with each service in the heart-language of the audience. Isn’t the Lord amazing? I love variety, don’t you? 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. #SEPTEMBER22

by Mike Durbin Guidepost Solutions Report and our response All of us were heartbroken by the report from Guidepost Solutions about: "The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s Response to Sexual Abuse Allegations and an Audit of the Procedures and Actions of the Credentials Committee." Reading the report revealed how inadequate the response was by the Executive Committee and the need for preventive policies and practices in churches. It is our prayer that every survivor of abuse experience hope and healing. In light of the report’s finding, the BSCM is recommending multiple resources to our churches: 1. Background Checks The cost of 10 US OneVERIFY Background Checks through Lifeway will be reimbursed to cooperating churches. Our recommendation is that every person who works with children in church undergo a background check. 2. Ministry Safe training Effective abuse protection begins with training on how to create safe environments, church policies and procedures, and how to identify risk. The BSCM will pay for 10 Ministry Safe Sexual Abuse Awareness Trainings per church. 3. Survivor Care Copies of the Handbook: "Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused" are available in our office or by downloading at churchcares.com. 4. Training and Response Our Caring Together Michigan team is available to help churches develop principles and policies to proactively provide safe environments and help should a situation develop. 5. Counseling Dr. Michele White has been contracted to receive abuse reports and connect victims of abuse to the help they need. 6. Reporting A national hotline is available to report allegations of sexual abuse at: SBChotline@guidepostsolutions.com. Georgia Partnership Our partnership with Georgia Baptists kicked off with a vision tour of the Metro area in May. Over the course of four days, 24 Michigan Baptists shared vision with the seven member Georgia team. They heard from pastors, church planters and ministry leaders and walked away with helpful information to expand the partnership in the days to come. A second vision tour is already scheduled for this fall. Re:FOCUS Nine Michigan Baptist Pastors started a two year journey together called re:FOCUS - The Journey of a Lifetime. Through four retreats and monthly Zoom meetings, participants developed deep relationships with each other and the leadership team from Texas that led the retreats. Pastors who did not know each other, or barely knew one other, prayed, encouraged, and celebrated one another before the Father and experienced personal renewal together. The four phases of the re:FOCUS Journey are: Re:CONNECT focused on abiding with Christ and connecting more deeply with others. Re:DEFINE focused on discovering your purposeful design. Re:THINK focused on how you make disciples. Re:ENGAGE focused on how you engage your community. During the retreats and monthly Zoom meetings, we bonded as brothers and sought the Father together. Each participant discovered more about himself and developed strategies and engagement plans for the churches and communities where each of us minister. Without exception, those who finished re:FOCUS recommend you experience this "Journey of a Lifetime." Our thanks go out to Tarrant Baptist Association in Texas and the team that led us: Becky Biser, Wendell Campbell, Terry Cooley and Elliott Higgins. Pastor Wife Retreat Approximately 40 pastor wives gathered recently in Frankenmuth for a night of encouragement, instruction, and inspiration with Kathy Litton. Here is a quote from a letter I received about the evening: "The Pastor Wives retreat was perfect timing in my life. I was able to slip away and meet some new friends, hear from God, and buy some good coffee. Thank you so much! I have never been more exhausted ever in ministry. Timing was perfect." The Pastor’s Wife is more often than not the unsung hero of the church. Her faithfulness to Christ, her ministry in the church and community, and her encouragement to her husband pastor are greatly appreciated! Be The Church God is blessing the partnership Michigan Baptists have with Be The Church and Chapel Pointe in Hudsonville. There are currently 47 Michigan pastors meeting in cohorts. Special thanks go to the Cohort Leaders: Roy Henry, Billy Walker, Chip Faulkner, Ed Emmerling, Jason Loewen, Chris Tenneriello, and Jamison Bebiak. 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. #SEPTEMBER22

by Ken Nether SOUTHFIELD, MI – I am sure we all know the routine by now. The school bell rings for the end of the year and summer as a family officially begins. For us, summer is our favorite time of the year as we get a chance to reconnect as a family, check off some items on our bucket list while skipping church a time or two as our feet are kicked up somewhere on the beach down south. This goes without saying, but you know, vacation with the kids is actually not a vacation at all! Whether we are ready for the school year or not, in just a few days we all will be rushing our kids out the door as we force them to take their annual “back to school” photo for their first day of school. Consequently, once the photo is snapped, we are thrusted back into the fast pace of family life. But do we have a choice not to participate in the hustle and bustle of family life? Every year, Tolice and I start to look at our calendar for the fall. We have no idea how we can fit all the demands from school, kids' activities, and church responsibilities into a weekly calendar. Oh yeah, and by the way, if we want to continue having a healthy marriage, I guess we need to fit in a date night, right? This goes without saying, but parenting is not easy. Can we take it a step further? Parenting while pastoring can be problematic if you don’t run at a pace that your family can sustain. This summer we learned a valuable lesson. After our much needed “vacation” our family participated in our first annual “Nether Family” 1-mile race. As the runners approached the starting line, our family stood in the back as we knew our pace would be slower than all the other runners. We are competitive by nature, but the goal of this race was different. This particular race was not about competing against other runners but was intended for us to finish the race together as a family. In life, we have learned that looking at how other families are running their “race” is not a healthy way of determining how we should run ours. This is what we discovered; the goal of our family is to finish the race that God has placed before us. Our “race” may be faster in some seasons and slower in others. Through prayer and heartfelt conversations, we can discover the grace that God has placed on a family during each season of life. Hebrews 12:1-2, says “...Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” When we decided to embark on ministry, our goal was not to just start our ministry but to finish our ministry, and we knew that would take endurance. Tolice and I have learned that if you want to be successful in ministry as a family then you have to run the race at your own pace. So, friends, when your family is getting tired, and ministry is not looking inspiring; slow down, take a deep breath and remember what you signed up for is not a sprint but a marathon. Don’t worry, God will give you the resources and mental fortitude to run the race He has specifically designed for your family if you continue to seek Him and allow Him to set the pace for your family. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ken and Tolice have been married 11 years and have two beautiful children Kennedy (10) and Lincoln (8). In 2016, they planted Crossover Church in Southfield, MI where their mission is to grow people into passionate followers of Jesus. #SEPTEMBER22

by April Martin PLYMOUTH, MI – September in Michigan is one of my favorite times of the year. The remnants of summer still linger, but the glow of fall begins to surround us. Storefronts filled with golds, browns, and oranges that entice us to begin decorating our homes for fall. Coffee shops begin promoting spiced lattes and all things pumpkin line the store shelves. Yet, as much as I love this transition of seasons, it is also paired with one of the most potentially stressful times of the year for both kids and parents - the return to school! As parents, it is easy to get overwhelmed with the “to-do” list that back to school brings. Gone are the days of a new Scooby Doo lunch box and a pack of sharpened #2 pencils. Now it is Clorox wipes, classroom supplies, new clothes, expo markers, Kleenex and so many other specific items we spend time searching for. We run from store to store trying to secure the best deals as we slowly check off each box to have our kids 'prepared’ for a great school year. What if getting our children prepared for the school year was less about the school issued supply list? What if it has little to do with the most popular brand of shoes or cutest pencil pouch? What if it isn’t about a checklist at all, but an intentional time investment we make as parents to prepare them spiritually and emotionally for transitioning back into the school year. This year, let’s do it differently. Instead of falling prey to the checklist, let’s purposely PRAY with our kids! Involving them in the process as we ask God to guide the school year. Start a family school-year prayer journal. Use a prayer jar where they can add requests that as a family you’ll pray for each week. There are even family prayer apps now that can help guide you in the process of praying as a family! There are so many tools but let’s start with a simple way to make this a great school year: PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NEEDS THEY VOICE: So, let’s walk this out. What is the best way to know how to pray specifically for your children? By asking them! Even my teenage children want to share what they are feeling about the upcoming school year. We just need to know how to ask the right questions and LISTEN when they share! What are they most excited about? What do they think will be their favorite subject/activity of this year? What do they think will be their biggest challenge? What do they think will help them be the most successful in the classroom? Is there anything that they are worried about? PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NEEDS THEY DON’T VOICE: There are challenges our kids will face regardless if they know it or not. As parents, let’s be faithful to pray for these things as well. Pray for their Hearts: That they will come to know Christ and grow in relationship with Him. (3 John 1:4) Pray for their Character: That they will make good choices and show integrity. (Luke 2:52) Pray for their Friendships: Good solid friendships can play a major role in your child's school experience. Pray that God will bring the right friends into your child’s life. (Proverbs 12:26) Our kids need us more than they need the “stuff” that comes with a new school year. They need our attention, our focus and our time. Before we allow ourselves to drown in the details - let's decide to draw close to our Savior and make prayer our priority to be prepared for this school year. ABOUT THE AUTHOR April Martin is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Mile City Church. She is a mom of three super cool teenagers, history nerd, podcast junkie and adores local coffee shops. Her heart and passion is helping parents authentically lead their families towards Christ. #SEPTEMBER22

by BSCM Staff PLYMOUTH, MI – “Forging Kingdom bridges because unifying God’s diverse people is worth the work” is one of the four values of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). With the partnership of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) who provides the wisdom and input of Jorge Altieri in Michigan, we are poised to better achieve our mission which is to “help churches take their next step to accelerate Gospel movement.” That Gospel movement has intensified among the Spanish-speaking audiences of 50-80 church leaders, during these recent nine-months with large cohorts focused on evangelism, and discipleship. During the spring of 2023, another cohort will focus on leadership. Altieri is the SEND Network Español (Spanish) Regional Champion Catalyst for the Ohio Valley Region which includes the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Tony Lynn, Church Planting Leader for Send Network Michigan says, “Altieri has made big impressions on all of us with his organizational skills, his profound theology, his intense missional focus, and his ability to work in Spanish and English in such a rapid, fluid way. He is the catalyst we have needed for decades. His tireless work is helping us pursue focus which clarifies our actions, making the most of our resources and time.” Altieri describes his personal aspirations like this, “My desire and prayer for this new season in our ministry life is to see a biblical movement of new Hispanic church plants all throughout our Ohio Valley Region. We are committed to help and serve our existing Hispanic churches in areas of development and revitalization, so we can see the birth of new Hispanic churches in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.” Altieri was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He came to saving faith at the age of 16 in 1994. Since his salvation, he has served in many ministry opportunities through local churches in the areas of Bible education, evangelism/outreach, and church planting in Puerto Rico. In 2003, Altieri and his family moved to the state of Delaware to assist a church planting team in the process of planting a Hispanic church in the southern part of the state. In Delaware, Altieri served in various ministry opportunities with local churches as a Bible teacher, musician, and in other church leadership roles. After many years serving God in various aspects of ministry in Delaware, the Lord guided the Altieri Family to begin the process of planting Iglesia Bautista Faro de Gracia, a new Hispanic church in the town of Milford, Delaware in 2015. Over the past 7 years since planting Iglesia Bautista Faro de Gracia, Altieri had the opportunity of serving the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and the North American Mission Board by providing support and assistance to the Hispanic churches in those two states as a volunteer in assessments and training modules for pastors and planters. Now Altieri and his family have transitioned from Delaware to Ohio and where he will continue to serve the North American Mission Board through SEND Network Español (Spanish) as a Regional Champion Catalyst for the Ohio Valley Region. Jorge has been married to his wife Jerica for 22 years. They have two sons: Jorge, and Jonathan. Altieri loves guiding others in learning while simultaneously learning all he can to increase his knowledge and sharpen his skills in ministry. Altieri received his bachelor’s degree in Christian studies from Global University. He was awarded a church planting diploma from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a master’s in theology at Southeastern. Pastor Tim Patterson, Executive Director-Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, unreservedly endorses the partnership of NAMB and Altieri when Patterson said, “Jorge Altieri has been and continues to be a great Hispanic leader among many of our churches here in the Midwest. We are so blessed to have him help coordinate, motivate, and encourage pastors and leaders among our Hispanic congregations. I wholeheartedly endorse and encourage Jorge and his work here among Michigan Baptists and pray that you will also. He is a man of integrity and a man of great passion and vision.” Altieri takes part in one of the state’s highest values which says that we “strengthen leaders because they shape the culture and set the pace.” Altieri’s influence is shaping a bolder and brighter future. Jorge Altieri can be reached through the BSCM website, or at (302) 393-6400 or at jaltieri@namb.net. We are grateful for our partnership with the North American Mission Board and the generosity of the members of multitude of churches who faithfully give through the Cooperative Program and the North American Missions Offering which makes this type of productive collaboration possible. Finally, because of your prayers we are in the early stages of interviewing five new men who think that planting new Hispanic churches in Michigan may be in their future. We are living in the excitement of anticipation as we see the Lord moving and people responding to God’s call. Would you join us in a fresh season of prayer for the ongoing development of Hispanic churches throughout Michigan where we can easily find one-half million people or more, who use Spanish every day in their lives while living among us? #SEPTEMBER22