April 15, 2013 Illinois Baptist

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‘We’ve got to think bigger’

Ezell urges men to have a passion to reach the lost

By Lisa Sergent

Herrin | Three southern Illinois associations hosted a Men’s Missions Rally at First Baptist, Herrin, on March 26, featuring North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell. Franklin, Saline, and Williamson Associations partnered with IBSA on the event, designed to help men find ways to engage in missions and church planting

The rally was somewhat of a homecoming for Ezell, who pastored in Marion early in his ministry

In an interview with the Illinois Baptist before his message, Ezell urged Baptists to “have a vision for something bigger than their county or even state, of what they can do literally around the world ” His message focused on doing “whatever it takes” to get the job done

Through the roof

rally, he cautioned church members about being afraid of change “As Southern Baptists we act as if we must keep doing things the way we did 50 years ago. Look, it’s the same message, but I guarantee you what the apostle Paul would be doing now – whatever it takes to get it done “

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In Illinois, Ezell said, “There is one [evangelical] church for every 12,000 people There’s an incredible need especially in St Louis and Chicago Eighty percent of people in North America live in a city. That’s why we’re having Send cities to focus on where the people are ” Chicago and St Louis are two of 30 Send North America cities NAMB is emphasizing through an intense focus on church planting and missions.

“We’ve got to think bigger,” Ezell told the Illinois Baptist During the

That mindset is illustrated in Mark 2:1-12, he said, when a group of men removed part of a roof to lower their paralyzed friend down into the room where Jesus was speaking, so that he could be healed The man’s friends had a “passion to bring him to Jesus,” Ezell said

“We must have that passion to do whatever it takes to bring our friends to Jesus. It’s going to take more than putting on some marquee sign, ‘Come in you lucky sinners and get saved ’ We’ve got to go and compel

Continued on page 7

Winters’ book reflects on God’s goodness in grief

By Meredith Flynn

M a r y v i l l e | Cindy Winters didn’t set out to write a book But as she journaled about her grief and pain after her husband’s death four years ago, she realized how healing the writing process could be And she wanted to share that with others on a similar journey

Pastor Fred Winters was killed at First Baptist Church, Maryville, Ill , on March 8, 2009, when a gunman entered the Sunday morning worship service and shot

him where he stood in the pulpit Media outlets immediately descended on Maryville, and the story made national headlines Just days afterward, Cindy Winters extended forgiveness to the shooter on CBS’ Early Show

“We have been prayng for him,” she said “ We really firmly believe that he can find hope and forgiveness and peace through this, by coming to know Jesus ”

Continued on page 8

URGENT PLEA - With millions of people who don’t know Christ living in cities, NAMB President Kevin Ezell (top) urged attenders at the Men’s Missions Rally in Herrin to have a passion to reach people with the Gospel, and a “whatever it takes” mindset Photos by Lisa Sergent

Cap City DOM hopes Luter can help build bridges

Springfield | David Howard started envisioning Fred Luter’s visit to Illinois this week long before most others even knew it was a possibility, and even before Luter was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The director of missions for Capital City Baptist Association, who knew Luter when they both pastored in the New Orleans area, first talked to him about the idea early last year Howard had identified a specific problem area where he thought Luter could help: “Our churches don’t represent our community,” he told the Illinois Baptist Onefifth of Springfield’s population is African American, but very few are

Continued on page 2

60,000 gather for Secret Church

Alabama Baptist David Platt spoke to an estimated 60,000 people during Good Friday’s “Secret Church” simulcast. Speaking from The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Platt delivered nearly six hours of teaching on heaven, hell and the end of the world

The Bible’s truths on life after de make Christians live with urgenc quoting 18th century preacher Jonat Edwards in the study notes “Resolved, to endeavor to my ut most to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments ”

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans own Bible

As History Channel wrapped up its well-watched i i i s on the Bible, Barna and Amerible Society released their “State of ible” report, which found the book till a staple in most households Of he 1,005 American adults surveyed, 88% own a Bible and 80% said the Bible is sacred; 61% said they wish y read it more

Sculpture depicts ‘dirt’ of mankind

A Wheaton College art professor has meticulously covered a sculpture of Jesus with dirt and dust collected from all over campus, in an effort to artistically express how Christ took on the sin of mankind through his death and resurrection

David Hooker’s Corpus will be displayed in the college’s biblical and theological studies department, ChristianityToday.com reports. The piece has faced some criticism prior to its unveiling

“Ultimately I hope the piece will have a kind of redemptive quality that will keep it from being read as sarcastic or sacrilegious,” Hooker told the magazine “I see it as redemptive ”

Kerry calls for pastor’s release

U S Secretary of State John Kerry late last month advocated for Pastor Saeed Abedini (left), a U S citizen of Iranian descent imprisoned in Tehran because of his Christian faith.

“The best outcome for Mr Abedini is that he be immediately released,” Kerry said March 22, just hours after the American Center for Law and Justice released a letter from Abedini detailing the torture he has endured in prison

Non-Calvinists host ‘John 3:16’

The recent John 3:16 Conference in suburban Atlanta gathered more than 350 people and several prominent Southern Baptist leaders for a discussion of Calvinism in the SBC.

The conference speakers, brought together by Jerry Vines Ministries, focused on their differences with those who identify with Reformed theology, but also emphasized cooperation and unity, reported Baptist Press Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, Tenn , said Calvinists are not his enemy “I can work with them,” he said “There is no need for a takeover We need to live together ”

SBC President Luter in Springfield this week

Continued from page 1

members of Southern Baptist churches in the area, he said Through mission projects like World Changers and Missions Spectacular, Howard and Cap City churches have tried to connect with African American individuals and churches, without uch success “So I thought ed could help us,” Howard id

“Fred is just a unique guy – if ou can’t like him, you’re not oing to like anybody So I anted him to come and help build bridges.” Luter pastors Franklin Avenue Baptist in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, which, according to the 2010 U S Census, has an

African American population of nearly 93%

While in Springfield, the SBC President will preach three evening services at Union Baptist, a predominantly African American church affiliated with National Baptists The services, scheduled for April 15-17 at 7 p m , will feature a community choir of voices and musicians

from several churches

Howard hopes members of Cap City churches will also attend the services

His desire to build bridges in Springfield is focused more on the Kingdom than on denominations, Howard said “If we can work for the Kingdom, that’s our target ”

Luter also will meet with Illinois Baptist pastors and leaders at a special event April 16, and speak in the weekly IBSA chapel service Wednesday, April 17. See the next issue of the Illinois Baptist for full coverage of the SBC President’s visit to Springfield

Gaining northern perspective

Downstate pastors meet with Chicago church planters

C h i c a g o | Five pastors from southern and central Illinois traveled north last month with sightseeing on their minds, just not the kind most tourists do Instead of Michigan Avenue or Wrigley Field or the Willis Tower, the group toured sites for current and future church plants, and met with the men starting those new congregations (And still managed to squeeze in a visit to “The Bean ”)

They visited planters in the city and in the suburbs, from hip Wicker Park to intellectual Evanston to the city’s south side In each location, they heard about partnership opportunities, ways they could help advance the Gospel in a metro area where reportedly only onein-ten people attends an evangelical church

“If we are to see a move of God in penetrating the lostness throughout Chicago, it will take all of our Illinois churches engaging that mission,” said Tim Cotler, city coordinator for the Send North America: Chicago church planting emphasis “The greatest resources for reaching Chicago are found in the central and southern churches of Illinois ”

The Chicago “vision tour” was organized by IBSA President Jonathan Peters, pastor of First Baptist, Columbia Peters’ church is just 20 miles south of one urban center – St Louis – but more than 300 miles away from downtown Chicago But the city is close to his heart

“For the first 18 years of my life, I called Chicago home,” Peters wrote in a column for the Summer 2013 issue of On Mission magazine At last year ’s IBSA Annual Meeting, Peters shared his testimony: Raised on

the city’s north side by a Jewish mother and a Greek father, he never heard the Gospel until he arrived at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale There, he met friends at the Baptist Student Center who led him to Christ and discipled him in his faith

“Because Southern Baptists from southern Illinois cared enough about this college student from the big city of Chicago to share – and live out – the Gospel, my eternity is secure in Christ and I’m serving as a pastor in southern Illinois,” Peters writes

Along with Peters, the tour included Ben Chapman, pastor of FBC Red Bud; Kevin Carrothers, pastor of Rochester FBC; Jeff Downard, pastor of Winkle Baptist in Coulterville; and John Baker, director of missions for Nine Mile Baptist Association

More vision trips are planned for the future, and Cotler urges

all Illinois churches to pray about how they too can get engaged “In my experience, when downstate churches begin to pray for Chicago, God begins to implant a deep longing in His people to take the Gospel there,” he said

“That longing often leads to partnership after these churches journey to the field on a discovery or vision trip ”

To find out more about future vision trips, contact Chris Wright at (217) 720-4722 or ChrisWright@IBSA org

TOUR TALK - Church planter James King shares about his church, Redemption Fellowship in Aurora

Photo by Dav d JP Hooker

Luter Howard

MIRROR IMAGE – Vision tour participants look at their reflection in “The Bean,” an iconic sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park

The BIG Pic ture Leaders urged to live life as worship

Springfield | “Hallelujah,” a song written by Leonard Cohen, filled the IBSA auditorium during the opening session of the annual Worship Leaders Retreat, held earlier this month in Springfield Grant Norsworthy (right), a past member of worship bands Sonic Flood and Paul Colman Trio, sang the song as an example of the connective power of music More than 90 worship leaders from across the state attended the retreat

“The major challenge issued by our conference speakers was to live your entire life as worship, not just the hour on Sunday morning,” said Steve Hamrick, IBSA’s director of worship and church music ministries

Bob Henderson, a worship leader (and former college football coach) from Sioux City, Iowa, and Lavon Gray, associate dean for the School of Music at Liberty University in Virginia, joined Norsworthy as speakers

Along with the large-group sessions, the retreat also offered breakout sessions in worship leading, guitar, bass, drums, vocals and children’s choir The Illinois Singing Churchmen met prior to the event, and later performed a concert that also featured Norsworthy

Hamrick is already planning next year ’s event as a Worship Conference for all leaders, including pastors And women will be invited to sing with the Churchmen, a throwback to the state’s past Singing Illinoisans mixed choir

Politicians, pastors take sides

on same-sex marriage

By Lisa Sergent

Springfield | Three prominent Republicans have broken rank with their party, voicing their support for legalizing same-sex marriage in Illinois, while some religious leaders spoke out against it

These actions came as the U S Supreme Court began last month their discussions on the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act

And many, from legislators to former baseball players, are choosing sides

In Illinois, sponsors of the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” are still pushing for its passage on the floor of the Illinois House Two Republican representatives from Chicago, Ed Sullivan Jr (Mudelein) and Ron Sandack (Downers Grove) recently announced their plans to vote for the bill They are the only two Republicans who have gone on record with their plans to vote yes

Another noted Chicagoan, former Cub Ernie Banks, also voiced his support for same-sex marriage last month when he added his signature to a letter from Illinois Unites for Marriage According to the letter, “ treating any group of people as second-class citizens hurts us all, because discrimination is wrong no

matter whom the target is ”

Religious leaders in the state have taken opposing stands, with supporters of same-sex marriage claiming it is a civil rights issue. “This is a matter of equal protection under the law for all citizens This is not a religious issue,” said Richard Tolliver, pastor of St Edmund’s Episcopal Church on Chicago’s south side

On the other side of the issue, Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George was joined by members of the African American Clergy Coalition in stating that changing the meaning of marriage “will not serve the common good of our people and will certainly lose the sense of family that is the basis of our understanding of who we are ”

Nationally, some lawmakers made their opinions known as the U S Supreme Court met in late March

U S Sen Mark Kirk (R - IL) announced his support for same-sex marriage April 2 “Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back – government has no place in the middle,” Kirk said in a statement

He joins Sen Rob Portman (ROhio), who voiced his support for same-sex marriage last month after his son announced he is gay

BFI to fund buildings with bonds

Springfield | The Baptist Foundation of Illinois (BFI) board of trustees voted this month to add a new option for investors who want to add value to churches and ministries in the state On April 1, BFI began issuing bonds to help fund building projects by Illinois Baptist churches

The first bond issue, available in $1,000 increments, will run April 1-30. Investors must be IBSA churches or members of IBSA churches

“It really is Baptists helping Baptists,” said BFI Executive Director Doug Morrow “The Foundation simply serves as the platform where that collaboration, that cooperation, happens ”

Using a flow chart to explain the details, Morrow described how each bond purchased will directly aid an Illinois church engaged in a building program and borrowing money through BFI The Foundation uses the invested funds to make loans to churches, who pay the interest on those loans to BFI

Bond holders also benefit from the new option, receiving 3% annual interest from BFI for their investment, compared to lower interest rates associated with bank products like CD’s

Nashville, Tenn. | The Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has named Russell Moore as its next president Moore, currently dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, will follow retiring president Richard Land, who has led the organization for 25 years

“I am honored and humbled to be asked to serve Southern Baptists as ERLC president,” Moore said “I pray for God’s grace to lead the ERLC to be a catalyst to connect the agenda of the kingdom of Christ to the cultures of local congregations for the sake of the mission of the Gospel in the world ”

The ERLC is the Southern Baptist entity charged with addressing moral and religious freedom issues Moore, 41, a native of Biloxi, Miss , already is well-known as a commentator from a Southern Baptist and evangelical Christian perspective on ethics, theology and the culture

“His presence of mind and keen insights as a theologian and pastor are such that his work has not only benefited me personally, but many who serve our nation in public life,” said Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal “I have never read anything by Russell Moore that did not leave me with a strong impression that this was a man who could speak carefully and powerfully to the public square ”

A leading voice in the growing pro-adoption movement, Moore’s 2009 book – “Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches” – has played a significant role in that cause and he is a frequent speaker at adoption conferences He and his wife Maria have five sons

Moore will begin his new responsibilities June 1 At that time, Land will become the entity’s president emeritus, an honor bestowed on him by trustees in September

“I join the trustees and ERLC staff in committing to pray for Russell and his dear family as he prepares to assume the tremendous responsibilities of the ERLC presidency,” Land said

– From Baptist Press

The current bond issue is for $1 million After the initial offering expires at the end of this month, Morrow said additional bond issues are likely as more churches in Illinois engage with BFI to fund their building projects

Go to www baptistfoundationil org for more information, or contact BFI at (217) 391-3102 or DougMorrow@ IBSA.org.

ILLINOIS BAPTIST

Russell Moore elected ERLC president Moore Land

Photo by Meredith Flynn

Turtle on a fence post

There is an old saying that if you ever see a turtle sitting on a fence post, you can be sure of one thing: It didn’t get there by itself

As I begin my eighth year with IBSA, I identify very much with that turtle On one hand, seven years is a long time, long enough for me to write more than 170 columns for the Illinois Baptist On the other hand, my father Tom Adams wrote at least 850 columns here, over the course of 34 years Like many of you, I read his insights on church life, Baptist life, and life in general for decades So I still feel indebted to my dad for whatever perspective and service I have to offer IBSA churches

It’s hard for me to think about my early days at IBSA without thinking about my dad My mom tells me he was so excited about my coming back to Illinois, and to IBSA in particular, that he would fall asleep in his recliner with the Illinois Baptist in his lap, open to the article b t selection to serve here And yet a the day after I started at IBSA, D away

During these years since then, I h thought how nice it would have be my dad around He loved IBSA, Illinois Baptist, and the pastors a members of IBSA churches

Though he was basically quiet and introverted, he knew many, many people through his writing and

ministry roles He understood a lot about people and churches, how they work together, and why they sometimes don’t Many times I have wished I could pick up the phone and ask him a question

But it’s not like I’ve been without his help Though my dad’s been gone for seven years now, I still rarely go into a church for the first time without someone telling me how much he or she appreciated his wisdom and his writing Often they have a favorite column or two clipped and in their Bible One dear lady told me she still has one framed and hanging over her desk at work As often as not, these folks say they never met dad personally But frequently they will say they felt as if they knew him.

Of course, if my dad ever heard anyone praising his writing, he would quickly point to Dr Robert Hastings, who edited the Illinois Baptist for many years, and who was a wonderful writer as well D d frequently said that if Dr Hastings hadn’t aken a chance” on him as a young w

he would never have had the opportunities or influence that he did

And dad wouldn’t want to stop there He would want me to point out that every column he scribbled by hand on a yellow pad of paper was typed up for publication by my mom, who added her own skilled editing and insight to the final product

Of course my mom would want to point to her parents, and how they sacrificed for her education, and how their support of her made it possible for her to support my dad with her skills And if my grandparents were here, well, I trust you get the point

We are all turtles on our own fence posts, aren’t we? Whether it’s our parents, or the pastor or leader that served before us, or the faithful families that founded or sustained our church or that brought the Gospel to our area, none of us arrived at our places of service and opportunity without the help of others We would do well to thank them when we have a chance, and to pledge to them that will do the same for ers From my fence post y, thanks Dad te Adams is executive dithe Illinois Baptist State Respond to his column at st@IBSA org

What’s on next?

Pray for the requests below and pass them along to your pastor or prayer leader to use as a guide for weekly prayer meeting, Sunday School classes or fellowship groups:

– Men engaging in missions, page 6

– Vacation Bible School and evangelism opportunities, page 9

Prayer prompts are provided by Phil Miglioratti, IBSA’s prayer consultant Contact him at phil@missionamerica org

The ILLINOIS BAPTIST Staff

For questions about subscript ons articles or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3110 or IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

At most workplaces, the Bible would be an unusual topic for water cooler conversation But that was exactly the idea behind History Channel’s recent miniseries “The Bible,” at least according to producing spouses Mark Burnett and Roma Downey

“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,” Downey told LifeWay com before the premiere “You know that seems so exciting that it just will stimulate conversation ”

The miniseries debuted last month to more than 13 million viewers, and seemed to keep most of that audience throughout its five-week run But if it did provide water cooler conversation in offices around the country, it likely wasn’t the only topic that had people buzzing The country is still embroiled in a same-sex marriage debate, heightened by the Supreme Court’s proceedings in March and with potentially landmark action on the docket for this summer

glorious narrative And by Jesus!

And yet, it’s likely that at most water coolers, talk of gun control or North Korea or a horrifying basketball injury weren’t connected to Jesus or the Bible, even if they shared headline space in some newspapers

Consider one critic’s assessment of “The Bible” prior to its final episode

USA Today’s Robert Bianco wasn’t a fan of the series, and attributed its viewership only to a lack of religious programming on Easter Sunday There’s an audience that wants faithdriven content, Bianco wrote, even though, “We’re a secular nation and no one is arguing for turning the entire weekend over to the celebration of one religion’s holiday ”

Because a whole weekend, even one that includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday, would be too much for one topic, one emphasis, one somber meditation

POSTMASTER: The Il inois Baptist is owned and published b weekly, Jan , March, May, July-Sept , Nov ; monthly in Feb , April, June, Oct and Dec , by the Illinois Baptist State Association 3085 Stevenson Drive Springfield Illinois 62703-4440

Subscriptions are free to I linois Baptists Subscribe onl ne at IBSA org

Gun control is also at the forefront of our national consciousness, along with North Korea, the economy, political stalemate, college basketball, and a royal baby (some are obviously more sobering than others) But all these concerns competed for our attention in the days leading to Easter, along with the urging – from Hollywood, of all places – to once again be amazed and energized by the Bible’s

It’s not just our “secular nation” that falls victim to a jumping bean-like attention span Christians do, too How often do we let an opportunity pass to inject biblical truth into a conversation about a current issue? How easy is to compartmentalize our conversations into “politics” and “religion” and “pop culture,” without talking about how our faith affects them all?

May God remind us to connect the dots Let’s not be swept up in our channel-changing culture

SOUND OFF

On “The Bible” miniseries

“I think that biblical literacy is at an alltime low, and it’s incumbent upon us with our influence in the entertainment business to use our power to get a series like t h i s o n t e l e v i s i o n w h i c h w i l l c a u s e m i llions to engage with the Bible either for the first time or again ” – Mark Burnett, producer, on LifeWay com

“#TheBible starts in 10 minutes on the History Channel Watch or record it!! My kids are on the couch ready ” – Jen Hatmaker, author, on Twitter

“I think sometimes people might be embarrassed by their lack of Bible knowledge, and so this is a kind of accessible, inviting way to do it They don’t have to go to a pastor or priest and say I don’t understand this story; they can use this as kind of a ‘first steps ’” – Father James Martin, Jesuit priest, on CBS This Morning

“Awesome miniseries Someone should turn this into a book @ let people read it in EVERY language ” – Ed Stetzer, missiologist, on Twitter

“A lot of people say that the future of the church will be outside of the walls of the c h u r c h , a n d s o t h i s i s g i v i n g t h e m a medium, it’s giving them something they can engage with it’s allowing them to communicate around the TV, and even around the water cooler ”

– Jamie Manson, Catholic columnist, on CBS This Morning

one of us arrived at ur places of service and opportunity witho the help of others.

Nate Adams

God has a better plan; let’s all listen

By Phil Miglioratti

bout 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, where 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 around 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 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 serves as IBSA’s prayer ministries consultant This column appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of Resource, online at http://resource IBSA org

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

Influence of the Bible in U S society today

Biblical Christianity needs both Javert and Valjean

By Dave Miller

kay, confession time

I’m a musical theater geek In my small Baptist college, I was in the communications department, which included theater I was Arvide Abernathy in “Guys and Dolls” (thankfully, no video exists) I played a dynamite pirate in a summer children’s theater production (Aargh!) I’ve written and produced plays (at church, not Broadway, of course)

So, it ought to be a surprise to no one that I stood in a long line at the theater to see “Les Miserables” the day the film version came out The story revolves around two men: Jean Valjean and Javert.

Valjean is a criminal who spent 19 years at hard labor for stealing bread

He is paroled and embarks on a life of crime until a kindly priest shows grace to him and his life is changed He becomes a new man, skips parole, and takes on a new identity That brings us to Javert He is the law –unyielding, rigid, unforgiving He pursues Valjean for decades, relent-

lessly, to bring him to justice He denies the possibility that a man can change I’d like to make a point about the movie, one that occurred to me as I watched it (again) last week: We need both men There is no doubt who is the hero and who is the bad guy Javert is the antagonist who will not leave the changed Valjean to enjoy his productive new life Valjean heroically forges forward to demonstrate the grace he received to those in need around him He is, perhaps, one of the best illustrations of biblical grace and redemption in literature. It is right that he is the hero

But without Javert, the story would be empty and sentimental The relentless pursuit of justice is what gives power to Valjean’s redemption and his new life Valjean is nothing without Javert’s unyielding hunt

The heart and soul of Christianity is the redemption of lost sinners We are Valjean Jesus did not die as some

kind of self-aggrandizing act of heroism He died to save us from Javert All humanity, lost in sin, was headed for an eternity enduring God’s holy and just wrath against sin Jesus stepped in to bear our sins, endure the death our sins deserved, satisfy God’s holiness and open the door to eternal life to all who would believe

But we cannot understand biblical Christianity if we simply cast Javert into the outer darkness The climactic scene of the musical is a heavenly vision of all of the characters of the movie who have passed on, standing together Noticeably absent is Javert, the man of the law He is banished from eternal life because of his rigid pursuit of justice

That’s how righteousness is seen in our culture today There are few actions that are evil, except any tendency to view another ’s actions or choices as wrong America is compulsively intolerant of intolerance Javert and his insistence on moral standards has become archetypal evil

The result of this is an empty redemption in Christianity Without sin

and guilt there is no forgiveness

Without death there is no resurrection Without hell, there is no genuine rescue We have created a Christianity of forgiveness from sins that aren’t really that big of a deal Our salvation is not so much from death and hell but from unhappiness and unhealthiness

That’s why Valjean needs Javert We will only understand redemption, grace and renewal if we understand the depths of our plight of sin

Modern Christianity needs to evidence the Valjean ethic We need to receive grace and extend it to others

But we cannot ignore God’s law and His holy standards We can only experience Valjean’s redemption if we also experience Javert’s pursuit which fills us with guilt and drives us to Calvary

Dave Miller is a pastor in Iowa and editor of the blog SBC Voices (www sbcvoices com), where the full version of this column first appeared

Another church member experiences Pastor Doug’s laser-like preaching

When one door closes...

Brad Vinyard’s change of plans lets him lead more to mission field

By Lisa Sergent

Herrin | What happens when you yield to God’s call for your life, only to have the door to that call closed? Brad Vinyard knows exactly what he would do He and his wife Holly were ready to become international missionaries when health issues from his past began to affect him in a new way Today, only a slight limp betrays the issue that could have caused him to turn his back on his calling

At the Men’s Missions Rally in Herrin March 26, Vinyard recounted his first international mission trip. The now-associate pastor at FBC Harrisburg, was serving as a youth pastor at North Benton Baptist when he went to Ghana

“It was the first time my eyes were really opened to poverty, to other religions, to those who had never really heard about Jesus – who had never really even heard His name ”

A few years later in 2007, Vinyard participated in a mission trip to Ecuador Married just five years, it was the first time he and his wife had gone on an international mission trip together

“It was on this trip, about the third morning, I was having some coffee and God was really speaking to my heart It was then I knew God was calling us to overseas missions – to travel and go and to commit our lives to a lost unreached people group,” Vinyard said. When he shared his feelings with Holly, she just smiled and said she had been waiting for him to realize it

Real darkness

The couple began the process of applying to serve with the International

Mission Board He finished his Bachelor ’s degree in theology and began taking courses at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky

Soon, Vinyard had an opportunity to join a short-term mission team serving an unreached people group in East Asia “At that point in my life, I thought I knew what lost was ”

Speaking very deliberately he shared, “What I mean by that was the spiritual darkness in that place was more real, more obvious, and more oppressive than I’d ever felt anywhere I’d ever been The spiritual warfare in that place was more real than anywhere I’ve ever been I was broken

and burdened for the people there more than anywhere I’d ever been.”

Vinyard later returned to the country with Holly and their children for a vision trip “I wanted her to see what I saw, feel what I felt for those people We both agreed that God was leading us there We were going to be living there, raising our kids there We were excited and terrified at the same time ”

The couple was invited to go to the IMB’s Missions Expo in November 2011 “There was a job request that was basically written for us from the folks on the field there,” said Vinyard “We were committed, we were ready ” But just as the family was about to embark on a new journey, an issue from his past suddenly began to cause new problems for him

A new mission

When Vinyard was a high school senior in 1996, he was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia and had surgery to take out most of the bone, which was replaced with titanium Now, as the couple was preparing to become international missionaries, the area where the titanium rod was connected to his tibia was deteriorating

“It was something that was irreversible Doctors couldn’t do anything about it The only solution was to amputate,” he said

While the deterioration process was slow, the pain and the fear of having something in his leg break was constant The couple contemplated, should they go, should they stay? “So the decision was made to remove my right leg last July,” shared Vinyard. “That problem, that issue, closed for

us the door to the IMB, at least at this point in our lives.”

While that door may have closed, God provided another avenue for Vineyard to fulfill His call to missions At FBC Harrisburg, he oversees discipleship and missions “Now instead of my wife and me going to one unreached people group, I believe He’s going to use us there to equip and send many different people, many different families, to many different unreached people groups with many different people who have never heard the name of Jesus ”

Since arriving in Harrisburg, Vinyard has led teams on mission trips to Haiti and the Tohono O’odham Reservation in Arizona This summer, he will lead teams to serve in Senegal and the Dominican Republic He is also active in local and state mission projects

Vinyard is a believer in the power of missions. “How has missions changed my life?” he asked aloud “It has opened my eyes to the needs around the world I’m not just speaking about food, clean water – I’m speaking about a need we all have – they need a Savior Because people are people whether they live in the U S , Africa, Asia or wherever, our greatest need is Jesus ”

– Pray for the Lord to raise up yet more men who will mentor younger men, their sons and sons in the faith, to take their place in ministry, worship, evangelism and discipleship

Sometimes people in rural areas don’t see a need for a new church where they are, and there may not be They can be involved in 2013 absolutely anywhere in North America

NAMB President Kevin Ezell sat down with us just before he spoke at the Men’s Missions Rally at Herrin First Baptist Church He reflected on visiting southern Illinois, where he once pastored, and the challenges before all Southern Baptists Here are some highlights of our conversation:

Illinois Baptist: We’re in a rural area, over an hour from a large metropolitan area, but a n a r e a w i t h m a n y S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t churches What advice would you have for p e o p l e i n t h i s a r e a a b o u t s t a r t i n g n e w churches?

Kevin Ezell: The same advice we have for people in the South – where there are a lot of churches They can plant a church from Herrin or Marion in Chicago or Vancouver or Los Angeles

We’re in 2013; we’re not geographically limited [to where we live]

That’s why I want them to have a vision for something bigger than their county or even state, of what they can do literally around the world It’s a great time we live in

IB: What about areas with many churches, but with people still not being reached?

KE: To revitalize a church, the first step you do is to get it to focus outside itself Plant a church somewhere else where they don’t feel threatened Quite honestly, we have a desperate need for churches in the northern part of the state rather than in the southern part So we need to revitalize some churches here that are not perhaps as strong as they could be. But we really need new churches where the people are

Eighty percent of North Americans live in or around a major city and you’re blessed with two cities –

Chicago and St Louis

That’s why we’re trying to get people to fish where the fish are

That’s what our problem as Southern Baptists has been We’ve focused on the South and we’ve done well with the “SEC” and the “ACC,” it’s the other conferences we’re not doing so well in We’ve got to think bigger

IB: You pastored First Baptist Marion in the early 1990s How do you see this area of Illinois has changed since then?

KE: Well, Walmart’s moved (laughing)

I was amazed it’s not changed For me so much hasn’t changed, it’s the people I just love the spirit of the people here

Charles Boling was my associational director of missions back then, he hasn’t changed a lick I mean he hasn’t changed a lick (Laughing)

Visiting just brings back so many memories I baptized some of these

guys and now they have kids and grandkids It’s kind of like Homecoming because five of my best years in ministry were at First Baptist in Marion

I B : I n t h e t i m e s i n c e y o u ’ v e served here, you’ve learned and experienced many things If you c o u l d , w h a t w o u l d y o u l i k e t o have been able to tell yourself back then?

KE: That’s a good question (Pauses to think) I think I’d say never underestimate the impact you’re making Guys came up to me recently and said, ‘Twenty years ago you helped me with my marriage, because of that now we’re celebrating our fortieth ’

You don’t see the impact you’re making, you don’t see the impact for perhaps even 15-20 years I miss being a pastor. I do what I do because I feel like God has led me do to it, but pastoring is really where my heart is

I would say to pastors, treasure every day you do it The blessing is “now ”

STILL SERVING – Brad and Holly Vinyard, on a short-term mission trip in Haiti Photo courtesy of Brad Vinyard

‘Just love these people’

Through haircuts and clean feet, IL volunteers serve homeless in New Orleans

By Meredith Flynn

When Kim Evrard first volunteered last year at the Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans, missionary Kay Bennett made sure the team understood their purpose:

“The only thing I ask is that you just need to love these people,” said the long-time director of the Friendship House, a Southern Baptist ministry devoted to serving the city’s homeless population.

Evrard remembered those words as she traveled to New Orleans again earlier this month, when a team of 24 women representing Illinois Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) partnered with Bennett to host the center ’s health fair Evrard, a hair stylist, gave haircuts during the fair, while others washed feet, trimmed toenails, performed basic health screenings, and listened to stories

“I took every person’s name down,” said Evrard, a member of Third Baptist in Marion “I made sure before they left I told every one of them I would be praying for them, and that they were special people ”

Outside the center, the youngest members of the team helped by painting kids’ faces and nails Brianna

Belt, 12, accompanied her mother Melissa on the trip; the pair was one of three mother/daughter teams in New Orleans Melissa said it was “a wonderful experience” for her daughter, who was rewarded with smiles and hugs from the kids she served

Back inside the center, fellow volunteer Melanie Yearack heard the

Men urged to be available for missions

Continued from page 1

them and take the message to them

“Millions and millions of people desperately need Jesus while we sit in our padded pews There are millions of people dying and going to hell God has given us incredible tools and we must do whatever it takes to get the job done ”

‘Brave enough to ask’

Ezell wasn’t the only speaker encouraging Baptist men in Illinois to action Five others shared experiences with missions in their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth

Metro St Louis church planting efforts were highlighted by Tim Lewis, who gave an impassioned plea for help in reaching people for Christ in the St Louis metro area “There are 3 million people in the region and about 80 percent are unchurched The lostness is huge, we’ve got to get on board with reaching the lost,” said Lewis, who leads the Bethel Network of church planters and pastors Bethel Baptist in Troy

“There are so many lost people, it’s time for us to join arms and get together and go and share the Good News of Christ with a lost world ” Lewis is also chairman of the Send North America: St Louis Coalition Team.

It’s one thing for pastors and missionaries to share the Gospel, but what about lay people? How can electricians, salesmen, attorneys or teachers use their skills to be on mission? Jerry McDowell, a member of Royalton First Baptist, shared how he has used his gifting in construction work to meet needs in the western U S

McDowell is involved in shortterm mission trips to work on Native American lands in Arizona He teaches the residents basic building skills while building relationships “They can talk to you and ask questions,” he said “Sooner or later they want to talk with you about the Lord We just show them the love of God and give them a chance to talk ”

“God has a purpose for each and every one of us,” McDowell stressed “If you’re brave enough to ask, He’s going to open that door for you to do that I don’t care how old or young you are, it might not be tomorrow or the next day He’s going to use the skills He’s given you as long as you say ‘yes, you’re available ’”

Other rally speakers included Rex Alexander, State Disaster Relief Coordinator and an IBSA director, Chris Funkhouser, a Bethel Network church planter in Collinsville, and Brad Vinyard, whose story about not giving up on your calling is shared on page 6 of this issue.

story of a young man, Brendan, in his early 20’s “When he came to my table his eye was extremely bloody He told me he had been beaten up the night before for what he had ”

Brendan had been kicked out of his house at 13 for using drugs, and was living in a park when he came to the health fair Yearack could tell he was

intelligent; she talked to him about giving up drugs, and how much he had to offer to the world

She promised to write his name down and pray for him every day And he responded, “I’ve never had anybody love me like that and make a promise like that ”

“And it just tore my heart up, you know,” Yearack said, her voice cracking slightly over the phone. “Just that small little promise of having somebody pray for him every day; I think that meant a lot to him ”

The experience affected the volunteers too Evrard woke up Monday with a heavy heart after returning to Illinois Sunday evening “This morning, I wake up and realize I barely slept because I can’t stop thinking about the people I met, and tears won’t stop this morning,” she wrote in an email “I am so blessed My heart is so heavy for the people I met ”

Watch a video about Kay Bennett’s ministry in New Orleans at www anniearmstrong com/kaybennett For more information about Illinois WMU, call (217) 391-3138

Fresh. Free.

HAPPY TO SERVE - Brianna Belt, 12, served on the New Orleans mission team that helped missionary Kay Bennett host a health fair for some of the city's most needy residents

AR OUND OUR STATE Ministry Positions

Belle Rive Missionary Baptist is seeking a bivocational youth and children’s pastor The church is located 11 miles southeast of Mt Vernon Send resumes to the church at P O Box 86, Belle Rive, IL, 62810

Crosswinds Church in Plainfield is seeking a part-time worship leader for the growing, family-oriented congregation Responsibilities include selecting music and leading weekly rehearsals For information on how to apply, go to www xwinds church.org and search “worship leader” for more application info

Needed

Mission teams interested in construction, Vacation Bible School and youth evangelism are needed to help with a Southern Baptist church planting effort in South Chicago Heights. The community is an exciting mission field for groups gifted in working with a diverse population Contact Temple Baptist Church and Pastor Rob Looney at rdlooney73@yahoo com

Center Baptist in Marion is looking for an 8-12 passenger van. Contact Keith Odom at (618) 7512500 or keithodom@mhinsurance centre com

Free

Collapsible wall (150 feet): Contact Beaucoup Baptist, Pinckneyville, (618) 357-2452

Pulpit/lectern: Contact Benjamin Tam, Chinese Baptist Church, Rolling Meadows, (847) 577-2987

Send news for Around Our State to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

Out now

The summer issue of Resource catalog has ideas, event suggestions, and brainstorming space to help you plan for MayAugust To subscribe, e-mail Communications@IBSA.org or call (217) 391-3119.

Winters’ book for anyone ‘in a pit,’ no matter how they got there

Continued from page 1

Hope, forgiveness and peace are some of the themes running through Winters’ new book “Reflections from the Pit,” available now on www.amazon com Her writing process started simply, when she sat down with pen and paper to express some of the emotions that were overwhelming her

“I would leave that writing experience with a sense of renewed strength,” Winters said “Oftentimes, peace would sweep in over me, and then hope And just a sense of, ‘Ok, you know what, I’m going to be able to make it through the rest of the day ’”

In brief, devotion-like sections, Winters shares her thoughts in hopes of easing some of grief ’s isolation The book also includes Scripture passages, nature pictures, prayers, poems, and space for readers to write their own journal entries

She originally posted some of the journal entries on the website of Grace and Hope Ministries, the organization she started shortly after her husband’s death “And then God just really began to prompt me in my heart that I needed to do something more with it And I really honestly didn’t want to, because what I write is extremely honest It comes from a place of vulnerability the book is called ‘Reflections from the Pit ’ I mean, it’s not some-

in the Zone

•

Zone 1: Zone consultant Dale Davenport reported Uptown Baptist Church held a Good Friday service focused on Jesus’ seven last words Uptown’s pastor Michael Allen was joined by six fellow Chicago pastors in preaching from the Gospels about Christ’s last hours on earth

•

Zone 6: Director of Missions David Howard organized a group of pastors and church members from Capital City Association for a vision tour to Illinois' Metro East region The group went to investigate partnership opportunities with church planters in the area

thing that you automatically kind of go around and just share ”

But the prompting continued She now recognizes it as the work of the Holy Spirit

“They’re all highly personal, and they all come out of a feeling of being overwhelmed,” she said of the entries. “They’re not all sad, they’re not all dark, some of them are funny Some of them come from really good places; some of them are obviously from a really bad spot ”

And the book isn’t only for people going through grief “I think it’s for anybody who has found themselves in the pit, regardless of how we get there The pit can be very painful, and very dark, and very hard to get out of So I think it’s for anybody who can say, ‘You know what? My life’s in the pit right now ’”

People from Illinois and Missouri recently attended an open house to celebrate the book’s release And Winters feels a close connection with the Maryville community that protects her husband’s memory, evidenced in part

by Fred Winters Memorial Park, scheduled to be completed later this year.

As for her family –Winters has two teenage daughters – she admits life still feels like a rollercoaster “We still have so many transitions that we are making; that is so odd to say after four years, but we are. There’s still a lot of things that are kind of unsettled, and a lot of aspects of our life that are still extremely difficult to try to navigate through

“But there is a level of normalcy to our life now that there wasn’t a couple years ago There are things we do now that don’t have the same kind of sting to them, you know, because we’ve done them now four times in a row ”

And God has sustained them.

“ It all comes down to just knowing that God is faithful and that He’s good, and trusting Him, and looking at that every day And not relying on ourselves or our circumstances to be our comfort And knowing that only truly God can heal and comfort us ”

Chicago church triples VBS efforts

Luz del Rios’ church has big plans for Vacation Bible School this summer Iglesia Bautista Erie, northwest of downtown Chicago, has done VBS the past few years But this year, the small Hispanic church plans to go from one location to three.

Del Rios’ husband Marvin pastors both the Erie church and a church plant in Chicago’s North Lake neighborhood And a member of that church has a connection in Franklin Park, where the church hopes to host a backyard Bible club-style VBS this summer

“I get enthusiastic because I think it’s such a change of routine,” Luz said of VBS, which reaches thousands of children and families in Illinois and around the country “It’s just kind of out of the box ”

Not that it’s always easy Del Rios, a member of IBSA’s state VBS leadership team, says planning for the ministry can be a challenge It brings up questions like, “Do you have the energy? Do we have the manpower? Do we have the resources?” she said

“But we’re also open in saying, ‘Whatever God wants for us ’ And I know that He’s faithful, and He’ll provide the resources ”

They realize volunteers may have to work more than one rotation or specialty And in the past, the church has partnered with other local congregations for help during VBS week

At missions events around the state, and as part of the VBS leadership team, del Rios has seen the affect of VBS on the kids and families that hear the Gospel through it She’s passionate about it, and sees how her young sons are passionate about it too

“I know the seeds that are planted, every single encounter we get with them through VBS is something they’re going to remember for years,” she said of the kids her church meets through VBS.

“I think it’s a good way to be able to plant the seeds And if you plant the seeds with the children, I think you can reach the parents through that ”

For more ideas, download a free ebook from IBSA with ideas of how to plan your church’s best VBS yet, whether you ’ re a newcomer, a veteran, or returning for the first time since your own days of Kool-Aid and cookies Get the book at www IBSA org/ Education, or scan this QR code

IBSA is offering one final Vacation Bible School Clinic this spring, scheduled for May 4 at Broadview Missionar y Baptist Church The clinic is an oppor tunity for leaders to preview this year ’ s LifeWay curriculum, Colossal Coaster World, and to receive specific training in one of several VBS rotations Register online at www IBSA org/Education, or contact Cathy Waters for more information, (217) 391-3124 or CathyWaters @IBSA org

Pray through the news

– Pray for the salvation of many young people who will attend Vacation Bible School this year

Run, don t wa

To IBS camps for kids a

Mother/Daughter Camp – 5/17-18 Lake Sallateeska

All ages, www IBSA org/Children

Father/Son Camps – 6/14-15 Streator & Lake Sallateeska

All ages, www IBSA org/Children

Illinois Changers – 6/17-22 and 6/20-22 Lake Sallateeska

Grades 7-12, www IBSA org/Student

Mission Camps (Co-ed) – 6/17-20 Lake Sallateeska

7/22-26 Streator

Grades 3-6, www.IBSA.org/Children

Super Summer – 6/25-29 Greenville College

Grades 7-12 (completed), www ilstudentz com

Summer Worship University – 7/8-11 Hannibal-LaGrange

Grades 7-12, www IBSA org/Worship

Children's Music Camp – 8/2-3 Lake Sallateeska

Grades 3-6, www IBSA org/Children

This summer, ride the ‘colossal coaster’

SUMMER SCHOOL – Kids at Iglesia Bautista Erie perform music from last summer’s LifeWay Vacation Bible School theme, “Amazing Wonders ”

FOR LEADERS

Adding 30-second celebrations to morning announcements

I’ve noticed an interesting common denominator in vibrant, growing churches: They always seem to be celebrating something God’s doing there Your church can do that too! Use these two simple steps to add a mini-celebration during weekly church announcements

Step One: Be vigilantly observant to see what God’s doing in His church He is at work! Keep an ongoing list, and select at least one current praise to mention each Sunday

Step Two: Plan the best way to brag on God Use varying methods to praise Him for that specific blessing during Sunday’s announcements Here are some ideas and examples, each requiring less than 30 seconds:

Show it. “The Fire Department sent this thank-you note for our church’s prayer and the Fireman’s Bibles we gave them!”

Numbers Create giant numbers, and use them to announce camp enrollment, baptism numbers, cans of

food collected, etc

Tour instructions “After worship, follow the yellow arrows to see our remodeled nursery!”

Assignment. “God’s blessing our new singles’ class! They are distributing invitation cards for you to give to a single adult you know ”

Tradition. Play four musical bars of “Jesus Loves the Little Children” then announce “God’s newest blessing at our church – Ian Key, born to Hal and Jan on Monday ”

Reminder “We exceeded our Annie Armstrong offering goal! Take the

bookmark in your chair to remind you to pray for our North American Mission Board missionaries ” PowerPoint slide. Add praises into pre- and post-service audiovisuals “73 stopped here to pray on the National Day of Prayer!”

Facebook. “Ann, who is being baptized today, wrote her testimony as a Facebook post! Share it on your page today ”

Wall graphic After every baptism, our pastor refers to the wall visual tallying God’s blessing of new believers Applause “God has answered our church’s prayers for new small group leaders Let’s all applaud Him for His blessing!”

Raise hands. “Our men’s Bible class is the fastest-growing in the church If you’re in that class, raise your hand ” Certificates. “Everyone on the front row has completed our Discipleship 101 class! Each received a beautiful certificate like this one “

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

May 13-14: IBSA Golf Scramble at Oak Terrace Golf Resort, Pana Register at www.IBSA.org/ChurchHealth.

April 25-27: Women’s Missions Celebration at FBC, Machesney Park Cost is $20 per person, includes Friday lunch. Register online at www IBSA org/WomensMissions

April 28: All State Youth Choir in concert at Tabernacle Baptist, Decatur, 9:30 a m DebbieMuller@IBSA org, (217) 391-3126

April 29-30: Biblical Preaching Conferences Featuring Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary April 29: Broadview Missionary, 6 p m

April 30: IBSA Building, Springfield, 10 a.m.; FBC, Marion, 6 p.m. Register by 3 p m April 25 Barbara Halleman @IBSA org, (217) 391-3127

May 2: National Day of Prayer. For resources, contact Phil Miglioratti at phil@missionamerica org

May 3-4: Disaster Relief Training at Streator Baptist Camp; begins 1 p m Friday for chaplains, 5 p.m. for all others Cost is $30 for new trainees and $10 for renewals Register by April 19 LindaDarden@ IBSA org, (217) 391-3137

May 4: VBS Clinic at Broadview Missionary Baptist; 8 a m to noon www IBSA org/Education

May 7: Evangelistic Leaders Workshop at the IBSA Building, Springfield; 10 a m -2 p m Free workshop includes lunch; register by May 2. BarbaraHalleman@IBSA org, (217) 391-3127

May 17-18: Mother/Daughter Camp at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville For all ages; $35 per person Register by May 13 at www IBSA org/Children

May 18: Hispanic Women’s Training Event at Iglesia Gran Comision, Waukegan; 9 a m -2 p m Contact Ana Melendez for more information, anademelendez@gmail com

May 20-21: plantMIDWEST Quarterly Meetings. May 20: Friendly Temple Missionary Church, St Louis, Mo , 9 a m -1p m May 21: Armitage Baptist, Chicago, 10 a m -2 p m (217) 3913101, RachelCarter@IBSA org

May 23-27: Motorcycle Ministry Rally to Ridgecrest Depart from Mt Vernon 9:30 a m Thursday, and ride to Ridgecrest, N C , for this year ’s national rally featuring Tommy Bowden CliffWoodman@mac com, www IBSA org/Motorcycle

May 31-June 1: Rekindling the Call Retreat at Green Lake Baptist Camp in Green Lake, Wisconsin (217) 3913133, SylvanKnobloch@IBSA org

June 1: BCHFS Central Illinois Golf Tournament at Edgewood Country Club, Auburn A fundraising event for Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services E-mail ken steward@bchfs com for info

June 8: Missions Spectacular in seven locations; Bethalto, Litchfield, Machesney Park, McLeansboro, Metropolis, O’Fallon, Springfield Cost is $25 per person for participants 12 and ove $7 50 for kids 11 and under Includes lunch, dinner and T-shirt Register at www IBSA org/Missions

June 11-12: SBC Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas

June 14-15: Father/Son Camps at Lake Sallateeska and Streator For all ages; cost is $50 per dad, free for sons Register at www IBSA org/ Children

Visible results “Our youth garage sale raised $800 to buy these 40 Bibles and 100 witness bracelets for their Mexico mission trip!”

Stand up. “Our 5th grade Sunday School class set an attendance record Stand up, 5th graders!”

Photo. Use supersized or PowerPoint photo “Here’s the property our church plant, Soma Church, has purchased!”

Ask for action “Let’s use our vehicles as mobile church invitations! Take a church window sticker Volunteers in the parking lot can help you with installation.”

God is at work in His church. Will you be constantly on watch, and use praise announcements during worship to intentionally, joyfully celebrate what He’s doing?

Diana Davis is author of “Fresh Ideas” (B&H Publishing) Visit her website, www keeponshining com

June 17-20: Co-ed Mission Camp at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville For kids in grades 3-6; $95 per camper. Register at www IBSA org/Children

June 17-22 or 20-22: Illinois Changers at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville; short-term missions projects for teens in grades 7-12 Register at www IBSA org/Student

June 25-29: Super Summer at Greenville College For students who have completed grades 7-12 Cost is $199 per student until June 3 BarbaraHalleman@IBSA org, (217) 391-3127 www ilstudentz com

Use part of your worship service to intentionally, joyfully celebrate what God is doing

CHRISTIAN LIFE 11

DAVE Sa ys:

Financial advice from Dave Ramsey

A model opportunity

Q: My daughter is 14, and she was recently offered a steady weekend mode l i n g j o b D o y o u h a v e a n y a d v i c e o n how to handle the money she earns?

A: In terms of investing some of the money she’ll make, a Roth IRA would be pretty cool You would have to oversee it, of course, and you’d have to file a tax return, but starting something like this when she’s 14 would help set her up for some serious money later

I think the biggest thing, however, is to make sure you create lots of teachable moments for this young lady There are three areas every child should learn about when it comes to finances: spending, saving and giving If she’s working and earning money, she should be able to spend a little and enjoy the fruits of her labors – within reason, of course.

Saving for the short term might include putting money aside for a car or even college Long-term goals would include the Roth IRA, so she would have a head start on being able to retire with some dignity one day Then you should always make sure to give some Whether it’s tithing to your church

Teach your child to spend, save and give

or finding other good causes, giving helps others and it’s good for the giver When we give, it helps us realize that we’re not the center of the universe It also makes us a little more Christ-like

This is a phenomenal opportunity for your daughter It’s also a great chance for you, as a parent, to involve her in the process and teach her important lessons that will last a lifetime!

Buying wholesale

Q: What is your opinion on wholesale club memberships?

A: My wife and I are members of Costco and Sam’s Club We don’t buy everything at these places, but do they save you enough money on some things to justify the annual fee? I think so

The biggest problem most folks run into with wholesale

clubs is overbuying I mean, who needs nine gallons of mustard? You don’t, unless you’re in the restaurant business So, if you don’t need at that level and won’t use at that level, don’t buy at that level! You’ve got to shop around and know your values

Lots of people think overbuying isn’t a big deal, especially if it’s something that only happens by mistake once in a while But the truth is it’s really dangerous You should plan your shopping the same way you plan your budget – with great care and common sense If you don’t, you can end up spending way more than you can afford on things you’ll never use For more financial advice from D R IBSA

Recently released Bible studies for small groups or classes

1 Follow Me by David Platt (also available in student and preteen versions)

2. Facing the Giants Bible Study by Lisa Harper

3 Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God by Margaret Feinberg

4. Flywheel Bible Study by LifeWay Films

5 Explore the Bible – Spring 2013 published by LifeWay Christian Resources (Sunday School curriculum; also available for Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Deaf audiences)

6. The Gospel According to Jonah: A New Kind of Obedience by J D Greear

7 How Can I Know: Answers to Life’s 7 Most Important Questions by Robert Jeffress

8 The God Anthology: Exploring the Depths of God by Mark Batterson

9 Bible Studies for Life published by LifeWay Christian Resources (Sunday School curriculum using King James Version of the Bible)

10. Estudios Biblicos para Adultos published by LifeWay Christian Resources (Sunday School curriculum in Spanish) (www LifeWay com April 2013)

@ the Crossroads

@ the Crossroads

Where ministry meets real life

THE LANDSC APE

Central Illinois is most unchurched per capita

outhern Illinois has more people who say they are born-again believers than the rest of the state And Chicagoland has the greatest numbers of lost people, when counting actual numbers But central Illinois is emerging as the region with the largest percentage of unchurched people, according to a recent study by Christian researcher George Barna

That stretch from Springfield to Champaign that includes Peoria and Decatur – with high numbers of college students – had the lowest reported church attendance last year

The southern region, including Carbondale, Cairo, Mt. Vernon and Marion, has the most people who said they were in church last Sunday

more than half – and two-thirds said they attended at least once in the past month

All this is in strong contrast to the middle of the state As surprising as it may seem, higher church attendance is reported even in Chicagoland than in central Illinois

Several factors are cited, including the higher percentage of Catholics in northern Illinois who regularly attend church, and the

large numbers of students who live in middle Illinois college towns who don’t Almost four-in-ten people in central Illinois are unchurched, more than any other region according to Barna

When it comes to sharing faith, the percentage of people who say they have an obligation to evangelize is about the same in all regions (about half-and-half), except in southern Illinois, where two-thirds of believers say faith-sharing is their responsibility

Trending...

compiled by Eric Reed

Conflicting polls

Most pollsters report increasing favorable response to legalization of same-sex marriage in the U S , but Pew Research Center points out that not all polls agree on the margins, and the difference is as much as 10 percentage points Pew says the reason may be in how the question is worded For example:

Drawing the highest favorable response in March, ABC News asks: Do you think it should be legal or illegal for same-sex couples to marr y?

58% 38% 6%

Slow DNA

Baptists aren’t governed by tradition, n like some other denominations, are we?

Sure we are – if we recognize it Consider “sit/stand/shake” greeting time , or “Last We Attendance” board hanging over the organ anyone remember the giant Broadman C Covenant plaque?

Even young churches can get stuck in a ru ver y quickly. That’s why pastor and planter Ron Edmundson advises that you build your church’s DNA slowly

Once DNA is set, it’s going to r y hard to change it Secure or leaders build slowly Add slowly Add rules and strucslowly,” he recommends What you repeat ver y many will become tradition quickly hen you tr y to change it there esistance Make sure it’s someant in your DNA before you get to that point.”

Edmundson quote from Outreach com

Missionaries:

Eric and Angela Seever (with Noah and Caleb)

Planting: In and around Wheaton

Focusing On: Muslims and Mandaeans

Prayer Needs: That God would show his power in the lives of people we are ministering to, so they will believe the truth about Jesus and come to faith in Him

Location:

Target:

Characteristics:

Prayer Need:

With the lowest favorable response, Pew Research asks: Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose , or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marr y legally?

49% 44% 8%

Pew concludes more personal wording of the question draws less personal support People find it harder to say “I favor” same-sex marriage than “legalize” it.

– Summarized from PewResearch org

Pray for a ne w church

Freeburg, St Clair County

Urban commuter families

This historically agricultural area is 20 miles southeast of St Louis Freeburg, a conservative town with a diverse business economy, is a bedroom community for Belleville and St Louis

Churches and individuals to reach out to families with the Gospel, and to disciple new believers and plant new churches

From the IBSA Church Planting Team

Budget Goal: $1,625,000

Received to date 04/5/13: $1,676,012

Received to date in 2012: $1,635,279

– Eric Reed with data from Barna Research Group Spring 2013