The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-10/27/2015 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDVIEW: Pencil in God's hand by Erich Bridges Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- It's not about you. That famous first line from "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren's mega-bestselling book, has become a cliché. But it's no less true for being too familiar. We are created for God's pleasure, not our own. In our culture of relentless self-regard, we forget that. Even among those who serve God, service itself can become a little god through which we come to worship ourselves, not Him. So we should always hold our individual callings lightly, because they are not "ours." They are merely means to a divine end: the glory of God. In a memorable 1989 interview with TIME, Mother Teresa expanded on this truth in her no-nonsense style: Question: Humble as you are, it must be an extraordinary thing to be a vehicle of God's grace in the world. Teresa: But it is His work. I think God wants to show His greatness by using nothingness. Question: You feel you have no special qualities? Teresa: I don't think so. I don't claim anything of the work. It is His work. I am like a little pencil in his hand. That is all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used. … Question: What are your plans for the future? Teresa: I just take one day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come. We have only today to love Jesus. Question: And the future of [your missionary] order? Teresa: It is His concern. False modesty? No. Practical theology. The work of God is His concern. The mission of God is His glory over all creation. And as He promised in Psalm 46:10, it will be accomplished: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Our privilege is to be a part of His work, when and how He chooses. Certain skills and abilities may be needed, but the only non-negotiable qualifications are surrender and obedience. I hope these words provide a measure of comfort to International Mission Board missionaries and staff who have agonized over whether to accept the voluntary retirement package being offered due to ongoing financial shortfalls, as well as those who will consider accepting a voluntary departure incentive to follow. The plan to reduce missionaries and staff by 600 to 800 people over six months will affect many lives and ministries. But it won't stop the work of God. And since nothing is wasted in God's economy, He will continue to use all who obey Him, whether they follow His leading to come home or to stay on the field. As Mother Teresa often said, "Let Jesus use you without consulting you." He is the master potter. We are the clay. Yield to His gentle hands. -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRUSTEES: Spurgeon Library dedicated, record enrollment at Midwestern by T. Patrick Hudson Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- The Spurgeon Library dedication, record enrollment, faculty elections and campus master plan approval highlighted Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's fall trustee meeting on Oct. 19-20. Spurgeon Library dedication Capping more than 10 months of construction and preparations, as well as years of dreaming and planning, the seminary community celebrated the dedication of the Spurgeon Library with a ribbon cutting and official naming ceremony. Accompanied by Bill and Connie Jenkins, who donated $2.5 million for the project, President Jason Allen and his wife Karen cut the ribbon to officially open the library and then unveiled a plaque honoring the couple by naming the building that houses the library as "Jenkins Hall." "The Spurgeon Library is the fulfillment of a vision to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the academy, for the church, and for the glory of God through the preservation and presentation of Charles Spurgeon's personal library and related artifacts," Allen said. "The Spurgeon Library was made possible by the extraordinary generosity of Bill and Connie Jenkins, who embody Christian faithfulness, biblical conviction, and have been an ongoing source of encouragement to Midwestern Seminary and personally to my family. "As a perpetual tribute to their stewardship and as an ongoing marker of God's faithfulness to and through His people, this building bears the name, 'Jenkins Hall,'" Allen said. Making the long trip from the United Kingdom to be present for the ceremony were three of Charles H. Spurgeon's descendants: Hilary Spurgeon, the wife of the late great-grandson, David; as well as great-great-grandchildren Richard Spurgeon and Susannah Spurgeon-Cochrane. Bringing a greeting on behalf of the Spurgeon family, Cochrane noted that growing up, not much was said of the family's ties to the "Prince of Preachers." However, as she matured, her appreciation for C.H. Spurgeon grew. As she read some of Spurgeon's works, she sensed that everything he wrote and said was wrapped in and centered on Christ. She added that this fact should be of encouragement to modern-day believers. "For me and for us all, Spurgeon's life of faith and his dedication to proclaiming the Gospel should spur us on and encourage us to give our all for the work God has called us to do -- no matter who we are or where God has placed us," Cochrane said. "We are the ones who have to carry on the work of pointing people to Christ," she noted. "Our hope and prayer is that the Spurgeon Center [Library] would point many more people to Jesus; that people would see Jesus through Spurgeon and his work; and that Spurgeon's dedication to God and His Gospel would inspire the next generation of preachers to give their all to Jesus." The Spurgeon Library houses more than 6,000 books and artifacts from C.H. Spurgeon's personal library collection. Embedded within the floor-to-ceiling bookcases and around the room are about 80 displays highlighting particular books or items. Focal points of the room include a preaching rail. (See related story.) Also on display is a desk used by Spurgeon in his office and a replica of the pulpit he preached behind at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. "This day has come together in a remarkable way," Allen said. "It began way back in Victorian England when a man named Charles Spurgeon was raised up by God to preach…" Approximately 10 years after Spurgeon's death, his family elected to sell his personal library, and in 1904 the collection was moved to William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. The library resided there for approximately a century before being purchased by Midwestern Seminary in 2004. Now, more than 10 years later, Allen said the vision of how to appropriately house this treasure has been realized. "It is part museum, part library, part study," Allen said. "It is something to be visited; something to be accessed; and something to be engaged in at both the academic and ministerial levels. This collection and space will not only serve as a relic to the past, but as a living instrument to serve the church and to equip pastors and preachers of God's Word." The Spurgeon Library will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the library or for individuals and groups desiring to visit, click on www.spurgeoncenter.com. Record enrollment During his president's report to the trustees, Allen announced that for the third consecutive year student headcount at Midwestern Seminary had reached record levels. This fall semester's headcount was up 22 percent over the school's previous top fall enrollment, which occurred in 2014. The fall headcount stands at 1,702 students, Allen reported. And he added that with the school's second term of fall enrollment for its online program, a potential for even more growth is anticipated. "Trends in higher education reveal that most institutions are either flat or declining in enrollment," he said. "In this challenging environment, it is evident that the Lord's favor continues to be upon Midwestern Seminary as we train the next generation of pastors, missionaries and ministry leaders for the church. "As I reflect upon how God has moved so mightily this past year, it brings great encouragement to me and to the Midwestern Seminary community to announce an enrollment surge of 22 percent for the Fall 2015 semester." Allen noted that significant and tireless effort -- as accomplished by the admissions team and the seminary community as a whole -- has been key in attracting students to the school and keeping the ones already here. "Recruiting and retention is a seminary-wide endeavor, and I commend our entire campus community for a great effort in this regard, but our Academic and Institutional Relations divisions have exceeded even our highest expectations, and the Lord has chosen to bless," he said. "Moreover, we pray Southern Baptists are resonating with our vision of existing for the local church, and we are grateful for their prayers and support, especially through the Cooperative Program." Trustee business In business stemming from the Academic Committee, trustees elected two faculty members effective Jan. 1, 2016. Matthew C. Millsap, who joined Midwestern Seminary's faculty in January, was elected as assistant director of library services and assistant professor of Christian studies. Millsap came to Kansas City after completing his Ph.D. studies and serving as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Owen D. Strachan was elected by trustees as associate professor of Christian theology and director of the Center for Theological and Cultural Engagement. Strachan, who came to Midwestern Seminary in August, previously served as assistant professor of Christian theology and church history at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky. He also is the president of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. In one other move, Robert J. Matz was promoted to assistant professor of Christian studies. Matz also concurrently serves as assistant director of online studies and institutional effectiveness and has been at Midwestern Seminary since 2011. In other meeting business, the trustees ratified a campus master plan which would prioritize four goals: constructing a student center which will be located on the northwest quadrant of campus center; repurposing the west wing of the Koehn Myers Center into single student housing; renovating the seminary's library and creating within it office suites for academic administration; and relocating as many faculty offices as possible to campus center. Trustees meet on the campus of Midwestern Seminary in October and April each year to conduct institutional business. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: Miss. evangelism/missions news; Fla.'s smallest churches make big impact by Staff Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: The Baptist Record; Florida Baptist Witness. ********** Hands UP Outreach of Rankin County receives CWJC award from WMU Foundation By Tony Martin/The Baptist Record Associate editor RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (BP) -- The WMU Foundation recognized Hands UP Outreach of Rankin County as the recipient of the Christian Women's Job Corp (CWJC) site award and a $2500 grant to help fund a project or special need. The site will use the grant to provide access to a GED training program, allowing students to study for the test and increase their scores. Hands UP participants pass their GED tests around 75 percent of the time, and the grant makes it possible for participants to complete online study programs. "I'm excited to say that Hands UP Outreach is a multi-purpose ministry of Rankin Baptists," said Mary Callahan, co-director, Hands UP Outreach, Christian Women's Job Corps and Christian Men's Job Corps (CMJC) of Rankin County. "We are striving to model the love of Jesus Christ and to meet the needs of the broken, wounded, and discouraged of Mississippi." Hands UP provides life and job skills, GED support, and spiritual development to two separate groups: those in need in the community, and those in prison. "Our community outreach reaches men and women facing life challenges needing encouragement, nurture and support," said Roy Callahan, co-director. "We teach life skills and job skills to the offenders inside the prisons so that when they return to the community they will be prepared," said Mary. "This program includes literacy and GED tutoring," Roy said. "Most important of all, we provide Bible study to help them in their spiritual life, and we include a mentor and encourager to help them face life challenges they come in contact with every day. "Our theme is 'reaching up, reaching out,' Roy continued. "Meaning, reaching up with the word of God and reaching out in our community. We're always in need of prayer and volunteers. We need GED tutors, teachers, encouragers, mentors, prayer warriors, and financial support." Allen Stephens, Rankin County's associational director of missions, stressed how important the ministry is in Mississippi. "Many Mississippians need a diploma or GED to go on to college or to get a good job," Stephens said. "This ministry is committed to restoring the whole person." Funds from the Margaret Lackey State Missions Offering help support the work of the ministry.(Baptist Press contributed to this story.) -30- Tony Martin is the associate editor of The Baptist Record. *********** Two of Florida's smallest churches make big impact By Nicole Kalil/Florida Baptist Witness reporter EASTPOINT, Fla. (BP) -- Even small Florida churches can make a big difference when it comes to meeting the needs of their communities. Through strategic partnerships and good community relations, two small Florida Baptist churches are able to give away thousands of pounds of food to people in need in their respective communities. Eastpoint is a town of about 2,300 people that occupies just more than seven square miles in Franklin County in the Panhandle. Nearly half of the people there are employed by the oyster industry, which has been in dire straits in recent years. As their main source of income flounders, so does their livelihood -- 22.6 percent of Eastpoint residents live below the poverty level. First Baptist Church in Eastpoint is well-acquainted with the hardships of the people in its community. For the past 22 years, the church has been feeding those in need around them. "This is a very, very low-income community," said Sonny Crosby, director of the feeding program at FBC Eastpoint. At the other end of the state, First Baptist Church in Islamorada, located in Monroe County, also is giving residents of its community a hot meal and inviting them to visit their food pantry every Tuesday. Islamorada, with roughly the same landmass as Eastpoint, has almost three times the population. Located in the upper Keys and known as the fishing capital of the world, the tourism industry is a driving force in the area. And while the number of Islamorada residents living below the poverty level is lower than Eastpoint's --11.5 percent -- there is still a demographic of people that is food insecure. FBC Islamorada Pastor Jonathan Elwing said that he's seen a shift in the types of people requiring assistance lately. "Now we're seeing less unemployed and homeless people and more families struggling and working two to three jobs to make ends meet in the service industry," Elwing said. Both churches rely on partnerships to accomplish their ministry goals. Crosby at Eastpoint said the nonprofit Farm Share has helped the church by delivering between 7,000 and 8,000 pounds of food each month free of charge. Farm Share sorts, packages and delivers surplus food from area farmers that are unable to take the harvest to market. Through Farm Share, Eastpoint has been able to give out fresh fruit and vegetables. Crosby said they also buy food from America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend food bank in Tallahassee, adding canned and dry goods and meats to the variety of foods they can offer. Through these partnerships, FBC Eastpoint gives out an average of 40 pounds of food to 110-125 families each week. Almost as remarkable as the amount of food they distribute is the number of people who now are regularly attending the church. FBC Eastpoint has an average attendance of 50, up from 15, according to Pastor Doug Boucher in an email response. He credits the church's revival to its work in the community. Crosby agreed, saying that the feeding ministry has "planted the seed for growth here at church." In Islamorada, Elwing has partnered with area restaurants to provide a hot meal to families each week. One five-star restaurant in the area caters an entire meal for 100 people at no charge every month. Elwing said what started as a small outreach to the community 15 years ago has turned into a major means for not only meeting hunger needs in Islamorada, but spiritual needs as well. "We do a Bible study and a short Gospel presentation every Tuesday night before we start the meal," he said. "So many of the people who come have to work, and we recognize that we're not going to get them back on Sunday." Elwing said that by looking at themselves as more than just a food ministry, their regular Tuesday night guests consider FBC Islamorada their church home. "When I see them in the community, they introduce me as their pastor," he said. But officially, Elwing said, the church only has 16 members, despite having 42 in attendance one Sunday last month. Elwing estimates that FBC Islamorada feeds 75-100 people a hot meal on Tuesday nights and gives out approximately 1,200 pounds of food from its food pantry each week. In addition to the feeding ministry, FBC Islamorada hosts the Florida Baptist Convention Mobile Dental Unit, partners with the Monroe County Health Department to provide free flu and pneumonia shots and makes sure people are getting the medical attention they need. "Baptist Health has a free health clinic in Tavernier, and we work hand in hand with them, making sure families that come through have access to it," Elwing said, adding that sometimes that means picking up prescriptions or taking people to appointments. Elwing said small churches can fall into a trap of feeling like they are too small to do anything. "We've really worked hard to change the idea that our church falls into this window and we will always be the same," he said. "It's so not true! God will do whatever He wants to do. He can do anything." But for Elwing and Crosby, while the growth is a welcome blessing, it's not the reason they do what they do. "It's more important to see souls in the Kingdom of Heaven than people in our building," Elwing said. --30-- Nicole Kalil is a reporter for the Florida Baptist Witness. EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Church budgets: Can they be visionary & rewarding? by Todd McMichen Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- The church budgeting process ranks fairly low on the list of a minister's most motivating and inspiring experiences. Pastors will line up to deliver a message, shepherd the hurting, pray for the wayward and lead the body forward. However, if a pastor lies awake at night thinking of the church budget, it's often for the wrong reasons. For many churches, the budgeting process begins with ministry leaders submitting their annual requests for funds. Some underestimate their budget needs; others inflate their numbers because they don't expect to receive their full request. Once the numbers are in, the vetting begins. Unfortunately, this process is often shaped more by fixed expenses and relational loyalties than most would like to admit. Tough decisions are always present, which can result either in hurt feelings or a stressful extension of reasonable financial limits. Finally, the budget is sent to a financial business meeting for approval, where it's secretly hoped that few will show up to participate. Does a visionary, rewarding budgeting process exist? If so, what does it look like? Let's consider a different approach -- one that can increase vision, disciple your people and set your church free from the bondage that sometimes accompanies money. 1. Begin with a season of prayer and fasting. Scripture teaches the tithe is holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). This applies both to the one giving and the one spending. God grants you resources to use for His glory and to impact lives. Your leadership needs to feel deep gratitude and responsibility before the process begins. Releasing ownership will change the language of the conversation from the beginning. 2. Recount how God has been at work over the past year. Where do you see the fruit of His hand or the anointing of His Spirit? Seeing the hand of God can provide a good indication of what He desires to do in the future. Ultimately, you need to align your resources to support God's work. Acknowledging God's work will prevent personal agendas, subjective opinions and ministry silos from occurring. Released resources and the Spirit's leading create wonderful meetings. 3. Stand on the foundation of vision clarity and a well-defined discipleship strategy. No church is great at everything. Do you know what your church does better than 10,000 others? God places unique people in unique communities for a specific period of time. Your church has its own unique calling and it's not supposed to compete with the congregation across town or mirror the church across the country. You are free to be you. This level of focus will cause your ministry to expand. It helps you say a powerful "yes" as well as a confident "no." 4. Learn your ROI. Do you know the impact of a dollar spent? Is your church investing the proper amount to gain the desired result to accomplish your dream? The longer a church exists, the more its budget grows. It's rare that a congregation evaluates an expense based on the return. We tend to continually fund ministries long after they have lost effectiveness. Every ministry line is not mission critical and not all ministries are created to exist forever. The vision to glorify God and make disciples never changes, but strategy does. 5. Allow strength and strategy to lead. This may be a radical concept for most, but give consideration to each budget year starting with a blank slate by not encouraging each department to make its own financial requests. Instead, allow the activity of God, the vision strategy and a few select financially gifted people to create a solid business plan. This doesn't mean collaboration and dialogue are removed. It simply means those with the giftedness should lead under the clear direction of the bigger picture vision. 6. Spend strategically, not simply less. Perhaps this is a shocking piece of advice: Create a spending plan that spends only 90 percent of your previous year's undesignated giving receipts. (This may take a few years to accomplish.) Most churches increase their budget 3-15 percent annually. Why do we do this? "It's faith based and visionary," a pastor might say. In reality, it's far from visionary. It tends to create a lot of stress and can be careless, unfocused and demotivating. It creates a crisis money culture instead of a generous culture. 7. Plan to be surprised. Every year God will call you to become engaged in something you can't currently see. And, of course, there's always the possibility that something will break or wear out. And then there's the next growth step that will need to be funded. Prepare for what you can't currently see. Nothing is more financially freeing than cash reserves. It's a sure way to tell God "yes" before He ever asks you to go. But don't step over the line and hoard cash reserves. God gives you money to invest in His causes. 8. Inspire others with the vision investment plan. This is the opposite of simply getting church budget approval. A well-designed spending plan and presentation should bring glory to God, affirm those who have invested, validate what the leaders have said in the past and inspire toward the future. It should raise generosity. Loyalty and confidence in the leadership should increase. A faith-filled expectation for the future inspires all. Everything is a choice. As leaders, we choose the financial culture we create. Every conversation can be both a vision and discipleship conversation. It all depends on how you lead it. -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRUSTEES: New School of Preaching approved at SWBTS by Alex Sibley Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's board of trustees approved the establishment of a School of Preaching; elected five new faculty members; received reports of a 10 percent enrollment increase for the fall semester; and conducted other business during their fall meeting, Oct. 19-21. School of Preaching Trustees unanimously approved the establishment of a new School of Preaching at Southwestern. As the seventh of Southwestern's academic schools, the School of Preaching will be dedicated to training students in the art of text-driven preaching. Trustees also elected David Allen, who currently serves as dean of the School of Theology, as the School of Preaching's founding dean. Allen will be part of a seven-member faculty that includes Barry McCarty, chief parliamentarian for the SBC; Vern Charette, who specializes in evangelistic preaching; and Steven Smith, whose published works include "Dying to Preach: Embracing the Cross in the Pulpit" and "Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture." All preaching courses at Southwestern will be taught through the School of Preaching. Degrees available through the school include the doctor of philosophy, doctor of ministry and master of theology. In addition, the school will also offer the certificate of preaching that will supplement the master of divinity programs of the School of Theology and Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. The school will officially open on Aug. 1, 2016. To read more about the School of Preaching, visit swbts.edu/preach. Enrollment increase The admissions office reported that enrollment has increased 10 percent over the last two years, with this fall's enrollment exceeding last year's by 400 students. Total enrollment for the fall semester is 3,643. In addition, the number of prospect cards for new enrollees is up 52 percent, new student applications are up 19 percent, and the number of those moving from application to enrollment is up 19 percent as well. Sale of E.D. Head apartments Trustees approved the sale of the E.D. Head apartment complex, located four blocks east of the campus. Southwestern President Paige Patterson explained that, with the new student housing apartments located across the street from the main campus, the E.D. Head apartments are no longer necessary. Also, given the complex's distance from campus, Patterson noted it is difficult to provide adequate security for the students who live there. The sale of the E.D. Head apartments will serve to bring students closer to the main campus. Faculty elections Nathan Burggraff was elected assistant professor of music theory. Ben Caston was elected associate professor of voice. Barry McCarty was elected professor of preaching and rhetoric. Charles Savelle was elected assistant professor of Bible exposition at the J. Dalton Havard School for Theological Studies in Houston. David Toledo was elected assistant professor of music ministry.  -------------------------------------------------------------------- Royals' Ben Zobrist: a 'missionary' to teammates by Tim Ellsworth Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- Ben Zobrist has proven his value on the baseball field to the Kansas City Royals. In Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, Zobrist homered off Toronto pitcher R.A. Dickey in the top of the first to give the Royals a quick 2-0 lead, sparking a four-run inning in a blowout 14-2 win. Two games later, Zobrist again went deep in the first inning to give Kansas City a quick lead, setting the stage for a clinching 4-3 win over the Blue Jays and a World Series berth. Highly coveted throughout his career for his versatility, Zobrist also brings a consummate professionalism and veteran presence to the team's clubhouse. More important to him, however, is the influence for the Kingdom of God that he has on his teammates. "Ben, by virtue of the providence of God, has ended up being a missionary in a very difficult mission field of professional sports," said Byron Yawn, senior pastor of Community Bible Church in Nashville, where Zobrist and his wife Julianna are members. "Ben deeply values those connections he has with people, the relationships that he has." Zobrist, son of a pastor in Eureka, Ill., became a Christian as a child. In high school, after realizing that sports held too prominent of a place in his heart, he recommitted himself to the Lord. After a collegiate career at Dallas Baptist University, Zobrist spent most of his professional career with the Tampa Bay Rays, making the American League All-Star team twice and playing in the 2008 World Series. A trade after the 2014 season sent him to Oakland. Kansas City acquired Zobrist in a mid-season acquisition this year, and he offered the Royals what he has brought to teams throughout his career -- a little bit of left field, a little bit of third base, a little bit of right field -- before settling in at second base down the stretch. "Like anybody else that goes and does their job, there's a way to do your job with excellence," Zobrist said in an interview with the Florida Baptist Witness. "You want to represent Christ well with doing your job, first and foremost, because that's what you're there to do." For Zobrist, family is a major part of his life, whether it's his wife and kids, his baseball family or his church family. Ben and Julianna have two kids, with a third child due just days after the World Series ends. Even with Zobrist on the road so much for his job, the couple has made a commitment never to be apart for more than six days at a stretch -- which means that Julianna and the kids spend a fair amount of time traveling with him or hanging out at the ballpark. "There's not a question within anybody's mind around the Zobrists, and especially Ben, that his family is an incredibly tight unit, and a major, major priority in his life," Yawn said. His teammates are another of Zobrist's priorities, and his positive attitude and approachable spirit in the locker room make him a unifying force with the team. He often prays for his teammates and engages them in conversations about the Gospel, and Yawn said he's able to do this because of the respect he has earned as a steady and solid leader. "The consistency of the godliness of his life is a natural attraction to a diversity of personalities on the team," Yawn said. Even though his job requires him to be absent from his church family for much of the year, Zobrist stays connected as much as he can to Community Bible Church. He listens to podcasts of the sermons, and different church members make it a point to stay in touch during the season, keeping him abreast of all that is happening, providing accountability and letting him know that he isn't forgotten even when he isn't in attendance. "We try to view Ben somewhat like we would a salesman that has to travel throughout the year and be gone a majority of the time, where we accommodate this season of his life," Yawn said. "Of course, his spirit is such that when he's done with baseball, we know exactly where he'll be." -------------------------------------------------------------------- World Series cities share need for church plants by Tobin Perry Date: October 27, 2015 - Tuesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- At first glance the two cities appear as different as they could possibly be. New York City is the city that doesn't sleep, the financial center of the United States and one of the largest cities on the planet. The home of barbecue, jazz and Hallmark, Kansas City, Mo., is best known as the "Heart of America" and the "Paris of the Plains." The two cities are also the largest and the smallest Major League Baseball markets in the United States. Yet they will share North America's attention as they host the 111th World Series. Among the 50 cities the North American Mission Board is focusing its church planting efforts, New York City and Kansas City share a considerable need for new church plants. When Southern Baptists watch the World Series this year, it will provide an opportunity to learn more about two of the most significant mission fields in North America. In fact, the two specific communities near where the games will be played have unique missional needs. Queens, the New York City borough where the Mets play, has 2.3 million people in it alone -- larger than all but three U.S. cities. Steve Canter, NAMB's Send City missionary for New York City, of the city's five boroughs, said Queens has been one of the toughest for Southern Baptist churches to take root in. "Because of the diversity and density of Queens, we need church planters that are going to reach first-generation people from all over the world," Canter said. "It is the most diverse borough we have. Really, almost everything is in Queens, every kind of food you can imagine, every kind of people group you can imagine." Adam Bishop moved to Queens from Alabama in February to help start churches in this diverse borough. Particularly focused on unreached South Asian people groups, Bishop hopes to plant churches in the borough's Jackson Heights neighborhood. The neighborhood has one of the highest concentrations of South Asian immigrants in the city. Jackson Heights, Bishop said, has become a hub for newly arriving Tibetan, Indian, Bhutanese, Nepali and Pakistani immigrants. To help connect with these communities, Bishop teaches English as a second language. He works together with several other church planters who are focused on other unreached people groups. Together they host a monthly celebration time with simple worship music, a short sermon and conversation groups. Bishop also hosts a small group Bible study in his home once a week. He's praying for opportunities to continue to connect with and share the Gospel with South Asians in the neighborhood. "The need is huge," Bishop said. "A lot of the people we work with are immigrants. They've either been in the United States for a short time or they've been here for several years, but more than likely their English won't be very good. Many of them came to Jackson Heights because they wanted to be a part of a community of people who are the same as them, as far as their language and culture. We wanted to plant a church that would bring all of those people together." The community around Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium has also seen new Southern Baptist activity in recent years. In April of 2014 Lenexa Baptist Church in Lenexa, Kan., replanted River Edge Fellowship on the edge of Kansas City, Mo., and the suburb of Raytown, just a mile or two from the stadium. A diverse neighborhood, the Raytown community around River's Edge Fellowship isn't easy to reach, said campus pastor Travis Yeargans. Officially a campus of Lenexa Baptist Church, the River's Edge functions in many ways as a typical church plant with both live preaching and local leadership. Yeargans said the biggest need of the Raytown community is for its many small, struggling churches to adjust their focus with an eye toward reaching a new generation of residents. "Kansas City is an old city with a lot of history of religious life here," Yeargans said. "But where we are many of the legacy churches are dying -- they're dance halls now. They used to be places that the community recognized as houses of worship, and they're now being used for something else." Matt Marrs, Kansas City's Send North America City missionary, says the Kansas City Royals' success over the last two years has helped to spur a heavy influx of people into the city's urban core. "That's where we need planters," Marrs said. "Our highest priority dot on the map is in those downtown areas where we're seeing a lot of growth and a lot of revitalization. The planters I talk to are typically wanting to go to the more suburban areas. One of the challenges we have in Kansas City is to get young church planters who want to come and live in the city, to invest their lives in the heart of the city." The New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals will open their best-of-seven World Series in Kansas City tonight (Oct. 27). For more information about Send North America: New York, visit namb.net/newyorkcity. For more information about Send North America: Kansas City, visit namb.net/kansascity.