The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-05/30/2014 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: SBC annual meeting app available by Staff Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday 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 27, 2014 NASHVILLE (BP) -- Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting can stay up to date with a smartphone app, which will include more than a dozen features, including schedules, maps, alerts, speakers, news feeds, the Book of Reports, the Daily Bulletin, and much more. The free app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry users and can be downloaded by searching for "SBC Annual Meetings" in the device's app store. Once the app is downloaded, it will prompt you to install the information for the 2014 annual meeting. Developed by Core-Apps, the app will include: -- Push alerts that give users up-to-date news, such as changes in the meeting schedule should the posted schedule change. -- The programs for the SBC Pastors' Conference and the SBC annual meeting. -- An alphabetized list of Pastors' Conference and SBC annual meeting speakers, including their scheduled speaking times. -- A newsfeed of Baptist Press news stories and photos covering Crossover, the SBC annual meeting, and related meetings that take place during the week. -- PDF versions of the Book of Reports, the Daily Bulletin, and SBC LIFE. -- Scheduled times for seminary luncheons and other affinity groups meeting in conjunction with the SBC annual meeting. -- Twitter stream discussions about the SBC annual meeting. Use the hashtag #sbc14 to join the conversation. -- An interactive map of the exhibit hall and messenger-friendly local restaurants. -- A list of exhibitors, including contact information for each exhibitor and the exhibitor's floor location. -- A list of Baltimore Baptist Association churches and church-type missions, with a map showing where each congregation is located. -- A "friends" icon where users can keep up to date with their friends and send them notes (users are required to fill out a brief profile). -- Downloadable copies of Meet Southern Baptists and The Southern Baptist Convention: A Closer Look, two brochures produced by the SBC Executive Committee for use in church member training classes. --30-- This story first appeared in SBC LIFE. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sojourn: Missions is 'who we are' locally & internationally by Laura Fielding Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- The majestic brick church with stained glass windows towers above a dilapidated neighborhood. This is a seedy section of Louisville where drug deals go down daily, prostitutes line the streets and murders are routine. Boarded-up houses, broken glass and graffiti dot the streets in every direction.
But Sojourn Community Church is a beacon of hope for the neighborhood. Sojourn, which began as a church plant 13 years ago, decided to make a permanent home in an area where many fear to tread. Not only is the church a part of the neighborhood but the pastor and many of the members live here as well. Colin and Anna Freeman* moved to Louisville in 2008 to attend Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to prepare for international missionary work. However, Colin says they became so focused on what was ahead "that we really forgot to be [missional] about where we currently were." The Freemans soon connected with Sojourn, which emphasizes that believers should not "dichotomize" their lives -- separating who they are at church from who they are during the week. "God calls us to Himself and out of that call comes a new identity as servants," Sojourn lead pastor Daniel Montgomery says, "and so, service just isn't something we do, it's who we are." Planting roots The Freemans put down roots. They joined Sojourn, bought a house in the surrounding neighborhood, graduated from seminary and got jobs in the city, waiting on God's timing for overseas service. Nathan Garth*, pastor of global missions, describes Sojourn as a "sending church" that encourages its members to "live sent." "The concept is as Christ's followers, the commission He gave to us is that all believers are to go out to proclaim the Gospel, to disciple new believers and to see multiplication happen," Garth says. "And that's what we want to see -- our church here, every member to take ownership that they live sent." "If we're not moving outward," Montgomery adds, "something is fundamentally wrong with our spirituality and our understanding of Jesus." That particularly resonated with Colin and Anna, who had wrestled for several years about committing to serve overseas until God began to give them a new perspective on living missionally through Sojourn. "You're not going to be effective missionally cross-culturally if you're not effective across the street, and that is evident in the way they [Sojourn] preach," Colin says. "… In order for you to be effective, you have to be present, you have to be in people's lives, you have to be living life with others in the way that draws you closer to the Father through Gospel community. "And so to be missional doesn't mean it has to be glamorous or big. It just means it has to be intentional." That has been Sojourn's philosophy from the beginning. More than a decade ago, founding members asked themselves tough questions, Montgomery says, such as, "Is church more than just an activity once a week and is mission more than just sending missionaries overseas?" They found that many of the people they interacted with daily in Louisville were "interested in our spirituality," the pastor says, "and who we were and the way of life that we're about, but they had no interest whatsoever in the church. "And so we wanted a place where people could really explore authentic biblical Christianity." Continuous support Part of "moving outward" at Sojourn means sending workers overseas, and the church's relationship with its missionaries is comprehensive, providing pastoral care, financial support, encouragement, accountability, networking and strategy support. "We want to send and never let go," Garth, the missions pastor, says. "That 'never letting go' piece is not a negative thing -- the idea is continually holding on to relationship." Once Sojourn's missionaries are on the field, three "adoptive community groups" stay connected by sending care packages and communicating regularly through email or Skype. An advocate team of about 10 of the missionaries' closest friends meets regularly to pray for them, is their first contact if they need something and also may travel to visit the missionaries overseas. These influences "encouraged [me]," Anna says, reminding her of what it means to affirm that "'Yes, we want to support you and enable you and prepare you to go.'" Preparation to go The Freemans will take overseas the lessons they learned while immersing themselves at Sojourn. "One of the key things about being a Sojourner is to live in community," Garth says. "So we gather on Sundays and then we scatter to community groups, to small groups, throughout the week." Sojourn has more than 100 community groups of about 10-15 people who meet once a week in someone's home. Colin says they focus on being part of the community in which they live and making those relationships work. That mindset extends to each of the four locations where Sojourn now is active -- two urban churches (which includes the main campus), a suburban church and a rural one. Encouraging people to live missionally is not like starting a program, Garth say. It's more difficult. It's changing people's worldview to the idea that "we are all on mission, we are all to be Christ's disciples to the nations -- and our neighbors are included in that." Colin and Anna started out as community group leaders for three years and then transitioned to coaches to mentor several community group leaders. "That, I think, just as much as anything prepared us for cross-cultural living and understanding how people work and understanding how sin relates to people's lives on a regular basis," Colin says. Sojourn's "School of Missions," a yearlong development program focusing on international missions, also was key in preparing Colin and Anna. Participants "get the ins and outs about what does it mean to cross a culture, how do we communicate the Gospel in a contextual way, all the things you can imagine that go along with being an international missionary both across the waters and here in our own city," Garth says, noting that Louisville is home to about 80,000 internationals. The Freemans were sent out by Sojourn as missionaries to the Horn of Africa in early 2014. Sojourn currently has 20 missionary units (singles or families) serving in several strategic locations overseas and many more in the church's assessment and development process. "This is not because we're anything special; it's the opposite actually," Garth says. "We've made a lot of mistakes ... but by God's grace, He's doing something through our people." --30-- *Names changed. Laura Fielding is a writer for the International Mission Board. View a related video at imb.org/sending. Use the hashtag #sendingchurch on Twitter to join the conversation about how you and your church can "live sent." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Joy & tears abound at church on mission by Laura Fielding Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- As Colin and Anna Freeman* spent their last few whirlwind weeks in the United States, the question they heard most often from family and friends was "Are you excited?" It was just before Christmas 2013 and they were on the verge of leaving to serve as missionaries to the Horn of Africa. "I didn't know how to answer that" the first few times he heard it, Colin admits. There's nothing exciting about telling your father-in-law you are taking his daughter halfway around the world, Colin says, or telling your parents that your future children will not grow up in the presence of their U.S. families. Nor is there anything exciting about telling your friends they won't be a part of your everyday life for many years. "I think that you have to put it into perspective -- what God has done for us has been beautiful and that every day we have been given more of a longing to be with the people [we are going to serve]," Colin says. "I think it is exciting, but it's also very sobering." God equipped the couple for missionary service through Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Ky. Although the Freemans knew God was calling them to become missionaries and spend their lives ministering to others, that kind of obedience comes at a cost -- for both the Freemans and Sojourn. The beauty, difficulty of community Sojourn emphasizes living in community and being on mission right where you are. The Freemans planted roots in the church through first leading and then coaching community groups -- small groups that meet once a week in homes to discuss the Bible and "live life" together. But living life together can be tough. "If you really are obedient to what you're being called to, then you get really deep into people's lives and you see how messy they are and they see how messy you are," Anna says. It's hard work to talk about your sin and be there for others who are struggling with sins, she says, and it is especially difficult to be constantly available to support and talk with people. "It's exhausting to do, you know, after working 10 hours and doing laundry, and at 11 o'clock getting a phone call," Anna says. "But that's what we're called to do -- that's what the Word calls us to do." Though the calls can be inconvenient, Anna says she's thankful after she answers them. "There's so much freedom that the Gospel gives us in community, that we can be with one another and know each other's struggles, and still have the same love that Christ has given us that we can love others," she says. "… You get to see how He moves and changes people.” Joy and tears As a "sending church," Sojourn lives sacrificially to send its members to the nations, says Nathan Garth*, pastor of global missions. "Everything great in life calls for sacrifice," notes Daniel Montgomery, Sojourn’s lead pastor. "Great mission in the local church calls for great sacrifice, and we resolve to sacrifice for the mission of God, really for the joy that's set before us. "I mean, it's a sacrifice of time, it's a sacrifice of resources. We have chosen to be deliberate about sacrificing our best and brightest to the mission field." Like the early church in the New Testament, Sojourn experiences the laughter and joy of sending out missionaries, Montgomery says, but also the tears and pain of seeing those they love being sent far away. "It's difficult when you have to say goodbye to friends and family for the sake of the Gospel," Garth adds. You'd think that as Sojourn releases elders and leaders to plant churches among the nations that the number of leaders would decrease, but in reality Sojourn has seen an increase. "That's not math I understand, that's God's math," Garth says. "But as we're releasing people, we're seeing multiplication happen even with our own body." For the Freemans, the sacrifice also has been worth it. "I just have so much joy in getting to [see Christ change people]," Anna says, "and I'm really looking forward to seeing that happen among a people who don't know who Jesus is." Visit imb.org/sending to view videos of Sojourn members discussing such topics as "being in community," "living sent," "training" and "send but don't let go." The Freemans advise individuals and churches interested in living missionally to: -- Attend missions conferences: Check the "Events" quick link at imb.org for IMB gatherings closest to you. -- Connect with international representatives: Go to "Who can help" at imb.org/lead to connect with an IMB representative associated with your state or ethnic group. -- Go on missions trips: Visit going.imb.org for guidance to volunteer and partnership opportunities. Consider focusing on an unengaged, unreached people group through call2embrace.org. -- Give to international missions through the Southern Baptists’ Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon offering for international missions: www.sbc.net/cp and imb.org/offering. "That support goes to empower people like us who the Lord has called to go," Anna says. "… You are making a way, a tangible way, for us to move to the other side of the world, to live basic lives and to share the Word in that life, and right now going where people have never heard the name of Christ." --30-- *Names changed. Laura Fielding is a writer for the International Mission Board. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Abedini threatened with more jail time over Gospel witness in prison, wife says by David Roach Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday TEHRAN, Iran (BP) -- Iranian authorities are threatening to extend the prison sentence of jailed U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini because he leads people to faith in Christ everywhere he is detained, Abedini's wife Naghmeh told Baptist Press. "I don't see him [witnessing] as an act of defiance," Naghmeh Abedini said. "Knowing Saeed's heart as a pastor, he's seeing people in such a dark place ... on death row for murders and rapes, and just seeing people who are in prison whose future is so dark. Knowing Saeed's heart, I know that his heart was to give them the hope that he's found in Christ that no one can take away, even in prison." Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent, was sentenced in early 2013 to eight years in prison for his involvement in Iran's house church movement. Abedini used to live in Iran and was a leader of house churches before moving to America in 2005. He was arrested almost two years ago while on a trip to build an orphanage in the city of Rasht. Though the Iranian constitution officially recognizes Christianity as a minority religion, Christian converts from Islam have suffered brutal persecution at the hands of Muslim authorities. Naghmeh Abedini and the couple's two young children live in Idaho. They have not been allowed to speak with Saeed since he was arrested but have communicated through his family in Iran, who are permitted to visit him in prison for 20 minutes weekly. The American Center for Law and Justice reported May 20 that Saeed had been returned to prison after spending two months in a hospital to receive treatment for injuries inflicted by prison officials. He was severely beaten at the hospital before being returned to prison, ACLJ reported. Prison guards have told Abedini that they can and will increase his jail sentence unless he stops telling fellow prisoners about Jesus, Naghmeh told BP. She said some former Muslim prisoners who placed their faith in Christ through Saeed's witness have already received extended sentences. Still, Saeed has said he feels compelled to keep sharing the Gospel. "Because I want to serve God, I see all of these difficulties as golden opportunities and great doors to serve," he wrote in a letter from prison last year. "There are empty containers who are thirsty for a taste of the Living Water and we can quench their thirst by giving them Jesus Christ." Shortly after Abedini was sentenced, his wife began receiving calls from women in Iran who said their husbands shared a cell with Saeed and had become strangely calm, happy and joyful. Their husbands told the women it wasn't safe to explain the reason for their transformation during family visits at the prison, but they recommended that their wives call Naghmeh. "Early on in his imprisonment I got to talk to some of these wives and lead them to Christ because of the change they've seen in their husbands," Naghmeh said. "And I told them, 'I think Saeed has given your husband all he has, and all he has is the hope he has found in Jesus Christ.'" One prisoner who began following Jesus told his wife, "I don't feel like I'm in a prison anymore. I've been set free," Naghmeh said. Saeed wants to be in America with his family and gets emotional when he sees pictures of his children's birthday parties, Naghmeh said. But he wants to share Jesus more than he wants to be free. "He got saved from such a dark [past]," Naghmeh said of her husband, a former Muslim. "At his conversion Jesus saved him in such a radical way that he can't deny Christ and he can't stop sharing his faith. It's in his DNA." Saeed's legal options in Iran have been exhausted and there will not be any more opportunities to appeal his conviction, Naghmeh said. But she senses that God will intervene supernaturally and bring about Saeed’s release. "When I pray, I do feel like it will be a miracle," she said. "It will be a definite act of God to release him. [Iranian authorities] feel like Saeed has not learned his lesson. He continues to stand on his faith, which they wanted him to reject." Naghmeh asked U.S. Christians not only to pray for Saeed, but also to send their senators and congressmen brief messages requesting help for him and other persecuted Christians around the world. Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas are among those who have told Naghmeh that such emails spur elected officials to action. Naghmeh has testified before Congress on her husband's behalf, spoken at the United Nations and asked European nations to press for his release as a condition of trade agreements with Iran. She believes countries like Germany, with whom Iran wants to trade, stand the best chance of securing Saeed's release. "Money talks more than religion" with Iran, Naghmeh said. "Iran is at a very desperate point. They're not doing very well economically. ... This is the best time to discuss human rights issues in Saeed's case and Christian persecution with them because they want to try to work with the West." Naghmeh said 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 has become her favorite verse, a "jewel during this time" that reminds her of God's purpose for allowing persecution. Trials "are great opportunities for us to die to our flesh and see the power of God shine though," she said. "When a room is dark and there is a light in it, automatically people go to it, so we become witnesses for Christ." Meanwhile another U.S. Christian, Kenneth Bae, remains imprisoned in North Korea. Bae has spent nearly two years in a labor camp and faces a 15-year sentence. He was arrested for "hostile acts" against the North Korean government while leading a tourist group, a business venture that "combined his entrepreneurial spirit with his personal convictions as a Christian," according to freekennow.com. At the National Prayer Breakfast in February, President Obama called publicly for Iran to release Abedini and for North Korea to release Bae. --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). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Colo., Mont. flood recovery resumes by Kristen Camp Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- After a long, cold winter, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams have returned to Colorado and Montana to provide help, healing and hope to victims of last year's floods. The floods destroyed an estimated 18,000 Colorado homes last September, 80 percent of which were located in Boulder, Larimer and Weld counties where SBDR volunteers are concentrating rebuild efforts. Currently 40 SBDR volunteers are working in Colorado, Mickey Caison, North American Mission Board rebuild coordinator, reported. NAMB's goal for the summer is to recruit 50 volunteers per week through Oct. 31. "We get to see a magnificent transition," Caison said. "Often [these survivors] don't have hope. But when our volunteers get on site and get started, it really makes a difference … emotionally, physically and spiritually." Fritz Wilson, NAMB's disaster relief executive director, said Southern Baptist church groups can participate even if they do not have the formal SBDR training typically required to respond immediately after a disaster. "We will take any church group willing to come from wherever they are across the country to help families rebuild their homes," Wilson said. "The work is very similar to what groups did during the rebuild efforts after Hurricane Katrina. All a team needs is a willingness to serve and a couple of team members who understand basic construction skills." While many teams have come from Denver churches and church plants, more than 10 other state Baptist conventions have sent DR teams to Colorado. The need for volunteers is more significant now than ever before, Caison noted. Immediately following the flood, many of the damaged homes were inaccessible because so many roads and bridges had been destroyed. Now, however, initial repairs have been made and access to more houses is possible, increasing the workload for the SBDR rebuild. "A lot of times our people want to respond to the latest and most urgent disaster and they forget about the people that were hit by a disaster a while back," Wilson said. Many homeowners have been out of their homes through the winter, so there is an urgency to get now-reachable homes cleaned out and repaired before next winter. While some construction work is needed for the rebuild, including carpentry, roofing and painting, Caison said the biggest task is to clean out or "mud-out" dirt, debris and boulders the floods left behind. In Montana, construction and home repair also is the biggest recovery need. While the amount of destruction was significantly less, with approximately 50 damaged homes, the need for volunteers also is great. Only 40 volunteers have worked in Montana since last November, including two college mission teams, said Dan Stewart, DR coordinator for the Montana Southern Baptist Convention. "We try to accommodate our volunteers by finding a job that fits them," Stewart said. "We just want to work together with the crews and the families we're working for and make sure that everyone goes away happy." The Montana project is focused on the city of Havre and an Indian reservation at Fort Belknap. Stewart and the Montana Baptist DR team are partnering with the tribal council on the reservation as well as a Native American ministry started by one of the tribal members to repair damaged homes. They expect to finish by summer 2015. The main focus of all of the SBDR projects, however, is not just repairing homes, but changing lives, Wilson said. "As an organization, we want to emphasize that the ministry to the family is more important than the work we do on their house," he said. "If a team can come in on a weekend and work through the week, even if they have to travel two days, they can make a significant impact in the life of a family." For more information on volunteering for SBDR Colorado flood recovery, visit www.namb.net/colorado-flood or contact NAMB's Colorado flood recovery office at 770-410-6277 or CoRecovery@namb.net. For more information on volunteering for Montana flood recovery efforts, contact Dan Stewart at 406-465-6097 or dstewart2107@interbel.net. NAMB coordinates and manages Southern Baptist responses to major disasters through partnerships with 42 state Baptist conventions, most of which have their own state disaster relief programs. Southern Baptists have 82,000 trained volunteers -- including chaplains -- and 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. To donate to SBDR efforts, contact the Southern Baptist convention in your state or visit donations.namb.net/dr-donations. Donations are also accepted at 1-866-407-NAMB (6262) and at NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Designate checks for "Disaster Relief." -30- Kristen Camp writes for the North American Mission Board. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Pastors vow to fight gay rights law by Bonnie Pritchett/Southern Baptist TEXAN Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday HOUSTON (BP) -- The Houston City Council has approved a controversial nondiscrimination ordinance broadening civil rights legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity, but opposition pastors continue to fight the law, hoping to put it before voters this fall. The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance passed Wednesday (May 28) by an 11-6 margin, despite efforts of an ethnically diverse coalition of pastors who called the measure "deeply flawed" and a threat to religious liberty. Following the roll call vote after nine hours of proceedings, the council chambers erupted in cheers from spectators packing the room to speak overwhelmingly for the ordinance. Testifying before the City Council, proponents recounted stories of physical and verbal abuse and discrimination against those who identified as homosexual or transgender. Fewer than 20 of the 209 people addressing the council voiced disapproval, although previous public hearings and rallies had drawn thousands who opposed the law. The scant verbal opposition at the meeting raised questions by some about the integrity of the council's deliberations. Coalition leaders are preparing for a referendum petition drive, needing 17,000 voter signatures to put the ordinance on the ballot this fall. "We are together to gather signatures, together in November at the ballot box for the referendum and will remain together in future elections," said Hernan Castano, pastor of Iglesia Rios de Aceite and director of Hispanic Church Development for HAPC. Both sides of the debate invoked God and the Bible to defend their cause. "I'm also here as a Houstonian who believes that Jesus Christ died and rose again," John Gorczynski, president of the Texas Young Democrats, told the City Council. His organization fought for passage of a similar ordinance in San Antonio last year. "Hear me! There are Christians that love you," Gorczynski said. "The opposition is loud. The hateful are loud. But I love you and so do others." His remark may have been in response to chants of "Just say No!" filtering into the chamber from an impromptu opposition demonstration formed on the steps of the Houston City Hall. The divisive ordinance served to unite racially and politically divergent church leaders from a host of groups, including the Baptist Ministers' Association of Houston, the Houston Area Pastor Council, Houston Ministers Against Crime, the AME Ministers' Alliance of Houston/Gulf Coast, the Northeast Ministers' Alliance, the South Texas Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship, the South Texas District Council of the Assemblies of God, and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Their four-week campaign against the ordinance ended in one final protest as coalition pastors walked out of the council chambers just before the public hearings began, when lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender supporters of the ordinance were given what appeared to be preferential treatment on the speakers' roster. Councilman Dwight Boykin had asked for similar consideration for coalition pastors Willie Davis and Max Miller but was rebuffed. Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area Pastor Council (HAPC) and a coalition organizer, voiced his displeasure. "It was one of the most flagrantly disrespectful actions taken by an elected body toward its own constituency I have witnessed in over 30 years of involvement," Welch said. The ordinance, called HERO by supporters, duplicates existing federal and state law, but adds sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of 13 other protected citizen classes. In an open letter to Parker and the City Council, HAPC called "patently offensive" the equivocation of sexual behavior and gender identity with the immutable characteristics of race, religion, sex and disability. Much of the opposition centered on the public accommodation provision of the law, which allows transgender individuals to use the public restrooms and locker rooms of the gender with which they identify. Critics argued the provision disregards the privacy of men and women using those same facilities and could put women and children at risk of male sexual predators. The concern, voiced repeatedly in recent weeks, was dismissed during the public hearing as a fear-mongering meme. Prior to the meeting David Fleming, pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church, told the Southern Baptist Texan that the public accommodations measure, although the most obvious red flag, is not the most egregious. Fleming, Welch, Second Baptist Church pastor Ed Young, Houston Baptist University President Robert Sloan and coalition pastors said the ordinance at its core poses a threat to religious liberties. In a letter to the Greater Houston Partnership of 2,000 businesses, Sloan called the law ideological and divisive. The GHP endorsed the ordinance despite dissent in and out of its ranks. "The proposed ordinance's political definition of gender identity is simply the statement, by fiat, of what we are required to believe about personhood," Sloan wrote. The definition stands in stark contrast to traditionally held religious and philosophical understandings of personhood. "Ours is not an arbitrarily understood position, nor is it socio-politically neutral;" Sloan wrote, "and the proposed ordinance is not ideologically, or theologically, neutral. It attempts to coerce, by legal definition, our adherence to beliefs and practices with which we profoundly disagree." Fleming agreed. "Now you have a fundamental Constitutional issue," Fleming said. "The real question is do people have real religious liberty or just churches?" The law excludes "religious organizations" from compliance, but Sloan distrusts the government's ability to define the term, pointing to Baptist University's lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act over the requirement that Christian schools abide by certain birth control mandates. But several homosexual ministers testifying Wednesday scoffed at such concerns, arguing that Christians, even the "misguided" ones opposing the measure, should recognize the need to affirm the LGBT community. Others argued the law justly protects certain classes. Steve Wells, pastor of South Main Baptist Church, said that though he believed some of the behaviors protected by the ordinance were sinful, the law would not keep him from believing that. And all citizens, as creations of God, should be treated "equally and well," he said. Numerous speakers cited the biblical golden rule as central to the debate. Jonathan Saenz, an attorney and president of Texas Values, accused council members of ignoring the will of their constituents by voting for the ordinance. His organization facilitated a campaign that forwarded to the Houston City Council and the mayor 110,000 emails opposing the ordinance. Saenz has filed a Texas Public Information Act request to review all correspondence related to the ordinance. Steve Riggle, pastor of Grace Community Church, said Monday (May 26) that two councilmen told him constituency opposition to the ordinance was as high as 10-1. Councilman-at-large Michael Kubosh, who attended a rally at Grace Community Church hosted by Hispanic pastors, said calls and emails to his office were 7-1 against the law. --30-- Bonnie Pritchett is a correspondent for the Southern Baptist TEXAN (www.texanonline.net), newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service, 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). -------------------------------------------------------------------- CALL TO PRAYER: Persecution from a Chinese Christian's perspective by Jimmy Draper Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is part of the call to prayer issued by Frank S. Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, to pray for revival and spiritual awakening for our churches, our nation and our world. DALLAS (BP) -- The interview was wrapping up when the reporter asked a prominent leader in the rapidly expanding Chinese house church movement how American Christians could pray for believers in China. "Stop praying for persecution in China to end," the leader responded, "for it is through persecution that the church has grown." What astounding faith he demonstrated. My admiration of his faith was quickly tempered by what he said next. "In fact, we are praying that the American church might taste the same persecution, so revival would come to the American church like we have seen in China." Once I recovered from the shock of such a disturbing yet profound statement, I thought about the irony. We in America keep praying for God to bless us, while persecuted Christians in other nations are praying God will dismantle our arrogance through suffering so that we will become the vibrant and significant blessing God made us to be. The Bible is replete with examples of God humbling the haughty. Arrogance followed by judgment is a recurring theme. Survey the Old Testament and confirm it for yourself. Before dismissing those examples as ancient history, flip to Revelation and read Christ's seven letters to the churches. More specifically, read what Jesus said to the church of Sardis: "I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die...." (Revelation 3:1-2, HCSB). John Burke, lead pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas, has made indicting statements about the state of the Western church. "Unless Christians leading the church in America change, and unless the church begins living out the magnetic attractive force Jesus had on the world, the Christian church in America will be completely marginalized within decades," he wrote. His concern is rapidly becoming reality. Some time ago USA Today published "Religion Takes a Back Seat in Western Europe." The article details the enormous drop in church attendance in Western Europe over the past several decades. The reasons identified for the drop are "Europe's turbulent history, an increasing separation between the church and government and the continent's unprecedented affluence." Ronald Inglehart, director of the World Values Survey, a Swedish-based group that tracks church attendance, said, "For most of history, people have been on the borderline of survival. That's changed dramatically. Survival is certain for almost everyone (in the West). So one of the reasons people are drawn to religion has eroded." The USA Today article detailed social changes taking place in Western Europe. Divorce is quicker, stem cell research is allowed, gay marriage is legal, heterosexual marriage is viewed increasingly unnecessary, religious education is becoming elective in schools and church attendance is dramatically dropping every year. The Spanish undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice in charge of religious and social affairs says that society "has become much more open, more tolerant and more secular." Sound familiar? We in America are also being decimated by the winds of secularism. The church doesn't have enough passionate conviction to support the pillars of our culture which were built on the foundation of the Bible. Many will say, "Well, that's Europe and it's got nothing to do with us." What makes us think history is going to give us an exemption? Why should we be any different than history's other self-destructed "superpowers" that arrogantly turned their backs on God and relied on their own intellect and abundant affluence? This should be a splash of cold water in the face of North America's sleeping Christianity. This isn't a clarion call to political activism by the "religious right." It is important for us to be involved in the political process, but politics directed by man is temporal and corruptible. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal and incorruptible! A changed America will come not from ballots in a box or amendments to the Constitution, but from transformed hearts that result in godly lives. This kind of impact on the culture only comes through prayer and fasting. Research shows that the majority of "unchurched" people are not antagonistic toward the church but have simply never heard the Gospel or been invited by a Christian to attend church. We've mobilized the church to flex its political muscle, but when is the church going to flex its missional muscle and become Jesus to a self-destructing culture? More plainly, when are you going to become Jesus to your next-door neighbor? We as believers have to make a choice. Do we continue on our present trajectory of self-absorbed arrogance, confined to our self-contained little worlds and reap the inevitable consequences, or do we humble ourselves and plead with God for revival, asking Him to "strengthen what remains" so that we can be the blessing we were made to be? Our brothers and sisters around the world are watching … and praying … and waiting. Are you? --30-- Jimmy Draper is former president of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and interim president of Criswell College in Dallas. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: D-Day & the price of freedom by Kelly Boggs Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) -- June 6 will mark the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe known as Operation Overlord. The first stage of the operation was the D-Day invasion of the Normandy coastland of France. At dawn, on what has been dubbed The Longest Day, Allied troops embarked on the largest amphibious assault in military history. Throughout the day approximately 160,000 troops stormed some 50 miles of beach in an effort to gain access into German-controlled France. Young soldiers poured out of landing crafts tossed by rough seas. Estimates were between 85 to 95 percent of the first wave of troops were killed within the first 10 to 15 minutes of landing on the beaches code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. By day's end, the Allies had landed some 156,000 troops on the blood-stained sands of the Normandy beaches. More than 4,400 Allied soldiers died that day, according to the National D-Day Memorial Foundation, including 2,499 Americans. Nearly 8,000 Allied soldiers also were wounded. One young soldier who survived the carnage of D-Day was Carl Praeuner, who landed at Omaha Beach with Company K of the 16th Infantry Regiment. Omaha and Juno Beach were regarded as the bloodiest of the D-Day landing sites. Praeuner's D-Day experience was recently recounted by the Omaha World-Herald on its Omaha.com website. "I decided to zig and zag to make less of a target," Praeuner wrote years later. "I did see the sand kick up just in front of my feet, but nothing hit me." "Praeuner vividly remembered reaching the ridge. He stepped on a mine. Luckily, his foot slipped off without detonating it," the World-Herald recounted. "But a mile inland, Praeuner stopped to set up his mortar at the edge of a ditch to take out machine gun nests. Nearby, he saw someone squatting in the tall grass. Moments later, he saw a puff of smoke. A bullet ripped through his leg, from his knee to his crotch," the World-Herald continued. "Praeuner's buddies left him in a field, sure that medics would arrive shortly to take him to an aid station on the beach. No one came." "I prayed most of the night while tracer bullets flew just over my head," Praeuner would later write. "I was so grateful that I had been raised in a Christian home." Several years ago I came across the letter Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, the supreme commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, wrote which was given to every young man involved in the D-Day invasion. Thinking about the young men who died, who were wounded, who endured the trauma of the assault and sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom, I was in awe when I first read the letter: "Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! "You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. "Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. "But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! "I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! "Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight D. Eisenhower" The D-Day letter occupies a prominent place in my office and I can see it as I write this column. I read Eisenhower's letter often to remind me that freedom is anything but free. The young men who fought during D-Day did so for the cause of freedom, to stop a fascist dictator from taking over the world. An average of 413 veterans of World War II die every day, according to statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Only about 1.2 million of the 12.2 million Americans who served in the war are left. We must never forget their sacrifice and service. I also read Eisenhower's letter when I think I'm having a bad day. It reminds me that my worst day is a picnic compared to what those young men endured on the beaches of Normandy. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends," Jesus was quoted as saying. The Allies of World War II sacrificed and many laid down their lives so the world then and now could be free. On June 6 take time to remember those who stormed the beaches of Normandy. Their sacrifice gained access into Nazi-occupied Europe and helped the Allies win World War II. --30-- Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press, director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention's office of public affairs, and editor of the Baptist Message (www.baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Se Buscan: Columnas de la Fe by Rafael Gutierrez Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- "Al que venciere, yo lo haré columna en el templo de mi Dios, y nunca más saldrá de allí, y escribiré sobre él el nombre de mi Dios, y el nombre de la ciudad de mi Dios, la nueva Jerusalén, la cual desciende del cielo, de mi Dios, y mi nombre nuevo." Apocalipsis 3:12 ¿Has tenido alguna vez la oportunidad de ver una fotografía de alguna ruina griega? De ser así, lo primero que llama la atención a la vista son los restos de las columnas que aún quedan de pie. Ellas, aunque hoy incompletas, aún permanecen de pie, dando testimonio de que en sus días esas columnas sirvieron de pilares y sostuvieron durante siglos esos majestuosos edificios antiguos. En Apocalipsis 3:12 Cristo nos dice en Su Palabra: "Al que venciere, yo lo haré columna en el templo de mi Dios...." La inmediata aplicación espiritual que apreciamos y a la cual quiero hacer mención en este artículo es que Dios está buscando "columnas de la fe" para el sostenimiento y continuación de su reino espiritual en la tierra. Desde los comienzos de mi vida cristiana en 1985 Dios ha traído a mi vida a Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo que han dejado una huella imborrable para bien. Ellos llamaron mi atención por su integridad probada, o por su vida de servicio sacrificial; por su perseverancia o su lealtad, o por su generosidad. Aún otros me animaron con su valor o su transparente vida personal. Pero invariablemente a cada uno de ellos se ha caracterizado su amor por Cristo y a su obra. Estos siervos de Dios, con su testimonio de fidelidad, se han destacado como verdaderas columnas de la fe. Ellos son "gigantes espirituales" de nuestros tiempos que han pasado ya la prueba de su fidelidad a Cristo. ¡Cuánto agradezco a mi Dios por esos siervos y siervas que han quedado en mi historia como ejemplos a seguir! A través de mis años muchos de ellos han partido ya a la presencia de Su Señor. Hoy por hoy hay una enorme urgencia y necesidad de que se levanten hombres y mujeres dispuestos a convertirse en columnas de la fe. Esta necesidad está presente tanto en la iglesia cristiana, como en el hogar en donde se honra a Cristo. Este reto es para todo cristiano en general. Mejor aún, haciendo el reto propio, este reto es para tí y para mí, ya que Dios dice que cada uno de nosotros que teniendo oídos para oír, oigamos lo que el Espíritu nos dice (Ap. 3:13). El reto es claro: que en nuestra generación nos levantemos como columnas de la fe para influenciar a la generación venidera (Salmo 78:1-7). En verdad, cada uno de nosotros que percibimos el vacío del liderazgo espiritual dejado por las anteriores columnas, debemos responder al alto llamado de Dios de permanecer firmes y fieles a Cristo, para poder ser esas columnas que otros puedan ver en un futuro no lejano. Por eso mi Hermano, mi Hermana acepta el reto divino: Se buscan columnas de la fe; hay necesidad. --30-- Rafael Gutiérrez es pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Pan de Vida en Cottonwood Heights, Utah, y director y profesor del Seminario Bíblico de Capacitación de Salt Lake City, afiliado con Equip Bible Institute de El Cajon, California. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Agua da alivio a los chilenos devastados por el fuego by Por Lily Jameson Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday VALPARAÍSO, Chile (BP) -- Secciones de Valparaíso, Chile, parecen zonas de guerra después de que un fuego forestal destruyó casi 2.500 casas el 12 de abril. El fuego también mató a 15 personas y desplazó a por lo menos 12.000, de acuerdo a reportes chilenos de noticias. "Hubo una devastación total, y vimos personas que perdieron absolutamente todo," dijo Karen Wright, misionera bautista del sur que trabaja con Respuesta Global Bautista (BGR por sus siglas en inglés) en sus esfuerzos de alivio. "Y durante las primeras dos semanas, la gente no habló mucho." Wright dijo que los colegas de BGR requirieron fondos de ayuda después del desastre para poder ayudar a distribuir comida y otros auxilios en algunos de los 42 vecindarios de las laderas afectados del principal puerto de Chile. Pero ellos descubrieron que otras organizaciones estaban haciéndose cargo de esas necesidades y el gobierno estaba distribuyendo alojamiento de emergencia. Así que, en vez de eso, evaluaron la situación y están usando fondos de emergencia de los bautistas del sur para ayudar con el acceso al agua. "Decidimos que lo mejor que podíamos ofrecerles sería ayudarlos a reconstruir las torres y proveerles tanques de agua," dijo Wright. Antes del incendio, los residentes habían construido sus propios tanques de agua y torres provisionales y la ciudad estaba enviando camiones con agua para periódicamente llenar los receptáculos. Sin embargo, muchos de esos tanques se quemaron. Los esfuerzos de ayuda de BGR están instalando tanques nuevos y torres para más de 100 familias de Valparaíso. Wright dijo que cuando una residente oyó que recibiría un tanque y una torre, lloró y alabó a Dios. La comunidad abarca un gran número de familias de bajos ingresos, dijo Wright, y señala que las drogas son un problema. Wright y su equipo, sin embargo, han establecido relaciones con las autoridades oficiales en medio del desastre. La presidenta de la asociación del vecindario inclusive llora cada vez que un pastor local ora por ella. "Yo oro para que Dios continúe suavizando los corazones aquí," dijo Wright. Wright pidió oración para que esas relaciones se fortalezcan y la comunidad de Valparaíso sane rápidamente y pidió oración por el equipo de BGR. Cada uno de los colegas de BGR ha estado tratando asuntos de familia y simultáneamente ayudando en los esfuerzos de alivio, y ellos necesitan que Dios les dé resistencia. También se requiere oración por los voluntarios. El equipo de BGR en Chile necesita más ayuda en la instalación de los tanques y las torres, dijo Wright. Aquellos interesados en donar su tiempo a esta causa pueden contactarla en kswright653@hotmail.com. --30-- Lily Jameson escribe para Respuesta Global Bautista, en la web en www.gobgr.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidatos a presidente de CBS son anunciados by Por el personal Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Tres pastores han sido anunciados como candidatos para presidente de la Convención Bautista del Sur -- Ronnie Floyd de Arkansas, Jared Moore de Kentucky y Dennis Manpoong Kim de Maryland. Ellos serán postulados cuando la reunión anual de la CBS se convoque en Baltimore el 10 y 11 de junio. Ronnie Floyd Floyd ha dirigido Cross Church en el noroeste de Arkansas durante 27 años, ahora con campus en Springdale, Rogers y Fayetteville. Entre los roles de liderazgo de Floyd en la Convención Bautista del Sur está la presidencia del Grupo de Trabajo del Comité de Resurgencia de la Gran Comisión (2009-10) que puso a caminar las variadas recomendaciones para expandir el alcance misionero de la CBS. Anteriormente, fungió como presidente del Comité Ejecutivo de la CBS y fue miembro a mediados de los 1990s del Grupo de Trabajo de Programa y Estructura de la CBS que produjo el Pacto para el Nuevo Siglo que reestructuraron y reenfocaron las entidades de la CBS. Floyd ha sido un organizador clave de dos reuniones de oración de líderes y pastores que atrajeron cada una participantes de casi 30 estados en meses recientes -- a una reunión el 13 y 14 de enero en Atlanta asistieron 400 pastores y líderes y a una el 30 de septiembre y el 1º de octubre en el área de Dallas-Fort asistieron más de 175 pastores. Floyd también ha servido como editor general de la versión actualizada y mejorada de "Estudios Bíblicos para la Vida," la serie de currículos de estudio bíblico más popular, publicados el otoño pasado. Él dirigió un equipo asesor de pastores y líderes de ministerio para ayudar a diseñar el nuevo material desde la perspectiva de la iglesia. Floyd también fungió como pastor líder y estratega en la Junta de Misiones Norteamericanas para la estrategia de plantación de iglesias Envía Norteamérica. Él es autor de 10 libros, incluyendo "Nuestra gran esperanza final: El despertar de la Gran Comisión" (2011) "El poder de la oración y el ayuno" (2010). Floyd tiene un doctorado en ministerio y una maestría en teología del Seminario Teológico Bautista Southwestern en Texas y una licenciatura de la Universidad Howard Payne, también en Texas. Jared Moore Moore ha dirigido New Salem Baptist Church en Hustonville, Kentucky, durante los pasados cuatro años, y había fungido previamente como pastor y pastor de jóvenes en Tennessee. Moore es el actual segundo vicepresidente de la Convención Bautista del Sur. Ha servido como maestro asistente en el Seminario Bautista Teológico Southern en Louisville, Kentucky, y como profesor adjunto en línea en la Universidad Mid-Continent en Mayfield, Kentucky. Moore es un contribuyente regular en el sitio web Voices de la CBS y es autor de "10 Sacred Cows in Christianity that Need to Be Tipped" (Diez vacas sagradas del cristianismo que tienen que ser cambiadas) y "The Harry Potter Bible Study: Enjoying God Through the Final Four Harry Potter Movies" (El estudio bíblico Harry Potter: Disfrutando a Dios a través de las últimas cuatro películas de Harry Potter). Moore tiene una licenciatura del Trinity College de la Biblia, una licenciatura en religión del Seminario Teológico Bautista Liberty y una maestría en teología del Seminario Southern. Es estudiante de doctorado en filosofía de Southern con especialidad en teología sistemática. Dennis Manpoong Kim Kim ha dirigido Global Mission Church de Greater Washington durante 23 años. La congregación, la cual tiene una membresía predominantemente coreana, es la iglesia más grande de la Convención Bautista de Maryland/Delaware. Global Missions Church ha producido más de 50 misioneros de carrera de la Junta de Misiones Internacionales y ha plantado iglesias en cuatro estados de EE.UU. y Corea del Sur. Kim es miembro del Grupo de Trabajo de Pastores de Impacto Evangelizador y Bautismos en Declive, un grupo de trabajo nacional convocado por la Junta de Misiones Norteamericanas para que aborden la continua disminución en los bautismos entre las iglesias bautistas del sur. También sirvió en el comité de resoluciones de la CBS en 2012 y 2013 y ha enseñado cursos en los Seminarios Teológicos Bautistas Southern, New Orleans y Midwestern. Es autor de "Pulpit Counseling" (Asesoría de púlpito) "Answer with the Bible!" (¡Conteste con la Biblia!) y otros libros. Ha traducido más de 60 libros de inglés a coreano. Kim tiene un bachillerato y una maestría de instituciones coreanas; una licenciatura en estudios teológicos con especialización en consejería pastoral del Seminario Teológico Gordon-Conwell en Boston, Massachusetts; una maestría en teología del Seminario Southern; y un doctorado de teología en psicología pastoral de la Universidad de Boston en Boston, Massachusetts. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Coalo Zamorano en concierto en la Celebración Hispana Nacional by Por el personal Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday BALTIMORE (BP) -- Gran Concierto, domingo 8 de junio a las 8 PM, en el Centro de Convenciones de la ciudad de Baltimore, abierto para toda la comunidad hispana. El reconocido cantante y líder de adoración de la Iglesia Bautista de Champion Forest de Houston TX dará un concierto en la celebración Hispana el próximo domingo 8 de junio desde las 8.00 PM en el Centro de Convenciones de Baltimore. El concierto será parte de las actividades en español de la reunión anual de la Convención Bautista del Sur. La actividad Nacional comenzará a las 5 PM, con una cena para pastores y plantadores de iglesias juntos a sus respectivas esposas. El evento contará con la participación del Dr. Frank Page, presidente del Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC y el pastor David Platt, autor del Best-seller "Radical" y pastor de la iglesia de Brook Hills en Birmingham AL. A las 6.30 PM toda la iglesia podrá participar de cuatro talleres de impacto. IMB (Junta de Misiones Internacionales) presentará "Portadoras de Luz" y T4T. "Portadoras de Luz" es un té para damas que interceden por las mujeres hindúes del Sur de Asia. Las participantes tendrán una experiencia transcultural y podrán interceder por millones de mujeres que viven sin esperanza. T4T, un "entrenamiento para entrenadores" que ha marcado una Re-Revolución del Discipulado en los Estados Unidos y el mundo entero. Los participantes podrán ver cómo pueden llevar el movimiento a su comunidad. Los talleres restantes serán auspiciados por LifeWay Espanol, NAMB y Guidestone. Continúa el día con la Gran Celebración Hispana a partir de las 8 PM, en donde predicará el pr. Juan Carlos Rojas, Presidente de la Convención Bautista de Cuba Occidental y dará su concierto Coalo Zamorano. Los pastores deberán hacer su reservación en línea e imprimir su boleto para presentar en la entrada: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/avance-hispano-cena-para-pastores-tickets-11498072043. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Conmovido, líder del ministerio de ayuda en desastres, al visitar el museo del 11 de septiembre by Por Bob Nigh Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday NUEVA YORK (BP) -- Sam Porter, director del ministerio de ayuda en desastres con sede en Oklahoma, tuvo un día muy emotivo en el evento especial de preestreno del nuevo edificio del Museo Nacional Memorial del 11 de Septiembre en la Ciudad de Nueva York. Los líderes del ministerio nacional de ayuda en desastres en conjunto con la Junta de Misiones Norteamericanas (NAMB) pidieron a Porter que representara a la Convención Bautista del Sur en este evento exclusivo para invitados, realizado el 19 de mayo. El museo abriría sus puertas al público oficialmente el 21 de mayo. Los invitados a los días de preestreno fueron los obreros del servicio de emergencia, de rescate y recuperación, y los sobrevivientes y familiares de aquellos que murieron en los ataques al World Trade Center en 1993 y 2001, y al Pentágono en Washington, y aquellos que estuvieron en el Vuelo 93 de United Airlines que se estrelló en Pensilvania luego que los pasajeros intentaron controlar a los secuestradores. Porter pasó un total de 39 días en la parte baja de Manhattan proveyendo ayuda justo cuando sucedieron los ataques terroristas del 11 de septiembre, hace ya casi 13 años. Los ataques sucedieron en la época de la infancia de la capellanía en desastres, y todavía no se habían organizado a nivel nacional. Mickey Caison, quien entonces fuera el director de ayuda en desastres, llamó a Porter después que el Vuelo 11 de American Airlines y el Vuelo 175 de United Airlines chocaron con las Torres Gemelas. Caison le pidió a Porter que reuniera un grupo de capellanes y que llegara al "Punto Cero" lo antes posible. El equipo de Oklahoma llevó con ellos las experiencias de ministrar a la gente que sufrió los bombardeos del Edificio Federal Alfred P. Murrah en la Ciudad de Oklahoma el 19 de abril de 1995. Desde la respuesta de los bautistas de Oklahoma ante los ataques del 11 de septiembre del 2001, ahora ya han endosado a casi 290 capellanes para ayuda en desastres; a nivel nacional, se cree que hay unos 700, según las estadísticas de NAMB. El equipo de Porter, con cinco capellanes, llegó a Nueva York tres días después de que cayeran la torres y auxiliaron por casi dos semanas en la morgue temporal en el Punto Cero. Sus reflexiones sobre la plaza y museo memoriales fluyen principalmente de aquellos primeros días de ministerio. "Creo que lo más grande acerca del museo es que realmente cuenta toda la historia de lo que sucedió el 11 de septiembre," dijo Porter. "Creo que mis nietos pueden ir allí dentro de diez años y si no saben nada sobre esto, pueden caminar a través del museo y van a aprender todo lo que pasó, desde las acciones de los líderes nacionales hasta ver todo lo que yo experimenté y supe de primera mano. Lo pueden experimentar de segunda mano, y eso es algo muy correcto. Está muy bien hecho; [es] ... ejemplar. Creo que es uno de los mejores memoriales que he visto, es muy completo." La voz de Porter se desgarró por las emociones al describir lo que sintió al caminar con los otros visitantes por el museo. "Caminamos con los bomberos que estuvieron allí, y vi a la gente que trabajó en las torres y que salieron vivos," dijo. "Escuché a alguien que le contaba a su esposa dónde estaba (en el edificio) y dónde se estacionó ese día. Vi a muchos familiares sentados en los salones con video. Incluso algunos vieron los videos de las personas saltando de los edificios. "Eso fue lo que probablemente me golpeó más duro que nada, miembros de las familias que han perdido a un ser querido en las torres. Trece años después, todavía estoy muy sensible sobre esto porque trabajamos en la morgue y trajeron los cuerpos y vimos llegar cientos de bolsas con cuerpos ... y mi corazón realmente se parte por eso. "Y, ver a algunos de esos bomberos -- quienes perdieron a 343 hermanos -- también es algo muy emotivo para mí." Porter ve su mes y días de servicio en Nueva York como un momento histórico en su vida. "Eso ha sido una gran parte de mi vida y ministerio, y me siento honrado de ir a nombre de la Convención Bautista del Sur," dijo. "Me emocioné cuando me pidieron que fuera, porque nuestro liderazgo nos pidió que fuéramos los primeros en responder para coordinar la capellanía, sin saber qué íbamos a enfrentar. Pero cuando llegamos, Dios ya sabía lo que teníamos que hacer." El museo incluye un total de 100,000 pies cuadrados (30,480 metros cuadrados) de espacio para exhibiciones y se localiza cerca del Punto Cero, donde estuvieran las Torres Gemelas. El complejo original del World Trade Center consistía de siete edificios, ocupando 16 acres. Incluía espacios para oficinas, un mirador, el restaurante "Windows of the World" y un centro comercial subterráneo. Servía como núcleo de tránsito para quienes diariamente usaban los trenes y metros subterráneos para ir y venir a sus trabajos. Porter dijo que aprendió mucho sobre el World Trade Center a través de las exhibiciones del museo. "Aprendí mucho sobre los vuelos, incluso sobre los terroristas," dijo. "Tenía un mostrador sobre la agenda radical musulmana y me dio gusto ver que no intentaron ser políticamente correctos y esconder eso. Mostraron exactamente la manera en que Al Qaeda se expandió y lo que están haciendo. Fueron muy justos en este tema." La plaza memorial del 11 de septiembre también era impresionante, dijo. "La arquitectura de todas las cosas era hermosa. Los estanques memoriales tienen las medidas exactas de los edificios -- en el lugar exacto donde estaban -- y son como una fuente eterna de agua que fluye en vez de una llama eterna. Tienen los nombres de todos los que murieron escritos en las orillas de los estanques y lo hicieron muy bien. Es hermoso, y permanecerá allí hasta el fin de los tiempos. Es simplemente un lugar de consuelo, con cientos de arboles." Solamente hubo un aspecto del museo que desilusionó a Porter. "Nunca dijeron algo sobre nuestra parte (CBS) en todo el evento," dijo. "Ayudamos a preparar 1.29 millones de comidas desde la primera semana de octubre, junto con el Ejército de Salvación, hasta que cerraron el vertedero de basura en julio del 2002. "Hubo un equipo bautista del sur allí cada uno de los días desde la primera semana en octubre y hasta el final de julio. Y cada estado envió sus equipos." Los voluntarios de 32 convenciones estatales de la Convención Bautista del Sur participaron, contribuyendo 20,842 "días de voluntarios" -- definidos como un voluntario trabajando por un día. Los voluntarios bautistas del ministerio de ayuda en desastres sirvieron a 842 niños en los centros infantiles, y limpiaron 643 apartamentos durante la reacción de ministerio de 319 días. "Pero, el museo está bien hecho; creo que cualquier miembro de una familia que perdió a un ser querido quedará impresionado al ir allí, igual que nosotros lo estamos en el Memorial Nacional en la Ciudad de Oklahoma en el sitio del Edificio Murrah. Es un memorial muy bien hecho y ejemplar, también hecho con reverencia y honor para aquellos que murieron." --30-- Bob Nigh es el editor general del Baptist Messenger, el periódico de la Convención Bautista General de Oklahoma. Este artículo fue publicado primeramente en el Messenger. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Se Buscan: Columnas de la Fe by Por Rafael Gutierrez Date: May 30, 2014 - Friday EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- "Al que venciere, yo lo haré columna en el templo de mi Dios, y nunca más saldrá de allí, y escribiré sobre él el nombre de mi Dios, y el nombre de la ciudad de mi Dios, la nueva Jerusalén, la cual desciende del cielo, de mi Dios, y mi nombre nuevo." Apocalipsis 3:12 ¿Has tenido alguna vez la oportunidad de ver una fotografía de alguna ruina griega? De ser así, lo primero que llama la atención a la vista son los restos de las columnas que aún quedan de pie. Ellas, aunque hoy incompletas, aún permanecen de pie, dando testimonio de que en sus días esas columnas sirvieron de pilares y sostuvieron durante siglos esos majestuosos edificios antiguos. En Apocalipsis 3:12 Cristo nos dice en Su Palabra: "Al que venciere, yo lo haré columna en el templo de mi Dios...." La inmediata aplicación espiritual que apreciamos y a la cual quiero hacer mención en este artículo es que Dios está buscando "columnas de la fe" para el sostenimiento y continuación de su reino espiritual en la tierra. Desde los comienzos de mi vida cristiana en 1985 Dios ha traído a mi vida a Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo que han dejado una huella imborrable para bien. Ellos llamaron mi atención por su integridad probada, o por su vida de servicio sacrificial; por su perseverancia o su lealtad, o por su generosidad. Aún otros me animaron con su valor o su transparente vida personal. Pero invariablemente a cada uno de ellos se ha caracterizado su amor por Cristo y a su obra. Estos siervos de Dios, con su testimonio de fidelidad, se han destacado como verdaderas columnas de la fe. Ellos son "gigantes espirituales" de nuestros tiempos que han pasado ya la prueba de su fidelidad a Cristo. ¡Cuánto agradezco a mi Dios por esos siervos y siervas que han quedado en mi historia como ejemplos a seguir! A través de mis años muchos de ellos han partido ya a la presencia de Su Señor. Hoy por hoy hay una enorme urgencia y necesidad de que se levanten hombres y mujeres dispuestos a convertirse en columnas de la fe. Esta necesidad está presente tanto en la iglesia cristiana, como en el hogar en donde se honra a Cristo. Este reto es para todo cristiano en general. Mejor aún, haciendo el reto propio, este reto es para tí y para mí, ya que Dios dice que cada uno de nosotros que teniendo oídos para oír, oigamos lo que el Espíritu nos dice (Ap. 3:13). El reto es claro: que en nuestra generación nos levantemos como columnas de la fe para influenciar a la generación venidera (Salmo 78:1-7). En verdad, cada uno de nosotros que percibimos el vacío del liderazgo espiritual dejado por las anteriores columnas, debemos responder al alto llamado de Dios de permanecer firmes y fieles a Cristo, para poder ser esas columnas que otros puedan ver en un futuro no lejano. Por eso mi Hermano, mi Hermana acepta el reto divino: Se buscan columnas de la fe; hay necesidad. --30-- Rafael Gutiérrez es pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Pan de Vida en Cottonwood Heights, Utah, y director y profesor del Seminario Bíblico de Capacitación de Salt Lake City, afiliado con Equip Bible Institute de El Cajon, California.