Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 5 2012 --------------------------------------- Pastor's encounter with terrorist: beatings, jail, yet perseverance http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37970 AUDIO: 'How many of you have been persecuted?' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37971 His choice: Denounce Jesus or face torture http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37972 Gay marriage's 'Roe' heading to Supreme Court? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37978 Obama issues Gay Pride month proclamation http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37977 SBU men's basketball faces sanctions http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37973 FROM THE STATES: La., N.M., Fla. evangelism/missions news http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37976 FIRST-PERSON: Southern Baptists, we're not in Zion anymore http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37974 FIRST PERSON: 8 tips for fathers on Father's Day http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37975 --------------------------------------- Pastor's encounter with terrorist: beatings, jail, yet perseverance By Susie Rain Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37970 ORISSA STATE, India (BP) -- A group of criminals sits jam-packed in the filthy Indian holding cell. The smell of urine permeates the dank air. Two bedraggled men in the corner stand out from the other detainees -- not because of their threadbare clothes or clean-cut features but because of their actions. Pabitra Kata hums a hymn while Niladri Kanhar prays. Their alleged crime: "proselytizing." Local authorities accuse the two of coercing a Hindu man into becoming a Christian. Neither denies the fact that they were sharing a Bible story, but the word "coercion" makes them shake their heads in disbelief. Claiming Christianity in India's Orissa State means persecution and brutal beatings. Both men have the scars to prove it. Kata sports a hairless, jagged line above his right ear where his head was caved in from a beating; Kanhar has an eight-inch scar along his right side. Kata glances at his friend deep in prayer and remembers his own fervent prayer that started their journey. SIX YEARS AGO "Lord, give me just one family to build Your church on," Kata begged God in 2005. "We need a family that can stand strong like a rock -- like Your disciple Peter." The Holy Spirit answered the pastor by leading him up a mountain path and through the forest. When he stopped at the edge of a well-known terrorist village, Kata couldn't believe it. This para-military group often killed or terrorized Christians in a nationalist effort to keep India strictly Hindu. To make matters worse, one of the most feared leaders who lived in this village -- Kanhar -- was responsible for destroying churches and the beating, rape and even murder of Christians. "Surely, God isn't this crazy!" Kata thought. He had made a wrong turn in the forest, the pastor thought as he walked back home, pleading the entire way for just one family. Inside the village, Kanhar sat in his house, a broken and angry man. All five of his children were sick. Despite his powerful position as the local terrorist leader, there was nothing he could do to make things better for his family. He already had tried everything -- medical doctors, offerings at the Hindu temple and witchcraft. At one point, Kanhar sensed that one of the gods to which he had made sacrifices told him someone in his house would die. "I did everything you asked. We have become beggars and still we are suffering," Kanhar screamed. "If you are not able to save us, go away and send us someone who can!" A DREAM & A PRAYER One night, Kata was startled awake by a vivid dream. It was as if someone called out to him. The pastor replayed the fragmented images in his head: a mountain path, a village and a falling tree. The tree pointed to the terrorist leader's mud-packed home that emanated mourning and sorrow. Kata dressed and told his wife that a family needed prayer. Then he scurried up the mountain path to the most feared home in the region. The pastor arrived too late. Kanhar's eldest daughter died during the night. The terrorist leader's wife met Kata at the door, explaining that her husband took the body to the hospital for a death certificate. She advised the pastor to leave before her husband returned. Kanhar hated Christians and she didn't want to see anyone else die today, feeling enough pain inside her for a lifetime. The pastor pleaded with the mother not to give up hope. They just needed to pray. She didn't know how, so he urged her to repeat "in Jesus' name" throughout the night. He promised to return the next day at 10 a.m. MIRACLES & FAITH That morning, Kanhar and his daughter walked hand-in-hand up the path to their home. The pastor wasn't surprised, but no one else could believe their eyes. Although doctors had pronounced her dead, she now ran to hug her mother. Kanhar eyed the strange man standing at their door. Kata smiled, extended his hand and said, "I'm your new friend, Pabitra Kata." Kanhar's face, however, showed his intent to kill the pastor as part of the terrorist group's quest to wipe out Christianity. Kanhar's eyes wandered around the yard, searching for anything he could use as a weapon. "We hate Jesus here," the terrorist stated angrily, moving toward the Kata. Kanhar's wife stepped between them, saying that the pastor's prayers had been pivotal in bringing their daughter back to life. She boldly told her husband that she now believed in Jesus and prayed in His name. The terrorist reluctantly listened to his wife's story and halfheartedly agreed to believe. After all, what choice did he have? The pastor's God healed their daughter when nothing else worked. By 5 p.m., though, Kanhar truly gave his heart to God as his four other bed-ridden children also became well and got up to play. "My family is healthy. This is a miracle of God," the terrorist announced. "From this day, our household will worship only Him." A CHURCH IS BIRTHED Each night, Kata snuck through the forest to the terrorist village. He ducked past guards and slipped in Kanhar's back door. The family of seven sat waiting to learn new Bible stories and to pray. Kanhar soaked up every lesson like a sponge. He had never felt so much peace in his life. Even though his neighbors were angry with him for bringing the shame of Christianity to the village, he openly shared his newfound faith. Gradually, more people attended the nightly meetings. The para-military group tried to block this multiplication by fining anyone who talked to Kanhar 10,000 rupees ($200) -- more money than most made in a year. One night as Kata left the prayer meeting, a group of men grabbed and bound him. They dragged him along the paved road, finally stopping in a clearing where 30 others with clubs and sticks in hand waited to join the attack. The men blamed the pastor for "turning" their former leader. They beat and kicked the crumpled man. They broke his ribs and bashed in one side of his head. The pastor's screams pierced the silent night, yet no one came to his rescue. "God, like your servant Stephen, I am ready," Kata prayed through the pain. When heaven did not open, the pastor changed his prayer. "Help me stand firm. Use me to build Your church here!" Police picked Kata's battered body up off the road and took him to the station. They threatened to charge him with "converting Hindus." But in the end, they told him not to return to Kanhar's village or, next time, he surely would die. Despite the warning, the pastor continued to meet with the former terrorist leader for Bible study. During one of their prayer times, the pastor looked at Kanhar through still-swollen eyes and predicted, "You will have to suffer worse than me for your faith." Kanhar couldn't believe what he heard. The village had forced his family to leave and filed charges against him for "conversions" after another entire family proclaimed Christianity. The former terrorist couldn't find work to feed his family. His brothers disowned him. Even his children were forced to leave school. How could it get worse? It didn't take long for the pastor's words to come true. One day as Kanhar worked in the field, a group of about 50 men carrying clubs and machetes chased him down. They bound their former leader and forced him to kneel. Kanhar prayed as the men began throwing large stones at him. He lifted a prayer of thanksgiving when, somehow, none of the stones struck him. The enraged men then rushed at him, swinging their clubs and machetes. Blood pooled quickly around him. "Stop!" a man yelled. "He deserves a slow death for what he has brought to our village." With that, they divided into two teams -- taking turns kicking and clubbing. At one point, the men urinated on Kanhar, causing his open wounds to sting and burn. They broke his leg and placed a poisonous plant on his eyes to increase the pain. "If you don't come back to Hinduism, you will die," a man told him. "Even if you kill me or my children, I will remain a Christian until my last breath," Kanhar replied. "I will stand firm in the truth of Jesus Christ." BACK AT THE JAIL Holding to that declaration has not been easy for the former terrorist as well as the pastor. Persecution is simply the cost of sharing the Gospel. Beatings, unemployment and threats of jail time are to be expected. The "good days" come when someone professes Jesus as Lord and Savior. Those days make their perseverance possible. Kata sees the bailiff approaching and stands up. It's time for their case. The judge glances through the papers then sternly warns them about "proselytizing." He surprises everyone, however, by dropping all charges against the two Christians. The two friends thank God and rush out the door. There's no time for celebration -- the pastor and the terrorist-turned-believer are late for evangelism training at the church. --30-- Susie Rain is an International Mission Board writer living in Asia. To see more stories on persecution in Asia, go to http://www.asiastories.com. -- End of story -- AUDIO: 'How many of you have been persecuted?' By Hans Peter* with Susie Rain Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37971 SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) -- The evangelists sit on the floor listening intently as I teach about persecution. They soak up the lesson on 1 Peter like it's news from a long lost friend. [IMG=32723@right@310]I stop and ask, "How many of you have been persecuted for your faith?" No one raises a hand. This puzzles me. These men and women live in a Southeast Asian country where religious groups are required to get permission to read their Bibles and pray. So, I rephrase the question. "How many of you have suffered for preaching the Gospel?" Again, no one raises a hand. I shake my head in confusion. This has never happened before in a training session. They always raise their hands in countries known for religious persecution. I ask a third time, "How many of you have been imprisoned for sharing the Gospel?" EVERY hand in the room goes up. And then, one by one they begin to tell their stories of imprisonment: NAKED & BURNED One evangelist tells the story of a man who was interrogated and burned by authorities for sharing the Gospel. Even after being left naked and passed out overnight outdoors, this man still desired to return to the area because people were hungry to hear about Jesus Christ. Listen to the story below. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT At one point, 14 of our evangelists were arrested and thrown into prison. That didn't stop them, though. They continued to share. One of the evangelists prayed with many prisoners to receive Christ. He even conducted a church-like service in the prison courtyard. When the authorities figured out what was happening, they put him in chains and solitary confinement. GOING BACK A Southeast Asia evangelist returns home to see his newborn son for the first time but plans to return to an area where he had been arrested almost a year for sharing the Gospel. His reasoning for going back shows his dedication to not just sharing the Gospel but also supporting those he met before: there were now new believers who needed to be discipled. Listen to the story below. EXPECTED RESPONSE Now I understand why no one raised their hands the first two times I asked the question. The evangelists simply do not equate imprisonment with persecution or suffering. Sure, some were stoned, imprisoned, beaten or evicted from their villages but to them it's the "expected" response for sharing the Gospel. None of the persecution has deterred the Gospel from spreading. I tally more than 900 baptisms from their verbal reports. I also find that none of the persecution scares away believers from volunteering their services. Another evangelist tells the story of a young woman with "a heart as big as the world" who offered to take video and other materials to aid in spreading the Gospel to an isolated area. Even though her friend had been sent to a hard labor camp after praying for the sick in the same area, the young woman still offered to take the resources. She said she knew she could share the Gospel whether she was in or out of prison. Listen to this story below. I am simply amazed at how these evangelists remain faithful to the task, even at great personal loss. They unanimously tell me they must go forward with spreading the Gospel. Because of their willingness to be used by God, there are now churches where none existed. People are hungry for the message here. They want to hear about the one living God. These men and women are willing to take it to them. --30—- *Name changed. Hans Peter, who serves in Southeast Asia, trains local believers to take the Gospel where it is too dangerous for outsiders to go. -- End of story -- His choice: Denounce Jesus or face torture By Lin Sung* with Susie Rain Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37972 EDITOR'S NOTE: Lin Sung* had just completed evangelism training. As part of the final assignment, the class dispersed to surrounding villages to practice sharing the Gospel. Sung sent a text message to tell a friend where he would be. When government officials intercepted that message, his homework assignment changed from sharing Bible stories to a fight for survival. EAST ASIA (BP) -- One day, I was out sharing the Gospel in some small Chinese villages when, suddenly, the police surrounded me. They grabbed me and threw me in the back of a van. "We know that you have been trained for Christian evangelism, and we are taking you in," they told me. There was not much I, a simple farmer, could do. I had the evidence (class notes from the training course) with me, so I just leaned back onto the seat and prayed. That's when God gave me an idea. I took the training notes out of my book and stuffed them into the cracks and crevices of the van. When we arrived at the station, they tried processing me, but they couldn't find the evidence. They kept going through my things, swearing they knew I had the formula for spreading Christianity written down. I told them truthfully that I did not have it on me. Even without proper evidence, they threw me in jail. The officials told me that all I had to do to get my freedom was to recant my beliefs. I refused. So, they tried torturing me into submission. They chained me to a pole. For the first few days, they did not give me water or food. Finally, they brought me food -- but there was nothing to drink. This went on for another day or so -- I can't remember. Always they bring me food but nothing to drink. I seriously thought I would die chained to that pole, so I prayed to God and He gave me another idea. When the guard came with my food that night, I asked if I could clean the kitchen. They were surprised by the offer and granted my wish. They took me into a room where dirty dishes were piled high. Flies swarmed the overflowing trash bins and around the dishes with dried food. The stench was overwhelming. As soon as the officers left and locked the door behind them, I lunged for the sink. I put my face into the dirty dishwater and took a long drink. I did not care about the pieces of food floating in the water. I did not care that the water was dirty and gray in color. This is how I survived -- drinking dirty dishwater, and I was thankful that God provided for my needs. The persecution and torture continued. I was interrogated day after day. Each time, they tried to get me to recant my faith. I refused to denounce Jesus as my Lord. They realized their current methods of persecution would not make me change my mind, so they changed tactics. They chained me outside the jail to a tree. During the day, the hot sun scorched me. At night, mosquitoes feasted on me. When I slapped them away, the noise and movement caused the motion-censored spotlights to light up. There was no way to get sleep. I was miserable and my body was weak. Finally, they sent two officers to finish me off. They were big and muscular. They beat up my fragile body without even breaking a sweat. One of the officers put his heavy, metal-tipped boot on my neck and pulled my arms and shoulders in different directions. It felt as if he were going to snap my neck like a chicken's. "This is your last chance," the big officer said. "Denounce Jesus and gain your freedom." I looked straight into his eyes and replied, "Your methods will not work on me. I decided to die for Jesus the day I decided to follow Him." I immediately felt the tension around my neck loosen. The guards were shocked at my outburst. They looked at each other and shook their heads in disbelief. The big, burly officer took his foot off my neck and pulled me upright. "This guy has no fear of death," the officer said to his partner. "Let's let him go. No amount of persecution is going to change him. It is useless." They unlocked the chains and let me go home. Brothers and Sisters, I share my story to encourage all believers to stand firm in the faith. God is victorious! --30-- *Name changed. Susie Rain is an International Mission Board writer living in Asia. UPDATE: After being released from jail, Sung went back to complete his "homework assignment." As a result, his team baptized more than 100 new believers and planted seven house churches in the same area where he was persecuted. For more stories about persecution in Asia, go to http://www.asiastories.com. -- End of story -- Gay marriage's 'Roe' heading to Supreme Court? By Michael Foust Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37978 SAN FRANCISCO (BP) -- The question of whether states can -- under the U.S. Constitution -- define marriage as between a man and a woman could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court after an appeals court declined to hear the widely followed Proposition 8 case. [IMGONLY=31019@right@300]The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined Tuesday (June 5) to re-consider the Prop 8 case, meaning that if the Supreme Court does not take up the case and if a ruling by a three-judge panel stands, then gay marriage will become legal in California. But if the Supreme Court does take up the case, then the larger constitutional question -- can states define marriage as between a man and a woman? -- could come before the court. That means the case would impact not only California but all 40-plus states that currently don't recognize gay marriage, including the 30 with constitutional amendments defining marriage as between a man and a woman. If the Supreme Court does take the case, then oral arguments in the "Roe v. Wade of gay marriage," as some have called the Prop 8 lawsuit, could be heard as early as this fall. Another gay marriage case, this one concerning the Defense of Marriage Act, also could be heard this fall. That one would answer a different question: Can the federal government decline to recognize the gay marriages from a given state? Prop 8 is a constitutional amendment approved by California voters in 2008 that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. It was overturned in 2010 by a federal judge, and in February of this year a panel of the Ninth Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, upheld the judge's ruling. That decision was then appealed to the larger Ninth Circuit. Supporters of Prop 8 made clear they will appeal the case to the Supreme Court. "The Supreme Court has made it perfectly clear that marriage is constitutional as a matter of state public policy," Charles J. Cooper, an attorney with the team defending Prop 8, said. "We're pleased to petition the Court to hear this case. The lower court opinions were little more than an attack on the character and judgment of millions of Californians, and those decisions essentially ignored all relevant Supreme Court and appellate court precedent. We are hopeful and confident that the Supreme Court will review the 9th Circuit's decision." Prop 8 supporters took heart in a dissent signed by three judges, who said the court had "silenced ... respectful conversation" on the subject of marriage. The judges took issue with how the Ninth Circuit panel in February interpreted a 1996 case, Romer v. Evans. In Romer, the Supreme Court reversed a Colorado constitutional amendment that prohibited laws protecting homosexuality. "Based on a two-judge majority's gross misapplication of Romer v. Evans ... we have now declared that animus must have been the only conceivable motivation for a sovereign State to have remained committed to a definition of marriage that has existed for millennia," the dissenting judges asserted. Animus is a legal term meaning "prejudice." "Even worse," the dissenting justices said, "we have overruled the will of seven million California Proposition 8 voters based on a reading of Romer that would be unrecognizable to the Justices who joined it, to those who dissented from it and to the judges from sister circuits who have since interpreted it. We should not have so roundly trumped California's democratic process without at least discussing this unparalleled decision as an en banc court." The dissenting justices were Diarmuid Fionntain O'Scannlain -- a nominee of President Reagan -- and Jay Bybee and Carlos Bea, each nominated by President George W. Bush. --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Obama issues Gay Pride month proclamation By Michael Foust Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37977 WASHINGTON (BP) -- For the fourth straight year, President Obama has issued a proclamation recognizing June as Gay Pride month, saying "more remains to be done" in advancing gay issues and for the first time acknowledging his support for gay marriage within a proclamation. [IMG=32246@right@100]President Clinton was the first president to issue a Gay Pride Month proclamation, a practice that was halted under President Bush and then continued under Obama. Obama was the first president to add "transgender" to the proclamation and to call it "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month." Obama's latest proclamation lists his achievements for the gay community, such as signing a repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and also signing a hate crimes bill that encompasses "sexual orientation" and "gender identity." "And because we must treat others the way we want to be treated, I personally believe in marriage equality for same-sex couples," Obama's proclamation reads, using Golden Rule imagery that no doubt will upset traditional Christians. "More remains to be done to ensure every single American is treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Moving forward, my Administration will continue its work to advance the rights of LGBT Americans. This month, as we reflect on how far we have come and how far we have yet to go, let us recall that the progress we have made is built on the words and deeds of ordinary Americans." Transgender is a category that includes cross-dressers and people undergoing sex-change operations. Gender identity is a term that refers to men and women who believe they were born the wrong sex. In some state legislatures and city governments, debates over gender identity have led to heated discussions about whether men should be able to use women's restrooms, and vice versa. Gay rights supporters answer affirmatively. The proclamation concludes, "Now, therefore, I, Barack Obama ... do hereby proclaim June 2012 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people." Bob Stith, the Southern Baptist national strategist for gender issues and the representative of the denomination's Task Force on Ministry to Homosexuals, said Obama is wrong in asserting that opposition to homosexuality equals prejudice. "President Obama again casts all those who have a genuine, biblically based belief that homosexual acts are sin as haters," Stith told Baptist Press. "It is not prejudicial to say that certain acts which have been viewed as sin for over 3,000 years by all three major religions are still sin. "The president calls for freedom, fairness and full equality under the law and eliminating prejudice everywhere it exists. This would be much more believable if he extended that concern to those who seek to leave homosexuality," Stith added. "The task of helping those who do not want to live homosexually grows more difficult each time this kind of proclamation comes out." The fact that Obama is framing the legalization of gay marriage as one of ridding the country of prejudice does not bode well for traditional Christians, Stith said. "The words the president uses in his drive to normalize homosexuality clearly portray any who disagree with him as prejudiced bigots. Those who agree are loving and brave," Stith said. "The danger here is that those who dare to seek to protect the definition of marriage which has stood unchallenged for thousands of years are themselves the victims of prejudice and hate. Unfortunately, this proclamation shows no interest in preventing this kind of bigotry. Rather it is another example that if something is repeated often enough it will be accepted as truth even if the evidence doesn't support it." The week Obama announced his support for gay marriage, his campaign released a web video showing presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney stating his support for the traditional definition of marriage. The title of the video: "Mitt Romney: Backwards on Equality." --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). Following is the full text of Obama's proclamation, also available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/01/presidential-proclamation-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-pride-mon "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, 2012 "By The President Of The United States Of America "A Proclamation "From generation to generation, ordinary Americans have led a proud and inexorable march toward freedom, fairness, and full equality under the law not just for some, but for all. Ours is a heritage forged by those who organized, agitated, and advocated for change; who wielded love stronger than hate and hope more powerful than insult or injury; who fought to build for themselves and their families a Nation where no one is a second-class citizen, no one is denied basic rights, and all of us are free to live and love as we see fit. "The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has written a proud chapter in this fundamentally American story. From brave men and women who came out and spoke out, to union and faith leaders who rallied for equality, to activists and advocates who challenged unjust laws and marched on Washington, LGBT Americans and allies have achieved what once seemed inconceivable. This month, we reflect on their enduring legacy, celebrate the movement that has made progress possible, and recommit to securing the fullest blessings of freedom for all Americans. "Since I took office, my Administration has worked to broaden opportunity, advance equality, and level the playing field for LGBT people and communities. We have fought to secure justice for all under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and we have taken action to end housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We expanded hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients and their loved ones, and under the Affordable Care Act, we ensured that insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to someone just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Because we understand that LGBT rights are human rights, we continue to engage with the international community in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT persons around the world. Because we repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve their country openly, honestly, and without fear of losing their jobs because of whom they love. And because we must treat others the way we want to be treated, I personally believe in marriage equality for same-sex couples. "More remains to be done to ensure every single American is treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Moving forward, my Administration will continue its work to advance the rights of LGBT Americans. This month, as we reflect on how far we have come and how far we have yet to go, let us recall that the progress we have made is built on the words and deeds of ordinary Americans. Let us pay tribute to those who came before us, and those who continue their work today; and let us rededicate ourselves to a task that is unending the pursuit of a Nation where all are equal, and all have the full and unfettered opportunity to pursue happiness and live openly and freely. "NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2012 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people. "IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth." -- End of story -- SBU men's basketball faces sanctions By Allen Palmeri Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37973 BOLVAR, Mo. (BP) -- Hundreds of impermissible text messages have resulted in NCAA probation sanctions against Southwest Baptist University's men's basketball team. SBU President C. Pat Taylor said the long-term future of the program and its head coach, Jeff Guiot, would not be impacted, but the short-term sanctions would be substantial. The NCAA released a statement about the sanctions May 23. The violations were discovered last summer, Taylor said, and were self-reported to the NCAA. SBU athletic director Mike Pitts expressed sorrow over what happened, accepting responsibility for the Guiot-generated sanctions. Pitts also released the following statement: "I'm sincerely very sorry that this situation occurred," the athletic director said. "Coach Guiot has handled himself very openly and professionally during this difficult process. I would like to take this opportunity to express my support for Coach Guiot and his staff. All of us are very glad to put this situation behind us and move forward." Guiot, SBU's head coach since 2004, committed recruiting violations that included sending too many "impermissible" text messages to student-athletes and parents and failing to promote an atmosphere for compliance, according to the finding of an NCAA committee. Guiot sent more than 450 text messages to prospective student-athletes and their parents, according to the NCAA. The time period in which the correspondence took place was not specified by the NCAA. Penalties for the team include a year of probation ending May 22, 2013; a two-game conference suspension for Guiot for the upcoming basketball season; ethics training for Guiot and a curbing of his text messaging privileges; cutting men's basketball scholarships from 10 to eight for the 2012-13 season; and eliminating off-campus recruiting for six months. The NCAA passed a rule Jan. 14 allowing text messaging by coaches that took effect immediately. Before the rule passed, sending prospective student-athletes text messages was prohibited. Guiot, a former player at the University of Kansas, coached SBU into the NCAA tournament in 2009 and to three Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association regular season titles in the past five years. The infractions committee on the NCAA Division II level includes representatives from Barry (Fla.) University, Northern Michigan University, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University and Kentucky State University. Their investigation produced the final judgment. ---30--- Allen Palmeri is associate editor of The Pathway (www.mbcpathway.org), newsjournal of the Missouri Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- FROM THE STATES: La., N.M., Fla. evangelism/missions news By Staff Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37976 EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. Today's From the States features items from: Baptist Message (Louisiana) Baptist New Mexican Florida Baptist Witness Mission church is showing the Way in Denham Springs By Brian Blackwell DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (Baptist Message) -- The tremendous burden for the American church was too much for Joshua Spinks. A student minister at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in 2010, Spinks would experience many sleepless nights wondering how to reach the unchurched. "In places like China, Africa and India the gospel is spreading like wildfire in the face of persecution," Spinks said. "But here in the states where there is freedom and liberty to serve God, the church is dying, in many respects. The why is what kept me up at night." Those feelings of trepidation eventually led to the founding of the Way church, a mission of Zoar Baptist Church in Baton Rouge that began with small groups meeting in homes throughout Denham Springs. The church officially launched its first service Nov. 1, 2011. Spinks' idea for the church began after reading the book Four Soils. One of the book's themes is that discipleship comes through planting churches and training leaders from those churches to plant other churches. By April 2011 Spinks was visiting the home of close friend Scott Cheatham. Through a conversation there the two men learned they shared the same passion and discovered their calling to start the Way. "We wanted a church that would be intentional about training up and discipling children of God and sending them out to start new churches," Spinks said. "We wanted to de-centralize the church. Instead of making it about Sunday morning we wanted to make it about Monday through Saturday and just come together on Sunday for a Christian shin-dig. … "Our goal is not to build a church kingdom here in Denham, but rather be building the Kingdom Church to the ends of the earth," Spinks explained. Two months after that initial conversation about the Way, Spinks and Cheatham organized the church's first meeting. A core group of 15 to 20 people met inside a home in June and by October that number expanded to 75 people meeting in one of three home groups. The church eventually moved into its own building in December. However, Cheatham said, the church's goal is not to just have its members meet in one building but to plant a church as soon as 2013. He believes that church will be within 100 miles of Denham Springs. By 2014 that new church plant could plant another church, a replication process Cheatham hopes will be never-ending and will stretch across the world. "We want to be very intentional about multiplication and plant churches around the world," Cheatham said. "Our whole purpose behind our church is to raise ministers inside the church and resource them to plant churches around the world. "I don't want 5,000 people in our congregation on a Sunday morning but 5,000 people out ministering who come from our congregation," he said. "We want to build them up and send them out." Each week members of the Way execute outreach in its community, such as spending time with nursing home residents, feeding firemen and visiting door-to-door with their neighbors in Denham Springs. Members also execute a larger evangelistic event each month, such as 10,000 eggs dropped from a helicopter at Live Oak High School football stadium in the nearby community of Watson in April. About 600 people attended the event and several people indicated a decision to accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Four of them were baptized and others from the egg drop joined the Way, which is located in a prime location to reach its lost community with the gospel, Cheatham said. According to a Louisiana Baptist Convention study, of the 30,000 people who live within a 3-mile radius of the church, only 4 percent of the population attends a Southern Baptist church. Another 6 percent worship in an evangelical church. "We are serving the community and being the hands and feet of Christ and people are drawn to that," Cheatham said. Kevin Hand, pastor of Zoar Baptist, called the efforts by churches like the Way exciting and believes the church is in a prime location to reach young families. "Young leaders have the benefit of seeing things through fresh, creative lenses," Hand said. "To some degree, we're all creatures of habit and the longer we do things a certain way, we tend to think our way is the best way or the only correct way. "Our mindset can become limited and biased against new strategies," Hand said. "Therefore, I believe it's crucial to plant new churches with leaders who are open to new ideas, methods, and ways to fulfill the Great Commission." --30-- Brian Blackwell is the marketing director for the Baptist Message, newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. ********** 46 collegiate missionaries from N.M. sent out By Josiah R. "There is no one more qualified to reach the university students of the world than university students who love Jesus."—David E. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Baptist New Mexican) -- For generations collegiate ministries have been sending college students during the summer and fall semesters to reach the universities of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Similarly, they have traveled throughout their own country with a burden to share with the lost as well as grow in their faith. The result is countless lives changed and the gospel of Jesus being shared in places it has never been before. College is a unique experience in a variety of ways. For one, it is a defining point in a person's life. For most students, it is the first time in their lives when their decisions are their own. They will, therefore, develop convictions on what kind of person they are going to be in terms of life and faith. The decisions a person makes in college will have a huge impact on what they do and the person they will be for the rest of their lives. Colleges around the world are filled with future leaders who are going to be making a world impact, every one of them facing these same questions. For this reason, it is vital for us as Christians to reach the university students of the world with the gospel of Jesus. Convinced of this truth and committed to fulfilling the Great Commission, BSU Christian Challenge ministries from the campuses of New Mexico have been sending out collegiate missionary teams around the world every summer and fall dating back to 1993. Many of these students have gone on to serve on two-year terms and even career terms to reach the nations for Jesus. This summer, the BSUs of New Mexico will be sending out 46 student and staff volunteer missionaries to South Asia, Eastern Europe, East Asia, Middle East, South America and Denver, Colo. The BSU at New Mexico State University will be sending summer overseas teams to South Asia and Eastern Europe and a Project Impact team to Denver. The city in South Asia is predominantly Hindu. In a city of about 5.9 million people, there is also a strong Buddhist, Islamic and Jainism influence. This city is only about 1 percent Christian. Josiah R. and Tierney L. will be leading the team to this city, and their team members are Stephanie M., Mary H., Daniel D., Ian M. and Shannon O. Josh C. will be going to the same city in South Asia from July through December. NMSU also will be sending a summer team to one of the former Soviet republics in Eastern Europe. This city has about 5 million people, predominantly Orthodox by religion, and is only approximately 0.2 percent evangelical Christian. Micah E. and Emilie V. will be leading this team, and their team members are Gaelen N., Lindsey W., Mark M. and Aaron C. NMSU will be sending a group of 14 students and one staff to serve at Project Impact in Denver. Project Impact is a two-month-long leadership-development and evangelism-training program. Each student will be required to find a full-time job and encouraged to live out their faith through personal work ethic and building relationships with co-workers. Evenings are reserved for training participants in all areas of ministry and Christian influence. The students participating are Drake Dalton, Caitlin Elks, Leah Englehart, Taylor Henry, Michael Oliver, Ariella Reber, Shae Reinecke, Sean Richins, Stan Rigdon, Ethan Rutherford, Hunter Stuckey, Chelsea Teague, Carissa Trujillo, Rosemary Woller and Alex Castillo (staff). David E. is the director for the BSU Christian Challenge at NMSU. The BSU Christian Challenge at the University of New Mexico also will be sending a team to East Asia and Project Impact. The people group in East Asia that UNM will be going to has a global population of about 10,779,000. Of this massive population, there are only about 200 believers, with the rest of the population following Islam. The believers in this people group are among the most persecuted in the world. They do not have a translation of the Bible, but the JESUS film has been provided in their language. The city where this team will serve has an enormous need for the gospel. Gayle J. will be leading this team. Her teammates are Maya A., Rhesa M. and Steph R. Participating in Project Impact from UNM are Tim Moya, Rachel Wright, Shelby Greaser and Heather Allen. UNM also will be sending people on other assignments around the world. They are Tyler V. and Craig T. going to the Middle East and Ryan S. going to South America. Bobby E. is the director for the BSU at UNM. Eastern New Mexico University BSU Christian Challenge will be sending a team to a city in East Asia as well. Keith L. and Kourtney L. are the team leaders, and their teammates are Kelsi F., Zac T., Matthew S. and Cynthia V. Dag S. is the director for the BSU at ENMU. These students and staff are committed to working with the Baptists of New Mexico in taking the gospel to the unreached and unevangelized universities of the world. From the statistics shown, these are places that are in desperate need of the Good News of Jesus. These projects will be anything but easy. These volunteers will definitely need prayer the whole summer. New Mexico Baptists are encouraged to pray that these university students would have boldness in sharing the gospel, their teams would work well together, and the Lord would prepare the way for them, with open hearts ready to hear and receive the gospel. Furthermore, the average length of these assignments is eight weeks. The expenses for the overseas assignments are now typically in excess of $5,000. Project Impact costs about $2,000. Financial support comes from a variety of sources, including missions offerings from the BSUs around New Mexico and the Mission New Mexico Offering. In addition, students are responsible for raising their own financial support to cover the cost of their projects each summer. These funds come from friends, family, churches and their own personal contributions. Those who would like the opportunity to help financially support the students may send contributions to Baptist Convention of New Mexico, State Collegiate Ministries, P.O. Box 94485, Albuquerque, NM 87199-4485. Due to security issues and the ever-increasing ease of gaining information, specific details of the assignments cannot be published. In addition, last names have been withheld from international assignments for security reasons. Most of these students will be serving in areas of the world with severe restrictions on Great Commission efforts. --30-- Joshiah R. is an assistant for the BSU Christian Challenge at NMSU in Las Cruces. This article first appeared in the Baptist New Mexican, newsjournal of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. ********** Asphalt basketball scores for church growth By Carolyn Nichols PENSACOLA, Fla. (Florida Baptist Witness) -- West Pensacola Baptist Church is attracting young families because the congregation opted to begin ministries aimed at children, according to Pastor Laddie Pierce. One of the components in its strategy is Asphalt Basketball, a children's league the church began in 2009. "The program is competitive, but bringing the players and their families to Christ is the main goal," Pierce said. Boys and girls in grades 3-6 make up eight teams of eight who practice and play Saturday mornings during 12 weeks in the fall. The league plays on two courts on the church's asphalt parking lot, and hundreds of spectators gather with lawn chairs on the church property every Saturday for the fast-paced games, Pierce said. "The courts are smaller so the children don't spend all their time and energy running up and down a court, and the goals are lowered so more shots are made. It is enjoyable for them and for those watching, and we are through by noon," he said. Church member Troy Brown, who oversees Asphalt Basketball, suggested a sports ministry four years ago that might begin with playing soccer in the church's back yard. That idea evolved into playing basketball on the front parking lot. "We figured that people passing by would know this is a kid-friendly church," Pierce said. The church invested $3,000 to paint court lines, put up goals and buy basketballs. Used risers were purchased from a YMCA that was closing. Each player contributes $10 that pays for a t-shirt, team photo, and a trophy. The church promotes Asphalt Basketball through its partnership with nearby West Pensacola Elementary School, and the 64 player slots are filled quickly in the multi-racial and multi-economic strata neighborhood, Pierce said. Team coaches are church members, as are game referees. Assistant coaches are family members of the players. Team members pray together before and after the games, but devotions are not included in the schedule. The seeds of the Gospel are sown through relationships, Pierce said. "I get a lost daddy hooked up with a saved man, and sometimes the daddy will decide 'maybe we need to go to church there,'" he said. New Christian Luis Gonzalez first went to West Pensalcola Baptist to watch two of his sons play Asphalt Basketball. Peirce talked weekly with Gonzalez, a motorcycle and diesel mechanic, about motorcycles, the games and his family. When a car he was working on slipped into gear and sped through the yard—missing members of the family—Gonzalez was spurred to attend church on Sunday, the first day of spring revival. The father of four made a profession of faith soon after, and he was baptized on Easter. "We are building bridges into lost people's lives. They are looking to get connected, looking for a home," Pierce said. While planning for the 2012 Asphalt Basketball season, church leaders are busy preparing first for Vacation Bible School June 11-15. The church is expecting more than a hundred children, a long-time goal achieved last year. Many of those attending VBS will have had their first contact with West Pensacola Baptist in Asphalt Basketball. Some team members now attend AWANA regularly, and some will keep coming after VBS to participate in the church's Summer Music Action Camp. "The music camp brings in loads of families who want to see their kids perform," Pierce said. Pierce, 65, said he is in his "last church" after serving West Pensacola Baptist nine years in a career that spans 30 years. The church is "the most flexible I've ever been in," he said. With a church staff that includes a minister of worship and a part-time youth pastor, he necessarily depends on church volunteers to keep the children's ministries "rocking and rolling." "I give away everything I can in ministry. I'm always looking for completers who take of everything including the budgets for ministries," he said. "I tell those in our new member classes, 'we have paid staff and we have unpaid staff. We need you.'" Many new members find their first place of ministry in Asphalt Basketball. Willing volunteers and a small starting cost make the ministry possible for churches of any size, Pierce said. "Anybody can do this. We don't have a family life center, but we do have a parking lot. If you have a parking lot, you can do Asphalt Basketball," he said. For more information on Asphalt Basketball, go online to http://westpensacola.org/ --30-- Carolyn Nichols is the newswriter for the Florida Baptist Witness, newsjournal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Southern Baptists, we're not in Zion anymore By Trevin Wax Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37974 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- My grandparents remember the day when "religious diversity" in the South referred to the presence of multiple Christian denominations. -- Pentecostals debating spiritual gifts with Baptists. -- Presbyterians promoting perseverance of the saints over against the Methodists. -- Episcopalians choosing high liturgy as opposed to evangelical expressions of low church piety. Of the various Protestant denominations that have yielded influence in the South in the past 60 years, the churches belonging to the Southern Baptist Convention have been most dominant. Even today, the SBC still stands as the largest Protestant religious group in the United States. And yet the cultural rivers have shifted away from the quiet waters of a "Southern Baptist Zion" to the rushing rapids of accelerating cultural changes. My hometown of Murfreesboro, Tenn., is a case in point. Once a sleepy suburb well outside Nashville, Murfreesboro boasted of dozens of Southern Baptist churches. Twenty years ago, there were 46,000 residents. Today, there are 110,000. Though the number of Southern Baptist churches remains almost the same, Murfreesboro is, in many ways, a very different city. Recently, there was controversy surrounding the development of a Muslim mosque and community center. The dominance of evangelical Christianity in this city has been dwarfed by multi-culturalism, religious diversity and an exploding population that our church plants aren't able to keep up with. Murfreesboro is a microcosm of the population explosion throughout the country and the new cultural setting we find ourselves in. It won't do for us to bemoan the disappearance of cultural Christianity. There were dangers then, too, including an often watered-down Gospel as well as cultural respectability that masked unregenerate hearts. Each generation faces its own challenges. My point is that the cultural setting we are called to be faithful in today will be very different than the one our parents and grandparents knew. Christians will need to be equipped for a new day -- a day when the offensiveness of the Gospel spreads not only from the core of our message (Christ crucified and raised) but to its implications for Christian morality. A day when Christian morality is no longer seen as decent but repressive, bigoted and intolerant. A day when beliefs in traditional tenets of the Christian faith -- the exclusivity of Christ, the reality of hell, Jesus' resurrection -- are openly mocked in ways that the tenets of other religions are not. TWO WAYS TO RESPOND How will Southern Baptists cope with the disappearance of "Zion"? We could just choose to blend in, as some Catholics have. For years, Roman Catholic leaders have expressed concern over parishioners who attend Mass as upstanding citizens, wear the badge of their religious faith with honor, but all the while distance themselves from their Church's views on birth control, abortion, homosexuality, etc. A few months ago, I had lunch with a retired pastor of a large, respected evangelical church. He commented about how the culturally prominent members of his congregation, whenever questioned about the church's unpopular views on morality, would simply state their disagreement with their church's doctrine and move on. "I don't agree with my church on that." In other words, people belong to a church without subscribing to its beliefs. As a convictional Baptist, I hope we avoid a future that leaves us with only the cultural shell of Christianity and not its substance. Another response to the disappearance of "Zion" is to become increasingly inward focused and insulated. Blinded by the cultural dominance we once had and banking on the social capital that belonged to our grandparents, we could fail to see the urgency of this hour and the utter lostness of those around us. We might choose to expend too much energy debating over how to allocate shrinking funds or maintain the structures of yesteryear. Blogs and newspapers would provide space for endless conversations about the finer points of soteriology and the pros and cons of adopting a descriptor. Meanwhile, as we talk amongst ourselves, we lose perspective, blow our differences out of proportion and become increasingly deaf to our new cultural setting. Sometimes it feels like we're medieval knights debating the advantages of feudalism even though the French Revolution has just taken place. A THIRD WAY But there is a third way. To make the most of the opportunity before us. Over against the first option that maintains numbers at the expense of convictions, we ought to take advantage of the opportunity for the light of true Zion to shine forth ever brighter in the darkness of Babylon. Just think! In a day and age where cohabitation is normal, the president affirms same-sex marriage and the pressure is on to celebrate all kinds of sexual expression, Christians can seem extraordinary by simply living what was once ordinary Christian morality. By cherishing once-common things, such as marriage between a man and woman for life, and core Christian doctrines, such as the exclusivity of Christ for salvation, Christians have the opportunity for our ordinary obedience to shine even brighter in a pluralistic world that bows to Aphrodite. Over against the second option that turns inward and insular, we have the opportunity to lay aside our differences, unite around our common confession and lock arms for the cause of Christ and His Kingdom. When we look inward, we see all the things that divide us. When we look outward to an increasingly hostile culture, we see all the things that unite us -- our belief in the Gospel, our Baptist distinctives and our submission to the authority of God's inerrant Word. Time is short. The Evil One's specialty is to sow seeds of division, spread discord and create enmity between brothers. The only way to push back is to display open friendship and trust, to unite on the Gospel and its power to save. When we do engage in debates about theology and strategy (and doubtless, we should), we will keep them in perspective as we seek to be ever faithful to our higher calling of fulfilling the Great Commission. This is no time for us to be like Elijah in 1 Kings 19, cowering in the corner convinced we are alone and need to retreat. Our God is the God of Mount Carmel. He will not be forever upstaged by idols. The good news is all evangelicals have something to gain from Southern Baptist faithfulness. As we move among the crumbling remains of Christendom, we can smile. After all, we're used to being on the outs with the state. Even more, we're used to being on the outs with the church-state too! We're Baptists. Like that of the early church, our identity has been forged in the midst of cultural alienation and exile. Baptists in other parts of the world (my family and friends in Romania, for example) know firsthand what social ostracism looks like. The more you get to know Baptists in other parts of the country, the more you realize that the cultural dominance we have enjoyed in the South is the exception, not the rule. The tributaries that have come together to form the rushing river of Baptists today (Anabaptists, general Baptists, particular Baptists) all knew something of persecution. We've been belittled and mocked before, sometimes by other Christians. Why not again, this time by secularists? And what if, at this very hour, we will be the ones to help other evangelicals learn how to thrive in lean times? Let's not shrink back from the future that awaits us. We may be given the honor of suffering for the Name. So let's willingly put ourselves at odds with the culture, expect the social ostracism we can see on the horizon and stand joyfully amidst the ruins of Christendom while we continue to proclaim the excellencies of the Risen One. We may have to dig deeper and stand stronger than ever before. But no matter how mighty Babylon may seem or how dim the future looks, we must remember one thing. There is an empty tomb in Jerusalem. --30-- Trevin Wax is managing editor of The Gospel Project, a curriculum line developed by LifeWay Christian Resources for all ages. This column first appeared at TrevinWax.com, a Gospel Coalition blog. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/Baptist Press) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- FIRST PERSON: 8 tips for fathers on Father's Day By Diana Davis Jun. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37975 INDIANAPOLIS (BP) -- Christian fathers can positively impact our families and the world. Share the following Bible-based tips with fathers you know. The list may be downloaded at keeponshining.com under the "free stuff" tab. Add your church name and logo and laminate the list to make a bookmark suitable for a Father's Day giveaway at church. -- Pray for your children. Seize opportunities to pray while kneeling at the bedside of your sleeping children, driving to work or chauffeuring them to school, or before tucking them into bed. Pray aloud with them. Take your needs and crises to God and praise Him corporately as a family when He blesses. "Pray constantly" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). -- Invest time in your child's life. Create father/child traditions, such as birthday breakfasts with dad and father/daughter or father/son outings. Read Sunday funnies together or share a hobby. Even on busy days, spend at least a few focused minutes with your child. Take a walk, shoot baskets, go for a soda or play a board game. Listen. Comfort. Make eye contact. Speak wisdom. Make lifetime memories with family vacations. Yes, a backyard campout counts. Idea: Offer to substitute teach your child's Sunday School class. "Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). -- Be your home's spiritual leader. Enthusiastically initiate family commitment to God, His Word and His church. Read your Bible. Truly love His church. Help your children know Jesus as their personal Savior. Verbalize your God story, sharing your salvation experience. Talk about answered prayer. Conversationally acknowledge God's importance in your life. Teach God's ways to your child constantly -- when you sit, walk, lay or stand, as Deuteronomy 11:18-21 encourages. Idea: Text a Scripture or write a verse on a note card to your child. "Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation" (Joel 1:3). -- Love your wife. Let your children see you show genuine affection to their mom with compliments, hugs, laughs and prayers. You're teaching them how to treat their future spouse. Idea: Tell your children how you fell in love with their mom. "Each one of you is to love his wife as himself…" (Ephesians 5:33). -- Encourage your children. Show family affection. Laugh together. Delight in your children. Say often, "I love you." Compliment sincerely. Speak positively about them to others. Be the parent. Your child needs a father, not just another buddy. Your loving discipline and wise boundaries demonstrate your love. Idea: Hug your child for at least ten seconds today. "Fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). -- Serve God together. Help your children discover and use their spiritual gifts. Set an example of joyful service to God. Find ways to include your children, such as homebound visits, church workdays, mission trips and church projects. "Serve the Lord with gladness." (Psalm 100:2). -- Be a man of integrity. Your child is watching your life to emulate it. Tape this on your dressing mirror: "I will lead a life of integrity in my own home" (Psalm 101:2). -- Enjoy your quiver. Psalm 127:3-5 reads in part: "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him. Children ... are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!" On average, child-rearing days encompass less than a third of your adult years. Treasure them. Happy Father's Day. --30— Diana Davis (www.keeponshining.com) is an author, speaker and wife of the North American Mission Board's vice president for the Midwest region, Steve Davis. -- 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