September 8, 2014 Illinois Baptist

Volunteers help Detroit recover page 2

Nate Adams: State of the Midwest page 4

How to pray for persecuted Christians page 5

Platt to lead International Mission Board

Richmond, Va | Fittingly, it was on a mission trip that new International Mission Board President David Platt sensed God moving in his heart about making a deeper commitment to taking the gospel to the nations

On a trip to Nepal in February, his team trekked for five days before meeting a single Christian Platt also witnessed Hindu families burning the bodies of newly deceased loved ones and scattering their ashes over a sacred river in hopes that they would be reincarnated Most if not all of them presumably had died without ever hearing of Christ

“It just gripped me in a deeper way,” Platt said “I came back with a desire to say, ‘How can my life more intentionally be used to get the gospel to unreached peoples?’”

As IMB president, he’ll help Southern Baptists around the world answer that same question Trustees over-

whelmingly elected Platt as the agency’s new president Aug 27, six months after current president Tom Elliff asked the board to begin looking for his successor

At 36, Platt will be the youngest leader in IMB’s 169-year history He

State missions week starts Sept. 14

currently pastors The Church at Brook Hills, a congregation of 4,500 members in Birmingham, Ala The author of bestselling book “Radical” and a popular conference speaker, Platt is known for his intense preaching style

Continued on page 2

Page hears from Chicago leaders

By Meredith Flynn

Edgewater | Frank Page is president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, but he also carries the title CEO, which he has often said means “chief encouraging officer ” Operating in that role, Page joined pastors and church planters in northern Illinois for two “listening sessions” in August

Throughout the year, Page (right) has met with leaders in several states. In Chicagoland, he and members of his staff hosted church planters at a luncheon in Edgewater to discuss specific ministry challenges related to planting in the city They also were at Broadview Missionary Baptist Church for a session with more than 50 leaders

“I think the key is building relationships and building trust,” Page told SBC Life about the listening sessions “It’s time to build some momentum on correct relationships ”

Broadview Pastor Marvin Parker said he was impressed Page “is taking the time to go around the country, to hear what SBC pastors are talking about ” In the Chicago sessions, Page and leaders addressed several issues:

Church size and diversity. Page previously has called small churches the “backbone” of the convention In the session at Broadview, he told leaders that a large majority of Southern Baptist churches run 100 people or less, said

Continued on page 6

MISSION: INSPIRATION – Leaders hope David Platt, seen here addressing IMB trustees following his election, will draw a new generation to comit to missions IMB photo by Thomas Graham

‘Radical’ author and pastor elected amid talk of age and CP giving

The Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer focuses on ministry to kids and families The crucial “4-14 window” is the best opportunity for churches to effectively share the gospel with the next generation Go to www IBSA org/mio for videos, stories, mission study teaching plans, and ideas for prayer and worship

Photo gallery: Student teams take gospel to Caribbean page 7

BRIEFING the

Seminary eyes new campus, name

Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary has signed a purchase agreement for its new campus in southern California, President Jeff Iorg announced in August The school, currently located near San Francisco, plans to be ready to relocate to the new building (left) and adjoining property in Ontario, Ca., by June 2016. Iorg also said the seminary will request that the Southern Baptist Convention approve a new name Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention “The new name connects to our heritage, frees us from geographic designations, allows for developing a more global identity, and acknowledges our Baptist distinctive ”

LifeWay explores sale of offices

LifeWay Christian Resources is studying the advantages and disadvantages of selling part or all of its property in downtown Nashville, President Thom Rainer told staff in an Aug 1 letter Citing demand for property in the area and fewer employees working at the downtown location, Rainer said, “ It would be poor stewardship for the organization not to explore the possibilities this situation could present for our ministry ”

Pastors call Driscoll to step down

Nine pastors at Mars Hills Church have called for Pastor Mark Driscoll to step down from ministry for a year in the wake of charges of verbal abuse and ungodly leadership A 4,000-word letter from the pasors was circulated two days before Driscoll announced he would take a six-week leave of absence while the charges were investigated, Christianity Today reported.

In August, Driscoll and Mars Hill were removed from fellowship from Acts 29, the church planting network he helped found A day after the Acts 29 decision, LifeWay Christian Resources pulled his books from its stores and website

Lye victim recovering at home

Jan Harding was released from a Salt Lake City hospital Aug 23, almost two weeks after taking a sip of sweet tea tainted with lye at a Utah restaurant Harding, whose husband, Jim, is retired executive director of the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention, was hospitalized with severe esophageal burns “God is faithful to what He says,” she wrote for her husband to read to a Baptist Press writer “I’m so humbled by all who have lifted me into God’s presence through prayer As my family has said, ‘God’s got us’ and He thankfully has ”

Barna: Christians key for schools

New research from Barna found 95% of Protestant pastors believe Christians should be involved in helping public schools, and more than 8-in-10 church-going Christians agree While 65% of people who regularly volunteer at public schools are church attenders, Barna said, there are some factors holding Christians back 44% say they don’t have children in public school, 18% don’t think public schools want religious people to help, and 17% are unsure how to help

Jones joins IBSA church planting staff

Chicago | Ed Jones joined the IBSA staff Sept 1 as African American Church Planting Catalyst, working primarily in Chicagoland

Jones currently lives in the city and serves on the staff of North Park University, overseeing the school’s office of diversity A graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign, Jones grew up on Chicago’s south side and currently is working toward a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary

He also currently pastors Kingdom Family Worship Center in Matteson, the church he planted in 2012

“We have been praying and looking to fill this position for quite some time,” said Van Kicklighter, IBSA’s associate executive director for church planting “I am personally grateful to have Ed join our staff

“The need is great for intentional church planting in African American communities He has experienced church planting and will be able to help others address the tremendous need we have for more African American churches.”

Jones and his wife, La Tanya, have five children: daughter Jasmine, twin sons named Joshua and Johnathan, and twin daughters Jaclyn and Jocelyn

Platt: CP is “primary economic engine” for missions

Continued from page 1

and consistent, impassioned plea for believers to engage people around the world with the gospel

“When we considered what Brook Hills was doing to send couples [to the mission field] and to engage people in the pew in kingdom work, we felt like those were clues to how effective he was at mobilizing and getting people to follow the vision that God had given him,” said David Uth, chairman of the trustee search committee and pastor of First Baptist Church, Orlando

“While the world is becoming more hostile and anti-Christian in some places, it’s as if [young missionaries’] passion is growing equally to go to those hard places,” Uth said

“The passion is there How do we equip them and resource them? How do we incorporate strategy that’s effective? David is going to address that in a way that’s going to bring maximum impact.”

Big challenges ahead

Shortly after his election, Platt helped send out 50 new missionaries at an appointment service in Richmond As IMB president, he also will face the challenge of funding them

Even as Southern Baptist giving through the Cooperative Program appears to have stabilized after years of trending downward, Elliff told trustees last year that if CP remains steady and gifts through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering are $150-160 million, the IMB will be “hard-pressed” to maintain its current missionary force, much less send many more to the field

Before Platt’s election, some SBC leaders expressed concern about his church’s practice of giving a relatively low percentage through traditional CP channels, and choosing instead to give directly to the SBC Executive Committee and the International Mission Board.

RADICAL BELIEF – At the 2014 SBC Pastors’ Conference, David Platt spoke about seeking the glory of God “I want to be a part of a people who love the glory of God more than we love our own lives ”

(Gifts sent directly to the Executive Committee or an SBC entity are defined as designated gifts, not CP giving )

In June, all 42 active executive directors of state Baptist conventions unanimously signed a letter urging IMB trustees and the president search committee to consider candidates who had a history of and strong commitment to supporting the Cooperative Program Not only is CP a major funding source for international missionaries, the letter said, but CP funds that flow through state conventions and on through national entities help create a system of church health, state and national ministries, and missions awareness and involvement that ultimately produces missionaries

In Illinois, IBSA sends 43 25% of CP gifts to the Executive Committee, which then forwards the funds to IMB, NAMB and other SBC entities The International Mission Board will receive 50 41% of Cooperative Program gifts given during the SBC’s 2013-14 fiscal year Doug Munton is an Illinois pastor with a vested interest in the International Mission Board his daughter and her family serve with the IMB in Madagascar

Munton, pastor of First Baptist Church O’Fallon, wrote a blog post in June offering several recommendations for the IMB’s next leader “Don’t lose sight of the historic success of cooperative missions,” he wrote. “It has been an awesome legacy and has much to offer ”

Speaking to the Illinois Baptist following Platt’s election, Munton said “ The effectiveness of the cooperative approach has been perhaps the greatest blessing Southern Baptists have given to the work of the kingdom “Had it been my choice, I would have chosen someone with a stronger track record of cooperative missions support But with this choice made, I will pray for and encourage Dr Platt at every opportunity, and encourage others to do the same I love missions, believe in missions, and pray the best days for the IMB are still to come ”

On a conference call with media shortly after his election, Platt was asked whether he will urge churches to give to missions through the Cooperative Program, or encourage designated giving directly to the IMB He acknowledged a constant need to evaluate and improve CP but said it should continue to be “the primary economic engine that fuels” Southern Baptists’ cooperative ministry endeavors.

“The last thing the SBC needs is a do-it-alone IMB that’s trying to in any way undercut the Cooperative Program,” Platt said

– Staff report, with information from Baptist Press and IMB

The BIG Picture Floyd continues focus on corporate prayer

Springfield, Mo | More than 300 Baptists in Missouri gathered Aug 21 to pray together for revival and spiritual awakening

The prayer summit was led by OneCry leader and Arkansas pastor Bill Elliff and Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, who soon after his election at the SBC annual meeting in June called Southern Baptists to “explicit agreement, visible union and extraordinary prayer” for a national Great Awakening

Floyd said that Missouri Baptists like other people throughout the nation are faced by numerous crises, from the unrest in Ferguson and the immigration crisis on the nation’s southern borders, to conflict in the Gaza Strip and a growing terrorist threat in Iraq But one crisis stands above them all

“You look at all the crises in the world today, and the greatest crisis is the spiritual crisis in our nation today,” Floyd said Although some have lost hope in the face of such crises, he said that hope remains

“My hope is in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I’m more hopeful than I’ve ever been before, because I believe God can turn anything around ”

Floyd also has issued a “Call to Columbus” for next year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, where he plans to dedicate time to corporate prayer

– Reported by Brian Koonce of The Pathway newspaper of the Missouri Baptist Convention

Now

Teams aid flood recovery in Michigan

By Lisa Sergent

Warren, Mich | This suburb north of Detroit is the destination for at least four IBSA Disaster Relief teams in September Three teams served there last month, after slow-moving storms dumped several inches of rain on the area Aug 11

“There are 40,000 affected homes in Oakland County alone,” Baptist State Convention of Michigan Disaster Relief director Wynn Williams told Baptist Press “There are another 30,000 to 40,000 damaged homes in Wayne County and then all the work in McComb County. There was as much as 15 feet of water over some of the expressways Homes have damage anywhere from a few inches to several feet of floodwater ”

The flooding went largely uncovered by national media, and few outside of Michigan were aware of the need for recovery assistance Teams from First Baptist in Galatia, Sullivan Southern and Capital City Baptist Association were the first Illinois volunteers to arrive, followed by four teams from Williamson Baptist Association scheduled to serve this month Each team works five or six days, not including travel time

“The majority of the homes belong to senior adults who are not able to do the necessary work to clean up and sanitize their homes,” said Rex Alexander, IBSA State Disaster Relief Coordinator “The good news is that because the water entered homes through the basements, there is not much actual ‘mud’ present in the

homes, only water damage ”

Teams removed furniture and appliances from basements, cut out walls, and sanitized surfaces When they completed the jobs, they presented the homeowners with a Bible signed by them and then all prayed together Bob Jackson, leader of the Sullivan Southern team, talked about the team’s experience at one home

“We prayed with one couple where he was a Lutheran and she was Romanian Orthodox They told us about growing up and being active in church as youths, but not anymore We had just finished working on his man-cave in the basement I told him they needed to remember the God of their youth I like to make people think and to plant a seed ”

The teams also worked in neighborhoods with significant Muslim populations David Howard, director of missions for Capital City Association, said one evening the volunteers were treated to a catered meal of traditional Middle Eastern food by a local imam

Howard also noted the team had an opportunity to work in the home of a woman who was a new Christian “She had recently received the Lord and been baptized She was so excited to share with us about her newfound faith ”

For more information about IBSA Disaster Relief, contact Alexander at (217) 391-3134 or RexAlexander@ IBSA org The next DR Training event is at Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp, Oct 10-11

Thursday, October 16 Registration required

The latest on changing laws and cultural values

Andrew Walker SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

Creating role models in church

Jill Finley

Women’s Ministry, Bethel Baptist Church of Troy, Illinois

The prophetic role of the pulpit

Kevin Smith Pastor, professor, and member of SBC’s Resolutions Committee

SHOULDER TO SHOULDER – Missouri Baptists pray together during the Heartland Prayer Summit at Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo Photo by Brian Koonce, The Pathway

Dr

Our Midwest state

ecently, IBSA hosted a Midwest regional meeting that included the state executive directors, missions directors, evangelism directors, and church health directors from ten Baptist state conventions

Our main purpose was to finalize plans for the 2015 Midwest Leadership Summit that will be hosted here in Springfield next January

But it was also an interesting time to compare notes on Baptist work throughout our Midwest region Here are four observations about what “all” Midwest state conventions seem to be experiencing, and then also about where we in Illinois find ourselves these days

First, there was a shared desire to keep fewer ministry resources within our churches and region, and to share more with the vast mission fields outside our states, especially internationally

Here in Illinois, our Cooperative Program giving that goes beyond the state is the fifth highest percentage among all 42 state conven tions The past two years, we extra year-end gifts that made percentages the highest in IB tory

A second observation is that west state conventions are fe tight “squeeze” between th North American Mission Board’s lower and more designated funding (for church planting exclu-

Pray

The ILLINOIS BAPTIST Staff

sively), and generally flat to lower giving from churches through the Cooperative Program

Here in Illinois, NAMB funding shifts have necessitated that we absorb full responsibility for our state WMU and Women’s Ministry Director, for other missions positions and initiatives that are not specifically church planting, and for funding that assists local associations We have also received notice that areas such as collegiate ministry, urban ministry centers, and disaster relief coordination will not be funded by NAMB in future budget years

A third observation is that among our group of Midwest Baptist leaders we are experiencing a noticeable amount of transition and turnover. My personal sense is that the combination of financial pressures and feelings of not being appreciated are taking their toll on a lot of good people that help a lot of small to medium-sized churches, especially

Here in Illinois, we have been seeking to manage a adual downsizing and restructuring of our IBSA ff without necessitating traumatic changes for eir personnel or ministries However, I sense among

some of our staff the same uneasiness about the future security of existing ministries

Finally, even in the midst of these challenges, I observed state convention leaders that continue to believe strongly in their ministries of strengthening and starting local churches in their Midwest contexts They we are trusting the Lord into the future, but also appealing more and more intentionally and urgently to the faithful churches in our respective states to validate, value, and directly support state missions

Here in Illinois, the most direct and supportive way your church can do that is through the Mission Illinois Offering Most churches receive that offering in September, but you can contribute through the MIO any time in the year, and 100% of that offering goes to support our state missionaries and state missions efforts among churches right here in Illinois

Across the Midwest, Baptist state conventions, most of which are smaller than Illinois, are facing pressures and decisions that may soon be ours, at a time when our culture needs the Gospel more than ever, and our churches need assistance more than ever If we want our Midwest state of Illinois and its churches to remain strong and advance the Gospel here, we must all take responsibility for our Illinois mission field, and give our most generous offerings to the Mission Illinois Offering this year.

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

Letter from the Editors

Thank you, photographers

he first time I saw David Platt was at the SBC pastors conference in 2012, explaining fervently why he questions use of the sinner ’s prayer In his preaching, Platt marries Reformed theology with a passion for missions

The first time I heard of David Platt, he had just been called to pastor a megachurch in Birmingham, Alabama at age 26

Leaders of the church were promising they would surround their new pastor and guide him through a ministry that would challenge a man with three times his experience Platt had completed three degrees at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and served as assistant professor and dean of the chapel Truly, he was a wunderkind

He still is

But at 36, it’s fair to ask if he’s ready for the enormous responsibility of leading a $300-million-dollara-year missions enterprise with 5,000 employees His church’s record of bypassing the Cooperative Program for most of its giving to IMB and international missions has been reported And Platt comes to office with many mission trips to his credit, but this position will be his first as a career missionary

he first words I ever heard David Platt speak weren’t his own At a collegiate conference several years ago, he walked on stage and started preaching through the first half of Romans Paul’s actual words

After the audience frantically paged through their Bibles to find where he was, they sat in rapt attention It was an urgent message, one that clearly challenged these early 20-somethings to listen, respect the Word, and understand it in a new way

The most exciting news about David Platt’s election as the new president of the International Mission Board may well be his ability to challenge young people to a deeper understanding of Scripture, and a more intentional following of God’s will for believers

Several years later on a Good Friday, a slightly older group gathered for several hours of teaching during one of Platt’s “Secret Church” simulcasts As they scrambled to fill in hundreds of outline blanks during his rapid-fire message, the challenge again was clear: focus, listen, learn And, let’s all do whatever it takes to get the gospel to more people around the world

POSTMASTER: The Illinois Baptist is owned and publ shed biweekly, Jan , March, May, July-Sept , Nov ; month y in Feb , Apri , June, Oct and Dec , by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Springf eld, Illinois 62703-4440 Subscr ptions are free to Illinois Baptists Subscribe on ine at IBSA org

Still, we could be seeing the start of a long and remarkable tenure such as those of the giants who helmed our missions endeavors in the days of our greatest Gospel advance

Let us pray so

Right after IMB trustees elected Platt last month, a group of young missionaries reportedly gathered around to congratulate him and thank him for the influence his messages and the book “Radical” have had on their lives These newly appointed missionaries have followed God’s call to the ends of the earth.

Let’s pray many, many more will accept the challenge

The “BIG Pic” in the August 18 issue of the Illinois Baptist was a great image taken during an IBSA All-State Youth Choir rehearsal Tim Starner, the photographer, was with the choir during their week at Summer Worship University and then traveled with them on their tour to O k l a h o m a , c a p t u r i n g s o m e g r e a t p i c t u r e s o f our state’s next generation of worship leaders Unfortunately, we left out the photo credit, so we wanted to be sure to give Tim proper attribution (and thanks) for his beautiful picture You can see another example of his work on page 9 in this issue

While we’re at it, we’d like to thank all the photographers who have contributed to the Illinois Baptist this summer From camps to mission trips to Disaster Relief projects to Vacation Bible School (remember the googley eyes from July 28?), these picture-takers have illuminated the ministry taking place all over Illinois

Some of these volunteer photographers are IBSA s ta ffe rs (s e e Ch a rl e s Ca m p b e l l ’ s g re a t cover shot July 7, or Mark Emerson’s “slide into summer” camp photo from our July 28 issue ) O t h e r s w e r e m i s s i o n v o l u n t e e r s w h o t o o k a short break from their work to snap a photo of a DR team visiting with a homeowner in Pilger, Neb , or kids worshiping together at Lake Sallateeska

Their work is in this issue too – turn to page 7 for photos from IBSA’s GO Teams, taken by mission trip volunteers

To you all, we say thank you for helping us t e l l t h e s t o r i e s o f s u m m e r A n d p l e a s e k e e p sending us the pictures of how you see God at work – The Editors

If we want our churches to remain strong and advance the Gospel here, we must all take responsibility for our Illinois mission field.

Voices

Cultivating Kingdom kinship

It doesn’t take long when reading the Bible to see that God is impassioned for the plight of His people, such as this passage in Exodus:

“Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them ’” (Exodus 3:7-8)

In the face of an ever-increasing worldwide persecution of Christians, we would be wise to cultivate practices in our churches that more readily reflect this notion of God’s nature Here are three ways you can implement this in the life of your church:

1 Apply biblical truth locally by using what is happening globally For example, when preaching or teaching through 1 Peter, don’t limit the illustrations and applications of persecution only to homosexuality or other American problems Take them to the checkpoint just outside of Mosul where they are walking with their family and will have to answer for their faith in Christ Bring them into the homes of those who just received word of the mock crucifixions of converted Christians in Syria

2 Pray frequently, specifically and experientially Don’t just pray for the persecuted church when it is on the calendar; pray for them often so as to engrain it into the minds and hearts of the

people And when you do pray, pray for specific people in specific places This will serve to put a face on otherwise formless peoples

Also, genuinely pray in the mood of the situation If I asked you to breathe life into the lungs of a victim the same way I asked you to pick up some milk at the store, we would rightly think something has gone awry in my soul. Likewise, consider the situation and pray in a manner that reflects it

3 Be meaningfully involved in the nations. Appropriating 10% of your monies toward international missions is a good thing but it is not sufficient to build a fervency among your congregation for the people of God around the world As a church, we have adopted a couple of communities around the world, and we have people who travel and work in others By sending people and resources to Christians in various communities, we make the people at our church more familiar with situations that might have just been another story on the evening news

Cultivating Kingdom kinship is not something that happens overnight It takes a great deal of time and tears Slowly, though, the people you do life with in the church will come to see and identify with the plight of God’s people around the world and have their affections in tune with those of Christ

Nathan Knight is pastor of Restoration Church in Washington, D C This column, excerpted from Baptist Press, first appeared at www erlc com

Table Talk: Theology, ministry, and things that matter

Adam’s sin endures in Ferguson

On Aug 9, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African American, was shot six times by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson, Mo , police officer His family has called for justice in his shooting while urging residents of Ferguson to abstain from violence, but many African Americans and some whites have taken their anger to the city’s streets in protest

As an African American Christian, my first reaction to this sad story of a young man’s life cut short consists of anger and sadness as yet another African American family grieves the death of a son However, I am not surprised by this tragic event or the subsequent events in the aftermath of Brown’s shooting and death

The reason is simple: Adam’s transgression has enduring effects on the human race to the present day

In Genesis 2:17, God warned of a universal curse of judgment if Adam disobeyed His command in the Garden of Eden As soon as Adam disobeyed, the curse of sin and death fell upon all of creation (Genesis 3:1419; Romans 5:12) Once sin’s lethal fangs sank its teeth into God’s good

creation through Adam’s transgression, the entire creation became subject to sin’s tyrannical power Sin first manifested its malevolent bent toward violence when Adam’s son Cain murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-8)

Creation’s futility stemming from Adam’s transgression is now being manifested in Ferguson, just as Adam’s transgression manifested itself in Cain’s murder of his brother Unfortunately, creation will continue to be subject to the power of sin and death until God emancipates it from its current futility (Romans 8:19-25)

The problem in Ferguson, Mo , is not merely an African American problem, nor is it uniquely an American problem Fundamentally it is a spiritual problem; that is, a sin problem Adam’s transgression has created death within every human heart, and every human heart (regardless of race) rebels against God and against his fellow man (Genesis 3:8-9; Romans 3:9-18)

The Bible presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the solution to the enduring effects of Adam’s transgression on humans and their relationships, including race relations (Galatians 2:11-21; Ephesians 2:1122) God offered His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and to res-

“Church shoppers and she has a list!”

πA slice of life

Amid racially motivated protests in Ferguson, Mo , the New York Times and CBS News asked Americans to describe U S race relations since 2008

Since Barack Obama has been president, have race relations in the United States:

Gotten better

Gotten worse

urrect from the dead to reverse the universal curse of Adam’s transgression and to reconcile sinners both to Himself and to one another (John 3:16; Romans 3:21-26, 5:6-21; Ephesians 2:11-22).

In their quest for justice, many African American citizens in Ferguson have chosen another path, one that ignores the reconciling power of the Gospel Some protests have erupted into violence, causing even more suffering for many African Americans in the community

52%

10%

Unfortunately, because of the enduring effects of Adam’s transgression on race relations, Brown’s story will not be the last report of a policeman gunning down an unarmed African American under questionable circumstances

No human or natural effort or device will be able to stop these enduring effects of Adam’s transgression neither marches nor protests, neither laws nor policies, neither arrests nor police brutality, neither tear gas nor guns, neither programs nor propaganda, and neither campaigns nor inspiring speeches from famous leaders

Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can cleanse the heart of racism; only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can create love where there is hate; and only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can once and for all end the transgression that continues to show its ugly face in violence facing African Americans in Ferguson and elsewhere

Christians who want to see racial tensions subside must believe, proclaim and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ; they must allow it to move them to Gospel-action in the church and in society Christ-followers must preach the biblical Gospel that centers on the death and resurrection of the Messiah who died on the cross to save sinners from every tongue, tribe, people and nation And Christians must become engaged in the various racial problems that face their communities, acting out the Gospel in their churches and in society

Though we cannot put to death the enduring effects of Adam’s transgression, we can create pockets of reconciliation and oases of hope for all who come to God through faith in Jesus Christ until that Day when Jesus will make all things new

Jarvis J Williams is associate professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky This column is excerpted from BPNews net

“Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can cleanse the heart of racism.”

Jarvis Williams

Nathan Knight

Listening sessions highlight Chicago needs

Continued from page 1

Pastor Don Sharp “And to me, that’s a story that needs to be told over and over and over again,” said Sharp, pastor of Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church in Chicago.

“ We hear these stories of people coming in places and [the] membership’s quadrupled and the baptisms are off the board, so to speak, but it doesn’t speak to many of us” pastors of small churches, Sharp said Faced with the comparisons, leaders can fall into fear that they’re the reason their church doesn’t measure up

“If nothing else, I came out of that meeting with a sense of, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and leave room for God to do the rest,’” Sharp said

The group also discussed diversity in the SBC, and the need for more ethnic groups to be represented in convention leadership, Sharp said He paraphrased Page’s words: “The election of Fred Luter (as the SBC’s first African American president) should not be an anomaly it shouldn’t take another 30 or 40 years for something like that to happen again.”

Cooperative Program education. The CP is Southern Baptists’ main method of supporting missions around the world, but it doesn’t have a Lottie Moon or Annie Armstrong to help promote it “One of the keys for the future is to somehow put a face on the Cooperative Program,” said IBSA’s Dennis

Conner during the Edgewater meeting of church planters “We are deep into a cultural shift where people want to know the people they support ”

That challenge is something his team deals with every day, Page said, asking for ideas The planters suggested using social media or daily news briefs to connect Southern Baptists with missionaries they support through the Cooperative Program

The Executive Committee’s Ashley Clayton suggested a more founda-

tional plan to help communicate the importance of CP giving in the next generation “Perfunctory” support for CP has been tailing off for several decades even among older Baptists, Clayton said There’s a need to elevate again Baptists’ core values, like international missions, reaching unreached people groups, planting churches, and theological education

“These are core values, that when you say it in a room full of pastors, they nod their heads, they’re in agreement, they go, ‘Yeah, I’ll support that ’”

The Chicago challenge. Also in Edgewater, Page heard from Chicagoland church planters about

how long it often takes to grow a church Michael Allen, city coordinator for SEND North America: Chicago, said he tells planters, “When you come to Chicago to plant a church, buy a cemetery plot ”

“In other words, don’t come to Chicago thinking I’m going to try this church planting thing and see if it works out Many [church planters] who start do not last, and I think primarily they didn’t realize just how hard the ground is, and how much gumption you have to have ”

Page told the leaders around the lunch table that he understands the role of a sponsoring church pastor, but hasn’t had personal experience as a church planter. “I don’t even pretend to understand what you might be going through,” he said

“I will tell you that what I hear, what I’ve seen in the past four to five years, is that things are changing across our nation Even in the deep south, we’re seeing an encroaching lostness in some areas that is profoundly more than what you might think ”

The planters and Page discussed the temptation church planters have to move to a new place with the hope of winning the city, but without really understanding its culture and context

Page said he was praying for “an indigenous move of God, that native Chicagoans will be able to reach the city for Christ, in addition to those that God does bring in from the outside that has called, and equipped, and [that] have the staying power to get it done ”

PLANTING STORY – Scott Venable (second from right) shares about the process of starting Mosaic Church in Wicker Park, during a listening session with SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page

On the GO

Trips challenge students to live like missionaries

Lucea, Jamaica | On the uphill drive to Vacation Bible School in the remote area of St Simon, a deacon named Brother Roach instituted his own VBS promotion program

“Coming to Bible school today?” he would ask as he drove through town, transporting a team of Illinois volunteers “Jesus wants you to be in Bible school today ”

Deacon Roach was one of the local Christians who partnered with high school and college students serving on IBSA GO Teams in Jamaica There were also teams in Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Haiti The GO trips, facilitated by IBSA’s Missions team, are designed to give students a missions experience and excitement they can share with their home church

After taking her third trip to Haiti, GO Team member Emily Ebert said she’s challenged to live more missionally at home “When we’re in Haiti, every afternoon we walk around taking to people, looking for opportunities to share the Gospel,” Ebert said

“Why isn’t it the same in America? Why am I not intentional with my friendships? It’s a continual process that God is gracious and patient enough to lead me through I pray that someday I will finally be able to live like a missionary ”

Learn more about future GO Teams, including the ChicaGO church planting week, at IBSA org/student

Reaching kids in Haiti

GO Teams have served in Haiti for the past few years, but this summer marked the first time students hosted a sports camp for kids The team, led by IBSA’s Bob Elmore, also helped build a protective wall at New Life Children’s Home, where they stayed for the week

A second Haiti GO Team led by Dan Gerard worked in the mountain community of Blanquette, continuing a partnership with the pastor there that has included several IBSA churches

Leaders in the Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, IBSA’s Carmen Halsey led a mostly all-girls team in July to minister to children and families, and to train women to lead Bible studies in their homes (photo at right) By the time the team went back to Illinois, more than 12 women were trained to start Bible studies for their communities, Halsey said The Illinois volunteers also visited a local hospital and prayed with patients, and shared the gospel door-to-door with Hispanic and Haitian families Photos by Judy Halter and Charles Campbell

Par tnering with churches in Jamaica

The 12-member GO Team to Jamaica led by Scott Slone spent most of their time hosting four Vacation Bible Schools, but they also had an opportunity to serve alongside their host church at a community feeding ministry At the Kitchen of Love (below), volunteers helped prepare hundreds of meals that were later delivered all over the island Photo by Daniel Slone

Photo (right) by Lynzie Emerson

PEOPLE & CHURCHES

Ministry Positions

The Gateway Baptist Association seeks a director of missions for the association of 50 churches in Madison and Jersey counties, part of the Greater St Louis metro area Candidates should possess a Masters of Divinity degree (or equivalent) and have demonstrated competencies in communication, local church leadership, conflict resolution, denominational relationships, teaching, and administrative skills, as well as strategy development and execution Direct correspondence to: Tim Lewis, Search Committee Chair, Gateway Baptist Association, 4539 Wanda Rd , Edwardsville, IL 62025, or admin@gatewaybaptistassoc org

Dixon Springs Missionary Baptist Church seeks a bivocational pastor. Send resumes to Pastor Search Committee, 978 State Highway 146W, Golconda, IL 62938

Milestones

New Prospect Baptist Church in Broughton celebrated its 150th anniversary Aug 17 with guest speaker Jacob Gray and the Victory Boys Quartet The church is led by Alan Monroe, who became pastor last October after 57 years of service by Ernie Essary

First Baptist Church, Albion, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their pastor, Kirk Rowe, on Oct 9 The worship service begins at 10:10, followed by a lunch in Rowe’s honor For more information, contact the church office at (618) 445-2610

In Memory

Springfield Southern Baptist Church will host a celebration service Sept 19 in honor of former IBSA staff member Helen Williams. Visitation begins at 1 p m , followed by the service at 2 p m and a dessert fellowship

Affiliation with IBSA

Churches that wish to apply for affiliation with the Illinois Baptist State Association must submit an application for membership by Sept 15 To request a packet that explains the application process, contact Sandy Barnard at (217) 391-3107 or e-mail SandyBarnard@IBSA.org.

Current BFI bonds

The Baptist Foundation of Illinois has one bond issue now open for individual or institutional investors:

• 2014G ($110,000): Closes Oct. 15, 2014, or when fully subscribed

BFI bonds are sold in $1,000 increments and support Illinois Baptist church capital improvement and/or construction loans

2014G has a 3 25% coupon paid semi-annually For more information, go to www.baptistfoundationil.org or call BFI at (217) 391-3116.

Pana pastor ’s book makes poetry out of Christmas story

Forsyth | Who says it’s too early for Christmas shopping? Months ahead of the holiday, Book World customers in Forsyth, Ill , stocked up on a new book by Pastor Terry Walters “Twas the Night Jesus Was Born” is Walters’ first book, and it started as a Christmas lesson for children at his church, Celebration Community in Pana

Like “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Walters’ re-telling of Jesus’ birth is a poem “It was a cold dark night, with crowds all around, when this traveling couple finally hit town,” it begins

More than 200 copies of the book have sold since its release this summer, Walters said It’s also helping draw attention to his church, which he started in 2001 At a recent meeting of a committee established to revitalize Pana, the chairman read Walters’ book to the crowd of 80 people assembled

Walters has a signing scheduled in Branson, Mo , this month, and may return to the Forsyth Book World for another before Christmas He’s also looking toward a possible signing in Springfield

The book is dedicated to Walters’ mother, Phyllis, who passed away last year “Mom taught me as a child to

love Jesus and to appreciate the Bible,” he wrote on the book’s opening page “It is my hope that this book will help other children, as well as those adult caregivers who may read it to them, to do the same ”

Brown retires after 26 years in northern Illinois

Winthrop Harbor | Almost 26 years to the day after his first Sunday at First Baptist Church in Winthrop Harbor, Michael Brown preached his final sermon as the church’s pastor Brown and his wife, Virgie, marked the end of their long ministry in Illinois last month

The couple will relocate to their home state of North Carolina although it’s been many years since they lived there, or anywhere that warm The Browns are well accustomed to cold climates. Right after they were married, the couple moved to Alaska to pastor two Eskimo mission churches

“We were newlyweds and I took my bride and went 6,000 miles from our North Carolina home [There was] a lot of consternation on everybody’s part, but we survived it,”

Brown said

The Browns left Alaska for Kansas City, where he attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and worked as an inner city missionary with the then-Home Mission Board

Meet the Zone Consultant

Name: Brian McWethy

Zone: 4 (North Central and Sinnissippi Associations)

Other roles: Church Planter; Lead Pastor, Grace Fellowship Church, Amboy; Associate Moderator, Sinnissippi Baptist Association

Birthplace: Sterling, Ill

Family: Married to Vickie for 30 years; four children: Keegan, Caleb, Brianna and Mikayla

Years in Illinois: 46 years

Places you’ve lived here: Sterling, Amboy, Dixon, Rock Falls

What makes your zone unique: McWethy describes his zone as close-knit “What I’ve

noticed is they’re very family-oriented They love their high school football ” People are familiar with religion, but many are unchurched or don’t have a relationship with Christ “The fields are white for harvest, and we have the privilege to be the laborers to bring the Good News,” McWethy said

After a pastorate in Milwaukee, he became director of missions for Lakeland Baptist Association, covering seven counties in the southeastern part of Wisconsin Over eleven years, Brown led the association from 13 churches to 37 Starting churches has been his “lifeblood,” he said

That investment continued at Winthrop Harbor, where Brown helped start several churches during his tenure, include Filipino, Spanish and Korean congregations One of the Korean churches has since planted 13 other works outside the U S

The 26 years at Winthrop Harbor have flown by, he said, as he’s become a pastor to the community on Illinois’ northern border Starting churches and pastoring FBC Winthrop Harbor have been “the delight of my life,” Brown said

BOOK SIGNING – Pastor Terry Walters visited with old friends, church members, and other shoppers at Hickory Point Mall in his hometown of Forsyth on July 19

CAROLINA BOUND – Michael and Virgie Brown relocated to North Carolina this month upon his retirement after 26 years at First Baptist Church, Winthrop Harbor

IBSA staff members serve as zone consultan working with directors of missions and church across Illinois For more info, go to www IBSA org/zone

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W O R S H I P, C I T YS T Y L E

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W h a t a r e y o u d o i n g o n W e d n e s d a y n i g h t s ?

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L o c a t i o n : B e l e v l e , S t C l a r C o u n t y

F o c u s : E t h n i c a l l y a n d e c o n o m c a l y d i v e r s e s i n g l e s a n d f a m i i e s C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s : B e l e v l e i s t h e b i g g e s t c t y i n t h e M e t r o E a s t

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P r a y : F o r n e w c h u r c h p l a n t s t o h e l p r e a c h p e o p e i n t h s m e t r o a r e a w i t h t h e g o s p e l

–F r o m t h e I B S A C h u r c h P a n n g T e a m

Original material

Q: I h e a r d s o m e g o o d s e r m o n s a t t h e Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference this year How can I use some of that information without feeling like I’m stealing another man’s sermons?

A: Using another preacher ’s sermon and allowing people to think it’s yours is plagiarism, and should be avoided at all costs But unless a pastor is recording or transcribing word-forword a sermon that another pastor prepared and is then presenting those materials as his own, I don’t see a real problem Especially if you give credit for statements, texts, and direct quotes Oftentimes at a national conference, I can glean four or five outlines from one sermon, and then I develop it into my own message I certainly don’t see any infraction in etiquette in doing so I would advise you to pay attention to your conscience: Normally, if a pastor is bothered because he’s used someone else’s illustration, sermon outline, or a particular story, it’s an indication that there is a problem

Dr Adrian Rodgers is famous for saying, “If my bullet fits your gun, shoot it,” but I’m sure he didn’t mean for others to steal his outline and preach it word-for-word! Stay fresh, stay in the Word, and ask God to give you personal life experiences you can share so they are your own, not someone else’s

The best way I know for that to happen is to be a soul-winner and witness to everyone; you will have more than enough wonderful illustrations!

Send them out

Q: Our Sunday school class has outgrown our room Unless we move to the auditor i u m , t h e c l a s s n e e d s t o d i v i d e H o w should we move forward?

A: Launch a mission class! Invite the original class to send a teacher and four volunteers to start a new group Assign each of the volunteers a role: class secretary, prayer captain, greeter, care leader, etc Leadership responsibility will give them each an immediate connection the new unit

Let the volunteers know they can return to their former class in 90 days if they so desire (But 99% of the time, especially if the class is attracting new members, they’ll stay ) Keep the old and new classes connected by planning a game night, picnic, bowling outing, pizza bash, or some other class activity. And let the new class know the old class is praying for them to be successful

In a few weeks, the new class will have new members, the old class will continue to meet and grow, and your space problem is solved!

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

DAVE Says

Repair now, or buy later?

Q : I ’ m d r i v i n g a 1 0 - y e a r - o l d c a r w i t h 195,000 miles on it The car needs $1,500 i n r e p a i r s , a n d i t ’ s w o r t h $ 5 , 0 0 0 I h a v e $40,000 in cash saved, $40,000 in investments and I make $80,000 a year I also have $15,000 in student loan debt, but the o n l y o t h e r t h i n g I o w e o n i s m y h o u s e Should I pay to repair the car or buy something else for $15,000?

A: I wouldn’t buy a $15,000 car in your situation I’d buy a $10,000 car You could sell your current car for around $3,500 if it needs repairs, combine that with your money and get a $13,500 car Then, you could write a check and pay off the student loan With no car payment, no student loan payment and a good car, you can really lean into your budget Think about it You’d have no debt except for your home, and you could rebuild your savings in a hurry and be in really great shape in about six months Plus, you’d have $15,000 sitting there in the meantime!

Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host

Training Oppor tunities Training Oppor tunities

Sept. 13: Living Proof Live simulcast

Where: IBSA Building; Springfield; 8:30 a m -3:15 p m

Cost: $10, includes lunch

Web: www IBSA org/WomensMissions

Sept. 14-21: Mission Illinois Offering

Web: www IBSA org/mio

Sept 18, 25: Prime Conferences on biblical manhood

Where: Sept 18 Chatham Baptist; Sept. 25 FBC Herrin; 6 p m

Web: www IBSA org/Evangelism

Sept 20: BCHFS Fall Festival

Where: Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, Carmi Contact: (217) 622-3881, rhiannon storm@bchfs com

Sept 26: Youth Ministry Worker Connection for staff and volunteers

Where: Walt’s Pizza, Marion; 6 p m Contact: (217) 391-3131, TimSadler@IBSA org

Sept 27 & 29, Oct 11: Churches of Strength training for leaders

Where: Sept. 27 Second, Marion, 8 a m to noon; Sept. 29 Chatham Baptist, 6-9 p m ; Oct. 11 Armitage, Chicago; 8 a m to noon

Web: www IBSA org/cst

September 27: IBSA Church Library Conference

Where: FBC Salem; 8 a m -2 p m

Cost: $20, includes lunch Contact: (217) 391-3126, DebbieMuller@IBSA org

Oct. 3-4: ENGAGE Collegiate Retreat For students and ministry leaders

Where: Bethel Baptist, Bourbonnais

Contact: (217) 391-3135, ChaseAbner@IBSA org

Oct 3-4: Girls’ Missions Celebration

For girls in grades 1-6

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Cost: $15 per person

Contact: (217) 391-3138, BarbTroeger@IBSA org

Oct 4: BCHFS Southern Golf Scramble

Where: Green Hills Golf Club, Mt Vernon

Contact: (217) 622-3881, rhiannon storm@bchfs com

Oct 10-11: Disaster Relief Training

Where: Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville

Cost: Lodging, plus $30 for new trainees and $10 for renewals

Web: www IBSA org/dr, RSVP by Sept 26

Oct 16: Elevate Marriage Event for pastors and church leaders

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield; 10 a m -2 p m

Web: www IBSA org/Marriage

Oct 17-19: Illinois Changers

Where: Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville

Cost: $25 per person

Contact: (217) 391-3138, BarbTroeger@IBSA org

Oct 24-25: Marriage Retreat

Where: Lake Sallateeska, Pinckneyville

Contact: (217) 391-3131, TimSadler@IBSA org

Oct 24-25: Kids’ Ministry Toolkit

Conference and VBS Preview

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Web: www IBSA org/Kids

Trending

55%

Eater’s remorse

of Americans feel guilt about their eating habits

63% worry they don’t eat enough veggies

37% say they eat too much fast food

Millennials (born between 1984 and 2002) are the generation most likely to be concerned about nutrition, Barna reported in July

tion for church leaders: Examine your potluck strategy an you keep the fun and fellowship of a meal together, and still ourage healthy eating? Host a veggie side-dish contest (no frying allowed) Ask a gardener in your church to organize a produce swap or a Saturday trip to the local farmer’s market

Chart Toppers

Award-winning books

Christian book of the year:

“Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem”

Kevin DeYoung

Children: “The Sparkle Box”

Jill Hardie

Fiction: “Iscariot: A Novel of Judas

Tosca Lee

Inspiration: “He Walks Among Us: Encounters with Christ in a Broken World”

Richard and Renee Stearns

Non-Fiction: “C S Lewis – A Life”

Alister McGrath

– Presented by Evangelical Christian Publishers Association in April 2014, christianbookexpo com

SEE THE NEED, AND PRAY

“Look at the fields ”

Should we be worried?

Potluck Blogger

Roasted M

Ingredients

12 small red pota

1-2 medium swe

peeled and cut in

1 large onion, slic

1 medium peppe cut into 1/4-inch

1 small zucchini,

“And God said, ‘Behold I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit You shall have th f f d ’”

1 small yellow sq

3/4 lb fresh mushrooms

5-7 garlic cloves, minced olive oil

salt

lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

SEPTEMBER National Back-to-Church Sunday

Recently, some friends from church and I went for an all-day motorcycle ride We headed west in order to get away from the traffic In about 10 minutes, we were surrounded by corn and soybean fields It appears that this will be a good year for farmers where I live

There’s a lot of work that’s necessary for a good harvest Field preparation, equipment maintenance, seed selection, pest control, etc Most of that work goes unnoticed by those who just pass by the field

Of course, those of us working for God’s Kingdom are admonished by Jesus to look at the field of souls all around us Anywhere you look in Illinois, you will discover a daunting level of spiritual lostness So, we pray and work for a harvest

In the coming weeks we have the privilege to help with the necessary, but largely unnoticed, work of praying for and giving to the Mission Illinois Offering Together, by the power of God, we can push back the spiritual darkness throughout the state

PRAYER PROMPT: Lord, help us see the fields with a greater clarity and urgency Strengthen the labor of our hands and hearts

Odis Weaver is pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Plainfield and is currently serving as president of IBSA Pastors are invited to join the online “IBSA Pastors’ Prayer Room” by e-mailing oweaver7307@gmail com

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T prepare: Prep first three ingredients in large baking dish Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, lemon pepper, and half of the garlic Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375° or until red p atoes are beginning to get tender

Fall is for visitors. Get ideas and resources at www.backtochurch com

Meanwhile, prep the rest of the vegetables and mix them with olive oil, salt, lemon pepper, and the rest of the garlic Add them to the baking dish and cook for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and other vegetables are crisp-tender rinkle with mozzarella and bake until melted

Amanda Hubert of Delta Church in Springfield adapted this recipe from Taste of Home magazine (2009) Send your favorite recipes to MeredithFlynn@IBSA org

More ministry ideas online

IllinoisBaptist

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

Clip and save in a prayer journal, your Bible, or stick on the fridge.

Missionaries:

Rayden & Sarah Hollis (with Kaleb, Aubri Jane and Nathan)

Planting in: Edwardsville

Focusing On: A vast portion of the population up to 90% that has no interest in finding spiritual direction

Pray: For the Farris family, our first core team members, as they prepare to move And for favor as we meet people and begin the work of planting a church