Search Results

DALLAS, TX (BP) – Lay persons, pastors, churches, state conventions and Southern Baptist Convention entities have a role in an evangelism renewal plan Southern Baptists adopted Wednesday (June 13). Messengers adopted an eight-pronged approach recommended by an Evangelism Task Force Steve Gaines appointed in 2017 in his final term as SBC president. Task Force vice chairman Adam W. Greenway presented the plan to messengers after first releasing the document June 11. "It will take all of us working together in unity for the task of the Great Commission to be accomplished," said Greenway, dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry. "Every one of us has a part to play. This is a critical task for us." Before the vote, the task force concurrently submitted to messengers a 12-point Evangelism Articles of Affirmation and Denial, based on and supported by Scripture. "We wanted to take the opportunity to provide a clear set of principles in terms of things we believe Southern Baptists can heartily affirm as it comes to speaking about evangelism," Greenway said, "and with clarity saying things we do not believe evangelism entails. "One of the most important things we can give to our convention of churches, and to a watching world, is a clear statement about ... where Southern Baptists stand on the issues related to evangelism." Southern Baptist churches are autonomous and are not obligated to put the recommendations in action; but are encouraged to embrace the report as a ready and viable church resource. The task force called on all Southern Baptists to "renew with great urgency the priority of evangelizing the next generations," and to adapt the recommended methodology to individual environments "without changing our theology." "If the only people who ever hear you talk about the Gospel are already believers," Greenway said on the annual meeting stage, "then you are not being Gospel centered. You're not committed to sharing the Gospel. "It was never meant to be merely an intramural subject for debate," he said of the Gospel. "It was meant to be the intentional passion that we declare to lost people, that there is hope in Jesus Christ." Churches should set aside a day each month to pray for salvation of the lost and the effectiveness of the church's evangelistic efforts, conduct annual witness training, adopt a baptism goal and submit their Annual Church Profile to help judge the SBC's evangelism effectiveness. Pastors should model personal evangelism for their congregations, present public Gospel invitations of various kinds that call unbelievers to repent and believe; and "renew extending to followers of Christ God's call to the pastorate, to missions, to evangelism and to all other vocational ministries." Seminaries should train and engage employees and students in annual witness training and Gospel-sharing events, such as mission trips, local mission partnerships and local churches; and "consider enhancing curriculum requirements in evangelism." Directors of missions are encouraged to "identify, celebrate and use as a training model" churches and pastors that are effective in evangelism evidenced by baptisms, and to enlist support for churches from Baptist colleges, seminaries, state conventions and evangelistically effective churches. State convention executive directors should infuse all their ministry efforts with an awareness of lostness and the need for salvation, the report states, and should prioritize evangelism in staffing, training and ministry. The North American Mission Board should help reestablish evangelism as a denominational priority, the task force recommends, and NAMB's senior leadership should involve churches, associations and state conventions in evangelistic outreach. The task force recommended the Executive Committee of the SBC establish a Baptism Sunday on the SBC calendar. Churches would be "invited to work especially hard to lead people to Christ in the weeks prior to the selected date and to focus on a significant baptismal service in which the meaning of baptism is articulated in preaching and teaching," the task force said. Greenway presented the report instead of former task force chairman Paige Patterson, who resigned his chairmanship at the close of his tenure as Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) president. In addition to Greenway, task force members included SWBTS professor of preaching David Allen; Englewood Baptist Church of Jackson, Tenn., pastor Jordan Easley; Cross Church of Fayetteville, Ark., campus pastor Nick Floyd; North Phoenix (Ariz.) Baptist Church pastor Noe Garcia; newly elected SBC president J.D. Greear; Gateway Seminary President Jeff Iorg; Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) professor of preaching Robert Matz; Cross Pointe Church of Duluth, Ga. pastor James Merritt; and First Baptist Church of O'Fallon, Il., pastor Doug Mouton. Concluding the membership roster were New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary professor of evangelism Preston Nix; Brown Missionary Baptist Church of Southaven, Miss., pastor Bartholomew Orr; SWBTS professor of evangelism Matt Queen; Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) professor of evangelism Alvin Reid; Family Church of West Palm Beach, Fla., pastor Jimmy Scroggins; SEBTS professor of preaching Jim Shaddix; and Gaines, ex-officio. See BP's June 11 story for the full text of the recommendations and evangelism articles. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' general assignment writer/editor. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JULY18

CHARLESTON, SC – While our church is now more than 10 years old, I still call myself a church planter. I get away with holding onto this enigmatic title because our church has from the beginning planted other churches — our daughter churches. In our short history, we have planted seven autonomous churches, each of which are thriving today. Raising up church plants is much like raising children. Both require a great sacrifice, but also come with several very real blessings. To say “church planting has changed my life” is certainly cliché, but it is true, nonetheless. Here are five ways my life has been changed by staying in the church planting game after planting our own church: 1. Keeps me young. Church planting puts me around next generation leaders. Yes, they are Millennials, and they do things differently than any other generation before them. But don’t forget, Boomers, the generation before you referred to you as “hippies” when you were entering the workforce. We have something unique to offer to one another. We can complain, or we can train! 2. Keeps me focused. Like little else, church planting fixes my eyes on the Big-K Kingdom over my little-C church. Jesus’ favorite topic during his ministry was the Kingdom. He spoke of it 121 times in the Gospels. In comparison, he spoke of the church only twice. Being a multiplying church aligns us more with the idea Jesus himself was most passionate about. 3. Keeps me relevant. Mentoring other church planters forces me to stay on top of the latest ministry strategies. God consistently seems to entrust His next vision for our world to the upcoming generation. It’s likely because we “established” leaders can easily get stuck in what makes us comfortable. Instead of falling into the complacency trap, I want to continue to ride God’s wave all the way to the end, rather than getting stuck in my created rut. 4. Keeps me humble. Multiple times now, I have stood on the platform with a church planter by my side and told our congregation, “Everyone who feels compelled or called by this man’s vision, with gladness I release you to join him.” This keeps me humble because church planting reminds me that it was never my church to begin with. Giving away our resources (funds and people) for the benefit of others is a God-approved action He has used over and over again throughout history to conform us to his image. 5. Keeps me on my toes. Church planting is an adventure. I want to see fruits from my ministry grow on other people’s trees, as others’ fruits are now growing on mine. As a torch was passed down to me from the generation before, I have a legacy to continue. My glory is too small a thing to live for; therefore, I choose to join the adventure of creating a platform for the next generation. There is an adventure waiting for so many pastors, maybe you, who are waiting on the sidelines of church multiplication. Let me invite you into this life-altering adventure. Get yourself ready for the biggest joy of ministry you’ve experienced since you led your first person to Jesus. Become a sending church! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Will Browning, born in Barnwell, South Carolina, currently serves as the Lead Pastor at Journey Church, a multi-site church in the Charleston area. While studying Human Resource Management at Georgia Southern University (B.B.A., 1995) Will became a Christian. He continued his studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., 2005) and completed his doctorate at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min., 2015). In October 1999, Will married the love of his life, Tarah. Will and Tarah have three kids: Piper, Ethan, and Jedidiah. Will is an avid South Carolina Gamecock fan, coach to church planters, developing writer, novice triathlete, curious reader and lifelong learner. #JULY18

NASHVILLE, TN – Most churchgoers will put up with a change in music style or a different preacher. But don’t mess with a church’s beliefs or there may be an exodus, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. The study of Protestant churchgoers found most are committed to staying at their church over the long haul. But more than half say they would strongly consider leaving if the church’s beliefs changed. Pastors often worry about changing church music and setting off a “worship war,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. But few say they would leave over music. Churchgoers are much more concerned about their church’s beliefs. “Mess with the music and people may grumble,” he said. “Mess with theology and they’re out the door.” Churchgoers stay put LifeWay Research surveyed 1,010 Protestant churchgoers—those who attend services at least once a month—to see how strongly they are tied to their local congregations. Researchers found most churchgoers stay put. Thirty-five percent have been at their church between 10 and 24 years. Twenty-seven percent have been there for 25 years or more. Twenty-one percent have been there less than five years, while 17 percent have been at the same church for between five and nine years. Lutherans (52 percent), Methodists (40 percent) and Baptists (31 percent) are most likely to have been at their church for 25 years or more. Fewer nondenominational (11 percent) or Assemblies of God/Pentecostal churchgoers (13 percent) have such long tenure. “Most church members have been at their church longer than their pastor,” said McConnell. More than half (57 percent) of churchgoers say they are completely committed to continuing to attend their current church. About a quarter (28 percent) are “very much” committed, while 11 percent are moderately committed. Two percent are slightly committed, while 1 percent are not committed at all. The more people go to church, the more committed they are to attending their same church in the future. Those who attend at least once a week are twice as likely to be completely committed to attending their church (62 percent) than people who go once or twice a month (31 percent). Those who attend once or twice a month are more likely to be moderately committed (36 percent) than those who go at least once a week (7 percent). Churchgoers with evangelical beliefs are more likely to be completely committed (67 percent) than those who don’t have evangelical beliefs (45 percent). Baptists (60 percent) are more likely to be completely committed than Lutherans (47 percent). About two-thirds (63 percent) of churchgoers who are 65 or older are completely committed to attending their same church in the future. That drops to 50 percent for those younger than 35. Older churchgoers are also least likely to want to leave their church. When asked if they’ve thought about going to another church in their area, 92 percent of those 65 or older say no. Overall, 15 percent of churchgoers say they have thought about going to another church in the past six months. Eighty-five percent say they have not. Of those thinking about going to another church, about half (54 percent) have already visited another church. Forty-six percent have not. “If people are thinking about leaving your church, chances are they’ve already started looking,” said McConnell. “So they’re probably halfway out the door.” Most feel their beliefs line up with the church For the most part, churchgoers say they agree with their church’s teaching. About half (52 percent) say their beliefs are completely aligned with those of the church. Forty-two percent say their beliefs are mostly aligned. Fewer than 3 percent say their beliefs are slightly aligned, not aligned or they don’t know their church’s beliefs. Education plays some role in how churchgoers view their church’s theology. Churchgoers who have graduate degrees are less likely to accept all their church’s teachings. Only a third (35 percent) say their beliefs are completely aligned with those of the church. Sixty percent say their beliefs are mostly aligned. Two-thirds (62 percent) of churchgoers who have evangelical beliefs say they are completely aligned with their church’s theology, while a third are mostly aligned. By contrast, 39 percent of churchgoers who don’t have evangelical beliefs say they are completely aligned, and about half (53 percent) are mostly aligned. Sixty percent of churchgoers at big churches—those with more than 1,000 attenders—say they are completely aligned with their church’s theology. That drops to 46 percent at churches with fewer than 50 attenders. Baptists (57 percent) and nondenominational churchgoers (61 percent) are more likely to say they are completely aligned with their church’s theology than Lutherans (43 percent) or Methodists (25 percent). Still, churchgoers don’t like to see changes in their church’s doctrine. More than half (54 percent) say they’d seriously consider leaving if church doctrine changed. Researchers asked about other factors that might cause churchgoers to switch churches. Nearly half (48 percent) would change churches if the churchgoer moved to a new home. Some churchgoers would leave if the preaching style changed (19 percent), if the pastor left (12 percent) or if a family member wanted a new church (10 percent). Nine percent say they would leave over politics. Fewer would leave if they didn’t feel needed (6 percent), if the music style changed (5 percent), if they had a conflict (4 percent) or if a friend stopped attending (3 percent). The survey shows churchgoers care about doctrine, said McConnell. “Still, pastors can’t assume everyone in the pews agrees with their preaching,” McConnell said. “Overall, 94 percent believe most or all of their church’s teaching. But there’s still substantial wiggle room. “Every time a pastor gets up to preach, there’s a good chance more than a few people in the pews are going to disagree,” he said. Most find church programs helpful Researchers also looked at how effective churches are in helping people grow spiritually. Most churchgoers think their church is doing a good job. Three-quarters (76 percent) think their church has been either extremely helpful (36 percent) or very helpful (40 percent) in their spiritual growth. Sixteen percent say the church is moderately helpful. Relatively few say the church has not been helpful (1 percent) in their spiritual growth or are not sure (2 percent). Churchgoers did have some suggestions on ways churches can help them grow. Among them: 27 percent want their church to help them understand more about God and the Bible. 20 percent want their church to help them find new ways to serve. 19 percent want their church to provide more Bible study groups. 16 percent want their church to help them get to know more people in church. 14 percent say their church could provide forums to answer their spiritual questions. 13 percent want their church to give them more chances to serve. 13 percent want their church to provide worship experiences that fit their needs. 9 percent want their church to provide more interaction with the pastor. 8 percent want their church to provide them with a mentor. Even though most churchgoers are staying put and are relatively happy, there’s some reason for concern, McConnell said. At any given church, about 15 percent of the congregation is thinking about leaving. If they go, the church could suffer. “The average church in the United States has less than 100 attenders,” McConnell said. “Losing 10 or 15 people could make a huge impact.” For more information visit LifeWayResearch.com and read the complete survey PDF. Methodology: LifeWay Research conducted the study Aug. 22–30, 2017. The survey was conducted using the web-enabled KnowledgePanel®, a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. Initially, participants are chosen scientifically by a random selection of telephone numbers and residential addresses. People in selected households are then invited by telephone or by mail to participate in the web-enabled KnowledgePanel®. For those who agree to participate but do not already have internet access, GfK provides at no cost a laptop and ISP connection. For this survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. Protestant and nondenominational adults (18 and older) who attend religious services once a month or more often was selected from the KnowledgePanel®. Sample stratification and base weights were used for gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, metro/non-metro, home ownership, education and income to reflect the most recent U.S. Census data. Study-specific weights included for gender by age, race/ethnicity, region and education to reflect GSS 2016 data. The completed sample is 1,010 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error does not exceed plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Evangelical beliefs are defined using the NAE/LifeWay Research Evangelical Beliefs Research Definition based on respondent beliefs. Respondents are asked their level of agreement with four separate statements using a four-point, forced-choice scale (strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree). Respondents are categorized as having evangelical beliefs if they strongly agree with all four statements: The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation. LifeWay Research is a Nashville-based, evangelical research firm that specializes in surveys about faith in culture and matters that affect churches. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Smietana is senior writer for Facts & Trends at LifeWay Research in Nashville, TN. #JULY18

ALPHARETTA, GA – We had just packed up our kids moved to a new town to serve on church staff. Can you say culture shock?! This new place was way different than where we had previously lived. Women rarely met for bible study, mostly large double incomes, big houses and larger cars. Fancy vacations. Fancy everything. I was in over my head. I felt lonely and out of place everywhere I went. At the same time, I also felt like God was calling our family to live differently. To spend differently. To love differently than we ever have. I felt conflicted everywhere I went. I wanted to love the least of those but was surrounded by daily extravagances. I felt a bitterness rising up in me. I began to resent and dislike the very people God had called me to serve. I spent much time in what I call running prayers. Running prayers are me running around the neighborhood with my headphones blaring as I am pleading, yelling, crying, or dancing before the Lord. Yes, it is painful for others to watch but very necessary for my Christian walk. So I began ranting to the Lord about how I felt. As clear as the mailbox in front of me, I heard God say, "Kasey, I didn't call you here to fit in. I called you here to show them how to love Me." That day literally changed my life and how we, as a family, have lived ever since. We then packed up our kids and moved into a low income neighborhood. We spend our family vacations on the mission field. I often show up at church in jeans, missions t-shirt, and no makeup. That day I found freedom. Freedom to be who and what God has called me to be. Freedom to quit longing for the things of this world and desire the please the Creator of the Universe. Freedom found only in the Lord. Courtesy of: Planter Wives Blog, namb.net #JULY18

DAVISON, MI – Since the beginning, every generation has been tasked with passing the knowledge of the works of God to the next generation; to make his power, beauty, and heart known to them. We are to teach them, not just tell them, that God loves them, and has a purpose for them, so they learn to get their strength in Him. There is no greater inheritance that we can leave our children, and our children’s future children, than a relationship with Jesus, and not just a religion. God has placed that responsibility on us as parents, grandparents, and leaders in the church. It’s a command and a privilege, but it can also be daunting. Years ago, as both a young parent and a new Christian, I knew He made it known to me that the responsibility of teaching my children was mine, but I remember thinking “How do I do this?” When we are so busy with the things of this world and everyday life, we can often forget the most important foundation we can give them: the ability to see Jesus. Thankfully, we’re not the first generation to encounter busyness. How do we know this? In Deuteronomy 6, God instructed the Israelites to teach the words of God “diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest…walkest by the way…liest down…and risest up.” In other words: anywhere and everywhere you can. If it were written today, perhaps God would say “when you ride in the car,” “when you serve the elderly in your neighborhood,” or even “between innings at the t-ball game.” Every moment is a moment to teach. Even if we’re unaware, we’re still teaching something. Our children watch us like a hawk. They learn what from what we do and don’t say, and from what we do and don’t do. So why not make the most of every opportunity? If we’re looking, conversations and questions about God can be inserted into most moments. Pray for wisdom and He will guide you. Opportunities don’t have to be big or perfect. The examples in Deuteronomy 6 were from the mundane, daily routine. When my kids were little, I remember walking outside with them,looking up, and saying “Isn’t it great how God gave us trees?” It can be that easy. If children can learn to see God’s handiwork in the small, how much more will they recognize it in the big? We must also make sure we never stop learning as we guide them. One lesson I’m still learning is to really listen to what my children are saying, especially as they grow older. It’s hard to listen if my mind is already made up. But when I’ve been open, the Lord has used my children to teach me, and help me not be stuck in a generation. In the process, God has reminded me that He’s the real teacher, and that my children and I are learning together as we “walkest by the way.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Leonia Ross served at Davison Meadows Baptist Church in Davison Michigan with her husband, pastor Randy Ross, for over 20 years. Pastor Randy went home to be with his Savior and Lord December of 2016. Leonia Ross continues to be a faithful member and regularly shares her faith with others and invites them to share in fellowship at Davison Meadows. #JULY18

ALPHARETTA, GA – If you are like most women, you are your own worst critic. Being hard on ourselves is what we do. If you live your life never feeling like what you do is enough, then read on, friend! Finding freedom from our own expectations is not impossible. Let’s just cut right to the chase. We all have the propensity to heap unhealthy expectations on ourselves. Certain events and influences from our past can increase that tendency. Ultimately, visiting those places in our lives can bring healing, but there are a few truths that we can all grab hold of now that can help us begin to break free. Here are some questions to ask to help find freedom from your own expectations: Do I know my purpose? Sometimes, we have expectations of ourselves that are outside our purpose. If I was a photographer, but I struggled with nagging thoughts like, “I don’t rescue enough people from burning buildings,” you would tell me to stick with my pictures and leave the rescues to firefighters. If I know clearly my purpose, then I can weed out other demands that inevitably fight for my attention. Are you clear on your purpose? If not, you may feel like you should do everything to cover your bases. That’s exhausting. Find your purpose. Am I pressured by the success of other women? Comparing ourselves can be overwhelming. Social media compounds that issue by constantly bombarding us with a filtered version of everyone’s best. Somehow, we think we should not only reach our goals for our own purpose, but do what other women are doing, as well. Besides not being realistic, that’s not healthy. The result? We live splintered lives, unable to do anything well as we attempt to do it all. And we’re exhausted. Run your race without comparing. Do I know that the world will keep turning if I stop? Ever find yourself thinking, “if I don’t do it, nobody will”? Perhaps, like me, you say it out loud, taking on a superwoman voice as you do. When we believe we are the only one who will or can do something, we might have an inflated view of ourselves. Yes, there are things that we have to do, but, based on the truth that “I” cannot do everything, there are others that must go. Someone else will and can. This might mean recruiting, and even training, your replacement. Perhaps an unrealistic expectation you placed on yourself is part of someone else’s purpose. Let them have it. Is God expecting this of me? It would be cruel of a father to demand something from a child and then not give that child the time or resources to do it. If God has given you a task or responsibility, He will also equip you with what’s needed—including time. We beat ourselves up thinking, “if I could just figure out how to manage my time better, I could get it all done,” when in reality we are overloaded with things never given to us by our Savior. He is a good father who is not trying to work you to death and is certainly not demanding perfection. In fact, He wants you to rest. At times, we are overwhelmed by demands in life we cannot control, such as an illness or loss. During these times, our expectations of ourselves change; they should change. Our focus becomes rest and healing. Yet, even during these times, we can expect too much of ourselves instead of walking in His mercy and grace. At other times, we heap unhealthy expectations on ourselves unknowingly. Our desire to nurture, to help, to love and to be needed clouds our vision. We try harder and harder to do more than we were designed to do. Outside of God’s purpose, we find defeat and exhaustion. Jesus reminds us that He wants us working alongside Him—not running around trying to impress Him. When He tells us that His yoke is easy, He is giving us a picture of being yoked with Him, as two oxen were when plowing. Together, moving forward together. I believe He has the field already picked out and the seed ready. Are you where God wants you, or are you busy with work you heaped on yourself? Are you exhausted from trying to get it together? Ask the Father for clarity. Philippians 2:13 – For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Courtesy of: Planter Wives Blog, namb.net via Marianna Dollyhigh blog post. ABOUT THE AUTHOR In the midst of a crazy life, Marianna Dollyhigh is searching for a connection with my Creator and with community.She is the wife of an amazing pastor who is truly wild at heart, a man’s man. They have six children of various ages, colors, and personalities. She loves to write, explaining, “It’s how God works things out in me.” #JULY18

“To as many as received Him, He gave the power to become God’s sons” – John 1:12 BAY CITY, MI – As we celebrate our nation’s independence on July 4th, Christians have a unique opportunity to renew their commitment to Christian freedom, which this verse describes as receiving both the power and potential to become more like Christ. The disciples of Jesus’ time totally misunderstood the concept of freedom in Christ. They would ask “can I divorce my wife?”, or “can I sue the person who owes me money?”, or “do I have to forgive my neighbor?” However, such questions totally miss the issue of Christian freedom. Freedom is not about “can I do what I want.” It’s about “how you can be more like Christ, not more like yourself.” It’s about “making God’s priorities your priorities…not the other way around.” It’s about “Christ setting you free…not about you setting yourself free.” The modern day false prophets have tried to create a religion where man is God and God is the servant. Church attenders often believe that if they say nice things about God, He will wipe their board clean, get their daughter into a Top 5 college, and give them new marketing ideas. While false religions imply that God’s role is to feed their selfishness may experience temporary success, commitment to selfishness creates a sinkhole trap from which they will never be free. It’s the same with ignoring God’s call to holy living. While sin can seem to be enjoyable, its pleasures are only for a short time. I recently had the “pleasure” of discovering that we had a cracked sewer line. We had to get down in the muck,dig out the line, and lift up the pipes. We hoped to eventually get to a place where the ground would be dry, but because the line was broken and continued to leak, the more we dug, the deeper the muck we had to stand in. Living life apart from God’s Spirit is the same way…that’s why Paul (Romans 6:1-5) notes that we are to be dead to sin, and righteous living alone will set us free. Many Christians embrace selfishness or sinful living because they wish to avoid the inevitable conflicts that come from confronting sin in either their personal situation or in society. The children of Israel thought by avoiding conflict they would spare their children from pain (Numbers 14); instead, they doomed them to wander in the desert for two more generations. Christian freedom won’t stop the battles, but they will keep the battles from stopping you and that is freedom found only in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Romans thought being rich, powerful, educated, and in control they had everything, they had it all. And yet, the society that had all the power and wealth in the known world of that time used their “freedom” to become immoral, diseased, and corrupt. They savaged entire populations of people for their own gain, and eventually collapsed from internal rot and external attacks by weaker enemies. Paul recognized the real meaning of freedom in his writing to Philemon (1:10-21), which is highly instructive here…for all of the wealth and power of Rome, it was the slave who committed his life to Christ and was obedient to Him who was truly free. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bill Livingston is an HR graduate professor, Baptist historian, and former Michigan Baptist pastor. He and his wife Anne live in Bay City, Michigan. #JULY18

GREENVILLE, SC – Regret is as deadly as worry. One confronts an unknown future, the other an unfortunate past. Both seem unwilling to relinquish their death-grip once they find their way into your mind. They paralyze your actions and plague your relationships. Pastors and church planters are prone to such regret, as we reflect on our personal failures and the ways these decisions have negatively influenced those we love and the churches we lead. Regret over sins or volition or inactivity is one of the major contributing factors to dark days among pastors. Clichés do little to lessen the pain. We cringe when we hear “live and learn,” “forgive and forget,” or “you are normal just like all the rest of us.” These trite statements, while true, provide little help in confronting the failures of our past. Our theology is the only hope we have when regret seems overwhelming. It’s in these moments that our active theology is seen. We can say we believe in God’s sovereignty all we want, but if we are crippled by worry, we show that we don’t really trust His good plan. In the same way, pastors can rattle off theological concepts like propitiation and justification, but regret proves we’ve got yet to apply these astounding truths to the real sin in our past and present. The life-giving promises of Scripture are the God-appointed means of renewing our mind when we feel regret. Promises like: “I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25 ESV) or For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more”(Hebrews 10:14-17 ESV) The human mind struggles to grasp these truths. We have no mental framework for this type of response. When someone sins against us, we don’t respond this way. Perhaps, if God is gracious, we are able to forgive the person for the wrong they’ve done. Our offer of forgiveness means we will not seek to get even, we won’t hold the sin over their head, and we are willing to continue some level of relationship. But we don’t forget. We can’t. Yes, I’ve long since forgotten the name of the kid who stole my sandwich in the middle school cafeteria. Given enough time, we will forget such menial offenses. Deep wounds don’t work that way. The hurt lingers, hovering in our minds like an ever-present hummingbird. God doesn’t work that way. Certainly, He knows our every sin—after all sin is fundamentally an offense against God. And we’ve sinned against God in far more profound ways than anyone will ever sin against us. Yet, God remembers our sins no more. God doesn’t forget our sins, like an absent-minded husband does with the groceries he’s supposed to get from the store. He consciously chooses to not remember our sins. They are done, finished, fully paid for by the wrath-bearing substitute, Jesus Christ. He doesn’t bring them up again. God doesn’t think, “I know that guy, he’s the same guy who was once overcome with addiction or enslaved by anger.” He doesn’t question our repentance because, after all, we are the same person who’s broken promises repeatedly in our past. He doesn’t turn away from our corporate praise because we’ve failed to turn to Him in our private devotions. He remembers our sins no more. I’ll never be able to do the same with my past sins. From time to time, they will come to mind. But, when they do, I can choose to trust God at His word, embrace the forgiveness I’ve been given through Christ and find freedom from regret. As a pastor, this is my only hope for fighting regret in my own life and leading others to do the same. Courtesy of: Church Planters Blog, namb.net ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Rogers is the pastor of The Church at Cherrydale in Greenville, South Carolina - a church he planted in 2009. He’s married to Sarah and has four children. Matt loves to write and has a number of articles and blog posts published. #JULY18

I was born with SBC blood flowing through my veins. My parents were Southern Baptists as were my parent’s parents. So, attending vacation bible school was inevitable. It would never be a question asked in our home, not that I didn’t try. Like every other kid, during the school year I dreamed of summer vacation. I longed for those days when we played outside with friends, the many adventures down to the creek or out in the woods, and staying up late because we could. Who could possibly get excited about summer vacation with bible school? Just the sound of it screamed of summer school, and no one wanted that. It was as if adults added the word vacation in order to trick us or something. Ugh! Yes, I went because that is what we did in our home. From the very first time I can recall, it was fun! There was nothing about it like school. We marched in, sang songs, participated in crafts and outdoor activities, plus we always got a snack and fresh lemonade. Then there were biblical stories, too, where we learned life lessons and memorized scripture. Sometimes the person from the Bible would show up to tell the story themselves. Okay, so maybe it was the pastor dressed up and wearing a fake beard, but it was still fun. The week flew by and before I knew it, I was wishing it would last longer. Through the years I remember being introduced to real live missionaries and saw slide shows of far away places. They told us about people on the other side of the world who lived very different from us and needed Jesus. It was awesome! As I got older, it seemed a natural transition to move from participant to worker. This experience was also fun, in its own way. Now I was involved in the preparations, handing out cookies at snack time, and helping play games with the kids. As a VBS worker I learned many new skills and spent more time in my Bible. All those verses I had memorized through the years were coming back to me in a most helpful way. Now I was learning the stories behind them, and able to help others learn these life changing verses. VBS had become a vital part of my summer, I had gone from not looking forward to it and thinking it was something that it wasn’t, to loving it and enjoying the experience, and thrilled when the time came to serve. I still think the name is misleading and most kids aren’t interested in going to school during summer break. But, when you get there, feel the excitement, and learn of the love of Jesus your life changes. VBS has always been a blessing in my life and now in the lives of my own family. I am proud to be a Southern Baptist and blessed to serve each summer with our churches Vacation Bible School. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Scott is a media specialist who coordinates efforts for the Baptist Beacon each month. In addition to his editing and graphic design work, Tom lends his decades of experience in the classroom where he is preparing the next generation of media types. He and his wife, Cindy, have been married for 36 years and reside in Richmond, VA. #JULY18

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Growth in the social media sphere has created a challenge for Southern Baptists that we did not have prior to the launch of Facebook in 2004. Prior to the invention of social media there were not as many voices attempting to gain market share with their particular message. Even those in our Baptist ranks who were tasked with the duty to communicate the messages for our media outlets wrote and spoke in the context of certain “rules” that applied – even when discussing difficult issues. Now, there are hundreds of voices speaking simultaneously into the context of the latest issue, and there seem to be no rules. Some of these voices speak from the context of fact. Others regurgitate the messaging of someone who has an axe to grind. Still others don’t have a clue about Baptist theology or biblical values. They use their troubled voices to create an air of suspicion about Southern Baptists in general, our SBC leaders and, ultimately, the gospel. Our tribe, Southern Baptists, have a history of pronouncing our opinions. However, because we are people of the Book, our history records that we eventually submit to its authority and to one another. There is no doubt that Southern Baptists have some real issues, but somewhere, somehow, Christ-followers must turn down the noise and listen more closely to the Lord and to one another. As a part of the process, we must learn the art of responding to one another with civility. There is a growing realization that our inability to deal with our Baptist struggles is largely attributable to the destructive ways in which we talk about issues and one another. Frankly, on a national scale, POTUS’s Twitter account is not conducive to civility and sets an unappreciated tone for verbal abuse. Neither is the plethora of blogs, websites, Facebook and Twitter accounts hurling words of contempt and spewing venom at people and institutions with words that are all too hurtful. Southern Baptists must pause and ask ourselves, “Are we victims of our culture, or will we demonstrate a different, more biblical way to have conversations about the difficult issues we face?” This raises a crucial question: What exactly do we mean by “civility”? Civility means something more than mere politeness. We really haven’t learned civility if all we accomplish is training people to say, “Excuse me, please. Pardon me please,” while the opposition (figuratively) stabs you in the back. Civility cannot mean “roll over and play dead.” When people feel disenfranchised or sense they are losing something precious, they need to be able to raise tough questions and present their cases to those in leadership. But we can all do so with kindness. There are tough and difficult issues that cannot be avoided because we choose politeness as our defense mechanism. We cannot deny there are real issues of importance that need careful deliberate conversations. Sometimes a public forum is not the best way, but if we must use the public forum, at least for Christ-followers, we must be civil. Consequently, Christ-followers must become increasingly sensitive to the use of our words and attitudes reflected in public, including the realm of social media. We need to carefully consider how we speak and write about one another. Here for your consideration are Dr. Yeats’ 14 practical ways to demonstrate civility: Acknowledge someone’s presence by greeting them. Always express gratitude—please and thank you are always in order. Everyone is worthy of respect, even if you disagree with them or they have hurt you. Be ready with a question to show interest in their world. It shows that you think of others more than you think of yourself. Actively listen to their response. Work at eye contact and avoid chasing after peripheral movement. Pause and think before you speak. It is a good time to carefully choose your words that do not curse but bring forward the healing salve of forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. Guard your words and attitude as if the Lord Jesus was listening and watching your conversation (He is). Don’t cross your arms. If you are to be an authentic listener, you cannot let your body language communicate disinterest. Don’t skirt the issues but seek to frame the conversation in terms of seeking solutions; don’t focus too much on the details of a problem. You may not come to an agreement but let the record indicate you are attentive, kind and sensitive toward those who disagree with you. Keep anger at the foot of the cross, along with snarky, crass, and sarcastic words. Do your best to separate people from the problem; focus on solutions. De-escalate by seeking a win/win for methodological and systemic contexts. A solution is not a win if it violates Scripture. The Word of God is never up for a vote. Remember the evidence of the fullness of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:20-23).“Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong. Your every action must be done with love” (1 Cor. 16:13-14 CSV). This article was originally published in The Pathway a bi-weekly newsjournal by the Missouri Baptist Convention and endeavors to cover not only the events that affect Baptists in Missouri but also the Southern Baptist Convention as a whole and evangelical Christians everywhere. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. John Yeats is the Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention. #JULY18

NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – Back in the 1890s, a pair of Sunday School teachers -- D.T. Miles of Hopedale, Il., and Virginia Hawes of New York City -- both had the same idea. School kids were off for the summer. Why not invite them to church to study the Bible? And maybe sing a few songs and have some fun along the way? The idea was a hit. Today, Vacation Bible School -- better known as VBS -- remains one of the most popular church programs in America. Six in 10 Americans say they went to VBS growing up. Two-thirds of American parents say they plan to send kids to VBS this summer -- even if they skip church themselves. And almost everyone involved had a positive experience, according to a new survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, which surveyed 1,200 American adults about VBS. "Each week of the summer there are thousands of VBS programs going on around America," said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. "It's one of the things that people love about church." VBS attendance & memories Twenty-two percent say they went every summer growing up, while 14 percent said they went most summers. Another 13 percent went occasionally. Five percent went more than once. But 40 percent never went. Many went because of a family tie. Forty-two percent say they went because their family attended that church. Twenty-five percent went because their parent or another family member was one of the leaders. Twenty-six percent went because the church was near their home. Twenty-five percent went because a friend invited them. Among their memories: spending time with kids their own age (46 percent), learning Bible stories (45 percent), singing songs (40 percent), creating crafts (37 percent) and playing games (34 percent). One in 6 (17 percent) remember making a spiritual commitment at VBS. Most (88 percent) say VBS helped them better understand the Bible. That includes two-thirds who either completely agree (37 percent) or mostly agree (26 percent). Twelve percent disagree. Americans who didn't go to VBS as a child also didn't go to church at all (31 percent) or went to a church that did not offer VBS (31 percent), were too busy (10 percent), weren't invited (7 percent) or didn't go for some other reason (15 percent). Five percent say their family went to a church that offered VBS -- but they weren't interested in going. More than half (61 percent) of American adults who did not go to VBS agree they have some positive thoughts about the program. That includes 28 percent who completely agree (14 percent) or mostly agree (14 percent). Thirty-three percent slightly agree. Thirty-nine percent disagree. A majority of Americans (57 percent) who did not go to VBS also believe the program could have helped them better understand the Bible -- at least a little. Forty-three percent disagree. About half (52 percent) agree the program could have impacted their spiritual growth. Forty-eight percent disagree. The survey's results are a great reminder why VBS matters, said Jana Magruder, director of LifeWay Kids. "It's a strong affirmation of the work that churches put into VBS programs," Magruder said. "I hope churches are encouraged by this research to continue to host VBS for their communities." Popular with parents About half (47 percent) of parents with kids under 19 say their child has been to VBS. The most common reasons: The family attended the church where the program was held (38 percent) or the parents were also taking part in VBS (33 percent). Twenty-nine percent say they valued their child's spiritual growth; 27 percent valued studying the Bible. A fourth (26 percent) say their child went to VBS because someone -- other than family -- invited them. Most parents (95 percent) say VBS was a positive experience for their child. A similar number say VBS helped their child better understand the Bible (94 percent) and influenced their child's spiritual growth (95 percent). Most (95 percent) also say that VBS is one of their child's most meaningful church experiences. Among the reasons parents didn't send kids to VBS: The family didn't go to church (29 percent), the family was too busy (14 percent) or the child was too busy (13 percent). Still, parents who didn't send their kids to VBS have a positive view of the program (83 percent) and say it would have helped their child better understand the Bible (69 percent) or grow spiritually (71 percent). And this summer, Vacation Bible Schools may be packed again, according to LifeWay Research. Two-thirds of parents (64 percent) say their child is likely to go to VBS this year -- including about half who completely agree (29 percent) or mostly agree (18 percent). A third (36 percent) disagree. More than half (58 percent) say their child may go to more than one VBS. Forty-two percent disagree. Most parents (60 percent) say they'll encourage their kids to attend VBS even if it's held at someone else's church. More parents will encourage their child to attend VBS at another church if they get invited by a friend (69 percent). "Two-thirds of American parents," Magruder noted, "are eager to send their children to a church activity where they will have fun experiences centered on what churches care about most: Bible stories, the Gospel and worship." "People still believe Vacation Bible School is good for kids," McConnell said "Even parents who don't go to church want their kids to go to VBS." Methodology: A demographically balanced online panel was used for interviewing American adults. LifeWay Kids sponsored the study. The survey was conducted March 7-10, 2018. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, ethnicity, education and region. The completed sample is 1,200 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the online panel does not exceed plus or minus 3 percentage points. (This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting.) Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. LifeWay Research is a Nashville-based, evangelical research firm that specializes in surveys about faith in culture and matters that affect churches. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Smietana is senior writer for Facts & Trends, a magazine and website of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. #JULY18

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (BP) – Every year, thousands of children across our country meet Jesus for the first time at Vacation Bible School (VBS). Imagine what might happen if every member at your church invited an unchurched child to VBS this summer. Consider these fresh publicity ideas: -- Form a creative, committed publicity team to motivate and enable every individual and church group to impact VBS attendance. -- Single adults coordinate an outdoor registration event for the community. The church softball team delivers door hangers to homes within a mile of the church. Senior adults pre-register members' children by phone. -- Middle schoolers prepare a short puppet show, performing in the local mall and the church foyer. The choir and praise team post advertisement signs strategically around the city. Garage salers share invitations as they shop to find cowboy hats for a western VBS theme. Homebound members commit to pray for children who will attend. -- Teens plan a Cell Party, recruiting dozens of adults to join them for a sixty minute phone blitz. Callers use their own cell phone, a script and simple registration form to invite and register kids who visited church last year -- Sunday School guests, sports, fall festival, daycare, Awana, mission groups, inactive members. When a child is registered the caller rings a bell and adds the name to a whiteboard. After a fast-paced hour, they pray for the children, enjoy snacks and celebrate. -- Individuals help. A techie member designs an outdoor banner invitation. A theatrical member wears a VBS mascot costume, such as a cowboy horse inflatable suit, to visit Sunday School classes or church and community events. Sunday School teachers wear bandanas to show VBS enthusiasm. An inviting story in the local paper shows an intriguing photo of VBS preparations. The women's ministry group rents a huge cowboy advertising balloon. -- Other members design the stage area. Woodworkers build a simple horse chute for children to enter, and some artistic members organize a branding iron design contest to create excitement. The deadline for children's brand ideas is a month ahead, and the winning design (announced during VBS) is made into a big rubber stamp to "brand" kids as they enter through the chutes each day. -- Simplify participation. Provide yard sign invitations for church members' lawns. Give everyone postcard invitations to share with friends and neighbors. Create e-invitations they can email friends. A week before VBS, deacons give every worshipper a helium balloon invitation to deliver to a neighbor. -- The youth group and their leaders plan a special "Howdy Partner" shindig for fifth graders shortly after VBS to honor them and welcome them into the youth department. Continue the cowboy theme with a barn venue, cowboy stew, western games and western style Christian music at a bonfire. Youth are assigned as prayer partners for the fifth graders, and spend time to pray and encourage them. -- On Sunday after VBS, young adult and children's classes have prepared for new guests who will attend, with quality Bible study and lots of extra chairs, greeters, curriculum and Bibles. Vacation Bible School can open doors to reach lost families for Christ, but only if those children come. Cast a large vision for every church member to help invite children to VBS. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Davis is the author of Fresh Ideas (B&H Publishing) and the wife of the Indiana Baptist State Convention executive director. #JULY18