The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-09/16/2019 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: Little things that bug us by Steve Playl Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday BRISTOL, Tenn. (BP) -- Most of us detest mosquito bites. Have you ever heard someone say, "You know, one of my favorite things is to be covered with mosquitoes." Didn't think so. Some people seem to be more bothered by mosquitoes than others. Take my wife Sammie for example. Not only does she react to their bites with welts and extreme itching, but they seem to seek her out, even when she uses plenty of repellent. Why do they like her so much? Your guess is as good as mine. She read somewhere that those little nuisances prefer O negative blood, the type that courses through her veins. But my theory is that she's just a lot sweeter than me. James David, one of our 8-year-old grandkids, tells us they often attack him as well. Recently, when Sammie was explaining why she was wildly scratching her ankles, James David gave this empathetic response: "They really bother me too, Nahnee. There must be an ad in the Mosquito Newspaper that says, 'Be sure to visit the James David Mosquito Resort.' Maybe they've got an ad for you too!" Katie Grace, another of our grandkids, was saying grace for a meal the other day when she was spending some time with us. After she thanked God for the food and her family, she added, "and help Nahnee's mosquito bites to not hurt so bad." Her bedtime prayers that night included a petition for the mosquitoes to quit biting her altogether. After her prayer she confided to us, "I just wish Jesus would kill all the mosquitoes." Well, I don't think it is in Jesus' nature to kill any of His creatures, even blights as bad as mosquitoes. Besides, they provide food for bats and barn swallows, song birds and purple martins. But are mosquitoes the only little things that bug you? I'm not referring to other small insects like ants, flies, wasps and hornets. Are you ever troubled by a fleeting thought, a tiny temptation, a minor ache or pain? Does a word from a coworker, friend or family member ever get under your skin? How about some small act committed by another driver on the interstate or in a parking lot? Maybe the chewing, spitting, scratching, sneezing, coughing or laughing of someone within earshot or your line of vision? It seems that little things often bug us more than the more critical issues of life. That word or look or idea can really sting, burn or itch something awful, but whether the annoyance is caused by a life-or-death situation or a minor irritant, we can always share what's bugging us with our heavenly Father. The apostle Peter said we should cast our cares or anxiety on the Lord, and the psalmist admonished us to bring our burdens to Him. We are promised that He will sustain us if we bring our troubles -- great or small -- and give them to Him. God may not take the itch out of a mosquito bite, but He can lighten our load or take the sting out of an unkind word if only we will allow Him to share our burden. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Floyd to NAMB staff: Champion Gospel unashamedly by Mike Ebert Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- In his first visit to the North American Mission Board in his new role as president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, Ronnie Floyd challenged staff members to "champion unashamedly the sharing of the Gospel with America." "You have a great opportunity to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- and to lead us to do it -- to every person, every town, every city, every state all across this nation," Floyd said. "And when you touch this nation, and obviously Canada, you're going to touch the rest of the world." Floyd also challenged the NAMB team to "champion pastors unashamedly." "Make a big deal of them whenever you can," Floyd said. "Champion their calling -- it's a great calling. It means something when somebody who serves churches let's pastors know -- 'You matter.' It doesn't matter whether they run 20,000 or they run 20." Floyd joined NAMB president Kevin Ezell on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the ministry's monthly "Boot Camp," an all-staff meeting attended by Alpharetta-based employees and then shared by video with field staff and missionaries. Ezell used the first half of the meeting to review priorities, values and goals. He then invited Floyd to the stage where the two had a conversation that touched on faith, family, ministry, SBC culture and Floyd's vision for his role at the Executive Committee. Floyd said he wants to help Southern Baptists "do something great for God in the next decade." "I mean to really move us in one direction toward doing everything we can to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations," he said. "I want to be a part of something life changing. I want to be part of making a difference." Ezell began the conversation on a personal note thanking Floyd for the key role he played in Ezell's ministry and life. "Dr. Floyd has been investing in the lives of pastors literally his entire ministry and in ways that most people would never know," Ezell told staff. "He invested and got nothing out of it. I am so grateful for the investment he has made in my life and in the lives of so many other pastors." Floyd emphasized the importance of a disciplined, personal time with God. "So many times, we think about the public side," he said. "What happens in your private life is much more important than what happens in your public life. Many times, God does not let us do things publicly because of the way we behave privately." Floyd said a believer's personal time with God shapes that person's priorities. For Floyd, a decision to protect family time is a choice he is grateful he made. He described a Friday night early in his ministry when he was driving back to church for a deacons meeting, leaving his wife Jeana and two young sons at home. "I decided that night I am not going to sacrifice family on the altar of ministry success," he said. "Starting that week, I spent every Friday with Jeana." Floyd said he estimates he spent 95 percent of Fridays with his wife and family while he was pastoring. Ezell asked Floyd what he sees as some of the biggest challenges Southern Baptists face. "One of our biggest challenges is learning to get along and love each other like Jesus loves us and to have a healthy culture," Floyd said. "As Peter Drucker said, 'Culture eats strategy for breakfast.' It doesn't matter how good your strategy is. If you don't have good culture, you can forget your strategy." Floyd complimented Ezell and NAMB staff for how they have positively contributed to SBC culture in recent years. "You all have done so much for the culture of the Southern Baptist Convention. Thank you," Floyd said. "The conferences, the zeal, the vision. The commitment to excellence is so refreshing." Floyd described the current time in the SBC, with five of the 12 national entity leaders being newly appointed, as a time of great opportunity. "We have a shot," Floyd said. "We sometimes act like we have 150 shots. We don't. We have one shot with our lives. And we need to make it count. And the people in this room have the opportunity. We need to make a difference." Ezell closed by thanking Floyd: "We are incredibly grateful to you and Jeana for making the sacrifice you've made." He then invited NAMB staff to gather around Floyd for a time of prayer. -------------------------------------------------------------------- A bold & obedient witness by Madeline Arthington   Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday CENTRAL ASIA (BP) -- Ruslan's ritual Muslim prayers, which he performed five times a day, brought no relief to the ugliness he felt in his heart. He was a tough young man. He angered easily and was a troublemaker in his village in Central Asia. But when Ruslan, name changed for security, first heard the Gospel from relatives in the big city, he couldn't sleep for days. On the fourth day, he visited their church and heard the truth about Jesus again. In tears, he repented and believed in Christ for salvation. Ruslan began sharing the Gospel even before he himself came to faith. In the four days between when he first heard the Gospel and when he believed, he showed his Gospel tract to two friends who accepted the message in faith and repentance. Ruslan is now a married father of four, an evangelist, and a church planter. Many people have come to Christ through his obedience to boldly and faithfully share the Gospel at every opportunity. He fasted and prayed 10 days for the salvation of his mother, who came to faith. His older brother also repented and believed through Ruslan's witness. Another Christian met Ruslan at a wedding and asked him to share the Gospel with his antagonistic older brother. The older brother had been threatening to inform the police about Christians in the area. Ruslan was hesitant and said he would share with the older brother during his next visit. The younger brother disregarded Ruslan's offer to follow up later, and he brought the older brother into their conversation right there at the wedding. Despite his fear, Ruslan shared the Gospel with the man and talked for an hour about Islam and Christianity. Ruslan noticed a phone in the man's chest pocket but assumed it was off. A couple of days later, Ruslan learned the man recorded their entire conversation on his phone. Ruslan's first reaction was fear, but he gave it to the Lord and prayed, "Use this for good. May your will be done." He later found out that instead of giving the recording to the police, the man listened to the Gospel message again and again. He too believed. Ruslan has not always been spared from the cost of following Christ. He and his family, including his young children, once spent 12 hours without food or water in a police station because they were caught gathering with Christians for worship. That experience made him edgy and suspicious of outsiders. Soon after, he traveled to a village to encourage the Christians. He had repeatedly asked the leader of the meeting not to invite any unbelievers to the gathering. But when he arrived, he learned the leader had indeed invited an older woman who had heard the Gospel but not yet believed. When the woman met Ruslan, she told him, "I saw you in my dream last night. You're the one who invited me to come to this meeting." During the meeting, the woman heard the Gospel again and believed. These experiences strengthen Ruslan's faith and encourage him to persevere in obedience. He hopes to start a Bible school that will offer classes in the cities where he does Gospel work. Pray with Ruslan -- Pray God will give wisdom to Ruslan and make a way to open a Bible school. -- Pray God will help Ruslan's children as they transition this year to a new school. -- Pray God will provide for Ruslan's family in the care of a disabled child. Pray even for God to heal this child. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE SEMINARIES: Oxford tour participants tread timeworn paths; Mobile, NOBTS to begin accelerated B.A.+M.Div. program by SWBTS & UM Staff Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- Baptist seminary students trod timeworn paths to learn new perspectives during this summer's 2019 Oxford Study Tour sponsored by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The group of 36 visited key historic sites in England in an annual tour that has remained focused on church and Baptist history while offering an opportunity to engage in cross-cultural ministry. Madison Grace, associate professor of Baptist heritage at Southwestern Seminary and director of the Oxford Study Program, was joined this year by two fellow faculty members from the Fort Worth, Texas, campus -- Stephen Presley, associate professor of church history, and Travis Dickinson, associate professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics -- along with Stephen B. Eccher, assistant professor of church history and reformation studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina. The study tour hosted students from both Southwestern and Southeastern seminary who could earn class credits. Grace said the Oxford program is "a unique opportunity for participants to not only visit and learn about Baptist and church history as they visit sites where these events occurred, but also to interact with the current work of churches in Great Britain. Added to these aspects of the trip is the ability to build community with professors, students and other believers from across the convention." For Eccher, "One of the great joys of taking part in the Oxford study tour is watching our students ponder the depths of their beliefs in places where figures like Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hamilton and others died horrific deaths for their own convictions. But perhaps my greatest joy from this year's trip took place even before we left, as I received a support letter from a participant on the 2018 Oxford Tour who is planting their lives in the U.K. for the next year." In Oxford, the "city of dreaming spires," Grace delivered a sermon at Regent's Park College and, throughout the week, students heard lectures on church history, apologetics and church planting in the chapel of this college with historical connections to British Baptists. On a walking tour of London, the study tour explored the British Museum, with its array of biblical artifacts. Participants visited St. Paul's Cathedral and walked through Paternoster Square, where religious printers once flourished, and the site of the former Newgate Prison, where Thomas Helwys, the first Baptist pastor in England, was imprisoned for his faith. They visited the Smithfield Market, where Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. At Charles Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle, Grace lectured on the accomplishments of Spurgeon, a leading figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition. He then spoke about Christianity and the age of dissent at Bunhill Fields, the dissenters graveyard. In the Westminster sector, Eccher spoke about British culture and faith. Students also heard about church planting efforts in London from International Mission Board workers. In Colchester, a city rich in church history, Grace spoke at Artillery St. Evangelical Church, the place of Spurgeon's conversion. At Moulton, participants visited Carey Baptist Church where William Carey developed his missionary vision while cobbling shoes, and Presley preached from the pulpit. In Olney, they visited the church of John Newton, author of the hymn "Amazing Grace," and the group sang the hymn together inside the centuries-old church. At Kettering, a market town, they saw the site where the Baptist Missionary Society was formed, and Grace spoke on theologians Andrew Fuller and John Gill. Adam Covington, Southwestern's director of communications, said the visit to Moulton and Kettering was "by far one of the most meaningful and impactful days of the trip for me. It was surreal to stand in the room where William Carey worked as a cobbler and school teacher while he pastored the small village church next door and to recognize this place as the location where the Lord began to burden his heart and his mind for the task of taking the Gospel to the unreached corners of the earth." Traveling to Scotland, the group shared the Gospel with Edinburgh's residents, worshiped at Charlotte Chapel, and learned about ministry in Scotland. They also heard a walking lecture by Eccher while touring the Royal Mile and visiting the church of John Knox, a Scottish theologian and leader of the country's Reformation. Eccher praised the July 15-31 trip for "allowing students to see, feel, steep in and interact with a culture that is ticking down to roughly 1 percent evangelical. That means students get time to soak in a context that is, at best, post-Christian, perhaps even pre-Christian." Students had numerous opportunities to share the Gospel on the streets of England, Eccher said, noting, "The dissonance they experience between a visual skyline dominated by Medieval church spires and surrounding streets filled with what the IMB would classify as an unreached people group is striking." Covington underscored the importance of relationships forged as a result of the trip. "We had students who were taking their first class ever at Southwestern Seminary, students who were working on their second and third degrees, a long-tenured pastor of a church in Arkansas and an international student from Southeast Asia," he said. "We had all of these students from different walks of life, from different stages of life, gathered together for a concentrated period with the sole purpose to learn about church history, Baptist heritage, and theology. We experienced Christian fellowship in this community to a degree that our busy lives don't often allow at home." Kyle Hamby, an enrollment specialist in Southwestern's admissions office and a bachelor's student in Scarborough College, said, "I was able to see the heritage of the British Baptists to where they gave up their lives for the principles and doctrine of the Baptist faith. It makes you wonder, are you willing to give your life for such principles or doctrines? It is easy to say that you would but going to places where you know someone was burned alive, drowned in a river, or murdered by a mob for doctrines such as believer's baptism makes Baptist heritage and history come alive. "This trip brings what we learn in the classroom to life in so many ways," Hamby said. "Not only does the history come to life, but so will friendships that you never saw coming." ********** Mobile, NOBTS announce accelerated BA+MDiv program MOBILE, Ala. (BP) -- A new partnership between the University of Mobile and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary allows students to save time and money by earning both their bachelor of arts and master of divinity degrees in just five years. The Accelerated B.A.+M.Div. program reduces by two years the time it takes for a student to earn both a bachelor's degree from the University of Mobile and an M.Div. from New Orleans Seminary. "This agreement will greatly benefit both institutions. We are pleased to partner with our colleagues in New Orleans and hope this is just the start of many such opportunities," said Lonnie Burnett, interim president of the University of Mobile, which is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist Convention. Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Seminary, said, "This is an exciting time in our history to partner with the University of Mobile to train students for the mission of Christ. This partnership will enable students to maximize their time and get to the field more quickly." The agreement allows selected undergraduate courses taken at UM to apply toward the master's program at NOBTS. UM students also may qualify for advanced placement in biblical language courses. In addition, up to 29 hours of graduate-level courses taken in the University of Mobile School of Christian Studies master of arts program may transfer to any NOBTS M.Div. NOBTS offers an M.Div. with specializations in 24 areas, including pastoral ministry, missions and urban missions, church planting and evangelistic church growth. Doug Wilson, dean of the University of Mobile School of Christian Studies, said, "Through the years, many of our Christian Studies alumni have gone on to pursue M.Div. and doctoral work at NOBTS. By formalizing this partnership, one of our key Southern Baptist seminaries is affirming the value of our theological and ministry training at the University of Mobile." The program will start with the fall semester 2020. For more information, contact Wilson at dwilson@umobile.edu or call UM enrollment services at 251-442-2222. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Abortionist kept remains of unborn babies at home by Harvest Prude/WORLD Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday WILL COUNTY, Ill. (BP) -- Law enforcement officials have announced the discovery of 2,246 medically preserved fetal remains at the Illinois home of a deceased abortionist. Ulrich Klopfer, who worked at an abortion center in South Bend, Ind., died earlier this month. His family discovered the remains and contacted the sheriff's office in Will County, Ill. There's reportedly no evidence he performed abortions at his home, but authorities have opened an investigation. "We are horrified," said Mike Fichter, the president of Indiana Right to Life. He called for Indiana authorities to determine whether the remains have any connection to abortion operations in the state. Who was Klopfer? The abortionist worked at three Indiana facilities and performed thousands of abortions in multiple counties over several decades, the South Bend Tribune reported. The state's medical board suspended his license in 2016 for violations such as submitting erroneous state-mandated terminated pregnancy reports, waiting too long to report abortions on girls age 13 or younger, and having unqualified staff members provide pre-abortion information and counseling to patients, according to the Tribune. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Wedgwood tragedy 20 years later: 'He is faithful' by Diana Chandler Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- For Tralissa Griffin, whose daughter Cassie was among those who lost their lives at Wedgwood Baptist Church 20 years ago, healing began with God's comforting voice. For Cassie's father David, his shaken faith was strengthened when he saw a vision of his 14-year-old daughter praising God at His heavenly throne. Kathy Jo Rogers, who lost her then husband at the Wednesday night youth concert Sept. 15, 1999, became newly aware of God's glory and faithfulness. "I know that there's a special grace on the ones who are right in the center," Rogers said, "because I remember how God carried us when I would have looked … at me and thought, 'she won't make it.' "And God was with us," Rogers said, "because we experienced His glory during that time. We experienced His closeness and His Self. His glory is the most real thing of all." The three were among many who proclaimed God's faithfulness at a service Sunday (Sept. 15) 20 years after Larry Gene Ashbrook killed seven and injured seven others before killing himself at the Fort Worth, Texas church. Dale Braswell, senior pastor of the congregation since 2016, called the shooting a defining moment that doesn't define the church's future. "The events of Sept. 15th, 1999, will forever be a defining moment of this church," he told hundreds gathered at the three-hour service. "What I think the defining moment for Wedgwood needs to be moving forward is in celebrating and remembering the moments not in which people went from life to death, but from which people go from death to life, spiritually speaking." When Braswell began leading the church, he told BP, the tragedy's footprint covered a broad spectrum. "Many of our members were not here in 1999 and had joined in the years following the shooting," he said. "Other members were obviously very young when the event occurred and had little to no knowledge of the tragedy. And still others were here and had been dramatically impacted by the event. "And so, this wide range created quite a diverse sense in which some were still deeply affected while others were very unaware of the trauma caused by the shooting." Al Meredith, pastor of the congregation at the time of the shooting, spoke at the event and is still an active member of the church. He retired as pastor in 2015. "People ask will we get over it. Of course not, but we got through it … even if we never understand why," Meredith told Baptist Press Monday (Sept. 16). "The primary thing is that God is faithful. He was with us on that night. "So many were protected that night, even though eight lives were taken including the shooter," Meredith told BP. "In the end we win, because of the hope of heaven." The anniversary theme, "God Wastes Nothing," is true, Meredith told BP, referencing the promise in Romans 8:28. "Pastor Dale's message was we have celebrated and remembered how God translated our loved ones from life into death," Meredith told BP, "but looking forward we want to be able to celebrate how God translates lost people from death into life." Wedgwood associate pastor Jeff Laster was reportedly the first person the 48-year-old gunman shot. Wounded in the stomach and arm, Laster survived the shots the gunman fired shortly after entering the church. "We don't want to just be recognized for this incident in our history," Laster said in a Wedgwood video inviting the public to the anniversary service. "We want to be recognized for the other good things we've done, like school supplies, helping with the police locally, missions, the different ministries that we do that reaches our community." Braswell stated a similar hope for the church where, according to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Church Profile, Sunday worship attendance averages 615. "We want people to know and see the faithfulness of God in our past and on into our future," he told BP. "Most importantly, we want to be known as a church that is faithful to continually pursue obedience to the call of Matthew 28 to make disciples who will make disciples." Braswell's sermon based on God's deliverance of the Hebrews in Exodus 3 offered salvation and encouraged personal evangelism, anchored in God's deliverance of the Hebrews from enslavement in Egypt. "I have heard the cries of my people. I'm aware of their suffering, I'm aware of their tears, I'm aware of their hardship," said Braswell, characterizing God's approach toward the Hebrews. "I'm aware of the persecution and the trials that they're going through, and so I'm going to answer their prayers. I'm going to come in and I'm going to deliver them. I'm going to free them. "I'm going to rescue them," Braswell preached. "I'm going to take them out of the land of persecution and slavery and suffering, and I'm going to take them to a beautiful promised land." EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated Sept. 17 with expanded comments from pastor Dale Braswell. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Rise up,' Floyd urges churches at inauguration by Grace Thornton Date: September 16, 2019 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been expanded since it was originally posted. NASHVILLE (BP) -- At more than 47,000 churches strong, Southern Baptists can have a massive spiritual footprint -- they just have to harness the power of prayer and their resources for the sake of the Gospel, Ronnie Floyd said. "God has blessed us greatly," said the new president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. "We must rise up." Floyd sounded that clarion call Monday (Sept. 16) at the end of his inauguration service. He told the crowd of several hundred Southern Baptist leaders gathered at First Baptist Church, Nashville, that prayer, unity and a hyper-focus on missions were necessary to finish the task. "I believe God wants me to call upon and to help mobilize a convention of churches and millions of Christians who have massive resources to do one thing -- we must reach every person for Jesus in every town, in every city, in every state and every nation across this world," Floyd said. Earlier that evening, Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla., had told the crowd that in the days leading up to the service, he had called some pastors back in his small hometown in Alabama and asked what they would want from a new SBC leader. "I heard one word over and over -- unity. Unify us," Traylor said. Floyd said he is calling the SBC to exactly that -- to show "this crazy world" a people of God who are overflowing with love, not given to online attacks and dissension. That kind of love plus prayer and a sacrificial use of resources is how the task will be completed, he said. He asked Southern Baptists to "leverage your life and resources for this mission." "I am humbly calling every pastor to prioritize, elevate and accelerate their giving through our Cooperative Program, which is the financial fuel for all we do," Floyd said. "We can do more together than we could ever do alone." During the inauguration service, pastors and leaders from every level of Southern Baptist life prayed for Floyd and challenged him to lead the convention into gospel unity. Several speakers, including his son, Nick, acknowledged Floyd's "epic wake-up times," or how he customarily gets up at 3 a.m. to pray. Nick took over the role as senior pastor of Cross Church of northwest Arkansas, where his father previously served for nearly 33 years. "I'm thankful I heard my dad preach a sermon on Sunday and then live it Monday through Saturday," he said. Johnny Hunt, senior vice president of evangelism and leadership for the North American Mission Board, said it's Floyd's decades-long habit of meeting with God that inspires Southern Baptists to trust him as a "man of consecration" in addition to being a man with strong giftings in both administration and vision. Hunt said that for more than 20 years, he's believed Floyd to be the greatest administrative pastor in the SBC. But, he said, Floyd's walk with God and sensitivity to His voice will be even more critical "for such a time as this." "We're believing that you're going to pray and hear from our heavenly Father," Hunt said. "We trust your time with the Lord." K. Marshall Williams Sr., senior pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa., called Floyd "a man of prayer and fasting." "You've already demonstrated authenticity as an ambassador of the Almighty," Williams said. "Lead us now to be authentic ambassadors of the Almighty." Kathy Litton, NAMB's director of planter spouse development, served at Cross Church in years past and said that for the staff, working with Floyd was a "constant lesson on leadership, vision and strategy." "Few will ever work harder or with more passion than Ronnie," she said. But not only that -- Litton said Southern Baptists are getting a double blessing in Floyd's wife, Jeana. "She is deeply admired and beloved by the Cross Church family," Litton said. "She has always been heavily involved and invested as a pastor's wife." Even in the Floyds' process of deciphering the call to Nashville, "she was deeply and personally convictional about hearing and obeying the voice of God to leave a place that was dear to her heart," Litton said. "She is a woman who pursues God and displays a hunger for Him." Floyd said his family is committed to staying connected to Christ. "Southern Baptists, I commit to you that from before the sun comes up every morning until exhausted from the day, I will give my life to finish the task," Floyd said. "Let us begin to finish this great task, whatever the cost, whatever the risk. This worldwide mission thrust must be our priority."