The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-02/02/2015 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Frank Page, at NOBTS, addresses suicide epidemic by Frank Michael McCormack Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- "I've never preached on this subject at a seminary before," Frank Page said. I've spoken on it in churches a few times, but not often. "For you see, five years and two months ago, my daughter left her family behind when she committed suicide. That 'left behind' feeling still affects us to this day," Page, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, said in his chapel message at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Jan. 27. He described how, in late 2009, he received a call from his oldest daughter Melissa. "It had been a tumultuous few weeks prior to that," Page said. "But believe me, my antenna went up when she said, 'Daddy, I love you.' I said, 'Baby, I love you.' She said, 'Daddy, tell mama and the girls I love them too.' I said, 'Honey, I'm not going to do that. You tell them that.' 'Daddy, I can't. I love you, daddy.' Click." Page said he immediately began calling and texting Melissa, with no answer. A few minutes later, he received a call from a member of his church who was Melissa's neighbor. "Pastor, there's an ambulance. Please, what's going on at Melissa's house?" she asked. Page rushed to his daughter's house only to be met by a police officer who said Melissa was at the hospital. He then rushed to the hospital, where a physician and member of his church met him and said, simply, "Oh pastor, I'm so sorry." "What did I do? What do you do when you hear something like that? Your firstborn baby has killed herself. I didn't know what to do, so I did what I knew to do. That was to quote Scripture," Page said. "God didn't need me to quote it to Him, but I needed to hear that word from the Lord." So Page fell to his knees in a secluded hospital room and quoted Job 1:21, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord." The second Scripture to come to mind was John 14:1-3: "Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come again and will receive you unto myself. That where I am you may be also." Page's message from John 14:1-3, framed by the story of his daughter's death, was weighty and timely, given the issues of depression, mental illness and suicide in the United States today. "Out of all people groups, all races, all ethnic groups, all socio-economic levels, it is epidemic," Page said. "In some parts of our country more so than others. Particularly among the younger demographic. In fact, it has taken a massive jump over the past few years among young women ages 18 to 29." According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2012 (the latest record available) the suicide rate in the United States was 12.6 deaths per 100,000 Americans. That's the highest suicide rate in 25 years. In 2012, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death among Americans. According to the organization Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), 15 percent of people who are clinically depressed die by suicide. Ninety percent who die by suicide have an existing mental illness or substance abuse problem at the time of death. Also according to SAVE, one in 65,000 children ages 10 to 14 die each year by suicide. Peace In light of the suicide epidemic in the United States, Page offered four words from the John 14 passage. He first pointed to a "word of peace." "Jesus said in that powerful Johannine passage: 'Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me,'" Page said. "He knew we would be troubled. … It's not a question of if. It's a question of when." Page also pointed to John 16:13: "In this life you will have tribulation." "Some of you have very deep scars of difficulty that have already beset you, even in your young lives," Page told the seminary audience. "We all struggle in life, but our Lord speaks a word of peace. 'I want to help you through that. You need to believe in God and believe in Me.' In that, you will find solace. In that, you will find a help which you cannot find anywhere else." Page said ministers and believers in general must be ready to confront and refute bad theology that declares suicide an unpardonable sin. "Teach the word that says if salvation is true it is forever," he said. He also challenged pastors to be deliberate about teaching believers to effectively minister to those going through difficult times, to be careful in what they say, and to avoid "trite platitudes" that are often untrue and many times inappropriate. One common, hurtful platitude is "You just need to snap out of it." "Don't ever say that," Page said. "If they could snap out of it, they would snap out of it." He also said it's important to practice and teach the ministry of comfort. "The Bible says we are to provide the comfort we received ourselves. It is our job to give that word of peace and comfort the Lord so desperately wishes people to have," he said. Preparation Second, Page pointed to a word of preparation in John 14:2. "'I go to prepare a place for you,'" Page emphasized. "My friends, those who know Him have a place in heaven, and I know my baby is in heaven now." Promise There's also a word of promise, found in John 14:3: "If I go … I will come again." Unfortunately, Page said, the second coming of Christ is an often-overlooked matter of theology. "It has just been left on the dusty shelf of theology," he said. "History is not cyclical. It is linear. It is going somewhere. It is headed for a collision course with eternity, and we need to preach it." Presence Finally, Page emphasized a word of presence at the end of verse 3: "that you also may be where I am." He also noted Psalm 46:1's assurance that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." People with depression and considering suicide as well as those left behind following a suicide desperately need to experience that presence, Page said. "They need to know there's a God who will love them and care for them. There is a God who will be there for them in the good times and the bad," he said. "Suicide is a horrible experience, but it happens. Marriages fail. The instances of divorce among those who have experienced suicide in the immediate family dramatically increases. Suicides themselves dramatically increase among survivors with a suicide in the family. There are ongoing consequences of any kind of tragedy, but particularly suicide. "People need to know that the only place you will find hope is in the Lord. He will be with you," Page said. Page chronicled the story of his daughter, Melissa, and his family's journey since her death in the book, "Melissa: A Father's Lessons from a Daughter's Suicide." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Flood victims in Southern Africa receive aid by Evelyn Adamson Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday JOHANNESBURG (BP) -- Severe rains have hammered Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi in recent weeks, displacing more than 200,000 people and leaving hundreds more missing or dead. Baptist Global Response and International Mission Board personnel rushed aid to vital areas, delivering food and supplies to families with critical needs across southern Africa. Rivers swelled beyond capacity, converted plains into lakes, and completely erased villages. In Malawi, a reported 275 people are missing or assumed dead. Mozambique reported there were 11,000 homes destroyed and 88 fatalities. Many villages in Malawi and Mozambique currently remain closed off by flooded roads, preventing relief supplies from reaching those in need. Despite the ongoing obstacles, IMB missionaries are launching relief efforts where possible. Partnering with Baptist Global Response, missionaries in Mozambique distributed food and supplies to more than 600 families. Cyclone Chedza hit Madagascar on Jan. 16, causing havoc across the center of the island and sweeping away villages as rivers burst their banks. IMB missionaries David and Kristin Washer and their family were at home in Manakara when the rain began to leak into their house. "There's a river that runs perpendicular to our street, and to the left of our house [the road] is uphill. About five in the morning we got up and were cleaning up water in our house because everything was leaking. I went out to go check on the neighbors," David Washer said. He discovered their neighborhood was on the brink of being enveloped by water. The waters rolled down their street but flowed away from his home. Theirs was the only house on high ground. Washer looked over to a small cluster of homes across the street and saw an elderly woman knocked over by the current. He ran, picked her up, and carried her across the street to his house, which still remained above the floodwaters. As the waters rose higher, the current became too strong for him to walk unassisted. Before continuing to help others cross the road, now flooded with waist-deep water, he grabbed a rope from his kids' swing set and anchored it across the street. Washer recalled, "We dodged one house going down our 'street river' while we were rescuing people trapped by the flash flood. God let us be involved in saving many lives." Washer and six other men from the neighborhood carried women and children to his home, the only space safe from the rising water. People filed into the Washers' backyard, balcony and spare rooms. For the next two nights, the Washers' neighbors stayed with them in their home. On the third day, supplies were delivered to a nearby school. Families left to gather aid supplies and returned to rebuild their homes. Of the 97 homes in the neighborhood, 23 were completely destroyed. Seven people died after being swept away by the strong current. While Washer and other men were rescuing people in their neighborhood, a search and rescue operation was underway to bring stranded IMB journeymen Amber Gould and Kayla Mabery to safety. Downed cell phone towers and impassable roads made it impossible to reach the young women. Finally a helicopter found and rescued Gould and Mabery and took them to a place of refuge in Manakara. The rains have stopped for now, but repairing the damage will continue over the coming months. Progress may stall, as roads remain flooded in many parts of Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi. Baptist Global Response is bringing much-needed assistance to the effected countries. For more information on relief efforts, visit www.gobgr.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Equipping the next generation by Ronnie Floyd Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: Ronnie Floyd is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of the multi-campus Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) -- Over 18,000 students are currently enrolled in our six Southern Baptist seminaries. This is the largest number of pastors, missionaries and scholars we have ever equipped at one time and is a great praise to our God. Due to the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention by courageous men and women of God, our six seminaries are now anchored in a deep belief in the infallibility and inerrancy of Holy Scripture. Our Southern Baptist Convention rose to the occasion to declare to the world, "We believe in the Bible!" In our Baptist Faith and Message 2000, our convention of churches declared boldly: "The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation." The presidents of our six seminaries, their administrations and faculties adhere to these words unashamedly and courageously. While the world is veering away from a deep belief in God's Word, we stand upon it with our very lives. Reading through our Baptist Faith and Message 2000 statement on The Scriptures reminded me that our churches should utilize this resource to keep before our people what we believe and who we are as Southern Baptists. Never again do we need to fall away from a deep, abiding belief in the infallibility and inerrancy of the Holy Scripture in our churches, seminaries and colleges. While some may believe that we limit ourselves due to our beliefs, the reality is our six Southern Baptist seminaries are educating more seminary students than ever before in our history. Yes, conservative theology works! I love our seminaries and their leaders While I am a two-time graduate of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, I want you to know that I love all of our seminaries, their leaders, and the value they bring to our entire convention of churches and our future together. Last fall, I was on five of our six seminary campuses. Before the spring semester concludes, I will have been on all six of our campuses. It does not matter which of the six campuses I am on, I feel I am among family and friends. Nothing excites me more than investing in the next generation of pastors, missionaries and scholars. Our six presidents are men who are deeply passionate about their calling, their work, the seminary they lead, and the value that our seminaries bring to Southern Baptists and beyond. I want to urge you to pray for them and encourage them when you can. The value they bring along with their teams who minister alongside them is great not only for today but even into eternity. For those who may not know the formal names and locations of our six seminaries and the year they were founded, the following is from sbc.net: -- The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (1859) -- The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (1908) -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana (1917) -- Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California (1944) -- The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina (1951) -- Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri (1957) Cooperation leads the way in equipping the next generation Did you know that your church's financial support through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention helps educate these 18,000 students? Any church that has a passion to see our future pastors, missionaries and scholars equipped in the Word of God to reach the world for Christ needs to do all they can to increase their generosity through the Cooperative Program. Do you realize that 22.16 percent of the monies that come through our Cooperative Program nationally goes toward our theological education ministries? Yes, you and your church play a huge part and can play an even bigger role in educating and equipping our next generation of leaders. A decade from now, whether a pastor is leading a church in Brooklyn, N.Y., Portland, Ore., Phoenix, Ariz., New Orleans, La., Cherokee, Texas, Ogden, Utah, or Westerville, Ohio, you and your church have invested in his future and advancement of the Gospel globally. A decade from now, whether one of our missionaries is serving on the field in China, India, Jordan, Brazil, Spain or Nepal, you and your church have invested in their future and in the advancement of the Gospel globally. A decade from now, whether one of our scholars is equipping the next generation at one of our six seminaries or in one of our Baptist universities related to your state convention, you and your church have invested in their future and the advancement of the Gospel. A final word of testimony I am so grateful for the equipping I received at one of our seminaries. To this day, it impacts my life. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for making it possible. Every soul reached in the ministry entrusted to me, every mission field we have traveled to and invested in personally, every church we have planted globally, and each time I stand to represent you nationally and internationally, it is because you invested in me personally and in my education. 1,000 thank yous! -------------------------------------------------------------------- BP Ledger, Feb. 2, 2015 by Staff Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger contains items from: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Oklahoma Baptist Messenger Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Joni and Friends International WORLD News Service SWBTS prof Robert Mathis dies at age 67 By Staff FORT WORTH, Texas (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) -- Robert Mathis, professor of administration at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, died Jan. 25 after roughly a decade-long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). He was 67. The day after Mathis' death, Southwestern President Paige Patterson said in a statement to the campus, "It is with a combination of regret and joy that I must inform you that Dr. Robert Mathis has gone to dwell in the presence of our Lord. I say 'joy' because Dr. Mathis was irrepressibly joyful. Some of you remember him sitting at the side of Truett Auditorium in his wheelchair during chapel. Dr. Mathis lived with Lou Gehrig's disease, a disease that is slowly debilitating to the muscular system, for more than a decade. In all that time, he never gave in to the disease, nor did he complain. We give thanks for his life and for his time with us. He prayed for and supported Southwestern right up until his death." Waylan Owens, dean of Southwestern’s Jack D. Terry School of Church and Family Ministries, says, "Bob Mathis was one of the most energetic and encouraging men I have known. As my professor, his encouragement came to me at a pivotal time in life. As his colleague, I was always encouraged to be a better man and professor by his life." Mathis earned both his master's in religious education and his doctor of philosophy from Southwestern (in 1978 and 1984, respectively). He later earned his doctor of education in higher education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1995. Throughout the 1970s and '80s, Mathis served as minister of education at various churches in Texas and Louisiana. In 1986, Mathis joined the faculty of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. There, he occupied the John T. Sizemore Chair of Christian Education and served as director of research doctoral programs. In 1998, Mathis brought his nearly 30 years of experience in education and ministry to Southwestern, where he served as professor of administration for the next 12 years. Roughly a decade ago, Mathis was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that affects nearly 30,000 Americans, with approximately 5,600 people diagnosed every year. In the ensuing years, in honor of Mathis, Southwestern faculty and students participated in ALS walks in Dallas in order to raise money for the ALS foundation. In 2009, Southwestern organized a walk on the seminary campus in order to allow more people to participate. Also in 2009, Southwestern held a ribbon cutting in honor of Mathis to mark the newest wheelchair accessibility ramp to Price Hall, where Mathis worked. Due to his ALS, Mathis used a wheelchair for his primary mobility, thus necessitating the new ramp on the west side of Price Hall, the closest entrance to the parking lot. At the brief ceremony, Mathis became the first person to ride up and down the ramp. He jokingly asked for it to be named the "Mathis Tollway," with all the proceeds going toward his retirement fund. Mathis is survived by his wife of 46 years, Odene, who also served at Southwestern for many years; his daughter, Karissa Luckett, and her husband, Peter Luckett; his granddaughter, Hallie Luckett; his mother, Faye Mathis; and his brother, Dean Mathis, and sister-in-law, Betty Sue. Mathis’ funeral was held in Southwestern’s Truett Auditorium on Thursday, Jan. 29. In lieu of flowers, the Mathis family requests that contributions be made to the Robert Mathis Scholarship for Christian Education. Contributions can be made to SWBTS with notation of the Robert Mathis Scholarship for Christian Education and either mailed to P.O. Box 22500, Fort Worth, TX, 76122 or online ats wbts.edu/give. ********** Partnership missions: Porter to speak at tornado summit By Bob Nigh OKLAHOMA CITY (Baptist Messenger) -- Sam Porter, disaster relief director for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), is on an impressive list of national experts who will speak at the Fourth Annual National Tornado Summit, Feb. 23-25 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. The National Tornado Summit improves disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to save lives and property in the United States. In addition, the summit serves as a national forum for insurance professionals and regulators as well as international, national and state experts to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve emergency management. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the event. Porter's presentation, titled "Faith Based Organizations in Disaster Response and What They Can Do to Help," is scheduled from 3:45-4:30 p.m., Tues., Feb. 24. The Summit's printed description of the session says, "During this session, we will take a look at aid provided by the Baptist disaster relief organization and how they can assist immediately following catastrophes from feeding those displaced and responders to debris removal." Porter, who was invited to speak by Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak, said, "The coastal states have had an annual Hurricane summit for many years, but Commissioner Doak has had the wisdom to establish the National Tornado Summit in Oklahoma, which is known for tornadoes and tornado response. Commissioner Doak understands the role Southern Baptist Disaster Relief plays across the nation and especially in Oklahoma. He has been active in the Baptist church since he was a small child. "He is very supportive of and encouraging to our ministry. I consider it a great honor to be asked to lead a seminar at this conference. Doak's motive is that he wants the insurance industry and emergency management officials from across the nation to know how important a faith-based organization like ours is to the nation and even to the insurance industry. "For instance, when Baptist volunteer teams did debris removal in cleaning 1,200 home sites in a 42-day period following the May 2013 tornadoes in Oklahoma, it is estimated they saved Oklahoma homeowners between $5 million and $8 million dollars in wrecking/salvage costs." During that time, Porter coordinated disaster relief teams from 13 states who came in with heavy equipment run by Baptist volunteers to assist at no charge. Doak, a member of Tulsa, South Tulsa, said, "Sam has been a part of our Summits from the very first one we put together four years ago. It was a natural fit, given his world-wide view and leadership role, expertise in training in disaster, motivation for volunteers and his organizational skills. I think it is a great place for him this year to highlight and really share his message, share what motivates the Baptist organization and challenge other faith-based organizations who do a great job. "To watch Sam work (with) those men and women in leadership with other denominations, it really works very, very smoothly. Whether it be coordination with Catholic Charities or coordination with another denomination, Sam has that unique ability to cross those lines with the ultimate goal of serving his fellow man at a time of great need, and that is a very admirable quality. "He is a great resource here, with people coming in from most every state and from around the world to learn how we can coordinate and work better to assist folks at a time of a natural catastrophe." "Sam is absolutely first class in everything he touches and having that servant's heart and that caring attitude with the leadership skills to implement large numbers of volunteers is just remarkable, and it's something we're very proud of for Sam and the Southern Baptist organization." Doak said he believes faith-based organizations have a huge role in disaster relief and recovery. "It is absolutely critical that we have faith-based organizations involved (after) natural catastrophes, such as the ones we have experienced in Oklahoma, around the United States and really outside of the U.S., he said. "In particular, the programs that the Southern Baptists have are really the highest quality programs, and the training that the individuals receive who participate in the Baptist programs—whether it be the mud-out program, the feeding program, or the chain saw program—all of these programs have been well-designed and they're probably one of the most well-thought-out programs any of us have seen. "Again, there are many faith-based programs, but being a Southern Baptist, it's something that I'm very, very proud of to have a part of, and to see work behind the scenes. These men and women who volunteer and give their hearts and hands are really putting their faith into action at a very difficult time for Oklahomans and the nation." Highlights of the summit include: -- A two-day trade show that connects attendees to valuable resources, services, and products. -- General sessions with presentations on Crisis & Disaster Communications, Business & Home Safety, Disaster Stress, and Reinsurance. -- More than 25 breakout sessions featuring international, national, and state experts. -- Continuing education credits for insurance professionals. -- A tour of the National Weather Center in Norman. For more information, visit www.tornadosummit.org. ********** Professors trace the importance of biblical theology By Andrew J.W. Smith LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) -- Biblical theology is the means of church unity and the foundation for careful theological interpretation, according to professors of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at an Alumni Academy at the Louisville, Ky., campus, Jan. 8-9. Using the text of Ephesians 4:11-14, James M. Hamilton Jr., professor of biblical theology at Southern Seminary, argued that doctrinal agreement, unity and Christ-likeness are accomplished through understanding the work of God throughout salvation history. Namely, “unity of the faith” and attaining “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” is possible through a robust biblical theology. The proper understanding of the Bible’s unfolding story unifies the church and ultimately makes us mature in Christ, he said. Hamilton also demonstrated that biblical theology is understood when readers view Scripture through the lens of the “interpretive perspective,” or worldview, of the biblical authors. The idea of worldview is central to proper experience of the Bible, Hamilton said. A worldview is not only a comprehensive story within which believers fit, he said — it also offers a pattern of living through mastering and transforming Christians’ affections. While other stories compete for attention and devotion, believers must fight to make the biblical story the exclusive story in their lives. “The narratives in the Bible,” Hamilton said, “are in the Bible to shape our desires, to cause us to want to be certain kinds of people. What they give us is a vision of what the good life looks like.” Biblical theology also involves typology and symbols, Hamilton said, or ways the biblical authors “summarize and interpret” earlier stories in the biblical canon through various linguistic connections between texts. For example, he argued that Psalm 8 is a later interpretation of Genesis 3 — “out of the mouths of babies and infants” is a reference to the “seed” of the woman in Gen. 3:15, and the list of animals under man’s authority reflect the dominion given to man in Gen. 1. Finally, Hamilton said that biblical theology shapes the church’s identity as the people of God. The Bible’s metanarrative becomes the believer’s story. “My identity is not, ‘I’m a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,’” Hamilton said. “My identity is, ‘I’m a Gentile, who was a stranger and alien ... and God mercifully included me on this new Exodus salvation that God has accomplished.’ … My identity is, ‘I am a liberated slave.’” Denny Burk, professor of biblical studies at Boyce College, gave a case study in biblical theology by focusing on what the Bible’s storyline teaches about sexual orientation. “Is same-sex orientation sinful?” he asked. Burk suggested the question relates to biblical theology, and showed through Jesus’ teaching on adultery in the Sermon on the Mount how the New Testament is dependent on the narrative flow in the Old Testament. When Jesus prohibits adultery in Matthew 5:27, the author quotes directly from the seventh commandment in Exodus 20:14. However, Burk said, Jesus goes one step further than the original commandment and points to the lustful heart as the source of the sin. Burk argued that Jesus’ extension of the commandment to include inward lust is actually a pairing of the seventh commandment with the tenth commandment (“You shall not covet”), since the word employed by Matthew for “lust” is the same as the one used for “covet” in the Septuagint. “All that Jesus is doing is reading the Ten Commandments,” Burk said. Burk also noted that the word itself, often translated “desire,” is either morally negative or neutral depending on the object desired. If one desires “another man’s wife,” Burk said, the desire is clearly wrong. Because same-sex desire focuses on non-marital erotic desire, it necessarily cannot be glorifying to God. “The only sex desire that glorifies God is that desire that is ordered to the covenant of marriage,” he said. Stephen J. Wellum, professor of Christian theology, approached the topic of biblical theology as a systematic theologian, noting the ways biblical theology complements the work of systematic theology. While systematic theology applies the Bible to all of life, Wellum said, biblical theology ensures that Christians are properly interpreting the Bible in the first place. While systematic theology assumes the reader is properly interpreting Scripture before applying it to life, biblical theology first reads the Bible on its own terms. One can’t apply the Bible unless it’s rightly understood, Wellum said. “Systematic theology is the queen ... in our reading and application of Scripture,” he said. “Biblical theology is hermeneutical discipline that is a means to an end — and the end ultimately is a theological reading of the Bible that is faithful to it, applied properly and driven home to our lives.” The two-day conference also featured additional lectures from Hamilton and one from Robert L. Plummer, professor of New Testament interpretation, as well as panel contributions from Greg Gilbert, preaching pastor at Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., and Brian Payne, associate professor of Christian theology and expository preaching. Alumni Academy provides free ongoing instruction for alumni and prospective students of Southern Seminary. More information and audio from the Alumni Academy lectures are available at www.sbts.edu/resources. ********** Global Access Conference presented by Joni and Friends to promote disability ministry By Staff AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (Joni and Friends) -- Joni and Friends International Disability Center is announcing the first-of-its-kind Global Access Conference, inviting individuals from across the U.S. and around the world to be trained and to network in the area of ministry to those with disabilities. The conference -- scheduled for Feb. 17-20 -- in Southern California – will bring together disability leaders, ministers, educators and practitioners to share experiences, forge relationships and learn how to practically and effectively promote disability ministry in the Christian community. Conference speakers include Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends; Doug Mazza, President and Chief Operating Officer of Joni and Friends; Nick Vujicic, international speaker and founder of Life without Limbs; Dr. Charles Ware, President of Crossroads Bible College; Dr. Joseph D'Souza, International President of the Dalit Freedom Network; Dr. Eddy Bazin, pastor of Delmas Christian Church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Lon Solomon, senior pastor at McLean Bible Church; international missionary and speaker Bernadette Todd; and full-time painter and speaker Hyatt Moore, former president of Wycliffe Bible Translators "We are so excited about this world-class lineup of speakers whose life experiences have uniquely qualified them to understand the challenges facing individuals with disabilities, as well as what it takes to successfully reach out and minister to the disability community," conference organizer and Joni and Friends vice president Steve Bundy said. "They will be sharing from their wisdom and their hearts as we all learn together how to better respond to God's command to bring the poor, crippled, blind and lame into His house." Four thought-provoking tracks will be offered during the conference: -- Leadership development and biblical counseling -- Ministry in sensitive cultural contexts -- Mission and disability ministry -- Technology and disability In order to achieve its three objects of equipping, engaging and encouraging attendees in the area of disability ministry, Global Access will explore three central themes to create a more unified understanding of the goal of global disability ministry. These are: -- Christ: understanding His person and work in historical context, considering the implications of His ministry as it applies to evangelizing people affected by disability. -- Church: exploring its responsibilities in this area -- Community: understanding the Church's role as a leader in disability advocacy and empowerment in the wider cultural and social community "We know these are weighty topics, but there is no doubt this is an area in which we need much more discussion, study and understanding, as well as getting people on the ground doing the work of ministry," Tada said. "I am so excited that we've been able to see this conference come to life around our theme – 'Where disabilities and possibilities meet' -- and I can't wait to see how God is going to use this." The conference will begin Tuesday evening, Feb. 17, and run through Friday evening, June 20, at Calvary Community Church, 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village, Calif. Registration is $299, which includes all sessions as well as lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages during the conference and transportation from pre-arranged hotels. More information is available online at www.globalaccessconference.org. For more than 35 years, Joni and Friends has worked to accelerate ministry to the disability community around the world, offering a wide array of life-affirming ministries, including the Christian Institute on Disability; the International Disability Center; international radio and television programs filled with inspirational stories; Wheels for the World, which every year gives thousands of individuals wheelchairs and the life-giving message of the Gospel; and Family Retreats, where families affected by disability learn they are not alone. ********** Evangelical Press Assoc. names new exec By Staff EL CAJON, Calif. (WORLD News Service) -- The Evangelical Press Association Board of Directors has announced the appointment of the organization's Chief Financial Officer Lamar Keener as the new Executive Director of the association, effective Jan. 15. The action follows the resignation of current Executive Director D'Arcy Maher, who informed the Board in December that she was stepping down in light of new opportunities for a joint ministry with her husband. "In the final months of 2014, my husband and I received an invitation to work together as a team in an international capacity," Maher said. "After prayerful consideration, we are walking through the steps to finalize this significant decision. Releasing the role at EPA is certainly bittersweet, but it's the right time in order for the association to continue moving forward." "D'Arcy has served the association well, and while we will miss her, we celebrate this new opportunity with her," said President-elect Mark Winz, who presided over the discussion and voting. After considering several options, the EPA Board voted unanimously to offer the position to Keener, who has been serving in a part-time business management role for EPA since 2012. His role will now expand to include Executive Director. "Lamar's wealth of industry knowledge, professionalism and marketing expertise make him a great fit," said Winz. "Since he's already on staff, he will be able to seamlessly step in to keep the work of the association moving forward." Keener has been an active member of EPA for more than 25 years. He was the publisher of the award-winning Christian Examiner newspaper group from 1988 to 2014, and he is the current publisher of Refreshed magazine, launched last year. He previously served as Treasurer and President of the EPA Board. The Evangelical Press Association is a professional association of Christian publications — magazines, newspapers and newsletters -- and content-rich websites. Founded in 1948, the association includes 300 members in the U.S., Canada, Israel and India. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Obama admin. renews call for Abedini's release by Staff Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Obama administration has renewed its call for the release of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini. Meanwhile, the pastor has sent a letter thanking the president for visiting his family in Idaho, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) reported. "We again call on Iran to release Mr. Abedini so that he may be reunited with his family," the ACLJ quoted National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan. "We remain concerned about the health and welfare of Mr. Abedini, sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs," Meehan said, "and we repeat our request for Iran to grant Swiss officials, who serve as our protecting power, consular access to determine his well-being." The renewed call came Jan. 29 about the time President Obama received a letter from Abedini thanking the president for meeting with Abedini's wife Naghmeh and their two children in Boise, Idaho, Jan. 21. The U.S. State Department has also arranged for Naghmeh Abedini to travel to Washington in February to meet David Saperstein, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, to discuss efforts to free the pastor. "There is activity going on in trying to bring him home," Naghmeh Abedini said in an interview with KIVI-TV near Boise, Idaho. In his letter posted on the ACLJ website, Saeed Abedini thanked Obama for seeking his release. "I was personally encouraged that you were in my hometown of Boise, Idaho and made time to visit my wife and children. They have had a heavy burden to carry in my absence, and your presence helped to relieve some of that burden," Abedini wrote. "Thank you for your fatherly compassion of letting Jacob know that you will try to get me home by his birthday [in March]. I know that as a father you can truly understand the pain and anguish of my children living without their father and the burden that is on my wife as a single mother. "I also know how encouraged Christians around the world were to also hear of this meeting," he wrote. "Nothing is more valuable to the body of Christ than to see how the Lord is in control and moves ahead of countries and leadership through united prayer." The pastor offered prayer for the president's well-being. "President Obama, you have my prayers from inside of these walls," Abedini wrote. "I pray for God's guidance, wisdom and blessing for you as you lead this great nation. God Bless you and your family and God Bless America!" The letter was mailed by Abedini's father in Iran, who obtained the letter during a 20-minute meeting allowed each week with the pastor at Rajaee Shahr prison in Karaj, Iran, Naghmeh Abedini said on Facebook. Saeed Abedini's father said his son's health is poor, the ACLJ reported. "Pastor Saeed's stomach pain -- lingering injuries from prison beatings -- remains a concern. Pastor Saeed expressed increased amounts of pain," the ACLJ reported. "He has still not received the critical medical attention he needs in a private hospital. He needs surgery." Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned since Sept. 26, 2012 because of his Christian faith. He was sentenced Jan. 27, 2013, to eight years in prison on charges he threatened national security by planting house churches in Iran years earlier, and had been under house arrest since July, 2012. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Survey: Younger Southern Baptist involvement rising by Tom Strode Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Southern Baptists appear to be defying the prevalent notion that young adults are abandoning the American church -- at least by one measurement. Attendance by younger generations reached a 10-year high at the Southern Baptist Convention's 2014 meeting in Baltimore, according to an annual survey of attendees. The survey, conducted by the SBC Executive Committee, showed nearly one-fourth (24.68 percent) of attendees were younger than age 40. That surpassed by more than 4 percentage points the previous best for the age group, recorded in 2013. The 2014 survey also showed 10-year highs for SBC attendees who are under 45 (33.44 percent, a gain of more than 3 percent over the previous high in 2013) and under 35 (15.93 percent, again an increase of more than 3 percent over the earlier high, which came in 2012). Though not a scientific sampling, the dramatic upswing in younger-generation participation at the SBC annual meeting since 2005 -- especially during the last three years -- reinforces what he has "noticed anecdotally," said Southern Baptist entity head Russell Moore. "The hand-wringers are wrong," said Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "There are always those who are, for whatever reason, drawn to a myth of decline. And there are always those who, for whatever reason, want to chasten the next generation for being disengaged. But they're not disengaged, and they're getting more engaged all the time." The survey results also provide encouragement to SBC leaders regarding the future of Southern Baptists. "I love the passion and vision of younger pastors and church leaders," said Roger S. Oldham, the Executive Committee's vice president for convention communications and relations. "The older generations launched out, thinking that with God on our side we could reach the world in a single generation. This generation is no different. The tempering of experience, however, shows the value of multi-generational cooperation. "Growth in attendance of younger pastors demonstrates the enduring value of cooperation and an increasing sense of ownership that we really can do more collectively than we can do individually," Oldham said. Moore said he "could not be more hopeful and excited about the future of the mission of Christ, and the Southern Baptist Convention's place in that mission." The future of the SBC is vibrant, Moore told Baptist Press in written comments, "and younger generations are leading the way. It's time to harness this energy, and turn the SBC loose on a world in need of Jesus and the Gospel of His Kingdom." A "cultural savvy" Two younger pastors offered various reasons for the increase in annual meeting attendance by younger Southern Baptists. The SBC's leadership and direction were among key factors cited by Jon Akin and Dean Inserra in email interviews. Younger Southern Baptists "are excited about where the convention is heading because they love the leaders in the SBC and are excited about the Great Commission Resurgence these leaders have championed," said Akin, senior pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tenn. "They've seen a refocusing on streamlining our processes, getting more resources to the places with little access to the Gospel, and key leaders make the changes necessary." Inserra, senior pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Fla., said the convention's new leaders possess "vision, and a cultural savvy, without compromising the convictions of our SBC forefathers. They are giving us something worth being part of." The desire to cooperate also is motivating greater numbers to the SBC annual meeting, they said. "I believe this increase is showing us that a generation believes cooperation matters, the SBC is still an influencer, and that we will be stronger than ever in the years to come," Inserra said. Younger Southern Baptists, Akin said, "want to cooperate with like-minded brothers of all ages, races and backgrounds to accomplish the Great Commission." SBC President Ronnie Floyd, in his weekly column Feb. 2, noted that a record 18,000-plus "future pastors, missionaries and scholars" are enrolled in the SBC's seminaries. "While some may believe that we limit ourselves due to our [conservative theological] beliefs, the reality is our six Southern Baptist seminaries are educating more seminary students than ever before in our history," he wrote. Floyd regularly has included young pastors and leaders in his call to Southern Baptists to be part of the focus on prayer for spiritual awakening planned for the SBC annual meeting in Columbus in June. The SBC seminaries indeed are having an effect on attendance, Inserra said. "They are exciting students about the Gospel and educating them on what cooperation looks like to take the Gospel to those who don't know Christ in North America and across the earth," he said. Akin -- a leader of Baptist21, a ministry by and for younger Southern Baptists -- also pointed to events at the SBC's annual meeting that interest the younger generation. Among these are the growing number of younger speakers at the Pastors' Conference and the increase in auxiliary meetings during the convention, including panel discussions sponsored by the Executive Committee, Baptist21 and 9Marks as well as the Send North America luncheon of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). SBC mobile app The Executive Committee added a mobile app for its annual survey in 2013. Thirty-five percent of survey responses in 2013 were through the mobile app, but only 16 percent were in 2014. Responses through the mobile app "have trended toward a younger demographic," said William Townes, the Executive Committee's vice president of convention finance, who also serves as convention manager for the SBC annual meeting. In a sense, he said, the mobile app's addition "may be resulting in a better reflection of the actual demographic attendance at the convention." Even without the mobile app replies, he definitely finds "a trend of increasing younger representation" at the annual meeting, Townes told BP.  Additionally, findings in other recent research also provide hopeful signs from younger Southern Baptists. A 2014 survey -- commissioned by the Executive Committee and conducted by LifeWay Research -- showed 30 percent of Southern Baptist pastors less than 45 years of age "strongly agree" the SBC's Cooperative Program-supported entities "are moving in the appropriate direction with the strategies they have in place." Only 20 percent of pastors from 45 to 54 "strongly agree" with the statement. Cautiously optimistic The results of these surveys "give renewed hope that Southern Baptists will continue to have an active and aggressive role to play in God's purposes to reach our neighborhoods and the nations with the Gospel," Oldham said in written comments. In considering the participation of younger Southern Baptists beyond attendance at the annual meeting, both concerns and encouragements exist, leaders said. Aaron Coe, NAMB's vice president of mobilization and marketing, described himself as "cautiously optimistic about the future." "I am optimistic because we have a conservative theological vitality," he told BP in an email interview. "If we didn't have that, we wouldn't have anything. Additionally, there is an increase in younger-minded thinkers who are getting involved, and that is good.  "I am cautious because the challenges of ministry in the United States are increasing. Rapid urbanization and globalization have created a context that changes almost on a weekly basis. Historic institutions, like the SBC, are not really designed for rapid change and response. The real question is: 'Will we be able to adjust to meet the demands of the Twenty-first Century missiological environment we find ourselves in?'" Inserra said, "While we must be honest about the lack of young people in SBC churches, I am seeing churches doing a fantastic job of reaching them. There aren't enough, but it is happening. "I am encouraged about the involvement of younger Southern Baptists because they want nothing to do with cultural or nominal Christianity," he told BP. "They are serious about the Gospel, church planting, church revitalization and international missions. They care about cultural issues, justice and their neighborhoods." A decline in young people in Southern Baptist churches can be expected for a combination of reasons, Akin said. Yet, evidence also exists "of the rise of committed Christianity among the younger generation, including in the SBC," as "nominal Christianity and cultural Christianity seem to be diminishing," he said. Akin said he is encouraged "because we see more young people wanting to go overseas and give their lives to spread the Gospel among the unreached." He told BP, "I am encouraged because we see an increase in church planting in America. I am encouraged because many of our seminaries are seeing record growth, and anytime I'm on one of our seminary campuses I get excited for the Gospel-loving army we are about to unleash on the kingdom of darkness. And finally, I am encouraged because I know [in] the end that Jesus receives the reward of His suffering in a redeemed multitude from every people group on the planet." SBC entity heads are encouraging younger Southern Baptists toward greater participation in convention life. As an example, at an October dinner sponsored by the Executive Committee in Nashville, David Platt, president of the International Mission Board, NAMB President Kevin Ezell and Moore urged about 125 pastors and leaders in their 20s and 30s to participate more in the SBC. Reminding them that the "headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention is the local church," Executive Committee President Frank S. Page challenged the younger leaders to remain involved with the cooperative ministries of the convention. Speaking to the group by video, he encouraged them to study, look at, and be a part of the Cooperative Program. By staying connected with the convention, you are "earning your right at the table" to help shape the SBC's future, he told them. By "being part of that local group, that state group, let your voice be heard," Page said. "If you think [the way we do cooperative ministry] needs to be changed, change it from the inside." This is the only way the convention and its Cooperative Program will remain relevant and effective in the years to come, he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ANALYSIS: Rape on college campuses by David Roach Date: February 02, 2015 - Monday NASHVILLE (BP) -- The horrific volume of sexual assault on U.S. college campuses is not only a reflection of the wickedness in individual assailants' hearts. It is the fruit of a campus culture awash in sexual immorality. Though perpetually an issue at colleges and universities, the blight of rape was highlighted Jan. 27 by the conviction of two former Vanderbilt University football players for sexually assaulting an unconscious female student in 2013. Ultimate blame for this crime lies with the men who committed it, illustrating the truth of Jeremiah 17:9 that "the heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable -- who can understand it?" These men, having been found guilty by jury trial, deserve to be punished in accordance with the law. But there is more that must be said. During the trial, one defendant's attorney argued that the "university's culture of hard drinking and easy hookups" contributed to his client's behavior, The New York Times reported. Though the claim "infuriated" many Vanderbilt students who defend their school's "party culture," according to the Times, and though the claim does not excuse his client's behavior, sociological data and Scripture suggest that the attorney may be on to something. Consider the sociological data first. In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice released a report stating that the rate of sexual assault among college-age females is three times higher than among non-college-age women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that four out of five college students drink alcohol, and half of those binge drink. Combine with that statistics reported by Ohio State University researcher Morgan Van Epp that 70 percent of college males and 60 percent of college females report becoming sexually active before age 17. Sexual promiscuity seems to be embraced officially at some college campuses with "Sex Week" occurring at Harvard, Yale, Brown, Northeastern, the University of Kentucky, Indiana University and Washington University among others, the Times reported. Typically sex weeks feature instruction on sexual health and pleasure, according to the Times, without emphasizing abstinence until marriage. Sexual assault seems a predictable outcome of this milieu, with young women as its most frequently abused victims. The Bible addresses rape as well, with sexual assaults often presented in Scripture as symptomatic of a wicked culture. -- Sodom's wickedness was epitomized by the attempted gang rape of two angelic messengers (Genesis 19:4-11). -- In Judges, the rape of a Levite's concubine by the men of Gibeah illustrated the extent to which God's people collectively had departed from Him (Judges 19:22-30). As the author of Judges notes more than once, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted" (Judges 17:6; 21:25). -- Following King David's adultery with Bathsheba, the moral decline of his family included Amnon's rape of his sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-22) and Absalom's sexual assault of his father's concubines (2 Samuel 16:22). -- When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, their rape of Jewish women illustrated the extent of pagan culture's brutality (Lamentations 5:11; Zechariah 14:2). This was a stark contrast to God's standards for Israel, where rape could be a capital offense (Deuteronomy 22:23-29). In these instances, Scripture implicates not only the guilty individuals but also suggests that the sexual assaults described were the fruit and manifestation of a sinful environment. Of course, wicked acts do not always stem from a sinful environment. For example, Judas betrayed the Son of God. Surely his behavior did not stem from a sinful culture among Jesus and the disciples. And at times, sexual assault occurs at godly churches or Christian schools. It would be wrong to link each instance of sexual assault on campus with a university culture of promiscuity and alcohol. Yet when as many as 25 percent of women in U.S. higher educational institutions will be victims of rape or attempted rape, according to a National Institute of Justice report, the problem is more than a few deviant assailants. As in Old Testament cases of rape, a culture of immorality surrounding the offenders appears to help fuel their misdeeds. Any lasting solution to sexual assault on college campuses must address the underlying culture in which drunkenness and illicit sex are viewed as permissible.