The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-06/02/2014 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Nation's capital gets church planting partner by Sara Shelton Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Reaching the nation's capital -- with nearly 5.8 million people in the metro area -- will require more than a cadre of church planters. "To make any significant progress in Washington, D.C., it's going to take a major commitment from partners," said Clint Clifton, city coordinator for the Send North America: D.C. team working in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's national church planting strategy. Clifton and his team of local planters have found a partner in Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Ga. Under the leadership of Cross Pointe pastor James Merritt, a former Southern Baptist Convention president, the staff and congregation have quickly come behind the D.C. initiative to see more churches planted in the area this year. "Planting healthy self-sustaining churches in urban areas like our nation's capital will take a coalition of committed and connected churches," said Mark Maynard, missions pastor at the Atlanta-area Cross Pointe. "Our goal is to provide a way for churches of all sizes to partner in church planting in Washington, D.C." In collaboration with the Send North America: D.C. team, Cross Pointe hopes to serve as a multiplying church center to plant and multiply churches first in the District of Columbia and then across the metro area. To kick off their partnership in 2013 and begin to share their strategy for multiplying churches in the nation's capital, Cross Pointe hosted pastors from five states to participate in a church planting strategy meeting. Those in attendance heard from Merritt and Clifton as well as Send North America Northeast regional mobilizer Kevin Marsico. Together, the men cast the vision for a strategy to see churches planted and multiplied in D.C. over the next five years. One church plant, Pillar D.C., will launch this summer. "From that January meeting, all five churches joined our D.C. church planting collective," Maynard said. "Our hope is to get five more partners at this weekend's vision tour." The tour of potential D.C. church planting sites is scheduled June 6-7. To participate, email washingtondc@namb.net; additional information about Send North America: D.C. can be accessed at namb.net/cities. Looking ahead, the team at Cross Pointe will launch specific church-wide campaigns as well as host additional strategy meetings to share the vision of multiplying churches and to seek out additional partners for the planters working in Washington, D.C. For Clifton, the support of Cross Pointe has helped spur on the work of church planting and evangelism in the city. "Like William Carey's famous quote, 'I will go down, if you will hold the rope,' new churches simply will not be planted if existing churches aren't willing to hold the rope," he said. "Dr. Merritt and the Cross Pointe team have not only agreed to 'hold the rope,' but they are passionately advocating that others join them in doing so." Larry Herndon, Cross Pointe Church's executive pastor, added, "It's great to know that there are other churches interested in partnering together to plant churches according to God's plan." For information on upcoming church planting strategy meetings at Cross Pointe Church, contact Mark Maynard (mmaynard@crosspointechurch.com). --30-- Sara Shelton 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). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Commission Advance to beckon Baptists to 'do more' by Rebecca Wolford/SBC LIFE Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday BALTIMORE (BP) -- SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page will issue a challenge to Southern Baptists at the SBC annual meeting to "do more" to reach the world with the Gospel. Page will set forth his vision for Great Commission Advance, an initiative to increase missions involvement among individuals and churches, during his report to the convention on Tuesday afternoon, June 10, in Baltimore. C. Ashley Clayton, EC vice president for Cooperative Program and stewardship, told SBC LIFE, journal of the Executive Committee, "In its most condensed and basic form, Great Commission Advance calls for Southern Baptists to simply 'do more.'" Page will call on all Southern Baptists -- individuals, families and churches -- to sacrificially do more to advance the Great Commission "so that every person has the opportunity to hear the Gospel," Clayton said. Page told SBC LIFE that "doing more" in the area of personal stewardship is essential to missions involvement. He will urge Southern Baptists to commit to establishing a biblical standard of giving and generosity. Page also will encourage Southern Baptists to participate in missions at the local, state, national and international levels. For some, "doing more" may mean surrendering to God's call to vocational ministry as a pastor, chaplain, church planter or international missionary, he said. In addition, Page will challenge churches to increase their level of support through the Cooperative Program for Southern Baptist missions and ministries. Since being elected EC president in 2010, Page has emphasized that the Cooperative Program is about missions and ministries, not numbers and percentages, Clayton said. Southern Baptist missions and ministries at the state, national and international levels are fueled by the Cooperative Program. Ministries like disaster relief, international missions, church planting, collegiate ministry, theological education, care for neglected children and moral advocacy are supported by dollars contributed through the Cooperative Program, he said. One of the primary objectives of Great Commission Advance is to address the decline in Cooperative Program giving over the past two decades, Clayton said. In 1982, churches were giving an average of 10.7 percent of their undesignated receipts to cooperative missions and ministries through the Cooperative Program. That number has dropped to 5.4 percent, declining by an average of about 0.2 percent each year. In 2012, the average percent of churches' Cooperative Program giving held steady for the first time since the 1990s and slightly ticked upward. The previous year, Page had announced the "1% CP Challenge," asking churches to increase their Cooperative Program giving by one percentage point of their undesignated receipts. If every church increased their Cooperative Program giving by 1 percent, it would bring in an extra $100 million for SBC missions and ministries, Page said. If church Cooperative Program giving returned to an average of 10 percent as it was in the past, Cooperative Program receipts would reach nearly $1 billion, providing a platform for the most aggressive missions enterprise in the history of Christendom, he said. The International Mission Board has estimated that it needs 7,000 missionaries on the field to initially reach every known unengaged, unreached people group in the world, but it currently has less than 5,000. The North American Mission Board has committed to planting 15,000 churches in 10 years. Increased Cooperative Program dollars also would keep the costs of seminary training at a minimum, making theological education more accessible to all Southern Baptists. Page has led the Executive Committee to reduce its Cooperative Program allocation percentage from 3.4 percent in the 2010–11 fiscal year, to 3.2 percent in the 2011–12, to 2.99 percent in the current fiscal year. He plans to reduce even further in the 2015–16 fiscal year. Allocation percentages are adjusted every two years. "We're lowering our Cooperative Program allocation. So when you hear me beating the drum and asking for more, it's to go to these other entities to do that which God has called them to do," Page told the Executive Committee at its Feb. 17 meeting. The SBC was founded on such shared values as missions, evangelism, stewardship and cooperation, Clayton said. On the basis of those values, Baptists were able to organize and develop a structure through which to accomplish their work. Great Commission Advance is about refocusing on those values, Clayton said. "We want to elevate our values above mere background noise. When people align with and embrace the values, it will result in increased support for Cooperative Program." The trouble comes, Clayton said, when an organization loses sight of its core values. "Knowing the 'why' of an organization is vital to its success," he said. Through Great Commission Advance, Page will remind the SBC of its core values, of why we do what we do. "The long-held guiding principle of the SBC is as true today as when it was founded," Clayton said. "We can do more together than we can do alone." --30-- Rebecca Wolford is communications specialist with the SBC Executive Committee. This article first appeared in the EC journal SBC LIFE, on the Web at www.SBCLIFE.net. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Trials, suffering & God's glory by Gregory Smith Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- On a recent trip to a large country in the Far East, I was met with the difficulty of teaching the meaning of James 1:2-3, which invokes the challenge, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." It just so happened that the Christian community in this city had just experienced one of their most prominent churches being torn down by local officials. This was a group of believers who knew the meaning of trials! I encouraged my students with the fact that they were just like the Christians of the first century and that the authors of our New Testament wrote to churches that suffered and endured real persecution. The unanimous voice of both the Old and New Testaments is that while God does not remove the sources of trials and sufferings that a Christian faces, He does promise to uphold the believer who trusts Him through those trials and sufferings. James speaks of this testing of faith as yielding perseverance. The biblical idea of testing comes out of the world of metallurgy and the refining of precious metals. The biblical authors use this same idea to discuss the process by which God refines the faith of individual believers, a process that often requires suffering. Paul encourages his hearers with the idea that as co-heirs with Christ, they also will share in the sufferings of Christ in order that they also share in His glory (Romans 8:17b). By maintaining faith amid trials and suffering, believers develop the present benefit of endurance or perseverance as well as the future benefit of adding to the glory rightly due Christ (v. 18-19). Instead of praying that the trials and sufferings be removed from the life of the believer, these verses encourage Christians to pray that the fullness of God's agenda -- testing, endurance and glory -- be realized through the enduring faith of the one who suffers. --30-- Gregory Smith is associate vice president of academic administration and professor of Bible at the College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. His 2014 book, "The Testing of God's Sons: The Refining of Faith as a Biblical Theme," deals with testing as found in the Old and New Testaments. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Wells up for 13th term as registration sec'y by Staff Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday BALTIMORE (BP) -- Jim Wells of the Missouri Baptist Convention will be nominated for a 13th term as registration secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention at the June 10-11 annual meeting in Baltimore. Anthony Allen, president of Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Mo., has announced plans to nominate Wells, the Missouri convention's strategic partners team leader. Wells was first elected at the 2002 annual meeting in St. Louis. Wells is "deeply committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, to his local church, the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention," Allen told Baptist Press. "Dr. Wells has proven his character and ability by serving 12 years as registration secretary of the SBC and continues to provide excellent and visionary leadership by enlisting the next generation in the registration process of the convention." Prior to his current work with the Missouri Baptists, Wells served nearly 12 years as director of missions for the Tri County Baptist Association in southwest Missouri. He has served as a member of the SBC Executive Committee, president of the Missouri Baptist Convention directors of missions and as a leader in various Baptist associations. Wells has been in ministry since his days as a student at Hannibal-LaGrange College in the late 1960s when he concurrently pastored two country churches. He was Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's 2004 national alumnus of the year. He and his wife Judy are members of Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo., and have a grown daughter and a granddaughter. --30-- Compiled by Diana Chandler, general assignment writer/editor for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- ERLC to examine marriage, homosexuality by Tom Strode Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Registration opened June 1 for "The Gospel, Homosexuality and the Future of Marriage," a national conference Oct. 27-29 sponsored by the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Russell D. Moore, as the Southern Baptist Convention's lead ethicist, said the conference reflects "my primary mission [for] preparing the next generation of evangelical leaders to live in the culture as faithful Christians who are holding to the ancient truths of Christianity, including a bold presentation of the Christian sexual ethic." That sexual ethic found in the Bible and taught by the church of Christ for nearly 2,000 years now stands increasingly in disfavor. Americans are more supportive of homosexual rights than ever. Same-sex marriage is making rapid gains in federal courts and state legislatures as well as in public opinion. The movement for transgender rights continues to advance. The conference, to be held in Nashville, will bring together "leading thinkers and pastors on these issues to help equip a new generation to stand for marriage in tough times, to prepare us to be faithful people of the gospel -- with a message of both truth and grace," Moore said. According to the ERLC, the conference will address such questions as: -- How can the church minister effectively to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender? -- How does a Christian with same-sex attraction live in sexual faithfulness? -- Why did God design marriage for the common good? -- How should a pastor counsel a same-sex couple who want to join his church? -- How has the divorce culture affected marriage in churches and communities? The national conference will follow an ERLC-sponsored, leadership summit in April on the Gospel and human sexuality. In addition to Moore, speakers at the ERLC conference in October will include Rosaria Butterfield, author of "The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert," which describes her journey from a lesbian lifestyle to Christ; R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Sherif Girgis, co-author of "What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense"; J.D. Greear, lead pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala.; Dennis Rainey, president of FamilyLife; Sam Allberry, British pastor and author of "Is God Anti-Gay?"; Jennifer Marshall, director of domestic policy studies at the Heritage Foundation; and poet Jackie Hill. Registration for the conference opened on the heels of more judicial victories for same-sex marriage. Federal judges legalized gay marriage in Oregon and Pennsylvania May 19 and 20, respectively. Both judges refused to block enforcement of their rulings. With the decisions, Oregon and Pennsylvania became the 18th and 19th states with legalized same-sex marriage in effect. Judges have invalidated gay marriage bans in another eight states – Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia – in the last year, but those rulings in the states have been stayed while under appeal, according to The Washington Post. Federal judges also have ruled same-sex marriages performed in other states should be recognized in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, The Post reported. The decisions in Pennsylvania and Oregon mean all the states in the Northeast and on the West Coast have legalized same-sex marriage. Public opinion surveys in March showed the dramatic shift in favor of gay marriage in recent years: -- 59 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, while 34 percent oppose it, according to a poll by The Post and ABC News. The result was nearly the exact opposite of the same poll in March 2004, when only 38 percent favored legalizing gay marriage and 59 percent opposed it. -- 69 percent of adults under age 30 support legalizing same-sex marriage, according to the Pew Research Center. Among those 18 to 29 years of age who identify themselves as Republican or leaning Republican, 61 percent agree with legalizing gay marriage. The same survey shows overall 54 percent of Americans and 39 percent of Republicans, or those who lean toward the GOP, support same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that provide explicit protections for transgender people. Last August, California became the first state to enact a law to enable students to use the restrooms and play on the athletic teams of the gender they identify with, regardless of their biological sex. Registration for the national conference, which will be held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, is available online at erlc.com/conference/registration/. --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). -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015 VBS: 'Journey Off the Map' by Aaron Earls Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Kids will have the opportunity next summer to explore and discover the adventure of life during a "Journey Off the Map" that is "Unknown to Us, Known to Him" in the 2015 Vacation Bible School from LifeWay Christian Resources. The description of the 2015 VBS theme invites students to "set out on a journey to uncharted territory where they will encounter the unexpected waiting around every bend. On this expedition of a lifetime, kids will need to stick close to their guide in order to survive. They will discover that Jesus is the ultimate guide on a journey uncharted by them, but known by Him." LifeWay's VBS specialist Jerry Wooley said Journey Off the Map will be "filled with things kids like such as adventure, discovery, cool tree houses, challenging destinations, bright colors and fun music." Wooley said the theme's message is particularly relevant today. "Kids are being bombarded by loud voices telling them what they should do, where they should go, who they should be and what they should believe. The messages are confusing and misleading," he said. "[K]ids of all ages, meaning adults too, need to know that in the midst of these voices there is one and only one they can totally depend on," Wooley said. Most previous VBS materials were geared to build to an evangelistic lesson later in the week. This year, LifeWay felt it would be better to introduce the idea of a personal relationship with Christ on the first day. "Since Journey Off the Map is based on following Jesus as our guide, it is necessary to introduce this relationship on day one and build from there," Wooley said. The theme verse for the week will be Isaiah 30:21: "And whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: 'This is the way. Walk in it.'" Participants will learn to trust Jesus as Savior and walk along the journey of life becoming more like Him as they traverse the adventures in The Overlook Worship Rally, Tangled Branch Tree House Bible Study, Shady Grove Crafts, Boulder Bridge Missions, Rushing Waters Music, Rappelling Ravine Recreation and Survival Springs Snacks. Each day kids will discover more truths about Jesus as their guide: Day 1 – Know your guide; Day 2 – Follow your guide; Day 3 – Trust your guide; Day 4 – Stay on track; and Day 5 – Keep watching. The 2015 VBS Jump Start Kit will be available for purchase in early October to help church leaders and VBS directors in the planning and promotion of the event. All other resources will be released in December. For leaders wanting to experience Journey Off the Map a little early and learn from experts on how churches can best use the materials, LifeWay will host preview events in four locations next year: Ridgecrest (N.C.) Conference Center, Jan. 9-10; Fort Worth, Jan. 16-17; Nashville (three events) Jan. 22-24; and two events in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb. 6-7. Additional information about the materials or preview events can be found at LifeWay.com/VBS. --30-- Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE SEMINARIES: MBTS, SBTS by Staff Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: "From the Seminaries" includes news releases of interest from Southern Baptist seminaries. Today's From the Seminaries includes items from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Midwestern adds scholar Christian George as curator of Spurgeon Library, professor By Tim Sweetman KANSAS CITY, Mo. (MBTS) -- Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason Allen announced Dr. Christian George will join the faculty on June 1, as curator of the school's C.H. Spurgeon Library and as assistant professor of Historical Theology. Having previously served since 2011 as the Jewell and Joe L. Huitt assistant professor of Religious Education at Oklahoma Baptist University, George will oversee the seminary's 7,000-volume C.H. Spurgeon Library as well as undertake the duties of molding the next generation of gospel preachers and ministers for the church through teaching historical theology. "Dr. George, without question, is one of the brightest minds in the Southern Baptist Convention, and he has distinguished himself as one of this generation's leading scholars," Allen said. "He has given sterling service to Oklahoma Baptist University and brings significant expertise and in-depth research about the life and ministry of Charles Spurgeon to Midwestern Seminary. We are thrilled to have Christian George joining our faculty and overseeing the Spurgeon Library." Allen added, "Bringing in Dr. George as curator of the Spurgeon Library is the first of several major developments associated with the Spurgeon Collection. Later this year, more major announcements concerning the Spurgeon Library will be made." George shared his thoughts on joining the faculty at Midwestern Seminary, saying, "God is building something significant for his kingdom at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has assembled a world-class team, a God-fearing and trustworthy president, a faithful and capable administration, an outstanding and well-published faculty, and also a student body that seeks to magnify Christ by edifying his church." He added, "I consider it a true privilege and a deep joy to be able to use the gifts that God has given me to serve this community as a faculty member and also as curator of the Spurgeon Library." Of his philosophy for the classroom George said, "I believe in providence, not accidents; and as a professor, I live in the belief that God has brought each and every student to this seminary for a reason. My goal is to equip students to discover that reason, help them develop and craft that reason, and then encourage them to use that reason to change the world for Jesus Christ." Receiving his Ph.D. in Theology from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, George also served for three years as a doctoral tutor. George received his Master of Divinity degree from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Ala., and his bachelor's degree from Samford University. The author of several books, George has written "Sex, Sushi, & Salvation, Godology," and "Sacred Travels." He has contributed to the Journal of Theological Studies, Theology in Scotland, and Perichoresis Journal of Theology, and also to popular theological magazines such as Conversations and Modern Reformation. His work has been featured in Christianity Today, The Christian Century, and Preaching, and he has been interviewed on Moody Broadcasting Radio and other syndicated shows in the United States and throughout the world. He has served as a peer reviewer for InterVarsity Press and a consultant for Faith and Culture Books for Zondervan Publishing House. George has presented papers at various conferences including the Society for the Study of Theology in Utrecht, The Netherlands; the History of Scotland Forum in Edinburgh; the Interdisciplinarity in Theology and Religion Conference in Durham, England; and the Sale di Lettura at the University of Rome, Italy. He regularly preaches and speaks throughout North America and Europe in churches, at spiritual retreats, at youth and college camps, and in university chapel services. George's passion for world evangelism has taken him to more than 30 countries for short-term mission work. The incoming faculty member is also heavily involved in Southern Baptist life. He has spent time as a messenger to the SBC, as a member of the Teller's Committee, and currently serves as a member of the Worship and Spirituality Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. He has participated in BWA meetings in South Korea, Sweden, Germany, Canada and England, and regularly writes Bible study curriculum for LifeWay Christian Resources. ---------- Strachan to lead Southern's Henry Institute    By RuthAnne Irvin LOUISVILLE, Ky. (SBTS) -- Owen Strachan will lead the Carl F.H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, President R. Albert Mohler Jr. announced last month. "Owen Strachan is one of the finest young scholars and leaders serving the church today," Mohler said. "He is also a veteran observer of the culture and a faithful theologian of the church. That is a powerful combination, and that explains why Owen Strachan is now the right leader for the Henry Institute. I look forward to seeing what Owen will do with this strategic platform and research center. Carl Henry would be very proud of this appointment." The Henry Institute, established in 1998, takes its name in honor of the life and work of Carl F. H. Henry, who is widely regarded as the most important 20th century evangelical theologian. The institute is "a think tank, an intellectual gathering place sympathetic to the plight of modern evangelicalism and interested in the renewal of the evangelical movement through biblical doctrine anchored in confessional faith," Strachan, assistant professor of Christian theology and church history at Boyce College, said. The mission of the institute is to "equip modern Christians to understand their times and engage them from a historically attuned and theologically informed perspective," he added.          Henry's connections to Southern Seminary go back to when current seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr. was a student, Strachan said, noting the close friendship between the two. "While Mohler was a SBTS student in the 1980s, Henry influenced his theology and ministry in profound ways, a connection that is vitally felt on the seminary's campus today through Mohler's own theological program and sense of ecclesial mission," he said. Strachan said he plans to feature materials and opportunities that reflect the institute's mission to produce "theological resources on a wide range of questions in order to help churches engage the culture." "I am thrilled to lead the Henry Institute in a time of momentous cultural change," Strachan said. "I want to lead the Henry Institute in such a way as to help the church to identify and respond to worldview challenges from non-Christian sources on the one hand and biblical and confessional challenges from professing Christians on the other. We will do so not simply by recognizing what is at hand, but by anticipating what is to come." Imitating Henry's "broad theological program, the institute will address such topics as theology proper, the doctrine of revelation, the question of epistemology, worldview issues, and cultural developments, always grounding its ministry to church and culture in the cross of Christ," he said. Strachan, who was named recently president of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, said the Henry Institute also plans to host events for the Southern Seminary community and for a broader evangelical audience. One of the initiatives sponsored by the Henry Institute is the Commonweal Project. The project, funded in part by the Kern Family Foundation, equips "students to understand basic principles of economics, business and entrepreneurship, the biblical and theological principles that ground and shape a theology of work, and how the intersection of faith, work and economics relates to ministry in the church and through the church to the community," Strachan said. In order to accomplish these goals, Strachan said, the Kern Family Foundation will sponsor talks, film discussion nights, an economics conference and workshops. The Commonweal Project will host its first conference, Thrive -- The Hard Work of Human Flourishing, Sept. 26, 2014. Speakers will cover topics on faith, work and human flourishing. More information about the Henry Institute is available at henryinstitute.org. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- BP Ledger, June 2, 2014 by Staff Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger contains items from: The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood Creation Museum Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools Harvest Crusades Grant Castleberry appointed executive director of CBMW LOUISVILLE, Ky. (The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood) -- The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (CBMW) has announced that Grant Castleberry has been named its executive director. He will fill the role previously held by Dr. Owen Strachan, now the president of CBMW. At 33 and 29 years of age, respectively, Strachan (@ostrachan) and Castleberry (@grcastleberry) form one of evangelicalism's youngest leadership teams. Castleberry is no stranger to the role of leader; the word pops up repeatedly in his impressive resume. At Texas A&M University, Castleberry served in the school's most prestigious elected position as Junior Yell Leader and then Head Yell Leader his senior year (2005-07). As an officer in the Marine Corps, he served for two years overseas as an Air Traffic Control Marine Mobile Team Leader (2008-2010) and then as a Series Commander at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina (2010-11). Upon his successful tour at Parris Island, he was promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Navy Achievement Medal by Colonel Charles Western. Following his active duty service in the Marine Corps, he served as pastoral assistant at Community Bible Church in Beaufort, S.C., under Dr. Carl Broggi (2011-12). Strachan, president of CBMW, commented on Castleberry's appointment: "CBMW is at a thrilling place in our organization's life. In the face of impressive cultural opposition, we have tremendous momentum, surging interest from young evangelicals, and a young, fresh-faced, gospel-captivated staff. Grant Castleberry fits this profile to a tee. Though 29 years of age, he has proven himself several times over as a leader, serving his country, his church and his family." Strachan said Castleberry “brings to the highly strategic role of executive director proven leadership ability, great passion for the Word of God, winsome courage, and an ability, quite simply, to get things done. I could not have asked for a finer man in this role. I can't wait for him to get started so that, with profound gratitude to God for CBMW's past, we can push this eminent organization forward into an exhilarating new season of ministry to Christ's church." Castleberry has most recently served as student life coordinator at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, working closely with Dr. Jeremy Pierre, dean of students (2012-14). He was also editor of the CBMW Men's Blog, Manual, and then transitioned to the position of conference director to plan and execute the 2014 CBMW National Conference this past spring (CBMW's largest-ever event, drawing nearly 1,500 people). In addition, he also completed the pastoral internship at Kenwood Baptist Church under complementarian leaders Dr. James Hamilton and Dr. Denny Burk. Hamilton said of Castleberry's appointment that "Grant is a great blessing to our church and a bright young evangelical leader. He is exactly what CBMW needs." Castleberry is the author of many blog articles for CBMW as well as Servants of Grace and The Gospel Coalition. He and his wife GraceAnna are also co-authoring a chapter on purity in Good, a forthcoming e-book to be released by CBMW and Desiring God. Castleberry and his wife have two young girls and are members of Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville. He is an M.Div student in the School of Theology at Southern Seminary and a graduate of Texas A&M University (BS in Agricultural Leadership and Development). He will begin full-time work with CBMW this summer and will lead the organization's "Stand Against the Tide" fundraising campaign, among other initiatives to be announced in coming days. ************* 45 Southern Baptist high school seniors recognized for scholarship and musical achievements WINDERMERE, Fla. (Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools) -- Forty-five high school seniors from the Class of 2014 enrolled in 21 SBACS member Christian schools were selected to compete in a national awards program for their outstanding scholarship and/or musical achievements. Out of the 45 finalists, 14 shared the spotlight as national, regional or state award winners, dividing $8,000 in college grants, $1,000 to each of the four national winners, $500 to each of the six regional winners and $250 to each of the four state winners. National and regional scholar winners' schools also received awards of $250 and $100 for each nominee ultimately selected as a winner. Each fall, SBACS member schools nominate candidates in two groups; scholars and musicians. Nominees must then complete an application process to compete for the scholarships. Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements become finalists. In the spring, a panel of judges chooses the winners in each of the two categories. Joshua Expeditions Outstanding SBACS Scholars Awards Program awards two national winners $1,000 each, four regional winners $500 each and four state winners $250 each. Ten Christian school students were selected as 2014 scholarship winners from a field of thirty-seven finalists from nine states. To compete for the award, seniors must: -- score at least a 1250 on SAT (combined critical reading and math score) or 28 on ACT. -- have at least a 3.5 non-weighted cumulative GPA. -- have the testimony of their faculty to their good character, service and leadership within their schools, churches and communities. Joshua Expeditions Outstanding SBACS Musicians Awards Program awards two national winners $1,000 each and two regional winners $500 each. Four Christian school seniors were selected as 2014 musician winners from a field of eight finalists from five states. To compete for the award, seniors must: -- have at least a 3.0 non-weighted cumulative GPA. -- be highly involved in music and show a superior level of vocal or instrumental skill. -- demonstrate an active faith in Christ. -- audition by CD. -- receive recommendations from music directors and teachers indicating good character, service and leadership within their schools, churches and communities. The purpose of the Joshua Expeditions Outstanding SBACS Scholars & Musicians Awards Program is to discover and recognize students in our Southern Baptist Christian schools across the nation with exemplary expertise and accomplishments in scholastics or music, Christian character and service to others. The extraordinary level of achievement, character and leadership evidenced by this year's participants demonstrates that our schools are producing outstanding results, young men and women of excellence who will be the salt and light that the Lord Jesus Christ expects and requires to lead his Kingdom. SBACS maintains a database of over 700 Christian schools affiliated with Southern Baptist churches, associations or conventions around the nation, 200 of which have high schools. The Outstanding SBACS Scholars and Musicians Awards Program is funded by a generous grant from Joshua Expeditions, a non-profit Christian student travel company that offers global educational and mission trips for high school students from across the nation. "Through their generous commitment, Joshua Expeditions has provided scholarship funding for SBACS member school students throughout the United States to receive help with the cost of higher education. Our hope is that other individuals and foundations will be encouraged to contribute to this fund as well," said SBACS Executive Director Edward E. Gamble. More information available HERE or by contacting info@sbacs.org. Request photos of all winners and finalists 2013-2014 Award Winners National Scholar Winners ($1,000) Joshua Howard Gray – North Raleigh Christian Academy, Raleigh, NC Max Morris Price – Calvary Christian High School, Clearwater, FL Regional Scholar Winners ($500) Carter Bledsoe Adkins – Strong Rock Christian School, Locust Grove, GA Peyton Hedrick – Tri-City Christian School, Conover, NC Paul Christopher Parish – Indian Rocks Christian School, Largo, FL Genevieve Lee Parker – The First Academy, Orlando, FL State Scholar Winners ($250) James Gruber – Calvary Christian High School, Clearwater, FL James Robert Oden – North Raleigh Christian Academy, Raleigh, NC Kayla Ann Reaves – Parkview Baptist School, Baton Rouge, LA Samuel David Walsh – Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, TX National Musician Winners ($1,000) Sawyer Lee Pollock – North Raleigh Christian Academy, Raleigh, NC Abbey Nicole Poole – Strong Rock Christian School, Locust Grove, GA Regional Musician Winners ($500) Tyler Hillier – Cambridge Christian School, Tampa, FL Jordan Ann Jares – North Raleigh Christian Academy, Raleigh, NC ********** $1 million dinosaur to go on display at Creation Museum PETERSBURG, Ky. (Creation Museum) -- A new $1.5 million dinosaur exhibit at the Creation Museum housing a world-class allosaur skeleton -- having one of the best-preserved Allosaurus skulls ever discovered – has gone on public display. The 30-foot-long, 10-foot-high allosaur, after recent cleaning and restoration, has been reappraised at $1 million. The rare skeleton will be placed in a $500,000 exhibit, which will join an array of dinosaur exhibits at the museum near Cincinnati, Ohio. Allosaurs, sometimes confused with a T. rex, were large theropod dinosaurs. This allosaur, named Ebenezer, is exceptional not only for its almost-complete three-foot-long skull (including 53 teeth) but because its bones, rather than mixed and scattered, were found together (with many in their articulated position). The creature probably weighed 2.3 tons. Over 50 percent of its bones were recovered and will be on display. The new exhibit is called "Facing the Allosaurus," to help draw attention to the preserved skull. Ken Ham, president/founder of the Creation Museum (an outreach of Answers in Genesis), stated that having Ebenezer "fulfills a dream I've had for quite some time. For decades I've walked through many leading secular museums, like the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and have seen their impressive dinosaur skeletons. But they were used for evolution. Now we have one of that class, and it will help us defend the book of Genesis and expose the scientific problems with evolution." Ham's hope to obtain a world-class dinosaur for the museum had been held back because excellent skeletons were cost prohibitive. Thus he did not seek one out. Last year, however, Michael and Stephen Peroutka of the Elizabeth Streb Peroutka Foundation approached the museum with the offer of their allosaur. The foundation had bought Ebenezer, housed it and, through the efforts of the DeRosa family in Florida and restorers in Utah, the magnificent fossil is ready to be shared with the public. Michael Peroutka said the fossil "is a testimony to the creative power of God in designing dinosaurs, and that it also lends evidence to the truth of a worldwide catastrophic flooding of the earth in Noah's time." Appropriately, the allosaur is being placed in the museum's large "Flood Geology" section. Geologist Dr. Andrew Snelling of AiG and the Creation Museum says that the new allosaur stands out for other reasons. Found in the Morrison Formation of North America (specifically in northwestern Colorado), its bones, said Dr. Snelling, "were arranged in their correct anatomical positions relative to each other, rather than in a scattered assortment of bones as is often the case. Also, much of the spine, 97% of the skull, and 53 curved, serrated teeth, up to 4.5 inches in length, were found. Of the 60 Allosaurus specimens found, only a half-dozen have such a complete skull, and it may be one of the two finest allosaur skulls in the world. It is also much larger than the famous 'Big Al' dinosaur at the Museum of the Rockies in Montana." Dr. Snelling added that Ebenezer most likely died in Noah's Flood, over 4,300 years ago. In fleeing the rising waters, Dr. Snelling posited, Ebenezer was swept away in a debris flow and buried rapidly under massive amounts of sediment, preserving many of its bones. Dr. Snelling soon will oversee CT scans of these bones to facilitate further study of them. He has already started a site study in Colorado in collaboration with Dr. John Whitmore, geology professor at Cedarville University, to discover more about the animal's demise. Their research will be published in AiG's peer-reviewed Answers Research Journal. The Creation Museum already has various dinosaur-related exhibits, including dinosaur eggs and bones, plus realistic animatronic models. Also, a dragon legends exhibit that opened last year asks the question: "Were the many dragons of legend really dinosaurs?" Noting that children 12 and under are free at the museum in 2014 with a paying adult, Ham observed: "Evolutionists use dinosaurs to reach children more than anything to promote their worldview. Our museum uses dinosaurs to help tell their true history according to the Bible. This remarkable allosaur is a great addition to our dinosaur exhibits. It's been a pleasure to work with the Peroutka Foundation, which wants to use this great fossil in a God-honoring way." The Creation Museum is an outreach of the apologetics organization of Answers in Genesis. The high-tech museum has drawn over 2 million visitors in over six years. With most of the funding in place for phase one of its Ark Encounter project (a $74 million first phase), AiG will soon start construction on a full-size Noah's Ark in Williamstown, Ky. ********** Harvest crusades with Greg Laurie to celebrate 25 years of outreach RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Harvest Crusades) -- Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie will celebrate its 25th consecutive year of evangelistic outreach in Southern California during the 2014 SoCal Harvest, slated for August 15-17 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Founded by pastors Greg Laurie and Chuck Smith in 1990, the Harvest Crusades have returned to Orange County each summer for the past 25 years, and have also drawn millions of people to additional stadium events across the country and around the world. Southern California pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie has spoken at each Harvest Crusade event since their inception, sharing the Gospel message with more than 6.5 million people worldwide, both in-person and via live internet broadcasts. This year will be no different as each night of the 2014 SoCal Harvest outreach will feature a straight-forward message of faith from Laurie and music from top Christian recording artists including Chris Tomlin, Skillet, NeedtoBreathe, for King & Country, Sidewalk Prophets, and Phil Wickham (musicians vary by night). In addition to the 2014 SoCal Harvest, this year Harvest with Greg Laurie will host the Dallas Harvest at the American Airlines Center (October 5), which will be simulcast to thousands of locations nationwide for a coast-to-coast evangelistic outreach called Harvest America. Two previous Harvest America programs were simulcast from Angel Stadium in 2012 and from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia in 2013. The Anaheim Harvest America event alone drew more than 302,700 participants, making it one of the largest evangelistic outreaches in U.S. history. The Harvest with Greg Laurie events are known for relating to audiences through contemporary means like top notch music, live Internet webcasts and hosted video podcasts, but the crux of each event is the nightly message presented by Greg Laurie. Called the "evangelist of the future" by Billy Graham, Laurie draws on Scripture, flavored with personal and cultural examples, to describe the relevance of faith in today's world. Laurie's talks encompass topics that appeal to people of any age and answer questions like: Why am I here? Is God real? What happens when I die? The 2014 SoCal Harvest will be broadcast live via the Internet at www.harvest.org and video blog accounts of each message will also be made available. "Behind the scenes" updates about the Harvest outreach will be posted on Facebook (www.facebook.com/harvestcrusades), Instagram (harvest_org or search #HarvestSoCal) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/harvest_org). Greg Laurie, who founded the evangelistic Harvest Crusade events in 1990, also serves as senior pastor of one of the largest churches in the U.S., Harvest Christian Fellowship, which has campuses in Riverside and Irvine, Calif. Laurie also serves on the board of directors for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sex change surgery approved for Medicare by By Daniel James Devine/WORLD News Service Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday WASHINGTON (BP) – Taxpayer dollars could soon pay for sex reassignment surgeries for elderly or disabled Americans on Medicare thanks to a ruling Friday (May 30) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. The agency's Departmental Appeals Board lifted a three-decade-old ban on using Medicare funds for transsexual surgeries. The decision means the appeals board considers the surgeries as a necessary and effective medical treatment for some individuals who do not identify with their biological sex. The appeals board noted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service did not try to challenge its decision, which is final unless appealed in federal court. The policy reversal came in response to a request from 74-year-old Army veteran Denee Mallon to have Medicare pay for genital reconstruction. Mallon, from Albuquerque, N.M., was born a man but has been diagnosed with "gender dysphoria," a state of distress about one's biological gender. Medicare had denied Mallon's request for surgery two years ago. The Boston-based organization Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and American Civil Liberties Union helped Mallon file his appeal last year. "Sometimes I am asked aren't I too old to have surgery," Mallon said before the board's decision. "My answer is how old is too old? When people ask if I am too old, it feels like they are implying that it's a waste of money to operate at my age. But I could have an active life ahead of me for another 20 years. And I want to spend those years in congruence and not distress." Gender reassignment surgeries vary by type and scope. For men, they can involve castration and genital reconstruction. For women, they can involve mastectomy and the implantation of a prosthetic. The cost of transsexual surgeries range from $7,000 to $50,000, according to the Transgender Law Center in Oakland, Calif. The ruling means individuals on Medicare who can provide documentation from doctors and mental health professionals stating that a surgical sex change is medically indicated for them can bill the government for the procedure. The government-run Medicare program provides healthcare for 49 million Americans. In explaining its decision, the appeals board said the ban on sex reassignment surgery had been based on medical evidence compiled in 1981 whereas new research showed the ban is "no longer reasonable." Rather, it called the surgery "safe" and an "effective treatment option." Transgender advocates said the Medicare decision could influence private insurance companies and state-run Medicaid programs to also cover transsexual procedures since they often look to federal government policy as a guideline. Although there are no reliable statistics to indicate how many people on Medicare could take advantage of the revised policy, demographer Gary Gates of The Williams Institute, an LGBT issues think tank in Los Angeles, has estimated 0.3 percent of the U.S. population identify as transgender. --30— Reported by WORLD News Service, an affiliate of World Magazine, on the Web at www.worldmag.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd VIEW: Abedini threatened with more jail time over Gospel witness in prison, wife says by David Roach Date: June 02, 2014 - Monday 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 30, 2014 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).