
The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-11/05/2009

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.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Pro-lifers: Amendment to health-care bill 'phony'
by Tom Strode
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. House of Representatives appears poised to vote on health-care legislation that includes a so-called pro-life compromise opponents of abortion say is bogus.

The House may vote as early as Saturday on the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962. The bill of about 2,000 pages in length includes a "public health insurance option," managed by the federal government, that would authorize funds for elective abortions and a federal subsidy program for private plans that cover abortion.

In addition, enrollees in the "public option" would be required to pay for abortion, House Republican Leader John Boehner warns.

Pro-life Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, have threatened to block the measure unless the House leadership allows a floor vote on an amendment that would bar federal funds from paying for abortions in both the public and private plans. As recently as a week ago there had been indications they had just enough votes to block passage of the measure by defeating what is known as "the rule" that governs consideration of the legislation.

Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D.-Ind., has stepped in to offer an amendment that reportedly will be included in the bill under the rule by which the Democratic leadership plans to bring the legislation to the floor. That rule, which may be voted on Nov. 6 or 7, is not expected to permit a vote on the pro-life amendment proposed by Stupak and Rep. Joe Pitts, R.-Pa.

Ellsworth, who has had a nearly perfect pro-life voting record since entering the House in 2007, said he is seeking "to ensure pro-life concerns are addressed" in the bill. House pro-life leaders, as well as anti-abortion organizations, criticized Ellsworth's amendment as a sham, saying it fails to address any pro-life concerns. His solution to the problem with the "public option," they said, is to have the federal government hire private contractors to disburse funds for abortions.

Ellsworth's proposal is a "phony amendment designed to subsidize and expand the abortion industry cloaked in deceptive language," Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J., said in a written statement. "Under the new arrangement, instead of &#91;a Health and Human Services&#93; employee issuing blood money checks for elective abortions, HHS will pay a contractor to issue checks for abortion on demand.

"It is a distinction without a difference," he said.

"This language amounts to the federal government taking out a 'contract' on the unborn," Smith said. "For the first time ever an elaborate government program will be created to pay contractors to pay abortionists for the dismemberment, chemical poisoning and in utero starvation of innocent unborn children."

Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), said in a written release, "The Ellsworth language is a political fig leaf made out of cellophane.... This is a money-laundering scheme -- a federally funded 'bag man' will deliver government funds to abortionists."

Stupak said Nov. 5 he still plans to rally fellow pro-life Democrats in an effort to defeat the rule, according to CNSNews.com. If the procedural vote on the rule fails, the legislation will not be able to go to the floor for consideration. Stupak and Democrats for Life of America told CNS in late October there were from 40 to 43 House Democrats lined up to vote against the rule.

Pro-lifer advocates are concerned, however, about the ability of the House leaders to use Ellsworth's amendment, faulty as it is, to convince a few moderate or pro-life Democrats to vote for the rule and the bill. 

For pro-lifers, there is almost no margin for error. There are 258 Democrats and 177 Republicans in the House, after the special elections Nov. 3. Pro-lifers need 218 votes to defeat the rule. That would require all 177 Republicans and 41 Democrats in order to block the legislation.

The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) issued an email alert Nov. 5 urging calls and emails asking representatives to vote against the rule and, if the rule is approved, the bill. (Representatives can be contacted through the capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) or online (http://capwiz.com/ethics/dbq/officials)).

The indication by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that she will not permit amendments to the legislation "is an outrage -- especially since the government is positioning itself to help pay for the abortions of countless innocent unborn babies in the name of health care," ERLC President Richard Land said in the alert.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the country's leading abortion provider, voiced reservations about Ellsworth's amendment but did not seem nearly as burdened as pro-lifers. "We are concerned that this new language could tip the balance away from women's access to reproductive health care," said Laurie Rubiner, Planned Parenthood's vice president for public policy, in a written statement.

In a blog posting Nov. 5, Boehner, from Ohio, said "a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run plan.... &#91;A&#93;nd these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services."

NRLC's Johnson confirmed Boehner's assertion in a phone interview with Baptist Press.

"If you want to enroll in the public option, then you have to pay for abortion.... &#91;Y&#93;ou have to have abortion coverage," he said. "The government would be saying, 'You must pay for abortion on demand or take a hike.'"

This "surcharge," as Johnson described it, is to buttress arguments by the health-care bill's supporters that abortion coverage is "not tax-subsidized," he said. "They wanted to make it totally clear that people signing up are paying for abortions."

The current bill, however, would still result in federal funds from taxpayers underwriting abortions, Johnson said.

"They want to call it something else, but we don't care what they call it," he said. "A federal agency paying for abortions -- that's federal funding of abortion, no matter what they call it."

NRLC thinks "it is very likely the Stupak amendment would be adopted &#91;if there were a floor vote on it&#93;, because the Stupak amendment really just applies the principle of the Hyde Amendment," Johnson said of the laws that bar federal funding of other health plans supervised by the Department of Health and Human Services. "And I think Speaker Pelosi and the White House think so too, and that's why they're fighting so hard against it."

Ellsworth has a 100 percent pro-life voting record so far this year, according to NRLC's ratings. He had an 85 percent pro-life record in 2007-08, his first congressional session, NRLC reported.
--30--
Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Indonesians responsive to quake relief
by Staff
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

WEST SUMATRA, Indonesia (BP)--"And so, this is what He is up to on our island ... taking a tragedy and opening up a door for seeds to be planted," a Christian worker in Indonesia wrote following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Sept. 30.

The worker, along with a team of 23 national believers and U.S. volunteers, took supplies to a remote village of nearly 3,500 people in Western Sumatra. The team held medical clinics and distributed tents, blankets, food and water.

The eight-person U.S. team was led by Doug and Jenny Anderson*, members of TrueNorth Church in North Augusta, S.C., and encompassed partnerships with churches in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia as well as the Christian Medical and Dental Association. The team originally had planned to hold medical clinics in another area. However, when the earthquake hit two days before they left the United States, they were asked to work in the earthquake region instead.

"We had talked about that possibility at our last team meeting," Doug Anderson said, "so it was an easy decision to make the change."

Getting supplies for the trip with two days' notice could have been tricky, since they usually purchase supplies once on site.

But through some previously scheduled meetings and a few phone calls, the team received 19 bags of donated supplies for the trip. Then the airline waived the fees associated with extra baggage. 

When they arrived in Indonesia, the volunteers were surprised by the friendly reception from villagers. Community leaders opened the mosque for their use. By day, a green curtain separated the back area where the team held its clinics from the area reserved for prayer. By night, the women slept on the terrace of the mosque while the men slept in tents in the courtyard. 

Although the village had been a difficult area for Christian workers, the team was amazed by the openness of the people.

Villagers repeatedly voiced their gratitude, and a village leader noted this was the first team to provide substantial help since the earthquake.

"It was obvious that they were hurting and wanting to talk about what they had experienced," the Christian worker in Indonesia wrote.

As a result, while the doctors and nurses met medical needs, others in the group worked with the children, singing songs, providing basic hygiene information and giving them a chance to draw pictures about their experiences.

Team members also had the opportunity to pray with each person who visited the clinic. 

"An amazing thing happened with a number of patients," Jenny Anderson said. "They actually joined in by voicing their own prayers along with us."

Then at a closing ceremony held in the team's honor, the leader of the mosque directed those present to "pray according to your own culture," she recounted.

"I never imagined sitting in a mosque with both Christians and Muslims praying together." 

This openness has paved the way for future teams to continue the work begun by the volunteers. A group of national believers, who came in after the U.S. volunteers left, hopes to continue building relationships and meeting needs in the name of Jesus. 

"Since I have been hearing about this people group for a few years now, I am so thankful for the chance to walk among them," the Christian worker wrote. "Their faces are etched on our hearts.... We can now lift up their actual names to the throne!"
--30--
*Names changed. Reported by Baptist Press international staff.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Balt. council targets pregnancy centers
by Staff
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

BALTIMORE, Md. (BP)--Most of the members of the Baltimore (Md.) City Council are promoting a measure that would require pregnancy help centers to post a sign saying they do not provide abortions or contraceptives.

Pro-lifers, including Baltimore's Roman Catholic archbishop, say the bill (ordinance 09-0406) is a form of harassment.

Stephanie Rawlings-Burke, the city council president, and 10 other council members are sponsors of legislation that would fine any pregnancy center that does not post the sign, which must be in English and Spanish. Including the president, the council has 15 members. Rawlings-Burke said she proposed the bill after receiving complaints about the centers. The Baltimore City Health Department backs the bill. 

Archbishop Edwin O'Brien told Rawlings-Burke in an Oct. 16 letter the proposal discriminates against pro-life centers.

"The bill does not on the other hand seek to fine abortion clinics for not posting a list of services they do not provide (e.g., parenting classes, maternity and infant clothes, formula)," he wrote.

The measure is similar to one supported by Planned Parenthood last year in the Maryland legislature, The Catholic Review reported. Planned Parenthood, which is the country's No. 1 abortion provider, also is promoting the Baltimore bill, said Nancy Paltell of the Maryland Catholic Conference's respect life office.

"We are providing community services that the city doesn't provide and now they're going to harass us for it," Paltell said, according to the newspaper. "We're saving the city money, but does the city give one dime to these pregnancy centers? No."

Carol Clews, director of the city's Center for Pregnancy Concerns, also opposes the bill.

"We are very up front and very clear about what we provide for these women and what we don't provide. They are impugning our integrity. It's frivolous and it's harassment," Clews told WBAL-TV.

O'Brien, the archbishop, told the TV station, "I've never heard of a private institution or a public business being asked to advertise what they don't do under the penalty of a fine.... If we're really looking to protect people in this whole field, I'd say, 'Let's start with the abortion factories."
--30--
Compiled by Tom Strode, Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

N.M. Baptists retire debt, seek the lost
by John Loudat
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

<i>UPDATED Monday, Nov. 9, 2009.</i>

GLORIETA, N.M. (BP)--Nearly 400 Baptists from across the Land of Enchantment braved a wintry mix of cold and snow to celebrate the retirement of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico's indebtedness and to commit to carrying out "God's Plan for Sharing."

At least four inches of snow fell on the grounds of the LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains east of Santa Fe on the convention's final day as BCNM messengers and guests gathered in Holcomb Auditorium for the burning of the note the convention has carried on its building in Albuquerque since 2001. The debt was retired seven years before it was due to be paid in full.

Around four dozen attendees later took part of their free afternoon to attend an overview of the North American Mission Board's national evangelism initiative, God's Plan for Sharing (GPS), and its Evangelism Response Center.

GPS, explained Jimmy Kinnaird, resource coordinator for NAMB's personal evangelism team, is the Southern Baptist Convention's "multi-year effort ... that all Southern Baptists &#91;can&#93; rally around" that involves "Every Believer Sharing, Every Person Hearing by 2020."

Evangelistic campaigns will be held every two years through 2020, Kinnaird said. The initiative next year will entail prayerwalking, Gospel distribution and media saturation in the weeks leading up to Easter and five weeks of follow-up.

Those in attendance also were encouraged to learn to share the Gospel and to pray with those reached during the effort, becoming part of NAMB's Evangelism Response Center, and their churches were urged to become "Covenant Churches" that promise to contact those in their areas who make decisions for Christ within three days.

"Our God Reigns" was the theme of the BCNM's 98th annual meeting, with 294 messengers from 104 churches and 77 of their guests attending the Oct. 27-28 sessions. Approximately 330 congregations with more than 58,000 resident members are affiliated with the BCNM. Participating in BCNM business for the first time were messengers from four churches that had never had messengers seated at a BCNM meeting.

The convention was preceded on Tuesday morning by the annual meeting of New Mexico Baptists' Woman's Missionary Union and the Pastors'/Laymen's Annual Meeting, and by the BCNM's annual missions banquet the night before.

BCNM President Bruce Kirby, pastor at First Baptist Church in Raton, presided during the meeting, assisted by First Vice President Garland Moore, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Milan, and Second Vice President Gavin Vaughan II, pastor of Hermosa Drive Baptist Church, Artesia.

All three were the only nominees for re-election to their respective positions for a second one-year term.

EMPHASIS ON EVANGELISM

"Someone Must Share" was the theme of both the convention's opening session and Kirby's message. Telling lost people about Jesus "is what it's all about," Kirby said, encouraging his fellow New Mexico Baptists to resist the temptation to "hunker down." Acknowledging the impact of the economy on giving in the church he leads, Kirby announced, "Before we cut our mission giving, we'll cut out the plastic silverware."

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news," Kirby said, quoting the first part of the Scripture for the annual meeting, Isaiah 52:7.

None of the challenges facing Southern Baptists is "insurmountable," BCNM Executive Director Joseph Bunce declared in his annual address that evening. "God is still God!" he emphasized.

"Far too often our judgmental spirit cripples our ministry" of urging lost people to come home to God, Bunce said, adding that in the four years he has led the convention, he has become convinced of the importance of networking with and caring for one another.

"We must not let the lights go out here at home seeking to change the world," he stressed.

"We don't have problems; we have unresolved opportunities," said Albuquerque pastor Bob Myers in the convention sermon.

"We'll start winning people to Jesus Christ when we start acting like Jesus," the pastor of Del Norte Baptist Church said repeatedly during his message.

"We do have a mandate to win our world to Jesus Christ," Myers underscored, adding that it would happen when Christians live under the lordship of Christ, reflect Him in their lives and live the Sermon on the Mount.

"God's stimulus package" was the topic addressed by R. Philip Roberts, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., during the convention's two Bible studies.

Roberts examined the conditions for revival during the convention's opening session on Tuesday afternoon and its blessings the following morning.

When God's people get right with Him, "the world takes notice," Roberts said, noting that God's Spirit will motivate believers with a spiritual intensity and concern for the salvation of everyone else.

"Revival is what America really needs," he said.

"Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost, and He intends to use us in that," Michael Dean, pastor of Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, said during the first of his two messages during the convention.

Dean, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Artesia and former BCNM executive board chairman, noted on Tuesday evening that "Jesus notices people that others ignore," He "engages people that others reject" and He "changes people that others give up on."

Increasing people's faith is what God is "up to" in times of trial, Dean said during his message the next day. He encouraged those present for the convention's final message to bring their troubles to Jesus and to trust Him to increase their faith.

This year's annual meeting was punctuated by times of prayer during each session -- for the lost, for ministers and members of BCNM churches and for BCNM staff members.

BCNM BUSINESS

Messengers zipped through each of the convention's business sessions, passing every recommendation with few questions and no apparent opposition.

Following a report of the convention's Christian Life Committee, messengers approved six resolutions, three of which clearly stated New Mexico Baptists' opposition to a number of moral issues currently being considered by state legislators, including same-sex marriage, embryonic stem cell research, assisted suicide, abortion on demand, euthanasia and the scourges of drugs, alcohol, gambling and pornography.

Messengers also resolved to thank the state's Baptist volunteers who "serve and bring tangible and spiritual relief in times of natural disaster and to needy communities" and state convention staff members and their families, whom they pledged to pray for daily.

They approved the BCNM's 2010 budget, which is slightly smaller than the 2009 budget, which is the largest in the convention's history. Next year's budget will require $4,473,375 in Cooperative Program receipts from the churches, a reduction of $82,051, or 0.05 percent, from the amount called for in the current budget.

The new budget includes no increases in salaries for BCNM employees.

After the exception of $39,543 for exempt obligations (post-retirement benefits, church-retirement plan and notes payable minus additional lease income) is applied, 30.5 percent of the Cooperative Program receipts ($1,352,319 next year) will continue to be forwarded to the Southern Baptist Convention for national and international missions and ministry.

The remaining 69.5 percent ($3,081,513), along with income of $1,904,298 from various sources -- Baptist New Mexican subscriptions and advertising, Baptist Building rental income and the SBC's North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources -- will be used to support a total operating budget of $5,025,354 for mission work in New Mexico.

Next year's annual meeting will be Oct. 26-27 at First Baptist Church in Roswell.
--30--
John Loudat is editor of the Baptist New Mexican, newsjournal of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

TRUSTEES: GuideStone up 31% March-Sept.
by Curtis D. Sharp
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

DALLAS (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources President O.S. Hawkins updated trustees on the first three quarters of 2009, including how the GuideStone staff has demonstrated perspective amid one of the greatest economic crises in the nation's history.

GuideStone trustees, meeting Nov. 2-3 in Dallas, also received a financial status report from Chief Operating Officer John R. Jones and approved the 2010 budget.

Each year GuideStone selects a Scripture verse and a theme to guide the work of the Dallas-based Southern Baptist financial services entity. For 2009, "The Year of Perspective" theme is drawn from Habakkuk 2:3: "Though the vision tarries, wait for it; it will surely come."

"In times of uncertainty we can give up, give in or give out," Hawkins told trustees. "However, through the power of God's leadership we must reach up seeking His guidance. We must reach in to fine-tune our processes and make the most of the resources that we have. And we must reach out to our participants in helping them to also gain a proper perspective as they navigate these tumultuous times of financial crisis."

Jones, summarizing GuideStone's financial status through the first nine months of the year, said, "From a low point of $6.9 billion in assets in March of this year, our asset base at the end of September was $8.8 billion, an increase of 31 percent.

"The substantial increase in the assets reflects the upward movement we have seen in the financial markets and underscores the importance of staying invested in a planned allocation to take advantage of the improved performance in the financial markets," Jones said.

The overall performance of GuideStone Funds was positive for the year both on an absolute basis and a relative basis, Jones said, citing the ranking of the funds in the latest report by industry analysis firm fi360.

"GuideStone Funds was ranked at the 26th percentile among mutual fund families in the most recent Fund Family Fiduciary Rankings prepared by fi360," Jones said. "That means we ranked higher than 74 percent of all other mutual fund families ranked by fi360."

The fi360 report ranks approximately 213 mutual fund families based on the percentage of their individual funds that pass fi360's due diligence screens, including the fund's track record, assets, management tenure, style consistency, expense ratio, risk adjusted performance and performance relative to their peer group, among other criteria.

"Additionally, for the first nine months of this year, nine of 11 GuideStone Select Funds performed better than their respective benchmarks," Jones told trustees. 

Interest in GuideStone's new property and casualty insurance products continues to grow, Jones reported, noting that GuideStone is now covering churches and ministries in 15 states and is licensed in 38 states, with applications for licenses in the remaining states.

Jones also reviewed the success of GuideStone's Mission:Dignity program for the first nine months in providing assistance to retired ministers or their widows who have significant financial needs.

"Since the first of this year, 3,833 donors have made gifts to Mission:Dignity and 1,064 donors made their first gift," Jones said. "We are grateful that churches and individuals have continued to support this vital ministry even in the midst of a difficult economic period."

Greg Bibb of Kentucky, chairman of the trustees' budget subcommittee, reviewed the operating budget proposed for 2010, which then received unanimous trustee approval.

"GuideStone's performance, as it relates to budget issues, was excellent in 2009," Bibb said. "Management made additional expense reductions well below the approved budget while at the same time continuing initiatives in insurance, financial advice and technology improvements. The proposed budget is 15.5 percent lower than the originally approved 2009 budget."

GuideStone receives no Cooperative Program funds for operations from the Southern Baptist Convention, but pays all expenses from an advisory fee on its investment funds offered through GuideStone Funds. 

The trustees' relief committee approved applications adding 35 individuals to the financial assistance roll. Eight individuals were approved for grants. 

Other action by the relief committee included approving a $200 Christmas check for each eligible financial assistance recipient on the roll as of November 1. Funds to provide the special Christmas check are made possible through GuideStone's endowment program. 
--30--
Curtis D. Sharp is executive officer for denominational and public relations for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Churches and ministries seeking more information about coverage offered through GuideStone may visit www.GuideStonepropertycasualty.org or call 1-877-455-GSPC (1-877-455-4772). For more details on the Mission:Dignity ministry to needy retirees and widows, visit www.MissionDignitySBC.org, call toll-free 1-888-98-GUIDE (1-888-984-8433); or send an e-mail to MissionDignity@GuideStone.org.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

LifeWay stores to collect shoe boxes
by Staff
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--LifeWay Christian Stores will hold an Operation Christmas Child collection day Saturday, Nov. 14, for gift-filled shoe boxes to be distributed in 100-plus countries.

Since 2003, LifeWay has taken part in Samaritan's Purse outreach to bring joy and a message of God's love to children around the world through toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other small gifts.

"We've been delighted to help facilitate the generous giving by thousands of our customers over the years," said David Ecrement, manager of media and events for LifeWay Christian Stores. "While this is the busiest time of year for our employees, we all find great joy in being involved with and supporting Operation Christmas Child."

Store employees will be available to suggest gift ideas to customers, and LifeWay will have a limited number of shoe boxes and labels available so customers can pack boxes on site.

LifeWay also is offering a special 50 percent discount on the new Veggie Tales DVD, "Saint Nicholas," to shoe box donors on Nov. 14.

Suggested items to pack in a shoe box or small plastic container include:

-- School supplies: pens, pencils, crayons, picture books, solar calculators.

-- Toys: small cars, dolls, balls, stuffed animals, jump ropes.

-- Hygiene items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, mild bar soap, combs, washcloths.

-- Other: hard candy, lollipops, mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, watches.

-- A personal note: In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family.

However, the shoe boxes should not include damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate; food; lotions or liquids; medications or vitamins; glass containers; or aerosol cans.

Samaritan's Purse, an international relief and evangelism organization led by Franklin Graham, has a goal of distributing 8 million shoe boxes globally this year.
--30--
For more information about LifeWay Christian Stores' participation in Operation Christmas Child and for store locations, go to www.lifewaystores.com/occ.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

FIRST-PERSON: Make the most of your time
by Peter Beck
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP)--1. 24. 1440. 7. 168. 28. 30. 31. 744. 12. 365. 8760. Alone, these numbers are interesting symbols on the page. Separately, you might recognize a few of them. Together they represent the passing of our lives, year by year, day by day, hour by hour. They are time.

Time is a precious commodity. Just ask those who don't have enough. Time spent is time forever lost to time.

Now, consider Paul's admonition to "redeem the time" (Ephesians 5:16). He certainly doesn't believe that we can buy back time spent. Nor does Paul think that we can buy more time for ourselves. Yet, he admonishes the church to improve the time to their own avail.

Of this verse Jonathan Edwards once preached: "And hence it is that time is a thing so exceeding precious, because 'tis by that that we have opportunity of escaping everlasting misery and of obtaining eternal blessedness and glory. 'Tis upon the improvement of time that there depends an escape from an infinite evil and an obtaining an infinite good. And this puts an infinite value upon time."

As yet another week of your life ends and another waits to begin, it's time to check the ledger of your life, to consider the investments you've made in eternity.

Have you spent your allotment of time wisely this week? Or have you squandered this great resource on things of temporal, momentary value?

Have you used your daily quota of time for God's glory and your good? Or did you waste away the hours on things of little import?

Did you spend any time this week living for eternity rather than for the moment? Did you contribute anything of eternal worth or did you miss another opportunity for everlasting gain? 

How much time did you dedicate to things of God? How much time did you claim for yourself?

Would you spend your time differently, if you had a second chance? Would you give more of it away, if it were yours again?

Test yourself in the upcoming days. Count your hours. Note your minutes. Tally your days. Sit down. Write down everything you do for the next seven days, the next 168 hours. Ask yourself the hard question, "What did I do with the time that God has given me?" My hunch is that we're spending it unwisely on things that are perishing rather than things imperishable. See if I'm right.

I am not saying that work is avoidable or unimportant. I am saying that perhaps less time spent pondering spreadsheets in our spare time and more time invested in the spiritual lives of our children would be time well spent. I am saying that hours passed in the Word of God are of surpassing worth when compared to hours wasted on the Internet. Minutes spent in sharing our faith are infinitely richer than hours spent talking about the next big game or the latest political debate.

God has given us a special gift in time. How we act as stewards of that gift speaks volumes about our investment in eternity.

On another occasion much earlier in his life, Edwards resolved "to live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die."

Edwards understood what so few of us take into account. Time is too valuable to waste and too fleeting to hold onto forever. He sought to make the best use of it, to proclaim God's greatness, to lay claim, through faith, on the Gospel for himself, and to be thrifty with it for the gain of others. He wanted to live so that at death he might not regret one moment of time.

The week is nearly over. The time is lost. We can never reclaim a second of the past. The future knocks. Time will wait for no one. Make the most of what God has given you -- for your benefit and His exceeding glory.
--30--
Peter Beck serves as an assistant professor of religion at Charleston Southern University in Charleston, S.C. This column first appeared at Christianity.com. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Maine Question 1: How it prevailed
by Michael Foust
Date: November 05, 2009 - Thursday

AUGUSTA, Maine (BP)--If supporters of traditional marriage had their druthers, conservative writer Maggie Gallagher says, they would have picked South Carolina, and not Maine, to try and win on the issue of "gay marriage" Nov. 3.

After all, Maine is one of the country's most liberal, least religious states, and hasn't voted for a Republican for president in more than 20 years. Add a nearly 2-to-1 fundraising deficit to that mix -- as well as a host of other obstacles -- and opponents of "gay marriage" faced seemingly impossible odds in trying to pass Question 1 and overturn Maine's recently passed law redefining marriage.  

But they did win Tuesday, and by an even larger margin (53-47 percent) than in California (52-48 percent) one year earlier. In doing so, they put a roadblock in the notion that "gay marriage" in all 50 states is inevitable. The issue has now lost at the ballot box in all 31 states where it has been put to a vote.

Homosexual groups did pick up a win in Washington state when voters there approved the state's "everything but marriage" same-sex domestic partnerships law, but activists long ago said such laws were inadequate and that "gay marriage" was the only just option. Their goal now is to legalize "gay marriage" in that state. 

"If they can't win in Maine, they don't have a majority anywhere," Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which donated more than $1 million to the Yes on 1 campaign, told Baptist Press. 

"And it's not just Maine. It's Maine and California and Wisconsin and Oregon and Michigan and every other state," she added, referencing other locations where "gay marriage" was defeated.

Question 1 passed despite a higher-than-expected turnout, which may have been as high as 60 percent and which pundits had presumed would hurt the Yes on 1 side. Conventional wisdom also held that two anti-tax issues on the ballot would help Question 1 by bringing out conservative voters. Yet both anti-tax measures lost -- by margins of 74-25 and 60-40 percent -- and Question 1 prevailed. A pro-medical marijuana initiative that likely brought out liberal voters passed, 59-41 percent.

The No on 1 side had not only a fundraising advantage but an edge in volunteers, too, with 8,000 people on the ground in a state with only 1.3 million people. They had the support of the governor, legislative leaders and newspaper editorial boards. They ran the campaign they wish they had run in California, and they still lost. 

So, how did Stand for Marriage Maine, the primary organization promoting Question 1, win? Those who were involved on the ground point to five primary reasons:

-- A winning message about the impact of legalizing "gay marriage."

From the get-go, Stand for Marriage Maine insisted that if the state redefined marriage, then public schools would have no option but to talk about "gay marriage" as normative when the subject of families was introduced. Five of their six TV commercials included warnings about "gay marriage" and public schools, including an appearance by a Massachusetts couple whose second-grade son was read a book about a prince "marrying" a prince. The parents sued the school in federal court seeking parental consent the next time such books would be discussed, but lost.

"The campaign very much followed the campaign in California," Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage and an executive committee member of Stand for Marriage Maine, told BP. "We followed the argument that continues to be very successful, which is that there are very real and profound consequences of same-sex marriage. That argument allows people to vote what's already in their heart. Our television ads simply allow people to see how it affects them."

Joey Marshall, pastor of Living Stone Community Church (SBC) in Standish, Maine, said the message had an impact. Referencing his daughter who is almost 2, he said, "It frightens me to think about what she will be forced to embrace through our government and the public school system."

Maine's attorney general, Democrat Janet Mills, released a statement saying that the law would have "no impact on the curricula of Maine's public schools," but Question 1 backers simply countered by noting she was not an objective observer because she had repeatedly stated her support for "gay marriage." They also turned the argument around and said there was nothing in state law to prevent "gay marriage" from being taught. 

Stand for Marriage Maine's commercials also argued that if "gay marriage" stood, lawsuits against those who disagreed with the law could follow.

-- A last-minute assist from the opposition.

During the final week of the campaign it was learned that Donald Mendell Jr., a high school counselor in Palmyra, Maine, was being investigated by the state and in danger of losing his state social worker's license because he had appeared in a Yes on 1 TV ad. Someone at another school who opposed Question 1 had filed the complaint. The name of the school was not mentioned in the ad, and Mendell appeared only after a fellow teacher at his school had appeared in her own No on 1 ad.

Stand for Marriage Maine cut a radio ad about the controversy.

"That made a big difference," Scott Fish, communications director for Stand for Marriage Maine, told BP. "For Anybody in Maine that required a license from the state to earn a living ... it was a chilling message."

Said Gallagher, "I think it reinforced the prime message of the campaign."

-- The support of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

Even though Maine is the third least religious state in the nation according to Gallup polling, Catholicism has an influence, with about a third of residents claiming affiliation. The diocese gave around $200,000 to the Yes on 1 campaign, took up collections for Yes on 1 in its churches, and promoted Question 1 on its website and in sermons. Marc Mutty took a leave of absence from his job as public affairs director of the diocese to become chairman of Stand for Marriage Maine. 

Bob Emrich, a spokesperson for Stand for Marriage Maine and pastor of Emmanuel Bible Baptist Church in Plymouth, Maine, said the Roman Catholic Diocese "absolutely" made a difference.

"It took a coalition that included the Catholic Diocese and every Protestant and evangelical denomination &#91;to win&#93;," Emrich said. 

-- A TV ad aimed at moderates. 

Late in the campaign, Stand for Marriage Maine released a TV ad that may have won over the votes of moderates and some liberals but also frustrated a few conservatives nationally. The ad pointed to Maine's Domestic Partnership registry -- which grants same-sex couples some of the legal benefits of marriage -- and said, "Abandoning traditional marriage entails real consequences, yet we want to be tolerant of gays. Maine's Domestic Partnership laws provide substantial legal protection for gay couples. Any problems remaining can be addressed without dismantling traditional marriage. It's possible to support the civil rights of all citizens and protect traditional marriage at the same time."

Officials with Stand for Marriage Maine felt the ad was necessary to win in a liberal state during an election that could have gone either way.

"When they learned that ... redefining marriage was neither the best nor the only way to do that, that made a difference," Fish said. 

-- Prayer.

The coalition of "gay marriage" opponents that came together this summer with the collection of 100,000 signatures to qualify Question 1 only grew in strength as time passed, Emrich said.

"God has honored His promise that if His people will humble themselves and call to Him, He responds," Emrich said. "The deciding factor in my mind, without question, is that the people of God finally worked together, stood up and said, 'Wait a minute, this crosses a line that we just cannot cross. This is a direct affront to God Himself.'" 

Brown said it is difficult to overstate the significance of Question 1's passage to the national debate.

"They had a lot riding on this, because they saw this as a way to change the momentum coming out of &#91;California&#93; Proposition 8," Brown said. "But with everything going for them, they still lost. That is the importance of Maine." 
--30--
Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.



