The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-12/30/2019 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Cross-cultural worship reflects Revelation 7:9 eternity by Rachel Cohen and Andrew Rivers Date: December 30, 2019 - Monday EDITOR'S NOTE: Christians around the World is a series of articles in which we see churches in multiple nations pursuing the same mission: making disciples and planting churches among unreached peoples and places. You can view part one here, and part two here. RICHMOND, Va., (BP) -- Missionaries sometimes say that worshiping in a cross-cultural context is a dress rehearsal for a Revelation 7:9 eternity. As a cross-cultural worker in South Asia, Rachel Cohen agrees. But if she is honest, sometimes the rehearsal is pretty awkward. Living in South Asia among a culture whose worship is loud, long, and -- perhaps most uncomfortable for a Baptist -- moving. Many South Asian Christians love to worship with what they call "action songs," and they encourage enthusiastic participation from everyone, no exceptions. There's foot movement, continuous clapping, sometimes jumping. To a missionary, it's awkward. Awkward, but not wrong. Because just as God created all peoples to reflect His multifaceted image, He inspires worship that glorifies Him through a kaleidoscope of cultures. In John's Revelation 7:9-10 vision, God enjoys His deserved praise from all peoples. So to give us a tiny taste of that glorious eternity, the missionaries rounded up audio clips of worship styles from around the world and asked them to describe worship in those contexts. May increasingly more people join us in this global chorus to our Creator. Russia A church service in a Russian context is typically very traditional and structured. Instrumentation is modest but not minimalist: a keyboard, acoustic guitar, a shaker, and a cajon. The song here reads like a Psalm, saying, "I will praise the Lord Christ / I will remember all his works / I will be singing hallelujah to him." One difference a worker described between her U.S. church and her church among Russians is that during the service anyone is welcome to share a personal testimony of God's grace or give an account of an evangelism opportunity they had. Thailand One IMB worker described worship in his church in Thailand as "modest, genuine and passionate." Each Sunday, a handful of vocalists accompanied by an acoustic guitar, a keyboard and a cajon lead worshipers in a rhythm of song and prayer, song and prayer. Because the worker's church is in a city that's regularly exposed to foreigners, particularly Westerners, the church has adopted a mix of local Thai songs and Western songs translated into Thai. Many of us can likely identify this song, sung in Thai congregations. Nepal Though the historical culture of each people is slowly being phased out by "Westernized" youth, many churches in Nepal still use traditional instruments and language. They feel it's important to use their own music styles and dance to worship God. The older generations prefer to sing to God with their own instruments -- the mandolin, gyumang, and madal -- and musical tones they grew up knowing and loving. One worker among Nepali peoples says the worship is not governed by time or a song list. Rather, at any time, anyone can pray aloud, even in the middle of a song. Worshipers often dance, clap and tearfully shout their prayers to God throughout the service. In this song, they proclaim, "I give my life, my spirit as worship to you. / . . . / I kneel before you and kiss your feet. / Let my life be a life of worship to you." India India is a country that loves high volume, pomp and pizzazz, and those characteristics often accompany worship in church, particularly in rural areas. Churches that can afford it install booming sound systems that project electrified notes from keyboards and guitars. One song may go on for 10 minutes, concluded by a prayer that runs into the next song. Worship often comprises half of a service that's usually over two hours long. Many Indians move while they worship. Whether it's in the form of choreographed actions or it spontaneously emerges from a worshiper, movement is said to communicate that someone is worshiping God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. One example of a song from a worship service in India can be found here. Turkey Although many Turkish churches weave translated Western songs into their services, many of their songs are Turkish-born. Turkish songs tend to be written in minor keys, enabling worshipers to sometimes sing in tones that aptly reflect hearts yearning to bring lament and sorrow before the Lord. Even so, Turkish worship services aren't entirely somber. Turks stand, raise their hands and clap in syncopated beats. Most churches use guitars, drums, a keyboard and sometimes a saz, a traditional Turkish instrument. This song is about love -- God's love for us and our love for one another. It's taken from 1 John 4:7–11, where the apostle reminded believers to "love one another. … God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him." Ghana Musical worship in West African church services almost always includes expressive, animated dancing. Ghanaian music, like most of West Africa, is based primarily on rhythm, not melody. They keep the beat with traditional instruments like bongo drums, shakers or cowbells --occasionally a two-stringed banjo or one-stringed fiddle. Nowadays, however, churches in towns and cities use modern drum kits, electric keyboards and electric guitars. The video above is an example of a church worship service in Ghana. South Africa Music is integral to South African culture. Music in this highly diverse country can be an expression of community, so worship songs are sung as a shared experience among a body of Christians. For instance, a single vocalist starts the song, then the rest of the congregation finishes his phrase -- a pattern that continues throughout the entire song. It's like a communal conversation to God. A good rhythm is extremely important, but instruments are optional. The words to this song, for instance, are sung a capella with claps maintaining the beat, instead of a guitar or drums. The song -- with phrases started by a leader and finished by the congregation -- is about the love of God: "It wakes me from my sleep (It's amazing!) / it's not like man's love (it's amazing!) / people's love ends but not Jesus's (it's amazing!)." Brazil One IMB missionary family worships with a remote tribe that was first evangelized by a German missionary in the sixties. Many of the worship songs the tribe first learned were American hymns translated into local languages, and those songs remain staples in worship services today. The church you hear in this song is diligently pursuing people outside their tribe with the gospel, so it's not unusual to sing songs in three or four languages during a service. Recently, the church started using a guitar, drum set and keyboard rather than exclusively local instruments. This particular tribe's culture is reserved and quiet, so worship services tend to be rather somber experiences. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Showing Christ to the world is priority for Predators' Grimaldi by Tim Ellsworth Date: December 30, 2019 - Monday NASHVILLE (BP) -- As a boy, Rocco Grimaldi earned a nickname from his grandmother -- "Little David" -- based upon his similarity, in size and temperament, to the biblical David. It's a nickname well suited to Grimaldi, a right winger for the Nashville Predators, who for his entire life has always been the smallest guy on his team. At 5'6", 160 pounds, Grimaldi has to rely on more than just his physical attributes to be a successful hockey player. That's one reason he has always related to David -- both as a giant slayer and as a man after God's own heart. "God doesn't view us by how tall we are, how strong we are, how great we are, how wise we are, what family we're from," Grimaldi said. "He looks at each individual by the heart that they have." While Grimaldi resonates with the story of David and Goliath, he says there's so much more to David than that. When the prophet Samuel came to David's home to anoint a king of Israel to replace Saul, he was sure that David's brother Eliab was the chosen one. Grimaldi's favorite verse, 1 Samuel 16:7, says, "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the LORD sees, for humans see what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart.'" After the Lord rejected all of David's older brothers, only then did Samuel anoint David as king -- because he had the kind of heart that God wanted. "That's how I grew up, and was raised in a family that taught me that I was supposed to have a good heart, and have a heart that trusted God and followed God with everything that I was," Grimaldi told Baptist Press. "And to view people in the eyes of God as well, to not just look and make assumptions based off of what they look like, or what I might think they are just by what I see. But to really look at who they are on the inside." A native of California who later moved to Michigan, Grimaldi grew up in a Christian home with parents who were raised Catholic but who later became evangelical Christians. Grimaldi placed his trust in Christ as a young boy, and his dream all through childhood was to play in the NHL -- a dream that at times seemed unlikely, especially given his physical stature. That's another way that Grimaldi relates to David. Though David had been anointed as king, he had to wait several years, many of them with his life in jeopardy, before he actually became king. Grimaldi sometimes wondered if he'd ever get a shot with the NHL. But he persevered, trusting in God's timing, and eventually his lifelong dream became a reality. Grimaldi made his NHL debut in November 2014, three years after being drafted 33rd overall by the Florida panthers. In addition to his childhood obsession with hockey, Grimaldi says that God put another love in his heart as a boy -- a love for Scripture. He began reading his Bible daily when he was in third grade. "Obviously you're going to miss days here and there, but I've been reading my Bible every day for a long time," he said. "Just because of that discipline that I chose to start as a young kid, it's continued with me as an adult." Grimaldi admits that he is blessed, as a professional athlete, to be able to play hockey for a living. But he says a lot of times, people think professional athletes have a life that's easy and free from trials. That's not at all the case, Grimaldi says, and he deals with various stresses and anxieties like other people. As a Christian, he has an anchor when life's difficulties and challenges arise. "I have God who is able to get me through these things, who's able to teach me through these things, to show me different things, to grow my faith through these things," he said. "And I never just view hockey as an end all, be all. At the end of the day I know that with or without hockey, I'm still going to be the same person. "I know that hockey is great and it provides a lot of opportunities for me, but without it I'm still going to be fine," Grimaldi continued. "My life isn't about scoring goals, or winning Stanley Cups, or doing this or that. My life is about having a relationship with Christ, relying on that relationship, having great relationships with people, and helping people, being an example to those that look up to me. And to just show who Christ is to this world." Grimaldi and the Nashville Predators take on the Dallas Stars in the NHL's Winter Classic on New Year's Day in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The game will be televised nationally on NBC. -------------------------------------------------------------------- New Year offers new start for Bible reading by Tess Schoonhoven Date: December 30, 2019 - Monday NASHVILLE, Tenn., (BP) -- With the unfolding of a new year comes opportunities for new commitments, resolutions and goals. For many, these goals include dedications to Bible reading and thus, specific Bible reading plans. But choosing a Bible reading plan can be intimidating and some wonder, why even bother being specific about the way in which the Bible is read? Are Bible reading plans even being followed? YouVersion, a popular Bible reading app, reported that in 2019 1.1 Billion Bible plan days were completed in the app. This is a reported increase of 25 percent, in comparison to 2018. In 2019 the app offered more than 10,000 unique plans to users. Of those 1,500 are in languages other than English. According to these statistics, Bible reading plans are being utilized and in fact are growing in number and popularity. But even if Bible reading plans are being completed around the world, what really makes them important? Bobby Gruenewald, founder of YouVersion, said that the plans offered in the app are part of an effort to make it easier for the community to read the Bible more. The plans are oriented in a way that helps individuals develop habits of engaging with the Bible every day. "Bible plans are one of the most popular ways in the app for people to develop a daily rhythm of reading the Bible, which we know leads to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God," Gruenewald said. Michelle Hicks, manager of Adult Ministry-Short Term Bible Studies at LifeWay Christian Resources, said that Bible reading plans help remind us what the Bible is really about -- God -- rather than reading our preferences into its words. "A Bible reading plan helps one open the Bible to know God. And even more than knowing His Word, a Bible reading plan reminds us of God's character, His promises, and His plans and purposes," Hicks said. The point of having a predetermined plan when reading the Bible, is to dive deeper into knowing the author -- God. Ed Litton, pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, said that spending time in the Bible on a daily basis is the most effective way to stimulate spiritual growth. "Nothing impacts your spiritual growth like your engagement with God's Word on a daily basis," Litton said. Plans for reading the Bible do not have to look the same way each year, or even necessarily follow a certain pattern that others may be using. Litton says that he is consistently changing the way he approaches Bible reading. "Each year I will change something about my engagement with God's Word," Litton said. "I may use a different translation or paraphrase or a chronological Bible reading plan. After years of reading the Bible through each year it still amazes me how a simple change can transform a text you thought you knew and understood." Gruenewald says the beginning of the new year is a great time to use the momentum of resolutions and goals as a way to get started in a new Bible reading plan. "It's a great time of the year to find friends who have similar goals and commit to cheering one another on throughout the year," Gruenewald said. Many resources exist, such as YouVersion, to encourage and facilitate inventive Bible engagement. Hicks noted that LifeWay women's goals with developing Bible reading plans, some of which are featured on the YouVersion app, is to drive women to have a hunger for God's Word and live in obedience to Scripture. "The reading plans we develop are to encourage and guide women in that relationship," Hicks said. Litton also said that the effectiveness of the plan to help develop a relationship with God depends on the willingness of the individual to engage in the Bible on a daily basis. Hicks gave four suggestions for individuals looking to start a Bible reading plan for the next year. Consider the length of the plan, the time committed to engaging in the plan, the place in which the individual will read the plan and the goals for the plan for maximum impact, recommended Hicks. "If someone is just starting out, do a five to seven day reading plan first," Hicks suggests. "Then do another, then another. Or start with a month-long reading plan, then move to the longer plans." Hicks also said that setting aside 10-15 minutes in the day for the plan is a great way to make sure the daily engagement actually happens. For those 10-15 minutes, having a designated place where individuals can read could prove helpful, but Hicks said that the most important part is that the reading happens. "A designated place is always good, but sometimes you do what you need to do to make it happen," Hicks said. "The goal is to read God's Word daily. He created us to need Him and to have our needs met by Him. He is the one who can restore our souls daily regardless of our circumstances." Keeping that goal in mind will help fuel motivation to stay committed to daily engagement with God's Word, Hicks said. Litton noted that personally, his life is consistently changed by the Word of God. "My life is daily enriched by my time in God's presence. It never ceases to amaze me how living and active God's Word is in the hands of the Holy Spirit to help understand God's Word," Litton said. "The great joy of reading God's word is that it never fails to speak to my circumstances." Hicks said that Bible reading plans at their core, take care of an individual's soul. "We may attend worship services, be part of a small group and even serve our church and community, but [sometimes we] skip the daily nourishment that we can only get by spending time with God," Hicks said. "That one-on-one time with God, hearing from Him through the Scriptures, can be overlooked or put aside due to other demands that seem more urgent." But nothing is more urgent that one's relationship with God, according to Hicks. And that relationship is nourished by the daily bread of the Word of God. As the new year dawns, so does the opportunity to commit to the most important nourishment an individual can receive. Taking the time to plan engagement with the Bible is vital for growth, health and overall true life and joy. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Who's Your One, record AAEO top NAMB's 2019 highlights by Brandon Elrod Date: December 30, 2019 - Monday ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Who's your one? That question became commonplace in 2019 among Southern Baptists as churches, local associations and state conventions embraced the North American Mission Board's (NAMB) evangelism emphasis. In partnership with Southern Baptist Convention president J.D. Greear, NAMB encouraged pastors and Southern Baptist leaders to participate in the movement, asking people to focus on praying for and witnessing to at least one person. NAMB provided Who's Your One resources for tens of thousands of pastors and launched a national Who's Your One Tour spearheaded by Johnny Hunt, NAMB's senior vice president for evangelism and leadership -- all intended to spark a wave of evangelism in North America and beyond. Record Annie Armstrong Easter Offering For the third straight year, Southern Baptists set a record for giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering by surpassing the 2018 total with $61.4 million. NAMB and SBC Executive Committee president, Ronnie Floyd, announced the record to trustees during their fall meeting and celebrated the record with Southern Baptists. FBC Sutherland Springs dedicates new worship facility after tragic shooting First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, took another step forward with the opening of its new church building on Sunday, May 19. It's another example of how Southern Baptists continue to rally around the church, where 26 people lost their lives in a mass shooting November 2017. NAMB report, Send Luncheon, Crossover evangelism at 2019 SBC Annual Meeting During the 2019 SBC Annual Meeting, NAMB reported on the Who's Your One evangelism initiative and church planting to the convention. NAMB president Kevin Ezell also had a special surprise for a bivocational pastor and his family at NAMB's annual Send Luncheon. Ahead of the meeting, NAMB worked with Southern Baptists to launch a city-wide evangelism event in Birmingham. Evangelism and leadership team grows, ministers through Timothy+Barnabas Shane Pruitt joined NAMB's evangelism and leadership team as the director of next gen evangelism. Pruitt previously served as a Bible teacher and the director of evangelism for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Timothy+Barnabas also entered its 25th year of ministering to pastors and prepared for the launch of the Timothy+Barnabas Institute in 2020. Send Network continues church planting, replanting efforts Thousands of recent church plants within NAMB's Send Network continue reaching their communities with the hope of the gospel. Several churches from the planting class of 2018 shared stories of reaching hundreds of people. A pastor in San Diego received NAMB's inaugural Replanter of the Year award, and NAMB trustees had the opportunity to meet church planting missionaries reaching San Francisco. Send Relief furthers outreach through Ministry Centers, GenSend Send Relief, NAMB's compassion ministry arm, opened a new Ministry Center in Pittsburgh and broke ground on a new facility for the Ministry Center in Puerto Rico. A Send Relief missionary received an award from the Federal Bureau of Investigations on behalf of the Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans. Summer-long and Spring Break GenSend student ministries also made huge impacts in urban areas and storm-damaged towns. Chaplaincy, military church planting provide focus on ministry to military Southern Baptist chaplains continue reaching members of the United States Armed Services. One Army chaplain at Fort Jackson in Columbia S.C., baptized more than 500 soldiers. Church planting missionaries continue launching new churches designed to reach and serve families in the military community. Partnership between SBC Executive Committee, NAMB prioritizes ethnic relations The SBC Executive Committee and NAMB partnered together to cultivate relationships with more ethnic churches and encourage them to join the Southern Baptist family. The two positions announced this year are Peter Yanes, executive director of Asian American relations and mobilization, and Julio Arriola, executive director of Hispanic relations and mobilization. NAMB launches three new podcasts as ministry resources NAMB launched two podcasts in 2019 that are specifically designed to be resources for pastors: "Evangelism with Johnny Hunt" and "Quick Takes with Kevin." These podcasts provide regular insights into evangelism, personally and corporately within the church, and soul care for pastors. A third, "Stories of Hope," shares stories about how local churches and ministries serve and reach their communities. The episodes are designed to inspire and encourage churches to engage their community with the gospel through compassion ministry.