The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-08/01/2016 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Adultery, divorce & the believer by Terri Stovall Date: August 01, 2016 - Monday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- She sat in my office and tearfully told me she was leaving seminary to go fight for her marriage. This promising student, let's call her Shari, had discovered her husband was the epitome of unfaithfulness. The details are not important other than to say it involved adultery, deceit, an unplanned pregnancy and a wounding that cut to the core of her being. And yet, she wanted to fight. As I heard Shari's story, I applauded and encouraged her decision. At the same time, I knew that many would not blame her, some would even encourage her, if she walked away from her 15-year marriage. We all know marriages where adultery has occurred. We have watched television couples who profess to be Christians as they dealt with adultery. And many, even those in the church, are astonished when the first response is not to walk away from the marriage. Marriage is a sacred union with a purpose greater than the bride and groom vowing to one another. God did not institute marriage only for the pleasure and procreation of humans. It was created also to be a visible representation of the relationship Jesus has with the people of God. When a man and woman stand before God and enter into a covenant relationship, it teaches us about our relationship to God like none other. The apostle Paul unpacks this for us in Ephesians 5:22-31. These verses, which conclude the fifth chapter of Ephesians, are part of the continuation of the command in verse 1 to "Be imitators of God": Verses 22-24 -- "Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord...." The phrase "as to the Lord" in connection with the remaining verses sets marriage as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and the church. That puts a whole new meaning and purpose to submission and to marriage in general. Submission is not just a good idea or even step one in "seven steps to a happy marriage." It is much loftier than that. The biblical model of marriage places wives as a picture that parallels the relationship of the church to Christ. Verses 25-31 -- "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her...." The love of a husband is to be a sacrificial love that imitates the sacrificial love of Christ for us. But even further, note that Paul goes on to speak about the one-flesh relationship. Marriage brings men and women into such an intimate relationship that it is as if they have become a single person. A husband does not wish to hurt his own flesh and thus does not wish to hurt his wife because she is "bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh." Just as the wife reflects the relationship of the church to Christ, so too does the husband. Christ loves the church because the church is, in fact, His body. It is easy to embrace this higher purpose for marriage when the picture is bright, happy and colorful. But what happens when it becomes difficult and painful? Should a believer divorce her spouse solely because he has been unfaithful? Let’s look at this through the lens of the purposes for which marriage was created. Any believer initiating divorce, even in the case of an adulterous spouse, paints a picture of God walking away from His faithless Bride. Shari could have chosen to initiate divorce from her husband, since the man with whom she entered into a covenant relationship violated that covenant. Many biblically-faithful Christians would counsel that God would allow her to do so because of what is called by some the “exception clause” based on Matthew 19. But Shari chose a different path. It is noteworthy that Jesus says that the reason Moses provided for divorce was “because of the hardness of your hearts.” It was granted as an option, not an expectation, and was predicated on Israel’s sinful heart. The purpose and permanence of marriage was established from the time Adam and Eve were created, as Jesus made crystal clear in the text. God does not compromise His principles nor lower His standards because of the sins of His children. Sin may distort but it does not transform the greater purpose of marriage. It is always meant to proclaim the Gospel -- the whole Gospel -- and adultery provides a powerful opportunity to do so. Adultery provides a believing spouse the opportunity to show redeeming, unconditional love. Shari chose to stay and fight, waiting for her husband to return. She showed faithfulness in the midst of the unfaithful. And, through much prayer, work, counsel and support from godly mentors, in the end their marriage was restored. You may be reading this, having fought, but still lost. This is not a magic remedy that heals all marriages. An offended spouse who chooses this path cannot be guaranteed a restored marriage. What can be guaranteed is this: If she loved, forgave, kept arms of redemption open in the midst of the pain and violation, and did nothing that closed the door for restoration, then she will stand before the Lord without regret for the choice she made. God will heal her hurts because she is His child. And He will completely forgive where she may have fallen. We are called to forgive in the same way God has forgiven us. We are called to love unconditionally in the same way God loves us without condition. We are called to remain faithful in the midst of unfaithfulness in the same way God remains faithful to us when we are faithless. We are called to remain bound to the covenant we made in the same way our covenants with God cannot be broken Is it easy? Absolutely not! Is it possible? With God's help, yes! Shari's story is not uncommon, but her response was. Perhaps, though, if this became the expected solution for the body of Christ instead of looking for "the exception," marriages would be stronger, and the silent observers that we may never know will be reminded that there is a God who will never let us go, no matter what. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Wisdom-Martin elected executive director of WMU by Julie Walters Date: August 01, 2016 - Monday BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Sandra Wisdom-Martin was unanimously elected executive director/treasurer of national Woman's Missionary Union by its executive board during a special called meeting, July 29-30, in Birmingham, Ala. Wisdom-Martin, who has served as executive director of WMU of Texas, succeeds Wanda Lee. Lee has served as executive director of the 128-year-old missions organization for the past 16 years. Wisdom-Martin will begin her new role on Oct. 15. She was presented to the board by a search committee appointed in February following Lee's announcement of her intentions to retire. Prior to leading WMU of Texas since 2010, Wisdom-Martin served as women's missions and ministries director for the Illinois Baptist State Association, 2001-2010; and as Cooperative Program Missionary with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, 1991-2001. "Having served in three different Baptist state conventions, Sandy brings great experience as a leader to this role along with tremendous creativity," said Joy Bolton, executive director of Kentucky and chair of the search committee. "The affirmations of her leadership received from people in each state where she has served speak volumes. She has earned love and respect through partnerships, missions trips, speaking engagements, and other missions involvement." Bolton describes Wisdom-Martin as "a thoughtful leader who listens well and brings clarity to complex situations when she speaks." Lee agrees. "I've had the privilege of observing and working alongside Sandy for many years," she said. "Sandy listens well, considers every possible action before she speaks, and then delivers on what she promises. Her quiet presence puts people at ease while building confidence in the actions to be taken. She will lead WMU well from a place of complete surrender to the Lord." Complete surrender "My commitment has always been to walk where God leads," Wisdom-Martin noted, "yet this has been a difficult process because I am in a very good place. I love the assignment God has given us (in Texas). This certainly caught my family by surprise and was not a part of our plan, but we believe God is sovereign and all the details of our lives are in His hands. I trust Him completely for the future. "I don't do what I do because of my employment," Wisdom-Martin continued. "I do what I do because I believe in the restoration of brokenness through hope in Christ. Through WMU, the only reason we do what we do is because He is risen and we must tell the good news." Linda Cooper, president of national WMU, said Wisdom-Martin serves with humility and compassion and desires to honor God with her life. "Sandy is passionate about the work of WMU and what it represents," she said, "but most of all she loves the Lord and desires to share His love with everyone He puts in her path." In regard to transition of leadership, Lee said, "I am excited about handing over this important place of service to Sandy and pledge all of my support and prayers as she comes to lead WMU into the future. Her love for missions, missionaries and WMU provides a strong backdrop for developing the vision we need for the future of WMU." In addition to more than 25 years of experience in state WMU and church and community ministry, including children's missions education camps, Wisdom-Martin has served with more than 50 missions groups in nine different countries; served as national coordinator for Mississippi River Ministry; and writes extensively for WMU publications and others. In WMU, she has served as an associational Girls in Action (GA) director, associational Acteens director, Campus Baptist Young Women (BYU) president, Mission Friends leader, GA leader, and Acteens co-leader. Born and raised in southern Illinois, Wisdom-Martin holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Southern Illinois University and a master's in social work from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her husband Frank have one daughter, Hannah. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska quashes parental notice requirement for abortion by Ciera Horton/WORLD News Service Date: August 01, 2016 - Monday ALASKA (BP) -- The Alaska Supreme Court on July 22 struck down a state law requiring abortionists to give two days' notice to parents before providing abortions to minors. In a 2010 ballot initiative, 56 percent of voters approved what became the law requiring parental notification, but not consent, for a minor's abortion. Now the court says the law is unconstitutional and violates Alaska's equal-protection guarantee. The decision "elevated the demands of abortionists over the rights of parents," said Steven H. Aden, a lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) who is seeking to uphold the law. Writing on behalf of the court, Justice Daniel Winfree said the law discriminated by having the state involved only in the reproductive choices of minors who wished to terminate their pregnancies, not those who wished to keep their children. "It is clear that the notification law treats the two classes of pregnant minors differently," Winfree wrote, "burdening the fundamental privacy rights of those seeking termination but not the fundamental privacy rights of those seeking to carry to term." The one dissenting vote came from Justice Craig Stowers, who argued the law gave parents the chance to discuss with their children the impact of abortions and alternatives to termination. Alaska's law allowed for some flexibility with the notification requirements. It did not apply to girls ages 16 or 17 who were married or "emancipated" from their parents. Girls also had the option to bypass the notification process with permission from a judge or by providing a statement in cases of abuse. The law also contained an exemption for medical emergencies. In 2007, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in State v. Planned Parenthood of Alaska that the state's Parental Consent Act violated minors' right to privacy. But the court noted that a parental notification law not requiring permission was constitutionally permissible and "may actually better serve the state's compelling interests." In response, conservative leaders created the parental notification ballot initiative. Republican state Sen. Mia Costello, one of the initiative's original sponsors, wrote back in 2010: "Ultimately, you must ask yourself -- whom do you trust more to make medical decisions for your child: yourself, or an abortion doctor who happens to make money by performing abortions?" Former Republican Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, another sponsor of the notification initiative, criticized the court's decision to invalidate the law, saying, "Alaskans understand that it makes sense for parents to be involved in the lives of their children." Costello has also railed against the ruling, saying the court was "making judgments that are denigrating of families and parents. … It's the wrong direction that our country is going in, really, where families are being kept in the dark about things." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Christian faith marks Yankee great's career, home life by Rudy Gray/Baptist Courier Date: August 01, 2016 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: Please see article about Bobby Richardson's friendship with Mickey Mantle. Richardson shares about his former Yankee teammate's "final inning." GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP) -- Bobby Richardson played baseball for the New York Yankees during the golden years of the dynasty. He retired from baseball at age 31 and shortly thereafter became the first full-time baseball coach at the University of South Carolina, establishing a winning tradition that continues to the present. But the key to his outstanding career, his marriage of 60 years and his witness for Christ has been his Christian faith. Bobby met his wife Betsy at Grace Baptist Church in Sumter, S.C. She sat on one side of the church with her mother, and he sat on the opposite side with the youth group. They noticed each other, and each thought the other was attractive. On the day Bobby graduated from high school, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Yankees, even though he was offered contracts from 12 major league teams and scholarships from two large universities. As a boy, he dreamed of playing for the Yankees after he saw "The Pride of the Yankees," a movie that told the inspiring story of Lou Gehrig. Years later, in 1962, Bobby won the Lou Gehrig Award, which honors the player who best exemplifies Gehrig's character both on and off the field. After a brief trip to New York, Bobby was playing minor league ball in Denver, Colo. He and Betsy continued to write to each other and, in their words, "got to know each other better." They wanted to get married, so he asked manager Ralph Houk for permission to come to South Carolina and marry Betsy. Houk agreed, and Mr. and Mrs. Richardson returned to Denver a week later. Betsy was almost 16, and he was 20. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in June, but their journey has not been without struggles. After returning to Denver and moving Betsy into their apartment, Bobby left the next day for a 17-day road trip with the team. The new bride was left alone in an unfamiliar city. She said, "It just about killed me when he left. I loved him so much. While he was gone, I felt real fear for the first time, and I did not sleep that first night." Break-ins had been reported in the area where they lived, and she noticed a large man walking up and down the street in front of their apartment. She says she overcame her fear by "reading the Bible and trusting the Lord." "I was so naive," she said. "I didn't know how to cook many things, but I had a recipe for apple crunch that I thought he liked." After serving it six days in a row, Bobby invited her to sit on his lap. She added, "He had a hard time getting out what he wanted to say, but he finally said, 'I hate that apple desert.'"  He admitted he liked it for a while, but after six consecutive days, he had "had enough." Adjusting to being the wife of a professional baseball player was difficult for Betsy, and she struggled with depression. She knew she would have to share her husband with the public because of his life in baseball, but she had not anticipated the feelings she would encounter. "We had lots of struggles related to his profession. We are opposite temperaments, so it is a miracle we have stayed together," she laughed. While she battled depression, he had some anger issues that were expressed as sarcasm. Bobby acknowledged it, and Betsy added, "Sometimes he would be sarcastic and I would get mad at him, but I could not stay mad at him very long." Bobby retired from baseball in the prime of his career at age 31. By this time, the couple had four children, and their schedule was challenging. During the year, the family lived in Florida (for spring training), New Jersey and Sumter. Bobby wasn't able to spend as much time with his children as he wanted, and Betsy often filled the role of both parents. "People saw our children play sports and assumed they benefitted from having a major leaguer to work with them at home," Bobby said. "They would be stunned to know how many times it was actually their mother throwing a ball with them in the yard or shooting baskets with them because their father was not at home." Why did he retire at 31? "I wanted to take the kids to school, help them with homework and watch or help coach their teams," he noted.  He and shortstop Tony Kubek both decided they would retire at the end of the 1965 season. Richardson was asked to play one more year and accept a special position for four more years at $15,000 a year. Houk, who was then the manager of the Yankees, told him he would not have to do anything. On Sept. 17, 1966, he became the 10th Yankee to be given a special day at Yankee Stadium. The team did not do well that year, and toward the end of the season attendance had fallen to around 10,000 people a game. On "Bobby Richardson Day," 20,000 fans showed up, George Beverly Shea sang "How Great Thou Art," and Richardson addressed the stadium crowd. He said, "How lucky it has been for me to have been a Yankee. To God be the glory." Later, his mother-in-law good-naturedly reminded him that "we are not lucky, we are blessed." In 1970, Richardson became the first full-time baseball coach for the University of South Carolina. The Yankees have been identified by their pinstripe uniforms for years. Richardson said, "One of the first things I did was put pinstripes on the uniforms." In 1974, the team made its first appearance in the NCAA tournament. In 1975, the Gamecocks went to the College World Series, losing to Texas in the championship game. Richardson says his assignment was to "put Gamecock baseball on the map." He brought a mediocre program into national prominence and established a winning tradition that continues to the present, including 30 regional and 11 College World Series appearances, four national runners-up and two national championships. He is warmly regarded as the Father of Gamecock Baseball. When he left the Yankees and became the coach at Carolina, general manager Lee MacPhail told him, "When you get settled, give us a call, and we will bring the Yankees to play your ball club." In 1974, Richardson called in the favor. There was one problem: The Yankees and Mets were traveling north together from spring training. Both agreed to come. The Gamecocks played the Yankees for three innings and the Mets for three innings, and the Mets and Yankees played a full nine-inning game. Yogi Berra was the manager of the Mets. Richardson said, "We had somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 people in attendance. That helped boost our program more than anything."  Richardson left USC following the 1976 season and coached for two years at Coastal Carolina and five seasons at Liberty University. He has spoken at five Billy Graham crusades and continues to share God's Word in churches and other venues throughout this country. He is a member of the South Carolina Hall of Fame. Betsy and Bobby have five children, all of them in some type of ministry, including two sons who are pastors. They have 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, with two more due by the end of the year. Richardson will turn 81 in August and offered this insight: "Betsy and I want to finish strong." Please see additional story on Bobby Richardson below ********************** Bobby & Mickey: A life-changing friendship By Rudy Gray/Baptist Courier GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP) -- One of Bobby Richardson's good friends during his playing days with the New York Yankees was the legendary Mickey Mantle. Mantle was an extremely popular player and regarded by many baseball observers as the best switch-hitter ever to play the game. He accumulated numerous awards during his 18-year career, highlighted by his greatest year as a professional in 1956. That year he won the Triple Crown, Male Athlete of the Year, American League Most Valuable Player, and Player of the Year. He played in 12 World Series and won the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1957 and 1962. The runner-up for the 1962 MVP was Richardson. Mantle said Richardson should have received the award. During the years when Mantle and Richardson played, the Yankees were loaded with talent. It was the golden age of baseball, and the Yankees dominated. Larry King once said, "Mickey Mantle is baseball." But Mantle struggled throughout his career with a condition called osteomyelitis (bone infection) as the result of an injury in high school. He also injured his right knee in the 1951 World Series. After that, he wrapped his leg for every game and played with chronic pain. He was recognized and respected as a power hitter (hitting a home run reportedly measured at 565 feet), but also became known for his speed and drag bunts. He was a Gold Glove award recipient for his play in centerfield. However, following his knee injury, his speed was diminished. Mantle had a reputation for being a hard-drinking party man. Along the way, he became an alcoholic. Richardson, on the other hand, was seen as a clean-living homebody and a dedicated Christian. It was an unusual friendship, but one that allowed Richardson to plant the seeds of the Gospel many times over the years in Mantle's life. "I believe God had a purpose for our relationship," he said. After both players retired, they stayed in contact, with Mantle doing public appearances and batting clinics for Richardson's college teams. Richardson said Mantle retired "as one of the greatest players to ever play the game." Mantle owned a restaurant in New York, and Richardson would speak there on occasion. Once, his son Robby spoke there in the 1980s. Mantle commented to him, "You sound just like your dad -- always talking about that decision I need to make." During his career, he talked often about trusting Christ as Savior, referring to it as "the decision." Mantle's alcoholism worsened following his retirement, and he entered the Betty Ford Center for treatment in 1994. Sportscaster Bob Costas interviewed him that year, just two weeks after his son Billy passed away at 36. Mantle told Costas that he had not been a good role model and that there was something missing in his life. One year later, Mantle was diagnosed with liver cancer. After receiving a liver transplant, he was hopeful, but the cancer returned. His life began to deteriorate rapidly. While in the hospital at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, he endured a great deal of pain. Bobby Richardson was in Dallas for a speaking engagement at that time. During that week, Richardson received a phone call at 6:00 a.m. from Mantle, asking him to pray for him. Richardson prayed with him over the phone and shared with him Philippians 4:4-7 in the Phillips translation. Later in the morning, he visited his friend at the hospital. As Richardson left the room to return to South Carolina, Mantle said to him, "Now don't forget, you have my funeral." Richardson said, "I believe what drew Mickey to me was that I had the relationship with Christ that he was searching for, even if he didn't realize it. He often attended our baseball chapel services." A few weeks later, Mantle's wife Merlyn called the Richardsons. Mickey's life was fading quickly. They flew to Dallas. When Bobby and Betsy walked into the room, Mantle said, "I can't wait to tell you this. I have accepted Christ as my Savior." Bobby was elated, but wanted to be sure, so he went through the plan of salvation with Mantle again. Betsy later asked him, "Mickey, if you were to stand before a holy God today and He asked you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' what would you say?" Mantle replied, "We are talking about God, right?" Betsy acknowledged they were. He then quoted John 3:16.  Mantle, the Yankee great, passed away Aug. 13, 1995, on a Sunday morning at age 63. Bobby was in charge of the service and preached the funeral message. Bob Costas spoke also, but it was Richardson who presented the Gospel. The service was televised worldwide. Richardson has been distributing a special tract to hundreds of people over the years. It is titled "Mickey Mantle: His Final Inning" and tells the story of his friend's profession of faith in Christ and how others can also believe and be saved. Both Mantle and Richardson thought about quitting baseball when they were playing in the minor leagues. Neither did, and in the providence of God, they became friends -- one living and sharing the life-changing message of the Gospel, the other finally embracing that message. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'True champions for Christ' by Rudy Gray/Baptist Courier Date: August 01, 2016 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: See today's related stories on Bobby Richardson GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP) -- In 1974, I was working as a young sports writer for the Anderson Independent and was given the assignment to do a full-page feature on Bobby Richardson, head coach of the University of South Carolina's baseball team. It was my first big story, and I enjoyed interviewing the former New York Yankee second baseman. The Gamecocks were preparing for their first-ever NCAA baseball tournament appearance. Richardson had built a mediocre program into a national contender in four years. His strong and public commitment to Christ distinguished him from most other coaches. During Richardson's tenure at Carolina, Ed Young, then pastor of Columbia's First Baptist Church, was chaplain of the baseball team. My wife and I recently spent a day with Bobby and Betsy Richardson. They continue to live busy lives. The phone rings every few minutes, more than 50 pieces of mail come every week with requests for autographs, etc., and they are continually asked to speak or appear at various functions. It is amazing. He retired from the Yankees at age 31 and will turn 81 in August. To say they are still active would be an understatement. We began our day with Betsy leading us in prayer. Bobby and I attended a men's monthly luncheon in Sumter, where a speaker shared the Word of God and various prayer requests were received. People in his hometown call him Coach, but Betsy continues to call him Robert. She pointed out that, over the years, "Robert treated everyone the same. He would give time to anybody and has always been a giving person." Her husband, in turn, spoke in glowing terms of Betsy's role as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. "Most of all," he said, "she is a faithful witness to our Lord." He won the last of his five Gold Glove awards in 1965. It wasn't until 2010 that a Yankees second baseman won that award again. He has personally led many people to faith in Christ, including many of his Yankee teammates. He has spoken at the funeral services of many teammates, including Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Steve Hamilton (who named his son after Richardson and accepted Christ in their home), Enos Slaughter, Bill Schrown, Clete Boyer, manager Ralph Houk, Bob Turley and others. He also spoke at the funeral services of former Gamecock standouts Hank Small and Gary Hancock. He had a relatively brief but exceptional professional career in Major League Baseball and used that platform to be a bold witness for Christ. He said, "I always tried to live my life in a way that I hoped would cause my teammates to be drawn to my Savior." However, he said he "shuddered" that some of his teammates may have gotten the wrong impression. He and shortstop Tony Kubek were roommates on the road and were nicknamed the "milkshake twins" because of their clean living. Mickey Mantle once told Betsy he could live as good as Bobby. Richardson says he wanted his teammates to know that "the source of my strength was Jesus, not a religion or self-discipline." Bobby and Betsy do not hold themselves up as a perfect couple, and they freely share about their struggles. However, they have remained faithful to God and each other for over 60 years. Richardson concluded his book, "Impact Player," with these words: "When accounts of my life are written, I hope two things will be said of me. First, that I played baseball in a way that made my team better. Second, and more important, that I lived my life in a way that drew others to my Savior." I began my article about Bobby Richardson in 1974 with these words: "In short, he is a winner." Forty-two years later, I would not change that assessment but simply add that he is "a man of proven consistency and loyal faithfulness." He has fought the good fight of faith, and his race is not finished yet. Bobby and Betsy are both true champions for Christ.