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By Eric Reed
S p r i n g f i e l d | Even when he talks about serious issues, Fred Luter does it in a way that is disarmed, uplifting, and often funny
About getting kids to church: “As a kid I had a drug problem,” he says “My mama drug me to church, drug me to Sunday school, drug me to VBS ”
But he can quickly turn the laughter to exhortation: “What would Jesus do for this iPod, iPad, iPhone, tattooed, baggy pants, underwear-showing generation? He would be concerned ”
And to invitation: “Those of us who are still amazed by God’s amazing grace, those of us who never got over being saved those of us who never got over the fact that we could be in hell today but for the grace of God, we must show compassion for this generation ”
Luter ’s humor was a well-used tool in his April visit to Springfield, along with his rapid-fire preaching, stories of God’s hand in New Orleans’ recovery after Hurricane Katrina, and the presence of his thoughtful and prayerful wife, Elizabeth. “I’m the silent partner in this operation,” she says, before Fred launches into a series of stories about the many times she has prayed for him and confronted him
HAPPY GUY – “If you can’t like him, you’re not going to like anybody,” Director of Missions David Howard said of Fred Luter (right) before the SBC president arrived in Springfield for three days of preaching, listening, and meeting with
God wants me to do this.”
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Such as when he was considering a run for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention
“Elizabeth,” he told her, “I think
“I don’t want you to think, ” she countered, “I want you to know Fred, this is too big a deal for you to be thinking You have to know what God wants ” His account is met with laughter and applause
The Luters came to Illinois at the invitation of Capital City Association Director of Missions David Howard,
who wanted Luter to help him reach out to the area’s African American population Howard, who knew Luter when they pastored neighboring churches in New Orleans, issued the invitation before Luter ’s historic election as the first black president of the SBC in June 2012.
“If you can’t like Fred Luter, you can’t like anybody,” Howard jokes
Continued on page 8
GOD IS AT WORK – That was the message at the annual Illinois Women’s Missions Celebration April 26-27 Women worshiped together and heard powerful examples of how God is drawing people to Himself around the world The meeting, held at FBC Machesney Park, had the theme “The Story: For All Generations ”
Read more about the meeting, including missionary testimonies from Chile and an Arkansas prison, on pages 4-5
H o u s t o n , T e x a s | Florida pastor Jay Dennis is issuing a wake-up call to churches who are fighting an enemy of which they may be unaware
“Churches are facing a spiritual battle against a hidden plague that is keeping many believers from fulfilling their part of God’s mission,” said Dennis, pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Fla. That hidden plague is pornography Dennis and other SBC leaders are fighting it by launching the national “Join 1 Million Men in the War Against Pornography” campaign at this summer ’s Southern Baptist Convention in Houston, Texas
A 2011 LifeWay Research survey of 1,000 pastors found 62% of them believe less than 10% of men in their
‘I love to tell the story’
A study of patients at Massachusetts’ McLean Hospital found those that believed in a higher power “do significantly better in short-term psychiatric treatment than those without, regardless of their religious affiliation,” said hospital clinician David H Rosmarin “ these findings are important in that they highlight the clinical implications of spiritual life ”
After their son Matthew’s suicide, Rick and Kay Warren posted an online petition to “raise the awareness and lower the stigma of mental illness ” Introducing the petition on www saddleback com, Rick Warren (right) said his son was one of 11 4 million Americans who suffered from severe mental illness in the past year Warren, who pastors Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Ca , also has established the Matthew Warren Fund for Mental Health
FoxNews reported last month the official website of the Southern Baptist Convention (www SBC net) was blocked on some U S military bases due to “hostile content ” Roger S Oldham, a vice president for the SBC’s Executive Committee, urged Christians not to jump to conclusions
“Though there have been several instances recently in which evangelical Christians have been marginalby the broader culture, we think a rush to judgment that the United es Military has targeted the uthern Baptist Convention as a tile religious group would be preture ”
A military official later said softre filters detected malware and d the website The malware since nd www SBC net is unblocked
Voters at the Boy Scouts national c i i May will decide whether to allow ga ing youth to join the organization, w keeping a ban on homosexual leaders. lier this year, Boy Scouts discussed al ing both gay members and lead potential policy change criticized by Christian leaders “Though this res more acceptable to those who hold a morality than what was being considered before, we would still prefer no change in the policy,” said SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page
The movie-making brothers behind “Courageous” and “Fireproof” will start an independent production company focused on faith-based films Alex and Stephen Kendrick (left) will use aspiring Christian filmmakers and students to help make their next film, Baptist Press reported “We have such a burden to help the next generation do this from a biblical perspective,” Alex Kendrick told Baptist Press “We’ve got to reproduce ourselves and duplicate ourselves, and we think this is the way to do it ”
– From Baptist Press Saddleback Church
Continued from page 1
churches viewed pornography on a weekly basis Dennis believes the figure is more like 80 percent
Most churches, he said, respond to the problem of pornography by denying its reality, while others are aware of the problem but are not specifically dealing with it Instead, pastors must “admit there is a problem and urgently address” pornography by helping men overcome it
The “Join 1 Million Men” campaign started as a ministry
in Dennis’ church He wrote the initial materials – based on a pursuit of purity rather than pleasure - and taught them in six Wednesday evening sessions for men To date, 1,300 men in the church have committed to live pornography-free lives by affirming 14 statements on a commitment card The cards are displayed prominently at the church
Dennis is taking the campaign to a national level with the help of Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union
and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Both entities will help promote the campaign at this year ’s SBC Annual Meeting in Houston, and WMU’s New Hope Publishers has produced resources to support the movement The goal is for one million men to take a public stand against pornography, and for one million women to commit to pray for them
For more on the Join 1 Million Men campaign, go to www Join1MillionMen org – From Baptist Press reports
Alton | As people on both sides of the debate wait for the Illinois House to vote on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, Christian leaders continue to gather together to pray the state legislature will vote to protect a traditional definition of the institution
Danny Holliday, pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Alton, sent out a call to pastors and church members in the area to gather for a prayer rally in April Despite somewhat short notice, he said 60 people showed up at Lincoln Douglas Square
“We prayed for the individual representatives, that they would want to know the truth and find out the truth, and vote accordingly,” Holliday said “We believe marriage has to do with God, and we prayed that the people would realize this is a religious issue, it’s a biblical issue, and it’s not an issue just based on people’s feelings ”
After passage by the Senate n February, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” narrowly passed through
the House Executive Committee, and has since been awaiting a vote on the House floor Several reports indicate the bill is still as much as a dozen votes short of passage, although lobbyists are working to change the minds of representatives who favor traditional marriage
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently told The Windy City Times, an advocate for samesex marriage, that he’s “optimistic we’re within striking distance” on the bill Quinn has said he will sign it if it reaches his desk
“Hopefully between now and the 31st of May, Greg Harris, our sponsor, will find a moment to call the bill for a roll call,” Quinn told the newspaper Holliday is looking toward the end of May too, when the legislature’s spring session comes to a close
“We have until the end of May If we can hold them off, we’ll be OK until the next term We’re confident because we believe God is in this, but we’re not over-confident, and there’s a lot of work to be done yet.”
S p r i n g f i e l d | Tim Cotler, who has directed IBSA’s church planting efforts in northeast Illinois for the past four years, has accepted a role with the North American Mission Board, effective the beginning of this month
Cotler will serve as NAMB’s Midwest Region Mobilizer, working with city coordinators in the mission board’s nine focus cities across the 12-state Midwest region He had recently begun serving as city coordinator for the SEND North America church planting emphasis in Chicago, and will continue mobilizing missions partners and volunteers for that city and the others in the Midwest
He will be missed at IBSA, said Van Kicklighter, associate executive director for church planting “While I wish he was staying, I am trusting God’s direction in this and believe God has good things in store for both the Cotlers and Chicago church planting. And, since he will be mobilizing partners to the Midwest (and Chicago), we will still be working with him as he helps us, but from a new “chair” or role ”
Before joining the IBSA staff, Cotler planted a church in Cincinnati and prior to that served as executive/teaching pastor at Vale Community Church in Bloomington, Ill. He
also helped lead a church in Georgia Before answering the call to vocational ministry, Cotler spent nearly 11 years in restaurant management
“I can honestly say that my time at IBSA has proven to equip me for this new role,” Cotler wrote in an email to staff. “As you can well imagine, going from one state and one SEND city to 12 states and nine SEND cities is an immense undertaking
“I am eager to get started, and ask for your prayers as I transition into this new role ” Cotler will relocate this summer to Chicagoland with his wife, Georgia, and their four children
Elgin | Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke about politics, business, North Korea and Margaret Thatcher – and threw in a few funny stories about U S Presidents – at Judson University’s World Leaders Forum April 12 Blair, who follows Mikhail Gorbachev and George W Bush as past speakers at the annual event, also touched on his personal Christian faith and how it affected his leadership
“Here’s the thing: Your faith doesn’t tell you the right answer to everything. I can’t go off and pray about the inflation rate and return with an answer for parliament so that I can say, ‘See? In a year, you’ll have nothing to worry about!’
“What faith does is give you strength to do what you think is right ”
IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams moderated an extended question and answer time with Blair, where the former prime minister answered questions submitted by members of the Judson community Adams is an alumnus of the university and member of the Judson Trustee Board
“I felt he left us all with a deep appreciation for what it is like to lead on a world stage, especially in times of unexpected adversity,” Adams said “And I think leaders at all levels went away from the evening with a fresh challenge to lead well, wherever we serve ”
Reporting by Judson University and Matt Harling
By Meredith Flynn
M a c h e s n e y P a r k | Great stories have great characters, like a family of eight who gave up the American dream to take the Gospel to families in rural Chile And an intriguing plot, like the journey of a former felon who returns to prison to give hope to others like her
Great stories beg to be told At the annual Illinois Women’s Missions Celebration, held April 26-27 at FBC Machesney Park, career missionaries and short-term volunteers took to the stage to share tales from Peoria to Haiti, from East St Louis to Sochi, Russia They had a common theme: Go, wherever God calls, to share the Gospel with people who don’t know Him
Even when the call comes unexpectedly
“Being raised on a farm in Central Illinois, I never even thought about foreign countries, let alone northern Chile I didn’t even know where it was on the map,” said Bryan Wolf, who moved his family to South America to serve with the International Mission Board
Bryan’s wife Deana first got an inkling the family was called to something more than their comfortable life in the States while reading a book of
missionary stories with their young daughter “She was four, and we were reading about this little girl in Ecuador, and she looks up at me with her big brown eyes and she says, ‘Mommy, we’re going to be missionaries In South America ’
“And I’m like, ‘Shut up! I don’t think so!’ Deana said, eliciting laughter from the crowd “See how holy I am?” A few years later, the Wolfs were on the field in Chile, where they serve with their six children
Of course, not every missions experience results in a permanent move to a different continent Illinois WMU and IBSA facilitate mission trips
Continued on page 5
When most people get out of prison, they don’t ever want to go back. But Arkansas chaplain Stacey Smith voluntarily spends 40 hours a week in the place where she was once serving a 60-year sentence
“I love prison,” Smith told women gathered at FBC Machesney Park last month Sharing her testimony after Bryan and Deana Wolf, who serve with the International Mission Board, Smith contrasted her missionary application process with theirs
“I didn’t have to send my resume out,” she said “God did a little bit different for me ” The crowd laughed with her when she added, “I had to have a little on-the-job training before the Lord called me ”
Smith is now a Mission Service Corps missionary commissioned by the North American Mission Board But her training started with an arrest, a drug charge, and a 60-year sentence
In her early days as an inmate, Smith remembers ladies from local churches coming to share the Gospel with the prisoners But she was more interested in the soap they brought (“It stunk in prison,” Smith said ) Then, one day, “It was as if God said, that Irish Spring cannot wash off you what needs to be washed off Only by the blood of Jesus Christ ”
And she started listening to the Gospel Smith accepted Christ, and was called to a very specific ministry “When I got saved in prison, prison was not prison anymore to me It was just automatic, someone inside me just seemed to have a mission
“It was like the bars were no more there, the officers were no more there,
the inmates were no more there I went from being saved to just someone in me saying, ‘Go ’”
Smith spent 12 years in prison, working in the chaplain’s office and ministering to her fellow inmates She became the one guards would come get if a prisoner received bad news or needed help When she got an early release nine years ago, she left Arkansas for 11 months
But then she came back. To work in the same office where she worked for 10 of her 12 years as a prisoner “The difference is, I can use the phone now,” Smith said, smiling “I have a key to get out and get in ”
She shared with the women the great things God is doing in prison Just since the beginning of this year, 43 inmates have accepted Christ and 32 have been baptized Smith is also help-
ing to mobilize them for missions through a partnership with prisons in Haiti Several times a year, Arkansas inmates purchase soap and toothbrushes from the prison commissary and send those items to Haiti, where prison is a darker place than it is in America
But it’s plenty dark here Smith shared the stories of some of the women she works with, many of whom will never leave prison. But they are “jewels in a great, great treasure chest” because they’ve been redeemed by Christ, she said And God has uniquely equipped her to serve them
“When I’m able to go in there to that prison, and I can share with them about the forgiveness of God, I can share that personally because of how much he has forgiven me ”
Continued
around the world, and several volunteers shared how recent projects changed how they see their community and the world outside of it
Retired nurse Linda Blough told the crowd how she committed to follow the Acts 1:8 missions strategy in her own life She chose missions projects in her Jerusalem (a Peoria food pantry), Judea (Chicago and East St Louis), Samaria (New Orleans), and the ends of the earth (Guatemala) Her testimony and the stories of othersbrought tears to the eyes of many in the audience, including Deana Wolf When she and Bryan walked to the stage to share one last time during the meeting’s final session, she gave a simple challenge:
“Go, go, go, go Go to that food pantry. Go wherever. I don’t care where you go You go Go, go, go ”
Wanda Lee didn’t meet her first missionary until she was in college As a nursing student, she met a missionary Journeyman who had served in Gaza in the 1960s “I still didn’t know anything about missions, but that kind of planted a seed,” said Lee, now executive director of National WMU
Lee was on hand to lead Bible study at the meeting, and to present a gift to departing Illinois WMU Director Serena Butler, who transitioned at the end of April to a role with the Samaritan’s Purse ministry (Read more about Serena’s 18 years at IBSA, most recently as a part of the missions team, on page 6 of this issue )
Lee also sat down with the Illinois Baptist to talk about missions education’s past, present and future
As a young pastor ’s wife, she had a steep learning curve when it came to Southern Baptist missions But a group of women at their church introduced her to WMU and the age-level programs it offered for kids – RA’s for boys, and GA’s and Acteens for girls and young women
Her own son and daughter were involved in missions education through their teen years “I wanted my children to grow up with an awareness that God doesn’t just love them, He loves all of the people in the world,” Lee said
“We just live in such a culture where ‘I come first and what I want is most important,’ and it’s really hard to break that cycle And I think, starting with the youngest child, if that is constantly a part of their exposure, they do at least grow up as world citizens who understand that God is at work in other places, and that maybe He would want to use them to help [others] know about Him ”
Illinois WMU approved the lead team nominated to serve in the coming year, and also chose Jill McNicol, a member of FBC Patoka, as president-elect Gail Miller of FBC Machesney Park is beginning the final year of her term as president of Illinois WMU.
The women also invested in the future by giving to the “Touch Tomorrow Today” endowment Butler promised to serenade the crowd with “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” if they reached a certain goal, which they well exceeded the first evening
As Butler reached the chorus of the song, her audience chimed in, singing the familiar words many of them knew as children “A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam; a sunbeam, a sunbeam, I’ll be a sunbeam for Him ”
Recently it was IBSA’s privilege to host Dr Fred Luter and his wife Elizabeth at the IBSA building in Springfield Dr Luter is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the first African American to hold that office Almost 200 Illinois Baptist pastors and leaders from all over the state welcomed the Luters during a reception that included a buffet lunch, a 45-minute question and answer time, and a photo session for those wishing to have their picture taken with Dr Luter
Just four days prior to that event, I had the opportunity to emcee a similar question and answer time with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was the featured guest at Judson University’s annual “World Leaders Forum” in Elgin Fortunately Mr Blair, like Dr Luter, was both gracious and approachable, making my role as host and interviewer much easier
It was intriguing to watch the d t il d preparations that preceded each m to Illinois There were programs to print, staging and decorations menus to prepare, travel arrangeme ordinate, and countless logistics to recheck
Of all the advance preparatio however, I don’t know if any wer more important than the selection of appropriate thank-you gifts for the honored guests Mr Blair was
presented with a beautifully engraved crystal piece, for which I thankfully had little responsibility But it was our privilege and responsibility at IBSA to think of an appropriate, memorable gift for Dr Luter
As we thought in advance about April in Illinois, it occurred to us that baseball would be in the air, and that neither Dr Luter ’s hometown of New Orleans, nor the entire state of Louisiana, has a professional baseball team Here in Illinois we have three! (That presumes you count our lovable Cubs, of course )
So when it came time to present our gift of appreciation to Dr Luter, I announced that we wanted to give him a little baseball souvenir from Illinois, since he didn’t have his own baseball home team in L uisiana Immediately the cheers and jeers gan throughout the room for the rival baseball ams of Illinois Dr Luter was then delighted to eceive, in rapid succession, a Cardinals cap, a Cubs cap, and a White Sox jersey, with his
name personalized on each one With sincere gratitude to Dr Luter for being a unifier of both baseball fans and diverse Southern Baptists, I assured him that these gifts should make him welcome anywhere in Illinois
Preparing for Dr Luter and Mr Blair to come to Illinois this past month has given me opportunity to reflect on the coming of the Lord Jesus How am I preparing for His arrival? When I meet Him face to face, what gift will I have that is of any value?
Maybe the best gift I will have to offer is not so different from those silly baseball souvenirs More than anything else, Jesus will be honored by the grateful, eternal worship of anyone I have invited to know Him Cardinals fans, Cubs fans, and Sox fans People from Northern, Central, and Southern Illinois, from urban areas and small towns, along with the redeemed from every nation, tribe, and tongue – welcomed forever into His presence, and now with His own Name custom written on each one’s heart
Our Lord will be here soon Let’s labor to share the Gospel, so that the gift of a great harvest will be ready for His coming
Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association Respond to his column at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org
Pray for the requests below and pass them along to your pastor or prayer leader to use as a guide for weekly prayer meeting, Sunday School classes or fellowship groups:
– Missions opportunities in every season of life, page 5
– Upcoming SBC annual meeting, page 9
Prayer prompts are provided by Phil Miglioratti, IBSA’s prayer consultant Contact him at phil@missionamerica org
Do you know a Pop-Tart can be a powerful outreach tool on a college campus? Or how to navigate an American embassy overseas, in hopes of replacing a lost passport? Or how long it takes to make a Big Mac?
If you read the Illinois Baptist regularly, that last one might seem familiar Serena Butler (above) wrote about her very first job – a multi-year stint at McDonald’s – in these pages earlier this year If you’ve met Serena during her 18 years at IBSA, no doubt you’ve heard some stories about the burger business and passports and Pop-Tarts, and many more And you understand how much we’ll miss her presence in Springfield and on these pages as she transitions to a new role with the Samaritan’s Purse ministry
In-person and in her writing, Serena is a great storyteller
For questions about subscript ons articles or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3110 or IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.
by the Illinois Baptist State Association 3085 Stevenson Drive Springfield Illinois 62703-4440
Subscriptions are free to I linois Baptists Subscribe onl ne at IBSA org
When she served at Illinois State University as a campus minister and later as IBSA’s collegiate ministry coordinator, she was eager to share how she saw God working among students during those crucial years in their lives And she took us with her as she led students on mission trips to New Orleans, Bulgaria, and places in between.
Often, after a trip or event, she’d call or stop by the communications “wing” of our building to ask, “Do you need any information?” or “Want to see pictures?” And of course we did, because the photos were so good
and her stories so compelling
And funny Serena rarely tells a story without laughing through it, and making other people laugh with her One story that didn’t make it to the IB is about her summer as the self-confessed “worst summer missionary ever ” (Ask her about it sometime )
She doesn’t sugar-coat things. Her journal entry last summer about a delayed departure from London – due to a lost passport – eloquently expresses the frustration and anxiety of the process, while also drawing a picture of what it really means to be home
Serena kept telling stories as she transitioned to a role with IBSA’s missions team and as director of Illinois WMU. Her photos from Sochi, Russia, featuring women from different worlds joined together in prayer, rival any we’ve published in terms of simple beauty
“She shared great stories and helped other people identify their own story,” said Mark Emerson, who leads IBSA’s missions team “Serena used the theme ‘the story lives on’ to help each woman identify their own faith story, and to be willing to share the story of Jesus with others Her part of the WMU story will also live on even after she leaves this role ”
We’ll miss Serena on these pages, but are grateful for her lasting mark here, and everywhere she’s led Baptists in Illinois to put God’s glory on display
By Steve Hamrick, IBSA Worship directorI did not know Mr. George Beverly Shea (at right) personally, but I wish I did The Grammy Award-winning singer passed through heaven’s gates April 16 at the age of 104
I remember as a young boy Shea’s deep baritone voice singing “How Great Thou Art” or “Roll, Jordan Roll” right before Dr Billy Graham was to speak during his Crusades. We also listened to him sing weekly during the “Hour of Decision,” a radio program that aired for over 50 years Shea taught us new arrangements of old songs, and composed hymns we still sing today He authored “The Wonder of it All” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” both published in the current Baptist Hymnal
Along with Cliff Barrows and Dr Graham, Shea helped pioneer an order of worship many churches still use to this day, with a choral call to worship, choir specials, personal testimonies, and most of all, the solo before the message
His worship team also perfected the invitation time where the choir sang “Just as I Am” while the counselors moved forward, leading a procession of people to receive Christ George Beverly Shea had a long career of writing, television appearances and recording, but most Christians – including me – know him best as America’s beloved gospel singer
When I meet Jesus face to face, what gift will I have that is of any value?
e should have seen it coming Back in 1989 two young activists pushing for the normalization of homosexuality coauthored a book intended to serve as a political strategy manual and public relations guide for their movement
In “After the Ball: How America Will Conquer its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90s,” authors Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen argued that efforts to normalize homosexuality and homosexual relationships would fail unless their movement shifted its argument to a demand for civil rights, rather than for moral acceptance Kirk and Madsen argued that homosexual activists and their allies should avoid talking about sex and sexuality Instead, “the imagery of sex per se should be downplayed, and the issue of gay rights reduced, as far as possible, to an abstract social question ”
Beyond Kirk and Madsen’s public relations strategy, an even more effective legal strategy was developed along the same lines Litigators began to argue that homosexuals were a class of citizens denied basic civil liberties, and that the courts should declare them to be a protected class, using civil rights precedents to force a moral and legal revolution.
That revolution has happened, and it has been stunningly successful The advocates for the normalization of homosexuality and the legalization of same-sex marriage have used legal arguments developed from the civil rights era to their advantage Over the years, these arguments have led to major developments like the decriminalization of homosexual behaviors, the inclusion of homosexuals within the U S military, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in some states
What should Christians think about this? We do believe in civil rights. Taken at face value, they are those
rights that a person should be recognized to possess simply because he or she is a citizen Christians should welcome the recognition of civil rights, understanding that the very notion of such rights is based on a Christian worldview and the affirmation that every human being is made in God’s image, and therefore possesses dignity and certain essential rights In the language of the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness ”
Even as secularists do their best to establish some grounding for civil rights without reference to God, the founding language of our nation – in agreement with biblical principles –clearly affirms these liberties are given to all people by the Creator
Beyond this fact, we must be thankful that an expanding understanding of civil rights has led our nation to address wrongs and to make moral progress in ending wrongful discrimination The civil rights movement of the late 20th century saw America come face to face with the reality that, as a nation, we were not living up to our own commitment to those rights
The key question we now face is this: Does recognition of civil rights for all people require the normalization of homosexuality and the legalization of same-sex marriage?
That is precisely what gay rights proponents have been claiming for the past 30 years, and their arguments have gained much ground In 2003 the Supreme Court struck down criminal laws against homosexual behavior in the decision known as Lawrence v Texas Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy argued that the Constitution does not allow for the criminalization of homosexual acts, since such laws deny
a specific class of persons their basic civil rights Several courts have since ruled outlawing same-sex marriage is a similar denial of a civil right
At this point Christians have to think very carefully We do not want to deny anyone his or her civil rights To do so would not only violate the Constitution but also deny the rights that are granted, not by the government, but by the Creator But is samesex marriage such a right? The answer to that question must be no
Marriage laws always discriminate Current laws do so on the basis of age, marital status and gender, as well as a host of other issues The law itself necessarily discriminates For instance, married people pay fewer taxes and women enjoy maternity leave The question is whether such discrimination is right or wrong
Discrimination on the basis of an unchangeable characteristic such as skin color would be wrong But Christians cannot accept the argument that homosexuality is an immutable characteristic While recognizing the complexity of issues related to sexual orientation, we cannot define a behavior as an intrinsic characteristic On that basis, why not grant theft or other sinful behavior the same civil rights protection?
Furthermore, we recognize that marriage, like human rights, exists prior to the law Christians understand that marriage was instituted by the Creator, who designed marriage and the family as the foundational social unit of human society Marriage unites a man and a woman in a holy covenant that should last as long as they both live
From the very beginning, marriage was designed as the union of one man and one woman Every human society has recognized this meaning of marriage, and all suc-
cessful civil societies have honored, protected and defended heterosexual marriage as the union that should govern human sexuality, reproduction, intimacy and rearing of children
The argument for the legalization of same-sex marriage fails in terms of any constitutional logic that our nation’s founders would have conceived Beyond this, faithful Christians cannot accept such arguments because an even greater authority –the authority of the Bible as the Word of God – binds us
The Bible is clear in terms of its teachings on both sexuality and marriage As Jesus Christ declared, God intended marriage as the union of one man and one woman “from the be-
ginning” (Matthew 19:4-6) The legalization of same-sex marriage would confuse and greatly weaken the single institution that is most central to human society and most essential to human flourishing
Christians responding to demands for the legalization of same-sex marriage cannot accept the argument that the right to marry a person of the same gender is a civil right
R Albert Mohler Jr is president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky This column is excerpted from Baptist Press Read the full version at www IBSA org/ IBeXtra
While recognizing the complexity of issues related to sexual orientation, we cannot define a behavior as an intrinsic characteristic.”
Continued from page 1
“As always, he’s building bridges” to the one-fifth of Springfield’s population who are African American Luter preached a three-night revival at Union Baptist Church, a leading African American congregation affiliated with the National Baptists Howard wants his association to start new SBC work among minorities in central Illinois, which means reaching across many divides
That is Luter ’s expertise
He has served most notably on a blue-ribbon panel charged with recovery plans for New Orleans, and on a variety of SBC committees, including the group that drafted the 1996 Resolution on Racial Reconciliation
“Get the pastors together,” Luter advised, describing how he became know as a bridge builder “If the pastors are not on board, it’s not going to happen
“You need some pastors to take off the masks, take off the halos, and start working together for the kingdom of God rather than building our kingdom, because there are too many people going to hell.”
The trip to Springfield afforded Luter a visit to IBSA, a meeting Executive Director Nate Adams had sought earlier, but which was complicated by President Luter ’s very busy schedule He has proven very popular (Luter was asked by President
Obama in a phone call just after his unanimous election at the convention last year, “How does it feel to be the most popular president in the United States?” Both men laughed )
Luter ’s popularity among Southern Baptists of all kinds seems to have grown this year, even in the historically white congregations of the Deep South
“[What] I’m really amazed at is the reception I’ve gotten from some of the older Anglo members of churches who have been in this convention for years, how receptive and even how happy,” Luter said “The other night a lady, about 70, just grabbed my face with her hands on both sides, and she said, ‘I’ve been waiting for this day to happen ’
“You know things like that kind of bring tears to my eyes.”
More than 200 pastors gathered in the newly renovated auditorium and resource center at the IBSA Building to meet Luter and hear stories about his ministry, the recovery of his church, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, in the years after the flood, and especially accounts of his first year as SBC president
“The Southern Baptist Convention President doesn’t have any power –that’s a misconception,” he says, describing the flood of letters from church members asking him to mediate disputes and fire pastors “But it is a position of influence I’ve got to appoint two people from every state to the SBC Committee [on Committees] ”
And that’s where his ongoing influence will be felt, in carrying out the mandate by convention messengers in 2011 to bring broader ethnic and gender representation to SBC boards and agencies
“I see a good representation of our state convention here today,” said Bryan Price, pastor of Love Fellowship church in Romeoville, “and I think that shows we have made advances But what I will be looking for is to see the influence [Luter] is having on committee appointments and leadership.” Price expressed a similar view at the time of Luter ’s election “I feel like I’m getting a place at the table,” he concluded
“The conversation at the table is different today than it would have been a few years ago,” Pastor Don Sharp of Faith Tabernacle in Chicago said. He, with Price and other African American pastors from Chicago, met with Luter during a lunch break at the IBSA event “There’s a genuineness and openness Before people would have asked, ‘Who are Southern Baptists? Can we trust them?’ Today younger African American pastors are more likely to express interest in joining the denomination ”
Rick Dorsey of Beacon Hill church in Chicago Heights, an African American congregation that has been Southern Baptist for 40 years, concurred.
“Southern Baptists are not the old Southern Baptists We are moving forward, not denying the past, but looking toward the future I think [Luter]
The setting is a Springfield classic: Charlie Parker’s Diner, a Quonset hut decorated with vinyl albums and Route 66 signs Over coffee, eggs, and plate-size pancakes, the conversation moves from life in the Big Easy to today’s SBC challenges Here are highlights:
Fred Luter: You know, when I first became a Southern Baptist there in New Orleans I had a lot of flack, man I took it from AfricanAmerican pastors, calling me a puppet A lot of them didn’t understand me being in a predominantly white convention But now that they see what God has done in my life,
some of those same pastors have said they’re really proud to be a part of Southern Baptists
Do you think ethnic pastors really feel your presidency is making a difference?
That’s something all of us are watching to see My election will have impact years from now if we see more African-American, Asian, and Hispanic people getting involved in the national level of the SBC And one prayer was answered just a few weeks ago when Ken Weathersby was brought onboard as a vice-president on the Executive Committee
And Gary Frost was appointed as NAMB VP for the Midwest region
Yes That says that doors are opening
But change is needed not only in national leadership, right?
I say this to pastors a lot: Guys, we want you to be involved, but there’s an obligation on your part You’ve got to participate You’ve got to show up at association meetings and state conventions You’ve got to give to the Cooperative Program That’s how we keep missionaries on the field And we have to look at participation and giving when making appointments
is helping change the image of Southern Baptists by bringing people together ”
If he is re-elected at the annual meeting in Houston, it is in his second term that the lasting impact of Luter ’s presidency will be determined SBC presidents usually are elected to a second term unopposed Beyond the issues of race and representation, there is the simmering debate over Reformed theology
A report on Calvinism is due from a committee headed by SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page It represents the upcoming meeting’s most likely flashpoint That’s where Luter ’s diplomatic skills will be tested next
“Why do you guys want to do this on my watch?” Luter says, flashing a smile The crowd at the IBSA gathering laughs “I mean, Calvin’s been around 500 years, and we have to debate this now?”
Luter is hopeful that the convention will keep its focus on missions, evangelism, and discipleship
“In my first President’s address with all the seminary presidents and heads of SBC entities, I told them I believe God can raise up a revival…but this dream can become a nightmare if saved brothers can’t get along
“If we ever get on one page,” Luter said, “we can have a revival ”
Talk to me about the appointments. What’s that experience like for you?
I didn’t realize how difficult these appointments would be I’m expected to appoint two people from every state, but I don’t know everybody I’m counting on people to make good recommendations We passed the resolution in 2011 to have broader representation Now it’s time to put some legs behind it
In part two in the May 27 issue of the Illinois Baptist, Luter talks about Calvinism, CNN, prayer, and what God taught him through Hurricane Katrina
How do you think Fred Luter’s presidency helped people see Southern Baptists differently?
ud to be Africanall and to have ican president I o benefit the asging more minorthe association ”
Minnie Robinson, Greater St James Baptist, Alton
“I think he helps people understand that Southern Baptist is not a geographic or racial situation It’s a denomination that reaches out to all people ”
Sunny Mooney, Dayton Avenue Baptist, Peoria
“We really broke into a whole new level of ministry and representation of what God is doing in the midst of His body ”
David
What do you hope to see him accomplish is his second term?
“I’d like to see more visibility, more transparency, many more churches, and working together with different religious organizations ” – Ronald Payne, Christian Center of Hope, Danville
“More of the same More unity, continue going forward ”
David Smith, Herod Springs Baptist, Herod
Southern Baptist Convention
President Fred Luter chose the theme for this year ’s annual meeting – “Revive Us That We May Be One” – because he believes the brotherly love that distinguishes God’s disciples is the only way the convention will experience the revival it so desires
“We’re not going to do it by just our preaching or by our singing or just by our giving, we’ve got to prove it through our actions that we truly love one another,” Luter told Baptist Press “And the way we do that is by being the disciples that God has called us to be
“And if we ever get in one accord, I believe something can happen like happened in Acts chapter 2,” Luter said “When the New Testament church was in one accord, God did great things through the church And that’s my prayer for this convention ”
Luter also said he hopes to see greater turnout and more ethnic diversity among messengers at the meeting, a desire that may be helped by the plans of at least one Baptist fellowship group
For the first time in its 34-year history, the Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches in America plans to appear as one body during the Tuesday, June 11, afternoon session Around 800 Korean pastors and church members are expected to attend
“It will take many buses,” said Chongoh Aum, executive director of the Korean fellowship “Korean pastors will attend and vote for agenda [items] related to SBC,” such as the initial ballots for SBC officers
Coinciding with the convention, fellowship meetings also are planned for Native American, Filipino, African American, Hispanic, Chinese and Messianic groups For a full schedule of events, go to www sbc annualmeeting net
Under the theme “Launch: Taking Our Hearts, Homes, and Ministries to a Higher Place,” the June 9-10 SBC Pastors’ Conference will feature preaching, worship, prayer and panel discussions to undergird the ministry of pastors and their wives
with the convention, Matte told the Southern Baptist TEXAN “That’s something we can bring to the table that others can’t You can go to another conference and it starts, it finishes and it’s over ”
In contrast, by interacting with other pastors of all ages at the Pastors’ Conference, Matte said, “You connect and now you’re connected with the resources that relationship can provide for you ”
For a full Pastors’ Conference schedule, go to www sbcpc net
Continuing the tradition of reaching out to the host city of the SBC annual meeting, the pre-convention “Crossover Houston” will offer opportunities for hundreds of volunteers to intentionally share the Gospel through block parties and doorto-door evangelism
Speakers include Luter; John Bisagno, pastor emeritus of FBC Houston; Ed Stetzer, lead pastor of Grace Church in Hendersonville, Tenn , and president of LifeWay Research; Rodney Woo, senior pastor of International Baptist Church in Singapore; Matt Carter, pastor of Austin Stone Community Church; and many others Several pastors also will participate in panel discussions, including a roundtable presentation on balancing family and ministry, led by Georgia pastor Bryant Wright and his wife Ann Greg Matte, pastor of FBC Houston and president of the Pastors’ Conference, said he hopes younger pastors and leaders will connect to the larger convention through the pre-SBC conference
“The Pastors’ Conference is not just a connection with an event, but a connection with a pathway” to a relationship
This year ’s Crossover emphasis also will kick off “Loving Houston,” a three-year partnership between the North American Mission Board and the city’s Union Baptist Association, featuring projects like home renovation, clean-up, outreach and prayerwalking
Seminary students will start the Crossover effort the week prior to the convention by taking the Gospel door-to-door in advance of the block parties churches will host on Saturday, June 8 For more on Crossover, visit www NAMB net/crossover
Woodland Baptist, Peoria, has called
Stephen Lee as associate minister of worship
He is relocating from Seymour, Indiana, where he served First Baptist Church Lee and his wife Laura have three children: Noah, Reese and Analynn
Mariana Trovillion
Thompson, a member of Woodland Baptist in Peoria since 1949, passed away April 7
She was active in IBSA ministry her entire life, as a college student in Carbondale, a charter member of the Singing Illinoisans, and a participant in Illinois WMU She is survived by her husband, Herman, five children, and 24 grandkids and great-grandkids
Pleasant Hill in Roodhouse is seeking a pastor Submit resumes to: Pleasant Hill Baptist, Attn: Pastor Search Team, 122 State Route 106 S , Roodhouse, IL, 62082, or to Dorothy Cox at jacox@irtc net
FBC West Frankfort is seeking to repair their baptistry If you have experience in that area, contact Tim Blackburn at (618) 364-7767
Mission teams interested in construction, Vacation Bible School and youth evangelism are needed to help with a Southern Baptist church planting effort in South Chicago Heights Contact Temple Baptist Church and Pastor Rob Looney at rdlooney73@yahoo com
Metropolis | Attitude It can be a squirm-inducing word, because most everyone knows theirs needs work from time to time Pastor Joe Buchanan took a hard look at his, and it resulted in his first book
The inspiration for “Cultivating a Gospel-Shaped Attitude,” out this month, was “my struggle with a bad attitude as much as anything,” the pastor of FBC Metropolis told the Illinois Baptist, laughing “When I started writing the book, we were right at the tail-end of a building program, and I was worn out and I was tired It came out of a period of time in my life where I was saying, ‘I kind of have a bad attitude ’”
So he went to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew, specifically the Beatitudes that begin the message Admittedly, Buchanan tended to skip over them as a pretty, poetic introduction before the real meat of the sermon. But as he took a closer look, he realized the Gospel is laid in those few verses
“Each of those attitudes, as we cultivate them over a period of time, they begin to change our behavior And as behavior changes, people being to recognize we are exhibiting the character of Christ ”
His book gives each of the Beatitudes its own chapter, beginning with “blessed are the poor in spirit ” That first one, titled “taking personal responsibility for sin” in the book, was one of the most difficult to write, Buchanan said “I think in the process of writing that, my awareness of just my own sin and things that we can excuse so easily, that captured me ”
Each chapter examines the Beatitudes in their historical context “Then, we try to go back into the scriptures and find examples of that and show how they relate to the Gospel,” Buchanan said “The whole book is a meditation on the Gospel.”
He blogs regularly at Fresh Bread
(joebuchanan wordpress com), and has written guest columns for the Illinois Baptist But this project, produced through LifeWay’s CrossBooks self-publishing arm, was his first fulllength book. He’s developing a smallgroup guide, and hopes to make it available soon on his blog
“Cultivating a Gospel-Shaped Attitude” is available in hard copy and ebook form at www crossbooks com and through Amazon or Barnes & Noble Profits from sales – 100% in May, and 25% throughout the life of the book – will help provide meals for
children in Haiti Buchanan’s church began a missions partnership there after the country was devastated by an earthquake in 2010
FBC Metropolis has sent nine mission teams to Haiti over the past few years, most recently to build a kitchen for a church in the city of Blanquette The kitchen facility will help the church prepare meals for school children, and the book profits will help purchase the food “That’s been a big thing for the church, and it’s a passion I have to see going forward,” Buchanan said
This repor t includes contributions received by the Illinois Baptist State Association through the first quar ter of 2013 For questions about this repor t, contact IBSA Associate Executive Director of the Business Team, Melissa Phillips at (217) 3913104, e-mail MelissaPhillips@IBSA org or write to her at P O Box 19247, Springfield, IL 62794-9247
ASSOCIATIONS Total Per Churches CP Capita
Ever y dollar makes a difference , as you see in this new animated video Follow a Cooperative Program gift from offering plate to the mission field Share this video in worship ser vice or on your church’s website
Top 100 Illinois churches in per capita suppor t through the first quar ter of 2013
May 13-14: IBSA Golf Scramble at Oak Terrace Golf Resort, Pana Register at www IBSA org/Church Health
Q: After many years in the position, our worship leader needs to be replaced Our music is just plain bad Many people have said this to me privately, but no one will stand up when the time comes They don’t want to hurt his feelings
A: No one enjoys hurting anyone’s feelings Unfortunately, the job of moving, removing, replacing, hiring and firing volunteers and paid employees often rests with a church’s leadership Under your constitution and operations manual, determine who has that authority (the pastor, personnel committee, or in some cases, the deacon body)
Trying to pretend things will get better on their own never works, and neither does dragging out the inevitable And doing nothing not only doesn’t work, but also may harm the church The best policy is to call in the individual, thank them for their years of service, and let them know they are going to be replaced If he or she is a mature believer and wants what is best for the church, you might ask them to continue working in another area of music ministry, or another volunteer position But don’t give them a position, simply to soften the blow, that is going to cause further embarrassment
Be sure your staff, leadership team, deacon body and music department is in agreement with the decision, and you’re not just making the change to keep a few people happy If it needs to happen, make it happen
Q: I know this may sound silly, but After our deacon chairman won the church chili cook-off, we learned that his secret ingredient is beer We all ate it Some people a r e v e r y u p s e t a n d w a n t h i m r e m o v e d from office
A: I understand that cooking burns away alcoholic content, leaving just the taste That’s likely true in this case, since you don’t mention anyone staggering out of the church! Let me be clear: I don’t drink and I’m not in favor of drinking (see Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-35) In this case, relationships
and the influence of your deacon chairman – are at stake Explain to him the amount of concern this caused, and ask him to meet with those who are upset and apologize for offending them That should stop any whispering, rumors or negative talk And hindsight is always 20/20: In the future, a small note on the Chili Cook-Off flyer that says “no alcoholic additives please” should do the trick
Q: Should we try to appeal to men, or is it their wives who decide where to go to church?
A: Mature Christian husbands are to be the spiritual leaders in their homes, but that doesn’t mean their spouses and children shouldn’t have a say in where they go to church A wellgrounded and well-rounded church recognizes the need to minister to the whole family, from the nursery to senior adults
When deciding where to spend a good chunk of their Sundays, families may consider programs, music, preaching, children’s ministries, missions strategy, opportunities to serve, and fellowship with one another Rather than targeting one member of the family, lead your church to help the whole family understand what they can expect to get from and give to the church they choose.
Pat Pajak has pastored churches of all sizes across Illinois He presently leads IBSA’s Church Strengthening team Send your coaching questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA org When you purchase a bond through the Baptist Foundation of Illinois, you ’ re investing in
May 17-18: Mother/Daughter Camp at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville For all ages; $35 per person Register by May 13 at www IBSA org/Children
May 18: Hispanic Women’s Training Event at Iglesia Gran Comision, Waukegan; 9 a m -2 p m Contact Ana Melendez at anademelendez@ gmail com
May 20-21: plantMIDWEST Quarterly Meetings. May 20: Friendly Temple Missionary Church, St Louis, Mo., 9 a.m.-1p.m. May 21: Armitage Baptist, Chicago, 10 a m -2 p m (217) 391-3101, RachelCarter@ IBSA org
May 23-27: Motorcycle Ministry Rally to Ridgecrest Depart from Mt Vernon 9:30 a m Thursday, and ride to Ridgecrest, N C , for this year ’s national rally CliffWoodman @mac com, www IBSA org/ Motorcycle
May 31-June 1: Rekindling the Call Retreat at Green Lake Baptist Camp in Green Lake, Wisconsin (217) 391-3133, SylvanKnobloch@ IBSA org
June 1: BCHFS Central Illinois Golf Tournament at Edgewood Country Club, Auburn E-mail kensteward@bchfs com for info
June 8: Missions Spectacular in seven locations; Bethalto, Litchfield, Machesney Park, McLeansboro, Metropolis, O’Fallon, Springfield Register at www IBSA org/Missions
June 11-12: SBC Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas.
June 14-15: Father/Son Camps at Lake Sallateeska and Streator For all ages; cost is $50 per dad, free for sons Register at www IBSA org/ Children
June 17-20: Co-ed Mission Camp at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville For kids in grades 3-6; $95 per camper Register at www IBSA org/ Children
June 17-22 or 20-22: Illinois
Changers at Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville; for teens in grades 712 Register at www IBSA org/ Student
June 25-29: Super Summer at Greenville College For students who have completed grades 7-12 Cost is $199 per student until June 3 BarbaraHalleman@IBSA org, (217) 391-3127, www ilstudentz com
“It’s Baptists helping Baptists.” – Doug Morrow, BFI Executive D rector
On March 24, 2010, we received the call we’d been waiting for from the adoption agency “There is a boy, 27 months old, that we’d like to refer to your family,” said the woman on the other line
Adoption had been a part of our conversation before we ever got married My husband, John, and I knew God had called our family to look different We started the process when our biological son, Manning, was almost two, and felt very led to Ethiopia because of the overwhelming number of orphans there We traveled to that beautiful country in July 2010 to meet our new son, whom we would call Elijah
What we saw when we pulled up to the Children’s Home stuns me to this day! Elijah was waiting in the doorway all by himself Not a soul around He was waiting for us, and was ready to have a mommy and daddy to hold him This was a miracle Although very reserved and shy at first, he immediately called my husband “Daddy ”
On the 22-hour flight back to Illinois, though, fear started to take over I felt guilty that our biological son would have to adjust to so much, and sad that maybe I would never love Elijah like I should as his mom And why was I feeling so grief-stricken, since we had been called to do this and knew we’d been obedient?
ning were true brothers I wasn’t struggling because of anything Elijah was doing or not doing I just did not “feel” in love with him, and he did not “feel” like my son I begged God to give me that feeling, and I found myself mad at Him for allowing me to go through this after we stepped out in faith
poor, the orphans and widows, and the people that are just hard for us to love We won’t be able to do it on our own We have to trust He will mold our hearts to be able to love like Him
n c y f u n d s a v i n g s i n o r d e r t o p a y o f f your home early?
A: The only time I would advise this is when your emergency fund is too big, and you have a very small amount left to pay on the house Keep in mind that your emergency fund should be 3-6 months of expenses, not 3-6 months of income Besides, paying off the house doesn’t fall into the category of an emergency
I understand it can be very tempting to get rid of the mortgage payments and own it outright But I wouldn’t drain my emergency fund to make it happen – even to be completely debt-free sooner Life happens, and the moment you write that big check and weaken your emergency fund, the central unit will go out, the roof will spring a leak, or you’ll have major repair issues with a vehicle
You’re just begging for Murphy to come visit And that’s not my definition of financial peace!
Q: My daughter has the opportunity to take a class trip that costs $650 Should she have to contribute to the cost, or should I cover it all?
A: When it came to making these kinds of decisions at our house, we’d take a look at whether the kid was behaving, getting good grades and stuff like that It can be a challenge at that age, I know But if they were living like responsible young people, we would pay for this sort of thing as a reward
The next several weeks were some of the hardest of my life The boys battled for toys and attention almost constantly Elijah screamed because he didn’t know how to fully communicate with us John and I sank into depression and felt overwhelmed with anxiety, needing medical assistance on a few occasions All of this mess made us wonder if we had made a mistake Why were things so hard? Did God abandon us here, in this place?
Our first year together was full of hard days Although we saw Elijah bond to us quickly and he and Manning become really good buddies, we felt as if we, as his parents, were not bonding to our new son I remember thinking that it felt as if I were babysitting a child that would soon need to go home
I struggled daily with the thought of him being my son Elijah was not acting out, his English was remarkable within months, and he and Man-
Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. Because of God’s grace, he was allowing me not to “feel” in love with Elijah I believe God wanted to show me love can only come from Him If I had felt it right away, it would’ve been boasting about me, not Him! He kept showing me the scripture from Psalm 27:
“Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living Wait patiently for the LORD Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD ”
We saw God’s goodness My heart began to soften toward Elijah, and I began seeing things I absolutely loved about him The bitterness and anger began to fade as he began to feel more like a son to me
Although fewer and farther between, some days are still hard, and I have to ask for help to be the best mom for Elijah and to love him as I should I believe those days are reminders of what our loving Father taught me and what He wants me to never forget: In order to truly love someone, we need His help beyond belief Some love comes naturally and feels really good, but He has called us to love our enemies, the
Our family experienced another miracle God showed us that with His help we could love Elijah like our son We’ve experienced joy beyond explanation
The Teefeys are members of Delta Church in Springfield
Still, at that age a kid should definitely have some skin in the game If you can pay for this without breaking the bank, and she’s fulfilling her responsibilities as a good kid, it would be a good idea to make her come up with her own spending money for the trip
For more financial advice from Dave Ramsey, go to www IBSA org
utes at 350 degrees Cool Mix cream cheese and remaining sugar; then, fold in Cool Whip Spread on top of baked pretzels
M a k e J E L L - O w i t h 2 ¼ c u p s h o t w a t e r ; a d d f r o z e n b e r r i e s P o u r o v e r t o p o f cream cheese mixture, and refrigerate to set
1 (8 oz ) package frozen strawberries
Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick s p r a y M i x p r e t z e l s , b u t t e r , a n d 2 t e aspoons sugar, and press the mixture into the bottom of the dish Bake for 10 min-
S e n d u s y o u r r e c i p e s ! E a t s o m e t h i n g delicious at a church potluck or picnic rec e n t l y ? E - m a i l t h e r e c i p e o r a b r i e f d es c r i p t i o n t o M e re d i t h F l y n n @I BS A o r g , and if you happen to snap a photo, we’ll t a k e t h a t t o o ! O r , s e n d u s y o u r f a v o r i t e recipes from your church cookbook
“I wasn’t struggling because of anything Elijah was doing or not doing I just did not ‘feel’ in love with him, and he did not ‘feel’ like my son ”
or a couple of decades, sociologists have been tracking the rise in “starter marriages,” those short-lived unions of Generation X before they divorce, meet their soul mate, and marry again – for good this time
Well, forget all that If the concept of a starter marriage weren’t repugnant enough, the upcoming Millennial Generation is abandoning wedded bliss, however brief, for omething even less permanent (Or biblical )
The new “first union” (today’s term) is now st living together Today’s couples are more kely to share a flat for a few years before deding whether this relationship is “the one ” hen, maybe, they’ll get married
That may not seem like news until you conder the vast numbers of young adults who are hacking up (yesterday’s term)
48% of women ages 15-44 have lived with a oyfriend before deciding whether to marry in 010, compared to 34% in 1995
23% of “first unions” were marriages in 010, compared to 39% in 1995
40% of couples decided to marry within ree years; 27% broke up
19% of women became pregnant
> For church leaders: Make no assumptions dds are fifty-fifty that the young couple visitg your church is not married How will you elcome them? And their children?
“Any situation that calls me to confront my selfishness has enormous spiritual value , and I slowly began to understand that the real purpose of marriage may not be happiness as much as it is holiness Not that God has anything against happiness, or that happiness and holiness are by nature mutually exclusive , but looking at marriage through the lens of holiness began to put it into an entirely new perspective for me . ”
Gary Thomas in “Sacred Marriage”Location:
Target:
Characteristics:
Prayer Needs:
Pray for a ne w church
Godfrey, Madison County
Urban commuter families
Godfrey has a population of nearly 18,000 and is located in the Greater St Louis metro area It retains the status of a village and is a mix of small business, agriculture and uppermiddle class housing developments
Churches to partner to plant new works in this area with more than 65% of residents who have not been reached with the Gospel
– From the IBSA Church Planting Team
Budget Goal: $2,000,000
Received to date 04/26/13: $2,059,327
Received to date in 2012: $1,893,353
While you’re waiting for Linda Kollmeyer to draw tonight’s winning numbers, consider this: The U.S. is the world’s high roller among nations with legalized gambling.
With $417 billion in wagers annually, Americans bet more than $100 billion of that on horses, casinos, gaming machines, and lotteries
25%
16% 6% 5%
USA
China
Japan
Italy
Australi
For church leaders: Southern Baptists have long-held views on the immorality of gambling But what do your church members do when it comes to lottery tickets, basketball brackets and office pools?
Here’s how the top five bettors split the pot: – Data from USA Today and H2 Gambling Capital
Gluttony, of many kinds, today’s only acceptable “All desire for excess stems from a lack of satis tion I’m not satisfied with my por tion – be it th por tion on my plate , in the marriage bed, or in my bank account Because I’m not satisfied with my por tion, I then seek a greater por tion But because ever y por tion is a finite par t of a finite whole , I am constantly chasing an excess that can never satisfy ”
POSTCARDS
Missionaries:
Kevin and Brittany Singer (with Alden)
Planting: The Branch Church in Wheaton, with a church planting team
Focusing On: Newly marrieds, young families, college students
Pray: For opportunities to share the Gospel at College of DuPage, where Kevin teaches religious studies and philosophy, and that summer interns would be fruitful in their ministry
