• /
    • Archives /
  • October 31, 2012

Archives For October 31, 2012

Disaster Relief response to storm expected to extend to December

Meredith Flynn —  November 13, 2012

Editor’s note: The IBSA Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting begins today, November 13, in Decatur, Ill. Check back here for updates, or follow along on Facebook.com/IBSA and Twitter.com/IBSA.

THE BRIEFING | Two teams of Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are serving now in the hurricane-ravaged Northeast U.S. IBSA’s Rex Alexander reported that a flood recovery team from Three Rivers Association is serving in the hard-hit North Oyster Bay area of Long Island, where they’ll assist with mudout and chainsaw projects.

A feeding team of 31 people from Illinois also is in New York this week, serving on Staten Island. The team, representing 21 Illinois churches and 14 local associations, will replace a Kentucky Baptist team and use that state’s kitchen trailer already in place.

“I was very encouraged that we put together such a large team in about two days when we were asked to replace the Kentucky volunteers,” Alexander said. He’s already received a request to be ready to replace the team with more volunteers next week.

The Illinois workers join a strong Disaster Relief response that’s been at work in New York and New Jersey since immediately after Hurricane Sandy devastated the area. Southern Baptist volunteers have provided 670,000 meals so far, and leaders are preparing for an extended, multi-faceted response, said national DR coordinator Fritz Wilson.

“Although we’ve been told by New York officials that some of our kitchen operations may consolidate in the state, they told us to expect to continue providing meals into December,” Wilson told Baptist Press.

Close to 900 Southern Baptist volunteers from 27 states and Canada continued to provide ministry with shower trailers, mud-out and clean-up crews, and home repairs. Wilson is providing leadership from the New York and New Jersey incident command centers hosted by Raritan Valley Baptist Church in Edison, N.J. A second NAMB mobile incident command center is in transit to the church.

The Sandy response will also include childcare provided by Disaster Relief volunteers, with units en route from Ohio and South Carolina. Planning continues to allow college students to use their holiday breaks to voluntarily serve in the affected areas.

For more on the Disaster Relief response to Hurricane Sandy, go to NAMB.net/dr.

-With information from Baptist Press

In Briefing , , ,
permalink

O love that will not let me go

Meredith Flynn —  November 12, 2012

HEARTLAND | Monday, November 12

O love that wilt not let me go,I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekst me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

(George Matheson, 1882)

Check out Ascend the Hill’s version of the classic hymn below.

In Commentary , ,
permalink

Ed Stetzer: What should Christians do now?

Meredith Flynn —  November 8, 2012

COMMENTARY | Ed Stetzer

Editor’s note: This column first appeared at BPNews.net.

The presidential election is over, and I am sure many, like the little girl who cried “no more Bronco Bamma or Mitt Romney,” are breathing a sigh of relief that the season of contention and the barrage of political ads are over for now. Still, we are left to move on as we begin a second term for the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, and it is time for us to consider what that means from this point forward.

Once the election was “called,” I prayed for the president again. I asked God to guide him and give him wisdom as I will continue to do for the next four years.

I don’t endorse specific candidates publicly. I also gave both campaigns the opportunity to answer questions on my blog so that we could be well informed as we went into the voting booths. However, it is no secret that the candidate who was supported by 57 percent of Protestant pastors did not prevail. Furthermore, it is no secret that most evangelicals did not support President Obama. So, there is a lot of disappointment among many Christians.

It is appropriate, then, for us to ask the question, “What now?” Well, here are some observations and suggestions:

1. We must face the reality that we may be on the losing side of the culture war.

For decades, the “religious right” has focused its energies on winning the day through political means. But this year, voters in more than one state appear to have clearly passed referenda supporting gay marriage. This marks the first time for any state to legalize same-sex marriage by the expressed will of the people rather than through court rulings or legislation. While this certainly does not mean we should stop legal or political efforts completely, it does mean that we should begin thinking about what it looks like to be the church in a “post-culture war” era. We need to be prepared to defend the protection of religious liberty as we move into the future.

2. The fight for the unborn continues.

This year one of the major political parties, at their national convention, actually celebrated and cheered the right to abortion. This is a shift from the posture in years past, when at the very least it was seen as something that we hoped to keep to a minimum. In fact, that same party actually removed the language from their platform that referred to keeping abortions “safe, legal, and rare.” Rod Snyder, of Young Democrats of America, said in our interview that President Obama does believe that we should work to reduce the number of abortions, but still, this development in the party that has secured the highest office in the land is cause for grave concern and even grief. We need to continue to fight for life through education, advocacy, ministering to women and promoting orphan care in our churches. President Obama, I am ready to partner with you on the part where we start reducing abortions.

3. The “Mormon Moment” is not something to be dismissed and forgotten just because the election is over.

In recent days, much discussion has centered around how we should view Mormonism. I have made the case that while it does qualify as a cult in the theological sense, I do not think that we should use that language in general. Many people jumped to the conclusion that I was saying this for political reasons in order to elect Governor Romney. However, this has been my position for some time, and it continues to be my position after the votes have been counted. This election has brought Mormonism to the forefront of people’s minds, and we should not forget our responsibility to reach out to our friends and neighbors for Christ. Just because the conversations die down doesn’t mean that the mission goes away.

4. We must remain respectful and law-abiding citizens, regardless of this outcome.

We exercised a tremendous right, perhaps the greatest privilege that we have as Americans. Over 200 years ago, a group of very brave men stood up against “taxation without representation” and fought to develop a nation in which its citizens could have a voice. We only need to look at pictures in recent years of brave men and women in countries like Iraq dipping their fingers into purple ink and showing their happiness and pride over the right to cast their vote. We have that privilege. We exercised it this year. We will exercise it again. Regardless of the outcome, that is a great privilege and shouldn’t be taken for granted. We now need to go back to our homes, our schools and our places of work and be respectful and gracious to others who have also used their voice.

5. When our King returns, He won’t be riding a donkey or elephant.

For those of us who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nothing has changed. The Gospel is still real, and we still serve a God who has declared victory over sin and death. Anything that we do through political means is not to hold back the darkness lest it will overtake us. Rather, the charge to the church is to advance a Kingdom that has already prevailed. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, our King is still sitting on His throne.

So let’s all slow down, take a deep breath and do the same thing we did yesterday — preach the Gospel, love people and engage in God’s mission.

Ed Stetzer is president of LifeWay Research. Amy Sullivan of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary contributed to this article.

In Commentary , , , , , , , ,
permalink

Americans weigh options in the voting booth

Meredith Flynn —  November 6, 2012

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

As Americans (at least, those who didn’t vote early) head to the polls, here’s a sampling of the latest politics news and commentary:

CNN’s Belief Blog looks at the faith of both presidential candidates – how they’ve been shaped by their beliefs, and how their faith has been shaped by the campaign. President Barack Obama’s spiritual advisors say his time as president has “significantly deepened his faith,” according to CNN, while former Governor Mitt Romney has faced questions about his Mormon faith for his entire political career. Click on the links to read both stories, or go to religion.blogs.cnn.com.

Southern Seminary President Al Mohler shares specific ways to pray for the country and its future president today.

Christianity Today calls 2012 “the year of the personal endorsement,” citing numerous evangelical leaders who have spoken publicly in favor of a particular candidate. Billy Graham, Richard Land, and more than 1,500 pastors voiced their preferences this year, even as a Pew Forum survey found two-thirds of Americans believe church leaders should not endorse candidates. Read the full story.

Amidst the politics, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy continues to cause big trouble on the East Coast. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers are among those working to help meet basic needs for thousands of people displaced by the storm. As of Friday, November 2, more than 450 volunteers from nine Baptist state conventions were working in at least six states affected by the storm, including a chainsaw team of Illinois Baptists serving in New Jersey. Read the latest on the relief effort at BPNews.net.

In Briefing , , , ,
permalink

Born again to a living hope

Meredith Flynn —  November 5, 2012

HEARTLAND | 1 Peter 1: 3-19 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perished though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels now long to look.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

In Heartland , , ,
permalink

In Sandy’s aftermath, Baptists will prepare 400,000 meals a day

Meredith Flynn —  November 2, 2012

Baptist Press | In an unprecedented move for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, all large capacity mobile kitchens in the fleet east of the Rocky Mountains have been asked to mobilize in response to Hurricane Sandy. The goal is to begin preparing a minimum of 400,000 meals a day by Monday, Nov. 5.

“As we worked through the planning and continued to receive reports about the need, the conviction came on me that Southern Baptists need to step out in faith and mobilize now,” said North American Mission Board Disaster Relief executive director Fritz Wilson. “I contacted [NAMB] president Kevin Ezell and shared the conviction of our area command team and he agreed.”

On Thursday NAMB trustees authorized the entity to cover the travel expense for state conventions that needed the assistance in mobilizing their DR teams to the region. During the height of SBDR response to Hurricane Katrina, volunteers prepared 425,000 meals per day.

On Thursday SBDR volunteers from Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina were serving in New York and New Jersey, along with volunteers from the affected states. SBDR volunteers from those states and the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, Maryland-Delaware, New England, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia and West Virginia were preparing up to 150,000 meals and were working with chainsaw and recovery units.

The New York Baptist convention’s kitchen was on its way to Staten Island where volunteers will begin serving meals Friday. “Staten Island is a high priority,” said NAMB DR response coordinator Eddie Blackmon, who is stationed at national American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Area response commander Mark Gauthier, mobilization director for the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, said the feeding response is in waves. “We currently have units engaged in the response,” Gauthier said. “When you consider we are only 72 hours into the response there is a lot of ministry taking place.

“The next wave is the units on the road now from Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina. They will be serving meals on Saturday. Then units will arrive ready to cook on Sunday. Another group will be ready to serve on Monday,” Gauthier said.

“I was highly convicted that we needed to be there,” Oklahoma DR director Sam Porter said. “We must be there. This can have an impact on church planting throughout the Northeast.”

New video of a North Carolina feeding unit at Rutgers University is available for download at namb.net/sandy_rutgers_video. Kevin Ezell released a video on the SBDR response to Sandy this week. The video may be downloaded at namb.net/sandy_video.

From its disaster operations center in Alpharetta, Ga., NAMB coordinates Southern Baptist responses to major disasters through a partnership between NAMB and the SBC’s 42 state conventions, most of which have their own state disaster relief programs.

SBDR assets include 82,000 trained volunteers, including chaplains, and some 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

To give Disaster Relief donations through the Illinois Baptist State Association online, go to IBSA’s Donate page. To give by check:

IBSA Disaster Relief
P.O. Box 19247
Springfield, IL 62794-9247
Payable to: Illinois Baptist State Association
In News ,
permalink

Mission Illinois: Taking it personally

Meredith Flynn —  November 1, 2012

COMMENTARY | Nate Adams

Recently my college alma mater asked me to write an endorsement letter to include in a mailing they’re sending to churches. I said yes because I believe in the school; it had a transformational and lasting effect on my life, and I’m confident it can do the same for students today. I was willing to take the mission of my college personally.

So I wrote about the Christian worldview, lasting friendships and leadership opportunities I found there. I wrote about meeting my wife there. And because I now serve as a trustee of the university, and two of our sons now attend there, I was also able to write personally from current experience about what a special, transforming place it is for students today.

Of course my letter wouldn’t have been complete without a personal invitation to action as well. So I asked the churches to display the college’s poster, and to call the phone number or explore the college’s website. And I invited them to e-mail or call me personally with any questions, assuring them that I simply wanted them to experience the same blessing I had.

As I finished my letter, I realized that I had just done for my alma mater what I too rarely do for my Lord and Savior. I too rarely am willing to take His mission personally.

Why do I not more often choose to enthusiastically but briefly communicate the wonderful way He has transformed my life? Why don’t I have on the tip of my tongue the compelling reasons someone should say yes to Jesus today? Why don’t I more urgently invite those who are far from God to take action now, and receive the same blessing I’ve enjoyed since welcoming Him into my life? Here in the darkness and lostness of Illinois, why don’t I take His mission more personally?

Of course each of us must answer that question before the Lord. But this endorsement letter for my college made me realize something else, something rather simple. I gave my testimony, and outlined the good news that’s available to others, and invited them to act – because someone asked me to.

Someone said it was important, and then formed a simple plan in which I could participate, and then asked me to do my part. Maybe there is something to learn there about our mission in Illinois.

Calling one another out of complacency and into evangelism is one of the most important things we do as an association of churches. You wouldn’t think it is necessary, any more than you would think it is necessary to ask a grateful alumnus to say a good word about his college. But often it doesn’t happen until someone asks.

This year at the IBSA Annual Meeting, we will be asking. The first priority in Mission Illinois, the “point of the plow” if you will, is renewed commitment to passionate evangelism. First and foremost, Mission Illinois must be contagious Christians from healthy churches served by effective leaders running boldly into the lostness of Illinois with the good news of Jesus Christ.

We need to say to one another that sharing Christ is important, and to form simple, reproducible plans in which church members can participate, and then to simply ask one another to do our part. So much more than the college I attended, the Gospel has had a transformational and lasting effect on my life. I’m confident it can do the same for those who are now far from God. Mission Illinois can be so much more than a theme, if we will take it personally.

In Commentary , , ,
permalink