The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-12/22/2016 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- A family stitched together at Christmas by Robin Cornetet Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- As Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, one Kentucky couple reflects on the day they say God stitched together their Christmas gift of a new family. On Dec. 18, Sam and Stephanie Patterson celebrated the second anniversary of the day they adopted four siblings from foster care. "That's our 'forever family' day," said Stephanie, a music ministry associate at Little Flock Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Ky., just south of Louisville. More than 8,000 children are in the care of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services this holiday season. Another 400,000 foster care kids are waiting for permanent homes across the U.S. Sam recalled when he was handed a photograph of his children while they were still in the state's care and the range of emotions that followed. He cautioned others not to get caught up in a cloud of empathy that could lead to a child being abandoned twice. "I think you need to be led," Sam said. "You don't need to do it just because you know Christians are supposed to take care of orphans. God really needs to place it on your heart." The couple struggled with infertility for 10 years before recognizing God was leading them toward adopting older children. "We never intended to get small ones," Sam said. "Carrie and Carissa are more the age we were looking for, but when they showed us a picture of all four, there was no way we were going to say no." Carrie, now 13, Carissa, 9, Austin, 6, and 4-year-old Kali have since settled into safe and predictable patterns at home, school and church. Eighth grader Carrie is contemplating a career in veterinary medicine while ignoring the occasional admiring glance from a boy or two at Little Flock Christian Academy. Her once bashful sister, Carissa, has joined the cheerleading squad at the same Baptist private school and views any open space as an invitation to perfect her back handspring. Austin finally got his wish to go to school like his older sisters. Mom and Dad said the kindergartener is becoming a pro at spelling words by sounding them out. And Kali recently discovered the furry, four-legged members of the family. On several occasions, she has been caught bear-hugging or straddling the cats. "I can't remember what life was like before kids," Stephanie said, a smile lighting up her face. In a situation that began as anything but typical, the couple agreed that becoming parents of four foster children overnight has settled into something that probably looks like any other family of six with lessons in selflessness, gratitude and personal responsibility taught over and over -- and over. Sam said patience has been the greatest challenge for everyone. "We preach love and kindness all the time. Does it always happen?" Stephanie asked. "No, but I think that's normal." As one of more than 15 foster or adoptive families at Little Flock Baptist, the Pattersons are quickly becoming less of an exception. "God calls us to care for the widows and orphans. How we care for them is going to be different for every person," Stephanie said. "For Sam and I, that was to adopt children, bring them into our home and be a forever family." But for others who may not have the means or clear calling from God, the couple suggested putting together backpacks full of supplies for children who are new to foster care. Children's belongings are often stuffed hurriedly into trash bags when taken from their homes. Other ways to help include providing respite for foster parents, mentoring or sponsoring a foster child, or volunteering at a hospital to comfort babies born with addictions. "It can be different for everyone," Stephanie said. "It doesn't necessarily mean everyone must adopt, but in some way, we should all be doing something to care for widows and orphans." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas turkeys among college's gift to students by David Roach Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday PINEVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- At Kentucky's Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, every Christmas season includes "turkey day." On the designated day in December, all degree-seeking students taking at least six hours of classes at the eastern Kentucky college receive a frozen turkey, fixings for a holiday meal and a cash gift of at least $100 to help with Christmas expenses. A separate "shopping spree" gift helps student families buy presents for their children. For a college focused on training ministry students with an average age of 30 -- many of whom have left behind their sources of income to pursue God's call -- the holiday gifts are a welcome treat. Adam Dooley, a 1999 Clear Creek graduate and pastor of Dallas-area Sunnyvale First Baptist Church, told Baptist Press the turkey was always a "highlight" of his Christmas season. Many "students who lived on campus and had wives and children ... would not have had a Christmas apart from those turkeys," Dooley said. "It was more than a luxury for them." Dooley noted that Clear Creek's mission at its founding in 1926 "was to provide an education for mountain preachers in eastern Kentucky, most of whom did not have resources to go to college." The student body includes a more diverse array of students today, Dooley said. Still, "there is a large percentage of the student population there that ... would not be able to afford" a traditional Christmas celebration for their families. Clear Creek President Donnie Fox told BP the "typical" married student on campus has "left a job that they've had to support their family. Many of them had to sell their homes ... They've sacrificed to come, and there are some financial struggles." On turkey day, Fox and his executive staff personally place turkeys in students' cars and provide faculty and staff with turkeys as well. The turkey ministry began in the late 1960s when Clear Creek alumnus Don Burnett, then a pastor in Bowling Green, Ky., remembered his own financial struggles as a student and began taking frozen holiday turkeys to campus. Fellow Bowling Green pastor Bill Whittaker, who became Clear Creek president in 1988, helped Burnett with the ministry and assumed leadership following Burnett's death in 1970. Even when Whittaker served as a missionary in the Philippines from 1983-86, he made certain annually that a friend in Kentucky could deliver turkeys to Clear Creek. Students came to know Whittaker as "the turkey man." "When I was elected president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention" in 1980, Whittaker told BP, "I probably owed that vote to the turkeys because Clear Creek graduates were at the convention meeting and I only got it by 17 votes." Whittaker, who served on the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, also remembers weightier benefits of the turkey giveaway. "While I was [Clear Creek] president, I knew that some [students] were just barely getting by," Whittaker said, "and they were grateful for" the turkeys. A program from Whittaker's presidential tenure that allowed students to pick toys for their children from a collection in the Clear Creek gym has evolved into the "shopping spree" gift students receive today. Whittaker's frozen turkey deliveries have given way to ordering turkeys purchased with donated funds. Though Whittaker no longer travels to campus for turkey day, Fox said he continues to support the ministry financially. Fox also noted that students continue to express gratitude. "Multiple times, the students -- especially the ones with families -- come and thank us tremendously, beyond words," Fox said. Clear Creek is a ministry partner of the Kentucky Baptist Convention that receives more than 16 percent of its annual budget from Cooperative Program funds. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Church's Christmas story undaunted by hurricane by Lee Weeks Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (BP) -- Michael Arnold and his family were among hundreds of St. Augustine residents who fled their homes two months ago as Hurricane Matthew trailed close behind. And while St. Augustine, known as the nation's oldest city, didn't take a direct hit from the hurricane, coastal flooding from its storm surge and near-hurricane-force winds wreaked havoc and destruction for many who call it home. When the bridges reopened and Arnold returned home after a three-day mandatory evacuation, he discovered his garage had been flooded and roof would need to be replaced, while residents just one street away experienced catastrophic damage. "We're living in our house," Arnold said thankfully. The first weekend of December marked another homecoming of sorts for Arnold as he and more than 200 members of Anastasia Baptist Church debuted their Christmas musical, "The Innkeeper Presents -- We Call Him Savior." The play, which chronicles the life of Christ from His birth to His crucifixion, resurrection and expectant return, was written and produced by church members Donna and Ray Garner. For Arnold, who played a minor role in the church's Christmas musical two years ago, the opportunity to play the role of Jacob, a modern-day innkeeper, is symbolic of his real-life discovery of Jesus as his personal Savior. "I'm a new man," Arnold, a 46-year-old language arts teacher, said of his spiritual rebirth in mid-life. "I'm completely different than I was just two years ago." Ray Garner, 68, a financial planner and former church planter/music minister, said that's "the number one purpose" of the script his wife wrote to go along with the 19-song arrangement, which also includes several original lyrical and musical compositions written by church members. The one-hour and 40-minute production featured a 40-member adult choir, 27-member orchestra and nearly 30-member children's ensemble including six classical ballet dancers. "Our purpose is to equate the baby in the manger with the God-man who went to the cross and was crucified and resurrected," Garner said. "He had to die so that we could live." David Elder, Anastasia Baptist's worship pastor since 2005, said that since the church's first production of "The Innkeeper" in 2009, new characters, plot developments and musical compositions were added in 2010 and with each subsequent production every two years. Elder said some "creative license" was employed again this year to present Jesus' life, miracles and teachings by juxtaposing the biblical-historical characters with 21st-century contemporaries as well as adding fictional characters such as Jesus' childhood friend and neighbor named Isaac. "We wanted to show [that] what happened then impacts today," Elder said. In one scene, for example, one side of the stage shows Jesus and His disciples sharing their last supper while on the other side of the stage a group of modern-day Christians share communion. Among other scenes, an older couple recalls Jesus' first recorded miracle of turning water to wine at their wedding at Cana. Meanwhile, a modern-day older couple recounts the blessings of putting Christ first throughout their long-lasting marriage. In another scene, the musical featured a monologue of the adulteress who is forgiven by Jesus, as well as a scripted testimonial from a woman in the audience about her own infidelity and Christ's forgiveness and reconciling power in her marriage. "They need to know in their brokenness that there is a Savior who forgives," Garner said. Wynne Toler, a 55-year-old draftsman for a steel fabrication company, has portrayed the first-century innkeeper named Yacob since 2009. In a church that averages about 1,500 people for weekly worship, Toler still isn't sure how he landed the role but he's glad for it. Toler said the story of societal skepticism surrounding Jesus' virgin birth and King Herod's decreed slaughter of Jewish boys age 2 and younger dispels the "antiseptic Christmas card version" so often depicted. "It certainly wasn't peaceful when Christ was born," Toler said. "There was way more going on than we think about in this story." Having narrated five different renditions of The Innkeeper over the last seven years, Toler began studying his revised 15-plus-page script in late May. Often recognized by strangers nearly everywhere he goes throughout St. Augustine, Toler said he appreciates the importance of his Christian witness both on and off stage. "It reminds me a lot that I may be the only Jesus that they see," he said. "We preach the entire time we're up there [on stage] but it doesn't sound like preaching." And when Hurricane Matthew left a swath of destruction across the barrier island south of Jacksonville, Toler said, there was never a doubt that the church's Christmas musical would still happen. "The message is way too important," he said. "Sometimes God sends us challenges to find out how really committed we are to Him." Since Hurricane Matthew's onslaught in mid-October, church volunteers have helped about 130 families, more than half of whom aren't members of Anastasia Baptist, with recovery efforts. For about a week after the storm, dozens of church volunteers provided hundreds of hot meals prepared in the church's kitchen and delivered donations of clothes, canned food and bottled water. Anastasia Baptist's multi-campus church sustained minor damage on its Island campus when a tree fell on the roof of the church's missions & evangelism office. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from around the state as well as Alabama have also helped repair flood and wind-ravaged homes. "There are going to be hurting people for weeks and months to come," said Neill Robins, coordinator of the church's storm recovery outreach efforts. "It's like a war zone on some parts of the island." Meanwhile, about 1,500 people attended the church's Christmas musical on Dec. 2 and 4 in the Christian Life Center on the Island campus, though the outdoor Bethlehem Village had to be scaled back because church volunteers have been focused on storm recovery outreach efforts. Back on stage, Arnold said the opportunity to pray alongside his mother and 11- and 14-year-old daughters after dropping to his knees while carrying a cross during the musical scene portraying Christ's crucifixion was life imitating art at its best. "It's a pretty realistic depiction of what my family has done for me," Arnold said. "I'm looking forward to knowing that people will come to Christ because of what we've done." -------------------------------------------------------------------- ERLC applies Gospel to issues in 2016 by Tom Strode Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Gospel application to such issues as the sanctity of human life, sexuality and religious freedom marked the work of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in 2016. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) co-hosted a first-of-its-kind, pro-life conference in the opening month of 2016, sponsored a national conference on the Gospel and culture in the summer, and promoted scripturally based policies with the federal government throughout a year featuring an election campaign that divided evangelical Christians. Christians should not be fearful as a form of Christianity that is captive to culture falters, ERLC President Russell Moore said during the national conference in August. "[T]he shaking of American culture is no sign that God has given up on His church," Moore told attendees. "The shaking of American culture well could be a sign that God is rescuing His church from a captivity we didn't even know that we were in. "So we must be prepared to be the people who stand and stand fast and, if necessary, to be the people who are willing to stand alone," he said. Here are 10 key news topics involving the ERLC in 2016: ERLC co-sponsors first Evangelicals for Life conference The ERLC and Focus on the Family co-hosted in January the inaugural Evangelicals for Life conference in conjunction with the annual March for Life. Conference participants in Washington, D.C., heard from nearly 40 pro-life leaders and took part in the march on the snowy, second day of the event. http://www.bpnews.net/46189/evangelicals-for-life-conf-bolsters-burden-for-unborn http://www.bpnews.net/46195/snowmageddon-doesnt-thwart-prolifers-at-march-for-life Government promotes transgender rights In May, the Obama administration directed public schools and universities to permit transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity instead of their biological sex in another victory for transgender rights. Moore described it as "a stunning misuse of power." The Supreme Court announced in October it would rule on a case out of Virginia involving a transgender student. http://www.bpnews.net/46853/white-house-transgender-order-called-outrageous http://www.bpnews.net/47810/high-court-accepts-transgender-case ERLC leads successful statement on religious liberty in higher ed The ERLC issued an August statement signed by more than 140 religious, academic, legal, policy and media leaders that opposed California legislation it said would violate religious freedom in higher education. The bill's sponsor announced the next day he would remove language that prompted the opposition. http://www.bpnews.net/47353/erlcled-coalition-urges-defeat-of-calif-bill http://www.bpnews.net/47372/change-in-calif-bill-results-in-religious-liberty-win Trump wins divisive election; Moore offers guidance Donald Trump completed an unexpected rise in the Republican primaries and November general election to defeat Hillary Clinton and win the presidency in a campaign that divided evangelical Christians. Moore called for evangelicals to consider character issues during the campaign and afterward addressed how they should respond to the election result. http://www.bpnews.net/47862/with-election-over-prayer-and-grace-urged http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/11/09/president-trump-now-church/[URL] http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/12/19/election-thoughts-christmastime/ National conference addresses Gospel and culture The ERLC's third annual national conference sought to help more than 900 attendees engage culture while remaining faithful to the Gospel. Speakers at the August gathering addressed the application of the redemptive work of Christ to such topics as racial reconciliation, politics, the arts, sports, sexuality and marriage. The ERLC and Alliance Defending Freedom jointly sponsored a post-conference event regarding the presidential race and religious liberty. http://www.bpnews.net/47458/erlc-event-gospel-applies-to-race-politics-art http://www.bpnews.net/47466/wrapup--erlc-event-addresses-culture-gospel http://www.bpnews.net/47460/moore---gospeldefined-conservatism-needed http://www.bpnews.net/47473/2016-politics-change-looms-for-church-speakers-say Baptist institutions await HHS mandate solution GuideStone Financial Resources and other Baptist institutions continued to wait for a legal resolution in their challenges to the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate that requires employers to provide for their workers drugs and devices that can potentially cause abortions. The ERLC and other Southern Baptist entities urged the U.S. Supreme Court to rule the mandate violates religious freedom. http://www.bpnews.net/46129/sbc-entities-to-court-mandate-violates-religious-liberty# http://www.bpnews.net/46567/court-seeks-new-ideas-on-mandate-accommodation http://www.bpnews.net/47365/baptist-institutions-stand-wait-on-mandate-solution Effort continues to defund Planned Parenthood after veto President Obama vetoed in January a bill that would have largely defunded Planned Parenthood in the wake of undercover videos that provided evidence the country's No. 1 abortion provider was trading in baby body parts. His administration also issued a rule in December protecting the organization from state defunding as Congress continued to investigate. http://www.bpnews.net/46115/obama-vetoes-bill-defunding-planned-parenthood http://www.bpnews.net/48049/ppfa-prosecution-could-have-cooling-effect http://www.bpnews.net/48065/rule-protects-planned-parenthood-in-obamas-last-days Shootings of black men, police draw responses Moore provided advice on responding to the killings of black men by police, as well as the ambush of police in the aftermath. http://www.bpnews.net/47200]http://www.bpnews.net/47200]http://www.bpnews.net/47200 http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/07/07/shootings-justice-body-of-christ/ http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/07/08/preach-shootings-sunday/ Supreme Court invalidates Texas abortion regulations The Supreme Court struck down a Texas law that regulated abortion clinics and doctors for the purpose of protecting women who use their services. The ERLC and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention had asked the justices to affirm the law. http://www.bpnews.net/46259/uphold-abortion-rules-erlc-sbtc-urge-court http://www.bpnews.net/47129/court-strikes-down-abortion-provider-regulations ERLC unveils 'Gospel for Life' book series The ERLC released in June the first three volumes in its new "Gospel for Life" book series. The subjects were racial reconciliation, religious liberty and same-sex marriage. http://www.bpnews.net/46713/erlc-to-unveil-gospel-for-life-books -------------------------------------------------------------------- LifeWay celebrates milestones, focuses on future by Aaron Earls Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources celebrated two historic milestones in 2016, but remains focused on the future of the organization. In April, LifeWay held a chapel service to commemorate its 125th anniversary, then held a groundbreaking and prayer service on the downtown Nashville property that will house its new headquarters in 2017. http://bpnews.net/46615/lifeway-holds-125th-anniv-and-groundbreaking Earlier, LifeWay announced plans to build a nine-story 250,000-square-foot office building in a new mixed use development located only a few blocks from the current location that was sold last year. Construction on the new headquarters continues according to plans with the goal of moving in by the end of next year. http://bpnews.net/46621/lifeway-moves-swiftly-toward-new-headquarters Thom S. Rainer also celebrated his 10th anniversary as LifeWay president and CEO in 2016. A special chapel service was held in February to recognize Rainer for his service. http://www.bpnews.net/46277/lifeway-celebrates-thom-rainers-10th-anniversary Also during 2016: B&H Publishing Group continued to earn critical acclaim and popular success. Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae's autobiography "Unashamed" became a New York Times Bestseller. Perennial best-selling author Priscilla Shirer published her first fiction book, "The Prince Warriors," a young adult fantasy trilogy addressing spiritual warfare. In response to pastors seeking advice, Rainer wrote "Who Moved My Pulpit? Leading Change in the Church." http://bpnews.net/46696/priscilla-shirers-new-journey-tackles-spiritual-warfare http://www.bpnews.net/46892/rainer-shares-roadmap-to-helping-pastors-lead-change New training resources were added to aid churches. LifeWay launched "Disciples Path: The Journey," a new long-term study designed to help "make disciples who make disciples." The one-year small group study focuses on helping both new and existing believers understand and apply core Christian doctrines to become more mature disciples. http://www.bpnews.net/47662/lifeway-adds-new-discipleship-resource To help students better understand how to minister in urban environments, LifeWay Students announced Infusion, a six-day event that helps participants approach issues likes poverty, racism, lack of education and health care with a gospel motivation. http://bpnews.net/47246/lifeway-adds-student-events-in-urban-ministry Popularity of "The Insanity of God," a feature documentary produced by the International Mission Board and Cooke Pictures and distributed by LifeWay Films, spurred an encore showing in theaters and pushed box office receipts to $1.1 million. Based on the B&H bestselling book by the same name, the film highlights the persecuted church and how faith in God makes a difference in difficult places. http://bpnews.net/47558/insanity-of-god-ticket-sales-top-1-million http://bpnews.net/47659/behind-the-scenes-of-the-insanity-of-god http://bpnews.net/47867/2nd-insanity-simulcast-nov-13-dvd-release-nov-21 When floods ravaged Louisiana in late August, LifeWay worked to help pastors and churches recover. Pastors and churches impacted received help in restoring Bible study materials and pastoral libraries lost in the floodwaters. World Changers teams also helped in the cleanup and local LifeWay Stores sent volunteers and served as collection spots for donations. http://www.bpnews.net/47490/lifeway-providing-assistance-to-floodravaged-louisiana In his August report to the trustees, Rainer said, "LifeWay's future is as bright as ever." He highlighted the hiring of Connia Nelson as the new senior human resources director. She was previously the senior vice president of HR at Verizon. Trustees also heard about a redesign of LifeWay Stores to help costumers find resources more easily and a nearly $2 million redesign of the kids' areas planned next year for stores nationwide. http://bpnews.net/47485/trustees-lifeway-budget-approved-new-facility-reports-shared In October, LifeWay leadership held their first Pipeline conference. Designed to encourage and challenge, the conference featured 10 respected church leaders and drew more than 1,000 in attendance and 3,000 who participated online. http://www.bpnews.net/47746/raising-up-church-leaders-focus-of-pipeline-conf With the sale of LifeWay's downtown property, the larger-than-life Billy Graham statue that had called Nashville home for 10 years found a new home at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in the North Carolina mountains. The new location near the main entrance of Ridgecrest is only a few miles from Graham's mountaintop home. http://www.bpnews.net/48045/billy-graham-statue-finds-new-home-at-ridgecrest LifeWay Research In 2016, Scott McConnell was named as executive director of LifeWay Research. McConnell had been part of the research firm since its formation 10 years ago. http://bpnews.net/47125/scott-mcconnell-to-lead-lifeway-research This year, LifeWay Research surveyed thousands of pastors, Christians and Americans to discover their thoughts on subjects ranging from the election to the end of the world. Among the studies released by LifeWay Research this year: -- Lack of support reason pastors leave pastorate No sabbatical. No help with counseling. No clear picture of what's expected. In the study, hundreds of former pastors said these were the crucial elements missing from the final churches they led before quitting the pastorate. http://www.bpnews.net/46126/study-lack-of-support-reason-pastors-leave-pastorate -- Unchurched will talk about faith Americans who don't go to church are happy to talk about religion and often think about the meaning of life, the study showed. They're also open to taking part in community service events hosted at a church or going to a church concert. http://bpnews.net/47138/study-unchurched-will-talk-about-faith -- Americans love God & Bible, fuzzy on details Americans apparently don't know much about theology, the study showed. Most say God wrote the Bible. But they're not sure everything in it is true. http://www.bpnews.net/47628/study-americans-love-god-and-bible-fuzzy-on-details -------------------------------------------------------------------- NAMB 2016 highlights include launch of Send Relief by NAMB Staff Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Many churches and individuals lived their lives on mission in 2016, and the North American Mission Board has released a list of the year's highlights, spotlighting those who gave, served, loved their neighbors and shared the hope of Christ. Send Relief launches in Ferguson, Mo., builds momentum As a primary partner in the launch of the NAMB's Send Relief initiative, a metro St. Louis church reintroduced itself on a Saturday in June to a couple thousand of its neighbors -- a day that coincided with Crossover evangelism efforts in St. Louis. From that first event, which included the debut of mobile medical and dental clinics, Send Relief has continued to expand opportunities for churches to enhance their mercy ministries and reach people within the shadow of their steeples. http://bpnews.net/47016/ferguson-church-partners-with-send-relief-debut http://www.bpnews.net/47017/crossover-st-louis-hundreds-come-to-faith-in-christ http://bpnews.net/46678/namb-readies-mobile-clinics-for-send-relief-ministry http://bpnews.net/46235/backpacks-and-bibles-reach-into-appalachia-miss-delta Annie Armstrong Offering second highest ever The nearly $59 million given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions in 2016 ranks second highest in the offering's history. Southern Baptists gave $58,860,553 in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 to the offering named for missionary, and visionary missions advocate, Annie Armstrong. The offering amount was second only to the $59,463,281 given in 2007. http://bpnews.net/47710/2016-annie-armstrong-giving-2nd-highest-ever 'It's working,' Ezell says of strategy and direction, to SBC Addressing Southern Baptist messengers during their annual meeting in St. Louis, NAMB President Kevin Ezell asked "Is it working?" Ezell's question referred to the overall strategy and direction of the mission board. "NAMB's primary reason for existence is to help Southern Baptists reach North America for Christ," Ezell said June 15. "That is the mission that runs through everything that we do." Ezell thanked messengers for faithfully giving through the Cooperative Program and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. He answered his question with a resounding, "Yes." http://bpnews.net/47070/its-working-ezell-says-of-strategy-and-direction http://www.bpnews.net/47030/every-church-can-urged-at-send-luncheon Church plant "Class of 2015" already impacting communities Throughout North America, hundreds of new churches planted in 2015 are taking root and are already making a difference in their communities. "We celebrate the birth of each one of these new churches and the pastors who are planting them," Ezell said. "Church planting is challenging work, and we are sending planters to start churches in difficult places." http://bpnews.net/46846/class-of-2015-church-plants-impacting-communities NAMB launches evangelism blog NAMB launched a blog to bring attention to "evergreen" principles that are working in some of the most evangelistic Southern Baptist churches in North America. Church leaders can find content on a variety of topics including developing an evangelistic culture, encouraging your people to bring guests, engaging your community through service and strategic thinking. http://bpnews.net/47141/blog-spotlights-evergreen-evangelism-principles NAMB planter assessment increases likelihood of success Scott Kearney, who participated in a NAMB church planting assessment in Boston in October 2016, said the assessment helped him and his wife, and noted that church planters' wives often miss out on training and input as they prepare for a new stage of ministry. http://bpnews.net/46759/potential-church-planters-get-enhanced-screening NAMB hosts replant conference More than 175 Southern Baptists interested in the work of replanting struggling churches convened for the first-ever National Replanting Gathering prior to the 2016 SBC annual meeting. Sponsored by NAMB, the gathering connected those engaged in the replanting process with one another, as well as to encourage and train them. http://bpnews.net/47121/insights-for-struggling-churches-relayed-at-sbc Engage 24 champions evangelism NAMB hosted three Engage 24 workshops in 2016, with the theme, "Evangelism Leadership for the Pastor." Featured speakers like Steve Gaines, Ronnie Floyd, Ted Traylor, Tim Dowdy, Hal Seed and James Merritt. Merritt, senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Ga., professed during the final session, "The Gospel is exactly the power we need. It's what we believe in. We must be pastors who will share it." http://bpnews.net/47690/engage-24-workshop-champions-evangelism SBDR aids survivors of 2016 disasters Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers answered the call to aid thousands in crisis as natural disasters from severe flooding in West Virginia and Louisiana, devastating destruction from Hurricane Matthew, lead-filled water in Flint, Mich., and burning Canadian and Tennessee wildfires filled 2016 with a great need for help. And Southern Baptists continue to be recognized for the selfless service. http://bpnews.net/47694/dr-volunteers-serving-matthew-survivors-in-5-states http://bpnews.net/47403/sbdr-deploying-4-kitchens-to-south-louisiana http://bpnews.net/46864/canadas-beast-wildfire-launches-dr-crews http://bpnews.net/46366/in-flint-ky-volunteers-delivering-water-hope http://bpnews.net/47128/wva-flooding-prompts-southern-baptist-response -------------------------------------------------------------------- CHRISTMAS: Mary -- a picture of commitment by Rudy Gray Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP) -- Can Christians make an impact for Christ and His Gospel during the Christmas season? We can, if we have what Mary had: commitment to God. Mary has been too highly exalted by the Catholic Church and often devalued too much by the evangelical church. Yet she was chosen by God, empowered by God, blessed by God and obedient to God. She was a virgin, and likely a teenager. Her task was overwhelming, frightening and awesome: carry and give birth to God's Son, the Messiah of the world. Mary is not the mediator between God and people. Scripture tells us, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). She gave birth to the mediator. She did the supernatural, although she was an ordinary girl. The angel Gabriel came to her in Nazareth, a place of little importance by the world's standards and held in even less positive regard by Jews in the area. Remember Nathanael's response to discovering that Jesus was from Nazareth: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Mary's greatness in world history is not because of who she was or where she was from, but because of the marvelous grace of God. Mary never questioned God as far as we know, but she did ask questions. There is a big difference in the two: The former indicates skepticism or doubt; the latter implies the desire to know. After Gabriel revealed to Mary that her relative was pregnant with John the Baptist (even though John's mother was old and referred to as barren), the angel then delivered some of the greatest words of encouragement and hope to any person desiring to follow Christ in this world: "For nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). Mary's response is exemplary: "Behold the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word" (v.38). Mary was committing her life to two things that should characterize every follower of Jesus: One, I will be what you want me to be (bondslave of the Lord) and two, I will do what you want me to do (be it done to me according to your word). She surrendered her life to God and as a result found an overwhelming greater life. There are so many good things about the Christmas season. It is a time for family, friends, travel, food, gifts and more. But, most importantly, it is the season in which disciples of Jesus Christ can meditate on the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) and commit ourselves with gratitude to be who God wants us to be and do what He calls us to do. We can make an impact for Christ and His Gospel this Christmas season if we follow Mary's example. Her accomplishment was gloriously historic -- but it wasn't her power, but God's, that brought about the supernatural result. What she did will not be repeated. It does not need to be -- Jesus has come. But commitment like Mary exhibited can and should be real in our lives today. This season, may we yield ourselves not to the babe in Bethlehem's manger, but to the resurrected and living King of Kings and Lord of Lords. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: El regalo imposible by Por Luis R. Lopez Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday 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 http://www.bpnews.net/espanol. SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. (BP) -- La Navidad es una época especial para regalos. Algunos aprovechan esta oportunidad para disfrutar de la creatividad e ingeniosidad humana al preparar regalos difíciles de abrir, tan envueltos que los hacen casi imposible disfrutar. Queriendo hacer una broma, algunos envuelven regalos en múltiples cajas de diferentes tamaños. Los cubren con cinta pegante ultra potente y "pega loca" para dificultar su apertura. Otros los amarran con hilo o tiras elásticas resistentes. He visto algunos envueltos y sellados con bolsas plásticas negras super-resistentes. Hay muchas historias jocosas al respecto. Es probable que usted mismo haya recibido o envuelto uno de estos regalos en algún momento. Pero el mayor regalo que el mundo ha recibido lo recibimos una Navidad. Esa navidad, Dios se hizo hombre para habitar entre nosotros. Lo recibimos en un niño envuelto en pañales y acostado en un pesebre, fácil de abrazar y accesible a toda la humanidad. Este don inefable vino para hacer posible lo que era imposible para el hombre: alcanzar su salvación y una vida a plenitud. Llegó para habitar entre nosotros, enseñarnos a vivir y perdonar nuestros pecados. Fue herido por nuestras transgresiones y molido por nuestras iniquidades. El castigo de nuestro pecado cayó sobre El. Por sus heridas fuimos sanados y con su resurrección venció al enemigo imposible, la muerte. Y es que el Dios de la Navidad se especializa en lo imposible. Algunos historiadores bíblicos creen que había hasta un millón de visitantes en las calles de la pequeña ciudad llamada "Belén" esa primera Navidad. ¿Puede imaginarse a un millón de visitantes invadir su ciudad hoy? ¿Cómo sería el tráfico? ¿Qué tal las colas en los centros comerciales? Piense por un momento en lo abarrotado que podrían estar los hoteles. Para Belén esa noche fue muy significativa. Mire a los burros y camellos siendo llevados por sus calles, vendedores gritando y recaudadores de impuestos haciendo su trabajo. Gente, mucha gente, algunos comprando y otros pidiendo, circulando en las esquinas y plazas de Judea. Unos empujando a otros y haciéndose camino a través de las veredas polvorientas de la ciudad. Sienta el olor de estiércol de los animales, el sudor de personas cansadas y agobiadas surcar sus caminos. Escuche las quejas de niños fatigados por el alboroto de la temporada. Este pueblo estaba tenso y sus bolsillos vacíos. La mayoría estaba harta de un gobierno codicioso y ávido. Sus habitantes, como río perdido, no sabían dónde estaban ni cómo llegar a donde necesitaban ir. Caos y confusión eran el orden del día. Este era un pueblo en tinieblas habitando en sombra de muerte. Fue en ese preciso momento de desconcierto y obscuridad que Dios entró en este mundo. Lo que era imposible para el hombre, Dios lo hizo posible esa Navidad. Jesús dijo "Yo, la luz, he venido al mundo, para que todo el que cree en mí no permanezca en tinieblas." Juan 12:46. El milagro de la Navidad es que el Príncipe de Paz vino para estar con nosotros en medio de un mundo en tinieblas lleno aflicción. Dios sabía que éramos gente necesitada de luz, en obscuridad, frágiles y egoístas. Su luz vino a guiarnos y resplandecer sobre nosotros. En medio de la humanidad en tinieblas y de voces sin fin nació el Salvador. Nació para ser el Dios del caos y de lo imposible. Llegó para ser la luz no sólo de una temporada pero de todos nuestros días. Descendió para levantar nuestra cabeza cuando nos sentimos vencidos y atribulados. En nuestra oscura desesperación podemos correr a El y encontrar refugio eterno. El es nuestra visión en la ceguera, la libertad en nuestra esclavitud y en la debilidad nos otorga fortaleza. Este Salvador llegó para cambiar tu lamento y sanar todas tus heridas. Para el nada es imposible. Las estaciones pueden cambiar pero El no cambia. El es la luz del mundo. ¿Estás enfrentando algún imposible? ¿Pareciera que la esperanza se ha perdido? ¿Te encuentras estancado en medio de una situación sin salida? El Dios de la Navidad quiere resplandecer sobre ti hoy. No te dejes envolver por los regalos temporales de la época. La gloria de la Navidad es el milagro posible de Su transformadora presencia. Este es Dios con nosotros, Emmanuel … un bebé acostado en un pesebre, un regalo listo para abrazar. ¡Feliz Navidad! -------------------------------------------------------------------- ERLC promotes 6 pro-life priorities for Trump, Congress by Tom Strode Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's ethics entity has called on President Trump and Congress to act quickly in the new year to protect unborn children. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission recommended six pro-life priorities to the new administration and legislators in a Dec. 20 post at the entity's website. The items offered by Russell Moore, the ERLC's president, and Travis Wussow, the recently named vice president for public policy, included: Making the Hyde Amendment ban on federal funding of abortion permanent; nominating a pro-life replacement on the Supreme Court for the late Associate Justice Antonin Scalia; rescinding the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate; and prohibiting federal money for Planned Parenthood. "The pro-life community will be looking for 2017 to be a year in which protecting unborn human life is a top priority," Moore said in written comments for Baptist Press. "Real gains are achievable, ones that will save lives and serve vulnerable women in the crosshairs of a predatory abortion industry. "My prayer is that both Congress and the Trump administration will actively pursue these pro-life priorities for the good of women and unborn children in communities around the country." Moore and Wussow urged Trump to reverse the abortion/contraception mandate on his first day as president. The rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement the 2010 health-care law does not require congressional action for its repeal. The regulation requires employers to provide their workers with coverage for contraceptives with mechanisms that can potentially induce abortions and contains what critics describe as inadequate freedom of conscience protections for those who object. "[B]ecause the HHS Mandate was created by an administrative rule and not statute, the process to reverse it can begin immediately after President Trump takes office," they wrote. "We urge President Trump to do so on his first day in the White House." Here are the other pro-life recommendations with comments from Moore and Wussow: Making permanent the Hyde Amendment The amendment, first enacted 40 years ago, bars funds for abortion in various federal programs and is estimated to have saved more than two million lives. It has to be approved each year, however. The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act would ban all federal money for abortion permanently. "The Hyde Amendment is a recognition that millions of Americans strongly object to allowing their taxes to be spent on what they believe to be the taking of a life," Moore and Wussow said. "It is time, once and for all, for the consciences of millions of Americans to be protected by the force of permanent statute: federal funds should not be used for abortions." Selecting a pro-life successor to Scalia The new president "must do more than simply appoint another pro-life vote to the Court; his task is to maintain the intellectual balance of power on the issue," they wrote. "Justice Scalia's influence on the American judicial system will be felt for decades. We should hope that his replacement would accomplish the same during his or her tenure on the Court." Eliminating all funds for Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates, which constitute the country's No. 1 abortion provider, received $553.7 million in government grants and reimbursements and performed nearly 324,000 abortions, according to the most recent annual reports. Congress approved a year ago a measure that would have cut about 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's federal funds, but President Obama vetoed it in January. A special panel in the House of Representatives has been investigating the organization's trade in aborted baby body parts this year and announced 15 criminal and regulatory referrals Wednesday (Dec. 21). Two involved Planned Parenthood clinics. Moore and Wussow said the ERLC will continue to support the investigative panel's work and the defunding effort. Enacting the Pain-capable Unborn Child Protection Act The Pain-capable Unborn Child Protection Act would prohibit abortions on babies 20 weeks or more after fertilization based on scientific evidence that a child in the womb experiences pain by that point in gestation. Approving the Born-alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act The proposal would require a health-care professional to provide the same standard of care for a child born alive after a failed abortion as a baby born prematurely. Moore and Wussow encouraged Christians to seek to influence lawmakers to support such policies but said it is not the only way they can exhibit their pro-life commitments. "Whether through support of adoption, participation in the foster care system, or providing counseling to expectant and new mothers through pregnancy resource centers, pro-life advocates need to not only communicate the truth of the God-given dignity of humanity, but live it out in our local communities," they wrote. The ERLC will partner in January with Focus on the Family to co-host again Evangelicals for Life. This second conference on advocating for the dignity of all human life will be held Jan. 26-28 in Washington, D.C. Wussow, who has been serving as the ERLC's director of international justice and religious liberty, will begin his service in January as vice president for public policy, as well as general counsel, in the entity's Washington office. The post is available at http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/6-pro-life-priorities-for-the-president-and-congress-in-2017 -------------------------------------------------------------------- N.C. refusal to repeal restroom law draws support by Tom Strode Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Southern Baptist leaders welcomed the North Carolina legislature's refusal to repeal its hotly debated restroom privacy law. The state Senate defeated in a 32-16 vote Wednesday night (Dec. 21) a proposal to rescind the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, the controversial bill known as H.B. 2 that requires individuals in government buildings to use the restrooms of the sex on their birth certificates rather than of their gender identity. The House of Representatives took no action during a day-long special session. The special session came in response to the Charlotte City Council's Dec. 19 vote to overturn its ordinance that prompted the enactment of H.B. 2, which invalidated the action by the legislative body of the state's largest city. The council vote -- and a second vote for the ordinance's full repeal Wednesday -- occurred with the expectation that the General Assembly would repeal H.B. 2. The legislature failed to find agreement on a repeal measure, however, leaving the Republican majority in the legislature trading charges with Governor-elect Roy Cooper, Democratic legislators and the Democrat-controlled Charlotte council. Southern Baptist leaders expressed their belief the General Assembly acted properly to protect citizens. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), said he was glad to see "a common-sense approach that protects individuals as well as conscience" kept in place. "The government should not obstruct the rights of those who dissent from the demands of the sexual revolution," Moore said in written remarks for Baptist Press. "At the same time, as Christians the church must redouble our efforts to teach and model God's good creation design of male and female and offer Gospel hope to those in our communities who struggle." Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the North Carolina Values Coalition, said in a written statement, "We are thankful for the members of the General Assembly who stood up for what is right, and represented the will of voters by stopping the move to cower and cave-in to the City of Charlotte and the Human Rights Campaign." The Human Rights Campaign, which backed the Charlotte ordinance and the repeal of H.B. 2, is the country's largest political organization advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. Fitzgerald, an ERLC trustee, noted, "We continue to encourage our leaders to never sacrifice the privacy, safety, or freedom of young girls by forcing them to use the bathroom, shower, or change clothes with grown men just to satisfy the demands of greedy businesses, immoral sports organizations, or angry mobs." "Nor should they sacrifice the freedom of everyone to live and work according to their beliefs," she said. Mark Harris, senior pastor of Charlotte's First Baptist Church, held a news conference with other pastors on the eve of the special session. "We urged the legislature to stay strong," he told BP in a phone interview. "They did not have to do this." He believes Cooper, who defeated incumbent Republican Pat McCrory in November, and the Charlotte City Council were "operating at the behest of the Human Rights Campaign," Harris said. The "real tipping point that blew the whole thing up," he said, came when LGBT rights leaders who were backing the reversal of H.B. 2 said publicly they had been assured repeal would mean Charlotte and other cities would have an "open door" to provide "even broader protections" for the LGBT community. "It was obvious that once this was repealed that they planned to have every city in North Carolina to be able to pass these ordinances much like what Charlotte had," Harris told BP. At Tuesday's news conference, Harris and the other pastors urged the General Assembly -- regardless of the decisions made the next day -- to maintain as "a supreme priority the protections and privacy of all citizens, particularly women and children." They also urged future sexual orientation and gender identity proposals be decided in statewide public referenda, Harris said. Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts, a Democrat, and the City Council had twice before during 2016 refused to rescind their ordinance in trade for an offer for the legislature to repeal H.B. 2 before they suddenly reversed course Dec. 19, according to The Charlotte Observer. Cooper announced the same day he had assurances from GOP leaders in the General Assembly they would have a special session to overturn H.B. 2. In the Dec. 21 special session, Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger offered a bill to repeal H.B. 2 that included a temporary moratorium on local ordinances like the one passed by the Charlotte council, The Observer reported. Democrats refused to back it with the moratorium. The controversy over H.B. 2 prompted boycotts of North Carolina by such high-profile artists as Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, as well as decisions by corporations not to expand their operations in the state. In addition, the National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference canceled events scheduled in North Carolina. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on transgender rights in schools next year. The justices announced in late October they will review a lower court opinion regarding the right of a student to use the public school restroom that matches her gender identity rather than her biological sex. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., ruled in April a school board in the state violated federal law by refusing to permit a transgender student to use the restroom of her choosing, finding the ban on sex discrimination in the Title IX education amendments encompasses gender identity. In May, the Obama administration issued a sweeping directive on transgender rights that told public school districts, as well as colleges and universities, to allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity. The guidance was not legally binding, but it implied noncompliance could result in the loss of federal aid. Messengers to the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution regarding transgender identity that "affirm[ed] God's good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one's self-perception." The resolution "regard[ed] our transgender neighbors as image-bearers of Almighty God and therefore condemn[ed] acts of abuse or bullying committed against them." The resolution also said, "We invite all transgender persons to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the Gospel." -------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 ways IMB has seen faithfulness, vision in 2016 by IMB staff Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- During 2016, Southern Baptists, in partnership with thousands of International Mission Board personnel around the world, have shared reports of how they've seen the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread through faithfulness to the task of completing the Great Commission. The IMB reflected on the past year: Record Lottie Moon Christmas Offering In a year when IMB leaders expressed a compelling drive to fulfill the Great Commission, Southern Baptists responded with support through the 2015 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Finalized in early June, the 2015 Lottie Moon offering totaled $165.8 million -- the highest total in the 127-year history of the offering. In consideration of the offering's namesake, Lori McDaniel penned a blog post regarding the legacy of Lottie Moon's contagious, tenacious heart for God's mission. http://www.bpnews.net/46994/lottie-moon-offering-reaches-1658-million http://www.bpnews.net/47993/lottie-moon--the-rebel-i-want-to-be Appointment of new missionaries Southern Baptists appointed 132 new missionaries in partnership with IMB in 2016. "Why are we celebrating sending missionaries tonight? Because we're united by the Gospel, enthralled in God's worship, and we're focused on mission," IMB President David Platt said during the Aug. 25 appointment of 27 new missionaries. Southern Baptists also appointed 26 new missionaries in February; 29 new missionaries in May; and 50 new missionaries in November. In addition to appointing new missionaries, IMB trustees named Edgar Aponte as vice president of mobilization, a role which leads teams and networks to mobilize churches in sending missionary teams. http://bpnews.net/47886/50-new-missionaries-appointed-by-imb http://bpnews.net/47455/promises-fulfilled-imb-churches-and-27-missionaries http://bpnews.net/46844/platt-to-new-missionaries-trust-gospel-to-prevail http://bpnews.net/46379/platt-to-missionaries-god-is-worthy-of-surrender-sacrifice http://bpnews.net/47443/trustees-imb-announces-new-mobilization-vp Reflections on a mission journey Nik Ripken, author of "The Insanity of God," –- a story that was captured in a movie released this year with the same title -- shared five things he would tell his 21-year-old self if he started his missions journey over. For one, Ripken suggested: "Laugh more, love with reckless abandon, embrace your mistakes, and make everyday a new adventure with our Creator." IMB also celebrated the faithful 41 years of service of Clyde and Elaine Meador, who are known among missionary teams for steady, unflappable leadership. Meador has worked closely with three IMB presidents as a top advisor and vice president, and even as the mission organization's interim president from August 2010 to March 2011. https://www.imb.org/2016/11/11/5-things-id-tell-myself/ http://bpnews.net/46847/trustees-imb-honors-past-looks-to-future http://www.bpnews.net/47098/insanity-of-god-shows-faith-amid-despair http://www.bpnews.net/46828/imbs-clyde-meador-to-retire-after-41-years Fostering a mission mindset "Our prayers remain the greatest way we can support those we are sending out, invoking the very power of God to intervene in ways that are beyond our human limitations to save the lost," Platt wrote in a list of 16 ways to pray for missionaries continually. Parents can create a reading list for raising globally minded kids, following a pattern of "read and pray" with their children. https://www.imb.org/2016/11/08/16-ways-to-pray-for-missionaries/ https://www.imb.org/2016/09/05/reading-list-missional-parents-raising-globally-minded-kids/ Perspective of the U.S. presidential election "No election can unsettle the good plan of our God," Platt wrote in a Nov. 10 blog post in the wake of this year's presidential election. "So, let's spread the glorious news of Christ and his unshakeable kingdom with zeal, passion, steadfast urgency, and Spirit-filled unction, particularly among unreached men and women throughout the world who have never even heard his name. Let's do so as if the election didn't change anything, because, well, by God's grace, it didn't." https://www.imb.org/2016/11/10/quick-note-david-platt-wake-election/ -------------------------------------------------------------------- Transgender child on Nat. Geographic cover by Diana Chandler Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- A 9-year-old boy who considers himself female is featured on the cover of the January 2017 National Geographic. The entire issue is dedicated to subjective gender identity primarily through the eyes of children while excluding biblical authority. But the idea of transgenderism or gender fluidity is itself a fallacy void not only of Scripture but also of science, Christian commentators told Baptist Press. Glenn Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family, and apologist Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis (AiG), said the idea of gender fluidity is based in part on a person's flawed mental state. One Million Moms (1MM), an advocacy group aimed at protecting children from exploitation, has started a petition against the National Geographic issue. National Geographic's special "Gender Revolution" issue pictures the transgender child on the cover of the subscription copy available online since Dec. 19. The newsstand copy, available Dec. 27, has the same inside content as the subscription edition, but features a group of seven youth on its cover who identify with such descriptors as "intersex nonbinary," "transgender female, "androgynous" and "bi-gender." "It's just simply absolutely false and pure ideology that gender is fluid," Stanton said. "Across human culture and history there are males and females. ... There is no science whatsoever that has determined a 3rd or 4th or 5th gender." Nearly all pre-adolescent kids who are "gender dysphoric" or confused about their gender revert back to their biological sex by puberty, Stanton said, citing the statistic of 75 percent to 98 percent, based on studies. Clinicians recommend that parents do not facilitate the transition of pre-adolescent children to the other gender, said Stanton, who has written and spoken extensively on gender identity. Ham said he's not surprised National Geographic does not explore God's Word in the magazine. "They're really not out to discuss all the different views and to put in what the biblical view is," Ham told BP, "because they really want to impose a particular view on the culture, and the particular view they want to impose is you can be anything you want, and ... nobody can tell you that it's definitely male and female.... What they're really saying is we're going to tell you you can be anything you want to be." 1MM condemns National Geographic's use of children in promoting a belief in gender fluidity. "Advocates for sexual confusion have quickly moved from using adults to promote their agenda to exploiting children as the face of their cause," 1MM said in a Dec. 21 press release. "Susan Goldberg, the National Geographic editor, should be ashamed of herself for using a young child in such an abusive manner. The overwhelming majority of doctors and psychiatrists label what this child is going through as 'gender dysphoria' and National Geographic is praising it as 'beautiful.'" National Geographic has received numerous comments about the issue, Goldberg said on the magazine's website. "Since we shared photos of the cover of our special issue on gender on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, tens of thousands of people have weighed in with opinions, from expressions of pride and gratitude to utter fury," Goldberg said. "More than a few have vowed to cancel their subscriptions." Goldberg describes the biological boy on the cover as having "lived as an openly transgender girl since age 5" and having "captured the complexity of the conversation around gender. ... Today, we're not only talking about gender roles for boys and girls -- we're talking about our evolving understanding of people on the gender spectrum." The magazine promotes its special issue as looking at the "cultural, social, biological and personal aspects of gender," and includes interviews with children in 80 homes on four continents, according to a Dec. 15 press release. Ham said the growing acceptance of gender fluidity is a symptom of a culture that has taken the Bible out of public schools and promoted the theory of evolution, and also the result of the church being lax in teaching the truth of creation. "The devil knows if you can get the education system," you can lead astray generations of children who are by nature susceptible and impressionable. "I believe what we're seeing is as a whole, the culture has abandoned God's Word. God is turning this culture over to judgment and unfortunately there are tremendous consequences," Ham said. "Romans 1 makes it very, very clear that a sign God is turning a culture over to judgment is this increasing rejection of your fundamental sexual nature and not even just a rejection of it, but basically a celebration of [that rejection] because Romans 1 says they approve of these things." 1MM's online petition is at http://www.onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/national-geographic-attacks-most-vulnerable/. National Geographic television will air a two-hour documentary Feb. 6, 2017, at 8 p.m. Central Time, titled "Gender Revolution: A Journey With Katie Couric," the magazine said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- GuideStone reflects on year, gives thanks by Roy Hayhurst Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday DALLAS (BP) -- O.S. Hawkins declared 2016 as the "Year of Influence," for GuideStone Financial Resources. He noted 2 Corinthians 10:13, which says, "But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you." Each year, the entity's president chooses a passage and theme to guide the ministry's work. GuideStone seeks to use its influence, Hawkins said, as an advocate for pastors and other ministry workers and investors it serves. Noting that people and organizations of influence possess vision, integrity and purpose, the GuideStone team sought to live those three characteristics throughout the year. Church retirement plan clarification law GuideStone began making available updates to church plans thanks to church retirement plan clarification language passed in 2015. Provisions of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act -- the PATH Act -- were meant to help clarify the purpose of church retirement plans, like those offered by GuideStone. It allowed church plans to include automatic enrollment features in their retirement programs regardless of state wage withholding laws, as well as allow for certain kinds of transfers and mergers between accounts of the same employers. Additionally, provisions addressing counting employees for benefit purposes among certain church-related employers help distinguish between different kinds of church and denominational governance structures. The legislation -- long sought by a broad coalition of large and historic denominational retirement plan providers -- took three Congresses to consider before being tacked onto the PATH Act in December 2015. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on December 18. "This bill was a long-awaited and hard-fought bill to pass," said O.S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources. "We appreciate all who made this bill a reality." Additionally, GuideStone has been at the forefront of litigation concerning the rights of religiously affiliated groups to use church health plans, filing amicus briefs as part of an established alliance of large and historic denominational pension plans. Earlier this month, litigation in which GuideStone has supported the plaintiffs' position made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Though the cases will not impact GuideStone or its participants, the cases are important as GuideStone seeks to limit government interference in religious matters. http://www.bpnews.net/46254/church-retirement-plans-aided-by-2015-legislation http://bpnews.net/48020/hospitals-religious-liberty-and-the-supreme-court Training and education for church, ministry leaders In March, GuideStone played host to the Southern Baptist Business Officers Conference (SBBOC), where more than 100 business officers from Southern Baptist churches, organizations, conventions, foundations and educational institutions came to learn the latest in tax, human resources, retirement plan and insurance rules, regulations and legislation from GuideStone and industry experts. The SBBOC meeting will be combined with another GuideStone meeting, the Benefits Forum, and will take on a new form in 2017. The Employee Benefits Summit presented by GuideStone, March 27–29, 2017, will provide an expanded menu of networking and training opportunities. More information can be found by visiting EmployeeBenefitsSummit.com. Contraceptive mandate before U.S. Supreme Court On March 23, lawyers for GuideStone and other plaintiffs argued its litigation against the contraceptive mandate issued under the Affordable Care Act before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court issued a unanimous opinion May 16 ordering the government to work out a solution in the contraceptive mandate cases that would protect the religious beliefs of objecting religious organizations. This decision included GuideStone and the ministries it serves. The Court vacated the lower court decision that had gone against the religious organizations and ruled that the government cannot fine the ministries as the cases proceed. No new proposed regulations have been issued out of the ruling. The mandate would have required certain ministries served by GuideStone to provide abortion-causing drugs or devices as part of their health plan or face crippling penalties. Churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches are exempt from the mandate and its penalties. http://bpnews.net/46869/abortion-mandate-cases-returned-to-lower-courts Expectancy for 2017 The new year will have new changes -- a new president inaugurated January 20 will mean changes in the regulatory environment in Washington. Regardless of health care reform legislation, the high cost of health care will continue to be a struggle for insurers and providers alike. "Whatever changes come down in 2017, we will continue foremost to keep our focus on the Lord and honoring Him as Asaph said of King David, 'with the integrity of our heart and the skillfulness of our hands," Hawkins said. "Our commitment to serve our participants, whether they are the dear soldiers of the cross and their widows through Mission:Dignity, our retirement and insurance plan participants, our churches and ministries in property and casualty and our investors, is unwavering." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Bible Study: Dec. 25, 2016; Jan. 1, 2017 by Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday EDITOR'S NOTE: In today's Baptist Press, the Jan. 1, 2017 Bible study is posted below the Dec. 25, 2016 study. NASHVILLE (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week's Bible study is adapted from the Explore the Bible curriculum. Bible Passage: Luke 1:26-38 Discussion Questions: What is the significance of your name? What is the history behind your being given that name? Why was it important for Mary to be told that she would name her son Jesus? What does His name reveal about His life and purpose? Food for Thought: Social media has opened the door for creative birth announcements. Some couples post photos of kids holding signs announcing they are no longer the youngest or have been promoted to big brother or sister status. Some couples use pets to make their announcement. Several parenting websites feature articles about what to include in these types of announcements -- and what to avoid. One thing everyone seems to agree on is including the name of the child. Some suggest including tags or links to the person or persons for whom the child is named to help people understand the mom and dad's hopes and aspirations for the child. Gabriel told Mary that the child she would supernaturally conceive would be called Jesus (see Luke 1:31). Joseph would be told by the angel to name the child Jesus as well, but the angel went on to explain why: "because He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Jesus was the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning "salvation" or "God saves." This was an obvious wordplay, pointing to the purpose of the Son's taking on human flesh. In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we can easily lose sight of the purpose of the Child born in the manger. We like to think about the baby's birth and forget that He had a purpose ahead of Him that included death on a cross for your sin and my sin. The birth was just a start toward something greater. As we celebrate His birth, may we also celebrate His purpose. Explore the Bible Explore the Bible is an ongoing Bible study curriculum that helps groups dig into the key truths of each Bible book, while keeping the group on pace to study through the Bible books in a systematic way. More information can be found at LifeWay.com/ExploreTheBible. Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool. Jan. 1, 2017 NASHVILLE (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week's Bible study is adapted from The Gospel Project curriculum. Bible Passage: Daniel 6 Discussion Question: How does our dependence on God for salvation lead us to mission in God's world? Food for Thought: As King Darius, who was particularly fond of Daniel, came near to the den of lions, "he cried out in anguish … 'Daniel, servant of the living God … has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?' " (Daniel 6:20). Most likely, he did not expect to hear a thing other than the satisfied purring of lions following their supper. Suddenly, and no doubt to his joyful surprise, Daniel spoke (vv. 21-22)! This is the only time Daniel's words are recorded in the entire chapter. Next, we see how God used this entire story to show His greatness to the pagan world. Darius was clearly impacted by God's miraculous deliverance of Daniel. In words reminiscent of the Psalms, and in particular Psalm 2, this unbelieving ruler wrote of the living God "to those of every people, nation, and language who live in all the earth" (Daniel 6:25). The language of Daniel here anticipates the glorious missionary promise of Revelation chapters 5 and 7. Once again, God honored His faithful servant. Just as he blessed and honored Daniel under the Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, he did so again under the Medo-Persian king Darius (that is, Cyrus the Persian, v. 28). The truth of James 4:10 rings forth: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you." All throughout the Bible, the stories point us to a coming deliverer, a rescuer, in fulfillment of the first Gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. Sometimes we see how events like the Passover in Exodus 12 point us to Jesus. Other times we see how institutions like the temple and the sacrificial system point us to Christ. And still other times we see how people like Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Daniel point forward to the coming King. In the messianic Psalm 22, the Righteous Sufferer proclaims in verse 21, "Save me from the mouth of the lion!" God indeed saved the Messiah Jesus from "the mouth of the lion" when He raised Him from the dead on Easter morning. Praise God we can have courage as we follow a risen Savior! The Gospel Project The Gospel Project is a chronological, Christ-centered study for kids, students, and adults. The Bible is not a collection of stories. It is one story of God's plan to rescue His people from sin and death. It is the story of redemption, the gospel message of Jesus Christ. More information, free samples, and The Gospel Project blog can be found at gospelproject.com. Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Regla protege Planned Parenthood en los últimos días de Obama by Tom Strode Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Los partidarios provida esperan que tenga una corta existencia la más reciente ley de la administración Obama que beneficia a Planned Parenthood y a otros proveedores de abortos. Casi cinco semanas antes que el Presidente Obama deje el puesto, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS, por sus siglas en inglés) emitió un fallo final el 14 de diciembre que bloquearía efectivamente a los estados que prohibirían que fondos del Título X vayan a los proveedores de abortos. El gobierno federal provee fondos para la planificación familiar y servicios preventivos de salud a los estados a través del programa del Título X. La acción del HHS parece beneficiar más a Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). En años recientes, por lo menos 12 estados han cortado el dinero que va a Planned Parenthood, algunos debido a los diferentes escándalos descubiertos en relación con el proveedor principal de abortos en el país. Las cortes han bloqueado estas acciones en algunos casos, consecuentemente permitiendo que la organización continúe recibiendo fondos federales. El fallo del HHS, sin embargo, enfrenta el reto de sobrevivir una vez que el presidente electo, Donald Trump, sea investido el 20 de enero. Durante su campaña electoral, Trump prometió a los líderes antiaborto que le quitaría los fondos a Planned Parenthood. Los líderes provida son optimistas, y piensan que esa promesa significa que el nuevo fallo -- que entraría en vigor el 18 de enero -- no sobrevivirá la nueva administración. El líder de ética de los bautistas del sur, Russell Moore, está orando que así sea. "Estoy orando que este fallo sea revocado rápidamente, y que finalmente Planned Parenthood rinda cuentas a la izquierda y a la derecha, sin estar protegido por aliados políticos a costa de los tributos de los contribuyentes de impuestos," dijo Moore, presidente de la Comisión de Ética y Libertad Religosa (ERLC, por sus siglas en inglés), a través de unos comentarios escritos recibidos por Baptist Press. La Lista Susan B. Anthony cree que "este último regalo del presidente Obama a los que cabildean por el aborto tendrá una corta vida," dijo Mallory Quigley, directora de comunicaciones de dicha organización. Una líder congresista provida -- Representante Diane Black, R-Tenn. -- dijo que la administración de Obama "no tendrá la última palabra." "No debería sorprendernos que su administración lanzara este latigazo de última hora justo antes de salir por la puerta," pero estoy segura que este fallo no durará mucho," dijo en una declaración escrita. "Cuando llegue el próximo año, nuestras mayorías provida en el Congreso estarán listas para trabajar con [Trump y el Rep. Tom Price, un provida y nominado para ser secretario de HHS] no sólo para derogar su más reciente exceso, si no también para promulgar nuevas protecciones legales para los miembros más vulnerables de nuestra sociedad." Moore, de la ERLC, dijo a BP, "Planned Parenthood explota a las mujeres, a las familias, a las comunidades en una industria de la muerte impulsada por las ganancias. Que esta organización reciba cualquier apoyo de los contribuyentes de impuestos es un escándalo político y moral, y aquellos estados que actuaron para retirar los fondos deben ser felicitados, no escarnecidos." Los afiliados de Planned Parenthood hicieron 323,999 abortos durante el 2013-2014, el año más reciente del cual se tienen estadísticas. La PPFA y sus afiliados reciben $553.7 millones en bonos del gobierno y reembolsos, según informa su reporte financiero más reciente (2014-2015). Además de la acción que realizaría la administración de Trump, el Congreso también podría actuar para restringir los fondos federales para Planned Parenthood. A mediados de noviembre, Kevin McCarthy, el líder de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes y 21 presidentes de comités escribieron a los encargados de los departamentos de la rama ejecutiva para advertirles sobre los últimos días de las regulaciones de la administración de Obama. Los líderes republicanos advirtieron que iban a trabajar para revisar y posiblemente derogar tales fallos bajo la Ley de Revisión del Congreso si los encargados de la rama ejecutiva ignoraban la advertencia. El Congreso también podría retirar fondos a Planned Parenthood a través de una propuesta de ley conciliatoria, donde se permite que el Senado apruebe una medida relacionada con el presupuesto con una simple mayoría, en vez de los 60 votos requeridos para anular una obstrucción. Ambos, el Senado y la Cámara de Representantes, aprobaron una propuesta conciliatoria semejante hace casi un año, pero Obama vetó la propuesta de ley en enero. La Cámara de Representantes y el Senado "pudieran colocar a inicios del año nuevo, en el escritorio del Presidente Trump, una propuesta de ley para retirar los fondos a los negocios que hacen abortos," dijo Quigley a BP en unos comentarios escritos. "Simplemente, los estadounidenses no quieren que sus contribuciones de impuestos ganadas con tanto esfuerzo se vayan a los negocios centrados en los abortos e impulsados por obtener ganancias que reclaman la vida de más de [323,000] niños al año," dijo. "Es más, las mujeres necesitan más de lo que Planned Parenthood pueda proveer y recibirían mejores servicios en la comunidad y clínicas de salud rurales" que superan en número a las clínicas de Planned Parenthood. Cecile Richards, la presidenta de PPFA, aplaudió la medida del HHS, diciendo que Obama "ha cimentado su legado como un campeón de la salud de las mujeres." "No vamos a dar marcha atrás, y continuaremos peleando por el acceso de nuestros pacientes a un mejor cuidado médico," dijo en una declaración escrita. "Cada persona merece el derecho de controlar sus propios cuerpos, su propia salud, y su propio bienestar sin que los políticos lo obstruyan." El escándalo más reciente de Planned Parenthood involucra la publicación en línea el año pasado de unos videos grabados en secreto que muestran a los oficiales de Planned Parenthood discutiendo la supuesta venta de órganos provenientes de bebés abortados. El nuevo fallo del HHS no bloquea específicamente que los estados provean fondos del Título X a los proveedores de abortos. En su lugar, prohíbe que los estados se basen en la selección de una organización que recibe el Título X exclusivamente en su "habilidad de proveer servicios del Título X." Por ende, los estados no pueden bloquear que los fondos vayan a las organizaciones simplemente porque proveen abortos. Según la ley federal, los fondos del Título X no pueden ser usados para hacer abortos, pero los partidarios provida señalan que los subsidios que recibe Planned Parenthood y otros proveedores de abortos les ayuda a liberar otros fondos que sí se usan para hacer abortos. HHS propuso el fallo en septiembre y proveyó un periodo para comentarios. Casi el 91 por ciento de los más de 145,000 comentarios favorecían el fallo propuesto, según HHS. La vasta mayoría de comentarios en ambos lados estaban duplicados, reportó el departamento. -------------------------------------------------------------------- La guerra de la Navidad no deja 'a nadie … contento' by Por David Roach Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Un póster del personaje de Peanuts con un versículo bíblico, una cruz en el árbol de Navidad de un pueblo e inclusive la palabra "festivo" están entre los últimos campos de batalla en la sollamada guerra en contra de la Navidad. El presidente de la Convención Bautista del Sur, Steve Gaines le dijo a Baptist Press que el remolino de ataques de este año por las expresiones públicas de Navidad destaca la necesidad de salvaguardar la libertad religiosa. "Los cristianos no son las únicas personas en EE.UU.," dijo Gaines, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Bellevue del área de Memphis en Cordova, Tenn. "Pero nosotros debemos tener los mismos derechos que tienen todos los demás," incluyendo el derecho a "enfatizar a Cristo" en "la arena pública." La Navidad, señaló Gaines, "se trata de Jesucristo. Y no puedo ni siquiera imaginarme el repudio que mucha gente tendría si personas trataran de ir en contra de días sagrados islámicos como el Ramadán o días sagrados judíos." Versículo de Linus prohibido En el centro de Texas, un director de escuela secundaria le ordenó a una asistente de enfermería quitar el texto de Lucas 2:11 de un póster hecho a mano del personaje de la cobijita de Peanuts, Linus. El versículo es parte de un pasaje que Linus famosamente recita en "La Navidad de Carlitos." El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Killeen (Texas) votó apoyar la acción del director el 13 de diciembre, de acuerdo a la estación de televisión KWTX de Waco, Texas. Funcionarios del distrito dijeron en comentarios a principios de diciembre que "los empleados tienen libertad de celebrar la Navidad y los feriados de la manera que elijan. Sin embargo, a los empleados no les está permitido imponer sus creencias religiosas a los estudiantes." La organización legal conservadora Valores de Texas presentaron una demanda el 15 de diciembre a favor de la asistente de enfermería Dedra Shannon de la Escuela Media Charles Patterson. Ese mismo día, un juez estatal distrital del condado Bell decretó un requerimiento temporal que le garantizaba a Shannon permiso para exponer el póster siempre y cuando incluyera las palabras "Mensaje de Navidad de la señora Shannon" en letras tan grandes como las del versículo bíblico. Jonathan Sáenz, presidente de Valores de Texas y asesor legal de Shannon, dijo en una declaración: "Nada dice 'Feliz Navidad' como la victoria en la corte de la libertad religiosa en diciembre. La señora Shannon es una valiente y fiel mujer que tenemos el honor de representar." El fiscal general de Texas, Ken Paxton intervino en el caso del 15 de diciembre presentando una moción que solicitaba el requerimiento temporal. También envió una carta al distrito escolar el 13 de diciembre que argumentaba que el miedo de que el póster violara la cláusula establecida en la Primera Enmienda "provenía de una lectura incorrecta de la ley." ACLU se enfoca en la cruz Funcionarios oficiales de Knightstown, Ind., quitaron una cruz de la parte superior de un árbol de Navidad en la plaza principal -- donde ha sido exhibida los pasados cuatro años -- después de que la Unión de Libertades Civiles Estadounidenses (ACLU por sus siglas en inglés) de Indiana presentara una demanda buscando quitarla, reportó el USA Today el 13 de diciembre. La ciudad anticipaba perder lo que habría sido una "demanda costosa," de acuerdo a USA Today. El ayuntamiento dijo en una publicación de Facebook que quitaría la cruz "con gran pesar y tristeza" y que esperaba aprobar una resolución el 15 de diciembre en la que se comprometerían a "no poner más la cruz en el árbol." Sin embargo, después de que la televisora Fox 59 de Indianápolis describiera como "una larga y emotiva reunión," el ayuntamiento prorrogó su propuesta de prohibir los símbolos religiosos en la propiedad pública. Un representante de la Asociación Legal Cristiana le dijo Fox 59 que la ciudad y ACLU trabajarían juntos para negociar una exposición que incluyera la cruz. La querella legal de ACLU establece: "La cruz es el símbolo más conocido del cristianismo y la prominente exhibición de Knightstown de este símbolo representa un establecimiento de la religión en violación de la Primera Enmienda de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos." 'Felices Festivos' ofende En la Universidad Texas Woman (TWU por sus siglas en inglés) en Denton, Texas, una nota de prensa de la Universidad ofrece consejos prácticos para las fiestas de oficina en la que señala la recomendación de un profesor de evitar usar la palabra "festivos" como una alternativa secular de "Navidad" porque todavía "denota tradición religiosa y puede que no aplique a todos los empleados." De acuerdo al mayor organismo de control de la educación superior Campus Reform, la nota de prensa también incluía la sugerencia de evitar "cualquier simbolismo religioso" en las fiestas como Papá Noel, árboles siempre verdes, o renos de nariz roja." Copos de nieve u hombres de nieve fueron anunciados como adornos aceptables de fiesta. La nota de prensa fue reportada por múltiples medios de comunicación, pero hoy por hoy (16 de diciembre) ya no aparece en los sitios web de TWU. TWU publicó una declaración el 15 de diciembre en la que señalaba que "los medios cubren preocupaciones" acerca de la divulgación original y declara: "Un artículo sobre un paquete de 'consejos prácticos para los festivos' incluía sugerencias de un miembro de la facultad de la Universidad Texas Woman sobre posibles alternativas a la tradicional fiesta del festivo de la oficina. El artículo señalaba que los empleados pueden enfrentar desafíos cuando planean una fiesta que apropiadamente reconoce todas las religiones y trasfondos, y el artículo proveía ideas en cómo los empleados pueden tener reuniones que hagan que todos los empleados se sientan incluidos. "Nos disculpamos por cualquier preocupación que este artículo pueda haber causado en nuestro alumnado y en otros," continuaba la declaración. "Y nos gustaría asegurar a todos que la Universidad Texas Woman cree que todas las personas deben poder disfrutar y celebrar Navidad y todas las otras tradiciones religiosas." Coros excluidos de 'celebración de la natividad' En Carolina del Norte, los coros de las escuelas públicas del condado de Wake han sido excluidos por parte de los funcionarios oficiales de la tradición anual de las presentaciones en la Celebración de la Natividad Apex presentada por un grupo mormón. El evento presenta cientos de escenas navideñas de alrededor del mundo al cual asisten miembros de la comunidad, de acuerdo al Raleigh's News & Observer. Los coros de las escuelas públicas han estado presentándose en el evento por lo menos 13 años, reportó Fox News. Sin embargo, los funcionarios oficiales decidieron que la participación de los coros presentaba un riesgo legal después de que la Fundación Libertad de la Religión, con sede en Wisconsin marcó un video de YouTube de un funcionario mormón que llamaba el evento "una maravillosa oportunidad para que des testimonio de Cristo a tus amigos," reportó el News & Observer. El vocero de las escuelas del condado Wake, Tim Simmons le dijo al News & Observer, "Nadie está particularmente feliz con el resultado de esto. Algunas escuelas han estado participando durante varios años." Gaines señaló que los seguidores de Jesús, como todos los estadounidenses, "simplemente deberían tener libertad de culto. Deberíamos tener libertad de religión." "Eso significa que podamos participar en la plaza de una manera muy cortés. No queremos ser arrogantes, y no queremos ser desagradables. Pero al mismo tiempo, necesitamos tener la capacidad de honestamente declarar nuestra fe en el mercado abierto simplemente como todos los demás," dijo Gaines. -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Celebremos a Cristo by Por Brian Hobbs/The Baptist Messenger Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) -- El año 2016 ofrece una única oportunidad en la que Navidad cae domingo. Hace años, una mega iglesia sin denominación públicamente decidió cancelar sus cultos cuando Navidad caía domingo citando necesidades familiares de pasar tiempo juntos ese día y la inhabilidad de la iglesia de obtener suficientes voluntarios para hacer que los servicios funcionaran. Este movimiento, quizá involuntariamente mostró un gran malentendido del significado de la palabra Navidad en inglés: Christmas -- que traducido al español es: misa de Cristo. Ven, no solamente quita a Cristo de Christmas, quita esa 'misa' de Christmas. ¿Qué quiero decir? La propia palabra Christmas es una palabra compuesta del inglés antiguo -- Christ - Cristo, misa - mas --, para "Misa de Cristo," proveniente del festival cristiano anual de adoración que conmemora el nacimiento de Cristo. En otras palabras, Christmas es principalmente una "misa" (no exclusivamente en el sentido anglicano o católico) o culto de adoración para celebrar y conmemorar el nacimiento de Cristo durante la estación de adviento. Tener un culto de adoración, por lo tanto, llega al propio corazón de Christmas o Navidad. Los cristianos frecuentemente (y correctamente) condenan la comercialización de la Navidad. Desde las tiendas por departamentos a las películas navideñas, se puede pasar completamente la temporada navideña sin pensar en Jesús. En el famoso especial "La Navidad de Carlitos Brown ", Carlitos Brown dice: "¿No hay nadie que sepa de qué se trata la Navidad?" Y Linus, citando el evangelio de Lucas, explica la historia de la Navidad. Es una escena hermosa que cita un hermoso pasaje de la Escritura. ¿No sería una vergüenza, sin embargo, si la gente solo oyera este pasaje bíblico recitado en televisión al estar viendo a Carlitos Brown? ¿Qué si, en vez de eso, cada comunidad y pueblo tuviera un servicio navideño el día de Navidad en el cual la gente pudiera oír este pasaje del evangelio recitado por los niños de la congregación en la iglesia local, en medio de cantos de villancicos, himnos, y un sermón centrado en el evangelio? Si su iglesia estuviera reduciendo los cultos para Navidad, yo animaría lo contrario. Usen la Navidad que cae domingo como una oportunidad para reforzar lo que ofrecen. Hagan esto para la gloria de Cristo y como un medio para alcanzar al perdido. De acuerdo a Thom Rainer de Recursos Cristianos LifeWay, Navidad es la ocasión del año en la que la gente que no acostumbra asistir a la iglesia va a la iglesia. Las iglesias pueden aprovechar cuando Navidad cae domingo como una gran oportunidad para alcanzar a los vecinos invitándolos a la iglesia. Habrá mucho tiempo para que las personas abran los regalos, coman galletas de azúcar, tamales, tomen rompope o candeal y miren películas navideñas. Inviten a la gente -- miembros de la iglesia y no miembros por igual -- a utilizar los primeros frutos de las horas del día de Navidad, reunidos con el pueblo de Dios, alabando al Salvador del mundo. De esta manera especial, ¡verdaderamente podremos celebrar a Cristo! -------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: El regalo imposible by Por Luis R. Lopez Date: December 22, 2016 - Thursday SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. (BP) -- La Navidad es una época especial para regalos. Algunos aprovechan esta oportunidad para disfrutar de la creatividad e ingeniosidad humana al preparar regalos difíciles de abrir, tan envueltos que los hacen casi imposible disfrutar. Queriendo hacer una broma, algunos envuelven regalos en múltiples cajas de diferentes tamaños. Los cubren con cinta pegante ultra potente y "pega loca" para dificultar su apertura. Otros los amarran con hilo o tiras elásticas resistentes. He visto algunos envueltos y sellados con bolsas plásticas negras super-resistentes. Hay muchas historias jocosas al respecto. Es probable que usted mismo haya recibido o envuelto uno de estos regalos en algún momento. Pero el mayor regalo que el mundo ha recibido lo recibimos una Navidad. Esa navidad, Dios se hizo hombre para habitar entre nosotros. Lo recibimos en un niño envuelto en pañales y acostado en un pesebre, fácil de abrazar y accesible a toda la humanidad. Este don inefable vino para hacer posible lo que era imposible para el hombre: alcanzar su salvación y una vida a plenitud. Llegó para habitar entre nosotros, enseñarnos a vivir y perdonar nuestros pecados. Fue herido por nuestras transgresiones y molido por nuestras iniquidades. El castigo de nuestro pecado cayó sobre El. Por sus heridas fuimos sanados y con su resurrección venció al enemigo imposible, la muerte. Y es que el Dios de la Navidad se especializa en lo imposible. Algunos historiadores bíblicos creen que había hasta un millón de visitantes en las calles de la pequeña ciudad llamada "Belén" esa primera Navidad. ¿Puede imaginarse a un millón de visitantes invadir su ciudad hoy? ¿Cómo sería el tráfico? ¿Qué tal las colas en los centros comerciales? Piense por un momento en lo abarrotado que podrían estar los hoteles. Para Belén esa noche fue muy significativa. Mire a los burros y camellos siendo llevados por sus calles, vendedores gritando y recaudadores de impuestos haciendo su trabajo. Gente, mucha gente, algunos comprando y otros pidiendo, circulando en las esquinas y plazas de Judea. Unos empujando a otros y haciéndose camino a través de las veredas polvorientas de la ciudad. Sienta el olor de estiércol de los animales, el sudor de personas cansadas y agobiadas surcar sus caminos. Escuche las quejas de niños fatigados por el alboroto de la temporada. Este pueblo estaba tenso y sus bolsillos vacíos. La mayoría estaba harta de un gobierno codicioso y ávido. Sus habitantes, como río perdido, no sabían dónde estaban ni cómo llegar a donde necesitaban ir. Caos y confusión eran el orden del día. Este era un pueblo en tinieblas habitando en sombra de muerte. Fue en ese preciso momento de desconcierto y obscuridad que Dios entró en este mundo. Lo que era imposible para el hombre, Dios lo hizo posible esa Navidad. Jesús dijo "Yo, la luz, he venido al mundo, para que todo el que cree en mí no permanezca en tinieblas." Juan 12:46. El milagro de la Navidad es que el Príncipe de Paz vino para estar con nosotros en medio de un mundo en tinieblas lleno aflicción. Dios sabía que éramos gente necesitada de luz, en obscuridad, frágiles y egoístas. Su luz vino a guiarnos y resplandecer sobre nosotros. En medio de la humanidad en tinieblas y de voces sin fin nació el Salvador. Nació para ser el Dios del caos y de lo imposible. Llegó para ser la luz no sólo de una temporada pero de todos nuestros días. Descendió para levantar nuestra cabeza cuando nos sentimos vencidos y atribulados. En nuestra oscura desesperación podemos correr a El y encontrar refugio eterno. El es nuestra visión en la ceguera, la libertad en nuestra esclavitud y en la debilidad nos otorga fortaleza. Este Salvador llegó para cambiar tu lamento y sanar todas tus heridas. Para el nada es imposible. Las estaciones pueden cambiar pero El no cambia. El es la luz del mundo. ¿Estás enfrentando algún imposible? ¿Pareciera que la esperanza se ha perdido? ¿Te encuentras estancado en medio de una situación sin salida? El Dios de la Navidad quiere resplandecer sobre ti hoy. No te dejes envolver por los regalos temporales de la época. La gloria de la Navidad es el milagro posible de Su transformadora presencia. Este es Dios con nosotros, Emmanuel … un bebé acostado en un pesebre, un regalo listo para abrazar. ¡Feliz Navidad!