May 28, 2018 Illinois Baptist

Illinois Baptist

INSIDE: SBC in Dallas

Cross walk

P. 4

Encouraging

Munton comments on report due from task force

P. 5

Reporter’s Notebook

After the firestorm

P. 6

Patterson removed

Named ‘president emeritus’ after trustees weigh abuse comments, interim president tapped

Ft. Worth | The news broke just after 3 a.m. May 23: The trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary had removed President Paige Patterson from his role and named him president emeritus, effective immediately.

The action came at the end of a marathon called meeting to address Patterson’s controversial comments about women and domestic abuse.

While trustees were meeting earlier in the day May 22, The Washington Post reported a former student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary said she was raped in 2003 and reported it to school officials, including thenPresident Patterson.

The rape wasn’t reported to local officials, and Patterson encouraged her not to report it, the woman told The Washington Post. He also urged her to forgive her attacker. Southeastern responded that the school is investigating how the alleged incident was handled.

The new charges were yet another round for the embattled president, who is 75. In April, audio and video clips from 2000 and 2014 resurfaced, raising questions about Patterson’s views on women (see page 4).

They want to teach what?

How churches can respond to LGBT curriculum vote

Nate Adams P. 2

Chicago | The idea came to him after preaching through the book of Jonah.

If the prophet’s preaching judgment on Nineveh made the whole city repent and turn to God, Pastor Phil Nelson thought, what would happen if someone preached not just judgment, but hope?

Nelson and a small team from his church, Lakeland Baptist in Carbondale, took hope to Chicago in May during a twoweek prayer walk through the city. Carrying a wooden cross, Nelson, his daughter, Hannah, and Steve and Trish Whitaker, walked through some of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods, stopping to pray with people and share the gospel.

During the first week of their “cross walk,” six people accepted Jesus as savior. “When we decide to go out and become public about our faith, not in an abrasive way, but when we decide to make Jesus known and make him famous, God sends people in our direction,” Nelson said.

The team wore T-shirts with the words “Hope for the city.” On the back of their shirts, a paraphrase of Deut. 2:36: No city too difficult for God. The cross they carried was 10-feet tall and weighed 80 pounds.

As they walked, people saw the cross and came over to talk about it. People called out to them from car windows,

PATTERSON

Named #1 Christian Newspaper by the Evangelical Press Association

As Illinois turns 200 in 2018, IBSA is seeking to engage at least 200 churches in each of these challenges. Is your church one of them?

As of May 21

GO NEW PLACES – Church Planting

Goal: 200

NATE ADAMS

Missing Orthography

Not long ago, someone used a word that wasn’t familiar to me. I immediately began breaking the word apart in my mind, realizing that I recognized pieces of it. Those pieces, along with the context in which the word was being used, allowed me to develop a pretty good idea of what the word meant. Later I found I was right.

94

ENGAGE NEW PEOPLE – Evangelism

128

MAKE NEW SACRIFICES – Missions Giving

DEVELOP NEW LEADERS – Leadership Development

90

Churches Churches Churches Churches

Total Participating Churches: 132

Read more about these challenges and register your church for one or more at IBSA.org/Pioneering, or contact IBSA’s John Carruthers at (217) 391-3110 or JohnCarruthers@IBSA.org.

BICENTENNIAL MOMENT

Happy 200th Birthday, Illinois!

Celebrating our state and Baptist work across two centuries

John Mason Peck is sometimes called “the forgotten man” in Illinois’ early Baptist history. Peck started the first college west of the Alleghenies at Rock Spring, Illinois. He “dressed plainly, lived simply, and drove himself relentlessly,” wrote biographer Myron Dillow.

the cooperative program

Giving by IBSA churches as of 5/18/18

$2,370,859

Budget Goal: $2,423,077

Received to date in 2017: $2,303,256

2018 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.

Almost every time that kind of thing happens to me, I am thankful for Miss Daisy McCabe, my seventh-grade orthography teacher. Orthography may not be a familiar subject to many today, but it’s kind of like spelling on steroids. By studying the different parts of words and their origins, you can piece together what they mean, where they came from, and how to use them properly. A student of orthography is often good at spelling, grammar, hyphenation, punctuation, and any number of word skills.

I wasn’t crazy about orthography in seventh grade. But it has served me well throughout my life. Those of us who paid attention as Miss McCabe drilled words and participles and usages into our young minds came away better writers, and thinkers, and problem-solvers.

For some reason, I thought of orthography when I learned of legislation that recently passed the Illinois State Senate, and that now is under consideration by the Illinois House. Senate Bill 3249, which passed in the Senate 34-18 on May 2, would require a portion of public school history courses to include study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) figures, and that history books be “non-discriminatory” overall.

If the bill becomes law, Illinois would be just the second state, after California, to require public schools to teach LGBT history. Regional Superintendents would be tasked with enforcement, and if passed, the law would take effect in Illinois July 1, 2019.

I think my mind turned back to my orthography days because of the stark contrast between that useful subject and its lifelong, educational value, and this latest attempt by liberal legislators to impose not education but blatantly political and, for many, objectional moral values in public schools. Instead of giving all students, regardless of their background or personal choices, the skills they need for life, this type of legislation seeks to indoctrinate a belief system, and to normalize and condone behavior that the Bible clearly calls sin.

As Illinois Family Institute lobbyist Ralph Rivera said in a memo to legislators, “Schools should teach that we should be respectful of each student and each person. This is what we all agree on. However, schools should not be used to advocate for lifestyles that are against the religious values of the students and parents.”

This disturbing trend in our culture is one more reason that churches should be vigilant and well prepared in guarding their own religious freedoms. It’s one reason that IBSA has entered a partnership with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), and why IBSA is offering to pay half the $250 first-year fee for any cooperating IBSA church that enrolls in ADF’s Church Alliance program.

Churches that join the Church Alliance program receive a religious liberty audit, including legal review of their church bylaws and policies. They receive direct access to attorneys who can answer the church’s questions about protecting its religious liberty. And they can receive consultation and/or legal representation in cases involving the church’s religious liberty. You can learn more about ADF’s Church Alliance program, and receive the half-price IBSA church partnership discount, through the IBSA.org website.

In addition to advocating for our churches’ religious freedoms, church members today must also be vigilant in communicating Biblical views and values to our state legislators. It’s a shame that we have to defend even public education this way. It makes me miss orthography.

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

See ADF ad on page 14 for registration information.

We studied the construction of words, rather than reconstructing history.

FROM THE FRONT: CROSS WALK TAKES PRAYER TO CHICAGO

Continued from page 1

Nelson said. A Chicago Tribune reporter came out to interview the team. Some local Christians and pastors joined them as they walked.

At the end of each day, the walkers went back to their host church for the evening and led a prayer meeting simulcast on Facebook. During the first week, 400-500 people joined them nightly online, Nelson said.

Beacon Hill Missionary Baptist Church

Pastor Rick Dorsey helped facilitate the walk from Chicago, enlisting host churches and posting updates on the Facebook page of the Chicago Metro Baptist Association. Dorsey’s wife, Cheryl, a prayer coordinator for the Chicago association, shared an encounter from day one of the walk:

“The very first interaction of the day came from a young woman who was surely sent by the Holy Spirit, because she said, ‘I saw your T-Shirts and the cross, and I came over because my life is messed up, I’m troubled

and confused, I want my life to change and be better, and I just need someone to pray for me,’” Dorsey wrote.

“We spoke with Cynthia for several minutes, tried to encourage her through her disappointments, shared with her the hope of the gospel, and we did pray for her. She said that she wanted to know Christ in her heart, and she said yes to the Lord, and gave her heart to Christ quite sincerely.”

The prayer walk reflected an important truth, said Phil Miglioratti, IBSA’s prayer ministries consultant: Prayer should be connected to evangelism.

“Talking to God about people should always lead us to talking to those people about God,” Miglioratti said. “His mission, coming from southern Illinois to Chicago, was tremendously encouraging to the hard-working pastors and church leaders here in Chicagoland.”

For their journey’s second week, the team moved to the city’s north side, carrying the cross through several communities before traveling back to Carbondale.

As they met people along the way, Nelson said the response to their effort was similar, whether or not the person was a believer in Christ: “This is exactly what the city needs.”

“Whether they’re a believer or an atheist, they’re all in agreement that Chicago needs prayer,” Nelson said.

–

Meredith Flynn

Buncombe pastor killed in mishap

Paul E. Tirey, 68, died May 10 in a single-car accident in Union County.

He was the senior pastor of United Missionary Baptist Church in Buncombe and had previously pastored First Baptist Church, Alton, as well as Southern Baptist churches in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Tyree was also serving as a chaplain for Residential Home Health and Residential Hospice in Marion.

“Bro. Paul was faithful at visiting people in the community,” said Ken Wilson, an IBSA church planting catalyst in central and southern Illinois. “I have watched him care for and share the gospel with hospice patients. He lived to share about how he was forgiven.

“He was loved by his church family.”

Tirey received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky., and his Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Pamela; children Joshua Tirey of McKinney, Texas, Christina Abbott and her husband, Joseph, of Murphysboro, Ashley Thompson of Denver, Col.; and two siblings.

Retired educator dies after plane crash

James Donald Baker, a retired Baptist pastor and teacher, died Tuesday, May 22, from injuries sustained in a single-engine plane crash near Bolivar, Mo.

Baker, 87, joined the faculty of Southwest Baptist University (SBU) in 1976 as associate professor of Christian ministries, serving at SBU until his retirement in 1996. The Southern Baptist school counts Illinoisans among its alumni.

Baker also worked in public relations at SBU and at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and pastored churches in Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

SBU President C. Pat Taylor sent a message to faculty asking them to pray for Baker’s family. “Don was a dear friend of mine and of the University. He gave so much to the University as an employee and has continued giving to the University in any way possible,” Taylor said.

“We all will miss Don terribly, but we know that he has gone on to his heavenly home.”

– OzarksFirst.com

PRAYER PARTNERS – Hannah Nelson (right) prays for a woman in Chicago alongside Marcello, a local youth pastor who joined the Carbondale prayer team for the day as they carried the cross through the city’s south side.

Photo below: Pastor Rick Dorsey (right) helped facilitate the two-week prayer walk. Submitted photos

TIREY

Continued from page 1

When the trustees emerged from more than 13 hours of meeting in executive session, they named Jeffrey Bingham interim president. Bingham is Southwestern’s dean of theology, and previously served as associate dean at Wheaton College.

In their meeting, the trustee board approved a motion stating “evidence exists” that Patterson complied with reporting laws for assault and abuse. They also found no evidence of misconduct in the employee file of Nathan Montgomery, a Southwestern student and dining hall employee who was fired after retweeting an article calling for Patterson to step down.

On Wednesday morning, the President’s Office sent an email from Patterson and his wife, Dorothy, to the Southwestern family. Ft. Worth Star Telegram reporter Sarah Smith tweeted the email. “As for the Pattersons, we are, of course, hurt,” it read. “But we did not compromise and we still have our voice to witness. That we will attempt faithfully to do. What matters in all this is not the lives of a couple of old soldiers, but your bright futures for Christ.”

Patterson’s role as president emeritus comes with compensation, and the couple will be allowed to live on campus as the first theologians-in-residence at the Baptist Heritage Center, which Baptist Press reported will be completed next year.

Finding a way forward

The Patterson controversy surfaced existing tensions in the SBC over gender roles, particularly how women in leadership are perceived and treated. Bible study teacher and author Beth Moore crystallized the issue in an open letter she penned calling for “no tolerance for misogyny and dismissiveness toward women.”

Former SBC President Ronnie Floyd released a statement asking the SBC Committee on Resolutions to bring to the annual meeting in Dallas “a strong and clear resolution on the value and dignity of women, as well as their unique role, contribution, and representation within our convention of churches.”

At press time, Patterson was still scheduled to preach the Convention sermon in Dallas, a role which could only be withdrawn should messengers vote to remove him, or if Patterson himself stepped down, current SBC President Steve Gaines explained this month. Ed Stetzer, a former LifeWay vice president who is now executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, wrote previously that Patterson preaching in Dallas would represent “a message to women that we must not send.” Blogging after the trustees’ decision, Stetzer reiterated, “Dr. Patterson should not (and must not) preach the SBC annual meeting sermon, and I will speak up again if he does.”

Some commenters criticized the concessions the trustee board made toward Patterson. Looking ahead to the Dallas meeting, Baptist21 director Nathan Akin tweeted, “This is not the time for like-minded brothers to pull back from being involved in SBC processes. It is more than ever a call for you to be involved!” Commenters quickly pointed out that the message ought to apply to sisters as well.

Women’s discipleship leader Jen Wilkin tweeted about the implications of the Patterson controversy on the SBC as a whole. “As go our seminaries, so go our churches,” wrote Wilkin, who serves at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. “It’s past time for a full re-evaluation of existing power structures, and for the strategic implementation of formal channels of influence/input/leadership for women in the SBC.”

Gaines addresses Patterson, diversity

SBC president says ‘church is no place for misogyny’

Responding to questions about his committee appointments and controversy involving a seminary leader, SBC President Steve Gaines released a statement May 11 to Baptist Press.

Gaines, pastor of Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., specifically addressed the controversy involving past statements by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson on women, divorce, and domestic violence. Gaines’ statement also touched on racial diversity and ways Southern Baptists can pray for the SBC leading up to its annual meeting in Dallas, June 12-13.

Thanking Southern Baptists for allowing him to serve as president of the denomination for two years, Gaines opened his statement by discussing racial diversity in the SBC, which he said has been a priority of his presidency.

Diversity in leadership roles has increasingly been a topic of conversation in the SBC, especially since the release of the Committee on Nominations’ report this spring. The report, which generated 67 Anglo nominees for 69 open positions, is still a work in progress, and Chairman James Freeman said the group initiated measures at their March meeting to include a more diverse field of nominees for Southern Baptist trustee boards.

Gaines recently released a breakdown of his appointments as SBC president, noting that the Committee on Resolutions may be “one of the most ethnically diverse committees in the history of the SBC.” Of the Resolutions Committee’s 10 members, four are African American, four are Anglo, one is Hispanic, and one is Asian.

“Many have discussed the need for racial diversity in the various levels of SBC leadership. That has been a priority of my presidency,” Gaines said in his statement to BP.

“The church I pastor is becoming increasingly racially diverse and I am grateful for that. All who love God and believe the Bible should love all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. I believe the vast majority of Southern Baptists genuinely feel the same way. I have sought racial diversity in the appointments I have made and I am confident my successors will do the same.”

Gaines also spoke about the controversy surrounding Patterson and audio clips from speaking engagements that recently resurfaced online. At a conference in 2000, Patterson said his counsel to an abused wife would depend “on the level of abuse to some degree.” In another clip from 2014,

he referenced a teenage girl’s physical attractiveness.

Women and the SBC

Patterson, who helped lead the SBC’s return to conservative theology in the 1970s and 80s, is scheduled to preach the Convention sermon in Dallas.

“I praise God for the leadership he gave to the SBC during the Conservative Resurgence,” Gaines said. “I am also grateful for his leadership at my alma mater, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I have talked with him in person and by phone regarding his comments and told him that I disagree with the counsel he gave to a woman who was married to an abusive husband. I personally believe that if a husband abuses his wife physically, the wife should immediately: 1) notify the police and follow their instructions, 2) remove herself and her children physically from the abusive husband under the protection of police for her safety, and 3) notify the family’s pastor so the church can engage in church discipline toward the abuser. The church should also seek to come alongside the woman and help her in any way possible to ensure her protection and care.

“Regarding Dr. Patterson’s more recent remarks about a teenage girl, I believe they were improper. While I love him and appreciate him, I disagree with what he said. Preachers should never refer to women in any way that could be considered demeaning. SBC pastors must do everything we can to protect all women from being subjected to any form of abuse.”

Gaines continued by asking forgiveness from women on behalf of the SBC, pointing to Christ’s example.

“I believe we should esteem and regard women in the same way Jesus did during his earthly ministry. Women are created in the image of God and are of great value and worth. The church especially is no place for misogyny or disrespect for anyone. This year marks the 100th anniversary of women being messengers to the SBC annual meeting. It is my prayer that this year will also mark a renewed commitment to honoring women and their contributions to our churches and convention.”

Gaines ended his statement by asking Southern Baptists to pray and fast for 21 days ahead of the meeting in Dallas, and to speak “positively and constructively.”

“The Southern Baptist Convention needs your help. God has allowed us to live during such a time as this. Let’s unite in Jesus Christ and come together in Dallas and show a lost world that we really do love Jesus, love each other, and love them as well.”

– From Baptist Press reports

– Illinois Baptist staff, with reporting by Baptist Press, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Washington Post

Southern Baptist Convention

GAINES

Paige Patterson (right) at a May 22 trustee meeting.

Evangelism team to report in Dallas

Aim of task force is renewed passion, effectiveness

With hopes of catalyzing “a fresh wave of evangelistic passion,” the Southern Baptist Convention’s evangelism task force has finalized its recommendations to the convention and will release them a week before the SBC annual meeting in Dallas.

“The ETF has prayed and worked hard,” said Doug Munton, pastor of First Baptist Church, O’Fallon, and a member of the group appointed last year by SBC President Steve Gaines “We have tried to seek the Lord and to consider ways to encourage the SBC in evangelism,” Munton told the Illinois Baptist

The task force is scheduled to report Wednesday morning, June 13, at the SBC annual meeting.

“We will bring to the convention a list of affirmations and denials that we hope will sharpen our evangelistic focus, as well as some recommendations which we hope will encourage our convention toward greater effectiveness,” Munton said. “We certainly recognize that the SBC needs to seek the Lord as never before and to have a greater zeal for the Great Commission.”

The task force held its third and final meeting May 14-15 at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In addition to adopting its recommendations unanimously, the 19-member group elected Southern Baptist Theological Seminary administrator Adam Greenway as vice chairman. Southwestern Seminary President Emeritas Paige Patterson is chairman.

Greenway, dean of Southern’s Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry, said the meeting “was characterized by constructive conversations about our report and recommendations.”

“The evangelization of the world remains our top priority as a convention of churches, and the prayer of all of us serving on this task force is that God will use our efforts to help bring us together by renewing our passion for and increasing our effectiveness in bring-

ing people to Christ,” Greenway told Baptist Press.

“We know that we need a fresh wave of evangelistic passion, but we also need the presence and power of God,” Munton told BP. “We won’t get it all right, being imperfect members of an imperfect convention in an imperfect world. We do pray we bring encouragement to the SBC to refocus our attention and energy on reaching the lost with the Gospel.”

Steve Gaines, who is finishing his second one-year term as SBC president, thanked Southern Baptists for their prayers on behalf of the task force and requested continued prayer “for the SBC as we renew our commitment to take the gospel to all people everywhere.”

High attendance anticipated Dallas attendance is in line to be the highest at a Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting since 2010, according to an event coordinator.

Advance hotel reservations, which ended May 14, were about 25% ahead of reservations this time last year, said William Townes, SBC Executive Committee vice president for convention finance. Between 8,000 and 9,000 messengers could attend the meeting June 12-13 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, he projected, based on current hotel reservations and advance messenger registrations.

Messenger attendance at an SBC annual meeting has not been that high since the 2010 annual meeting in Orlando. Topped with 5,000 to 6,000 invited guests, exhibitors and other attendees, total Dallas attendance could surpass 14,000.

SBC President Steve Gaines urged messengers and guests to leave their neckties at home, recommending a casual dress code to beat the heat in Dallas.

– From Baptist Press, with additional reporting by the Illinois Baptist

House delays ERA vote

The ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) is back. In April, the Illinois Senate approved the amendment that guarantees equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. But Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), its sponsor in the House, told reporters the measure doesn’t currently have the votes it needs to pass.

“I will call it when I think the time is right,” Lang said May 16. If the ERA is approved in the House, Illinois would become the 37th state to ratify the amendment. To become the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, 38 states would need to ratify the ERA.

Originally proposed in 1972, the ERA was ratified by 35 states before its 1982 deadline. Nevada became the 36th state in 2017. Supporters expect Congress to extend the deadline should 38 states ratify the ERA.

LGBT curriculum

The Illinois Senate approved a bill May 2 that would require public schools to teach a curriculum that includes the contributions of the LGBT community. Senate Bill 3249 requires “every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the significant role of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in society.” The bill is currently awaiting House action. If passed and signed into law, it would take effect July 1, 2019.

High-er education?

Students who suffer from seizures and other illnesses may soon be allowed to use cannabidiol and THC-based medicines at school, thanks to May 17 votes by the Illinois House and Senate. Cannabidiol is the non-intoxicating oil from the cannabis or marijuana plant.

House Bill 4870 will now go to Gov. Bruce Rauner to decide if it should be signed into law. The bill only affects public schools and would not force school personnel to dispense the medication, which would be handled and given by parents. Under the law, local schools would be allowed to enact their own rules or bans.

– State Journal-Register, The Christian Post, Illinois News Network

GREAT COMMISSION BAPTISTS – The SBC’s evangelism task force unanimously adopted its recommendations to the convention during a May 14-15 meeting at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. BP photo

MUNTON

Illinois Baptist named #1

Please excuse the crowing, but I must commend our team for their recent accomplishments. I think you would probably join me in congratulating them. The Illinois Baptist was named the top Christian newspaper in the nation by the Evangelical Press Association. This is the second time the paper has won first place since joining EPA three years ago.

Our awards for 2017, announced in April, also included first place for editorial (“What would Jesus do about harassment?”) and third place for photo feature (“Following the Savior”), a wonderful travelogue from an IBSA-led trip to Israel. Lindsey McDonald of FBC Casey photographed the trip and shared her journal with our readers.

In addition, the Baptist Communicators Awards were announced last month, and the IBSA Church Communications Team was honored with seven awards. Our campaigns for Mission Illinois Offering & Week of Prayer and Pioneering Spirit Challenge were cited. The Illinois Baptist was recognized in the newspaper design division and our year-long series on Reformation@500 received a second-place award.

We appreciate the honors from our peers. More important, we appreciate the opportunity to serve Illinois Baptists. Thank you for letting us tell the story of God’s work here on the spiritual frontier.

– Eric Reed, Editor

If ever the SBC needed leadership...

We might feel sorry for the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Three of our leading SBC entities are without presidents, and the incoming convention president will find himself leading in the aftermath of a firestorm. At least we hope aftermath.

One resigned because of personal mor al failure (Frank Page of the Executive Committee). One was removed for inap propriate comments about women and alleged inaction to protect abuse victims (Paige Patterson of Southwestern Semi nary). Only one was not under a cloud (David Platt of the International Mis sion Board). Yet, his departure leaves a great gap in representation by the younger and reformed generation. A lot of people had pinned their hopes on Platt.

Here’s what the next SBC president faces: The EC, IMB, and SWBTS all need new heads. Their presidential search committees operate independently of each other and, officially, free from outside direction and pressures. Yet, with three major vacancies at the top, the SBC seems particularly vulnerable right now, and the next president will be expected to offer whatever assistance he can to stabilize the ships in the fleet. The new heads of those entities will just be getting their feet under themselves during the next SBC president’s first term. Helping them all is a tall

order for the next guy.

What kind of leadership is needed in a season of change and uncertainty? How can he lead after this firestorm?

The next SBC president must be pubPast presidents Fred Luter and Ronnie Floyd were very public, both in mainstream media and Baptist press. Steve Gaines was less public, appearing rarely in the nationmedia, especially in his first term. The new guy must be available to the press, write for publication often, and make effective use of social media.

The next guy must be winsome. In this era of failure and the resulting distrust, it will be up to the next SBC president to bolster public opinion of Baptists with thoughtful apologetics and likeable presentation. It won’t hurt to have a good personality.

The next guy must understand the times. Like the leaders in Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32), he must be wise and culturally aware. He must take action befitting the age, bringing biblical response to today’s needs. Southern Baptists have been characterized as “tone-deaf” on the subjects of women and abuse. The next guy shouldn’t aim for political correctness, but he must rightly assess the needs of the people in the pews and the watching world.

Indeed, that’s a tall order.

– Eric Reed

MISSION

Laying the groundwork

Families engaged in God’s mission together often end up in places they couldn’t have imagined. Many times, kids are leading the way.

BY MEREDITH FLYNN

Columbia | It was on a mission trip to Haiti that Sara Harriss saw and heard things that would change her family forever.

Harriss, then a high schooler, went to Haiti with an IBSA student mission team two years after a massive earthquake devastated the country. The team stayed at an orphanage in Port-auPrince.

The plight of orphans wasn’t really on the family’s radar before the trip, said Sara’s mom, Marti. But Sara’s dad, Brian, went with her to Haiti that summer, and came back totally changed. A year later, the family participated in an orphan-hosting program

through which they met two children from the Philippines. Nine months after that, they welcomed Lyza and Ezra into their family through adoption.

The Harriss family’s experience echoes that of many who engage in missions together: Getting serious about sharing the gospel often changes a family from the inside out, giving parents and their kids a fresh view of God’s work in the world—and their role in it. Several years later, Marti’s family of nine is still involved in helping children in Haiti. She goes twice a year to help out at an orphan home they helped establish. Last summer,

Harvesting hope

Siblings Elizabeth, Natalie, and Gabe Rottmann planted vanilla vines in southern Haiti on a mission trip last fall. The Rottmanns, pictured here with translator Esther Leonard (left) and agronomist Alex Olivier, are on a mission with their parents and their church, First Baptist in Metropolis, to meet physical and spiritual needs in the Caribbean nation.

P. 8

MARTI HARRISS

they went with a team from their church, First Baptist in Columbia, to hold a sports camp for the kids.

God has orchestrated her family’s journey to a mission they couldn’t have imagined, beginning with Sara’s first trip to Haiti, Marti said.

“It’s not a story we ever could have written on our own.”

Planting a legacy

Darian Rottmann’s family is also engaged in missions in Haiti, but their work is different from the Harriss family’s work with orphans. Last fall, the Metropolis-based salesman and his three children planted vanilla vines in the mountains of southern Haiti, working toward a dream of seeing vanilla production become a valuable industry in the impoverished country.

The Rottmans’ oldest daughter, Elizabeth, just graduated from high school. She went on her first mission trip to Haiti at age 11, and now, her dad said, “her heart is knit to that country.” As Darian Rottmann speaks, it’s apparent the same is true for him and the rest of his family. But it didn’t start out that way.

One year after the 2010 earthquake, Darian went to Haiti with a construction team from Union Baptist Association. It was a tough trip, he said, and he didn’t fall in love with the country that week. But his wife went that fall with a mission team from their church, First Baptist Metropolis, and the next year, returned with seventh grader Elizabeth. “I really almost view it as God just building a love in the heart of our people for that country and those people,” Darian said.

FBC Metropolis sends teams to Haiti every year to help meet a variety of needs, including developing agricultural strategies to help families support themselves. After his family had been involved in Haiti for a while, Darian began to sense God connecting their work there with his vocation back in the U.S. He wasn’t sure how, but he sensed the work in Haiti would someday have something to do with vanilla.

After a lot of research and prayer, Darian eventually connected with a company growing cacao and vanilla in Haiti’s northern mountains. Last Octo-

ber, the Rottmanns played a part in planting the first vanilla vines in southern Haiti.

“To get to go as a dad with your kids and do something you know God has been leading for five years… it was a dream come true,” Darian said. “This was from the beginning what God was doing, and he’s just allowed us to be a part of it.”

The air they breathe

Cliff Easter acknowledges that being in involved at church and in missions is normal when you grow up in a pastor’s household. But the student minister at FBC Metropolis has tried to instill in his three daughters a true love for serving other people, and a natural drive to engage in God’s mission.

“I’ve tried to let them see me serving Jesus because it’s my joy, and not because it’s my job,” Easter said. “I’ve tried to make serving in our church family and serving Jesus be the water they were swimming in.”

Still, it was surprising when fellow staff members at the church recommended that his oldest daughter, Mackenzie, run the mid-week children’s program. “Wait a minute, she’s a kid,” Easter remembered thinking. Mackenzie has now been leading the children’s program for two years.

“My little girl is not a little girl anymore,” Easter said. “She’s an adult running one of our ministries.”

She’s not the only young person leading the way as the church engages its community and the world with the gospel. Easter has several examples of kids and teens who caught the vision for missions and led their families in that direction. In other cases, it was the parents who went first and then taught their kids.

“Over time, it has absolutely changed the culture in our church. Missions are a routine part of what we do.”

Letting go

The risk in creating an environment where missions is as natural as breathing is that kids one day will run with it—and they could run far. Marti Harriss’ oldest daughter, Sara, went to Bible college in Spokane, Wash. That’s almost 2,000 miles from

home, but the Harrisses are happy she’s there, living the life God wants her to live. Getting to that place as parents has taken time, Marti acknowledged. As they’ve grown in their own faith, they’ve learned to hold loosely to their children.

“When we’ve been able to give God the reins ourselves, he’s taken them and done so much more than we could have ever done in our own strength,” Marti said. “Seeing that has made us pray that and want that for our kids. We have every confidence now that even though it’s not the easy road, God’s road is the only one we desire to be on with our lives.”

Darian Rottman’s daughter, Elizabeth, wants to use her pharmacy education one day to serve other people. As his children grow up and continue to explore God’s call on their lives, there are two mindsets he hopes to pass on to them: First, ultimately, this is not our home. And second, wherever God calls them to be is the safest place on earth for them.

“If God has called them to go, then we can absolutely trust him,” he said. “Even when there are trials that come, the one thing we know is that in all that, God is still sovereign, and even in the trials and tribulations, he is still working.”

FAMILIES THAT SERVE TOGETHER – The Harriss family of Columbia got involved in Haiti after oldest daughter, Sara (right in top photo), went on an IBSA-sponsored mission trip. Photo at left: Darian Rottman is putting his vanilla knowledge to use in Haiti as part of FBC Metropolis’ ministry in the country.

The Rottman family

The Harriss family

Family takes cross-country trip to fight human trafficking

Mom facilitates daughter’s dream from the driver’s seat of the family van

Arthur | Regina Yoder knew God was preparing her for something before her daughter Lindsey ever approached her with a burden to help victims of human trafficking.

On a “dream ring” of prayer requests she keeps close by, Yoder wrote a prayer for her children in October of 2016. “I want to help my children discover their spiritual gifts and the will of God specifically for them, and function in that capacity for God’s glory.”

Since writing down that prayer, the mother of eight has helped Lindsey take two journeys to combat trafficking. The first, a walk from their hometown of Arthur to Nashville, Tenn., was last summer. The second was a six-week bike ride from Mexico to Canada that Lindsey completed this month with two of her siblings and a cousin. And her mom.

“Looking back, I am amazed at the power of God to bring us through it all in one piece,” Regina said. She drove the cycling team’s support vehicle with the hazard lights flashing to protect the four riders, and also took turns on the recumbent tricycles the team rode.

“God not only provided safety, but he gave us everything we need, exactly when we needed it.”

The ride raised $10,000 for Hope for Justice, an anti-trafficking organization headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. Last year, Lindsey raised $40,000 for Hope for Justice on her walk from Arthur to Nashville. Her mom and siblings accompanied her on that journey too, and many from their church, Arthur Southern Baptist, walked the first two miles with them.

God has been in this from the beginning, Regina said. The day after she wrote out the prayer for her children to discover God’s will for themselves, Lindsey, then 14, told her mom she felt God was leading her to take a walk to raise awareness of human trafficking.

“Before Lindsey initially came to me about her desire to walk 300 miles to Nashville, Tenn., God had brought me to a place of surrender, asking me to say ‘yes’ to what he was going to ask of me before I knew what it would be,” Regina said. “God was so gracious to soften my heart before Lindsey came to me.”

On the road this spring, Regina managed trip logistics and social media. Using the hashtag #lifeonatrike, the group shared their experiences on Facebook and Instagram. After six weeks of 60-mile days, they reached the Canadian border May 16.

The trip was demanding, Regina said, acknowledging the challenge of coming back to “normal life” after weeks on the road. “I battled fear every single day,” she said. “I still do, but I’m getting better at putting on the full armor and recognizing its power.

“When I look back over the vast sea of incidences where God clearly held us in the palm of his hand, I’m overwhelmed that he would choose us to walk hand in hand with him through this. We are ordinary people with an extraordinary God and I’m reminded again that when he calls us to a task, he equips us for it.”

–

Meredith Flynn

TREKKERS – Lindsey Yoder (far left photo below) and her cycling team rode for six weeks to raise awareness of human trafficking. Their Mexico-to-Canada journey was fortified by Lindsey’s mom, Regina, who prays regularly for her eight children to discover God’s will for their lives (see Regina’s prayer reminder cards in the photo below).

REGINA YODER

Dr. O.S. Hawkins, GuideStone President and former First Baptist Dallas Pastor

Dr.

IN FOCUS

A season for growth

Revitalization isn’t easy. But it’s needed in more churches than you think.

The mystery room had been locked as long as Mark Clifton had been there. He’d walk by it, wonder what was inside, and then forget about it as he continued with the priorities of the day.

Then one day he found the key.

“I carefully opened the door and wow… shelves and shelves lined the walls; it was overwhelming, an entire room dedicated to silk flowers,” said Clifton, senior director of replanting for the North American Mission Board.

BY KAYLA RINKER CLIFTON

“Lots of churches have flower closets, but rearranging flowers in a dying church is like playing music on the Titanic. These sweet ladies had fooled themselves into thinking they were working at the church. In reality, by rearranging flowers they were anesthetizing the pain

of death. They weren’t making Jesus known. “Revitalization means literally cleaning out some closets to have space, both physically and mentally, to do ministry.”

Clifton was one of several church renewal and revitalization experts who came together for “ReVITALize: Hope for the Heartland”, a conference held April 10-12 at Bethel Baptist Church in Troy. More than 100 pastors and lay people attended the conference, which included five keynote sessions and 25 breakout classes.

Tracy Jaggers, director of missions for Gateway Baptist Association, organized the conference. He said the mission of ReVITALize was to impact and equip leaders to bring renewal and revival

P. 12

Signs of life

Creating an environment for effective, transformative ministry was the focus of a recent conference on church revitalization. Held at Bethel Baptist Church in Troy, the two-day ReVITALize meeting aimed to help leaders assess their churches’ needs and begin to develop strategies that can bring renewal to their congregations and communities.

Page 12: Repurposing an aging church building, by North American Mission Board strategist Mark Clifton.

to churches across the Midwest.

Revitalization is an urgent church-wide journey toward individual and corporate spiritual renewal, Jaggers said. It includes admitting problems surrounding the church’s current condition, evaluating processes and systems, and making changes based on biblical truths.

“Revitalization without revival will not last,” Jaggers said. “Systems and processes can be fixed, but only God can bring true revival. We have to give the Holy Spirit freedom to move in our churches however He wants to.”

Good news for pastors

Gary McIntosh, president of the Church Growth Network and professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology in California, led two large-group sessions at ReVITALize. He said the good news for pastors who are leading struggling congregations is that God promised the growth of his church in Matthew 16. “It says, ‘On this rock, I will build my church,’” McIntosh said. “Not I hope to build. Not I’ll try to build it. ‘I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’”

He outlined two types of churches that need to take a hard look at how God is leading them toward revitalization.

The first and most obvious is the church on the brink of closing its doors. This church has very few members and may be struggling financially. Dying

churches often call pastors to take on a caregiver role for the members and the church building. McIntosh urged pastors who are in this situation to resist the caregiver mentality. “Instead, you need to analyze the church with tough love and go to them with a plan for revitalization,” he said. “Make this a part of your call. Here is what or who needs to be removed and this is your strategy for turnaround. If the church is voting on you, they are also voting on this plan. They accept it or they don’t. Draw a line in the sand and tell them, ‘I don’t want to come and be your pastor and just play games. I want to lead you to a new season of life and revitalization.’”

McIntosh said the other kind of church that is a candidate for revitalization may not be in danger of closing or dying next week, but it is in danger of getting sick. This church needs a wellness plan that is tailored to its size.

The need for revitalization isn’t just limited to small churches, said Rich Cochran. Churches running 150 or 200 people in attendance may need to be revitalized just as much as a church of 20, said IBSA’s director of leadership development.

Cochran acknowledged that revitalization means different things to different people, but in his view, it’s simply helping a declining or plateaued church find health and growth. “Our churches were never meant to be stuck,” he said, adding that the whole New Testament is about being made new in Christ.

Entry points

IBSA’s Rich Cochran shares three initial steps for churches seeking revitalization:

1. Check the statistics. Cochran advises churches do a demographic study of their neighborhood, and examine a 10-year Annual Church Profile report on the congregation. Understanding the trending statistics in the church and community will help determine next steps.

2. Know your community’s needs. Conduct an assessment to explore the physical and spiritual needs of your neighbors. That knowledge, combined with church and community data, will prepare a church for the third step.

3. Create a calendar. Cochran calls it a “rhythm of ministry activity.” What are the events, emphases, and long-term outreach strategies that can help meet needs in your community?

“This is why I’m excited about the Pioneering Spirit challenge,” Cochran said, referencing a series of four goals outlined at last November’s IBSA Annual Meeting, and now online at pioneeringspirit.org. “If we really pray about going new places, and reaching new people, and making sacrifices, and developing leaders, that will bring revitalization. Those are four practices that will change a church.”

The only metric that matters

If numbers can’t tell the appropriate story, what can? Here’s a secret: The only metric that matters can’t be measured entirely from within your church walls. Jesus gives us this metric in the Great Commission. Our job is to make disciples who make disciples. You may be asking, “Isn’t that measured within the church building? Can’t I measure our replanted church’s disciple-making prowess by how many people attend gathered worship or even the numbers involved in small groups?”

Not a chance. Remember what Paul told Timothy in his second letter to the young pastor? “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”

(2 Tim. 3:16-17). As critical as reading, learning, and memorizing biblical truth is to our disciplemaking as churches, it can’t measure our success. Paul tells us that the point of Scripture is to equip God’s people for good work.

Making disciples must lead to a transformed neighborhood around the church. While this kind of metric frees us from an over reliance on numbers, it also raises the bar significantly as far as

discipleship. Instead of attendance, let’s think of decreased crime in the neighborhood, improved schools, and an increase in intact families. No, the neighborhood surrounding your church will never reach perfection this side of eternity, but I have seen firsthand that normative-sized, replanted neighborhood churches can impact communities in amazing ways. Progress will be slow, but it will come.

Replanting leaders must continually remind their congregations of what truly matters as they go through this process. You have to preach it. You have to share it over coffee. You have to make it clear in every venue possible. Doing this pushes the focus of the congregation outward, reminding members why they are enduring the pain necessary at various points in the replanting process. It will also give the congregation the courage to keep moving forward in times when attendance and other typical metrics aren’t rebounding as quickly as some would like.

– Mark Clifton, Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches (B&H Publishing Group, 2016)

The pastor’s own revitalization is also key in a church’s revitalization, Cochran said. IBSA is planning a brand-new retreat experience this fall for pastors on Leadership and Revitalization. The free retreat will be Sept. 24-25 at Streator Baptist Camp.

Also in the fall, Cochran and IBSA will host a “Leading on Empty” retreat Oct. 22-23 at Lake Sallateeska. Like its predecessor, “Rekindling the Call,” the retreat will seek to offer renewal and revitalization for church leaders. Registration for all the events will be online soon.

After the recent ReVITALize conference, Jaggers hopes leaders in attendance left with a tool belt full of encouragement, knowledge, and practical ideas to help guide their churches on the road to revitalization.

“I’ve been in association work for 13 years and I’ve met many pastors who end up in a situation in dire need of revitalization and they are not willing. They say, ‘But this isn’t what I want to do. I just want to preach the word,’” Jaggers said. “But is that what a shepherd does? Just feed the sheep once or twice a week? No way. We are not priests or preachers—we are pastors. We’ve got to nurture the sheep, nudge them, pray for them, defend them, and maybe give them a gentle kick now and then. We’ve got to equip the saints for ministry. We’ve got to quit playing and get to work.”

Kayla Rinker is a freelance journalist living in Missouri.

COCHRAN

devotional

Sing them over again to me

In the worship world, there is ongoing discussion as to why congregations don’t seem to participate in the service as well today as in the past. Some say it’s because of the generation gap; others blame a change in musical style. Still others mention style issues, such as keying songs too high, singing “off the wall” (meaning from a screen), or dimming the lights in the congregation (to watch the show on stage).

I suppose all these factors may be true to some degree. However, there is one particular factor I’ve seen encourage congregational singing and worship: repetition.

I remember reading many years ago that the average Southern Baptist church sang less than 50 individual songs in one year. Our last three Baptist hymnals averaged 617 hymns, meaning that even with a vast repertoire of songs available, congregations focused on relatively few.

If the average church included four congregational songs in each service—Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday—for 52 weeks, every song would be sung about 12 times per year, or once a month.

But things started changing in the last quarter of the 20th century. The Jesus movement and Christian media began to influence music in corporate worship. Many new Christian songs were written and instantly delivered by way of the radio. Video and projection technology expanded the song list of the congregation.

In 1988, the launch of Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) permitted churches to print almost any Christian song in their bulletin or on a screen. All of a sudden, instead of choosing from 50 familiar hymns in the hymnal, the music leader now had hundreds of songs from which to choose.

With the advent of the internet, that number is well over 100,000 songs, many of which can be delivered instantly in both text and music. Now, a worship leader can hear a song on Monday, download it on Tuesday, rehearse it with the praise team on Wednesday, and sing it the following Sunday.

With great choice comes great responsibility—for the worship leader, that is. The challenge of introducing new songs every week is that worshipers don’t have an opportunity to really learn and internalize the lyrics. With a smaller repertoire, people in the pews

memorized them and sang with gusto because they were familiar with what they were singing.

Am I advocating for going back to 50 songs per year, all sung from the hymnal? Not necessarily. For sure, there is a value in singing songs from the Baptist hymnal, whether from the book itself or on a screen. A committee of theologians and musicians has vetted every song in the hymnal. Each word of each verse has been carefully scrutinized. When a music director chooses a congregational song from the radio, there is no filter for theology or singability. Therefore, the responsibility of accurate doctrine rests solely on the one who chooses music.

Still, there are great new songs that did not make it into the current hymnal. Should we omit using them in worship? No, but take care to do several things with new songs:

1. Consider the theology. If you are not a theologian, before singing the song in worship, have the pastor evaluate it to see if it agrees with Baptist doctrine.

2. Evaluate its intention. Is the song to be sung by the congregation or a soloist? Not every good song is suitable for the average church-goer.

3. Make sure that your accompanists can play it in the appropriate style. If the song does not fit your instrumentation, you might be better served to find an accompaniment track.

4. Assess the key and range. The average singing range of the congregation is between an A below the treble clef and the D on the third line (or an octave below for men). Songs that fall far outside that range will discourage singing. I love those “octave jump” songs that are popular now, but they are challenging for the congregation.

5. Please do not sing a song once and shelf it. Develop a strategic plan to introduce, sing, and repeat a song enough times that the congregation can learn it. After it has become familiar, shelf it, then reintroduce it again in several months.

The adage is generally true: people know what they like and like what they know. Let us find a way to help our congregation learn, sing, repeat, and like great hymns and songs.

Steve Hamrick is IBSA’s director of worship and technology.

A matter of heart

Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Recently I was selected to serve on the search committee for the next President of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. This appointment led me to think a lot about the most important quality of a leader. I came to the conclusion that it’s a godly heart. Every aspect of our walk with God is connected to the condition of our hearts; consequently, how we lead is a direct reflection of the content of our hearts.

The people of Israel begged Samuel for a king. After he warned them about the high cost, Samuel followed God’s instruction and gave Israel what they wanted. Saul was an impressive young man. He was tall and handsome, and for a while things went well. But the pressure of leadership revealed an impulsive streak in Saul that led to him act without thinking—not in minor things, but in major things. Time after time Saul displayed deliberate disregard for the word of the Lord. Then one day God said, “I’m going to tear your kingdom from you and give it to a man after my own heart.”

ADRON ROBINSON

After Saul’s failure, God chose David because he was a man after God’s own heart.

Leadership is a matter of the heart. We often choose by external criteria, but God chooses according to the content of our hearts.

Whatever rules your heart will rule your life and ministry. If power rules your heart, then the quest for power will rule your life and ministry. If your love for the Lord rules your heart, then that love will rule your life and ministry. The most important quality of leadership is a godly heart.

PRAYER PROMPT: Ask the Lord to search your heart (Psalm 139:24) and point out anything that grieves him. And please join me in praying that God will lead the Executive Committee Search Committee to find a President after God’s own heart.

Adron Robinson is pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills and president of the Illinois Baptist State Association.

Pastor Ted was a master at building sensory experiences into the sermon.

A smaller worship repertoire will encourage participation.

Pat’s Playbook

Cast a wide net

June 2

Missions Spectacular

EVENTS

June 24-28

WellHouse Mission Trip

July 6-10

Chicago Mission Trip

Q

Our church is really trying to reach young people and families. I am neither. I agree we need to reach the next generation, but what about the spiritual needs of my generation?

What: Hands-on family mission projects

Where: Gateway Association and Christian Activity Center Info: DwayneDoyle@IBSA.org

IBSA Up Summer Camps

June 4-8: Grades 3-12, Streator

June 11-15: Grades 3-6, Streator

June 17-21: Grades 3-6, Lake Sallateeska

June 25-29: Grades 3-6, Lake Sallateeska

July 9-13: Grades 3-12, Streator

July 16-20: Grades 3-12, Streator Register: IBSA.org/Kids

June 15-16

Father/Son Overnight

What: Camp for fathers, sons, grandsons, grandfathers, and mentors of all ages

Where: Lake Sallateeska and Streator Register: IBSA.org/Kids

June 18-23

Illinois Changers

What: Students in grades 6-12 tackle construction projects and engage in evangelistic outreach

Where: East Peoria Register: IBSA.org/Students

The more things change…

QWe switched to an elder-led model a couple of years ago, but I haven’t noticed much difference. How do I raise the question without insulting the new elders?

AThe real question is what type of change, impact, or difference were you expecting? Was the reason for the change explained to the congregation, and now what was promised is not taking place? Rather than approach the elders, share your concerns with your pastor. Don’t complain about unmet expectations; rather, explain what you thought would change. Then let the pastor respond. It could simply be a timing, teaching, or training issue, and there might be something already planned that you are not aware is going to take place. Trust that your leadership wants what is best for the church.

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

NeTworkiNg

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

Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org

Emmanuel Church in Sandwich prayerfully seeks a bivocational pastor. We desire candidates with seminary training who have worship leadership skills that align with The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), as well as community leadership and a vision to see our church continue to grow. Resumes should be mailed to: Emmanuel Church, Attn: Pastor Search Committee, 701 Lions Rd., Sandwich, IL 60548.

Northside Baptist Church in Dixon is seeking a bivocational minister of music. We are seeking a passionate, creative, and humble leader who can guide our ministry into the future. Northside Baptist is a progressive Southern Baptist church that desires to reach our community and the world for the cause of Christ. To submit a resume, or for a complete role description along with salary considerations and employment policies, contact Pastor Dan Bentz at dan@northsidedixon.com.

What: Mission team will serve at a Birmingham, Ala., facility for women coming out a life of exploitation

Info: IBSA.org/Missions

Lunch and Learn

Webinar Series

June 20: Communicate to Connect

July 18: 5 Skills that Empower Others

Aug. 15: Best Practices for Planning

When: 11:30 a.m. to noon Info: IBSA.org/Women

June 25-29

Elevate Camp

Who: Students who have completed grades 7-12

Where: Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp Register: IBSA.org/Students

June 26-30

Super Summer

What: Training week for students who have committed their lives to Christ Where: Greenville University, Greenville, Ill. Register: IBSA.org/Students

It’s Baby Step 1 for a reason

QI’ll be receiving my income tax refund soon. It will be enough to completely pay off my two smallest debts, or get my starter emergency fund of $1,000 for Baby Step 1 in place. What should I do?

I love that you’re excited about using your refund to start the Baby Steps, and begin gaining control of your finances. But we call the beginner’s emergency fund Baby Step 1 for a reason.

Bad things can happen while you’re working to get out of debt. That’s why I want people to get a little money set aside before they start Baby Step 2, which is the debt snowball. What if the alternator on your car goes out, or your refrigerator dies? Life happens, and things go wrong. When this kind of stuff pops up, and you don’t have any money set

What: Serve alongside leaders from Uptown Baptist Church on various ministry projects in their community Info: IBSA.org/Missions

July 9-13

Summer Worship University

A IBSA. org 15 May 28, 2018

What: IBSA’s premier worship, music, and arts event for students in grades 6-12

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

July 15-20

Fused Camp

Who: Students entering grades 6-12

Where: Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp Register: IBSA.org/Students

July 20-28

U.K. Vision Trip

What: Team will be introduced to the work of IMB missionaries serving among South Asian peoples in London Info: IBSA.org/Missions

DAVE RAMSEY

aside, you’re likely to quit the plan and wind up going even deeper into debt.

I know you want to get out of debt. I want you to get out of debt, too. But I want you to stick with the plan, and actually get out of debt, instead of falling off the wagon the first time you hit a bump in the road!

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

PAT PAJAK

dave says

A

If you build it…

“We want young families.”

That was the dream of Pastor David Gray’s church, Sterling Baptist in Fairview Heights. But when Gray arrived as pastor in May 2013, there was not one child at the church. No preschoolers, no school-aged kids, no youth.

Still, Gray, who had spent a few months as the church’s transitional pastor before accepting the permanent role, gave them some unusual advice. “Let’s call a children’s minister.” As Gray says now, “You get what you prepare for.”

Terenda Wyant joined the staff as children’s minister, and the church started a threemonth process to overhaul the preschool area. “And we had not one kid enrolled anywhere,” Gray said. “We didn’t have a family that was young enough to have kids.”

But that fall, the preparation paid off, when Cal Ulloa approached Gray about starting a Hispanic ministry at the church. Gray and his church agreed, and Ulloa brought 10-12 families with him to begin a worship service in Spanish at the church. On months with five Sundays, the Anglo and Hispanic groups met together that morning, with Gray preaching and Ulloa intepreting in Spanish.

And the newly renovated children’s wing was well-utilized.

“God just began to bless in a marvelous way with them, as well as with us,” Gray said. Now, Sterling Baptist and Iglesia Bautista Sterling, as the Hispanic ministry is called, have dozens of children and youth in the building every week.

The pastor with more than 50 years of ministry experience says God has blessed in “places and ways that I never would have dreamed.” A church that had dwindled to 15 in attendance just five years ago now has three worship services among the two ministries. Several teenagers who had been attending the Hispanic service now worship with Sterling Baptist during their English-language worship service. And five families in the church are expecting new children soon, Gray said. “I think we’re going to be able to keep the nursery open for a little longer.”

Exegete the culture

Understanding the world where we live and serve

Church needed here...

Location: West Lawn

Focus: Hispanic residents

Characteristics: Located just southwest of the Chicago Loop, West Lawn is one of the city’s 77 official community areas. The population is 80% Hispanic, and 70% of Latinos in West Lawn speak Spanish.

Prayer needs: Pray for a new Spanish-speaking church that will be able to connect Latinos in this community with the Gospel.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Snapshots from the world of Illinois Baptists

Tithing matters

Most churchgoers and pastors believe tithing—traditionally understood as giving away 10% of a person’s income—is a biblical command that still applies today.

30

30 %

say church is very important. The rest fall in the middle.

Younger evangelicals are not … leaving churches in large numbers because they want to liberalize historic doctrine or ethics. The obstacle, it seems to me, is not secularism but cynicism. Many are wondering whether evangelical Christianity is just another badge of tribal identity or another vehicle for political action, or, even worse, just another marketing scheme.

– Stats from Barna.org; quote from Princeton speech, reported by Baptist Press

– IBSA Church Planting Team

of millennials say church is not important at all.

– Meredith Flynn

PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT – Children lead worshipers in song during a combined service between Sterling Baptist Church and Iglesia Bautista Sterling, the church’s Hispanic ministry.

– ERLC President Russell Moore on the departure of millennials from the church. The answer, he says, is evangelicalism that points to the cross.