The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-02/06/2015 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- White church, black interim, 'hearts together' by Paul F. South/Southern Baptist TEXAN Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday EDITOR'S NOTE: Feb. 8 is Race Relations Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention. GRAND SALINE, Texas (BP) -- The East Texas town of Grand Saline once was known as one of many "Sundown Towns" because of the violence against African Americans at nightfall. Today however, African American Richard Taylor serves as interim pastor of the town's Main Street Baptist Church. Taylor calls it simply "a God thing." Taylor, a church planting associate of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, had assisted the church for a year before being called as interim pastor. "God just began to join our hearts and unite our hearts together, so I knew that God was up to something," Taylor said. "It wasn't just because of the immediate love I had for them but the apparent love they had for me as well." Taylor, who spent a decade as director of evangelism for the Baptist Convention of New York, believes in this latest calling he is part of healing a broken church and healing a community with a turbulent racial past. "Even though I knew bits and pieces of their history," Taylor said, "I felt that if God had placed me on their hearts that this was going to be a phenomenal God thing that would not only heal the church but also be the catalyst in the community for racial reconciliation." While the racial divide in Grand Saline is not as wide as it once was, it's still a town haunted by its history. The local newspaper, the Grand Saline Sun, reported the suicide of a retired United Methodist pastor who set himself afire in July 2014 and left behind a note expressing grief and guilt for not doing more to bring racial reconciliation in his hometown. When Taylor began meeting with church leaders at Main Street, he faced the racial issue head on. "I refused to allow it to be the elephant in the room that everyone knew but no one was willing to address. So we dealt with it -- the implications of it -- that it would be the talk of the town and the community for making such a bold step," Taylor said of becoming interim pastor. "But they were clear that this is exactly what God had told them as a committee and as a church and that they were willing to step out on faith, that I was the man God had placed on their hearts to lead them through this transitional period." Main Street endured a difficult period leading up to the decision to call Taylor in part because of the departure of their former pastor who resigned in January for health reasons. The Grand Saline family was divided, hurting and broken, Taylor said. "I knew coming in that the first thing we needed to do was to start liking each other and loving each other," Taylor said. "And out of the overflow of what God was doing in our individual lives, then we could start making a change in the community. So the greatest struggle, initially, was mending relationships. We've crossed that hurdle. There's an excitement and a zeal and an energy that did not exist when I got there." While Southern Baptists are engaged in intentional efforts to be more diverse in their congregations and in leadership, such as the annual cross-cultural "Look Like Heaven" emphasis by the SBTC, Taylor believes something else was at play in Grand Saline. "I'm excited to be part of a convention that's doing that," Taylor said. "But I don't think [this] had anything to do with any of that, in honesty. This was a pastor and people whom God, through His sovereign will, brought our paths together." Inside the walls at Main Street Baptist, the congregation has rediscovered its joy. The church is focused on what Taylor terms "the assignment," Christ's Great Commission. "I think my service there is bigger than just preaching and filling the pulpit. But God in His sovereign will is trying to unite mankind." In Taylor's short time as interim, Grand Saline has conducted a revival, called Revive Our City, aiming at "making Grand Saline grand again," as he puts it, in regard to the Great Commission. And at Main Street Baptist Church, attendance has begun to rise. Census figures indicate there are 20 African American families in Grand Saline, and Taylor wants to reach not only them but all people, letting them know they are welcome not just to sit in the pews but to become part of the life of the church. Many Baptist churches have plateaued, declined or are dying, Taylor said, because they refuse to do what Main Street Baptist Church did -- step out of their comfort zone and take a bold step. He squarely told Main Street church leaders he would be making them uncomfortable because he is different. "I believe that's what God wants to do -- shake us from our tradition, to shake us from our comfort and shake us from our sleeping, to help us to understand the urgency of doing the assignment, which is to reach people and make disciples," Taylor said. "I am excited. God is up to something in Grand Saline and in the Main Street Baptist Church. It's just exciting to be a part of it." There is a lesson that comes from the Grand Saline story, Taylor said. "Our history, as painful as it might be, is not a determination for what God will do if we would make ourselves available. … I've never been loved more by God's people than I have been at Main Street." -------------------------------------------------------------------- White church dissolves 'to glorify God' by K. Allan Blume/Biblical Recorder Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday EDITOR'S NOTE: Feb. 8 is Race Relations Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP) -- What should a traditional, white Southern Baptist congregation do when they can no longer sustain their ministries or their facilities, when the community around them looks nothing like their membership, when they know they are dying? Emmanuel Baptist Church was a thriving rural fellowship. But after 61 years of ministry, the North Carolina church's leaders faced some painful decisions. In June 2014 by unanimous vote, Emmanuel's property was deeded to Meeting Place Church, an African American church plant in cooperation with the Charlotte-area Shady Brook Baptist Church and Metrolina Baptist Association. Lead pastor Vince Riley is a former Charlotte police officer and a former crusade director with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Glenn Flowe, Emmanuel's interim pastor, said, "On our campus right now we have the Meeting Place Church, Emmanuel Church, a Hispanic church, and a Christian school is meeting in some of our facilities." By agreement, Emmanuel will continue to meet in their facilities for five years before ceasing to exist as a church. "I can honestly say that with a situation like this, involving so many major decisions and changes, I don't see how it could have worked out any better," Flowe said. "And keep in mind we still have people in our church who are charter members. "It's amazing how happy our people are about what they've done. When our church services are over on Sunday morning we walk out into the parking lot, and even though we have only six or eight cars for our congregation, the parking lot is filled. It is very gratifying to us. Our people are tickled to death." Flowe, with more than 50 years of ministry, retired in 2003 after 29 years at another Charlotte congregation. This is his third call as Emmanuel's interim pastor. A few years ago the church woke up to the reality that their community had changed. A survey revealed the neighborhood was approximately 66 percent black and 7 percent Hispanic. "The remaining white population was primarily senior adults who had lived there many years," Flowe said. "The situation was very bleak humanly speaking. The first Sunday I came as interim there were about 16 people in attendance. There was some disunity, some hurt, but the Lord brought healing to us." The church had no youth, no children, no choir and one adult Sunday School class. Revitalization was an option. They considered a partnership with a larger church. "We talked to at least two churches about the potential of merging or finding someone who would come alongside of us. But nothing was working out," Flowe recounted. Emmanuel's leaders invited Bob Lowman, director of missions for the Metrolina association, to help them explore options. Lowman has been "extremely instrumental in leading us through this transition," Flowe said. "He has been very encouraging and understanding of our situation. He knew there would be pain with the separation and transition." At the same time, Lowman was talking with Vince Riley about the growth pains of Meeting Place. The young church was meeting in an abandoned library not far from Emmanuel. Lowman arranged a meeting with the two churches' leadership. Riley was pleased with the initial meeting. "We were impressed with their heart for the Lord and their openness to even sit down and talk about the possibility of a partnership," he said. "We had no idea what to expect, we were just praying for the best outcome. We had a great meeting and we walked away excited about the possibilities." Then a phone call from Emmanuel put everything on hold as the leaders wanted to explore all their options. "[We] continued to pray," Riley said, "and knew that God was doing something. We felt our hearts were knitted with Pastor Glenn and the leadership at Emmanuel, so we began to pray about all the possibilities." Several months passed with no contact. Flowe and Lowman continued to explore Emmanuel's options, but no plan seemed to fit. "I think I'm going to go back to the deacons and tell them the church needs to dissolve." Flowe said, "and give the property to the association for a church plant." The leaders of Emanuel and Meeting Place met once again and a workable plan grew out of the discussions. Meeting Place has now assumed ownership and financial obligations of the six-acre property including utilities and maintenance. Emmanuel is meeting in the church's sanctuary. Meeting Place assembles in the Family Life Center, and a Hispanic church also worships in the facilities. "At the end of five years on Emmanuel's 66th anniversary," Flowe said, "it will simply cease to exist." He added, "We ought to be meeting in one of the classrooms and Meeting Place should be in the sanctuary. But you have older people who built the sanctuary and they have a lot of ties to this place. Out of deference to the people of Emmanuel, Meeting Place gave us the sanctuary. They have taken into consideration the thoughts and feelings of the people. This has won over the hearts of our people. We don't feel like someone has come in and run over us or taken over. We developed a plan [with] combined activities, but we would have separate governance. That was the magic key that reopened the discussion." "When we came back to the table," Riley said, "Emmanuel gave us a proposal that was beyond our wildest imagination. It was one of those Ephesians 3:20 moments that God is 'able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think.' … We were just overwhelmed by the generosity of the proposal. ... Our folks love their folks, and their folks love our folks. If there can be a picture of what heaven can be, come to the Meeting Place/Emmanuel campus and see what God is doing." Flowe has talked to fellow pastors who are in situations where the church is declining, the prospects for growth are not there, and the mindset is "we'll go as long as we can and the last one out can turn out the lights and lock the door." The people of Emmanuel "rejected that course outright from the very beginning," he said. They want to be proactive. "I heard our folks say over and over, 'Emmanuel started in that community to be an instrument to glorify God, and we want to go out as an instrument that's glorifying God.'" There were painful decisions and thoughts of what might have been. "If you know you are being led by the Holy Spirit," Flowe said, "then whatever you have to surrender or however you move on, these things are not just randomly happening. They are happening under the controlling, sovereign hand of God. Therefore it is a good thing. We are just bathing in the afterglow of this surrender." Reflecting on the process, Lowman added, "It is hard for a church to go through a decision-making process like this where they're signing away things they worked to build. In this case, they were not signing it away for no reason; they were doing it for a Kingdom purpose. That is something we kept coming back to -- this is about the Kingdom. Everybody is united around that." -------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL TO PRAYER: Sometimes all I can pray is 'Help!' by Erica Wright Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is part of the call to prayer issued by Frank S. Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, to pray for revival and spiritual awakening for our churches, our nation and our world. GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- I read a tweet the other day that said, "Sometimes the only prayer you can muster is, 'Help!'" Amen to that. I'm rarely one to nap. Normally my brain doesn't shut off long enough for me to sleep amidst a day; when the sun is shining, the pressure of productivity and task completion are all too real. I can't live with time that feels wasted, so naps have just never been for me. But on this particular day, a nap quickly became a necessity. The exhaustion coupled with the cold weather persuaded me with little resistance. As I laid there, I began talking to Jesus. My confessions were real, my frustrations were real and my tears were real. I prayed for something I've prayed for every day for a year and seven months. It's a bold prayer, a specific prayer and an impossible prayer. One that only Jesus can answer. As I prayed, I realized in great humiliation that I didn't believe for a second that God would answer it. Could He hear me? Yes, absolutely. Was He able to act on my request? Without a doubt. But I didn't believe He would. Honestly, I still don't. I confessed my unbelief in that moment, but that didn't ease it. I was still overcome and paralyzed by my doubt. But as quickly as my confession came, so did His grace. He told me in that moment that it was OK. That there was a shred of faith in me, evidenced in the prayer itself. I didn't see it, I didn't recognize it, but why would I ask if there wasn't something in me that knew that in Him was hope? Maybe that's why the man in Mark 9 was able to say both "I believe!" and "Help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). There have been moments of bold faith for me in this season. Moments when I have believed in the craziness of walking with Jesus, in the possibility of seeing a miracle happen right before my eyes. But there have also been moments of disappointment. Countless times I've thought, "This would be a great time for You to do this, Lord," but instead my hopes have been shattered, as God seems to have missed opportunity after opportunity. I've felt alone and I've felt His presence overwhelming me. I've felt unsatisfied and unfulfilled, but I've also felt content. I've definitely felt crazy, yet exactly where I am supposed to be. You name it, I've felt it and lived it the past year and a half. I've wanted and attempted to give up so many times. Deep down, I'm afraid to hope, to keeping hoping. Afraid to really give this dream to Jesus. Afraid that even He, the Creator and lover of my soul, will break me, leave me shattered in unfulfilled dreams, wasted prayers and withered faith. So I try to turn it off, resist hope and avoid disappointment. It's safer, it's cleaner. But as I've found, it's also dead. I become numb to feeling anything at all and, yes, I avoid disappointment, but I also avoid the deepest of joys. There's no life in that and Jesus died for us to live and live abundantly (John 10:10). Peter says that we, as believers, are born into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3). Just as Jesus is alive, so is our hope. No matter what, we will live and we will have the love and affection of Jesus, which is in fact what our souls are really craving. The dreams I have are His to hold. And this specific one, I believe He put within me, otherwise I would have willed it out of me a long time ago, believe me. I think it's OK to have faith so small sometimes you can't find it, faith that's as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). It's there, sweet follower of Jesus, and He is pleased by it because the weakness of our humanity is the showcase of His greatness and His strength. Let that inkling lead you to the cross, to hope in the person of Jesus, no matter the shattered dreams that seem to be scattered at your feet. Choose to believe that He has the best dream of all, far greater than what you could work out for yourself, because He cares deeply for you (1 Peter 5:7). If you can't find the faith, pray. And if all you can pray is "Help!" then just start there. Pray and then pray some more. He is painting a beautiful picture, not just for you, but of you. He will turn the smallest of faiths into the greatest of stories. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Owens elected interim FBC executive-director by Staff/Florida Baptist Convention Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday LEESBURG, Fla. (BP) -- Glen Owens, who has served for 25 years as the assistant executive director of the Florida Baptist Convention, has been elected as interim executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, effective March 1. He will carry out official duties and tasks previously performed by John Sullivan, who will retire from the Florida Baptist Convention after 26 years as executive director-treasurer Feb. 28. Owens has served as Sullivan's primary associate since 1989. FBC elected Owens during the State Board of Missions meeting today (Feb. 6). Owens' assignment will conclude when the State Board of Missions completes its search for a permanent executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention. The 68-year-old Owens previously served on Sullivan's staff at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., as minister of church business administration, 1984-1987. He was minister of young adult education and director of church operations at Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., from 1987-1989. During his years at Broadmoor, Owens served as interim pastor of its mission church, Ellerbe Road Baptist Church, from 1986-1987. He also was associate pastor/administrator at Oakland Heights Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, 1980-84. Owens, a native of El Dorado, Ark., was reared in Louisiana, and received the bachelor of science degree from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., in 1969. He continued his studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas from 1980-1982; and at Broadmoor Bible Institute, an extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Shreveport in 1985. The certified church business administrator was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame in 2014. He received a fellow in that organization in 1983. From 2005-2013, Owens served as a trustee on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He was awarded the doctor of Christian letters from the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville in 2007. He and his wife Susan have two grown children. -------------------------------------------------------------------- SBC children's, youth registrations open by Staff Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday COLOMBUS (BP) -- Registration is open for preschool child care, Giant Cow Children's Ministries, Children in Action Missions Camp and Youth on Mission in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's 2015 annual meeting June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief child care volunteers will care for preschoolers; Giant Cow Children's Ministries (formerly Children's Conferences International) and Woman's Missionary Union will guide the Children in Action Missions Camp and Youth on Mission curricula and activities. Preschool child care and activities for children who have completed grades 1-6 will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the annual meeting site. Youth who have completed grades 7-12 will worship each morning at the convention center before going into the community for hands-on mission projects. Pre-registration is required and available online at www.sbcannualmeeting.net under the "Children/Youth" tab. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. No onsite registration will be accepted. Preschool child care Child care for newborns through age 5 will be available for $25 per child during the SBC Pastors' Conference, June 14-15, and an additional $25 per child during the annual meeting. In addition, a $10 non-refundable registration fee will be charged per child. Lunch for preschoolers will be available Monday-Wednesday for $6 a meal. Parents should pay all related fees when registering to insure their child's participation. The SBC will verify registrations with an emailed confirmation packet, including a parent's handbook. With a theme of "creation," all lessons, games and rooms will help in teaching preschoolers about creation. Giant Cow Children's Ministries Giant Cow Children's Ministries will minister to children ages 6-12 during the Pastors' Conference at a cost of $32 for Sunday evening and Monday combined, or $27 for Monday only. Registration at the door will be $35 for both days, or $30 for Monday only. Registration is open at http://www.thegiantcow.com/#!sbc2015pre/c1grq. Children in Action Missions Camp Children in Action Missions Camp will be offered Tuesday and Wednesday for children who have completed grades 1-6 by May/June 2015. The theme "The World -- Always on God's Mind" is designed to challenge children to realize their place in answering the Great Commission. "Children attending the Children in Action Missions Camp will learn that they have been on God's mind from the beginning and are called to answer the Great Commission," Heather Keller, camp coordinator and national Woman's Missionary Union children's consultant, said. "In addition to Bible studies, children will visit with missionaries representing both the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board," Keller said. "Children will also participate in worship sessions, games and recreation, crafts and mission projects." The cost is $40 per child, in addition to a $10 non-refundable registration fee per child. No lunch, only snacks, will be provided. Parents will need to pick up their children both days at the conclusion of the morning session. Youth on Mission Youth on Mission will be available Tuesday and Wednesday to youth who have completed grades 7-12 by May/June 2015. "Youth on Mission will have the opportunity to study the Bible together, hear testimonies from North American and International missionaries, and gain a greater understanding of how God can use them in His work in the world," Suzanne Reece, national WMU student ministry consultant and Youth on Mission coordinator, said. Students will serve through hands-on missions projects in Columbus. The cost is $55 per youth, in addition to a $10 non-refundable registration fee per youth. Lunch and snacks will be provided both days. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Malas Noticias y Buenas Noticias by Por Michael A. Gonzales Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday NOTA DEL EDITOR: La columna First-Person (De primera mano) es parte de la edición de hoy de BP en español. Para ver historias adicionales, vaya a http://www.bpnews.net/espanol GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- Sabemos que toda la humanidad en nuestro mundo, según la Palabra de Dios, está separada de la vida de Dios y eso significa una muerte eterna. Sin embargo, hay muchos que creen que obtendrán la vida eterna si hacen buenas obras, tratan de ser personas religiosas, o hacen obras de caridad. El apóstol Pablo en Romanos es bien claro sobre este asunto. "¿Qué, pues? ¿Somos nosotros mejores que ellos? En ninguna manera; pues ya hemos acusado a judíos y a gentiles, que todos están bajo pecado. Como está escrito: No hay justo, ni uno; No hay quien entienda, No hay quien busca a Dios. Todos se desviaron, a una se hicieron inútiles; No hay quien haga lo bueno, ni hay ni siquiera uno. Sepulcro abierto es su garganta, con su lengua engañan. Veneno de áspides hay debajo de sus labios; Su boca está llena de maldición y de amargura. Sus pies apresuran para derramar sangre; Quebranto y desventura hay en sus camino; Y no conocen camino de paz. No hay temor de Dios delante de sus ojos. Pero sabemos que todo lo que la ley dice, lo dice a los que están bajo la ley, para que toda boca se cierre y todo el mundo queda bajo el juicio de Dios. Ya que por las obras de la ley ningún ser humano será justificado delante de él; porque por medio de la ley es el conocimiento del pecado." Romanos 3:9-20 Aquí Pablo ve a toda la humanidad y dice claramente que toda persona está bajo el juicio de Dios. Nadie se puede escapar y somos corruptos en toda nuestra manera de ser. Podemos hacer buenas obras pero nuestras buenas obras no nos puedan dar esa justicia y la entrada a la salvación eterna que es el cielo. Pablo declara que toda persona es culpable y no hay nadie perfecto delante de Dios. Nadie puede ser lo suficiente justo para obtener la salvación de Dios. Eso es lo que llamamos malas noticias. Pero vemos que donde hay malas noticias tenemos buenas noticias. Las buenas noticias son que Dios ha proveído la justicia que todos necesitamos. La justicia viene de Cristo Jesús y tenemos que creer en Él personalmente. "Pero ahora, aparte de la ley, se ha manifestado la justicia de Dios, testificada por la ley y por los profetas; la justicia de Dios por medio de la fe en Jesucristo, para todos los que creen en él. Porque no hay diferencia, por cuanto todos pecaron, y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios, siendo justificados gratuitamente por su gracia, mediante la redención que es en Cristo Jesús, a quien Dios puso como propiciación por medio de la fe en su sangre, para manifestar su justicia, a causa de haber pasado por alto, en su paciencia, los pecados pasados, con la mira de manifestar en este tiempo su justicia, a fin de que él sea el justo, y el que justifica al que es de la fe de Jesús." Romanos 3:21-26 Nuestra salvación no se puede obtener por obras, por ser buenos, o ser religiosos. Nuestra salvación es a través de nuestra fe sólo en Cristo Jesús. La justificación viene de él y no de nosotros. Cristo puso su vida por nosotros y nos redimió con su sangra que fue derramada en la cruz. Pero al tercer día, Cristo resucitó para darnos vida eterna. Lo que se espera de nosotros es creer en él. ¡Esas son las buenas noticias y hay que compartirlas siempre! -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRUSTEES: NAMB board sees Las Vegas' needs by Mike Ebert Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday LAS VEGAS (BP) -- Trustees of the North American Mission Board visited with Las Vegas church planting missionaries, celebrated the birth of new churches and learned of the unique evangelistic challenges as part of their Feb. 3 meeting in Nevada. The 56-member board gained insight into one of the key cities in NAMB's Send North America strategy to increase the number of Southern Baptist church plants throughout North America -- especially in and around large metro areas where more than 80 percent of the population lives. Mike Rochelle, pastor of Shadow Hills church in Las Vegas, started the Feb. 3 trustee meeting with a devotion. His church has planted several churches throughout the city over the years and currently is funding three plants. Rochelle told trustees of the cultural and spiritual realities in Las Vegas. "This is who we are," Rochelle said. "There is not a church on every corner here. We need more churches. We don't have all of the resources. But we have heart. We have an excitement in this valley that I have not seen in 29 years. I appreciate the financial support. But more than that, I appreciate the strength that we have in our unity and in our cooperation." Trustees heard reports or took action on the following: -- NAMB controller Kenneth Tan reported that fiscal year-to-date giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is up 3.2 percent compared to the same time last year. Cooperative Program income to NAMB is up 1 percent for that same time period. -- Trustees approved new responsibilities for two of NAMB's vice presidents. Jeff Christopherson will lead the new Send City Networks team in addition to continuing to head up NAMB work in Canada. Steve Davis will oversee NAMB efforts in the Northeast and continue to do the same in the South region. -- Trustees approved NAMB's annual audit conducted by Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. The mission board received the highest rating possible from the independent auditors. Trustees also approved updates to NAMB's "whistle blower" policy, which protects employees who report concerns within the organization. -- Trustees approved a response to a motion from the 2014 SBC annual meeting relating to church revitalization. "The North American Mission Board (NAMB) shares the concern of many church leaders that many of Southern Baptist congregations may be categorized as plateaued or declining and an urgent need exists to see churches gain a fervor for impacting their communities with the Gospel," NAMB's response begins. "NAMB recognized this need and included an objective, 'decrease the death rate,' as a primary part of the Send North America strategy." The response goes on to outline how NAMB is addressing the issue. Aaron Coe, NAMB's mobilization and marketing vice president, reported that registration for the national Send North America Conference already stands at more than 7,500 paid attendees –- nearly double the number who attended NAMB's 2013 conference. The event is slated for Aug. 3-4 in Nashville. After the trustee meeting, Coe shared with staff that he will be leaving NAMB at the end of February to pursue his desire to mobilize evangelical churches across denominational lines to plant churches. NAMB President Kevin Ezell said Coe will have a short-term contract to continue leading plans for the Send North America Conference. Ezell, in his report to trustees, noted that NAMB is working with new International Mission Board President David Platt to create alignment in messaging and in some functions. "Although we are very separate entities and we are going to remain that way, we are going to work to align ourselves in the most strategic way possible to better serve pastors and ultimately the Southern Baptist Convention," Ezell said. NAMB has offered free office space in its Alpharetta building for any staff that IMB might wish to locate there. In addition, NAMB and IMB will share exhibit space at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Columbus as well as participate in a joint luncheon for pastors and a "Sending Celebration" for missionaries during the presentation time for the two entities. Half of the content of the summer edition of NAMB's On Mission magazine, he added, will consist of content from the IMB. Ezell also shared a plan for taking church planting efforts in NAMB Send North America cities to a higher level, starting with better recruitment and equipping of church planters. "We have to have the best assessments. We have to have the best training. We have to have the best coaching and the best partnerships," Ezell said. Every Send city church planter will attend a three-day orientation with NAMB for training in key church ministry areas -- especially in sharing the Gospel and understanding of the Cooperative Program and ministry partnerships. Each planter also will be assigned a coach. "We still plant all over North America -- even outside the cities," Ezell told trustees. He explained that in 10 years he wants to look back and see that among new church plants in each Send North America city, at least one each year develops into an "anchor" church that is growing and multiplying by planting churches of its own. "If that had happened 10 years ago we would have 10 very strong churches in Denver, 10 very strong churches in Seattle -- new churches. We would have 320 incredible new churches in 10 years. That's a minimum." Ezell noted, "We are taking this to another level. I am thankful for NAMB phase one, but we have entered NAMB phase two." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Vaccinations discussed by Christians by David Roach Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Amid controversy about the safety of using vaccines, Christians have found themselves discussing the scientific, public policy and moral implications of immunizations. Following a measles outbreak in Southern California and discussion of vaccinations by several potential 2016 presidential candidates, Southern Baptists' Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has published an article by a Christian pediatrician touting the safety and effectiveness of vaccinating children. Meanwhile, the public policy aspect of vaccination discussions has centered on the question of whether governments should require all children to be vaccinated or allow conscientious objectors to opt out on religious and moral grounds. One homeschool advocacy group has withdrawn its support from a vaccination bill in the Mississippi legislature because lawmakers removed a provision allowing children to be exempt from immunizations based on the beliefs of their parents. In yet another facet of the discussion, some vaccination opponents have raised concerns that many common vaccines were first developed using cell lines generated from tissues of aborted fetuses. Medical advice Writing for the ERLC, Texas pediatrician Justin Smith noted, "In my pediatric practice, questions about vaccines come up frequently. Your Facebook timeline, like mine, is often filled with vocal vaccine skeptics and critics who make us feel like we are in the minority opinion. So what is a Christian to do with vaccinations? I believe they should vaccinate and vaccinate with confidence." Smith presented three reasons why he believes Christians should have their children vaccinated, countering the argument that potential side effects of immunization outweigh the benefits: --Christians should vaccinate because science confirms the effectiveness and safety of vaccinations. "The basic science of vaccines is sound and proven," Smith wrote. "They are chemicals that are found in nature. Your child will get more mercury from a tuna fish sandwich, more aluminum from breast milk or formula and more formaldehyde from a pear than they will receive from vaccinations." -- Christians should vaccinate because we love our neighbors. "We are our brother's keeper (Gen 4:9)," Smith wrote. "Choosing not to vaccinate and to hide in the herd of everyone else who does puts others unnecessarily at risk and, as we have seen these past few weeks, does not work. Vaccination is pro-life and pro-neighbor because it serves the public good." -- Christians should vaccinate because we don't give in to fear mongering. Vaccine opponents sometimes exaggerate the potential side effects of shots and "play on our biggest fears as a parent, that we might do something that could harm our children," Smith wrote. "What they forget to mention is that by not vaccinating you are taking a bigger risk." Debates about the scientific advisability of immunizations are not a recent phenomenon. They date back to at least 1721, when early New Englanders discussed whether they should be inoculated against smallpox amid an outbreak in Boston. New England Puritans were among those to debate whether inoculation was permitted by Scripture and medically advisable. Jonathan Edwards, perhaps the most famous Puritan to promote smallpox inoculation, died from side effects of an inoculation in 1758. Vaccinations public policy The Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association has not addressed the safety of vaccinations as much as related public policy issues -- a component of the discussion not mentioned by the ERLC article. HSLDA believes that "lawmakers should take parental rights and public health into account when crafting laws that deal with immunizations," according to a statement on the HSLDA website. HSLDA supported a bill that was being considered by the Mississippi state Senate, which would have "create[d] an exemption to vaccinations of school children based on the beliefs of their parents," the HSLDA website stated. But HSLDA withdrew its support when the House Education Committee amended the bill "to remove the language granting an exemption from the vaccinations based on a conscientious objection," HSLDA senior counsel Dewitt Black told BP in a written statement. "We are now only monitoring the bill's progress." The revised House bill -- which seeks to codify Mississippi's current practice of granting medical waivers to children whose doctors request them -- awaits votes by the full House and Senate, USA Today reported. A similar bill being considered by the Colorado Senate would allow parents to choose whether to have their children immunized, USA Today reported. The first state law regarding vaccinations was passed in Massachusetts in 1809, according to the HSLDA website. Many states passed compulsory vaccination laws around the turn of the 20th century, when immigration and disease outbreaks both increased. In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that compulsory vaccination laws were constitutional. Pro-life concerns A separate concern raised by some vaccination opponents is that many common vaccines are produced using cell lines originally developed from fetuses aborted in the 1960s and 70s. Among the vaccines prepared using cell lines developed from aborted babies are several rubella vaccines, including versions of the combined measles, mumps, rubella shot; two vaccines against hepatitis A; a chicken pox vaccine; a rabies vaccine; and a smallpox vaccine, according to a 2005 report from the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life. West Virginians for Vaccine Exemption is one group that cites pro-life concerns as part of its opposition to vaccines. "West Virginians who object to abortion for religious or moral reasons have a right to refuse to inject abortion-related ingredients into their children," the group stated on its website according to Religion News Service. However, Southern Baptist bioethicist C. Ben Mitchell said it is not clear that recipients of a vaccine today are morally complicit in abortions that occurred decades ago. "I admire Christians who are trying to avoid even the appearance of evil," Mitchell, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Union University, told BP in written comments. "But it is very difficult to establish a clear line of complicity between an abortion 40 years ago and a vaccine administered in 2015. We should certainly be vigilant about resisting the temptation to do good through evil means, but we should nevertheless try to do good. This may be one of those issues where faithful Christians may disagree." The Vatican report distinguished cooperating in an immoral action while sharing evil intention and doing so without sharing evil intention. The report also argued that the amount of time to elapse between the original abortions and the receipt of vaccines should be factored into moral deliberations. "Doctors and fathers of families have a duty to take recourse to alternative vaccines (if they exist), putting pressure on the political authorities and health systems so that other vaccines without moral problems become available," the report stated. "They should take recourse, if necessary, to the use of conscientious objection with regard to the use of vaccines produced by means of cell lines of aborted human fetal origin." The report added that "it is right to abstain from using" vaccines developed from cell lines derived from aborted fetuses "if it can be done without causing children, and indirectly the population as a whole, to undergo significant risks to their health. However, if the latter are exposed to considerable dangers to their health, vaccines with moral problems pertaining to them may also be used on a temporary basis." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Obama draws pushback on ISIS, Crusades, slavery by Diana Chandler Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Violence perpetuated in the name of religion is a global, historical sin that humanity is challenged to eradicate, President Obama said at the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 5 in Washington, pointing out atrocities of ISIS, Boko Haram and other religious militants. "Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history," Obama said. "And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. "In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ." Obama's comparison of current atrocities with religious crusades, inquisitions, U.S. pre-Civil War slavery and Jim Crow segregation were met with criticism from various quarters. Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, who attended the breakfast, expressed concern. "His flawed comparison to atrocities that happened hundreds of years ago minimizes the severity of ISIS and other groups that are brutalizing and killing innocent people," said Floyd, an Arkansas pastor. "Instead of focusing on the past, America needs heroic leadership in the present -- leadership that champions religious liberty for all people," Floyd told Baptist Press. Russell Moore, president of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said, "President Obama is right that many wicked things were done in the name of Christ. This is an unfair and unfortunate moral comparison, though, in light of the threat of ISIS. "All of the sinful acts he mentioned were countered by those who did so also in the name of Christ. The dissenters from these non-Christian deeds prevailed, precisely because a Christian moral ethic was on their side," Moore said in a statement to Baptist Press. Moore earlier responded to the Washington Post that Obama's comments about Christianity were "an unfortunate attempt at a wrongheaded moral comparison." "The evil actions that [Obama] mentioned were clearly outside the moral parameters of Christianity itself and were met with overwhelming moral opposition from Christians," the Post quoted Moore as saying. A "moral framework from the administration and a clear strategy for defeating ISIS" is what the nation needs, said Moore, who placed a link to his Washington Post comments on his Facebook page. Frank S. Page, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said violence in the name of Christianity reflects a wayward faith. "While the president is technically correct," Page told Baptist Press, "he needs to understand that those egregious acts of violence were committed by people who claim to be Christian but whose heart were not following our Lord Jesus." Obama said violence in the name of religion is not unique, but reveals the human condition. "There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency that can pervert and distort our faith. In today's world, when hate groups have their own Twitter accounts and bigotry can fester in hidden places in cyberspace, it can be ever harder to counteract such violence," Obama said at the breakfast. "But God compels us to try." Basic humility, a respect for diversity in religion, a separation of church and state, global advocacy for religious freedom and following the Golden Rule found in the Bible can speed results, Obama said. "The Holy Bible tells us to 'put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony,'" Obama said in a reference to Colossians 3:14. "Whatever our beliefs, whatever our traditions, we must seek to be instruments of peace, and bringing light where there is darkness, and sowing love where there is hatred." Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, told Baptist Press that the president's comments "seem to say that he is more worried about possible feelings of Islamophobia from American Christians than the grotesquely brutal religious cleansing against their brethren that is actually taking place by jihadists in various countries." Shea is a former member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has committed sectarian violence against Christians, Yazidis and Shi'ite Muslims, forcing nearly 2 million Iraqis to flee their homes, the U.N. Security Council has reported, putting ISIS violence on par with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Specifically, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child said it has received reports of "several cases of mass executions of boys, as well as reports of beheadings, crucifixions of children and burying children alive," CNN reported Feb. 5. Oklahoma Republican U.S. Senator James Lankford said on FOX's Lou Dobbs' business report that Obama needs to concentrate on the present. "The real issue is what's happening right now," Lankford said. "And while we can look back on history and find lots of issues in history, you don't find Christians around the world beheading. You don't find Buddhists around the world beheading. You don't find Hindus around the world beheading and setting people on fire. You find that right now among Islamic radicals." Obama's comments came just days ahead of Race Relations Sunday, Feb. 8 on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar, and more than a month before the ERLC's "The Gospel and Racial Reconciliation" summit, set for March 26-27 in Nashville. It has been nearly 20 years since the Southern Baptist Convention, born out of a 19th-century fight to protect slavery, apologized for its racist past. Messengers to the 1995 SBC Annual Meeting adopted the Resolution On Racial Reconciliation On The 150th Anniversary Of The Southern Baptist Convention , and the SBC leaders have worked intentionally to create multiethnic diversity within its entities. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ala. Baptists grieved over marriage rulings by Staff/Alabama Baptist Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BP) -- Alabama Baptists voted Friday (Feb. 6) to express "moral outrage, intense grief and strong disagreement over court rulings that have set our culture in a direction against the biblical definition of marriage." In the wake of a U.S. district judge striking down the state's same-sex marriage ban last month and a federal appeals court denying a delay on gay ceremonies beyond Feb. 9, the 100-plus member Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (ABSBOM) unanimously approved a resolution reaffirming biblical marriage during their meeting. The resolution is a reaffirmation of a 2013 Resolution on Strengthening Biblical Marriage. A joint statement by Alabama Baptist leaders said "even as the stay on a federal court ruling expires on February 9, we grieve over the abandonment of biblical marriage as the cornerstone of our society." When the stay expires, Alabama will become the 37th state in which same-sex marriage is legal. "We pray that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule in a way that will protect states such as Alabama where voters have by majority vote expressed support for biblical marriage only," the statement said. "In Alabama's case, the vote was an overwhelming majority." Rick Lance, ABSBOM executive director, said, "We cannot speak out on every issue, but biblical marriage is foundational to our culture. Change marriage laws and you change culture. Erode family and marriage and you erode the society in which we live. … We contend that the biblical definition of marriage is what we believe and we will try to do our very best to make sure Alabama Baptists have a voice out in the public." Luther Strange, Alabama attorney general, expressed dissapointment in a prepared statement released after the stay on the lower court's decision was denied Feb. 3, the Huntsville Times reported. He noted confusion throughout the state regarding this issue "could linger for months until the U.S. Supreme Court resolves this issue once and for all." Meanwhile, many probate judges in the state have decided to stop holding marriage ceremonies. The Resolution on Reaffirmation of Biblical Marriage encourages Alabama Baptists to "offer prayer and personal support for those probate judges who, exercising their personal religious liberties, conscientiously object to the affirmation of the marriage of same sex couples; and … pray for those with whom we disagree, specifically those who advocate the abolition of biblical marriage as the only legally sanctioned form." The resolution also encourages Alabama Baptists to "commit to pray for the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court who are expected this year to issue a landmark ruling that could abolish the sole legality of biblical marriage throughout our nation." And they are encouraged to continue to be faithful to the biblical definition of marriage. "We call for sincere repentance, earnest prayer and a commitment to seek God's face for a spiritual and moral awakening in America." EDITOR'S NOTE: See full text below of joint statement released by Alabama Baptist leaders and the Resolution on Reaffirmation of Biblical Marriage. Joint statement From Rick Lance, executive director, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, Montgomery, Ala., and Travis Coleman, Jr., senior minister, First Baptist Church, Prattville, Ala., and president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention: We endorse the following resolutions that were adopted by the State Board of Missions on February 6. We likewise call upon Alabama Baptists to pray for our state and nation and to stand strong in support of biblical marriage as the only form that should be legal in Alabama and throughout our nation. Even as the stay on a federal court ruling expires on February 9, we grieve over the abandonment of biblical marriage as the cornerstone of our society. We pray that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule in a way that will protect states such as Alabama where voters have by majority vote expressed support for biblical marriage only. In Alabama's case, the vote was an overwhelming majority. We commend to Alabama Baptist congregations and their members these resolutions as worthy of consideration by our family of churches as they seek to be faithful to God and to His teachings in all of Scripture regarding marriage and healthy human relationships. Resolution ON REAFFIRMATION OF BIBLICAL MARRIAGE WHEREAS, Alabama Baptists continue their faithful and unwavering support for biblical marriage as the only legally sanctioned form; and WHEREAS, Alabama Baptists have expressed this support in various ways, including as a resolution adopted by the 2013 annual meeting of our State Convention; and WHEREAS, Court decisions during the past several months have effectively abolished biblical marriage as the only legally sanctioned form in numerous other states across our nation; and WHEREAS, On Friday, January 23, 2015, U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. "Ginny" Granade ruled that Alabama's Marriage Protection Act and the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment are unconstitutional; and WHEREAS, On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to extend a delay on the District Judge's ruling; and WHEREAS, The effect of the panel's ruling is that on Monday, February 9, 2015, Alabama will become the 37th state in which marriage licenses must be issued by probate offices upon request to same-sex couples; and WHEREAS, Several Probate Judges have expressed plans to no longer officiate for wedding ceremonies; and WHEREAS, A landmark decision from the U.S. Supreme Court is expected within a few months regarding marriage and same-sex couples; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, meeting in Montgomery on February 6, 2015, expresses moral outrage, intense grief and strong disagreement over court rulings that have set our culture in a direction against the biblical definition of marriage; and be it further RESOLVED, That we offer prayer and personal support for those Probate Judges who, exercising their personal religious liberties, conscientiously object to the affirmation of the marriage of same-sex couples; and be it further RESOLVED, That we will pray for those with whom we disagree, specifically those who advocate the abolition of biblical marriage as the only legally sanctioned form; and be it further RESOLVED, That we commit to pray for the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court who are expected this year to issue a landmark ruling that could abolish the sole legality of biblical marriage throughout our nation; and be it further RESOLVED, That we encourage Alabama Baptists and all Christians to continue to be faithful to the biblical definition of marriage and that we call for sincere repentance, earnest prayer and a commitment to seek God's face for a spiritual and moral awakening in America; and be it finally RESOLVED, That we reaffirm the attached resolution that was adopted by messengers to the 2013 annual meeting of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Frank Page, en NOBTS, habla de la epidemia del suicido by Por Frank Michael McCormack Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- "Nunca antes he predicado sobre este tema en un seminario," dijo Frank Page. He hablado en iglesias algunas pocas veces, pero no con frecuencia. "Hace cinco años y dos meses, mi hija dejó atrás a su familia cuando se suicidó. Ese sentimiento "dejó atrás" nos afecta hasta este día," dijo Page, presidente y director ejecutivo del Comité Ejecutivo de la Convención Bautista del Sur, en su mensaje de capilla del Seminario Teológico Bautista New Orleans el 27 de enero. Él describió cómo, a finales de 2009, recibió una llamada de Melissa, su hija mayor. "La semanas anteriores a eso habían sido tumultuosas," dijo Page. "Pero créanme, mi antena se elevó cuando ella dijo: 'Papi, te amo.' Yo le dije: Mi niña, te amo.' Ella dijo: 'Papi, dile a mamá y a las chicas que a ellas también las amo.' Le dije: 'Amor, no voy a hacer eso. Tú se lo dices.' 'Papi, no puedo. Te amo, papi.' Clic." Page dijo que inmediatamente comenzó a llamar y a enviarle textos a Melissa, sin respuesta. Unos pocos minutos después, recibió una llamada de una miembro de su iglesia que era vecina de Melissa. "Pastor, hay una ambulancia. Por favor ¿qué pasa en la casa de Melissa?" preguntó. Page se precipitó a la casa de su hija solamente para encontrarse con un oficial de policía que le dijo que Melissa estaba en el hospital. Entonces él corrió hacia el hospital, donde un médico y miembro de su iglesia se reunió con él y dijo, simplemente: "Ay pastor, lo siento mucho." "¿Qué hice yo? ¿Qué haces cuando escuchas algo así? Tu hija mayor se ha suicidado. No sabía qué hacer, así que hice lo que sabía hacer. Eso fue citar la Escritura," dijo Page. "Dios no necesitaba que yo le citara la Escritura, pero yo necesitaba oír esa palabra del Señor." Así que Page cayó de rodillas en un solitario cuarto de hospital y citó Job 1:21, "El Señor ha dado; el Señor ha quitado. ¡Bendito sea el nombre del Señor!" El segundo pasaje que llegó a la mente fue Juan 14:1-3: "No se angustien. Confíen en Dios, y confíen también en mí. En el hogar de mi Padre hay muchas viviendas; si no fuera así, ya se lo habría dicho a ustedes. Voy a prepararles un lugar. Y si me voy y se lo preparo, vendré para llevármelos conmigo. Así ustedes estarán donde yo esté." El mensaje de Page de Juan 14:1-3, enmarcado por la historia de la muerte de su hija, fue poderoso y oportuno, dado los problemas de la depresión, las enfermedades mentales y los suicidios en EE.UU. hoy en día. "En todas las etnias, razas, grupos étnicos, niveles socio económicos, es epidémico," dijo Page. "En algunas partes de nuestro país más que en otras. Particularmente entre los jóvenes. De hecho, ha dado un salto inmenso en los años recién pasados entre las mujeres jóvenes de 18 a 29 años." De acuerdo al Centro de Control de Enfermedades, en 2012 (el último registro disponible) el índice de suicidios en EE.UU. fue de 12.6 muertes por 100.000 estadounidenses. Ese es el más alto índice de suicidios en 25 años. En 2012, el suicidio estuvo entre las primeras 10 causas de muerte entre los estadounidenses. De acuerdo a Voces de Educación en la Concientización del Suicidio (SAVE por sus siglas en inglés), el 15 por ciento de las personas clínicamente deprimidas mueren por suicidio. Noventa por ciento de los que mueren por suicidio tienen una enfermedad mental existente o un problema de abuso de sustancias en el momento de la muerte. También de acuerdo a SAVE, uno de cada 65.000 niños en edades de 10 a 14 muere cada año por suicidio. Paz A la luz de la epidemia de suicidios en EE.UU, Page presentó cuatro palabras del pasaje de Juan 14. Primero señaló una "palabra de paz." "Jesús dijo en el poderoso pasaje de Juan: 'No se angustien. Confíen en Dios, y confíen también en mí,'" dijo Page. "Él sabía que tendríamos problemas. …No es un asunto de si... Es un asunto de cuándo." Page también señaló Juan 16:33: "En este mundo afrontarán aflicciones." "Algunos de ustedes tienen profundas cicatrices por dificultades que los han asediado, aun a su joven edad," le dijo Page a la audiencia del seminario. "Todos tenemos problemas en la vida, pero nuestro Señor expresa una palabra de paz. 'Quiero ayudarlos a través de eso. Ustedes necesitan confiar en Dios y confiar en mí.' En eso, ustedes encontrarán solaz. En eso, encontrarán una ayuda que no pueden encontrar en ninguna otra parte." Page dijo que los ministros y los creyentes en general deben estar listos para confrontar y refutar la mala teología que declara que el suicidio es un pecado imperdonable. "Enseñe la palabra que dice que si la salvación es verdad es por siempre," dijo. También desafió a los pastores a deliberadamente enseñar a los creyentes a ministrar efectivamente a aquellos que pasan tiempos difíciles, a ser cuidadoso de lo que dicen, y a evitar "superficialidades trilladas" que con frecuencia no son verdaderas y muchas veces inapropiadas. Una superficialidad común y dañina es "Solo necesitas superarlo." "Nunca digan eso," dijo Page. "Si ellos pudieran superarlo, lo superarían." También dijo que es importante practicar y enseñar el ministerio del consuelo. "La Biblia dice que hemos de proveer el consuelo que nosotros recibimos. Es nuestro trabajo dar la palabra de paz y el consuelo que tan desesperadamente la gente desea tener," dijo. Preparación Segundo, Page señaló una palabra de preparación en Juan 14:2. "'Voy a prepararles un lugar,'" enfatizó Page. "Mis amigos, aquellos que lo conocen tienen un lugar en el cielo, y yo sé que mi hijita está en el cielo ahora." Promesa También hay una palabra de promesa encontrada en Juan 14:3: "Y si me voy…vendré." Desafortunadamente, dijo Page, la segunda venida de Cristo es a menudo un asunto de teología pasado por alto. "Solamente ha sido dejado en el empolvado estante de la teología," dijo. "La historia no es cíclica. Es linear. Va a alguna parte. Se encamina a una colisión con la eternidad, y necesitamos predicar sobre eso." Presencia Finalmente, Page hizo énfasis en una palabra de presencia al final del versículo 3: "Así ustedes estarán donde yo esté." También señaló el llamado del Salmo 46:10: "Quédense quietos, reconozcan que yo soy Dios." Las personas con depresión y que consideran el suicidio además de aquellos dejados atrás después del suicidio necesitan desesperadamente experimentar esa presencia, dijo Page. "Ellos necesitan saber que hay un Dios que los amará y los cuidará. Hay un Dios que estará ahí para ellos en los buenos tiempos y en los malos" dijo. "El suicidio es una horrible experiencia, pero sucede. Los matrimonios fallan. Los casos de divorcio entre aquellos que han experimentado un suicidio en la familia inmediata dramáticamente incrementa. Los mismos suicidios dramáticamente incrementan entre los sobrevivientes de un suicidio en la familia. Hay consecuencias persistentes en cualquier clase de tragedia, pero particularmente en el suicidio. "La gente necesita saber que el único lugar en el que ustedes encontrarán esperanza es en el Señor; él estará con ustedes," dijo Page. Page hizo la crónica de la historia de su hija, Melissa, y el peregrinaje de su familia desde su muerte en el libro: "Melissa: A Father's Lessons from a Daughter's Suicide" (Melissa: Lecciones de un padre del suicidio de una hija)." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Cristianos perseguidos en México son alejados de sus casas by Por el personal/Morning Star News Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday AUSTIN, Texas (BP) -- En uno de por lo menos tres casos de persecución a cristianos evangélicos en el sureño estado mexicano de Chiapas el mes pasado, los líderes del pueblo se retractaron de su acuerdo de permitir que 47 evangélicos que fueron expulsados por su fe regresaran a sus casas y a sus tierras. De acuerdo con el acuerdo hecho por los funcionarios del estado, esos protestantes del pueblo Buenavista Bahuitz el 20 de enero trataron de regresar a su comunidad después de que católicos sincretistas los expulsaran en 2012 debido a su fe. Cuando los protestantes y los funcionarios de Chiapas que los acompañaban llegaron a la comunidad Buenavista Bahuitz, los líderes comunitarios de nuevo les rehusaron la entrada hasta que los protestantes se convirtieran al catolicismo, de acuerdo al grupo defensor Solidaridad Cristiana Mundial (CSW por sus siglas en inglés). Los católicos "tradicionalistas" del pueblo que practican una mezcla de catolicismo romano y costumbres indígenas que involucra festivales con borracheras han estado en disputa con la minoría protestante durante años. Las autoridades locales que son católicos sincretistas les dijeron que podían regresar a su propiedad solamente si se volvían católicos y tomaban parte en las actividades religiosas, incluyendo pagar las costosas celebraciones en las que hay grandes cantidades de licor. En noviembre, aquellos expulsados de Buenavista Bahuitz junto con otros desplazados a la fuerza de otras comunidades de Chiapas protestaron por su difícil situación con una desobediencia civil pacífica en el edificio de la gobernación del estado en Tuxtla Gutiérrez, la capital del estado. Después de que los funcionarios estatales hicieron compromisos verbales con los protestantes de hacerse cargo de sus preocupaciones, los desplazados terminaron su acción de un mes de duración el 1º de diciembre. Los oficiales de Chiapas le habían asegurado al grupo de desplazados que habían negociado su regreso, dijo Luis Herrera, director de la Coordinación de Organizaciones Cristianas de Chiapas, en una declaración a CSW. Los oficiales les habían dicho a estos evangélicos que su libertad de culto sería protegida. Pero cuando los cristianos evangélicos y los oficiales del estado llegaron al pueblo en bus el 20 de enero, los líderes de Buenavista Bahuitz les dijeron a los antiguos residentes que debían convertirse al catolicismo para poder quedarse. Cuando los sorprendidos oficiales intervinieron ante los líderes del pueblo, los católicos sincretistas por lo menos ofrecieron permitir que los cristianos se quedaran si pagaban una multa. Los cristianos declinaron la oferta. Regresaron a la propiedad de la iglesia en Comitán de Domínguez, donde ellos vivieron como desplazados durante dos años y medio. La continuada expulsión de las 12 familias está entre los 30 casos activos de persecución religiosa que CSW está rastreando en Chiapas, le dijo una analista de la organización a Morning Star News. Los casos van desde anticipada presión aplicada a los lugareños, como cortarles la electricidad o el agua, a autoridades locales que les niegan a los niños el derecho de asistir a la escuela, dijo la analista, que solicitó anonimato. Otros casos, dijo, incluyen quitar a los protestantes de una lista de beneficios del gobierno. Casos extremos incluyen prohibiciones de tener cultos, e inclusive prohibición de reuniones de oración en casas, destrucción de casas y de edificios de iglesias y expulsiones categóricas. Para exacerbar el problema, en México los crímenes religiosamente motivados tienen impunidad "No sabemos de casi ningún caso donde alguien haya sido procesado por actos criminales en nombre de la religión," dijo. "En México, si alguien comete un crimen, destruir la casa de un vecino, y dice que fue por religión, repentinamente se convierte en un crimen exento por alguna razón [como si] no se pudiera tocar eso." El gobierno también tiene la práctica poco útil de otorgar tierra afuera de su comunidad para el reasentamiento; ella dijo que es un equivalente a decirles a las víctimas: "Los reubicaremos en vez de lidiar con la raíz del asunto." Las raíces de la inactividad yacen en una cultura que sostiene que la mayoría tiene el "derecho" de decidir la religión de toda la comunidad. "El gobierno ha permitido que la persecución se desarrolle y se arraigue," dijo. "Si el gobierno no interviene, casi siempre termina con la expulsión." Las violaciones a la libertad de culto y el desplazamiento forzado de las minorías religiosas han sido comunes durante décadas en los estados de Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Hidalgo y Puebla, donde hay grandes poblaciones indígenas, de acuerdo a CSW. Los jefes políticos locales o caciques recurren a la "Ley de usos y costumbres" de México, la cual fue diseñada para impedir que el gobierno interfiriera en las costumbres indígenas locales, pero los católicos sincretistas la usan para forzar a los evangélicos a pagar y a participar en los rituales católicos "tradicionalistas." La Ley de Usos y Costumbres por lo tanto ha sido usada por las autoridades locales para violar, con impunidad, los derechos religiosos garantizados en la constitución mexicana, señaló CSW. "Continuamos apelando al gobierno estatal para que cumpla sus obligaciones bajo la ley mexicana e internacional y urgimos al gobierno federal a intervenir si el gobierno estatal es incapaz o reacio a llevar a cabo sus responsabilidades," dijo en una declaración Mervyn Thomas, director ejecutivo de CSW. Las recientes expulsiones en Chiapas incluyen la de 10 protestantes a quienes los líderes del pueblo de La Florecilla en la municipalidad de San Cristóbal de las Casas forzaron a salir el 14 de enero después de que los cristianos rehusaron renunciar a su fe, de acuerdo a CSW. También en Chiapas, el 8 de enero alrededor de 25 individuos armados y encapuchados quienes se cree que son caciques (o líderes políticos locales) según se informa atacaron a los evangélicos en la comunidad de Las Ollas en la municipalidad de San Juan Chamula por rehusarse a tomar parte en la fiesta de la virgen de Guadalupe en diciembre. Aunque en principio ellos se opusieron a la fiesta de borrachera, los empobrecidos evangélicos se informa que dijeron que estaban dispuestos a pagar pero que simplemente no podían pagar los 250 pesos (US$16) por familia que los líderes del pueblo les exigían. -------------------------------------------------------------------- PC 3.25 adelante de proyección by Por el personal Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Las contribuciones hasta la fecha de los ministerios y misiones nacionales e internacionales de la Convención Bautista del Sur recibidas por el Comité Ejecutivo de la CBS están 3.25 por ciento arriba de la proyección anual, y están 4.97 por ciento arriba de las contribuciones recibidas durante el mismo período del año pasado, de acuerdo a noticias divulgadas por Frank S. Page, presidente y director ejecutivo del Comité Ejecutivo de la CBS. El total incluye las recaudaciones de las convenciones estatales y compañerismos, iglesias e individuos para la distribución de acuerdo al presupuesto de asignaciones del Programa Cooperativo de la CBS 2014-15. Al 31 de enero, las ofrendas recibidas por el Comité Ejecutivo para la distribución a través del presupuesto de asignaciones del Programa Cooperativo totalizaron $64,702.035.77, o 103.25 por ciento de la cantidad presupuestada a la fecha de $62,666.666.67 para sostener los ministerios globales y en Norteamérica de la Convención Bautista del Sur. El total es $3,066.250.90 más de los $61,635.784.87 recibidos a finales de enero de 2014. El presupuesto adoptado por la Convención está distribuido 50.41 por ciento a las misiones internacionales a través de la IMB, 22.79 por ciento a las misiones norteamericanas a través de NAMB, 22.16 por ciento a la educación teológica, 2.99 por ciento al presupuesto de operaciones de la CBS, y 1.65 por ciento a la Comisión de Libertad Religiosa y Ética (ERLC por sus siglas en inglés). De acuerdo con las responsabilidades ministeriales asignadas por la Convención, la IMB reportó sostener totalmente a más de 4.800 misioneros en el extranjero quienes, en conjunto con el trabajo de sus colegas nacionales, reportaron casi 6.200 nuevas iglesias y más de 114.000 bautismos; NAMB reportó más de 2.600 completamente financiados, conjuntamente financiados y misioneros estudiantes y 936 nuevas iglesias plantadas; los presidentes de los seminarios reportaron más de 19.000 estudiantes matriculados para entrenamiento ministerial a través de los seis seminarios de la Convención; y la ERLC activamente involucró a cientos de pastores, iglesias, funcionarios elegidos y tribunales y más de 1.200 “contactos estratégicos de difusión” sobre numerosos asuntos de ética bíblica, política pública y libertad religiosa, de acuerdo al libro de reportes de la CBS 2014. De acuerdo al presupuesto adoptado por la CBS en su reunión anual de junio de 2014 en Baltimore, si la Convención excede su meta anual de presupuesto de $188 millones de dólares, la porción de IMB irá al 51 por ciento de cualquier excedente en las recaudaciones de asignación de presupuesto del Programa Cooperativo. Otras entidades ministeriales de la CBS recibirán sus cantidades asumidas de porcentaje y la porción del presupuesto operativo se reducirá a 2.4 por ciento de cualquier excedente. Ofrendas designadas de $39,448.889.72 para el mismo período anual está 6.31 por ciento, o $2,343.218.34, por encima de las ofrendas de $37,105.671.38 recibidas a este punto del año pasado. Este total incluye solamente las ofrendas recibidas y distribuidas por el Comité Ejecutivo y no refleja las ofrendas designadas contribuidas directamente a las entidades de la CBS. El Programa Cooperativo es un programa de ofrendas a través del cual la iglesia local es capaz de contribuir con una única contribución a los varios ministerios de su convención estatal y a las varias misiones y ministerios de la Convención Bautista del Sur. La asignación de los ingresos del PC de enero para el trabajo de la CBS totalizó $19,508.055.06. Las ofrendas designadas recibidas el mes pasado, en tanto, equivalieron a $27,967.681.81. Las convenciones bautistas regionales y estatales sirven como entidades recaudadoras paras las contribuciones al Programa Cooperativo. Ellos retienen una porción de las contribuciones de la iglesia para que el Programa Cooperativo sostenga el trabajo en sus respectivas áreas y remita el porcentaje a las causas nacionales e internacionales de la Convención Bautista del Sur. El porcentaje de distribución de los estados queda a discreción de los mensajeros de cada convención estatal a través de la adopción del presupuesto anual de la convención estatal. Las recaudaciones de las asignaciones del presupuesto del PC recibidas por el Comité Ejecutivo son reportadas mensualmente a los ejecutivos de las entidades de la convención, a las oficinas estatales, a los documentos de la denominación y son publicadas en línea en . El total de fin de mes representa dinero recibido por el Comité Ejecutivo para el cierre del último día hábil de cada mes. La oscilación mes a mes refleja un número de factores, incluyendo el número de domingos en un mes dado, el día del mes que las iglesias reenvían sus contribuciones del PC a sus convenciones estatales y el momento cuando las convenciones estatales reenvían la porción nacional de sus contribuciones del PC al Comité Ejecutivo. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ingenua, poco útil, la postura de los mormones sobre los derechos de las personas LGBT by Por Tom Strode Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday WASHINGTON (BP) -- La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Últimos Días apoyará los derechos civiles para las personas lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transexuales si se aseguran también las protecciones religiosas, según anunciaron sus líderes el martes (27 enero). Sin embargo, los líderes bautistas del sur dijeron que la postura de los mormones en cuanto al conflicto entre los derechos sexuales y la libertad religiosa es ingenua y poco útil, así como inaceptable para los proponentes de los derechos de las personas LGBT. En una conferencia de prensa en Salt Lake City, los líderes mormones describieron su postura como "justa para todos" -- o como un "acercamiento balanceado entre los derechos religiosos y homosexuales" que endosa las protecciones en cuanto a la vivienda, el empleo y el transporte público para las personas LGBT y, a la vez, salvaguarda los derechos de las instituciones y personas religiosas. El nuevo apoyo de los mormones hacia la legislación de los derechos de las personas LGBT a través del país, se dio después de endosar un decreto similar en Salt Lake City en el 2009. Los líderes mormones dijeron que pudieron apoyar la medida del ayuntamiento de la ciudad porque protege adecuadamente la libertad religiosa. Esta postura no representa un cambio en la doctrina si no un deseo de "animarse mutuamente a un diálogo respetuoso sobre lo que se ha convertido en un debate nacional altamente polarizado," dijeron los líderes mormones. Decidieron no mencionar el matrimonio entre homosexuales en sus comentarios, una aparente indicación de que los santos de los últimos días mantienen su postura sobre el matrimonio, es decir, solamente entre un hombre y una mujer. "Creo que los santos de los últimos días tienen buenas intenciones pero son ingenuos en cuanto a la situación de la realidad hoy en día," dijo Russell Moore, presidente de la Comisión de Ética y Libertad Religiosa. "No creo, en la mayoría de los casos, que la orientación sexual deba importar en cuanto a la vivienda o el empleo, pero es seguro que estas propuestas para abordar estas preocupaciones inevitablemente llevan a asaltos enfocados en la libertad religiosa." Tal como él creía, el anuncio de los mormones sobre una postura revisada, "fue recibida con hostilidad por parte de las organizaciones de los derechos de los homosexuales y con desilusión por parte de los conservadores sociales," dijo Moore. R. Albert Mohler Jr., presidente del Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, dijo en su programa de radio del miércoles (28 de enero), "[C]asi nadie que entienda el alcance y la escala de la revolución moral actual entenderá por qué pudiera hacerse tal propuesta. Pero si echas un vistazo al panorama actual de los Estados Unidos, pareciera ser que esta propuesta se hizo un poco tarde para ser genuinamente útil. Y quizás la respuesta de ayer para la propuesta puediera ayudar a reforzar aún más este punto." Mohler dijo, "[C]asi de inmediato, quedó claro que el liderazgo del movimiento LGBT no aceptará este tipo de oferta." "[L]o que tenemos en frente," dijo Mohler, "es que la iglesia de los santos de los últimos días básicamente está pidiendo lo que casi cualquier individuo en el movimiento de los derechos para los homosexuales hubiera estado listo para otorgarles hace dos o tres años—ciertamente lo hubiera hecho hace cinco o diez. "[D]e lo que somos testigos ahora es de una aceleración radical del movimiento para redefinir la libertad religiosa para que ésta no signifique casi nada," dijo Mohler, según una trascripción de su programa de radio. La reacción demostró lo inaceptables que son para los grupos partidarios de los LGBT las protecciones para la libertad religiosa que piden los mormones. "La llamada excepción religiosa es del tamaño de cinco camionetas descomunales. Neutraliza totalmente su propuesta," dijo Fred Sainz, vicepresidente de comunicaciones y marketing en la Campaña de los Derechos Humanos (HRC, por sus siglas en inglés), según reportó The Washington Post. La HRC es la organización líder nacional de las personas LGBT. Los mormones están "exigiendo excepciones religiosas vastas e innecesarias que dañarán a las personas y familias LGBT," dijo Sarah Kate Ellis, presidente de GLAAD (anteriormente conocida como Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), en un comunicado de prensa. "La 'concesión' es que la Iglesia Mormona apoyará la no discriminación solamente si tiene que seguir reglas que exijan el tratamiento equitativo de las personas LGBT. Esto no es una 'concesión,' es una concesión del respeto básico y la justicia hacia la gente LBGT." El anuncio de los mormones se dio en vista de que cada vez más ciudades, e incluso municipalidades menores, están poniendo en vigor decretos que expanden sus protecciones antidiscriminatorias para las personas LGBT en cuanto a empleo, vivienda y beneficios públicos, los cuales cubren hoteles, restaurantes y otros negocios. Los concilios de las ciudades de Houston y Plano, Texas, están entre los que aprobaron decretos a favor de las personas LGBT en el 2014. Hubo una instancia en donde el gobierno de Houston incluso emitió citatorios para los sermones de los pastores que se opongan al decreto como parte de una demanda, aunque después esto se clausuró. Algunos bautistas del sur y otros cristianos que se apegan a una ética sexual bíblica se han declarado en oposición a estas leyes, contendiendo que a menudo se infringe la libertad religiosa y la conciencia de los individuos, las iglesias y las empresas. En una declaración escrita, Moore dijo, "Como bautistas del sur, creemos que las personas gay y lesbianas están creadas en la imagen de Dios y deben ser respetadas. También creemos que cualquier expresión sexual fuera del matrimonio entre un hombre y una mujer está mal moralmente. Y creemos que debe mantenerse la libertad de consciencia para quienes como nosotros disienten con la Revolución Sexual." Los mormones han sido fuertes aliados de los cristianos evangélicos y de otros conservadores sociales en cuanto a los asuntos como el matrimonio y la libertad religiosa. Ambos, Moore y Mohler, se han reunido con líderes mormones para conversar sobre estas cuestiones. Mohler ha hablado en la Brigham Young University –una escuela mormona en Provo, Utah- en dos ocasiones, dejando en claro ambas veces que "hay un gran sisma teológico entre el cristianismo bíblico y la iglesia de los santos de los últimos días," según dijo en su programa radial. "Como lo dije en ambas conferencias, no creo que vamos a ir al cielo juntos, pero sí creo que estamos en riesgo de ir a la cárcel juntos. Es esta segunda preocupación, de alguna manera, la que conllevó al anuncio de la iglesia mormona el día de ayer." El anuncio de los mormones pudiera ser un intento de ayudar a Mitt Romney en la campaña presidencial del 2016, dijo R. Philip Roberts, ex director del departamento de testificación interreligiosa de la Junta de Misiones Norteamericanas (NAMB, por sus siglas en inglés). Romney perdió como candidato republicano para la Casa Blanca en el 2012 y ha señalado que pudiera lanzarse como candidato otra vez. Citando fuentes con las que está familiarizado, Robert dijo que la postura mormona pudiera tener la intención de "relajar al centro y a una parte de la izquierda en contra de criticarlo por sus puntos de vista morales y suavizar su postura y aumentar su atractivo hacia esos elementos en el espectro político. …[N]o hay ninguna otra razón para que ellos estén haciendo esto a estas alturas, a menos que sea para ayudar a Romney." Roberts es el director para la educación teológica internacional con la Global Ministries Foundation en Memphis. Aunque cuestiona la postura de los santos de los últimos días, Moore dijo que está en espera de "trabajar con los mormones y con otros para proteger la libertad religiosa de todos, en los años venideros." Aunque los mormones son conocidos por sus puntos de vista a favor de la familia y ser socialmente conservadores, sus creencias contradicen las enseñanzas cristianas en tales doctrinas como la persona y obra de Dios el Hijo, la salvación y la suficiencia y autoridad de la Biblia. La expansión del matrimonio homosexual también ha puesto en peligro la libertad religiosa de los cristianos y de otros con sus objeciones de consciencia. Los floristas, fotógrafos, pasteleros y demás proveedores de servicios para bodas han estado bajo una vulnerabilidad especial con los esfuerzos por obligarlos a contradecir sus propias creencias. El matrimonio homosexual ahora es legal en 36 estados –casi el triple de los 13 estados donde era legal apenas hace 18 meses—y en el Distrito de Columbia. La Suprema Corte de Justicia de los EE UU anuncio el 16 de enero que revisará una decisión de una corte menor relacionada con el matrimonio de parejas del mismo sexo, señalando que probablemente a fines de junio ésta determinará si los estados pueden definir el matrimonio como la unión de un hombre y una mujer solamente. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Malas Noticias y Buenas Noticias by Por Michael A. Gonzales Date: February 06, 2015 - Friday GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- Sabemos que toda la humanidad en nuestro mundo, según la Palabra de Dios, está separada de la vida de Dios y eso significa una muerte eterna. Sin embargo, hay muchos que creen que obtendrán la vida eterna si hacen buenas obras, tratan de ser personas religiosas, o hacen obras de caridad. El apóstol Pablo en Romanos es bien claro sobre este asunto. "¿Qué, pues? ¿Somos nosotros mejores que ellos? En ninguna manera; pues ya hemos acusado a judíos y a gentiles, que todos están bajo pecado. Como está escrito: No hay justo, ni uno; No hay quien entienda, No hay quien busca a Dios. Todos se desviaron, a una se hicieron inútiles; No hay quien haga lo bueno, ni hay ni siquiera uno. Sepulcro abierto es su garganta, con su lengua engañan. Veneno de áspides hay debajo de sus labios; Su boca está llena de maldición y de amargura. Sus pies apresuran para derramar sangre; Quebranto y desventura hay en sus camino; Y no conocen camino de paz. No hay temor de Dios delante de sus ojos. Pero sabemos que todo lo que la ley dice, lo dice a los que están bajo la ley, para que toda boca se cierre y todo el mundo queda bajo el juicio de Dios. Ya que por las obras de la ley ningún ser humano será justificado delante de él; porque por medio de la ley es el conocimiento del pecado." Romanos 3:9-20 Aquí Pablo ve a toda la humanidad y dice claramente que toda persona está bajo el juicio de Dios. Nadie se puede escapar y somos corruptos en toda nuestra manera de ser. Podemos hacer buenas obras pero nuestras buenas obras no nos puedan dar esa justicia y la entrada a la salvación eterna que es el cielo. Pablo declara que toda persona es culpable y no hay nadie perfecto delante de Dios. Nadie puede ser lo suficiente justo para obtener la salvación de Dios. Eso es lo que llamamos malas noticias. Pero vemos que donde hay malas noticias tenemos buenas noticias. Las buenas noticias son que Dios ha proveído la justicia que todos necesitamos. La justicia viene de Cristo Jesús y tenemos que creer en Él personalmente. "Pero ahora, aparte de la ley, se ha manifestado la justicia de Dios, testificada por la ley y por los profetas; la justicia de Dios por medio de la fe en Jesucristo, para todos los que creen en él. Porque no hay diferencia, por cuanto todos pecaron, y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios, siendo justificados gratuitamente por su gracia, mediante la redención que es en Cristo Jesús, a quien Dios puso como propiciación por medio de la fe en su sangre, para manifestar su justicia, a causa de haber pasado por alto, en su paciencia, los pecados pasados, con la mira de manifestar en este tiempo su justicia, a fin de que él sea el justo, y el que justifica al que es de la fe de Jesús." Romanos 3:21-26 Nuestra salvación no se puede obtener por obras, por ser buenos, o ser religiosos. Nuestra salvación es a través de nuestra fe sólo en Cristo Jesús. La justificación viene de él y no de nosotros. Cristo puso su vida por nosotros y nos redimió con su sangra que fue derramada en la cruz. Pero al tercer día, Cristo resucitó para darnos vida eterna. Lo que se espera de nosotros es creer en él. ¡Esas son las buenas noticias y hay que compartirlas siempre!