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Archives For November 30, 1999

‘Why are you passing by me?’ And other Africa stories

Meredith Flynn —  January 27, 2014
Mark Emerson, pictured here, and a team of four volunteers from Illinois spent a week in Guinea engaging people there with stories from the Bible.

Mark Emerson, pictured here, and a team of four volunteers from Illinois spent a week in Guinea engaging people there with stories from the Bible.

HEARTLAND | In Guinea on a short-term mission trip, Mark Emerson met his own version of the man from Macedonia (see Acts 16:9).

Emerson and fellow Illinois volunteer Harold Booze were waiting for a boat to take them and their missionary guide to share Bible stories with an unreached, unengaged people group. As they endured the six-hour wait, they met John, a soldier from a nearby village. When they told him where they were going and why, John asked, “Why are you passing by me?”

“So, on our return, we came back a day early to tell stories to him and his family,” Emerson said.

John was one of many Guineans who heard true stories from the Bible that week. Five volunteers from Illinois partnered with International Mission Board missionaries to locate and share with unreached people groups in the country. The mostly Muslim nation is largely non-literate; the people rely on stories to pass down their traditions and culture. In one historic village, the Americans listened first to the story of how the people had come to settle there. After detailing hundreds of years of their people group’s history – including specific names – the Guineans turned to the Americans and said, “You tell us a story.”

“I’ve got a great one,” Emerson said before launching into the account of the Good Samaritan.

The Bible stories were the group’s inroads into the villages, a way to begin building relationships so that missionaries and future teams can go back and keep sharing about Jesus. In a village where they stayed several days, the chief brought a sick child to them. After they prayed for him, the Muslim chief was so moved by the passion of their prayers that he took the group from place to place so they could pray for more people.

They met a man near death and prayed for him, that he would choose Jesus. Their missionary guide felt like they shouldn’t leave the room until they had given the man the Gospel, so, “I gave him the whole thing, the full-barrel Gospel,” Emerson said. The man didn’t turn to Christ, but the missionary encouraged Emerson and the other volunteers. “At least he had a choice.”

“My responsibility is to help people have a choice,” Emerson said once back in the U.S. “I didn’t win anybody to Jesus, but I got a whole lot of people closer.” Like the chief who told him, with his hand on his own chest, “God has designed us to know Him in our hearts.”

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New video highlights Disaster Relief work after tornadoes

Meredith Flynn —  December 17, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The images in a new video produced by the North American Mission Board serve as reminders of how devastating were the tornadoes that ripped through Illinois, Indiana, and other Midwest states Nov. 17.The two-and-a-half minute clip also tells how Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers and local churches, like FBC Washington, helped residents begin to pick up the pieces.

“I don’t know what we would have done, honestly,” says one storm victim helped by DR volunteers. “And it’s such a blessing.” Read more about tornado relief efforts in the Dec. 16 issue of the Illinois Baptist, online here.

Other stories:

Race, religion and Santa Claus
Fox News’ Megyn Kelly stirred up controversy when she said on air that Santa Claus is white – and Jesus is too. Her comments, made in response to a story on Slate.com, have revived a national conversation on the intersection of faith and race. Kelly’s reference to Santa got plenty of press, probably more than her statement about Jesus’ race. But culture writer Jonathan Merritt says it’s important to remember the Bible is mostly mum on the Messiah’s appearance.

“As some historians and theologians have posited, the silence of the Scriptures on the issue of Jesus’ skin color is critical to Christianity’s broad appeal with people of various ethnicities,” Merritt wrote for The Atlantic. “In a world where race often divides communities and even churches, the Biblical depictions of God’s son positions him as one who can bridge those divides.”

View Kelly’s response to the controversy on foxnews.com.

Bible reading tips for everyone
“Stress the simplicity of the Bible, and the people you are hoping will read the Bible next year may begin to wonder if they’re just too dumb to understand it,” says LifeWay’s Trevin Wax. On his blog, he offers advice on “How to get people to read the Bible without making them feel dumb.”

Thousands leave jobs for restaurant gigs
Not really, but @tipsforjesus probably has some considering a change of vocation. Across the country, people are leaving huge tips for restaurant servers under that tag line. The gratuities – some for thousands of dollars – haven’t yet been linked to a specific group or organization, but some believe former Pay Pal executive Jack Selby is behind the generous tips. Read the full story at ChristianPost.com.

Jesus is most successful meme ever
Two researchers have named Jesus the most successful meme in history, based on an analysis of Wikipedia entries about Him. Wondering exactly what a meme is? We were too. Merriam-Webster (via Wikipedia) defines is as “an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.”

Steven Skiena and Charles Ward have compiled their findings in a book, “Who’s Bigger? Where Historical Figures Really Rank.” Following Jesus on their top 10 list: Napolean, William Shakespeare, Mohammad, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Adolf Hitler, Aristotle, Alexander the Great and Thomas Jefferson.

Read the full story at ChristianityToday.com.

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He’s alive? Yes! And the resurrection changes everything

Meredith Flynn —  February 25, 2013

pull quote_RAHTJEN_feb25HEARTLAND | Jim Rahtjen

As a pastor, it was one of those moments I lived for. This particular Saturday was a work day at the church. Members were busy cleaning, fixing, and generally spiffing up the building. Laura, an older woman who had attended our church for a while, had never come to understand fully and embrace the Good News of Jesus. She asked if I would explain to her again the message of salvation. We went to my office and I gave her a pamphlet I had written for the purpose of communicating the Gospel. We began to talk through the pamphlet together.

Laura was engaged in the conversation, and very intent on understanding who God is and what Jesus had done for her at the cross. I explained the necessity of Jesus’ death for her on the cross, that He paid the penalty for Laura’s sins, and that three days later He rose from the dead, proving that He is who He said He was. As I explained each point, she pored over the pamphlet, asking questions to make sure she understood.

As I began to explain the importance of believing what Jesus had done for her, I read a phrase that I had read many times over the years. “It is important to believe that Jesus died, was buried, rose again, and is alive today.”

Laura grabbed my arm and said, “Say that again.”

I repeated, “It’s important to believe that Jesus died for you and was buried—“

“No,” Laura said, still grasping my arm, “the other thing you just said, say it again.”

Confident I knew what she wanted to hear again, I said, with emphasis, “Jesus rose again!”

Squeezing my arm tighter, she said, “no, the other thing!”

Surprised, I thought, “What other thing?” I looked again at the phrase I had just read to her. I slowly read the whole thing, “It is important to believe that Jesus died… was buried… rose again… and is alive today.”

“That’s it!” She shouted. “He’s alive today? Are you serious? Is He really alive today?”

Amazed at her revelation, I said, “That’s what you wanted to hear again? That He’s alive today?”

Suddenly, like flipping a switch, I saw the lights of understanding illuminate her mind, “He’s alive today?”

“Yes!” I said, “He’s alive today!”

“I had no idea,” she said. “That changes everything! That affects my whole life. My husband needs to hear this! I’m certain he doesn’t know it.”

Then, hearing someone in the hallway, she rushed to the door. “Kristel!” she said, pulling the door open. “Did you know that Jesus is alive today?”

“Well, of course,” the teenager replied.

Seeing another girl down the hall, Laura called out, “Loree, did you know that Jesus is alive?”

“Uh, yeah.”

She ran up to the girls’ mother. “Sue,” Laura said breathlessly, “Did you know that Jesus is alive?”

Sue, sensing that Laura finally understood, said, “Yes! Oh, Laura, He is alive! Isn’t that wonderful?”

The two of them grabbed hands and jumped up and down with excitement. Laura kept saying, “He’s alive! He’s alive today! And everything is different!”

I stood there in wonder, thanking God for the miracle that just transpired. And I realized again how important it is to communicate the resurrection and its impact on our daily lives. I almost missed the moment, but Laura persisted, insisting that I “say it again.”

When she realized that Jesus is still alive, the resurrection became real to her. A truth that is at once simple and profound, the resurrection makes our faith real and alive – like Jesus. And yet, we run the risk of missing that life-altering truth, and its joy, when it becomes so familiar.

Ever since my encounter with Laura, I seek to make clear the truth of the resurrection when I share the good news of Jesus with others. The resurrection sets Christianity apart from all other religions. With Laura I say, “Because Jesus is alive today, everything is different!”

Jim Rahtjen is a pastor living in Glen Ellyn.

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Music for your Christmas Eve

Meredith Flynn —  December 24, 2012

(All Sons & Daughters, “Come to Save Us”)

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Sending a son

Meredith Flynn —  December 10, 2012

ADAMS_Dec10 copyHEARTLAND | Nate Adams

It’s been several years since we sent our first son off to school. But it was a fairly traumatic event in our family, so I remember it clearly.

The trauma actually began the night before when we were reviewing with little Caleb the details of what would go in his school bag, when the bus would pick him up, what his teacher’s name was, etc. His mom was reassuring him, and herself, that everything would be OK and that he was ready for this important new adventure.

She had just told him about the wonderful, mid-morning fruit snack he would enjoy, when he looked up with helpless, pre-kindergarten eyes and asked, “But Mom, who will peel my banana for me?”

This of course sent Beth into a frenzy of self-doubt. How could we send our little boy off into the world without banana-peeling skills? How many other parenting deficiencies had we overlooked?

The next morning, things only got worse. Caleb insisted on wearing his favorite, familiar, but tattered T-shirt, and Beth and I disagreed on how well that would represent the family. His younger brother Noah started whining and then crying that he didn’t want Caleb to go off to school. When it came time to go out and meet the bus, Caleb literally held on to the front doorknob and starting crying. That triggered his mom’s tears.

Fortunately a young lady that I now refer to as the best bus driver in the world rescued us. She pulled up, swung open the doors of the big yellow bus, and cheerfully called out, “Hi Caleb, ready for your first day of school?” It turns out she had driven the route the previous day, and learned all the names of the new kindergarteners. She directed Caleb to a special seat in the front row, and said some reassuring words to Beth and me. Like I said, best bus driver in the world.

So before I knew it, Caleb was on the bus and I was in my car on the way to work. And it was there that I found myself asking, “What just happened here?  Why was this so hard?”

I began to pray. And it was then I found myself asking some different questions. In eternity past, had there been an event like this for God? Was there some kind of moment when he looked upon His own dear Son, and instead of majestic robes saw swaddling clothes? Doesn’t Philippians 2 tell us that God more or less watched from heaven’s front step as Jesus left home to do what had to be done, and what only Jesus could do?

I realized then why this first day of school had been so heart wrenching. I had just experienced a faint reflection of what God experienced in His own heart that first Christmas, as He sent His own dear Son for the ultimate good of the world and the people He created.

There was a very happy ending to that traumatic first day of school for us. Caleb returned home bubbling with joy at the new friends he’d made, and how much he liked his teacher, and how the banana peeled just fine. He went on through many years of grade school, high school, and college, and made many new friends. Next month we will send that same little boy off, not to kindergarten, but to marriage.

And the story of Christmas has a happy ending too. God released His omnipotent, heroic Son to become a frail human baby because He knew that in doing so Jesus would also return home, having completed His mission at the cross, and having gathered many friends around Him as well. Sending a son is not easy. But it sure can have a happy ending.

Merry Christmas.

Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association.

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A different kind of hustle and bustle

Meredith Flynn —  December 3, 2012

FLYNN_dec3HEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

“Hey man, it’s Jesus!”

The young man and his friend walked by the nativity scene recently unveiled in the Illinois State Capitol, pausing for a split second before moving on.

A small group had gathered to officially open the display with short speeches and Christmas carols, but they were hard to hear over the crowd echoing through the rotunda. I was there to photograph the scene for the Illinois Baptist, and to satisfy my own curiosity about how these two worlds – faith and government – might look right next to each other. But what was even more interesting to watch were the reactions of people walking by.

Hundreds streamed by the nativity during the ceremony, many pausing to look or take photos. Some parents wielding cameras and smart phones sent their young children to stand in front of the wooden lean-to, next to a Mary and Joseph who stood at about their height.

A woman in a colorful floor-length robe and head covering posed for a cell phone photo. A large group wearing “highway safety” buttons moved by the display in twos and threes. Onlookers lined the Capitol’s balcony, leaning over for a glimpse of the baby.

But then they all went on their way, back to meetings or rallies or conversations that had been interrupted by the unusual site of this particular family.

Jesus gets people’s attention. As was evidenced in the Capitol that day, they notice Him. Sure, some of it is simple curiosity, or an opportunity to post an interesting picture on Facebook. But people’s fascination with Jesus and His story, especially during the holiday season, gives Christians an opportunity to talk about Him we might not have any other time of year.

As I watched the crowd, this thought started nagging at me: Would I stop and look? I know who Jesus is, I know His story. And more than that, He’s the reason I have any hope at all, at Christmas or any other time of year. But how often do I think about that hope – and look for opportunities to share it – in the hustle and bustle of Christmas?

I attended a Christmas party recently where we sat in a circle and read pieces of the Christmas story to one another. (To be honest, it was part of a game where we later “stole” presents from one another, so don’t get too lofty an opinion of us). After one friend read her verse from Luke 2 for the fifth or sixth time, she said with a smile, “It never gets old.”

Lord, please let that be true this Christmas. Let us never get too busy to stop and look at You, and to notice that others are looking, too.

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