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by Rick and Cindy Truesdail Hello MI COMers! We are headed to the 2022 COM National Rally in Tallahassee FL this week and are excited to share with other chapters what we are doing here in Michigan! We anticipate learning much more from break-out groups at National Rally as well as glean ideas from other leaders and members. God has truly been the guide of our chapter and we look for the doors to continue to open up for greater opportunities to labor in His vineyard. There are changes happening in MI COM as we learn and grow. We are separating MI COM Rally from the Bambi Lake Baptist Camp Work Weeks. The Rally (September ) will be a weekend to relax and bond with other MI COMers. We will hold our annual meeting and schedule entertaining/spiritual events. The Work Weeks (Spring & Fall) will allow you to rest and fellowship in the evenings. We will close out our Work Weeks with a Praise Service. Election of Board Members will take place at the Rally in September. If you desire a position with MI COM, contact us and let’s talk about it. As always, we look forward to seeing you all soon! God bless you as you travel and continue on mission! Sharing Christ as We Go, Rick and Cindy JACHIN ABC Youth Program Weekday evenings in the month of July 2022 Plan to be involved with MI COM and Jachin Baptist Church ABC Youth Program outreach in July – working with boys and girls in Flint to learn carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and sewing skills; AND telling them about Jesus! You will be able to work each weekday evening or pick a day(s) that suits your schedule. Even if you can come just one day, you will be blessed to see what this exciting ministry offers to Flint youth who really need this! More information to follow soon. MI COM 2022 Annual Rally Bambi Lake Baptist Camp Roscommon, MI September 8-10, 2022 Thursday - Saturday Contact Rick & Cindy Truesdail to register. (810) 869-4716 Come to our 1st Annual Rally weekend at Bambi Lake Baptist Camp! This is not a work week, so we must provide for ourselves. Bring your RV or stay in the lodge or cabin. We have a list for each one to bring food and will cook together as a group in the campground area. There will be time for campfires, s'mores and music around the fire. Bambi Rates $25 RV electric & water $35 RV electric, water & sewer $69 Lodge - linens provided, coffee at lobby $69 Mini cabins - mini fridge, microwave & linens provided Ladies' Luncheon - Friday, 9/9/22 @ 1:00pm Special guest speaker, Darlene Walsh, will set up the More Beautiful than Diamonds Boutique jewelry table for you to shop. 100% of all proceeds go to Christian Women's Job Corp, which she will tell us about. If you would like to donate jewelry, purses, shoes, and scarves to this ministry, bring them with you to the luncheon. We are working on several plans to make this a very enjoyable event, so keep up-to-date with the next couple of months announcements. Fall Work Week Bambi Lake Baptist Camp Roscommon, MI October 24-29, 2022 Monday Noon - Saturday AM Contact Rick & Cindy Truesdail to register. (810) 869-4716 MI COM will be actively involved to help close Bambi Lake Camp for the winter. We will have a list of construction and maintenance jobs needed to be done. Our 3 team leaders for Construction, Beautification & Grounds, and Sewing will be getting more information to you soon. Bambi Lake Work Week - Spring 2022 Praise God for His many blessings and for each one who came to work at Bambi Lake Baptist Camp in May. We had a smaller group but accomplished much! Here's a few pictures to share what we did. Chaplain's Corner Have you ever noticed the connection between these two verses in Genesis? Genesis 1:26 — And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 5:3 — And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image .... Hmm ... it would appear that in the same way we are made in our heavenly Father’s image and likeness, we are also made in the image and likeness of our earthly fathers. Not to slight Eve, but she is simply not included in the text here before us. So, as we celebrate Father’s Day this month, let us honor our earthly fathers (whether alive or dead, or even whether or not we even know who they are) for their part in our existence and being. And let us as earthly fathers be honorable men. After all, even more than Eve, the mother of all living, we and our earthly fathers represent the One and True Father of all ... To the Praise of His Glory, Chaplain Chip MI COM Tees & Hats For Sale We have fun things and essentials for you to let others know you are a MI COMer!!! We encourage you to wear the tees whenever you are working or on a COM event. Tees are printed on the front and the back Patches are iron-on or easy to sew onto your shirts or jackets Key Chains are plastic on metal holder Hand-held fan is paper on wooden handle Hats are gray with embroidered logo, adjustable Lapel Pins are easily attached to a suit jacket or coat. Stickers to put on notebooks, computers, etc. Pens to accent your writing Contact Cindy for your purchase. MI COM Officers & Executive Board Presidents/Project Coordinator: Rick & Cindy Truesdail Vice-President/Project: Tony Morningstar Hospitality/Food Coordinator: Kim Norrington & Maria Hannuksela Sewing Project Coordinator: Cindy Truesdail & Terry Simmons Cleaning & Beautification Coordinator: Sharon Hessling & Ruth Farwell Secretary: Brandi Dyke Treasurer: Gary Hannuksela Chaplain: Pastor Chip Collins Historian: Cindy Truesdail Disaster Relief Liaison: Warren Hessling Networking Center Keep checking at our online Website and Facebook for announcements! Website: www.michigancampersonmission.org Facebook: Michigan Campers on Mission For more information, contact: Rick & Cindy Truesdail Phone: (810) 869-4716 Email: michigancampersonmission@gmail.com #JUNE22

by LifeWay staff NASHVILLE, TN – In the summer of 2012, Bryant Wright sensed God was telling him to prepare for his next season of ministry. Wright, the founding pastor of Atlanta’s Johnson Ferry Baptist, had just completed 30 years of ministry leading the church and was preparing for his fourth decade at Johnson Ferry. His new book, “Succession: Preparing Your Ministry for the Next Leader,” shares not only the personal lessons Wright learned, but practical advice for churches and church leaders as they plan leadership transitions. "Succession" released June “When I turned 60, I realized there were limited days left in my ministry,” Wright said. “And a number of people in the church began to ask, ‘how long are you going to stay?’ ‘Are you going to hang it up soon?’ Those two factors caused me to start thinking about retirement and next steps. I knew we needed to develop a succession plan.” Wright’s book tells the story of how he and the leadership team at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church walked through an intentional, leadership succession process and provides suggestions for churches and church leaders nearing the next phase of ministry leadership. “Succession” discusses this journey in a way that shows the leadership of an experienced pastor, the wisdom of a knowledgeable shepherd, and the humility of an obedient servant. This book not only displays the heart of a man who loved and led his church well, but also serves as a model for those preparing for a similar journey. “There is a tidal wave of Boomer pastors who are about to retire in the next five to 10 years, and there aren’t many younger pastors identified to take their place,” Wright said. “In addition, most churches don’t have a succession plan in place for when the time comes. I’m hoping this book will help pastors—both those leaving and their successors—as well as the lay leaders in our churches to help prepare for this very significant transition.” Wright said he doesn’t expect all churches to follow the same timeline and game plan as Johnson Ferry. But churches of all sizes and contexts will find insight from the book they can adapt for their own situation. “Every church is unique and will need to develop a plan that fits their context,” he said. “No pastor is going to stay forever; having a succession plan in place contributes to the overall health of the church. The health of the church is the priority.” About Bryant Wright Wright has served in Southern Baptist life as both a pastor and SBC president before becoming the first president of Send Relief in 2020. He retired as the founding senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church on December 15, 2019, where he pastored for 38 years. In addition to his role at Send Relief, Wright serves as founder and chairman of Right From the Heart Ministries, a media ministry with an international presence, and continues to mentor younger pastors through this platform. He and his wife, Anne, live in Marietta and have three grown sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren. About B&H Publishing Group B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources, is a team that believes Every Word Matters. We seek to provide intentional, biblical content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, cultivating lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ. We publish (print and digital) in the trade, church and academic markets, as well as the CSB translation. 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. #JUNE22

by Shawn Keener When we come to the subject of church revitalization, there is a natural tendency to camp out. This is less than optimal because revitalization is all about continually driving forward with indomitable courage and iconoclastic temperament. Camping out is the opposite. Camping out on a path toward revitalization is the equivalent of attempting turn-by-turn board game strategy in a live online game. It ends up being hopelessly artificial. Camping out wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, except for the place we tend to camp out. On a path toward authentic church revitalization, we tend to camp out on analysis. We analyze what went wrong, or what is going wrong, or what ticking time bomb is just waiting to blow it all up. We call in consulting crews. We read books on the ingredients of a healthy church and compare them to our church. We take church profile tests. We read books on how it has all gone wrong historically. We strengthen all these arguments with a host of statistics. All of this is good. It is crucial. We are fools to set a course for revitalization in our churches before we have first analyzed our present predicament, how we got here, and what factors brought about our decline. But Mater only gets it half right when he quips in the Cars movie to Lightning McQueen, “Ain’t no need to know where I’m goin’; just need to know where I’ve been.” Obviously, Mater’s plan is ill-advised. The problem is not with exhaustive analysis. The problem is that we camp out there. In fact, very often, we think we’ve done all we can do simply by completing the exhaustive analysis. This is a grave, and pervasive, error. In fact, I think it is a worse crime to analyze without converting to a plan than it is to make a plan without first having analyzed! “The problem is not with exhaustive analysis. The problem is that we camp out there.” If my church is struggling or dying, it’s doing so for good reason. It’s never struggling because of forces inherent to the outside culture—it’s always because of problems in our internal church culture. And a very necessary, careful analysis will always reveal that the things that need changing are not little tweaks but big things that are exceedingly difficult to change. Big, systemic changes like these won’t ever happen without a soberly realistic plan. And here is my fear for church revitalization, both at the conferences and talks, and inside the churches that need it: I’m afraid it’s far too easy to analyze and discuss and identify and clarify, but then never take actual steps to make certain the supremely-difficult, high-risk changes that need to happen actually do happen. “I’m afraid it’s far too easy to analyze and discuss and identify and clarify, but then never take actual steps to make certain the supremely-difficult, high-risk changes that need to happen actually do happen.” So where are you on the path toward church revitalization? If your church is doing well, you might be at the most dangerous stage of all where your growth masks underlying off-course ministry philosophy or even theology. If you realize your need for church revitalization and are somewhere in the fact-finding stage … that’s good. You recognize you have a problem and you’re figuring out the “why.” But refuse to be content there. Be all-fired determined to convert your findings into action—the more difficult and risky this action is, the greater the chance that you’ve truly isolated one of your church’s fundamental revitalization needs. Demand a holistic, coordinated plan and strategy for effecting these difficult, risky changes at your church. Because at the end of that path is authentic church revitalization. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shawn Keener is the pastor of Brookville Bible Church in Holbrook, MA and is the author of Nimble Church. #JUNE22

by Billy Walker SOUTHGATE, MI – Ok, so as Father’s Day approaches, I have to share this memory from childhood. My dad would kill me, but here goes. I distinctly remember as a child, pre-school, and kindergarten age, cuz I’m home for lunch. My dad was a full-time evangelist. For those who wonder what that means, he went to different places and preached every night for a week, aka Billy Graham – but it was more Pontiac than Poland, and Grand Rapids more than Great Britain. He was, however, pretty successful, and gone quite a bit. But he made it a point to come home every night. No matter how far away he was, he was home at some point so that he was able to get up and spend some time with his family before leaving again in the afternoon. Now, the memory is this – every day for lunch, mom would make something for him to eat and he would enjoy it while watching, wait for it… “The Days of our Lives!” And every day I would hear, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives!” Now for the life of me, I can’t remember one storyline from that show, but I sure do remember that tagline… “So are the days of our lives.” At age 5 or 6 I am thinking that sand passes through like molasses. I remember sitting in class on some days in school and thinking “never mind making it to the end of the day, how will I make it through this class? When will this hour end?” The older we get, the faster the sand seems to travel. What do we do when our kids are wanting life to speed up and we are begging for time to slow down? In a whirlwind of warp speed that a decade provides, parents wind up experiencing driver’s licenses, open houses, graduations from high school, moving out and on to college, senior recitals, more graduations from college, first cars, first jobs, first loves, dating, engagements, weddings, and on the list could go. Having gone through that period, I admit that I sometimes live vicariously through my oldest, Whitney, as she seemingly travels the world with a carefree spirit, writing, singing, and leading worship with Michael W. Smith. (True story!) She’s a wonder! Have you ever seen “Father of the Bride?” Awesome movie, but man, do NOT watch it when the sand is pouring through the hourglass as your youngest prepares to walk the aisle and marry the love of her life. I could so relate to the Steve Martin character. Trying to figure out how to pay for the whole thing yet wanting it to be the reality of the dreams Kaylie, our youngest had since she watched Cinderella! This incredible sense of pride, while at the same time this piece of your life that feels like it’s being taken away. What in the world is that and where did it come from and can anything be done about it? Let me try to summarize with hopefully a glimmer of spiritual encouragement. I remember the experience of graduations, both high school and college, and the perpetual smile and sense of “That one’s mine” that we felt as we watched each of those girls receive that diploma. It really isn’t much different than when they were kids on a stage for a musical performance. They would come on the platform and look for us – and once spotted, we couldn’t help but wave and smile, as if to say, “That one’s ours!” I believe that pride we feel for our children is something that was created in us by the very one who feels pride for HIS children. It’s hard for us to imagine, isn’t it? The God of the universe pointing us out to some angels and saying, “that one’s mine!” Now, were our girls perfect growing up? Far from it – made some mistakes, had some missteps, and were part of their share of misunderstandings. But none of that mattered in the overall scope of things. Especially on these special occasions when parental pride is not only accepted but expected. So, God, in His incredible grace, accepts us with our imperfections and loves us unconditionally, while still pushing us to be better not only FOR Him, but THROUGH Him! (Philippians 4:13) The emotions we go through are emotions He gave us! He is an emotional God! (John 11:35) We were created in HIS image and that image gives to us the emotion that travels with us through this life, and I believe on into the next. Part of heaven’s greatness is the lack of longing that will accompany it! We’ll never have to say good-by again. One more thing, as the sands of time pass through life’s hourglass, I believe God’s intention is for us to move from season to season…continuing to GO, continuing to GROW. Sometimes the pace will be frantic and frenetic with no time to think towards the future, let alone remember the past. At other points, it slows down a bit, giving us the opportunity to look back and remember the seasons that have been, but also looking forward to the seasons that are yet ahead. And in the midst of it all, remember the most important thing is to live in the moment that we have been given. Life is a series of seasons, seasons are years, years are months, months are weeks, weeks are days, days are hours, hours are minutes and minutes are seconds which hold the moments that we call NOW. Oh, there goes another one! See how quick they are? Let’s make them count. Let’s enjoy not only the destination occasions that come for our family, but the life travel that moves us to those points. Whatever season you find yourself in – the sands of time continue to pass through the hourglass (James 4:14). Make each grain count! Not just for ourselves, but for our families, for our communities, for our world, and most importantly, for our God. Ok, I’m done – think I’ll go grab some lunch while taking in an episode of “Days of our Lives!” Nah! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Billy Walker became Lead Pastor of Calvary Church Southgate in 2006. He also serves as the Vice President of the Billy Walker Evangelistic Association and Hiawatha Youth Camp. Billy and wife Laurie have two adult daughters, Whitney and Kaylie, and a son-in-law, Eric. #JUNE22

by John Babri SALINE, MI – Churches have begun to recognize that Mother’s Day is a day of mixed emotions for women the day may be hard for, like those who never became moms or those grieving a loss.Yet Father’s Day is another day that can be hard, too. It can highlight tough memories of fathers who weren’t there or even those who were there but not all they should be. Since I became a Christian from atheism as an 18-year-old, Father’s Day has been a reminder of the lack of closeness with my dad. My dad, an avid atheist, has never fully accepted my coming to Christ. When your dad can’t accept the most important part of you, you feel that loss. There’s a closeness that’s missing. As an imperfect father with my own imperfect dad, I can still praise God on Father’s Day. So let me share 4 reasons to praise God on Fathers’ Day even when there’s mixed emotions. 1. Praise God that God Himself is your father! Ps 27:10 says, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” The reality is the best earthly dad will fall short. But the beautiful thing about the gospel is that we receive a perfect dad who will never let us down, leave or forsake us, or disown us! He knows us more fully than any earthly dad could, yet He still loves us with a perfect love! Praise God for His adoption of us! 2. Praise God for being a father! If God has blessed you with children, you can praise God for the gift of being a father and praise God for your children! Also, praise God for how being a father helps you understand your father’s love. Awareness of my sin can make me feel like God just tolerates me, like I am a C- student. Yet, after becoming a father, I learned that is not how fathers think! When my two kids do something wrong, that never tempts me to stop loving them; my heart does not grow cold toward them. I still love and adore them. That reality helped me see God’s own love for me in a new way. Yes, I still need to confess sin and repent, but God is a much better father than me and still loves me! Becoming a father helped me see the unconditional love of the Lord. 3. Praise God for father figures in your life. In 1 Timothy 5:1, Paul tells Timothy to treat older men as fathers. Some of the blessings of the church is the new family you have in Christ. I’ve been blessed with a man I call “Papa Joe.” He and his wife, “Mama Becca” adopted my family as their Michigan children when I came to serve at my church. I am not handy in any way, but I remember Papa Joe coming over to show me how to patch drywall. He was a gentle and patient teacher as he took me through that process. I remember thinking, “Why is he being so nice to me? This is what it must be like to have a Christian dad.” When the Lord provides a father figure in your life, be thankful for that blessing, whether he’s an older mentor at church or a Christian father-in-law who will always have your back. 4. Praise God for your earthly father. Even if your dad was not everything he should’ve been, you can still praise God for common graces in your dad! When I lift my children in the air, put on a goofy voice, or let my kids beat me in play-wrestling, I see my dad in me in how he played with me. My dad never pointed me to Jesus, but he still left a mark! And I can praise God for common grace blessings even from a father that does not know God. If you have Christian dad, praise God for the blessing many don’t have! Either way, pray for your dad on Father’s Day! These are 4 ways we, as imperfect dads with imperfect dads, can give thanks to the perfect dad on Father’s Day! ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Babri is the Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Saline and an alumnus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to his beautiful bride Katherine and is the proud father of two energetic boys. #JUNE22

by Jim Stolt PLYMOUTH, MI – Last Father’s Day my college-aged son had a friend over after church. He attends our church as well, and he said something to me that has stuck with me since that day. “Pastor Jim,” he said, “I noticed that on Mother’s Day the moms are encouraged and celebrated, but on Father’s Day you always challenge them and beat on them a bit.” He then laughed nervously, unsure if he had crossed a line. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I wanted to respond with a retort, but found that I couldn’t. He was right and I let him know it. We definitely celebrate our dads as well, but I have been harder on our men than I have on our women. Allow me to illustrate. This past Mother’s Day, my main point was, “Even though I’m a hot mess, God can still use me.” The main point for the Father’s Day sermon my son’s friend referenced, based in 1 Kings 2:1-4, was, “Be strong, show yourself a man and keep the Lord’s charge.” Notice the difference? Why is that? I must say that I prefaced the Mother’s Day sermon with the intimidation that the Proverbs 31 woman causes every woman and tried to encourage them with the fact that they didn’t have to compete with the Proverbs 31 woman to be used of God—God used women that were a complete hot mess, too. But that compassion is glaringly absent when it comes to the men. Should I change and ease up a bit on the guys? Men are called to serve their families as the head of the household. As I began to prepare for Father’s Day and I began to write this article, I tried to bang two brain cells together, and I asked the Lord for help in answering that question. As a result, I came up with a few thoughts and the Holy Spirit reminded me of some key Scriptures. Men are called to serve their families as the head of the household. Headship is about responsibility and accountability to God, not power or control. As the firstborn of God’s creation, Adam was the original model of headship. Though it was Eve who initiated the Fall, it was Adam who was held accountable, “The Lord God called to the man” (Genesis 3:9-10, emphasis mine). As Christ is the head of the church, His body, the husband is called to serve his family by sacrificially leading them (Ephesians 5:23, 1 Corinthians 11:3). As sinful, selfish creatures, men need to be reminded of this responsibility. There is no greater day to drive that home than on Father’s Day. Men need to be challenged. There is a reason that there is an expression of “deadbeat dads” and not “moocher moms.” Most moms take care of business and provide for their children, no matter what it costs them and without being asked to do so. Moms don’t need a kick in the pants, they need a pat on the back. Guys often are the opposite. Too many dads are willing to walk away from their families and the responsibility that God has placed on them. Even if they don’t walk away, guys tend to get distracted and forget what is truly important—myself included. We need to be reminded and refocused. Perhaps that is one reason why there are so many challenges in the Bible that are addressed to men. Besides, men love a good challenge, and often rise to the occasion when the challenge is placed in front of them. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Stolt has been in full-time ministry for over twenty years in youth ministry, music ministry and pastoral ministry. He has been the Senior Pastor at Praise Community Church in Plymouth, MI for four years. He and his beautiful wife, Karyn, have two incredible college-aged children, Jacob and Sarah, and two adorable dogs, Scout and Ender. #JUNE22

by Dr. Tony L Lynn PLYMOUTH, MI – “Don’t be that 98-pound weakling,” was the message Charles Atlas advertised in comic books during the sixties and seventies. The comic strip ad was direct. A skinny guy is on a blanket, on the beach, with his girlfriend. A muscle-packed bully kicks sand in his face and makes fun of his boyish, scrawny build. The 98-pounder loses his girlfriend to the bully and is ridiculed by everyone on the beach. The self-loathing little man returns home, kicks the chair at his house, then vows to take a stand sending off a request for Charles Atlas’ training manual. Later, after a period of muscle training, the 98-pounder is shown admiring his newly strengthened form in the mirror promising to return to the beach to teach the bully a lesson. That sacred showdown day arrives, and the former 98-pound weakling now bulked-up, punches the earlier bully in the chin. Immediately, the former small guy wins his former girlfriend back who is seen hanging on his now sculpted shoulders and biceps, while the onlookers at the beach gush aloud, “Gosh! What a build. He’s already famous for it.” The Charles Atlas ad is the classical American way to face a bully. Is it not? With Father’s Day upon us it may be a good time to look at how we define weakness, strength, and masculinity. Sons, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, brothers, and friends identify and react to bullies with a heavy push from the other men around them. Men’s Bullies Ask men to list the bullies in their lives and most, with their words, will decorate a room with dartboard images of the bullies they believe have kept them from a summit of success: tyrannical bosses, caged-conditions, bitter betrayals, unrecognized talents/strengths, missed opportunities, un-offered advantages, being unappreciated, over-demanding spouses, a neglected or abusive childhood, addictions, and on and one. WARNING: Men’s Biggest Bullies Are Inside of Us! However, men be warned! The Holy Spirit, the world’s best strength coach behind the writing of the world’s best strength training manuals of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, would like to rip down those man-made, dartboard decorations of imagined bullies and replace the entire room with mirrors made of Bible verses so that each one of us could see ourselves for who we are and pinpoint our areas of vital development. Let’s admit it, men can be jerks and we can shrug our shoulders when asked why we did what we did with a mumbled response of, “I dunno why?” 2.5-pound Plates You might be saying, “If only men tried harder.” Trouble is even though many men attempt to get stronger on their own it does not work. We need a training coach in the Holy Spirit. Check-out the short, strength-training manuals in the Bible, and we are told repeatedly that we cannot do it on our own. Every man, every father, every husband, every son needs a training partner in the Lord. When I was younger, in much, much, much better shape, and spent more time lifting weights in the gym, the 2.5-pound plates, in manner of speaking, were my best friends. I referred to them as barrier-breakers. Mentally and physically, I would reach a previous lifting goal at a certain weight in my bench press, my squat, or my curl. I could add an additional ten to twenty pounds to the bar, which is normal in weightlifting, striving for a new personal best. The surprise? Try as I might, I could not get a new personal best by jumping up an additional ten to twenty pounds. I would try for seven to fourteen days but to no avail. I would hit a barrier. Disappointed that I could not make a 10-to-20-pound improvement, I would instead add a small, 2.5-pound plate on each end of the bar. In my hands they almost felt invisible and weightless, but together the two plates represented five more pounds. I would wave them in my hands, reminding myself of how small and insignificant they were. It was a ritual just before sliding the plates onto the bar. It was my way of breaking a previously set mental and physical barrier. A Spotter The other important element was adding a spotter or training partner the day I wanted to advance up in my strength or lift. I would ask someone to stand nearby ready to assist if I couldn’t lift the new, additional five pounds. If you’ve ever been to a gym, most assists start-out with the “eight-finger-lift-assist” where the spotter will place his or her fingers under the bar, on both ends, so the assist is ready but only used in desperation. Sometimes spotters will fake-assist letting the lifter know at the finish of the successful lift that no assist was necessary. The spotter will usually scream-out, “It was all you, Man, that was all you! I didn’t even help!” The power of the 2.5-pound plates and a spotter is incredible! Previous barriers can be broken when even small strides forward are marked and celebrated. That is what we men need to return to in our lives. Our 2.5 lb. barrier breakers or spotters could be the next memorized, recited Bible verse that gives us strength the next time we want to act more like the Holy Spirit. Look at these “eight-finger-lift-assists” and imagine the Holy Spirit spotting you the next time you’re tempted to act like a jerk. These four little training manuals consist of only 20 chapters. Perhaps while the month of June warms-up and suns-up, you and I could read and reread these manuals until they train us up to become more of what the Lord knows we can become – if we will let him spot us as we try to break the next barrier. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:16-17 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Ephesians 5:1-5 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Philippians 3:17-21 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:5-10 I promise, I will read and reread these four books all during the month of June. I hope you will join me. Let’s get stronger together. 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. #JUNE22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – The report from the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Guidepost Solutions was released at 4pm on Sunday, May 22nd to the general public. This has been a much needed and timely investigation into a matter that should have been addressed and dealt with decades ago. The following quote comes from the report and gives a basic summation of the results. "Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior EC leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the EC's response to these reports of abuse. They closely guarded information about abuse allegations and lawsuits, which were not shared with EC Trustees, and were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC to the exclusion of other considerations.” After being immersed in the report, my emotions have been from one extreme to the other. Deep sadness, grief, heartbreak, intense empathy for the victims/survivors, anger, frustration, relief…and much more. There were revelations in the report that were shocking, especially concerning those in the past for whom I have had the greatest of love and admiration. Disappointment is such an inadequate word to describe my feelings. Michigan family, I want you to know and understand that I stand in full support of the investigation and the subsequent report, though painful as it may be. Sin and abuse at any level cannot be tolerated, especially in the area of leadership and those who try to cover up instances of abuse are just as guilty as those who commit the abuse, if not more so! It is hard for me to imagine the pain, suffering and abuse/survivors have and are experiencing. As I read the report last evening, I was actually physically ill, almost to the point of vomiting. Those who know me well, understand that I cannot and will not tolerate the abuse of others, especially those who cannot defend themselves. When I encounter this kind of abhorrent behavior, my anger arises and can very easily be fleshed out. What has been done to the abuse/survivors is wrong, wrong, wrong! They should be able to be heard and find justice without any fear of retribution or retaliation. It is my greatest hope that this becomes a reality and is the normal way the SBC handles these issues. Early on when these issues started to surface, the BSCM began to take steps to assure that sexual abuse would be dealt with appropriately from a Biblical foundation here among our Michigan churches. Several tools and ministries were accessed or developed. Caring Together is a ministry that was created and initiated in Michigan in October of 2019 with Dr. Michell White, a wonderful and gifted professional counselor, taking the lead. We created Caring Together to connect churches with resources and support in order for them to have the tools and training to equip and protect their congregations from abuse and also to provide care and support for those who have been the victims of abuse. We also provide free Ministry Safe training for pastors, leaders, and members as another layer of protection and prevention. Since my arrival here in Michigan as your State Executive Director, we have trained all our staff and personnel that are connected with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan that when they receive accusations of sexual abuse, especially concerning minors but not limited to them, that they must report these matters to local authorities and to offer counseling and support to the victims. It should be noted that after the Annual Convention in Nashville where the messengers directed the Executive Committee to implement the Task Force and there began to be push back from the EC, we as a state convention developed and voted unanimously as a State Board to make a resolution that instructed the Executive Committee to move forward with the investigation unimpeded and to wave attorney client privilege. As to my knowledge, we were the first and only state convention to do so. (To read the full resolution, click here.) Another fact that our BSCM family should be aware of is that we do not endorse nor recommend pastors, ministers, or church leaders to anyone if we are aware of any allegations or proof of abuse in their history. We also recommend and will provide for an extensive background check for anyone who works in our churches or ministries. With all this being said, I want you to understand that even though this has been a heart wrenching and difficult report, I am encouraged and hopeful for our future. When the truth is elevated to its supreme and rightful position and darkness is exposed, God is glorified, and His children are blessed. The purpose and process of this Task Force is a good and godly thing. When we think of the breadth and depth of our Convention, the tens of thousands of churches and millions of members, only a handful of people were responsible for keeping our family in the dark, while resisting accountability, reporting and transparency. Our convention rose and demanded the truth, and it has been revealed. Is the work finished? NO! But it has begun, and it will be completed. When we recognize the good and godly leaders in our Convention that stood up for what is right and against wickedness and have prevailed. We will be forever indebted for their courage and strength. Many have paid dearly for their heroic actions but not as dearly as the victims/survivors. Are there difficult days ahead? Yes. But God has given us the Great Commission and a wonderful mechanism through which we may accomplish it. Here in Michigan our mission has not changed, our message has not changed, and our motive has not changed. But greatest of all, our God has not changed nor will He. With that assurance, may we all join together to: “PUNCH HOLES IN THE DARKNESS.” 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. #MAY22 #JUNE22

by Brandon Porter NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Months of work by the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Guidepost Solutions concerning the alleged mishandling of sexual abuse claims by the SBC Executive Committee (EC) resulted in a 288-page report released publicly Sunday (May 22). The report came at the request of messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting. “Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior EC leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the EC’s response to these reports of abuse. They closely guarded information about abuse allegations and lawsuits, which were not shared with EC Trustees, and were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC to the exclusion of other considerations,” the report said. The report says that for the two decades within the scope of the investigation, survivors of abuse and other concerned Southern Baptists have been met with “resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility from some within the EC.” The task force was charged with reviewing cases and claims of alleged mishandling claims of sexual abuse made between January 1, 2000, and June 14, 2021. “Over the years, the EC’s response to sexual abuse allegations was largely driven by senior EC staff members, particularly D. August ‘Augie’ Boto, the EC General Counsel and later Interim EC President, as well as the SBC’s long-serving outside counsel – James Guenther, James Jordan, and the firm of Guenther, Jordan & Price (‘GJP’),” the report says, adding: “Their main concern was avoiding any potential liability for the SBC.” “Mr. Guenther advised that EC staff should not undertake to elicit further information or details about reports of abuse, so that the EC not assume a legal duty to take further action,” the report says. In addition, the existence of reports of abuse were not shared with EC Trustees “over the years,” according to the report. What does the EC do? The EC board of trustees is composed of Southern Baptists from across the convention’s 41 state and regional conventions. Trustees are elected by the Convention at its annual meeting. The SBC president, SBC recording secretary, WMU national president and EC president/CEO are also ex-officio members of the EC board of trustees. “Although the Executive Committee does not control or direct the activities of Convention agencies, it reviews their financial statements and recommends the Convention annual operating budget,” says a description at SBC.net. “In addition, it receives and distributes the moneys Southern Baptists give in support of denominational ministries, acts as the recipient and trust agency for all Convention properties, and provides public relations and news services. It also performs other tasks assigned by the SBC and promotes the general work of Southern Baptists.” The EC “employs an executive and professional staff in its Nashville office.” There are currently 25 employees on staff with the EC. Abuse claims The Guidepost report listed only one instance of alleged abuse by an EC member in its summary. “During our investigation, an SBC pastor and his wife came forward to report that SBC President Johnny Hunt (2008-2010) had sexually assaulted the wife on July 25, 2010,” the report said. Investigators found the claims to be credible, according to the report, having verified them “by a counseling minister and three other credible witnesses.” The report says that investigators did not find Hunt’s statements concerning the alleged assault to be credible. Mishandling abuse claims and survivors The report says that though high-level EC staff kept a list of reports of abuse among possible SBC pastors, it had no plans to act on behalf of survivors. “In a May 2019 email to Dr. Ronnie Floyd, the then-EC President, EC Vice President Dr. Roger ‘Sing’ Oldham acknowledged that ‘[f]or the past decade, I have been regularly sending Augie news reports of Baptist ministers who are arrested for sexual abuse, for his awareness. It hasn’t slowed down since the [Houston] Chronicle articles started on February 10.’ Mr. Boto responded that: ‘Yes. We are collecting them, and may even post them in some way, but we’d have to really examine the potential liabilities that would stem therefrom.’” The Guidepost report also spoke of instances where survivors were further harmed by mistreatment by the EC, “The survivors – those persons who actually suffered at the hands of SBC clergy or SBC church staff or volunteers – who spoke out the most, and who criticized the SBC’s inaction, were denigrated as “opportunistic,” having a “hidden agenda of lawsuits,” wanting to “burn things to the ground,” and acting as a “professional victim.” The report points to this publication, Baptist Press (BP), on two occasions. “For example, in March 2019, Jennifer Lyell, a senior executive at an SBC entity, was asked by executives at Lifeway and SBC entity heads to disclose her sexual abuse at the hands of her former seminary professor through a first-person account to be published in BP,” the report says. “Rather than publishing Ms. Lyell’s corroborated account as BP staff had originally drafted it, the account was changed to read as if Ms. Lyell was consensually involved with her alleged abuser. The article as published reported that Ms. Lyell alleged that she had a “morally inappropriate relationship” with her former seminary professor, making it appear that she engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with him.” Another instance is related to a report from the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s 2019 Caring Well conference. From the report: “Additionally, an article about the 2019 Caring Well conference, written by an Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (‘ERLC’) staffer, was sanitized before publication. The draft article had contained quotes from two survivor advocates who had spoken critically at the conference about the SBC’s handling of sexual abuse allegations. When the article was published, some of the story had been deleted, including all references to one of the advocates and all claims that the SBC had failed survivors.” Other SBC leaders named in the report who are said to have “protected or even supported abusers” include Steve Gaines, former SBC president; Jack Graham, former SBC president; Paige Patterson, former SBC president and former president of both Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Paul Pressler, former Texas judge and former EC member; and Mike Stone, current EC member. The report also spends 65 pages discussing the work of the SBC Credentials Committee, a body created to examine whether or not a church was acting within cooperation guidelines held by the SBC. The report says the task of investigating sexual abuse claims was assigned to the committee before there were proper protocols, guidelines and training in place. “Consequently, the Credentials Committee began operating without adopting any written policies and procedures, such as set timelines/deadlines, protocols for correspondence with submitters and churches, and standards for review. At least one outside expert offered help and support in developing criteria and standards, but the offers were rebuffed,” the report said. While the report says the committee meant well, it adds: “These and other deficiencies led to delays and communications breakdowns that caused submitters and others to lose faith in the process despite what we believe to be good intentions and effort on the part of the Credentials Committee members.” Recommendations from the SATF The Sexual Abuse Task Force was selected by SBC President Ed Litton in the days following the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting. In addition to working with Guidepost to carry out the investigation, messengers gave the task force the responsibility of bringing recommendations to messengers to the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. While the SATF says it will be posting formal motions and suggestions before the annual meeting, it has listed a group of “a few initial needs:” We recommend that an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force be appointed by the next SBC president to assist with the implementation of reform initiatives in our convention for a period of three years. This Task Force will evaluate all recommendations by Guidepost and bring a report at next year’s convention on recommended reforms. This Task Force will also work with the Executive Committee to create and maintain a process that will work within our Baptist polity for alerting the community to the presence and activity of credibly accused offenders, including the establishment of a “ministry check” website. Additionally, this Task Force will work with and resource the Credentials Committee to help them function more effectively, including formalizing and improving their processes, procedures, and standard principles of cooperation. The Task Force and Executive Committee will take steps to establish a relationship with an independent firm to assist the Credentials Committee in their work. We recommend that the Executive Committee hire a subject matter expert(s) to receive calls, provide initial guidance for reports of sexual abuse, and work with state conventions for training and educational opportunities. We recommend that all entity boards and standing committees have training regarding sexual abuse prevention and survivor care, as well as background checks as part of their orientation and selection. We recommend that IMB, NAMB, and our six SBC seminaries require formal preparation for their denominational workers and students in regard to prevention, training, and survivor care. We recommend that the Executive Committee set aside a budget and hire a salaried staff person for the Credentials Committee. Responses from the SATF, SBC president, the EC, and the Credentials Committee The task force issued a statement with the report calling on Southern Baptists to take the content of the report seriously and to act upon the findings. “As the task force, we grieve for what has been revealed in this report,” the task force wrote. “We lament on behalf of survivors for how they have not been protected and cared for as they deserve and as God demands. With broken hearts, we want to lead the way by publicly repenting for what has happened in our convention. We implore our Southern Baptist family to respond to this report with deep repentance and a commitment to the ongoing moral demands of the gospel as it relates to sexual abuse.” The task force called on Southern Baptists to take action based on the findings of the report. “We must resolve to give of our time and resources to not only care well for survivors of sexual abuse, but to provide a culture of accountability, transparency, and safety as we move forward,” the statement says. Ed Litton, SBC president, echoed the sentiment of the task force. “There are not adequate words to express my sorrow at the things revealed in this report,” he said. “I am grieved to my core for those who have suffered sexual abuse in Southern Baptist contexts, both for those named in this report and the many who are not. I thank God for the courage and persistence of the survivors and advocates who brought the Southern Baptist Convention to this moment.” He called on Southern Baptists to act in light of the report. “Amid my grief, anger, and disappointment over the grave sin and failures this report lays bare, I earnestly believe that Southern Baptists must resolve to change our culture and implement desperately needed reforms,” Litton said in a statement to Baptist Press. He called on messengers to the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting to be prepared to respond. “The time is now,” he said. “We have so much to lament, but genuine grief requires a godly response. I pray Southern Baptists will begin preparing today to take deliberate action to address these failures and chart a new course when we meet together in Anaheim.” Rolland Slade, current EC chairman, and Willie McLaurin, EC interim president/CEO, issued a joint statement upon receiving the report. “To the members of the survivor community, we are grieved by the findings of this investigation,” they said. “We are committed to doing all we can to prevent future instances of sexual abuse in churches, to improve our response and our care, to remove reporting roadblocks, and to respond to the will of the messengers in Anaheim next month. “This is the beginning of a season of listening, lamenting, and learning how to address sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention.” In the statement, they announced a special-called meeting on Tuesday, May 24, to “discuss and process the report.” They asked the members of Southern Baptist churches to pray for EC members and staff as they “move through the process that Southern Baptists have asked us to do.” The SBC Credential Committee also issued a statement regarding the Guidepost report. “We receive this report with open minds and heavy hearts. We grieve for those impacted by abuse, and we are prepared to repent for anything the Credentials Committee inadvertently failed to do to alleviate the suffering of survivors,” the statement said. “We are committed to listening and learning from this extensive report and its recommendations. We look forward to implementing recommendations and strengthening the Credentials Committee’s work.” The 2022 SBC Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 14-15 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Editor’s note: In an earlier version of this story, Greg Addison was included in a list of those alleged to have supported abusers. The wording does not accurately reflect the nature of Addison’s inclusion in the Guidepost report. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Porter serves as Associate Vice President for Convention News at the SBC Executive Committee. #JUNE22

by Mike Durbin GAYLORD, MI – An EF3 tornado ripped through Gaylord tragically taking the lives of two people and injuring more than 40 on May 20th. The winds reached up to 140 mph as they flipped cars, destroyed homes, and damaged businesses. It also brought the town of 4,200 people together as neighbors immediately started helping one another. The grit and resilience of Northern Michiganders was clearly on display as the town pulled together and started the recovery. So was the love of Christ though area churches. Tim Patterson, Bob Kiger, and I surveyed the damage and witnessed the church and community response firsthand. One of the newest churches in Gaylord stepped forward in a big way. Pastor Jeremy Bowling started Passion Church about a year and a half ago. After seeing the damage caused by the tornado, he immediately offered the church building to be used however needed. Bowling says: “We partnered with…the Evangelical Free Church. We are on the West side of town, and they are on the East side. We took the donations here and they took the donations there. The tornado hit in the middle. We’ve had lots of people in the community help by donating, including people in the church and the Food Bank. It’s been an awesome opportunity to reach out and show people the love of Christ.” A non-profit called “Kids Santa and Company” messaged Pastor Jeremy and offered toys for the church to distribute to children affected by the tornado. Bowling says, “He brought not just toys, but brand-new toys. Lots and lots of them for the children who lost everything in the tornado. There’s a whole community of people that have been displaced. Their children are without their toys, no doubt confused and devastated. If I was a kid, I’d want my toys.” Passion Church is giving them those toys. Michigan Disaster Relief Director, Bob Kiger, connected with other relief groups serving the community, and offered Michigan Baptist help. After seeing all Passion Church is doing, he said: “The love of Jesus is shining through in the midst of the disaster in Gaylord. Passion Church has established a donation center in their church, and they are supplying affected homeowners with toys, food, clothing and other needed items. A small church has become a large witness because of their obedience to Jesus!" Pastor Tim Patterson shared, “It does my heart good to see when churches and people come together to make a difference in their community. It is especially true when one of our church plants that is only a year old is making such a difference. 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. #JUNE22

by Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Most Christians say they’re ready, willing and praying to have conversations about their faith with others, but many admit they haven’t gotten around to actually having those conversations recently. An Evangelism Explosion study conducted by Lifeway Research found Christians express a willingness and desire to talk to others about their faith, yet few have shared with someone how to become a Christian in the past six months. “Now, perhaps more than ever, people are open to conversations about faith, yet this study reveals few Christians actually take the opportunity to engage in personal evangelism,” said John Sorensen, president of Evangelism Explosion (EE). “Our mission at EE is to equip followers of Jesus to have the confidence to share the Gospel naturally, lovingly and intentionally with family, friends and yes, even strangers, which is why we wanted insights on the evangelistic attitudes of Christians. We imagine a world where every believer is a witness for Christ to His glory.” “Many Christians say they agree sharing their faith is important,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “But many also need encouragement and to be shown how to share the Good News about Jesus Christ with others.” Evangelism actions In the survey of 1,100 self-identified Christian adults in the U.S., more than 9 in 10 (93 percent) say they’re at least somewhat open to having a conversation about faith with a friend, and around 4 in 5 (81 percent) feel similarly about speaking about faith with a stranger. Almost 2 in 3 Christians (64 percent) say they have prayed at least once in the past month for the salvation of a friend or family member who is not a Christian. In the past six months, most have spoken about their beliefs with loved ones at least once, including having a conversation about faith (53 percent) and sharing a story about what God has done in their lives (52 percent). However, less than half of self-identified Christians have, at least once in the past six months, shared a Bible verse or Bible story with a non-Christian loved one (46 percent), invited a non-Christian friend or family member to attend a church service or other program at church (43 percent) or shared with a non-Christian loved one how to become a Christian (38 percent). Far fewer Christians have taken any of those evangelistic steps with a non-Christian they did not know in the past six months: 40 percent have had a conversation about faith, 39 percent have shared a story about what God has done in their lives, 36 percent have shared a Bible verse or story, 34 percent have invited a stranger to church and 30 percent have shared how to become a Christian. “Praying for someone to follow Christ comes more easily than talking with someone about it,” McConnell said. “It isn’t clear if the proverbial cat has the tongue of some Christians or if they’re not connecting with non-Christians in settings where these conversations can take place.” Evangelism opinions When Christians think about evangelism, they’re thinking about showing love to the other person. Almost 2 in 3 Christians (65 percent) agree sharing with a nonbeliever how they can become a Christian is the most loving thing they can do for them, including 30 percent who strongly agree. Around a quarter (23 percent) disagree. More than half of self-identified Christians say they are willing (39 percent) and/or eager (15 percent) to evangelize. Three in 10 (29 percent) are neutral, while 18 percent are reluctant and 11 percent are indifferent. Specifically, Christians are more prone to be proactive or reactive in their evangelistic tactics than avoiding it all together. Around 1 in 7 (14 percent) say they try to bring up faith in conversations with everyone, while more than a quarter (28 percent) look for natural opportunities to bring up faith. Close to a third of Christians (32 percent) say they answer faith questions if asked or comment if others bring it up. Around 1 in 5 (21 percent) say they won’t talk about faith with most people. More than half of self-identified Christians in the U.S. (58 percent) say it is easy for them to talk about Jesus with non-Christians, including 23 percent who say it is very easy. A third (33 percent) say it is at least somewhat difficult, with 10 percent saying it is very difficult to share about Christ with those who are not Christians. For some, evangelism might bring up emotions more closely associated with giving a public speech than having a conversation with a friend. More than 2 in 5 Christians (42 percent) say sharing with a non-believer how they can become a Christian is scary. Slightly more (46 percent) disagree. When asked how they believe most non-Christians feel about evangelism, Christians are split. More than 1 in 3 (37 percent) think most of those who are not Christians see it as pushy. Almost a quarter (22 percent) believe non-Christians are open to it. Similar percentages say those who aren’t Christians view evangelism as worth hearing once (18 percent), hope-filled (17 percent) and worth exploring (17 percent). Fewer think non-Christians believe Christian evangelistic efforts are rude (14 percent). According to a 2021 Evangelism Explosion study conducted by Lifeway Research, 51 percent of Americans, including 60 percent of the religiously unaffiliated, say they’re curious why people are so devoted to their faith. Two in 3 (66 percent) also say they are at least open to having a conversation about the Christian faith with a friend. Still, in the most recent study, 52 percent of self-identified Christians agree that encouraging someone to change their religious beliefs is offensive and disrespectful, including 20 percent who strongly agree. Fewer than 2 in 5 (37 percent) disagree. “It’s a bold idea to encourage someone to consider converting the center of their life to be Jesus Christ,” McConnell said. “For some Christians, their love for others compels them to suggest this offensive thought. For others, this discourages them from speaking up about what they believe.” Evangelism preparation Two in 3 (66 percent) Christians say they aren’t familiar with any methods of telling others about Jesus, but half say they’re ready to at least share the basics of how someone can start following Jesus. Around a quarter (23 percent) say they’re ready for any opportunity to tell someone how to become a Christian, and 27 percent are prepared to share the basic steps. Another 1 in 5 (19 percent) say they know the essentials but aren’t comfortable yet putting them into words. A quarter of Christians (24 percent) say they aren’t sure what information needs to be shared or where to start. Most Christians agree it’s their calling to share their beliefs but that it’s their pastor’s duty to equip them to do so. Seven in 10 Christians (69 percent) say it’s every Christian’s responsibility to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, including 35 percent who strongly agree. One in 5 (20 percent) disagree. Similarly, 68 percent agree it’s the pastor’s responsibility to equip the congregation to share the gospel, and 19 percent disagree. When thinking about the specifics of being trained and equipped for evangelism, Christians have wide varieties in their preferences. Around 1 in 5 (19 percent) want to experience real-life faith conversations with a trainer and another 16 percent prefer to take a class in person. Fewer are looking for less personal or more individual activities like watching videos (14 percent), reading a book (12 percent), taking a class online (8 percent) or listening to audio like a podcast or audiobook (5 percent). Another 18 percent say they would never be trained in evangelism. “Half of Christians aren’t ready to tell someone how to become a Christian, and that likely won’t change without some help,” McConnell said. “Most are looking to their churches and its leaders to help prepare them for these conversations about faith.” For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com. Methodology The study originated from and was commissioned by Evangelism Explosion. The online survey of 1,011 American Christians was conducted by Lifeway Research, April 12-23, 2022, using a national pre-recruited panel. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education and religion to reflect the population more accurately. The completed sample is 1,011 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.1 percent. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources. #JUNE22

by Mike Durbin GAYLORD, MI – An EF3 tornado ripped through Gaylord tragically taking the lives of two people and injuring more than 40 on May 20th. The winds reached up to 140 mph as they flipped cars, destroyed homes, and damaged businesses. It also brought the town of 4,200 people together as neighbors immediately started helping one another. The grit and resilience of Northern Michiganders was clearly on display as the town pulled together and started the recovery. So was the love of Christ though area churches. Tim Patterson, Bob Kiger, and I surveyed the damage and witnessed the church and community response firsthand. One of the newest churches in Gaylord stepped forward in a big way. Pastor Jeremy Bowling started Passion Church about a year and a half ago. After seeing the damage caused by the tornado, he immediately offered the church building to be used however needed. Bowling says: “We partnered with…the Evangelical Free Church. We are on the West side of town, and they are on the East side. We took the donations here and they took the donations there. The tornado hit in the middle. We’ve had lots of people in the community help by donating, including people in the church and the Food Bank. It’s been an awesome opportunity to reach out and show people the love of Christ.” A non-profit called “Kids Santa and Company” messaged Pastor Jeremy and offered toys for the church to distribute to children affected by the tornado. Bowling says, “He brought not just toys, but brand-new toys. Lots and lots of them for the children who lost everything in the tornado. There’s a whole community of people that have been displaced. Their children are without their toys, no doubt confused and devastated. If I was a kid, I’d want my toys.” Passion Church is giving them those toys. Michigan Disaster Relief Director, Bob Kiger, connected with other relief groups serving the community, and offered Michigan Baptist help. After seeing all Passion Church is doing, he said: “The love of Jesus is shining through in the midst of the disaster in Gaylord. Passion Church has established a donation center in their church, and they are supplying affected homeowners with toys, food, clothing and other needed items. A small church has become a large witness because of their obedience to Jesus!" Pastor Tim Patterson shared, “It does my heart good to see when churches and people come together to make a difference in their community. It is especially true when one of our church plants that is only a year old is making such a difference. 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. #JUNE22