October 1, 2020 Illinois Baptist

Illinois Baptist

Let’s all pull together

Our big Baptist family meets again

P. 2

BCHFS opens new clinic

Sacred

Mt. Vernon | In every room of a newly renovated building, tour guide Paula Joy stops to tell visitors the meaning behind the art on the wall. Each creation has a scriptural foundation. As Joy reads the passages, her voice breaks.

“I cry in every room,” she said, laughing while she wipes away tears.

The GraceHaven pregnancy resource clinic is literally covered in prayer, Joy said. Artist Mark Lawrence’s works were inspired by the psalmists’ dependence on God for rescue and salvation. And in the month leading up to GraceHaven’s launch, churches will surround the building to pray for the ministry that will happen inside.

When it opens this fall, the clinic will offer pregnancy test-

ing, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, parenting classes, and information about adoption and abortion recovery. And in GraceHaven’s exam room, nurse Jana Musgrave will use a brand-new ultrasound machine to show parents their baby’s heartbeat.

“We just want to make sure they’re able to see that life on screen,” said Musgrave, citing a statistic that up to 88% of women choose life after seeing a heartbeat. The average cost for this kind of ultrasound is $200, she said, but GraceHaven clients can receive theirs for free.

“This is how we, one by one, save babies,” said Sarah Usery, director of operations

SARAH USERY

NATE ADAMS

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

“During this election year…Christians should be aware that not only will there be people who disagree with their perspectives, but 1 in 4 Americans will disapprove of a Christian speaking about political matters at all.”

– Scott McConnell, LifeWay Research

A TIME TO SPEAK? The 2020 State of Theology survey asked Americans to respond: Christians should be silent on issues of politics.

Strongly disagree

43%

22% 11% 13% 11%

Somewhat disagree

Not sure

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

– Ligonier Ministries/LifeWay Research

CHURCH NEEDED HERE

Location: Buffalo Grove

Focus: Residents of this community northwest of Chicago

Characteristics: The area has a long history of being united around religion, mainly German Catholicism.

Prayer needs: Pray for new churches that can reach Buffalo Grove’s diverse population.

– IBSA Church Planting Team

Giving by IBSA churches as of 09/18/20

$3,856,493

Budget Goal: $4,461,539

Received to date in 2019: $4,014,825

2020 Goal: $6.3 Million

The Illinois Baptist staff

Editor - Eric Reed

Managing Editor - Meredith Flynn

Graphic Designer - Kris Kell

Contributing Editor - Lisa Misner

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 month by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Springfield, Illinois 627034440. Subscriptions are free to Illinois Baptists. Subscribe online at IBSA.org.

Pulling together

Afew years ago, I had an opportunity to write a book about Christian parenting. At the time, our three boys were 15, 13, and 10, and if I had waited until all those teen years were over, I might not have claimed any expertise at all. But with the experience I had at the time, I did my best to guide parents in how to protect, nurture, and equip a Christian family.

As I sat down to outline the big ideas and then chapters of the book, I tried to think about the big threats Christian families face, and what it takes to guard one’s family from them. Over and over I kept coming back to the word “together.” There are so many forces seeking to pull families apart. One of the main responsibilities of Christian parenting is doing whatever it takes to hold the family together, and to preserve faith through the strength of family unity.

By the time it was finished, the book was titled “The Home Team,” and was subtitled “Spiritual Practices for a Winning Family.” Its 12 chapters urged parents to “practice” faith daily, like a winning team, by reading together, eating together, playing and working together, worshiping together, serving and praying together, and more.

During this pandemic season, one of the greatest threats to our church families, and our family of churches, can be allowing separation to lead to isolation, and isolation to lead to discouragement. We must keep pulling together, for safety, for encouragement, and for strength.

That’s why we are making every effort to facilitate a safe gathering of our Illinois Baptist family for the IBSA Annual Meeting this year. We’ve abbreviated the meeting time to one afternoon, on Nov. 4, so most participants can make the trip in one day. We’ve changed the venue from a hotel in Springfield to Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur, where social distancing and other precautions are already practiced every week.

Though we will miss the opportunities for fellowship and resourcing that come with a large exhibit hall and breakout meals for various groups, we will pass on those this year. But we will gather. We will worship and hear preaching and encouraging reports of God’s work across the state. We will conduct the business of our cooperative work as churches here in the mission field of Illinois. We will pull together.

And in the process, I believe we will be encouraged. We will find hope in the midst of our shared struggle, and strength in the presence of our Savior.

Of course there are many who would normally attend the IBSA Annual Meeting for whom the wisest decision this year will be to stay home. We will miss those smiles and stories, but we will livestream the program online so it can be watched at home. We will record the program and produce a “highlights” summary a few days later, along with links to videos and reports and messages. The 2020 Book of Reports will be available for download at the IBSA website a week ahead of time, so those who can’t attend can e-mail or call in advance with any questions. In short, we hope many will be able to engage actively in the meeting, even if they can’t make the trip.

Among many pastors and church leaders these days I hear words of fatigue, if not discouragement. So Nov. 4, the day after a national election by the way, will be a great day to pull together. With masks and clean hands and waves instead of hugs, I hope to see you there, or to connect with you at home.

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

This meeting will be different, but we will celebrate how God is working.

Continued from page 1

for Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services (BCHFS). The agency began planning for a pregnancy resource clinic more than a year ago, after state lawmakers approved one of the nation’s least restrictive abortion laws. The Reproductive Health Act, passed in Spring 2019, repealed several long-standing restrictions on abortion in Illinois and declared the choice to have an abortion a “fundamental right.”

“We have got to do something to respond to this tragedy in our state,” said Denny Hydrick, executive director of BCHFS. A large part of the answer is GraceHaven—the only clinic of its type in Mt. Vernon.

Educate and equip

Visible from GraceHaven’s front door is another BCHFS ministry, Angels’ Cove Maternity Center. The longstanding outreach to families offers residential care for expecting and new mothers, as well as classes and support.

“We have a footprint here,” said Hydrick, describing the process of determining when and where GraceHaven would open. Plus, leaders of a nearby pregnancy clinic affirmed the need for a facility in Mt. Vernon. BCHFS trustees approved the ministry in July 2019, but the process of finding a building was lengthy. That they ended up here, Hydrick said, “Only God can be given the credit for that.”

In one of GraceHaven’s advocate rooms, Usery describes the intense conversations

she expects to happen here once the facility opens. This is where clients will come to discuss test results with a GraceHaven staffer or trained volunteer. This is where they’ll discuss their options.

Usery said 40% of women who go into an abortion clinic are hoping to get more information about the abortion process. GraceHaven will offer an honest description of abortion and its effects, “not with the intent to scare,” she said, “but with the intent to be truthful.”

They’ll also discuss adoption and parenting, and point clients to a variety of classes offered at GraceHaven.

For the director of operations, this work is personal. She was born to a 13-year-old in New Orleans before Illinois Baptist Children’s Home facilitated her adoption by John and Linda McNeil. Usery later served as an intern at BCHFS, where she met her husband, Bryan.

Just off of GraceHaven’s lobby is a sunny room full of baby gear, clothes, and books. The Magnolia Boutique is a way to bless expectant parents who earn “magnolia money” by attending parenting classes offered at the clinic. It’s another way to fulfill the mission of equipping and educating everyone who seeks help at GraceHaven.

This is a place where people will be open and receptive to hearing about the hope of Christ, Usery said. “We will be ready for these opportunities.”

– Meredith Flynn

IBSA Annual Meeting

Decatur | Registration for the one-day IBSA Annual Meeting is encouraged by Oct. 16, so planners can make arrangements for social distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures. A letter was sent to churches in early September with instructions for registering online or by mail. Questions about registration may be directed to CaroleDoom@IBSA.org.

The gathering, usually held in conjunction with the IBSA Pastors’ Conference, was condensed to one day, and moved from the Crowne Plaza in Springfield to Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur. The IBSA Board took that action in July in response to limitations caused by the pandemic. The church can accommodate approximately 300 people properly distanced in their sanctuary which normally seats up to 1,200. Masks will be provided for messengers and guests; hand sanitizer stations will be posted, and temperature checks will be set up at the entrances.

The Pastors’ Conference was postponed, and the ancillary meetings and exhibit hall were canceled to avoid prolonged personal interaction. Additionally, child care will not be provided. The meeting will last about four hours. Pastor Jacob Gray of Ten Mile Baptist Church in McLeansboro will preach the annual sermon, and Pastor Sammy Simmons of Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton will bring the IBSA President’s message.

“One of the reasons why I am excited to gather for the Annual Meeting is because I need the brotherhood that makes up IBSA during this hard season of leading that can be so emotionally and physically draining,” Simmons said. “I am also looking forward to hearing how God is at work and moving mightily all across the state, even when our churches can’t do some of the things we normally do.”

The executive directors of IBSA, Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, and Baptist Foundation of Illinois will bring their annual reports and budgets, and messengers will conduct the necessary business of the state association. Some reports from national ministry partners will be limited to videos, which will be posted online for those who wish to view them.

The Annual Meeting will be livestreamed online, with a highlights reel posted later for those unable to travel or gather in groups. The Book of Reports will be posted online in mid-October. Questions related to the published reports may be submitted prior to the meeting by e-mailing BarbTroeger@IBSA.org.

While a rise in COVID-19 cases in central Illinois is not expected to further affect plans for the Annual Meeting, messengers are encouraged to check online prior to November, just to be sure.

DENNY HYDRICK

PROOF OF LIFE – Nurse Jana Musgrave (right) shows GraceHaven visitors the clinic’s ultrasound machine.

with the lord

Don Bigham

IBSA pastor, Disaster Relief chaplain

Long-time Illinois Baptist leader Don Bigham died Sept. 4 in Mt. Vernon. He was 82.

Bigham was pastor of Baker Street Baptist Church in Walnut Hill, the church he had served for 10 years. He was a current member of IBSA’s Resolutions and Christian Life Committee, and earlier served three years as the state association’s recording secretary.

Much of Bigham’s service to Illinois Baptists and on their behalf was through Disaster Relief. He helped build the Illinois chapter of the nation’s third largest relief agency, serving as a volunteer and chaplain, and coordinating a search and rescue unit in Jefferson County. Bigham was a North American Mission Board-certified chaplain assigned to disaster relief operations and hospitals in Illinois. He also served as moderator and Baptist men’s director for Salem South Baptist Association.

A native of Mt. Vernon, Bigham was involved in his community, serving on several local committees and receiving Jefferson County’s Senior Saint award in 2009. He also worked for decades in corporate retail management for JCPenney.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna; daughters Crystal (John) Senyshyn, Cathy (Steve) Doonan, and Carri (Mark) Storrs; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ron Meyer

Former IBSA evangelism director

Ron Meyer, a former IBSA staff member and Illinois Baptist pastor, died Sept. 16 in Charlotte, N.C., at the age of 82. Meyer served as IBSA’s director of evangelism in the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, and also pastored IBSA churches in Effingham and Machesney Park.

Meyer worked as a radio disc jockey in the early 1960s, eventually becoming a successful station program director and highly rated telephone talk show host in Mobile, Ala. He surrendered his life to Christ through the ministry of Dauphin Way Baptist Church in 1974, and soon began preparing for ministry at New Orleans Seminary. He also pastored churches in Florida and Louisiana, including Gentilly Baptist Church in New Orleans.

Meyer was preceded in death by his first wife, Emily, and one son. In 2015, he married Toni Cordell. She survives him, along with two sons and one granddaughter.

IBSA Board approves 2021 budget plan

Fall meeting focused on ‘pivot’ reports amid pandemic

Springfield | The IBSA Board approved a budget plan for 2021 that shows hope for a strong recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also allows for some adjustments if needed. The budget based on projected $6.2 million in Cooperative Program receipts will be presented for approval by elected messengers at the 2020 IBSA Annual Meeting Nov. 4 at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur.

The Board agreed to keep the current ratio on shared CP giving at 56.5% for work in Illinois through IBSA and 43.5% forwarded to the national SBC. If there is a shortfall in revenues, the Board approved spending up to $400,000 from IBSA’s reserves to support the 2021 budget.

“I want to thank the Lord for the reserves that IBSA had has in place for this time of ‘famine’ that we hope will see us through until we get back to normal,” Executive Director Nate Adams told the Board in the Sept. 15 virtual meeting. Several state conventions have cut ministry or sold properties due to the financial strain caused by decreased giving, but IBSA has been able to continue ministry and further its commitment to camps facilities in anticipation of 2021.

As of Sept. 1, CP giving is down approximately $587,000 from the goal, but only $220,000 compared to giving at this time last year. IBSA spending is also down a comparable amount due to restraints produced by pandemic-limited ministry, so income and expenditures are balancing out. “We are in a healthy position going into the fall,” Adams said.

IBSA was able to assist 11 churches that applied for emergency funds related to the pandemic, for a total disbursement of $24,500.

The IBSA teams are resuming travel as needed for ministry and speaking engagements, Adams reported. After working from home from March 16 to July 6, the staff is back in the office and has been able to resume some on-location work with churches and church planters. Adams explained the “pivot” of IBSA’s work required by the quarantine.

“Our priorities have been tested by the pandemic,” he said. “We’ve learned that churches and pastors felt isolated and wanted to be connected.” IBSA’s response was to take many equipping sessions online, and to develop new training and content in response to COVID-19.

As a result, IBSA developed an extensive collection of webinars and town hall meetings, more than 40 in a five-month period. And IBSA’s contact with churches and pastors through online venues grew beyond the

original goals for 2020, much of which was to be conducted in person. For example, IBSA staff have engaged individually with 87% of pastors. So far, 496 pastors have engaged in a leadership development event, only four short of the total 2020 goal.

Adams outlined “four lanes” of strategic planning exercised by IBSA in the past year. Beginning in August 2019, IBSA restructured the staff to assist churches in developing ministry processes rather than programs. These include leadership development, church revitalization, and missions mobilization. Next was development of the ReFocus plan led by Rob Peters, both for IBSA and for use in local associations and churches. Peters is an expert in local church revitalization.

Simultaneous to that was the start of a three-year vision process led by Will Mancini and his leadership organization, Denominee. Mancini previously founded Auxano, a church growth consulting firm. He just announced a new partnership with the North American Mission Board to coach pastors. With IBSA, the Denominee group is assisting development of long-term vision and strategies for state convention work.

The fourth lane emerged in response to the pandemic, producing opportunity for accelerated change on the state and local levels. Adams noted that “many churches are more open to rapid change now than before the pandemic” after experiencing that same kind of critical shift in ministries as the state association.

The Board elected new officers to serve next year. Andy Dewitt of FBC Salem will chair the board after service as vice chair; Tim Rhodus of Cross Church with three central Illinois locations will serve as vice chair; and Mike Jameson of Pontoon Baptist Church in Granite City will continue as secretary.

Adams expressed thanks to outgoing Chair Bob Dickerson of FBC Marion. He also noted two staff anniversaries: Debbie Muller has served as administrative assistant for 20 years, and Eddie Pullen has served in church planting 10 years.

The Board previously approved condensing and moving IBSA’s 2020 Annual Meeting to a single day, Nov. 4, at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur. The event will begin at 1 p.m., pending committee approval, with appropriate social distancing in the large auditorium. No exhibit hall or ancillary meetings will be held due to COVID-19 restrictions, and child care will not be provided. Letters encouraging registration of messengers were mailed to IBSA churches in September.

– Eric Reed

ANDY DEWITT

TIM RHODUS

MIKE JAMESON

DON BIGHAM

RON MEYER

New moniker resurfaces

Great Commission Baptists, adopted in 2012 as an unofficial label for the Southern Baptist Convention, may gain traction with more churches next year when it serves as the theme for the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. SBC President J.D. Greear said “We Are Great Commission Baptists” reflects what Baptists should be known for, and how they should treat each other. He also said his church in Raleigh-Durham will begin using the “Great Commission Baptists” name approved by messengers to the 2012 meeting.

disaster relief

Illinois teams fuel storm response

Volunteer groups head south after hurricane

DeRidder, La. | Sharon and Glen Carty got to Louisiana on Labor Day. When they left two weeks later, they were hauling a generator that helped serve 80,000 meals to residents affected by Hurricane Laura.

The generator, shared by several states and housed in Illinois, powered a mobile kitchen in DeRidder. It is a picture of the partnership between state Disaster Relief ministries that was on display in Louisiana, volunteers said.

“I’ve worked stateside disasters more than once,” Misty LeBlanc posted after her time in DeRidder, “but being at the national level with several states working together was spectacular mission work I’d never trade.”

The volunteer from First Baptist in Columbia added, “I didn’t want to leave.”

The mass feeding ministry has ended in DeRidder, but Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief teams are still on the ground assisting with a massive callout that has involved several states. Sharon Carty said teams working in DeRidder had taken in 654 jobs, and people are still coming in for assistance. She estimated more than 20 groups from Illinois have participated in the response.

The callout to Louisiana has been the largest she’s ever been part of, Carty said. “We were all very touched by the complexity of this storm. We live in the Midwest; we don’t see trees the size of mobile homes.” In DeRidder, some of those trees are on top of homes. Volunteers cut down one tree that was 40 inches in diameter.

Teams are also dealing with more storms—Hurricane Sally sent home Florida volunteers serving in Louisiana, and Tropi-

cal Storm Beta has brought torrential rains to DeRidder. The conditions are difficult, Carty said. Volunteers prepared meals under a tent in 100-plus degree weather. Utilities have been iffy due to the storms. But there have been victories, too, including some homeowners who have come to know Christ.

“As of yesterday, we had six salvations at our site,” Carty said. “That’s the best part.”

One of the salvation stories was a 12-yearold girl named Laci. Volunteer and chaplain Jan Kragness posted on Facebook, asking for prayer for Laci and follow-up for discipleship.

Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers serve as part of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief ministry, the third largest relief agency in the world. For more information, go to IBSA.org/dr.

“We believe now is a good time to use it due to the fact that the primary reason we are part of the convention is for the Great Commission,” Greear said. The 2021 SBC annual meeting is June 15-16 in Nashville, Tenn.

Ethicists decry sterilizations

Reports of nonconsensual hysterectomies performed at an immigrant detention center in Georgia led Christian leaders to call for a federal investigation into the charges. The reports rose from a complaint filed by whistleblower Dawn Wooten, who worked as a nurse at Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Ga. Leaders of the Evangelical Immigration Table, a group advocating biblical immigration reform, said the allegations, if true, are “an affront to our pro-life ethic.”

“We are calling for a thorough investigation,” said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, “and if anything approaching the allegations of this whistleblower complaint happened, everyone involved should be held accountable.”

Racial divides deepen

The percentage of Americans who say the country has a race problem decreased between 2019 and 2020, Barna Research reported in September. The data shows a similar trend among people who identify as Christians, but the numbers diverge along racial lines. In 2019, 40% of white self-identified Christians said the country definitely has a race problem; the percentage decreased to 33% this year. However, among black self-identified Christians, the percentage rose from 75% to 81%.

Barna also reported Christians say they are less motivated to address racial injustice. Among white Christians, the share who said they were at least somewhat motivated fell from 67% to 54%. Among black Christians, the percentage decreased from 92% to 89%.

– Baptist Press, Barna Research Get breaking news in The Briefing online, posted every Tuesday at www.ib2news.org.

POWERED UP – A generator stored in Illinois and shared by several state Disaster Relief ministries fueled mass feeding in Louisiana, where volunteers like Illinoisan Misty LeBlanc (pictured above) prepared thousands of meals.

RUSSELL MOORE

The 2020 State of Theology survey, released in September by LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries, had both good and bad news for churches seeking to share the gospel in a culture moving farther from it.

First, the good: 65% of Americans agree God is a perfect being and he cannot make a mistake. A similar percentage agree the bodily resurrection of Jesus really happened. And over half agree God counts a person as righteous not because of his or her works, but only because of faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, the challenges: More than half of Americans say religious belief is a matter of personal opinion (although the percentage is down from 2018). Almost two-thirds say people are good by nature. And just over half agree Jesus was a great teacher, but not God. That question also elicited a troubling response from evangelicals: 30% agreed at least somewhat that Jesus was a great teacher, but not God. The finding shows “a significant need for Christians to be taught Christology, the doctrine of the nature and identity of Jesus Christ,” Ligonier said. It also may show a connection between church attendance and belief, said LifeWay’s Trevin Wax. In a blog post about the research, Wax noted attendance appears to matter more than affiliation. “Those who claim the evangelical label and also attend church at least once a week were much more

likely to have beliefs that align with Christian orthodoxy,” he wrote. Wax noted 76% of evangelicals who attend church at least once a week disagree Jesus was a great teacher but not God. But among evangelicals who attend church less often, only 42% disagreed. That’s more good news and bad news for churches: it’s encouraging that Christians appear to grow in their knowledge and embrace of Christian orthodoxy while at church. But it’s also a particularly tricky time to be a churchgoer, as some gatherings are still limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More Americans disagree than agree that churches must provide entertaining worship services if they want to be effective (49% to 37%), giving churches an opportunity to hone in on meaningful worship, even if it happens online for now.

A few statements in the survey garnered 100% agreement from evangelicals, who expressed a high view of the Bible’s authority and affirmed that Jesus’ death on the cross is the only sacrifice that can remove the penalty of sin. The survey also found 100% of evangelicals agree strongly that it’s very important for them personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

In a challenging year, that’s good news.

– Meredith Flynn

IN FOCUS

Turning point

Debate over the Supreme Court appointment may mark a campaign reset. Will it motivate people of faith?

Courting the faith vote

Inside the special section:

Belief and practice

The candidates’ faith, P 8 2020’s field offers the most diverse faith profile in any presidential election to date. This digest gives glimpses of the running mates’ spiritual beliefs and church involvements.

United or divided

Southern Baptists, P 9

Evangelicals may not be the unified voting bloc they were a decade or two ago, but their role in the election is no less important this year. How today’s issues will drive the voting booth choices of theologically conservative Christians.

Agree or disagree

Where the parties stand, P 10 Baptist Press published two lengthy articles comparing Southern Baptist positions on key issues to the platforms of the two political parties. Here we offer a summary in an easy-to-read chart.

The “October Surprise” came early with the death of Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sept. 18. With it came the possibility that President Donald Trump could name his third justice to the court before the end of his current term, maybe even before the Nov. 3 election. For Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, a fresh battleground emerged. And for some undecided voters, the direction of the nation on social issues resurfaced.

President Trump’s announcement that he would nominate a replacement within a week brought into sharper focus a reason that evangelicals supported the Republican in his first campaign—a president’s influence on the federal courts.

After a slow start, the Trump administration’s nominations to federal benches picked up speed. The White House has appointed more judges than in any previous single term, including two to the highest court. President Trump may be able to turn campaign rhetoric away from Biden’s current main point, the COVID-19 pandemic, toward a stronger point of agreement with

evangelicals—a conservative court committed to religious freedom and more favorable to pro-life rulings.

Within hours of Ginsberg’s death, abortion rights advocates were rallying support for Biden, warning another Trump nomination could solidify a conservative court for decades. It could whittle away at—and possibly overturn—legalized abortion.

Pro-life advocates were encouraged by that possibility. “It is at least conceivable for the first time that we have a majority that would overturn Roe, and the battle would return to the states,” Andrew Bath of the Thomas More Society told The Washington Post. And some conservative analysts saw the opportunity to make a nomination as an advantage for Trump, even if a confirmation vote comes after the election. Attorney and professor Michael New of Catholic University said the High Court development could have impact further down the ticket. “Aggressive criticism of an otherwise qualified Supreme Court nominee may well work to the political advantage of the President and other Republican candidates.”

AN ILLINOIS BAPTIST SPECIAL REPORT

RUTH BADER GINSBURG

Candidates represent wide range of religious views

Donald Trump (R)

President Trump’s personal faith has been of much interest, particularly among the white evangelical voting bloc that largely supported him in 2016.

Background: As a child, Trump attended Sunday school at First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, where he was also confirmed. Later, his family became close with Norman Vincent Peale, pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan and author of “The Power of Positive Thinking.”

Current affiliation: President Trump identifies as a Presbyterian, but doesn’t regularly attend a Presbyterian church, Pew Research reported this year. Rather, he has engaged with various faith groups, including Southern Baptists. He famously visited Family Church, an SBC congregation in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Christmas Eve 2019, and made an impromptu stop for prayer at McLean Bible Church earlier that year.

In his words: The President has made strides to relate to people of faith, including appointing pro-life judges and introducing measures to protect religious liberty. His comments about faith have been

Mike Pence (R)

In 2016, evangelicals cheered the addition of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to the Republican ticket. Pew Research found in 2020 that the share of Americans who view Pence as somewhat or very religious is more than double the share who say the same of President Trump.

Background: Vice President Pence was raised in an Irish Catholic family, but converted to evangelical Christianity as a student at Hanover College in Indiana.

Current affiliation: Pence and his wife, Karen, have attended Falls Church Anglican in Alexandria, Va., and Sanibel Community Church when in Florida.

In his words: Vice President Pence has described himself as “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.” A 2017 Washington Post profile noted his adherence to the “Billy Graham Rule,” named for the late evangelist who committed not to spend time alone with any woman other than his wife. Pence’s policy garnered him both praise and criticism.

The Vice President said in 2018 that he tries to start his day reading the Bible, and that he and his wife

complicated, as when he said in 2015 that he hadn’t asked God for forgiveness for his actions. But in his book “Great Again,” CNN reported, he wrote he thought people were shocked to find out he’s a Christian.

“They see me with all the surroundings of wealth, so they sometimes don’t associate that with being religious. That’s not accurate.”

Outside perspective: Several noted evangelicals have reported praying with the President and sharing their faith with him, including Phil Robertson. The “Duck Dynasty” star told Fox News in August that spiritual matters were at the center of his three meetings with the President. “I pointed him to Jesus,” Robertson said.

Joe Biden (D)

If elected in November, Biden would become only the nation’s second Catholic president. His speech at the virtual Democratic National Convention and recent political ads have emphasized his faith. But many Catholic leaders have denounced his positions on abortion and same-sex marriage.

Background: Biden grew up in an Irish Catholic family, attending church and parochial schools in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Current affiliation: He and his wife, Jill, worship at St. Joseph on the Brandywine in Greenville, Del.

In his words: Vice President Biden has written and spoken about his crisis of faith following the deaths of his first wife and baby daughter in a car crash in 1972, and his son Beau’s death in 2015. “No words, no prayer, no sermon gave me ease,” Biden wrote in “Promises to Keep,” published in 2008. “I felt God had played a horrible trick on me, and I was angry.”

Biden eventually found his faith again, and references it publicly and often. At a 2019 town hall meeting, he answered a question about his faith from Rev. Anthony Thomp-

Kamala Harris (D)

The California lawmaker is the first woman of color to be nominated for national office by a major party. Her faith history is also the most varied of any of the candidates, with roots in several traditions.

son, whose wife was killed during a racially-motivated mass shooting in South Carolina. Quoting Søren Kierkegaard, Biden said, “Faith sees best in the dark.”

Outside perspective: The National Catholic Reporter wrote recently of Biden, “He is hands down the most comfortable Democratic politician of his generation talking about the role religion has played in shaping his approach to public life.”

Former Fuller Theological Seminary President Richard Mouw told Christianity Today that Biden “is viewed as having an authentic faith. He may not be the conservative Catholic that a lot of evangelicals would like him to be, but when he talks about his faith, it rings true.”

try to pray together every morning. “I can honestly tell you, my faith sustains me in all that I do,” he told the news site Axios. “And it’s just a regular part of our lives.”

Outside perspective: Biographer Leslie Montgomery’s “The Faith of Mike Pence” details the Vice President’s spiritual journey with special attention to how his faith impacts his actions in the public square. “Mike Pence would shy away from wanting to be called a spiritual hero,” Montgomery wrote for Crosswalk.com, “but what I’ve learned about him is that he’s a man who lives his faith, a man after God’s own heart, who seeks to fulfill His will for his life, that of his family, and for our nation.”

Background: Growing up, Sen. Harris attended both Christian and Hindu worship services, reflecting her parents’ own disparate beliefs. In a 2017 speech at an Atlanta church, the Associated Press reported, she described attending Oakland’s 23rd Avenue Church of God and singing in the choir. In accepting the Democratic nomination for vice president, she referenced walking by faith rather than sight, from 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Current affiliation: Harris identifies as a Baptist and attends services at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, which is affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA. Harris’s husband, Douglas Emhoff, is Jewish.

In her words: In her speech in Atlanta, Harris referenced biblical concepts when talking about her work as San Francisco’s District Attorney and California’s Attorney General. “And a lot of that work was

motivated not only because of what I believe we need to do to be smart on crime, which is to understand prevention is one of the best and most effective ways to reduce crime, but underlining it also was the ageold concept that the Bible teaches us, the concept of redemption.

“Understanding, we will all make a mistake, and for some that mistake will rise to the level of being a crime. But is it not the sign of a just society that we allow folks a way to earn their way back? That is the concept of redemption.”

Outside perspective: Amos Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, told the Associated Press Harris is a “quintessential scholar” and “a spiritual person.”

Presidential candidates

When Christians arrive at the polls

Responsibility born out of faith raises stakes

BY LISA MISNER

Heading into the 2020 election, the role of religious belief among the electorate is making previously predictable voter blocs less predictable, especially as issues concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, race, civil unrest, and the Supreme Court have erupted. Still, both parties and their presidential candidates are counting on the faith-based voters they have traditionally garnered, with little apparent effort to reach across lines to recruit evangelicals or Black Protestants, as these significant voting groups are often identified by pollsters.

In September, author Sally Quinn interviewed prominent faith figures for The Washington Post, including Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, about evangelical Christians and their vote. Reed told Quinn many evangelicals voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 and plan to again in 2020 because he has championed “issues that beat in the hearts and give meaning to the souls of tens of millions of voters of faith,” including the sanctity of life, religious freedom, and the First Amendment, among others.

A poll taken by Pew Research in June confirmed Reed’s words, showing 82% of white Protestant evangelical voters would vote for or lean towards

The voting habits of the faithful may be assumed, even taken for granted by the political parties. But in 2020, nothing is guaranteed.

voting for Trump. That group is the most supportive of the President out of all the Christian groups surveyed. However, those numbers may be slipping. In August a Fox News poll showed a 28% increase in support for former Vice President Joe Biden among white Protestant evangelical voters, which is an increase of 12% over their support for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Among black Protestant voters, Pew reported in June, 54% believe Biden would make a good president and 88% say they would vote for him if the election were held today.

With Christians less likely to vote as a unified bloc than in some previous elections, the faith of candidates themselves may play a more integral role, especially since the candidates represent a wide variety of views (see page 8). Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham recently addressed the President’s faith, which some observers have questioned.

“The President values the close counsel of many in the faith-based community, as well as the daily prayers of the many Americans who pray for him, his family, our country, and our military,” Grisham said in a statement to The Washington Post. “I have personally witnessed the President in worship many times and have also seen him use his faith and prayer to privately comfort and console Americans after a tragedy.” Trump continues to count on the support of prominent evangelicals who surrounded him at his first election, including First Baptist Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress and other Southern Baptists. Most cite his role as a defender of pro-life legislation and religious freedoms as reasons to support Trump, rather than his personal behaviors or faith practices.

As for Biden, Richard Mouw, former president of Fuller Theological Seminary, told Christianity Today he thinks people respond to the former Vice President’s religious commitments. “People believe Biden’s faith is

real,” Mouw said. “He has a pastoral tone…. A lot of evangelicals who support Trump do worry about his meanspiritedness and the polarization and we’ve been missing that pastoral tone.”

An August “Vice and Virtue” online survey of evangelicals and Catholics by the group Vote the Common Good found evangelicals split over which candidate is more virtuous. Only 22% of respondents believe Trump is humble and modest. Some Democrats see this as a point in their favor.

Republicans, though, point to Biden’s decision to no longer support the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortions, as a hurdle for him to overcome with evangelicals. More than one Catholic leader has criticized Biden for his “choice” position on abortion, which is at odds with his own church’s teaching. Conservative leaders also note Biden’s lack of support for laws that protect religious freedom and rights of conscience. Both are hot button issues for conservative and evangelical voters, and issues that Trump has supported through a number of executive actions during his presidency.

Toward a biblical viewpoint

In 2020, Christian voters may not be as much in lockstep as they once were headed to the ballot box; they also disagree about the part believers should play in the political process. While some would encourage Christians to stay out of politics, others urge an even more active role.

In a webinar last spring, Southeastern Seminary theology professor Bruce Ashford argued that religion and politics can’t be separated. He described politics as “the art and science of persuading one’s fellow citizens for the common good.”

Ashford turned to Matthew 22:20-22, where the Pharisees tried to engage Jesus in a debate that was both politi cal and theological, with possible offense to both Roman and Jewish law. Citing Jesus, Ashford advised Christians, in terms of their politics, to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, render unto God what is God’s.”

This in turn applies to the local church where “we declare to the world that Jesus is the Lord, that Caesar is not.” When Christians leave the church on Sunday and scatter, Ashford said they are to be salt and light as de scribed in Matthew 5:13-16. Because being a faithful rep resentative of Christ means remembering “our ultimate allegiance to the Lord is to God, not to a political leader or talk show host.”

Dallas pastor Tony Evans similarly urged Christians not to leave God out of their politics. In a sermon series titled “Kingdom Voting,” Evans said, “The Bible makes it clear in Romans 13:1, every person is to be in subjection to the governing authority.” But if Christians want the right kind of government, God must be in the equation, Evans said. “The further you remove God’s person and his policies, then you have removed yourself from God’s place of blessing as a nation.” Ultimately, he said, “it is the opportunity and responsibility of citizens to partner with God to expand his will in society.”

With just weeks left before the election, fellow leaders are urging Christians to get out and vote Nov. 3, and to arrive at the voting booth informed about the candidates and the issues.

“Rushing into the ballot booth at the last minute is not being a responsible voter,” said Rolland Slade, chairman of the SBC Executive Committee. “We need to take time to read and study the issues, statements, and compare them to what the word of God says.”

“In Paul’s day, ultimate authority resided in the emperor, so Paul could only pray for government leaders to act justly (1 Timothy 2:1-4) and encourage those leaders, whenever he had the opportunity, to think biblically about their roles. In the United States, however, ‘we the people’ sit in the ruler’s chair, and bear ultimate responsibility for how authority is used.”

– J.D. Greear, president, Southern Baptist Convention

“Voting is a way to influence the direction of the nation. Even if your candidate does not win, your vote makes a statement that lets the winner know that there are a significant number who think differently and their views must be considered.”

– Marshal Ausberry, first vice president, Southern Baptist Convention

everything we do, including how we approach our citizenship. It is important that we take seriously our right to vote and stay informed about the issues that our country faces today.”

–

Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO, SBC Executive Committee

Where they stand

How party platforms align with SBC resolutions

Issue and SBC position

Abortion: SBC resolutions have opposed abortion at least 25 times since 1976, including calls to defund Planned Parenthood, repeal Roe v. Wade, and uphold the Hyde Amendment banning federal funding of abortion.

Adoption: In 2009, the SBC encouraged each Southern Baptist family to pray for guidance as to whether God is calling them to adopt or foster a child or children.

Capital Punishment: A 2000 resolution supported “the fair and equitable use of capital punishment by civil magistrates.”

Environment/Climate Change: A 2007 SBC resolution urged government leaders to only support cost-effective measures to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, and to reject government-mandated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Guns and Gun Violence: The SBC has called on authorities to implement measures to reduce gun violence, but also said any government solutions to gun violence should be “in accordance with the Second Amendment.”

Human Trafficking: A 2013 resolution supported public policies at the local, state, national, and international level which combat human trafficking.

Immigration: The SBC has called for government officials to secure America’s borders against illegal immigration, while underscoring the need for compassionate treatment of immigrants regardless of their legal status.

Israel: A 2016 resolution supported Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign state and opposed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, which seeks to isolate the nation of Israel economically and socially.

LGBT Issues: SBC resolutions have opposed framing homosexuality as a civil rights issue, as well as government efforts to “validate transgender identity as morally praiseworthy.” In 2016, the SBC expressed dissent from the Obergefell opinion that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Mental Health: The SBC has expressed a commitment “to affirm, support, and share God’s love and redemption with those with mental health concerns.”

Opioid Abuse: A 2018 resolution encouraged city, state, and national governments to work together to address the opioid crisis.

Racism: A 2018 resolution “maintain[ed] and renew[ed] our public renunciation of racism in all its forms.” In 2016, the SBC called Christians to discontinue display of the Confederate flag.

Religious Liberty: The SBC has expressed its support for religious liberty in dozens of resolutions. Among them, a 2016 statement advocated conscience protections for individuals who cannot support laws based on unbiblical views of marriage, sexuality, and gender.

Sex Education: The SBC has urged government officials to implement abstinence-based programs in public schools. A 2006 resolution lamented curricula and policies teaching that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable.

Writer David Roach’s comparison of party positions and Southern Baptist resolutions appears in full at Baptist Press, online at BPNews. net. The Democratic positions are taken from the party’s 2020 platform, while the Republican stances are from the GOP’s 2020 campaign agenda and 2016 platform.

Republican position

Agree: The 2016 Republican platform referenced the party’s pro-life stance about once every two pages, including advocacy of a constitutional amendment applying the right to life to children in the womb.

Agree: The 2016 platform said federal funding should be utilized to assist families with adoption services.

Agree: “The constitutionality of the death penalty is firmly settled by its explicit mention in the Fifth Amendment.”

Partially Agree: The 2016 platform urged “dispassionate analysis of hard data” on climate change and warned that the cost of undue reliance on renewable energy sources could cause disproportionate harm to low-income Americans.

Partially Agree: Lawful gun ownership is part of the “God-given right of self-defense,” according to the 2016 platform. Republicans opposed restrictions on magazine capacity and banning “sale of the most popular and common modern rifle.”

Agree: President Donald Trump will seek to dismantle human trafficking networks, according to his 2020 campaign agenda.

Partially Agree: The Trump campaign pledged to “end illegal immigration and protect American workers.” Specific policy suggestions include blocking illegal immigrants from receiving government benefits and ending sanctuary cities.

Partially Agree: Republicans in 2016 asserted their “unequivocal support for Israel,” including recognition of Jerusalem as its capital, and opposed the BDS Movement.

Agree: Citizens have a constitutional right to uphold the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, according to the GOP, and the Obergefell decision should be overturned. Permitting transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that do not correspond to their biological gender is “illegal, dangerous, and ignores privacy issues.”

Agree: Acknowledging mental illness affects people from all walks of life, the 2016 platform said Medicaid-related grants and the military health care system, among other avenues, should be utilized to promote mental health.

Agree: Legislation must address the opioid crisis, which “is ravaging communities all over the country,” the 2016 platform stated.

Agree: In its 2016 platform, the GOP denounced bigotry, racism, and religious intolerance.

Agree: Individuals, businesses, and institutions of faith should never be compelled “to transgress their beliefs,” the 2016 platform stated. Accordingly, government should not discriminate against businesses that decline to sell goods or services based on their religious views of marriage or gender.

Agree: Schools should replace “‘family planning’ programs for teens with sexual risk avoidance education that sets abstinence until marriage as the responsible and respected standard of behavior.”

Democratic position

Disagree: Democrats stated support for federal funding of Planned Parenthood and repeal of the Hyde Amendment, while also pledging to appoint Supreme Court justices who “enforce foundational precedents,” including Roe v. Wade.

Agree: Democrats pledged to support adoption services.

Disagree: The Democratic platform supports abolishing the death penalty.

Disagree: “Climate change is a global emergency,” according to the Democratic platform. It calls for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and the elimination of carbon pollution from power plants.

Partially Agree: The platform declared gun violence a public health crisis and pledged to make gun violence a thing of the past.

Agree: Democrats said they would fight human trafficking and strive to end the practice of modern-day slavery around the world.

Partially Agree: The Democratic platform calls for compassionate treatment of immigrants to the U.S. and a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented individuals.

Partially Agree: The Democratic platform expressed support for Israel and opposed the BDS Movement. Democrats also advocated a “negotiated two-state solution” between Israel and the Palestinians.

Disagree: Democrats advocate requiring federal health plans to cover gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy. They also say transgender students should be guaranteed access to school facilities based on their gender identity, and call for a ban on conversion therapy for LGBT youth and adults.

Agree: The platform includes at least 30 references to mental health, including pledges to increase federal support of mental health care.

Agree: Democrats pledged “to make medication-assisted treatment available to all who need it” and to “require publicly supported health clinics to offer medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction.”

Agree: References to combating racial discrimination and racial disparities are sprinkled throughout the platform, including sections on health care, housing, criminal justice reform, and education.

Partially Agree: Democrats pledged to protect the rights of each American for the free exercise of his or her own religion. However, the platform denounced the “use of broad religious exemptions to allow businesses, medical providers, social service agencies, and others to discriminate.”

Disagree: “LGBTQ+ inclusive, age-appropriate sex education” is “essential to ensuring that people can decide if, when, and how to start a family,” according to the Democratic platform.

MISSION

Back in action

Church serves after shutdown

Staunton | Net Community Church has worked hard to build relationships with its neighbors over the past four years, making the pandemicrelated shutdown difficult for the young church, said Pastor Derrick Taylor. But on Sept. 12, the church went back out into the community, partnering with the city of Staunton to clean up abandoned properties around town. Net’s “In and Out Day of Serving” also included projects at the church, where volunteers made progress in the effort to put in a new kitchen and fellowship hall.

Net planned a similar service day for later in the month, Taylor said. “We take no credit for this,” he said. “It’s all glory to God for his faithfulness and providing the volunteers and resources.”

Missions starts at home

After cancellation, kids adapt plans for annual ministry emphasis

Sterling | Emmanuel Baptist Church has played a major role in IBSA’s Children’s Missions Day for the past several years, hosting projects in their community and encouraging kids to get involved. When the spring event was canceled due to COVID-19, children’s ministry leader Ashley Covell got creative. The missionaries could “earn” their Children’s Missions Day T-shirts by finding projects to do around their homes and communities.

“We were really blessed,” Covell said. “We had 32 children register, which is the most that we’ve had for our years of hosting it.” Participants took goodie bags to first responders, cleaned up after summer storms, and found other ways to help right where they are. They took photos of their projects and posted them on the church Facebook page.

Children’s Missions Day is one of the ways Emmanuel is working to reach families in their community, and inspire life-long missions commitment. The small church, pastored by Chris Nolin, hosts a monthly, missions-focused kids club. Vacation Bible School was virtual this year, but the kids collected $500 to support a missionary family in Italy—the same amount collected through last year’s in-person VBS offering.

“We’ve had to try to find new ways to do ministry, so that we’re still reaching those families and the children,” Covell said. The church wants to share the love of Jesus, she said, and the hope he brings. “Especially in times like this right now, people need the hope.”

IN AND OUT – A Staunton congregation’s day of service including beautifying city properties and working to renovate their church building.

Online, and at your church

AWSOM conference for young women goes virtual and local

Springfield | The annual AWSOM conference for girls in grades 6-12 will get a new format in 2020, and provide a new opportunity for churches.

The Nov. 6-7 gathering will be broadcast in two, 2-hour live sessions, and IBSA will provide churches with a leader kit to host their own versions of the event.

“Our topic of ‘Essential’ is an apologetics foundation,” said Carmen Halsey, leadership development director for IBSA. “Our culture is dictating what is essential, and we want to give them a framework to what really is.”

Through conference leaders, AWSOM attenders will learn to answer questions, including who is God, what is the Bible, and who are you.

Originally scheduled to take place at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur and Springbrook Community Church in Plain-

field, AWSOM moved online due to continuing pandemic concerns.

“More than ever, our students need to get connected,” Halsey said. “But they need a place to get connected. It’s not going to happen unless we have people step up to take the opportunity.”

Conference materials will be shipped to participating IBSA churches at no charge. AWSOM T-shirts are $10 each. Links to the live sessions will be e-mailed to participants and posted at IBSA.org. For more information or to register, visit IBSA.org/ awsom-conference.

Youth Encounter canceled for 2020

Springfield | Citing health concerns and regulations due to the Coronavirus pandemic, IBSA has canceled the Youth Encounter evangelism conferences scheduled to be held in Marion, Decatur, and O’Fallon.

IBSA’s Jack Lucas, director of leadership development, said leaders are planning to resume the live event in 2021. For more information, contact him at JackLucas@IBSA.org or (217) 391-3135.

IBSA, SWBTS partner for women’s training

Fort Worth, Texas | Southwestern Seminary has launched a new Women’s Leadership Institute to offer a variety of certificate programs for women serving in any ministry, leadership, or life context—and Illinois Baptists are partnering with the program.

“All believers, including women, should be lifelong learners and lifelong teachers,” said Terri Stovall, dean of women and professor of women’s ministries. “For women, especially, we must be intentional about seeking out those opportunities that work within the various life seasons we find ourselves.”

For the woman serving and leading in her church or other ministry contexts, two certificate programs are available: the Certificate of Ministry Studies (12 hours) and the Advanced Certificate of Ministry Studies (20 hours). Courses are offered in a 6-week format in both a residential setting and online.

The institute has partnered with IBSA’s online leadership program, Edge, to provide Illinois women the leadership resources, affordable theological education, and networking opportunities found through these certificate programs.

“Our goal is to enhance the theological training of women leaders in the church to ultimately strengthen the church,” said IBSA’s Carmen Halsey, director of leadership development. “Immediate application of knowledge empowers them to continue to learn and grow but also intentionally pour into others. This contributes to building a leadership culture within our state.”

Go to IBSA.org/ibsa-online-courses or contact Halsey at CarmenHalsey@IBSA.org.

– From Southwestern Seminary

Not everyone knows the CP story. Yet. October is Cooperative Program month

CP is the most effective and dependable means of funding Illinois, North American, and international missions in history.

Founded in 1925 on the heels of a financial crisis, CP has proven reliable in all kinds of economic times.

The SBC fields more Christian missionaries than any other missions-sending organization in the world.

Most IBSA churches give a percentage of their undesignated offerings for missions through CP.

Illinois Baptists give about $6 million annually through CP to share the gospel and grow stronger churches.

Pray about your church’s commitment to missions through the Cooperative Program. Videos and resources are available at IBSA.org/CP

RESOURCE

Empower them, then send them out

Focus on mission to connect with younger people

While in church leadership, I had a student who often attended, but she did not really seem to be part of the group. She had good character. She grew up in a Christian home, but something was not clicking.

Then at a large event we held, I gave her a responsibility, along with her friend.

I was shocked at how well the task was done. When their leadership potential was unlocked, they became strong leaders. Before that, it seemed they were withering, because they were not being taught how to lead.

One of the worst things a church can do is treat the next generation as if they have nothing to offer, to say they are “the leaders of the future,” or that they simply need them to fill or work the nursery. Young leaders bring creativity to the table. They bring new ideas in a world that is constantly changing. We need this vibrant energy in our churches, but we must also be willing to let go of the reins of leadership in order to let them reach their full potential in Christ.

Sometimes, we also have to be willing to let go of younger leaders. It is hard to lose people from our churches. It is even harder to send them out intentionally, but it is healthy. Empowering people and sending them out shows we care about the spread of the gospel. And it’s critically important as we connect with and disciple the next generation of leaders.

I have heard stories of people feeling called to church planting and talking to their pastor, thinking they would get some sort of support. Instead they were told they should go get an internship. They received no training from the church, and no offer to process their sense of calling in the place that was home to them. The pastor’s response was basically an invitation to go somewhere else.

This shows the heart of the leader. It says, “If you are not here to help me, you do not matter to me.”

This kind of leadership drives away younger people, because they want to be a part of something larger than a man’s kingdom.

This empowerment process I’m advocating is not easy. It requires a church who is raising up disciple-makers to engage people as God calls them, knowing that ultimately they will be sent out to new ministry fields.

That sounds easy at first, until we unpack the fears that haunt us. If the ones we send out are great at evangelizing, who will replace them? If they are great small group leaders, will their group members eventually leave with them? If they have irreplaceable singing voices, who will lead worship?

But if we care about our people, if we care about the kingdom of God, we will be able to put ego, money, job security, and church traditions aside, and raise up leaders to help in the task of reaching the world.

Kevin Jones is IBSA’s church planting director specializing in collegiate contexts. This column is adapted from the Fall 2020 issue of Resource magazine.

Neighborhood fall fests

Even as most churches have started regathering in person, this year’s seasonal outreaches will be different. If you’re looking for an alternative to a large-group fall festival at the church building, why not take the festival to individual neighborhoods Much like some churches took VBS to smaller backyard gatherings, this year’s fall festival can happen in multiple venues across your community.

Distribute the cornhole board and bean bags to several locations. Make it a community-focused event. Invite the neighbors. Find more outreach ideas plus strategic planning space for ministry teams in the Fall 2020 issue of Resource magazine, online at Resource.IBSA.org. E-mail Communications@IBSA.org to sign up for a subscription.

The Learning curve

5 Things to Pray for Your Church

Rachel Jones

5 Things to Pray for Your City

Helen Thorne & Pete Nicholas

In view of all that we have been going through during the pandemic, the social and political situation, and the unrest across the nation, I’m doing a re-read of these two wonderful, easy reads.

– Rick Dorsey, pastor, Beacon Hill Missionary Baptist Church, South Chicago Heights

That the World May Know Video series

This Bible study led by Ray Vander Laan examines Scripture as applied to the backdrop of actual footage from Israel. We have been using this as a Wednesday evening adult study and our people have loved it.

– Sandy Thomas, ministry leader, First Baptist Church, Pleasant Hill Saturate

Jeff Vanderstelt

My wife and I have been reading through the book of Isaiah with our children, coupled with this book about saturating the places God has us with his words and works.

– Edgar Rodriguez, pastor and church planter, New City Fellowship, Chicago

How does it work? the counselor

I’ve been thinking about going to a counselor to work on some things I’ve been going through, but I have no idea what to expect. Can you give me an idea of how this works? Will I be judged?

I’m not surprised at your confusion. Your exposure to counseling may be limited to what you have seen on TV or in a movie. Those counselors ask their clients to lie on a couch. They give advice. They ask, “How does that make you feel?” In reality, I give advice only in matters of client safety, my office doesn’t have a couch, and I have yet to ask anyone, “How does that make you feel?” When our clients arrive for counseling on their first visit, there are two important questions they must answer:

1. Why are you here?

2. If counseling is successful, how will things be different?

In the process of answering these questions, the client creates a baseline. First, this is where they are now—the struggles, losses, and unrealized potential. The answer to the second question reveals where they would like their journey to take them. The counselor and client then work together to build a bridge between questions one and two, between where they are, and where they want to be.

This bridge is the dynamic adventure of counseling: slippery inclines, crumbling footholds, and the rocky road home. This journey is often as long as it is difficult, and if successful, equal parts pain and growth. On this perilous and exhilarating bridge, our unhealthy patterns and past meanderings are revealed. We learn to accept, forgive, and to experience the goodness of God.

Our goal is to approach our clients in the way Jesus comes to us. He meets us where we are in our struggles, he hears our prayers, and he listens. God is the judge of our human failing and poor choices; this is not the work of a human counselor. After all, you have come to counseling for help, to admit you have a problem, not to be judged. God comes to us, speaks truth to us, and guides us from where we are to where he wants us to be. Along the way, if counseling is successful, we realize Jesus is not limited to waiting for us at the finish line. He is our bridge.

Sweat hour of prayer

Your pastor is sweating a lot, and I don’t just mean during that sermon or business meeting. He’s sweating out the moments you can’t see.

Your pastor is sweating in prayer for you. He’s also sweating out whether it’s perceived in this time of low-contact church life.

When I accepted the role of IBSA Vice President, my primary purpose was to reach out and ask pastors a simple question, “How are you doing?” Overwhelmingly, their greatest response is less about themselves, and more a concern over whether their congregations feel cared for and pastored.

I know the feeling. For me, pastoral concern is lately manifested in terms of what I see as shortcomings in prayer as a church. Each year I set a spiritual priority for our church, and 2020 was to be an emphasis on greater congregational prayer. But with the restrictions and precautions of COVID-19, those plans fell apart.

Even as restrictions eased, I was fearful about trying to bring our church together for times of prayer. Could I even find a night that worked? What about those who wouldn’t be able to attend due to their own health concerns? What might people in our community think about us gathering, even for such a noble task as prayer?

Your pastor—and I—share this burden with other leaders, according to church researcher Thom Rainer. He shared just a few weeks ago that the vast majority of pastors his team communicates with have con-

How can time in God’s presence be a burden?

fessed they are considering quitting their churches. In many cases, it seems, the hour of prayer is not sweet. These pastors feel they’re no longer up to the task, and that it’s perhaps not even worth trying anymore.

I’ve found encouragement, though, in the concept of “spiritual sweat” described by Illinois pastor and author Kent Hughes. Calling believers to charge after the call of 1 Timothy 4:7 to “train yourself to be godly,” Hughes rewords Paul’s command: Put in some spiritual sweat! That means fighting the temptation to create plans, but walk them back in worry. And that has been my confession to the Lord. What if I stopped worrying so much about who can’t make it to prayer meeting, and instead celebrated those who could? What if instead of letting fear shut me down, I trusted that my church family trusted my heart for prayer?

The practice of prayer has made me keenly aware of the need for spiritual sweat. I feel

both the joy and the weight of intercession. As I work through our church membership directory, I’m praying for both known and unknown needs in our church. As I work my way down the list, I’m reminded of a prayer need further up that I had forgotten about, or learn of one further down that I may have been weeks away from engaging with on a personal level.

At times, I allow my unrealistic perceptions of pastoral prayer to weigh me down with guilt and fear that I’m simply not praying well enough for and with my people. But the opportunity to pray for them is less about my role as pastor, and more about my love for these fellow believers I’ve gotten to know over seven years together.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he gives us a short glimpse at a man putting in the spiritual sweat of prayer. Evidently the Colossians knew Epaphras well. He was some type of servantleader in the life of their church, though his exact role is unknown. In Colossians 4:12, Paul is closing out his letter and including greetings from several who are with him, including Epaphras, whom Paul says is, “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers.”

The church was working through local struggles, but Epaphras was praying to near exhaustion for their maturity and assurance amid confusing messages.

Pastors, keep putting in that spiritual sweat. A man of prayer is not the surprise to his people that he may believe he is. They know your heart. Church members, put in the sweat along with him. Encourage him. Ask if there are any opportunities he’s considered but abandoned because of the extra commitments and stress it would put on him.

Break time is over. Let’s take the lessons we’ve gained in this pandemic, put in the spiritual sweat, and watch God work through the prayers he’s been waiting to hear from us.

Heath Tibbetts pastors First Baptist Church, Machesney Park, and is vice president of IBSA.

“When your pastor challenged you to interact biblically with the culture, I doubt he envisioned a stone, a sling, and a really tall guy at work who got your promotion.”

Mark McCormick is director of clinic operations for Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services. Send questions for Mark to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

MARK McCORMICK

Churches, pastors celebrate ordinations

Hillview | Isaac King was ordained at Hillview Baptist Church Aug. 15. King has pastored the church since Nov. 2018 and also serves as vice moderator for Sandy Creek Baptist Association. He and his wife, Abby, have two daughters. “It was so wonderful to get to celebrate what God is doing in our lives here at Hillview,” the pastor posted on social media. “We truly are blessed.”

Streator | Mike Young was ordained in August and installed as pastor of New Beginnings Baptist Church in Streator. Young and his wife, Wendi, served with the International Mission Board in Czech Republic before moving to Illinois to manage Streator Baptist Camp. Young will stay on with IBSA in a part-time capacity offering guidance for the camps ministries. He initially served New Beginnings as interim pastor, helping two existing congregations merge three years ago.

11 baptized in Sublette

Plainfield | Surrounded by fellow leaders from the region, Farid Ali (center) was ordained Sept. 13 at Crosswinds Church in Plainfield. He has served churches in Three Rivers Baptist Association through pulpit supply, said Crosswinds pastor Ken Schultz, and has helped lead Emmanuel Baptist in Lemont during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served eight years as a youth leader. Ali and his wife, Christie, have two sons.

people

Welcome

Ed Ingram is the new bivocational pastor at Sterling Baptist Church in Fairview Heights. Ingram answered the call to ministry in 1991. He and his wife, Denise, have five children. He also serves as a teacher at Maryville Christian School.

neTworking

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

Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org

CELEBRATION DAY – “What have they decided?” Grace Fellowship Church asked in a Facebook post following a multi-generational baptism service in the northern Illinois community of Sublette. “They decided to give their lives to Jesus and follow him the rest of the days of their lives. They also followed him in obedience to his command/ordinance of baptism.” The church and Pastor Brian McWethy celebrated 11 baptisms Sept. 6.

First Baptist Church, Patoka, is a small but loving, mission-minded congregation of 50-60 active members who are in search of a full-time pastor. Resumés may be sent to chairperson Tom Chapman at 595 East 100th Ave., Patoka, IL 62875.

North Benton Missionary Baptist Church seeks a bivocational, part-time pastor. Send resumés to 623 Joplin St., Benton, IL 62812, or Northbbaptist@gmail.com.

Jay Loucks began his ministry as pastor at Wayne City Baptist Church in September. He and his family relocated to Illinois from eastern Ohio, where he served as a pastor. Loucks and his wife, Joann, have two children: Jay III and Jenna.

Woody White is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atwood. A graduate of Boyce College in Louisville, Ky., White and his wife, Brittany, previously served at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur, where he was student pastor.

Farewell

First Baptist Church, Elk Grove Village seeks a bivocational, part-time pastor to lead in pastoral care and our Sunday morning worship service. Contact the search committee at fbcegv590@gmail.com, or send resumés to 590 Tonne Rd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. Please, no phone calls.

First Baptist Church, Le Roy, seeks a bivocational pastor. Please provide an updated resume with family, experience, ordination details, and three references. You must affirm The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) and be Southern Baptist-affiliated. Send all candidate material to firstbaptistchurchleroy@gmail.com, Attn: Pastoral Search Committee.

Bethel Baptist Church in Bourbonnais and Pastor Wright Eavenson closed a 15-year chapter with the pastor’s retirement Aug. 30. Eavenson wrote in his retirement announcement earlier this year, “Words are not adequate to express the joy, blessing, comfort, and support you have been to Ruth and me through all the moments of our lives while serving here.”

THE NEW REALITY

The next missionaries

“What is the future of missions?”

The question, posed by International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood during a recent online workshop, is challenging for a number of reasons. U.S. church attendance is down, as is the number of Americans who identify as Christians. And young believers are increasingly skeptical of traditional mission practices.

Among engaged Christian young adults 18-34, Barna found:

72% say missionary work is very valuable

34% say mission work has been unethical in the past

41% say Christian mission is tainted by its association with colonialism

Christmas in…October?

QI know it may be early to talk about Christmas, but do you have any advice on saving for the holiday season?

AIt’s never too early to talk about Christmas! I’m glad you’re thinking about things ahead of time.

dave says

A lot of people wait until December to buy gifts and make plans. That’s fine if they’ve got the money set aside to handle things, but most of them don’t. Then, they panic and turn to credit cards. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you’re still paying off Christmas in April.

If you don’t have anything put aside yet, I’d suggest setting some spending goals now. Taking a close look at your income and living expenses should be part of this. If you’re not doing it already, what I’m talking about here is living on a written, monthly budget. Look at how much you can afford to put toward Christmas each month, make a gift-giving goal amount, and stick to it. Along with this, you might consider opening a separate account just for your Christmas savings. Start looking for

EVENTS

As they seek to engage the highly diverse next generation in the Great Commission, current leaders might consider the words they use to describe Christ’s call to the church. Barna found some long-used terms aren’t viewed as favorably by teens and young adults.

“Sharing faith” was by far the term viewed most favorably by people in the 13-17 and 18-34 age brackets. Among the most objectionable: “convert” and “winning souls.” Thankfully, Barna noted, the respondents who object to those terms are also more likely than others to know a missionary personally and to have been on an international mission trip. In other words, “Their objections don’t inevitably lead to disengagement from missions altogether.”

The challenge for churches, Barna said, is to reach young would-be missionaries who are ready to engage practically, but may hesitate to do so emotionally. Also at stake is the mobilization of demographic groups ready to be on mission now. During the IMB/Barna workshop, Jason Thomas noted the encouraging statistic that black churchgoers are eager to engage in missions. As the IMB’s black church mobilizer, he works to help African Americans “see themselves” in the history of missions.

Ministry innovation for uncertain times

gift deals now too. There are end-ofsummer sales still going on, and you never know what you might find. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a wonderful Christmas or make the season special for others—even when it comes to giving. Thoughtful handmade items, meaningful photographs set in a frame, or special baked goods are great ways to show the folks in your life you’re thinking about them and how much you care.

Now, let’s talk about next year. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with including a line just for Christmas in your budget each month. Christmas doesn’t sneak up on you. It’s on December 25 every single year. Putting a little money aside all year long might just take some of the stress out of your Yuletide planning.

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

Edge Online Courses

What: Multi-week courses are instructor-led, fully online, and highly interactive.

When: Two courses will launch Oct. 19: Leading Self and Introduction to Mobilization.

Register: IBSA.org/ibsa-online-courses

Upcoming IBSA Webinars

Pastor Plus

On-the-job training for pastors and leaders

Leading to the Next Level

Equipping leaders in all areas of influence

ReVision Revitalization

Helping pastors lead in revitalization

Church Helps

Guidance on current topics for church leaders

IBSA.org/leadershipdevelopment

October 13

Virtual Training Night

What: Quality training for church leaders in leadership and ministry skills, delivered entirely online.

Register: IBSA.org/leadershipdevelopment

October 24

Illinois Kids’ Ministry Resource Conference

What: Current, relevant training for kids’ ministry leaders, plus a sneak preview of 2021 VBS.

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Info: TammyButler@IBSA.org

November 6-7

Virtual missions conference for girls in grades 6-12

IBSA.org/awsom-conference

November 4

IBSA Annual Meeting

Where: Tabernacle, Decatur

Info: IBSA.org/IBSAannualmeeting

– Baptist Press, Barna

“We need to dispel the myth that all generations and all ethnic groups aren’t called to global missions.”

– Jason Thomas

DAVE RAMSEY