E-Link Online -- News of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan

Arrivals, Departures, Celebrations, Concerns

§ Rob Duke, three-year-old son of Paul and Stacy Duke, co-pastors at First Baptist, Ann Arbor, barely escaped death by suffocation when he fell into a sand hole on a Florida beach early in July. According to the report by CBS News, Rob was suddenly nowhere to be found. His mother Stacy screamed for him and began screaming for others to help look for him. "A Good Samaritan noticed an indentation in the sand by Rob's parents and began digging. After 10 minutes, the Good Samaritan had located Rob. 'I really thought he was dead,' Rob's father, Paul, said." For the CBS report see http://tinyurl.com/2fpf76. The ABC-MI family shares the great sense of relief that Rob suffered no harm and gives thanks to God.

§ The ABC-MI website carries an account of the Metro Association's "Service of Remembrance and Renewal" commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Detroit riots of 1967. See http://www.abc-mi.org/?q=node/208. Pictures of the celebration may be viewed at http://www.abc-mi.org/?q=gallery&g2_itemId=822.

Camp Lael 60th Anniversary Held July 21

Arleen Lloyd

Friends of Camp Lael from across Michigan gathered Saturday afternoon, July 21, to celebrate Camp Lael's sixty years of camping ministry. Highlighting the festivities were the dedication of the Northwestern Bathhouse, honoring of Arleen Lloyd upon her recent retirement as Program Director, and receiving a vision report from Mr. Jim Davis, Camp Lael Director.

Arleen began her service at Camp Lael in housekeeping and maintenance. After a few years she became program director, serving the ministries of Camp Lael for a total of sixteen years. Arleen's passion for seeing children, youth, adults come to faith in Jesus Christ and grow on their faith journey has been evident throughout the years and was evident yet again as she shared her reflections with the participants at the ceremonies honoring her faithful ministry.

Jim Davis

While the Northwestern Bathhouse was pressed into service beginning with the 2005 Winter Weekends, formal acknowledgement of those who helped to make the dream a reality took place as part of the 60th anniversary celebration. Jim Davis reminded the crowd how the bathhouse came to be, acknowledging the lead gift of more than $26,000 from the Church on Main Street (a.k.a. First Baptist Church of Royal Oak). He also noted other significant gifts and the support of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan in making the bathhouse a reality.

The Anniversary celebration was also marked by recognition of guests, special music, and a "sharing of the vision" from Jim Davis (the text of his address can be found at http://www.abc-mi.org/pdfs/camplaelavision.pdf. Davis acknowledged the challenges facing camping ministries across the United States even as he reminded the crowd of the impact camping has on lives.

The festivities concluded with a dinner as those in attendance enjoyed sharing stories and reminiscing special times on the grounds of Camp Lael.

For pictures of the event see http://www.abc-mi.org/?q=gallery&g2_itemId=741.

Church Health initiative: Resource Review

By Ron Cary

Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can Too
Ed Stetzer & Mike Dodson, B & H Publishing Group 2007

Recent statistics I have seen indicate that 70% to 80% of Protestant churches in the United States are plateaued or declining in membership. While it is true that numbers alone are not a fair assessment of a congregation's health, diminishing membership does have a negative effect on the scope of mission and ministry. The Scriptures call us not only to be faithful but to be fruitful as well. Given the reality of our situation, pastors and lay leaders are searching for ways to grow the church.

A helpful resource in this regard is a Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson. The book is written about evangelical churches and uses language and ideas that will resonate with those who clearly identify themselves as evangelicals. That includes many of our American Baptist congregations in Michigan. However, even pastors and lay leaders who do not identify themselves with the evangelical label, can learn from this resource if they are willing to reinterpret the language of Stetzer and Dodson.

The book is based on a survey of more than 300 churches that have recently experienced renewed growth after a significant period of plateau and/or decline. The authors seek to address these questions:

"What can be done to change the direction of churches that are merely existing or that are dying?"

"Are there specific steps that can be taken to move a church off the path of plateau/decline back onto the road of renewal?"

The answer to the latter question is "yes", and the book provides an abundance of ideas, directions, and practical advice to help declining churches move toward becoming comeback churches.

The book specifically addresses the major areas of change that became the focus of attention for most of the comeback churches in the survey. The chapters of the book detail most of these areas and are listed in summary at the end of the book. The list includes: prayer, children and youth ministry, evangelism, leadership, missions, assimilation, worship and preaching, small group ministry, and organizational structure. If you want your church to become a "turn around church' you ought to begin in one or more of these areas of ministry.

The authors of the book admit that the change required to move a declining church into a "comeback" mode is not easy. In fact, most churches are not willing to take the risks and accept the challenges such change brings. But the price of not working at it is so high in diminishing kingdom ministry that knowledgeable, creative, faith-filled pastors and lay people, with the proper preparation and coaching, may be willing to make a new beginning. Could your church, under your leadership, be one of those churches? Perhaps the book Comeback Churches will help you decide.

Intentional Interims Needed

by Tucker Gunneman

As the ABC-MI continues to develop strategies for ministering to churches in transition, there is an on-going need for Intentional Interim Ministers. "Intentional" refers to those who feel called to ministering to congregations in transition and are trained to do so in line with the Region vision in Michigan of "Growing Healthy Churches". In transitional ministry we are constantly learning and growing as we explore better ways to serve our churches.

We are looking for interim pastors to join our team who desire to learn and grow. We are also seeking interims who can be trusted with a high level of responsibility and authority, while being held accountable to our vision and the Consultant for Transitional Ministries.

These interim ministers must be able to travel and at times be away from their home for 3-4 days per week. This is one of the challenges of being an interim as the opportunities for interim ministry are rarely in your "back yard." We prefer interim candidates who have a proven track record in some form of ministerial leadership, but we are open to those new to ministry upon a recommendation from an ABC pastor or Region staff. In addition, anyone desiring to serve as an interim must go through our training, and/or be approved by the Consultant for Transitional Ministries. Our next "Introduction to Interim Ministry" training event will take place on Thursday, September 6, 2007 at the Region office from 9am-4pm. If you would like more information or wish to register for this training, please contact Rev. Tucker J. Gunneman at tgunneman@abc-mi.org, cell phone 586.219.3392; or Debbie Hart at the Region office at 800.632.2953 ext.221, or dhart@abc-mi.org.

While each congregation is different and has different health issues, we are developing ways in which the interim can "seize the day" to help our churches:

Discover how they can move from being a maintenance church to a missional church
Discover for themselves health issues to be addressed
Empower the leadership to address those health issues
Preparing the congregation for new pastoral leadership
Provide a caring ministry of healing for congregations who have said goodbye to their pastor

If these concepts excite you and you would be interested in joining our team or learning more, please contact the Consultant for Transitional Ministries, Rev. Tucker J. Gunneman at tgunneman@abc-mi.org, cell phone 586.219.3392.

Introduction To Interim Ministry: Training Event Planned

The next "Introduction to Interim Ministry" training event will take place on Thursday, September 6, 2007 at the Region office from 9am-4pm. Our focus will be on understanding the team approach to interim ministry, the role of the interim in ABC/MI churches, the tasks of the interim, and a brief introduction to conflict management.

If you would like more information or wish to register for this training, please contact Rev. Tucker J. Gunneman at tgunneman@abc-mi.org, cell phone 586.219.3392; or Debbie Hart at the Region office at 800.632.2953 ext.221, or dhart@abc-mi.org.

Short Notices

The Bruntons

The Cooperative Ministries Committee of the Central Area is sponsoring a Senior Fall Fling on Thursday, September 20, 2007, beginning at 11:00 AM at Olivet Baptist Church, 5455 Willoughby Road, Lansing. Lunch will be served followed by a fantastic music program by Bob and Becky Brunton. Bob and Becky have been performing all over the United States and in several foreign countries since 1979. Their concerts feature original compositions as well as familiar favorites. Reservations can be made by calling the church office by September 11 at 517-887-0988. The cost is only $5.00 per person.

The latest issue of Metro ABC Update may be viewed at http://abc-mi.org/elink/July%202007%20Update.pdf.

Read the latest issue of International Ministries Prayer Call: http://abc-mi.org/elink/prayer-call.pdf.

Read the latest issue of Friendship House Virtual Family Shop Newsletter: http://abc-mi.org/elink/vfs_june.pdf.

Read the latest Friendship House newsletter: http://abc-mi.org/elink/fh.pdf

The next issue of E-Link Online will be published on August 13. Please send news items and notices to the Editor (editor@abc-mi.org) by August 9.

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Editor's Trips

Disclaimer: listing of these references does not imply endorsement of positions or policies advocated in them by either the American Baptist Churches of Michigan or the editor of E-Link Online. Caveat lector.

The Editor

§  ABC-MI Delegates' Report on Biennial -- http://tinyurl.com/ysk9ue
§  What Works in Fund Raising -- http://tinyurl.com/yvk5yx
§  "Physician, Heal Thyself" -- http://tinyurl.com/2l5o5d
§  "The Simpsons" and Religion -- http://tinyurl.com/33fdkg
§  Too Close to the Fire? Religion Reporter's Loss of Faith -- http://tinyurl.com/3dyc54
§  Resurgence of House Churches -- http://tinyurl.com/32lhah
§  What Theology of the Church Supports Mass Baptism? -- http://tinyurl.com/26wvwv
§  The Gospel According to Harry Potter -- http://tinyurl.com/32lvdw

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