Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 6 2012 --------------------------------------- Olympics provide Baptists unique ministry opportunity http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37985 Science & Scripture align, professor says in BioLogos exchange http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37981 NAMB expands disaster relief fleet http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37979 Wash. marriage groups turn in record signatures http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37987 Iorg tells seminary grads 'mission matters most' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37984 Faith-based 'Unconditional' to be shown at SBC http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37980 Deadline extended for compensation survey http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37982 Julian Pentecost, retired Va. editor, dies http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37983 FIRST-PERSON: 6 ways NAMB can help your church in evangelism http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37986 --------------------------------------- Olympics provide Baptists unique ministry opportunity By Ava Thomas Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37985 LONDON — At times, when Doug Shaw stands on the hill just outside Olympic Park in London, he can barely hear himself think.
Construction buzzes and roars in preparation for the Summer Olympic Games, which start July 27. The work's been going strong for years. Shaw can relate. He hasn't stopped in ages either. As Olympics volunteer coordinator for Southern Baptists, he's been in motion for months preparing Baptists to meet the tens of thousands of internationals coming to the United Kingdom this summer. "We are praying that many people from all over the world who may not have an opportunity to hear or respond to the Gospel without being persecuted by their neighbors might have that opportunity while they're here in London," Shaw said. David Pile said he has the same hope. "I and others are hopeful that there will be lots of local events and lots of community engagement and we'll be able to share and shine the love of Jesus with a bunch of people that we otherwise wouldn't have come in contact with," said Pile, Olympic and Paralympic Church Engagement Coordinator for the London Baptist Association. Shaw is expecting the help of about 400 Baptist volunteers from the States, and Pile is expecting the participation of hundreds of churches in England. Volunteers will help with festivals, face painting, handing out water and a range of other things. Some will assist churches in hosting big-screen events in parks, and sports teams will help with basketball and baseball events in neighborhoods around local churches. All of these efforts fall under the banner of More Than Gold, a joint effort of Christian churches of many denominations worldwide. More Than Gold helps Christians collaborate for ministry during major international sporting events such as the Olympics or the World Cup. And its most famous ministry — pin trading — will be in full force during the 2012 games. "Pin trading is the biggest of the unofficial Olympic sports," Shaw said, noting that thousands participate in the hobby. As part of More Than Gold, volunteers trade a More Than Gold pin that shares the Gospel message, he said. The pin is a good conversation piece and helps start Gospel conversations in the area surrounding the Olympic Park, where blatant evangelism is not allowed, Shaw said. "During the Olympics, you won't be able to do literature distribution or any kind of obvious evangelism within a mile of any of the venues in London or anywhere else in the UK. These areas are closed off to direct evangelism," he said. But pin trading is a traditional part of the Olympics atmosphere and, Shaw said, "There's nothing wrong with talking with people." Pile said many local Baptists are also participating with a "big silent Christian witness" during the Games, serving as official Olympic volunteers, or Games Makers. These volunteers serve as chaplains, drivers and part of the field setup crew and in a range of other roles. "They would have had to apply two or three years ago for these kinds of roles, but they will put them in direct contact with athletes and other people involved in the Games," Pile said. A number of Christian families in the UK also participate in another of More Than Gold's major ministries — the athlete homestay program, Shaw said. "More Than Gold is the official Olympic manager of the program. It allows athletes' families to have a place to come and stay during the Olympics," he said. Many athletes don't find out until the last minute that they have qualified for the games, Shaw explained, and "many families come from places where a week in London would be prohibitively expensive even in normal times." Many of the relationships built between host and visiting families lasts well beyond the Olympics, he said. Shaw asks for Christians to pray that volunteers at the Olympics would be able to "share Christ effectively and in a meaningful way -- a low-key way would be the best way to start. Pray also that volunteers coming here will have wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit." And Pile agreed, asking for prayer that "we would be able to further engage with our local communities not just this year but in years to come because of our efforts this year." He expressed a big thanks to Baptists in the States for their long history of help during the Olympics. "We would like to thank you for sending missions teams to work alongside us … to make the most of this exciting opportunity," Pile said. "People have saved up money, taken time off work, come over here, with prayer support from their home church and have supported us in our historic moment so that the glory of Jesus can be shared with as many people as possible." For hopeful volunteers late getting on the bandwagon, opportunities to serve in the UK are still available, but they "will come at a premium" for anyone who isn't local, Shaw said. He noted that most mid-range hotels in the London area are fully booked. He and Pile are asking for prayer more than anything, and for potential volunteers to consider planning to serve at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. It's not too early. Abel Santos, a Brazilian Baptist, is spending this year in England with More Than Gold to learn how the ministry works and take it back to Brazil for three back-to-back events -- the Confederations Cup in 2013, the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. "We encourage everyone to be thinking about Brazil. It would be great to have people coming in from the States to help us with missions teams and sports events," Santos said. "If there is anyone in the States who feels a calling to come to South America to help us, that would be great." For more information on Olympic ministries, prayer requests and opportunities for service at the 2012 games, visit morethangold.org.uk. --30-- Ava Thomas is a writer/editor for the International Mission Board based in Europe. -- End of story -- Science & Scripture align, professor says in BioLogos exchange By Erin Roach Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37981 Editor's note: This is the second story in a series of Baptist Press stories about an ongoing dialogue about evolution on the BioLogos website. To read BP's first story, visit [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37901]http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37901[/URL]. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- In the study of the origin of humans, ultimately what is true in the physical world will be perfectly consistent with Scripture, a Southern Baptist seminary professor said in an essay arguing against theistic evolution. [IMG=32739@right@150]James Dew, assistant professor of the history of ideas and philosophy at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, was the most recent writer to engage The BioLogos Foundation in a series titled "Southern Baptist Voices," online at BioLogos.org. In his essay "Teleological Arguments, Theistic Evolution and Intelligent Design," Dew cited some basic concerns Southern Baptists have with theistic evolution. Southern Baptists, he said, are not convinced that macroevolution is actually true. Many well-credentialed scientists have found significant problems with macroevolution, Dew wrote, yet it does not appear such evidence is being taken seriously by those who hold to evolution. Southern Baptists can allow some flexibility in the interpretation of the first few chapters of Genesis, but the interpretations offered by theistic evolutionists are not convincing, Dew wrote. Also, Southern Baptists are uncomfortable with the way theistic evolution portrays God's creative activity, the professor wrote in the essay, posted May 28. "As I read certain theistic evolutionists, I often get the feeling that God is being pushed out of the creative process of living creatures," Dew wrote. "God is allowed, and even needed, to explain the origins of the universe itself. But as [BioLogos founder] Francis Collins explains, 'Once evolution got under way, no special supernatural intervention was required.' [QUOTE@left@180= "Why is it problematic to say that [God] was directly involved in populating the earth with various life forms?" -- James Dew]"... As they see it, God directly caused the universe to come into existence, but once it was here, natural processes took care of the rest." If, as theistic evolutionists believe, God was directly involved in the creation of the universe, the prayer life of the saints and miraculous events such as the resurrection of Christ, Dew wrote, then "Why is it problematic to say that He was directly involved in populating the earth with various life forms?" Darwinism challenged the dominance of design arguments, Dew wrote, and many Southern Baptists believe Intelligent Design challenges evolutionary thought. "We find signs of intelligence on a large scale by looking at the universe," Dew wrote. "We also find signs of intelligence by looking at the smallest parts of nature that suggest evidence of fine-tuning." In his two-part response on behalf of BioLogos, Ard Louis, a reader in theoretical physics and a Royal Society University research fellow at the University of Oxford, said Dew's "gracious tone invites real dialogue." A more careful reading of the first few chapters of Genesis, Louis wrote, suggests that it "was never meant to be read as a journalistic account with chronological days. For example, the sun and the moon are not created until the fourth day. You don't need modern science to tell you that having a literal morning and evening without a sun doesn't make much sense." Genesis, Louis wrote, "in no way requires us to assume that God could not create the natural world through His ordinary action," as opposed to the supernatural action of creating Adam and Eve specifically. Evangelicals have not invested nearly enough effort or energy into higher learning, Louis wrote, so "there is no trusted community of scholars to help the church adjudicate on such complex multi-disciplinary questions" as macroevolution. "We rely far too much on single individuals. It can't just be scientists on their own, or theologians on their own, or the church on its own," Louis wrote. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is any short-term fix to this problem." The vast majority of Christian scientists Louis knows who work professionally in fields related to evolutionary biology, he said, "are pretty convinced that processes like mutations and selection played an important role in the emergence of biological complexity." "But without a proper forum or tradition of engagement between the academy and the church, such an argument from authority is, with some justification, probably not enough to dislodge longstanding suspicions that Southern Baptists may have about evolution," Louis wrote. Southern Baptist pastors, Louis said, should realize that recent developments in the genetic evidence for evolution will be "much easier for bright teenagers in their congregations to understand than more traditional evidence for evolution based on the fossil record." "I predict young believers will start asking more and more questions in the midst of their churches -- your churches. My hope is that you, their pastors, will respond to this development by creating space for those who believe, as we do at BioLogos, that mainstream science, properly interpreted, is compatible with evangelical Christian faith," Louis wrote. Dew, the Southeastern Seminary assistant professor, expressed optimism that an ongoing conversation about the origin of humans would be beneficial. "Southern Baptists normally reject theistic evolution. Nevertheless, it is important that we dialogue about these issues and that we do so in a Christlike fashion," Dew said in a statement to Baptist Press. "If God created the universe and inspired the Bible, then surely our theology and science will be consistent with each other," Dew said. "Though we have some theological/philosophical concerns with their position, we are thankful that Biologos invited us to share these concerns and we respect them for their openness." --30-- Erin Roach is assistant 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 -- NAMB expands disaster relief fleet By Mickey Noah Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37979 ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -– While 2012 has been a relatively quiet year so far for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief on a national scale -– compared to tornado-dominated 2011 -– SBDR leaders at the North American Mission Board have used the time to expand Southern Baptists' response fleet for future disasters sure to come. As a result of a $1.5 million allocation by NAMB's trustees in February, the board's disaster relief fleet now includes three new 53-foot 18-wheelers. Two of the tractor-trailers are already in NAMB's Alpharetta parking lot, with the third –- a tractor with a refrigerated trailer –- due to arrive in July. Also coming in July will be a much-needed second command center trailer. In addition, NAMB now has four heavy-duty Ford-550 trucks to pull any of four mud-out and pressure washing cargo trailers that would haul generators, tools and other equipment to future disaster sites. "We are thrilled to be able to provide these vehicles and this additional equipment to come alongside our state partners who do such an amazing job responding to disasters," Kevin Ezell, NAMB's president, said. "When this equipment rolls into town, people will know help is on the way, but they will also know hope is on the way." Mickey Caison, NAMB disaster relief team leader, said the expanded fleet will complement and enhance the state Baptist conventions' already significant DR assets. "While the Southern state conventions already have considerable resources depending on the scope of the disaster in their states, the emerging conventions in the North, Midwest and West are especially excited to see these additional resources made available to them," Caison said. The three 18-wheelers, four new trucks, two command center trailers and cargo trailers will all be "wrapped" in the familiar blue and yellow disaster relief colors, with matching logos and graphics that will clearly identify them as Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. When a major disaster strikes anywhere in North America the expanded fleet will bring not only resources for the people in need but also better communications for the relief workers. "These new resources will greatly enhance our capabilities of responding in the emerging state convention areas, and it also gives them the assurance that equipment will arrive and be available for the duration of the disaster," Caison said. "The command center will give them an office to work out of and satellite communications to give them instant access to phone service and the Internet until local networks are restored." Caison said funds for the new vehicles and trailers resulted from NAMB budget "underspends" in 2011. "In addition, Kevin Ezell saw the tremendous needs following last year's devastating tornadoes in Tuscaloosa (Ala.) and Joplin (Mo.)," Caison said. The new vehicles and trailers also will enable SBDR teams to better support disaster victims because of the units' greater capacity to bring in more equipment and resources at one time, Caison said. "With the new trailers, for instance, we'll now be able to bring in rolled, fiberglass-reinforced plastic roofing following storms and tornadoes, allowing our chainsaw teams to immediately patch roofs to prevent additional damage," he said. Caison added that the new trailers' shipping capabilities will allow the set up of "volunteer villages," including enough tents, generators, cots and other gear to accommodate an estimated 75 volunteers in each village. "This will be an especially important capability in the emerging states, where very often the local SBC churches are few, small and unable to house a large number of volunteers who may have deployed from anywhere in the United States," he said, noting that volunteer housing was a problem last year during the SBDR response to massive flooding in Minot, N.D., and to tropical storms Irene and Lee. The additional fleet vehicles also generate a demand for more volunteers, especially those with commercial driver's licenses. "We need these people to contact us if they want to volunteer to drive the trailers to deliver equipment during a disaster response," Caison said. Several of the new SBDR fleet vehicles will be exhibited during the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, June 19-20. --30-- Mickey Noah writes for the North American Mission Board. For more information on how to become an officially trained Southern SBDR volunteer or to donate, visit namb.net/dr. 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 -- Wash. marriage groups turn in record signatures By Michael Foust Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37987 OLYMPIA, Wash. (BP) -- A Washington state coalition of traditional groups turned in more than 240,000 signatures Wednesday (June 6) in an effort to overturn the state's gay marriage law, a number that is double the number required and one that all but guarantees that the state's voters will decide the issue this fall. [IMG=32744@right@280]The coalition, Preserve Marriage Washington, said the number of signatures was a state record. The Washington secretary of state's office still must make sure the coalition turned in the 120,577 valid signatures that are required. That, though, appears to be a mere formality. "We should not redefine marriage simply because of the radical agenda of a small but powerful special interest group, and doing so will mean consequences to society," Joseph Backholm, chairman of Preserve Marriage Washington, said. "Marriage as the union of one man and one woman is profoundly in the common good. It brings men and women together and connects them to any children born of their union. Marriage helps give kids a mother and a father, and that's worth fighting to preserve." Signed by Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire in February, the gay marriage law has yet to take effect, and it will be put on hold at least until voters have their say in November. Washington state already has a domestic partnerships law that grants same-sex couples all the state legal benefits of marriage, minus the name. The initiative is known as Referendum 74. Supporters and opponents no doubt will spend the coming months explaining what a "yes" and "no" vote will do. A "yes" vote on the referendum would uphold the gay marriage law, while a "no" vote would overturn it. Backholm told Baptist Press that the law will be rejected if churches get involved. "I am confident that if the church stops acting out of fear, we will win this walking away," Backholm said. "The narrative from the other side has been that you prove you're a good and decent person by supporting same-sex marriage. There are a lot of people in churches who know what's right, and their theology is correct, but they feel a tremendous amount of pressure not to do anything about it. Even if privately they're going to vote the right way, they're certainly not sharing that with their friends. That's just fear. Pastors must speak up for "what is right," Backholm added. "Because when pastors say nothing about this subject, the message that is communicated to their congregation is that this is something that God doesn't really care about. And that's a problem," Backholm said. "They don't have to talk about it every Sunday, but they need to make sure their congregation understands that this is on the list of things that God does care about. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us as believers to use the influence He has given us in this debate in a way that honors Him." Washington is one of four states scheduled to vote on the definition of marriage this fall. Maryland and Maine also will be voting on whether to legalize gay marriage, while Minnesota citizens will decide whether to amend the state's constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Gay marriage is legal in six states. But in every state where it has appeared on the ballot -- 32 in all -- it has lost. The Preserve Marriage Washington coalition includes the Family Policy Institute of Washington, the Washington Catholic Conference and the National Organization for Marriage. --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. For information about Referendum 74, visit http://preservemarriagewashington.com. Read Joseph Backholm's column, "'Kids need a mom & dad' shouldn't be controversial," at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=37825]http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=37825[/URL]. 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 -- Iorg tells seminary grads 'mission matters most' By Phyllis Evans Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37984 MILL VALLEY, Calif. -- A 71-year-old retired 747 pilot earned a master of divinity, and a 20-year-old woman who grew up in a Burmese refugee camp received a diploma in Christian ministry bracketing the most recent class of graduates from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. These were among the 198 students, representing 22 states and 11 countries, who graduated at the Seminary's five campuses in May. [IMG=32741@right@220]Richard Long, born and reared in New Mexico, traveled 5 hours one-way from his home in Grand Junction, Colo., to attend seminary classes. He participated in the seminary's distance learning program for seven years at Golden Gate's Rocky Mountain campus to earn his master of divinity degree. After retiring from a 36-year career flying 747s for United Airlines, Long began to take Hebrew classes at Golden Gate. "Initially, I just wanted to take some Hebrew and Greek classes to expand my understanding of the Scriptures, plus I wanted to improve my teaching," said 71-year-old Long, who has taught the same adult Sunday school class since 1981. "Steve Veteto, [Rocky Mountain Campus Director], encouraged me to apply for a degree. It was like God was giving me an opportunity and opening the door." In just a few months Long will begin the church planting process in Grand Junction. Lah Say Wah is from the Karen people group, and lived with her family in a refugee camp in Burma, near the Thai border, for the first 16 years of her life. Today at 20 years old, her diploma in Christian ministry -- earned at the Rocky Mountain campus -- is just one of many accomplishments. In addition to taking seminary courses, she translated from Karen to English for the professors in five Contextualized Leadership Development classes. At the same time, she was also completing her last year of high school and was taking courses in her first year at the Community College of Aurora. She now serves the 300-member Karen Bible Church of Denver in a variety of leadership roles, is a pre-med student and works full-time at a medical research lab. The seminary's highest student award, the William O. Crews Presidential Leadership Award, was presented to Michael McCoy (Oregon), a master of divinity graduate from the Northern California campus and John Moreland (Texas) a master of divinity graduate from the Rocky Mountain campus. McCoy is currently associate pastor of a church in San Francisco and leads weekly street evangelism outreach in nearby urban cities. Soon he and his wife hope to serve in international mission work. Moreland is currently the senior pastor of Community Christian Church in Denver, and his long-term plan is to continue his education and pursue a Ph.D. "This award is given to the student who typifies, both now and in the future, the mission of Golden Gate," said Jeff Iorg, president of the seminary. "Mike and John strongly demonstrate the leadership training Golden Gate is committed to provide to pastors and to our priority of shaping leaders who expand God's kingdom around the world." Two graduating students shared the stories of their educational journey at Golden Gate Seminary. Meredith Brunson, a North Carolina native who received a master of missiology degree, told the crowd how she felt two years ago during orientation with a room full of students just like her who had answered God's call to attend seminary. "It was amazing to think that each person in the room had received a specific calling from God and one day we would be scattered across the world, proclaiming the name of Jesus to those who need him," she said. "And yet, God had brought us together for this season of our lives, to learn and grow and become the people that he designed us to be." Noe Garcia, a master of divinity graduate from Texas who was also the recipient of the LifeWay Pastoral Leadership Award, explained that seminary was more than an academic experience for him. "It was a spiritual journey in which I learned to depend on God to sustain and carry me," he said. "Through his grace he has provided me with incredible professors who provided not only academic but personal support to help me be a better man, a better husband and a better father." Garcia thanked the professors for "teaching me to be a man of God, to be a reflection of Jesus Christ." In his commencement address, Iorg described Christian leaders as troublemakers. "We preach absolute truth," he said. 'We teach ethical standards. We confront moral depravity. We urge non-Christians to consider the Gospel and we urge Christians to more earnest discipleship. And all this troublemaking can sometimes get us into trouble." Iorg summarized the incidents in Acts 16 and Acts 24 describing how God worked through Christian leader and "troublemaker" Paul. "In Acts 16, Paul made some trouble in Philippi," Iorg said. "He started a prayer meeting, won some people to faith in Christ, delivered a demon-possessed girl, confronted greedy businessmen, delivered a person from human slavery, then was beaten and imprisoned." Iorg told how Paul and his co-worker Silas started singing and seeking the glory of God, witnessing to the other prisoners. "Then God sent an earthquake," Iorg said. "The ground trembled, the doors flew open, the stocks fell off and the chains were released." He added, "Sometimes when you get put in prison, and things are looking bleak, you'll get an earthquake and God will do magnificent things through those circumstances." The president continued with a second story about how Paul persisted with his ministry and was imprisoned two years for doing so. Iorg told his listeners how he responded when reading this: "Two years, God? What were you thinking? Here is the most gifted preacher alive at that time, the most insightful missiologist on the planet, the person with more spiritual power than all of us in this room combined. Here is a man whose theological mind produced a good bit of the New Testament. And he was allowed to wait two years in a Roman prison?" Iorg then summarized Paul's accomplishments while imprisoned –- including writing a significant portion of the New Testament. "These two stories teach us this lesson," Iorg said. "As Christian leaders when you make a little trouble or you get into trouble – sometimes you'll get an earthquake. And sometimes when you make a little trouble or you get into trouble, no earthquake happens. It is the immature leader who thinks God is obligated to bail him or her out of every difficult situation. But whether you get an earthquake or whether you don't, the mission matters most." The president urged the graduates to consider, "What matters in every circumstance of life, in every arena of life, in every location of life, in every way possible is to find the means to advance the gospel message and expand God's kingdom all around the world. "The mission matters more than your comfort," Iorg said. "It matters more than your safety. It matters more than your circumstances. It matters whether you are healthy or not, married or not, prosperous or not, seemingly blessed or not –- the mission matters most in every external circumstance you will encounter." Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary is a Cooperative Program Ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention and operates five, fully-accredited campuses in Northern California, Southern California, Pacific Northwest, Arizona and Colorado. For more information: www.ggbts.edu. --30-- Phyllis Evans is director of communications at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. -- End of story -- Faith-based 'Unconditional' to be shown at SBC By John D. Wilke Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37980 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Going to the movies can be an expensive outing, but this month at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans, LifeWay Films is hosting a free screening of "Unconditional," a new faith-based film.
At 7 p.m. CST, Tuesday, June 19, LifeWay Films will show "Unconditional" in Auditorium C of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. No tickets are required for entrance. "Unconditional" -- which will be released this fall -- is a story about forgiveness, healing from losing a loved one and getting people out of their comfort zones to reach others for Christ. According to Scott Mills, manager of LifeWay Films, "Unconditional" is based on the real life story of Joe Bradford, a Nashville man devoted to mentoring fatherless children in the inner city. [IMG=32743@left@160]The film stars a number of well-known film and television actors including Lynn Collins, Michael Ealy and Bruce McGill. "Cinematic storytelling has proven to be a powerful way to share a message," Mills said. "Successful films like 'Courageous' and 'October Baby' continue to raise the bar for message-driven movie production. "'Unconditional' is a solid tool for churches to reach their community. It will motivate us all to do something in our community outside the walls of the church to help meet others' needs. For those who come to the screening at the SBC meeting in New Orleans, we ask that they help spread the word about the film to their fellow pastors and local theaters back home." For information about LifeWay Films, visit its booth in the exhibit hall at the SBC annual meeting. For more information about the movie visit UnconditionalTheMovie.com. --30-- Jon D. Wilke is media relations manager for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- Deadline extended for compensation survey By Staff Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37982 DALLAS (BP) -- The deadline for completing the biennial SBC Church Compensation Survey has been extended to June 30. More than 12,000 surveys had been completed as of May 21, with the highest number of completed surveys from North Carolina and Alabama. As many as 17,000 surveys have been completed in the past. The survey benefits participating churches by providing an accurate baseline of compensation among similar-sized churches in their state convention. Customized reports allow administrators, personnel/finance committees and minister search teams to better determine adequate compensation for ministers and staff. That can be essential information for thousands of churches. The survey, at [URL=http://www.guidestone.org/compensationsurvey]www.GuideStone.org/CompensationSurvey[/URL], can be completed in five to eight minutes on average. Church ministers and staff need to have access to information regarding their salary, benefits, their church's estimated weekly worship or Bible study attendance, resident membership and annual budget. All information is kept confidential and no data from individual responses will be released. The compensation survey is provided through the joint efforts of Baptist state conventions, GuideStone Financial Resources and LifeWay Christian Resources. GuideStone and LifeWay compile the submitted data and provide all users with access to the results. Survey results will be released later this summer. A printed version of the survey may be obtained by contacting GuideStone at 1-888-98-GUIDE (1-888-984-8433) between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST Monday-Friday or by calling state convention offices. --30-- Reported by the staff of GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- Julian Pentecost, retired Va. editor, dies By Staff/Religious Herald Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37983 RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Julian H. Pentecost, retired editor of the Religious Herald, a Baptist newspaper based in Richmond, Va., died May 31. He was 88. [IMG=32742@left@120]Pentecost, as editor of the Herald in the 1980s -- a decade of theological conflict in the Southern Baptist Convention -- acquired a reputation as a fierce defender of freedom to interpret Scripture during a time when SBC conservatives were narrowing the range of accepted theological viewpoints. He became editor of the Herald in 1970, retiring in 1992. Born in Lawrenceville, Va., in 1924, Pentecost grew up at Lawrenceville Baptist Church, entering the University of Richmond in 1942 as a ministerial student. After graduation he began studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where he met and married Mary Holbrook. He earned both master's and doctoral degrees from Southern Seminary and became pastor of Buena Vista (Va.) Baptist Church -- the first in a string of Virginia pastorates that included West End Baptist Church in Suffolk (1953-57), First Baptist Church in Waynesboro (1957-66) and Grace Baptist Church in Richmond (1966-70). Pentecost was active in denominational life for most of his career, serving as president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1968 and as a trustee of the University of Richmond, Virginia Baptist Homes, the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, Southern Seminary and both the Home (now North American) and Foreign (now International) mission boards. He was a former president of the Southern Baptist Press Association and was a founding director of Associated Baptist Press. At the time of his death, he was a member of River Road Church, Baptist, in Richmond. Pentecost's wife Mary preceded him in death earlier this year. He is survived by a son, Julian Pentecost Jr.; two daughters, Anne Considine and Nancy Siska; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. His funeral was June 4 at River Road Church. --30-- Reported by the staff of the Religious Herald (www.religiousherald.org), newsjournal for Baptists in the Mid-Atlantic. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: 6 ways NAMB can help your church in evangelism By Larry Wynn Jun. 6 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37986 Editor's note: The columnist is vice president of evangelism at the North American Mission Board ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- There's really no better sign of a church's spiritual health than the evangelistic activity of its people. It always excites me to see Southern Baptists embrace their calling to make Christ known. We're fast approaching a season of intense, concentrated engagement in reaching communities for Christ. Crossover 2012 in New Orleans will provide citywide evangelism efforts as Southern Baptists engage in outreach leading up to the Annual Meeting in The Crescent City. As summer moves in, SBC churches across North America will fan out into cities, suburbs and countrysides to reach this continent and other continents with the Good News. Evangelism is the key component of any missions endeavor. This is why the North American Mission Board is committing even more resources toward evangelism efforts in 2012 ($4.1 million) than in 2009 ($3.5 million). Whether you're planting a church or assisting someone in crisis, our driving motivation is to reach the whole person with the Gospel so that communities are made whole in Him. There are six key components of NAMB's evangelism strategy with which every church can connect: 1. GPS: God's Plan for Sharing. 2. LoveLoud ministry evangelism. 3. Disaster Relief. 4. Chaplaincy. 5. Church revitalization. 6. Collegiate ministry. Let me take a moment to explain each. GPS
This year God's Plan for Sharing is focused on helping churches intentionally engage the community through attractional events. Facilitated by Ken Ellis, NAMB's GPS team leader, GPS 2012 will emphasize the catalytic effect an evangelistic event can have on a community. Events like these provide a non-threatening way to engage people in friendship and with truth. Many churches will demonstrate the effectiveness of attractional events during Crossover 2012 and throughout the year as churches draw their communities to opportunities to hear the Gospel. LoveLoud Al Gilbert, executive director for NAMB's LoveLoud emphasis, is casting a biblical vision for loving neglected neighbors, neglected children and communities and cities in North America through ministry evangelism. Al is leading LoveLoud with the understanding that if we offer the truth of the Gospel without ministering to the needs of the whole person, we are only offering half of the truth. Through LoveLoud ministries, Southern Baptists will join together to meet the felt needs of their communities through opportunities such as pregnancy care, ministry to children, standing up against human trafficking and other injustices, and a list of other urgent needs faced in many North American communities. Disaster Relief A recent change in NAMB's organizational structure brought Southern Baptist Disaster Relief into the Evangelism Group, and I think that's right where it belongs. We are committed to resourcing and serving our state partners in a way that will continue to allow Southern Baptists to provide timely, top-quality assistance to victims of disaster. In addition, we want to give our disaster relief volunteers top quality resources and training that will allow them to offer the hope of Christ while they are giving the physical help so urgently needed in times of crisis. Chaplaincy I am thrilled to have retired Maj. Gen. Doug Carver leading our Southern Baptist chaplaincy ministries. NAMB undergirds chaplains serving in health care, correctional facilities, public safety, disaster relief and corporate environments as well as the U.S. military. His aim is to strengthen our chaplain base as well as find ways to connect chaplain ministry to local churches. The need for ministry to chaplains and armed service personnel is a growing opportunity for Southern Baptist churches. As returning servicemen and servicewomen re-enter their stateside lives, we want churches to be positioned to meet critical emotional, spiritual and other needs of military families. Local church involvement and military base church plants are among the many new long-term ventures NAMB's chaplaincy team is exploring. Church Revitalization Plateaued, declining and dying churches are a growing reality for Southern Baptists. Some 880 SBC churches die every year. And 70 percent of our churches are either plateaued or declining. Churches do have an inevitable life cycle but we don't want to any of them die without a fight. This is why NAMB is developing a variety of approaches for bringing churches back from the brink of death. For churches that are in a slump, we want to assist them getting healthy again and reengaging with their community. If the decline is deeper, we want to help churches come under the care of a healthy church in hopes of bringing new life to the congregation. Other churches might need a re-plant -- a fresh start and new effort in connecting with the community around them. For others, it might be best to merge with a healthy congregation. For some there is no other option than closure, but we want to help be sure their property ends up with a new congregation that will shine the light of the Gospel in the community. Collegiate ministry Collegiate ministry is an investment in our future. If we can play a role in a student coming to Christ and being discipled, then we are developing the future leadership of the church. NAMB knows this needs to be a key area of focus and we are currently taking a close look at what role is best for us to play. I truly believe we are on the brink of something big as Southern Baptists. My heart's desire is that we would be found faithful in our call to introduce the lost in our lives to the life-giving truth of the Gospel. God has given us an opportunity, in our time, to see a world worshipping Him. I don't know about you, but I want to be a part of that heritage. --30-- Larry Wynn is vice president of evangelism at the North American Mission Board. To view a video with Kevin Ezell and Larry Wynn about NAMB's revitalization strategy, visit namb.net/podcast-church-revitalization/. -- 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