
The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-03/24/2009

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2 Christians to be tried for 'insulting Turkishness'
by Damaris Kremida/Compass Direct News
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

ISTANBUL, Turkey (BP)--Turkey's decision to try two Christians under a revised version of a controversial law for "insulting Turkishness" has cast a cloud over the country's record of freedom of speech and religion.

A Turkish court received a go-ahead Feb. 24 from the Ministry of Justice to try Christians Turan Topal and Hakan Tastan under the revised Article 301 law that has sparked outrage among free speech proponents because journalists, writers, activists and lawyers have been tried under it. The court had sent the case to the Ministry of Justice after the government on May 8, 2008, put into effect a series of changes -– which critics have called "cosmetic" -– to the law.

The justice ministry decision came as a surprise to Topal and Tastan and their lawyer, as missionary activities are not illegal in Turkey. Defense lawyer Haydar Polat said no concrete evidence of insulting Turkey or Islam has emerged since the case first opened two years ago.

"The trial will continue from where it left off -– to be honest, we thought they wouldn't give permission &#91;for the case to continue&#93;," Polat said, "because there was no persuasive evidence of 'degrading Turkishness and Islam' in the case file."

A Ministry of Justice statement claimed that approval to try the case came in response to the original statement by three young men -- Fatih Kose, Alper Eksi and Oguz Yilmaz -- that Topal and Tastan were conducting missionary activities in an effort to show that Islam was a primitive and fictitious religion that results in terrorism, and to portray Turks as a "cursed people."

Prosecutors have yet to produce any evidence indicating the defendants described Islam in these terms, and Polat said Turkey's constitution grants all citizens freedom to choose, be educated in and communicate their religion, making missionary activities legal.

"This is the point that really needs to be understood," Polat said. "In Turkey, constitutionally speaking, it is not a crime to be a Christian or to disseminate the Christian faith. However, in reality there have been problems."

The lawyer contended that prosecutors have politicized the case by baseless accusations rendered in a nationalistic light.

"From their point of view, missionary activity carried out by missionaries of imperialistic countries is harmful for Turkish culture and the country overall," Polat said.

Tastan said that although he has always been confident he and Topal will be acquitted, the decision of the Ministry of Justice to try them under Article 301 left him deeply disappointed in his country. 

"After this last hearing, I realized that I didn't feel as comfortable as I had been in the past," Tastan told Compass Direct News. "I believed that surely the Ministry of Justice would never make the decision they did." 

Tastan said he was uneasy that his country would deem his Christian faith as insulting to the very Turkishness in which he takes pride.

"This is the source of my uneasiness: I love this country so much, this country's people, that as a loving Turk who is a Christian to be tried for insulting Turkey has really cut me up," Tastan said. "Because I love this nation, I've never said anything against it. That I'm a Christian, yes, I say that and I will continue to do so. But I think they are trying to paint the image that we insult, dislike and hate Turks. This really makes me sad and heartsick."

If nothing else, Tastan said, the trial has provided an opportunity for Turkish Christians to show God's love and also make themselves known to their compatriots.

Describing the Ministry of Justice decision as duplicitous, Tastan said, "A government that talks the European Union talk, claims to respect freedom, democracy and accept everyone, yet rejects me even though I'm a Turkish citizen who is officially a Christian on his ID card, has made me sad."

At the time of their arrests, Tastan and Topal were volunteers with The Bible Research Center, which received official association status in mid-March and is now called "The Society for Propagating Knowledge of the Bible." In the last court hearing, prosecutors demanded that further inquiries be conducted into the nature of the association since the defendants used their contact lists to reach people interested in Christianity.

"Because they think like this, they believe that the Bible center is an important unit to the missionary activities," Polat said. "And they allege that those working at this center are also guilty."

The court has yet to decide whether police can investigate the Christian association.

Polat and the defendants said they believe the case should come to a conclusion at the next hearing on May 28 because no evidence has been presented.

"From a legal standpoint, we hope that they will acquit us, that it will be obvious that there is no proof," Tastan said. "There have only been allegations.... &#91;N&#93;one of the witnesses have accused us in court. I'm not a legal expert, but I believe that if there is no proof and no evidence of 'insulting,' then we should be set free."

The initial charges prepared by the state prosecutor against Tastan and Topal were based on "a warning telephone call to the gendarme" claiming that Christian missionaries were trying to form illegal groups in local schools and insulting Turkishness, the military and Islam. 

Despite a court summons sent to the police headquarters requesting six officers to testify as prosecution witnesses, none have stepped forward to do so. At a June 24, 2008, hearing, two witnesses for the prosecution declared they did not know the defendants and had never seen them before facing them in court. Several witnesses -- including one of the original complainants -- have failed to show up on various trial dates.

"We believe the case has arrived to a concluding stage, because all evidence has been collected and the witnesses have been heard," Polat said. "We believe the accused will be dismissed. The inverse would surprise us." 

While Polat said the case shows that human rights violations in Turkey remain a "serious problem," he said it is also true that Turkey's desire to join the European Union has brought sincere efforts to improve democratic processes. Establishing a true democracy, he acknowledged, can be a long process that requires sacrifices.

"It is my conviction that there is no other way for people to believe in and establish democracy than through struggle," Polat said.

Tastan said he sees hope that the notion of being "Turkish" means being Muslim is breaking. Due to exposure to media coverage of the murder trial of the April 18, 2007, slaughter of three Christians in Malatya, he said, Turks are becoming aware that there are fellow citizens who are Christians and are even dying for their Lord.

"This makes me happy, because it means freedom for the Turkish Christians that come after us," Tastan said. "At least they won't experience these injustices. I believe we will accomplish this."

For now, though, the Ministry of Justice's decision that Tastan and Topal can be tried under the revised Article 301 law appears to contribute to the belief that to promulgate a non-Islamic faith in Turkey is tantamount to treason. As Turkish online human rights magazine Bianet headlined its coverage of the decision, "Ministerial Edict: You Can Be a Christian But Do Not Tell Anyone!" 
--30--
Compass Direct News, based in Santa Ana, Calif., provides reports on Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Used by permission.


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USCIRF: Tajikistan threatens religion
by Staff
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

WASHINGTON (BP)--Religious expression in the Central Asian country of Tajikistan may soon become even more restricted, according to a warning from a nonpartisan federal panel that keeps tabs on the global status of faith groups.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has reported that Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon is preparing to sign a religion law that will place more constraints on religion, especially Islam. Some of its measures, USCIRF noted, may violate international agreements Tajikistan has entered into.

The legislation, approved in March by Tajikistan's Parliament, will place into law government policies already practiced against Muslims, USCIRF reported. Muslims make up about 97 percent of the country's population. The Tajik government promotes secularism, according to the U.S. State Department.

The bill's provisions include the forced closing of hundreds of mosques and restrictions on the religious training of children, according to the commission. It also limits religious activities to state-sanctioned places of worship, mandates government censorship of religious literature and permits state regulation of religious groups, USCIRF said.

"The picture for religious freedom in Tajikistan is growing dim," said Felice Gaer, USCIRF's chairwoman.

"The commission is actively examining the status of Tajikistan to determine whether it qualifies for the 'Watch List,'" Gaer said in a March 20 written release. "We call on the Obama administration to make our concerns known."

USCIRF, a nine-member panel appointed by the president and congressional leaders, makes recommendations to the State Department for designation of "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) for the worst violators of religious freedom. The commission also keeps a "watch list" of governments it believes do not reach the CPC level but require close monitoring regarding their policies.

The State Department's CPC list consists of Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan. USCIRF has recommended Iraq, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam be added to the CPC list. The commission's "watch list" is made up of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria.

If Rakhmon signs the measure into law, it would conflict with the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Tajikistan has endorsed, and the religious liberty requirements of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which it is a member of, USCIRF reported.

The legislation will restrict the number of mosques based on local population and force state involvement in the selection of Muslim imams, according to USCIRF. Minority religious groups also face repressive policies in Tajikistan. The government, which registers religious groups, prohibits the activities of two Protestant churches and the Jehovah's Witnesses, USCIRF reported.

Despite the government's practices, Tajikistan's constitution espouses religious freedom. 

USCIRF's responsibility is to advise the White House and Congress. The president selects three members of the panel, while congressional leaders name the other six. The State Department's ambassador at large for international religious freedom serves as a non-voting member of the panel.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, is a USCIRF commissioner.
--30--
Compiled by Baptist Press Washington bureau chief Tom Strode.


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Judge: FDA must revisit 'morning-after' pill
by Tom Strode
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

WASHINGTON (BP)--A federal judge has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to re-evaluate its age restriction on the non-prescription sale of Plan B, making it possible pre-teens may have access to a "morning-after" pill that has abortion-causing qualities.

In his March 23 ruling, Edward Korman of New York directed the FDA to make the drug available over the counter to 17-year-olds within 30 days. He also instructed the agency to decide "whether to approve Plan B for over-the-counter status without age or point-of-sale restrictions." The FDA has the expertise to determine whether Plan B "may be used safely without a prescription by children as young as 11 or 12," he wrote in a 52-page opinion.

Before Korman's decision, Plan B was available without a prescription for use by women 18 and older. Females 17 and under needed a prescription, a requirement for women of all ages until a rule change in 2006.

Plan B is basically a heavier dose of birth control pills. Under the regimen, a woman takes two pills within 72 hours of sexual intercourse and another dose 12 hours later. The drug, known as the "morning-after" pill or "emergency contraception," works to restrict ovulation in a woman. It also can act after conception, thereby causing an abortion, pro-lifers point out. This mechanism of the drug blocks implantation of a tiny embryo in the uterine wall.

Pro-life advocates decried the judge's ruling, saying it will result in the destruction of embryonic human beings, undermine parent-child relations, endanger minors' health and make girls more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse.

"This unwarranted and intrusive decision by a federal court judge into medical decisions that he acknowledges in other circumstances are best left to the medical expertise of the FDA is alarming," said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "It is illustrative of both the increasing disregard for preborn human life, in that Plan B's purpose is to prevent any life that may have been conceived from continuing its existence, and the increasing intrusion of the federal government into decisions which should be between parents and their children."

Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, said the decision "puts politics above women's health, and intrudes into parents' ability to protect their minor daughters."

"Even advocates for the morning-after pill have admitted, since the FDA's &#91;2006&#93; decision, that Plan B is not as effective as they originally claimed," Wright said in a written statement. "Making the morning-after pill easy to get has not resulted in fewer pregnancies or abortions, as advocates promised it would. Pregnancy counselors report more young women relying on it as a regular form of birth control –- even though the drug has not been tested to discover what happens when it is used multiple times."

Denise Burke, vice president of legal affairs for Americans United for Life, said in a written release, "Increasingly easy access to Plan B may have severe and unintended consequences such as the continued exploitation and sexual abuse of young girls. It is all too easy for this unsafe drug to be used by sexual predators and even the victims themselves to hide the abuse from parents and the authorities."

The FDA postponed in August 2005 a decision on Barr Pharmaceuticals' request to sell Plan B over the counter before approving it with the 18-year-old age limit a year later. In May 2004, the agency had rejected Barr's appeal for over-the-counter sales, citing a lack of evidence about the pill's effect on girls 16 and younger. The FDA gave the company an option of reapplying for over-the-counter sales for females 16 and older and prescription sales for girls 15 and younger.

The FDA did not act in "good faith" in its consideration of Barr's request, wrote Korman, a 1985 nominee by President Reagan.

"The FDA repeatedly and unreasonably delayed issuing a decision on Plan B for suspect reasons and, on two occasions, only took action on Plan B to facilitate confirmation of Acting FDA Commissioners, whose confirmation hearings had been held up due to these repeated delays," Korman wrote.

"These political considerations, delays and implausible justifications for decision-making are not the only evidence of a lack of good faith and reasoned agency decision-making," he said. "Indeed, the record is clear that the FDA's course of conduct regarding Plan B departed in significant ways from the agency's normal procedure regarding similar applications to switch a drug product from prescription" to over-the-counter sale.

FDA staff and officials agreed 17 year olds could use the drug safely with a doctor's order, according to the record, Korman wrote. He therefore struck down the ban on non-prescription sales to 17 year olds.

Abortion-rights advocates applauded the ruling, at least some welcoming the potential for extending Plan B's over-the-counter availability to younger girls.

"Today's ruling is a tremendous victory for all Americans who expect the government to safeguard their health not undermine it" said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, in a written statement. "Emergency contraception is proven safe and effective and today, we have succeeded in expanding access to 17 year olds and are one step closer to making it fully available to all women, including young women for whom the barriers -- and the benefits -- are so great."

The FDA policy on Plan B presents the confusing situation of a prescription being required for birth control pills but not for stronger doses of the same drug.

The FDA approved Plan B for sale by prescription in 1999. It had approved Preven, another "morning-after" pill, in 1998. Preven is no longer on the market, according to the FDA. 
--30--
Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press.


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Sports lottery proposed in Delaware
by Erin Roach
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

DOVER, Del. (BP)--The governor of Delaware has proposed a sports lottery to help compensate for a $750 million shortfall in the state's budget, but opponents contend the gambling expansion will only make matters worse.

Gov. Jack Markell's proposal, which he hopes to move through the legislature quickly, would legalize sports betting at Delaware's three existing casinos as well as up to 10 sports bars or restaurants, generating what he predicts as an estimated $55 million in revenue for the state during the first year. Also at a March 19 news conference, Markell proposed adding up to three more casinos, which also would feature sports betting.

USA Today reported that the governor's office sent a letter to the Delaware Supreme Court asking for the court's guidance on what type of sports lottery would comply with state law. 

In the letter, Markell presented three possibilities: single-game, where a player would use the betting line to place a bet on a game; total lottery, where players would select whether the total scoring for a game would be over or under a set line; and parlay lottery, where players would select from a number of different games.

Already an executive with the National Football League has voiced opposition to the idea, which he termed "misguided and shortsighted public policy," USA Today said.

Montana currently is the only state with a sports lottery, and there players pick the winners of NFL and NASCAR events. Nevada has nearly unlimited sports gambling. Only Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon are exempt from a federal sports-betting ban because they had a form of sports betting when the law was enacted, USA Today said.

Delaware experimented with sports betting in the 1970s, but it only lasted a few months. Last year a bill that sought to reinstate a sports lottery passed the state's House of Representatives but fell short in the Senate. 

"As Baptists, we must join hands with faith leaders of all faiths that oppose this degrading vice in our midst," Bob Simpson, associate executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, said in a statement to Baptist Press.

"We have the moral high ground here," Simpson said. "Gambling of any kind is not good for our communities. Other states have found, after the fact, that gambling is devastating to families and businesses alike and is the cause of one of the most insidious addictions that can ever snare a person."

Simpson said gambling preys on those at lower income levels who often spend their paychecks looking for a chance at quick wealth.

"I am well aware of the dramatic change that has occurred within American culture. I get that we as Bible-believing Christians are swimming upstream on most things related to both faith and family values," Simpson said. "But it just seems to me that, in spite of what the pro-gambling folks tell us, more good could come if we solidly defeat any and all gambling initiatives."

Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy and research at the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told Baptist Press Markell's proposal is bad for the citizens of Delaware and for all sports.

"Lotteries capitalize on human suffering and insecurity by promising immediate relief," Duke said, noting the state of the nation's economy. "Unfortunately, all but a few will be worse off financially when they spend their scarce dollars on the empty promises of lotteries.

"And everyone suffers from the demeaning effect any form of gambling has on human dignity. Using sporting events for lottery gambling will have all of the negative effects of gambling and will also demean one of the most honorable of human endeavors," Duke said. "Athletic contests should be seen as exhibitions of some of the best qualities of the human spirit and as celebrations of the amazing human body."

Excelling at sports requires commitment, sacrifice, discipline and determination, Duke said, and such traits should be honored rather than disgraced by a bet.

"We send the wrong message to our athletes and to our children when we reduce sports to a price and a means to immediate wealth," he said. "We cheapen the value of human achievement, send the wrong message to our youth, encourage more gambling, and create opportunities for corruption by the bettors and the athletes when we gamble on sporting events. 

"The governor should look for more honorable ways to address Delaware's financial crisis than such a losing proposition as a sports lottery," Duke said.
--30--
Erin Roach is a staff writer for Baptist Press.


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Vt. takes major step toward 'gay marriage' legalization; other N.E. states may follow
by Michael Foust
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

MONTPELIER, Vt. (BP)--Vermont took a major step March 23 toward becoming the first state voluntarily to legalize "gay marriage," although it's not the only New England state where such a bill is advancing.

A bill that would legalize "marriage" for homosexual couples passed a second reading in the Vermont Senate by a veto-proof margin of 26-4, setting up a much-anticipated vote in the House, where its passage is likely and the primary drama will be whether it can muster a veto-proof majority there as well. Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, has yet to pledge to veto it although he has said he opposes "gay marriage" and has criticized legislators for taking it up. The bill, S. 115, passed via voice vote March 24 on the third and final reading, formally sending it to the House, where it must first be heard in committee.

Connecticut and Massachusetts also recognize "gay marriage," although both changes in law came via court order. 

New England has become a hotbed for "gay marriage" supporters in the wake of stunning losses elsewhere last fall. The Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) has a goal of seeing all six New England states legalize "gay marriage" by 2012. Although 30 states nationwide have adopted constitutional marriage amendments aimed at preventing the redefinition of marriage, the six New England states have not.

Democratic leaders in Vermont, having made the bill a priority, put it on a fast track; it could be on the governor's desk within a week or two. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee a mere three days prior to the full body considering it.

Bill opponent Steve Cable, president of Vermont Renewal and spokesperson for the Vermont Marriage Advisory Council (vtmarriage.org), told Baptist Press that despite the Senate's vote margin, all hope is not lost. The House vote is expected to be much closer.

"Round two of five rounds is over, and we do have two black eyes," said Cable, who urged Vermonters to call not only their representatives (at 802-828-2228) but also Gov. Douglas. "But usually that makes the &#91;traditionally minded citizens&#93; in Vermont more angry and have more energy, and that's what's happening."

Vermont, though, isn't the only New England state where "gay marriage" supporters are making progress. Elsewhere:

-- In New Hampshire, the House Judiciary Committee deadlocked at 10-10 on a "gay marriage" bill March 18, although it still will advance to the full body and is expected to be voted on within days. Democrats control both chambers, and Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, has not taken a position on the bill but has said in the past he opposes "gay marriage." The bill is H.B. 436.

-- In Maine, a bill that would legalize "gay marriage" is before the Judiciary Committee, comprised of members of both chambers. It has 55 co-sponsors in the 151-member House and 10 sponsors and co-sponsors in the 35-member Senate. Among those sponsors are the House speaker and the Senate majority leader, both Democrats. Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat, has in the past opposed "gay marriage" but has not taken a position on the bill. The bill is L.D. 1020.

-- In Rhode Island, the Senate Judiciary Committee has heard testimony on a "gay marriage" bill but has yet to vote. A spokeswoman for Marriage Equality Rhode Island, which supports the bill, told The Boston Globe it has 31 co-sponsors in the 75-member House and five co-sponsors in the 38-member Senate. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, a Republican, has pledged a veto. The bill is S. 147.

Cable said adopting the bill in Vermont would result in dramatic societal change.

"If Vermont passes same-sex marriage, it would be saying, No. 1, that men and women are completely interchangeable because the bill neuters all gender terms in all laws, and No. 2, that Vermont no longer seeks to promote children to have both a mother and a father. As it stands now, it's inherent in marriage law that children have a legal bonding right to their mother and father that created them."

Vermont state Sen. Kevin J. Mullin, a Republican, supported the bill but also backed a failed amendment that would have allowed Vermonters to have their say on the issue. Mullin's amendment, which lost 19-11, would have placed a non-binding referendum on the ballot asking Vermonters if they supported "gay marriage" legalization.

"There is a perception that this is being rammed down the throats of Vermonters," Mullin said during floor debate

Democratic Sen. John F. Campbell, the bill's sponsor, spoke extensively during floor debate and answered various objections to it. He said by passing the bill the body would not be "condoning homosexuality." He also criticized opponents for arguments related to the traditional family.

"I will not stand by and let someone tell me that just because of someone's sexual orientation they can or cannot be a good parent," Campbell said.

But Republican Sen. Randolph D. Brock, who opposed the bill, said the traditional family is "unique" in what it can provide. 

"Like President Obama, Vice President Biden and Gov. Douglas, I believe that marriage is an institution that should be between one man and one woman," Brock said. "Marriage as we've known it for centuries has been the union of one man and one woman, and it's unique. It's the only publicly sponsored institution that can result in the procreation of children -- the essential element in the continuation of our society."

He also criticized the speed with which the bill has been pushed.

"We have spent more time in this session licensing landscape architects than we have on dealing with an issue of immense social importance and a public policy issue that will affect Vermonters and the history of our state," he said.

In 2000 Vermont became the first state to legalize same-sex civil unions, which grant homosexual couples all the legal benefits minus the name.
--30—
Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.


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A church on autopilot?
by Keith Manuel
Date: March 24, 2009 - Tuesday

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--A car can't drive itself, at least not on our streets -- yet. In 2006 Volkswagen showcased a version of the Golf which actually drove itself on a closed track and can reach speeds up to 150 mph. By using radar and laser sensors, the car's "eyes" maneuvered the vehicle at high speeds around various obstacles. The day may be coming when cars will have autopilot.

Could it be some churches are already stuck on autopilot? Are some pastors and staff expecting the church to run itself? While I hope this is not the normal experience, it is obvious some churches are struggling from a lack of experience and/or resources.

Several reasons may contribute to churches finding themselves in this dilemma. One reason could be church members are not allowing the pastor to lead. Ultimately, God has given the pastor the role of shepherd. The members are to follow their shepherd because he submits to the leadership of the Good Shepherd. When the roles of sheep and shepherd are reversed, problems arise. Another reason could be a lack of knowledge. With the many things a pastor learns in seminary, his church's particular need might be an area of weakness in his education or retention. It may be the pastor was not afforded the opportunity to attend Bible college or seminary.

In a recent study, LifeWay Research found less than a third of pastors in small churches (running less than 100 in worship) strongly agree that they have a clear plan for their church to move forward. Almost half of the pastors surveyed indicated they didn't know why the things they tried did not work.

The study also showed that pastors have studied their communities and their communities' particular needs; they just don't know how to meet the need. How can a pastor receive help?

Here is where the power of the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program shows its strength. A pastor can receive help through the association, state convention and national entities. Each level provides training events on leadership, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, evangelism and numerous other areas of interest. 

Here's the key:

Pastors must take the initiative to attend and to bring church members to acquire the training. Most state conventions partner with the local association to make additional training available to our churches. Also, LifeWay Christian Resources and the North American Mission Board offer resources. 

Many times I'm asked, "What if I can't come to the events? I'm bi-vocational. I have to work." Often, training and resources are available online. Also, your associational staff and state convention staff would be willing to help you through personal consultation or through direct training for your local church.

On other occasions, I've heard pastors say, "When I go to a training event, I only get one or two things out of a whole day spent in training." But that's not all bad. As a pastor, I tried to find at least one thing I could tweak in my ministry from every training event I attended. I knew there was not one "magic bullet" seminar I could attend that would fix all my problems.

Just as a car can't drive itself, a church can't move forward without a pastor or staff willing to lead. A key element to being a good leader is to surround yourself with people who are strong where you are weak. Lead your people to be a part of the training that is available to you and to your congregation so you may become more effective in your ministry.
--30--
Keith Manuel is an evangelism associate on the Louisiana Baptist Convention's evangelism & church growth team.



