The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-04/17/2003 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EASTER 2003: A soldier's faith, baptism & Christ's resurrection by Michael Foust Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday COMFORT, Texas. (BP)--Army Spc. James Kiehl did not know death was around the corner. No one did. No one ever does. But on that day in the Kuwaiti desert, with his unit preparing for battle, Kiehl responded to God's call and accepted Christ into his heart. He was saved. His baptism was captured by a television crew, providing joy for friends and family members back home. Kiehl's walk as a Christian, though, lasted not years, but mere days. In late March, in the heart of Iraq, he was killed, leaving behind a wife who was expecting their first child. Fittingly, Kiehl was buried April 14, the day after Palm Sunday and six days before Easter, providing a reminder to the overflow crowd at Comfort (Texas) Baptist Church of the glorious simplicities of the Christian faith. God saves sinners -- not through works of their own -- but through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Man is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It is simple yet complex, and it is the core of Christianity. From the youngest to the oldest, God's grace and mercy are displayed whenever someone repents and believes. As Kiehl's testimony demonstrates, it is never too late. Before he went off to battle, Kiehl asked Dallas television reporter Robert Riggs to pass a message along to his friends and family members: Tell them I've accepted Jesus as my Savior. Kiehl's newfound faith provided hope for those at his funeral. "It was solemn, but there was Christian joy throughout because of the decision for Christ that he had made," said Comfort Baptist Church pastor Jim Holt, who preached the funeral message. Kiehl's faith, along with that of other believers, hinges on what the Christian church celebrates this Easter weekend -- the death, burial and bodily resurrection of Christ. Baptism is a picture of this. The Christian faith stands or falls on Christ's bodily resurrection, the Apostle Paul argued nearly 2,000 years ago. Responding to those who said the dead cannot be raised, he wrote: "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith," he wrote to the church at Corinth. "In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ -- whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised" (1 Corinthians 15:13-15, HCSB). If Christ was not raised from the dead, Paul continued, then "your faith is worthless" and "you are still in your sins." But Paul concluded, "Christ has been raised from the dead.... O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" Christ's death, burial and bodily resurrection are the crux of the Christian faith. Without them, Paul says, a Christian's faith is "worthless." This weekend, Christians in the small town of Comfort, Texas, are rejoicing, knowing that one of their own brave ones, James Kiehl, accepted Christ shortly before his death. They have the joy that the angel at Jesus' tomb expressed to the women in Matthew 28: "Don't be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said." --30-- (BP) photos posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo titles: UNION WITH CHRIST and BURIED WITH HIM. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Pivotal moment in history' ahead in Iraq for Christian relief efforts by Mike Creswell Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday AMMAN, Jordan (BP)--As stability returns to Iraq, Southern Baptist workers are gearing up for massive relief projects inside the country that will need hundreds of volunteers to staff. Workers have made plans to feed hungry people in both northern and southern Iraq -- and meet other needs as well -- but only if enough volunteers and funds are available. The opportunity for Southern Baptists to demonstrate God's love in Iraq is a "pivotal moment in history" that must not be ignored, said John Brady, coordinator of Southern Baptist work across the Middle East and northern Africa. "We in the church are the body of Christ," Brady said. "It is through us that He wants to work in this troubled part of the world. "There will be both an urgency and an opportunity inside Iraq after the war," he added. "This will be a narrow window of opportunity and we must begin getting ready now." One Southern Baptist worker braved missiles and gas attacks when he flew into a country near Iraq during the war to explore how Southern Baptists might move food and supplies through the region. Other workers have explored avenues of service in surrounding countries. Six Southern Baptist workers set up one of the first ministry projects at a tent city for refugees in eastern Jordan near the Iraqi border. They have distributed food, diapers and other supplies to Sudanese, Somalis, Egyptians and Palestinians who fled hostilities in Iraq. IMPOVERISHED TOWNS One worker even managed to visit southern Iraq just before the war began. He saw impoverished towns and villages where basic systems such as electricity and water supplies were barely working even before fighting began and heavily oppressed people struggled to survive. More than half of Iraq's people depended on humanitarian aid for food before the war. While shops had food and goods for sale, few Iraqis had money to buy anything, he said. Since the war began, he said, nearly a half million Iraqis have fled their homes and are basically refugees in their own country. "We will not be trying to duplicate the work of the large aid agencies or governments that will be doing relief work in Iraq," the worker said. "More likely, Southern Baptists will assume responsibility for certain villages and help provide them with food, water or other assistance." Some work may be with Marsh Arabs, a minority group of Shiite Muslims in southern Iraq. If that happens, it would be the group's first contact with evangelical Christians on a large scale. The same is true for the Kurds in northern Iraq. DESPERATE NEEDS "We must think of people groups cut off from the outside world, fearful of their own government," Brady said. "They have been imprisoned and oppressed, and they desperately need both political and spiritual freedom." River water is contaminated and salination is a problem in much of southern Iraq -- and getting clean water will be one of the biggest needs people have, the worker said. Blankets and tents may be needed more in northern Iraq. "It will be critical for our volunteers to set up micro projects in villages to both meet needs and show people we care about them," said Brian Barlow, a Southern Baptist worker in Jordan. "A church might adopt a school and send in school supplies or provide a ball field and equipment for a village. "We will need to establish long-term programs of good will," he said. Other Southern Baptist workers familiar with Iraq agreed that almost any kind of willing evangelical workers will be needed after the war. Top-priority needs will include all sorts of medical and dental workers, construction workers, agricultural and livestock workers, logistics workers and fish farm experts, Brady said. Along with the need for workers, Brady said there will be a great need for funds, both for humanitarian projects and literature, cassettes and other materials. He urged Southern Baptists to remember needs in Iraq as they give through their churches this year. PLEA FOR PRAYER Workers also pleaded for special prayer support from Southern Baptists. "If you can give us your prayers, we will succeed with this," one worker said. "A church can turn the tide of war only from its knees," Brady said. While post-war ministry could be difficult and possibly dangerous, "those who respond will have the joy of serving God and the privilege of seeing Him work miracles in the hearts and lives of the Iraqi people," he promised. For information on how to respond to the Iraq crisis, call the International Mission Board's Iraq Response Desk at 1-800-999-3113 ext. 1641. Churches or individuals who would prefer to make a donation toward the cost of the project can designate checks to "Iraq Response - General Relief" and mail them to: Iraq Response, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230-0767. Make checks payable to International Mission Board and designate "Iraq Response - General Relief." --30-- (BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: GEARING UP. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Get ready for Iraq ministry, IMB volunteers leader urges by Mark Kelly Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Southern Baptists who want to help the people of Iraq recover from the war should start getting ready to go, an International Mission Board leader says. "When the door opens for relief efforts, we want everyone to be ready to go immediately," said Bill Cashion, who directs the IMB's volunteer missions efforts. "But there are lots of details to take care of ahead of time, especially if you have never traveled overseas before." A list of all those details, plus a host of other helpful ideas, can be found on the IMB's website at http://going.imb.org/vim/main/default.asp. From specifics to "big picture" issues, the site has useful information and web links on everything you need to get ready for overseas volunteer service, including: -- PASSPORT: Processing a new or renewal passport request generally takes six to eight weeks. Winter and spring are peak times for people to request passports because summer is peak travel season, with passport processing taking eight to 12 weeks. Allow plenty of time for your passport to be processed so that you receive your passport back several months before you leave for your project. -- VISA: Some countries require a visa in order to enter the country. Your travel agent will help you acquire a visa or will give you further instructions about what to do if your country of service requires a visa. A visa requires about six to eight weeks to process, so plan accordingly, especially if you have to apply for or renew your passport. -- TRAVEL: Volunteers are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. You are free to use any travel agency that you find helpful. The International Mission Board can put you in contact with a travel agent experienced in working with IMB volunteers. -- IMMUNIZATIONS: The cost of immunizations can vary widely. Shop around for the best price on immunizations. County health clinics and doctors you know personally may be good options. Specific immunizations required and recommended for your country of service are listed on the website. -- INSURANCE: All volunteers involved in an IMB volunteer project are required to purchase insurance at their own expense. The board has an official carrier that provides low-cost medical, accidental death, medical evacuation, disability and many other benefits. For more information, visit www.aaintl.com. -- CROSS-CULTURAL TRAINING: Serving in another culture presents certain challenges to the volunteer. In cooperation with the IMB, many state conventions and other entities offer specific training for volunteers in how to minister in another culture. -- TEAM LEADER TRAINING: In addition to cross-cultural training for volunteers, special training also is available for people who will lead teams. A schedule of team leader and cross-cultural training events is available on the website. The IMB has compiled a free, 38-page guide that covers everything volunteers need to know, from spiritual preparation to how to pack a suitcase. The book can be downloaded or printed from the website, going.imb.org/vim/main/default.asp. --30-- -- Pray for Iraq's people: www.imb.org/CompassionNet. -- For information on how to respond to the Iraq crisis, call the International Mission Board's Iraq Response Desk at 1-800-999-3113 ext. 1641. -- Churches or individuals who would prefer to make a donation toward the cost of the project can designate checks to "Iraq Response - General Relief" and mail them to: Iraq Response, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230-0767. Make checks payable to International Mission Board and designate "Iraq Response - General Relief." Contribute to relief efforts online at resources.imb.org/index.cfm/fa/prod/ProdID/961.htm. Every dollar given goes 100 percent to relief ministries. -- IMB challenging churches to send 'love gift' to hungry Iraqis: www.imb.org/urgent/articledetail.asp?urgentID=30. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqi relief controversy a clash of worldviews, Mohler tells Time by Jeff Robinson Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Conflicting worldviews are at the heart of the controversy surrounding Christian relief efforts in Iraq, said R. Albert Mohler Jr. in an interview with Time magazine. The national newsmagazine posted the interview with Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on its website April 16 (www.time.com). Time reporter Broward Liston interviewed Mohler on the issues of humanitarian aid and Christian missions to Iraq. Mohler contrasted the way the secular and Christian worlds look at the Iraqi people, most of whom are Muslim. The secular world tends to look at Islam as a function of Iraq's ethnicity, Mohler pointed out, but Christians must consider them in a different light. Secularists consider attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity as an insult to their ethnicity, a view opposite that of Christianity, he said. "But Christianity is a trans-ethnic faith, which understands that Christianity is not particular to or captured by any ethnicity, but seeks to reach all lost persons," Mohler said. "The secular world tends to look at Iraq and say, 'well, it's Muslim, and that's just a fact,' and any Christian influence would just be a form of Western imperialism. The Christian has to look at Iraq and see persons desperately in need of the Gospel. Compelled by the love and command of Christ, the Christian will seek to take that Gospel in loving and sensitive, but very direct, ways to the people of Iraq." Mohler sees another critical issue at stake within Operation Iraqi Freedom: religious liberty. Mohler said he would be sorely disappointed if America succeeds in the war but fails to establish a regime that considers religious liberty a priority. He referred to the rebuilding of Japan after World War II as a direct parallel to the model Christians would like to see take root in Iraq. Douglas MacArthur, the de facto ruler of Japan following the war, introduced Western concepts such as religious freedom and tolerance that were new to the country. "It would be an appalling tragedy if America were to lead this coalition and send young American men and women into battle, to expend such military effort, to then leave in place a regime that would lack respect for religious liberty. "I think one of the major Christian concerns, and one of my personal concerns, is to see religious liberty (take a prominent position in) the vision of freedom that America holds up to the world." Mohler said the establishment of religious freedom in Iraq would clearly set it apart from its neighboring countries in the Middle East. "No one is going to flip a switch and make Iraq a Christian nation," Mohler said. "America is not a Christian nation; it is a mission field. Conversion can't come at the point of a gun. I think this is a true test, in a postmodern, post-Cold War age, of how America is going to establish a model for the recovery of freedom. "Religious freedom has to be at the center and foundation of that freedom. If Iraq were to be established in a way that religious freedom was honored, it would stand out from its neighbors in the area." Time reporter Liston wrote, "To many, the image of American missionaries lined up at the border of Iraq waiting to render aid once the shooting stops, looks eerily like a second invasion. Or at least a profoundly destabilizing force, an army prepared to act on the inflammatory words lobbed between evangelical Christian ministers and the anti-American Muslim clerics." Mohler said that impression is false; Christians are merely acting in accord with a longstanding history of providing humanitarian relief alongside Gospel missionary efforts, particularly in times of war. As a current example, Mohler pointed to relief efforts by Samaritan's Purse, which are ongoing in Afghanistan in the wake of recent military maneuvers there. The missionary group, led by Franklin Graham, has set up hospitals near Afghanistan. "Christian organizations have been involved in organized relief efforts throughout the history of the United States," Mohler said. "You can look at almost every significant military endeavor and find precedence for Christians being actively involved in relief efforts." Above all, Christian missions will have to exercise patience and wise stewardship in its efforts to proclaim the Gospel among the Iraqis, Mohler said. Regions that are heavily Islamic have traditionally been resistant to the Christian faith, he said. "Very honestly, Christian efforts have found Islamic regions to be very resistant," he said. "I would not expect that in the Islamic world there's going to be any immediate receptivity to organized Christian efforts. "I think this situation calls for great wisdom and responsibility on the part of Christian organizations, as well as a full measure of conviction. I think it's going to be a very interesting process to watch." --30-- For the complete interview see: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,443800,00.html. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Soldier, killed in Iraq April 6, was active in church & missions by Michael Foust Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--An Army soldier remembered for his involvement in his church youth group and his outgoing personality was killed in action April 6. Army Pvt. Kelley S. Prewitt, 24, was killed by enemy fire during Operation Iraqi Freedom. No other details were released. The Alabama native was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Birmingham. During his teenage years he was "very active" in the church's youth group, Ridgecrest associate pastor Johnny Kilgore said. Prewitt joined the church around the age of 16. "He went to all mission trips," Kilgore told Baptist Press. "He was involved in the church life recreationally. Everything we did in the youth ministry, he was always there. He had a lot of close-knit friends." Kilgore, who will officiate the funeral April 17, said Prewitt was very outgoing. "He had an inviting smile," he said. "He was a lot of fun." Prewitt's father, Steve Prewitt, said he hopes the nation will not forget his son's sacrifice. "I just know that Kelley would really hope -- and I do, too -- that in the future history will tell us that his death and the death of all these other soldiers is not in vain," Steve Prewitt told the Savannah Morning News. "The Iraqi people will understand that our way of life and law and order and freedom is the way to live on this earth." The younger Prewitt loved water sports and the outdoors, the newspaper added. On his last day in America, his mother took him and two of his friends to a Red Lobster. Seeing the soldiers' military garb, several customers walked up to them and thanked them for their military service, his mother told The Birmingham Post-Herald. "The guys were just eating it up," she told the Post-Herald. Prewitt, who was single, was based in Fort Benning, Ga. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- VBS Day of Prayer slated May 18; churches prep for 'Kingdom Caper' by Polly House Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The "Great Kingdom Caper" -- Vacation Bible School 2003 -- is just around the corner. Churches are getting ready for this year's summertime outreach, set in jolly old England, in which children, youth and adults will work to crack the "character code." May 18 has been set for the VBS Day of Prayer, with churches asked to set aside a special time of prayer for all the VBS workers as well as for the people whose lives will be touched through VBS. "We are hoping that pastors will make May 18 a special day in their churches, with a recognition and commissioning of the VBS workers," said Becky Martin, VBS ministries specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. VBS is one of the best evangelistic tools used by churches. While statistics for 2002 VBS based on the Annual Church Profile won't be available until later in the summer, numbers from 2001 reflect its impact: 28,180 churches conducted VBS; more than 3.2 million were enrolled; more than 81,000 VBS workers were trained through state conventions; almost 110,000 decisions were made to accept Christ as Savior. Few other programs or events can boast such figures. State conventions and local associations have done a good job of getting the word out about training events for VBS workers, Martin said. "One of the best reasons for a church to do VBS and choose our material is the availability of free training for workers," she said. "The associations who are doing the best job in training workers do two clinics, one in the winter and one later on in the spring. Southern Baptists really need to celebrate the availability of associational training." This year's theme, "The Great Kingdom Caper: Cracking the Character Code," speaks to the current times. "Think how many people are out of work now and how many of those are without jobs because of a lack of character at the top levels of big companies," Martin said. The February issue of The Sunday School Leader magazine published by LifeWay's church resources division highlighted a number of churches and what they are doing to prepare for VBS. In the magazine, Charles Wesner, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Wellton, Ariz., compared VBS to a harvest: "Each day, as leaders (farmers) look out on our fields (Sunday school classes)," he said. "We have a goal to grow a healthy crop. We want our students (plants) to have their roots deep in God's Word. Each time we work the fields, the roots should grow stronger and deeper (discipleship) and God's crop be better cultivated for each new day. We work our fields and minister, looking forward to the harvest. "What would happen if after all the days of toil, the harvest came and was never used? It was harvested but never stored in barns or silos or shipped to market -- just left and forgotten. What a tragic loss." Wesner added that the same principle applies to the Vacation Bible School harvest. Did churches use it, or, he asked, did it become scattered to the wind and the elements? It seems obvious that as churches prepare for VBS this summer, prayer is essential. VBS has a proven track record for bringing lost children, teens and adults to the church. VBS may be their first contact with Christ. With preparation and follow-up, it doesn't have to be their last. --30-- LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, on the Web at www.lifeway.com, is one of the world's largest publishers of religious materials, producing 180 monthly and quarterly products and more than 210 new undated products annually. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 authors tell of God's provision in 'Know Peace in Troubled Times' by James Dotson Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--For Carlos Ferrer, the television coverage of war in Iraq was enough to prompt nightmares of his own childhood in Cuba -- hearing the gunfire of revolution, seeing a man die in the street after being tortured by police and hiding under his bed at night in fear. But in a new devotional book published by the North American Mission Board, Ferrer cites the source of the peace he finally found -- and it wasn't just political or economic. "God showed me that nothing can conquer fears except His peace," Ferrer, the mission board's chief financial officer, notes. "It was only after accepting His salvation that I was able to deal with the anxieties and fears of my past." Ferrer is one 40 contributors to "Know Peace in Troubled Times," scheduled for release April 29. The immediate impetus for the book was the Iraq crisis and fears of terrorist attacks, said Mary Branson, NAMB's director of marketing and editor of the book. But the topics cover the gamut of dealing with cancer, persecution, financial struggles, the death of a loved one and brushes with death in wars or terrorist attacks. Branson said the idea actually originated in late February when she and her colleagues met to see if there was something they could do to help individuals through the difficult times. "We decided that this didn't need to be one person's answer. This needed to be how God helped different people through different kinds of crises," Branson said. Contributors include a broad range of nationally known Christian leaders such as Shirley Dobson, Adrian Rogers, Larry Burkett, Charles Colson, Gary Smalley and Rick Warren. But they also include the not-so-famous, who like Ferrer have a story to share of God's incredible provision. "We didn't sit down to say, 'Let's represent everybody evenly,' but when this came together we had people from their 20s to their 80s," Branson said. "We have African Americans, Iranians and Hispanics -- and we have experiences dating all the way from Pearl Harbor to 9/11. We even have something from Barbara Stevens, who was at the airport in the Philippines March 1 when her friend and fellow SBC missionary was killed in a terrorist attack." The project was put on a fast track, Branson said, with editorial work completed within two weeks of conception and efforts made to expedite printing. Despite the range of authors, Branson said she was struck how several themes emerge in the devotional thoughts. It shows how God has helped individuals in troubled times through the ages, and how he can help individuals today. But the book also returns often to the theme of how "God continues to seek those who are His." "There are several stories of people who had a commitment at age 10, 12 or 14 -- and God kept seeking them," Branson said. "A pastor who survived Pearl Harbor said, 'God just keeps this one insignificant person [himself].'" Each devotional message is accompanied by a relevant passage of Scripture, as well as guidance for prayer and personal reflection. In the book's forward, North American Mission Board President Robert E. (Bob) Reccord describes the inevitability of troubled times -- and God's faithfulness to give peace through them. He describes what it's like sitting on a sheltered porch during a thunderstorm. You can see and hear it, and maybe even get a little wet. But there is protection, and peace, because of the shelter. "That's how it is when we abide in Christ," he writes. "The storms of life were still there, but Jesus shelters us from the worst of the storms. And he walks with us. Always. No matter how big or how small the storm, we never have to experience it alone." Know Peace in Troubled Times is available through LifeWay Christian Stores and other bookstores, as well as through NAMB at www.namb.net/catalog or by calling 1-866-407-NAMB. Through June 30, individuals who order by telephone can request a free copy of the book to be sent to a Southern Baptist chaplain for use in their ministry at no additional charge. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Victory over evil regimes by James T. Draper Jr. Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The suspense grew like an orchestra reaching its crescendo. Waiting for the soldiers to hook the chain around the large statue of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and drag it down seemed to take forever. The crowds grew, the tension mounted and then finally the image fell to the ground. Of course by the time the soldiers made it to the center of Baghdad to bring down the statue, Hussein's reign of terror had ended. Toppling the statue confirmed to the Iraqi people that his evil regime was destroyed forever. I'll never forget the images of the mob rushing the statue once it fell. Years of suppressed emotion poured from the Iraqis as they jumped up and down on the statue and eventually dragged its head through the streets. The fear of tyrannical retribution had once prevented any type of expression against Hussein's government. Now, for the first time in decades, there was no fear, only freedom. I often think about how the suspense increased in the week leading up to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. All the players were present. There was Satan, the leader of an evil regime. There was all of humanity living in fear and suffering the horror of spiritual oppression. There was Christ, the great liberator who by week's end entered the depth's of the enemy's territory and emerged victorious over sin and death. All of Satan's attempts to mount a resistance had proved futile. He tried to kill Jesus as a baby. He tried to steal from Jesus His glory through the temptations. He even tried to taunt Christ to save Himself from the cross. Nothing deterred or slowed Jesus' march through history. His purpose was clear from the beginning. He came to seek and save that which was lost. He came to set the captives free. The empty tomb confirms to us the evil regime was destroyed forever. Those of us who know Jesus have been liberated. We are free. There is no level of attack that the enemy can throw against us that we can't withstand because Christ won the war for our souls. Christ never intended for us to coast on the heels of His victory. We live in a danger zone and if we don't stay on high alert, sin will creep in and rob us of our victory. I love the vivid description of this in Genesis 4:6-7. God confronts Cain and says, "Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Cain couldn't master sin and kills his brother, the Bible recounts in the next verse. I certainly don't mean to elevate the U.S. military to position of savior; Jesus' resurrection is much too significant for that comparison. But just as there were areas of Iraq that had not yet heard Hussein's regime had ended, there are millions of people around the globe who have yet to hear that Jesus is their liberator. As you celebrate your spiritual freedom this week because of Jesus' victory, find someone who is still living under the oppressive regime of Satan and share with them the Good News that Jesus won their freedom too. --30-- Draper is president of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. -------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDVIEW: Shout or whisper: Whatever it takes to deliver the Good News by Erich Bridges Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--"In my day," wheezed the way-over-40 boomer, "the ultimate sound system was a bank of Marshall amplifiers -- cranked all the way up." That's what Jimi Hendrix used at Woodstock when he woke half of upstate New York with his soaring version of "The Star Spangled Banner." Pete Townshend smashed his amps with his guitar at the end of Who concerts. If you couldn't blow out at least one speaker with feedback in the golden age of rock festivals, you didn't have any business getting on stage. "Those were the days," grumbled the former hippie, rubbing his wrinkled forehead. "No wonder I'm going deaf." OK, OK, so I'm the aging boomer. Marshall amplifiers also have become antiques. The car stereos that now shake my house from two blocks away are louder. I get mad when they come rumbling by, just like the neighbors used to get mad (and call the police) when my three-chord garage band kicked out the jams 30 years ago. Embarrassing middle-aged nostalgia? Sure. But I also remember early Christian rockers like Larry Norman and Phil Keaggy. They helped pull me and a lot of other young rebels away from drug-induced oblivion -- and toward Jesus Christ. We weren't ready to listen to George Beverly Shea, but we listened to them. In college I played briefly in a Christian rock band. When we appeared at our own church, the pastor's wife -- a great pianist, if you like offertories played in the style of Liberace -- got up and walked out in a huff. She felt we shouldn't be presenting the Gospel at that volume. But we delivered the message loud and clear to lost kids in schools and other places -- kids who wouldn't have dreamed of walking inside a church. Sometimes God speaks in silence -- or in a still, small voice. Sometimes He speaks through thunder. Whatever it takes to get the attention of the varied people groups who need to hear His voice. Jesus used different approaches with the rich young ruler, Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. The Apostle Paul employed different styles and settings to preach to Jews, Greeks and Romans. Missions professors have a fancy word for this: contextualization. It essentially means translating the unchanging truth of God not only into the language of the people you hope to reach, but into their culture, experience and worldview as well. Since they will "decode" your message through their view of reality, you need to "encode" it with their reality in mind -- not yours. "At this point true missionary communication begins," explains missiologist David J. Hesselgrave. A huge case in point: Two-thirds of the world's population belong to primarily oral cultures. That's more than 4 billion people who couldn't adequately comprehend the Bible in their own language if they had it. Of more than 6,000 world languages, most have no written forms. How do you get the gospel to them in a form they will understand -- and pass on? One exciting answer is "Following Jesus: Making Disciples of Oral Learners," a CD series that shows missionaries how to use Bible "storying" methods to disciple new believers and train church leaders in oral cultures. The material is being developed by a Southern Baptist International Mission Board team in partnership with other Great Commission organizations. "When we put discipleship and leadership training into stories, we will see an explosion as people keep passing the old, old story from one person to another and from one village to the next," says Avery Willis, IMB overseas chief. "I believe we are sitting on the next wave of gospel advance." Another example: It is often unwise, and sometimes suicidal, to preach openly in cultures where local believers are violently persecuted. So Christian workers often wait until God leads them to a "person of peace" who will quietly open his or her circle of influence to a carefully tailored witness. In other places, God sometimes uses direct confrontation. Brazilian evangelicals traditionally have packed up and left town each year during the drunken Carnaval festivities that turn their cities into round-the-clock party zones. More and more Christians, however, are staying and sharing the Good News right in the middle of the chaos. "Throughout the Carnaval celebration this year, [our church] had a 'spiritual help' tent in the plaza next to the wild party and played Christian music, distributed tracts (over 14,000 in three days) and handed out cold water and headache medicine," reported Southern Baptist representative Jeff Dunson from one city. Their theme: "Christ: The joy that Carnaval can't provide." One night some rowdies showed up and declared they were going to "blast the Christians out of the park." They cranked up the sound in their car. The church's sound man promptly drowned them out with his big sound system. The rowdies then borrowed a truck with large speakers on top and turned up their music again. The church members cut off their sound at that point and began to pray that God would prevail in the situation. Shortly afterward, the sound system on the truck caught fire. As smoke billowed across the park, the rowdies "took off like scared rabbits," Dunson said. "The best part was when several non-Christians approached us later and asked if it was true that some guys were messing with the Christians and that God burned up their sound. God worked a miracle, and it was recognized as such in the community!" Rock on, brothers, rock on. --30-- Learn more about "Following Jesus: Making Disciples of Oral Learners": http://FJseries.org. (BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: PETE TOWNSHEND. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: More than blind faith by Kelly Boggs Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday MCMINNVILLE, Ore. (BP)--While on a visit to Japan several years ago, I was given the opportunity to visit a Buddhist temple. My guide was a young lady who appeared to be in her early 20s. She and I talked about many things during the course of the tour. Eventually, our conversation turned toward religion. When I asked my escort her thoughts about Jesus Christ, she was polite but pointed. She believed that Jesus Christ was a good teacher but nothing more. When I pressed her about his claim to be God, she dismissed the notion. "In the history of the world", she said, "many have claimed to be divine." I smiled and replied, "Perhaps, but only one rose from the dead!" Easter is the exclamation point to Jesus Christ's claim that he is "the way, the truth, and the life," and that "no man comes to the Father, but through Me." The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the event that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. The Apostle Paul said it well, "And if Christ has not been raised [from the dead], your faith [Christianity] is worthless." Some insist the issue of Christ's resurrection is a matter of blind faith. Charles Colson would disagree. In fact, he would offer a contemporary parallel that offers a compelling argument in support of the biblical assertion that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Colson served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon. He was also a co-conspirator in the infamous Watergate cover-up. As a result, Colson pled guilty to the crime of obstruction of justice and did time in a federal prison. With the Watergate scandal unfolding, Colson began a soul quest that concluded with a commitment to Jesus Christ. Later, as he began to ponder one of the fundamentals of the Christian faith -- the resurrection -- Colson found his conspiracy experience to be most enlightening. Reflecting on the Watergate scandal in his book "Loving God," Colson writes: "With the most powerful office in the world at stake, a small band of hand-picked loyalists, no more than ten of us, could not hold a conspiracy together more than two weeks.... Yet even the prospect of jeopardizing the President we'd worked so hard to elect, of losing the prestige, power, and personal luxury of our offices was not enough incentive to make this group of men contain a lie. Nor, as I reflect today, was the pressure really all that great.... There was certain to be keen embarrassment; at the worst, some might go to prison; though that possibility was by no means certain. But no one was in grave danger; no one's life was at stake.... "This is why the Watergate experience is so instructive for me. If John Dean and the rest of us were so panic stricken, not by the prospect of beatings and execution, but by political disgrace and a possible prison term, one can only speculate about the emotions of the disciples. "Unlike men in the White House, the disciples were powerless people, abandoned by their leader, homeless in a conquered land. Yet they clung tenaciously to their enormously offensive story that their leader had risen from his ignoble death and was alive -- and was the Lord.... "Take if from one who was inside the Watergate web, who saw firsthand how vulnerable a cover-up is: Nothing less than a witness as awesome as the resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain to their dying whispers that Jesus is alive and the Lord." There are many religions present in the world. Each contains wisdom and philosophical insight that adherents find helpful. However, only one has as its author a man who claimed to be God and then validated that assertion by resurrecting from the dead. As a result, the followers of Jesus Christ everywhere celebrate his triumph over death. To them it is more than blind faith; it is a living reality. --30-- Boggs is pastor of Valley Baptist Church, McMinnville, Ore. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Hall of Fame, 1 Tim Robbins, 0 by Tim Ellsworth Date: April 17, 2003 - Thursday MULKEYTOWN, Ill. (BP)--For years, actor Tim Robbins has used his celebrity status as a platform to espouse -- at practically every opportunity -- his ultra-liberal views. Now that someone has stood up to him, he's crying foul and claiming his rights have been violated. Baseball Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey recently informed Robbins that the Hall of Fame was canceling a 15th anniversary celebration of "Bull Durham," a classic baseball movie starring Robbins and his companion/partner/girlfriend Susan Sarandon. Petroskey cited Robbins' constant criticisms of President George W. Bush and the war with Iraq as the reason for the cancellation. "We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important -- and sensitive -- time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger," Petroskey wrote in a letter to Robbins. "As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict." Robbins was outraged. He responded with a harshly worded letter to Petroskey, in which he accused the Hall of Fame president of attempting to politicize baseball. "I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement," Robbins said. "I know there are many baseball fans that disagree with you and even more that will react with disgust to realize baseball is being politicized." Excuse me? Robbins is one of the most radical left-wingers in Hollywood, and he never misses a chance -- no matter what the circumstances -- to express his political views. What basis does he have for accusing Petroskey of politicizing baseball? Quite the opposite is actually true. Petroskey canceled the Bull Durham anniversary precisely because he feared Robbins would seize the opportunity to make yet another liberal anti-war political statement. Robbins also accused Petroskey of "using what power you have to infringe upon my rights to free speech and by taking this action hope to intimidate the millions of others that disagree with our president." Again, this is absurd. How is Petroskey infringing upon Robbins' right to free speech? Petroskey is not restricting what Robbins does or does not say. He has simply decided that Robbins will not say whatever he wants at an anniversary celebration. Robbins has no constitutional right to celebrate Bull Durham's 15th anniversary, but this is what his letter claims. It's amazing how leftists like Robbins are the first ones to denounce people like John Rocker when they say things that are offensive, but yet are sanctimonious enough to be enraged when someone like Petroskey has the guts to stand up to them for their offensive language. As an American, Robbins has every right to his viewpoints and the freedom to express them whenever he wants. But freedom comes with responsibility, and exercising your rights doesn't make your actions devoid of consequences. Robbins has sown the seeds of free speech and political grandstanding for a long time. Now Petroskey has exercised his constitutional right to free speech by criticizing Robbins and canceling a celebration for fear of what Robbins might say. The Bible says that whatever a man sows, that he also will reap. This is a truth Robbins obviously hasn't grasped, and one he should seriously consider. --30-- Ellsworth's column appears each week on BPSports, at www.bpsports.net.