The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-05/29/2014 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Directionless' Magog notices the Spirit taking root in town by Adam Miller Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday MAGOG, Quebec (BP) -- This city an hour east of Montreal does not draw its name, Magog, from the apocalyptic book of Revelation -- though a growing group of Christians hopes it someday might help spark the end times for Quebec's spiritual destitution. With 53,000 people in Magog most months and an additional 20,000 vacationing there in the summer, it is Quebec's premiere destination for the province's vacationers. Magog's name is First Nations in origin, an abbreviation for nearby Lake Memphremagog meaning "lake of low water" or "lake between two mountains." But church planter Dominic Chaussé (@DominicChaussé) didn't come to Magog to be on a permanent holiday or to sit by the lake. He came here to start Axe21 as a planter sent by a church also named Axe21 in the neighboring town of Sherbrooke. Though it has "a huge lake that goes all the way to Vermont, four ski hills less than an hour away, miles of cycling paths, lots of outdoor sports -- fishing [and] hunting -- and so many restaurants, it has only one evangelical church," Chaussé said. Many of the younger adults in Magog, as with most Quebecois, have parents who parted from the Catholic Church, leaving their children disinterested and without any knowledge of Jesus. "I grew up in Montreal, and I never really prayed for my friends to get saved because I never really believed it was possible," Chaussé said. "My parents' generation left the Catholic Church, and so my friends are the sons and daughters of people who have left the Catholic Church. "We have one of the highest rates of suicide and divorce, and it's because people are so directionless and lack meaning or contentment in their lives. "But there's a movement of the Spirit. People are praying for the lost," Chaussé said, "and we're seeing those same lost people come to Christ." Axe21 plans to launch later this year in a Magog theater that once had been the city's most notorious bar. Chaussé sees it as an opportunity to redeem a dark part of the city -- but a city that is surprisingly receptive. "I thought it was going to be super hard to start because the faith was so not present," Chaussé said. "They're not opposed -- just unaware. What's going to happen when you die? Many couldn't care less. They don't really believe there's something after death. Talk to them about hell and they laugh and say 'that's something for kids.' If you talk to them about going to church, they just think it's something weird. "But they're excited to speak about Jesus." Living in a way that reflects Christ has had the greatest effect on Magog residents, Chaussé said. "Our babysitter is an example. Her mother died. When we heard of this we didn't just tell her we would pray for her. That would have not had much impact," he said. "We cooked meals for her and cared for her. She said, 'You're living it out.' She came to church one Sunday, and then she started bringing her husband." Axe21's core group spent 400 hours last summer serving on The Green Brigade, which meant picking up trash after the city's many festivals. "The city was actually excited about us launching," Chaussé said. The former bar that will become Axe21's new address has drawn attention from radio stations and three local newspapers -- one of which praised the church for its volunteer work in the city. The church currently has 85 people meeting on a weekly and monthly basis in advance of its launch, and they've baptized 18. "There's really no explanation for what's happening," Chaussé said, "except that this is a movement of God's Spirit." --30-- Adam Miller writes for the North American Mission Board. Learn more about the work of Axe21 at www.axe21magog.com. Montreal is one of 32 Send North America cities included in the North American Mission Board's evangelistic church planting strategy, on the Web at www.sendnetwork.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------- HHS abortion mandate: SBC entities back GuideStone challenge to health care law by Tom Strode Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Three Southern Baptist entities have called on a federal appeals court to protect the religious liberty of the convention's health and financial benefits organization. In a friend-of-the-court brief filed May 27, GuideStone Financial Resources received support from sister entities in its challenge to the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), International Mission Board (IMB), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and SBTS President R. Albert Mohler Jr. called in the brief for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to uphold a lower court's preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the requirement for the time being. GuideStone and two of the organizations that participate in its health plans filed a class-action suit against a rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that requires employers to provide for their workers drugs and devices that potentially can cause abortions. In their brief, the ERLC, IMB, SBTS and Mohler say the Bible and Southern Baptist doctrine teach it is a sin to support directly or indirectly the killing of an unborn child through abortion. "Accordingly, a statute or regulation requiring a Southern Baptist individual or ministry to be complicit in conduct that the Christian faith teaches is morally wrong forces that person or ministry into an impossible choice -- to either violate conscience or violate the law -– and imposes a substantial burden on the exercise of religion," the brief says. SBTS President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said in a statement for Baptist Press, "We are determined to stand with GuideStone in this righteous and necessary cause. "Nothing less than religious liberty is at stake, and Baptists have been from the beginnings of our history on the front lines of defending religious freedom," Mohler said. "That freedom is directly threatened by the unconstitutional and aggressively coercive policy of the Obama administration's contraception mandate. "We are proud to stand with GuideStone, and now is the time to take that stand." The HHS regulation, which is part of the implementation of the 2010 health care law, requires coverage of federally approved contraceptives, including the intrauterine device (IUD) and such drugs as Plan B, the "morning-after" pill. Both the IUD and "morning-after" pill possess post-fertilization mechanisms that potentially can cause abortions by preventing implantation of tiny embryos. The rule also covers "ella," which -- in a fashion similar to the abortion drug RU 486 -- can even act after implantation to end the life of the child. The brief filed by the SBC entities and Mohler contends the HHS rule's imposition of "draconian fines" in reaction to actions "specifically mandated by Christian doctrine" place a substantial burden on the religious free exercise of GuideStone and the nearly 190 ministries for which it provides health benefits. The abortion/contraception mandate violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment and the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), according to the brief. RFRA requires the government to have a compelling interest and use the narrowest means in burdening a person's religious exercise. In the brief, the ERLC, IMB, Southern Seminary and Mohler point to a series of pro-life resolutions adopted by messengers at SBC annual meetings for more than three decades. Southern Baptists "have a firm and well-known theological opposition to abortion, and the Southern Baptist Convention has repeatedly expressed its opposition to abortion in the strongest terms," according to the brief. Christian doctrine, including that of Southern Baptists, teaches followers of Christ to apply their beliefs to every part of life, the brief says. As a result of such a comprehensive view, GuideStone and its partners, "as a matter of doctrine and conscience, cannot distribute abortion-inducing drugs and devices either directly or indirectly by authorizing, obligation, or incentivizing a third party to provide such drugs and devices to others," according to the brief. ERLC President Russell D. Moore stated, "There won't be a government bureaucrat standing beside a person at the Judgment Seat, so there shouldn't be a government bureaucrat standing between a person and his conscience. A government that can coerce the conscience is a government that has overstepped it God-appointed bounds. We are proud to stand with Guidestone and for the cause of religious liberty." Among other organizations filing briefs May 27 in support of GuideStone, according to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, were the Christian Legal Society, National Association of Evangelicals, Prison Fellowship, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Christian Medical Association, American Center for Law and Justice, Concerned Women for America and Americans United for Life. HHS provided an exemption to the rule, which was first proposed in August 2011, for churches and their auxiliaries but did not extend it to non-church-related, nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies that object. The Obama administration also offered an accommodation for non-church-related religious organizations, but critics said it was inadequate because it still forces such groups to provide access to the drugs through third parties. Joining GuideStone in its suit are Truett-McConnell College, a Baptist college in Cleveland, Ga., and Oklahoma City-based Reaching Souls International. A federal court in Oklahoma City issued the preliminary injunction in the case. More than 300 parties -- some nonprofit organizations and some for-profit corporations -- have combined to file 97 lawsuits against HHS, according to the Becket Fund, which has led the diverse effort challenging the mandate. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in late March in a case involving two for-profit businesses, Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, that have challenged the abortion/contraception mandate. The high court is expected to announce its decision in the case before it adjourns in late June or early July. The cases involving nonprofits such as GuideStone have yet to work their way up to the Supreme Court. In the combined Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood case, the ERLC signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief filed by the Christian Legal Society in support of the corporations. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and its president, Daniel Akin, and Southern Baptist pastor and author Rick Warren joined in another brief on behalf of the businesses in the Supreme Court case. Truett-McConnell College is affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention, and Reaching Souls is a missions organization that trains Africans to reach their continent with the Gospel of Christ. GuideStone, which is based in Dallas, serves not only churches but missions organizations, schools, hospitals and other ministries. In addition to health and other insurance coverage, GuideStone also offers retirement, investment management, property and casualty coverage and other services. The Becket Fund and the Dallas law firm Locke Lord LLP filed the lawsuit. --30-- Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainer writes 'autopsy' of 'deceased' churches by Bob Smietana Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- The church was dying and didn't know it. Attendance was down, the building was mostly empty, and the glory days had long since passed. As a last resort, a church member asked LifeWay Christian Resources' president, Thom S. Rainer, for advice. Rainer spent a few weeks studying the church, then recommended a number of changes. But church leaders rejected them. As he walked out the door, Rainer knew it was simply a matter of time before the church died. Later, he and a friend performed a kind of autopsy on the church -- reviewing its last few years for what went wrong. Lessons from that church autopsy -- along with about a dozen others -- are included in Rainer's latest book, "Autopsy of a Deceased Church" from LifeWay's B&H Publishing imprint. The book is meant for struggling and vibrant churches alike, Rainer said. "Even healthy churches need to learn from autopsies," he said, "because they can tell us paths of prevention." Rainer found 10 factors -- from slow erosion of the congregation and too many short-term pastors to a lack of prayer and neglected facilities -- that cause churches to decline and die. A number of the now-dead churches spent too much time thinking about the past, Rainer said, in a chapter titled "The Past is the Hero." Remembering the past with fondness is fine for a church, he said, "but if it hinders us from looking forward, that is a problem." Most of the deceased churches Rainer studied had once been thriving and then went through a period of decline. In some cases, demographics played a role. About a third of the dead churches had been in urban areas where the ethnic mix of the community changed but the church did not. Instead of reaching their new neighbors, many withdrew and became commuter congregations, with no neighborhood ties. "The common theme among those congregations was an unwillingness to connect with the transitioning community," Rainer said. "Instead, the churches became a white island in a sea of diverse people." Some of the now-dead churches were in small towns where the population was shrinking. But more than a few were in thriving communities, yet they still failed to reach their neighbors. All became increasingly insular as they declined. Surprisingly, most of the churches still had money in the bank when they closed. "You don't have to be broke to be dying," Rainer noted. But those churches spent most of their money on programs that benefited their members rather than on mission or outreach. They developed a me-first mentality, Rainer said, and had little connection to the community around the church. "Though it's difficult to isolate any one factor as the most dangerous," Rainer said, "the steep numerical decline of these churches was most noticeable as the congregation started focusing on their own needs. They became preference-driven instead of Great Commission driven." The book is relatively short -- about 100 pages divided into 14 chapters, one on each risk factor plus three chapters of recommendations for how churches can respond. Much like Rainer's previous book, "I Am a Church Member," currently No. 2 on the CBA's bestseller list, Autopsy of a Deceased Church is designed for group study. Each chapter ends with a series of discussion questions and a prayer challenge. Rainer hopes church leaders and members will read the book and learn from the mistakes other congregations made. They may also have to face their own problems head on, he said, since that's better than ignoring the signs of decline and hoping they'll go away. "The trauma of observing an autopsy is only beneficial if it is received as a warning to the living," he writes. That's a reality Rainer knows well. The book was inspired in part by the childhood death of his sister Amy. Rainer's father insisted her doctor perform an autopsy so the cause of death would be clear. He wanted to know if her health problems might affect the rest of the family. The autopsy revealed a weakness in Amy's heart, which proved a warning sign to other family members. "We all get checked out for our heart problems because Dad had the courage to ask for an autopsy," Rainer said. He hopes churches will have the courage to do likewise. That often starts with prayer and a willingness to love one's church enough to point out its flaws and face its challenges. "I do love the fact that so many people love their churches," Rainer said. "But we can't love them to death." --30-- Bob Smietana is senior writer for LifeWay Christian Resources' Facts & Trends magazine. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'A fine day to become an American' by Erich Bridges Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- The scene unfolded in the seventh-floor courtroom of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia -- dark-paneled, solemn and a little intimidating. But the mood was anything but solemn on a beautiful spring day as 72 immigrants crowded into the chamber to take the oath of U.S. citizenship, accompanied by throngs of family members, friends and assorted crying babies. "Cries of freedom," the judge wryly observed later in the ceremony. The citizens-to-be filled one entire side of the courtroom and the jury box. The rest of us packed every remaining seat. "Are you sufficiently uncomfortable?" asked the court official who heroically attempted to arrange us. Yes, ma'am. I was there to cheer Helen, 20, a member of my church who emigrated from Nepal with her family nine years ago (her younger brother would become a citizen two days later). Now a rising junior in college, she's majoring in social work and wants to serve God by serving the poor and needy. She's already been doing that for years by helping her mother, who ministers to Nepali refugees resettling in our area. This being a government function, paperwork and plenty of hurry-up-and-wait came first. This being Virginia -- and one of the original court districts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 -- volunteers from the Daughters of the American Revolution assisted. All rose as Judge David J. Novak entered the court to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and welcome America's newest citizens. "It's a fine day to become an American. Whaddaya think?" said Novak, the grandson of Czech immigrants, as he strode to the bench. "We're a nation of immigrants," he added, highlighting some of the great Americans who came from other places. New waves of immigration add vitality to our culture. What makes America different? You can go to other countries but never really become one of their own, Novak said, "but anyone can come here from any corner of the world, and you can be an American." He outlined the rights and duties of citizenship, then asked the group of 72 to stand and lift their right hands for the oath. Following the 140-word pledge, Novak declared, "It is an honor to be the first to welcome you to the United States -- my fellow citizens!" Applause. Smiles. Tears and hugs. Novak led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and came down from the bench to shake hands with each new citizen as their names and countries of origin were read aloud. Despite the racial and linguistic diversity of the group, I had assumed they came from eight or 10 different countries. After all, Richmond isn't New York, Washington or Los Angeles. I was wrong. These 72 new Americans, in this single ceremony, came from Italy, India, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico, Iran, Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Brazil, the Netherlands, Honduras, Ethiopia, Canada, El Salvador, Pakistan, Ecuador, China, Guyana, Bangladesh, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belize, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, New Zealand, Venezuela, Guatemala, Senegal, Bosnia, Croatia, South Korea, Nepal, Morocco and Jamaica. That's 38 countries. Count 'em, 38. E pluribus unum, reads the Great Seal of the United States: "Out of many, one." The scene powerfully reminded me that the nations have come to us. Has any land ever been such a powerful magnet to people yearning for freedom and opportunity as America? Some folks believe American society is being fragmented by the constant influx of outsiders and that "out of many, one" is becoming "out of many, chaos." But I'm with Judge Novak: I believe new Americans bring new energy, creativity and productivity to our culture, as they always have. The more important question: What are God's purposes in this historic movement of people from everywhere to a single nation? "We are living in an unprecedented time in the history of our world," IMB urban strategist Terry Sharp writes. "More people are living outside their country of birth than any other time; many of them are coming to America. In fact, more than 1 million immigrants come to America each year. That's not counting more than 750,000 international students who will come to study, nor does it include the 75,000 refugees that are resettled in our country each year. Add the business travelers and tourists who are visiting. When you start adding up the numbers, it doesn't take long to realize that God desires His people groups to hear the Gospel so much that He's sending them to us. "As we ponder the opportunities that God has brought to the shores of North America, it's important to realize that the vast majority of immigrants, international students and refugees are coming from [areas unreached by the Gospel]. Wow! What an opportunity we have to share the Good News with the nations right here at home. That doesn't mean we don't go overseas, but it does mean we shouldn't miss the wonderful opportunities the Father is giving His church. The nations are literally living next door." What can you do? Start small -- Smile at the woman at the grocery store who came from somewhere else. Help her find the items she needs from the bewildering array of choices. Invite that new family on your street or in your apartment complex over for a meal. Ask about their lives and experiences. Listen -- Offer assistance with English practice. Help their kids with homework. Offer advice on starting a bank account, finding a doctor, getting a driver's license. Be a friend -- Many immigrants and refugees from community-oriented cultures struggle with the hyper-individualism and isolation of American culture. (Find many more ideas and resources here: http://www.ethnecity.com/.) The newcomer you welcome might be a high-flying business executive or a struggling refugee. Either way, they need a friend. And chances are, they need Jesus. --30-- Erich Bridges is IMB global correspondent. Visit WorldView Conversation, the blog related to this column. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- S.C. exec Jim Austin to retire by Butch Blume/Baptist Courier Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) -- Jim Austin, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention since April 2007, has announced that he will retire on Oct. 7 of this year. Dwight Easler, chairman of the SCBC Executive Board, confirmed to The Baptist Courier state newspaper that Austin, 60, told the Executive Board of his decision on May 28. In his retirement announcement, Austin said he wants to "pass the baton of leadership" to a new executive director who will "assume the challenge of ... fleshing out" the initiatives of the Great Commission Resurgence and Seeking the Kingdom task forces. The reports of both task forces were adopted by South Carolina Baptists during Austin's tenure. Austin noted that his arrival in South Carolina in 2007 coincided with the "most severe economic recession since the Great Depression" but that South Carolina Baptists "continued to enthusiastically embrace our Lord's Great Commission and model sacrificial living and giving." Easler said Austin's tenure will be "remembered and celebrated ... because of his love for pastors and his heart for missions." "His prayer-filled phone calls to pastors in our state as they celebrated their greatest joys or suffered through their deepest pain will always be remembered by those that he touched," Easler said. Easler credited Austin for providing "positive change in the way we view pastoral health, forced terminations and the reality of suicide in the pastorate." Austin succeeded Carlisle Driggers, who retired February 2007 after 15 years as the convention's executive director-treasurer. Prior to coming to South Carolina, Austin had served as an associate executive director for the Missouri Baptist Convention and pastor of Morganton (Ga.) Baptist Church; Blackshear Place Baptist Church in Gainesville, Ga.: and First Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va. Austin is a graduate of Jacksonville State University in Alabama, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas and Fuller Seminary in California. He and his wife Debbie are parents of five children. --30-- Butch Blume is managing editor of The Baptist Courier (www.baptistcourier.com), newsjournal of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd VIEW: 'A Christ-Centered Wedding' counters culture's pressures by Erin Roach Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday 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 28, 2014 NASHVILLE (BP) -- Amid strong influences from the modern wedding industry, evangelicals now have a practical guide for honoring God and pointing others to Him through one of the most important events of their lives. "A Christ-Centered Wedding: Rejoicing in the Gospel on Your Big Day" by Catherine Strode Parks and her mother Linda Strode, published by B&H Publishing Group, reminds couples what God originally intended for the sacred marriage ceremony. "One of our main goals is to free couples from the culture-driven idea that you need to re-imagine your wedding, and your marriage, in order to make it 'unique,'" Parks said. "There is a beautiful freedom in seeing that weddings are nothing new. The Bible begins and ends with a wedding." God set forth His plan for marriage in Scripture, Parks said, and weddings can reflect what He designed marriage to reflect -- the beauty of Christ's love for His bride, the church. "There is joy in making that our goal rather than succumbing to many of the pressures that come with planning a wedding," she said. Parks and Strode recognize there are two occasions in most lives that give believers an opportunity to publicly share the Gospel with their friends and family: weddings and funerals. And only one happens while the believer is there to participate. Weddings of professing Christians, however, often look like those of the world. "Unfortunately, we have bought into the world's ideas about marriage and weddings, and much of the time we do not realize there is a better way to go about it," Parks and Strode write. "Weddings, like marriage, were God's idea -- remember the first wedding took place in the Garden of Eden. So why is He absent from our ceremonies, except for a token prayer or Scripture reading?" The Bible is filled with wedding and marriage metaphors, the authors note, including repeated references to Israel as His bride and His betrothed. The ultimate comparison is found in Revelation, which pictures Christ returning for the church, His bride. Parks and Strode remind couples that until Christ returns, the perfect wedding is elusive. No amount of spending will ensure the fairytale most brides seek, and placing the focus on the one in white ultimately will disappoint. "Ask your officiate to bring it back to the gospel," the authors write. "And know this is not just for those unsaved family members and friends in the audience. This gospel proclamation is for you. We need to reflect on the power of God's gospel work and His grace every day of our lives -- particularly as we are making the most serious human commitment possible." A Christ-Centered Wedding guides couples through more than just how to plan a Christ-honoring ceremony. It starts with the engagement and -- through anecdotes from Parks' experiences and testimonies from other couples -- offers practical advice on decisions from registries to the rehearsal dinner. The authors even make sense of the countless decisions a couple faces when planning a wedding, from the flowers for the ceremony to the food served at the reception. Though some of the decisions can seem mundane when the overall goal is presenting the Gospel, the authors say the details are a means to an end -- and accomplishing the means can be an act of worship. Though the authors respect wedding traditions, Strode counsels that if she were able to go back in time, one thing she would do differently in planning her daughter's wedding is make not only the wedding day but the whole planning process more about the Gospel and less about tradition. By valuing the Bible more than bridal magazines, believers can use their special day as an occasion for more than an elegant party and warm memories. "We are made to worship the Creator, not His creations," Parks and Strode write. "And so our desire must be for our Creator to receive the glory in our weddings as we present the Gospel for all to see." --30— Erin Roach is a writer in Nashville, Tenn. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Bible Study: June 1, 2014 by Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources Date: May 29, 2014 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week's Bible study is adapted from The Gospel Project curriculum. Bible Passages: Deuteronomy 10:12-22, 11:1; Romans 13:8-14. Discussion Questions: What are your impressions of the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses? Do you see the law as relevant to your life today? Which purpose of the law is most emphasized in your church? Food for Thought: What's the law for? Because we often see the Ten Commandments plastered on billboards or engraved in stone in public places, we can begin to think of the Commandments as standing alone, a portion of the Bible isolated from the rest of the story line. Instead, we ought to see the Commandments within their context of Old Testament law. The first five books of the Bible, often referred to as the Pentateuch or the Law of Moses, are the home of the Ten Commandments, which are a distillation of God's law for His people. Is the law still relevant for Christians? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? The apostle Paul said it is good when used in the right way (1 Timothy 1:8). Randall Grossman, pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Reading, Pa., sees the purpose of the law as a map, a muzzle and a mirror. It's a map because it guides our behavior and shows us how to live in light of God's salvation and for His glory. It's a muzzle because it restrains evil and bad behavior in society. And it's a mirror because it reflects us and shows us our sin, leading us to recognize our need for our Savior. As we examine each of the Ten Commandments and the purpose of God's law in general, we'll see how the Commandments guide our conduct, restrain us from sin and point us to Jesus. The law is good, Paul said, so let's see just how good it is and grow in our love for the good God who gave it to us. The Gospel Project The Gospel Project is a Christ-centered curriculum that examines the grand narrative of Scripture and how the gospel transforms the lives of those it touches. Through a three-year study plan, participants are immersed in the gospel through stories, theological concepts and calls to missions from Genesis to Revelation. Separate study plans for kids and students/adults ensure the proper focus and depth. The Gospel Project is designed to unify an entire church under a single Christ-centered curriculum. More information, free samples, and The Gospel Project blog can be found at www.gospelproject.com. Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool. --30--