• /
    • Archives /
  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

Uptown congregation prays after violence near church steps

Meredith Flynn —  August 27, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago held a prayer vigil last Wednesday evening after a drive-by shooting at the corner of Sheridan Rd. and Wilson Ave. rocked their neighborhood two days before. The church was in the middle of a prayer service when the shots were fired from a passing car, seriously wounding five men. One victim has since died.

Police believe the violence is gang-related.

“Just left the prayer vigil @ ubc tonight,” Pastor Michael Allen tweeted last Wednesday. “Great night. Proud of the Chicago Bride of Christ. We cried, sang, quoted Bible, prayed, hugged…”

Allen also shared through social media that six people were baptized Sunday at Wilson Ave. beach: “‘Out of the ashes we rise…there’s non like You’ Oh God!”

The Chicago Tribune interviewed Allen about his neighborhood shortly after the shooting. Read it here.

Other news:

Christian photographers fined for refusing to photograph same-sex ceremonyA New Mexico court ruled against Elaine and Jonathan Huguenin, photographers who declined an assignment to shoot a same-sex commitment ceremony in 2006. Fox News reports the Huguenins turned down the “because their Christian beliefs were in conflict with the message communicated by the ceremony.” New Mexico has no statute for or against same-sex marriage; the court ruled the photographers were in violation of the state’s Human Rights Act. Read Fox News reporter Todd Starnes’ full story here.

Florida pastors take message of racial reconciliation on the road
The pastors who helped keep the peace in Sanford, Fl., during George Zimmerman’s trial and following his acquittal are on a multi-city tour to help other leaders deal with race issues in their communities. (Zimmerman was on trial for the murder of African American teen Trayvon Martin.) Christianity Today reports the pastors, who took turns sitting through Zimmerman’s trial in a show of unity with one another, were in Detroit last week and will soon visit Toledo, Charlotte, New York, Denver and Minneapolis. Read more at ChristianityToday.com.

Abedini denied reprieve from Iranian court
Pastor Saeed Abedini, imprisoned in Iran since 2012, still faces the remainder of his eight year sentence, even as Abedini’s attorneys and others from the international community fought on his behalf. “The decision is deeply troubling and underscores Iran’s continued violation of principles of freedom of religion, association, peaceful assembly, and expression,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice. The Christian Post reports prayer vigils are planned for Abedini around the world on September 26. The pastor, an Iranian-American, is charged with threatening national security, but his representatives believe his imprisonment is more a result of his Christian faith. Read the The Christian Post’s full story here.

Survey measures American norms a decade after 9/11Americans report being less committed to getting ahead in life, more concerned about the future, lonelier and more stressed out in the years since September 11, 2001. Barna’s fascinating survey looks at how the last decade has changed us.

In Briefing , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
permalink

Violence erupts outside Uptown Baptist Church

Meredith Flynn —  August 20, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Five men were shot yesterday outside Uptown Baptist Church on Chicago’s north side. The shooting, thought to have resulted from a dispute between two gangs, occurred while the church held a prayer service inside the building. Uptown hosts the service and a weekly meal on Monday evenings for their neighborhood’s homeless population.

“A few of us went outside to see what happened,” Pastor Michael Allen told DNAinfo.com. “We found several people on the ground bleeding profusely, and they were screaming.”

The church plans to hold a prayer vigil Wednesday evening at 6:30.

Read the Chicago Tribune’s story here.

Other news:

Pastors to pray in Dallas
Senior pastors from Southern Baptist churches of all sizes are invited to gather in Texas this fall to pray together 24 hours. The event, scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square, “is not a ‘come and go’ event or a place to ‘come and be seen,’ nor is it a denominational or political meeting,” said Arkansas pastor Ronnie Floyd (left) in a written statement. “It is a serious spiritual experience of prayer with pastors nationally.” Read more at BPNews.net.

Group advocates pulpit freedom
A 14-member commission recently recommended relaxing restrictions on political speech in church services, Baptist Press reports. The group, created at the request of Sen. Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa), found “a member of the clergy should be permitted to say whatever he or she believes is appropriate in the context of a religious worship service without fear of government reprisal, even when such communications include content related to political candidates.” Read the full story here.

Abortion is moral issue for most
Most Americans still view abortion as either morally acceptable or morally wrong, but they’re less likely to view other birth issues in those terms, according to a survey by Pew Research. The study found 49% of people believe having an abortion is morally wrong, but far fewer respondents were morally opposed to embryonic stem cell research (22%) and in vitro fertilization (12%). According to Pew, only 23% of people believe abortion is not a moral issue, compared to 36% for embryonic stem cell research and 46% for in vitro fertilization. Read more at PewForum.org.

Parenting advice that’s truly inspired
Mother of 19 Michelle Duggar learned how to settle sibling disputes from the Bible. “I thought I’m going to go nuts if all I’m doing all day long is refereeing these little ones,” the matriarch of TV’s “19 Kids and Counting” says in a video on The Learning Channel’s website. But she looked to Matthew 18 for help. “If you have a problem you talk sweet to your brother or sister,” Duggar says, paraphrasing the passage for her little ones. “If they came up and took your dump truck away from you, you talk sweet to them and try and turn their heart to God saying, ‘Brother don’t take that truck away.’” Read the full story at ChristianPost.com.

In Briefing , , , , , , , , , ,
permalink

After bungee jump, church planter takes the plunge in Chicago

Meredith Flynn —  June 11, 2013
Scott Venable shares his story of planting a church in Chicago at the WMU Missions Celebration in Houston.

Scott Venable shares his story of planting a church in Chicago at the WMU Missions Celebration in Houston.

HOUSTON | God used bungee jumping to move church planter Scott Venable to Chicago. At the WMU Missions Celebration, Venable told women he and his wife, Ashley, knew they were called to start a new church, and had visited the city several times in search of housing. But they were waiting to sell their house in Texas before fully committing.

On his 30th birthday, Venable went bungee jumping, and hesitated mightily before finally taking the plunge. Later that day, Venable said, he heard God say, “I want you to jump.”

“I had to go back and tell my wife that God has used bungee jumping to get us to go to Chicago,” Venable said to laughter from the audience. They found an apartment online, put down a deposit, and 10 minutes later, got a call that someone wanted to put a contract on their house in Texas.

The Venables’ church, Mosaic, is now two years old and averaging 75-80 in worship. They just baptized four people in Lake Michigan. The church also runs a busy program for kids in their neighborhood.

Venable thanked WMU specifically for their unflinching focus on missions, like the mounds of cards they send to missionaries on their birthdays. “Don’t ever underestimate what those mean to us on the field,” he said. “[They] brighten our day and strengthen our hearts and our courage.”

A veteran of Southern Baptist missions education programs, Venable told the audience he was a Mission Friend (the SBC program for preschoolers), and later accepted the call to ministry as an RA (Royal Ambassador).

“Missions is at the very center of what the church should be about,” he said, congratulating WMU on its first 125 years, and urging women to maintain that focus on missions.

In News, SBC , , , ,
permalink

‘Strategic moments’ take center stage at Send: North America luncheon

Meredith Flynn —  June 10, 2013

HOUSTON | A luncheon hosted by the North American Mission Board today had one foot planted in the past – celebrating Southern Baptists’ Conservative Resurgence of the 1970s and 80s – and one foot in the future, highlighting church planting as the most effective way the denomination can penetrate spiritual darkness.

“We feel like this is a strategic moment for Southern Baptists,” NAMB President Kevin Ezell said to the crowd gathered for the Send: North America lunch. But this strategic moment wouldn’t be possible without other moments from Baptist history, he added. Ezell invited Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler, knwon as the architects of the SBC’s return to conservative doctrine, to join him on the stage and thanked them on behalf of church planters and younger Southern Baptists.

The presentation that followed mixed old-school sleight of hand with modern technology. Illusionist “Harris III” took the audience through a timeline of Southern Baptist history, emphasizing landmark moments like Annie Armstrong’s leadership of Woman’s Missionary Union. The multi-media journey also pointed to the trends, specifically mass urbanization, that are driving NAMB to plant more churches all over the continent, but particularly in cities.

NAMB President Kevin Ezell (right) recognizes Judge Paul Pressler (center) and Paige Patterson at a luncheon for Send: North America.

NAMB President Kevin Ezell (right) recognizes Judge Paul Pressler (center) and Paige Patterson at a luncheon for Send: North America.

Illusionist Harris III presents a history of Southern Baptists, while a ticker moved through the years from Baptists' beginnings to the year 2013.

Illusionist Harris III presents a history of Southern Baptists, while a ticker (in this photo, set at 1845) moves through the years from Baptists’ beginnings to the year 2013.

Banners representing metro areas designated as "Send" cities by the North American Mission Board. Chicago and St. Louis are among the 30 cities.

Banners representing metro areas designated as “Send” cities by the North American Mission Board. Chicago and St. Louis are among the 30 cities.

 

In News, SBC , , , , , , ,
permalink

Praying for: Church of the Beloved, Chicago

Meredith Flynn —  May 6, 2013

HEARTLAND | David Choi’s made the decision to plant a church in Chicago after God asked him a simple question:

“Is my presence enough?”

As he struggled to discern where God was leading him, Choi also sensed God’s assurance. “I felt God tell me, ‘I’m going to lead you to a place to plant,’” he said. “You’re not going to be alone because I’m going to be with you. Is my presence enough?”

Now, Choi is planting a very multi-cultural church near the University of Illinois-Chicago. Click on the video below to find out more about Church of the Beloved, or read the full story here.

In Heartland , , , ,
permalink

From ‘normal job’ to church planting in Chicago

Meredith Flynn —  March 10, 2013

HEARTLAND | “I just was like any other normal person with a nice secular job,” said Marvin Del Rios. “God kept on pushing me and impressing on me that this is what you need to do.”

Del Rios’ “this” was pastoring and church planting in Chicago. Watch the video below for more of his story, and how others are sharing the Gospel in the Windy City.

SEND North America: Chicago from IL Baptist State Association on Vimeo.

In Heartland , , ,
permalink

Week of Prayer for North American Missions: Day 8

Meredith Flynn —  March 10, 2013

Today marks the end of the Week of Prayer for North American Missions. In this post, we go back to Day 1 for a look at Chicago church planters Scott and Ashley Venable.

Scott Venable“It’s the most eclectic place you can imagine,” church planter Scott Venable says of his Chicago neighborhood. “It has drug dealers and businesspeople. When we prayerwalked as we were looking for a place to start the church and we got to Wicker Park, we just knew it was it.”

One of the most famous neighborhoods in the Windy City, Wicker Park is the kind of place where million dollar homes are just a few blocks down from government housing. It’s also a place that needs churches. Scott and his wife Ashley are planting Mosaic Church with a focus on serving the community, and sharing the Gospel in Chicagoland, where only 10 percent of people know Christ.

Pray for Mosaic Church Chicago as they live out  the Great Commandment and carry out the Great Commission – may they see many transformed lives.

Go to www.anniearmstrong.com/scottvenable to watch “Where to Start,” a video about the Venables’ work in Wicker Park.

In Heartland, SBC , , , , ,
permalink

Tuesday News Briefing: Missions in Chicago, Pope Benedict, the influence of athletes

Meredith Flynn —  February 12, 2013
Nanette Franks (center) and Judy Rinkenberger (right) share information about a women's luncheon with a Chicago resident.

Illinois WMU volunteers share information about a women’s luncheon with a Chicago resident.

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

A volunteer mission team braved cold temperatures and gusty winds yesterday to bring a little warmth to Chicagoans. Eight women representing churches across the state and Illinois Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) worked in the name of Chicago’s Uptown Baptist Church during the annual trip.

Several in the group stood outside Uptown, handing out gloves, hats scarves and socks. Others worked inside the church’s kitchen to prepare an evening meal for more than 100 people.

“It just really opens my eyes [to needs] that I read about, but don’t ever see in my everyday life,” said Nanette Franks, a Harrisburg resident, as she worked on table decorations for the Valentine’s Day-themed meal. Uptown hosts a free dinner every Monday evening.

Along with the meal and clothing giveaway, the women helped organize Uptown’s clothes closet and hosted a women’s luncheon. They also worked with a neighboring missions organization, and visited local nursing homes and hospitals. For more information about the trip, see the March 4 issue of the Illinois Baptist.

Evangelicals: Pope Benedict has been a ‘friend of life’
(From Baptist Press) As the world reacted to the unexpected news that Pope Benedict XVI would become the first pope in six centuries to resign, evangelicals acknowledged major theological differences while citing Benedict’s commitment to human dignity as a key part of his legacy. Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, located in a heavily Catholic region, told Baptist Press that Benedict “is a man worthy of our respect and appreciation.”

“Although there are profound differences in Baptist and Catholic perspectives on faith, we shared a commitment to the sanctity of life and other biblical values.” Read the full story at BPNews.net.

Athletes have more influence than clergy, survey says
A new Barna survey found 64% of Americans think professional athletes have more influence in society than faith leaders, and 61% of respondents favor athletes talking publicly about their faith. Read more at Barna.org.

Frost to lead NAMB’s Midwest region
(From Baptist Press) New York pastor Gary Frost has been named the North American Mission Board’s new Midwest Region vice president. Frost spent 18 years as pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church in Youngstown, Ohio, and plans to locate near Cleveland for his new role.

“I love the Midwest and I came from Ohio, so we are excited about the move. And people in Cleveland face many of the same issues we face in New York. I hope I will be able to draw on those experiences and apply them to reaching new people and helping plant new churches in the Midwest.” Read more at BPNews.net.

In Briefing , , , , , ,
permalink

Seeking brokenness in Chicago

Meredith Flynn —  November 19, 2012

HEARTLAND | Church planter Marcus Randle started Resurrection House Baptist Church with broken people in mind. A Chicago native and former social worker, Randle had never pastored a church before he started Resurrection House in 2009. Since then, the church has been reaching people in Chicago like Deidre.

“Life was a mess,” said Deidre, who was heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol. But she met Christ and people who cared about her at the church, and “I never in a million, in a zillion years, dreamed that I would be in the space that I am now,” she said.

See Deidre’s story in the video below, and go to http://www.namb.net/chicago for more.

Marcus Randle: Worth It All After All from North American Mission Board on Vimeo.

In Heartland ,
permalink

Jonathan Peters: Cities are our responsibility

Meredith Flynn —  November 14, 2012

DECATUR, Ill. | Where would Paul be if he were around today, asked IBSA President Jonathan Peters in his message during the IBSA Annual Meeting. He’d be at Starbucks, or in a college campus cafeteria. “He’d be anywhere where somebody is talking about something that he believes could point them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ,” Peters said.

And Paul would definitely in the cities. “He wouldn’t discount the towns,” Peters added, “but he would spend most of his time in the cities. And he wouldn’t apologize for it.”

He posed another question to the crowd: Where do the majority of lost people in Illinois live? The answer is obvious, and crowd members called it out to Peters: Chicago. “We need to reach our cities for Christ. We need to be selfless in our churches and not view ourselves as those who demand services from denominations, or to place unrealistic expectations on people to get the job done for us.

“Every believer in Illinois is responsible to reach the people of Illinois. And the people of Illinois, for the most part, still live in large urban centers.”

 

 

In IBSA Annual Meeting , , , ,
permalink