Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 7 2012 --------------------------------------- Deaf in North Africa/Middle East form region's 1st deaf church http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37990 Fritz Wilson named NAMB DR exec. director http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37995 'Tension exists' because of military gay policy http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37996 Christian comic producer reacts to DC Comics announcement of gay Green Lantern http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37991 Messianic family: Justice lacking in bomb case http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37989 Yeats to be re-nominated recording secretary http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37992 BIBLE STUDY: Sunday, June 10, 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37988 APOLOGETICS: How were the books of the New Testament chosen? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37993 MOVIES: A common sense look at 'Religulous' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37997 --------------------------------------- Deaf in North Africa/Middle East form region's 1st deaf church By Ava Thomas Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37990 NORTHERN AFRICA (BP) -- It was the loudest noise 5-year-old Tobutu* had ever heard. And then he never heard anything else again. When the explosions of civil war came to Tobutu's African town, they claimed his father, mother, brothers and sisters -- and his hearing. He cried himself to sleep for months in a refugee camp in Sudan, alone and unable to communicate with anyone. He learned to steal to eat and, over time, to feed his drug addiction. He eventually moved to the Middle East and along the way learned sign language. But it would be nearly three decades before Tobutu learned the sign that would change his life -- "Jesus." He then learned the sign for "baptism" and wanted to show the world his new life in Jesus Christ. Tobutu and 21 other Deaf were baptized in the sea and have now formed the first known Deaf church in North Africa and the Middle East. [QUOTE@right@190=" There are many places where the Deaf continue to live without a witness for Christ" -- Doc Douglas]"There was no fire from heaven, no battle with a giant, no plagues and no opening of the sea like with the miracles that happened in biblical times in the same area. Yet God displayed His miraculous power there once again," said Doc Douglas*, who is familiar with work among the Deaf people of Northern Africa and the Middle East. Deaf believers exist in other countries in the region but have not yet formed communities of faith, Douglas said. "We are hoping to train Deaf from several countries next year, so they can plant churches in their own countries," he said. "Deaf people are usually shut out from a lot of information, so learning new things, even about Christianity, is usually of interest. I have found a lot of responsiveness." Many Deaf people have yet to see the name of Jesus signed, Douglas said. "There are places where there may be [hearing] churches, but the Deaf have no idea who the 'dead man on a cross' really is," he said. "There are places where the majority of the Deaf live in deep spiritual darkness. The area of Northern Africa and the Middle East, where a plethora of Bible stories took place, remains one of the most spiritually dark places on the globe." These Deaf are the unreached and mostly unengaged, Douglas said. They are waiting on a message -- and a messenger. "There are many places where the Deaf continue to live without a witness for Christ," Douglas said. When the message of Jesus Christ finally does reach them, many accept without fear, he said. "Persecution and suffering may be in the immediate future for these folks, but to see the look on their faces as they came baptized out of the sea, a person would be hard pressed to see any fear or expectation of repercussions," Douglas said. "They know that no matter how close the hand of Satan may be, Christ's hand is always closest." --30-- *Names changed. Ava Thomas is a writer/editor for the International Mission Board based in Europe. 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 -- Fritz Wilson named NAMB DR exec. director By Mickey Noah Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37995 ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Fritz M. Wilson, disaster relief and recovery team strategist for the Florida Baptist Convention since 2006, has been named executive director of the North American Mission Board's disaster relief team. [IMG=32752@left@125]Wilson will be working with NAMB's disaster relief team leader Mickey Caison through a time of transition. The announcement was made Thursday (June 7). Wilson has already begun developing a strategy plan, but will officially begin his leadership of disaster relief at NAMB in October of this year to enable him to continue leading Florida disaster relief until the end of the current hurricane season. He eventually will relocate to Alpharetta, Ga., where NAMB is headquartered. During the time of transition, Caison will continue to utilize his relationships and expertise in the disaster relief network with special concentration on new-work states. "Fritz brings many years of great experience and relationships throughout the disaster response network that will allow him to build on the outstanding foundation Mickey Caison has established over the years," said NAMB president Kevin Ezell. "This ministry is so significant to Southern Baptists and so essential to the United States disaster response network, we want to handle this transition with great care." The transition period will allow Caison -- who will remain DR team leader -- to work with new-work states and help them strengthen their disaster relief strategy and volunteer base, Ezell said. "While Mickey Caison's years of dedicated service and experience -- plus his national reputation and professional network in disaster relief -- are difficult to match, Fritz Wilson will come to NAMB with his own unique set of skills and experience to begin the transition," said Kevin Ezell, NAMB's president.
Since 1996, Wilson has served in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility while directing the disaster relief ministries for the Florida convention in Jacksonville, Fla. Wilson says one of the highlights of his Florida DR career followed the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Serving as the SBC DR incident commander in Haiti, Wilson developed and implemented the "Buckets of Hope" response, during which 158,000 buckets of food were collected from Southern Baptists across North America and distributed in Haiti. He also oversaw the "Rebuild Haiti" program, which built more than 1,000 new block homes for Haiti earthquake victims over a 19-month period. Since 1999, Wilson has led Florida Baptists in more than 100 disaster responses. During the same period, the Florida convention's roster of credentialed disaster relief volunteers grew from 800 to more than 9,000. In 2006, DR became a stand-alone, dedicated department in the Florida convention and in 2007, Florida Baptist Disaster Relief won the Governor's Hurricane Conference Award for "most outstanding volunteer organization in the state." Wilson also played a key role during the 9/11 response in New York, establishing the SBC DR/Salvation Army partnership and heading up the first kitchen operations at Ground Zero and Staten Island. "I am humbled and honored to be asked by Dr. Ezell to fill this role at NAMB," Wilson said. "I covet the prayers of all Southern Baptists as I seek to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with my brothers and sisters across the convention, ministering as the body of Christ to survivors, responders and anyone in need." The 50-year-old Wilson said he is also excited by the recent announcement that NAMB will shift disaster relief to the mission entity's evangelism group, headed by vice president Larry Wynn. "Disaster relief volunteers have always done evangelism -- seeking opportunities to share their faith as they serve a meal, gut out a flooded home or provide a hot shower," he said. Wilson said he is also "humbled" to follow in the footsteps of 62-year-old Caison. "It's like how Elisha must have felt to follow Elijah. Mickey has been a friend and mentor to me for the past 16 years, especially during the 2004 hurricane season in Florida and during the Haiti earthquake response. "God has used Mickey to lead Southern Baptists through exponential growth in disaster relief following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 to today," Wilson said. "Mickey is recognized and respected throughout the U.S. emergency management community, and has played a significant role in establishing NAMB's national relationships and partnerships with government agencies and volunteer organizations like FEMA, The Red Cross and The Salvation Army. He will continue to be our liaison with those groups." A native of Jasper, Ala., Wilson earned a B.S. degree in health, physical education and recreation at Mobile College, and a master of divinity degree in religious education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Wilson and his wife, Deborah, are the parents of two sons, Benjamin, 18 and Elijah, 13. From NAMB's disaster operations center in Alpharetta, Ga., Caison, Wilson and NAMB staff members will continue to coordinate and manage Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) responses to major disasters throughout North America via a partnership among NAMB and the SBC's 42 state conventions, most of which run their own state disaster relief programs with state convention-owned assets. Total SBDR assets are comprised of 82,000 trained volunteers, including chaplains, and some 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained, credentialed disaster relief volunteers in the United States, including The Red Cross and The Salvation Army. --30-- Mickey Noah writes for the North American Mission Board. 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 -- 'Tension exists' because of military gay policy By Tom Strode Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37996 WASHINGTON (BP) -- The military's revised policy on homosexuality has definitely produced stress for chaplains and service members, Southern Baptists' lead chaplain told a Washington, D.C., audience. [IMG=32754@right@180]An increasing intolerance toward religion appears to be a by-product of the ongoing controversy over religious expression in the armed services, said Douglas Carver, executive director of chaplaincy services for the North American Mission Board. Speaking at a conference sponsored by the American Religious Freedom Program, Carver addressed the effect on freedom of religion and conscience brought about by the lifting of the ban on open homosexuality in the military. "I can assure you that a tension exists in this area," Carver told participants. "For example, the Department of Defense no longer considers homosexuality a moral issue. [To the department,] it is an amoral issue. To them, it's a concern of human dignity, respect, discipline and professionalism. However, a number of our chaplains and troops believe that homosexuality is a moral issue." The policy change has increased tensions, he said, regarding: -- "[G]overnmental authority versus religious authority and sacred scriptures. -- "[R]eligious diversity and religious practices." One of the results, Carver said, has been "a confusion, especially among some of our commanders, over religious freedom protocol." He added, "There is a growing concern over political correctness and how it may inhibit freedom of religious expression, especially while in uniform. "Due to the negative press on religious issues, there appears to be a growing intolerance to even discussing religion at all -- an intolerance to religion," said Carver, who retired in September as the Army Chief of Chaplains after 38 years in the service. "And perhaps that is one of the greatest threats that we are all facing -- intolerance to religion which can lead to the absence of religion in the public market place, which can lead to silencing our voices about religious issues, which can lead to prejudice and violence, etcetera." That intolerance, or inhibition of religious free exercise, has manifested itself in several ways. Ron Crews, executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, cited some examples at the conference: -- Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, briefed special forces soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina after President Obama announced his intention in 2010 to repeal the military ban, which was known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT). Based on what was shared by witnesses, Crews said, a young chaplain asked Mullen, "Sir, if this policy is repealed, will those of us who hold biblical views that homosexuality is a sin still be protected to express those views?" Mullen pointed a finger toward him and said, "Chaplain, if you cannot get in line with this policy, resign your commission." -- Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, provided a September 2010 briefing on DADT for troops at European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. According to The Washington Times, Bostick said, "Unfortunately, we have a minority of service members who are still racists and bigoted and you will never be able to get rid of all of them. But these people opposing this new policy will need to get with the program, and if they can't they need to get out." Those comments from Mullen and Bostick formed a "chilling effect" on the religious liberty of chaplains and troops, said Crews, who served 28 years as an Army chaplain. Shortly after Congress and President Obama enacted repeal of DADT in December 2010, the president announced his administration would no longer defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman in federal law. In September 2011, the Pentagon announced same-sex ceremonies could be conducted on armed services bases by military chaplains. Service members who have come out as homosexuals since DADT's reversal often are quoted in news stories, but those who hold views opposed to the repeal are not permitted to speak to reporters, Crews said. Members of Congress have reminded the Pentagon that DOMA still is federal law, and they have sought to provide protections for the religious freedom of chaplains and troops without success. An Army chaplain conducted the first same-sex ceremony on a military base in May at Fort Polk in Louisiana, CNS News reported June 6. Same-sex marriage is illegal in Louisiana. An Army official said the ceremony for two lesbian soldiers was a religious, not a legal, ceremony, according to the Associated Press. "[T]he issue of religious liberties, rights of conscience for chaplains and those they serve is real," Crews told the audience at the May 24 conference. "[W]e must not allow political correctness or a particular political agenda to put restrictions on their conscience, because ... no American -- especially those who wear the uniform -- should be denied their religious convictions as they serve to protect your religious freedom." The Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Washington-based organization that seeks to apply Judeo-Christian values to policy issues, started the American Religious Freedom Program last year for the purpose of helping strengthen religious liberty. --30-- Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for 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 -- Christian comic producer reacts to DC Comics announcement of gay Green Lantern By Joni B. Hannigan/Florida Baptist Witness Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37991 LEESBURG, Fla. (BP) -- In light of DC Comics revelation that it will re-launch one of its oldest superheroes as a gay man, a Christian comic company has pledged to continue to produce content with a biblical worldview. [IMG=32750@right@180]DC Comics said it would re-launch the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott) as a gay man in the "Earth 2" series. But DC Comics isn't the first to cause a stir. At the same time President Obama made clear his support of gay marriage in early May, Marvel Comics and Archie Comics caused heated debate as they revealed plans for superhero gay couples to be married in gay weddings. Whether comic book companies are simply looking to make money on "the whole gay theme" or doing their best to reflect popular culture, remains to be seen, according to Art Ayris, CEO and president of Kingstone Media. What Ayris is certain of is that comic books, graphic novels and other ventures his company produces will not follow suit. "It is more frontal assault on impressionable kids who are trying to figure it all out," said Ayris, who is also the executive pastor of First Baptist Church in Leesburg, Fla. Since it began production in 2010, Ayris' company has released more than 20 faith-based comics and 10 graphic novels in digital and print formats. Its "Book of God" just opened in Sam's Club's top 400 stores, and many of its releases are already on shelves in Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and in Christian bookstores. While the comic book developer said the announcements by Marvel and DC didn't really surprise him, Ayris said the news that Archie Comics had written gay characters into the pages of "good, old wholesome Archie ... rocks me on my heels a little bit." Kingstone, he said, pledges to be different. "If Kingstone is the only comic book company in America doing it, we will stand for the things God says are godly and stand against things that clearly fall under the category of sin," Ayris said. "Content will always be biblical worldview. Period." Different does not mean dull, however. Kingstone comics are glossy, colorful and sometimes even edgy -- without going over the top. They have been featured in Publisher's Weekly and are produced by top-notch artists, and writers and editors of "concrete-solid faith." Readers can be assured Kingstone is not in the business of re-launching as a gay man a hero like the original Green Lantern who debuted in 1940 as a married father of two. As long as his "heart is beating," Ayris said, no such thing will happen to a Kingstone character. "If our evangelical forebears 50 years ago would have seen the power of media, I think now we could have had a studio and media corporation that would rival any of the major studios," Ayris said. "People of faith have got to come to terms how penetratingly persuasive media is. If we band together we'll be a strong force. If we splinter and argue, we'll lose the war. We feel called to build God's comic company and engage in that arena." For more information on Kingstone Media, visit [URL=http://www.kingstonecomics.com]www.kingstonecomics.com[/URL]. --30-- Joni B. Hannigan is managing editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, online at [URL=http://www.GoFBW.com]www.GoFBW.com[/URL]. -- End of story -- Messianic family: Justice lacking in bomb case By Staff/Compass Direct News Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37989 JERUSALEM (BP) -- A Messianic Jewish congregation leader whose son was nearly killed by a bomb planted by an ultra-right wing Jew said he feels like the Israeli criminal justice system has abandoned him. The Jerusalem District Court approved a plea agreement May 28 for the man accused of bombing pastor David Ortiz's home. Ortiz said neither he nor his attorneys were consulted. The plea agreement is unique in that the court said the acts were committed by Jack Teitel, yet it did not hold Teitel responsible for committing them. Ortiz, leader of the Congregation of Ariel, said the prosecutor's office has consistently misled his attorneys about basic information on important court filings for the case. Teitel faces multiple charges for several acts of violence, including two killings. Ortiz, whose family opposes any plea bargain, said prosecutors have sidelined or deliberately avoided him. "They are doing it without any kind of consultation with us," Ortiz said. "The victims are either supposed to OK it or reject it. They can't just make a plea bargain without consulting the victims. They are trying to ignore us." The prosecutor who is supposed to be protecting Ortiz's interests is neglecting his duty, he added. "He doesn't want to be seen protecting Christians," Ortiz said. "It doesn't benefit him in society." On March 20, 2008, seemingly as part of Jewish custom for the holiday known as Purim, Teitel placed a gift basket at the front door of the Ortiz apartment in Ariel, Israel, according to a confession Teitel made to police. The bomb was meant to kill Ortiz, who runs an active ministry in Israel. A part-time housekeeper brought the basket into the apartment and set it on a kitchen table. When the pastor's son, 15-year-old Ami Ortiz, opened the basket laden with explosives, it destroyed the Ortiz apartment and left Ami writhing in his blood on the kitchen floor. A hearing by the Jerusalem District Court is slated this month to determine if Teitel is "criminally responsible" for the bombing and other criminal acts. David Ortiz said he has long been concerned that the prosecution will make a deal with the defense in which they will say Teitel was insane when he set the bomb, thus making him not responsible for what he did. For Ami, the question isn't about how much time Teitel spends in prison, but whether his heart is changed when he is released. "I have forgiven him," Ami said. "I never felt the need for revenge. I have never felt any kind of hate for Jack Teitel. I hope God talks to him. I hope someone says to him something that will make him think about where he is heading in life. Is what he's doing right?" Ami said he wants Teitel to accept Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah. If one hour in jail could lead Teitel to a changed heart, "one hour would be great," he said. AFTER THE BLAST Ami said that while he was on the floor after the explosion, he couldn't see or move. He could barely breathe and hear. Surprisingly, he still remembers the explosion. "To me it sounded like a balloon popping, because it messed up my ears," he recounted. Moments later, his apartment was full of people. "I tried to get up, but they pushed me back down," Ami said. "I was bleeding. I couldn't see anything, and it was hard for me to breathe, so I was kind of panicky." Someone asked him what was going on, and he said that the basket had exploded. "In the beginning I didn't feel pain -- I just felt it was hard for me to breathe, very hard," he said. "I had to fight for my breath every time. I would talk; people would make me talk to make sure I was alive. I didn't feel any pain, my whole body was numb." About 20 minutes later, paramedics arrived at the scene and took Ami to a hospital. He said the pain came over him suddenly and overwhelmingly while he was in the ambulance. "I started panicking in there. I was afraid, very afraid, because I could hear my situation with the two paramedics talking between themselves. I really got it -- and then the pain started." His legs began to feel like they were burning, he said. "It felt like my legs were broken. It's a strange pain. I can't describe it, but it's nothing I had ever felt before. I really couldn't take it. I asked them to put me down, and I woke up eight days later." RECOVERY For David Ortiz and his wife Leah, Ami's recovery was at once gut-wrenching and faith-affirming. Ami's body was shattered. He spent eight hours in surgery with doctors doing two-hour rotations in the operating room. Ortiz said at one time he felt like he had fallen into a "black hole." He remembers sitting down in the hospital thinking, "I'm gone, I can never get that back." Leah Ortiz, spiraling in her own despair, told her husband, "I'm losing it." David Ortiz said it was then, sitting in his son's hospital room, that he saw an image of Jesus on a throne and felt God speaking to him. He leaned in close to his wife and, as the message was revealed to him, whispering it word by word into her ear: "A decision has been made in made in heaven that you will not understand, but I have decided to glorify Myself. Ami is going to walk out of the hospital." When Ami was carried into the hospital, doctors said his condition was, "matzav anush," or hopeless. But by 6 a.m., the lead doctor taking care of Ami approached the Ortiz family with a confession, of sorts. "I have no medical terms to describe it," he said, according to Leah Ortiz. "I cannot speak to you in medical terms. Your son has experienced a miracle." LEGAL ACTION On Nov. 12, 2009, prosecutors indicted Teitel for the Ortiz bombing. They also indicted him on a host of other charges related to shootings or attempted killings of several other victims. Along with the Ortiz case, police said Teitel was responsible for the June 1997 shooting death of Samir Bablisi, a Palestinian taxi driver who was found in his cab with a single bullet wound to his head. Two months later, police said, Teitel shot Isa Jabarin, a Palestinian shepherd who was giving Teitel driving directions to Jerusalem. Police also said Teitel attempted to set fire to a monastery he believed was harboring missionaries and made several unsuccessful bombing attempts. He is accused in a September 2008 bombing that slightly wounded emeritus history professor Ze'ev Sternhell of Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Teitel, 39, immigrated to Israel from the United States in 2000, is married and has four children. He lived in the West Bank settlement of Shvut Rachel, near Jerusalem. Police said that Teitel is an ultra-Orthodox Jewish nationalist who picked out his targets based on his nationalist philosophy. Following his arrest, Teitel underwent at least two psychiatric evaluations. He was declared unfit for trial in the first evaluation in 2010. Tests afterward cleared him to stand trial. MOVING ON In many ways, Ami has moved beyond the attack. Scars and emotional damage will be with him the rest of his life, but Ami sees the bombing as a defining moment in his life that he refuses to let define who he is. The bomb was meant to kill or at minimum maim David Ortiz and stop his ministry to the Jews in Israel. But instead it changed Ami, who admits that before the blast he wasn't that serious about his faith and hardly ever talked about it. "I was just born into it. I never did anything special. I was just living my life," Ami said. "I never really thought about it." After the bombing, that all changed, he said. "You ask yourself, 'Where do you stand?' You have to start taking things seriously, because things are getting serious." Now Ami, who attends a Bible college in the United States, talks openly about his faith, if for no other reason than that his history is emblazoned on his body in the form of scar tissue and residual metal fragments. He takes his role as a spokesman in stride. "It's not something I try to avoid or will try to avoid, because it is not something I will be able to," he said. "I am living my life wherever God wants to take me. I know there's a reason for it, so I'm just going to play along. I'm not going to fight it." Ami sees part of what happened to him as a warning for other Christians, be they gentiles or Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Persecution is coming, he said. "It's the start," he said of the kind of persecution that he suffered. "We know from the Bible it's going to get much worse. Persecution of a higher level will come. If not five years, 10 years. If not 10 years, 15. It's not far." --30-- Reported by Compass Direct News, [URL=http://www.compassdirect.org]www.compassdirect.org[/URL], a news service based in Santa Ana, Calif., focusing on Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Used by permission. -- End of story -- Yeats to be re-nominated recording secretary By Staff Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37992 HAYES, Va. (BP) -- John L. Yeats will be re-nominated for another one-year term as recording secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention during the June 19-20 annual meeting in New Orleans, a Virginia pastor has announced. [IMG=32748@right@110]"John has brought a level of professionalism to this strategic position which balances our need for both the high-tech and high-touch as a denominational body doing the Lord's business with excellence in the twenty-first century," Rodney Autry, pastor of Union Baptist Church in Hayes, Va., said in a statement. "He represents the best in communication theory and practice redeemed by a quality walk with God," Autry added. Last year's annual meeting in Phoenix marked Yeats' 14th annual meeting as recording secretary. The SBC recording secretary is responsible for the record of the proceedings of the Southern Baptist Convention, training volunteer pages and the final edit of the SBC Book of Reports and the SBC Annual. The recording secretary also serves as an ex officio member of the SBC Executive Committee. Yeats designed the process currently used for the flow of information from the convention floor to the platform and distribution to the Order of Business Committee, a process that has enhanced the accuracy of the official record. Last fall, Yeats was elected executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention. He recently proposed to the Missouri Baptist Executive Board a strategic blueprint based on a growth budget that reallocates Cooperative Program dollars to 50/50 by 2020. Yeats served for six years as director of communications for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He is a former editor of state Baptist papers in Oklahoma and Indiana and has served churches in six states during 40-plus years of pastoral ministry. Yeats is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2006, he received a doctor of ministry degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. Autry, in his statement, said he will nominate Yeats "because he has proven himself a man of integrity in Baptist life. 'Integrity' could well be his middle name. Fractures in our fellowship require someone whose life is Teflon and above reproach to facilitate our records. John Yeats is that man." Autry also offered a personal reason for nominating Yeats. "Countless men of God across our Convention have found a praying friend in John Yeats when in the crucible of life. A couple of years ago I was there and John Yeats was there with me supporting me with his prayers," Autry said. "We desire that we have more than the 'right' man for leadership among us; we demand men who are right with God as well. John Yeats is that man. This man walks with God. He will serve us and the Lord well." --30-- Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Erin Roach. 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 -- BIBLE STUDY: Sunday, June 10, 2012 By Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37988 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curriculum and additional resources for all age groups. This week's Bible study is adapted from the MasterWork curriculum. Bible Passages: Romans 6:14, 7:24-25, 12:2 Discussion Question: What does a life that is seeking God's kingdom and righteousness look like? Food for Thought: There is a misconception among non-believers that Christians have all the answers, that our lives are somehow perfect and that we live happy, non-stop joyous lives. Isn't that funny? For Christians, our lives are about seeking God's Kingdom and His righteousness, but that search isn't one of ease and perfection. We must continually turn from the sin that is all around us and the temptations we regularly face. Being a Christian doesn't mean we're sinless; it just means we turn from that sin. Contemporary Christian artist Mandisa said, "A lot of people think we as Christians have to put our masks on and pretend that everything is great … but I've been surprised that people thought I had it all together. The truth of the matter is I have bad days too and am still learning to bring that to the Lord and let Him lift my burden." One of the songs on her current CD addresses that. The title track, "What If We Were Real," reflects Mandisa's thoughts about being "tired of smiling all the time and acting like it's all perfect. Sometimes I just want to scream." Another cut from the CD, "Stronger," was inspired by the belief that walking through one's hardships makes us more resilient. As you continue your walk with Him, keep the words of Stronger with you when you encounter the inevitable trials that every Christian will face: Try and do the best you can Hold on and let Him hold your hand And go on and fall into the arms of Jesus Oh, lift your head it's gonna end God's right there Even when you just can't feel Him I promise you that He still cares MasterWork is an ongoing Bible study curriculum based on works from a variety of renowned authors and offers pertinent, practical messages that adults will find uplifting and enriching. The list of authors and their books to be studied in upcoming months can be found at [URL=http:/www.LifeWay.com/MasterWork]www.LifeWay.com/MasterWork[/URL]. Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at [URL=http://www.LifeWay.com/SundaySchool]www.LifeWay.com/SundaySchool[/URL]. --30-- 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 -- APOLOGETICS: How were the books of the New Testament chosen? By Timothy Paul Jones Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37993 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Suppose that you became a Christian in the second century A.D. You've heard the story of a divine being who died on a cross and rose from the dead. Through baptism, you've openly identified yourself with His followers. Now, you want to learn more about this deity. Yet you quickly realize that some people who call themselves "Christians" understand Jesus very differently from the Christians in your congregation. In fact, one nearby group that claims the name "Christian" also says that Jesus wasn't actually a human being -- he was a spirit that only seemed human! How would you decide who was right? As a 21st century Christian, the most reasonable reply seems to be, "Read your New Testament!" The problem is, most Christians in the second century couldn't read. Even if you were one of the privileged few who possessed the capacity to read and write, you wouldn't personally own a Bible. Your only "Bible" would have been found in an armarion -- a specially constructed cabinet with niched shelves for scrolls and codices -- that stayed in the house where your congregation most often gathered. The armarion would likely have sheltered a copy of the Greek Old Testament and perhaps a couple dozen other sacred scrolls or codices. But it's possible that not all of these texts would have been identical to the 27 books that you find in New Testaments today. To be sure, the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, Paul's letters, and probably John's first letter would have had a place in the armarion. But the cabinet could lack a few writings that your New Testament includes -- the letter to the Hebrews and maybe Peter's second epistle, for example, or a couple of John's letters. A quirky allegory entitled The Shepherd might have made an appearance in your armarion. You might even find a letter or two from a Roman pastor named Clement. Do you sense the dilemma that faced first- and second-century Christians? How did they maintain a clear and consistent faith in the shadow of so many competing claims? And who decided on the texts that we call the New Testament today? The question isn't whether God had any part in choosing the books; the question is, "By what human means did these texts come to be viewed as authoritative?" Conspiracy theorists and skeptical scholars claim that no definite set of texts existed until the fourth or fifth centuries A.D. Agnostic professor Bart Ehrman claims: "We are able to pinpoint the first time that any Christian of record listed the twenty-seven books of our New Testament as the books of the New Testament -- neither more nor fewer. Surprising as it may seem, this Christian was writing in the second half of the fourth century, nearly three hundred years after the books of the New Testament had themselves been written. The author was the powerful bishop of Alexandria named Athanasius. In the year 367 A.D., Athanasius wrote his annual pastoral letter to the Egyptian churches under his jurisdiction, and in it he included advice concerning which books should be read as Scripture in the churches. He lists our twenty-seven books, excluding all others. This is the first surviving instance of anyone affirming our set of books as the New Testament. And even Athanasius did not settle the matter." Unfortunately, this summary spins the facts and leaves readers with several impressions that aren't quite accurate -- impressions such as that, until the late fourth century, there was no consensus at all about which Christian writings were authoritative, and that the church's standard even then was the word of a powerful bishop. So what's the complete story? When and how did Christians agree on which writings were authoritative in their congregations? And was there any standard for these discussions beyond the decree of a respected leader? THE STANDARD OF WHO SAW IT FIRSTHAND The primary standard for deciding which books were authoritative emerged long before the fourth century -- and this standard was not the word of a powerful bishop. Hints of this standard can, in fact, be found in first-century Christian writings. Long before Athanasius was even born, testimony that could be connected to eyewitnesses of the risen Lord was uniquely authoritative among early Christians. Even while the New Testament books were being written in the first century A.D., the words of people who had actually seen Jesus -- especially the words and writings of the apostles -- carried special authority in the churches (see Acts 1:21-26; 15:6—16:5; 1 Corinthians 4—5; 9:1-12; Galatians 1:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26-27). After the apostles' deaths, Christians continued to value the testimony of eyewitnesses and their associates. In the first decade of the second century, Papias of Hierapolis put it this way: "I did not … take pleasure in those who spoke much, but in those who … recited the commandments given by the Lord. … So, if anyone who had served the elders came, I asked about their sayings in detail -- what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord's followers." About the same time, a church leader named Polycarp cited the words of the Apostle Paul as "Scripture." A generation later, when someone in the Roman church wondered which Christian writings should be considered authoritative, this emphasis on the eyewitnesses persisted. After listing the books that he viewed as authoritative, here's what one Christian leader wrote regarding a popular book known as The Shepherd that was circulating in the churches: "Hermas composed The Shepherd quite recently -- in our times, in the city of Rome, while his brother Pius the overseer served as overseer of the city of Rome. So, while it should indeed be read, it cannot be read publicly for the people of the church -- it is counted neither among the prophets (for their number has been completed) nor among the apostles (for it is after their time)." Notice carefully this second-century writer's reasons for not allowing The Shepherd of Hermas to serve as an authoritative text in the churches: This writing could not be added to the Old Testament prophets because the time of the Hebrew prophets had passed ("their number has been completed"), and -- with the deaths of the apostles -- the time of the apostolic eyewitnesses had also ended ("it is after their time"). This teacher didn't forbid believers to read The Shepherd; he simply pointed out that the book should not serve as an authoritative text for Christian congregations ("it cannot be read publicly for the people of the church"). Later church leaders such as Tertullian of Carthage and Serapion of Antioch echoed these sorts of standards, with Serapion clearly stating, "We, brothers and sisters, receive Peter and the rest of the apostles as we would receive Christ himself. But those writings that are falsely ascribed with their names, we carefully reject, knowing that no such writings have ever been handed down to us." Again, Christians rooted their standard for determining which writings were authoritative in the testimony of eyewitnesses. So, from the first century onward, Christians viewed testimony that could be connected to eyewitnesses of Jesus as uniquely authoritative. The logic of this standard was simple: The people most likely to know the truth about Jesus were either eyewitnesses who had encountered Jesus personally or close associates of these witnesses. So, although Christians wrangled for some time about the authority of certain writings, it was something far greater than political machinations that drove these decisions. Their goal was to determine which books could be clearly connected to eyewitnesses of Jesus. --30-- This column first appeared at [URL=http://www.timothypauljones.com]www.timothypauljones.com[/URL], the website of Timothy Paul Jones. Jones is associate professor of leadership and church ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Jones is the author or co-author of several books, including "Christian History Made Easy" and "Misquoting Truth: A Guide to the Fallacies of Bart Ehrman's 'Misquoting Jesus.'" Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). For further reading on this topic: "Misquoting Truth: A Guide to the Fallacies of Bart Ehrman's 'Misquoting Jesus" (Timothy Paul Jones) "Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books" (Michael J. Kruger) "Revisiting the Corruption of the New Testament: Manuscript, Patristic, and Apocryphal Evidence" (Daniel B. Wallace) -- End of story -- MOVIES: A common sense look at 'Religulous' By Phil Boatwright Jun. 7 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37997 KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) -- In 2008, comedian/atheist Bill Maher made the documentary "Religulous," in which he proclaimed, "Religion must die so mankind can live." The film continuously crops up on cable, declaring to a new batch of viewers with each airing that all faith is faulty. As I passed a recent telecast, I was reminded of the film's draconian nature. But I had to admit, from a secular perspective it can be argued that the Creation is impossible. This Creator, this Higher Power whom we never see or hear (at least audibly), somehow, out of nothing, formed everything. Then His Son entered the world through a virgin birth. This same Son, who died a horrible death, rose from the grave three days later. That's impossible, right? But if it is impossible, that leaves us with other possible explanations for our existence, such as the Big Bang theory and evolution. The Big Bang theory contends that eons ago a massive explosion began a series of cosmic accidents that led to the forming of the universe and life. But what was there to explode? Interstellar gas? How does gas come from nothing and what was the matchstick causing it to suddenly ignite? Certainly, there are those who can defend this explanation, but their arguments never suitably answer this galactic phenomenon. The speculative data all sounds a bit too sci-fi. No matter the amount of time that's passed, how did our planet adjust itself in such a manner that if it tilted just the slightest one way or the other, we would all be toast or icicles? And according to this concept, not only did the celestial bodies begin to align, but life also began forming in such a way that creatures who could see, hear, taste, smell and process thought came into existence. No matter the amount of passing millennia, how could all these coincidences combine? That's an awful lot of miracles for a Creator not to be involved. It's simply impossible. Evolution, according to the Webster's New American Dictionary, is a "theory that the various kinds of plants and animals are descended from other kinds that lived in earlier times and that the differences are due to inherited changes that occurred over many generations." To evolve, life had to begin at some point. What did we evolve from? Oh, that's right, fish from the sea or monkeys in the trees. But where did they come from? And if we evolved from fish in the sea or monkeys in the trees, then why are there still fish in the sea and monkeys in the trees? What, are they underachievers? There's no solid evidence that we evolved from another species. No, it's impossible. So, it would seem that how we got to be is impossible. Yet, we be. Somehow, the impossible became possible. I realize this is a rather simplistic approach to the topic, and from one who reasons with a faith-based worldview. But secularists are allowed their scientific theorems, and aren't their resolves also a form of faith in the unknown? After all, who of us was around a gazillion years ago to verify today's scientific theories? The dictionary defines theory as "abstract thought; a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle offered to explain observed facts; hypothesis, conjecture." Despite reluctance by those who eye-rollingly dismiss any conclusion other than one mandated by prejudicial academia, the very definition of theory allows us to venture into the realm of Intelligent Design. But that classroom term sounds noncommittal. Is it really such a stretch to suggest that this intelligent designer has a name? God. Maybe this ethereal being isn't impossible. Could it be, and this is a question, not an accusation, that the proponents of evolution or things that go bang lean in those directions due to a hope that there is no God? After all, if there is no God, no Creator, then our destiny surely belongs solely to us; we are the gods. The Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Heavenly undertakings don't compute for those dominated by earthly understanding. I guess it comes down to what or who you want to have faith in -- man's theories or God's promises. Is it wise to depend alone on man's intellectualism? "They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them" (1 John 4:5). As God said in the book of Job, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? ... Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?" Yes, how we got here does seem impossible. Only an intelligent designer -- God -- could make the possible out of the impossible. There, now that we've got that cleared up, which did come first -– the chicken or the egg? Well, you got me there. For a film that argues the plausibility of Intelligent Design, view the DVD "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" (review:[URL=http://www.previewonline.org/rev.php3?3288] http://www.previewonline.org/rev.php3?3288[/URL]). Also, "The Genesis Code" is a compelling film that offers the theory that what science teaches us about creation and the Story as told in Genesis are both true and in perfect accord ([URL=http://www.previewonline.org/onvideo/genesiscode.html]http://www.previewonline.org/onvideo/genesiscode.html[/URL]). --30-- Phil Boatwright has reviewed films from a spiritual perspective for nearly 25 years. He is the author of the book, MOVIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE REALLY, REALLY BAD available on Amazon.com. He also is a regular contributor to "The World and Everything In it," a radio broadcast of World Magazine's World Radio. -- 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