The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-06/09/2015 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: Ga., Fla., Texas evangelism/missions news; Pastor meeting needs 'a mile from my steeple' by Staff Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: The Christian Index Florida Baptist Witness Southern Baptist TEXAN Ga. church strengthened through men's ministry By Jim Burton WRENS, Ga. (The Christian Index) -- When travelers on US Route 1 breeze through this small southeast Georgia town, they will likely notice Wrens Baptist Church, the largest building in a town of about 2,100 people. What may not be so obvious is that the New York Times once ranked Jefferson County among the ten hardest American counties to live in, along with a host of counties from eastern Kentucky. "I can go a mile from my steeple and find people living with no electricity or water, not sure where they're going to get their next meal from," said Scot McKinney, Wrens Baptist Church's former pastor earlier this year. What is also not immediately obvious to passersby is what God is doing within the church, particularly its Baptist Men. In recent years, McKinney saw a turnaround of participation and commitment from his men. "If we can get the men assimilated into church and to feel there is an importance to being here, we can move the church forward," McKinney said. "We need the men to show up and understand the value of a relationship with God on a daily basis. So we go after the men." Going after the men meant there had to be a few changes at Wrens Baptist. Their former Brotherhood group averaged about 10 men in a monthly meeting. McKinney recognized that the church men's group was in a rut, so he led them to stop meeting for a while. He wanted to see if there was a "hunger and desire" among the men to grow. After about six months, McKinney said there was a rumble in the church to form again. A layman, Jim Gay, hosted a cookout at his home, and about 50 men attended. After hearing Gay's testimony, McKinney spoke and "re-energized" the former Brotherhood, according to church member Randy Smith. Leadership emerged After the cookout, Smith told his pastor that he felt God calling him to get involved in men's ministry. He had served in other church leadership positions, including chairman of deacons. The church changed the name to Baptist Men and saw its monthly attendance grow to 40-plus men, sometimes reaching as high as 70. Younger men got involved and are now leading Baptist Men. "We feel like God's hand is in it and we are following His direction," Smith said. Some attractional events resulted in synergy and evangelism. Five years ago they started a January Men's Conference to speak directly to men's issues. After a daylong Saturday meeting, they follow it with a Baptist Men's Day emphasis on Sunday, which McKinney says is one of the biggest days in the church. About a month later, Wrens' Baptist Men hosted a wild game supper. When it started a few years ago, they expected about 100 attendees, but 330 showed up. Now, they require reservations to manage the crowd in their facilities. Before school starts each year, Wrens Baptist has a backpack ministry to serve underprivileged families. The men provide much of the labor to assemble backpacks for their community's students, and they host a block party to distribute the backpacks. They gear the men's conference, wild game supper, and backpack ministry to present the Gospel. The 2014 backpack block party alone resulted in 34 professions of faith, while the 2014 wild game supper resulted in more than 50. Discipleship-based McKinney has a history of initiating and growing men's work through one-on-one discipleship. He started with three men at Wrens, and discipled them for about a year. In turn, they began discipling other men. "When men were brought into a discipleship group, they attended more often," McKinney said. In 2009 when McKinney arrived, he counted 130 people who were truly involved in the church. As pastor he estimated that number to be 225. "We've got more men involved," McKinney said. Beyond the attractional events, discipleship, and monthly meetings, Wrens Baptist Men have adopted a cottage at the Baxley Children's Home where they try to interact and mentor the boys. And many men have traveled to Panama to support the church's partnership there to plant churches. Wrens Baptists' Royal Ambassador ministry has also benefited from the growth in Baptist Men, as has the church's missions giving. Wrens Baptist gives 10% of its undesignated gifts through the Cooperative Program. The church exceeded its 2014 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Goal by $3,000, giving a total of $11,649. "The men of our households are leading that," McKinney said. --30-- This article appeared in The Christian Index (christianindex.org), newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Jim Burton is a photojournalist living in Cumming, Ga. ********** Fla. pastor: 'You can't out-give God' By Margaret Colson/Florida Baptist Convention PLANT CITY, Fla. (Florida Baptist Witness) -- She was an elementary school teacher for more than two decades -- until a disability forced her into early retirement and a reduced pension. She soon discovered that she couldn't stretch her income enough to meet her monthly financial obligations. She was in need for the first time in her life. He's a legal immigrant, daily working the fields of crops across the Sunshine State from sunup to sundown. Although surrounded by the bounty of the land, he has barely enough to feed his family of four children. He and his wife often go to bed hungry so that their children don't have to feel the pangs of hunger as they try to sleep. He is on the go constantly as a carnival worker. Week-in and week-out, he is in a different city doing his job setting up and tearing down rides and displays so that others can enjoy a few hours of fun. While fairgoers love the funnel cakes and cotton candy, sometimes all he wants is a hot meat-and-vegetable meal. Throughout Florida, the faces of hunger may be as close as the senior adult who lives down the street. Or the child who can't focus on schoolwork because of gnawing hunger; or even the person who has been out of a job longer than he cares to admit. Pastor Michael Fredette, from Liberty Southern Baptist Church in Plant City, didn't clearly see these faces of hunger until one Wednesday evening about six years ago at his church. That evening, a teenager approached Fredette, who was then serving as youth minister, and asked if he had a snack. Standing in the church's kitchen, he turned and opened the cabinets behind him. All he saw was a box of graham crackers, stale from having been opened for far too long. He took the box down and gave the young man a couple of crackers. Before he could even put the box back in the cabinet, a line had formed. That evening, Fredette realized, for the first time, that he was looking at the faces of hunger. "Hunger is our enemy," he said. He decided that evening to lead his church to fight the enemy of hunger aggressively and, in so doing, share God's message of redemption. The church's approach to combat hunger in the community is multifaceted, including hot meals on Sundays and Wednesdays, weekly food distribution, an emergency grocery box program, a backpack ministry for school children, ministry during the state's annual Strawberry Festival and more. This comprehensive approach to the enemy of hunger is underwritten in part by Florida Baptist hunger funds. The church's hunger ministry has grown through the years. "It's remarkable what God has done," said Pastor Fredette. Once Fredette became involved in the hunger ministry, it didn't take long for him to make a commitment to God: Whatever hunger ministry resources God provided to him or the church through the generosity of others, he would make sure those resources were given out to those in need. He's learned one important lesson: "You can't out-give God." The giving is in full swing when church members gather on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, and the church provides hot meals for those attending services. For many, these may be the only hot meals they will have all week. Associate Pastor Chris Ross serves as church chef for the Sunday and Wednesday meals. "It's an amazing experience. It doesn't get any better than this," he said. "We're able to spread the good news of Jesus Christ." On Wednesday mornings, even as Ross is cooking the evening meal, a line of community residents starts forming outside the church at about 11:30. Inside the church, a beehive of activity has been going on since much earlier. Church volunteers are sorting food, setting it out on tables, preparing for the needy to come in and gather the food needed for their families. As afternoon approaches, Pastor Fredette invites everyone in line to come into the church sanctuary. There, they meet church members who give them numbers, marking their places in line. For the next couple of hours, those who have gathered seem to relax. The weariness and worry etched on their faces give way to a seeming calm; some even doze momentarily on the church pews. Children wiggle from their mother's arms. Others step outside for fresh air. The pastor makes his way through the crowds, greeting people by name, playfully teasing children, praying with people. He steps to the podium and shares the Gospel message. In 2014, approximately 100 people, who had lined up for food distribution, made professions of faith. As the clock moves toward 4 p.m., the needy are directed into small groups into the church fellowship hall, where canned goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, beverages and boxed foods are piled to overflowing on the tables. Each small group has 10 minutes to load boxes with food, and then the next group comes in. By day's end, about 200 families walk out the door with boxes brimming with food. Smiles of relief fill their faces. "We're not going to let anybody go hungry," said Ross. --30-- This article appeared in the Florida Baptist Witness (gofbw.com), newsjournal of the Florida Baptist Convention. Margaret Colson is a writer for the Florida Baptist Convention. ********** Texas church rebounds through culture of prayer By Jane Rodgers VAN ALSTYNE, Texas (Southern Baptist TEXAN) -- The Crossroads Community Church, located on the dividing line between the towns of Anna and Van Alstyne, reached a crossroads of its own in 2014 when the congregation's growth prompted a property search. Just as the church began negotiations for the purchase of 10 acres, another local congregation made them an offer they couldn't refuse: the gift of a church facility situated on four acres and less than 15 years old. "In June 2014 we found land to purchase. We knew paying for it would stretch us, but we felt it was time to step out in faith," The Crossroads pastor and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) field ministry strategist Shawn Kemp said. "We committed as a church to pray about the decision for two weeks." During that period of prayer, Kemp received an unexpected phone call from an elder of Van Alstyne's Community Bible Church (CBC) to ask if The Crossroads might be interested in his church's building and property. A group from The Crossroads visited the location and liked what they saw. "What exactly are you looking to do with the property?" Kemp had inquired. "We want to give it to you," the CBC elder replied, explaining that church membership had declined and leadership felt led to search for a worthy recipient. "He told us they were looking for a church that was reaching the community," Kemp said. In August, The Crossroads began holding services in the CBC facilities, which featured a 150-seat auditorium, an education wing, an atrium and a playground. In December 2014, the property was officially deeded to The Crossroads. "It was a joyous time for us -- a blessing -- and we give God the glory," Kemp said. "But we also recognized that it was painful for another congregation." Several former CBC families now worship at The Crossroads. Kemp and his congregation understand painful times. The Crossroads was founded nearly seven years ago when Kemp, a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his wife, LaRissa, felt called to plant a church in the Anna/Van Alstyne area. The couple lived in Sherman where Kemp was a pastor. The largely unchurched community of Anna had experienced explosive suburban growth—its population rising from 900 in 1999 to 6,500 in 2008 to nearly 15,000 in 2015, Kemp said. Commuting to and from Sherman for three years while awaiting the sale of their home helped the family identify with the residents of their new community as LaRissa began teaching in an Anna ISD elementary school. Most Anna/Van Alstyne residents commute to jobs in the metroplex. "Our home in Sherman was like a hotel. We spent our nights there but we spent our days and lives in Anna," Kemp recalled. The Kemp family permanently relocated to Anna in 2011. The Crossroads experienced steady growth after its founding in 2008, meeting for just over a year in a tumble and cheer facility before moving to Joe K. Bryant Elementary School. The congregation numbered 140 by 2009 until conflict among several families caused an exodus. "We dropped from 130-140 to 35 in church over the next two years," Kemp said. "It was an incredibly disappointing and discouraging time. In 2011, we had money for only two months, and we faced the possibility of closing the doors." Kemp recalled attending a conference where pastors reported stories of great success in church growth while his own church was laden with crisis. He hoped to hear one of the speakers emphasize that God had moved and done something amazing. "At that moment," Kemp said, "I very clearly felt God saying, 'What are you doing right now at The Crossroads so that this will be what you could say?'" God was about to do something amazing with The Crossroads, and it would involve prayer. Convinced God was calling the church to pray and seek after him, Kemp met with elders to discuss changes in the worship service. He wanted services to start with extended congregational prayer—a practice the church has maintained since then. "We have an opening song; then we pray," Kemp said. "It's not just the pastor standing at the front saying a pretty prayer. We break up into small groups and pray for God to be at work in our church. We don't just pray for sick people; we pray for God to move and work and to do something only he can do." Visitors are encouraged to stay seated and allow The Crossroads members to seek them out. Those who do not feel comfortable praying aloud are invited to pray silently. Weekly congregational prayer is the "most important thing we do each Sunday," Kemp said. "If we as a people aren't praying, if we as a people aren't seeking him, what are we doing?" The Crossroads also changed outreach methods. "We stopped talking about what our church has to offer in activities and programs. We started telling people that our church will connect them to the mission of God in following Jesus," Kemp explained. "We began telling people, 'We want to help you give your life away,'" Kemp said. "In about a year's time, God doubled us from 35 to 70. In another year's time, we were pushing 100." In its new facilities, The Crossroads offers two services on Sundays, with more than 230 attending Easter services. Five baptisms have occurred in 2015, with five or six slated to happen soon. "Our story is that God did this. God moved," Kemp said. "He gets all the glory." --30-- This article appeared in the Southern Baptist TEXAN (texanonline.net), newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Jane Rodgers is a correspondent for the Southern Baptist TEXAN. ********** EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Cleveland's true hope better than NBA title by Daniel Woodman Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday CLEVELAND (BP) -- The city of Cleveland has gone 50 years without a championship, the longest drought of any U.S. city with three major sports teams. NFL legend Jim Brown and the Browns gave Cleveland their most recent championship, and that was back in 1964 when G.I. Joe dolls first hit store shelves. Now, the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers stand just three wins away from capturing that elusive title. But only Christ can bring Ohio the hope it truly needs, said pastor David Gray, who leads First Baptist Church, Garrettsville, located about 35 miles from Akron, LeBron James' hometown, and 45 miles from Cleveland. "Sports is often thought of being transcendent in Northeast Ohio and so there's been a thirst on the part of the people here to be a part of championships," said Gray, a former president of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. "Not just championships in basketball, but championships in any way possible." NBA superstar LeBron James garnered national headlines when he decided to return to the Cavaliers after a four-year stint with the Miami Heat. The return of James brought hope to Cleveland fans, some of whom were not so pleased when LeBron joined the Heat back in 2010. "Some people felt betrayed because they were looking to him as a savior.... So many people look to sports figures maybe more than they should," Gray said. The successful reunion of James and the Cavaliers has made many fans treat the star as a prodigal son to the city. Cleveland reached the finals this season for the first time since 2007 during James' initial campaign with the team. Cleveland owes much of their recent success to James, yet Gray warns fans to be cautious in their praise of the four-time MVP. "Those folks are getting their identity and hope from a person. I think LeBron would be the first to tell you he's only human. He's a great basketball player and he knows that, but he's still only a basketball player," Gray said. Gray noted the Cavaliers and James have a good reputation in the Cleveland community. "[James] does try to give back in numerous ways.... Many people see him as just a wonderful symbol of what the gritty, strong, passionate people of northeastern Ohio can do when they set their minds to it," Gray said. James has a foundation in his name designed to help Akron youth have better access to education, and he has partnered with the Boys and Girls Club on several initiatives. And while he was criticized for televising his controversial decision to join the Heat in 2010, James raised $6 million for charity from the TV event. While James remains a polarizing figure, Gray urges Christian sports fans to keep a proper perspective of the game and remain steady in their convictions. "One of the most important things that we as Christians should understand is that sports is not our salvation," Gray said. Sports is not the salvation of Northeast Ohio.... Our only salvation is in Christ." Game three of the NBA Finals tips off 8 p.m. CT on Tuesday (June 9). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sickness at potluck highlights food safety by Scott Barkley Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday DULUTH, Ga. (BP) -- The potluck dinner is often seen as a treasured part of church life. It's a welcomed stereotype because of the fellowship and good times that come with overeating highly caloric casseroles, side dishes, and various meats cooked in various ways. And that's before the desserts, often enough of them to fill a row of folding tables stretching half a basketball court. With those things, though, comes a real danger. A 54-year-old woman died, and others were hospitalized, from a possible case of botulism, reportedly linked to an Ohio church potluck in April. "Poor hygiene," says Georgia Baptist Convention (GBC) director of food services Minerva Small when asked what is often the biggest threat to getting sick after a potluck. "People simply don't wash their hands enough." A big responsibility Small, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Tucker, says "In preparing the food, your life is literally in my hands." Every church group, mission team, seminar attendee, and administration and executive committee member who's had a meal at the Missions and Ministry Center in Duluth since she arrived at the GBC nine years ago falls into that category. That also goes for her small group at Fairfield Baptist Church in Lithonia, where she's a member, and those with the Tucker High School football team, for whom Small prepares the annual preseason cookout, kickoff dinner, pancake breakfast, and pregame meals when the Tigers play on Saturdays. Altogether, she estimates overseeing food preparation for around 10,000 people in 2014. Her eyes go wide on realizing the number after doing the math. It also explains the intensity she brings to food prep safety, something she says is often overlooked at many church gatherings. Small not only washes her hands constantly, but also the food cans themselves. "You don't know where those have been or how long they sat on a dock somewhere," she notes. "Rodents and insects carrying bacteria could've gone across them." Small remembers learning from her grandmother in her native Jamaica. "She taught us good habits (like washing up) are hard to break, but bad habits are harder. So when you're making habits, make good ones so you won't have to break them. If I didn't practice that at home, I wouldn't bring it [to work]." To make her point, every worker under Small has to sign a server's agreement outlining cleanliness on the job. Keeping fellowship fun, safe ... and tasty In Ohio, public health officials have pointed to botulism as the likely cause of sickness that killed one woman and made 21 others sick. Specifically, its origins seem to have come from potato salad made from potatoes canned at home. On average, about 110 cases of botulism are reported in the U.S. annually, with a quarter of them being foodborne. Food grown in your own garden, even organically, can bring a false sense of security, Small says. "Washing is still important because you don't know if an animal has come along and gone to the bathroom nearby." A lot of people can their own vegetables at home, and although the overwhelming majority does so safely, those who use unsterilized instruments and practice poor hygiene, pose a danger to the unsuspecting potluck attendee. Many cases of mild food poisoning go unnoticed, she says, with those affected simply staying out of work a day or so or going to the doctor rather than reporting it. The first suspect in a potluck dinner gone bad tends to be the potato salad, deviled eggs, or slaw left in the sun too long. While those are common causes, Small says, often the problem has come before in the preparation process. Still, such foods are the ones attendees need to pay close attention to in addition to meats not cooked thoroughly. Such caution isn't to take the fun out of a staple of church life, but on the contrary to ensure it. "Today there is so much to be aware of in preparing food," Small says. "There are gluten sensitivities and food allergies. You have to be aware of conditions such as celiac disease and how cross contamination occurs when serving utensils are passed from one dish to another. I don't take these lightly." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Reflections from a Chinese orphanage by Josh Owens Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday YUNNAN PROVINCE, China (BP) -- In China's Yunnan Province, there is an ancient temple made of copper that crowns Jindian Park. In English it is literally "Golden Temple Park," reflecting the Daoist religion that it serves. Here on Jan. 14, 1994, a police officer noticed a five-day-old orphan, took him up and delivered him to the nearby orphanage. Nine months and three days later, that orphan was the first boy ever adopted from Kunming Municipal Children's Home. I visited that Chinese orphanage a few weeks ago, and for the first time in two decades I entered Jindian Park. As I wandered among the rooms of the orphanage and up the temple trail in that wooded park, thoughts and questions muddled my mind. Why would I, in a nation of a billion, be left alone in Jindian Park? Why did someone notice me and bother to act? Why would all this happen right after China opened itself to foreign adoptions in 1992? And why would I be adopted into this family, my family? I am now 21 years old and even if my existence could be explained, by all rights the orphanage should have returned me three years ago to the streets from whence I came. Really, what do you say to all of that? I was quiet that day. When I feel the weight of the odds against an infant alone in China, I am at a loss. My life as I know it never should have happened. Indeed, the Chinese would call it "lucky" that I even made it breathing to the orphanage. It is not that my life should not have happened while others' should; still, it is pretty obvious that among 7 billion humans on a pale blue dot, this one of all should not be inhaling and exhaling. When I survey the cross on which the sovereign Prince of Glory died, I lay my hand over my mouth, speechless like Job. Even if telescopes and test tubes can be taken for granted, the love of a Father cannot. Colossians 3:3 is, in a nutshell, the only guarantee Christ-followers get: We have died, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. When Christ is all we have, then Christ is all we need, and everything else begins to matter a good bit less. The heroes of Hebrews 11 had no guarantee such as, "You will not be sawn in two." Each, like us, signed over the blank check of his or her life to God. There were no secondary guarantees then, and there are none now. We must each surrender to Christ, trusting Him to guide the course of our lives. Yet Jesus is worth it. Colossians 3:3 is the ground for 2 Corinthians 1:20, for when our lives are hidden with Christ then the promises of God to us are yes and amen. When we sign over our blank checks, all we get is Christ. All we get is everything for which we were ever meant. Still, there are debts you would rather not owe, whose weight is incomprehensibly massive. This double-adoptee is in the red more than I could hope ever to repay or even to calculate. When you've signed your check, sometimes the balance is overwhelming. And when the check is going to be cashed, it is then with David we taste and see that God is good. For the check is filled with a debt charged not to our account but to God's. Written over our lives, "Grace." That day at the orphanage, our hosts asked me to speak as part of the welcome ceremony, a representative of the visiting adoptees. It was a surreal experience to stand where I used to lie, and to proclaim the name of the Father who oversaw my adoption and then adopted me for Himself. I left Kunming two decades ago, not long after China opened to adoption. What a 20 years it has been, I told the audience. If hallmarks of earthly success include a college degree, reliable employment and a loving family, then my scorecard reads A+. Orientals call this luck and credit the balance of forces and gods. The West shouts, "I am the master of my soul!" and pulls itself up by its bootstraps. But a human life is not up to luck, nor is it decided by self-sufficiency. If God notices the death of a sparrow, certainly He is concerned with the lives of humans whom He values far more. While David asked a fair question in Psalm 8 when he wondered what is man that God is mindful of him, the answer is simply that the character of God is love. In Romans 8, Paul promises those who love God that "all things work together for good." This good, of course, is not a diploma or employment, or even adoption. Paul had already praised the only adoption that transfers to eternity, and of that he said we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with the firstborn over all creation. Forever and always, my Father orchestrates the trajectory of my life to conform me to the image of His Son. For I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. That's a guarantee you can take to the bank. I don't know why my life began the way it did, or why it is the way it is. I have more questions than answers, and questions hidden beneath questions. What do I do with my experience in Jindian Park, in 2015, in 1994? How do you process something when you have come to the end of yourself? This much I know. When I signed over my life's check to God, grace was written in the blank. God was there in Jindian Park on Jan. 14, 1994, not as a perfect balance of yin and yang, not as luck or human sufficiency. God was there as He is now here, sovereign and good. -------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDVIEW: Hope -- people need it, crave it, search for it by Erich Bridges Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Hope is one of the most powerful forces in the world. The absence of hope is like death. I've written in the past about my friend George. He was sincere, thoughtful, funny -- and deeply depressed. He eventually hanged himself. On the last morning of his life, George lay motionless. According to his father (who later found his body), the only words George managed to force through gritted teeth that day were: "No hope. No hope. No hope." Hopelessness afflicts many more people than the clinically depressed. It torments millions who think that they have nothing to live for, that the miseries of the present will never go away, that the future holds nothing but more despair. Hope, on the other hand, leads people in even the most difficult conditions to reach up, to believe in possibilities. That may seem obvious, but there's new statistical support for it. A major trial study, involving more than 20,000 people in six countries, has demonstrated that targeted aid aimed at getting extremely poor families out of poverty produces big results with small investments -- maybe as small as a single cow or a few goats. "Why would a cow have such an impact?" asked Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times, who recently wrote about the study. "There's some indication that one mechanism is hope. Whether in America or India, families that are stressed and impoverished -- trapped in cycles of poverty -- can feel a hopelessness that becomes self-fulfilling. Give people reason to hope that they can achieve a better life, and that, too, can be self-fulfilling." The aid, minimal as it was, motivated recipients to work harder, save more and show more optimism. "Could hopelessness and stress create a 'poverty trap' -- abroad or here in the U.S. -- in which people surrender to a kind of whirlpool of despair?" Kristof asked. "Some economists and psychologists are finding evidence to support that theory, and experiments are underway to see if raising spirits can lift economic outcomes. Researchers are now studying whether exposure to religion might have a similar effect, improving economic outcomes. If so, Marx had the wrong drug in mind: Religion would not be an opiate of the masses but an amphetamine." Kristof, a widely traveled journalist who has praised evangelical humanitarian work in the past, noted the similarity between the program studied in the research and the models used by Christian development organizations overseas. He added, "Much of the news about global poverty is depressing, but this is fabulous: a large-scale experiment showing, with rigorous evidence, what works to lift people out of the most extreme poverty. And it's exhilarating that one of the lessons may be so simple and human: the power of hope." These findings also complement the groundbreaking research of sociologist Robert Woodberry, director of the Project on Religion and Economic Change at the National University of Singapore. In country after country, Woodberry began to find a direct correlation between the historical presence and mission activity of "conversionary Protestants" and the advance of freedom, social progress and economic well-being. In 2005, a $500,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation enabled Woodberry to hire a platoon of research assistants and launch a major database to gather more information. Armed with those results, he was able to assert: "Areas where Protestant missionaries had a significant presence in the past are on average more economically developed today, with comparatively better health, lower infant mortality, lower corruption, greater literacy, higher educational attainment (especially for women), and more robust membership in nongovernmental associations." By and large, those earlier missionaries weren't radical social reformers or political revolutionaries. They were bringers of hope. Their Gospel ministry connected them to the common people and the poor, whom they sought to serve in the love of Christ. Yes, they started schools, hospitals and various engines of social progress. But most of all, they preached the hope of Christ, started churches and made disciples who carried on the work in subsequent generations. That work goes on today, as missionaries and their partners find new ways to heal bodies, educate minds, transform cultures and bring the good news to starving souls. One example among many: South Asian women often despair of finding a decent life. Many face domestic abuse. Many more are abandoned to care for their children alone but have no skills to find good work. With an investment of $3,550 provided by Southern Baptists' Global Hunger Relief, 15 women were trained to create quality jewelry that met market demands better than other jewelry produced by local artisans. An export license was obtained to ship the products out of the country to "fair trade" sales partners. http://www.globalhungerrelief.com/ A year later, the new micro-business is generating enough revenue to stand on its own and even expand to help more at-risk women in rural areas. "We have employed many ladies who were left by their husbands or divorced," the project director reported. "[One] lady was abused by her husband and went back to her parents and is going through a divorce. She had a desire to go back to school in order to support herself, but her parents didn't have the money to send her. Our micro-enterprise provides her with an income that can fund her school ambition. We are gaining a reputation in the community for caring for those who cannot care for themselves and have had many opportunities to share." Hope. People need it, crave it, search for it. They will risk their lives to find it, and having found it, will risk their lives to share it with others. That's why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so powerful -- and why it is spreading so rapidly outside the secularized West. By comparison, all the substitutes offered in its place grow strangely dim. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Salvation, tragic death affirm urgency by Alex Sibley Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday HOUSTON (BP) -- Eddie had some questions. Some Mormon missionaries had visited him at his home earlier that day and shared with him the basics of their faith. Eddie decided to go to John Wilsey, the interim pastor of North Oaks Baptist Church, to ask more questions. Wilsey sat down with Eddie after church on a Wednesday night. Eddie, who had been coming to church with his mother, was often a distraction during Bible studies because of his tendency to loudly blurt out comments at inappropriate times. Wilsey says certain people were leery of Eddie around church but that there were a number of older women who took him under their wing and tried to help "knock off some of the rough edges." These women also prayed for him regularly. The discussion lasted more than an hour. Wilsey took Eddie through numerous Scripture passages and helped him understand exactly who Jesus is, what He did in His atonement, and what people's response to Him should be. Until then, Eddie had not been sure where he would spend eternity, but he wanted to have assurance. After listening attentively to Wilsey's Gospel presentation, Eddie indicated he wanted to put his trust in Christ and Wilsey led him in prayer. This encounter six months ago was anything but typical, according to an article published on Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's website on May 27. By the time they finished their conversation, it had grown dark and everyone else had already left the church, so Wilsey drove Eddie home. Wilsey recalled, "We had just finished a rich conversation about the Lord, Eddie had given his life to Christ, and the new hope he had found was already showing in his demeanor." They prayed once again in front of Eddie's trailer, and Wilsey told him as he left that he was looking forward to seeing him again in church on Sunday. The following Sunday, however, Eddie was not there. Later that week, Wilsey learned why -- Eddie had been murdered in his trailer in an apparent home invasion. "The story was covered on the local news," Wilsey said, "but few details were known at the time about why the incident occurred. All I knew was that my new brother in Christ was killed just a few days after he had placed his faith in Him." Reflecting on the experience, Wilsey said, "I am so sorry that Eddie was killed, and it was a body blow when I heard the news. But it was incredibly encouraging -- and convicting -- when I found out that he had been killed just days after our conversation." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Guide to protect churches from 'sexual liberty' by Tom Strode Date: June 09, 2015 - Tuesday WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's religious liberty entity has collaborated with a leading legal advocacy organization to provide guidance for churches and other institutions in the face of the advance of "sexual liberty" and same-sex marriage. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have published "Protecting Your Ministry," a legal manual for Southern Baptist churches, schools and ministries. The 44-page booklet is designed to equip SBC and other evangelical churches and institutions with legal protection against sexual orientation and gender identity lawsuits. The manual includes checklists to guide Christian institutions on maximizing their religious liberty protections under the law and maintaining their freedom to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. It also provides sample documents -- such as a membership agreement, facility use policy and article for a statement of faith -- to assist churches and other ministries. ERLC President Russell Moore said he is thankful to work with ADF "to produce this resource to help equip churches on how to remain faithful to our mission in a culture that often disagrees with our message." "Without soul freedom we have no other liberties," Moore said in an ERLC news release. "The church cannot outsource our convictions to the state." ADF President Alan Sears said his organization is honored to cooperate with the ERLC "as fellow servants of churches and Gospel ministers across America who are looking for answers to the challenges against our fundamental freedoms of religion, speech and conscience." In the ERLC release, Sears described the Southern Baptist entity as "an indispensable champion for religious freedom and human dignity and a strong, steady voice of hope." The release of the legal manual comes at a time when the expansion of same-sex marriage -- as well as sexual orientation and gender identity ordinances -- has resulted in a growing clash between "sexual liberty" and religious liberty. Especially in the marriage context, the rights of gay couples have typically triumphed over the religious freedom of individuals and organizations. Florists, bakers, photographers and other business owners who have conscientious objections to providing their services for same-sex ceremonies have been penalized by courts or commissions or are facing penalties. The booklet provides several examples of business owners and schools who have been pressured by government entities to violate their religious convictions regarding sexuality and marriage. Among its checklist items, the ERLC/ADF guide urges each church and/or ministry to: -- Include a statement on gender, sexuality and marriage in its confession of faith. -- Establish formal policies for church membership and discipline. -- Institute a policy describing the weddings a church's pastors will participate in and the church will host in its buildings. -- Enact religious employment requirements -- such as agreement with its confession of faith and standards of conduct -- for employees. -- Create and apply a facility use policy faithful to its beliefs. The enactment of "sexual orientation, gender identity ordinances" by cities has prompted, at least in part, the need for such protections, according to the legal guide. "These ordinances place terms like 'sexual orientation' or 'gender identity' in the same category as race or religion," the ERLC/ADF manual says. "But they are not designed for the innocent purpose of ensuring all people receive basic services. Rather, their practical effect is to legally compel Christians to accept, endorse, and even promote messages, ideas, and events that violate their faith." Sexual orientation normally includes homosexuality and bisexuality, while gender identity, or transgender status, refers to what sex a person identifies with, regardless of his or her physiological make-up. Dean Inserra, senior pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Fla., said the advance of same-sex marriage in particular has resulted in "new waters" for many pastors. "[W]e must equip ourselves with the resources available to do ministry in the 21st century without compromising our convictions and [to protect] the rights to actively maintain those convictions," Inserra said in the ERLC release. He is a member of the ERLC's Leadership Council. Included in the profiles of Christians who have refused to compromise their beliefs under pressure are: -- Barronelle Stutzman, a florist in Richland, Wash., who has appealed court fines in a lawsuit filed by the state attorney general and the American Civil Liberties Union for her refusal to arrange flowers for a same-sex wedding. -- Jonathan and Elaine Huguenin, owners of a New Mexico photography business who were fined by the state and lost in court after they denied a request to photograph a lesbian commitment ceremony. -- Robert and Cynthia Gifford, who face ongoing fines for refusing to permit a same-sex wedding at their farm in upstate New York. The guide may be accessed online without cost at ERLC.com/store. Copies will be available at the ERLC exhibit booth during the annual SBC meeting June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio.