Baptist Press Stories for Jun. 4 2010 --------------------------------------- Gearing up for the World Cup http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33069 ChinaAid rep.: 'Pray we are standing firm' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33070 $148.9M is 3rd-largest Lottie Moon offering http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33071 Open Letter to Southern Baptists about the GCRTF Recommendations http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33072 'A Better Way Ahead' –- alternate recommendations released by EC's Chapman http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33073 GCRTF VIEWPOINT (Timothy Boyd): Emphasize equal sacrifice http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33074 CULTURE DIGEST: Episcopal Church ordains lesbian bishop; ... http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33075 FIRST-PERSON: Some perspective on that blown call http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33076 --------------------------------------- Gearing up for the World Cup By Charles Braddix Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33069 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (BP)--What's been called the world's greatest sporting event -- the FIFA World Cup -- is set to kick off in South Africa's largest city June 11. The first World Cup soccer tournament on the African continent is expected to draw a cumulative global television audience of 26 billion-plus viewers during the month-long tournament, encompassing 64 games in 10 stadiums throughout the country. In the opening match, the host team, South Africa's Bafana Bafana will face Mexico's El Tri in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, built to resemble the traditional African pot called the calabash. The match will begin immediately following the opening ceremonies. "All the stadiums are in a state of complete readiness," said Danny Jordaan, CEO of the World Cup's local organizing committee, "and most pleasing is the pristine condition of the playing surfaces -- fitting for the world's superstars who will soon be gracing them." Team USA hit the ground May 31, with captain Carlos Bocanegra commenting, "For the players it's been a long time thinking all the way through qualifying, and now it's finally here -- we're in South Africa. "We're excited for the games to start." Team USA's first match is against soccer powerhouse England on June 12, followed by games against Slovenia on June 18 and Algeria on June 23. "It's going to be a great World Cup," U.S. head coach Bob Bradley said. "Of course so much attention has been put on the first match against England. It's a tremendous opportunity for us. The spotlight on that game is huge. It has already generated amazing interest in the United States." FIFA reports that American fans have purchased more tickets to date than any other country -- between 130,000 and 160,000 tickets, more than twice the sales to English and German fans combined. More than hardcore soccer fans, however, are gearing up for the World Cup. Those involved in Christian ministry plan to take advantage of an event that happens only every four years somewhere in the world. "The world is coming to South Africa," said IMB missionary Wade Coker, a mission strategy leader in southern Africa. "There is such a passion for the sport that, whenever the World Cup takes place every four years, there is a lot of focus on it; it's on the world stage. We want to tap into the passion they have for that with the passion we have for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Plans are to share the Gospel with the hundreds of thousands of fans who will be attending the games, some from countries that have no missionary presence. In addition, efforts will be made to use the event as an avenue to evangelize and plant churches in some of South Africa's major urban centers. "One of the joys for us here is that people will see South Africa and want to pray for it," said IMB missionary Kurt Holiday, a strategy leader for the urban areas of South Africa and Namibia. "There will be a hunger because of what they see and they will want to come and experience it." Volunteer teams and prayer support are essential for ministry, Holiday said. "We will have the ability to use soccer to get into areas where it is normally not easy to get into, to be welcomed and have a platform," he said. For prayer resources and daily news about World Cup events go to www.WorldSoccerJourneys.org. --30-- Charles Braddix is a writer for the International Mission Board. -- End of story -- ChinaAid rep.: 'Pray we are standing firm' By Hillary May Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33070 EDITOR'S NOTE: Today, June 4, marks the 21st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Bob Fu was one of the leaders of the pro-democracy movement that was crushed that day in Beijing, China. He became a Christian, escaped to the United States and started an organization that serves the unregistered church in his homeland. WASHINGTON (BP)--Persecution of Christians in China is still a widespread problem and an ignored topic in the secular media, said Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, in an interview with Baptist Press. Fu knows about persecution firsthand. He suffered for his faith in his homeland before he and his wife Heidi fled to the United States in 1997. A leader of the student democracy movement that was squelched by the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, he became a Christian the same year. In 1996, secret police discovered the Bible school he and Heidi founded and imprisoned both of them. After their release and further persecution, they escaped through Hong Kong. Fu started ChinaAid (www.chinaaid.org) in 2002 to bring international attention to China's repression of unregistered churches and their members. Fu sat down with Baptist Press following the presentation by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the 2009 John Leland Religious Liberty Award to Chinese human rights lawyer Fan Yafeng in mid-April. Fu received the Leland Award in 2007. Here are excerpts from that question-and-answer session: BAPTIST PRESS: ChinaAid reports frequently on instances of government persecution directed at individual Christians, leaders and churches in the unregistered church movement. Please explain the scope of persecution in China. Is the persecution truly widespread or a matter of isolated instances, considering the massive number of Christians now in China? FU: Demographically, according to our investigation and the information that we can gather, it is still pretty widespread. Last year there were over 20 provinces of persecution. Of course, these are known cases, but we think this is the tip of the iceberg because we have many surprises when we interview prisoners from labor camps. There are some differences because we depend on the local government's attitude and how strictly they enforce government regulations. This year, from January to March, there are numerous reports of harassment in prayer meetings, Sunday Schools, and some have been arrested and detained. In other provinces, especially the east coast, they can't even hold big gatherings because the local government will not tolerate it because of the social and economic environment over there. BAPTIST PRESS: If I were an individual Chinese Christian in an unregistered church, how concerned would I be about government persecution? FU: Unless you are a non-active Christian, you should have every concern. Being an active Christian means that you are actively engaging in sharing the Good News with others, and that is one potential threat that you will face. If you are found sharing the Gospel with other people, actively distributing Bibles to others or holding unauthorized Bible studies, especially young people under 18 years old, or have active fellowships with foreigners, these are all threats that you will face. BAPTIST PRESS: Despite reports of persecution throughout China, there has been increased growth in the unofficial church, reporting over 130 million Christians. Why has this occurred? FU: It seems that from God's perspective, He has a unique formula to revive His church in China. We see that the more persecution there is, the more revival there will be, and God uniquely uses persecution to purify the church. The Bible says that if anyone wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, they will be persecuted. Once you become salt and light, then the darkness will not like you. So persecution in that sense is inevitable. No persecution is a strange thing. So we remain hopeful. Yes, there is persecution and there is regulation and attacks. Yet it seems the Lord has used that. I remain hopeful for the younger generation of Chinese Christians that they are rising up to the task to defend and spread the Gospel more rigorously and defend their rights according to the law. BAPTIST PRESS: Have you seen any actions taken by the Obama administration to address religious liberty in China? FU: So far, not much. The only highest rank official in the State Department for monitoring international religious freedom is the Office [of] International Religious Freedom. According to Congress, the International Religious Freedom Act passed [in 1998] is supposed to [provide for] a U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom to be appointed by the president, and Mr. Obama still does not have a candidate yet, so the office is working without a boss. So, I don't think this is on the administration's agenda at all. BAPTIST PRESS: Despite awareness through press releases, annual reports and media campaigns, is there still a sense of ignorance among the American people of the challenges of religious freedom in China? FU: Yes, unfortunately. Of course the media, especially the secular media, are pretty selective in their reporting. This is an ignored topic. The censorship in China makes it very hard to get information out, but I am optimistic. There is more and more awareness in this country about China. BAPTIST PRESS: Young and old alike have been persecuted for their Christian beliefs in China. How have you and your wife educated your children on the injustice done to, and the lessons learned from, those persecuted for their faith? FU: We have three children. One was born in exile, and we named him Daniel. He came to the United States as a refugee when he was four months old. The other two, our two daughters, were born in the U.S. We try to tell them stories. We tell them not to take freedom for granted, and we tell them to pray for those who are persecuted. They need to know that they are a privileged minority on this earth who can enjoy this freedom. There are so many who are suffering. There are so many of their brothers and sisters, even little children, who do not have the right to own or even read the Bible or to be baptized. We share with them so that they can cherish the freedom they have here and to be more bold to share the Gospel with others. BAPTIST PRESS: Does ChinaAid have any new plans to increase awareness in the months to come, and, if so, what are they? FU: This is the age of Internet. We are very glad we had several very successful Internet-based campaigns for several key prisoners and house church pastors. Last year we launched the FreeGao.com campaign for the return of Gao Zhisheng, a Chinese human rights lawyer. We collected over 130,000 signatures. These are real names and e-mails from over 130 nations. So we are very encouraged that people are more engaged. We are planning to launch a four-language campaign for Christians called FreeAlim.com. Alim [Alimujiang Yimiti] was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment last November for simply having a conversation with an American Christian. His official charge was revealing a state secret to foreigners. The only evidence the prosecutor put on his trial was that conversation. He was alleged to reveal his conversation with a government official questioning about his faith, his conversion from Muslim to Christianity. We will not rest until he is released and declared innocent. So we will have Chinese, English, Spanish and Uyghur, four languages, for the church in the West and also inside China to be mobilized for his release. BAPTIST PRESS: What can we be praying for? FU: Pray for ChinaAid and for our staff. Because we are involved in this advocacy, the administration is more attacked by the Chinese government. Some of the church leaders were threatened to lure me back to China to arrest me. Even in this country there is danger. Pray that our staff will not lose heart. This is not a popular cause or ministry. Pray that we are standing firm. Also pray for this financially difficult time that we can stand and find providence from the Lord in order to continue to be a voice to brothers and sisters in China. --30-- Hillary May was an intern with the Washington bureau of Baptist Press during the spring semester. -- End of story -- $148.9M is 3rd-largest Lottie Moon offering By Don Graham Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33071 RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Southern Baptists stayed true to their passion for telling the world about Jesus in spite of a weakened economy and sluggish recovery, giving $148.9 million to support international missionaries through the 2009 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. It is the third-largest Lottie Moon offering in history. "We are not disappointed as God proves His faithfulness through Southern Baptists, and giving through Lottie Moon reflects the heart of our churches and their Great Commission commitment," said Jerry Rankin, International Mission Board president. "Constituting more than half of the IMB's annual budget, the Lottie Moon offering dramatically impacts our ability to take the Gospel to the lost world. "I am deeply grateful for the increase in giving, some $7.6 million above the 2008 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, and for the sacrifice made by Southern Baptists during these difficult economic times." More than $4 million of the $7.6 million increase came from a special "over and above" offering challenge issued last summer by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin and others. The extra funds allowed the IMB to send missionaries placed on hold by financial shortfalls earlier than planned and prevented even deeper reductions in the IMB's global missionary force. Because of Southern Baptist support, missionaries and their national partners were responsible for baptizing more than 506,000 believers and starting 24,650 new churches across the globe in 2008. "For this year's total to be the third-highest in the history of the offering is remarkable given the economic challenges that continue to impact many across the U.S.," said Wanda Lee, Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) executive director/treasurer. "It is truly a testimony to the faithfulness of God and the deep-rooted commitment among Southern Baptists to share Jesus with those around the world who have yet to hear of His love. We are grateful for WMU leaders and members who champion the missions cause in their churches through personal involvement and by urging Southern Baptists to give sacrificially and pray fervently for missions." While the $148.9 million offering meets the requirements for the IMB's 2010 operating budget, it doesn't allow room for growth or reversal of budget cuts. "This generous offering will allow us to meet our operational needs but most of our capital needs will be postponed for another year," said IMB financial chief David Steverson. "With our other major sources of income holding steady or only slightly declining, we are grateful that, for now, we don't anticipate further reductions in our missionary force below 5,000." Last year IMB trustees were forced to curb appointments of new missionaries and suspend two short-term missionary programs entirely, initiating a gradual reduction in the IMB's global missionary force. The reduction will lower missionary numbers from approximately 5,600, reached in 2009, to 5,000 but will not involve recalling any personnel because it will be accomplished through natural attrition -- completions of service, retirements and resignations. "We are grieved that budget limitations will force us to continue to restrict new missionaries being appointed," Rankin said. "This is not just a disappointment to individuals and families called of God to serve overseas, but it means many unreached people groups will be deprived of hearing the Gospel yet another year. We are rethinking our strategy and adjusting our organizational structure for greater efficiency in order to stretch our budget as far as possible." Seventy-one percent of the IMB's budget is spent on missionary support, including housing, salaries, medical care and children's education. It averages $43,800 annually per missionary. Though the $148.9 million offering is $7.6 million above 2008 giving, it is $1.4 million below the 2007 record offering of $150.4 million. It is also $26 million short of the 2009 goal of $175 million. ---30-- Don Graham is a writer for the International Mission Board. To learn more about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, go to imb.org/offering. -- End of story -- Open Letter to Southern Baptists about the GCRTF Recommendations By Morris H. Chapman Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33072 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--An open letter to Southern Baptists has been released by Morris H. Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee, regarding issues to be decided at the convention's June 15-16 annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. The full text of Chapman's letter follows assessing the recommendations of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force: Dear Fellow Southern Baptist -- I write to express my central concern and conviction about the recommendations of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. You will have placed before you a set of seven recommendations that can be reviewed at the SBC.net site or the pray4GCR.com site. I generally characterize them below: #1 –- A mission statement (to present the gospel and make disciples) #2 –- Core Values (eight) #3 -– New giving category called Great Commission Giving and stated Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong goals #4 -- New ministry statement for NAMB (focus on cities, centralization of church planting efforts, and unilateral assignment and control of domestic missionaries) #5 -– New ministry statement for IMB (worldwide, not foreign only) #6 -- EC to work with state conventions to develop comprehensive Cooperative Program (CP) promotion #7 -– CP promotion and stewardship education defunded and CP allocation changed by moving 1 percentage point of CP receipts from EC to IMB I am concerned that if the Convention approves the task force recommendations, it will be embarking upon a harmful course. I, like the task force, believe that the Convention can and should do better. But unlike the task force, I do not believe the answer lies in the recommendations it proposes. The solution to our Convention's greatest need lies in multiple pockets of personal repentance, evangelistic recommitment at the personal and local church level, and willing obedience to the commands of Christ. Real revival will not issue from a mere rewording of our mission statement. Our core values, already recorded in Scripture, are God-breathed and sufficient. Our giving methods have proven their worth by providing for the largest mission forces (overseas and domestic) in history and the most expansive seminary system in the world. In fact, in the past our churches have produced twice the baptisms on half the revenue contributed to the SBC, so merely reallocating a few resources at the SBC level will not solve our underlying problems. We must concentrate on the only real solution. That solution is not structural, procedural, financial, or methodological. It is spiritual. And if we approve the task force report, we will be saying, as a Convention, that we believe our future performance lies in some realm other than the spiritual. I have written that I am concerned for the Cooperative Program, and I am (see [URL=http://baptist2baptist.net/gcr/articles/MHC-05-07-10.asp]http://baptist2baptist.net/gcr/articles/MHC-05-07-10.asp[/URL]). But I am much more concerned that we as God's people have a proper relationship with the Lord as our highest priority. Designing new harnesses every few years will never substitute for actually getting into them and working the fields as we sow the seed, tend the fields, and harvest the crop. It can be confusing when strongly expressed positions exist among people who love the Lord Jesus Christ with their whole hearts. But while I fully agree with the preamble of the task force's preliminary report, I cannot affirm their recommendations. I am firmly convinced that none of the recommendations will move us forward for the kind of spiritual renewal that must take place if we are to see an abundant harvest take place in our local churches. At most, they will merely make us feel as if we have done something, when we haven't. "What harm is done if they pass?" you might ask. "Won't the fact that the recommendations will be referred to the Executive Committee protect us from any mistakes -- a sort of 'no harm, no foul' scenario?" At a minimum, the harm lies in the continued debate over how to make non-solutions better non-solutions and the very real potential for further division around the very things that ought to unite us, namely a passion for the Great Commission. If we set into motion the series of actions these recommendations call for, it will be very difficult to stem the tide. We will have embarked on a course that will unravel funding mechanisms that work, dismantle collaborative partnerships that produce, and eradicate variety in ministry and methodology. If you believe adoption of the task force recommendations will change you or the people in your church into more effective soul-winners, you should, by all means, vote for them. But I am not convinced they will make one ounce of difference in personal evangelism. Neither am I convinced they will expand or empower the Kingdom. Instead, I propose we adopt "A Better Way Ahead." If my concerns strike a chord with you, I ask you to read my companion paper under that title ([URL=http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33073]http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33073[/URL], and consider lifting up one or more of its recommendations as replacements for those of the task force. I urge you to continue to spend time with the Lord and reverently and prayerfully ask God to reveal His perfect Will to you. Don't fail to attend as a messenger simply because the issues may be fuzzy to you. Keep praying, attend the Convention, listen to what will be a powerful and persuasive presentation by the GCTF at the Convention, and with a heart for Christ and His church, ask the Lord one last time to guide you as the vote approaches on Tuesday afternoon. Once the decision is made, I will have made my last report to the Convention and, for the last time, sat on the Convention platform as president of the Executive Committee. I would have wished that these last few months could have been different. Frankly, some encouraged me to "Finish Well" by which they meant that I should slip off into the sunset without conveying my opinion about the GCTF Final Report. When I accepted the responsibility of this office in 1992, I did so with a commitment to keep Southern Baptists as informed as possible about the key issues confronting the SBC. Until September 30, 2010, I have as much responsibility in this regard as I did on October 1, 1992. I cannot shirk my responsibility simply because my time to exit my position is coming to a close. And I have recently noticed those who deeply desire to remain in service to Southern Baptists softening their objections to "play it safe," realizing that there will still be ministry to do after June, regardless. But I believe a chief concern for Southern Baptists should be to play it safe for the Convention's future rather than for their own, because the collective ministry of all hangs in the balance. As I leave my post, my continued prayer until I go to see Jesus will be that God will blanket Southern Baptists with a spirit-empowered spiritual awakening that shall spread from coast to coast and beyond. If spiritual awakening of this magnitude were to come before I die, I will spend the rest of my years on earth praising God for answering the prayers of His people. Please read "A Better Way Ahead." Consider its contents and determine for yourself whether any or all of them seem better alternatives to those promoted by the task force. And if they do, as the Lord leads, feel free to offer one or more of them as substitute recommendations at the appropriate time. Your brother in Christ, Morris H. Chapman --30-- -- End of story -- 'A Better Way Ahead' –- alternate recommendations released by EC's Chapman By Staff Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33073 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A list of alternate recommendations to those of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force have been released by Morris H. Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee. The full text of Chapman's recommendations follows: A Better Way Ahead A Response to the Reports of the Great Commission Task Force Dr. Morris H. Chapman President and Chief Executive Officer Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention Introduction If you are like me, you want to leave this year's annual meeting with something we can all celebrate together! You want to declare victory in the power of the Lord. You may be asking, "What does the Lord expect of us now, at this moment? If I have reservations about the task force recommendations, are there no other options for me to consider? If I have concerns about their proposals, does this mean I am against the Great Commission? Is there no other way ahead? I believe there is a better way. It is not one designed merely to slow our rate of decline as a Convention. No. It is a better way ahead. I hope you will be open to choosing that better way as an alternative to the task force recommendations. Below is my suggested list of recommendations that I believe will chart a course of improvement for the Kingdom. Though they are just one man's view, they are informed by long experience as a cooperating pastor and as the leader of the Executive Committee, a body designed by the Convention to weigh and test ideas and see how they move us to our goals. We all agree that we cannot stand still, for neither time nor opportunity does. We must be at work, for the fields are "white unto harvest" and "night comes when no man can work." If you agree with me that one or more of the following recommendations serve as a better platform for our Convention to move forward, I pray you will consider approaching a microphone and submitting one or more of them as a replacement amendment when the task force offers its recommendations for a vote. Revival -- Recommendation #1 (Replacing task force Recommendation #1) That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 14-15, 2010, ask all churches cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention to set 2010-2011 as a year of prayer, including periodic emphases as each participating church may deem appropriate, calling upon our Lord for personal, local church, Convention-wide, and national revival and spiritual awakening. Evangelism -- Recommendation #2 (Replacing task force Recommendation #2) That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 14-15, 2010, ask the North American Mission Board, working in partnership with the state conventions, to develop a year-long, uniform, consistent, and intentional plan of evangelizing, including a mechanism for receiving reports from the churches each quarter of what God is doing through their local churches in terms of evangelism, for adoption by the Convention in its 2011 annual meeting and implementation during the 2011-2012 church year; and That this Convention ask all churches cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention to participate in this evangelism plan, during and after which reports may be produced, assessed and used to spur continuing evangelism in the communities surrounding each local church; and That Lifeway Christian Resources and the North American Mission Board be requested to create and maximize the dissemination and use of appropriate materials for use by churches cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention. Missions Funding -- Recommendation #3 (Replacing task force Recommendation #3) That LifeWay Christian Resources be requested to amend the definition for the requested data field of "Total Missions Expenditures" in future Annual Church Profiles, beginning in 2010, so that the figure will include only contributions to the Southern Baptist family of missions and ministries. NAMB -- Recommendation #4 (Replacing task force Recommendation #4) That the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention be commended for its past efforts in providing a comprehensive domestic ministry platform; and, That the North American Mission Board be encouraged to continue to support Southern Baptist ministries by whatever means are most effective and specifically to cooperate with all Southern Baptist state conventions in reaching the lost in the United States and Canada, including appropriately proportioned ministries in high population centers, more rural regions, and new work states. IMB and NAMB -- Recommendation #5 (Replacing task force Recommendation #5) That the Executive Committee be requested to study, and report back or recommend appropriately, the advisability of amending the North American Mission Board's ministry statement, if necessary, to permit NAMB to request IMB assistance in training personnel and volunteers for reaching people groups in the United States without specifically reassigning any portion of the responsibility of domestic missions from NAMB to the IMB. CP Promotion -- Recommendation #6 (Replacing task force Recommendation #6) That the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and the state conventions be commended for their past efforts in collaborative promotion of the Cooperative Program and stewardship education, each undertaking its appropriate role, and that the Executive Committee be encouraged to continue its efforts to coordinate and cooperate with the Baptist state conventions in that promotion and education, and That the Great Commission Task Force members who have increased their Cooperative Program participation levels be commended for so doing, and be encouraged to continue to lead as models for other Southern Baptist churches to follow in demonstration of confidence in the Cooperative Program. Reallocation to IMB -- Recommendation #7 (Replacing task force Recommendation #7) That, in order to continue to move forward together toward the long-stated ideal of a 50/50 division of Cooperative Program receipts, the SBC's state convention partners be formally requested to adopt, in their Fall 2010 meetings, a contextualized version of the Cooperative Program Advance Plan endorsed in 2006 by the CP Ad Hoc Committee and the Executive Committee and received by the Convention in the Executive Committee's report, found on pages 196-198 of the 2006 SBC Annual, and That, once most Cooperative Program receipts come from state conventions that have adopted such a plan of incrementally and consistently reaching parity with the SBC in Cooperative Program percentage division (50/50), the Executive Committee be requested to study and report or recommend to the Convention possible adjustments of the distribution percentages in the CP Allocation Budget. CONCLUSION What, then, would be the advantages of moving forward by adopting one or more of the foregoing suggestions rather than by approving the recommendations of the task force? I believe the advantages are these: * As a Convention, we will have acknowledged that we wish to be intentional about examining ourselves in genuine humility and brokenness before God in prayer. Rather than merely espousing the need for revival, a point which our declining fruitfulness makes apparent to all but the most callous, we will be taking steps to bring ourselves before the Lord in contrition and submission. * As a Convention, we will unify around the primary mission of personal evangelism. We will be concentrating our efforts toward producing uniform materials, actively soliciting church member involvement, and providing regular church training in the context of studying God's Word. As a Convention, by limiting what our cooperating churches report under "Total Missions Expenditures" to Southern Baptist missions and ministries, we will be unashamedly confirming that we believe our missions and ministries are Kingdom-oriented and worthy of complete trust and priority, that our Cooperative Program should remain paramount as a metric of Convention involvement, and that no new name should be given to any category which might have the effect of undermining the Cooperative Program's position as our central and preferred conduit of Great Commission giving. * As a Convention, we will be re-emphasizing that we prefer to operate under a model where our ministry partners are respected, and our ministry subsidiaries are trusted, and capable of understanding and performing the initiatives we have identified and requested. * As a Convention, we will have explicitly endorsed and encouraged the concept of parity in missions funding between the SBC and the various state conventions, and identified a specific plan to attain that goal. * As a Convention, we will be moving forward saying that it takes all of us, together. I lift these thoughts up to you as a fellow Southern Baptist, trusting you to know which of them are worthy, and trusting the Lord for the results and continued viability of our Convention. Praying with you and for you, and for the SBC, Morris H. Chapman --30-- -- End of story -- GCRTF VIEWPOINT (Timothy Boyd): Emphasize equal sacrifice By Timothy Boyd Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33074 TOPEKA, Kan. (BP)--I recently had lunch with Dr. Johnny Hunt, our SBC president, at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was there to speak to a student conference. During lunch, the eight or nine of us who had been invited had the opportunity to discuss the Great Commission Resurgence emphasis that Dr. Hunt has championed. It was a frank, yet friendly, discussion. Some of what we discussed centered on the question of who and what we appreciate and honor in the Southern Baptist Convention. One of Dr. Hunt's frustrations, like many pastors of larger churches, is that Southern Baptists have not acknowledged the large amounts of money given by his church and others like it. The complaint raised against many large churches has been that they tend to give a much lower percent of their budgets to the Cooperative Program than many smaller churches. Dr. Hunt rightly noted that the Cooperative Program has never emphasized a percent. In recent years some have suggested that 10 percent is a proper amount for churches to send to the Cooperative Program. While some churches in the SBC have felt led to increase to an even larger percent, many of the larger churches have reduced their percent over the years to between 2 and 4 percent. In light of this lunch conversation, I began to think about what I was taught about the Cooperative Program in my early days of ministry. I was not raised a Southern Baptist. I came to faith in Christ as a young adult, and I became a Southern Baptist at the same time. I didn't understand the Cooperative Program at first, but once I understood it I came to have a deep appreciation of what it does in allowing Southern Baptist to fulfill the Great Commission. Dr. Hunt is correct. I was never taught that there was a proper percent to give. I was taught a more important principle of equal sacrifice. I was taught that it did not matter the size of the church or the size of the budget. What was important was that we cooperatively work together and equally sacrifice to see the Great Commission go forward. But doesn't that get us back to the question of percents? How can we say that a church giving 2 percent is sacrificing equally with churches giving over 10 percent? As I thought about what I had been taught, I remembered the widow. You remember her don't you? Jesus noted her sacrifice in Luke 21:1-4. He saw rich men casting large amounts into the temple treasury. The amounts were apparently large but did not require great sacrifice. The widow stood with them and threw in two small coins that were a pittance in comparison with what the rich men had each thrown in. However, Jesus commended that widow and her gift because of the sacrifice that she made. Which model should we follow as Southern Baptists? What will we honor and recognize? Will Southern Baptists continue to place our emphasis upon equal sacrifice and promote the example of the widow? Or, will Southern Baptists look only at the dollars and promote the example of the rich men in Jesus' story? What would Jesus do? --30-- Timothy Boyd is editor of the Baptist Digest, newsjournal of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. -- End of story -- CULTURE DIGEST: Episcopal Church ordains lesbian bishop; ... By Erin Roach Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33075 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A West Coast diocese of the Episcopal Church has become the first to ordain an openly lesbian bishop, further straining the relationship between the U.S. branch and the worldwide Anglican Communion. Mary Douglas Glasspool, 56, was consecrated as an assistant bishop at the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles in May with about 3,000 people in attendance. While she is the first openly homosexual woman to be promoted to such a status, she follows the ordination of the church's first openly homosexual bishop, V. Gene Robinson, who was consecrated in 2003. "I am a reconciling person and I will seek to reach out and engage with people who believe or think differently than I do, and try to build a relationship with them," Glasspool said, according to Reuters. Glasspool will assume her post at the 70,000-member diocese July 1. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said her ordination "raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion but for the Communion as a whole," but he did not elaborate. The Church of Ireland, which is part of the Anglican Communion, disapproved of the move. "We wish to express sorrow that Mary Glasspool, a person who is living in a same-sex relationship, is to be consecrated," the Church of Ireland said in a statement, according to CNN. "The elevation to senior church leadership of a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the will of God revealed in scripture is both wrong and disappointing." In recent years, as the rift grew more intense, some conservative Episcopalians left to form their own church, the Anglican Church in North America. Glasspool, who most recently served in Maryland, said she made her sexuality clear in her presentation to the Diocese of Los Angeles, which also was considering another openly homosexual candidate. She told The Baltimore Sun she has been in a relationship with social worker Becki Sander since 1988, and she is comfortable as a symbol of hope for homosexual clergy. Also in the interview, Glasspool shared her perspective on the controversy. "It has to do not with issues of sexuality but of power and authority," she said. "You don't hear an outcry about ordaining lesbians and gay people. But once they attain more authority and leadership there's an outcry." 1 IN 8 AMERICANS RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS -- One in eight Americans now are enrolled in the nation's primary federal anti-hunger program, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture announcing in May that nearly 40 million Americans are receiving food stamps. Reuters reported that enrollment has set a record each month since reaching 31.78 million in December 2008, and the USDA estimates that enrollment will average 40.5 million people this fiscal year, which ends in September, at a cost of nearly $60 billion. Mona Charen, a syndicated columnist, in May quoted Ronald Reagan, who once said, "The closest thing on this earth to immortality is a federal program." "No problem that the federal government undertakes to tackle can ever be recognized as solved, because to do so would mean the dissolution of an agency," Charen wrote. She noted that First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a campaign to fight childhood obesity, perhaps overlooking the fact that "the federal government is also in the business of feeding a significant portion of the population." Charen also said more than half of all American infants are on the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition program, and 62 percent of American schoolchildren who eat school lunches are getting free or reduced-price meals. "How in the world did programs intended to keep the neediest Americans from malnutrition end up feeding -- even overfeeding -- such a huge percentage of the population?" Charen wrote. One way the government programs have burgeoned, she surmised, is that eligibility requirements have been relaxed over the years, and nothing prevents someone who gets WIC from also receiving food stamps and discounted lunches. In 2004, Charen said, about 6 percent of WIC infants lived in families with annual incomes above 300 percent of poverty, which, for a family of three, would be about $52,000, she said. "A funny thing happened on the way to preventing hunger among America's poor -- the nation got fat," Charen wrote. "And the populations most prone to obesity are the poorest.... The obesity epidemic among the poor suggests that actual starvation is not the main challenge now." PRAYER DISPUTED AT SENIOR CENTER -- Prayer before meals recently was disputed at a senior citizens center near Savannah, Ga., after the company contracted to provide the meals raised a separation of church and state issue. Tim Rutherford, vice president of Senior Citizens, Inc., said some of his staff noticed people praying aloud shortly before lunch was served, and he believed that conflicted with the fact that seniors pay only 55 cents for the food and federal money pays for the rest. In order to protect the funding, the company instituted a moment of silence in lieu of the communal prayer. "We're asking them to pray to themselves. Have that moment of silence," Rutherford said. But a backlash ensued, with critics raising free speech and freedom of religion arguments. Rutherford said his company could have done a better job explaining their new policy, which he said wasn't intended to keep people from praying altogether, just not aloud in an organized fashion. A few days after the flap began, the prayers were reinstated by a clarification from the state, the Augusta Chronicle reported. The Division of Aging Services at the Georgia Department of Human Services had said the state did not permit oral prayer in any senior centers, but the state denied that any such policy was ever in effect. --30-- Erin Roach is a staff writer for Baptist Press. -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Some perspective on that blown call By Kelly Boggs Jun. 4 2010 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33076 ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--"Everyone makes mistakes," someone once observed. "The trick is to make them when nobody is looking." While that might work for the average person, a Major League Baseball umpire does not have the luxury of making errors in private. Just ask Jim Joyce. Joyce was umpiring first base on June 2 when Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga was on the mound against the Cleveland Indians. The Tiger ace had retired 26 straight Tribesmen and was one out away from tossing only the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Galarraga got Cleveland's Jason Donald to hit a slow-roller to first baseman Miguel Cabrera, which he fielded. Galarraga came over to cover first base. He caught the toss from Cabrera and touched the bag. Though the play at first was relatively close, Galarraga threw his arms up in triumph and the crowd started to celebrate. However, both were stopped short when Joyce signaled that the runner was safe. Everyone was stunned by the call. Detroit players and manager Jim Leyland protested, but to no avail. Joyce insisted the runner had beaten the throw. Galarraga retired the next batter and the game ended with Detroit winning 3-0. The Detroit pitcher was officially credited with a one hit shut-out. Drama surrounding the play began to unfold almost immediately. Replays showed that Joyce had made a mistake. It was clear Donald had not beaten the throw and should have been called out. In sports lingo Joyce had "blown the call." Joyce instantly became the most hated man in Major League Baseball. Baseball fans the world over formed hundreds of Facebook groups calling for the umpire to be fired. Many fans vented via the Internet using, to put it mildly, colorful language. I wonder if any of people calling for Joyce's firing would care to have any of their mistakes broadcast -- over and over -- for the world to see? I know I wouldn't. Joyce, who has been a major league umpire for 23 years and has called two World Series, did not shirk his responsibility or offer any excuses for his blown call. The umpire spoke with the media following the game and, tears in his eyes, admitted he had made a mistake: "I just cost the kid a perfect game. I thought he beat the throw." Joyce said. "I was convinced he beat the throw until I saw the replay. It was the biggest call of my career." Joyce also went the extra mile and spoke to Galarraga. He personally apologized to the pitcher. No one, and I mean no one, feels worse about the blown call than does Joyce. While Joyce's reaction reveals that he is a man of integrity, Galarraga's response has revealed a level of maturity and depth of character that is not seen enough in professional sports. After Joyce's mistake kept Galarraga from joining baseball lore, the Detroit pitcher was asked to comment about the umpire. "He feels really bad. He probably feels more bad than me," Galarraga said of Joyce. "I give a lot of credit to that guy," Galarraga continued. "[An apology] doesn't [just] happen. He apologized. He feels really bad. Nobody is perfect." Galarraga added, "What am I gonna do? His [Joyce's] eyes were watering and he didn't have to say much. His body language said a lot." Detroit manager Leyland showed some class as well. After vehemently arguing the call the Tiger skipper said, "That's the nature of the business, that's just the way it is. The players are human, the umpires are human, the managers are human ... we all make mistakes." "It's a crying shame," Leyland added. "Jimmy's a real good umpire, has been for a long time." It is a shame that a good umpire made a glaring mistake which cost a young man a spot in Major League Baseball history. But let's keep things in perspective. First, everyone makes mistakes -- everyone. Most of us, however, have the luxury of making mistakes that few people ever see. Be grateful for that reality. Second, it was a mistake made during a baseball game. While Major League Baseball is certainly a big business, it is still a game. Baseball is not war, it is not brain surgery, it is a game. Yes, a young player was deprived of officially recording a historic feat, but he will pitch again, and again, and again. "As long as the world is turning and spinning," actor and director Mel Brooks said, "we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes." Yes we are, but thankfully our mistakes -- yours and mine -- will not occur in front of thousands of people and be captured on video tape for continual replay. --30-- Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press and editor of the Baptist Message (www.baptistmessage.com), newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. -- 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