The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-10/26/2016 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Doug Hodo, former Baptist univ. president, dies by Art Toalston Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday BOERNE, Texas (BP) -- Edward D. (Doug) Hodo Sr., second president of Houston Baptist University, died Oct. 10 at his home in Boerne, Texas, after a brief battle with cancer. He was 81. Hodo led HBU from 1987 until his retirement in 2006, when he was named president emeritus. The university has scheduled a memorial service for Hodo at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in Belin Chapel on the HBU campus. Robert Sloan, Hodo's successor at the 3,100-student university, said he and "the entire HBU family … give God thanks for his faithful service and strong witness for Christ." "Dr. Hodo was instrumental in continuing and strengthening the core scriptural commitments of HBU," Sloan said. "Much that we are able to do today we owe to him and many others like him among the trustees, faculty, and staff who have gone before us." An HBU news release noted that Hodo's tenure included the expansion of academic programs and campus facilities, including the Hinton Center, named for HBU's first president, W.H. Hinton, which houses the schools of business and education, graduate school, classrooms and meeting rooms; a dining hall and student life area; and campus apartments. In 2006, construction began on the first phase of the Morris Cultural Arts Center, which was dedicated in 2007. Hodo also was instrumental in establishing The Bible in America Museum in 1997 (now Dunham Bible Museum located in the Morris Cultural Arts Center), beginning with the purchase of an Indiana entrepreneur's 30-year collection featuring first editions of significant 18th and 19th century American printings of Scripture. The number of HBU alumni rose from 4,917 to 14,004 during Hodo's presidency and endowment rose from $30 million to more than $75 million, Baptist Press reported in 2006. Hodo was a former chairman of the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools (now the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities). HBU honored Hodo and his wife Sadie in 2013 by naming a residence hall the Sadie and Doug Hodo Residence College. Jim Richards, executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, described Hodo as a "true friend to the SBTC." "Doug Hodo was the consummate Christian gentleman," Richards said. "He was courageous in his convictions while being kind to all. His leadership enabled Houston Baptist University to establish a ministry relationship with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. We will all miss his gracious presence until we see him again at Jesus' feet." Hodo regularly led a prayer meeting each Tuesday in HBU's Moody Library, according to the HBU news release, and was a Bible study teacher for 60 years, including Castle Hills Church in San Antonio, Second Baptist Church in Houston and at First Baptist Church in Boerne, also serving as a deacon with each congregation. "Dr. Hodo's faith in Jesus Christ was the center of his life," the HBU release stated, "and he even led his nurse to faith in Christ in his last days on earth. His life was a testimony of the grace, mercy and love of God." A native of Armory, Miss., Hodo served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956 then earned four degrees from the University of Mississippi -- bachelor's in business administration; master of education in personnel guidance; master of science in banking and finance; and doctor of philosophy in economics and finance. While at the University of Mississippi, Hodo received a commendation from then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy for his role in the integration of the university. Hodo taught economics and finance at Nicholls State University in Louisiana and Middle Tennessee State University, where he was director of the Center for Research on Business and Economics. He served as dean of the college of business at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 1972 until 1987 when he was elected as HBU's second president. In addition to his wife of 57 years, Hodo is survived by three children, Allison Hodo Clements of Floresville, Texas, Edward Douglas (Doug) Hodo Jr. and Patrick Gunter Hodo, both of Boerne; and 10 grandchildren. Hodo's funeral was Oct. 13 at First Baptist in Boerne. The family has asked in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Doug and Sadie Hodo Endowed Scholarship at HBU, the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center in Boerne or the nonprofit Faith Comes by Hearing audio Bible organization. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Leading kids to Christ by Jason K. Allen Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- My greatest stewardship in life is not training a generation of students as a seminary president. It is training my five young children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I feel the weight -- and glory -- of this stewardship daily and find immeasurable fulfillment and joy as I see my children taking steps toward Christ. I am sure many Christian parents feel the same way -- awestruck by the opportunity and responsibility that is ours. My wife Karen and I are often asked about building a Christian home and rearing children who grow up to follow Christ. We will be the first to admit that we are far from accomplished. On the contrary, we just keep plugging away, seeking the Lord's grace in our children's lives, as in our own. This is definitely not an article about "success, and how we have achieved it." Rather, as the old adage goes, we are beggars telling other beggars where we have found some bread. If you are seeking to influence little ones toward Christ, you might find these 10 tips helpful: 1. Remember, children do not have to become like adults to be saved; adults have to become like children. When Jesus made this point in Matthew 18, He was commending a spirit of humility, dependence and deference -- virtues which are common in children and essential for whoever would follow Christ. 2. Remember, you are responsible for your child's spiritual formation, not your church, your pastor or your children's minister. Be faithful to teach them the Word, to shape their hearts and, yes, to indoctrinate them. Even if your church can help with your kid's spiritual formation, don't let it rob you of some of life's greatest joys. 3. Remember what conversion is. Conversion is more than intellectual and more than our children's ascent to biblical facts about Jesus. My children have known the broad contours of the Gospel since preschool, but that is not enough to save them. Be looking for the affective as well as the intellectual. Have an ear for confession, repentance, faith and submission to Jesus as Lord. Ask yourself, has Jesus changed their life? 4. Share your testimony with your children. Do your kids know how much Jesus means to you, how He changed your life, and when and how you became a Christian? Sharing your testimony with your children provides a natural context to discuss what God is doing in their lives. 5. Share the Gospel with your children. Do not leave it to them to connect the dots from Sunday School lessons and sermons. Share the Gospel with your children plainly, passionately and frequently. 6. Share the Gospel in settings where your children can overhear the Gospel in a less intimidating, more natural context. Moreover, they will sense how important the Gospel is to you, that it applies to all people, and that you value the Gospel and people enough to acquaint the two. 7. Provide natural contexts for spiritual conversations. In our house, we strive for spiritual conversations to be as natural as talking about school, activities, sports or any other aspect of our lives. For us, this most naturally takes place during family worship. The key is not the context but the consistency. Infrequently talking about the things of God ups the awkwardness for your children. Frequency makes it more natural. 8. Encourage steps toward Jesus. W.A. Criswell, the famed pastor of First Baptist Dallas, coined this helpful phrase. When your children express interest in following Christ, even if they are quite young or you have other reservations about their inquiry, you can still affirm them as they ask questions and "take steps toward Jesus." 9. Talk to your pastor. Though you should not outsource your child's spiritual formation, you should seek your pastor's counsel. Let him visit with your child and join in shepherding them toward Christ. Sometimes the church assumes parents are leading their children to Christ while the parents are assuming the church's ministers are doing the same. Assume nothing. Your child's heart is too precious for ill-informed assumption. Partner with your church. 10. Be quick with the Gospel, but slow with the baptistery. Just because your child expresses interest in following Christ -- or even professes they are following Christ -- does not mean you have to baptize them right away. Baptizing young children who are not yet genuinely converted confuses both the child and the congregation. Even worse, it may mislead the child into thinking they are converted while they yet remain outside the Kingdom. Instead, be patient and trust the Lord. Let their desire for Christ ripen. Look for the fruits of conversion. Baptize them as you gain confidence they have truly met Christ. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of baptizing one of my own children. Leading her to Christ and seeing her grow over many months has been an unmatched joy. I now resonate with the apostle John's assessment, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in truth" (3 John 4). As you shepherd your children toward Christ, may you know the joy of seeing your children walk in the truth as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. missionary kidnapped in Niger by Onize Ohikere/WORLD News Service Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday ABALAK, Niger (BP) -- Gunmen kidnapped an American missionary from his home in central Niger and killed two other people. The incident is apparently the first reported kidnapping of an American in the region. On Oct. 14, the attackers stormed into Jeffery Woodke's home in the town of Abalak, killing his guard and housekeeper, Niger's interior ministry said in a statement the following day. The armed men, driving a white Toyota Hilux pickup truck, took Woodke and headed across the desert toward Mali. "Our forces are on their trail," Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum said. "The president of the republic is personally following the situation and our forces are fully mobilized to capture them and put an end to this disastrous affair." Woodke, a 55-year-old native of McKinleyville, Calif., has lived in Niger since 1992. He worked with JEMED, a local partner of U.S. non-profit Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The Nigerien charity group helps Tuareg herdsmen who are battling disease, drought and lack of education. Woodke served as an instructor at The Redwood Coast School of Missions, a ministry run by the Arcata First Baptist Church in Arcata, Calif., which does not cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention. His biography on the mission's website describes him as having a "passion in providing humanitarian aid to those who are among the poorest in the world, coupled with his desire to see God's Kingdom advanced in a largely Muslim world." The Sahel region of central Africa faces attacks from al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist groups, Nigerian-based extremists Boko Haram and other criminal gangs. Armed attackers have targeted and kidnapped Europeans, demanding huge sums of money in ransom. An Australian doctor kidnapped in February in Burkina Faso and a Swiss woman kidnapped in Mali both remain in captivity. Woodke's kidnapping appears to be the first of any American in Niger. In 2009, suspected extremists attempted to kidnap U.S. embassy personnel from a hotel in the town of Tahoua. "We are aware of reports of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Niger," a State Department official said after the abduction. "The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Past elections: 'dire' Christian predictions not new by David Roach Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- During the presidential campaign of 1800, Christian opponents of candidate Thomas Jefferson warned he "abhors the Christian system" and if elected, might send troops to seize Christians' Bibles. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln's election was thought by some Southern Baptist leaders to threaten fundamental American liberties. A century later, the presidential campaign elicited the Chicago Sun-Times headline "Southern Baptists Tell Why They Are Attacking Kennedy." These and other interjections into presidential politics by followers of Jesus have led a Baylor University church historian to note that Christians' at times heated rhetoric surrounding the Clinton-Trump presidential campaign may not be unprecedented. "Christians have routinely forecast the ominous consequences of the election of certain candidates throughout American history," Thomas Kidd, distinguished professor of history at Baylor and a blogger for The Gospel Coalition, told Baptist Press in written comments. "The election of those candidates has almost never led to anything as dire as what people predicted." Through the years, Christians' political rhetoric has been reasonable at times and unreasonable at times. Their predictions about the consequences of electing particular candidates have at times been accurate and at times inaccurate. Yet a common theme through two centuries of presidential elections has been passionate opining by Christians of all denominational stripes -- especially before the 1954 Johnson Amendment prohibited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations like churches from endorsing or opposing candidates. Jefferson & Lincoln In 1800, Baptists widely supported Jefferson because they saw him "as the great champion of religious liberty," Kidd and fellow Baylor historian Barry Hankins wrote in their book "Baptists in America." But other Christians predicted, Kidd told BP, that Jefferson "would inaugurate anti-Christian terror like that seen in radical phases of the French Revolution." As Jefferson campaigned, one pastor called him "a confirmed infidel" known for "vilifying the divine word, and preaching insurrection against God," according to historian Robert MacDonald's book "Confounding Father." For his alleged lack of church attendance and skepticism regarding some biblical accounts, other ministers denounced Jefferson as a "howling atheist" and among the "fraternity of infidels." Lincoln's candidacy drew particular concern from Southerners, including Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's second president John Broadus. In 1893, Broadus recalled in his "Memoir of James Petigru Boyce" that at the time of Lincoln's election, the candidate's stated intention of restricting slavery "to the states in which it already existed" was "regarded as a menace, not only to the institution of slavery, but to state rights and the fundamental principles of American liberty." Leading up to the 1860 election, North Carolina's Biblical Recorder newsjournal rightly predicted, "A stormy time likely awaits the country." Al Smith In 1928, the candidacy of Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith, who was defeated by Herbert Hoover, drew strong opposition from fundamentalist leaders, in part because of Smith's Roman Catholic faith. J. Frank Norris, also known for his harsh criticism of Southern Baptists, traveled fulltime during the summer and fall of 1928 campaigning against Smith, according to Hankins' book "Jesus and Gin." Seizing on anti-Catholic fears, Norris claimed Catholics would slaughter Protestants in the U.S. if they amassed enough political power. Evangelist Billy Sunday said he was not opposed to Smith as a Catholic but denounced his opposition to prohibition, declaring in a sermon that "crooks, cork screwers, bootleggers [and] whiskey politicians ... shall not pass -- even to the White House," according to Hankins. New York fundamentalist leader John Roach Stratton criticized the Democratic Party for nominating a presidential candidate whose position on prohibition ran contrary to the official party platform. In nominating Smith, the Democratic Party made "a covenant with death and an agreement with hell," Stratton said according to Hankins. JFK &LBJ When Kennedy, another Catholic, became the Democratic nominee in 1960, many Southern Baptists voiced their objection. Then-Southern Baptist Convention President Ramsay Pollard of Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis said he could not "stand by and keep my mouth shut when a man under control of the Catholic Church runs for the presidency of the United States," according to Daniel Williams' book "God's Own Party." Pastor W.A. Criswell of First Baptist Church in Dallas warned in a July 3, 1960, sermon that Kennedy's election could begin a slippery slope to Roman Catholic control of America. "The Roman Church wins most of its victories with the weapon of time," Criswell said according to a transcript of the sermon at WACriswell.com. "Kennedy, in today, with strong [stated] emphasis ... on separation of church and state, and the door is open for another Catholic leader who gives the Pope, his ambassador, the church schools state support; and finally, recognition of one church above America." Among the concerns of some Southern Baptists was that Roman Catholic doctrine seemed to oppose full religious liberty and Kennedy might act in accordance with his church's teaching, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Such concerns were voiced in sermons, Baptist state papers and informal discussions, the paper's Robert S. Bird reported Sept. 25, 1960. Leading up to the election, the SBC adopted a resolution that did not name Kennedy but seemed aimed at his candidacy. The resolution expressed concern about any candidate for public office whose church "maintains a position in open conflict with our established and constituted American pattern of life as specifically related to religious liberty, separation of Church and State, the freedom of conscience in matters related to marriage and the family, the perpetuation of public schools and the prohibition against use of public monies for sectarian purposes." A month before the election, the Dallas Baptist Association adopted a resolution that echoed much of the same language, BP reported at the time. Former President Harry Truman, himself a Southern Baptist, entered the fray and critiqued Baptists for opposing Kennedy. Under the Oct. 14, 1960, headline "Truman Blasts Baptists; Baptists Return Fire," a BP story whose author was unnamed quoted Truman as saying those who voted for Kennedy's opponent Richard Nixon "ought to go to hell." When President Lyndon Johnson ran against Republican Barry Goldwater in 1964, the Baptist Standard newsjournal of Texas solicited comments from each candidate on whether federal aid should be given to parochial schools. Johnson's statement appeared to oppose such aid while Goldwater's seemed to leave open the possibility. The Standard printed both statements in its Sept. 9 issue along with an editorial arguing federal support for parochial schools was "the number one domestic issue in the November election." Without specifically endorsing Johnson, editor E.S. James said offering aid to parochial schools "could well be the American Armageddon beyond which there will be no place to fall back." Clinton vs. Trump Half a century later, at least some evangelical leaders have begun to articulate a different message regarding elections. Ethics & Religious Liberty President Russell Moore warned in an Oct. 24 lecture against "the sort of apocalyptic language that presents every presidential election as an Armageddon, from whence one cannot recover." "Religious conservatives will need a robust religion and a sense of what is in fact to be conserved," Moore said according to Christianity Today. "This will mean abandoning the idea of a moral majority or a silent majority within the nation and building instead collaborative majorities, often issue by issue. It will mean institutions which have the vision and the financial resources to play a long game of cultural renewal and persuasion, not driven merely by the populist passions of the moment." Kidd offered counsel for voters in 2016 in light of the historical record. "Obviously, Christians will bring serious moral concerns into the voting booth with them, wanting to choose candidates with integrity, and candidates who support the right to life, religious liberty and other important issues," Kidd said. "But we should also remember that no candidate or political party will do the church's work for it, and that the Lord remains sovereign regardless of who wins." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Barrett Duke begins in Jan. as new Mont. exec. by Diana Chandler Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday BILLINGS, Mont. (BP) -- Barrett Duke will begin in January 2017 as the new executive director of the Montana Southern Baptist Convention (MTSBC) after his near unanimous election to the post. "We are very excited about the opportunity the Lord has opened up for us in Montana. The convention confirmed for us what we believed God's call to be with a very strong vote. And we're in preparation now to be on the field and beginning the new position on Jan. 1," Duke told Baptist Press of himself and wife Denise. "As we look at what God is doing in Montana, we are extremely optimistic about what we believe we will be seeing happening in our churches." Messengers to MTSBC annual meeting Oct. 6-7 in Missoula elected Duke to succeed retiring executive director Fred Hewitt by a vote of 87 to 3, search committee chairman Bruce Speer said. "Fred Hewitt left our state convention in excellent condition financially and spiritually," Speer told BP. "And Barrett is coming to take us to the next level to accomplish a couple of key things … planting more churches and revitalizing churches that are stagnant." Duke, former vice president of the Washington, D.C., office for Public Policy and Research of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and director of the ERLC Research Institute, said this is "a good time to be a Montana Southern Baptist." There is an influx of people coming into the state, he noted, the convention is making progress in church planting and the state of Montana is poised to have for the first time a representative on the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee by a recommendation coming before messengers to the SBC 2017 annual meeting in June. The recommendation, approved at the Executive Committee September meeting, would amend SBC Bylaw 18 to exempt Montana and three other regions/states -- the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota-Wisconsin -- from Bylaw 30's requirement that territories have 15,000 members in cooperating Baptist churches to qualify for EC representation. "If approved by messengers at our (SBC 2017) annual meeting," Duke told BP, "we're looking forward to sending our first representative [from Montana] to the Executive Committee." Duke will lead the convention of about 135 churches in the state where less than 1 percent of adults are Southern Baptists and 38 percent of adults never or seldom attend church, according to the Pew Research 2015 Religious Landscape Study. Duke will serve as the MTSBC chief operating officer, the treasurer and chief financial officer, the official director of MTSBC work and ministries, the director and supervisor of MTSBC staff and North American Mission Board missionaries in the state, and the editor of the Montana Baptist electronic newsletter. "Montana Baptists have been led by some very gifted men and the state is benefitting from their superb leadership," Duke told BP. "I'm looking forward to coming alongside a very dedicated and godly group of men and women to do my part in what God has in store for us in this next chapter of Baptist life in Montana." During his leadership of the ERLC's advocacy arm, Duke communicated Southern Baptist convictions to elected and public officials, including President Obama, Congress and their staffs to encourage sound public policy. Duke was a founding fellow of the ERLC Research Institute, where he oversaw research on pressing moral and religious liberty issues, and worked with a group of 70 distinguished fellows. In August, ERLC trustees awarded Duke the Richard Land Distinguished Service Award that recognizes excellent service to God's kingdom. A former pastor, he is also active as a teacher, preacher, speaker, writer and editor, and holds a Ph.D. in religious and theological studies from the joint doctoral program of the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver. He and his wife have three grown children. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Doctors, states oppose HHS transgender mandate by Tom Strode Date: October 26, 2016 - Wednesday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Thousands of healthcare providers and eight states are challenging a new federal rule that requires doctors to perform gender transition procedures or treatments even on children. The latest transgender directive from the Obama administration mandates physicians carry out such gender-altering measures even if they believe they could prove harmful or would violate their religious and ethical beliefs. Healthcare providers who refuse to abide by the regulation might face imposing fines and the loss of their jobs. The transgender mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) follows a May directive from the Departments of Education and Justice that instructed public schools and universities to permit transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity instead of their biological sex. While that guidance does not have the authority of law, it implicitly threatens the loss of federal aid if a school does not obey. Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore, who opposes the transgender school directive, expressed opposition to the HHS mandate as well. "Though confusion over gender and sexual identity is real and should be met with compassion, it would be a travesty for the federal government to steamroll consciences in the name of ideology," said Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "My hope is that this federal mandate is repealed, and neither children nor their doctors are made pawns of a political ideology," Moore told Baptist Press in written comments. A Christian association of more than 10,000 physicians and a Roman Catholic hospital system asked a federal court Oct. 21 in Wichita Falls, Texas, to block enforcement of the HHS regulation, an implementation of the 2010 health-reform law that became effective July 18. They joined with the eight states in the motion for the court to issue at least a preliminary injunction against the rule. In their motion, the challengers contend the HHS regulation violates the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment's freedom of speech clause, and federal laws, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The rule "forces doctors and hospitals to perform controversial and potentially harmful medical procedures that purport to permanently alter an individual's sex -- even when doing so would violate a doctor's religious beliefs and medical judgment, and even when the government's own programs exclude the procedures as potentially harmful," they say in the motion. HHS exempted the federal government's Medicare and Medicaid programs from the regulation's requirement because its panel of experts said the literature "is 'inconclusive' on whether gender reassignment surgery improves health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with gender dysphoria." Gender dysphoria refers to the discomfort a person may feel with his biological sex. The rule applies to all private doctors, healthcare providers and health insurance plans that accept federal funding, including Medicare and Medicaid, but does not provide a religious exemption to conscientious objectors. It apparently would affect more than 900,000 physicians and virtually all hospitals. Foes of the regulation estimate it will cost citizens and healthcare providers nearly $1 billion. As it did in its guidance to schools, the Obama administration redefined "sex" in the HHS rule to include gender identity, which it describes as "an individual's internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female, and which may be different from an individual's sex assigned at birth," according to the motion. By redefining sex to include gender identity and declaring it is sex discrimination to refuse to perform gender transition procedures, "Thus, with a single stroke of the pen, HHS has created massive new liability for thousands of doctors unless they cast aside their convictions and perform procedures that can be deeply harmful to their patients," the motion says. Lori Windham, senior counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said in a written release, "It is absurd for the government to think it can better decide what is best for a child over parents or a medically trained professional. Doctors should be free to use their best medical judgment and do what is in the best interest of a child, free from political agendas and interference by bureaucrats." The Becket Fund is representing the rule's challengers, which consist of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations; the Franciscan Network, a group of Catholic hospitals; and the states of Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin. More than 45 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent an Oct. 6 letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell expressing their concerns about the regulation and asking her to reply to a dozen questions. The Human Rights Campaign -- the country's largest gay and transgender rights organization -- applauded the rule. President Chad Griffin said in a written statement the regulation "is critical to help end discrimination against transgender and gender nonconforming people in healthcare and insurance." A new website started in opposition to the HHS rule -- www.transgendermandate.org -- reports two studies show overwhelming numbers of children who report gender dysphoria grow out of that discomfort and live healthy lives despite not having surgery or life-long hormone treatments. One study showed this to be true in 77 to 94 percent of children and another in 73 to 88 percent of children. On Oct. 18, federal judge Reed O'Connor, who serves in the Wichita Falls, Texas, district, declined to narrow a nationwide injunction that he issued against the Obama administration's transgender directive to schools. Messengers to the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution regarding transgender identity that "affirm[ed] God's good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one's self-perception." The resolution "regard[ed] our transgender neighbors as image-bearers of Almighty God and therefore condemn[ed] acts of abuse or bullying committed against them." The resolution also said, "We invite all transgender persons to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the Gospel." Moore is a member of the Becket Fund's board of directors.