
The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-04/21/2009

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Despite pressure, Miss Calif. stays true to Christian beliefs
by Michael Foust
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

<i>To read how "gay marriage" impacts parental rights and religious freedom click here</i>

LAS VEGAS (BP)--It had all the elements of good TV drama, especially in 2009 America: a gay celebrity blogger asking a California beauty queen contestant a question about "gay marriage" during the Miss USA pageant, hosted in anything-goes Las Vegas.

Miss California, though, stood by her Christian beliefs, and some are wondering if it cost her the crown.

Carrie Prejean, 21, told a nationwide TV audience Sunday she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. She eventually finished runner-up to Miss North Carolina, but she says she has no regrets about her answer.

The fact that Prejean is from California -- where the high court legalized "gay marriage" last year only to have voters reverse that ruling by passing Proposition 8 -- adds to the controversy surrounding her comments.

"By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith," she told Fox News. "I'm glad I stayed true to myself."

She told NBC's "Today" show, "It's not about being politically correct. For me, it was being biblically correct." She added, regarding her missed opportunity to win the crown, "It wasn't what God wanted for my life that night." 

Prejean is a student at San Diego Christian College in El Cajon just outside San Diego and a volunteer at Shadow Mountain Community Church's International Ministry Center, where she helps refugees learn English, the Christian Examiner reported. Shadow Mountain is a Southern Baptist church where popular TV and radio minister David Jeremiah is pastor. The Examiner reported Prejean is studying to become an elementary school special education teacher.

She has received a host of criticism and praise. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who is homosexual and as one of 12 judges was randomly picked to ask the question, posted a video on his website in which he called her a "dumb &#91;expletive&#93;" with "half a brain." He also said she "alienated so many people."

Chris Clark, pastor of East Clairemont Southern Baptist Church in San Diego, applauded Prejean. He helped lead the effort in his area to get Christians behind Prop 8.

"She was extremely courageous, especially considering the venue. You're looking Perez Hilton in the eye and telling him, no offense, but this is what I believe. That is bold," Clark told Baptist Press. "That is exactly what we need more of, and she did it in a kind way and a very respectful way. She was great." 

Mitch Fisk, vice president for enrollment and marketing at San Diego Christian College, said he was impressed by Prejean's character after overhearing a conversation she had with her adviser, whose office is just a few doors down from his. The conservation came last year after she had won the Miss California title.

"Keep in mind that this conversation took place with no one else around. The consistent themes were, 'I want to do what I can to have an impact' and 'I want to do what I can to take advantage of the situation that God has placed me in to have an impact,'" he told BP.

During the broadcast Hilton asked: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?"

Prejean responded, "I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite&#91;-sex&#93; marriage. And you know what? I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman -- no offense to anybody out there -- but that's how I was raised and ... I think that it should be between a man and a woman."

The crowd seemed to like her answer, and its applause was louder than the boos.

Keith Lewis, co-executive director of Miss California USA/Teen USA, submitted a statement to Hilton's website in which he said he was "personally saddened and hurt" that Prejean "believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman." Lewis added, "Religious beliefs have no place in politics in the Miss CA family."

Hilton himself was quoted as saying Prejean "lost because of that question." Known for his bombastic statements, he said that if Prejean had won, "I would have gone up on stage, snatched that tiara off her head and run out the door." As one of the 12 TV judges, Hilton's score figured into deciding who won. The scores on the questions and answers, though, are not released publicly. 

Ron Prentice, chairman of ProtectMarriage.com -- the official campaign behind Prop 8 -- released a statement thanking Prejean for "speaking her mind in support of traditional marriage."

"She represented the silent majority in America and expressed a point of view that over 7 million California voters also expressed just last November," Prentice said. "... Thank you, Miss California, for knowing the truth about marriage and standing up for it, even when you knew that your honest answer may hinder your chances for the crown of Miss USA."

Prentice further said that the "outcry from some activists in the gay community over Ms. Prejean's comments are indicative of how far they will go to force their same-sex marriage agenda on society."

Prejean told radio host Billy Bush that her sister "is a gay rights activist" who has "been to many, many rallies." But Prejean said her sister was proud of her because she stood up for her beliefs. Matt Lauer of NBC's Today show asked her if she wished she had given a more politically correct middle-of-the-road answer, which Hilton said she should have done.

"That goes against what I stand for," she said of such an answer. "And when I'm asked a specific question, I'm going to give a specific answer. I'm not going to stand in the middle."
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Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.


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Another Planned Parenthood clinic caught
by Staff
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

WASHINGTON (BP)--Planned Parenthood has been caught again seeking to circumvent the law -- this time at a Memphis, Tenn., affiliate.

Live Action, a California-based organization led by college students, secretly video taped a Planned Parenthood counselor attempting to cover up alleged child sexual abuse. It marked the sixth clinic in which Live Action has filmed with a hidden camera such a cover-up effort. Such practices by Planned Parenthood employees also were recorded at affiliates in Arizona, California and Indiana. 

Lila Rose, a 20-year-old UCLA student and Live Action's president, posed as a pregnant 14-year-old at the Memphis clinic, telling the counselor the father of her child was a 31-year-old. The counselor told Rose she would not tell anyone the age of the boyfriend and advised her to lie about his age. She counseled Rose on obtaining a judicial bypass of the state's parental consent law for an abortion. Tennessee law requires health-care workers to report suspected cases of sexual abuse of minors to authorities.

"Planned Parenthood's abortion-first mentality makes it operate as an advocate for terrible crimes against children," Rose said in a written statement when the video was released April 20. "What more do authorities need to see before holding this organization accountable for its institutionalized indifference to statutory rape and sexual abuse of children?"

The latest video is another part of a multi-state, hidden-camera investigation by Live Action at Planned Parenthood clinics that began last summer.

In a different undercover investigation by Live Action in 2008, Planned Parenthood workers in seven states were caught on audio tape agreeing to receive donations designated for abortions of African American babies.

A search of Planned Parenthood websites found no news releases responding to the investigations by Lila Rose and the Live Action organization of collegians.

However, "Live Action" is the name of a Planned Parenthood camp to impart pro-choice teachings to young people.

On the website of Planned Parenthood's Memphis affiliate, for example, it states:

"Planned Parenthood's Live Action Camp is an intense, one-day program designed to help you educate and mobilize students in support of reproductive health and rights. It's the best way for you to learn what it takes to be an activist on your campus and in your community, plus it's free to attend!

"This camp provides effective activism techniques that will help your group organize public events, educate peers, support local Planned Parenthood health centers, and mobilize other students to speak out for reproductive rights and access to reproductive health services."

Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the country's No. 1 abortion provider. Its affiliates performed more than 305,000 abortions in 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available. Its revenue reached $1.04 billion for the 2007-08 financial year, with $349.6 million of that in government grants and contracts.
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Compiled by Baptist Press Washington bureau chief Tom Strode and Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.


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Texas Baptists engage in 'GPS' outreach
by Bonnie Pritchett
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

LUBBOCK, Texas (BP)--Excitement mounted as Baptists, young and old, sought to invite fellow residents to Easter services in Lubbock, Texas, to hear the Gospel.

Their invitations were part of a Southern Baptist vision for sharing the Gospel with everyone in North America by the year 2020 -- the scope of the North American Mission Board-facilitated "GPS: God's Plan for Sharing."

"It should be called 'God's People Sharing,'" quipped Brenda Bourgeois, director of children's ministries at Redbud Baptist Church and team leader for promoting missions opportunities with the Lubbock Area Baptist Association. About two-thirds of association's churches were committed to the outreach, Bourgeois noted.

In her own church, Bourgeois told of being hard pressed to keep up with the Royal Ambassadors and Girls in Action teams she took out on April 1 -- a Wednesday night -- to canvass the neighborhood around their church. In one hour, the 26 first- through sixth-graders hung promotional materials on the doors of 400 homes.

With Easter as the culminating event, NAMB's goal for the GPS pilot program was for households in six cities across the nation to receive a flier with the plan of salvation and an invitation to attend a Southern Baptist church in their zip code.

Thousands of homes were touched as a result of the Lubbock outreach. The program also was piloted in Georgia, California, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, resulting in a number of new visits to local congregations.

The local church efforts were paired with a citywide ad campaign produced by NAMB that included radio commercials, television spots and newspaper ads sending people to FindItHere.com where they could access a Gospel presentation.

Ed Sena, director of church services and plants for the Lubbock association, said 77 of its 106 churches signed on to participate in the project. Although some of the larger churches already had Easter-week commitments, Sena said the majority readily agreed to participate.

Pastor Randy Bartley of Slide Baptist Church, a congregation that averages 28 in Sunday School, reported eight church members distributed 1,400 invitations on April 4 in their zip code of 16,000 homes.

Four churches in the Slide Baptist zip code planned to coordinate efforts to complete the canvassing before Easter.

Prior to the canvassing, each participating church hosted a prayer walk -- or, in the case of Slide Baptist Church, a prayer drive -- to cover their neighborhoods before the distribution of the plan of salvation and Easter invitations. In order to cover a 20-mile area, Bartley said Slide Baptist members drove instead of walked.

The RAs and GAs of Redbud Baptist Church, in prayer-walking their neighborhood, took the task seriously. But on the day of distribution, Bourgeois recalled with a laugh, "They were so funny. They were fighting over whose house they were going to do next."

Also among the 77 Red Bud members who helped out: 94-year-old Lois Langley who, with the aid of a walker, distributed GPS bags to the homes on her block.

"She's just amazing," Bourgeois said of the retired IMB missionary to China.

Shon Wagner, pastor of Redbud Baptist, said it was just "crazy" how readily his congregation bought into the idea of inviting all of Lubbock to church for Easter. During the course of the prayer-walk, Wagner said he was struck by the number of households surrounding his church and the sobering realization of how few are associated with a church of any kind.

Bartley, at Slide Baptist Church, had a similar eye-opening experience. He said he hoped, at the very least, that recipients would consider going to church Easter Sunday even if it's not the church he leads.

Sena said the association has had a "Kingdom mentality," with no church having been territorial. All were simply working enthusiastically to invite the city of Lubbock to celebrate Easter in a Southern Baptist church.

The bags, provided by NAMB, contained the plan of salvation, with each church then adding about their location, service times, ministries and, in at least one case, an invitation to Vacation Bible School this summer. Some packets had as many as 10 church fliers included with the evangelistic brochure.

Bourgeois was thrilled to receive a call about VBS at Redbud Baptist just an hour after returning to the church after canvassing.

"We have been getting almost instant feedback," she said. "God has blessed the entire associational effort."

Sena said participating churches are now being surveyed for feedback about the project. What worked and what did not work will be considered and forwarded to NAMB representatives who will use the information before launching the evangelistic initiative throughout North America next year.

"We are receiving e-mails daily from our pastors," Sena said. "All in all, it's been a home run. We've developed unity of spirit and unity of mind in our efforts."
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Bonnie Pritchett is a correspondent for the Southern Baptist TEXAN.


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Inner-city blitz yields 130 faith professions
by Hannah Johnson
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)--On Easter weekend, more than 300 volunteers saturated 12 of inner-city Memphis' toughest neighborhoods with the Gospel in the culmination of Impact Memphis.

The outreach, a partnership of the North American Mission Board, the Mid-South Baptist Association and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, was preceded by an urban evangelism symposium to train pastors and laypeople from local churches to share the Gospel and evangelize their neighborhoods as well as disciple new believers. Following the Feb. 9 symposium, participants engaged in 40 days of prayer from March 1 to the Easter weekend evangelism blitz.

On Thursday, April 9, the evangelism initiative opened with a charge from Geoff Hammond, president of the North American Mission Board, to take the Gospel to the streets and win souls for Christ, with 12 participating churches in various urban areas of the city serving as launching pads for the weekend's evangelism efforts.

"I was thrilled to see students and faculty alike at Mid-America sharing their faith by participating in the Impact Memphis event," Hammond said. "I particularly enjoyed the chance to be on the streets of Memphis with Dr. &#91;Michael&#93; Spradlin &#91;Mid-America's president&#93; and in partnership with the International Baptist Church prayer-walking and sowing down the Gospel."

Memphis ranks second in the nation in violent crime, with the neighborhoods targeted by the evangelism teams being some of the highest crime and lowest income areas of the city. But as Mid-America Seminary student Shun Abrams noted, to impact young people in the neighborhoods it is important "to reach out to them and not be afraid of them."

"The kids we work with, they are just that -- kids," Abrams said. "Even though they do some of the things they do, they're just kids who haven't grown up to enjoy the value of life." For Abrams, one of the goals of urban ministry is to help individuals "not be trapped in the lifestyles they're in."

Church members who were trained at the evangelism symposium, along with volunteers from churches of several denominations across Memphis, worked together to develop evangelism strategies specific to the demographics of each of the 12 neighborhoods.

For example, in Binghampton, a high-crime, low-income neighborhood where Binghampton Community Church, a church plant, hosted its first Sunday morning worship service, an Easter egg hunt, block party and basketball shoot-out were among the events to draw local residents.

A key component to urban evangelism, Abrams said, is meeting residents' physical as well as spiritual needs. "You have to meet the whole person," he said. Canvassers in the area handed out literature to direct those in need to appropriate resources, such as rent assistance, help with utilities, medical ministries and clothing.

The church auditorium, which can hold approximately 60 people, was filled nearly to capacity on Easter Sunday for the inaugural service, and three new believers were baptized in what Eric Watkins, who helped Abrams in founding Impact Memphis, described as "a visual picture of the Gospel presentation."

Similarly, other locations also utilized strategies specific to their surrounding demographics in addition to door-to-door canvassing.

Organizers described the results of the weekend blitz as dramatic. On Sunday morning, each church reported a larger than expected increase in attendance and, overall, more than 130 professions of faith were reported and an estimated 2,500 contacts were made.

"All we can attribute &#91;the success&#93; to was that God's hand was on this weekend," said Willie Jacobs, a national church planting missionary with the North American Mission Board. "It was a God moment."

Participating pastors have shared testimonies with the Mid-South Baptist Association of encounter after encounter in which God prepared divine evangelistic appointments for local residents to recognize their need for a new life in Christ and accept Him.

"It was not just an event but a life-changing transformational experience that impacted individuals' lives with eternal value," Watkins said.

Over the summer, NAMB plans to assign missionaries to each of the 12 participating churches to help continue outreach efforts and discipleship training, and each of the sites also will become an approved practical missions site at Mid-America, allowing students to earn hours toward their hands-on missions requirement. In addition, plans are underway for another Impact Memphis symposium in the coming months, targeting new churches in different areas of the city. As news of the success of the effort has spread, churches have begun contacting Impact Mission leaders to ask how they can become involved in future projects.

"We are experiencing and sensing an unusual spiritual momentum in our city," said Mike Day, director of missions for the Mid-South Baptist Association. "We don't know all the hows, the whys, the whens, and the whats of it, but we know God is at work and there is a movement of the Holy Spirit."
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Hannah Johnson is a freelance writer based in Memphis, Tenn.


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Roles of Father, Son, Holy Spirit examined
by Michael McCormack
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--Quoting hockey legend Wayne Gretzky isn't a typical launching pad for talks on theology.

But for renowned theologian Millard Erickson, who addressed a packed crowd at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Leavell Center March 27, Gretzky's words provided the perfect introduction for his topic of discussion: the Trinity.

Gretzky, known as "The Great One" by hockey fans, once was asked the secret of his success, Erickson said.

"Other hockey players skate to where the puck is," Erickson quoted Gretzky as saying. "I skate to where the puck is going to be."

Erickson drew a quick comparison.

"Too often in the church and in theology, we skate to where the puck is or where the puck used to be instead of where the puck's going to be," he said.

Erickson, who was hosted by the NOBTS Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry in conjunction with the annual Greer-Heard Forum, highlighted one specific aspect of the doctrine of the Trinity -- the issue of authority.

"The issue pertains to the relationships of authority that apply among the members of the Trinity -- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," he said.

Specifically, the question is whether the Father, the Son and the Spirit are eternally equal in authority or whether the Father is the eternally supreme member of the Trinity, with the Son and Spirit subordinate to the Father with regard to authority, Erickson explained.

Erickson surveyed both sides of the debate, but he made clear from the start that his main concern was not for where the debate stands today but for where today's debate may be taken by the next generation of theological thinkers.

The typical terms applied to the two views on the authority of the Trinity debate, Erickson said, are "complementarian" and "egalitarian." Complementarianism argues for God the Father's supremacy with regard to authority over the Son and the Spirit. Egalitarianism, then, argues for the eternal equality of all three members of the Trinity, authority included.

But Erickson believes those terms present a problem.

"That terminology has been applied to two views of gender relationships, of the relationship between husband and wife and the role of male and female in ministry," he said. "I don't want to confuse &#91;the issue of authority in the Trinity&#93; with that one."

Erickson, thus, opts for other terminology. He replaces "complementarianism" with the term "gradational authority," the idea that there are grades of authority within the Trinity. He also replaces the term "egalitarianism" with "equivalent authority," the idea that, though the Father, Son and Spirit may have different roles, they are equivalent in their authority.

Two main proponents of the gradational authority within the Trinity are scholars Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware. Grudem is research professor of theology and biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary; Ware is professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

Erickson pointed to Romans 8:29, James 1:17 and 1 Corinthians 15:24–28 as verses that gradational authority advocates frequently cite. He also said that backers of the gradational authority view point to the use of the names "Father," "Son" and "Spirit" for support.

"There is a reason these terms are used, and they are eternally applied, they would say," Erickson said. "&#91;The use of these&#93; did not simply begin to be used when Jesus came to earth. It's always been 'Father' and 'Son,' and there's always been a command and obedience relationship."

That line of reasoning extends also to the order found in the Matthew 28:19–20 record of the Great Commission: "...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Erickson said gradational authority advocates also point to prayer in the Bible as evidence for this view.

"Bruce Ware says we are to pray as Jesus taught us to pray," Erickson said, alluding to the Lord's Prayer. "How did Jesus teach us to pray? 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.' Prayer is to be directed to the Father."

Erickson also highlighted portions of the view of equivalent authority.

"&#91;The other view&#93; says, 'Yes, indeed there was a submission of the Son to the Father, but it was functional and temporary," Erickson said. "The three are equal not only in what they are but also in authority."

He highlighted Philippians 2:5–11, a passage known for its description of Jesus' incarnation and obedience to God. Verse 8 says that Jesus "became obedient to death." 

"There was a point in time when that &#91;obedience&#93; began," Erickson said. "It was not eternally so."

Hebrews 5:8 makes a similar case, Erickson said.

With regard to terminology, advocates for the equivalent authority view point to the variation of names used for the three members of the Trinity. "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit" are not the only names used for the Trinity. Erickson pointed to the Apostle Paul's more typical terms: "God," "Jesus" or "Christ," and "Spirit."

"If 'Father' and 'Son' are so important in conveying that relationship, why does Paul prefer the other one? In fact, it's interesting that Jesus' preferred term for Himself was not 'Son of God' but 'Son of Man,'" he said. "Maybe 'Father' and 'Son' don't necessarily mean what the gradationists hold."

Furthermore, Erickson pointed to prayers in the New Testament that are directed toward Jesus, not God the Father. In Acts 7, Stephen prays as he's being stoned "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Erickson commented that Stephen's prayer was remarkably similar to Jesus' prayer from the cross, except that Stephen's was directed to Jesus and not the Father.

Erickson admitted that rarely does all the evidence point to one side of an issue. 

"The very fact that there's a dispute is because there is an apparent mixture -- some evidence here and some over there," he said. "That means you don't win the debate by pointing out one fault in the other position."

But Erickson was up front with his critique and concern for the view of gradational authority in the Trinity. He pointed specifically to the issue of prayer.

"If a gradational view of the Trinity implies you pray this way, but it's not the case that you have to pray this way, then it is not necessarily the case that this view of the Trinity is correct either," he said.

Ken Keathley, professor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, offered a response to Erickson's presentation. A central critique offered by Keathley of the equivalent view had to do with "Father," "Son" and "Holy Spirit" terminology.

Terminology with regard to the Trinity can be broken down into economic and immanent terms. The economy of the Trinity refers to how Father, Son and Holy Spirit are revealed particularly in salvation. The immanence of the Trinity has to do with each person's eternal characteristics, roles and attributes.

"If I understand his argument correctly ... the first, second and third persons of the Trinity are radically equal in the sense that any one of the three could have accomplished what the other one did had it chosen to do so," Keathley said.

He asked this question: "When you have three persons who are equal in authority, could they have sent the third person to accomplish the work on the cross rather than the second person?"

That question led Keathley to wonder whether, if equivalentists see no identifiable differences among the members of the Trinity, then how they distinguish one member from the others.

Erickson, though, saw no difficulty in ascribing equality to the members of the Trinity and yet also recognizing their distinctions. He actually employed one of Ware's analogies -- that of musical harmony.

"Ware uses a very good analogy about the difference between unison and harmony," Erickson said. "The question is, does the same one always carry the melody? Does the same one always choose what tune is to be sung?"

He reiterated: "I don't think it follows from difference in role that one must be superior. I think that's a major logical leap in the argument."

Both Erickson and Keathley have books due out in 2009. Erickson's book, titled "Who's Tampering with the Trinity?" is due out May 31, while Keathley's book, "Salvation and Sovereignty," is set to be released Aug. 1.
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Michael McCormack is a writer for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.


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TRUSTEES: SEBTS not raising tuition
by Jason Hall
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)--Trustees of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary have approved a budget that will not raise tuition for students next year and will not call for any job eliminations on campus.

"As we worked on this budget, our chief priorities were to keep costs down for our students and to retain all of our employees," President Daniel Akin said in presenting the budget proposal to trustees during their April 20-21 meeting at the Wake Forest, N.C., campus.

"I am pleased that, despite the economic climate we are faced with, we were able to meet those goals," Akin said. "We remain committed to responsible spending and streamlined operations, both now and in the future."

The total fiscal 2009-10 budget approved by the trustees was $20,237,568, a decrease of 5.2 percent from 2008-09's $21,337,680. For the second consecutive year, no salary increases were included in the budget, but administrators said they will monitor economic conditions throughout the year and pledged to explore other avenues for increasing employee compensation. Last year, for example, Southeastern paid out year-end bonuses to all employees after the sale of some land.

Ryan Hutchinson, senior vice president of business administration, said all departments were tasked with cutting their budgets by 10 percent. This way, cost-cutting was spread across the board. No particular initiative or area was targeted, Hutchinson said.

Board chairman Ron Cherry thanked the administrative staff for their diligence in submitting a budget that he described as both fiscally sound and committed to keeping student costs low.

"Our students need all the help they can get right now," Cherry said. "I am thankful for an institution that can continue being effective in its mission without raising tuition for its students."

The budget did include an increase in housing rates for next year because of rising costs related to lease and debt payments.

Trustees also approved new minors for Southeastern's undergraduate program, The College at Southeastern. Previously, students in the bachelor of arts in Christian ministry program had to choose a double major, but they can now select from 12 different minors in addition to the seven majors. Additions include minors in apologetics, biblical studies, English, history, humanities, missions, music, organizational leadership, pastoral ministry, preaching, student ministry, and theology.

The addition of the minors will allow students more flexibility and elective hours in their degree programs, which in turn will allow them to focus on multiple areas of interest if they desire.

The change also means that The College at Southeastern can better serve the needs of transfer students, who now will have more flexibility in transferring in credits taken at other undergraduate institutions.

Commenting on the college, its dean, Bruce R. Ashford, said, "We are building a Great Commission college, one that recognizes that we are to live in an intentionally Christian manner in all of life's various callings -- not only in our families and churches but also in the workplace and community." The Gospel's relevance, he said, "is not limited to the four walls of a church building but extends to every intellectual and social endeavor of mankind, and it is for this reason that we educate our students not only in theology, but also in the arts, the sciences and the public square."

In other trustee actions:

-- Alvin Reid, professor of evangelism who holds the Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism, also was named a professor of student ministry. Reid is a student ministry veteran, having mentored dozens of student ministers and written several books about discipleship among high school and college-aged students. Southeastern has student ministry programs at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and Reid will teach in both.

-- The board approved the election to the faculty of Benjamin Merkle, associate professor of New Testament and Greek.

-- Akin reported to the board the retirement of three longtime professors. R. Logan Carson, distinguished professor of Christian theology, is retiring after a half-century of Gospel ministry and 15 years at Southeastern; Edward Buchanan, senior professor of Christian education, is retiring after a distinguished career at several evangelical seminaries and 16 years at Southeastern; and Gary Galeotti, senior professor of Old Testament, is retiring after more than 30 years of teaching at Southern Baptist schools, the last 17 at Southeastern.

-- Four trustees whose terms are ending were recognized for their service to Southeastern and the Southern Baptist Convention: Mark Harris and Jack Fallaw of North Carolina, Kelly Ann Dodson of Pennsylvania and Cindy Province of Missouri.
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Jason Hall is director of communications at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.


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FIRST-PERSON: When God moves
by Keith Manuel
Date: April 21, 2009 - Tuesday

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--Every church should have evangelistic goals. To set goals, you simply calculate how many children, youth and adults you baptized in the previous year, evaluate how you reached them and then facilitate a plan to do a little better next year.

While every church should have an evangelistic strategy, no one plans a mighty movement of God. That's what you hope and pray to see.

God let me participate in one of his movements a few weeks ago. Providence Baptist Church, a rural church off the beaten path, baptized 18 youth and adults in one week and has at least six children to follow up with concerning baptism. 

The church's pastor, Lonnie Cleveland may be 72 years old, but he works like he's 25. He tirelessly visits and tells people about Jesus Christ. He prepared his church for revival through evangelism training and prayer, and God rewarded their efforts. 

During the first service, we saw God save members of three families: a mother and daughter, a husband and wife and then two sisters. All were baptized that evening. During every service we saw people saved and lives changed.

The fact that Providence Baptist has 100 people in attendance on a good Sunday makes the revival even more special. For perspective, the church my family attends had approximately 1,000 in attendance for Easter services. In order to see the same kind of movement, our church would need to baptize 180 in one week.

It is amazing when God moves. The awesome thing is, He still does.

While we all want to see God move in extraordinary ways, the fact of the matter is that God chooses to reach more people through the consistent efforts of his people. It's the week-in and week-out, faithful efforts of congregations to tell their communities about Christ which God selects as the norm. That's why all churches need an effective evangelistic strategy.

What are some elements of such a strategy? The first element is an intentional, evangelistic prayer ministry. You may consider teaching a study like "Praying Your Friends to Christ," available from the North American Mission Board. 

The second element is evangelism training. When you select a tool, find one that includes methods for introverts and extroverts. For instance, "One on One: Evangelism Made Simple" produced by the Louisiana Baptist Convention and taught at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, gives learners multiple tools to share their faith. In six lessons, participants learn a simple Gospel presentation, how to share their testimony in person or on the internet at www.WhatIValueMost.com, how to use a tract or marked New Testament, the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism, relational evangelism and evangelistic prayer. Your state convention's evangelism department can direct you to similar tools.

Although other elements may be included in your strategy, one other element is vitally important. Provide opportunities for your congregation to use their evangelism skills. For those who are good inviters, have a church "Friend Day" or other special event. Bolder witnesses may want to go door-to-door in a neighborhood. Prayer warriors will get excited about a prayer walk. People inclined to relational evangelism will thrive on niche ministries like a golf ministry or a scrapbook class so they can invite their lost friends to participate.

While you are praying for a movement of God, remember to ask God for a plan to help your church members reach others for Jesus.
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Keith Manuel is an evangelism associate on the Louisiana Baptist Convention's evangelism & church growth team.



