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by Art Werry FRASER, MI – What a difference a year makes. Last Father's Day, Brandon was caught in the throes of a drug addiction that was taking him down the path that kills tens of thousands each year in America. Brandon’s life continued to fray as his heroin and alcohol addiction led to more and more family conflict. Continually forced to choose between caring for his family and feeding his addiction, he repeatedly chose the latter. His children faced the very real possibility of growing up without their father. When he wasn’t distracted by the drugs, Brandon was too ashamed, so he would simply stay away from the children he loved. What could change the course of this troubled man? Was it the fear of becoming another statistic – one more number along with the mother of his 14-year-old daughter, who had already succumbed to overdose? Desperate to change the course of this all too familiar drama, Brandon’s wife, Patty, stepped in. Gathering the family together for an intervention, she gave Brandon a choice, get help or get lost. Running short on options, Brandon went into treatment, but he dropped out before completing the program. After walking to Patty’s house, he hoped she would relent and take him back, but that was not to be. Firmly standing her ground, she insisted he get help. Stunned, Brandon decided to break the downward spiral and get serious about recovery. He entered and successfully completed a 45-day program. As part of his exit strategy, Brandon began investigating longer term 3/4 housing options. The name of our program, Pathway To Freedom, caught his eye because it sounded hopeful. After an initial phone call, Brandon entered the program, and the rest is history. We began praying for him and pointing him toward Christ, the only hope of lasting recovery. A few months later, Brandon prayed to receive Christ and was baptized with Patty and the children watching. He is not only staying clean and sober, but he is also holding down a steady job. Brandon readily admits, “I used to be impressed by the big, shiny things in life. Now with God in my life, I’m so grateful for what is right in front of my eyes – my family” New Life has operated this residential program for men for many years now. Participants are given a safe place to live and a structured environment in which to combat the chaos that is a by-product of addictive behaviors. Pathway is a long-term program that allows the opportunity to share Christ with men who are desperate for something to break the chains of addiction that they have battled in many cases for decades. New Life shares a partnership with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) as they support the ministry. Sadly, the scourge of addiction that is ravaging our country shows no signs of letting up any time soon. Pastor Art Werry regularly encourages pastors to consider starting a recovery program in their church – even if it is only a 12-Step table that meets in their building. The heartache of addiction resides on every street in every city. Pastor Werry says, “Pathway is by far the most rewarding ministry I have ever been involved. Our recovery ministry is based on the belief that lives can be restored through the power of Jesus Christ.” He regularly tells the men in recovery that he does this ministry as much for the sake of their children as for them. He adds, “Our heart’s desire is to see the multi-generational cycle of addiction broken by the power of Jesus.” It is such blessing to hear a spouse like Patty say, “I enjoy seeing the relationship being built between the children and Brandon. The kids adore him.” This year, Father’s Day will look remarkably different for Brandon from last year. Sitting in church with his children, he can focus on a future that is much brighter than it was just a few months ago. What a difference a year makes. What a difference Christ makes. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Art Werry has been pastor of New Life in Fraser for over thirty years and executive director of Pathway to Freedom for over 25 years. He also handles the technology needs of the BSCM. Art and his wife Tricia are raising their teenage daughter, Hannah. #JUNE21

by John Adams BATTLE CREEK, MI – Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, don't panic. Don't obsess over the details about what is going on. Don't argue with each other. Don't fret over canceled plans. Don't worry about how crazy some people are acting. And don't despair over how hopeless things might look. Nothing about your circumstances has taken God by surprise. He knows what He is doing and what He wants to do through you right now too." I wrote these words a little over a year ago as the pandemic began to grow in the United States. That was a hundred plus online sermons and services ago. And many crises and deaths ago. It has been challenging, but the Lord has been with us, every step. In Luke 24:13-35, two of Jesus' disciples are in the midst of what seems like overwhelming circumstances. They are on their way home from Jerusalem, the third day since Jesus' death. As they walk, they are discussing and arguing with each other. They are also very discouraged. It looks like every hope they had for Jesus was over, and it all seems to amount to nothing. At some point in their journey, Jesus comes up and begins walking with them. The text says they "were prevented from recognizing Him," but it was also true they were not looking for Him nor expecting Him. Jesus joins their conversation by asking them what they are discussing. His two traveling companions are so stunned, they stop in their tracks, and I bet their mouths dropped open too. They ask Him if he is the only person who doesn't know what has happened recently. Jesus replies by saying, "What things?" I wonder if He was able to keep a straight face or if He shed a little grin? I imagine that for the next hour or more, they unloaded on Him all the details they knew about Jesus, His ministry, betrayal, death, and burial. They even shared their hope that He might be God's coming king who will rescue and rule over His people. Surely they also had dreams of participating in the Messiah's kingdom too. But now it has been three days since Jesus' death, and nothing has happened, except a few disciples claimed to have a vision of angels who told them that Jesus is alive. Jesus spends the rest of the trip clearly explaining how the things that happened to Him were all part of God's plan. When they reached their destination, they ask their mystery guest to stay with them. And when they give Him the honor of blessing the meal, their eyes are opened, and they can recognize Jesus. The One they were so upset and worried about had been walking with them the whole time! Suddenly, everything began to make sense to them. Jesus Himself had explained the spiritual significance of recent events and their experiences. Now they know how to think and feel about their circumstances the way God does. All it took was a little time with Jesus to turn them from being upset and discouraged to being excited and full of hope. They could not wait to share their good news with others! It is often easy for us to let our circumstances overwhelm us. Today is the perfect time to remind ourselves that we walk with the Lord by faith regardless of our events. When things change, and especially when they seem so beyond our control, we must remember that our relationship with God has not changed. We still have all of the constant, never-failing love, favor, and presence of the Lord we had before. And as we continue to walk with and trust the Lord, He will open our eyes and touch our hearts about what He is actively doing in the middle of our circumstances. As life slowly begins to become the new normal, let's not forget to trust Christ every day. Even on the good days. ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Adams is the Pastor of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in Battle Creek Michigan. He loves his family, wife Melissa and three sons, Connor, Riley and Aiden. #JUNE21

by Kevin Finkenbinder DEWITT, MI – The following is a fictional account, but in every way possible I have endeavored to build it based on what the Bible said actually happened. As with any historical fiction, I have filled in the blanks with my thoughts, but it is my goal and belief that the following is faithful to the Gospel narrative. Should there be any discrepancies, rest assured that the mistakes are mine and not because of any error or contradiction in scripture. Our first Mary was born in the small town of Migdala on the Sea of Galilee about 4 days’ journey from Jerusalem and a full day’s journey from Nazareth. Migdal was known for only a few things. First, Migdala pickled fish that was shipped along the trade routes to most of the known world so it had a positive reputation among the gentiles. It was the first city Rome invaded in 54 B.C. so it had a negative reputation among those of Israel. She would rather forget her life before. As a firstborn child, she was considered a curse to her father because she was not a boy. Rather than a source of economic strength and family honor, she was seen as a burden on the family. By the standards of her village, her father had likely not treated her poorly, but he had probably not shown her love, seeing her as little more than a household servant by the time she was eight. Around the age of 14, her father married her off to the owner of one of the pickling businesses. Though he smelled of pickled fish, he did provide for her needs. It was through her husband’s business that she first met Simon and Andrew and (as much as was legally possible between a woman and two men) become their friend, but when they moved their families to Bethsaida, she lost track of them. Though a good man, her husband was significantly older than Mary, so when he died, she was left young and alone. With no legal right to his property, no children and no prospects, she turned in desperation to immoral activity. She then covered her shame by indulging in wine and occasional intoxicants made from the hemp and poppy plants that grew abundantly. This led to other choices, eventually ending in her becoming demon possessed. This would have been the end of Mary of Magdala, also known as Mary Magdalene, if it had not been for her friendship with Simon and Andrew. Our Second Mary was Jacob’s second child. Since Jacob was a carpenter, she grew to love fine wood products and the earthy smell of freshly sawn timber. Her household was happy and when she got old enough she was wed to Cleophas. Like her father, Cleophas was also a carpenter, though unlike her father, he specialized in fine furniture instead of buildings and barns. They were a happy couple, worshiping together in the synagogue and spending time in a lively community. Because of the nature of his sales, Cleophas regularly travelled between his home in Nazareth and his ancestral home in Bethlehem, just outside of Jerusalem. Mary often accompanied him in his travels and, surprising for the time, he encouraged her to learn from the religious and philosophical teachers in Jerusalem. Mary of Cleophas’s older brother, Joseph, ended up marrying our third Mary. This Mary’s mother was Anna and her father Heli. Heli and Anna were well known in the community for the compassionate way they cared for others, a trait that they instilled in Mary’s heart. By the time she was old enough to be engaged, she too was known for her compassion. It was this pious compassion that attracted Joseph to her in the first place, and it was Joseph’s strong, yet forgiving nature that made Mary leap for joy when her father announced the marriage arrangements had been made. Everything in Mary's life became more complex shortly after she was engaged to Joseph, when an angel told her that she would bear a son who is God’s son and that she was to name him Jesus. Joseph threatened to divorce her, but then the angel visited him as well. While everything was good between Joseph and Mary, she still had to live with the rumors surrounding how she came to be pregnant. As Jesus grew, Mary watched Him. She loved the memories of Him lying on her chest as an infant. She still smiled when she thought of the compassionate way that he treated his friends. She was proud of the way he had learned the carpentry trade from His step-father Joseph while never failing to learn more about God. Mary watched as he began to teach. At first, she was proud, but then she became concerned. At one point, she and her other children had even tried to pull Him away from His itinerant ministry because they were afraid He had lost His mind. In spite of her early encounter with the angel Gabriel, Mary’s doubt in this situation was largely influenced by the doubt of her children and family. Joseph had died and her family was all she had. In fact, the only one in the family that didn’t have this fear was her sister in law Mary of Cleophas, who early on started using her business travels with Cleophas as a way to accompany and support the travels of her Nephew Jesus. Mary of Cleophas often told her sister in law of the amazing way that God was working. Shortly before Mary started to follow His ministry, He had called several men to follow His teaching and be His disciples. Among these were Simon and Andrew. They traveled with Jesus, and Mary of Cleophas had been there with them as their troupe ran into an old friend of Simon and Andrew, Mary Magdalene. When they encountered her, she was in a terrible state, being controlled by the demons who possessed her life. Simon and Andrew were heartbroken at this encounter. They told Jesus about what a wonderful person Mary had been and about the hardships she had survived. They questioned how God could allow this to happen. But rather than directly answer their question Jesus cast the demon out of Mary Magdalene’s life. It was at this point that Mary Magdalene began to follow and support the ministry of Jesus, and shortly thereafter Mary Magdalene and Mary of Cleophas were fast friends. When Mary heard the stories of what her son was doing, including stories like the change in Mary Magdalene’s life, it started to overcome the doubts, and she too began to see that what her son was doing was ordained by God. She began to believe in Him and to grow closer to both her sister in law, Mary of Cleophas and to Mary Magdalene. All three Mary’s were devoted to Jesus and so all of them were heartbroken when He was arrested, tortured and led to be executed on a criminal’s cross, but none was quite as devastated as His mother. No woman should have to see this happen to her son, even more so when He is totally innocent. The three women went to the foot of the cross. Mary, heartbroken over what was happening to her son, needed the support of the other Marys. They all needed each other. There from the Cross Jesus looked at His mother and His disciple John, and told John to take care of her as if she was His own mother. Shortly thereafter, Jesus cried out committing His spirit to God, He declared, “it is finished” and then died. The three Marys would have stayed to take care of His body, but the soldiers forced everyone away. It was their intent to kill the condemned men so that they wouldn’t be alive on the Sabbath, but were afraid that if the crowd watched it could cause a riot. Thankfully Joseph of Arimathea had enough clout to redeem Jesus’s body, or else His body would have been dumped into the trash heap in the valley of Gehenna, a place so terrible that its name was also used for hell. Joseph quickly wrapped the body for burial, and put it in his own tomb, but could not add the traditional spices and perfumes because the Sabbath was quickly approaching. With the Sabbath restrictions, the Marys could do nothing for Jesus’s body until the Sabbath was over on the first day of the week. As soon as they could, the women went to the tomb to anoint the body with the ritual spices. They arrived just as the sun was rising, unsure how they would get the tomb open, and uneasy about the inevitable smells from a body that had been dead for three days and three nights. When they got there they found the tomb already open. Jesus’s mother Mary and Aunt Mary stood there perplexed, but Mary Magdalene ran to find the disciples in a panic. She was sure that someone had stolen His body. A short time later the disciples and Mary Magdalene arrived. The disciples went in to inspect the empty tomb, but Mary stood outside weeping with the others. After inspecting the tomb, the disciples left to share the news with others, not fully understanding what was happening. The women, however, stayed at the tomb. Angels appeared to the women and said, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has arisen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” In her grief, the words of the angels had gone right past Mary Magdalene’s head. She then turned and saw Jesus, but in her grief she did not recognize Him and thought He was the gardener. She asked Him where He had taken the body so that she could go see it. Jesus then said her name, “Mary,” and at His voice she recognized Him and embraced Him in a hug. Jesus lovingly told her to let Him go as He was ascending to the Father. Mary now believed. Later that afternoon, Mary’s Husband Cleophas and another disciple were walking on the road to Emmaus. They were joined by Jesus, but did not recognize Him. Jesus asked what they were discussing and Cleophas told Him about the things that had happened to Jesus. Jesus then explained how everything that happened had fulfilled prophecies of the messiah. They still didn’t recognize Him until He lifted his hands to break the bread at the meal. The view of His nail pierced hands opened their eyes and they recognized Jesus, but then He disappeared from their sight. Over the next several days, Jesus appeared many times, in sealed rooms and open spaces, in public crowds and in small gatherings. The ones who treasured His appearances the most were likely the three Marys. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kevin Finkenbinder is the Pastor of First Baptist Church in DeWitt, Michigan since June 28, 2020. Pastor Kevin and his wife Amy have three children: Isaiah, Asa and Hannah. Pastor Kevin graduated from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has worked in University Student ministries. #JUNE21

by Nate Click MONROE, MI – Recently, one of my kids began driving his mother crazy in a new way. He will innocently start by asking her, “Mommy, what are you doing?” After she answers he always responds with the classic “Why?” Pray for her patience as this happens every five minutes (or less). While I hope that he eases up on my wife’s sanity, I can’t help but love his curiosity. Right about here I’m hoping you learn a lesson from my two-year-old and ask “why?” Because curiosity breeds creativity. Through the Bible, there are more than 2,500 questions with many of them being asked by God Himself. From the very first “Where are you?” in Eden to Jesus’ famous “Who do you say that I am?” God uses questions to help men to examine themselves and to cause them to turn their attention to the areas that need to be addressed. He channels their curiosity. As we develop curious minds, we should be curious in a few directions. Foundationally, we should be curious about the Word. Any of us who have engaged in basic hermeneutics were taught to ask questions of the text. This is the beginning of the process for creative teaching and preaching as well as continued spiritual growth. The questions that we ask of the Word of God shouldn’t stop with our reading of Scripture. Rather, that curiosity should be brought into our churches. Like me, you may have heard that the first words of a dying church are “but that's how we’ve always done it.” That’s not to say that we are not doing many good things. By asking questions about our programs, ministries, and methods, we can strengthen the good things that are being done while also identifying (and possibly eliminating) the things that are taking energy away from the mission of the church. And these questions open the door to creativity. A couple of years ago, I began to ask questions about how our church could do a better job at getting our message out digitally. This led to a few very successful social media campaigns and even discovering Google ad grants for non-profit organizations. (For those who are unfamiliar, Google offers ad grants for non-profit organizations including churches that can be used for up to $10,000 worth of advertising each month. Search “Google ad grants” if you’d like more information.) This came about from asking the question “what tools are out there?” Creativity came through curiosity. And this can bleed out into our communities and culture. We have some churches in our state that are doing incredible jobs in their neighborhoods. Most of their creative efforts started with a simple question like “what do our neighbors need?” The beautiful thing about this question is that each community will likely have a different answer and God has placed you where you are to help meet these needs. As you begin the journey of asking questions, some of them may be answered easily. But often, questions will breed more questions. And that’s okay, because questions breed creativity. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nate Click is the Lead Pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Monroe, MI. Before moving to Monroe, the Clicks have served in churches in Ohio, Tennessee, and California focusing on church technology and next generational ministries. He and his wife, Cindi, have four beautiful, young children. #JUNE21

by Coye Bouyer LANSING, MI – Words have incredible power, sometimes we forget just how much power spoken words actually have in and over our lives. A life-giving positive tongue creates a positive community, creating greater joy in one’s own life and within the life of their community. Proverbs 15:4 says, “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.” Here, Solomon is saying that your mouth possesses the power of medicine to bring back the life of its listener. However, just as gentle and soothing speech can rejuvenate and revive; harsh speech, coarse, callous or critical conversation from a mean mouth, possesses the power to crush or BREAK the MORALE (spirit) of its hearer. In a recent sermon series, I tried to remind myself and our church of how reckless words wreck, and how we must be careful to cautiously consider our conversation. So how about you today? Are you carefully calculated in your conversation. Are you tactfully taming your tongue, or are you tackily traumatizing others with it? Remember just as a mean mouth can crush the morale of another it is also true that your mouth can minister medicine. Think about it. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Coye L. Bouyer is the founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church in Lansing, MI. where he has served since March of 2010. Pastor Bouyer recently stepped into the Diversity Ambassador role for the BSCM and firmly believes that he was not only called to Preach the Gospel as part of the process of reconciliation of man to God, but also using any platform as a bridge of reconciliation of man to man, and even more so amongst the brethren. Pastor Bouyer and his lovely wife Keturah (Gen. 25:1) have been married four over 20 years and have four children; Sierra, Seth, Cayla and Coye II. #JUNE21

by Mick Schatz ROSCOMMON, MI – When I was in middle school and high school this seemed like an extremely important question (maybe for some it still is). My friends and I would have friendly arguments stating our opinions and justifying our choices with all the knowledge we had gathered from Popular Mechanics and other such magazines. Some of my friends were actually car junkies - enjoyed working on cars, knew how engines worked, and could fix various car problems. I knew nothing, but it did not matter I was a Chevy man because it was the best car or truck to own and that was fact! It’s funny to look back and realize ultimately whatever I could afford became my vehicle of choice. As a kid, divisive issues were questions like Coke or Pepsi, Jeans or Huskies, Dolphins or Buccaneers (I grew up in Florida), Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, and other great life altering questions which I am sure you could add your own. But, as an adult… Politics, religion, climate change, Dr. Seuss, sexual orientation, Covid, mask or no mask, ethnicity, hybrid or gas, hymns or songs, abortion, vegan or carnivore, social media and on and on. What does not divide us? Some of these issues are extremely important and deserve to be treated as such so I’m not trying to marginalize them. It just seems more things divide us than unite us. The culture is continuously flooding our senses with opinion and hyperbole. So how do we navigate these treacherous waters? How do we not drown in the tidal waves of rhetoric? Our culture says turn to psychology, social and political science to answer these questions. Even in our Christian culture timeless truths and Godly values are being jettisoned for more “modern” thought and ideas. We are being told to interpret and discern eternal truth through the lens of modern philosophies, theories and opinions. As Christians God’s Word is the lens through which we see, interpret and engage the world. God’s Word is the filter through which we sift every philosophy, theory and opinion to see if they hold true. We will never discern truth apart from the Bible and apart from Jesus’ Gospel we will never have reconciliation. Hopefully I’m not setting off any alarm bells that have not already sounded in your heart as a Christ follower. However, we must be vigilant… We must be vigilant in our God-given mission to share the Gospel and be ambassadors of reconciliation and peace. It’s easy to become so distracted and frustrated with the divisions in our world that we forget Jesus is truly the answer. He is sufficient for the whole of life, every sociological, psychological, economical, philosophical, and spiritual realm of our lives. Sin is the root of all our divisions-the number one divisive issue in all humanity-but Jesus is the remedy. On the cross, Jesus bridged the divide. Only the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, can redeem, restore, recreate and reconcile that which separates us from Him and each other. The human heart will never produce solutions to human division apart from Jesus. The answer is simple, living it out is the work. Don’t live in discouragement, defeat or frustration. Stay the course-live the mission-share the Gospel of Peace with a divided world. Jesus is sufficient! Now, I’m pretty sure my childhood friends are still Mopar fans, but that’s okay because they love Jesus so I’ll still follow them on Facebook. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake. #JUNE21

by BSCM staff PLYMOUTH, MI – The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) announced the hiring of Rev. Coye Bouyer as the BSCM’s Diversity Ambassador. Bouyer’s role will be to connect with ethnic pastors across the BSCM mission field, to encourage pastors in their ministry settings, and to be a bridge of communication between the BSCM and the state’s ethnic pastors. BSCM Executive-Director, Tim Patterson said, “I am thrilled to be serving alongside Coye in this ministry. I have found Coye to be a delightful and loving kind of leader.” In addition to the responsibilities laid out for Bouyer’s position, he has a list of personal goals that he hopes to accomplish. He says they include developing relationships, to embrace the diverse forms of worship and church across Michigan, and to be a bridge builder between the BSCM and the state’s minority churches. Tim Patterson announced the hiring in a letter to BSCM churches. The letter can be read in its entirety below. Dear BSCM Family, It is my privilege to introduce to you the newest member of the Baptist State Convention Staff. Rev. Coye Bouyer will serve as our new Diversity Ambassador for our state. I am thrilled to be serving alongside Coye in this ministry. I have found Coye to be a delightful and loving individual that passionately loves his Lord and his family. Coye also has a deep desire to be the kind of leader who can understand and communicate effectively with people from all walks of life, backgrounds and ethnicities. I see in Coye a wonderful and godly leader. His role and responsibilities will include but not be limited to: Serve as Diversity Ministry Ambassador for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan as directed by Timothy Patterson, BSCM Executive Director Connect with all Ethnic Pastors in the BSCM Mission field. Encourage pastors in their ministry settings across Michigan and express our appreciation for them. Share our 500 by 2025 vision with pastors and challenge them to join the movement. Point pastors to resources that are available, especially on our website and in the Baptist Beacon and other SBC resources. Explain the Cooperative Program and the power of our partnership to advance God’s Kingdom together and demonstrate the various methods used to contribute. Be a bridge of communication between our state offices and our ethnic pastors and leaders. Pastor Coye shared some of his aspirations in his new role: To Develop Relationships – I want to establish and develop relationships throughout our state with other minority pastors and leaders as well as their churches. To Embrace and be Embraced – Due to the diversity of the church body different churches have differing cultural norms, worship styles and ways of acceptance into their church communities. I hope to not only embrace the diverse ways of worship and dynamics of different churches but also be embraced by my brothers and sisters who are a part of them. To Become a Bridge-Builder – The ultimate goal is to become one who connects our Michigan Southern Baptist Minority Churches with our state office; it’s staff, it’s resources and its vision for Michigan Southern Baptist. As well, I would like to see the State office connect and build authentic and intentional relationships with our Southern Baptist Minority Churches and Ministries throughout Michigan. In this role I get the privilege of connecting two parties to each other, thus becoming a Bridge-Builder. I am so excited about Coye joining our team. I strongly encourage you to contact Coye and welcome him to the family. Rev. Timothy C. Patterson Executive Director Baptist State Convention of Michigan 41100 Plymouth Rd. Bldg. 1, Suite 315 Plymouth, MI 48170 Office: 810-714-1907 Cell: 904-408-9521 #APRIL21 #MAY21

by Trennis Henderson CLINTON, MS – Nursing is a demanding profession even in the best of times. Those demands have skyrocketed over the past year as nurses and other healthcare workers have selflessly served on the front lines in the war on COVID. Where do they turn for relief, renewal and encouragement? Among the many organizations seeking to respond to nurses’ personal and professional needs, one strikes especially close to home for many Baptist nurses – Baptist Nursing Fellowship. Established in 1983, Baptist Nursing Fellowship provides missions opportunities, continuing education and fellowship for Christian nurses and allied health professionals in the U.S. and on mission fields around the world. A longtime ministry partner with national Woman’s Missionary Union, BNF’s official mission is to “empower, educate and encourage nurses to fulfill Christ’s mission through healing skills.” As National Nurses Week is observed on May 6-12, BNF is focused on its two-year theme of “Touch Twice in Jesus’ Name.” Highlighting both the physical and spiritual impact that Christian nurses can make, that theme has become especially meaningful amid the global pandemic. The virus took a deeply personal toll on BNF members with the loss of BNF Executive Director Lori Spikes to COVID last fall. Spikes, a longtime Southern Baptist missionary to Chile, was a registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience in healthcare. She was elected as BNF’s executive director in 2018, just two years before her death. “We prayed through the whole thing that God would spare Lori,” reflected BNF President Debby Akerman. “He chose to heal her in heaven. “We miss her greatly,” Akerman added. “But we know that she's not saying, ‘Gee, I wish I were back there doing BNF.’ She's with the Lord. She served Him all her life.” Serving Christ by serving others That lifelong commitment to serving Christ by serving others is evident in the lives of nurses who have been involved in BNF over the years. From BNF founding president Dr. Ellen Tabor and charter member Melba Wilkerson to current president Debby Akerman and president-elect Deborah Bolian, leaders and participants have maintained a clear focus on making a missions impact for the gospel. Dr. Tabor, who passed away in 2019 at age 90, was actively involved in BNF throughout its history. In an interview during BNF’s 35th anniversary in 2018, she said her initial dream for BNF, “which we have kept the whole time, was that we would invite nurses who have a calling from God to use their nursing skills to advance His work whether in America or on the mission field.” For Melba Wilkerson, the opportunities to participate in mission trips and serve alongside fellow Christian nurses are key benefits of her BNF involvement over the years. “When you go on a mission trip, you can't ever be the same again because you see different cultures and meet different people,” she noted. “I've got friends from everywhere and I consider that a blessing that BNF has given me.” Wilkerson recently was honored as one of the inaugural Nightingale members of BNF, a designation honoring BNF members who are age 80 or older and have been involved in the organization at least 15 years. Affirming that “I think God has something great in our future,” Wilkerson said, “I just pray that as we do move forward that we’ll allow God to direct us and show us what we need to do to continue to have this mission. I think that nurses do need to understand that it's a calling.” Missions at the heart of BNF For BNF President Debby Akerman, missions is at the heart of the organization. As she and other BNF leaders met and strategized together, she said they agreed that “BNF would become the missions organization for nurses and allied medical caregivers.” Her goal, she added, is that “when people think BNF, they think missions.” Akerman noted that BNF membership ranges from current and retired nurses and medical missionaries to allied medical professionals, student members and honorary members. Looking to the future, she said one of her goals “is to see every Baptist college and university contacted and say, ‘If you want student nurses to be involved in missions, we've got an answer for you.’” In addition to recruiting Christian nurses, she said physical therapists, pharmacists, emergency medical technicians and other healthcare workers are welcome to join BNF and share their expertise with the group. “In all the medical teams I've ever been on, there's always been someone who said, ‘I just don't know what I'll be able to do,’” she said, “and there's something that comes along that only they can do. “We're going to be truly a missional nursing organization,” Akerman emphasized. “We need to make sure that our membership is discipled in missions as well. It will not be just, ‘Here's a missions opportunity. Let's go do it.’ It will be, ‘Let's understand this and come alongside our missionaries so that we meet their needs and the needs of the people.’” Seeking to maintain BNF’s ministry focus even amid social distancing, recent events have included an online continuing education event about telemedicine and the group’s first online virtual prayer meeting. While the pandemic has impacted travel and missions opportunities, Akerman said she is encouraging members to “identify the places you will go so that when this is done, you're ready. You have put the teams together in your heart and in your mind and they're ready to go.” Empowering nurses for missions BNF President-Elect Deborah Bolian, assistant professor of nursing at Mississippi College, will succeed Akerman as president during the group’s 2021 BNF Summit this fall. “My vision for BNF is to continue to empower nurses to be missionaries for Christ,” she affirmed. “I believe that God gave us that as a directive and He has given us the tools” to accomplish that goal. Bolian said her hope is that everyone involved in BNF “can have that joy of being able to go on a mission trip and serve Christ. I think that once you do that, you cannot dampen the fire that lights.” This year’s BNF Summit will be held Nov. 4-7 at the WMU Building in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information about BNF, visit www.baptistnursingfellowship.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Trennis Henderson is a freelance national correspondent for the Woman's Missionary Union. #MAY21

by Tom Bradley GRAND RAPIDS, MI – In the early 1900s a church planting movement went across the small, but growing city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Eventually a church was started, and a facility built in the densely packed working-class neighborhood on the northwest side of the city called Fair Haven. In a central place in the auditorium, they placed a beautiful stained-glass window with a Bible at its center to visualize their commitment to bring Jesus to the neighborhood and city. A number of years later, as is common in many American cities, the urban northwest side changed, and the church struggled to adjust. Fair Haven became a congregation in decline. Then a new freeway, I-131, was slated to divide the growing city, and Fair Haven was square in its path. Relocation now had to happen, but where? With the opportunity to have a fresh start, Fair Haven decided to move out of the city. A new facility was built, extra loans were made, but unfortunately the congregation continued to shrink. Eventually, to pay back the loans the congregation deeded the building back to the association, and a small remnant continued to meet there. Back on the urban West Side, the city sunk into a period of economic and cultural decline. Houses became slumlord apartments, and parks were a combination of rusty playground equipment, trash and broken glass. Schools overwhelmed and underfunded, struggled in a neighborhood saturated with drugs, alcohol, violence and brokenness. Westwood and church planting and CrossWinds In 1991 Merri and I felt like God was calling us to plant a church on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, called Westwood. We struggled to find a place to meet, and eventually wound up at a YMCA. After a few years, the association told us about a facility they could make available to us to use, and eventually buy. A small congregation met there called Fair Haven Baptist Church. Within a few years our church plant continued to grow, and Fair Haven dwindled and eventually disbanded. Westwood, a growing church plant, was now a vital part of a thriving, church planting movement helping to start many churches in West Michigan. Then our young youth pastor felt called to plant as well, called back to the urban neighborhood he grew up in. Some of the members went with him and in the joyful parting a new church was born in the city. For many years it struggled. It was not a three-year, self-sustaining start. It was blood, sweat, and tears. For years they clawed to get a foothold in the broken neighborhood. When temporary denominational funding dried up, Westwood continued supporting them, and Merri and I marveled, as we watched them love their neighbors. Many times, it came close to closing. But they never quit. They kept trying, and they saw the miraculous hand of God transforming lives in the darkest places of the city. They called themselves CrossWinds, they planted a second congregation, and a movement was growing. Over the years by the sacrificial example of CrossWinds, Merri and I began to see the need for church planting in the city. So, our ministry started drifting to the urban West Side. It started with a backyard bible club that morphed into a summer soccer program. Neighborhood kids, with nothing to do showed up. We met families, the schools pitched in, and a summer league developed. People were available, hungry, and looking for anything that would help their families, and the Church became present in the middle of the brokenness. It was like lighting a candle in the darkness. Full Circle As the needs and the opportunities became more apparent, I started talking with the CrossWinds team about planting a church in the Urban West Side. I would be happy to help facilitate, encourage, and possibly participate in some way to help get it started. But I really wanted to see it happen. After a couple of years, the CrossWinds team came up with a strategy for planting a church on the Urban West Side… it was me, they said, and I knew it. So, Merri and I moved from the quiet suburbs to the always-noisy West Side. We’re living next to drug dealers, 100 yards from a free health clinic, and loving it. We can walk to the place our church meets in the downtown West Side in a few minutes, while passing neighbors we know and love, and speak Jesus to on a regular basis. When we came, we brought back something with us. The stained-glass window with the Bible in the middle. It was important to a group of people nearly 100 years ago who believed they could make a difference in the city. We still believe that today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom and Merri Bradley planted CrossWinds West Side in Grand Rapids, Michigan three years ago. If you would like to learn more or receive their newsletter feel free to contact them at pastortom@windschurch.net. #MAY21

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – Now that I have your attention, let me tell you what led up to this situation and what eventually transpired. It was early on a Saturday morning and I was already extremely frustrated and stressed out. I truly thought that if I had the right equipment going solo on this job would be simple and easy. My confidence had been high, but alas, it soon became evident that my confidence lacked capabilities. Even though I had researched the matter on the internet and viewed several YouTube videos of others doing it, failure had reared its ugly head and my goal was doomed. I needed help and that would necessitate me asking someone. This is so humbling for a man who prides himself on being self-sufficient. A pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstrap’s kind of guy. A man’s man. A mister fix-it, Tool Man, I can do this by myself dude. Yet the reality was that I was in need. Some months back I purchased a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited as my daily driver and masculinity crisis vehicle. It is a wonderful ride and I truly love putting around in it. One of the reasons I purchased it was that I need to sell my two-seater convertible and get something I could more easily get in and out of without the risk of throwing out a hip. (Old age stinks!) Yet, I still wanted to be able to have the top down and enjoy the breeze in my hair (what’s left of it), and feel the sun on my face. I guess that desire is a leftover from my Florida years. So, I purchased a Jeep that has a removable top. The only problem is, that to remove it takes either a mechanical hoist or at least two individuals. Since it was only yours truly in the garage and no mechanical hoist in sight, I was in need of help. A situation in which I find myself more often than I want in my aging years. The fact is, that I am being forced to depend on others more and more as the months of the calendar are torn away from the others and put aside, to be discarded with the previous pages of life. I really don’t like the feeling this situation affords. It is humbling and at times down right humiliating. I have always been the one to help. Not the helpless. I have always been the one to do the heavy lifting for others in all areas of service and life. I have always been the one that others came to for help. Not the other way around. I have come to the realization that I can't do it all by myself and I need others. The truth is, we all need help. If not immediately, soon! We all need others. If this current pandemic has taught me anything it is that we need each other and when we learn to depend on one another, we are better for it. The truth is, mankind is needy. Why? Because we are a mess. That’s just a way of saying we are all sinners and corrupt to the core. “We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one.” If you are hurting and in need of help because of this sorry situation we are going through, I want to encourage you to reach out to those around you who know the transforming power of the Savior and ask for help. Yes, it can be humbling, but the fact is we are all in need in some way. Don’t let pride keep you from receiving the grace and provision He has for you. The family we call the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) has generously set aside funds to help those of our family who are suffering and in need because of the COVID-19 crisis. These funds were received through our State Missions Offering this past year and are for the express purpose of helping those adversely impacted financially during the pandemic. It has been my experience that those most in need are the ones who are least likely to ask for help, and this is especially true for pastors. I’m not sure of the reason, but could it possibly be you are accustomed to helping instead of being helped? Are you the one who others usually go to? Whatever the reason for your reticence, don’t miss out on the blessings that come from asking for and accepting a helping hand. I reached out for help and now I can gladly say that I can run around topless whenever I like. (For more information about the State Missions Offering Pandemic Relief Fund, please contact the BSCM Offices, info@bscm.org) 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. #MAY21

by Phyllis Harbaugh STERLING HEIGHTS, MI – “You’re going to have a baby!” I remember the excitement of bringing all three of my ‘bundles of joy’ home from the hospital to begin the journey of being a mom. I was 6 years old when my family went to a church service where my mother took my youngest baby sister to the altar, and the pastor prayed over her. When I asked my mom what that meant, she said she was giving her back to God. I wasn’t sure why she would do that, but as I grew up I learned what it meant as she prayed for us and taught us to trust God for everything. So, I started my “mother journey” by dedicating my babies to God, giving them back to Him. I promised God that I would raise them to know and trust Him, and asked Him to help me be a godly example in our home. Many times through the years I have had to give them to God again as life became hard and overwhelming. Each time, He reminded me that He loved them and had a plan for their life, and I would have to surrender my plan and my will for His. Every time He accomplished His will for them, and encouraged my faith and trust in Him. Every phase of their lives I found myself on my knees giving God permission to work in their lives, and to grant me wisdom to help them through all that life brought them. As I cuddled them as babies, listened to their problems as teenagers, and counsel them as women today, I am still confident that “He who began a good work in you (them) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 The greatest thing about being a mother is to know that my precious gifts from God are loved by the God of the universe. When we surrender them to Him, we have a peace and confidence that He will work all things for good in their lives. It’s never too late to commit your children to God and give Him permission to work in their lives. Love your children, pray for them, be a godly example. Proverbs 31:28 “Her children rise and call her blessed...” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Phyllis Harbaugh is a mother of 3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws, Gramma of 6 and wife of Pastor Herb Harbaugh, Sterling Heights, Michigan. #MAY21

by Erin Roach Editor’s Note: Sunday, April 25, is Cooperative Program Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention. MABANK, TX (BP) – When Southern Baptists tithe, the emphasis usually is on what they can give to support ministries throughout the world. But sometimes it’s worth considering what churches receive from the Cooperative Program. At Grace Community Church in Mabank, Pastor Michael Cooper explained how CP dollars that went out from his church circled back to benefit the congregation. “I would say that I am a product of CP. So in a sense, I owe a debt to those who have given,” said Cooper, a two-time graduate of Criswell College and a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. CP dollars support Criswell and Southwestern, among other entities. These schools educate leaders like Cooper, who was only 24 when Grace called him as pastor in 2013. Then the 13-year-old church had members with an average age of 70 and attendance around 30. “The group just loved the Lord. They were older saints, but they had a desire to grow spiritually and reach the community,” Cooper said. The Cedar Creek Lake area southeast of Dallas has hundreds of churches of various sizes, but finding a church that prioritizes the Gospel is not easy, Cooper said. “One of the things we’ve really tried to do here at Grace is to cultivate a focus on Gospel community both within the church and outside the four walls,” Cooper said. Grace Community has three core values to guide its focus: Christ-exalting simplicity, biblically faithful worship and family-oriented community. Cooper said in his first few years at the church, he led the congregation to a healthier culture primarily through preaching and small group discipleship. Church attendance reached 140 before COVID hit, and is currently averaging around 100. As the church gained some health, more people were saved and baptized. Last fall, despite the pandemic, the church paid off its debt. Now it’s in position to build a new sanctuary for the years ahead. “I’m convinced we’re at the precipice of really seeing good Gospel growth and Gospel transformation within our church but also within our community,” Cooper said. Mabank is projected to see a population increase during the next two years of 1,500 people, Cooper said, adding: “For us as a little rural town, that’s big time.” Much of that growth will be near Grace Community. “There are about 300 homes being built less than 500 yards away from our church,” Cooper said. “We already have plans in place to make sure we knock on every single one of those doors so that every person in that home receives a personal invitation to church and a personal invitation to come to Christ.” At Grace Community, the pastor envisions a funneling discipleship process where people start by attending a worship service and then go deeper by branching off into small groups. Beyond Sunday School and Wednesday nights, people can join Ladies of Grace or Men of Grace Bible studies offered on weekdays. The Ladies of Grace and Men of Grace ministries identify and cultivate gifts and train leaders for service. “For us, that is one of the identifying marks of discipleship, when our leaders are training up new leaders for various ministries,” Cooper said. Grace Community forwards 7 percent of its undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program and gives another 5 percent to its local Baptist association. “If a normative-size church like Grace Community Church can impact darkness all around the world through the Cooperative Program, then I’m going to support that,” Cooper said. “I’m thankful that our convention forwards 55 percent on to the Southern Baptist Convention. That’s one of the dominant reasons I love being a Southern Baptists of Texas Convention pastor – we believe in CP.” When Grace Community called Cooper as pastor, he remembers the search committee telling him they didn’t want to hire a pastor just to benefit from him; they wanted to be a blessing to that pastor. “I can say from that time to now, being 32, nearly eight years of pastoring a single church, I would not trade any of it for anything,” Cooper said, adding that he has done a lot of funerals of saints who laid the groundwork for the fruit that is visible now. The vision of Grace Community is not just something the congregation made up, he said. “It goes back to Jesus – to be a blessing to our community, to be a blessing to the nations, to see people come to know him, to be baptized, to be taught,” he said. “It ultimately goes back to the Great Commission. We’re called to something bigger than ourselves.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Erin Roach is a writer in Mobile, Ala. #MAY21