Baptist Press Stories for May. 4 2012 --------------------------------------- House hearing recounts Chen's heroic stand for the unborn http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37774 Iranian pastor's attorney headed to prison http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37773 Bill targets Vanderbilt policy; gov. pledges veto http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37772 Amid Katrina, Baptist association rallied http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37769 Baptist associations & local church cooperation http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37768 SBC Executive Committee, boards, commission, seminaries, committee nominees announced http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37770 Wright appoints Committee on Committees http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37771 CULTURE DIGEST: Faith-based movie to warn about online predators http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37764 FIRST-PERSON: Chuck Colson's greatest legacy http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37767 FIRST-PERSON: America's moral fabric is ripped http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37766 FIRST-PERSON: La Importancia del Discipulado http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37765 --------------------------------------- House hearing recounts Chen's heroic stand for the unborn By Staff May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37774 WASHINGTON (BP) -- A member of the U.S. House of Representatives has reminded government leaders that the international ordeal Chen Guangcheng is currently facing was prompted by China's brutal "family planning" policy that includes forced abortions and unwanted sterilizations. [QUOTE@left@180='Among China's many coercions and tyrannies, (the one-child policy) is the one that touches the most Chinese.' -- Rep. Chris Smith]Meanwhile, the Chinese government said Friday (May 4) that Chen may apply to study abroad, and the U.S. State Department confirmed that Chen has been offered a fellowship from an American university where he can be accompanied by his wife and two children. Chen, a 40-year-old self-trained lawyer who has been blind since childhood, was imprisoned and then placed under house arrest for exposing the barbaric nature of China's one-child policy. In one of the most tragic examples Chen had helped uncover, the government forced a woman who was seven months pregnant to have an abortion, and then forcibly sterilized her, LifeNews.com reported. In his opening remarks at an emergency hearing Thursday (May 3) that later included an impromptu phone call with Chen, Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J., characterized the Chinese human rights advocate's story as "extraordinary and inspirational from the beginning." "Blinded by a childhood illness, Chen pushed past profound barriers to school himself in Chinese law and to become an advocate for the rights of the vulnerable, including disabled persons and rural farmers," Smith, chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, said. "Years later, when local villagers told him their stories of forced abortions and forced sterilizations, Chen and his wife Yuan Weijing documented these stories, later building briefs for a class-action lawsuit against the officials involved." The couple's efforts led to international news media attention in 2005, Smith said, and "their challenge to China's draconian population control policies spurred harsh and extended official retaliation including torture and beatings." Congress has examined China's population control policies repeatedly, Smith noted, but the practices continue. "China's government sometimes paints a false picture for gullible foreigners that the policy is somehow being eased, but the few exceptions they permit do not fundamentally modify its rough, harsh, brutal and ugly character," the congressman said. Smith explained that family planning officials in villages and neighborhoods "maintain an extreme vigilance to exterminate" unborn children the government does not approve. "The English phrase they use is 'family planning,' but the plan is not the family's plan but the state's plan," Smith said. "... When an out of plan birth does take place, they impose crushing fines on the couple. All unwed mothers are compelled by the state to abort. "Among China's many coercions and tyrannies, this is the one that touches the most Chinese -- especially women who are victimized and the girl-child who is murdered in the womb or at birth," the congressman testified. "It was when Chen Guangcheng challenged these horrific violations of women's rights that the hammer fell." For the past seven years, Chen and his family have paid a dear price for his advocacy efforts, Smith said. Refusing to back down, Chen escaped from house arrest April 22 in order to seek help at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. After testimony from Smith, Bob Fu of the Texas-based China Aid Association and others, Rep. Frank Wolf, R.-Va., asked if anyone had been in touch with Chen since Wednesday. Soon after, Fu and Smith called Chen in a Beijing hospital. With Fu holding up a cell phone on speaker phone and translating, Chen told the commission he wanted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to visit him while she is in Beijing on other business, and he appealed for the U.S. government to ensure the safety of his family, according to a China Aid news release. Victoria Nuland, a State Department spokesperson, said the Chinese government relayed the belief that Chen "has the same right to travel abroad as any other citizen of China." "The Chinese government has indicated that it will accept Mr. Chen's applications for appropriate travel documents," Nuland said. "The United States government expects that the Chinese government will expeditiously process his applications for these documents and make accommodations for his current medical condition. "The United States government would then give visa requests for him and his immediate family priority attention," Nuland added. "This matter has been handled in the spirit of a cooperative U.S.-China partnership." Clinton told reporters in Beijing she was encouraged by the development. "From the beginning, all of our efforts with Mr. Chen have been guided by his choices and our values, and I'm pleased that today our ambassador has spoken with him again, our embassy staff and our doctor had a chance to meet with him and he confirms that he and his family now want to go to the United States so he can pursue his studies," Clinton said. USA Today identified New York University as the American institution that had offered Chen a fellowship. Also on Friday, Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, who testified at the hearing convened by Smith, confirmed that her friend He Peirong, known as Pearl, has been released from detention. He Peirong had helped rescue Chen by driving him to Beijing upon his escape. "I am relieved and delighted that Pearl has been released -- the day after the congressional hearing at which her case was so strongly raised," Littlejohn said. "Some say that quiet, back door diplomacy is the way to deal with the detention of Chinese human rights defenders. But human rights activists have found that high profile, public pressure is far more effective." In his remarks at the hearing, Fu of China Aid, a former Chinese prisoner himself, said the way U.S. officials handled Chen's departure from the U.S. Embassy "reveals a lack of basic understanding about China." The deal the American government struck with China "did not include measures for how to ensure the freedom and safety of Chen and his family," he said. "How is it possible to believe that a government responsible for the long-term illegal imprisonment and the violent abuse of Chen Guangcheng and his family will now abide by this agreement?" Fu asked. Tony Perkins of the Washington-based Family Research Council said May 3 the United States "lost its leverage" in such situations by placing the nation "in the awkward position of indebtedness to China," which owns at least $1.6 trillion of the U.S. debt. "We traded away our ability to act as the 'city upon a hill' because the government refused to live within its means," Perkins wrote in his Washington Update email. "America, once a muffled voice of support for China's persecuted under President Bush, has fallen silent under this administration -- for fear of the economic repercussions. "Now, pro-life advocates like Chen and his family are being beaten and tortured while the leaders of liberty fumble through negotiations for their release," Perkins added. "Although China's culture of oppression didn't happen overnight, it's another example of where this 'economic first' mentality will lead us as a nation. "The United States has been a beacon for spiritually and financially repressed people around the globe -- but the flame of that light is flickering as America becomes servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7)," Perkins wrote. "Let's pray that America finds her voice again in proclaiming hope to those yearning to be free." --30-- Compiled by Erin Roach, assistant editor of Baptist Press. To read previous stories about Chen's recent ordeal, visit bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=37757 and bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37736. 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 -- Iranian pastor's attorney headed to prison By Staff May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37773 TEHRAN (BP) -- Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani's attorney -- called by many a hero for his representation of religious minorities -- has been convicted and could begin serving a nine-year sentence soon in a development that will leave Nadarkhani without a lawyer. Like Nadarkhani's conviction, the case of attorney Mohammad Ali Dadkhah also is controversial. Dadkhah said he was convicted of acting against national security, spreading propaganda and keeping banned books at home, according to the Guardian newspaper in the U.K. Dadkhah has represented Nadarkhani, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for converting from Islam to Christianity in a case that began in 2009. Nadarkhani's first name also can be spelled "Youcef." "This development only reinforces the fact that Iran has no regard for basic human rights," Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), said in a statement. "It also raises further concern about the fate of Pastor Youcef. With his attorney facing nine years in prison, and no other lawyer likely to take the case, Pastor Youcef has no legal advocate, which places him at greater risk." It's possible that no attorney will step up and represent Nadarkhani. Dadkhah previously told the ACLJ that if he himself was placed in jail, "no attorney would be willing" to take Nadarkhani's case out of fear of "being imprisoned or disbarred" for representing the Christian pastor. Dadkhah represented 12 Christians in Iran in April who had been charged with several crimes, including apostasy -- that is, leaving Islam. Sekulow called Dadkhah a "world-renowned Muslim human rights attorney." --30-- Compiled by Michael Foust, associate editor of Baptist Press. -- End of story -- Bill targets Vanderbilt policy; gov. pledges veto By Leigh Jones May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37772 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says he plans to veto legislation aimed at forcing Vanderbilt University to abandon its nondiscrimination policy. The bill, passed on Apr. 30, would revoke about $24 million in state funding if the school refuses to back away from a policy requiring all official campus organizations to open leadership positions to all students. [IMGONLY=31945@right@300]The policy requires any campus-recognized group -- including religious groups -- to apply, across the board, the university's non-discrimination policy, which forbids discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. For Christian groups, that means they technically cannot require their group leader to be a Christian. At least 13 religious groups have refused to comply. Tennessee legislators wanted to protect the Christian groups' freedom to operate, but in doing so, they overstepped their bounds, Haslam said in a statement Wednesday (May 2). "Although I disagree with Vanderbilt's policy, as someone who strongly believes in limited government, I think it is inappropriate for government to mandate the policies of a private institution," he said. The policy requires any campus-recognized group -- including religious groups -- to apply, across the board, the university's non-discrimination policy, which forbids discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. For Christian groups, that means they technically cannot require their group leader to be a Christian. Because Vanderbilt is a private school, it is allowed to set policies that might violate Constitutional protections for religious liberty at state schools. The original version of the legislation applied only to state schools, preventing them from following Vanderbilt's lead in establishing an "all-comers" policy. In vetoing the final version of the bill, Haslam will strike down the rules for state schools as well. Sen. Mae Beavers, who sponsored the legislation, said she plans to reintroduce rules for state schools next year. No public universities in Tennessee currently have policies that restrict leadership requirements for religious organizations. Haslam, who described Vanderbilt's policy as "counter-intuitive," has no problem preventing state schools from adopting similar measures: "I believe it is appropriate for state government to be involved in policies of public colleges and universities." Despite ongoing pressure from donors, alumni and the student groups who oppose the policy, Vanderbilt administrators have so far refused to back down. Several weeks ago, students took their appeal to the school's trustees, hoping they would encourage administrators to change course. But trustees remain silent on the issue. Administrators maintain the policy does not violate religious freedom. Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos applauded Haslam's announcement, saying in a statement, "While we respect the governor's position on Vanderbilt's policy, we are gratified by his rejection of government intrusion into private institutions and their ability to govern and set policies themselves," he said. Although Haslam announced plans to veto the bill, he has not done so yet. Until he does, Beavers hopes he may change his mind. But David Smith, the governor's press secretary, said Haslam has no intention of reversing course. Haslam's opposition to the bill surprised Beavers, who said Haslam never told her he opposed the amendment that tied the legislation to Vanderbilt. Even if Haslam strikes down the bill, the legislature's action still sent a strong message to the school and helped raise awareness about what's happening on the Nashville campus, Beavers said. "At least it looks bad for Vanderbilt that we passed this," she said. "It seems to have gotten people stirred up here." --30-- Leigh Jones writes for World News Service, where this story first appeared. With reporting by Michael Foust, associate editor of Baptist Press. -- End of story -- Amid Katrina, Baptist association rallied By Keith Collier May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37769 NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- When Hurricane Katrina crashed against the shores of Louisiana in 2005, floods deluged New Orleans, washing away houses, businesses and churches as well as the hope of many. Yet in the wake of catastrophic destruction, Southern Baptists found an opportunity to shine amid the darkness and help rebuild the Big Easy.
Jack Hunter, executive director of the New Orleans Baptist Association (NOBA) and a native New Orleanian, rejoices over the "virtual army of Southern Baptists who have come through to help with various aspects of the rebuilding of New Orleans." Hunter practiced law in New Orleans for nearly 30 years and ministered in a housing project through his local church prior to Katrina. After the flood, he joined the thousands of other volunteers in recovery efforts. He joined the staff of NOBA in 2009 and was named executive director in 2011. While initial post-Katrina efforts emphasized relief and recovery, Hunter said NOBA has shifted toward rebuilding -- none of which could be accomplished without the cooperation of Southern Baptist churches. "After Katrina, we experienced a tremendous influx of assistance from other churches, associations and conventions toward the rebuilding of New Orleans," Hunter said. "Now, more than six years later, we're still experiencing a lot of support from other churches, associations and conventions toward Kingdom building in New Orleans." The association had to overcome a net loss in congregations -- many of which were reduced to mere slabs -- and an overall loss of population as a result of the storm. However, Hunter sees a closer bond of fellowship among the remaining churches as a byproduct of the hardship. In recent years, New Orleans has re-emerged as a bustling metropolitan area as young professionals, entrepreneurs and artists have repopulated the city. Many of those whose professions brought them to work on the recovery fell in love with the city and stayed. Hunter said NOBA has embraced a threefold approach to reaching people and facilitating the ministry of churches: church planting, sustainable compassion ministries and a fellowship of healthy churches. "Baptist work in New Orleans is quintessentially Southern Baptist cooperative work," he said. "We have a strategy that has been developed at a grassroots level and it's being led by our local churches." Hunter added that NOBA is "dependent upon" and "appreciative of" its partners in ministry, including churches in other areas, sister associations, the Louisiana Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board. David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans, has witnessed this cooperation firsthand, with NOBA becoming a vital part of the life and ministry of churches during the immediate aftermath of Katrina and in ongoing Kingdom advancement. NOBA serves as a hub for information and resources, providing training, encouragement and support to local churches in a variety of Gospel-driven efforts. "The association partnered with us to establish a preaching point in Central City, where we saw many people make professions of faith in open-air meetings," Crosby said. First Baptist also has worked with the association to establish partnerships with local schools and to host block parties in neighboring communities. NOBA's compassion ministries have become an effective bridge in reaching people with the Gospel. Plans are underway to launch a new work this summer: Christ Community Health Services-NOLA (CCHS) -- a primary care health clinic in the medically underserved Lower Ninth Ward. "We're going to provide full-service primary care to the residents of that community in a Gospel-centered way," Hunter said. "We'll only hire healthcare professionals who can share their faith with their patients and will pray with their patients." This ministry will provide much-needed medical assistance in the community but also will be a launching pad for church planting efforts. As with all NOBA ministries, CCHS is linked to the association's overall mission. "These aren't separate dimensions of the work," Hunter said. "They're really interrelated dimensions of the work. Our church planting will be connected with compassion ministries. And they will both be connected with the health of our existing churches." Among the plans for CCHS is adopting an unreached people group in a country where missionaries cannot go but medical teams will have access. "We learned during Katrina that we could have spent all of our time, energy and resources doing good works, but doing good works apart from sharing the Gospel doesn't build the Kingdom. And sharing the Gospel apart from demonstrating the love of God in Christ begins to sound like a clanging symbol," Hunter said. Hunter's belief in the power of cooperation for Kingdom impact in New Orleans has him looking forward to the SBC annual meeting in June. He believes the ground has been plowed and prepared for a great harvest through Crossover, the annual evangelistic thrust prior to the convention. "From an associational standpoint, we've given great emphasis to Crossover," he said. More than 18 months of preparation have gone into this year's Crossover outreach. Local churches have been trained and equipped with evangelism strategies, and a heavy emphasis on prayer pervades every meeting. "We have been praying that God would prepare the soil of the hearts of the people in New Orleans, that He would send forth laborers into this effort, that His Spirit would move and that people would be brought to faith in Christ, congregationalized and brought to maturity in Christ," Hunter said. "The focus of Crossover New Orleans is going to be door-to-door evangelism within the communities of our churches. We want volunteers to come and to go with our church members into the communities to do this." Additionally, NOBA is looking for men and women who will embrace New Orleans and plant their lives in the city as church planters, teachers or business professionals. "We really want people to follow Christ within their own careers, within their own professions, and to do it here in New Orleans," Hunter said. "We're looking for ways we can start new faith communities." --30-- Keith Collier is director of news and information at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. For more information about the work of the New Orleans Baptist Association, visit www.joinnoba.com/serve-new-orleans. -- End of story -- Baptist associations & local church cooperation By John Evans May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37768 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- When a Vermont pastor's father became deathly ill, the pastor called the Green Mountain Baptist Association. Like many pastors in the state, he works another job to make ends meet. Unable to pay for the long trip home to be near his father, he needed compassionate counsel from a trusted colleague in ministry. "Within minutes of his phone call, I was able to send out a plea to all our pastors," Terry Dorsett, director of missions and church planting catalyst with the association, recounted in an email. "In less than two hours I was able to call him back and tell him that we had collected all that he needed to make the trip home." For many pastors, Baptist associations serve as the primary support system for their work and ministry. But that's just one facet of the groups of churches that join together for fellowship, for ministry and service and for cooperative evangelism and missions. The Baptist association is the oldest cooperative unit in Baptist life, tracing its existence back more than 300 years. Each year, the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Directors of Missions (SBCADOM) promotes a week of Associational Missions Emphasis. This year's emphasis, slated for May 20-26, is themed "Igniting Passion." A small-group study resource developed in cooperation with the North American Mission Board is available as a free download at [URL=http://bit.ly/L7HWOA]http://bit.ly/L7HWOA[/URL]. Johnny Rumbough, SBCADOM president and director of missions for the Lexington Baptist Association in South Carolina, noted, "I think that historically it's just sort of been proven that our Southern Baptist Convention needs associations, because there's a role that associations have that is very unique." Associations represent the most local level of Southern Baptist cooperation, serving churches through resources, consultations and ministry/missions coordination. Dorsett, for example, leads the Green Mountain Baptist Association to assist in fundraising for churches, while Rumbough meets frequently with church staff and has trained 100-plus pastor search committees. Rumbough also serves churches in a more personal way, writing letters to thank church leaders for the support they give to their pastors and church staff. "There's not enough denominational staff to be able to do that, but the associational leadership can do that because we're small enough to be able to know 100 percent of our churches but large enough to be able to have a significant impact," Rumbough said. As associations connect churches with opportunities to help other churches and engage in cooperative local ministry, a large church sometimes may be paired with a smaller, struggling church. Jeff Crabtree, director of missions for Warren Association of Baptists in south-central Kentucky, for example, paired 10 of the more evangelistic churches in the association with 10 churches that had not baptized anyone the previous year. He asked the stronger churches to pray specifically that the other churches would experience evangelistic effectiveness in the coming year. At its 2009 annual meeting, the association reported that eight churches with no baptisms in 2008 had baptized 29 new believers in 2009, tapping video footage of actual baptisms in those churches in its report. The evangelistic impact begun that year has continued. "Our pastors celebrate one another's baptisms at every associational meeting," Crabtree said. In 2010, a total of 23 churches in the association reported an increase in baptisms and the association began to pray for 1,000 souls to be baptized in the 2010-11 associational year. "Our associational churches baptized 1,068 in 2011 and we are now praying for 1,150 baptisms in 2012," Crabtree said. "One of our churches that baptized none in 2010, White Stone Quarry Baptist Church, recently reported it has baptized four people so far this year, the most recent on Easter Sunday morning." Reflecting how associations often help church members find avenues of service in their communities, Rumbough said one small-group leader's inquiry from a church led to the association showing them ways to assist local police officers and their families. "When a church surfaces and says, 'Hey, we'd like to do something,' we not only know but we already have a relationship with those community entities," Rumbough said. Beyond helping churches, Baptist associations are heavily involved in evangelism and ministry. That can include financial support of church plants and training for church planters; evangelism at a county fair; prison ministries; or training churches how to host block parties. Lexington Baptist Association has partnerships for church planting in Atlanta and Canada, and it has adopted an area of London for evangelistic outreach. The missions involvement of local associations is reaching new heights through their partnership with NAMB's Send North America church planting initiative. Send North America relies heavily on associations to serve as catalysts for new church plants. As part of the initiative, directors of missions who receive funding from NAMB take on the title of church planting catalyst (CPC) and are expected to set church planting as a major priority. NAMB has set a goal for each CPC to help start four new church plants in his area every year. NAMB has long provided a variety of services to help associations, including training and consultations. Stan Albright, NAMB's national director for associations, said directors of missions have relationships at the local level that NAMB does not, relationships that can aid evangelistic efforts. "In other words, if you want to talk to someone [who knows] something about a particular city or town or rural setting, the first person you probably want to talk to is the DOM," Albright said, "because ... he has worked among those people." SBCADOM will hold its annual meeting June 17-18 in New Orleans in conjunction with the SBC annual meeting. Among the featured speakers are SBC First Vice President Fred Luter, International Mission Board President Tom Elliff and NAMB President Kevin Ezell. (To read the Baptist Press story about the meeting, go to [URL=http://bit.ly/J8etCy]http://bit.ly/J8etCy[/URL].) Rumbough hopes pastors who are unsure about joining their local Baptist associations will consider the ways their churches can join together to reach the world for Christ. "This is about being able to reach people that are beyond their one church's ability to be able to reach," he said, "because no one church can do what multiple churches can do together." --30-- John Evans is a freelance journalist in Houston. This article first appeared in SBC LIFE (www.sbclife.org), journal of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee. -- End of story -- SBC Executive Committee, boards, commission, seminaries, committee nominees announced By Staff May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37770 NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- Nominees to serve on the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, the four denominational boards -- International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, LifeWay Christian Resources and GuideStone Financial Resources, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the six seminaries and the Committee on Order of Business -- have been selected by the 2012 SBC Committee on Nominations. Nominees will serve if elected by the messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, June 19-20 in New Orleans, La: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (83 members): 23 nominations considered; 17 new members; 6 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2016 replacing members ineligible for re-election include James W. (Jim) Averett, layperson and member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., replacing Mitchell E. Gavin, Alexander City, Ala.; Ted I. Haney, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Panama City, Fla., replacing Joseph (Jody) Hudgins, Sarasota, Fla.; Ken Alford, pastor, Crossroads Baptist Church, Valdosta, Ga., replacing Roy Scarborough Jr., Augusta, Ga.; Edward J. Dease III, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Covington, La., replacing Charles E. Harper Sr., Baton Rouge, La.; David A. Hall, pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Bel Air, Md., replacing Robert J. Anderson, Randallstown, Md.; Bobby L. Kirk, layperson and member of Roundway Baptist Church, Doddsville, Miss., replacing Clarence J. Cooper Jr., Grenada, Miss.; John H. Moore, associate pastor, mentoring and medical counseling, First Baptist Church, Branson, Mo., replacing Randy A. Johnson, Republic, Mo.; Shane B. Hall, pastor, First Baptist Church, Lawton, Okla., replacing Jeff W. Moore, Altus, Okla.; Robert Alan Quigley, pastor, South Main Street Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C., replacing Jack E. Shaw, Taylors, S.C.; Bedford F. (Buddy) Hanson, pastor, Mountain View Baptist Church, Mills, Wyo., replacing Martha Lawley, Worland, Wyo. Also nominated for term to expire in 2016 are Brad M. Wheeler, associate pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., replacing Salvatore (Tory) Galeano, Jr., Upper Marlboro, Md., who declined to serve a second term; John E. Smith, pastor, Munfordville Baptist Church, Munfordville, Ky., replacing Scott F. Kilgore, Bowling Green, Ky., who declined to serve a second term; Ed Yount, pastor, Woodlawn Baptist Church, Conover, N.C., replacing Al Gilbert, Winston-Salem, N.C., who resigned; Ralph Dale Jenkins, pastor, Airway Heights Baptist Church, Airway Heights, Wash., replacing Tim R. Crownover, Vancouver, Wash., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2014 is Terry H. Montgomery, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., replacing Joan M. Mitchell, Durham, N.C., who resigned. Nominated for term to expire in 2013 are Dale R. Suel, minister, Amherst Baptist Church, Amherst, N.Y., replacing Sean P. Pierce, Guilderland, N.Y., who resigned; Mike Lawson, pastor, First Baptist Church, Sherman, Tex., replacing Mark A. Howell, Houston, Tex., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Tom Biles, Tampa, Fla.; Robert O. (Rob) Freshour, South Lyon, Mich.; John Mark Simmons, Henderson, Nev.; Charles R. Chambers, Perrysburg, Ohio; Phil Harper, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; G. Harris Warner, Jr., Roanoke, Va. GUIDESTONE FINANCIAL RESOURCES (44 members): 11 nominations considered; 7 new members; 4 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2016 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Rob Zinn, pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Highland, Calif., replacing Jeffrey P. (Jeff) Amberg, Highland, Calif.; Donald L. Sharp, pastor, Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church, Chicago, Ill., replacing Michael C. Williams, University Park, Ill.; Barry C. Corbett, pastor, First Baptist Church, Kosciusko, Miss., replacing Forrest E. Sheffield, Tupelo, Miss.; John R. Morris, layperson and member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Boone, N.C., replacing Barry D. Hartis, Greensboro, N.C.; Steven D. Bryant, layperson and member of Highland Baptist Church, Redmond, Ore., replacing Ronald L. Bryant, Redmond, Ore. Also nominated for term to expire in 2016 is Robert L. (Bob) Sorrell, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Collierville, Tenn., replacing R. Craig Parker, Cordova, Tenn., who resigned. Nominated for term to expire in 2015 is Ken Whitten, pastor, Idlewild Baptist Church, Lutz, Fla., replacing John T. Raymond, Jacksonville, Fla., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Robert Lee (Bob) Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.; J. Dudley May, Baton Rouge, La.; M. Douglas Adkins, Dallas, Tex.; Forrest Donald (Don) Davidson, Alexandria, Va. INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD (89 members): 22 nominations considered; 8 new members; 14 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2016 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Lucinda W. (Cindy) Snead, layperson and member of North Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix, Ariz., replacing Simon H. Tsoi, Phoenix, Ariz.; Susan M. Bryant, layperson and member of Graefenburg Baptist Church, Waddy, Ky., replacing Norman W. Coe, Louisville, Ky.; Rodney A. Freeman, layperson and member of Somerset Hills Baptist Church, Basking Ridge, N.J., replacing David T. Button, Canton, N.Y.; Cheryl L. Wright, layperson and member of Immanuel Baptist Church, Shawnee, Okla., replacing Richard H. (Rick) Thompson, Bethany, Okla.; Jaye B. Martin, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Houston, Tex., replacing A. C. Halsell, Plano, Tex. Also nominated for term to expire in 2016 are Kenneth J. Burnham, layperson and member of Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Oxford, Ala., replacing Robert E. Jackson, Decatur, Ala., who declined to serve a second term; Roberta N. (Bobbi) Ashford, layperson and member of Coats Baptist Church, Coats, N.C., replacing Elizabeth B. (Beth) Harris, Charlotte, N.C., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2013 is Connie E. Ward, layperson and member of Calvary Baptist Church, Boise, Idaho, replacing John W. Keith, Cedar City, Utah, who resigned. Nominated for second term are Richard L. Richie, Decatur, Ala.; Richard A. Powell, Fort Myers, Fla.; H. Marvin Pittman, Bartow, Fla.; Roger L. Henderson, Augusta, Ga.; Mary H. Fulhart, Muncie, Ind.; Jay S. Collins, Ruston, La.; Vickie H. Mascagni, Clinton, Miss.; John M. Edie, Springfield, Mo.; Tracy M. Mackall, Enoree, S.C.; Roger P. Freeman, Clarksville, Tenn.; Byron V. McWilliams, Odessa, Tex.; John M. Meador, Euless, Tex.; Ronald K. Wade, Williamsburg, Va.; Paul R. Blizard, Beckley, W.Va. NORTH AMERICAN MISSION BOARD (58 members): 15 nominations considered; 4 new members; 11 renominations. Nominee with term to expire in 2016 replacing member ineligible for re-election is Jay L. Watkins, pastor, Redland Baptist Church, Valdosta, Ga., replacing Timothy P. (Tim) Dowdy, McDonough, Ga. Also nominated for term to expire in 2016 are Michael B. Edwards, layperson and member of Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Powder Springs, Ga., replacing Keith Fordham, Fayetteville, Ga.; Gary M. Jenkins, layperson and member of Old Powhatan Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va., replacing Robert E. (Ed) Parker, Hampton, Va., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2014 is Cynthia E. (Cindy) Bush, layperson and member of Bay Leaf Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., replacing Todd W. Garren, Lincolnton, N.C., who resigned. Nominated for second term are William M. (Bill) Logan, Ridgecrest, Calif.; Elaine F.O. Hall, Temple Hills, Md.; Ferrel K. Wiley, Upatoi, Ga.; Robert E. Dickerson, Marion, Ill.; Sissy M. Franks, Deville, La.; David E. Washington Jr., Canton, Mich.; Barry K. Anderson, Henderson, Nev.; Bruce L. Franklin, Henderson, N.C.; Chuck Herring, Collierville, Tenn.; Larry D. Robertson, Clarksville, Tenn.; Joey T. Anthony, Phenix, Va. LIFEWAY CHRISTIAN RESOURCES (56 members): 11 nominations considered; 5 new members; 6 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2016 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Kent Dacus, administrator, California Baptist University and member of Magnolia Avenue Baptist Church, Riverside, replacing Montia Setzler, Riverside, Calif.; Robert M. (Bob) Simpson, associate executive director, Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and member of The Church at Severn Run, Severn, Md., replacing William M. Talbott, Baltimore, Md.; Jay D. Swope, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Nixa, Mo., replacing Gary A. Grunick, Troy, Mo.; Millie A. (Mildred) Burkett, retiree from Northwest Baptist Convention and member of Greater Gresham Baptist Church, Gresham, Ore., replacing Kevin K. White, Longview, Wash.; Michael J. Osborne, administrative pastor, Colonial Heights Baptist Church, Colonial Heights, Va., replacing Douglas S. Echols, Yorktown, Va. Nominated for second term are Charles C. (Craig) Carlisle, Gadsden, Ala.; Terry L. Braswell, Lithia Springs, Ga.; Kathleen A. (Kathy) Todd, Brunswick, Maine; Jesse W. Messer, Asheville, N.C.; Jeanne J. Davis, Sevierville, Tenn.; Johnny F. Dickerson, Mansfield, Tex. SOUTHERN SEMINARY (43 members): 12 nominations considered; 6 new members; 6 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Nick Floyd, campus pastor, Cross Church, Fayetteville, Ark., replacing James O. Norman, Searcy, Ark.; Alfred M. (Merril) Smoak Jr., associate pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Livermore, Calif., replacing Walter A. Price, Beaumont, Calif.; Randall B. (Randy) Kuhn, pastor, Howard Carlisle Baptist Church, Panama City, Fla., replacing John T. (Tommy) Green, Brandon, Fla.; Scott Pruitt, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Broken Arrow, Okla., replacing John M. Mathena, Edmond, Okla. Also nominated for term to expire in 2017 is Patricia A. Skelton, layperson and member of Salem Baptist Church, Shelbyville, Ky., replacing Gregory Dorris, Mt. Washington, Ky., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2013 is Phillip A. Bray, pastor, First Baptist Church, Macon, Mo., replacing Bruce McCoy, St. Louis, Mo., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Archie L. Stephens, Phoenix, Ariz.; Schanon D. Caudle, Van Buren, Ark.; Elizabeth H. (Ellie) Coursey, Henderson, Ky.; J. Michael (Mike) King, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Joseph M. (Mike) Mericle, Austin, Tex.; H. Randall McGee, Louisville, Ky. SOUTHWESTERN SEMINARY (40 members): 9 nominations considered; 4 new members; 5 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Stephen P. Davis, Midwest regional vice president, North American Mission Board and member of Living Faith Church, Indianapolis, Ind., replacing Scott Hobbs, Griffith, Ind.; Cornelious C. (Connie) Hancock, pastor, Springboro Baptist Church, Springboro, Ohio, replacing John Allen Hays, Pataskala, Ohio; Michael Don Whorton, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Dallas, Tex., replacing Jack Sherrod Smith, Dallas, Tex. Nominated for term to expire in 2013 is Herb M. Reavis Jr., pastor, North Jacksonville Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla., replacing Anthony George, Winter Park, Fla., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Jeff W. Crook, Flowery Branch, Ga.; Steven M. James, Lake Charles, La.; Travis C. Tobin, Garner, N.C.; Lashley T. (Lash) Banks, Murphy, Tex.; Gary W. Loveless, Houston, Tex. NEW ORLEANS SEMINARY (40 members): 7 nominations considered; 5 new members; 2 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Gary L. Hollingsworth, pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark., replacing James Craig Campbell, Russellville, Ark.; Daniel Shieh, layperson and member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., replacing Donald L. Doby, Oxon Hill, Md.; Robert B. (Bryant) Barnes Jr., pastor, First Baptist Church, Columbia, Miss., replacing William Phillip (Phil) Hanberry, Hattiesburg, Miss.; George B. Bannister, associational missionary and member of Central Baptist Church, Niles, Ohio, replacing Steven Renfrow, Hamilton, Ohio; Michael E. (Mike) Shaw, pastor, First Baptist Church, Pelham, Ala., replacing Bud Young, Mobile, Ala. Nominated for second term are Alan Floyd, Middleburg, Fla.; Douglas H. McKinnon, Albuquerque, N.Mex. SOUTHEASTERN SEMINARY (30 members): 6 nominations considered; 4 new members; 2 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Alan W. McAlister, pastor, Central Baptist Church, Clovis, N.M., replacing Paul S. Tankersley, Clovis, N.M.; Thomas S. Mach, layperson and member of Dayton Avenue Baptist Church, Xenia, Ohio, replacing William J. (Jack) Homseley, Cornelius, N.C.; Charles H. Cranford, layperson and member of Carmel Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., replacing James David (Jim) Goldston III, Raleigh, N.C.; James R. Marston Jr., layperson and member of Hyland Heights Baptist Church, Rustburg, Va., replacing Terrence R. Collier, Pound, Va. Nominated for second term are R.E. Clark, Gravette, Ark.; David E. Brown, Wheatridge, Colo. MIDWESTERN SEMINARY (35 members): 9 nominations considered; 8 new members; 1 renomination. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Ben O. Character, layperson and member of Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Oxford, Ala., replacing Robert E. (Bob) Ball, Muncie, Ind.; James L. (Jim) Downey, retiree, State Convention of Baptists in Indiana and member of Calvary Baptist Church, Seymour, Ind., replacing Bob Hartmann, Shawnee, Kan.; Randall H. Tompkins, contract worker, Louisiana Baptist Convention and member of Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria, La., replacing Harry E. Watson, Las Vegas, Nev.; Larry W. Sheppard, layperson and member of Clearview Baptist Church, Broken Arrow, Okla., replacing Gene L. Downing, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bryan C. Pain, pastor, First Baptist Church, Duncan, Okla., replacing Jeffrey L. Dial, Little Rock, Ark. Also nominated for term to expire in 2017 is William H. (Hosea) Bilyeu, pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Mo., replacing Richard Z. Cox, Lee's Summit, Mo., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2015 are Justin M. Shamblin, pastor, North Charleston Baptist Church, Charleston, W.Va., replacing W. Harold Rawlings, Walton, Ky., who resigned; Doug D. Richey, pastor, Pisgah Baptist Church, Excelsier Springs, Mo., replacing James F. Freeman III, Kansas City, Mo., who resigned. Nominated for second term is K. Wayne Lee, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Euless, Tex. GOLDEN GATE SEMINARY (39 members): 10 nominations considered; 7 new members; 3 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2017 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Ronnie H. Deal, pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenwood, Ark., replacing Arthur W. Barrett Jr., Harrison, Ark.; D. Chet Cantrell, executive director, Christian Activity Center and member of Winstanley Baptist Church, Fairview Heights, Ill., replacing D. Scott Andrews, Decatur, Ill.; Roberto Santos, pastor, Philippine International Baptist Church, Taylor, Mich., replacing Robert W. (Bob) Galey, Clarkston, Mich.; Dale Griffin, dean, Oklahoma Baptist University and member of Immanuel Baptist Church, Shawnee, Okla., replacing E. Randall Adams Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla. Also nominated for term to expire in 2017 is David Tate, layperson and member of Trinity Baptist Church, Vacaville, Calif., replacing Margaret M.S. Chan, Newark, Calif., who resigned. Nominated for term to expire in 2016 is Cathy D. Moore, layperson and member of Idlewild Baptist Church, Bradford, Tenn., replacing Roger (Buck) Webb, Tullahoma, Tenn., who resigned. Nominated for term to expire in 2015 is Victor L. Simpson, pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Huntingtown, Md., replacing Paul Langston, Newark, Del., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Steven R. Seldon, Peach Bottom, Pa.; Stuart L. Smith, Spartanburg, S.C.; Jeff Evans, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. ETHICS & RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION (34 members): 9 nominations considered; 5 new members; 4 renominations. Nominees with term to expire in 2016 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Roberta L. (Bobbi) Gilchrist, layperson and member of Sierra Vista Baptist Church, Sierra Vista, Ariz., replacing Charles R. Lord, Phoenix, Ariz.; Ryan E. Gatti, layperson and member of First Baptist Church, Bossier, La., replacing J. Michael Johnson, Shreveport, La. Also nominated for term to expire in 2016 are Brian M. Corrick, pastor, Nanjemoy Baptist Church, Nanjemoy, Md., replacing Jeffrey L. Harris, Forest Hill, Md., who declined to serve a second term; Ronald J. Libey, pastor, First Baptist Church, Gwinn, Mich., replacing Sharlene L. (Shar) Durbin, Clarkston, Mich., who declined to serve a second term. Nominated for term to expire in 2014 is Lynn O. Traylor, pastor, Buckner Baptist Church, LaGrange, Ky., replacing Todd E. Brady, Paducah, Ky., who resigned. Nominated for second term are Walter D. Bradley, Clovis, N.Mex.; Franklin R. Johnson, Ellensburg, Wash.; Christopher L. Slaughter, Cross Lanes, W.Va.; Kenda L. Bartlett, Washington, D.C. COMMITTEE ON ORDER OF BUSINESS (7 members): 2 nominations considered; 2 new members. Nominees with term to expire in 2015 replacing members ineligible for re-election include Stephen N. Horn, pastor, First Baptist Church, Lafayette, La., replacing Stanley P. Buckley, Jackson, Miss.; Lester O. Hoffman, layperson and member of Trinity Baptist Church, Cambridge, Ohio, replacing Rudy C. Yakym Jr., South Bend, Ind. --30-- -- End of story -- Wright appoints Committee on Committees By Staff May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37771 NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- Appointments to the Southern Baptist Convention's Committee on Committees have been announced by SBC President Bryant Wright. Wright, pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA, announced the appointments in accordance with SBC Bylaw 19 which requires that their names be released to Baptist Press no later than 45 days prior to the annual meeting. The Committee on Committees will assemble in New Orleans just prior to the SBC annual meeting, June 19-20, to nominate members of the Committee on Nominations who, in turn, nominate trustees to serve on boards of the various entities of the SBC. SBC Bylaw 19 also provides that the Committee on Committees "shall nominate all special committees authorized during the sessions of the Convention not otherwise provided for." The Committee on Committees has 70 members, two from each of the 35 state or regional conventions qualified for representation on boards of SBC entities. Buddy Champion, pastor of First Baptist Church in Trussville, Ala., has been designated as committee chairman. Committee members are: ALABAMA -- Buddy Champion, First Baptist Church, Trussville, (chair); Timothy Cox, Liberty Baptist Church, Chelsea ALASKA -- Sherry Worthy, First Baptist Church, Willow; David George, First Baptist Church, Anchorage ARIZONA -- W. Berry Norwood, First Southern Baptist Church, Scottsdale; Mark Mucklow, First Southern Baptist Church, Glendale ARKANSAS -- Jeff Thompson, First Baptist Church, Greenwood; Craig Jenkins, Beech Street First Baptist Church, Texarkana CALIFORNIA -- David Powell, Crossroad Church, Tustin; Ray Grubb, First Southern Baptist Church, Sylmar COLORADO -- Mickey Dubs, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Sterling; Kenny Long, Bookcliff Baptist Church, Grand Junction DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA -- Joseph Lyles, Fort Foote Baptist Church, Fort Washington, Md.; Kendrick Curry, Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, D.C. FLORIDA -- Otto Fernandez, Riverside Baptist Church, Miami; Steve Morris, First Baptist Church, Plant City GEORGIA -- Jason Dees, First Baptist Church, Covington; Owen Bozeman, Central Baptist Church, Warner Robbins HAWAII -- Charlie Westbrook Jr., Cornerstone Fellowship Mililani Mauka, Mililani; Charles Beaucond, First Southern Baptist Church Pearl Harbor, Honolulu ILLINOIS -- Kevin Carrothers, First Baptist Church, Rochester; Wesley Feltner, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Decatur INDIANA -- Jim Bohrer, Hope Community Church, Brownsburg; Reginald Fletcher, Living Word Baptist Church, Indianapolis KANSAS-NEBRASKA -- Rob Fleener, First Southern Baptist Church, Pratt, Kan.; Charles Boswell, Immanuel Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan. KENTUCKY -- Chad Fugitt, Central Baptist Church, Corbin; Tom James, Eastwood Baptist Church, Bowling Green LOUISIANA -- Terry Booth, Amite Baptist Church, Denham Springs; Matthew Endris, Fairview Baptist Church, Coushatta MARYLAND-DELAWARE -- Byron Day, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Laurel, Md.; Ellis Prince, Gallery Church Baltimore, Baltimore, Md. MICHIGAN -- Roscoe Belton, Middlebelt Baptist Church, Inkster; Jamie Lynn, Raisinville Baptist Church, Monroe MISSOURI -- Cindy Taylor, Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City; David Brown, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Lebanon MISSISSIPPI -- Frankie Clark, First Baptist Church, Taylorsville; David Eldridge, Calvary Baptist Church, Tupelo NORTH CAROLINA -- Joel Stephens, Westfield Baptist Church, Westfield; Aaron Wallace, Hephzibah Baptist Church, Wendell NEW ENGLAND -- Sam Coberley, Lake Sunapee Baptist Church, Sunapee, N.H.; Samuel Taylor, Nashua Baptist Church, Nashua, N.H. NEW MEXICO -- Rick Sullivan, First Baptist Church, Artesia; John Torrison, Passage Community Church, Albuquerque NORTHWEST -- Greggery Teel, First Baptist Church, Forks, Wash.; William Taylor, Calvary Baptist Church, Burlington, Wash. NEVADA -- Eddie Hancock, Life Church, Reno; Hoyt Savage, Foothills Baptist Church, Las Vegas NEW YORK -- Bruce Aubrey, Northside Baptist Church, Liverpool; Jonathan Santiago, Iglesia Bautista Transformacion, Syracuse OHIO -- Jim Williford, North Dayton Baptist Church, Dayton; Steve Spurgin, First Baptist Church, Miamisburg OKLAHAMA -- Eddie Lindsey, Oklahoma City Indian Community Church, Oklahoma City; Otis Cayton, Trinity Valley Baptist Church, Valliant PENNSYLVANIA-SOUTH JERSEY -- Joseph Velarde, Riverbend Community Church, Lehigh Valley, Pa.; David Pearson, The Journey, West Chester, Pa. SOUTH CAROLINA -- Peter Beck, Northwood Baptist Church, North Charleston; Rick Martin, Eastview Baptist Church, Rock Hill TENNESSEE -- Cal Hampton, Green River Baptist Church, Waynesboro; Wesley Baldwin, Tusculum Hills Baptist Church, Nashville TEXAS -- Chet Haney, Parkside Baptist Church, Denison; Joe Rivera, Primera Baptist Church, Grand Prairie UTAH-IDAHO -- Jamie Cheramie, Layton Hills Baptist Church, Layton, Utah; Jim Gregory, First Baptist Church, Mountain Home, Id. VIRGINIA -- Timothy Hight, GraceLife Baptist Church, Christiansburg; Stewart McCarter, Southside Baptist Church, Suffolk WEST VIRGINIA -- Matthew Shamblin, North Charleston Baptist Church, Charleston; Maxine Bumgarner, Cross Lanes Baptist Church, Cross Lanes WYOMING -- John Larramendy, Alcova Baptist Church, Casper; David Grace, Trinity Baptist Church, Laramie --30-- -- End of story -- CULTURE DIGEST: Faith-based movie to warn about online predators By Staff May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37764 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- A faith-based movie warning parents and children about online dangers will be filmed in part at Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., and is set to debut in theaters this fall. [QUOTE@left@180='Finding Faith' portrays how a model family can be torn apart by tragedy and rebuilt by faith.]"Finding Faith," based on actual events about a girl falling victim to an online predator, portrays how a model family can be torn apart by tragedy and rebuilt by faith. Thomas Road, founded by the late Jerry Falwell, will serve as the host church for the production, which centers on the work of a Virginia sheriff, Mike Brown of Bedford, and the Department of Justice task forces around the nation that have led in protecting children from Internet predators. Jonathan Falwell, the church's pastor, said, "Mike Brown and his team have done an incredible job of prosecuting predators and making families aware of this danger. We are eager to support their efforts." The full-length narrative motion picture is projected to open in 135 theaters nationwide in November. Among its goals: giving teenagers "a comprehensive and realistic understanding of Internet safety, cyber bullying and 'sexting'" and to challenge teens to live "dynamically and purposefully." For more information, visit findingfaithfilm.com. 'BLUE LIKE JAZZ' A BOX OFFICE DUD -- "Blue Like Jazz," the film based on the popular book of the same name by Donald Miller, has struggled at the box office during the three weeks since its release, pulling in just over a half-million dollars, according to Box Office Mojo. The revenue "barely covers the film's production budget, to say nothing of distribution and local theatre costs," WORLD magazine's Warren Cole Smith wrote. "The movie could still break even on DVD sales, but it's pretty obvious that -- from a financial point of view, anyway -- the movie will not be a success. "'Blue' had used the crowd-sourcing site Kickstarter to fund production, and the mediocre performance of the movie could put a damper on the plans of other Christian artists who had hoped to use Kickstarter to fund their projects," Smith wrote. When the book came out several years ago, Christian commentators including Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Mark Coppenger critiqued it as a dangerous attack on inerrancy. "It's the autobiographical musings of a young man who found his way from the 'fever swamps' of 'fundamentalism' to the 'high country' of non-judgmental relationism. It disarms with a tone of candor and self-deprecation," Coppenger wrote. "There are nuggets of insight and gratifying quotes here and there, and your heart goes out to a fellow in his struggles. Up to a point, that is. In the end, I found the book to be a dreadful (though canny) mess." DELIVERY SERVICE BEGINS FOR 'MORNING-AFTER' PILL -- Women in London now are able to have the abortion-causing "morning-after" pill delivered to their homes or offices. A courier service planned to begin delivering the drug, also known as emergency contraception, before the end of April, the London Evening Standard reported. A woman does not need to see a doctor to receive the pill, although a physician is to review a form she fills out on the Internet, according to the report. The "morning-after" pill, marketed under the name Plan B in the United States, is basically a heavier dose of birth control pills. Under the regimen, a woman takes a pill within 72 hours of sexual intercourse and another dose 12 hours later. Another "morning-after" pill, Plan B One-step, can be taken in a single dose within 72 hours. The drug can restrict ovulation in a woman or prevent fertilization, but it also can block implantation of the early embryo in the uterine wall. The latter effect would cause an abortion. LOW BIRTHRATE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN CHINA -- China, the world's most populous country, expects to keep its low birthrate and maintain a population of fewer than 1.4 billion through 2015, according to its latest five-year plan. China had more than 1.34 billion people at the close of 2011, according to China Daily. The communist giant has prevented a larger population with the aid of a coercive population control program for more than 30 years. The one-child policy, as it is known, has resulted in many reports of forced abortions and sterilizations as well as infanticide. It also has helped produce a gender imbalance because of the Chinese preference for sons. The State Council's report, issued April 10, said in five years there will be more than 200 million people 60 years of age and older. Meanwhile, the labor force will begin declining steadily after it peaks during the next five years, the China Daily reported. That could result in massive government spending on pensions and health by about 2028, said Lu Jiehua, a sociology professor at Peking University. China Daily reported April 11 that police in Hubei province broke up a ring believed to have conducted an illegal ultrasound operation. The group used ultrasound machines in cars, charging for the tests in order to identify the sex for mothers who wanted to abort girls. MISS. LAW BOLSTERS RULES FOR ABORTION DOCTORS -- Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has signed into law a bill that requires abortion doctors to be certified in obstetrics and gynecology and to have hospital admitting privileges. Abortion rights advocates have said the motive of the measure is to ban abortions, not protect women's health. They have charged supporters of the new law with seeking to shut down the state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization. After signing the bill April 16, Bryant, a Republican, seemed to acknowledge it has both goals. "This is a historic day to begin the process of ending abortion in Mississippi," Bryant said, according to The Jackson Clarion-Ledger. The new law is "something that I would think would be common sense and that everyone that is concerned about the health care of women should be in favor of," he said. PA. SHUTTERS ALLENTOWN ABORTION CLINIC -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health has shut down an abortion clinic in Allentown, Pa. The department rescinded the registration of Allentown Medical Services April 10 after it learned the clinic had lost its lease, thereby violating the terms of registration, The Morning Call reported. In revoking the registration, a state official said Steven Brigham, who had been the owner until recently, and clinic staffers had shown a "chronic inability ... to comply with the most fundamental statutory and regulatory requirements," according to the Allentown newspaper. Brigham -- who operates abortion clinics in at least four states -- has encountered problems with various jurisdictions. The state's attorney in Maryland's Cecil County dropped first-degree murder charges against Brigham in March because he said his office lacked clear proof the killing of late-term unborn babies took place in the state. Brigham had been starting late-term abortion procedures at a New Jersey clinic and completing them at a Maryland clinic. --30-- Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Erin Roach and Washington bureau chief Tom Strode. 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: Chuck Colson's greatest legacy By Kelly Boggs May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37767 ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) -- Although I never had the opportunity to meet the late Charles "Chuck" Colson -- the founder of Prison Fellowship and author of numerous books -- he has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on my life. I first became aware of Colson when he served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon. The year was 1972 and I had become interested in politics. Shortly thereafter, the Watergate scandal broke. I remember hearing news commentators refer to Colson as Nixon's "hatchet man." I recall news accounts in 1974 of Colson pleading guilty to the charge of obstruction of justice for attempting to defame Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst whose release of documents that came to be known as the "Pentagon Papers" were particularly embarrassing to the Nixon Administration. Colson received a sentence of one-to-three-years and was fined $5,000. He entered the Maxwell Federal Prison in Alabama on July 9, 1974. He was the first member of the Nixon administration to go to prison for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Fast-forward nine years to 1983 when I became re-acquainted with Colson. I had become a follower of Christ two years earlier. A friend, who was mentoring me in my faith at the time, recommended a book recently published and written by Colson. It was his second book -- "Loving God" -- and it followed his biography, "Born Again." In "Loving God," Colson related stories about people living out their love for God. While the anecdotes were insightful and inspirational, the passages where Colson shared personal perspectives meant the most to me. Two passages particular resonated with me. I still go back and re-read them in an effort to keep things in perspective. In the first passage, Colson is reflecting on the evening he committed his life to Jesus Christ. Many people believe that he became a follower of Christ while in prison, but actually Colson gave his life to Christ before he was indicted. Concerning his experience of coming to faith in Christ, Colson wrote: "I had surely known the heights and depths of life: from power, wealth, prestige, and an office next to the president of the United States to the confining walls of a dreary prison. But along the way I had made the most important discovery anyone can make. "That came about on a hot, sultry night in August, 1973. As the Watergate scandal was rocking the Nixon presidency and the nation, I -- proud and self-assured on the outside, fearful and trembling within -- visited with a close friend, Tom Philips, at his home. "Philip's was a successful business executive and client who, I had learned, had had some kind of religious experience. That evening Tom told me of his encounter with Jesus Christ, how his life had been dramatically changed. I listened intently. I had never heard anyone talk this way. Though something stirred within me, I kept my emotions in check, too proud to let him know how I felt inside. "I left my friend that night, promising only to read a little book which he gave me, 'Mere Christianity.' But in his driveway that night, the dam burst. I could not drive the car; I was crying too hard, calling out to God with the first honest prayer of my life. I sat there alone for a long time -- but not alone at all. "From that day on, nothing about my life has been the same. It can never be again. I have given my life to Jesus Christ." In the second passage that I regularly re-read, Colson is reflecting on God's use of his life. The setting is Easter morning and he is in a prison waiting to preach to inmates. "As I sat on the platform, waiting my turn at the pulpit, my mind began to drift back in time ... to scholarships and honors earned, cases argued and won, great decisions made from lofty government offices. My life had been the great American dream fulfilled. "But all at once I realized that it was not my success God had used to enable me to help those in this prison, or in hundreds of others just like it. My life of success was not what made this morning so glorious -- all my achievements meant nothing in God's economy. "No, the real legacy of my life was my biggest failure -- that I was an ex-convict. My greatest humiliation -- being sent to prison -- was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life; He chose the one thing in which I could not glory for His glory. "Confronted with this staggering truth, I discovered in those few moments in the prison chapel that my world was turned upside down. I understood with a jolt that I had been looking at life backward. But now I could see: Only when I lost everything I thought made Chuck Colson a great guy had I found the true self God intended me to be and the true purpose of my life. "It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements; He demands our obedience. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self." Though I appreciate all the books Colson wrote, "Loving God" remains my favorite. That book's passages impacted me when I first read them as a new follower of Christ 29 years ago. And they continue to influence me as I re-read them. Though I never met Charles Colson in this life, he nevertheless impacted -- and continues to impact -- my life. Through his writing he helps to keep me focused on Christ, who makes my life worth living. --30-- Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press, director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention's office of public affairs, and editor of the Baptist Message www.baptistmessage.com, newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. 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: America's moral fabric is ripped By John Yeats May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37766 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (BP) -- By now we've all read or heard too much information about the Secret Service prostitution scandal. At least 20 women were in hotel rooms with U.S. agents and military personnel just before President Obama arrived for a summit with Latin American leaders. Eleven Secret Service agents and 10 military personnel are now under investigation. The 11 Secret Service agents were recalled to the U.S. from Colombia and placed on administrative leave after a night of partying that allegedly ended with at least some bringing prostitutes back to their hotel room. On Monday, April 17 the agency announced that it also had revoked the agents' security clearances. The 10 U.S. military personnel staying at the same hotel also were being investigated for their role in the alleged misconduct. As with all immoral sexual encounters, a lack of truth is evidenced by multiple stories about who the women were. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee stated, "Some are admitting [the women] were prostitutes, others are saying they're not. They're just women they met at the hotel bar." A lie to yourself and others almost always accompanies sexual sins. This incident is despicable enough. However, the vast majority of the commentary by national media is further evidence that we are a nation in trouble. On more than one occasion and on more than one channel, collectively we have heard the commentators attempt to justify the sexual immorality with phrases like, "boys will be boys," or "they deserved some down time and de-stressing," or "the women were simply providing services." Obviously, from the national media perspective, the potential national security threat was of greater concern than the immoral behavior of the agents, service men or the prostitutes. There were those who used the word "shame" to speak about the breach in national security. However, the word was rarely attached to the immoral behavior of those involved in the incident. This is clear evidence that the moral fabric of the United States is ripped apart. Be assured, our enemies know it. The only reason we don't confess it is because we prefer denial to reality and authenticity. After decades of parading hedonistic behavior on the networks and in the movie houses, after decades of affirming self-indulgence (what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas), after decades of social experiments on our young through amoral educational processes and the affirmation of fatherless families, we are reaping a whirlwind of disaster. The only hope for my great-grandchildren to experience the freedoms that we so love in our nation is a mighty movement of God. How can that happen? It starts in us when we value the purity of a relationship with God more than the sirens' song of our culture. It starts with God's people when our children and our friends see that we believe spiritual disciplines are better than entertainment, power or making the next buck. It begins when we use words that depict our authentic relationships and personal responsibility instead of cultural words of pleasure and individual rights. Such a movement continues when the people of God embrace His agenda of transforming lives through the Gospel of Jesus our Lord. When thousands of churches are less concerned about themselves and begin to see the true condition of people's lives, we will know that God is moving across this land. When the altars of our churches are full of people shedding tears of repentance and calling out for the salvation of the people they know and love, then we will know that God is restoring the fabric of our nation. Lord, bring us back to You. --30-- John Yeats is executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention and recording secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: La Importancia del Discipulado By Gustavo Suárez May. 4 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37765 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] KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- "No me elegisteis vosotros a mí, sino que yo os elegí a vosotros, y os he puestos para que vayáis y llevéis fruto, y vuestro fruto permanezca; para que todo lo que pidiereis al Padre en mi nombre, él os lo dé (Juan 15:16). Vivimos en un mundo en el cual la población está creciendo de una manera astronómica. En contraste las iglesias no están alcanzando el mismo nivel de crecimiento de la población. El resultado es algo muy alarmante y a la vez algo que nos debe hacer pensar. ¿Será que las iglesias no crecen porque ya todos alrededor de la iglesia conocen a Cristo? ¿Será que las iglesias no crecen porque las personas están en rebeldía a las cosas de Dios? ¿Será que el pueblo de Dios no ve la urgencia espiritual? Naturalmente estas preguntas son simples pero no roba a la seriedad del reto que tenemos cada uno de nosotros. Yo soy producto de personas que invirtieron de su tiempo para desarrollarme en lo que hoy soy. Hemos oído la palabra "discipulado" pero pocos realmente hemos tomado la responsabilidad de discipular a otras personas. ¿Cuán diferente seria el ministerio de tu iglesia si hubiera un ministerio intencional de discipular a otras personas? En los últimos cinco años me he propuesto invertir mi vida en la vida de otras personas. En el espacio que tengo quiero compartir algunas sugerencias de cómo TU puedes impactar una vida este año discipulando a otra persona. No es mi propósito de presentar ni recursos ni tampoco metodología ya que el espacio no lo permite. Sí quiero presentar ocho principios básicos que puedes poner en práctica. Estos principios han sido adaptados de un pequeño libro que ha influenciado mi vida y ministerio por todos estos años. "Plan Maestro de la Evangelización" escrito por Roberto Coleman aunque su énfasis es evangelismo sus enseñanzas se pueden aplicar al discipulado. Primero, Selecciona a la persona que vas a discipular. Jesús trabajo a través de personas. El escogió a doce e invirtió su vida por cada uno de ellos. Observa aquellas personas que Dios ha puesto a tu alrededor y ora al Señor que El te traiga a una persona que tú puedas discipular. Segundo, desarrolla las relaciones. El conocimiento se enseña por asociación más que por un currículo de enseñanza. Las relaciones en el ministerio son de considerable importancia. Cristo siempre estableció relaciones con sus doce aun con aquel que le traicionó. El apóstol Pablo dijo, "por tanto, os ruego que me imitéis (1 Cor. 4:16)." Jesús selecciono a los discípulos para que estuvieran con El y los envió a predicar la palabra. Tercero, Debe de existir un compromiso de partes de ambas personas. Esto no es un programa de estudio sino un proceso de desarrollar al discípulo en la vida Cristiana. Dejar que el observa tu vida tal y como eres. Esto es algo muy difícil para muchas personas ya que tenemos siempre algunas cosas escondidas en nuestro closet. Cuarto, entrégate por completo para invertir de tu tiempo, conocimiento y vida a la persona que Dios te entrego para discipular. Cristo se entrego totalmente a los discípulos por medio de su amor (Juan 13:34); Su gozo (Juan 15:11); Su vida (Juan 3:16; y Su paz (Juan 14:27). Jesús también entrego a los discípulos Su pasión por un mundo perdido. Quinto, enséñales como se hace. Jesús enseno de una manera práctica e informal. Es muy difícil para nosotros entender la manera informal de Sus enseñanzas en un mundo lleno de tecnología. Les enseño como orar (Mateo 6:9); las enseñanzas de la Palabra (Marcos 12:10); como vivir en el mundo (Mateo 25:34); como tratar con conflictos y controversias (Lucas 23:33); les enseño sobre misiones (Lucas 9:12). Sexto, dales un trabajo que puedan hacer. Provee oportunidades de ministerios donde el discípulo puede desempeñar un trabajo de importancia. Por ejemplo, lo puedes a llevar a testificarle a otra persona. Tú le permites que él sea quien comienza saludando a la persona y haciendo algunas preguntas iníciales. Ahora tú continúas compartiendo tu fe para que el discípulo observa. En la próxima ocasión le das más responsabilidad y tú hace s menos. Jesús sabia cuando sus doce estaban listos para un ministerio especifico. Séptimo, pídeles que rindan cuentas de lo que le has pedido que hagan. Después que los discípulos regresaron de cumplir con su ministerio "se juntaron con Jesús, y le contaron todo lo que habían hecho, y lo que habían enseñado (Marcos 6:30)." Octavo, Jesús confiaba en que Sus discípulos se multiplicaran. Yo soy parte del cuerpo de Cristo porque alguien tomo tiempo para hablarme de Jesucristo. Imagínate si tú invirtieras tu vida en dos personas. Después esa persona invierte su vida cada uno en dos personas adicionales. Esto es multiplicación y no solo adición. Una respuesta a las preguntas hechas al principio de este artículo es que la iglesia puede crecer si el pueblo de Dios toma la decisión de intencionalmente practicar el arte perdido del discipulado (Ver 2 Timoteo 2:2). Te invito a que explores e inviertas tu vida en entrenar a otra persona. ¡¡¡Bendiciones!!! --30-- Gustavo Suárez es profesor de iniciación de iglesias y director del centro Nehemías para Iniciación de Iglesias en Norte América en el Seminario Bautista Teológic de Midwestern. -- 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