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Archives For November 30, 1999

Traditional marriage supporters rally at the Capitol

Meredith Flynn —  May 31, 2013
Pastor Danny Holliday prays at a pro-traditional marriage rally in the Illinois Capitol rotunda.

Pastor Danny Holliday prays at a pro-traditional marriage rally in the Illinois Capitol rotunda.

NEWS | A group of 30-40 supporters of traditional marriage gathered in the Capitol’s rotunda moments ago to pray for today’s presumed same-sex marriage vote. The Illinois Family Institute organized the rally late yesterday, in response to no action from legislators on same-sex marriage during yesterday’s session.

Pastor Danny Holliday of Victory Baptist Church in Alton led the group in prayer. Holliday has been a vocal opponent of the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” (which would legalize same-sex marriage in the state) since the Senate took up the issue earlier this spring.

Proponents of same-sex marriage plan to rally in the rotunda at 11 a.m. today.

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Marriage debates scheduled for the Capitol today

Meredith Flynn —  May 31, 2013

Buttons_finalNEWS | The Illinois Baptist staff is at the Capitol today to cover an expected vote in the House on legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage. Session is scheduled to begin at 9:30.

Meanwhile, people on both sides of the issue are scheduled to rally in the Capitol’s rotunda this morning. Check back here or at Facebook.com/IllinoisBaptist for updates throughout the day.

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Definition of marriage is a ‘waiting game’ in Illinois

Meredith Flynn —  May 30, 2013

COMMENTARY | Lisa Sergent

wedding_bandsLegalization of same-sex marriage in Illinois has become a “wait and see” situation for people on both sides of the issue. What appeared to be speedy passage through General Assembly has stalled, as proponents of the legislation try to muster enough votes to get final approval in the State House. Whatever the outcome in a battle over this particular bill, it is important to note that changing the traditional definition of marriage in Illinois has not been swift, easy or unanimous.

Watching the February 14 passage of bill from the Senate gallery, where supporters of same-sex marriage outnumbered defenders of traditional marriage, it seemed likely that the House would pass the measure as quickly as the Senate had. But in the weeks and months since, objection from the grassroots has grown up and grown strong.

Southern Baptists, evangelical Christians, and Catholics have been especially vocal. Pastors and denominational leaders led the opposition to the same-sex marriage bill SB 10, officially titled the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” by its authors. Rep. Greg Harris, the main sponsor of the bill and the Illinois House’s first openly homosexual member, has stated he will not call the bill for a vote until he is certain he has the 60 votes needed for it to pass.

The House Executive Committee sent the bill to the House floor in March, but with the May 31 end of session deadline quickly approaching, there has still been no vote.

If proponents of the legislation were counting on public opinion to give it a final push through the House, they are likely disappointed by the effects of by protests by Christians. Some polls have shown public opinion shifting nationally, and in Illinois recent surveys show an even divide in public support for gay marriage. But conservative voices also are being heard, and conservative legislators are finding strong backing in their defense of traditional marriage.

Lawmakers who are holding out for “one-man/one-woman” are being subjected to strong lobbying from the other side, including automated phone calls and personal visits. Meantime, demonstrations for traditional marriage continue on the Capitol steps and in the public square, such as Chicago’s Logan Square and in downtown Alton.

And it continues to be a waiting game, as supporters of traditional marriage hope to hold off a vote on SB 10 until the 98th General Assembly ends. Round one ends next week, but with a procedural move, a second round could continue until January 2015.

Unless there is House action today or tomorrow, the question becomes, Will supporters of traditional marriage remain fervent in their efforts?

Lisa Sergent is communications director for the Illinois Baptist State Association.

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House vote on same-sex marriage by Friday?

Meredith Flynn —  May 29, 2013

Buttons_finalPush for final action on marriage bill rumored this week in Springfield

NEWS | Lisa Sergent

With the Illinois General Assembly’s session set to close on Friday, there is renewed effort to get representatives to vote on the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state by week’s end.

As the deadline approaches, supporters of SB 10, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act,” are working the phone banks to urge the bill’s passage. The recent passage of same-sex marriage bills in Delaware, Minnesota and Rhode Island has also caused supporters in Illinois to increase pressure on state representatives. At the same time, Christians taking a stand for traditional marriage are urging prayer to stop the vote.

Meanwhile, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), told the Windy City Times he will “absolutely” call the bill to a vote before session ends May 31 and that it will pass. “When I put it up on the board, it’s going up to win,” he said.

There is some indication the lobbying may be working. On May 21, the Chicago Sun-Times published an article regarding how members of the 20-member Illinois House Black Caucus in the plan to vote on SB10. The paper tallied four yes votes, five no’s, five who are leaning toward yes, and seven undecided. However, La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), who was leaning toward yes, announced Monday he would vote yes on the bill.

Sun-Times Springfield bureau chief Dave McKinney tweeted Tuesday, “Rep. Greg Harris says he will call SB 10 for a vote by Friday, won’t indicate if Rep. La Shawn Ford’s prediction of 64 House votes is true.”

Previously, Rep. Harris has stated he would not call the bill to a vote on the House floor unless he was sure he had the 60 votes needed for it to pass.

The Chicago Tribune is calling on House members to “get it done.” An editorial published Wednesday said, “We won’t pretend this is an easy vote for everyone. But its time has come.”

Meanwhile, defenders of the traditional definition of marriage have pointed to the slowness in bringing the bill for a final vote as evidence that Illinois is more conservative than the 12 states that have already passed same-sex marriage laws. And they have continued a grassroots campaign to keep Illinois lawmakers from changing the law here. In an e-mail Wednesday, Bob Vanden Bosch, executive director of Concerned Christian Ministries, stated, “We believe that if they had the votes, they would have called it for a vote already.” He then asked supporters of traditional marriage to contact their legislators and urge them to vote no on SB 10.

If passed, same-sex marriages would begin 30 days after being signed into law. Gov. Pat Quinn has urged passage of the legislation and said he is ready to sign the bill into law as soon as it reaches his desk.

Lisa Sergent is communications director for the Illinois Baptist State Association.

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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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Christians pray for legislators, wait for vote on same-sex marriage

Meredith Flynn —  May 2, 2013
Pastor Danny Holliday leads supporters of traditional marriage in a prayer rally in Alton.

Pastor Danny Holliday leads supporters of traditional marriage in a prayer rally in Alton.

NEWS | Meredith Flynn

As people on both sides of the debate wait for the Illinois House to vote on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, Christian leaders continue to gather together to pray the state legislature will vote to protect a traditional definition of the institution.

Danny Holliday, pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Alton, sent out a last-minute call to pastors and church members in the area to gather for a prayer rally April 28. Despite the short notice, he said 60 people showed up at Lincoln Douglas Square to pray for Illinois representatives who could face a vote on same-sex marriage this month.

“We prayed for the individual representatives, that they would want to know the truth and find out the truth, and vote accordingly,” Holliday said. “We believe marriage has to do with God, and we prayed that the people would realize this is a religious issue, it’s a biblical issue, and it’s not an issue just based on people’s feelings.”

Read “Gay Marriage, A Civil Right?” by Southern Seminary President Al Mohler in the next issue of the Illinois Baptist, online by Friday, May 3.

After passage by the Senate in February, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” narrowly passed through the House Executive Committee, and has since been awaiting vote on the House floor. Several reports indicate the bill is still as much as a dozen votes short of passage, although lobbyists are working to change the minds of representatives who favor traditional marriage. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently told The Windy City Times, an advocate for same-sex marriage, that he’s “optimistic we’re within striking distance” on the bill. Quinn has said he will sign it if it reaches his desk.

“Hopefully between now and the 31st of May, Greg Harris, our sponsor, will find a moment to call the bill for a roll call,” Quinn told the newspaper.

Holliday is looking toward the end of May too, when the legislature’s spring session comes to a close.

“We have to the end of May. If we can hold them off, we’ll be OK until the next term. We’re confident because we believe God is in this, but we’re not over-confident, and there’s a lot of work to be done yet.”

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Photo Gallery: Fred Luter in Springfield, Ill.

Meredith Flynn —  April 18, 2013

Posted by Meredith Flynn

Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter was in Springfield, Ill., earlier this week to meet with pastors and leaders, and to preach a three-day festival of hope at Union Baptist Church, a congregation affiliated with National Baptists. The May 6 issue of the Illinois Baptist will feature full coverage of his visit; the photos below show a few of the highlights:

FredLuter_IBSA

Near the end of his first term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, New Orleans pastor Fred Luter visited Springfield, Ill., and met with pastors and leaders from around the state. Luter is up for re-election at this year’s SBC Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas, June 11-12.

Choir_Union

A community choir sings during the Festival of Hope, a three-day event at Union Baptist Church in Springfield. Luter preached all three evenings, and the choir, composed of singers from several churches, led in worship.

Luter_preaching

The Festival of Hope and Fred Luter’s visit was designed to help churches in the Capital City Baptist Association connect with African American churches in the city, said David Howard, the association’s director of missions. Howard, who once pastored in the New Orleans area, envisioned Luter’s visit more than a year ago. “…Fred is just a unique guy – if you can’t like Fred, you’re not going to like anybody. So I wanted him to come and help us build bridges.” Here, Luter preaches at Union Baptist while T. Ray McJunkins, the church’s pastor, worships along with him.

Worship

Elizabeth and Fred Luter (center) participate in a worship service at the Illinois Baptist State Association Building alongside IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams (far right) and his wife Beth (far left).

Q&A

During an hour-long Q&A session, Luter answered questions from Illinois Baptist pastors and leaders, like “What has surprised you most as SBC President?” and “How would you encourage pastors of small churches?”

Baseball

Adams presented Luter with Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals camps, telling him, “You brother are a unifier, and a bringer-together, not only for baseball fans, but for believers in our state.”

Pictures

Guests at the “Meet the President” event received a souvenir photo with President Luter to commemorate the occasion.

Chicago_pastors

Dale Davenport (left) helped gather a large group of Chicagoland pastors at the event in Springfield, including (from left) Don Sharp, Bryan Price, and David Sutton.

Prayer

“If you’re doing anything for me, I need you to pray for me,” Luter said. “I don’t want to mess this thing up. I really want to honor this position, to honor my family, my church, my state convention, the Southern Baptist Convention, and I want to honor God in all I do.”

Diner

The Luters and David Howard (far right) met with reporters from the Illinois Baptist newspaper for breakfast at Charlie Parker’s diner in Springfield. Look for our Q&A with them in the next issue of the IB, due May 6.

 

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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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Christians keep praying, lobbying at the Illinois Capitol

Meredith Flynn —  March 7, 2013

 

Christians gathered to pray on the Illinois Capitol steps Thursday. David Howard, director of missions for the Capital City Baptist Association, and Kevin Carrothers, pastor of Rochester First Baptist, were among the group of about 25 people.

Christians gather to pray on the Illinois Capitol steps Thursday. David Howard, director of missions for Capital City Baptist Association, and Kevin Carrothers, pastor of Rochester First Baptist, were among the group of 25.

SPRINGFIELD | Meredith Flynn

Christians from several Christian denominations – including Southern Baptists – gathered on the Illinois Capitol steps Thursday to pray together and voice their support for a traditional definition of marriage.

Esther Wang and her husband, Pine, were among the group of about 25 people. “Some of the Christians I know – Chinese Christians – say, ‘Oh, there’s no way, because state after state” has approved legislation in favor of same-sex marriage, Esther said. The Wangs, who work with a network of Chinese Christian churches in Chicagoland, came to Springfield for the prayer vigil with fellow Moody Bible Institute graduates John and Grace Chao.

“My husband and John Chao, they said whether the bill will be passed or not is not in our hands,” Esther said. “But our duty there, our responsibility there, [is] that we should speak out the truth, in this moment.”

The State House vote, yet to be scheduled, is the final step before Governor Pat Quinn would receive the same-sex marriage bill. He has promised to sign it.

After they prayed, the group went inside the nearby Stratton Building to lobby their representatives to vote no on the bill. They met up with two busloads of Christians from Chicagoland who were mobilized by New Life Covenant Church, affiliated with Assemblies of God.

On the Stratton Building’s second floor, where many representatives have offices, Pastor Danny Holliday of Victory Baptist in Alton stood in the hallway with the inter-denominational group of volunteer lobbyists. Holliday spoke against same-sex marriage during the House Executive Committee hearing, and has spent time in Springfield this week meeting with legislators. Opponents of the bill have been getting good response at the Capitol, he said.

“We want to shore up the people that are coming our way, because a lot of pressure has been applied by President Obama, and by people from Illinois who want this to go through.”

The President expressed his support for same-sex marriage last spring, and has since said he would support the bill in Illinois, were he still a State Senator. On Feb. 28, the U.S. Justice Department filed a friend-of-the-court brief that asked the Supreme Court to overturn California’s Proposition 8, which protects a traditional definition of marriage. The move is seen by some as an abandonment of a states’ right position on marriage, and the next step in legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

-With reporting by Baptist Press

Esther Wang and John and Grace Chao pose with a sign reading "Vote No" in Chinese characters.

Esther Wang and John and Grace Chao pose with a sign reading “Vote No” in Chinese characters.

Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch (third from left) of Concerned Christian Ministries helps people locate their representatives' offices at the Stratton Building in downtown Springfield.

Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch (third from left) of Concerned Christian Ministries helps people locate their representatives’ offices at the Stratton Building in downtown Springfield. Photos by Meredith Flynn

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