Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 1 2012 --------------------------------------- Trustees reprimand Land, halt radio program over comments http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37942 African American fellowship leader ready to work 'arm-in-arm' for racial healing http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37951 Evangelist, 33, pleads guilty to voyeurism http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37958 Alejandro's faith reflects CP synergy http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37957 CP 3.96% ahead of budgeted goal for year http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37949 Q&A: The DOMA decision & what it means http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37959 Okla. City Thunder chaplain is Baptist minister http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37953 Hurricane season prompts Fla. day of prayer http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37952 CULTURE DIGEST: Olympic star Lolo Jones stands firm on virginity http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37950 FIRST-PERSON: 7 keys to preventing pastoral burnout http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37954 FIRST-PERSON: A disappointing day in the House http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37956 FIRST-PERSON: Promesa Impactante http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37955 --------------------------------------- Trustees reprimand Land, halt radio program over comments By Art Toalston Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37942 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Two reprimands have been issued to Richard Land by the trustee executive committee of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. [IMGONLY=30339@left@100]The ERLC trustee executive committee also is terminating Land's weekly call-in radio show -- the venue where Land made comments about the Trayvon Martin killing that ignited intense controversy, prompting the formation of a trustee ad hoc investigative committee. The ERLC, led by Land since 1988, must "redouble our efforts … to heal re-opened wounds," the executive committee said of Land's on-air comments about the intrusion of politics into the Trayvon Martin case and his references to President Obama and the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson by name. At the outset of its reprimands and broadcast termination, the trustee committee stated that Land's statements "were very hurtful and offensive to the Trayvon Martin family and to many in the African-American community, including hundreds of thousands of African-American Southern Baptists. Damage was done to the state of race relations in the Southern Baptist Convention." The two reprimands of Land by the ERLC trustee executive committee state: "We reprimand Dr. Land for his hurtful, irresponsible, insensitive, and racially charged words on March 31, 2012 regarding the Trayvon Martin tragedy. It was appropriate for Dr. Land to issue the apology he made on May 9, 2012 and we are pleased he did so. We also convey our own deepest sympathies to the family of Trayvon Martin for the loss they have suffered. We, too, express our sorrow, regret, and apologies to them for Dr. Land's remarks. We are particularly disappointed in Dr. Land's words because they do not accurately reflect the body of his work over a long career at the ERLC toward racial reconciliation in the Southern Baptist Convention and American life. We must now redouble our efforts to regain lost ground, to heal re-opened wounds, and to realize the dream of a Southern Baptist Convention that is just as diverse as the population of our great Nation. "We further reprimand Dr. Land for quoting material without giving attribution on the Richard Land Live! (RLL) radio show, thereby unwisely accepting practices that occur in the radio industry, and we acknowledge that instances of plagiarism occurred because of his carelessness and poor judgment. We examined Dr. Land's written work during the investigation, and we found no instances of plagiarism in any of Dr. Land's written work. As a Christian, a minister of the Gospel of our Lord, and as President of the ERLC, Dr. Land should have conformed to a higher standard. We expect all future work of the ERLC to be above reproach in that regard," the trustee executive committee said regarding plagiarism allegations against Land over material he failed to attribute to a Washington Times columnist on the March 31 broadcast. Regarding the call-in radio show, the ERLC trustee executive committee stated: "… we have carefully considered the content and purpose of the Richard Land Live! broadcast. We find that they are not congruent with the mission of the ERLC. We also find that the controversy that erupted as a result of the March 31 broadcast, and related matters, requires the termination of that program. We hereby announce that the Richard Land Live! radio program will end as soon as possible within the bounds of our contracts with the Salem Radio Network." Land, in a statement issued to Baptist Press after the release of the reprimands and broadcast termination, stated: "I have said on numerous occasions that I believe in trustee oversight and governance. I am under the authority of the trustees elected by the Southern Baptist Convention. This whole process was conducted in a Christian manner by Christian gentlemen. "I look forward to working with them and their fellow trustees and the ERLC staff as we seek to continue to minister the Gospel of our Savior across our great land," Land said. In his May 9 apology, Land apologized "for the harm my words of March 31, 2012, have caused to specific individuals, the cause of racial reconciliation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ." The five-part, two-page apology followed a May 2 meeting when Land met with 11 other SBC leaders, including several prominent African American pastors. As a result of the meeting, which lasted nearly five hours, Land said, "I have come to understand in sharper relief how damaging my words were." For the Baptist Press story on Land's May 9 apology, which includes the full text of the apology, go to [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37795]www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37795[/URL]. Among those in attendance May 9 were Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans; James Dixon Jr., president of the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention and senior pastor of El-Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Md.; and K. Marshall Williams, chairman of the Southern Baptist African American Advisory Council and pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa. The ERLC trustee executive committee that issued the reprimands and broadcast termination is led by Richard D. Piles, pastor of First Baptist Church in Camden, Ark. Piles, on May 21, replaced Steve Faith as ERLC trustee chairman after Faith, a retired pastor and director of missions from New Albany, Ind., resigned citing a need to assist his local church that is currently without a pastor. In addition to Piles, other members of the ERLC executive committee are Donald L. Mason, a Georgia layman; Stephen W. Long, a director of missions in Ohio; Christopher L. Slaughter, a West Virginia layman; and Stephen G. Veteto, a Colorado seminary educator. The committee includes the ERLC trustee officers and the chairmen of the trustees' three subcommittees. On May 9, Faith followed Land's apology with a statement that the ad hoc investigative committee was working "with due diligence and will bring a thorough and complete report to the ERLC Executive Committee who will prayerfully consider the findings. The ERLC Executive Committee will bring a report to the full board of trustees and then release a public statement by June 1. "It is important to understand that our Southern Baptist polity places Dr. Land under the authority of the ERLC trustees who are elected by and accountable directly to the Convention," Faith said. "The trustees are aware of their responsibility to the Convention and to the watching world." Additional Baptist Press reports on the controversy over Land's comments can be accessed at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37804]www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37804[/URL]; [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37620]www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37620[/URL]; and [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619]www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37619[/URL]. --30-- Art Toalston is editor of Baptist Press. The full text of the June 1 statement by the trustee executive committee of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission follows: The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee June 1, 2012 On March 31, 2012, Dr. Richard Land, President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission ("ERLC") made statements during the Richard Land Live! (RLL) broadcast which were very hurtful and offensive to the Trayvon Martin family and to many in the African-American community, including hundreds of thousands of African-American Southern Baptists. Damage was done to the state of race relations in the Southern Baptist Convention. We announced our regret for those remarks, and we also commissioned an Ad Hoc Investigation Committee to address allegations of plagiarism that were made related to those same remarks and to commentary made in another RLL broadcast. The investigation proceeded with diligence. Dr. Land exhibited a very compliant spirit and was fully cooperative during the investigation. We thank Dr. Land for that. The Ad Hoc Investigation Committee has completed its work and reported its findings to the Executive Committee. On May 29, 2012, the Executive Committee of the ERLC met in Nashville, Tennessee to consider the findings of the Ad Hoc Committee, as well as other related matters, and to review those findings with Dr. Land. The Executive Committee unanimously agreed to, and hereby undertakes, the following actions: We reprimand Dr. Land for his hurtful, irresponsible, insensitive, and racially charged words on March 31, 2012 regarding the Trayvon Martin tragedy. It was appropriate for Dr. Land to issue the apology he made on May 9, 2012 and we are pleased he did so. We also convey our own deepest sympathies to the family of Trayvon Martin for the loss they have suffered. We, too, express our sorrow, regret, and apologies to them for Dr. Land's remarks. We are particularly disappointed in Dr. Land's words because they do not accurately reflect the body of his work over a long career at the ERLC toward racial reconciliation in the Southern Baptist Convention and American life. We must now redouble our efforts to regain lost ground, to heal re-opened wounds, and to realize the dream of a Southern Baptist Convention that is just as diverse as the population of our great Nation. We further reprimand Dr. Land for quoting material without giving attribution on the Richard Land Live! (RLL) radio show, thereby unwisely accepting practices that occur in the radio industry, and we acknowledge that instances of plagiarism occurred because of his carelessness and poor judgment. We examined Dr. Land's written work during the investigation, and we found no instances of plagiarism in any of Dr. Land's written work. As a Christian, a minister of the Gospel of our Lord, and as President of the ERLC, Dr. Land should have conformed to a higher standard. We expect all future work of the ERLC to be above reproach in that regard. Finally, we have carefully considered the content and purpose of the Richard Land Live! broadcast. We find that they are not congruent with the mission of the ERLC. We also find that the controversy that erupted as a result of the March 31 broadcast, and related matters, requires the termination of that program. We hereby announce that the Richard Land Live! radio program will end as soon as possible within the bounds of our contracts with the Salem Radio Network. -- End of story -- African American fellowship leader ready to work 'arm-in-arm' for racial healing By Diana Chandler Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37951 FORT WASHINGTON, Md. (BP) -- The president of the National African American Fellowship has voiced "a heart to forgive" following the reprimands of Richard Land issued by trustees of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. James Dixon Jr., NAAF president and pastor of El-Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Md., noted in a statement to Baptist Press: "Because Jesus died on a cruel cross for the forgiveness of our sins, we too must have a heart to forgive. We accept his apology and covenant not only to hold him accountable in the future but to work arm-in-arm in the cause of racial healing. Racial reconciliation is not a political issue for us. It is a gospel issue a Kingdom issue." The ERLC's trustee executive committee, on June 1, reprimanded Land for "irresponsible, insensitive, and racially charged words" during a March 31 radio broadcast about the Trayvon Martin killing. A second reprimand cited Land for "quoting material without giving attribution" on the broadcast. See today's [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37942]http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37942[/URL]. On May 9, Land issued a five-part, two-page apology for his actions. See [URL=http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37795]http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37795[/URL]. Dixon, in his June 1 statement to Baptist Press, said, "While we may not totally agree with the outcome and feel as if it didn't go far enough, we have no choice but to honor and respect it. I truly believe [the trustees] concluded that their resolution was for the best." Dixon noted, "All of us are aware that our actions and choices bring consequences. As a result of Dr. Land's actions, it is my opinion that he will begin to lose credibility in the minds of some Christians regardless of their ethnicity." Yet, Dixon stated, "We as Christians believe that our credibility depends on our love and respect for one another. … It is my hope that each of us who truly love the Lord will accept what has taken place, move on, and trust the final results in the hands of God. Our ultimate desire should be to bring honor and glory to our Father and leaving a positive reflection on the kingdom and this convention." The NAAF encompasses 3,400 predominantly African American churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. --30-- Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' staff writer. The full text of the statement by James Dixon Jr. of the National African American Fellowship follows: Comments of Pastor James Dixon, Jr. Pastor of El-Bethel Baptist Church, Fort Washington, Maryland President of the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention In a recent meeting held on May 2, 2012, my colleagues and I met with Dr. Land regarding the issues at hand. During this meeting, we discovered Dr. Land has a life-long record of commitment to, and achievements in, racial reconciliation. It is because of his record that we found the use of language on his radio program aired March 31st so grievous. We were perplexed by how a man of his intelligence, commitment to Christ, and knowledge of Christian ethics could err so profoundly in his choice of words. It is our belief that he also made a serious and profound transgression in his language during that program. His words not only hurt the Trayvon Martin Family, but Americans of all ethnicities. He caused a setback in the cause of racial reconciliation. My colleagues and I do not take lightly the consequences of sin and nor does Dr. Land. We are grateful for the time spent with him and we believe he clearly heard our concerns. Because Jesus died on a cruel cross for the forgiveness of our sins, we too must have a heart to forgive. We accept his apology and covenant not only to hold him accountable in the future but to work arm-in-arm in the cause of racial healing. Racial reconciliation is not a political issue for us. It is a gospel issue a Kingdom issue. Jesus died and rose again to break down racial barriers. We take seriously what the Lord of heaven and earth said when he prayed for unity: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:21). I want to thank the trustees for the meticulous job in coming to their decision. While we all may not totally agree with the outcome and feel as if it didn't go far enough, we have no choice but to honor and respect it. I truly believe they concluded that their resolution was for the best. We as Christians believe that our credibility depends on our love and respect for one another. All of us are aware that our actions and choices bring consequences. As a result of Dr. Land's actions, it is my opinion that he will begin to lose credibility in the minds of some Christians regardless of their ethnicity. With that being said, it is my hope that each of us who truly love the Lord will accept what has taken place, move on, and trust the final results in the hands of God. Our ultimate desire should be to bring honor and glory to our Father and leaving a positive reflection on the kingdom and this convention. -- End of story -- Evangelist, 33, pleads guilty to voyeurism By Erin Roach Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37958 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Sammy Nuckolls, a 33-year-old evangelist who spoke for years at Southern Baptist youth gatherings, has pleaded guilty to charges of video voyeurism in two Arkansas towns. He now is facing charges in Texas and has been granted extra time to accept a plea bargain on similar charges in Mississippi. [IMG=32700@left@180]Nuckolls admitted in April to videotaping women in private situations without their consent in Waldron, Ark. His five-year prison term was suspended, he was ordered to register as a sex offender in the state of Arkansas, and he was asked to pay more than $1,600 in fines and fees. In Gosnell, Ark., Nuckolls also pleaded guilty to video voyeurism after videotaping a woman undressing in her home where he was staying while preaching a revival last fall. He was put on probation there for three years. In Seymour, Texas, Nuckolls was charged recently with one count of improper photography or visual recording with multiple victims. The case has been forwarded to the district attorney, and a grand jury will determine whether there is enough evidence to prosecute the case, a representative of Seymour's police department told Baptist Press. Nuckolls originally pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of video voyeurism in Olive Branch, Miss., with each count carrying a maximum sentence of five years. He was to face a June 25 trial date there and had until May 31 to accept a plea bargain. Steven Jubera, the district attorney in the Mississippi case, told Baptist Press the case was continued until July 30 for a trial and July 19 for a potential plea. "The reason for the continuance was that it's the first trial setting, the defense counsel had filed motions that had not been heard yet regarding the case, the defense counsel had a conflict, and there has been extensive press coverage," Jubera said of the May 29 proceedings. "For those four reasons, the court deemed it appropriate to continue the case." According to sources familiar with Nuckolls' speaking schedule, an estimated 100 churches or groups per year were scheduling him to speak. Among those that have used Nuckolls were LifeWay Christian Resources' student camps, which terminated its relationship with Nuckolls when the charges were revealed last fall. Nuckolls originally was hired to serve in the role of a camp pastor from 2003-06. In 2007 his role changed to a contract speaker at general assemblies and large gatherings. LifeWay conducts both reference and criminal background checks for those speaking at student camps, an April 4 statement from LifeWay noted. "Police investigators in Mississippi have reported to LifeWay there was no evidence victims were filmed at any LifeWay events," LifeWay said in its statement. "However, Mark Kimball, assistant chief of police of the Olive Branch, Mississippi, Police Department, has requested those who may be victims to contact him at 662-892-9400." Last October, Nuckolls was staying in the home of a youth minister for a church in Arkansas where he had been invited to speak. After Nuckolls emerged from the family's bathroom, the youth minister's wife went in and eventually noticed several of his items lying around, including his shaving kit, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram April 2. The woman saw what appeared to be an oversized pen standing upright inside the shaving kit on the counter, and she continued in the bathroom. Later, when the bathroom was unoccupied, Nuckolls returned to retrieve his belongings, the newspaper said, citing a police report. Once Nuckolls and the youth minister had left the house, the woman found the pen in Nuckolls' room, took the top off and discovered a flash drive. She plugged it into her computer and saw a video of herself undressing, the Star-Telegram said. She called police, and when Nuckolls returned, he was arrested. At the time, Nuckolls admitted to videotaping the woman without her consent and also admitted to two other instances of using a hidden camera in Olive Branch, Miss., the police report said. A police chief in Gosnell, Ark., searched Nuckolls' computer and found several more videos dating to 2007. The prosecutor in Mississippi said the women there were filmed in Nuckolls' home and were his friends or acquaintances. According to an Internet search, among the places Nuckolls spoke were the Baptist Campus Ministries at the University of Alabama in November 2009, Blue Mountain College in Virginia in August 2011 and churches in several states. A non-denominational church in Southlake, Texas, where Nuckolls spoke to youth about a half-dozen times in three years, said he passed a required background check there, according to the Star-Telegram. --30-- Erin Roach is assistant 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 -- Alejandro's faith reflects CP synergy By Karen L. Willoughby Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37957 BALL, La. (BP) -- Alejandro, a tribal leader in one of seven related villages in Ecuador, is a Christian today stemming from the synergy of the Cooperative Program and the missions involvement of Kingsville Baptist Church. Two years into his faith, the 60-year-old father of four grown children is leading them and others in the village toward their own professions of faith. As a result, God's Word is rippling out through the Tsa'chila villages in the jungle west of Quito, Ecuador's capitol. "The Cooperative Program allows every Southern Baptist church to be directly involved in global and local missions. It can go where we might not be going," said Bart Walker, Kingsville's pastor since 2007. "What a glorious privilege to be a part of God's work of redeeming people from every tongue, tribe and nation!" Kingsville, in central Louisiana, works with the SBC's International Mission Board as volunteer teams travel to Ecuador twice a year to provide an evangelistic witness and discipleship training. The church also has ongoing missions commitments in Brazil. In North America, Kingsville's commitments are in Lethbridge and Toronto, Canada, and in Kalispell, Mont. Through Louisiana's North Rapides Baptist Association, the church is involved in community ministries through Main Street Mission in Pineville. It is also starting Gospel Community Church across the Red River in Alexandria. Still closer to home, there is an ongoing hospitality ministry to truckers -- church members constructed a log-like building and outside picnic area at the edge of the church property where truckers can relax while they wait for their loads to be readied at a nearby manufacturing facility. The cozy structure is staffed with volunteers ready with a kind word, spiritual comfort and Gospel witness. Kingsville also hosts an annual springtime Upward Soccer program for 350 or more youngsters in the community. "I believe it was never the intent of the Cooperative Program to diminish the need for direct missionary involvement by every church," Walker said. "It is not a matter of either CP or direct missions. It is CP fueled by the fires of a people rejoicing in their salvation in such a way as to have that joy overflow into direct personal involvement and fervent prayer and giving that enables others to go." The Cooperative Program is the way Southern Baptist churches support the missions and ministry efforts of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. Kingsville allocates 12.5 percent of its undesignated offerings for missions through the Cooperative Program; in all, 26.5 percent of its operating budget goes to various missions initiatives. For all the Cooperative Program does in the United States and around the world, there is much that isn't being done because the giving is not what it needs to be, Walker said. He used carbonated beverages to make his point: "There are about 313 million people in the USA, and Southern Baptists claim about 16 million -- or 5 percent -- of them," the pastor said. "According to an article published March 20 by the Reuters news agency, the U.S. carbonated soft drink sales in 2011 accounted for a gross retail revenue of $75 billion. "If Southern Baptists are 'average' carbonated drink consumers -- and I believe they are -- then they account for about 5 percent of that $75 billion, or $3.75 billion," Walker continued. "Compare that with the entire budget of the International Mission Board for 2012: a bit more than $324 million. This means we as Southern Baptists are spending 11 times as much on carbonated drinks annually as we are on CP missions. Churches have to address this -- through increasing CP giving, increasing Lottie and Annie giving, as well as increasing direct missions involvement." ("Lottie" is a reference to Southern Baptists Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and "Annie," the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.) "There is presently a literal and huge stream of humanity flowing into hell, with very few people who are even attempting to stem the flow," Walker said. "But is there anything better in the world than to be involved in being used by God to joyfully rescue people from hell and show them how they can be joyfully and eternally glad in God?" Kingsville member Jason Hiles, a team leader in Ecuador, met Alejandro two years ago "when he first began to soften to the Gospel message," Hiles said. "Alejandro began asking great questions about how one is saved. … [Later] he arranged for me to preach the Gospel to a large gathering in the rural community where he lives." Since 2002, when the work first started among what then was an unreached people group, people in six of the seven Tsa'chila villages have made professions of faith and been baptized. The first didn't make a public profession until 2005. In 2011, nine people acknowledged their faith and trust in God, and eight were baptized. "In many ways our work on an annual basis depends on the sustained work of an IMB missionary who facilitates what we do each year and who continues to minister to the Tsa'chila in our absence," Hiles said. "Furthermore, a church in Santo Domingo that has benefited from the IMB's work in the past has partnered with us in reaching the Tsa'chila and has provided key support for us and that ministry when we leave the area to return to the States. "At the end of the day I would say that this direct mission work is a complex collaborative effort that depends on direct mission work by [Kingsville], the support of IMB missionaries, the support of a Baptist church in Ecuador and the grace of Almighty God who has superintended this complex affair for about a decade now. We are beginning to see indigenous leadership develop in Ecuador, and we are very hopeful that the Tsa'chila will form a church that can sustain this Gospel work for generations to come." Baptist Global Response, an international relief entity, partnered with Kingsville last year in water projects in two -- so far -- of the Tsa'chila communities. "One of the best examples I have of the Cooperative Program at work is the partnership between the IMB, BGR and KBC in developing clean water for the Tsa'chila people group," Walker said. "This partnership has brought filtered water to every home in two villages. … "Some of our access to this group has been enhanced by this partnership as the Tsa'chila have seen genuine love from the Southern Baptist Convention through this cooperative effort. June 1, we will take 32 people back into this people group to teach the Gospel through the parables of Jesus for five days in each of six different schools, reaching nearly 700 students -- nearly one-fourth of the population" of all seven villages. About 500 people participate in Sunday morning worship at Kingsville. Information is given each week about missions projects and opportunities, often with big-screen video presentations that sometimes consist of members telling how they have been changed as a result of hands-on involvement in God's work. "We receive the joy of being a part of one of God's mechanisms for carrying out the Great Commission and the Great Command," Walker said. "We receive the joy of fellowship with other believers in the SBC in the task." --30-- Karen L. Willoughby is managing editor of the Baptist Message (www.baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. -- End of story -- CP 3.96% ahead of budgeted goal for year By Staff Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37949 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are $4,909,539.96, or 3.96 percent, above the year-to-date budgeted goal, and are 1.08 percent behind contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Frank S. Page. The total includes receipts from state conventions and fellowships, churches and individuals for distribution according to the 2011-12 SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. The Cooperative Program is a channel of giving, begun in 1925, through which a local church is able to contribute to the various ministries of its state convention and to the various missions and ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention with a single contribution. "As always, we trust God to 'make every grace overflow' for the ministry needs of the convention 'according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,'" Page said, quoting from 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Philippians 4:19. "To that end, we thank Him for every gift," Page said. "Our mission boards and other SBC ministries continue to fulfill their convention-adopted ministry assignments in spite of the prolonged sluggishness of the economy. We give God the praise for His gracious provision for these vital missions' and ministries' endeavors." As of May 31, gifts received by the Executive Committee for distribution through the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget totaled $128,909,539.96, or 103.96 percent, of the $124,000,000 year-to-date budgeted amount to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America. The total is $1,404,864.48 less than the $130,314,404.44 received through the end of May 2011. The convention-adopted budget is distributed as follows: 50.2 percent to international missions through IMB, 22.79 percent to North American missions through NAMB, 22.16 percent to theological education, 3.2 percent to the SBC operating budget and 1.65 percent to the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. If the convention exceeds its annual budget goal of $186 million dollars, IMB's share will go to 51 percent of any overage in Cooperative Program allocation budget receipts. Other ministry entities of the SBC will receive their adopted percentage amounts and the SBC operating budget's portion will be reduced to 2.4 percent of any overage. Designated giving of $149,433,872.94 for the same year-to-date period is 1.46 percent, or $2,144,543.46, ahead of the $147,289,329.48 received at this point last year. This total includes only those gifts received and distributed by the Executive Committee and does not reflect designated gifts contributed directly to SBC entities. Traditionally, state and regional conventions have acted as collecting entities for Cooperative Program contributions. They retain a portion of church contributions to the Cooperative Program to support work in their respective areas and forward a percentage to Southern Baptist national and international causes. The percentage of distribution from the states is at the discretion of the messengers of each state convention through the adoption of the state convention's annual budget. CP allocation budget receipts received by the Executive Committee are reported monthly to the executives of the entities of the convention, to the state offices, to the denominational papers and are posted online at www.cpmissions.net/CPReports. May's CP allocation receipts for SBC work totaled $14,780,544.86. Designated gifts received last month amounted to $18,581,937.41. The end-of-month total represents money received by the Executive Committee by the close of the last business day of each month. Month-to-month swings reflect a number of factors, including the number of Sundays in a given month, the day of the month churches forward their CP contributions to their state conventions and the timing of when state conventions forward the national portion of their CP contributions to the Executive Committee. --30-- Compiled by Baptist Press staff. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/Baptist Press) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- Q&A: The DOMA decision & what it means By Michael Foust Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37959 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- When the First Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a major part of the Defense of Marriage Act in a unanimous ruling, it boosted the hopes of gay groups that the federal government soon could be forced to recognize same-sex marriage. [IMG=32246@right@100]The May 31 decision -- the first of its kind by an appeals court -- also means the Supreme Court could hear a gay marriage case as soon as this fall or winter. Passed in 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act has two sections. One section -- the one struck down by the court -- defines marriage at the federal level as between a man and a woman. The other section protects states from being forced to recognize gay marriage. The First Circuit was not asked to address the section on states' rights, and it left it untouched. Baptist Press asked Dale Schowengerdt, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, to answer some legal questions about the case. Following is a partial transcript: BAPTIST PRESS: Where does the case go from there? DALE SCHOWENGERDT: It goes either directly to the Supreme Court or it could go to the entire First Circuit Court of Appeals, which is called an en banc review. The most likely situation here is directly to the Supreme Court. BP: Who decides that? SCHOWENGERDT: The House of Representatives' attorneys (who are defending DOMA) will decide it. BP: Is this case the only DOMA case at the appeals court stage right now? SCHOWENGERDT: It's the furthest along. There's one other case at the Ninth Circuit (appeals court). It's on an expedited schedule, and so they are going to have oral arguments in September. It's still a ways behind this one. BP: When do you think a case concerning the Defense of Marriage Act will end up before the Supreme Court? SCHOWENGERDT: If the House decides to go straight to the Supreme Court, they have 90 days to file that petition. (A request for the Supreme Court to take the case) could be at the court's doorstep at least within 90 days. BP: Could it be heard this year? SCHOWENGERDT: Yes, presumably during the next term, which starts in October. BP: Gay groups say it's wrong for the federal government to deny legal benefits to a gay couple when marriage is recognized within the state. Why are they wrong? SCHOWENGERDT: This is our system of dual federalism. Federalism is a two-way street, and it doesn't make any sense to say that the federal government is held hostage to whatever definition of marriage individual states want to come up with. Congress has its own policy goals, and it can advance those goals through laws like DOMA. BP: You've previously said the federal government is within its rights to define marriage because that precedent was set in the 1800s with polygamy. Explain what you mean. SCHOWENGERDT: The federal government required as a condition of statehood that Utah prohibit polygamy, and so it defined marriage at the federal level, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, and therefore it can do it in this instance as well. BP: And so conversely, you're saying that if a state recognized polygamy, that according to the logic of the First Circuit, the federal government would be forced to recognize that relationship, as well. SCHOWENGERDT: That's right. Given the logic of the First Circuit's decision, if a state recognizes polygamy, then the federal government is held hostage to that definition and has to give benefits to polygamists. BP: Some gay news websites said that while the First Circuit ruling was a victory for their side, it wasn't the slam dunk they were hoping for. Specifically, they were referencing the fact that the court did not use strict scrutiny to review the case. Explain what they mean. SCHOWENGERDT: The court acknowledged that the Supreme Court has had the opportunity to apply strict scrutiny to (cases concerning gays and lesbians) and has declined -- most recently in the Romer v. Evans and Lawrence v. Texas decisions. The First Circuit followed that precedent and didn't apply strict scrutiny. BP: What is strict scrutiny? SCHOWENGERDT: Strict scrutiny is applied to very specific categories, namely race and sex, which means that a law is presumptively unconstitutional if it makes distinctions on that basis. Eleven of the 13 courts of appeal have addressed the issue, and all 11 have held that strict scrutiny for sexual orientation doesn't apply. In general, though, laws made by Congress get what's called a rational basis review. Rational basis says that if there's any rational reason that the legislature could make the distinction (between straight and gay couples), then the law stands. And most courts have said it's rational for a legislature to believe that children do best with a mother and a father and the state has particular interests in defining marriage between a man and a woman. BP: What standard did the court apply? SCHOWENGERDT: It applied what I call rational basis on steroids. It said that heightened scrutiny didn't apply but normal rational basis scrutiny didn't apply either. It was a very novel approach. BP: The First Circuit's decision did not overturn the section of DOMA that give states leverage in defining marriage. Did the First Circuit address states' rights on this issue? SCHOWENGERDT: It did, and this shows the incoherence in the logic of the decision. It did recognize that many states define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The logic of the court's decision would suggest that those states are well within their right to do that. --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). Read Glenn Stanton's column, "Why not legalize gay marriage?" at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37494]www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37494[/URL]. -- End of story -- Okla. City Thunder chaplain is Baptist minister By Brian Hobbs/Baptist Messenger Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37953 [IMG=32705@right@300]OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) -- As a young boy, Cedric Hardimon dreamed of someday playing in the NBA. Little did he know God would place him in ministry to NBA players. Today, Hardimon, 31, is chaplain for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are facing San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals. "I have always had a passion for sports," Hardimon told Baptist Messenger. "I got a scholarship to play college football (out of state), but my senior year I felt God calling me back home (to Oklahoma)." Hardimon, now recreation minister at First Baptist Church in Moore, Okla., was cross-cultural pastor and was involved in the recreation ministry at Council Road Baptist Church in Bethany, Okla., when God opened the door with the Thunder. "At that time the Seattle SuperSonics were moving to Oklahoma City, and they were filling positions including for chaplain," he said. "Someone connected to Council Road recommended me and knew the organization was looking for people doing out-of-the-box ministry." After several days of intensive interviews, Hardimon landed the job with the Thunder. He is now one of two team chaplains. "As chaplain, it is his job to be a spiritual mentor to the players, coaches and organization's personnel," he said. "We hold chapel before the games, and it is completely voluntary," he said. "Players are not required to attend, but the Thunder has a high percentage of the team show up compared to other NBA teams, I believe." Hardimon has been a Christian for more than half his life, but he remembers what it was like to be lost. "I was 15 when I accepted Christ," Hardimon said. "I went to (church camp at) Falls Creek thinking I would just get to play basketball with my friends from church. I went there and then accepted Christ." Hardimon is amazed at how God has brought him full circle. During week three of Falls Creek this summer, Hardimon will be leading worship. Hardimon is always amazed to see how far people can come. That includes the Thunder. "I have been part of the team since the beginning. There was a time when we were 1-12," he said. "At that time, we did not have a lot of players coming to chapel. "... The other chaplain is older, and I think he is looked at as a father figure. This group is very young, almost college aged, even though they are not in college. It is like a college young group in some ways. The team calls him 'pastor' and call me 'Ced.' I talk to them like 'Ced,' not so much as a guy from the pulpit." Hardimon uses various ministry tools, such as the popular "I am Second" video testimonies (www.iamsecond.com). "I showed the Tony Dungy video (from iamsecond.com) and brought his book. That really resonated with some of the players," he said. "NBA chaplains are ministering to a hard group in some ways," he added. "When you are at a low point, it is often easier to see the need for God. NBA players, though, can have almost anything they want. "The Thunder has a great group of guys, ones that are very humble, but we still remind them that everything they own -- their talent and money -- is on loan from God. We talk about being humble and having good character." As a huge basketball fan, Hardimon feels honored where God has placed him. "I think of the verse where God will give you the desires of your heart," he said. "Growing up, I knew I wanted to play in the NBA. Where I am at now, being able to be chaplain for the Thunder, being plugged into the local church, doing my music but still having a piece in the NBA -- it is awesome." As a Christian, Hardimon hopes to continue -- win or lose -- to reflect the grace and love of God. --30-- Brian Hobbs is editor of the Baptist Messenger, online at www.baptistmessenger.com -- End of story -- Hurricane season prompts Fla. day of prayer By Barbara Denman/Florida Baptist Convention Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37952 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP) -- Florida Baptists are being called to a day of prayer for the hurricane season on June 3 to seek the Lord for a calm season and for careful preparation by families, churches and disaster relief teams. Rick Shepherd, Florida Baptist team strategist for prayer and spiritual awakening, noted, "The God who knows 'the very hairs of your head' and every move of every sparrow knows the needs we have, including our concern for hurricane season." A key facet of showing God's care, Shepherd said, is "sending us to show His concern, which includes praying for our neighbors and our communities as we seek God for the well-being of the place in which He has placed us." "Our state and nation are experiencing a measure of God's chastening, His remedial judgment -- more as we ignore His signals. We see that as churches and as a nation," Shepherd said. "His calls continue -- through His Word, through fellow believers and through circumstances, including calamities -- storms, floods, earthquakes, economic turmoil and fires." Shepherd suggested Florida Baptists claim 2 Chronicles 7:14 "to see evidence of God speaking in our day." June 3 is the first Sunday in the hurricane season, which officially begins June 1, a time all Floridians dread given the potential of life-threatening and destructive storms that affect the state peninsula and extensive shoreline. After several years of disastrous storms in 2004 and 2005, Florida's hurricane activity has been relatively quiet, which Shepherd described as answered prayers for mercy on behalf of Florida Baptists. Specific prayer needs suggested by Shepherd include God's mercy in dealing with hurricanes, Florida Baptist disaster relief teams, the nation of Haiti and open doors to share the love of Christ. To help churches participate in the day of prayer, a simple reproducible bulletin insert, "See Needs -- Seeking God," has been produced for use during worship, Bible studies and small groups or during special times of prayer. Florida Baptist congregations were sent a mass email with the bulletin insert, or it can be downloaded at http://www.flbaptist.org/MinistryPrograms/MW/PrayerSpiritualAwakening/SpiritualAwakening.aspx. --30-- Barbara Denman is director of communications for the Florida Baptist Convention. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/Baptist Press) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp). -- End of story -- CULTURE DIGEST: Olympic star Lolo Jones stands firm on virginity By Staff Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37950 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones created a buzz when she told the world on an HBO talk show that at 29 she's a Christian, a virgin and delaying sex until marriage. Her revelation on "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" quickly made the news and surfaced on social media outlets, with some noting similarities to New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow. With three NCAA titles and 11 All-American wins, Jones hopes to qualify for this year's Olympics after a disappointing 7th place finish in the Women's 100M Hurdles at the 2008 games in Beijing. But her hardest challenge is remaining a virgin and enjoying a healthy dating life. "This journey has been hard," she said on NBC's "Today" show. "Harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage. "It's just something, a gift I want to give to my husband," she said. The trouble is, she's having trouble finding a steady date, even after taking her quest to social dating sites and Twitter. "I've had guys tell me, 'Hey, you know, if you have sex it will help you run faster,'" she said. But she didn't fall for the line. "I'd like to be married. If you marry me, then yeah." Jones grew up in poverty, often homeless, and said she wants to enjoy the commitment that escaped her parents who never married. Contra Costa Times writer Tony Hicks suggested in a recent column: "Tim Tebow, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Mr. Tim Tebow ... Seriously -- Tim Tebow, pick up the phone. If you don't, you're a complete idiot. Call this girl; she's perfect for you. I won't even charge you a finder's fee." RELIGIOUS LEADERS SILENT ON MAJOR CULTURAL ISSUE -- On the issue of President Obama's support of same-sex "marriage," too many religious leaders have been silent, a conservative commentator has lamented. Richard Viguerie, described as one of the architects of the conservative tide that swept Ronald Reagan into the White House in 1980, said since the 1960s the left has been winning the culture wars. "Those who want to tear down traditional Judeo-Christian moral values have been fully engaged in the battle, but those in leadership positions who should be protecting our culture and the values that are fundamental to its strength have been mostly AWOL," Viguerie wrote May 11. Among the few who have been outspoken, Viguerie noted, are Southern Baptist Convention President Bryant Wright, who told the Associated Press that Obama made a "calculated, politically expedient decision that completely ignores the biblical foundation of marriage," and the SBC's Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Land told The New York Times he was "saddened and mystified" by the president's declaration and added, "When the president comes out in favor of something it has an impact, and that saddens me because I think embracing same-sex marriage would be a terrible mistake for the country." Viguerie wrote, "These individuals have been leaders, but in many American religious and political organizations, the silence and lack of leadership in opposition to Obama's support for same-sex marriage has been deafening. Most priests, pastors, rabbis and politicians have failed to publicly promote, protect and defend America's traditional moral values." Silence is evil's best friend, Viguerie wrote, and the United States needs leaders "who will stand for the values and principles that are the foundation of our culture and national strength." Warren Cole Smith, writing for World magazine, added Billy and Franklin Graham to the list of those who have defended traditional marriage. "The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association took full-page ads out in North Carolina newspapers in support of Amendment One," Smith wrote, referring to the proposal to define marriage in the state constitution as between a man and a woman. GERMAN DOCTORS APOLOGIZE FOR ATROCITIES -- The German Medical Association has asked for forgiveness for atrocities committed by physicians under the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s. In a statement approved May 23 in Nuremberg, the association said many doctors under the Nazis were "guilty, contrary to their mission to heal, of scores of human rights violations and we ask the forgiveness of their victims, living and deceased, and of their descendants," Medical Daily reported. The association's statement also clarified that the Nazis did not order physicians to experiment on or kill concentration camp prisoners during the Holocaust. Rather, the doctors participated as enthusiastic supporters of the Nazis, the association said. "[O]utstanding representatives of renowned academic medical and research institutions were involved" in the mass killing of millions of people during the Holocaust, the association said, according to Medical Daily. "[T]hese crimes were not the actions of individual doctors but involved leading members of the medical community," according to the association's statement. German physicians conducted experiments on prisoners and played a major role in forcibly sterilizing or euthanizing the mentally ill and others considered "unworthy of life," Medical Daily reported. "I don't know if forgiveness will be forthcoming," said Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. "But in the history of apologies for crimes and abuses carried out in the name of medicine this is the most important ever made," Caplan wrote on his blog for MSNBC. "It does nothing to soften the horror of the Holocaust but it both ascribes responsibility where it belongs and ends any further efforts to deny or obfuscate what actually happened." Pro-life bioethics specialist Wesley Smith said on his blog the statement "doesn't bring back the lives lost, but at least it does help set history straight. And, of course, none of the current members of the association bear any personal responsibility -- undoubtedly making the apology easier to make. But it does help us accept that all that evil did not arise from 'The Nazis,' which too often becomes a defense allowing us to rationalize our own anti humanism because we don't goose step on parade." The German Medical Association represents nearly 450,000 doctors. LA. SENATE PASSES PAIN-CAPABLE ABORTION BAN -- The Louisiana Senate approved unanimously May 22 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 Pain-capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which the Senate passed 36-0, awaits action by the House of Representatives. Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, estimated 150 babies a year will be saved if the measure becomes law. "Currently in Louisiana, there is nothing to stop an abortionist from performing an abortion up until the moment right before birth," Clapper said in a written statement. "Through [the bill], we can protect [an] unborn child at 20 weeks and put a dent in the abortion-on-demand mentality advanced by the abortion industry." Seven states have enacted pain-capable abortion bans. DOCTOR TO PAY FOR CARE OF CHILD HE FAILED TO ABORT -- A Spanish judge has ordered a doctor to pay the equivalent of more than $1,200 a month to a mother whose baby he tried but failed to abort. Judge Jose Perez Martinez's decision called for the unnamed gynecologist and his clinic to pay a total of more than $338,000, which amounts to the monthly rate of more than $1,200 until the boy turns 26. Martinez also ordered the doctor to pay nearly $188,000 in "moral damages," according to the Daily Mail, a British newspaper. The mother underwent a supposed abortion in April 2011 at the clinic in Majorca, Spain, but returned three months later in the belief she was carrying another child, the Daily Mail reported May 24. Tests showed the previous abortion attempt failed. The clinic sent her to a Barcelona clinic, which declined to perform an abortion because the mother's pregnancy was beyond the legal time limit. GA. PROHIBITS PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE -- Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law May 1 a measure prohibiting physician-assisted suicide. Enactment of the bill followed a February state Supreme Court decision that invalidated a law that barred the advertising of assisted suicide services, according to American Medical News. The new law does not include in the definition of assisted suicide measures taken to relieve pain. A health care provider found guilty under the new law may receive a prison sentence of as much as 10 years. --30-- Compiled by Erin Roach, Diana Chandler and Tom Strode 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 -- FIRST-PERSON: 7 keys to preventing pastoral burnout By Thom S. Rainer Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37954 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- I have the incredible opportunity to interact with pastors regularly. In recent conversations, I have asked two questions. First, have you ever experienced burnout in your ministry? Second, what do you do to prevent pastoral burnout? Interestingly, every pastor with whom I spoke had experienced some level of burnout. So they spoke from the voice of experience when they shared with me what they do to prevent burnout. I aggregated their responses to seven keys to preventing pastoral burnout, not in any particular order or priority. 1. Remember your call. Ministry can be tough and dirty. It can be frustrating and confusing. But if we remember Who called us and Who sustains us, we are able to persevere. We understand we are not doing ministry in our own power. 2. Pray for your critics. Criticism is one of the most frequently mentioned causes of burnout. Pastors on the other side of burnout told me they have learned to pray for their critics almost every day. It has given the pastors a fresh perspective. A few pastors even noted significant change in their critics shortly after they started praying for them. 3. Wait a day before responding to critics. Somewhat related to number two above, some pastors shared that ministry began to take its toll when they engaged their critics negatively in writing, in person or by phone. Now these pastors wait a full day before responding, and they are amazed at how differently their responses take shape. 4. Be intentional about downtime. Pastors need it. Their families need it. Every week. Don't skip vacations. Go on occasional retreats. Don't lose your family by trying to save your church. 5. Find a friend to share your burden. For some pastors, it was another pastor. For others, it was a retired pastor. Some mentioned that key confidants in the church had become their best friends. Pastors need someone they trust to whom they can unload their burdens. 6. Do not neglect your prayer life. Pastors told me repeatedly that, as their prayer life waned, their burnout increased. For them, prayer was first an ongoing conversation with God, but it was also a time for spiritual refueling. 7. Do not neglect your time in the Word. We heard similar stories from pastors who began neglecting their time in the Bible. As that time waned, burnout increased. All the pastors noted that time in the Word was time beyond sermon preparation. It was a time of personal devotion and study. Pastors are burning out every day. Many are leaving the ministry as a result. It is a real and immediate problem with many pastors and many churches. Pastors and other staff: Do you have stories of burnout and recovery? What lessons can we learn from you? Laypersons: What can you do to help pastors prevent burnout? --30-- Thom S. Rainer is president of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. This column first appeared on his website, ThomRainer.com. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: A disappointing day in the House By Kelly Boggs Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37956 ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) -- The U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass legislation that would have made it illegal to abort an unborn child because of the baby's sex. Abortions based on sex are widely practiced in India and China, and the vast majority of babies aborted due to sex selection are female. There are indications the practice of sex-selection abortion is beginning to rear its ugly head in the United States, due in part to the rise of immigrants from Asia and India. As a result, Rep. Trent Franks (R.-Ariz.) introduced HR 3541, known as the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA). Franks indicated the purpose of his bill was to ensure equal rights for unborn children -- boys and girls. The failure of the bill is, to say the least, disappointing. However, the manner in which the House chose to deal with the legislation is also disappointing. Rather than handle the bill in the usual manner, the bill was considered under "suspension of the rules" which makes controversial legislation, like abortion measures, difficult to pass. According to House protocol, suspension of the rules is a procedure generally used to quickly pass non-controversial bills. Under suspension of the rules, debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments can be offered to the motion or the underlying matter and a super-majority of two-thirds of members present and voting is required to pass the motion. Suspension of the rules may be appropriate for non-controversial legislation. However, any bill that seeks to limit abortion for any reason is going to be deemed controversial among legislators in Washington, D.C. Such was the case with Franks' bill. The bill first was debated in the House Judiciary Committee where it was met with stiff Democrat opposition. It passed out of committee with a vote strictly along party lines of 20-13. The fact that PRENDA dealt with the restriction of abortion automatically rendered the legislation controversial. Adding to the contention was the fact that the bill was passed out of committee with only Republican support. As a result, I have to ask, "What was Speaker of the House John Boehner thinking when he allowed it to be addressed under suspension of the rules where it would require a two-thirds vote in order to pass?" When the votes were counted, PRENDA was 30 votes short of the super-majority needed for passage. The final tally was 246 in favor, 168 against. Twenty Democrats voted for the legislation and seven Republicans voted against it. Seventeen members of the House did not vote. Given that PRENDA was handled under "suspension of the rules," it seemed to be more political posturing than a serious attempt at passing legislation designed to curtail abortion -- abortion that is especially aimed at unborn baby girls. Perhaps the entire House should be chastised for dealing with PRENDA in such a cavalier manner. Even though PRENDA was handled legislatively in a manner that made it difficult to pass, it is still instructive to learn that 168 elected member of the House of Representatives went on the record opposing a bill designed specifically to protect primarily baby girls from being aborted. Even though a 2006 Zogby International poll found 86 percent of Americans believe sex-selection abortion should be illegal, reported Baptist Press, 40 percent of the U.S. House voted to allow it to continue. The term "pro-choice" in relation to abortion was first used in the mid-1970s. It was nothing more than "sloganeering to avoid the harshness of 'pro-abortion,'" observed journalist William Safire. Support for a woman's ability to "choose" sounds better from a public relations stand point than arguing for her right to have an abortion. The most ardent advocates of abortion now believe a woman should be able to "choose" to have an abortion for any reason -- or for no reason -- and at any time during pregnancy, with no limits. According to 168 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, it is OK for a woman to abort her unborn child for the purposes of sex-selection. Additionally, the entire House dealt with the issue in a manner usually used for benign legislation deemed uncontroversial, making it difficult to pass. As far as I am concerned, both moves were disappointing. --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). To see how your representative voted, visit http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll299.xml -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Promesa Impactante By Fermín Whittaker Jun. 1 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37955 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] FRESNO, Calif. (BP) -- 1 Por tanto, si hay alguna consolación en Cristo, si algún consuelo de amor, si alguna comunión del Espíritu, si algún afecto entrañable, si alguna misericordia, 2 completad mi gozo, sintiendo lo mismo, teniendo el mismo amor, unánimes, sintiendo una misma cosa. 3 Nada hagáis por contienda o por vanagloria; antes bien con humildad, estimando cada uno a los demás como superiores a él mismo; 4 no mirando cada uno por lo suyo propio, sino cada cual también por lo de los otros. Filipenses 2:1-5 Las palabras de Pablo son para nuestro día. "...no mirando cada uno por lo suyo propio, sino cada cual también por lo de los otros" son instrucciones que impactan nuestras vidas. Estamos rodeados de multitudes de personas que necesitan cariño emocional. Han sufrido mucho, y necesitan escuchar palabras de aliento de nosotros que tenemos las palabras apropiadas. En este mundo en la cual vivimos hay mucho egoismo. Las ocupaciones y distracciones diarias no permiten que respondemos a las voces de otros. Jesucristo tenía la habilidad de escuchar. La mujer samaritana, la madre llorando por su hijo muerto, el ciego Bartimeo, el endemoniado gadareno y otros reciben la atención de Jesús. Cuando pienso en esto, doy gracias a Dios porque el escucha nuestras palabras. Una promesa divina de Dios es "1 Vino palabra de Jehová a Jeremías la segunda vez, estando él aún preso en el patio de la cárcel, diciendo: 2 Así ha dicho Jehová, que hizo la tierra, Jehová que la formó para afirmarla; Jehová es su nombre: 3 Clama a mí, y yo te responderé, y te enseñaré cosas grandes y ocultas que tú no conoces. (Jeremias 33:1-3) Este pasaje es una inspiración en mi vida, sabiendo que Dios promete escuchar mis palabras, y nunca me ignora! --30-- Fermín Whittaker es el director ejecutivo de la Convención Bautista del Sur en California. Los materiales en español publicados por esta convención se encuentran en http://www.csbc.com/languageresources. -- 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