Baptist Press Stories for Mar. 4 2013 --------------------------------------- The Constitution & its benefits to Christians in America http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39808 WEEK OF PRAYER: Childhood memory awakens http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39809 Chaplain helps veterans look toward eternity http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39810 'Bible' series mostly receives thumbs up http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39811 Teaching Intelligent Design goes on trial in Ohio http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39812 FIRST-PERSON: Christian leaders in the digital age http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39813 BP Ledger, March 4 edition http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39814 --------------------------------------- The Constitution & its benefits to Christians in America By Stephen Douglas Wilson Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39808 [IMG=34521@left@100]MAYFIELD, Ky. (BP) -- March 4 is the 224th anniversary of the United States operating under its Constitution. Created in 1787, the document endured without legal standing for a year and a half as the different states sought to ratify it. The republic started functioning on the basis of the document on March 4, 1789. On that date the first Congress convened. Two years later, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution were added in 1791. These additions gave the new republic a strong Bill of Rights that protected the liberties of individual citizens. [IMGONLY=34520@right@300]While the Constitution rarely mentions faith or faith issues, the Christian community in the United States has received many benefits from it -- a fact that is often overlooked due to the scarcity of direct references. For instance, the document only acknowledges the Deity once -- in Article VII, when the original Constitutional Convention gave the unanimous consent of the states present on the date "the seventeenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven." Two other direct faith allusions also are contained in the original document of 1787 and the subsequent Bill of Rights of 1791. In Article VI the Constitution states that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." In the First Amendment contained in the Bill of Rights, the document reads, "Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." No Bible verses and/or expressions from historic Christian works are contained in the document. In fact, the major influences on the men who drafted both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights originated from the writings of the enlightenment philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries who, for the most part, believed that faith could be expressed purely by use of reason and intellect, and that God's intervention in the process was not a necessary element -- hardly a Christian concept. For instance, Englishman Thomas Hobbes argued that government should be a contract between those that govern and the people. John Locke, taking up Hobbes' theme in his work, "Two Treatises of Government," felt that government should look out for the well-being of its citizens and respect their individual rights. He especially promoted the rights of "life, liberty, and estate" (or property) for all citizens. Interestingly enough, when Thomas Jefferson drafted most of Locke's theme into the Declaration of Independence, he slightly revised Locke and instead wrote that the people had a right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Perhaps Jefferson thought that future American governments should not guarantee that all citizens possess a property entitlement. Locke's phrase, however, does show up in the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. In that amendment the document states that citizens cannot "be deprived of 'life, liberty, or property' without due process." When the 14th Amendment applied federal guarantees to the individual states, the phrase and its context was repeated. Other enlightenment philosophers also directly impacted the Constitution. Baron Montesquieu in his work, "The Spirit of the Laws," proposed that government should be divided into branches. Each branch would then maintain "checks and balances" on the others -- thereby limiting the power of each branch. Cesare Beccaria, along with Voltaire, expressed concerns about how citizens were punished. Beccaria's concerns, published in his work, "On Crimes and Punishments," advanced the principle that punishments should not be "cruel or unusual." He obviously influenced the Eighth Amendment that bans such punishments. Enlightenment philosophers, like Voltaire (in the "Treatise on Tolerance") and others, ironically agreed with the Baptists and other communities of dissenting 18th century Christians and argued against the tyranny of state-supported churches. Voltaire, along with other like-minded philosophers, instead advocated that all faiths should be allowed to worship without state interference. This influence is most evident when the Founding Fathers abolished the religious tests for federal office seekers and created the First Amendment guarantee for religious liberty. While the constitutional convention operated in a society heavily influenced by a Christian worldview, the U.S. Constitution itself was a product of enlightenment thinking, and the United States became the first modern nation to base itself on enlightenment principles. Nevertheless, the Christian community in the United States gained important benefits from the document. Many of these benefits should be noted. First and foremost, Christians in the United States are not forced to belong to state-mandated religious bodies, and in fact, such bodies are forbidden by the First Amendment. Furthermore, the same amendment allows Christians to worship free from state interference. Many other benefits also are enshrined as constitutional rights. The abolition of religious tests in Article VI means that Christians do not have to meet criteria from another faith to be an office-holder. As noted in the First Amendment, Christians, like all Americans, also can exercise their free speech, assemble to worship, write and publish works about their faith without government interference, and also petition the government to redress grievances. In legal matters, the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Amendments give Christians and Americans in general due process in legal proceedings, a fair trial, the right to be heard by a jury, and the right against self-incrimination. American citizens of all faiths also are protected against "cruel and unusual punishments" by the Eighth Amendment. These are just the more notable examples of how the American Constitution positively impacts the Christian community. While we American Christians enjoy these benefits, many Christians in other parts of the world do not possess these guarantees. As I write this article, Christians endure nearly unspeakable persecution in many parts of the world. They have no legal protection, are not allowed to assemble, and many are tortured and killed. I have watched in dismay as thousands of Middle Eastern Christians pour out of the historic heartland of the Christian faith to come to our shores. Here they can worship. In their home countries of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and the Holy Land, these historic Christian communities face discrimination, persecution and steep numerical decline. Today in the land where Jesus walked, only two percent profess Christianity, according to the CIA World Factbook: Israel. As we acknowledge the difficulties that Christians face in many parts of the world, we also can thank the Almighty that we have the blessing and protection of the United States Constitution. These guarantees of religious liberty for the Christian community should never be taken lightly. Christians should involve themselves in the public affairs of the nation and conversely maintain exemplary citizenship. The Almighty does expect us to "give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). --30-- Stephen Douglas Wilson is dean emeritus and chair of the history department of Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, Ky., and a member of the SBC Executive Committee. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- WEEK OF PRAYER: Childhood memory awakens By Joe Conway Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39809 EDITOR'S NOTE: The annual Week of Prayer for North American Missions, March 3-10, and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering provide support for missionaries who serve on behalf of Southern Baptists across North America. With a goal of $70 million, this year's offering theme is "Whatever It Takes – Reaching the One." For more information, visit [URL=http://www.anniearmstrong.com]AnnieArmstrong.com[/URL]. DENVER (BP) -- A new home, new position, new ministry and new outlook came to Lorna Bius in the summer of 2012. But a childhood memory --forgotten for years -- helped her realize something oddly familiar about it all. "I'm discovering that sometimes people need to experience LoveLoud ministry for a while before they recognize it," said Bius, one of this year's North American Mission Board Week of Prayer missionaries. "It was true in my life."
Bius, the first LoveLoud catalyst appointed by NAMB, moved to Colorado to give leadership for the initiative in NAMB's West Region for churches to demonstrate God's love by meeting significant human need while sharing Christ. "I only realized a couple of years ago that I first witnessed LoveLoud when I was a child," Bius noted. "It started with my dad. When I was young, in early grade school, my dad took me with him on an errand. We drove into a neighborhood that I was unfamiliar with. He stopped in front of an old dilapidated house." The memory of what happed next reawakened Bius' understanding of LoveLoud. "My dad went to the trunk and took out two grocery bags, one in each arm," Bius recounted. "He went to the door -- it only had steps, no porch. When he knocked an older woman answered. She pulled back the screen door and my dad disappeared inside. A few moments later he came back out without the bags. He never said a thing about what he did. He showed me. I had forgotten about that day until the memory came back to me a couple of years ago. I realize now that was the first time I saw LoveLoud in action." Now Bius hopes to multiply LoveLoud across the region, seeking to discover churches already engaged in similar ministries, with the goal of replicating them contextually for other churches. Bius began networking almost immediately after her move to Colorado from Nevada. "I've been able to follow up with people I met at the Send North America Conference and the Colorado convention annual meeting," Bius said. The Send North America Conference is NAMB's gathering for church planting and mobilization. "I've also connected with people whose churches have been featured in state newspapers. I tell them I saw them in the paper and am interested in how their strategies are working." In addition to her new church family, Bius also is involved with the Send North America: Denver team. City coordinator Dave Howeth quickly connected Bius with the group leading the initiative in Denver, one of nine Send North America cities in the West Region. "Dave has been great," Bius said. "I'm so thankful that he brought me on board and helped me get established. I've made some good initial connections. Being in Denver is great. Twitter has been helpful, and I'm engaged in informal field research." Bius isn't the only newbie with NAMB's LoveLoud team. She was on a conference call recently with new LoveLoud team leader Jerry Daniel and the newest LoveLoud catalyst, Taylor Field. "It was a brief conversation, but I'm excited about what Jerry and Taylor bring to LoveLoud," Bius said. "Taylor will help church planters visualize a day-to-day strategy that not only connects with their communities but will help them discover how they can transform their neighborhoods and reach into peoples' lives. "Taylor said one thing that resonated with me, and I will be using it everywhere I have the opportunity to speak. He said we need to 'Teach our people to be light, not lightning.' We need to be there not with just the quick strike, but for the long term. As Jerry and Al [Gilbert] say, we are called to be a faithful presence of ministry so we can tell people about Christ when they ask why we care." Field is founding pastor of Graffiti Church in New York. Gilbert is NAMB's vice president for evangelism. The annual Week of Prayer for North American Missions, March 3-10, and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering provide support for Bius and other missionaries like her who serve on behalf of Southern Baptists in North America. With a goal of $70 million, this year's offering theme is "Whatever It Takes – Reaching the One." The heart of the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is to support missions, Bius noted. "It is amazing to me that I am able to see when people give [to the offering] in Mississippi or New York and then see it used to reach someone for Christ in Phoenix," Bius said. "I get to see the other side of the offering plate, the effects of not just the funds, but the heart behind the giving. It is incredibly potent with every offering and every voice. "And not only giving, but in what the giving provides. It is phenomenal to be able to tell people that someone provided a resource because they wanted to help reach someone else for Christ. People are amazed, particularly in the West, that someone they don't know would give to help them." Bius also sees LoveLoud as an avenue to develop future missionaries and leaders, noting that LoveLoud gives people the opportunity to participate in serving others, helps them develop interests and skills, and shows them how to take those interests and skills and engage people with the Gospel. "When people walk away from LoveLoud they haven't just done something, they are becoming something," Bius said. "LoveLoud has a real opportunity to lead to church planting. "My parents were great influences on me. That golden thread of God's heart runs through my family and my life over the years. I have been the beneficiary, and now I get to be a cheerleader for it. I never would have dreamed it." --30-- Joe Conway writes for the North American Mission Board. For more information about Lorna Bius, visit [URL=http://www.anniearmstrong.com/lornabius]www.anniearmstrong.com/LornaBius[/URL]. For more information about LoveLoud, visit [URL=http://www.namb.net/loveloud]www.namb.net/LoveLoud[/URL]. For more information about the Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions, visit [URL=http://www.anniearmstrong.com]AnnieArmstrong.com[/URL]. -- End of story -- Chaplain helps veterans look toward eternity By Tobin Perry Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39810 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (BP) -- Bill Andrews* has spent his entire life serving others -- his family, friends and his country. Now the Korean War veteran lies in a hospital bed waiting on death, often feeling like a burden to friends, family and the hospital staff surrounding him. That's where Southern Baptist chaplain Anthony Beazley (@chapbeaz) comes into the picture. Beazley has been a regular fixture at Andrews' bed in the West Palm Beach Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fla. "I consider him a friend," Beazley said of Andrews. "I listen to him at the end of his life now. I listen to the pain -- not the physical pain but the pain of loss. Things about his life that he had never shared with me before." And, as he listens, Beazley comforts the best way he knows how -- through God's Word. Though he must be able to help patients regardless of their spiritual backgrounds, he never shies away from pointing people to the Bible. Beazley is one of more than 3,600 Southern Baptist chaplains endorsed by the North American Mission Board serving in a variety of fields throughout North America, including 128 chaplains in VA hospitals. Beazley once served in the Air Force and had been both a pastor and a hospital chaplain before his current position. He sees those to whom he ministers today as true American heroes. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs records for 2011, more than 8.5 million American veterans were enrolled in its health care system. "I don't even like to call them patients," Beazley said. "They're truly heroes. They've been willing to sacrifice their lives for us." Although he is the VA hospital's chief of chaplain services, Beazley also serves in many ways as if he were a pastor, caring for and counseling patients and even officiating funerals. Chaplains in active service and in veterans hospitals often get the reputation as the go-to-person when someone is out of options. Beazley frequently helps patients find what they need -- like getting their questions answered or acquiring help from another area of the Department of Veterans Affairs -- regardless of whether the need is spiritual. "Many times they just need that ministry of presence," Beazley said. "They just want someone to hear them, to pray with them and to share their struggle with them." Frequently, the conversation turns spiritual, especially at the hospital where Beazley serves, which has one of the oldest patient populations of any VA hospital in the country. "They want to know about what's out there," Beazley said. "Many times questions come up like 'What's next?' or 'What will God say to me?' I'm able to share a bit of Scripture with them and help them see what's in store for them in eternity. I'm not there to proselytize, but I've been able to talk to people at the end of life who wanted to hear the Gospel." On the most difficult days, Beazley said, "God has called me to do this, He's looking out for me. I know I'm in His will. And He will shower me with His grace and give me the strength to come back the next day and do it all over again." Beazley recommends that others contemplating a chaplaincy role in a hospital -- for veterans or otherwise -- take the time to get trained, both in academic and on-the-job settings. Because of the important nature of the work, he suggests that potential chaplains don't take shortcuts in training just to get it behind them. He also recommends that they serve with their church's hospital ministry or shadow their pastor as he makes hospital calls. God uses Southern Baptists to provide much of the strength Beazley needs. He appreciates the cards, letters and prayers that come from being a North American Mission Board-endorsed chaplain. One man sends Beazley an email of encouragement every year on his birthday -- and promises his prayers throughout the year. "I couldn't do what I do without the support of Southern Baptists," Beazley added. "Even at a big hospital, it's often lonely as a chaplain. We're often listening to the needs of others, but people aren't there to listen to ours. So when Southern Baptists send a card or a letter, it's very encouraging to know we're not alone." --30-- *Name has been changed to protect the patient's privacy. Tobin Perry writes for the North American Mission Board. To view a video about Anthony Beazley and his ministry, visit namb.net/video/tony-beazley. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- 'Bible' series mostly receives thumbs up By Michael Foust Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39811 NASHVILLE (BP) -- The debut of the History Channel's "The Bible" mini-series Sunday (March 3) received mostly positive reviews from Baptist Press readers on Twitter and Facebook.
Although not scientific, the feedback apparently shows that unlike most History Channel documentaries -- which generally cast a skeptical eye on the truthfulness of Scripture -- the five-part, 10-hour miniseries has placed the Bible in a more positive light, and Christians are noticing. Two professing Christians, Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, are the executive producers. Downey told the radio program "For Faith & Family" that the "intention of making this series was to glorify God." Said Burnett, "This is unlike anything we have ever worked on. This is not a TV show to us; this is the Bible." The series will be broadcast the next four Sundays, concluding on Easter Sunday. Following is a sampling of comments from Baptist Press readers on Twitter and Facebook: Twitter -- Jack Graham (JackNGraham): "My hope is the Bible Series and its epic stories will lead to conversations at offices schools neighborhoods and Gods message of salvation." -- Jimmy Scroggins (@Jimmy Scroggins): "I made my kids watch it. They weren't happy. Then they loved it, especially since we have been preaching thru Genesis." -- Rick Lance (@Rick Lance): "Missed first half of "The Bible" @History TV series last night but impressed with what I saw." -- Nate and Heather Graff (@NHGRAAFF): "Exciting & engrossing series #thebible. Our kids loved it! There were artistic additions but we watched with discerning hearts." -- Mary Best (@Faith2Move): "My kids 4 & 2 captivated by the Noah's Ark scene. That's my 2yr olds favorite bible story he was able to see it come to life." -- Mike Mandaris (@mmbeachbum): "My wife & I enjoyed it! (but I never knew Noah was a Scotsman before...*smile*)." -- Jess Preusser (@JessPresseur): "Mixed reviews from me, what they did was fine, but what they didn't do left key holes in the story." -- Wyatt Bloom (@ServantWB): "Loved it! A few minor personal observations but overall it was a fabulous description! Looking forward to seeing the rest." -- Adam Myrick (@adam_myrick): "The special effects made me nervous going in. But, they were up-to-par. Despite an odd mishmash of accents, I'll be back." -- Steven Schenewerk (@wcbcpastor): "I enjoyed last night's episode. Thought the retelling of creation through Noah's story was compelling." -- KT Edwards (@ktedwrds): "After watching it I'm still trying to figure out why God destroyed Sodom." -- Roger Byrd (@BroRoger): "The message came thru clearly from the characters: "We must trust in God." Facebook: -- Suzanne Krein: "My overall view -- not every detail was 'right' because of time constraints and the need to condense the stories told, but what they got right they got VERY RIGHT!" -- Dale Pugh: "Obviously, the time constraints required conflating the stories told. I wish they hadn't skipped over Joseph, but it seems that they focused on the stories dealing with the Covenant relationship between God and His people. I think the portrayal of the angels will be problematic for some people, but the fact that they're depicted as warriors, powerful and somewhat terrifying, is closer to the Bible than most theatrical depictions." -- Gail Mankiewicz: "I thought that ... first show was a big disappointment. It left out really important things and then added a lot of things that were not in the Bible, distorting the truth. I do hope that God will use this mini series to draw people to actually read their Bibles though. He works all things together for good ...." -- Beverly Roseberry: "I was looking for the sin of homosexual lifestyle in Sodom and they tried too hard to be politically correct." -- Martha Jones Schmidt: "I think The Book is better than the movie. It always is!" -- Jimmie Mathews: "I was mostly impressed. I found some important details missing and some creative license I didn't like too much. Production values were pretty good overall. Loved Noah giving the creation account whilst in the ark. Was disappointed with the account of Moses. It would've been very nice for that to have been deeper. Also missed Joseph. His account is important as a predecessor to Christ. Loved the portrayal of the angels." -- William Zane: "Loved it -- it was really awe-inspiring. Our God is an awesome God!" -- Dennis Gray: "I thought the movie was great. I see many Christians slamming the creative decisions. But if it inspires a few more to pick up a Bible or go to church to learn more, then it has done a good job." --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Teaching Intelligent Design goes on trial in Ohio By Leigh Jones Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39812 COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments in late February in the case of a science teacher fired for talking openly with students about his Christian faith and theories of Intelligent Design. John Freshwater taught at a middle school in Mount Vernon, Ohio, for 20 years before the school board accused him of teaching Christian beliefs in class during discussions of evolution and homosexuality. The board also accused him of insubordination because he refused to remove a Bible from his classroom. The school board fired Freshwater in 2009. Two lower courts have ruled in the school district's favor. But Freshwater's attorneys, supported by the Charlottesville, Va., civil liberties group The Rutherford Institute, argue the school board violated the teacher's constitutional rights. "Academic freedom was once the bedrock of American education," said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. "That is no longer the state of affairs, as this case makes clear. ... By firing John Freshwater for challenging his students to think outside the box, school officials violated a core First Amendment freedom -- the right to debate and express ideas contrary to established views." The state Supreme Court agreed to hear part of Freshwater's case, allowing him to argue it is unconstitutional to fire someone without clear guidance on what teaching materials or methods are acceptable. His attorneys claim Freshwater's discussions about Intelligent Design were part of the school's secular education program. "Freshwater did not engage in religious proselytization -- he discussed a scientific theory that happens to be consistent with the teachings of multiple major world religions," attorney Kelly Hamilton wrote in court filings. Freshwater also plans to argue the U.S. Constitution prevents the school board from firing someone over the mere presence of a religious text, including the Bible, in a classroom. In June 2008, the school board voted to suspend Freshwater, who also served as the faculty-appointed facilitator, monitor and supervisor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes group on campus. School officials had ordered him to remove "all religious items" from his classroom, including a Ten Commandments poster, posters listing Bible verses and his own personal Bible. Freshwater agreed to remove everything but the Bible. Students organized a rally to support Freshwater, wearing T-shirts with crosses painted on them and carrying Bibles to class, according to The Rutherford Institute. But school board attorneys describe Freshwater as a troublesome employee who refused to follow orders. School officials repeatedly told him not to hand out fliers about religion and science, including one titled "Answers in Genesis" and another titled "Survival of the Fakest." The teacher's goal was to get students to doubt science, the school board's attorney said in a court filing: "Whenever Freshwater was told by a superior to cease using an inappropriate handout in class, he would simply find another one to use." --30-- Leigh Jones writes for World News Service, where this story first appeared. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Christian leaders in the digital age By R. Albert Mohler Jr. Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39813 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- The Digital Age is upon us. In the span of less than three decades, we have redefined the way humans communicate, entertain, inform, research, create and connect -- and what we know now is only a hint of what is to come. But the greatest concern of the church is not a technological imperative, but a Gospel imperative. The digital world did not exist a generation ago, and now it is a fundamental fact of life. The world spawned by the personal computer, the Internet, social media and the smart phone now constitutes the greatest arena of public discussion and debate the world has ever known. Leaders who talk about the real world as opposed to the digital world are making a mistake, a category error. While we are right to prioritize real face-to-face conversations and to find comfort and grounding in stable authorities like the printed book, the digital world is itself a real world, just real in a different way. Real communication is happening in the digital world, on the Web and on the smart phone in your pocket. Real information is being shared and globally disseminated faster than ever before. Real conversations are taking place through voice, words and images, connecting people and conversations all over the world. If the leader is not leading in the digital world, his leadership is, by definition, limited to those who also ignore or neglect that world, and that population is shrinking every minute. The clock is ticking. Peril & promise in the digital kingdom The digital world is driven by its entrepreneurial and ideological pioneers and cheerleaders, and they are a multitude. The numbers are staggering. The World Wide Web is, for all practical purposes, less than 20 years old. It now reaches every continent and country, linking over 2 billion people. There are now 5.9 billion cellular subscribers, and that means 87 percent of the world's population. Cell phones, originally the toys of the very rich and powerful, are now more popular than landline phones in the poorest regions of the globe. The telephone pole will soon be an antique. The blogosphere was unknown to humankind until the last 15 years, but just one blogging platform (WordPress) logs more than 300 million users each month who blog more than 2.5 billion pages. The world now turns to Google before even thinking of reaching for a dictionary or encyclopedia. The central fixture of social media (for now), Facebook, was launched in February 2004 and now links more than 900 million users worldwide. Twitter, the micro-blogging sensation, was launched in May 2006 and boasts 140 million users who post 340 million tweets each day. Even more amazing is the fact that more than 1.6 billion search queries are performed on Twitter each day. For many Americans, Twitter represents the leading edge of news and communication. The digital kingdom is massive and transformative. Older media are migrating to the Web, even as social media increasingly supplant voice technologies. Smart phones are actually small computers, used occasionally for voice calls. The digital world is the wild west of information sharing and conversation. Just about everything can be found on the Internet, usually within a couple of mouse clicks. This includes everything from preaching to pornography, with politics and entertainment added to the mix. The Internet and digital technologies connect people, and disconnect them. So much information and entertainment is available so instantly that it seems that the entire globe is developing an attention deficit problem. At the same time, these technologies have led to the greatest democratization of communications since the advent of spoken language. Christians can take the Gospel into China, leaping over the "Great Firewall," as many Chinese citizens refer to the efforts of their government to keep information out. North Korea struggles to isolate its people from the outside world yet cell phones (from Egypt!) are increasingly common, though illegal. But the Internet also has disrupted the stable hierarchies of the old information age. A teenager with a computer can put out a blog that looks more authoritative than the blog written by the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation -- and perhaps read by more people as well. Most of what appears on the Internet is unedited, and much of it is unhelpful. Some is even worse. And yet, if you are not present on the Internet, you simply do not exist, as far as anyone under 30 is concerned. These "digital natives" rarely receive and even more rarely write letters. They know nothing but instant information, and studies indicate that they multitask by instinct, utilizing several digital devices at once, often even when sitting in a classroom. The digital world is huge and complicated and explosive. It contains wonders and horrors and everything in between. And it is one of the most important arenas of leadership our generation will ever experience. If you are satisfied to lead from the past, stay out of the digital world. If you want to influence the future, brace yourself and get in the fast lane. Developing an Internet presence By now, just about every church, corporation, business, school, or organization has a presence on the Internet. If not, realize that you just do not exist, so far as untold millions of people are concerned. If you are a leader, you are responsible to see that your organization's Internet presence is useful, attractive, inviting and well designed. If you need help, get help. The first impression on the Web is often the only impression you will make, so make it count. Content is king. People come to your website because they are looking for information. Make sure they can find it and make certain it is worth finding. Your Web presence advertises to the world who you are, what your organization is all about and the seriousness of your commitment to that mission. The information on your site must be up to date, regularly updated and worthy of attention. If your Internet presence looks stale, visitors will assume that your organization is stale as well. As a leader, consider establishing your own Internet presence as a part of your organization's Internet site. If this seems self-aggrandizing, just recognize that this comes with the territory when you are a leader. Visitors want to know what you think, how you communicate your organization's mission, and whether you inspire trust. You have a message to communicate, and there is absolutely no virtue in failing to communicate that message. Make it serve the mission of your organization and drive visitors into its Web pages. Offer good content, and visitors will come back again. Let it grow old, and they will go elsewhere. This means a loss for your organization and its mission. Never forget that. Make certain that visitors can find you and your organization. If search engines do not know you exist, only those who already know your Internet address can find you. That is not a growth strategy. The Gospel imperative in the Digital Age The church is assigned the task of sharing the Gospel, taking the message of Christ to the world, making disciples of all the nations. Christians have been about this task for more than 2,000 years, and we are now witnessing a resurgence in Great Commission vision and vigor in a new generation of Gospel Christians. Just as the Gutenberg Revolution granted the generation of the Reformation unprecedented new opportunities to communicate their message, the Digital Revolution presents today's believers with tools, platforms and opportunities that previous generations of Christians could not have imagined. Christians -- and Christian leaders in particular -- should be taking advantage of blogs, social media and every available platform for communicating our message. We should be exercising stewardship in new opportunities to learn, teach and study online, recognizing that no generation before us had such rich opportunities. At the same time, the Christian leader must be aware of the dangers and seductions of the digital world, knowing that every new technology can be used for both good and evil. But our imperative to fulfill Christian leadership in the digital world is not technological. We should not use this technology simply because it is there. Our driving motivation must be a Gospel imperative -- to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the full wealth of Christian conviction and the comprehensive reach of the Christian worldview set before a sinful world. In other words, the Christian imperative in the digital domain comes down to this -- sharing the light in a world of darkness. --30-- R. Albert Mohler Jr. is president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. This column first appeared at his website, AlbertMohler.com. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress[/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp]baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- BP Ledger, March 4 edition By Staff Mar. 4 2013 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39814 EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received. Today's BP Ledger contains items from: Baptist Message (Louisiana) Baptist Messenger (Oklahoma) The Alabama Baptist Judson College International Mission Board James Dobson via Lovell-Fairchild Communications Iles commit to missions; bound for East Africa By Rachel Ortego/Baptist Message DRY CREEK, La. (Baptist Message) -- Curt Iles grew up in Dry Creek Baptist Church and like all good little boys he was enrolled in RA's, (Royal Ambassadors), a missions discipleship program for young boys. He was just supposed to learn about missions. Instead, he fell in love with missions with a passion that would eventually lead him and his wife to sell everything they own and commit to a two-year stint in Uganda. "I have always loved missions and missionaries from being in RA and attending camp, but that was not the direction my career would take me," said Iles, whose career started in education -- he was a school teacher, coach and principal before serving for 20 years as manager of Dry Creek Baptist Camp. His wife Dede was a school teacher. About 20 years ago, an article piqued the couple's interest about the IMB (International Missions Board) Masters Program for people over 50 who want to be missionaries. "The article stayed on our bulletin board for years while we were raising our sons, and my wife and I would always talk about how we would love to serve." In 2000 Iles and his son went on a senior class mission trip to Honduras, re-igniting Iles love for missions. "We continued going to Asia and in 2006 my wife Dede and I went to Africa. We have an equal love for missions, have always worked with the IMB, and really believe in the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Offering," Iles said. When IMB established the "Embrace" challenge, designed for churches and associations to adopt one of the world's 3,800 unreached and unengaged people groups, the Iles decided to go to Uganda as Masters missionaries. Iles, author of eight novels of life in Louisiana -- see the website www.creekbank.net -- will be writing and telling stories to spread the word about needs in Uganda. His wife will help him with research about the native churches and people groups in Southern Sudan and the Democratic Congo. "We sold everything -- downsized," Iles said. "It's pretty radical but we feel we are following what Jesus wanted us to do." When asked, "Why go overseas?" Iles responds, "Many people need Jesus in Louisiana but there are no people here who have not had a chance to hear about Jesus and none that can say that they don't know of Him. In Africa if you ask someone, 'Do you know Jesus?' they will respond, "No, he is not from this village." Iles said there are opportunities for people of all ages to do what they like to do through IMB programs. "I get to write and backpack," Iles said. "I am called to be writer, commanded by the Lord to go. … It's going to be challenging learning Swahili at 56 years old, but I'm going to give it my best shot." ********** OKC athlete wins gold at Special Winter Olympics By Chris Doyle/Baptist Messenger OKLAHOMA CITY -- Steve Lynn is an encourager. He gives support, and he serves however he can. He was one of approximately 200 athletes, coaches and support staff from the United States who participated in the 10th Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea, Jan. 29-Feb. 5. An Alpine skier, Lynn participated in downhill, slalom and Super G, and now he proudly wears a gold medal. "It was fun meeting different people and seeing how they do things," Lynn, a member of Oklahoma City, Quail Springs, said about his experience in South Korea. "We found out when we got there that they speak our language. Their school was teaching them English. We didn't know that until we got there. They gave us yellow cards to learn their language, and then we found out we didn't have to use them." Now 39, Lynn was adopted a little more than a month after he was born. Not much was known about his birth, including where he was born, which apparently was not in a hospital. His birth father is unknown, and only a few details are certain about his birth mother. Joanne, his adopted mother, also did not know at the time of Steve's adoption that there was a problem with his brain. She said his reading skills are very limited, almost at a kindergarten or first-grade level. However, "the logic part of his brain is not damaged in any way," said Joanne. Steve is able to drive. He works at Target as a cart attendant, and most significantly, he competes in sports. For more than 20 years, he has participated in basketball, softball, soccer and, his favorite, skiing. At the Winter Games, Lynn competed against 43 other Alpine skiers. About 2,400 athletes from 110 countries came together for the Special Olympic Games in PyeongChang and Gangneung, at the same sites where the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be held. "He loves to compete," said Joanne. "He takes the challenge presented by athletes from other teams and countries and works toward a performance to be his very best in the sport in which he is competing." Last year, Lynn was one of a dozen Special Olympians chosen to participate during the NBA All-Star Weekend. Along with his favorite player, Kevin Durant, Lynn took part in the inaugural NBA Cares Special Olympics Unity Game that featured other current NBA stars as well as NBA legends who played with the Special Olympians. Lynn does enjoy competing, but he also enjoys supporting his fellow athletes. The athletic veteran is always there to help others who are new to competing in Special Olympics. "Some are afraid of the coaches, so I try to encourage them," he said. "I tell them it's OK, and just have fun. I tell them to do their best and don't get upset on what place you get." He also is very supportive of his girlfriend, Amy, who participated in the Special Olympic Winter Games as well. Joanne said Amy often gets frustrated when she is competing. "[Amy] told him that what she loved about him was that he was able to calm her down. He has such a sweet spirit, and he understands and knows just what to say," said Joanne. Many sports heroes can appear to be brash and temperamental while competing, or even make scenes away from the field of competition. Steve Lynn is a sports hero, an Olympic gold medal winner, who not only succeeds, but also is aware of opportunities to encourage others. ********** Healthy balance vital for those in leadership roles By Grace Thornton & Joseph Rhea/The Alabama Baptist BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (The Alabama Baptist) -- It was a sobering phone call for Dale Huff -- a conversation with a pastor in his 50s "who normally could have another 20 years of ministry but is on disability right now," Huff said. "His ministry's cut short because of physical disability." It's not always a pastor's fault when this happens, but in many cases it can be helped, he said. These issues also reach beyond the ministry and are concerns of anyone in high-stress and/or leadership positions. Many leaders would benefit more from losing 50 pounds than by getting a doctorate, said Huff, director of the office of LeaderCare and church administration of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. "We're always scrambling for degrees to pack our resumé full, but when people see us, they get turned off because we're 100 pounds overweight," Huff said. Being a pastor, he said, is often a sedentary lifestyle. "We're not out building fences and doing physical labor," Huff said. So ministers have to work extra hard to stay healthy and keep a healthy balance in life, he said. Pastors might not be able to start running, but walking for 30 minutes four times a week is a good place to start, he said. The physical stuff affects the spiritual, Huff explained. So does the emotional. "We talk about the different aspects — spiritual, physical, mental, emotional — as if they're separate components, but you can't separate them from each other. They flow together," he said. "It's all bound up together within the skin." Huff said if he were a "Baptist bishop" and had the power, he'd make every minister get a "checkup from the neck up" from a trained Christian counselor. Because of frequent criticism and disappointment, many pastors stay on "a slippery slope" and carry around low-grade depression, he said. And, he explained, it's possible for ministers to become so emotionally depressed that they fall into spiritual depression too. "He should make sure that on a weekly and daily basis, he has some (time to) pull away," he said. "He must strive to protect, and churches must insist on, taking a day off." Often churches don't actively help their pastor take care of himself, Huff said. And even nice gestures from church members, like providing meals or fellowships, can hurt sometimes — "they can make it hard to help a pastor keep his weight down," Huff said. Most church members don't understand the stress a person in leadership is under, Huff said. "They have no idea what it means to live in the 'head shed,' the amount of pressure and stress that comes with being in ultimate responsibility." For instance, a pastor may not be out building fences, but it's been said that 20 minutes of public speaking is as exhausting as eight hours of physical labor, he said. "Most preachers will say that we're exhausted after preaching, worn flat out after that with our desire to bring some word from the Lord that has some kind of effect," Huff said. Pastors need rest. They need days in their pajamas. They need hobbies and they need friends, Huff said. But oftentimes pastors think that taking time to care for themselves isn't compatible with serving others — that self-care means "self-ish," said Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, research director for the Duke University Clergy Health Initiative, according to Faith & Leadership. "Clergy recognize the importance of caring for themselves, but doing so takes a back seat to fulfilling their vocational responsibilities, which are tantamount to caring for an entire community," Proeschold-Bell said. "They feel they need permission to take the time to attend to their health." They should consider that permission granted, Huff said — it's vital to their ministry. For more information, contact Huff at dhuff@alsbom.org or 1-800-264-1225, ext. 263. ********** Judson College Welcomes New Faculty Member From Beijing By Michael J. Brooks MARION, Ala. (Judson College) -- Judson College has had a number of unique professors and staff members over the years, but now the college can call her own one who protested against the Chinese government at Tiananmen Square in 1989. "When the protest began I was teaching at Peking University," said Dr. Kathy Chen. "To protect my students I became involved in the student movement. I left Tiananmen Square on June 3 to meet a group from the U.S. Lutheran Church who were visiting Beijing. When they arrived at my home that evening, the situation was very tense. Three hours after they left, the massacre started. I was dismayed by how the Chinese government handled dissent. With the help of the Lutheran Church, I resigned my job and came to America." Chen moved from Salt Lake City, Utah and began work this month as director of Judson's distance learning program. Chen was born in Beijing but grew up in Inner Mongolia with her family. Her father had earned a scholarship to the University of Chicago to study economics and later studied at MIT. The new communist government in China didn't trust him, so he and his family were exiled to what Chen called the "Chinese Siberia." "It was actually good to be in another country since many of the exiles were learned people," she said. "It was a great place to be and to be stimulated intellectually." Chen earned two degrees at the Inner Mongolia Teachers University and taught language arts at Peking University. With the scholarship provided by the Lutheran Church, she immigrated to America in 1990 and studied at the California Lutheran University, earning a master's degree in curriculum and instruction with emphasis on educational technologies. Then she enrolled at Utah State University to earn her doctorate in instructional technology. In addition to her work at the University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith, Chen has worked in IT at a number of businesses and industries in America. When asked about moving to rural Alabama, Chen said she was impressed with such a "welcoming community." "I think it's a privilege to work with young women and to help them grow," she said. "Judson students can do whatever they want and modern technology can help them achieve their dreams." Chen said she grew up without religious training of any kind and that it's a misnomer to believe that China is a religious nation. "People think Buddhism flourishes there, but it's not true," she said. "Communist China does not encourage religion. We were taught that religion is the opium of the mind. In the past the Chinese worshiped Mao [Zedong]. Now people worship money. It's very sad." Chen became a Christian in 1991 and said she has a unique way of finding the right church when she takes new work. "The Holy Spirit always moves me," she said. "When the Holy Spirit touches my heart, I know I'm in the right place. I'm at the place God wants me!" Chen said she wants the Judson distance learning program to stand out and to be the finest quality possible. She dreams of the program going international. "Technology has changed the way we teach and the way we learn," she said, "and it can help us share ideas with people around the world and learn from them." ********** ASIA PRAYER REQUESTS SOUTH ASIA (IMB)--Brief items reported by South Asia News of the International Mission Board (http://www.go2southasia.org) on Feb. 28 include: CHILD SLAVERY IN BANGLADESH. "As I sat in my bedroom, I could hear her crying all afternoon in the apartment just above me. K, a precious little 9-year-old girl just wanted to go home to her family. I had met her in the stairwell the previous day. My neighbor had hired her to be a house cleaner and nanny to her baby. At age 9, her childhood was determined to be over, and she was suddenly chosen to be the breadwinner for her poor village family. My neighbor finally sent K home after a week of tears. She said, 'K was lazy; she will not do!' K is no longer working, but her family is still hungry. Pray for the millions of little girls from poor villages in the country of Bangladesh, not only to be rescued from physical slavery where they are forced into manual labor or prostitution, but also to find spiritual freedom. Ask our heavenly Father to make a way for them and for their families. Pray that God's hope will come to village girls and families of Bangladesh." HOLI IS COMING! Color, color, everywhere! Reds, yellows, blues, greens, and purples decorate the Hindus of South Asia as they celebrate Holi on March 27. In commemoration of the coming of spring and a farewell to winter, Hindus believe that one should celebrate joyfully with all of spring's vibrant colors. In addition to throwing colored powders on each other, most Hindus will light bonfires to remember a much deeper spiritual significance of this holiday. These fires are lit in memory of the escape of a devoted follower of the god Vishnu, named Prahlad. When his demoness sister Holika carried him into the fire, only she was burned. He was saved because of his devotion to Vishnu. Pray for Hindus celebrating Holi to grasp that faith in Jesus Christ alone is the only way to gain true, eternal salvation. SRI LANKAN MOOR. The Sri Lankan Moor make up approximately 8 percent of the population of Sri Lanka, which is roughly 2 million people. They are of Arab descent; therefore, they are all Muslim. Among these 2 million Muslims in Sri Lanka, a very small number are now believers. The Sri Lankan Moor is classified as an unreached people group (UPG), and without prayer for these people, it will remain that way. Currently there is not a team working among this people group. Thankfully, God desires to reach the nations and is capable of all things and capable of sending workers into the harvest. Please pray for a movement to be made among the Sri Lankan Moor and for existing believers to desire to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and friends and share the truth of Jesus. Pray they will not become discouraged by the task ahead, but encouraged and strengthened by God, who is capable of doing a mighty work on this island. ********** First novel from Dr. James Dobson -- 'Fatherless' debuted Jan. 15 DALLAS (Lovell-Fairchild Communications) -- James Dobson has launched his fiction career after writing more than 80 books -- including the groundbreaking Dare to Discipline -- and advocating for strong families as a counselor, broadcaster and advisor to U.S. presidents. The novel, “Fatherless,” is described as a relentlessly-paced, faith-based, dystopian thriller from Dobson and Kurt Bruner set in the future but torn from today's headlines. Well-drawn characters in multiple plot lines are slowly drawn into a national conspiracy with thousands of lives in the balance. Dobson now is the founder and president of Family Talk, a nonprofit organization that produces his radio program, Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson, and he is the founder and chairman emeritus of Focus on the Family. Kurt Bruner is a pastor, family consultant to churches and author. Dobson aims for Fatherless to be a novel that at once engages readers and leads them through disturbing trends. Multiple "tipping points" loom in America's near future as demographic realities take their toll. With birth rates declining, seniors living longer and health care costs rising, a population-economic time bomb is ticking. The erosion of the value of life and families could easily lead to previously unthinkable choices. Fatherless begins in 2042 when a long-predicted tipping point has arrived: For the first time the elderly outnumber the vigorous young, creating an untenable economic and moral situation. How will a debt-crippled nation pay for the health care needs of a growing number of seniors living longer? As laws change allowing the elderly to end their lives, they become viewed as financial liabilities, as do the disabled. Jaundiced eyes turn toward any couple with more than two children, making the problem worse. Caught in an intensifying battle between competing cultural agendas is reporter Julia Davidson -- a journalist seeking to revive a flagging career; influential young Congressman Kevin Tolbert, a Christian facing his own dilemmas; and a supporting cast of characters who find themselves deep in an ominous conspiracy. In the dystopian tradition of 1984, Brave New World and The Hunger Games, Fatherless projects the headlines of today into the desperate choices of tomorrow. For more information, visit FatherlessWorld.com. --30-- -- 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