December 22, 2014 Illinois Baptist

Thank you, Jerry Day page 2

Drive-thru from creche to cross page 3

The SBC: Where are we now?

DECEMBER 22, 2014

5 things we learned in 2014

We need prayer now, more than ever

Persecution is growing worldwide , and growing closer in America

Evangelicals are in the minority, and we know it

Young people are taking charge of the SBC

We’re feeling the shift in resources and attitudes

Pages 6-7

Nate Adams: Blues

Christmas page 4

B-101: Does seminary matter? Pullout pages 9-10

Pat’s Playbook: Is my church successful? Or just busy. page 11

News and updates

Throughout the week:

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IMAGINE IF –“ you could spend 10 focused minutes each Sunday morning in extraordinary prayer on two major needs locally, in your church, in America, or across the world ”

SBC President Ronnie Floyd’s “Call to Prayer” that began at the Annual Meeting in Baltimore (above) now turns to Sunday mornings, starting with one worship service in January

(See more on page 6 ) Members of the Chicago-area Broadview Missionary Baptist Church (right) joined the prayer focus in Baltimore in June

New ministry follows riots

By Kayla Rinker

Ferguson, Mo. | The plywood nailed to the windows of homes and businesses reminded Stoney Shaw of living near the threat of hurricanes when he was younger

“People would brace themselves for the storm that was coming,” said Shaw, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Ferguson “That’s exactly what is happening here; a devastating storm But praise God things seem to be winding down and there is a lot of rebuilding going on, which is what we’ve been praying for ”

Despite the rioting and arson surrounding the grand jury’s Nov 24 decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown, Shaw said there are glimpses of hope among the ashes

“On that very same plywood, artists have drawn pictures of encouragement and hope,” he said. “We are the real Ferguson people, black and white As a whole we are not the ones marching and picketing, we are the ones getting looted and broken into There are a lot of other narratives, but the reality is that this is a terrible tragedy and it does not have our best interest in mind ”

Continued on page 2

Church aids tornado recovery

Rebuild team puts families in new homes

By Meredith Flynn

B r o o k p o r t | “Our town is starting to come back,” said Pastor David Siere For a year, he has watched his community recover from a tornado that destroyed several homes and killed three people in Massac County, located at the southern tip of Illinois

The storm hit on a Sunday afternoon, part of a tornado outbreak that wreaked havoc all over the state

Siere’s church, First Baptist in Brookport, sits next to a mobile home park that was almost completely destroyed, he said

But Brookport is rebuilding, and Siere and his church are playing an integral role in the process The town is starting to look a lot better, he said, and “we’re praising God for what He’s done so far ”

Continued on page 3

MPCRC photo

and what the trends mean for your church

BRIEFING the

News updates every Tuesday at www ib2news org

Fund helps slain pastor’s family

More than $30,000 has been donated online to help three families in the wake of a triple murder in Florida Southern Baptist pastor Tripp Battle (right) was one of the victims in the Dec 4 shootings, which also took the lives of Denise Potter and Amber Avalos. Avalos’ husband, Andres, was arrested Dec 6 in connection with the crimes, Baptist Press reported Battle, pastor of Bayshore Baptist Church in Bradenton, had ties to Illinois His father-in-law, Keith Johnson, was formerly on staff at FBC Machesney Park and Vale Church in Bloomington

63% favor church at Christmas

How well do Americans fare at keeping Christ the nter of Christmas? Pretty well, according to a new survey from LifeWay Research 79% agreed that “Christmas should be more about Jesus,” and 63% of people said the holiday should include a visit to church Even so, LifeWay reported, people are less sure about the season’s theological details: Only 56% agreed that Christ existed before Jesus’ birth

Kay Warren urges card care

As you send your Christmas cards this year, remember who’s on the receiving end, Kay Warren said in a Dec 4 Facebook post Warren, whose son, Matthew, committed suicide in 2013, said receiving cards with happy family photos was painful during their first Christmas without him (Warren’s husband, Rick, is pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Ca )

Consider sending a plain card with some careful, prayerful words to a grieving family, Warren advised “Yes, it’s inconvenient it will take more time than your rushed signature, and it will require entering into someone else’s loss, mourning, grief and anger at a time when the world pretends that all our ‘troubles will be out of sight

ERLC Summit to focus on race

As protestors rallied to speak out against grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N.Y., the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission changed the theme of its March 26-27 leadership summit from pro-life issues to racial reconciliation, Baptist Press reported “Racism and injustice are not just social ills; they are sins against God,” ERLC President Russell Moore said in a written release “This summit will help equip us to tear down carnal divisions, to bring about peace, so that churches reflect the kingdom of God ”

War vet’s faith began at crusade

The movie version of Louis Zamperini’s (right) life may not explore his faith, but the WW2 survivor ’s conversion was in the spotlight leading up to th Dec 25 release of “Unbroken ” The 1949 Lo Angeles revival where Zamperini was saved n only changed him, wrote Religion News Service’s Cathy Lynn Grossman, but also transformed the ministry of the young evangelist preaching those nights “By 2005, when [Billy] Graham retired from the sawdust trail of evangelizing, it became impossible to count the celebrities who found faith through Graham.”

Ferguson now

Continued from page 1

But because of that reality, it leaves Ferguson-area churches with a unique opportunity to minister to a broken and hurting community Shaw said FBC is engaged with the city to promote positive changes

For example, when the district closed a nearby school because of the impending threat of rioting, FBC opened its facilities to provide meals, tutors, and a safe place for the kids to be during the day The City of Ferguson has also used FBC’s fellowship hall for their “TalkBack” meetings for people to express their grievances and appeals for change to the mayor and city leaders

“It’s exciting to be a practical part of the solution to a very complicated situation,” Shaw said “I’ve said it before but we were at Ground Zero before it was Ground Zero These are scary times and we are living in the shadow of that God has called Christian people and churches in Ferguson to go and do what needs to be done together, in order to recover our fine city for Him ”

Sean Boone is pastor of New Beginning Christian Fellowship, an SBC church plant in nearby Hazelwood, Mo “What I’m seeing and hearing is more about believers being white or black before being Christian,” Boone said “As believers we must step back and ask are we rendering grace to both sides? Are we looking at everything through the lenses of U S citizens or (as) citizens of the body of Christ?”

He said only when believers answer these questions honestly can biblical and fair solutions for all people be found

“If we only rely on a system born out of the flesh of sinful man, we will constantly get flawed results,” Boone said “One side or the other will always feel disenfranchised Right now we are witnessing an expression of a group of people feeling hopeless The church needs to address the reason for this hopelessness which is sin ”

Shaw believes there are legitimate issues and injustices regarding the treatment and the voice of the majority of Ferguson residents He said that more than anything, this tragedy has shined a light on those problems See more on comments from SBC leaders on page 4

push for everyone to register to vote

“We are blessed to have some neat African American ladies in our church who have started taking young adults in the 18 to 30 age range and teaching them the basics of our democratic republic,” Shaw said “We have a nation of people who don’t know how it works When only 10% of the majority 70% of the population is registered to vote in a city, it’s bad People start to feel like they aren’t included and can’t change anything, which leads to looting and burning ”

And that idea of feeling included is what lays heavy on Shaw’s heart because he knows where it needs to begin: within the body of Christ Though pastors and churches have come together to pray for one another in light of recent events, Shaw says that trend needs to continue

For starters, the African American subgroup in Ferguson makes up 70% of the city’s total population, but there is only one African American member of the city council Shaw said the city needs to

Pray through the news

Day retires from state staff

S p r i n g f i e l d | Jerry Day, who has served on the IBSA staff since 2008, will retire at the end of this year Day is currently the administrative director for IBSA’s zone strategy and serves as a zone consultant with 11 associations in southern Illinois

“For years, Jerry has been a trusted and respected leader among Illinois Baptists, and this will continue, I’m sure, even after his retirement from IBSA,” said Executive Director Nate Adams. “I was delighted when he agreed to join the IBSA staff, and for these past six years he has been an exceptional executive leader, both in the missions area and in developing IBSA’s leadership development and zone strategies ” Day came to IBSA from

Clear Creek Baptist Association, where he served as executive director for 13 years He first led IBSA’s Missions Team and worked with the state’s 34 local associations Day led the transition to a zone-based associational strategy in 2011

He answered the call to ministry as a member of First Baptist Church in Vandalia, where he served as Sunday school director Day’s first podium appearance at the IBSA Annual Meeting happened in 1980, when his church accepted an award for the fastest-growing Sunday school Later, he chaired the Constitution Committee, Nominating Committees, and IBSA Board Day, who holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry and Master of Arts in Christian Education from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, served churches in Tampa, Fla , and

“It sends a wonderful message that we are united as one body of believers,” Shaw said “We need to get back to really associating with each other and that may require churches, whether predominately white or black, get out of their comfort zones: team up, serve together, go on mission together, fellowship together and even periodically do a pastor swap ”

“We are only racially divided if we want to be,” Shaw said “We need to be living like Christ throughout this crisis ”

– Special to the Illinois Baptist Kayla Rinker is a reporter living in southwest Missouri

Paducah, Ky , before returning to Illinois in 1992 to pastor Fellowship Baptist Church in Vienna

In retirement, he and his wife, Angie, plan to spend more time with their children and grandchildren, who live in Kentucky and Wisconsin He also is currently serving as transitional pastor at Logan Street Baptist Church in Mt Vernon

“I love it,” Day said of the interim pastorate he has served in since last fall “That’s what I feel called to do at this season of my life ” Throughout his ministry, he’s also developed a love for coaching and mentoring other leaders, some of whom he says he now turns to for advice

“IBSA and many Illinois Baptist churches owe Jerry and Angie a debt of gratitude as they enter what I’m sure will be a very active retirement,” Adams said “I’m so grateful to call them my friends ”

Jerry Day

– Ask for congregations in Ferguson to “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to respond with anger” (James 1:19), so they may become peacemakers

BACK AT CHURCH – FBC Ferguson’s Awana program ran as scheduled just nine days after parts of the city erupted in violence – FBC photo

The nativity, in living color

Sherman | “Start tending the sheep!”

The warning is issued from a pint-sized shepherd on this chilly Saturday night in the parking lot of Living Faith Baptist Church

The shepherds are a middle stop of the church’s drive-through nativity experience, and these kids in belted tunics have been waiting for the first car to arrive at their scene Inside the cars, families listen to a CD of the Christmas story they received as they drove in; each track corresponds to a different scene Outside, the shepherds act it out, tending their sheep like any other day, until a heavenly host appears above them

“Christmas seems to be the most hectic time, the most stressful time of year,” says Pastor Adam Cruse. “And so, really, we want to bring it back to what is Christmas truly all about? The simple message of Christmas is about a savior who came into the world, and so we just wanted people to come back to the focus of it all ”

Living Faith planned to do the nativity last year, but were snowed out, making this year the “second annual attempt,” according to associate pastor Daniel

Waters. A few minutes before this year ’s performance is set to start at 5:30, cars begin lining up at the edge of the parking lot

Turning off their lights, they drive single-file past several scenes: Mary and Joseph hearing individually from angels; the couple with their new baby and the manger, shepherds tending their flocks; and wise men from the east visiting the family

The last two scenes don’t feature any actors In the corner of the parking lot stand three empty crosses, the middle one slightly larger with a white cloth wrapped around it Next to the crosses, a small trailer has been fashioned into an empty tomb

“We didn’t want to just focus on the Christmas scene, because it’s very easy to forget what Christ did and why he came,” Cruse said “He came to die on the cross and then to come out of the grave, so we wanted to depict those scenes as well ”

Brookport rebuilds

Continued from page 1

Immediately after the tornado, FBC became Brookport’s ground zero for storm recovery A ministry facility they had built in 2011 across the parking lot from the main building housed donated food, water and clothing The pastor sees God’s provision in that building “I don’t know what we would have done if we hadn’t had it ”

Illinois Disaster Relief teams moved quickly into the area to cut down damaged trees and visit with shaken residents About a week after the tornado, Siere was approached by a city leader about being part of a long-term recovery team Two of his church members, Bob Craig and Jerry Muniz, also joined the Massac & Pope County Recovery Committee.

So far, volunteer groups working through MPCRC have built five houses in Brookport, and nine more are in process In August, the first homeowners moved in, including Clark Blasdel, who said he had never been through anything as bad as the tornado, and had never had anything as good happen to him as his new home

“It’s unbelievable I’m happy,” Blasdel told WPSD in Paducah, Ky

The work of the committee is funded through grants and donations, combined with money provided to residents by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Their goal is two-fold: To provide housing for people who were displaced after the tornado, and to make Brookport a better place to live In doing so, the team, which includes members of local churches, is also looking out for the spiritual well-being of their town

“We keep God at the center of it, and I think that’s what makes a difference,” said Craig, noting that without God, it would be difficult to keep a sweet, loving attitude The committee’s meetings start with prayer and Scripture reading, and they recently sponsored a “gospel sing” on the one-year anniversary of the storm Craig, who pastored FBC Brookport before Siere, told around 200 attenders that with all the safety precautions people take like storm shelters and weather radios there’s a greater safety to be found in Christ “You might not make it through another circumstance like this, and you need to have that provision taken care of,” he said

When asked if there are stories from the past year that stand out, Craig recalls one young man whose mobile home rolled over several times during the storm, even as his wife and child were inside They were bruised and banged up, Craig said, but survived And the young man gave his heart to Christ

“It was such a thrill, because it was a son-in-law of a long-time brother in Christ that I’ve known many years ”

To God be the glory

After the tornado, Siere was unsure what to put on the church sign, in light of everyone who had done so much to help Brookport. He settled on a simple message: “Thank you, everybody ”

Certainly, many are thanking the church in return All of the houses built through the recovery committee have been constructed by volunteer workers, and those workers are fed at the church through the efforts of a woman from Metropolis who coordinates the meals. She was looking for a way to help and, Siere said, “God led her here ”

The volunteer teams have slowed down for the winter; one group is scheduled for late December and one in January But as the weather warms up, the committee expects more people will come to help

When they started a year ago, eight houses was set as a goal, Siere said, and “God has seen fit for us to do a lot more than that ” The number 23 has come up, but whether or not the committee is able to see that many projects through, they want to help as many people as possible get a place to live

Ultimately, he said, they want God to get the glory

“We meet once a week still, here at the church, and as we’re seeing things happen, we just thank God because it has to be a God thing.”

Give thanks for those who have rolled up their sleeves in response to the destruction in Brookport and other communities May each of the (soon-to-be) 15 homes they build be a strong witness to the love and mercy of our great God and Savior

O HOLY NIGHT – Danielle and Jonathan Spangenberg portray Mary and Joseph at Living Faith Baptist Church’s living nativity scene; 115 cars visited the drive-through display, which told the Christmas story in several scenes – Photos by Meredith Flynn

EARLY RESPONSE – Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief teams served in Brookport immediately after the November 2013 tornado – DR photo

Nate Adams

No more blue Christmas

ave you ever found yourself heading into the Christmas season feeling blue? I have In fact, this was one of those years

I couldn’t put my finger on exactly why I felt down, other than the fact that several things haven’t turned out the way I would have hoped this year It appears some of the key measurements we set for our work at IBSA are not going to be met. In arenas outside IBSA that I care about, several decisions were made this year that were very different than what I thought best Several people disappointed me Even as I looked around for things I could call personal successes, well, I just couldn’t think of many

The second factor that contributed to my blueness was just the sheer volume of work and challenges that seemed to still lay before me After working so hard and seeing so little of the success I was looking for, it was hard to find the energy to dig in again.

In my blueness, I turned to music for some encouragement and reassurance I found on my iPhone a playlist of 13 songs titled “Colorado Renewal 2013” that I had e two summers ago, during e personal retreat time The

first song, “Disappear” by Bebo Norma gave expression to what I was feeling:

On a day like this I want to crawl ben

A million miles from the world, the commotion that never seems to stop

And on a day like this I want to run the routine

Run away from the daily grind that ca life right out of me

I only know one place I can run to

A place to run to is what I was lookin the song didn’t disappoint

I want to hide in You, the way, the life so I can disappear

And love is all there is to see coming out of me, and You become clear as I disappear

For the next few minutes, I ran to Jesus, and disappeared there I found sweet relief in the reality that Jesus’ completed work on the cross is all I need I don’t have to earn or deserve anything more Hidden in Him, everything returns to its proper perspective

Then, just as the words of the first verse helped me express my discouragement, the words of the second verse helped me set a new direction, and a new motivation for the future

I don’t want to care about earthly things

Fear and worry in St. Louis

Pray for these requests and pass them along to your pastor or prayer leader: – Churches in Ferguson, Mo , page 2

Rebuilding after the tornado, page 3 Prayer prompts are provided by Phil Miglioratti, IBSA’s prayer consultant Contact him at philNPPN@gmail com

Giving by IBSA churches as of 12/12/14:

Budget Goal: $6,219,231

Received to date in 2013: $5,902,892

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

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POSTMASTER: The Illinois Baptist is owned and publ shed every three weeks by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Spr ngfield, Illinois 62703-4440 Subscript ons are free to Illinois Baptists Subscribe onl ne at IBSA org

Growing up in a small rural Missouri community just 90 miles north of St Louis gave me the opportunity to experience some of the best the city and its surrounding communities had to offer My family made frequent trips to the St. Louis Zoo, the Museums of Art and Natural History, Six Flags, Cardinals baseball games, the Fox Theatre, and, of course, the numerous malls and shops

I looked forward to any and all trips into the city St Louis seemed so fast and exciting compared to my sleepy little farming community I still love St Louis and look forward to any visits I can make there It’s because of my heart for the city and the connections I have there that the recent events in Ferguson have particularly saddened me

I’m Facebook friends with former classmates who now live in the metro area I’ve been following one of my classmate’s posts in particular since the evening of August 29, when a white police officer shot and killed a young black man She and her family live in a town adjacent to Ferguson and have experienced first-hand the events that have captured the nation’s attention

She has chronicled the fear and frustration felt by many in the community She has also shared about being a parent of four young children and how the unrest has affected them Some nights they could hear the sounds of the protestors from their home

My classmate has struggled to explain to them what happened, why

ht up in all the lies that trick my eyes, they about me red of it being about me ked back on the things that were making Christmas time, I realized they really were me, and what I could accomplish or control, ld perhaps call success And I realized that I had indeed been deceived into thinking ork, my successes, or even my ministry ources of my joy ly watched a documentary about Bing at credited his classic “White Christmas” ng the song that first secularized ChristUntil then, most Christmastime songs were sacred, Christ-centered But after White Christmas, lots of writers and composers began creating sentimental Christmas songs with someone or something other than Christ as their focus Of course one of those was Elvis Presley’s now famous lament, that it will be a “Blue Christmas without you ”

A Christmas season that depends on uccesses, or other people, or anything other than Jesus is bound to be blue Maybe that’s one reason the shepherds fled their work and their despair and their longing and “came with haste” to the manger That’s exactly where I want to run to and disappear this Christmas

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

SOUND OFF

On Ferguson, race and reconciliation

people are angry, why school has been cancelled, and many other related things Along with her husband, their top priority has been keeping their children safe and also making them feel safe

I’ve read with joy when she’s written about her faith in the Lord and knowing He would keep them safe I’ve read with sadness when she has expressed fears for her family When the announcement was made that the grand jury had come to a verdict, she wrote that a friend in another town had offered to let them stay in her home if they felt unsafe in their own She jokingly posted that she hoped they didn’t have to have a “slumber party” that night

When the school reopened following the grand jury announcement, she wrote about walking her children in and reassuring them of their safety She also shared about barely making it out the school’s front door before collapsing into tears from stress and worry

What my friend and her family are experiencing doesn’t have anything to do with whether you agree with the grand jury’s decision not to indict Darren Wilson for the death of Michael Brown It’s about the sin that is in this world and our failure as a society to seek God

May we turn to Him to ask for healing and understanding between all races in our nation, and for Him to be glorified through our words and actions

"Only the Gospel of reconciliation through Jesus Christ can heal the broken in heart, bridge the racial divide that marks our society, and calm the passions that grip the human heart ”

– Ronnie Floyd, president, Southern Baptist Convention

“The only way that the racial problem will be resolved in our country is to understand what really is the main problem As my friend K Marshall Williams, the current president of the National African American Fellowship, often says, ‘We do not have a SKIN problem in America, we have a SIN problem in America!’ And to that I say Amen!”

– Fred Luter, immediate past president, Southern Baptist Convention

“The answer for the Body of Christ starts with a robust doctrine of the church lived out in local congregations under the lordship of Christ The reason white and black Americans often view things so differently is because white and black Americans often live and move in different places, with different cultural lenses In the church, however, we belong to one another We are part of one Body ”

– Russell Moore, president, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

“We are still praying about the concerns and what tangible response God wants of us If the unjust deaths/murders of these two precious lives (Michael Brown & Eric Garner) requires such public demonstrations then I’m forced to ask what is required for the thousands of black babies murdered every year in Chicago by white abortion doctors? And with our tax dollars Do those thousands of innocent black lives matter?”

– Michael Allen, pastor, Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago

Voices

How my church changed in 2014

Every church has seasons At Second Baptist in Marion, where I serve as pastor, we’re just coming out of a twoyear period I’d label “adjustment ”

We’re grateful for this time We have seen the Lord work, our members have welcomed needed change, and our staff is serving in positions that reflect true gifting and passion But it hasn’t been an easy process Our 100-year-old church has resided in the same location for the last century Second Baptist enjoyed a long, fruitful ministry under the same pastor for 30 years, until his retirement in 2010 After a two-year interim period, the church called me, a then36-year-old pastor

Needless to say, the two years since have been a period of adjustment for both my church and me Five months after I accepted the job, our education pastor retired and we were faced with an opportunity to realign our staff We were reminded of this principle: To be a healthy organization, you not only need the right people on the bus, but those people also need to be in the correct seats

Currently all the people on the bus are in the right seat But getting there required a slow, methodical process After much prayer, we presented the idea to key leaders, and gave them time to pray and seek the Lord We then took the idea of realignment to the church, who agreed this was in the best

interest of the church and felt God was in the decision Then we made the move, trusting the Lord for results And we’re already seeing them: Our discipleship and assimilation strategies have taken on new life, and our new student pastor has been able to reach new students and be more effective in

God has worked in our season of adjustment: Our discipleship and assimilation strategies have new life.

ministering within the high school than we ever imagined possible

Still, there have been challenges The average age of our leaders has decreased from 60 to 35 Church members who have been accustomed to a very formal approach to worship and pastoral persona have moved beyond their comfort zones to accept a more casual-looking staff Our worship has changed too, but people are experiencing the Spirit’s presence and choosing that over personal preferences.

We thank the Lord for this season of adjustment at Second Baptist As we look forward to 2015 and the next season in our church’s life we’re anticipating the fruit coming from our efforts, and trusting in God’s promise to work through His church

Mark Mohler is pastor of Second Baptist Church in Marion

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

“Eugene’s right According to church bylaws, you have to be an angel and a shepherd before you get to be a wise man ”

π A slice of life

Prior to November’s mid-term elections, LifeWay Research asked Protestant pastors about their views on immigration

Christians have a responsibility to assist immigrants, even if they are in the country illegally

Agree Disagree

Not sure

– LifeWay Research, Nov 2014

Thanks for the memories (in free verse)

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works Thy hands have made in 2014

365 days marked by evening and morning, 365 sunsets and sunrises, as 143,341,000 people were born onto this planet and 56,759,000 departed, all receiving 1,640 minutes each day and blessings beyond number, I say

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul; thank you, Lord, for making me one of the billions you have saved by grace through faith

I was sinking deep in sin, far from your holy standard, and yet you made a Way for me for us to be rescued

And His Name is Jesus

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish use of time and grant that we may more wisely employ our moments and our days to share your peace with a world that has suffered its absence this year:

the death-march of ISIS and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East,

the kidnapped girls and the lost boys; the fear in Ferguson, and the failure of our social contract

We are grateful for God’s peace in our hearts, even as we realize the fragility of peace in our streets

Sixty years after D-Day, bless the Greatest Generation who secured our freedom, and guard the young soldiers whose service today has redefined sacrifice

In this, the year of Ebola, we pray: Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the deadly wave with wonder drugs and rescue teams, hazmat suits and quarantines; For healthcare, though at times it’s costly, sparing lives that once would lost be; for ribbons pink and yellow wristbands and friends who live strong when faced with cancer (And their hats )

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for the year to come, we’re grateful for a stronger economy, steadier jobs, and the roof overhead

Our kids are warm and safely tucked in; thank you for the joy of children (those here now and those a’comin’)

For our Baptist family on bended knee lifting lost ones up to Thee; for our dear church, where would we be without your Body on earth that meets just down the street and comes over for small group?

For faithful friends and faithful givers, co-laborers in Christ who become brothers and sisters, the cloud of witnesses in heavenly places who cheer us on as we run our races

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed is all you made and we marvel still at your inscrutable creation yet little things cheer our hearts and make us sing “Happy” songs; I love breakfast (oh it’s so good!), foods I eat and foods I should; Coffee hot and iced tea sweet,

17% 4%

79%

Mittened-hands and sock-warmed feet; Feeling glad when winter comes and gladder still when winter goes

Clinging to the hope of spring, there are 10,000 reasons for my heart to sing… Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul

because whatever comes in 2015, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39)

By Eric Reed, in the style of the late Joan Beck, Chicago Tribune columnist, whose annual “thanks” essays inspired readers for 30 years

Mark Mohler

5 trends shaping ministry & what they

Evangelicals cope with minority status

Say goodbye to Mayberry The culture is shifting What was once called good is now called evil, and vice versa, just as Isaiah said of his own times The majority opinion in the U S approves of same-sex marriage, and many other sexual matters once outside the norm are being accepted by society at large. But, while the morals and mores are changing, Southern Baptists are not

We still stand on the Word

“One of the biggest challenges for conservative Christians is moving beyond a Bible Belt mentality, or a moral majority mentality,” said Russell Moore, president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, “and seeing ourselves instead as in many cases a prophetic minority speaking to a larger culture about things that matter ”

Moore called on pastors and church leaders to “prepare people for what the future holds, when Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality aren’t part of the cultural consensus but are seen to be strange and freakish and even subversive ”

“The Bible Belt is collapsing,” Moore has concluded

Churches respond to ‘Call to Prayer ’

“It is past time for us to prioritize prayer personally and in the church,” SBC President Ronnie Floyd wrote on his blog in early December “For far too long, we have seen what we can do; it is time for us to see what God can do This can only happen when we pray ”

Floyd’s continued call to prayer leading to the June 2015 SBC Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio began about two years ago with a series of meetings for pastors and church leaders Floyd began quoting famed Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards who called believers to “extraordinary prayer” for revival in America

“God’s people will be given a spirit of prayer,” Edwards wrote in 1746, “inspiring them to come together and pray in an extraordinary manner, that He would help his Church, show mercy to mankind in general, pour out his Spirit, revive His work, and advance His kingdom in the world as He promised ”

Today’s growing urgency in prayer coincided with planning for the 2014 IBSA Annual Meeting in November “We will either hunger for God’s righteousness out of desperation or out of devastation,” IBSA President Odis Weaver told messengers

The November meeting peaked in a Concert of Prayer for Spiritual Awakening in Illinois and across the U S

“I believe we need to cry out to God for spiritual awakening, and for revival in our churches,” said IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams He led more than 400 pastors and church leaders through a prayer cycle lament-

ing the lost condition of people in Illinois, repenting of apathy and ineffectiveness, interceding for spiritual awakening, and commiting to pursuit of revival in our churches

Afterward, many pastors said they would lead similar prayer events when they returned home Now Floyd is asking churches to dedicate an entire Sunday morning service to prayer in January: “Just imagine if 100 churches, 500 churches, or several thousand Southern Baptist churches would turn a Sunday morning into insuring that Jesus’ House would be a genuine house of prayer for all the nations Just imagine what could happen if, from this point forward, you could spend 10 focused minutes each Sunday morning in extraordinary prayer on two major needs locally, in your church, in America, or across the world ”

Jonathan Edwards imagined the outcome He called it the “revival of religion ” We would call it “advancement of the Gospel” the salvation of lost souls, renewal of our churches, and restoration of moral sensibility to the nation

In your church: SBC churches will likely give prayer a higher profile in 2015, but what are we praying for? How will we sustain prayer in our congregations as more than a once-in-a-while emphasis?

Consider a Concert of Prayer in January As Floyd wrote, “If we do not plan to pray, we will not pray!

The main evidence of that in Illinois is same-sex marriage which became legal June 1 Churches, at one point concerned they would be forced to perform gay weddings, instead began addressing their bylaws as means of protection

Another response by evangelicals is to make the church a place of refuge, said John Stonestreet, commentator for Breakpoint Ministries “People who are en-

slaved to porn and suffer different forms of brokenness need to be able to come to the church and find answers The church needs to offer hope and solutions We need to say, ‘Here’s an option Here’s the hope; here’s the gospel; here’s the truth; here’s Jesus; and here’s the cross ’” Moore concurs. “We must have a voice that speaks to the conscience, a voice that is splattered with blood We are ministers not of condemnation, the devil can do that, we are ministers of reconciliation, which means that we will speak hard words truthful words to address the conscience, even when that costs us everything ”

I n y o u r c h u rc h : C h u r c h l e a d e r s a r e ministering from a new vantage point, but with the same apologetic The challenge will be to confront cultural ills in a way that is biblically faithful and yet winsome The message hasn’t changed, but some in our society today need to hear the truth truly spoken in love

SHARING THE TABLE – In postmodern America, “we cannot be longing for Mayberry,” says ERLC President Russell Moore He appeared on ABC’s “This Week” as part of a panel discussion on the influence of evangelicals

Young leaders urge peers to ‘re-engage’

The evidence has been building for a few years now: young Baptists are back Or on their way back, at least They’re more visible at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meetings, and, in 2014, at two meetings on the gospel and marriage hosted by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

They’re also beginning to look remarkably similar in age to the leaders of several of the denomination’s entities At the ERLC’s October national conference, 125 young leaders had dinner with President Russell Moore and the heads of the SBC’s two missions agencies, Kevin Ezell and David Platt At four years, Ezell is the longest-tenured at his post; Moore took the ERLC reins in 2013, and Platt was elected in August

“There’s never been a better time in my lifetime to re-engage as a Southern Baptist than right now,” Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, said at the meeting “I really believe that God is up to

something very special in the Southern Baptist Convention ”

Many young Baptists likely would cite the election of Platt, 36, as one of the highlights of 2014 Midwestern Seminary President Jason Allen, himself 38, blogged that when he announced Platt’s election during a September chapel service, students (and faculty and staff) broke into applause for the missiologist and author of bestseller “Radical ”

More than 1,000 miles away in Richmond, Va , young missionary appointees gathered around Platt in the hallway outside their commissioning service to congratulate him and tell him how excited they are he will lead the world’s largest Protestant missions organization

The reaction wasn’t unanimous; some Baptist leaders expressed concern that Platt’s Birmingham congregation, The Church at Brook Hills, gave a lower amount through traditional Cooperative Program channels, instead sending a large portion of their gifts directly to the SBC Executive Committee and International Mission Board

But even with those concerns, established leaders affirmed Platt’s abil-

PRESIDENTIAL ACTION – Both men serving as SBC president in 2014 raise prayer as an important task Outgoing president Fred Luter, (right) stops the annual meeting in Baltimore to lead messengers in prayer Incoming president Ronnie Floyd (above) leads prayer at the “I Stand Sunday” rally in Houston Nov 2 Photo by Bonnie Pritchett/Southern Baptist Texan

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2015 mean for your church

Growing persecution: From ‘the nun’ to ‘resurrection people’

Before Ebola dominated headlines, another one-word threat struck fear in the hearts of many around the world and even here The war of terror and persecution waged by ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, was the story of the year earlier in 2014

ISIS chased religious minorities high into the mountains of Iraq

They filmed beheadings and broadcast them as warnings to the rest of the world And they stirred many in the Western world to stand with the persecuted church The Arabic letter “Nun” was used on social media pages to symbolize solidarity with those persecuted for their faith in “the Nazarene,” or Jesus

It’s not just a problem in the Middle East In Nigeria, 1,505 Christians were killed for their faith in the first seven months of 2014, according to non-profit Jubilee Campaign North Korea again topped Open Doors’ list of most persecuted countries, highlighted by the imprisonment of American Kenneth Bae, who was finally released in November Others, including Pastor Saeed Abedini in Iran, remain in prison

Closer to home, Christians felt a different kind of persecution Businesses and non-profits faced government fines for not providing abortion-causing contraceptives

The mayor of Houston, Texas, subpoenaed the sermons of pastors who were against the city’s pro-LGBT ordinance

Christian leaders here urged believers to remember who they be-

long to “The answer to the decline of religious freedom and the change in the moral climate is not found in waging incessant cultural wars, filled with rage at our changing culture,” said LifeWay Research President Ed Stetzer “Simply put, you can’t hate a people and reach a people at the same time ”

Instead, he urged Christians, “Let’s live like the resurrection people, adorning the gospel with lives of grace Even in our passion to defend freedoms increasingly at risk,

let’s remind ourselves this generation is desperately in need of the love of Christ, lived and shared ”

In your church: Be prepared to think globally about persecution How can your church go beyond your normal prayer times to intercede for those under threat for their faith?

Be alert to what government bodies are doing Speak out when religious liberties are threatened The IRS prohibits churches from supporting candidates, but not from speaking on issues related to faith

generation and who will have the opportunity to lead them to a commitment to the world mission enterprise ”

One blogger put it a little more plainly, noting Platt may be just the right voice to deliver tough love to would-be male missionaries outnumbered by female “Journeymen” appointed through the IMB “Lend your voice to addressing the issue of young males wimping out of Journeyman service,” William Thornton wrote at SBC Voices “These guys think you walk on water, Mr Radical Give ‘em both barrels on this and see what happens ”

Cooperative missions for a new generation

Most Baptists agreed the Cooperative Program, the denomination’s chief method of funding missions and ministry, is the best way for churches together to pursue the Great Commission But how to fix the CP, plateaued and trending slightly downward for years, is up for debate The election of David Platt as IMB president revealed how his church and other large churches have bypassed their state conventions, even though CP gifts for national and international missions are supposed to be routed first through the state level

“I have heard some people say, ‘The big problem is that the younger generation simply isn’t educated about CP,’” blogged pastor J.D. Greear after Platt’s election “That may be true for a small percentage of people, but the bigger problem is probably that they are educated about it. The more they find out about CP giving, the less they are motivated to give ”

Meanwhile, blogger Bart Barber spoke up for the reliability of the system itself, calling those who disagree with the way CP funds are allocated to greater involvement in SBC life “ Within the Cooperative Program approach you can pursue any ministry, reallocate any budget, or adopt any methodology that you can convince enough of your fellow churches and fellow pastors to adopt,” Barber posted at SBC Voices

“Bring on the changes! Make your proposals! Go to the floor of the SBC Annual Meeting! Attend your state convention

ity to mobilize young people to share the gospel to the ends of the earth Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson noted it in a blog post published shortly after Platt’s election, calling for “thanksgiving to God for the presence of a young leader who has obviously garnered the hearts of the younger

In your church: Look for increased excitement from your own young leaders now that the authors and speakers they’ve followed for several years are in prominent positions Be prepared for them to want to go to the hard places for ministry and missions “That’s where we hear young couples saying they want to go, that they want to be radically obedient to what God has called us to do for the nations,” said IMB trustee chairman David Uth “The passion is there ”

meeting! Advocate tirelessly and fearlessly for the improvements you’d like to see

Whatever they are and however much adaptation they would require, I’m betting that almost none of it would actually require any changes at all in the Cooperative Program ”

SBC Executive Committee CEO Frank Page continued his campaign for increased giving through the Cooperative Program, touring the nation (including Chicago) to talk with younger pastors and leaders “I’ll drop the Cooperative Program if you can show me something else that long-term is effective and engages every church concurrently and consistently in an Acts 1:8 strategy,” Page has said on several occasions “Show it to me, and I’ll support it But I haven’t found it yet ”

In your church: More conversation about CP in the national SBC could mean it’s time for a refresher course in your local church A class for young or new Baptists is an opportunity to teach about why Baptists give cooperatively One big reason: CP helps missionaries focus on their mission field, instead of fundraising Another reason: CP helps the local church have a balanced missions strategy, supporting work on all their Acts 1:8 mission fields

ON THE RUN – An Iraqi refugee family shelters with nearly 500 people from the same village at an unfinished education center They’re on the run, among tens of thousands of Christians and other minorities forcibly displaced in northern Iraq by ISIS (Islamic State) extremists Photo by Joseph Rose/Genesis Photos

THE VOICE OF CP – SBC’s Frank Page speaks frequently about the future of the Cooperative Program, painting a hopeful picture despite years of declining offerings Photo by Morris Abernathy

BRAVE NEW LEADERS – At a meeting in Asia, young missionaries surround new IMB President David Platt to pray for him as he seeks to mobilize churches Photo by Hugh Johnson/IMB

Illinois Baptist team report by Meredith Flynn, Lisa Sergent and Eric Reed

PEOPLE & CHURCHES

Ministry Position

Chatham Baptist Church is seeking a bivocational minister of music and worship to direct our traditional and contemporary worship services. For more information, contact Janie Stockstill at janiestockstill@ comcast net or (217) 483-2471

Applications and resumes should be submitted by January 30, 2015

BFI Scholarship application now online

Students planning to attend college or seminary in Fall 2015 are invited to apply now through January 31, 2015, for scholarships from the Baptist Foundation of Illinois Applicants must be an active member of a cooperating IBSA church, and entering college in the upcoming year as a full-time student for both semesters However, part-time, non-traditional graduate theological students may apply for a scholarship for a maximum of 15 hours, or $2,625 per year

For the 2014-15 school year, BFI awarded 39 students with $76,000 in scholarships To apply, go to www baptistfoundationil org Contact Sheila Odle at (217) 391-3116 or SheilaOdle@IBSA org for more information

Kazakh scene featured in nativity festival

S p r i n g f i e l d | Purchased during a mission trip to Kazakhstan in 1997, Janet Craynon’s nativity display (right) fits inside a miniature yurt a portable structure used in Central Asia A camel and a yak, animals used to carry the yurt, stand alongside the holy family

“It reminds me of the relationships we built (there) and that we celebrate the real meaning of Christmas just like those people (we met) in Kazakhstan,” said Craynon, who retired from the Illinois Baptist State Association in 2000

She loaned the nine-piece scene to an annual display of nativity sets, held in Springfield at the beginning of December Craynon purchased the scene from a street vendor in Kalmaty on

Current BFI bonds

The Baptist Foundation of Illinois has one bond issue now open for individual or institutional investors:

• 2014I ($227,000): Closes Jan. 31, 2015, or when fully subscribed BFI bonds are sold in $1,000 increments and support Illinois Baptist church capital improvement and/or construction loans 2014I has a 3 25% coupon paid semi-annually For more information, go to www baptistfoundationil org or call BFI at (217) 391-3116

one of several trips she made during IBSA’s four-year missions partnership in Kazakhstan, a largely Muslim nation

During the partnership, volunteer teams worked on a variety of projects, including a nationwide women’s meeting in 2000. Craynon was part of a group of women who returned to Kazakhstan in 2010 to celebrate the

meeting’s tenth anniversary. “We have a lot to learn from them,” she said “Their faith is strong and real to them ” – Adapted from The State Journal-Register (11-28-14)

The nativity scene featured on page 1 of the Dec 1 Illinois Baptist was made in Turkey and is available through WorldCrafts, a ministry of Woman’s Missionary Union dedicated to develo i fair-trade, sustainable businesses around the world www worldcrafts org

Catch up on your missions giving

Here’s an opportunity to catch up on your missions giving! You might not have thought about it lately with the busyness of the season, but IBSA needs your help for our missionaries to share the gift of Jesus at Christmas and all year long

Giving to the Cooperative Program and Mission Illinois Offerings is behind last year ’s pace. Help us help our Southern Baptists missionaries serving around the world Your gift will have impact for the Kingdom

well beyond 2015

All Cooperative Program, Mission Illinois and other gifts received in the IBSA Business Office by 9 a.m. Tuesday, January 6, 2015, will be reported in the 2014 church giving totals, published in the Illinois Baptist and the 2014 IBSA Annual Gifts received after 9 a m , January 6, will be credited as 2015 giving. For a detailed report of your church’s 2014 gifts, e-mail KendraJackson@ IBSA org or call (217) 391-3111

From start to nish, Midwestern Seminary strives to dramatically transform students by renewing their minds with biblical truth, igniting their hearts with ministry passion, and enriching their souls with deepened Christ-likeness.

mbts.edu

800-944-MBTS Kansas City, MO

We are growing the future leaders of the church who are whole-heartedly dedicated to ful lling the Great Commission as they go forth into all the world.

*Complete your degree online or on campus.

MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY exists for the Church.

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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 1 4

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W h e n s o m e p e o p l e f l y i n t o C h i c a g o a n d l o o k d o w n o n t h e p a t c h w o r k o f n e i g h b o r h o o d s a n d v i l l a g e s e x t e n d i n g t o t h e h o r i z o n , t h e y s e e m u l t i t u d e s o f a p a r t m e n t s a n d h o u s e s a n d p e o p l e t o o v a s t t o c o m p r eh e n d . D e n n i s C o n n e r s e e s o p p o rt u n i t y . “ P a r t o f w h a t p r o m p t e d m e t o c o m e t o C h i c a g o i s t h e g r e a t m i s s i o n f i e l d t h a t i t i s N o t j u s t i n s c a l e o b v i o u s l y i t ’s h u g e . A n d i n f l u e n t i a l , t h r o u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n a n d t h e w o r l d , ” C o n n e r s a i d “ B u t I w a s d r a w n h e r e b ec a u s e o f t h e g r e a t d i v e r s i t y , t h e v a r i e t y o f p e o p l e t h a t a r e h e r e , t h e g r e a t n e e d f o r t h e g o s p e l , a n d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e g o s p e l t o t r a n s f o r m t h i s c i t y . ” A l t h o u g h f a i r l y n e w t o I l l i n o i s , C o n n e r u n d e r s t a n d s s o m e i m p o r t a n t t h i n g s a b o u t C h i c a g o . I t ’s b i g . I t ’s i mp o r t a n t I t ’s d i v e r s e A n d i t ’s n o t o n e l a r g e c i t y C h i c a g o l a n d i s m a n y c o m m u n i t i e s . T h a t ’s w h a t m a k e s p l a n t i n g c h u r c h e s h e r e c h a l l e n g i n g , b u t f o r C o n n e r a n d m o r e t h a n a d o z e n c h u r c h p l a n t e r s i n t h e a r e a , t h e c a l l i n g i s c l e a r : “ T o t r a n s f o r m l i v e s , f a m i l i e s , n e i g h b o r h o o d s , c o m m u n i t i e s , i n t h e c i t y a n d s u rr o u n d i n g s u b u r b s , ” h e e m p h a s i z e s . O f t h e 1 0 m i l l i o n p e o p l e w h o l i v e i n t h e C h i c a g o m e t r o p o l i t a n a r e a , a b o u t o n e m i l l i o n a r e a c t u a l l y i n W i s c o n s i n a n d I n d i a n a N e a r l y t h r e e m i l l i o n a r e i n t h e

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w h a t w e b e l i e v e h o w w e s e r v e T h s i s t h e 1 4 t h i n o u r 2 0p a r t s e r e s . T h a t m e a n s m o r e t h a n h a l f t h e e s s a y s o n T h e B a p t s t F a t h & M e s s a g e a r e r e a d y f o r u s e i n a n e w m e m b e r s c a s s , s m a l g r o u p , o r d o ct r i n e s t u d y L o o k o n l n e a n d d o w nl 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 n t i n g a n d d s t r i 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

W h e n D . L . M o o d y a r r i v e d i n C h i c a g o n 1 8 5 8 , h s f r s t m i n i s t r y w a s t o c h i l d r e n : H e e s t a bi s h e d a S u n d a y s c h o o l . T h e t r a v e l n g s h o e s a l e s m a n f r o m M a s s a c h u s e t t s s e t u p s h o p o n S u n d a y n i g h t s n a n a b a n d o n e d s a o o n , t h e o n l y p l a c e h e c o u l d f n d i n t h e c i t y . S o o n h e h a d t o f i n d a n e w o c a t i o n , b e c a u s e t h e f i r s t o n e w a s f i l e d t o o v e r f l o w i n g , a n d t h e n a no t h e r M o o d y f o u n d t h e w a y t o r e a c h t h e c h a l e n g i n g c t y , e s p e c a l y i n i t s p o o r a n d d e c a yn g n e g h b o r h o o d s , w a s t h r o u g h t s c h l d r e n A r t h u r F l a k e h a d a s i m i a r i d e a S t a r t n g i n 1 9 0 9 , h e l e d S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t s t o b u i d S u nd a y s c h o o l s t o t e a c h c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s a b o u t t h e B b e I n a t i m e w h e n e d u c a t i o n w a s a p p r e c i a t e d b u t n o t e a s i l y o b t a i n e d , S B C c h u r c h e s b e c a m e t e a c h n g c e n t e r s , a n d t h e S c r i p t u r e w a s t h e i r c o r e c u r r i c u l u m . T h i s m n s t r y o f e d u c a t o n m a y b e c a l e d o t h e r t h i n g s t o d a y , b u t t r e m a i n s c r t c a l t o s t r o n g f a t h t h a t w e k n o w w h a t w e b e l i e v e a n d w h y s t a r t n g a s c h l d r e n . 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

W h a t a r e y o u d o i n g o n W e d n e s d a y n i g h t s ?

D e v e l o p i n g l e a d e r s i s k e y t o c h u r c h g r o w t h “ E v e r y t h i n g r i s e s a n d f a l l s o n l e a d e r s h i p , ” s a y s p a s t o r a n d l e a de r s h i p e x p e r t J o h n M a x w e l l , “ b u t k n o w i n g h o w t o l e a d i s o n l y h a l f t h e b a t t l e . U n d e r s t a n d i n g l e a d e rs h i p a n d a c t u a l l y l e a d i n g a r e t w o d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t i e s . ” A s p a r t o f i t s c o m m i t m e n t t o l e a d e r s h i p d e v e l o p m e n t , I B S A i s c r e a t i n g a p r o c e s s t o h e l p c h u r c h l e a d e r s a s s e s s t h e i r s k i l l s e t a n d s e t n e w g o a l s f o r p e r s o n a l g r o w t h

C h a r l e s C a m p b e l l m e e t s w i t h a g r o u p o f y o u n g l e a d e r s a t I B S A s 2 0 1 3 Y o u t h E nc o u n t e r s t u d e n t e v a n g e l i s m c o n f e r e n c e

o t h e r t r i b u t a r i e s j o i n t h e f l o w A t a n y p o i n t , i t ’s p o s s i b l e t o g e t c a u g h t i n a n e d d y o r b e a c h e d o n a s a n d b a r. T h a t ’s w h y l e a d e r s n e e d g o o d c o a c h e s . S e n i o r p a s t o r s a r e r e q u i r e d t o b e o r g a n i z a t i o n a l l e a d e r s , b u t s o m et i m e s t h e y a r e n ’ t y e t T h i s i s w h e r e a g o o d f r i e n d c a n m a k e a d i f f e re n c e . “ I ’ v e h a d m e n w h o h a v e d i sc i p l e d m e a f f i r m m e i n s o m e a r e a s a n d c r i t i q u e o t h e r s , ” C a m p b e l l s a i d “ S o m e t i m e s t h o s e w e r e n ’ t p l e a s a n t c o n v e r s a t i o n s , b u t t h e y w e r e n e e d e d W e n e e d t o k n o w a b o u t o u r b l i n d s p o t s . ” W i t h Z o n e C o n s u l t a n t s a s s i g n e d t o 1 0 g r o u p s o f l o c a l a s s o c i a t i o n s ,

I B S A w i l l b e o f f e r i n g d e v e l o p m e n t o f c h u r c h l e a d e r s t h r o u g h a v a r i e t y o f c o n f e r e n c e s , c o a c h i n g r e l a t i o ns h i p s , a n d p e e r c o h o r t s . P a t P a j a k , w h o h e a d e d c h u r c h s t r e n g t h e n i n g f o r

I B S A , i s l e a d i n g t h e n e w C h u r c h C o n s u l t i n g T e a m P a t P a j a k @ I B S A . o r g

I B S A ’s C h a r l e s C a m p b e l l , w h o w o r k s w i t h c h u r c h p l a n t e r s a n d y o u n g l e a d e r s , s a y s , “ K n o w i n g y o u r s e l f i s t h e f i r s t p i e c e : D o y o u u n d e r s t a n d w h o y o u a r e , h o w y o u a r e w i r e d f o r m i n i s t r y , a n d e s p ec i a l l y f o r l e a d e r s h i p . H o w h a v e p e o p l e a f f i r m e d a s y o u s e r v e a n d a s y o u b e g i n t o l e a d ? ” T h i s s e l fa w a r e n e s s r e q u i r e s h o n e s t y . “ I f y o u ’ r e n o t w i l l i n g t o b e h o n e s t w i t h y o u r s e l f , n o n e o f t h e a s s e s s m e n t s y o u t a k e o r c o nv e r s a t i o n s y o u h a v e a r e g o i n g t o h e l p y o u W e h a v e t o b e h o n e s t w i t h o u r s e l v e s a n d a b o u t o u rs e l v e s , ”

“ T h i s p r o c e s s i s n o t e a s y . ” T h e l e a d e r s h i p d e v e l o p m e n t p r o c e s s i n v o l v e s f o u r p h a s e s : • l e a d i n g y o u r s e l f • l e a d i n g o t h e r s i n a s m a l l g r o u p o r t e a m • l e a d i n g a t e a m o f l e a d e r s • l e a d i n g a n o r g a n i z a t i o n ( t h e c h u r c h ) . I n I B

C a m p b e l l s a i d

S A ’s m o d e l , t h e p r o c e s s i s l i k e n e d t o a r i v e r t h a t s t a r t s s m a l l , t h e n g r o w s w i d e r a n d d e e p e r a s

r a y : F o r m o r e c h u r c h p l a n t e r s t o b e r a i s e d u p a n d s e n t o u t f r o m H i s p a n i c c h u r c h e s n C h i c a g o l a n d . m i s s i o n i l l i n o i s

P r a y f o r a n e w c h u r c h

o c a t i o n : R o m e o v i l e , V e r n o n H l l s F o c u s : H s p a n c r e s d e n t s C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s : T h e r e a r e 1 . 5 m i l o n p e o p l e o f M e x i c a n h e r i t a g e n t h i s a r e a , a n d m o r e t h a n 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 f r o m P u e r t o R i c o .

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

Open to the Spirit

Q : O u r c h u r c h i s v e r y p r o f e s s i o n a l , w i t h l o t s o f p r o g r a m s a n d e f f i c i e n t m e e t i n g s But I sometimes wonder where is the Lord i n a l l t h a t ? W h a t i f G o d w a n t e d t o d o something we didn’t plan?

A: The real question is, What results are you seeing from your church’s activities? Blessings do not always accompany busyness Is the gospel being clearly shared? Are lives being changed? Is there a visible, tangible, spiritual difference evidenced in the lives of your members because of your programs, meetings and services?

When is the last time anything happened in the church that could only be explained by the power of the Holy Spirit?

Sometimes, a church needs to pause and take a good hard look at their ministries, and ask if all that happens is being manufactured and accomplished through man’s efforts Perhaps it’s time for a spiritual awakening or a genuine revival Remember you are not a club; you are a church Start with your mission statement and figure out what it is you want to see God do in your midst, along with how you plan

LEADERS AND LIFE

to accomplish the church’s ministry Then, evaluate your strategies, goals and focus, making sure all you do is Christ-centered Let Proverbs 3:5-6 be your guide

When

My wife and I both enjoy riding the open road, especially in a small group of 10-12 bikers The commonality of being riders gives us credibility to discuss bikes, rallies, events, locations and, most importantly, our testimonies When we are both dressed in blue jeans and leathers, and because we are on a bike, it opens the door to witness to people we would have never met any other way; we have seen dozens of men and women come to Christ

Ready for a REVival

Q: You ride a motorcycle, right? My husband wants a Harley I think he’s crazy He says he wants to ride for Jesus I still think h e ’ s c r a z y I s n ’ t t h e r e a n e a s i e r w a y t o meet sinners?

A: Yes there are all sorts of ways to meet sinners! A motorcycle ministry like a bowling league, softball team, golf group or sewing circle is just a tool It’s using a hobby or pastime that someone enjoys, and turning it into an opportunity to share the gospel

If your husband decides to start riding, tell him to consider taking a motorcycle safety course, then start out riding with one of the many Christian motorcycle groups: F A I T H Riders, CMA, Road Riders, Hell Fighters, RN-R, or others that demonstrate proper group riding techniques and that model evangelism

You might even find that being a part of a motorcycle ministry is a great way to meet new friends and see lost people meet Christ!

Pat Pajak has pastored churches of all sizes across Illinois He presently leads IBSA’s Church Consulting team Send your coaching questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org

Protecting her from herself

Q: My mother-in-law is in poor health and d o e s n ’ t h a v e a l o t o f m o n e y S h e h a s been giving us a lot of her earnings over the last couple of years as a kind of early i n h e r i t a n c e , b e c a u s e s h e ’ s a f r a i d s h e ’ l l spend it all We’re setting it aside in a savings account in case she needs it, but I still feel strange about the situation What do you recommend we do?

A: This is an odd scenario It’s like taking donations from poor people because they refuse to address their own issues

My recommendation is pretty simple She needs to learn how to properly handle her own money. Obviously, it wouldn’t be a good idea for you to say that to your mother-inlaw, so your wife should be the one who attempts to lovingly and carefully deliver the message The conversation still may not be pleasant, but there’s a better chance she’ll listen to a daughter than to you

I appreciate the fact that you and your wife aren’t being greedy or opportunistic about this situation Setting the money aside and earmarking it for your mother-in-law later on is an honorable thing If your wife can’t convince her mom to start taking care of her own finances, at least you can protect her from herself

Dec 29-30: Youth Encounter

Student evangelism conference

Where: Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield

Cost: $45 Dec 6-Dec 28; $50 at the door Web: www IBSA org/students

January 10: Tax and Retirement Planning Seminar

Free seminar for pastors and church financial leaders; led by Alan Monroe, pastor and CPA

Where: FBC Woodlawn, 9 a m -12 Contact: AlexisDumire@IBSA org

January 24: All State Youth Choir Auditions

For students in grades 9-12

Where: Dorrisville, Harrisburg; Emmanuel, Lemont; Rochester, Springfield Auditions also may be submitted in MP3, CD, or video format For details go to www.IBSA.org/worship.

January 31: Church Technology Conference

For staff and volunteer leaders

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Contact: Cathy Waters@IBSA org

February 20-21: Student Resource Conference

For paid and volunteer student ministry leaders, and students who are leaders

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Contact: CathyWaters@IBSA org

February 23, 24:

Tax and Retirement Planning Seminar

Free seminar for pastors and church financial leaders; led

by Rick Wells, GuideStone Financial Resources

Where: Feb 23 IBSA Building, Springfield; Feb 24 Emmanuel, Lemont; 9 a m to noon

Contact: AlexisDumire@IBSA org

February 28: VBS Clinic

Training in multiple age groups and focus areas

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Contact: CathyWaters@IBSA org

You’d still be treating the symptom instead of the problem, but if she won’t listen, it may be the best you can do

Wedding bells times three!

Q : W e h a v e t h r e e d a u g h t e r s u n d e r t h e age of 5, so we may be spending quite a bit on things like weddings in the years to come Is there a Baby Step for weddings? If not, during which Baby Step do you recommend setting aside money for this?

A: I don’t have a Baby Step for weddings, but in my mind it would come after Baby Step 5, which is putting aside a college fund for your children Once you have education savings, retirement and extra house payments underway, then you could start putting aside a little extra for weddings

This may not make me popular with some young ladies or their moms, but an education is more important than a wedding Maybe this is the dad in me coming out, but if I had to choose between paying for college educations and paying for big weddings, I’m going to pay for school Weddings are wonderful, and you should mark these kinds of milestones with celebration But a wedding is only a one-day event Plus, there’s absolutely no statistical correlation between the size and expense of the wedding and the success of the marriage!

Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host

Potluck Blogger

Candi’s Pie Crust

Candi Campbell recently taught the ladies of Delta Church in Springfield how to make this pie crust recipe, (and one for homemade bread too)

Ingredients

pose flour sco r

Trending

Keeping your Bible resolution

Three ideas for making it past the first week:

Use a one-year plan, but read half of each assignment every day for better comprehension (and probably less guilt)

Start in one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and read a chapter each day

Have daily readings e-mailed to you through a site like BibleGateway com

On the Nightstand

Jesus Calling, Sarah Young

Intervention and Vicious Cycle, Terri Blackstock

The Atonement Child, Francine Rivers

– From Melissa Carruthers, IBSA Recording Secretary and a member of Lincoln Avenue Baptist, Jacksonville

BibleGateway com says traffic for their Bible read- ing plans drops 30% in the week after Jan 1, and one-half by the end of May.

If a plan becomes a chore that actually keeps you from reading, says site manager Rachel Barach, use a devotional, study one Bible book in-depth, or simply open to a chapter “Give your time to God and let him bless you through his Word ”

TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen ”

Hebrews 11:1

–

Standing on the threshold of a new year can be both fulfilling and frightening It is good to look back and re- count the blessings of God upon my life, my family and the church I serve It is comforting for me to be reminded of God’s faithfulness But I must be careful, because it is only a short step from comfort to complacency

A new year involves new dreams, new challenges, new blessings. But new things are unknown and untested They make most of us uncomfortable and hesitant to pro- ceed Take, for example, the African impala It can jump 10 feet high and 30 feet in distance However, zookeep- ers have no problem keeping them enclosed with only a three-foot wall Here’s why: An impala will not jump if it cannot see where it will land

As we launch into a new year, may we be faithful to hope for the things of God in our churches, our state, and our world, and willing to jump wholeheartedly into whatever he calls us to do

PRAYER PROMPT: God, strengthen my faith so that I will leap into this new year with assurance and confidence in your continued faithfulness

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

To prepare: Stir together flour and salt Cut in Crisco until mixture is fine crumbs Drizzle water 1 T at a time over flour mix, using a fork to toss as you go Gather the dough into a ball and press into a disk on floured wax paper Top with another sheet of wax paper and roll in all directions to 1/8 inch thickness Gently flip onto glass pie plate Flute edge

For baked crust: Poke bottom and sides with fork several times and bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes until dry to touch and very light tan in color Cool completely!

If filling unbaked crust: Place crust in refrigerator while you prepare the filling Cover pie edge with foil for ½ of baking time; remove foil for last 30 minutes

Send your favorite recipes to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

PO CARDS FROM THE EDGE

Clip and save in a prayer journal, your Bible, or stick on the fridg

Missionaries:

Rene and Core Corona

Planting in: Aurora

Growth stage: Forming a core gr reach out to Hispanic residents

Pray: For the spiritual growth of new for a larger place to meet, and that will start more Bible studies

– By David Roach; read his whole list at www bpnews net/41790/firstperson-start-reading-the-bible