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Archives For November 30, 1999

FBC Moore pastor: God is with people in their suffering

Meredith Flynn —  May 28, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Over the weekend, First Baptist Church in Moore, Okla., hosted a memorial service for victims of the May 20 tornado that destroyed parts of the Oklahoma City suburb. Click here to watch a video of the Daily Oklahoman’s coverage of the service.

Pastor Kevin Clarkson’s church is serving as a hub for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief work in the area. The pastor also presided over the funerals of two children killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School. In an interview last week with Clarkson TheBlaze website, he answered a question about what he will say to people who have lost so much:

“I’m going to tell them that, number one, God loves them and God understands. He’s not punishing them. Jesus really came and put away the wrath of God on the cross. But God is with them in their suffering.

“And I’m going to tell them that we’re with them and that that’s what the people of God are for, the church. We’re going to help one another, and we’re going to give to the needs.”

Donations to the Disaster Relief efforts in Oklahoma can be made at NAMB.net.

Other news:

SBC leader: Boy Scouts vote ushers in ‘sea-change’(From Baptist Press) Southern Baptist leaders have been vocal in their opposition to Boy Scouts of America’s proposal to include gay-identifying youth in their membership. After delegates to the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America approved the measure last week, SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page told Baptist Press he was “deeply saddened” by the move.

Page said the vote “ushers in a sea-change in the credibility of the Boy Scouts of America as a viable boys’ organization for millions of Americans who believe strongly in the principles of biblical morality. To claim that the Boys Scouts is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training suddenly rings hollow.”

SBC President Fred Luter echoed those sentiments, calling it “a sad day in the history of an organization that for years stood on Christian principles, particularly for the thousands of Southern Baptists who grew up as Boy Scouts like myself.”

“My prayers,” Luter said, “go out to the parents and churches who have been forced to make decisions about being a part of the Boy Scouts organization. As Southern Baptists, our commitment to the Word of God and Christian values must take priority over what is ‘politically correct.'” Read more at BPNews.net.

59% of Americans say homosexuality is morally acceptable
A record-high percentage of Americans believe homosexuality is morally acceptable, according to Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey. The research found 59% of adults say “gay or lesbian relations” are morally acceptable, up from 40% in 2001. Read more at Gallup.com.

For some African American reps, same-sex marriage vote is tied closely to religion
The Chicago Sun-Times published an in-depth article this month about how African American members of the Illinois House plan to vote on the pending same-sex marriage leglisation. The paper’s count of the 20-member Illinois House Black Caucus found four yeses, five no’s, five who are leaning toward yes, and seven undecided. The article also details that for some representatives, churches’ involvement in the issue could sway their vote.

“I’m a Christian before I’m a black woman before I’m a Democrat,” said Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria), one of the undecided representatives. “Before all of that, I’m a Christian.

“I have to live with what I do or don’t do. And so it’s a vote I have to take that I can be comfortable with the rest of my life. This is history.”

Read the full story at SunTimes.com.

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Ranch offers happier trails for at-risk kids

Meredith Flynn —  May 21, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Jerry and Michelle Burwell don’t get very far into telling their story before their eyes fill with tears and their voices break. The owners of Way of the Cross Ranch are overcome with emotion at how they see God using their 71 acres in Mt. Vernon.

“We’re nobody special, we really aren’t,” Jerry says as he watches a handful of horses and riders walk slowly around the outdoor arena in his backyard. “Why we got to do this, I have no idea.”

Horses_tease boxThe Burwells host an equestrian clinic at the ranch every month, with the help of an army of volunteers that operates more like a close-knit family. They invite kids from Southern Thirty, a local adolescent emergency shelter, and from the Baptist Children’s Home in Carmi.

Guests can fish in the pond, participate in craft time around a picnic table, or ride one of several horses donated for the day by the Burwells’ friends. No one has to ride if they don’t want to. But most eventually do.

“Some of the inner city kids we get, they’ve never even been around horses before, so that’s fun,” Jason Billings says. He points out David,* a young teen riding a chestnut horse around and around the arena, led by a ranch volunteer. Every so often, David smiles and waves to the camera.

As recreation director for Illinois’ Baptist Children’s Home, Billings has been bringing kids like David to the ranch for a few years. But there’s something bigger at stake than introducing kids to horses: Over the past few years, four or five of the kids have accepted Christ at the ranch. They attend church with Children’s Home staffers, Billings says, “but it’s nice to see someone from the outside actually cares, too.”

Each clinic includes at least two devotion times, and volunteers also talk one-on-one with kids about Jesus. Since the Burwells started their ministry, 38 kids have accepted Christ.

“I always tell them, ‘I don’t care if you know one end of the horse from the other when you leave, but you’ll know about Christ,’ Jerry says. “That’s really all we care about.”

Read more about Way of the Cross Ranch in the new issue of the Illinois Baptist, online this Friday at http://ibonline.ibsa.org.

Other news:

FInancial aid forms reflect marriage debate
The U.S. Department of Education has announced student financial aid forms will begin using the terms “Parent 1” and “Parent 2,” rather than the gender-specific terms “mother” and “father.” The new forms also will provide an option for applicants to describe their parents’ marital status as “unmarried and both parents living together.” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said, “All students should be able to apply for federal student aid within a system that incorporates their unique family dynamics. Read more at BPNews.net.

School faces criticism over creationism
A Christian school in South Carolina has received support from around the world after facing ridicule for teaching Young Earth Creationism. After a fourth-grade science quiz used by Blue Ridge Christian Academy in Landrum, S.C., was posted on an atheist page of the website Reddit, several user comments were unsurprisingly negative, The Christian Post reports. Some even made threats to teachers and administrators.

But the school, which is struggling financially and considering closing, reaped unexpected benefits, said teacher Angie Dentler. “Donations have been given ranging in amounts from $1 – $1,000. Encouraging notes and emails have poured in from around world…” Read more at ChristianPost.com.

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‘Robocalls’ and protests keep marriage debate going in Illinois

Meredith Flynn —  May 14, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Lisa Sergent and Meredith Flynn

Exactly three months ago, the Illinois Senate passed the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Act.” On February 14, the state seemed poised to become the tenth to legalize same-sex marriage. But today, the bill is still awaiting a vote on the Illinois House floor.

The hold-up could be due in part to the efforts of religious leaders and groups like the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), who have made known their opposition to the bill. IFI has organized recent rallies in front of the offices of state representatives, and a coalition of African-American pastors in the Chicago area are using automated phone calls to urge voters around the state to contact their local representatives and tell them to vote no. The calls are voiced by Rev. James Meeks, a former state representative and influential Chicago area pastor. In the calls he states, “In my view, same-sex marriage should not be the law of the state of Illinois.”

Reports in March and April indicated the bill was as many as 12 “yes” votes short. But Rep. Greg Harris, the bill’s sponsor, told Chicago’s ABC News last week that proponents of same-sex marriage are “very close” to passing the legislation.  According to a Sunday Chicago Tribune editorial, “Harris needs 60 votes, and we’re told he’s a mere three to five short, with plenty of fence-sitters.”

Governor Pat Quinn has expressed his impatience with the House’s failure to vote on the bill. “It’s time to vote,” he said last week. “Illinois passing marriage equality in to law, I think, sends a great signal to the people of our state and the people of America. So it’s important to Illinois (that) the House of Representatives get going.”

The Illinois General Assembly’s session ends May 31.

Just last week, legislators in Rhode Island and Delaware voted to legalize same-sex marriage in their states, and yesterday, Minnesota became the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage. Governor Mark Dayton is expected to sign the bill into law today.

Other news:

Bill would change state’s abstinence-focused curriculum
A bill that would change sex education curriculum in Illinois is awaiting a vote by the Senate. Heather Steans, a Democratic Senator from Chicago, is sponsoring the bill that would replace the state’s abstinence-based model of sex-ed with curriculum that would also emphasize contraception and awareness of sexually transmitted diseases. Opponents, including the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), say the legislation would subject young children to “graphic sexual information to which most parents would find highly objectionable and inappropriate.” According to an IFI press release, “If the ‘comprehensive’ sex education bill, HB 2675, is passed, it will establish a one-size-fits-all approach to sex education and remove local community control over choosing true ‘age- appropriate’ curriculum, another term used in the bill.” Read a Chicago Tribune story about the issue here, or visit the Illinois Family Institute’s website.

After guilty verdict, Gosnell could face death penalty
Notorious abortion provider Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted on three counts of first degree murder Monday, and could face the death penalty. Gosnell, 72, was charged with ending the lives of babies born alive at his Philadelphia clinic. He also was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 41-year-old Karnamaya Mongar. During the trial, pro-life advocates waged a “Tweet Fest” to raise awareness about the charges against Gosnell, which had gone unmentioned by most mainstream media outlets. Read more at ChristianPost.com.

Politics plays a role in pastors’ environmental views
Pastors’ views on the environment are largely linked to the political party they identify with, according to a new study by LifeWay Research. The survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors found 43% agree with the statement, “I believe global warming is real and man made,” while 54% disagree. But the numbers are more extreme along political party lines: 76% of pastors that are Democrats strongly agree with the validity of man-made global warming, but only 7% of pastors identifying as Republicans express the same belief. Pastors also weighed in on whether their churches are actively taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint; read more at LifeWayResearch.com.

Barna study explores mass exodus of Millenials from the church
Barna’s extensive research on the Millenial generation has resulted in some alarming statistics, like the fact that 43% of church-going Millenials drop out of church sometime between high school and turning 30. The research also generated some interesting distinguishing characteristics of these “spiritually homeless youth.” Read about Barna’s three categories for Millenials who have left the church – nomads, prodigals, and exiles – at Barna.org.

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Disaster Relief volunteers respond to flooded communities in Illinois

Meredith Flynn —  May 7, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The days start early for Disaster Relief volunteers helping to feed families displaced by recent flooding in Illinois. Around 5 a.m., the small team tasked with preparing 1,000 meals a day starts on lunch. It’s cooked and packed before most people have eaten breakfast. Then, they start on dinner.

For more than a week, Disaster Relief blue cap Jim Weickersheimmer has led the effort out of Woodland Baptist Church in Peoria. The team is using a mobile kitchen owned and operated by Illinois DR, and also has full run of the church’s kitchen facilities.

“And we are quite an imposition,” said volunteer Jamie Kincaid. “I mean, they have stuff going on every day and we’re kind of in their way, and they have been unbelievable.”

Disaster Relief volunteer Betty Stone prepares meals to be delivered to victims of recent flooding in Illinois.

Disaster Relief volunteer Betty Stone prepares meals to be delivered to victims of recent flooding in Illinois.

Woodland is sharing their building with more than just the Disaster Relief volunteers – twice a day, Red Cross ERV’s (Emergency Response Vehicles) pile into the church parking lot, waiting to be filled with meals that will be distributed around Peoria. The feeding effort will close down today, but relief efforts are far from finished.

A “mudout” team also is expected in Peoria this week to help residents begin the process of cleaning their homes, and similar work is taking place 90 miles to the northeast, in Marseilles. Illinois teams will continue to work in those locations and others, likely with help from Disaster Relief crews from neighboring states. Since flooding began in mid-April, nearly 50 counties in Illinois have been declared State Disaster Areas.

To donate to Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief, click here.

Other news:

ESPN’s Broussard ‘resting on the scriptures’ amidst controversy
After ESPN’s Chris Broussard came under fire for comments about homosexuality, he thanked Christians for supporting and praying for him. “I believe God is getting all the glory from this and I’ve been resting on the scriptures, ‘blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake.’ So I know this is a blessing,” the basketball analyst said during a teleconference hosted by the K.I.N.G. Movement, a ministry he founded. Broussard shared his view – that living a homosexual lifestyle is “open rebellion to God” – in the wake of NBA player Jason Collins’ announcement that he is gay. Read more at ChristianPost.com.

Ravi Zacharias: From attempted suicide to life in Christ
Author and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias writes about his early struggle with failure, and how it led him to attempt suicide, in a column for ChristianityToday.com.

More like Jesus, or more like the Pharisees?
New research from Barna shows 51% of people who identify themselves as Christians are “Pharisaical” in their attitudes and actions, where only 14% are characterized by the actions and attitudes of Jesus Christ. Read more at Barna.org.

‘Experiencing God’ – the movie
The “Experiencing God” discipleship study authored by Henry Blackaby and Claude King is subject of a new documentary film and the inaugural release of LifeWay Films, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources. “Experiencing God” was first published in 1990; it has since sold 7 million copies and has been published in more than 45 languages. Read more at BPNews.net.

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Anti-pornography campaign to launch at SBC meeting in Houston

Meredith Flynn —  April 30, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Florida pastor Jay Dennis is issuing a wake-up call to churches who are fighting an enemy of which they may be unaware.

“Churches are facing a spiritual battle against a hidden plague that is keeping many believers from fulfilling their part of God’s mission,” said Dennis, pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Fla. That hidden plague is pornography. Dennis and other SBC leaders are fighting it by launching the national “Join 1 Million Men in the War Against Pornography” campaign at this summer’s Southern Baptist Convention in Houston, Texas.

A 2011 LifeWay Research survey of 1,000 pastors found 62% of them believe less than 10% of men in their churches viewed pornography on a weekly basis. Dennis believes the figure is more like 80 percent.

Most churches, he said, respond to the problem of pornography by denying its reality, while others are aware of the problem but are not specifically dealing with it. Instead, pastors must “admit there is a problem and urgently address” pornography by helping men overcome it.

The “Join 1 Million Men” campaign started as a ministry in Dennis’ church. He wrote the initial materials – based on a pursuit of purity rather than pleasure – and taught them in six Wednesday evening sessions for men. To date, 1,300 men in the church have committed to live pornography-free lives by affirming 14 statements on a commitment card. The cards are displayed prominently at the church.

Dennis is taking the campaign to a national level with the help of Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Both entities will help promote the campaign at this year’s SBC annual meeting in Houston, and WMU’s New Hope Publishers has produced resources to support the movement. The goal is for one million men to take a public stand against pornography, and for one million women to commit to pray for them.

Read more at www.BPNews.net.

Other news:

Faith may aid psychiatric treatment
A study of patients at Massachusetts’ McLean Hospital found those that believed in a higher power “do significantly better in short-term psychiatric treatment than those without, regardless of their religious affiliation,” said hospital clinician David H. Rosmarin. “Given the prevalence of religious belief in the United States – over 90 percent of the population – these findings are important in that they highlight the clinical implications of spiritual life.” Read more at www.BPNews.net.

SBC site blocked by U.S. military
FoxNews reported earlier this month the official website of the Southern Baptist Convention (www.SBC.net) was blocked on some U.S. military bases due to “hostile content.” Roger S. Oldham, a vice president for the SBC’s Executive Committee, urged Christians not to jump to conclusions.

“Though there have been several instances recently in which evangelical Christians have been marginalized by the broader culture, we think that a rush to judgment that the United States Military has targeted the Southern Baptist Convention as a hostile religious group would be premature.”

A military official later said software filters detected malware and blocked the website. The malware since has been removed and http://www.SBC.net is unblocked. Read more here.

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Rick and Kay Warren work to raise awareness about mental illness

Meredith Flynn —  April 23, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Shortly after his son Matthew’s suicide April 5, Rick Warren posted a petition on his church’s website to help raise awareness about mental illness. The petition “urges educators, lawmakers, healthcare, and congregations to raise the awareness and lower the stigma of mental illness, and also to support families that are dealing with mental illness on a daily basis,” according to http://www.saddleback.com.

His son was one of more than 11 million Americans suffering from severe mental illness, Warren wrote in the petition. He and his wife Kay also have established The Matthew Warren Fund for Mental Health. Read more at Saddleback’s website, or read Christian Post’s full story here.

Other News

Scouts will vote on allowing gay members, but not leaders
At the Boy Scouts national convention in May, members will vote on whether to allow gay-identifying youth to join the organization, while keeping a ban on homosexual leaders. Earlier this year, Boy Scouts discussed allowing both gay members and leaders, but as a “local option” for sponsoring organizations to decide. The policy up for review in May sets a national standard with no local option, Baptist Press reported.

“Though this resolution is more acceptable to those who hold a biblical form of morality than what was being considered before, we would still prefer no change in the policy,” said Southern Baptist Executive Committee President Frank Page. “A No vote keeps the current policy in place, an outcome we would overwhelmingly support.”

Read the full story at BPNews.net.

George Beverly Shea dies at age 104
The world mourned one of Gospel music’s most beloved and memorable voices last week, when famed soloist and composer George Beverly Shea passed away after a brief illness. Shea was best known for his performances during Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades, and for songs like “I’d Rather Have Jesus” and “The Wonder of it All.” Read more at BPNews.net.

Movie-making pastors to start new production company
The creators of movies “Courageous,” “Fireproof,” and “Facing the Giants” have announced they will start an independent production company focused on faith-based films. Alex and Stephen Kendrick will remain on staff at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., and use aspiring Christian filmmakers and students to help make their next film, Baptist Press reported. The brothers’ previous movie-making efforts relied largely on actors and volunteer crew members from their church.

“We have such a burden to help the next generation do this from a biblical perspective,” Alex Kendrick told Baptist Press. “We’ve got to reproduce ourselves and duplicate ourselves, and we think this is the way to do it.” Read the full story at BPNews.net.

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SBC President Luter visits Springfield this week

Meredith Flynn —  April 16, 2013

Luter_blogTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter is in Springfield today to meet with Illinois Baptist pastors and leaders at the Illinois Baptist State Association building. Luter also is preaching a three-day “Festival of Hope” at Union Baptist Church, a congregation affiliated with National Baptists. David Howard, director of missions for the Capital City Baptist Association invited Luter to Springfield in an effort to build bridges with African American churches in the city. The SBC president will engage in a Q&A time later today, and speak in the IBSA chapel service tomorrow morning. Check back here and on Facebook.com/IllinoisBaptist for more throughout the day.

Warren shares grief, faith on Twitter
In the days following his son’s death, Rick Warren’s personal Twitter feed told at least part of the story of how he and his family dealt with their grief. “Kay and I are overwhelmed by your love, prayers, and kind words. You are all encouraging our #brokenhearts,” Warren tweeted April 7, two days after Matthew Warren, 27, committed suicide.

He also responded to comments from Christians and non-Christians alike who took to social media to criticize and speculate about the Warren family. “Grieving is hard. Grieving as public figures, harder. Grieving while haters celebrate your pain, hardest. Your notes sustained us,” Warren wrote April 8.

He also offered forgiveness to the person who sold his son an unregistered gun, citing Matthew 6:15, and wrote about God’s faithfulness in trouble. Citing Psalm 34:1, Warren wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit.”

Read more about Warren’s Twitter reflections on BPNews.net.

Pro-life advocates use tweets to force media’s hand on Gosnell trial
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and actress Patricia Heaton were among those who participated in a TweetFest last week to force the media to cover the trial of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortionist charged with killing seven babies after delivery. He also is charged in the death of Karnamaya Monger, who died after she was given a Demerol overdose at Gosnell’s West Philadelphia Women’s Medical Society.

The trial has received virtually no media coverage from many major outlets, so pro-life activists Bryan Kemper and Andy Moore decided to use social media to get the word out. Read the full story at ChristianPost.com.

Pope Francis speaks out against church’s hypocrisy
A month into his papacy, Pope Francis called out the Catholic Church on the inconsistencies between what is taught and what is lived. “Let us all remember this: one cannot proclaim the Gospel of Jesus without the intangible witness of one’s life,” he said at a Mass at St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome on April 14. “Those who listen to us and observe us must be able to see in our actions what they from our lips, and so give glory to God!” Read more at ChristianPost.com.

‘Not Today’ movie sheds light on human trafficking
A new feature film, released Friday, April 12, tells the tragic story of human trafficking. “Not Today,” produced by Friends Church in Yorba Linda, Ca., chronicles a young man’s struggle to rescue a girl sold into slavery, and to overcome his own apathy. The movie was filmed on location in India, but producer Brent Martz told Baptist Press that human trafficking is an issue everywhere. “I wish we could say that it didn’t exist here. It is easy maybe to put our head in the sand and say, that’s a problem that is halfway around the world, but it is happening here.” Read more about the movie at BPNews.net, and check the film’s website to find out where it’s showing near you.

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Cindy Winters’ book reflects on God’s goodness in grief

Meredith Flynn —  April 9, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Cindy Winters didn’t set out to write a book. But as she journaled about her grief and pain after her husband’s death four years ago, she realized how healing the writing process could be. And she wanted to share that with others on a similar journey.

Pastor Fred Winters was killed at First Baptist Church, Maryville, Ill., on March 8, 2009, when a gunman entered the Sunday morning worship service and shot him where he stood in the pulpit. Media outlets immediately descended on Maryville, and the story made national headlines. Just days afterward, Cindy Winters extended forgiveness to the shooter on CBS’ Early Show.

“We have been praying for him,” she said. “…We really firmly believe that he can find hope and forgiveness and peace through this, by coming to know Jesus.”

Hope, forgiveness and peace are some of the themes running through Winters’ new book “Reflections from the Pit,” available now on www.amazon.com. Her writing process started simply, when she sat down with pen and paper to express some of the emotions that were overwhelming her.

“I would leave that writing experience with a sense of renewed strength,” Winters said. “Oftentimes, peace would sweep in over me, and then hope. And just a sense of, ‘Ok, you know what, I’m going to be able to make it through the rest of the day.’” Read more at BPNews.net.

Other news:

Rick and Kay Warren grieve son’s suicide
(From Baptist Press) Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren and his wife Kay lost their son Matthew, 27, on Friday, April 5, to suicide. Rick Warren released an emotional statement to Saddleback’s staff, which has since been broadly published:

“Over the past 33 years we’ve been together through every kind of crisis. Kay and I’ve been privileged to hold your hands as you faced a crisis or loss, stand with you at gravesides, and prayed for you when ill. Today, we need your prayer for us.”

Among those expressing compassion for the Warrens was Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee and a former SBC president.

Page and his wife Dayle lost a 32-year-old daughter, Melissa, to suicide in 2009.

Page stated via Twitter the day after Matthew Warren’s suicide: “My heart is broken as I’ve heard the news about Rick Warren’s son. Please pray. Unfortunately, I understand that which they experience now.” Read more at BPNews.net.

Haircuts and clean feet in New Orlenas
A team of 24 women traveled to New Orleans last week to minister in partnership with the Baptist Friendship House and missionary Kay Bennett. They served the city’s homeless population with a free health fair, where they offered haircuts, feet-washing stations, and listening ears. The day after they returned to Illinois, volunteer Kim Evrard said she woke up with a heavy heart. “This morning, I wake up and realize I barely slept because I can’t stop thinking about the people I met, and tears won’t stop this morning,” Evrard wrote in an email.

“I am so blessed. My heart is so heavy for the people I met.” Read more in the April 15 issue of the Illinois Baptist, online at ibonline.IBSA.org.

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans own Bible
As History Channel wrapped up its well-watched miniseries on the Bible, Barna and American Bible Society released their “State of the Bible” report, which found the book is still a staple in most households. Of the 1,005 American adults surveyed, 88% own a Bible and 80% said the Bible is sacred; 61% said they wish they read it more. Read more at Barna.org.

SBC’s non-Calvinists host ‘John 3:16’
The recent John 3:16 Conference in suburban Atlanta gathered more than 350 people and several prominent Southern Baptist leaders for a discussion of Calvinism in the SBC. The conference speakers, brought together by Jerry Vines Ministries, focused on the differences with those who identify with Reformed theology, but also emphasized cooperation and unity, reported Baptist Press. Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, Tenn., said Calvinists are not his enemy. “I can work with them,” he said. “There is no need for a takeover. We need to live together.” Read more at BPNews.net.

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Tuesday News Briefing: ‘Secret Church’ gathers 60,000 on Good Friday

Meredith Flynn —  April 2, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

An estimated 60,000 people gathered around video screens and computer monitors on Good Friday for Secret Church, an annual event hosted by Alabama pastor David Platt. Speaking from The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Platt delivered nearly six hours of teaching on heaven, hell and the end of the world.

“We need to pause,” and consider the big questions related to what comes next, Platt said, because we are “continually blinded by the temporal, subtly numbed by the trivial, and we desperately need to contemplate the eternal.”

Platt covered biblical truths about heaven and hell before turning his attention to controversial questions in the book of Revelation. Speaking in rapid-fire sentences, he worked through a 190-page, fill-in-the-blanks notebook while viewers around the world scrambled to keep up, some with the help of a live Twitter feed that provided the answers.

Questions related to heaven, hell and Jesus’ return have always intrigued Christians, and often have been a source of disagreement. A 2010 survey by the Pew Research Center found nearly half of U.S. Christians believe Jesus will definitely (27%) or probably (20%) return to earth in the next 40 years, while 38% disagreed.

In the first few minutes of the Secret Church simulcast, Platt urged his listeners to “leave room for disagreement over secondary (and tertiary) doctrines while celebrating agreement on primary doctrines.” And to live with urgency. He quoted 18th century preacher Jonathan Edwards:

“Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.”

Read more about Secret Church here.

-David Platt quotes from Secret Church study guide

Other news:

Kerry advocates for Iranian pastor’s freedom
(From Baptist Press) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry late Friday (March 22) called for the release of pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent who is suffering in a notoriously brutal Tehran prison because of his Christian faith. The American Center for Law and Justice, which represents Abedini’s wife and two young children living in the United States, called Kerry’s statement “a tremendous step forward in our government’s involvement in securing Pastor Saeed’s freedom.” Read more at BPNews.net.
Piper preaches final message at Bethlehem Baptist
Pastor John Piper ended his pastoral ministry at Minneapolis’ Bethlehem Baptist Church over Easter weekend by preaching during the church’s holiday worship services. Christian leaders went online to honor Piper, blogger Justin Taylor. “When all is said and done, John Piper will be remembered for many things. But apart from his own relationship to God and his relationship to family, his most important vocation will remain serving as a faithful, worshipful, prayerful shepherd to a local body of believers,” Taylor wrote at thegospelcoalition.org.
Russell Moore elected next ERLC President
(From Baptist Press) Russell Moore, currently dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has been elected the next president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Moore, 41, a native of Biloxi, Miss., will be the eighth president of the entity charged by Southern Baptists with addressing moral and religious freedom issues. “I pray for God’s grace to lead the ERLC to be a catalyst to connect the agenda of the kingdom of Christ to the cultures of local congregations for the sake of the mission of the Gospel in the world,” Moore said. Read more at BPNews.net.
In sculpture, Jesus takes on ‘dirt’ of mankind – literally
A Wheaton College art professor has meticulously covered a sculpture of Jesus with dirt and dust collected from all over campus, in an effort to artistically express how Christ took on the sin of mankind through his death and resurrection. David Hooker’s Corpus will be displayed in the college’s biblical and theological studies department, Christianity Today reports. The magazine talked to Hooker about the inspiration and method behind his work.
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Tuesday Briefing: 900 volunteers serve during Illinois’ Children’s Ministry Day

Meredith Flynn —  March 19, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/62112542″>CMD 2013 recap</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/ibsa”>IL Baptist State Association</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

A story is told every year around this time, about a little girl from an IBSA church who knocked on the door of a crisis pregnancy center one Saturday in March. She wasn’t alone; bolstered by several others her age, she answered the question, “Who is it?” with a bold proclamation:

“We’re missionaries!”

It was Children’s Ministry Day, and the young missionary was delivering handmade blankets to mothers and babies in need.

Hundreds of kid took up her rallying cry in mid-March, as the third annual IBSA Children’s Ministry Day sent 900 volunteers into five communities. At the Mt. Vernon site, IBSA’s Rex Alexander told the story to help motivate more than 200 kids who gathered at Park Avenue Baptist Church before scattering to their ministry sites.

“The church is often guilty of overlooking children when it comes to mission action,” Alexander said later. “We send youth and adults on mission trips, but we limit mission involvement with children to teaching ‘about’ missions.

“Our kids are very capable of serving the Lord outside the walls of their church and having an impact on their world.”

Children’s Ministry Day is an Illinois expression of a nationwide initiative created by Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). Mark Emerson, IBSA’s associate executive director for missions, has let the statewide project from the beginning, when it started in 2011 with several projects in the Springfield area. Children’s Ministry Day expanded to three last year, and this year, host associations coordinated various projects in five cities – Bourbonnais, Carbondale, Mt. Vernon, Springfield and Troy.

A total of 903 volunteers, including kids, their leaders and host site helpers, served at the most recent event, a 25% increase over last year. The number of churches represented also increased, from 50 to 64.

For more about Children’s Ministry Day, see the upcoming issue of the Illinois Baptist, online Friday at ibonline.IBSA.org.

Other news:

Alabama cop turns over badge
But Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy did so willingly. While speaking at First Baptist Church as part of the 13th Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama, Murphy (right in photo) gave his badge to U.S. Rep. John Lewis (left) and apologized to him on behalf of the police department, Baptist Press reports. The Georgia Congressman and long-time Civil Rights activist was beaten along with other Freedom Riders at a Montgomery bus station in 1961, while Montgomery police stood down. “He us my hero,” Murphy said of Lewis. Read the full story at BPnews.net.

NAMB sends Bibles to every church
The North American Mission Board will send this spring a case of New Testaments to every Southern Baptist and Canadian National Baptist church. “If your church hasn’t been out in your community sharing Christ in a while, we think these Bibles are a great tool for outreach,” said NAMB President Kevin Ezell. The New Testaments are part of NAMB’s vision to see every Christian sharing the Gospel by 2020, and should arrive in churches by early April. Read more at BPnews.net.

Tomlin gives spotlight to God
On any given Sunday, worship artist Chris Tomlin’s songs are sung in at least 60,000 churches. And it could be as many as 120,000, estimates Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI). In a recent CNN interview, Tomlin said he likes stepping back from the microphone during his concerts so he can listen to others worship. “It’s about a greater name than my name,” he told CNN. “My name is on the ticket, but this is about a greater name.” Read more at CNN’s belief blog.

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