Baptist Beacon

12/31/2024

We live in the space of the already and not yet. Christ has already come and is already King, but he is not yet reigning in the manner that he will one day, with every knee bowed and every tongue proclaiming Jesus is Lord. Christ already restores hearts and makes us new, but he has not yet restored all creation to the fullness of glory to come.- Betsy Yurgaites, church-planting wife from Damascus Church in Midland.

MIDLAND – At Christmas, we celebrate the hope that has come. We celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We rejoice in his coming to earth, born of a virgin, laid in a manger. The Jews had been waiting in expectation for the Messiah to come. He would bring hope, peace, and justice. He woul...

12/30/2024

I long to have a heart of surrender like Mary, but more often than I care to admit, I am more like Zechariah. - Karen Blanchard, Pastor's Wife Lakepointe Church Shelby Twp. Michigan

SHELBY TOWNSHIP – I love reading about the birth of Jesus every year as the Christmas season rolls around. If I am not careful, I can read through the events of Jesus’ birth quickly and move on to the next thing on my busy holiday “to-do” list. There are so many treasures to find in the Bibl...

12/30/2024

Jesus Christ is the only peace that we need. There have been so many days that I have felt nothing but joy in my heart even though there is a storm going on outside in my life, that joy and peace is only because I have grown to develop a relationship with Jesus.- Jessica Wimberly, Pastor's wife One Mission Church Westland

WESTLAND – As we go through our daily lives, we all face trials and challenges. Most times, we try to take care of things on our own. We should only be relying on the Lord to handle our obstacles. I can speak on my own experiences. Every time I try to take charge of a situation it seems that it ne...

12/29/2024

We often speak of Jesus Christ as if Christ were his second name. But as we have seen, it’s really a title, a description. Jesus is the Christ, and when we acknowledge him in our hearts as Messiah, we claim Him to be the Anointed One.- Garth Leno, Pastor/Planter Care Specialist with the BSCM and in a similar role with the Canadian National Baptist Convention

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – Have you read the fascinating story of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah? According to one source, on Saturday, August 22, 1741, Charles Jennens brought a scrapbook with him to Handel’s small study. “Here is a collection called The Messiah,” he said. “Can you make an en...

12/29/2024

As the language/ethnic church planting catalyst for the Send Network assigned to Michigan, I want to share three exciting trends we can share with one another over the holidays: Increasing diversity,
Cross-cultural opportunities, and Next generation progress. - Dr. Tony Lynn, Send Network Language and Ethnic Church Planting Catalyst

Back Then PLYMOUTH – One-color aluminum Christmas trees were the rage when I grew up in the mid-1900s! After Thanksgiving, smudged boxes filled with stainless steel rods wrapped in aluminum curled and twisted, make-believe pine tree needles were brought from the attic into the living room. Printed...

12/29/2024

During the past ten years that Sabrina and I have had the joy to do ministry here in this marvelous place called Michigan, we have been more than privileged and blessed to be gifted with so much. We have been gifted to work alongside some of the most precious people we have ever encountered.- Tim Patterson, Executive Director Michiganhttps://www.baptistbeacon.net/post/gifts

PLYMOUTH – I have always struggled with giving gifts during the Christmas season. It’s not that I don’t want or love to give gifts, because I do. I get such great joy and satisfaction from the act of giving. My struggle is with focusing on a gift and making sure it reflects my love for the ind...

12/26/2024

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥? article by Ed Emmerling, new BSCM Executive Director. Click on this link for the full article: https://www.baptistbeacon.net/post/who-is-this-child