Search Results

PORTAGE, MI – God called Billy Graham home on February 21, 2018. He was 99 years old (8 1/2 months before his 100th birthday). He was born 4 days before the end of World War I. He was born again during a Mordecai Ham revival at age 15. That was the day that changed his life. From his first Chicagoland Youth For Christ (YFC) effort to reach WW II servicemen and young people in 1944 through his 95th birthday evangelistic presentation, The Cross, Billy Graham proclaimed the Gospel. His words in The Cross video express his lifelong purpose: “With all my heart, I want to leave you with the truth that He loves you and wants to forgive you of your sins.” Considering Billy Graham's 74-year ministry is both challenging and encouraging. It challenges us to keep our focus where it really needs to be. Through all the distractions, difficulties, and opposition Billy maintained and even sharpened his focus on sharing Jesus in every setting and through every available means. Billy's ministry challenges us to remember the real power is God's power, and He is reliable. Prayer must surround all we attempt as we place the opportunity and need in God's hand. Billy Graham considered himself an ordinary preacher who presented the simple message of the Gospel with the words of the Bible trusting God to use His Word by placing it supernaturally into the human heart. Billy's ministry should encourage us as well. Through all the economic, political, and theological turmoil the Gospel message provides hope and direction. In all the turmoil of our day that remains true. So, the motto of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) is: Always Good News! As this 100th year comes to end let Billy’s testimony lead you and your church in a prayerful consideration of your stewardship of the Gospel. The My Hope video “Heaven” might be a particularly appropriate resource. You can get a copy from the BSCM, BGEA, or online at myhopewithbillygraham.org/programs. The task remains the same: share Jesus and encourage others to share Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Glidewell is the pastor of Amazing Grace Baptist Fellowship and serves as Associational Missionary for Souther Central Baptist Association. #NOVEMBER18

WASHINGTON, DC (BP) – In a speech to America's largest pro-gay lobbying group, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine said the Bible buttresses his support of same-sex marriage. And he predicted the Roman Catholic Church eventually will change its mind on the issue, like he has. Evangelical theologians, however, said Kaine appeared to distort biblical teaching and Catholic doctrine in service of a political agenda. Speaking Sept. 10 at the annual Human Rights Campaign (HRC) dinner in Washington, Kaine called himself a "devout Catholic" and acknowledged the Catholic Church is opposed to same-sex marriage, according to a video of the speech posted online. Virginia's junior senator said he formerly opposed legalizing same-sex marriage but recounted a personal conversion on the issue. As a candidate for Virginia lieutenant governor in 2001, Kaine told the Associated Press he opposed same-sex marriage. Four years later, he opposed granting adoption rights to same-sex couples while running for governor, according to The Washington Post. However, in 2006 he campaigned against Virginia's state constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. Then during his Senate campaign six years later, he supported same-sex adoption when declared by a judge to be in a child's best interest, The Post reported. Kaine's Senate votes have garnered a 90 percent approval rating from the HRC. On Saturday, Kaine told the HRC his change of mind on same-sex marriage stemmed in part from recognizing the dishonorable motives of some Virginia legislators who favored the commonwealth's marriage amendment. Behind the scenes, some lawmakers admitted that amending the state constitution to protect marriage was "a really bad idea" advanced to score political points with conservative voters, Kaine alleged. Moments later, Kaine discussed the relationship between his Catholic faith and his views on marriage. "My full, complete, unconditional support for marriage equality is at odds with the current doctrine of the church I still attend," Kaine said. "But I think that's going to change too." Such change may occur "because my church also teaches me about a creator in the first chapter of Genesis, who surveys the entire world including mankind and says, 'It is very good,'" Kaine said, referencing Genesis 1:31. "Pope Francis famously said, 'Who am I to judge?' And to that I want to add: Who am I to challenge God for the beautiful diversity of the human family? I think we're supposed to celebrate it, not challenge it." Biblically defenseless Stephen Andrews, professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press Kaine's use of Genesis 1 in support of same-sex marriage is "inaccurate, misleading and inconsistent with the clear teaching of the rest of the Bible." While God's statement that creation was "very good" included human sexuality, it was not focused on sexuality and certainly did not endorse same-sex sexual activity, Andrews said in written comments. Genesis 1-2 states that "God's plan for blessing is through the marriage of a man and a woman," Andrews said. "God created humankind as male and female (Gen. 1:27), not as male and male or female and female. This is significant because humanity is to be 'fruitful and multiply and fill the earth' (Gen. 1:28). This creation mandate could not be accomplished through same-sex marriage." In addition, God's affirmation of creation as "very good" occurred before the fall of humankind into sin and did not endorse any state of affairs that "came about because of man's sinful rebellion." "The idea that Genesis 1:31 covers same-sex marriage or any other form of sinful sexual expression," Andrews said, "assumes that God is responsible for whatever humanity has done in the past, present or future." By this same logic, "rape, pedophilia, bestiality and other sexual behavior is 'good.' ... Following this logic, it would also be possible to call the murderous actions of a Hitler or Khmer Rouge 'good.'" Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. made a similar point Sept. 14 in his podcast The Briefing, noting that from the fall forward, "we do see the glory of God revealed, but we also see, as the Scripture makes equally clear, the reality of human sinfulness and its consequences made clear in the creation." "Kaine's argument leaves him absolutely intellectually and morally -- not to say biblically -- defenseless against making any argument against polygamy or, for that matter, virtually anything else," Mohler said. "It is absolute nonsense to look at the world as we see it and say that's exactly what God intended and thus we must bless everything. "Of course, Sen. Kaine won't do that. He just has been selective when speaking to the Human Rights Campaign, selectively citing Genesis 1 where it is convenient for him," Mohler said. ‘Far afield' of Catholicism Rex Butler, professor of church history and patristics at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, told BP that Kaine appeared to misrepresent the trajectory of the Catholic Church on homosexuality. Kaine and certain other Catholic politicians appear to claim "the Catholic label when it suits them politically but subvert Catholic teachings when they contradict the politicians' support for same-sex marriage and abortion." Pope Francis has explained, Butler said, that his 2013 comment quoted by Kaine was not intended to condone same-sex sexual activity. "When questioned about his comment, 'Who am I to judge?', Pope Francis affirmed that he supports the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that homosexual acts are 'intrinsically disordered' and contrary to natural law. Accordingly, homosexual acts cannot be approved," Butler said in written comments. "At the same time, the Catholic Church acknowledges that a number of men and women have 'deep-seated homosexual tendencies,' but the Church denies that such tendencies are inborn," Butler said. "The Catechism goes on to instruct the Church to accept such men and women with 'respect, compassion, and sensitivity' and to avoid 'unjust discrimination.' Finally, 'homosexual persons are called to chastity,' with God's support against temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)." The pope's comment "fits well within the Catholic doctrine on homosexuality," Butler said. "Tim Kaine's support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and its agenda falls far afield of the Catholic Church to which he claims allegiance." A full video of Kaine's speech is available at hillaryspeeches.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #OCTOBER2016

NASHVILLE, TN – Learn from one of the greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, who noted,” Give me six hours to cut down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” The President understood the balance between action and preparation. It was the famed professional basketball star from Leeds, Alabama, Charles Barkley that said candidly, “You just can’t sit on the sidelines of life.” Many would surmise that “sharpening an ax” is akin to just sitting and doing nothing…Lincoln disagrees!! May this article’s be your call to action, even if that means a season of preparation. WHY? Because Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The time is always ripe to do right.” There was a man that feared NO man—but did fear the Lord! Let me ask you point blank, do you fear man…or the God who created the universe? If you are like me, excuses have marred you in the past, but “Hey, let us assume you are fresh out!” SO, NOW WHAT? If there is a NOW, then there is still time. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” Earl Nightingale. No more excuses! You may say, “Well, I have more time in the rear-view mirror than the windshield”—well then…congratulations, you have something to share with those who need to know. Henry Adams pointed out, “A teacher impacts eternity—he can never tell where his influence stops.” How true! The older and more experienced you are, the more you can pass to the next generation! Please hear me when I say, our next generation desperately needs wisdom from our elders. What if your next adventure requires you to move or travel or go the distance? Consider this scientific fact, the human circulatory system is more than sixty thousand miles long!! Now if God needs your blood to travel that far, maybe you should be willing to get off your “blessed assurance” and DO SOMETHING!! You know Carl Sandburg wasn’t all wrong when he quipped, “I’m an idealist…I don’t know where I am going, but I’m on my way.” Scripture challenges us, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Get a clue friend, you aren’t supposed to have a complete roadmap when you are a pilgrim away from home, and a sojourner headed home. Father Abraham certainly didn’t. Aha! Still not convinced—maybe your next phase is to learn to treat people better. I mean really—do you ever give yourself a grade? What’s your report card say? “Your smile is your LOGO…Your personality is your BUSINESS CARD. How you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your TRADEMARK.” Jay Danzie. Or as Martin Luther King Jr. preached, “to like someone is a sentimental something, but to love someone is a positive decision. It’s hard. It takes work. It’s a measure of who you are as a person—your decision to love in a world full of hate.” It is never too late for you to alter your course. I love the words of that great theologian and philosopher better known as “ZIGGY, “Just remember…If things look hopeless—maybe you’re facing the wrong direction.” Maybe try just looking to Jesus! Patrick Mahomes, winner of Superbowl 57 certainly does, said Patrick—“My Christian faith plays a role in everything I do. I always ask God to lead me in the RIGHT DIRECTION—and let me be who I am for HIS Name!” Dear Sir/Ma'am—guess what…You can too! No more excuses!!! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #APRIL23

ARLINGTON, TX (BP) – If you were to venture into the deep recesses of my stairwell closet, you would find several boxes labeled "Jared's Basketball Stuff." In one of those boxes is a Kobe Bryant figurine still in its original packaging, one of many pieces of NBA memorabilia I amassed growing up. Kobe Bryant was no ordinary basketball player, and so his was no ordinary figurine. It was a prized collectible. The six-inch statue was my way of feeling close to an NBA superstar who was far away. Like so many, the news of Kobe's passing stunned me on Sunday. Surely it was some kind of awful prank or unfortunate misreport. As the minutes ticked by it was confirmed by several news outlets that Kobe Bean Bryant, age 41, passed away unexpectedly in a helicopter crash, along with his daughter and several others. As Sunday afternoon wore on, I found myself profoundly bereaved at Kobe's passing. This wasn't a general sadness, but something deeper and more personal. How can I be so despondent over a person I've never met? And why is anyone ever upset over the unexpected passing of a celebrity they don't personally know? Judging from the collective reaction and responses since the news broke, it seems clear my sadness is shared by many. Kobe's death is a cultural moment unlike anything we've seen in recent years. Here are a few brief considerations as I process this most recent celebrity passing. First, we grieve because celebrities influentially display God's image in man. Kobe wasn't the only person to pass away yesterday, and I'm not just talking about in the helicopter accident. Some estimates show that roughly 150,000 people die per day in the world, and about two-thirds of these are age-related deaths, meaning they're expected and therefore not as tragic. This means that around 50,000 people died tragically on Sunday. But of Sunday's 150,000 deaths, Kobe is the only one that left the greater population forlorn, although every one of the 150,000 people who passed away were just as precious. This is because Kobe influentially displayed God's image in man. Celebrities, through their public lives, become mascots of the imago dei. As their talents bless us, we see God's incredible creative ability displayed in humanity. When a celebrity passes away, we're forced to pause and reflect upon the beauty of life and the impact a person can make in the world. Second, we grieve because we're reminded that death doesn't discriminate. We think of celebrities as immortal. We believe they are impervious to normal things like the flu or debt or in this case, a tragic passing. When a celebrity passes away, we're reminded of the potency of the Fall's curse as it manifests itself in death. We feel that if it can happen to a famous person, then there's nothing to stop it from happening to us. So, we hug our loved ones a little tighter the day a celebrity passes away. In this sense, a celebrity who is seemingly outside the jurisdiction of tragedy suddenly, through tragedy, becomes a reminder of our own fallibility. We're left to grieve their passing as we consider the imminence of our own. Finally, we grieve because of unfulfilled hope -- and share the hope within us. Celebrities are celebrities because they spend their lives sharing their gifts with the world. Through media, they are in our homes more than some of our own friends and family. Whether it's a singer, an actor, or in this case, a basketball player, celebrities grace us with their lives. They're like gifts, but their premature passing means the gift can no longer keep giving, and that leaves us feeling empty. But it's more than this. In Kobe's case, he leaves behind a wife and three young daughters. We grieve for lost celebrities not merely because of unfilled hopes of an album that won't be produced or a movie that won't be filmed, but because of children that won't be fathered or mothered or spouses that become widowed. I did not know Kobe Bryant personally, but I grieve him as if I did. And I think that's a good thing. Celebrity deaths have a unique way of reminding us of God's image in man, of showing us the difference we can make with our lives, and that we all need the hope of Christ as we navigate our way through a fallen world. As followers of Christ, we have a unique opportunity in this moment to share the hope within us. As Kobe's death prompts reflection -- as our friends and family members ponder their own mortality and the frailty of life -- there may be a window of openness to the Gospel. Even as we grieve alongside them, let's be ready to point toward the One who will one day wipe away every tear. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jared C. Wellman is pastor of Tate Springs Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. #FEBRUARY20

by ERLC Staff WASHINGTON, D.C.(BP) – This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled for a floor vote on a controversial bill titled the Equality Act. This legislation, filed as H.R. 5, seeks to expand the definition of “sex” to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” (SOGI) and would revise every title of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to add these categories as new protected classes in the federal code. Last Congress, the Equality Act passed in the House, but the bill died in the Senate. The ERLC affirms the full dignity of every human being. At the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, the messengers passed a resolution to “reaffirm the sacredness and full dignity and worthiness of respect and Christian love for every single human being, without any reservation.” But the Equality Act does not advance the cause of human dignity. If passed, H.R. 5 would punish faith-based charities for their core religious beliefs about human dignity and marriage and would undermine decades of civil rights protections for women and girls. Also alarming is the fact that House leadership is expected to bring these sweeping changes to the Civil Rights Act to the floor for a vote without holding a single committee hearing, debate or amendment process. What does this bill mean for religious liberty? This bill would substantially undermine religious liberty protections in the United States. America has long been a place where people with different views and beliefs have lived at peace alongside each other. Though America has not perfectly lived up to this ideal of a shared nation, it was central to our founding as persecuted religious minorities sought safe harbor in this land. Though cleverly named, the Equality Act is out of step with that American ideal. Equality cannot be achieved while eliminating other basic, fundamental freedoms. Of particular note, the bill would essentially gut the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a bill which passed with broad bipartisan support and was signed by President Clinton. By undermining RFRA, H.R. 5 would force faith-based child welfare organizations to abandon their deeply held religious beliefs or be shut down by the state. The state-forced closures of such agencies is especially detrimental at a time when multiple crises – including the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing opioid epidemic – have led to increases in the number of children in need of services. What does the bill mean for women and girls? Most strikingly, H.R. 5 undermines decades of hard fought civil rights protections for women and girls. Single gender spaces, such as locker rooms or shelters, would no longer be protected by law. This departure from a legal understanding of gender as male and female makes women and girls vulnerable to biological males being in their private spaces. For example, shelters for those women and girls escaping domestic abuse or homelessness would be forced to house biological men who identify as female. This legislation disregards the privacy and safety concerns women rightly have about sharing sleeping quarters and intimate facilities with the opposite sex. Another example of the harm this legislation poses to women and girls is in athletics and academics. Since 1972, Title IX has advanced women’s sports and scholarship in remarkable ways. If enacted, the Equality Act would threaten female competition as both areas would then be open to biological males as well. Are there pro-life concerns in the Equality Act? Yes. The Equality Act would be the most pro-abortion bill ever passed by Congress. H.R. 5 would redefine the term “sex” to also include “pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.” This language would roll back federal law that protects the consciences of pro-life nurses and physicians who object to participating in abortions because of their deeply held religious or moral beliefs. These conscience protections carry decades of bipartisan consensus – a consensus that no person should be compelled to participate in an act they believe to be gravely immoral. H.R. 5 would also jeopardize the longstanding Hyde Amendment that protects federal taxpayer dollars from funding abortion. There is nothing equalizing about forcing Americans to fund abortion through taxpayer dollars. How has the ERLC been involved? The ERLC has worked tirelessly to defeat this bill. We have partnered with a broad coalition of more than 85 faith-based nonprofits, religious entities, and institutions of higher education to highlight the dangers of H.R. 5. We have raised these concerns with members of Congress and the administration through coalition letters and countless meetings with members, administration officials, and their staff. We have also engaged in public advocacy against the bill by producing a suite of resources to inform Christians and the broader public about the pernicious threat of H.R. 5. What’s next? Unfortunately, we expect the bill to pass the House of Representatives this week, although with a narrower margin than the last Congress. However, 60 votes are required to overcome the filibuster in the Senate, which would bring the bill to a vote. In its current form, H.R. 5 would likely fall short of this threshold. The ERLC will continue promoting and defending the human dignity and religious liberty of all people on Capitol Hill, before the courts, and in the public square. As Russell Moore, president of the ERLC often notes, “A government that can pave over the consciences of some can steamroll over dissent everywhere.” The ERLC will continue to highlight how the Equality Act erodes fundamental freedoms and undermines the ability of Americans of diverse beliefs to work together for the common good. #MARCH21

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) – The United States government has new means to help protect Christians and other religious minorities around the world from persecution. President Obama signed into law Dec. 16 the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). The president's enactment of the legislation came only three days after Congress completed its approval of the bill without any opposition in either the Senate or House of Representatives. See related report. The new law -- supported by a diverse coalition of non-government organizations -- amends the original IRFA passed in 1998 by updating some of the measure's provisions in an effort to make the federal government's promotion of global religious freedom more effective. Southern Baptists were among those who applauded enactment of the legislation. "The bipartisan nature of this passage shows us that religious freedom does not have to be a partisan issue but is rooted in our deepest commitments as Americans, and I hope that persecuted religious minorities around the globe will see that they have not been forgotten," said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), in a written statement. "While the passage of this act by no means solves the religious freedom crisis around the world, it is a step in the right direction," Moore said. Sen. James Lankford, R.-Okla., a member of a Southern Baptist church in Oklahoma City, expressed his appreciation for the president's action. "Religious freedom is more than an American right; it is a human right," Lankford said in a written release. "As a world leader for freedom and the protection of basic human rights, the United States should take every opportunity to advocate for people to think, believe, and act according to their religious belief, whether they belong to a minority or majority religion." The new version of IRFA includes the following provisions intended to strengthen the U.S. promotion of freedom for all religious adherents: -- It requires the ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom to be able to report directly to the secretary of State; -- It institutes an "entities of particular concern" category -- a companion to the "countries of particular concern" classification used for nearly 20 years by the State Department -- for non-government actors, such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram. -- It establishes a "designated persons list" for individuals who violate religious freedom and authorizes the president to issue sanctions against those who participate in persecution. The new law -- signed by Obama without comment with nearly 50 other bills the same day -- also creates a list of overseas religious prisoners, mandates religious liberty training for all Foreign Service officers and calls for a minimum number of full-time staff members in the State Department's international religious freedom office. The original IRFA established a religious freedom office in the State Department to be headed by an ambassador-at-large. It also created an independent watchdog panel, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Wolf, the since-retired congressman from Virginia who long championed global religious liberty, sponsored IRFA 18 years ago. In its annual report in May, USCIRF said global religious liberty continued to decline in the previous year. The commission cited the rampant imprisonment of prisoners of conscience, the startling increase in refugees and the ongoing bigotry toward Jews and Muslims in Europe as examples of attacks on religious adherents. This year, violent religious persecution has been reported in such countries as Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria and Syria. The State Department named its "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) in April, adding Tajikistan to a list that already consisted of Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The CPC designation is reserved for governments that commit or tolerate "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom." USCIRF -- a bipartisan, nine-member panel appointed by the president and congressional leaders -- urged the State Department a month later to add the Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Vietnam to the CPC list. The Southern Baptist Convention has adopted numerous resolutions calling for religious freedom overseas, and the ERLC has backed IRFA throughout the legislation's history. The SBC approved its latest resolution on international religious freedom in 2015, saying it encourages U.S. government officials "to elevate religious liberty concerns to the highest priority in foreign policy, invoking sanctions against those nations which advocate or tolerate persecution of those with differing religious beliefs." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JANUARY17

by Dr David L. Thompson NASHVILLE, TN – What do you really have? No really, I’m not talking about a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. I’m talking about what do you really, really have? Someone wisely said, “All you really have is what money can’t buy and death can’t take!" If that is true, and I believe that it is with all my heart, then it may benefit you to focus on the things that really matter in life. I can think of a few things that really matter in life. I have a new hero named Sydney. Sydney Michelle McClaughlin is the fastest woman hurdler in the world in the 400 meter. She ran for the University of Kentucky and then represented the United States of America in the Olympics a few weeks ago. She is not my hero because she ran faster than anyone else, she is my hero because of what she said after she won the gold medal. She said, “What I have in Christ is far greater than this gold medal.” Sydney has something money can’t buy and death can’t take away. Florida’s beloved Coach Bowden got it right—When asked about what he said to his players, he replied “Your dad gum right I preached to those boys. I cared about where they would spend eternity." (Bobby didn’t always just say “dad gum”) Coach had something money can’t buy, and death can’t take away. No doubt he helped shape a generation of young men that would go on to become great leaders and Godly husbands and fathers. Do you have a life? Business and Christian leader, Dennis Phillips says, “A job is what you are hired to do, a career is what you're paid to do, but a life vocation is what you are called to do”. You, my dear friend, are called to pursue your purpose in life with incredible passion. That is something that no one can take from you. I guess you could say Walt Disney had that. Disney believed if you could dream it, you could do it. He never saw the great Disney park with his own physical eyes. Shortly before the grand opening, he passed away. There, on inauguration day, a ticker tape parade ensued which lasted for days it seemed, all in Walt’s honor. There, his wife was told by the CEO, “I wish Walt was here to see all this." She replied, “Oh he saw it, that’s why it’s here”. If you have a dream, be passionate about it because no one can take that from you. I guess what I’m saying is that it is not your relationship to things, but to people that matter now and for all eternity. While I served as Secretary Treasurer for the pastors conference of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville Tennessee, I had the great privilege to lay hands on my mentor, Adrian Rogers. He had been diagnosed with cancer. I will never forget what he said, “I am in a win-win situation: If I live, I win. If I die, I win!" That’s the way it is for every child of God, only our Heavenly Father’s heirs have something that money can’t buy, and death can’t take away. So, I ask you one more time, what do you really have in life? Don’t wait for “Michael” or “Fred” or “Sandy “or some other storm to hit to alter your life. With God’s help, you too can have something money can’t buy—and death can never ever take away—A beautiful and passionate life that belongs to Jesus Christ, and a loving relationship with those around you—that will last forever! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #FEBRUARY22

by Tom Strode WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) – The U.S. Supreme Court delivered what most religious liberty advocates declared an important victory in ruling Monday (June 27) the post-game, midfield prayer of a high school football coach did not violate the First Amendment’s ban on government establishment of religion. In a 6-3 opinion, the justices decided the Bremerton (Wash.) School District actually violated the First Amendment rights of Joseph Kennedy by removing him as a coach because of its concerns his practice infringed on the Establishment Clause. In doing so, the majority acknowledged it no longer abides by a more than 50-year-old standard in church-state cases known as the Lemon test. “[A] government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance doubly protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment,” Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the court’s opinion. “And the only meaningful justification the government offered for its reprisal rested on a mistaken view that it had a duty to ferret out and suppress religious observances even as it allows comparable secular speech. “The Constitution neither mandates nor tolerates that kind of discrimination.” Joining Gorsuch in the majority were Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion that was endorsed by Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), applauded the decision. “As any Christian knows, our faith is deeply personal and rightly shapes every aspect of our lives,” Leatherwood said in an ERLC news release. “We live out our faith in any number of ways, both privately and publicly. “Today’s case centered on the latter and the Supreme Court rightly determined that an individual employed by a school does not forfeit his or her constitutional right to free expression simply by entering ‘the schoolhouse gate’ or, as it were in this case, the field of play.” The ERLC joined in three friend-of-the court briefs in support of Kennedy, two urging the Supreme Court to review rulings by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and one in March calling for the justices to reverse the lower court. “The Establishment Clause, as properly interpreted, does not override the government’s duty to accommodate the free exercise of religion on a nondiscriminatory basis,” the most recent brief said. The Ninth Circuit Court in San Francisco twice ruled against Kennedy, who was ultimately joined by some players and others in the on-field prayers. In a 2021 opinion, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court said the school district would have violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause had it permitted Kennedy to continue to engage in his on-field, religious exercise after games. In the court’s opinion, Gorsuch said, “Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic – whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head.” The school district sought to “generate conflict between an individual’s rights under the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses and its own Establishment Clause duties. . . . Not only does the District fail to offer a sound reason to prefer one constitutional guarantee over another. It cannot even show that they are at odds,” he wrote. “In truth, there is no conflict between” the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses on one hand and the Establishment Clause on the other, according to Gorsuch’s majority opinion. Leatherwood said the ruling reaffirms the following “aspect of constitutional law: our First Amendment rights travel together. We, and many others, have long held that religious liberty is our nation’s first freedom and that it bolsters and strengthens other foundational rights.” “The Court today strengthened this perspective by writing that the clauses of free expression, establishment and free speech are all complementary,” he said. “If it were not already clear enough, this Court views religious liberty as a bedrock right in our free republic.” The oft-criticized Lemon test became a subject of discussion during April’s arguments in the case, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. The Lemon test was based on a standard offered in the 1971 Lemon v. Kurtzman opinion, which said a law must have a secular purpose, not primarily promote or restrict religion and “not foster an excessive entanglement with religion” to avoid a violation of the Establishment Clause. In Monday’s opinion, Gorsuch said the school district and the Ninth Circuit Court overlooked that Lemon’s “ahistorical approach to the Establishment Clause became so ‘apparent’ [citing an earlier decision] that this Court long ago abandoned Lemon and its [government] endorsement [of religion] test offshoot.” The Supreme Court has explained the Lemon and endorsement tests “’invited chaos’ in lower courts, led to ‘differing results’ in materially identical cases, and created a ‘minefield’ for legislators,” Gorsuch wrote, again quoting a previous opinion. Instead, the high court has emphasized an “analysis focused on original meaning and history” has “long represented” its Establishment Clause doctrine, he wrote. In her dissent, Sotomayor said the court’s opinion “is no victory for religious liberty.” “It elevates one individual’s interest in personal religious exercise, in the exact time and place of that individual’s choosing, over society’s interest in protecting the separation between church and state, eroding the protections for religious liberty for all,” she wrote. The high court “now goes much further” than its recent church-state opinions, “overruling Lemon entirely and in all contexts,” Sotomayor wrote. “It is wrong to do so.” Becket, a religious freedom advocacy organization, tweeted, “We are thrilled that the Supreme Court recognized the importance of religious expression and finally buried the Lemon test that restricted religious expression. “Religion should not be scrubbed from the public square just because it makes a few people uncomfortable. And a person’s faith – like Coach Kennedy’s – shouldn’t be forced to stay private.” John Bursch, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a written statement the high court was right to reverse the Ninth Circuit’s decision “that wrongly reasoned that Coach Kennedy’s personal, on-field prayers were not his own, but the government’s. American citizens don’t give up the right to prayerfully practice their faith during working hours when they accept a job with a public employer.” Advocates for a strict separation between church and state decried the opinion. Holly Hollman, general counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said the decision “undermines religious freedom in public schools by holding that school officials must accommodate a public school teacher’s religious exercise at a school event.” The court “pays lip service to religious freedom but throws out any concern about avoiding government pressure on students,” she said in a written release. In 2008, Kennedy – an assistant coach with the Bremerton (Wash.) High School varsity team – began the practice of walking to the 50-yard line after each game, kneeling and briefly praying, thanking God for the players. Players eventually began joining him, and Kennedy, who was also head coach of the junior varsity team, continued to pray at midfield following games for the next seven years. He also reportedly gave motivational speeches to players on both teams who gathered around him. During the 2015 season, the school district superintendent sent a letter to Kennedy telling him to refrain from the post-game prayers and from religious expression in his motivational talks to players. The superintendent said Kennedy’s practices likely violated the Establishment Clause. After abiding by the mandate for a few weeks, Kennedy returned to his former practice of praying at midfield and was joined by others. The school district placed Kennedy on administrative leave as a result. The athletic director recommended the school not rehire him in 2016, and Kennedy declined to apply for a coaching position when a new varsity head coach was hired for the next season. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. #JULY22

NASHVILLE, TN – What makes you happy? Not a trick question: many cannot easily answer that! One of America’s sweethearts has this to say about it, “Optimism is a happiness magnet.” Does Mary Lou Retton have it about right? If that’s the case though then it begs the question… what creates “Optimism?” This is where you may disagree! It is the conviction of this author that one thing stands out as the perfect champion of being an “Optimism Builder“ and the winner is -Being truly listened to. People who are actually heard feel valued. People who are valued feel appreciated. People who are appreciated feel hopeful and people who are hopeful simply feel optimistic! It’s not rocket science. So, see if something in these next few paragraphs can make you a champion listener. Challenge yourself to learn to engage others at the highest level—just maybe you will then create a world of happiness for someone. “When we listen, we hear someone into existence,” Laurie Buchanan. That is only the genesis of the awesome power one has—just by being silent and listening. Laurie also noted, “One of the benchmarks of great communicators is their ability to listen not just to what’s being said but to listen to what’s not being said as well….they listen between the lines.” Truly, there is great influence in effective listening. Does God know that? Of course, He does. The Psalmist actually penned these words—“I love the Lord because He hears my voice.” Did you ever really realize this axiom? Why does our Lord repeatedly have to remind us—“listen then if you have ears.” Here’s a thought: “It’s hard to engage in listening with empathy to another person if you are waiting for the spotlight to shine back on you.” So says psychologist, Ramani Durvasula. If you would desire to increase this coming year—you may need to decrease first! Become the person others long to communicate to. Agatha Christie quipped, “An appreciative listener is always stimulating.” By the way—Jesus is always listening, not to catch you in something bad but because He loves you so good. But the fact that the Sovereign of the Cosmos is listening should in fact—stimulate you to greater optimism! Could it be that God does value you? Bryant H. McGill said,” One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what others have to say.” Your perfect Heavenly Father does value you, respect you, and always listen to you! It has nothing to do with you being “Naughty or Nice.” Lastly, Henri Nouwen gave us this, “Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure.” Are you possibly disturbed when God seems silent and distant? Ahh dear friend, just stop and listen—listen—shhhh—listen. That is simply His way of drawing you near!! That is worth sticking to! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. David L. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Psychology and Religion, a graduate degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Education, and a doctorate in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He has served as a chairman of the Church Planting Group and Executive Committee Chair at the North American Mission Board for 10 years. He has been a Police Chaplain since 1991 and served as a Corporate Chaplain to the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife. He has six children and five grandsons. #JANUARY23

NEWARK, DE (BP) – More than 200 Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) leaders and volunteers from across North America arrived at Ogletown Baptist Church for the SBDR Roundtable Jan. 23-25. The mostly gold-bedecked army of SBDR volunteers is a unique group. For Dan Hyun, BCM/D partnership team leader, who led a breakout session titled “Healthy Rhythms for Helpers,” it was the first time being at a large SBDR event. “You have a particular culture and feel,” he told the group. “You ‘get’ each other.” Hyun called attendees heroes — giving of themselves to help others in times of distress. Disaster Relief volunteers refer to that culture as the “DR Family,” and that family bond was very much in evidence as volunteers from 38 of 42 Baptist state and regional conventions, including Canada and Puerto Rico, reunited with partners they have worked with side by side in difficult, often traumatic situations. Many recalled challenges and innovations surrounding recent disasters, including Hurricane Idalia, flooding in Vermont, the Maui fires and other major events. There was immediate camaraderie as strangers became engaged in conversation while perusing the SBDR response trailers in the parking lot or between classes — sharing ideas and discovering ways to improve their work. The conference offered a wide range of advanced training opportunities for volunteers in chaplaincy, using drones in damage assessment, managing a mass care feeding site, incident management administrative best practices, equipment safety and maintenance and other technical and ministry topics. Crisis Response Director for Send Relief Coy Webb said in addition to a wonderful turnout and some great training sessions, one of the highlights this year was an anticipated strengthened partnership with the Salvation Army. “It will be beneficial to both organizations, and we’re very excited,” Webb said, adding that he is particularly pleased that the Salvation Army is faith-based. “I think we’re going to see, in the near future, a great opportunity for us to have some partnership with them that will release some resources to strengthen our feeding ability in times of disaster,” Webb said. Webb spoke highly of the newly updated and revamped Disaster Relief Operations Manual. The annual training conference and business session was planned this year by the four Northeast state conventions with Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) SBDR Director Ellen Udovich and the Maryland/Delaware team hosting. The SBDR team with the Baptist Resource Network (Pennsylvania/South Jersey) assisted in preparing hundreds of meals and serving at the awards banquet. Awards One of the most anticipated events of the annual roundtable is the awards dinner. Each year, volunteers are nominated for national awards by their state convention SBDR directors, with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Steering Committee making the final selection. This year’s keynote speaker for the dinner was longtime national SBDR Leader Eddie Blackmon, who shared about the need to trust in the Lord. “Partners are important, but we need to partner with the Lord,” he said, sharing that he has witnessed many times how God has provided what was needed on the field. Henry Blackaby’s book, “Experiencing God,” had a huge impact on Blackmon’s life, and that carried over to serving disaster relief. One of Blackaby’s major themes in the book was recognizing where God is working and joining Him in what He is doing. There’s no better ministry than SBDR for putting that into practice, said Blackmon. “God is all around you.” The following awards were presented: Distinguished Service Awards for exceptional service Michael Fujimoto, Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention Daniel Arnold, Northwest Baptist Convention Brian Gueringer, Louisiana Baptist Convention Tom Malott, Missouri Baptist Convention Debbie Klepinger, State Convention of Baptists in Ohio Artie Horn, Missouri Baptist Convention Joel W. Phillips Outstanding Achievement Award Tom Waites, Louisiana Baptist Convention Mike Bastin, Kentucky Baptist Convention George Blevins, Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware Robert E. Dixon Award for a lifetime of service Linda Gregory, Florida Baptist Convention Jerry & Andy Cable, Kentucky Baptist Convention Laddie Adams Retiring State Director Award: Mike Bivins – California Southern Baptist Convention SBDR Steering Committee Service: Mark Wakefield, Alabama Baptist Convention Kenton Hunt, Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey Roundtable Business The Roundtable itself was held on the final day of the conference. State SBDR directors, along with Coy Webb and other national leaders, met to set the direction of the organization, hear reports, delegate to working committees and set policy. Highlights of the session included greetings from national partners, including the Red Cross, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), and Lowe’s. The state directors also approved recommendations clarifying the basic qualifications of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief chaplains and discussed the new SBDR Operations Manual, which provides a framework for the various entities of the SBDR network to maximize organizational leadership in coordinating disaster responses at both the command and functional levels. The meeting concluded with a challenge for the network to prioritize mutual aid and support as SBDR is being called upon to respond to more frequent and severe disaster and crisis events locally and nationally. Next year’s Winter Roundtable will be in San Antonio, Texas. The convention directors also meet each June following the SBC annual meeting. #FEBRUARY24

MONROE – It’s the month of February where our thoughts tend to focus on hearts and love and all things chocolate. However, as the most Hallmark of holidays approaches (Valentine’s Day), I would like you to consider one of the often overlooked ways that Christians are to show love for God and for one another. God’s word commands us to show hospitality. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:13 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:8-9 As a young pastor’s wife in rural Iowa many years ago, I was challenged and encouraged by the book The Hospitality Commands by Alexander Strauch. It had a profound effect on the way I perceived and practiced loving God and others. One of the key takeaways is that hospitality promotes loving Christian community. Hospitality is an identifying mark of the Christian life! In our fast paced, individualist society it is easy to put aside the Biblical command to practice hospitality. We live in a time that fosters isolation along with increasingly demanding work and family schedules. We are also bombarded by endless entertainment options and online diversions that distract us from deep and meaningful relationships. Hospitality is hard. It takes work and time and sacrifice. Hospitality is not always convenient. For some, hospitality can be downright scary. Rosaria Butterfield offers some challenging counsel in her book, The Gospel Comes with a House Key. She writes, “Knowing your personality and your sensitivities does not excuse you from ministry. It means that you need to prepare for it differently than others might.” In other words, despite our objections, we have no excuses. So,  how do we practically start showing hospitality in love for God and others? Here are some steps that help me practice hospitality: Make a plan and start slowly. You do not have to fill every evening with people in your home.Pick a regular time and make a commitment. It might be once a month or once a week for your family. For our family, Sunday at noon works great. Keep a running list of people that you can encourage with your offer of hospitality. You should not always invite the same group of friends. Consider including the lonely and hurting and unchurched. Make a list of simple and inexpensive meals. You do not have to break the bank to be hospitable. We do a baked potato bar, much to the dismay of my children, almost every single week. It helps me know what to prepare each Saturday evening and it fits in with most dietary restrictions. Focus on people and not presentation. You do not need to have a gourmet meal or an immaculate house. Our goal is to show the love of Christ, not to try and be in the pages of House Beautiful. Pray for yourself and your guests. Hospitality provides us with a wonderful opportunity to spread the gospel. In this season of love, let us not forget that hospitality is a very tangible way we are commanded to show our affection for God and others. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kristie Anderson is a wife, mom and homeschooler. She is a native of Kentucky, but has called Iowa, East Asia, and Michigan her home. She loves Jesus, hanging out with her husband, reading aloud to her kids, and drinking good coffee. #FEBRUARY24

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Our Midwest churches and people are different from other regions in the US. I think that is why I love the practical nature of churches that are moving forward and accelerating Gospel movement in their community and state. Every two years twelve Midwest states come together and have a Midwest Leadership Summit. These Midwest states send their pastors and church leaders to Springfield, Illinois to hear from several great national speakers and choose from 60+ breakout sessions. They also hear testimonies from practitioners and how they are spreading the gospel message in our Midwest settings. There was such a good list of speakers and breakout group leaders that it was difficult to choose the one that inspired me the most this year. I think Trevin Wax, North American Mission Board (NAMB) VP of research and resource development and former missionary to Romania, compelled me the most. He spoke at the opening night plenary session, and I went to his breakout group the next morning called Meeting the Challenge of Discipleship in a “You Be You” Culture. The relevancy of the postmodern subject of the You Be You culture was spot on. I’m a member of Treeline Church in Ann Arbor whose focus is to reach students for Christ at the University of Michigan. They have a strong discipleship program. I’ve seen that the You Be You mindset is not just with the new generation, but it is a culture that spreads into all age groups and is even in our churches across the US. The focus is on “express individualism” which believes humans are inherently good, institutions are suspect, and external authority is rejected and internal authority is exalted. “Express individualism” allows you to be your own boss. Trevin spoke from his great depth of understanding of the culture. He had sources to back his conclusions. He looked at trends, and gave verbiage and meanings of those mantras. He pointed out openings in the culture today where Christians should step up and share the solid foundation of the Word of God, and lovingly share the Gospel with a world that is lonely and lost without Christ. A few things that caught my heart in the You Be You culture was their beliefs of: Be true to yourself is the utmost goal. Look inside for who you are, then to others, and finally up to a deity. Greatest sin is not being yourself. You must applaud others who are being themselves. There’s an explosion of pseudo-religions to choose between. We’ve moved from institutional religion to intuitional religion. It’s sad to know these all lead to loneliness. We were created to be relational, to have a relationship with God. That is the only thing that will satisfy our souls.  Trevin shared opportunities that the church has in sharing the gospel with this You Be You culture: To step into the culture and beckon people into a Kingdom much bigger than oneself. The gospel pushes us out of center and puts God where He belongs. The gospel invites people into a bigger world of adventure, to expand their horizons to a Kingdom that is everlasting. The gospel is a more exciting non-conformity! To not conform would be NOT listening to yourself or expressing yourself. Jesus says to deny yourself and follow Him. Some of the phrases that have crept into our churches from the You Be You culture are: You are enough. Follow your dreams. You do you. Trevin suggested that we can recognize that we’re affected by self-expression by staying connected to the Global Church, going on mission trips, and being around international Christians and churches. See how they pray, share, and testify of following God while denying themselves for the sake of others. We know that the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges any way of life that says, Me first! I found myself grieving for this culture that thinks they have nowhere to lay their sin-guilt (the cross). Their first commandment is to be yourself and the second is like it, affirm your neighbor’s self-expression. Thank God that He knows us. He knows us even better than we know ourselves. God, help us be open to sharing your foundation of truth in this pervasive culture that is slipping away from coming to see You as the Authority, Creator, and our only Salvation and Guide in life. The 2024 Midwest Leadership Summit video recordings of the sessions are at https://vimeo.com/showcase/10932605.  Trevin Wax’s plenary session video is at https://vimeo.com/showcase/10932605/video/905845827 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie Lynn works at the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. She's a member at Treeline Church in Ann Arbor (new church start that is focusing on university students). It's her joy to mentor several young women. Jamie loves spending time with her husband Tony, her three kids and spouses, and nine grandchildren. #FEBRUARY24