Baptist Press Stories for Aug. 21 2012 --------------------------------------- In Nepal's Himalayas, 7 students engage Tibetans in conversation http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38543 Tibetan believers find God in music http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38544 Obama ads' focus on abortion is unprecedented http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38545 NAMB promotes wives as ministry partners http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38546 Send North America Conf. impacts digital pair http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38547 Ridgecrest garners conference planners' praise http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38548 FIRST-PERSON: Are we prepared to reach the 'globals'? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38549 FIRST-PERSON: 'American Bible Challenge' -- the best game show since 'Jeopardy' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38550 FROM THE STATES: Mo., La. & Ga. evangelism/missions news http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38551 --------------------------------------- In Nepal's Himalayas, 7 students engage Tibetans in conversation By Caroline Anderson Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38543 Read the sidebar, "Tibetan believers find God in music," [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38544]here[/URL]). KATHMANDU, Nepal (BP) -- Elderly women walk clockwise around a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. Their hands bear sculpted calluses earned from years of rolling prayer beads between their thumbs and index fingers. Tibetans are known for their resistance to the Gospel, International Mission Board representative Tal Bratcher* tells those who've come to work with him. Before they return home, seven recent high school graduates will see some of the spiritual calluses soften when they tell how God softened hard spots in their own hearts.
The students came from Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Mo., to help Bratcher and his wife Janice* start churches in two Tibetan areas of Kathmandu. The Bratchers are responsible for planting churches among 10 Tibetan unengaged and unreached people groups in Nepal. Unreached and unengaged people groups have never heard the Gospel, have no one actively spreading the Good News and have no known believers. Many of these people groups in Nepal live tucked away in the Himalayas. It's a daunting task, and that's why the Bratchers are investing in national believers and short-term teams like Concord to help them fulfill the Great Commission among the Tibetans of Nepal. English, Jesus & Coffee Though the students had just graduated from high school, the Bratchers had big plans for their venture to Nepal. "Really try not to put God in a box and feel like He won't be able to use you because you're young, or because you don't have any missions experience or don't know the language," Bratcher told the students during their orientation. Their ministry time centered on English clubs, scheduled times where anyone could come practice English for free. Tibetan and Nepalese children learn English in school but rarely have the chance to practice. Concord students spent time walking and prayerwalking through neighborhoods trying to start conversations. Everyone the students met received an invitation to come practice English for an hour in a local coffee shop. This allowed the students to meet one-on-one with Tibetans and build relationships in order to share the Gospel. In the afternoons, they hosted sports camps and shared the Gospel at the end of the camps. "By having the team here and sharing the Gospel in the English clubs, it's helped tremendously because it's multiplied my own efforts," Bratcher said. Discipleship & Transformation Bratcher plans to continue with one-on-one discipleship with the contacts the team made. One-on-one discipleship is the reason Bratcher is in Nepal today. Before he found Jesus, Bratcher also had spiritual calluses. The former high school football player was "a hooligan," the Kentucky native said. If he hadn't become a believer, Bratcher believes he'd "either be dead or in jail." Kevin Hall, Bratcher's former high school and college youth group leader, trained him as a disciple. Now Hall ministers to students at Concord, and he led the summer team's trip to Kathmandu. Bratcher is using the same model Hall used, life-on-life discipleship. Bratcher has been discipling Lobsang Sherpa*, a believer from the Dhokpya Tibetan people group, one of the 10 groups Bratcher is trying to reach. Lobsang is the only believer in his people group. "I see his [Hall's] influence in my life overflowing into Lobsang, in that his methods weren't really orthodox," Bratcher said. "We spent a lot of late nights together, going to these really greasy diners and praying over the Word together, having accountability times." Bratcher said Hall saw potential in him that he didn't see. It was the same with Lobsang. "As we've looked in the Word together and seen God's heart in the Scripture and in the Gospel for him, saving Lobsang for a purpose -- and that's not for Lobsang's happiness or his mere joy -- but God has called Lobsang out of his people group as the first believer, to be that light to his people and see more of them into the Kingdom," Bratcher said. Lobsang came alongside the Concord team, translating and acting as a cross-cultural guide for the American students. Equipping the next generation Just as Hall discipled Bratcher and, now, Bratcher is discipling Lobsang, Hall is investing in a new generation of students at Concord and instilling a vision for reaching the lost. Five of the seven Concord students have expressed a calling to serve overseas. The trip was a chance for the students to see what life overseas is like. One of the students is Hall's daughter. "My whole life, I've been fighting a call," Kalee Hall said. "That's what pastor's kids do." God used a summer camp her dad led to change her heart. Kalee, now a freshman at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., had the chance to talk with a Tibetan girl during an English club. The girls bonded quickly. Both are 18 years old and have three younger sisters. Kalee told her how God would take her sins away and the consequences of not believing. "I'm saying this because I care about you," Kalee told her new friend. Soon, both girls were in tears. "My family, I can't go against my family," the girl said when Kalee gave an invitation to become a Christian. Though her new friend left without accepting Christ, Kalee is still praying God will work in her life and continue to soften the calluses on her heart. Now Kalee is able to say, "Wherever you want me to go, God." After graduating from college, she plans to move overseas and teach English as a Second Language. Jake Wise, now a freshman at Columbia (Mo.) College, said he also feels called to serve overseas. The pianist in a band, he thought of pursuing music as a career but said the Lord called him to minister cross-culturally instead. He plans to study English in college so he can teach overseas. Wise had the chance to plant seeds of the Gospel with children in a Tibetan refugee camp during one of the team's sports camps. Richard Donnelly, who now works in Missouri, had the chance to talk about his faith during an English club. One of Donnelly's English students listened intently when he shared about God, but like Kalee's friend shied away from firmly committing because of loyalty to his parents and culture. The converse was true for Donnelly. He was raised in a Christian home but felt no loyalty to his parents' faith. "I wasn't a believer at all. I was a pretty big sinner," Donnelly said. Donnelly was sent to a correctional facility in high school. There, surrounded by godly people, he accepted Christ as his Savior. Donnelly prays his new friend also will act on his faith. Though many spiritual calluses remained at the end of the week, Laura Smith, an adult leader on the Concord team, shared the Gospel with a young Tibetan man who accepted the message. Bratcher is following up with this Tibetan man and hopes to begin the discipleship process as Hall did with him and as he currently does with Lobsang. Hall continues to invest in students. The Concord students are taking the Gospel to their campuses and workplaces and will look for people to disciple so they also may find the life Christ has for them. --30-- *Names changed. Caroline Anderson is a writer for IMB who lives in Asia. For more stories specific to Asia, visit [URL=http://www.AsiaStories.com]AsiaStories.com[/URL] -- End of story -- Tibetan believers find God in music By Caroline Anderson Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38544 Read the other story in this package, "In Nepal's Himalayas, 7 students engage Tibetans in conversation," [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38543]here[/URL]). KATHMANDU, Nepal (BP) -- The Tibetan men and women begin to weep as the believer's hands slide over the guitar strings. It's their hearts' melody -- put to music in their own language. The Gospel came alive to these believers when they realized God speaks to them in their language and culture, said James, one of 12 leaders in the Tibetan church among the Lhomi people group.
"When we sing the song in our own context, and own style, people start to cry in our church," James said. "They found the message of God in their own melody." Today between 250 and 300 believers worship among the Lohmi people group in Nepal. The International Mission Board's Global Research reports a total Lhomi population of nearly 5,000. The Lhomi believers love to worship, and their worship is an expression of the freedom from dreams and demons they've found in Christ. When they worship, it paints a picture of their rich cultural heritage. James remembers when the Gospel came alive for him. His mother had an illness everyone attributed to demons, and he was possessed with a fear of demons. But when he and his family believed in Christ, they learned Jesus was stronger than demons. His fear evaporated and his mother was healed. Today, he expresses his freedom in Christ in his music. "The Lord gave me the heart to create the song," James said. James, a singer, songwriter and worship leader, plays the Tibetan guitar and has composed between 60 and 70 hymns. The Gospel came to the Lhomi through Finnish Bible translators. Portions of the Lhomi Bible first were printed in 1976. As the Lhomi became believers, some like James began writing music in their own context. James studied ethnomusicology at a university in Thailand. He has produced several CDs and his music already has been translated into Dzongkha, one of the languages in Bhutan, and Managi, the language of another Tibetan people group in Nepal. Lhomi culture, language and worship are very different from that of the surrounding Nepalese culture. Tibetan music is based on the pentatonic scale, meaning they use only five notes per octave instead of the standard seven. The Lhomi and other Tibetan people groups have tried to worship in Nepali, but they say it doesn't feel authentic. Worse, "Many ... just [become] really confused because they don't know the melody," James said. "They come from the mountainside and they never try to sing the Nepali song." Non-Christians enjoy the Christian music, too, James said, "because we borrow the tune from the southern culture and language. Melody is very important in our culture." Because most Lhomi have heard the Gospel, Lhomi believers are planting churches among other Tibetan people groups, partnering closely with IMB representatives and Tal and Janice Bratcher* and Kendrick and Jewel Deckard*. The Bratchers and Deckards came to Nepal to see the Gospel saturate the other 25 Tibetan people groups as it has the Lhomi. "God has done something amazing in the Lhomi people. They are really an anomaly among the Tibetan Buddhist peoples in the Himalayas," Bratcher said. "We're trying to tap into the Lhomi people and encourage them, to mobilize them to go and reach culturally similar groups in different areas in the Himalayas," Bratcher said. "Working with the Lhomi people has been incredible for us because they don't have some of the barriers that we have going into some of these remote, isolated villages that it takes days and days and days to get to." U.S. churches also play a role in reaching the Himalayas with the Gospel. Several churches partner with the Bratchers, Deckards and the Lhomi to reach Tibetan people groups who have yet to hear the Gospel. Some churches adopted people groups and committed to see the Gospel penetrate hidden Himalayan villages. Many times, James Lhomi and other Lhomi believers travel with short-term teams from churches in the United States. The short-term teams and Lhomi believers work to each others' strengths to make sure the Gospel reaches all. Short-term teams draw an audience and cultivate an interest in the message that James and other Lhomi believers bring. Most Americans that these people groups meet are more interested in Nepal's mountains than they are in the people. When Americans come and want to hear about their lives, it creates an opportunity for Lhomi believers to share their faith. James focuses much of his time on sharing the Gospel with the Managi people group, which has only two families of believers. He's writing music in the Managi language so they, too, can hear the Gospel in their hearts' melody. --30-- *Name changed. Caroline Anderson is a writer for the International Mission Board who lives in Asia. For more stories specific to Asia, visit [URL=http://www.AsiaStories.com]AsiaStories.com[/URL] Pray for James as he brings his music and the Gospel to Tibetan men and women among the Managi people group. Pray for the Tibetan people groups who have yet to hear of their Creator. -- End of story -- Obama ads' focus on abortion is unprecedented By Michael Foust Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38545 WASHINGTON (BP) -- In his quest for re-election, President Obama and his campaign have gone against historical precedent and perhaps conventional wisdom by opting to make abortion a major theme in television campaign ads -- something no Democratic nominee has ever done in a general election.
The Obama campaign launched its third abortion-focused TV campaign ad in mid-August, criticizing the pro-life views of presumptive Republican nominees Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. In two of the three ads, a narrator reminds the audience that "Romney supports overturning Roe vs. Wade." Obama is pro-choice and supports Roe. All three ads have run in battleground states, according to Politico.com. Typically, TV ads for presidential candidates focus on themes that can draw bipartisan support -- the economy, health care and education, for instance. The Obama campaign's focus on abortion is unprecedented. Baptist Press watched every Democratic nominee's television ads, from 1976-2008 -- that is, post-Roe v. Wade -- and found that only one other campaign (Bill Clinton's, 1996) discussed abortion in an ad, and that reference ("choice") came in a TV ad that discussed several issues. (Baptist Press watched the ads on livingroomcandidate.org and pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns, two websites that archive campaign TV ads.) The Obama campaign in 2008 did run a radio ad that spotlighted abortion, but it did not have a TV counterpart. Also, outside groups such as Planned Parenthood -- the nation's largest abortion provider -- have run TV ads in the past supporting Democratic candidates while spotlighting abortion. But a presidential candidate's own campaign never has gone this far in focusing on abortion.
"The Obama campaign is being much more aggressive in campaigning on abortion and using the issue to motivate their base," Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, told Baptist Press. "We have not seen this kind of campaigning coming from a presidential campaign before. Most presidential campaigns over the years have talked about jobs and health care and other things. The Obama campaign apparently has decided that the only way they are going to get their liberal base excited and motivated and working is to attack Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan on the abortion issue." Politico and other news organizations say the Obama campaign is trying to drive up support for the president among female voters. But Tobias believes the ads could also serve to unify pro-life voters. After all, some in the pro-life community have been skeptical of Romney, and the ads remind them of his pro-life views. In the latest Obama ad, a narrator says, "Both Romney and Ryan back proposals to outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. For women, for president, the choice is ours." The first two ads made the same claim. Independent fact checking websites say Romney opposes abortion, but not in cases of rape and incest -- an identical position to both Bush presidents, the last two pro-life occupants of the White House. Ryan does oppose abortion in such cases, but his position would not be the position of the administration, Romney campaign officials have said. The first abortion-themed ad, launched in early July, stated, "Every woman who believes decisions about our bodies and our health care should be our own is troubled Mitt Romney supports overturning Roe v. Wade." Romney does oppose Roe. All three TV ads -- along with a fourth one that doesn't mention abortion -- blast Romney for wanting to pull federal funding for Planned Parenthood. The ads also criticize Romney for his opposition to requiring that employers cover contraceptives. Romney does oppose requiring companies to offer contraceptives, a stance partially based on his belief that it violates religious liberty. Some of the contraceptives that are required to be covered under the new health care law can cause chemical abortions.
Most of Obama's TV ads in 2008 focused on the economy. The ads of the 2004 Democratic nominee, John Kerry, spotlighted the Iraq war, jobs and health care. In 2000, Al Gore's ads discussed issues such as the debt, Social Security and Medicare. President Clinton's ads in 1992 and 1996 mostly stayed focused on the economy. The one exception was a 1996 TV ad that tied GOP nominee Bob Dole to then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The ad, which did not have a narrator, displayed the positions of Dole and Gingrich with words on the screen that changed every few seconds. The phrase, "Dole-Gingrich against a woman's right to choose," appeared on the screen, but so did, at various points in the ad, their positions on the minimum wage, the family leave act and college scholarships. Abortion also was not mentioned in TV ads by Jimmy Carter (1976, 1980), Walter Mondale (1984) or Michael Dukakis (1988), all Democratic nominees. "All women are not pro-choice," Tobias of National Right to Life said. "The country right now is fairly evenly divided on whether or not abortion should be legal. Women are probably evenly divided as well. By President Obama so publicly using this issue, he may motivate some of his supporters, but he is getting pro-lifers activated and motivated. They want to see him out of office. The more he campaigns on it ... the harder pro-lifers are going to work." The media, she added, is "complicit," promoting the Obama ads' talking points and not fact-checking the ads' claims. "Obama is being supported by the media even moreso than Bill Clinton was," Tobias said. "They are carrying his line." --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- NAMB promotes wives as ministry partners By Sara Shelton Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38546 WOODSTOCK, Ga. (BP) -- The more than 2,000 church planters, pastors and ministry leaders attending the Send North America Conference at First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., brought with them what is often considered one of their greatest assets in ministry: their wives. The North American Mission Board conference featured workshops tailored for the wives and other women in attendance. Kathy Litton, consultant for ministry to pastors' wives at NAMB and director of [URL=http://www.flourish.me/]Flourish.me[/URL], an online community for ministry wives, designed the event to spiritually refresh women and encourage them in their unique ministerial roles. "We recognize that being married to a man in ministry can be daunting at times, but we also recognize the position of influence God has called these women to as ministry wives," Litton said. Featuring leaders like Litton, Christian apologist and author Mary Jo Sharp, speaker and author Jaye Martin, blogger and church planting wife Tricia Lovejoy, breakout sessions promoted unity and purpose. Speakers encouraged women to recognize the power of influence they have in the lives of their husbands and the ministries to which God has called their families. "The influence we have over our husbands is a gift, a true responsibility," Litton told workshop attendees at the July event. "Our criticism and negativity can set him back in purpose, but our prayers and support can spur him on to all that God has for him." Lovejoy echoed this sentiment while encouraging women to persevere, even when ministry begins to take its toll. "We have such a level of influence as pastors' wives," Lovejoy said. "This is why we can't let our disappointments drive us to defeat. If we do, we might miss out on God's calling on our lives and for our ministries." Lovejoy emphasized the importance of these women finding their own unique role in the ministry of their church plant, using herself as an example. "Over the years, God has really revealed to me just what role He has designed for me to play at our church and in our community," Lovejoy said. This role includes starting Bible studies for other ministry wives, sending weekly emails and cards to encourage women in the church and hosting regular Girls' Night Out events. "What I love about this stuff is that it's stuff that God has specifically designed me to be able to do in our church and He's using me to support our congregation in a different way than my husband." Words like these proved to be powerful in the lives of ministry wives in attendance. Jana McGuire came to the conference from Ohio, where she and her husband Josh are planting Serve Church. The event gave her a renewed sense of purpose in her role as both Josh's wife and a leader at Serve Church. "My role as a church planting wife has more of an impact than I imagined," McGuire shared. "I left feeling renewed, refreshed and challenged by truth." This is exactly what Litton and her team hoped to provide to all the women working tirelessly alongside their husbands. "Pray for wisdom," Litton encouraged the women. "Speak the truth in love. And carry on faithfully and joyfully by God's power in the call He has given to your husband and your family." Access audio and video files from Send North America ministry wives sessions [URL=http://www.namb.net/send_north_america_conference/]here.[/URL] --30-- Sara Shelton is a North American Mission Board writer. For more resources or to connect with other ministry wives, visit [URL=http://www.flourish.me/]Flourish.me[/URL] Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Send North America Conf. impacts digital pair By Joe Conway Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38547 WOODSTOCK, Ga. (BP) –- The Acevedos didn't meet through conventional means and don't lead conventional lives. "We met online," Mariana Acevedo said of herself and Al, her husband of three years. "Yes, it was a dating service and my mom was all, 'We can go to make sure he's alright.' And I'm, 'Mom, we're meeting in a public place. It's safe.'" It's that digital savvy that brought the couple to the North American Mission Board's Send North America Conference. "We got that email," the wife said. "I follow NAMB on Twitter. When we saw the email we thought it sounded interesting." Says her husband, "We prayed about it. We believe coming here was a step of obedience to God." Al Acevedo is pursuing online a master's of divinity at Liberty University and was impressed by the entire Send North America experience. "I've been to some good conferences and this one is top notch. From the relevant speakers, the sessions, the networking, you can sense the Spirit of God in what people are doing. The hospitality of the people of Woodstock is amazing," he said of the members and staff of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., hosting the event. The Acevedos are members of Watermark Church, a year-old plant in Orange Park, Fla., near Jacksonville, where he is the volunteer Serve Teams coordinator and she is a worship leader and prayer team member. "We are excited about church planting," he said. "It is the greatest form of evangelism and that excites me. I'm not sure God is leading me to be a lead planter, but that is part of why we are here. We are not sure what God is leading us to do, but we are open to whatever it is. With each step of obedience He gives us more direction and more light. We have to be obedient." The two were members and volunteers at First Baptist Church Jacksonville when a Liberty class assignment sent Al Acevedo to nearby Celebration Church, where an encounter with a small group leader changed his direction. "Tim Larson noticed that I was taking notes from the time I introduced myself," said Acevedo, who was to observe a small group and report on it for his online studies. Larson was the small group leader. "After the class he asked me what I was doing. Turns out he was taking the small class at Liberty, too. We kept running into each other around town and then he asked if I would pray about joining his church planting team." Larson, in attendance at the conference, in 2011 launched Watermark Church with his small group. Other participants echoed the Acevedos' positive experience across the two-day conference, including David Holland of Norwich, Conn. Holland, a deacon at Cornerstone International Church, works with church planter Shaun Pillay. Said Holland, "This has been amazing. God is speaking to me and telling me exactly what I need to hear. I lost my cell phone yesterday and I started to get upset, but God told me not to worry about it. He took away something that might distract me so I could listen more closely to Him." The 2013 Send North America Conference will be held by Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. Access audio and video files from the Send North America Conference [URL=http://www.namb.net/send_north_america_conference/]here.[/URL] --30-- Joe Conway is a writer for the North American Mission Board. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Ridgecrest garners conference planners' praise By Marty King Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38548 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina has been awarded the first-ever 2012 "Praise Award" by Religious Conference Manager magazine. The nation's largest Christian conference facility, Ridgecrest is owned and operated by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and has ministered to millions of guests during its more than a century of service. Members of the Religious Conference Manager Association across the country were asked to nominate hotels and conference centers in the U.S. that exemplify top-quality service to convention and meeting planners as well as guests. Ridgecrest was the only Christian conference center named among the 15 top properties, which also included three Hyatt Hotels, two Marriott properties and several resorts and spas. "We are honored to be included in such an elite group," said Bill Bowman, Ridgecrest's director. "It's certainly gratifying to be named as one of the best conference centers in the country by religious meeting planners. "It's also additional affirmation of the significant investments we've made in Ridgecrest to improve the meeting experience. Recognition like this along with strong demands for the facility show that we're on the right track," Bowman said. Ridgecrest's 1,300-acre complex, in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, offers options for individual sabbaticals, small group meetings and large conferences with outdoor recreation facilities, diverse lodging accommodations and meeting rooms and large group spaces, including Spillman Auditorium which seats more than 2,000 people. For more information about Ridgecrest reservations or events, call 1-800-588-7222 or go to [URL=http://ridgecrestconferencecenter.org] ridgecrestconferenecenter.org [/URL]. --30-- Marty King is director of communications for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Are we prepared to reach the 'globals'? By Stephen Douglas Wilson Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38549 MAYFIELD, Ky. (BP) -- In the last few years, pundits have come to recognize a sub-category of young 20- and early 30-somethings called the "globals" generation. These young Americans have developed some characteristics that are relatively new to American culture and society. If Southern Baptists hope to impact this group of young adults, we should know something about them. According to pollster John Zogby in his work, "The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream" (2008), and Sam Sander's report, "'Globals' Generation Focuses on Experience" (2012), "globals" share a number of common attributes: -- A largely secular worldview, but one open to some aspects of cultural beliefs from all around the world. -- More than 270,000 studied abroad in 2010 -- more than three times the number of students of just two decades ago. -- Two-thirds of this generation possess current passports, and one-fourth of them aspire to live abroad. -- On social, spiritual, cultural and economic issues, they possess an international rather than a distinctly American perspective. -- They are more diverse in terms of race and ethnicity than previous generations. -- Their personal networks, whether face-to-face or online, include people from all over the world. -- They see the world at large as being "instantly accessible" through travel or the Internet. -- Many globals have a different perspective on the "American dream" and do not necessarily aspire to accumulating homes, cars and material success. -- They put less emphasis on marriage and family than their parents. -- Instead, many globals view "experiences" as more important than any other category of goals. -- They value a greater degree of "openness" and "transparency" in their private and public dealings with other people than did previous generations. -- And finally, the globals see themselves as "global citizens" with a responsibility to the world community at-large superseding their responsibilities to more local institutions and constituencies. Although many globals are not ready to jettison traditional ideas of marriage, family and even American citizenship, these values are less important to them. Needless to say, most young people identified as part of this cohort do not share a Christian worldview, and in fact, Zogby refers to them as "secular spiritualists." Globals seek to address the social and spiritual problems of their day from a global worldview that owes little to their understanding of both a distinctly American and/or Christian perspective. They are also heavily connected to members of their own generation from all around the world, and this reinforces their global worldview. If the pundits and pollsters are correct in their assessments of this generation, can the Christian community at large and Southern Baptists in particular hope to reach this generation for Christ? Admittedly, older American Christians have few connections to the culture and society of this cohort. We are not as well traveled. We are considerably more homogeneous in terms of race and ethnicity. We are literally less connected to the worldwide web than they are, and in fact, we have been less willing to use the Internet beyond our forays into commerce and personal communication. The outlook of older American Christians is set firmly in the cultural perspective of the United States, and we look to a 2,000-year-old faith tradition to guide us in our daily walk. Therefore, we are sometimes apprehensive of some aspects of their global secular worldview -- as they are concerning our perspectives. The recognition of the vast chasm between our respective worldviews is the beginning of the hope to bridge it. Nevertheless, the cultural milieu of the globals also offers plenty of hope for Christians to evangelize and influence this generation. In spite of the secularism that pervades the culture of the globals, they share with the Christian tradition a number of characteristics that include a suspicion of materialism, the desire to create a diverse society and community irrespective of race and ethnicity, a global concern for humanity and a "service ethos" to reach humankind as a means to address global human concerns. For instance, globals would have found much to agree with in the Affirming Human Needs Ministry Resolution that Southern Baptists approved at the 2012 convention in New Orleans. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Christians can reach this generation for Christ. Conversely, we must first submit to our own spiritual discipline and educate ourselves about this historically very different generation. Christ has called us to a global mission -- the Great Commission. The Great Commission always conveyed the expectation that we were reaching out to generations of separate people groups all over the globe. Our challenge this time is unique, for we are now witnessing to a single emerging "global generation." --30-- Stephen Douglas Wilson is a dean emeritus and department chair of history at Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, Ky., and a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: 'American Bible Challenge' -- the best game show since 'Jeopardy' By Phil Boatwright Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38550 KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) -- I recently viewed the pilot episode of GSN's new series "The American Bible Challenge," an original one-hour game show hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy. It premieres Thursday (Aug. 23) at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Now, I've only seen one episode, so I may be putting myself out of a limb by declaring that this is the best game show since "Jeopardy." But I'll give you a few reasons why this show holds great promise. First, I must confess, I'm not really a fan of those game shows where people come on down, bouncing around as if they had just discovered the cure for the common cold. My first reaction to such jubilation is always, "Calm down. Breathe. Get a life." But I admit that there have been quiz shows throughout the years that caught my imagination: "Password," "Match Game," and the aforementioned "Jeopardy," just to name a few. I immediately became interested in this new series once I realized that the star of the program was to be the Bible. How cool is that? The contestants compete based on their knowledge of the Bible. Utilizing current pop culture as well as historical references, questions are drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. And get this: the contestants aren't playing for their own reward, but for others. The money they win goes to their favorite charities.
I'm a fervent believer that we Christians should spend more time in Bible study than in front of the tube. But here's an opportunity where we can be entertained by TV and learn about the Bible at the same time. As I watched the pilot episode, I quickly found myself enjoying every aspect of the program. 1. This is the first show on a non-Christian cable network that offers the Bible as the focal point of the program. 2. The contestants are playing for a church or charity. 3. There's a joyous atmosphere about the show (at least evidenced by the first episode) that even includes some spirited Gospel music. 4. And then there's the host, Jeff Foxworthy. Jeff, a Christian, is the largest-selling comedy recording artist in history and a multiple Grammy Award nominee. Most famous for his redneck jokes, Foxworthy bases his comedy on observation, as he explores the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature. While I sense Foxworthy and the producers are still feeling their way around this quiz show format, as host he radiates a charm, warmth and sincerity. But, I guess the real reason I'm declaring this as the best game show since "Jeopardy" has to do with its presentation of Believers. Far too often Americans get a prejudiced portrait of people of faith via the media. On The American Bible Challenge, we learn of the contestants' compelling backgrounds. These fellow Believers are striving to help their fellow man, not just on this game show, but in their daily lives, and this gives the audience a view seldom seen by way of Hollywood cameras. Here, viewers get to see the human side as well as a revealing look at their religious beliefs. It is great to see Christians put their faith into practice. America's Bible Challenge airs Thursday nights on GSN. For further information, visit www.gsntv.com --30-- Covering the news from a Christian perspective to inform and equip readers for life, work and ministry, Phil Boatwright provides a monthly column for Baptist Press, reviews films for www.previewonline.org, and is a regular contributor to "The World and Everything In it," a weekly radio program from WORLD News Group. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FROM THE STATES: Mo., La. & Ga. evangelism/missions news By Staff Aug. 21 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38551 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: The Pathway (Missouri) Baptist Message (Louisiana) The Christian Index (Georgia) Trips to Africa amaze Rock Church By Susan Mires ST. LOUIS (The Pathway) -- Preaching in a remote area of northwest Kenya, where warring tribes convened and even broke into fights in the middle of the service, Pastor Timothy Cowin urged the people to follow the Prince of Peace. "At that sermon, I proclaimed that Jesus came with open hands and kept his hands open to the end," Cowin recalled. "I asked them to join the tribe of the open hand and follow Jesus." The message was translated into the Swahili, Turkana and Pecot languages and at the invitation, hundreds of people came forward to make decisions for Christ. Cowin laid hands on and prayed for each person in line. From a St. Louis suburb, members of The Rock Church had journeyed to Kenya. The church had prayed for years to partner with a specific location for missions. When Karen Smith joined the church and began describing their personal ministry "Getting The Word Out" in Kenya, they knew they had found their calling. "We felt like in today's age, the church in America, because of how we've been blessed, can go on mission anywhere in the world," Pastor Cowin said. Cowin went on the first trip to Kenya in 2009. In addition to peace rallies, they got to know Andrew and Sarah Kendagor, who cared for orphans in their tiny home. Karen Smith prayed for an opportunity and was able to take 5-year-old Esther back to St. Louis. Doctors at Children's Hospital at Barnes removed a large tumor from her neck. The Rock Church then built Esther House, where the Kendagors are now able to care for orphans in better conditions. The Kendagors' son, Peter, came to St. Louis with a family member who was receiving treatment for leukemia. While in St. Louis, he joined The Rock, was ordained in ministry and now serves as a church planting catalyst in Kenya. About 15 members of The Rock have visited Kenya on numerous mission trips. They've prayed and provided money for Esther House and other projects. Cowin went on the latest trip in January. "When I went back, I had heard about some people in remote areas of Uganda who had turned to the Lord and requested we go over there," he said. Peter Kendagor introduced him to a man named Clement. The man described how he used to be known as Michael, a violent, drunken man that many believed to be demon possessed. He walked from Uganda to Kenya and attended the peace rally to get free food. He stood in line to receive a Bible and when Cowin laid hands on him, he felt a power fall over him and he has never been the same. Michael changed his name to Clement and has started five churches in Uganda. "I didn't even know until three years later what God was doing," Cowin said with amazement. Another man saved at the rally walked away and started singing. Today, his songs are heard all over Kenya Christian radio. The Rock Church is amazed at how their prayers for a mission partner have been answered. "We felt privileged that God wanted to do something among these people and blessed. He's chosen us to be part of it," Cowin said. Another mission trip is planned for this fall. The Rock is raising money for motorcycles for church planters to use to visit churches. In addition to the Kenyan partnership, the church, which used to be Rock Hill Baptist Church, has a Japanese congregation meeting at its facility and is working with an Indonesian pastor. They also partnered with a church that was closing and have a campus in Soulard. Cowin said missions is a mindset. "God has raised up people in our church for particular ministries and people rally around them to do what God has called them do," he said. --30-- This article originally appeared in The Pathway (mbcpathway.com), newsjournal of the Missouri Baptist Convention. Susan Mires is a contributing writer for The Pathway. ********** Brazil mission trip: 4,500 decisions for Jesus Christ By Karen L. Willoughby MONTES CLAROS, Minas Gerias, Brazil (Baptist Message) -- Two women pawing through the garbage late one night found more than something to eat, said Gene Jenkins of Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Jenkins, brother of LBC Evangelism/Church Growth Director Wayne Jenkins, was one of 145 people to participate in this year's Brazil mission trip. Gene Jenkins was standing outside the hotel the mission team was staying at about 11 p.m. when he saw the women searching for food. "I asked them about God, and they said they were searching for Him, too, but they hadn't found Him," Jenkins said. "They both found Him that night, and they came back the next day to say thank you." An apparently homeless man hovered each night around the hotel, but skittered away when anyone tried to talk with him, until the night Jenkins got his attention. (Jenkins has a variety of hand tricks and small toys he uses to draw a crowd.) Jenkins led the disheveled man to the Lord too. "He came back the next day, too, all cleaned up," Jenkins said. "From death to life." Similar stories could be told by members of each of 22 church evangelism and visitation teams, plus two drama teams, one puppet team, one street team and one team that did both sports and prison ministries, in addition to three VBS teams, three construction teams, and one each medical, dental and eye care teams. In all, more than 4,500 spiritual decisions were made by Brazilians during the 28th annual mission trip that started when Wayne Jenkins and Dwight Lowrie of Texas in 1984 wanted the churches they pastored to go on a mission trip and joined forces in order to have enough people to make an impact. Today, the International Mission Board said this Brazil thrust is perhaps the largest group of Southern Baptists to go mission. Most mission teams self-limit to fewer than 20 participants. but Wayne Jenkins works in cooperation with IMB missionaries who put them in touch directly with the local pastors, to find out their needs and to work through them to reach people in the community who then are plugged into the local church. "David and Laurie Bledsoe, our missionaries in Minas Gerias, are our only missionaries in a state the size of Texas," Wayne Jenkins said. "They work alongside our national pastors to help develop an effective strategy for volunteers. A large team like ours is able to work with a whole association of churches, making a large impact on a city in a short amount of time." After several years in Belo Horizonte, the team this year went to Montes Claros, located about seven hours north of "Belo." It's a smaller town – about 350,000 people in the area as compared with the 2 million-plus in urban Belo. "It had a gentle, slower pace, and very good help from the city," Gene Jenkins said. "The mayor opened the town to us with no permits." The three churches built this year were in use immediately and overflowing the first night, and – if past experience is any indication – they will be thriving when the Brazil team returns next mid-July. This year's team included one 10-year-old who helped her dad lay bricks to build a church, and an 80-year-old who was part of one of the in-home witnessing teams. What are easy to call "miracles" when they happen around you continued even as a bus drove the weary mission team on a seven-hour ride to the airport. Halfway down the highway, the bus began inexplicably slowing, and not until it came to a full stop would it pick up steam again. After this happened several times, the driver said he would have another bus come to take them to the airport. "No no no," team members implored. "We can't miss our flight." One of the mission team members is a diesel mechanic by profession. That was the first indication to the team that a miracle was in process. "Let me have a look," he said. He saw that a clip that regulated the flow of gasoline had broken. What was needed was a stick to serve as a makeshift regulator. But a knife was needed to cut a stick of the needed size, and none of the soon-to-be-air-travelers was carrying a knife or similar cutting object. However, on the side of the road, one of the team members found a knife! Several sticks of the right size were found (to have backup for when the stick in use broke) and cut, and affixed with duck tape (inexplicably found in a construction team member's carry-on luggage) and the bus made it to the airport on time. "Every time I come back, I say it doesn't get any better than this," Gene Jenkins said. "Every year it gets better than the previous year." --30-- This article originally appeared in the Baptist Message (baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Karen L. Willoughby is managing editor of the Baptist Message. ********** Church planting conference is 'tipping point' for NAMB's new direction Mission board plans for 800 but 2,200 show up By Joe Westbury WOODSTOCK, Ga. (Christian Index) -- The North American Mission Board's new approach to church planting is making believers out of non-believers. At least that's the experience from new convert William Thornton, who had lost much of his faith in the mission board for the first 15 years of its existence. Thornton is representative of Georgia Baptist pastors who have changed their way of thinking about the Alpharetta-based Southern Baptist entity board and its radical approach to North America missions. "To be honest, NAMB just about lost my confidence in its early years due to poor leadership and a lack of focus. It was a big disappointment and I didn't think making another change in administration would be of much help," he says in reference to the hiring of current president Kevin Ezell. "But Kevin has won me over with his sense of openness and transparency and that means a lot to me. I like the way he has restructured and reduced overhead and freed up money for church planting. Decentralizing has made it more efficient and I think we're beginning to see the fruits of those hard decisions," he says. Thornton, who retired in November after 14 years as pastor of Statham First Baptist Church, echoed the sentiments of numerous pastors attending NAMB's first SEND: North America Conference held at First Baptist Church of Woodstock on July 30-31. "I think people assumed that church planting is what NAMB has always done but it was just too diversified to do it with any real effectiveness. It now has a focus I can agree with," he added. Thornton may be newly retired but that doesn't mean he is no longer interested in pastoring on a fulltime or interim basis. He's keeping his options open as he takes a break in his active ministry. But that doesn't mean he's not interested in finding new ways of reaching the lost – and sees church planting as a vital piece of that puzzle. Thornton was one of 317 pastors who attended the groundbreaking conference at their own expense, driving or flying in from all around the nation. "It's a new day at NAMB," entity president Ezell told the packed chapel auditorium as he stepped on the platform at the opening session. That new day was clearly evident – from the makeup of the individuals attending the two-day get-together, to the cutting edge food trucks dishing out a variety of cuisine, to the workshops that were held. For years the mission board held Summer State Leadership meetings in Atlanta where it communicated its strategy to key state leaders such as directors of missions and evangelism. But those meetings were expensive to host in convention center hotels like the Atlanta Airport Marriott and expensive to fly in participants from around the nation. Ezell decided to take the meeting to a local church – in this case First Woodstock – where overhead would be a fraction of the cost. To further reduce overhead he nearly eliminated travel subsidies. The huge savings were directed toward bringing in better speakers, shifting the format to equipping church planters and educating pastors interested in church planting, and providing a forum where the two could network and build relationships that could lead to financial or other support. The bottom line was for NAMB to create an incubator, a petri dish where planters and pastors could come together, brainstorm new approaches, and take those ideas and newfound relationships back to the field. The response was overwhelming, says Vice President of Communications Mike Ebert. "We usually hosted about 400 at the summer meeting and felt like we could have as many as double that at the Woodstock meeting. But we were very surprised when 2,200 registered from all around North America," he said. What Ezell hoped for appears to have worked. From observing human nature, he noticed that sometimes individuals whose expenses were covered by the board would not attend many of the workshops and would not receive the instruction they needed. But when individuals paid their own way they were more driven to get as much out of the meeting as possible to justify their cash outlay. The result, he said, is that the conference attracted nearly 1,500 more individuals who wanted to be there – at their own expense – and who showed a much higher degree of excitement and interest. In an interview with The Index, Ezell described the conference as "the tipping point" of where NAMB is going with its new focus. "We are moving on [from the past] and want to plow with those who show up." With an unofficial count of about 800 church planters/church planting catalysts in attendance, Ezell could not contain his excitement about the future. "You need to realize that those 800 individuals represent four potential church plants a year for Southern Baptists; that's 3,200 new churches. Some of them came on their own dime, others were sent by their sending churches, and a few had partial scholarships provided by others who offered to pay more to cover the expenses of those who could not afford the travel or other costs." First Lyons pastor Dannie Williams was among those who strongly endorsed the new approach. "This is the best thing to ever happen to NAMB," he said during a break between networking. Williams used the conference to meet church planters from around North America and share ideas of what was working and what wasn't. "The average pastor has no clue that church planting is the way to reach the world, but Kevin gets it. There was an excitement and energy to this conference that was fresh and invigorating that I have not experienced in years. "My church has done a wonderful job of embracing the church planting vision and we are involved in several church plants in North America and are in the early stages of sending teams to Antioch, Turkey, where the church planting movement began, with the idea of starting a church there. "For too long we've been using a shotgun approach to reach North America but now we've been given a rifle. Our goal is much more focused and now we're hitting the target." THE NEW FACE OF CHURCH PLANTERS FOR ATLANTA Some of the new generation of church planters who are moving into downtown Atlanta visit against a backdrop of the city in an area NAMB set aside for regional networking opportunities. The new Baptist faces moving into downtown, in many ways, resemble those who already live inside the Perimeter but do not have a personal relationship with Christ. The planters are young, casually dressed without suits and ties. Their unofficial uniforms include blue jeans or long cargo shorts with shirts worn on the outside ther than tucked into their pants. It's a decidedly more casual approach to life and church planting … and is what is needed to reach those without Christ, says Jim Haskell of the Urban Atlanta Church Planting network. The group is supported by NAMB, the Georgia Baptist Convention, and three associations – Atlanta Association of Southern Baptist Churches, Atlanta Metro Baptist Association, and the newly-formed Southwest Atlanta Baptist Association. Tez Andrews Tez just returned home to Georgia after serving nearly seven years in Texas. His church plant, Connect Church in Decatur in south DeKalb County, is meeting in a movie theater and celebrated its first anniversary at Easter. He and his wife, Gala, are parents of four sons ranging in age from two years to 13 years. Their ministry is supported through a patchwork quilt of funds from the GBC, NAMB, and Stone Mountain and Atlanta Metro associations. He is bivocational, serving as a NAMB consultant and on the staff of Carver Bible College. Stuart Borders Stuart will be founding pastor of a church in the West Highland neighborhood of Midtown Atlanta. He is bivocational and serves as an Internet developer. Stuart and his wife, Jennie, are parents of two sons and two daughters. He has been in Atlanta for barely a month and will move his family in the near future. Gabriel Stovall Gabriel is founding pastor of 10-month-old New Life Christian Church in Forest Park. He and his wife, Courtney, are parents of 14-month-old Micah. He is bivocational, working as a sports writer and reporter for the Clayton News Daily and Henry Daily Herald in Jonesboro. He receives limited support from the GBC and Pendleton Street Baptist Church in Easley, SC. Matt Dye and Matthew David Matthew and Matt just arrived in Atlanta the last week of July from Wheatley, KY, and are still searching out the lay of the land. They will be co-founding elders of a church in West Midtown who name is yet to be determined. Matthew is bivocational and teaching chemistry at Whitfield Academy near Mableton. He and his wife, Sarah, are parents of two daughters and a son. Matt is also bivocational and is currently seeking employment. He is applying for church planting assistance from the GBC and NAMB. He and his wife, Teresa, are parents of a daughter and two sons. --30-- This article originally appeared in The Christian Index (christianindex.org), newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Joe Westbury is managing editor of The Christian Index. -- 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