The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-10/30/2015 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Build a manger; focus on Christmas; help dads lead by Ken Walker Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (BP) -- Long before Thanksgiving, and even Halloween, Eastern Heights Baptist Church was getting ready for Christmas. For the third consecutive year, the Southern Baptist church is participating in The Manger Build, a project to help men keep Christ in front of their families at Christmas. It's a day of excitement as fathers and children gather to build a life-sized wooden manger to take home or give to a neighbor as a reminder of the reason for the season, said Patrick Lynch, associate pastor at the Jeffersonville church in southern Indiana. "When everyone gets together in the foyer area, it's 30 hammers going at once," said Lynch, who directs the event. "It's overwhelmingly loud and kids and dads are getting together. The moment they grab their kits, that's when the fun starts." The Manger Build was designed by Mike Young, founder of Noble Warriors (www.noblewarriors.org), a men's ministry based in Midlothian, Va., near Richmond. It started more than a decade ago as a hobby. Formerly employed in his family's construction business, Young gathered his four children in their garage to look for materials they could use to build a manger. After organizing Noble Warriors in 2005, Young said he wondered if other men would be interested in participating if he cut the wood. "We came up with the design we use now," said Young, a member of Parkway Baptist Church in Moseley, Va. "I put out an email to my network and 21 families showed up to build one at a United Methodist church in our community. "The guys loved it. From the first experience until now, every church that does this says it's loud and a little chaotic. But the photos are always the same -- dads on the floor with hammer and nails, coaching kids, and the kids are excited." Noble Warriors didn't move its Manger Build kit into the marketplace until 2013. Over the past two years 200 churches in 32 states have participated, including a number of Southern Baptist congregations. The kit, priced at $74.99, includes a 50-page church resource manual, an instructional DVD, 10 participants' guides with a week of devotionals for home use, and several promotional posters. Young said churches still have to buy the lumber, nails and other materials to assemble the mangers, a cost that can be defrayed by each family providing a materials fee. In early September, Noble Warriors released an additional resource, Dad's Tools ($29.99), which fathers can use to build a small manger at home. That kit includes wood, nails, sandpaper and an instruction-activity booklet. Beyond its Christmas focus, the overarching vision of The Manger Build is to help churches lead men toward long-term discipleship and spiritual leadership in their families throughout the year. At Eastern Heights Baptist Church, 15 mangers were assembled last year. Attendees included a couple grandfathers and some men for children of single mothers, Lynch said. "What we like about it is it's such an easy set-up," Lynch said. "The dads win out as a hero and it's a quick clean-up afterwards. It's the perfect project for dads. We usually have a sample made and it ends up in the children's ministry department and on stage Christmas Eve." When Bethel Baptist Church in Yorktown, Va., organized its first build last year, project coordinator Joe Blanchard thought 30 families might show up. Instead, the church wound up with 77 fathers, 150 children and 22 coaches who helped where needed. The sign-up proved so successful that Noble Warriors sent a video crew to record the festivities, which can be viewed at https://vimeopro.com/noblewarriors/the-bethel-story. "I'm a detail person," said Blanchard, a general contractor and longtime Bethel member. "I went by the book 95 percent of the time [to organize The Manger Build]. The day of the event I was sitting back, twiddling my thumbs because my work was done." Blanchard said he started two months ahead of time, first praying about who to include on the six-member team to implement the build. The church learned about it through senior pastor Doug Echols, who had participated in The Manger Build while at another church. Blanchard already had plenty of experience in hands-on missions. He served as World Changers' construction coordinator in Norfolk, Va., from 2010-12 and leads a Bethel Baptist ministry that periodically fixes up homes in the Yorktown area. Last summer, Blanchard led a 23-member crew to Vermont to help renovate dormitory rooms for Northeastern Baptist College in Bennington. Not surprisingly, missions was uppermost in his mind when members discussed whether to extend invitations to people outside the church for The Manger Build. "If we're going to do a ministry thing, I want to do it outside the church," Blanchard said. "We had guys signing up and telling guys at work about it. Thirty-three percent of the fathers who came weren't part of our church." Bethel won't be participating this year, however. With Easter falling on the last Sunday of March, the church backed up its Upward Basketball season. That meant the gym isn't available, Blanchard said. But he is looking forward to its return in 2016. "I think the next time we do it, it will be even bigger," Blanchard said. "I think the best part is seeing kids' excitement after the mangers are built. In 20 to 30 minutes you turn this pile of wood into something. To see how proud they were and involvement between fathers and their kids is exciting." -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: How to listen to a sermon by Chuck Lawless Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- I admit it. I'm not a good listener. I'm so accustomed to preaching most Sundays that I struggle listening to others (and my wife will undoubtedly affirm that). So, I'm a bit hesitant to talk about how to listen to a sermon, except that I'm really talking to myself as much I am to you, the reader. So, you're welcome to eavesdrop on these suggestions: 1) Pray for the preacher and the sermon long before the service. If I wait until the sermon starts to begin praying (or worse yet, never pray for the preacher and the sermon), I've not adequately prepared myself to listen. 2) Deal with any known sin in your life before the service. I know this step sounds "preachy," but it's nonetheless imperative. Unconfessed sin will block your heart and your ears. My suggestion: Before Sunday spend 30 minutes asking God to reveal all your sin to you. Then, just listen. Let the Spirit of God uncover your heart. Confess. Repent. Get ready to listen. 3) Have a copy of the Bible with you. It may be a printed copy or an electronic copy (see point number five below) but have a copy you can look at for yourself. Even if your church posts the Scripture on a screen, having the Word in front of you can help you listen. If you don't have a copy, ask a leader in the church to provide you a copy. 4) Sit where you can most pay attention. If the windows distract you, don't sit near them. If you know you can hide in the balcony, sit someplace else. And if sitting with particular people causes you to lose your attention, you may need to sit with someone else. Hearing the Word of God matters. 5) Put your phone away. This is one reason why I'd prefer you have a printed copy of the Bible with you, though I realize that's not the world Westerners live in. Facebook can wait. Don't respond to email during the service. If you want to tweet something positive about the sermon, write it down and tweet it later. 6) Just before the service, ask God to help you hear the Word as it applies to you. You may have worries you can't ignore, so ask God to speak to them. Maybe you have company coming after church and you're thinking about them; if so, ask God to teach you from His Word so you're the best host you can be. Don't try to put your thoughts on hold -- ask God to speak to them. 7) Listen especially to the Word of God being read. The Word is mighty in itself, apart from the one who proclaims it. Listen to it closely. Let the stories sink in. Even if you think the preaching could be stronger, the Word of God still has power. 8) Take notes. Even an outline will help you remember the points, but you may need to write as much as you can to stay focused. Hearing, seeing and writing the points will only reinforce the Word in your life. 9) Listen especially for at least one nugget of truth and application for your life. Go to church expecting God to speak to you through the sermon. Knowing your life's needs, listen for the truth that intersects with you. Word-based preaching can speak to your life. 10) Write down one or more action steps you will take in your life after hearing the sermon. I encourage you to do that before you ever leave the worship space. Write it down. Be specific. For example: "I will ask my neighbor's forgiveness." "I will repent of X, Y and Z." "I will plan to pray for my family once a day." Tell somebody about your commitment so you are accountable for obedience. Then go be obedient. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Halloween outreach: Long after candy is gone… by Sarah Riddle Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday BOSTON (BP) -- Trick-or-treat night can be a delicate subject for a Christian parent. There are layers of issues to think about: Will they be safe? Do I want my kids consuming candy? Are costumes OK? To be forthright, the biggest issue for most of us is truth. There is little in the modern celebration of Halloween that reflects biblical Christian beliefs. Obviously, my husband and I do not want to be part of any celebration that honors behavior and things that are ungodly. But we run into a conundrum when we evaluate our family mission. Matthew 28:19 says: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This has driven us to live a life in urban community-based ministry in order to "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). We intentionally position our family in Boston to build relationships that will lead to making disciples. This starts with loving our neighbors and taking time to know who they are by being where they are. In New England, there are two times when we are guaranteed to see our neighbors: one, right after a snowstorm when everyone is clearing their sidewalks, and two, the night of trick-or-treat. With our goal as a family to build meaningful relationships with our neighbors that will lead to making disciples, it makes sense that we should learn how to make the most of this opportunity each fall. The last 10 years we have been involved in Halloween in various ways: church events, library parties, staying home and, yes, last year I took my kids door-to-door in our neighborhood. We are not the only ones. Many Christian families we know are intentionally participating for Kingdom purposes. Hopefully, one of these strategies that has been used in our neighborhood will inspire you to wear a silly hat and get to know some of the people God has placed in your neighborhood, your ministry area. -- Don't be spooked. Get outside! One of the best ways to embrace trick-or-treating, if you have a lot of visitors, is to get outside and greet the trick-or-treaters. Rather than trying to clean the house, watch a movie or take a nap during the allotted hours of trick-or-treat, and then feeling annoyed every time the doorbell rings, go outside. Sit on your porch and greet people. Use the time to intentionally get to know your neighbors who are coming to your house. -- Build friendships without leaving your front yard. Let's face it, if you have ever gone trick-or-treating, it's hard work. A partner ministry in our hometown provides a place to sit and drink hot chocolate so trick-or-treaters and their parents can pause and rest. Set up your picnic table on your front lawn. If you live in a cold place like Boston, hot chocolate is great, but sweet tea and lemonade also are excellent options. -- Celebrate all that is good. If your church is hosting a harvest party, get involved! Extra hands are always welcome. But don't just go, bring people with you. Invite neighbors, soccer teammates and your hairdresser who has little kids. Pack your car with big and little people. Parents want their kids to have fun and be safe. A church party is a safe and fun environment that appeals to parents. Get flyers from your church or make your own. Give them out in the weeks leading up to the event. -- Give something good to eat. The name of the game on this night is treats. The Gospel information in tracts is invaluable compared to a snack-size chocolate bar, but to a kid, it feels like a trick to get a piece of paper when they expect a treat. It's all about expectations. Incorporating the Gospel or church information into the treat is great. We have creative friends who achieve both objectives. Our pastor lives in a high-traffic trick-or-treat neighborhood. Their family employs the greeting-on-the-porch method, but they also print out hundreds of labels with the name, address and service time for our church to attach to each candy bar they give out. The candy is good, the personal connection occurs, the information is there, and everybody wins. -- Pray for every costumed child. Not everyone is comfortable or ready to chat it up with every trick-or-treater, but we can all pray. As you place candy in a little pumpkin and you see the cute painted face God created in His image, pray over him or her. Pray protection, salvation, blessing and direction for that child and the family represented. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gender roles: Bapt. university rekindles debate by David Roach Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- A partnership between a former Kentucky Baptist university and an organization that supports female pastors illustrates what some see as an advance of the biblical egalitarian movement. The Southern Baptist Convention, in contrast, supports preserving the complementary roles of men and women in the home and church. In September, Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Ky., hosted the inaugural Christians for Biblical Equality lectures, named for an organization that advocates, based on its interpretation of Scripture, equal authority and leadership roles for men and women in families and churches. Campbellsville also joined CBE as an organizational member, according to a CBE press release. While Southern Baptists affirm equal standing and worth of men and women before God in the Baptist Faith and Message, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith, they also distinguish between the roles God has assigned them. Article XVIII of the BF&M states, "The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation." Article VI of the BF&M states, "While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture." The position stipulating the fundamental equality of men and women as well as a distinction between their roles in the church and home is known as complementarianism. Campbellsville trustees voted last year to abandon a longstanding covenant agreement with the Kentucky Baptist Convention that granted the convention authority to elect the university's trustees. The convention, a ministry partner with the SBC, subsequently changed its historic practice of sending a portion of Cooperative Program gifts received to the university. Campbellsville signed a partnership agreement with the American Baptist Churches in Indiana and Kentucky Oct. 22, according to a KBC news release. "News that Campbellsville University has become a member of the organization called Christians for Biblical Equality once again sheds light on their decision to distance themselves from Southern Baptists and Kentucky Baptists," KBC executive director Paul Chitwood told Baptist Press. "CBE rewrites the Bible's teaching in passages like Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3 and Colossians 3. My greatest concern for Campbellsville is that the Bible has stopped being the final authority and is being replaced with human wisdom. That isn't a good foundation for a Baptist education." CBE President Mimi Haddad delivered the inaugural CBE lecture at Campbellsville and argued that according to Scripture, gender should not be a factor in the selection of church leaders. "Not only is leadership service, but it is about character," Haddad said according to a CU news release. "We should be looking for people not based on gender, but on spiritual gifts." Haddad later clarified her position to BP in written comments, stating, "Before the fall, Genesis makes clear that men and women are created in God's image for shared dominion-authority (Genesis 1:26-28). Throughout Scripture, women exhibit spiritual, legal and political leadership despite able men, in their communities, whom God could have used." Following the culture Bruce Ware, a Southern Baptist Theological Seminary theology professor who has defended complementarianism in books and articles, said egalitarianism is popular because "it accords closer to cultural values and institutions than does the complementarian position." Ware told BP in written comments, "Since the Christian subculture has a prevailing shallow understanding of biblical teaching, it isn't surprising that people -- even well-meaning and sincere Christian people -- follow their intuitions, as aided by egalitarian literature that seems to confirm their status quo beliefs. The challenge, then, is to re-present biblical teaching on this issue that challenges people's intuitions while showing them from God's Word the beauty and wisdom of God's design of men and women, equal in essence but distinct in role and function." According to a survey of 58 North American denominations published by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2011-12, 26 were egalitarian and 17 complementarian. Fifteen either were not classified or were labeled as something other than egalitarian or complementarian. The SBC was listed as "either," with a note that the view of gender roles "varies by congregation." From a financial vantage point, CBE's total revenue for 2013 -- the most recent year for which statistics were available -- of $734,216 was nearly three times the 2014 revenue of the complementarian Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, according to records from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. CBE's 2013 expenses were nearly four times the 2014 expenses of CBMW. 'Growth of complementarian conviction' Yet among younger evangelicals and the leadership of the Evangelical Theological Society, some have pointed to a resurgence of complementarianism. Southern Seminary professors Denny Burk and Jim Hamilton argued that the SBC's six seminaries, all of which require professors to adhere to the BF&M, have played a significant role in bolstering complementarianism among young ministers. "The SBC enrolls more students in its seminaries than any other denomination in America," Burk and Hamilton wrote in a 2007 article in the Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. "Thus, the influence of the SBC's seminaries on emerging generations of ministers is worthy of note, and the SBC faculties who teach these young ministerial students affirm a complementarian doctrinal position." The number of students enrolled in SBC seminaries has increased substantially since Burk and Hamilton made that claim. Owen Strachan, president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, told BP in written comments, "The sea change at the SBC seminaries alone has meant a major uptick in the representation and reception of the complementarian position at numerous schools. If you consider the major numerical presence of M.Div. students at Southern, Southeastern, Southwestern [seminaries], and the surging enrollment of Midwestern, you recognize that a large percentage of all ministers-in-training are at unflinchingly complementarian institutions." Among ETS leadership, Christians for Biblical Equality documented the number of complementarians serving on the ETS nominating committee over the years. According to a chart CBE provided to BP, at least 73 percent of ETS nominating committee members were complementarians between 1998-2011 while 18 percent were egalitarians and the gender stance of 9 percent was unknown. Attendance at conferences reflecting the competing views on gender also may reflect a resurgence of complementarianism. A CBE spokeswoman told BP that CBE annual conference attendance "ranges from 250-350," with a record attendance expected at the 2016 conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sept. 14-17. CBMW reported an attendance of 1,500 at its first national conference in Louisville, Ky., in conjunction with the 2014 Together for the Gospel conference. In previous years, some CBMW events have drawn 500-600, with one event drawing 800-900, CBMW reported. The 2016 CBMW national conference will be held April 11-12 in conjunction with the next Together for the Gospel biennial conference. Strachan, associate professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, said both sides of the gender debate will continue to be articulated among evangelicals, but he said he is "thrilled by the growth of complementarian conviction among evangelical scholars and pastor-theologians over the last thirty years." Strachan continued, "This is beyond heartening to me and many others. In the SBC and in sister denominations like the [Presbyterian Church in America], the future looks unabashedly complementarian. Compare that to 1987, when CBMW didn't exist, and many of the SBC schools had lost their grip on biblical theology." Several key SBC leaders, Strachan said, have been crucial in defending complementarianism. "We've learned from figures like Paige and Dorothy Patterson, Al and Mary Mohler, Danny and Charlotte Akin and numerous other leaders that complementarity is not only true, it is good," Strachan said. Burk and Hamilton noted that opinions about the appropriate role of women in local congregations vary among complementarians. While some believe 1 Timothy 2:12 and related passages prohibit women from teaching the Bible to any coed adult group in the church, others say "a woman can teach a mixed audience as long as she does so under the 'headship' and authority of the pastor/elders and her husband." Burk and Hamilton adopted the former view. All complementarians believe the office of pastor is reserved for men, though there is disagreement over what positions on a church staff should be classified as pastoral roles. 'Who ends up swallowing whom?' Haddad, of CBE, rejects all attempts to limit pastoral roles in the local church to males based on her interpretation of Scripture. She also disagrees with the suggestion that American cultural values consistently align with egalitarianism. She told BP equating popular culture and egalitarianism "makes unfair comparisons between all egalitarians and Western culture as a whole." Christians -- egalitarian as well as complementarian -- often stand for biblical truth and against the tide of culture on many issues, she said. "Yet patriarchy holds sway in Western culture. Consider that men still earn more than women for the same work in most Western countries," Haddad said in written comments. "And, working women consistently return home for the 'second shift' to assume responsibility for cooking, housework and overseeing their children's homework. Additionally, men hold most leadership positions politically and professionally." Haddad continued, "Consider the wide and ungodly objectification of women in media and the film industry, particularly in the West. On Valentine's Day this year the film '50 Shades of Grey' was launched, and it glorified the sexual abuse and slavery of women. Reflect also on the vast number of girls trafficked or killed annually. At present, nearly 200 million females are missing from the planet, representing the largest human holocaust in all of history -- an event fueled by Western complicity, (demand and funding) coupled with the devaluation of females sustained by religious teachings and practices. Female subjugation is alive and well in every culture including our own, wreaking havoc, harm and abuse on girls and women despite what might seem like a Western nod at women's equality." Yet Haddad shares with complementarians a hope that the rising generation of evangelicals may be willing to devote careful study to the Bible's teachings on gender. "In teaching at graduate and undergraduate schools with both complementarian and egalitarian students, it does seem as if today's students are less biblically literate or literate in general compared to previous years," Haddad said. "...I am concerned about this, but I also take hope in that students today are passionate about social justice and the global suffering of humanity. As a result, they are motivated to do the biblical, historical and social science research to understand and address this challenge." Strachan hopes young believers' careful study leads to complementarian conclusions because "denying" the reality of distinct gender roles "in the home and church sets you up for theological and spiritual disaster." "Every figure, church and denomination that has publicly endorsed homosexuality -- 'gay Christianity' -- and transgenderism has without exception been egalitarian," Strachan said. "This does not mean that every egalitarian endorses these sins, but it does mean that embracing egalitarianism puts you in tension. ...The history of Protestant liberalism has taught many of us that when you make a grand bargain with the culture, there's little confusion as to who ends up swallowing whom." -------------------------------------------------------------------- World Series: Mets' Murphy seeks to honor Christ by Tim Ellsworth Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday NEW YORK (BP) -- New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy isn't your prototypical power hitter. The 14 homers he belted during the 2015 regular season were a career high. So Murphy's historic postseason power surge has been uncharacteristic. What has been more characteristic is how he has handled himself throughout the hoopla. "What I see with Daniel is he has a walk with the Lord -- a walk with Christ that is very real," said Keith Dickerson, pastor of Christ Church East in Jacksonville, Fla., where Murphy attends regularly during the offseason. "He's not ashamed of it, but he lives it. He lives it in a very humble, genuine way." Murphy's fourth inning home run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw in game four of the National League Division Series was nothing special in and of itself. The Mets lost the game 3-1 to set up a decisive game five. What was special came in the days ahead. Facing Zack Grienke in the sixth inning with the Dodgers clinging to a 2-1 lead, Murphy walloped a two-run blast to put the Mets on top. The lead held up, sending the Mets to the National League Championship Series against the Cubs. Murphy's hot bat continued against Chicago. He homered off Jon Lester in the first inning of game one to give New York a 1-0 lead. He hammered a two-run homer off Chicago ace Jake Arrieta in the first inning of game two, putting the Mets up 3-0. In game three, Murphy's third-inning home run broke a 1-1 tie as the Mets won again. The next day, his homer in the eighth gave New York a commanding 8-1 lead in a win that gave the Mets the National League crown. Six straight games with home runs in the playoffs set a Major League record, as Murphy surpassed Carlos Beltran's five consecutive games in the 2004 playoffs. His feat earned him the Most Valuable Player award of the NLCS and landed him on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. "Sometimes the blessings come," Murphy said in a post-game interview after the Mets won the NLDS. "Jesus is good." The spotlight on Murphy over the last several days isn't new to him. The difference this time is that the coverage has been positive. Earlier this year, Murphy made headlines when he was asked about Billy Bean, a former player who is homosexual and who was appointed by Major League Baseball as its "ambassador for inclusion." While Murphy said he had no problems with Bean personally and would be fine with a gay teammate, he also said he disagreed with Bean's homosexual lifestyle. "That doesn't mean I can't still invest in him and get to know him," Murphy said. "I don't think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect." Murphy was heavily criticized in the media for his stance, much as he was criticized the year before when he took the three days of paternity leave that players are allowed. Murphy's wife Tori gave birth to their son Noah, and Murphy missed the first three games of the season to be with them. Some in the New York media thought Murphy's absence was excessive. Now, though, Murphy is all the rage in New York, thanks to a home run streak that helped give the Mets the chance to win their first World Series since 1986. Alan Marsh, the area director for Campus Outreach in Jacksonville, got to know Murphy shortly after Murphy's playing days at Jacksonville University. During the record-breaking streak of home runs, Murphy texted Marsh to talk about how he should handle all of the notoriety -- and how he could honor Christ. "All throughout, he's just had a concern about wanting to, in the midst of all of this hype, do something that is glorifying to God," Marsh said. "He seeks to be glorifying to God, even in the midst of all of this hype and prestige and everything." Marsh shared with Murphy the wisdom of Proverbs 27:2: "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth -- a stranger, and not your own lips." Dickerson said Murphy has followed that counsel, and that his commitment to the Lord has been evident in the way he has dealt with the spotlight. In post-game interviews, "What you heard him talk about was more of his teammates than about himself," Dickerson said. "But then that's just consistent with who he is and how he lives his life." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Race relations summit speakers announced by Diana Chandler Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday JACKSON, Miss. (BP) -- Leading pastors from the National Baptist Convention USA and the Southern Baptist Convention -- the nation's two largest Baptist denominations -- will gather for a Nov. 4 racial reconciliation celebration in Jackson, Miss. The nonprofit racial reconciliation group Mission Mississippi will host the 22 pastors at "A National Conversation on Race in America" from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex. Joining Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd as a lead speaker will be Jerry Young, leader of the National Baptist Convention USA (NBC), the largest group of African American Baptists in the U.S. with as many as 7 million members. Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, has shared his vision for racial reconciliation throughout his presidency. "When I was elected president, I began praying for open doors. Through prayer gatherings, I began to see God bring down the walls that divide races and ethnicities," Floyd said in an Oct. 19 blogpost. "Then, sadly through the tragedies of Ferguson and other cities in our nation, the burden and conviction became overwhelming." Young, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, also is a passionate proponent of racial reconciliation. "I'm just praying that the church will someday stand up and declare we're no longer to be satisfied with simply preaching the Gospel with our lips, but practicing the Gospel with our lives," Young said in an interview with "Road in Between" Mississippi talk show host Tom Sikes at a racial reconciliation event in Meridian, Miss. "The key is we've got to demonstrate the Gospel, not simply declare it with our lips, but to demonstrate it with our lives," Young told Sikes. "The story of the Good Samaritan, beyond anything else in my mind, says that ultimately we've got to practice the Gospel. That's the key. When we start practicing the Gospel, reconciliation will take place without question." Mission Mississippi has been working 22 years to speed racial reconciliation in Mississippi and nationally, according to its president, Neddie Winters. "We're excited about the opportunity God has given us, the favor He's given us, the reputation He's given us, to work with churches, corporations, businesses and community organizations," Winters said on the Road in Between broadcast that featured Young. "Mission Mississippi is pushing folks to respond from a biblical -- not from a black perspective, not from a white perspective, not from a liberal or conservative -- but from a biblical mandate where God has commanded us to love those that hate us, to do good to those who do evil to us, pray for those that persecute us." National Baptist pastors In addition to Young, NBC pastors confirmed to participate in the event, according to Mission Mississippi, are: -- Jesse Bottoms, vice president of the NBC Northeast Region and pastor of Beulah Baptist Church, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. -- Matthew Canada, president of the NBC Moderator's Auxiliary; pastor, Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, Madison, Miss. -- C. Dennis Edwards, chairman of the NBC Sunday School Publishing Board; pastor, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark. -- Rogers Kirk, vice president, NBC Midwest Region; pastor, Third Missionary Baptist Church, Davenport, Iowa. -- Claybon Lea Jr., vice president, NBC Far West Region; pastor, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Fairfield, Calif. -- Calvin McKinney, NBC general secretary; pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Garfield, N.J. -- Clarence Moore, vice president, NBC Southeast Region; pastor, Good Shepherd Missionary Baptist Church, Augusta, Ga. -- Thomas Morris, NBC parliamentarian; pastor, Greater Hinds Street Missionary Baptist Church, Cleveland, Miss. -- John Reed Jr., vice president, NBC Western Region; pastor, Fairview Baptist Church, Oklahoma City. -- Ricky D. Turner, NBC treasurer; pastor, Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kan. Southern Baptist pastors Confirmed to participate in the event are: -- Marshall Blalock, senior pastor, First Baptist Church Charleston, Charleston, S.C. -- Felix Cabrera, director of Red 1:8 Church Planting Network; lead pastor, Iglesia Bautista Central, Oklahoma City. -- Kevin Smith, teaching pastor, Highview Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. -- Steve Gaines, senior pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn. -- Gene Henderson, Mississippi Baptist pastor and leader, Pinelake Church, Brandon. -- Paul Kim, Asian American relations consultant for the SBC; pastor emeritus, Antioch Baptist Church, Cambridge, Mass. -- Ed Litton, senior pastor, Redemption Church, North Mobile, Ala. -- Ted Traylor, senior pastor, Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla. -- A.B. Vines, former president, National African American Fellowship of the SBC; senior pastor, New Seasons Church, Spring Valley, Calif. -- K. Marshall Williams, president, National African American Fellowship of the SBC; senior pastor, Nazarene Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa. A National Conversation on Race in America also will feature an 11 a.m. gospel concert and an 11:30 a.m. luncheon at the convention complex. Registration information is available at missionmississippi.net. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'All the way from Florida,' DR volunteers bring hope by Barbara Denman/Florida Baptist Convention Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (BP) -- Sitting beside South Carolina's swift-flowing Edisto River, Joyce Grooms watched as Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers dumped all of her ruined earthly belongings from her flood-damaged home.  Although she had lived on her scenic piece of riverfront property all of her life, Grooms, 81,  saw nearly four decades of life in her own home lost to floodwater. Memories flooded back.  "I have to accept that this is God's will," said the member of Old Fort Baptist Church in Summerville, S.C. "He has a purpose in allowing it. We don't know why. But He says He will give us grace sufficient."  It was there in the kitchen next to the big picture window overlooking the water that she daily met God in her quiet time, with her Bible in hand. And yet the once-tranquil scene from that cypress tree-lined river proved too great a challenge for her home when Hurricane Joaquin stalled over the state in early October, flooding numerous low country tributaries. The water rose 8 inches in her home. Two weeks later the river still stood at flood stage.  When Florida Baptist Disaster Relief teams from San Jose Baptist Church in Jacksonville and the St. Johns River Baptist Association arrived at her home to begin the cleanup, volunteer Jim Briggle of Keystone Heights gently took the elderly woman's hand to walk through her home and view its contents for the last time. Hand-in-hand they surveyed the damage to prepare her emotionally.  "I know God will help me," Grooms said. "Whatever comes, He will help." That morning every piece of furniture, kitchen appliance and drywall was discarded, with little salvaged. As of Oct. 22, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from 15 states were engaged in ministry in four primary areas of South Carolina. A total of 493 homes were assessed for recovery, mud-out or rebuild. To date, 577 homes were repaired, which included everything from minor cleanup to more extensive projects. Nearly 70,000 meals were prepared and served in the response. Florida Baptist Disaster Relief teams arrived in Summerville -- northwest of Charleston -- on Oct. 13. They were stationed at Old Fort Baptist and remained there until Oct. 23.  During that time, 92 volunteers representing numerous Florida Baptist churches and associations assessed 148 jobs, and completed 114. FBDR helped 55 homeowners clean out their damaged homes, cutting off their waterlogged drywall right above the flood line and performing mold remediation. A total of 1,079 meals were served and 60 spiritual contacts were made by Florida volunteers. For homeowners across coastal South Carolina, the chaotic days following Hurricane Joaquin's march through the state were filled with unbelief and grief. What were once mere creeks, retention ponds and drainage ditches became flowing rivers that consumed homes and bred mold, filth and, sometimes, pests. The road along Peppercorn Lane in North Charleston was covered with mountains of soaked and mildewed debris. Vehicles from Florida and Oklahoma disaster relief teams lined the roads as volunteers worked to help needy families in the middle-class neighborhood.   A disaster relief team from Central Baptist Church in Monticello, Fla., began cleaning out a home on the road, only to discover it infested with roaches. As the volunteers dumped wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of the waste at the curb, roaches crawled out from the bottom of the pile to the ground.  Wearing masks on their faces and gloves on their hands, the Florida Baptist volunteers carried on despite the stench, filth and roaches falling on their heads.  It is dirty work, admitted volunteer and grandmother Cindy Adams, whose son, Daryl Adams, serves as pastor of the Monticello church.   "We can give them hope and a new beginning by doing all the hard work. Now, they can rebuild and have a new start," she said. "The hard work is done because Jesus did it." Among the Florida Baptist volunteers were 14 students from The Baptist College of Florida, who traded a week of books and studies to sleep on the floor of the Summerville church and clean out waterlogged homes. The students were brought by professor David Coggins, who wanted them to see firsthand that ministry is not done in classrooms. "By doing this we can support churches and support the convention and get hands-on experience," he said. "I'm passionate about disaster relief, and I'm passionate about teaching students how to minister," said Coggins, associate professor of leadership. "The best place to meet people is at their point of need." Further down Peppercorn Lane, Forrest Smith, director of missions for the West Florida Baptist Association, and three volunteers tackled Mabel Livingston's damaged home.   Within 30 minutes of first seeing the water encroaching under her back door from the ditch behind her home, Livingston's well-kept home was filled with 8 inches of water. Getting out of the neighborhood from the rising waters was a miracle, she recalled.   Livingston and other homeowners receiving Southern Baptist Disaster Relief help were without flood insurance.  While family members had helped the elderly widow with some cleanup, additional work was needed when the Florida Baptist volunteers arrived to take the walls down to the studs. "I am surprised. I didn't know anyone would do this," Livingston said. "I didn't know what to do. "From my eyes, I saw it was hopeless and all of the sudden there was hope. They came all the way from Florida to bring hope." Although the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief operation has left Summerville and returned home, cleanup crews are still needed to assist Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief teams in Georgetown. For more information, contact Delton Beall at dbeall@flbaptist.org; or 904-200-9709.  -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: ¡Animo! by Octavio J. Esqueda Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday LA MIRADA, Calif. (BP) -- ¡Animo! Es una exclamación que todos necesitamos escuchar con frecuencia. A pesar de la presión popular que nos obliga a mostrar siempre nuestra mejor cara y a declarar que siempre estamos bien cuando alguien nos hace la tan común pregunta ¿cómo estás?, la realidad es que todos batallamos con diferentes circunstancias y siempre necesitamos que alguien nos muestre su apoyo y nos anime. Es importante que tengamos personas cercanas que nos alienten a seguir adelante. ¡Todos necesitamos a alguien en nuestro equipo! Animar significa literalmente infundir el alma. Es estimular o dar vigor a una persona. Cuando mostramos empatía por las circunstancias que alguien está enfrentando o cuando le mostramos a una persona que sinceramente nos importa somos agentes de ánimo a los demás. No se requiere mucho esfuerzo para animar a otros, pero sí es necesario estar atentos y ser intencionales en nuestra actitud. Las críticas abundan y quien nos señale nuestros errores y limitaciones sobran, pero quien nos anime y exhorte lamentablemente no es fácil de encontrar. En una de las clases doctorales que enseño estábamos hablando acerca de las responsabilidades y obligaciones de los profesores y cómo funciona el sistema de promoción en la universidades e instituciones de educación superior cristiana. Uno de los alumnos trabaja como pastor de jóvenes y el próximo semestre apenas va a enseñar su primera materia en una universidad cristiana. Cuando escuchó las constantes evaluaciones que los maestros reciben a lo largo de su carrera, este alumno sinceramente me preguntó: "¿Y quién lo anima a usted?" Su pregunta me puso a pensar que tristemente no son muchas las personas que me animan y que yo tiendo a ser igual a los demás. ¡Es tan fácil caminar por la vida ensimismado que nos olvidamos de reconocer el esfuerzo y los logros de los demás! En las últimas dos semanas he buscado oportunidades de animar a otros profesores y colegas y he notado la diferencia que unas palabras de ánimo hacen incluso en personas altamente calificadas y con años de experiencia en su vocación. No importa la educación o aparente éxito de la persona, todos necesitamos ánimo. Es muy sencillo encontrar las faltas en los demás o enfocarnos en lo que tenemos que mejorar, pero también es importante valorar lo que ya tenemos y hacemos y de la misma manera afirmar a los que nos rodean. Unas simples palabras de ánimo tienen mucho peso y nos refrescan el alma. La Biblia dice en 1 Tesalonicenses 5:11 "anímense y edifíquense unos a otros". Debido a que Jesús murió y resucitó por nosotros siempre viviremos junto con El y esta esperanza nos motiva a seguir adelante con una perspectiva adecuada de la vida. Los cristianos somos optimistas no por ingenuos sino por quién es y qué ha hecho Cristo por nosotros. Todas las personas que se crucen por su camino necesitan una palabra de aliento. Si se detiene y los anima, no le tomará mucho tiempo, pero marcará una diferencia en esas personas. ¿A quién puede animar hoy? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Longtime civil rights leader honored by ERLC by Staff Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday JACKSON, Miss. (BP) -- For Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore, presenting an award to longtime civil rights leader John Perkins was an opportunity to honor "one of my heroes in the faith." Perkins received the John Leland Religious Liberty Award from Moore Oct. 28 in Jackson, Miss. Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, gave the award during the Wednesday evening prayer service of Mount Helm Baptist Church in Jackson. Mount Helm is Jackson's oldest historically African American church. The ERLC gives the Leland Award annually to a person who exhibits a deep commitment to religious freedom. The ERLC's board of trustees voted unanimously to honor Perkins with the award during its yearly meeting in September. Perkins' "tireless advocacy for Gospel-based racial reconciliation is prophetic work in our times," Moore said in a news release announcing the presentation. "His life is a testimony to his conviction, and few have lived out the Gospel of reconciliation so fearlessly and boldly as he has." He is "endlessly thankful for what Christ has accomplished" through Perkins for the Kingdom of God, Moore said. Afterward, Perkins called it an "amazing evening" on Twitter and thanked all those who "came to show their support." A native of Mississippi, Perkins, 85, spread the Gospel while serving the poor and seeking racial reconciliation. He was a leader in the desegregation movement in Mississippi. With his wife, he founded various ministries -- including the John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation in Jackson -- that focus on the Gospel, community development, justice and reconciliation. Perkins was a keynote speaker at the ERLC Leadership Summit on "The Gospel and Racial Reconciliation" in March. When the ERLC's trustees approved the award for Perkins, Moore said the recipient "has been fighting for religious liberty" for seven decades. After the presentation to Perkins Oct. 28, Moore preached before being interviewed by Mount Helm pastor CJ Rhodes and answering questions from the congregation. Leland, the award's namesake, was a Baptist pastor in Virginia and Massachusetts in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. While a pastor in Virginia, he was instrumental in securing religious freedom as part of the Constitution's Bill of Rights. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Los presupuestos de las iglesias: ¿Pueden ser visionarios y gratificantes? by Por Todd McMichen Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- El proceso de preparación del presupuesto de la iglesia se ubica razonablemente bajo en la lista de las experiencias más motivadoras e inspiradoras de un ministro. Los pastores harán fila para dar un mensaje, pastorear al herido, orar por el descarriado y llevar el cuerpo hacia adelante. Sin embargo, si un pastor está en la cama despierto en la noche pensando en el presupuesto de la iglesia, es frecuentemente por las razones equivocadas. Para muchas iglesias, el proceso de presupuestar comienza con los líderes del ministerio que someten sus peticiones anuales de fondos. Algunos subestiman las necesidades de presupuesto; otros inflan los números porque no esperan recibir todo lo que solicitan. Una vez que los números llegan, comienza la selección. Desafortunadamente, este proceso está a menudo configurado más por los gastos fijos y por las lealtades de relación de lo que la mayoría quisiera admitir. Las decisiones difíciles siempre están presentes, lo cual puede resultar ya sea en sentimientos heridos o en una extensión tensa de los límites financieros razonables. Finalmente, el presupuesto es enviado a una reunión financiera de negocios para su aprobación, donde se espera que pocos se aparezcan a participar. ¿Existe un proceso visionario y gratificante de preparar un presupuesto? Si es así, ¿cómo se ve? Consideremos un acercamiento diferente -- uno que pueda incrementar la visión, discipular a su gente y liberar a su iglesia de la esclavitud que algunas veces acompaña al dinero. 1. Comience con una sesión de ayuno y oración. Las Escrituras enseñan que el diezmo le está consagrado al Señor (Levítico 27:30). Esto se aplica tanto al que da como al que gasta. Dios otorga los recursos para que se usen para su gloria y para que impacten vidas. Su liderazgo necesita sentir una profunda gratitud y responsabilidad antes de que el proceso comience. Soltar la posesión cambiará el lenguaje de la conversación desde el principio. 2. Recuente cómo Dios ha trabajado durante el último año. ¿Dónde ve usted el fruto de la mano de Dios o la unción del Espíritu Santo? Ver la mano de Dios puede proveer una buena indicación de lo que él desea hacer en el futuro. Finalmente, necesita alinear sus recursos para apoyar la obra de Dios. Reconocer el trabajo de Dios impedirá que los planes personales, las opiniones subjetivas y los silos de ministerio ocurran. Entregue recursos y la dirección del Espíritu creará reuniones maravillosas. 3. Dependa del fundamento de claridad de visión y de una bien definida estrategia de discipulado. Ninguna iglesia es excelente en todo. ¿Sabe usted qué hace a su iglesia mejor que a otras 10.000? Dios ubica gente singular en comunidades singulares durante un tiempo específico. Su iglesia tiene un llamado singular y no se supone que compita con la congregación de al otro lado de la ciudad o refleje la iglesia de al otro lado del país. Usted está libre de ser usted. Este nivel de enfoque causará que su ministerio se expanda. Lo ayudará a decir un poderoso "sí" además de un confiado "no." 4. Conozca el retorno de su inversión (ROI por sus siglas en inglés). ¿Conoce usted el impacto de un dólar gastado? ¿Está su iglesia invirtiendo la cantidad apropiada para obtener el resultado deseado y lograr su sueño? Entre más tiempo existe una iglesia, más crece su presupuesto. Es raro que una congregación evalúe un gasto con base en el reingreso. Tendemos a continuamente financiar ministerios tiempo después de que han perdido efectividad. Cada línea de ministerio no es una misión crítica y no todos los ministerios están creados para existir por siempre. La visión de glorificar a Dios y hacer discípulos nunca cambia, pero la estrategia sí. 5. Permita que la fortaleza y la estrategia dirijan. Este puede ser un concepto radical para la mayoría, pero considere cada año presupuestario arrancando de cero al no animar a cada departamento a hacer sus peticiones financieras. En vez de eso, permita la actividad de Dios, la estrategia de visión y que unas pocas personas selectas financieramente dotadas creen un sólido plan de negocios. Esto no significa que la colaboración y el diálogo sean eliminados. Simplemente significa que aquellos con las capacidades deben guiar bajo la clara dirección de una mayor visión. 6. Gaste estratégicamente, no simplemente menos. Quizá este sea un consejo chocante: Cree un plan de gastos que gaste solamente el 90 por ciento de los acuses de ofrendas no designadas del año anterior. (Esto puede tomar algunos años para lograrse.) La mayoría de las iglesias incrementan su presupuesto de 3 a 15 por ciento anualmente. ¿Por qué hacemos esto? "Está basado en la fe y es visionario," un pastor podría decir. En realidad, está lejos de ser visionario. Tiende a crear mucho estrés y puede ser descuidado, desenfocado y puede desmotivar. Esto crea una cultura de crisis monetaria en vez de una cultura generosa. 7. Planee para ser sorprendido. Cada año Dios lo llamará a involucrarse en algo que actualmente no ve. Y, por supuesto, siempre existe la posibilidad de que algo se dañe o se desgaste. Y entonces viene el siguiente paso de crecimiento que necesita ser consolidado. Prepárese para lo que actualmente no puede ver. Nada es más financieramente liberador que las reservas en efectivo. Es una manera segura de decirle a Dios "sí" antes de que él inclusive le pida que vaya. Pero no se pase de la raya y amontone reservas en efectivo. Dios le da dinero para que lo invierta en sus causas. 8. Inspire a otros con la visión del plan de inversión. Esto es lo opuesto a simplemente obtener la aprobación del presupuesto de la iglesia. Un bien diseñado plan de gastos y una presentación deben darle gloria a Dios, afirmar a aquellos que han invertido, validar lo que los líderes han dicho en el pasado e inspirar hacia el futuro. Debe incrementar la generosidad. La lealtad y la confianza en el liderazgo deben aumentar. Una expectativa llena de fe para el futuro inspira a todos. Todo es una elección. Como líderes, elegimos la cultura financiera que creamos. Cada conversación puede ser tanto una conversación de visión como de discipulado. Todo depende de cómo usted la dirija. --30-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- $1 millón de parte de SBTC desplegaría misioneros de IMB a Houston by Por Keith Collier/Southern Baptist TEXAN Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- Los misioneros de la Junta de Misiones Internacionales que regresan del campo de misión como parte de una reducción voluntaria de personal podrían encontrar oportunidades inmediatas para alcanzar etnias en una de las megalópolis más diversas de EE.UU. -- Houston. La Junta Ejecutiva de la Convención Bautista del Sur de Texas considerará una recomendación en su reunión de noviembre para separar $1 millón que facilite a los misioneros que regresan como plantadores o revitalizadores de iglesias para la iniciativa Alcance Houston de la convención. "Alcance Houston es un plan de SBTC para incrementar la plantación y revitalización de iglesias en el área metropolitana de Houston," dijo el director ejecutivo Jim Richards. "Al ser Houston la ciudad más étnicamente diversa de los Estados Unidos," dijo Richards, "hay necesidad de habilidades lingüísticas y culturales que posee el personal de IMB que ya ha servido entre las diversas etnias del mundo." Richards también señaló que la floreciente población de Houston "demanda que se planten todo tipo de iglesias además de que se revitalicen iglesias existentes en los multiétnicos vecindarios a través de la ayuda deliberada a las iglesias para que se vuelvan congregaciones multiétnicas." Richards estima que $1 millón podría sostener hasta 25 plantadores de iglesia y revitalizadores de iglesia. El comité administrativo de la Junta Ejecutiva de la convención presentará la propuesta, la cual se tomaría de los fondos de reserva, para su aprobación durante la reunión de otoño el 11 de noviembre. Robert Welch Jr., presidente del comité administrativo y pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Rock Hill en Brownsboro, dijo: "Los misioneros que vienen de los campos como resultado del Incentivo de Retiro Voluntario (VRI por sus siglas en inglés) de la IMB traen enormes oportunidades de ministerio a las iglesias y comunidades estadounidenses. Aunque la familia de iglesias de la CBS ora por aquellos que estarán en transición, también creemos que es importante que la familia de la CBS considere maneras de abrir oportunidades de ministerio para ellos. "Houston es una ciudad muy diversa con muchas de las etnias del mundo residiendo en la ciudad," dijo Welch. "Los misioneros de la IMB son algunos de los líderes más altamente entrenados y educados que tenemos en la CBS. Creemos que al proveerles a estos misioneros oportunidades para plantar y revitalizar iglesias en Houston, podríamos ver surgir un ministerio que podría tener un impacto transformacional para el Reino a lo largo y ancho de Houston." La SBTC está actualmente en busca de un coordinador para Alcance Houston que viva en la ciudad y dirija los esfuerzos de plantación y revitalización de iglesias. Durante la búsqueda, el exdirector de misiones de la SBTC, Terry Coy fungirá como coordinador interino. "Aunque sabemos que el ajuste para muchos de los misioneros que regresan puede ser difícil, estamos emocionados de que Dios vaya a usar este tiempo para unir a algunos de los misioneros que regresan con el enfoque de SBTC de alcanzar Houston," dijo Coy, quien creció en Chile como hijo de misioneros bautistas del sur. "Las necesidades de revitalización y de plantación de iglesias en el área de Houston son grandes. Le estamos pidiendo al Señor que llame a la gente correcta con la experiencia correcta para que se unan a nosotros en esta aventura del Reino. ¡Esperen grandes cosas!" -------------------------------------------------------------------- Evento en Mississippi a enfocarse en unidad racial by Por Diana Chandler Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday NASHVILLE (BP) -- La iglesia de Dios debe tomar la delantera en lograr la unidad racial cuando Estados Unidos se ocupa de una profunda crisis de eventos de polarización racial, ha dicho el presidente de la Convención Bautista del Sur, Ronnie Floyd en un avance de la celebración de la reconciliación racial el 4 de noviembre en Jackson, Mississippi. Floyd se unirá a Jerry Young, presidente de la Convención Nacional Bautista EE.UU., como uno de los oradores en la Conversación Nacional sobre la Raza en EE.UU.," la celebración anual de la reconciliación racial de la Misión de Mississippi en el Jackson Convention Complex. Al abrir a las 8:30 a.m. con el "Cima Gracism," una conversación sobre la reconciliación racial entre 20 pastores invitados, el evento está diseñado no para refundir el pasado, sino para descubrir maneras prácticas de ayudar a lograr la unidad racial en la nación, les ha dicho Floyd a los pastores bautistas que participan. "El doctor Young y yo les hemos pedido cada uno de nosotros a 10 pastores locales de EE.UU en nuestras respectivas convenciones que se unan a nosotros en esta conversación sobre la unidad racial," ha dicho Floyd en relación al evento. "Estamos agradecidos por cada líder o grupo que está intentado abordar esta crisis nacional. Sin embargo, creemos que las iglesias y los pastores locales pueden brindar una perspectiva singular sobre la crisis racial; y en realidad, necesitamos marcar la pauta hacia abordar y resolver la crisis." El evento es un alcance anual de Misión Mississippi, un ministerio sin fines de lucro que declara como su misión el deseo de "animar y demostrar la gracia en el Cuerpo de Cristo a través de las líneas raciales, de manera que las comunidades a lo largo y ancho de Mississippi puedan ver evidencia práctica del mensaje del evangelio." Floyd, pastor sénior de Cross Church en el noroeste de Arkansas, ha trabajado desde su elección para abrir puertas a la reconciliación racial. "Cuando fui elegido presidente, comencé a orar por puertas abiertas. A través de reuniones de oración, empecé a ver a Dios derribando las murallas que dividen las razas y las etnicidades," dijo Floyd en una publicación de blog el 19 de octubre. "Luego, tristemente a raíz de las tragedias de Ferguson y de otras ciudades en nuestra nación, la carga y la convicción se volvieron abrumadoras." Los pastores bautistas del sur programados para participar en la cima de Jackson son: -- K. Marshall Williams, presidente, Compañerismo Nacional Afroamericano de la CBS, pastor sénior, Iglesia Bautista Nazarene, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. -- Steve Gaines, pastor sénior, Iglesia Bautista Bellevue, Cordova, Tennessee. -- A.B. Vines, expresidente, Compañerismo Nacional Afroamericano de la CBS, pastor sénior, Iglesia New Seasons, Spring Valley, California. -- Ted Traylor, pastor sénior, Iglesia Bautista Olive, Pensacola, Florida. -- Marshall Blalock, pastor sénior, Primera Iglesia Bautista de Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina. -- Ed Litton, Iglesia Redemption, North Mobile, Alabama. -- Timmy Chavis, presidente, Consejo Asesor Multiétnico de la CBS, pastor sénior, Iglesia Bautista Bear Swamp, Pembroke, North Carolina. -- Paul Kim, asesor de relaciones asiático-estadounidenses de la CBS, pastor emérito, Iglesia Bautista Antioch, Cambridge, Massachusetts. -- Félix Cabrera, director de la Red de Plantación de Iglesias 1:8, pastor líder, Iglesia Bautista Central, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, y -- Gene Henderson, pastor y líder bautista de Mississippi, Iglesia Pinelake, Brandon, Mississippi. Tanto Floyd como Young hablaron en el evento del 25 de agosto en la Primera Iglesia Bautista en Jackson en honor al testimonio de la Iglesia Episcopal Metodista Afroamericana Emanuel en Charleston, South Carolina, donde un pistolero asesinó al pastor y a otros ocho una noche de estudio bíblico el 17 de junio. La reconciliación racial fue también un tema de oración en la reunión anual de la CBS 2015 en Columbus, Ohio, la víspera del tiroteo de Charleston. Hay información disponible de la inscripción en missionmississippi.net/racial-reconciliation-celebration. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Oficiales federales, estatales siguen presionando a PPFA by Por Tom Strode Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Los oficiales del gobierno federal y estatal están continuando sus esfuerzos para que Planned Parenthood rinda cuentas por su venta de partes de cuerpos de bebés. Las acciones -- en este caso de la Cámara de Representantes de los EE UU y del estado de Texas -- han sido una respuesta a las revelaciones de los videos encubiertos que muestran a varios oficiales de Planned Parenthood en diferentes lugares discutiendo la venta de órganos de bebés abortados. Los 10 videos dados a conocer desde mediados de julio incluyen a empleados de Planned Parenthood admitiendo que voluntariamente manipulan el procedimiento del aborto para preservar ciertas partes del cuerpo para ser vendidas y usadas. Los videos también muestran evidencia de la disección de bebés vivos, fuera del vientre, para remover órganos. Entre los pasos que tomó el gobierno entre el 19 y 23 de octubre con respecto a Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) y sus afiliados, figuran: -- La Cámara de Representantes de los EE UU volvió a aceptar la legislación de un recorte de fondos federales para Planned Parenthood, esta vez en una votación el 23 de octubre, conocida como una propuesta de ley de reconciliación, designada para ganar más fácilmente la aprobación del Senado. -- El Vocero de la Cámara de Representantes, John Boehner, en la misma fecha, nombró a ocho miembros republicanos para formar un panel especial de investigación de PPFA. -- El gobierno de Texas informó a Planned Parenthood el 19 de octubre que ha sido removido del programa estatal de Medicaid, citando parcialmente la evidencia provista por los videos encubiertos. -- El 22 de octubre, los oficiales de salud en Texas entregaron citatorios a las clínicas de Planned Parenthood en el estado solicitando los records de los pacientes y los empleados. Quienes apoyan el retiro de fondos de PPFA aplaudieron estas acciones. Russell Moore, presidente de la Comisión de Ética y Libertad Religiosa de la Convención Bautista del Sur (ERLC), expresó su gratitud "porque la evidencia en video de la piratería humana de Planned Parnthood ha provocado acción legislativa y política." "Hay mucho más que hacer, pero el retiro de fondos estatales y las serias investigaciones del Congreso son pasos dados en la dirección correcta," dijo Moore a Baptist Press en unos comentarios por escrito. "Estoy orando que el efecto a largo plazo de estos videos sea un despertar cultural ante el valor y la calidad de persona de toda vida humana." El proceso de reconciliación en el Congreso permite al Senado aprobar medidas relacionadas con el presupuesto sin la necesidad de los 60 votos para derrotar un bloqueo. La Cámara aprobó en septiembre otra propuesta de ley para retirar fondos a PPFA, con una votación de 241-187, pero la legislación murió a la entrada al Senado debido a la necesidad de una super mayoría. En agosto, el Senado quedó corto en la votación para una propuesta de ley de retiro de fondos a pesar de una mayoría de 53 contra 46, porque no pudo ganar los 60 votos necesarios para declarar el cierre del debate, como se le conoce. Aunque la propuesta de ley de reconciliación de la Cámara está diseñada para exigir solamente 51 votos en el Senado, su destino es incierto en la cámara superior. Por un lado, tres miembros conservadores, republicanos pro vida -- Senadores Ted Cruz de Texas, Mike Lee de Utah y Marco Rubio de Florida -- han anunciado que se opondrán a la medida porque solamente deroga la ley de reforma de la salud del 2010. Ellos están pidiendo una derogación completa de la medida controversial. Sin sus votos, el partido republicano sólo cuenta con 51, y es probable que algunos de los miembros que quedan no apoyen la propuesta de ley. Si la legislación llega al Presidente Obama, es casi seguro que la vetará. Supuestamente, la propuesta de ley de reconciliación le quitaría a PPFA cerca de $400 millones de sus casi $530 millones anuales en subsidios del gobierno, contratos y reembolsos. La propuesta de ley reubicaría los fondos tomados de Planned Parenthood y los pondría en centros comunitarios de salud aprobados. Los partidarios pro vida celebraron la votación de la Cámara e instaron al Senado a que siga su curso. Tony Perkins, presidente de Family Research Council, agradeció a la Cámara "por redirigir el dinero de los contribuyentes lejos del gigante de abortos que se involucra en prácticas horripilantes y no éticas." "A nuestros amigos en el Senado que piensen que la propuesta de ley de la Cámara no es lo suficientemente fuerte, les animamos a intentar y mejorar aún más la medida," dijo en una declaración escrita. "el liderazgo de la Cámara ha dicho que aceptará cualquier mejoría que haga el Senado a la propuesta de ley que [cortaría] mucho de los fondos de Planned Parenthood y eliminaría el centro del Obamacare." Moore, de la CELR, junto con otros 37 líderes pro vida escribieron a los líderes congresistas el 5 de octubre para animarles a usar el proceso de reconciliación en un intento de retirar los fondos a PPFA. Los ocho representantes republicanos seleccionados por Boehner para formar el panel que investigue a PPFA y el tráfico de partes fetales consiste en cuatro mujeres -- Representantes Marsha Blackburn y Diane Black de Tennessee, Vicki Hatzler de Missouri y Mia Love de Utah -- y cuatro hombres -- Representantes Larry Bucshon de Indiana, Sean Duffy de Wisconsin, Andy Harris de Maryland y Joe Pitts de Pennsylvania. Blackburn será la presidenta del panel, el cual operará bajo el Comité de Energía y Comercio. Texas eliminó a Planned Parenthood del programa de Medicaid porque los oficiales estatales de salud determinaron que sus afiliados "ya no pueden proveer servicios médicos en una manera profesionalmente competente, segura, legal y ética," según una carta de Stuart Bowen, el inspector general de la Comisión de Servicios de Salud y Humanos (HHSC, por sus siglas en inglés). Las razones citadas por Bowen fueron: -- Los videos encubiertos revelaron que PPFA está dispuesto a cambiar el "tiempo o método de un aborto" para obtener así tejido fetal, violando así la ley federal y la póliza del Medicaid. -- Las clínicas fracasaron en seguir los estándares de salud y seguridad para manejar tejido fetal. -- Existe evidencia de fraude cometido por las clínicas de Planned Parenthood, incluyendo cobros ilegales. Los fondos que ya no llegarán a los afiliados de PPFA ahora están disponibles para los proveedores de salud en el estado. "Texas tiene razón en reconocer que el dinero de los contribuyentes debe ir a los centros de salud comunitarios locales, no a un subsidio de un negocio billonario de abortos, plagado de escándalos," dijo Kellie Fiedorek, consejera legal de Alliance Defending Freedom. Texas se une a cinco estados -- Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nueva Hampshire y Utah -- que han retirado los fondos a Planned Parenthood desde que se dieron a conocer los videos del Center for Medical Progress. Se espera que Planned Parenthood rete a Texas en la corte, como lo ha hecho en los otros estados que le han retirado los fondos a sus afiliados. Greg Abbott, el gobernador de Texas, republican, dijo a Fox News que espera "un reto legal, porque quiero ver a estos oficiales de Planned Parenthood bajo juramento y que juren las prácticas que estaban realizando en el estado de Texas." Los oficiales de la Comisión de Servicios de Salud y Humanos de Texas aparecieron con citatorios en mano en cinco centros de Planned Parenthood el 22 de octubre, según The House Chronicle. Fueron a dos clínicas en Houston y una en Browsville, una en Dallas y una en San Antonio. El 13 de octubre PPFA anunció que sus centros ya no aceptarán reembolsos federales por gastos acumulados en donaciones de tejidos de bebés abortados, pero sus críticos dijeron que la acción sirvió como una admisión de culpa y no debe detener el esfuerzo de retirar los fondos de esta organización. PPFA y sus afiliados recibieron más de $528 millones en subsidios del gobierno, contratos y reembolsos, según su reporte financiero más reciente (2013-14). Los afiliados de Planned Parenthood realizaron más de 327,000 abortos durante el 2013, haciéndolo el mayor proveedor de abortos en el país. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: ¡Animo! by Octavio J. Esqueda Date: October 30, 2015 - Friday NOTA DEL EDITOR: La columna First-Person (De primera mano) es parte de la edición de hoy de BP en español. Para ver historias adicionales, vaya a bpnews.net/espanol. LA MIRADA, Calif. (BP) -- ¡Animo! Es una exclamación que todos necesitamos escuchar con frecuencia. A pesar de la presión popular que nos obliga a mostrar siempre nuestra mejor cara y a declarar que siempre estamos bien cuando alguien nos hace la tan común pregunta ¿cómo estás?, la realidad es que todos batallamos con diferentes circunstancias y siempre necesitamos que alguien nos muestre su apoyo y nos anime. Es importante que tengamos personas cercanas que nos alienten a seguir adelante. ¡Todos necesitamos a alguien en nuestro equipo! Animar significa literalmente infundir el alma. Es estimular o dar vigor a una persona. Cuando mostramos empatía por las circunstancias que alguien está enfrentando o cuando le mostramos a una persona que sinceramente nos importa somos agentes de ánimo a los demás. No se requiere mucho esfuerzo para animar a otros, pero sí es necesario estar atentos y ser intencionales en nuestra actitud. Las críticas abundan y quien nos señale nuestros errores y limitaciones sobran, pero quien nos anime y exhorte lamentablemente no es fácil de encontrar. En una de las clases doctorales que enseño estábamos hablando acerca de las responsabilidades y obligaciones de los profesores y cómo funciona el sistema de promoción en la universidades e instituciones de educación superior cristiana. Uno de los alumnos trabaja como pastor de jóvenes y el próximo semestre apenas va a enseñar su primera materia en una universidad cristiana. Cuando escuchó las constantes evaluaciones que los maestros reciben a lo largo de su carrera, este alumno sinceramente me preguntó: "¿Y quién lo anima a usted?" Su pregunta me puso a pensar que tristemente no son muchas las personas que me animan y que yo tiendo a ser igual a los demás. ¡Es tan fácil caminar por la vida ensimismado que nos olvidamos de reconocer el esfuerzo y los logros de los demás! En las últimas dos semanas he buscado oportunidades de animar a otros profesores y colegas y he notado la diferencia que unas palabras de ánimo hacen incluso en personas altamente calificadas y con años de experiencia en su vocación. No importa la educación o aparente éxito de la persona, todos necesitamos ánimo. Es muy sencillo encontrar las faltas en los demás o enfocarnos en lo que tenemos que mejorar, pero también es importante valorar lo que ya tenemos y hacemos y de la misma manera afirmar a los que nos rodean. Unas simples palabras de ánimo tienen mucho peso y nos refrescan el alma. La Biblia dice en 1 Tesalonicenses 5:11 "anímense y edifíquense unos a otros". Debido a que Jesús murió y resucitó por nosotros siempre viviremos junto con El y esta esperanza nos motiva a seguir adelante con una perspectiva adecuada de la vida. Los cristianos somos optimistas no por ingenuos sino por quién es y qué ha hecho Cristo por nosotros. Todas las personas que se crucen por su camino necesitan una palabra de aliento. Si se detiene y los anima, no le tomará mucho tiempo, pero marcará una diferencia en esas personas. ¿A quién puede animar hoy?