The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-03/17/2014 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDVIEW: No regrets when God calls by Erich Bridges Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: Visit WorldView Conversation, the blog related to this column. RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Karen Watson knew Iraq was dangerous. She had left Iraq months before, exhausted and afraid, as the chaotic country descended deeper into violence. But she went back anyway. She was not a soldier, but a Christian relief worker, armed only with love and humanitarian aid. That decision claimed the 38-year-old's life on a dusty road 10 years ago. Still, she had no regrets about going back. She wasn't big on regrets; she had experienced too many of them already in her short life. She was big on obedience. "When God calls there are no regrets," she wrote in a now-famous letter found in a sealed envelope marked "Open in case of death." Departing for the Middle East, she had left the letter with Phil Neighbors, her pastor at Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, Calif. "I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations," Watson said in the letter. "I wasn't called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward." She had joined the wave of foreign relief workers who rushed to Iraq after U.S. and coalition forces overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. But relief groups didn't realize how quickly large areas of Iraq were becoming death traps as factional attacks and terrorism mounted. On March 15, 2004, Watson and four other Southern Baptist humanitarian workers were driving back to Mosul after a day of visiting villagers in need of clean water. Gunmen pulled alongside their vehicle and opened fire, killing Watson and co-workers Larry and Jean Elliott on the spot. David McDonnall died hours after the attack. Carrie McDonnall, David's wife, suffered multiple wounds but recovered. In the 2005 book, "Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs," I wrote about these workers and four other Southern Baptist missionaries killed in terror attacks since 9/11. I read their letters and journals, and discussed these workers' lives with their widows, friends, colleagues, parents and children. Watson's story struck the deepest chord in me. She overcame a difficult early life, a broken family, devastating losses of loved ones and years of emotional pain to become a bold and joyful servant. She packed a lifetime of loving Jesus into the nine years she knew Him as Savior before her death. "Don't make Karen into a saint," urged a close friend. "She would hate that. She was pretty wild when she was young. But when she became a Christian, she turned around 180 degrees." So who, exactly, was Watson? One tough woman, to hear some tell it. Before becoming a believer, she ran a pool hall. Later, as a detention officer with the Kern County (Calif.) Sheriff's Department, she handled potentially violent jail inmates and trained other deputies to quell disorder, by force if necessary. During her first year as a believer, she was offered the job with the Sheriff's Department -- and she seized the opportunity. Watson had a deep sense of justice -- of right and wrong -- which had been violated many times during her years of pain. Law enforcement represented a way to try to right some of those wrongs. And as a young Christian, Watson had by no means become a quiet, retiring nun. She was in charge -- and when she felt it necessary, in your face. "She was a straight shooter. She didn't sugarcoat anything," said Lt. Kevin Wright, her commanding officer and closest friend in the department. "I would hear her footsteps coming down the hall and know I was going to get a lecture about something. She would come in, close the door, sit on my desk and say, 'We gotta talk.'" Watson did her best at all times and expected everyone else to do the same. No slack, no excuses. Nearly everyone in the department liked her though, because she backed her words with action, commitment and loyalty. "She was the kind of person you wanted on your side when the going got rough," Wright said. Inmates liked her, too. She was firm, but fair. "She was compassionate with them," Wright said. "They knew they weren't going to pull anything over on her, that she was strict and would enforce the rules. But she was willing to listen to them." Once Watson gave her heart to Jesus, He began the patient process of softening her, a process revealed in the journals she kept throughout her walk with God. The journals are a series of love letters from God to her, and from her to God, recording her pursuit of Him with all of her mind, body and soul. "I'm not going to give anything to my Lord that will cost me nothing," she wrote, way back in 1998. Many times during her life Watson -- like other children of broken homes -- battled anger, bitterness, depression, loneliness, perfectionism, insecurity and the compulsion to rebel against authority. She also struggled with fear throughout her time in Iraq and freely admitted it. But courage isn't the absence of fear, as one of her pastors reminded listeners at her funeral. Courage is the laying aside of fear to obey God, trusting Him with the consequences. When she was assigned by IMB to help coordinate post-war relief projects in Iraq, she sold her house and car and gave away most of her other possessions -- whatever wouldn't fit in a large duffel bag. After relief work began in earnest, she worked with others to coordinate the distribution of thousands of food boxes sent by Southern Baptist churches and the rebuilding of damaged schools, among numerous other projects. One of her most cherished ministries was the "Widows Project," a program that helped mostly nonliterate Iraqi women learn to read, gain work skills and generate income. "Karen built relationships everywhere she went," a colleague said. "People remember her. They remember the light in her countenance. They remember her friendliness." The spiritual battle intensified for Watson as the brutally hot summer months of 2003 passed. Threats against foreign civilians were increasing. She personally experienced several close calls in the Baghdad area as bombings and street attacks mounted. Gunfire woke her up at night; sleep seldom returned. It became overwhelming. Watson left Iraq for several months, not knowing if she would ever return. She rested -- mentally, physically and spiritually. She savored the feeling of having lunch with friends at McDonald's without having to look over her shoulder or listen for explosions and gunfire. She studied Arabic. She spent many hours in prayer. As time passed, she confronted her anxieties about what was happening in Iraq. She studied key passages of God's Word with close friends -- grappling once again not only with current fears but with old wounds and heartbreak. "Lord, in all my weakness I need Your strength for the future," she wrote in her journal. Watson was convinced it was time to return to Iraq. Shortly before she left, she bought a beautiful gold ring with several small diamonds. The purchase surprised friends, since Karen usually saved much of her small salary and lived on next to nothing. "It looked like a wedding band," a friend said. "I wore a wedding band before I got married, too, to remind me that Christ was my husband, that I wasn't alone." She asked Watson if that was what she had in mind. "Yes," she replied with a radiant smile. "I guess that's it." Her friend wept with everyone else when she learned of Watson's death in Iraq only days later. Then she remembered the wedding ring, and her weeping turned to tears of celebration. "It was her wedding day. Christ had so prepared her as a bride that she was completely without blemish. I don't know if I have ever been with anyone who was more ready to meet Him face to face." Only Watson -- and her beloved Bridegroom -- know all the reasons she returned to Iraq and died there. But in the end, her joyful sacrifice wasn't for needy Iraqis. Her sacrifice was for Jesus. --30-- Erich Bridges is an International Mission Board global correspondent. Link to his book on Southern Baptist martyrs at http://imbresources.org/index.cfm/product/detail/prodID/1330. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- How NAMB assists churches in evangelism by H. Al Gilbert Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: The North American Mission Board has released a series of stories on the major areas of ministry covered by NAMB's evangelism group: church revitalization, LoveLoud, networks and resources (GPS), chaplaincy, disaster relief, and collegiate. This is the first of the series which includes an overview column by Al Gilbert, vice president for evangelism. ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- God works through His people, the Church. The Bible makes it very clear. The local church is central in God's plan to move the Gospel throughout the world. That's why the evangelism teams at the North American Mission Board (NAMB) are geared to encourage and extend the ministries of the local church. We believe in the continuum of church -- every evangelism effort should be rooted in and flow back into the local church. NAMB's role becomes clear in the light of this conviction. North America needs more churches. This may not be apparent in your community but it is clear when we look at the density and diversity of our cities -- especially outside the South region. In many places Southern Baptists must plant more evangelistic churches if we want to proclaim Christ and disciple new believers in every place in North America. Many established churches need help. As we learn from the challenges of church planting in the cities, we can better serve established churches struggling with how to share Christ in a changing and diverse culture. We are committed to discovering best practices for effective ministry and sharing these approaches with Southern Baptist churches and partners. NAMB's evangelism teams are encouraging the local church through: Church revitalization Research indicates that only 10-15 percent of SBC churches are healthy and multiplying. What can be said about the 85-90 percent of our churches that are plateaued, declining or at risk? There may be other factors but many of our churches have lost their spiritual health and outreach focus. That's why NAMB has placed revitalization in the evangelism group. Working with conventions and local Southern Baptist partners, we encourage struggling churches to refocus. We are also coming alongside dying churches to offer a vision of starting something new by replanting as a legacy church. LoveLoud Historically, churches have built relational and evangelistic bridges through mercy ministries. Increasingly, churches across our Convention are renewing their commitment to this way of engaging their communities. Our LoveLoud team is working to identify and highlight churches effectively serving and sharing Christ. We encourage every church to engage in "ministry evangelism." New life, found in the Gospel, can bring restoration to neglected neighbors, neglected communities and neglected children. We encourage churches to join this movement of meeting significant human need while sharing Christ. Evangelism Networks and Resources We are actively working with our partners to provide tools and strategies for churches to use in evangelism and discipleship. NAMB is preparing a new tool that will help pastors teach their members how to enter into Gospel conversations. We are encouraging churches in evangelism training, ethnic networks, apologetics, interfaith witnessing, the Evangelism Response Center and Crossover. For instance, our GPS: God's Plan for Sharing emphasis for 2014-15 is "Serving Across North America." We are praying that churches will discover new ministry opportunities as they engage in a Day of Service or Season of Service in their communities. NAMB's evangelism teams are extending the local church through: Chaplaincy We help extend ministry into areas where local churches might not have ready access. Chaplains seek to represent Christ on U.S. military bases and in deployment situations throughout the world. Chaplains also serve in prisons, hospitals and in other institutional settings. Our chaplaincy ministry endorses chaplains and encourages them as they share Christ where most pastors and churches can't. Additionally, we are beginning to see the potential of new church plants in communities near military facilities. Disaster relief For decades, Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers have responded in times of great human need with practical help and the love of Christ. NAMB serves in a coordinating role when disasters require multi-state response and maintains relationships with national government and relief entities. We seek to extend the reach of Southern Baptists who represent Christ and share the Gospel. In some cases new churches emerge as people respond to the Gospel in the midst of their heartache. We are committed to extending help, healing and hope when meeting physical needs in disaster settings. Collegiate evangelism Currently there are 21.7 million students on college campuses in North America. Our collegiate evangelism team is seeking to accelerate a movement to reach students with the Gospel and catalyze a discipleship movement that encourages every student to share their faith. Many college students are being mobilized for mission service as they answer the call of God. Outside the South, we are seeking to foster a church planting movement around college campuses. The Great Commission was given to every believer and every church. It is exciting to work together with you -- encouraging and extending the ministry of the local church -- seeking to share the Good News of Christ with every person in North America. --30-- Al Gilbert is vice president for evangelism at the North American Mission Board. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Muslim herdsmen kill 100 Christians in Nigeria by By Staff/Morning Star News Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday KADUNA, Nigeria (BP) -- Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed more than 100 Christians and destroyed homes in Kaduna state in North-Western Nigeria Friday (March 14), Morning Star News reported. Scores of the herdsmen simultaneously attacked the Christian villages of Ugwar Sankwai, Ungwar Gata and Chenshyi for about four hours. Yakubu Gandu Nkut, chairman of the Zankan area chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said a pastor's wife and her three children were among the dead, according to Morning Star News. "The unfortunate attack on our communities has led to killing of more than 100 Christians," Nkut said. "The wife of one of our pastors, Mrs. Jummai Likita Riku, and her three children, from the ECWA [Evangelical Church Winning All] church, Ugwar Sankwai, were killed in the attack." ECWA and Anglican church buildings were burned down by the herdsmen in Ugwar Sankwai, Nkut said. Fulani herdsmen have long attacked settled Christian farmers in Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Taraba and Adamawa states, but in the past year analysts have begun to see some ties between the assailants and Islamic extremist groups keen to exploit longstanding ethnic, property and religious conflicts. Daniel Anyip, vice chairman of the Kaura Local Government Council in Kaduna, confirmed the attacks and the death toll, telling reporters that women and children were burned to death in homes the assailants set ablaze. "There is no justification for this inhuman act," Anyip said. In Manchok, where several Christians have taken refuge, Nuhu Moses of Chenshyi village said the herdsmen killed about 50 Christians, Morning Star News reported. "The cattlemen who attacked my village were more than 40 -- they were armed with guns and other weapons," Morning Star News quoted Moses. "As I talk to you, there is no single house that has not been destroyed as the attackers set fire on our houses. As we made efforts to escape from being killed, our attackers shot at every one they saw. It was a miracle that I escaped alive." The Nigeria Police Force in Kaduna corroborated the attacks, saying more policemen had been deployed to the area to restore order. The first security personnel reportedly arrived at 4 a.m., about an hour after the attacks ended. Aminu Lawan, deputy superintendent of police, said police have begun investigating, Morning Star News reported. On Jan. 30, a band of armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked the Christian village of Ungwar Kajit in the Manyi Akuru area of Kaduna, near Manchok, killing a family of seven and a man nearby, and injuring dozens of others. Kaduna Gov. Mukhtar Yero described the attacks as "ungodly and barbaric." He promised to order an investigation. "This ugly situation is unacceptable, and we will step up efforts to improve surveillance and curtail future occurrence," he said in a press statement. "We pray that God would expose the people that are causing this problem. We pray that God would touch their hearts to stop such dastardly acts or destroy their evil machinations." George Dodo, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna, called on the Nigerian government to put an end to systematic persecution of Christians there. Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria's population of 158.2 million, while Muslims account for 45 percent. Those practicing indigenous religions may be as high as 10 percent of the total population, according to Operation World, so the percentages of Christians and Muslims may be less. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Finding the good in the bad by David Jeremiah Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- Have you ever worried about wearing out Romans 8:28? It's one of the greatest promises in the Bible: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." "All" makes it universal -- not just some, but all things work together for good. No matter what happens, God finds good in bad and transforms burdens into blessings. Romans 8:28 covers all contingencies -- like a blank check for the Christian, good at any time, drawn on the bank of God's infinite wisdom and power. How do we cash this check and find good in the bad? Perhaps someone reading these words is facing tragic or complicated circumstances. Afflictions come, but God's powerful promise in Romans 8:28 can overcome. Claim this promise and capitalize on its truth. Give the burden to the Lord First, give your burden to the Lord. Remember Psalm 55:22: "Cast your burden on the Lord.... He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." Lay your burden on the altar. If it crawls off, put it back on the altar. You could have a "turning over" time, a ceremony where you "officially" give your problem to the Lord: "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Latch on to God's promises Turning your burden over to God leaves a vacancy in your heart that God's promises can fill. Learn the vital art of recording God's promises on your heart. Cleave to them and be saturated by their power. Find a promise, put your name on it, write it in the flyleaf of your Bible, or post it under the glass on your desk. And lay hold of its penetrating power. Practice a platitude Third, practice the great old platitudes. Adopt one or two as an expression of your philosophy. Here's a sampling: -- Christians live by promises, not explanations. -- Every problem has a purpose. -- When you can't trace God's hand, you can trust His heart. -- God doesn't waste suffering. If He plows, it's because He purposes a crop. Preaching to ourselves is less offensive than listening to others toss platitudes at our pain. Rest It's also important to find ways of getting a good night's sleep during painful periods in life. When we're tired, we worry more, grieve more, hurt more deeply, feel more hopeless. During Elijah's depression, God gave him rest and refreshment (1 Kings 19). The Bible says that God gives His beloved sleep. Look for opportunities in the crisis Finally, look for opportunities in the crisis. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were flogged. After hours of hurting, they began praying and singing, witnessing and winning even their jailer. Evelyn Hersey, a missionary in Japan, sought for years to win a certain man to Christ. She eventually returned to America with terminal cancer. As she was dying, she called her Japanese friend and said, "Don't worry about me; I'm bound for heaven. I just want you to know we love you and I'll be praying for you." Soon afterward, the man became a Christian. "How could I fail to trust a Savior," he said, "who gave my friend the kindness and love to pray for me even while she was sick and dying?" It's not always possible to instantly see good results from bad circumstances. Blessings are not like jack-in-the-boxes that shoot up suddenly when the crank is turned. It often takes months and years for things to work together for good. God has all eternity at His disposal, and He isn't in a hurry. Faith is choosing to trust God's ability to fulfill Romans 8:28 even when the answers are not immediately apparent. That's why the Bible tells us to "wait on the Lord." The great hymnist, Henry Lyte, expressed it this way in his wonderful hymn, "Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken": I have called Thee "Abba, Father," I have set my heart on Thee. Storms may howl and clouds may gather, All must work for good to me. --30-- David Jeremiah is the founder and host of Turning Point for God and pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif. For more information on Turning Point, visit www.DavidJeremiah.org. This column has been approved by Turning Point for redistribution in Baptist state newspapers; for other reprint requests, contact Myrna Davis at mdavis@turningpointonline.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------- BP Ledger, March 17 by Staff Date: March 17, 2014 - 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: Campbellsville University Southern Evangelical Seminary World News Service Alabama Women's Hall of Fame Campbellsville University participating in 'The Bucket Project' By Kevin Thomas, student news writer CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (Campbellsville University) -- Buckets of love from Campbellsville University will soon be raining down on Africa. Campbellsville University is participating in a campus wide event known as The Bucket Project. The Bucket Project is an initiative to aid Southern Baptists in Africa in helping persons with HIV/AIDS, cancer, malaria, and other devastating diseases who are in the last stages of their illness. The buckets, which are packed with items such as latex gloves, multi-vitamins, bedding material and hygienic supplies to comfort and help with cleanliness, are being used in evangelization efforts on the continent of Africa. The program is a part of Baptist Global Response, a Southern Baptist-related relief organization. Baptist Global Response (BGR) is a disaster relief and community development organization with a heart for helping people in desperate need. BGR and its partners respond to people with critical needs, whether those needs arise from chronic conditions, like extreme poverty, contaminated water, or endemic hunger, or acute crises, such as natural disaster, personal trauma, or social upheaval. The Texas Baptist Convention was asked last year by BGR to organize its entities. They shipped over 1,500 buckets to Africa. This year, Kentucky was chosen to help with the aid. Edwina Rowell, adjunct instructor for the English as a Second Language Institute at Campbellsville University, will be serving as the area coordinator for the buckets. Rowell said, "I think it's great,...I'm always ready to help with a project I feel is worthy and this is a worthy cause." Rowell previously worked overseas for 17 years in the West African countries of Burkina Foso and Nigeria, as well as the Ivory Coast. Completed buckets and supplies can be dropped off in the Student Activities Center between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. March 27. Students (and others) may bring their packed buckets to the SAC and receive free pizza that night as well as chapel credit for the students. On Wednesday, April 9, the buckets will be dedicated in chapel and then placed in vans to be transported to Parkway Baptist Church in Bardstown, Ky. Parkway will then take the buckets to First Baptist Church in Murray, Ky. who will send them to port in Virginia to be placed in a sea crate for the voyage to South Africa. For more information on how you can participate, contact Rowell by email at erowell@campbellsville.edu or phone (270) 849-5588. If you would like to know more and for a complete list of supplies needed, go to https://gobgr.org/projects/project_detail/hospice-kits. BGR asks that only the items on the list be purchased for the buckets due to the need and having to be transported through customs. If you want like to donate money, which will be used for shipping the buckets, send a check (made out to The Bucket Project) to Edwina Rowell at Campbellsville University, UPO 823, 1 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky. 42718. Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu. ********** Bill Gothard resigns from ministry amid allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct By Warren Cole Smith ASHEVILLE, N.C. (World News Service) -- Bill Gothard has resigned as president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and from its board and affiliates.   The announcement came Thursday night in a letter to families associated with the IBLP's Advanced Training Institute from David Waller, ATI's administrative director. Gothard's resignation comes just days after IBLP's board of directors placed its longtime leader on "administrative leave" while it investigated claims that the 79-year-old years ago engaged in sexual harassment and other misconduct. Attorney David Gibbs of the Christian Law Association, who has been conducting the investigation, did not respond to repeated attempts by WORLD requesting comment on the nature of the investigation. In the 1970s and '80s, Gothard filled 20,000-seat auditoriums with evangelical Christians who came to hear his weeklong seminars on biblical principles and practical applications, which included warnings against rock music and exhortations to stay out of debt. His seminars, attended by more than 2.5 million people, were particularly popular with the rapidly growing homeschool community. The accusations against Gothard became public as a result of the work of Recovering Grace, which has statements from 34 women regarding incidents dating back to their youth in the 1970s and thereafter. The statements concern sexual harassment and -- in one case -- sexual abuse that included fondling but not rape. In Waller's letter, neither Gothard nor the organization admitted wrongdoing. "Mr. Gothard communicated to the Board of Directors his desire to follow Matthew 5:23-24 and listen to those who have 'ought against' him," Waller wrote. "To give his full attention to this objective, Mr. Gothard resigned as president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, its Board of Directors, and its affiliated entities. The Board of Directors expects to appoint interim leadership for IBLP in the very near future." Waller said the organization would continue operating under the leadership of President Chris Hogan, who, according to Waller's letter "will play an active role in the upcoming conferences." ATI has events planned for Big Sandy, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; and Sacramento, Calif., in the months ahead. ********** Conservative evangelical leader argues homosexual activity should be legal but religious consciences of business owners should be protected CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Southern Evangelical Seminary) -- Dr. Richard Land, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu) and an Executive Editor for The Christian Post, was recently featured in the publication for his editorial on a very timely and highly debated topic. Titled "Gay Marriage and Religious Freedom: A Modest Proposal," Land's editorial focuses on the rapid advancement of the acceptance of same-sex marriage in the U.S. and its effect on those who still hold a traditional definition of marriage in high regard. "The efforts by several states to pass laws protecting the consciences of people with deeply-held religious convictions against same-sex marriage have ignited a debate that has generated far more heat than light," Land wrote. "Charges of state-sanctioned discrimination harkening back to the dark days of Jim Crow have been leveled at the proponents of such laws." Land went on to say that comparing current same-sex marriage laws to Jim Crow laws is not analogous. Jim Crow laws were government-mandated discrimination based on race, while today's same-sex marriage and "anti-discrimination" laws that were supposedly created to protect some private citizens actually coerce others into violating their consciences. Land also points out in his column that homosexual activity between consenting adults should not be criminalized, as it is in other countries around the world, such as Uganda, now making headlines. "Separation of church and state means, among other things, that the church should not use the coercive powers of the state to penalize consensual infractions it considers immoral," he writes. "It also means that the state must not interfere with an individual church's discipline of such behavior. Consequently, as a Baptist Christian I would oppose the Uganda laws there and here. "However, as a Baptist Christian, I continue to oppose changing God's definition of marriage to include same-sex unions," Land continues. "Such a redefinition goes far beyond consensual behavior between adults in its social implications for society, including its impact on children." The American public, however, seems to be coming to a far different conclusion, but does that mean that there should be no legal protections for people of faith whose religious convictions are at odds with the new cultural norm? "I would propose no law allowing cafes, restaurants, bakeries or photographers to refuse to serve the LGBT community if they offer their services to the public," Land writes. "On the other hand, there should be laws protecting them from being coerced to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies. Surely, fair-minded people can see the difference between serving a couple in a restaurant ... and being forced to cater a same-sex wedding reception. There is a big difference between taking a couple's photo and being coerced to attend the rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding and the wedding reception and contribute your artistic talent through photography to that which violates your conscience at the deepest levels. In the first cases you are serving the public. In the latter cases you are being coerced legally and economically into participating in a ceremony that violates your conscience. "The difference between serving gays and being forced to participate in a ceremony that tramples conscience is the very point that is most often missed in the heat of this debate." Dr. Richard Land will be featured in the new three-minute daily radio program, "Bringing Every Thought Captive," airing on several stations local to the SES area in and around Charlotte. The program airs in the morning and during the evening drive time Monday through Friday and features Dr. Land as he comments on faith issues and how they relate to current events. Debuting March 17, the program will also be available online at HeavenRadio.org and at www.ses.edu, as well as podcast daily on the free SES mobile app. SES is in the planning stages for the 2014 Southern Evangelical Seminary 21st Annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics, set for October 10 and 11, at Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte. This year's theme is "Defending a Never-Changing Faith in an Ever-Changing World," and the conference will equip Christians to answer questions about their beliefs rationally and intelligently as they explore the field of apologetics—especially important as it becomes more crucial for Christians to defend their faith in an often faithless world. Registration is open for the 2014 conference. For more information, visit http://conference.ses.edu/. Dr. Richard Land has taught as a visiting or adjunct professor for several seminaries and has authored or edited more than 15 books. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Oxford University in England and his bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) from Princeton University. Land also earned a Master of Theology degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received the Broadman Seminarian Award as the outstanding graduating student. Dr. Land was the 2013 Watchman Award recipient from the Family Research Council for his leadership on moral and cultural issues. He also received the Phillip E. Johnson Award for Liberty and Truth from Biola University in 2010. Land served previously (1988-2013) as president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the Southern Baptist Convention's official entity assigned to address social, moral and ethical concerns, with particular attention to their impact on American families. Southern Evangelical Seminary is a leader in apologetics education—teaching students to defend their faith and talk intelligently, passionately and rationally about what they believe and why they believe it. Many courses focus on societal issues from a Christian worldview, delve into scientific apologetics or contemplate creation research. Notable professors have joined the SES ranks in recent years, pointing to the fact that Southern Evangelical Seminary is focused on recruiting talent and building courses of study to remain at the top of the apologetic educational institutions in the U.S. Southern Evangelical Seminary has been ranked No. 1 for its General Christian Apologetics Graduate Program by TheBestSchools.org's "Top 10 Graduate Programs in Christian Apologetics." For more information, visit www.ses.edu or call (800) 77-TRUTH. ********** Dr. Hazel Mansell Gore joins Alabama Women's Hall of Fame By George Frangoulis MARIAN, Ala. (Alabama Women's Hall of Fame) -- At the recent 43rd Installation Ceremony of the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame (AWHOF), an unsung hero of medicine joined the ranks of other strong women who have contributed to the development of this state. The induction ceremony was for Dr. Hazel Mansell Gore. The ceremony was held in Alumnae Auditorium of Judson College, Marion, Ala., on March 6.  The building housing the AWHOF, A. Howard Bean Hall, is also located on the school's campus. Although born and educated in Australia, Dr. Gore lived in Birmingham, AL, from 1969 to 2001 During that time, she practiced and taught medicine in the Department of Pathology and the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.  However, growing up in Australia, Dr. Gore wanted to be a physician. As a result, she enrolled in the University of Sydney in the fall of 1940.  Due to the need for physicians in WWII, she and her classmates were placed in a rigorous, accelerated program, and she graduated with her medical degree in 1945, at the age of 22. She practiced medicine in Australia before moving to New York in 1951, to study in the new field of gynecologic pathology. In 1953, she became an Assistant in Pathology at the Harvard Medical School. In 1969, Dr. Gore was jointly recruited by Department of Pathology and the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at UAB. Dr. Edward E. Partridge, Director of the Comprehensive Cancer and Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at UAB, said that "Over the next two and one-half decades her influence on physicians in training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham was absolutely remarkable." In 2007, Dr. Gore was among a select few gynecological pathologists from around the world honored in the journal Pathology, by Dr. Robert H. Young, Harvard Medical School, for her influence in the development of modern gynecologic pathology. The induction ceremony for Dr. Gore began with a musical prelude by George Philipp Telemann, which was followed with an invocation by The Rt. Rev. Henry Parsley, 10th Episcopal Bishop of Alabama, Ret. The Judson Choir then sang the anthem, Nigra Sum, by Pablo Cassals. Dr. David Potts, President of Judson College, gave a warm welcome to the attendees, especially to members of Dr. Gore's family, who had traveled from Memphis, Tenn. Family members attending included two adult children, a son and daughter, as well as grand children. Further introductory remarks were given by Dr. Sandral Hullett, Chairman of the AWHOF Board of Directors. The key note address honoring Dr. Gore was presented by J. Max Austin, Jr., M.D. Dr. Austin was a student, friend, and colleague of Dr. Gore's at the University of Alabama in Birmingham's Medical Center. Dr. Austin is Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, as well as Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAB. The memorial plaque honoring  Dr. Gore was unveiled by her daughter-in-law, Cynthia Gore, who finalized the induction ceremony. The plaque will be permanently displayed in the AWHOF. According to the AWHOF's guidelines, a nominee must have been deceased for two years. In 2001, Dr. Gore was admitted to the hospital for coronary bypass surgery, but she died on July 14, 2001, four days after entering the hospital. In addition to her family members, other guests attending this year's gathering included AWHOF trustees, state dignitaries, medical colleagues, students, faculty, and staff of Judson College. A luncheon in Archibald Hall followed the installation. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Family's faith grows while launching church in Vancouver by Keith Collier Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday VANCOUVER (BP) -- Billed as North America's most diversity-dense city, Vancouver, British Columbia, boasts 200 language groups among its population of 2.3 million. Naturally, this Canadian region, which includes nearby Vancouver Island, has become a strategic city for the North American Mission Board's Send North America church planting initiative. In the shadow of this towering urban melting pot, across the Strait of Georgia, sits the picturesque seaside town of Sidney, a year-round tourist destination known for its fishing and natural scenery. "Most people here are enamored by the natural beauty of creation but reject the Creator. We are working hard to help people connect the Creator with His creation," says NAMB church planter Matthew Bond. Less than 2 percent of Vancouver Island claimed Christianity on a 2011 census, and 40 percent claimed "no religion." Bond and his wife Heather and their two teenage sons Ethan and Joseph landed in Sidney in 2012 to plant Ekklesia Church. In less than a year, they established a thriving congregation and have branched out to planting additional churches across the island, which claims a population of 770,000. "We have wonderful conversations beginning with God," Bond, an alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, says, "but when the conversation turns to Jesus the people become defensive and turn away. We are definitely not in the Bible Belt anymore! "Another challenge is the beauty of the island and the lifestyle of islanders. It's hard to convince people that they need God when life seems so good." The Bonds' church planting journey began in their home state of Tennessee, where Bond taught at a local junior high school as well as in a Sunday school class at their church. "As I grew spiritually," Bond says, "a friend challenged me to open my Christian worldview to actually include the world. This process led my wife and [me] to sell everything and move our family to Fort Worth, Texas, to attend Southwestern." Soon after, a professor informed Bond of a seminary evangelism course that would take place in Vancouver, so he signed up. "When I returned from Vancouver," Bond recalls, "I could not stop thinking and talking about Vancouver and the trip." As he and Heather talked and prayed about God's leading, they decided to take a family trip to explore the region and discuss opportunities with other church planters. As time passed, the Bonds were convinced God was calling them to Vancouver. "One important point about our church planting adventure is that our whole family is called to this wonderful adventure with God. This is our family mission calling, not just mine," Bond says. "My prayer was for God to call us as a family and for each of us to find a special place within God's plan to serve. God affirmed this when Ethan, my 15-year-old, came home and announced he had signed me up to coach volleyball and soccer at his new school. He understands the value of building relationships through building community with others. "Another great example is when Joseph, my 13-year-old son, shared the Gospel with a kid at school after the kid told Joseph he was going to hell. … These are the moments plus many others that God affirms our calling, and these are the stories we hold on to when we face spiritual warfare and discouragement. We are here for God's glory and not our own." From the beginning, Bond says they saw God's hand in planting Ekklesia Church. "We planted Ekklesia in a very unique way that brought with it different rewards and challenges," Bond says. A group of about 40 Christians, who had been displaced from a church that closed its doors, contacted a NAMB representative for help in planting a new church. Bond accepted the challenge from NAMB and began planting Ekklesia. It was a challenge they took on "without following any of the church planting models found in the textbooks," Bond says. "We began meeting with this group of 40, teaching them about church planting, the vision God gave me, the Baptist Faith and Message, and our views on doctrine, evangelism, and missions," Bond says. "We spent three and a half months meeting, teaching, worshipping and fellowshipping. "During this time, we lost some of that original 40, and we gathered new people. In December 2012, we held a commitment service when 37 people chose to commit to being a part of Ekklesia and spreading the Gospel in Sidney." Since then, Ekklesia has grown to a regular attendance of 50-60 people. They added children's Sunday school and an active youth group with about 10 teenagers. They also have six home Bible study groups. Recently, sparks of revival and awakening have caught fire, Bond says. The congregation has seen three people place their faith in Christ along with "seeing a spiritual awakening among many senior adult Christians in the church, many that are praying aloud and sharing their faith with others for the first time." As part of their church planting strategy, Bond challenges church members to give themselves away, noting that they want "to send people out to plant new works where the Gospel is not being proclaimed. We are currently working diligently toward creating a strong core church in order to celebrate the sending of people to reach people with the Gospel in communities where truth is not proclaimed." The church has started a home discipleship group in a community 20 minutes South of Sidney, where church members who live in the area are building relationships and studying the Bible with non-Christians. "We are praying that that God will take this group and build our first daughter church in Brentwood Bay," Bond says, adding, "… and then keep moving down the peninsula, planting new groups in communities until we work all the way down and then all the way up the island." Bond points to his training at Southwestern as a "launching pad" for their ministry in Canada. "God used the move from Tennessee to Texas as a point of separation of everything we knew in order to prepare us for a much bigger step to Vancouver Island," Bond says. "I consider my seminary training as an invaluable tool to my ministry of planting churches and reaching the lost with the Gospel. It provided a biblical foundation, sound doctrinal training, and crucial lessons of faith for myself and our family." Heather, likewise, sees the impact of their time at Southwestern. While Matthew was taking classes, Heather served in the seminary's institutional advancement office. "Working with, and being mentored by, women such as Mrs. Patterson, Dr. Stovall, and Karen Collett taught me the ministry of hospitality, service, and of grace," Heather says. "They taught me how to be a better wife and helpmate for my husband and how to manage the busyness of marriage, children, home and ministry. They taught me how to use my home as a safe haven for my family and a place of ministry for our church." As their family continues to serve in Vancouver, they remain anchored in the God who called them to this geographically beautiful but spiritually dark region. "I love church planting because there are no safety nets to catch us," Matthew says. "Our dependence, faith, and trust in God has grown exponentially …." --30-- Keith Collier is director of news and information for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- A new 'Cosmos,' same message by Dan Dewitt Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: A new "Cosmos" documentary series, akin to one featuring the late scientist Carl Sagan more than 30 years ago, premiered March 9 and continues its 13-week run on Fox on Sunday nights. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- The first documentary by the title of "Cosmos" was broadcast in 1980. Now the show is back. The original began with a panoramic shot of atheistic scientist Carl Sagan standing in front of the ocean. The new series features astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, also an atheist. In the first production Carl Sagan delivered his famous maxim, "The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be," a fitting summary of a naturalistic worldview. For the sake of full disclosure, formally trained scientists are not the only ones to recount this creed. Not long ago I picked up an old copy of the "Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science and Nature." One chapter begins these words, "Nature is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be." In the new Cosmos, Tyson encourages viewers to "Test ideas by experiment and observation; build on those ideas that pass the test, reject the ones that fail; follow the evidence wherever it leads and question everything." For anyone who values scientific discovery, his advice is appropriate. But how can Sagan's original opening line stand up to this standard? We have not proven scientifically that nature, or the cosmos, is all there is, or was, or ever will be. So, where has this belief come from? I think we should heed Tyson's advice and question everything, including this materialistic manifesto. Even as the remix of Cosmos is sure to fascinate and educate, it is also likely committed to regurgitating some of the old faith/science myths, and perpetuate an atheistic worldview. Even in the first of the 13 broadcasts, Tyson is already postulating the possibility of a multiverse, a theory that there is an infinite number of randomly ordered universes beyond our universe. It is interesting to see someone who reminds us to only follow the evidence proposing a theory that has zero physical evidence. This shouldn't be overly surprising as the multiverse has become a go-to theory for many public atheists as a way of explaining away the uniqueness of our universe to host a planet that allows for life, particularly human life. And while Tyson maintains that we don't know how life began, his comments make it clear that he is committed to only one option, as he tells viewers, "You, me, everyone -- we are made of star stuff." Of course we are made of star stuff. After all, the cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or ever will be. I look forward to the full series and I'm sure I will learn a lot. Yet, I am prepared for some measure of the popular, yet false, notion that Christianity is at odds with science to be mingled with awe-inspiring shots of the universe. While I'm certain the show will deliver on its promise to provide a fascinating tour of the cosmos, I'm also confident the new documentary will convey the old message that nature is all there is. I think some of the historical greats from the science hall of fame who were men of great Christian commitment like Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler and even Galileo, were they alive today, would find the show captivating even while rejecting its atheistic slant. As Kepler once said: Science is thinking God's thoughts after him. Had Kepler or Newton hosted the original broadcast instead of Sagan, or the new one instead of Tyson, it is likely the opening scene would begin with the words, "The heavens declare the glory of God." --30-- Dan DeWitt is dean of Boyce College, the undergraduate school of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Quotes from the show are taken from the following Washington Post article "Cosmos: A Fond Return to the Vastness of Space." Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Inerrancy debate never goes away, Mohler says by RuthAnne Irvin & Matt Damico Date: March 17, 2014 - Monday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Inerrancy is never a settled issue. The debate will never go away, said R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "It comes part-and-parcel with the modern world. Modernity itself presents a set of issues that are going to have to be answered one way or another," Mohler said. "Thus, we'll land either in the affirmation of inerrancy or in some other place. I think inerrancy continues to be a defining issue for what evangelical integrity requires." Mohler, as a contributor to a new book, "Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy," defines and defends the doctrine of inerrancy as articulated in the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. The Chicago Statement is the preeminent evangelical explanation and affirmation of the doctrine of inerrancy of the Scriptures. Nearly 300 evangelical scholars, including Carl F. H. Henry, J.I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, R.C. Sproul, James Montgomery Boice and others signed the statement in 1978.  In his contribution to Five Views, Mohler asserts inerrancy means "the Bible, as a whole, and in its part, contains nothing but God-breathed truth," Mohler said in an interview about the book. "When the Bible speaks, God speaks." Published by Zondervan, the book addresses the question of the "doctrinal rationale ... and Scriptural warrant" of the term "inerrancy" as a way to define the Bible's truthfulness. The book features five writers, each articulating different views: Mohler, Peter Enns, Michael F. Bird, Kevin J. Vanhoozer and John R. Franke. The assignment for each contributor was to discuss inerrancy -- along with corollary topics like the doctrine of inspiration and the nature of truth -- in direct reference to the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. After each chapter, the four other contributors offer a brief response. Enns writes that the CSBI obstructs "critical dialogue" within evangelicalism and, instead, advocates for an "incarnational model of Scripture" that views Scripture as "a collection of a variety of writings that ... reflects the worlds in which those writings were produced." Bird expresses appreciation of the CSBI but has significant hesitations regarding its so-called "hermeneutical assumptions," and the lack of global representation among its framers. Bird, then, argues for a more international view of Scripture that affirms its infallibility and is less exclusive than inerrancy. Franke, who thinks inerrancy is an unhelpful way to articulate "the core idea of the authority of Scripture as a witness to the mission of God," posits a "fallibilist perspective" on inerrancy that is "wed to the plurality of truth." In his defense of classic inerrancy, Mohler asserts that the Bible is God-breathed truth. His argument for the total inerrancy of Scripture "flows from three major sources -- the Bible itself, the tradition of the church and the function of the Bible within the church." Mohler argues not only for the validity of inerrancy -- particularly as the Chicago Statement articulates it -- but that "the affirmation of the Bible's inerrancy has never been more essential to evangelicalism." In the interview, Mohler discussed the differences specifically between his and Vanhoozer's views about inerrancy. Vanhoozer, a research professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, differs from Mohler on the Chicago statement, but only in hard-to-define ways, Mohler said. "It seems to me that Professor Vanhoozer wants to critique the Chicago Statement for failing to say some things that, upon reflection and reading, the Chicago Statement actually said," Mohler said. "Perhaps they could have been said more clearly. Perhaps they need to be said more loudly. But virtually all the qualifications he demands of the Chicago Statement are actually in the Chicago Statement." Vanhoozer argues for a "well-versed" or "Augustinian" inerrancy that recognizes that Scripture is "comprised of language and literature" and asks of the text, "What is the author doing in his discourse, and what is the discourse about?" While he has some reservations about the Chicago Statement, Vanhoozer claims that, "while the term 'inerrant' or the concept of inerrancy may be new, the underlying judgment is not." Because the debate about inerrancy will never go away, this discussion "makes all the difference in the world" for pastors and their preaching ministry, Mohler said. A pastor's conviction about biblical inerrancy will inevitably spill over into the pulpit. "The question is not whether the preacher has something to say but whether God is going to say something through the preacher and through His Word," Mohler said. "And if the preacher has any question whatsoever about the truth status of the Word of God, it will inevitably shift to the preaching." --30-- RuthAnne Irvin & Matt Damico write for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The interview with Mohler is available online at www.sbts.edu/blogs/2014/03/05/inerrancy-a-modern-definition-of-an-historic-view. "Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy" is available on Amazon.com and at the LifeWay Christian Store on the Southern Seminary campus. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).