The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-07/12/2016 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gas station fuels spiritual life in Ky. town by Alison Pulliam/Kentucky Today Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday LYNCH, Ky. (BP) -- A bell jingled as a middle-aged man walked through the door. He laid a few dollars on the counter for gas and requested prayer. This may be unusual behavior at most convenience stores, but Black Mountain Exchange is anything but usual. Bible verses and decorative murals dot the walls around the thinly stocked shelves. Free Gospel tracts and Bibles sit in stacks by the register where they are frequently given away. Christian music floating from the small stereo fills the background as customers shop. Operated by missionaries Jim and Vickie Pinkley, this gas station and small store serve both the financial and spiritual economy of Lynch. Lynch, like much of eastern Kentucky, was hit hard by the recent decline in coal mining. A town that once boomed with more than 10,000 people has dwindled to fewer than 800. In its prime, Lynch was the world's largest coal camp and housed over 4,000 employees of the United States Steel Corp. The company spared no expense in building up the town -- adding beautiful new schools, churches, and even a hospital. When U.S. Steel decided to close its mines in the area, it took thousands of jobs and the life of the community with it. "It wasn't just the company leaving town, it was the town closing down," Jim Pinkley said. Now there are very few jobs allowing people to stay in their mountainous home. "The only thing we've seen in the last five years, as far as any type of business -- other than the Kentucky Mine Museum and Portal 31 -- are the outreach programs like Meridzo ministries that Vickie is aligned with," said Lynch resident Don Elliot. Founded by pastor Lonnie Riley in 1999, Meridzo Ministries has grown to be an integral part of the southeastern Kentucky landscape. The non-profit branch offers many outlets for proclaiming the Gospel. Among its ministries are a church, housing for short-term mission teams, two facilities used to host children's camps and more. The for-profit branch contributes to community development by adding businesses such as Lamp House coffee shop and Black Mountain Exchange gas station. In its years of operation, Meridzo has partnered with more than 30,000 volunteers in more than 20 local ministries. The Pinkley family turned their own short-term partnership with the ministry into a long-term commitment last year when they decided to leave their home near Louisville and move to Lynch. Hearing of the opening with Black Mountain Exchange pricked their hearts for this place they had grown to love. After 12 years of mission trips through their church, Jim and Vickie felt the Lord calling them to step out of their comfort zone. They sold their house and moved their three children down to Lynch, leaving two adult children behind. This required an incredible amount of trust in God, not only because of the separation from friends and family, but because of the lack of financial security. With Jim only five years away from retirement, the Pinkleys were unsure how they would support themselves. However, Jim and Vickie knew the Lord would supply their needs if this is what He called them to. Like the nine other Meridzo missionary families, the Pinkleys are funded on a "by faith" premise. This means they accept donations but they never go out and fundraise for support. They simply take it "by faith" that the Lord will know their needs and provide them in His time. And while God continues to faithfully bless their growing business at Black Mountain Exchange, financial profits are not the main concern. "Our intention, of course, is not to sell gas and is not to sell pizza and is not to sell food, but it's to give out the Word of God which is the bread of life," Vickie Pinkley said. "Our heart's desire is to see lives of the middle people here in Lynch changed completely for His glory." -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: A solid investment by David Jeremiah Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- Millions of us have experienced the uncertainty of creating a solid investment portfolio as the stock market rises and falls like a rollercoaster. Individual investors, senior citizens with mutual funds, charitable institutions with endowments, and most people who have a pension plan -- have all suffered from the fragile and fluctuating world economy. Not even the experts know what to do. "One of the funny things about the stock market," said the American publisher William Feather, "is that every time one person buys, another person sells, and both think they are astute."1 It is God who gives us the ability to earn a living and gain wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). The Bible tells us to handle our money as wisely as we can. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus commended the wise stewards who made good investments of what had been entrusted to them. Proverbs 13:11b (NIV) says, "He who gathers money little by little makes it grow." That's why John Wesley famously said, "Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can." But the Bible's fundamental investment strategy has little to do with accumulating money. Jesus Christ wasn't a stockbroker, but He gave the best investment tip in history when He said: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). No investment advisor has a better plan. We have entire cable channels like Fox Business Network and Bloomberg Television with talking heads who hawk investment advice day and night. The Wall Street Journal has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, and dozens of magazines are devoted to investment strategy and money management. But Jesus perfectly understood the law of returns when He said in John 6:27a, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life." Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The apostle Paul warned us not to put our hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to be rich in good works, thus laying up a treasure for ourselves as a firm foundation for the coming age (1 Timothy 6:19). We need to take stock of our lives and make sure we're investing ourselves in eternity. With the world facing one crisis after another, it's hard to imagine a safe place to deposit our money. But when we faithfully tithe or devote our resources to the Kingdom, it propels the Gospel to the world. Souls are saved and heaven is populated. When you support your local church, your funds are transmuted into literature, lives, ministries and missions. You may never see the returns till you get to heaven, but what a joy it will be to run into folks on the golden streets and learn that it was your gift that helped bring them to faith in Christ. But our investments for Christ go beyond money. We also invest our energy and passion into the work, and this investment comes back to bless us even now. It's perilously easy to become so busy doing what comes next and tackling only those things that seem urgent. But the Bible tells us to give thought to our steps (Proverbs 14:8, NIV). We should begin every day by thinking through our agenda and making time for what is truly important, things that will matter in eternity. The Bible says, "Do not love the world or the things in the world ... the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17). The investments of this world may crumble, but the time, energy and resources we invest in God's work are solid investments that will pay dividends throughout eternity. 1 Charles J. Corrado and Bradford D. Jordan, Fundamentals of Investments by (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2004), 214. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: La., Ark., Tenn. evangelism/missions news; 'Having a relationship with the Lord is now top priority in my life' by Staff Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: Baptist Message (Louisiana) Arkansas Baptist News Baptist and Reflector (Tennessee) ********** La. church rides 'wave' of more baptisms By Brian Blackwell CHOUDRANT, La. (Baptist Message) -- Megan and Joshua Passon have spent many hours in a swimming pool on a hot summer evening, but on this particular night a dip in the water was extra special. Standing in front of one another and dozens of friends, the husband and wife were baptized along with 11 others from Longstraw Baptist Church. The 13 new believers, ranging in age from 7 to 72 years old were baptized in pairs Sunday evening of Memorial Day weekend. Megan Passon said her baptism represented a public declaration of her faith in Christ, and added that being baptized with her husband was special because their marriage had been restored only several months before. "Being baptized in the pool with everyone was really cool," Passon said. "Everyone was gathered all around us and I believe I can speak for everyone when I say that you could feel so much love surrounding all of us. "Having a relationship with the Lord is now top priority in my life," she continued. "I have found that even in the chaos of everyday life, there is now a sense of joy and peace that I have; that joy and peace came from my Lord and Savior." The service marked the highest number of baptisms for the church in a single day since Larry Emory became pastor in 2006. Emory said a catalyst for the increase was the book "The Desperate Church" -- which he became familiar with during the Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism Conference. As he began reading the book written by LBC Evangelism Associate Keith Manuel, Emory said he realized his church could change and experience renewal, but only if members became desperate for God and completely surrendered to Him. Emory recalled how Manuel said a church must choose "the right wave" to get on and ride all the way to the beach, and after prayer he sensed for Longstraw Baptist Church that wave was its children's program. Last summer, 68 children had attended the largest Vacation Bible School in church history, and the congregation decided to offer to pick up the youngsters by van for services. By March of this year, drivers were picking up children on three routes for Wednesday evening activities, and the church started to search for an additional vehicle to accommodate the growth. In April the church held a revival and many of those same kids brought their parents to attend. Emory said seeds planted in 2015 produced a harvest this year with 22 of the new folks becoming children of God, including three parents of the children who started attending Wednesday services. Attendance across the board has increased, Emory said, with Sunday morning services expanding from 65 to 80 worshipers in a year, and turnout for Wednesday night activities more than doubling from 30 to 65 participants during the same period. Emory believes a second wave of baptisms will occur by the end of this summer, trusting God will again bless the church's Vacation Bible School efforts. Heather Council-Hyatt was thankful for the added investment Longstraw Baptist has made in the lives of children. Her nine-year-old daughter Mia was one of the new believers who were baptized during the holiday pool ceremony. "Watching Brother Larry dunk her in the water and then bring her back up took me back to the first time I ever laid eyes on her," she said. "She was being born all over again. Mia loves going to church, and loves the Lord! She continues to amaze us on a daily basis." Emory said he's going to continue riding the wave, as long as God allows. "It's been fun and all I've tried to do is stay out of God's way," he said. "I see what He's doing and jump in there and work with Him." For churches that realize their need for revitalization, Manuel advises they follow Longstraw Baptist's example and find the "wave" God has sent their way already. "There are opportunities where the giftedness of a congregation intersects with needs in community," Manuel said. "For Longstraw, this opportunity was in their weekly Children's Ministry. They simply identified a wave of opportunity the Lord already sent their way and intentionally focused on reaching these children with the Gospel." Even though Longstraw Baptist has experienced tremendous growth in just a few months, the congregation knows God is just beginning a great movement at the church that is celebrating a new life, Emory said. "You hear people talking about it and see a lift in the spirits of people," Emory said. "They are talking about it and reflecting back on it. It's created a new vital spirit among the church itself. "I stress that we will go and give to world missions and state missions and national missions, but we live in a mission field," he continued. "All you have to do is drive down a road, where in a three-mile radius there are 225 homes and most of those are unchurched people. We are living in a mission field. And we are reaching it one child, one person at a time." --30-- This article appeared in the Baptist Message (baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Brian Blackwell is a staff writer for the Baptist Message. ********** 'Foreign missions' at Arkansas church By Lisa Falknor JONESBORO, Ark. (Arkansas Baptist News) -- Mark 16:15 says, "Go into all the world," but at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Jonesboro the world has come to them. The city has 834 international students from 62 countries at Arkansas State University (ASU). Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) metro director Bit Stephens explained why the church began looking for an international student missionary. "Walnut Street has a heart to join God in what He is doing, and it was obvious to them God was bringing the nations to Jonesboro. They felt like they had to engage them to be obedient to God," she said. God had already planted a person in Jonesboro called to international missions -- Sarah Seibert. The recent ASU graduate with a degree in world languages and culture already had been serving internationals through leadership at the BCM for four years; she began serving at Walnut Street in January. "Sarah was the obvious choice, one who loves internationals and is strongly connected to Walnut Street Baptist," Stephens said. "She has always had a heart for international students," said Grey Falanga, Walnut Street Baptist's associate pastor of teaching and collegiates, "and this past summer as she thought she would get an affirmative to do international missions overseas; she heard a different word." That different word, Seibert said, was that God did not call her to go but to stay. "Over 40 times in the Old Testament alone, God talks about loving foreigners in our land," she said. "It's a command in places like Leviticus 19:33-34 and Deuteronomy 10:17-19." Her advice to those thinking about reaching out to international students is simple. "It does not have to be a complicated thing; it's just being a friend," she said. She hopes international students will accept the Gospel and share it in their own language, culture and country. Since 65 percent of international students come from unreached regions of the world, it may be the only way their nations hear about Christ. These are the educated and wealthy individuals who could have influence in government. "God has given us total access," Seibert said. "We have the opportunity to reach the world without ever leaving home." --30-- This article appeared in the Arkansas Baptist News (arkansasbaptist.org), newsjournal of the Arkansas Baptist Convention. Lisa Falknor is a correspondent for the Arkansas Baptist News. ********** Tenn. Baptists provide hot showers, conversations along Appalachian Trail By Connie Davis Bushey DAMASCAS, Va. -- Tony Broyles was a little out of his comfort zone. A lot of the folks he was meeting at Damascas Trail Days for "through hikers" of the Appalachian Trail were different from most folks he knows. "Back in the 60s, when folks like these became popular, I was just a kid," explained Broyles. And he didn't live around any such folks. He has always lived in rural East Tennessee. Of course, there were regular people attending Trail Days, he added. Many of the people at Damascas Trail Days were happy to meet Broyles and the other Tennessee Baptist volunteers. They were excited about the hot showers Broyles and other volunteers were offering at the shower trailer, dubbed the "Clean Machine." Some had not had a hot shower in months because they were hiking the Appalachian Trail. As he was "still processing what we could do for these folks," he quickly learned they were not only interested in a shower, even if they had to wait, but they were interested in conversation. So they were glad to sit under an awning near the Clean Machine and enjoy some bottled water and snacks and visit. Broyles began visiting with folks and, as the Holy Spirit led, witnessing to them. Amazingly, one man Broyles, George Jones, and others witnessed to made a profession of faith. The new Christian was the only person who made that decision among the hundreds witnessed to by the about 25 Tennessee Baptist volunteers at Trail Days. Broyles of Cherry Grove Baptist Church, Jonesborough, and Jones of Tennessee Avenue Baptist Church, Bristol, ministered at the Clean Machine of Holston Baptist Association along with Les Guinn, a DR chaplain, of Cherry Grove Baptist; Tal Thompson, retired director of missions, Holston Association; of Tennessee Avenue, and his wife Liz. Also from Tennessee Avenue were Beverly Jones; Paul Thompson, student pastor; and Phil Whitaker, minister of music. Providing a similar ministry was a larger group from First Baptist Church, Sevierville, operating its laundry/shower trailer. About 20 volunteers from the church were led by Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers John and Kaye Thomas. The annual Damascas Trail Days was held May 12-15 and draws about 15,000 hikers and former hikers of the Appalachian Trail to the small town. Through hikers who converge there began hiking the trail in March in Georgia and often have not had a hot shower since, explained Kaye Thomas. They also desperately need the few clothes they can carry laundered. Some of the hikers are counter-cultural and others are "people just like us," described Kaye Thomas. The Thomases developed the ministry four years ago as a way to minister and use the equipment. Holston Association has been joining them for two years. Besides witnessing through conversation, the First, Sevierville, volunteers placed Bible verses and spiritual tracts in the pockets of the clothes they washed and dried, added Thomas. Tal Thompson noted that many of the hikers he met were students who were searching for "direction in life. It is an ideal time to approach them about spiritual matters and who they should follow." He added that none were rude or negative toward engaging in "Christian talk." Broyles said some people he met said they were agnostics. "Many of them wouldn't open up. But you go along with them (in conversation) and serve them," he explained. Some of the hikers he visited with were "under conviction" and eventually "very open," to his witness. He tried to be "a fruit inspector" who wasn't judgmental, he added. "Most were very respectful, very attentive to what we were talking about, and very thankful ..." said Broyles. "They were there for the showers, but it wasn't about the showers." --30-- This article appeared in the Baptist and Reflector (http://tnbaptist.org/BRNews.asp), newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Connie Davis Bushey is news editor of the Baptist and Reflector. ********** 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 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Church plant seizes opportunity in Catholic sanctuary by JC Davies/Southern Baptist TEXAN Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday QUEBEC CITY, Canada (BP) -- In a place steeped in religious history, a Southern Baptist church plant in Canada's Quebec City is redefining what church looks like for a local community and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ among North America's most unreached people group. In 2005, Église Communautaire Mosaïque was founded in downtown Quebec City, Quebec, one of the poorest parts of the city and also one of the most spiritually impoverished places in Canada. With evangelical Christians making up less than 1 percent of Quebec's population, the native people, called Quebecois, are considered to be the least-reached people in North America, according to the North American Mission Board. "One of the reasons they are so unreached is due to the negative impact the church had on their history," said Chad Vandiver, NAMB Canada mobilization specialist. "This history resulted in the unfavorable definition of church the Quebecois have today." The Catholic Church dominated the culture, education and government in Quebec until recent decades, leaving behind dying churches and people with a religious history but little spiritual connection to the church. The vision of Mosaïque is to "revive the church in each community and to be a church in mission (to) incarnate the Gospel through the love, hope and grace of Christ," said the church's pastor, Christian Lachance. In keeping with its vision to be on mission in the community, the first of Mosaïque's church plants opened in a theatre owned by a local soup kitchen that serves the city's homeless population. The church grew and planted its second church in the Catholic Chapel of University Laval, where university students began sharing the Gospel in that community and taking the Gospel message back to their homes. Since Mosaïque's early days, Lachance said its members also began reaching out to a local Catholic group, eventually leading to a partnership that resulted in an after-school program for local high school students. "Because we focus on being a blessing in the community, we will be known as good people who are doing great things in the name of Jesus," Lachance said. As Mosaïque has grown in recent years, Lachance said the need to expand led to an "amazing opportunity to rent a Catholic church in the poorest neighborhood of all the city, with no evangelical church at all." Each Sunday morning, the Catholic church holds its mass, followed by a service led by Mosaïque church members, Lachance said. After one year of this partnership, leaders from the Catholic church offered Mosaïque the opportunity to purchase the building to continue its mission in the community. Though Lachance said it is a great opportunity for Mosaïque, purchasing the building "is also a surprise we were not prepared for and that represents more than a simple investment." The church now has the funds for the down payment but is looking ahead to possible renovations in the future, as well as purchasing a new sound system, Lachance said. Despite these challenges, Lachance said establishing Mosaïque's presence in a former Catholic sanctuary will allow the congregation to be on "mission like never before." "We also could have such a wonderful opportunity to have influence in the Catholic Church beyond our city," Lachance said, adding that the facility will help Mosaïque's goal to plant 10 churches in the greater Quebec area by serving as a place to train new leaders. By establishing a new and growing church in a place once marked by an empty religious culture, Vandiver said Lachance and Mosaïque are "redefining church for the Quebecois in a way they can understand and respond to." "He is planting an evangelical church in a Catholic sanctuary in order to minister directly to the historical problem the Quebecois have had with churches.... Never before has there been such a tangible opportunity for Southern Baptists to reach an unreached people group on their own continent through the multiplication of church plants," Vandiver said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Alcohol use reignites issue among Baptists by Art Toalston Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Alcohol consumption has jumped back into Baptist discussions, this time stirred by the termination of a high-profile pastor. Perry Noble's removal as senior pastor of the multi-campus NewSpring Church in South Carolina was communicated to members and attendees during Sunday worship services July 10. "Perry's posture towards his marriage, increased reliance on alcohol and other behaviors were of continual concern," according to a statement by NewSpring's board of directors and pastor advisory team that was read aloud. "While this is the most difficult and painful decision we have had to make, unfortunately it was necessary," church leaders said of "some unfortunate choices and decisions" Noble had made. "Because Perry chose not to properly address these ongoing issues and didn't take the necessary steps toward correcting them, he is no longer qualified, as outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and the church's bylaws, to continue as a pastor at NewSpring Church," the leaders' 338-word statement reported. A statement by Noble, who founded NewSpring in 1999 in Anderson, was posted at the church's website. "I'm really sorry and ask you to forgive me," Noble wrote in concluding a 654-word statement to the church, now with more than 15 locations across the state. "In my opinion, the [B]ible does not prohibit the use of alcohol, but it does prohibit drunkenness and intoxication. I never had a problem drinking alcohol socially, but in the past year or so I have allowed myself to slide into, in my opinion, the overuse of alcohol. This was a spiritual and moral mistake on my part as I began to depend on alcohol for my refuge instead of Jesus and others." Noble said neither he nor his wife had committed "any sort of sexual sin. I have not stolen money. I have not been looking at porn and there was absolutely no domestic abuse." He said he intends to seek "the spiritual guidance of some amazing men and women of God in my life -- and am currently under the treatment of an excellent psychiatrist who is helping me take major steps forward." His highest priority, he said, will be "to put 100% of my time and effort into becoming the best husband and father I can become. I would ask that you pray for my family and me as we seek out what's next for our lives." Southern Baptists on alcohol The dangers of alcohol have been voiced nearly 60 times in resolutions adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention over the years, most recently in 2006 and 1991. A lengthy debate marked the 2006 resolution. From the floor, an amendment to the Resolution Committee's initial text was proposed urging exclusion of Southern Baptists who drink from the convention's boards and committees. After back-and-forth debate, the amendment and the resolution passed by an estimated four-fifths vote, according to a Baptist Press report on the non-binding resolutions that year. Among the resolution's declarations: "Years of research confirm biblical warnings that alcohol use leads to physical, mental, and emotional damage (e.g., Proverbs 23:29-35)"; "Alcohol use has led to countless injuries and deaths on our nation's highways"; "The breakup of families and homes can be directly and indirectly attributed to alcohol use by one or more members of a family." The resolution's final "whereas" clause stated: "There are some religious leaders who are now advocating the consumption of alcoholic beverages based on a misinterpretation of the doctrine of 'our freedom in Christ.'" In the key "resolved" clause, messengers embraced "total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing, and consuming of alcoholic beverages." Perry Noble is not alone Empathy for Noble was voiced by Ed Stetzer, a popular blogger and Wheaton College faculty member who formerly was executive director of LifeWay Research. Alcohol has been a struggle for various church leaders -- those who are "innovative, contemporary, traditional, and liturgical,” Stetzer wrote. “The Bible says that 'wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler' (Proverbs 20:1). Let's pray and weep because alcohol mocked again, and let's not feel the need to join in that mocking. The world will do that enough." In a word of hope to any pastor "struggling with alcohol or any other addiction," Stetzer recommended "ministries and resources like Recovering Redemption, Celebrate Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous, and more." "If you need someone to contact you personally, send us an email at pastors@lifeway.com and Mark Dance, who leads our efforts with pastors, will get you in touch with someone who can help. (You can also use the LifeWay Pastors contact page.) Your name will be kept confidential and pastors of all denominations (and none) are welcome. Or, if you prefer not to even share that information, call the Focus on the Family Pastor Care Line 844-4PASTOR. "You don't have to suffer alone," Stetzer wrote, "and it won't end well if you don't get help. You do not have to hide. Alcohol isn't freedom, and hiding isn't the way out. We can stand together in the power of the Gospel and see the way forward in hope." Alcohol & theology Readiness to delve into what the Bible disallows or allows in alcohol consumption abounds among Baptists, as evidenced by a July 11 commentary by Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas, titled "Concerning Alcoholic Beverages." Also online: a commentary titled "Time to Rethink the Drink" by Kentucky pastor Daryl Cornett, a former faculty member at the Memphis-area Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Tennessee. Both men, in 1800-word essays counseling Christians to shun alcoholic beverages, examine an array of Bible passages such as Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding ceremony; warnings regarding alcohol in Proverbs and other Old and New Testament passages; and the Lord's Supper. Patterson's essay can be accessed at http://swbts.edu/news/releases/first-person-concerning-alcoholic-beverages; Cornett's, http://darylcornett.blogspot.com/2014/01/time-to-rethink-drink.html. Patterson acknowledges, "References to wine are frequent in both the Old and New Testaments," though the Greek word "oinos" in the New Testament can refer to freshly pressed grape juice as well as low-grade wine. "The Bible has almost no good word about it and, in fact, usually associates tragedy and sin with the use of wine," Patterson writes. "... A believer in no way can justify drinking if thereby he is contributing to the sustenance of an industry responsible for two-thirds of the violent deaths, two-fifths of all divorces, one-third of all crime, and untold millions of dollars in damage to private property." Cornett, describing himself as a "1 Corinthians 8 teetotaler," underscored the apostle Paul's concern to avoid causing weaker Christians to stumble in their faith. "In other words, I should care more about the other guy than my own liberty -- a clear call to self-denial.... Paul says that the cavalier Christian who disregards his 'weaker' brother does not merely sin against his brother, but against Christ Himself since Christ died for the weaker brother too." This biblical principle "that God has given us in His Word," Cornett writes, "ought to be all we need." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Dallas shootings yield 'beginning of revival' by David Roach Date: July 12, 2016 - Tuesday DALLAS (BP) -- Holding interracial prayer gatherings, ministering to grieving police officers in the emergency room and hosting a question-and-answer session with police are among the ways Dallas-area Southern Baptists have responded to the violent killings of five police officers last week. The July 7 assassinations, apparently committed by a suspect who reportedly told police he wanted to kill white people, occurred within days of police killing two black civilians under questionable circumstances -- Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge, La., and Philando Castile of the Minneapolis area. President Obama and former President George W. Bush spoke at a memorial service for the slain officers in Dallas today (July 12). 'All lives matter' Heightened racial tension precipitated by the string of violence prompted Mesquite (Texas) Friendship Baptist Church to host a community "All Lives Matter Prayer Gathering" July 11, at which approximately 700 black, white and Hispanic believers prayed for the families of Sterling and Castile, the families of the murdered police officers and the family of Dallas shooting suspect Micah Johnson, who was killed by police. "Black lives matter because black lives are being traumatized in America today," Mesquite Friendship pastor Terry Turner, an African American, told Baptist Press. "We're concerned, however, with all lives. So in order to recognize the fact that the white police officers were killed, we needed to change it from 'black lives matter' to 'all lives matter.'" Turner, a former Southern Baptists of Texas Convention president, said the prayer gathering "was the beginning of revival in our city and in our church," with reconciliation, tears and people hugging the police officers present. "We had a period of repentance," Turner said. "We had a period of forgiveness. We had a period of love and then a period of reconciliation. Last night was an outstanding night." SBTC executive director Jim Richards wrote in a July 8 column, "Perhaps God can use the tragic deaths of policemen and civilians this week to drive us to our knees in unity around the cross of Christ and dependence on our merciful God." Richards commended Turner for leading the convention during his presidency to adopt its "Look Like Heaven" emphasis on racial unity and reconciliation. The emphasis encourages churches each July to participate in intercultural exchanges, including pastor swaps and combined revival meetings. Turner "saw in his heart, and we join him in praying, that God's people will be one in purpose and one in love without regard for the external things that try to divide us," Richards wrote in the Southern Baptist TEXAN newsjournal. In Farmersville, Texas, predominantly white First Baptist Church hosted an interracial prayer gathering July 10. First Baptist pastor Bart Barber told BP the gathering "was really powerful and healing in a lot of ways. We brought together people who react to these situations differently." 'Back the blue' At First Baptist Church in Dallas, located just blocks from the site of the shooting, an emphasis on honoring police three months ago opened doors to minister amid last week's tragedy. "Back the Blue" Sunday April 17 featured appearances by Dallas police chief David Brown and Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings along with the launch of a support network for the Dallas Police Department (DPD) and other law enforcement agencies. In conjunction with "Back the Blue" Sunday, First Baptist "began an informal relationship ... with the DPD, offering free counseling services for DPD officers and families along with scholarships to our children's and youth camps," said pastor Robert Jeffress in written comments to BP. "Because of this special relationship, we have been able to minister in a unique way during the crisis. "As the tragedy unfolded last Thursday night," Jeffress continued, "our ministers were able to go both to the hospital and to Dallas Police headquarters to minister to grieving officers and DPD staff. We are currently ministering to a number of officers through our counseling center, as well as providing media/tech support for the funeral services of fallen officers." This past Sunday, Jeffress spoke about the shootings in morning worship services, and attendees prayed for the police as well as other local, state and national leaders. Common ground, not 'battle ground' At predominantly African American Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, Arlington police chief Will Johnson addressed youth and their parents during a July 10 worship service about the proper way to interact with police. A 10-minute presentation by the chief was followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. Pastor Dwight McKissic told BP that Johnson, who attends a sister Southern Baptist church, urged citizens to "go overboard" when stopped by a police officer "to make sure everything is visible [and] your hands are clear" because a police officer may mistake reaching for a wallet or paperwork in the glove compartment as reaching for a weapon. McKissic preached on Luke 13:1-5, addressing the shootings in Dallas, Louisiana and Minneapolis. During the sermon, he expressed appreciation for a July 7 tweet by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr., in which he encouraged Christians to "ask if #AltonSterling & #PhilandoCastile would be alive today if they were white." When considering tragic deaths of any kind, McKissic told worshipers, "ultimately the issue is one of repentance and faith. We're asking why these people are dead when we ought to be asking why we are alive" and whether we are spiritually prepared to stand before God. "Why you die is not the issue," McKissic said. "How you die becomes more important than why you die. Will you die in the faith? Will you die having repented?" Cornerstone took up an offering to be divided among the families of the five slain officers, the families of Sterling and Castile and the family of Johnson. "We try not to approach these matters from a racial point of view," McKissic said, "but from a community point of view because we don't believe the white community can solve these problems alone. We don't believe the black community can solve these problems alone. We can only solve these problems when we come together and seek common ground rather than battle ground."