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by Scott Barkley NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Mark Dance remembers the time he lost focus – despite knowing better – and paying the price. It was 1986 and Dance had just completed his business degree. Even back then, young people wanted to get the latest technology and his eyes were set on a new VCR. So, he drove to a Montgomery Ward department store and bought one on credit. “I think it was about $10 a month for it,” he said. “I don’t remember exactly how much I ended up paying for it, but it was at least twice as much as the sticker price. Even though I had a business degree, I didn’t think about it.” That mentality can come back on pastors, he said. Not thinking ahead or considering how habits compound into a lifestyle tend to sneak up later in life. Dance was a pastor for 27 years before starting Lifeway Pastors in 2014 and then taking on a similar role with Oklahoma Baptists. When Hance Dilbeck, Oklahoma’s executive director, was named GuideStone’s next president last July, Dance followed him to become the entity’s director of Pastoral Wellness. His experience brings advantages for helping pastors with wellness concerns. He learned how to assess the environment, then, work toward the best outcome while maximizing the virtue of patience – things he holds in common with a third cousin, famed fisherman Bill Dance. “My focus is to help pastors start and finish well,” he said. “We want them to get healthy and stay healthy. Our work is to build upon the definition of health that GuideStone has established throughout its history.” That includes addressing emotional health as well as physical and financial. Pastors are tempted by the appearance of a successful ministry and, naturally, want it as well. But the late nights and endless hospital visits can lead to ignoring others. “No one wants to start ministry with the intention of having broken relationships with his wife and kids,” said Dance. Maintaining a healthy relationship with Christ and family are priorities, he said. But there is also the matter of knowing and growing from peers. In Oklahoma, Dance led that effort by establishing more than 100 cohorts for a pipeline to identify and develop others for called to ministry. Groups ranged from juniors in high school to those into their tenth year leading a local church. “We initially hoped for a couple of dozen cohorts,” said Dance. “When Hance learned that 40 percent of Oklahoma pastors were going to be retiring in the next ten years, he felt we needed to ‘strengthen the bench,’ so to speak.” During his career, Dance has noticed visible areas that affect pastor wellness. “We want to live outside our means. That’s the typical top financial stressor,” he said. “You don’t have to be proficient in everything, including money. Find someone who can teach you in that area not only for your own financial wellness but for the times you’re going to be at a finance committee meeting in your church.” Physical health, perhaps the most visible wellness factor, has a history of being glossed over by ministers. “Our tribe doesn’t have the best track record for it,” said Dance. Aside from pursuing a healthy devotional life, he also stressed the importance of pursuing your spouse. “Our ministry will never be stronger than our marriage,” he said. “If our most important relationships are struggling, any applause we get for our ministry is empty.” Discipline and maintaining guardrails are important. Even though he hasn’t had credit card debt since paying off the VCR 36 years ago, Dance still uses them. He knows to not put more on a card than he can pay off at the end of the month. There’s a metaphor to be considered – not bearing more than you’re supposed to handle. “At GuideStone, our mental health claims have gone up 40 percent in the last three years,” he said. “We’re not here just for your physical and financial health. It’s all interconnected.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #AUGUST22

by Jason Thacker NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – In the hours following the historic Dobbs decision, which recognized that the states have the right to make laws regulating the practice of elective abortion, moral panic ensued. Almost immediately, pro-choice pundits took to social media and television news decrying the decision by the nation’s highest court and began to sow panic throughout our communities, claiming that the right to abortion represents much more than simply a woman’s ability to choose to end the life of the preborn baby within her. This same idea was also pointed out by Justice Clarence Thomas in his solo concurring opinion in Dobbs where he stated, “In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” even as the majority disagreed with his assessment. The majority opinion in Dobbs sought to limit the scope of the decision simply to the practice of abortion and the overturning of the abortion precedents set by Roe and Casey. They stated, “Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.” Whether one agrees or not with Justice Thomas’ rationale for reevaluating these past decisions, he rightfully pointed out what many on both sides of the debate have long acknowledged: that the right to an abortion was decided upon a tenuous reading of the Constitution by the justices, being built upon a discovered right to privacy and a mantra of self-determination that dominates the modern era. The reality of this unstable foundation of a right to abortion was even acknowledged by Vice President Kamala Harris who noted in a Face the Nation interview that these protections were wrongly assumed to be secured by the court, never actually being codified by Congress. As of this week, Congress is seeking to do just that. With the midterm elections in view, Democrats in the House of Representatives have moved beyond bills explicitly focused on abortion and now are looking to codify rights to same-sex marriage and contraception in the law. Though these bills will likely pass the House with bipartisan support, it’s unclear what outcomes they will face in the Senate. The linchpin Abortion on demand was a cultural fixture for nearly five decades in America but has always represented much more than simply the taking of a preborn life, since it became the linchpin for the wider sexual revolution rooted in self-determination and moral autonomy. Abortion became sacrosanct for many of our neighbors because it represented the longer trajectory of certain modern ideas that see the individual as the sole arbiter of truth and the “self” as the one who gets to ultimately determine the good for both the individual and society at large. Abortion – along with the birth control pill – in many ways holds the modern project together since it represents a fundamental separation of our actions from their corresponding responsibilities and duties to others. Historian Carl Trueman makes this point in his recent book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by stating that in this cultural shift, sex became unmoored from the responsibilities and the “ideal of monogamous heterosexual marriage” which “has only recently become much easier to transact (with the advent of cheap and efficient contraception)”. In short, abortion and the pill allowed for more promiscuous sexual behavior without the fear of an unplanned pregnancy or the duties of a family. Modernity promised that one could have moral freedom void of the natural consequences and the corresponding responsibilities of our actions. This opened a whole new world of sexual freedom and moral autonomy that can be seen clearly in Griswold – which stated that the Constitution guaranteed the right of married couples to buy and use contraception without government restriction – and Roe all the way through the historic Obergefell v. Hodges decision which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. While it is important to recognize that not all who support abortion rights or contraception today buy into every tenet of sexual libertinism, we must remember that our culture of abortion is built upon the ideal of the individual. It is a rejection of the dignity of the most vulnerable among us and directly confronts God’s design not only for sexuality and marriage but also for the moral order. Many of the visceral and raw emotional reactions to the Dobbs ruling show just how sacred abortion has become to the modern moral order. Indeed, it is the banner of the modern reign of the individual. The revolt In remarks after the Dobbs ruling, President Joe Biden said, “Roe recognized the fundamental right to privacy that has served as a basis for so many more rights that we’ve come to take for granted, that are ingrained in the fabric of this country” which includes “the right to make the best decisions for your health. The right to use birth control. A married couple in the privacy of their bedroom, for God’s sake. The right to marry the person you love.” In the coming days and weeks, we will see a litany of bills in Congress – namely in the Democratic-controlled House – and increased political fervor around these issues with midterm elections around the corner as many seek to retain the Roe-like individual freedoms in a post-Roe world. To the surprise of many, 47 Republicans voted alongside all Democrats in the House to codify marriage equality, which would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that recognized the historic definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The bill would also require all states to recognize same-sex marriages, as long as it was valid in the state in which it occurred. The “Respect for Marriage Act” is headed to the Senate, where Democrats will need 60 votes to overcome the filibuster and call for a vote. Another bill being considered in the House concerns the right to contraception, which includes possible abortifacients being mislabeled as birth control and “emergency contraception,” an alarming section that carves out conscience protections enshrined in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act – a law that protects our bedrock principle of religious liberty – as well as troubling language that could give the government authority to supersede the beliefs of religious employers. And in recent weeks, we have also seen the House approve bills designed to guarantee access to elective abortion for all. As Christians seek to navigate a culture reeling from the pains of rejecting the created order as well as the details of each of these bills, we must do so with eyes open to the reality of what is being revealed. Abortion was never simply about abortion; it represents an entire way of viewing the social order through the lens of individualism and moral autonomy. It is at the very heart of the modern project of crafting our own meanings and realities – “my truth” – based on our own feelings and desires rather than recognizing that meaning and truth is rooted in a transcendent order given by our Creator. While these particular bills may be primarily about politics in light of the upcoming election and a direct reaction to the words in Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion in Dobbs, Christians should take these votes seriously as major cultural shifts are happening throughout our culture. The coming days, weeks, and months will likely not be easy nor will the next steps always be clear. But one thing is clear for Christians: True freedom and happiness are never found in ourselves nor in the pursuit of self-determination. They are found in a relationship with God as our Creator and by recognizing His good design for marriage and sexuality. Human beings simply were not created to bear the burden of crafting our own realities but were made by God to derive our meaning and identities from outside ourselves. True freedom is found in the One who is not reeling in fear or surprised by our arrogance and pride. Our God is reigning over all people, nations and even our governing institutions. Christians, from the place of hope and peace, must seek to love our God and love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31), recognizing that the sins of this age may seem novel at first but at their core are the same issues we have always dealt with in social ethics. Let us be found proclaiming the truth about our shared human nature and our created realities, while at the same time opening our arms to those who have been cast aside and left in the wake of a failed pursuit of individualism and the empty promises of moral autonomy from the sexual revolution. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jason Thacker serves as chair of research in technology ethics at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. #AUGUST22

by Scott Barkley NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Early next month, Eddie Gilley will lead a group of 42 students from the University of Florida’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries on a leadership retreat in anticipation of the fall semester. Four days and three nights at Cocoa Beach will include fun in the surf, but also plenty of discipleship. The goal is to lead students toward a fellowship that echoes John 13:35 and spills into serving not only those on the UF campus but the local church. “Our stated aim is for them to know each other when we come back to campus,” Gilley said. “We intentionally have time for them to hang out … and in the afternoon we have our sessions.” Those can cover training in small group leadership, evangelism, praise team and worship planning, among other topics. As parents get ready for the emotional dorm drop-off, churches and on-campus collegiate ministries prepare to welcome students back. It’s a time for new beginnings and, leaders say, the opportunity to begin sowing the next generation of church leaders. Success in any ministry requires consistency, though. That begins early. “The first two to three weeks are important,” said Arliss Dickerson, who served 32 years as BCM director at Arkansas State University before two years as college minister at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ark. “Whatever they do will likely have an effect because, after that, they’re going to start being busy.” And what doesn’t become part of their life will struggle to find a foothold. “If they don’t do things related to their faith, that will likely get squeezed out, even if they don’t mean for it to,” he said. Gilley, in his 21st year at UF, worked with college students at West Side Baptist Church in Gainesville from 1987-1995, when he accepted the BCM position at Florida. “It’s a critical moment in life,” he said. “There are so many decisions you make in college that set up how you’re going to do as an adult. It’s not just about getting a degree, but getting outside of your parents’ direct influence and developing your own thoughts about who you are.” College ministries guide students through those times. On a secular campus where liberal ideology pervades, Christian students get support at a ministry such as BCM. That connects with Gilley’s second major avenue in his ministry. “We want to tie those students to Southern Baptist churches,” he said. “Sometimes, it feels like we have abandoned college ministry due to finances or other reasons. I get it; state conventions have to make decisions. But for me, I’ve invested my life on the college campus. So, I think it’s the most strategic place where you can invest.” Dickerson, who formerly was also Leadership Development consultant for collegiate ministries when it was conducted through Lifeway, has written books on the subject and routinely posts at his personal blog, College Ministry Thoughts. “As different state conventions address their budget issues, I think we have to be strategic in our cuts,” he said. “In letting BCM campus ministers go, it usually starts with the most experienced ones who are training and raising up others because their salary is larger. “Collegiate ministry is a future investment. Where will our missionaries, pastors and other church leaders come from in 5-10 years? I fear we make cuts in collegiate ministry because it’s least felt today.” On-campus ministries have an advantage to church-based collegiate ministries in attracting students. College comes to an end at some point for everyone, though. The goal for those ministries is to connect students with a local church where they can become active members into adulthood, a point made by Gilley and Dickerson. The college ministry at Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church in Knoxville models this. Each week, students from the University of Tennessee, Carson-Newman University, Johnson University and Pellissippi State Community College crowd into the home of Matt and Dana Paradis for Bible study. Matt Paradis, who is associate pastor of college and missions at Chilhowee, said the secret of attracting college students is … well, not really a secret at all. “They want deep relationships and we offer a family setting. Our house is always open for them,” he said. At any time, students can be at the Paradis home doing laundry, eating a meal or petting Hank, their Aussie doodle. “My wife and I consider ourselves rather boring,” he said. “We’re not program-driven. We have Sunday School and regular Bible study. We depend on our students to grow our ministry.” The church’s ministry works alongside local BCMs in evangelism and other outreach efforts. Paradis, an occasional BCM speaker, and Chilhowee also partner with them on mission trips. Bible studies at their home run deep. “I’m not great with being topical, so we do book studies, dive through Baptist catechisms – we’re going through some pretty meaningful stuff, Paradis said. “I’ve noticed that this group isn’t interested in what is big and flashy. They want depth more than anything.” Churches looking to start or build their collegiate ministry have at least two national Southern Baptist-connected resources. SBCCalled.com was developed by Steve Masters, longtime director for the BCM at Louisiana State University. Another is CollegeMinistry.com. In reaching students, it’s also important to get them involved, Gilley said. “Find ways to help them promote what the church is doing. Meet with them for lunch. Let them have committee roles.” While this is a connected generation, he added, there are other connections to build. “They’re growing up and going to make mistakes,” Gilley said. “But we’re close enough to help them.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #AUGUST22

by Doru Radu Costache Ioanid was a Romanian poet. He was born 1912 in Ukraine, and died in 1987 in Portland, Oregon. Before WWII, Costache Ioanid was a successful sculptor, ballet director, sculptor and publicist for the sculptors magazine in Bucharest, Romania. He came to know Christ as his Savior through the testimony of a Romanian Jew—Richard Wurmbrand, founder of The Voice of the Martyrs—in the mid-forties. Costache’s conversion to Christianity came as a shock to his friends and admirers for two main reasons: he was a non-religious agnostic and his career as a Christian was put in jeopardy due to the communists that came to power with the help of the Russians. In spite of his many difficulties, Costache was willing to give up on all his ambitions for his Savior. As the communists were afraid of any publications, he was forced to work a very modest position in the graphic department of a printing shop and was not allowed to have a typewriting machine. The poet was under house arrest for over a year and had his correspondence searched constantly. He wrote Christian poems, but his readers had to copy them by hand, learn by heart or cassette record them when the technology became available. They were beautiful and soon became recited in churches and youth meetings. Biography by Doru Radu Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church, Warren, Michigan The Lord's My Banner* (Jehovah-nissi – Exodus 17:15) by Costache Ioanid The Lord’s my Banner, Hallelujah! He’s my Banner, my own life. I am carrying it, though He’s carrying me! Let the storms howl, All the greater flies the Banner. Small and weak though I may be, But the Banner is the Lord, Hallelujah! The Lord’s my Banner, Hallelujah! The Banner is glorious, bloodied, but full of honors! Full of blood drops from Calvary, full of Caesar’s thorns. Only dust and ashes am I, But the Banner is the Lord, Hallelujah! The Lord’s my Banner, Hallelujah! Six thousand years in the world He has fought to guide us; in the boiling sea, midst the serpents in the wilderness, surrounded by flames and lions, now by men, now by gods, now by … my own blunders, Hallelujah! The Lord’s my Banner, Hallelujah! Eyes if you have to see, and a spirit to believe, here’s the Banner, like no other! Bow to Him, for thou are clay, and so am I, But the Lord’s the Banner, Hallelujah! (*) Translated from the Romanian by Dorin Motz who approved its publication in The Beacon. Mr. Motz is retired in Washington D.C. and used to work for the Voice of America, Romanian department. He had translated many Christian books into Romanian; the books were illegally introduced in the communist Romania and were crucial to strengthening the faith and equipping the pastors and Christian leaders. #AUGUST22

by David Thompson NASHVILLE, TN – What is Freedom—really? And what are we supposed to do with it? Robert Frost noted, “Freedom lies in being bold.” That is saying a lot. It also does not imply that freedom is the license to do whatever you want, (even at the expense of others), or the right to be cruel or hateful. This is what “Freedom” is to me, and I pray for most of us. (Even though I am very willing to stand up for your freedom to disagree). You can probably venture to guess who said these words, ”I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives—I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” – President Abraham Lincoln. This is the first axiom I wish to espouse is that it should be universally true and worthy of acceptance. It once was in this land…it may be waning now. Since we are free to live over here or up there—do tell me why one would not live where one is proud. Parenthetically, freedom does not demand you are always safe. Aesop is attributed to this, “It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.” We are the “land of the free and the home of the brave”—are we not? The point is that Freedom does mandate bravery; it does not imply complete safety. By the way, the government was never created to make us feel safe, but only to restrain evil! It could easily be argued that Frederick Douglas knew something of freedom’s purpose. Said he, “people might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.” Thank you, Mr. Douglas, for the reminder. God told Adam to work 6 days—then rest. For me, one of the greatest things about freedom is that anyone can work as hard as they want, and are almost guaranteed some measure of success. Some of us (in each age group), including mine, need to get off our “Blessed Assurance” as one pastor noted—and get out there and WORK! It is what makes “FREEDOM”—RING! This may sound like an oxymoron but what makes freedom beautiful to me is the reality that we are still accountable to one another. If you don’t like or agree with this next quotation, then you are just un-American and hate freedom. Here it goes, “You find sometimes that a Thing which seems very Thing-ish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” Pooh—the house of Pooh! See there—who can disagree with that? Stop being brainwashed by pundits, false preachers, and whacky politicos. (No one is entitled to their own private reality.) Freedom is never stifling the truth—WHY? Because Jesus said it best, ”you shall know the truth and the truth shall SET YOU FREE.”! Also, Freedom does not exist so you or I get our way. C.S. Lewis said, ”All get what they want; they do not always like it.” Our blessed freedoms exist not to make everyone happy, but to give all the opportunity to change—until you are. Lastly, and this is the absolute greatest thing about freedom, it allows any and all to dream the impossible and achieve the unimaginable. I love what Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expounds, “If your dreams do not scare you…they are not big enough.” We are a free people of (historically) great dreamers. These brave men and women had an uncanny faith—a faith that could seemingly move mountains. Could that also be because we not only feared our Lord more (then than now), but we believed all His promises at the same time? God told Mary and us, “With God—nothing shall be impossible.” May a new generation arise that grabs the horns of freedom and never lets go—and once again will stand on the precious promise of almighty God! 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. #AUGUST22

by Marissa Postell NASHVILLE, TN – Although Americans need to have productive conversations regarding challenges in our society, there is no consensus on who is in the best position to generate healthy conversations around these issues. According to a study from Lifeway Research, fewer than 1 in 5 (18%) Americans say their elected president is in the best position to generate healthy conversations on challenges facing society. And 14% believe local church pastors are. “A beautiful thing in America is that anyone can seek to lead productive conversations about problems in our society,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Sadly, very few Americans agree anyone is well positioned to do so.” Fewer than 1 in 10 say elected members of Congress (9%), business leaders (8%), professors at universities (8%) or members of the media (6%) are most positively positioned to lead Americans in having healthy conversations about challenges in society. Even though professional sports players and musicians often receive attention for public statements they make about issues Americans are facing, few Americans view athletes (3%) and musicians (3%) as thought leaders. Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (32%) say none of the roles considered in this study are best positioned to lead healthy conversations on challenges in America. Opinions have shifted slightly Compared to a 2016 study conducted by Lifeway Research in September and October leading up to a major election, fewer Americans today say the president is in the best position to generate healthy conversations on challenges facing society (18% v. 23%). However, compared to the previous study, more Americans say elected members of Congress (9% v. 6%), professional sports players (3% v. 1%) and musicians (3% v. <1%). And today, compared to 2016, there are a similar number of Americans who are looking to local church pastors (14% v. 11%), university professors (8% v. 10%), members of the media (6% v. 8%) or business leaders (8% v. 7%) to lead healthy societal conversations. “Anticipation of a new president in 2016 likely led to more people hoping the elected president could lead healthy conversations,” McConnell said. “Midway through the next president’s first term, hopes for that office have faded with even less agreement on who could start or moderate needed discourse.” Americans hold varying opinions There are several key indicators of who Americans will view as holding the best position to generate healthy conversations on challenges in society. Males are more likely than females (10% v. 6%) to say business leaders are best positioned to lead these conversations, and those who are high school graduates or less are the least likely to say the same (4%). Older generations are more likely to look to pastors, while younger generations are more likely to look to university professors to generate healthy conversations. Those 50-65 (18%) and those older than 65 (18%) are more likely to say local church pastors than those 18-34 (9%) and 35-49 (11%). And those ages 18-34 (10%) and 35-49 (10%) are more likely to choose university professors than those 50-64 (5%). Those in the South, where America is saturated with churches, are more likely than those in the West to say they look to pastors to lead healthy conversations (16% v. 10%). Views from the pews Even those who identify with a religious group or attend worship services hold varying opinions on where conversations about issues in society should be birthed. Catholics are more likely than Protestants to say healthy conversations should start with our elected president (22% v. 16%) or business leaders (12% v. 7%). Meanwhile, Protestants (22%) are more likely to say pastors of local churches should lead these conversations when compared to Catholics (9%), people of other religions (9%) or those who are religiously unaffiliated (3%). Furthermore, those with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs (32% v. 9%) to say healthy conversations should start with pastors. Christians who attend worship services at least four times a month (30%) are the most likely to look to pastors to generate conversations about challenges in American society. “Society certainly has its problems, and productive dialogue on these challenges has become increasingly hard to find,” said McConnell. “Many have preferred solutions to society’s ills, but with no one trusted to stimulate or moderate a healthy discussion around them, achieving consensus will be rare.” For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com. Methodology The online survey of 1,005 Americans was conducted by Lifeway Research Sept. 3-14, 2021, using a national pre-recruited panel. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education and religion to more accurately reflect the population. The completed sample is 1,005 surveys. The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.3%. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Evangelical Beliefs are 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 Marissa Postell is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources. 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. ABOUT LIFEWAY CHRISTIAN RESOURCES In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit. For more information, visit Lifeway.com. #AUGUST22

by Doru Radu WARREN, MI – We get lots of news about the Ukrainian war’s tragedies. However, when people you know get there, the situation becomes personal. Recently, sister Carmen Bordea, who is a member of the Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church, Warren, Michigan, went to Ukraine via Romania bringing help to a Christian distribution center in Ukraine. The area was not bombed by the Russians, but it was full of refugees, internally displaced, and the need there was enormous. To her surprise, people had requested salt (yes, salt) because the Russians took it from Ukraine! Besides other tragic stories, she learned about two Christians who gave Bibles on the streets and the Russians arrested them on the accusation of terrorism! Lord have mercy on them! The main purpose of her visit was to transport some Ukrainian children who are suffering with cancer who needed a longer treatment in Romanian hospitals. The road back from Ukraine was so long and hard on these children. When Carmen’s team went into Ukraine they did not have to wait because they brought in relief supplies; however, coming out of Ukraine with the cancer patients, they had to wait for hours at the border crossing because they were only transporting people. It didn’t matter that they were sick. In the shelter of Chernivtsi (SW Ukraine), Carmen approached three visibly discouraged ladies, sitting at the same table. Carmen and one of the ladies can be seen in one of the pictures. “Do you realize that God brought you together to send you a message of encouragement,” Carmen asked them? “Why would you say that” replied one of the ladies? “Well, “coincidently”, your Christian names are Faith, Hope and… Love,” Carmen replied. (It is true; the Ukrainians have first names like that). The ladies came from different villages and were only nominal Christians; they prayed to Virgin Marry but didn’t know the Bible. Carmen used this name occurrence from I Corinthians 13 to share the Good News. Our church, like many American Baptist churches, had sent funds for the Ukrainian refugees in Europe but this time the help was more personal since we have a missionary who crossed the border into the bombed stricken Ukraine. May the Lord have mercy on the Ukrainian people! 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. #JULY22

by Lisa Misner SPRINGFIELD, IL – Abortion is a difficult subject to discuss with a friend or family member who is pro-choice, when as a pro-life Christian you perceive that choice as ending the life of another. Here are a few strategies for having a productive conversation: Pray. Ask God to give you wisdom as you speak. Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:39). Stay calm. Fear and anger often surround discussion that includes abortion. As Christians we know God does not bring fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Don’t allow yourself to be swept into those feelings. Meet strong emotions with love. You may not change anyone’s mind, but you may clear up some misconceptions. Be tactful. One Lifeway study found 4-in-10 women were regular church attenders when they had abortion. Just 7% felt comfortable enough speaking with anyone in the church about it at the time. Many women are still dealing with the emotional and even physical effects years later. Once, a woman tearfully confessed to our Sunday school class she’d had an abortion as a teen. She still carried that hurt and grief with her. Remember the men. Abortion is a woman’s issue, but it’s more than a woman’s issue. Another Lifeway Research study found half of men whose partners had an abortion were church attenders when it took place. Have consideration for their feelings as well. Stay on topic. If someone tries to divert the discussion, tell them they have a good point and you’re willing to discuss it later, but continue as you were. The issue isn’t if the Court will next overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges decision on same-sex marriage as some contend. Justice Alito stated in the leaked Dobbs opinion that no other cases were included in the reasoning behind the purported decision. Emphasize all life is important. Pro-choice people often express the belief that the “other side” only cares about abortion and nothing about the child who is abandoned or neglected. If you’re pro-life then you care about all life—from newborns to the elderly. That means helping women and children in need whether it be through crisis pregnancy centers, adoption, food ministries, or other outreach. It also means caring for the elderly or those with health issues. Our society thrives on keeping people afraid of what is going to happen next. But we can’t witness based on fearful speculation. For all the branding and sloganeering, love does win. The love of Christ. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lisa Misner is Social Media and Public Policy Manager for IBSA. #JULY22

by Nathan Sharpe ADRIAN, MI – The call on my life has always been to teach God’s Holy Word. For many of those years it had been in a Christian school environment. Around 2018, I started to feel a strong Spirit-led desire to move into the pastorate. God provided a small church for me to step into. Over the years, the church had dwindled down to about 18 people. I felt called to the church, but I did not feel that God was calling me to this church to close the doors. There was a future and a mission for this small congregation. I told the leadership team I would do it, but they had to be willing to make changes and step towards replanting the church. They expressed their desire to do so and they also believed that God was not saying it was time to close the church. Shortly after my installment, COVID hit and sidelined our plans. Like most churches we went virtual for a while, but the school where we were meeting showed no signs of letting us back in the building. We started to look for other options. Finally a realtor we knew told us about a small church that was not officially on the market yet and we went to see it. This was definitely a move of God. When we stepped into the building, I recognized the pastor and his wife. I attended high school with their daughter. We caught up a bit and viewed the church. It was perfect! It was a little big for a group of 18, but it would allow us to grow. It was also right in the middle of a needy neighborhood. There would be plenty of opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We prayed and felt like God had led us there for a reason. We bought the building and the congregation was so excited. But God wasn’t finished yet. About 3 weeks after buying the building we got a call from the pastor who had previously owned the building. He asked to meet with us. I was a little concerned that something might be wrong with the closing so we set something up for that day. Little did we know the blessing that God would give us. The pastor explained that because they were closing the church that they could not keep the money that the church had in its coffers. He said they had prayed about how to disperse the money, and handed us an envelope with a check for half of what we paid for the building. We were flabbergasted! Tears started to flow over this amazing gift that God in his sovereignty had shown. Over the course over the next few months God continued to show his blessing and communicate that the church, now known as Catalyst Church, has a future, and is part of his plan to reach Lenawee County and beyond. He has shown his blessing and support through Josh Tovey and Matt Thompson of Redemption Church in Grandville, MI as they became our sending church. He has shown blessings through the support of NAMB and the SEND Network. Over and over we have seen the Lord say, “You are not done yet. I have a mission for you!” The church is growing both in number and in love for God and others. We know that God will continue to provide as we step towards his mission for us to show the change Jesus brings to our neighborhood and Lenawee County. May His name be praised! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nathan Sharpe is a church planter and Lead Pastor for Catalyst Church in Adrian, Michigan. He is a school teacher and coach at Lenawee Christian school. #JULY22

by Rick Bristol PETOSKEY, MI – I find I am “the good kind” of sore, but what a blast I recently had in Petoskey. My church hosts a couple of Christ-based, scouting programs: Trail Life USA and American Heritage Girls. We began this adventure in the Fall of 2020. We were a replant, starting at the end of 2017 and looking for ways to connect with our community and grow. We had only a handful of volunteers, and resources were extremely limited. When I pitched the scouting program to folks, I wanted to figure out some capstone event that would create stories for the kids, allow for mentoring opportunities, and still be something we could manage with our limited budget. What could be easier and more economical than walking? This is how “The Big One” was born. Before my time as a replanter, I served as a chaplain working with Marines. While the Marine Corps may have called them by different names, my time with them hiking and camping provided countless opportunities for Gospel conversations and showing Christ. I figured I could use what worked in that ministry context in my new context. The NCT (North Country Trail) winds through our town and ultimately near my house. My plan with the Big One was simple. We’d hike 50 miles over five days along the NCT as soon as school was out. Basically, we’d all walk to my house from the church. As you might guess, ultimately, it was not that straightforward. The kids got on board with the idea early as did a couple of parents. Throughout the winter, we refined and developed the plan. A lot of little ones wanted to participate but were not able to walk the whole way. So we figured out potential drop-off and pick-up points along the way. By this time, the planning process had moved beyond my knucklehead idea. Our Associate Pastor Dan Kucharczyk, his wife Angela, and some brilliant parents were the primary planners. Eventually, one parent suggested we could ferry all the kids back and forth to the church as a base camp during the event. So that is how we did it. After the Big One 2021, I discovered we had not only created opportunities for Gospel conversations. We created a discipleship laboratory. A great deal of grace was required not only by the leaders and kids, but also the families. I also know not all of the families are in the same place in their walk with Christ. Therefore, it was a living discipleship forge. I’d love to say we all acted perfect, but perhaps even better, we worked as people who needed grace, and tried to model it to their best. Fast forward to this year and the Big One 2.0, and we have added to our scouting capstone (and family discipleship laboratory). We added canoeing, fishing, and disc golf to our hiking and other camp activities. I am excited to report the same Grace Laboratory happened again. We had families attending various stages of their walks. As we spent four days living, working, and playing together, much of the public veneer vanished. When folks would come under stress or even into conflict, they revealed their source of strength. We have families who have been hurt in other church contexts, and folks with no church background. Those who have heard us talk about grace would get to see if we live it. Again, Praise God! Having a family (several families actually) show dependence on Christ and modeling grace throughout these times can be worth more than many “amazing” sermons. ABOUT THE AUTHOR After the Big One 2021, I discovered we had not only created opportunities for Gospel conversations. We created a discipleship laboratory. A great deal of grace was required not only by the leaders and kids, but also the families. #JULY22

by Mike Durbin PLYMOUTH, MI – A dramatic wakeup call is taking place in Southern Baptist life. Guidepost Solutions conducted an independent investigation of the “Executive Committee’s Response to Sexual Abuse Allegations and an Audit of the Procedures and Actions of the Credentials Committee.” The report released shortly before the Annual Convention in June, shocked Southern Baptists. A collective sense of grieving and heartbrokenness permeated the Convention for abuse victims, and the way they were treated. The recommendations of the Sexual Abuse Task Force to address the situation were overwhelmingly approved. Chief among them was the plan to establish a website where “pastors and church leaders credibly accused sexual abusers will be listed.” Click here for information from the task force: https://www.sataskforce.net/updates/guidepost-solutions-report-of-the-independent-investigation It’s a great start, but there is more to be done. Recommendations and resolutions at the Convention are important, but systematic change takes place in the local church. That’s why the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) is paying for up to 10 US OneVERIFY Background Checks through LifeWay and 10 Ministry Safe Sexual Abuse Awareness Trainings. Our goal is to help every cooperating church provide safe environments for people to experience God, and grow in their relationship with Him. The BSCM is setting the example by requiring all staff in the office and at Bambi to have Background Checks and Ministry Safe Training. About Ministry Safe “MinistrySafe was founded by legal professionals and sexual abuse experts, Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris. Through their litigation practice representing victims of child sexual abuse, they recognized a vital need to equip churches and ministry programs to better protect children from sexual abuse. The risk is real, and it's preventable. Prevention starts with awareness” - ministrysafe.com To equip those who work with children in your church with this Ministry Safe training, email dan@bscm.org with the names (first and last name) and email addresses of those who need the training. The person will receive an email link to the training. Upon completion, a Training Certificate will be generated. The cost of the training will be billed directly to the BSCM. About US One VERIFY Background Checks “The Lifeway One Source program provides discounted prices on background checks for churches and religious organizations looking to protect their ministries. Screen your staff, volunteers, treasurers, teachers, bus drivers, camp counselors and more!” Every church needs to create an account in the church’s name to take advantage of this benefit with the BSCM. This will allow the church to have all records on file in a safe place. Once the account is created, it will be easier to request background checks. The church will have to pay for the background checks (only US One VERIFY) and request reimbursement from the BSCM. Background Check Process Step-by-step process to obtain background checks of up to 10 potential staff members and volunteers. (Reimbursable by the BSCM) Go to: https://www.lifeway.com/en/services/church-administration/background-checks?intcmp=SRDR-background-checks Click the yellow “Register Now” button Register your church (you will need to start with someone’s name and email) Once logged in, you will need to select “Acknowledged” after you read the “Notice To Users” and “Summary Of Rights” Click “order packages” at the top banner A blue banner will appear under that; select “Create a URL” Under “Select a package”: in the dropdown menu, select “US OneVERIFY” for $12.00 (This is the only type of background check that the BSCM will reimburse.) Under “Start your search”: “Give this URL a name” NOTE: any name will do Under “Define Payment”: select “Our organization will pay” Click “Create hosted URL” at the bottom Copy the URL and send to ALL candidates Initially, you (the church) will need to pay for the background checks (see step 15) If a credit card was not entered during registration, follow these steps Click “My Account” Select “Account Settings” Click “View Billing Info” Click “Edit Billing Info” Enter credit card information If candidate is using an APPLE device: The first time an applicant clicks on the URL, it will go to a Review and Sign in page. Once there, enter an email address, select “No, I’m new here,” and create a password. A “Registration Failed” error will probably popup. If that happens, go back and click on the URL again to get to a new Review and Sign in page. Once there, enter the same email address, select “Yes, I have a password,” and enter the one that was just created. Once the report is complete, the email that you used to create the account and the candidate will receive notice that the report is available for download The email that you used to create the account will receive the background check results with all sensitive candidate information redacted such as social security number Send a picture of the receipt for all background checks to bookkeeper@bscm.org for reimbursement by the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. 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. #JULY22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – We had been collecting “coke” bottles for most of the day. Both of us had gone from house to house, and asked our neighbors if they had any lying around that they did not want. Some folks were very kind and generous while others just directed us back to the street from whence we had come. There was one gentleman on “Avenue D” that had what seemed to be an inordinate passion for Dr. Pepper. He also knew that periodically Ricky Burrows and I would be coming by asking for pop bottle donations to our very worthy causes. We always had a cause and as far as we were concerned, collecting enough money for the movies or for a box of “bee-bee’s” was as admirable as any foundation raising money for orphaned children. On this day we had decided that we needed food supplies for our “fort”. It wasn’t much of a fort, just a few scraps of tin and some construction wire covered with a tarp I had borrowed from Dad’s shed. Yet we knew full well that any army must be well fed in order to do battle with the mass of marauders like wild savages, Nazi’s or motorcycle gangs. (There were thousands of them in our town!) After several hours of collecting, we made our way to the local “Pick-Pac” convenience store, traded in our bottles, and purchased the needed provisions. We bought the largest jar of peanut butter that we could find and a loaf of bread. Now, of course, we didn’t buy the expensive Jif, but some store brand that had about an inch of oil floating on top. This didn’t deter us, but merely gave us an opportunity to play in the pasty brown concoction until the oil was well mixed. It was 4:00 p.m. when we finally made it back to the fort and that is when the feasting began. One after the other, Ricky and I ingested sandwich after sandwich. I think I ate four or five myself. When we could eat no more, all we could do was lay there like a couple of old hound dogs that just gorged themselves on fresh roadkill. We were full and miserable. About that time, I heard my dad’s familiar whistle, and I knew it was time for supper. I slowly, but obediently got up, and headed for home. When I walked in the back door, there spread out over the kitchen bar was a feast fit for a king. It was payday and Mom had prepared my favorite meal. Fried shrimp, french-fries and all the fixings. I could not believe my eyes, or my lack of appetite. I could not eat one bite of food. In fact, the smell even made me a bit nauseous. The infamous “spoiled appetite” had overcome me. In the church today, many come to the “table” with a spoiled appetite and a miserable attitude. I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard church attendees say, “I just didn’t get anything out of the worship service today. The preaching was boring, and it didn’t feed me, the music was dead, and besides, no one talked to me.” The problem is that the majority of those who voice those kinds of complaints, come to church with a “spoiled appetite” for truth and the things of God. Throughout the week they have gorged themselves with the garbage that can be found in social media and other media outlets, and have had their minds and attitudes manipulated by spurious and spiritually poisoning opinions of those who have nothing better to do than spout their venomous hate. On social media, anyone can say anything about whatever or whomever they choose and do so with no accountability. I have often wondered, who has that much time to spend on a social media account and still be productive in their vocation? I am thinking about one “poisonous pastor” who if he would spend the same amount of time sharing the Gospel in his community and ministering to his congregation as he spends on the internet, the vast majority of his town would be believers and his church would triple in size! (Of course, that is just my humble and accurate opinion.) Scripture tells us that “Satan walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I have often wondered where he wanders to and where his dwelling place may be. I believe I now know. Social media. This may not be the only place he dwells or his only roaming ground, but it is one where he does a great deal of damage and destruction. If we as believers, fill our spiritual stomachs with the hateful, hurtful, and heinous foods of a messed-up media and then gather in God’s house to be fed, it is no wonder we can’t “stomach” the spiritual food we so desperately need. (Of course, the problem does not lie with us or our lack of discipline but with the pastor and the rest of those Christians!) That is why so many among us who claim to be Christians today are spiritually malnourished, and dying a slow spiritual death. This week, carefully consider that with which you feed your soul. It may be titillating and tasty, but it could very well spoil your appetite and sour your spirit. We need all the holy nourishment we can get to be prepared for the real marauders we face and the spiritual battles we must fight. 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. #JULY22