3. Frances Brown State Mission Offering
Just who was Frances Brown and why is the state missions offering named for her?
Frances Brown was born in Cobden, Illinois, -- the oldest of thirteen children. She was a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and the Carver School of Missions in Louisville, Kentucky. Where she was born or went to school may not be of interest to many people, but I found them very interesting. Here’s why: Cobden, Illinois, where Frances was born is only about 20 miles from Murphysboro, Illinois – my family’s home for the past 25 years. Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois is about 10 miles from where I lived and the is in the same town where I went to church. And…I am a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY – where the Carver School of Missions was located. These places are very near and dear to my heart – just as they were to Frances Brown. Frances Brown came to Michigan in November of 1958 as the first Executive Secretary of Michigan Woman's Missionary Union.
Frances had a view of the entire world as she lived, traveled and served for twenty years here in Michigan. She repeatedly reminded women, men, and children that Michigan needed to know Jesus. Realizing the spiritual needs of our continually changing state with the tapestry of races and cultures, she led the way for us to pray for missions here in Michigan. Frances was always ready to help associations and churches when called.
Frances Brown gave encouragement and challenged Michigan Baptists to reach out and touch the lives of people in the state, as well as around the world. She was born in Illinois, but Michigan was her mission field! She gave twenty years of superior leadership and furthered the cause of missions in Michigan. Upon her retirement in April of 1978, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan honored her by naming the state missions offering the Frances Brown State Mission Offering.
Michigan Baptists remember Frances Brown as our first executive director of Michigan Woman’s Missionary Union ( ) as well as her high allegiance to Jesus Christ and His cause of global missions around the world and here in Michigan. I am honored to be following in her footsteps, as well as those who came after her.

4. Why?
Why? Why do we need a Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Frances Brown State Mission Offering?

5. Because in the state of Michigan there are approximately 8 million people who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Why give to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering? Because in the state of Michigan there are approximately 10 million people with approximately 8 million people who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And because every penny given to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering stays in Michigan to help strengthen our churches and reach lost people.

6. God has greater things in store for Michigan.
Through the Frances Brown State Mission Week of Prayer and Offering we have an opportunity to focus on the needs and conditions of people around us. Our state mission offering is used only in Michigan and only for mission related activities.

7. Allocations Church Starting: Church Starter Support -- $65,000
The Frances Brown State Mission Offering provides financial support for church starters in Michigan. The Baptist State Convention of Michigan works in partnership with the North American Mission Board, the local associations, sponsoring and partnering churches, and interested individuals in providing assistance for church starters.
What Kind of Church Starts are Needed?
We need all types of churches for all kinds of people.
We have many language groups in Michigan not being reached by any Christian group. Right now we need Russian churches, Polish churches, Japanese churches and many others. Everyone should be able to hear the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ in their own language.
We have counties in Michigan with no Southern Baptist church. There are cities of over 50,000 people with no Southern Baptist church. We need traditional churches, contemporary churches, cowboy churches, second generation churches and the list goes on. We need churches of every variety.
Your gifts to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering, together with financial support from the North American Mission Board, sponsoring and partnering churches, the local association, partnering associations and other interested people, support church starters in Michigan. You can have a part in touching the lives of people across this state.

8. What is the approximate number of Southern Baptist churches and
missions in Michigan?
100
300
500

9. 300
The total number of Southern Baptist churches and missions in Michigan is around 300.

10. That’s approximately 1 Southern Baptist church or church plant for every 26,000 lost person in Michigan … or 1 Southern Baptist church or church plant for every 33,000 persons in Michigan.
26,000 lost people

11. 8 million lost people 300 churches and missions
If we are to reach the state of Michigan with the Gospel, we must increase that number to 350, 400, 450 and even more. As the number of churches increases, so do the number of people coming to faith in Jesus Christ. If we are to reach 8 million lost people, then we need bunches of new churches…and bunches of new pastors and church planters. Church Starter Support in our State Missions Offering helps pay the salary of church planters and mission pastors.
8 million lost people

12. Allocations Church Strengthening:
Pastor/Staff & Spouse Retreat -- $4,000
Leadership Development -- $2,000

13. Pastor/Staff & Spouse Retreat -- $4,000
The Pastor/Staff and Spouse Retreat is an opportunity for ministers and their spouses to get away to Bambi Lake Retreat Center for a time of inspiration, relaxation, refreshment, and encouragement. Pastors & ministers speak highly of the opportunity to get away their spouses and be refreshed. One pastor commented on the great opportunities to network and learn from one another. One wife said, “It was a wonderful time of sharing and fellowship.” Developing new friendships and a time of fellowship and encouragement from each other was what most of the ladies appreciated.
Topics have included spiritual formation, marriage enrichment, and leadership. This year’s retreat was a marriage enrichment retreat led by Rick and Stephanie Sowell.
Your gift to the Francis Brown State Mission Offering makes this event affordable for all ministers, including church planters and bi-vocational ministers.
Your gifts to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering provide a wonderful opportunity for your pastor/staff and their spouses to enjoy a retreat experience at Bambi. Thanks to your gifts the cost for a couple is only twenty dollars. That is a bargain.

14. There is powerful preaching, exciting music, conferences designed for pastors, staff members and spouses and plenty of time to experience spiritual renewal.

15. They get four days of sweet fellowship with other pastors, staff members and spouses. There is opportunity to build relationships with others. Lots of time to visit, play games, go for walks, play miniature golf, fishing, golfing, a nap and many other options.

16. We get to eat plenty of wonderful food
We get to eat plenty of wonderful food. The first night we begin with a banquet in the dining hall. Following the first worship service there is an ice cream fellowship hosted by the state staff that gives you time to meet others at the retreat. And on Wednesday night there is a steak cookout. The eating is good! The best part of the retreat is that it gives the couple time to be together. They are able to get away from the cares of home and ministry and enjoy quality time together.

17. Leadership Development -- $2,000
Leadership development resources & training are provided for pastors, staff, & lay-persons. Coaching is available to help pastors & church planters reach their God-given potential in ministry. Resources & training for disciple-making and ministry skill development are also available. Leadership development resources are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week online at bscm.e-quip.net.
Additional leadership training opportunities are available at the Church Equipping Conference – September 14 at Cornerstone BC in Roseville -- for pastors, church staff & lay leaders. Your gifts to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering helps provide support for the CEC.

18. Allocations Church Mobilization: Disaster Relief -- $6,000
Community Outreach Ministries -- $1,500

19. Fires Tornados Ice storms Hurricanes Flooding
Disaster Relief -- $6,000
Tornados
Ice storms
Fires
Today, Michigan Southern Baptist Disaster Relief consists of over 500 dedicated Southern Baptist volunteers from all across Michigan. Each volunteer represents Christ, their church and the Baptist State Convention of Michigan as they go on mission for Him in a disaster. It is from your giving to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering and other offerings throughout the year that makes this Disaster Relief Ministry possible. As they go to serve Christ in crisis situations on your behalf, they need your prayers and financial support. We now have over 500 volunteers and 6 different Disaster Relief units: feeding, chain-saw, water purification, chaplaincy and shower/laundry. A Communications/Command Unit is still needed, as well as vehicles to pull the units. An additional building is also needed to store DR equipment.
Hurricanes
Flooding

20. Disaster Relief mission trips are made possible by your special giving to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering. The Frances Brown State Mission Offering allows the Disaster Relief Units to be well maintained and stocked with equipment so that volunteers are prepared to travel with just a 24 hour notice — in state or out. These disaster relief mission trips are also made possible by the personal sacrifices of each volunteer. Some of the volunteers are retired, some take off work and others take vacation time to serve out of their comfort zone on mission for Christ. The volunteers are willing to pay their own
expenses, usually between $ to $ each mission trip.
The Frances Brown State Mission Offering has helped our Michigan Disaster Relief grow from 24 volunteers to over 600 volunteers. We have grown from helping on Ohio's Disaster Relief Unit to having a unit of our own with a feeding unit, chain saw unit, water purification unit, communication unit, and chaplaincy unit. God has truly blessed! It’s all about Him!

21. Community Outreach Ministries - $1,500
Allocations
Community Outreach Ministries - $1,500
The opportunities for ministry in communities throughout Michigan are limitless. There are people all around our churches who desperately need help and hope. Michigan Southern Baptist churches can make a difference in meeting the needs in communities while also sharing the gospel. Your gift to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering helps to fund opportunities like Operation 1-Day and other church outreach opportunities.

22. Bambi Summer Missionaries -- $4,500
The summer missionary program has been a tremendous blessing to Bambi Lake over the years. Summer Missionaries are an essential part of our summer staff. They work in housekeeping, the kitchen, on the grounds, at the front desk, in the shops and they help out in various other ways with other guest services. Some summer missionaries also have the opportunity to counsel youth who have made decisions here at camp.
While serving here Bambi summer missionaries also have a chance to work in some of the area churches as well. They assist with various outreach ministries, such as VBS, Centershot, and block parties, impacting the local community.
Whether its working behind the scenes or leading a young person to the Lord summer missionaries have a major impact on the ministry here at Bambi Lake. They also have great opportunity for growth, not just as young adults but more importantly as Christians. Our very own State Executive Director/Lead State Missionary was called to service and was involved in his first church plant while serving as a summer missionary here at Bambi Lake.
Support from the state missions offering makes all this possible. When you give to the Francis Brown State Missions offering you not only help support the ministry here at Bambi but you provide an opportunity for mission minded teens and young adults to grow in faith and serve the Lord.

23. Goals and Giving Comparison 2001-2009
Goal $100,001 $111, $111, $111,111 $105,000 $99,500 $107,000 $98,000 $99,000 $101,000
Giving $98, $96, $94,717 $93,277 $87,883 $105,925 $96,142 $98,493 $92,833

24. What can you do? How can you be involved?
Every Michigan Baptist can participate in helping to reach Michigan for Christ by praying, giving and going. Consider some of these missions and ministry ideas to get you started.

25. Pray » Use the 2013 State Missions Prayer Guide to pray for needs.
» Use your church directory to pray for each family in your church.
 Go prayerwalking in your community or in a neighboring community in an area without a evangelical church.

26. Map out a neighborhood near your church or your home and go
 Map out a neighborhood near your church or your home and go *prayerwalking. Intentionally pray for each home and the family each home represents. Pray that each family member in that home will come to know Christ as Savior or will become bold in their witness for Christ.

27. Give
Your missions money goes far when you give to the Frances Brown State Mission Offering for mission needs in Michigan. As you prayerfully decide how much to give, please consider the following examples.
With a gift of:
» $.50 we can provide a small New Testament to a new believer.
» $1.00 we can provide a pack of pencils to be used in a new church start children’s class.
» $5.00 we can provide a fast food meal for a church planter as he shares the Gospel with someone who is lost.
» $8.00 we can provide a Spanish Bible for a new language church start.
» $10.00 we can provide 100 Gospel tracts for a church planter to use in witnessing.
» $20.00 we can help provide refreshments for a backyard Bible club in a new work area.
» $50.00 we can help provide paint for a new church plant to spruce up a rented building used for a meeting place.
» $ we can provide the stipend for a Bambi summer missionary for one week.
» $ we can help provide gas for a Disaster Relief Unit to be ready to respond to a disaster.
» $ we can help provide some of the materials needed to replace a section of the Hubbs Lodge roof at Bambi Lake.

28. Does what I give really make a difference?
To give or not to give, that is the question.

29. Yes ! ! !
In our nearly 300 churches and church plants in Michigan we have about 44,000 members. If all 44,000 gave only $1.89 each we would easily reach our goal of $83,000.

30. Statewide Goal: $83,000
44,000 x $1.89 = $83,160
44,000 x $2.50 = $110,000
44,000 x $5.00 = $220,000
Imagine what we could do if each member gave $5.00 or $10.00, $50.00 or more!! What is God asking you to give? Have you asked Him?
44,000 x $10.00 = $440,000

31. Statewide Goal: $83,000 300 x $500 = $150,000 300 x $400 = $120,000
Imagine what we could do if each church set a goal of just $300 and gave that amount? What is God asking your church to give to reach Michigan for His Kingdom? Have you asked Him?
300 x $500 = $150,000

32. Go
» Volunteer for a VBS or survey team to help reach an area for a new church start.
» Partner with a church starter to go and help with community outreach once a month.
» Volunteer for a construction or maintenance team to help with improvements at Bambi Lake.
» Take a day-trip to another part of our state to prayerwalk an area that doesn’t have a Southern Baptist witness.

33. Thank you!