Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 11 2012 --------------------------------------- IMB int'l missions offering: $146.8M in 2011, up $1.1M http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38020 Showing Christ's love to New Orleans needy http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38014 Let's LoveLoud, Southern Baptists http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38016 Church bombing in Nigeria kills 2, injures 40 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38015 Wells to be re-nominated for reg. secretary http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38017 BP Ledger, June 11 edition http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38019 FIRST-PERSON: 5 lessons about manhood I learned from my dad http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38018 --------------------------------------- IMB int'l missions offering: $146.8M in 2011, up $1.1M By Don Graham Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38020 RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- "Extremely grateful." That's what IMB President Tom Elliff is saying about Southern Baptists' gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, which reached $146.8 million last year -- the fourth-highest total in the offering's 123-year history. "These are the greatest days of opportunity ever faced by the Christian church in its 2,000-year history," Elliff said. "That opportunity comes because hearts across the world are plowed up by need -- physical need, emotional need, social need. God is at work stirring hearts; He is changing lives. It would be a tragedy if we did not effectively take the seed of the Gospel and sow that seed into the furrows of troubled hearts all over the world -- hearts that would eagerly embrace the Gospel if they could only hear it. "That's why I'm extremely grateful for Southern Baptists' faithful giving and praying to undergird the thousands of missionaries they've sent from their churches, through IMB, to the farthest corners of the earth. And all for a single, eternal purpose -- making disciples in the name of Jesus." [QUOTE@right@250="I think that when people look at these statistics, Southern Baptists have every reason to rejoice. And it ought to be a sign that we could certainly accomplish much, much more if more was given." -- Tom Elliff] When the first Lottie Moon offering was collected in 1888 (though it was not yet known by that name), the $3,315 raised by Southern Baptist churches was enough to send three more single female missionaries to help Moon in China. The 2011 Lottie Moon offering totaled $146,828,116.05. Today, in conjunction with the Cooperative Program, it helps support a network of nearly 5,000 Southern Baptist missionaries serving around the globe, providing salaries, housing, medical care and children's education. The cost averages about $49,800 per year for each missionary. "Missions offerings represent one of the unique aspects in Southern Baptist life," said Wanda Lee, executive director/treasurer of Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). "As a former missionary, it was a great comfort to my husband and me knowing we could truly focus on the ministry God had called us to without concern about financially supporting our family. As Southern Baptists, it is our collective responsibility and privilege to remember those who have committed their lives to following the Great Commission so that the Gospel may be proclaimed among all people. "The faithfulness of Southern Baptists to give more to support international missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as compared to last year is to be commended. WMU is grateful for churches that continue to keep missions education and involvement at the forefront and for members who understand we have been called to sacrificially give of our resources so that all may know the true source of hope and peace." According to IMB's most recent statistical report, that support enabled missionaries and their national partners to present the Gospel to more than 2.2 million people, baptize 333,823 new believers and start 28,873 new churches. "I think that when people look at these statistics, Southern Baptists have every reason to rejoice," Elliff said. "And it ought to be a sign that we could certainly accomplish much, much more if more was given. We could send out more missionaries, we could partner with more nationals -- there definitely would be a direct impact in terms of evangelism and church planting." Though short of the $175 million goal, the 2011 offering is a $1.1 million increase over the $145.6 million Southern Baptists gave in 2010. The largest Lottie Moon offering in history was given in 2007, totaling $150.4 million, shortly before the 2008 global economic recession. "Southern Baptists continue to show that they have a heart for the world," said David Steverson, IMB vice president of finance. "In an economic environment where unemployment remains high, our economy continues to drag, our stock market experiences broad swings and there is unrest in all of our financial markets, Southern Baptists continue to respond to the Great Commission through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We are grateful for this increase of almost 1 percent, which represents the fourth-largest offering in our history." "That tells me that Southern Baptists still see missions as a priority," Elliff said. "It also tells me that Southern Baptists are keenly aware that there are still billions of people who desperately need to hear the Gospel, and they are eager to get that message to them." THE TASK REMAINS Elliff pointed out that 3,328 of the world's 11,000-plus people groups are both unengaged and unreached by the Gospel. An unengaged, unreached people group (UUPG) means that evangelical Christians make up less than 2 percent of the people group's population and that there are no current evangelical church-planting efforts among them. Those 3,328 UUPGs represent more than 266 million people who may know little or nothing about Jesus. In addition to Lottie Moon gifts, Elliff also thanked churches for their response to IMB's Embrace challenge. Currently, 1,280 churches and Southern Baptist Convention organizations have indicated their willingness to explore a long-term commitment to evangelize a UUPG. IMB's goal is to ensure there are no remaining UUPGs on the planet. "Surely, among the 45,000 Southern Baptist churches, there must be at least 3,328 churches and pastors who have the world on their heart and a passion for fulfilling the Great Commission," Elliff said. "In 2 Corinthians 8:5, the Bible says of the churches in Galatia that they 'first gave themselves to the Lord.' The motivation behind any of our giving is essentially our love for the Lord and our understanding of the responsibilities He has assigned us in the Great Commission. Our gifts will be in direct relationship to our surrender to the Lord." --30-- Don Graham is the International Mission Board's senior writer. -- End of story -- Showing Christ's love to New Orleans needy By Diana Chandler Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38014 NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- Sue Yocum thought the man was crazy. He had approached her in Washington Square Park during one of her daily strolls with her daughter Lena, who was only seven months old. "Your baby is very pretty," the man had said. The proud mother thanked him, but his next comment took her by surprise. "Can I buy her?" he asked. "Can I buy your baby?" Yocum recalls, "It didn't click. I asked 'excuse me?'" The stranger repeated his question. Assuming him to be insane, Yocum quickly returned to Baptist Friendship House across the street, a Southern Baptist mission and her home since a boyfriend deserted her after their child was born. There, staff members explained to Yocum what really happened. The man had asked to buy her baby as his property. Unable to support herself and her baby, Yocum's circumstances placed her in two groups the Friendship House works diligently to help: the homeless and those vulnerable to human trafficking. "To know that under-aged girls are bought, obtained, prepared, packaged and distributed like products into strip clubs, online pornography and prostitution breaks my heart," said Kay Bennett, Baptist Friendship House executive director. "God has given me a passion to reach out and help women, one at a time." Yocum temporarily found work in Birmingham, Ala., for six months, but returned to New Orleans in March to reunite with Baptist Friendship House, the only family she knows. The mission allowed her to clear her head, encounter God and learn anew how to pray. The home, she said, is providing for all her needs. "One of the biggest things that Baptist Friendship House did was give me the ability to pray and be a stronger person," Yocum said. "This is my extended family." About 10 miles away at Celebration Church in Metairie, a New Orleans suburb, 34-year-old Andrea Robertson considered hers a lose-lose situation. Facing her husband's infidelity and alcoholism, she was ready to end their marriage. "There was no doubt I was done. I was at the end of my rope," Robertson said. "If I leave him, I lose, and if I stay, I lose." She and her husband Eddy enrolled in counseling classes at Hope Center, a ministry of Healing Hearts for Community Development, a nonprofit arm of Celebration Church. Hope Center helped Andrea deal with the "paralyzing pain" of betrayal. Eddy enrolled in Celebrate Recovery, a sister ministry at Celebration Church incorporating 12 Christ-centered steps and eight biblical recovery principles. Eddy has been sober and faithful for the past six years. Today, Andrea and Eddy are still married and providing a loving home for their four children, ages 7 to 18. 'LOVE LOUD' Southern Baptist churches and ministries are fighting numerous social ills in a city known for good times and easy living. In efforts to fulfill God's command to love the least of these, Southern Baptists are leading souls to Christ and penetrating lostness in North America. The North American Mission Board, meanwhile, has launched "LoveLoud," an initiative to encourage Southern Baptists to engage in community transformation through compassion ministries, evangelism and church planting. What does it mean to love loud? "It means loving neglected and hurting people as Jesus did -- and pointing them back to Him as the source and ultimate author of that love," said Al Gilbert, executive director of LoveLoud. "It means a daily commitment from churches and individuals to connect mercy ministries with missional living in support of church planting and church strengthening. Ultimately, it's about integrating the Great Commandments of Christ in Matthew 22:36-40 -- to love God and love others." Modeling God's love for widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor, reminiscent of Zechariah 7:10, pastor Dennis Watson describes Celebration Church as "compassion focused." "Most of our current church attendees are people who have been won to faith in Christ through our compassion ministry efforts following Katrina," Watson said. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 permanently displaced 60 percent of Celebration's congregation, plunging weekly attendance from 2,500 to 800, the pastor said. He now counts weekly attendance at 4,000, higher than pre-Katrina numbers. "We have rebuilt our congregation through compassion ministry." David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans, calls it the "Care Effect," pointing to a three-pronged benefit of compassion ministry blessing the giver, the recipient and the community. "Jesus said it's more blessed to give than receive," Crosby said. "We believe that compassion is essential, not optional. When the church fails to be a people of compassion and caring, we actually cut the legs out from under the Gospel. "We authenticate the good news of the Gospel by loving those in trouble." Baptist Friendship House, Celebration Church, First Baptist and Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, among many others, are modeling the love of Christ in ministries improving the lives of people who are homeless, hungry, poor, elderly, sick, fatherless and vulnerable. Each ministry uses available resources to reach various populations in need. Ministries range from the sophisticated to the seemingly simple; some utilizing hundreds of thousands in funding, others done for the cost of a prayer. A PLACE FOR MEN Fred Luter, at the outset of his pastorate at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, began reaching the community by hosting gatherings at his home for up to 25 men to watch pay-per-view boxing matches. "That was one of the hooks we used to get guys to the church," Luter said. "The guys love sporting events." In those early days more than 20 years ago, Luter would not hand out tracts or hold Bible study during the gatherings, but the sporting events drew the men to Sunday services, much to the delight of their wives. "I just feel that if you save the man," Luter said, "the man will save his family." More recently, since the construction of the church's Family Life Center, sporting events include prayer. Basketball games break every 20 minutes for 10 to 15 minutes of prayer and a Bible devotion. "It's amazing how that never was a problem for the men," Luter said. "They wanted to play basketball. It's a good way of reaching them." Franklin Avenue has a myriad of mission initiatives, including ministries to the elderly, the sick and the shut-in, including worship services in nursing homes. "We take the service to them," church member Brenda Bowman said. "We're just there to remind them we're serving the same God, even though they're not at home." It's a ministry that doesn't require a large budget, she said. "We may not be able to go out with money, but we can go with a prayer and a word," she added. Franklin Avenue avoids duplication of services and increases efficiency through its Love in Action ministry, which brings together all the missions of the church for fellowship and edification. Love in Action allows missions teams to work together jointly on a project, including annual stateside mission trips and a retreat for mission workers. "There's strength in numbers, and you don't duplicate services," said June Pittman, Love in Action coordinator. Franklin Avenue's community outreach has included the Neighborhood Rebuild Project in partnership with Samaritan's Purse, speeding the repopulation of the St. Roch neighborhood surrounding the church. Samaritan's Purse built nearly 30 homes during the course of the project. Franklin Avenue provided sleeping quarters for up to 70 volunteers at a time, paid for a full-time cook to prepare three meals daily for volunteers and the nine Samaritan's Purse staff members on-site. The church provided the lot that housed Samaritan's Purse administrative trailers. Space previously reserved for a bookstore and library at Franklin Avenue temporarily housed bunk beds and a kitchen. Luter said compassion is critical to the church's mission. "The church needs to be a place where people know there's compassion there," he said. "'As you've done it to the least of these, you've done it unto me,' and that's our motivation." With the 2,000-seat sanctuary jam packed at both Sunday morning worship services, Luter has begun a capital campaign to build a second location in New Orleans East. A PLACE OF HOPE At Celebration Church, Healing Hearts for Community Development practices compassion through mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment. It was through HHCD's Hope Center that Andrea and Eddy Robertson were able to save their marriage. "We're very grateful for the Hope Center and especially Michele," Andrea Robertson said, referring to Michele Louviere, Hope Center's clinical director and a former North American Mission Board missionary. "We sit in really dark [psychological] places with people," Louviere said. "They naturally want hope. I personally have had clients who were not saved, but in the course of counseling accepted Christ." Hope Center provided 12,000 hours of direct services last year, impacting clients from 10 parishes (counties). The center uses 40 counselors, including 25 master's-level students from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The parent organization, HHCD, has an $800,000 operating budget this year, drawing from grants, a sliding fee scale and fundraisers, said Freddie Landry, HHCD executive director. The organization's Christian foundation draws many to its programs, he said. "Most of our clients do come to us looking for the faith-based counseling, but we don't require that," Landry said. "We are always encouraging our clients to go to church, either at our church or another church. Our goal is to bring hope and healing to the hurting people in our community." CROSSROADS OF HOPE Deploying 100 volunteers weekly in a wide spectrum of ministries, First Baptist New Orleans brings hope and healing through its Care Effect initiative. Through its Baptist Crossroads project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, First Baptist has built 71 homes in New Orleans, utilizing volunteer labor. Baptist Crossroads was created before Hurricane Katrina with the hope of providing 40 homes to low-income working families. Crosby's vision expanded after the storm, which destroyed 90,000 housing units in the metro area. Another Care Effect ministry is Fuel the Future, in which First Baptist gives backpacks of groceries to 200 low-income students at four area schools on weekends and during holiday breaks, supplementing the free lunches students receive during the week. "We have significant childhood hunger in Louisiana and particularly here in New Orleans," Crosby said. "We try to feed them over the weekend when they don't have breakfast and lunch provided at school." These New Orleans churches have watched as their city has struggled to come back after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. They've been there walking alongside residents before and after the storm. New Orleans Baptists want to see their city flourish. But most of all, they want to see their city know Christ and make Him known. Demonstrating God's love by meeting significant human need while sharing Christ is key to this kind of community transformation. Stories like these in New Orleans are being played out across North America as Southern Baptists are compelled by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to love neglected neighbors, children and communities. --30-- Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' staff writer. The article first appeared in the summer 2012 issue of On Mission magazine (onmission.com). -- End of story -- Let's LoveLoud, Southern Baptists By Al Gilbert Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38016 EDITOR'S NOTE: On LoveLoud Sunday, July 22, Southern Baptist churches are encouraged to consider how to live out the Gospel in word and deed through such initiatives as sports clinics in a neglected community, home repairs and service projects for the elderly or adopting a neglected neighborhood school. For more information, go to [URL=http://namb.net/LoveLoud]namb.net/LoveLoud[/URL] ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- I had a conversation with a church planter in San Francisco recently. The one-year-old church has been heavily involved in helping a local school. They are tutoring struggling kids, supporting teachers and their families and have helped with repair work at the school. They also are providing practical help for another struggling group in their community -- young women overcoming addictions. Recently, they took up a $10,000 offering to help the school and these struggling women. Demonstrating God's love in practical ways is part of this church's DNA. [IMG=32781@right@110]A few years ago I might have thought this church planter was spending his energy on the wrong things. No more. Quite frankly, I'd missed this for most of my ministry. Having served on the staff of the International Mission Board, I had a glimpse of God's love for all peoples on the planet. I still believe it with every fiber of my being. Yet I had missed another clear stream of Scripture -- God's heart for the neglected neighbor. Throughout Scripture we see God's love for the widow, orphan, foreigner and the poor. The same Gospel that moves us to see every tribe, tongue and nation also moves us to see those who live nearby -- those with great need for food, shelter, medical care and education. The Gospel moves us to see the neglected neighbor. We're on the cusp of a new movement of Southern Baptist churches who are demonstrating God's love by meeting significant human need while sharing Christ. You can see it everywhere, from longtime established churches in the South to new church plants in the urban centers of the Northeast and the West. Since our mission at the North American Mission Board is to penetrate lostness in North America, we must do whatever it takes to be a catalyst for this kind of movement. What will it take to cultivate this movement? -- We must understand God's heart for the neglected neighbor. Our theological root system must incorporate what God's Word teaches on this important matter. If we start talking about events and actions without a root system in place, there will be little to no fruit. Scripture teaches that our Lord is the God of the widow, the orphan, the foreigner among us and the poor (Zechariah 7:10; Proverbs 14:31; Matthew 25; James 1:27; etc.). Before we can effectively demonstrate God's love to the neglected neighbor, we must realize our calling doesn't come from a sense of altruism but from the Spirit of Christ. -- We must mobilize churches to love loud in their communities. People in our communities have needs -- some overwhelming. Our churches are filled with the resources, skills and gifts to help meet many of these needs. There is a real disconnect when we are surrounded by overwhelming needs and the church is doing nothing to help. Mobilizing a church begins when the leaders find ways to identify those needs. Someone makes a list that includes activities like tutoring, food, medical or dental help. Then the church is unleashed to meet those needs while sharing Christ. Creativity follows commitment. Imagine what God can do through our churches when it becomes our regular practice to love loud. For example, pastor David Uth is mobilizing First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., to love loudly in Orlando. Last year he told me he's seeing the favor and blessing of God on the church as the congregation is willing to notice and care for people who have been hurt and neglected. -- Finally, we must develop networks to help church planters love loud in their communities. Some of the most extreme human needs in North America can be found in the most unreached cities on the continent. We know there are people in our churches who have been uniquely gifted by God to meet those great needs. Through the North American Mission Board's Send North America initiative, we can find ways to come alongside church planters and help them love their communities. There are dozens of church planters like the pastor in San Francisco who could use some help. And there will be many more. I pray God will pour out His blessing on your church and our Southern Baptist Convention as we love loud throughout North America. --30-- Al Gilbert is executive director of LoveLoud at the North American Mission Board. Visit namb.net/loveloud to find out how your church can get involved in LoveLoud. -- End of story -- Church bombing in Nigeria kills 2, injures 40 By Staff/Compass Direct News Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38015 JOS, Nigeria (BP) -- An Islamic extremist ran a car full of explosives at a Pentecostal church in Jos Sunday (June 10), killing at least two Christians and injuring more than 40 others, military and police officials said. [IMG=32785@right@200]Also on June 10, gunmen in Borno state reportedly killed at least two Christians during church worship. The Boko Haram Islamic sect reportedly took responsibility for both assaults. The attack in Jos on Christ's Chosen Church of God was the second suicide bombing of a church in two Sundays and the third church bombing in Jos in six months. The explosion, which hit after a service ended and church leaders and some children remained in the building, collapsed the roof of the sanctuary, witnesses said. The death toll was expected to increase as injuries were severe. It marked the second consecutive Sunday that an extremist from the Boko Haram Islamist sect has been able to get through check-points to bomb a church, and reports followed of rioting by aggrieved youths that left further casualties. Esther Solomon, a 31-year-old university student whose family's house sits directly opposite the church building, told Compass Direct that a pastor, church elders and some children remained in the sanctuary at the time the bomb was detonated. She said she was in her family living room at the time. "I heard this loud explosion that broke window glass. The impacts of the explosion forcefully opened the front door of our house and threw me into one of the bedrooms," Solomon said. "I just found myself in the bedroom, and when I rushed out, I found out that a suicide bomber had crashed into the church across the road." Rahab Gunat, 41, said the suicide bomber first tried to bomb two churches, St. Peter's Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), both located along Rukuba Road like Chosen church, but could not gain entry. The bomber then targeted Christ's Chosen Church of God, though officials said he was stopped short of the building before detonating the explosives. "He was seen trying to go to the ECWA church, but he was prevented from doing so by members of the Boys Brigade [similar to Boy Scouts] who were keeping watch over the church," Gunat said. "From there, he went to the St. Peter's Catholic Church, but was denied entry too, but when he found that there was no security in this church, he crashed into it." Celina Malo, 20, whose family's house is just a few meters from the collapsed church building, told Compass that she was preparing for a bath when the bomb exploded. "I heard a loud explosion that brought down the ceiling of our house, shattered all glass of our windows and violently brought down household items," she said. "I was confused and began crying." Her two younger sisters, ages 8 and 11, were also crying, she said. "I rushed outside to see what had happened and saw that it was a car that had crashed into a nearby church, and people inside were crying," Malo told Compass. She said that when she rushed out of her house, she saw the daughter of the pastor of the Christ's Chosen Church of God crying outside the demolished structure. "Her name is Victory, and she told me that her dad, the pastor of the church, and her mom, were both inside the church," Malo said. "As we were thinking of what to do, people around rushed here to rescue people trapped in the church. Many have been injured, and they have been taken to the hospital." Malo added that she assisted in moving the 10-year-old son of the church pastor, Peter, away from the bombed church before he was taken to a hospital. "The boy was bleeding from wounds he got in the explosion," Malo said. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the church pastor, Monday Uzoka, and a church elder were in critical condition following the blast. In Biu, Borno state, gunmen reportedly shot at worshippers as they were leaving a worship service before entering the sanctuary and killing two Christians. The Borno state police commissioner reportedly confirmed the attack on the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN in the local Hausa language) congregation. On June 3 in Bauchi state, a Muslim suicide bomber from the Boko Haram sect attacked the Living Faith church in Yelwa, a Christian settlement on the outskirts of the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi, killing 13, with allegations following that authorities killed eight others who were protesting the lack of security. The blast also collapsed a wall of the nearby Harvest Field Church of Christ, leaving three people in critical condition. Literally meaning "Forbidden Book" and translated as "Western education is forbidden," Boko Haram has targeted churches, state offices, law enforcement sites and some moderate mosques in its effort to destabilize the government and impose a strict version of Shariah (strict Islamic law) on all of Nigeria. Nigeria's population of more than 158.2 million is divided between Christians, who make up 51.3 percent of the population and live mainly in the south, and Muslims, who account for 45 percent and live mainly in the north. The percentages may be less, however, as those practicing indigenous religions may be as high as 10 percent of the total population, according to Operation World. --30-- Reported by Compass Direct News, www.compassdirect.org, a news service based in Santa Ana, Calif., focusing on Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Used by permission. -- End of story -- Wells to be re-nominated for reg. secretary By Staff Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38017 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (BP) -- Jim Wells, Cooperative Program state missionary for strategic partners for the Missouri Baptist Convention, will be re-nominated for another one-year term as Southern Baptist Convention registration secretary during the June 19-20 annual meeting in New Orleans, a Missouri pastor has announced. [IMG=32782@right@110]Wells was diagnosed in 2010 with a form of cancer, a sarcoma malignancy in his left hip muscle, and will miss this year's meeting due to a June 18 procedure his doctors say is necessary, said Josh Hall, pastor of the Selmore Baptist Church in Ozark, Mo. Once the procedure is behind him, Wells' prognosis is excellent, Hall said. Hall said he will nominate Wells. John L. Yeats, the SBC's recording secretary and the executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, said Wells has done a fine job as registration secretary. Yeats and Wells work together in Missouri. "I join with thousands of Southern Baptists praying for Jim and Judy," Yeats said. "Throughout the year there is so much work to this position beyond the annual meeting, and Jim has everything delegated and ready for the convention in New Orleans. While he must cooperate with his medical team, Jim is the right guy to get the work done for registration secretary." Wells was first elected as registration secretary in 2002. He formerly was director of missions for Missouri's Tri-County Baptist Association in Nix. --30-- Compiled by Michael Foust, associate editor of Baptist Press. -- End of story -- BP Ledger, June 11 edition By Staff Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38019 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. BP Ledger will not appear June 18 during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. It will resume June 25. Today's BP Ledger includes items from: Oklahoma Baptist Messenger Compass Direct News Hardin-Simmons University Bluefield College International Mission Board Northwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City ministers to state champion Knights, coach By Bob Nigh OKLAHOMA CITY (Baptist Messenger) -- Two years ago, Daniel De Souza resigned his job as soccer coach at a community college in Bristol, England, crossed over the "pond" and took over the reins as soccer coach at Northwest Classen High School, a school that hadn't won a state championship in any sport for 26 years. A native of Ghana, De Souza brought years of "futbol" experience with him -- he had played semi-pro soccer in both Europe and Africa before a knee injury cut his career short. At Northwest High, he inherited an inner-city program facing an uphill battle on several fronts. Most pressing was lack of good nutrition for the players, some of whom came to school hungry and went home after practice the same way, having had little to eat all day. Add to that the dehydration resulting from constant running during practice, and the players found themselves physically drained most days. Providentially, God provided De Souza with an answer to his players' nutritional woes by feeding him breakfast as the 2010-11 school year began. He attended Northwest Baptist Church's annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, and he met Allen Marks, NWBC's director of community outreach that morning. Marks told the coach to let him know if the church could do anything for him and his team. That sincere offer of assistance led to De Souza revealing the team's nutritional woes to Marks, who conferred with Senior Pastor Ben Brammer, and the church's congregants soon had basically adopted the soccer team. "The church provided nutritional energy bars and electrolyte replacement drinks for the players, along with fresh fruit such as bananas, oranges and apples," De Souza said. "The players' performance began to improve almost immediately." The Knights posted a 17-2 record during the 2011 season and were ranked as high as 22nd in the country, De Souza said. Still, the Class 5A state title, which was claimed by Tulsa Cascia Hall, eluded them. Soon after the season ended, the church hosted a banquet for the high school soccer team, which saw nine seniors graduate. As De Souza took a look at his returning roster, he knew the 2012 season would be difficult, with nine starters having to be replaced. But, he saw other challenges as well. "The challenges from a soccer standpoint were, first, the fact that we lost so many quality players from the year before. We lost nine seniors, who were all starters," De Souza said. "Another challenge was bringing in the new players who were not starters -- seven of them -- and helping them realize they were no longer bench players. And, I didn't know how many of my players were going to have to be working after school to help out their families. "We also had a lot of injuries during the season, so that made it quite difficult. "Now, the part where Northwest Baptist came in and made a huge impact on our team is that the church provided us with a lot of support. And when I say a lot of support, I mean they provided us with sports drinks and energy bars, and fresh fruit. It was a constant flow of that from the church. They also provided some pre-game meals. "The bananas were very important for the potassium and electrolytes they provide to the players, who run as much as eight to 10 miles -- usually at a sprint -- during a game. They have to have the electrolytes or they face serious damage to their health." This season, the Knights started slowly as injuries mounted and the players adjusted to their new roles. But, with their nutrition woes solved, thanks to the church, the coach was free to focus on crystallizing the team into a unified force that eventually reached the pinnacle when they posted a 3-2, double-overtime victory over Cascia Hall on May 12 to claim the school's first state title since the Knights' boys basketball team won it all 27 years ago in 1985. But, it didn't come easy, De Souza said. Another challenge he faced this year was, simply put, the make-up of the team itself. "I had players from all over the world," the coach explained. "One kid who was a Burmese refugee. Refugees from the Sudan, Eritrea and the Congo and others from Mexico and Guatemala. "At the beginning of the season, each of them held on to their cultural background very strongly. The challenge for me was how to bring all of those different people together into one unit. How to put all of the factions together to work together for one goal, one dream. "It was a special year, I have to tell you. I'm not sure how we did it. I think sometimes, you lead by example. That's very, very important. You don't only say things, but you show it. That's what you see in Northwest Baptist. They recognized a need we had and took care of it. The church has been phenomenal." De Souza said his players also inspired him by their efforts this season. "The players were very dedicated and, sometimes, I had to tell them to go home when they stayed so long working out after school," he said. That work ethic has paid off for several of them. Of the eight soccer team seniors who graduated this year, seven are going to college next fall on full athletic scholarships. Four will attend Southwestern Christian University in Bethany; two are headed to Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa and one will go to Oklahoma City University. "That's a life-changing opportunity for them," De Souza said. "It goes back to the fact that when you have a group of people with varied backgrounds and they can put their differences aside and work together for a common goal, that's very inspirational and touching. "The true American story here is the fact that people need to see each other as one in God, no matter what our differences are. That we are able to put those differences aside and help each other and to come together as one and when we are able to do that, we are able to achieve anything we put our minds to." Part of that story has been Northwest Baptist's investment in the young soccer players and their veteran coach. Their ministry has affected a total of 45 players, including 22 on the NWC varsity this season and 23 on the junior varsity, some of whom will step up next year and try to bring home the Knights' 16th overall state championship and second in-a-row in soccer. The ministry not only has affected the soccer team, but other students have been impacted as well. "I had other students come up and ask if there were any more bananas or other fruit left at the end of the day," De Souza revealed. "There are a lot of hungry students here who also have been helped. "NWBC has been a really great source of change for us," De Souza concluded. "I like what this church is doing; I like what this church is about; that they put God first. They don't just talk about it. Seeing what God has done in my life and how God has blessed me, I accepted Christ and decided to get baptized. I felt a need to be a part of this church." --30-- Bob Nigh is managing editor of the Baptist Messenger (www.baptistmessenger.com), newsjournal of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. ********** Iranian Authorities Shut Church in Tehran Revolutionary Guard closes doors amid crackdown on recognized churches. ISTANBUL (Compass Direct News) -- Authorities in Iran last week ordered the closure of a church in the capital, Tehran, amid a government campaign to crack down on the few recognized churches offering Farsi-speaking services, according to a human rights group. The order came from Iran's Revolutionary Guard's Intelligence branch on Tuesday (June 5). The Revolutionary Guard, also known as Sepah, is known for its military aggression. "Unfortunately, it is now official -- the church in Janat-Abad [district] was ordered to shut down," said Monsour Borji, an Iranian Christian and advocacy officer for rights initiative Article 18. "If no reverse decision is made, this Sunday [June 10] no meeting will be held." Article 18 is a London-based initiative of the United Council of Iranian Churches (Hamgaam), which seeks to defend and promote religious freedoms in Iran. Hamgaam is composed of Iranian Christian churches in Europe. The church in Tehran's northwestern district of Janat-Abad belongs to the Assemblies of God (AOG) Church in Iran. Originally it was located in Karaj, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Tehran, but authorities ordered it to shut down some years ago, Borji told Compass. Church leaders had negotiated with authorities to use property they acquired in Janat-Abad in order to serve their Assyrian background Christian members who lived in west Tehran. Over time, however, the number of Iranians from Farsi-speaking Muslim families attending the church increased, drawing the attention of authorities. More than 70 Christians gather every Sunday for the Farsi-speaking service in Janat-Abad. Undoubtedly the order to close the church in the suburb of Tehran was handed down verbally, Borji said. "Due to an increasing number of Farsi-speaking believers – mostly MBBs [Muslim Background Believers] – it has become a cause of concern for the authorities and they now ordered it to shut down," he said. Last month the leadership of the AOG Central Church of Tehran, after 20 years of pressure from authorities to provide a list of church members, asked its members to volunteer their names and national ID numbers. The government move was aimed at limiting attendance by converts from Islam to Christianity, as well as to better monitor its members, sources said. Almost all members of the church's two Sunday services come from Muslim families. Both services are held in Farsi. Borji said that some members did submit their information last month, and already authorities have used it to put pressure on Christians, alarming those who have not given their details. "Some have submitted, but not all, especially since some members experienced problems at work and university after submitting their details," Borji said. One university student who attended the church was barred from taking a final exam and another member was fired from work, Borji said. When members of the AOG Central Church of Tehran initially heard the news, some believed they were faced with the ethical dilemma of whether they would be denying Christ by declining to reveal themselves in this way. In February, Emmanuel Protestant Church and St. Peter's Evangelical Church were ordered to shut down their Friday services. These two churches were the last two official churches offering Farsi-language services on Fridays in Tehran. "If this aggressive campaign to eliminate evangelical Christianity is not stopped, it is a matter of time before all Farsi-speaking churches are forced to shut down," Borji said. Apart from the church in Janat-Abad, only three churches remain in Tehran offering Farsi-language services: the AOG Central Church of Tehran, Emmanuel Protestant Church and St. Peter's Evangelical Church. Though Emmanuel Protestant Church and St. Peter's Evangelical Church shut down Friday services, they have continued to offer Sunday services in Farsi. Last month authorities arrested one of the elders of Immanuel Church in Tehran, Mehrdad Sajadi, and his wife, Forough Dashtiani, according to Mohabat News. Mohabat and other news sources report a crackdown against Christians in recent months. In a report earlier this month, Middle East Concern (MEC) reported that the "Government's campaign of intimidation against Christians and churches continues," and noted that authorities are targeting both house churches as well as the "small remaining number of officially recognized Protestant churches." As an Islamic republic, Iran views Christians and especially Christian converts as enemies of the state and pawns of the West out to undermine the government. Authorities associate Christianity with some ethnic minorities in Iran – that is, Armenians and Assyrians – and do not tolerate the notion of a Farsi-speaking Church. Converts to Christianity from Islam resort to meeting together in secret at their homes and have formed an underground church made up of house groups. There is no data available on how many Iranians have left Islam for Christianity. On behalf of London-based Hamgaam, Borji asked the international community to speak up against the persecution of Christians in Iran. "[We are] asking for the support and solidarity of all Iranians and the international community to put an end to these oppressive policies that are aiming to strangle the church," Borji said. More than 20 believers remain in prison in Iran, because of their Christian faith, according to the MEC report. Five of those are held in Tehran, five in Shiraz, three in Kermanshah and at least two in Isfahan. Five others in Isfahan were confirmed released in early May, including Hekmat Salimi, lay leader of St Luke's Anglican Church. Noorallah Qabitizade, in the southwestern city of Ahwaz, and Farshid Fathi, in Tehran's Evin Prison, have been detained since December 2010. Yousef Nadarkhani, of the Church of Iran, has been in prison since October 2009 and is still under the death sentence. Behnam Irani, also a member of the Church of Iran, has been in prison in Karaj since May 2011 and is in poor health. --30-- Reported by Compass Direct News, www.compassdirect.org, a news service based in Santa Ana, Calif., focusing on Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Used by permission ********** Hardin-Simmons University Biology Class Locates Rare Plant in Big Thicket SARATOGA, Texas (Hardin-Simmons University)--It's one of the rarest plants in the world, and students participating in HSU's May Term class called Field Ecology of the Big Thicket went in search of it, and found it. The federally listed endangered plant called Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivallis subs. Texensis) occurs in only three counties in southeast Texas and nowhere else in the world, says Dr. Rick Hammer, assistant professor of biology. "This plant was once more widespread in the forests of Texas and Louisiana but is imperiled today due to habitat destruction and natural fire suppression," says Hammer. The Phlox treasure hunt was one of the highlights of the six-day class study trip to the Big Thicket National Preserve, located just north of Beaumont, Texas. The purpose of the upper-level biology class was to experience and explore in person some of the 10 distinct ecosystems and plant communities of the Big Thicket, which has some of the richest biodiversity in North America. The class travelled to Saratoga, Texas, about 35 miles north of Beaumont, and stayed at the Big Thicket Field Research Station operated by the National Park Service. The field station has dorms, a large classroom, lab facilities, and kitchen facilities for cooking meals. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 105,684 acres. Big Thicket was the first preserve in the National Park System established by President Gerald Ford, and protects an area of rich biological diversity. Natural processes have influenced the region over the millennium. The last Ice Age brought a character change on the natural systems with the cold environment encouraging species to move from separate ecological systems into a close neighborhood, says Hammer. Today, species from the Gulf Coastal Plains, Eastern Forests, and Central Plains share space with species indicative of swamps and bayous. Bald Cypress swamps are a short distance from upland pine savannahs and sand hills. "Students hiked with a National Parks Service ranger from the Big Thicket National Preserve to gather data on soil type, soil pH, soil water infiltration rate, and forest canopy cover for several forest plant communities, including a magnolia-beech-pine slope forest, a baygall, a cypress slough, and a floodplain habitat," says Hammer. Students also attended a special presentation about black bear restoration and conservation in the Big Thicket. Students also worked on several projects at the Roy Larsen Sandylands Preserve, owned and operated by the Texas Nature Conservancy. Activities included a field survey for quail and a fire ecology talk by preserve manager, Bob Boensch. Students participated in a forest tree plot survey to record data on several species of trees including loblolly pine, long leaf pine, and white oak. Dale Kruse, a plant biologist from Texas A&M University, who conducts research in the Big Thicket, taught a moss workshop at the field station for the students. On Friday, June 1, 2012, students returned to the Sandylands Preserve to hike the Floodplain Trail along Village Creek. Hammer says, "We found a spot where we could hike down to a sandbar on the creek for a freshwater mussel survey. Native freshwater mussels are in decline due to stream and habitat degradation. The class found seven species of mussels." Before departing for Abilene, students canoed a 2.5 mile stretch of Village Creek, described as "one of the finest paddle trips in Texas." Hammer says, "When you visit the Big Thicket, don't look for grand vistas here. You have to look closely, all around you, where you will find a unique assemblage of species, including many that are endangered or threatened." Hammer and HSU the Biology Department are very appreciative of the opportunity to use the research station facilities provided and operated by the Big Thicket Association and the National Park Service. ********** Bluefield College Brings Mission Field to Students BLUEFIELD, Va. (Bluefield College)--Bluefield College is well known for its student mission trips abroad. But when students aren't able to travel overseas to experience missions firsthand, the school simply brings the mission field to them through its Missionary-in-Residence Program. Designed to "bridge the gap between those currently giving their lives to mission work and those who aspire to work alongside them," BC's Missionary-in-Residence (MIR) Program provides a much-needed, well-deserved furlough for missionaries from the International Mission Board (IMB), while at the same time increasing the understanding among the campus community of the need to be involved in mission work. "We bring the mission experience to every aspect of our campus life so that students don't have to travel abroad to learn about mission work," said Campus Minister David Taylor. "It also helps our students realize how fortunate and how blessed they are, compared to other parts of the world." In fact, IMB missionaries Henry and Tasha Clary just completed a full academic year on the BC campus, sharing their experiences as missionaries in Uruguay for three years and in Costa Rica for one year. During their 10 months on furlough in Bluefield, the Clarys did their best to impress upon the minds of students that mission work is "a calling to share Christ with people in another culture" and "a journey that teaches you to lean on the Holy Spirit." "We are called to be servants of the Lord in a foreign land -- we do whatever," said Henry. "Missionaries must be flexible, meaning completely at the will of the Lord. You need more than plan A and B; you need plan C, D, and E." The Clarys also shared with the BC community that while they fully expected to witness, serve, teach and help the people of Uruguay, they discovered early on that God was using the people of Uruguay to teach them a few lessons in grace and humility. "I learned how weak and frail we can be," said Tasha. "I also learned to rely on the Lord and to become more merciful and forgiving toward other people in my response." Henry's initial call to Uruguay was as a church planter, which means starting small house churches. This, he said, enabled him to "get into Uruguayan culture and language" and "get to know the people on an intimate level through worship and Bible study." He led two house groups, teaching and discipling, before transitioning out of church planting into cell ministry with a Baptist church in the upper to middle class section of town -- the hardest to reach, according to Henry. Now, his work also involves serving as a seminary connector, linking pastors and teachers in the United States to seminaries in Uruguay and Argentina all for the purpose of helping the seminaries "become strong evangelical and theological places where people want to go for training." With a teacher certification, Tasha teaches and volunteers at a bilingual private school in Uruguay. She also leads youth Bible studies for a local village church. In all they do, the Clarys said they have learned to appreciate the slower rhythm of life in Uruguay, one in which "the present is way more important than the future." In addition to sharing with the BC family the lessons learned from serving in Uruguay, the Clarys hosted mission fellowship gatherings, taught Christian studies classes, and led Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) sessions. During their encounters with BC students, the Clarys said they learned much about the students' passion to serve. "Many students at Bluefield College have a heart for missions," said Tasha. "They have all these questions, and are hungry for answers and information." With their furlough ended and their time with BC complete, the Clarys and their children Hugh (17), Mark (11), and Elise (10), will return to Uruguay in June. They will be located in Montevideo, Uruguay, where Henry will be advocating and teaching for two seminaries. Though they both are eager to return to the mission field, they said they have enjoyed and will miss Bluefield. "We really liked the environment here," said Henry. "It was neat and homey, like a small town. Since not all the students were believers, we could be ourselves -- missionaries." ********** ASIA PRAYER REQUESTS, INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD SOUTH ASIA (International Mission Board)--Brief items reported by South Asia News (http://www.go2southasia.org) in June include: BANGLADESH. "Let me let you in on a secret," the surgeon said with a sly smile as he leaned towards Milla*. "The men, they will die for the children but not for their wives." He then walked out of the room to prep for an operation on Owen and Milla's* 11-year-old daughter. Is this supposed to be comforting to them as he goes to operate on their female child? Is it the fact that she is a child and not yet someone's wife that makes her value remain a little longer? In this country where women are undervalued, many daily face issues such as female infanticide, dowry demands, rape, stalking, physical abuse, child labor, trafficking and prostitution. Women are most often the ones committing suicide. They are victims of poverty and a system that sets them up as weak and replaceable. Pray for the women of Bangladesh to feel God's love for them and to know how precious they are in His sight. Pray that God's words from Isaiah 61 will become their testimony. Pray that He will give them "a crown of beauty instead of ashes and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." *pseudonyms http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ BHUTAN. Pray for believers who are seeking to take the message across barriers to other ethnic Bhutanese peoples. Ask God to lead Bhutanese believers across the paths of men and women of peace (Luke 10:1-8) whom He has prepared. Pray that these households will open doors of opportunities for spreading the Gospel into far-reaching corners of the country. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ DIASPORA. Rejoice with a cross-cultural worker who writes, "Our lives are moving at fast forward right now. We had a tremendous meeting on Easter night. We had several different South Asian groups join us for a time of worship and fellowship. R shared with the group from creation to Christ. There was definitely a stirring in the hearts of several. Since that meeting, we have baptized another South Asian and have seen a young woman come to faith. Pray as we work with four different South Asian groups. None have formed into a church yet, but they are moving forward. Pray that the Lord will give us enough time in our day and make us flexible to the needs that come up." http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ INDIA. Ray*, a Deccani Muslim from the Shaikh community, came to Christ and was baptized some four years ago. He is a taxi driver. His brothers are known for their rough behavior in a local gang. Ray had worked a double shift in order to come to a Bible study in December 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed his time. He now meets with a young pastor who is discipling him. Ray's faith is growing, though slowly. He's kept his faith in Jesus quiet these past few years, even from his wife, but in April 2012, Ray revealed that he had openly discussed Jesus with her! She, too, has accepted the message of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus, and Ray wants to baptize her. Please pray that Ray and his wife will steadfastly continue studying God's Word, and that both he and his wife will have a readiness to obey what the Lord shows them. Ask God to open up the hearts and lives of their extended family and friends so that they, too, may share the salvation that Ray and his wife now have. *pseudonym http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ MALDIVES. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing" (2 Corinthians 2:15). In a country that prides itself in being 100% Islamic, please claim this verse for followers of Jesus in Maldives. Ask that their attitudes, words, actions and lives will be an aroma that is God-pleasing among those who are being saved and those who are perishing without Jesus all around them. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ NEPAL. A cross-cultural worker writes, "Nepal's population is estimated to be 30,207,000. Right now, it seems that everywhere we look, there are babies - many are just on our street alone. This makes me think of the God-sized task of reaching the Nepali people with the Truth. One statistic states that 2.9 percent are professing Christians. That leaves 29,330,997 who are not. Many have never even heard the name of Jesus. Pray that those who are believers will take ownership of the task of reaching their own people. Pray that mass repentance will take place, and that whole villages and/or districts will make Jesus Lord of their lives." http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ PAKISTAN. Second Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV) says, "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing." Thank you so much for your prayers! God is moving in miraculous ways. As a result of a 15-year-old boy being delivered from an evil spirit, approximately 20 people from the majority people group in that village have come to believe! They are growing in knowledge and faith and want to be baptized. Praise His name! Plans are in the works to make the baptisms happen, so pray that they will happen with no problems or trouble from the majority community. If persecution does happen, ask that the new believers will persevere and be the stronger for it. Also please pray 2 Thessalonians 1:3 for these new believers, asking that their faith will grow more and more and their love for one another will increase. Thank you for your prayers. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ SRI LANKA. A recent volunteer to Sri Lanka writes, "All I have to say is that it was probably the best m trip I have been on in awhile. Not because everything went according to plan, but because we saw God move mightily. I have never seen such receptivity to the teaching lessons." God did do-and is continuing to do-amazing things! Within one week of the training, a group of three leaders had already seen four families brought to the house church with an interest in following Jesus. One of those new families consists of 13 people. WOW! Also since the training, one of the lay leaders, Suvik*, has been confronted by monks and ordered to stop what he was doing. Later he and a minister from the church went to the temple to speak with the monks. After accusations from the monks of them scattering seeds everywhere in the village, Suvik* shared his testimony about how Jesus helped him when no one else could or would. The minister shared as well. Suvik* and the minister have decided to continue with what they are doing. Praise God that much was accomplished for His glory through the April team! Praise God for the boldness of Suvik*! Pray that these monks who have heard Truth will choose it over the lies they have been teaching. Pray that God will continue His awesome work in Napa*! *pseudonyms http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ BANGALORE HOSPITAL. Pray for the selection of the new class of nursing students this month, both in the three-year certificate course and in the degree course. Pray for both those young women who gain admission and those who do not. Intercede for current students who will be taking examinations as the academic year closes. The new students have begun their studies in the Pastoral Care Department. Please intercede for their adjustment to the hospital environment. Pray that as they acquire ministry and counseling skills, they will be committed to sharing. Pray for all of those with teaching responsibilities. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ SOUTH ASIAN HINDU FESTIVALS. [June 21] Imagine gathering with millions of Hindus from all over the world at one temple to help pull three 45-foot chariots of three gods down the streets of a special Indian city. This day is a reality in the lives of Hindus who celebrate Rath Yatra. This festival is known by many other names, but this journey (or Yatra) is considered very pious, and will supposedly earn enough penance for ages. Even a glimpse of the dwarf form of the god is believed to ensure the release from the cycle of birth and death. Pray that these pilgrims will come to see that believing and confessing the name of Jesus Christ as Lord is the only way to ensure the release from death and ensure eternal life. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ SOUTH ASIAN PEOPLES. Please pray for harvest workers this month as they come together for worship, training and renewal. Please lift up the volunteers who will come to help lead in Bible teaching, praise music and childcare. Pray for their strength as they travel. Ask for the children of harvest workers to have good health and not pass around any sicknesses to each other during this time. May the harvest workers participating truly be rested and refreshed and have renewed intimacy in their relationship with Jesus. Pray for those organizing this time, asking for them to have clear direction regarding the details. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/ SOUTH ASIAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES. Pray that the Koracha people will become "salt" to all of South India! Yes, these people often are salt sellers and are found in all of the four southern states of India: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. With their occupations being agricultural laborers or salt sellers, the Koracha people do not have much status in their own society. However, when their lives are transformed by the message of Christ, they could make a difference like salt does in our food. The Koracha actually had their own special dialect in the past, but today they mainly speak Tamil. They are a Hindu people, but they eat meat, with the exception of beef (because the cow is considered sacred in Hinduism). Their women often make and sell baskets or do fortunetelling. Pray that these women will hear the real future of how Jesus is coming back to take His followers with Him to heaven, and ask that they will have this true message of hope to tell others! http://prayerthreads.imb.org/ SOUTH ASIAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES. The southern coast of Tamil Nadu and the northern coast of the island nation of Sri Lanka are where the Karaiyalan people make their homes. They are Indians by birth, but many have migrated to the northern shores of Sri Lanka where many other Tamil people reside. There are more than 120,000 Karaiyalan people, who are mainly fishermen who use nets for shore fishing. All of the Karaiyalan speak the Tamil language and practice Hinduism. They worship many Hindu gods, but also have other family deities they worship. Currently there are no known believers among the Karaiyalan, and there is no one engaging them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many Christian resources available in the Tamil language. Please ask God to allow these resources to get into the hands of the Karaiyalan people. Also pray for the Lord to soften the hearts of the Karaiyalan so that when they hear about God and His Son, Jesus, they will quickly believe and trust in Jesus for salvation. http://prayerthreads.imb.org/ --30-- -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: 5 lessons about manhood I learned from my dad By Jason Lee Jun. 11 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38018 [IMG=32783@left@100]FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- I was blessed to have my dad when I was growing up. Not only that, I also knew both of my grandfathers (since they were World War II vets, one at Utah Beach and the other on Guadalcanal, that was not a given). Not everybody is as blessed as I was. Today, many boys -- through no fault of their own -- grow up with no dad in sight. Because of that situation, these boys are put at a great disadvantage. One of the true treasures of my childhood was the father-son relationship with my dad. I watched him. I copied him. I learned from him. All other men were measured against him. From an early age, I wanted to be a man like Dad. I would not be the same man, husband, father today if it were not for the things I learned from my dad. Some lessons of manhood are caught as much as taught. Not all lessons were positive and many would not show up in a Sunday School curriculum. Dad did not always mean to be teaching me, but I learned from him nonetheless. Many of the manhood lessons that I learned from my dad are hard to express in words. However, I will try to verbalize at least a few of them: -- Men work hard -- a lesson Dad learned from his dad. My dad worked the day shift at his job (maintenance/electrical) and then came home in the late afternoon to work at home. Dad built our home. He fenced in the pasture. He planted gardens. He fixed our cars. He trained our animals. When finances were tight, he took on outside jobs for extra cash. Whatever the task before him, Dad worked until it was done, even if it took longer than he or Mom liked. -- Men serve others. Before he was ever labeled a "deacon" at his church, Dad served people. He did not speak often in a public setting, but he was the "behind-the-scenes" man that made life easier for others. He worked in the bus ministry at church. He helped in children's church. He did (and still does) pro bono electrical work for widows. Small tasks didn't bore him. Dirty tasks didn't scare him. -- Men love their families. Dad did not do sappy sentimentalism. Hallmark never asked him to write cards for them. However, he loved us and it showed. He provided for us and worked harder if we needed more. He took us to our sport practices and taught us to fish. He loved our mom and spent weekends with us. He talked with us about life choices. -- Men make choices and live with consequences. Leading a home is not a glamorous position filled with lots of accolades. It is not about "coming up big" in the big moments. Leading a home is about thousands of small, daily choices. For Dad, many of these decisions were already made. Once you made a principled decision, as future similar choices appeared you already knew what to do. Dad taught us that with each choice comes a consequence, good or bad. He learned from his own dad that bad choices bring bad consequences. Dad did not shield us from the consequences of our choices. If I challenged his authority, there were consequences. If I made foolish choices at school or in the neighborhood, I suffered the consequences. My natural pride and stubbornness often led me to challenge this choice-consequence relationship. Dad let me see that it applied to me as well. -- Men trust the Lord. Before Dad married my mom, he had strayed from the Lord and knew it. However, when they were expecting me, through repentance and faith, my dad renewed his walk with the Lord and my mom professed her faith through baptism. As a consequence (see previous lesson), all I ever knew was a Christian home. Dad (and Mom) made sure that my brother and I were involved in church during our childhood and teen years. When he faced difficulties or hard choices, Dad leaned on the Lord. Even though our financial provisions often were modest, Dad taught us to be thankful to the Lord for what we had. Dad reminded me that my faith in the Lord should end up with obedience to the Lord. I am thankful for the many lessons that I learned from my dad. Now that I have five children of my own, it is my time to invest in my children and to trust them to the Lord. I hope to teach my three sons to be real men who will walk with the Lord. To all the fathers out there, I challenge you to meditate on Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 78 and Ephesians 6. Make these texts the formative wisdom of your life. If you do, your children will blessed by a dad who teaches them to trust the Lord, as I was. --30-- Jason Lee is associate professor of historical theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. This column first appeared at TheologicalMatters.com, a blog of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. -- End of story -- Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press 901 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Tel: 615.244.2355 Fax: 615.782.8736 email: bpress@sbc.net