The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-08/25/2015 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- What happens to children who die in infancy? by David Roach Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- In response to the release of a series of videos showing Planned Parenthood employees reportedly discussing the sale of baby parts obtained through abortion, evangelicals have expressed a range of views on the eternal destiny of children who die in infancy. Among Southern Baptists, most agree Scripture suggests aborted babies -- along with others dying in infancy and individuals with severe mental disabilities -- go to heaven. But pastors and theologians disagree on various related issues from the clarity of Scripture on children's salvation to whether infants bear guilt before God. Points of agreement include the evil of abortion and the goodness of God. "As tragic as this situation is," Connecticut pastor David Saylor said of infant deaths, "it's not beyond the sovereign power of God to be in control of. We're not totally lost to our situation. We're still in the hands of God." Saylor, pastor of First Baptist Church in Manchester, Conn., told Baptist Press he doesn't think the Bible "specifically or directly" explains the eternal destiny of infants who die in infancy or other persons mentally unable to understand the concepts of sin and faith. While Christians "can't be dogmatic about what God hasn't chosen to clearly reveal to us," Saylor believes "God may apply Christ's blood to those who are unable to accept by faith the gift of salvation." Infants are not innocent before God because they bear guilt that is imputed to all humans due to Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden, Saylor said, citing Psalm 51:5 and Romans 5:12-14. "A baby just born or in the womb hasn't sinned personally yet, but he has a fallen nature and that's the issue God has to conquer." Saylor's belief that God "may" apply Christ's blood to infants is based on his notion of "the justice of God" rather than a specific Scripture passage, he said. It is reasonable to speculate that if children "haven't come to the point where they can have faith, then God may apply Christ's blood even without that faith," Saylor said. Doug Melton, pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, believes the Bible allows Christians to express greater certainty about the eternal destiny of babies who die in infancy. "Whenever we take the full context of Scripture," Melton told BP, "I have a real hard time sitting in front of a mom and dad and saying to them, 'I don't know where your stillborn child is.'" Infants who die in infancy go to heaven, Melton said. He based his view, first, on the Old Testament teaching that God only punished Israelites 20 and older when the nation rebelled against Him on the edge of the Promised Land. In contrast, God allowed younger people to enter the land after 40 years of wilderness wandering. Adolescents and children were not barred from the land presumably, Melton said, "because they had not willfully rebelled against God." That account from Numbers 14, he said, is "a type that's pointing ahead to the scriptural understanding of heaven." Second, Melton said Romans 1:20 suggests individuals unable to "perceive" God through observation of His creation "are not held accountable because they have not willfully rebelled." All humans inherit a sinful nature from Adam, Melton said, but Scripture only threatens punishment for personal sin. Despite infants' lack of moral culpability, Melton believes they are saved by Christ's atonement, though he does not "fully understand" how that salvation transaction works. Beliefs of 'most Southern Baptists' In 2013, a Calvinism Advisory Committee appointed by Frank S. Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, acknowledged disagreement among Southern Baptists on some issues related to infant salvation -- such as whether all humans inherit Adam's guilt. But the committee noted in its report, "Most Southern Baptists believe that those who die before they are capable of moral action go to heaven through the grace of God and the atonement of Christ, even as they differ as to why this is so." Among committee members to express their views on the death of infants is Steve Lemke, provost at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In a 2010 article for Louisiana's Baptist Message newsjournal, Lemke argued "children are not morally accountable until 'they are capable of moral action,'" referencing Article III of the Baptist Faith and Message. The section of the BF&M Lemke referenced states, "As soon as [humans] are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation." Both the 1925 and 1963 editions of the BF&M make similar statements. Baptists, Lemke wrote, typically "do not believe in inherited guilt." Drawing on the new covenant prophecies in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 18 among other Scriptures, Lemke argued humans "are only accountable under the new covenant for our own sins." Therefore, "Baptists have always believed that since infants are not yet capable of actual sin, they go to heaven." Calvinism Advisory Committee members R. Albert Mohler Jr. and Daniel Akin wrote in a 2009 article, "We are born marked by original sin, and thus we cannot claim that infants are born in a state of innocence." Yet "we are to be judged on the basis of our deeds committed 'in the body,'" presumably a reference to 2 Corinthians 5:10. Scripture "does not teach that we will answer for Adam's sin," wrote Mohler and Akin, presidents of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary respectively. Therefore, "heaven will be filled with those who never grew to maturity on earth." A historical perspective Historically, the questions of whether infants bear guilt and the eternal destiny of those dying in infancy have been debated. As Mohler and Akin noted, the fourth-century church father Gregory of Nyssa believed infants, along with all other humans, would have an opportunity after death to confess Christ as Savior. Another fourth-century Christian, Ambrose of Milan, believed baptized infants would go to heaven while unbaptized infants would not, though he said they received immunity from the pain of hell. The 17th-century Westminster Confession of Faith argued, "Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit ... so also are all other elect persons who are uncapable [sic] of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word." Particular Baptists' 1689 Second London Confession echoed that assertion, along with its implied distinction between elect and non-elect infants. In the 18th century, John Wesley, the father of Methodism, dealt with the issue of infant guilt by arguing Christ's death removed original guilt from every human so that no one is eternally condemned for Adam's sin, according to an article by Leo Cox in the Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society. Wesley himself wrote that Adam's sin "is imputed to all men." But "that any will be damned for this alone, I allow not, till you show me where it is written. Bring me plain proof from Scripture, and I submit; but till then, I utterly deny it." Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon said in an 1861 sermon, "We say, with regard to infants, Scripture saith but little, and, therefore, where Scripture is confessedly scant, it is for no man to determine dogmatically. But I think I speak for the entire body, or certainly with exceedingly few exceptions, and those unknown to me, when I say, we hold that all infants are elect of God and are therefore saved." 'Stand together' on Scripture Among Baptists today, Wayne Robertson, pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Ga., takes a position on infant salvation with echoes of several historical figures. "I do understand that infants are a member of Adam's fallen race and are born with a sin nature," Robertson told BP in written comments. "I believe the Scriptures teach that condemnation is based on the rejection of God's revelation whether general or specific and not based on ignorance of it. I hold the position that the unborn and infants have not comprehended general revelation nor have they been given special revelation and as a result, have not been declared 'without excuse' (Romans 1:18-20). "Therefore, trusting the many Scriptures that tell us that Jesus expressed His love for children, such as Matthew 19:13-15, I believe that Christ's atonement covered the guilt of these infants," Robertson said. As Christians continue to discuss the eternal destiny of infants, Melton, of Southern Hills in Oklahoma City, urged charity among those who trust the authority of Scripture. "There's a whole lot of different interpretations of Scripture," Melton said, "and I believe everyone is trying to stand together on what Scripture teaches." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Orphaned but not alone: Sue's fulfilling life by Jim Burton Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday PRATTVILLE, Ala. (BP) -- Randall Tucker has conducted countless funerals during 32 years as pastor of Prattmont Baptist Church. But he faced a challenge for the memorial service of Sue Chapman. Tucker had never known her. Tucker learned that Chapman, 75, grew up at the Alabama Baptist Children's Home in Troy, the ministry's primary location for many years. Chapman was 3 when she arrived at the children's home with a younger sister. Their mother had died from leukemia and their father couldn't care for them due to the demands of his job. The children's home brought stability, education and faith into Chapman's life. As she told her longtime friend and former work colleague Laura Wheatley, "I often wonder what would have happened to me if it had not been for them." Chapman told Donna McQueen, who briefly was her caregiver, "They were really good to me. …. I don't have any regrets." Alabama Baptists are among 21 state Baptist conventions providing child-care services at 255 sites. Through children's homes, counseling centers and other family services, an estimated 589,232 children and family members received assistance in 2014. Nearly 9,000 children lived in residential care facilities. Chapman is just one of the thousands of children's home success stories. "Sue Chapman represents the goal of Baptist children's home ministries," said Rod Marshall, president of Alabama Baptist Children's Homes & Family Ministries, now based at several other Alabama locations, having moved from the Troy campus in 1997. "Our ministry takes broken people and aims to make them wholesome, able to contribute to society and fulfill God's will for their life," Marshall said. Wheatley first met Chapman when they worked together at a telephone company. Chapman had a magnetic personality and was a talented singer but had never married, had no children, never owned a home nor learned to drive. Wheatley helped Chapman with major decisions in later life when she became wheelchair-bound, including her move from Montgomery to Prattville to live in a nursing facility. Wheatley asked Tucker, her pastor, to conduct Chapman's memorial service July 30. Tucker admitted to the mourners that Chapman had not been an acquaintance. "I asked if anyone would like to share a word of tribute or testimony about Sue," the pastor said, unsure if anyone would speak. "Everyone there knew more about her than I did." Almost immediately, McQueen spoke up, saying that Chapman loved people of color as much as she loved anyone. McQueen met Chapman at a Winn-Dixie grocery store where she, an African American, had worked and where Chapman had shopped. After McQueen retired from the store, she became a caretaker for Chapman two days a week at her apartment. "Some mornings when I would get there, I would hear her singing down the hall when I got off the elevator," McQueen said after the funeral. "I would start laughing. 'We're in a good mood this morning because I heard you when I got off the elevator,'" she would tell Chapman. Lightheartedness filled their time together, as did Bible study. "We would sit down and talk about the Bible," said McQueen, a member of Bell Resurrection Baptist Church. Chapman told the younger McQueen, "God sent me children in so many colors." Wheatley knew Chapman first as a long-distance operator, a job that Chapman held for 36 years before retiring in 1994. Then their relationship grew in a shared passion for Alabama Crimson Tide football. Wheatley had season tickets and invited Chapman to the games, which she attended for years. At her apartment in Montgomery, McQueen said the neighbors would hear her yelling, "Roll Tide," so loud they sometimes would come to check on her. A member of First Baptist Church in Montgomery for most of her adult life, Chapman walked to church when she was able and sang in the choir and at weddings and other special events. Later, Chapman faithfully watched the church's televised broadcasts and even served herself the Lord's Supper. "She was not going to be left out," McQueen said. Wheatley's family grew to love Chapman. They seemed to represent the family Chapman never had. "She was raised in an orphanage, never married and had never really been around a family that much," Wheatley said. "Sue's just a part of our family." Tucker, recounting his conversations with Wheatley and her family in preparing for the memorial service, said Chapman was "nurtured, raised and matured" at the children's home. She was "led to consistently, faithfully hear a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. … She made it something that equipped her for the rest of her life." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Long-term investors urged to focus on objectives by Timothy E. Head Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday DALLAS (BP) -- Monday's (Aug. 24) stock market drop, on the heels of disappointing performance over the last few days, led to headlines and some investor concerns. But long-term investors should continue to consider their objectives and time horizons, advises an investment strategist. David S. Spika, global investment strategist at GuideStone Capital Management, LLC, has offered commentary explaining the nature of current volatility, as well as offered perspective on the current market. "As volatility rises, the best course of action is to ensure you invest with active managers who possess a strong track record, stay focused on the long term, and remain well diversified," Spika wrote, likening market volatility to a roller coaster. Many observers have expected some level of correction to occur at some point given that markets had been on a long-term growth pattern since the market trough in 2009. The S&P 500 Index, spurred on by quantitative easing and a near-zero Fed Funds rate, had gained more than 200 percent since 2009 and has not had a 10 percent or greater correction in more than three years, Spika observed. Active management firms, like GuideStone Financial Resources, are thought by many to be better suited for volatile markets, which create more dispersion and lower correlations among stock prices, giving our sub-advisors a better chance to identify companies that are undervalued, Spika said. GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins echoed Spika's insights. "Long-term retirement investors should keep their focus on their goals, and not on short-term market fluctuations," Hawkins said. "Participants should focus on being appropriately diversified, their long-term investment objectives and time horizon and less on day-to-day market moves." When dealing with a period of volatility, GuideStone recommends keeping four principles in mind: 1. Always focus on your objectives, not your emotions. Specifically regarding retirement participants, these assets are to serve needs for a long period of time. Make sure your objectives and actions are consistent with your time horizon. Investors can choose to use GuideStone Advisors' GPS: Guided Planning Services to assist in determining an age-appropriate investment allocation. 2. Avoid making impulsive decisions. "Guard against making ad hoc changes in your portfolio," Hawkins said. "Making changes based on short-term market movements is almost a guarantee for failure as it promotes 'buying high and selling low.'" The performance of your account moving forward will be determined based on results of the financial markets in the future, not the past. Selling today cannot avoid yesterday's losses in a down market. Likewise, in an up market, you cannot buy yesterday's performance by investing in the hottest fund. 3. Don't count losses (or gains). Consistent contribution to a retirement plan affords investors a systematic way of taking advantage of investment opportunities as markets ebb and flow. 4. Maintain realistic expectations about market behavior. Financial markets in the short term tend to fluctuate in response to social, political and economic events. However, historically, the markets stabilize and return to profitability over the long term, focusing on the underlying fundamentals. "The next few weeks may be choppy for investors, but long-term investors should continue to focus on their objectives and less on the minute-by-minute headlines," Hawkins said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: Mo., Mich., Ark. evangelism/missions news; 'We minister to people in the cracks, on crack, and full of cracks' by Staff Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: The Pathway (Missouri); Baptist Beacon (Michigan); Arkansas Baptist News Mo.'s Rock-N-Roll Church revs up ministry to bikers By Dan Steinbeck CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (The Pathway) -- The Rock-N-Roll Church of Cape Girardeau freely admits it is different. A tagline on the church website reads: "This ain't your grandma's church." It's a church where rock and roll music is prevalent, and motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidsons are common. "People called us the Rock-N-Roll church," Pastor Billy Garner said, adding the name stuck. On Sundays, the church praise and worship band Stronghold plays Christian rock songs. At other times and events, they play secular rock and roll music. "Jesus is the rock of our salvation. Roll means the church is on the move," Garner said. 'On the move' means ministering at biker events. 'On the move' also indicates their location. The church has no home, per se. They usually meet on Sundays at a restaurant called Dockside surrounded by bars on Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau. He said the term Rock and Roll has its roots in Christian music, specifically black gospel music in the 1800s, but got a derogatory connotation in the 1950s. Rock-N-Roll church averages 80 on Sunday mornings. On certain days – Easter, for example, where the service is held at a Harley-Davidson dealership, the crowd may number 200 people. "We set up among the (showroom) bikes," Garner said of the Easter services. Rock-N-Roll church began six and a half years ago with Saturday services, with Garner saying the church competed with the bar scene for people, until that building was sold. Then they moved to an adjacent building, called the Dockside. Among the church ministries, Stronghold plays at a lot of festivals and recently took a third place in the Heartland Classic Rock band competition. Garner said, "They are very good at what they do." Other ministries include "in the wind" bike rallies and bike rides for special causes; regular participation in the Red Star food pantry; art exhibits at a banquet hall; being involved in transitional ministries for ex-prisoners back into society; and KICKS -- Kids In Christian Karate School. Garner is a trained MBC church planter, but admits he is doing non-traditional church planting. "We believe it is not about stopping something, but starting something," Garner said of church planting. "Their lives are being changed. We minister to people in the cracks, on crack, and full of cracks." They are working with a church plant -- Herrin (Ill.) House of Hope and have started a Sikeston Bible study in a central location to reach several smaller towns. Although Garner said the baptism numbers are down this year, in past years they have baptized 30 to 40 annually. The baptisms are an unconventional celebration. "We have a portable baptistery. We haul it out in front of the store on the second Sunday of each month. When I have them in the water to dunk them, the others rev their motorcycles, so much so it vibrates the water and shakes the windows at the Lutheran church three blocks away. It's the same (celebration) with older and younger people we baptize," Garner said. Garner said his office is his Harley. "I ride it everywhere. We have a motorcycle ministry to the biking community at large." --30-- This story appeared in The Pathway (mbcpathway.com), newsjournal of the Missouri Baptist Convention. Dan Steinbeck writes for The Pathway. ********** Mich. church uses new social app to connect By Jonathan Guenther GRANDVILLE, Mich. (Baptist Beacon) -- It's easy for churches to connect with people on Sundays, but how can they bridge the weeklong gap in between? Redemption Church, a new church plant that launched on April 5, has turned to new social media app Periscope for its answer to that question. "Over the last six months, some people I follow... would post, 'Live on Periscope," said Steve Busch, Redemption Church's worship pastor. "I started exploring this and thought it would be great." Periscope is a live video streaming app that launched earlier in 2015. In March, Twitter purchased the startup responsible for its creation shortly after its launch, giving the app major traction. The app offers live video streaming with a chat box integrated into the screen. Users can provide instant feedback through chat or tap the screen to give the broadcaster a "heart," similar to a "like" on Facebook. "Periscope is a place where people can not only hear from us but interact with us," Busch said. Redemption Church does not own a building, but instead sets up on Saturdays in a rented facility, hosts worship on Sunday mornings, and hosts small groups on Sunday nights. For Redemption Church, Busch said, Periscope met a need as the only way for the church to connect with its body is outside of a building. "If they can connect with us on a Wednesday night on their couch, that's pretty awesome," Busch said. Even for those for whom mid-week meetings are a possibility, Busch sees potential for using social media instead. "I'm keenly aware of the fact that nobody wants another meeting," Busch said. "What are some ways we can utilize the technology at our disposal? How can we utilize this to not call them back out for another meeting?" "I would argue that even at an established church that's been around for 15 years, people still desire to connect with the senior pastor and the church," Busch said, adding that Periscope provides a great way for churches to meet this need. "They want to feel like they're connected." Periscope's interactive element gives people -- and churches -- the opportunity to connect with viewers personally. Many broadcasters use the platform for question-and-answer sessions or to take input from viewers as they share on a topic of expertise. Periscope's chat feature allows broadcasters to connect with viewers personally, even calling them by name as a comment or question is answered. From Busch's perspective, the interactive element gives users an opportunity to connect in a way that isn't possible with other video streaming platforms. "We're looking for ways to cast vision, teach, share discipleship ideas, share encouragement, and explain what we're all about," Busch said. "Periscope is a place where people can not only hear from us but interact with us." Now that the church has used Periscope multiple times, church leadership has developed a strategy to be more effective. Busch found one major difference to be advance promotion. "One time we posted on all social networks a few days in advance," he said. "We posted on Facebook a few days ahead and shared on Twitter two to three times a day. We also sent out ... a [message] explaining that first you need a Twitter pro- file, so as easily and simply as we could we explained that to our people." He noted that viewership of the publicized broadcast was significantly higher than that of a recent Saturday evening prayer night that was not promoted. While broadcasts remain available for replay for 24 hours, only live viewers are able to participate in Periscope's chat feature. "This was part of the success of the first one," Busch noted about the promotion. "The lead time is very important." He believes broadcasting about once a week is an effective utilization of the app. Using it too much can "over-saturate interest," but, "If it was a regularly scheduled thing, we'd probably do it once a week in the evening," he said. Redemption Church has found multiple ways to utilize the network. As worship pastor, Busch communicates with his worship team, sharing new songs and explaining why the church runs things in the manner they have chosen. "It builds buy-in with your volunteers and allows them to connect with you," Busch said. "We're going to use this to stay connected and build buy-in as to why we do what we do." He also noted that, in addition to the recent prayer night the church held, they also intend to highlight ways to get involved in small groups and answer questions about baptism. Even though Periscope has a lot to offer churches, the platform does not come without its challenges. "Periscope isn't any different from any other social media [network] in that some goofball can make a comment that is ... flat out inappropriate, just like you can visit a Facebook page that is inappropriate," Busch said. "I say that as a disclaimer because Periscope is like a live webcam where anyone can record anything and nobody's policing that. It takes care and maturity to know how to use it." Periscope has also been scrutinized for potential intellectual property violations. The app's terms of service forbids the rebroadcasting of copyrighted material and threatens suspension or removal of users who do, but major events -- such as the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao fight in May and HBO's Game of Thrones season premiere -- have seen a number of users filming their screen, allowing others to view these paid events for free. Regardless, Busch sees the potential for churches to use the platform in major ways. "As we head to the fall, every church has big seasons of momentum," Busch said. "The fall is it for us, [and] we will definitely be using Periscope as well as other social media [apps]." "It will be huge," Busch said of its potential for impact. "People don't hear from their lead pastor a lot except for when he's preaching on Sunday morning." SIGN UP FOR PERISCOPE 1. For non-Twitter users, Create a Twitter account at twitter.com/signup. 2. Download the free Periscope app at periscope.tv. 3. Tap the "Log in with Twitter" button at the bottom of the screen. 4. Follow other users to watch their broadcasts or start a broadcast from within the app. --30-- This article appeared in the Baptist Beacon, newsjournal of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (bscm.org). Jonathan Guenther is managing editor of the Baptist Beacon. ********** Ark. community garden plants 'seeds of faith' By Anna Hurst ARKADELPHIA, Ark. (Arkansas Baptist News) -- A neighborhood in Arkadelphia will be fed both physically and spiritually for the second year in a row as a result of one church's community garden initiative. A garden spot located on Second Baptist Church property at South 12th St. in Arkadelphia grows produce for residents of the surrounding blocks to enjoy. Classified as a "straw bale garden," all of the plants are grown in bales of wheat straw, which are considered cleaner than regular grass bales and are watered and fertilized regularly. "The garden was actually the brainchild of two ladies in our church. They, themselves, had planted this type of raised garden at their home and had success with it. The church (had) a couple of vacant lots adjacent to our facility ideal for such an undertaking," said Randy Garner, associate pastor at Second Baptist. "The idea was to provide veggies for folks within a few-block radius of the church. Everything is free-for-the-picking, and our only request is that everyone, 'Pick what they want and eat what they pick.'" The ladies are Second Baptist members Vaughn Clary, a mathematics teacher, and Tona Wright, professor emerita of kinesiology and leisure studies at Ouachita Baptist University. "Two years ago a friend gave two of us an article from the Sunday paper about straw bale gardens. I am not a gardener," explained Clary. "I have planted squash and zucchini for five years and not produced five squash or zucchini combined! The article made it look easy, so we got eight bales of wheat straw and tried it out. We didn't line them up or really plant them properly, but the results were amazing. We had squash, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers of several kinds. We wanted to share the bounty." And share the bounty they did. With the help and donations of fellow friends and church members, the new community garden produced 60 tomato plants and more than 200 other plants in its first year. This year, the number increased to 110 tomato plans and more than 100 zucchini, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers and herbal plants. "Last year a lady from another church stopped by and offered to plant the seeds for the starter plants," Clary said. "We picked up three truckloads of plants for this year! One of the Sunday school classes donated funds for fertilizer and tomato cages. The wheat straw was donated again. A couple from our Sunday school class donated 50 bags of mulch. Everyone has been eager to help!" As the garden has grown, so has the impact on, and interest within, the community. "The response was tremendous last year. There wasn't a time when I left the office in the afternoons last summer that a community person wasn't there getting something for supper," Garner said. He noted that, while a church member or two have been spotted in the garden, the main goal is simply "to be a good neighbor" to the outside community. "The major impact is that we want the surrounding community -- which is somewhat depressed economically -- to see that we love -- and God loves them -- and care about them.  The garden is a small way to provide for a need they may have," Garner said. "God has blessed us by letting us have this garden," Clary said. "We've gotten to talk to many of our neighbors, and even several people about starting gardens at different churches. Our hope is that the love of Christ will be seen in this garden and through this seeds of faith will be planted." --30-- This article appeared in the Arkansas Baptist News (arkansasbaptist.org), newsjournal of the Arkansas Baptist Convention. Anna Hurst was a summer intern at the Arkansas Baptist News. ********** 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Midwestern receives $7M gift toward student center by T. Patrick Hudson Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- In what President Jason Allen called an answer to prayer for one of the "most significant institutional needs" since Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's inception in 1957, the school has received a $7 million pledge from an Oklahoma family for a new student center. Allen said he could not adequately express gratitude to God for His providence in uniting the seminary with Harold and Patricia Mathena of Oklahoma City who have pledged $7 million to Midwestern Seminary as a lead gift toward an approximately $14 million student center. "This is one of the largest gifts in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention and in the history of theological education in North America as a whole," Allen said in announcing the Methenas' gift Aug. 25. "This gift is an answer to over two years of prayer on my part and, in a very real way, to Southern Baptists' prayers since 1957 when, in our seminary's founding documents, the Board of Trustees expressed their desire to build a facility for student and family life as soon as possible," Allen said. "It is clear to me in the way God has worked throughout this process that His special favor is upon Midwestern Seminary," Allen said. "And through the singular generosity of the Mathenas in committing to this $7 million lead gift, we are able to pursue a student center here at this strategic juncture in Midwestern Seminary's life. "This new building is an urgency given our record enrollment growth the past two years," he said. Allen said that after nearly a year of master planning for the campus, it became apparent that in addition to the need for faculty relocation to the heart of campus and more single-student housing, the most pressing need for Midwestern Seminary is a student center. However, without a lead gift to kick-start the effort, it would be impossible. This is where God had already begun to move for a solution. Through a series of events and common friendships, Allen was introduced to the Mathenas. This past year, preaching opportunities at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and at other Oklahoma and Missouri venues enabled Allen to get to know the Mathenas more personally. "This is a remarkable story of God's providence, wherein He kept allowing our paths to cross," Allen said. Harold Mathena -- who founded Mathena, Inc., an oilfield mud-gas pressure control solutions company and who has been a bivocational pastor/evangelist -- noted that it took quite some time for him and Allen to meet in person. All along, however, conversations with his wife, family, pastor, godly advisers and friends were planting seeds that would eventually confirm the decision to make the gift. Speaking of the interactions he had with others before meeting Allen, Mathena said, "I mentioned these conversations to say that I have observed in Scripture, and in my everyday experiences, that God blesses a man, whether in ministry or in business. God's good hand rests upon a man. I have observed that struggling churches, ministries and businesses can be salvaged and turned around by a man whose heart is stayed on God." In February, Mathena met and sat down with Allen and his wife Karen for the first time during a meal in Oklahoma City. "I had the opportunity to hear what God was doing and what Dr. Allen believed that God was going to do with this great institution in equipping and preparing young men and women for ministry in the local church," Mathena said. "God began speaking to my heart about how we could help and be a part of Jason's vision." Mathena continued, "Weeks and months passed and one day in July, Jason and Charles Smith [Midwestern Seminary's vice president of institutional relations] came to our house and shared with us the need for a student center at Midwestern. God impressed upon us that this was something we would enjoy being a part of, and so now we are pleased to pledge a gift of $7 million toward the total cost of building the student center at Midwestern Seminary." The proposed student center of approximately 40,000 square feet will hold a gymnasium, recreation and fitness areas, cafeteria, bookstore, student commons area and space for additional staff or faculty offices. In discussing a timeframe that a student center could be operational on campus, Allen said, "There is still much, much work to do, including raising the additional funds needed. As we plan to accomplish this project debt-free, we are praying God will raise up men and women across the SBC and beyond to partner with us." For more information about Midwestern Seminary and the proposed student center, contact Charles Smith in the office of institutional relations at ir@mbts.edu. The Mathenas' $7 million gift is among a number of key junctures at Midwestern in recent months, including: -- The distinction of being one of 12 schools cited by the Association of Theological Schools as experiencing enrollment growth of 50 percent or more during the past five years. "The closer one evaluates this ATS report, the better the news gets for Midwestern Seminary," Allen told the seminary's trustees in mid-April. "Among seminaries with enrollments totaling 500 or more students, Midwestern Seminary is recognized as the fastest-growing institution in North America." Admissions office statistics showed Midwestern's headcount and course hours sold for Spring 2015 as growing by nearly 20 percent over the previous year. -- The completion of nearly $3 million in construction projects this summer, including renovation of Midwestern's administrative wing which will house the Charles Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching (http://spurgeoncenter.com) and the 19th-century British preacher's library of more than 6,000 books as well as hundreds of artifacts, letters and assorted materials. The Spurgeon Center's dedication will be Oct. 20. -- A Sept. 28-29 symposium titled "The SBC and the 21st Century" with an array of featured speakers, including Ronnie Floyd, Frank S. Page, Paige Patterson, Thom Rainer, R. Albert Mohler Jr., David S. Dockery, John Yeats, Anthony Jordan, Jim Richards, Paul Chitwood and Tim Lubinus. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ISIS rapes captives as 'worship,' experts say by Diana Chandler Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Revelation that the ISIS caliph repeatedly raped American hostage Kayla Mueller before her murder has brought to light the terrorists' revival of an ancient practice of raping women captives as a form of religious "worship," experts say. Ayman S. Ibrahim, senior fellow for the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said the gruesome practice dates to a biographical text about Muslim prophet Muhammad, who is recorded to have taken a captive as his wife after killing her husband during a seventh century conflict with the Jewish tribe of Bani Qurayza. The practice was supposedly continued after Muhammad's death by Muslim leader Khalid ibn al-Walid, who beheaded a notable man, named Malik, and fornicated with his widow, Ibrahim said. "The evil deeds of ISIS and its commanders will continue, supported by what they claim to be sacred -- ancient holy texts. The voice of these texts is louder than contemporary reasoning," Ibrahim blogged on the First Things journal of religion and public life. "If the Muslim community itself does not counter the claims offered by militant Muslim groups, there can be no hope in overcoming the use of violence under the banner of religion." The rape of Mueller, a 26-year-old humanitarian aid worker whom ISIS captured in August 2013 in Turkey along with her Syrian boyfriend, was revealed months after her February murder. U.S. intelligence officials confirmed in June Mueller's sexual enslavement by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, her parents told the Associated Press. "They told us that he married her, and we all understand what that means," the Associated Press quoted her father Carl Mueller. "Kayla did not marry this man," her mother Marsha Mueller added. "He took her to his room and he abused her and she came back crying." Mueller was among perhaps thousands of women and girls captured and systematically tortured and repeatedly raped by ISIS, according to numbers released in March by Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch (HRW) based its report in part on the interviews with 11 women and nine girls who managed to escape ISIS in northern Iraq between September 2014 and January 2015, as well as medical service providers, community leaders and activists serving victims. "The women and girls who spoke to Human Rights Watch described repeated rape, sexual violence, and other abuse in ISIS captivity," HRW reported. "Jalila (all survivors' names have been changed for their security), age 12, said that Arab men whom she recognized from her village north of Sinjar accosted her and seven family members on August 3, 2014, as they were trying to flee ISIS. … Jalila said that during her captivity, seven ISIS fighters 'owned' her, and four raped her on multiple occasions: 'Sometimes I was sold. Sometimes I was given as a gift." Joe Carter, a communications specialist with the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, writes that ISIS "considers rape of sex slaves to be a form of worship," referencing a New York Times article in which a 15-year-old Yazidi girl describes the actions of a 20-year-old ISIS soldier who raped her. "Every time that he came to rape me, he would pray," said the girl identified only as F, the first letter of her name. "He kept telling me this is ibadah (an Islamic term meaning worship)." Carter also referenced the October 2014 issue of the ISIS propaganda magazine Dabiq, which included an article on the "revival of slavery before the (judgment) hour," which stated a religious justification for sex slavery; and an ISIS pamphlet which promoted the rape of even prepubescent girls. ISIS currently has an estimated 3,000 girls and women enslaved, most of them Yazidi, HRW reported. Amnesty International has also chronicled the abuse. Freedom for those enslaved lies in the hands of Muslims themselves, Ibrahim blogged. "The solution is not to keep debating whether ISIS is or is not Islamic, as the driving texts are clear and loud," Ibrahim wrote. "An end to rape cannot be obtained by downplaying any Islamic-related role in such terror. Neither can the solution stem from a politically-correct discourse out to avoid causing offense. … Non-Muslims cannot refute evidence offered by Muslims and embedded in Muslim sacred texts." -------------------------------------------------------------------- KATRINA 2005-15: 'Test of our faith' by Fred Luter Date: August 25, 2015 - Tuesday EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a series of articles and columns this week in Baptist Press marking the 10-year recovery in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. Fred Luter, whose column appears today, is pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, which was flooded by the levee breaks in New Orleans after Katrina. Luter also was the 2012-14 president of the Southern Baptist Convention. NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- Ten years ago our lives were drastically changed by Hurricane Katrina. Not only did it impact our city physically, but it impacted us spiritually and emotionally. It was a time we will never forget. It was a test of our faith. It was a test of our belief. It also was a test of our willingness to come back and rebuild. It took us two and a half years to get back in the church here (Franklin Avenue Baptist Church New Orleans). In the meantime we worshipped at several campuses -- First Baptist Church in New Orleans, Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge and First Baptist Church in Houston. Before Katrina we were the church gathered. After Katrina we were the church scattered. Now we are back. However, there are a whole lot of folks who are still displaced and would love to come back home but have not had the opportunity. I have great hope that things will continue to grow and our city will continue to be impacted and grow. We will never be the city we had before. But I think God has great plans for us in the city of New Orleans. Always committed to returning Once we saw the devastation in the city and our church, it was horrific. I was determined from day one that I was going to come back. We have been such a vital part of our community that I could not see us not coming back. Franklin Avenue has been a beacon of light and hope. If there was any chance the neighborhood would come back, Franklin Avenue would have to come back. There was never a doubt at all we wouldn't come back. But I didn't know it would take us so long. One thing I vividly remember when I was living in Birmingham and coming back and forth every week to the city. One of the members had put a cardboard sign in front of the church: "Pastor Luter, where are you?" That brought tears to my eyes. To see that person concerned about her pastor and whether or not I was doing well was one of the stories that always sticks to me. Proud of Baptist response After the storm, one of the things I was most proud about was the response by our Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams. I brag about our disaster relief efforts. There are not a lot of organizations that have been able to do what we were able to do successfully. Our teams came here, not knowing what was going to happen and what they were going to be confronted with. They went to every area of the city and not to help out just Southern Baptist churches. They helped anyone who needed to be helped. The Times-Picayune ran an editorial at a time when the rebuilding process was going slowly. The editorial said that if Southern Baptists would have been responsible for rebuilding the city, it would have been rebuilt by now. That made me so proud. I want to thank all of those who came across the country to help us out here in New Orleans. We would not be where we are without the assistance and prayers.