March 25, 2019 Illinois Baptist

Illinois Baptist Final gifts

Lessons on faithfulness and grace from our blind rescue dog

Nate Adams P. 2

Why I need resurrection—now

An Easter season reflection by Eric Reed P. 7

DEFENDING

Pro-Lifers protest pending bills

Legislation called ‘most extreme’ in U.S.

Springfield | An estimated 3,600 pro-life advocates turned out at the State Capitol in Springfield March 20 to rally and lobby legislators against new bills that would expand abortion in Illinois. The rotunda grew so crowded that lines formed outside as Capitol security shut down admission.

Those at the rally gathered to speak out specifically against the Reproductive Health Act, which would legalize abortion in Illinois through all nine months of pregnancy.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Snapshots from the world of Illinois Baptists

Conversation starters

“However willing they may be, Christians’ ability to witness for Christ may be impeded by the simple fact that they don’t have meaningful relational connections with non-Christians, or the conversational skills necessary to talk meaningfully about faith.”

– Barna Research

Pollsters asked adults who are not practicing Christians what they look for in someone they would talk to about faith, versus what they get from Christians they know personally. The findings showed a wide gap.

the cooperative program

Giving by IBSA churches as of 3/15/19

$1,251,836

Budget Goal: $1,192,308

Received to date in 2018: $1,202,743

2019 Goal: $6.3 Million

The Illinois Baptist staff

Editor - Eric Reed

Managing Editor - Meredith Flynn

Graphic Designer - Kris Kell

Contributing Editor - Lisa Misner

Multimedia Journalist - Andrew Woodrow

Administrative Assistant - Leah Honnen

The general telephone number for IBSA is (217) 786-2600.

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

Final walks

We adopted our dog Willy as a scraggly shelter puppy eight years ago. Our veterinarian looked him over during his first visit and said, “This little guy looks like he was made out of spare parts.” Willy was never very coordinated, and one eye didn’t work very well, if at all. At 17 months, when his other eye suffered a detached retina, he became completely blind.

I’ve admitted many times since then that my first thought was to look for a money-back guarantee from the shelter. I wasn’t sure we wanted a dog that couldn’t see a ball, much less catch one.

But I married a tender-hearted, compassionate wife who immediately declared that Willy needed us. Her grace gave him value, and he has continued to be a sweet and obedient companion to our family since that day. He is my wife’s prayer walking partner. He’s her conversation starter and relationship builder with our neighbors. And occasionally, he’s even a sermon illustration for me.

Now, six and a half years later, the vet tells us that Willy is in his last days. Each time Beth or I head out the door with him, we know it is one of our final walks.

But Willy doesn’t seem to have a clue about his mortality. Though his appetite and energy are fading, he slowly rises and follows us wherever we are in the house. He walks as well as he can when we take him outside. He asks for attention with his paw when he needs something. And he seems completely content just to be with us.

Nearing death is a sobering thing to think about, at least for those who don’t feel they’re nearing it yet. I remember as a young boy accompanying my dad to a nursing home each Sunday afternoon. I was learning to play the piano, and our church had a portable keyboard that I thought was cool. So I would play songs for the residents to sing, and then my dad would share a brief devotional.

At the time, I guess I wondered why we bothered to go, or why the people there bothered to come and listen. Some of them didn’t sing. Some didn’t seem to be able to walk, or even to talk. They just smiled at me while I played, or closed their eyes and nodded their heads. Many were eager to speak to me before we left each week, and to thank me for coming, maybe even more than they thanked my dad. But he didn’t seem to mind. He told me most of them didn’t have little boys that could visit very often.

Willy has taught or reminded me of many spiritual truths during his brief life. Though he is extremely limited in what he can offer in return for our care, he loves us and wants to be near us. He’s obedient, and sweet-spirited. He follows very close to us, wherever we go and whatever we ask him to do.

And now, as we go on our final walks with Willy, he has caused me to remember some anonymous, sweet, devoted saints from my boyhood. Though they too were very limited physically, they still lived each day knowing and loving their Master, wanting to be near him and to obey him, and smiling at the little boys he sent, who were learning to play the piano.

I hope that during my own final, frail walks with my Master I will be able to love and serve him with the devotion of the faithful, elderly saints I have now known throughout my life. I will be grateful if I can simply imitate the devotion of a blind dog named Willy, who somehow understood he was rescued by grace, and therefore walked faithfully with his Master.

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

May we faithfully follow the Master.

BAPTIST CONVENTION

Finding a way forward

Response to abuse spurs debate over Baptist process, polity

The Southern Baptist Convention’s struggle to respond to cases of sexual abuse is raising questions about the denomination’s structure and governance.

Following SBC President J.D. Greear’s report to the Executive Committee in February, the committee’s bylaws workgroup responded to a request from Greear to look at whether 10 churches mentioned in a Houston Chronicle series have appropriately addressed claims of sexual abuse.

The workgroup’s report—which found three of the churches require further inquiry, six do not, and one is not an SBC congregation—dismayed victims of sexual abuse and their advocates, along with some Baptist leaders.

Adron Robinson is president of the Illinois Baptist State Association and pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills. He also represents Illinois on the Executive Committee. “Because of the seriousness of the issue, there will always be lots of opinions on how to handle it,” Robinson said. “We always have to be careful, because you don’t want to demonize all opposition. Some opposition is coming from a place of very deep pain from victims or loved ones of victims, who have been calling out about this issue and not being heard.”

Ken Alford, chairman of the workgroup, resigned from it and from the Executive Committee following the controversy. In his resignation letter obtained by the Chronicle, he acknowledged the enormity of the task the workgroup believed they had been given, and raised key questions surrounding the SBC’s response to sexual abuse.

“What should be obvious is that the task of conducting extensive investigations of churches is an assignment far beyond the capability of our small bylaws workgroup,” Alford said. “Beyond that fact, however, is the reality that neither the bylaws workgroup nor the Executive Committee has any investigative authority given to it by the SBC.”

After the bylaws workgroup released their report on the 10 churches named by the Chronicle and later by Greear, one of the congregations they said warranted no further inquiry—Trinity Baptist in Ashburn,

Ga.—confirmed the termination of a church staff member who allegedly “admitted to assaulting several young people years ago,” Baptist Press reported. Rodney Brown, the church’s pastor, apologized for having “failed my duty as a pastor in not taking action sooner.”

Autonomy and authority have been at the forefront of the conversation about abuse since the Chronicle report was published. What is the role of the Executive Committee in investigating charges of sexual abuse or indifference toward abuse? Can autonomous Baptist churches rally behind the idea of a database of abusers that would seek to stop their movements from church to church?

And do the criteria written by the Executive Committee to define indifference toward abuse do enough toward the prevention of abuse and care for survivors?

Southern Baptists will consider that question at the SBC annual meeting in June, when they vote on an amendment to the SBC Constitution that would deem churches that have exhibited indifference to sexual abuse to be not in friendly cooperation with the convention.

In order for the amendment to pass, messengers must approve it by a two-thirds majority at the 2019 and 2020 SBC annual meetings. This year’s annual meeting is June 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala.

As Baptists prepare to meet this summer, Robinson urged them to pray—for the vote and for those affected by abuse—and to come prepared to vote by reading the amendments.

“We want to leave the convention knowing that we’ve taken the necessary steps to make the next generation of Southern Baptists safe,” Robinson said. Questions about church autonomy aren’t insurmountable, he said, but they do have to be wrestled with on the way to doing what’s best.

“If churches want to be cooperating churches,” Robinson said, “I think we can easily say that a cooperating church cannot look the other way at abuse.”

– Meredith Flynn, with additional reporting by Baptist Press

Kicklighter to depart

Staff honors planting director

Springfield | Van Kicklighter, associate executive director for the Church Planting Team, will transition out of his role at IBSA April 1. He has continued to serve in the capacity three years after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the blood cells.

“In these three years, because of the prayers of many of you along with good medical care, the cancer has been managed,” Kicklighter told staff in February. But the cancer and treatments have made it difficult to keep the same pace and workload. “And I care too much about the need for us to increase the pace at which we impact lostness and plant churches in Illinois to allow anything, including my health, to slow us down,” he said.

Kicklighter has led IBSA’s church planting focus twice, most recently since 2011. He also has served with the Missouri Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board, and planted churches in Oregon and Nebraska. He and his wife, Robin, are active members of Western Oaks Baptist Church in Springfield. The IBSA staff honored the Kicklighters with a luncheon in March.

“Under Van’s leadership over the past eight years, IBSA has seen almost 150 churches planted,” said IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams. “He has been a thoughtful and passionate advocate for pushing back the lostness of Illinois through church planting, and for casting vision for the hundreds of places that still need a New Testament church here.”

Our state is one of the most significant mission fields in the world, Kicklighter said. “With the third-largest city in the country and the second-largest group of international college students, Illinois is a strategic place from which the gospel can go forth.”

Eddie Pullen, IBSA’s church planting director, will begin serving in an interim leadership role April 1, when Kicklighter transitions to disability status.

“I am grateful for the way Illinois Baptists and IBSA coworkers have prayed and cared for Robin and me during some very challenging seasons,” Kicklighter said.

“This has been a rich blessing for us and one we are very thankful for.”

CO-LABORERS – IBSA’s Church Planting Team prays over Van and Robin Kicklighter at a luncheon March 12.

ROBINSON

SOUTHERN

From the front: RIGHT TO LIFE RALLY

Continued from page 1

“We’re here today to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, asking our lawmakers not to expand abortion in Illinois; not to damage conscience rights; not to force insurance companies, not to ask pro-life medical people to engage in abortion which they find reprehensible,” David Smith, executive director of rally co-organizer Illinois Family Institute, told the Illinois Baptist Smith urged Christians, whether or not they were able to attend the rally, “not to remain silent in the face of this horrific policy that’s going to victimize women and preborn children.”

The Reproductive Health Act has been compared to a law passed recently by legislators in New York which

legalizes some abortions after 24 weeks gestation— known as “late-term abortions.” Pro-life lobbyist Ralph Rivera, legislative chairman of Illinois Right to Life Action, said the law Illinois legislators are considering is the “most extreme law, more extreme than New York’s.”

In addition to allowing termination through all nine months of pregnancy, the bill eliminates the current requirement that a second doctor be present to provide immediate medical care “for any child born alive as a result of a post-viability abortion,” according to the Thomas More Society.

The bill currently has House and Senate versions— HB 2495 and SB 1942. Both bills are in committee.

The move toward expanded abortion laws in Illinois was an immediate concern for pro-life advocates after the 2018 election of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who often stated his support for abortion rights during his campaign. Pritzker signed an executive order Jan. 22 to enforce a law directing state employee health insurance plans to include abortion services.

Another pending bill (HB 2467 and SB 1594) would repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, which currently requires doctors to notify an adult family member of a patient under 18 prior to an abortion. The Thomas More Society reported the Act “has been responsible for a reduction of more than 55% in abortions among Illinois minors since 2012.”

SB 1594 passed through the Public Health Committee March 20 by a party line vote of 8-4, and is scheduled for a second reading.

While pro-life advocates were gathering outside the Capitol, Drake Caudill, pastor of First Baptist Church in Carmi, was praying the opening prayer in front of the Illinois House of Representatives. “Two months ago I prayed and asked God to open up doors to do something like this,” Caudill told the IB before speaking to the House. “I’ve been praying on the way up here thanking him for this opportunity.”

– Lisa Misner, with reporting from the Thomas More Society and Illinois Family Institute

capitol watch

Clergy privilege under review

Mandated reporting is focus of two pending bills

Springfield | The spring session of the 101st Illinois General Assembly continues to roll along at a quick pace with a number of bills being submitted. Here a few Baptists should watch:

Broadens

required reporting

SB 1778, sponsored by Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-Deerfield)

The bill would amend the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, removing the former list of mandated reporters and replacing it with a wider list of categories including clergy. Bob Vanden Bosch, executive director of Concerned Christian Americans, expressed his concern that the bill could hamper the ministry of churches. Describing a situation where a family in need contacts a church for assistance, he said, “If the pastor visits the home and sees there is no food, he would have to report them (the parents) to DCFS and then get the family food. What would that do to a church’s ministry?”

Ralph Rivera, legislative chairman of Illinois Right to Life Action, also expressed concern. “Situations of neglect are a little bit subjective,” he said. Some are worried clergy could be made to operate as agents of the state.

Status: In committee

Regulates care for minors

HB 3515, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-Palatine)

The Youth Health Protection Act would prevent medical doctors and mental health providers from referring individuals

“under the age of 18 to any medical doctor for chemical or surgical interventions to treat gender dysphoria or gender discordance.”

Status: In committee

Allows alcohol home-delivery

SB 54, sponsored by Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park)

The bill amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934 to allow businesses with liquor licenses to begin home-delivery. The retailer would be allowed to deliver to homes and other consumer locations if the person accepting delivery is verified to be at least 21 years of age. SB 54 preempts home rule powers of local governments. Should it make it through the General Assembly, the bill would be effective immediately.

Status: In committee

Mandates HPV vaccine for students

SB 1659, sponsored by Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-Deerfield)

The bill would mandate students entering the sixth grade and attending public, private, or parochial school receive a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. If left untreated, the HPV virus can lead to genital warts and even cervical cancer. Numerous news outlets have attributed the vaccine Gardasil, made by Merck and the only vaccine available in the U.S., to severe reactions and even death in patients who received it.

Status: Tabled after public outcry – ILGA.gov, Illinois Review

LGBT curriculum one step closer

After close House vote, Senate considers controversial bill

The Illinois House approved a measure March 13 that would require K-12 public schools to teach LGBTQ history. It now goes to the Senate where if passed, it would become effective July 1, 2020.

The bill requires public schools to purchase textbooks “with grant funds [that] must be non-discriminatory” and “provides that in public schools only, the teaching of history of the United States shall include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State.”

HB 246 passed on vote of 60-42 with 13 representatives not voting. Its main sponsor is Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Chicago). Equality Illinois and the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance helped draft the bill and are supporters.

A similar bill was passed by the Senate last year but wasn’t voted on by the House before the end of session. Ralph Rivera, legislative chairman of Illinois Right to Life Action, said the bill has been sent to the Senate Assignments Committee and should begin hearings in a few weeks.

To contact your State Senator and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, go to VoterVoice.net.

LifeWay to close all stores

Baptist publisher will focus on digital retail

Nashville, Tenn. | LifeWay Christian Resources announced March 20 the closure of its 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019.

“The decision to close our local stores is a difficult one,” said acting President and CEO Brad Waggoner. “LifeWay has developed close connections with the communities where our stores are located, and we have been honored to serve those communities. We will continue serving local congregations as they meet the spiritual needs of their neighbors.”

In January, LifeWay announced it would reduce the number of its retail locations due to declining customer traffic and sales.

“While we had hoped to keep some stores open, current market projections show this is no longer a viable option,” Waggoner said.

Baptist Press previously reported the stores lost $35.5 million in 2017, while the rest of the Southern Baptist publishing house’s product line produced $452 million, an increase of $45 million since 2009.

As part of the organization’s strategy, LifeWay has introduced a number of digital resources including online Bible studies, worship planning, live streaming of events, and online training opportunities.

“LifeWay has been serving the church for 128 years, and we will continue to grow our

ministry to churches and individuals into the future,” Waggoner said. “As the market continues to change, primarily through shifts in brick-and-mortar retail, we are taking steps to meet customer demand for digital shopping experiences and to expand our reach globally.” LifeWay distributes resources in 164 nations and licenses resources in more than 60 languages.

The timing of store closings will vary depending on local circumstances. LifeWay expects all stores to close by the end of the year. Moody Bible Institute previously announced LifeWay would not renew its lease for the on-campus store in Chicago; Illinois’ other LifeWay store is in Carterville (pictured above).

Like other retailers, over the last decade LifeWay has seen commerce increasingly move online, while experiencing overall growth in digital sales.

“Our world and our customers are increasingly online,” Waggoner said. “Investing in a dynamic digital strategy allows LifeWay to better serve the Church in its mission and only enhances our ability to provide biblical solutions for life.”

– From LifeWay Christian Resources

Nominee announced soon

Executive Committee to vote on new president April 2

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will hold a special called meeting in Dallas April 2 to vote on a presidential nominee, EC chairman Mike Stone announced March 19. The nominee’s name will be announced March 31.

The meeting “will include a report from the search committee, a question and answer session with the nominee, and a committee vote on the nomination. The meeting, primarily held in executive session, will begin at 11 a.m. and is anticipated to conclude by 3 p.m.,” said Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Ga.

The seven-member presidential search committee announced in February it had “identified God’s candidate for such a time as this” but had not officially notified the person of the search team’s intent to nominate him. Adron Robinson, president of IBSA and pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills, is vice chairman of the search committee.

Stone, an ex officio member of the search committee, said in his March 19 announcement, “The search team and the nominee are grateful for your continued prayers as we collectively seek the wisdom and direction of God.”

– From Baptist Press

Win for housing allowance

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit unanimously ruled March 15 in favor of the ministers’ housing allowance, reversing an earlier lower court ruling that found the provision unconstitutional.

The tax exemption permits “ministers of the gospel” to exclude for federal income tax purposes a portion or all of their gross income as a housing allowance. The Seventh Circuit’s decision rejected claims by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFFR) that the tax law grants a government benefit to a religious group.

“While this is good news, it is believed that the FFRF battle over this is far from over,” said Alan Monroe, an accountant and IBSA pastor. “It is unknown if they will ask the entire Seventh District Court of Appeals to review the case or potentially request the Supreme Court to review it.”

Baker ends legal battle

Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker accused of discrimination for refusing to create cakes that contradict his religious convictions, has reached a truce with the state commission who first charged him in 2012. Both sides dropped complaints against each other March 4, after audio recordings surfaced that allegedly show anti-religious bias on the part of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission (CCRC).

It was Phillips’s refusal to create a cake for a same-sex wedding that took him to the U.S. Supreme Court, which partially ruled in his favor last year. Later in 2018, the CCRC charged Phillips again for refusing to create a cake celebrating a transition from male to female identity. The commission dropped that charge in March, and Phillips dropped his religious bias lawsuit against the commission.

‘Controversial, not wrong’

Gateway Seminary responded to inquiries from Facebook about a post the school tried to boost on the social media site, which refused the request. The post included this quote from President Jeff Iorg: “Holding the line on positions based on timeless biblical standards as an ultimate authority has been and always will be important.” Facebook asked questions about the seminary and Iorg, the president wrote later, “to establish we are a valid company, not a hate group or a foreign entity.”

“The phrase ‘timeless biblical’ sets off warning bells for many people,” Iorg wrote, adding that “ultimate authority” also likely resulted in censorship. “Controversial means marginalized, but it doesn’t mean I’m wrong. It just means I’m out of step with current opinion.”

– FactsandTrends.net, Baptist Press (2)

Get breaking news in The Briefing online, posted every Tuesday at www.ib2news.org.

reporter’s notebook

Pastor’s legacy praised at anniversary

It’s been 10 years since the murder of Maryville First Baptist’s Pastor Fred Winters. Illinois Baptists were shocked when the beloved pastor was gunned down while preaching the Sunday morning message from the pulpit.

Serving on the IBSA staff, I first got to know Pastor Fred when he served two terms as IBSA vice president and then another two as president. He was always easy going and willing to answer questions for articles in the Illinois Baptist. I remember running into him and his wife, Cindy, one year at the Southern Baptist Convention where they were planning to hand out water to gay rights supporters protesting the convention. He talked about how it would be a good way to show Christ’s love.

First Baptist Maryville recently held a memorial service to mark the anniversary of his death. I was among the hundreds who attended the service, looking on as old friends came together to remember the pastor who grew the church from 35 to over 1,200. Illinois pastors have often said how Pastor Fred’s teaching from his experience “breaking the barriers” enabled them to grow stronger churches. Fred was always willing to share of his experience and himself.

Dive in to summer!

Splash and Battle Ready are IBSA’s 2019 week-long summer camps for kids and students.

Kids Splash Camps:

Week 1 – June 17-21, Streator

Grades 3-12

Week 2 – June 10-14, Streator

Grades 4-8

In video testimonies, friends, church members, and former staff bore witness to the difference Pastor Fred had made in their lives, how his burden for the lost became their burden for the lost, how his vision became their vision.

The most poignant moment of the evening came when Cindy addressed the assembly. She shared how she and her daughters, with God’s help, journeyed through their grief and continue to do so. Their faith has been made stronger having learned not to give up.

Still, she likened the evening to biting into a chocolate tomato—“sweet at first on the outside and kind of sour and bitter on the inside.” Such a strange comparison and yet, such a truism. Isn’t that how we all feel in some way? Not only about Pastor Fred, but our own lost loved ones remembered? Whether through death, divorce, separation, or other kinds of loss, what a taste remembrance can leave in your mouth.

Winters’s life and legacy of faith was worthy of celebration. At the end of the service, it was easy to imagine Pastor Fred among the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12, cheering Illinois Baptists on as they run the race sharing Christ with their friends and neighbors just like he did.

– Lisa Misner

The March 13, 2009 edition of the Illinois Baptist covered the shock and grief FBC Maryville and IBSA churches everywhere experienced at the death of Senior Pastor Fred Winters.

Week 3 – June 16-20, Sallateeska

Grades 3-6

Week 4 – June 24-28, Sallateeska

Grades 3-6

Week 5 – July 8-12, Streator

Grades 3-12

Week 6 – July 15-19, Streator

Grades 7-12

Student Battle Ready Camps: At Lake Sallateeska and Streator

Week 1 – June 24-28, grades 7-12

Week 2 – July 14-19, grades 6-12 Register at IBSA.org/Students

IN FOCUS Why I need resurrection

In times of crisis, this heady Christian doctrine can become deeply personal—and reassuring.

BY ERIC REED

Prologue

May I tell you a secret? When I close my eyes, I still see my wife on her deathbed.

Please stay with me. This article gets much more upbeat soon, but I have to start at this point so you will know why resurrection is so important to me right now. And it’s not because I want to get a jump start on the Easter celebrations. My need to understand resurrection has become very personal.

It’s been five months since my wife died. We spent her last three weeks in Room 101 at the hospice here in town. When I close my eyes, I sometimes—make that often—see her laying on the hospital bed in silhouette against the window. Each day as the sun passed over the building toward her west-facing window, the outside light would become quite bright. And I, sitting on the opposite side of the bed in a vinyl chair, would stare at her, and beyond her into sunlight.

I can muster other scenes from those weeks: Her sister sitting on the sofa under the window texting relatives. Our dog coming for a visit. Friends praying and doing their best to cheer us. One couple bringing a guitar and my wife singing hymns from memory, even third verses, when she was unable to say much else.

And I can see the night when I played Gaither songs on YouTube, and during “We Shall Behold Him,” my wife lifted both arms upward and pointed. “What do you see?” I asked. “A glimpse of heaven? Your mother?” Eyes closed, she nodded. She was eager to see her mother and old friends from the church where she grew up. Then she lowered her arms and clasped her hands together. “Do you want me to pray?” She nodded.

I prayed kind of like Jesus prayed on the cross at the very end, commending her spirit to the Father.

HOLY SIGHTINGS

Pastor Jon McDonald of First Baptist Church of Casey led a tour of Israel in January. His wife, Lindsay, is a gifted professional photographer. She shared from her album some scenes that serve to illustrate this article, including some places where Jesus appeared after the Resurrection.

Continued from page 7

From that time, she hardly moved. I sat there for most of two days waiting for her body to catch up with her soul, staring across her prone figure into the light.

That’s the image I see.

That’s why resurrection has become not just a doctrine, but an urgency to me. The Resurrection of Jesus? Certainly. What is our faith without it? But also my wife’s resurrection, and my own. Whole libraries have been written on the Resurrection of Jesus, but relatively little on the resurrection of believers, and even less about resurrection as a necessary present-time action.

For me this year, Easter is not just a happy dance outside an empty grave, but a time of seeking earnestly the assurance of things to come, the affirmation of reunion, and a down payment on glory. In the meantime, resurrection—not as a future event, but here and now—becomes enough to get us through the here and now.

If you’ve wondered whether you can make it through today, much less tomorrow, then join me as we think about resurrection.

One word changes everything

Weeping outside her brother’s tomb, Martha insisted that if Jesus had hurried on, Lazarus would still be alive. His first words to her were cold comfort. Her response to the promise that Lazarus would rise again seems to be more a protest than an affirmation. “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day,” she said. But she was more concerned about the present day.

Jesus’ reply turns her to the truth standing before her: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

If the religious leaders standing there in the cemetery heard Martha’s statement, some would have applauded, others would have shaken their heads. The Pharisees believed the righteous dead would be raised at the end, while the Sadducees argued there was no resurrection at all.

Martha’s reply hinges not on the teachings of the major schools of Jewish thought, but on the words that Jesus has just applied to himself. He is life (zoe in Greek), and he is the very thing that guarantees life.

A friend of mine phoned across the country to tell his parents their grandchild had been born, a

beautiful baby they called Anastasia. The proud dad heard his own father, a seminary professor, laughing from a thousand miles away.

“Well, son,” the older man said, “that little girl will always stand up to you. And no one will ever back her down.” He chuckled some more. “You named her anastasis, the Greek word meaning to stand up again.”

When Jesus called on Lazarus to come out of the tomb, Martha and Mary and the crowd around them saw anastasis in action. Lazarus stood up again.

More important, that’s what Jesus did soon after at his own Resurrection—stand up again. It’s a simple phrasing for a complex event: anastasis describes plainly the pivotal point in history, for, as one observer said, without the Resurrection of Jesus, Christianity is quite literally dead.

The Father calls, Arise! and Jesus stands up. The One who lay down his life for our sake takes it up again and emerges from the place of death into life everlasting. As he does, Jesus proves to the world that he is the Christ.

Resurrection is proof that Jesus is alive. So much for claims that robbers stole his body: The grave was sealed and guarded. So much for the swoon theory: Jesus didn’t pass out, he died. The soldier’s gash in Jesus’ side proved it, as water separated from blood gushed out. And if more proof were needed, the grave clothes were still in the grave, and the head cloth was neatly wrapped and laid aside by one who sat up, stood up, and no longer needed it. So much for mouldering in the grave: He is not here, he is risen!

Jesus’ declaration that he is the resurrection was proven on Resurrection morning. But the question of what that means in our hour of need remains.

A down payment on our future

Baptists are not a creedal people, so not many of our churches recite the Apostles’ Creed on a regular basis. Yet, we find in those summaries of the Christian faith a statement that the early church fathers felt was crucial to their belief in Jesus: “I believe in…the resurrection of the body…” Likewise, the Nicene Creed lists “resurrection of the dead.”

From the fourth century onward, believers needed to state aloud, along with their systematic beliefs about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, their own hope for themselves. This was true in a largely illiterate culture, so leaders built the statements into the worship services. This was a necessary response to various movements in the early centuries of the church that denied or misconstrued the deity of Jesus, and belittled the future hopes of his followers.

“Jesus was raised from the dead, and we will be too!” If the worship service had been a pep rally, that would have been the cheer, starting in 325 A.D.

This simple statement affirming the resurrection is based on verses in the Gospels and Epistles, of which Paul’s masterwork is 1 Corinthians 15. What the apostle says briefly in Romans 6:5—“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his”—is unpacked in 58 verses to the Corinth church.

You can’t blame the Christians in Corinth for sounding a little selfish. “We believe in Jesus,” they might have said, “but what’s going to happen to us?”

If you’ve wondered whether you can make it through today, much less tomorrow, then think about resurrection.

Paul reminds them that his teaching about Jesus is of “first importance”—“that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day…” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Whatever they may understand about their own coming resurrection is based on Jesus’ resurrection. Paul calls him the “first fruits” of the believers, in the same way that the first grains of the harvest forecast much more to come. (Around here, we would be more likely to talk about the first ripe tomato of summer or the first ear of corn.) There is such joy when the first fruits come in, because it’s only the beginning of harvest season and celebration.

Paul continues the agricultural imagery.

“‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’….What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body….So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power” (vv. 35-38, 42-43).

“The analogy of the seed enables Paul to walk a fine line,” scholar Richard Hays wrote, “asserting both the radical transformation of the body in its resurrected state and yet its organic continuity with the mortal body that precedes it.”

That should be good news to us.

Will I know my mother?

In her final week, I asked my wife again if she was scared. Of death itself? “No,” she responded, “but dying is coming quicker than I expected, and dying isn’t so easy.” She knew that her faith in Jesus as Savior would see her through to heaven, “but,” she said, “will I know my mother?”

I was surprised by that question. I thought she knew that for certain, but now she needed reassurance. I rifled through my pastoral answers: Paul says, “For

now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12 KJV).

Mary recognized Jesus after his Resurrection when he spoke to her. The pair walking on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus. He was somehow changed, but he was still Jesus.

Thomas saw Jesus a week after his first appearance to the disciples. Meeting them a second time in the upper room, the scars showed that his glorified body was still his body. In some way it was still his earthly body—changed, transformed, glorified, but still his.

From his boat, Peter saw Jesus at a distance barbequing a beachside breakfast. Realizing who it was, Peter jumped into the water to swim to him, and left the others to row the boat in.

In these scenes from Easter morning forward, we see that resurrection—his and ours—proves God cares about the person and our personhood. He’s not just keeping the ethereal, spirit-y part of us, but he promises the preservation of all that makes us us. The questions that come up about the deceased whose bodies are destroyed or lost or cremated are rendered irrelevant by these truths: We are all made of dust and to dust we will return, but God has promised to this dust that it will stand again. In the biblical examples we have, the person was known by those who saw him. Organic continuity.

My wife wanted to hear that. “Will I know my mother in heaven?” was a way of saying, Will Mom still be Mom? Will I still be me?

Frankly, it was a word I needed too. I needed assurance that at the resurrection of the dead, a body ravaged by cancer is somehow transformed into something immortal and incorruptible and glorious. God promises to raise us from the dead, preserves yet transforms us, and that action assures us we will be together again.

Philippians 3:10-11 (CSB)

SHIP TO SHORE – From his boat on the Sea of Galilee, Peter saw Jesus on the shore and swam to him right away.

ANCIENT FORTRESS – The ruins of King Herod’s palace at Masada, (bottom photo on page 8), later served as a refuge for Jews fleeing Roman rule.

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Continued from page 9

When and how, we don’t know for sure, but we’re sure it’s coming. And like my wife said, it seems to be coming more quickly than I expected.

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord”

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

As if there was any doubt. “I will arise and go to Jesus; he will embrace me in his arms,” the hymnwriter said. Or as Paul concluded his Thessalonian note: “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

The Resurrection of Jesus foretells the resurrection of his followers. For me in recent months, that has proven to be a powerful, bankable promise from God. (See Philippians 3:10-11.) But what about the meantime? What does resurrection mean to us right now?

Throw some wood on the fire

Let’s be careful that this article doesn’t take a sharp, unwarranted turn at this point. That said, here is a road we should go down, if only briefly. With Christ’s resurrection on one end of the timeline, and the promise of our own on the other end, what’s in the middle? I find an answer in that word we most often translate as resurrection: anastasis

Literally the word means “stand up!” While linked theologically to life after death in many New Testament uses, it’s also a simple command to those who are sitting, resting, or, perhaps, lollygagging.

When Jesus called Matthew to be his disciple, the tax collector “arose” and followed him (Matthew 9:9).

Jesus told Jairus’s little girl to get up from her deathbed and she “arose” (Mark 5:42).

Jesus said the prodigal son came to his senses and “arose” to go to his father (Luke 15:18, 20).

The place of crushing

Jesus told the one healed leper who returned to give thanks to “arise” and go his way (Luke 17:19).

The Holy Spirit told Philip to “arise” and head south for his divine appointment to share the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26).

And on the road to Damascus, Jesus commanded Paul to “arise” and go into the city for further instructions (Acts 9:6).

For those mired in grief, daydreaming about what might be, or lamenting what never was, this imperative is a big help. Stand up. In other words, until that final morning when we all stand up, there’s a lot of daily getting up to do and serving to fulfill Jesus’ mission.

There’s a lot of work to be done.

I’m still thinking about a story Pastor Ralph Schultz of Fieldon Baptist Church told at the Sandy Creek Association’s fall meeting. When he was a teenager, his family home was heated by a wood stove. Just before bedtime, his father would stoke the fire to keep the house warm overnight. Ralph would be snug in his bed and sleep soundly for several hours, but as morning approached, he would discover he was awake and thinking, “Someone needs to throw some wood on the fire.” In a few minutes, Ralph’s father would call out from his own bedroom, “Son, get up and throw a log on the fire!”

“The house was cold, we needed someone to throw some wood on the fire,” Ralph said, “and I realized that ‘someone’ was me.”

Anastasis

Epilogue

Maundy Thursday will mark six months since my wife died. On that day before Good Friday, I will retire some of my small grief rituals. Soon afterward, the dog and I will move to a new house in hopes of creating some fresh memories. And on Resurrection Sunday, I will arise and run with the disciples to the empty tomb, then beyond, seeking the Risen Savior.

“He is not here, he is risen,” I will hear. And one day, by God’s grace, we will be risen too.

Eric Reed is editor of Illinois Baptist media and IBSA’s associate executive director for Church Communications.

OLIVES, GRAPES, AND WHEAT – From Gethsemane (far left), where Jesus knelt at the olive press and prayed prior to his crucifixion, to this tomb-side communion, the tour group traced the steps of the Savior.

MISSION

DAY OF SERVICE

In Chatham, one Children’s Missions Day team served at a home for blind residents. Volunteers at the central Illinois site, including a team from First Baptist Petersburg (below in group photo), gathered back at Chatham Baptist Church after their projects to have lunch and celebrate the day.

Helping hands

For kids, missions engagement starts now

BY ANDREW WOODROW

Hundreds of young volunteers scattered across Illinois March 9 for a day of hands-on mission projects. IBSA’s annual Children’s Mission Day sent kids around the state to serve by baking cookies for first responders, visiting with residents at assisted living facilities, helping at local food banks, and dozens more projects.

At Chatham Baptist Church, nearly 70 children from six different churches gathered before heading to their project sites. Missy Doyle has organized Children’s Mission Day in the Springfield area for the past two years. As a former missionary, its value goes beyond helping children serve for one day. It’s about teaching the children the value and purpose of ministry.

“Missions is very close to my heart,” said Doyle, who serves as president-elect of Illinois Woman’s Missionary Union and is the wife of IBSA’s Dwayne Doyle. “And while what these kids do may seem small on a grand scale, it can spark a greater ministry. If we can get these

kids to start thinking about missions at an early age, I’m all for it.”

That vision is why Woodland Baptist Church in Peoria has participated in Children’s Mission Day for the past five years. “Our church values missions,” said volunteer Laura Lee. “And it’s important for us to teach our kids to learn about it too—to learn about serving others, and getting a chance to see others who have different challenges than what they experience in their own lives.”

When they’re given a chance to serve others, kids enjoy it, said Jerry Weber, associate pastor at Chatham Baptist. “This gives the kids an opportunity to see life a little differently.”

After they finished their projects, the kids came back to the church and had an opportunity to share with each other what the day meant to them. Many said it taught them how to be kind, how to show Jesus’ love, and how to help others. Others said they discovered that people appreciated their service.

Photos by Andrew Woodrow and posted on Facebook by Children’s Missions Day volunteers

Doyle said she even heard people talking about taking Children’s Missions Day back home. “If we can drive an hour to do this here, then we can certainly do this in our own community as well,” one volunteer said.

“One baby step at a time,” Doyle said. “What we want these kids to see here is that they can emulate similar ministries in their own city or neighborhood. It builds from there. And the vision grows over the years to the point that they can share the gospel with whomever they meet.”

For more information about resources and events for children, go to IBSA.org/Kids.

In Carrier Mills, Children’s Missions Day teams visited residents at a local nursing home (below) and polished fire trucks at the local fire department.

In Fairfield, kids created table decorations, goodie bags, and floral arrangements for community organizations and first responders.

Teams in Pleasant Hill celebrated the day by posing with props in a makeshift photo booth.

Volunteers serving in Chatham baked cookies for first responders.

Carlinville volunteers made door decorations (above) for nursing home residents and goodie bags (below) for firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

See video from Children’s Missions Day at Vimeo.com/IBSA/CMD

Who will protect the church?

What happens to church property when most of its members depart, leaving only an unpopular pastor and a few of his close friends and family to determine its use? Unfortunately, in all too many cases, the congregation essentially shuts down as an active ministry, converts the property to cash, and then pays the remaining funds to (or for the benefit of) the pastor. Frequently the money is paid out as salary for doing very little since the congregation is now defunct. Even worse, in some situations we have seen, the pastor seems to deliberately drive the bulk of the congregation away so that he can sell the property for his own personal benefit without having to account for the money.

We are even aware of an example where a single minister became pastor of three separate congregations and drove the members of all three away leaving him with the property. While this situation would normally not occur in denominations with relatively strong connections because the denomination would step in, it is all too common among independent congregations and in denominations with much looser structures.

Whether the pastor is truly a wolf in shepherd’s clothing, intentionally driving most of his congregation away so that he can profit personally from the sale of the property, or simply a poor pastor, the result is the same: the destruction of a congregation, the sale of church property often for secular use, and the waste of assets which should be used to build the Kingdom.

What can Christian lay people do to avoid this kind of situation in their own congregations? First, build strong, independent lay leadership for the congregation and resist attempts by the pastor to “pack” the board with his own supporters. This will ensure that there is a strong independent board to check the pastor, offer guidance if he seems to be taking a wrong path, and if necessary, initiate the pastor’s removal.

The second way congregations can help prevent this kind of situation is to exercise great care in selecting a pastor. This should include a careful check of his background and prior employment. Frequently these wolves in shepherd’s clothing move from church to church, repeating the process multiple times. A call committee should be very reluctant to hire a candidate who has left his prior church worse off than when he arrived. It would be wise to talk to some people who left the candidate’s prior church to find out why they left.

Third, the church’s bylaws should be reviewed and updated to ensure that a pastor, with or without a compliant board, could not use parliamentary tricks and

Whitman H. Brisky is a partner with the Chicago-based law firm of Mauck & Baker, which handles cases involving churches and religious liberty. He has practiced law in Illinois since 1975, after graduating from the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. He frequently represents churches and pastors, and is an ally with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). According to his company biography, Brisky was brought to the Lord after wandering into a Presbyterian church where the pastor preached a sermon entitled “Has Anyone Been Saved Here Lately?” At the end of the service Brisky could respond enthusiastically, “Yes, me!”

super majority requirements to prevent the majority of a congregation from supervising or removing an unpopular or incompetent pastor. The bylaws should not allow a pastor to unilaterally remove anyone from membership or limit a member’s voting power.

Fourth, there should be a written contract with each pastor not only detailing the compensation and other benefits he will receive, but also specifying what he is expected to do and the conditions under which he can be terminated. This ensures that a civil court can and will enforce decisions which are consistent with that contract.

And lastly, make sure that the church treasurer, and other people charged with handling the money of the church, are independent of the pastor and that their work is independently reviewed (preferably by a third party accountant) to ensure that financial transactions are properly recorded.

Taking these common sense steps will not only help avoid the wolf in shepherd’s clothing, but also strengthen the church congregation generally—particularly its lay leadership, which can also lead to more effective evangelism and ministry. Even if you already have a wolf in shepherd’s clothing, it might not be too late. You should contact an attorney experienced in handling these matters before you walk away from a congregation.

The firm offers a free newsletter on religious liberty issues. mauckbaker.com

Trusting God in dark days

Read: Psalm 25

When facing the dark days of life, to whom can you trust your soul?

We don’t know the exact circumstances of this psalm, but we know that David wrote it at a time when he was being attacked by his enemies. The attacks left him isolated from friends, hated by foes, and discouraged in heart. Yet, in one of the darkest times of his life, David made up his mind to trust in God.

Because God alone is able to deliver him from his enemies, David pleads for the Lord to save him from the shame of defeat (Ps. 25:1-3). David knows that God has a track record of faithfulness, so he puts his soul in the hands of the only one whom he could trust.

Next, David prays that God will direct him (vv. 4-15). He asks God to lead him into his divine will, while releasing him from the snare of his enemies.

David’s prayer is for God to reveal his will so that David can pursue God’s will. David doesn’t want to live outside of God’s will, so he asks God to order his steps. And on our dark days, we should pray the same way. David Livingstone once said, “I’d rather be in the heart of Africa in the will of God than on the throne of England out of the will of God.”

Finally, David prays for God to defend him from his enemies (vv. 16-25). In his darkest days, David asks God to guard his life and rescue him from his enemies. He places his faith in God to be his refuge. Out of gratitude for all God did, David is determined to live with integrity and uprightness.

When dark days come, don’t turn from God, turn to God. He alone is faithful to protect your soul.

Prayer Prompt: God, thank you for being the always faithful presence in our lives. May we turn to you on our darkest days, and may you lead us in the way everlasting.

Adron Robinson pastors Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills and is president of IBSA.

But where will I go to try on choir robes?

Churches take on tech issues

Worship technicians gather for annual training conference

Stop interruptions

There are two kinds of worship interruptions, said IBSA’s director of worship and technology Steve Hamrick—avoidable and unavoidable. Some interruptions just can’t be helped—the power goes out, a baby cries, or someone in the audience forgets to turn off their phone. But most worship interruptions, Hamrick said, can be avoided with effective planning.

“Worship interruptions are things that happen in corporate worship that distract people from the gospel and from connecting with Christ,” Hamrick said. Could it be spiritual warfare? “Yes, but often it’s poor planning.”

Hamrick offered these ideas for avoiding worship interruptions:

1. Pray for the people leading worship and for the congregation.

2. Plan. What gear is needed for the worship service? What special logistics or set-up are needed to make it work? Communicate those needs with staff and volunteers.

IBSA roof damaged in strong winds

No people were hurt, but the roof of the IBSA Building in Springfield was in poor condition after heavy winds blew part of it off March 14. A gust of high wind blew a section of the building’s roof into its north parking area. At least one vehicle was left with severe dents and scratches and others had minor damage.

Nearly 50 people—IBSA staff and building tenants—were in the building when the incident occurred.

“I haven’t seen or felt that kind of wind in a long time, but I’m still surprised at what it could do to the roof of a sturdy building like ours,” said IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams. “I’m so thankful to the Lord that none of our staff, tenants, or guests were injured.”

Springfield | Just a few years ago, teaching worship leaders and teams about technology was one part of Steve Hamrick’s job. Now, it’s a key focus area for IBSA’s director of worship and technology.

“Five or six years ago, we went from having technology as part of our worship conference, to offering an entire conference on church technology,” Hamrick said. More than 150 worship leaders and team members met at the IBSA Building Feb. 16 for the 2019 Church Technology Conference.

The annual meeting included 30 breakout sessions on specific technologies—like the ProPresenter software used in many churches—plus hands-on training from worship practitioners from across the state.

“We’ve discovered that technology people like to experience the gear,” Hamrick said. The classes and gear won’t all fit in a single church, so IBSA hosts the annual conference and Hamrick follows up with regional training sessions on technologies like sound or video. He also consults with individual churches about gear they’re considering or training they might need.

Worship planning and execution isn’t a one-size-fits-all enterprise, Hamrick said. “What

dictates technology is what you’re trying to do with your worship.” A small sound board and a few mics may be enough for a church with a choir, piano, and organ, but more participants equal more technology, Hamrick said. Guitars, other instruments, praise teams, multitracks, video technology—each element presents specific needs. And getting it right is vital.

“Technology is the conduit between the spoken Word of God and the listener’s ear,” Hamrick said. “Everything we do in the technical ministry is to help the congregation participate, hear clearly, and understand.

“If the technology’s right, it will help people participate in worship.”

Dozens of worship and technology resources are available through IBSA’s online Resource Center. Go to IBSA.org/Worship and click on Resource Center on the right to sign up for access to articles like “Five steps to avoid worship interruptions” (see column at right), “How to find a part-time worship leader,” and “Worship resources for a small church with a small budget.”

For information about worship consultation and upcoming training opportunities, contact Hamrick at (217) 319-3132 or SteveHamrick@IBSA.org.

3. Predict. What interruptions could happen? What has happened in the past, and how can you avoid the same challenges?

4. Prepare. Know your worship plan. Work through transitions, and think through technology, video, lighting, and print materials. Create a worship checklist with needs and special circumstances for the different worship elements.

5. Practice with the technology you plan to use, including sound, video, and lighting. Approach practice as if it’s a real worship experience (and it should be).

6. Present (perform) and trust God with the results.

Worship leaders can also prepare in advance by creating an environment that encourages success for the whole team. Hamrick advises leaders to communicate the importance of each team member’s ministry by creating job descriptions for individual roles. Avoid overwhelming your team by recruiting multiple people to work on a single service. For example, one works at the desk while someone else produces (listening, advising, and looking ahead to what happens next). Resist having one person run sound and video at the same time, if possible.

Finally, Hamrick said, handle interruptions with grace. They’re inevitable, and the tech team likely will be the first to recognize the problem.

Sign up for IBSA’s online Resource Center at IBSA.org.

Stationed just down the street on Stevenson Drive, crew members from Springfield Firefighters Local 37 saw the roof blow off and were quickly on the scene. The IBSA Building was open during regular office hours Friday.

The National Weather Service out of Lincoln, Ill., reported wind gusts as high as 61 mph in Springfield that Thursday.

NeTworkiNg

Fellowship Baptist Church in South Chicago Heights is seeking a pastor to lead this small congregation about 30 miles south of Chicago. Applicants must hold true to the beliefs of The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), and the high calling given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. He must have a burden for today’s youth and a love for Christian music.

Position would be bivocational to start; salary available upon request. E-mail resume and cover letter to: resume.fellowshipbaptistchurch @gmail.com.

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

Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

HAMRICK

TECH SUPPORT – More than 150 people gathered in Springfield for IBSA’s 2019 Church Technology Conference, featuring specialized training in specific technologies used in a worship service.

EVENTS

Training Night

March 26: Tremont Baptist Church

April 16: Emmanuel, Carlinville

April 30: FBC Salem

May 2: Unity, Vandalia

May 14: Northside, Dixon

What: Quality, free training in women’s and men’s ministry, worship, students, outreach, leadership development, Sunday school, safety, and more Register: IBSA.org/TrainingNight

March 30, April 6

VBS Clinics

April 12-13, May 3-4

Disaster Relief Training

What: Training weekend designed for new and experienced volunteers and chaplains; new volunteers will take Disaster Relief 101 beginning Friday evening; chaplaincy classes begin Friday at 1 p.m.

Where: April 12-13: Emmanuel, Carlinville; May 3-4: FBC Manteno Register: IBSA.org/DR

April 13

Illinois Student Ministry Conference

What: Student ministry-focused training for everyone from volunteers to senior pastors

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield; registration begins at 8 a.m., conference is 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost: $25 per person Register: IBSA.org/Students

April 26-27

Priority Women’s Conference

Play it smart

dave says

What: Training, ideas, and inspiration for 2019 Vacation Bible School

Where: March 30: Northside, Dixon; April 6: Broadview Missionary Register: IBSA.org/Kids

April 7

Cooperative Program

Sunday Resources: IBSA.org/CP

April 7-28

One GRAND Month

What: State-wide emphasis on evangelism and baptisms Info: IBSA.org/Evangelism

What: Enjoy a time of spiritual renewal and fellowship at the women’s event of the year! Increase your awareness of ministry and missions opportunities and training resources.

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield

Cost: $30 per person Register: IBSA.org/Priority

May 20-22

Southern Illinois Collegiate Retreat

What: An opportunity for students to connect with their peers, and be encouraged to fulfill the ministry Jesus has given them

Where: Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp

Cost: $25 per person Register: IBSA.org/Students

April 26-27 • Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield

Q

Recently, the garage where I worked for a long time went out of business. I have a lot of my own tools, and I was thinking about taking out a loan of around $20,000 to buy a few extra tools I need to open my own garage. It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own shop, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. What do you think?

AI love it when a person has the talent and drive to open their own business, but right now you’re unemployed and looking at going into debt. That’s a bad idea.

You’ll never hear me recommend going into debt to start a business. Did you know most new businesses fail within the first five years due to debt payments? I literally started my company on a card table in my own living room years ago, so I know for a fact you can launch a business without going into debt.

You said you have your own tools, plus you have lots of experience. My advice is to find a place that needs a good mechanic. Then, use the income from a new job to save up for the additional tools you need, and other startup costs associated with opening your own shop.

If you play this smart and start slow, you could have a thriving business on your hands in a few years and no debt to eat up the money you make!

Financial advisor Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host.

Get off the account today!

QI opened a credit card account with a boyfriend several months ago in both of our names. We’re no longer dating, and I was wondering if I can get my name off the account.

AYes, you can. Call the credit card company right now, and tell them to take your name off the account immediately. Find out if there’s a balance on the card. If there is, and it was charged up while your name was on the account, you’ll still be liable for that amount. They won’t release you from responsibility for those purchases, but you can get off the hook for any future charges.

Then, send them a certified letter—return receipt requested—stating that you are no longer liable for additional charges on the card going forward. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to call them again in a few days to make sure they got the letter, too.

You’re learning a hard lesson here. You should never open any kind of joint account with someone when you’re not married. And stop using credit cards!

DAVE RAMSEY

Kelly D. King LifeWay Women’s Ministry Specialist

Trillia Newbell Director, Community Outreach for the ERLC for the SBC

Ron Edmondson CEO Leadership Network

Pat’s Playbook

Renovation with a reason

QI really don’t like the man-cave style of our auditorium since we went full-on contemporary. It’s dark in there. Do I have any choices other than carry a flashlight or find another church?

Baptism focus set for Spring

Get ready for gospel conversations with the 3 Circles plan

With just days to go before the launch of an Illinois-wide emphasis on baptism and evangelism, many churches are preparing for One GRAND Month by training people to share their faith. One simple method: 3 Circles, developed a few years ago by the North American Mission Board. Here’s the premise: Everyday conversations can easily shift to gospel conversations in which a Christian has an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with someone who doesn’t know him yet. The key is these three biblical principles:

1. God’s design for humanity is broken by sin, which separates people from him.

2. Out of that brokenness, God calls people to repent from sin and believe in Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.

3. The power of the gospel compels Christians to pursue God’s design by sharing their faith and making disciples.

Three principles, three circles—simple enough to draw on a napkin or a scrap of paper. Plus, there’s an app. Search “3 Circles” or “Life Conversation Guide,” or go to lifeonmission book.com.

PAT PAJAK

ASeveral of the more contemporary churches have changed their platform design to include black curtains, barn wood backgrounds, stage lighting, no pulpit, and so on. Some have switched from pews to tables and chairs in an attempt to make people feel welcome who wouldn’t otherwise be comfortable inside a church.

It’s unlikely the interior of the church will be changed because of your preference, so I’d suggest you try to appreciate it as an outreach strategy.

Get smart

QIs it unreasonable for me to ask people to put down their phones during the worship service?

When I suggested this to a younger member, she looked at me as if I’d sprouted antlers. I just want them to tune in to the service, rather than texting their friends.

ABe careful…many young people (and some of us older folks) use our phones to follow along with whatever version of the Bible the speaker is using. Every phone-toting worshipper may not be texting, checking Facebook, or online shopping. They could be reading along, making notes, or even sending the pastor a question about what he just said.

It’s appropriate to ask people to turn off their ringers and key clicks, but be mindful that not every Bible these days comes equipped with a leather cover.

Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

Depression rising among teens

12.8%

Outreach ideas: Parenting the Screen-Gen

of those ages 12-17 of depression in the past year, according to the newest data available.

That’s up from

report a major episode

7.9%

ten years earlier.

– Pew Research

How do you keep kids safe on social media? The church can help. Offer practical training to parents on understanding the ever-changing world of social media. One option is to have the local police chief come and speak to the dangers of living in a world where our kids are constantly online. FBC Bethalto recently hosted Brian Housman of 360 Family, author of “Tech Savvy Parenting.” He shared several sessions with parents and students on avoiding the traps of social media. Your church can do something similar and open it up to the entire community.

Church needed here...

Location: Fisher

Focus: Residents of this rural village in Champaign County

Characteristics: Fisher is a family-oriented community with no Southern Baptist church. Building community through small groups will be very important here.

Understanding the world where we live and serve Prayer needs: Pray God will send a young church planting team to Fisher, and that gospel conversations would happen daily. Pray people will be receptive to the gospel.

– IBSA Church Planting Team