June 20, 2016 Illinois Baptist

Baptist

Gaines wins

SBC presidency as Greear withdraws

Stunning outcome as divided race turns to unity: ‘For the sake of our convention, mission’

Convention addresses racial reconciliation, repudiates Confederate battle flag

Frequent prayer for America following mass shooting in Orlando

Calls for renewed evangelism

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Snapshots from the world of Illinois Baptists

“You’d think the generation that invented the term ‘adulting’ would do better at it. But it turns out that living with your parents is actually now the norm for millennials—especially guys.”

– RelevantMagazine.com

Stay-at-home kids

For the first time, the largest share of adults age 18-34 are living at home with their parents (including 35% of men in the age bracket).

Commitment issues

It’s not just that young people aren’t getting married, Pew reports. Many “are forgoing partners altogether.”

– Pew Research, May 2016

the cooperative program

Giving by IBSA churches as of 06/10/16 $2,718,202

Budget Goal: $2,786,539

Received to date in 2015: $2,749,135

2016 Goal: $6.3 Million

The Illinois Baptist staff

Editor - Eric Reed

Graphic Designer - Kris Kell

Contributing Editor - Lisa Sergent

Editorial Contributor - Meredith Flynn

For questions about subscriptions, articles, or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3119 or IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org

The Illinois Baptist is seeking news from IBSA churches. E-mail us at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org to tell us about special events and new ministry staff.

POSTMASTER: The Illinois Baptist is owned and published every three weeks by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-4440. Subscriptions are free to Illinois Baptists. Subscribe online at IBSA.org

NATE ADAMS

Princesses and Hot Dogs

Afew days ago I saw a brief news story about a dance class for five- and six-year-olds, where the instructor had invited the little girls to wear costumes at their next rehearsal. She dubbed it “Princess Day,” knowing how many of her tiny dancers would enjoy dancing as princesses, and also how many of them already had princess costumes.

What helped the story go viral and hit the headlines, however, was the photo of seven little girls in princess costumes standing with one very unique little girl, dressed in a hot dog costume. Five-year-old Ainsley chose to come to Princess Day not with a tiara on her head, but with a stripe of mustard down her front. One of the many captions and tweets that circulated with the photo simply read, “In a world of princesses, dare to be a hot dog.”

There are so many things that encourage me about this story. First, there is the individuality, confidence, and boldness of the little girl. Many times I have found myself wanting, even needing, to be the hot dog in a group of princesses. I had a minority opinion, or a different point of view, or simply knew that the direction of the group was not right. It’s just easier to conform than to stand alone.

Then there was the dad who encouraged little Ainsley. He later tweeted, “No parent is ready to learn that their daughter is trending…Best part is it was all her idea!” The courage and confidence to be different, and the empowerment to act on that difference, often comes from those closest to us.

But for me, the most encouraging character in this little real-life drama was dance teacher Sarah, who was suddenly placed in the position of leading a group with a non-conformist. Sarah could have taken offense at the little girl who didn’t follow instructions or apparently respect her position as teacher. She could have sent her home, or embarrassed her in front of the class, or not included her in the dance or the picture. Instead, this good-natured teacher embraced the little hot dog’s uniqueness, accepted both her and her costume into the group, and proudly took the picture that ended up making her class famous.

In doing so, Sarah challenged me as a leader. And I think she should challenge all of us who lead as pastors, Sunday school teachers, and ministry leaders. As hard as it is to be the hot dog in a group of princesses, it may be even harder to effectively lead a group of presumed princesses when a hot dog shows up.

That hot dog may be the deacon with an outreach idea that would take a church outside its comfort zone. It may be the sincere new believer in a Sunday school class who asks questions that don’t have tidy or pat answers. It may be the church member who presses an uncomfortable budget issue in a business meeting, when it would be easier to just vote yes and go home.

A confident, secure leader embraces multiple points of view and even minority opinions as ways to potentially make the final decision or outcome even better. An insecure leader wants only quick, compliant agreement.

After the picture became famous, teacher Sarah revealed that Ainsley was actually wearing a princess costume underneath her hot dog costume. Ainsley explained that she was still a princess on the inside. I found that to be an extra encouragement. When we’re patient and accepting of hot dogs, even on Princess Days, we often find that deep down they want to dance too. And God may even use them, or you or me, to make the dance more famous.

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

HOT DIGGITY – A lesson in leadership from a bold five-year-old.

More churches, fewer baptisms

Nashville, Tenn. | The Southern Baptist Convention added more churches in 2015, due mostly to church planting efforts. Churches also experienced an increase in total giving. However, according to the Annual Church Profile report compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with state conventions, other key measures declined, including membership, average worship attendance, baptisms, and missions giving.

The number of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention grew by 294 to 46,793, a 0.63% increase from 2014. This is the 17th year in a row the number of SBC churches has grown.

While the number of SBC-related congregations increased, reported membership declined more than 200,000, down 1.32% to 15.3 million members. Average weekly worship attendance declined by 1.72% to 5.6 million worshippers.

Southern Baptists also experienced a decline in baptisms, down 3.3% to 295,212. Reported baptisms have fallen eight of the last 10 years. The ratio of baptisms to total members decreased to one baptism for every 52 members.

“God help us all! In a world that is desperate for the message of Christ, we continue to be less diligent in sharing the Good News,” said Frank Page, SBC Executive Committee President and CEO. “May God forgive us and give us a new passion to reach this world for Christ.”

“The ACP report shows many faithful Southern Baptists continue to worship, share the gospel, give generously, and live in community with other believers,” said LifeWay President and CEO Thom Rainer. “We praise God for these efforts every year.

“While a decrease in baptisms is very disappointing, we don’t take for granted 295,000 baptisms,” he said. “We should rejoice with each of those individuals who chose to follow Christ.” An increase in the number of churches, aided by Southern Baptists’ church planting efforts, is also something to celebrate, Rainer said.

“People underestimate the importance of momentum,” he said. “It only takes a few people in each church, being intentional about sharing their faith, for some new momentum to build.”

Southern Baptists increased giving in 2015. Total and undesignated church receipts reported through the ACP increased 3.51% and 4.64% respectively.

Total missions expenditures declined by 2.03% to $1.2 billion, but the report shows four Baptist state conventions did not ask churches for this data—Alabama (for the first time), California, Georgia and Oklahoma. Great Commission Giving, which represents total giving to denominational causes, was down 3.81% to $613 million, with five state conventions not reporting that data—Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Southern Baptists of Texas.

Giving through Southern Baptists’ Cooperative Program (CP) mission initiative is not included in the ACP annual report. Those totals are more accurately available through Baptist state conventions and the SBC Executive Committee, which processes the mission gifts. CP gifts forwarded from state conventions for SBC causes in fiscal year 2014-15 were 1.39% more than the previous year. CP gifts received by the SBC Executive Committee for the first eight months of the 2015-16 year were reported to be 6.13% above the year-to-date budgeted projection.

Individual congregations report statistics for the national ACP to their local associations and/or state conventions. National totals are compiled and released after all cooperating state conventions have reported.

– By Carol Pipes of LifeWay, for Baptist Press

disaster relief

Continuing Don’s work

Leesville, La. | Margie Fulkerson returned in May to the Louisiana town where her husband, Don, died two months ago while serving as a Disaster Relief volunteer. “He loved this kind of work and always wanted me to come with him,” Margie told the Louisiana’s Baptist Message newspaper. “I wanted to finish this for him.”

Don Fulkerson suffered a heart attack March 29, while the couple was working with their Disaster Relief team from First Baptist Church, Galatia. The volunteers were in Louisiana to aid homeowners in the wake of spring flooding.

When Margie returned to the state in May with a team from her church, she worked on the same home site where Don passed away. Since his death, the FBC Galatia team has collected donations to help purchase automated external defibrillators for Illinois Disaster Relief teams.

In June, the group also won the grand prize at Galatia’s Old Settlers Day Parade, with a grand marshal’s truck decorated with a photo of Fulkerson and a sign in his memory.

‘We’re losing our country’

Evangelist Franklin Graham urges prayer, involvement during Illinois stop

BY MORGAN JACKSON

Springfield | “The only hope for the United States of America is the Almighty God,” evangelist Franklin Graham told a crowd estimated at 6,000 in front of the Illinois State Capitol. “I have no hope in the Democratic Party, and I have no hope in the Republican Party,” Graham said, in a speech urging increased Christian involvement in the election process. He endorsed no candidate, but called on Christians to pray and vote.

The Tuesday, June 14 stop on his 50-state “Decision America” tour brought an enthusiastic crowd to the steps in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln. Church busses were parked along the streets around the capitol, and the crowd enthusiastically sang “How Great Thou Art” and a number of other well-known gospel songs preceding the rally.

The eldest son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin brought greet-

ings from his 97-year-old father, and then led prayer for the people affected by the mass shooting in Orlando the preceding Sunday. Using the tragedy as an example of our nation’s sinfulness, Graham said, “Our country is in trouble spiritually, racially, economically, and politically.”

Reading from Nehemiah 1:2-7, a passage illustrating the sinfulness and disobedience of the Israelite people, Graham emphasized how easily biblical and moral walls can come down. Just as Nehemiah fasted and prayed over the sins of his people, Graham urged the crowd to do the same thing. People in the crowd held hands as Graham prayed.

After interceding for local law enforcement and government leaders, Graham shared the Gospel and the path to salvation.

Moving on to focus on the current election, Graham was adamant that the easiest thing Christians can do to start enacting biblical change in our country is to vote - vote for candidates who stand for biblical principles and actually live them. When that choice is not immediately obvious, he encouraged that we pray for God to reveal who to vote for.

Stating that an estimated 20 to 30 million evangelical Christians did not vote in the last election, Graham offered a simple prompt: “Get involved. We’re losing our country, friends.”

Christians must make their voices heard if America is to be preserved, he said. “For unless America turns back to God, repents from its sin, and experiences a spiritual revival, we will fail as a nation,” Graham said, “and I believe God honors leaders in high places who honor Him.”

Without telling the people who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, Graham asked the crowd to make a pledge: to daily live out biblical principles, honor God in public, vote for political candidates if at all possible who uphold biblical standards, pray for our country, and lastly, consider if God so leads, to run for office.

“Our job as Christians is to make the impact of Christ felt in every [area] of life—religious, social, economic, political,” Graham said. “But we can only do [this] as we surrender ourselves completely to God, allowing Him to work through us… Let’s elect men and women to office who will lead this nation back to really being one nation under God.”

Graham’s next scheduled stop was Madison, Wisconsin, where some religious leaders were planning protests.

FAITH, FAMILY & FREEDOM FALL BANQUET

TAKING A STAND – In a tour of state capitals, evangelist and Samaritan’s Purse head Franklin Graham urged Christians to vote according to biblical principles. So far, 83,000 people have signed an online pledge at the Decision America website.

SBC: IN FOCUS

Facing

BY MEREDITH FLYNN

St. Louis | The stakes are high, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd declared to Southern Baptists gathered in St. Louis. And perhaps they’ve never been higher.

Christians are being martyred around the world. Refugees are fleeing for their lives. There are still thousands of people groups unreached with the gospel, but limited funds required the SBC this year to reduce its missions force by more than 1,000.

“As followers of Jesus Christ, everything we believe in and place in high value is at stake,” said Floyd, an Arkansas pastor who finished his second one-year term as SBC president.

At home, spiritual lostness is growing. Religious freedom is under fire. And the threat of domestic terrorism looms large, exhibited in Orlando just hours before Southern Baptists convened in St. Louis.

The attack on a gay nightclub early June 12 that left 50 people dead cast a shadow on the St. Louis meeting, and sent Southern Baptists to their knees in prayer. Because all human beings are made in the image of God, Floyd said, the attack “is against each of us.”

Every pastor or leader who prayed from the platform during the meeting included Orlando in his prayer.

Baptists’ commitment to missions and evangelism also were on display in St. Louis, in mes-

sages preached at the Pastors’ Conference and through a joint presentation by the SBC’s two mission agencies that highlighted the role of the local church and individual Christians in taking the gospel to unreached communities.

And at the heart of the meeting was a show of humility by SBC leaders, as two men vying for the denomination’s presidency met before their run-off election, each telling the other one to take the post.

When Baptists dispersed from St. Louis, they left having unified around a new president, and having heard a call to urgency for and commitment to the gospel of Christ.

Good thing, because the stakes are historically high.

Grassroots participation

As pastors and churches struggle to navigate social change and growing lostness, the stakes are high for people in the pew as well, Floyd said.

“Our pastors and churches need you to be engaged more on Sundays than ever before,” he preached in his president’s address Tuesday morning. “But we also need you to intentionally integrate your faith on the front lines of culture.” In everything you do, no matter where you are.

Meredith Flynn

AMERICA’S CENTER – This convention center in St. Louis was the site of the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting June 12-15.

Van Payne

High Stakes, Higher Calling

OBSERVATIONS

On Greear’s surprise move

“I think it’s a huge step showing the SBC how it’s super important to be unified together. I think personally it’s a great step in humility for J.D. Greear to step away and withdraw from the race. I think that’s very telling, it really impacts me as a younger person.”

Continued from page 5

At the St. Louis meeting, everyday Baptists were urged to take the gospel to the communities as they live their everyday lives, and were shown examples of regular people who are doing just that.

During his agency’s presentation, North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell interviewed a group of church planters who have started new congregations in Iowa college towns and are moving next to Columbia, Missouri. On large video screens, meeting attenders heard from a college student planning to pay out-of-state tuition so she can be part of the new church in the state next door, and share the gospel with people who don’t know Christ.

“When you really get to it, we talk about the gospel more than we actually advance the gospel,” Floyd preached.

“After the awesome season of prayer on Tuesday night, perhaps we are already seeing the blessing of God in this God-honoring outcome. With more to come.”

If we had just one-fourth of the passion for evangelism that we have for American politics, SBC politics, theological discourse, blogging, and a whole host of things, we could change the world for Christ, Floyd said before adding, “I can’t be president again, so I might as well be honest.”

“I wasn’t expecting what J.D. Greear did, but I thought it was an act of tremendous grace….He’s probably proved himself to be a stronger leader of Southern Baptists down through the years. I thought it was a good act of grace and a good act of unity.”

– Brent Cloyd, director of missions,

the meeting in pictures

We must recapture a vision for evangelism, Floyd preached, starting in our own towns. “This is where it begins.”

Class action

Many thought the election of a new SBC President would signal whether it was time for a generation of older pastors to pass the baton. There were theological issues at play too: Two of the candidates for president—Steve Gaines, 58, and J.D. Greear, 43— are established leaders of different theological streams within the SBC.

In the end, age and theology differences gave way to the greater good. A first vote between Gaines, Greear, and third candidate David Crosby of New Orleans forced a run-off between Gaines and Greear. A second

vote was still too close to call, with Gaines narrowly edging Greear but not receiving the needed majority due to 108 disallowed votes. Greear announced Wednesday morning there was no need for another vote, because he was withdrawing his name from contention.

“Through this whole process, I’ve been praying for unity,” Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, posted on his website. “…If we go to a third vote, and one of us wins by one-half of one percent, it doesn’t matter which of us it is—it’s hard to see how that makes us a united body.”

After announcing his intention to withdraw, Greear received a long standing ovation from those in the convention hall. Floyd asked Greear to pray for Gaines and for the denomination, and messengers elected Gaines president by acclamation.

“I think it was a transcendent moment for the Convention because it

embodies the spirit of humility that we as Christians are called to have,” said Kevin Carrothers, pastor of Rochester First Baptist Church and president of the Illinois Baptist State Association. “I think it was welltimed. I think it was a God thing. So, I’m excited about moving ahead, and admire both men and respect their decisions, both willing to step aside for the sake of something bigger than them.”

At a press conference after the election, Gaines said he and Greear “both were sensing the Holy Spirit moving in the same direction.” As both men considered dropping out of the race, they met together with SBC leaders the evening before the third vote was to be taken.

“I looked at him and I said, ‘Man, you can have it,’” recounted Gaines, who pastors Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. “He said, ‘No, I want you to have it.’” The meeting prompted Gaines to remember Psalm 133:

Pauline Dawkins Cole of Orlando raises her hands in worship during the National Call to Prayer for Spiritual Leadership, Revived Churches, and Nationwide and Global Awakening at the annual meeting.

Modern-day hymn composers Keith and Kristyn Getty joined the praise band and choir from Cross Church, the northwest Arkansas multi-site church pastored by SBC President Ronnie Floyd.

Joined by Baptists onstage and in the audience, R. Marshall Blalock, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C., prays for racial unity during the Tuesday evening Call to Prayer.

WARM EMBRACE – Incoming SBC President Steve Gaines (right) is welcomed by outgoing President Ronnie Floyd (left) and J.D. Greear, moments after Greear withdrew his nomination for the post to avoid a divisive final ballot.

– Shaun Morecraft, Lakeland Baptist Church, Carbondale

– Steve Diehl, pastor, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Champaign

Greater Wabash Baptist Association

Bill Bangham

Matt Miller

Meredith Flynn Meredith Flynn

“How

“When the leaders are unified in the Lord Jesus Christ, it brings unity to the body,” Gaines said. As president, he plans to emphasize spiritual awakening, soul winning, and stewardship.

Greear encouraged his supporters also to exhibit a unified spirit. “The task for those of you who voted for me is not to complain that things didn’t go our way,” he posted the morning of his announcement. “It’s to follow the example of our Savior, who came not to be served, but to serve.

“It’s time for us to step up and get involved, to keep pushing forward and engaging in the mission with those who have gone before us. It’s time to look at what unites us.”

Munton elected

It took a little longer than expected for messengers to elect Illinois’ Doug Munton as First Vice President. Because Tuesday’s business proceedings ran over time, Munton’s election didn’t happen until Wednesday afternoon. The pastor of First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, who ran unopposed, told the Illinois Baptist the St. Louis convention was in some ways the most unusual one he’s been to, but also encouraging.

“God brought some unity, muchneeded unity, to our Convention. That’s encouraging for our future. I’m grateful for it, and hopeful because of it,” Munton said. “The Lord is obviously at work. He is not done with the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Also elected as officers were Malachi O’Brien, pastor of The Church at Pleasant Ridge in Harrisonville, Mo., as second vice president; John Yeats, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, to his 20th term as recording secretary; and Jim Wells, retired member of the Missouri Baptist Convention staff, to a 15th term as registration secretary.

The 2017 Southern Baptist Convention convenes in Phoenix June 13-14.

Racism addressed with firm action

Resolution urges no more use of Confederate battle flag

BY LISA SERGENT

The Southern Baptist Convention rejected use of an iconic Southern emblem, the Confederate battle flag still commonly seen in the South, because it is for many representative of slavery and ongoing racism against African Americans. The resolution states: “We call our brothers and sisters in Christ to discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole Body of Christ, including our AfricanAmerican brothers and sisters.”

Its passage by a considerable majority was met with enthusiastic applause.

The vote came after an impassioned plea by Georgia pastor and former SBC President James Merritt, himself the descendent of two Confederate war veterans.

“Make no mistake, this is a seminal moment in our convention,” said Merritt. “I believe God has brought the SBC to both the kingdom and our culture for such a time as this. What we do today with this issue will reverberate in this nation, not just today, but I believe a hundred years from now. This is not a matter of political correctness, it is a matter of spiritual conviction and biblical compassion.”

Merritt proposed an amendment which strengthened the resolution, and removed a phrase some had used about “honor(ing) their loved one’s valor.” He substituted language to “discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole Body of Christ, including our African-American brothers and sisters.”

The amendment passed. While not all messengers who spoke supported the resolution, the will of the Convention was clear: Southern Baptists have broken with the racism of their past. After statements in 1995 and the election of an African American president in 2013, some expressed hope the sins of the past are repudiated as well as the flag.

SBC President Ronnie Floyd chose the St. Louis convention, just a few miles from Ferguson, Missouri, as the place to discuss racial reconciliation. Convention week began with outreach ministry in Ferguson, site of riots in 2014 following the police shooting of a black teenager.

Floyd told convention messengers, “America is…experiencing a racial crisis. Any form of racism defies the dignity of human life. Regardless of the color of human skin, God has put his imprint on each of us…Racism is a major sin and stronghold in America.”

Floyd staged a panel discussion, a rarity in SBC business sessions, called “A National Conversation on Racial Unity in America,” with 10 leaders.

“I am absolutely, totally convinced that the problem in America can be put totally at the doorsteps of our churches,” said Jerry Young, president of a mostly African American denomination, the National Baptist Convention.

Young noted Christ told his disciples to be the salt and light of the world, and he said Christians are failing in the task. “I challenge you to know that the problem in America is a problem with the church being what God called it to be….Here’s what needs to happen in America: Somebody needs to pass the salt and turn on the lights.”

The panel discussed the killing of nine people at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina last year. “That racially motivated murder hurt all of us,” said Marshall Blalock, pastor of the mostly white First Baptist Church in Charleston. “The white community for the first time began to understand.”

Blalock noted, “The killer was a terrorist, he wanted to create fear and cause hopelessness. But he went to church where there is no room for fear, or hate, or hopelessness…Only

STARS AND BARRED — SBC messengers approved a resolution identifying the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of racism and urged its disuse. The action follows removal of the flag in many locations, such as the South Carolina state capital in 2015.

the gospel can eliminate racism.”

Kenny Petty, pastor of the Gate Church in St. Louis, said incidents such as the Charleston church shooting and police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., exposed an infection. “That wound opened up and it reeked.” Since the shooting, “there has been some healing (in Ferguson), but we’ve got a long way to go. We found out that infection didn’t just stop with the culture, it went on to the doorstep of the church.”

“What we need is the mind of Christ,” Young said. “If we want to change racism in our churches and America we’re going to have to change our attitude through Christ.”

President of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Russell Moore called the convention’s action “an extraordinary moment.”

“We watched a denomination founded by slaveholders vote to repudiate the display of the Confederate battle flag in solidarity with our African American brothers and sisters in Christ,” Moore said.

good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

New leaders, old friends: SBC President Steve Gaines of Memphis, Tenn. (right, with his wife, Donna) and First Vice President Doug Munton of O’Fallon, Ill. (with his wife, Vickie) take the stage near the conclusion of the 2016 annual meeting.

Meredith Flynn

Van Payne

CNN

Churches lead gospel outreach on Illinois side of the river

Mascoutah | Three months ago, Josef Latham was a self-described agnostic struggling with difficulties he didn’t know how to handle. He asked a friend what he should do, and she advised him to pray, believing God would hear him.

Her advice eventually led him to First Baptist Church, Mascoutah, where he accepted Christ during the week after Palm Sunday and was baptized on Easter.

On Friday, June 10, Josef shared his testimony at a community worship service hosted by the church as part of Crossover, the evangelistic outreach held before the Southern Baptist Convention each year. Mascoutah’s youth group spent the week painting pavilions at a local park and starting conversations with pool-goers and walkers.

They had some 300 conversations during the week, said youth pastor Matt Burton.

“I know that the person I was before I was saved, I would have never ever had the courage to reach out to these people, to speak like I did last

A week of outreach activities culminated with 80 VOLUNTEERS, a BLOCK PARTY, and a HEALTH FAIR at FBC Mascoutah. They were joined by teams from Sedalia, Mo. and Centralia, Illinois.

night,” Josef said Saturday at a block party culminating the week. “And I think there’s absolutely no way that it wasn’t Him.”

Through approximately 85 Crossover projects in Missouri and Illinois, 3,984 volunteers reported 8,379 gospel conversations, and 556 people accepted Christ.

Burton started planning for the church’s Crossover project late last year. The youth group has participated in World Changers projects the past several summers, so Burton planned a mission week based on that model: community service projects in the morning and worship in the evening, with evangelism training—based on the “3 Circles” guide to starting gospel conversations—in the afternoon.

When the church started sending teams to World Changers four years ago, Burton said, “We wanted to teach the kids that missions can be local.” This year, they decided to stay even closer to home.

“After four years and with the Convention coming to St. Louis, we said, ‘Let’s do something in Mascoutah,’” Burton said.

On Saturday, around 80 volunteers ran two outreach events simultaneously at the church: the block party, situated mostly under shade trees offering respite from the heat, and a health fair with 20 vendors inside the church building. A small mission team from Sedalia, Mo., partnered with the students throughout the week, and Eternity Baptist Church in Centralia, Ill., sent volunteers to help with the Saturday outreach.

Crossover is one part of an Acts 1:8 missions strategy Burton and Pas-

tor Duane Smith have put in place at FBC Mascoutah. “Praise God, the kids have great missions minds,” Burton said, describing how many students have participated in domestic and international mission projects.

“It’s really exciting just to see the boldness of some of these kids,” Burton said. Like 11-year-old Gracie Wood, for whom Mascoutah Changers and Crossover was her first ever youth event. At the beginning of the week, Burton said, she was tentative and shy. But by the last day, she was approaching people to ask how she could pray for them.

“I have no doubt some of these kids, whether they’re in vocational ministry or not, are going want to do

mission trips, are going to share the gospel.”

Josef Latham is already doing that. Taking time away to serve with his youth group all week strained some of his old relationships, he said, but he had the opportunity to encourage one of his friends to pray, just like someone told him once. And while he’s still working on how to start conversations that lead to the gospel, he was joyful for the opportunity to share his salvation story with his youth group.

It’s like youth leader Bonnie Bodiford told him: “You are the gospel now.” Jesus’s love for people made manifest in Mascoutah, and a story to tell there and beyond.

A Crossover volunteer shares the gospel with a local man at FBC Mascoutah’s block party.

Recently a Christian himself, Josef Latham, 16, shared his faith with people at his church’s Crossover block party.

Mascoutah Fire Chief Joe Zinck lets local residents try on firefighting equipment during the block party.

FACES OF THE FUTURE – A week of Crossover events organized by First Baptist Church of Masoutah in Metro East St. Louis were a year in the planning. Six local associations reported 85 projects, 8,379 gospel conversations and 556 professions of faith.

BURTON

Adam Covington

Meredith Flynn

Matt Miller

Meredith Flynn

Fun leads to faith in 85 community projects across the region

Fairview Heights | “The walk to the top was the hardest part,” Armando Fernandez said. “The ride down was easy.”

Fernandez, a Crossover volunteer from Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Fla., was describing the zip line ride at the Crossover block party at Sterling Baptist Church in Fairview Heights. His description was not unlike efforts to share the gospel in the Crossover evangelism events that took place on both sides of the Mississippi. Once you get started sharing the gospel, it’s easy.

“We’re in love with the metroplex,” said David Gray, Sterling’s pastor. It’s that love that inspired the church to be a Crossover ministry site. Student pastor Jesse Wilham, worked to lay the ground work for the evangelistic event.

Preparation is important. Whether it’s sharing the gospel story or planning an evangelistic event, the groundwork must be laid. Cooperation from a number of Christian ministries and agencies made it easy for volunteers to be placed in situations where they could share Christ.

The North American Mission Board paid for the zip line rides. Five hundred hamburgers and hotdogs were donated by a local company. A children’s ministry from Chicago provided drinks. The city of Fairview Heights loaned tents to the church. Gray said the local Chick-Fil-A even set up a stand “because the manager said they needed to be part of the event.”

People must be willing to share the gospel. Volunteers from churches in the St. Joseph Baptist Association in Missouri came to honor their former Director of Missions Clyde Elder,

who recently died of cancer. Alan Lane, a member of the team said Elder was a strong supporter of missions and evangelism. Last year Lane said, “He told our association we’re going to go to Crossover St. Louis. This is part of our desire to honor him.”

People also need to learn how to share the gospel. Lane said his team had wonderful conversations with people as they walked door-to-door, using the “3 Circles” method to share the gospel. Some they spoke with had lost loved ones and “really needed someone to talk to.”

Another member of the Missouri team was retired International Mission Board missionary Carolyn Houts, retired in 2011 after serving for 35 years in Ghana. She prayer walked with the team, witnessed to people, and had a table displaying items from Ghana. “I was coming to the WMU Annual Meeting and read about Crossover,” Houts said. “I knew I needed to apply to be on the team and come with them.” It was her first time to participate in Crossover, which she called a “good opportunity.”

The Idlewild church’s Hispanic ministries pastor, Eloy Rodriguez, said the team came to Illinois because “We’re doing what the Lord has asked us all to do. This is our Samaria.” In Acts 1:8 Jesus instructs his followers to share the gospel in their “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.”

Their church has made it a practice to prayerwalk their own community and others sharing Christ. “We’re doing what the Lord asked us to do, bring the Lord to the people,” said Lina Freeman.

The team arrived on Wednesday

night and started canvassing the neighborhood Thursday. “We were asking people if there was anything we could pray with them about,” Rodriguez said. “Many said they had recently lost loved ones. But, one man said, ‘Last Sunday, I was going to kill myself.’”

The man told Rodriguez he had been in his car and was going to drive into traffic, put pulled back when he realized he wouldn’t only be killing himself, but the people in the other cars as well. But the man said he still didn’t want to go on.

Rodriguez and his team shared the gospel and he accepted Christ as his

savior. Afterwards, “that guy gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever had,” Rodriguez said.

Down the street from the block party, the church hosted a soccer tournament, and Saturday night featured a concert by the praise bands from Anna Heights Baptist Church and Iglesia Bautista Latina in Effingham. A Sunday night concert by the Southern Gospel trio Sons of the Father capped off the Crossover weekend.

Gray said his goal was to reach 1,000 people through Crossover. By Sunday afternoon, 12 people had accepted Christ.

75 PEOPLE from eight churches representing FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, and MISSOURI came to help Sterling Baptist Church reach the diverse neighborhood around them—some 20,000 Anglo Americans, African Americans, Guatemalans, Puerto Ricans, and Nepalese for starters.

Catherine Corpus and Lina Freeman of Lutz, Fla., visit with SBC President Ronnie Floyd

“It took faith!” Beverly Carroll screams on the zip line during a block party in Fairview Heights. Her husband, Ronny, serves as director of missions for the Metro East Association.

Retired missionary Carolyn Houts shares treasurers from her 35 years’ service in Ghana.

Matt Miller

Lisa Sergent

Lisa Sergent Matt Miller

pulpiteering

Pastors’ Conference

Share the gospel, finish well

Speakers focus on single passage on evangelism

St. Louis | Speakers at the SBC Pastors’ Conference preached on one passage during the 2016 meeting in the Gateway City, diving deep into the apostle Paul’s instruction to younger church leader Timothy.

“Suffering goes hand-in-hand with our call, and God is calling us to embrace it for his glory and our joy.”

– Noah Oldham, August Gate, St. Louis

“We are not to be colorblind but colorblessed. People who say we should be colorblind are people whose color usually hasn’t been a disadvantage to them.”

– Derwin Gray, Transformation Church, Charlotte, N.C.

“Live This,” the theme of this year’s Pastors’ Conference, was taken from 2 Timothy 4:5-6, when Paul urges Timothy to “be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Ten preachers unpacked the Scripture passage, using their messages to urge leaders toward greater obedience, particularly in the area of evangelism, and to be mindful of the legacy they’re leaving.

Do the work

“The last thing the nations need is the exportation of nominal Christianity from North America,” International Mission Board President David Platt preached in a message on “do the work of an evangelist.”

In his post at the IMB, Platt says he sees much of the broader missions world that is “gospel-less and gospel-lite.” Debates about whether or not to call Jesus the Son of God when conversing with Muslims. Practices that minimize the call to Christ in the gospel, assuring people that they can be both Christian and Muslim.

Platt asked, What does that have to do with us?

“Missionaries are reflections of the pastors who train them and the churches who send them,” he said.

“If we preach a small view of God, people will have a small view of the gospel. If we preach a glorious view of God, people will have a glorious view of the gospel.”

“If God can just get you to remain under the pressure and not quit, and not give up, and not back up, and not shut up, but just keep going in his strength, for his glory, everything good is coming from that.”

– James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicagoland

Jimmy Scroggins preached on Paul’s proclamation that he had “poured himself out” for the task of evangelism. The West Palm Beach, Fla., pastor opened his message by describing his diverse community. His congregation, Family Church, was named the ninth fastest growing church by a magazine, Scroggins said, which is the way it ought to be, because they live in an area with a lot of people who are far from God.

But even with their fast growth, “we are not making a dent in the millions of lost people right there within a few miles of our church,” he said.

Looking at recent statistics from LifeWay Christian Resources, it’s apparent churches across the SBC are facing similar challenges, Scroggins added. He gave conference attenders four steps by which churches and leaders can pour themselves out for the task of evangelism, starting with investing in far-from-God people.

“God has not promised a future to Southern Baptists, he has promised a future to his church. The question is: Will we be part of the future of his church? Or will we ourselves embrace the inevitable decline that will come if we refuse to change?”

– Ed Stetzer, Billy Graham Center, Wheaton

Scroggins told the audience how, as a pastor in Kentucky, his church had been winning people to the Lord, but they were “nearly saved” people. In West Palm Beach, it was a different story. Some people may say evangelism just isn’t their lane, he said.

“If your lane does not take you and your church to far-from-God people, change lanes.”

Take them with you

As they looked at 2 Timothy, Paul’s final letter, several of the Pastors’ Conference speakers preached on endurance and legacy.

“Endurance is the funnel through which all Christian virtue flows,” James MacDonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicagoland told attenders during the conference’s first session. Noting Paul’s charge to Timothy to “endure hardship,” MacDonald warned pastors about five obstacles to endurance: loneliness, discomfort, conflict, rejection, and exhaustion. He shared advice he received when his church went through a particularly difficult conflict.

“Get low and stay low. Lean on the Lord as never before. Learn everything I can. Be loud about the things that God is teaching me, and silent about everything unfair, unkind, and untrue. And then finally, and maybe most importantly, leave the rest with God.”

Speaking during the final session of the Pastors’ Conference, Johnny Hunt also shared advice that has influenced his ministry. When he was in his 30s, Hunt said, Jimmy Draper, former president of the Baptist Sunday School Board, told him, “If Jesus continues to use you, bring the next generation with you.”

In the passage at the center of “Live This,” Hunt said, there is a selflessness in Paul’s concern for Timothy and the success of the gospel ministry after he’s gone. We never know when the race ends, said the pastor of First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., urging pastors to obedient action.

“It’s not the truth we know that changes us. It’s the truth we obey. We’re living in a generation of great knowledge. But the question that comes to my own soul: Is there equal obedience?” Hunt asked.

“It’s not what we know; it’s what we do with what we know.”

– With reporting by Baptist Press

SCROGGINS

LIFT HIGH THE CROSS – A giant cross is raised on the platform during the Pastors’ Conference. The text for the event was 2 Timothy 4:5-6.

Meredith Flynn

NAMB debuts relief resources

St. Louis | The North American Mission Board launched a new ministry initiative in St. Louis to help churches meet physical needs in their communities, and deliver help and hope in the process.

Send Relief, introduced at the mission agency’s annual luncheon during the Southern Baptist Convention, will focus on a few key areas of need and work with local churches to send resources into communities across the U.S.

“Absolutely every church can engage in compassion, mercy ministry,” NAMB President Kevin Ezell said at the Send luncheon, held in the Edward Jones Dome adjacent to the convention center. The packed luncheon had more attenders than the last St. Louis Rams home game, Ezell joked in his trademark style.

Flanking the stage were two mobile health units and a resource trailer that NAMB has outfitted to make compassion ministry a possibility in communities of all sizes. The mobile medical and dental clinics were mobilized to First Baptist Church, Ferguson, Mo., during Crossover, and NAMB hopes to outfit more to loan to churches, associations and state conventions.

In Ferguson, Crossover volunteers also distributed food, installed smoke detectors in homes, and held a block party.

“We saw dozens of professions of faith in Christ,” said David Melber, NAMB’s vice president for Send Relief. “One of the most encouraging things to me was to hear our volunteers talk about how they will engage their communities with Send Relief through their churches when they return home.” Also during the luncheon, Ezell noted this year marks the 50th anniversary of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the partnership with state conventions and local associations that sends volunteers into areas affected by natural disasters.

“As Southern Baptists, we’re never better than when we work together,” Ezell said, adding that that’s probably never better demonstrated than in Disaster Relief.

NAMB’s new logo, which resembles the “play” button on a DVD player, is based on the idea of getting people in motion—out of their church pews and into their community, Ezell said. Noting declining baptisms, he said, “We’re all concerned about baptisms, but it starts with every church being on mission…. We have to engage in our community.”

– With reporting by Baptist Press

Iowa pastor-blogger elected

Promises 2017 conference will focus on smaller churches

The Midwest pastor elected president of next year’s SBC Pastors’ Conference has pledged the lineup will represent small and medium-sized Southern Baptist churches.

“I am both excited and I’m terrified. Brutally terrified,” Dave Miller posted on the SBC Voices blog following the election. “The budget of this two-day event is pretty much the annual budget of my church. The logistics are a little bit more complicated than putting together a church potluck back home. But we are in this together and we are going to be looking to expand our circle. I believe we can do something that will be different. And in a good way.”

Miller was elected president of the Pastors’ Conference with just over 55% of the vote. John Avant, pastor of First Baptist Church Concord in Knoxville, Tenn., also ran for the post.

Miller, who is pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, and edits SBC

Voices, had written about a proposed new direction for the 2017 meeting in Phoenix prior to this year’s conference:

All conference speakers will lead Southern Baptist churches that are active in SBC work and affirm the Baptist Faith and Message (2000). No one who has spoken at the conference in the last five years will speak at the 2017 meeting.

Speakers will represent a diversity of geography, age, ethnicity, preaching style and perspective. There will be a focus on inviting pastors to speak who lead churches of 500 or fewer, Miller blogged in April, possibly up to 750. He also said speakers will preach verseby-verse through a shorter book of the Bible, or a segment of a longer book.

The 2017 SBC Pastors’ Conference is June 1112 in Phoenix.

ADAMS LEADS PANEL – IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams (left) moderates a panel on Baptist response to the Syrian refugee crisis and the Nepal earthquake. He is joined by Pat Meancon and Jeff Palmer of Baptist Global Response, missionary Rebekah Naylor, and Travis Hester of Kingdom Growers Coffee.

STARTING OVER – Pastor Scott Nichols tells how he led the replanting of congregations which became Crossroads Community Church in Carol Stream, Ill. He spoke at the NAMB Replant National Gathering.

SALUTE TO CHAPLAINS – Fire chaplain Rob Cleeton (right) of Medora, Ill. was one of the volunteer and military chaplains honored during opening ceremonies of the SBC annual meeting.

MILLER

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR – U.S. Navy veteran Bill McAnay of Wood River, Ill., was honored by SBC President Ronnie Floyd as one of 2,000 living survivors of the1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

TEAMWORK – The presidents of the SBC’s two mission boards chat after the luncheon announcing the launch of Send Relief compassion ministries. NAMB’s Kevin Ezell (left) and IMB’s David Platt also shared their missions presentation during the annual meeting. A motion by a messenger to explore merger of the two boards was ruled out of order for procedural reasons.

Miranda Johns Meredith Flynn

Adam Covington

Meredith Flynn

Chris Carter

Illinois gallery

The St. Louis SBC had a definite Illinois flavor, with 533 messengers from the state making their way to the Gateway City. The next-door meeting location gave all an opportunity to gather for a St. Louis specialty—gooey butter cake—and sweet fellowship with family at the IBSA Dessert Reception.

1. Doug Munton, pastor of FBC O’Fallon and candidate for SBC First Vice President (center) talks with FBC Machesney Park pastor Heath Tibbetts (left) and Steve Diehl, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Champaign.

2. Cheryl Dorsey of Beacon Hill Baptist Church in Chicago Heights and Marla Allen of Uptown Baptist Church chat at the IBSA Dessert Reception in St. Louis.

3. Almost 200 people turned out for the reception, which opened with prayer led by IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams and IBSA President Kevin Carrothers (at the podium).

4. Marshall Baptist Church, pastored by Paul Cooper (sixth from left) was well-represented at the Southern Baptist Convention.

5. Catching up on SBC news are (left to right) David Sutton, pastor of Bread of Life Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago and president of the IBSA Pastors’ Conference; Kevin Carrothers, pastor of Rochester FBC and IBSA president; Adron Robinson, pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills and IBSA Vice President; and Ron Gray, pastor of Connection Community Church in Chicago.

1. Vickie Munton, wife of FBC O’Fallon pastor Doug Munton, was president of this year’s Ministers’ Wives’ Luncheon, which included three tables of Illinois women and several others seated throughout the crowded hotel ballroom. 2. Lindsay McDonald, FBC Casey, (standing) chats with Sarah Jane Drury of FBC Bethalto. 3. IBSA’s Carmen Halsey (center) lunches with Stevi Smith of Bankston Fork Baptist in Harrisburg (left) and Stephanie Raczykowski from FBC Carmi.

illinois connections at the sbc ministers’ wives’ luncheon

SBC: IN FOCUS

Photos by Lisa Sergent and Meredith Flynn

Gaines wins, but so does Greear reporter’s notebook

There are three winners at the conclusion of the SBC presidential race: Steve Gaines takes the position and the responsibility; J.D. Greear takes the mantel as most Christ-like, and Southern Baptists leave St. Louis unified behind a single candidate.

Greear’s action, withdrawing his name from the race after two ballots failed to produce a winner, was a first for longtime observers of the convention. Greear guaranteed two things: many of his supporters who are young and are new to SBC life are more likely to stay engaged if they do not feel pushed out by the older, traditional constituency Gaines represents. And Greear guaranteed himself a place in SBC leadership for decades to come.

Would anyone be surprised if Greear ran unopposed in 2018? The 50% of SBC messengers who had backed Gaines could easily support in the next election the young man who did the very mature thing.

Deferring to the older candidate is also wise. Both Greear and Gaines cited the need for unity in the denomination. “For the sake of our convention and our mission, we need to leave St. Louis united,” Greear said.

Gaines said he, too, had considered withdrawing. He quoted a close friend who said to him after the first day of the annual meeting, “We’re in a mess, aren’t we.” After two ballots, Gaines was still four votes short of a majority, because 108 ballots were disquali-

fied by improper markings. Messengers at the best-attended convention in a decade or more were split right down the middle.

“It’s tricky,” Greear joked as he stepped to the podium to make his announcement, referring to a rap music video produced by a member of his church that some had construed as endorsements by several SBC-entity heads. The crowd laughed.

But it would be tricky to lead the denomination with the membership divided into two camps: established and traditional led by Gaines, and younger and Reformed epitomized by Greear.

For the sake of unity, Greear withdrew. At 43, Greear will likely have another opportunity to be SBC president. Perhaps at 58, it is Gaines’s turn. With his mid-South megachurch platform, Gaines is likely to lead the convention in renewed evangelism, which Ronnie Floyd and others have said is so vital.

And Greear has time to bring his half of the SBC populace into leadership to form a new mainstream and identity, rather than engage in a tug of war with the old guard over theology and tactics. “We are united by a gospel too great and a mission too urgent to let any lesser thing stand in our way,” he said.

The two candidates hugged on the platform, as Gaines was declared the winner by outgoing president Floyd. He could have as easily said, We all win. – DER

Everyone needed a badge

Due to new guidelines at this year’s Southern Baptist Convention, every messenger and guest was required to wear an official name badge in order to enter the main session hall. The new registration process was put in place to add an extra measure of security to the business meeting. It also had an additional positive effect: an SBC headcount that included all visitors to the meeting, instead of the usual messenger registration total.

Those long lines at the registration desk signaled an attendance higher than recent meetings: 7,321 messengers, plus 1,979 guests.

The attendants stationed at the door might have let young Lucy Flynn slide through in her stroller, but our friends in the press room were kind enough to provide credentials for our cub reporter.

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Season of service

Pat’s Playbook

Behind-the-scenes

QI used to be part of the inner circle of leadership. Now, I’ve been pushed to the edge. Any attempt I make to get involved is rejected. What would you do in my situation?

Campers on Mission plan summer projects devotional

people

Welcome

Chelsea Clark is the new IBSA accountant. The Central Illinois native earned her bachelors and graduate degrees from the University of Illinois in Springfield. Most recently, she worked as a staff accountant at CPA firm Sikich.

Ahron Cooney is the new youth and recreational pastor at Chatham Baptist Church. Originally from Pittsfield, where he served for eight years as youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Cooney is a graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville. He and his wife, Kathy, have two children, Jackson and Lillie Dale.

PAT PAJAK

AFirst, ask yourself, honestly, if you miss the position, title, respect, influence or control you once had, or do you miss the opportunity to serve. If your answer is truly, “I miss a place of service,” you don’t need a title! Just serve. Volunteer to do whatever is necessary to help things get accomplished, even if that means walking people in from the parking lot with an umbrella in the rain, or scrubbing the bathrooms on a Tuesday afternoon when no one else is around to see you serve.

Sing in the choir, take out the trash, volunteer to clean up after weddings, funerals, or youth events. Shovel snow, park cars, wash the church windows. You see, God recognizes real service from the heart. “Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart” (Ephesians 6:6 HCSB).

Political pawn

QThe mayor tells people he’s a member of our church, but he isn’t. He rarely attends, and most of us don’t like his politics. Should we ask him to stop staying he’s a member?

AAbsolutely! It’s time to write the mayor a letter on church stationery and send it by registered mail, informing him that you are aware of his actions and that while he is more than welcome to visit and/or join the church, you have a process for membership and for remaining an active member in good standing that he (like all other members) must follow. Include a pre-stamped response card in the letter and ask him to indicate if he is interested in joining. Tell him that the pastor and perhaps two or three deacons will visit him to discuss church membership. That ought to be enough to discover if he has a genuine interest in membership, or if he is just using the church name for his own political gain.

Pat Pajak leads IBSA’s Church Consulting Team. He has led churches of all sizes across Illinois. Send your questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

Palmyra | Illinois Campers on Mission hit the road again in May, partnering with Grace Baptist Church on a clean-out and remodel of the church’s basement. Around 20 Campers were in Palmyra for the project; the volunteers work free of charge and often stay in their own RV’s.

“A project that was supposed to take a couple of days took more than a week,” said IBSA’s Mark Emerson, “but the spirit of the workers was contagious. While many of the team sought to meet physical needs in the building, another group was seeking to meet spiritual needs. It didn’t take long for the town to start talking about what was happening at Grace Baptist.”

“God blessed us richly,” Camper on Mission Jan

Find more information on ministry positions at IBSA.org/connect

Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org

Kragness posted on Facebook after the Palmyra project. “Such a warm congregation!”

Pastor Jim Allen worked with the group every day. “The ladies of the church fed us too well,” Kragness added. “God is good and worthy to be praised.”

The Campers look next to Litchfield, where they will build two new Sunday school classrooms at Litchfield Southern Baptist Church. They’ll also hold two evangelistic worship services. In July, they’ll serve at the Baptist Children’s Home in Carmi, then a mission in Joliet in August. In September, they will hold their annual work week at Streator Baptist Camp. For more information about Illinois Campers on Mission, contact Don Kragness at (618) 983-5546.

Crossroads Church, Carol Stream, seeks an executive pastor who will work under the leadership of the senior pastor to ensure the church’s mission to make, baptize, and teach disciples is pursued with clarity, the church family is cared for with excellence, and the church’s resources are managed well. He will execute the vision, values, and strategies of the church through staff and volunteers, and according to plan and budget.

Proviso Missionary Baptist Church installed John Harrell as senior pastor on May 1. Harrell succeeds founding pastor Claude Porter. Proviso, located in the village of Maywood about 12 miles due west of downtown Chicago, was established in 1972.

In memory

Bro. Louis W. Brinker, 78, died May 26. The longtime pastor led several churches in Illinois during his ministry, including Simpson Missionary Baptist; Eastland, Metropolis; Grace, Granite City; and FBC Metropolis, where he also later served as minister to senior adults. Pastor Brinker, a member of FBC Metropolis, is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carol; three children; and six grandchildren.

For more information, go to crossroadschurch.us. Send resumes to XP@crossroadschurch.us.

Needed: Families of Faith Christian Academy, Channahon is seeking football equipment, including blocking sleds, tackling dummies, goal posts, lining equipment, etc. Contact Kenton Ayers at (815) 467-6846.

IBSA Summer Camps

What: “Our Amazing Race,” a week-long camp experience for kids and teens

June 19-23: Grades 3-6, 7-8; Lake Sallateeska

June 27-July 1: Grades 3-6, 7-12; Lake Sallateeska

July 5-9: Grades 3-6; Lake Sallateeska

July 18-22: Grades 3-6, 7-12; Streator Baptist Camp Register: IBSA.org/kids

June 28-July 2

Super Summer

What: Leadership training and discipleship for Christian students who have completed grades 6-12

Where: Greenville College, Greenville, Ill. Register: IBSA.org/students

July 27-30

Faith Community Nursing Certification Training

What: Training for registered nurses seeking to make a difference in their communities

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Cost: $100 course deposit; additional $80 due at the door Register: IBSA.org/women

August 4, 11, 18

Regional Leadership Training: Children’s Missions Education

What: Development and fellowship for missions leaders

Where: Aug. 4: IBSA, Springfield; Aug. 11: Friendship, Plainfield; Aug. 18: Marion, Church TBD

Cost: $5, includes lunch and materials Register: IBSA.org/kids

August 5-6

Coaching Clinic

dave says

Insurance for young couple

QMy wife and I are both in our early 20s, we’re debt-free, and we’re just a couple of months away from having a fully loaded emergency fund of six months of expenses. We both also have 401(k) plans at work, and we’re looking forward to starting additional investments later this year. Right now, we’re trying to decide on which life insurance policies to buy. I know you always recommend term insurance, but how long should the coverage last? Would you suggest 15-, 20-, or 30-year policies?

AWow, it sounds like you two are starting your lives together on the right foot. Congratulations on being super smart with your money!

July 11-15

Summer Worship University

What: Training in church worship, art and discipleship for students in grades 6-12

Where: Hannibal-LaGrange University, Hannibal, Mo. Register: IBSA.org/students

July 24-29

ChicaGO Week

What: Students in junior high through college serve alongside church planters in Chicagoland

Where: Judson University, Elgin, Ill. Register: IBSA.org/students

What: For leaders who want to increase productivity, better set goals, strengthen relationships, and learn coaching tools

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Cost: $25, includes Saturday lunch Register: IBSA.org/women

August 16

iConnect: The IBSA/ Pastors Meet-Up

What: Introduction to IBSA staff, ministries, training and opportunities, for pastors and church staff members

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Info: AlexisDumire@IBSA.org

August 20

IBSA Softball Tournament

Where: Rotary Park, Decatur

Info: AlexisDumire@IBSA.org

TEACHER. SHEPHERD.

Sunday School Resource Conference

IBSA Building, Springfield

Saturday, August 27

Time: 8 a.m. Registration

Event: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Cost: $10 (lunch & materials)

For more information, call (217) 391-3124; CathyWaters@IBSA.org

DAVE RAMSEY

How much house?

QBased on your annual income, how do you determine how much house you can afford?

I recommend 15- or 20-year level term policies, unless you have children. I’m assuming kids are not in the picture, since you didn’t mention any. Then, if you decide to grow your family at some point down the road, I’d advise converting those to 30-year term policies. The idea behind this is you want the insurance to be there to protect everyone in the family until the kids are out on their own and established.

In the meantime and in the years after, your continued saving and wealth building will lead you to a place where you and your wife are self-insured. Way to go, guys. I’m proud of you!

AI always tell folks never get a home loan where the monthly payment is more than a fourth of your take home pay. I’m talking about basing this on a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage. Twenty-five percent of your monthly take home pay is the absolute most you should have going out the door toward a mortgage payment.

I realize that’s a pretty conservative number in most people’s minds. You can actually technically qualify for almost twice that figure. But I think having that much of your paycheck going toward house payments is pretty dumb. Your shortest, quickest path to wealth is being debt-free. And when most of your money isn’t flying out the door to make payments on stuff, it’s easy to build wealth and increase your level of generosity! Financial advisor Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host.

“The school we adopted as a missions project sent a recent graduate to personally thank us.”

LEADER.

Bible study leaders serve more than one role. Here’s fresh insight on teaching and growing your small groups.

i lead

Lay it down

Before I was a pastor, I worked as an engineering manager in telecommunications. In that job, I was always looking for the next, better idea. When you learned something new, you kept it to yourself and hurried to get it patented.

But meeting Christ was a transformative moment in my life. I had been living totally for myself, and all of a sudden, God was calling me to give my life for the spiritual benefit—the success—of others. But first, I had to lay it all down—my pride, my selfishness, my ambition. I stopped holding my success so closely.

I couldn’t wait to pass on to others the things I learned about Jesus while walking with him.

Church needed here...

Location: Freeport (Stephenson County)

Focus: African Americans

Characteristics: There is only one church in Freeport, where approximately 15% of the population is African-American.

Prayer needs: Pray that God would call a church planter to reach out to Freeport residents with the gospel, and that from those reached for Christ, a church would begin.

Paul’s technique

BRIAN MCWETHY

Now, as a pastor, I have intentionally brought this approach to ministry: lay it down, then give it away.

A true leader doesn’t view leadership of others as competition, but as cooperation. We want to increase the impact of God’s kingdom, and to do that, we have to develop leaders. And to do that, we have to be willing to set ourselves aside. We ought to want the best for the people we lead. Even if that means they will one day surpass us.

This kind of servant leadership runs counter to what we see in the world, but it’s exactly what Jesus modeled.

At our church in northwest Illinois, we organize our leaders into “dream teams.” The name comes from the idea that we’re chasing the same dream—to see people become fully surrendered followers of Christ. To make that dream come true, we have to work as a team.

Each dream team is responsible for an area of our mission: women’s ministry, men’s ministry, children, media, missions, outreach, etc. When we train them, we don’t hold anything back. We equip them, empower them, and put people in positions to lead. As leaders, we want them to know we’re there to help, but the job is theirs to do. And we are willing, even eager, for them to surpass us as leaders. When they do, the whole kingdom is blessed, and Jesus gets the glory.

The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, and soon the summer vegetables will be coming in. Plan a farmer’s market on the church parking lot or town square. Invite truck farmers and home gardeners to share their produce. Offer free coupons to those who can’t afford fresh veggies. If there’s a low-income neighborhood near the church, move the whole thing over there.

Calling Kellie Pickler

Ask the home economists in the church to give lessons in canning, pickling, and preserves. A day in the church kitchen will create community. Open it up to young neighbors whose grandmas didn’t hand down the gift of canning. Invite everyone back for a blue-ribbon ceremony in the fall.

Fishers and men

While the ladies are in the kitchen, send the guys out to drown some worms. Organize a multi-generational fishing trip to a nearby lake or river. It’s a great opportunity to reach out to men and boys who aren’t keen on churchy stuff. Have a devotional on “fishers of men.” Bring the catch back to church for a fish fry.

Resource magazine has lots of good ideas for summertime outreach. Read online at Resource.IBSA.org (pages 14-16), or get your free copy by emailing Communications@IBSA.org.

“The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands” (Acts 17:24).

Paul was deeply troubled by the idolatry of Athens, so he engaged this city of “wisdom” with the good news of Jesus and his resurrection. This led to an invitation to speak with the philosophers and wise men of the day. He met them where they were. He told them about the one true sovereign God, who commands all people to repent and to trust Jesus for eternal life before the day of judgment.

KEVIN CARROTHERS

In the midst of an artisans’ market in Santiago, Dominican Republic, I struck up a conversation with an artist. He explained how nature served as the inspiration behind his creations. Like Paul, I told him about the Great Designer, God, who created all things including him. As we continued to talk, he asked more questions about God and shared some of the struggles he had in life. We walked through the Bible from creation to Christ.

As he heard the truth about our fallen sinful nature and that our only hope was in Jesus, he asked how he could have this new life in Christ. That day he asked the Lord to forgive him and give him eternal life.

PRAYER PROMPT: Heavenly Father, help us to meet people where they are and share the hope found in Jesus. Amen.

Kevin Carrothers serves as pastor of Rochester FBC and President of IBSA.

Pastors, join the IBSA Pastors’ Prayer Room on Facebook. E-mail oweaver7307@ gmail.com.

Brian McWethy is an IBSA zone consultant and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Amboy.

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