SBC LIFE - Spring 2020 (Vol. 28, No. 2)

JOURNAL OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

2020 |

TWO DOLLARS FIFTY CENTS

Encouraging Cooperation . . . for a Great Commission Advance!

2020 SBC Annual Meeting Canceled

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Published by the SBC Executive Committee

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by George Schroeder

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“We know it is the right thing to do. We are extremely disappointed in having to make this decision, but God will see us through and give us a way until we are able to meet in person together again.” Ronnie Floyd, president & CEO SBC Executive Committee

n response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting has been canceled for the first time in seventyfive years. Citing authority provided by the SBC Constitution “in the case of grave emergency,” the decision was made Tuesday, March 24, in a unanimous vote of a body composed of SBC officers, the SBC Executive Committee, and leaders of the SBC’s boards and institutions. The Annual Meeting, which was originally scheduled June 9–10 in Orlando, is not being rescheduled. SBC President J. D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area, said he was “saddened” to make the announcement, but described it as necessary in light of the ongoing crisis and the uncertainty of when it might end. “We are a people committed to keeping the Gospel above all,” Greear said, “and our sole purpose in coming together is to support one another in that mission, catalyzing our collective mission efforts. This year, our unusual circumstances mean we can best meet that goal by not meeting together.” At the time of the announcement March 24, almost four hundred thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection had been reported worldwide, with more than seventeen thousand deaths. In the United States, more than forty-six thousand confirmed cases had been reported,

with almost six hundred deaths; the numbers continued to increase significantly each day. In an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which threatened to overwhelm the nation’s healthcare system, government officials at national, state, and local levels have declared states of emergency and encouraged or required extreme social-distancing practices, as well as the closure of many businesses, stores, and restaurants. Current federal guidelines, including a recommendation to avoid gatherings of more than ten people, have been adopted at various levels—sometimes as mandatory orders. In some places, residents have been ordered to stay home. Convention organizers had anticipated the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting might draw the largest number of messengers since nearly twelve thousand participated in the 2010 Annual Meeting, also in Orlando. But Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, said continuing uncertainty over whether and when large groups would again be able to gather—as well as concern about when it would be prudent to do so—prompted the move to cancel. Calling the SBC Annual Meeting “the most pivotal gathering we have as we advance our commitment to reaching the world for Christ,” Floyd said SBC leaders were “faced with a decision that none of us believed we would ever face,” and described the cancellation as “heartbreaking,” but

said, “the reality around us nationally and globally cannot be ignored.” “We know it is the right thing to do,” Floyd said. “We are extremely disappointed in having to make this decision, but God will see us through and give us a way until we are able to meet in person together again. . . . We know our churches need to focus on ministering to their communities and to those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. “While we will not physically be coming together in June in Orlando, we will be going together in unity as we minister to our churches, our missionaries, our church planters, our seminary students, and our own communities.” The last time the SBC Annual Meeting was canceled was 1945, during World War II, when the United States government banned meetings of groups larger than fifty people. The SBC was preparing to celebrate its one hundredth anniversary, but instead skipped a year. The protocol followed March 24 was instituted by messengers to the 1946 SBC Annual Meeting. The historic decision, set out in SBC Constitution Article XI, Section 4, was reached during two video conference calls. In a roll-call vote, the SBC Executive Committee voted 75-0 for cancellation, with seven members absent. It was followed by a unanimous continued on page 6

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2020 SBC ANNUAL MEETING

Why Canceling the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting is Putting ‘Gospel Above All’ by J. D. Greear

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was warned that it would be tricky to lead the Southern Baptist Convention. But I don’t think any of us saw this coming. We are saddened to announce that for the first time in seventy-five years, the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention has been canceled. This decision was made unanimously by the SBC Executive Committee; me; every one of our SBC officers; and the presidents of all six of our seminaries, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, GuideStone Financial Resources, and LifeWay Christian Resources, and affirmed by both Sandy WisdomMartin from the Woman’s Missionary Union and Russell Moore of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. I am grateful for the united leadership of these men and women in taking this proactive step. We believe, without reservation, that it is the right one. In one sense, this was a difficult decision for us. Gathering regularly to hear about the great things God is doing in the present and to seek

SBC LIFE is published by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee 901 Commerce Street Nashville, Tennessee 37203 615-244-2355 E-mail: sbclife@SBC.net Ronnie Floyd

President & CEO

Jonathan Howe and Amy Whitfield Executive Editors

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Rebecca Manry

Communications Specialist SBC LIFE is published three times per year: Pre-Convention, Special Convention Issue, and Winter. It is distributed to pastors, ministers of education, ministers of music, full-time denominational workers, chaplains, missionaries, and vocational evangelists of the Southern Baptist Convention. Workers retiring from any of these groups may continue to receive the magazine upon request. Subscriptions are free of charge. Bulk subscriptions are available at reduced prices. For SBC LIFE subscriptions, call 866-722-5433 (toll-free). * All Scripture is from the Christian Standard Bible unless noted otherwise. * Any article without attribution is by SBC LIFE staff.

SBC LIFE (ISSN 1081-8189) Volume 28, Number 2 © 2020 Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee

His face together for the future is an essential part of who we are as a Convention, and we will be saddened to forego this opportunity in June. But in another sense, this decision was easy. Our purpose in coming together is to support one another in Gospel mission and to better catalyze our collective mission efforts. This year, the best way to accomplish that purpose is by NOT meeting together. I don’t need to tell you how many of our churches are hurting right now. Or how most of our communities are experiencing unprecedented need. In this extraordinary hour, pastors need to be focused on their people, and churches need to be focused on their communities. Pausing from these efforts to make a costly trip to Orlando just doesn’t seem like the right thing to do. In this moment, keeping the Gospel above all means staying where we are to minister to those who need us. Let me encourage you to consider reallocating resources that might normally have been spent on getting to the Convention to minister to people in crisis. At The Summit Church we have decided to take the money that we were going to spend on sending messengers to Orlando and use it to help bivocational pastors and church planters meet payroll over these next several weeks. I am calling on other churches to join us in this if they are able. The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians that fulfilling the law of Christ means bearing the burdens of our brothers and sisters, shouldering their loads alongside them. Let me also encourage you to consider ways that your church might bless your community in this difficult season. You might consider making a donation to your local pregnancy resource center, for example, since they tell us that during times like these, abortion rates go up. You might donate to the many food banks helping feed children who are in need because of school closures. You might reach out to local organizations that focus on the marginalized and the vulnerable and simply ask, “What can we do to help?” The church is God’s demonstration of community, a body that visibly depicts the love of God for the world. As our community hurts, let’s bear their burdens with them. The work of the SBC can go on without the meeting. Why? Because the headquarters of the SBC is not in Nashville or Orlando, nor is our primary impulse for ministry what happens on the Convention floor. The headquarters of the SBC is the local church. Our strength is in our pulpits and pews. Our ministries will still go on. While we may be quarantined, the Great Commission is not. Our Gospel is more relevant and necessary than ever. The Gospel literally

means “good news,” and good news is best when life is the darkest. As other idols of this world prove hopelessly insufficient, our Gospel offers a hope higher than the heavens, a hope deeper than any recession, a hope that outlasts death itself. That’s why it must remain above all. What’s more, our Gospel teaches us exactly what to do in times like these. We serve a Savior who ran toward tragedy, not away from it. When we were dead in our sins, He left heaven to enter our suffering, take it upon Himself, and deliver us from it. That means we who know Him and love Him will, in a moment like this one, move forward in faith, not backward in fear, toward self-sacrifice, not self-preservation. Historically, we know that the church is at its best in times like these. It’s when the power of the Gospel really begins to shine through. This is an extraordinary Gospel moment. Historian Rodney Stark describes how God used a moment like this in the early days of the church to expand the Gospel in unprecedented ways. In A.D. 250, an enormous plague struck the Roman Empire, killing an average of five thousand people every day. At this time Christians were less than 2 percent of the entire population. Their numbers were growing, but statistically speaking, they were nearly insignificant. Yet despite their numbers, their response to this pandemic won admiration and a greater following. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, reported: “Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy. . . . Many, in nursing and curing others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead.” Outside the church, the situation was much different. Dionysius continues: “But with non-Christians everything was quite otherwise. They deserted those who began to be sick, and fled from their dearest friends. They shunned any participation or fellowship with death; which yet, with all their precautions, it was not easy for them to escape.” Stark even points out, in evident irony, that the death rate for Christians in many of these plagues was actually lower than that of those who simply fled. In some cases, by as much as one-half! Why? Some analysts say it was because of their strong sense of community, their refusal to submit to despair, their commitments to care for each other, and their robust hope in the face of death. In other words, through their willingness to embrace death, they found life.

Andy Crouch explains why this led to an explosion in the church in the following years: “[If you were a first-century Roman], after you had recovered from the plague, where would you want to worship? The pagan temple whose priests and elite benefactors had fled at the first sign of trouble? Or the household of the neighbor who had brought you food and water, care and concern, at great risk to themselves? “When this plague has passed, what will our neighbors remember of us? Will they remember that the Christians took immediate, decisive action to protect the vulnerable, even at great personal and organizational cost? Will they remember that, being prepared and free from panic, the households of their Christian neighbors were able to visit the needy (while protecting them by keeping appropriate social distance!), provide for their needs, and bring hope?” How we conduct ourselves in this moment will demonstrate to the world what we actually believe about the Gospel. Our theology is about to be on display. So let’s make sure to be faithful witnesses. We may be living through a very new day. But God promises that He gives new mercies for new challenges. He never runs short on supply; the shelves of His heavenly riches are never empty, and His angels never get sick. Let’s call on Him for grace to meet this challenge. Our Convention offers multiple avenues for sending relief to others. For example: • Visit SendRelief.org for ministry ideas for your church. • Call your associational mission strategist and find out which churches need your help and where needs are in your community. Our own AMS, Marty Childers, has given us specific ways that we can help serve other churches in our area. • Make sure the elderly and the vulnerable in your own communities are taken care of. Many elderly in our communities are unable to get out to take care of basic needs. Many hourly workers have been laid off, with some unemployment projections reaching as high as 30 percent. Make sure the vulnerable and needy in your community are taken care of. And start in the church. It was said of the church in Acts that there were NO needy among them. Let that be true of us as well. And let that love for the “widow and the orphan” then spill out into the larger community. As Roman Emperor Julian famously complained about the Christians of his day, let it be said of us, “They take care not only of their own poor but ours as well!” • Keep giving to your local church. Generosity is often one of the first casualties of a scare like this one. Our God is a God of abundance, even in a time of scarcity. He is, even now, calling us to open our hands so that He might increase our seed for sowing. • Tell someone about Jesus. Your neighbors are scared. Many feel hopeless. They are asking questions—about life and death and what happens after—that are usually hidden deep down. As believers, we have answers to those questions. God is up to something. We have to be faithful to be at our post, pointing the way. It has been my privilege to strive along with you these last couple of years to keep the Gospel above all. This is how we believe we can accomplish that in the days to come. God has given us a new challenge, and as He promises, we are confident that He will give us grace sufficient for that challenge. I am praying for you, and my prayer is that when we come together in Nashville in 2021, we will find ourselves stronger than ever and rejoicing that our God was with us. As William Carey famously said, the future is always as bright as the promises of God. That is bright indeed. J. D. Greear is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area.

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2020 SBC Annual Meeting Frequently Asked Questions Why is the SBC Annual Meeting canceled? The SBC Annual Meeting scheduled for June What about advance Convention hotel reservations made directly with a hotel? If you 9–10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida, is canceled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, which constitutes a grave emergency.

Who canceled it? The Convention officers, the Executive Committee, and the executive heads of

made your advance hotel reservation directly with a hotel in the Orlando area, you would need to contact that hotel directly to cancel your reservations and work through their individual cancellation policy. The SBC Executive Committee is unable to assist with any changes or reimbursements for reservations made separately from the SBC Annual Meeting Online Hotel Registration System.

the Convention’s boards and institutions acted in a body to cancel the meeting.

What should I do about my advance airline travel reservations? If you have already What was the authority to cancel? This authority is given in SBC Constitution Article XI.4, made airline reservations, you would need to contact your airline carrier directly to cancel or which states, “The Convention officers, the Executive Committee, and the Executive Heads of the Convention’s boards and institutions acting in a body may, in case of grave emergency, cancel a regular meeting or change the place of a meeting.” The authority for this body to cancel a meeting was established in 1946 after the Convention had been forced to cancel meetings in 1943 and 1945 due to government restrictions during World War II.

Will it be rescheduled? The annual meeting is not being rescheduled. The next regular meeting will be in Nashville on June 15–16, 2021.

change your reservations. Due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, many airline carriers have enacted special provisions to accommodate the many travel interruptions for their customers.

What if we have ancillary events scheduled around the Convention meeting?

Crossover and all ancillary events currently scheduled to use meeting/event spaces managed by the SBC Executive Committee (Rosen Centre Hotel or Orange County Convention Center) will be considered canceled. For ancillary events scheduled at meeting/event spaces not managed by the SBC Executive Committee

What about the SBC presidency and other officer positions? SBC officers will remain in (Rosen Centre Hotel or Orange County Convention Center), you should contact the individual anciloffice until their successors are elected.

What happens to the SBC budget if the Convention does not meet to pass it? In the

event that the Convention does not meet, the Executive Committee, by virtue of its ad interim authority, may adopt the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget and the Executive Committee and SBC Operating Budget so that operations may continue.

What about other Convention business? The members of standing committees whose terms

expire will remain in office until their successors are elected. The Committee on Nominations is a special committee and remains in existence until it gives its report, so its members remain in office. The Executive Committee may fill any vacancies that occur. The Committee on Committees and Committee on Resolutions are special committees appointed by the president. Any committee members already appointed remain in office until the committees perform their assigned tasks at the next meeting. The president may fill any vacancies that occur. Trustees of Convention entities whose terms are scheduled to expire in 2020 will either remain in office until successors are elected or rotate out of office upon completion of term, with their boards electing interim trustees until the next SBC meeting. This would depend upon each entity’s individual charter. Any intended resolutions may be submitted prior to the next annual meeting, beginning April 15, 2021. Any intended motions may be made during the next annual meeting in Nashville.

lary event organizers directly for additional information.

What about the SBC Pastors’ Conference? The SBC Pastors’ Conference is a separate event.

David Uth, president of the 2020 Pastors’ Conference and pastor of First Baptist Church Orlando, has confirmed that as an auxiliary meeting to the annual meeting, the Pastors’ Conference would be canceled as well.

What about costs that I might have already incurred in preparation for the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting? Refunds were issued before April 15 for childcare pre-registration

(including preschool, Giant Cow Ministries, and Youth on Mission), ancillary events scheduled to use meeting/event spaces managed by the SBC Executive Committee (Rosen Centre Hotel or Orange County Convention Center), planned SBC Annual Meeting sponsorships or advertisements managed by the SBC Executive Committee, and exhibitor reservations managed by the SBC Executive Committee. If you made reservations for meeting space directly with an Orlando hotel or other venue, you would need to contact that venue directly to cancel your reservations and work through their contracted cancellation policy. The SBC Executive Committee is unable to assist with any changes or reimbursements for meeting space reservations made directly with local hotels or other venues.

How do we reserve exhibit space for the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting scheduled to be What about advance Convention hotel reservations made through the official SBC held June 15–16, 2021, in Nashville? Online exhibit reservations for the 2021 SBC Annual Online Hotel Registration System? All advance hotel reservations made through the SBC Annu- Meeting will begin August 3, 2020, for those exhibitors who had approved reservations to exhibit al Meeting Online Hotel Registration System will be canceled automatically for all planned attendees. No advance charges have been made to any reservation holders’ credit cards by our event housing partner, Experient. You may contact our housing bureau at 1-800-967-8852 or sbc@experient-inc. com with any additional questions. Additionally, advance attendee reservation information has not been released to any hotel, so hotels do not have any information which would allow them to make charges to reservation holders’ credit cards. Again, all advance hotel reservations for the SBC Annual Meeting in June will be considered canceled.

Why Can’t the Convention Be Held Online with Remote Voting?

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lthough SBC Annual Meetings have been live-streamed for years, SBC governing documents state that “No proxy voting is permitted. All propositions, decisions, and choices shall be by a majority vote of the messengers present and voting in person, except where provisions have been made for a greater than majority vote.” In September 2019, the Executive Committee declined a referral to study the feasibility of distance voting and remote participation in SBC annual meetings. That action, which will be published in the 2020 Book of Reports, gave the following reasons: • The simplicity of conducting business at a single site is preferable to the complexity of doing so via innumerable off-site computer configurations; • The Convention has a continuing interest in positively affecting various regions of America with as great a physical presence of Southern Baptists as possible during the Convention’s annual meetings and ancillary events such as Crossover; • The dependability of conducting business at a single site is superior to “distance” messenger participation because the susceptibility of the technology to interruption or failure could

at the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting. The SBC Executive Committee will follow the same general reservation process that we use onsite each year to manage reservation requests, although for 2021, we will coordinate all exhibit requests virtually through a new online reservation system. Email notifications will be sent out to all current and pending exhibitors notifying them of this process when it is finalized. New exhibitors may request exhibit space beginning October 1, 2020, by submitting inquiries through the online exhibitor portal at sbcannualmeeting.net.

significantly and negatively impact the meeting, its actions, the trust of the Convention’s constituents, and the relationships of the parties involved and affected; • The present “public” method of casting ballots involves some level of “in-person” and “eye witness” assurance that ballots have been received and cast only by qualified messengers, and is therefore preferable to any other system which would permit an individual to receive and/or cast a ballot privately and electronically from a remote location without accountability; • Ministry and service opportunities and resources are now well-conveyed by high exhibitor participation, which would decline if attendance were to become less concentrated; • Fostering and strengthening relationships with and between various affinity groups that schedule their meetings to coincide with the Convention’s annual meeting is best accomplished by encouraging the physical presence of messengers; • The funds required for any implementation would likely be substantial; and • Diverting missions’ offerings to pioneer the use of such technology (there being no known model for web-based constituent participation in any similarly-sized, deliberative body) would be an inappropriate prioritization. The implementation of messenger participation from a distance would require extensive amendments to the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution and bylaws, actions that would have to be taken by messengers in person over the course of more than one meeting.

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SBC COVID-19 UPDATES

RESPONSE TO CHANGING NEEDS For regularly updated information, please visit sbc.net/covid-19

• Assembled coronavirus task force • Postponed volunteer trips through June 30 • Provided tangible support for missionary personnel to shelter in place or evacuate depending on individual situations

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Gateway Seminary

• Participants in BCBS health plans can access Teladoc at no co-pay through June 14 • Resource page on website for church and ministry leadership related to retirement solutions, insurance and health plan coverage, and property and casualty coverage • Allowed Group and Personal Plans to step down to a lower cost health care plan for the remainder of 2020 • Announced coverage for in-network, inpatient hospital care for COVID-19 treatment at no cost for claims through May 31 • Provided one-page resource guides regarding the Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment benefits

The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

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• Budgetary freezes and cutbacks designed to maintain the organization’s financial health during this season • Free online Bible studies for women, men, and co-ed groups • Budgetary freezes and cutbacks designed to keep missionaries on the field • Freezing all discretionary spending • Focusing resources on mission-critical ministry needs, and supporting church planters and personnel • NAMB events canceled until May 31 • Postponed in-person planter assessments until fall • Deployed Send Relief to assist with COVID related needs

• Digital licensing for LifeWay Worship audio tracks • Free family devotional resources • Provided a free custom digital giving platform for congregations • Low-cost B&H books with free discussion guides • Free digital curriculum for all ages • Free help and training through Ministry Grid for churches transitioning to online ministry • Free “LifeWay Kids at Home” resource to supplement Sunday School • Canceled LifeWay camps for June 2020 (does not include Camp Ridgecrest for Boys and Camp Crestridge for Girls)

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

• Published free resources with COVID-related content for ministry leaders and individuals • Offered guidance on religious liberty-related questions about church restrictions and SBA loans

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

• Advocated for churches with the federal government to ensure their ability to receive relief funding was safeguarded by religious liberty protections

• Blume conference postponed until summer 2021 • Canceled spring events and WMU Missions Celebration scheduled for June 6–8

SEMINARIES • Moved all classes to online instruction • Essential workers still available to maintain services for students • Campus events either canceled or moved to virtual format • Some graduation ceremonies canceled • Hosted virtual trustee meetings

• Launched Honor 6:2 with Iron Stream Media and the WMU Foundation to provide the opportunity to gift Bible resources to senior adults in medical facilities or sheltering in place • Providing free missions resources for families and churches, PTSD resources for those in crisis, leadership development resources for WMU leaders • Cooperated with SBC entities to offer assistance and meet ministry needs

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2020 SBC ANNUAL MEETING continued from page 1

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vote of the body composed of the Executive Committee, Convention officers, and leaders of Convention boards and institutions. Mike Stone, chairman of the SBC Executive Committee and pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, said while the decision involved consideration of legal, financial, and constitutional factors, he viewed the decision “as a pastor, not a board chairman.” He added that the fact it was the first cancellation in seventy-five years “proves this is not a decision that is made lightly.” “While the constitutional process of voting to cancel is a simple one that involves around one hundred leaders,” Stone said, “the information needed to actually make the wisest decision is quite involved. The EC staff, officers, and legal counsel worked diligently to consider the various results of cancellation.” Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway Seminary and chairman of the SBC’s Great Commission Council, called the decision “prudent given the governmental directives, travel uncertainties, and advance planning needed for the Convention meeting,” adding: “The goal right now for Southern Baptists is to ensure our global missions, education, and ministry enterprises continue to function effectively—which we are all working together to accomplish.” The 2021 SBC Annual Meeting is scheduled “The goal right now for June 15–16, 2021, in Nashville. According to for Southern Baptists the SBC’s governing documents, postponement an annual meeting is only an option “if the is to ensure our global ofentertaining city withdraws its invitation or is missions, education, unable to fulfill its commitments.” The SBC president has authority to convene and ministry enterprises a special meeting with the concurrence of the continue to function other officers of the Convention and the Executive but no such action is being taken at effectively—which we are Committee, this time. all working together Holding the SBC Annual Meeting either online as a virtual meeting or at various satellite to accomplish.” locations is not an option under the SBC’s governing documents. Jeff Iorg, president Although annual meetings have been Gateway Seminary live-streamed for years, the SBC’s governing documents require all business conducted at the Annual Meeting be conducted by “messengers present and voting in person.” Any changes to the governing documents would require approval of messengers at an annual meeting. In its meeting in September 2019, the Executive Committee declined a referral made during the 2019 SBC Annual Meeting to study the feasibility of distance voting and remote participation in SBC annual meetings. The motion was one of many similar ones made over the years. In declining to study the idea, the EC cited reasoning that had been cited in declining earlier motions, including: The complexity of implementation; the vulnerability of sessions to potential technology failures; the accuracy of voting; and the mechanics of conducting business sessions, with messengers seeking recognition for debate. There’s also no precedent for official business to be conducted using virtual methods at annual meetings of SBC state conventions.

With the cancellation of the Annual Meeting, SBC officers would remain in office until their successors are elected at the next annual meeting. Members of many committees would remain in office, as well. The expiring terms of trustees of Convention entities would depend upon each entity’s individual charter. “I certainly didn’t plan for a third year [as SBC president],” Greear said. “But [I] trust that the God who ordains our days will give us strength equal to the task. This is an incredibly important time for the church, as we seek to demonstrate the certain hope that God gives to an uncertain world through Christ.” The Cooperative Program Allocation Budget and the Executive Committee and SBC Operating Budget could be adopted by the Executive Committee, which has ad interim authority. With the cancellation of the 2020 Annual Meeting, all ancillary meetings that would have been held in the convention space have also been canceled. Bill Townes, chief financial officer for the SBC Executive Committee and convention manager for the Annual Meeting, said the Executive Committee staff would immediately begin the process of “reviewing and assessing all contracts and obligations related to the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting.” Townes said organizers would reach out directly to pre-registered messengers, “The headquarters of the exhibitors and ancillary event planners. He said many questions would be answered in an SBC is not in Nashville or FAQ section published on the SBC website at Orlando, nor is its primary sbc.net/annualmeeting (and on page 3 of this issue), adding the section would be updated as needed. impulse for ministry what Townes suggested emailing other questions to SBC happens on the Convention EC staff at annualmeeting@sbc.net. The SBC Pastors’ Conference is a separate floor. The headquarters of event. David Uth, president of the 2020 Pastors’ the SBC is the local church. Conference and pastor of First Baptist Church Orlando, said Tuesday that as an auxiliary Our strength is in its pulpits meeting to the annual meeting, the Pastors’ and pews. God has now Conference would be canceled, as well. Uth’s role as president for the 2021 Pastors’ Conference has given us a new challenge, not yet been determined. and as He promises, He Greear said even without an annual meeting in 2020, the mission of Southern Baptists “will will give us grace sufficient go on,” and urged Southern Baptists to find for that challenge.” encouragement in focusing on ministry until the 2021 Annual Meeting. J. D. Greear, president “The headquarters of the SBC is not in Southern Baptist Convention Nashville or Orlando,” Greear said, “nor is its primary impulse for ministry what happens on the Convention floor. The headquarters of the SBC is the local church. Our strength is in its pulpits and pews. God has now given us a new challenge, and as He promises, He will give us grace sufficient for that challenge. “My prayer is that when we come together in Nashville in 2021, we will find ourselves stronger than ever and rejoicing that our God was with us.” George Schroeder is associate vice president for Convention news at the SBC Executive Committee and is a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Norman, Oklahoma.

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MINISTRY UPDATES—COVID-19 “With the separation caused by the CDC’s advice, we are constantly reminding the youth that social distancing does not mean social isolation. We are putting more effort into connecting with youth than we did before the pandemic crisis began.” Alex Davies, pastor of worship and youth Heights Baptist Church Billings, Montana Alex Davies (left) has been posting Bible studies to YouTube while the students he ministers to are homebound. screen capture from youtube

Student Ministry Leaders Engage and Innovate to Connect with Youth by Tess Schoonhoven

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ocial distancing should not mean social isolation, according to Alex Davies. The global pandemic COVID-19 has forced changes in how ministry leaders communicate with their congregations. It has also caused many to pause and rethink how they can effectively serve and teach while unable to meet in person. When it comes to ministry to middle- and high-school students, Davies, pastor of worship and youth at Heights Baptist Church in Billings, Montana, emphasized efforts to become even more intentional in building community. “With the separation caused by the CDC’s advice, we are constantly reminding the youth that social distancing does not mean social isolation,” Davies said. “We are putting more effort into connecting with youth than we did before the pandemic crisis began.” Billings is the largest city in Montana, with a population of approximately 110,000. Davies said Heights Baptist’s youth group averages around thirty students. “Montana is a fairly reserved state. People are proud and more likely to try and deal with things themselves,” Davies said. “This creates an atmosphere of loneliness, which breeds depression quite frequently within the youth.” To combat that loneliness, Davies said, connecting personally with the students is vital. And now, it’s more challenging. Davies and other student ministry leaders around the world are facing the question of how to maintain those personal connections during a period when meeting in person is not an option. Various student ministries are employing methods including Zoom calls, Facebook Live broadcasts, partner Bible studies through Bible apps like YouVersion, Google hangouts, and video chatting through apps such as Marco Polo.

The method and delivery format sometimes depends on whether the occasion is teaching the Bible to a group or having a conversation with a few participants. Ben Trueblood, director of student ministry at LifeWay Christian Resources, said the innovation of student ministry activities now will permanently affect the very future of the ministry. “An exciting question to think about is, ‘What if COVID-19 provided the space for teenagers from coast to coast in our country to truly engage with God’s Word like never before?’ That has revival energy all over it,” Trueblood said. Hoping for exactly that, Davies and his team have produced videos three times a week for their middle-school students, posting them to YouTube. The videos contain challenges, encouragements, and questions. The videos and the live broadcasts are meant not only to encourage and connect the students, but also simply to help fight boredom. Davies has used Marco Polo, an app similar to Snapchat in function, to stay in contact with his high school group. Using the app, users send video messages in a chat format; unlike Snapchat, they can be saved, paused, and edited. “I post what I read that day but mostly keep the app focused on community-building,” Davies said. “So far we have had 90 percent engagement with the senior high and around 60 percent with junior high.” Davies also engaged in joint Bible-reading plans through the app YouVersion, even encouraging students to invite others outside their youth group to join. Other leaders in student ministry have found their vocation to be of help in this new outreach landscape. Jared Parks, student ministry small-group

leader at Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, North Carolina, works in the IT manufacturing world. He found making adjustments to platforms such as Zoom fairly simple, and was able to teach some other group leaders how to use Zoom for their meetings. Even so, Parks said the biggest challenge is still getting connected to one another. “Virtual only goes so far,” he said, adding that students are not only adjusting to virtual youth meetings, but also virtual school and saying the shift can be difficult. But Parks said the overall reaction has been positive, adding: “The students seem encouraged that we’re continuing to engage with them.” The hope is to bring a sense of normalcy in a difficult time, Parks continued. “From the church governing council side and the student ministry leadership side we are continuing to meet, now virtually, periodically to adjust to changes and plan for the future,” Parks said. “This is an ever-changing landscape, so it’s been difficult to plan more than two weeks out at most.” Parks said Front Street Baptist is located in a very poor area, making community outreach an already essential part of their ministry. “We provide meals to sixty students from the elementary school across the street each weekend,” Parks said. “We’ve been working with the school to try to see that these students continue to receive this food during this time when they are not in school.” Maintaining existing ministry and moving into greater areas of community outreach is a unique challenge and call during this time. Trueblood said one of the biggest challenges while guidelines for social distancing are in place will be how to truly connect with teenagers

beyond simply offering an online service option. “Caring for teenagers who experience loss or hardship because of the impact of the virus will be very important in the coming days,” Trueblood said. “These moments of pastoral care in student ministry will be much more significant than an online student service.” Davies said he also hopes that the youth of Heights Baptist will cultivate a greater responsibility for their faith through these challenges. “I am attempting to leave plenty of space for youth to guide the conversation and make discoveries from the text before spoon-feeding them anything in the discussion videos,” Davies said. “My hope is that youth will find their own love for the Bible without the ‘crutch’ [of] youth group each week.” Trueblood said his prayer is that teenagers will fall in love with God through the Word during this time, cultivating that personal connection even more than before. Trueblood encourages student pastors and leaders to take care of themselves spiritually and to connect with ministry peers for support and encouragement, as well as to trade ideas on how best to serve well. “I have been so encouraged by student pastors . . . as they’ve figured out how to continue pastoring teenagers in this moment. They have been heroic in their effort,” Trueblood said. “My encouragement to them would be to make sure and take care of themselves as well. To seek out community among other student pastors, to be vulnerable about concerns that they have, and seek out trustworthy relationships where they too can be heard and cared for.” Tess Schoonhoven is a staff writer for Baptist Press and is in the process of becoming a member at Immanuel Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I have been so encouraged by student pastors . . . as they’ve figured out how to continue pastoring teenagers in this moment. They have been heroic in their effort. My encouragement to them would be to make sure and take care of themselves as well. To seek out community among other student pastors, to be vulnerable about concerns that they have, and seek out trustworthy relationships where they too can be heard and cared for.” Ben Trueblood, director of student ministry LifeWay Christian Resources

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Bryant Wright (second from right) shared news February 28 that he will be president of Send Relief. Wright shared the news at Move Week, an annual global missions conference at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church where Wright pastored for thirty-eight years before retiring in December 2019. Also pictured (left to right) are Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board; Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board; Wright’s wife Anne; and Clay Smith, senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. photo by danny delgado

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IMB, NAMB Join in Send Relief Efforts, Name Bryant Wright Send Relief President by IMB and NAMB Staff

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he International Mission Board (IMB) and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) will work together to combine compassion ministry efforts in North America and abroad under the umbrella of Send Relief. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee (EC), announced the new working relationship alongside IMB President Paul Chitwood and NAMB President Kevin Ezell during a plenary session of the EC in Nashville Tuesday, February 18. “Today I want to announce to you a formal relationship between the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board for the purpose of compassion ministry,” Floyd said. “Southern Baptists are always at their best anytime we can cooperate together for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” “Southern Baptists are privileged to carry the love and compassion of our Lord to people in need across North America and around the world,” Chitwood said before the announcement. “So many who are blessed seek ways to be a blessing to others. Together, under the Send Relief banner, we will help stretch your generous gifts to help more people.” Two weeks after the announcement, IMB and NAMB announced Bryant Wright as the new president of Send Relief. Wright was the founding pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, where he served for thirtyeight years. “In today’s culture, compassion ministry is a wonderful way to win the right to be heard, not just with people you’re ministering to who are in great need, but with those who see

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams across the United States, like this one from Florida, have been donating N95 masks and other personal protective equipment to hospitals and healthcare facilities to support medical workers as they fight the COVID-19 crisis. photo courtesy of florida sbdr social media

“In today’s culture, compassion ministry is a wonderful way to win the right to be heard, not just with people you’re ministering to who are in great need, but with those who see Christians respond to needs in a compassionate way.” Bryant Wright, president Send Relief Christians respond to needs in a compassionate way,” Wright said. “Send Relief allows us to have a positive witness on behalf of the whole Convention.” Wright will report both to Ezell and Chitwood to oversee and coordinate their joint efforts in compassion ministry.

“To have the IMB and NAMB joining together to make it so much easier to know where to go, who to call when crisis needs come up—it’s really helpful,” Wright said. “I’m thankful for both Paul and Kevin joining together and for reaching out to me with this opportunity to continue on in ministry for years to come.”

Send Relief’s website will soon provide a single point of contact that will give an initial starting point to pastors and churches looking to support or participate in the Southern Baptist compassion ministries that take place in North America or around the world. “Both entities working together will make it easier for Southern Baptists to get involved in meeting needs so that lives can be changed through the power of the Gospel,” Ezell said prior to the EC meeting. “I’m excited about how this will multiply Southern Baptist compassion ministry efforts and build a simple on-ramp for pastors and churches who want to be involved in the great work Southern Baptists are doing in North America and around the world.” The IMB and NAMB joint efforts under the Send Relief banner do not apply to each entity’s broader ministry assignments. Both IMB and NAMB remain independent entities doing the work that Southern Baptists have come to know so well. Send Relief will continue to support the efforts of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) in North America, and international responses will continue to utilize SBDR partners. “We can do so much more together than we can ever do alone,” Chitwood said. “I pray God will use this effort to expand the compassionate reach of Southern Baptists. I pray that unity will pervade our work, and that people will see love acted out in tangible ways that change their lives. Most importantly, I pray we will see the Gospel reach even more people who otherwise might never hear how much the Lord loves them.” For more information, visit sendrelief.org.

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Southern Baptists Donate Over Two Hundred Thousand Masks, Protective Equipment Items to Medical Workers by Brandon Elrod

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s COVID-19 cases increased in the United States, many medical facilities faced shortages of masks and other protective gear. In response, Southern Baptists donated more than 228,000 sets of protective equipment to hospitals and healthcare workers in different states. Southern Baptist donations include more than 172,000 N95 masks and more than fifty-six thousand sets of personal protective equipment (PPEs) given to help protect medical workers serving on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. As of the end of March, Send Relief donated 30,100 masks and 45,520 PPEs to hospitals. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams from across the nation are donating about 142,000 masks and 11,100 suits to local hospitals and medical facilities. “Southern Baptists have been so generous in donating during this time,” said Bryant Wright, president of Send Relief. “Really, it’s not that we’re unusual as a people. It’s just that we are extremely grateful that Jesus Christ gave His life for us, and we want to be giving to our fellow man in a time of need.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended SBDR, as one of the nation’s largest providers of disaster relief,

to several different state emergency management agencies as an organization that can provide wrap-around services, such as food preparation and delivery and spiritual and emotional care. As Southern Baptists respond to the current crisis, they are doing so on a more localized, community-based level for the time being. Tennessee and Arkansas disaster relief teams have been supporting food delivery and distribution in several cities in their states. Colorado SBDR has set up a feeding unit in Centennial, Colorado, south of Denver, serving vulnerable populations in the community. Louisiana Baptists are also providing meals in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with support from the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC). Some SBDR teams, including California Baptists and the SBTC, have set up support hot lines, staffed by trained chaplains, to provide spiritual and emotional support. Other states have deployed shower units. “Like everybody else, this disaster does not fit our typical response mechanisms,” said Gaylon Moss, SBDR director for Missouri Baptists. “We’ve been trying to distribute a lot of information to our churches and associations about ways they can serve.”

Send Relief President Bryant Wright (right) surveys a truckload of N95 masks and personal protection equipment with Lee Jackson, a pastor from Kentucky who also drives for Send Relief. The supplies will go to help protect medical workers who are combating the COVID-19 crisis in the United States. photo courtesy of send relief

Southern Baptist donations include more than 172,000 N95 masks and more than fifty-six thousand sets of personal protective equipment (PPEs) given to help protect medical workers serving on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. Missouri SBDR has deployed a shower unit for medical personnel at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and distributed N95 masks to state medical facilities. State SBDR teams across the nation are doing similar work. “We are trying to be creative, to think outside the box,” said Sam Porter, national director for SBDR with the North American Mission Board

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE Praying Through the Crisis

AS THE WORLD STRUGGLES THROUGH THE COVID-19 CRISIS, THIS GENERATION OF IMB MISSIONARIES ASKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS AS THEY SHARE THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST WITH THOSE LIVING IN FEAR AND DESPAIR.

Ways you can pray: PRAY FOR BELIEVERS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL AND STAND FIRM IN CHRIST. PRAY THAT LIVES WILL BE CHANGED BY THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. PRAY THAT GOD'S NAME WILL BE PROCLAIMED AMONG THE NATIONS.

THIS EPIDEMIC DEMANDS AN URGENT GLOBAL RESPONSE. GIVE TODAY TO AID THOSE BATTLING THE CORONAVIRUS.

IMB.ORG/COVID-19

(NAMB) and Send Relief. “Teams are able to do things they’ve never done or do things they’ve never thought of. It’s a time where Southern Baptists across the Convention are stepping up.” Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board and is a member of First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia.

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MINISTRY UPDATES—COVID-19 “As a Southern Baptist and as a Puerto Rican, I am reminded that nothing in God’s plan is a waste. This crisis, in His hands, is a great opportunity to glorify Him, exalt Christ, strengthen believers, and preach the Gospel to the lost.” Felix Cabrera, missionary Send Puerto Rico NAMB

Send Relief volunteers load up a church van with food to be distributed around Puerto Rico. photo by jonathan santiago

Send Relief Distributes Fifty Thousand Meals in Puerto Rico O n Sunday, March 15, Puerto Rico implemented an island-wide curfew in response to COVID-19. Under the curfew, all nonessential businesses—those not providing food, cleaning services, or health and medical services—were required to shut down, with all travel by the population limited during the day and restricted during nighttime hours. Since then, Send Relief has responded by distributing more than fifty thousand meals to vulnerable residents across the island through fifty local churches. As of April 9, there were 683 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and thirty-three deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Puerto Rico’s per capita testing rate remains among the lowest in the United States, however. “The struggle to hold on to some type of normalcy after Hurricane Maria and the earthquakes last January continues as the island of Puerto Rico joins the rest of the world in the fight against COVID-19,” said Jonathan Santiago, a Send Relief missionary and director of Send Relief Puerto Rico. The governor, Wanda Vázquez Garced, instituted the executive order, which was one of the most restrictive in the United States at the time. Send Relief mobilized and worked with the government to ensure they could legally provide assistance. The government granted the organization an exemption, a testimony to how the organization has earned trust through recent crisis responses, Send Relief leadership said. Felix Cabrera, the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) Send Puerto Rico missionary, is serving as the interim executive director for the Convention of Southern Baptist Churches in Puerto Rico. Once the lockdown was announced, he designed a distribution plan after speaking with Santiago.

“We divided the island into seven regions and contacted key pastors and church planters in each region,” Cabrera said. “We asked them to serve as our food distribution centers so that Send Relief could send the food to them.” Once Send Relief delivered food, pastors within each region collected the meals from a hub church, and then distributed them to the community. Food items included packs of rice, cans of beans, cans of tomato sauce, and cans of meat. “People are very grateful that organizations like Send Relief and others are stepping up,” Santiago said. “There’s always a need for many on the island, but we wanted to be proactive, knowing that the lockdown would make problems worse for those who may have already been struggling.” This first round of food distribution focused on three segments of the population: the elderly who are more susceptible to COVID-19, those who cannot leave their homes for health or other

physical reasons, and those whom pastors knew did not have the financial means to purchase food. “It’s amazing to see them work together as a team, the Send Relief team, the church-planting missionaries and pastors,” said Carlos Ferrer, NAMB’s executive vice president. “They are being the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s incredibly humbling to see them meeting needs and changing lives with everything they’re doing.” Ferrer, who originally came to the United States from Cuba as a refugee in the 1960s, has heavily invested his time and effort to serve the pastors and missionaries in Puerto Rico during NAMB’s recent ministry efforts on the island. “Puerto Ricans have gone through a financial crisis, Hurricane Maria, the earthquakes late last year and early this year, and now this virus,” Ferrer said. “They’ve had a lot to deal with the last couple of years. All kinds of people are looking for help, and Southern Baptists have come

Send Relief, a Southern Baptist compassion ministry organization, divided food items into thousands of grocery bags. Altogether, Send Relief distributed more than fifty thousand meals through fifty different church locations in order to provide food for people affected the island’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. photo by jonathan santiago

by Brandon Elrod

together, reaching out to people, meeting needs, and sharing the Gospel.” Some churches created a drive-thru system in their parking lots so people could pick up the food without having contact with volunteers— who wore gloves and masks as a safety measure. Pastors delivered food from house to house after receiving calls from those who could not leave their homes. “When we took meals to homes, we saw tears of joy,” said Cabrera. “One couple said to me, ‘Pastor, we thank God that this reminds us that we are not alone.’ Another pastor shared that a group from his church who lost their jobs were very grateful for their groceries.” Cabrera also mentioned that Puerto Rican Southern Baptists learned, in the aftermath of the earthquakes and now the COVID-19 crisis, that they do not have to wait for help. “As a Southern Baptist and as a Puerto Rican,” Cabrera said, “I am reminded that nothing in God’s plan is a waste. This crisis, in His hands, is a great opportunity to glorify Him, exalt Christ, strengthen believers, and preach the Gospel to the lost.” Santiago moved to Puerto Rico to become the island’s director of Send Relief in the months after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, and it has felt as though Send Relief has been in almost perpetual response since he arrived. “We’re not the only ones who are in constant response. The pastors of the churches are also in constant response as well,” Santiago said. “We have not seen any of the pastors struggle with responding or second guessing their response. They know what they’re called to, and they do it passionately, with commitment and, most of all, with the love that pastors should.” Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board and is a member of First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia.

“Puerto Ricans have gone through a financial crisis, Hurricane Maria, the earthquakes late last year and early this year, and now this virus. They’ve had a lot to deal with the last couple of years. All kinds of people are looking for help, and Southern Baptists have come together, reaching out to people, meeting needs, and sharing the Gospel.” Carlos Ferrer, executive vice president NAMB

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Send Relief Care Bags On Way to Healthcare Workers by Brandon Elrod

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end Relief volunteers in Denver, Ashland, Kentucky, and Alpharetta, Georgia, are assembling care packages to be distributed to healthcare workers who are on the forefront of fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Plans include sharing bags in hard-hit areas such as New York City and New Orleans. Send Relief organized the project in order to encourage healthcare professionals and to demonstrate how individuals, families, or local churches can come together to serve their communities. “Jesus gave His life for us, and this is a way that we can give to others,” said Bryant Wright, president of Send Relief. “Jesus teaches us that one way we can love God is to love our neighbor, especially our neighbor in need.”

In Alpharetta, Send Relief assembled two thousand care packages that will be distributed to local hospitals in Atlanta, sent to New Orleans, and some to governors’ offices in different US states. In Kentucky, volunteers put together another two thousand care packages, most of which will be going to New York City. A packing event at the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) facility in Alpharetta had to shift into homes after a shelter-in-place order took effect in Georgia. NAMB and Send Relief staff joined together with their families the weekend of April 4–5 to put various items—such as hygiene products, snacks, and hand-written notes—into bags. Send Relief leadership worked with Wellstar, a not-for-profit health system in Georgia, as

“Jesus gave his life for us, and this is a way that we can give to others. Jesus teaches us that one way we can love God is to love our neighbor, especially our neighbor in need.”

Bryant Wright, president Send Relief

Volunteers assembled appreciation bags for healthcare workers at the Send Relief ministry center in Appalachia while being careful to adhere to social distancing guidelines. The bags will be distributed in New York City, New Orleans, and other cities that are current hotspots for the COVID-19 crisis. photos courtesy of send relief

well as with connections through local churches to identify hospitals and healthcare facilities that could utilize the care packages. “Packing gifts for healthcare workers helped reset and refocus our family away from the challenges we’re facing personally to ways we can ease the burden for others,” said Faith Wroten, content manager and editor of On Mission Magazine at NAMB. In Denver, Jason Tipton, Send Relief’s national ministry center director for the Western US, has been working with churches to organize a similar care package drive in their communities. Providing care packages like these are one service opportunity that Send Relief has encouraged churches to practice during the COVID-19

pandemic. Send Relief also provides resources to help churches serve healthcare workers, vulnerable populations, and those who need food during this season. Send Relief has published several response guides that churches, families, and individuals can use to meet needs in their communities. Such service can lead to Gospel conversations as believers explain why they are serving their communities. Visit SendRelief.org/covid-19-information/ and look for the response guides in the right-hand column. Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board and is a member of First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia.

Even in adversity, the mission moves forward. Churches are still reaching their communities. Families are sharing the hope of the gospel with their neighbors. Supported by your gifts, missionaries are still serving throughout North America.

Thank y ou, pastors! Hear encouraging stories of people and churches meeting needs and changing lives on the Stories of Hope podcast.

namb.net/Podcasts

STORIES OF HOPE

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Churches Respond to Needs T in COVID-19 Crisis by Tess Schoonhoven

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he needs of communities around the US have been growing in midst of the COVID-19 global crisis. With many families unable to maintain proper childcare in light of schools shutting down, college students without a place to live, and insecure communities without essential household items, churches are stepping in to bring practical aid. Green Hill Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, has jumped in to help bring food to those who normally rely on school meals for their children. Rickey Baxley, administrative pastor at Green Hill Church, said they are partnering with the local food pantry and elementary schools. “Many students receive two meals a day from their school and with schools being out, there was an immediate need to make sure food was available to those students within the community,” Baxley said. Baxley said Green Hill offered prepared food boxes to families in need in the mornings at the church. Each box provided three to four meals for a family of four. A local company also donated fresh fruit and produce for families to retrieve from the church, Baxley said. In addition to the boxed meals available in the mornings, Baxley said each evening the church will have full meals ready to be picked up. “They won’t even have to get out of their car,” Baxley explained. “[They] just pull up and let us know how many meals are needed, and our volunteers will bring them to their vehicle.” The church continues to have drive-through food distribution several times a week. “We are grateful for the privilege of continuing to meet the needs of our community as

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“We are grateful for the privilege of continuing to meet the needs of our community as this season keeps rolling and look forward to using this as a platform to meet the immediate needs and to share the Gospel.” Rickey Baxley, administrative pastor Green Hill Church Mt. Juliet, Tennessee

this season keeps rolling and look forward to using this as a platform to meet the immediate needs and to share the Gospel,” Baxley said. The church’s community was hit hard right before COVID-19 began spreading rapidly in the area when a tornado tore through Mt. Juliet, destroying homes and taking lives. Immanuel Nashville, also in Middle Tennessee, made an effort to help find housing for college students displaced by the canceling of in-person classes and campuses closing down. Barnabas Piper, director for community at Immanuel, said when the church heard of local universities’ decision to move all residential students off campus they acted immediately. “Those who minister on-campus were quick to notify the church staff and put out word on social media so we could begin to mobilize,” Piper said. “We realized that many of the students most likely to be stranded were international students who could not easily return home because of visa issues, cost, and COVID-19 related restrictions.” Piper sent out a request to Immanuel’s small groups and discipleship groups to see if anyone

had rooms or apartments available and within a few hours heard from more than twenty individuals offering housing accommodations. “We were also put in touch with a number of campus ministries who had banded together to care for students,” Piper said. “This allowed us to connect with a number of international students and find them housing through the end of the school year.” Piper noted that the eagerness of the church to serve the community has been an amazing thing to see unfold. “Collectively, the church stepped up to care for people in a time of crisis,” Piper said. “I didn’t even have to facilitate or try to create momentum because the people were so ready to be good neighbors. I simply took the opportunity to give them a chance, and they ran with it.” Dean Inserra, pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Florida, encouraged churches to join in with already existing local efforts to aid their communities. “Don’t feel like you have to create a new ministry or a new program,” Inserra said. “That

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could be overwhelming, and a lot of times out of our expertise.” Inserra encouraged church leaders not to fear simply pointing their congregation toward efforts that are already happening. City Church is working to meet financial needs by directing some of their giving to a local food bank, Second Harvest Food Bank, that is putting together meals, rather than try to start their own meal providing efforts. “We’re big on not reinventing the wheel or trying to do our own thing when there’s already stuff happening with people who do this kind of thing regularly,” Inserra said. “You’re going to see us [City Church] join existing ministries and see how we can help them.” City Church has also been in a longstanding partnership with a local high school and has

made itself available to whatever needs may continue to arise in the coming weeks. “We are ready to mobilize and help that school in any way we can.” Inserra said. “Our church wants to know right away, ‘what are we doing?’ [to help],” Inserra said. “Our church expects that to happen. That’s just how our church thinks. We’ll have people that definitely get on board.” As communities continue to be heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunities for churches to come alongside those in need will increase.

Tess Schoonhoven is a staff writer for Baptist Press and is in the process of becoming a member at Immanuel Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee.

We exist to assist and equip you in ministry, even in the midst of uncertain times.

Find COVID-19 Resources For Your Church ERLC.com/COVID19

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MINISTRY UPDATES—COVID-19

College minister Noble Paddyaker meets with University of Oklahoma students from his work station at home. photo courtesy of baptist press

Forward Emphasis

College Ministry Leaders Work to Continue Outreach amid COVID-19 Restrictions by Tess Schoonhoven

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ollege ministry thrives in community. But the COVID-19 pandemic—and the resulting social distancing policies, including bans on large gatherings and campuswide shutdowns—has in many ways severed traditional connections. In an uncertain time, college ministries are finding ways to not only maintain community despite distance, but also working to foster an increasingly encouraging environment for the future.

A Heightened Focus

“Ministry looks like real life,” said Tiffany Hudson, director for Vanderbilt University Baptist Collegiate Ministry in Nashville. “It looks like helping collegians understand their need for community and providing space for them to continue to navigate life together.” The correct focus of college ministry is leading students to the Word of God, where they can find true soul nourishment, Hudson continued. Even though most students have left campus because of the pandemic and scattered to their various homes, disrupting the traditional avenues for encouraging and equipping, that focus hasn’t changed. “Ministry [now] looks like helping them relieve stress, worry, and anxiety with online hangouts, fun activities, and opportunities to express their feelings,” Hudson said. “It’s about helping collegians walk through sorrow, but also find joy in a new normal.”

a welcoming space for those not already involved in the ministry. Schroeder said without that designated space for outreach, learning new ways to engage those students not already plugged in—and now, not even on campus, as it’s shut down and classes have moved online—has been difficult. “We’re all so spread out, and I’m not seeing any of my classmates who I was trying to reach out anymore,” Schroeder said. “So, I’ve actually been really struggling with what it looks like to be missional. What does it look like to the nations, to people around me right now, when I’m stuck in my apartment?” UT-Martin’s Owen expressed a similar concern, noting that fewer students have participated in some sessions since four mission trips scheduled for May were canceled. Bill Choate, collegiate ministries director for Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said many groups face the challenge of how to continue discipleship that is outward-facing. Moving campus ministry online was the first response.

She said the pandemic is a call to ministry leaders to dig deep into the creative bucket for new and innovative ways to do outreach, discipleship, and Gospel ministry. Around the country, college ministries are utilizing platforms such as Zoom, Facebook Live, Instagram, GroupMe, and Skype to meet and maintain connections. Morgan Owen, BCM director at University of Tennessee-Martin, said the staff’s biggest focus during the disruption of normal activities has been on using Instagram to communicate. “BCM thrives because of the dynamics of community,” Owen said. “The obvious path to take was moving to a digital form of programming.” Owen said BCM at UT-Martin hosts different programs with varying audiences and content focuses throughout the week, including a weekly worship service, short devotionals hosted by Owen, men’s and women’s discipleship groups, prayer meetings, and devotionals for the student leadership of BCM. Hudson said Vanderbilt’s BCM has used Zoom for interactive meetings like Bible studies, but also for more laid-back sessions with the goal of simply building community. “We host BCM ‘Cribs’ and each student gave us a tour of their home,” Hudson said. “We learned about each other, the things people collect, and even met some family members and pets of our students.”

A Place to Belong

Student leaders of collegiate ministries are also

having to adjust to the now completely online platforms for ministry. Elizabeth Schroeder, a sophomore elementary education major at University of Oklahoma, leads a weekly small group through the BCM chapter at OU. Schroeder said her hope in the Zoom meetings is to provide a comfortable space to engage, connect with each other, and feel like they belong. “I appreciate that we’re still making an effort to be in community and still grow together, even though we’re all spread out and isolated,” Schroeder said. Joe Bouchard, a junior linguistics and computer science double major, also helps lead a small group at OU. He echoed Schroeder’s sentiments. “We’re still having good conversation,” Bouchard said. “We’re still doing things as a community, together, even though we’re not physically together, which is a whole lot of fun.” Bouchard said students are also finding ways to have fun together outside of the regular scheduled small groups meetings through avenues like custom Minecraft video game servers, challenges on social media, and simply hanging out on Zoom calls. But continuing the mission of ministry outreach is not as straightforward as it was in person and on campus, Schroeder noted.

Outreach Challenges

Last fall, OU BCM moved into a new building on campus. Adjacent to the school’s dormitories, it features a coffee shop, which was designed to be

Choate, who emphasized that college ministries must work hand in hand with the local church, said vigilant prayer is critical as churches and collegiate ministries of all sorts continue to figure out what all facets of their ministry look like during the pandemic restrictions. Likewise, Schroeder noted that in some cases now, prayer is the only available ministry, thus making it even more essential. “It’s something that, when that’s one of the only things I can do, because I can’t leave my house, takes on so much more meaning,” she said. As the immediate future of on-campus college ministry remains largely unknown, Hudson noted the importance of diving deep into the Bible and reflecting on the character of God. Many colleges and universities have already announced summer classes will be online-only; plans for the fall semester are uncertain. “It’s a challenge to see the future at this point, but as believers we know the One who holds the future so we trust it is coming,” Hudson said. “I firmly believe God is doing a work in each of us during this time of quarantine. We are taking a slower pace, spending more time reading and reflecting on God’s Word, seeking new and innovative ways to stay in community and further the Gospel.” Hudson said it’s vital that leaders continue in prayer and faithfully work in the areas of ministry and outreach that are currently available. She is looking forward to the eager and receptive attitude of students when they return to campus, which she believes will create a prime opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. “I believe whole-heartedly that as long as we stay the course, work hard, and continue to do what it is God has called us to do, our ministries will flourish and be stronger than ever when COVID-19 is a thing of the past,” Hudson said. “As leaders we will be better equipped to minister to college students. We may eliminate things that once worked, and we will most definitely implement new ministry tools and resources that we may not have ever created if it were not for a global pandemic.” Tess Schoonhoven is a staff writer for Baptist Press and is in the process of becoming a member at Immanuel Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Ministry looks like real life. It looks like helping collegians understand their need for community and providing space for them to continue to navigate life together. Ministry [now] looks like helping them relieve stress, worry, and anxiety with online hangouts, fun activities, and opportunities to express their feelings. It’s about helping collegians walk through sorrow, but also find joy in a new normal.” University of Oklahoma Baptist Collegiate Ministries students have continued to worship and grow together via online meetings. photo courtesy of baptist press

Tiffany Hudson, director Baptist Collegiate Ministry Vanderbilt University

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2020

LifeWay Cancels June Camps in Response to the Coronavirus by Carol Pipes

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ifeWay Christian Resources announced April 7 that FUGE, StudentLife, Student Life for Kids, and CentriKid camps, as well as World Changers projects scheduled for June, have been canceled due to concerns stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. “We’ve been closely monitoring the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the guidance of government and health authorities to ensure we are taking the right actions to protect our campers, staff, and the communities where we host camps,” said Ben Trueblood, director of students at LifeWay. “Due to the continued health concerns related to COVID-19, we’ve made the decision to cancel all camp programming for the month of June. “While we are disappointed, we know this is the right decision to ensure the health and safety of all participants,” Trueblood said. The precautionary move follows the Southern Baptist Convention’s decision to cancel its annual meeting, which was scheduled for June 9–10 in Orlando. Numerous public events scheduled for the summer across the nation have been canceled or postponed out of concerns for public safety.

“At this time, we’re still planning to hold camps scheduled for July and August,” Trueblood said. “We’re taking things week by week and will continue to evaluate the situation.” In the meantime, the LifeWay Students team is offering support and digital resources to student ministers during the COVID-19 crisis. “I’ve been so encouraged by the work of student ministry leaders to move programming online in the first few weeks of this pandemic,” Trueblood said. “It has been an incredible effort fueled by a desire to continue ministering to teenagers. “Our team wants to come alongside student ministry leaders during these unique times. We’ve created a hub where student ministers can find free digital Bible studies, advice on how to stay connected with students, and even community and support from other student ministers.” For more information, visit StudentMinistry.LifeWay.com/hub. “We are praying for student ministry leaders in these challenging times,” Trueblood said, “and we are thankful for their commitment to reach teenagers and their families with the Gospel.” Carol Pipes is director of corporate communications at LifeWay.

Campers play a game at a LifeWay FUGE Camp. LifeWay announced April 7 the cancellation of all its June 2020 camps. photo courtesy of lifeway

“We’ve been closely monitoring the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the guidance of government and health authorities to ensure we are taking the right actions to protect our campers, staff, and the communities where we host camps. Due to the continued health concerns related to COVID-19, we’ve made the decision to cancel all camp programming for the month of June.”

Ben Trueblood, director of student ministry LifeWay Christian Resources

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MINISTRY UPDATES—COVID-19

SBC Leaders Pray for Revival, End to Pandemic by Baptist Press Staff

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ith churches preparing for another week of online services on an unprecedented Easter Sunday, Ronnie Floyd gathered Southern Baptists from across the world on Good Friday to pray together online for the end of the COVID-19 global pandemic, and that God would use this time to call the Church to revival. “I believe God used this time to pray with others about our great needs here in America and around the globe,” Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, said shortly after the conclusion of the SBC Good Friday Prayer Gathering. “God also used this time to encourage each of us about all God is doing through our churches, and the work we do together in America and the world.”

“The world is searching for a cure to this virus, ultimately a cure for death, and your missionaries are there . . . to tell the world that the cure of death has been given already, and it’s been given in the cross.” Paul Chitwood, president International Mission Board

Among those participating in the event, which was streamed live at sbc.net/pray and the SBC Executive Committee’s Facebook page, were:

screen capture from facebook.com/sbcexeccomm

• Julio Arriola, executive director of Hispanic relations and mobilization, SBC Executive Committee • Marshal Ausberry, SBC first vice president • Jacob Boss, IMB missionary, and his daughter Skye • Paul Chitwood, president, International Mission Board (IMB) • Kevin Ezell, president, North American Mission Board (NAMB), and his wife Lynette • Steve Gaines, pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tennessee, and his wife Donna • J. D. Greear, SBC president • Jeremiah Lepasana, pastor, Bible Church International, Randolph, New Jersey • Ronnie Parrott, pastor, Christ Community Church, Huntersville, North Carolina, and his wife Marci • Heiden Ratner, church planter and pastor, WALK Church, Las Vegas, Nevada

“There is no better way for the world to see unity within the body of believers than when the church unites for prayer,” said Arriola, who delivered brief remarks and prayer in both English and Spanish. While they prayed for an end to and protection from the pandemic, as well as wisdom for governmental leaders, strength and protection for medical staff on the front lines, and so many other physical needs, the focus ultimately turned to greater spiritual needs. Paul Chitwood, president of the SBC’s International Mission Board, spoke of the work of missionaries around the world, even as most are restricted to their homes during the pandemic. Speaking to Southern Baptists, Chitwood said: “The world is searching for a cure to this

virus, ultimately a cure for death, and your missionaries are there . . . to tell the world that the cure of death has been given already, and it’s been given in the cross.” Ratner asked God to move mightily during Easter services, even while they’re held virtually because of the pandemic. “God, save people through screens,” Ratner prayed. “I pray more people would log onto church services Sunday than ever before. . . . I pray the Gospel would spread faster than [coronavirus].” Concluding the gathering, Floyd reminded participants of the Good News celebrated on Easter weekend: “Jesus is alive today.” To watch a replay of the online gathering, visit the SBC Executive Committee Facebook page at facebook.com/SBCExecComm.

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2020

Loans from State Conventions Helping Churches Weather COVID-19 by Diana Chandler

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hile the federal government is making loans available to churches to help them weather the COVID-19 economic downturn, state Southern Baptist conventions are also offering financial aid to struggling churches. The Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) and the Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA) are among several state conventions that have made loans available to struggling churches. In another example of how state conventions are helping, the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention (MWBC) discussed how best to support churches financially during a trustee board meeting April 17. Through Tuesday, April 7, the FBC had already approved about $400,000 in signature loans to perhaps fifty churches who sought the money to continue their daily operations, according to executive director Tommy Green. “We announced at the very beginning of this that we would be doing emergency type of loans to churches to help them cover salaries and things like that for their pastors and so forth,” Green said. “So a lot of churches probably will look to us, maybe rather than the [federal paycheck] protection plan, because . . . their need is not on such a large scale.” MWBC Executive Director Leo Endel said prior to the trustee meeting that he will ask

MWBC trustees to consider options to help churches financially survive the economic downturn, either by setting aside a certain amount of MWBC reserves or addressing needs case by case. The trustee meeting took place after SBC LIFE went to press. Endell said about 85 percent of some two hundred pastors in Minnesota and Wisconsin are bivocational, adding that plans are already in place to help those who lose their jobs in the marketplace. “If I found out one of my [bivocational] pastors had suddenly become unemployed,” Endel said, “then the state convention would try to do something for them out of our pastoral emergency funds.” Additionally, Endel said he would ask trustees to approve a $100,000 advance from MWBC reserves of more than $500,000 to help the MWBC continue its work. Endel said he appreciated the convention’s founders, who initiated the reserve fund years ago. “Their forethought in all of this is a benefit to us now,” he said. “For me, this is leaning into the preparation that our conventions have operated under since they were founded. This is what reserves are made for.” In Illinois, the IBSA began accepting applications April 15 from churches to apply

istockphoto

“We announced at the very beginning of this that we would be doing emergency type of loans to churches to help them cover salaries and things like that for their pastors and so forth. So a lot of churches probably will look to us, maybe rather than the [federal paycheck] protection plan, because . . . their need is not on such a large scale.”

Tommy Green, executive director Florida Baptist Convention

for emergency IBSA loans from a set-aside of $100,000. In a webinar April 2, IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams said the loans were designed to provide churches with “bridge income to help them from a time of stability through this downturn and on to another time of stability.”

He added: “It’s really designed for churches that are kind of on the brink . . . especially for our small and most vulnerable churches.” Diana Chandler is general assignment writer/editor for Baptist Press and is a member of First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

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MINISTRY UPDATES—COVID-19

Paycheck A Protection Plan Draws Feedback from Pastors, Ethicists by Diana Chandler

“The purpose behind the loan is to keep people employed. I don’t see a problem with doing it at all. It’s being wise stewards of the resources God provides, and if not anything else, you can pass those resources on in some way to others who might be hurting, in the long run.” Keith Carpenter, pastor Epic Life Church Seattle, Washington

s pastor of Epic Life Church in Seattle with only five employees, Keith Carpenter sees the Paycheck Protection Plan loan as a godsend during a devastating economic downturn prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. So does pastor A. B. Vines, whose multisite New Seasons Church in Spring Valley, California, employs about fifty. But some pastors have theological and ethical concerns with the loan, which is administered by the US Small Business Administration. “The purpose behind the loan is to keep people employed,” Carpenter said April 7, just a day after he applied. “I don’t see a problem with doing it at all. It’s being wise stewards of theistockphoto resources God provides, and if not anything else, you can pass those resources on in some way to others who might be hurting, in the long run.” At least two pastors, Bart Barber at First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, and Anthony Hicks of Clifton Baptist Church in Franklinton, Louisiana, have discouraged their congregations from applying for the loans offered under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was passed by Congress in March. “Generally speaking,” Barber wrote in a blog, “if it takes an act of Congress to make it happen, there’s more going on than just a loan from a bank.” But others, including Southern Baptist ethicists Russell Moore and Larry Lyon, said they do not see ethical compromises in receiving the loans. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), which Moore leads, joined a bipartisan push to clarify that religious liberties of churches would be protected under the loans administered by the Small Business Administration. The loans are included in the CARES Act, initially funded at $2 trillion and designed to relieve economic hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands and stymied the economy. President Donald Trump said April 7 he’ll work to add more money to the Paycheck Protection Program, which was initially funded at $350 billion. Businesses—as well as churches and other faith-based nonprofits—with fewer than five hundred employees are eligible to receive loans covering up to 2.5 times their average monthly payroll, with a cap of $10 million per loan, to cover expenses like payroll, utilities, and rent or mortgage payments. Carpenter said he intends to maintain his five-person staff at Epic Life Church in Seattle, which according to terms of the program would allow the loan to be forgiven. “We’re confident we’re keeping all of our employees, and because of that it really seems like a very wise thing to do, that the government has given us this opportunity to kind of have some more money for ministry purposes,” Carpenter said. “There’s no strings attached as far as we can see. At this time, we haven’t had to lay off anyone, but we don’t know what the future’s going to hold. The government I believe is rightly seeing 501c3s [nonprofits] as legitimate businesses in the states, and for them to keep people employed I think is a really good thing.” Vines, an ERLC trustee, had initial concerns about the loan, but he said those have been adequately addressed. “I read that there were no loopholes or attachments of us to them [the banks],” Vines said. “There’s no binding agreement that you now have a deed to our church or you govern us, there’s nothing like that. And at the end of the day, it was about taking care of my people. We have laid nobody off at any of our locations. . . . I don’t want to lay God’s people off.” Many of New Seasons’ members are employed in the service, entertainment, and education professions, Vines said, which are heavily impacted by the economic downturn. Loan recipients have until June 30 to ask for forgiveness. Vines will accept the loan as a grant, unless he finds the money is not needed. “We’ll get the money; if we do fine, we’ll give the money right back,” Vines said. “But I’d rather have a safeguard than no safeguard. If we come out of this thing fine, whatever amount we get, we’ll turn around and give it right back to them.” Lyon, an ethics professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, said the fact that the loans are forgivable makes them more useful to churches.

“Generally speaking, if it takes an act of Congress to make it happen, there’s more going on than just a loan from a bank.”

Bart Barber, pastor First Baptist Church Farmersville, Texas

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“If used in the ways that Congress intends, such as maintaining operations and payroll, then the forgiven loan becomes more like a public resource or public good that is provided by the government,” Lyon said. “This could be likened unto the fire department, public roads, and water lines. Churches use these services within their communities and these services are financed principally through taxes. “Churches do not typically deny these public goods on the grounds that if they are used then the government may possibly impose stipulations that alter the faithful preaching of the Bible,” Lyon reasoned. “While the analogy is imperfect, the point remains, churches who take the stimulus loan with the intent of using it as it is meant to be used would not violate any biblical principle.” Ethical issues would arise, Lyon said, if churches misuse the money, because “then the churches are being deceptive and are violating the Scriptures.” Barber wrote blog posts April 6 and 7 explaining why he’ll counsel First Baptist Church of Farmersville against taking advantage of the federal stimulus package. In a post April 6, he referenced seventeenth century Baptist pioneer John Smythe, who counseled churches to survive on tithes and offerings; and the biblical story in Genesis 14 of Abraham refusing to accept spoils of war from the king of Sodom, so others would know that only God had prospered Abraham. But Barber clarified in a follow-up post the next day that he was speaking only for himself, and that he was not attempting to tell others what to do. The ERLC’s Moore does not see the money as government loans, but as bank loans secured by the government.

“The loans themselves, whether to a church or to a hardware store, are not from the government at all, but, as always, from banks. The government’s role is simply to guarantee to the banks these loans, in case of default. That does not privilege or penalize any religion in any way different from any other entity.” Russell Moore, president The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

“The loans themselves, whether to a church or to a hardware store, are not from the government at all, but, as always, from banks. The government’s role is simply to guarantee to the banks these loans, in case of default. That does not privilege or penalize any religion in any way different from any other entity,” Moore wrote in a column posted March 31 after Congress passed the CARES Act. “Some church leaders are uneasy with the fact that some of these loans may turn out to be forgivable,” Moore said. “Again, though, this is not government funding. It would be, of course, if the SBA declared that, say, loans would be forgivable for churches and not for other similar bodies, but that is not the case.” Hicks, pastor of Clifton Baptist in Franklinton, Louisiana, said he prefers not to take loans to preserve the separation of church and state, even as he acknowledged that religious liberty

concerns surrounding the loans had apparently been resolved. “I realize there are churches that are in different circumstances and they have to make decisions for themselves,” Hicks said. “We personally [Clifton Baptist Church] are not going to take advantage of it, because even though supposedly, things . . . have been worked out . . . there [sometimes] are strings there that we don’t know about until later.” Many Southern Baptist state conventions are working to inform pastors of the new resource and in some cases, assist them in navigating the application. The Arkansas Baptist State Convention and the Florida Baptist Convention are among many groups providing online resources to help churches navigate the CARES Act and the paycheck protection loans. Bobby Thomas, president and CEO of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation,

said in an April 6 video that the foundation has already guided churches through the loan application process. Meanwhile, Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention (MWBC) executive director Leo Endel said he does not expect many of its two hundred member churches to apply for the federal loans. Florida Baptist Convention executive director Tommy Green expects many Florida churches to apply for the loans. The state convention has posted several related resources at flbaptist.org. “We are not counseling churches to do it or to not do it, we’re just trying to help them with the best information as everybody else is,” Green said. “We have many churches that I know are going to be making application, and we have some that probably will not make application for it. As a convention, we realize that there are churches that are in immediate peril and need. A lot of churches . . . don’t have reserves and they’re pushing week to week or month to month, financially.” In Minnesota and Wisconsin, Endel said he was seeing interest in the loans only among the few larger churches in the convention. “Most of our churches are small here in Minnesota-Wisconsin, and so I’m not anticipating a high percentage of them are going to take advantage of this,” Endel said. “I do think that for our larger churches, there may be more pressure for them to take a loan, so that they can cover a larger than normal staff. And so I am seeing an interest among our largest churches in taking a serious look at this.” Diana Chandler is general assignment writer/editor for Baptist Press and is a member of First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

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PAGE 20

SBC PROGRAM GUIDESTONE—Q&A

How Churches, Pastors Are Eligible for Relief in Stimulus Package by GuideStone staff

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he COVID-19 Pandemic Phase III Stimulus Package signed into law March 27 by President Trump will provide potential relief for churches and pastors, thanks to efforts by the Church Alliance, a national coalition of large and historic church benefit boards, including GuideStone, and Southern Baptist partners to ensure churches and pastors have the same options as small businesses and self-employed individuals attempting to financially weather the economic turmoil wrought by COVID-19. “Churches and pastors have options available to them depending on their own situations and convictions,” GuideStone President O. S. Hawkins said. “While we would never tell a pastor what he must do, it is good that the options are available for pastors and churches who may wish to avail

themselves of the options available through this legislation.” GuideStone’s legal team, led by Chief Legal Officer Harold R. Loftin, created the following Question-and-Answer document to provide general information on the new law. The answers offered below are based on a reading of the statute and in many areas, additional guidance from the IRS or other administrative agencies may be issued in the future that may cause these answers to change. For a complete and upated Q&A, visit GuideStone.org. Since every taxpayer’s situation is unique, it is recommended that individuals consult with an accountant or attorney familiar with the unique status of ministers’ taxes before taking action.

I. Questions and Answers Concerning the Recovery Rebate

II. Questions and Answers Concerning Federal Assistance Available to Pastors or Ministry Staff That Have Lost Their Jobs

As a pastor or an employee of a ministry, am I eligible for a recovery rebate? If you are a US resident with adjusted gross income under $75,000 ($112,500 for head of household and $150,000 married), are not the dependent of another taxpayer, and have a work-eligible Social Security Number (“SSN”), you are eligible for the full $1,200 ($2,400 married) rebate. If you have children, you are also eligible for an additional $500 per child. What if I earned more than $75,000 ($112,500 for head of household and $150,000 married)? Am I eligible for any rebate? Yes, depending on how much you earned over these amounts. The rebate amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 your income exceeds the phase-out threshold. The amount is completely phased out if your income exceeded $99,000, $146,500 for head of household filers with one child, and $198,000 for married couples with no children. For a typical family of four, the amount is completely phased out for those with incomes exceeding $218,000. What if my income was above the threshold in 2019, but I’ve lost my job due to the coronavirus? Can I still get a rebate check? Yes, if your income in 2019 was in the phase-out range you would still receive a partial rebate based on your 2019 tax return. Since the rebate is an advance on a tax credit that you may claim on your 2020 tax return, any additional credit you are eligible for will be refunded or reduce your tax liability when you file your 2020 tax return next year, assuming your income is lower in 2020 than in 2019. Is the rebate taxable or will I have to pay back any amount? No, the rebate is not considered income. Who qualifies as a child for purposes of the rebate? Any child who is a qualifying child for the purposes of the Child Tax Credit is also a qualifying child for the purposes of the recovery rebate. In general, a child is any dependent of a taxpayer under the age of 17. Do dependents other than children under 17 qualify a taxpayer for an additional $500 per dependent? No, the additional $500 per child is limited to children under 17. If I have little to no income or receive federal benefits, such as SSI, am I still eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, there is no qualifying income requirement. Even individuals with $0 of income are eligible for a rebate if they are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible SSN. As a pastor I opted out of Social Security years ago. Am I eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, as long as you are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible SSN. I am retired and my only income is from Social Security, my 403(b) account at GuideStone, and/or I receive an annuity form of benefit from GuideStone. Am I eligible for the recovery rebate? Yes, if you are not the dependent of another taxpayer. Seniors are still encouraged to file their 2019 tax return to ensure they receive their recovery rebate as quickly as possible. Are my college-aged children eligible for a recovery rebate? Only if they are not considered your dependent. Generally, a full-time college student under the age of 24 is considered a dependent if their parent(s) provide more than half of their support. I am a Mission:Dignity recipient. Am I eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, if you have a valid SSN and are not claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer. Will my Mission:Dignity grant or assistance payments be reduced based on the recovery rebate? No. What do I have to do to receive the recovery rebate? For most people, nothing. The IRS will use your 2019 tax return, or your 2018 return if you haven’t filed your 2019 return, to either deposit the money into an account you authorized to receive a refund or send you a check. What should I do if I did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2018? The best way to ensure you receive a recovery rebate is to file a 2019 tax return if you have not already done so. This could be accomplished for free online from home using the IRS Free file program, accessible through IRS.gov. The law also requires the IRS to publish an alert notifying all individuals of their eligibility for the rebate and how to receive it if they have not filed either a 2019 or 2018 tax return. Further information may be found at IRS.gov.

I have heard that unemployment insurance may be available to pastors or ministry staff that lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Is this true? Yes, the COVID Phase III Stimulus Package provides specific provisions that will allow pastors or ministry staff who have lost their jobs to apply for unemployment benefits. The law creates a temporary program through December 31, 2020, to provide payment to those not traditionally eligible for unemployment benefits (self-employed, independent contractors, those with limited work history, and others) who are unable to work as a direct result of the coronavirus public health emergency. How much is this benefit? The amount of the benefit is established by the unemployment insurance program in the state in which you live. The stimulus, however, provides an additional $600 per week payment to each recipient of unemployment insurance as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for up to four months and eliminates the requirement that unemployed individuals incur one week of unemployment before becoming eligible for benefits. In addition, the law provides an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits through December 31, 2020, to help those who remain unemployed after state unemployment benefits are no longer available. My employer reduced my work schedule instead of laying off employees. Am I eligible for a partial benefit? Yes, the law allows employees whose hours were reduced by employers to avoid layoffs to receive a pro-rated unemployment benefit. How do I apply for these benefits? The state in which you live administers the unemployment insurance program that provides these benefits. For instance, in Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission is responsible for administering this program. If you choose to apply for this benefit you will need to contact the appropriate state agency where you live. Here is a website that will allow you to navigate to the agency responsible for unemployment benefits in your state: go to careeronestop.org and look under “Find Local Help”.

III. Questions and Answers Concerning Accessing Retirement Plan Accumulations by Pastors or Ministry Staff Affected by the COVID Pandemic Does the stimulus package allow me to take money out of my retirement account to pay for expenses incurred during the COVID pandemic? Yes, if you have money available for distribution, the law waives the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty for distributions up to $100,000 from qualified retirement accounts for coronavirus-related purposes made on or after January 1, 2020. In addition, income attributable to such distributions would be subject to tax over three years. If you take a distribution, the law also allows you to recontribute the funds to an eligible retirement plan within three years without regard to that year’s cap on contributions. What is a coronavirus-related purpose? A coronavirus-related distribution is one made to an individual: 1) who is diagnosed with COVID-19; 2) whose spouse or dependent is diagnosed with COVID-19; or 3) who experiences adverse financial consequences as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, laid off, having work hours reduced, being unable to work due to lack of childcare due to COVID-19, closing or reducing hours of a business owned or operated by the individual due to COVID-19, or other factors that may be established by the government in the future. Does the stimulus package affect loans from my retirement plan? Yes, the law provides flexibility for loans from certain retirement plans for coronavirusrelated relief.

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IV. Questions and Answers Concerning Federal Assistance Available to Churches and Ministries What options are available for federal financial assistance to churches and ministries? The stimulus package makes available several forms of relief potentially benefitting churches and ministries. These include (1) payroll tax credits, (2) tax deferrals, (3) encouraging charitable contributions, (4) paycheck protection small business loans, and (5) economic injury disaster small business loans. What is the payroll tax credit? The stimulus provides a refundable payroll tax credit for 50 percent of wages paid by employers to employees during the COVID-19 crisis. The credit is available to employers whose 1) operations were fully or partially suspended due to a COVID-19-related shutdown order, or 2) gross receipts declined by more than 50 percent when compared to the same quarter in the prior year. How is the credit calculated? For eligible employers with 100 or fewer full-time employees, all employee wages qualify for the credit, whether the employer is open for business or subject to a shutdown order. The credit is based on qualified wages paid to the employee. For employers with greater than 100 full-time employees, qualified wages are wages paid to employees when they are not providing services due to the COVID-19-related circumstances described above. The credit is provided for the first $10,000 of compensation, including health benefits, paid to an eligible employee. The credit is provided for wages paid or incurred from March 13, 2020, through December 31, 2020. What tax deferrals are available? The stimulus package allows employers and self-employed individuals (which should include pastors for this purpose) to defer payment of the employer share of the Social Security tax they otherwise are responsible for paying to the federal government with respect to their employees or the self-employed person (pastors are treated as self-employed and pay SECA [Self Employed Contributions Act] taxes). Employers generally are responsible for paying a 6.2 percent Social Security tax on employee wages. The provision requires that the deferred employment tax be paid over the following two years, with half of the amount required to be paid by December 31, 2021 and the other half by December 31, 2022. Further guidance will be needed to determine how tax deferrals may impact pastors paying SECA taxes. This provision is not available to an employer who has had its debt forgiven in connection with a Paycheck Protection Loan. How does the law encourage charitable contributions? The stimulus package allows charitable deductions of up to $300 to churches and charitable organizations in 2020 regardless of whether donors itemize their deductions or not. The law also increases the amount of deductions for charitable contributions by individuals who itemize as well as corporations. For individuals, the 50 percent of adjusted gross income ceiling is suspended for 2020. For corporations, the 10 percent ceiling is raised to 25 percent of taxable income. This provision also raises the ceiling on deductions for contributions of food inventory from 15 percent to 25 percent. Why are small business loans being made available in the stimulus package? The purpose of these loans is to assist small businesses in keeping workers paid and employed during the pandemic. These loans are designed to give employers an incentive and provide the ability to keep their employees instead of laying them off and shutting down their businesses. Tax-exempt entities are specifically recognized as eligible to apply for these loans that are guaranteed by the federal government. How do the small business loans work for churches and ministries? Churches and ministry organizations that are exempt from tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Tax Code and that have fewer than 500 employees at one location and self-employed individuals, individuals operating as a sole proprietorship, or individuals operating as an independent contractor, may apply for a Paycheck Protection Loan to cover payroll and related employee expenses for the period February 15 through June 30, 2020, to help them sustain their ministries. How can the loan proceeds be used? The loan proceeds may be used to pay payroll costs, group health insurance benefits, paid sick leave, medical and insurance premiums, mortgage interest payments, rent payments, utilities, or interest on other loans outstanding at the time of the pandemic. What costs are considered payroll costs? Salary or wages, payments of a cash tip, vacation, parental, family, medical or sick leave, health benefits, retirement benefits, state and local taxes. Note, however, that salary expenses above $100,000 per employee are not eligible for consideration as payroll costs and loan proceeds may not be used to pay salaries above $100,000 per employee. How much can a church or ministry borrow? The amount that may be borrowed is the total average monthly payroll costs for the preceding 12 months (March 2019 through February 2020) multiplied by a factor of 2.5. For example, if the average payroll costs for the preceding twelve months were $20,000, the maximum amount of the loan would be $20,000 times 2.5 for a total of $50,000. The maximum amount available for a Payroll Protection Loan is $10,000,000. Can a self-employed pastor apply for a Payroll Protection Loan? The stimulus package allows selfemployed individuals to apply for these loans. Under certain circumstances, pastors are considered self-employed and should be eligible to apply for a payroll protection loan under the same terms and conditions as other loan applicants. For example, if a pastor’s average monthly salary for the preceding twelve months was $5,000 then the pastor should be able to apply for a loan in the amount of $12,500. How soon must the church, ministry, or pastor repay the loan? Even though the CARES Act allowed up to ten years to repay these loans, newly issued guidance by the Department of Treasury requires these loans to be repaid with two years. What interest rate will these Payroll Protection Loans bear? While the maximum interest rate for these loans under the Stimulus Program is 4 percent per year, the Interim Final Rule issued April 2, 2020, established that the interest rate will be 1 percent. Is the church, ministry, or pastor required to pledge collateral for the loan, or will another party have to guarantee repayment? No. Further, the loans are non-recourse to the borrower with the exception that if loan proceeds are used for an unauthorized purpose, the then loan may be collected from the borrower.

May payments under the loan be deferred? Yes, for a period not less than six months but not to exceed more than one year from the date of the loan. May all or part of the Payroll Protection Loan be forgiven? Yes, the program is designed to encourage employers to retain employees and loan forgiveness is a key feature of these loans. A ministry under a covered loan can have all or a portion of the principal of the loan forgiven in an amount equal to payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, or utility costs during the eight-week period following the origination of the loan. The forgiven amount, however, may be reduced based on a formula that compares the ministry’s employment in prior pre-COVID periods with the number of employees and each employee’s wage or salary in the eight-week period following the origination of the loan. If employee wages are reduced by more than 25 percent during the period from February 15, 2020, through June 30, 2020, loan forgiveness is reduced by the amount of the wage reduction in excess of 25 percent. Who is responsible for administering this program? The loan program will be administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under its existing Section 7(a) business loan program. Certain requirements associated with typical SBA loans, such as guarantees, collateral, and “credit available elsewhere” underwriting, have been relaxed or eliminated. How can a church, ministry, or pastor apply for a Payroll Protection Loan? If you choose to pursue a Payroll Protection Loan, you will need to apply through an approved SBA lender, which includes most local banks. The approved SBA lender will assist you in completing the application and providing the required documentation for the loan. The loan documentation requirements and other traditional requirements to obtain a small business loan are substantially relaxed under this loan program. What are Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs)? The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program can provide up to $2 million of financial assistance from the SBA to small businesses or private, non-profit organizations that suffer substantial economic injury as a result of the declared disaster, regardless of whether the applicant sustained physical damage. How do EIDLs work for churches and ministries? Section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business Act makes loans available for economic injury (inability to meet financial obligations) attributable to COVID-19. Private nonprofits, including churches and ministries, are eligible for EIDLs from January 31, 2020 to December 31, 2020 to help them sustain their operations by paying payroll and related expenses. GuideStone does not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. For purposes of Circular 230 and unless expressly stated otherwise above, nothing contained in this message was intended or written to be used or may be relied upon or used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

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SBC PROGRAM REUNIÓN ANUAL DE LA SBC 2020

Reunión Anual de la SBC 2020 Cancelada por George Schroeder

E

n respuesta a la pandemia COVID-19, la reunión anual de la Convención Bautista del Sur (SBC) ha sido cancelada por primera vez en 75 años. Citando la autoridad provista por la constitución de la SBC “en el caso de una emergencia grave,” la decisión fue hecha el 24 de marzo en una votación unánime de un cuerpo compuesto por los oficiales de la SBC, el Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC y los líderes de instituciones y de las juntas de la SBC. La reunión anual, la cual estaba originalmente programada para el 9 y 10 de junio en Orlando, no está siendo reprogramada. El presidente de la SBC, J. D. Greear, pastor de The Summit Church en el área de Raleigh-Durham, Carolina del Norte, dijo que estaba “entristecido” de hacer el anuncio, pero lo describió como necesario a la luz de la continuada crisis y de la incertidumbre de cuándo pueda terminar. “Somos personas comprometidas a mantener el Evangelio sobre todo,” dijo Greear, “y nuestro único propósito al reunirnos es apoyarnos los unos a los otros en esa misión catalizando nuestros esfuerzos colectivos de la misión. Este año, las inusuales circunstancias significa que podemos lograr mejor nuestra meta no reuniéndonos.” Al momento del anuncio el 24 de marzo, casi 400,000 casos confirmados de la infección COVID-19 habían sido confirmados a nivel mundial, con más de 17,000 muertes. En los Estados Unidos, más de 46,000 casos confirmados habían sido reportados, con casi 600 muertes; los números continúan ascendiendo significativamente cada día. En un intento por disminuir la propagación del coronavirus, el cual amenazaba con devastar el sistema de salud de la nación, las autoridades gubernamentales a niveles estatales y locales han declarado estado de emergencia y animaron o requirieron prácticas extremas de distancia social, además del cierre de muchos negocios, tiendas y restaurantes. Las actuales directrices federales, incluyendo una recomendación para evitar reuniones de más de 10 personas, han sido adoptadas a varios niveles—algunas veces como órdenes obligatorias. En algunos lugares, a los residentes se les ha ordenado permanecer en sus casas. Los organizadores de la Convención han anticipado que la reunión anual de la SBC 2020 podría atraer el mayor número de mensajeros desde los casi 12,000 que participaron en la reunión anual 2010, también en Orlando. Sin embargo, Ronnie Floyd, presidente y director ejecutivo del Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC, dijo que la continua incertidumbre sobre si los grupos

grandes se podrían volver a reunir o cuándo— además de las preocupaciones acerca cuándo sería prudente hacerlo—impulsó el movimiento a cancelar. Al llamar la reunión anual de la SBC “la más fundamental reunión que tenemos cuando llevamos adelante nuestro compromiso de alcanzar el mundo para Cristo,” Floyd dijo que los líderes de la SBC estaban “enfrentados con una decisión que ninguno de nosotros creyó tener que enfrentar nunca,” y describió la cancelación como “dolorosa,” pero dijo: “la realidad alrededor de nosotros nacional y mundialmente no puede ser ignorada.” “Sabemos que esto es lo correcto que debemos hacer,” dijo Floyd. “Estamos extremadamente decepcionados de tener que tomar esta decisión, pero Dios nos mirará a través de ello y nos dará un camino hasta que podamos reunirnos en persona de nuevo. . . . sabemos que nuestras iglesias necesitan enfocarse en ministrar a sus comunidades y a aquellos que han sido impactados por la pandemia mundial COVID-19. “Aunque físicamente no nos reuniremos en junio en Orlando, estaremos juntos en unidad a medida que ministremos nuestras iglesias, misioneros, plantadores de iglesias, a nuestros estudiantes de seminario y a nuestras propias comunidades.” La última vez que la reunión anual de la SBC fue cancelada fue en 1945, durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, cuando el gobierno de los Estados Unidos prohibió las reuniones de grupos de más de 50 personas. La SBC se preparaba para celebrar su 100o aniversario, pero en vez de eso se saltaron un año. El protocolo seguido el martes fue instituido por los mensajeros en la reunión anual SBC de 1946. La histórica decisión, establecida en el artículo XI, sección 4 de la Constitución de la SBC fue alcanzada durante dos videos de llamada de conferencia. En una votación nominal. El Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC votó 77–0 por la cancelación con cinco miembros ausentes. Fue seguida por un voto unánime del cuerpo compuesto por el Comité Ejecutivo, los oficiales de la convención y los líderes de las juntas y de las instituciones de la convención. Mike Stone, presidente del Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC y pastor de Emmanuel Baptist Church en Blackshear, Georgia, dijo que, aunque la decisión involucró consideración de factores legales, financieros y constitucionales, él vio la decisión “como pastor, no como presidente de la junta.” Añadió que el hecho de ser la primera cancelación en 75 años “prueba que no es una decisión hecha a la ligera.”

“Aunque el proceso constitucional de votar es algo simple que involucra alrededor de 100 líderes,” dijo Stone, “la información necesaria para realmente tomar la decisión más sabia es bastante complicada. El personal del CE, los oficiales y los asesores legales trabajaron diligentemente para considerar los diferentes resultados de la cancelación.” La reunión anual de la SBC 2021 está programada para el 15 y 16 de junio de 2021, en Nashville. De acuerdo con los documentos gobernantes de la SBC, la postergación de una reunión anual es solamente una opción “si la ciudad sede retira su invitación o si está incapacitada para llevar a cabo su compromiso.” El presidente de la SBC tiene la autoridad de convocar a una reunión especial con la concurrencia de los otros oficiales de la Convención y el Comité Ejecutivo, pero esa acción no se está tomando en este momento. Tener la reunión anual de la SBC en línea como una reunión virtual o en varios ubicaciones satélite no es una opción bajo los documentos gobernantes de la SBC. Aunque las reuniones anuales han sido transmitidas en vivo durante años, los documentos gobernantes requieren que todos los negocios conducidos en la reunión anual sean realizados por los “mensajeros presentes y votados en persona.” Cualquier cambio a los documentos gobernantes requiere la aprobación de los mensajeros en la reunión anual. En su reunión en septiembre de 2019, el Comité Ejecutivo declinó una recomendación hecha durante la reunión anual SBC 2019 para estudiar la viabilidad del voto a distancia y la participación remota en las reuniones anuales de la SBC. La moción fue una de muchas similares hechas a través de los años. Al declinar estudiar la idea, el CE citó razones que han sido citadas al declinar mociones anteriores, incluyendo: La complejidad de la implementación; la vulnerabilidad de las sesiones a fallas potenciales de la tecnología; la exactitud de la votación; y la mecánica de conducir las sesiones de negocios, con los mensajeros que buscan reconocimiento para el debate. Tampoco hay precedentes de negocios oficiales que hayan sido conducidos usando los métodos virtuales en las reuniones anuales de las convenciones estatales de la SBC. Con la cancelación de la reunión anual, los oficiales de la SBC permanecerían en el puesto hasta que sus sucesores sean elegidos en la próxima reunión anual. Los miembros de muchos comités permanecerían en el puesto también. Los períodos de expiración de los directivos de las entidades de la Convención

dependerían de los estatus individuales de cada entidad. El Presupuesto de Asignaciones del Programa Cooperativo y el Comité Ejecutivo y el presupuesto de operaciones de la SBC pueden ser adoptado por el Comité Ejecutivo, el cual es una autoridad interina. Con la cancelación de la reunión anual 2020, todas las reuniones auxiliares que se habrían realizado en el tiempo de la convención también han sido canceladas. Bill Townes, oficial financiero jefe del Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC y gerente de la convención para la reunión anual, dijo que el personal del Comité Ejecutivo comenzaría inmediatamente el proceso de “revisar y valorar todos los contratos y obligaciones relacionados con la reunión anual de la SBC 2020.” Townes dijo que los organizadores contactarían directamente a los mensajeros preinscritos, expositores, planificadores de eventos auxiliares. Dijo que muchas preguntas serían contestadas en una sección de preguntas y respuestas publicada en el sitio web de la SBC, y añadió que la sección se actualizaría cuando fuera necesario. Townes sugirió enviar por correo electrónico otras preguntas al personal del CE de la SBC a annualmeeting@sbc.net. La Conferencia de Pastores de la SBC es un evento separado. David Uth, presidente de la Conferencia de Pastores 2020 y pastor de First Baptist Church Orlando, dijo el martes que, como una reunión auxiliar de la reunión anual, la conferencia de pastores sería cancelada también. El rol de Uth como presidente de la conferencia de pastores 2021 todavía no ha sido determinado. Greear dijo que aun sin una reunión anual en 2020, la misión de los bautistas del sur “continuará,” e instó a los bautistas del sur a encontrar aliento en enfocarse en el ministerio hasta la reunión anual 2021. “La sede de la SBC no es en Nashville ni en Orlando,” dijo Greear, “ni el principal impulso para el ministerio es lo que sucede en el plenario de la Convención. La sede de la SBC es la iglesia local. Nuestra fortaleza está en sus púlpito y bancas. Dios nos ha dado ahora un nuevo reto, y como él lo promete, nos dará gracia suficiente para ese reto. “Mi oración es que cuando nos juntemos en Nashville en 2021, nos encontremos más fuertes que nunca y llenos de gozo de que nuestro Dios estuvo con nosotros.” George Schroeder es vicepresidente asociado de noticias de la convención en el Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC.

PAGE 23 | SPRING

2020

PROGRAM SBC LIFE JOURNAL—LAUNCH ANNOUNCEMENT

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SPRING

2020 |

PAGE 24

A LETTER TO SOUTHERN BAPTISTS Dear Southern Baptists, Our work as Southern Baptists is alive and well around the world. While the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic is affecting our lives and churches, the Lord is using this threatening force to open doors for us to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the whole world. While communities, cities, and even countries are slowing to a standstill, the Lord still reigns in all of His power and glory. Our churches and pastors are laboring in an unceasing manner, ministering to their own people in need, and also responding to the emerging needs of people in their respective communities. I want to assure you that our associations, state conventions, and national entities are busy doing the same. Even though we are all operating in new and different ways in these uncertain times, we are in continual communication with one another. We are giving ourselves to assisting our churches, communicating with and encouraging our pastors, and doing our work in a more focused way than ever before. God is using this global pandemic to bring us together, to communicate with one another regularly, and to sharpen our focus like never before. We are doing all we can with all God has entrusted to us to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in every town, every city, every state, and every nation. God is opening the hearts of the lost and hopeless like never before. He is calling His people to Himself like never before. The urgency of reaching every person for Jesus Christ has never been more pressing in our generation. Whatever God is doing and however God is wanting to use these unprecedented circumstances in our generation, we need to be more prayerful than ever before. We thank God for the blessing of technology because circumstances have prevented most of our churches from meeting together in person. We do not know how long this will be necessary, but we do know God is drawing people to Himself, as churches are seeing great numbers tuning in online, and the harvest of the lost is occurring.

In times like these, we need the hand of God upon us like never before. The foundations of our nation are being shaken, the fear of the unknown is ever-present, and desperation is rising across the globe. We are praying for Southern Baptist churches to rise up with a confident resolve that God is up to something great among us. Ronnie Floyd, president & CEO SBC Executive Committee

Many of our churches have begun to livestream their services, joining those that had already embraced the technology. Other churches and the support systems at every level of our Southern Baptist work are helping make this possible. Let me share an update of all we have seen amid rapid global change: •

On Thursday, March 12, many of our Southern Baptist leaders joined me in designating Sunday, March 15, a day of prayer for the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. The response was amazing. Our Day of Prayer posts reached more than 1.1 million people via Facebook. Additionally, thousands joined the Good Friday online prayer gathering to pray for an end to the pandemic and that God would bring revival. This unprecedented response from our people and churches demonstrates how much we recognize that we must call upon God in these uncertain times. But, the prayer does not need to cease or even slack (we’re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray constantly).

Each of us personally—and our churches collectively—must increase in prayer. Together, this is a time for us to practice extraordinary prayer and seek the Lord. We join those who have gone before us by calling out these words to God: We do not know what to do, but we look to you (2 Chronicles 20:12). • Pastors and church leaders, communicate with your people continually and do all you can each Sunday, however you may have to do it, to preach the Word of God, share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and call upon people to follow Jesus. Yes, people need Jesus, and people need Jesus now. Serve your church, take care of the people, encourage families who are spending more time with one another, and look for opportunities to minister to the people in your community. One small act of kindness and compassion may open doors to share Jesus Christ with them. It may also reset their understanding of who your church is and what your church is about. • Churches helping churches is also very important. There may be churches in your immediate region that your church has the ability to help financially through this crisis. Whether you are helping a pastor and/or a church that is in need, let’s do whatever is necessary to remind everyone: We are in this together and will get through it together. • To all of us as Southern Baptists, please remember to pray for and support our 3,700 missionaries (and their 2,880 children) who are doing all they can to take the Gospel to the peoples outside the United States. Additionally, pray for and support our 5,017 missionaries here in North America. Furthermore, please do not forget to pray for and support our 3,500-plus endorsed chaplains.

While the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board are both facing unprecedented challenges, our six seminaries are training more than 23,800 seminary students via technology after dismissing on-campus instruction for the remainder of the semester. Our other national entities and each of our state conventions and associations are trying to do ministry in ways they have never done before. Each of us need the wisdom of God, the discernment of the Holy Spirit in decision-making, and the courage to face these times with faith, perseverance, and hope. May this global crisis grant to each of us insight and innovation in ministry that we would not have had otherwise.

Finally, in times like these, we need the hand of God upon us like never before. The foundations of our nation are being shaken, the fear of the unknown is ever-present, and desperation is rising across the globe. We are praying for Southern Baptist churches to rise up with a confident resolve that God is up to something great among us. May this be a generational moment when the Lord revives His church in America, and His Spirit ushers in the next Great Awakening in the United States of America. May it set a new path forward for our nation in every way, and set our hearts focused as never before on reaching every person for Jesus Christ in every town, every city, every state, and every nation. We are praying for you. Now Is The Time To Lead,

Ronnie W. Floyd President & CEO SBC Executive Committee