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News Articles

BP Ledger, May 29 edition


EDITOR’S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received.

Today’s BP Ledger includes items from:
Josh McDowell/Just1ClickAway.org
Campbellsville University
Exodus International
Answers in Genesis

Josh McDowell’s “Just 1 Click Away.com” Video, Website and Articles Offer Families Refuge From Growing Threat of Online Pornography

PLANO, Texas (Josh McDowell/Just1ClickAway.org)–Josh McDowell, a leading advocate for children and the preservation of the Christian family, has launched Just1ClickAway.org, a new series of provocative but tastefully produced resources that raise awareness about the growing threat of online pornography.

Released just in time for summer vacation when students’ media consumption significantly increases, the Just1ClickAway.org website, video and articles from McDowell and his network of participating organizations offer solutions for families and individuals of all ages and stages. McDowell placed a warning label on the video because of its mature content.

McDowell said, “The greatest threat to the cause of Christ is pervasive sexuality and pornography. Today we have, by and large, lost control of the controls because an intrusive immorality is just one click away from our children. With just one keystroke on a smartphone, iPad, or laptop, a child can open up some of the worst pornography and sexually graphic content you can imagine. There’s never been such access in history. ”

Just1ClickAway.org contains the latest resources in The Bare Facts, McDowell’s biblically based, medically sound and culturally relevant campaign that provides youth and those who influence them with an understanding of love, sexuality and relationships.

Pornography is an equal opportunity intruder in the newly released Just1ClickAway.org video: a young boy on his laptop in the privacy of his bedroom, a father clutching a TV remote in the family room, and a teenage girl on her PDA in the kitchen. Dramatically portrayed as male and female tempters (wearing clothes), pornography aggressively preys on and attacks its victim, virtually in plain view of unsuspecting family members.

The video shares disturbing statistics about the destructive impact of pornography on the Christian family, including:

* More than 1 billion pornographic websites are one click away.

* The average age of first-time views of pornography is 9 years old.

* 80 percent of 15-17 year olds have been exposed to hardcore porn.

* The adult pornography industry reports that 20-30 percent of their traffic comes from children.

* Half of all Christian families report that pornography is a problem.

* 68 percent of divorces happen when one partners finds a pornographic lover online.

* And, 30 percent of pastors have viewed pornography in the last 30 days, among others.

With over 50 years in ministry, McDowell continues to find that nothing sabotages faith commitments and spiritual growth of children, teens and college students more than sexual experimentation. Josh produced The Bare Facts campaign in response to pleas for tools on the issues of sex, love and relationships from youth and culture leaders in Latin America, Asia and even Middle Eastern nations. As part of a 45-city speaking tour in 15 countries throughout 2012, McDowell is currently touring Latin America with his Bare Facts campaign.

Well-known as an articulate speaker, McDowell has addressed more than 10 million young people, giving over 24,000 talks in 118 countries. Since 1960, Josh has written or co-authored 120 books.

For information, visit www.Just1ClickAway.org.
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Campbellsville athletes return from Niger on threatened flight

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (Campbellsville University)–John Harbold and Alexa Moore signed on for a mission trip to show some human kindness toward their fellow man. What they found out is that the world is full of people that may not have the same agenda.

The two Campbellsville University student-athletes were aboard the diverted US Airways flight Tuesday that sent F-15 jets scrambling toward Bangor, Maine.

Harbold, a recent men’s tennis graduate from Hopkinsville, Ky., and Moore, a sophomore cheerleader from Clarksville, Tenn., were part of an 11-member CU travel party returning from a two-week mission trip in Niger. After a night in Paris, the team thought their exciting moments of the trip were behind them – little did they know what was in store for them on Flight 787 between France and Charlotte, N.C.

Harbold’s tweet from Bangor International Airport Tuesday afternoon may describe the whirlwind the best.

“2 weeks in Africa, top of Eiffel Tower yesterday and emergency landing in Maine for explosive devices on board today! #whatanadventure,” posted the member of CU’s recent national champion tennis team.

About seven hours into the flight, a female passenger, which ABC News labeled as an unidentified 40-year-old woman from Cambodia, began holding her stomach and moving from three rows behind Harbold to three rows in front, and then back again.

“We figured she must be sick,” Harbold said.

When the pilot informed that the plane was being redirected to Maine to pick up some extra fuel, no one flinched at the thought. But once a stewardess and pilot escorted the woman to the back of the plane, Harbold became suspicious. Those suspicions were proven right once the plane landed at Bangor International Airport and Border Patrol came aboard with a K-9 unit. The woman was removed in handcuffs and her bags were searched.

“I was thinking she was trying to get drugs into the country,” Harbold said. “It was crazy, because I’d never seen anything like it.”

But before exiting the plane, Moore and Harbold say the pilot came on the intercom to explain that the woman claimed to have an explosive device inside of her. That is when the CU student-missionaries and the other passengers on the 179-person flight realized what they had just witnessed.

“Everyone was shocked,” Moore said.

Once off the plane, the phones of CU’s students lit up. Phone calls, texts and tweets were being sent to and from friends, family and colleagues.

“It was pretty crazy. I didn’t know it was a big story. We were all checking our phones and it was already on the CNN website and all over Twitter,” Moore said.

Moore quickly joined the conversation on Twitter, tagging Harbold in a tweet. With that, both began to receive messages from ABC News, Fox News and CNN.

While Moore talked to ABC News, Harbold fielded calls from his hometown radio station and newspaper. Wednesday, he hosted News Channel 5 from Nashville, Tenn., at his home.

“It’s been pretty cool that we made it through this and get to tell about it, but also share about the mission trip,” said Harbold.

Amidst the headline shocker of a bomb threat, CU’s students see their time in Africa as the real story during this media frenzy.

“It was really eye-opening to see that part of the world,” Moore said. “The main focus of course was to try to share the gospel with the people over there. A lot of them had not even heard who Jesus was.”

The group spent two weeks in Niger, dividing up into two teams to share the gospel and paint a local school. Each day, the teams would get a chance to paint part of the day and share with locals the rest of the afternoon.

Moore said two of her cherished memories from the trip are getting to see a man accept Christ and get baptized publically and also the chance to share with children and three women atop a mountain, which overlooked the village. Through the experience, those on the trip saw first-hand how Christian converts in the country can be persecuted for switching from Islam to Christianity.

“(After the man’s baptism), a lot of people in the village knew why we were there, and then didn’t want to talk to us,” Moore said. “But the little kids would follow us everywhere. We told them stories from the Bible and sang Jesus songs.”

Harbold, Moore and the rest are already having withdrawals, wishing they were still serving in Africa.

“I feel God has called me there eventually in life,” said Harbold, who was on his fourth international mission trip. “I loved it over there, working with the kids and adults and being able to interact with them and share Christ’s love with them.”

Harbold and Kevin Metzger, a former CU student athletic trainer from Richmond, Va., are already making tentative plans to return next spring if neither is attending med school yet.

Moore, who is on a high from her first-ever mission trip, is determined to spread the word about the trip and CU mission opportunities to the rest of the CU athletic department.

“I’m definitely going to tell everyone about this,” she said. “I think it’s really cool that Campbellsville does (this). Not many schools have set mission trips every year that you can go on. I like that they tell everyone at the beginning of the year so you can plan for it and raise money.”

The Niger team included: Harbold, Moore, Metzger, Rev. Ed Pavy, CU director of campus ministries; Trent Creason, campus ministries intern; Kristen Large, a sophomore from Lewisburg, Ky.; Megan Parson, a senior of Greensburg, Ky.; Tyler Tucker, a freshman of Greensburg, Ky.; Haley Probus, a sophomore of Lebanon, Ky.; Kaela Vessels, a senior of Vine Grove, Ky.; and Lauren Barr, a freshman of Ekron, Ky.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master’s degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The athletic department fields 25 varsity programs in 15 sports. The websites for complete information are campbellsville.edu and campbellsvilletigers.com.
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Christian Group Transcends Political Debate to Help the Church Reach People with Same-Sex Attraction

ORLANDO, Fla. (Exodus International)–The furor over same-sex marriage and homosexuality has not abated in recent days as commentators continue to speak about President Obama’s remarks, legislation to ban so called gay-to-straight therapy in California, and the fallout from North Carolina’s marriage vote.

Alan Chambers, president of the 36-year-old Exodus International said, “As usual, the spotlight is shining on the furthest extremes currently engaged in a public fight. I believe it’s time for all of us to focus on the people beyond the political debate.”

While a minority of people such as North Carolina pastor Charles Worley represent the outdated and homophobic fringe of Christianity and should not be taken seriously, excellent churches like National Community Church in Washington, D.C. are drawing about 200 people each week to Ebenezer’s Coffee House. These individuals gather to thoughtfully discuss how the church can better care for people with same-sex attractions (SSA), those inside and outside of the church.

In the midst of the chaos and tired culture war mentality, Exodus International continues to serve a fast growing population of the Church that is ready to end the war and reach out in compassion to people who come to them for answers.

“Exodus is here to provide support to individuals with SSA who want to be faithful in their pursuit of living out a biblical sexual ethic,” said Chambers. “We encourage parents who desire to be faithful to their values to also love their gay or lesbian child unconditionally despite having differing worldviews. Finally we are here to help churches looking for ways to reach out to people in their congregations or across the divide to people in their communities.”

Exodus is a gospel-centric organization that seeks first and foremost to equip the Church to be the primary outreach to, and support for, individuals and families impacted by SSA. Exodus serves as an umbrella group for 260 organizations and churches.

Exodus International is on the Web at www.exodusinternational.com.
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New high-tech display opens on museum’s fifth anniversary

PETERSBURG, Ky. (Answers in Genesis)–Using the latest in holographic technology, the Creation Museum, as a part of its fifth anniversary celebration, is opening a new high-tech exhibit on human origins this Saturday. With striking holograms, this state-of-the-art exhibit is designed to expose the scientific bankruptcy of the evolutionary interpretation of the famous so-called ape-woman “Lucy.”

Perhaps more than any other fossil, Lucy is presented as “exhibit A” for evolutionists in their attempt to show that humans evolved from an ape-like ancestor. Through the scientific research of the Creation Museum’s Dr. David Menton (PhD, biology, Brown University) and the artistic talents of Doug Henderson and his crew, the museum has created a stunning holographic refutation of Lucy. (The technical name for this Lucy creature found in Africa is “Australopithecus afarensis.”)

“I expect that scientists, both evolutionists and creationists, will make a trip to the Creation Museum to see this exceptional exhibit, not only because it refutes Lucy as an ancestor of ours, but also due to its use of remarkable holographic technology,” declared Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis and the museum.

In a highly visual way, the exhibit conclusively shows that the Lucy fossils belong to a knuckle-walking, ape-like creature. Menton points out that many evolutionists such as the well-known researcher Donald Johanson, the discoverer of the first “Lucy,” admit that Lucy’s V-shaped mandible was very ape-like, nothing like that of a human. In addition, Israeli scientists reported in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” that it may not be our ancestor, for its lower jaw bone resembles a gorilla’s.

In the new museum exhibit, a number of Lucy heads have been created, cast from the same mold. Each head, however, is given different skin and eye coloration, as well as variations in the amount and color of hair. This was done to demonstrate how significant artistic license can be employed by researchers in interpreting what Lucy resembled as they “put flesh to the bones” of the creature. There simply isn’t enough information found in the fossil bones for anyone to determine what Lucy looked like.

“An imagination-rich artist can have a very powerful influence over what the viewer concludes about the evidence presented,” Menton observed. “That is one reason why our Lucy exhibit is placed in an area of the museum that demonstrates to visitors that a person’s starting point, or bias, influences their views.

“Ultimately, with this excellent display, we want to show museum guests, once and for all, that this knuckle-walking creature needs to be discarded as a ‘missing link’ in human evolution,” Menton concluded.

Designer Henderson described the technology used in the exhibit: “We have used holograms of the actual bone models of Lucy, as opposed to simply exhibiting a 3D physical model. Holographers tell us this is the first time they have seen holography used to take a virtual ‘look inside’ a creature for the public to view. I call it a 3D X-ray.”

Every few months, the Creation Museum (located west of the Cincinnati Airport) adds new exhibits to present the case for the Bible’s authority and accuracy, including creation. Last year, Menton’s striking exhibit on homology—comparing humans to apes (and to other creatures)—used the technology of lasers to point out the differences between humans and animals. Menton’s latest exhibit may create even more of a stir in the origins debate, for Lucy is treated with near reverence by some scientists.

As the Creation Museum celebrates its fifth anniversary this weekend, almost 1.6 million visitors have walked through its 75,000 square feet of exhibits. Additional exhibits are in the works for year six. Last month, the Johnson Observatory opened, with two high-power telescopes. Also, virtually the same artistic team that built the Creation Museum is now busy designing a full-size Noah’s Ark for the Ark Encounter, to be built south of Cincinnati.

The museum opened May 28, 2007, with more than 4,000 people on opening day. The museum averages over 300,000 guests a year (about 800 visitors per day).

Beginning Friday, May 25, all museum tickets are now be good for two days. The museum has instituted this new policy in response to visitor feedback that with so many additions to the museum, there is a lot to take in in one day. Current pricing will remain in effect through June 2, with prices increasing slightly on June 3 to $29.95 for adults, $23.95 for seniors and $15.95 for children ages 5-12 (under 5 is free).

Answers in Genesis is a biblical apologetics ministry. AnswersInGenesis.org is this year’s “Best Ministry Website” as picked by the 1,200-member National Religious Broadcasters (with over 1 million web visits a month). AiG’s “Answers” magazine, for the second year in a row, recently took the top prize for magazine excellence as selected by the Evangelical Press Association. AiG conducts about 300 teaching meetings each year and produces the “Answers” radio program heard on more than 500 stations. For information, including about the all-wood Ark, see www.AnswersInGenesis.org.
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