Baptist Press Stories for Jul. 9 2012 --------------------------------------- Q&A: 'Orphanology' author says adoption shouldn't be 'Plan B' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38227 Panel: Adoption part of the Great Commission http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38228 Orphaned children tug at collegians' hearts http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38229 Obama TV ad blasts Romney's pro-life views http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38230 Restaurant church discount draws investigation http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38231 James Nelson, former Montana exec, dies http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38232 FIRST-PERSON: That famous quote from St. Francis? He never said it http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38233 FIRST PERSON: Launch a 1st day-of-school tradition at your church http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38234 BP Ledger, July 9 edition http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38235 --------------------------------------- Q&A: 'Orphanology' author says adoption shouldn't be 'Plan B' By Michael Foust Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38227 WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- Every adoption story is unique, but the tale of how pastor and author Tony Merida came to see he should adopt -- essentially, through his own sermon -- likely is quite rare. [IMGONLY=33023@right@150]When Merida was asked to preach at a youth camp on the subject of poverty, he began studying the subject in-depth, looking at the issue from a worldwide perspective. He started to see, he said later, that "the poorest of the poor are the fatherless." He then examined what the Bible had to say about adoption. "Basically, I got convicted by my own preaching," Merida told Baptist Press. Merida and his wife adopted four Ukrainian children -- all siblings -- in 2009 and then a year later adopted a fifth child from Ethiopia. Within a span of two years, their house went from having no children to five children. And he says he wouldn't change anything. Merida is part of a growing movement within the evangelical community that is giving a new look at adoption from a theological perspective, comparing earthly adoption to spiritual adoption. In his book "Orphanology" (New Hope) coauthored with Rick Morton, Merida makes the case for a Gospel-centered approach to adoption and orphan care. "I'm hopeful for the future," said Merida, lead pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, N.C., and associate professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. "There seems to be a great interest in caring for orphans among evangelicals. I'm no expert in this field. I'm just a pastor and trying to help people connect the dots biblically, and I hope the next generation will take it further, practicing true religion." Baptist Press asked Merida several questions about his book and adoption in general. Following is a partial transcript: BAPTIST PRESS: In your book you say that adoption does not relate to whether you can or cannot have biological children. Adoption, you write, isn't merely Plan B. MERIDA: I certainly wouldn't challenge people if they were adopting because of infertility. I wouldn't say that's a bad reason. But as you look at the Gospel, [spiritual] adoption, to God, was not a Plan B but Plan A. I just look at Ephesians 1:5 and Ephesians 5:1, with Ephesians 1:5 saying we've been adopted and Ephesians 5:1 saying "imitate God." It has great implications for us. As I say in Orphanology, I don't think everyone should adopt kids, but I think we all should be doing something for the fatherless. Theology is the best reason to adopt, and it's really sad that most Christians think just like the culture on this issue. The cultural reason to adopt is infertility, but we want to think biblically about everything. A lot of people just want enough kids that they can manage. They don't want their kids to mess up their career, they want to live out the American dream. Adoption is certainly not that. It's messy. It's difficult. It's expensive. So, therefore, I think theology has to be what holds you. BP: In the book, you recount a very powerful story of how your four new children had grown up in such poverty in the Ukraine that they were thrilled to get new clothes. Describe that experience and the biblical lesson you learned from it. MERIDA: They were wearing the same clothes every day, and we were there for 40 days. Rarely, during that whole time, did they have a different outfit on. Obviously, what they were wearing they didn't own, and they weren't the most pleasant smelling outfits, either. When we were finally ready to go home, we went out to buy some clothes. In the orphanage, you had to leave all your clothes behind you were wearing -- underwear, socks, everything. You couldn't take anything with you. Basically, you're a child and you own nothing. You're leaving behind these old garments, and you're putting on this brand-new wardrobe. The kids, when dressing, were counting their socks; they were so happy with their socks. It was a great picture of the Gospel. As Paul says, Christians are putting off this old garment and putting on new clothes. It's a great picture of what God has done for us in rescuing us. BP: How is someone who doesn't adopt -- who isn't bringing a child into their home -- to help with this issue? MERIDA: Adoption isn't the only solution to the orphan care crisis. When you look around the world at 140 million-plus orphans, many of them are not adoptable. They're not available for adoption. And in many countries, you can't bring these children home. And so I think the church should be thinking creatively and intentionally about how to care for these kids in terms of maybe sponsorship, in terms of helping to educate them, in terms of taking the Gospel to them. A big one would be transitional assistance for children who are not adoptable -- how can we get them jobs, how can we get them into society and help them have a successful life? Churches could even underwrite an orphanage. BP: How would a church underwrite an orphanage? MERIDA: During one year at Vacation Bible School, we found an orphanage at Indonesia that you could basically support for $12,000 a year. It didn't have a ton of children in it, but had a handful. We decided, why don't we put $6,000 in the budget, and why don't we raise the rest in our Vacation Bible School, with our kids, and try to teach our kids about orphan care? So the offering that week of VBS went basically to help sponsor these kids. The goal was to take trips over there and get to know these kids. Another way a church can help is orphan hosting, which basically is bringing kids to your area a couple of weeks out of the year, and doing a cultural exchange, which is what we did one year. You develop a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and use some of the people in your church to take the kids on activities, and get to know and love them. So instead of taking a trip to the Ukraine, we brought the Ukrainians to us, and amazingly, the majority of those kids found a family in the church and were adopted. That was by simple exposure. If a church could just show its members little Vladimir and little Sergei, a lot of their pre-conceived ideas go out the window and they capture their heart. Anything that a pastor can do to make orphan care real and not just theoretical, the better for his church. BP: The book includes this statement to the pro-life community, "Would you be willing to adopt these kids if they were not aborted?" Where do you think the pro-life community has been lacking when it comes to adoption? MERIDA: First of all, I would want to commend the pro-life community. I am pro-life as well, and I think the spirit of Orphanology is caring for the least of these and valuing human life. I would say keep speaking for life, keep fighting for the unborn. But with that, we need to carry a sense of responsibility to care for those kids who have been brought into the world and have been abandoned. Let's say Roe v. Wade is overturned and there are more orphans than ever before. Are we willing to pay the price to care for them, to do all that is necessary to provide for them? --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Panel: Adoption part of the Great Commission By Adam Miller Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38228 NEW ORLEANS, La. (BP) –- Adoption is not for the faint of heart or for everyone, but every Christian should be involved, said panelists at the Adoption and Orphan Care Panel discussion during the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in New Orleans. Hosted by the North American Mission Board and Together for Adoption, the four-person panel addressed a biblical and theological framework for understanding adoption and what it means to have a faithful response and practice for churches. Panelists spoke to a room packed with attentive young families, pastors and other leaders. Adoption part of God's mission Evangelism, missions, social justice and orphan care can't be considered as distinct activities of the church, the panelists said. "It's about recognizing Jesus in the faces of those He calls 'the least of these,'" said Russell D. Moore, senior vice president for academic administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and preaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. "The same impulse that causes you to reach out with the Gospel to the lost in your community is the same impulse that causes you to reach out to the fatherless in your community. It's about learning to be a family together. The family of God." David Platt, lead pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., said adoption and orphan care are necessary activities for Christians who are serious about the Great Commission. "As we're making disciples of all nations, we're going to come across fatherless children," Platt said. "Be prepared as we're making disciples of all nations that two-thirds of children in the world don't have a father. I'm often a bit surprised that orphan care is sometimes not on our radar." Panel participants expressed a hope that adoption and orphan care will grow in importance for SBC churches. "It's important to develop a culture of orphan care that permeates the church," said Tony Merida, lead pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, N.C., and associate professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.. "Teach your people what Scripture says. Exemplify the importance of it. Give them a way to execute and point them in the direction of action. "Communicate it in a way that fits into the mission of your church and becomes part of the whole picture. And don't feel like you have to have all the answers." But to plant seeds in hearts of families for this long-enduring effort, it takes more than occasional, emotional platitudes and lofty ideals. It has to be communicated "through regular pastoral preaching," Platt said. "Man made orphanages for children, but God made the family for children," said Johnny Carr, director of church partnerships for Bethany Christian Services. "We can't be satisfied to allow children to live out their lives outside of families." But besides preaching, teaching and otherwise laying a biblical groundwork for adoption and orphan care interests, how can churches faithfully respond to this Gospel work? "Develop a relationship with foster care. Influence the influencers. And be prepared that when you begin to lead a charge on anything you have to expect [spiritual] warfare," Merida said. "Rely on God's Spirit to help you overcome. If you feel overwhelmed, remember that our job isn't to solve the orphan crisis. It's to glorify God by reflecting Him." Moore said this is a long-term, lifetime and lifestyle effort with the need for perseverance and an understanding of gifts and calling. "Churches often want a curriculum and a program," Moore said. "But that doesn't work. And not everyone is called to be involved in adoption and orphan care in the same way. The Christian is called to care for widows and orphans in different ways according to a variety of gifts." Al Gilbert, executive director of the North American Mission Board's LoveLoud ministry evangelism efforts, said he hopes to see the church take on more opportunities to love neglected children. "Historically we've done a good job of focusing on children's homes, but there are other issues the church has not been involved in," Gilbert said. "I see it as a move of God among the next generation, and I see that the older generations are finding ways to cooperate with them. We're seeing some real momentum as other Great Commission organizations are assisting us in building this culture into our churches." What leads Platt, Moore and Merida to speak on the topic of orphan care is they each have adopted. Joining in a second panel discussion, sponsored by LifeSong for Orphans and Lifeline Children's Services, Heather Platt, Kimberly Merida and Maria Moore -- the wives of the speakers on the other panel -- painted the everyday struggles and joys of adoption. From Maria Moore's grieving an inability to conceive to Kimberly Merida's challenges with schooling decisions to Heather Platt's struggles in China with a broken shower and surrounded by kids, the panelists' wives made real the difficulty and humor of motherhood. "I learned quickly that it's not about me," said Kimberly Merida. "In the early days, and even still, I can almost audibly hear 'My ways are not your ways.' It's been the hardest thing I've ever done and the most amazing, but the Lord established our steps and He has provided." Said Maria Moore: "Some days I just pat myself on the back and other days I think I'm a terrible mom and my kids are going to need therapy. But God has provided for us in so many ways." Said Heather Platt, "It's not the way we planned it. But we are the ones the Lord has blessed." For more information on how your church can become involved in adoption and orphan care, visit namb.net/loveloud. --30-- Adam Miller is a writer 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 -- Orphaned children tug at collegians' hearts By John Evans Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38229 ITHICA, N.Y. (BP) -- Barrett Keene is walking from coast to coast to raise awareness about the plight of orphans -- a journey "that's crazy enough that people pause and say, 'What is going on? Why is he doing this?'" Keene, a Cornell University graduate student, traces the roots of his 3,500-mile journey to a trip to Central America when he taught English and agriculture to children of poor farmers. "It just kind of hit me then that with children, when they're having a tough time, it's not their fault," Keene said of the experience as an undergraduate at the University of Florida. "They don't have any more responsibility for the ridiculous challenges of their lives than I do for the blessings of mine." Coupled with working at Southern Baptist churches in children's ministry, Keene felt God developing his heart to serve orphans. That brought him into contact with the Global Orphan Project (also known as the GO Project), a Christian ministry that supports local church-owned orphanages around the world. After a visit to the GO Project in Haiti, Keene knew he wanted to help their ministry in some way. Since his graduate school thesis involves interviewing students and teachers, he reasoned he could do that while walking across the country and sharing about orphans. He's logged more than 1,600 miles so far on the journey that began in Miami on Jan. 28 en route to San Francisco, speaking with an estimated 25,000 people in schools, churches and residences. "When I speak to groups and when I preach to churches, I don't really talk too much about the walk," Keene said. "It's not about the walk, and it's not about me. ... It's about the fact that God desires to use us despite the fact that we're sinful and selfish and vile. He desires to use us to serve His children and to transform our hearts through that." Along the way, the Lord has provided for his needs. Company sponsorships took care of his food and equipment, and his friends bought him a support van they take turns driving. Families, including non-Christian ones, continue to open their homes to him, sparking opportunities to share why he's on this journey. "[God] adopts us as His sons and daughters, and how beautiful that is for us to be able to serve children here on earth and to really be able to bring glory to God in that," Keene said. Keene looks forward to returning to Haiti and seeing the orphans who are so close to his heart, knowing they will have no idea what he's done, which "doesn't matter." "It's not about me," he said. "It's not about someone walking across the country. It's not even about the GO Project. It's about them having what they need to sleep and to eat and to be cared for." That's where Jake Bareth comes in. A former worship leader and staff member at a Miami Southern Baptist congregation, Life Church. Bareth serves as the Haiti field director for the GO Project, overseeing the organization's orphanage partnerships. Bareth described orphans in Haiti as among the lowest in an already impoverished society. With no state-provided education or medical care, many orphans end up in gangs or performing menial tasks to survive. Compounded with the trauma of the January 2011 earthquake, the life of an orphan can leave deep psychological scars. "No orphan has a happy story," Bareth said. "They've all been through tremendously traumatic events that have caused them to end up in one of our orphan villages." One child would wake up screaming every night from a nightmare that his father, who died in the earthquake, was beating him. Other children at the orphanages hoard food, clothes and shoes out of a street mentality of not knowing where the next day's necessities will come from. "One thing that we say a lot is God designed the family; He didn't design the orphanage," Bareth said. "This is our best effort to take care of these kids, and we know that this is not the best place for them. But yet God still works in their hearts and God still repairs them and brings them joy and happiness." Bareth warns that if the church fails in its God-given mission to care for orphaned children, the consequences will be more than just the disappointment of failure. "It's not like, 'Well, we dropped the ball on that one, so oh well, we'll just go back to doing our Wednesday night worship service,'" he said. "If we drop the ball on this, real lives are at stake. These are real kids." Jake Sparks and Nathan Sartin understand the importance of that mission. College roommates who attend Bartlesville Southern Baptist Church in Oklahoma, they are serving for six weeks this summer at a Zimbabwe orphan care center supported by InSight Ministries, an organization founded out of their church. Sparks and Sartin are serving in a partnership involving the church, InSight Ministries and an International Mission Board student missions initiative called OneLife. "I had never really thought about doing missions," Sparks said. "I'm an engineering student, so it was just never really on my radar." But after a mission trip last summer to Papua New Guinea, he sought another place to serve this summer and was connected with the opportunity in Zimbabwe. It marks a change since his early days in college when he was pursuing an engineering degree out of a desire to make money. "Maybe as I've matured and grown older in college I've realized that there are other things that are much more important than that," Sparks said. Meanwhile, Sartin was ecstatic when he found out he would be helping orphans. Having worked with children during high school, he developed a heart for children with dysfunctional or absent families. And he has a personal connection. "Due to the fact that I too have lost a parent (my dad died in 2007), I have a point of common ground with these kids that some people do not have," he told Baptist Press in an email. While he and Sparks are now in Zimbabwe serving, he told Baptist Press before he left that he was looking forward to one thing in particular. "God is going to do amazing things, and He is allowing me the chance to be a part of it," he said. "God has glorified Himself and will glorify Himself." --30-- John Evans is a freelance writer based in Houston. For more information about Barrett Keene's walk across America, visit www.gowalkamerica.org. For more information about opportunities for students through the International Mission Board, visit www.onelifematters.org. -- End of story -- Obama TV ad blasts Romney's pro-life views By Michael Foust Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38230 WASHINGTON (BP) -- The economy has been the centerpiece of the 2012 presidential campaign, but President Obama's re-election team apparently wants to make it also about abortion and has launched a 30-second TV ad drawing a distinction between Obama's pro-choice position and Mitt Romney's pro-life view.
The ad, which will air in eight battleground states, shows pictures of women, and then Romney, as a female narrator says, "Every woman who believes decisions about our bodies and our health care should be our own is troubled Mitt Romney supports overturning Roe vs. Wade. Romney backed a law that outlaws all abortion, even in cases of rape and incest." Romney is pro-life and supports overturning Roe v. Wade, but his campaign told The Washington Post that he does not favor outlawing abortion in cases of rape and incest -- a position identical to the one held by President George W. Bush. The Post reported the ad will air in eight swing states: Virginia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada. The Obama campaign ad also criticizes Romney for wanting to defund Planned Parenthood, with the narrator saying, "For women, Planned Parenthood means life-saving cancer screenings and family planning services." Planned Parenthood is the nation's top abortion provider, and in 2010 performed 329,445 abortions -- more than one-fourth of the lethal procedures in the United States for that year. Obama apparently is willing to make abortion an issue, despite the neck-and-neck nature of the race. In late May, he said at a campaign stop, "We don't need another political fight about ending a woman's right to choose. ... I want women to control their own health choices." Obama's position on abortion is difficult to find on his campaign website. Romney's website, meanwhile, says he "believes that life begins at conception" and also wants to see Roe overturned. "Americans have a moral duty to uphold the sanctity of life and protect the weakest, most vulnerable and most innocent among us," the Romney campaign website says. "As president, Mitt will ensure that American laws reflect America's values of preserving life at home and abroad." --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Restaurant church discount draws investigation By Todd Starnes/Fox News & Commentary Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38231 NEW YORK (BP) -- A family-owned restaurant in Pennsylvania is under a state discrimination investigation for offering a 10 percent discount for diners who present a church bulletin on Sundays. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission confirmed there is an investigation against Prudhomme's Lost Cajun Kitchen in the town of Columbia. The complaint was filed by John Wolff, a retired electrical engineer. "I did this not out of spite, but out of a feeling against the prevailing self-righteousness that stems from religion, particularly in Lancaster County," Wolff told the York Daily Record. "I don't consider it an earth-shaking affair, but in this area in particular, we seem to have so many self-righteous religious people, so it just annoys me." According to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, a restaurant is classified as a public accommodation. As such, restaurants are not allowed to discriminate based on religion, among other things. Sharon Prudhomme, who owns the restaurant along with her husband, said she's not discriminating against anybody -- and plans on fighting the charges. She told Fox News Radio she is bothered the state is "basically agreeing" with Wolff. "We're just a mom and pop. We're not some big chain like the Olive Garden," she told Fox News Radio. Prudhomme said the trouble started in April 2011 when she received the first of several letters from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF is a Wisconsin-based organization of "more than 17,000 freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and skeptics," according to its website. The FFRF demanded that she stop giving discounts to patrons who brought in a Sunday church bulletin. "I just filed it and blew off the other letters," Prudhomme said. "I said I have no intention of taking it off the website." In late June the restaurant was served with a 16-page complaint from the state of Pennsylvania, accusing her of discrimination. "I'm an American," Prudhomme said. "This is America. This is my business and we're not breaking any laws." She said a representative from the state suggested that she should compromise and sign an agreement that she would offer discounts to any civic organization in the town. "I said, 'Wait a minute -- you're asking my husband and I to give anybody coming through my door a discount?'" she recounted. "They said yes." "I said, 'Are you crazy?'" "We have taxes to pay," she said. "We have utility bills, payroll, mortgages and they're expecting me to give everyone a discount?" She added, "This is our business. We're the ones paying the taxes. We need the people coming in. Our life is in this -- and then to have someone come along and tell me what I can do and what I can't do?" She wondered if their other discounts might be considered discriminatory, like the one on Tuesday night where kids under 12 get to eat free. Or what about the senior discount? "Could someone under 65 complain?" she asked. Wolff told Lancaster Online that he discovered the church discount on the privately owned restaurant's website. "That rubbed me a bit the wrong way," he told the online publication. "It's not a big deal in itself and I have no animosity towards Prudhomme's, but I do bear a grudge against a religious right that seems to intrude on our civil rights." If the commission determines there's enough evidence to support the complaint, it could be referred to a public hearing. Should the restaurant owners be found in violation, it's unclear what penalty they might face. --30-- Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard daily on Fox News Radio stations around the nation. He is the author of "Dispatches From Bitter America" and "They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick." This article first appeared at www.toddstarnes.com. Used by permission. -- End of story -- James Nelson, former Montana exec, dies By Staff Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38232 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (BP) -- James W. Nelson, executive director of the Montana Southern Baptist Fellowship (now Montana Southern Baptist Convention) from 1985 until his retirement in 1994, died July 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. He was 88. Nelson moved to Montana after serving with the then-Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) from 1975-82 as director of the associational missions division and, earlier, director of the rural-urban missions department. Nelson and his wife Annis were missionaries in the Panama Canal Zone from 1960-63 and regional missionaries working with Native Americans in northwestern New Mexico from 1964-71. He then served with the Baptist Convention of New Mexico as director of the mission ministries division from 1971-75. In 1979, Nelson was the coauthor of "Future Talk for Southern Baptists" with Don E. Hammer, director of the HMB's then-metropolitan missions department. William G. Tanner, then-HMB president, wrote in the foreword, "It is my hope that these chapters will provide needed insights and encouragement to denominational strategists and church leaders as we endeavor to shape the future to His will." The book by Nelson and Hammer included chapters titled "A Theology of Change," "Population Dynamics," "Racial and Ethnic Diversity," "Loyalty and Relationships" and "A Bold Mission Strategy for the Future." "Often, problems are compounded because we fail to deal with them before they reach the 'runaway' stage," Nelson and Hammer wrote in the 1979 book. "A modest amount of thought and effort, if invested early, could make a difference in handling the careening change. The adages are still true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; or, a stitch in time saves nine. Yet, these old truths from the past are often forgotten in the busyness of making decisions in today's world." The son of a farmer and homemaker in Albertville, Ala., Nelson earned a divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1959 and a bachelor's degree from Howard College (now Samford University) in Alabama in 1953. He dated his conversion to faith in Christ to 1938 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Albertville at the age of 14. He entered the ministry when he was a businessman and father of three in Pine Lake, Ga. The Nelsons later had three more children. Also during his ministry, Nelson was a director of missions in Alabama and pastor of churches in Alabama and Mississippi. Nelson served in the U.S. Navy from 1942-46. Following his retirement as Montana's executive director in 1994, Nelson and his wife returned to their native Alabama, where he pastored for three years. The couple then moved to Albuquerque, where he continued to assist churches in a variety of ways, serving more than three years as pastor of First Indian Baptist Church in Espanola and filling the pulpit at Indian Nations Baptist Church in Albuquerque. Nelson is survived by his wife of 66 years and their six children. A memorial service was held Saturday, July 7, at Highland Baptist Church in Albuquerque, where he was a member. Memorial contributions may be made to the Highland Food Pantry, Highland Baptist Church, 417 Palomas SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 or Noon Day Ministries, P.O. Box 25451, Albuquerque, NM 87125. --30-- Reported by John Loudat, editor of the Baptist New Mexican, newsjournal of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, and Baptist Press editor Art Toalston. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: That famous quote from St. Francis? He never said it By Glenn T. Stanton Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38233 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BP) -- Christians use lots of quotes. Pastors use them in their sermons constantly. Writers illustrate their points with them. Nothing wrong with that. They are quite helpful and encouraging in making a point. Save when the quote has no basis in fact. We as evangelicals who claim we are committed to truth are certainly good at spreading falsehood, even if unintentionally. We can do better. One very clever and popular quote we often knock around among ourselves is: "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words." It is always attributed to St. Francis of Assisi -- founder of the Franciscan Order -- and is intended to say that proclaiming the Gospel by example is more virtuous than actually proclaiming with voice. It is a quote that has often rankled me because it seems to create a useless dichotomy between speech and action. Besides, the spirit behind it can be a little arrogant, intimating that those who "practice the Gospel" are more faithful to the faith than those who preach it. But here's the fact: Our good Francis, who lived in the 13th century, never said such a thing. None of his disciples, early or later biographers have these words coming from his mouth. It doesn't show up in any of his writings. Not even close, really. The closest comes from his Rule of 1221, Chapter XII on how the Franciscans should practice their preaching: "No brother should preach contrary to the form and regulations of the holy Church nor unless he has been permitted by his minister. ... All the Friars ... should preach by their deeds." Essentially, make sure your deeds match your words. While there's a nice and good sentiment in the statement -- be sure you live out the grace and truth of the Gospel -- the notion as it is typically presented is neither practical, nor faithful to the Gospel of Christ. It does not align with St. Francis' own practice. His first biographer, Thomas of Celeno, writing just three years after Francis' death, quotes him instructing his co-workers in the Gospel thusly, "The preacher must first draw from secret prayers what he will later pour out in holy sermons; he must first grow hot within before he speaks words that are in themselves cold." Mark Galli, senior managing editor at Christianity Today, wrote a wonderful book on Francis as well as a clarifying brief article at ChristianityToday.com on the myth of this quote. He explains that Francis was quite a preacher, actually more along the lines of Jonathan Edwards or Billy Sunday than most of those who misquote him would like to think. Galli quotes Thomas' biography, "His words were neither hollow nor ridiculous, but filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, penetrating the marrow of the heart, so that listeners were turned to great amazement." Our man clearly spent a great deal of time using his words when he preached, "sometimes preaching in up to five villages a day, often outdoors," Galli wrote. "In the country, Francis often spoke from a bale of straw or a granary doorway. In town, he would climb on a box or up steps in a public building. He preached to ... any who gathered to hear the strange but fiery little preacher from Assisi." He was sometimes so animated and passionate in his delivery that "his feet moved as if he were dancing." Duane Liftin, president emeritus of Wheaton College, recently addressed the trouble with this preach/practice dichotomy in an important article at ChristianityToday.com ("Works and Words: Why You Can't Preach the Gospel with Deeds"). Of preaching the Gospel in deed, he explains, "It's simply impossible to preach the Gospel without words. The Gospel is inherently verbal, and preaching the Gospel is inherently verbal behavior." And the "deed" proclamation of the Gospel is not biblical, either. Paul asks the Church at Rome (Romans 10): "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" So next time you hear one of your brothers or sisters in Christ use this quote to encourage or challenge you in your labors for our faith, gently guide them from the land of misinformation and make believe into truth. --30-- Glenn T. Stanton is the director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family and the author of five books on various aspects of the family, his two most recent: "Secure Daughters Confident Sons, How Parents Guide Their Children into Authentic Masculinity and Femininity" (Waterbrook, 2011) and "The Ring Makes All the Difference: The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage" (Moody, 2011). 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 -- FIRST PERSON: Launch a 1st day-of-school tradition at your church By Diana Davis Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38234 INDIANAPOLIS (BP) -- Begin a new first-day-of-school tradition at your church this year. Plan a community-wide coffee for moms after they drop kids off at school. It could begin right after the school bell, so if your district's elementary, middle and high schools start at different times, plan three coffees. There's no formal program -- simply fellowship and a sincere, encouraging time of prayer for the children. Here's a few tips: -- Advertise the community-wide coffee with an exterior sign, and create Facebook and email invitations for members to forward to friends. State a half-hour schedule, such as 8-8:30 a.m., so working moms may be enticed to come, too. -- Your planning team -- a mom from each grade level, a minister's or deacon's wife, and a senior adult woman -- could plan advertising and schedule, and could delegate responsibilities for the details. Since moms will be wildly busy getting kids ready for the first day of school, a senior adult ladies' class could prepare and serve drinks and light snacks. -- Create a celebrative mood as guests arrive, and use the first 15 minutes for snacks, informal conversation and friend-making. Ensure a welcoming atmosphere by assigning friendly moms to intentionally meet and include newcomers and members. Invite the pastor's wife, if she's available. -- Divide moms by grade levels or schools for prayer groups. The pre-selected leader can invite ladies to introduce themselves and tell their child's name and grade level. She then could lead a time of prayer, assuring that each mother and child is mentioned by name, and praying for their teachers, friends and school leaders. -- Conclude by inviting those who don't have a church to worship with you on Sunday, and give printed invitations to upcoming events and Bible classes for parents and school age kids. Then serve more coffee for those who'd like to fellowship longer. One more idea: Offer a similar event for schoolteachers and administrators. They could stop by the church right after school for a "pray for your new students" cookie fellowship. As this new school year begins, "make the most of every opportunity!" (Colossians 4:5) --30-- Diana Davis (www.keeponshining.com) is an author, speaker and wife of the North American Mission Board's vice president for the Midwest region, Steve Davis. -- End of story -- BP Ledger, July 9 edition By Staff Jul. 9 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38235 EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger includes items from: Kentucky Baptist Convention Bluefield College James Dobson's Family Talk Joni and Friends Substance Abuse Ministries Provide Gospel-Focused Care By Ken Walker/KBC Communications WILLISBURG, Ky. (Kentucky Baptist Convention) -- Choe Sergent grew up in a stable home, the son of hard-working parents. He didn't fit the stereotypical image of a strung-out drug abuser. Yet at the bottom of his long slide, Sergent's addiction cost him a management position and many nights in jail. His descent originated with a prescription for pain pills to combat the effects of a bowel ailment. Sergent finally slipped over the edge after his fiancé put a rifle to her mouth and pulled the trigger. "I couldn't distinguish between physical pain and emotional pain," Sergent said. "I had a bottle of pills there and when you're hurting, what are you going to do?" Faced with the possibility of a trip to the state penitentiary, the Whitley County native wound up at Isaiah House, which receives funding and other assistance from the Kentucky Baptist Convention, local Baptist associations and individual congregations. Founded in 2001, the residential rehabilitation facility in Willisburg houses about 50 men and hopes to open a separate home for women soon. Not only did Sergent accept Christ during an eight-month treatment regimen, he sensed God's call to ministry. Today he pastors Grove Ridge Baptist Church in the Casey County community of Middleburg. The grandson of a pastor, Sergent grew up hearing the gospel hundreds of times, but he said the message never touched his heart. It was the people he encountered at Isaiah House who helped him meet Christ. "You had people like Mark (LaPalme, executive director) … and people who came down there and volunteered," Sergent said. "They had changed their lives and were walking it out. They still had problems but they had 'Somebody' who helped them overcome. That's what drew me." Such success stories are why the KBC helps fund substance abuse ministries, said Eric Allen, director of KBC's Mission Service and Ministries Department. "I would suspect that every Baptist church has at least one family that has been negatively affected by drug or alcohol use," he said. "These families need to be ministered to and the Lord has charged us with the responsibility to do so." Among other substance abuse ministries Kentucky Baptists play a role in are the 2nd Chance Outreach in Jamestown and the SWAT (Servants With A Testimony) ministry of Northside Baptist Church in Mount Vernon. Kentucky Baptists provide financial assistance in many ways, through the Cooperative Program, Eliza Broadus State Missions Offering and direct support. Additionally, contributions to the World Hunger Fund provide groceries and hot meals for guests of Isaiah House. Assisting people who have substance abuse problems, and the programs that help them, is a worthwhile investment of Kentucky Baptists' time and money, Allen said. "The percentage of residents who remain drug free after treatment in faith-based centers is much higher (than other programs) because they guide residents to Christ," he added. Jim Clontz, director of missions for South District Baptist Association agrees. South District Baptists support Isaiah House. "Putting Christ first has been a very important part of it," Clontz said. "Especially when you consider there have been a lot of things (others) have attempted and it hasn't helped." Through small group Bible studies and Bible-centered 12-step programs, churches are ideally suited to provide ongoing care to men and women who have progressed through a residential treatment program, Allen added. "One of the greatest needs is for Christians to serve as sponsors and mentors for people in recovery who are involved in small-group follow-up programs such as Celebrate Recovery," he explained. Some churches and associations may not be able to start a residential treatment center in their area, but according to Larry Martin, a KBC missions consultant, every Kentucky Baptist can join the fight against substance abuse. "In Kentucky the use of drugs is such a critical problem in all of society," said Martin, pastor of Cane Run Baptist Church in Lexington. "I know one elderly grandmother who has lost three grandsons in three separate incidents. The church has to address all of these needs." On average, three men each week make professions of faith in Christ at Isaiah House, said Sergent, who serves as secretary of the ministry's executive board. Every month about five new believers are baptized. Over the years, many family members of Isaiah House residents have also responded to the gospel and begun their Christian walk through the ministry. "We live among one of the greatest mission fields that exists," Sergent said. The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of nearly 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative offices in Louisville, including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more. For more information, visit the KBC website at www.kybaptist.org. ********** Bluefield College's J.D. Taylor: Changing Lives with Charity and Water BLUEFIELD, Va. (Bluefield College) -- "Every time you take a sip of clean water, someone dies of unclean water somewhere in the world." That's the profound statement that stirs the heart of Bluefield College student J.D. Taylor. So much so, he's doing something about it through the help of Charity Water, a non-profit organization designed to bring clean, safe drinking water to underprivileged people in developing countries. In fact, Taylor is challenging the entire Bluefield College family to join him in the cause. For as long as he can remember, Taylor, a rising senior biology major who plans to attend medical school after BC, has had a passion for missions and ministry. He has served on mission projects in South Africa, Namibia, Peru, Italy, and New York City. He also has participated in street evangelism, after-school programs, praise and worship gatherings, and countless other service projects through his church and BC. Lately, it's Charity Water into which Taylor has been sinking his passion. After hearing during a leadership conference about the plight of people without clean, safe water in disadvantaged villages around the world, Taylor discovered Charity Water and how that organization is addressing the need. Charity Water funds a range of water technologies for those in need, including hand-dug wells, drilled wells, rehabilitations, spring protections, rainwater catchments, and BioSand filters. To date, the charity has funded 6,185 projects, providing clean water to more than 2.5 million needy people in villages, clinics, schools and other facilities around the world. And, according to Charity Water, a clean water project within a village provides more than safe drinking water. It protects the people from disease and gives them the freedom they need to change their community. In fact, diseases from unsafe water kill more people every year than all forms of violence. And, in Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year walking for clean water. "Having such a profound impact on not only a village's water system, but their hygiene, life expectancy, income, educational opportunities, and overall standard of living is a chance very few people get," said Taylor, who is a member of BC's Student Government Association, Residence Life staff, and men's varsity tennis team. "What an incredible thought -- knowing that we as a campus community were able to change an entire way of life for a group of people." Taylor's goal: raise $5,000 to build a water well in a needy village. To get there, he has written letters to students, faculty, and staff, inviting them to get involved. He's created a fundraising portal on the Charity Water web site. And, he has distributed rice bowl piggy banks to students, encouraging them to save their spare change for the cause. He's also planning a Mr. BC pageant, sports fundraising tournaments, and a benefit concert. To double the impact, Taylor has partnered with the Alan Morefield Charitable Foundation, who agreed to match his $5,000. In other words, if Taylor meets the $5,000 goal, the Morefield Foundation will contribute another $5,000 to build not just one, but two water wells. "The thought of providing not just one, but two villages in desperate need of water will be an amazing experience," said Taylor, "giving our campus the pride and satisfaction of knowing we've given such an incredible need to others, who otherwise wouldn't have had their needs met." Taylor, who also serves as a worship leader for convocation and BC's weekly praise session Elevate, said his involvement in missions at the college has helped him grow spiritually and strengthened his relationship with Christ. This particular mission, he said, has helped him realize the value of sharing God's love and fulfilling the need to be a part of something larger than ourselves. "Bluefield College has given me so many resources and opportunities to live my passion," said Taylor. "I honestly feel no other campus could have enabled me to bring this thing into the light. Having the chance to do so much with something I'm passionate about is a huge deal. It's now up to me, those involved in event planning, and the student body to help this passion become a reality." For more information about Charity Water, visit www.chairtywater.org. To contribute to Taylor's project, visit www.mycharitywater.org/bluefield. ********** James Dobson Challenges Parents to Be There and Beware SAN DIEGO (Family Talk) -- Dr. James Dobson capped a four-night, two-weekend Building a Family Legacy event with a call to parents to be active, involved and, most of all, present in the lives of their children. "Culture flows like a powerful river, and it is extremely difficult to prevent your kids from being swept downstream into unknown waters," said Dobson, author of 30 best sellers including The Strong-Willed Child and Bringing Up Girls. "You must not become distracted from your ultimate priority, which is to raise healthy children and introduce them to Jesus Christ." The series drew more than 5,000 parents to Skyline Church near San Diego to hear the renowned psychologist, author and radio host along with his son Ryan. Building a Family Legacy is the updated and expanded version of Dobson's legendary parenting series from 1978, which was filmed and eventually seen by a third of the U.S. population. When Ryan, as a brand new dad, saw the decades-old series four years ago, he urged his father to record a new DVD series and to communicate principles of marriage and parenthood to a younger generation. "Growing up Dobson, I openly challenged my parents like almost every other kid," Ryan said. "But I'm so grateful that they loved me enough to hold the line. Dad's teaching is still just as practical and relevant for parents today." James Dobson said: "I am most concerned about the children of parents who are overworked, distracted, exhausted and uninvolved. Without their care and direction, the culture will take them to hell. I have witnessed it a thousand times. Even with proper parental supervision, many of our kids are on the bubble." Dobson traced the legacy of his great grandfather, who influenced four generations of his family even long after his death. The Building a Family Legacy series will be available on DVD in 2013. Dobson currently heads Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk, a nonprofit organization and radio program. For 14 years, he was an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and was on the attending staff of Children's Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years. He earned his Ph.D. in child development from USC. He founded and is chairman emeritus of Focus on the Family. ********** Joni and Friends Television Broadcast in Korea, highlighting disability and bioethics issues AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (Joni and Friends) -- More new and larger international audiences than ever are able to watch the Joni and Friends television program as it is now being broadcast in Korea on the CGNTV network, with carriage in both China and Japan. The Korean network will both dub and subtitle the program in the native languages of the countries where it is being broadcast. Simultaneous with the television program's launch in Korea, ministry founder Joni Eareckson Tada's most recent book, "A Place of Healing," was translated into Korean and is now available for purchase in bookstores and online. "The Joni and Friends television series is a vital tool providing encouragement and strength to those affected by disability," said Joni and Friends President Doug Mazza. "It also delivers the Gospel message with a sense of hope and purpose for those who suffer." This 30-minute weekly program, hosted by Tada, highlights an unusually open and honest approach to tough questions about the goodness of God in a world shattered by pain and suffering. The TV series presents a dramatic and powerful look into the lives of real people who have endured, or are still living through, heart-wrenching trials. Tada and her guests put Scripture to the toughest of tests, showing why God is worth believing and how to trust Him in the worst of times. The Korean television network CGNTV, carried via satellite to more than 170 countries, was first established on the Internet in 2000 as the Christian Missionary Educational Broadcasting Network, to provide instruction and encouragement for Korean missionaries serving in remote areas. Launched on satellite in 2005, the network now carries programming in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, English, Spanish and Portuguese, reaching most of Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and the Americas. It hopes to launch Arabic broadcasts in the near future, and content has expanded to serve beyond Korean missionaries to Korean and other Christians around the world, and those interested in becoming Christians across the globe. In addition to the Korean network, the Joni and Friends television series is carried on The Miracle Channel throughout Canada; on CNLTV Russian Network to Russian-speaking audiences throughout Europe and Asia; on ERF Medien to Germany and German-speaking countries in Europe; on the Australian Christian Channel to Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand; on United Christian Broadcasters, Ltd., to the United Kingdom; on Alfa Omega TV in Romania; Aradana Broadcasting to India; C-Channel to Korea; Family 7 TV to The Netherlands; Friends Forever TV to Jamaica and Guyana; Gospel Channel to Iceland; Patmos Foundation/Studio 24 to Finland; Shalom TV to India; and throughout Mexico and the Caribbean as well as the U.S. and Canada via Global Christian Network. Altogether, these international networks reach a nearly worldwide audience. Other U.S. outlets currently airing the program include: National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) on DirecTV; Cornerstone Network, based in Pittsburgh, with 70 affiliates; Legacy TV based in Odessa, Fla.; Liberty Channel based in Lynchburg, Va.; KGEB/GEB (Oral Roberts University) in Tulsa, Okla.; KJEO 32.4 (Manavision3) in Sanger, Calif.; KGSC 47 in Cheyenne, Wyo.; KNXT TV (Catholic Television) based in Fresno, Calif.; Starfish Network based in Salt Lake City (carried on Dish Network); TCT Network with 45 affiliates throughout the U.S. and Canada; TLN (Total Living Network) based in Chicago, with 90 affiliates nationwide, including KTLN in San Francisco and KEEN in Las Vegas; The Dove TV in Medford, Ore.; WATC TV in Atlanta; WAZT TV in Woodstock, Va.; WLMB TV 40 in Toledo, Ohio; WVCY TV in Milwaukee; WTWV TV in Memphis, Tenn.; and WRXY TV, an affiliate of Christian Television Network, in Punta Gorda, Fla. For more than 30 years, Joni and Friends International Disability Center has worked to accelerate ministry to the disability community, offering a wide array of life-affirming ministries to people with disabilities around the world. Joni and Friends does this through the Christian Institute on Disability; the International Disability Center; international radio and television programs filled with inspirational stories; Wheels for the World, which every year sees thousands of individuals receive wheelchairs and the life-giving message of the Gospel, and Family Retreats, where families affected by disability learn they are not alone. --30-- -- 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