Baptist Press Stories for Apr. 5 2012 --------------------------------------- EASTER: Echoes from the tomb http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37549 Easter, a worldly holiday? 100 years ago, Southern Baptists thought it was http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37548 Iran pastor, still alive, passes 900th day in jail http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37557 In Houston's 'tunnel,' he shines God's light http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37555 SPORTS: Jeremy Lin upbeat after surgery http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37556 Obama's claim that Jesus knew doubt criticized http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37553 School nixes 'God' from Lee Greenwood song http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37554 CULTURE DIGEST: In video, Obama pledges to keep fighting for Planned Parenthood http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37545 BIBLE STUDY: Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37552 FIRST-PERSON: Is the Easter story too violent for children? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37551 EDITORIAL: La piedra http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37550 --------------------------------------- EASTER: Echoes from the tomb By George H. Guthrie Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37549 [IMG=32369@right@100]JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) -- Leaning forward, you strain to hear. The fresh, cool breeze of the garden morning brushes your cheek. Bending, you look into that open, black-dark mouth of the tomb, its only light the sun's thin finger reaching past your shoulder to touch the corner of a bone box. But the bones for which it waits have changed, gotten up and walked away. No smell of death; only the sweet scent of burial spices hanging in the air. Bouncing off the walls of this vacated tomb, you may hear echoes from another garden where the lie, "Has God really said?" prevailed, and death was ushered in. But now, in this garden the lie has been silenced with a resounding, "Yes!! His Word lives!" and death has been driven out, the curse of Eden swallowed up in this empty space. And do you hear the echo of righteous Noah, who built a deliverance to carry God's creations through the judgment, or Father Abraham, through whom all the peoples of the earth would be blessed? Do you hear the echoes of Egypt's oppressive slavery turned inside-out in powerful salvation, and at its peak an innocent lamb slain so that death would pass over? Do you hear the echo of new life found through parting waters, or of bread, water, and the Shekinah tent given in a wilderness? Do you hear the death-dealing law, unable to give life, at once fulfilled and filled full by the Life? Do you hear these echoes? As you now kneel on this rough-hewn path leading into where Hope was dead for a moment, do you hear Joshua's name, bouncing 'round these walls, the same name as "Yeshua," "Jesus," whose very name shouts "Salvation!"? Walls have crumbled. Evil has been judged, banished from the land. Joshua led God's people to a promised place, a place flowing with all good things, as does now his namesake, who takes us to a promised rest harder bought. And the chaos of Judges too rings through this darkened grave, its "every man did what was right in his own eyes" now crushed under a staggering obedience, one Man having done what was right to give us new hearts, making us right with God. King David's words, "You will not allow your Holy One to see decay," hang in this sweet air, and His Son, the ultimate Man, the ultimate King, receives the coronation song and, finally, dominion of the world and of a different kind of Kingdom. And this Easter tomb, having become a temple of sorts, housing God, echoes with the words of blessing over Solomon's temple, its walls now torn down but built up in flesh and bone, stone by stone, to go walking through the world, taking the Light of the Gospel, the Presence, to all the black corners of the earth. The temple decisively cleansed by one Offering, the Great High Priest intercedes, never to offer another sacrifice, the way into the holiest place forever opened by His trail-blazing life. Here too, in this now-hollow crypt ring full the words of Isaiah, "On this mountain ... He will destroy death forever," and Jeremiah's "they will all know Me," and do you hear Ezekiel's bones rattle with hope? Exile having been exiled, this now is the true return, the Kingdom come, God's people ruled by one ever-living King. A baby's cry, warbling out from a dusty trough, warbles here too, for the birth of Salvation always was leading to death, thus to this place. Vulnerability led to and ended here. The Jordan with open sky and loving Voice, the temptation to bow down, gain dominion, and avoid the terrible fate, and the transfiguration, shining and telling of his Exodus -- events that all anticipate this shaking of the earth, this shattering of our assumptions. Echoed in every inch of this tomb are Love's words, "no greater love," and Love's power that shushed a storm and raised a child. You hear them here in this cavernous glory. And now you turn looking from this garden to the outpouring, the Spirit come, and to the church spreading down the ages, and to those who die in Hope, and you see us. For all these echoes from the Easter tomb, you realize, are our Story, and we, at the mouth of this conquered grave, stand at the center of His Story. --30-- George H. Guthrie is the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and author of the book "Read the Bible for Life." More information about the "Read the Bible for Life" initiative is available at [URL=http://www.readthebibleforlife.com]www.readthebibleforlife.com[/URL]. -- End of story -- Easter, a worldly holiday? 100 years ago, Southern Baptists thought it was By Stephen Douglas Wilson Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37548 [IMGONLY=32367@left@100]MAYFIELD, Ky. (BP) -- Southern Baptists originally did not attach much significance to Easter. This was much the same regarding Christmas (see "[URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=36865]Southern Baptists have not always embraced Christmas[/URL] " in Baptist Press, Dec. 23, 2011). Both days were not recognized as a special day of worship in any of the historic Baptist confessions; allusions to them were rare in Baptist history volumes before the 20th century; and both holidays possessed an association with worldliness, and even paganism, in the minds of many Baptist ministers. Even as late as 1903, a writer for the North Carolina state Baptist paper, the Biblical Recorder, wrote an anti-Easter article that stated that "Baptists do not keep this day" (March 18, 1903). With the exception of the Sunday worship day, Baptist tradition before the late 19th century largely rejected or ignored "special days." Although the apostle Paul recognized that Christians had a Christian liberty option for special days in Romans 14:5-6, few Baptists ministers or writers of that day championed that option. Many Baptist ministers in the era just before 1900 would have dismissed the idea of celebrating a special day for Christ's resurrection as unnecessary, since "every day should be a celebration of the Lord's resurrection." Conversely, the slow embrace of Christmas by Southern Baptists in the late 1800s certainly led many of them also to take a second look at Easter. The late Victorian Age in the United States encouraged a re-examination of holidays in an era of a growing tendency toward leisure and celebratory events. The celebration of special days comported well with such contemporary activities as the growth of professional sports and a number of new civic celebrations and festivals. It was only natural for Southern Baptists to look to festivals with strong historic Christian connections such as Christmas and Easter. By the late 1800s, some Southern Baptist churches began celebrating Easter in their services. Articles and advertisements in state Baptist papers acknowledged that some Baptist churches celebrated the holiday; others decorated their churches with Easter lilies; and sheet music for Easter was advertised for sale. Nonetheless, most articles in the state Baptist papers of this era were against celebrating Easter. One writer for the Kentucky state Baptist paper, the Western Recorder, in 1890 called the new custom of celebrating Easter in Baptist churches an "innovation," and he disapproved of that development. Contributing authors in the Baptist state papers in Alabama and North Carolina also acknowledged their opposition to celebrating Easter, addressing their concerns to fellow Baptists who were beginning to recognize the holiday. After 1900 the more vehement opposition to Easter slowly faded in the state Baptist papers. Paralleling their role in Christmas celebrations in Southern Baptist life, the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) played an important part in the Southern Baptist embrace of Easter. Once again the catalyst was missions. When the WMU successfully won the Southern Baptist Convention over to a special collection of funds at Christmastime for foreign missions (eventually called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering), WMU Corresponding Secretary Annie Armstrong also began promoting a similar special collection for home missions. As early as 1895 the WMU began sponsoring a week of prayer for home missions that would be capped off with an offering for the cause. Nevertheless, the connection between an offering for home missions and the recognition of Easter by Southern Baptists took longer to unfold than the Southern Baptist acceptance of Christmas that the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering engendered. Originally the prayer time and offering for home missions was suggested for January, but shortly afterward, the week of prayer was moved to early March to distance itself from the Christmas offering. After undergoing a few name changes, the springtime offering was renamed the Annie Armstrong Offering in 1933 for the upcoming 1934 season in recognition of her advocacy for home missions. The spring season of prayer and offering, with its proximity to the Easter holiday, began making the same connection with Southern Baptists that the Lottie Moon offering shared with the Christmas season. Furthermore, the old reluctance to observe Easter faded as the 20th century unfolded. Ministers began preaching resurrection-themed sermons and voiced little objection to secular Easter activities like the "Easter Sunday meal" and Easter egg hunts. Recognizing that Easter Sunday was a day that many of their members dressed in their finest attire, the tradition of taking a "church photo" on Easter became an established custom in some Southern Baptist churches. Every so many years, and with weather permitting, churches would gather their members on Easter Sunday for a group picture. While this tradition faded as churches grew larger in the post-Second World War era, this charming custom reinforced the observance of Easter as a special time in the life of the local church. Into this growing pro-Easter climate, the Home Mission Board suggested to the WMU in 1968 that the Annie Armstrong Offering be renamed the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the upcoming 1969 season. The WMU supported the name change. This solidified the Southern Baptist tradition started by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering that holidays in Southern Baptist life can be best celebrated by supporting missions. The newly renamed Easter offering would play a critical role in funding domestic missions in the years to come. As the latter half of the 20th century waned, Southern Baptists enthusiastically supported Easter. In this era, many churches sponsored Easter musical programs, and the larger suburban churches produced elaborate Easter pageants that combined drama, music and spiritual themes. Formal invitations to accept Christ followed these pageants. Other churches instituted Easter morning "sunrise services." Baptist Book Stores (now Lifeway Christian Stores) provided Easter-themed paraphernalia along with holiday books and gifts for individuals, and group materials for Easter programs and pageants. The advent of the 21st century continued these developments, but the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering remained the cornerstone of the Southern Baptist observance of Easter. Currently, around 5,000 North American missionaries are supported in a significant way by the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. The Easter-themed offering both solidified the connection to the holiday as well as producing the outcome of Southern Baptists' celebration of Easter. --30-- Stephen Douglas Wilson is dean emeritus and chair of the social studies/history department of Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, Ky., and is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee. 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 -- Iran pastor, still alive, passes 900th day in jail By Michael Foust Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37557 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani remains in jail -- alive, yes -- but having already passed his 900th day behind bars for being a Christian and still facing a possible execution. [IMG=32374@right@300]Nadarkhani, whose first name also can be spelled "Youcef," was able to visit with a son on on the son's birthday Monday (April 2), according to the American Center for Law and Justice, which is closely monitoring the case. His 900th day in jail occurred in late March. For weeks now, rumors have floated on Facebook and Twitter that he has been executed, with a picture of a body often accompanying the post. But that picture was taken well over a year ago of another person, and it's highly unlikely Iran would take a picture of Nadarkhani if he was executed, says Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice. "We're able to confirm that he's alive pretty regularly, at least weekly," Sekulow told Baptist Press. Often, Sekulow said, rumors of Nadarkhani's execution are easily dismissed, particularly if a rumor starts on the weekend. That's because the Iranian government shuts down around mid-Thursday and doesn't reopen again until Sunday in recognition of the Muslim calendar. "They won't send out pictures [of Nadarkhani]," Sekulow said. "He is not someone who is on trial for being a spy -- those are the pictures of people we usually see. He is not one of those public executions." Nadarkhani was sentenced to death in 2010 for converting from Islam to Christianity in a case that began in 2009. The United States and the United Kingdom have spoken out publicly for Nadarkhani, pressuring Iran, and other countries are doing so too. Among those is Brazil, which unlike the U.S. and the U.K., has close ties to Iran. That gives Brazil leverage, said Sekulow, who visited Brazil earlier this year to discuss the case with Brazilian officials. "Brazil has a working relationship with Iran on a daily basis," Sekulow said. "The Brazilian government has really taken this case -- senators, the executive branch, the people of Brazil. And it's such a key diplomatic partner for Iran." In March, Iran acknowledged to the U.N. Human Rights Council -- meeting in Switzerland -- that Nadarkhani was charged with faith-based crimes. Specifically, Iran's human rights representative, Mohammad-Javad Larijani, said Nadarkhani was charged with: telling youth about Christ without their parents' permission, leading an illegal house church in his home, and offending Islam. "He offended Islam by saying that Jesus was the only way to heaven," Sekulow said. Sekulow urged the rest of the world to continue praying for Nadarkhani while also recognizing that the American view of courts and jails is meaningless in Iran. "He has the death sentence hanging over his head, and the question now is: Does Iran try to push this to another trial -- try a new judicial process to stall the issue because of the international pressure? That's where we're focused now. We have gotten so much of the world's attention," Sekulow said. "I think we have to get past the goal of just keeping him alive, and figure out how to get him to be released." Sekulow's group raised the alarm about Nadarkhani's case in February, fearing that an execution was imminent. That did not occur, but that does not mean that one was not scheduled, Sekulow said. Iran has a history, he said, of scheduling an execution to see if the information leaks. "If it doesn't [leak], they may carry it out, and that's what happened the last time they did this." Iran last carried out an execution for apostasy in 1990. "He's not doing this to be some worldwide martyr that everyone knows about," Sekulow said. "He really is representing hundreds if not thousands of people who are in the same situation." In September, Nadarkhani was given four chances to recant his faith in court and refused each time. His case then was referred to the ayatollah. The American Center for Law and Justice reported one of his court exchanges. "Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?" Nadarkhani asked. "To the religion of your ancestors, Islam," the judge reportedly replied. "I cannot," the pastor responded. --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 -- In Houston's 'tunnel,' he shines God's light By Mickey Noah Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37555 HOUSTON (BP) -- Lee Hsia is proof that the most effective evangelism tool ever created is God's Word. A native of Communist China who immigrated to the United States with his family as a child, Hsia found a Bible as a teenager that had been left at the house. "To this day I don't know who put it there," Hsia (pronounced "Shaw") said. "I read it right away. It took me from passage to passage of Scripture and explained the Gospel. I chose to pray the sinner's prayer and follow Christ as my Lord and Savior from that day forward." [IMG=32375@right@280]Today, Hsia pastors an underground church, not in China but in downtown Houston, 20 feet below the city's streets. And for many, the downtown church has literally become the light at the end of the tunnel. Already serving as minister of evangelism and new initiatives at Houston's First Baptist Church, Hsia was named last fall as campus pastor for its new downtown church plant, located in the city's six-mile tunnel system under the downtown business district. Houston's First Baptist -- with 24,000 members, founded in 1841 -- was itself located downtown until the 1970s when it moved to a new suburban campus just off the Katy Freeway (I-10), about nine miles to the northwest. Houston's downtown tunnel system links office buildings, restaurants, shops, convenience stores and residences under downtown streets. Some 280,000 Houstonians have access to the tunnels and on any given day, 180,000 "go underground," as Hsia put it. "People hate to walk in downtown Houston in the summertime because of the heat and humidity," Hsia said. "The tunnels are self-contained and cool." Hsia's life reflects an incredible personal journey as a Buddhist living with his parents in Shanghai, China; moving to the Houston suburb of Sugarland at age 7; accepting Christ through what may have been a house-to-house Bible distribution campaign; graduating from Rice University; going on to success in business; losing his parents and grandmother in a fatal car accident; entering the ministry; and joining First Baptist's staff. His parents' and grandmother's tragic death along I-45 between Houston and Dallas in 2002 forever changed Hsia and his priorities. They were on their way to Dallas to see Hsia, who, at the time, was riding the Internet technology wave as a successful entrepreneur. "God spared me," he said. "My parents and I used to take a lot of road trips together and I could have been in that car. It made me realize how fragile life was, and I just decided I wanted to make good use of the time I have left on earth." Already a Christian, Hsia took a half-year sabbatical, traveled, did some soul-searching and felt God calling him into the ministry. The tunnel church plant that Hsia leads has been meeting in the basement of a 19-story building since October. It is one of only 10 houses of worship in downtown Houston, most of which Hsia said are not Christian. "We're now running about 230 a week," he said. "Our members and visitors are a diverse, eclectic group. Some people come during their Sunday walks downtown. Some come in with their dogs. Some are homeless, who we always welcome." Yet others are longtime First Baptist members who choose to leave the 'burbs every Sunday and drive downtown to support Hsia and the new church plant. "When we launched last fall, I thought we'd have mainly young people in their 20s and 30s. As it turned out, we have people of all age groups and all kinds of ethnicities. At last count, 33 nations are represented," Hsia said. "Houston is renowned as a medical center, so we draw a lot of downtown medical professionals, along with people in the energy field. We also attract college students, artists and musicians." Most Sundays, First Baptist senior pastor Gregg Matte preaches not only to the "live" congregation at the Katy Freeway site but also the smaller downtown tunnel church via video. Although the downtown church is supported by a large mega-church, Hsia said help from other churches also is needed -- "to cooperate as one church of Jesus Christ to be able to handle Houston's future growth." The tunnel church was launched "for the sake of outreach," Hsia said. "Many folks in downtown Houston are unsaved and unreached who wouldn't step foot in a traditional church like Houston's First or any other church building to consider the claims of Christ." In his transition from a Buddhist to a Christian, Hsai said he has a unique opportunity "to talk to a traditional Muslim or Buddhist and go right into telling them about the Gospel and how Christ has changed my life." --30-- Mickey Noah writes for the North American Mission Board, on the Web at [URL=http://www.namb.net]www.namb.net[/URL]. 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 -- SPORTS: Jeremy Lin upbeat after surgery By Tim Ellsworth Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37556 [IMGONLY=32373@right@250]NEW YORK (BP) -- The Linsanity may be over for now, but that hasn't stopped New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin from remaining upbeat and speaking of his faith in Christ. Lin, the rookie whose surprise emergence has been the biggest story of the NBA season, underwent surgery April 2 to replace a torn meniscus in his left knee. He will likely miss the rest of the season but may be available if the Knicks advance deep into the playoffs. "Praise God for a successful surgery!" Lin wrote on Twitter following the procedure. "Now on the road to recovery! Lets gooo. Much love to all the fans for your support and kind words." Lin was averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game when he was sidelined. Following his surgery, Lin answered a number of questions from fans on his Facebook page about an array of topics. One fan asked Lin how he stayed humble. "i struggle with pride everyday, but the one thing that i try to remind myself everyday is that im still a sinner no matter how many points/assists/win i get on the court," Lin wrote in response. "Gods grace and the death/resurrection of his son Jesus Christ has given me salvation even though im not worthy of it." Prior to his surgery, Lin made headlines when he had lunch with former ESPN editor Anthony Federico, who was fired after he inadvertently wrote a headline that contained racist language. "When I saw what I had done, I was devastated," Federico told Baptist Press. "I used a sports cliché that describes the first time someone shows a weakness. I didn't anticipate how people would apply racism to what I did." The gaffe cost Federico his job at ESPN (he has since found another position with better hours and better pay), but it didn't cost him his faith. Federico said he relied on the Lord through the difficult days that included all kinds of hate mail and even death threats. "It's not up to us to ask 'Why God?' in the bad times," Federico, a Roman Catholic, said. "We have to be as praiseful and cognizant of God in the bad times as we are in the good times. We know that God doesn't change, but our circumstances change." It's in their suffering that people most truly proclaim Jesus, Federico said, noting, "You develop and cultivate your faith in the good times, but you can rely on it in the bad." About a week after the incident, a family member of Lin's e-mailed Federico, saying that Lin felt terrible about what had happened and didn't believe Federico had intentionally insulted him. Federico said he wasn't surprised when Lin reached out to him, because he knew that Lin is an outspoken Christian. The two met for lunch in Manhattan on March 27. They discussed the headline situation briefly, with Federico explaining what had happened. "And then the rest of the conversation was about basketball and Jesus Christ," Federico said. Federico, a big Knicks fan, said they discussed Lin's knee injury and what was happening with the team. Through it all, Federico said he was impressed by Lin's humility. "He wasn't an NBA superstar in that moment," Federico said. "He was a brother in Christ. He was doing what Jesus would do -- he was being Christ-like." --30-- Tim Ellsworth is editor of BPSports ([URL=http://www.bpsports.net]www.bpsports.net[/URL]) and director of news and media relations at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. -- End of story -- Obama's claim that Jesus knew doubt criticized By Staff Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37553 WASHINGTON (BP) -- President Obama told religious leaders at a White House prayer breakfast that Easter is a time to "remember the tremendous sacrifice that led up to that day and all that Christ endured," but he also said Jesus experienced doubt and fear. The president's assertion that Jesus "knew doubt" and "knew fear" like other human beings is not biblical and "diminishes Christ's achievement," a Southern Baptist academic said. During his six-minute speech to about 150 people Wednesday (April 4) in the East Room, Obama referred to the suffering Jesus endured. "For like us, Jesus knew doubt. Like us, Jesus knew fear," he said. [IMG=32377@right@90]Describing Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the president said, "He fell to His knees, pleading with His Father, saying, 'If it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.' And yet, in the end, He confronted His fear with words of humble surrender, saying, 'If it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.'" Obama added, "We all have experiences that shake our faith. There are times where we have questions for God's plan relative to us, but that's precisely when we should remember Christ's own doubts and eventually His own triumph." Denny Burk, associate professor of biblical studies at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky., said he appreciates the president's effort to "highlight the courage of Jesus," but that Obama's description of Christ experiencing doubt and fear in ways other human beings do is foreign to Scripture. Using numerous New Testament passages to explain his position, Burk said, "In the Bible, doubt and fear are sins. "To say that Jesus had doubts and fears is to make Him into a transgressor," Burk wrote in a commentary on his blog. "But that is not at all the biblical depiction of Jesus. Yes, Jesus can sympathize with all of our weaknesses and, yes, [He] was tempted in all things as we are. But He did it without sin!" Despite His suffering, Jesus "never doubted His Father, and [He] never feared man," Burk said. Christ knew in advance the physical pain He would undergo, the forsakenness by friends He would experience and the wrath of God He would bear by dying on a cross in the place of sinners, Burk said. Yet, He "was motivated by joy to endure the cross," Burk wrote, citing Hebrews 12:2. "Jesus saw right through the cross to the resurrection on the other side," he said. "You and I may fear death, but Jesus never did. You and I may doubt God's purposes in suffering, but Jesus never did. Ever! What was definitive for Jesus was the joy set before Him, not death." Burk wrote, "The model that Jesus gives us is not that [He] had doubts and fears like we do. The model that He gives us is perfection." During his speech, Obama also said Jesus suffered "not just as a Son of God, but as a human being." Obama told the audience Easter is "an opportunity for us to reflect on the triumph of the resurrection and to give thanks for the all-important gift of grace." "We are here today to celebrate that glorious overcoming, the sacrifice of a risen Savior who died so that we might live," he said. "And I hope that our time together this morning will strengthen us individually, as believers, and as a nation." Obama expressed gratitude to the attendees for their work and prayers. "Every time I travel around the country, somebody is going around saying, 'We're praying for you. We got a prayer circle going. Don't worry; keep the faith. We're praying,'" the president said. "Michelle gets the same stuff. And that means a lot to us. It especially means a lot to us when we hear from folks who we know probably didn't vote for me and, yet, [are] expressing extraordinary sincerity about their prayers." It is the third consecutive year the White House has hosted an Easter prayer breakfast. Vice President Joseph Biden also spoke at the breakfast. Among those attending was Russell D. Moore, dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Also in the audience, according to a White House pool reporter, were Roman Catholic Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, D.C.; activist Al Sharpton, and Suzan Johnson Cook, U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Attending were "heads of major denominations, non-profit leaders and prominent mainline, evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders from across the spectrum," a White House aide told the pool reporter. Invited guests, the White House reported, were Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Louie Giglio, pastor of Atlanta's Passion City Church and founder of the Passion conferences; Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland Church in Orlando, Fla.; Julius Scruggs, president of the National Baptist Convention, USA; Sharon Watkins, president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. Christian recording artist Sara Groves sang at the event. Boyce College is the undergraduate arm of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Burk's full commentary is available online at [URL=http://www.dennyburk.com/president-obama-on-jesus-doubts-and-fears/#comments]www.dennyburk.com/president-obama-on-jesus-doubts-and-fears/#comments[/URL]. Obama's full remarks are available online at [URL=http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/04/remarks-president-easter-prayer-breakfast]www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/04/remarks-president-easter-prayer-breakfast [/URL]--30-- Compiled by Tom Strode, Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- School nixes 'God' from Lee Greenwood song By Todd Starnes/Fox News & Commentary Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37554 NEW YORK (BP) -- Parents at a Massachusetts elementary school are furious after educators first removed the word "God" from the popular Lee Greenwood song "God Bless the U.S.A." and then pulled the song altogether from an upcoming concert. Fox 25 in Boston reported that children at Stall Brook Elementary School in Bellingham were told to sing, "We love the U.S.A." instead of "God Bless the U.S.A." After parents started complaining, school officials removed the song from the school assembly concert. The school's principal released a statement to Fox 25 stating they hope to "maintain the focus on the original objective of sharing students' knowledge of the U.S. States, and because of logistics, will not include any songs." Greenwood released a statement to Fox News criticizing the school's actions. [IMG=32378@right@300]"The most important word in the whole piece of music is the word God, which is also in the title 'God Bless The USA," Greenwood said. "Maybe the school should have asked the parents their thoughts before changing the lyrics to the song. They could have even asked the writer of the song, which I of course, would have said you can't change the lyrics at all or any part of the song." Greenwood said the phrase "God Bless the USA" has a "very important meaning for those in the military and their families, as well as new citizens coming into our country." He said it's also played at naturalization ceremonies behind the national anthem. "If the song is good enough to be played and performed in its original setting under those circumstances, it surely should be good enough for our children," Greenwood said. An online poll taken by the television station indicated more than 80 percent of viewers were outraged by removing God from the song. "I don't have a problem with the song. ... " resident Patrick Grudier said. "I mean It's on our currency (God)." But not everyone agreed -- including parent Matthew Cote. "I don't think there's anything wrong with changing the song," he told the television. "It's a public school. If you want to have the word God in the song, go to a private school." Reaction on Facebook has been overwhelmingly in favor of the traditional patriotic song. "Here we go again, more war on Christianity," wrote one Facebook user. "You can remove God all you want, but the good news -- there is still a loving God and He lives." Another Facebook user called it sad and disgusting. "I'd like to say unbelievable -- but it is so totally believable." --30-- Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard daily on Fox News Radio stations around the nation. He is the author of "Dispatches From Bitter America" and "They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick." This article first appeared at [URL=http://www.toddstarnes.com]www.toddstarnes.com.[/URL] Used by permission. -- End of story -- CULTURE DIGEST: In video, Obama pledges to keep fighting for Planned Parenthood By Staff Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37545 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- President Obama recently reaffirmed his abortion rights advocacy by providing a video message filmed in the White House to supporters of the country's leading provider of the lethal procedure. In a message that appeared on Planned Parenthood Action Fund's YouTube page, Obama promised to work throughout his presidency to protect government funding for the organization. [IMG=32187@right@200]The president said he knows Planned Parenthood "will continue providing care no matter what. I know you'll never stop fighting to protect the health care and the choices that America's women deserve. As long as I have the privilege of being your president, neither will I." He also said, "[O]ver the past year, you've had to stand up to politicians who wanted to deny millions of women the care they rely on and inject themselves into decisions that are best made between a woman and her doctor." The action fund is the advocacy and political arm for Planned Parenthood. The U.S. House of Representatives voted last year to eliminate federal funds for Planned Parenthood, but the Senate defeated the proposal. Planned Parenthood affiliates reported performing 329,445 abortions in 2010, the latest year for which statistics are available. Planned Parenthood and its affiliates received $487.4 million in government grants, contracts and reimbursements alone in 2009-10. A subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee is conducting an investigation into Planned Parenthood's policies and practices. Undercover investigations by pro-life organizations in recent years have shown Planned Parenthood employees demonstrating a willingness to aid self-professed sex traffickers whose prostitutes supposedly were in their early teens, seeking to cover up alleged child sex abuse and agreeing to receive donations designated for abortions of African American babies. 700 BABIES SAVED IN '40 DAYS FOR LIFE' -- More than 700 unborn children were saved from abortion in the 40 Days for Life campaign that concluded April 1. As of April 3, 40 Days leaders had received reports of 718 babies rescued in the latest effort. The reported number of babies saved likely will increase as more reports come in. The effort, which began in Texas in 2004 and went national in 2007, has received reports of more than 5,700 unborn lives saved as a result of its campaigns. The 40-day effort -- which focuses on peaceful, pro-life prayer vigils outside abortion clinics -- was the largest spring campaign in 40 Days for Life's history, with initiatives in 258 cities in the United States, plus sites in Canada, Australia, England, Ireland and Spain. Shawn Carney, 40 Days campaign director, reported the following developments in the last week of the campaign: -- Three more abortion clinic workers left their jobs, bringing this spring's total to eight and the overall total since 2007 to 69. -- A 40 Days volunteer in Charlotte, N.C., reported five more babies saved for a total of 46 during the spring campaign. -- A 40 Days volunteer at an unnamed location shared the following testimony: "I had my first abortion at age 14 and hardly knew what it meant -- then another through the following years, still not understanding that it was true lives being terminated. When a friend talked me out of a fourth at age 23, it was the best thing my friend could have done. My one and only son is now 18 and graduating high school. It was the best decision I ever made." -- A participant in Pensacola, Fla., said five more children were saved at the city's last abortion clinic. The semi-annual 40 Days campaigns consist of 40 days of prayer and fasting to end abortion, as well as community outreach and the prayer vigils outside clinics. LOTTERY IS 'SUICIDAL CRAZE,' PASTOR SAYS -- As the frenzy ensued over the record-breaking $656 million Mega Millions drawing in late March, a pastor warned would-be winners not to tithe their lottery money at his church. "Christ does not build his church on the backs of the poor. Pray that Christ's people will be so satisfied in him that they will be freed from the greed that makes us crave to get rich," John Piper, preaching pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, wrote at desiringgod.org March 30. Lottery agents in New York reportedly were selling 1.3 Mega Millions tickets per hour the day before the drawing of the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. On average, more than $500 per American household is spent on lottery tickets each year. Piper gave seven reasons why people should not play the lottery and should ask their political representatives not to support it. Among them, "It is a kind of embezzlement." "Managers don't gamble with their Master's money," Piper wrote. "All you have belongs to God. All of it. Faithful trustees may not gamble with a trust fund. They have no right. The parable of the talents says Jesus will take account of how we handled his money." Playing the lottery is a fool's errand, Piper said, noting the odds of winning were nearly 176 million-to-one. "The smaller amounts paid out more often are like a fog to keep you from seeing what is happening," he wrote. Also, the lottery system is built on the necessity of most people losing. The lottery is just another form of gambling without the glamour and glitz of Las Vegas -- the "house" controls the action and the players all will eventually lose, Piper wrote. JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ULTRASOUND LAW -- An Oklahoma judge nullified a state law that requires an abortion provider to make available to a mother an ultrasound of her unborn child before she undergoes the procedure. The 2010 law, which has been blocked from enforcement during the legal process, also mandates an abortion provider describe the sonogram image to the woman considering abortion, according to the Tulsa World. Oklahoma County District Judge Bryan Dixon issued a summary judgment in declaring the law unconstitutional March 28. It is likely the state will appeal the ruling. Mary Spaulding Balch, director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee, said the law's foes want the public to believe abortion is like all other procedures. "But ultrasound -- the window to the mother's womb -- puts a bright light on that lie," she told National Right to Life News. "It is a light they desperately want turned off." GA. LEGISLATURE BANS PAIN-CAPABLE ABORTIONS -- Both houses of the Georgia legislature have approved a ban on abortions at 20 weeks or more into pregnancy based on evidence a baby in the womb experiences pain by that point. The Georgia Senate and House of Representatives both passed the legislation March 30, and Republican Gov. Nathan Deal is expected to sign it into law. Georgia will become the sixth state to enact a ban on pain-capable abortions, but its version falls short of what pro-life organizations sought. It was amended to include an exception for a "medically futile" pregnancy, giving a doctor the opportunity to abort a child if he decides a baby may have a condition that would cause his death after birth, according to Georgia Right to Life. "While this bill will save well over 1,000 babies a year, it still is far short of our goal of protecting all human life," Dan Becker, president of Georgia Right to Life, said. "The final outcome was heavily affected by intense pressure from those who resorted to half-truths, misinformation and in some cases outright intimidation. "The futile pregnancy exception leaves the door open to destroy a whole class of babies a doctor decides may be less than perfect -- that's not who we should be as a society." In other recent developments in the states: -- Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law March 20 legislation requiring a woman seeking an abortion to wait 72 hours after receiving information on fetal development and abortion alternatives, United Press International reported. -- The New Hampshire House voted March 29 for a bill that would prohibit pain-capable abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and had previously approved proposals banning partial-birth abortions and establishing a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion, according to the Associated Press. -- The Arizona Senate also passed a ban on pain-capable abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a 20-10 vote March 28. --30-- Compiled by Baptist Press Washington bureau chief Tom Strode and assistant editor Erin Roach. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- BIBLE STUDY: Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012 By Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37552 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curriculum and additional resources for all age groups. This week's Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies for Life curriculum. Bible Passages: Matthew 27:62-66, 28:5-8; Luke 24:13-16, 32-33, 35 Discussion Question: Have your personal desires ever been in conflict with what you believed to be in God's plan? If so, which one won? Food for Thought: Imagine that you and your spouse have saved money for months so that you can take your dream vacation. You've pored over brochures, done your online research and talked with a travel agent. You're ready to buy the plane tickets and pack your bags. Then you receive a text message from a friend that there's been a fire in your community and a family of five has lost everything. Your church, the American Red Cross and several neighbors are all pitching in to help with meals, clothing and temporary housing. You and your spouse pray about how you can help, and you feel God leading you to donate your savings to help. Do you follow God's lead to help financially or do you take the vacation you've been dreaming about for years? For some, this is a no-brainer. Of course, you'd donate the money. For others, this may not be such an easy decision. Sometimes what we want conflicts with what God wants for us. Although obedience to Him isn't always easy, it's always in our best interests. Bible Studies for Life is a life-stage focused family of resources that addresses key issues in the lives of adults and students. Consisting of seven curriculum lines developed for various life and generational stages plus two others designed for deeper study, all of these resources focus on the same Bible passage each week. Information about the seven curriculum lines can be found on the Internet at LifeWay.com/BibleStudiesforLife. Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool. --30-- Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Is the Easter story too violent for children? By Russell D. Moore Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37551 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Every year, around this time, parents and churches ponder how to communicate the Easter story to children, as something more than dyed eggs. The problem is, of course, that it's impossible to talk about the resurrection of Jesus without talking about death. And, in the case of Jesus, it's really hard to talk about death without talking about crucifixion. Some churches resolve this tension by deeming the cross too violent for kids. They talk instead about Easter meaning that Jesus is our "forever friend." They say that Jesus "went away for a little while, and his friends were sad," but that he soon "came back to see them." Most Christian churches, thankfully, still speak on Easter of the cross and the resurrection, but in many places this is, well, precisely because it's Easter. The story seems particularly strange to the children in such places because "Jesus is my forever friend" is the standard fare the rest of the year. We need to understand that this temptation isn't just related to children, although we see it perhaps most explicitly there. The temptation that comes to all of us, in every era of the church, is to have Jesus, without seeing ourselves in the gore of His bloody cross and the glory of His empty grave. In the way that we speak of Him to our children, or to skeptics, or to seekers, we sometimes believe we'll gain more of a hearing if we present Him as teacher but not as a former corpse. It is too disturbing, we think to ourselves, too weird. Peter thought that way, too. Not the bold preacher of Pentecost, mind you, but the Peter of just a short time before that, the Peter of Caesarea Philippi. Peter certainly knew Jesus as friend, and he had just confessed that He was Messiah and Son of the living God. But when Jesus began to teach that He must "suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised," Peter was outraged (Matthew 16:21). Peter was no preschooler, but he was disturbed. Matthew tells us that he began to rebuke Jesus. His cognitive development was not yet to the point where he could understand such things. This will never happen, Peter said. He loved Jesus. He wanted to be with Jesus. He wanted to stand with Jesus. He just didn't want the Jesus of the cross or the empty tomb. Jesus didn't call this shallow theology. He didn't call it inadequate teaching. He called it Satan (Matthew 16:23). Our children need to hear the Gospel. They need to see Jesus. That means they need to see both sides of skull place. That's graphic, sure. It's confusing, of course. And not just for kids. But it is the only message that saves. It's the only message that prepares one for salvation. It is, as Paul says, that which is "of first importance," the message he received from Jesus Himself (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the Gospel. That's the first word. If we cannot speak of that, we would be better off not speaking of Jesus at all, rather than presenting another Christ, one who meditates but does not mediate, who counsels but is not crucified, who is accessible but not triumphant over sin and death. The Apostle Paul told us the word of the cross would be folly to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). He didn't warn us that it would sometimes also be folly to those who are publishing. No matter. It is still the power of God. This Easter, preach the Gospel ... to the senior citizens, to the middle-aged, to the young adults, to the teenagers, to the seekers, to the hardened unbelievers, to the whole world. And, yes, preach the Gospel to the preschoolers. --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 -- EDITORIAL: La piedra By Luis R. López Apr. 5 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37550 NOTA DEL EDITOR: La columna First-Person (De primera mano) es parte de la edición de hoy de BP en español. Para ver historias adicionales, vaya a [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/espanol]http://www.bpnews.net/espanol[/URL] NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Sentado en una tienda de café escuchaba atentamente a mi amigo hablar de su sufrimiento con cálculos renales. Las piedras en la vesícula (cálculos biliares) son frecuentes en las personas. Miles han sufrido o están sufriendo de estas piedritas molestas que se forman dentro de la vesícula. Pueden ser tan pequeñas como un grano de arena o tan grandes como una pelota de golf. Los síntomas son variados y dolorosos. Las causas de su formación parecen ser múltiples. Estas van desde la química heredada hasta la dieta alimenticia. Lo cierto es que se forman piedras que pueden provocar un bloqueo del sistema de drenaje, la acumulación de bilis en la vesícula o el hígado hasta la pancreatitis. Las piedras bloquean el paso. Después de la muerte de Jesús, su cuerpo fue puesto en una tumba y una piedra la sellaba. La tumba estaba bloqueada. Las entradas bloqueadas constituyen un problema si usted se dispone a entrar por ellas. Una piedra obstruía el camino. Ese fue el problema de las mujeres cuando muy de mañana fueron al sepulcro aquel primer día de la semana para ungir el cuerpo del Señor. Lucas 24:2. He aquí personas que querían servir a Jesús, pero sabían que encontrarían obstáculos para hacerlo. Al rayar el alba, estas damas vinieron al sepulcro. Se despertaron muy temprano. Hay un dicho antiguo que dice "el que se levanta temprano, recoge agua clara." ¿Qué estaban pensando estas mujeres? ¿No sabían que había una piedra que sellaba al sepulcro? Cuando llegue al cielo, se lo voy a preguntar. La Biblia dice que estas mujeres traían especies aromáticas que habían preparado para ungir el cuerpo del Señor. ¿Qué pensaban cuando preparaban estas especies? ¿Cómo llegarían a ungir el cuerpo si había una piedra? ¿Para qué hacer todos estos arreglos si no iban a poder ungir el cuerpo? Esto no parece práctico, mucho menos lógico. A veces podemos ver las circunstancias a nuestro alrededor como problemas u oportunidades. Andar en fe requiere mirar más allá de las circunstancias. ¿Estaban estas mujeres enfocadas en la piedra o en Jesús? No lo sé. A veces podemos estar más enfocados en "la piedra" que en Aquel que es capaz de moverla. Podemos vivir calculando el tamaño de la piedra, estimar su peso y contemplarla hasta quedar paralizados por ella. ¿Cuál es tu piedra en estos días? En nuestro paso por este mundo, nos damos cuenta que es un camino con piedras, algunas pequeñas otras más grandes. Estas pueden hacernos sufrir, caer y paralizarnos. Pienso en mi amigo y su cálculo renal. Muchas veces, nos preocupamos y hasta nos roban el gozo de la salvación. He aquí personas que querían servir a Jesús y encontraban obstáculos para hacerlo. ¿Alguna vez se ha sentido así? El enfrentar obstáculos es parte de esta vida. Esa piedra era un obstáculo. ¿Le ha dado Cristo una pasión por algo y de repente siente como que si una gran piedra lo detiene? ¡Aprendamos de estas siervas! No deje que el gozo del Señor se pierda en su vida cuando encuentre piedras en su peregrinaje. Dios está con usted. Concéntrese en servirle. Ya sea que Su poder las remueva o no en el momento que usted considere preciso, Cristo ya venció. Con su resurrección ha removido la piedra de la muerte y el pecado. Presumo que en lo más profundo de su ser, la fe tambaleante de estas mujeres les hacía pensar que algo sucedería. ¿Habrá mirado Dios su fe débil, frágil pero arraigada en Cristo al remover la piedra? La pregunta clave no es ¿cuál o cuán grande es tu piedra en estos días? Esto es fácil de hacerlo. Más bien, debemos considerar cuán grande y poderoso es nuestro Dios. La resurrección demuestra el poder de Cristo sobre nuestras debilidades. ¿Recuerda cuán débiles, tristes, perdidos y atemorizados se encontraban los discípulos después de la crucifixión? Una semana antes, el domingo de ramos, estos se sentían jubilosos, esperanzados y fuertes. Aquella mañana de resurrección encontró a los primeros discípulos asustados como a niños que se habían perdido en las calles. Estaban encerrados bajo puertas con llaves. Estas mujeres caminaban rumbo a la tumba bloqueada por la piedra de su debilidad. Para su sorpresa, la piedra fue removida. El poder de la resurrección lo hizo. Su debilidad fue transformada en fortaleza. La resurrección puso en los seguidores de Cristo un poder ilimitado a su alcance: El regalo del Espíritu Santo. Su resurrección también nos dio poder sobre el pecado. ¿Cómo entraríamos por la puerta del perdón? Estaba bloqueada por el efecto de nuestra culpa. ¡Qué piedra tan grande! Cristo con su resurrección la removió! ¿Y qué tal de la piedra de la muerte? Si no hay resurrección, los muertos han perecido sin esperanza. Toda la fe es vana, vacía e inútil. Entraríamos por la puerta de la vida, pero la muerte tendría bloqueada la salida terrenal. ¡Esta sí que es un piedrón! Con su resurrección, Cristo conquistó el poder sobre la muerte. ¡Aleluya! La resurrección abre la puerta a esa vida eterna. La resurrección tiene que ver con todos. Mi muerte, su muerte, la muerte de sus seres queridos, la muerte de sus amigos, la muerte de cada ser humano. Tiene que ver con mi vida, su vida, la vida de sus seres queridos, la vida de sus amigos, la vida de todo aquel que se arrepiente para salvación. Oía a mi amigo compartir que el dolor había cedido. La piedra removida. ¡Qué alivio escucharlo! Las buenas nuevas son que la resurrección ha removido la piedra de nuestra debilidad y nos ha dado poder para vivir victoriosamente para la eternidad. Esa es nuestra esperanza. Porque El vive, --30-- Luis R. López es el Director de LifeWay Español de LifeWay Church Resources en Nashville, Tenn. [URL=http://www.LifeWay.com/espanol]www.LifeWay.com/espanol[/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