The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-09/01/2017 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: La compasión: una marca central de Jesús y sus seguidores by Octavio J. Esqueda Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday NOTA DEL EDITOR: La columna First-Person (De primera mano) es parte de la edición de hoy de BP en español. Para ver historias adicionales, vaya a http://www.bpnews.net/espanol. LA MIRADA, Calif. (BP) -- La compasión debe ser sentimiento esencial de aquellos que se dicen seguidores de Jesucristo. La palabra compasión significa "sufrir juntos" y es un sentimiento que se manifiesta al percibir y comprender el sufrimiento de los demás y, por lo tanto, produce el deseo de aliviar, reducir o eliminar este sufrimiento. Al ver las noticias, caminar por las calles o simplemente al conversar con personas a nuestro alrededor es fácil darse cuenta que muchas personas están sufriendo por diferentes circunstancias. La tendencia natural y tristemente común incluso en muchos de aquellos que se dicen cristianos es juzgar a los demás y asumir que sus circunstancias negativas son consecuencia de sus malas decisiones. Es fácil amar a los que nos aman y preocuparnos por aquellos que son cercanos a nosotros, pero una marca central de Jesús y sus seguidores debe ser amar y tener compasión por todos sin importar quienes son o qué han hecho. Sé que las afirmaciones anteriores pueden sonar fuertes por lo que es importante dar el sustento a mis palabras. La Biblia afirma claramente que el Dios del universo es compasivo y misericordioso (Isaías 54:8; Santiago 5.11). Nuestro Señor Jesucristo tuvo compasión por las personas a su alrededor (Mateo 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; Marcos 6:34; 8:2). Por lo tanto, como cristianos todos tenemos un llamado a ser compasivos con los demás (1 Pedro 3:8). Así que, la compasión es una marca central de los creyentes y una prueba inequívoca que muestra que realmente amamos a Dios y a nuestro prójimo. El ambiente a nuestro alrededor es de confrontación y contienda por diversos temas sociales como migración, raza, posturas políticas y situación económica. Nuestra sociedad está dividida en estos y otros temas que nos llevan a diferenciar entre "nosotros" y los "demás". En este ambiente de posturas divergentes lo natural es criticar a los otros y anticipar y celebrar su desdicha. Quizá usted como yo ya está cansado de vivir en este clima hostil que las redes sociales han magnificado grandemente. Muchos han perdido amigos y muchas relaciones familiares se han fracturado en los últimos meses como consecuencia del contexto social en el que vivimos. Lo que no deja de sorprenderme y lo que motivó este pequeño artículo es encontrarme con frecuencia con posturas radicales y sin compasión de muchas personas que conozco y que sé son cristianos. Ver o leer su falta de compasión por los demás me rompe el corazón, pero también me ha hecho reflexionar sobre mis propias actitudes hacia aquellos que no piensan igual que yo. ¿Veo a los demás con los ojos de Jesús? ¿Amo a mi prójimo como a mí mismo? Si solamente amo a los que me aman o piensan igual a mí, entonces soy como cualquiera, pero no me comporto como un verdadero seguidor de Cristo (Mateo 5: 43-48). Ser compasivo no significa estar de acuerdo o aprobar las decisiones de los demás. Evidentemente no todas las posturas son correctas y en ocasiones uno debe ser firme al defender los valores esenciales de los seres humanos. Pero lo que sí es claro es que nuestras palabras y actitudes deben ser hechas con gracia y nuestra actitud hacia los demás debe ser llena de compasión. Cuando nos ponemos en los zapatos de los demás podemos soportar sus cargas y así realmente cumplir la ley de Cristo (Gálatas 6:2). -------------------------------------------------------------------- LABOR DAY: Your work matters by Michael Kelley Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- You might or might not be paid for the work you do. You might or might not work outside the home. You might work in a manufacturing industry or you might own your own business. You might wear a uniform or you might wear yoga pants and a sweatshirt. Nevertheless, when work slips into tedium and routine, I think all of us are prone to ask the question whether what we are doing really matters. The question, even if it's not directly spoken, is revealed in other ways. We might find it hard to get out of bed on another Monday. Or we might constantly find ourselves clicking on job postings online to find something we deem to be more significant. Or we might apply this short but very relatively word to our occupation -- "just": -- I'm just a teacher. -- I'm just a mom. -- I'm just a cook. -- I'm just a salesman. Does our work really matter? And if the answer is "yes," then are there reasons for that answer that go beyond the scope of a particular vocation? In other words, does our work matter regardless of what our position is? To that end, I can see at least four reasons why your work matters, whether you're a plumber or a preacher, a stay-at-home mom or a go-to-the-office dad: 1. Because God is sovereign. We tend to think of God as sovereign over big, earth-quaking events like an election or some other world event, but if we believe that God is sovereign, then He is sovereign over both big and small. It is not by chance that you are working in a particular field, at the company where you are, and even in the location where you are. You are there by His design. God has not made an error in judgment or had a lapse in His divine attention. 2. Because we are made in God's image. Work matters not only because of God's intentionality; it matters because our desire and capacity to do good work is part of what it means to be made in God's image. If you look back to the account of creation, you see God speaking innumerable creatures into existence, but He made only one in His own image. And the first thing He did after uniquely creating man was to give Him a job: "The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it" (Genesis 2:15). Being made in God's image goes well beyond this, but it also includes our work. God did not create us to lounge around; it is His intent for us to engage in work. Indeed, without work we are not living fully in the image of God. So our work matters simply because working is God's design for us as humans. 3. Because work is for your good. God is using all things, both big and small, for our good, which is to mold us into the image of Jesus. This is His will for us in Christ -- that we are transformed into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:28-30). When we become adults, we spend the majority of our waking hours doing some kind of work. So, then, if God is using all our circumstances for our good and godliness, and we spend the bulk of our time doing work, then our work must also be for our good and godliness. It's through this avenue that we learn the lessons of sanctification like contentment, perseverance, faithfulness, patience and a host of other things. And even if your job is not one you would have chosen for yourself at this point in life, you can be sure that God is using it to make you more like Jesus. 4. Because work is for the good of others. Work is one of the primary means by which God is exercising His common grace for humanity. Though He might have chosen other means, He has opted to use us to keep the world in order and provide for human flourishing. Consider, for example, what the Lord said to His people when they were exiled into a foreign land: "Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper" (Jeremiah 29:7). One of the most practical ways we can seek the good of the community around us is by doing good, hard work that others benefit from. Whether you are teaching a class, collecting garbage or plumbing a toilet, you are one of the means of God for the public welfare. That means your work matters. So you might find yourself living your dream job today. Or you might find yourself in a role you would quite frankly rather be assigned to someone else. But God is sovereign. You are created in His image. He is making you more like Jesus. And He is providing for the good of others through your job. Be faithful, Christian, and work hard in faith. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/11 petition seeks annual prayer, fasting, repentance by Diana Chandler Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday PITTSBURGH (BP) -- The interdenominational Christian group "In God We Trust" has collected more than 97,000 signatures in petitioning President Donald Trump to declare Sept. 11 an annual day of prayer, fasting and repentance. Driven by II Chronicles 7:14, the initiative seeks to "redeem the day" of Sept. 11, 2001, from the evil that took nearly 3,000 lives, and to return it to a confidence in God, said Don Black, founder of the two-year-old "In God We Trust" ministry leading the initiative. "With the growing threat of terror at home and around the world, this is the time for Christians to act," said Black, who is also president and CEO of Cornerstone Television Network (CTVN). "We must reclaim our nation and return it to its original intent. If we miss this opportunity, it may be gone forever." Southern Baptists supporting the effort include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Richard Lee, president of There's Hope America and a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference; Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas; David Jeremiah, Shadow Mountain Community Church, El Cajon, Calif.; and Kay Arthur, founder and president of Precept Ministries International. The group's online petition received 97,500 signatures through Aug. 30, Black said. A small group is working to get the petition to Trump's desk, he noted. Huckabee, in a promotional video on the In God We Trust Facebook page, encourages Christians to support the effort and sign the petition at InGodWeTrust.tv. "I hope you'll join me in praying that on 9/11, our entire nation will come together in asking God for His intervention in this country," Huckabee said. "And let's pray that the president, President Trump, joins us in that effort." Huckabee and Arthur are featured in a 30-minute video on the initiative viewable at InGodWeTrust.tv/watch, and at various times on more than 10 television stations supporting the effort, Black said. Recording artist and actress Jaci Velasquez is host. In God We Trust will mark 9/11 with four livestreamed broadcasts including focused prayer and worship, and airing on CTVN, CTVN.org, InGodWeTrust.tv, and Facebook live. A national telephone town hall will also be available, Black said. The inclusion of fasting sets the effort apart from previous 9/11 prayer initiatives and the National Day of Prayer held annually in May, Black told Baptist Press. He described fasting as fuel that "turbo charges prayer," referencing Jesus' declaration in Mark 9:29 that "this kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." Black expressed confidence that all Christian calls to prayer can work together for the good of the country. "This isn't preemptive to any other prayer effort," he said. "What we're doing is we're bringing together a group for unified prayer and targeted prayer. And others may be doing that too, and I'm excited. "Let's all do it," Black said. "Let's every church, let's every denomination, let's every parachurch organization, let's every individual Christian fall on our knees on 9/11 and say to the Lord God, heal our land." No U.S. president has called the nation to prayer, fasting and repentance since Woodrow Wilson made the call during World War I in 1918. "Now he wasn't noted for being the most spiritual man in the world, Woodrow Wilson," Black said, "but he saw that need and he made the proclamation." The petition to Trump declares, "With your leadership, we will unite and humble ourselves before the Benevolent Hand of Almighty God, and ask Him to keep our nation, the United States of America, her leadership, citizens, armed forces, and first responders, safe from attack both from radical foreign enemies and domestic ideologies that are dedicated to our destruction." While the petition specifically requests the national designation for 2017, Black told BP he is seeking an annual observance. "I've asked that he could proclaim it as an annual day of prayer and fasting and repentance, but that would be … the president's choice," Black said. "If he doesn't do it at all, we're thankful that [nearly] 100,000 people have raised their hands that they agree." In addition to CTVN, 11 Christian broadcast networks and a host of denominational leaders are on board, Black said, including Daystar, WBPI-TV 49, CTN, SON, LFTV and TCT. Among supporters are Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference president; Perry Stone, leader of Voice of Evangelism Ministries; and Alveda King, director of Civil Rights for the Unborn for Priests for Life. Also supporting the outreach is Rabbi Daniel Lapin, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi known for his support of Judeo-Christian outreaches. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ala. coach finds Christ, renews football zeal by David Roach Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday OPP, Ala. (BP) -- Former University of Alabama football coach Mike DuBose says his two favorite words in the Bible are "but God" in Ephesians 2:4. He believes the description of spiritual transformation those words introduce mirrors the work of God he has experienced, beginning toward the end of a trying stint nearly two decades ago as leader of one of college football's winningest programs. "If it wasn't for the 'but God' moment," DuBose, 64, told Baptist Press, "there wouldn't have been a rebirth and old things passing away and all things becoming new." From personal and football-related challenges in 1999-2000 that led to DuBose's forced resignation at Alabama, he has emerged with a personal relationship with Jesus, a strengthened marriage and a ministry to young football players. His wife Polly said she and her husband are "an example of what God can do to put your life back together [and] make you new people." Coming to a 'crossroads' DuBose initially professed faith in Christ as a high school student, but he was not discipled and says he may not truly have been born again. So he drifted from Christ through nearly 30 years as a defensive lineman at Alabama, an assistant and head high school coach and an assistant coach in the NCAA and NFL. He was hired as Alabama's head coach in 1996, leading the Tide to a 1999 Southeastern Conference title, an Orange Bowl appearance and earning SEC Coach of the Year honors. Yet he also experienced turmoil. Reports in 1999 of personal misconduct were followed by a 3-8 record in 2000, and DuBose was forced to resign. "I was angry when I got fired," DuBose said. "But the reality is I should have gotten fired." Unbeknownst to many, however, God began to work in DuBose's life during the 2000 season. "We just came to that crossroads and knew I was definitely going down the wrong road, that road that leads to death and hell for eternity ... At that time, I recommitted my life to Christ," he said. Then he paused: "Maybe recommitted is not the right word. It may have been, committed my life for really the first time. I got into the Word and built a relationship. And that was a journey. It was a process. It wasn't an overnight and total change." Initially, DuBose thought his commitment to Christ meant he needed to deemphasize football. But during a year away from the game in south Alabama with his wife, he was walking by a lake and sensed the Holy Spirit saying, "I never asked you to love football less. I just asked you to love Me more." DuBose responded by telling God he wanted to coach again -- at any level God opened doors. 'Football as a ministry' Since then, DuBose has held multiple positions on high school and college coaching staffs, including as head coach of Division III Millsaps College in Mississippi and defensive line coach at the University of Memphis. Today he is a volunteer linebackers coach at Opp (Ala.) High School, his alma mater. While DuBose has done some public speaking about his spiritual journey, his main ministries are to the young men he coaches and to his family. "I was given a passion for" football, DuBose said. "And I think if you're given a passion, it's a calling of God on your life to do it. I see football as a ministry." Polly DuBose recalled a former player who experienced challenging childhood and teen years before being mentored by her husband. Now that player is beginning his final season of football at UAB and is "an incredible young man of faith," she said. "There are so many wonderful stories like that," Polly said. In mentoring young men, Coach DuBose emphasizes the need for husbands to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. He also sees spiritual leadership at home as his top ministry. Polly noted, "In the really hard places of his life, Mike took the high road. He started reading and studying God's word and walking in obedience. I would watch Mike daily get up early every morning to spend time in prayer for his family. When we all walked out the door to start the day, we had been covered in prayer. Mike has become 'a man after God's own heart' and he has my utmost respect." DuBose said he regrets forcing his wife to be their family's spiritual leader for years and expressed thanks she stayed with him through challenging times. He called leading his family "the greatest responsibility and greatest privilege I have today." Polly said her family's spiritual journey illustrates that "even when you make mistakes in your life and all seems lost, it doesn't stop The Father from loving you. He desires to have a personal relationship with you. God will meet you where you are and will give you a new heart and life in Him. That's just what He did for us." In 2008, The New York Times seemed to note something of DuBose's newfound joy, stating he -- then head coach at Millsaps -- looked "as sunny as the weather" on a clear fall day and that the turmoil of Alabama "seemed a distant memory." A 'much bigger' game Reflecting back on his spiritual journey, DuBose said "football is a wonderful, wonderful game. But it is just that: it is a game. There is a game that is much bigger, much more important. That is the game of life, which leads to either heaven or hell. When we shake it all down, we're all on one of two teams. We're either on God's team or we're on Satan's team." He added, "My family and I are choosing Christ." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Baptist crews on site; Trump calls nation to prayer by Jane Rodgers /Southern Baptist TEXAN Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday EDITOR'S NOTE: An additional disaster relief report from Texas follows this story. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (BP) -- A half-dozen Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) rumbled through the parking lot of Annaville Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. Both at noon Thursday (Aug. 31) and then again in sweltering temperatures at 4 p.m., the ERVs picked up more than 2,500 meals each time prepared by Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief feeding volunteers for distribution to victims of Hurricane Harvey in communities along the Gulf Coast. In Washington, President Trump signed a proclamation designating Sunday (Sept. 3) as a National Day of Prayer for people impacted by Harvey's historic onslaught in Texas and Louisiana. "We invite all Americans to join us as we continue to pray for those who've lost family members and friends and for those who are suffering from this great crisis," Trump said, according to CNN. "There was no outbreak in crime. There was an outbreak in compassion only," Trump also said. "Real, beautiful, strong compassion." Everyone who has responded to the flooding has "inspired the world," the president added. Frank S. Page, president of the SBC Executive Committee, was among various religious leaders on hand as the president signed the prayer proclamation. Page said he was in Washington on Thursday and Friday "to meet with faith leaders about a variety of issues. Among those issues was the Hurricane Harvey disaster. We were privileged to see the president sign an executive order creating Sunday as a national Day of prayer for the people of Texas and Louisiana." Among others witnessing the signing were Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas; Jay Strack, president of Student Leadership University; and Johnnie Moore and Tom Clinton, members of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va. Also, at the White House this afternoon, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump met with Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board which coordinates Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, and representatives of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. "I am thankful that the Trump administration has prioritized this relief effort and for the values they are placing on the role faith groups can play," Ezell said prior to the meeting. "Southern Baptists have a great opportunity here to meet needs, share the love of Christ and demonstrate our faith in action." Back in Corpus Christi at Annaville Baptist Church, the hot meals, safely sealed in thermal Cambro containers, were being carried to Freeport, Rockport, Woodsboro, Aransas Pass and Gregory, said Joe Vich, a Red Cross kitchen manager from Waterloo, Iowa. Leftovers were taken to a nearby nonprofit ministry. Vich had worked with SBTC DR volunteers in the past in Louisiana. "They are a fabulous group, very well organized. They know what they are doing," he said. "This group has been, over the top, a pleasure to work with." Vic Hencken, representing the Red Cross senior vice president of disaster relief, said, "I can't say enough about the Southern Baptists, about what they do and how they do it." Ray Schwertner, one of the on-site SBTC DR leaders, or "blue hats," praised his team of 17 volunteers from across the state, including two feeding units from First Baptist Church in Brownsville. "We're glad to be out here working with our brothers and sisters serving the people of the Gulf," Schwertner, of Rockwall, said. "It's hot out here, but everybody's got a great spirit. We're glad to represent God in the Corpus area." DR volunteers plan to be in the area awhile. "We expect a three- to four-week deployment," said Terry Roberts, SBTC volunteer from Brownsville. "People will be phased in and out over that time. It's open-ended." SBDR teams from Oklahoma, Arkansas and South Carolina had arrived on the scene to serve alongside Texas volunteers throughout the flooded region. At Annaville Baptist, an SBTC DR team from First Baptist Church in Linden, Texas, also was on site with a shower and laundry trailer in support of feeding volunteers and other first responders. The church is hosting SBTC volunteers and making its parking lot and family life center available to both Red Cross and SBTC DR personnel, providing meals to volunteers. Annaville members erected temporary quarters for male and female SBTC volunteers, the particleboard partitions forming a makeshift dormitory in the midst of the fellowship hall. "We're more than happy to help," Annaville pastor Robert Simmons told the Southern Baptist TEXAN, adding that the church's chainsaw teams were at work in surrounding areas to help survivors. "We want to do anything we can to bring the light of Jesus into the darkness and into this mess. And it is a mess!" Simmons said. SBTC feeding units also deployed to the Houston area at Clay Road Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Pflugerville, SBTC task force member Dewey Watson confirmed. Crews heading to Houston were stalled for two days due to flooding, until the Texas Department of Transportation mapped a route for them, Watson said. Calling the weather in northwest Houston "hot but drying," blue hat Ralph Britt said 22 SBTC volunteers had gathered at Clay Road Baptist Church "ready to cook" but were waiting on supplies and equipment from the Red Cross, with expectations to begin preparing meals today). Another feeding team from First Baptist Pflugerville led by Mike Northen also anticipated starting meal preparations today at Clay Road Baptist. Northen alerted the Red Cross of damage in nearby Smithville and La Grange, both flooded by the Colorado River. He said the Pflugerville team he leads likely will be providing meals for shelters and possibly for survivors in the two town, each with a population of about 4,000. "The overall disaster is ten or a hundred times worse than anything we've ever seen," Northen said. Watson expressed thanks to all volunteers, noting, "They are willing to step out of their lives to give a portion of their time to people they don't even know." Donations for disaster relief efforts can be sent to the SBTC at http://sbtexas.com/harvey and to other state Baptist convention offices or by visiting namb.net/Harvey. --30-- Jane Rodgers is a correspondent for the Southern Bapist TEXAN (texanonline.net), newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Baptist Press senior editor Art Toalston contributed to this article. Church is 'shelter of last resort' amid few resources By Jane Rodgers KOUNTZE, Texas (BP) -- At the outset of Hurricane Harvey, Daniel White assisted in deploying DR units across the state as a member of the Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief task force. But when Harvey moved east from Houston, flooding Beaumont and surrounding communities, including his own, White tackled the challenge that confronted the church where he is pastor, First Baptist in Kountze. "My church became a 'shelter of last resort' for evacuees who were rescued by boats," White said. "We began preparing meals for the evacuees and now we are preparing meals for city and county workers, first responders and the nursing home." White said SBTC DR volunteers prepared 425 meals on Aug. 31 in Kountze, provided 30 showers, did 14 loads of laundry and prayed with 27 people. Scottie Stice, SBTC DR director, told the Southern Baptist TEXAN that an operations center had been located at First Baptist with White at the helm. "When flooding affected the town, we had to relieve Daniel of his command so he could minister to his church, his family and the community," Stice said. "We are preparing breakfast and supper for first responders," White's wife D'Ann reported, along with breakfast, lunch and dinner for hurricane evacuees and community members, including residents of a local nursing home who could not be evacuated and were running out of food. "Power is becoming an issue," D'Ann White said, with Stice adding that that city of 2,000 people also is suffering water and sewage system issues. "All resources are limited," D'Ann White said. The county was unable to transport evacuees as of Aug. 31. While some found places to go, First Baptist Kountze lodged 22 people, 14 dogs and three cats. Late last night, the 22 evacuees were joined by a Fort Hood soldier, his wife and three children, including a newborn, who were trying to get home to Florida, Daniel White said. Further evacuations from First Baptist may be stalled, as a shelter in nearby Jasper is no longer an option because a power transmission line went down, leaving Jasper and Newton counties are without power. "We appreciate Daniel, the volunteers, and the church who responded very quickly to minister to the needs in Kountze," Stice said. "The flooding hit them very quickly." With White and First Baptist Kountze otherwise occupied, the SBTC DR command center moved to Grapevine, Stice said, calling the operation a "communication and administration nerve center" of DR response. -------------------------------------------------------------------- LifeWay, WMU commit to helping Houston-area churches recover by Staff Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey to Houston-area churches, LifeWay Christian Resources and Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) were among those this week offering support through the recovery process. LifeWay announced Friday (Sept. 1) the organization is preparing to send Bibles and resources to the Houston area. And National Woman's Missionary Union and the WMU Foundation have announced they will assist hurricane victims with a $5,000 HEART (Humanitarian Emergency Aid for Rebuilding Tomorrow) Fund grant. LifeWay LifeWay President and CEO Thom S. Rainer said the Southern Baptist entity is committed to serving churches affected by the storm and resulting flooding. Initially, he said, that means offering support and assistance to those on the ground now. "While we can't begin to understand all that's been lost, we are supporting the North American Mission Board and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts in Texas," he said. "As churches begin to recover, we will provide resources and Bibles to impacted areas through our disaster assistance program." Southern Baptist pastors affected by the storm can receive replacement resources for their library, including a set of commentaries, study tools and access to numerous digital resources. Churches can also apply for replacement of one quarter's worth of LifeWay-published ongoing curriculum materials. In addition, specific discounts on pew Bibles and hymnals will be available for affected churches moving forward. Impacted pastors and churches can email DisasterAssistance@LifeWay.com. After collecting names and contact information, LifeWay will coordinate with the pastors to find the best way to provide them and their congregations with the needed resources. WMU The $5,000 HEART Fund grant will help WMU of Texas provide gift cards to those who have been impacted by the storm, according to National Woman's Missionary Union and the WMU Foundation. "There are thousands of people in Texas and surrounding areas who are hurting," said David George, president of the WMU Foundation. "This grant will help storm victims with some of their immediate needs." Carolyn Porterfield, interim executive director of WMU of Texas, expressed appreciate for the grant. "We are so grateful that this grant will allow us to respond in Jesus' name to the very real and urgent needs that are all around us right now," she said. National WMU and the WMU Foundation expect to make additional grants as relief efforts continue and rebuilding begins. "Our prayer is this initial grant will provide some necessities for people who are hurting right now," said Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director-treasurer of national WMU, an auxiliary of the Southern Baptist Convention. "We will continue to work with the WMU Foundation and WMU of Texas during clean-up and rebuilding, and we will pray for, support, and love our neighbors as they recover and rebuild." George noted, "It's human nature to forget about the victims once the worst is over and it's no longer on the news every day, but we will not forget." "In the days, weeks, and months ahead, we will continue to look for ways to help," he said. "As the body of Christ, we will be there for our neighbors as they rebuild their homes and lives." The HEART Fund was created in response to the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. Since that time, the WMU Foundation has granted more than $473,000 from the HEART Fund to disaster victims in the United States and around the world. For more information on how you can help can assist those impacted by Hurricane Harvey through the HEARTFund, go to wmufoundation.com or mail to WMU Foundation HEART Fund, 100 Missionary Ridge, Birmingham, AL, 35242. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Moore joins call for 'solution' for childhood immigrants by David Roach Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore is among a coalition of evangelicals urging government leaders not to deport individuals brought to the United States illegally when they were children. "It is long past time for Congress to work together to find a workable solution for our broken immigration system -- especially for the hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to our country by their parents," Moore said according to an Aug. 30 press release from Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT), a coalition of eight evangelical organizations, including the ERLC, that attempts to address immigration policy from a biblical worldview. "Many of these Dreamers have stepped forward in good faith," Moore said. "Congress should respond with a legislative solution that delivers on the promises made to these men and women and protects them from perpetual uncertainty. Let's pray for a fair solution that highlights both justice and compassion." Moore and six other evangelicals representing EIT asked President Trump and congressional leaders in a series of Aug. 30 letters to continue protections afforded by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an initiative begun by executive order of the Obama administration that has granted permission to stay in the U.S. and work to approximately 800,000 undocumented childhood immigrants since 2012. DACA has come under fire this summer, with a threat by 10 conservative state attorneys general to sue the Trump administration if it does not end DACA by Sept. 5. Trump said during the 2016 presidential campaign he would "immediately terminate" DACA, The New York Times reported, but since taking office he has called DACA beneficiaries -- sometimes referenced as "Dreamers" -- "incredible kids" and said deciding their fate is "one of the most difficult subjects I have." Multiple media outlets reported Aug. 31 Trump had decided to discontinue DACA, letting Dreamers stay only until their work permits expire. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, The Times reported, believes DACA is unconstitutional. No official White House announcement had been made regarding DACA at Baptist Press' publication deadline. Democratic and some Republican lawmakers -- including House Speaker Paul Ryan -- urged Trump not to end DACA. Vice President Mike Pence told ABC News Aug. 31, "President Trump has said all along that he's giving very careful consideration to [DACA] and that when he makes [a decision], he'll make it with, as he likes to say, big heart." The EIT representatives' letter to Trump asked him to work with "leadership on Capitol Hill on a permanent solution" to the plight of individuals who immigrated to the U.S. illegally in childhood. The letter also asked Trump to "ensure that these young immigrants are protected" while Congress works on a permanent solution. Letters with similar language were sent to Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. "We carry particular concern for the future of these Dreamers because they have much to offer America. They were brought here without their consent, and in most cases the United States is the only home they have known," the EIT letter stated. "We know that these young people who stepped forward in good faith are not threats to America. By enrolling in DACA, they already have submitted to screening for criminal activity and potential threats to national security. As a country, we need to focus on real solutions for our broken immigration system that address safety, security and economic fairness. Deporting these young people runs counter to these priorities," according to the letter. In addition to Moore, signatories included Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief; Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Hyepin Im, president and CEO of Korean Churches for Community Development/Faith and Community Empowerment; Jo Anne Lyon, ambassador and general superintendent emerita of The Wesleyan Church; and Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. More than two dozen Southern Baptists who did not sign the EIT’s Aug. 30 letter have affirmed the coalition’s statement of six general principles for immigration reform. Those who affirmed the general principles include former Southern Baptist Convention presidents as well as current and former SBC entity presidents. An Aug. 31 press release from World Relief noted Hispanic Baptist Pastors Alliance co-founder Felix Cabrera as a supporter of DACA. Cabrera, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City, did not sign the EIT letter. "To end the DACA program now would be immoral, violating the trust of young immigrants, including those within my congregation and many other Hispanic Southern Baptists throughout the country, who trusted the federal government when it asked them to register and provide their personal information," Cabrera said. "It would also be economically disastrous, forcing the laying off of hundreds of thousands of trained employees, leaving both their employers and the employees in an incredibly difficult spot. "It could trigger a domino effect that harms many citizens (as well as the Dreamers and their families), when those who have lost their jobs would struggle to pay rent or a mortgage payment, miss car payments, be forced to withdraw from college or graduate school, and have trouble providing basic food and clothing for their families," Cabrera said. "Rather than taking another step that will exacerbate ethnic and political divisions in our nation, I pray that President Trump and Congressional Leaders from both parties will work together to pass legislation to protect Dreamers, and in the process help to unify our nation," Cabrera said. In 2011, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution "on immigration and the Gospel." It called "on our churches to be the presence of Christ, in both proclamation and ministry, to all persons, regardless of country of origin or immigration status" and "deplore[d] any bigotry or harassment against any persons, regardless of their country of origin or legal status." The resolution asked "our governing authorities to implement, with the borders secured, a just and compassionate path to legal status, with appropriate restitutionary measures, for those undocumented immigrants already living in our country." It stated "that this resolution is not to be construed as support for amnesty for any undocumented immigrant." The resolution concluded, "We affirm that while Southern Baptists, like other Americans, might disagree on how to achieve just and humane public policy objectives related to immigration, we agree that, when it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to His church, the message, in every language and to every person, is 'Whosoever will may come.'" -------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump meets with SBC's Ezell, other relief leaders by Mike Ebert Date: September 01, 2017 - Friday WASHINGTON (BP) -- President Donald Trump met with leaders of the three largest disaster relief organizations in the United States at the White House today (Sept. 1) to discuss relief efforts in south Texas in the wake of historic flooding and other damage left by Hurricane Harvey. Included at the meeting were Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR), represented by North American Mission Board (NAMB) President Kevin Ezell; American Red Cross, represented by the group's president, Gail McGovern; and the Salvation Army, represented by Col. David Hudson, the group's USA national chief secretary. After a 25-minute private meeting in the Oval Office with the president and First Lady Melania Trump, reporters were invited in for an impromptu update about relief efforts in Texas. "We are pleased to receive an update from Gail, David and Kevin on the work of the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief," Trump told reporters. "The federal government is on the ground bringing its significant resources to bear, and I want to assure these organizations, and the others involved, that we will continue to coordinate with them and bring all of the relief and the comfort and everything else that we absolutely can to the Gulf Coast." In his remarks at the briefing, Ezell spotlighted partnerships that make such responses possible. "We're three different organizations but work best as one," Ezell said, referring to the SBDR partnership with American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. "The joy of this is we really do lock arms and have the capacity to feed over 400,000 people a day." Ezell also thanked Trump for the role the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has played during this and other crises. "We have come through many disasters, and they have done a fantastic job of stepping up to the plate and being prepared and allowing us to volunteer in the way we're prepared to do," Ezell said. After the White House meeting, Ezell said he was struck by how personally engaged in the relief effort both Trump and his wife are. "I was grateful to see the compassion they expressed toward those who have been impacted by this," Ezell said. "It was genuine compassion. You can tell the first lady has really been moved by this." The meeting took place as SBDR units are more fully deploying across south Texas. Feeding teams are now preparing thousands of hot meals each day for storm survivors, many of whom are still living in shelters. Other SBDR units are providing hot showers, laundry services and chainsaw crews who are removing trees and other debris from yards and rooftops. In addition to traditional SBDR work, NAMB is coordinating a Send Relief volunteer effort to utilize churches and volunteers who have no prior disaster relief training. Churches and individuals can register at namb.net/Harvey to be part of the effort. "Our faith compels us to serve those in need. Southern Baptists were invited here today because we have a 50-year record of helping people in times of disaster," Ezell said after the White House meeting. "When we all work together and cooperate, that's very powerful. My prayer is that Southern Baptists will continue partnering to meet the great needs in south Texas." To donate to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Send Relief efforts, visit namb.net/Harvey.