February 2, 2015 Illinois Baptist

IB Insider

How much diversity do we want? page 2

What we learned when we lost everything page 5

Overcoming darkness in Haiti page 9

M

Pat’s Playbook: What if my church isn’t friendly?

page 11

lentine’s Day treach idea ge 12

Can you find the word search?

News and updates

Throughout the week:

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Church leaders from 13 states converge for regional ‘Summit’

Springfield | “Listen to me, Midwest, the Father is seeking worshipers,” Frank Page intoned “Every man woman, boy and girl on this globe needs to hear this message ”

The man who calls himself “the SBC’s Chief Encouragement Officer” rallied local church leaders to advance the gospel in a region where Southern Baptists are relatively few and often far between “I’m not trying to build a bigger denomination,” the CEO of the Convention’s Executive Committee said, “I’m trying to encourage you to help bring worshipers to Christ ”

Spiritual awakening and church revitalization were main themes of the Midwest Leadership Summit held January 20-22

“What we need, more than a strategy, more than a plan, we need a fresh awakening,” Kansas pastor Andy Addis preached in the opening session “We want to see God do amazing things, we want to be his hands and feet, that’s why we’re here!”

More than 1,000 pastors and church

leaders from the Upper Midwest convened in Springfield for the inspirational equipping conference held every three years Called the North Central States Rally since its inception 50 years ago, the Summit was renamed this year as it expanded to include 10 Baptist state conventions representing 13 states, from West Virginia to the Dakotas.

The Illinois Baptist State Association hosted the event at the Springfield Crowne Plaza Hotel, providing a more central location as the Summit’s terri-

Kit available for spring prayer focus

For churches planning their 2015 missions events, here’s a new option: Materials for the Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer (MIO) are in production now and will be available for use anytime this year

“Even churches that do their state missions offering during the designated week in September can hold special prayer for spiritual awakening in Illinois now,” said IBSA evangelism director Tim Sadler “Can you imagine 1,000 Illinois churches not waiting until one week in the fall but praying now, and giving now?”

The 2015 Mission Illinois kit features several videos, materials for a concert of prayer for missions, posters, offering envelopes, bulletin insert, and a 31-day prayer calendar

In one video, Sadler tells the true story of a young woman who was compelled to abandon her plans she was on an errand to buy milk and to return to a revival service to hear more about Christ In tears, she received Jesus as Savior

“We call it awakening, but it’s all about the salvation of lost people,” Sadler said, “and that’s our mission ”

The MIO kits will be mailed to participating churches in August, as they usually are But pastors and missions leaders who want to use the kit now are welcome to order early Contact the IBSA Church Communications Team, Comunications@IBSA.org.

tory expanded on the western side IBSA executive director Nate Adams chaired the planning committee

“We drove 10 hours to get here,” one conferee from South Dakota said at the registration desk, telling how his association invited church leaders and brought them in a van

“It took us two days,” a North Dakota pastor in a bolo tie responded, “but it’ll be worth it ” The buzz in the lobby was positive, as returning attenders told newcomers the value of

Continued on page 6

Survey: Sunday still segregated

By Bob Smietana

IB Team Report Continued on page

Nashville, Tenn | Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated hours in American life, with more than 8 in 10 congregations made up of one predominant racial group, a LifeWay Research study shows

And most worshipers, according to the study, seem to like it that way: 67% of American churchgoers say their church has done enough to become racially diverse And less than half think their church should become more diverse

Those are among the findings of a study of church segregation by Nashville-based LifeWay Research Researchers surveyed 994 churchgoers who attend worship at least at

BRIEFING the

News updates every Tuesday at www ib2news org

Obama: Pastor release ‘top priority’

At a January meeting with the wife and dren of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abe President Barack Obama said securin his release is a top priority, according to a release from the American Center for Law and Justice “Meeting with the President of the United States of America and seeing how much he cares about Saeed’s case has given me a renewed sense of hope,” said Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh.

Obama reportedly told the Abedinis’ young son that he would try to have his father home by the boy’s birthday in March The pastor, an American citizen, was arrested in Iran in 2012

LifeWay mulls property sale

LifeWay Christian Resources is still considering a sale of its downtown Nashville offices, following a feasibility study last year “The results of the study confirmed there was interest favorable enough for us to take another step,” said President and CEO Thom Rainer, according to a LifeWay report After accepting offers through mid-January, “We’ll then begin an involved process of studying, comparing and considering any offers we receive.”

Currently, LifeWay uses one-third of its office space, Rainer has said The SBC entity is looking at property in downtown Nashville for a potential new building

Former Newsboy pans band’s film

George Perdikis, co-founder of Newsboys, publicly renounced his Christian faith and took issue with his former bandmates in a January post on the Patheos website Perdikis, who left the group in 1990, wrote he had declared himself an atheist by 2007 He also said “God’s Not Dead,” a 2014 movie featuring the Newsboys, “demonized everyone while giving a pass to their own particular brand of Christianity ”

“ Instead of wearing a mask of “righteousness,” they should acknowledge that they are struggling as much as everyone else Now that’s a movie I’d like to see ”

‘Heaven’ author recants his story

“I did not die. I did not go to heaven,” wrote Alex Malarkey, 16, in an open letter to LifeWay Christian Stores and other booksellers In the wake of Malarkey’s admission about his bestselling book “The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven,” LifeWay told media they were “returning to the publisher the few copies we have in our stores ”

Messengers to the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution reaffirming “the sufficiency of biblical revelation over subjective experiential explanations to guide one’s understanding of the truth about heaven and hell ”

IL cities make Bible-minded list

Four Illinois cities cracked the top 50 list of most Bible-minded cities in America, according to the annual ranking from Barna and the American Bible Society Harrisburg and Mt Vernon came in 23rd, while Rock Island and Moline were 45th Among other Illinois-related metros, St Louis ranked 47th, Central Illinois was 58th, and Chicago was 81st Number one on the list: Birmingham, Alabama

Medical marijuana for minors

Children in Illinois will soon be eligible to receive prescriptions for medical marijuana, according to new rules announced by the Department of Public Health in late December Supporters claim marijuana helps lower the number of seizures experienced by those suffering from epilepsy

The state health department amended medical marijuana rules issued in June 2014 to allow children under the age of 18 with a qualifying debilitating condition to obtain marijuana-infused products, such as food items or drops, but not raw marijuana for smoking

Big Bible, big job

New Governor Bruce Rauner was sworn in January 12 using a Bible supplied by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency that belonged to Susan Lawrence Dana Dana was an heiress and philanthropist

known in the Springfield area for her home, which was designed and built by architect Frank Lloyd Wright The Bible, printed in 1883, weighs more than ten pounds The new first lady had to use a support board to take the Bible out of its preservation box and to hold it (with both hands) for the swearing-in ceremony

Gay conversion ban?

Legislation to prohibit gay conversion therapy in individuals age 18 and younger has been reintroduced in the Illinois House State Rep Kelly Cassidy (DChicago) introduced House Bill 217, the Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act, on January 23 Cassidy introduced a similar bill last spring, which failed to be passed by the House.

Meeks appointed Reverend James Meeks, pastor and founder of Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, was appointed chairman of the State Board of Education by Rauner, a Republican Democrat Meeks represented the 15th district in the state senate from 2003 to 2013 Meeks has been a vocal supporter of biblical marriage Lambda Legal, a pro-gay organization, opposed his appointment

Most churches lack diversity

Continued from page 1

holidays or more often about race and the church They also surveyed 1,000 Americans as well as 1,000 Protestant senior pastors

“Surprisingly, most churchgoers are content with the ethnic status quo in their churches,” said Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research. “In a world where our culture is increasingly diverse, and many pastors are talking about diversity, it appears most people are happy where they are and with whom they are ”

Churchgoers, researchers found, are lukewarm about diversity, with 53% disagreeing with the statement: “My church needs to become more ethnically diverse ” Four in 10 agree

“We must face the fact that in America,” Martin Luther King Jr once said, “the church is still the most segregated major institution in America At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation.”

Of the 1,000 Americans surveyed by LifeWay, only 34% have regularly attended a house of worship where they were a minority Among those, one in five said their ethnicity hindered their involvement Of those who have not been a minority in church, 22% say it would make them feel uncomfortable Still, 50% of Americans agree “Churches in America are too segregated ”

Most Americans also agree the country has made progress on race relations, but few are satisfied with the country’s current state on the issue Of those surveyed, 81% agree, “We’ve got so far to go on racial relations ”

Christian pastors and other religious leaders took a leading role during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s Many Americans say those leaders still fill an important role today Of U S adults, 65% say religious leaders play a positive role in race relations in the United States, while 30% disagree and 5% aren’t sure

For their part, Protestant senior pastors see a close connection between diversity and the central message of Christianity: 90% agree that “Racial reconciliation is mandated by the Gospel ”

Still, Sundays are largely segregated

Reparative or conversion therapy is controversial even in Christian circles Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Denny Burk said, “Christians have no moral obligation to subscribe to the specific tenets of reparative therapy, but we do have an obligation to believe that the Gospel can save and sanctify sinners ”

The pro-gay group, Equality Illinois, is lobbying legislators to support the bill California, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia have such bans in place

– With info from State Journal-Register, ChristianPost com, DennyBurk com, and Baptist Press

“If pastors want to lead a movement of racial reconciliation, they need to make sure their members are following,” said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay Research “If church members are not inviting and welcoming people of other ethnic groups, their reconciliation efforts are not taking root ”

Bob Smietana is senior writer for LifeWay Christian Resources This article is excerpted from his reports on BPNews net

– Ask God to guide churches toward reconciliation inside and outside their walls

The BIG Picture

Renewed gospel interest in the City of Lights

Paris, France | Christian workers in Paris expressed surprise that a number of native Parisians are appearing more receptive to the gospel following deadly terrorist attacks in January

“We can sense a sort of stirring in the waters,” said one worker, who noted more interest in spiritual discussions among French locals

This new openness by Parisians comes on the heels of terrorist attacks targeting the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket A total of 20 people, including the three gunmen, were killed Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the attacks

Christians in France “have felt the rejection of religion by their culture this is of course not a new phenomenon, but only strengthened throughout the recent events,” the worker said “They fear being viewed as an extremist due to their beliefs, which include attending church regularly and speaking openly about their faith ”

However, the Parisians who stopped to discuss spiritual matters and receive a Bible during an outreach effort after the attacks were young adults And the workers say this gives them hope

toward

are

“We pray that an openness to the Gospel will be the description of this upcoming generation ”

From Nicole Lee’s report at BPNews net

TOWERING CHALLENGE – Following terrorist attacks in the city, Christian workers say some in Paris known for its indifference

religion

exhibiting a spiritual awareness they’ve not shown before IMB file photo

Nate Adams

When leaders gather

ore than 50 years ago, a small group of leaders from six Baptist state conventions here in the Upper Midwest gathered to discuss how they could help churches reach people with the gospel more effectively They recognized that, even in that day, our Baptist faith and message were counter-cultural, not only to the spiritually lost, but also to those who had been exposed to the religious traditions that dominated the region Being Southern Baptist in the north was and is not easy The Midwest is a challenging mission field

Those leaders returned home, determined to work with local associations to invite 10 leaders per association to the first North Central States Rally The objective was to encourage stronger evangelism and church planting, and to deliver highly relevant training along with the clear message that Midwest pastors and church leaders were not alone

I remember the first of these that I attended, back in January 2006 I was serving with the North American Mission Board, and w to come and lead a couple of co on the Acts 1:8 paradigm for strategy in the local church

Though I had been assured th pened every three years, I have that I did not expect to find m leaders gathered in snowy Indianapolis in late January But I was wrong Almost 900 pastors, church planters, associ-

ational leaders, and lay leaders from all over the Midwest came, and eagerly soaked in the training and inspiration provided by Midwest practitioners and state and national SBC leaders.

In the hallways, in small group gatherings, and around the lunch and dinner tables, two central messages were clear We are all here to advance the gospel in this region, and we are not alone

That 2006 Rally, and the 2009 and 2012 Rallies that followed it, were all hosted in Indianapolis, which is fairly central to the six state conventions whose leaders gather But in January 2015, the gathering expanded to include 10 state conventions It took on a new name, The Midwest Leadership Summit It attracted more than 1,000 leaders, the largest ever And we were blessed to host it right here in Springfield, Illinois

An all too common mindset these days seems to be that it’s too difficult to attract people to meetings It’s not just that people are busy and travel is expensive re seems to be a spirit of independence, somees even isolationism that can easily creep in to rches and their leaders It’s easy to convince our-

Reporter’s Notebook

Pray for these requests and pass them along to your pastor or prayer leader:

– Race and the church, page 2

– Our Midwest Challenge, page 7

Prayer prompts are provided by Phil Miglioratti, IBSA’s prayer consultant Contact him at philNPPN@gmail com

When I said to my co-workers, “Well, let’s go meet a thousand of our closest friends,” I didn’t know how true that statement would be We left our offices and drove the four blocks to Springfield’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, site of the 2015 Midwest Leadership Summit And like so many of our Baptist gatherings, this one felt like Homecoming Week at Sandy Creek Church We saw dear friends from across Illinois, and some we knew from the other dozen states in attendance

But I never expected to see Woodie

After all, it’s been 35 years And the last time I saw Woodie, he was a Mormon. In Alabama. Go figure.

about

us at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org to tell us about anniversar es special events and new min stry staff

Woodie and his siblings were fourth-generation Reformed Latter Day Saints (RLDS) living in a fishing town on the Gulf Coast We all went to high school together Although our school was a ministry of a conservative fundamentalist church, no one made an issue of Woodie’s religion All his family were clean-cut, well-mannered, and better behaved than many in our class who claimed to be Christians I remember Woodie as a great guy, a good football player, and very wellliked But lost

Woodie came to that truth while in college Through a campus ministry he came to a life-saving faith in Jesus Christ and left his family’s religion

Later, he attended Mid-America Seminary and was called to ministry

selves that things will be easier, simpler, cheaper, if we just stay home and focus on our own church

But it is autonomy pulled together into cooperation, not independence pulled apart into isolation, that has produced missions advance by churches over the years Sure it’s challenging and costly to get together, especially for busy leaders But when committed, missions-minded leaders gather and ask how they can work together to more effectively advance the gospel, good things are bound to happen

In the days ahead, we at IBSA will be working more intentionally with associational and church leaders to facilitate key leadership gatherings that are focused on evangelistic, gospel advance You will see some of those plans elsewhere in this issue

Some will be fairly local, in the form of leadership cohorts Some will be “virtual,” facilitated by webinars or other online tools And yes, some will continue to be statewide, even though that can involve costly time and travel

We believe the gathering of leaders is worth it It’s when leaders gather that we can remind one another that the mission of reaching people with the gospel is urgently important, and bigger than any of our individual lives, or churches We cannot, we must not, allow ourselves to grow isolated or believe that we are meant to do it alone.

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

Letter to the Editors

Thankful for YE

Eventually Woodie moved to Lamoni, Iowa, the place where Latter Day Saints founder Joseph Smith once lived and present-day home to the RLDS college Woodie had attended that college for a couple of years until he began question the RLDS religion

Returning in 1991, Woodie started a Baptist student ministry, reaching out to RLDS students and others

Eventually he pastored

First Baptist Church of Lamoni, the sponsor of his college ministry, for nine years, and just recently was called to lead Calvary Baptist Church in Clinton, Iowa Woodie said God is opening doors to Brazilian soccer players (in Iowa!) because his son plays soccer and his wife is originally from Brazil Go figure

That’s why he was at the Midwest Leadership Summit and standing in the hallway outside the ballroom at the Crowne Plaza Woodie is a Southern Baptist pastor in the Midwest, looking for fresh ideas, inspiration, and encouragement

I stand amazed by all God has done in Woodie’s Christian life and Baptist ministry And I’m so glad God brought our paths to cross again

I should be more amazed that 35 years after high school even though Woodie hasn’t changed much I recognized him standing there But that’s the Lord’s doing too

Go figure

I always enjoy reading the Illinois Baptist’s report of the annual Youth Encounter. When my wife, Rhonda, was a teenager, she attended the very first Youth Encounter The next year I was a new Christian and attended my first Youth Encounter I remember listening to Ken Medema sing and minister to us Rhonda and I both continued to attend the event throughout our high school and college years

When I became the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Maryville, we began taking the youth group every year That pattern continued throughout our ministry in Illinois Maryville, Ridgway, Vienna, and Herrin We have lots of wonderful memories; and, many of the young people we ministered to have stayed in touch with us, and have told us about the influence Youth Encounter had on their lives I was a little disappointed to read that the annual mass meeting held after Christmas is being broken up and rescheduled to October; however, I understand that change is inevitable I doubt if today’s young people would be interested in Ken Medema’s music and ministry Only a fool would refuse to change As I think back to what the Youth Encounter meant to Rhonda and me when we were youngsters, and what it meant to us as we pastored and served the young people in our congregations, I’m grateful that IBSA has maintained the vision cast by those who started this ministry so many years ago God bless you Duane Faulkenberry – Herrin, Ill

We cannot, we must not, allow ourselves to grow isolated or believe that we are meant to do it alone

This was no ‘chance’ encounter

What we learned when we lost everything

Waking up to the sound of a highpitched alarm is never a good start to a day But this morning in April 2012 started just that way It had been a stormy night, so I initially thought it was the weather alert radio and I mentally prepared to get my family down to the basement not an easy task, since we have two sons with profound autism who strongly resist any changes to their routines

been in his room when the fire began the first time we were ever grateful for a seizure

We opened our eyes after the “Amen ” All we had in the world was given to us by God, like Psalm 24 tells us “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it ” We instinctively knew that He would give us what we needed, just like He always had before and He did

Bob Elmore

I groggily opened my eyes and remembered I had been sleeping on the couch in the living room with my wife and son, Mark, who has epilepsy in addition to autism He had a seizure that night, so we had been keeping watch over him as he slept on the floor I looked around at our dark house and saw an odd orange glow coming from Mark’s room The shrill alarm I heard was our smoke alarm Mark’s room was on fire!

I woke up my wife and we got our protesting sons out of the house and into the car, which we moved away from the house We were in pajamas and bare feet while we waited for the heater in the car to warm up We watched dark smoke billow out of our windows as our small local fire department arrived

Somehow, my wife and I were filled with a peace that belied our circumstances We gripped hands and prayed, thanking God for our family’s safety and especially that our son had not

Over the next days and weeks and months, we would watch God fold His arms around us by bringing people to us

Our dear neighbors and loving church family in Winchester about an hour west of Springfield brought us blankets, clothes, coffee and emotional support We had spent years together trusting God to take care of our atypical family each day He had always proved Himself faithful, and now continued to do so

Within three months, we had relocated to Springfield, where I now serve as IBSA’s short-term missions coordinator We have a new house and new furnishings Most importantly, we have another reason to entrust all that we have to God. Matthew 6:21 reminds us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also ”

Our treasure always lies with our God That way, our hearts will forever be in a safe and peaceful place

Bob Elmore is IBSA’s short-term missions coordinator He and his family are members of Western Oaks Baptist Church

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

Of first fruits and wealth

I’ve been working on a project since mid-November Once a week (okay, once every two weeks), I write an extended devotional or comment based on a chapter of Proverbs and have been addressing it to my children Proverbs represents some of the most amazing “counsel” ever written, and much is written as from a parent to a child I’ve been trying to amplify the Proverbs into my own paternal voice for the benefit of Reed, Lauren and Claire

It was in this process that I discovered a nugget that describes what I believe in so passionately, and the mission of the Baptist Foundation of Illinois:

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce,” reads Proverbs 3:9, “then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine ”

King Solomon’s words can be difficult to translate to our time and culture. “First fruits” has a different

meaning in an America so replete with cheap food that we’re far more likely to queue up at the McDonald’s drivethru than pray for rain for the wheat crop Few of us have barns, and ever since municipal water projects, there are even fewer with “vats bursting with wine ” So, what could the Spirit say to us through these words to those living in the wealthiest nation in our planet’s history? “Honor the Lord with our wealth?”

In truth, most of the assets we steward for the Lord aren’t in our income (technically our “first fruits”), or emergency cash Over time, most people collect “wealth” in things like real estate (67% of Illinoisans own their home), IRA or other retirement assets (often acquired ‘pre-tax’), life insurance, or other “stuff” we collect over our lifetimes.

“You do realize that your fork-in-the-road illustration will encourage them to start thinking about lunch even earlier in the sermon?”

πA slice of life

Pew Research measured the religious makeup of current U S Congress, which has 535 members:

I think the way we honor the Lord with this wealth, along with our first fruits, is amazingly simple and can be found in the text itself The pattern we apply to our wealth should be consistent with the pattern we establish with our “first fruits!”

Do we take care of our needs such as food, shelter and clothing with our first fruits?

Do we use those fruits to care for our children and dependents?

What about supporting the work of God’s church?

Absolutely, on all three counts And because we do those things with our first fruits, we should do so with our wealth

How does all of this come together in a way that accomplishes this Godhonoring stewardship plan? Well, since most of our “wealth” is not accessed until our death, it’s important to put together a Christian Estate Plan now Such a plan accomplishes the “pattern” that God has called us to live out in our lives taking care of our own needs, caring for children and dependents, and investing in the work of God’s church

These are the elements I commonly refer to as the “big four” parts of a Christian Estate Plan:

• A will and possibly a living trust

• A financial (durable) power of attorney (when not using a living trust)

• A health care power of attorney

• Careful attention to titling, beneficiary designations, or transfer on death devices on retirement assets, life insurance, financial accounts or other assets, since any asset designated in this way bypasses the will and the probate process

The Baptist Foundation has actually made the process simpler than you might imagine and much less expensive than you might fear A great place to start is with the Life Stewardship Navigator, a free download from www BaptistFoundation IL org BFI provides complimentary and confidential help in putting together a plan that enables you to provide for your family and support Christian causes in exactly the manner you wish to support

Over the next few months, I’ll keep working on the Proverbs chapters (my wife wants me to arrive at chapter 31 in time for Mother ’s Day) In the meantime, it’s important that we begin this year with the counsel that all we are, hope to be, or ever will steward belongs to our God May we carefully honor Him in everything

Doug Morrow is executive director of the Baptist Foundation of Illinois

Research, Jan 2015 (“Other” includes Orthodox Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Unitar an Universalist )

Meet the challenge

Continued from page 1

meeting for leaders who share the challenges of ministry outside the traditional Southern Baptist stronghold

Henry Hall has been attending the triennial leadership conference since 1984 The director of missions for Salem South Baptist Association said the event was originally designed “for the smaller churches, mission churches, where the pastors are spread out And most of our churches in the southern part (of Illinois), we’re not as spread out,” Hall said

“But around the rest of the country, you’ve got to go a long time to find another pastor And by getting a group together that are all in the same boat, it’s very effective to help them in learning and being what God would have them to be ”

Tony Manning lives in Fishers, Indiana, a community of 85,000 people, without a single Southern Baptist church yet

“The need for everyone is the gospel, and that doesn’t change from East coast to West Coast,” said Manning, a church-

planting and mission-teams strategist “But what does change is how to do things

It’s important to understand the Midwest perspective and how to leverage that in sharing the gospel: How do you do it in Indiana? In Iowa? In Wisconsin?”

Woodie Ladnier has pastored in Iowa since 1991

Recently called to a new congregation, he came looking for fresh ministry ideas

“You know you’re not in the Bible Belt People in the Midwest are friendly, but you have to earn their trust You have to be more intentional, because your ol’ buddies aren’t just gonna go to church with you.”

The three-day summit was sponsored by the North American Mission Board, LifeWay Christian Resources, National WMU, and the 10 state conventions Conferees attended three large-group sessions at the Crowne Plaza, filling the largest ballroom with praises (“Bless the Lord, O my soul, O-o-o my soul,” they sang; and those three bass thumps ahead of the gutsy response “10,000 reasons for my soul to find ” echoed off the walls )

Between worship sessions, leaders chose from 135 breakout sessions, state meetings, and affinity groups

Plan to pray for evangelism

Robert Sterling Imperial, Missouri

Robert Sterling knew his decision to ttend the 2015 Midwest Leadership ummit was the right one after the first ight “I called my wife when I got ack to the hotel room and said, ‘Well, I just got a spiritual ‘kicking’ and it was just what I needed,’” said the pastor of Windsor Baptist Church in Imperial, Missouri

Andy Addis, lead pastor of CrossPoint Church, a video-driven multisite church with 11 campuses across Kansas, spoke during the opening session and based his message on esus’ parable of the barren fig tree Luke 13: 6-9). “He reminded us that God expects His church to bear fruit,” terling said “Not hopes; expects Not

wants; expects That concept really resonated with me ”

Sterling came to the Summit with the intention of finding both guidance and practical tools to bring his church revitalization He found what he needed in the event’s numerous breakout sessions He chose sessions on revival, spiritual awakening, evangelism and leadership He said each of them offered both insight and applicable advice.

“In one of the sessions the speaker said that more than double the baptisms occur in churches that offer evangelism training than those that don’t,” he said He also learned that though a calendar full of events and programs may not be the best way to win souls to Christ, planning to pray is

“We need to have more opportunities to pray,” Sterling said “God uses whatever methods or means to reach people, but the opportunity to seek prayer is vital Honestly, each of the sessions was very encouraging in terms of reminding us of truths we already know, but often get lost or forgotten when you are in the middle of the forest

“Probably my number one takeaway from this is that if I want the church to be revitalized and have a true love of God, I need to make sure that’s where my focus is, too I need to become what I want them to become ”

Overcome isolation

Tim Batchelor

Princeton, Illinois

Tim Batchelor has pastored Bethel Baptist Church in Princeton, since 2010 Originally from North Carolina, he has found similarities between his upbringing (both of his grandfathers were farmers) and the rural northwest Illinois community he serves. But there are differences too

“In North Carolina, if you took the county that I grew up in, there are probably more Southern Baptist churches just in that county than in the entire northwest region of Illinois, and Sinnissippi Baptist Association specifically ”

When asked if his region of Illinois feels unchurched, Batchelor says yes.

“We were talking about that last night at dinner a little bit, and even on our way from our hotel to the session last night Yeah, it does feel that way, and the need for church planting in particular

“Sinnissippi Baptist Association has a really ambitious planting strategy; I think it’s just fantastic But yeah, the need for church planting is huge ”

“What we did was not amazing strategy, what we did is that we simplified,” Andy Addis said of his Kansas church

Jonathan Hayashi of Chicago’s Uptown Baptist Church leads worship with fellow music and worship ministers from Illinois

Eric Geiger quotes Jonathan Edwards on transformation, “The supreme proof of a true conversion is holy affections ”

PRAYER FOR KIDS – When Gary Frost led Summit attenders to intercede in small groups for children and youth, IBSA’s Pat Pajak (left) prayed with Ken and Kathy Schultz from Crosswinds Church in Plainfield, and a pastor from Iowa

Hall

Midwestern Seminary professor Rodney Harrison

“The number one reason given why people leave church: the absence of manifold presence of God ”

Batchelor

Manning

Second-gen strategies

Aidyl Lesada

Trenton, Michigan

Aidyl Lesada is from a Filipino congregation of about 100 people in Taylor, Michigan “We are a mother church,” she says of Philippine International Church, which has planted several Filipino congregations in the area, and one just across the Canadian border

There are about 20,000 Filipino people in Michigan, Lesada says “Filipinos come here to work and pursue that American dream, and so they give their life, their time for that, and so I guess church will not be a priority It will just be on the side for them, for them to feel good about it ”

Many have a Catholic background, so making the distinction between faith in Christ and cultural religion is important Lesada’s church is reaching Filipinos who came to America to work in professional fields, and are now raising second- and third-generation children. Like her own son and daughter Laughing, she describes them this way: “They’re Filipinos, but they’re not Filipinos ”

Social media for Millennials

Laura Chapman

Red Bud, Illinois

At Laura Chapman’s first Midwest Leadership Summit, the pastor ’s wife from Red Bud attended breakout sessions that spoke some of her languages statistics and social media

Their congregation is medium-sized and located on the edge of the Metro East area. First Baptist Church of Red Bud, doesn’t have very many Millennials, she said, so a breakout on using social media to reach younger people was helpful

“You know, there are a lot of people in our churches that don’t know what hashtags are, or key-

Pray through the news

words, or current things that reach people we’re not reaching,” Chapman said “And I think just the how-to’s, the nuts and bolts of ‘you gotta update your website, you just have to do that ’ helps bring in generations that we’re not reaching That was very helpful, and easy to implement ”

One breakout session leader at the Summit said if Millennials can’t find a Facebook page for a church, they wonder what that church is hiding Chapman understands that kind of thinking “Nobody in my generation and below trusts people that’s kind of our thing So, help them to know you ”

Urban challenges

Donald Johnson Rock Island, Illinois

This wasn’t the first Midwest Leadership Summit for Donald Johnson, pastor of Destiny Baptist Church of Christ in Rock Island

He traveled to Indianapolis for the “North Central States Rally,” as it was called before this year, and was glad for a slightly shorter commute three hours instead of five

“But wherever it is, I’m willing to go, because of the value that we get out of it We’ve been enriched,” said Johnson, whose church is part of Quad Cities Association

Destiny’s vision statement is based in Isaiah 56:7, “to be a house of prayer

for all races of people ” Their goal is to be multi-racial rather than multi-cultural, Johnson said “There’s not going to be a segregated heaven, so I don’t want to have a segregated church ”

He was moved by Gary Frost’s closing sermon, which focused in part on the dangers children and teenagers face today. “He got into my neighborhood, which is the same neighborhood he has,” Johnson said In his community, “We deal with the matter of significant fatherlessness ”

Frost’s message focused on returning to “the valley” after a mountaintop experience Speaking on Jesus’ transfiguration in Mark 9, he noted how Peter wanted to build shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.

“For me, it was good to be here,” Johnson said “But I’m not going to be like Peter and John and say, ‘Let’s build three tabernacles here on the mountain and stay ’ “Because we gotta get back to the valley ”

Reported by Meredith Flynn, Eric Reed and Lisa Sergent, with Kayla Rinker and Nick Rynerson

Tweeting the Meeting

# M W A d v a n c e 1 5

@danielpatz

I’m in Springfield IL at the #MWAdvance15 w/ pastors and ministry leaders of the SBC in Midwest Praying God uses this for Great Commission

@wmarksnowden

Gary Frost – we will spend eter nity worshipping Jesus and never fully grasp Him

@bobby gilstrap

“Sometimes we say no to the good thing so we can say yes to the God thing ” Andy Addis

@AndrewHancock6

Lots of people here at #mwadvance15! I’m excited to meet new people and hear about the Lord's mighty works throughout the Midwest

@sendcincinnati

Honored to have @frankpagesbc challenge and encourage us with God’s Word this mor ning at #mwadvance15

@andyaddis

“The Christian faith isn’t something you do, it’s something that’s been done for you ” @RealEricGeiger #MWadvance15 #BroughtItTonight

WE EXALT THEE – Worshipers participate in the Summit’s opening session

At an Illinois networking meeting, leaders from around the state grabbed coffee, cookies, and conversation

NAMB Midwest VP Gary Frost spoke on “returning to the valley” in the summit’s final session

Lesada

– As we face a culture increasingly hostile to our Christian faith, pray based on Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:12: “Lord, we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you ” Grant us faith, discernment, and courage to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ

Photos by Meredith Flynn

“These people get saved and they come to your church and they say, ‘Now tell me what this life with Christ is about.’ Are you ready?”

– Claude King on preparing for spiritual awakening

“In reality, data shows most of us are just sitting there when it comes to discipleship in our church ”

Micah Fries in his session “Groups Matter”

Chapman Johnson

Watch videos from the Midwest Leadership Summit at www mwadvance org

PEOPLE & CHURCHES

In Memory

Former Illinois Baptist pastor Joe E Sledge died December 21 at the age of 85 Born and raised in Mt Vernon, Sledge served Illinois churches from 1951 to 1978, including FBC Wood Dale, Calvary in Decatur, FBC Chester, and Camp Ground in Mt Vernon He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Virginia; daughters Sharon and Marsha; nine grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild

Ministry Positions

First Baptist Church in Jonesboro seeks a full-time associate pastor of student and family ministry At least four years experience in that area is preferred Send resumes to JFBC search@yahoo com; for more information, contact the church office at (618) 833-7981

New Hope Baptist Church in Aurora seeks a full-time senior pastor Send resumes to budgie728@att.net; for more information, contact Edna Lloyd at (630) 236-9062, or Darron Pitts at (630) 624-861

Stewart Street Baptist Church in Carmi seeks a bivocational pastor

Send resumes to Roger Hortin at randkyh@msn com or 1357 County Road 900 East, Carmi, IL 62821

First Baptist Church, Maryville, is seeking a full-time preschool minister/director Qualified applicants should send a resume and cover letter to Lora Fuller at lfuller@ fbmaryville org

For more information, or to view the job description, visit http://fbmaryville org/jobs

Charity Baptist Church in rural Carlinville is seeking a full-time or bivocational pastor A college education is preferred, but not required. Our future pastor will be a man whose heart and mind are centered on The Baptist Faith and Message Please send resumes to Craig Frankford, 23082 Bird Farm Rd , Carlinville, IL 62626, or craig frankford@yahoo com

PAID ADVERTISEMENTS

First Baptist Church of Trenton, Missouri, is seeking a full-time pastor Send resumes to Pastor Search Committee, 2421 Oklahoma Ave , Trenton, MO 64683, or email fbc@grundyec net

First Baptist Church of Farmington is seeking a full-time associate pastor with an emphasis in worship E-mail inquiries or resumes to fbcfarm@sbcglobal net, Attn: Personnel Committee, or mail to Personnel Committee, 210 North A Street, Farmington, MO 63640

Post-Summit meeting explores next steps for leaders

Springfield | Almost 250 leaders gathered with IBSA staff immediately after the Midwest Leadership Summit to hear about the state association’s new leadership development process “Leadership is an uphill climb,” said associate executive director Eric Reed “We recognize that even though we live in a flat state, we are doing a difficult thing Climbing the mountain of leadership development, of lostness, of being Southern Baptist in a northern state we want to do this together ”

This year, IBSA will invest in leaders through its zone strategy (featured on this page in every issue of the Illinois Baptist), and a new monthly newsletter, webinars, and online discussion groups In addition to those tools, the Church Resources team, led by Mark Emerson, has introduced a series of conferences tailored for leaders in specific areas of ministry

Go to www IBSA org for information about upcoming events

Trinity College faculty are committed to mentoring students academically, spiritually, and personally. At Trinity, students grow and mature in their academic disciplines, learning what it means to be a scholar and a professional.

BRAD GUNDLACH | PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

The un-welcome mat

Q: I visited a church 12 times in 8 months

I introduced myself and filled out the visitor card several times, but they never contacted me And when I go there, they treat me like a stranger I’m starting to think they don’t want me there

A: I would advise you to make an appointment with the pastor and tell him exactly what you have stated here Most pastors are so busy with lastminute details, answering questions, teaching Sunday school, checking the sound system, and a hundred other things, that he may think his congregation is shaking hands, welcoming people, and going out of their way to visit or follow up with visitors He needs to be made aware of what’s really happening behind the scenes.

When my wife and I have an extremely gifted and conscientious waiter or waitress, we try to let he manager know what a valuable employee they have, and how well we

February 20-21: Student Resource Conference

What: Training for paid and volunteer student ministry leaders, and students in grades 7-12 who are leaders; cost is $10

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

When: Friday 6:30-9:00 p m , Saturday 8:30 a m -2:30 p m

Web: www IBSA org/students

February 23, 24: Tax and Retirement Planning Seminar

What: Free seminars for pastors and church financial leaders

Where: Feb 23 IBSA, Springfield, and Chicago Metro Association (designed for Spanish speakers); Feb 24 Emmanuel, Lemont

When: Times vary, go to www IBSA org/church health

were treated. This is the same kind of information you’re sharing with the pastor, except from more of a “needs improvement” angle By informing him of what you’ve experienced, he can address the issue with staff, teachers, deacons, ushers, greeters, and other key leaders

Be sincere and honest without sounding critical, and you might just be the catalyst that changes an entire church

Your church’s wailing wall

Q: With all this talk of praying for spiritual awakening, got any ideas how we do that in church?

A: Pastors might consider doing a brief sermon series on prayer, repentance, forgiveness, grace, family devotions, personal quiet time, and holiness That could be followed up with one or more of several ideas:

• “Cottage prayer meetings” in church members’ homes

• A 24-hour, around the clock prayer emphasis, where people sign up for an hour to dedicate to prayer

• Church-wide solemn assembly or “concert of prayer” that blends praise and worship time with prayer for the community, county, state, nation, and world

Or, use brown butcher paper and draw a “wailing wall” with 24 large blocks to place along a hallway Ask people to sign the block that will be their prayer time. Some blocks may have only one name, while others might have several names of people praying However you and your church pray, ask the Holy Spirit to send a convicting, cleansing, changing spiritual awakening into the lives of your members!

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

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

When: 10 a m to 3 p m

Contact: MarkEmerson@IBSA.org

Feb. 28, March 6, 7, 28: VBS Clinics

What: Training in multiple age groups and focus areas

Where: Feb 28 IBSA Building, Springfield; March 6 FBC Marion; March 7 Pleasant Hill, Mt Vernon; March 28 Uptown, Chicago

When: Times vary; go to www IBSA org/kids for details

March 9, 16, 17: Children’s Evangelism Conferences for children’s workers and parents

Where: March 9 Hillcrest, Country Club Hills; March 16 Metro East; March 17 Second, Marion

Contact: TimSadler@IBSA org

March 14: Children’s Ministry Day

What: Hands-on ministry projects for kids in grades 1-6; cost is $15

March 20-21: Disaster Relief Training

What: Classes in chainsaw, food prep, mudout, childcare, chaplaincy, and more; cost is $30 for new trainees and $10 for renewals

Where: Lincoln Avenue, Jacksonville

Web: www IBSA org/DR

March 20-21: Rekindling the Call

What: A free retreat for IBSA pastors and wives

Where: Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville

When: 6 p m Fri to noon Saturday Web: www IBSA org/church health

March 20-21: Ministers’ Wives’ Retreat

What: This year ’s theme is “Dress for Success: It’s not about fashion; it’s about faith”

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Web: For conference and hotel fees and to register, go to www IBSA org/womensmissions

DAVE Says

Budgeting as one

Q : H o w d o I g e t m y g i r l f r i e n d t o t a k e a m o r e a c t i v e r o l e i n p l a n n i n g a f a m i l y b u d g e t ? W e ’ r e g e t t i n g m a r r i e d i n a f e w m o n t h s , a n d e v e r y t h i n g b e t w e e n u s i s great except for this one area She seems t o w a n t m e t o h a n d l e t h e m o n e y , a n d make all the decisions

A: Many marriage counselors will tell you if a couple comes to agreement on four major issues money, kids, religion and in-laws they have a greater chance of forming a successful and lasting marriage Try sitting down with her and explaining from your heart how important it is to you that she’s involved in the budgeting process I believe it’s vitally important that financial decisions are made by husband and wife together as one Most women value communication in a relationship, and the process of doing a monthly budget together will be a wonderful sharing experience for the two of you Money isn’t the most important thing in the world But the way a couple handles money is representative of their dreams, passions and fears It’s also indicative of their vision for the future!

Be the dad!

Q: My son works, but he’s 19 and lives at home He’s on my auto insurance and cell p h o n e a c c o u n t s , b e c a u s e w e b o t h g e t discounts on the plans He’s supposed to p a y h i s s h a r e o f t h e s e b i l l s , b u t l o t s o f t i m e s h e ’ l l s a y h e d o e s n ’ t h a v e t h e money He’s a good kid, but what should I do to make an impression and teach him to be more responsible?

A: It sounds like it’s time for you to stand up and be a dad, my friend Take action!

Make him live up to his end of the bargain

Who: For pastors and church staff

Where: 13 locations; registration open now at www IBSA org/kids

Awakening

Friday session begins at 6:30 p m Saturday session begins at 8:30 a m Cost is $10 (includes lunch)

First, you need to have a talk with him where you apologize for doing a poor job of communicating in the past and about this situation in particular Be gentle and loving, but also be firm that from this point on, you’re going to make him live up to his end of the bargain where the car insurance and cell phone are concerned.

Let him know with utter certainty you’re going to shut off his cell phone and cancel his insurance the next time he doesn’t have his share of the money when the bill comes due Then, do it if he doesn’t pay up on time!

You still have the control in this situation You just have to exercise it Your son may not like it at first, but you’ll both benefit from the process

Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host

Johnny Hunt Pastor, FBC Woodstock, GA

Share the love

An Arkansas church found themselves with a lot used roses after their youth fundraiser was ruined weather Instead of letting them go to waste, the ch nated the roses to local nursing homes on Valentin They’ve continued the tradition since that first yea roses to female residents and chocolates to men there “It sparked something in ourselves and in church that this is a ministry where we can have a great impact, ” said the church’s student minister.

– From OutreachMagazine com, Jan 2013

Potluck Blogger

Communion Bread

A Delta Church attender used th recipe to make flatbread to use during the Lord’s Supper

Ingredients

flour

owder

4 tsp oil ¾ c plus 2 tsp very hot water

3 T honey

3 T molasses

63%

ages 25-29

from the gospel great, who died Jan. 8.

1 – “Let the Church Say Amen”

2 – “Soon and Very Soon”

3 – “Through It All”

4 – “Take Me Back”

5 – “Jesus is the Answer”

6 – “My Tribute”

7 – “I Don’t Know Why Jesus Loved Me”

8 – “Oh, It Is Jesus”

9 – “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”

10 – “Hallelujah”

To prepare: Sift dry ingredients together three times Add 4 tsp oil and set aside Mix wet ingredients until dissolved Add to dry ingredients and mix well, until dough is slightly sticky Do not knead

Divide dough into four balls and flatten each into a disk, ¼ inch thick Score loaf into four or eight sections Bake at 350 for 10 minutes Remove loaves from oven and brush with oil; then, bake 5-8 more minutes

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

– From 2014 State of Dating in America” report by ChristianMingle com and JDate com

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

Missionaries:

Yao Emile & Ayabavi Abaya

(children: Kossi and Grace)

Planting: Race of Elects of Christ, Moline

Reaching: French- and English-speaking Togolese people in the Quad Cities area

Pray: For the lost in the Quad Cities, and that this new work will be empowered to be a dynamic witness for Christ!

– Tunes Jan 2015

THE PLEASURE AND PROMISE OF GOD

“A man ’ s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand ”

Psalm 37:23-24, HCSB

My grandson will soon be eight months old He must be carried everywhere now, but the time will soon come when he will learn to walk As he does, someone will need to hold his hand Even in the early years of his life, we will hold his hand to keep him safe and moving in the right direction

It lso won’t be long before he will resist having his eld There will be numerous skinned knees and elas a testimony to that stubbornness

greatly encouraged by the promise of God in this n of Psalm 37 Matthew Henry, a Welsh Presbyterian minister in the late 1600’s, makes this observation about the text: God does not always show us His way at a distance, but He leads us step by step, “as children are led ” By doing so, He keeps us in a continual dependence upon His dance

AYER PROMPT: Father, help me to recognize my o depend upon You daily for my journey of faith he ways of my life bring pleasure to You

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