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by Stan Parker LANSING, MI – Pastor Stan Parker and Faith Fellowship Baptist Church (FFBC) held their Annual Praise in the Park Block Party at the Walsh Park in Lansing on July 30, 2022. Due to the COVID-19 the event was not held the last two years. Historically Praise in the Park Block Party is an anticipated event for the Potter Walsh community and this year the same was true. Faith Fellowship is thanking God for over 150 individuals attended this year. As usual there were a few VIP guests such as, Andy Schor, Mayor of Lansing, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and other Lansing dignitaries. The event kicked off with a powerful prayer and hand clapping, toe tapping musical from Spoken Praise. Their lively singing set the tone for the rest of the event. Entertainment included contemporary Gospel singing and down-home quartet style singing. Each performer ministered a soulful praise to God, and an uplifting spiritual message to the community members. The community responded with full praise and worship. In addition to praise and worship there was family entertainment for everyone to enjoy. The family entertainment consisted of games, giveaways, and a Community Family Resource Fair to provide the attendees with information regarding health and Wellness. Children played games such as Ducks in a Pond, outside bowling, and enjoyed a Bounce house. Adults and children participated in creative Christian designs for faces painting. The Grand prize giveaways for adults and children, are one of the highlights of this event. There were three bikes given away to children, and gift cards given to adults. This is always a blessing to the families who receive the prize. This event indeed was a day of fun, fellowship and food. However, the highlight of the event was more than physical. The most important aspect of the Annual Block Party is when the attendees have an opportunity to surrender their life’s to Jesus Christ. Faith Fellowship is praising and thanking God for 32 confessions of Faith at this event. The church will be conducting follow up with these individuals through the end of September. The goal of the follow up is to have at least 5 communication touches with all of those who decided to surrender to Jesus Christ as Savior. Faith Fellowship Baptist Church is grateful to BSCM for their support, FFBC also is thankful for its members, the host of volunteers who came and supported this event. For more information about Faith Fellowship Baptist Church events please contact us at 517-853-9897 or ffbc1001@gmail.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Stan Parker serves as senior pastor of Faith Fellowship Baptist Church. He is on mission during his spare time, traveling domestically and internationally. He is the author of several publications, and serves as a regional director for the National African American Fellowship within the Southern Baptist Convention. #AUGUST22

by James R. Ellsworth TECUMSEH, MI – Alaska Mission ministers to many villages in the Nome, Alaska region. One of these villages is Stebbins, Alaska on the Island of St. Michael’s, population 700. Brenda Crim is the director of Alaska Mission. When asked, “What can the people of Michigan do materialistically for a group?” She replied, “Tennis Shoes.” In March of 2022 an eleven-member team from Michigan headed to Alaska led by Pastor Dan Russel. This team joined 30 others from around the country and headed to Nome, Alaska to help Alaskan Mission with the Iditarod dog sled race. While in Nome, the team served the Iditarod itself as security for both the dogs and the race itself. Volunteers also helped at the homeless shelter, children’s home, battered women’s shelter. There was a local men’s and women’s double elimination basketball tournament. The mission team took turns at the basketball tournament cooking and serving concessions. The proceeds from all the sales went to the battered women’s shelter. The winters in Stebbins are long and hard. In the dead of winter, there is only 5 or 6 hours of sunlight. There are no shoe stores here. It takes 2 plane rides to get to a town with a Walmart. The cost of round-trip plane tickets alone can be as much as $1,500, and on the return trip if you have more than 50 pounds in cargo the airline will charge you extra. The school principal in Stebbins sent the Michigan mission team the sizes of all 238 students in the Stebbins school system from pre-K through the 12th grade. Tecumseh Missionary Baptist Church (TMBC) along with the Lendale Association spearheaded the mission project. 575 pairs of shoes were collected and shipped to Alaska. A local store donated 106 pairs of shoes. More were donated. Many were purchased. The shoes arrived this July and are being distributed to the kids in Stebbins as they start the new school year. From Tecumseh to Stebbins, boxes and boxes of shoes. Sometimes the best mission trips start with a question. ABOUT THE AUTHOR James (Jim) is a member of Tecumseh Missionary Baptist Church, Tecumseh Michigan. Jim has been married to Connie (Michelle) for 13 years. Jim is a member and an endorsed Chaplain with NAMB of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. #AUGUST22

by Julie Redmond Donavan In 1974, Tony Lynn heard the gospel from a bivocational pastor at First Baptist Church in Swartz Creek, Michigan. As a result Lynn became a Christian, and in his youth he thought God was calling him to be an engineer and build buildings for the Lord. “God called me to build people for the Lord rather than buildings,” Lynn said he learned later. His girlfriend (now wife), Jamie, encouraged him in the call as a pastor knowing her life would look different as a pastor’s wife. Lynn has since served 20 years in local congregations in Kentucky and Michigan, 13 years as a pastor overseas and now as state director of missions and a church planting leader at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan for seven years. He believes his background has prepared him to serve in the role he has today — along with a doctorate in postmodernism. “My life verse is Acts 20:24,” Lynn said. “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the good news about the wonderful grace of God. “My life is not centered on preaching directly anymore,” he noted. “I am not center stage, but others are so they can bring others to Christ. I am doing ministry from a supportive role now and I want to see others succeed in sharing the gospel.” Why a need for church planting? “Michigan is known for its factories, high production, pharmaceuticals, research, transportation and for the longest freshwater shoreline in the world,” Lynn noted. “Why not be a state that produces the gospel?” He said many people travel through Michigan, especially international college students. “So many people come to our universities, and they return to their countries as missionaries,” Lynn explained. The international influence in Michigan combined with Lynn’s background in overseas missions has opened doors for people who speak different languages to come together and hear the gospel. “Having been international missionaries in Africa and France made me and my wife more aware of the culture around us,” Lynn explained. “We have seen accelerated growth of Spanish, Arabic and Asian people in the last few years, and now we are having language assessments for non-English-speakers to prepare them for church planting.” Growing churches As church planting grows in Michigan, the convention is seeing church plants grow other churches and become sending churches. As a result, preachers are coming together, interacting with one another, coaching and collaborating, Lynn said. More preachers are coming to Michigan to help plant churches and they are risking their lives by leaving secure jobs and moving their families. “The process of church planting has been owned and it is important to all churches in Michigan — preachers want to see other preachers succeed,” Lynn declared. Tasks and friendships He said he helps more than 50 church plants and church planting families in Michigan, and wants preachers and church planters to know they are not alone. “One of the beauties of my job is that it leads to close friendships that last a lifetime,” Lynn said. “This is surprising to most people. I am here, as well as the rest of the convention, to serve preachers and new church planters, not to direct their agenda.” He noted that as the state director of missions and church planting leader his job is to help every preacher and church be successful at the calling God has placed on them. To learn more about the Baptist State Convention of Michigan’s church planting efforts through the North American Mission Board’s Send Network , click here. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie Redmond Donovan writes for The Baptist Paper, a national publication that gives you credible, balanced news you can trust from a Christian worldview. The Baptist Paper is a product of TAB Media Group, which has published The Alabama Baptist newspaper since 1843. #AUGUST22

by Allen Ballard VANDERBILT, MI – In 1867 on a farm in South Africa, 15-year-old Erasmus Jacobs saw a stone glistening in the sun. The shining rock was eventually reported to a neighbor, who wanted to buy it from the family. Not knowing its value, Erasmus’ mother told the neighbor, "You can keep the stone, if you want it." Eventually, a mineralogist determined the stone to be a 21.25 carat diamond and worth a great sum. It became known as the "Eureka Diamond." (The Greek word eureka means "I found it!") Soon the fields near the Jacobs’ farm soared in value. Underneath the land was one of the richest diamond deposits ever discovered. Jesus said that the value of being part of God’s kingdom is like treasure: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matt. 13:44). When we put our faith in Christ, a spiritual "eureka moment" arrives. God gives us forgiveness in His Son. It is the greatest treasure that could ever be found. Now all of life can begin to center on the value of becoming a joyous member of His eternal kingdom. It’s our joy to share that valuable discovery with others. God’s kingdom is a treasure meant to be shared. When my family and I moved here in September of 2009, we had no idea how much of a "Eureka" moment this would be. I remember sitting on a bench and asking the question "When I say the word Baptist what comes to your mind". The responses were shocking; many said bible thumper or cult or they simply had no idea. For me that was a true sign that the Gospel was needed in North Michigan. This year we are slated to have another banner year. One of our successes has been the introduction of our live broadcast on Facebook and Zoom. During the pandemic we had the choice to slow down and give up, or we could see it as a different opportunity to get the message out. In the last two years our church has seen an increase in giving and an increase in attendance both on-line and in person. Our on-line presence has allowed us to reach those otherwise missed by "traditional" methods thus our "Eureka" moment. One person that comes to mind is Vic and Donna and his mother. Every Sunday they are faithful in both Sunday School and Worship as they are not able to travel very far to be with us in- person, but they are part of our church nonetheless. How can you change the way you do what you’re doing? We get stuck in a rut. You know what a rut is right? "It’s a grave with the ends kicked out". The church needs to find new ways to meet others, to reach out to people, and to stay engaged with our communities even during the worst times because that’s when we’ll find our diamonds. You see, If you’re looking you too can find your Eureka Diamond moment. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Allen Ballard is Pastor of Pigeon River Baptist Church in Vanderbilt, Michigan. He and his wife, Jean and family, have served there since 2009. Pastor Allen says that he is serving as senior pastor to a church and a community that needs the love of Christ both preached and shown by example. He believes that we are called to lead by being a servant first and an example unto the life of Christ. #AUGUST22

Bir Bahdur is a simple animal herder. Sometimes he works as a day-laborer. He’s quiet and meek. He’s uneducated and soft-spoken. He doesn’t consider himself qualified to share the gospel, let alone teach it. Many of his South Asian countrymen don’t think so either. But the beauty of the gospel is that it brings worth to those society considers not worthy. Bir Bahdur became a believer by hearing Bible stories that were translated into his language by a coalition of International Mission Board workers, Omega Training Partnership translators and another international translation organization. Together, these three organizations form one Bible translation project. After hearing and believing the truth, he knew he wanted to share it. With the encouragement of fellow participants and the trainers from the project’s workshops, he learned to craft and share Bible stories in his heart language. He started telling people he encountered each day the Bible stories. And people listened. “He’s not trained; he’s not professional, but he knows the God that he serves,” Royce Alyward, an IMB worker who helps lead the translation initiative, shared. “And he knows how to tell these stories. It’s by sharing those stories that God’s Word has gone forth.” Bir Bahdur reported that several of his friends professed faith in Christ after hearing the stories. His influence didn’t stop at those friends simply believing, though. He intentionally discipled these believers, and now from Bir Bahdur’s influence, two house churches began in his remote area. Bir Bahdur’s story doesn’t stand alone. Royce and his wife, Elsbeth, can tell story after story of churches being planted and lives changed because of this translation project. The idea behind this massive Bible translation project is to engage least-reached places with the gospel. Getting the Word of God into the heart language of remote people has fostered healthy church planting and multiplication. Since this coalition started in 2013, the Alywards shared that the project has seen: The completion of Bible story sets in 23 languages among many of the least-served people groups of South Asia. Multiplying of gospel-sharing and indigenous church plants across these 23 languages. The initiation and advance of New Testament translation in 16 of these 23 languages, with imminent plans to begin translation in four more. Ongoing discipleship and church enrichment interaction with growing churches in many of South Asia’s least-reached peoples. The key to seeing a work of this magnitude accomplished has been not only the partnership between the three organizations, but the strategic discipleship and deployment of national believers. “This task is too big for anybody,” Elsbeth said, “but it is certainly biblical to have this kind of collaboration between like-minded organizations.” As the groups partnered, they ensured they didn’t duplicate each other’s work. She continued, “We’re working on seeing every tribe, every language be able to have an understandable and appropriate presentation of the gospel in their language. This is such a huge need in this area of South Asia where you have so many harder-to-reach languages in harder-to-reach areas.” “We’re working on seeing every tribe, every language be able to have an understandable and appropriate presentation of the gospel in their language.” Sharing the burden alleviates the burden on cross-cultural workers to learn each of the 100+ languages spoken in their area. Royce explained, “As a new worker is onboarding, learning the major language is a huge task. As we move forward, for a cross-cultural worker, that can be very intimidating. “One of the things we’re helping them understand is that language acquisition is important. But we, as the expatriates, don’t need to learn every language from the area. We need to learn the main languages (such as Hindi),” Royce said. “We work with national partners who are bilingual. Once we can communicate with them in the main language of their area, we share the load with other believers and those who can help guide us in the language even before they come to faith.” This intentionality in sharing the load, specifically with those who are not yet believers, not only gives the IMB worker some relief, but it sets the translator up to be saturated with the gospel. “We can intentionally look into those relationships and see how God is working,” Elsbeth shared. “We see how God’s Word is so effective, especially when they hear it in the language that speaks to their heart.” 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. *Some names may have been changed for security reasons. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Myriah Snyder writes and edits for the IMB. #AUGUST22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – There has been a great deal of talk about overturning Roe vs. Wade in the past few months and the matter of abortion has been a hot topic in almost every newscast. With the recent court ruling that corrected this terrible mistake of a law, the venom, hatred, and violence that issues forth from those that oppose the decision is growing and will continue to do so exponentially. Politicians on both sides of the aisle seize these windows of opportunity to grandstand for more attention “face-time” and to help garner more votes and support for their next campaign. Self-promotion is nothing new among politicians. Most see the issue of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice as fodder to fill their personal promotion cannon so that they may hurl their names or favorite cause into prominence. They care little for the lives they play with like rag dolls, only to be discarded when their usefulness is gone. Sadly, the issue is being used instead of enlightening. Most of what is being said or done on both sides is doing more damage than good. I want to be very clear, that I am overjoyed the with wise, logical, and morally correct ruling of the court. Life has been honored. I am a strong believer that actions speak much louder than words and as this is being played out in the media and main street, so much of what is being said is revealing the true nature of the proclaimers. Their words seem to be nothing more than empty pedanticism that cares little for the people they impact or the lives they can damage. As Christians, we must be kind and redemptive in our speech. We cannot let a particular political persuasion be the mantra that we mimic. Our words must be guided by grace and full of mercy that is empowered by His Spirit. Do I believe that we need to speak about the issues? Absolutely! I believe that we must speak clearly, concisely, intelligently, passionately, and compassionately because those who devalue pre-born babies will continue to militantly demand their selfish perspective and warped rights. The recent ruling did not “put the issue to bed”, but it merely moved it to our respective states. Dr. Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has very astutely summarized the perspective of most of us who revere and hold strongly to the sanctity of life. In a recent news release he said: Our nation celebrates financial abundance, but devalues human life. We have experienced an economic expansion, but a moral recession. We are obsessed with personal safety, but have made the womb a place of great danger. Our concerns for personal "rights" have eclipsed our understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Great advances in medicine have prolonged life for many, but we accept the most barbaric forms of the murder of the unborn. We have elevated convenience over conviction, and comfort over compassion. We have treated the blessings of parenthood as a burden. We have rejected the gift of life, and have claimed this as a "right to choose." “We are living on borrowed time. A nation cannot long prosper in its economy when it has sold its soul for personal choice. A nation is not strong when it destroys its weakest members. Americans demand rights rather than righteousness, and we are reaping a harvest of unrighteousness unparalleled in its magnitude.” Stating our perspective and defending our position is the role and responsibility of all Christians of conscience, but to speak only with our mouths and pens with the absence of action in our lives is not only hypocritical, it is sinfully detrimental. We must live the Love we proclaim. The best way to get our message across is share it with lip and life, as did a young girl named Alyssa. All through high school, Alyssa tried to share her faith in Christ with her four closest friends. In long late-night conversations, they’d talk about everything from heaven to abortion to the existence of evil in the world. Alyssa loved her friends and wanted them to know Christ the way she did. After they graduated, the four friends tried to stay in touch. Even though they moved to different parts of the country, they e-mailed each other, got together at holidays, and even took vacations together during the summer. Sometimes they’d have conversations like the ones of old, with Alyssa talking about her beliefs and her relationship with God. While Alyssa’s friends always treated her with respect, they never became Christians. Their decision—or, rather, their lack of a decision—was a real disappointment to Alyssa. After college Alyssa accepted a job across the country and soon lost touch with her friends. When she came back home for Christmas one year, she ran into one of them at a local department store. Her friend was pushing a baby stroller and proudly introduced her new baby to Alyssa. When Alyssa found out that her friend wasn’t married, she thought, a lot of good all that talking about God did. Look what happened to her. She ended up getting pregnant before she got married. Toward the end of their conversation, Alyssa asked if she could hold the baby. As her friend handed the infant to her, she said, “You know, Alyssa, you’re partly to thank for this baby. If it weren’t for you, I would have had an abortion. But I kept remembering all we had talked about and just couldn’t do it.” Keep telling the story and living the life. It has and does make a difference. 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. #AUGUST22

by Dr. Tony L Lynn PLYMOUTH, MI – My wife’s parents are with the Lord. Jamie’s father went to be with the Lord in 2011, and in 2020, Jamie’s mother joined her husband and the Lord in heaven. Both were strong examples of devotion to the Lord, to their family, and to their church. My parents are still with us. My father is 84 years old, and my mother is 83 years old. My father lives in the white, two-story, country-house my parents have shared for decades. North of Lansing, my father is surrounded by corn fields, deer grazing as the sun rises and falls, and he still tinkers on projects. My mothers, affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s, is settled into a residential facility where the kindest of professionals call her by name and energetically love on her all day long. She has been in residential care now for almost three years. Today on a Monday due to my weekends becoming busier with ministry and little time for family, I devoted a long lunch break to spend time with my parents. Enjoy the images. In this image, we were both restraining our chuckles. Moments earlier, I was walking down the hallway to get closer to Mom before calling out to her. Before I could get close to her, I heard my mom say to her caregiver who was pushing her wheelchair, “That man down the hallway looks a lot like my son. Upon hearing that, I called out, “Hi Mom.” To which she responded, “That’s my boy. He’s a preacher.” Then as she got within the reach of a hug she gushed, “It makes me so happy to see you.” This image reveals one of our traditions. Normally upon arrival to see Mom, I find her either rubbing her hands together, or rubbing her hand on a soft fabric of her clothing. These past three years, I move close enough to put our hands together and the constant movement of her hand rubbing settles down and her concentration then focuses on the conversation between us. It’s a connection I cherish, and I don’t take for granted. My father and I were beside his garage just after looking at all the things he has been doing. Little projects. One after another. In their own time. No hurry on anything. Dad likes to reflect before he starts and before he completes his projects. His latest creation is restoring an old golf cart. No, he does not play golf. He never has. Nevertheless, he is customizing the cart to match his style, his imagination, and the theme he has constructed. We ate lunch together. We filled his water softener, and I delivered more salt to keep that hard Michigan water softer. Men share love best when they share projects. In between visiting my parents, I stopped by to see the headstone my father and mother designed and had installed recently on their plots, just one mile from their farm home. There are two images that say a lot. First, Dad with a sense of humor will remind me that the passing dates are yet to be finished on the headstone. He says, “We’ll fill in the blanks later.” Dad is practical and has for years taken care of these sorts of things for family and friends most of his life. No one could stop Dad from making decisions easier for my two sisters and me. That is who he is. He expresses his love for others by doing for others. Second, Dad designed the stone with an image of a tree and a reference to Galatians 4:1-7. My father is the family genealogist. He has recorded stories, searched archives, interviewed people, and collected data on our family that would rival the FBI. I loved that moment today when I asked Dad about the tree representing genealogy and his reference to Galatians 4:1-7. Dad replied, “It just goes to show that no matter where you come from, the most important thing in life is to be adopted by the Lord.” He explained that the Apostle Paul was pointing that lesson out to the Galatians. Dad said he kept reflecting on this text after one of his daily Bible readings, “that we might receive the adoption,” (v. 5). I just thought I would share a testimony of my parents and their love for one another and for others. 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. #AUGUST22

by Mike Durbin PLYMOUTH, MI – Drowsy, tired, fatigued, beat, spent, exhausted, depleted. These words describe a continuum of feelings that point to one continual need in our lives - REST. Rest is often sacrificed as the busyness, worries, and distractions of life demand our attention. In our drive to “get-er-done,” we fail to establish the biblical rhythm of rest so necessary for life. Howard Hendricks vividly describes what happens when we neglect rest, “Come apart; or you will come apart.” The importance of rest stood out to me while reading the encounter between Jesus and His dear friends Martha and Mary. The two sisters welcome Jesus into their home and Martha immediately gets “distracted by her many tasks” (Luke 10:40). She is overwhelmed by all the things she must do as a proper hostess. Martha is busy doing all the work while her sister Mary sits at the feet of Jesus listening to His words. One sister is working while the other is sitting. You know this isn’t going to end well! Martha gets upset and criticizes her sister Mary to Jesus: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So, tell her to give me a hand.” Martha feels the weight, the pressure, of everything needing to be just right for this special guest she has welcomed to her home. She wants everything to be perfect. It was supposed to be all about Jesus, but she ends up making the moment all about herself. “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So, tell her to give me a hand.” The focus is not on hospitably serving Jesus anymore, but on herself - ouch! Busyness for Jesus is often more about us than we care to admit. Some of us, like Martha, have a difficult time slowing down or stopping. We’re busy all the time. Rest, reflection, and realignment to what’s really significant, can be replaced with constant activity if we’re not careful. Before we know it, we have the potential to end up like Martha: “distracted, worried, upset.” It’s obvious that she is irritated that Mary is not helping her get everything ready. She starts thinking more about Mary than about Jesus. Martha gets so distressed that she complains to Jesus about Mary not helping and gets quite a wakeup call when Jesus tells her: “Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” What is the right choice Mary made? Sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to His words. It’s interesting that we are not told what Jesus was teaching as Mary sat at His feet and listened. His words are lost as Martha interrupts Jesus to complain about Mary’s lack of help. Whatever He was teaching was lost to her (and us). Jesus lovingly corrects Martha, and what emerges is the picture of Mary, a disciple of Jesus, consuming every word He speaks. Mary is resting in Christ and experiences peace, clarity of thought and focus. Contrast that with her sister. Martha is distracted (v. 40), worried and upset (v. 41). With so many things that need to get done, Martha feels overwhelmed. Her mind and body are racing from one thing to the next. She has trouble concentrating. She is worried that things won’t get done and upset at having to do everything herself. Mary is in a flurry of activity, but little is being accomplished. Jesus tells Martha that “Mary has made the right choice.” While Martha was distracted by this and that, Mary made a decision that the best thing she could do was sit at the feet of Jesus. She had a moment, an opportunity that might not ever be repeated in her life. She was able to focus, to sit in the presence of Jesus, and listen to His teaching. She chose to come apart and rest in the presence of Jesus, while her sister just came apart. Resting in Christ may not be on your to do list today, but it might just be the most important thing you do to experience the peace, clarity, and focus you need to accomplish what really matters in your life. 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. #AUGUST22

by Coye Bouyer LANSING, MI – As a pastor, I have encountered many people and over the years I have learned that people are very different with a variety of attitudes and actions just depending on who you’re talking to. I have learned that when someone comes seeking biblical advice, I can listen to just about anyone even if I don’t always agree with them. I have learned that while I can ‘Listen to all, I must Leave some right where they are.’ The Consequences for Correcting the Incorrigible Proverbs 9:7-9 communicates a caution to the wise individual who seeks to invite or impress insight and instruction (wisdom) to a scoffer. He writes, “whoever chastises or chooses to correct a scoffer…” The derivative of this word describes a superior correcting an inferior, further helping the reader realize that the one who is attempting to do the correcting has both the ability (knowledge) and authority to do so. Secondly, the writer describes the type of person being corrected, ‘a scoffer.’ The Hebrew word for ‘scoffer’ describes one who is marked by attitudes and actions of corruption, discord and even gluttony. Throughout the O.T. the scoffer is one who is prideful, haughty, foolish and despises knowledge. He/she is described as one who is incapable of correction because their pride prevents them from gaining understanding, as if their pride insulates them from wisdom. The writer closes this first clause out by saying, if the wise seek to correct a scoffer, brings dishonor upon themselves. The Hebrew word for dishonor includes concepts like blemish and defects in both a moral and physical sense. Moreover, this Hebrew word parallels the Hebrew word ‘insults,’ used in the second clause of this phrase, ‘and he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.’ Used as parallels, these two words together can also mean ‘abuse.’ In a sense, the writer says, ‘when one with the appropriate ability and authority attempts to alter (correct) the attitudes and actions of the arrogant (scoffer), you’re asking to be abused.’ Rationalization for Response But why would the wise individual receive shame, insult, and even possible injury? The wise writer recognizes the potential question, and therefore proceeds with the reason for such a response; “Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you.” Now, with more of an imperative the writer says why it would not be wise to correct the mocker; it’s because the mocker loathes/hates rebuke. Moreover, rebuke, even from a superior, causes him/her to reject the relationship. Here, the wise sage speaks to why correction cannot be given to everyone. For when the arrogant gets rebuked not only is the rebuke rejected but the relationship is ruined. Jesus says a similar thing with His words, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). Here Jesus is making the point that one must discern when presenting to others what is holy for it will elicit nothing but abuse when cast amongst the wrong crowd. In instances like this, restraint is required. While God is the ultimate judge and we are not to judge people, we are to use proper judgment of the people we may be witnessing to. In other words, Jesus, just like Solomon says, the intelligent invite insults…if you’re attempting to correct the incorrigible. Conclusion Hopefully, this encourages you by discouraging you from attempting to give wise advice to arrogant and prideful individuals. Why, because at times instruction invites insult, and our attempts to advise the arrogant are asking to be abused. Furthermore, when we do this, not only are our rebukes rejected, but relationships are being ruined because we are casting our pearls to swine. So, if you want to refuse to invite insult and injury into your life, one way of doing this is by learning to “Listen to all, but leaving some right where they are.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Coye L. Bouyer is the founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church in Lansing, MI where he has served since March of 2010. Pastor Bouyer recently stepped into the Diversity Ambassador role for the BSCM and firmly believes that he was not only called to Preach the Gospel as part of the process of reconciliation of man to God, but also using any platform as a bridge of reconciliation of man to man, and even more so amongst the brethren. Pastor Bouyer and his lovely wife Keturah (Gen. 25:1) have been married four over 20 years and have four children; Sierra, Seth, Cayla and Coye II. #AUGUST22

by Mick Schatz ROSCOMMON, MI – There are many places in Michigan that one can view the creativity of our almighty God. One of these places is Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat and Conference Center. Especially during the fall, I am constantly struck with the beauty of the lake, the trees, and the night sky. It allows you to begin to grasp the awesomeness of our Creator and marvel at His glory. However, the glory of God does not end at the tree line, and I would like to remind you how Bambi Lake ministers to our local community, all of Michigan and beyond. A large part of the ministry at Bambi is providing an opportunity for groups and individuals to come and experience God in a way that is meaningful and unique. It is exciting and encouraging throughout the year to experience God’s spirit move through the lives of adults and teenagers alike. We provide summer camp opportunities such as Filipino Camp, Girls Camp, Mom and Me Camp, Wild Week Camp, and Through the Roof Camp. Every summer we see lives impacted by the gospel, and new believers birthed into the Kingdom. Along with weeklong camps, Bambi Lake also hosts and produces weekend retreats throughout the year. You will find retreats for women, men, pastors, pastors/wives, leader training, married couples, and youth. Themes can vary from being a simple getaway to a time of training and growing in your walk with Christ. Weekend retreats are a great opportunity for believers to come and be refreshed and rejuvenated in their walk with Christ. Our hope is that Bambi will not only be a place to experience God, but a place for believers to be equipped for the ministry and create long lasting friendships that extend past their time at Bambi Lake. Over the last few years, God has allowed us to begin having a greater impact in our local and regional community. We have been able to partner with four different schools for band and cross-country camps, and that number is growing as more schools discover what we have to offer. Additionally, we have made major improvements in our campground and lake front areas to accommodate the significant increase in guests who love the great outdoors. Over the Memorial Day weekend every room we had including the Campground was filled - there was no room left in the Inn! It was exciting to see the hard work and renovations in the campground, and lakefront being enjoyed by returning guests and many first-timers. Bambi Lake truly has a lot to offer the churches and residents of our state and beyond. God is continually blessing us with new groups and guests who are excited about Bambi Lake. Our prayer is that God’s presence would be tangibly known and experienced by all who enter our property. Come join us! 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. #AUGUST22

by Don Anderson JACKSON, MI – At almost all of the church growth conferences I ever attended, I was told that a pastor would rarely be able to reach anyone ten years on either side of his age. That was rather disheartening to me, and I decided that would not be the case at any church where I was to pastor. So, when I came to this church 29 years ago at the age of 43 and saw there were fourteen people attending regularly who were mostly over sixty years old, I determined that God wanted me to reach out to many who were much younger than me. God reminded me through my wife Diana that we needed to pray for children and youth workers so we would have them ready when the younger people started to come. As a result of those prayers, God opened the hearts of three of our older adults to volunteer as we started a van ministry to bring in children who were quickly followed by their older siblings and parents. We had only been on the field here a little more than a month when we held a VBS with the help of a team from a Tennessee church. It was successful, and many of the kids who attended had their parents with them on parent’s night. Up until COVID hit, we had very good Bible Schools for years, and now, we have some young adults from those Bible Schools who bring their own children to Sunday school and church worship services here. Through the years, we have done outreach in our community through neighborhood block parties, taking our VBS workers to other churches in the state to help them with VBS and other work projects, taking mission teams to Costa Rica, and delivering food during the COVID crisis to our community through the school lunch distribution program as well as the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The church has by no means become a large congregation, but we have more than tripled in size since my wife and I came on the field here. We have seen the congregation go from a mostly over 60 age group to a mostly under 40 age group. Meanwhile I have aged from 43 to 72. Jesus has shown us that no matter how old you are, he can reach any age group to whom you reach out. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Don Anderson was saved at VBS at eight years old. He started preaching at the age of 16 and has pastored one mission and four churches since the age of 28. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Texas Tech and a Master of Christian Studies from Union University in Jackson, TN. #AUGUST22

by Karen Blanchard CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – I grew up in Florida and to this day my favorite place is still the beach. Looking out at the ocean always mesmerizes me! I get lost in the vastness of how wide and long the ocean seems as I gaze at it from the shore. As I think about how great the ocean is, the following verses from Ephesians come to mind. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:17a-19 These verses are powerful! I think sometimes we know in our head that God loves us, but our hearts have a difficult time grasping the fullness of God’s love. I have been on a journey this year learning about what it means to be God’s beloved. Beloved simply means “to be loved by God.” Recently I was reading a book where the author compared two of the disciples: Peter and John. The fascinating thing about John is that he never refers to himself as “John” in the entire book of John. He wrote the book in third person and five times he calls himself “the one whom Jesus loved.” There are a couple of other times where someone was identified as “the other disciple” and scholars believe this to have been John as well. To be honest, at first glance when I think of “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” I begin to think that John was a little more special than the other disciples; that he was Jesus’ favorite. That is far from being true! Jesus loved all the disciples the same -- the same way he loves you and me. It seems that John wanted his identity to be “the one whom Jesus loved” as an act of humility and surrender of his old self. Peter, on the other hand, instead of accepting Jesus’ love for him, often tried to prove his love for Jesus in what he said or what he did. One way we see Peter trying to prove himself was when he called out to Jesus to let him walk on water. Peter needed proof because his faith was weak. We see this striving for love in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested, and Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. Peter took matters into his own hands by thinking the situation depended on him to do something instead of trusting that God was in control. The following verses are all ways that Peter tried to prove his love in what he said: Peter says in Matthew 19:27, “We have left everything to follow you.” Mark 14:29, he said, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” In John 13:37 Peter says, “I will lay down my life for you.” When the time came for Peter’s words to be tested, the Scripture tells us he denied Jesus three times. It took Peter longer to realize his identity was not in what he did for Jesus, but in what Jesus did for him. John, on the other hand, came to a quicker understanding of his identity in Christ and therefore was able to live his life knowing he was loved by Jesus. What about you? Do you tend to strive to prove your love for God because you think he expects you to do many things for him? I love this letter entitled “My Beloved Child” written by Deb Worley. This letter is powerful because it was written as if God himself were saying these words over you. Below is a portion of the letter that is my favorite: I love you, my dear child because I created you. I love you precious one, because there is no one else like you. I love you, Beloved, simply because you exist- because that is what Love does and Love is who I am. I love you, now forever and always, and there is nothing you can do to change that. There is nothing you can do to make me love you any more, and there is nothing you can do to make me love you any less. I. love. you. Beloved, God loves you. Even if you never do another thing for him. He loves you simply because you exist. It is time for you to see yourself as God’s beloved. When we operate out of our belovedness in Christ, we can live in the fullness of God’s love doing what we know God has called us to do. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area! #AUGUST22