March 24, 2014 Illinois Baptist

IB Insider

Name your own Cooperative Program Sunday page 4

The BIG Pic: Baptists in the Holy Land page 3

Small ones urged to dream big

Does your church really pray? page 5

B101: ‘Father ’ God in a fatherless society page 14

Pat Pajak vs. Crabby Appleton

page 15

News and updates

Throughout the week:

facebook com/IllinoisBaptist twitter.com/IllinoisBaptist pinterest.com/IllinoisBaptist vimeo.com/IBSA www.IBSA.org

Sign up for the weekly eConnection at www IBSA org/Communications

Kids try hands-on missions in nine cities

I l l i n o i s | One by one, kids told their Children’s Ministry Day stories in brief, honest sentences

“We raked up gum balls, and not the kind you chew,” said Gavin

“It made me feel really happy, because I love cooking and I love helping people,” said Elana, who helped cook a meal for families at Springfield’s Ronald McDonald House

Ella, a volunteer from Pittsfield, answered a question about whether her

yard work crew had stayed positive during the day: “We mostly did it with a good attitude ”

Kids and their leaders served across the state March 15 through Children’s Ministry Day, a one-day missions experience that culminates with a celebration service at each project site In Springfield, Gavin, Elana, Ella and others shared about the projects they did this year, which marked the fourth annual Children’s Ministry Day in Illinois

Who’s leading the charge?

Gay marriage gains support in courts, public opinion

Same-sex marriage is not being tried in the court of public opinion. It’s being tried in the courts and public opinion And the latest evidence is it’s winning in both sectors

Same-sex marriage is legal in 17 states And, one way or another, it’s pending in the remaining 33

Even in states where marriage is legally limited to one man/one woman, there is a growing sense that pending court decisions will force recognition of gay marriages performed in other states

At the same time, new polls show a majority of Americans support recognition of same-sex marriages

The ABC News-Washington Post poll shows 59% of Americans say they support same-sex marriage (34% are opposed), and 50% say the U S Constitution already guarantees homosexuals the right to marry (41% say it does not)

In states that prohibit same-sex marriage, 53% of those surveyed favored allowing it; 40% remained opposed Support for same-sex marriage is lowest among Republicans (only 40% approve), and among conservatives and evangelical Protestants at one-third or less

The Post’s analysis of its polling is that “support for same-sex marriage has changed more rapidly than almost any social issue in the past decade ” In March 2004, only 38% of respondents said same-sex marriage should be legal, and 59% said it should not

In all this polling, the generation gap is noteworthy Younger people of every political and religious view were more likely to favor legalizing gay marriage For example, a Pew survey found 61% of young Republicans under age 30 supported samesex marriage

Continued on page 3

Created by national Woman’s Missionary Union, the day of service for kids has taken on a life of its own in Illinois Nearly 1,100 children, leaders and volunteers representing 75 churches served at nine locations around the state this year

mission illinois

New goals sharpen 2015 IBSA planning

Springfield | When the air above is turbulent, you sometimes choose to fly at a little lower altitude for a while That’s how IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams described his approach to the current funding and staffing challenges many state conventions are facing While nationally Cooperative Program giving has continued a gradually downward trend, missions giving in Illinois has leveled out and started an upward tick since churches first felt the fallout of economic decline in 2009

And while other state conventions have found it necessary to cut staff and

Continued on page 2

CHILD-LIKE FAITH – Kids serving on Children’s Ministry Day pray over baby Nina at Angels’ Cove Maternity Center in Mt. Vernon. Photo by Carla Donoho

BRIEFING the

Franklin Graham on Putin’s policies

America has “abdicated our moral leadership,” Franklin Graham wrote in this month’s issue of Decision Magazine The son of evangelist Billy Graham said that converse to the current U.S. administration, Russian President Vladimir Putin is right to want to protect his country’s children from a homosexual agenda (Graham’s comments came before Russia’s controversial action in Crimea )

“To be clear, I am not endorsing President Putin,” Graham wrote “ His enemies say he is ruthless To some, he is a modern version of a czar His personal life has its own controversies

“Isn’t it sad, though, that America’s own morality has fallen so far that on this issue – protecting children from any homosexual agenda or propaganda – Russia’s standard is higher than our own?”

KJV is king of translations

Americans read the King James Version of the Bible more often than any other version, according to a new national survey on “The Bible in American Life ” The research, from the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, found just over half of Americans (50 2%) read Scripture in the past year, and 17% of those did so daily The KJV was read most often by 55% of respondents, followed by the NIV at 19%

Bible Drill for the digital age

There’s an app for that – Scripture memorization, that is The Georgia Baptist Convention has developed a Bible Drill app for smartphones and tablets designed to help kids learn verses and review Bible books

“We hope to have a whole new generation of children who will have a passion for studying God’s Word,” said GBC state missionary Maria Brannen. The app is available from iTunes for $0 99

First VP candidate named

North Carolina pastor Clint Pressley will be nominated for the office of first vice president at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting this June in Baltimore Pressley pastors Charlotte’s Hickory Grove Baptist Church and currently is vice president of the SBC Pastor ’s Conference

“I love the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said “I’m thankful for the work of NAMB and IMB, and I want to keep supporting the convention I want to see more younger guys getting excited about the work of our convention and how we do missions – whether it’s in North America or around the world ”

Your mood in tweets

Twitter can tell us a lot about ho people are feeling, according to da released by the social media giant this month. The network analyzed words used in tweets throughout 2013, noting when “feeling sad” occurs most often (December Sundays and October Mondays), as well as when users are “feeling happy” (Tuesdays in December or January)

Twitter measured tardiness too: Users were most likely to tweet “late for work” on Wednesdays and Fridays in January, and Monday through Wednesday in July

Board approves new goals, additional CP gift

Continued from page 1

services in response to the economy or reduced financial support from the North American Mission Board, IBSA has managed through restructuring and conservative budgeting to avoid significant reductions in services Deployment of IBSA zone consultants across Illinois helped offset personnel losses in regions where NAMB no longer funds jointly supported associational directors of missions “I hope we’ll have more resources and increase altitude again in the future,” Adams said “For now we’re learning to operate at a lower altitude ” Adams reported to the IBSA Board of Directors March 4 that Cooperative Program giving in Illinois in 2013 was $6,396,037, coming in at 98 4% of the projected $6 5 million Still, conservative budgeting combined with frugal spending allowed IBSA to finish the 2013 fiscal year with healthy income over expenses, and the Board affirmed Adams’ recommendation to send an additional national CP gift of $31,980 19, matching the state association’s highest percentage giving of 43 75% for the second consecutive year “We feel this extra gift gives us a creative way to effectively give a higher percentage, and it communicates our heart to send more beyond Illinois,” Adams wrote to Executive Committee President Frank Page “Percentage wise, it’s more than Illinois has ever done before We are celebrating that as we are grateful for the Lord’s provision ”

For 2015, the Board affirmed a Cooperative Program goal of $6 6 million, the same as 2014 Distribution will remain at the current rate, with 56 75% remaining for use in Illinois, and forwarding 43 25% to the national SBC for international missions, North American missions, and seminary education

Some of the positive notes in the 2013 report:

• Baptisms in Illinois totaled 5,063, up from the previous year and going against the national downward trend

• Worship attendance in all IBSA churches is up to 79,707 on the average Sunday, after two years of slight decline

• Sunday school is steady

• Participation in mission trips by IBSA church members shows good growth, up 16% from two years ago.

Church-centric and flexible

In the meantime, this era of belt-tightening has produced clearer objectives for ministry in Illinois

A matrix of 12 goals in 2013 was reduced to five in 2014, and Adams presented four major objectives to the Boar as his guidelines for planning in 2015 and beyond They are: Develop leaders, inspire cooperation, stimulate church health and growth, and catalyze evangelistic church planting and missions These, Adams said, are designed to make the goals of IBSA more “churchcentric,” not just measuring the activities of IBSA staff, but the health of IBSA churches

To meet these new goals, the IBSA staff structure will be realigned in 2015:

• Church Resources (combining current Church Strengthening and Missions teams) and

• Church Consulting (focusing on zone consultants’ support of local associations and churches)

The three remaining teams, Church Planting, Church Communication, and Church Cooperation (formerly the Business Team) will also have their work prioritized to be even more “church-centric ”

This structure is designed to help IBSA be both “high tech” and “high touch” with the churches, Adams said IBSA will provide more downloadable and online resources for equipping church leaders, and offer on-site coaching and men-

– Give thanks for the men and women who serve on the IBSA Board Pray they will "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3) as they seek to discern a new set of church-centric goals for our better-together work across Illinois

toring relationships for their professional and spiritual development

“We need to be more versatile and elastic in our structure,” Adams said “This will allow IBSA to be better prepared for a variety of potential economic conditions and levels of deminational support in the xt few years ”

Adams expressed optimism about the future

“While we are blessed with great confidence and support from the churches, we need to continually and compellingly make the case for the kingdom work we do together in this Illinois mission field

“IBSA is who we are, and Mission Illinois is what we do,” he said. “These are tough days, both economically and culturally, and both for churches and associations of churches But I’m optimistic that we’ll be gaining altitude again soon ”

Other actions

The Board received a report from the Resource Development Committee that the Springfield property under consideration as an IBSA site for a leadership development center had been sold by the current owners in December As no other site was under consideration, the ad hoc committee studying the possible acquisition by IBSA is not needed and will be disbanded IBSA staff will continue to explore how leader development activities may be conducted at facilities IBSA already owns in Springfield, Streator, and Lake Sallateeska, or at rented facilities if that proves needed

The Board received the resignation of member Lanny Faulkner due to illness in his family

JOYFUL MOMENTS – Board member Larry Wells (at the podium) shares a report as Board chair Chip Faulkner (standing), IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams, vice chair Tami Saebeler, and secretary Mark Davis look on A snow covered church ornament (below) symbolizes Southern Baptist churches in the north

Marriage map in flux as judges weigh in

Legal same-sex marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships

State law or constitution defines marriage as being between a man and a woman Federal judge ruled last month that officials in Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states

On March 16, federal judge asked Tennessee to recognize out-of-state marriages of 3 same-sex couples while state’s ban is appealed

BIG Pic ture

Baptized in the Jordan

Marriage, continued from page 1

The question arising in recent weeks is whether public opinion is driving the courts or if the courts are driving public opinion And this: Have we reached the tipping point?

In six of the nation’s 11 federal appellate courts, legal challenges involving same-sex marriage are pending that could eventually go the U S Supreme Court

4th Circuit, Virginia: A lower court struck down Virginia’s amendment that prevents gay couples from marrying Opening arguments are set for the week of May 12

5th Circuit, Texas: A Texas court ruled the state’s ban on marriages for same-sex couples was unconstitutional The governor is appealing No court date set

6th Circuit, Kentucky: A federal judge ordered the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state The state attorney general refused to appeal, saying emotionally he had prayed about it and it was the right thing to do The governor said he will use outside attorneys to appeal No court date set

Ohio: A federal judge ruled Ohio must recognize the out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples in the case of couples being listed as “married” on death certificates Briefs due April 10

7th Circuit, Illinois: A federal judge ruled same-sex couples can marry now, even before the June 1 date the state’s law takes effect Attorney General Lisa Madigan concurred No appeal has been announced

9th Circuit, Nevada: The state announced it will not defend its ban on same-sex couples marrying, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s partial strike of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) April 9 oral arguments were cancelled, will be rescheduled

10th Circuit, Oklahoma: A federal judge ruled the state’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional

Oral arguments April 17

Utah: 1,000 couples married after a federal judge ruled the state’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional, then refused to stay his ruling until an appeal could be heard Oral arguments April 10

And then there’s the issue of the rights of Christian service providers to refuse the business of gay couples, with the proposed Arizona law as chief example In February, the governor refused to allow the bill, which would have protected business owners based on their religious convictions, to become law.

In all these cases, no strong Christian response seems to have arisen The window for Christians to file suits or to urge their state governments to pursue legal action is a brief one The cases are moving quickly to court, and no organized effort to participate, as in the early days of the pro-life movement, has materialized

What is happening now is the waiting – waiting for one of these cases to reach the U S Supreme Court, and for the Court to rule on whether same-sex marriages performed in one state must be recognized in all states

As New York Times columnist Ross Douthat concluded in a March 1 column titled “The Terms of Our Surrender”: “We are not really having an argument about same-sex marriage anymore, and on the evidence of Arizona, we’re not having a negotiation Instead, all that’s left is the timing of the final victory – and for the defeated to find out what settlement the victors will impose ”

Israel | Pat Pajak just got back from his 13th trip to the Holy Land “Every time I’ve gone, a different location has meant something special,” said IBSA’s associate executive director for church strengthening Pajak led a group of 44 Illinois pastors and wives to Israel earlier this year

“In the past it’s been Golgotha, the Garden Tomb, Bethlehem, and the Mount of Beatitudes,” Pajak recalled “But this time, it was on the Sea of Galilee where we worshiped and sang

on an ancient boat ” There were very few dry eyes, he said

As the group explored the places Jesus walked, they also learned about new archaeological discoveries, like the gate where Abraham is believed to have paid tithes to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:20) “I was reminded of how absolutely accurate and truthful the Word of God is,” Pajak said “These discoveries just helped to solidify that once again!”

s e c t i o n s i n e a c h B1 0 1 t o g u i d e a d u l t m i s s i o n s s t u d y , B a p t i s t d o c t r i n e s t u d y , o r a s p a r t o f m i dw e e k p r a y e r m e e t i n g s .

The

Tim Lewis (center) is baptized in the Jordan River by his brother, Larry, and fellow Illinois pastors Curt Ebert and Randy Hayes during their recent tour of the Holy Land

Nate Adams

A tune worth carrying

ur youngest son, Ethan, recently mentioned to his mom and me that he had heard a couple of great new Christian songs he really liked We asked what they were, hoping that we had been listening to enough Christian radio to perhaps recognize them Imagine our surprise when the songs he named were 100-year-old hymns

We couldn’t help but show our disbelief “Have you never heard those hymns before?” we asked “Have you not been in churches that sang either of those?”

Perhaps he had, we decided, but apparently not often, or not at a time that he remembered As we then reviewed the churches our family attended since Ethan was born, we realized that each of those churches had a contemporary worship style, or at least a blend of contemporary music and hymns Therefore, hymns that I know by heart, sometimes even by page number, have become almost lost treasures to my son

Music is just one example of the things in church life that sometimes need to evolve over time in order to stay r new generations But as my son’s for old hymns illustrates, sometim treasures that have lasting value simply because we have not prope tained them, or passed them along fectively

Cooperative missions giving is one of those time-proven treasures that I fear we risk losing in

the next generation if we do not more intentionally teach its value and practice its power As with hymns, we may be assuming that what we have known so well by heart will always be with us, even if we’re not rehearsing it regularly with new church leaders and members

That’s one reason many Southern Baptist churches set aside one special Sunday in April to inform and educate their church members on the incredible, week-after-week power of our ongoing missions support system known as the Cooperative Program This year the national Cooperative Program promotion Sunday is April 13, but since that happens to fall on Palm Sunday, many churches may choose another nearby date for this emphasis

Whether it’s April 13 or some other time, intentionally educating everyone in the church about Cooperative Program missions is extremely important

Church members need to understand that the Cooperative Program portion of their church budget provides foundational support for thousands of faithful ist missionaries, throughout North America around the world. They need to know that dreds of people groups in more than 150 ntries are receiving the Gospel through these

missionaries, and that thousands of new churches are being planted as a result Right here in North America, more than 900 new churches are being established each year, and coordinated ministries such as Disaster Relief help place thousands of Southern Baptist volunteers and chaplains right in the middle of people’s deepest physical and spiritual needs

Cooperative Program giving helps make theological training at six world-class seminaries affordable for tomorrow’s pastors, church staff, and missionaries And it gives us an important voice in the culture through the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the SBC Executive Committee Right here in Illinois, CP helps train more than 23,000 leaders each year, and start 25 new churches

There are lots of good resources at www IBSA org/CP and www sbc net to help church members understand how the CP works, and, more importantly, how many lives are being transformed through it as the Great Commission is advanced There are short videos to use in worship services or small groups, and well-designed print pieces ranging from bulletin inserts to multiple-page articles.

Many of us may assume that, like a treasured hymn, the Cooperative Program will always be there, always fueling the most effective and far-reaching missionary system in history But that will only happen if we consistently and continually teach new generations of church leaders to carry the tune

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

If there is any swordplay between the dominant camps at the Southern Baptist Convention this summer, it will likely be in the vice presidential races Reformed leader Al Mohler announced he will reach across the aisle and nominate for the SBC presidency Arkansas pastor Ronnie Floyd, who is not known as a Calvinist So, dueling will be consigned to lower ranks And the first candidate has stepped forward

Clint Pressley of North Carolina will be nominated for first vice president What’s interesting is that it was Pressley who nominated Mississippi pastor Eric Hankins for second vice president in 2012

Hankins is the author of a document called “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation ”

The document was a response to the rise of Calvinist theology in the Convention That bubbling debate cooled only when Executive Committee President Frank Page invited Hankins, Mohler, and 17 others to join him in a study group seeking a peace between the sides and avoidance of a schism

Hankins was not elected second vice president He and another candidate were defeated by a surprise nominee, Iowa pastor and blogger Dave Miller Miller ’s nominator had posited him as a less divisive alternative

Hankins exited the platform that year, but has remained active in the discussion of SBC polity and theology Now, Pressley returns, not to

nominate, but to be nominated

That’s not at all surprising

From a seat two rows behind them in Hebrew class, it was clear these young men were headed somewhere Tall, sharp, and confident, in the football-player way, Hankins and Pressley went through college together as best friends At seminary, they were a better-behaved version of Butch and Sundance They were young men on life’s adventure as friends, role models, family men, pastors of ever-larger churches And apparently, they were instrumental at the start of a movement to recapture “traditional” as a theological position worth holding and an identity worth upholding

One started the race; we’ll see if the other can carry the torch on the next lap

One more development on the traditional front: A group calling itself Connect 316 announced its first meeting to be held during the Convention Offering their network as an alternative to “Calvinist-leaning” groups such as the Founders Ministry, 9 Marks, and Acts 29, they claim the theological tradition of Herschel Hobbs and Adrian Rogers In other words, “traditionalists ”

A friend of mine is looking forward to the Convention in June She wants to see if Pressley will again make an appearance in his seersucker suit The summer staple of Southern lawyers was an old-time favorite of preachers, too Could seersucker, and traditionalists, make a comeback in Baltimore?

Nearing the one-year anniversary of her son’s suicide, Kay Warren, wife of Saddleback megachurch pastor Rick Warren, chided people who are saying a year’s grief is enough Here is an excerpt:

“Here’s my pl Please don’t ev tell someone to grateful for wh they have lef until they’ve had a chance to mourn what they’ve lost It will take longer than you think is reasonable, rational or even right But that’s OK True friends – unlike Job’s sorry excuse for friends – love at all times, and brothers and sisters are born to help in time of need (Prov 17:17 LB)

“The truest friends and ‘helpers’ are those who wait for the griever to emerge from the darkness that swallowed them alive without growing afraid, anxious or impatient

“They don’t pressure their friend to be the old familiar person they’re used to; they’re willing to accept that things are different, embrace the now-scarred one they love, and are confident that their compassionate, non-demanding presence is the surest expression of God’s mercy to their suffering friend

“They’re ok with messy and slow and few answers and they never say ‘Move on ’”

Warren’s Facebook post received 1 5 million views in the first five days

Voices

My job and the Gospel

Looking around my middle school classroom in Springfield, I’m struck by how different it is than where I was eight months ago, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of eastern Kentucky

Or five months ago, when I was immersed in the bright and flashing lights of New York City

After college, I decided to take a season of my life and do fulltime ministry I spent two years in Kentucky working with at-risk kids I followed that up with a few months in Brooklyn, learning about ministry in an urban context I came back home to Illinois in November and felt called to live out a personal dream: becoming a teacher I received an exciting job offer to teach current events to sixth, seventh and eithth graders

My classroom isn’t as scenic as the mountains or the city, but it’s certainly a mission field

Going from a mission-minded environment to a secular workplace was a big jump for me In many ways it was one of my biggest life challenges I went from being surrounded by those who have the same eternal goal in mind, to working with people who have lots of different goals I quickly learned that the “harvest is plentiful but the workers are few ” But God has given me opportunities to share the Gospel

One of the first things I noticed among my co-workers was that the environment in my school was very neg-

ative I started writing encouraging notes to the teachers on my team as well as the administrative staff My coworkers quickly took notice of that and sought me out to talk about their struggles A before-school prayer meeting started up again. People are more positive now I realized that sharing the Gospel starts with the small things, and God can take those small things and transform a school

The most valuable part of my job is getting to know my students and letting them know I care about their needs Even though I’m not allowed to say, “Christ has a future for you,” I can give positive feedback and point them toward their strengths

One student recently was placed in my room for a behavior problem. He quickly got bored, so I gave him the simple task of fixing my three-hole punch He liked that I gave him some attention and that he was able to accomplish this task for me We’ve had a positive relationship since then, and he knows that I care about him and want him to do better in school

Even with the challenges this new workplace brings, I have been constantly reminded that Christ is in control, and that the real mission field lies in our schools and regular workplaces People with needs are crying out and, for us who are Christians, being able to step into those places and bring the Gospel is an honor

Carrie Campbell is a member of Delta Church in Springfield How does your job intersect with the Gospel? Tell us in 500 words: MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

As Pope Francis approaches his one-year anniversary, Pew asked: Do you think Pope Francis represents a major change in direction for the Catholic Church?

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers ” Acts 2:42

Baptist prayer lists are where requests go to die How many times have you looked at the prayer list at your church and said, “Who’s that person?” Most of us have come across the request that was once pressing and now forgotten. Oft times I have asked someone about a previous request, only to watch them stare at me blankly I suddenly realize I’ve prayed about their request more than they have

The problem isn’t really with the prayer list, but our listless prayers

The early believers in Jerusalem devoted themselves to many areas that Southern Baptists pride ourselves on today We are known for our devotion to strong biblical teaching and to friendly, fried fellowships. But how devoted are we in our personal prayer lives?

We can never have a praying church without a praying membership

has been a time for prayer – not simply saying we’re going to pray, but actually going and being seen and guiding other people to pray.”

This is the work of the church God didn’t call us to be a house of activity, but a house of prayer in Isaiah 56:7 Churches must begin praying with expectation, waiting to see God move The great call of the church is to call on God

should see prayer going on all over the church I was greatly encouraged a few weeks ago when I saw a hurting family being prayed for by one of our church leaders in the hallway This needs to happen more Stop saying, “I’ll pray for you,” and instead say, “Let’s pray ”

The word “devoted” in Acts 2:42 indicates the church prayed with expectation and then waited for results Many of these new believers had rarely heard prayer outside the temple and now they had direct access to the Father through Jesus, their great high priest Prayer was now powerful and personal and they became praying people building a praying church

It still happens today As we watch from half a world away, Ukraine is mired in difficult days And yet IMB worker Shannon Ford, who lives in the capital city of Kiev, gives this report: “The response from the churches has been fantastic It really

So, how do we make this shift, and how can we tell if we’re even getting close?

First, we must never assume people in our churches are praying Luke 11:1 tells us of Jesus completing His prayer time and being asked by his disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray ” These were guys who had grown up in church, and they had no idea how to talk to God

Ask people about their prayer lives, and encourage them by praying with them and for them I’ve even found sending a quick text, Facebook message, or e-mail can be a great way to encourage fellow believers to make time for prayer

And secondly, pray! I believe we

The greatest encouragement I can provide as you examine your own church is in Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words ”

Even a praying church is a credit to the work of God

Don’t just take prayer requests, but truly pray Let people know you’re praying for them, and take the opportunity to rejoice together when God moves in a request Let us no longer pray because it’s scheduled, but because we’re moved And watch us make that subtle, but powerful, turn from a church that prays to a praying church!

Heath Tibbetts is pastor of FBC Machesney Park, Ill

Carrie Campbell

Heath Tibbetts

‘Making a splash’ on Children’s Ministry Day

Continued from page 1

This year ’s theme, “Make a Splash,” came from Matthew 10:42, where Jesus says, “And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple – I assure you: He will never lose his reward!”

Children’s Ministry Day is now IBSA’s most successful mission involvement activity, said Mark Emerson, who leads the organization’s missions team The event has grown in number of locations and participants each year since 2011, when he organized the first set of projects in Springfield Local associations began hosting the projects last year, and the service day expanded to nine cities in 2014, including first-time locations Bridgeport, Chicago, Decatur, Granite City and Peoria.

“I think more churches identify that this is a high impact project with an easy engagement possibility,” Emerson said “The logistics of the day are already complete, so all the church has to do is to figure out how to get the kids enlisted, and get the kids to the event ”

Pastor David Brown has led kids from his church, Dow Southern Baptist, to Children’s Ministry Day each

of the last four years Standing outside an urban ministry center in Springfield, he recalled each of their projects: making baby blankets, baking cookies for police officers, visiting with nursing home residents, and this year, raking leaves and sorting donated supplies

“This is one of the best events that we can do, because we’re starting at a foundational age,” Brown said His fourth grade daughter, Cameryn, accompanied him to Springfield this year and has participated in every Children’s Ministry Day

“And if they fall in love with serving when they’re kids,” Brown said, “they’re going to keep serving when they’re teens, and hopefully when they’re adults and grandparents. It’s foundational; it’s what the church is all about ”

Helping people is a bonus, Brown said, but days like this are really about growing the church The teenagers at Dow Southern are planning to go on their first World Changers mission trip this summer to Cincinnati

“We’ve done a couple of just individual mission trips, but they’ve never been the big organized ones,” Brown

said “It’s coming out of the group that said, ‘Well, we did Children’s Ministry Day, what are we going to do now?’”

The day is certainly about expanding the kingdom through service, but it’s also an opportunity to teach kids spiritual truth. Rob Gallion kicked off the Springfield location with a devotional about Jesus washing the disciples feet In simple terms, he explained that that’s what the kids would be doing during the day

The event can also serve as a jumping off point for churches that want to implement more missions involve-

ment and awareness, Emerson said “We will follow up with the churches that attend, and seek to connect them to mission education possibilities in their church ”

Any church interested in starting a new missions organization can receive six months of curriculum free from national Woman’s Missionary Union through IBSA Contact MarkEmerson@ IBSA org for more information

SPRING CLEANING – Young volunteers from Calvary Baptist Church in Pittsfield spruce up the Minnie O'Beirne Crisis Nursery in Springfield Photos by Scott Slone, Joanna Samples, and Meredtih Flynn

MIX IT UP – Children’s Ministry Day participants at Resurrection House Baptist Church made food to deliver to a local nursing home and to Chicago-area police officers and firefighters

SPECIAL DELIVERY – Kids in Carbondale delivered goodies to a local hospital while (left) Jaide Soppe, 8, helped make blankets for a Springfield shelter

Higher Learning

Christian colleges set higher standards based on a biblical worldview

Chances are the mailbox watching has already started

This is the season when high school seniors across the country wait to find out where they’ll spend the next four years They’ve applied to their dream colleges and safety schools, and all that’s left to do now is wait And watch the mailbox

Accepted

Special Section

Increasingly, they’re waiting for acceptance letters from Christian institutions Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows enrollment at schools affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities increased more than 12% from 2003 to 2009 And the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities reported a total enrollment increase of 33% from 2000 to 2011

Christian colleges are adding highly specialized degree programs – like Judson University’s architecture program – that draw students from a wider geographical area Some universities are stepping up their engagement of world issues and leaders, like Union University in Jackson, Tenn , which has hosted Margaret Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Ben Carson and others at its annual scholarship banquet

And they continue to provide the things they’ve always done well: smaller class sizes, dedicated faculty, and an environment where students are encouraged to grow spiritually

“I’ve grown in both knowledge and affection for God since I’ve been here,” said Boyce College freshman Noah Wright. He chose the Louisville, Ky , school after a road trip tour of four colleges (see sidebar on page 8)

Boyce was strong in the program that interested him most: worship ministry This semester, he’s honing his musical skills in theory class and vocal lessons And taking Old and New Testament survey, and interning at a Louisville church But Wright’s education is about more than head knowledge

“Here, they really emphasize that our knowledge and theology should drive our affection for God,” he said “We need to take all we learn, and all these big abstract concepts, and turn them into worship ”

anning your college tour

ad trip, page 8

four-step guide to financial aid, ge 10

hristian colleges in the Midwest, ge 10

astors find ministry jumpstart in ntinuing education, page 11

Back-to-school pastors apply new knowledge fast

M a r i o n | Scott Kallem went back to school four years ago because his ministry needed a jumpstart

“I had just kind of stopped in my educational pursuits, and became complacent ministry-wise,” said the pastor of Third Baptist Church in Marion, Ill Kallem enrolled in Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s doctorate of ministry program

Many pastors and church leaders are making the same decision A quick Google search of Southern Baptist seminaries shows the average student is older than ministry hopefuls who just graduated college Southwestern in Ft Worth, 34; Southeastern in Wake Forest, 37; Golden Gate near San Francisco, 43

“I’d been out for 15 years,” Kallem said of his decision to go back to school, “and if I was going to pursue anything, it was like now or never ”

In Illinois, where you’re at least a couple hours drive away from the nearest Southern Baptist seminary, many students

g e in k e e s e re g e , d c hur t C s t i ap n B r e h t u o )d e urqi e nr o i t a s e lin e i d gu n hol e Sc ag erit t H aptis n s trse e m eevs i t la we n re r s p ih s ra l o h UcGslLaH n o i t i d hd a

y t s i r ve ni t n h ship ar

n t a Sc d c An LG HLG

Colleges develop young professionals with biblical worldviews

Continued from page 1

Wright chose Boyce from a selection of Christian schools, but Shawna Van Zee made her college decision between a large state school in her native South Dakota, and Judson University in Elgin, Ill , which she eventually chose She graduated last spring and now works in her alma mater ’s admissions office, where she stresses the importance of Christian education Students who grew up in Christian circles don’t necessarily think they need a Christian education Van Zee, a pastor ’s daughter, once thought the same thing But Judson contacted her with specific information about the career she wanted to pursue: interior design

Once at the school, Van Zee was in a holding pattern while she waited for the school’s new interior design program to begin She had come to Judson thinking she’d transfer if the program didn’t start as planned, but stayed even when it didn’t, because she really liked the school

Now, she helps prospective Judson students interested in interior design and architecture navigate the admissions process “Once I have a chance to talk to them, I really try to help them understand what it means to study architecture in a Christian school and why that’s important

“Because we as Christians view our world differently, and (with) more re-

sponsibility, that translates into the way we build our buildings, and the people that they’re built for ”

Jeff Reep spends his days helping future Christian professionals like Van Zee find internship and job opportunities He is director of career services at Cedarville University in Ohio, a Christian institution with popular engineering and education programs Two-thirds of Cedarville students are studying the sciences, Reep says, but everyone takes enough Bible classes to receive a minor by graduation.

If his goal were to connect students with jobs that will net them bigger houses or nicer cars, Reep said, that would be pretty empty Rather, his job is about “equipping and preparing individuals who can be salt and light, and have impact, and influence the workplace

“The biggest key is equipping them to know what they believe, why they believe it, how to apply it to their life, to develop a worldview that is consistent with biblical truth.”

Bursting the bubble

But when you’re surrounded by Christians, many who grew up like you did, don’t you run the risk of never expanding your horizons or learning how to handle the real world? Bursting out of “the bubble” is a major theme on

Christian campuses

It was a concern for Jordan Troeger, who will soon finish his junior year at Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Mo His mom, Barb, now calls HLG “the jewel of the Midwest ” Initially, Jordan was worried about being isolated from non-Christians

But at HLG there are opportunities to invest in fellow students who haven’t yet accepted the Gospel, said Troeger, who plans to attend seminary after he graduates He’s also found other ways to expand his worldview, like studying abroad in London, and serving in New Mexico as a summer missionary through the North American Mission Board

“I think ‘the bubble’ is oftentimes of our own making,” said Bruce Traeger, director of church relations at Cedarville “Is there a unique environment that is supportive and nurturing and helps one strengthen their Christian beliefs?

“Absolutely ”

But it doesn’t stop there. Traeger said Cedarville students are encouraged not only to attend local churches, but to get involved and serve That’s where the growth happens, he said

“Don’t create a bubble where you isolate yourself, but stay engaged in the world where God has called us to be salt and light ”

In our neighborhood

Noah Wright made his college decision after a week-long tour of schools he was considering His dad, Chris, a Chicagoland pastor, accompanied him on the visits Here are their planning suggestions:

1 N a r r o w t h e l i s t T h e W r i g h t s t a l k e d early on about what programs interested Noah, and how much they would be able to invest financially in his education After extensive online research, he culled the list down to four schools within fairly easy d r i v i n g d i s t a n c e o f h o m e , i n c l u d i n g h i s parents’ alma mater in central Illinois

2. Do prep work. Noah knew he wanted to study worship and music, so he made a p p o i n t m e n t s t o m e e t w i t h t h e d e p a r tment chair or a professor from that area The Wrights also scheduled their visits so that they would be on campus during a chapel service, and so Noah could attend a class in his area of interest M o s t s c h o o l s h o s t p r e v i e w e v e n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r , b u t t h e W r i g h t s planned their own visits for the most part Noah still got a free T-shirt at each school

3. Assess as you go. The Wrights talked about the merits of each college on their w a y t o t h e n e x t o n e B u t e v e n a f t e r a great experience at Boyce, they stayed the course and visited their last campus – in Chicago “ T o b e r e a l l y h o n e s t , t h a t ’ s t h e o n e I was rooting for,” Chris says now, laughing But after a few hours there, Noah still f e l t s u r e o f h i s d e c i s i o n t o h e a d t o L o u i s v i l l e C h r i s a f f i r m e d t h a t d e c i s i o n , with one caveat: “OK, but I’m keeping the T-shirt ”

A list of Midwest member schools or affiliates of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

Illinois

Greenville College

Judson University* (Elgin)

Lincoln Christian University

Moody Bible Institute (Chicago)

North Park University (Chicago)

Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais)

Trinity Christian College (Palos Heights)

Trinity International University (Deerfield)

Wheaton College

Renewing MINDS

Indiana

Anderson University

Bethel College* (Mishawaka)

Goshen College

Grace College & Seminary (Winona Lake)

Huntington University*

Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion)

Taylor University* (Upland)

Iowa

Dordt College* (Sioux Center)

Northwestern College* (Orange City)

Kansas

MidAmerica Nazarene University (Olathe)

Sterling College

Tabor College (Hillsboro)

Michigan

Calvin College (Grand Rapids)

Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids)

Spring Arbor University

Minnesota

Bethel University (St Paul)

Crown College (Saint Bonifacius)

North Central University (Minneapolis)

University of Northwestern – St Paul*

Missouri

College of the Ozarks* (Point Lookout)

Evangel University (Springfield)

Hannibal-LaGrange University (Hannibal)

Missouri Baptist University (St Louis)

Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar)

Nebraska York College

Ohio

Bluffton University*

Cedarville University*

Malone University (Canton)

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

South Dakota

University of Sioux Falls

*Named in the top 25 of U S News & World Report’s regional college Midwest rankings Get the full list at colleges usnews rankingsandreviews com/ best-colleges

For almost 20 years, Judson has been a leader and innovator in ministry education, equipping youth workers, pastors, missionaries, church planters — leaders for lifelong, effective ministry! Looking to the future of ministry education, we are thrilled to announce two new innovations that may interest you and the students in your ministry:

Master of Leadership in Ministry – Designed for experienced ministry professionals, you can stay in your ministry while completing your degree in 16 months using a mix of online and face-to-face elements. The program incorporates unique features such as two weeks of study in Israel, a weekend in Chicago, and use of the latest technology.

5-Year Combined Bachelors and Master of Leadership in Ministry – This intentionally integrated program allows traditional students to complete both a ministry Bachelor’s and the Master of Leadership in Ministry in 5-years, saving money and time! The undergrad programs feature practicums & internships, interactive teaching, global learning experiences, and intentional mentoring.

REAL LEARNING. Judson’s professors hold themselves to and their students to the highest academic standards. But their expertise isn’t limited to ivory-tower theorizing, they have also been practitioners in the elds that they teach.

Cracking the financial aid code

College is expensive Sky-high tuition, room and board fees, and book costs might scare students away from their dream school But don’t rule out a college just because of the price tag, said Rich Grimm, senior vice president for enrollment services at Union University in Jackson, Tenn He gave these four suggestions for finding scholarships:

1. Apply early. It’s very important not to let the deadline for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) pass you by, Grimm said For the 2014-15 school year, Illinois forms were due at the beginning of this year, but awards are made until funds are depleted, according to fafsa ed gov

2. Complete all forms carefully and correctly Providing accurate information helps ensure that your application will not be delayed in processing

3 Research scholarship opportunities thoroughly. Look everywhere, Grimm advised, from local clubs, employers, relatives and churches College enrollment counselors are often the best resource for financial aid information, and many schools list contact information for counselors on their websites Grimm suggested these financial aid links: mappingyourfuture com, fastweb com and finaid org One word of caution, he added: Don’t purchase financial aid resources

Look for free information sources

4 Pray regularly It’s the most important thing, Grimm said “We have a fundamental belief that where the Lord directs, He provides That’s true in life and that’s certainly true in higher ed ”

Don’t rule schools out just based on price, Grimm advised Rather, work through the financial aid process and be sure to explore specific scholarships your college offers For example, along with academic and leadership awards, Union offers assistance if you’re a dependent of a full-time missionary, plan to study fine arts or engineering, or are committed to full-time Christian ministry

They made the list

Affiliates or members of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities that also landed in the top 100 of Kiplinger’s best value private schools

• Samford University (Birmingham, AL)

• Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA)

• Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, CA)

• Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion, IN)

• Bethel University (St Paul, MN)

• Union University (Jackson, TN)

• Baylor University (Waco, TX) – Kiplinger com

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University attracts 3,400 undergraduate, graduate, and online students to more than 100 programs of study. The University is a Christ-centered learning community recognized nationally for rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings.

“We have a fundamental belief that where the Lord directs, He provides. That’s true in life and that’s certainly true in higher ed ”

– Rich Grimm, Union University

Pastors benefit from education at later stages

Continued from page 7

combine short on-campus stints with online classes They may also fulfill requirements at extension centers like The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s campus in Chicago, or through Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary’s course offerings in Springfield

Kallem attended six one-week seminars at Midwestern’s campus in Kansas City, Mo

He valued the support system that developed among his small group of D Min cohorts, and the coursework he completed while still pastoring his church His studies have pushed him to think more critically, write better, and communicate more professionally, he added

But, “I thought I would do it faster,” he admitted, laughing The balancing act pastors have to strike when they go back to school can be difficult “There were a lot of late, late nights,” Kallem said

The end result, though, is more effectiveness and efficiency in ministry, said Bob Monts, director of admissions at Lincoln Christian Seminary in Lincoln, Ill Monts, 60, completed two Master ’s degrees while serving as a pastor and is currently working on his doctorate Everything got better as he pursued education, he said – his preaching and working with his congregation

“Work smarter not harder, and that’s really the reason for continuing education,” Monts said At Lincoln Seminary, two-thirds of a Master of Arts or Divinity degree can be completed on-

line, and the other third is done in oneweek intensive classes three times a year Students can also choose to complete their entire degree on campus

Monts is an associate professor at Lincoln’s Hargrove School of Adult & Graduate Education, where students can complete bachelor ’s degrees in several areas, including Christian ministry, leadership & management, and urban ministry The school also offers M A degrees in Bible & theology, intercultural studies, organizational leadership, spiritual formation, and TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages)

Better later?

In Lincoln, “80% of our seminary students are already involved in some sort of either full- or part-time ministry,” Monts said “So they’re putting it to use right away ”

Luke Raczykowski was a traditional seminary student at Southern in Louisville, Ky , for one year after God called him into ministry Then, First Baptist Church in Carmi called him as pastor He spent the next eight years taking one class a semester, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southern last December

Raczykowski thinks he benefited more from seminary training by taking one class at a time and implementing what he learned as a pastor He paraphrased Charles Spurgeon: “God uses us each as a tool, but requires us to keep ourselves sharp ” Seminary studies are a wonderful means of staying

sharp, Raczykowski said “I found that to be one of the best benefits of going through seminary the way I did During the first year, I accomplished a lot of classes, but there was no immediate application.

“ But the last eight years, where I was able to immediately apply that

which I was learning and to see its application in a real ministry context, it made the classes far more interesting And it augmented in a very positive way the manner in which I served in the church.”

Shelby recognized for lifetime achievement

PEOPLE & CHURCHES

In Memory

Rev. Ken Clark, pastor of Jerome Lane Baptist Church in Cahokia, died March 11 He was 66 Clark had pastored Jerome Lane for 15 years, and previously led churches in Ashmore, McLeansboro and South Roxana He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Sue; two daughters and sons-in-law, Anita and Mike Lucas of Godfrey and Valerie and Joe Marshall of Glen Carbon; and four grandchildren.

Ministry Positions

FBC Maryville is seeking a minister of worship and arts Qualified applicants should send a resume to Lora Fuller at lfuller@fbmaryville org

Resources

Needed: 15-passenger van Contact Second Baptist, West Frankfort, at (618) 932-6969

Needed: Used LED church sign able to display text and graphics Measurements are flexible: 4’ x 6’ or 5’ x 8’. Contact Pastor Craig Ballard, Eastview Baptist in Belleville, at cballard4him@yahoo com or (618) 234-9255

Send People & Churches news to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

PAId AdvErTISEMENT

Calvary Baptist Church (SBC) in Clinton, Iowa, is seeking a full-time pastor E-mail resumes to Calvary BaptistPSC@gmail com

Zone News

•

Zone 8: The evening revival service had ended at First Baptist, Mascoutah, last month, but God wasn’t done A young lady who attended with her family left the church and stopped by the grocery store for a gallon of milk, said associate pastor Matt Burton She felt so convicted about what she’d heard that night that she turned around and went back to the church, where a lady led her to Christ

The young woman was baptized earlier this month The revival was the church’s first in a while, Burton said, but they’re already planning for next year

•

Zone 6: Calvary Baptist Church in Pittsfield launched a Bible study last week for senior adults, based on the book of Hebrews The study, led for the seventh consecutive year by David and Charlotte Hamilton, meets at 9 a m Wednesdays McDonald’s

Springfield | The IBSA staff last month recognized Jack Shelby for receiving the Robert E. Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Shelby accepted the award at the national Disaster Relief meeting in Georgia earlier this year

After enjoying cake and a time of fellowship with Shelby and his wife, Ava, IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams gave him a book of congratulatory letters from the staff.

Jack currently serves as assistant state director of IBSA Disaster Relief and served as state director from 1999 through early 2012

Resurrection House celebrates note burning

Marcus Randle, pastor of Resurrection House Baptist Church on Chicago’s south side, led his congregation in a mortgage burning ceremony last month

Resurrection House previously worked with craft retailer Hobby Lobby to lease the building for $1 in 2012; Hobby Lobby then gifted the building to Randle’s church

Photo submitted

“Jack’s 13 years of leadership in IBSA Disaster Relief created an atmosphere of excellence in ministry that still continues today,” said Rex Alexander, current state director of IBSA Disaster Relief “He is an outstanding example of biblical ‘servant leadership’ and is highly respected in our state and around the country

“The Dixon Award is the highest honor an individual can receive in Disaster Relief ministry and Jack Shelby is worthy of this honor I am so blessed to be able to serve side by side with him and many others as we move IBSA Disaster Relief ministry into the future ”

HONORED – Jack Shelby and his wife, Ava, attended a national meeting of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief leaders earlier this year, where he was recognized for his years of service with a lifetime achievement award The IBSA staff later celebrated Shelby’s award with fellowship and cake

Individuals nominated for the award are considered pioneers or key people who have contributed to Disaster Relief in a manner that has made a significant impact on the ministry, both inside and outside their state Shelby is a retired IMB missionary, having served on the mission field from 1968-1999 His “retirement” included serving as IBSA’s director of Men’s Ministries and Volunteers in Missions from 1999 until 2005, when he was named associate executive director and team leader for Missions Mobilization He retired from IBSA in 2006

Zone 8: Zone consultant Eddie Pullen reports that mission teams visiting the Metro East area will have a new shower trailer to use this summer Gateway Baptist Association and the Bethel church planting network pooled their resources to provide the trailer, which will help support missions and church planting in the area, and can also be used for Disaster Relief Bethel Network’s Richard Rea said 600 mission volunteers are already scheduled to come to the Metro East region this summer

IBSA staff members serve as zone consultants working with directors of missions and churches across Illinois

D o l t o n |

B a s i c s f o r b a p t i s t s w h o w e a r e

W e S e r v e i n . . . C h i c a g o C h u r c h o f t h e B e o v e d p a n t e r D a v i d C h o w a s s u r r o u n d e d b y p r a y e r p a r t n e r s a t a c t yw i d e p r a y e r m e e t i n g f o r n e w c h u r c h e s

T h e n e w c h u r c h a l s o r e c e i v e d h e l p f r o m a m i n i s t r y p a r t n e r o u t s i d e o f C h i c a g o –w a y o u t s i d e . F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u r c h i n F o r t S m i t h , A r k a n s a s , s u p p o r t e d C O T B w i t h p r a y e r, f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s , a n d m i s s i o n t e a m s . T h e y a l s o h e l p e d C h o i ’s c h u r c h l a u n c h i t s s e c o n d l oc a t i o n i n S t r e e t e r v i l l e , j u s t a f e w b l o c k s f r o m L a k e M i c h i g a n C O T B n o w h a s t w o S u n d a y m o r n i n g s e r vi c e s t h e r e , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e S a t u r d a y e v e n i n g g a t h e ri n g n e a r U I C “ W e f i n d o u r s e l v e s g r a t e f u l , i m p r e s s e d a n d c h a ll e n g e d ” b y t h e p a r t n e r s h i p , s a i d F B C F o r t S m i t h ’s m i s s i o n s p a s t o r, G r e g F o r d . “ W e a r e g r a t e f u l f o r h o w D a v e i n i t i a l l y p o u r e d i n t o l a y l e a d e r s a n d f o r t h e i r c o nt i n u e d l e a d e r s h i p a n d i n f l u e n c e . W e a r e i m p r e s s e d w i t h t h e i r f o c u s o n e v a n g e l i s m a n d t h e f a v o r t h e y h a v e s e e n w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l s . “ W e a r e c h a l l e n g e d b y t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o p r a y e r, a n d p r a i s e t h e L o r d f o r h o w H e h a s a n s w e r e d . ”

( 1 ) S t a r t w h e r e y o u a r e , w h e t h e r i t ’ s a c r o s s r o a d s c o m m u n i t y o r a c i t y ( 2 ) G o t o t h e r e g i o n a r o u n d y o u r t o w n . ( 3 ) G o t o a l a r g e a d j a c e n t t e r r i t o r y o r u n r e a c h e d p e o p l e g r o u p ( 4 ) G o t o a d i s t a n t p l a c e w h e r e t h e G o s p e l h a s n e v e r b e e n L e t ’ s r e m e m b e r a l l f o u r s e c t o r s w h e n w e p l a n m i s s i o n s s t r a t e g i e s , s u p p o r t i n g t h e m f i n a n c i a l l y a n d w i t h o u r o w n p e r s o n a l h a n d so n e n d e a v o r

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

A w o m a n c a m e t o C h u r c h o f t h e B e l o v e d i n C h i c a g o h a v i n g n e v e r h e a r d t h e G o s p e l “ S i x m o n t h s l a t e r, s h e ’s w e e p i n g d u r i n g h e r b a p t i s m s e r v i c e , ” s a y s D a v i d C h o i , t h e c h u r c h p l a n t e r w h o s t a r t e d C O T B t w o y e a r s a g o . “ I c a n ’ t e v e n b e g i n t o e x p l a i n t h e j o y a s a c h u r c h p l a n t e r, t o k n o w t h a t s o m e b o d y w e n t a l l t h e w a y f r o m n e v e r h e a r i n g a b o u t J e s u s , t o n o w b e i n g e x c i t e d a b o u t t h e G o s p e l , a n d b e i n g c o n v e r t e d , a n d k n o w i n g t h a t h e r e t e r n a l d e s t i n y h a s b e e n c h a n g e d . “ T h e r e ’s n o t h i n g l i k e i t ” P e o p l e a r e m e e t i n g J e s u s a t C h u r c h o f t h e B e l o v e d . W h a t s t a r t e d a s a c o r e g r o u p o f 2 0 p e o p l e h a s g r o w n t o m o r e t h a n 4 0 0 . C h o i s a y s 2 5 c o u n t r i e s a r e r e p r es e n t e d o n a n a v e r a g e w e e k e n d a t h i s c h u r c h A n d h i s d i v e r s e n e i g h b o r h o o d i s j u s t a s l i c e o f m e t r o C h i c a g o , h o m e t o 1 0 m i l l i o n p e o p l e “ O b v i o u s l y , w e ’ r e n o t g o i n g t o , b y o u r s e l v e s , b e a b l e t o m a k e a h u g e d e n t i n t h a t , ” C h o i s a i d E n t e r m i n i s t r y p a r t n e r s f r o m I l l i n o i s a n d a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y , f o c u s e d o n p e n e t r a t i n g s p i r i t u a l l o s t n e s s i n C h i c a g o l a n d T h e S e n d C h i c a g o i n i t i a t i v e s t a r t e d i n 2 0 1 2 a s a w a y t o f u n n e l c h u r c h p l a n t i n g r e s o u r c e s i n t o t h e c i t y T h e N o r t h A m e r i c a n M i s s i o n B o a r d ( S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t s ’ d o m e s t i c m i s s i o n s a g e n c y ) p a r t n e r e d w i t h t h e I l l i n o i s B a p t i s t S t a t e A s s o c i a t i o n a n d l o c a l l e a d e r s . T h e i r p l a n i s t o c o n n e c t p o t e n t i a l c h u r c h p l a n t e r s w i t h C h i c a g o n e i g h b o r h o o d s i n n e e d o f a n e w c h u r c h . C h o i l a u n c h e d C h u r c h o f t h e B e l o v e d i n F e b r u a r y

2 0 1 2 . F e l l o w p a s t o r N a t h a n C a r t e r o f f e r e d h i s c h u r c h ’s b u i l d i n g t o t h e n e w p l a n t o n S a t u r d a y e v e n i n g s T h e l o c a t i o n , n e a r t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f I l l i n o i sC h i c a g o , h e l p e d C O T B r e a c h o u t t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t ud e n t s

B u z z L i g h t y e a r w a n t e d t o g o “ t o i n f i n i t y a n d b e y o n d ! ” T h e a n i m a t e d a s t r o n a u t s a i d t h a t a l o t t o h i s c o m p a t r i o t s i n A n d y ’ s t o y b o x T o t h e d i s c i p l e s w h o f o l l o w e d J e s u s , t h e r l e a d e r ’ s f i n a l w o r d s b e f o r e a s c e n d i n g i n t o h e a v e n m u s t h a v e s o u n d e d j u s t a s i m p o s s i b l e . J e s u s t o l d t h e m t o g o t o J e r u s a l e m , J u d e a , S a m a r i a , a n d t o t h e e n d s o f t h e e a r t h ( A c t s 1 : 8 ) H e w a s d e s c r i b i n g a s i m p l e s t r a t e g y f o r t a k i n g t h e G o s p e l t o a l l t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e w o r l d :

B i g , b u s t l i n g , c h a l l e n g i n g , d i v e r s e T a k i n g i t t o t h e s t r e e t s

w h a t w e b e l i e v e h o w w e s e r v e • 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 l 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 .

T h i s i s a 2 0p a r t s t u d y o n t h e b a s i c b e l e f s a n d m i s s i o n s o f o u r d e n o m in a t i o n I t i s d e s i g n e d f o r n e w b e i e ve r s , n e w B a p t s t s , a n d t h o s e w h o w a n t a r e f r e s h e r C i p i t o u t o f t h e n e w s p a p e r, f o d i n t o a f o u rp a g e e a f e t , a n d s h a r e w i t h t h e p e o p l e w h o w o u d b e n e f i t f r o m t h e n f o r m at o n Y o u m i g h t e v e n l e a d a s t u d y

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

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 !

e v e r s e e i n m y e v e r y d a y l i f e , ” s a i N a n e t t e F r a n k s o f D o r r i s v i l l B a p t i s t i n H a r r i s b u r g . I n A u g u s t , m a r k e t p l a c e m i n i s t r m o v e s t o t h e C h r i s t i a n A c t i v i t C e n t e r ( C A C ) i n E a s t S t L o u i w h e r e a t e a m h e l p s w i t h i t s a n n u a B a c k t o S c h o o l e v e n t T h e C A C i a p l a c e o f r e f u g e f o r t h e n e a r l y 7 0 k i d s w h o a t t e n d t h e c e n t e r ’s a f t e r s c h o o l p r o g r a m o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s T e a m m e m b e r s s o r t a n d p r i c e d o n a t e d c l o t h i n g a n d h o u s e h o l d i t e m s t o b e s o l d a t a “ y a r d s a l e ” t o r a i s e f u n d s f o r t h e c e n t e r ’s m i ni s t r i e s “ H o p e i s o f t e n h a r d t o f i n d i n t h e i n n e r c i t y T h e C A C b r i n g s t h e h o p e o f J e s u s C h r i s t a n d p r a c t i c a l s o l u t i o n s t o r e a l l i f e p r o b l e m s o f c h i l d r e n , t e e n s , a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s , ” s a i d R e x A l e x a n d e r, I B S A ’s C A C l i a i s o n A n e w m a r k e t p l a c e m i n i s t r y b e g a n t h i s y e a r w h e n I l l i n o i s w o m e n s p e n t t w o d a y s a t a n A r k a n s a s p r i s o n m i n i s t e r i n g t o a n d l e a r n i n g f r o m i n m a t e s w h o h a v e f o u n d t r u e f r e e d o m i n C h r i s t C a r m e n H a l s e y , I B S A ’s m i ss i o n s i n v o l v e m e n t d i r e c t o r, l e d t h e t e a m . S h e h o p e s t o t a k e m o r e t e a m s t o t h e A r k a n s a s p r i s o n a n d t o I l l i n o i s p r i s o n s . “ P r a y w i t h m e f o r o p e n d o o r s t o o u r w o m e n ’s p r i s o n s i n I l l i n o i s t o a l l o w S o u t he r n B a p t i s t w o m e n t o b e g i n B i b l e s t u d i e s w i t h t h e i n m a t e s . ”

I N O I S I N S I G H T M a r k e t p l a c e m i n i s t r i e s r e a c h p e o p l e i n t h e s t r e e t s w h e r e t h e y l i v e . A c c o r d i n g t o W M U . c o m , “ W h e n J e s u s ’ d i s c i p l e s f i r s t h e a r d t h e A c t s 1 : 8 m a n d a t e t h a t m a r k e d o u t t h e i r m i s s i o n s f i e l d a s r e a c h i n g f r o m t h e i r f r o n t d o o r t o t h e f a r t h e s t e x p a n s e s o f t h e g l o b e , t h e y m a y h a v e s e e n t h e l i k e l i h o o d o f i m p a c ti n g ‘ t h e e n d s o f t h e e a r t h ’ a s b e i n g q u i t e r e m o t e . R e a c h i n g t h o s e t h e y r u b b e d s h o u l d e r s w i t h d a i l y i n t h e m a r k e t p l a c e w a s p r o b a b l y s e e n a s a f e a s i b l e g o a l ” E a c h F e b r u a r y a g r o u p o f I l l i n o i s B a p t i s t w o m e n b r a v e t h e C h i c a g o c o l d t o d o m a r k e t p l a c e m i n i s t r y o u t s i d e U p t o w n B a p t i s t , s t a n d i n g a t a n i n t e r s e c t i o n g i v i n g g i f t s o f h a t s , s c a r v e s , g l o v e s a n d s o c k s ( p h o t o a b o v e ) . I n t h i s n e i g h b o r h o o d , a m o n g y o u n g p e o p l e , p r o f e s s i o n a l s , a n d h i g hr i s e d w e l l e r s , a l s o l i v e p e o p l e i n d e s p e r a t e n e e d . “ I t r e a l l y j u s t o p e n s m y e y e s [ t o n e e d s ] t h a t I r e a d a b o u t , b u t d o n ’ t

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

P r a y e r N e e d s : P r a y f o r t h o s e w h o h a v e i m m i g r a t e d t o E d g e w a t a n d E k G r o v e , a n d a l s o f o r c o l e g e s t u d e n t s , t h a t t h e y w l l b e b e f r i e n d e d b y b e l i e v e r s i n C h r i s t 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 –F r o m t h e B S A C h u r c h P l a n t n g T e a m

L o c a t i o n : E d g e w a t e r a n d E l k G r o v e

C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s : T h e r e a r e m o r e t h a n 7 0 , 0 0 0 i m m i g r a n t s a n d s t u d e n t s f r o m S u bS a h a r a n A f r c a i v n g i n t h i s a r e a

The constant complainer

Q: Our “Crabby Appleton,” the one who opposes everything, is complaining about the annual Easter Egg Hunt And about calling it “Easter ” What do I do about our biggest squeaky wheel?

going ahead with whatever was planned, he’ll get the idea that he no longer controls the direction and destiny of the church

I once had a man that criticized and voted against every decision the church made I asked him how he thought it was possible that 800 Spirit-filled believers, who had prayed and asked for God’s direction, could be led in one direction and he could be led in another His reply was that he was the only person in the entire congregation that actually followed the Lord and everyone else was wrong. I knew at that moment that I would never change his opinion, so I thanked him and we did what needed to be done without his blessing or approval

two programs that are languishing Do I pull the plug on one of them? Which one?

A: I’m not a great fisherman, but I do know that the more hooks you have in the water, the more fish you will be able to catch Encourage those doing small groups in their homes to take a brief rest if needed, but set a launch date for a fresh kick-off and promote it heavily Make sure your Sunday School classes are having regular times of fellowship outside their normal class time too Both groups need to spend time together beyond their classroom or home setting

DAVE Says

Later, alligator

Q : W h a t d o y o u t h i n k a b o u t l a n d a s a n investment?

A: I’m okay with the idea of raw land as an investment Someone has to buy the dirt that holds the earth together, right?

A: Do nothing! As long as “Uncle Crabby” knows that every time he speaks major changes are made, he’s going to continue to complain about anything and everything! It’s sometimes referred to as being a big fish in a small pond However, if you make him a small fish in a big pond by thanking him for his opinion, but

March 25: Children’s Evangelism Conference at Broadview Missionary

www IBSA org/evangelism

March 27-29: Expository Preaching Retreat at Lake Sallateeska To pre-register: (217) 391-3131 or TimSadler@IBSA org

March 29: Hispanic WMU training at Broadview Missionary; 8:30 a m to 3 p m AnaDeMelendez@gmail com

March 29: VBS Clinic at Pleasant Hill, Mt Vernon 8:15 a m to noon

www IBSA org/education

April 4-5: RA Congress at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville; 5 p m Friday to 2:30 p m Saturday $25 per person

www IBSA org/RAcongress

April 5: Chicagoland VBS Clinic at Broadview Missionary Training in English and Spanish; 8:15 a m to noon www IBSA org/education

April 10, 15, 24: Evangelistic Leaders’ Workshop at the IBSA Building, Springfield, April 10; Anna Heights, Anna, April 15; and Connection Community, Chicago, April 24. Topic: Servanthood evangelism, coinciding with 2014’s day and season of service TimSadler@IBSA org

April 11-12: Disaster Relief Training at Streator Baptist Camp $30 for new trainees, $10 for renewals Register by March 28: (217) 391-3137, LindaDarden @IBSA org, www IBSA org/DR

April 12: Serving Across Illinois: For more on this statewide day of service, go to www IBSA org/GPS or call (217) 391-3131

By the way it proved to be the right thing to do, but he never did admit it

Class action

Q: Our church started small groups back when everyone else did And we kept on doing Sunday school, too Now we have

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

April 12: Churches of Strength Conference at Belle Rive Missionary; 8 a m to noon www IBSA org/CST

April 13: Cooperative Program Sunday E-mail LisaSergent@IBSA org or call (217) 391-3119 for resources

April 25-26: Youth Ministry Retreat at the IBSA Building, Springfield www IBSA org/ilstudentz, TimSadler@ IBSA org Register by April 18

May 1: Evangelistic Leaders’ Workshop at West Union Café, West Union, Ill Topic: Servanthood evangelism, coinciding with this year’s day and season of service TimSadler@IBSA org, (217) 391-3131

May 1-3: Women’s Missions Celebration at FBC Marion With missionary testimonies, breakout sessions, and Bible study led by prison chaplain Kenneth Dewitt Cost of $20 includes lunch on Friday (217) 391-3138, www IBSA org/womensmissions

May 2: Youth Ministry Worker Connection, Aurelio’s Pizza, Bourbonnais, 6 p m An opportunity for student ministry workers to network and share best practices RSVP to JennaNickelson@ IBSA org by noon April 28

Pray for April 12th, that many believers will hear the promptings of the Lord to invite lost friends to serve alongside them, and for opportunities to share the Good News as they work together

Make attending either one fun, exciting, and worth making the extra effort to show up Don’t pull the plug and don’t gear down – gear up! If you need help kick-starting both groups, contact IBSA’s Church Strengthening team at (217) 391-3124

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

May 2: Singing Churchmen Retreat, IBSA Building, Springfield For members of the Singing Churchmen choir, and all other men who like to sing (217) 3913126, DebbieMuller@IBSA org

May 3: Worship Leaders Retreat, IBSA Building, Springfield For full-time, part-time and volunteer worship leaders, praise team members, instrumentalists and technical teams Ends with a concert (217) 391-3126, DebbieMuller @IBSA org

May 3: Churches of Strength Conference at Bethel, Bourbonnais; 8 a m to noon www IBSA org/CST

May 5: plantMIDWEST in Chicago and St. Louis. May’s topic is “The Gospel and Money ” Chicago: Armitage Baptist Church, DennisConner@IBSA org

St Louis: August Gate, Charles Campbell@IBSA org

May 16-17: Mother/Daughter Camp, Lake Sallateeska and Streator Camps 4:30 p m Friday to 3 p m Saturday

Cost is $75 for moms, free for daughters (217) 391-3138, BarbTroeger@ IBSA org

May 22-26: Rally to Ridgecrest Kickstands up 9:30 a m May 22 in Mt Vernon, and the group will return to Springfield May 26 after the annual conference at Ridgecrest Retreat Center in North Carolina www IBSA org/motorcycle

May 23-24: Men of Valor, Lake Sallateeska For young men in grades 7-12; contact Scott Slone at (618) 303-2130 or pastorscott95@yahoo com

The only problem with this kind of investment is that it doesn’t really create cash flow, unless it’s farmland In the real estate world, we call raw land an alligator because it eats You have to pay taxes on it every year, plus you have upkeep and maintenance of some form or fashion, and it doesn’t create an income The only time it creates income is on the back end, when you sell the land

It’s not a terrible investment, Tara. But it’s not a great one, either I buy pieces of raw land here and there, every once in a while But mainly I stick with income-producing investment properties

Warranty no-no

Q : I r e c e n t l y t r a d e d i n m y o l d t r u c k f o r a much newer one I purchased an extended warranty at the time, and now I feel like I was pressured into buying it and that it was a mistake What do you think?

A: Cancel it, if you still can The reason you felt pressured is because you probably were pressured by a pushy salesman Seventy-five percent of what you paid for that plan went straight into the dealership’s or salesman’s pocket as commission There’s even a chance they made more off the extended warranty than the sale of the truck!

Extended warranties are only about 12% actual, statistical risk The other 12-13% goes to miscellaneous overhead and profit On top of that, the company that wrote the warranty probably didn’t make as much on it as the dealership did It’s weird, but that’s how a lot of those models work

I don’t buy extended warranties In my mind, they’re just junk Besides, if you buy something and can’t afford to fix it if something goes wrong, then you couldn’t really afford the purchase in the first place!

For more financial advice from Dave Ramsey, go to www IBSA org

One person can’t control the direction and destiny of the church

BIGGER GOD

“Oh, Lord God! You Yourself made the heavens and earth by Your great power and with Your outstretched arm Nothing is too difficult for You!” Jeremiah 32:17 (HCSB)

Early in ministry I learned that conflict is a reality

The challenge is not in avoiding it, but responding to it in a healthy way All of us could make a list of ways that conflict affects us physically, emotionally, and relationally A few months ago I read a book by Chip Ingram titled “Good to Great in God’s Eyes ” In the chapter on prayer he wrote, “When we look at God through our problems, the problems seem to get bigger and he seems to get smaller ” I realized that sometimes I allow conflict to constrain my prayer life It’s not that I pray less, but I limit my prayers to the problem at hand and neglect the powerful promises of God No surprise that I soon feel overwhelmed My leadership is affected and the ministry of the church is hindered as I hesitate to take the risks necessary to follow God in His mission

PRAY for God to encourage and embolden us we preach, teach, and live the marvelous promises of His eternal Word

Odis Weaver is pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Plainfield and president of IBSA He will soon host a prayer group for pastors on Facebook Look for more prayer-related resources on our Pinterest page

Potluck Blogger

s Sprouts, vented

ients

prouts, halved r garlic-infused) and pepper

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

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

Missionary: Jarvis James

Church Plant: The Body of Christ, East St Louis

Focusing On: Underserved people living in housing complexes

Pray: For additional partners, favor on the mission field, men and women to be raised up as co-laborers, and transformation of the community as the churches in the region link arms

Trending

72%

What we re giving up for Lent

of American adults are aware of Lent

17% say they will fast from something this year Of those, 88%

will fast from some kind of food (mostly chocolate and the fun stuff), while

31% 57% 82%

will fast from technology (including phones, social networks, TV, and movies).

of the millennial generation are aware of Lent, compared to

of their grandparents

On the Nightstand

1 7 Practices of Effective Ministry Andy Stanley I’m always reading this one… it helps keep me on track.

2. Altar Ego, Craig Groeschel

3 Unleash, Perry Noble

Page CXVI takes us from Lent to Maundy Thursday in the latest release in their church calendar project

Barna org survey (March 2014)

To prepare: Preheat oven to 350° Place sprout halves in shallow baking dish or pan, cut side down Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper Sprinkle very lightly with nutmeg Bake for 35 minutes

Submitted by IBSA’s Sandy Barnard, who prefers these sprouts well browned That may take a little longer than 35 minutes, she says

4. Linchpin, Seth Godin

5. Leadership Lessons from the Civil War, Tom Wheeler

– From Chad Ozee, pastor of Journey C Kankakee C

Music...

will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow will keep a fountain of joy alive in you

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer