May 26, 2014 Illinois Baptist

IB Insider

Opening the 4-14 window page 5

Nate Adams: Your best, lasting impact page 4

things to know about younger Baptists page 5

Midwest Challenge: Starting over or starting from scratch page 11

BIG Pic: Son shines on a cloudy day page 3

B-101: ‘Man’ in the mirror page 14

News and updates

Throughout the week:

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moder n

family values

What happened to marriage

By Meredith Flynn

Ask church leaders what is the single biggest threat to marriage right now, and most would probably give the same answer: the stunning wave of approval for same-sex marriage

But a changing definition of marriage isn’t the only thing endangering the institution, said Baptist leaders at a recent summit on sexuality and the Gospel In fact, it may not even be at the top of the list

Pornography has dulled the consciences of many Christians Cultural trends have tended to devalue marriage at the expense of other arguably good things, like education, career and financial stability And pastors may not feel the freedom or confidence to

speak plainly about the issues affecting their congregations: sexual purity, marital fidelity, and what the Bible really says about all of it

Faced with these threats to marriage, Andrew Walker of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission said the church has a choice: “We can confront these changes, we can acknowledge them, we can work to combat them, or, sadly, we can conform to them ”

One thing the church can’t afford to do: nothing

For today’s 20-somethings, marriage and family look very different than when their parents were making decisions about who to wed and how many kids to have In 1960, 72% of

Chains bind hearts together

American adults were married In 1980, it was 62% In 2012, it was just over 50%

According to a 2013 study by the University of Virginia, the average age of first marriage now is historically high – 27 for women and 29 for men Waiting to marry has resulted in a lower divorce rate and better economic prospects for women; however, researchers also point to higher birth rates among unmarried women

Continued on page 8

Also: Welcoming, but not affirming gay visitors page 9

SBC task force addresses decline

N a s h v i l l e , T e n n . | A task force appointed to study decreasing baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention released its report this month, detailing five problems they believe have contributed to the recent downward trend “We have a spiritual problem,” the task force acknowledged

“Many of our SBC pastors and churches are not effectively engaged in sharing the Gospel and yet continue business as usual We need a sense of brokenness and repentance over the spiritual climate of our churches and our nation ”

Although baptisms in Illinois have increased each of the past two years, nationally, the numbers have trended downward When it was published in June 2013, the national Annual Church Profile (ACP) report showing the previous year ’s facts and figures sounded alarm bells: 25% of Southern Baptist

Continued on page 2

BLEST BE THESE TIES – Ana Melendez (right) and Henrietta Dinzler help bring in 3,000 prayers handwritten by prisoners in Arkansas for the IBSA Annual Momen’s Meeting at First Baptist Church, Marion

Film documents storm recovery

One year after a tornado killed 24 people in Moore, Oklahoma, survivors are sharing their stories in a new documentary film “Where was God? Stories of Hope

After the Storm” was produced and promoted in partnership with several churches and faith-based groups, including the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

“We want to remind people that God is always near, no matter what,” said pastor and executive producer Steven Earp. “There is not a single thing that we could ever go through that our heavenly Father does not understand, and there is not a single dark place that He has not already walked ”

Woman won’t recant, faces death

Sudanese doctor was sentenced to death fter she refused to reject her Christian aith Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, 27, told a ge, “I am a Christian, and I have never n a Muslim,” according to Morning Star ws Ibrahim, who is due to give birth on, is married to a South Sudanese Christian who is a U.S. citizen. Her sentence, set to be carried out in two years, is representative of “increasing Islamization” of Sudan sparked by the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Christianity Today reported

Americans inflate church attendance

It’s easier to be honest online, at least about church attendance A new study by the Public Religion Research Institute found Americans inflate their level of religious participation, especially whe answering questions about it over the 36% of Americans who took PRRI’s telephone survey said they attend services weekly or more, compared to 31% who took an online survey

Among white evangelical Protestants, 9% answering over the phone said they seldom or never attend services, while 17% reported the same on the online survey

‘Gay Christian’ publisher out of NRB

Publisher WaterBrook Multnomah resigned from the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) network over “God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships ” The book by Matthew Vines was published by Convergent Books, an affiliated imprint Though the two are separate entities under the same umbrella, employees of both companies are reported to have worked on the book According to Christianity Today, NRB President Jerry Johnson wrote in a letter to his board, “This issue comes down to NRB members producing unbiblical material, regardless of the label under which they do it ”

Baptists get hip-hop treatment

“Now this is a story all about how the Baptists became what they are now ” Rapping seminary study Ashley Unzicker took the outline from one of her classes and set it to the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song, creating a 5minute ode to Baptist history that starts with religious persecution in England, and concludes with the election of Fred Luter as the SBC’s first African American president Now, that’s fresh

Task force lists 5 problems resulting in fewer baptisms

Continued from page 1

churches reported zero baptisms

IBSA’s Tim Sadler appreciated the fact that the report “is pastors saying to pastors, very honestly, we have a problem Here are our weaknesses ”

The task force, appointed last year by the North American Mission Board, noted five problem areas that have contributed to the decline in baptisms:

• Spiritual

• Leadership

• Discipleship

• Next generation

• Celebration

The group suggested five focus areas for pastors that correlate to the problems:

1. Pray for spiritual awakening. “With urgency, we must join together in fervent and effective prayer for spiritual awakening in our churches and our nation,” the report stated

2. Model personal evangelism and provide pathways for congregations to follow (like NAMB’s new evangelism tool called “3 Circles: Life Conversation Guide)

3 Create a disciple-making culture. “Biblical discipleship produces fully surrendered followers of Christ who possess a white-hot passion to win souls,” Sadler said “Discipleship must be more than information transfer Our discipleship needs to produce evangelists And our evangelism must focus on making disciples ”

I HAVE DECIDED – One of the keys to reversing declining baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention is communicating the Gospel clearly to the next generation, reported a task force appointed by the North American Mission Board In this photo, Skip Leininger, associate pastor at First Baptist, O’Fallon, prepares to baptize Jeremy Kinzinger during the church’s recent crusade, where 103 people were baptized

4. Serve the next generation The 2012 ACP report showed 60% of Southern Baptist churches baptized no one in the 12-17 age bracket The task force called for a renewed focus on equipping parents and church leaders to communicate the Gospel with young people

5. Celebrate evangelism and baptism. “Someone once said, ‘We will produce whatever it is we celebrate And we celebrate what we value,’” Sadler said “Baptism in no way saves, but it points to the great-

est miracle the world has ever known, namely, the reconciliation of the fallen human life with the Father through the shed blood of Jesus Christ

“We need to learn to celebrate again, with sincere exuberance, the mighty work of our God in salvation ”

For more on the task force’s report, evangelism tools, and a new video challenge, go to namb net/baptismtask force

From Baptist Press and NAMB net

Two Illinois DOMs set to retire

S p r i n g f i e l d | Two long-time Illinois directors of missions (DOMs) are retiring.

Leonard Morgan of Quad Cities Area Baptist Association retired May 2, and Larry Richmond, Gateway Baptist Association, will retire at the end of June

Morgan began his tenure in Quad Cities in 2005 Previously, he served as DOM for three other local Illinois associations – Louisville, Palestine, and Sinnissippi In addition, he has pastored and planted churches in West Virginia and Tennessee

“I really liked visiting the churches and getting to know the pastors on a personal basis,” Morgan said “What’s so good about being a DOM as long as I have is the lay people in churches know you and call you by your first name.”

Among the things Morgan is most thankful for during his time as DOM is the association’s focus on becoming more Christ-centered and active in

missions Quad Cities Association has a partnership with the West African nation of Togo and with the Greater Wabash Baptist Association in southern Illinois. Morgan also helped “bring in well over 60 missions from construction to backyard Bible club teams” to serve in the association each summer One church affiliated with the association, FBC Joy, was built by a construction team

Morgan plans to stay in Illinois after his retirement

Richmond came to lead Gateway Baptist Association in 2004 Prior to serving as DOM, he was an executive pastor at FBC O’Fallon, an IBSA staff

member, minister of education at Logan Street Baptist in Mt Vernon, and a professor of chemistry and physics at Rend Lake College in southern Illinois He is also a previous Chairman of the Board and President of IBSA

Since becoming a DOM, Richmond says, “Communities have changed a lot Churches have changed very little I think it’s one of the big issues of today. We need to keep the Gospel the same, but need to figure out different ways to communicate with our communities ”

Richmond said while serving as a DOM he enjoyed “working with people who love the Lord and want the best for themselves as well as their churches It’s been a great blessing to work with them ”

Richmond has announced no formal post-retirement plans and said he is considering his options

Morgan Richmond

The BIG Pic ture

These hogs are going to heaven

Forsyth | It wasn’t a great weather day for the Blessing of the Bikes Gray clouds piled up in the sky on Sunday afternoon, April 27, and then came a downpour, just as hundreds of motorcyclists made their way to and from the Harley-Davidson store in Forsyth to be prayed over by volunteers in orange vests

During the annual tradition, pray-ers put their hands on the shoulders of each rider and ask God for a safe motorcycle season

This year, IBSA’s Pat Pajak hustled home from a preaching engagement that Sunday afternoon to change into his Harley shirt, blue jeans and leather vest On the way to the blessing, he stopped to help a couple whose bike had hit a pothole

“After patching up a cut on the wife’s chin and helping her husband wrestle the bike out of the mud and wet grass, I shared how the Lord had watched over them,” Pajak said

“Our discussion led to the Blessing of the Bikes, which they were headed to, and ultimately the Gospel Standing on the side of Highway 51 in the rain, I had the privilege of leading both of them to Jesus Christ ”

Pajak was 30 minutes late by the time he got to the Harley-Davidson parking lot, but he –and his new brother and sister in Christ – had already been extraordinarily blessed F A I T H Riders is a ministry for motorcyclists who want to use their passion for biking to share the Gospel For information about how to start a chapter in your church, contact Pajak at (217) 391-3129 or PatPajak@IBSA org

Membership matters That’s why IBSA is urging church plants to complete the affiliation process and become full-fledged members of the Illinois Baptist State Association

“We call this process ‘affiliation,’ but it is simply recognizing a young church that has reached the stage when they move from being a church plant to becoming a constituted and cooperating church,” said Van Kicklighter, IBSA’s associate executive director for church planting, who is organizing the

“Welcome to the Family” workshops

Five workshops are scheduled in June at locations across the state Attenders will receive help planning a church constitution and by-laws, understanding legal issues affecting notfor-profit 501(c)3 organizations, navigating the state government’s incorporation process, and educating their congregation on unique aspects of Southern Baptist life That includes an overview of SBC doctrine as explained in The Baptist Faith & Message (2000), systematic giving to missions through the Cooperative Program, and the three annual Weeks of Prayer/Offerings for missions

In addition to their participation in the world’s largest missions organization through the Southern Baptist Convention, cooperating IBSA churches benefit from ministry networking, encouraging pastoral relationships, training for church leaders, and on-site support from IBSA zone consultants

The workshop is free, but registration is requested E-mail EstherEggley @IBSA org

MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY – Stormy weather didn’t stop these bikers from taking part in the annual Blessing of the Bikes in Decatur On his way to the annual prayer rally, which draws several hundred motorcyclists, IBSA’s Pat Pajak led a couple to Christ

‘Welcome’ workshops set for June Church plants urged to complete affiliation process

Nate Adams

Where there’s a will

ust a few days ago, my wife, Beth, and I finally got around to doing something we had promised ourselves we would do for years We updated our wills

It’s only the second time in our married life that we have drawn up wills, and this time around it was quite different For one thing, our young adult sons are now old enough to play significant, legal roles in matters such as our future healthcare decisions and finances Frankly, it felt a little sobering this time around to assign those responsibilities to our children rather than our parents.

We also discovered that the people and causes to which we wish to entrust our earthly possessions at life’s end have, at least in some cases, evolved Our confidence in the effectiveness of some ministries has increased, while in others it has decreased Even within the ministries we have always planned to support with our estate, we now have more specific causes we want to empower

But by far the biggest differe dating our estate plan this tim was in the help we had doin time we had a wonderful tool

Baptist Foundation of Illinois

“Life Stewardship Navigator ” had the expert help of our fr and BFI Executive Directo Doug Morrow

The Life Stewardship Navigator is simply a do-it-

yourself document that walks you through the different types of assets and decisions you need to consider as you form your estate plan It helped us pull together our records and documents, and talk through key decisions we needed to make as a couple

With that information in hand, we were ready to sit down with Doug and discuss the best ways to both take care of our family and invest in Christian causes well beyond our lifetimes Doug called it “taking care of both the kids and the Kingdom ”

With Doug’s office here in Springfield where we live, having that conversation with him personally was easiest for us But the Foundation also has qualified attorneys all over the state who make it relatively easy for any Illinois Baptist to have that same helpful conversation

Frankly, the hardest part of the entire process was not filling out the Life Stewardship Navigator, or walking through the paperwork with Doug The hardest part was simply sitting down as a couple and king some of the biggest decisions of our lives ut our life stewardship as disciples of Jesus ist

Though we are lifelong tithers and seek to be generous with Kingdom causes beyond our tithe, we realized during this process that our estate plan would far exceed even our lifetimes of weekly giving through our church What we chose to do with the accumulated wealth of our lives, however large or small that might be, would be our largest single opportunity ever to contribute financially to God’s Kingdom on earth So prayerfully, thoughtfully, we wrote out a plan that will care for our family, and that will support ministries that advance the Gospel and support Baptist churches and ministries, especially here in our Illinois mission field

I realize now that the day I sat down with my spouse to outline our estate plan was, in effect, my own personal Memorial Day It was the day I was able to intentionally choose the values that I want to memorialize my life, and to stand the tests of time and eternity

I know that my life is about far more than my material possessions But I also know that where my treasure is, there my heart is also So I chose to communicate to God that the biggest giving opportunity of my life places His Kingdom as the top priority We can all do that. After all, where there’s a will, there’s a way

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

To our sister in prison

Dear Karen,

Three weeks after a Baptist summit on sexuality, the most memorable part of the meeting is still the first story someone told

A young pastor from Alabama stood in front of 200 church leaders and talked about the day he found out his pastor father had been having an affair The fallout wrecked his father ’s ministry and threatened to tear the family apart

In the end, his parents stayed together, the young pastor said, and his father has since been restored

“But that costly sin will forever be a mark on his life ” And, one might guess, on the young pastor ’s life

Over the next few days, 23 other speakers at the summit, sponsored by the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, talked about similarly sensitive topics But that first testimony stands out as the meeting’s most poignant moment, because it was personal

It takes courage to tell a story like that, especially when you’re dealing with a topic as intensely personal as sexual sin. It is certainly an easier road to stick to more clinical examples, so as not to risk glorifying the sin or distracting from your main point

But at the summit, sexuality and all its potential for brokenness was the main point

Stories are a powerful medium Watch how church-goers lean forward to listen when their pastor uses a personal illustration in his sermon Or, read a blog post, and notice how you tend to skim over the set-up or

transition sections in search of the narrative stream

We crave stories because they move us along a spectrum from the way someone was to the way they are now. And when we hear those stories in a church or ministry context, the new place is often better than the old The transformation process and end result is important –very much so – but let’s not miss the beginning of the story

A first-person account about the pain of sin is the sharpest way to pierce through a cluttered conscience dulled by rationalized transgressions

Turn to 1 Timothy 1 and see how one phrase from Paul jumps off the page: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – and I am the worst of them

In seven words, Paul goes from an inaccessible paragon of the early church to the worst of sinners “But I received mercy,” he writes next, so that Christ could demonstrate “His extraordinary patience ”

Paul doesn’t skip the beginning of the story. The greatness of his sin is a testimony to the patience of God, born out in his life from Damascus on It’s an integral part of his story

At the summit on sexuality, the Alabama pastor ’s story had similar a two-fold lesson:

First, he said, “I want us to know the cost of sin ” The pleasure of it is never worth the consequences

And second, “Remember, by grace you have been saved ”

Thank you for joining the family of subscribers to the Illinois Baptist I can’t tell you how it warmed our hearts when Carmen Halsey shared your request with us As far as we know, you are the first person to receive our newspaper in prison

We hope as you read the reports of missionaries in all kinds of places and circumstances that you will be encouraged in your faith You have much in common with those missionaries who carry the Good News into tough situations

And you share the same mission as th Apostle Paul, who used his confinement as an opportu nity to share the Gospel of Jesus Ch

It is our prayer that you will have that opportunity, too You can do so much to represent the Lord there in Lincoln to people who really need Him – just as we all do

I hope you won’t think it too cheesy, but we have included a little artwork of a ladybug Clip it and save it, if you can Let it remind you that one day you’ll fly You will be free physically, as even now you are free spiritually in Christ Until then, bring joy to the place where you are, and enjoy the time to you have to spend in Bible study and prayer

May you know the love of Jesus and the sweet presence of His Holy Spirit every single day

Sincerely, The Editors

Voices

Seeing clearly the 4-14 window

While I was pastoring in the Springfield area, I learned an important lesson from my mentor, Jim Doom, concerning children’s ministry Jim served on staff at IBSA for many years and impacted my life in countless ways

I had invited Jim to preach the first revival in our new church building Our young church had struggled through the building process and dedicated the building on the very first Sunday of the revival By the following Tuesday, the fanfare of the dedication had waned, and Jim was speaking to the regular attendees

I remember sitting with him at a fellowship meal before that night’s service The building was still alive with activity Young couples were sharing, ladies were serving, and kids were running everywhere After Jim was nearly run over by some of the children, he motioned for me to come close

I was sure that he was going to ask me to get up and take care of the chaos, but instead he seized the moment to speak into my ministry

“Mark,” he shared “Listen to your church ” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I could barely hear him above the noise that the children were making, so he said it again “Mark, don’t you hear it?” Then, he paused “Never lose that sound ”

Through the years, that comment changed my view of hymnbooks that had been scribbled on with ink pens,

sidewalk chalk on the entryway concrete, and babies who dared to cry during my sermons These are all signs of growing and vibrant churches The noise of reaching children contributes to the best music that we can offer to our Lord

In mission strategy, the term “10-40 window” is used to describe the location of many of the unreached peoples in our world The “4-14 window” is a new term that represents the largest unreached people group, children Nearly half of the world’s population is under 20 and they represent the group that is most receptive to the Gospel

The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth reports that 71% of those who receive Christ will make that life changing decision before they reach 15 Because of this reality, we must do all we can to allow the Gospel to penetrate our ministry to children between the ages of 4 and 14

I am now working in the same building that once housed my former mentor, and I still hear that same challenge to reach children for Christ As plans are finalized for summer camps, Vacation Bible Schools, mission trips, and the like, I am thankful that much of the noise of summer will come from our efforts to engage the 4-14 window

Mark Emerson is IBSA’s associate executive director for missions Read more about sharing the Gospel with kids in the current issue of Resource magazine, online at http://resource IBSA org

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

“ Then ask each child to write a prayer on their helium balloon to be released to the heavens after class ”

πA slice of life

According to a survey by Barna Research, the majority of Christians came to faith before adulthood.

They asked 2,632 adults: At what age did you become a Christian?

Before age 13

Age 13-17

Age 18-21

After the age of 21

Five observations on young Southern Baptists

Editor ’ s note: Much has been said about the Millenial generation and how they’re different from their Gen X and Boomer counterparts But what of younger Southern Baptists? Trevin Wax offered these observations about the next generation

1. They have chastened expectations regarding political engagement It’s common to hear how young evangelicals are fleeing conservative churches and embracing center-left politics I don’t see this happening among young Southern Baptist pastors What I do see is less emphasis on bringing change through political engagement and more emphasis on dealing pastorally with the implications of a secularizing society

I get the impression that many older Southern Baptists see mobilization of Christian voters as the best way to effect change For younger Southern Baptists, I get the impression that the landscape has shifted to the point that they expect to be a minority Therefore, the strategy becomes more about preserving space for Christian morality and less about enshrining our views in law

2. They tend to be Reformed-ish. Not all young Southern Baptists are Calvinists, but many of their preach-

ing heroes are, and so young guys tend to settle under the Reformed umbrella by default I say they’re Reformed-ish because when pressed, I find that many don’t subscribe to all of Calvinism’s particular tenets and doctrines Like all Southern Baptists, the younger generation is on a spectrum with regards to Calvinism, with

43%

23%

13% 21%

statements that imply total abstinence as a test of true faithfulness or a qualification for church leadership On this issue, I sense that my views on alcohol consumption are the minority opinion Young Southern Baptists respect my teetotaling convictions, but they do not share them

perhaps more who are comfortable with that label today than in the past

It’s interesting to note that young Southern Baptists who reject Reformed theology are in agreement with their Calvinist counterparts that theological depth and biblical exposition are essential to the health of the church, and our teaching and preaching should center on the Gospel

3. They tend to be theologically conservative without holding to certain cultural distinctives For example, concerning alcohol, I find that younger Southern Baptists don’t agree with the Convention’s many

4. They are all over the spectrum when it comes to eschatology My hunch is that 30 years ago, most conservative Southern Baptists would have placed themselves firmly in the premillennial, pretribulation Rapture camp regarding the end times Dispensationalism reigned supreme for decades, even if prominent Southern Baptists like E Y Mullins and Herschel Hobbs did not hold this view

Among young Southern Baptists today, Dispensationalism is on the decline and diversity is the norm Young guys’ eschatology runs the spectrum from amillennial to historic premillennial to post-tribulation Rapture to partial preterism I’ve even met a couple of postmillennial Southern Baptists (a happy, hopeful minority!) But I meet very few traditional Dispensationalists

5. They are focused more on local church ministry and less on Convention meetings Last summer, sev-

eral older pastors noted the differences between the Convention meeting in Houston and the SEND North America conference. The Convention meeting was sparsely attended and largely filled with denominational protocol, entity reports, and voting sessions SEND North America was overflowing with energy, excitement, and the schedule was filled with breakout sessions It was more multigenerational, less formal, and designed around pastoral equipping

I don’t find younger Southern Baptists to be averse to engaging in denominational matters, but they are more likely to spend time and money on events in which they receive the most helpful instruction for practical ministry The good aspect of younger Southern Baptist disengagement is that it could lead us to reconsider the pastoral benefits of our meetings and plan them accordingly Unfortunately, unless younger Southern Baptists engage, those changes will never happen.

Trevin Wax is the managing editor of The Gospel Project at LifeWay Christian Resources and blogs at TrevinWax com Read the full version of this column and his follow-up at www IBSA org/iBeXtra

They’re looking for helpful, practical ministry instruction

– Barna Research, 2004

Mark Emerson

Three pastors to be nominated for SBC president

Candidates lead in varied contexts: Small church, city church, megachurch

Baltimore | With the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting two weeks away, the election to succeed current President Fred Luter appears to be a three-candidate race

At press time, Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, and Jared Moore, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in Hustonville, Ky , had said they would allow themselves to be nominated On May 20, Texas pastor Dwight McKissic announced on the SBC Voices

Ronnie Floyd

Church: Cross Church has four campuses in northwest Arkansas, and launched a site in Neosho, Mo this Easter According to the church’s website, more than 17,000 people have been baptized during Floyd’s tenure

SBC service: He has chaired the SBC Executive Committee and led the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Most recently, Floyd organized national prayer meetings for Southern Baptist ministers

Quotable: “It is obvious to me that we need a mighty, fresh manifestation of God’s presence in our lives person-

blog that he would nominate a third candidate, Pastor Dennis Kim of Global Mission Church of Greater Washington in Silver Spring, Md

The pastors represent three very different ministry contexts Read below for information on each candidate, and what Floyd and Moore have said about running for the office Go to www ib2news org for news and updates leading up to the election June 10

ally, which I would call personal spiritual revival,” Floyd said in a recent interview with Midwestern Seminary President Jason Allen about the SBC presidency “Our churches need that mighty manifestation of God’s presence through the life of the church – revival, revitalization, whatever you want to call it, refreshing winds of the Spirit There is no question that the greatest need in American life is a spiritual awakening.”

Math makes a difference

Leaders of smaller Southern Baptist churches will be watching closely in June as the SBC Executive Committee considers a change to the denomination’s constitution The article in question (Article III) governs how many voters – known as messengers –individual churches may send to the Convention’s annual meeting

Here’s how Article III stands now:

• Churches in friendly cooperation with the SBC can messenger to the ann meeting, as long as the church contributed any amount to SBC causes the previous year

• Additional messengers may be sent for every 250 members, or for each $2 given to Convention causes

Under the proposed changes:

• Churches may send a minimum of two messengers, provided they meet the guidelines for friendly cooperation (including undesignated, financial contributions either through the Cooperative Program, toward Convention causes, or to Convention entities)

• Additional messengers are based on contributions (one for every $6,000 or full percent of the church’s undesignated receipts, whichever results in more messengers).

Whew What does all that math actually mean for churches? In the March issue of SBC Life, Executive Committee Chairman Ernest Easley explained the thinking behind the changes: The new version adjusts for inflation The $250 figure was adopted 126 years ago And the proposed

Dennis Manpoong Kim

Church: Global Mission Church, a predominantly Korean congregation, is the largest church in the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware.

SBC service: Kim is a past president of the Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches in America, and recently served on a task force appointed by the North American Mission Board to study the SBC’s declining baptisms.

Quotable: “Dr Kim’s heartbeat is evangelism and discipleship,” McKissic wrote in a letter announcing he would nominate Kim “He has been faithfully serving as the senior pastor of this church for 23 years with a great passion for evangelism, discipleship and world missions Fulfilling the Great Commission is the all-consuming passion of his ministry He is fully bilingual in Korean and English with a keen understanding of multicultural world views. If elected, he will be an ambassador for the Kingdom and Southern Baptists that’s well qualified ”

Baltimore Oracles

wording is an opportunity to “lift up Cooperative Program as the preferred model of giving to Convention work ”

But what about smaller churches, some asked Won’t the new giving standards make it more difficult for them to send additional messengers?

“ If the perception is that it will hurt small churches, this is DOA,” Executive Committee President Frank Page told EC members at their Februng “My heart is with small rches, and I don’t want anything that even seems to be in some way pejorative toward their involvement ”

The EC meets just prior to the Convention and will decide whether to bring the amendment to ssengers for a vote during the meeting June 10-11

Any debate surrounding the proposal, especially if it makes it to the convention floor, could have some bearing on the race for SBC president Ronnie Floyd pastors a megachurch, while Jared Moore is from a smaller, rural congregation Dennis Kim’s Maryland congregation of around 1,700 is somewhere in between

If the conversation about messenger representation swings the momentum in favor of smaller churches or those in regions with fewer Baptists, Moore or Kim could gain some extra visibility at the Convention If the measure doesn’t come up for a vote or passes without much debate, Floyd would remain the better known candidate with the most SBC leadership experience Math may make a difference when Baptists meet in Baltimore

Jared Moore Church: Moore described his church of about 60 as a “loving, caring, godly group of people ” He served as a youth minister and pastor in Tennessee before moving to Kentucky SBC service: Moore currently is second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention

Quotable: “I want to represent Southern Baptists like the ones I serve on a daily basis who may not have the opportunity to attend the convention or serve at the convention level,” Moore wrote on his blog. Among his other reasons for running: promoting unity and the Cooperative Program

“Apart from cooperating with other SBC churches through the Cooperative Program, our small church could not support as many ministries on our own,” Moore wrote “I hope to encourage churches to begin, continue, or increase their support of the Cooperative Program ”

Small numbers, big impact

When there was but one candidate for SBC president, attendance at the Baltimore gathering seemed of little consequence in the outcome of the proceedings The analysts would comment on the demographics and decline But now, with three candidates in the running, the convention promises a bit more of a horserace And the headcount becomes more important

The 2011 annual meeting in Phoenix is the lowest-attended in recent history, with only 4,814 messengers registered Many would attribute the sad nadir to distance from the Southernstates home base – faraway conventions are rarely well attended

And since 1985’s peak of 45,519 messengers in Dallas when Charles Stanley was elected president, there hasn’t been a political debate or theological wrestling match to draw ordinary church members in large quantities Only the stalwarts have continued to make the annual trek, no matter how far from home the host city may be

Attendance has declined steadily over the past two decades

When 7,484 registered in New Orleans in 2012, Fred Luter ’s election as the first African American SBC president was the big draw and debate over renaming the convention received second billing The following year, when it was thought the simmering dispute about Calvinism might boil over, only 5,103 showed up in Houston

If the proponents of Reformed theology had put forth a candidate this year, then location and attendance could have significantly swayed a genuine two-man race Location and attendance were big factors in Stanley’s

win, when busloads of messengers from nearby states traveled to Texas to raise their ballots and secure conservative control of the denomination

But after Southern Seminary president Al Mohler said he would nominate megachurch pastor Ronnie Floyd, it appeared there would be no duel over theology and no need to rally support from the Reformed bases near Baltimore. Convention attendance, except as a measure of personal investment, wouldn’t be an issue

Now, however, attendance becomes a factor with the announcement by Jared Moore that he will run against Floyd With registration expected to be near record lows, a relative unknown running on a “small church” platform could muster a respectable showing when ballots are raised And the late entry of Maryland pastor Dennis Kim makes every vote – cast in his home state – even more important

It’s been a long time since the convention elected a president who wasn’t the pastor of a megachurch Mississippi businessman Owen Cooper served two terms starting in 1973 with a win in Portland, Oregon, and only 8,871 messengers registered

With the denomination’s recent voting history, such a dark-horse win seems unlikely. But the race for SBC president just became interesting

Women ask God take the lead at annual meeting

Testimonies, Bible study focus on surrendering to His mission

Marion | With one pair of shoes, Allison Allen could be anyone she wanted to be

The former Broadway actress held up her “character shoes” for women gathered at First Baptist Church, Marion In those non-descript shoes, Allen said she could audition for any role And even when she wasn’t wearing them, it was still easy to pretend to be someone she wasn’t.

But, Allen told the women, “You’re never going to dance fully the way Jesus wants you to dance if you’re trying to dance in character shoes ”

Surrendering to God’s leadership –letting Him “have this dance” – was the theme of this year ’s IBSA Annual Women’s Meeting More than 375 women attended the meeting in Marion, which featured an exhibit hall and breakout sessions designed to connect and equip women for the ministry God purposes them to do

It was the first annual meeting led by Carmen Halsey, IBSA’s director of missions mobilization and Illinois

WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union)

Halsey joined the IBSA staff in August 2013 and has since started focus groups to help Illinois women get involved in human trafficking prevention and prison ministry

‘You’ll never be the same’

One of those missions ventures was on display in Marion, as several representatives from Arkansas’ McPherson Correctional Facility shared how they minister to female inmates.

Halsey and a team of volunteers went to McPherson this spring to explore how they might use the highly successful Prison to Purpose program as a model in Illinois

Chaplain Kenneth DeWitt, who created the program, led Bible study during the meeting Former prisoners Jennifer Smith and Stacey Smith, also a chaplain, introduced a video of inmates reading prayers they’d written for the women attending the Marion meeting.

As the video played, WMU leaders brought paper chains of the linked prayers down the aisles of the sanctuary The visual prayer reminders decorated the stage for the rest of the meeting

Missionaries from all over the map were in Marion to talk about their work, and how God is transforming communities through the Gospel A couple serving in Africa told how learning the language has allowed them to share Christ’s love to the marginalized people they serve

“When we show up and start speaking their language, they’re shocked because nobody does that,” said the young missionary “That’s the first open door we have to be able to share the Gospel with people ”

The state’s largest cities were wellrepresented in Marion too Church planter Barnicio Cureton spoke about his church, Light of Christ in East St Louis And Deidre Rea, who moved to the Metro East region with her husband, Richard, to help plant churches, shared openly about how difficult it was for her to surrender her familiar, comfortable life to be part of God’s purpose of grace in the Metro East

Scott Venable brought greetings from Chicago, telling the audience, “I’m a product of WMU ” The former Mission Friend and Royal Ambassador urged women to “keep doing what you’re doing…fight for missions ” Venable’s Mosaic Church is making inroads in diverse Wicker Park, where they’ve built a church out of a ministry to kids and teens

Mindy Cobb invited the women to come to Chicago The Chicago Metro Association office manager even of-

fered them a place to stay at CMBA’s newly renovated building in the city’s East Humboldt neighborhood “I’ve got these beautiful air mattresses ” Cobb began her sales pitch

“Please come to Chicago, you will never be the same again if you come OK? You’re invited ”

Living out your real name

Meeting attenders elected a new lead team for Illinois WMU including President Jill McNicol, who succeeds Gail Miller McNicol is a member of First Baptist in Patoka Margaret Logan of Halsted Road Baptist Church in Rockford was the recipient of this year ’s Legacy Award

Carol Causey, director of national WMU’s Mission Resource Center, was on hand to bring greetings from the national organization and to teach a breakout session on how to infuse mission education into your church

During the Friday evening session, Allison Allen led women to think about the “inauthentic names” they carry around Like she used her character shoes to pretend to be someone else, she wondered who in the room was living out of a name that wasn’t theirs She shared her own: rejected

On each chair was a blank nametag Allen instructed women to write down their inauthentic name and bring it to the front The altar steps were lined with new nametags neatly printed with godly names Women filed down the aisles and traded in their inauthentic names

They switched names like “weak” for “capable ” Rejected, for loved Imprisoned, for surrendered For more information about women ’ s missions opportunities, go to www IBSA org/womensmissions

Jennifer Smith – “I was already in a prison before I ever went to a prison at the age of 22,” said former inmate Smith, who came to Christ through

Carmen Halsey – “Will we surrender to God’s purpose for our lives and trust Him with the choreography?” Halsey asked prior to the meeting

prison ministry

Scott Venable – His Mosaic Church wants to purchase a building in their community “I thought I’d take this opportunity to ask the prayer warriors of Illinois to pray for that ”

Allison Allen – “I wish we believed that God cares as much as He does,” said Allen, urging women to live out of God-given names rather than inauthentic labels

I LIFT MY LIFE UP –“I give it all in surrender ” Those lyrics were sung in each session of the IBSA Annual Women’s Meeting Tammie Emerson of Living Faith Baptist, Sherman, led in worship, accompanied by a band of fellow Living Faith members and pianist Lynda Locke from Lincoln Avenue Baptist in Jacksonville

Bans on gay marriage challenged in most states

Oregon and Pennsylvania became the 18th and 19th states to approve same-sex marriage after judges struck down their states’ same-sex marriage bans May 19 and 20

Same-sex marriage is legal

Ban on same-sex marriage struck down, pending appeal

Ban challenged

Ban unchallenged

Map info from Washington Post, media reports

Marginalized marriage: Cultural shifts threaten biblical view

Continued from page 1

Almost half (48%) of first births are to unmarried women

“What exists outside the church usually makes its way inside the church,” said Walker, the ERLC’s director of policy studies. In a breakout session at the Nashville summit, he explored 11 threats to contemporary marriage, including:

– The “soul mate” concept of marriage that emphasizes emotional and sexual fulfillment and partnership over biblical covenant and commitment

– Marriage as an aspiration. People marry later when they wait until they’re financially established, Walker said “We need to mitigate against the

“Some of the greatest disciplers and evangelists in our church are people who have had deep sexual dysfunction in their lives ”

– J D Greear, The Summit Churc , Raleigh-Durham, N

“Satan would love for your children to be morally pure, as long as that’s not the fruit of the Gospel With Satan, any path to self-righteousness, any path to self-exaltation is a good one ”

David Prince, Ashland Avenue Baptist, Lexington, K .

“The over-sexualization of our society can’t lead to the asexualization of the church ”

Kevin Smith, Highview Bapti , Louisville, K

[idea] that someone needs a Master ’s degree and $75,000 in the bank” before they get married, he added

– The rise of “professional marriages” where spouses have individual bank accounts and separate social lives

Also on Walker ’s list of external threats to marriage: divorce Many would say it’s a threat inside the church too, although the statistics that place divorce rates the same or higher among Christians have been misreported, some researchers say The more subtle danger may be Christians’ acceptance of the divorce culture

In an interview last year with Christianity

Today, ERLC President Russell Moore said divorce is one way Christians have surrendered to “the patterns of this age ”

“Evangelical Christians are as counter-cultural as we want to be, and it is clear that we are slow-train sexual revolutionaries, embracing the assumptions of the outside culture a few years behind everybody else,” Moore said “This has had disastrous consequences ”

How these factors have marginalized marriage inside the church is supported largely by anecdotal evidence The single adults in your congregation likely weren’t raised to focus on whom they would eventually marry Marriage has been confined to “meeting the right person” for an entire generation (maybe more); it’s not something they can control. So young Christians focus instead on friendships, education and career On top of all that, they’re haunted by the specter of divorce Looking toward marriage seems strange to most of them, even limiting

and potentially disappointing David Prince is a Kentucky pastor who also spoke at the ERLC summit He said that when he visits new parents in the hospital, he prays over their

An Oregon appeals court denied a request to stay the ruling At press time, no appeal had been filed in Pennsylvania In both states, the attorney general has said she would not defend the ban

Earlier in May, Arkansas became the first southern state to issue marriage licenses to gay couples Arkansas joined the long list of states in limbo between a judge’s decision and current law In Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, the debate is over whether to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states Only three same-sex marriage bans remain unchallenged, and South Dakota’s may face a lawsuit soon Same-sex marriages were scheduled to begin June 1 in Illinois after the passage of SB10, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act ” But many counties began issuing licenses after Attorney General Lisa Madigan gave clerks the go-ahead in March

babies, and specifically for their future spouses One grandfather in a hospital room expressed his disbelief that Prince was praying that way already, the pastor said

The majority of Americans, and even more religious Americans, still have faith in the institution of marriage, according to research presented at the summit by sociologist Mark Regnerus The question is whether they have enough faith to pursue it for themselves In the absence of a “marriage culture,” wrote blogger Trevin Wax last year, Christians who marry early and stay married 40, 50 or 60 years will stand out Which is good news for the church “We’ll be ordinary oddballs,” Wax said. “So let’s not waste the opportunity ”

A healthier view

If negative influences on marriage and sexuality that exist outside the church have made their way inside, Scripture offers a better way forward And it speaks to modern-day problems like pornography, said Southern Seminary professor Heath Lambert

Likening porn to the “forbidden woman” in Proverbs 7, he told summit attenders there is a silent killer running rampant in churches And it’s not growing acceptance of same-sex marriage

“A greater threat to the church today is the Christian pastor, the Christian schoolteacher, the Christian Bible college and seminary student, who exalts sound theology, points to the Bible, and then retreats to the basement computer to indulge in an hour or three of internet pornography ”

Regnerus shared daunting numbers: When asked whether they had looked at porn on a given day, 11% of men said yes Between 35 and 40% said they had within the last week, including 20-25% of Christian men between the ages of 18 and 39 And it’s not just men In a reflection on biblical

womanhood during the summit, Trillia Newbill said research from 2007 showed 13 million women clicked on pornographic web sites every month. Women represent one in three visitors to adult entertainment sites, she said

“There is a stereotype and a really, really, really bad rumor that women don’t struggle with sexual sin,” said the ERLC’s consultant for women’s initiatives “The sin that came into the world and corrupted all that was beautiful in the world, also corrupted us women ”

How can churches offer hope and the truth of the Gospel? By presenting marriage and sexuality in the same tone as Scripture, said Kevin Smith, who closed the conference with a message on biblical sexuality within marriage

“ Certainly, let us avoid vulgarity and certainly let us avoid [language] that will remove the mystery of sexual intimacy between a husband and a wife,” the pastor and professor from Louisville, Ky , said “I’m kinda tired of preachers bragging about their hot wife ”

But Smith also warned church leaders not to let a sex-saturated society muzzle proclamations of biblical marriage and sexuality Avoid the “flattening out” of sex that happens in our culture, which removes emotional, commitment and intellectual aspects of the one-flesh union of the Bible, Smith said

“The one who is proclaiming the Word of God and speaking of sexuality in a biblical context, we’re trying to heighten the conversation We’re not trying to make sex less dramatic, we’re trying to make sex more dramatic ”

And more biblical

Welcoming, but not affirming

What to do when Lily brings her dads to church

By Lisa Sergent

Two women recently visited Mindy Cobb’s Sunday school class at Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago They told Cobb they were in a lesbian relationship and asked if they would be accepted by the class “I told them we would welcome them and love them, but not affirm their relationship,” she recounted They didn’t come back

It wasn’t the class’ first experience with the issue Several years ago, a transsexual named Jackie asked to join the class “I said no,” Cobb said “This wasn’t the sort of person I wanted in my class ” But Cobb agreed for Jackie to share her story and let the class make its own decision.

Similar questions are affecting churches across Illinois and the nation How would they respond if Jackie came to Sunday school? Or if a samesex couple like TV’s Mitch and Cam and their adopted daughter, Lily, showed up on Sunday?

Same-sex marriage is legal in 19 states including Illinois; in all but three of the remaining states, bans on samesex marriage are being challenged

The majority of Americans believe gay couples should be able to get married And conservative, Bible-adhering churches that never expected to find the issue of homosexuality on their doorsteps are instead finding it in the pews

Bob Dylan was right The times, they are a-changin’

We will walk with you

In April, 24-year-old author Matthew Vines released a book that some have called a game-changer for the church

In “God and the Gay Christian,” Vines, who says he holds a high view of the authority of Scripture, attempts to prove the Bible does not condemn same-sex relationships

The book is unique because it’s a message to the church from someone

Sex, Millenials,

By Thom S Rainer

As a Boomer, I thought I was part of the generation that ushered in the sexual revolution But I had no idea that views on sexuality would change so dramatically with the generation of my three sons The implications for local congregations are staggering:

1. Most Millennials, including Christian Millennials, see nothing wrong with unmarried persons living together. Many of them will come to our churches and be surprised to hear their behavior is sinful How churches handle this reality will determine the success of efforts to reach the generation

2. While the trend toward approval of homosexual marriage is growing in society at large, the pos-

who grew up there Vines, raised as a Presbyterian in Kansas, is asking that gay people not only be welcomed in churches but also affirmed – and he says the Bible supports his view Vines is a voice for gay people who are looking for a place to belong in the church.

At Mosaic Church in Highland, Ill , teaching pastor Eddie Pullen preached last year on what the Bible says about homosexuality A woman in attendance that day became angry and left She later shared her disapproval with Pullen, telling him she was a lesbian

Churches looking for easy answers in the conversation about homosexuality likely won’t find any “If we accept his [Vines’] argument we can simply remove this controversy from our midst, apologize to the world and move on,” said Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of an e-book that counters Vines’ work “But we cannot do that without counting the cost, and that cost includes the loss of all confidence in the Bible, in the church’s ability to understand and obey the Scriptures and in the Gospel as good news to all sinners ”

At Mosaic, Pullen said God had been preparing him for the conflict with the offended woman Two years prior, he had written a sermon that he “prayed and poured more into” than any sermon in years His message for all who would come to the church was:

• No matter who you are, you need Jesus

• Jesus does love you

• You are welcome at this church

• You may not agree with us

• We will not single you out

• We will walk on your journey with you

“What Christians and even churches miss is that Christ-followers need to be known for their love,” Pullen said “Too many Christians are afraid to reach out [to homosexuals] because

and

they’re afraid it will be received as affirmation That’s not true ”

He told the woman who visited Mosaic, “We don’t have to agree on everything, but we don’t have to run away [when we disagree]…We don’t want you to leave because of our disagreement ” She came back to Mosaic, and has continued to participate in church activities

“Usually it takes someone seeing Jesus in us to convince them He’s real,” Pullen said “If they never see Jesus in His followers, why would they want to become one?”

What Mindy’s class decided

At Uptown Baptist, Mindy Cobb’s Sunday school class heard Jackie’s story and welcomed her with open arms They spent almost a year getting to know her as a new Christian who wanted to study the Bible That first Sunday, Jackie told the class she had been born as a man, undergone 29 surgeries, and was now a woman She became a member of the class, and started bringing her friends too Every week, she gave a testimony “It got to the point where everybody was sitting on the edge of the chair to see

what Jackie was going to say this week,” Cobb said

Then, after about a year, a man with short hair and a suit came into the class “I wanted to tell you I am now ready to be the man God created me to be,” said Jackie, now called Willie He had been in Christian counseling and was ready to be his male self It was his last Sunday in Cobb’s class, the next week, Willie began attending a men’s Sunday School class at Uptown “God used Jackie to show me how I put people into a box,” Cobb said “I learned to love and accept people for who they are and to let God do the changing ” Looking back on the experience, she said, “There are no quick answers Sometimes lives are just messy People do need help to see things a new way ”

Pray through the news

– Ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment to apply scriptural truth to the new definitions and decisions in our culture, and for grace to respond with Christ's love to everyone we encounter

the Church: Five implications

itive view is pervasive among Millennials Churches that choose to ignore this issue have little hope of impacting culture positively

3 Millennials will exit quickly from churches whose members are shrill and unloving toward those with non-biblical views on sexuality

Unfortunately, many Millennials stereotype all Bible-believing churches as filled with members who carry Westboro-like placards that scream “God hates fags ” While this is not the case in most churches, there are still some Christians who do a good job of reinforcing that stereotype

4 Ironically, Millennials will not stick with churches that have no convictions. Liberal churches with compromising views on biblical sexu-

ality will not attract and retain Millennials Though Millennials are indeed increasingly liberal in their views and actions on sexuality, they view churches as places that should be convictional and even counter-cultural

5. The greater opportunity lies with those churches that are able to speak truth in love, and to demonstrate that love. The preceding sentence sounds a bit cliché, but it is increasingly a reality Many of our church members are very uncomfortable engaging, for example, a homosexual in a way that demonstrates the love of Christ But that is the world and the culture where our churches and Christians reside We can choose to either engage or withdraw

There are nearly 79 million Millennials Most of them are not Christians

Indeed, we estimate in our research that only about 15% of those in this generation are believers in Christ So that means that this generation is a mission field of over 67 million men and women who do not know Christ

We can bemoan the state of culture We can withdraw from culture Or we can choose to love these sinners as Christ loved us sinners We should not and must not compromise our biblical convictions But we should not and must not neglect to demonstrate the love of Christ to those who need Him as much as you and I do

This article was originally published at ThomRainer com on April 30, 2014 Rainer serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources

Refugee church planter starts Los Angeles church

Burbank, Ca. | In 2005, Ara Torosian was caught trying to smuggle Bibles into his country. After three days of extreme physical and emotional cruelty, the government released him, but he spent the next two years under house arrest and another two years under constant surveillance

During those four years, he says, every conversation was carefully monitored – making witnessing and fellowship with others in the house church movement nearly impossible

“I told my wife, ‘This isn’t what God called us to do,’” Torosian said “I’m making a lot of money I’m giving to the church But I can’t attend church and I can’t get involved in ministry We can’t do anything here ” So in 2009, Torosian gave up a profitable job in Iran to be a refugee in the United States

Not long after arriving in the U S , he started Armenian Fellowship of Burbank The church draws Armenian speakers from a variety of countries and backgrounds, including Armenia, Iran and Russia But Torosian’s ministry doesn’t stop with the church he started He feels particularly called to reach out to Muslims, which has led to a second Farsi-language church plant in Southern California

Torosian is one of six missionaries featured this year by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) as part

to share the Gospel, says former Iranian pastor

what he does only because of the support of Southern Baptists through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Cooperative Program

“In my experience from Iran, I know being alone can kill your spirit,”

Torosian said “I know how loneliness can make life very hard

“ Anytime I wake up and I start to

work, or preach or share the Good News, I say to myself, ‘Now lots of people, they are behind me, praying for me, praying for the ministry, giving generously to missionaries through Annie Armstrong and other ministries around the world ’”

Tobin Perry, North American Mission Board

Churches exceed Annie Armstrong goals

of its 2014 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering promotion Half of NAMB’s financial support comes from the annual Annie offering

“I know that there are freedoms here

freedom to talk, freedom of religion,” Torosian said “I want to take this opportunity – each sacred moment

to preach the Gospel ”

He believes he is able to do much of

TDiscerning he Times Ra ptur e For ums

Pr ophecy Confer ence 2014

Springfield, IL

T homas Ice

Dates: June 5-8, 2014

> Thursday, June 5 Two Evening Sessions

> Friday, June 6 Morning and Evening Sessions

> Saturday, June 7 All Day Sessions and Evening Concert

> Sunday, June 8 Morning Sessions and Q&A

Location: 301 South Gr and West, Springfield, IL 62704

Phone: (217) 523-7731

3 Ways to Register:

http://www springfieldfirstbaptist org/events/rfprophecyconference/

1) Go to the link above and select Option 1 – Pay Pal or credit card

2) Select Option 2; register and send check by

Executive Director, Pre-Trib Research Center

Author of 30+ Books

Bill Salus

Director, Prophecy Depot Ministries

Radio Host, Author of Isralestine, Psalm 83

Chris Quintana

Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Cypress

National Conference Speaker

Donald Per kins

Director, According to Prophecy Ministries

Evangelist, National Conference Speaker

Nathan Jones

Evangelist and Web Minister, Lamb & Lion Ministries

Co-host of Christ in Prophecy TV show

Dr.

PLANTED – Ara Torosian (center) has made Los Angeles home with his wife, Anet, and daughter, Emily The Torosians started an Armenian-language church in Burbank the year after they moved to the U S from Iran

New strategies for frontier territory

Balancing revitilization with starting from scratch

By Eric Reed

Illinois | Welcome to frontier territory

We’re not in Kansas anymore, and this sure isn’t Texas or Tennessee We’re the Upper Midwest And although our denomination has been at work in this region since soon after the Convention was founded – our oldest downstate churches are turning 200 years old now – Illinois is still in many ways virgin wilderness

Spiritual wilderness

Illinois has 84 counties out of 102 where less than 5% of the population is Southern Baptist, and 9 counties have no SBC presence at all, according to a North American Mission Board map Many Illinois communities report no evangelical church of any kind

Southerners who moved to Illinois in the great migration of the 1940s and 50s didn’t come here to buy farms They were leaving farms behind and moving to better jobs in the cities, said Van Kicklighter, IBSA’s lead strategist for church planting So, Southern Baptists have little presence in these rural areas, especially in Northwest Illinois, “even though we know and understand the rural context,” he said.

And everywhere the religious landscape is littered with small churches trying to hang on Some are Southern Baptist, but many more are other denominations

“For at least a generation, we have seen a declining presence of the Gospel and vibrant churches in these settings,” Kicklighter said “Most of these communities have been dominated by churches from mainline denominations As these denominations have declined, many of these churches have seen serious decline or closed as they could no longer afford full-time paid clergy and the costs of ‘doing church’ in traditional ways ”

Visit many Illinois communities and you’ll find at least one old building that was once a church Now it’s a quirky residence, a restaurant, or a bar

Is there anything sadder than a church with a “for sale” sign out front?

Nationwide, up to 4,000 U S

churches of all kinds will close this year; 1,000 of those closing will be Southern Baptist Another 1,300 SBC church plants will open We’re keeping ahead of the curve in numbers of churches, but not enough to stem the overall decline in SBC membership

What ground we took in our frontier territory is being lost in some places as a new generation coming into adulthood is leaving the churches their parents and grandparents built In the cities, credit the lure of bustling contemporary congregations that drew away second-gen Southerners from their small cradle churches

And in the countryside, cite the population shift that swept young adults off the farms and into the metropolitan centers

It is in these churches that Southern Baptists are faced with tough choices But the glass-half-full people would say we are faced with great opportunity

Make tough choices early

Of the five Illinois Baptist church plants that launched publicly in April, two were born from the remnants of other Southern Baptist churches In both cases, the few remaining members decided that, after decades of decline, fresh vision was needed

Some churches reaching that point simply call a new pastor, often a young one with energy, bright ideas, and eagerness to experiment But, like the churches in New Lennox and Rock Falls, others choose to shut down and ask someone else to start over in their wake With assistance from a stronger church and/or the state convention, a church planter comes in and a new ministry can begin

But how does a church decide which road to take? And how can a church recognize just how far gone it is?

“Churches that are plateaued are in as much danger as those that are in decline, and maybe more so, because they don’t see themselves as being in danger,” said Sylvan Knobloch, IBSA’s specialist in church health

“They’re paying the bills, they’ve got a pastor, things are good They

don’t see the need for change And that’s where they become less and less relevant to their community, especially as our culture continues to change and move away from basic Christian values ”

Joshua Hedger, director of the Center for Church Planting at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, is even more pointed about the cause for closure

“Churches are closing in large part because they have either become disconnected from culture and/or disconnected from Scripture When this happens, life leaves the church,” Hedger told The Christian Post And they close

But it doesn’t have to end like that Knobloch offers to guide church leaders through a revitalization process that includes honest assessment of their church’s condition, how it got that way, and envisioning a different future

“Church revitalization has to start with a spiritual renewal process,” he said “If people are renewed spiritually, then hopefully they will ask, ‘God what do you want me to do?’ If we just do strategy without the renewal, that’s not going to work.”

The importance of revitalization is gaining traction Midwestern Seminary has a commitment to help weak churches get growing again, especially in this region Mark Hoover, pastor of NewSpring Church in Wichita,

Kansas, was one pastor who told his church’s story at a conference on revitalization hosted by the seminary Hoover said his congregation was “internally focused” before going through a revitalization process

“The people on the inside decided they really wanted to be about the people on the outside,” Hoover told Baptist Press The congregation spent more than four years changing its philosophy of ministry and becoming outwardly focused

New church, new purpose

When trying to revitalize a struggling congregation, it’s sometimes better to shut down, then start fresh, Scott Nichols says Nichols has planted or re-started three churches

“The advantage of a shut down and re-start has to do with which battles one wants to fight,” Nichols said “If the focus becomes on which committees we have or what happens to the paint in the classrooms, this is a loser The mission of the Gospel must be rediscovered and drive decisions for a new generation ”

Nichols and his church, Crossroads Community in Carol Stream, were invited by the few remaining members of the New Lennox church to take over and start a new work with a new name and a new purpose More than a year later, Grace Point Community Church held its first Sunday service

This kind of re-start is not easy

“Those faithful Baptist believers who sacrificed to buy property and build churches should be honored by thriving, Gospel-preaching churches in those buildings for this generation,” Nichols said “But, that will require a lengthy process that includes building trust, developing a farm system of turnaround pastors, and finding willing churches interested in the difficult process of becoming a thriving church again

“I have a personal desire to redefine what it means to be an SBC church in the Midwest....No other group or denomination even comes close to the potential we have” in church planting and restarting, he concluded

A COMMON SITE – This old church building in Bradford is for sale The trend of church closures has Southern Baptists asking how to save struggling congregations and expand their Gospel witness in communities without one

Ask the Lord to give churches perspective on how they are suited to reach a segment of their community, and the courage to follow spiritual leadership in making the changes required to share the Gospel

Part of a continuing Illinois Baptist series

Knobloch

Kicklighter Nichols

PEOPLE & CHURCHES

New Faces

Ben Van Kuren is lead pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Pittsfield A graduate of Hannibal-LaGrange University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Van Kuren pastored First Baptist, Crocker, Mo , before moving to Pittsfield He and his wife, Paula, have four children

Ordained

Ten Mile Baptist Church in McLeansboro ordained Brad Sloan to Gospel ministry on March 9

Joel Sims was ordained May 4 as a deacon at Clarksville Baptist Church in Marshall

Ministry Positions

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

Simpson Missionary Baptist Church seeks a bivocational pastor; parsonage is available. Send resumes to: Simpson Missionary Baptist Church, P O Box 102, Simpson, IL 62985

Charity Southern Baptist Church, Greenfield, seeks a full-time pastor. Send resumes to: Charity Southern Baptist, Attn: Search Committee, 101 Prairie St , Greenfield, IL 62044, or e-mail rondowland@yahoo com

First Baptist Church, Cutler, seeks a full-time pastor Send resumes to: Pastor Search Committee, c/o Melvin Carrothers, P O Box 57, Cutler, IL 62238, or contact him by phone at (618) 497-2426

Calvary Baptist Church, Sparta, seeks a worship pastor. Send resumes to: Calvary Church, 1509 Melmar Dr , Sparta, IL 62237, or e-mail the church at spartacalvary church@yahoo com

First Baptist Church, Machesney Park, seeks a part-time youth minister. Send resumes to Pastor Heath Tibbetts at pastor@fbcmp net

Needed

Hope Ministry Midwest in East St. Louis is in need of pews If you have pews to donate, contact zone consultant Eddie Pullen at (618) 751-0695

Bunker Hill | Leading a Southern Baptist church and leading an elementary school seem like two very different, very demanding vocations But Darrell Molen, who will celebrate 60 years in ministry in June, balanced the two for three decades

Molen was the principal of two elementary schools in Macoupin County while pastoring Bethlehem Baptist in Shipman for 27 years, and Gilead Baptist in Hettick for 15 years after that He retired from the school district in 1997, but not from pastoring Since 2006, Molen has led Bunker Hill Baptist Church, just a few miles from his home in Brighton He was named IBSA’s Bivocational Pastor of the Year in 2010

In an interview with the Illinois Baptist about the award, Molen said there had been opportunities for him to leave bivocational work “Then I prayed about it, and I felt a bivocational route was what God wanted me to do,” he said “I’m definitely called to be a bivocational pastor ” Molen and his wife of 58 years,

Chatham

Betty, will celebrate their ministry anniversary with a reception at Bunker Hill Baptist on June 22 from 2-5 p m The morning worship service at 10:40 a.m. will feature Nate Adams, executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association, with lunch to follow For more informationa, contact Pastor Molen at (618) 372-8230

Happy 196th birthday

Bankston Fork Baptist Church (above) in Harrisburg marked their 196th anniversary during the church’s annual homecoming celebration on May 18 David Smith started in October 2013 as pastor of the church, one of the oldest Southern Baptist congregations in Illinois

The church is home to multiple generations of several families, and also is working to reach unchurched people in the community, Smith said Several years ago, they launched Bankston Blessings, a benevolence ministry that donates several thou-

volunteers

Augusta, Kan | A mission team from Chatham Baptist Church traveled west in May to help Don Mayberry, one of the church’s previous pastors, launch Three Wooden Crosses Cowboy Church The team did some renovations on the new church’s building and helped host the opening weekend festivities, including a shooting competition and barrel racing

The new congregation had 101 people at its first service, plus one dog, and four horses, ridden by teen greeters who stayed in their saddles throughout the service. Not invited to the service: 2,100-lb steer Pablo, who did manage to sneak into this group photo

PAID

Star Hope Baptist Church (Elsberry, MO) is looking for a full-time pastor who supports the Cooperative Program and embraces The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) Some seminary training preferred Please send resume to shbc@starhope org

sand dollars every year toward helping needy families The ministry also includes a food pantry

Looking back on the church’s history, Smith said, “One of our deacons said it best: ‘For 196 years, it’s our love of Jesus Christ that has kept us together for so long ’”

50 years in Wood Dale

First Baptist Church in Wood Dale pastored by Tom Kleinfeldt, will celebrate their 50th anniversary June 22 with a special worship service, lunch, and afternoon block party All past leaders and members are invited to join the celebration, which begins at 9 a m Worship is at 10:30 RSVP by June 15 to Mitzi and Paul Zimmerle, mitzipaul@comcast net

The church is collecting memories from past leaders and members to use during the reunion Send information to the e-mail address above, or to P.O. Box 178, Wood Dale, IL 60191

help launch cowboy church

LIFE AND LEADERSHIP

DAVE Says Financial advice from Dave Ramsey

Helping the right way

Q : M y w i f e a n d I h a v e a f r i e n d w e m e t through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program She has a one-year-old child, and s h e r e c e n t l y a s k e d u s f o r s o m e m o n e y

W e d o n ’ t r e a l l y a p p r o v e o f h o w s h e ’ s c h o o s i n g t o s p e n d h e r m o n e y – s h e ’ s s p e n d i n g a l o t o f i t o n a l c o h o l a n d c i g arettes – but she does need financial help What should we do?

A: I have a very simple rule for situations like this If someone is bold enough to ask me for my money, I can be bold enough to attach requirements to the money for their own good

One of two things will happen when you handle things in this manner

They’ll welcome the help and graciously accept your conditions, or they’ll get mad and act like you have no right interfering in their business I don’t have a problem helping people who have a good heart and really need a break But if someone cops an attitude with me in this situation, I wouldn’t break out my wallet anytime soon

Regardless, if you choose to do this, I’d make the money a gift and not a loan Concentrate on trying to get her on a path where she thinks a little straighter, and, as a result, she will make better choices Teach her how to make and live on a budget or help her enroll in a personal finance course But right now, just handing her money is like giving a drunk a drink

This whole situation is a lot bigger than giving someone $35 for diapers The answer to that is easy It’s yes But in this case I’d probably give it to her

in the form of a grocery store gift card Many of those don’t allow alcohol and cigarette purchases Or, I’d just go buy diapers and baby food and take them to her Actually helping people is a lot more work than just throwing money at them To really help someone, you have to get down in their mess and walk beside them

Financially speaking, her problem is just as much mismanagement of money as it is a lack of money Anyone who chooses smokes and alcohol over diapers for their kid needs to be smacked But since you can’t really do that, you can put conditions on your help that are designed to help her improve her decision-making abilities and, by doing that, improving her life

Investing in savings bonds

Q: What do you think I should do with savings bonds I’ve been given over the years?

A: I’d cash them out now and invest them in something better Savings bonds earn almost no money Plus, they’re the kind of things people just leave lying around and forget about Back in the day it was a big thing to get and give savings bonds We’d get them for birthday presents and such Then, we’d wait until they matured and cash them out That’s exactly what I’d do in your case, Ashley. Cash them out today and put the money into good growth stock mutual funds You’ll be glad you did!

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

A panoramic summer challenge

Walk just outside your front door, and look slowly in every direction You’re viewing a mission field God chose it for you when you moved in It’s easy to wave at neighbors as you drive by or say “hi” when you walk the dog, but will you make a plan to shine for Jesus with your actions and words this summer?

See each neighbor with the eyes of God, as people He loves, who need to know His love Even the neighbor who doesn’t mow his grass Loving our neighbor is the second great commandment (Romans 13:9-10) Try this two-step summer challenge

1 Prayer walk your personal mission field – your block, subdivision, apartment building or dorm hallway

If you live in a rural setting, you may need to prayer drive! Prayer walking simply means you pray silently and specifically as you stroll and observe Do it often Make a list of addresses, and add names as you meet people Learn pets’ names Discover needs

Involve your entire family Ask God to give you opportunities to show His love and share about Him

2 Panoramic neighborhood grillout. Host a neighborhood barbeque E-mail or hand-deliver an invitation to each home on your list Ask them to bring something to grill, a side dish to share, and lawn chairs Create a relaxed, fun atmosphere with great Christian music and toys for kids. Use nametags and enjoy getting to know each person Whether it’s a small or large group, have a great time In your conversation, invite each individual to your church if they don’t have one

This could be a great church-wide project, too Select a weekend and challenge every church member to invite their neighbors over with the intention of getting to know them and inviting them to church

Our Southern Baptist Convention has about 10,000 awesome vocational missionaries across North America and around the world, but you’re the missionary God called to your neighborhood Now, get out the grill!

©Diana Davis is author of “Deacon Wives,” “Fresh Ideas,” and “Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry ” Visit her at www dianadavis org

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

June 7: BCHFS Golf Tournament, Edgewood Country Club, Auburn; www bchfs com/events

June 7, 28: Missions Spectacular Choose from hands-on ministry projects in multiple locations; cost is $25 for adults and $7 50 for kids under 12 Sign up for a project at www IBSA org/ms2014

June 13-14: Father/Son Camp at Lake Sallateeska and Streator Camps For fathers and sons of all ages; $75 for fathers and free for sons; www IBSA org/Children

June 16-20: Co-Ed Missions Camp, Lake Sallateeska For boys and girls in grades 3-12, $110 per person; www IBSA org/Children

June 24-28: Super Summer, Greenville College For students who have completed grades 7-12; cost is $199 through June 2, $229 June 3-11 Registration deadline is June 11; www ilstudentz com

July 7-11: Summer Worship University, Hannibal-LaGrange University, Hannibal, Mo For students in grades 612; training in voice, instrumental music,

visual art, discipleship, evangelism, leading worship, and more Cost is $185 for IBSA students and $200 for out-of-state participants; www IBSA org/Worship

July 13-18: GO Week, Judson University, Elgin An opportunity for students in grades 7-12 to work alongside Chicagoland church planters, and come back together for worship in the evenings led by Ben Calhoun of Citizen Way Cost is $150 per student; www IBSA org/ Student

July 21-25: Co-Ed Missions Camp, Streator Baptist Camp For boys and girls in grades 3-12, $110 per person; www.IBSA.org/Children

July 31-August 2: CAC Mission Trip, East St Louis A team of women will assist the Christian Activity Center with their annual back-to-school event and other activities Cost is $30 for ministry supplies; team members are responsible for meals, lodging and transportation costs www IBSA org/womensmissions, (217) 391-3138, BarbTroeger@IBSA org

IBSA’s missions camps for kids and teens

June 13-14: Father/Son Overnight Sallateeska and Streator

June 16-20: Missions Camp (South) Co-ed, grades 3-12 Sallateeska

July 21-25: Missions Camp (North) Co-ed, grades 3-12 Streator

ILLINOIS BAPTIST

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Connecting

Make volunteering meaningful and fun

When Katniss Everdeen stepped forward to take her sister’s place in “The Hunger Games,” the world got a new role model for noble volun- teerism, says writer Erin Williams But volunteering at church shouldn’t be akin to a fight to the death

“volunteering in the church is meant to be life-giving,” says Williams “In an ideal (but possible) world, people would want to give of themselves because they believe in what they’re doing and why they’re serving ”

One way to value your church’s volunteers: Focus on why they’re there

“They want to be part of some- thing. They want to know they’re making a difference So emphasize the why when you’re pitching your ministry

“Has your communication team revolutionized the way your church

Potluck Blogger

ar Pecans

ts:

n halves sugar, packed

spreads the Gospel? Does your youth ministry change teenager’s lives? Does your welcome ministry turn visitors into members?

“Focus on the goal every time you recruit volunteers And every time you do work, keep the focus on that goal Share and celeb t th stor

not use your freedom as a ervants of God ” –

1 Peter 33:3

all I have always been patrind our national anthem evoke m truly grateful for the ultimany in the defense and proalso aware that the freedom ent to live as a responsible

Similarly, the image of a cross often brings tears to my eyes I am overwhelmed by the love of God and the freedom He provides for those who believe But it’s not a freedom to do as we wish Our freedom in Christ comes with a responsibility to live as God’s servant This responsibility is not burdensome, because the One for whom we live has shown us His love by His death on the Cross

PRAYER PROMPT: Pray for God’s peace and comfort to military homes and families As God’s servants, pray that we will live so that others may come to know His freedom

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

Chart Toppers

Faith-themed movies at the box office

m Release Gross oah 3/28 $103 million eaven is for Real 4/16 $82 2 million on of God 2/28 $59 7 million

od’s Not Dead 3/21 $59 million om’s Night Out 5/9 $7 2 million

till to come this year: Left Behind (Oct ) nd Exodus: Gods and Kings (Dec ) – boxofficemojo com

To prepare: Arrange pecans in 9”x13” baking pan, and set asid oven to 325°

Melt butter in medium saucep medium heat; add brown sugar, salt Stir one minute; then, remo heat Continue stirring until suga Pour mixture over pecans, stirrin

Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirrin

15 minutes Remove from oven and spr on parchment paper to cool Store in ai container

Thanks to Nina Wilson from FBC Machesney Park for this recipe! Send your favorites to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

Share the Gospel today on your blog,Facebook,or in tweets.

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE and save in a prayer journal, your Bible, or stick on the fridge.

Missionaries: Joseph & Shannon Lee

Church Plant: Lighthouse of Truth Baptist Church, Itasca

Focusing On: Korean-Americans

Pray: For a businessmen’s Bible study group, and for evangelistic music classes