Baptist Press Stories for Apr. 16 2012 --------------------------------------- In Africa, daughter's testimony leads Muslim sheik to Christ http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37608 These Orthodox appear to be Christian, but ... http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37613 African man loses children because of his faith http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37614 Gay history law may make Calif. ballot http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37618 Baptist group will remain on Vanderbilt campus http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37609 Land responds to charges of plagiarism http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619 Seminary readies for Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37612 TRUSTEES: Former NFL QB among new faculty http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37616 SPORTS: HBU hires first football coach http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37617 BP Ledger, April 16 edition http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37610 FIRST-PERSON: When the pastor is a 'museum curator' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37615 FIRST-PERSON: Church tours can become a unique outreach http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37611 Richard Land issues open letter of apology for controversial Trayvon Martin comments http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37620 --------------------------------------- In Africa, daughter's testimony leads Muslim sheik to Christ By Ava Thomas Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37608 EDITOR’S NOTE: The peoples of Ethiopia, northeast Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti number more than 100 million. Numerous people groups with no access to the Gospel in their heart language live in Ethiopia & northeast Kenya. Somalia currently has little or no Christian witness among its people. Believers are cruelly persecuted in Eritrea in an effort to stamp out any vital expression of faith. Islam among the peoples of Djibouti retains its stronghold. The following three stories, in conjunction with a month-long prayer emphasis set forth at [URL=http://www.prayforthehorn.com]www.prayforthehorn.com[/URL], examine the Gospel challenge across the region. HORN OF AFRICA (BP) -- It used to be a brothel, the sandy house where Mike and Abbey Nettles* are raising their children in the Horn of Africa. When they arrived, their first act was to make the place a home. The second was to learn enough local language to tell people how to get there. "I can't tell someone how to make bread, but I can tell them how to get to my house, and when they get here, I can tell them about Jesus," Abbey said. "We didn't come to be masters of this language. We came to learn as fast as we could how to tell people about Jesus." And tell people they have. [QUOTE@right@180='We came expecting that He was going to do something.' -- Southern Baptist worker]Over the past two years, the Gospel has swept through the formerly unreached and unengaged people group they live among. "We don't have time to waste. The need is urgent," Mike said. "So we share as much as we can, and we spend our time investing in believers who want to learn how to make more disciples." Berhanu* is among such believers. Though initially disowned by his family, he was later able to baptize one of his sisters -- along with 25 more new believers. "Since I have believed in Jesus, I know my role is to share my faith with other people," Berhanu said. "Not everyone wants to hear, but it doesn't matter. I just need to share." So he does, and when he finds people to believe, they start meeting in groups to study together. He finds that his people are seeking truth -- people like Sarah*, whose grandmother was a witchdoctor and father was a Muslim sheik. "In my house, there were always animal sacrifices," Sarah said. "My grandmother would kill the chickens to see what the guts said. Because of the Satanic worship, it was a bad environment to grow up in." But one day someone shared Jesus with Sarah, and she started to read what her holy book said about Him side by side with what the New Testament said. [IMG=32430@right@240]"What the Bible said is true. I know this now," she said. "In the past, I was afraid and had trouble sleeping. Now I have peace in my heart." But for a while, the decision didn't bring peace in her home. Her father beat her, knocking out some of her teeth and breaking her leg. She fled. But after years of hearing the Gospel, her father -- the Muslim sheik -- also came to faith in Jesus. "Most Muslims think the story of Jesus is a lie, but more and more are coming to believe," Sarah said. "When I tell people the story of Adam and the story of Jesus -- that He healed people, died for our sin and was raised again -- some say this is bad, that it is a lie." Those people, she said, have hard hearts. "But the ones with soft hearts, they listen." She has a goal to share Jesus with four people a week. She knows she is to be about sharing Him no matter the cost. "I feel I must tell others," she said. Mike and Abbey say they are amazed but not surprised. "We know God called us here because He was already working in the hearts of these people, so we came expecting that He was going to do something," Abbey said. --30-- *Names changed. Ava Thomas is a writer/editor for the International Mission Board based in Europe. To learn more about how to pray for the people of the Horn and how to reach out to those same people groups living in your area, visit prayforthehorn.com. -- End of story -- These Orthodox appear to be Christian, but ... By Ava Thomas Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37613 HORN OF AFRICA (BP) -- "After I became a follower of Jesus, my husband would always insult me," Melesse* said. "I tried to share with him from the Word, but he said I wasn't being a good wife and kicked me out. "Then one night when I was coming home late from work, he and five men followed me and broke down my door." Her conversion was fueling their attack -- even though their own churches in the Horn of Africa are filled with crosses and paintings of Jesus. [IMG=32431@right@300]"These predominantly Orthodox Christians are the Horn of Africa's "hidden lost," said Aaron Shaw*, who along with his wife Lindsey* first shared the Gospel with Melesse. "They appear to be Christian, and on maps that show a country's religious makeup, this place is marked as a Christian region." They're counted as "reached," though they stone and beat people who carry the Gospel, Shaw said. "The enemy is always at work," Melesse said, "but God is even more at work. ... Christ promises that no matter what we go through, we will never be separated from Him." Melesse survived her husband's attack. "I prayed to God, and in His power, they were knocked back," she said. "I called the police, and they arrived quickly." It's not the only time Melesse tells of being attacked for her faith in Jesus. She also has been falsely imprisoned twice. And about a year and a half ago, Melesse and some other believers were visiting an older woman who had expressed interest in the Gospel. It was a great visit, Melesse said. When they got back to their car, a mob of Orthodox people were waiting for them, stones and sticks in their hands. "They circled us and were preparing to beat us," Melesse said. "We asked them what we had done to offend them, and they brought false accusations about us forcing people to convert. We told them, 'No, we have come in the faith of our fathers to help the poor and share what it means to follow the Word of God.'" The faith of their fathers was pure at the beginning, Shaw said. Christianity first came to the region nearly 2,000 years ago, just after the death of Christ. For centuries, Christ was at the center -- until outsiders wove a macabre legend into their religion, Shaw said. In the folk story, a man was approached by Satan in disguise and asked to sacrifice his son. "Delighted to have been found worthy like Abraham, he did what they asked, cooked and prepared his son for them to eat," Shaw said. "Satan and the men with him asked him to take the first bite of his own son, and when he did, Satan revealed himself." The man snapped and went on a cannibalistic murder spree, Shaw said. The story recounts that after he eventually was sent to hell, Mary "tipped the scales in his favor with her mercy" and redeemed him to heaven. "This is when the Gospel died in this part of the world," Shaw said. This is the reason the Shaws, Melesse and other believers say they are gripped by the urgency of sharing the truth of redemption found only in Mary's Son, Jesus Christ, to as many people as possible. "We have the hope of new life and are filled with that new life," Melesse said. "These people who are outside the area of those who have heard the Gospel -- God is putting on my heart to be able to communicate the Gospel to them. Please pray for me to be prepared and to know the time and the place to go." Dawit*, another Christ follower in the area, said people's spiritual need in the Horn of Africa is exponentially larger than any physical need they may have. "This land has a deep spiritual famine," he said. "People are hungering for the Word, but there are not enough people to take it to them." Dawit said his life is dedicated to Jesus' last words -- the Great Commission. "We cannot afford to keep this Savior to ourselves," he said. "Pray for me, that I would live my life as a bondservant. I desire nothing more than to offer my life as a living sacrifice to work in His harvest fields." --30-- *Names changed. Ava Thomas is a writer/editor for the International Mission Board based in Europe. To learn more about how to pray for the people of the Horn and how to reach out to those same people groups living in your area, visit prayforthehorn.com. -- End of story -- African man loses children because of his faith By Ava Thomas Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37614 HORN OF AFRICA (BP) -- It wasn't a premeditated act the day Demissie* stole his grandchildren. When he saw how his son Beniam* was raising them, Demissie made a snap decision. "When you die," the Muslim father told his Christian son, "I'm not coming to your funeral. You are no longer my son. You are dead to me." And with that, Demissie forced the children from Beniam's arms and hurried them away. [QUOTE@left@180=His Bible got his children taken away from him, but Beniam thinks everyone in the world should have a copy.]"My father saw my son reading my Bible, and he asked him what it was," said Beniam, a follower of Christ who lives in a heavily Muslim area of the Horn of Africa. "My son told him it was my Bible, and my father became very angry." Demissie said he wouldn't allow his grandchildren to be brought up by an infidel. Beniam hasn't seen any of them in several months. Even though his Bible got his children taken away from him, Beniam still thinks everyone in the world should have a copy of their own. "I know what is true, and once you know what is true, you can't go back. [My wife and I] have chosen to walk the road of Jesus, and we're not going back even if our family says we must," he said. "Even though they've taken my children away, and even though they've said I'm dead to them, I'm still telling other people about Jesus. I'm still giving Bibles to those who want to read." Beniam said Jesus is the way of salvation, different than any of the other prophets. [IMG=32440@right@260]"All the roads of the other prophets are the road of the world and don't lead anywhere. Only the road of Jesus leads to God," he said. "Jesus was born of the Spirit of God -- the things He did, no one else ever did. He healed people, raised them from the dead." And, in His love, He reached out to the unlovable, Beniam said. "One night, we had a group of prostitutes come to our home to watch a film about Jesus," he recounted. "At one point, Jesus reaches out during one of His sermons and touches a prostitute [in the film] who is standing there in the crowd." One of the women in Beniam's home leaped up and began to shout. "She said, 'How could He have touched her? How could this holy man have touched this evil woman?' She said the story could not have been true because no man of God would ever touch a woman like that," Beniam said. The woman left abruptly. But later, Beniam and his wife were able to share with her that Jesus touched the woman because He loved her. "When she realized that He was able to love this woman, she said, 'I am going to turn my back on my sin and not going to do prostitution anymore.' She is now following the way of Jesus," Beniam said. Many others also have believed and now meet in his home for teaching one night a week. "Whenever we have a question, we open the Bible and find the answer," Beniam said. He misses his children, but he prays for their souls, that they will seek after the truth of Jesus. And he continues to share the Gospel with others. "Pray for us," Beniam said, "that as we have received the love of God, we are able to share it with others." --30-- *Names changed. Ava Thomas is a writer/editor for the International Mission Board based in Europe. To learn more about how to pray for the people of the Horn of Africa and how to reach out to those same people groups living in your area, visit prayforthehorn.com. -- End of story -- Gay history law may make Calif. ballot By Michael Foust Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37618 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP) -- A landmark California law that legalized the teaching of gay history in California's public school might still be reversed at the ballot, months after an earlier signature drive aimed at overturning it fell short. Opponents of the law are trying once again to collect enough signatures to place the issue before California voters, and they believe they have a much greater chance for success this time, mainly because they have more time to gather the necessary 500,000 valid signatures. [IMG=32246@right@130]Last year, they had about two months to collect the signatures and they gathered a total of 497,000, although, based on past signature drives, several thousand likely would have been tossed out as invalid. This year, they have four months to gather the signatures, which they've been doing since March. The deadline is mid-July. They hope to gather 700,000, giving them a comfortable cushion. "Based upon [the extra time] we're very confident that we will be able to be successful," Kevin Snider, chief counsel for the California-based Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), told Baptist Press. PJI opposes the law. The proposed initiative is known as the Class Act and would reverse the law, known as S.B. 48. It is the only state in the nation with such a law. The new law requires social science classes to include the "role and contributions" of "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans." The latter term includes people who cross dress and physically change their sex. Even more significant, it mandates that "instructional materials" -- including textbooks -- include the history of homosexuals. The law also prohibits instructional materials from "reflecting adversely" upon homosexuals -- language some conservative leaders say would impact what is taught about marriage. In addition to reversing S.B. 48, the proposed Class Act would clarify what is and is not allowed under law regarding the teaching of history. If passed, the Class Act initiative would "bring back a sense of moderation and reason into the study of social science," Snider said. A person would not "be excluded because he or she belongs to a protected class -- including gays or lesbians -- but nor will that person be included because he or she belongs to a protected class." As it reads now, Snider says, the gay history law prevents criticism of gays. "We think that all people have aspects of their life, both good and bad, and we do children a terrible disservice if we sugarcoat history," Snider said. "History needs to be told accurately." The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, could have a national impact, particularly in textbooks. "There are about two or three states which drive the textbook industry based on their textbook population," Snider said. "California is the main one. Other states generally do not get textbooks custom-made for them. And so, as a practical matter, this is going to be something that states will have to face as far as what's going to be offered in instructional materials." More information is available at classact2012.com --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. -- End of story -- Baptist group will remain on Vanderbilt campus By Lonnie Wilkey/Baptist & Reflector Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37609 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Although some religious organizations have said they will not register as campus organizations at Vanderbilt University, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry has applied to remain a registered campus organization. [IMG=31945@right@300]In January officials of Vanderbilt met with students to explain that the university will enforce its non-discrimination policy and a new "all-comers" policy. The all-comers policy means that any student at Vanderbilt is entitled to become a member and to seek a leadership position in any registered student organization on campus. Several faith-based organizations on campus have voiced opposition to the policy, saying that the school is violating their religious freedom. Thom Thornton, Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) director at Vanderbilt, is confident the BCM can operate within the Vanderbilt guidelines. "We have been assured by the university that we can select leaders committed to the organization's mission." Bill Choate, collegiate ministries coordinator for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, is hopeful the BCM can remain a campus organization without compromising its beliefs. "We have been on campus at Vanderbilt since the early 1920s. The university is aware of our mission on campus -- that we intend to share Jesus Christ and grow His disciples," Choate said. "We intend to do what we have always done on campus until the university denies us that privilege." The BCM's mission statement is clear: "The focus of the Vanderbilt BCM is evangelism, discipleship and connection to the local church. The purpose of this organization shall be to know Christ through Bible study, prayer and discipleship and to make Christ known through outreach, community service and missions." Choate noted that the strategy of BCM "on every campus in Tennessee includes being citizens of the university, while never compromising our mission of being a clear witness for Jesus Christ. "If we are denied 'recognized student organization' status on any campus, then we will continue to do our very best to reach that university population from the margins of campus." Even if the university denies recognized status, the BCM will continue to have a presence on campus, Choate said. "The [Tennessee Baptist Convention] owns a BCM facility in the middle of the Vanderbilt campus from which we base our ministry," Choate said. "Baptist Collegiate Ministry is not going away. However, our hope is to be truly present on campus, even at Vanderbilt, as we have been for all these years," he said. Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Director Randy C. Davis agreed with the BCM leaders. "We will continue to minister at every college and university campus where we can with the mission of evangelism, discipleship and church connection," Davis said. "We will do so without compromising our convictions or watering down the Gospel message." --30-- Lonnie Wilkey is editor of the Baptist & Reflector [URL=http://www.tnbaptist.org]www.tnbaptist.org[/URL] newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- Land responds to charges of plagiarism By Staff Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Richard Land, recently in the news for comments about the Trayvon Martin killing, has responded to charges that he failed to attribute the comments on air to a Washington Times columnist. In a statement to Baptist Press April 16, Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, expressed regret for the way he handled remarks on his March 31 radio broadcast. [IMGONLY=30339@right@140]"On occasion I have failed to provide appropriate verbal attributions on my radio broadcast, Richard Land Live!, and for that I sincerely apologize," Land said in the statement, which also was posted on the show's website. "I regret if anyone feels they were deceived or misled. That was not my intent nor has it ever been." For each archived episode of Richard Land Live!, the website offers a link titled "Get the full show notes," which leads to Land's sources. "Clearly there has been no attempt to deceive the public or we would not have posted the articles that are used on the air," Land said. "Richard Land Live! is a live radio show. While I do not use a script, listeners familiar with the program know that both the audio of the program and material I reference during the program are posted on the program's website during or immediately following the broadcast. "During the program I encourage listeners to share these links and content among their circle of influence. This has been standard operating practice for the program since its launch in 2002. I am grateful this oversight was brought to my attention. One can always do better and I certainly pledge to do so," Land said. Charges of plagiarism were raised by Aaron Weaver, a blogger and doctoral candidate at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. "Many of the words that he uttered during his radio show were taken VERBATIM -- yes, WORD-FOR-WORD -- from a Washington Times column penned by conservative commentator Jeffrey Kuhner," Weaver wrote April 14. "Kuhner's column titled 'Obama foments racial division' was published on March 29." Weaver's criticism was reported by The Tennessean newspaper in Nashville and other media April 16. Weaver told The Tennessean he is particularly troubled by Land's lack of on-air attribution because of his position as the chief ethicist for the Southern Baptist Convention. The radio show's notes from the March 31 episode include a link to Kuhner's March 29 column, but Land did not attribute the column on air. Land caught media attention over the remarks made on the March 31 broadcast, particularly for saying President Obama and black leaders such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson should not have been so quick to jump into the Trayvon Martin case. Land's comments were reported nationally by Religion News Service, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times and other media. Weaver, in updates on his blog, said Land also plagiarized in his March 31 broadcast an Investor's Business Daily editorial. Like the Washington Times column, a link to the editorial was posted to the website. --30-- Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Erin Roach. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Seminary readies for Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit By Keith Collier Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37612 FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- The sound of Arabic pop music and the smell of a campfire drew a crowd of faculty, students, trustees and local media to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for a cultural event demonstrating the life of Jordanian Bedouins, nomadic shepherds who live in the wilderness near the Dead Sea and were the first to discover the Dead Sea Scrolls 65 years ago. [IMGONLY=32425@left@250]The April 11 event also gave media the opportunity to see one of Southwestern's newest Dead Sea Scroll fragments as well as first editions of the 1516 Erasmus Greek New Testament and 1611 King James Bible. The seminary will host a Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit beginning July 2. Under the shade of an authentic Bedouin goathair tent in front of the seminary's MacGorman Chapel, guests were treated to Bedouin coffee prepared by Abu Abdallah, a Jordanian Bedouin whose father is a sheik and who will eventually become head of the Ajrami Bedouin tribe. Abu Abdallah cooked the coffee beans -- which he brought with him from Jordan -- over an open fire in metal kettles. Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson welcomed the crowd and explained that the event gave a picture of the culture of the original Dead Sea Scroll discoverers as well as their biblical ancestors. "Most people reading the Bible simply read the words; they see them, but they don't focus on how it might have been," Patterson said. He read a passage from Genesis 4:18-19, which talks about descendants of Noah, including Jabal, who was the "father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock." Patterson also noted the connection with the Hebrew Patriarch Abraham, who dwelled in tents and kept livestock. "Right away in Genesis, we're introduced to what you see right here," Patterson said. "For the last 4,000 years, at least, the Bedouin have been living in these goat hair tents." "The Bedouins who were living in these kinds of tents were there first to discover what we call now the Dead Sea Scrolls, so we thought it would be appropriate for our Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit ... for us to have a Bedouin tent here to commemorate and to say thank you to our Bedouin friends for being the discoverers of the Dead Sea Scrolls." Guests were invited to sip their Bedouin coffee while sitting on cushions inside the tent. Mannequins adorned in Bedouin clothing stood near the tent opening, and guests could also look at a flatbread stove used by Bedouins today. Inside the MacGorman Chapel's Phillips library, media were shown a copy of Paleo-Leviticus, Southwestern Seminary's newest Dead Sea Scroll fragment, which dates back to as early as 150 B.C. and contains writing in one of the earliest Hebrew scripts. Additionally, media interviewed Southwestern's scholars responsible for researching the fragments. Southwestern Seminary will host the Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible exhibition in its MacGorman Chapel from July 2 to January. It will feature 16 scroll fragments, including Southwestern Seminary's own collection as well as scroll fragments and artifacts related to the discovery on loan from Israel, Jordan and private collectors. The exhibition expects to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Fort Worth. More details can be found at [URL=http://www.seethescrolls.com]seethescrolls.com[/URL] The Dead Sea Scrolls are arguably the greatest archaeological manuscript find of the 20th century. The first discoveries were made in 1947 and sparked a nearly 10-year search in caves overlooking the Dead Sea near Qumran in what is now Israel. The scrolls date back to the second century B.C. and contain biblical manuscripts, biblical manuscripts with commentary, apocryphal manuscripts and extra-biblical literature. --30-- Keith Collier is director of news and information for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas ([URL=http://www.swbts.edu/campusnews]www.swbts.edu/campusnews[/URL]). -- End of story -- TRUSTEES: Former NFL QB among new faculty By Keith Collier Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37616 FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's trustees elected and promoted several faculty members, including a former NFL quarterback, during their mid-April spring meeting. [IMG=32438@right@150]David Klingler, former University of Houston standout who finished fifth in the 1990 Heisman Trophy vote, was among three elected to the seminary's faculty. He was a five–year quarterback with the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders Klingler, the sixth pick overall in the 1992 NFL Draft, was elected as assistant professor of biblical studies at Southwestern's Havard School of Theological Studies in Houston. He taught at the campus as an adjunct professor from 2008-10 and has served as executive director and assistant professor of Old Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary's Houston campus from 2010 to present. Klingler received his Ph.D. from DTS in 2010 and has served in ministry positions at Redeemer Community Church in Katy, Texas, as well as Second Baptist Church in Houston. Trustees also elected John Massey as associate professor of missions in the Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. Massey, who graduated with his Ph.D. from Southwestern in 2000, has served as a team strategy leader in southern Malaysia and Singapore with the International Mission Board and as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves with the North American Mission Board. Additionally, he has been a lecturer and adjunct professor at Singapore Baptist Theological Seminary and Union University in Jackson, Tenn. John Yeo, the third new faculty member, will serve as assistant professor of Old Testament. Yeo earned his Ph.D. from St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto. He has taught at Reformed Theological Seminary since 2003 as well as serving in pastoral ministry at several churches. Trustees promoted five faculty members: Robert Bernard to professor of modern languages Jason Lee to professor of historical theology Malcolm Yarnell to professor of systematic theology Paul Hoskins and John Taylor to associate professors of New Testament And three professors were elected to occupy academic chairs: Thomas Kiker to the James T. Draper Jr. Chair of Pastoral Ministry Terry Wilder to the Wesley Harrison Chair of New Testament David Penley to the Hope for the Heart Chair of Biblical Counseling In other business during their April 11 meeting, trustees received an update on new student housing under construction. Phase 1 of the project, encompassing 112 units, will open in the fall 2012. Trustees re-elected Hance Dilbeck of Oklahoma as chairman, Jimmy Jackson of Alabama as vice chairman and Harlan Lee of Arizona as secretary. Dilbeck is pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Craig Blaising was recognized for his 10 years of service as Southwestern's executive vice president and provost. During the recognition, President Paige Patterson said Blaising "made a substantive difference from the very first day he stepped on this campus." --30-- Keith Collier is director of news and information for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (www.swbts.edu/campusnews). -- End of story -- SPORTS: HBU hires first football coach By Tim Ellsworth Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37617 HOUSTON (BP) -- Houston Baptist University has hired Vic Shealy as head football coach to launch its football program in the fall of 2013. [IMG=32435@right@310]"I am especially encouraged by Coach Shealy's commitment not only to football, but to the academic and spiritual mission of Houston Baptist University," HBU President Robert B. Sloan Jr. said. "His outstanding coaching career and his commitment to college football will be a great asset in recruiting student-athletes and coaches for our football program, and I believe Coach Shealy will provide great leadership both on and off the playing field as HBU's first football coach." Shealy comes to HBU after spending two years at Kansas, where he was defensive coordinator and secondary coach last season. He was the defensive coordinator at Richmond in 2009 and at Austin Peay in 1994. Shealy was the head coach at Azusa Pacific from 1995-98, leading the Cougars to the NAIA national championship in his final season. He posted an overall record of 27-14-1 at Azusa Pacific, including a 12-2 record during the championship run. He has also served in assistant roles at UNLV and Air Force. Steve Moniaci, director of athletics at the 2,500-student university, said HBU decided to start a football program for several reasons -- one of which had to do with geography. "If you don't play football in Texas, you leave yourself somewhat out of the conversation when people start talking about colleges and universities in this state," Moniaci said. Another reason reflects Sloan's long-term vision for the school to grow both in size and in name recognition. Moniaci said the university thought adding football would help accomplish both objectives and would serve as a "uniting force" for both the campus and for alumni. "We really feel like this has already raised the visibility of HBU, both around here and nationally," he said. "This really is just part of the overall vision of what we want Houston Baptist University to be. It's not the only thing we're doing. But I think this is a big part of it. "Dr. Sloan's a very strong believer that athletics is a vehicle that publicizes and unites your university," Moniaci continued. "That's what we want this sport and our whole athletic department to be." In mid-November, HBU accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference, which includes such schools as Texas State University, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar and the University of Texas at San Antonio. The Huskies will begin playing football in the conference in 2014, while all the university's other sports will begin Southland competition in 2013. Moniaci said HBU officials are discussing the possibility of playing a number of football games in 2013, but they don't yet know how many or against whom. To accommodate the addition of football, HBU also has announced plans to build a football stadium. Initial plans are to put a field down on campus in such a way that a stadium can be built around it. Moniaci said that stadium construction most likely will be done in pieces as funds are available, but no timetable exists for when the facility would be complete. The football program's launch at HBU comes as the university's trustees are exploring the possibility of changing the name for the 51-year-old university, a change that may result in "Baptist" being dropped from the university's name. In other HBU athletics-related news, the university in December acquired the Memorial Hermann Wellness Center, located adjacent to the HBU campus. The center, now called the Bradshaw Fitness Center, will have long-term implications for HBU's NCAA Division I athletic programs, according to a university news release. --30-- Tim Ellsworth is editor of BPSports (www.bpsports.net) and director of news & media relations at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. -- End of story -- BP Ledger, April 16 edition By Staff Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37610 EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger includes items from: Radical.net Campbellsville University Compass Direct News Pastor and author of "Radical" David Platt announces new ministry BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Radical.net)--"Radical" (at Radical.net), a new resource ministry, was announced by pastor and author David Platt on Good Friday, April 6, during a live simulcast of Secret Church to 50,000-plus participants worldwide. The simulcast is one of the avenues Radical is equipping and encouraging followers of Christ to reach the nations with the Gospel. Radical, with the help of LifeWay Christian Resources, simulcast the six-hour Bible study and time of prayer for persecuted believers called Secret Church (SecretChurch.org). Participants gathered in 49 states and 20 countries to participate. Another example of a catalytic event Radical desires to produce is a discipleship conference in the fall. Platt, in partnership with Francis Chan (author of "Crazy Love"), will host this conference as part of a discipleship project begun last fall called Multiply. This event is scheduled to take place Nov. 9-10 in Birmingham, Ala., at The Church at Brook Hills and will be sponsored by Radical. According to a press release from Radical, the ministry "exists to serve the church in accomplishing the mission of Christ. We long to see the church making disciples who make disciples who make disciples throughout the world -- from our neighbors across the street to the unreached people groups across the globe -- all for the glory of God. "Radical strives to carry out this purpose by producing and providing multilingual biblical resources aimed at fueling disciple-making in all nations through events like Secret Church and the Multiply Conference. Most of the resources at DMI are from David Platt, who serves as one of the pastors of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala. ********** Campbellsville University hosts David Brody, Christian Broadcasting Network, political correspondent By Tori Banks and Matt Schmuck CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (Campbellsville University)--"We all go into the lion's den every day," David Brody, chief correspondent with the Christian Broadcasting Network, said in Campbellsville University's weekly chapel service. "Mine is the mainstream media." Brody, Emmy winning, chief political correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network, spoke at Campbellsville University recently for chapel, for a Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy event and also at the 8th annual Media Appreciation Luncheon. Brody is a 23-year veteran news journalist who covers the White House and interviews national newsmakers across the country. His political blog, The Brody File, has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. Throughout his career, Brody has had the opportunity to speak with and interview many big name individuals including Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Hillary Clinton, Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump; however, he is not your typical broadcaster. At the chapel service on campus, he spoke of his spiritual journey, and at the KHIPP event he spoke more on politics while at the Media Appreciation Luncheon, he spoke on journalism as a whole. At chapel, Brody said he strives to integrate his faith with his work by interviewing individuals in the secular world from a Godly perspective, but Brody said he hasn't always had a personal relationship with Christ. "I grew up in the Jewish faith where I participated in Passover dinners and Bar Mitzvah but I was just going through the motions," Brody said. He said it wasn't until he met his future wife in high school that he began to understand the importance of having a relationship with Christ. "She was the one who started talking to me about God," Brody said. "But I thought I didn't need Him because I was Jewish." "Shortly after we were married I gave my life to Christ. I knew He was calling me to that decision," he said. Although his family didn't quite understand why he surrendered his life to the Lord, Brody said he never felt more Jewish than he did in that moment. "All of the traditions and customs made sense," he said. After a long career, Brody came to CBN news where he continues to work today interviewing individuals in the mainstream media. Brody strives to incorporate his faith with his work every day as he lives his life sold out for the Lord. At the KHIPP forum, Obama's potential Republican opponents were analyzed individually by Brody, who believes Romney sits comfortably in the driver's seat due to the splitting of the Republican votes three other ways. With Romney having the upper hand, the question arose in regard to the possibility of either Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum dropping out of the race. Brody believes this will not happen, expecting a four-way shootout, including Ron Paul, for the Republican presidential nomination further down the road of the nominating process. Santorum's message is that America is a moral enterprise. "There is a moral component to everything about this country," Brody said of Santorum's message. Brody believes Romney looks to be more of a "Mr. Fix it" guy, where as Santorum's message has a high bandwidth, meaning he covers many key issues. The problem is that Santorum doesn't have the campaign money that Romney does, Brody said. "Money isn't going to win the election," Santorum said in an interview with Brody for his political blog, "The Brody File." When Gingrich begins to enter the discussion of Republican presidential candidate, he wins the evangelical vote with no contest, in Brody's opinion. "Evangelicals like Newt Gingrich because he pulls no punches and doesn't try to mask anything in political correctness," Brody said. The problem for Brody when it comes to Gingrich being "that guy" in the fall is simple. "[Gingrich] is a walking train-wreck," Brody said in reference to Gingrich's state-to-state mindset, instead of having a long-term plan. As to the campaign of Ron Paul, he noted that he will likely stay in the campaign until the Republican nominating convention, that he knows he can't win the nomination, and he hopes to influence the platform and direction of the fall campaign. Brody believes that by the end of June, the Republican Party is going to come together to figure out the bigger picture of things. The topic at the forefront of that bigger picture is the question of whether Mitt Romney is a damaged candidate as he prepares to take on President Obama in the fall. Brody feels that it will be a tight race for president with President Obama a slight favorite due to the power of incumbency and the improving economy. With the likelihood that Romney will win the GOP nomination, Brody wonders who will be his vice president. Listing a few possible names from out of the woodwork, Brody said Mike Huckabee will most likely be the man who is able to bring evangelical voters onto the Romney express. "Mike Huckabee would most definitely be the guy to seal the deal," Brody said. "He's probably the one guy who could truly get evangelicals off the couch who are skeptical of Romney." At the Media Appreciation Luncheon, Brody touched base on similar topics to that of his KHIPP speech. Brody showed a YouTube video of a Herman Cain interview for Brody's political blog, "The Brody File." In the video, Brody asked Cain how he would respond to "gotcha" type questions in his then-attempt at winning the GOP race for Presidential candidate. Brody asked, "Are you ready for the 'gotcha' questions that are coming from the media and others on foreign policy? Like, who's the president of Uzbekistan?…" Cain's response went viral within days with the help of YouTube. "I'm ready for the 'gotcha' questions and they're already starting to come. And when they ask me, 'Who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan?' I'm going to say, 'You know, I don't know. Do you know?'" Cain said. "And then I'm going to say, 'How's that going to create one job?'" Brody's advice to journalism students, and aspiring journalists alike was simple. "Be careful," Brody said. "Because you never know who is going to hear this stuff. Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu. --30-- Tori Banks and Matt Schmuck are student newswriters for Campbellsville University. ********** Pakistani Woman Accused of 'Blasphemy' Illegally Held in Jail Authorities fail to file charge sheet against young mother of 6-month-old. LAHORE, Pakistan, April 10 (Compass Direct News)--The mother of a 6-month-old girl has been wrongly jailed for more than a month, as Pakistani authorities have failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 14-day period against the young Christian woman falsely accused of "blaspheming" the prophet of Islam, her attorney said. Shamim Bibi, 26, of village Chak No. 170/7R Colony, in the Fort Abbas area of Bahawalpur district, was charged under Section 295-C of Pakistan's "blasphemy" statutes after neighbors accused her of uttering remarks against Muhammad. She was arrested on Feb. 28. Speaking ill of Muhammad in Pakistan is punishable by life imprisonment or death under Pakistan's internationally condemned blasphemy laws. "Shamim has been implicated in a completely baseless case," said her husband, Bashir Masih. "I was present with her at the time of the alleged incident … nothing of the sort happened. The Muslims cooked up a false story, though it's still not clear who provoked them into leveling this accusation." After visiting his wife in jail today, Bashir told Compass by phone that she was holding fast to her Christian faith and firmly believed that God would rescue her soon from the false charge. "She is alright otherwise, but she especially misses her daughter," Masih said. "We are not sure when Shamim will be able to come back home, although our lawyer is quite hopeful of securing her release very soon." One of the two witnesses named in the First Information Report (FIR), Abdul Qayyum, has already denied hearing anything from her that supports the charge. "The police just did not listen to our pleas and went ahead and registered a case against my innocent wife," he said. "It's been over a month now, but the police haven't filed a charge sheet against her. Who will compensate for the agony that my wife and family are suffering for no fault of ours?" Shamim Bib's lawyer, Mahboob A. Khan, told Compass that he had filed a bail application on March 17, but the court has not taken it up. "The complainant party has changed their lawyer, and their new counsel filed his papers in court at today's [Tuesday] hearing," Khan said. "The bail application will now most likely be heard at the next hearing." On the delay in completing the charge sheet, Khan said that police were supposed to register it within 14 days of filing the FIR under the Code of Criminal Procedure. Police say that they have forwarded the charge sheet to the prosecution department, but there has been nothing from them either, he said. "The judicial process is painfully slow, and it's even slower in such sensitive matters," Khan said. "I just hope the judge realizes the gaps in the case, and even if he does not muster enough courage to quash the case, he should at least set her free on bail." Shamim Bibi's family had earlier told Compass that she had been accused because she had resisted pressure to convert to Islam four days before her arrest. Three relatives had become Muslims on Feb. 24 and urged her to do the same, and when she refused, neighbors on Feb. 27 accused her of making derogatory remarks – as yet unknown – about Muhammad (see www.compassdirect.org, "Pakistani Woman Charged with 'Blasphemy' for Refusing Islam," March 12). Ansar Ali Shah, a local prayer leader in Chak 170/7R Colony, claimed that Shamim Bibi's neighbors, Hamad Ahmed Hashmi and Abdul Qayyum, told him and other Muslims that they had heard the Christian woman making derogatory remarks about Muhammad in her courtyard, according to the First Information Report (FIR No. 30/12) registered by the Khichiwala police station. But there is no indication in the FIR of what, exactly, Shamim Bibi was alleged to have said. As word of the allegation spread, a large crowd of villagers besieged her house and demanded "severe punishment for the infidel," claiming she had hurt their religious sentiments, sources said. Shahbaz Masih, her brother-in-law, told Compass that Qayyum told police that he wasn't even present in his house at the time of the alleged incident and had come to know about it from Hashmi, the other witness. Hashmi, a motorized-rickshaw driver, also was not present at his house at 3 p.m., the time of the alleged remark, Shahbaz Masih said, based on information gathered from Shamim Bibi's neighborhood. Bahawalnagar Superintendent of Police Investigation Irfan Ullah has acknowledged that one of the two witnesses had admitted to not being present at the alleged "crime" scene at the time of the alleged remark. Reported by Compass Direct News (www.compassdirect.org), a news service based in Santa Ana, Calif., focusing on Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Used by permission. --30-- -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: When the pastor is a 'museum curator' By Thom S. Rainer Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37615 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Most pastors inevitably will face three common criticisms. The most common of the three is the issue of worship style and music. Although worship wars have abated a bit over the past few years, every pastor can be assured that there will be a few people in the congregation who don't like something about the worship services. A second common criticism of pastors comes from congregants who feel they aren't getting sufficient pastoral attention. Indeed, even the pastor who gives extraordinary attention to pastoral care can't be omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. I remember well one angry critic of a church where I served as pastor. She yelled at me for more than 10 minutes on the phone because I did not visit her when she was in the hospital. When I tried calmly to explain that I didn't know she was in the hospital, she shouted even louder, "Well, you should have!" It is the third common criticism that I wish to address in this article. It fits within the broad category of physical facilities. Some or several church members have deep emotional ties to, for example, a certain building, a Sunday School classroom, a parlor, stained glass windows, or pews. When the pastor attempts to suggest any changes related to these items of great fondness, he might meet a wave of unexpected criticism. I spend a lot of time conversing with pastors. Almost every month I hear from a pastor who has been wounded by critics after he attempted to make some change that affected the church's facilities. Many pastors are caught off guard by the depth of emotions they encounter. Others lament that they feel like they are curators of a museum, protecting physical items when they should be sharing the Gospel in the community. When I served as a pastor of four churches, I was too insensitive to these critics. I often perceived them as unreasonable people with a misplaced focus. As I have aged (and hopefully matured), I now see that there were real reasons for the hurt. Some of the congregants saw their loved ones married in a worship center, and the thought of abandoning that space for a newer and bigger facility can be deeply painful. Others recall their grandparents sacrificing hard-earned dollars to acquire those stained-glass windows. Those windows have a much deeper meaning than just some beautiful pieces of colored glass. The bottom line is that many of these congregants have deep attachments to these items. There is a deep and real hurt when significant change takes place that affects those things that stir deep emotions in their hearts. So what is a pastor to do when he receives intense criticism for removing the big, bulky pulpit in favor of a more contemporary lectern? How does he respond when he is shocked by the negative feedback when he suggests that the bridal parlor could also be used for Bible study space? May I suggest a fourfold plan of action? -- Respond to the criticisms pastorally. The critics often are hurt. Even though they lash out at their pastor, he needs to respond in love and deal with the hurt they are feeling. -- Keep the congregation focused on the missional objective of the church. Local congregations are to be taking the Gospel to the community and to the world. As that mandate is repeatedly emphasized before the congregation, more and more members will grasp that they cannot focus on the "things" of the church when they have been called to a much greater purpose. -- Use great discernment to know if the change is really necessary. Are there other alternatives that could engender less pain? Conflicts and fights over physical facilities and items in the church can drain the congregation emotionally and spiritually, and cause the church to lose her focus. -- Do not take the criticisms personally. I know. It's easier said than done when you're the target getting the arrows. But if you can hear the hurt objectively, you can respond with a greater pastoral heart. Many pastors express surprise that their call to ministry includes being the curator of a museum. But the critics who hurt us the most are in the same group we find ourselves: sinners saved by the grace of God. God loves them and us unconditionally. We should do likewise. --30-- Thom S. Rainer is president of LifeWay Christian Resources. 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: Church tours can become a unique outreach By Diana Davis Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37611 INDIANAPOLIS (BP) -- Summertime's coming, and you might be surprised how many people in your community would enjoy a walking tour of your church building. Whether it's large or small, your church building is a beacon in your town. Who would take a church tour? Schedule a special tour for parents as they drop their children off for Vacation Bible School or daycare. Invite people who live near the church to a neighborhood coffee and church building tour. Plan a history-focused tour, and send an invitation to the historical society, senior adult center or school history classes. Invite city leaders for a tour and lunch. I led our church's tour as part of the new members' orientation class. Consider a tour for guests after the worship service. A downtown church could offer building tours for festival-goers. In a tourist town, advertise building tours in "things to do" listings. Post an exterior sign to invite anyone in the community to an annual tour. To plan a church tour as an outreach, carefully research interesting facts, historic information, architectural details and current statistics. When was the building built? Is the steeple the highest point in town? Was this the first church in the county? One church showed me a pew in their balcony that supposedly is the longest pew in America. Study your denominational websites. The majority of the tour, however, should focus on the story of a life-changing God and His impact on lives today, so the tour guide must be knowledgeable about your church's ministries. Recruit enthusiastic, personable church members as tour guides, and provide a laminated card with key talking points and facts for reference. Prepare attractive handouts, such as a site map, church brochure and witnessing tract. As the guide leads guests through the building, she could point out all the things that occur in that part of the building. She may pause in an attractive area, such as a prayer garden or foyer, to share interesting stats and stories. Tell tour group members how many volunteers it takes to staff the Bible classes and how many people attend Sunday worship. Share about how many missionaries the church supports. (In a Southern Baptist church, that would be more than 10,000!) Mention exciting, positive news, such as the new singles Bible class or upcoming mission trips. Tell about ministries, such as your food pantry, businessmen's luncheons or sports leagues. They'll enjoy hearing about church planting projects, staff members, church camps and annual events. If weather permits, the tour may include exterior points of interest. The tour guide must know his audience. If the tour is for daycare parents, then emphasize children's programs, teacher training and safety plans. An older audience may like to be seated for a few minutes in the worship center, while the guide describes the worship service and architectural features. Make the tour interactive. Ask a volunteer to shoot a basketball as you explain how the gym is used in ministry. Touch the water in the baptistery as you explain its significance. Introduce staff members as you pass their office. Show NAMB and IMB magazines and church newsletters. Invite tour group members to use the library or prayer chapel. The church building is the place where God's people gather to worship. The tour guide could conclude the tour by reading Psalm 122:1, praying for the guests, and welcoming them to worship God at your church on Sunday. A church tour as outreach -- now that's a fresh idea. --30-- Diana Davis (www.keeponshining.com) is an author, speaker and wife of the North American Mission Board's vice president for the Midwest region, Steve Davis. 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 -- Richard Land issues open letter of apology for controversial Trayvon Martin comments By Art Toalston Apr. 16 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37620 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Richard Land has written an open letter of apology for comments he voiced about the infusion of politics into the Trayvon Martin killing. Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, made the apology in a letter to SBC President Bryant Wright, an Atlanta-area pastor, on April 16. [IMGONLY=30339@right@140]In response, a prominent African American pastor, Fred Luter Jr. of New Orleans, issued a statement to BP accepting Land's apology. Luter is the SBC's first vice president who will be nominated for SBC president during the convention's June 19-20 annual meeting in New Orleans. "I am writing to express my deep regret for any hurt or misunderstanding my comments about the Trayvon Martin case have generated," Land wrote in his letter to Wright. "It grieves me to hear that any comments of mine have to any degree set back the cause of racial reconciliation in Southern Baptist or American life." Land, who voiced the comments during his call-in radio broadcast Marc h 31, wrote that he has been committed "to the cause of racial reconciliation my entire ministry. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister has been a personal hero of mine since I surrendered to the ministry in 1962." Land's apology is printed in full at the end of this article. Luter, in his statement to Baptist Press, said, "I commend Dr. Richard Land for his letter of apology pertaining to his comments about the Trayvon Martin case. His comments certainly were a concern for many of us across the Southern Baptist Convention. "Our convention has made a lot of progress in the area of racial reconciliation and we want to continue this effort," Luter continued. "Dr. Land's letter of apology will hopefully keep us on track. I accept his apology and will look forward to working with him and others within this convention to tear down the walls of racism in our great country." Wright also issued a statement to Baptist Press. "Racial reconciliation is very important to Southern Baptist Christians," Wright said. "Richard Land has often led the way in this effort and yet his recent remarks have offended many. It has grieved him that this has occurred and he has apologized. "Fred Luter is one of our leading pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention who is serving as our 1st Vice President and happens to be African American. His spirit of forgiveness is what we would hope of everyone in situations like this when one person says something hurtful and offensive to others and acknowledges it and asks forgiveness. "I pray that Dr. Land's apology to all who have been hurt or offended by his recent remarks will be another important step towards our full reconciliation with one another," Wright said. "This is a noble goal to which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calls us to have with our fellow man." Land, on his "Richard Land Live!" radio show March 31, said, in part, that black leaders such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson should not have been so quick to jump into the Trayvon Martin case in which the 17-year-old African American was shot and killed by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman, a Hispanic, in Florida in February. "The rule of law is being assaulted by racial demagogues," Land said, "and it's disgusting, and it should stop." Land's comments were reported nationally by Religion News Service, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times and other media. An Associated Press article in mid-April repeated Land's comments. Baptist Press' April 10 report on Land's comments can be accessed at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37567]www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37567[/URL]. Land's apology followed conversations between Wright and Land in which they discussed how offended many African Americans and many fellow Christians were over his comments. "In talking with Richard, I found a receptivity to apologize for the comments he had made," Wright said. Land then sent the open letter of apology to Wright, asking that it be shared with Luter and then with the broader Southern Baptist family. Land, who has led the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission since 1988, played a key role in the Southern Baptist Convention's 1995 racial reconciliation resolution in which Southern Baptists denounced racism, apologized to African Americans for "individual and systemic racism in our lifetime" and repented of racism "of which we have been guilty, whether consciously or unconsciously." The full text of Land's April 16 apology for his Trayvon Martin comments follows: Dr. Bryant Wright President, Southern Baptist Convention 955 Johnson Ferry Road Marietta, GA 30068 Dear Bryant, I am writing to express my deep regret for any hurt or misunderstanding my comments about the Trayvon Martin case have generated. It grieves me to hear that any comments of mine have to any degree set back the cause of racial reconciliation in Southern Baptist or American life. I have been committed to the cause of racial reconciliation my entire ministry. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister has been a personal hero of mine since I surrendered to the ministry in 1962. When I was elected president of the then Christian Life Commission in 1988, I made it clear to the search committee and board of trustees that I was going to make racial reconciliation a top priority. I assumed office in October of 1988 and the first conference held under my administration was a racial reconciliation conference in January of 1989. As you know I was one of the progenitors of the racial reconciliation resolution our convention passed at our sesquicentennial in 1995. I have rejoiced in the tremendous progress that has been made in racial reconciliation both in our convention and in American life. I rejoice in the prospect that one of our most admired leaders and pastors, Dr. Fred Luter, will in all likelihood be elected president of our convention in June. I look forward to the day when our convention membership reflects the ethnic and demographic diversity of the general population, with no difference between Southern Baptists and the nation. Clearly, I overestimated the progress that has been made in slaying the ugly racist ghosts of the past in our history. I also clearly underestimated the extent to which we must go out of our way not to be misunderstood when we speak to issues where race is a factor. Please know that I apologize to any and all who were hurt or offended by my comments. I will certainly recommit myself to seeking to address controversial issues with even more sensitivity in the future. Yours in his service, Richard Land --30-- Art Toalston is editor of Baptist Press. An earlier Baptist Press [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619]story[/URL] was posted April 16 on charges that Land, in his "Richard Land Live!" broadcast March 31, had failed to attribute some of his comments about the Trayvon Martin killing to a Washington Times columnist. The BP story, titled "Land responds to charges of plagiarism," can be accessed at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619]http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619[/URL] -- 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