April 27, 2015 Illinois Baptist

B-101: The final chapter • 13-14 | Pat’s Playbook: Can’t we sing one hymn? •

IB Insider

Will IRS insurance rule leave your church in a lurch? page 2

In case of emergency, start singing page 5

Zone team complete page 7

Revive us, O Lord

Decatur | “I’ve seen God move,” said Baptist evangelism specialist Joel Southerland, “but I haven’t seen a movement of God in my lifetime ”

Spiritual revival and awakening the kind of movement only God can bring was the focus of IBSA’s New Awakening Evangelism Conference March 27-28 at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur

7 secrets of evangelistic churches page 8

Cooperative Program report card pages 10-12

More coffeecake page 16

News and updates

Throughout the week:

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On a recent mission trip to Haiti, Mackenzie Howell, 9, worshiped in the church she helped build after a massive earthquake The Texas girl’s efforts connected her with Illinois Baptists working in the country Story and photos, page 7

At a time when baptisms and worship attendance are in decline in many churches, and culture seems to be moving farther from God, the need for awakening is real A church the Church cannot revive itself, speakers emphasized during the conference But some responsibility for revival does fall on Christians to prepare for a movement of God, to be desperate for it, and to provide a verbal witness for the hope they have in him

“Revival changes God’s people,” said Southeastern Seminary professor Alvin Reid. “When God shows up you are not the same ”

Continued on page 8

Speedy relief after spring tornadoes rake across Illinois

Baptist couple comforts group trapped

by storm

Rochelle, Ill. | Raymond Kramer and his wife, Betty, were driving home from Rockford when it started to hail. As the icy stones got larger and came down harder, they started to look for shelter Then, to his west, Kramer saw a funnel cloud on the ground

The funnel cloud was part of a tornado outbreak that hit Illinois April 9 It caused destruction in Rochelle, and in the small community of Fairdale, two people died and every structure was affected, many of them destroyed

The Kramers, members of Grace Fellowship in Ashton, took shelter in Grubsteakers Restaurant, where “the owner herded us through the kitchen, out the door, and we made a u-turn

Continued on page 2

FIRST RESPONDERS – Betty and Raymond Kramer hug after being interviewed about taking shelter in a Rochelle restaurant’s storm cellar as a tornado rumbled above them The Kramers comforted fellow survivors while they waited to be rescued Submitted photo

NEW LIFE – Revival is transformative for God’s people, Professor Alvin Reid said at the New Awakening Conference in Decatur

IBSA Evangelism Conference

#PrayforMarriage, urges ERLC

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is encouraging Christians to pray on the morning the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in several same-sex marriage cases Earlier this month, the Southern Baptist ethics entity issued a challenge to pray at 10 a m (Eastern time) on April 28 The web page ERLC com/article/prayformarriage includes a sample prayer guide, wedding ring avatar (avove), and #PrayforMarriage hashtag for social media users

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on same-sex marriage this year

Friends influence marriage views

People with gay or lesbian friends are almost twice as likely to say samesex marriage should be legal, according to a survey by LifeWay Research Half of all Americans believe gay marriage should be legalized, but the percentage jumps to 60% for people who have gay or lesbian friends (and decreases to 33% for those who don’t)

LifeWay also found 30% of Americans believe homosexual behavior is a sin, down from 44% in 2011

Ohio pastor to run for SBC office

Chad Keck (right) is the first announced new candidate for Southern Baptist Convention offices to be elected at the SBC Annual Meeting in Columbus, June 16-17 Keck, pastor of First Baptist Church, Kettering, will be nominated for the SBC’s second vice president post Messengers also will elect a president, first VP, recording secretary, and registration secretary Current SBC president Ronnie Floyd will be nominated for a second term

Carson at Pastors’ Conference

Southern Baptist pastors and leaders will share the stage with a potential presidential candidate at e 2015 SBC Pastors’ Conference in Columus, Ohio, June 14-15 Dr. Ben Carson left), a neurosurgeon and author, will speak Sunday evening Carson has said he will announce his campaign intentions May 4

Other Pastors’ Conference speakers include International Mission Board President David Platt and James MacDonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicagoland

Night of prayer set for June 16

Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd has designated the Tuesday evening session of the SBC Annual Meeting as a “National Call for Prayer ” Floyd has recruited 11 pastors to help lead the prayer meeting, including Paul Kim, pastor emeri tus of Antioch Baptist in Cambridge, Mass , K Marshall Williams, president of the National African American Fellowship, and Timmy Chavis, chairman of the SBC Multi-Ethnic Advisory Council

“One of the unique moments of the evening will be when we embrace and celebrate our ethnic diversity, which may also involve moments of repentance and reconciliation,” Floyd said in a blog post about the call to prayer

Prayers raised at Gateway ‘Concert’

Edwardsville | The same storm system that produced tornadoes in north central Illinois April 9 brought showers in Metro East St Louis, where the Gateway Baptist Association was holding a Concert of Prayer at its semiannual meeting Led by IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams, the season of prayer for spiritual awakening was patterned on the IBSA Annual Meeting Concert Audible prayer inside CrossPoint Southern Baptist Church drowned out the patter of rain on the roof Worship leaders were Jezreel Sun, a band from the area, and prayer leaders included Chip Faulkner, pastor of First Baptist Church, Bethalto, who is moderator of the association and chairman of the IBSA Board Other leaders included Chris Funkhouser, Greg Gomez, Richard Newcom, Daniel Wil-

Tornado recovery

Continued from page 1

down into a good old-fashioned storm cellar,” Raymond Kramer told the Illinois Baptist

When the tornado had passed, they tried to open the cellar doors, but found them blocked by debris The back dining room and pantry walls had fallen on top of the doors And the restaurant owner ’s SUV was sitting on top of the walls

The Kramers prayed with 10 fellow survivors as they waited for first responders to arrive, which they did in 30 minutes However, it took two hours to free them Sitting in the dark with only cellphone flash lights and, later, a light passed down by the responders, the Kramers prayed with the group

One woman was crying, and as his wife comforted her, Kramer prayed “I pray aloud in situations like this,” he said To help everyone relax, Kramer said he started singing,

WALL-TO-WALL – Pray-ers create their own wailing wall in the background while Larry Rhodes, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Bethalto, for 22 years and now an IBSA zone consultant in that area, kneels at Gateway Association’s semi-annual meeting Photo by Eric Reed

son, and Sherman Smith. Pastor Casey Lawson hosted

As the storm passed, one pastor read Scripture thanking God for sending refreshing spring

rains. In closing, Faulkner said the churches of Gateway Association continue to pray for revival and awakening in the St Louis area and across Illinois

year-old and his wife heroes “We’re not heroes,” he said. “We’re just servants of the Lord Jesus Christ I had the joy of the Lord down there I prayed to my God and I knew He would protect us ”

IBSA Disaster Relief participated in clean-up efforts after the tornado outbreak Chainsaw teams from four associations of churches Fox Valley, Quad Cities, Sinnissippi, and Three Rivers worked at three homes in Rochelle

“‘I’ll be there to pick you up in the wheel barrow honey, after about a quarter past eight ’ Then, I sang, ‘Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be will be ’”

Since the tornado, Kramer has been interviewed by local and national media who have called the 81-

Rex Alexander, Disaster Relief Coordinator said the callout “was a good opportunity for northern teams to work in their own backyard ”

To learn more about Disaster Relief, go to www IBSA org/dr or call (217) 391-3142

– Reported by Lisa Sergent

Pray through the news

– Ask the Lord to stir congregations to love their neighbors by reaching out to specific families and the communities devastated by recent storms

New IRS rules will affect many pastors’ health insurance

Starting July 1, the IRS will implement a $100-per-day per employee excise tax on some churches, depending on the number of full-time employees they have, and how they cover health care premiums (IRS Notice 2015-17) Churches with one full-time employee, and churches with two or more full-time employees in a qualifying group plan, will still be allowed to provide pre-tax reimbursement for health care benefits

But churches with two or more full-time employees who have individual policies (or where one or more em-

ployees are on their spouse’s insurance plan), will not be allowed to provide pre-tax reimbursement Those churches may be penalized, and the pastors’ tax liability will be increased

Most pastors who have health insurance through GuideStone will not be penalized, because GuideStone coverage is considered a group plan

For those who have individual policies and serve churches with two or more full-time employees that would be penalized, IBSA is exploring the option of

providing an IBSA Group Associational Plan through GuideStone, which would meet the group policy requirement, protect the church from the excise tax, and preserve the pastor ’s ability to claim health insurance premiums as a tax deduction Pastors interested in this plan should contact IBSA by April 30, as IBSA will only pursue this option is there is sufficient interest

Contact sylvanknobloch@ IBSA org or call (217) 3913133.

QUICK RESPONSE – Disaster Relief chainsaw teams worked in Rochelle two days after an EF-4 tornado hit north central Illinois Submitted photo

The BIG Picture Counting ‘simple gifts’ in the Land of Lincoln

Springfield | Leaders from 18 Baptist Foundations gathered in Illinois last month for their annual fellowship, marking the first time the Baptist Foundation of Illinois has hosted the meeting BFI Executive Director Doug Morrow and his wife, Kim, planned the four-day conference with a decidedly local theme: “Simple Gifts: Lessons from Lincoln ” Attenders visited several Lincoln sites, had dinner with a Mary Todd Lincoln impersonator, and posed for their group picture in front of Springfield’s Old State Capitol (The photo shoot involved a little gentle ribbing of those visiting from the South, who huddled together for warmth in the slightly chilly Illinois air )

The Foundation leaders, who are responsible for promoting Christian stewardship among churches in their states, need the annual opportunity to learn from each other, Morrow said In the meeting’s keynote address, Frank Page, CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, spoke on the value of Christian estate planning

“Ultimately, what you do with what God gave you to manage is a direct extension of your heart,” Morrow said, referencing a conversation he had with Page before the presentation “What we do with our estate is our largest single act of Christian stewardship

“It really is one of those things that sadly is so tough to communicate, but once people get it, they say, ‘Aha! All this stuff really is the Lord’s ’”

Trinity’s outstanding bioethics Master’s degree program equips people living all over the world to understand contemporary challenges to human life and dignity from a Christian vantage point. Trinity students engage some of the most challenging issues of our time.

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PROFESSOR OF BIOETHICS AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE AUTHOR, DIGNITY AND DESTINY : HUMANITY IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

IN THE HEARTLAND – A meeting of Baptist Foundation executives in Springfield March 27-30 included a photo opp at the Old State Capitol

– Meredith Flynn

ecently I attended a memorial service in Dupo, Illinois, for Wendell Hooks, who was my grandfather ’s cousin Wendell was 96 when he passed, and was a longtime member and deacon at the First Baptist Church there in Dupo

I could certainly write more about Wendell and his life of dedication to his family, his work, his church, and his Lord But I didn’t know him long In fact, he was 90 when we first met in person at a Baptist associational meeting, just about the time he was transitioning from his home to an assisted living facility It was there that we got acquainted over the past few years I didn’t have to spend much time with Wendell to realize that we were of the same family From years of observing my mother and my grandparents, I quickly recognized the Hooks sense of humor and the familiar twinkle in his eye whenever he was expressing it I recognized the strong w the personal disciplines, and the tenaci cation to both church and pastor Yes definitely a Hooks

And he helped me remember that I am too Most people probably think of m Adams I look like my dad, and I’m in ministry profession like my dad, and I write pieces in this paper, like my dad did

But cousin Wendell reminded me again how much Hooks is merged in to my Adams My personality, my drive and discipline, my organizational bent, and yes my sense of humor, are all probably more Hooks than Adams And I could have just as easily been a Sunday school teacher or deacon as an executive director, because it is really a layperson’s commitment to church and pastor that motivates me, more than a desire for ministry vocation That’s the Hooks in me Chances are you enjoy that same “friendly merger” of family traits in your life You are a blend, not only of your mom and dad, but also of grandparents and even generations before them Some of those traits you recognize, and some of them you are still discovering I like to think that same sort of positive “blending” is happening in my spiritual life too, and in yours

Each of us is the unique, eternal person that “knits us together” to be in our mothers’ mbs But that person is also born in sin needs redemption Once I come to know st, he doesn’t discard my human identity

He simply redeems it and transforms it He returns it to his image, to what it was supposed to be

I love it that the Holy Spirit allowed the writers of the Bible to continue expressing their own unique identities and personalities and styles Yet they also wrote with a perfect consistency and harmony, demonstrating that their individual voices were each inspired by the Holy Spirit

During cousin Wendell’s memorial service, I was able to reflect for a few moments on the Adams and Hooks families that have blended into me, and for that matter the Adams and Schultz families that are blending into my children With each new generation, there is consistency, and yet uniqueness

And the same is true of my spiritual identity in Christ I am not a clone of any one person, or even of God I am a one-of-a-kind blend of both God’s unique workmanship and his redemptive work in Christ Like David in Psalm 139, I am fearfully and wonderfully made And so are you

I’m grateful to cousin Wendell for reminding me that I am a friendly merger of both Adams and Hooks And we can all be grateful to God, for giving us identities that are unique, and yet that enjoy a friendly merger into His likeness, day by day

Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association Respond to his column at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org

The ILLINOIS

Just outside my office door, there is a large map of Illinois with each county outlined and labeled Every county has been shaded in to represent the percentage of the population who are Southern Baptist

When I heard about the April 9 tornado outbreak and where it occurred, my thoughts immediately went to the map The northern part the region most affected by the storms has counties in white (no IBSA churches), dark green (one IBSA church), and a particular shade of orange denoting that just 0 5 to 0 99% of the population belongs to an IBSA church

Disaster Relief spring callouts like the one in northern Illinois after the tornadoes are nothing unusual In April 2013, chaplains and mudout teams responded to the Peoria area after widespread flooding March 2012 saw a tornado strike Harrisburg, destroying homes and businesses Chaplains and chainsaw teams were called in to comfort and to clear debris

But this ministry opportunity is different The previous spring callouts in our state have served areas with a much higher ratio of IBSA churches These most recent tornadoes touched the northern part of Illinois, the part with little Southern Baptist or other evangelical presence

In Ogle County, where the town of Rochelle is located, there is just one IBSA church to serve the county’s 52,000 people

In DeKalb County, home to the Fairdale community that

was devastated April 9, there are just three IBSA churches with fewer than 300 resident members DeKalb’s total population is 105,000

Illinois Baptists now have an opportunity to reach out to the unreached in new ways Chainsaw teams from four associations of churches Fox Valley, Quad Cities, Sinnissippi, and Three Rivers worked in Rochelle the weekend after the storms Disaster Relief coordinators monitored the situation in Fairdale, but found it was completely destroyed, leaving nothing large enough for chainsaw crews to remove

Not only were IBSA Disaster Relief teams at work, but teams from other evangelical denominations also were on the scene Their presence is something new for an area that consists mainly of Catholic and mainline Protestant churches

Illinois Baptists have a unique opportunity to share Christ’s love in a unique time of need My prayer is that we take this opportunity to minister to the peoples in these and surrounding communities, sharing Christ perhaps, as never before in this region of our state

More than conquerors

or persecution or

or nakedness or danger or sword?

…No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. ”

8:35, 37, HCSB

Every college student is a trendsetter

Recently, I was at an event for church leaders that focused on the state of marriage in America There were audible gasps and shaking heads as speakers shared statistics indicating the declining support for a traditional view of marriage

My first reaction was, “How is this news surprising to anyone?” Perhaps I was being a little smug I forgot that not everyone has had my experience peering into the worldviews of college students for more than a decade

And from my days as an undergraduate until now, I’ve witnessed a steady, quickening march towards a new definition of sexual morality, and, yes, marriage

My experiences as a student, campus minister, and IBSA’s collegiate evangelism strategist have given me a unique perspective on how attitudes and ideas on campus are very predictive of where public opinion is heading By the time a hot-button issue hits the heartland, it’s already been debated and settled by the opinion makers on campus

As Christians, and as church leaders, we can’t afford to ignore the fact that worldviews are formed on college campuses Simply put, recent college graduates are extremely influential in our communities and they, most likely, have been steeping in a culture where

Jesus is not honored as king and the Bible is not respected And relativism isn’t the only obstacle to the gospel There are absolute truths found on campus even sacred ones but they aren’t necessarily truths that Christians can embrace Students who are graduating from our colleges and universities go on to lead influential lives They’re teaching in our schools They’re being elected to lead our governments They are lawyers, doctors, and more They are getting married and raising children

Campuses are where young, energetic, gifted people are figuring out how they will leave their mark on the world They are mission fields where the nations are gathering to formulate their worldviews, and training grounds for the next generation of great church leaders

Shouldn’t reaching college students be a central component of our churches’ mission strategy?

It is nearly impossible to overstate the church’s opportunity to change the world through college ministry In Illinois, we have more than 200 campuses representing over 900,000 college students And 43,000 of those are international students

What potential!

Chase Abner directed the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Southern Illinois University before moving to Springfield to serve as IBSA’s collegiate evangelism strategist

“I was unable to attend yesterday’s sermon Shall we revisit my notes from last Sunday’s debacle?”

Apart from a church service or event, how often, if ever, do you actually read the Bible?

The Gulf Coast of the United States is a geographical magnet for tropical storms. Yet in August of 2005, the people of New Orleans were taken by surprise when Hurricane Katrina came inland and ravaged their city People incurred innumerable losses, but most weren’t the result of the hurricane itself Instead, much of the damage resulted from a lack of preparation before the storm came

Levees were not up to code, little to no systematic evacuation plans were in place, and food supplies had been used more for celebrating a storm’s coming, rather than surviving its wrath

Aware of the reality of hurricanes, yet grossly underestimating their true potential, the people of New Orleans were caught off guard and found themselves drowning in the waters of their own unpreparedness

I moved to New Orleans to go to seminary just three weeks before Katrina’s arrival My earthly belongings were lost in the flood and I found myself unable to return to school in the city for nearly a year Ten years

later, I’m still proud to call New Orleans my place of residence, but the unnecessary losses experienced dur-

nating or harassing the second largest

faith, Islam

We commonly hear of the torture and killing of Christians in places like North Korea, Syria, and other middle- to far-eastern countries Here in America, the seemingly distant reality of such experiences has contributed to a lack of urgency towards preparing to face the same here

Psalm 27:1-3, Ephesians 6:10-20, and Romans 5:6-11

2. Have a persecution song. Choose and memorize a go-to song that you can start singing the moment trouble begins, one that will encourage you to remain faithful Songs to consider are “No Turning Back,” and “Blessed Assurance ”

ing Katrina have caused me and others to do life there a bit differently than before.

Leaders have developed city-wide evacuation plans We keep “hurricane kits” in our homes and cars, with bottled water and non-perishable food It’s sad but true: It took experiencing such tremendous disaster to awaken this sense of urgency and preparedness in us

How does this example of real-life crisis relate to how we should live as Christians? Consider for a moment the subject of persecution Christianity in its many forms, the largest and most widely practiced faith in the world, is met with limitations and hostility in at least 111 countries, ahead of the 90 countries discrimi-

But Jesus, in both the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:11-12) and in his words to the disciples just before his death (John 15:18-27), predicted an infallible forecast of persecution as the future reality for his followers. The word for “persecution” in the Greek is dioko, meaning “to chase down,” or “pursue ” This act can take shape in many forms, but regardless of how it comes, the real question is, will you be ready when it does?

What if we as Christians, while trusting in God’s providence and sovereignty, prepared for the inevitable crises of life, and also for persecution? What tools would we need in our spiritual hurricane kit? Let me suggest three:

1. Memorize Scripture. Put to memory passages that are both encouraging and that clearly communicate the gospel Places to start are

3. Practice praise in pain. When you experience pain, whether it comes by way of getting shots, stumping a toe, physical illness, etc , practice going immediately to the throne of God in praise You may get some funny looks, but this will serve as great conditioning for those times when it really counts

Prepare for crisis; as a human being, you’re bound to experience it Prepare for persecution; it’s promised for believers And do so not only that you may stand, but also that others, even the persecutors themselves, may come to know Christ through your witness.

Courtney Veasey is a Ph D student and director of women ’ s academic programs at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Readiness for persecution means you’ll stand in the midst of it, and others will come to know Christ.

IN THE ZONE

IBSA zones now fully staffed PEOPLE & CHURCHES

Springfield | Stephen Williams and Steven Glover joined the IBSA staff in April as part-time zone consultants, meaning all 10 zone consultant positions are now filled.

He and his wife, Janine, have been married for nearly 39 years and have two grown children Williams fills the position left open after Jerry Day retired last year as director of IBSA’s zone strategy and consultant in zones 9 and 10

At the northern end of the state, Steven Glover is now serving as a consultant in zone 1, which relates to churches in the Chicago Metro Baptist Association Glover and his

family moved to Chicagoland in January to begin a church planting internship at Uptown Baptist Church

He previously started a church in Terre Haute, Ind , and worked as a planting strategist in Toledo, Ohio. Glover also served with the North American Mission Board from 20082012 in the area of multi-ethnic evangelism He and his wife, Robin, have four daughters Glover fills the zone consultant position previously staffed by Dale Davenport, who retired from IBSA last year

Ministry Positions

First Baptist Church, Brownstown, seeks a bivocational music director. Send resumes to P O Box 153, Brownstown, IL 62418, or to Pastor Olen Evans at olenmevans@ gmail com

“It’s been a blast so far!” Williams said of his new role in zone 10, which covers six southern Illinois associations “The reception has been very warm and the passion for ministry has already been very evident The need is also very evident and I am encouraged by the opportunity to serve alongside such committed ministers ” Williams, pastor of Simpson Missionary Baptist Church, previously served as an administrator and faculty member at Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Ind , and at Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, Ky He also pastored churches for 25 years

*

From

As a zone consultant, he’ll help connect pastors and churches in Chicagoland with IBSA resources “A lot of times people get isolated and feel like they’re out there on their own,” Glover said “But you have a whole community which you can be part of So I see that really as one of the highest priorities, to help people understand IBSA and what we have to offer ”

Pat Pajak, who leads IBSA’s Church Consulting Team, said that’s the objective for each zone consultant serving around the state.

“The IBSA goal is for our associations and churches to see all 10 zone consultants as partners in their ministry, offering consultation, resources, leadership development, assistance and an immediate contact person in their area ”

For more information on IBSA’s zone strategy, contact Pajak at (217) 3913137 or go to www IBSA org/zone

First Baptist Church, Bethalto, seeks a full-time associate pastor with an emphasis in worship Qualifications include music education, media/ technical knowledge, pastoral calling, disciplined spiritual life, and flexibility in the duties required for this position Go to fbcbethalto org for the full job description; send resumes to office@fbcbethalto org

Harrison Baptist Church, Murphysboro, seeks a pianist for Sunday morning worship services Contact the church at (618) 687-2953 or harrisonbaptist@yahoo com

Send news for People & Churches to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

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Winnwood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo , seeks a senior pastor For further information, go to www winnwood org

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New consultants move into roles in state’s northern, southern regions

What’s their secret?

The average Southern Baptist church in the Midwest has 54 people in worship on Sunday mornings, and baptized 3 last year But a North American Mission Board study found the region’s top evangelistic churches are charting a different course Joel Southerland shared these “7 secrets” from the study of the 20 top evangelistic churches in each U S state:

1 Pastor, lead the charge The pastors of top evangelistic churches had led their congregations for 10plus years on average, Southerland said, and 70% of them preach a sermon series on evangelism every year More than half (55%) put more emphasis on evangelism than discipleship, and 90% share the gospel outside the church at least once a month

2 Focus on Sunday mor nings

Of the pastors surveyed, 93% described their worship as lively and celebratory, 95% were contemporary or blended in worship style, and 96% said they intentionally cultivate a guest-friendly atmosphere And 70% give an invitation at the end of the service

3. Serve the community. Of the pastors surveyed, 88% said they were well engaged in the community Of mid-sized top evangelistic churches, 30% attempt servicebased ministry efforts to share the gospel regularly, as do 37% of large churches

4 Communicate well For example, of the pastors surveyed, 97% use a church Facebook account regularly, Southerland cited Half of pastors and staff intentionally “friend” guests on Facebook

5. Make a big deal out of baptisms 97% of top evangelistic churches do, the NAMB survey reported And 79% of pastors of churches in the mid-size church category preach a yearly sermon on baptism, as do 74% of largechurch pastors

6. Treat guests really well. Of the congregations NAMB surveyed, 67% of mid-size churches and 85% of large churches had a person responsible for “first impressions” ministry targeted to visitors A large majority (70%) e-mailed, called and sent written mail to a guest within seven days of their visit

7 Emphasize personal evangelism Half of the top evangelistic churches offered evangelism training, and 70% of their guests came to church as a result of a personal invitation

Among mid-sized churches, 62% have visitation or organized outreach at least once a month, and 58% of large churches do the same

Seeking revival

Continued from page 1

One of the major issues New Awakening speakers addressed is the declining number of young people Southern Baptist churches are reaching with the gospel In 1972, there were 137,000 youth baptisms in Baptist churches, Reid said in a breakout on next generation ministry Today, there are 70,000 or fewer per year

“The real problem with that is that there are more teens today on the planet than there were in 1972,” said IBSA Evangelism Director Tim Sadler “So, we’re reaching less, and there’s more of them ”

We haven’t seen a movement that touched young people since the “Jesus people” movement of the early 1970s, Reid said at the conference That period of awakening was characterized by the Holy Spirit’s activity in and among churches he was the main character in revival, just as he was in the Book of Acts

“What about your ministry can only be explained as a Holy Spirit movement?” Reid asked One man in the audience replied, “Yeah, git ‘er done!”

The same Holy Spirit that drew people in Acts 2 and in 1972 still draws people to God today, Sadler said The gospel is the same, and the vehicle for communicating the message the church is the same The issue is like someone once said, Sadler told the IB: “We don’t have a strategy problem, we have a sharing problem.”

But sharing the gospel is the calling of every Christian “If you really know Jesus and He’s really changed you, try not to witness for ten years,” Reid challenged his breakout session audience in Decatur “If you’re successful, come back and tell me what kind of Jesus you know ”

Make us desperate, Lord

If Christians haven’t seen a movement of God in their lifetimes, will they recognize it when it happens? In other words, when we talk about revival and awakening, what are looking for?

Sadler defines it this way:

“For me, a movement of God would be an extended period where the people of God are so moved by the presence and power of God, that they leave the confines of the church building, and they impact the city in such a way that God’s Spirit draws unbelievers to faith ”

It’s pervasive, he added, a turning of the spiritual tide Undeniable So why haven’t we seen it? Speakers at the New Awakening Conference outlined two possible reasons: “skill fade” in the area of evangelism, and a lack of desperation for revival

Joel Southerland compared many church members and leaders to pilots who have lost their skills after relying too heavily for too long on autopilot “Pilots are accustomed to watching things happen and reacting, instead of

becoming proactive,” said Southerland, executive director for evangelism strategies at the North American Mission Board

The church has fallen victim to the same phenomenon “We have put our churches on autopilot” when it comes to evangelism, he said

Dennis Nunn, founder of Every Believer a Witness Ministries, differentiated between the “come and see” evangelism model of the Old Testament, and the “go and tell” model in the New Testament

“I believe we have come to accept what our church members will not do in evangelism because we have accepted the Old Testament approach,” said Nunn Our witness will become

urbs, in response to Hunt’s words

He continued, referencing Isaiah’s encounter in the temple: “It is not until you see God for who he is that you will see yourself for who you are and others for who they are,” and thus their need for God

“We don’t witness because we haven’t seen God,” Hunt said “We have not experienced revival because the church is not even close to desperate ”

Lord, forgive us

God’s people are desperate for revival, Sadler said, when nothing but God will do; when we stop compartmentalizing our lives into church and work and family and hobbies, and let God be God over all of it

“We need God to superintend every aspect of our lives,” he said “It’s like Ephesians 3, where Paul prays that they would experience the fullness of Christ [and] be filled with his presence, so that it spills over into every aspect of our lives So that we see our neighborhood differently

“It’s our mission field ”

less and less effective, he continued, because we think simply inviting people to church is evangelism

And then there’s the matter of how much we want revival The reason the Great Commission probably won’t be realized in our lifetime, Pastor Johnny Hunt said during the conference, is because we live for pleasure, not for the Word of God

“Lord, forgive us,” said a conference attender from the Chicago sub-

GATHERED TOGETHER – Letty and Luis Olmos of Iglesia Principe de Paz, Springfield, worship alongside other New Awakening Evangelism Conference attenders in Decatur

Hunt Reid Southerland

– Ask the Holy Spirit to spark an awakening that fills the church with believers who are praying for the lost, caring for their needs, and regularly sharing the gospel

Pray through the news

For campus ministers, student leaders, pastors, Sunday school teachers, small group leaders

– Reported by Lisa Sergent and Eric Reed

Haiti at last

Texas youngster visits the school she and Illinois mission teams helped build

By Meredith Flynn

Bigarade, Haiti | Several years ago, this community in Port-au-Prince was just a flood plain Now, more than a hundred homes dot the landscape, and children run down the dirt roads to their very own school

Recently, there was a new face at the school, though one who’s very familiar with its story At nine years old, Mackenzie Howell has been working to renew hope in Haiti since 2011, when she saw a documentary about the devastating earthquake that rocked the country the previous year

Four years after she started raising money to help kids and families there, Mackenzie visited Bigarade and the school she helped build “Seeing the kids” was what she looked forward to most before the trip, and was also her favorite part of being in Haiti, she told the Illinois Baptist

“She really does care about this,” said Mackenzie’s mom, Alison (right), who also went along on the trip led by IBSA’s Bob Elmore The Howells, who are from Nederland, Texas, met Elmore through International Mission

Board missionaries working in Haiti after the earthquake Mackenzie sent her first donation $1,400 raised through a coin drive at her preschool and a bake sale at church to the missionaries to help with construction projects They connected her with Elmore, who facilitates IBSA’s shortterm mission teams in Haiti

Since her first project, Mackenzie has raised more money with several other initiatives, including sales of “Leila’s Big Difference,” the book she wrote and published in 2013 Elmore, several teams of volunteers, and Haitian workers have turned Mackenzie’s gifts, along with other donations and resources, into a school for more than 100 children in Bigarade

Instant community

The school property was vacant in November of 2011, when Elmore first saw it “It was a goat field then we just kind of wrote it off,” he said When he returned the next spring, a local Christian man named Thomas had gotten permission to put up a tarp and bamboo school on the site People on Elmore’s mission team were asking, “What can we do?”

That fall, after receiving an anonymous donation to purchase the land, Elmore took a team to Bigarade to start construction on the school At least eight Illinois churches and associations helped with the project The facility now doubles as Gosen Church

Bigarade is an “instant community,” Elmore said, a product of the earthquake that drove people from where they were and forced them into new living situations Before the school was built, kids were either walking to

2 0 1 5 I B S A C h i l d r e n ’ s C a m p s

For kids in grades 3-6

Week One – June 15-19

Lake Sallateeska

Week Two – June 21-25

Lake Sallateeska

Week Three – July 6-10

Lake Sallateeska

Week Four – July 20-24

Streator Baptist Camp

Cost is $125 per person ($135 after May 4)

www IBSA org/kids

another community or not going to school at all

Working in the school was one of the main objectives for Mackenzie and her team They came prepared to do a two-hour lesson each day with crafts, and to provide lunch for the kids on three days

“Our ultimate goal is to start a feeding program where the kids can have lunch every day,” Alison said a few days before her team left for Haiti It just seems like something God would want them to do, she said, to feed his children The team took with them enough money to start construction on a kitchen for the school, and also a classroom for the youngest students

Thomas, who put the early school on the property, is now headmaster, and students arrive every morning in blue and white uniforms Once a goat pasture, the school now employs seven teachers, and has 114 students The feeding program will employ two or three cooks and purchase food from local sources, Elmore said.

Complete God

“Why don’t we dance at church, Mom?” That was Mackenzie’s question after her first Haitian church service, where lively singing and dancing was a big part of the worship experience (Alison’s response: “I don’t know; why don’t you talk to the pastor about that one?”)

“ It was such a blessing to watch her,” Alison said of her daughter during the trip “She really grew throughout the week ” And Mackenzie’s not finished with Haiti, not by a long shot. She wants to go back soon And she’s planning a second book

“It’s going to be about Leila [meeting] a white girl that came from the U S to visit her school and help out with the school and do crafts and stuff, kind of like how I did ”

Recently, she shared about Haiti with kids in her church’s Awana program Mackenzie’s grandmother, who also was part of the March trip, came out of the room crying, Alison remembered

“Whatever you do, don’t practice with her,” was the grandmother ’s advice for Mackenzie’s future speaking engagements “ She had them laughing and crying,” Alison said “It’s because it really does come from her heart ”

In Haiti, Mackenzie taught her new friends a dance she had choreographed in honor of their country to a song with special meaning there, “I Am Not Forgotten ” Watching, Alison said, “It was just such a beautiful picture of how complete God is ”

“So many times, we give to missions or do this and that but we don’t always get to see the fruits I just continuously thank God that’s he’s allowed us to see so much of the fruit of his work ”

View more photos from Mackenzie’s trip at IBSA org/illinoisbaptist

MACKENZIE NOW – After four years of prayer and giving, it was all hugs and smiles as Mackenzie (above right) visited a community school in Bigarade (below) that her missions giving helped build

MACKENZIE THEN – First she had a bake sale Then, in 2013, the Texas girl wrote a book to help children in Haiti File photo

Photo by Bob Elmore

Submitted photo

This repor t includes contributions received by the Illinois Baptist State Association through the first quar ter of 2015 For questions about this repor t, contact IBSA Associate Executive Director of the Church Cooperation Team Melissa Phillips at (217) 391-3104, e-mail MelissaPhillips @IBSA org or write to her at P O Box 19247, Springfield, IL 62794-9247

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING - First Quar ter 2015

Januar y 1 - March 31

BAY CREEK

BIG SALINE CAPITAL CITY

CHICAGO METRO

CLEAR CREEK

EAST CENTRAL

FOX VALLEY

GOSHEN TRAIL

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING – FIRST QUARTER 2015

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COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING – FIRST QUARTER 2015

Top 100 Illinois churches in Cooperative Program suppor t through the first quar ter of 2015

Top

through the first quar ter of 2015

A s e r i e s f r o m t h e I l l i n o i s B a p t i s t • V o l 2 0

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K e v i n C a n n o n s a y s h e r a n f r o m G o d ’s c a l l t o p l a n t a c h u r c h f o r a r ea l l y l o n g t i m e . “ I t ’s a t r e m e n d o u s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y I b e l i e v e w h e n y o u p l a n t a c h u r c h o r y o u b e c o m e a p a s t o r, ” h e s a y s “ I t ’s m o r e t h a n j u s t p r e a c h i n g o n S u n d a y Y o u h a v e t o b e a c t i v e l y i nv o l v e d i n p e o p l e ’s l i v e s . ” D r i v e n b y a d e s i r e t o b u i l d a ut h e n t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p s , a n d b y a c a l li n g t h a t f o l l o w e d h i m f r o m p l a c e t o p l a c e u n t i l t h e C a n n o n s l a n d e d i n t h e M i d w e s t n i n e y e a r s a g o , h e i s n o w p a s t o r o f P e r f e c t i n g F a i t h M i ni s t r y T h e s i xy e a ro l d c h u r c h m e e t s e v e r y S u n d a y a t t h e h e a d q u a r t e r s o f t h e M e t r o E a s t B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n i n S w a n s e a . C a n n o n , h i s w i f e , R u t h , a n d t h e i r s o n s L e m u e l a n d E z r a , a l s o m a k e i t a p r a c t i c e t o i n v i t e p e o p l e t o d i n n e r a t t h e i r h o m e i n n e a r b y F a i r v i e w H e i g h t s . H e ’s t r y i n g t o c h a n g e t h e t h i n k i n g t h a t p a s t o r s a r e u n t o u c ha b l e , o r t h a t t h e y d o n ’ t h a v e i s s u e s . “ W e ’ r e h u m a n b e i n g s j u s t l i k e t h e m , ” C a n n o n s a y s “ A n d w e g o t h r o u g h t h i n g s , a n d w e c a n w o r k i t o u t t o g e t h e r ” T h e C a n n o n s a r e n o s t r a n g e r s t o t r a n s i t i o n . R u t h w a s s t a t i o n e d w i t h t h e U S N a v y i n G u a m , N a s h v i l l e , T e n n . , a n d S a n D i e g o b e f o r e t h e f a m i l y m o v e d t o t h e

T h i s i s a 2 0p a r t s t u d y o n t h e b a s i c b e l e f s a n d m i s s i o n s o f o u r d e n o m in a t i o n I t i s d e s i g n e d f o r n e w b e i e ve r s , n e w B a p t s t s , a n d t h o s e w h o w a n t a r e f r e s h e r C i p i t o u t o f t h e n e w s p a p e r, f o d i n t o a f o u rp a g e e a f e t , a n d s h a r e w i t h t h e p e o p l e w h o w o u d b e n e f i t f r o m t h e n f o r m at o n Y o u m i g h t e v e n l e a d a s t u d y B1 0 1 c a n b e u s e d f o r : • N e w m e m b e r s c l a s s e s • S t u d y o n m i s s i o n s i n I l l i n o i s a n d a r o u n d t h e w o r l d • E x p l o r a t i o n o f d o c t r i n e s i n T h e B a p t i s t F a i t h & M e s s a g e M a k e a s m a n y p h o t o c o p i e s a s y o u n e e d f o r s t u d y g r o u p s , c h u r c h m e m b e r s , a n d w o r s h i p a t t e n d e r s O r d o w n o a d t h e P D F s a t w w w . I B S A . o r g / B 1 0 1 . P r o d u c e d b y h e e d t o r s o f t h e l i n o s B a p t s t : E r c R e e d , M e r e d t h F l y n n L i s a S e r g e n t D e s i g n e d b y K r s K e l

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G o d ’ s f a m l y i s g r o w i n g a l l t h e t i m e B u t h o w d o e s i t g r o w ? B y a d o p t i o n W e s o m e t m e s t a l k a b o u t “ b i o l o g c a g r o w t h ” i n c h u r c h e s B y t h a t , w e m e a n t h e c h i d r e n o f c u r r e n t c h u r c h f a m i i e s w h o c o m e t o f a t h i n C h r s t , b u t t e c h n i c a l y , t h e r e ’ s n o b i o l o g i c a l g r o w t h i n t h e K i n g d o m o f G o d . “ G o d s e n t H i s S o n … t o r e d e e m t h o s e u n d e r t h e l a w, s o t h a t w e m i g h t r e c e i v e a d o p t i o n a s s o n s ” ( G a l a t i a n s 4 : 45 ) E v e r y p e r s o n w h o b e c o m e s p a r t o f G o d s f a m i y i s a d o p t e d i n w h e n t h e y p r o f e s s f a i t h i n C h r s t ( J o h n 1 : 1 2 ) T h a t ’ s w h y f a i t hs h a r n g i s s o i m p o r t a n t t o S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t s W e r e a l a d o p t e d . A n d f o t h e r s a r e t o j o i n t h e f a m i y , i t w l l b e w h e n t h e y r e a d o p t e d i n , a f t e r s o m e o n e t e l s t h e m h o w .

E a s t a r e a a l m o s t a d e c a d e a g o . K e v i n w a s h e l p i n g w i t h t h e w e e k l y g o s p e l s e r v i c e a t S c o t t A i r F o r c e B a s e w h e n , “ I s t a r t e d g e t t i n g t h a t t u g o n m y s p i r i t t h a t i t w a s t i m e . ” P e r f e c t i n g F a i t h e v e n t u a l l y l a u n c h e d a t a F a i r v i e w H e i g h t s h o t e l , i n a r eg i o n w h e r e D i r e c t o r o f M i s s i o n s R o n n y C a r r o l l e s t i m a t e s 3 54 0 % o f p e o p l e a r e u n c h u r c h e d T h i s s u m m e r, w i t h t h e h e l p o f v i si t i n g m i s s i o n t e a m s , t h e c h u r c h w i l l l a u n c h a n o u t r e a c h c a m p a i g n t h a t i nc l u d e s d o o rt od o o r v i s i t s a n d s p o r t s c a m p s f o r k i d s . I n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e p r o j e c t s , C a nn o n r e c e n t l y p r e a c h e d a s e r m o n s e r i e s o n “ G o d , r a c e , a n d o n e n e s s , ” m e a n t “ t o p r e p a r e t h e p e o p l e t o m a k e s u r e t h e y ’ r e r e a d y t o r e c e i v e p e o p l e t h a t d o n o t l o o k l i k e t h e m ” H i s c h u r c h i s 9 2 % A f r i c a n A m e r ic a n , C a n n o n s a y s , w h i l e t h e i r c o mm u n i t y i s 7 6 % C a u c a s i a n . T h e s e r m o n s e r i e s w a s d e s i g n e d t o e nc o u r a g e i n c l u s i v i t y a t P e r f e c t i n g F a i t h , a s t h e y r e a c h o u t t o t h e i r n e i g h b o r s “ T h i s i s a b o u t b u i l d i n g G o d ’s k i n g d o m o n e l i f e a t a t i m e , a n d t h e c h u r c h n e e d s t o r e f l e c t w h a t G o d ’s k i n gd o m l o o k s l i k e . ” O nt h em o v e f a m i l y f i n d s m i s s i o n i n t h e s u b u r b s S h a r i n g G o d ’ s l o v e w i t h k i d s a n d f a m i l i e

C o v e , w e c a n e x p e c t a n i n c r e a s e i n r e f e r r a l s ” F o u r y e a r s a g o a f o r m e r h o u s e m o t h e r, S h e r r y J o h n s o n , w a s b u r d e n e d b y t h e l a c k o f b i b l i c a p a r e n t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n f o r y o u n g m o m s a n d d a d s . A w o m a n n a m e d T e n a D a w s o n c a m e b y t h e A n g e l s C o v e o f f i c e a n d s a i d G o d h a d b e e n l e a d i n g h e r t o v o l u n t e e r W h e n a s k e d w h a t h e r i n t e r e s t s w e r e , s h r e p l i e d , “ W e l l , I j u s t r e t i r e d a s p a r e n t i n g t e a c h e r a t t h e h i g h s c h o o l . ” “ G o o s e b u m p s r a n d o w n m y a r m s a s I e x p l a i n e d t o T e n a o u r d r e a m f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y p a r e n ti n g p r o g r a m , ” D o n o h o s a i d . “ F o u r y e a r s l a t e r, e v e r y T u e s d a y n i g h t w e h a v e o v e r 1 0 0 y o u n g m o m s , d a d s , c h i l d r e n a n d v o l u n t e e r s w h o c o m e t o g e t h e r f o r B i b l e s t u d y , p a r e n t i n g c l a s s e s , a n d c h i l d r e n ’s c l a s s e s ” A t t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t r y o f A n g e l s ’ C o v e i s t h e d e s i r e t o i nt r o d u c e C h r i s t a n d H i s p u r p o s e t o e a c h w o m a n , D o n o h o s a i d “ M a n y t i m e s t h e y c o m e t o u s w o u n d e d a n d b r o k e n R e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i r r el i g i o u s b a c k g r o u n d o r b e l i e f , i t d o e s n ’ t t a k e l o n g b e f o r e t h e y w i tn e s s G o d ’s f a i t h f u l n e s s t o t h e m a n d o u r p r o g r a m t h r o u g h h i s p r ov i s i o n a n d h i s p e o p l e . “ O n e w i n k a f t e r a n o t h e r, G o d r ev e a l s h i s f a i t h f u l n e s s t o t h e m w h e n t h e y a c c e p t a n d g i v e t h e i r l i v e s o v e r t o h i m . ” F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , g o t o w w w B C H F S c o m

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L o o k o n i n e a n d d o w n l o a d t h e s e t W e ’ v e b u n d l e d t h e m f o r e a s y p r i n t n g a n d d s t r b u t i o n B y t h e w a y : I f y o u n e e d c o p i e s o f T h e B F & M ( 2 0 0 0 ) , t h e y c a n b e d o w n l o a d e d t o o , o r I B S A w l l p r o v i d e t h e m f o r y o u r n e w s t u d y g r o u p . L i s a S e r g e n t @ I B S A o r g

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f r i c a h a v e m a d e t h e r w a y t o t h e U S , a n d h u n d r e d s a r e f i n d n g a h o m e i n r u r a l I l n o i s

r a y : T h a t w e c a n r e s p o n d t o t h e r u n q u e n e e d s a n d d e m o n s t r a t e t h e g o s p e l t h r o u g h o u r a c t i o n s a n d l o v i n g w o r d s o f e n c o u r a g e m e n t

–F r o m h e I B S A C h u r c h P a n t n g T e a m

Take preventive measures?

Q: Things are running smoothly at our church right now I don’t want to stir up trouble but should I teach on conflict management before there’s a kerfuffle?

A: In Acts 20:27, the Apostle Paul declared, “For I have not shunned to declare to teach to you the whole counsel of God ” That tells me a pastor has a responsibility to preach both the easy and hard teachings of Scripture, in order to teach Christians how to grow into mature disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ

Conflict resolution could certainly address a difficulty, issue, or problem in the church, but those same things happen in the home, workplace, friendships, and marriages Teaching your church members how to properly react when a problem arises in a godly, Christ-honoring, biblical manner will not only prepare them if the church faces a conflict, but you are also teaching them about the proper response to everyday frustrations

We live in a world of marital quarrels, political disagreements, street violence, road rage, family arguments, and workplace threats. If there has ever been a time when the church should teach the proper response to conflict, I believe it is today!

Blended worship

Q: Can’t we sing a hymn once in a while? When I ask the pastor or worship leader, they get all defensive

A: I’m sorry to hear that! Many of the hymns of the faith are beautifully written, melodically appealing, and theologically sound. A wise and gifted worship leader should be able to incorporate both the traditional and contemporary in a way that allows everyone in the congregation to feel like a part of the worship experience

The beat, rhythm, instrumentation, and frequency of hymn usage might change some in order for it to fit into the service, but let me encourage you to approach your worship leader in love Remind him or her that you are more than willing to embrace much of the new music, and ask if some of the favorite hymns of the past could somehow be incorporated in worship

IBSA’s Director of Worship and Technology, Steve Hamrick, can offer advice on how to blend both styles along with thematic drama, video, and other helpful worship tools Have your pastor or worship leader contact him at SteveHamrick@IBSA org

Pat Pajak leads IBSA’s Church Consulting team Send your coaching questions to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

April 30: Evangelistic Leaders

Workshop for pastors on 8 components of evangelistic churches

Where: FBC Effingham; 10 a m

Register: www IBSA org/evangelism

May 11-12: IBSA Ministers’ Golf

Outing at Oak Terrace, Pana

Register: Contact Matt Briggs at 1-800-577-7598 or mbriggs@ oakterraceresort com

May 14-16: Expository Preaching

Retreat at Lake Sallateeska

When: Check-in 4 p m Thurs ; checkout is 11:30 a m Sat ; $55

Register: www IBSA org/evangelism

May 16: Medical Missions training for health personnel and church leaders

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

When: 9 a m to 4 p m ; cost is $10

Contact: BarbTroeger@IBSA org

May 29-30: Collegiate Ministry Resource Conference for college ministry leaders and their key students

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Register: www IBSA org/college

May 29-30: Men of Valor Weekend for guys in grades 7-12

Where: Lake Sallateeska

Cost: $30 per person

Contact: Scott Slone, (618) 303-2130

June 6: Baptist Children’s Home Golf Tournament at Edgewood Country Club, Auburn

Contact: kensteward@bchfs com

June 6: Missions Spectacular

What: Projects for the whole family in six Illinois locations

When: 9 a m to 4:30 p m

Cost: $10 for kids under 12; $15 for all others Web: www IBSA org/missions

June 12-13, 19-20: Father/Son Camps

Who: Dads and sons of all ages

Where: June 12-13, Streator Baptist Camp; June 19-20, Lake Sallateeska

Cost: $75 per adult (free for sons 16 and under)

Contact: AlexisDumire@IBSA org

June 15-19: Week One Children’s Camp for kids in grades 3-6

Where: Lake Sallateeska

Cost: $125 through 5/4; $135 after Web: www IBSA org/kids

June 21-25: Week Two Children’s Camp for kids in grades 3-6

Where: Lake Sallateeska

Cost: $125 through 5/4; $135 after Web: www IBSA org/kids

June 23-27: Super Summer

Who: Students who have completed grades 6-12

Where: Greenville College

Cost: $199 until June 1; $229 June 2-17 Web: www IBSA org/students

DAVE

Says Financial advice from Dave Ramsey

Pay for A’s?

Q: What’s your opinion on rewarding kids with money for good grades?

A: Honestly, I don’t have a strong opinion about it You could say you shouldn’t pay them because it’s something they’re expected to do, and that’s somewhat valid But you could also make the same point about chores around the house

We paid our kids to do some chores, but really the point is not about the economic value It’s the fact that you want your kids to associate work with money You can do this around the subject of grades if you want. There’s probably a valid case to be made that getting an “A” takes a lot more work than getting a “C ”

You’re certainly not obligated to pay them for work or grades, but if you don’t do some of this and teach them the proper ways to handle the money they earn you’ll miss out on a lot a fantastic teachable moments

It’s a parental thing

Q: We have two girls in competitive gymnastics, at a cost of $12,000 to $15,000 a year My wife and I make about $115,000 a year, but virtually all of her income goes

toward the gymnastics bill We’re also trying to get out of debt and get better control of our money Should we focus more on our finances right now?

A: If I were in your shoes, I’d be asking myself why the kids are in gymnastics Unless you are trying to send them to the Olympics and they’re good enough to reach that level teaching them things like discipline and to master their bodies through physical training can be done at a local level And a much lower cost

My son played ice hockey in local leagues and in high school, too, but he wasn’t NHL material or anything like that It didn’t change his life that he didn’t play on a traveling team or with professional trainers, so we had to ask ourselves, “What will it matter when he’s 30 years old?”

With your income, the gymnastics thing probably isn’t going to slow you down too much when it comes to getting your financial house in order In other words, it’s a parental thing Ask yourself why you’re investing so heavily in this, and what the goal is when they’re adults I think that will help you make the smart decision

Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host

Trending

Who will follow?

Pinspirat

62%

of Americans believe Jesus was a real person who actually lived 92% say they have made a personal commitment to him, but gender, generation and ethn all make a difference: Find more ministry ideas online at

ke, part 2 logger

eecake muffins

6 IB? Try this spin our next gathering

1 box white or yellow cake mix

1 box vanilla instant pudding

8 oz sour cream

½ c butter

4 eggs

1 c sugar

1 c chopped nuts (optional)

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cocoa

Chart Toppers

New and upcoming albums

Empires

Hillsong UNITED

Exhale (Deluxe Version)

Plumb

Live Forever (Deluxe Version)

Matthew West

Be Still and Know Hymns & Faith

Missions

Spectacular

Bring your family and friends along for this one-day mission project in six locations around the state

To prepare: Combine first five ingredients (through eggs) in a bowl with a mixer until well blended (Note: The batter will be more like dough ) Lightly grease and flour a sheet or tube pan In another bowl, combine sugar, nuts (if using), cinnamon and cocoa

Put half the dough in the prepared pan Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the dough, then spread remaining dough on top Finish with the rest of the sugar mixture Swirl knife through dough for a marbled effect Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes

Recipe from Marian Hampton, Raymond Baptist Church

Summer

Love Plinko from “The Price is Right”? Pinterest is full of ideas for how to customize it and other favorite games Try them out at a community outreach event this summer; recruit a host and give out prizes to the winners

For 19 more ways to maximize your church’s weekends this summer, check out the newest issue of Resource mag , online at http://resource IBSA org

Amy Grant

Tomorrow We Live – KB

Includes a sample of Hillsong’s “Oceans” and cameos from rapper Lecrae and golfer Bubba Watson

Clip

6

Granite City E St Louis Elkville

JUNE Streator Decatur Metropolis

Go to www IBSA org/missions to register

WHAT’S BEHIND THE SHINE?

“And the Israelites left the land of Egypt in battle formation ”

Exodus 13:18, HCSB

–

A few weeks ago I was reading in Exodus and came across this verse that jumped off the page at me The ten plagues had broken Pharoah’s stranglehold on the Hebrew children and they left Egypt in battle formation (“equipped for battle,” says the ESV)

They looked ready to face the challenges ahead, but it didn’t take long before they lost their trust in God and complain to and about their leader It reminds me of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) Every morning and evening for 40 days, the army of Israel put on their armor and shouted their battle cry as they took their battle position Goliath then presented himself, and the terrified army retreated to their tents

Our churches are in a spiritual battle To see the victories we long and pray for requires that we do more than just look like we’re ready for battle We must be alert to the temptation to merely shine our armor and get the troops in proper order Victory comes from the hand of God and we are to humble ourselves before Him (James 4:10)

PRAYER PROMPT: O God, help me to not pursue the weakness of appearances, but to seek the strength of transformation that only you can provide

Odis Weaver is pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Plainfield and is currently serving as president of IBSA Pastors are invited to join the online “IBSA Pastors’ Prayer Room” by e-mailing oweaver7307@gmail com

POSTCARDS

Missionaries: Van and Robin Kicklighter

Serving in: Springfield, where Van leads IBSA’s church planting team and Robin substitute teaches and has taught preschool

Pray: For an increasing passion for lost people, a growing movement of laborers for the harvest, and for Illinois churches to engage in church planting Pray as Robin seeks ways to help the wives of church planters and ministers