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TV miniseries invites Bible-focused water cooler conversation

Meredith Flynn —  March 12, 2013

Tuesday_BriefingTHE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Even if you haven’t watched an episode of History Channel’s miniseries on the Bible, chances are you’ve heard about it. More than 13 million people watched the March 3 debut of “The Bible,” making it the evening’s most-watched program (broadcast or cable), and the most successful entertainment telecast on cable so far this year.

“The best-case scenario for us is that there’s an opportunity here for people to be discussing the Bible at the water cooler the day after this has aired,” said actress Roma Downey, who produced the five-part miniseries with her husband, reality TV hitmaker Mark Burnett. The couple was interviewed on LifeWay.com (the website of LifeWay Christian Resources) before the show’s debut.

At a time when biblical literacy is at an all-time low, Burnett told LifeWay, he and Downey felt compelled to create a series that would get people engaged with Scripture for the first time ever, or the first time in a while.

“People who really know the Bible will say, ‘Oh, I forgot about that or I don’t remember that part.’ That’s what’s so great. It will make people say, ‘I’m going to look that up.’”

It may also send viewers to their Bibles to fill in the missing pieces in an understandably abridged narrative. Ten hours is a lot, especially in broadcast time, but the Bible is far too expansive a story to include even every familiar story. For example, God’s covenant with Abraham is the focus of much of the first episode, but Jacob, Esau, Joseph and his scheming brothers only get a sentence or two before we find Moses cowering before the burning bush on Mt. Sinai.

On the other hand, “The Bible” is an opportunity to highlight stories that could be considered minor, like Samson and Delilah. The tragic tale from Judges is included in the miniseries’ second episode. Samson’s journey – from God’s promise, to tempted man, to eventual spiritual and physical blindness – has implications for today, and could very well make for great water cooler conversation.

Read LifeWay.com’s interview with Mark Burnett and Roma Downey here.

Other news:

Dolan: Next pope will face threats to religious liberty
(From Baptist Press) Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said the next pope will have to address rising threats to religious liberty, and the Catholic church’s perceived irrelevance. “We hear that more and more people have absolutely no problem with faith, but they do with religion,” Dolan told Reuters. “… More and more people don’t see the need for the church.”

Recently, Catholic bishops proposed the creation of a Vatican office to monitor religious liberty violations. Dolan told Reuters such an office would need to monitor violations that “take place not in Third World countries but in First World countries.”

“There seems to be a pretty well-oiled choreography to reduce religion and faith to the excessively private and where religion may have absolutely no public witness and voice in the public square.” Read more at BPNews.net.

Mississippi schools may see more religious freedom
The Mississippi State Legislature has sent a bill to Gov. Phil Bryant that would allow public school students to express their religious beliefs through assignments, in classrooms, and at school events, reports Christianity Today. Read more at ChristianityToday.com.

How much news do you know?
Most Americans can identify the symbols associated with Judaism and social media site Twitter, but fewer recognize U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren or know where Syria is on a map. Those results are from the Pew Forum’s latest News IQ quiz, given at least twice a year to measure Americans’ current events acumen. Read more results or take the quiz at PewResearch.org.

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Illinois House committee will consider same-sex marriage bill today

Meredith Flynn —  February 26, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Members of the House Executive Committee will vote today on whether to send the same-sex marriage bill SB 10, officially known as the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act”, to a vote on the House floor. Approval by a majority of the House members would be the final step before Gov. Pat Quinn signs the law, making Illinois the tenth state to allow same-sex marriages.

The committee action today culminates two busy weeks in which the State Senate passed the legislation Valentine’s Day by a vote of 34 to 21, with two Senators voting present. Opponents of same-sex marriage, including some from IBSA churches, were present during the Senate vote, and later at a marriage rally and “lobby day” at the Capitol.

“This is important for me today simply because it’s God’s will as Scripture tells us that marriage consists of one man and one woman,” said Don Full, pastor of Havana Southern Baptist Church. “I’m here to support that part of my faith and the doctrine that God has established for the home.”

Christian leaders are discussing their next steps before the House vote, and have expressed doubts that the religious liberties of churches will be protected, should Illinois legalize same-sex marriage. Some say the marriage bill could result in a “chilling effect” as churches seek to do effective ministry in their communities.

Check back here this evening for an update from the House Executive Committee hearing, or go to IBSA.org for the latest news.

Reported by Lisa Sergent

Other news:

Tebow cancels FBC Dallas appearance
NFL quarterback and outspoken Christian Tim Tebow withdrew from an April speaking engagement at First Baptist Church, Dallas, after some media outlets expressed outrage that he would speak at the church pastored by Robert Jeffress, who has made controversial comments about other religions and homosexuality.

Tebow faced immediate backlash from some Christian leaders, but Boyce College (Ky.) professor Denny Burk urged people to give him the benefit of the doubt. “…I don’t think this move should be interpreted as an expression of support for gay rights or some liberalized distortion of Christianity,” Burk wrote on his blog. “I have a hunch that he’s probably just trying not to get entangled in the culture war.” Burk also defended Jeffress’ views as “not the innovation of a single pastor but are the established consensus of the Christian Church.” Read more at BPNews.net.

Warren advocates liberty for all
California pastor Rick Warren said American Christians should repent for no supporting the religious freedom of people of other faiths, during a recent forum hosted by Georgetown University. “Seventy-five percent of our world lives in societies in which there is no religious liberty,” Warren said, adding that freedom is religious doesn’t just concern worship, but the practice of beliefs and values, and the freedom to convert. Read more at BPNews.net.

Christians at the movies
Evangelicals go to the movies more often than the average American adult, according to a new Barna survey. Respondents identifying as evangelical reported seeing 2.7 movies at the theater in 2012, one more movie than the national average. Their top five movies of 2012: The Avengers, The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, The Hobbit, and Les Miserables. Go to Barna.com for more.

 

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Tuesday News Briefing: Southern Baptist Convention sees 66% jump in diversity

Meredith Flynn —  February 5, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The number of non-Anglo congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention has increased by more than 66 percent since 1998, according to data from the convention’s agencies. Of the SBC’s 50,768 congregations, just over 10,000 identified themselves by an ethnicity other than Anglo in 2011, up from 6,044 in 1998.

SBC President Fred Luter, elected last year as the convention’s first African American president, rejoiced over the shift.

“I remember at one time I was the only [African American pastor] in my city who was Southern Baptist,” Luter said. “I caught a lot of flack as a result of that. Thank God I’m able to see some of the fruit of my labor – not only at my particular church but in the associations and conventions across the country.”

In Illinois, one-fourth of Southern Baptist churches, missions and church plants identify either as an ethnicity other than Anglo, or as a multi-ethnic church.

“Having been Southern Baptist since 1969, and to see the changes and see the increase, it’s simply exciting to me,” said Don Sharp, pastor of Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church in Chicago. “I really get a good handle on it when I go to Black Church Week at Ridgecrest, N.C., and see the gathering of close to 2,000 who come there who are Southern Baptist.

“I remember some years ago when we went there, and there weren’t enough of us to fill up one little room.”

The largest jump in non-Anglo congregations within the SBC has predominantly come from an 82.7 percent increase in the number of African American congregations, but Hispanic congregations also have seen a significant increase over the same span – nearly 63 percent. And the number of Asian congregations affiliated with the SBC has grown by 55 percent. Read more at BPNews.net.

-From Baptist Press, with additional reporting by Meredith Flynn

Other news

Richard Blackaby says prayer is hard workWhile in Springfield to speak to directors of missions and associational leaders, author Richard Blackaby sat down with the Illinois Baptist for a Q&A on prayer and character development. Blackaby, who comes from a famously prayerful family (his father Henry co-authored “Experiencing God), said prayer is hard work.

“It must be, because so many Christians struggle with it. I mean, it’s not really hard to do, but it is a discipline because you’re talking to someone that’s invisible. You don’t hear His voice, and you’re busy, and you start thinking of all the other stuff you should be doing.”

The solution? Carving out unhurried time with God, to start with, Blackaby said. He also suggested writing out your prayers. “Not my prayer requests…but actually writing out in sentence form what I was asking God to do.

“I’d get my hands on it better when it was written out.”

For more of the IB‘s interview with Richard Blackaby, see the next issue of the Illinois Baptist, online Feb. 8 here.

Stanford opens religious liberty clinic
One of the country’s most prestigious law schools has opened the first legal clinic exclusively for religious freedom cases, Baptist Press reports. “It’s not needed because the U.S. is uniquely persecuting – it’s not,” said Stanford Law professor Michael McConnell. “I believe we are the freest and most welcoming country in the world … But we still be to fight and to think and to litigate and protect.” The clinic works like a small law firm, where students handle real cases under the supervision of a professor. Read full story at BPNews.net.

Help from above?
A survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found 27% of Americans believe God “plays a role in determining which team wins” in sporting events. And 53% believe God “rewards athletes who have faith with good health and success.” Institute CEO Robert P. Jones told CNN that many Christians believe in “a God that is very active in their daily lives and very concerned about the things that matter to them. So far as sports are one of the things that matter, it stands to reason that God is playing an important role.” Read more on CNN’s Belief blog.

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Disaster Relief volunteers get national ‘thank you’

Meredith Flynn —  September 11, 2012

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently called North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell to thank him for the work Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers have done in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

“She called to say how much she appreciates everything Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are doing and to acknowledge that our efforts are a key part of the response,” Ezell said. “The investment Southern Baptists have made in disaster relief over the years has helped us become a key partner in times of crisis.”

Baptist Press reports that in the days since Isaac hit, Disaster Relief feeding teams have cooked and delivered more than 130,500 meals at field kitchens in Louisiana and Mississippi. Volunteers have also recorded 78 chainsaw, 54 mud-out and 8 roofing jobs; provided almost 2,200 showers and laundry loads for victims and volunteers; provided childcare for 41 children; and made 2,231 ministry contacts and 47 Gospel presentations.

Isaac-related outreach has led to at least five professions of faith and nine other faith-related decisions. Read more, including New Orleans pastor and SBC President Fred Luter’s response, here.

Other news:

Democrats wrestle with God language at national convention
God is back in the official platform of the Democratic party, but some evangelical and minority leaders are wondering if they still belong in their party.

The Christian Post reports that the flap over leaving God out of the platform at the Democratic National Convention (and then voting to put Him back in) has left some African American and Hispanic Christian Democrats worried their party will be labeled “the party that booed God.” (After a motion was approved to put “God” language back in the party’s platform, some delegates booed audibly.)

The news site blackchristiannew.com posted a column by Libertarian party leader Wayne Allen Root questioning whether the party can recover from the moment. “There is room for thousands of delegates at the Democratic Convention. Tens of thousands including the media. On Wednesday, the radical forces in the Democratic Party made it clear there is no room for God,” Root wrote.

Leaders also are concerned about other planks of the party’s platform, including abortion and same-sex marriage, and how they might affect the Democrats’ ability to connect with evangelicals this November. Read more at ChristianPost.com.

Iranian pastor freed after years in jail
Youcef Nadarkhani, a pastor who spent more than 1,000 days in jail, was acquitted of the apostasy charges against him and released Sept. 8. Nadarkhani was sentenced to death in Iran in 2010 for converting from Islam to Christianity, and was given several opportunities to recant his faith in court. He refused each time, and says he was never a Muslim. Although he was cleared of the apostasy charges, he was found guilty of converting Muslims to Christianity, which would have carried a three-year jail sentence. But Nadarkhani was released on time served. Read the full story at BPNews.net.

Death of IMB worker in Jordan ruled foul play
Cheryll Harvey, who had served 24 years with the International Mission Board in Jordan, was killed during a robbery attempt at her apartment in Irbid, Jordan’s second largest city. Police have arrested a suspect. Harvey, 55, originally from Texas, established the ESL language center in Jordan, where 300-400 college students study each semester.

“Cheryll was greatly loved by both our personnel in the Middle East and by her many students,” IMB President Tom Elliff said. “We are faced once again with a sobering reminder of the brevity of life and the importance of faithfully serving the Lord to the very end of our time on earth. Cheryll has left for us a great example that we should follow.” Read more about Harvey’s life at BPNews.net.

Professor and statesman Roy Fish dies at 82
Dr. Roy Fish, who served Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for nearly 50 years, passed away Sept. 10 at the age of 82. News of Fish’s death prompted words of admiration and memorial from many SBC leaders. “Dr. Roy Fish was at once a fabulous lecturer and the most consistent soul winner I know,” said Southwestern President Paige Patterson. “He lit a fire under thousands of students.” Read more here.

 

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Southern Baptist Convention gets Calvinism advisory team

Meredith Flynn —  August 21, 2012

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, has named a 16-member advisory team to help him address theological differences – specifically, Reformed theology – within the SBC.

“My goal is to develop a strategy whereby people of various theological persuasions can purposely work together in missions and evangelism,” Page told Baptist Press in August, shortly after he was part of a conference hosted by the Kentucky Baptist Convention to address the Reformed theology debate.

During “Calvinism: Concerned, Confused, or Curious,” held at Crestwood (Ky.) Baptist Church, Page acknowledged a theological divide within the SBC, but insisted Southern Baptists can learn work together peaceably, even if they disagree on Reformed theology.

“We’re talking about and at each other too often,” he said. “When you respect someone, you talk to them.” He added, “If we can do missions and evangelism together … then we can pull this thing together.”

Page’s advisory team consists of pastors, educators and denominational leaders mostly from Southern states, where the debate threatened to reach a fever pitch earlier this summer. Leo Endel, executive director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, is the lone Midwestern representative. Read more.

What do you think? Does the debate over Reformed theology in the SBC warrant an advisory team to study the issue? Will it be beneficial to the convention, and to individual churches?

Other news:

Penn State campus minister blogs to help students
Southern Baptist minister Johnny Pons has directed New Life Fellowship at Penn State University for 22 years, but the 2012-13 school year promises to be different than any other. Scandal has rocked his school since last November, when a revered football coach was accused of child abuse, and several other prominent university leaders appeared to have helped cover it up.

Pons has been blogging this summer at Ponsanity.tumblr.com, partly to help the students who are away on vacation to know what to expect when they return. By writing about his personal response, the university’s corporate response, and New Life Fellowship’s ministry response, Pons hopes to help prepare his students for the ministry opportunities he believes this fall will bring.

“I do anticipate more opportunities to talk about several spiritual issues/implications of the scandal,” Pons told the Illinois Baptist. “I think the fall will hold some interesting opportunities, but we need to address them with sensitivity and humility.” Read more about Pons’ ministry at Baptist Press.

Stetzer: The dangers of demonization
In the wake of a shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C., missions leader and LifeWay Vice President Ed Stetzer blogged about the dangers of demonizing people you don’t agree with. “Respectful and civil discussion of the issues is essential. We must be able to disagree without demonizing or labeling as ‘haters’ those with whom we disagree.” He called on members of both sides to study their actions: Groups that support traditional marriage can’t stay silent when members of the LGBT community are bullied or treated violently, and those who support same-sex marriage shouldn’t label the other side as “hate groups.” Read his full blog post at EdStetzer.com.

One billion living without religious liberty
Religious freedom around the globe is “sliding backwards,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as her department released its annual religious liberty report. “More than a billion people live under governments that systematically suppress religious freedom,” Clinton said. Eight countries are on the State Department’s list of “countries of particular concern” – Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan. Read the full story at Baptist Press.

Student Life joins LifeWay family
Student Life, Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of Christian student conferences, became part of LifeWay Christian Resources in August. The organization’s employees will remain at their headquarters in Birmingham and continue to their identity and conferences, said LifeWay’s Ben Trueblood. “Both of our organizations provide conferences and camps in slightly different ways that meet needs of individual churches and student ministries. Many of those differences won’t change so that we can continue to meet specific needs of individual churches.” Read more at LifeWay.com.

 

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