The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-10/29/2012 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hurricane Sandy in focus for Baptist DR by Joe Conway Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- As cities up and down the East Coast shut down and prepare for the worst from Hurricane Sandy, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief leaders are preparing for a large-scale SBDR response once the storm clears. "This has the potential to be an unusual storm," said Fritz Wilson, disaster relief team leader for the North American Mission Board. Wilson said SBDR leaders began preparation for response last week. "We worked through the weekend to make sure we have a solid plan in place," Wilson said. "And not only a plan, but we have already begun to make sure the people to work the plan will be in place to respond and meet needs. This storm could bring a hurricane response and a winter storm response in the same event." Wilson transported one of NAMB's recovery units to Harrisburg, Pa., Monday (Oct. 29). The Pennsylvania-South Jersey state convention's mission house in Harrisburg will serve as the area command center for the storm response. Given the wide range of possible damage and the potentially large area affected, Wilson said he fully expects multiple incident command centers to be established for the response. Wilson said SBDR volunteers in all the affected states, and those in line to give first partnership response, were on standby Sunday, ready for activation. State Baptist conventions prepared to respond include the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland-Delaware, New England, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania-South Jersey, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Tennessee and West Virginia. Hurricane Sandy's effects were felt along the U.S. Atlantic coast over the weekend with high winds and localized flooding, even though the storm's center was still more than 300 miles off the coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Sunday that Sandy is expected to entail a life-threatening storm surge flooding to the Mid-Atlantic coast, including Long Island Sound and New York Harbor, along with coastal hurricane winds and heavy Appalachian snows. Landfall is expected Monday night or early Tuesday morning between New Jersey and New York. Predictions call for possible landfall in Atlantic City with storm surge as high as 11 feet. Wilson said another aspect of the storm damage could be power outages from heavy snowfall on trees that have yet to drop all of their leaves. Snowfall also could make travel for responding SBDR volunteers challenging. He asked for the continued prayers of Southern Baptists as the preparation for the storm response continues. From its disaster operations center in Alpharetta, NAMB coordinates and manages Southern Baptist responses to major disasters through a partnership between NAMB and the SBC's 42 state conventions, most of which have their own state disaster relief programs. SBDR assets include 82,000 trained volunteers, including chaplains, and some 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. Southern Baptists and others who want to donate to the disaster relief operations can contact their state conventions or access NAMB's disaster relief fund via namb.net/disaster-relief-donations. Other ways to donate are to call 1-866-407-NAMB (6262) or mail checks to NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Designate checks for "Disaster Relief." --30-- Joe Conway writes for the North American Mission Board. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Caribbean hurricane assessment launched by Mark Kelly Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba (BP) -- Baptists in the Caribbean spent the weekend assessing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, which left at least 62 people dead and hundreds of thousands homeless before it moved on toward eastern coast of the United States. Teams trained by the aid organization Baptist Global Response moved into hurricane-ravaged areas of Cuba as soon as the storm ended, said Patrick Melancon, BGR's managing director of disaster response. "Initial reports from the storm zone indicate most of the damage is to homes, infrastructure and agriculture," Melancon said. "Many organizations are responding to this disaster. BGR, in conjunction with other teams on the ground, is supplying funds for the initial needs of drinking water and food at feeding centers." Baptist Global Response released $5,000 in emergency funds over the weekend and anticipates providing another $35,000 for relief efforts within a few days, said David Brown, who with his wife Jo directs BGR work in the Americas. Brown said he has been receiving "a deluge of emails" from Cuba with reports of damage and requests for assistance as well as from stateside partners who have begun formulating plans to respond. One of those e-mails came late Oct. 26 from Baptist pastor Victor Manuel Quesada in eastern Cuba, who was part of an assessment team that headed into one of the worst-hit areas, the city of Santiago. "More than 300,000 houses and other facilities have been partially or totally destroyed in the city. Every street in most of the main cities and towns in the province are blockaded by trees, junk and demolished materials," Quesada wrote. "Food and potable water are a big, growing problem. The situation is indescribable. Families are without homes; electric, hydraulic, and communication are out of service. Most of the churches in the city have been deeply affected. Many of our brothers lost everything; some of them have passed away." "State conventions and churches in the U.S. have been seeking information via BGR concerning prayer support, volunteer opportunities and financial support to the crisis," Brown said. "I expect that the needs in Cuba and Jamaica will be overwhelming for local Baptists to respond." The Southern Baptist response coordinated through Baptist Global Response will be based on requests received from on-the-the ground personnel trained by BGR in international disaster response, Melancon added. "Those personnel are trained to assess in the key life-saving sectors -- water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter, settlement and non-food items; and health action," Melancon said. "Our response to this disaster will be evidence-based and assessment-driven. This methodology prevents the duplication of efforts and targeted assistance to the most needy in the communities we seek to serve." Melancon noted that areas in eastern Cuba struck by the high winds were not prepared for the storm because they do not lie along the usual tracks of hurricanes in the region. Southern Baptists are able to respond to disasters because of the generous support of individuals, churches and groups, Melancon added. Any identified need for volunteers will be coordinated through the disaster relief offices of Southern Baptist state conventions. --30-- Mark Kelly writes for Baptist Global Response, on the Web at www.gobgr.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hurricane Sandy could impact 60M people on eastern seaboard by Staff Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday NEW YORK CITY (BP) -- Hurricane Sandy threatened to impact 60 million Americans Oct. 29 as it churned toward the Eastern Seaboard with winds exceeding 90 mph, causing President Obama to declare a state of emergency in the nation's capital and in states from North Carolina to Connecticut. "People will die in this storm," Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley bluntly warned as he urged residents to evacuate or hunker down ahead of the potentially historic storm, which was forecast to make landfall Monday night or early Tuesday along the New Jersey coast. As of Monday afternoon, 116,000 customers were without power in seven states, CNN.com reported. Service on mass transit systems was halted in New York City, Washington and Philadelphia ahead of the storm, thousands of airline flights were canceled, classes were called off for more than 2 million public school students, and government offices were closed. The New York Stock Exchange closed Monday and announced it would remain closed Tuesday, marking the first time it was closed for a weather event since Hurricane Gloria in 1985, CNN reported. Obama, along with Mitt Romney, canceled campaign events because of the approaching natural disaster. "At this stage, everybody is confident that the staging process, the prepositioning of resources, commodities, equipment that are going to be needed to respond to this storm are in place," the president said after meeting with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Southern Baptists were among those assembling resources for a prompt response to the hurricane. Baptist disaster relief directors and volunteers in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey were on alert, officials said, expecting help from Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and other states. Officials expected the hurricane to bring flooding, power outages and fallen trees. In the Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey, where officials were expecting a direct hit from Sandy, volunteers were expected to emerge after the storm, disaster relief director Karlene Campbell said. "Because Pennsylvania/South Jersey is getting a direct hit from this, a lot of our volunteers are looking to their own welfare until the storm passes, of course with their property, home and family," Campbell said. "So we are right now a little short of volunteers, although we do have some that stepped forward. "Once the storm passes, we should have more volunteers come forward. But we will supplement that through area command and ask other states for help as needed." Campbell had been notified that two area command officials from the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia and an area commander from the Florida Baptist Convention were on their way to Pennsylvania to assist area commander Kent Michaelis with Penn/Jersey. "We have all of our volunteers and recovery units on standby so that once the storm passes we can get out quickly and start working," Campbell said. Gaylon Moss, disaster relief director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, was coordinating assistance to New Jersey, relying on volunteers from North Carolina and Tennessee. One member of Moss' disaster relief team already was on site at American Red Cross headquarters in New Jersey, Moss said, and seven volunteers were en route to the state. North Carolina also expects damage from the hurricane. "We do think we'll have to do some work here in North Carolina, but we think compared to what New Jersey will need it will be significantly less than we're going to need up there," Moss said. "We will do our best to help in both places." The Baptist Convention of New York was partnering with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, whose disaster relief director Coy Webb was sending three disaster relief workers to Buffalo, according to New York disaster relief director Michael Flannery. "They will back us up in everything that we need in the New York event, and then they have feeding teams waiting and recovery teams on alert," Flannery said, expressing confidence that necessary resources would be available. "We know that God's in control, but we will respond," Flannery told Baptist Press. "All of our workers are on alert in New York as well as Kentucky. We're just waiting and braced for whatever." An Incident Command Center was being set up at the Baptist Convention of New England offices in Northborough, Mass. Bruce James, the BCNE's team leader for evangelism, disaster relief and men's ministry, said his disaster relief team was communicating with local, national and regional partners. They also were alerting volunteers in New England and were working on an action plan. "We just need prayer right now, but we'll be ready for it when it gets here," James told Baptist Press. George Russ, executive director of the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association, told Baptist Press he was in Florida Monday, unable to return home. "I and several others from MNYBA staff are stranded in other parts of the country," Russ wrote in an email at midday. "I am in contact with our churches and leaders and so far there is little to add to what you see on news reports." Storm surges along the coast were expected to raise water levels to 11 feet above normal high tide. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie warned, "Don't be stupid. Get out!" Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy said, "This is the most catastrophic event that we have faced and been able to plan for in any of our lifetimes." --30-- Compiled by Erin Roach and Diana Chandler of Baptist Press and John Evans, a writer in Houston. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- 5th ad continues Obama spotlight on abortion by Michael Foust Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday
WASHINGTON (BP) -- President Obama's campaign has launched its fifth television ad targeting Mitt Romney's pro-life views, the latest spotlight on abortion in an election year that most political observers thought would be light on social issues. With polls showing most voters saying the country is on the wrong track, the Obama campaign has tried to make abortion an issue in swing states with the goal of energizing its base, particularly among female voters. Along the way, it has attempted to take advantage of verbal flubs by Republican Senate candidates in Missouri and Indiana. The latest Obama ad criticizes Romney's opposition to Roe v. Wade and his desire to pull federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. "Which do you believe: What Mitt Romney's TV ads say about women or what Mitt Romney himself says?" a narrator asks. The ad then shows several clips of Romney. In one he says, "Do I believe the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade? Yes." In another one he says, "I'll cut off funding to Planned Parenthood." The narrator concludes, "No matter what Mitt Romney's ads say, we know what he'll do." here.]Previous Obama ads had charged that Romney opposes abortion in the cases of rape, incest and to save the mother's life. Romney has said he actually favors those exceptions, and his campaign launched a television ad where a female Romney voter explains his position on abortion, saying he believes in the three exceptions. Romney's position on abortion is the same as that of the two most recent Republican presidents: George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The new Obama ad was launched around the same time Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock made comments about abortion and rape that caused controversy. Addressing the issue of pregnancies caused by rape, Mourdock said at a debate, "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God. And I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen." Mourdock, pro-lifers and even some liberal commentators said he simply was saying that all life is precious and created by God -- although they said his comments were poorly worded. An Obama campaign spokesman said the comments were "outrageous and demeaning to women" and added that Romney should pull his endorsement of Mourdock. Romney had recorded a TV ad for him. In August, the Obama campaign also tried to tie Romney to Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin after he said of pregnancy from rape: "From what I understand from doctors, that's really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." A subsequent fundraising email from the Obama campaign claimed that Romney and running mate Paul Ryan are "in lockstep with Akin on the major women's health issues of our time." Akin subsequently apologized for the comment, saying "it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year." Akin quickly fell behind Sen. Claire McCaskill by 6-8 points in most polls but has since made a comeback and trailed by 2 points, 45-43 percent, in a poll conducted Oct. 23-25 by Mason-Dixon for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper. Several prominent conservatives have rallied around Akin, including Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee, the latter of which recorded a new TV ad for him. The Akin controversy broke just before the Democratic National Convention. Led by President Obama and Vice President Biden, the convention saw 25 speakers reference the party's support for legal abortion, an average of eight speakers a night in what was the biggest emphasis on the issue since at least the 1992 Democratic convention. Obama's five ads spotlighting abortion are unprecedented. Earlier this year Baptist Press watched every Democratic nominee's television ads, from 1976-2008 -- that is, post-Roe v. Wade -- and found that only one other campaign (Bill Clinton's, 1996) discussed abortion in an ad, and that reference ("choice") came in a TV ad that was not abortion-centric but instead discussed several issues. Pro-life groups hope the Obama campaign's abortion spotlight will backfire by benefiting Romney, who has been viewed skeptically by some conservatives. After all, Obama's campaign is regularly reminding voters that Romney opposes Roe. The debate over Romney's position on Roe serves to spotlight the Supreme Court, where the issue ultimately will be decided. Four justices are in their 70s: Ruth Bader Ginsburg (79), Antonin Scalia (76), Anthony Kennedy (76) and Stephen Breyer (74). Three of them -- Ginsburg, Kennedy and Breyer -- are on record as supporting Roe. Scalia has called for its reversal. If the court currently has a 5-4 pro-Roe majority, as many court-watchers surmise, then the retirement of any one of these four during an Obama second term or Romney administration could have an impact on legalized abortion. Next year -- 2013 -- is the 40th anniversary of Roe. Discussion over abortion's exceptions has forced Christians to examine the issue more critically. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said pro-lifers must speak to the issue with clarity and stand up for the unborn. "First, when speaking of saving the life of the mother, we should be clear that the abortion of her unborn child cannot be the intentional result. There can be no active intention to kill the baby," he wrote on his blog. "This does not mean that a mother might, in very rare and always tragic circumstances, require a medical procedure or treatment to save her life that would, as a secondary effect, terminate the life of her unborn child. This is clearly established in moral theory, and we must be thankful that such cases are very rare. "Next, when speaking of cases involving rape and incest, we must affirm the sinful tragedy of such acts and sympathize without reservation with the victims. We must then make the argument that the unborn child that has resulted from such a heinous act should not be added to the list of victims. That child possesses no less dignity than a child conceived in any other context." Mohler also said that pro-lifers who don't believe in any exceptions to abortion can nevertheless support candidates who do believe in some exceptions. "As the Gallup organization affirmed just months ago, the vast majority of Americans are willing to support increased restrictions on abortion so long as those exceptions are allowed," Mohler wrote. "We should gladly accept and eagerly support such laws and the candidates who support them, knowing that such a law would save the life of over a million unborn children in the nation each year. Can we be satisfied with such a law? Of course not, and we cannot be disingenuous in our public statements. But we can eagerly support a law that would save the vast majority of unborn children now threatened by abortion, even as we seek to convince our fellow Americans that this is not enough." Denny Burk, associate professor of New Testament at Boyce College in Louisville, said abortion is the most critical issue this election. "With more than 50 million babies already dead in America, is it not clear that abortion-on-demand is the greatest human rights crisis of our time?" he asked in a column on his website. "The only reason that people do not feel the weight of this horror is that abortion is largely out of their view. The cries of aborted babies do not escape their mother's womb, and citizens don't hear the screams that would otherwise provoke the repugnance of any decent person." --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Planned Parenthood rescued by Texas court by Staff Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Planned Parenthood has gained another reprieve in its ongoing battle against Texas to retain millions of dollars in government funding. A judge in Austin, Texas, ordered the state Oct. 26 to put a stop for the time being to enforcement of a law that prohibits Planned Parenthood from participating in a women's health program. State judge Amy Clark Meachum scheduled a Nov. 8 hearing in Planned Parenthood's lawsuit, in addition to issuing the temporary restraining order, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Planned Parenthood, the country's leading abortion provider, gained the legal victory a day after being dealt a setback in the federal court system. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected Planned Parenthood's request for its full panel of judges to rehear its case. A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit ruled in August the state had shown it likely would succeed in demonstrating it had not violated Planned Parenthood's First Amendment rights and could enforce the law. The 2011 law bars the state from contracting under the Texas Medicaid Women's Health Program with organizations that "perform or promote elective abortions or affiliate with entities that perform or promote elective abortions." The ban reportedly affects only Planned Parenthood. More than 1,000 health-care providers certified for the program are not affiliated with abortion clinics, according to the Texas Alliance for Life. After failing in federal court, Planned Parenthood tried a new strategy in state court. It said the law should be ruled "inoperable" if it costs it federal money, which constitutes about 90 percent of the program's funds, according to the American-Statesman. Gov. Rick Perry said in a written statement after Meachum's order, "If there was ever any doubt that Planned Parenthood is more concerned about its own interests than those of Texas women, there is no longer. Having lost on its constitutional claims, Planned Parenthood has now turned to Travis County judges in a desperate effort to find some way to keep making money off Texas taxpayers. In Texas, we've chosen to protect innocent life. We will keep fighting for life, and we will ultimately prevail." In its suit in state court, Planned Parenthood said the law would cost it $13 million, result in the shutdown of six or seven Texas clinics and require another six or seven centers to reduce hours or workers, the American-Statesman reported. Pete Schenkkan, a lawyer for Planned Parenthood, said in a written release the Texas law "is invalid under state law and, most importantly, threatens the integrity of the program and harms women who rely on Planned Parenthood, the provider of choice for nearly half of the patients" in the program. In March, the Obama administration announced it would not grant a waiver to the women's health program because of the ban on Planned Parenthood, thereby ending federal funding for services to about 130,000 women. Texas will move ahead with plans to start a state-financed, women's health program as early as Nov. 1, a state official said, according to the newspaper. The cost of the program is expected to be about $36 million next year. "Abortion-centered organizations like Planned Parenthood neither need nor deserve taxpayer dollars," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, in a written statement. "Texas has shown the rest of America what it means to be both pro-woman and pro-life," she said. Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide reported performing 329,445 abortions in 2010, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Planned Parenthood and its affiliates received $487.4 million in government grants, contracts and reimbursements during its 2009-10 fiscal year. --30-- Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- Calif. Baptists weigh Focus 21 recommendations by Terry Barone Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday CLOVIS, Calif. (BP) -- California Southern Baptists celebrated their diversity and considered Executive Board recommendations regarding the Focus 21 Task Force during the Oct. 23-24 annual meeting at Clovis Hills Community Church. Highlighting the California Southern Baptist Convention theme, "United: Every ethné, for Christ," the meeting featured three congregations involved in reaching an ethnic group other than their own: -- Chinese Baptist Church of Orange County in Anaheim, which is involved in ministry on the Pala Indian Reservation near San Diego. The church also reaches Hispanics. -- First Southern Baptist Church of Parksdale in Madera, in a community that transitioned 20 years ago from primarily Anglo to Hispanic. The Parksdale church started a Hispanic ministry and in 1997 gave the property to the Hispanic congregation, Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, which continues to serve the Madera community. -- Fellowship Church of Burbank, a mostly Anglo congregation, which hosts six primarily ethnic congregations in its facilities weekly, including Afghani, African American, Arabic, Armenian, Hispanic and Korean. Sunday services begin at 10 a.m., are staggered throughout the day and conclude at 7:30 p.m. The Burbank congregation also is helping sponsor four church starts in the San Fernando Valley Baptist Association in northern Los Angeles County. The CSBC Executive Board reported on the Focus 21 Task Force recommendations referred to the board in 2011 for implementation. The task force was appointed in 2010 and charged with discerning how California Southern Baptists could "most efficiently and effectively focus ... efforts for the glory of God in fulfilling the Great Commission." Don Fugate, chairman of the CSBC Executive Board and pastor of Foxworthy Baptist Church in San Jose, said the board considered the recommendations and reported on four of the seven. He noted the remaining three recommendations would be studied and reported to the 2013 annual meeting. About the task force's "clarifying cooperative churches" recommendation, Fugate said the convention will report only cooperating churches, which is currently defined in the CSBC constitution as those "in sympathy with the purpose of this Convention" and have contributed to the Cooperative Program and are in agreement with the Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. Nearly 2,200 churches identify themselves as members of CSBC; however, as of Sept. 12 when the board's report was adopted, the number of churches meeting the definition of "cooperating" stood at 1,108. Also reported to the convention was the recommendation dealing with "communicating more effectively." Fugate noted the avenues already in place and the new technologies being engaged by the CSBC communications group. He said the group would continue looking at ways to communicate and the Executive Board would seek to prioritize resources for communications initiatives. He said the board was recommending a change in the CSBC Executive Board bylaws in relation to the "planning for the future" recommendation which addresses the process of electing an executive director. The CSBC Executive Board will consider the issue at its January 2013 meeting. A task force recommendation from the board that messengers did consider was "enlarging California's influence," which dealt primarily with California Baptist University seeking a larger trustee board and a larger number of "global trustees" defined as members of Southern Baptist churches in the United States or churches cooperating with their respective Baptist conventions outside the U.S. The recommendation called for an increase in the number of trustees from 36 to 40 and an increase in the number of global trustees from eight to 12 and added wording to the global trustee definition to allow "members of evangelical churches of like faith and order in California or worldwide." Several messengers questioned the definition of "evangelical churches of like faith and order" while others questioned who would arbitrate such matters. However, other messengers affirmed the university for its growth from 1,200 students in 1995 to just over 6,000 in 2012 and said the trustees would be properly vetted by the university and the CSBC Committee on Board Nominations before being brought to the convention in annual session for election. A voice vote was too close to call and a ballot vote was taken. Messengers defeated the motion by a margin of 53-47 percent of the ballots cast. Another recommendation dealing with "enlarging California's influence" allowing the university to solicit direct funding from churches was approved without discussion. The Executive Board will bring recommendations to the 2013 annual meeting addressing Focus 21 recommendations to "prioritize church planting," "prioritize global responsibilities" and "denominational overlap." The church planting suggestion calls on changing or eliminating programs so that 25 percent of the CSBC Cooperative Program budget can be spent directly on funding church planters in California. The global responsibilities suggestion calls for the state convention to move to a "50/50 split" of CP funds between the state and national convention within five years. In other business, messengers approved a 2013 operating budget of $10,819,487 million, just $46,927 less than in 2012. The budget includes an anticipated $6.8 million in Cooperative Program giving from member churches, an increase of $360,000, or 5.6 percent, over the current year. The CSBC increased its CP giving to the Southern Baptist Convention by 12.5 percent, earmarking $2,210,000, an increase of $245,800 over the 2012 allocation. The allocation represents 32.5 percent of the CSBC budget, a 2 point boost from the current year. The budget does not include any preferred/shared CSBC-SBC items in its allocations. Messengers approved a motion to waive the 50/50 allocation of the CSBC challenge budget (in excess of the CP objective) in years when a distribution to the SBC Executive Committee would be made using accumulated surplus funds. Messengers defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed churches to elect messengers based on CP giving rather than church membership. The amendment was modeled after the SBC constitution that allows the election of messengers based on either membership or the amount of money "paid to the work of the Convention." A number of constitutional and bylaws amendments related to officers of the convention were adopted this year and in essence did away with the position of second vice president and gave the convention's planning committee the responsibility of appointing the music director for the annual meeting. Garnering 78 percent of the vote, Mike Nolen, pastor of Southwinds Church in Tracy, was elected president for 2013 over Port Wilburn, pastor of Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship in San Pablo. Nolen replaces Steve Davidson, pastor of the host congregation who was ineligible to run having served two one-year terms, the maximum allowed by the CSBC constitution. D.D. Alexander, pastor of Holy Tabernacle of God Baptist Church in Los Angeles, topped Daniel Cassels, pastor of Life Way Fellowship in Santa Maria, for vice president with 69 percent of the votes cast. Roger Byrd, a member of Woodward Park Baptist Church in Fresno, was appointed music director. Byrd serves as CSBC music and worship specialist. Beth Downy, the executive assistant to Fermin A. Whittaker, CSBC executive director, was elected recording secretary. Messenger count for the annual meeting totaled 400. The 2013 annual meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22-23 at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon. --30-- Terry Barone is editor of the California Southern Baptist (www.csbc.com/csb), newsjournal of the California Southern Baptist Convention. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Justice system needs 'appropriate adjustments' by Tom Strode Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday WASHINGTON (BP) -- A reformation of America's criminal justice system should focus on restitution for victims, rehabilitation for offenders and safety for the public, a Southern Baptist ethicist and several other religious leaders said in briefing at the U.S. Capitol. The panelists called for re-examination of a system that has resulted in the world's largest prison population at 2.3 million people and a cost to taxpayers of $70 billion a year, according to the event's sponsors. Their recommendations included establishing a national commission to study criminal justice in the country and considering a revision of mandatory minimum sentences, especially for non-violent offenders. "[W]e need a commission to study the entire criminal justice system, the way we are doing criminal justice at this point, and find out where it's working and where it's not and be prepared to make appropriate adjustments," Southern Baptist ethicist Barrett Duke said in agreeing with a recommendation by co-panelist Galen Carey of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). "If the mandatory minimums are not sensitive enough, then that needs to be addressed." Duke is vice president for public policy and research of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Carey is NAE's vice president for government relations. In his presentation, Duke offered seven theological truths related to crime and punishment that included these comments: -- "God is the ultimate law-giver. There are universal standards of right and wrong. -- "God instituted government to enforce His standards. -- "People are personally responsible for their actions. -- "Crime against others should be punished. -- "All people are created in the image of God and are due appropriate respect. In this context, it means protection and adequate care of prisoners is appropriate. -- "The punishment should fit the crime. Neither leniency nor excess should be tolerated. -- "Punishment should be restorative whenever possible. Rehabilitation should be the goal in most instances, not retribution." Duke also cited a personal theological principle, saying Jesus' teaching and Christian compassion require that he "minister to the prisoner regardless of his crime. Christians believe in second chances. All of us received a second chance through our faith in Jesus Christ when God forgave us of our sin." The briefing's sponsors -- Justice Fellowship and Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) -- pointed to the following statistics to illustrate the crime-and-punishment problem in the United States: -- America is the No. 1 jailer in the world. -- The federal prison system has nearly 220,000 inmates, nearly 40 percent more than it is designed to handle. -- More than half (51 percent) of federal prisoners are incarcerated for a drug crime. -- More than 60 percent of federal drug offenders received mandatory minimum sentences during the last fiscal year. -- Nearly 53 percent of all sentenced drug offenders had few or no prior offenses. -- 1 million additional government employees have been hired in America's corrections system since 1980. -- One in 33 Americans is on probation, on parole or incarcerated at this time. -- The arrest rate for murder in 2011 was only 30 percent in Chicago and 50 percent in Detroit. Too many inmates, especially in federal prisons, are not "truly dangerous people," said FAMM government affairs counsel Molly Gill, who served as moderator of the Oct. 11 panel discussion. Other panelists criticized mandatory minimum sentencing laws, but Duke said the ERLC supports them. "In our opinion, minimum sentences are useful, because they help prevent the influence of the biases of judges, because judges also bring their own biases into the courtroom and there may be a time when a judge is too lenient or too extreme on a particular issue," he said. Duke acknowledged such laws may need to be revisited for correction. Some panelists called for alternatives to imprisonment for some offenders. One of NAE's recommendations to Congress, Carey said, urges: "Expand the use of alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders with a focus on victim restitution and community service." Panelists also urged a cap on what are sometimes excessive phone rates from prisons so inmates and their families can remain in contact. "[I]t's been demonstrated that the level of connection that prisoners have with their families while they're behind bars has a big effect on how they do when they come out," Carey said. Though Duke acknowledged rehabilitation of offenders is a goal, he said, "[T]here are times when incarceration is not for rehabilitation ... and we believe capital punishment is appropriate at times." Also speaking at the briefing were Craig DeRoche, vice president of Justice Fellowship, and Kathy Saile, director of domestic social development for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. --30-- Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -------------------------------------------------------------------- How to share Christ with your Hindu friends by Jeff Brawner Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: In a third article about how to share Christ with friends of another faith, seminary professor Jeff Brawner focuses on sharing Christ with Hindus. Friday's article focused on witnessing to Muslims; Thursday's article, on witnessing to Mormons. CORDOVA, Tenn. (BP) -- If you've traveled most anywhere in the United States recently, you've likely had contact with a follower of Hinduism, a religion that is becoming a major factor on the American religious landscape. Witnessing to Hindus can be daunting. A seminary student described his effort to reach out to a Hindu, saying, "They have all of those gods. I just felt ... helpless." With 330 million gods, a Hindu's simple response can be, "How can we be wrong, if we accept that everyone is at least partially right?" Still, increasing numbers of Hindus around the world are trusting Christ. The church in India now encompasses more than 70-million people, the world's eighth-largest Christian population. To initiate sharing Christ with a Hindu, consider these three steps: 1. Befriend a Hindu. Invite your new Hindu friend to coffee or tea. Invest time in your new friend. 2. Avoid the urge just to be the person's friend. Take a leap of faith and talk about spiritual ideas as soon as possible. Mention how God has blessed you, so the person will know that you are a spiritual person. 3. Look for "spiritual clues" -- indications that God is working in the person's heart. If the person mentions thinking about spiritual matters, recognize that he or she might be open to a Gospel presentation. Seize the opportunity if it is available to take the bold step of presenting the Gospel to your friend. In my book, "How to Share Christ with Your Friends of Another Faith," I give four different approaches to witnessing to a Hindu. For one of those, I asked "David S.," a veteran pastor who has served in India for more than 11 years, to describe his witnessing approach. Notice David's brief non-intimidating style. David looks for a person's needs and then shows how Christ meets those needs. Also, note how David constantly points his polytheistic friend to the only true God. "I always start a conversation with the topic of my friend's family, such as his mother, father, wife, or children," David said. "I then continue the conversation by inquiring about their needs. I keep the conversation going until I find some place that isn't going well in the person's life. "Whatever the stress in his or her life, I would ask, 'How are you feeling about it? Is it worrying you?' "Whatever the specific needs, I express my concern and say, 'I believe in the One True God because He really loves me. I will pray for you. The One True God knows your problem and knows about you.' "Then I say, 'Would you mind if I pray with you right now?' I would bow my head and clasp my hands in a posture of prayer. If my friend is a man, I will put my hand on his shoulder and pray RIGHT THEN for that need. "With that prayer I have ministered to my friend immediately. Then I think of a story in the Bible that would match his dilemma. "After relating the Bible story, I tell my friend, 'But all those blessings did not make me a true believer. Those were a kindness to me from the One True God.' "I might give my friend an opportunity to give his life to Christ; however, I probably will wait to do so. Why? I wait, generally, because he still will have to deal with many issues such as idolatry and polytheism. You don't want to rush the process." David's approach is simple and reproducible. Start now to pray about finding a Hindu friend with whom you can share Christ. --30-- Jeff Brawner is chairman of the department of missions and assistant professor of missions, theology and church history at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Cordova, Tenn. His book, "How to Share Christ with Your Friends of Another Faith," is available at www.hannibalbooks.com and such online sites as amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Refugee family says God has brought them here by Grace Thornton/The Alabama Baptist Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday MOBILE, Ala. (BP) -- Abid Hussain was once a Hindu and a millionaire, living in a 19-bedroom house. Then he was a persecuted Christian living with his family in an attic storeroom on a concrete floor. Now Hussain is a refugee living in a rough neighborhood in Mobile, Ala., struggling to find work and afraid for his family to go out at night. But he and his family say that God has a plan for them, so they are grateful. "They are nervous about their life here, and they are still struggling a lot," said Buddy Brents, a church planter for the North American Mission Board working in partnership with Mobile Baptist Association. "But he [Hussain] often says, 'God has brought me here, and I'm going to trust Him.'" When Hussain's family was granted refugee status in May, a three-bedroom home was provided for them for free for five months, Brents said. It took Hussain almost all of that time to find a job. The former millionaire is working the evening shift at a gas station, and now the family must start paying its own bills. "It's been a real struggle for him, because he's a highly educated man with a degree in the medical field. He owned his own textile factory back in his country," Brents said. "He's tried to get jobs anywhere -- he tells them he'll do anything, he just needs a job." But employers say Hussain's English isn't good enough yet. "He's doing this job now just as a test job -- the gas station is giving him a shot at being a clerk, and it's only part-time with no benefits," Brents said. And Hussain walks there every night. The family doesn't have a car. The church that Brents started -- Hope of the Nations -- gave Hussain's family three bikes, but two were stolen. He was afraid to ride the one they had left, thinking it would get stolen too, until the church gave him a lock for it. "But his attitude is so good," Brents said. "He experienced some serious persecution back in his home country -- people physically hurt him, and his eye was damaged. But here he got health care and is able to see again. He's praising the Lord for that." And Hussain's children, who have to walk nearly two miles to school each way, thank God for their little house and for the God who takes care of them, Brents said. "They're doing well, and they have such a great attitude. It's so encouraging to go over there -- every time I see them, the children say that God has brought them here and has a good plan for them." And He's been providing for their needs, Brents said. People from Hope of the Nations have brought food regularly to the family, and one church member spends Tuesday afternoons with the kids helping them with their homework. "They are just so happy, and they feel like the people have been so nice to them,” said David Johnson, a Southern Baptist representative who met Hussain when he was still in Asia. “Baptists are really good at that in Alabama, in reaching out and taking care of people who need it." But Hussain's family is just one of many, many refugee families who need this kind of help, Johnson said. "They're just a drop in the bucket -- there are so many like them." Brents asked for prayer for the Hussain family as they continue to walk in God's plan for them. "They still have many needs -- a job with benefits and insurance to provide for their family, a steady income, help with their utilities, a couple of bikes," Brents said. "It's a heartbreaking situation in many ways, but it is such an encouraging testimony of how the Lord is taking care of them and how they still have the joy of the Lord." --30-- This article appeared in The Alabama Baptist (thealabamabaptist.org), newsjournal of the Alabama Baptist Convention. Grace Thornton is a correspondent for The Alabama Baptist. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Unlikely friendship leads refugee family to Christ by David Johnson/The Alabama Baptist Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday BANGKOK, Thailand (BP) -- Abid Hussain walked into my life more than two years ago. He was dejected, fearful and unhealthy. In broken English he described leaving his home country with his family and coming to Bangkok. Their problems began when his wife converted from Islam to his own Hindu religion. The penalty -- not just for her but for the entire family -- was death by beheading. "I've gone to many places, but no one will help us," Abid told me. "I used to be rich and owned a factory; now we have nothing. I have nothing to give my children to eat." I'd heard that story before and had grown hard. I begrudgingly gave him some money and sent him on his way. I hoped not to face this again. After all, couldn't he get help from the Hindu community? Why would he come to a Christian for money? The next month, he came again -- and every month after that. Sometimes he brought one of his four children with him. He said he couldn't bring the entire family. They were not accepted as refugees by the United Nations yet, so there was always the threat of being picked up by police and taken to jail. Thailand is one of several countries in the world that does not recognize or protect refugees, so they were always on the lookout for the police. After a few more visits by Abid, I decided it was time to check out his story. A co-worker and I went to visit his family with an armful of food. Abid was definitely telling the truth. We climbed a staircase as steep as a stepladder for four floors just to get to him. They lived in an attic storage room on the roof. This family of six slept on a cement floor with one little pad as their mattress. They had a pot or two, a small gas tank and a few toothbrushes. One wall of the room was simply a chain-link fence -- allowing the rain, pollution and mosquitoes in year round. They were excited to see us and Abid's wife, Shabnam, offered a prime spot on the floor. She had signs of isolation, fear and pain written all over her face as she showed us photographs from their former country. Her old kitchen was stocked with equipment Martha Stewart would have envied. Their formal gardens reminded me of Williamsburg. "We left everything to come to ... to this?" she blurted out. "What will happen to my children? They have not been to school in three years. They don't have a book to read and can't even go out to play for fear of being picked up. We have no country, no clothes and no future. It is better for us to die." I realized that the food we brought was so insignificant. Their problems were so great -- far greater than we could solve. All we could do was pray. Abid continued to come at the end of each month for a little money. We'd occasionally take food to them, but nothing seemed to change in their lives until a friend of mine from their home country visited me. His own family fled the country five years ago because they were Christians and had been accused of "converting Muslims." My friend is an enthusiastic Christian, happy to share Christ with anyone. I was thrilled to have someone who could actually talk with Abid in his own language. There was a problem, though: It was the middle of the month and not when Abid normally came. I had no way to contact him except to pray the Lord would send him to me. Not even three hours later, Abid walked into the office. My friend and Abid talked for over an hour about the good news of hope that Abid and his family so desperately needed to hear. "The reason Christians have been helping you is because they have been helped by Jesus as well," my friend told Abid. "They love you, but God loves you so much more." Abid was so grateful to hear these words in his language and said he wanted to follow Christ. Of course, my cynicism took over and though my face smiled in gratitude, I wondered if the truth had really touched his soul. A month or so later, our church went out to deliver food to refugees. When we stopped at Abid's, we were greeted not by the normal fearful sufferers but by a family smiling and laughing. They had moved into a much nicer room. It was still cement block and just one room, but it was bigger and had all four walls. This was exciting, but something else seemed different. "We are all Christians now," Abid's wife explained. "I have read the Bible through two times in the past three months. I LOVE this book." The next day my friend returned to town. We went directly to Abid's. For four hours, the entire family, from the 5-year-old daughter to the 40-year-old father, told us of the changes Jesus made in their lives. We even had church. For the first time I saw the family as they truly are -- not a family of beggars seeking a handout or some extra clothes or blankets but as my equals, new brothers and sisters serving the same Lord as I. The mother who had left everything behind shared, "In my old country, my family lived in a beautiful mansion. We had everything we could ever need. But it is worth giving up everything to give my children a religion of love and hope." --30-- EDITOR'S NOTE -- The Hussains received refugee status by the UN and are now living in their new host country, the United States -- in Mobile, Ala. Before leaving Bangkok they decided to be baptized as a family. They wanted to start their new lives with the boldest statement they could think of -- declaring to the world that they are followers of Christ. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sermon on the Mount explored at workshop by Keith Collier Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- Whether young or old, conservative or liberal, inside or outside the church, everybody loves the Sermon on the Mount, New Testament professor Terry Wilder said at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's annual Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop. No section of Scripture has been cited more than the Sermon on the Mount, Wilder said. "Conservative scholars love this passage of Scripture. Liberal scholars love this passage of Scripture," the Southwestern prof said of the Matthew 5-7 passage in the New Testament. "... It has received high praise as a model for the Christian life, the essence of true religion and the epitome of all that Jesus taught." Various passages from the Sermon on the Mount have become part of secular culture but are often misunderstood or misinterpreted, Wilder said, citing such examples as the Golden Rule, turning the other cheek, the Lord's Prayer and "Judge not, that you be not judged." "The biggest issue in the Sermon on the Mount is how to interpret the Sermon on the Mount," Wilder said, citing one scholar who had counted 63 different approaches to its interpretation. Some have taken a strict, literal interpretation of Jesus' words in the passage, but they run into difficulty when He speaks of plucking out one's eye or being perfect, Wilder said. Others have noted the broad use of illustrations, metaphors and hyperbole, concluding that they can generalize and modify its demands. Some have seen the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus' indictment of the Jews. Whereas some say it cannot be lived out, others argue that it represents the Christian ethic and can be followed entirely. "It doesn't take much of a reading of the Sermon on the Mount to discover that it is a pretty demanding body of teaching," Wilder said, "and it places demands on you and me as Christians -- uncompromising demands." There is some truth in each of the various approaches, Wilder said, believing that it is best to take the Sermon on the Mount at face value, taking into account its metaphors and hyperbole and striving to live according to its teachings. When Christians fail, they rely on God's grace and forgiveness, and then they press on. Tracing interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount through church history, Wilder noted this approach has been predominant. Citing Jesus' words in Matthew 5:20 of not coming to abolish but to fulfill the law, Wilder said this verse represents the thesis statement for the entire sermon. Noting the relationship between the Old Testament and the Sermon on the Mount as well as the relationship between law and Gospel, Wilder said, "Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law by teaching its correct meaning, by obeying the law perfectly and by providing a way of salvation that meets all the demands of the law. "I don't think you can keep perfectly the Sermon on the Mount, but Jesus can. And yet, it is something I must strive for in this life," Wilder said. The Beatitudes David Allen, Southwestern's dean of theology, addressed the Oct. 8 workshop participants in a session on preaching the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. "The Beatitudes serve as the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount," Allen said. "They're something like the vestibule through which you walk before you enter into the cathedral that is the Sermon on the Mount. ... Everything that follows in the Sermon on the Mount is something of an explanation, illustration or application of the theological truths and concepts that are presented in the Beatitudes." Allen reviewed the structure of the passage, pointing to stylistic elements of parallelism and groupings throughout. He noted that verses 3-6 emphasize the Christian's relationship with God while verses 7-10 emphasize the Christian's relationship with people. Additionally, Jesus makes allusions back to Isaiah 61 throughout the Beatitudes. Allen said the first Beatitude, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," represents those who are "keenly aware of being spiritually destitute and totally dependent on God. ... We are spiritual paupers who recognize our own spiritual bankruptcy." This first Beatitude sets the course for all that follows, Allen said. Working through each of the Beatitudes, he offered explanation and application of their meaning, noting that there is benefit for pastors to preach them individually or as a whole. Structure of the sermon While some may see the Sermon on the Mount as simply a collection of independent proverbial sayings, Steven Smith, dean of the College at Southwestern and professor of communication, pointed to a consistent structure with a main point, two sections and a conclusion. The main point of the Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5:17-20 -- Jesus' fulfillment of Scripture, Smith said. This theme builds from the beginning of Matthew's Gospel in chapters 1-4 and distinguishes the kind of kingdom that Jesus brought. "Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount, which answers this question, 'How do we get into the kingdom?'" Smith said, noting that Jesus contradicted the Jews' expectations of the Messiah. "There is a kingdom coming, but it's not a visible kingdom yet," Smith said. "It's an invisible kingdom, and blessed are the ones who see that this invisible kingdom comes to those who are so broken over their sin, so greatly that they mourn, that they crawl out of the foxholes of their ambitions to keep the law and waive the white flag of surrender, realizing their artillery is nothing against fighting the King of Kings, and they switch enemies. Instead of fighting God, they fight for Him -- these are the ones who are blessed. "This was so radically different than what they had thought that when they actually began to live like this, it was a stark contrast against the world." Smith explained that in the first section of the sermon, Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus says His followers' faith must be above average. In the second section, Matthew 6:1 – 7:12, their faith must be below the surface -- deep and genuine. Jesus concludes the sermon in Matthew 7:13-29 with four warning couplets: two roads, two trees, two confessions and two foundations. For pastors, heeding the warning in Matthew 5:19 against relaxing the commandments will protect their congregations from making the mistakes found in the four warnings of 7:13-29, Smith said. The Lord's Prayer Preaching professor Matthew McKellar concluded the preaching workshop with a session on the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6. "If you're going to preach to your people about prayer, you better be praying yourself," McKellar said. Outlining Jesus' instructions on prayer leading up to the Lord's Prayer, McKellar said the idea of a prayerless disciple was unfathomable to Jesus. The Lord's Prayer can be divided into two sets of three petitions each -- the first three focus on the disciple's dependence on God's character and the last three focus on dependence on God's care, McKellar said. "One of the most accurate pictures of your dependence on the Lord your God," McKellar noted, "is what's going on in your prayer life." --30-- Keith Collier is director of news and information at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (www.swbts.edu/campusnews). For audio for the preaching workshop on the Sermon on the Mount, go to www.swbts.edu/aepw2012. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Make life an adventure -- live by faith by David Jeremiah Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- Megatransect! Sounds like Indiana Jones -- "Just returned from a megatransect of equatorial Africa searching for lost gold mines." Makes you want to see the movie. Well, Indy never did a megatransect, but Michael Fay did it. He trekked through the last untouched jungle on earth. With only a few pygmy porters, machetes, a satellite phone, and hitchhiking leeches, Fay walked 2,000 miles in 15 months across the heart of Africa and emerged a changed man. His adventure is called a megatransect, a big survey. An experienced explorer like Fay plans ahead and assembles enough resources to lower his fear level. There seems to be an inverse relationship between resources and fear -- the more resources we have, the less fear we experience. We try to assemble enough resources around us -- insurance, money, cars, retirement plans and friends -- to take the contingencies out of life. But as we gain more and more control over life's possibilities, the dynamics of faith and adventure begin to disappear. Africa sees more manifestations of God's power in its churches because often the people only have "blessed assurance." Americans have "blessed insurance." Ask yourself: -- Do I live by faith? -- Is my life an adventure -- trusting in God alone to meet my needs? -- What role does fear of the unknown play in my life? -- What would I be doing if I cast fear aside and began trusting God? Setting out on decades of adventure, covering thousands of miles in unknown territory armed only with faith in God and His promises, the Christian life is the greatest adventure. Does that raise your fear level? Did God tell us He will supply everything we need in life? (Read Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:19.) God knows what we'll need and when we'll need it. So, make life an adventure. With God guiding our steps and watching our back, what's to fear? What adventure would you plan for yourself or your family if fear of the unknown weren't an issue? Start a new business? Develop a new skill, musical talent? Head for the mission field? Learn to increase your income now, devoting your senior years to service for Christ? We all have unfulfilled dreams, yearnings put on the shelf. Does God want our dreams to come true? Starting something new sounds outlandish to some, but when you feel God is for it, do it in faith. Without faith, we cannot please God -- but with faith, we discover His reward (Hebrews 11:6). Harvest these 5 fruits when you make life an adventure: 1. Discovery. Life is a process of discovery. God is unfathomable and so is the life He has created for us. But many act as if they hit bottom years ago. 2. Drive. We don't live up to our potential. Scientists say we're only utilizing 10 percent of our brain power. Why is the bar continually set higher in athletics, business and science? Because people are pushing their limits ... driving themselves. 3. Dependence. The Christian life is one of dependence -- first on God, and then on others in whom He has deposited resources for our journey. If you're not living dependently, you're not living the adventure. 4. Defeat. When failure happens, strength, gratitude, appreciation, renewed resolve and character can spring up. People who aim high fall far, but God will either catch you on the way down or patch you up when you hit bottom -- and you'll be a better life explorer. 5. Definition. At the gym we see who's "cut" -- who has sculpted his body so each sinew is taut and every muscle defined. We need Christians who are "cut" spiritually. They've cut away all the apathy and are looking for a spiritual megatransect to embark on. They know who God is and who they are -- and aren't afraid of anything. What would you do differently tomorrow if fear of the unknown weren't an issue? If you know Jesus, you have all you need to set out on life's ultimate adventure -- living by faith! Don't let anything stand in your way. --30-- Jeremiah is the founder and host of Turning Point for God and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California. For more information on Turning Point, visit www.DavidJeremiah.org. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). This column has been approved by Turning Point for redistribution in Baptist state newspapers and in Townhall.com. For permission to reprint it, contact Myrna Davis at mdavis@turningpointonline.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------- BP Ledger, Oct. 29 edition by Staff Date: October 29, 2012 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger contains items from: Baptist College of Florida Palm Beach Atlantic University University of the Cumberlands Campbellsville University (two items) BCF Hosts Embrace Conference GRACEVILLE, Fla. (Baptist College of Florida) -- How do you improve upon a three-day Missions Conference featuring a dozen mission agencies, dynamic worship experiences, and a challenge to win the world to Christ? By ending the week with an additional dozen representatives from the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention. On Thursday, October 25, The Baptist College of Florida (BCF) in Graceville, Fla., hosted the IMB initiative known as "Embracing the Ends of the Earth." The conference is designed to equip local church leaders to mobilize their churches for the task of engaging the approximately 3800 unengaged and unreached people groups with the gospel of Christ. Nearly 160 participants from 59 churches began arriving on the college campus early on Thursday. Some were BCF students who needed only to walk across the campus. But other groups arrived from as far away as Texas and West Tennessee, eager to be involved in the Great Commission in a more effective, more strategic way. "The registered trademark of The Baptist College of Florida is 'Changing the World Through the Unchanging Word, ®" stated BCF President Thomas A. Kinchen during a warm welcome extended to participants. "We will not change the world until we have first embraced the gospel and our Lord's Great Commission. Having done this, we can do no less than to embrace those who are still in darkness. We are honored to be a part of this great enterprise." Morning plenary sessions covered introductory topics to inform and inspire participants on what it means to "embrace" an unreached people group, the need for it, and the weighty considerations involved. Afternoon breakout sessions were provided according to specific locations around the world where the gospel is desperately needed. During the sessions, detailed resources were offered and strategies shared. The closing session consisted of a challenge to boldly carry out the task of embracing the world and sharing the gospel. "We have always talked about adopting a people group," stated Chris Kroll, pastor at Hartford Baptist Church in Hartford, Alabama. "Now we have a much better understanding of what that means and how to go about it. I am excited. My staff is excited. And my church folks are really excited." Such enthusiasm was repeated throughout the day, and all over the BCF campus. IMB representatives were equally as excited. "We are quite pleased with the turnout here, and very encouraged at the response we are getting," said one IMB regional strategist. Another colleague added, "It's clear that God is still at work in the hearts of His people. Just to see so many people from so many churches embrace their part of the Great Commission is very encouraging to us all. Only God knows what the eternal results will be." For more information on how to be involved with "Embracing the Ends of the Earth" or other BCF missions opportunities contact 800-328-2660. ********** Palm Beach Atlantic University Formally Installs Fleming as its Eighth President WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Palm Beach Atlantic University) -- William M.B. Fleming Jr. was formally installed October 21 as the eighth president of Palm Beach Atlantic University in a ceremony that focused on PBA's future and the spiritual nature of University's mission. President Fleming "is a man of deep faith who strives each day to live his life as an obedient servant of Christ," Scott Hawkins, vice president of the PBA board of trustees, told some 350 gathered in the DeSantis Family Chapel. "His motives are pure and his words are measured as he provides leadership and vision." With his wife Pam at his side, President Fleming took the formal oath of office in regalia with his hand on a family Bible as his mother, one son and several siblings looked on. Moments later he told a mix of faculty, staff, benefactors and friends of PBA, "Unless the Lord builds a University the workers labor in vain. But miracles and wonders continue at Palm Beach Atlantic because the Lord has built this place. "It has, and will and will forever be a Christ-first university," he said, adding a prayer that PBA "continue to be a beacon for Christ not merely for the southeastern portion of the United States of America but for the whole world." During his remarks President Fleming put particular emphasis on the Workship program – a concept created at PBA that requires students to perform 45 hours of community service per academic year. Since its inception, PBA students have performed some 2.5 million hours of workship service. President Fleming announced that he and his wife have donated $50,000 to the University to create an endowment to support and enhance the workship program. "Workship is a primary differentiator for PBA … a center of excellence," President Fleming said afterwards. "Pam and I wanted to invest in Workship to be sure that future students understand the commitment that we and the University have to servant leadership." President Fleming was elected by the University's board of trustees on May 7, 2012 after serving for 14 months as interim president. Prior to that, he served as vice president for development – arriving at PBA in 1992. "Today was a reaffirmation of the University's Christ-centeredness," President Fleming said after the ceremony during which selected members of the PBA leadership prayed over him as he kneeled and they rested hands on his shoulders. "It allowed the University to celebrate that in music and words, and to reflect on the significant and humbling role we at PBA are called to play in developing the next generation of Christian servant leaders." West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio noted the significance of the day, reading a proclamation honoring Fleming and noting the importance of the University to the city. "Bill Fleming inspires us as a leader and a friend, and inspires the students he serves," she said. "Bill Fleming is committed to the greatness of this school," said former PBA President David Clark. "The best days of PBA are ahead." Palm Beach Atlantic University is a private, independent university offering undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in West Palm Beach, Orlando, Wellington and online. The University is dedicated to the integration of Christian principles to prepare students for learning, leadership and service. ********** Christian author speaks at UC convocation WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (University of the Cumberlands) -- On Monday, October 22, 571 students filled University of the Cumberlands' (UC) Gatliff Chapel during convocation to listen to a message titled "Gasp" by Christian author and speaker Tony Nolan. Invited to Cumberlands' campus by UC's Missions and Ministry department, Nolan's address was well-received as he walked through the basics of being a believer and follower of Christ. Nolan shared his story of how, despite being abandoned at birth, turning to drugs and alcohol as a teen and dealing with the pain from his childhood, he became an avid believer of Christ when "God radically changed his life." As a person and speaker, Nolan is passionate about connecting people to God's love and he shared that passion on Monday night. His ultimate goal was to show students the truth behind God's love and the steps it takes to truly believe in it. "The presence of God was made known, and being able to see my friends and peers make decisions for Christ was very heart-warming," said UC student Alison Cook. Nolan used examples that were relatable to each student as he discussed the importance of God's love. "You think I lived in a bad neighborhood…we all live in a bad neighborhood. It's called Earth," said Nolan. He also urged Christians to be accountable for their proclamation of faith when he said, "there is a difference in saying you believe and showing you believe." He explained that life is short and Christians need to preach the stuff that will last forever, even after they are gone. Near the end of the service approximately 250 students made decisions for Christ, and as UC alum Forrest Coleman led a prayer, the students who made decisions were directed outside for full recognition of their resolution. "It was truly inspiring and eye opening. Life is precious but short and the reality is we will all stand before the Lord on judgment day and have to be ready. One decision can change your entire life. A lot of people saw that and made decisions it was awesome!" said UC student Chris Lowrie. Located in Williamsburg, Ky., University of the Cumberlands is an institution of regional distinction, which currently offers four undergraduate degrees in more than 40 major fields of study; nine pre-professional programs; twelve graduate degrees, including two doctorate, two specialist and eight master's degrees; certifications in education; and online programs. Article provided by Kyla Edmondson, University of the Cumberlands Multimedia & Athletic Services Student Assistant ********** Campbellsville University's Modern Presidency course seeks to improve voter education By Samantha Stevenson, student news writer CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (Campbellsville University) -- Students enrolled in Dr. Shawn Williams' Modern Presidency course are gaining a new perspective of this year's presidential election. This year, instead of the traditional course, students are actively researching and creating an informative campaign website. Their website is exclusively student-run, and features the platforms of both candidates and their running mates. Their website includes this mission statement: "In an unbiased way, our purpose is to educate the young adults of our generation about the 2012 presidential candidates, their campaigns, and the issues." The goal of the website is to inform voters about the candidates prior to the November election so voters can feel assured they are making an educated decision. Issues presented on the website include: Press and Public Relations, Congress, Economics, Foreign Affairs and the Role of the Vice President. Each one provides a link to both Obama and Romney's stance on the listed issue. After the election, the class is going to continue to keep the website active by shifting the focus on how the president interacts with the American people. The students creating the website will also include the "what if" factor where they will examine and analyze what the losing candidate would have done if they had won the election. Students enrolled in the Modern Presidency course hope that their website will create analytical voters who can "identify what a president should do rather than what they say they can do," Williams said. In addition to creating this website, students in Modern Presidency are also responsible for taking quizzes over assigned readings. Their quiz grades are used to determine leaders of projects and presentations. Leaders are responsible for providing objective and persuasive content to be used on the website. "Completing assignments has required students to not only master course content and educate themselves on the positions of the current candidates, but also to teach themselves web layout and design, video construction and editing, and how to effectively use music in a campaign," Williams said. Dr. Jason Garrett, associate professor of communications, assisted in the project with video, and Matt Hodge, instructor in theater and fine arts recruiter, assisted with music. Williams, assistant professor of political science, also teaches American Government, Comparative Government, and a political science seminar. For more information, contact Williams at shwilliams@campbellsville.edu. Visit the Modern Presidency website at http://tinyurl.com/cupres or http://cupoliticalscience.weebly.com/index.html. --30--