Baptist Press Stories for Mar. 20 2012 --------------------------------------- Q&A: Researcher Kara Powell on why teens leave the faith & what can be done about it http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37424 Fleeing Syrian refugees meet with God's love http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37425 Ex-Victoria's Secret model promotes Prov. 31 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37426 Thrift store bolsters church's multiple ministries http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37427 Ga. Baptists to explore property sale http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37428 Stetzer's 'Exchange' webcast now weekly http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37429 FIRST-PERSON: Do you know when you were saved? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37430 FIRST-PERSON: The Annual Church Profile - a story of cooperation http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37431 FROM THE STATES: La., Okla., Mo. evangelism/missions news http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37432 --------------------------------------- Q&A: Researcher Kara Powell on why teens leave the faith & what can be done about it By Michael Foust Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37424 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- A 2007 LifeWay Research study found that 70 percent of young adults who attended church in high school subsequently stopped attending church for at least a year during their college years. Perhaps just as alarming, only 20 percent of those who left the church had planned on doing so while in high school. For most, the decision was not considered far in advance. [IMG=32225@left@180]LifeWay's data is not unique. Surveys by Barna and Gallup have found similar dropout rates, leaving youth and teens experts wondering: What can be done? A new longitudinal study of 500 youth group graduates may provide some answers. Conducted by the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary, the study followed the graduates through their years in college or vocational school. The results are compiled in a book, "Sticky Faith: Everyday ideas to build lasting faith in your kids" (Zondervan). Some of the suggestions aren't surprising (for instance, the level of church involvement by parents plays a key role in a teen maintaining their faith walk). Other suggestions, though, may surprise Christian leaders. Baptist Press asked Sticky Faith co-author Kara E. Powell -- executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute -- about the research. Following is a transcript: BAPTIST PRESS: What do you mean by "sticky faith"? KARA POWELL: Sticky faith, in our context, is faith that lasts beyond high school -- a vibrant relationship with God as well as with the faith community. BP: Your book includes multiple reasons why teens leave the church when they move out or go off to college. What would you say are the top two or three? POWELL: Our research didn't rank reasons, so it's challenging for me to choose the top two or three from a research perspective. Having said that, as we've shared our research with students and gotten their feedback, the top two or three are, No. 1, their view of the Gospel is a very truncated view of the Gospel. It's very similar to what Dallas Willard calls the Gospel of sin management, where the Gospel has been distilled to a list of do's and don'ts. Part of what we need to do is reframe the Gospel as God's transforming us from the inside out. No. 2, as youth ministries become more professionalized -- which is a step I applaud on many levels -- it has become separated from the rest of the church. And so the typical youth group graduate leaves high school and they know their youth leader but they don't know the overall church, they don't know adults in that church. We've done ourselves a disservice by having youth ministries so silo-ized from the rest of the congregation. We need to create more inter-generational worship and relationships. And No. 3, their families are not vibrant hubs of faith. A lot of parents these days are what we call dry cleaner parents -- parents who think they can bring their kids all dirty to church Sunday morning, and then pick them up 75 minutes later all clean. A lot of parents are thinking they can outsource the spiritual formation of their kids to the church. And the reality is, the best combination is a family and church working in partnership for the long-term benefit of the faith of the child. BP: You say that teens who feel the freedom to express doubts about their faith tend to keep their faith. How can parents and churches help facilitate that? [IMG=32229@right@300]POWELL: Some of the parents and leaders who are most effective at engaging students in discussion about doubts share their own doubts -- they don't understand why God would allow this natural disaster or why God would allow a divorce in the family next door. As parents and leaders share their own big questions about God, that tends to create a climate where that's more OK. I think the other thing that comes to mind is for parents and leaders to be OK not having a definitive answer [to every question], because we can't understand everything about God. God is beyond our intellect and our ways. It's good for a parent or leader to say, "That's a good question and I don't know. Here's what I do know about God." BP: Would you say, though, that there are questions that do have legitimate answers, and teens just don't feel comfortable asking them? POWELL: Sure. Absolutely. There are some questions that we can, using Scripture and reason and the help of good apologists, we certainly can have well-reasoned answers for students. BP: In one chapter of the book you say that it benefits a teen's faith to have adult mentors other than their parents. How does that help? POWELL: As powerful as a parent is, there are just some life truths that a young person is going to absorb or hear better from somebody else other than their parent. The ideal is to form a constellation of caring adults around a kid, with other small group members, neighbors, church members, coaches, boy and girl scout leaders, teachers, etc., who are all caring for kids and praying for them and showing an interest in their life. In the book we tell a story that I love about Tony Dungy. He was trying to encourage his son, who was a high school student playing football, to have a bigger breakfast. Dungy told his son this week after week, and his son kept saying, "No, Dad, I'm OK." Well, finally the son starts eating breakfast, and he's making himself some toast and some eggs. Tony said, "I see you're making a bigger breakfast." And his son says, "Yeah, my coach at the high school said that I should." Here this son is living with an amazing NFL coach, but it's the high school coach down the street that he listens to about breakfast. God has designed us to live in community, and God has designed our families to live in community. So ideally we have multiple voices reinforcing the messages to our students. BP: How do parents have a role in choosing these mentors? POWELL: I think it depends on the age of your child. For younger children, you can be pretty strategic in whom you invite over to dinner or whom you invite to your kid's soccer game, etc. As kids get older, I think they need to be more involved in this process. Parents of teenagers can ask their kids, "What adults do you look up to? Whom would you want to spend time with? What adults do you like?" The kids answer those questions, and the parents have a mental list of adults to try to connect with. This is not something we need to keep secret from our kids. My kids are 11, 9 and 5, and I asked them, "Who were the adults you feel like you could go to for support?" Our kids had a great time listing off the friends and the neighbors and the family members and the church members. BP: How can churches that are located near churches help facilitate the transition from high school to college and help teens stay in their faith? POWELL: I think it's really simple things. If you see a college student who shows up at your church, introduce yourself to them. Find out if there's anything they need help with in their community -- do they have a way to do laundry? Have they found the right grocery store? Do they have a way to come back to church? -- because a lot of students don't have a car. An adult could offer to be a vocational mentor. If a college student walks into your church and you find out that she's studying to be an engineer, how wonderful would it be if you could pair her or introduce her to another adult in the church who is an engineer, and talk about how faith informs the engineering work they do? Vocation is a real avenue for connecting college students with specific adults. --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Fleeing Syrian refugees meet with God's love By Mark Kelly Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37425 ATHENS (BP) -- Ongoing violence in Syria is driving refugees across borders into neighboring countries, where many of them are being met by Southern Baptists' ministry partners with badly needed help and the love of Jesus. [IMG=32223@right@250]Thousands of Syrians have poured across the country's borders into Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, most of them families with small children, carrying few possessions, according to news reports. The United Nations recently put the death toll for a year of violence in Syria at more than 8,000. Abraham Shepherd, who with his wife Grace directs work in the Middle East for Baptist Global Response, is planning an assessment trip to determine how best to help refugees as the crisis intensifies. "Our BGR trained partners and project directors say the need is increasing," Shepherd said. "I'm planning a trip to the crisis zone to assess and plan the next phase of assistance and response as the crisis darkens and the plight of the people worsens." More than $165,000 has been disbursed from Southern Baptists' World Hunger Fund to assist partners in Lebanon and Syria in meeting refugee needs, Shepherd said. Already, hunger and relief funds have helped more than 12,000 people in at least 49 communities, providing food and hygiene supplies as well as temporary shelter, bedding, heaters and some medicine. The steady stream of displaced Syrians has spurred BGR and its partners to action throughout the Middle East, working on all Syrian border fronts to care for the fleeing refugees, Shepherd said. "The crisis throughout the Middle East has been labeled by mainstream media as 'the Arab Spring,' but to the average Arab in the Middle East, it's anything but spring," Shepherd said. "What they are experiencing is more devastation, disillusionment, fear and scarce basic necessities of life. "That is even more true of the minorities among them, like the Christian minority of the Middle East," he noted. Southern Baptist aid not only is helping the fleeing Syrians, but also Christians in neighboring countries by empowering them to be a blessing to their local communities -- "showing true Christianity in word and in deed," Shepherd added. "We are deeply grateful for the generosity Southern Baptists show when they give to hunger and relief needs," Shepherd said. "Your giving and your generosity, along with our trained responders, enable us to show God's love to the suffering Syrian people in their time of need." --30-- Mark Kelly writes for Baptist Global Response, on the Internet at www.gobgr.org. -- End of story -- Ex-Victoria's Secret model promotes Prov. 31 By Christina Darnell/WorldonCampus.com Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37426 WACO, Texas (BP) -- When Alex Eklund updated his Facebook status on Nov. 30, he had no idea it would make him a social media star. [IMG=32226@right@120]Eklund was studying in the Baylor University library when he noticed a theme among his friends' status updates. During the airing of the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show on CBS, girls posted updates like "I'm going to have to hit the gym after this" and "I'm going to starve myself for a week." Although Eklund assumed his friends didn't mean the statements seriously, they still made him uneasy. "There was an underlying sense of insecurity which I sensed throughout the entire thing," he said. On a whim, Eklund posted in response, "I'd rather have a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret model." Almost instantly, Eklund's post went viral. Both negative and positive comments piled up on his wall as friends, friends of friends and total strangers reposted his comment. During the next few days, Eklund discovered the power of social media to capture an audience, cultivate a following and spread a message. Some people, like Eklund, stumble on the social networks' ability to create overnight celebrities and scramble to make use of their instant audience. Others, like former Victoria's Secret model Kylie Bisutti, leverage their social media presence to help strengthen their brand. And sometimes, the two strategies overlap. Markus Pfeiffer, a digital media professor at Regent University, believes Eklund's message generated such a strong response because his post reflected a timely trend: "An unknown person or ministry can reach a very wide audience and get discovered, because of the viral capabilities -- because they are watching trends. A lot of stories are born within these tools." Less than 24 hours after posting his comment, Eklund realized he had struck a nerve. Leveraging the opportunity to capture so much attention, he and his friends produced a video to clarify and expand on his Facebook post. Within three days, the video had more than 120,000 hits on YouTube. "When so many people started looking at the page and talking about it, and different people reposted it as their status, it just kind of became a movement," Eklund said in the video. Along with four of his guy friends, Eklund founded the Live31 Movement, a group committed to redefining beauty. Just three months later, its Facebook page has more than 14,000 fans, and its Twitter account has more than 1,800 followers. "It's one of these really typical social media success stories," Pfeiffer said. "One individual had a vision or idea that could be propagated, and it struck a chord." Social media platforms allow individuals to monitor trends in an organic way, making it easier to offer material that people will respond to, Pfeiffer said: "In this case, [Eklund] understood this was a hot topic, and he was able to turn that into a ministry that got a lot of attention." Live31 generated so much buzz it soon caught the attention of Bisutti, winner of the 2009 Victoria's Secret Model Search. She had spent several years modeling lingerie for the company, but quit in 2011 because of her Christian faith. On Dec. 21, she tweeted Eklund: "I stopped being a Victoria's Secret Model to become a Proverbs 31 wife!" During a recent interview with Good Morning America, Bisutti said the realization that her career choices did not honor God came on gradually: "I just became so convicted about wanting to honor my husband with my body and wanting to be a role model for other women out there who look up to me." She decided to redirect her career to model more modest clothing and says she now chooses her jobs carefully. Michael Bartlemay, the first person to repost Eklund's original status and a member of Live31, was amazed at how much Bisutti's story meshed with their message. "We thought, 'This person is incredible, and we have to get her on board.'" Like Eklund, Bisutti wanted to spread a message. In part because of her prolific tweets, she soon found herself making the rounds of morning talk shows and evening news magazines and doing some free promotion for a fledgling ministry started by five college students. After Live31 reached out to her, Bisutti agreed to write a blog post for the group's website, detailing her story in her own words. In an interview with Inspired Women Magazine, Bisutti said she wanted to tell her story to young girls and show them that true beauty and self-worth comes from Christ. Pairing her message with Live31 helped her reach even more like-minded people. In February, fashion and religious blogs were buzzing about Bisutti, and the former Victoria's Secret model was telling her story on Fox News, Good Morning America, The Glenn Beck Program and CBS This Morning. Links to videos of Bisutti's national television interviews poured into Live31's Facebook page, generating even more momentum for Eklund's movement. The convergence of Bisutti's and Eklund's messages is a good example of social media's ability to level the playing field, giving users the potential to build a platform and allowing freer access between celebrities and individuals, Pfeiffer said: "That is part of the democratization of social media. Individuals have a lot more power and leverage that never really existed before, or that was more difficult. Individuals with the right message can reach a large audience and influence ethical issues." Bisutti has continued to promote and retweet material for Live31 to her 7,000 followers. "Their message is so biblical and Christ-centered, and it is exactly what I'm striving to be," she said. "I love every bit of their message, and it all resonates with what I believe," she told World on Campus in an e-mail interview. Bisutti, who receives numerous tweets a day from followers thanking her for being their role model, praised social networks for giving her the opportunity to spread her message: "God's telling my story using social media and I'm grateful to be a part of it. I think it's reached a lot more people through this outlet, but nothing is too big for God." Eklund and his friends are developing a series of videos on the Live31 website and plan to continue leveraging social media to spread their message. "It is our platform at the moment," Bartlemay said. "It's not just on the Baylor campus; it's not just Texas. Our best way to be able to contact people is social media." Eklund agreed: "Social media is what we are." --30-- Christina Darnell writes for WorldonCampus.com, where this story first appeared. -- End of story -- Thrift store bolsters church's multiple ministries By Carolyn Nichols/Florida Baptist Witness Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37427 LEESBURG, Fla. (BP) -- A central Florida church has expanded its thrift store to an empty downtown building to better offset costs entailed in its ministry to needy people. "Some good things come from an economic downturn, and this is one of them," executive pastor Art Ayris said. [IMG=32224@left@180]For several years, First Baptist Church in Leesburg operated a small thrift store about a half-mile from its campus. After a nearby furniture store closed and remained empty for a while, it became available for lease/purchase. The church leaped at the chance to move its thrift store to a larger, more visible location on four-lane North Boulevard in Leesburg, a city of 20,000 people. The 20,000-square-foot building needed some work, so volunteers -- including some residents of the church's men's facility -- painted the interior and built a loading ramp while a new parking lot was paved. Now the facility is "a primo place," Ayris said. "It is an extraordinary store that our business and sales volunteers have put together. It is a self-starting and self-sustaining business now," he said. Ayris estimated that sales of items ranging in price from 25 cents to $300 would reach about $500,000 in 2011. The store provides about $15,000 monthly to First Baptist's Christian Care Center after expenses, he said. The center, which includes a benevolence ministry, residences for men, women and families, a medical care facility and a pregnancy center "takes a good bit of money to operate," Ayris said. "Income from the store takes huge pressure off the Care Center budget. Without it, we would be looking to cut out some of the ministries," he said. Assistant manager Gary Gray said the thrift store "operates like a department store. I feel like we are a niche thrift store because everything is displayed so tastefully." He especially credits the work and expertise of three volunteers: Anna Lee, who has "antiqued about 50 years" and designs the boutique area; Howard Jennings, a former business owner who advises on retail sales; and Helena Kaiewe who trains and coordinates the volunteers. Volunteers not only staff the sales floor and cash registers but also sort donated items in a rear warehouse. The store truck makes 12-15 collection runs a day. Leesburg homeowners often donate leftover items from their garage sales, while senior adults also donate unneeded furniture when they move to assisted living facilities. Recruiting volunteers is a constant activity for the store. With 15 needed daily to run the store that is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., six days a week, it remains "a challenge," Gray said, noting that he moves volunteers to where they are needed. "We make it work," he said. Gray said he welcomes the arrival of the area's "winter people" who will not only increase sales but also swell the ranks of volunteers. Among the current store volunteers are Richard and Joan Earnest who work on Wednesdays, with Richard on the sales floor and Joan sorting through donations. "On most days, the work reminds me of ants building a mound," Richard Earnest said. "Everybody has a job to do and we're all busy doing it." The Earnests recently donated a glass-top dining room table to the store, he said, making a "win-win proposition for all involved." "We got rid of something we didn't need, and the Care Center got money from it," he said. "I tell you, this is something every church could benefit from doing." In addition to many pieces of furniture, the thrift store also has exercise equipment for sale, along with bicycles, appliances, electronics, pianos, an organ, linens, clothing and shoes. Joan Earnest said the store is a meaningful way to be involved in serving the Lord, meeting people and witnessing, with Richard describing the sales job as perfect for him. A retired salesman with Snap-On-Tools, he said he loves talking to the customers. "The Lord gave me a gift of gab, and my heart is in evangelism," he told the Florida Baptist Witness. Earnest, 73, told of witnessing to a 20-something tattooed couple shopping for furniture and a Filipino man involved in Mormonism. Although none made professions of faith, he said he was pleased to be able to share Jesus and information about First Baptist Church with them. "We are not just selling furniture, we are sowing the seeds of the Gospel," he said. --30-- Carolyn Nichols writes for the Florida Baptist Witness (www.goFBW.com). -- End of story -- Ga. Baptists to explore property sale By Joe Westbury/The Christian Index Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37428 DULUTH, Ga. (BP) -- The Georgia Baptist Convention's Executive Committee has voted to entertain any valid offers for a potential sale of its six-year-old Baptist Missions and Ministry Center and 43 acres of property. GBC Executive Director J. Robert White, citing interest from realtors and private entities in recent years, made the recommendation to the Executive Committee during its mid-March meeting. The committee's consensus vote permits White to schedule exploratory site visits with potential buyers. At-large board member Larry Wynn of Dacula made the motion to accept White's suggestion. White later told The Christian Index, the convention's newsjournal, that the building is not being listed for sale. [IMG=32227@left@250]"The building and its location speaks for itself so we have no reason to list it," White said. "The property is highly desirable and grows with interest on a regular basis." The 43 acres of prime real estate across from the massive Gwinnett Arena sports and entertainment complex and the Chamber of Commerce on Sugarloaf Parkway has been a key factor in the site's popularity. The arena, which includes the Gwinnett Convention Center, draws upwards of a million visitors a year to sports events, concerts and other events. "We are not bankrupt and we are up to date on all our financial obligations," White emphasized to head off any speculation regarding the recommendation. Since the 2008 recession, the state convention has trimmed its budget by $11.8 million, or 22.56 percent. Staffing levels in the building, which peaked at 133 just three years ago, have been cut to 103. The latest round of cutbacks occurred in late January when 18 positions were eliminated statewide. But the latest financial figures released at the GBC Executive Committee meeting March 13 show that, so far this year, income is up sharply for the period ending Feb. 29. The convention is showing an increase of $802,853 or 16.52 percent from the same period in 2011, which posted a decrease of $756,292 or 13.46 percent. White said criticism of the building also led him to consider making the request of the Executive Committee, though it was not the driving factor. He said he knew the building had become a hindrance to some and did not want that to be a roadblock toward cooperation. Wynn agreed, telling The Index that "it is not where you do ministry but how you do ministry. Our mission is always more important than a building. "In Hebrews we read that we should 'lay down every weight' that holds us down, that becomes a hindrance to our running the race," Wynn said. "I feel that Dr. White's heart is in the right place in keeping missions central to what Georgia Baptists are all about." In discussing what would happen if the property is sold, White said "a significant amount of office space [is available] in our immediate area at a reasonable price that we could purchase or rent, or we could even move into a renovated big box store like an old Walmart. "We can do our work anywhere, even in a field with a tent. But I can't help but be impressed by the number of people who continue to express an interest in our property. "It may be God's will for us to just be here for a season, or it could be longer if He doesn't send a valid offer," White said. "Until then, we can only assume this is where He wants us to be." If Georgia Baptists decided to sell the property, White said it would not be at "fire sale prices. God has given us a treasure here and we will fully protect the convention's interest in the property. We will wait for the best possible offer." White said Georgia Baptists constructed the building for $43.5 million and owe $26 million on the property. "We are not interested in taking $43,499,000 as a purchase price," White said. Any acceptable offer, he said, would have to include a generous premium to recoup any relocation costs that a move would incur. "It is very difficult to find 43 acres like this in the heart of Gwinnett in such a desirable location, and that is what is driving much of the interest in this property," White said. White told Executive Committee members that every phase of the process to relocate from its former Flowers Road location was approved by the convention in annual session. The relocation committee looked at nearly 200 different pieces of property before settling on the Sugarloaf Parkway site, which had to be cobbled together from several different tracts. --30-- Joe Westbury is managing editor of The Christian Index (www.christianindex.org), newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- Stetzer's 'Exchange' webcast now weekly By Staff Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37429 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- The Exchange, a free webcast for pastors and church leaders hosted by Ed Stetzer, now airs weekly. [IMGONLY=32228@left@250]"A weekly program will provide our audience with more information," said Stetzer, vice president of research and ministry development at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and author of numerous books on a range of topics relating to church and culture. The Exchange now airs every Tuesday at 3 p.m. (EST) at LifeWay.com/TheExchange. The Exchange, begun two years ago, has broadcast monthly to viewers in all 50 states and more than 24 countries. Topics have included discipleship, worship, Bible translations, church planting, church revitalization and multi-ethnic ministry. Stetzer hopes a weekly webcast will broaden the audience and the content, including interviews of guests from around the world and audience questions via Twitter and chat. In launching The Exchange, Stetzer said, "My thought was to put together some topic-driven online conversations that could help pastors. So if someone asks, 'How do I help lead my church through revitalization?' we can say, 'We've archived a 30-minute resource on that.'" "I hope we can help pastors and church leaders be more effective in their mission and ministry endeavors, to grow in leadership and also to think through issues from a theological perspective," Stetzer said. "At the end of the day it is our desire that leaders and churches would be more faithful and effective at what they do so that the name and fame of Jesus would be more widely known." For more information about The Exchange with Ed Stetzer, visit LifeWay.com/TheExchange or EdStetzer.com. --30-- Reported by the communications office of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Do you know when you were saved? By Russell D. Moore Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37430 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Oct. 27 is an important date for me. On that day, many years ago, I was a young kid walking alone under a starry sky in my hometown of Biloxi, Miss. I was grappling with who I was and what my life would mean. And there, looking up into the vault of space up there overhead, I trusted a Stranger in the Night to forgive me, and to take me wherever He wanted. The Gospel wasn't new to me, and the teachings of Jesus weren't new to me. Years and years of Sunday School and Baptist Training Union and Vacation Bible Schools were all back there. But, somehow, I just knew at that moment that the central point of all those things was true: the Gospel. It was as though I heard a voice. The reason I write this is because my story isn't at all typical of most Christians I know, and many kind of feel guilty about that. Many believe if they really have embraced the Gospel, they ought to have a moment, a date, they can point to as the instant they passed from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Sometimes our churches reinforce this misunderstanding. Preachers talk about assurance of salvation as though it were about remembering a past experience, and doing a mental autopsy on the sincerity of that. The people we allow to give testimonies in our churches and in our publications all seem to have a dramatic tale to tell. That's not what the Gospel is about. In our culture, we make a big-to-do about birthdays. Other cultures don't. I could ask you right now, "When were you born" and you could probably tell me month, date and year. But how do you know that? It's because there were people there, usually your parents, who could tell you that information. You don't remember emerging from the birth canal (and that's probably a very good thing). Other people, in other cultures at other times, don't recognize dates but seasons. They might not know what day on the weekly calendar or what year in the solar calendar they were born. But do they then question whether they are alive? Of course not. How do you know if you were in fact born? You look to see if you're alive ... now. It's no accident that Jesus compares entrance into the Kingdom of God to physical birth. There is a kind of helplessness that we experience in the biology and history of our births. No one can boast about an easy delivery. No one should feel guilty about prompting a Caesarean section. The important thing is that you're here. The same is true for the Gospel. Some of you were brought to Christ suddenly and dramatically. Your past life as a prostitute or a drunk or a warlord gave way to a radically different direction as a disciple. In that, your situation is quite similar to the Apostle Paul's. Others of you, though saved just as truly in some point in time, aren't able to identify that time. Your memory is of a slow realization of the Gospel, and you can't necessarily pinpoint when you were converted in that time frame. Your situation sounds more like that of Paul's disciple Timothy. The point of the Gospel isn't celebrating an experience; it's believing a Man who is your crucified, resurrected, reigning Life. It's important to mark dates as ways of prompting thanksgiving. If you know when you met Jesus, set up an Ebenezer of remembrance in your mind and be grateful. If not, be thankful for life in Christ and mark other dates when He showed himself real and faithful to you. The crucial matter isn't whether you remember when the Shepherd pulled you out of the thorn bushes. Maybe you were barely conscious. The critical thing is whether you hear His Voice, maybe somewhere out there in the dark in front of you, calling you forward, right now. --30-- Russell D. Moore is dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. This column first appeared at www.russellmoore.com. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: The Annual Church Profile - a story of cooperation By Ed Stetzer Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37431 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Numbers are neither the reason the Southern Baptist Convention exists nor the best thing we do together. However, the Annual Church Profile (ACP) process exhibits the voluntary cooperation between local churches, associations, state conventions and the national entities. Therefore, the participation rate among churches each year is an indication of our level of cooperation. Unfortunately, the indicators of cooperation are not heading in the right direction. Last year, the ACP participation rate was the lowest ever recorded, and the national totals were reported later than ever before because of a delay in reporting. And the 2011 national statistics, which LifeWay will report in April, will include fewer common items than any previous year. These changes may be an indication that some churches no longer value their connection to the SBC, but I am guessing it is because many do not see how important the ACP is. The most basic product of the ACP is an annual list of who we are as a group of churches who voluntarily cooperate with each other. I recall in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, local associations and state conventions, with the support of national entities, were able to check on every Southern Baptist church in the affected areas. The value of our cooperation was never more evident than when we saw independent churches with no one coming to their aid or even knowing to check on them in those first critical days. The second primary benefit the ACP provides is statistical measures and benchmarks. Facts are our friends, and they help us hold ourselves accountable. Accurate measurement says something about the church, the association, the state convention, and the SBC as a whole. Clearly the items reported on the ACP do not measure everything that matters in a church, but it is hard to argue that the types of information requested don't matter. In fact, most churches already compile the requested statistics for their own use. Every week SBC churches are counting attendance and offerings. Every month they are checking their membership totals. And, each year most churches note their VBS attendance and missions participation. I am aware some pastors question why they should share their church's information with the convention. But, I am also aware that what we measure points to what we value. If we want SBC churches to grow, want new SBC churches to be added, want more individuals to be involved in Bible study and missions, and want churches to cooperate in Great Commission giving, we should be willing to measure our progress. For 2011, a list of 14 common items was requested from every state convention. Common items worded the same in every state allow these statistics to be combined as national totals. Some states also ask supplemental questions based on the needs of their state convention. Unfortunately, every state did not ask all of the 14 common items in 2011, so the national totals will include additional calculations and footnotes where the item cannot be determined for the entire SBC. Over the next few weeks many validation checks will occur on data from each state convention, looking for items that appear to be a mistake or inconsistent. LifeWay notifies each state convention of items that need to be checked and even prioritizes the oddities to ensure those that would most impact national totals are addressed first. The later the data is received, the less time is available for validation and follow-up. In most cases this checking involves the state convention contacting the local church or association to make sure information is correct. This is not always easy, but timely trouble-shooting by the state conventions makes for more accurate data and allows national totals to be reported on time. When one group is late the entire process must wait. When LifeWay reports the 2011 statistics next month, we will no doubt highlight which numbers have increased and which have decreased. But don't miss the other story in these numbers -- the story of cooperation. Each number is a symbol of our cooperation, each total a sum of our unity. So, pastor, please lead your church to report in 2012. State convention leaders, please lead your convention to report in a timely and common fashion (for 2011 and 2012) so that we can report these numbers sooner -- and better -- to more effectively serve us all. And, thanks for the opportunity to cooperate with you each year in this process. --30-- Ed Stetzer is vice president of research and ministry development at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. LifeWay Research coordinates the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Church Profile reporting system. -- End of story -- FROM THE STATES: La., Okla., Mo. evangelism/missions news By Staff Mar. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37432 EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. Today's From the States features items from: Baptist Message (Louisiana) The Baptist Messenger (Oklahoma) The Pathway (Missouri) Wave of Prayer washes across state By Karen L. Willoughby ALEXANDRIA, La. (Baptist Message) -- Prayer by Louisiana Southern Baptists is to take place at each of the courthouses in Louisiana's 64 parishes during the months of March and April. Church members gathered at 15 parishes for prayer during the first week of March alone, led by David Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, with other members of the LBC staff and the local associational director of missions. "I pray this will spread like wildfire," said James Carson, DOM for the Caldwell, Deer Creek and Richland Baptist associations, during prayer at the Caldwell Parish Courthouse in Columbia on March 8. "We do pray for spiritual awakening to start in our hearts, through our churches, to all Christians, as we … continue to confess and ask for cleansing in our hearts." About 30 people participated in each of first week's prayer vigils. That number is expected to grow. The concept is that as a wave of prayer washes across Louisiana, it will gain momentum, resulting in more prayer, more fervency, and more power as the Holy Spirit unleashes a spiritual awakening, LBC leaders said. Hankins is so committed to this, he said, that he plans to participate in each one of the parish prayer vigils, which are to culminate Sunday afternoon, April 29, on the steps of the state capitol in Baton Rouge. Gov. Bobby Jindal has been invited to that prayer event. In physics, a wave -– simply stated –- is a disturbance that transfers energy. The parish-by-parish Wave of Prayer is one aspect of a concerted effort to set the stage for a God-sent spiritual awakening as Southern Baptists celebrate 200 years of ministry in Louisiana, and 200 years of Louisiana statehood. More than 500 churches already have participated in 21 days of prayer and fasting. (See related article on page 13 of this issue of the Baptist Message.) Other churches plan to do the same between now and Easter, and still others, later in the year. Some of the 500 initial churches have indicated they plan to have another 21 days of prayer and fasting in early 2013. "It's Time ... to Awaken" is the over-arching theme for each of the major LBC events of the year. "We cannot program, plan, or demand spiritual awakening," according to the www.lbc.org/awaken website. "However, we can prepare for it, pray for it, and plead with God to send it." The website lists four ways to engage with the "It's Time to Awaken" emphasis: -- 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting: Commit your church and yourself to participate in 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Suggested dates are 21 prior to Easter (March 19-April 8), or after Easter (April 9-April 29) but any time that works for your church calendar is fine. You can find resources at www.LBC.org/Awaken/21Days -- Commit to focus on the need for spiritual awakening by delivering a God-inspired message to your congregation on this subject. -- Celebrate what God has done in 200 years of ministry in Louisiana on Sunday, April 29. -- Participate in various opportunities during the year to focus on the need for spiritual awakening. To those who ask why they should participate in Awaken, "200 years ago Baptists heard the voice of God in a new and fresh way that called them to Louisiana," according to the website. "Like most things God does, it started small and grew by the power of His Spirit into what is today over 500,000 Southern Baptists worshipping in 1,600 churches "However, during this 200 years of ministry in Louisiana there has never been a spiritual awakening, a movement of God that sweeps across the state changing the lives of people, churches and ultimately the culture. "Imagine what could happen if more than a half-a-million people, young and old, men and women of all races in Louisiana humbled themselves before the face of Almighty God? What if they gave themselves to a Spirit-led shift in priority that put His will above their own? The explosion of Godly passion would change Louisiana – and the world – It's Time!" Truck driver Michael Lincecum, a member of First Baptist Church of Columbia, participated in the March 8 prayer vigil at the Caldwell Parish Courthouse because, he said, he sees the need for prayer. "We've got so much stuff going on in our country," Lincecum said. "It's time for change. Let God do it." --30-- This article originally appeared in the Baptist Message (baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Karen Willoughby is managing editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message. ********** Missions foremost on mind of Concord-Kiowa Association By Dana Williamson CORDELL, Okla. (The Baptist Messenger) -- Carl Thionnet says he'd rather do five things top notch than do 15 average. That's why when he became director of missions in Concord-Kiowa Baptist Association some 20 years ago, he stopped having meetings "just to have meetings." "They were having meetings of all kinds all the time, and only a handful of people showed up," Thionnet recalled. "I believe meetings should benefit and enhance what we're doing as churches and as an association. I don't think we should do the Lord's work in an average way. We should give it everything we've got." Thionnet said one of the best thing the association does is camp, participating in Southwest Oklahoma Baptist Church Camp. "I read a statistic a few years ago that blew me away," said Thionnet. "Between 70 and 75 percent of all of our baptisms come from church camps, revivals or Vacation Bible Schools. That begs the question, what do we do the rest of the time." Thionnet added that perhaps we have come to depend on these things for baptisms rather than building on them. "Serving the Lord is not a two-, three- or four-time thing each year," he said. "It's all the time. It should be foremost in our thinking." In Concord-Kiowa, the rest of the time is filled with evangelism and mission projects. "We have an annual evangelism dinner to bring in people whose ministry has been centered on evangelism to give encouragement, ideas and help to our pastors and staff," he said. The association also sponsors "The Call," a western Oklahoma youth event, modeled after the state Youth Evangelism Conference. "A lot of our churches aren't able to go to YEC because of a lack of sponsors and so forth," Thionnet said. "So we have a mini YEC each October that draws around 500-600 youth. We try to make it as good as what they will hear at YEC, sometimes with the same speakers and musicians." See You At The Pole in September is also a big event for youth in the association. Thionnet said his association places a great emphasis on missions. "Our people are truly mission minded," he noted. "Approximately 20 percent of our average Sunday School attendance will go on a hands-on mission endeavor somewhere around the world each year. It's amazing how interested our people are." Members of the association have traveled to Malawi and the West Coast of Africa, all over Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Mexico and "some places they can't talk about," as well as numerous locations throughout the U.S. In the 1990s, Thionnet took a group of pastors to Beatrice, Neb., where a former youth minister in the association was pastor. "We took a tour of 21 counties in southeastern Nebraska and found that only four had an evangelical witness," Thionnet reported. "That tugged at our hearts." About four years ago Thionnet returned to Nebraska with a group of men to work with Mark Elliott, director of missions for eastern Nebraska. They ended up in Grand Island, a city of 50,000 with no Southern Baptist church and only two or three churches that preached the Gospel. "We voted to do a church plant there, and support it entirely," he said. "The association called a pastor, Bill Rowland, a former IMB missionary in Venezuela. We had a three-year commitment, but some of our churches are continuing to support the mission." Thionnet said the association makes missions a part of its budget. "If there are youth who feel God has called them to missions or is calling them to go somewhere for short-term projects, and they need help, we do our best to make sure it happens for them," he acknowledged. Thionnet revealed that one of the greatest surprises of his job is the time he gets to spend with staff people other than pastors. "I want to help pastors be the best they can be, but I don't want to get in their way," he said. "I just want to help them, and the same goes for other church staff." One thing Thionnet does every month is send birthday, church anniversary and wedding anniversary cards to church staff with personal notes of encouragement. "Some months, that takes a lot of time, but sometimes, it's the only card they get," he disclosed. Thionnet revealed that he loves the Lord, loves people—really loves young people—and wants to do everything he can to help them get to where God is calling them to go. Thionnet was called to preach in 1966, and became pastor of Retrop Church in Beckam-Mills Association. He then served as pastor of Canute, First; Gribble Springs near Denton, Texas; Spiro, First and Wewoka, First. He served nine and a half years as associate pastor of Bethany, Council Road before becoming director of missions in 1992. He and his wife, Joyce, have two sons, David and Jeff, and six grandchildren. Thionnet said when he turned 65, people started asking him when he was going to "hang it up." Hang it up? I haven't even got hold of it yet," he admitted. "If I retired, I'd still want to do something, so why not do something you enjoy and are called to do until such time you believe it's right to 'hang it up.'" --30-- This article originally appeared in The Baptist Messenger (baptistmessenger.com), newsjournal of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Dana Williamson is associate editor of The Baptist Messenger. ********** Sudbury church can be springboard to reach region By Kayla Rinker SUDBURY, Ont. (The Pathway) -- Since joining the Canadian Baptist National Convention (CNBC) a few months ago, All Nations Church in Sudbury, Ontario, has quickly become one of the most vital components in the mission partnership between the CNBC and the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). "We are seeing All Nations as a place where our partnering teams from Missouri can bounce out from," said Gary Smith, senior church starting catalyst for the CNBC. He said there are several ways to serve alongside All Nations; ideal for Missouri Baptists who possess a variety of spiritual gifts. Some opportunities include helping with the church's planned outreach events, as well as assisting with the church's current large-scale building project. "We are hoping Missouri Baptists will be an asset in the construction of our ambitious project," said Jeremy Mahood, senior pastor of All Nations Church. When finished, the church building project, called "Building on the Rock for Tomorrow," will consist of two 13,500 square foot Monolithic domes connected by a 4,000 square foot foyer. The top of the foyer will feature a 30-foot tall light rod extending out of the roof and pointing upward into the sky. "From this 'Ministry Outpost' we'll be able to use fiber optic cable to broadcast high quality messages and connect the pockets of believers who are living in remote northern Ontario communities," Mahood said. Traveling and making personal contact with these isolated believers is another way Missouri Baptists can help. "We need people to go into these remote communities; knocking on doors, offering Vacation Bible Schools or planning revivals," Mahood said. "I'm excited to get to partner with Missouri Baptists. We are starting to become aware of what God's up to and it's giving us a sense of joy and hope." For more information on how to join All Nations Church in its mission effort in Northern Ontario contact MBC Partnership Missions Specialist Rick Hedger at (573) 636-0400, ext. 620, or e-mail him at rhedger@mobaptist.org. --30-- This article originally appeared in The Pathway (mbcpathway.com), newsjournal of the Missouri Baptist Conveniton. Kayla Rinker is a contributing writer for The Pathway. -- End of story -- Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press 901 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Tel: 615.244.2355 Fax: 615.782.8736 email: bpress@sbc.net