July 28, 2014 Illinois Baptist

‘Run and not grow weary’

Students go to IBSA camps pur suing spiritual g r owth and new friends. And giant water slides and wild g r een wigs

“Super Summer changed my life ” Read three exciting stories, pages 8-9

Prayer week emphasizes kids

By Eric Reed

“Last year my wife and I gave the largest offering we’ve ever given to state missions here in Illinois,” IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams said “And it wasn’t because the Illinois mission field is bigger or needier or more deserving than other mission fields we care about

“It was because we feel a growing, personal responsibility for the lost people who are nearest us ”

The Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer (MIO) has taken on new importance over the past three years, as IBSA’s national partners reduced funding to some Illinois missions work through IBSA

Through its “Send North America” emphasis on major metropolitan areas, the North American Mission Board has focused on church planting in 32 cities, including Chicagoland and metro St Louis But that means there are other kinds of planting, missions, and church strengthening that are increasingly the responsibility of Baptists in Illinois

“Church planting is certainly a significant priority for our churches’ work together here in Illinois, but it is not the only priority,” Adams said “We deeply appreciate our church planting partnership with the North American Mission Board, yet there are

Continued on page 2

5,000 licenses issued to same-sex couples

By Lisa Sergent

S p r i n g f i e l d | A new survey shows 21% of same-sex couples in Illinois have opted to wed since it became legal in the state June 1, but a second survey asks how long those marriages will last And two more new polls cast doubt on the percentage of homosexuals in the U S Equality Illinois, a group that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in Illinois, surveyed the state’s 102 counties and found at least 3,274 marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples and 1,694 civil unions have been converted to marriages According to the most recent U S Census, 23,409 same-sex couples reside in Illinois. Using this data, 21 2% of same-sex couples in the state have married or plan to marry

The group stated the exact number of licenses issued or civil union conversions is difficult to determine because not all the state’s county clerks recorded whether licenses were issued to same-sex couples, while others recorded conversions together with licenses, not separately Nine counties reported no licenses issued to same-sex couples or civil union conversions and five counties did not respond to the survey

What might the future hold for these couples? The National Review’s blog, The Corner, reported this month

MAP QUEST – The promotion kit for Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer will be mailed to churches in early August Ministry to kids and families is the theme Look for the unique chalk-art poster, and a video showing the map drawn right before your eyes

BRIEFING the

Leaders call for border compassion

The current border crisis is so massive that it’s paralyzing for most people, said newly elected Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd But the Gospel calls Christians to action The children crossing the border from Mexico into the U S “need immediate attention that elevates their health and safety above all,” Floyd wrote. He and Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, both said a broken immigration system is to blame for the crisis But, Moore wrote, “As Christians, we don’t have to agree on all the details of public policy to agree that our response ought to be, first, one of compassion for those penned up in detention centers on the border ”

Recurrence doesn’t dim doc’s faith

When Hannah Gay garnered attention last year for achieving a functional cure of a ch born with HIV, the Mississippi doctor cr ited God Medical tests in July revealed the virus is again replicating in the child, but Gay said God is in the details of the case, and those details have strengthened her faith “ I learned many, many years ago that God is far too big for me to understand Him, but at the same time that His love for mankind is just as far beyond my comprehension,” she told Baptist Press “So I trust Him even when I don’t understand ”

A ‘religious temperature’ guage

Americans view Jews, Catholics and evangelical Christians warmly, according to new Pew research that measures perceptions about different religious groups. Respondents ranked groups on a “feeling thermometer” of 0 to 100

The “warm” groups all received average rankings in the low 60s, while atheists (41) and Muslims (40) got the lowest numbers

Baptist school wins in court

A California Superior Court ruled in July that a Southern Baptist university had the right to expel a transgender student for violating its code of conduct Domaine Javier a former California Baptist University nursin student who identifies as a female, sued t school for gender discrimination after being expelled for claiming to be female on his application Judge Gloria Connor Trask ruled the school didn’t violate the state’s Unruh Civil Rights Act because its oncampus activities do not constitute a “business enterprise ” But Trask did award attorney’s fees and $4,000 in damages to Javier because he was excluded from off-campus enterprises open to the public

Hip-hop artists make leaders list

Christianity Today’s current “33 Under 33” roll call of young Christian leaders highlights four hern Baptists, including Trip Lee (left), -hop artist turned pastoral assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist in Washington, D C , and D.A. Horton, a rapper and urban student missions coordinator Blogger and LifeWay editor Trevin Wax also made the list, along with 17-year-old Saira Blair, a candidate for the state legislature in West Virginia

MIO kit arrives in August

Continued from page 1

What’s in the kit

Christmas Offering for International Missions

Simply put, to advance this year, more churches are needed to join MIO And church members should pray about giving more and giving sacrificially.

ministries that Illinois Baptists must decide about for themselves ”

In September, MIO will focus on missions unique to Illinois, examining them through the eyes of children The missions study videos will tell the stories of ministry to inner city kids, outreach on university campuses, and evangelism that touches our rural areas.

Popping up everywhere

Two young boys are standing by the door of a small metal building, handing out bulletins Their older sister, age 8, is inside in the children’s classroom playing with several preschoolers who live nearby Their mom slices a spice cake in the kitchenette, while their dad tunes his guitar before he leads worship

They are the Pittman family

Each Saturday evening, they drive about 45 minutes from their home in Ashton to Davis Junction, a mix of farms, mobile homes, and newer houses

This area is beginning to grow Some people who live here work in Rockford or the far west suburbs of Chicago

Yet, until recently there was only one small church to serve over 3,000 people in the immediate area And frankly, that mainline church was struggling

“It’s very clear that the people here don’t have a clear understanding of what the Gospel is,” said planter Brad Pittman, “that we need a relationship with Jesus Christ ”

That’s why the three pastors of Grace Fellowship in Ashton, which had already birthed a second congregation in Amboy, chose this rural crossroads marked by a branch bank and a gas station, as their church’s third location.

“The Lord really laid on our hearts first to plant in Amboy,

and he has really blessed there with people being baptized and then in Davis Junction,” Pittman said “IBSA was supersupportive in what we’re doing, because that’s what they’re all about as well ”

“Because of Illinois Baptists’ faithful commitment to missions giving, the IBSA Church Planting Team is able to partner with smaller rural churches,” said IBSA’s John Mattingly. “We presently have 13 ongoing new works in Northwest Illinois ”

Calling all churches

Last year 457 churches participated in MIO, compared to 587 churches each that gave to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, and the Lottie Moon

“If our Illinois families and churches don’t give more to missions in our state, who will?” Adams said “Illinois is our mission field ”

The state missions offering topped $400,000 for the first time in 2011 when a one-time bequest raised the total to $430,249 MIO peaked at $433,068 in 2012 The 2013 MIO offering totaled $405,690

The statewide offering goal is $475,000 Churches are urged to set a goal at least 10% higher than their 2013 goal And churches that haven’t participated in the offering recently are encouraged to contact IBSA for help with their prayer emphasis and promotion

For more information, visit www.IBSA.org/MIO or contact MissionIllinois@IBSA org for additional materials

– Give thanks for our church planters and their families, for their faithfulness and their sacrifice Ask for an anointing of the Holy Spirit upon their work, and for IBSA churches to have the same faithfulness to give sacrificially to the Mission Illinois Offering

QUICK STUDY – The MIO promotion kit includes video stories of Illinois missionaries and church planters, including young Ashley Pittman and her family

BIG DREAMS IN SMALL PLACES – The annual state missions offering supports new churches and stronger churches wherever needed Here pastor Brad Pittman (center) welcomes visitors at the launch service of Grace Fellowship in rural Ogle County

“If our Illinois families and churches don’t give more to missions in our state, who will? Illinois is our mission field.”

– Nate Adams

The BIG Picture Seeing the world through new eyes

Benton | Pastor Sammy Simmons cites three stories that explain why his church, Immanuel Baptist, does Vacation Bible School:

– In the car on the way home from VBS one night, a mom led her daughter to Christ

After his daughter became a Christian during the week, a dad made the same decision during a follow-up visit from an Immanuel staff member

– A fifth grader lingered at the church altar after “family night” had wrapped up at the end of the week With his mom standing with him, he prayed to receive Christ

That particular family wasn’t even supposed to be in town, Simmons said; they were scheduled to move out of state the week before But because of their delay, a mom got to lead her son to Christ

More than 300 elementary and middle-school kids and 150 leaders participated in Immanuel’s VBS in June, which utilized curriculum from LifeWay Christian Resources Sixteen kids came to know Christ during the week, Simmons said, commenting on the way people responded to the summer outreach

“God’s just been gracious and kind ”

on a new Scandinavian study of civil unions (more heavily equated to marriage than in the U S ) over the nearly two decades that they have been legal in that region of the world The study reported male couples were 35% more likely to divorce than heterosexual couples, and female couples were over 200% more likely to divorce It also found that whether or not the couples had children made little difference in the divorce rate

Gay, more or less

In related news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported July 15 that less than 3% of the U S population identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual It’s the first time the government has measured Americans’ sexual orientation through the National Health Interview Survey

According to the 2013 survey just out, 1.6% of adults self-identify as gay or lesbian, and 0 7% consider themselves bisexual

These findings conflict with a new Pew Research Center survey that says there are more homosexuals in the United States than previously reported The figure cited for years was 10%, based mostly on the Kinsey Report of 1948 Critics called Kinsey’s methods flawed, and said the number was more like 4% to 8%

Pew used two survey methods, allowing for indirect responses While the “direct report” method shows 11%

of U S adults “do not consider themselves heterosexual,” the “veiled report” showed considerably higher numbers: 19% of U S adults said they “do not consider themselves heterosexual ” That’s 15% of men and 22% of women

Using the “veiled method,” Pew also found that 27% of U.S. adults admitted having a sexual experience with someone of the same sex

Overall, the public perception of the number of homosexuals in the U S has grown as same-sex marriage has dominated the news A 2013 Gallup poll that found Americans believe 25% of the population is gay, lesbian or transgendered

INSPECTORS’ GADGETS – Second graders at Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton peer through binoculars they made in crafts class during Vacation Bible School The church used LifeWay’s detective-themed curriculum, “Agency D3: Discover, Decide, Defend ”

An especially good Sunday I

t feels like I have had more than a few challenging days of ministry recently But today is an especially good Sunday, and I’d like to tell you about it

I leave home very early, to drive almost 200 miles to an IBSA church where I know the pastor, but have never attended on a Sunday morning It’s their 70th anniversary, and I have a nice plaque from IBSA to present to them In all those regards, it’s not really an unusual Sunday

What’s a little more unusual is that my wife Beth is traveling with me Our youngest son Ethan is leading the worship team at our home church in Springfield, and Beth would like to be there too. But by evening we will be at the church where our middle son Noah is youth pastor, so she has decided to come along It’s already an especially good Sunday

We drive past one, two, three IBSA churches, and eventually past the one where I recall speaking three years ago when est son Caleb also shared his te He had just returned to the L years as a prodigal And as I re today my wife is with me, an three of our sons are worship serving in an IBSA church, I alize that this is an especially good Sunday

At the church celebrating its 70th anniversary we are

greeted warmly, with appreciation for both IBSA and for our long drive that morning I watch as an effective pastor loves his people, and they love him back I meet a 93-year-old former church planter and pastor, who tells me he helped plant one of the first SBC churches in northern Indiana He’s surprised I don’t recognize his former supervisor ’s name, until I remind him I wasn’t born yet

Later when I’m presenting the plaque, I tell both the 93-year-old church planter and the 70-year-old church that my wife and I are on our way, after church, to IBSA’s first “ChicaGO” student camp at Judson University. It’s a pilot church planting camp that we hope will continue to produce church planters, church plants, and eventually 70-year-old churches And as I describe this picture of church planting across the generations I realize that this is an especially good Sunday

We arrive at Judson University late in the aftern, and help greet students and chaperones from different IBSA churches Then a bus-load of IBSA

All-State Youth Choir students unload, and I remember they are there for a couple of days too, to join the ChicaGO mission week, and share a couple of concerts in the area

That night the choir sings at Calvary Baptist Church in Elgin In addition to being my mom’s and son’s church, this is also the church where Wilma and Jack Booth are members During the concert, IBSA Worship Director Steve Hamrick reminds us that Wilma was one of the leaders that started the IBSA All-State Choir 36 years ago And as I reflect on the blessing of tomorrow’s worship leaders being equipped for churches across the generations – I realize that this is an especially good Sunday

I will have to wait until my next column to tell you about the “week in the life of church planters” that follows this special Sunday But let me punctuate this account by telling you that as the All-State Youth Choir led us in singing “Jesus Messiah,” I found my eyes welling up with tears

God was reminding me that, though there will be challenging days, He is steadfastly building churches and growing leaders across the state and across the generations here in Illinois And whenever I can see that as clearly as I do today, well, it’s an especially good Sunday

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

Letter from the Editors

We touched a nerve

Who

who decides?

The recent U S Supreme Court ruling in the Hobby Lobby case allows employers with religious objections to opt out of providing contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act On the surface, one could read that sentence and assume that Hobby Lobby will not provide any contraception coverage to its employees In talking with friends who only get their news from mainstream media, I found this is what they actually believe I will admit that as a self-described “news junkie” I may be better informed on the issue than they are. I read the daily newspaper as an elementary school student, was an early viewer of CNN, read Time and Newsweek magazines in the school library, and became a fan of talk radio in college The advent of the Internet opened up a whole new world of news for me, beyond the big three networks.

This exposure to a wider variety of news and opinions widened my worldview As the years have passed, I’ve become less trusting of the old news sources and prefer to investigate more myself

In this case, I knew from sources I trusted, including the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Baptist Press, that the Food and Drug Administration has approved 20 contraceptives that are required to be covered under the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate Four of these are considered abortifacients These four drugs are the only “contraceptives” Hobby Lobby was re-

fusing to provide for its employees

So, when the high court’s ruling was announced, I understood what it meant and explained it to a couple of friends in an animated discussion: Hobby Lobby and similar “closely held companies” would continue to provide contraceptive coverage for their employees, but would not pay for abortion-causing drugs

We didn’t know the question would generate so much conversation “You’ll never believe what’s drawing Millennials to church,” we said in a recent blog post about Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D C

You may have read Meredith Flynn’s column that first appeared on this page as a “Reporter ’s Notebook ” The congregation is reaching young people with traditional hymns, liturgy, and hour-long sermons everything that’s opposite of what the experts say is the way to connect with 20-somethings And it’s working It’s really working

There was some comment about the column when it appeared in print, but when we posted it online, something amazing happened And a little scary

It went viral

We’ve watched the traffic grow on our blog, ib2news org, since it launched two years ago But overnight, it was getting thousands times more views than usual Every day For almost a month

My friends, who rely on the old guard media, were outraged by the ruling

None of the mainstream media really explained what the ruling means, or that it is a victory for religious liberty Instead, the Christians in these cases have been portrayed as bigots who want to deny women their rights and are surprisingly finding new allies in the male justices of the U S Supreme Court

Is this inaccurate portrayal purposeful? I know what I think, but I’ll let you decide In the meantime, I’m putting on my earbuds I have a podcast to listen to

We received kind notes from people we had no idea were reading the blog Several writers re-posted the column and mentioned it on Twitter, and for a while it was everywhere Watching the climbing numbers for days was fun

But more important, we’ve learned a couple of things, like how many people are concerned about getting young people back into church Obviously the post touched a nerve about the church and the next generation It sparked conversations about the “right” length for a sermon, and why a particular Reformed church’s traditional practices resonate with Millennials

And once again we learned the power of the medium With a few clicks, we engaged a world of people in the discussion, almost 200 times our usual print circulation Wow!

If you’re not yet a part of the online conversation at ib2news org, join in! We like talking with you

-The Editors

Though there will be challenges, God is building churches and growing leaders across the state and across the generations.

Voices

Take a real vacation; come back renewed

No matter how long the school year dragged on, I knew that once summer came, I’d get to go to my grandmother ’s beach house Once there, I could count on her good cooking and unconditional love

We would fish in the surf or from the boardwalk and watch the sun go down beyond the horizon as the ocean wind cooled our faces

We sometimes talked, but silence was just as good Being together sufficed

Grandma is long gone, and I miss her But my spirit still yearns for beaches, rivers, mountains and other places that offer respite from the daily routine

It’s a desire common to humanity It predates by millennia the idea of vacation, which is a modern phenomenon. We long for a break, however brief, from the daily grind, a pause from the familiar We crave rest and renewal A “separation from the world, a penetration to some source of power and a lifeenhancing return,” the folklorist Arnold van Gennep described it

Church folks call it a retreat Modernday retreats have become scheduled events with programs, speakers, themes and such But the older concept of Christian spiritual retreat harks back to the holy men and women of the early church who went into the desert to seek the Lord They followed the example of Christ, who sought out the wilderness to pray and be alone with His Father before returning to minister to the crowds

The craving for retreat is never stronger than when the world seems to be falling apart Wars that were supposed to be over aren’t Old enemies remain and new ones emerge Political and cultural disputes become more hateful by the day People refuse to make peace with God or each other, holding onto their evil ways Those closest to us let us down We let them down We disappoint the Lord It’s time for a rest and a fresh start

These are times for a retreat in the old sense Jesus beckons us to come away with Him to a quiet place, there to rest with Him and renew our spirits Vacationing is OK, but it’s a poor imitation of walking with Jesus in the wilderness

The other great thing about true retreat is returning to the world Vacations these days tend to be rushed, expensive, over-planned and more tiring than the demands they’re supposed to relieve. When you get home, you’re ready for a vacation from your vacation But you return from a retreat with the Lord refreshed, renewed and ready to follow Him back into the fray

That’s the real point of retreat – being with God, then returning to the world He needs servants who have met with Him before they enter the struggle for souls If we try to serve Him in our own puny power, we’ll make no impact

Seek Him in the wilderness and quiet; renew yourself in His Spirit Return to the world to shine His light into darkness

Erich Bridges is global correspondent for the Southern Baptist International Mission Board

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

“According to Sunday’s numbers, all that’s missing from our multi-cultural, multi-site, multi-form church is a multi-tude ”

πA slice of life

After a spate of rulings from the U S Supreme Court, including a decision in favor of Hobby Lobby, Gallup asked Americans:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Supreme Court is handling its job?

Breakout requires leaders who break down

Last spring, my wife and I bought a used minivan Honestly, I’m not a big fan of minivans, nor am I a fan of buying a much-older car (I didn’t learn auto repair in seminary )

However, I am a big fan of making my wife happy

Not long after purchasing the van, I was driving with our three small children when, suddenly, after a few mildly intense sputtering episodes, the van died There I was, with a broken down car, stranded in the middle of the road, with no shoulder to move the vehicle to safety As I tried to decide what to do, my 4-year-old daughter had her own breakdown Her piercing cries of, “Daddy, Daddy!” were accompanied by heavy sobbing and huge tears Ellie broke down becasue of our van’s condition

For many of us, our churches are like my minivan Depending on the source, 80-90% of churches are in a state of plateau or decline. They were running fine, but something hap-

pened along the way, and now the church is not functioning and operating the way Jesus intended as a God-glorifying, gospel-centered, mission-oriented, disciple-making, church-planting vehicle. Sure, the flashers, radio, horn, and air still work (worship and programs are still going, committees are still meeting) But there is a breakdown in the primary reason for the church’s existence it’s literally not moving, not going anywhere

The question is not whether our churches need a breakout to the next level of growth or ministry Rather, it’s how we as leaders can get them there To do so, like Ellie, we need to have a breakdown over the condition of the church

Nehemiah is an excellent example of a leader who identified the need for breakout, and in doing so, had a breakdown Although he had never been to Jerusalem, he had great affection and concern for his homeland; therefore, when his brothers came to visit, he asked how his countrymen were faring. The news he received was bad; the people and the

city were broken The Bible says that upon hearing this, Nehemiah “wept and mourned” for days In addition, he “continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven ”

Second, not only did Nehemiah know the truth about God’s intended reality for his people, he also knew the heart of God In other words, he not only knew about God and His plan, but he also knew God Thus, when he heard about the condition of the city and the people, he went immediately to the Father, weeping, morning, fasting, and praying

He was broken over their condition because God was broken over their condition. As a result, the Bible tells us, Nehemiah “continued” going to the Father

What led to Nehemiah’s breakdown? Two key truths stand out:

First, he knew the truth about God and what God had called His people to be and do (Gen 12:3; Exodus 19:4-6) When Nehemiah learned that the wall was in ruins and the people lived in great trouble and shame, he recognized that they were not where they were supposed to be That has implications for our ministry today: Do we know with certainty the honest, transparent conditions of our church in relation to God’s intended reality, rather than our own presuppositions, preferences, or traditions?

Nehemiah led in a way that reflected the heart of God and how He viewed the condition of the people As leaders, are we leading in a way that reflects the heart of God towards the people in our churches?

Breakout in Jerusalem didn’t happen until Nehemiah broke down. The good news is that God still works in our brokenness to lead his people to breakout

Josh Laxton is lead pastor of Western Oaks Baptist Church in Springfield His second column on Nehemiah and breakout churches will appear in the August 18 issue of the Illinois Baptist

When he heard about the condition of the city, Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted and prayed

Josh Laxton

Erich Bridges

PEOPLE & CHURCHES Churches celebrate long-time leaders

New Faces

Nick Candler will join the IBSA staff

August 1 as the new manager of Streator Baptist Camp Nick and his wife, Whitney, and their sons will relocate to northern Illinois from Missouri Nick has worked several summers at Streator, and Whitney is the daughter of long-time camp manager Larry Walter, who retired last year

In Memory

Pastor Kenneth D. Spires died July 1 at the age of 75

Rev Spires had pastored Raymond Baptist Church since 2007, and previously served as pastor of Whitelaw Avenue Baptist in Wood River He also was director of missions for Macoupin Association from 1998 until 2006

He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Loueva; sons William, David and Lonnie; daughter Lisa; four siblings; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.

Ministry Positions

First Baptist Church, Coal City, seeks a bivocational pastor who is fully supportive of the Southern Baptist Convention, Cooperative Program, and The Baptist Faith & Message (2000) Along with serving as the church’s administrator, the pastor will be responsible for leading members in ministry, evangelism and spiritual growth Send resumes to First Baptist Church, P O Box 39, Coal City, IL 60416

First Baptist Church, Le Roy, seeks a bivocational pastor who supports the Cooperative Program and embraces The Baptist Faith & Message Send resumes to: First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 21, Le Roy, IL 61752

Crosspointe Church, Oswego, seeks a senior pastor. The church is located in a fast-growing county in Greater Chicago; parsonage is available Send resumes to Crosspointe Pastor Search Committee, P O Box 698, Oswego, IL 60543-8840

Resources

Free: Living Christmas Tree that will hold up to 60 people Must be picked up from FBC Salem; call (618) 548-4060 for more info

Send news for Around Our State to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

Harco pastor retires after 55 years of ministry

Pastor Roy Hughes’ ministry started in 1959 at a small church in Karbers Ridge, a southern Illinois community located in the Shawnee National Forest Hughes recently closed a 55-year chapter of vocational ministry just 30 miles northeast of there, when he retired from Harco Baptist Church in June Hughes, 82, attended Bible college in Indiana and pastored two churches there before returning to Illinois to lead several congregations in the southern part of the state He served at First Baptist, Galatia, for almost 10 years before embarking on a threeyear journey into full-time evangelism He later served as a prison chaplain while pastoring Pleasant Valley Baptist outside of Vienna

He began his ministry at Harco in 1993, and preached his last message on June 29

“I spent my life watching my mom and dad demonstrate Jesus’ love to people every day,” daughter Diana Teal wrote about her parents, Roy and Doris Over the years, it was common for her dad to hear from people who were influenced by his ministry

“He will receive a call or letter from someone who was saved under his ministry,” Teal wrote, “thanking him for serving, and sharing how the Lord is using them today ”

Meet the Zone Consultant

Name: Jerry Day

Zones: 9 and 10 (Nine Mile, Franklin, Williamson, Clear Creek, Salem South, Greater Wabash, Goshen Trail, Saline, Big Saline, Antioch and Union)

Other roles: Interim Senior Pastor, Logan Street Baptist Church; Administrative Director, IBSA Zone Strategy and Southern Illinois Leadership Development Birthplace: Cairo, Ill

Spouse: Angie, a licensed clinical social worker

Years in Illinois: Most of our lives

Places you’ve lived here: Mounds, Charleston, Bloomington, Vandalia, Springfield and Vienna

Favorite restaurants in your zone: Burton’s, near Whittington; Pop’s in Benton; Shemwell’s BBQ in Cairo; Triple E and Cracker Barrel in several locations

What makes your zone unique: It seems to me that Southern Illinois is made up of people who are honest, hardworking folks who have strong opinions, especially about religion and politics

IBSA staff members serve as zone consultants working with directors of missions and churches across Illinois For more info, go to www.IBSA.org/zone.

It’s back-to-school time

Help families in northern Illinois get ready

August 9, 16

Work with church planters on community outreach projects in Galesbur g, Rock Falls, Davis Junction and Chicagoland

Go online for a list of supplies to fill 1,000 Backpacks of Hope

Education specialist reflects on 20 years directing ministry at Broadview

Leon Thompson, director of Christian education at Broadview Missionary Baptist Church in a west suburb of Chicago, has announced his retirement after 20 years of service

Thompson has worked in education in the public and private sectors for 48 years, and also served as a trustee for the Baptist Foundation of Illinois. He was a member of BFI’s scholarship committee, which awards funds to Illinois Baptist college and seminary students

“As I reflect on my years of service, I must say, I would whole-heartedly do them all over again,” Thompson wrote in Broadview’s newsletter

“As I embark on this next phase of my life, my prayer is that, as the Church grows, the membership will continue to seek God’s guidance in all we do.”

Current BFI bonds

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

• 2014F ($444,000): Closes August 31, 2014, or when fully subscribed

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

FAITHFUL – Roy Hughes now (top photo, at Harco Baptist ) and then, with his wife and son at his first church in Karbers Ridge

EDUCATING LEADERS TO IMPACT GOD’S KINGDOM LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY.

Trinity International University

Undergraduate Programs

Adult Undergraduate Programs

David S. Dockery, President

Super Summer is a “spiritual landmark” for many Illinois students and youth leaders. Here are three of their stories:

Greenville | Hannah Batista freely admits she was no poster girl for Super Summer excitement when she arrived there last year

“I was guilted into going, honestly,” said Hannah, now 17 But the week turned out to be a catalyst for big changes in her life

At a table in the back corner of the Greenville College cafeteria this summer, the teen from First Baptist Church, Bethalto, talked about the differences between then and now Hannah was back in Greenville June 24-28 for her second Super Summer This time, she wanted to be there

Every summer, Baptist students from across Illinois descend on the Greenville College campus for an intense week of discipleship Everything about Super Summer is meant to make students better, closer followers of Jesus For students and leaders well acquainted with the week, it’s a highlight of the summer

But not so much last year for Hannah, who grudgingly made the trip with the youth group from FBC

Growing Deeper

Bethalto Through a series of difficult circumstances in her life and home, Hannah had come to live with church member Marsha Edmonds She took the teenager to church, and also was the force behind getting her to go to Super Summer

When students arrive at Greenville College, they’re divided by age into color-coded “schools” for the week. In between meals, recreation, and elective classes, the grade levels meet together for school sessions every day that focus on one topic for the week As a rising high school junior last summer, Hannah was in the orange school, which highlights different aspects of purity

During the week, Hannah said, “Everything I thought I knew was being torn down, and in its place, something new was being built up ” On the last night of the week, in the quiet of her dorm room, she accepted Christ.

“I remember I was crying, just so happy and so glad that I knew that Jesus would accept me despite my sin, and I could become a child of Christ through Him,” Hannah said in the video shown before her baptism at FBC Bethalto earlier this year

‘Gotta tell it!’ at mission camps for kids

Last year, she didn’t have any friends in her school when she arrived at Super Summer “But I think that was a really good thing, because it meant that I wasn’t distracted,” she

(Above) PRAYER CIRCLE – Within their Super Summer schools, students are divided into family groups they meet with daily (Right) The youngest school group of rising eighth graders takes the field for afternoon recreation

LEARNING EARLY – The theme of IBSA’s camps at Streator and Lake Sallateeska (shown here) was clear: When you have good news, you “gotta tell it!” Through daily Bible study, quiet time, and worship, kids in grades 3-12 learned basic missionary principles and so far, 17 campers this summer have made decisions for Christ They also enjoyed classic camp activities like archery and canoeing, and even learned some survival skills from experienced campers

TEAM EFFORT – Matteo Vaca Diez, Joshua Myers and Daniel Do Anna Heights Baptist Church steer their canoe to shore

and

said in her baptism video “I could listen to the message that everyone all my life had been trying to give me, but I was finally listening now to it ”

Students under ‘Gospel pressure’

Youth Pastor Tim Drury

When you ask him if students in his youth group are different after they experience Super Summer, Tim Drury pops open his laptop and pulls up the video of Hannah sharing her testimony.

Most students are already Christians when they get to Greenville, but the week is still life changing They grow, and they want to grow more, said Drury, youth minister at FBC Bethalto

“My job as a student pastor is to take what they’ve learned, and for the other 51 weeks of the year, help them put it into practice.”

It’s something he’s been learning how to do since the early 2000s, when he first came to Super Summer as a youth pastor He served this summer as assistant dean in the gray school, a group for students preparing to go to college in the fall The dean of the gray school, Lakeland Baptist Pastor Phil Nelson, has been at every Super Summer since the beginning, more than 20 years ago

The students aren’t the only ones being mentored, Drury said He’s being discipled too, by pastors like Nelson who take a week away from their churches to come to Greenville

Caleb Ellis was a student in Drury’s gray school this year The 18-year-old, who’s also from Bethalto, likened his first Super Summer to drinking from a fire hose But, he learned “tools for practical, modern faith,” and was already talking in Greenville about how he could go home and start Gospel conversations with a friend from a different culture than his own

When he came to FBC Bethalto as youth pastor, Drury said, “I needed something that did heavy discipleship and challenged our kids to look more like Jesus ” Super Summer helps fill in the gaps caused by the time limitations he faces as a youth minister He may only see most students once a week, for example, and it’s difficult to do intensive classes for specific ages or genders But in Greenville, his students are “under the pressure of the Gospel” it’s a refining process for them, an opportunity to evaluate their relationship with Christ

The week is refining for him too The students are learning things here that he’s still learning, Drury said

Paying it forward Super Summer staffer

Zaxxson Nation

Zaxxson Nation spent Super Summer 2014 teaching high school seniors the most practical parts of discipleship finding a mentor, building intentional friendships, and investing in a local church As assistant dean for the green school, which is focused on discipleship, Nation helped transfer to his students some of the same principles he

learned as a Super Summer student

Assistant dean is just one hat Nation has worn since his first week in Greenville 12 years ago As a 16-yearold student leader from Rochester First Baptist, he realized at Super Summer that his Christianity was based more on head knowledge than faith that had taken root in his heart

“God really changed everything in my life” that week, Nation said “And at that point I was ready to serve, to do whatever it took to just serve Him ”

Part of what makes Super Summer different from some other camps is the laser-like focus on knowing Jesus more, Nation said At his first Super Summer, “When we had free time, we were talking about Jesus. And when we went to bed at night, we were joking around, but we were also sharing our testimonies ”

Years later, he said, “I think it’s the same now as it was 12 years ago when I was a student It’s still people coming together for the same reason; it’s still students that are serious about their faith ”

Nation acknowledged that Super-

–

Summer creates an environment that’s impossible to recreate once students get home and the distractions of life flood back in Being cut off from regular life for a week is both a blessing and a curse, he said “God uses it, though; He used it for my life,” he said

“The other big thing about Super Summer is it’s pretty much where I got my standard for being a godly man,” Nation remembered He met pastors and leaders who had memorized large chunks of the Bible and shared their faith regularly

“Super Summer puts you under those guys’ teaching for an entire week, and you leave inspired And I left personally saying, ‘Wow, I want to be like that ’

“Because as a student I saw that and was challenged by those high standards, I want to go back and work under those guys, and be peers to those guys and continue to learn from them That’s a huge motivator for me, to think that one day a student could look at me and my life and say that I’m inspiring them in the same way that those guys inspired me ”

ILLINOIS

over from SMILES ALL AROUND – Mika Henderson (left) from FBC Springfield and Malaysia Ford from Westview Baptist Church in Swansea were part of IBSA’s co-ed missions camp at Lake Sallateeska

OUTDOORSMEN – Bruce Williams teaches campers how to build a “log cabin” fire to use later that night at a camp-wide bonfire

NEXT GENERATION LEADERS

Super Summer 2014 focused on the “10/40 window,” a highly populated cross-section of the world in which most people don’t Christ Students explored that theme in their school sessions, and took elective courses like “How to interpret the Bible,” taught by IBSA’s Tim Sadler, who also directs the discipleship week In the photo below, Caitlyn Ozee (left) and Jade Kravat from Journey Church, Bourbonnais, help lead the students in worship

Drury

Nation – Camp photos by Mered th Flynn, Mark Emerson and J C Vaca Diez See more photos at www IBSA org/Children

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING - Second Quar ter 2014

Januar y 1 - June 30

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM

This report includes contributions received by the Illinois Baptist State Association through the second quarter of 2014 For questions about this report, contact IBSA Associate Executive Director of the Business Team Melissa Phillips at (217) 3913104, e-mail MelissaPhillips@IBSA org or write to her at P O Box 19247, Springfield, IL 62794-9247

ASSOCIATIONS Total Per Churches CP Capita

CLEAR CREEK

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIVING

ASSOCIATIONS Total Per Churches CP Capita

THREE RIVERS

Ever y dollar makes a difference , as you see in this new animated video Follow a Cooperative Program gift from offering plate to the mission field Share this video in worship ser vice or on your

Top 100 Illinois churches in Cooperative Program suppor t through the second quar ter of 2014

Top 100 Illinois churches in per capita

CP

suppor t through the second quar ter of 2014

B a s i

b e l i

w

w h a

w h o w e a r e

w e

h o

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 8

C i s n e , ” h e s a i d . W h a t w o r k e d i n t h e p a s t m i g h t n o t w o r k n o w i n h i s c u r r e n t c o n t e x t , s o h e ’s c o m m i t t e d t o t r y i n g n e w t h i n g s t o r e a c h f a m i l i e s . “ I ’ m t r y i n g t o b e a l e a r n e r a s w e l l a s a v i s i o n c a s t e r ” O n e y e a r a f t e r h i s f i r s t V B S e x p e r i e n c e i n C i s n e , G r i s w o l d h e l p e d h o s t a s e c o n d t h i s t i m e , w i t h h e l p f r o m M i s s o u r i v o l u n t e e r s . A f t e r V B S i n t h e m o r n i n g , t h e g r o u p d i d s e r v a n t e v a n g e l i s m p r o j e c t s i n t h e a f t e rn o o n , i n c l u d i n g s o m e p a i n t i n g i n t h e b u i l d i n g w h e r e t h e y m e e t o n T u e s d a y n i g h t s T h e o u t r e a c h r e f l e c t s t h e t h i n k i n g b e h i n d t h e n e w c h u r c h G r i s w o l d s a i d , “ W e ’ r e h e r e , w e ’ r e n e i g h b o r s , w e w a n t t o b e i n v o l v e d , w e w a n t t o m e e t n e e d s . ” N e w c h u r c h s t a r t s w i t h s u m m e r o u t r e a c h

S t e v e G r i s w o l d i s o n e o f m i l l i o n s o f C h r i s t i a n s w h o s e l i f e w a s c h a n g e d a t V a c a t i o n B i b l e S c h o o l W h a t m a k e s h i s s t o r y a l i t t l e d i f f e r e n t i s h i s a g e G r i s w o l d w a s 5 6 w h e n G o d b e g a n t o l e a d h i m t o a n e w p h a s e i n h i s l i f e a n d m i n i s t r y . A n d i t a l l s t a r t e d w i t h V B S T h e p a s t o r o f C r o s s v i l l e M i s s i o n a r y B a p t i s t C h u r c h w a s p a r t o f a t e a m t h a t w e n t t o h o s t V B S i n C i s n e , I l l , i n t h e s u m m e r o f 2 0 1 3 . T h e S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t c h u r c h i n t h e v i l l a g e o f 6 0 0 h a d c l o s e d i t s d o o r s a f e w m o n t h s e a r l i e r, s o G r e a t e r W a b a s h B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n o r g a ni z e d t h e s u m m e r o u t r e a c h T h e V B S t e a m w o r k e d w i t h 3 8 k i d s t h a t w e e k , a n d G r i s w o l d s t a r t e d t o e n v i s i o n h o w a n e w c h u r c h c o u l d r e a c h o u t t o t h e f a m i l yo r i e n t e d c o m m u n i t y , l o c a t e d 4 0 m i l e s n o r t h e a s t o f M t V e r n o n O n e y e a r l a t e r, h e ’s l a y i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n f o r a c h u r c h p l a n t i n C i s n e . B u t h e ’s n o t d o i n g i t a l o n e “ M y w h o l e a s s o c i a t i o n i s s u p p o r t i n g m e . ” M o s t S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t c h u r c h e s a r e a f f i l i a t e d w i t h a l o c a l a s s o c i a t i o n , o r n e t w o r k , o f c o n g r e g a t i o n s i n t h e i r r e g i o n A n a t i v e o f F a i r f i e l d , I l l , G r i s w o l d h a s b e e n i n v o l v e d w i t h G r e a t e r W a b a s h A s s o c i a t i o n f o r m o s t o f h i s l i f e a s a l e a d e r, y o u t h w o r k e r, a n d p a s t o r. N o w, h e ’s w o r k i n g w i t h o t h e r c h u r c h e s t o b u i l d a c o r e g r o u p o f p e o p l e t h a t w i l l s e r v e a s t h e f o u n d a t i o n f o r a n e w w o r k i n C i s n e t h a t ’s f o c u s e d o n r e a c h i n g o u t t o y o u n g f a m i l i e s i n t h e a r e a . E v e r y T u e s d a y e v e n i n g , h e a n d h i s w i f e , R h o n d a , h o l d a B i b l e s t u d y a t t h e C i s n e C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r.

I N O I S I N S I G H T

H o w 8 2 , 0 0 0 w e r e s a v e d

F o r t h e p e o p l e w h o o r g a n i z e a n d l e a d i t e v e r y y e a r, V a c a t i o n

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

V B S i s a c t u a l l y s e r i o u s b u s in e s s T h a t ’s b e c a u s e m o r e t h a n

8 2 , 0 0 0 c h i l d r e n a n d t e e n s r ec e i v e C h r i s t e a c h y e a r t h r o u g h

G r i s w o l d ’s f i r s t f e w m o n t h s o f c h u r c h p l a n t i n g h a v e b e e n s p e n t g e t t i n g t o k n o w t h e c o m m u n i t y . “ W e ’ r e t r y i n g t o p l a n t s o m e t h i n g i n C i s n e t h a t l o o k s l i k e

G o f i s h –I t s V B S c r a f t t i m e a t H l c r e s t B a p t i s t C h u r c h i n C o u n t r y C l u b H l s .

W e s e r v e i n … C i s n e , I l l i n o i s A f t e r v o l u n t e e r n g a t V B S n C i s n e , S t e v e a n d R h o n d a G r i s w o l d s t a r t e d a n e w B i b e s t u d y g r o u p i n t h e s o u t h e r n I l n o i s v i l l a g e R e s o u r c e s f o r B1 0 1 C o m i n g S o o n

O t h e r c h u r c h e s i n t h e a s s o c i a t i o n s e n d v o l u n t e e r s t o s e r v e a s “ s e a t f i l l e r s ” a n d B i b l e s t u d y a t t e n d e r s , s o t h a t p e o p l e f r o m t h e c o m m u n i t y f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e j o i n i n g t h e g r o u p .

C A L L E D O U T

C l ip an d Sha re B10 1 w i t h Pasto r s Chu r c h s ta f f Discip les hip leade r s Miss ions leade r s New me m be r s L o o k f o r B1 0 1 i n e v e r y i s s u e !

I f s o m e o n e g e t s “ c a l e d o u t ” t h e s e d a y s , i t o f t e n i n v o v e s f n g e r p o n t n g “ I c a l l e d h i m o u t o n h i s a t t i t u d e ” s t h e f i r s t s t e p n a c o n f r o n t a t o n O r i t m i g h t l e a d t o h o n e s t c o n f e s s i o n a n d r e s t o r a t o n T h e p h r a s e h a s a n c i e n t r o o t s W h e n A t h e n s p r a c t c e d p u r e d e m o c r a c y , a h e r a l d w o u d c a l t o g e t h e r a l l e l i g i b l e c i t z e n s t o c o n d u c t t o w n b u s n e s s . T h e g a t h e r i n g w a s c a l e d t h e “ e c c l e s i a ” ( f r o m t w o G r e e k w o r d s : e k = o u t ; k a l e o = t o c a l l ) . T h e m e n w e r e “ c a l l e d o u t ” t o g o v e r n t h e c i t y . T h e y w e r e r e q u i r e d t o s t e p u p . J e s u s a d a p t e d t h e t e r m t o m e a n t h e c h u r c h “ U p o n t h i s r o c k I w i l b u i d m y c h u r c h , ” h e t o d P e t e r ( M a t t 1 6 : 1 8 ) T h e r o c k i s P e t e r ’ s c o n f e s s i o n o f J e s u s a s t h e M e s s i a h , a n d t h e c h u r c h s “ e c c l e s i a ” ( p r o n o u n c e d e ku hS E Eu h ) L a t e r P e t e r d e s c r i b e d C h r s t ’ s f o l l o w e r s a s “ a c h o s e n g e n e r a t i o n , a r o y a l p r e s th o o d , a h o l y n a t i o n , a p e c u l i a r p e o p e ” w h o w e r e c a l e d “ o u t o f d a r k n e s s i n t o H s m a r v e l o u s l i g h t ” ( 1 P e t e r 2 : 9 ) J e s u s c a l e d u s o u t . 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 .

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

I

• L e a d e r s g u i d e s f o r s t u d y g r o u p s • S e fg u d e d t u t o r i a l s o n S B C m s s o n s , B a p t i s t b e l e f s , d s t i n c t i v e s , a n d t h e C o o p e r a t i v e P r o g r a m • T h e w h o e 2 0p a r t s e r i e s w l l b e a v a l a b l e f o r d o w n l o a d i n t m e f o r f a l d s c p l e s h p c l a s s e s a n d s m a l g r o u p s . A v a i a b e s o o n o n l i n e a t w w w . I B S A . o r g / B 1 0 1 .

C a r t y a d v i s e s s t a r t i n g w i t h a s m a l l g r o u p o r S u n d a y s c h o o l c l a s s s t u d y i n g t h e V B S c u rr i c u l u m “ T h e a d u l t s g e t e x c i t e d a b o u t V B S a n d w a n t t o h e l p t e a c h i t t o t h e k i d s , ” C a r t y s a i d S e n i o r a d u l t s p a r t i c u l a r l y l i k e l e n d i n g a h a n d B e y o n d t e a c h i n g c l a s s e s , t h e y c a n p a i n t s i g n s , s e n d i n v i t a t i o n c a r d s , a n d m o r e T h e r es u l t i s a w h o l e c o n g r e g a t i o n s h a ri n g C h r i s t A n d i t ’s n o t j u s t f o r k i d s . M a n y c h u r c h e s h a v e s i m u l t a n e o u s B i b l e s t u d y c l a s s e s f o r y o u t h a n d a d u l t s d u r i n g V B S w e e k , i n v i t i n g s i b l i n g s a n d p a r e n t s o f t h e V B S k i d s t o p a rt i c i p a t e F o r c h u r c h e s t h a t h a v e n ’ t h e l d t h i s a n n u a l s u m m e r t i m e o u t r e a c h i n a f e w y e a r s , V B S o f t e n s e r v e s t o k i c k s t a r t t h e c h u r c h ’s i n t e r e s t i n e v a n g e l i s m f o r t h e i r c o m m u n i t y . T h e e v e n t o n c e f o c u s e d m o s t l y o n k i d s l e a d s t o o u t r e a c h f o r a l l a g e s , a l l y e a r l o n g

t r a i n i n g ,

V B S a t S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t c h u r c h e s ! A n d f o r t h o u s a n d s o f c h i ld r e n , V B S i s t h e o n l y e x p o s u r e t o t h e g o s p e l t h e y h a v e a l l y e a r. “ I ’ m a b i g a d v o c a t e o f b r i n g i n g t h e w h o l e c h u r c h i n t o B i b l e s c h o o l , ” s a i d S h a r o n C a r t y , I B S A ’s

V B S t e a m c o n s u l t a n t . “ I t ’s t h e s i ng l e l a r g e s t e v a n g e l i s t i c a c t i v i t y a c h u r c h d o e s a l l y e a r. A n d i t n e e d s t o b e t h e w h o l e c h u r c h w i t h f u l lo u t o n eh u n d r e d p e r c e n t e v a n g e li s m ”

V B S w a s c r e a t e d i n H o p e d a l e , I l l i n o i s , ( n e a r P e o r i a ) i n 1 8 9 4 b y a s c h o o l t e a c h e r w h o w a n t e d s o m et h i n g f o r k i d s t o d o d u r i n g s u m m e r b r e a k . T h e f i r s t V B S w a s a m o n t h l o n g ! T h e f i r s t V B S c u r r i c u l u m w a s p r i n t e d i n 1 9 2 2 . T o d a y , 2 5 , 0 0 0 S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t c h u r c h e s h o l d V B S e a c h y e a r u s u a l l y f o r o n e w e e k “ I t t a k e s l o t s o f h a n d s t o p u t o n

V B S , ” C a r t y s a i d “ T h e e n t i r e c h u r c h n e e d s t o g e t t o g e t h e r f o r i t ”

I n s t e a d o f s t a r t i n g w i t h t h e u s u a l w o r k e r r e c r u i t m e n t c a m p a i g n a n d

T a r g e t : 6 6 % o f t h e p o p u a t i o n h a s n o t b e e n r e a c h e d w i t h t h e G o s p e l C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s : L o c a t e d 5 0 m l e s e a s t o f S t . L o u i s , C a r l y l e s h o m e t o m o r e t h a n 9 0 0 f a m i i e s a n d t h e s t a t e s a r g e s t m a nm a d e l a k e . P r a y : C h u r c h e s w o u d i n t e r c e d e w i t h m i s s i o n a p r a y e r a n d a c t i v i t y i n C a r l y l e . 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

L o c a t i o n : C a r y l e , C i n t o n C o u n t y

–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

The clock’s ticking

Q: O n s o m e S u n d a y s , o u r p a s t o r p r e a c h e s f o r a n h o u r I t ’ s j u s t t o o l o n g I t h i n k t h e p r e a c h e r n e e d s t o r e s p e c t m y time (and my bladder) Should I say something, or suffer in silence?

A: In seminary, I was told the perfect sermon has a great opening and a wonderful closing, and those two things should be kept very close together!

Seriously, I would be wrong to put a time limit on the man of God But I would hope he would realize that people have work schedules, other obligations and yes, even bladder issues! The wise pastor will know when it’s time for a 15-minute, 30-minute, 45-minute or 60-minute sermon Just like he’ll know when it’s time for a special service, concert, movie night, or simply to be silent and let God speak to hearts (See Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 )

The real question is how to discuss the issue with him My advice would be to ask your pastor for a brief meeting (and please don’t do it on a Sunday before the worship service) Honestly state your concern and the reasons why you feel his sermons are too long.

If you really do appreciate his preaching, teaching, and theological sharing of Scripture, tell him so! Suggest that rather than trying to put 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5-pound sack, he might consider teaching one major point of his sermon at a time, and do so in a 3-4 week series of messages That gives the church time to consider and reflect on what he’s shared

Share your concern with your pastor, but not right before the worship service.

Be clear that you’re not telling him what to preach or how to preach, but simply sharing your personal observations and letting him know it’s difficult for you to follow along and retain too much good material at one time Most pastors are open to improvement You may be the instrument God uses to help him do exactly that

Pulpit policy

Q: Our church and the one down the street h a v e s h

t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s B u t n o w t h e y h a v e a woman senior pastor, which means when it’s our turn to host, she’ll be preaching in our pulpit Got any ideas?

A: This is a decision you must make according to your scriptural convictions, knowing you’re probably not going to make everyone happy Your first option is to let the female pastor know your views on the issue, and that you and your church will not be able to participate in this year ’s service

Or, talk to your congregation Advise them prior to the service that a female pastor will be sharing from your church’s pulpit. While it does not reflect your personal belief or the denomination’s practice, for the good of the community and for the sake of continued harmonious relationships with other churches in the community, you are going to participate

Be open, honest and clear, no matter which decision you make

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

DAVE Says

You aren’t double dead

Q: My credit union offers free accidental d e a t h a n d d i s m e m b e r m e n t i n s u r a n c e Should I take it?

A: That’s fine if it’s free However, I wouldn’t rely on it as an integral part of my overall financial plan

In most cases, accidental death and dismemberment policies are just a gimmick You’re not double dead if you die by accident, and your spouse or family doesn’t need the money if you die by accident rather than a heart attack They need the same coverage and the same protection regardless

When it comes to life insurance, I recommend a good level term policy that’s 10 to 12 times your annual income That means if you make $50,000 a year, you need $500,000 to $600,000 in coverage

Still, if it’s really free I’ve got no problem with the policy Just make sure you’re not paying some other big fee to join a club so you can get “free” stuff When that happens, it’s not really free after all!

Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

Aug 4, 25: plantMIDWEST

Training for church planters and partners

Where: Aug 4 St Louis, August Gate;

Aug. 25 Chicago, Missio Dei

Web: www plantmidwest com

Aug 23: TRANSFORM

Training for class and group leaders

Where: Parkway Baptist, Creve Coeur, Mo , 7:30 a m -2:30 p m

Cost: $25 per person

Web: www lifeway com/transform

Sept 4, 18, 25: Prime Conferences on biblical manhood

Aug. 9, 16: Serving Across Illinois

Back-to-school projects with planters in Chicago and Northwest Illinois

Web: www IBSA org/Missions

Aug. 9: Mujeres Hacienda la Diferencia

Hispanic women’s training conference

Where: Pleasant Ridge, Collinsville

Cost: $15 per person

Contact: Glenda Garcia, (618) 977-8039, morena 26kic@hotmail com

Aug. 11-12: Rekindling the Call

Retreat for pastors

Where: Lake Sallateeska

Contact: SylvanKnobloch@IBSA org, (217) 391-3133

Aug. 16: IBSA Softball Tournament

Includes activities for kids and families

Where: Rotary Park, Decatur

Contact: JennaNickelson@IBSA org, (217) 391-3127

Aug. 16: Churches of Strength training for leaders

Where: College Avenue, Normal, 8 a m to noon Web: www.IBSA.org/cst

Where: Sept. 4 Bread of Life, Chicago; Sept. 18 Chatham Baptist; Sept. 25 FBC Herrin; 6 p m

Web: www IBSA org/Evangelism

Sept 13: Living Proof Live Simulcast

Beth Moore Bible study event for women

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield; 8:30 a m -3:15 p m

Cost: $10, includes lunch Web: www IBSA org/WomensMissions

Sept 14-21: Mission Illinois Offering See page 1 for more info Web: www IBSA org/MIO

Sept 20: BCHFS Fall Festival

Where: Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, Carmi Contact: (618) 382-4164, www BCHFS com

Sept 27, 29: Churches of Strength

Training for leaders

Where: Sept 27 Second, Marion; Sept 29 Chatham Baptist; 8 a.m. to noon Web: www IBSA org/cst

PRO LIFE. PRO MARRIAGE. PRO FAMILY.

Wish yo u were here

Look

Potluck Blogger

Bat

Fresh fruit and store-bought brownie mix make this dessert an easy potluck option

Ingredients

1 lb strawberrie

3 bananas, slice

1 box brownie m

18 Oreo cookies

Unsweetened ap

Trending

Read ‘em if you’ve got ‘em

of American households have a Bible

I

Barna Research (April 2014)

‘EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER’

“The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place ”

Ronnie Floyd, recently elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, has issued a call to “extraordinary prayer ” The phrase is not a new one 18th century preacher Jonathan Edwards used it to describe a precursor for revival And I believe the call still resonates with most of us

2 Chronicles 30 is a revealing text, especially to those of us called to pastor and lead God’s church In verse 3, we are told that the Passover couldn’t be celebrated because there were not enough consecrated priests So, King Hezekiah outlined a plan and issued a decree to the people which produced the following results: The priests and Levites consecrated themselves; the people gathered in Jerusalem and removed the pagan altars; Passover was observed with a spirit of celebration; and God heard the prayers of the priests and Levites!

The transformation of our churches and nation begins with extraordinary prayer, and the consecration of our personal lives

PRAYER PROMPT: Humble me, O Lord, so that as I plead for your renewal I will also pursue your righteousness

Odis Weaver is pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Plainfield and is currently serving as president of IBSA

More

To prepare: Prepare brownie mix as directed, but omit the eggs and substitute applesauce for oil (in same amount) Set aside Crumble cookies into glass serving bowl Layer with sliced bananas, then strawberries Drizzle brownie batter over fruit and chill until serving (In 9x13 dish, use more cookies and fruit )

Emily

recipe

Send recipes to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

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

Missionaries: Zhenjun Wang & Yunping Huang (with Lucy)

Planting in: Hinsdale Christian Chinese Church in the west Chicago suburbs

Focusing On: Chinese-American families

Pray: For HCCC as they seek to

Ebert (left) of Charity Baptist, Carlinville, and Abby Fleischer from Cross Church, Carlinville, prepared individual servings of their

for the IBSA staff Thank you, ladies!

reach professionals that have moved to Hinsdale and surrounding communities, for a passion to share the Gospel, and for partnering churches to help them in their work

heart so

Our

mission team got crafty in the Dominican Republic! We met these women through an outreach event we hosted in their village We shared the Gospel with them, made these flowers, and invited the women to join a Bible study that will start in local churches after we leave We also trained the Bible study leaders God has opened so many doors for this team!

Carmen Halsey – IBSA Missions Mobilization director