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Archives For November 30, 1999

Marriage debaters rally at the Capitol

Meredith Flynn —  October 24, 2013

NEWS | People voiced their support for a traditional definition of marriage Wednesday at the Illinois Capitol, gathering for a prayer rally in front of the Lincoln statue and later moving inside to lobby their legislators. The Illinois Family Institute (IFI), who sponsored the event, also provided signs that read “Strengthen Marriage, Don’t Redefine It,” and “Marriage. One Man. One Woman. Period.”

The rally came one day after supporters of same-sex marriage gathered in Springfield to express their support for SB10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. The bill, which would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois, was approved in the Senate on Valentine’s Day but stalled in the House on lawmakers’ last day in session.

When lawmakers returned this week, some expected marriage to be on the legislative agenda. But the House has cancelled its scheduled session for Thursday, which could signify a “lack of urgency looming over the General Assembly’s fall session,” according to a Tuesday article in the Chicago Tribune. The newspaper reported some representatives may want to wait until after January to vote on same-sex marriage, because by then they’ll know who they are running against in the spring’s primary elections. The House currently is scheduled to be back in session Nov. 5-7.

Outside the Capitol, voices on both sides of the issue have not lost their urgency despite the summer recess. According to the Tribune, police estimate 3,000 people attended the “March on Springfield for Marriage Equality” Tuesday. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin also were in attendance; Quinn has said he will sign the same-sex marriage legislation if it reaches his desk.

At the IFI-sponsored rally Wednesday, church leaders from several denominations faced the crowd and prayed for the legislative struggle and for a small group of counter-protestors across the street. Mike Henderson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Springfield, prayed for God’s Word to be upheld. “…Help it, Lord, to be hidden deep within our hearts and within our souls. Help us to stand for it no matter what resistance may try to come up against us, because we know, Lord, that You’ve already won the battle.”

Due to legislative rules, if SB10 is passed this fall, same-sex marriages could begin in June 2014. However, if voted on and passed in January, such marriages could begin in February 2014. Illinois would be the 15th state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Photos from Wednesday’s rally

Rally attenders pick up signs in front of the Lincoln statue on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Rally attenders pick up signs in front of the Lincoln statue on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

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Pastor Danny Holliday of Victory Baptist in Alton prays during the rally.

Pastor Danny Holliday of Victory Baptist in Alton prays during the rally.

Pastor Michael Henderson and his wife, Brenna, of FBC Springfield, pray and read Scripture under the gaze of Abraham Lincoln.

Pastor Mike Henderson and his wife, Brenna, of FBC Springfield, pray and read Scripture under the gaze of Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln impersonator Dr. Mark Zumhagen delivered the Gettysburg Address, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

Abraham Lincoln impersonator Dr. Mark Zumhagen delivered the Gettysburg Address, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

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Praying for Baptist state conventions

Meredith Flynn —  October 9, 2013

PRAYER | Frank Page

Editor’s note: This column is part of a Baptist Press series designed to follow the SBC Call to Prayer issued by Frank S. Page (photo below), president of the SBC Executive Committee, to pray for revival and spiritual awakening for our churches, our nation and our world during 2013.

Frank_PageState convention season is here!

I spoke at the Baptist Convention of New York’s annual meeting earlier this week to kick off a full season of state convention travel. My goal is to represent the Southern Baptist Convention to as many states as possible. The reason for this is simple: It is a time when I can touch the lives of a large number of pastors and church leaders.

Our cooperative ministries will only thrive when trust is strong among the churches, associations, state conventions and the SBC. I strive to encourage our state convention leaders in the common work for Christ in which we’re engaged. Trust is built when these relationships are strengthened.

Our state conventions serve as partners in many ways. First and foremost, they are involved in reaching people in their respective states with the Gospel. They also provide specialized ministries to a large number of our churches.

With more than two thirds of our churches facing slow-growth or no-growth challenges, many of our churches are hurting. In most instances, when a church needs help, it is the state convention to which it goes for training, encouragement and assistance across a wide range of needs.

State conventions also serve as partners as the conduits through which our Southern Baptist missions and ministries receive Cooperative Program funds to do the work God has entrusted to them. They have taken significant steps in forwarding a larger percentage of CP funds to these SBC ministries, for which we are grateful. Partnerships developed over the decades remain strong as we join together to do the work of God at every level.

It took me a little over a year in my current role to get to every state convention and visit with the executive directors of those conventions. I have found these men to be deeply called and passionate about winning people to Christ. Interestingly enough, most come from the states they serve and have a deep passion for their home base. They also have a clear vision for reaching the nations with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, both here and abroad.

I have often said that if we lose the base, we have lost the battle. We need to work as partners in encouraging one another. While we have many, many churches in our state conventions, particularly in the South, we desperately need to understand the lostness that surrounds even those churches.

If there was ever a time when we need to be strengthening churches to reach the lost, it is now. Our state partners are true helpers in that needed ministry.

Join me in praying for the work of our state convention ministry partners.

— Pray for your state convention executive director.

— Pray for the church planting and other ministry specialists employed by your state convention.

— Pray for the ministry entities of your state convention.

— Pray for and participate in the missions initiatives of your state convention.

— Pray for the collegiate ministries in your state.

— Pray for me as I continue my assignment of building relationships and hopefully deepening trust as we encourage one another in the good work of our Lord.

I am thankful for our state convention partners and pray this fall will be a time of deepening resolve and commitment to the work of our Lord.

This column first appeared on BPNews.net.

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The nations need You

Meredith Flynn —  September 23, 2013

pull quote_PLATTHEARTLAND | David Platt

Editor’s note: David Platt, pastor and author of the New York Times bestseller “Radical,” led this Prayer for the Nations during the Sept. 10 inauguration of SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name in all the earth. O God, cause Your name to be made known as holy among all nations. We confess that You are sovereign over every country and You hold every leader, every king, every queen, every dictator, every prime minister and every president in the palm of Your hands.

None of them are ultimately sovereign over anything. You are ultimately sovereign over everything. You alone are Lord, You alone are holy, You alone are mighty, and You alone are just, so we pray, O God, particularly in our day, rise up and cause Your righteousness and Your peace and Your justice to reign among the nations.

And in Your justice, we pray, remember mercy. Have mercy upon those in high positions. Have mercy upon the hungry, the weak, the oppressed, the poor, the neglected and the persecuted. Have mercy upon our friends and upon our enemies, upon those who are near to us and upon those who are far from us. And have mercy upon Your church, O God.

Help us, by Your grace and with Your Gospel, to proclaim Your glory to the ends of the earth, particularly among the peoples who have yet to hear of Your love.

Lord Jesus, the nations of the world need You. We need You to save us from our sin and to save us from ourselves, and we praise You for Your life, Your death and Your resurrection, which make such salvation possible. By your blood, you have ransomed men and women for God from every tribe, tongue, people and nation, and so we pray today for the nations in anticipation of the day when You will receive the praise You are due from every people group on the planet … in anticipation of the day when You will usher in a new heaven and a new earth and Your people drawn from every nation of the earth will dwell with You in holiness and happiness, safety and security, free from sin and suffering, forever and ever.

We are still today, and we know that you are God. And we trust, we hope, we know that You will be exalted among the nations, and You will be exalted in all the earth. Toward that end we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

David Platt is pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala. This column appeared at BPNews.net.

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Mission Illinois Week of Prayer: Day 5

Meredith Flynn —  September 19, 2013

MIO_blogDAY 5: Watch “Choose2 Pray”

Together Illinois Baptist churches baptized more than 5,000 people last year. That’s good, but it’s only a start when you realize at least 8 million people in Illinois do not know Jesus Christ.

At the heart of it, Mission Illinois is about sharing the Gospel with lost people. Ultimately, it comes down to one person telling another person about Jesus. That’s why IBSA’s evangelism director Tim Sadler created Choose2, a prayer strategy that helps people and churches make evangelism a priority.

When we told Mindy Burwell’s story last year, she was one of two people her pastor’s wife, Vicki Hayes, was praying for. Since then, Mindy’s salvation has been part of a chain leading almost a dozen people in three states to faith – all because one person committed to pray twice a day for two lost friends.

Read: Jonah 3:5-10; John 4:19-26

Think: When Jonah preached, the people of Nineveh believed. When Vicki shared her faith, Mindy believed. How does God use ordinary people in saving others?

Pray for the 100 missionaries supported in part by the Mission Illinois Offering. Pray for Tim Sadler and others who help share Christ.

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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.

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Churches, Christians under attack in Egypt

Meredith Flynn —  August 19, 2013

EgyptHEARTLAND | Charles Braddix, on Baptist Press 

Christians and churches in Egypt need prayer this week, as violent protests continue in the country in response to the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi.

Egypt’s government cracked down on protestors last week; so far, nearly 700 people have died and 3,700 more are injured. And nearly 70 churches, Christian institutions and businesses have been attacked, burned or destroyed.

Beni Mazar Baptist Church in Minya, a city of 250,000 people 150 miles south of Cairo, was burned last week. No casualties or injuries were reported, although the pastor and his family live on the premises.

Months earlier, John Amin*, pastor of the Beni Mazar church, had said, “We live here at the church, so if someone attacks our church, they attack our home. The kids are afraid.”

Many in the community around the church are afraid, Amin said, but he still had a vision to see the church packed with those seeking Christ. “We want the community to see us and come and grow the church,” he said.

Minya reported the country’s highest number of attacks against churches, totaling 14. One of Egypt’s oldest Coptic Christian churches, the fourth-century Church of the Virgin Mary there, was torched and burned Wednesday.

In addition, the Egypt Bible Society bookstore in Minya was destroyed.

“Fear is a part of life in Egypt,” said a Christian worker who serves in the region. He encourages believers in Egypt not to give in to fear. “The enemy is strong here. He makes people afraid.”

Spiritual oppression is real, the worker said, stressing that boldness to share the Gospel, especially in difficult times, must come from the Holy Spirit.

*Names changed.

For Charles Braddix’ full story, go to BPNews.net.

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Five summer prayer action steps

Meredith Flynn —  July 4, 2013

Phil_MigliorattiCOMMENTARY | Phil Miglioratti

We’ve entered the dog-days of summer, this often oppressive and sweltering time of year that coincides with traditional summer slumps in church attendance as families scatter for summer vacations and other summertime activities.

But our need for prayer is never greater. Here are five suggestions to make your dog days of summer sparkle with spiritual freshness:

1. Family table time. Ask each church family to use at least one family meal each week to pray for their neighbors, whether those who live nearby, people they work with or fellow students. Keep a log of the names and needs of those the Lord leads toward in prayer. During a Sunday morning service in August, ask families to come prepared to share their prayers and God’s responses.

2. Schedule a church picnic. Before the festivities begin, ask every family to form a circle and to pray (facing inward) for the church, its spiritual health, its ministry vision and its evangelistic effectiveness. Reverse positions to face outward and pray for the community, its needs, its leaders and the church’s influence on it.

3. Weeknight prayer meeting. Take the midweek prayer service outside. Those who cannot handle the walk or the heat may stay inside and pray using this as a template. Ask everyone to pray with their eyes open, looking at and praying for:

  • God’s good creation
  • The church facilities
  • Residential areas, schools, recreational, medical or business districts to the north, to the east, to the south and to the west

4. Secret saint. Ask everyone in the congregation to become a secret intercessor. Prepare cards with the names of your church family for distribution on a Sunday morning – perhaps a reverse offering where everyone picks a name as a basket is passed. Ask the church family, including youth and older children, to pray each day for a week for the person whose name they drew. The following Sunday simply ask for testimonies of what it was like to pray once a day for their person or if anyone sensed a special blessing from the Lord because someone was praying for them.

5. Pastoral prayer. Recruit volunteers to pray aloud for the pastor each Sunday during the summer. Encourage them to pray from their deepest passion.

So, rather than succumb to the slow-down, casual atmosphere of summer, put those dog-days to good use. Prayer – encourage every member and family to invite the Holy Spirit to alert them every day to special summertime opportunities to pray for people they may only see in July or August. Care – show the love of Christ to them through practical and appreciated acts of service or mercy. Share – invite them to investigate the often misunderstood message of the Gospel. Let’s love our communities to Christ!

Phil Miglioratti is IBSA’s Prayer Ministries consultant. This column is from Baptist Press. Read more from Phil in the current issue of Resource online here.

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National Day of Prayer brings Christians to the Illinois Capitol steps

Meredith Flynn —  May 2, 2013
At a worship service on the National Day of Prayer, some knelt in prayer in front of the Illinois State Capitol, while others lifted their hands in worship.

At a worship service on the National Day of Prayer, some knelt in prayer in front of the Illinois State Capitol, while others lifted their hands in worship.

NEWS | Meredith Flynn

A crowd gathered on the steps of the Illinois State Capitol Thursday to celebrate the National Day of Prayer with singing, words of encouragement and – of course – prayer.

Tim Sadler, the Illinois Baptist State Association’s director of evangelism, also had an opportunity to share about “My Hope with Billy Graham,” a strategy touted as the 94-year-old evangelist’s last crusade. (The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is producing a DVD for Christians to show in their homes, and then present their personal stories of faith.)

IBSA's Tim Sadler shares about "My Hope with Billy Graham."

IBSA’s Tim Sadler shares about “My Hope with Billy Graham.”

In his prayer, Sadler shared the Gospel:

“Father, we come this day to affirm our need for you, the very source of our hope. We realize that our attempts at lasting change have proven futile. Real change, transformational change comes through a relationship with you, and only a relationship with you.

“We know we are living in a pluralistic, if not increasingly relativistic and secularistic culture. Remind us that we are all the creation of God, but that we are not all the children of God. You tell us in your Word that only those who have placed their faith in Jesus and His death in our place on the cross have the right to become the children of God.

“Break out hearts todayFather, for those who are not yet in a relationship with you.”

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Praying for relationships

Meredith Flynn —  April 29, 2013

pull quote_TOALSTONHEARTLAND | Art Toalston, Baptist Press

Because relationships are where we spend so much of our lives – where great joys abound, but also, where hurt and heartbreak often fester – it’s good to regularly pray for an ongoing transformation of our hearts toward greater love for one another.

It seems only logical – in our homes, in our places of work and in our churches – to pray for graciousness, kindness and patience in interacting with each individual who, ultimately, has been created by a loving God.

Countless times I have repeated Ephesians 4:29-32 to the Lord, after memorizing it years ago over the course of six or more months: “No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ” (HCSB).

I remain painfully aware of various instances when I have wounded family members, friends or strangers through insensitive or judgmental words and/or actions. I have asked for and received God’s forgiveness and sought to heed His instructions for healing strained or broken relationships.

And, in yearning not to repeat misguided attitudes and behaviors, it has become a personal imperative to memorize/re-memorize/internalize a number of Scripture passages about relationships, each conveying additional nuances about God’s heart for how we should interact with one another.

One such passage is 1 Peter 3:8-12: “Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil” (HCSB).

Optimize your relationships by spending time in prayer permeated by Scripture — the optimal source through which God’s Holy Spirit stirs us to the highest levels of Christ’s love.

Art Toalston is editor of Baptist Press.

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God has a better plan; let’s all listen

Meredith Flynn —  April 11, 2013

pull quote_MIGLIORATTICOMMENTARY | Phil Miglioratti

About halfway through my 19 years pastoring a small congregation, we had a fresh-wind experience of the Holy Spirit that changed everything.

We had spent years trying to replicate the success I had seen at a previous church. Attendance skyrocketed as people responded to what were then cutting-edge methods we borrowed from the innovative megachurches. But when nothing worked to the degree we hoped, our small church got on its knees.

We soon learned that, until our church developed leaders who championed prayer for each ministry’s strategies and activities, our results will be more about what we can do for God than what God can do through us.

As we had done repeatedly over the years, we changed many things. But only God could guide us into lasting change that would ultimately help the hurting, save the lost, and draw us all into deeper relationship with Himself and each other.

Our worship of God was the first to change, but soon our expectations of the leadership team changed too. Every person who took on a role of serving must exhibit a “first-of-all-pray” default mode when leading our ministries and activities (1 Timothy 2:1).

Until that time, our directors and workers had always prayed, but it changed from “Lord, bless what we have planned in the past hour,” to “Lord, bless us in this next hour that we may hear your voice and discern your direction for us.”

Our leaders soon had the expectation that God would guide our change, not the other way ‘round. Through prayer, we repented from thinking we had authority; we yielded to the work of the Holy Spirit, seeking the mind of Christ, then allowing Him to actually preside.

Letting the Lord lead required several shifts in our approach:

  • Everyone needs to participate. Leaders must to find ways to invite and involve the entire group into the praying, even those who say their spiritual gift seems miles away from intercession.
  • Praying means listening to the voice of the Spirit. Telling God what we desire is not adequate.
  • Leaders become active listeners to what others are praying, because it may be in one of those prayers that the Lord is speaking.

We found that the Word of God became dear to us as we often prayed through Scripture. Participants read verses as they felt led, and we received encouragement or discerned direction. God often spoke, and we weren’t pursuing our change, but His.

The changes in our ministry did not result in meteoric growth, but through prayer we did receive clear and compelling assignments, and a strong sense we were fulfilling our mission in Christ.

Phil Miglioratti heads the National Pastors’ Prayer Network and serves as IBSA’s prayer ministries consultant. This column first appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of Resource. Read it online at http://resource.ibsa.org.

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