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by Matt Ward THOMSON, GA – 2020 has taught us many things, not the least of which is that Christians don’t have enough guidance for how to use social media. We like to think that we can say, “Christian, just be smart with social media,” but that’s not very helpful. And it hasn’t been very effective. There are only a few webpages that approach social media from a Christian perspective; our church thought there should be more. What follows is our draft of potential guidelines for what a Christian should consider when using social media. I’ve also included two additional lists: some of what the Bible has to say about communication, and some of what secular heavy hitters have to say about social media. Consider these guidelines as a starting point for a discussion in your church about how to help your members engage social media. We incorporated our church’s values into these guidelines; you could easily do the same for your church. Social media guidelines for churches We have access to far more people in the digital world than in our physical neighborhood. We should be using our social media presence and influence to engage our world with truth, hope, and the good news of Jesus Christ. In fact, with social media, we can think of the entire world as our neighbor! Most churches have websites, good tools for disseminating information. But social media – stories, pictures, observations – connects more strongly with more people. In using social media, we should remember two things. First, it is in the “as we go” part of our lives governed by Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Second, social media is communication. Everything the Bible says about communication is true of digital communication. Consider James 3:9-10: With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. We need to treat every tweet and post and pic with the same care and consideration as our face-to-face words. But it is not always clear how we should do that! Below is a proposal of social media guidelines, organized by obligation. But we should do it wisely We expect every church member to pay attention to all of these guidelines because we are all, first and foremost, ambassadors for Christ. And that comes with a high expectation from God Almighty Himself. Paul summarized in Philippians 2:14-16, Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. We have a high obligation to use social media with care and caution. Sadly, many Christians seem to think that God’s expectations for us as His children do not apply to our social media use! That’s simply not true. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Ward is the associate pastor at First Baptist Church Thomson. #FEBRUARY21

by Max Herr FRESNO, CA – Every year, churches need to approve housing allowances for eligible ministers as well as accountable reimbursement plans for their pastors and other employees. Many churches are still doing things incorrectly by giving their pastors undocumented auto allowances and improper reimbursements for personal health insurance. Income tax-free reimbursements for individual health insurance premiums were prohibited beginning January 1, 2014, with the full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. Churches can be fined up to $36,500 per year ($100/day) for violating this provision. However, beginning in 2020, changes to the Department of Labor and IRS regulations regarding Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plans now permit churches to adopt an Individual Contribution Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) which allows churches to reimburse employees for up to 100% of their insurance premiums as a tax-free benefit. The church must adopt a compliant plan document and cannot reimburse employees for health insurance premiums subsidized with Advance Premium Tax Credits obtained by purchasing individual health insurance through Covered California. Despite changes to tax law in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, many churches continue to provide pastors and other employees with a monthly auto allowance. These flat-dollar payments are given without requiring employees to keep track of and report their actual ministry miles to the church. When that is true, such allowances are known as nonaccountable reimbursement plans, and those plans were prohibited beginning January 1, 2018. All such payments under a nonaccountable reimbursement plan must be added to taxable income and reported on the employee’s Form W-2. The proper way to reimburse pastors and other employees for the business use of their personal auto is to adopt an annual accountable reimbursement plan. This requires a specific line item in the church’s budget and/or a resolution passed by the church Board of Directors or the church at-large authorizing such payments. Business use of one’s auto may be reimbursed at the rate of $0.575 per mile in 2020. That rate is being reduced to $0.560 in 2021. Commuter miles – driving between work and home – and other personal driving cannot be reimbursed. All miles must be strictly accounted for, and may be accomplished with a written log of ministry miles driven, starting and ending odometer readings and a description of the purpose of the trip. There are several smartphone apps for this purpose which simplifies the reporting process. Few pastors are provided with a church-owned parsonage for housing. Instead, most pastors must purchase or rent their homes. The Internal Revenue Code provides for the ability of ministers to receive a housing allowance as an income tax-free benefit. This privilege was upheld by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals when it ruled against the Freedom From Religion Foundation in early 2020, and it is unlikely to be overturned in the future – the decision was not appealed to the US Supreme Court. A pastor can receive up to 100 percent of his compensation as housing allowance. Note: SBC pastors who contribute a portion of their taxable income to the GuideStone Church Retirement Plan may later withdraw some or all their retirement funds as tax-free housing allowance. Normally, all pre-tax contributions to a qualified retirement plan are fully taxable when withdrawn. Senior pastors who contribute at least $50 per month to their GuideStone retirement account, and whose churches contribute at least $50 per month through CSBC for the Cooperative Program, also receive the GuideStone Protection Benefit at no additional cost. However, for a church to provide housing allowance to its pastors or other ministers, it must also specifically provide for this in its annual budget and/or pass a resolution authorizing such payments. The allowable allowance is the lesser of the minister’s actual housing expense, including mortgage payments, utilities, property taxes, maintenance, insurance, and even replacement of household furnishings, or the fair rental value of the home as a furnished, utilities-paid residence. The church should provide the minister with a worksheet to calculate his/her permissible allowance in advance. Although the amount of housing allowance may be adjusted at any time during the year, it CANNOT be granted retroactively – a minister cannot say to the church in December, “I should have received $25,000 of my compensation as housing allowance this year.” Housing allowance may only be approved prospectively. Finally, the IRS introduced a new Form W-4 in 2020. Existing employees were not required to submit the form in 2020. But any new or existing employee who did not submit a new W-4 to the church in 2020 must do so in 2021. The new W-4 has worksheets designed to more accurately determine the number of tax exemptions a taxpayer may claim to avoid being underwithheld for the year. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Max Herr is the ministry specialist for Human Resources and Church Compliance for the California Southern Baptist Convention.Used with permission from CSBC.org. #FEBRUARY21

by Tim Steele ROSEVILLE, MI – One of the oldest Southern Baptist Churches in Michigan has a new name! Antioch Baptist Church in Roseville, Michigan has changed its name to “The Studio Connection, Home of Cross Waves Church.” This name change continues this church’s rich history of starting churches. Antioch Baptist started in 1934 as a store front on Van Dyke in Detroit, MI. Through the years, Antioch Baptist started Bethel Baptist Church, Central Baptist Church and the Juneau Alaska Church. Now the church will become the home base for starting house churches across North America. Antioch Baptist was one of three churches that started the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Over the last couple years this small history-filled church has been on a fascinating journey. It started when Tim Steele, the pastor of Cross Waves Church, transitioned from their interim pastor to their pastor. For the last couple of years, the weekly Bible Talks that Cross Waves streams to their home groups have been taped live at the church on Sunday mornings. So after a couple of years of these two churches working together, they have made the move more permanent even though The Studio Connection and Cross Waves Church will remain as two separate legal entities. The name change accomplishes the following: To create a new priority in mission. How these two churches share core values. The idea of a neighborhood church with a national outreach. To avoid confusion on how these two churches share the same facility. To serve as a de facto relaunch for this ministry. The Studio Connection builds upon the past of Antioch Baptist Church and looks forward to another fruitful 86 years of ministry for Jesus Christ. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Steele is the founding and Discipleship Pastor of Cross Waves Church, a house church network, and pastor of The Studio Connection in Roseville, MI. He is married to Terri, and has two adult children and one granddaughter. Tim speaks and writes on discipleship and is also a traveling stand-up comedian. #JANUARY21

by Rick and Cindy Truesdail GRAND BLANC, MI – Amidst the confusion of what to do, when to do, and how to do work projects and fellowship opportunities while dealing with COVID restrictions and using safety measures, Michigan Campers on Mission is continuing to seek ways to connect and continue their mission. The most recent event was a New Year’s party on Zoom. We set a date and time to meet, sent out the invitation link at the time of the party, and several MI COM members were able to log in and join the virtual party. We had a fun time, laughing and sharing together as we reflected on 2020 and how God brought us through. We answered a few trivia questions, talked about a few humorous pictures that reflected 2020, and found out who was naughty for peeking at gifts early, re-gifting, hiding candy for our own selves, etc. We have a few naughty ones in our group. A Zoom party does not replace personal contact, it was exciting that we were able to join in from various states. COM Chaplain, Pastor Chip Collins, shared from Philippians 3 with us, encouraging us to press on toward the mark in the new year. He and Suzie were traveling home from visiting family in North Carolina for the holiday. Gayle Jones blessed us with a couple of songs, ending with “Go Tell it on the Mountain”, which instructs us to continue sharing Christ in 2021. Pastor Tim Jones and Gayle are on mission in Missouri, so it was great they were able to join the party. It was exciting to meet newer MI COM members via Zoom, and their children and little fur-baby. COM Region 4 Representatives, Don and Jan Kragness, were able to speak with us from Illinois. It was a great time! We covet your prayers as we make plans to work and evangelize in 2021, knowing that some of them may be cancelled due to restrictions. Regardless, we are moving forward to continue “Sharing Christ as We Go.” ABOUT THE AUTHORS Rick and Cindy Truesdail have been married for 27 years. Together they have 5 children and 14 grandchildren. During their early years together, they worked as leaders of a Single Adult Ministry. Rick is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a licensed SBC minister. He served as Associate Pastor with a Spanish-speaking church in Flint for 10 years and Cindy served as the Pastoral Assistant. They are currently active members at Heritage Baptist Church, Grand Blanc, and are eager to work with Campers on Mission in their retirement. #JANUARY21

by Trennis Henderson LUMBERTON, NC – Washing piles of muddy clothes and cleaning bathrooms may not sound like the most glamorous missions project available, but it’s a labor of love for Woman’s Missionary Union volunteers from Robeson Baptist Association in Lumberton, North Carolina. Working behind the scenes at the Baptist Rebuild Center in Lumberton, women from several area churches regularly do laundry; put fresh mattress covers on rows of bunk beds; clean sinks, showers, and commodes; sweep and mop floors; and sort and deliver donated food items. The Rebuild Center, a ministry of North Carolina Baptists on Mission, is equipped to house and feed up to two hundred volunteers from across the state and beyond. The volunteer teams continue to help area residents rebuild from two devastating hurricanes that hit the region: Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018. “As the volunteers would come, we wanted it to be a clean, inviting, comfortable place for them,” explained Deborah Taylor, president of WMU of North Carolina. She noted that the volunteers typically work long hours removing moldy insulation; installing new wiring, plumbing, and roofing; hanging drywall; and painting. Taylor, whose husband Alan is the mission strategist for Robeson Baptist Association, contacted area churches and WMU groups about adopting the laundry and cleaning ministry. “We saw that there were people who were trained a lot better than me in painting and pulling insulation out of houses and rebuilding those floors,” Taylor said. “But they still needed food, they still needed their clothes washed, especially after being out in the field all day and coming in with the mud. And so I called and asked our ladies, ‘How about if we do this?’ . . . I felt like that was the little bit that we could do.” MINISTRY OFFERS ENCOURAGEMENT That “little bit” has grown into a well-organized ministry that involves various WMU groups taking responsibility for laundry and cleaning duties on different days of each month. The rebuild teams put their dirty clothes in bags that the WMU volunteers collect. As they wash, dry, and fold the loads of laundry, they also attach thank you notes and Bible verses to the bags and pray for each of the workers. “We knew that they were gone all day working,” Taylor pointed out. “It’s a joy to see when they come back in and pick up their clean laundry and read those Bible verses and be encouraged through that too.” Amid all the projects the volunteers tackle at the Rebuild Center, “the laundry has kind of become our home,” Taylor said. “I believe that God has given each of us gifts and that we use those gifts at different times in different places. “I’ve tried to help our youth and our ladies to see that when we’re washing those clothes, we may not know who José is, or who Jimmy is, or James, or where they have been,” she added, “but we know that they have been in touch with someone from our community, someone who had a need.” Jay Baugham and his wife Ashley have served since spring 2019 as the site coordinators at the Baptist Rebuild Center in Lumberton. While they often host hundreds of volunteers each month, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly reduced those numbers this year. Volunteers still are needed to help complete extensive repairs due to hurricane-related devastation ranging from roof damage to massive flooding. As they coordinate logistics on behalf of volunteer teams, “one of the great partnerships that we have locally is the WMU,” Baugham affirmed. “They play a big, key role in how the Rebuild Center can actually run and operate. . . . They’re open and flexible to doing whatever is needed. “Our focus here at the Rebuild Center is to house volunteers, churches, just really any organization that would want to come and work,” he explained. As workers are oriented and assigned to dozens of work sites throughout the area, “we get to see hands-on how God can work in these volunteers.” SHARING THE GOSPEL IS MAIN GOAL Beyond the coordination and construction, Baugham emphasized that the ministry’s primary goal is sharing the Gospel with the families they serve. Workers at each job site pray with the homeowners and pray for their house and community so that when the crew leaves, the family continues to feel the presence of God in their home, he said. “We’ve seen some families come to Christ just because of the volunteers that come down and pour into their lives and do what they need,” he reflected. “It’s just been amazing to see.” Betty Britt was among the recipients of the Rebuild Center’s ministry as three volunteers worked to replace a damaged, leaky shower in her bathroom. “I had tried to do as much as I can on my own,” she noted, “but I could not put in a shower stall.” Acknowledging that she “had given up hope” before she got a call from the Rebuild Center, Britt said, “It’s just wonderful to see the Lord working. There are so many people involved and you can see the Lord working in them. It’s just been such a blessing.” Another major project the Baughams have coordinated through the Rebuild Center is distributing USDA “Famers to Families” produce boxes. Each week, the center’s parking lot is abuzz with activity as staff and volunteers load hundreds of boxes of fresh produce into waiting trucks and vans. Area churches and organizations, in turn, distribute the fruit and vegetables to people in their communities who are stuck at home due to COVID restrictions or other limitations. “It’s just amazing to be able to see the churches’ stories when they come back to us,” Baugham noted. He said each of the volunteers is able to pray with the recipient and ask if the church can assist with any other needs. “It helps that church and that homeowner connect,” he said. INVOLVEMENT MAKES SPIRITUAL IMPACT As ministry efforts from shower repairs to produce boxes to personal witnessing opportunities multiply across the hurricane-scarred region, WMU members have the satisfaction of knowing that their behind-the-scenes involvement is helping make a spiritual difference. “You know, there’s no glory in cleaning bathrooms, but here it has actually been a glorious thing,” said Sara Lovett, a member of Robeson Association’s WMU leadership team. “It’s been a blessing that we could all come together and do this kind of work together to help others.” Along with the laundry and cleaning ministry, WMU members also help coordinate an annual Christmas toy store for hundreds of needy children, and often deliver fresh milk and other donated items to senior citizens and an area children’s home. Sandra Terry, assistant WMU director at Great Marsh Baptist Church in St. Pauls, noted that as volunteers visit with recipients, “we ask them if they need prayer, minister to them if we can, encourage them as much as we can. Sometimes just a smile helps in the long scheme of things.” “I don’t think my life would be the same without WMU,” Deborah Taylor reflected. “WMU always wants people to be on mission—to be radically involved in the Great Commission.” Describing WMU’s ongoing partnership with the Lumberton Rebuild Center as “a natural fit,” she said their motivation is clear: “If we’re doing it for God and for His glory, we want it to be the best that it can be.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Trennis Henderson is a freelance national correspondent for the Woman's Missionary Union. #JANUARY21

by Bob Kiger PLYMOUTH, MI – Bob Kiger, Michigan Disaster Relief Director, was asked about both his 2021 vision for Disaster Relief (DR) efforts with Michigan volunteers and practical ways for people in Michigan churches to get involved. What is the most distinctive thing about participating with Disaster Relief? KIGER: "The most distinctive thing about participating with Disaster Relief is the fact that you are part of a larger organization that is recognized around the world as being one of the largest trained volunteer disaster relief efforts." Why do you think a wide variety of people in churches love to participate in Disaster Relief? What do you think is their reward? KIGER: "I think we have so many church members volunteer because deep in their heart they want to help their fellow man, especially when someone is suffering, and Disaster Relief is an organized effort that they can join and do just that. Most feel their reward is Jesus’ command 'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.' Matthew 25:40" What are your hopes for Michigan Disaster Relief in 2021? KIGER: "Because 2020 was such a different year, in 2021 I am looking forward to all our volunteers being healthy and able to assist in disaster callouts. We have had to cancel trips because of health issues, and even postponed training. We will continue to provide support to disaster victims in Michigan and across the country. We will add additional training opportunities around the state to prepare new volunteers. We will also train additional chaplains which are becoming more in demand during these times." What are the major ways that DR teams help people in crisis? KIGER: "The most obvious way that DR helps is in the physical recovery effort. Whether it is a tornado, hurricane, flood, or fire, we help them recover their property that is salvageable, and then we prepare their house, so it is ready to be remodeled or rebuilt. But this is only the physical. The most important help we give is the spiritual compassion that we share. Disaster victims need to know God still is in control and He has not forgotten them. This is why we need to add more chaplains that can fellowship with homeowners while volunteers work on their homes." What kind of travel, lodging and meals are set up for the DR volunteers that go to help in a crisis? KIGER: "DR teams travel as a group in DR supplied vehicles, and house in churches on the way if it takes more than one day to arrive. Once the team arrives at the disaster area, volunteers are housed in a local church. They must take their own bedding (cots, air mattresses, etc.). During a response to a disaster, a feeding team will be housed at the church and will feed not only the DR volunteers, but in some cases, the public too if it is a major disaster." What are the steps someone needs to take to participate with DR? KIGER: "For those that are interested in joining DR, you must attend Basic Training which is offered throughout the year. Different Unit Training is offered depending on someone’s personal preference. Training is offered in Flood Recovery, Chainsaw and Feeding. You can be trained in all three if desired. Once someone has been trained and has participated in a disaster callout, they can then be trained as a Chaplain." If someone wants to develop a DR team in their own church, how can you help them? KIGER: "The best way for a church to establish a team of their own is to attend Basic Training and then decide which Unit they are interested in forming. They will then be trained in that discipline and participate in a callout with experienced volunteers and then they can respond to any future callouts as a team." What is one of your most memorable moments you experienced during 2020? KIGER: "The floods in the Midland area were such a devastating event that affected so many people. The Michigan DR team spent several weeks helping homeowners recover from the damage. As we were in the middle of responding, governmental agencies were contacting us and asking what they should be doing, and how they could help us. This was so rewarding because we were recognized for the knowledge and skill that our volunteers possess. Our volunteers don’t look for recognition, but when they are noticed, they know they are doing what God has asked them to do." The latest 2020 national Disaster Relief numbers are in from President/CEO Ronnie Floyd, SBC Executive Committee. Southern Baptists have the third largest disaster relief organization in America, only following the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Through the ministries of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief: 753,977 meals prepared for survivors of national disasters 668,687 hours of work were given by volunteers 7,975 recovery jobs were completed by volunteers, which includes chainsaw jobs, as well as flood, fire, and debris removal 6,813 Gospel presentations were made 875 people made the decision to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord Michigan Disaster is a part of these national numbers. Won’t you volunteer and join Michigan Disaster Relief in 2021? There are a lot of hurting people that need your help. For more information about Michigan Disaster Relief, visit bscm.org/dr or contact Bob Kiger at bob@bscm.org. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Kiger became a Christian at age 12. He and his wife Rose have been married for 46 years, have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. Bob retired from Ford Motor Company as a Senior Partner and then began using his talents in Disaster Relief efforts all around the nation. Bob is the Director of Michigan Disaster Relief. #JANUARY21

by Stan Parker LANSING, MI – The Michigan African American Fellowship (MAAF) joined forces with Samaritan's Purse to participate in Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box gift giving. Some of the youth within the MAAF churches took on the project, and began filling shoe boxes with gifts for children. These shoe boxes will be shipped all around the world. The mission behind the shoe boxes goes far beyond just giving material gifts. They will also serve as tools for evangelism, discipleship, and multiplication. Each year children in need around the world are recipients of these shoe box gifts. Michigan African American Fellowship has used the project to teach their kids about giving and evangelism. Many of the boxes contained special messages of the salvation of Jesus Christ, Christian tracts, or personal testimonies from some of the youth who packed the boxes. In the past, reports have been given where some of the children received Jesus Christ as their Savior, and began to share their testimony with other children in their villages or towns. The material gifts bring happiness to many of the children, however, the spiritual gift of receiving Jesus Christ brings everlasting joy for now and throughout eternity. We have had missionaries from Michigan travel to other countries, and are told how the shoe box gift giving has caused a life changing impact on not just the children who receive the shoe boxes, but also their parents. Our youth were so excited this year to participate, they have requested to take on this project again in 2021. They have already begun making plans to make the project bigger next year. Jacob, one of the youth, stated that the Christmas Mission project helped him focus on the real meaning of Christmas. He believes it is important for us to give to others since Jesus gave Himself for us all. Giving to others is a great way to model what Jesus did for all of mankind. We must never lose focus on the fact the very best gift was not found in a shoebox, but a manger. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr Stan Parker, Pastor of Faith Fellowship Baptist Church Lansing, current President of the Michigan African American Fellowship, and married to Charlotte. #JANUARY21

by Staff PLYMOUTH, MI – January 2021 officially kicks off a five year emphasis for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM). The BSCM has set a goal of a total of 500 churches across the state convention. There are currently about 300 churches in the BSCM so to meet the goal nearly 200 churches will need to be added over the next five years. Those additions will come through starting new churches, or through existing churches joining the state convention. There are five themes the BSCM will emphasize in leading up to 2025. They are; praying, thriving, equipping, engaging, and celebrating. The emphasis for 2021 will be prayer. The BSCM believes a foundation of prayer needs to be laid before anything else can be done. BSCM Executive-Treasurer Tim Patterson says, “We believe that when we pray and gather together, God can do great things.” The first step in gathering Michigan churches to pray is what the BSCM is calling “Champions of Prayer.” “Champions of Prayer” are leaders in each congregation who will commit to be the contact point in each church for the mission to pray. State convention staff will provide these leaders with the tools and encouragement to inspire believers to ask God to give Michigan more churches. The BSCM theme for most everything they do is “Punching Holes in the Darkness.” They believe that the more churches there are stretched across Michigan, the more light will pour across the state, and the more holes will be punched into the darkness. Patterson adds, “When you have healthy people and healthy churches, you are going to have a healthy community.” BSCM unveiled this video to share their vision for reaching the state over the next five years. If you would be interested in becoming one of Michigan’s “Champions of Prayer”, or you know someone who would be a strong advocate for prayer in your church. Click this link to sign up. #JANUARY21

by Dr. Michele White INKSTER, MI – Two years ago, God allowed me to experience a milestone birthday. The big 5-0! Since my birthday was at the end of the year in December, I decided to set a physical fitness goal for myself. I wanted to run/walk 50K before I turned 50. I vividly remember my first race. It was a very crisp morning that captured my breath by making circles in the air. Due to the cold, I was dressed from head to toe in winter attire. As the race began, I became immediately distracted. I began noticing the droves of people passing me. I remember feeling like a hamster on a wheel, not progressing like everyone else. I was also becoming overheated because I had put on way too many layers of clothing. During the race, I had to slow down to remove my heavy coat. Praise God that I finished that first race. Now, fast forward to my last and final race held in December, when the weather was quite cold. I came prepared very differently than my first race. I had minimal layers of clothing, and remember being quite uncomfortable at the start of the race due to the frigid temperature. However, as I began to run, two amazing things happened. As I ran, I understood that if I kept looking forward, the finish line would be within my eye’s view. I was so fixed on the finish line that I did not pay attention to anyone running in front of me or in back of me. Also, as I ran, I became quite comfortable having the minimal layers of clothing. In Hebrews 12:1-2, we see a very similar picture in God's Word. God has given us amazing encouragement, and instructions on how to live daily. This particular passage is a rich theological gold mine that I encourage you to dig further and mine for Biblical treasures. In Hebrews 12:1, God is telling us to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race set before us. The word encumbrance here means anything that hinders you from running the race. Earlier, I mentioned that I was uncomfortable starting the race because I had laid aside my heavy clothing. In our Christian walk, the same thing occurs. At the start of where God calls us to begin the race, we want to hold on to all of our “heavy clothing”. We want to hold on to our own knowledge, our education, our titles, etc. Sometimes our pride in these areas can be the very sin that entangles us, and prevents our endurance because we become self-reliant and not God-reliant. Have you ever looked at the clothing that marathon runners wear? They wear the lightest articles of clothing, so that they are not hindered in their running. For my Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) brothers and sisters, today is an opportunity to become uncomfortable and let God direct your race path. In verse 2, we are told to fix our eyes on Jesus. Wherever God has called you to be in the race, you are to fix your eyes on Jesus and not pay attention to the race of others who are before you or after you. If your eyes are so fixed on Him, your peripheral vision becomes blurred and you can’t pay attention to those things that hinder your focus on Him. Now that we are in 2021and your race is before you, the question is……..What are you laying aside in 2021 to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, as you run your race? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Michele White currently serves in leadership as a Deaconess, Finance Chair and Praise Team member at Middlebelt Baptist Church in Inkster, MI. She resides in Ypsilanti, MI and is married to her best friend Paul for 27 years. They have 5 children and 1 grandchild. Dr. White is a licensed Psychologist and Counselor and is the owner of WBC Counseling in Ann Arbor, Flint, Southfield, and Livonia. #JANUARY21

by Harold Raymond DUNDEE, MI – If you ever wondered how God calls people into a new ministry, here’s one example. Late one Saturday, about 11:30 pm, our phone rang. It was one of the teenage girls who attended a Bible Study I taught. She was crying and it took me a minute to understand why. Her little country church was going to be without a Pastor the next morning because their sixth Pastor in four months had just quit. I told her I would be praying for her church. "You don't understand," she said, "I was thinking you would do a great job if you came and preached." "No!” I said. “I’m too young, just a college kid.” "No?" she said through a big sob. “Please!” "Like I said, I'll be praying for you, but, well, I've never preached to adults before, just kids." Through new tears, she said, "Oh, please help us. I don't know anyone else to call." How could I say no? Especially when I finally prayed and said, "Lord!" I really meant, "Lord, who can I call to help them?" I didn’t hear any spoken answer from the Lord, but before I hung up, I told the girl I would be there in the morning . . . and the morning came quickly! I barely had time to be nervous as I prayed, worked on a message, and tried to sleep. When the service started, three old men in the back pew kept talking, and ignoring everyone else. I was used to working with kids, so naturally I asked the three men if they would listen with everyone else. Little did I know that they were the three life-time Deacons who ran the church. My words caused one man that I met later to tell me what his first thought was when I asked the Deacons to pay attention. "That will be our seventh pastor in four months! They might even stop the service and kick him out right now." But they didn't, and I made it through a pre-printed order-of-worship, complete with the prayers typed out in their bulletin. I read their prayers, but prayed my own words afterwards. When the service finally ended, I was expecting the three Deacons to meet me before I stepped down from the pulpit, but the Deacons couldn't get past the three old Grannies heading up the aisle toward me, all three of them shaking their pointing fingers at me. I was looking for a back door and quick escape, but the first Granny surprised me. "It's about time someone prayed in this church!" she shouted. The other two Grannies echoed her, "We want you to be our Pastor." This wasn't just a surprise. I was in total shock! In one year, I would graduate from college to become a high school teacher, and I had never even considered being a pastor. I figured the only way to escape was to stall them by telling them I would pray about it, and hoping they would change their minds. But, yes, I promised to return the next Sunday because I knew it would be impossible to get someone for them on such short notice. The scary part was, even the three Deacons asked me to come back. How about you? Has God ever surprised you, and called you to new service to Him when you weren’t expecting it? There’s a simple solution to these fears. Trust Jesus and step out in faith. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Harold Raymond serves as Pastor of Dundee Baptist Church in Southeastern Baptist Association. God is still using him in the Pastorate 49 years after the miracle that happened in this article. #JANUARY21

by Billy Walker SOUTHGATE, MI – If you rated the past year of 2020 - on a scale of 1 (being the worst year ever) to 10 (it was covered with awesome sauce) - what kind of a rating would you give it? Thinking that probably most of you are not going to be giving this year high marks, and rightfully so. We did this exercise in church a couple years ago. While there are always those on the extreme high or low end, the average – even in a normal year - was just over a 6, definitely room for improvement. Thinking if we took the average of all those reading this, it would be considerably lower than that. Here’s the question; is it possible to have a year that gets a 10, and even of more importance, is there any way to have a serious rebound from this past year? Now let's be honest, some of you could win the Billion-dollar Powerball Lotto and you still wouldn't rate the year a 10 because it's just not in your nature to give too much credit to anything or anyone! And hey, money doesn't make you happy (at least that's what everyone without a lot of money says.) Also… parenthetically, I have bought Powerball Lottery tickets. Maybe we will cover this at another time - but I wanted you to know, I only bought one $2 ticket, did not wait in any line, and my criteria is it has to be more than 1 billion dollars to make it worth my time. Okay, back to the regularly scheduled article. But what if we just went on the premise that we'd like to improve on the rating we gave this past year. We'd like to take 2021 up a notch or two. I know, I know, “How can it get any worse?” Here’s the deal, regardless of the circumstances that led us through a year of isolation, disconnection, closures, cancelations, and loss without a plan, human nature will pull us in the same direction unless we are purposeful to make it different. You have heard of ‘atrophy.’ It’s what happens in your garage or basement after about 6 months – all of a sudden you are surprised by the mess you have on your hands and you have to prioritize cleaning it up. Doctors tell us it is what happens with any type of hospital stay. After one week, even healthy college students lose a high percentage of their muscle capacity. Why? Atrophy. First of all, we have to BELIEVE that it can happen. This sounds so common and cliché, but Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 23:7 that “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!" We BECOME what we BELIEVE! Doesn’t it stand to reason, if we go into this new year already concluding that it will NOT be better than the last, there's a pretty good chance it won't be. However, if we start to believe that the next 52 weeks will be better in every way than what was, your mind begins to move you down the path to make it happen! We often say "I'll believe it when I see it!" Unfortunately, we have difficulty coming to grips with the fact that seeing isn't believing, but believing is seeing. Second thing we then need to do is change the BEHAVIOR to accommodate the BELIEF! This involves BREAKING and BECOMING! There were certain things you did last year, things you experienced, you were part of and they held you back from making your year better than it was. While much of it was out of your control, some of it was by choice. What are those things, and can you begin the process of breaking away from them, and not allowing that to happen again this year? Hebrews 12:1 tells us “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.” It could be a habit you developed that you need to remove. A time waster you’ll have to get rid of. Maybe even a relationship that you have that is toxic to becoming all God wants you to be (maybe your relationship to the 24/7 news or social media? I know, now I’m meddling)! On the positive side of the ledger, what are the things that you need to BECOME so that what you BELIEVE will happen? Just like we develop negative traits that need to be removed, we have to develop positive traits to be improved! Then narrow down those traits. You have 12 months ahead, so what can you do on a monthly basis, a weekly basis, and a daily basis to BECOME the best you. Praying for God’s blessing is first and foremost, but then taking steps in the direction He desires for you to head is next. Putting feet to our faith is always a high priority with a God who is pleased and moved by that (Hebrews 11:6). The BELIEF that God can has to be accompanied by the BEHAVIOR that God will! BELIEVE it, then BEHAVE like it by BREAKING AND BECOMING! 2020 has been a year filled with changes and challenges; there is no way to minimize its effect on all of us. But let’s not just presume that the coming 12 months will be better – let’s pray as if it all depends on God and then work as if it all depends on us, believing that the Holy Spirit will lead us to becoming the best we can be in 2021. Praying with you to that end. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rev. Billy Walker is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Church in Southgate, MI, the Vice President of the Billy Walker Evangelistic Association and a leader with the Church Strengthening team for the BSCM. He and his wife Laurie have two daughters and are lifetime residents of the downriver area. #JANUARY21

by NAMB staff ALPHARETTA, GA – With nearly every aspect of life and ministry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) adjusted its priorities to ensure that the mission of sharing the gospel would move forward. In the face of the challenges brought on by travel restrictions, economic shutdowns and church closures, NAMB took financial steps to support missionaries and keep them on the field while they served and shared the gospel with their neighbors through church planting and compassion ministry. Evangelism initiatives continued through Who’s Your One, and NAMB provided resources designed to help pastors in the area of leadership and evangelism. The International Mission Board (IMB) and NAMB announced in February that they would coordinate compassion ministry efforts through Send Relief. A few short weeks later the COVID crisis generated needs in North America and around the world (See related Send Relief 2020 highlights story). Thousands of NAMB-endorsed chaplains also stepped into much needed ministry spaces as spiritual and physical needs increased during the pandemic. Send Network With the obstacles brought on by the pandemic, NAMB’s priority centered on supporting church planting missionaries to make sure they were able to stay on the field and help newly-planted churches weather the crisis. For both established and new churches, for pastors and church planters, NAMB produced a number of webinars and other resources to help leaders adjust to the new normal. A number of churches launched in 2019 embodied the principles of Send Network, NAMB’s church planting arm, and embraced the challenges posed by COVID, sharing the gospel and serving their communities. As New York City became the epicenter for COVID-19 in the United States, Send Network church plants were on the front lines serving communities that were hardest hit. Churches also took opportunities to serve in Denver, New Orleans, Phoenix and across North America as the disease spread and needs increased. The Send Network also deepened its relationship with Southern Baptist state convention partners, including the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey and the launch of Send Network Oklahoma. NAMB also joined New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to develop a church planting center on their campus. For churches seeking to launch in 2020, the pandemic made it difficult if not impossible for many, especially in major cities. Many new churches were planted, however, and Send Network assessments and orientation transitioned to a virtual format so that hundreds of missionaries could continue entering the pipeline and prepare to launch new churches in 2021. Evangelism and Leadership To assist with evangelism on and around college campuses, NAMB announced the hiring of Paul Worcester as its national director of collegiate evangelism. Worcester will serve alongside Shane Pruitt, NAMB’s executive director of next gen evangelism, and work through on- campus and church-based ministries. NAMB also began a partnership with Will Mancini to make Next Step Leader available to pastors. Next Step Leader is a proven process that helps pastors increase their leadership capacity and enables them to maximize their church’s evangelistic effectiveness. The Who’s Your One evangelism emphasis marked its first anniversary in February after the initiative launched in cooperation with J.D. Greear, current Southern Baptist Convention president and pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh, N.C. While the pandemic caused a number of Who’s Your One Tour events to be postponed, several were conducted safely in the late spring into the early fall. To help with churches that may have been struggling financially, NAMB also offered free evangelism kits to pastors and churches. One of NAMB’s first events of the year was the official launch of the Timothy + Barnabas Institute (TBI), a two-year coaching and mentoring program for pastors. The TBI launched ahead of one of the more turbulent years in recent memory, and several participants said the timing was providential. Along with the TBI, NAMB hosted several Timothy + Barnabas Retreats, a getaway designed to encourage and instruct pastors in their gospel ministry. Replant Churches that were struggling to stay afloat before the pandemic encountered significant challenges when the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their doors. Many wondered whether or not they would ever be able to reopen again, but NAMB’s Replant team helped a number of churches find their feet again. Mark Clifton, the senior director of Replant at NAMB, and his team were able to host their annual Replant Summit in-person in the Kansas City area. In August, a group of experienced practitioners shared what they had learned during the process of replanting and revitalizing struggling or dying congregations. The Replant team also maintained a Replant cohort designed to encourage and equip pastors to stay strong and avoid burnout during the season of COVID-19 and beyond. Chaplaincy In the early days of the pandemic Southern Baptist military chaplains were some of the first to navigate the ministry challenges, especially as South Korea and Italy became hotspots. For military chaplains, 2020 became a banner year. NAMB and the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) partnered together to start endorsing chaplains for the Canadian Armed Forces, and the U.S. Senate confirmed a Southern Baptist chaplain as the Air Force’s Deputy 27th Chief of Chaplains. Military chaplains also recognized the 70th anniversary of significant stages of the Korean War. Southern Baptist chaplains in the National Guard, healthcare centers and assisted living facilities were on the front lines providing spiritual care with those most affected. ABOUT THE AUTHOR The North American Mission Board communications team compiled this report. #JANUARY21