The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-05/20/2014 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd VIEW: Rapping mom delivers on Baptist history by Shawn Hendricks Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday EDITOR'S NOTE: 2nd VIEW is a key Baptist Press story that has been posted within the past several days. For a listing of additional key stories in Baptist Press in recent days, always take a look at the daily RECENT NEWS listing. Originally posted May 15, 2014 WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- While rap may not be the music style of choice in most Southern Baptist churches, some seminary instructors are pointing students to a rap video in their Baptist history classes.
Ashley Unzicker stars in a YouTube video featuring a rap song that combines the theme music from the popular '90s television show "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" with the outline to a Baptist history course she took at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. "I've been writing raps forever," said Unzicker, a wife and mother of two children -- with one on the way. Her husband Todd is a campus pastor for The Summit Church in the Raleigh/Durham area. "I used to say I wanted to be the next Weird Al [Yankovic]; he was like who I wanted to be when I grew up," joked Unzicker, who is taking a break from classes during her pregnancy and being a stay-at-home mom for now. When time allows, she hopes to earn a master of arts in Christian studies. The video, released early last year, can be seen here or by searching for "Baptist History Rap" at youtube.com. "Ashley's rap is by far the most creative use of my course lectures I have ever seen," said Unzicker's professor, Nathan Finn, in a May 15 email interview with Baptist Press. "She summarized nearly all of the historical material I discussed. A little bit of her lyrics were taken directly from the lectures, though the vast majority of it was her summarizing the material." Unzicker's historical journey kicks off with a reference to King Henry VIII and ends with Fred Luter being elected the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention. "I think it's really interesting just how this all happened -- how we [became] Baptists, why are we Baptists and why do we believe what we believe," she said, "and all the different things that each person contributed throughout history." Unzicker acknowledges she wasn't that interested in Baptist history when she first enrolled in Finn's class in the fall of 2012. But he soon won her over. "Wow, that's why I believe what I believe," said Unzicker, who recalled the moment Baptist history became more than a collection of dates and words in a textbook. The class gave her a special appreciation for many influential Baptists of the past. Among her favorites: missionary Adoniram Judson, who served in Burma, and Martin Luther King Jr. and his impact on Southern Baptists during the civil rights movement. Using the class outline, Unzicker wrote the lyrics one evening and she and her husband Todd filmed it a couple days later. While the video has garnered a modest 9,000 views since being released in January 2013, Unzicker has been contacted by Finn and other seminary instructors who have watched the video and asked to use it in their classes. "I have shown the rap in a few classes, and I know some colleagues have as well," Finn said. "I have not heard that it is required anywhere. However, I am 100 percent behind it being required everywhere!" While most Baptist seminary students are Southern Baptist by the time they enroll in classes, "many have no idea what that means," Finn said. "It is important to teach them Baptist history and identity," he said. "I want my Southern Baptist students to know the stories, the strengths and weaknesses, and the theological emphases of their tradition so that they can pass it on to the folks to whom they minister. I also want my non-SBC students to become Southern Baptists!" Joe B. Kim, who is teaching a Baptist heritage and practice course at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif., described Unzicker's project as a "high quality entertaining video for Baptist studies." "[Unzicker] gives a bird's-eye view of Baptist history with particular attention to the SBC perspective," Kim said in an email interview with Baptist Press. "This resource is helpful for priming the pump before a lecture!" Unfortunately for Unzicker, she wrote the rap after she finished her Baptist history class and was unable to receive extra credit. "People asked me, 'Did you do that for points?' I'm like 'no reason. I just really liked doing it.' I got an A, though. So I didn't need the extra credit, thankfully." --30-- Shawn Hendricks is managing editor for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Civil Rights Act tore down walls, expanded reconciliation efforts by David Roach Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- When President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act in 1964, it codified into law provisions that many Southern Baptists had a reputation for opposing -- bans on racial discrimination in public accommodations and government programs. But amid the opposition, there were pockets of Southern Baptists working for racial justice and equality. On the legislation's 50th anniversary, Baptist leaders are celebrating the fact that those pockets of activism have blossomed into a convention-wide emphasis on multiethnic cooperation to fulfill the Great Commission. "The Civil Rights Act helped tear down so many walls that racial prejudice had constructed between members of the human family," Frank S. Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, said. "My passion is to see every man, woman, boy and girl trust in Jesus Christ and become active members of one of our churches ... not because it is politically correct, but because every person matters to the Lord." Today more than 10,000 of the SBC's 46,000 churches are non-Anglo, comprised of a broad diversity of racial and ethnic members. About 15 percent of presidential appointments to committees were from non-Anglo ethnic and racial groups over the past two years, and nearly 100 members of racial and ethnic minority groups have served in SBC leadership positions. About 400 North American Mission Board missionaries identify themselves as non-Anglo. Approximately half of SBC church plants are classified as non-Anglo, and nearly 15 percent of churches registered to assist in the Send North America church planting emphasis are from various racial and ethnic subsets of American culture. All this led Page to call the SBC "one of the most ethnically diverse denominations in America." A divided convention Fifty years ago that wasn't the case. The SBC met in Atlantic City, N.J., in May, ahead of President Johnson's July 2 signing of the Civil Rights Act. At the annual meeting, the SBC's Christian Life Commission -- precursor to the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission -- presented a recommendation that the convention pledge its support for civil rights legislation. When time came to vote on the recommendation, a pastor from Louisiana offered a substitute motion that didn't say anything about legislation. The substitute motion, in a standing vote by messengers, was declared defeated, but the convention took a ballot vote because the margin appeared slim. On the ballot vote, the substitute motion was adopted and the CLC's motion to support civil rights legislation was set aside. When the Civil Rights Act became law, at least three Baptist colleges refused to sign "assurances of compliance." But not all Southern Baptists were opposed to the new legislation. The month after the Civil Rights Act became law, the CLC held conferences at the Ridgecrest and Glorieta conference centers addressing "Christianity and Race Relations." Speakers were bold in their advocacy of integration, and attendance outnumbered that at any previous CLC conference. More than 3,000 attended the two conferences, with 1,500 copies of the addresses distributed among Southern Baptists. CLC executive secretary Foy Valentine believed his commission was in step with America's progressing attitudes about ethnic diversity. "The fact is that in 1964, there was a new wave of interest in civil rights matters," Valentine said in a 1976 interview. "The civil rights legislation came on strong with the help of Lyndon Johnson and was passed, and it was the most important move forward for blacks in a hundred years. The commission again was at the blue point of the flame, with regard for social concern, because there wasn't anybody else in Southern Baptist life that was doing much open talking about this subject of civil rights and race relations." Pockets of change There may have been more open talking than Valentine realized because some pastors and churches were beginning to embrace integration. In Louisville, Ky., an adjunct professor and a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary -- one white and one black -- decided to form an interracial ministry conference to meet monthly and discuss race relations in the city. The student, Emmanuel McCall who was black, and the adjunct professor, John Claypool who was white, each convened six pastors of his own race, and the group of 14 met for four months. McCall and Claypool then helped form the Louisville Baptist Interracial Pastors Conference, which met from 1962 to 1968 and included 800 ministers at its zenith. McCall told Baptist Press the group's efforts contributed to the relative calm in Louisville regarding racial issues. "Louisville went through that time without any racial conflict," McCall said. "Except there was one night when some guy who said he represented [civil rights leader] Stokely Carmichael gathered a group of people in the west end. From somewhere they came up with bricks, and they started a little bit of a riot. But it was the ministers' conference that said to the chief of police, 'We don't know this guy. Get him out of town. Arrest him or whatever.' And they did. So that was the only incident of any newsworthy note during that period." McCall went on to become the first African American on staff at any SBC entity, when he went to work for the Home Mission Board in 1968. Claypool pastored churches in Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Mississippi. Another member of the interracial pastors group, Carlisle Driggers, was pastoring Louisville's 23rd and Broadway Baptist Church in 1964. The congregation was ahead of its time in terms of racial inclusiveness and felt that the Civil Rights Act "substantiated" what it was seeking to do, Driggers told BP. "I thought it was way past time for America to have legislation like that," Driggers said. "I know that it caused a lot of reaction, a lot of folks unhappy about it. But at the same time, my own personal reaction was that I thought it was very much in order. It needed to be done, and I was grateful to be a citizen of America when that legislation was adopted." The law "supported what we were attempting to do at that time as a church," Driggers said. A white congregation, 23rd and Broadway decided to stay in its longtime location even though the community around it was changing racially and culturally, with many blacks moving into the neighborhood. The decision to stay included a commitment to reach everyone around the church regardless of race. The congregation ministered to hundreds of blacks during weekday programs for the community, and eventually 10 to 20 percent of its Sunday worshippers were African Americans. The church's outreach was so successful that the HMB appointed a missionary to work specifically with 23rd and Broadway -- the first time the board appointed a missionary to an individual church. Still, when a black worshipper, Brenda Owens, presented herself for membership in 1966, Driggers felt a bit nervous, not knowing how the congregation would react. He received her during the invitation and called for a vote on whether to accept her as a member. After a vote without opposition, a thankful Driggers bowed his head to lead the closing prayer. He says he'll never forget what he saw when he opened his eyes. "Our people, while I was praying, were getting up out of their seats, and they were lined up all the way from the front of the church to the back door -- lined up to come forward and speak to Brenda. It was a precious, precious moment," Driggers said. Driggers gained a reputation for his work in interracial ministry, so much so that First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., brought him on staff in 1969 to help with a tumultuous integration process. He went on to become executive director of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Some Southern Baptist institutions were also ahead of their times. All six SBC seminaries accepted black students well before 1964. Southern Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, both admitted black students in the 1940s, with Garland Offutt becoming the first black graduate of any SBC seminary in 1944 when Southern awarded him a master of theology. Martin Luther King Jr. preached in Southern Seminary chapel in 1961 to a warm reception by faculty and students -- despite objections from some Southern Baptists and eventually an apology from trustees for "any offense caused by the visit of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., to the campus of the Seminary." In 1965, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary students and faculty donated funds to help a student travel from the seminary's California campus to the civil rights march in Selma, Ala. The student body also sent pro-civil rights telegrams to King and Alabama Gov. George Wallace. At Southwestern, ethics professor T.B. Maston was a noted champion of civil rights. A changing convention Perhaps shocked into changing by the turmoil in America and perhaps convinced by the consistent appeals of leaders like Valentine and McCall, Southern Baptists broadly began to integrate and embrace interracial cooperation. In 1968, the convention adopted by a more than 2 to 1 margin a "Statement Concerning the Crisis in Our Nation," with messengers vowing to "personally accept every Christian as a brother beloved in the Lord and welcome to the fellowship of faith and worship every person irrespective of race or class." Many churches integrated in the 1960s and 1970s, and ethnic churches began to join the convention -- so much so that church growth expert C. Peter Wagner called the SBC the most diverse religious denomination in America in 1970. Racist elements persisted, but they dwindled to a small minority. In 1995, the convention adopted a resolution apologizing for its racist past, asking African Americans for forgiveness. In 2012, the SBC elected Fred Luter Jr. as its first black president. The vote "was a genuine, authentic move by this convention that says our doors are open," Luter said following his election. "And the only way [the world] can see that is not just putting up an African American president, but seeing other ethnic groups in other areas of this convention. Time will tell and I'll be a cheerleader promoting that." Preserving the gains Kelly Miller Smith Jr., an African American who has pastored National and Southern Baptist churches, told BP he believes Southern Baptists began cooperating with blacks in part because they realized how much Baptists of both races hold in common. In years past, Southern Baptists "were more concerned with the pigmentation of the skin, and they didn't realize that if they could get beyond what they see in terms of the skin, there are a lot of black Baptists who have very similar kinds of theological perspectives," Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill in Nashville, told BP. Smith added that despite their theological commonalities, white and black Baptists often differ in their social applications of the Gospel. Cooperative ministry in the future will depend on their ability to understand one another's perspectives on issues like poverty, discrimination, employment and healthcare, he said. Thankfully, black and white Baptists already have begun to cooperate in missions, evangelism, theological education and other areas. On the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, Smith said it is important for Baptists to preserve the legacy of that legislation in America and continue to break down racial prejudice in the church. The "landmark legislation" of 1964, Smith said, was "only the beginning stages of things that would have to be further developed." --30-- David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Remembering the Civil Rights Act by B. Carlisle Driggers Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday EDITOR'S NOTE: Carlisle Driggers reflects on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Johnson 50 years ago when Driggers was pastor of 23rd and Broadway Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. Driggers became noted for his multiethnic ministry and later served on staff at First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., to help the congregation with its racial integration process. COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) -- It goes without saying that most people in America today who were of adult age on Nov. 22, 1963, remember where they were and what they were doing when the news of President John F. Kennedy's assassination filled the airwaves and televisions screens. It was an unbelievably shocking and grief-stricken day all across the nation and around the world. At that time I was a recent graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and had been the pastor for about two months of 23rd and Broadway Baptist Church in the west end of the city. It was located in what had become the highest crime district of Louisville. For several years the area around the church had been changing from predominantly white to black residents. When John Kennedy became president in 1961, he began focusing on civil rights for all Americans. Soon there was talk in Congress about the need for civil rights legislation which would enhance the worth and dignity of all Americans, especially black individuals and families. To be expected, opposition surfaced from various sections of the country, and passage of the proposed civil rights bill was in jeopardy. President Kennedy pushed forward with the legislation even though he faced strong opposition. Then came the assassination, and it was concluded by many that the Civil Rights Act would be forgotten. As is well known, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president less than two hours after Kennedy's death. In a matter of days, as I remember, the new president let it be known that he was going to move forward on the civil rights agenda for two reasons -- first, out of respect for President Kennedy who championed the right of all Americans to have decent and honorable lives and second, because it was best for America's future. Johnson applied the full influence of his office plus the skill he had acquired over many years as a congressional leader to getting the bill adopted in 1964 as the most important civil rights legislation in U.S. history. As a young pastor in an inner-city, racially changing community, I watched, listened to and read about with great interest the debate in Congress and around the nation about the pending civil rights legislation. As I recall, there was not a lot of opposition in Congress to the passage of the bill, but for sure, there was much opposition in certain sections of the country, especially my own beloved Southland. For certain, large numbers of Southern Baptist churches, individuals, institutions and organizations were not in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 50 years ago. However, there were leaders among us, both local and national, who stood firm and tall for a new day in America that would provide equal opportunity for all citizens regardless of race or social status. Several who inspired our church and me in our endeavors were: Dr. Foy Valentine of the Christian Life Commission; Dr. Arthur Rutledge of the Home Mission Board; Dr. Duke McCall of Southern Seminary; the national leaders of the Woman's Missionary Union; Dr. Henlee Barnette, professor of Christian ethics at Southern Seminary; and Dr. T.B. Maston, professor of Christian ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary -- to name a few. It has been said that all of us stand on the shoulders of those who have preceded us. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was sorely needed in the land at that time and since, and it has helped to shape and encourage my own years of Christian ministry, especially in having a clearer understanding of and commitment to missions and evangelism as commissioned by Christ the Lord. Everybody everywhere deserves to know about the saving grace and mercy of the crucified and risen Savior. Without a doubt, the Civil Rights Act provided an even greater opportunity for the sharing of Jesus with all peoples in the greatest nation on this earth. --30-- B. Carlisle Driggers is executive director-treasurer emeritus of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Moore challenges death sentence for pregnant Sudanese Christian, urges U.S. denunciation by Tom Strode Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's lead religious freedom advocate has called on Secretary of State John Kerry to condemn the death sentence of a Sudanese Christian woman. Russell D. Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, urged forceful action from Kerry in a letter Tuesday (May 20) responding to a judgment against Meriam Ibrahim, who refused to renounce her Christian faith. A Sudanese judge in Khartoum sentenced Ibrahim, who has a 20-month-old son and is eight months pregnant, to be executed. In his letter to Kerry, Moore encouraged him to denounce Ibrahim's sentence as "cruel and inhumane, to demand her release, and to use the diplomatic influence of the State Department to advocate for this most fundamental human right, the freedom of religion and belief." Sudanese judge Abaas Al Khalifa confirmed Ibrahim's death sentence for "apostasy" (leaving Islam) May 15, according to Morning Star News, which reports on the persecution of Christians globally. "The court has sentenced you to be hanged till you are dead," Al Khalifa told Ibrahim after Islamist crowds shouted for the court to punish her. Al Khalifa had given her 15 days to recant upon announcing his original sentence April 30. Ibrahim, whose first name is spelled Mariam in some reports, told Al Khalifa in court, "I am a Christian, and I have never been a Muslim." Ibrahim was born to a Sudanese Muslim father who disappeared from her life when she was 6 years old and an Ethiopian mother who was Ethiopian Orthodox. Though her mother reared her as a Christian, Islamic law asserts she is Muslim by birth because her father was Muslim. Al Khalifa also reinforced a second sentence originally announced April 30 -- 100 lashes for adultery. Marriage to a Christian is considered illegal under the Islamic law known as sharia. Authorities reportedly plan to carry out the whipping, then the execution, after Ibrahim recovers from childbirth. Moore told Kerry in his letter, "The use of state power to enforce belief of any religion -- Islam, Christianity or otherwise -- is outside the authority of any government. That such an arrangement culminates in the arrest, torture, and execution of an otherwise law-abiding pregnant woman is abhorrent and should be condemned outrightly by the leadership of the United States government." Moore also said, "As our own Baptist forebears were persecuted by civil authorities for defying state authority over religious matters, we must again reassert on behalf of [Ibrahim] that faith, by definition, cannot be coerced or legislated and that no person should be imprisoned or executed for religious belief." Other religious liberty advocates also are calling for a robust response by the Obama administration. Rep. Frank Wolf, R.-Va., a longtime advocate for international religious freedom, urged Kerry and President Obama to act quickly. Rep. Trent Franks, R.-Ariz., and he are joining Sens. Roy Blunt, R.-Mo., and Kelly Ayotte, R.-N.H., in asking Kerry to provide political asylum to Ibrahim, Wolf said in a May 20 speech to the U.S. House of Representatives. "The administration must urgently act to save this innocent woman's life. President Obama should immediately appeal for her release and offer safe haven," Wolf said. Ibrahim's death sentence is the latest evidence of Sudan's standing as one of the world's worst violators of religious liberty. The State Department has listed the militant Islamic regime in Khartoum among its "countries of particular concern" (CPC) since 1999, the first year such designations were made by the U.S. government. Only eight countries are on the State Department's CPC list, which is reserved for governments with the most severely repressive policies toward religious freedom. Ibrahim, a 27-year-old doctor born in western Sudan, is married to Daniel Wani, a citizen of the country of South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in 2011. Wani, a Christian, also is a U.S. citizen. Their marriage could be dissolved. Unless Ibrahim's case is dismissed on religious rights grounds and their marriage maintained, their children will become wards of the state to be reared as Muslims. "She might deliver her baby any time from now up to June 1," Wani told Morning Star News. "She is weak but she is not afraid of death." Ibrahim has been under regular pressure to reject Christianity since she and her son were imprisoned in mid-February. Before her May 15 court appearance, a Muslim scholar spent nearly 40 minutes trying to coerce her into recanting her Christian confession. Her attorneys were to file an appeal May 18, which would postpone her punishment until another court decision. One of her attorneys reported that Ibrahim is "very encouraged" by her support "from the international community. She hopes that people stand with her and her family until she gets her freedom." If her capital punishment is carried out, Ibrahim would be the first person to be executed for apostasy since Sudan's 1991 criminal code made it punishable by death. Ibrahim's execution would violate Sudan's constitution and international treaties to which the country is a party, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has promised to make his country more strictly Islamic since South Sudan's secession. The creation of a new country came in the wake of a two-decade-old civil war between Sudan's militant Islamic north and largely Christian south. --30-- Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. With reporting by Morning Star News. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Open your mouth,' Mohler tells graduates by Aaron Cline Hanbury Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- President R. Albert Mohler Jr. charged new graduates of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to "open your mouth" so that others can hear God's "voice, believe and be saved." Mohler's comments came during May 16 spring commencement exercises on the seminary lawn in Louisville, Ky., where 255 students received master's and doctoral degrees. A week earlier, 107 students received certificates and bachelor's degrees from Boyce College, the seminary's undergraduate school. In an address from the Acts 10 titled, "'So Peter Opened His Mouth' -- The Preacher's Calling Reduced to Five Powerful Words," Mohler explained that the "Bible presents an astonishingly simple method of preaching." Mohler drew from verse 34, where "the essential act of preaching [is] reduced to five earth-shaking words: so Peter opened his mouth." The "most clarifying way to understand the preacher's task is to consider its most quintessential act -- the opening of the mouth," Mohler said. With the phrase "opening of the mouth," Scripture indicates that Peter "fulfilled his calling. He did not remain silent or hide. He opened his mouth and declared all that God had commanded him to say," Mohler said. God commanded Peter to declare that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ receives the forgiveness of sins, including both Jews and Gentiles, Mohler said. "Peter had declared the story of Jesus, who went about doing good and healing, but was put to death by hanging Him on a tree," Mohler said. "God raised Him up on the third day, and after appearing to many witnesses He commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel to all people, to all nations." Mohler called graduates to follow Peter's example. "The Christian ministry requires courage, and we can see even more courage required in the near future," he said. "There may well be a higher price exacted for opening our mouths. But God has called us to open our mouths so that others can hear His voice, believe and be saved -- so that His church will be fed and taught, and be matured. "So, dear preacher, go ye into all the world, and open your mouth." Also at graduation, Mohler presented the annual Findley B. and Louvenia Edge Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence to Robert L. Plummer, professor of New Testament interpretation. Plummer is the author of several books, including the popular "40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible." He is an elder at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville. He and his wife Chandi have three daughters: Sarah Beth (11), Chloe (8) and Anabell ("Bella," 6). Mohler's entire address is available in audio and video at the SBTS Resources page, www.sbts.edu/resources. A complete manuscript of the address, "'So Peter Opened His Mouth' -- The Preacher's Calling Reduced to Five Powerful Words," is available at www.albertmohler.com. --30-- Aaron Cline Hanbury is manager of news and information at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Southwestern grads given 'unique assignment' by Alex Sibley Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)-- At Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's spring commencement service, Paige Patterson joked that as the 200 graduating college, master's and doctoral students walked across the platform to receive their diplomas, they were taking a vow of poverty. While graduates from other institutions often pursue a career to make money and a better life for themselves, Southwestern's president explained that the seminary's graduates should have a different aim -- to make life better for everybody else, even if that means experiencing financial discomfort. "That is a unique assignment," Patterson told those who gathered May 9 on Southwestern's Fort Worth campus, "and it merits a unique charge today from God's Word." Patterson derived his message from Mark 2:1-12, which tells the story of Jesus healing a paralytic lowered through the roof of the house in which Jesus was teaching. Before he healed the man, however, Jesus first forgave the man's sins. Patterson challenged graduates to model their ministries after this example -- first pointing people to Jesus' saving grace and then striving to make the world around them better. "Your first assignment is not to heal those who are sick, feed those who are hungry, [or] clothe those who need clothing," Patterson clarified. "For all of that that you do today is gone tomorrow when mortality overtakes that individual. Your challenge as you go out, students, whatever it is you do, is to point men and women to faith in Jesus Christ who alone can forgive their sins." Explaining the second assignment, Patterson summoned graduates to go forth every day looking for someone whose life they can make better. "You are looking for someone who needs an encouraging word," Patterson said. "Someone who needs to be lifted up. Someone who is hurting and needs a word of comfort. You are there for no other reason than to make a better world for him." Kyoung-Shin Joseph Park, a graduating Ph.D. student, said he will follow this ministry model at Cornerstone Community Church, a Korean-American church in Palo Alto, Calif., where he has served as senior pastor since January 2013. Park, whose father is also a Southwestern graduate as well as professor at Korea Baptist Theological Seminary in Daejon, Korea, says he first came to Southwestern because of a desire to learn to preach with a high view of God's Word. "Looking back," Park says, "God has used Southwestern Seminary to equip me to be the text-driven Gospel preacher and teacher that this generation and culture so desperately needs.... The education at Southwestern has given me the confidence of knowing that I am preaching from God's very own words and not out of my creativity or invention." God is bringing to Cornerstone many non-believers and new believers who are thirsty for the Word of God, Park says, which will allow him to minister to them by first pointing them to faith in Jesus. --30-- Alex Sibley is a news writer at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: Ga., Tenn., Fla. evangelism/missions news; Correlation between WMU presence and CP support called 'staggering' by Staff Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: The Christian Index (Georgia) Baptist & Reflector (Tennessee) Florida Baptist Convention Georgia WMU remains backbone of strong missions giving By Joe Westbury DULUTH, Ga. (The Christian Index) -- From Ellabell to Fayetteville, Tifton to Winder, missions support is a primary focus of many Georgia Baptist congregations. And because of that strong view of missions beginning first in Georgia and leading to the uttermost part of the earth, inroads are being made in reducing lostness in the Peach State. The common denominator, according to a research report just released by the GBC, is the presence of a strong Woman's Missionary Union in those churches. State missionary Tom Crites, who oversees the state convention's Research Services, said the document affirms the long-held belief that WMU is the lifeline to missions support, both prayerfully and financially. What is surprising, he said, is just how strong that connection is. "The research reveals that churches with WMU groups give nearly 80% of all gifts to the Cooperative Program. That is a staggering amount," he concluded. The report, which studied missions giving during the past five years, traced $33 million of the state budget's $41.8 million back to churches with the woman's organization. At the same time, the report revealed that congregations without WMU groups actually reduced their Cooperative Program giving by 48.72%, or nearly half. "The economy has admittedly been hard on churches during the past five years due to the Great Recession. But the report shows that even in the hardest of times, churches with a strong missions support group maintained that commitment. "The bottom line is that, with some exceptions, a strong WMU presence equates to strong Cooperative Program support," Crites added. And that means more funds for first reaching Georgia for Christ and then North America and the world. 70% are lost in Georgia Georgia currently numbers 10,000,000 residents. But about 70% of those, or 7,100,000, are believed to be lost without saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That's where Cooperative Program giving and related offerings like the Mission Georgia state missions offering is making inroads to reach the lost within the state's borders. Without a strong base of believers at home, resources wane -- monetary as well as individuals being led to Christ who eventually surrender to fulltime mission service through the North America and International mission boards, Crites adds. GBC Executive Director J. Robert White appreciates the healthy relationship between church WMUs and their pastors. "There is no doubt in my mind that WMU in the local church helps to strengthen commitment to giving to missions through the Cooperative Program and the various missions offerings. The primary focus of WMU is missions education and inspiration. "I am confident that the reason the churches I have served as pastor were so willing to make increased commitment to the Cooperative Program and to our missions offerings was the good work and ministry of the Woman's Missionary Union in our church. The WMU director was always one of my best cheerleaders and anxious to assist in blessing my ministry in our church and in the community," he said. "There is no way that Southern Baptists would have enjoyed the worldwide expansive missions and ministries that have been a hallmark of our work for many decades had it not been for the missions leadership of the WMU at both the local and national level. I would encourage every pastor who is interested in increased commitment to missions giving and missions education to consider seriously initiating WMU in his local congregation." State missionary Beth Ann Williams, who serves as executive director-treasurer of Georgia WMU and Women's Enrichment Ministries, works closely with the state convention in setting missions giving goals. From her statewide perspective she sees firsthand the value the women's group brings to missionary support. "WMU began in 1888 to stir the missionary spirit in the hearts of Southern Baptists and to help collect the funds necessary for the work. It is no surprise that WMU was instrumental in the recommendation of the Cooperative Program to the Convention in 1925," she said. "Through the years WMU has remained a committed advocate for cooperative missions giving. Our relentless focus on personalizing missions continues to connect all ages to the vital role the Cooperative Program plays in transforming lives for Christ at home and around the world." Olive Branch – a church with a missions heartbeat Olive Branch Baptist Church sits surrounded by farmland in southeast Georgia. It isn't a congregation that makes front page news due to the launch of massive building programs or large numbers of individuals joining the church. But percentage-wise it stands heads and shoulders with congregations in more prosperous areas of the state. "We are an humble country church without a lot of financial resources but we are faithful to what the Lord has given us," soft-spoken pastor Clint Sullens says. Last year Olive Branch bumped up its giving through the Cooperative Program from 9.9% to 12.2% – an increase of $3,672 to a total of $22,659. The congregation, which averages 180 in Sunday worship, reported $236,569 in total receipts on its Annual Church Profile. Sullens praises the role of the WMU in keeping missions at the forefront of the church's evangelism and ministry efforts. "The WMU does an excellent job of showcasing compassion as only women can do. They are the very heart of the Christian home and use their gift of compassion to urge us to see our mission fields at home and abroad," he says. "We believe that we, have a calling to reach every segment of our world and that begins here at home. It begins in our immediate community, then expands to Georgia and then to North America and the world." Sullens says the Georgia Baptist Convention "does an excellent job of being good stewards of the funds we send them. I am proud that they only keep half of the CP funds in Georgia and forward the rest to our agencies. "We believe we should share with others what we have been given. We make an attempt to increase our CP giving by 1% a year but don't always do it, but it's our goal as the Lord provides. We hope to reach 14% before too much longer." Nikki Groover, assistant WMU director, says the group works to set challenging yet achievable goals. "We work to keep the needs of the mission field in front of our people and remind them of our shared responsibility to meet those needs," she says. "We begin sowing the seeds of stewardship through missions education with our children, teaching them the value of sharing whatever God has given them. We feel we are building tithing and giving habits that will last a lifetime." Exactly 218 miles away in Fayetteville, Flat Creek Baptist Church gives 19.8% through the Cooperative Program and, in the spirit of Olive Branch, strives to do better. Flat Creek – 'God has blessed us' "Every time I look at the lesser amounts other strong churches give I leave with somewhat of a sense of disappointment. God has blessed us and we want to multiply those blessings,” pastor Jerry Cross says. "Even with giving 20% or more there is no way we, as one church, could do what all of us are doing together throughout Georgia with our partnership. Cooperative missions is in our DNA. "The mission field is not just outside our borders but first, right here in our state. We are grateful to be part of a financial outreach that provide a variety of ministries on our college campuses, among our ethnic groups and others, and through the resources that are provided free of charge to smaller churches. "The WMU is front and center of what we do in missions and ministry. We are blessed to have them as a viable partner in our work." In Tifton in south central Georgia, Wayne Roe has never pastored a church without a Woman's Missionary Union, and if he had his druthers he would prefer not to. The Atlanta-area native, who has served the church for 18 years, knows the value of the women's group when it comes to keeping the Cooperative Program and other Southern Baptist missions offerings front and center with the congregation. "Our WMU is the lifeline of missions in our church. Not only do they set our Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offering goals and keep bumping it up every year, but they are directly involved in missions outreach in our city and neighboring community and in North America and internationally," he states. The steadily increasing offering goals "keep stretching us and keep us from becoming complacent," he says with a chuckle. Part of the reason First Tifton is a strong supporter of those missions offerings as well as the Cooperative Program is because one of their own members and his family are serving in Mozambique through the International Mission Board. Chris Nalls grew up in the church and went on a trip to the African nation as a youth. He affected his life so strongly that after he eased into adulthood and marriage he and his wife, Katie, surrendered to career missions and returned to the field. First Tifton – 'the face of missions' "For us, the Cooperative Program is very personal because of Chris and Katie and their children; the CP has their face on it when we set our budget Roe explains. For the current year First Tifton channels a near-record $155,830, or 6.6 percent, through the CP. "I am personally grateful because my seminary education was partially paid for by the Cooperative Program. I know what it has done in my life and I'm grateful and loyal to it. Southern Baptist churches really can do more together than they can separately." WMU director Ina Claire Webb has been a member at First Tifton all her life, beginning in 1954. She wanted to join WMU because of the spiritual growth she noticed in the lives of the women she encountered. But WMU is more than personal spiritual growth, she says, as she lists numerous outreach ministries in the community from working in soup kitchens to assisting at shelters for battered women to sewing ministries and providing scholarships for Camp Pinnacle. And then there is the support for the Cooperative Program. "Everyone needs to be involved in missions, and if they can't go then they can give so others can go. Going and giving are both valid expressions of our gratitude for what Christ has done for us." First Winder – 'missions begins first in our community' At First Baptist Church in Winder, pastor John Talley says the WMU "has consistently set the bar high, challenging the church not only in missions funding, but hands-on mission action. From providing a Bible study in a women's detention center to launching medical mission projects, they are not only the church's conscience for strong Cooperative Program giving, but local Great Commission serving." The congregation, located northwest of Atlanta, provides 9.6%, or $144,749, through the CP. Longtime WMU member Evelyn Blount, who has served on the state and national level and helps set the offering goals, said the Great Commission "is the sole purpose of Woman's Missionary Union. We believe missions begins first in our community, spreads across Georgia, and then reaches North America and overseas. "WMU has historically provided more information on the Cooperative Program, on an ongoing basis throughout the church year, than any other SBC agency. We emphasize that you don't give to the CP but through the CP." Back in Ellabell the Wednesday night dinner winds down and nearly 70 children out of the 100 people attending the meal are ushered back to classrooms for GAs and RAs. Most of the children are brought to the church through vans and cars that go throughout the rural community, picking up children who would otherwise never hear the name of Jesus. Jerry Butler, a member at Olive Branch for 35 years, watches the parade of rambunctious children pass by his table and makes a quiet, heartfelt observation. Then he sums up the church's missions giving and missions education efforts through the WMU and Brotherhood. "You know, they can be a rowdy group and a real handful, but you never know which one of those kids will be missionaries when God gets 'a hold' of them." And when that occurs, he and Olive Branch will be the first ones to rise to support them through their Cooperative Program gifts. --30-- This article appeared in The Christian Index (christianindex.org), newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Joe Westbury is managing editor of The Christian Index. ********** Long Hollow reaches 1,000 baptisms By Lonnie Wilkey HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Baptist & Reflector) -- In 2013 Long Hollow Baptist Church became the first church in the Tennessee Baptist Convention to baptize at least 1,000 people in a single church year. Last year 1,051 were baptized at Long Hollow as a result of their outreach efforts, said Jeff Lovingood, next generation pastor at the church. What's more, he added, the church is on target to exceed 1,000 baptisms again in 2014, he added. Lovingood noted 2013 was a challenging year for the congregation as they watched their pastor (David Landrith) battle cancer. Yet, even with all that, the church experienced its best year ever in not only baptisms, but giving and attendance as well, Lovingood said. "You can't deny the good hand of the Lord being upon you and the Holy Spirit moving," he observed. In the midst of a tough situation with their pastor's health issues, "the Lord used it for His glory," Lovingood added. In addition to the main campus, the church has four satellite locations in Springfield, Gallatin, Nashville (near the fairgrounds), and Madison. Each location has a campus pastor but each congregation hears Landrith's message. "We try to keep a consistent DNA on our campuses," Lovingood said. He estimated that about two-thirds of last year's baptisms took place at the main campus. Lovingood believes the surge in baptisms is the result of an intentional effort by the church to reach the next generation with the gospel and stressing the need for their members "just to live life with folks in their neighborhoods, their businesses, and their schools. "If each person does that, hopefully people will see the difference in your life and you can tell them about what God is doing in your life," he said. As to reaching the next generation, he cited statistics noting that most people accept Christ before the age of 15 and that over half of the world's population is under the age of 20. "How crucial is that to the children's, middle school, and high school ministries?" he asked. With so many people under the age of 20 in the world's population it makes sense to target them, he noted. "Do you want to fish in a pond with a lot of fish or just a few fish?' Lovingood said Long Hollow has a strategy to reach children and youth. By reaching children for Christ, they will become young adults who are Christians, he said. He observed that many churches focus on reaching adults. While there is nothing wrong with that, he is convinced children should be the first target. "If you can reach the kids, you can reach the parents." The strategy apparently worked because he estimated that out of the church's 1,000-plus baptisms in 2013, 75 percent of them were children and youth. Lovingood noted that when a youth or child accepts Christ he or she is given a booklet they have to complete with their parents before they are baptized, That process has had a ripple effect, he said. "It's amazing how many parents come to know Christ after going through the booklet with their kids," he said. Lovingood acknowledged that his church does not have all the answers. "We make a ton of mistakes," he admitted. "But hopefully we're more fearful of missing an opportunity than fearful of failing." The church has made a lot of changes over the years in order to be where it is today. "It's been a blessing to be part of a church that has allowed us to go after the next generation," he said. Despite recent successes in reaching people for Christ, Lovingood is well aware that "there are still a lot of people to reach. "There is a great opportunity to make an impact on the next generation by reaching them for Christ," he concluded. TBC evangelism specialist Steve Pearson noted he was not surprised to see Long Hollow's historic accomplishment. "The greatest character trait in an evangelist church is compassion," Pearson observed, noting that Jude 22 says, "and some having compassion making a difference." "Pastor David Landrith's ministry has always been marked by his heart full of compassion." --30-- This article appeared in the Baptist & Reflector (http://www.tnbaptist.org/BRNews.asp), newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Lonnie Wilkey is editor of the Baptist & Reflector. ********** Gainesville's River Cross church invests in challenged public school By Barbara Denman GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Florida Baptist Convention) -- James Silvers lowers his lanky six-foot-two frame into a kid-sized chair in Mrs. Chappell's class, quickly engaging third-grader Donteau in the day's lesson. Asking probing questions about the content, in just a brief time he helps the youngster absorb the meaning of his assignment. A member of River Cross Church in Gainesville, Silvers is involved in the church's seven-year partnership with the school system's Business Partner Program that ministers to students, faculty and administrators at Gainesville's Lake Forrest Elementary School. "For me, this is a joy," said the local businessman who takes time away from his work at Nationwide Insurance to tutor the children on a regular basis. "I love being with the kids and hanging out with them. I love to see excitement on their faces when we go into the classroom. I'm able to see how meaningful our work is to them." Lake Forrest Elementary School, labeled as an "F" school based on its Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests (FCAT) score, has "challenges," said Principal Diane Hill, explaining that 96 percent of the primarily the African-American student body qualify for free or reduced-price lunches; which may be their only meal all day. A high percentage is involved in the school's exceptional student educational (ESE) program, requiring specialized instruction. Many live in a home where their grandparents are guardians and lack basic school supplies. As such, the school has difficulty drawing volunteers from its community. River Cross Pastor David Patterson believes that is where the church can step up to invest in the next generation, children who struggle in this needy community, located on the other side of town from the church's Haile Plantation location. At the beginning of each school year, the church collects money to buy school supplies which helped 120 students this year. Not only do members volunteer to spend time in the classrooms as tutors, they sponsor, coordinate and chaperone field trips. Church members serve on the School Advisory Committee, giving input into decision making and operations of the school. At Christmas food and gifts are collected for both the child and a special person in their lives. Healthy snacks are distributed during FCAT testing week and appreciation gifts are given to teachers at the end of the year in recognition of the sacrifices they make. As a result, several of the teachers have visited and participated in church activities, including Principal Hill. "It's been such an asset having River Cross as our partners," said the principal. While other groups are involved at the school, the church is "consistent and continual and that means a lot to our kids, our staff and our environment." The church is able to have access to the school, the principal said, because "their purpose is here to help children and staff." The church, she added, is making "a huge difference because they reach out in so many areas. If you mention River Cross, you can see from the look on my teacher's faces that they are appreciated." River Cross became involved in the ministry because Patterson believes as more Christian families leave public schools, "the darker the schools become spiritually. We felt the burden to be a light in that darkness and see how God can lead us to impact students, families, and staff." "The people in our church are hungry to give back to kids, and invest in their lives. Over the years, we have been able to help with more and more needs. And there is joy in that," the pastor said. Giving comes naturally to Patterson. The former successful engineer/businessman was caught up in chasing the American dream and did not see any relevance to church, he said. Later in life, after discovering he was on the wrong path, he felt called to ministry. Quitting their jobs and selling their house, he and his wife, Jan, moved back to Gainesville, where they had previously lived, to plant the church on the west side eight years ago. With the mantra, "Leading people to think eternally and act presently," he said the church's ministry to the school is, first and foremost, the right thing to do. It's living out our mantra." It is also a way to demonstrate the church's relevance to the unchurched who probably have similar life questions that he once had. In planting River Cross, now with nearly 300 in attendance, Patterson partnered with the Florida Baptist Convention, receiving church planting assistance, and working under the tutelage of church planter strategist Nevi Townsend, who died last year. He was coached and mentored in this new role, he said, by Bob Bumgarner, lead strategist of the Convention's Church Health group. Now Patterson leads conferences for other church planters and churches interested in the school ministry. Bumgarner calls the pastor "a spiritual entrepreneur, not afraid to reverse engineer ministry. He doesn't just start with, how can we get them to come to a gathering? He asks how can we meaningfully be where they already are?" "David is a true missionary church planter. He is not in love with his church model. He is in love with the people of Gainesville." --30-- This article appeared in the Florida Baptist Witness (gofbw.com), newsjournal of the Florida Baptist Convention. Barbara Denman is director of communications for the Florida Baptist Convention. ********** EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Millennials & a new social witness, Part 2 by Owen Strachan Date: May 20, 2014 - Tuesday EDITOR'S NOTE: This is second of two columns by seminary professor Owen Strachan on the importance of Millennials' social witness amid contemporary culture. Click here for Part 1. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- How can younger evangelicals who have no inclination to start a PAC or accost people on the sidewalk while holding impressively weathered clipboards engage in public square witness? Let's consider four broad ways forward. First, young Christians can recover a sense of social agency I find a striking paradox in the mind of many Millennial Christians today. We love Bonhoeffer, and we thrill to Wilberforce's daring and spectacularly successful efforts. When it comes to our own moment, though, we feel beaten down. The culture seems so big and bad and scary and foreordained, and so we toggle back to Facebook and retreat to our Bon Iver playlist. Something's not clicking here. Millennial Christians need to recover a sense of agency in the culture. Almighty God is our benefactor, and He's got way more power than any billionaire the New Yorker might profile in 8,000 skeptical words. I have utterly no idea what the future of America and the West looks like. Things in general are not promising, to be sure. Much seems to be slipping away from us in our day. But I resist a narrative of our culture suffused with gloom and written in stone. In the face of some jaw-dropping defeats, we also are seeing some enlivening gains, especially in the pro-life realm. God is unstoppable, and of the reign of His kingdom there is no end. Let's get to it, shall we? Second, young Christians can speak up for truth on behalf of flourishing. Part of what has pushed some Millennials away from being the speaking church is that we have not always heard our leaders make the biblical connection between rightness and health, truth and flourishing. But what is true is always what is best. We need to make this elegant connection on moral matters. Millennials have an opportunity today to speak on matters of sexuality and gender, for example, from the perspective of both rightness and health. It is wrong to change God's super-intelligent design for the family, for example. But we also must make clear that altering the family will not lead to human flourishing. Let this message ring out from a thousand missional pulpits (or elevated coffee tables, as it were). Third, young Christians can count their lives and reputations as nothing. Millennial believers are cursed by a desire to be popular. We want friends, virtual and actual. We don't want to be tagged with the epithet greater than that which cannot be known: awkward. I understand this desire. It's no good thing to be hated for its own sake. But we must not forget the long, bloody and glorious tradition of courageous Christian public witness. It starts with Moses holding court in a pagan Egyptian throne room, extends to Daniel praying in public and thereby facing down a horde of Persian courtiers eager to see him torn limb from limb, jumps to the grisly martyrdom of John the Baptist for offering a short course in public ethics, and peaks with Christ before Caesar, sacrificial and triumphant in death (Exodus 5-11; Daniel 6; Matthew 14; 27). However nimble and winsome we young evangelicals must be, we also must shake the heavens with our prayers for courage, the courage to speak even in the face of persecution so that evil and death might lose and righteousness and neighbor-love might win. Fourth, young Christians must play hardball when necessary. In practical terms, this means not only engaging the culture when a particularly momentous vote or decision is at hand, but in the many smaller events that lead to the historic ones. Our new social witness must be marked both by love and by an appropriate evangelical Realpolitik. Not every issue is created equal. But we must not consent to a death by a thousand cultural cuts, either. Millennials have extensive and often-overlooked biblical precedent for this kind of action. We can cite Joseph acting shrewdly as an administrator of the state for the goodness of his people, Esther using her queenly position to advocate for the salvation of the Jews from genocide (working closely with Mordecai) and the apostle Paul appealing to his Roman citizenship as just a few biblical examples of the kind of gracious hardball we can play in the public square (Genesis 41-47; Esther 2-10; Acts 22-26). Few of us can predict what the future of America will be. Whether poll numbers on social questions rise or fall among youngsters, I am not most concerned with data. I am most concerned with the church and its future. Extraordinary and altogether necessary attention has been paid to our identity as the listening church. More attention needs to be devoted to our tricky, historically problematic, but hugely important identity as the speaking church. May we do so in coming days, speaking love and truth, never giving up, never abandoning our neighbor, never falling silent. --30-- Owen Strachan is assistant professor of Christian theology and church history at Boyce College, the undergraduate school of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and president of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. He is the author of "Risky Gospel: Abandon Fear and Build Something Awesome" (Thomas Nelson, 2013) and of a forthcoming book for a millennial audience on the public square witness of Chuck Colson. This column first appeared in the Canon & Culture blog (www.canonandculture.com) of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.