may 2017 texan

Moore, ERLC trustees release statement on ‘Seeking Unity’ 3

May 2017

Young Pastor Discusses Racial Reconciliation 7

SBC Annual Meeting Preview

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Newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention N MORE NEWS AT TEXANONLINE.NET

SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE:

By Keith Collier TEXAN Correspondent FORT WORTH

Pararescue veteran uses war experience to minister to airmen By Jane Rodgers TEXAN Correspondent

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SAN ANTONIO

s an Air Force pararescueman in Vietnam, Doug Brinson often faced death to save downed pilots, including a treacherous three-week stretch of missions in 1972 that shaped his life in ways he will never forget.

College name honors evangelistic zeal of SWBTS’ 2nd president

“I probably aged a few years in those three weeks,” Brinson said. Brinson’s parents urged him to follow his brother by enlisting in the Air Force, thinking it the safest branch of the military. The southern Louisiana native found himself drawn to the allure of dangerous USAF pararescue.

Brinson’s training as a pararescueman, or PJ, was rigorous, involving Navy scuba school, Army jump school, Army Ranger mountain school, Army medical training and other survival schools. “A PJ is supposed to be able to rescue a pilot down anySee PARARESCUE, 2

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary unveiled a new name for its undergraduate program during its spring trustee board meeting, April 12, announcing the The College at Southwestern will now be called L.R. Scarborough College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The name honors Southwestern’s first evangelism professor and second president Lee Rutland Scarborough. “[Scarborough] made an indelible mark [at Southwestern],” Charles Patrick, vice president for strategic initiatives and communications, told trustees. “He was a pastor, evangelist, theologian, academic scholar and leader in the SBC.” Southwestern President Paige Patterson praised the decision to name the college after Scarborough, whom he said epitomized a strong work ethic and a passion for sharing the gosSee SWBTS, 8

FBC New Braunfels pursues healing after 13 senior adults killed in bus crash By Keith Collier Managing Editor SAN ANTONIO A bus carrying senior

adults from First Baptist Church in New Braunfels was involved in a collision with a pickup truck, March 29, killing 13 of the 14 people on board. The bus passengers were returning from an annual senior choir retreat at Alto Frio Baptist Encampment in Leakey when a pickup truck crossed the center line on Highway 83 in a curve near Garner State Park in Concan and struck the bus head-on. See CRASH, 3

3Thirteen senior adults from First Baptist Church in New Braunfels were killed in a headon collision with a pickup truck, March 30. The church bus was returning from a three-day retreat. SCREEN CAPTURE FROM KXAN.COM OF AUSTIN

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where,” Brinson said, adding that even today, most “wash out” of the tough training. His class consisted of 12 men, 10 of whom deployed to Vietnam. Brinson arrived in Southeast Asia in the “last really hot year of the war,” when the ground war was winding down in favor of air power. The North Vietnamese seized the offensive, threatening South Vietnam. PJs stayed busy rescuing downed pilots, treacherous work accomplished with helicopters because of dense jungles. In late March 1972, two of Brinson’s roommates, ages 19 and 20, were shot down in Cambodia on a rescue mission. Brinson’s chopper was first on the scene to discover the wreckage. There were no survivors. A week later, on April 6, Brinson boarded the third of four helicopters sent to retrieve navigator and intelligence officer Iceal Hambleton, call sign “Bat 21,” shot down in North Vietnam and surrounded by 30,000 enemy troops. “The brass did not want him captured,” Brinson said. Hambleton knew too much to fall into enemy hands. Brinson’s chopper neared Hambleton to find the first rescue helicopter down with no survivors. Two more of Brinson’s buddies were dead. The rescue of Hambleton, or Bat 21, became the subject of books and a 1988 movie. The North Vietnamese eavesdropped on radio communications between headquarters and Hambleton, spoiling rescue efforts until an ingenious plan was hatched.

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KANSAS CITY Southern Baptists of Texas Executive Director Jim Richards presented a check for $100,000 to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason Allen during a chapel service, April 4. The amount was the first of a two-part gift designated for the construction of the new Mathena Student Center, which the seminary broke ground on later that day. The two-story facility, scheduled to be completed in 2018, will house a

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“I was proud to be a part of pararescue, whose motto is ‘This We Do That Others May Live.’ And I’m even prouder to be a part of the Lord’s church whose unwritten motto is, ‘This we do so that others may live forever.’” —DOUG BRINSON

Headquarters started relaying instructions to Hambleton, an avid golfer, by suggesting familiar golf holes. Bat 21 covered terrain as if he were playing “Hole 9, Clark AFB in the Philippines,” then awaited coded instructions for the next destination as handlers gave him another golf hole to “play.” Eventually Hambleton reached a river and was rescued by U.S. Navy SEAL and South Vietnamese special operations personnel disguised as fishermen. Eleven men—among them, Brinson’s friends—died in the operation to save Bat 21. A week later came Brinson’s chance to effect a harrowing rescue of a Marine pilot, call sign “Bengal 505,” downed in Laos, a mission chronicled in print and in an hour-long History Channel program. Efforts to reach Bengal 505 were hampered by anti-aircraft artillery fire. “The fourth day we dropped a whole bunch of bombs around him to get the enemy to duck,” Brinson said. “Then we scooted in there with the chopper to get the guy.” Brinson’s crew lowered the harness directly atop the pilot, for whom covering even 10 feet of jungle could take 10 minutes. As Brinson’s helicopter hovered over Bengal 505, a gun battle raged. Brinson, the door gunner, was wounded early in the fight. An audio recording of the mission exists, one of the few surviving the

SBTC GIVES $200,000 FOR MIDWESTERN SEMINARY STUDENT CENTER

By Keith Collier Managing Editor

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cafeteria, bookstore and café, recreation areas for family use, a collegiate-sized gymnasium, a walking track, racquetball courts, fitness rooms, conference rooms and staff offices. The funds, approved by the SBTC executive board in November, were part of a series of grants from reserve funds to help Southern Baptist ministries in Texas and beyond the state. The approved motion granted $100,000 at the groundbreaking service and another $100,000 to be “funded upon the beginning of construction as evidenced by the pouring of the slab.”

war. Brinson said he often hears his mission replayed as an audio backdrop to video clips on Vietnam. “I’m hit, but no sweat,” Brinson informed the pilot. Five seconds of silence ensued as the pilot decided whether or not to abort the mission. “Can you still shoot?” the pilot asked Brinson. “I can still shoot. He just got me in the knee,” Brinson replied. The Marine was hoisted into the chopper where he buckled in, thinking himself safe only to glance at the wounded Brinson returning fire and to wonder if he might still die, Brinson said. The two were hospitalized together. The mission earned Brinson a Purple Heart, one of his dozen medals including a Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and eight air medals. His pararescue unit garnered four Silver Stars, 27 Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts and 67 air medals. “Our number got called a lot,” Brinson told the TEXAN, tearing up. “It was a one-year blip in my life, but it is so significant,” he added. “A whole bunch of negative excitement occurred.” The war experience changed his priorities. “You can’t get upset over a close basketball game after that. I lived through it, and I came out with both arms and legs. Some guys didn’t.” Brinson said he has suffered from depression two or three times since the war, the result of PTSD according to VA doctors. “You get over there and see bullets flying, the reality washes over you. I was just a nice kid from Louisiana. Violence to me was a hard tackle in football.” “I’ve probably cried 10,000 times, then I’m alright,” Brinson said, explaining that killing, although unavoidable in war, was among the “hardest” things he did. Ironically, it was not his war experience but a stroke suffered in his early 30s that drew Brinson to Christ. “The stroke was like a light bulb. I realized I needed to get stuff settled.” Raised

in a Baptist home, he watched other kids make professions of faith. “It was a different ball game when I realized I was 10 minutes away from standing before God rather than 50 years. The gospel is for everybody, but you’ve got to mean it when you receive it. I came to the realization that I didn’t.” Brinson said he became conscious of the reality of hell and committed his life to Christ as an adult. Eventually he sold his business and entered full-time ministry, serving churches in Mississippi and San Antonio. He currently serves as associate pastor of missions and care at Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio. Today he calls upon his military and health experiences to share his faith with young servicemen and women in a special program at an area military base. Once they realize he is a veteran pararescueman, they listen. Brinson also uses his background to relate to church members in a city full of veterans and active duty personnel and surrounded by military institutions. At his PJ unit’s reunion a decade ago in Denver one of his buddies around the table asked, “Hey Doug, this religious stuff you do. What do y’all believe anyway?” Given an opportunity he had prayed for, Brinson shared the gospel with the 10 other men. “They were listening,” he said. Doug’s life “is a good story of a war hero who turned that into being a great minister,” said Steve Branson, pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church. Daughter Hillory called him a “hero” on Facebook. “I feel so blessed to have served a country that calls itself ‘one nation under God,’” Brinson said. “I was proud to be a part of pararescue, whose motto is ‘This We Do That Others May Live.’ And I’m even prouder to be a part of the Lord’s church whose unwritten motto is, ‘This we do so that others may live forever.’ ”

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The only survivor from the church bus—Rose Mary Harris, 64, of New Braunfels—and the driver of the pickup truck—Jack Dillon Young, 20, of Leakey—were treated at local hospitals and have since been released. “We gather as a church family who has suffered the loss of 13 of our family members, and so we gather with a heavy heart this morning,” Pastor Brad McLean told the church during the first Sunday worship service following the accident, April 2. “It is important for us to recognize that our pain is real, our loss is real, our grief is real, and as a church family we will have to work through these losses together. It will not be done in one Sunday. It will not be done after one week of memorial services—it will take time.” Three people initially survived the crash, but one died after being transferred to the hospital. At the time of publishing, authorities said the driver of the truck was at fault, but their investigation had not concluded and no de—BRAD cision had been made as to whether Young would be charged. Witnesses reported a pickup truck zigzagging on the twolane highway prior to the accident, and one witness claimed the pickup truck driver admitted at the scene that

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he was texting while driving. Court records revealed that Young had taken prescription sleep and antidepressant pills, and a state trooper’s sworn statement said he had probable cause to believe Young was intoxicated at the time of the crash. “Even as our families are mourning the loss of their loved ones, many have expressed that they are praying for the driver of the truck involved in the crash,” McLean said. “God’s grace is for each one of us, and our church family extends our prayers to the driver and his family at this difficult time.” “Our hearts are broken as we pray for the families who lost loved ones,” said Brad McLean, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Braunfels addresses a grieving congregation Jim Richards, executive director of the April 2 in the first Sunday worship service since the loss of 13 members in a bus accident days earlier. Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. SCREEN CAPTURE FROM KXAN.COM OF AUSTIN “Because of Jesus, the precious saints who left this earth shed the confines of gation to offer support. The SBTC has Rhonda Barlow Allen, 61; Harold Boyd the flesh to enter the glorious presence offered to provide grief counseling as Barber, 87; Margaret Robinson Barneeded and long-term sup- ber, 82; Murray William Barrett, 67; port, Richards said. Several Mildred Goodlett Rosamond, 87; Sue SBTC staff responded imme- Wynn Tysdal, 76; Dorothy Fern Vuldiately to the tragedy, includ- liet, 84; and Martha Holcomb Walker, ing field ministry strategist 84, all residents of New Braunfels. Gilbert Chavez, director of Others killed in the crash were Avis evangelism Nathan Lorick, Scholl Banks, 83, of Austin; Cristie and pastor/church relations Clare Moore, 68, of Cibolo; and Donna associate Ted Elmore. SBTC Elizabeth Hawkins, 69, of Schertz. Adrepresentatives also attended die Maurine Schmeltekopf, 84, of New each of the funerals. Braunfels, died at University Hospital. First Baptist New First Baptist Church has established a Braunfels senior adult pas- Tragedy Relief Fund for the families of tor Billy Barnes is dually em- those killed in the crash. Donations can M C L E A N , PA S T O R O F F I R S T B A P T I S T C H U R C H I N NEW BRAUNFELS ployed part-time as an SBTC be made online at www.fbcnb.org. Memsenior adult associate. He at- bers of the public who want to express tended the retreat weekend their sympathies, volunteer, or donate of our Lord. We stand with the pastor but was in another vehicle at the time of food are encouraged to utilize the mesthe crash. sage board on the church’s website. and church in constant prayer.” The 13 senior adults have been —with reporting by Diana Chandler of Baptist Press Richards met and consulted with McLean and the New Braunfels congre- identified as Howard Bryan Allen, 81;

“It is important for us to recognize that our pain is real, our loss is real, our grief is real, and as a church family we will have to work through these losses together. It will not be done in one Sunday. It will not be done after one week of memorial services—it will take time.”

Moore, ERLC trustees issue ‘Seeking Unity’ statement By Art Toalston Baptist Press NASHVILLE An extended statement, “Seeking Unity in the Southern Baptist Convention,” has been issued by Russell Moore and the executive committee of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Moore, in a 1,691-word portion of the March 20 statement, clarified criticism he had leveled at Christians who supported Donald Trump for president in the November 2016 election.

The ERLC executive committee, in a 536word portion of the statement, affirmed Moore’s ongoing leadership as president of the SBC entity. The ERLC executive Russell Moore committee acknowledged criticisms of Moore and stated “we are convinced that Dr. Moore has sought to be attentive and responsive to those who have brought concerns to him.”

“We realize that divisions do not heal overnight, and as needs arise our board will be happy to address them. But in terms of leadership and support, Dr. Moore is the man to whom it has been entrusted to lead this entity—speaking prophetically both to our culture and to our convention. He will continue doing so with the confidence of our support,” the ERLC executive committee stated. Moore acknowledged that he had spoken “often quite sharply” about Christians who said moral issues and character didn’t matter in the election. He said he was not intending, however, “to talk about Southern Baptists— and there were many—who were open about all of these issues but believed in supporting candidates, however flawed, who would appoint good people and carry out good policies on some issues.” And he was “not meaning to suggest it was sinful for Southern Baptists or others to advise candidates or to serve on advisory boards in order to bear some influence there,” Moore said. He said close friends were among those “wounded” by “contextless or unhelpful posts on social media about the whirl of the news cycle. I cannot go back and change time, and I cannot apologize for my underlying convictions. But I can— and do—apologize for failing to distinguish between people who shouldn’t have been in the same category with those who put politics over the gospel and for using words, particularly in social media, that were at times overly broad or unnecessarily harsh.”

“We are convinced that Dr. Moore has sought to be attentive and responsive to those who have brought concerns to him. We realize that divisions do not heal overnight, and as needs arise our board will be happy to address them. But in terms of leadership and support, Dr. Moore is the man to whom it has been entrusted to lead this entity—speaking prophetically both to our culture and to our convention. He will continue doing so with the confidence of our support.” —ERLC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Moore said Southern Baptists “have too much at stake, and too much for which to be grateful, to be divided. The gospel wins over everything in the end. I pray that the gospel would win in our denomination, in our churches and in my own heart. The same gospel that reconciles us to God is the same gospel that allows us to be reconciled to one another.” The full statement by the ERLC executive committee and by Moore can be found at texanonline.net/archives/5595.

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OPINION

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GENERALLY, MY CONCERN IS THAT MY FELLOW BELIEVERS WILL FEEL LIBERATED FROM PRUDENCE FOR THE SAKE OF A SOCIAL VALUE.

Gary Ledbetter Editor

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What the ‘Billy Graham rule’ outrage misunderstands

PRUDENCE & L I B E R T Y:

ice President Mike Pence is not the only man to use the “Billy Graham” rule to safeguard his marriage. Named for the famous evangelist, the rule is based on Graham’s determination, early in his ministry, to avoid being alone with any woman who was not his wife. At SBTC, our version of that entails the “rule of three.” When we travel or meet with a coworker of the other sex, we ensure that there is a third person with us to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Our offices all have windows in the doors to enable confidential meetings that do not compromise the reputation of any party. It is sometimes inconvenient and the temptation to “cut this corner, just this once” arises for practical reasons. But we don’t do that. We are committed to guard our own marriages, as well as those of our co-workers. Outsiders find the effort to avoid potentially compromising situations quaint, threatening and sexist. One absurd com-

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ment suggested that Pence is some kind of predator who fears the beast within. Another hysteric said that those who keep this rule fear or objectify women. Let’s rake those extremes aside. There is still a theme, carried even by those within our fellowship, that acknowledging the God-given differences between men and women in this way is demeaning and legalistic. One evangelical writer says that men who strictly avoid private meetings with female co-workers are guilty of a vice—the lack of moral character. I have a general and a specific concern here. Specifically, the argument that this is a rule more fit for the 1960s when women were less equal in our society— that this practice holds women down—is beside the point. The essential nature of men and women has not changed since the fall of Adam and Eve, much less over the past 50 years, but

the sexualization of our culture has only hastened. Divorce rates are higher than in 1960. Why should we pretend to be safe from temptation or moral failure for the sake of social “progress”? Mike Pence and I should not be required to disrespect our marriages in order to hold a job. If men and women are different in some essential ways, it is not progress to behave as if they are not different. That is only one blind absurdity in the decision to place women in military combat roles. If men and women are equal before God, and we are; and if men and women are equal before U.S. law, and we are; it still does not follow that we are indistinguishable from one another. That is true in church life, political life, academic life and business life. Institutions that “move beyond” the sensibilities of a hundred generations are reaping the whirlwind in our day.

Generally, my concern is that my fellow believers will feel liberated from prudence for the sake of a social value. Consider the use of beverage alcohol as a parallel example of the prudence and liberty discussion. I don’t believe the Bible demands total abstinence from beverage alcohol for believers. But we are called to temperance, humility and a willingness to give up personal rights for the sake of the gospel. I have heard legalistic messages against the use of beverage alcohol, but I have also seen some who seem mindless of the “Corinthian Principle” (see 1 Corinthians 8-10) and insistent that all mature believers should enjoy a craft beer with the Bible study group. In a society where so many violent acts and deadly accidents feature alcohol as an aggravator, I teach and have taught that abstinence is a safety rail between ourselves and intemperance—the way of the wise. I may be missing something good, but I am certainly missing something bad. It’s fine if you call me the weaker brother in this scenario; I’ve heard that before. Similarly, the Billy Graham rule is not a specific demand of Scripture. Scripture does not of-

fer us a “go and do likewise” or a “thou shalt not” on this subject. It is a safety rail for those of us who discern the times as very dangerous for men and women desiring godly relationships. Pence’s critics, if desirous of the same things, are too optimistic about the nature of mankind. The risks are greater than the reward in thinking we have evolved beyond the temptation of marital infidelity. Perhaps we are the weaker brothers. Or maybe we are just more aware of our weakness. It is wrong to judge the virtue of Billy Graham’s disciples whose pursuit of integrity leads them to avoid situations that tempt. Nearly everyone who has railed against the vice president in recent days has at one time removed something from the pantry to avoid eating it or told the waiter to remove the bread from the table. Is this poor character? If you are a sober alcoholic, do you socialize in bars to display your moral strength, or do you run for your life, as Joseph did from Potiphar’s wife? That’s sometimes what prudence looks like. Those who scoff at those who run misunderstand liberty as well as prudence in a dangerous time.

I am my husband’s safeguard Susie Hawkins namb.net/flourish

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had noticed her looking at him, laughing a little too loud, practically swooning over the brilliance of his sermons and cleverness of his insights. But she was my good friend, and I didn’t consider it flirting, especially since my husband paid no attention to her whatsoever. She was just vivacious and outgoing. My Bible study leader in our church (I’ll call her Ruth) was a trusted mentor and friend to me. She was the age of my own mom and had unusual spiritual maturity and discernment. So, I wasn’t surprised when she spoke very directly to me one

day about my friend’s behavior. She had noticed and picked up on it instantly. I remember sitting at Ruth’s kitchen table with her eyes staring into mine, saying “Susie, you have to help your husband. You are his ‘safeguard’—your very presence can diffuse situations like this. Your relationship with him is God’s provision of protecting him from temptation. Don’t be foolish and ignore this, you need to bring it to his attention, talk with him about it and decide how you will handle it.” I thought about Ruth’s comments all day and have replayed that conversation in my mind hundreds of times since then. How wise and discerning she was, and I am forever grateful for her directness and exhortation to a young and

Jim Richards, Executive Director

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Gary K. Ledbetter, Editor Keith Collier, Managing Editor Tammi Ledbetter, Special Assignments Editor Gayla Sullivan, Circulation Manager Russell Lightner, Layout/Graphic Artist

sometimes naïve pastor’s wife. The word “safeguard” is defined as something that serves as a protection, defense or that ensures safety. Ruth was right on target, as usual. Husbands and wives are each other’s safeguards against the temptations of the enemy. Make no mistake about it—Satan is the prowling lion seeking to destroy testimonies and lives, especially of those in ministry. Paul supports this concept in 1 Corinthians 7:1-6. Our bodies exclusively belong to one another, and our physical relationship is designed to bring us fulfillment within the boundaries of marriage. Guarding that is our charge, so that Satan will not have an opportunity to tempt us (verse 7). I took Ruth’s warning as a

Correspondents: JC Davies Michael Foust Bonnie Pritchett Erin Roach Jane Rodgers

MAY

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texanonline.net

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wakeup call to be more intentional in being my husband’s safeguard. That evening, my husband came home from the office with a large box of homemade cookies, delivered by my friend to the church office that morning. (He had mentioned in his sermon on Sunday how much he loved chocolate chip cookies). Well, something happened to me when I saw that box. I was suddenly livid! I ripped the top off and said, “You want cookies? I’ll give you cookies!!” I proceeded to smash every cookie in that box with my fist until the entire box was tiny crumbs. My husband was staring at me, and when I finally stopped, we burst into hysterical laughter. I’m not sure if what I saw in

his eyes was relief or fear! But it quickly led to a very honest talk about this situation and how we would handle these things in the future. I was ready to send her a note saying, “Hey, my kids and I loved the cookies! Oh, and by the way, YOU AIN’T WOMAN ENOUGH TO TAKE MY MAN!” But I calmed down—and learned an invaluable lesson that day. I must be intentional in guarding and investing in my marriage. I am my husband’s safeguard against the schemes of the enemy, he is mine, and we will do everything within our power and God’s to protect our relationship and our testimony. I did learn one other thing—maybe I need to bake chocolate chip cookies a little more often!

The Southern Baptist Texan is the official newspaper of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, P.O. Box 1988, Grapevine, Texas 76099-1988. Toll-free 877-953-7282, Phone 817-552-2500, FAX 817-552-2520. Email: [email protected]

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May 2017

OPINION

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LESSONS IN THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS Jim Richards Executive Director

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n May 4, 2016, I had an aortic valve replacement and an aneurysm repair. During the immediate time of recovery and over the past year my journey has allowed me to learn some new truths and reinforce some old ones. 1 Death is certain. The Bible says, “it is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). We know it. We preach it. But the reality of death is often pushed from our consciousness. Life

gets moving so fast we cease reflection on the fact that life will come to an abrupt end one day. As sobering as it is, I need a constant reminder that mortality is just around the corner. Life is like a vapor. It appears for a little time then it is gone. Whatever I am going to do for the Lord Jesus needs to be now. 2 Health is a gift. In God’s sovereignty he chooses to allow some people to suffer physically. Others have little pain or disability. God’s grace is on display in both cases. I have returned to better physical condition than I was before the surgery. I am able to run three miles, three days each week. I lift weights and do specific

stretching on alternating days. Age brings its challenges, but many people are not able to do strenuous exercises. One day my health may not allow me to do these things. Every day with the strength to be physically active is a blessing. 3 God’s grace enables me to live each day in his power. When I was lying in the hospital bed, my total dependence was on God. This is true every day whether I’m facing a trial or whether I’m working at the office. The Holy Spirit’s presence should be something we sense continually. He is with us. He empowers us. He comforts us. When we are helpless, the Helper is there.

4Time is required to see results. The first month after surgery I was greatly limited in what I could do. I did have a walking regimen. Soon, I began walking on a treadmill and riding a stationary bike. It was well over six months after surgery before I even attempted to run. Eventually, I was able to do virtually whatever I wanted to do. God works on his timetable. In spiritual matters it is no different. We need to wait on God to show himself mighty in the situations of life. We are to do what we know he wants us to do and leave the rest to God’s timetable. 5 You can always learn lessons. We never get to the place where we know it all. We nev-

er arrive. We are always on a journey. An essential quality for spiritual vitality is to have a teachable spirit. Some lessons I have had to relearn. It is never pleasant to repeat a test, but God’s gracious favor has allowed me to enjoy his blessings even when I fail. Being in my 65th year is almost incomprehensible for me. I don’t consider myself an “old” man, but I suppose I am. If God gives me 20 more years, I want to be a lifelong learner. Join me in letting the Spirit of God take the Word of God and teach truth through the circumstances of life. We can then be the comfort and coach to those who embark on their own learning experiences.

Invest & Invite Juan Sanchez

Senior Pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin SBTC Recording Secretary

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ur heavenly Father glorifies himself by taking rebellious sinners and transforming them into spirit and truth worshipers (John 4:23-24), those who worship him based on the truth of who Jesus is. It is our joy and privilege, as Christians, to join the Father in the gathering of these genuine worshipers into the body of Christ. We must, therefore, take the gospel of Christ to unbelieving and unchurched family members, neighbors, co-workers, friends. But let me remind you of a simple, biblical pre-evangelism strategy that every church member should be participating in: “Invest & Invite.” Let’s do what no one else can do: invest YOUR time in YOUR unbelieving and unchurched family, friends, coworkers and neighbors; then

invite them to come to church with YOU. Notice that I said pre-evangelism. Simply investing time with unbelievers is not evangelism. Simply inviting them to church is not evangelism. Evangelism is declaring God’s message about his Son—God created everything good; we rebelled against God; we deserve God’s justice/wrath, but instead, he sent his beloved Son, Jesus, to live the righteous life he expects of everyone and to receive the penalty of death on behalf of sinners; and all who respond in repentance and faith receive forgiveness of their sins, inherit the promises of eternal life, and become spirit and truth worshipers of God. This is good news, indeed! I get it. Many of us struggle to share this good news with unbelievers. But if you’re a Christian, you should want to understand this gospel and work on knowing it in order to share it with those who do not know Christ. Pray that God may bring you opportunities to share this gospel.

Sure, this is a big step for many Christians. So, let’s start with baby steps. First, get to know your unbelieving family, neighbors, friends and co-workers. Invest time in their lives. Second, invite them to go to church with you on a Sunday. A study of the formerly unchurched by Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, shows that those who were closest to the unchurched were the most likely to reach them with the gospel. Of all relationships, family relationships proved the most pivotal. Rainer found that “of the different family members, wives were the most often mentioned as important in influencing the formerly unchurched to Christ and the church” (Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, 49). The same is true in other relationships. Christians who invest in the lives of unbelievers are in the best position to introduce their friends, neighbors and co-workers to Christ and the church. Many of the visitor cards we read each

SIMPLY INVESTING TIME WITH UNBELIEVERS IS NOT EVANGELISM. SIMPLY INVITING THEM TO CHURCH IS NOT EVANGELISM. EVANGELISM IS DECLARING GOD’S MESSAGE ABOUT HIS SON.

week at High Pointe in Austin are filled out by those who were invited to attend by a friend or family member. Invest in the lives of unbelieving and unchurched family members, neighbors, friends and co-workers. When you do, you will have opportunities to share Christ with them that others will likely never have. But don’t be afraid to invite your unbelieving, unchurched family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to come to church with you. You don’t need any special evangelistic training to invite people to church. In the same way that Andrew followed Christ, then invited his brother Simon Peter to come,

and in the same way that Philip followed Christ, then invited Nathanael to follow Christ (John 1:35-51), I want to encourage you to find those with whom you have relationships and invite them to come to church with you. Pastors, let’s be sure to pray, plan and prepare for worship gatherings that will honor God, exalt Christ and present the gospel. And let’s be sure to provide free gospel resources that our members can give to their unbelieving, unchurched guests. Together we can invest in the lives of unbelievers and invite them to come and see what God is doing at your church!

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Pastors say their churches are open to racial reconciliation sermons SURVEY:

BRIEFS ‘Bible Answer Man’ converts to Orthodox Christianity Hank Hanegraaff, the popular radio host known as the “Bible Answer Man,” converted from Protestantism to Orthodox Christianity in April. The 67-yearold Hanegraaff and his wife entered into Orthodox Christianity at St. Niktarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, N.C. Hanegraaff said on his radio show that nothing about his faith had changed. “People are posting this notion that somehow or other I’ve walked away from the faith and am no longer a Christian,” Hanegraaff said. “Look, my views have been codified in 20 books, and my views have not changed.” He and his wife had been attending the Orthodox church for more than two years, he said. His conversion was sparked with a trip to China, when he “saw Chinese Christians who were deeply in love with the Lord, and I learned that while they may not have had as much intellectual acumen or knowledge as I did, they had life.” “I’ve been impacted by the whole idea of knowing Jesus Christ, experiencing Jesus Christ, and partaking of the graces of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist or the Lord’s table,” he said. “Nothing has changed in my faith.” —Christianity Today

Southwestern Seminary launches Center for Early Christian Studies Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has launched a new center dedicated to the study of the ancient church—the Southwestern Center for Early Christian Studies (SCECS). A new website (EarlyChristianStudies.org), along with special lectures, patristic reading groups, regular graduate and postgraduate seminars, and a group of faculty and students dedicated to researching the early church will be features of the new initiative. “In recent years, evangelicalism and early Christianity have been intersecting in new and exciting ways,” said Stephen Presley, the center’s director and associate professor of church history at Southwestern. “Every month, it seems there are conferences surveying the

life and thought of the early church, seminars retrieving early Christian thought or new publications engaging the early Christian world. As an institution, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is uniquely positioned to have an important voice in these conversations,” he said. —Baptist Press

Princeton rescinds award for Tim Keller over conservative views One of America’s most popular Reformed preachers and authors is not eligible to receive Princeton Theological Seminary’s annual award in Reformed theology and public witness. The mainline seminary in late March reversed its decision to honor Tim Keller with a prize named for Abraham Kuyper following outcry over the pastor’s conservative positions. The positions on women and gay clergy within Keller’s denomination (Presbyterian Church of America) conflict with those of the seminary’s denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA). Princeton president Craig Barnes announced the news in a letter in late March. “In order to communicate that the invitation to speak at the upcoming conference does not imply an endorsement of the [PCA’s] views about ordination, we have agreed not to award the Kuyper Prize this year,” Barnes wrote. An earlier release from Princeton had called Keller “an innovative theologian and church leader” and a “catalyst for urban mission.” —Christianity Today

Pro-lifers charged with 15 felonies for undercover videos California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in late March announced 15 felony counts against two members of a pro-life group, charging them with illegally recording or conspiring to record confidential communications. David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt with the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood executives discussing their sale of fetal parts as well as their willingness to manipulate the abortion procedure to preserve organs for sale and use. The investigators also clandestinely recorded conversations with officials of fetal tissue procurement businesses that work with Planned Parenthood.

Ninety percent of pastors say their churches would welcome a sermon on racial reconciliation, according to a survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors by LifeWay Research. Seven percent disagree, while three percent aren’t sure. Forty-five percent have preached on racial reconciliation in the last three months, and few pastors have been criticized for speaking about race. Five percent say they’d received negative feedback for addressing racial reconciliation from the pulpit in the last two years. Eighty-four percent received no negative feedback. Ten percent haven’t spoken about the topic. “Most pastors appear to be taking a leadership role in encouraging racial reconciliation,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Nine in 10 pastors say they recently have done something to encourage racial reconciliation.” -- LifeWay Research

Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore decried the development. “Planned Parenthood has been exposed as a gruesome human trafficking operation that exploits women and communities,” said Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). “What we saw on those videos demands justice, not politically driven revenge on those who exposed the truth. Tom Brejcha, president of the Thomas More Society and a member of the defense team for the CMP investigators, said the efforts by Daleiden and Merritt advanced “First Amendment values and are clothed with the same constitutional protection that all investigative journalists deserve and must enjoy. Undercover journalism has been a vital tool in our politics and self-governance.”

Area (LGA), a survivor told Morning Star News. “The attack on our village occurred … while we were in the church,” the survivor, identified only as Ittah, said. “Our village head and one other person died, and many were injured. The sad thing is that these Fulanis have been attacking our communities, and no one is doing anything about it.” —Morning Star News

Former executive of Md./Del. convention sues NAMB A lawsuit filed by former Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware executive director Will McRaney alleges the North American Mission Board wrongly influenced his separation of employment from the BCMD in 2015. The suit also claims NAMB personnel engaged

in “slander and/or libel” of McRaney and attempted to interfere with his speaking engagements after he left the state convention. In response to the suit, NAMB told Baptist Press in written comments it “strongly denies Dr. McRaney’s allegations,” adding that “no one from NAMB has attempted or will attempt to interfere with Dr. McRaney’s ministry efforts, and we have not asked anyone else to do so.” The lawsuit was filed April 7 in Winston County, Miss., where McRaney claims he was “uninvited” to speak at a 2016 “missions symposium” due to “intentional interference by NAMB leaders.” The suit asks a county court to award unspecified punitive damages to McRaney stemming from “emotional distress” and economic loss. —Baptist Press

—Baptist Press

200 killed in Nigerian Christian communities

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS OF TEXAS CONVENTION

2017 EXHIBIT

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Armed attacks by Muslim Fulani herdsmen on predominantly Christian communities in the Nasarawa state of Nigeria this year have left more than 200 people dead and destroyed homes and farms, sources said. One such attack on a worship service on March 19 in the central Nigerian state’s Oshugu village killed two Christians and displaced hundreds from the Loko Development Area of the Nasarawa Local Government

Approved exhibitors at the SBTC Annual Meeting include (subject to available space) SBTC ministries, SBC agencies, SBTC ministry relationships (under the oversight of the Ministry Relationships Committee of the Executive Board), Baptist associational ministries, and any host church. All other entities desiring booth space must submit their request in writing to Joe Davis at the SBTC, prior to June 1, 2017. Entities or individuals may share exhibit space with approved exhibitors only with the approval of the Committee on Order of Business. Forprofit entities that have no formal relationship with the SBTC shall not be granted exhibit space. All exhibit material must be in agreement with the SBTC Constitution and Bylaws, which includes the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Fund raising or sales that do not conflict with SBTC priorities will be allowed in the exhibit area.

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SBTC MISSIONS DIRECTOR, MESQUITE PASTOR TALK RACE RELATIONS IN THE CHURCH By JC Davies TEXAN Correspondent

In light of ongoing racial tension throughout the state and nation, Caleb Turner, an associate pastor at Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church and SBTC missions director Shane Pruitt sat down to discuss the role of racial reconciliation in the church. When asked how the church should be engaging in this important issue, Turner said Christians should first begin by remembering the role Christ gave the church when he charged his early followers with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). “(Jesus) didn’t say, ‘go and make disciples that look like you.’ He didn’t say, ‘go and make disciples that you feel comfortable being around,’” Turner said. “Our purpose, our mission, and the underworking of everything that we’re doing is to go out and to bring others in, and I think the purpose of that becomes limited when we choose who we disciple and who we evangelize. The church first and foremost has to go back to the beginning and realize the importance of what Christ has laid out for us.”

Even in his lifetime, Turner said he can recall instances when he’s been the victim of prejudice as an African-American man. Both he and Pruitt agreed that Christians have to acknowledge that this present-day racism still exists in our communities and be willing to reach across the aisle to engage with fellow believers from different ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. “So often we are divided, even on Sunday mornings. … In order to really get the church going in the right direction, relationships have to be formed,” Turner said. Pruitt added that Christ followers should empathize with one another and remember the thing that connects them, rather than what divides. “If the church would see a common bond in grace and then walk in each other’s shoes, that would go a long way,” Pruitt said. The men also discussed how social media has shaped race relations in modern culture and how networking applications might be hindering the reconciliation process. Turner said ignorance is often to blame for social media posts that stir up

dissention, so he suggests taking a moment to evaluate how comments might be perceived by those of a different cultural perspective before posting them to Facebook or Twitter. Pruitt agreed, adding that everything Christians do should reflect their identity in Christ. “If we’re new creations then that means we must see everything as our creator sees it,” Pruitt said. “I need to post as though I’m a new creation. I need to tweet as though I’m a new creation. I need to blog as though I’m a new creation.”

Because of man’s brokenness, Turner said division between people will likely always exist, but for the believer, there is hope so Christians must constantly make an effort to improve in race relations. “It’s a process,” Turner said. “We all know that each and every day we’re going through our sanctification process, trying to be more and more like Christ. Ultimately, we’re not going to get it here on earth, but eventually we will get it.” To view the full conversation on racial reconciliation in the church, visit sbtexas.com/onlinetraining/racialreconciliation/767.

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pel. Patterson admitted initial hesitancy to naming the school after a person somewhat forgotten by many Southern Baptists today, but “the faithfulness and the example” Scarborough left made it the perfect decision. Scarborough, who grew up as a cowboy in West Texas, served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Abilene before joining the faculty of the then-fledgling Southwestern Seminary in 1908 as the first-ever chair of evangelism in a seminary. He was named the second president of the institution in 1914 and retired in 1942. Through his 34 years at Southwestern, his ambitious leadership and evangelistic zeal stabilized the seminary during the Great Depression and secured its future as a premier school for training preachers, evangelists and missionaries. Additionally, he led the Southern Baptist Convention’s “75 Million Campaign,” a convention-wide fundraising initiative that served as the forerunner to the Cooperative Program. “Lee Rutland Scarborough was a signpost and a beacon on the horizon of Texas. A rough cowhand who risked all to guide his herd, he brought to the presidency of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and eventually to the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention, the remarkable confluence of grit and grace that only a West Texas cowboy could model,” Patterson told the TEXAN. “Scarborough’s name for the College at Southwestern focuses the school on the West, on missions, on evangelism, on splendid educational preparation in the early Yale tradition, and on the importance of faithfulness to Baptist principles. The man who served as Southwestern’s president longer than any other is justly acknowledged and honored.” Patterson noted that the renaming comes at the appropriate time, as the school is near completion on the construction of Mathena Hall, which expects to open in the fall and will house offices and classrooms for Scarborough College as well as Southwestern’s Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. As part of the announcement, trustees were introduced to Scarborough College’s new logo, featuring an “S” that

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looks like a flame in the school’s colors of navy and gold, as well as the college’s mascot—the lion, which represents strength and courage. The new website scarboroughcollege.com was launched the same day. The college, which was established in 2005, will continue to offer programs in the humanities, biblical studies and music. Patterson explained the reasons for the founding of the college, saying they wanted to produce an academically tested student who can “read and write” as well as “stand on his feet and defend his position.” Patterson Center for Global Theological Innovation In addition to renaming the college, the school announced the naming of its initiative for restoring and strengthening Baptist seminaries and conventions around the world—the Patterson Center for Global Theological Innovation. The program, which launched in 2012 and currently encompasses 137 partnerships in 58 nations, sprang from President Paige Patterson’s desire to see conservative theological education preserved through connecting “champion churches” in the states with Baptist seminaries in other countries for the purpose of encouragement, support, leadership development and faculty training. For more information, visit swbts.edu/gti. Election of Officers Trustees elected new officers, including Kevin Ueckert, pastor of First Baptist Church in Georgetown, Texas, as chairman; David Maron, an attorney and member of First Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., as vice chairman; and Ronny Cooksey, pastor of Valley Baptist Church in McMinnville, Ore., as secretary. All nominations were unopposed and approved unanimously. Faculty Elections & Promotions Trustees elected the following to faculty: u Nathan Holsteen, professor of systematic theology in the School of Theology u Andrew Street, associate professor of biblical studies in the School of Theology u Matthew Harrison, assistant professor of foundations of education in the Terry School of Church and Family Ministries u Brad Heller, assistant professor of English in the J. Dalton Havard School for Theological Studies in Houston

SWBTS Vice President Charles Patrick announces the naming of the Patterson Center for Global Theological Innovation to trustees during their April meeting. PHOTO BY MATT MILLER/SWBTS

u Justin Hiester, assistant professor of missions in the College at Southwestern u Ethan Jones. assistant professor of Old Testament in the College at Southwestern u Brandon Kiesling, assistant professor of evangelism in the Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions Trustees approved the following faculty promotions: u Scott Aniol from assistant professor to associate professor of church music u Dongsun Cho from assistant professor to associate professor of systematic and historical theology u Paul Gould from assistant professor to associate professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics u Madison Grace from assistant professor to associate professor of Baptist history and theology u Dean Sieberhagen from assistant professor to associate professor of Islamic studies u John Laing from associate professor to professor of systematic theology and philosophy u Tom Keumsup Song from associate professor to professor of church music u Douglas A. Wood from associate professor to professor of education and worship Other Business u Trustees approved a balanced budget of $36,833,962, which represents a 2 percent reduction from last year’s budget. u Trustees approved graduates for

spring and summer graduation ceremonies. u Current vice chairman Kevin Ueckert reported on the executive board’s annual evaluation of the president, saying they “continue to affirm our support in the faithful leadership that Dr. Patterson is giving our seminary. … We are thankful God has given us a leader like Dr. Patterson as we consider this great calling the seminary is taking on to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” u Trustees heard a report from the business administration committee that the Southwestern Seminary Foundation, which manages approximately half of the school’s endowment, has seen an 11.7 percent increase over the past 12 months, an improvement of about $7.6 million. u Trustees authorized the vice president of business administration to sell five properties—one in Sherman, Texas, and four properties on Wayside Ave. in Fort Worth near the campus. The total value from the sale of the properties will be about $850,000. u Trustees heard a report from Vice President Charles Patrick on several new campaigns for marketing the school to prospective students, increased activity on the school’s social media channels, and a new website designed to help former students who did not complete their degree to return and graduate. The website is finishseminary.today, and scholarships are available.

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CROSSOVER By Tobin Perry Baptist Press PHOENIX The goal of this year’s Crossover is to “Engage Phoenix with the Gospel” through a partnership with Harvest America. North American Mission Board and Arizona Southern Baptist Convention leaders are praying for more than 5,000 salvation decisions through this summer’s Crossover activities prior to the 2017 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix. But for that to happen, they need the help of Southern Baptists to come and serve as volunteers, according to Eddy Pearson, evangelism director for the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention. This year’s Crossover efforts will center on a June 11 Harvest Crusade at University of Phoenix Stadium led by Greg Laurie. Leading up to that event, organizers need volunteers to help local churches conduct door-to-door visitation across Phoenix, engaging residents in

gospel conversations and extending personal invitations to attend the crusade. “We can’t do this if Southern Baptists don’t show up,” Pearson said. “We are not having the typical 50 or more block parties [for Crossover], but we are focusing on inviting the community to Harvest America and sharing the gospel as the Lord provides opportunities.” Pearson said they need 4,000 to 6,000 volunteers to fully staff the evangelistic outreach event. Many of those volunteers will come from Arizona churches—both Southern Baptist and other churches—but not all of them will. In addition to Friday night training and Saturday outreach, volunteers will participate in a variety of roles at the Harvest Crusade on Sunday evening, including decision follow-up workers, prayer support, security and ushers. Volunteers must sign up through the Harvest Crusade online portal (see below). Once they sign up, they will receive in-

structions for training in preparation for the crusade. Organizers hope more than 50,000 attendees will participate in the crusade. Pearson says Harvest Crusades typically see 8 to 10 percent of attendees make professions of faith. The crusade will be simulcast online and include a gospel message by Laurie and music by top-name Christian artists, including Needtobreathe, Trip Lee and Phil Wickham. More than 100 Southern Baptist seminary students will take part in on-the-ground evangelism in the area around the crusade the week prior to the event. Pearson hopes these students will invite 20,000 homes to the crusade during the week. “I think people see the great potential of this crusade,” said Joel Southerland, NAMB’s executive director of evangelism. “In years past we’d have 300, 400 or 500 people come to faith in Christ. With this crusade, we could have 4,000, 5,000 or 6,000 people come to faith in Christ.” Greg Laurie, who serves as

pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., has been leading Harvest Crusades since 1990. More than 5.7 million people have attended Harvest Crusades since that time. Those who come to faith through this summer’s crusade will be connected to local churches for follow up. Each participating local church will have a follow-up coordinator who will lead the congregation’s follow-up efforts. Every person who makes a commitment to Christ will be connected with a person to pray and follow up with them that night. They will receive a new believer’s Bible and a copy

of their commitment to Christ. Monty Patton, who serves as NAMB’s city missionary for Phoenix, says the spiritual need is significant in Phoenix. According to NAMB, only 12.6 percent of Phoenix residents are affiliated with evangelical churches. Patton says that new church plants in the central and west sides of the city are particularly excited about the potential of new believers coming into the congregations through the event. “Phoenix has not seen this kind of crusade or a gathering of like-minded churches since I’ve been here,” Patton said. “It’ll be great.” North Phoenix Baptist Church will host a “Day of Evangelism” on June 9 at 7 p.m. to help train Christians in evangelism and prepare them for the June 10 evangelistic blitz of the city preceding the next day’s crusade. For more information about Crossover and how you and your church can be involved, visit harvestamerica.com/crossoverevents.

Committee on Resolutions named for 2017 SBC By Baptist Press PHOENIX Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines has named the members of the Committee on Resolutions for the June 13-14 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix. Gaines, pastor of Memphisarea Bellevue Baptist Church, appointed the committee in keeping with the provision in SBC Bylaw 20 that its members be named 75 days prior to the start of the annual meeting. Gaines named Barrett Duke of Montana as committee chairman. Duke is the newly elected executive director of the Montana Southern Baptist

Convention and a member of Weems Creek Baptist Church in Annapolis, Md. The other committee members are Ken Alford of Valdosta, Ga.; Felix Cabrera of Oklahoma City; Linda Cooper of Bowling Green, Ky.; Jason Duesing of Kansas City; David Leavell of Millington, Tenn.; Matthew McKellar of Dallas; Jeffrey Riley of New Orleans; Rolland Slade of El Cajon, Calif.; and James Smith of Fredericksburg, Va. The committee’s composition, according to Bylaw 20, must include at least two members who served the previous year, with Cooper, Duesing, Slade and Smith meeting this require-

ment. Bylaw 20 also stipulates that the committee include at least three SBC Executive Committee members. This year they are Alford, Cooper and Slade. The committee’s composition, according to Bylaw 20, must include at least two members who served the previous year, with Cooper, Duesing, Slade and Smith meeting this requirement. Bylaw 20 also stipulates that the committee include at least three SBC Executive Committee members. This year they are Alford, Cooper and Slade. The procedure for submitting resolutions is as follows according to Bylaw 20: u Proposed resolutions may

be submitted as early as April 15 but no later than 15 days prior to the SBC annual meeting, giving the Resolutions Committee a two-week period in which to consider submissions. The committee also may propose resolutions for consideration during its deliberations. Resolutions may not be submitted during the annual meeting. u Proposed resolutions must be accompanied by a letter from a church qualified to send a messenger to the SBC annual meeting certifying that the individual submitting the resolution is a member in good standing. u Proposed resolutions preferably should be submitted by

email or mailed to the Committee on Resolutions in care of the SBC Executive Committee, 901 Commerce St., Nashville, TN 37203. The drafts must be typewritten, titled, dated and include complete contact information for the person and his or her church. u No person will be allowed to submit more than three resolutions per year. u If a properly submitted resolution is not forwarded by the Committee on Resolutions to the SBC annual meeting, a two-thirds vote of messengers would be required to bring the proposed resolution to the convention floor.

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KEY LEADERS LEND SUPPORT TO PASTORS’ CONFERENCE By Gary D. Myers NOBTS PHOENIX Celebrating smaller membership churches in the Southern Baptist Convention is a key aspect of this year’s Steve Gaines Pastors’ Conference. However, key leaders are calling for broad participation by pastors regardless of the size of their church. “The core of the SBC has always been faithful men and women living out the Johnny Hunt Great Commission in local churches without the benefits of large platforms, big budgets or headline recognition,” J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., noted. The Pastors’ Conference is slated June 11-12 prior to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, June 1314 in the Phoenix Convention Center. The conference’s theme, “Above Every Name,” is taken from Philippians 2:9. While the SBC has a number of large, prominent churches, nearly 90 percent of the convention’s 47,000 churches average 250 or less in worship, with pastors of smaller membership churches often underrepresented at events like the Pastors’ Conference.

This year will be different. An ethnically diverse group of speakers, all pastors of smaller to average-sized SBC churches, will share 12 expository messages from the book J.D. Greear of Philippians. Leaders like Greear are joining the effort to acknowledge and encourage the work of smaller membership churches throughout the SBC. Greear is joining current SBC president Fred Luter Steve Gaines as well as past SBC presidents Fred Luter and Johnny Hunt to promote attendance at the conference. Each of the men also will share a “common ground” testimony of how smaller membership churches shaped their lives and ministries. Luter will share his testimony during the Sunday evening session; Greear, Hunt and Gaines will share Monday morning, afternoon and evening, respectively. “I was reared in [a smaller membership church] and served my first eight years of pastoral ministry in churches of less than 400 in weekly attendance,” Greear said. “Everything essential I needed to know about ministry I learned there—the power of the gospel, the primacy of prayer and

the preeminence of Johnny Hunt arrived “The core of the the Word. as pastor. With about SBC has always been “I am excited to 200 members at the be with brothers time, the church was faithful men and and sisters from all a little larger than women living out the only across our conventhe average Southern tion in Phoenix this Baptist church. In fact, Great Commission June as we re-examduring his 40-year in local churches ine those core prinministry career, Hunt without the benefits ciples of ministry has pastored only four that do not change, of large platforms, big churches. All were whether we serve in smaller membership budgets or headline churches of 100 or churches when he 1,000,” Greear said. arrived (35, 37, 90 recognition.” Luter, pastor at and 200 members —J.D. GREEAR, PASTOR OF THE SUMMIT Franklin Avenue respectively). CHURCH IN RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. Baptist Church in “I’ve never really New Orleans, sees the gone to a large church, Pastors’ Conference but I have been part of as a way to encourage younger pastors. seeing each church become healthy and “I look forward to supporting and as a result grow,” Hunt said. “I look forhearing these young pastors from ward to sharing my story of pastoring a across the SBC,” Luter said in written small church that became vibrant.” comments to Baptist Press. “I encourage Contemporary hymn writers Keith & messengers from all over to attend, pray Kristyn Getty will lead worship through for and be inspired by the sermons and music at the Pastors’ Conference. For a the music.” complete list of speakers and more inLuter’s common ground testimony formation, visit sbcpc.net. will tell of his early ministry at Franklin Avenue. While the church has experienced exponential growth under Luter, it was an average-sized congregation with approximately 65 members, giving Luter firsthand knowledge of the challenges and joys of the smaller church pastorate. First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., was not a large church when By IMB Staff

IMB continues limitless challenge at SBC meeting

NAMB to highlight compassion ministry, church planting By NAMB Staff PHOENIX Pastors and others attending this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Phoenix will learn more about opportunities to engage their churches locally and throughout North America in com-

passion ministries as well as church planting efforts. The North American Mission Board will highlight these opportunities at its Monday luncheon, June 12, for pastors and as part of its presentation at the annual meeting Tuesday afternoon. In addition, pastors and other individuals can

become involved by visiting NAMB’s exhibit during the gathering. “We want to help Southern Baptists send the hope of Christ to North America,” said NAMB President Kevin Ezell. “We help churches do that through our Send Relief compassion ministries and through Send Network, our church planting network. It is all about bringing people into a relationship with Jesus.” On that Monday, “Send Hope” will be the theme for NAMB’s annual Send Luncheon at noon during the SBC Pastors’ Conference. Laurie is scheduled to be featured at the event, which will take place in Level 300, Room West 301A/B/C. Attendees must register for a free ticket in advance at namb.net/sendluncheon. Luncheon attendees will hear testimonies from people who have come to faith in Christ and learn more about NAMB resources that can help them lead their churches to be more evangelistically focused. NAMB’s presentation to messengers Tuesday afternoon, June 13, will feature the stories of several church planting missionaries and how God is working through their churches to reach people in tough places. The presentation will culminate with an invitation to pastors to commit their churches to pray for NAMB missionaries as part of a new prayer initiative.

PHOENIX During the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Phoenix, International Mission Board personnel will share how Southern Baptists can be a part of making disciples of all nations as God’s ordinary people empowered by his limitless power to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission. The SBC annual meeting June 13-14 also will feature a “Sending Celebration” as the IMB celebrates missionaries, along with their church families. Together they are answering God’s call to evangelize, disciple, plant, and multiply healthy churches, and train leaders among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God. Monday, June 12, IMB will host a dinner prior to the final session of the Pastors’ Conference. The dinner will be hosted in the Phoenix Convention Center, room 301 (A-C), and tickets can be picked up at the IMB booth. The Sending Celebration, scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, at 8:30 p.m. in the Phoenix Convention Center, will display how God has a place for every church—indeed, for every Christian—to be on mission with him. “Many Christians in Southern Baptist churches traditionally have seen global mission as a program in the church for a select few people who are called to that,” said IMB President David Platt. “Yet when we look at Scripture, we realize that global mission is not a program in the church for a few; global mission is the purpose of Christ for us all. Every single one of us has been created, called and commissioned to play a part in making disciples of all nations.”

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MEET AN SBTC CHURCH PLANTER NAME: Buddy Brents FAMILY: wife Melanie; daughter Ashley and her husband, Shane; son Adam; son Masuod (adopted from Iran); and daughter Avery. NAME OF CHURCH: Nations Church Houston CITY: Houston, TX WEBSITE: nationschurchhouston.org WHEN DID YOU PLANT THE CHURCH? We began planting our church in the summer of 2015. Our first official Sunday as a church was September 25, 2016. We began with 24 members from eight countries and three continents. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CITY/NEIGHBORHOOD TO PLANT? Houston is the most diverse city in America. There are over 350 people groups who live in this great city. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists

CHURCH POSITIONS PASTOR u FBC in Groesbeck is seeking a FT lead/senior pastor. Candidates may send their resumes to [email protected]. u Wylie BC in Abilene is seeking a FT senior pastor. We will be receiving resumes through May 7, 2017. We are a Southern Baptist Church located in the southern part of the city. Resident membership is 1,368 and Sunday school enrollment is 780. Seminary grad with a master’s degree and 10-20 years’ experience preferred. www.wbcabilene.org. Send resumes to tcarey@ wbcabilene.org. u Southside BC in Henderson is seeking a FT pastor for a mid-size SBTC church. Prefer seminary training from a Southern Baptist seminary. Send resume to [email protected] or to Rob Wells, 1928 Eastwood, Henderson, TX, 75652. u The Quarries Church, a ministry of Hyde Park BC in Austin, seeks a campus pastor. Responsibilities include all areas of discipleship, administration and volunteer recruiting and training. Send resume to Dr. J. Kie Bowman, Senior Pastor, Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3901 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751 or email to [email protected]. u FBC Bloomington is seeking a FT or bivocational pastor. Parsonage provided. Please send resumes to FBC Bloomington, PO Box 607, Bloomington, TX 77951. u Crescent Valley BC, a small community church in Victoria, is seeking a FT or bi-vocational pastor. Please send resumes to cvbcpastorsearch@gmail. com or mail to: CVBC Pastor Search Committee, 6679 ST HWY 185, Victoria, TX 77905. u Parkview BC in Littlefield is a small church seeking a FT or bi-vocational pastor. Parsonage and utilities furnished. Please submit resume to PBC, PO Box 667, Littlefield, TX 79339 or email to [email protected]. u Trinity BC in Vidor is currently seeking a FT or bi-vocational pastor. Please submit resume to [email protected] or mail to Trinity Baptist Church of Vidor, Attn: Pastor Search Committee, 2850 Hwy 12, Vidor, TX 77662. u FBC of Big Wells is seeking a FT or bivocational pastor. We are a Southern Baptist Church and applicants must adhere to the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message. Recently renovated church and parsonage. Please research area prior to submitting resume. Email resumes to: [email protected]. u FBC of Orchard is a church located about 40 miles west of Houston and has around 50

Antioch Awards

As Antioch Award recipients, these churches, in collaboration with the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention, served as a primary sponsoring church for a new church plant in 2016. Anderson Mill Baptist Church, Austin Baptist Temple, McAllen Caprock Church, Arlington The Church at Azle, Azle The Church in the Center, Houston CityView Church, Pearland Connection Community Church, Rowlett Covenant Community Church, Pearland CrossWalk Church, Round Rock Fallbrook Church, Houston Fairview Baptist Church, Sherman First Baptist Church, Keller First Baptist Church, Pflugerville Grace Baptist Fellowship, Celina Grace Community Church, Corpus Christi

and a host of other religions all have temples, mosques and places of worship throughout the city. The lostness is overwhelming at times but we know Jesus has a plan for this city. The Southwest part of Houston is home to the International District, and because this was our focus group, we knew we needed to plant churches in this part of the city. WHAT’S YOUR CHURCH’S GREATEST NEED? Our greatest need is for missionaries, church planters, interns and short-term volunteer teams who have a heart for the nations. The world is here in Houston, and you don’t have to travel far to take an international mission trip! We also need a Hispanic couple who will live and minister as a Serve Team in one of our apartment communities. This couple (or two good friends) would be part of our staff to reach Spanish speakers in Southwest Houston.

members. We are accepting resumes for a bi-vocational pastor who has graduated from or is currently enrolled in seminary. FBC Orchard affirms the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. Please submit resumes to Orchardbaptists@ gmail.com or mail to FBC Orchard, PO Box 114, Orchard, TX 77464. u View BC, small community church with good potential for growth, is seeking a bivocational pastor. Some pastoral experience preferred. Accepting resumes until May 31. Send resumes to View Baptist Church, Search Committee, 250 Boynton, Abilene, TX 79606 or [email protected]. MUSIC u FBC of Alva, OK, seeks a FT minister of music. Responsibilities include a blended Sunday morning worship, sanctuary choir, ensembles, various instrumentalists and children’s choir. Send resumes to [email protected] or [email protected]. u FBC Odessa is seeking a worship pastor to lead an established, dynamic worship ministry including a large choir, orchestra and praise teams for blended worship. Please send resume to First Baptist Church, 709 N Lee, Odessa, TX 79761 or email to [email protected]. u Calvary BC in Kaufman is seeking a PT worship leader. For more information, please contact Robert Webb at 214-769-4183 or pastor@ calvarykaufman.com. u The Quarries Church, a ministry of Hyde Park BC in Austin, seeks a PT worship pastor. Responsibilities include leading modern worship and worship band rehearsal. Send resume to Dr. J. Kie Bowman, Senior Pastor, Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3901 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751 or email to [email protected]. u Katy’s FBC is seeking a worship leader who will cultivate blended worship that is both authentic and engaging. This will include shepherding a 35-member choir and the incorporation of instrumentation (piano, guitar, drums, etc.). Candidate will be proficient with some type of instrument(s). Experience leading a choir is preferred but not necessary. Please send resumes to [email protected]. u Little Cypress Baptist Church in Orange is searching for a FT music minister. This job will also be a dual position depending on spiritual gifts. Resumes may be emailed to [email protected] COMBINATION u Farley Street BC in Waxahachie is seeking

Grace Fellowship, Dallas High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin Hillcrest Baptist Church, Cedar Hill The Journey Church on the Eastside, El Paso Kendall County Cowboy Church, Boerne Keystone Fellowship Church, Fort Worth Lebanon Baptist Church, Frisco Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Sandbranch, Seagoville New Life Deaf Fellowship, Fort Worth Primera Iglesia Bautista, Pflugerville Retama Park Baptist Church, Kingsville Stepping Stones Church Planting Ministry, McKinney Sweet Home Baptist Church, Round Rock Tate Springs Baptist Church, Arlington Timber Ridge Church, Stephenville Village Parkway Baptist Church, San Antonio Vista Church, Forney Wedgwood Baptist Church, Fort Worth

a FT worship & education pastor to lead an established choir, praise team including musicians for blended worship and oversee adult education programs. Must have a major or minor degree in music. Prefer 3-5 years’ of experience supervising choral/musical ministries. Salary TBD. Send resumes to [email protected]. u FBC Dumas is searching for a FT associate pastor/worship minister. Please send resumes to Jerry Howe, PO Box 617, Dumas,TX 79029. u FBC Eden is seeking an interim music & youth minister for a summer internship which may lead to a permanent position. Send cover letter, resume, and video links of leading worship to [email protected].

YOUTH u Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio is looking for a FT associate pastor of youth. You can submit a resume to the search committee at: [email protected]. u Calvary BC in Kaufman is seeking candidates for a youth ministry internship. For more information, please contact Robert Webb at 214-769-4183 or at [email protected]. OTHER u Frio River Baptist Association in Pearsall is currently accepting resumes for a FT director of missions. Please send resume and other information for consideration to [email protected].

JOB SEARCH FOR PRESIDENT OF TEXAS BAPTIST HOME The trustees of Texas Baptist Home are seeking applicants for the position of Home president. Resumes of potential candidates may be sent to Home HR contact Kelly Saunders at [email protected] or mailed to TBH, Attn: Kelly Saunders, P.O. Box 309, Waxahachie, TX 75168-9977. The duties of the Home president consist of supervising the Home employees and acting as a liaison between the Home and churches of the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. A complete list of the president’s duties and qualifications may be found on the Home’s website at www.tbhc.org. For more information, interested applicants may call the Home office at 972 937-1321. Deadline for submitting resumes for consideration is noon (CDST) on Friday, June 2, 2017. Texas Baptist Home is a fully licensed and accredited childcare agency, which was originally chartered in 1910. The Home is owned by the BMA of Texas and supported by the SBTC. The Home’s main campus is in Waxahachie, and a satellite branch is located in Bedford.

PAID CLASSIFIEDS u BEACH HOUSE RENTAL one block to Galveston seawall and Pleasure Pier. Great porch views of water and pier. Sleeps 6 up, 8 down, 2 full kitchens, 2 full baths. Call Karen at 409-370-7012. http:// www.rentalsbythepier.com/aqua-breeze.html. u MESSIAH’S RANCH CHRISTIAN CAMP, located near Bryan/College Station, will have a few very rare open weeks in the summer of 2018. We have 200 beds on 100 acres and are in high demand, as our facilities are unique. Dates will be grabbed quickly. Check us out at messiahsranch.org. u BOOK FOR SALE. “Why Country Church is Still Cool! The Miracle at Marion Continues.” Written by Butch Ikels, PO Box 421, Marion, Texas 78124. $10.00 + $2.95 shipping. u CUSTOM SCREEN-PRINTED T-SHIRTS FOR CHURCHES Great prices and free shipping across the state! Small and large orders welcome. Printed by Christian owned and operated business. Call Southeast Texas Printing Co. 409-622-2197. u JOB OPENING AT JACKSONVILLE COLLEGE - MATH INSTRUCTOR Job Description: Jacksonville College is seeking a full-time Math instructor for the fall semester of 2017. Teaching responsibilities include College Algebra, Statistics, Trigonometry, Calculus, and remedial Math. Instructors are also required to keep 10 office hours per week. Qualifications: Required qualifications include a master’s or doctoral degree or 18 graduate hours in the relevant field. Job related experience is preferred but not mandatory. Must possess effective verbal and written communications skills, as well as strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Computer proficiency is also required. Download an application form online at www.jacksonville-college.edu/contact by clicking on the Application Form link under Employment. Mail the form to Dr. Mike Smith, Jacksonville College, 105 B.J. Albritton Drive, Jacksonville, TX 75766. Applications may also be submitted via email to msmith@ jacksonville-college.edu. Include your resume and certified copies of your academic transcripts with your submission.

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STATE LEADERS DISCUSS CHURCH REVITALIZATION, REPLANTING By Keith Collier Managing Editor KANSAS CITY State convention leaders from across the country gathered at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City March 20-21 discuss and strategize for revitalizing plateaued and declining Southern Baptist churches. This marked the fourth year for the state revitalization network meeting, which is comprised of those engaged in church revitalization in their states. Gary Mathes, who leads church revitalization efforts for the Missouri Baptist Convention, told the TEXAN the goal of the meeting was to discuss “how we might be more effective in the work of helping struggling churches become vibrant, healthy, gospelcentric, kingdom-expanding congregations once again. To that end we share best practices in the work we do within our respective states, discuss common issues we all face, and collaborate on solutions we can offer to churches that call on us for help.” Mathes said one of the key matters addressed during the meeting was agreement on definitions for “revitalization” and “replanting” so leaders and churches are on the same page.

They defined church revitalization as “The supernatural work of God that restores health in a church, evidenced by submission to God’s Word, right relationships among members, and a renewed commitment to Great Commission ministry.” Their definition for church replanting is “The process in which members of a church discern God’s leadership to dissolve their current ministry and work with other churches or denominational bodies to begin a new church for a new season of ministry in their community.” The leadership team from the states are based on regions: Steve Rice of the Kentucky Baptist Convention (South), Randy Millwood of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (North), Gary Mathes of the Missouri Baptist Convention (Midwest), Darwin Meighan of the Nevada Baptist Convention (West), and Kenneth Priest of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (Southwest). “The group is a network of state conventions, but all of us have a heart to help the local church,” Priest said. “If what one state is doing can help another state, we want to be a part of that and share that process.” Rodney Harrison, dean of post-graduate studies at Mid-

western Seminary, served as the host representative for the meeting and led a plenary session on Charles Spurgeon’s strategy for church revitalization. “The conference reinforced the cooperative spirit of Southern Baptists as being open and willing to learn from one another with regard to how can we best help struggling churches,” Harrison told the TEXAN, adding that the meeting “demonstrates the [state] conventions not only care, [but] they have a plan to serve and support the local church.” Joining Harrison as presenters at the meeting were John Mark Yeats, dean of Midwestern College; Mark Clifton, senior director of the North American Mission Board’s replant team; as well as several state convention leaders and associational directors of missions. Clifton told the TEXAN he was “extremely encouraged” by the meeting because “state conventions are taking seriously the issue of declining and dying churches” and willing to work together. “At no time in our recent history has our overall convention been so focused on creating systems and strategies to rescue dying churches,” Clifton said. “More recently we spent a great deal of time creating systems and strate-

Midwestern Seminary professor Rodney Harrison leads a session on Charles Spurgeon’s strategy for church revitalization at a state convention leaders meeting on campus, March 20. PHOTO BY KENNETH PRIEST

gies to plant churches. And that’s well and good. But when the SBC plants 1,200 churches a year and closes 900 churches a year, the net gain is only 300 churches. That does not even come close to keeping up with the church-topopulation ratio.” Of those 900 churches that close each year, he said, “over 77 percent are in cities larger than 100,000 people. And the vast majority of those churches are older than 10 years of age. In other words, it’s not new church plants that were closing. Nor is it churches within communities

that are declining. The majority of churches that are closing are in communities that are growing and within our in our cities.” Clifton said NAMB has created resources to help churches and conventions, including books, training, video series, events, assessments, blogs and cohorts. Pastors and churches interested in more information about these resources can visit churchreplanters.com. For information on church revitalization resources in Texas, visit sbtexas.com/churchrevitalization.

Advisory council surveying young Baptist leaders By Diana Chandler Baptist Press ATLANTA A newly appointed advisory council is drafting recommendations to foster vibrant participation within Southern Baptist life among young leaders including pastors, denominational servants and others. The diverse 22-member Young Leaders Advisory Council, appointed by SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page, is conducting an online survey (www.surveymonkey. com/r/1bpress) of young leaders to help accomplish its goal. Ken Weathersby, SBC Executive Committee vice president for convention advancement, serves as EC liaison for the group, and is assisted by Ashley Clayton, SBC Executive Committee vice president for the Cooperative Program and stewardship development. “The council is working to provide concrete ways for young leaders to actively be involved in the life of the convention,” Weathersby said. “We want to know what steps we need to take to make sure their

voices are heard and that they are providing leadership in every aspect of the convention.” Assimilating new pastors into SBC life, explaining the Cooperative Program, and explaining the structure and functionality of the SBC in relation to regional associations and state conventions were among the top concerns voiced at the advisory council’s winter meeting Jan. 19–20 in Atlanta. There, the council heard comments from Page, Weathersby, and Clayton, and conducted roundtable discussions. Jordan Easley, pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn., chairs the council. The council hopes to complete its assignment this year and present a comprehensive report to Page. Other council members are Daniel Akins, pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala.; Devon Bartholomew, member, Northside Baptist Church, Syracuse, N.Y.; Davin Benavidez, pastor, Cross Point Church, Bonaire, Ga.; Victor Chayasirisobhon, pastor, First Southern Baptist Church, Anaheim, Calif.; Don-

Young Leaders Advisory Council chairman Jordan Easley (seated left) is joined by Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Frank S. Page (seated right), and other members of the council at its January meeting in Atlanta. SBC Executive Committee vice presidents Ken Weathersby (standing far right) and Ashley Clayton (standing far left) also attended. PHOTO BY ROGER S. OLDHAM

ald Choi, homeschooling director, Antioch Baptist Church, Boston, Mass.; Joshua Clayton, member, Travis Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; David Evans, evangelism strategist and interim leader of the Baptism Task Force of the Tennessee Baptist Convention; Barry Fields, pastor, Hawesville Baptist Church, Hawesville, Ky.; John Freeman, pastor, H2O University Church and City Church, Pittsburg, Pa.; Nick Floyd,

campus pastor, Cross Church, Fayetteville, Ark.; Noe Garcia, pastor, North Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix; John Green, pastor, Schindler Drive Baptist Church, Middleburg, Fla.; Steven Harris, director of advocacy, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; John Mark Harrison, pastor, Apex Baptist Church, Apex, N.C.; Andrew Hebert, pastor, Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas; Jeremy Roberts, pastor, Church of the

Highlands, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Adam Sewell, pastor, The Well Church, Pittsburg; Andrew Spradlin, executive pastor, Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield, Calif.; Walter Strickland II, theology instructor, special advisor to the president for diversity, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C.; Jean Ward, pastor of East Atlanta Church in Atlanta; and Michael Wood, pastor of First Baptist Church in West Monroe, La.

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CULTURE OF HOSPITALITY KEY TO EVANGELISTIC IMPACT, CHURCH PLANTER SAYS By Keith Collier Managing Editor LAS COLINAS If churches want to reach those far from God, they must cultivate a culture of hospitality, church planter Nic Burleson told a packed room of pastors and church members at a breakout session during the SBTC Empower Conference in February. “Hospitality is not one thing; it’s 100 little things,” Burleson said. “And it’s 100 little things in our churches that will de-

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termine if people far from God feel welcome and wanted. “Hospitality creates a culture where people can say yes to the gospel of Jesus.” Burleson planted Timber Ridge Church in Stephenville in 2011, and the church has grown exponentially to more than 1,000 in attendance each Sunday, filled mostly with college students and people in the community that many would have never expected to see darken the doors of a church. He explained that when most

R E V I E W S :

Novels expose readers to Christianity in Muslim contexts By Danette Seffens TEXAN Correspondent

Side by Side and Door to Freedom by Jana Kelley provide an insightful look at life and ministry in a predominantly Muslim country. Jana Kelley—Texan by birth, missionary by heart, and author because of the burden of a story needing to be told— leads the reader on a journey of heart-racing excitement and love inspired by real events. This fictional portrayal of life in the Sudan for a family of five from Texas allows readers to experience the day-in, day-out struggles of faith, family and work in a land foreign in more than location. The author weaves the hardships of housework in a land full of wind, dirt and heat with the emotional battles of a homesick mother and wife living far away from Texas, family and the comforts of home. Mia and her husband Michael move their family to the Sudan to be part of God's work while sharing their faith with Muslims. Mia struggles to adapt to the land, culture and most of all the lack of connection. The author openly explores Mia's doubts, struggles, challenges and victories, revealing a transparent look at life through a missionary’s eyes. Struggling with life to

the extent of checking prices for tickets back to Texas, Mia needs connection. At the same time, a young Muslim lady in the Sudan struggles in her own way. In Side by Side, as Mia struggles with life in the Sudan, Halimah, struggles with her faith in Islam. In Door to Freedom, Halimah's sister, Rania, seeks to find out why her sister disappeared from her life so quickly. Rania struggles with fear as Mia continues to fight the hardship of life in the Sudan with an increasing trust in God. Both books deliver insightful understanding of the neverending battle of a faith boldly lived. This insightful look at missionary life in a predominantly Muslim land will open eyes and hearts to be intentional in prayers for brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. The struggles of workers and seekers are heart wrenchingly portrayed in this fictional account that mirrors reality. A greater understanding of Islam is provided in a more winsome way than a textbook. A love for Muslims is created as the veil is lifted on life inside a Muslim home. The reality of daily struggles of the missionaries will create more effective prayer. You need these books … and the third one releasing this year.

non-Christians visit a church, they are asking, “Will I really feel welcome in this place?” Burleson said churches must move from evangelism as a program in the church to evangelism as the culture of the church. “If reaching people far from God is a program, it will always only involve the people who sign up to go on Monday night visits,” he said. “But if evangelism—reaching people far from God—is the culture of our church, it affects everything we do. It’s no longer a program, but it’s the heartbeat of our church. “When we create that culture, more and more people who are far from God come, and it’s messy … but lives are changed.” Burleson offered three principles for effective evangelistic hospitality, which guides Timber Ridge Church in their approach to reaching their community. First, he said, “words matter.” This involves avoiding “churchy” words because “the biggest tool for creating culture is language.” In sermons and Bible studies, he seeks to explain the Bible to people as if they had never read it. “Whose language are you using ... yours or theirs?” Burleson asked. “Are you using language that lost people understand?” Second, he said, they think of people as “guests,” not “visitors.”

“Guests [we] prepare for. Visitors stop by unexpected, and we’re not prepared for them,” Burleson said. For this reason, they seek every opportunity to honor their guests, such as a VIP room for firsttime guests where they can talk with the pastor after a worship service. In everything, Burleson wants to lead his church to remember that what is familiar to the regular church member is not familiar to guests. They consistently ask those new to the church what they see as needed changes in order to view the church through fresh eyes. Third, they measure what matters. While hospitality is everyone’s job, someone must be in charge of it. “If it’s everybody’s job, it becomes nobody’s job real quick,” he said. One simple tool they use is a guest survey through email or phone call for all first-time guests. The survey is brief and asks four simple questions: What was your overall impression? What did you like best? What did you notice first? How can we pray for you? “They don’t come back the second time because of the preaching, the music or the kids ministry,” Burelson said. “They come back the second time because they feel included and welcome.” “Hospitality is way bigger than putting out coffee and donuts; it’s about creating a culture where people belong.”

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WOMEN’S BRUNCH ENCOURAGES HOSPITALITY AS MEANS OF DISCIPLESHIP By JC Davies TEXAN Correspondent AUSTIN “Hospitality sets the stage for the great commission,” speaker Monica Carpenter told attendees at the Titus 2 Brunch at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, April 8. The brunch was one of an ongoing series of events through the church’s women’s ministry, emphasizing the importance of community and discipleship. A wife and mother of six from Fort Worth, Carpenter said she declared her life and her door open early on in her marriage, and over the years, God has faithfully brought many young women into her home. “If your door is open, your life is going to open, and if your life opens, you have just given yourself the opportunity to demonstrate and describe the

gospel to every single young woman that enters.” At the brunch, Carpenter spoke to a room full of women of all ages and life stages about what it looks like to use hospitality as a means of mentorship, drawing from the biblical model found in Titus 2:3-5. “Lest you think we don’t have a role in the church, your role is to protect the Word of God from being blasphemed. How? By pouring into younger women,” she said. The concept sounds simple, but too often, Carpenter said, culture has dictated our definition of hospitality, making it easy to get caught up in the details of a well-cooked meal or a perfectly clean house. “We feel the pressure of presenting things and performance. We need to just move on to a bigger and better picture,” she said. “Imagine being so in tune with what really

matters that we actually begin to think less about ourselves and how we appear to other people … and more about the gospel mission we’ve been called to.” As she lives a life of hospitality, Carpenter said she still sometimes struggles with how to balance her role as a mom with her role as a mentor. For others feeling this tension, she gives the same advice that her own mentor once gave her. “Keep your hand on the plow. You’re on your field. Keep your hand at that plow and just allow (other women) to step on the field with you and observe and watch you.” Even in her weaknesses and failures, or on her worst days, Carpenter said she has seen how God weaves beauty in her relationships when she allows people to truly enter into her life, the messiness and all.

Monica Carpenter explains how she uses hosptitality to disciple women during the Titus 2 Brunch at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin. PHOTO BY KIM HEAD

“Inviting a young woman in your life is not inviting them to observe perfection. Be vulnerable, open, willing to teach the truth, even if you fall short of it … be willing to be used for your weakness.” Ultimately, Carpenter said, the key is to remember Christ, who set the ultimate example of hospital-

ity by inviting strangers to come into a relationship with him. “The call to being a hospitable woman is nothing more than a call to unfold the gospel with your life actions in front of the women you’re dispcipling. If they become more devoted Christ followers, then you’ve succeeded.”

‘JESUS’ film, at 1,500 languages, reaches millions “She has not yet turned from darkness to light, but these JESUS ORLANDO, FLA. For one morn- film clips in her heart language, ing a week for quite some time, so easily shown to her on my both women had been nothing phone, are helping her along this journey,” Cantwell said. but consistent. Riah’s story is one of countRiah* had been faithfully less thousands that the Jesus working to help keep up the home of Yvonne Cantwell*, an Film Project celebrated as it IMB missionary in Southeast marked its 1,500th language Asia. And Cantwell had been translation in March, Josh faithfully sharing the gospel Newell, the Jesus Film Project’s and Bible stories with her as director of marketing and communications, told Baptist Press. they built a relationship. The latest translation—into “She is from a UPG [unreached people group],” Cantwell said. “I Daasanach, a language spoken by speak her national language but an ethnic group inhabiting parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan— not her heart language.” Riah was “friendly and open, is part of the project’s initiative but she stayed loyal to the re- to reach the world’s remaining ligion of her people,” Cantwell 865 language groups that have 50,000 or more speakers. said. It’s a “big milestone,” Newell Until one day, that is, when said—”a celebration of a partRiah came in talking about a radio program she had heard—one nership from Bible translators that talked about the lineage of to church planters to individuJesus—and Cantwell remem- als who use it throughout the bered she had the “JESUS” film world to reach people from farflung corners to city high rises.” app on her phone. Multiply those partnerships “While she was working, I searched the app and found across 1,500 languages and 37 they had short clips from the years, and “you just have to sit Jesus Film in so many languag- back and say, ‘God, You’re so es—including Riah’s heart lan- amazing,’“ he said. The Jesus film, based on the guage,” Cantwell said. “That day before she went home, I showed Gospel of Luke, was initiated by her ‘The Beginning’ clip. When the late Bill Bright, co-founder she first heard the words in her of Campus Crusade for Christ, language, she laughed in sur- who had a vision to show the prise and said, ‘They are from film in every country. About 2,000 theaters in the my home island.’“ Riah was captivated with the United States first aired the story of creation and the fall, of movie in 1979, and it wasn’t Abraham and the sacrifice and long before the Jesus Film Projthe prophets telling of the com- ect began to translate it into other languages. ing Messiah, Cantwell said.

By Grace Thornton

Since then, the film has been used to make 7.5 billion gospel presentations in 230 countries, with more than 490 million people indicating a decision for Christ after viewing it. It’s been retouched and repackaged a number of times along the way, Newell said. “Even in the beginning stages of translating it into other languages, we realized that there were some pieces that were very western even though it was shot on site in Israel and with a large cast of Jewish actors,” he said. So in the late 1990s, the Jesus Film Project began adapting it for different audiences, sometimes reshooting scenes or making adaptations such as adding in narration for children. From a technological standpoint, the film has moved across mediums from a 16mm projector to VHS to DVD to downloadable content, Newell said. A miniature SD card the size of a postage stamp can hold the movie in 16 languages. “The digital age allows us to shrink down our offerings into the size of your hand but also equips someone to share at the moment that the Holy Spirit prompts them,” he said. “It’s a great tool.” That’s what happened with Cantwell—she had the clips right there in her hand in the moment the Holy Spirit prompted her, said Michael Logan*, an IMB media strategist who has worked with field teams’ communication needs

A group of kids in South Asia watch a version of the “JESUS” film adapted for children. Since the film was first released in 1979, it has been reworked and adapted many times for different audiences in addition to being translated into 1,500 languages. PHOTO BY IMB

for more than 25 years. asking for seed to be sown and It’s so much more than a watered on the dry ground in piece of media, Logan said—it’s a the hearts of the people watch“partnership where IMB teams ing,” she said. “And even for the and those in the Jesus Film handful of believers who are Project share a common drive there who are newly convertfor reaching a lost world.” ed, I prayed that it strengthened It’s great for engaging people and fortified their faith.” like Riah, Logan said, but there Logan said this is a scene that are also “few things in the world has repeated itself countless more beautiful” than seeing a times over the past three delocal group watching it togeth- cades or so. er, hearing the story of Jesus for “The JESUS film continues to the first time. be a great evangelistic tool that Jordan Frankle*, an IMB mis- missionaries use hand in hand sionary in West Africa, said with their personal testimony that’s her story. and sharing of the gospel,” he “We showed the JESUS film said. “This film acts as a wonderrecently in a village that has no ful bridge into spiritual converelectricity, so we used a genera- sations that have helped transtor in a field,” she said. form thousands of lives over the The group of about 50 sang years.” for an hour and a half then For more information on the started the movie. “JESUS” film, visit jesusfilm.org. “I was praying the whole time while we were watching it, just *Names changed

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ADVANCE WEEKEND ‘INVALUABLE’ FOR CHURCH PLANTERS, REVITALIZERS By Erin Roach TEXAN Correspondent SAN ANTONIO Church planters and church revitalization pastors received training and refreshment free of charge at “Advance Weekend,” an annual retreat designed for their sharpening and funded through the Cooperative Program. Damien Williams, a church planter at The Word Community Church in Dallas, told the TEXAN his ministry has been impacted “because Cooperative Program dollars gave my wife and I the opportunity to participate in a weekend of being poured into while we escape the busyness of parenting, life and ministry.” Advance Weekend was March 30-April 1 at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio. Guest speakers included former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Ken Hemphill and his wife Paula, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Executive Director Jim Richards and his wife June, SBTC director of evangelism Nathan Lorick, and SBTC director of Hispanic ministries Mike Gonzales and his wife Dalia, among others. Church growth, leadership, evangelism and balancing church and family were some of the topics addressed at the retreat. Williams noted he and his wife could not have afforded a weekend getaway apart from this opportunity, and this

one included “practical and ministrychanging sessions.” “I will be able to immediately put things in place at our church that will be beneficial to us for years to come, and for that I’m grateful,” Williams said. “I would recommend that all SBTC church planters and their spouses attend Advance Weekend. It’s worth the time for the sake of our marriages and our churches.” Shane Pruitt, director of missions at the SBTC, told the TEXAN more than 250 people attended this year’s retreat, marking the largest turnout ever—and there was a waiting list. “On Thursday we want them to just come in, relax, spend time with each other, connect and network with other church planters and revitalizers,” Pruitt said. On Friday morning, participants chose from various breakout sessions. This year two tracks of breakouts were completely in Spanish, Pruitt said, and six were in English. A luncheon included Nic Burleson, pastor of Timber Ridge Church in Stephenville, Texas, and his wife Johanna speaking on finding the rhythm of family and ministry. On Friday afternoon, church revitalization pastors had a Q&A session with Hemphill. Friday evening was a banquet with Christian comedian Jason Earls, and on Saturday participants were encouraged to relax before heading back to their ministry fields.

SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards speaks to church planters and revitalizers and their wives during the Advance Weekend. PHOTO BY KENNETH PRIEST

“We just want them to recharge with their wives, to feel equipped, network with other planters and just have fun,” Pruitt said. “We feel if we can be a blessing to the pastor, the leader, then ultimately we can be a blessing to the church because they’re being sent back recharged and revamped.” John Herring, pastor of First Baptist Church in Prosper, Texas, called the retreat “a double blessing.” “During the weekend, we got to renew friendships and start new ones with people who are planting and revitalizing,” Herring told the TEXAN. “We shared our stories and learned from each other. That is invaluable.

“But on top of that, we also sat under the teaching of experienced leaders. My notebook was filled with implementation ideas sparked by their sessions. When you’re in the thick of ministry, it is hard to break away and get the bigger picture. That is the value of this weekend for me: time and space to prayerfully consider these important questions,” Herring said. Kenneth Priest, director of convention strategies at the SBTC, said they try to design the sessions to address current needs of church planters and revitalizers, and pastors are “able to be encouraged, be challenged, and go back into their mission fields with renewed effectiveness.”

Pray4Officials urges continued prayer for leaders at all levels By TEXAN Staff GRAPEVINE The Texas Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee has initiated a strategy to enlist churches and their members to pray for political leaders from the president to the local school board. The idea for Pray4Officials comes from 1 Timothy 2:1-2, which urges believers to pray for political leaders so that we might “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way,” ac-

cording to the introductory brochure. “The plan is to provide a sort of chaplaincy ministry for those God has placed in elected leadership over us,” said Gary Ledbetter, SBTC staff liaison to the TERLC. “The committee hopes that in some cases a church or individual can form a personal relationship with an elected official that God might use powerfully in his or her life.”

The Pray4Officials packet consists of a brochure explaining the plan, a response

card, a sample prayer list with contact information for some elected officials and a sample prayer card.

Interested churches or individuals can request a Pray4Officials packet by calling Gayla Sullivan at 817.552.2500 or email her at [email protected]. Follow the Twitter handle @pray4officials, which will include suggested prayer requests as participants learn of specific needs in the lives of elected officials. All these pieces may also be downloaded at sbtexas.com/terlc.