8-10-17 ABN Now

EWS

Telling the story of Arkansas Baptists since 1901

Inside: – Freeze resigns from Ole Miss – 5,000 campers fill Camp Siloam – National CP 5% above projection – Ark. governor hosts Hope Summit – Send Orlando: Redefine your life

Volume 116, Number 16

Cooperative Program Arkansas Baptist giving reaches state, nation and world Special section

August 10, 2017

Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

Photo by Reuters

From Ouachita to the White House Page 3

ABN classifieds get results!

POSTAGE INFORMATION

Read them on Page 12.

The ABN classifieds are a great way to advertise for your church, ministry or business.

You can now submit a classified ad via the ABN website at

arkansasbaptist.org/ad

2

Digest Stories of interest to Arkansas Baptists

Freeze resigns amid scandal at Ole Miss OXFORD, Miss. – The forced resignation of Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze – an outspoken follower of Jesus – amid what the university described as “moral turpitude” has left believers disappointed and expressing hope for repentance.

Freeze, a regular speaker at churches and conferences whose Twitter account is filled with Christian references, resigned July 20 after the university discovered a “pattern of personal misconduct inconsistent with the standards we expect from the leader of our football team,” Chancellor Jeff Vitter said, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

Freeze was head football coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro during the 2011 season, leading the Red Wolves to a 10-2 overall record and a perfect 8-0 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The team played in the GoDaddy Bowl, but Freeze accepted the Ole Miss job prior to the bowl and did not coach the game.

While in Jonesboro, Freeze, his wife, Jill, and daughters Jordan, Ragan and Madison, were members of Central Baptist Church where Archie Mason, former Arkansas Baptist State Convention president, is senior pastor.

“I truly believe that [Freeze] is a good man,” said Mississippi pastor Clarence Cooper, a friend of Freeze’s for two decades.

“And he has been overtaken with a fault. In his text to me was, ‘I love you.

Please pray for me. Please stand by me and pray for my family,’” Cooper said.

Freeze was featured in the Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) in 2011 while coaching at Arkansas State.

For more ABN Digest, go to arkansasbaptist.org/abn-digest

5,000 campers fill Camp Siloam

August 10, 2017

SILOAM SPRINGS – “I’ve standing up for our faith even never had someone who I had when times may get tough.

“I had a great week at camp. never met before put their hand on my shoulder and pray Each year, I come with a life for me,” said Jessie Paul, Iron- that is horrible and full of ton Baptist Church in Little sin, but here at Siloam, God Rock. “It was the best feeling moves and speaks,” said Josiah in the world. Doug [Compton] Faught, First Baptist Church had some great messages and in Jasper. He said one of the definitely changed my outlook things he likes best about the on life. This was one of the camp is the worship service.

“The band is awesome, but the best weeks ever!”

At Camp Siloam, children message is great!”

Students from New Site Baptist Church in Monett, Mo. – Amidu Pyle, Carly Jenkins, The worship services at Grace Wormington, Robyn Wormington – smile for the camera during camp. and youth come with the expectation of God moving in Camp Siloam are the most big ways. From the most bro- talked about activity at camp. to Christ and could see more year to finish raising the reken of families, to the stron- In addition to the creative pro- than 400 professions of faith maining balance of $600,000 of the $3.4 million goal for the gest of relationships, campers gramming, Camp Siloam also by the end of this summer.

Feed My Sheep campaign for “I realized that I wasn’t asks the speakers to be very income ready to worship their heavenly Father in an environ- tentional in sharing the gospel praying about God’s plan for a new dining hall. If Camp Siment where they not only feel of Jesus Christ, making sure me, so I started. Last year I loam is unable to raise this resafe, but also feel freed from campers fully understand the was called to missions, but I maining amount by January 1, the burdens that this world is complete and perfect truth of haven’t acted on that yet, so 2018, the Mabee Foundation I decided to start praying that will retract a $250,000 award, the Word of God. weighing them down with.

“I believe that this was the God would use me to reach according to Jason Wilkie, “Thank you for teaching children to worship and be in best camp experience that I others and to teach me how, Camp Siloam executive directhe Word,” said Cherie Estes, have ever had,” said John Rep- not just overseas, but every tor.

Because of the condition First Baptist Church in Mor- pond, Pleasant Valley Baptist day,” said Joy Calwell, First Baptist Church of the dining hall, this is currilton. “ They rently the greatest need to be in Hackett. need this so des“Ever y year met at Camp Siloam. Without perately in the has been amaz- a new dining hall, the camp broken families ing, helping ministry will not be able to and world we live draw me closer continue, said Wilkie. in. It was a great “I am so grateful for the to Christ, along week; the staffers with my church generosity of people throughwere very helpful. group,” said Riley out the state who have made it Great food, great Keafer, First Bap- possible for us to reach 80 peratmosphere, I tist Church of cent of our goal,” said Wilkie. was impressed Omaha. “God “So many gifts have laid the from the mohas worked in foundation for the $1 million ment we pulled many of the lives gift of the Bonner Family and in and we were around me.” She grant from the Mabee Foundaprayed for in our added that the tion. We are so close!” vehicles.”

Founded in 1923 as the Camp Siloam exEach summer, Students at Camp Siloam pray during an altar call at the 2017 summer perience “chang- Arkansas Baptist Assembly, Camp Siloam camp experience. es so many lives Camp Siloam has been sharleaders write a five-part drama to convey the Church in Heber Springs. every day. Camp Siloam is my ing the gospel of Jesus Christ for more than 94 years with annual theme. The theme “The staff here is awesome, home away from home.”

By the end of the summer, thousands of people. Each ties into each summer’s pro- and the speakers were amazgramming, as well. This year’s ing. The Lord did work in my Camp Siloam is expecting 216 week of summer camp contheme is “Cave Match: Time heart this week to give me a churches to bring 5,229 camp- sists of a live worship band, renewed commitment to serve ers from seven states to Siloam youth and children’s speakto Rock.”

Springs. With this being the ers, entertaining drama and In the Bible, Esther 4:14 Him.” What makes Camp Siloam last summer in the old Hat- recreation.

(NIV) says, “For if you remain The camp offers a Blast silent at this time, relief and so effective in sharing the field Dining Hall, a building deliverance for the Jews will gospel are the same elements that has stood for more than Camp, for campers who have arise from another place, but that have worked since the 94 years, the staff is looking completed 3rd-6th grade; you and your father’s family old-school tent revivals: a large forward to seeing God bring Forge Camp, for campers who will perish. And who knows group of people setting aside even more campers to Camp have completed 6th-12th grade but that you have come to your time, praying, expecting God Siloam next year due to the and Infusion, a combination of both Blast and Forge camproyal position for such a time to move, retreating to the wil- new facility.

In January, Camp Siloam ers. as this?” This summer, Camp derness and listening to the During the off-season of Siloam is exploring what it teaching of the Word of God was awarded a $250,000 looks like to live a courageous multiple times. This sum- challenge grant from the J.E. summer camp, Camp Siloam life for God in the circum- mer, Camp Siloam has seen and L.E. Mabee Foundation. functions as a retreat and constances we are placed in, boldly 340 campers give their lives Camp Siloam was given one ference center.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

Sanders 3rd woman WH press secretary

Digest Stories of interest to Arkansas Baptists

Margaret Colson Arkansas Baptist News WASHINGTON – While the election of former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton as president in 1992 will go down in history as perhaps the most famous Baptist from the Natural State to occupy the White House, the naming of Sarah Huckabee Sanders as press secretary in the administration of President Donald Trump is certainly generating the most headlines today.

Sanders, a native Arkansan and graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, became only the third woman in U.S. history to serve as White House press secretary on July 21. She replaced embattled press secretary Sean Spicer in the high profile role.

As the daughter of former two-term Arkansas governor, pastor and presidential contender Mike Huckabee, Sanders grew up in the world of politics, becoming involved in her father’s campaign for Arkansas governor even as a young girl knocking on doors and putting up yard signs.

Through the years she refined her political savvy, serving as her father’s campaign manager in his bid for U.S. president in the most recent election and then as a senior advisor to then-presidential candidate Trump after Huckabee withdrew from the race.

In a recent podcast in which 34-year-old Sanders was interviewed by Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, Floyd described Sanders as “one of the most powerful young women in America. She is fearless … quick on her feet ... a rising star in the administration.”

Speaking to Floyd in the podcast, Sanders said her role in the White House is an “absolute privilege; it’s an honor to be here. My goal is every day to never forget that – to walk in and be reminded of how grateful I am to be here.”

She credits her role in the White House “not because of anything [I] did but certainly by the grace of God and so many other people who: one, helped get the president elected and two, helped [me] be … blessed enough to be part of his administration.”

Rising to such a strategic

3

National CP receipts 5.08% above projection

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 34, White House press secretary, posts excerpts from press briefings on her Facebook page. She is a 2004 graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and daughter of former Arkansas pastor and Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Her liberal arts education at national role at a relatively young age, Sanders said she is Ouachita “contributed to her grateful for her parents, broth- ability to address, with coners and husband, who are all fidence and competence, an extraordinarily wide variety of “incredibly supportive.”

Her parents, she said, en- topics and issues. She came to courage her to “be myself … be campus with far more insight true to myself and be faithful. into the political world than Everything else will fall into most of her peers. Still, in her political science courses, she place if I do those things.”

She also quickly acknowl- became even more knowledgeedges that her college years at able about American government and politics. I Ouachita Baptist Unibelieve her commuversity (OBU) “shaped nications courses ada lot of who I became vanced her presentaas an adult and helped tion skills. She is the prepare me – in ways chief intermediary I didn’t even know at between the president the time – for life and and the media, and what was next. I want her college experience to give credit to my alma mater for help- Huckabee Sanders enhanced her knowledge of both,” Bass ing push me and for as a Ouachita said. the friends that I made student.

As the “chief interthere.”

Sanders earned a Bachelor mediary,” Sanders said her of Arts degree from Ouachita goal each day is “to reflect the in 2004, with a major in po- president’s message and … litical science and a minor in agenda,” describing the presimass communications. While dent as a man who is “incredon campus, Sanders was in- ibly smart,” one who “has the volved in numerous extracur- ability to take in an enormous ricular activities, including the amount of information very student senate, college Repub- quickly and make a decision.”

Also, she said that the presilicans and a servant-leadership program. She was also named dent “has a bigger heart than outstanding senior woman, an some people give him credit award voted on annually by for.”

In her role as White House OBU faculty.

“Sarah left Ouachita well- press secretary, she said she prepared for her career in poli- strives to be “truthful, honest tics and specifically political and transparent,” keeping in communications,” said Jon mind that she has three young Merryman, Ouachita director children at home and that she wants “anything that I say … of alumni relations.

One of Sanders’ professors, to be something that I would Hal Bass, Ouachita professor want them to be comfortable emeritus of political science, hearing and something that I recalls his young student as would never have to explain or “bright, poised, articulate, re- apologize to them for.”

Her children, she said, also sponsible, a student leader, and lots of fun. I think all of help her keep a balance in these attributes are on display her hectic life in Washington, D.C. in her current role.”

“Being a mom of toddlers has helped me to master the ability to multitask,” she said.

She blocks off time to be with her family, setting aside her phone and engaging her children in conversation. “It makes me not just a better mom but a better person when I have those kinds of reminders of what’s really important and what my priorities are,” she said.

In today’s world of 24-hour news cycles, little if any “accountability” for many media professionals, and assertions of fake news, Sanders counsels Americans to do their own research into what is being presented as news. “Look at the facts instead of the commentary,” she said, and make decisions based upon documented facts.

Having risen through the ranks from lowly campaign positions to an influential role in the White House, Sanders wants to reflect humility and recognize her roots, noting that “to lead by example” is a key leadership lesson she has learned.

“Never ask anybody to do something that you’re not willing to do yourself or that you haven’t done. It helps to remember all of those things that I was doing at 16, 17, 22,” said Sanders, who was named one of Time magazine’s top 40 under 40 in politics in 2010, when she was still in her twenties.

Sanders is “not intimidated; she stands strongly; speaks clearly. She really is amazing,” said Floyd.

To listen to Floyd’s conversation with Sanders in its entirety, visit ronniefloyd.com.

Contact Margaret Colson at margaret@arkansasbaptist.org.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist Convention national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 5.08 percent above the year-to-date SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget projection, and are 1.15 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Frank S. Page.

As of July 31, gifts received by the Executive Committee for distribution through the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget through the first nine months of the convention’s fiscal year (October to September) totaled $165,503,652.87.

Ark. governor hosts Restore Hope Summit LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will host the second Restore Hope Summit Sept.

7-8, 2017, at Saint Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock.

The summit is scheduled for 1-5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7, and 8 a.m. – noon, Friday, Sept. 8.

According to organizers, the purpose of the summit is to motivate and facilitate business and faith leaders in caring for children in foster care and individuals re-entering society from prison. The summit’s aim is to equip business leaders, clergy and lay leaders with the tools to partner with existing programs that seek to assist members of these target groups.

For more information about the summit, or to register, visit governor.arkansas.gov/RestoreHope.

For more ABN Digest, go to arkansasbaptist.org/abn-digest

Editorial&Opinion 4

August 10, 2017 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have...”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Whatever happened to the Brotherhood Commission?

O

n July 29 at Germantown Baptist Church near Memphis, Tenn., there was a gathering of people who once led or were friends of what I believe was one of the most unique agencies ever created by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

The gathering was of former employees and colleagues of the now-defunct Southern Baptist Brotherhood Commission.

I was privileged to join the staff of the Brotherhood Commission at age 28 as editor of Baptist Young Men’s materials, and I served there for about six years.

As an agency of the SBC, the Brotherhood Commission developed programs of work involving men and boys in missions. Brotherhood work began as a national organization among Southern Baptists in 1907 in Richmond, Va., as the Layman’s Missionary Movement. The name was changed in 1926 to the Baptist Brotherhood of the South. In 1938 its headquarters were moved to Memphis, and in 1950 it assumed its final name, the Brotherhood Commission.

The Brotherhood is the former home of some mission education programs many Southern Baptists will remember: Royal Ambassadors (RAs), Pioneers, Baptist Men, disaster relief (DR), and in later years, World Changers.

I was – like many young boys who grew up in the 1960s – a member of RAs at my church, but when I got a call to apply for a position as editor at the Brotherhood Commission, I did not immediately make the connection with the agency – much like

Volume 116, Number 16 USPS08021 Member of the Association of State Baptist Publications Arkansas Press Association Evangelical Press Association Baptist Communicators Association

many Southern Baptists at the time.

After accepting the position and moving to Memphis, I quickly realized the jewel the Brotherhood Commission was to the convention.

As an official “laymen’s” organization, the board of trustees at the Commission was made up of 75 percent laymen and 25 percent clergy – which is unique among SBC entities today.

Having worked the past seven years in secular journalism – having put in many, many long hours juggling deadline after deadline – the Brotherhood was more of the same, but with a higher purpose.

Much of the professional traveling staff of the Commission – who were in their 20s to 40s – truly believed they could change the world by motivating and activating men and boys to be proactive in Christ’s mission of reconciliation in the world.

It was what drove every meeting, conference and training event.

I never worked so hard in my and I loved it so much.

The Brotherhood editors, in particular, were not only required to oversee a publication – which in my case was Journey magazine for Baptist Young Men – but also produce and edit training materials and do Brotherhood training across the country.

A typical work week at the Brotherhood meant meetings, writing and enlisting writers for upcoming magazine editions, editing articles for a current edition, planning and art design meetings, along with a host of other responsibilities.

Then, typically, the staff would be off for a training event in a church or association on the other side of the country, or to speak in a church service.

I became greatly acquainted with the Memphis International Airport during my time there.

Serving at the Brotherhood holds too many memories to recount in this limited space, but it was while I was there that my two children were born and where I was ordained as a deacon at Temple Baptist Church.

What’s more, I got the incredible opportunity within a year of my arrival to work on a new mission project for youth called World Changers,

Inform. Inspire. Involve.

Toll-free 800-838-2272, ext. 5161 Arkansas Baptist News (ISSN 1040-6056) is published bi-weekly except the last issue of the year (25 issues) by the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine, Inc., 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204.

SUBSCRIPTION rates are $7.75 per year (Every Resident Family Plan), $8.75 per year (Group Plan), $15 per year (Individual).

Arkansas Baptist News, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204.; phone 501-376-4791;

Tim Yarbrough, editor/exec. director Jeanie Weber, administrative assistant Caleb Yarbrough, associate editor Margaret Colson, writer/copy editor Barbara Vick, circulation coordinator David Vick, strategist Advertising: ads@arkansasbaptist.org Phone 501-376-4791, ext. 5161

which at the time was the first pre-packaged mission trip experience for SBC youth.

A few years before I left, I actually worked directly inside DR, helping direct communications for that ministry.

Seeing many familiar faces at the reunion and meeting some of those who came before my time at the Brotherhood, left me with a distinct impression that I had been part of something that may never again happen in Southern Baptist life: an SBC agency exclusively for Baptist laymen.

While many of the programs of the old Brotherhood Commission were absorbed into the newly formed North American Mission Board in

1997, the fact remains the Brotherhood Commission – along with its uniqueness – will most likely never be again.

As we live our lives each day, working around people doing the things we do, we can lose sight of what’s special and foolishly believe, “It will always be this way.”

When God puts us where He puts us, we should cherish every moment and relationship, knowing that one day it will fade away into the dust bin of history – and commit ourselves to make the most of every opportunity to serve Christ with excellence.

Tim Yarbrough is editor/ executive director of the Arkansas Baptist News.

Cartoon by Gary Thomas

toll-free 800-838-2272; email: abn@arkansasbaptist.org. Periodical Postage paid at Little Rock, AR. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Send Letters to the Editor to tim@arkansasbaptist. org or to our mailing address. Letters must be typed, doublespaced and 300 words or less (fewer words the better). Letters must be signed and marked “for publication” and may be edited to fit space requirements.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes

to Arkansas Baptist News, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Bob Beach, Little Rock, president; Doug Hibbard, vice president; Stephanie Copes, Crossett, secretary; James Bryant, Harrison; Danny Allen, Rison; Jennifer Booth, Little Rock; Carey Trickey, Judsonia; Mike McCoy, Hoxie; Mike Sheets, Texarkana; Mike Vinson, Corning; Juel Zeiser, Hot Springs Village; Tommy Jacobs, Lexa; Larry Killian, Hampton; S. D. Hacker, Sage.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

CP influence Family Matters Ben Phillips

I

never realized the influence of the Cooperative Program (CP) on my life and others as a child until I took some moments as an adult to reflect on my past.

I grew up attending First Baptist Church, Herrin, a Southern Baptist church in Illinois, which faithfully supported CP. I was involved in Royal Ambassadors and learned about missionaries and heard missionaries tell stories of sharing the gospel with unreached people groups. Those missionaries were able to be on mission because thousands of churches big and small supported CP. While in college at Southern Illinois University, I was actively involved in the Baptist Student Union. I participated in my first mission trip, preached my first sermon and was called into ministry while in college. My story is a familiar story to many who connect through Baptist ministries on college campuses. Baptist ministries around the U.S. are supported by CP, enabling them to reach, disciple and send the next generation to make a kingdom impact.

I was called into ministry while in college and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1991. The six Southern Baptist seminaries are conservative and trained more than 7,000 full-time students in 2015-16. Seminary students who are members of Southern Baptist churches receive discounted tuition through CP. These students go on to graduate and make a tremendous gospel impact around the world.

After graduating from seminary, I began working with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) in 1996 where I served as a Baptist collegiate minister and eventually began serving as a marriage and family ministry consultant. I discovered many new ways CP made a kingdom impact through the ABSC. Churches supporting CP enable us to partner together through disaster relief, church planting, state missions, collegiate ministry, church revitalization, camps, children’s home, vacation Bible school, student ministry, mar-

See INFLUENCE page 7

I

5

Every penny counts

missions synergy and added up to a large amount of vividly remember the day as a young pastor that I realmoney funneled to local, state and global missions. ized the impact of giving to missions through the CoEvery single day of my life, I hear exciting stories about operative Program. the impact of our cooperative missions strategies.

Our church was smaller in membership with substanThese stories typically celebrate internationtially less missions money than many sural missions, training events for pastors in the rounding churches. It was a very exciting Executive Delta, assisting churches with church plants, moment when I learned that our relatively Directions helping train students for ministry, disaster small amount did indeed have great kingSonny Tucker relief efforts, block party results, the increddom impact. ible impact of our agencies and institutions in Our pennies were divided according to a Arkansas, and scores of other ministries. messenger-approved budget and sent to support thousands I still remain as enthusiastic and excited for the ministry of ministry sites, personnel, training events, etc. I learned and impact of Cooperative Program missions as when I there was literally no other way our missions money could first learned of this incredible missions plan. And today, be channeled to reach as many mission points and have as just like then, every penny still counts. much impact.

J.D. “Sonny” Tucker is executive director at the Arkansas BapWhen our missions giving was combined with thoutist State Convention (ABSC). sands of other churches’ offerings, it ended up creating

T

The countdown begins!

Program (CP) dollars will be leaving our state and be used he countdown has officially begun! We are all for taking the gospel to the nations. Yes, that also means a familiar with that phrase. An important event is reduction in the budgeted CP dollars for our ABSC agenapproaching in the near future, and as that event grows cies, institutions and executive board programs. closer, the anticipation builds. Accompanying the anticipaAlthough ABSC agencies, institutions and executive tion could be any number of emotions: joy, sadness, hope, board programs will receive less budgeted CP dollars despair, peace, worry, excitement or fear. Depending on beginning in 2018 – depending on the generosity of Arthe event, you might be experiencing a roller coaster of kansas Baptists and ABSC churches – the possibility exemotions. Ask any church planter what he’s experiencists that they will receive a greater amount of CP dollars ing during the weeks leading up to the launch of a new than budgeted. How’s that possible? Two church. factors. First, the 2018-22 Unified Budget I’ve got the date circled on my calendar President’s Formula includes a statement that if CP in red permanent marker. The date is Perspective funds received exceed the annual budget, Wednesday, Nov. 8. As a matter of fact, Sam Roberts 50 percent of the excess would be given to I even have a specific time written on my the International Mission Board and 50 percalendar. There, in red permanent marker cent would be given to the ABSC and allocated to ABSC is 10 a.m. What’s so special about that date and time? agencies, institutions and executive board programs at the Well, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, Arkansas Baptists, same percentage as their budget allocation. Second, the while gathered at First Baptist Church, Russellville for the 2017 budget was greatly reduced, making it a more realistic 2017 Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Annual budget that can be met through the generous CP giving of Meeting, will nominate and elect our next ABSC presiABSC churches. dent! Now, please don’t misunderstand. I have thoroughly The countdown has begun. The clock is ticking. Now, enjoyed the opportunity of serving Arkansas Baptists perhaps more than ever before, is the time for Arkansas as president for these two terms. It is truly a joy to work Baptist churches to become champions of the CP. Arkanalongside our ABSC staff and the leadership of our institusas Baptists, the effectiveness of the CP begins as each of tions, agencies and committees. Together, we have assemus decides in our hearts what to give through our local bled an incredible team of “top shelf” leaders. Arkansas church. ABSC churches, the CP is also dependent on us.

Baptists, our present is solid, and our future is bright. But, The more CP dollars forwarded to the ABSC means more on Nov. 8, I will gladly pass the gavel to the next person monies will be available for CP ministry both in Arkansas elected to serve as our president. I’m sure I will breathe a and among the nations. An incredible resource available deep sigh of relief, which may or may not be accompanied to you for promoting the CP in your church is CP Share, by a shout of joy. I might even break out a duck call! which can be accessed through the ABSC website (absc.

During the 2016 annual meeting, we started the clock org). ticking on another countdown. By an overwhelming maI am eagerly anticipating how Arkansas Baptists and jority, messengers gathered at Immanuel Baptist Church, Arkansas Baptist churches will respond to the challenge Little Rock, approved the 2018-22 Cooperative Program before us. Let’s finish the year strong in our giving and Unified Budget Formula. To refresh your memory, this continue that trend throughout 2018! decision provides for a 2.05 percent increase for Southern Sam Roberts is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in StuttBaptist Convention causes during this five-year budget gart and president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. period. That means more Arkansas Baptist Cooperative

Support the Arkansas Baptist News with MustardSeed!

Support ongoing development efforts and secure the future of the Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) as a voice for Arkansas Baptists for future generations by signing up and using the new MustardSeed app. Once you sign up and choose the ABN as the recipient, each time you make a purchase with your credit or debit card, the entire purchase amount is rounded up to the nearest dollar and donated. It’s easy to sign up! Visit mustardseedapp.org/abnews today!

6

Editorial & Opinion

August 10, 2017

The road to normalizing same-sex marriage

T

wo years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its Obergefell v. Hodges decision. With the wave of their pens, the majority of justices held invalid all state laws which restricted marriage to one man and one woman. The proponents of same-sex marriage were euphoric over the victory for “equality” as they

defined it.

What was expected was a tsunami of homosexual nuptials being celebrated.

However, that has not happened.

Faith & Ethics “Why?” one asks. Isn’t Larry Page that what they asked for? Wasn’t that why they asked for it? As it turns out, it was not.

According to a recent Gallup poll, a mere 10.2 percent

of homosexuals are in marriages. That is only a little over a 2 percent increase in same-sex marriages (or the equivalent of marriage) since the Obergefell v. Hodges decision. And that is in spite of the fact that the court’s decision added 14 additional states where same-sex marriage was green-lighted.

Prior to the decision, there were 154,000 married homosexual couples nationwide.

Two years after the decision, that number has grown to

From our Churches

God is doing a mighty work!

By Paul Easter Jr.

to be the instruments in the hands of the Redeemer.

As the pastor of Elliott od is doing a mighty Baptist, I am so proud to be a work at Elliott Baptist part of a body that is willing Church, Camden!

Our prayer is and has been, to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. We often visual“Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down, that ize a gospel presentation as a one-on-one encounter and the mountains might quake it often is, but God chose to at your presence…” (Isa. 64:1, use a group of caring and conESV). On July 30, in answer cerned leaders to reach these to our plea, 10 of our young young men and women for people surrendered to the Christ. What Lord and a beautiful followed up picture of with bapchurch unity! tism.

A church Many of goes through these young many changes people had over the been talking course of seriously and asking quesTen young people recently made profes- time. At one tions about sions of faith at Elliott Baptist, Camden. time, Elliott Baptist was salvation on the main highway and for months. Devoted leaders have invested and continue to had a thriving congregation, but we are now a little off invest quality time teaching the beaten path and some and praying for this younger wonder if God has forgotten generation. The consistent us. Sometimes it seems as if efforts of these dedicated we do more funerals than leaders have produced much baptisms, but God reminded fruit. The fruit was not only us this past Sunday that He is in salvations, but in growing still in the business of saving mature disciples. The Apostle souls!

Paul writes to the church at No matter the size of your Corinth, “For in fact the body is not one member but many” church, there is still a great need in our rural communi(1 Cor. 12:14, NKJV).

God certainly gets the glory ties for the gospel message.

Our ministry philosophy at as He and He alone opens Elliott is a simple one: “Lovhearts to the gospel message. ing God, Loving People and Luke gives us much clarity Reaching the World!” How when he writes; “The Lord opened her heart to pay atten- do we do that? We simply tion to what was said by Paul” keep preaching, teaching, (Acts 16:14, ESV). It is indeed praying and loving people.

The Apostle Paul sums God that opens the heart, but up our ministry philosophy He chooses men and women

G

succinctly, “For the love of Christ compels us…” (2 Cor. 5:14, NKJV). God truly came down and made His presence known at Elliott Baptist and we pray that He continues to use us to reach people for Christ.

Paul Easter Jr. is senior pastor of Elliott Baptist Church in Camden.

only 198,000. It does not appear that those attracted to the same sex are rushing down the aisle or to the courthouse or to wherever.

Surprising perhaps is the fact that more homosexual men are married to women than to other men.

Ninety percent of homosexuals remain unmarried.

This seems to fit nicely with all the anecdotal and empirical evidence that homosexuals – particularly male homosexuals – are notoriously sexually promiscuous. Given that, why would they want to “settle down” with just one partner?

Marrying was not uppermost in the minds of most homosexuals and their apologists. Now, the right to marry was another matter.

While marrying was not the objective, the legal right to marry was. Why? Because if homosexuals won the right to marry, then their lifestyle would be legitimized. No longer could their aberrant, depraved behavior be deemed outside the norm. They would have arrived.

Austin Ruse, the author of “Fake Science: Exposing the Left’s Skewed Statistics, Fuzzy Facts, and Dodgy Data,” asked, “Were gay Americans really ever interested in being married? . . . No, they weren’t. As their choices the past two years [since the Obergefell decision], amply demonstrate, it was a ruse.”

Ruse added, “Gay marriage was about imposing an ideology on the rest of the country.

It was about changing the institution of marriage for everyone else. And it was also about getting even with a larger society gays felt had treated them badly.”

Homosexuals and their cheerleading cultural warriors and change agents got what they wanted. And here is what there is to show for it: the institution of marriage irreparably damaged if not virtually destroyed, God’s Word handled shabbily, and our culture gravely wounded.

Larry Page is executive director of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council. For more information visit arfaith.org.

ABSC Agencies

Ouachita Online degree options E

veryone loves a good in January 2015. Since then story, and it’s always a we have developed all of the delight to get to tell one. courses necessary for a stuOuachita Baptist University dent to complete the requirehas a great story to tell about ments for a Bachelor of Arts a recent milestone for our in Christian studies or busidistance-learning program, ness administration or for an Ouachita Online.

Associate of Arts in Christian On Saturday, May 12, we studies entirely online. Adgraduated our first online ditional courses in a variety student with of other discia Bachelor of plines already Ouachita Arts degree have proven in Christian helpful for Baptist studies. Ryan other Ouachita Rob Hewell Alexander, students needpastor of a ing a way to congregation in North Platte, complete their studies and Neb., finished what he started finish their degree. at Ouachita 20 years ago.

With a commitment to ofAlexander’s wife, Sarah, and fering online degree options, their five children were presOuachita Online makes a ent to see him walk across Ouachita education available the stage in front of Conefor more students from anyBottoms Hall during our anwhere and from a variety of nual spring commencement walks and stages of life. ceremony.

In just over three years, After beginning online Ouachita Online has demoncourse development in 2014, strated the ability to design, Ouachita offered our first develop and deliver quality online courses beginning online courses. As of May of

this year, we have closed the loop by demonstrating we can graduate online students with a major of their choice.

In the near future, we plan to add new majors, providing individuals seeking an online degree program more reasons to choose Ouachita.

Alexander is just the first of many who will graduate from Ouachita with their degrees by completing their educational journeys via Ouachita Online. We currently anticipate several more online students to graduate in May 2018.

You can explore the possibilities of online study at Ouachita by reading about the program at obu.edu/online. On that Web page, you also can watch a video with more of Alexander’s story and learn more about the values of a Ouachita education via Ouachita Online.

Rob Hewell is director of online learning initiatives at Ouachita Baptist University.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

7

Send Orlando: 4,000 exhorted to ‘redefine life’ Tim Yarbrough Arkansas Baptist News ORLANDO, Fla. – Ray Peoples came to Orlando seeking excitement, but not the excitement of Disney World or the city’s many other theme parks.

You see, Peoples is moving his family from Fort Smith to the Kansas City, Mo., area to undertake a year-long church planting internship through the North American Mission Board (NAMB) at New City Church.

Peoples joined about 4,000 other Southern Baptists at Send Orlando, July 25-26, held at First Baptist Orlando.

It was the last of three 2017 Send Conferences focused on the theme Redefine sponsored

by NAMB and the International Mission Board (IMB).

Two other Send events were held in San Diego and Dallas, each drawing about 4,000 registrants. The conference – which according to NAMB was for church members, students, lay leaders, pastors, group leaders, church planters, Sunday school teachers, student pastors, missionaries and anybody else who makes up the local church – included main sessions, breakouts and

INFLUENCE continued from page 5

riage ministry and many other ways that enable people’s lives to be changed with the gospel.

Over time I’ve learned about the many different ways partnering together through giving to CP enables us to do more than we could alone.

Invest just a little time learning about CP and you’ll discover the various avenues that CP influences people with the gospel in Arkansas and around the world.

Ben Phillips is a member of the ABSC evangelism and church health team.

networking opportunities.

Peoples, who most recently served as student and missions pastor at East Side Baptist Church, Fort Smith, in addition to leading his church to be on mission the past eight years, has now answered the call to become a church planter.

He said he is amazed at the resources available today for church planters.

“I encourage pastors and leadership to engage with the (Send City) efforts in some capacity,” said Peoples.

“I can say as a planter about to go out on the field, the biggest help has come from local and in-state churches – though NAMB provides support, the churches and their teams will fully make this endeavor possible. So I would greatly encourage them to check into how they can help support the mission that is bigger than just one church, or multiple churches, but is ultimately the establishment of God's kingdom.”

NAMB’s Send City emphasis prioritizes its work in 32 cities, which the agency believes have “the greatest spiritual need and potential influence throughout North America.”

Lori McDaniel, wife of Mike McDaniel, pastor of Grace Point Church in Bentonville, and a global mission catalyst at IMB, led two women’s sessions at Send Orlando: Leveraging Power of the Ordinary and Leading Women to Advance the Gospel.

During the Leveraging Power of the Ordinary session – designed to provide practical and everyday ways to equip women in sharing the gospel – McDaniel was joined on stage with panelists Kathy Litton, national consultant with NAMB; Renie Willis, an Atlanta pastor’s wife, and Cyndi Caruthers, former IMB missionary who now leads the global missions ministry at the

Lori McDaniel (left), a pastor’s wife from Bentonville and global mission catalyst at the International Mission Board, leads a panel discussion in the breakout session, Leveraging Power of the Ordinary, at the Send Orlando Conference July 25. Panelists are (from right): Kathy Litton, Renie Willis and Cyndi Caruthers. The conference provided practical and everyday ways to equip women in sharing the gospel. McDaniel is married to Mike McDaniel, pastor of Grace Point Church in Bentonville. Photo by Tim Yarbrough Movement Church in Rich- dent and Kevin Ezell, NAMB president, in 36 breakout sesmond, Va. Women can share the gos- sions with topics that included pel with others by “leveraging Effective Preaching in the 21st the power of the ordinary” Century; Critical Issues in Global Misby “making sions; Colhospitality a lege, Comrhythm, leavpassion and ing ever y Community; thing as is” and Women, and “insertMissions and ing Scripture the Holy Spirby speaking it. truth,” McRachelle Daniel told those present. Kevin Ezell (left), of the North American Starr, founder of Scarlet “ W e ’ r e Mission Board, and David Platt, of the Hope, an talking about International Mission Board, share the organization sustained in- stage at Send Orlando. that rescues tentionality with non-believers so we can women in the sex industry in build trust to share the gospel Kentucky, led a breakout session on Big Issues Made Small with them,” McDaniel said.

Send Orlando featured 43 ... Change Your Community, speakers including Trip Lee, Change the World. Starr hip-hop artist and pastor; J.D. shared stories from the front Greear, pastor of The Summit lines of her everyday ministry Church in Raleigh-Durham, and encouraged attendees to N.C.; David Platt, IMB presi- look around and "find people

who need to hear about Jesus."

Peoples encouraged Arkansas Baptists interested in becoming a part of Southern Baptist church planting efforts to visit the NAMB/IMB websites or to go on a Catch the Vision tour.

“Find a planter or overseas missionary that your church can support whether it be provision (financially), people or prayer, because help in prayer can help provide the other two needs. If the church isn’t greatly interested in going far, then contact some of our instate church plant leads like Dave (McClung) and Chad (Grigsby) of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention – we have some awesome church plants right here in our own state that would love partnerships I am sure.”

Contact Tim Yarbrough at tim@arkansasbaptist.org. Josie Bingham of NAMB contributed to this article.

8

August 10, 2017

Gallup: Non-denominational Protestants on rise NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Data pointing to a dwindling percentage of Americans who identify with a specific Protestant denomination has spurred calls for churches marked by God’s “presence and power” and for reemphasis of biblical doctrine.

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Steve Gaines said a strong denominational identity doesn’t seem to hinder the church he pastors or the SBC. Still, the manifest work of God in a church is far more important than its denominational identity, he said.

“We are ‘Bellevue Baptist Church,’” Gaines said of the Memphis-area congregation he leads. “I don’t believe the word ‘Baptist’ hinders our ministry.

I don’t believe being part of

the SBC hurts us. I believe if what is happening in and through a specific local church is Christ-honoring and Spiritanointed, people will come and get involved regardless of what the name of the church is or what denomination it is part of.”

According to the Gallup polling organization, just 30 percent of American adults identified with a specific Protestant denomination in 2016, down from 50 percent in 2000. Over the same timeframe, the percentage of Americans who regard themselves as Christians without claiming a specific denomination rose from 9 percent to 17 percent, a July 18 news release stated.

“I’m convinced that we should seek to have churches that are marked by the super-

Baptist youth engage God and community Sarah Davis Arkansas Baptist News PARON – Camp Paron hosted its second annual youth camp July 17-21. The Engage theme challenged the 56 students and adults to deepen their relationships with Christ while teaching them the different ways they can serve their communities.

“The camp impacted students through encouraging them to be in the Word, but then also to engage the community through afternoon mission projects,” said Charity Taylor, former member of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention missions team who recently became children and families minister at First Southern Baptist Church in Bryant. “I think it’s encouraging them not to just know God’s Word but to see God’s Word working and how they can make an impact.”

The camp was full of engaging experiences for the students. The camp partnered with First Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church, both in Perryville, to throw a block party at the city park. On Thursday, church planters gave their testimonies. Students packed school supplies into

backpacks for church planters to hand out later. Campers also heard how the Southern Baptist disaster relief ministry helps people around the state and nation.

“This camp has made my students more aware of what is really important in their lives – putting God number one,” said Jeff Harris, member of First Baptist Church, Norman. “They need to understand that if you don’t have God first, you aren’t going to have the life you want in the first place.”

The youth camp also included large worship times, breakout sessions and teambuilding exercises. Students were able to grow closer to their church families and also build relationships with campers from other churches.

“A camp is one of the best places to share Christ with students, and we know it gets harder to reach the lost the older they get,” said Samantha Tischer, assistant manager at Camp Paron. “Our hope is to provide an environment where students can feel safe, build relationships with believers and learn about the one true God.” Sarah Davis is a summer intern with the Arkansas Baptist News.

natural presence and power of God,” Gaines said. “If people sense the presence of Jesus at a church, they will come and be part of what God is doing.

And they won’t care whether that church is part of a denomination or not.”

Gallup claimed the shrinking percentage of Americans who identify with a specific Protestant denomination stems from two realities: – “There are fewer Protestants of any kind in the American population today.” Thus, “the pool of those who identify with a specific Protestant denomination is smaller.”

Protestants shrank from 57 percent of the population in 2000 to 47 percent in 2016, Gallup stated. At the same time, the percentage of Americans who do not claim a religious identity of any kind rose from 10 percent to 20 percent.

– Those who self-identify as Christians increasingly put themselves in the “non-denominational category.”

Of Americans who do claim a specific Protestant denominational identity, Baptists are the largest group with 10 percent of the population. Some 3 percent identified specifically as Southern Baptists in

2016, down from 8 percent in 2000.

Gaines said the lack of denominational loyalty seems to parallel a lack of loyalty to corporations and brands among Americans, with workers frequently transferring “from company to company” unlike they did in previous generations.

“Whether [the lack of organizational loyalty] is good or bad, I don’t know,” Gaines said. “But it is reality. That’s why many churches have chosen to remove the name of their denomination from the name of their church. Many churches in the SBC have removed the word ‘Baptist’ from their identity. Again, I can’t say whether that is right or wrong. That is between them and the Lord.”

Kevin Smith, executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland-Delaware, said he is not surprised by Gallup’s findings.

“As we have [a] greater [number of] therapeutic pulpits and fewer pulpits preaching clear biblical doctrine, theological (thus denominational) identity gets muddy, cloudy and irrelevant,” Smith said. “I’ve always felt a responsibility to make

sure ... members [of churches I pastored] have understood why we are Baptist.”

Smith added, “Sadly, for many ‘Baptist’ is a sociological indicator, rather than an exegetical/ecclesiological one....

Historic Protestant identity and confessions will be more important heading forward because ‘evangelical’ is becoming more and more useless” as a theological descriptor amid a vast number of people who claim that identity without holding key theological beliefs traditionally associated with evangelicalism.”

Smith urged Southern Baptists to emphasize Baptist distinctives, like believer’s baptism and regenerate church membership, in their discipleship processes.

“We have the Baptist Faith and Message,” Smith said.

“The question is, ‘Do we care?’

Discipleship includes learning biblical truth. We need to do better in many cases.”

Gallup’s 2016 data was drawn from telephone interviews of 2,053 adults May 4-8 and Dec. 7-11. The margin of error in the survey was plus or minus 3 percent at the 95 percent confidence rate, according to the release.

Spiritual Journey Opportunities THE HOLY LAND See and Experience!

Temple Mount Jerusalem, Israel

Departing March 16, 2018 $3748 11 Days in Israel Return March 26th $3948 w/Egypt Extension Return March 28th All Inclusive (except for lunches) Contact Cecily Norman 501.230.5422 cecily@cecesojourns.com

GREECE/ITALY Walk in the ‘Steps of Paul’ Departing June 5th, 2018 $3998 10 Days Return June 14th All Inclusive (except for lunches) Contact Mica Rose 501.230.7426 micajessie91@yahoo.com

Parthenon Athens, Greece

10

August 10, 2017

Summer camp creates ‘worshipful’ church leaders Sarah Davis Arkansas Baptist News ARKADELPHIA – There was a different energy coming from the Ouachita Baptist University campus as 798 students participated in JoyWorks and PraiseWorks. Their passion for God fueled them to learn how to use their gifts and interests for ministry.

“This is a highly focused c a m p w h e r e they take individuals who have specific interests, and they try to nurture and channel them toward the gospel ministry,” said Chad Meeks, member of Cedar Heights Baptist Church in North Little Rock. “The camp encourages students to take their interests, whether it be drama or music, and use it to the glory of God, not merely

for their own personal entertainment.”

A worship arts camp, JoyWorks and PraiseWorks offer training in different areas of church ministry. A total of 34 different tracks are offered, including guitar, singing, drama, drums, piano, videography, graphic design, lighting and photography. Students are taught how to channel their interests or talents in a way that is beneficial to the church.

“Students are getting the opportunity to be exposed to training in a range of areas. They learn new things that can be used back at their church,” said Larry Grayson, executive director of PraiseWorks and JoyWorks.

According to Grayson, students return home with a “passion to live for Christ.”

Members of the orchestra at PraiseWorks (above) practice their pieces for the end-of-the-week concert. Students worship in song (below) during the morning service at PraiseWorks. The JV choir for JoyWorks (left) rehearses for its end-of-the-week concert. In all, 798 students participated in the 2017 PraiseWorks and JoyWorks camp events on the campus of Ouachita Baptist University. The worship arts camp, sponsored by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, is designed to encourage students to use their interests in drama and music for the glory of God. Photos by Sarah Davis They are able to lead worship in their student ministries, and they become more excited about worship in their

own church.

“The camp made me realize how important God is in my life,” said Carly Hall, a student at First Baptist Church in Sherwood who has been to the camp the past six years.

“I’ve realized how important worshipping God is and how we are each individually made

and handcrafted by Him.” Along with tracks, students were able to choose between orchestra and choir. After rehearsing all week, they presented a concert on Friday as their WorshipWorks Finale Worship Celebration.

Sarah Davis is an intern at the Arkansas Baptist News.

Sam Moore Evangelistic Ministries 479-381-1170, sam@evangelistsammoore.com Sam Moore is a vocational evangelist and a native of Arkansas. He has the gift of an evangelist and the heart of a pastor. He is available for Revivals, Crusades, Harvest Days and Witness Training. Now scheduling for 2017.

www.evangelistsammoore.com

Call Barbara at 800-838-2272, ext. 5156

www.arkansasbaptist.org

11

E4Call internship helps students discern calling PARON – More than 50 student interns, mentors, leaders and guests gathered at Camp Paron May 18-19 for E4Call orientation, a time to network and to learn what being called to ministry is all about.

Based on Ephesians 4, E4Call is an Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) ministry aimed at high school and college students sensing a call to ministry. Participants are given opportunities to ex-

plore God’s call through mentorships, exposure to various resources, and networking with like-minded individuals.

Activities included a session on diversity in the calling, breakouts for newbies and alumni, one-on-one mentor/student time, evangelism training, and personality and spiritual gifts assessments.

Additionally, participants enjoyed food and fun, culmi-

nating with a worship service with J.D. “Sonny” Tucker, executive director of the ABSC. Music was led by Kasey Earl and his band.

Participants were told that Jesus gave us an example of mentorship by the way He trained His disciples: 1) I do; you watch, 2) I do; you help, 3) You do; I help, 4) You do; I watch and 5) You do; someone else watches.

Paul urged believers in

Ephesians 4:1 (NIV) to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

The E4Call orientation is designed to provide a launchpad for student interns and their mentors to begin their summers together with others along the same journey.

For the summer of 2017, 27 students are exploring their calls to ministry in 17 church or associational positions under the discipleship of 20 mentors.

Following is a list of E4Call participants in 2017: Rachel Lovell, served at Barcelona Road Baptist Church, Hot Springs Village; Zachary Goins and Abby Smith, served at Caldron Ridge Baptist Church, Conway; Sam Beavers, served at East Side Baptist Church, Pine Bluff; Nick Canale, Maddie Dunn, Emily Stewart and Jack Buck, served at First Southern Baptist Church, Bryant; Emily Enis, served at Grand Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Smith; Ben Keisling, Jacob McOlvin

and Winston Turner, served at Greenwood First Baptist Church, Greenwood; Joshua Griffin and Shaleena White, served at Hot Springs Baptist Church, Hot Springs; Hayden Roberts, served at Huntsville First Baptist Church, Huntsville; Jeremiah Abell, served at Newport First Baptist Church, Newport; Elizabeth Fish and James Moelter, served at North Pulaski Baptist Association, North Little Rock; Bailey Jones, served at Otter Creek Community Church, Little Rock; Taylor Bascue, served at Palestine Baptist Church, Greenwood; Brandon Brigance, and Makayla Marshall, served at Pocahontas First Baptist Church, Pocahontas; Lizzy Stoddard, served at Southside Community Church, Paragould; Bethany Dorton, served at Trinity Baptist Church, Searcy; Jesse Walker, served at Village Baptist Church, Magnolia; Shirley Chidester and Joel Falknor, served at Washington Madison Baptist Association, Fayetteville.

12

Across Arkansas

August 10, 2017

TAYLOR LEAVES ABSC – Charity Taylor (right) visits with her Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) co-workers during her recent going away party. Taylor left the ABSC to serve as children and families minister at First Southern Baptist Church in Bryant.

Photo by Caleb Yarbrough

Obituaries Wallace D. Ballentine, 86, died July 23.

He and his wife, Darlene, were founding members of Hot Springs Baptist Church in Hot Springs.

Ballentine and his family moved to Hot Springs in 1939 when he began his newspaper career, selling the Hot Springs New Era on the streets of the resort city. Later, during a brief

time in Mineral Wells, Texas, Ballentine delivered newspapers on horseback. After returning to Hot Springs, where he became a route carrier at the age of 15, he continued to develop a love for the newspaper business.

Ballentine eventually worked his way up to route supervisor, account executive, retail advertising manager and advertising director with The Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs.

He became the newspaper’s general manager in 1970, a position he held until his re-

tirement in 2001, culminating in 55 years of service with his hometown newspaper.

The Arkansas Press Association honored Ballentine in 1999 with the Golden 50 Service Award for his contributions to “the newspaper industry, the people, and the State of Arkansas.”

Former Garland County Judge Larry Williams proclaimed Jan. 23, 2001, as Wallace D. Ballentine Day. A longtime community leader, Ballentine joined the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club in 1966. He became a 75th anniversary Paul Harris Fellow in 1991 and was given Honorary Rotarian status when he retired from the newspaper.

Ballentine also served on the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the National Park Community College Board of Trustees and as 2004 chairman of the Garland County United Way campaign.

He was preceded in death by a son. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Darlene Bearden Ballentine, two daughters, a half-brother, eight grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild.

Funeral services were held

July 26 at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home chapel in Hot Springs.

Baptist life Black River Baptist Association (BRBA) will host Bucks, Ducks & Faith at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Blackrock.

Evangelist Sam Moore will speak on the great outdoors, and After Grace will lead the worship. Everyone is invited to attend.

Mount Vernon Baptist is located at 730 Elm Street in Black Rock.

Tickets are available at the BRBA office. For more information call the association office at 870-886-2788.

Greg Addison, associate executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, will be the guest speaker at the Aug. 21 meeting of the North Pulaski Baptist Association (NPBA) pastors’ conference.

Addison, a former attorney, will speak on “Legal Issues Facing the Church Today.”

“It is important that your church’s bylaws and insurance be updated to accommodate our changing culture,” said Dennis Wilkins, associational missionary with the NPBA.

On the move Michael Hayslip is serving as pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Pine Bluff.

arkansasbaptist.org

Classifieds PASTOR Cedar Grove Baptist Church of Arkadelphia is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resumes and references to Cedar Grove Baptist Church, 825 Cedar Grove Road, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.

Chicot Road Baptist Church is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resume to 13301 Chicot Rd, Mabelvale AR 72103 or email chicotroadbaptist@att.net.

Rural church in Sidney seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resume to Sidney Baptist Church, PO Box 54, Sidney, AR 72577 or email ljtate4500@gmail.com.

Woodland Baptist Church, a small rural Southern Baptist church, in Clarksville, Arkansas, seeks a full-time pastor. Accepting resumes through August 31, 2017. Send resume and references to Pastor Search Committee, Woodland Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1009, Clarksville, AR 72830.

Effective Aug. 1, 2017, the pastor search committee of Faith Southern Baptist Church in Huntsville will begin accepting resumes for a bi-vocational pastor. Mail resumes to: Faith Southern Baptist Church, PO Box 273, Huntsville, AR, 72740. 479-738-2487. Resumes accepted until Oct. 1, 2017.

Kern Heights Baptist Church in DeQueen, Arkansas, is seeking a full-time pastor. Send

resumes to KHBC Search Committee, 822 N 9th St., DeQueen, AR 71832 by 8/31/17.

FBC Gould, AR seeking full-time pastor.

Send resumes to Gould First Baptist Church, Pastor Search Committee, P.O. Box 375, Gould, AR 71643.

2nd Baptist Church, Siloam Springs, is looking for bi-vocational pastor. Please send resume to PO Box 1289, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

Lambrook FBC seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resumes to: Johnny Williamson, PO Box 544, Elaine, AR 72333.

OTHER STAFF POSITIONS SBC church in Shreveport, LA, is seeking a worship pastor who will oversee all aspects of the worship ministry and will work with the senior pastor in worship planning. He will be a member of the Executive Team. He will lead and oversee both the blended service and the modern service. Our church averages 1400 in worship and has a large choir of 100 people that are involved in the blended service every Sunday. He will be a man of integrity who is seeking to walk in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ both in private and in public. The worship pastor will be a competent leader who has demonstrated growth in his worship ministry both in his current and past ministry context.

Send resume and media clips to pastor@sum-

mergrove.org. Requirements: • Southern Baptist Theological education preferred. • College degree in music. • Minimum of five years’ experience leading congregation worship including choir and orchestra. • Ministry experience in a church of 500 or larger is preferred. Compensation package includes salary and benefits.

Seeking full-time pastor to children and families: East Side of Paragould is seeking God’s man to lead a thriving children’s ministry and to assist our families in parenting and disciple making. We are a loving and serving church in a growing community with quality schools. Send resume to Phillip Miller: pmiller@ connect2eastside.com.

First Baptist Church of Paragould is seeking a bi-vocational worship leader for a blended worship style. Submit resume to P.O. Box 816 Paragould, AR 72451 or email fbc@ paragould.net.

Trinity Baptist Church, Benton, AR is seeking a full-time student minister. Mail resumes to 702 Church Street, Benton, AR 72015 or email resumes to: trinitybenton@ymail.com.

Rye Hill Baptist Church in Fort Smith is accepting resumes for a part-time youth minister. Please send resumes by email to carla@ ryehill.org.

Central Baptist White Hall, AR, is accepting resumes for a full-time youth and education pastor. To be considered, please contact CBC Youth Pastor Search Committee,

PO Box 20336, White Hall, AR 71612-0336 or cbcsecretary@cablelynx.com.

Levy Church, NLR is seeking a worship pianist with choir accompaniment skills. Apply to: steventiner@levybaptist.com.

Westside Baptist Church of Waynesville, MO is seeking a full-time preschool ministry leader for Birth - 5yrs old. Interested applicants can email a resume NLT August 4th to: pastor_john@westsidewaynesville.com or fax 573-774-6432.

Spring River Baptist Association, Joplin, MO, is seeking a director of missions/associational missionary. Submit resume before Aug. 30, 2017, to: SRBASearchTeam@gmail. com.

Union Avenue Baptist Church in Wynne, AR, is seeking a bi-vocational youth minister.

Call 870-238-2230 or 870-208-5990.

Seeking a full-time children’s minister with multiple years of experience. Degree preferred. Must be capable of planning and executing a weekly children’s ministry. Will coordinate with day-school director and preschool minister. Need to be a team player and must be capable of working with volunteers. Send resumes to: resumes@firstmarion.org or FBC Marion, PO Box 6, Marion, AR 72364.

First Baptist Church of Bay, AR, (located just outside of Jonesboro) is seeking a part-time minister of music who is committed to leading a blended worship service. Resumes may be

mailed to First Baptist Church, PO Box 190, Bay, AR 72411 or submitted to www.bayfbc.org.

Levy Church, NLR, seeks full-time worship/executive pastor. Send resumes to: steventiner@levybaptist.com.

Full-time minister to youth and families, Grand Avenue Baptist Church, Hot Springs, AR. Will work closely with senior pastor to meet the needs of a growing church. Email resume to mwiles@cablelynx.com.

Small church needs music director.

Sundays only. Contact sulliglenda@yahoo.com if interested.

MISCELLANEOUS Rock Hill Baptist Church, Lockesburg, AR, is looking for a 15-passenger van with low mileage. Contact: Roger Tollett: 870582-2180.

I’m in search of stories of children adopted from foster care by a Christian family and now grown adults working a fulltime job, have a stable family of their own, have a good relationship with their adopted family, active in a local church, and have a growing relationship with Christ. E-mail stories to shaneandplanes@yahoo.com.

Place your classified ad at arkansasbaptist.org/ads

Across Arkansas 13

www.arkansasbaptist.org

Foster, Perkins named Williams Baptist College dept. chairs WALNUT RIDGE – Williams Baptist College has named Robert Foster chair of the department of Christian ministries and Blake Perkins chair of

the department of history and government.

Foster has been a member of the Williams Christian ministries faculty since 1999.

Originally from Oklahoma, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and his M.Div. and Ph.D. from The Southern Bap-

structor. The Lawrence Countist Theological Seminary.

“Dr. Foster has been an ex- ty native earned his bachelor’s traordinary faculty member for degree in history from Lyon College, his master’s 18 years at Williams,” degree in history from said Brad Baine, vice Missouri State Univerpresident for academic sity and his Ph.D. from affairs at Williams.

West Virginia Univer“He teaches with gensity. uine passion and pres“Dr. Perkins is a ents the content of his highly effective instruccourses in a dynamic tor with a passion for fashion. During his history and meeting tenure at Williams, Dr. Foster the needs of his stuFoster has exhibited dents. In addition to quality leadership, as his skills in the classhe has served in a variroom and leadership ety of capacities for the for the institution, he benefit of the college. I is a published author am confident that Dr. and has presented his Foster will continue research at national, to provide superior state and local events. leadership as the chair Williams is fortunate of the department of Perkins to have Dr. Perkins Christian ministries.” as a faculty member Perkins has been an assistant professor of history at and chair for the department Williams since 2014, after serv- of history and government,” ing Williams as an adjunct in- added Baine.

Businessperson of Year contest underway LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) is planning to hold its annual Arkansas Baptist Businessperson of the Year recognition, and ABN readers are invited to nominate a businessman or businesswoman from their church for consideration.

Candidates should be a resident of Arkansas and a member of an Arkansas Baptist church. They should be actively involved in ministry in their church and in other areas.

To nominate someone, please include the following: (1) name, phone number, email and church member-

ship of the submitter; (2) name, phone number, email and church membership of the candidate, and (3) a 200-300 word essay explaining why the candidate should be considered for Arkansas Baptist Businessperson of the Year, including the impact he or she makes in the business world, as well as his or her involvement in church/ministries/missions.

Submissions for the contest must be received on or before Nov. 1.

Email nominations to tim@ arkansasbaptist.org or mail to Baptist Businessperson of Year, 10 Remington Dr., Little Rock, AR 72204.

Place your classified ad here!

Visit arkansasbaptist.org/ads to use our easy online form

14

Bible Commentary

August 10, 2017 August 20, 2017

Recently I had a wonderful conversa- in hiding, David was facing a seemtion with a dear lady born in Hamburg, ingly hopeless situation. He pictured Germany. Olga grew up in Nazi Germa- his bones being scattered at the mouth ny. Her father was a fisherman and out of the grave like upturned rocks in a to sea for long periods of time. When plowed field (Psa. 141:7). He cried out, he was home, Olga and her mother lived “But my eyes look to You, Lord God” (Psa. 141:8, HCSB). in constant fear. Her When our situafather was an outspoExplore the Bible ken critic of Adolf tions and circumHitler and the Third stances look hopeReich. His open critiless, we must turn to God Who is our cism alone could have Psalm 141:1-10 Refuge. led to their arrest and David prayed execution. The situwith a sense of urgency ation was complicated by (Psa. 141:1). He offered his foreign workers who would prayer as incense while raisturn in dissidents to gain favor with the authorities. ing his hands in an act of Olga’s father refused to worship (Psa. 141:2). David allow anything religious also prayed that the Lord into the home. While her would guard his words, father was out at sea, her desires and actions during mother taught her different difficult times (Psa. 141:3prayers.

5). It is always a great tempGerald Nash Olga became very emotation to treat the enemy in Conway an ungodly manner. David tional during this part sought refuge in the Lord, of our conversation. She asking for protection from raised both hands up and said, “What else could we do? All we had the traps and snares of the enemy (Psa. were those prayers my mother taught 141:8-9). He asked the Lord to let his me.” Prayer was their only protection. enemies fall into their own traps and As I listened to Olga’s story, it reminded allow him to pass safely by (Psa. 141:10).

God is our Refuge. In Him we can me of David’s situation in Psalm 141.

David was being pursued and per- find hope, strength and help in our secuted by King Saul. On the run and times of need.

The protector

What are you passionate about? sharing Christ with the lost is imporWhatever your answer is to that ques- tant to us, then we will overcome all tion will be manifested in the way you obstacles and find a way to do it.

It is this kind of passion that Paul live your life.

Take a few Olympic athletes for ex- was speaking of in 2 Corinthians 5:14ample. Did you know Michael Phelps, 21. We are compelled by the love of Christ, pleading gold medalist in on behalf of God swimming, spent Bible Studies for Life to the lost to be six hours in the reconciled to pool, one hour A passion to share the gospel Him. The Greek lifting weights and word for “comone hour stretch2 Corinthians 5:11, 14-21 ing, six days a pel” is synechein. week, including It is only used one holidays? He started when other time in the Bible, he was 12. in Philippians 1:23.

Meryl Davis and CharIt can be translated to “hold together,” to “hold lie White, gold medalfast” or “to leave no ists in ice dancing, spent ten hours a day together choice.” practicing on the ice, The love of Christ – His love that took Him to running, lifting weights the cross to die on our beand learning choreography. They began when half – leaves us no choice Gayla Parker they were nine. but to share that love Little Rock Even though we only with the lost. Either it see them for brief mowill be important enough for us to find a way, or we ments during the Olympics, they spent thousands of hours will find an excuse.

What are you passionate about? Are preparing. Why? Because they were passionate about their sports and winning you passionate about sharing the gospel the gold. Davis said, “If something is and winning the lost? Is it manifested important to you, you will find a way. in the way you live life? I pray the love If not, you will find an excuse.” That is of Christ will give us no choice but to true in the life of a believer as well. If share the gospel for the sake of the lost.

August 27, 2017 In my ministry and my work in health- these difficulties. This longing for God care, I continually engage people who was intensified when the enemies asked are discouraged, depressed and discon- him all day long, “Where is your God?” nected. This past year I participated in (Psa. 42:3, HCSB). This taunting caused a fundraiser for the annual walk event him not to be able to eat. His tears were for suicide prevention. The event raised his only nourishment (Psa. 42:3). David painfully reflected funds for education, on his separation awareness and supExplore the Bible from Jerusalem, pubport for victims and their families. The lic worship and his theme was “Out of home (Psa. 42:6-8). the Darkness.”

He felt overwhelmed Psalm 42:1-11 The individuals I (Psa. 42:7). work with and minisDavid knew what caused his depression, and ter to often describe where he also knew the cure. He they are in life as “a dark asked himself why he was place.” This is exactly where depressed (Psa. 42:5). He we find David in Psalm 42. told himself, “Put your As David lamented, you get hope in God, for I will the sense that his depresstill praise Him, my Savior sion had taken him to a and my God” (Psa. 42:5, very dark place. David said HCSB). The cure is praishe was depressed and in turmoil (Psa. 42:5). He was ing God and placing trust Gerald Nash not just depressed; he was in Him. He repeated the Conway “deeply depressed” (Psa. cure in verse 11.

42:6, HCSB).

This is a teaching psalm.

David gave the reasons for his depres- David wanted to teach us a lesson. sion. Just as a deer thirsts for water dur- When we find ourselves in a dark place, ing a drought, David’s soul thirsted, or depressed and disconnected, we often longed, for God. So often depression has turn to secular solutions. We need to an underlying disconnect. David felt dis- place our hope in God. This may sound connected from the Lord. David knew too simple in human thinking, but it is that God was omnipresent, but he want- God’s solution. There really is no one ed a deeper and personal awareness of else who can pull us out of that dark God in his life as he was going through place.

The longing

Driving rules around the world are icans are Christians. Sadly, many see livdifferent than in America. In Europe ing a Christian life and being involved drivers drive on the left side of the road; in church as mere suggestions, like the in Asia drivers learn to deal with major red light. There is one huge difference. traffic.

Ignoring the red light may cause a little More than one million people lived car damage, but ignoring the need for in our city when a Savior will cause my husband and I huge eternal damBible Studies for Life were missionaries age. in the Philippines.

According to Every day at every LifeWay Research, hour, there was only 4 percent of Mark 5:1-2, 8-15, 18-20 traffic! The first Americans born order of business after 1982 will be was to learn how to drive reached by the church. in that kind of traffic with For today’s believer, the new set of rules. We there is no need to go far learned if there is room to share your salvation for your bumper, there is story. room for your car; you just In Mark 5 the demonkeep squeezing it in. Four possessed man went marked lanes really mean home to tell his family eight lanes. The right of and friends how Christ way is based on the size of changed his life. The SaGayla Parker the vehicle, and a red light maritan woman in John 4 Little Rock is only a suggestion. went to her village to tell Not knowing the redof the Man who knew evlight rule can cause proberything about her.

The blind man in John 9 went lems. Most would assume a red light means cars will stop and those with a home to tell his family how Christ green light can continue through the healed his eyes. Telling our salvation intersection. That would be a false as- story begins right here at home. The distance we travel is not nearly as imsumption.

In America it would be a false assump- portant as being intentional about tion to assume that because America is telling our salvation story right here, considered a Christian nation, all Amer- right now.

Right here, right now

Bible Commentary

42

17

August 10, 2017

Ark. Baptists ‘bridge’ missions gap with Colorado church plant Editor’s Note: The following article focuses on church planters Steve Farris and Brandon Stokes, graduates of the Cross Church School of Ministry. It is part of materials developed by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention for its CP (Cooperative Program) Share resources.

Rachel Gaddis ABSC COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and a mere 12 miles from the famous Pikes Peak is Colorado Springs, Colo. The beauty of the area and state attracts tourists year-round, but for Cross Church in Springdale, it’s a mission field.

The church with boots on the ground is The Bridge Fellowship, a young church plant of roughly 200 people that was launched by Steve Farris and Brandon Stokes, graduates of the Cross Church School of Ministry. Farris and Stokes each completed a one-year church planting residency at the School of Ministry before moving to Colorado Springs and starting The Bridge Fellowship in 2015.

With the mission to share the “life-changing love of Jesus Christ with lost and hurting people,” the church has rapidly reached families in the area.

“We had a grand opening April 24, 2016,” said Farris, who pastors The Bridge Fellowship. “We didn’t have a specific or target demographic, but it turns out we’re reaching a lot of young couples

with young children, and we want to expand that to the whole city and region.”

Farris and Stokes felt called to Colorado Springs after attending a conference that brought attention to the need for new churches in the area, including Denver, one of the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) 32 Send Network cities. And Cross Church went with them.

“They are the ones who believed in us from the very beginning,” Farris said. “We wouldn’t exist today if it weren’t for the partnership with Cross Church, and it’s not just their financial support.

It’s the relationships and encouragement we have, and not just from the missions team but from the

See COOPERATIVE page 18

18

COOPERATIVE continued from page 17

pastors and other people in the church who are cheering us on.”

While Cross Church is the sending church and prayer partner for The Bridge Fellowship, other Arkansas Baptist churches are also partnering with The Bridge Fellowship when they give their tithes and offerings through the Cooperative Program (CP).

“Sure, larger churches with more resources can send a missionary that’s being called out, and there’s nothing the matter with that,” said Scott Carter, associate minister of missions at Cross Church. “However, when we send our missionaries through the agencies that are funded through the Cooperative Program, every church in the body of Christ has equal

August 10, 2017 opportunity to send and participate.”

Simple, but divine

Before The Bridge Fellowship officially launched in April 2016, the Cross Church School of Ministry went on a mission trip to Colorado Springs to help the church with local outreach.

“The goal was really to help bring brand awareness to our city about The Bridge Fellowship — that we exist, we are there, and we care about them,” Farris said. “[The School of Ministry] took part in a multitude of activities that accomplished that goal.”

One of the activities involved taking donuts, cookies and pizzas to area businesses, fire stations and police stations, an outreach tool The Bridge Fellowship likes to call “hand-to-hand ministry.”

On one outing, a group of

students took donuts to a business and met “Mrs. Baker.”

She had seen signs and other advertisements for The Bridge Fellowship but had not paid much attention.

“When the group from the School of Ministry at Cross Church brought donuts to her business, she would tell you that was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Farris said. “She went home and told her husband, ‘We have to visit this church.’”

The couple now attend and serve at The Bridge Fellowship. She works the volunteer table on Sundays, and her husband is the lighting director.

“It was just one of those things,” Farris said.

“It was a divine connection through something as simple as donuts that brought this couple to

our church.”

Carter of Cross Church said that sometimes it takes “breaking the pattern back home to go on a trip and realize, ‘Hey, we can do this back home.’”

“When we and our church members are wrapped up in

our daily lives, we tend to miss a very crucial part of the Great Commission,” he said, “and that is, ‘As you go, make disciples.’ But then we can mobilize people to go on mission trips to another city or country, and they participate in very practi-

www.arkansasbaptist.org cal outreach ministries and see lives changed through simple methods like passing out donuts and pizza.”

Sending together

By combining resources through the CP, which supports the Send Network, churches of all sizes are creating opportunities for missions – both national and international. And it benefits both the sender and the sent.

“In a very general sense, [the Send Network] gives Cross Church a way to connect and have influence in cities across the United States,” Carter said. “It’s also a very personal way to send church planters from Cross Church to areas that we might not send them otherwise and to partner with [other] church planters as a

19

supporting church.”

But Cross Church is just one of the 45,000-plus churches that have access to cooperative missions, like the Send Network, through the CP. “The first thing we think of is that churches pool their money to support denominational ministries, but it’s actually much more than that,” Carter said.

“For those that are on the field, the Cooperative Program gives a network which every individual church planter family and missionary family is connected to, and they get to cooperate through,” he said.

“It’s an obvious fact that financial support helps in church planting — it takes money to plant churches,” Farris echoed, “but for [The Bridge Fellowship] a huge

Students from the Cross Church School of Ministry in Springdale on a mission trip to Colorado Springs, Colo. Students helped the Bridge Fellowship with local outreach into its community.

Seeing God bless the invest- we know — by investing in a part of the relationship with NAMB and through the Send ment in The Bridge Fellowship church planter like Farris — Network is just the compan- is what partnering together is we are not planting a church ionship, the support, the all about, Carter said. but planting the beginning “In just about two years, of a movement of churches encouragement that we get from our partnering churches, The Bridge Fellowship is al- planting churches throughout from the mission teams that ready running 200 or more, Colorado Springs, the state of come out, and when we go and it’s not about that num- Colorado, and hopefully the back to visit and they build ber,” he said. entire western half of the Unit“What it is about are the ed States and beyond.” us up so that we can go back on the field and continue the changed lives, the transformed Rachel Gaddis is content manmission that God has called hearts, and the dozens of peo- ager at the Arkansas Baptist State ple they are baptizing. It’s that Convention. us to.”

20

August 10, 2017

Out-of-state missions giving growing Greg Addison ABSC

has budgeted to give 46.35 percent of all CP gifts received to out-of-state missions.

In 2018, the ABSC will ARKANSAS BAPTISTS have embodied the Southern Bap- begin a new five-year funding tist passion for sending out formula. During the 2016 anmissionaries to spread the gos- nual meeting, Arkansas Baptist pel since the beginning of the messengers voted to approve missions movement – known the new formula that will gradas the Cooperative Program ually increase our out-of-state (CP) – in 1925. Arkansas Bap- CP giving percentage to 48.4 percent by 2022. The tists have heard the privilege to send more cries of a lost world missionaries and do and given committedly more missions is posthrough our churches, sible because of you, and this commitment Arkansas Baptists, to missions continues and your commitment to deepen. to send even more of Arkansas Baptists your God-given rehave always sent a large Addison sources out of state! portion of CP giving We focus our out-of-state out of our state to support Southern Baptist missionaries missions giving in three areas: in North America and around giving to the Southern Bapthe world. For years, our fami- tist Convention (SBC) budget ly of Arkansas Baptist churches through planned budget givhave together given one of the ing, promoting and adminishighest levels of “out-of-state” tering CP missions to increase missions giving as a percentage giving and participation by Arof Southern Baptist CP gifts. kansas Baptists and working We have been increasing our to connect Arkansas Baptists giving since 2008, and this directly to SBC missions strateyear (2017) the Arkansas Bap- gies.

Please stay connected tist State Convention (ABSC)

with our cooperative efforts through our website absc. org/out-of-state-missions for more details about how your missions giving, through your

Arkansas Baptist church, directly fuels sharing the gospel around the nation and world. Or if you haven’t already, commit with us to give

and go to share the gospel through Cooperative Program missions!

Greg Addison is associate executive director of the ABSC.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

21

Your 2016 missions giving report J.D. “Sonny” Tucker ABSC

2016 because of you!

Arkansas Baptists gave $1.6 million to the Dixie Jackson IN 2016, YOUR CHURCH Arkansas Missions Offering in 2016. As we celebrated – along with other Arthe offering’s 90th kansas Baptist churchanniversary, we were es – gave more to supgrateful that it was port missions than also the biggest giving ever before! year ever. The Dixie This is who we are Jackson offering funds as a convention: a famgospel missions and ily of believers and a ministries such as: network of churches –Acts 1:8 One Day working together to Tucker Mission Trip share the gospel with –Arkansas Baptist disaster our communities, state and relief world.

–Baptist Collegiate MinisYour financial gifts, partnership and prayers fuel our mis- tries –Christian Men’s and sion work, and we celebrate what the Lord has done in Women’s Job Corps

–Church planting –Connect weekends –E4Call student summer internships –Hunger ministry –Literacy missions –Medical and dental missions –Multi-housing ministries –Pregnancy resource centers –Prison ministries.

Arkansas Baptist churches also gave $20.9 million to cooperative missions through the Cooperative Program. This year’s giving was the highest ever in our state’s history. The Cooperative Program funds gospel missions and ministries such as: – Arkansas Baptist agencies: Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes, Arkansas Baptist Foundation, Arkansas Baptist News, Camp Siloam – Arkansas Baptist Executive Board – Arkansas Baptist institutions: Ouachita Baptist University, Williams Baptist College – Arkansas Baptist disaster

relief –Church planting –International Mission Board (IMB) missions efforts –North American Mission Board (NAMB) missions efforts –Theological education through Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) seminaries Would you like to hear the testimonies of how your Dixie Jackson and Cooperative Program tithes and offerings are growing the kingdom of God? Visit the articles and resources sections of the Dixie Jackson webpage at absc.org/dixiejackson and the CP Share library at absc.org/cpshare.

You are proof that together we can do more – more missions, more ministry – so more souls can be saved. Thank you, dear friends, for sharing the vision and the cost to share Jesus.

J.D. “Sonny” Tucker is executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.

2016 CP impact numbers Arkansas church planting: In 2016, Arkansas Baptists saw 41 new church works (plants, replants, missions), which reported a total of 391 baptisms.

This is the highest number of new church works within the past five years and the most baptisms in one year as reported by new church works.

Cooperative missions giving: From 2012 to 2016, Arkansas Baptists steadily increased their giving to all Southern Baptist Convention cooperative missions efforts. In 2016 Arkansas Baptists gave: – $20.9 million to the Cooperative Program (which includes Arkansas, North American and international missions) – highest ever – $6 million to Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions (specifically international missions) – 2nd largest offering ever – $2.1 million to Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions (specifically North American missions) – highest ever – $1.6 million to Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering (Arkansas missions and beyond) – highest ever International missions: A growing number of Arkansas college students are serving as international missionaries through the International Mission Board’s Nehemiah teams summer mission trips. Of the total number of students in the U.S. serving on Nehemiah teams the past three years: – (2017) 203 students – including 28 from Arkansas – (2016) 171 students – including 15 from Arkansas – (2015) 168 students – including one from Arkansas

22

August 10, 2017

Survey of young leaders shows CP in positive light nary training received the top ranking by 76 percent of the respondents, followed in order ATLANTA (BP) – Many by international missions (68 younger pastors have a positive percent) and church planting view both of the name “Coop- (61 percent).

Relief ministries (38.5 pererative Program” (CP) and the ministries funded through CP, cent) came in at number five in the national SBC question according to a recent survey.

Slated to conclude in early but was number one in the August, the survey is one of question asking participants the tools the Executive Com- to rank state CP-assisted minmittee (EC) Young Leaders istries, with 1,355 marking disaster relief and 796 Advisory Council is marking children’s using to find ways to homes and other bedeepen the involvenevolent ministries. ment of millennial pasThe average pertors and church leaders centage respondents in the total life of the said their churches Southern Baptist Conhave given through the vention (SBC).

CP from their churchThe 22-member Oldham es’ undesignated recouncil is chaired by ceipts is 7.8 percent.

Jordan Easley, senior Sixty-three percent of repastor of Englewood Baptist spondents are senior pastors Church in Jackson, Tenn.

“We’re looking for ways to or other church staff; 8 permaximize the next generation cent are church lay leaders; of pastors and leaders and 6 percent are denominationshow them that we are truly al staff; 5 percent each are stronger when we work togeth- church planters and seminary students; and 2 percent each er,” Easley said.

The early reports from the are missionaries and college survey of young leaders, initi- students.

Appointed by EC Presiated in March, “have given us great insight,” Easley said. “It’s dent Frank S. Page in January, obvious the next generation of the EC Young Leaders AdviSouthern Baptist leaders recog- sory Council has a one-year nizes and appreciates the value assignment to identify and and ministry portfolio of the recommend best practices to help Southern Baptist entiCooperative Program.”

The survey had been com- ties, state convention leaders, pleted by 2,299 respondents associational networks and a by mid-July. While the survey newly-launched young leader is accessible to anyone, the initiative better connect with large majority of those who millennials.

“The [advisory] council is have completed the survey are between 18 and 39 years of working to provide concrete ways for young leaders to acage.

Forty-two percent said they tively be involved in the life found the name “Cooperative of the convention,” said Ken Program” either extremely ap- Weathersby, EC vice presipealing or very appealing, and dent for convention advanceanother 38 percent found the ment and EC liaison to the name somewhat appealing. council.

“We want to know what Five percent said the name is steps we need to take to make not at all appealing.

Respondents identified sure their voices are heard and the two “highest value min- that they are providing leaderistries” to “you and your ship in every aspect of the conchurch” as the International vention,” Weathersby said.

The advisory group hopes Mission Board (81 percent) and the six SBC seminaries to draft recommendations to foster vibrant participation (76 percent).

Theological education within Southern Baptist life ranked number one in re- among young leaders, includsponse to the question, “In ing both pastors and denomiwhich area(s) of SBC NA- national servants, and present TIONAL Convention min- a comprehensive report to istry have YOU personally Page by spring 2018.

In order to meet this goal, seen the effectiveness of the Cooperative Program?” Semi- council members continue Roger S. Oldham SBC Executive Committee

to seek input from millennial leaders through the 21-question online CP survey. The 2017 SBC EC Young Leaders Advisory Council Survey can

be accessed here – https:// www.sur veymonkey.com/ r/1bpress.

The advisory council’s second meeting is scheduled for

mid-August. Council members hope to see the survey response rate increase so their

See YOUNG page 25

www.arkansasbaptist.org

23

What is Send North America?

Chad Grigsby ABSC

Lostness

The Send strategy focuses on cities not only with the largSEVERAL YEARS AGO est populations but also with the North American Mis- the greatest concentrations of sion Board (NAMB) shifted lostness. its focus to cities and named Dean Fulks, church planter those cities “with the greatest and Send City missionary to spiritual need and potential Columbus, Ohio, said this influence” as Send Cities. But about the initiative: “The Send what exactly is the Send North Network exists to push back America strategy? lostness in North America.

NAMB’s Send strategy can That purpose is accomplished be summed up in four words: through church planting in population, lostness, diversity areas of greatest need, our 32 and influence.

Send Cities, and strategic college campuses in the U.S. Through plantPopulation ing churches, the Send NAMB st a t e s , network enhances the “With 83 percent of planting experience the population now through collaboration living in metropoliand unmatched suptan areas, the major port with assessments, population centers in training, coaching, reNorth America are Grigsby sources and care.” vital mission fields for In a recent episode kingdom growth and of Arkansas Baptists’ “The influence.”

NAMB is focusing on cit- Grind” church planting podies because that’s where the cast, Greg Addison, associoverwhelming majority of ate executive director of the people are. People are mov- Arkansas Baptist State Coning to the city in record num- vention (ABSC), said, “Most bers, making cities the most of Massachusetts is now less logical and strategic place to than 2 percent evangelical. By definition, Massachusetts is an invest.

Cities answer the ques- unreached people group.” The tion, “How can we have the Send City of Boston is home most impact in the most in- to only one Southern Baptist fluential places on the most church for every 39,257 residents. people?”

Diversity

While population density and overwhelming lostness are great motivators for engaging cities, NAMB also cites diversity as a reason for its shift in focus.

“It’s been said if you reach the cities, you’ll reach the nations,” reads the opening statement about Send. “The face of North America is changing. From 1970 to 2010, the foreign born population in the United States rose from 4.7 percent to 12.9 percent.

By 2050, it is expected that half of the U.S. population will be of a different ethnicity than non-Hispanic white. As early as 2004, more than half the residents of the city of Toronto were foreign born. Globalization has afforded North America a unique opportunity in history. Just as Judea was a crossroads for the known world during the time of Jesus, North America has become a modern crossroads of peoples from around the globe.”

Kevin Hasenack, planter of Calvary Denver in the Send City of Denver, Colo., offered this insight: “Our large metropolitan communities are growing at a rapid pace. People of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures are moving to the cities!” A call to minister to the nations in North America

is a call to work in the city.

Hasenack continued, “Within the Send strategy rests the basic presupposition that in order to meet the spiritual needs of the masses, someone has to go to them.

We have to go where they are arriving, congregating, living, working and playing. We believe that this means a Godinspired migration must take place. We must be willing to pick up our lives, when called to do so, and simply obey and go.”

Influence

Influence is a key component for why NAMB has embraced cities. Cities are the shapers of culture.

There is no more influential place in the world than cities; one need only consider the impact of a place like New York City. These stats from NAMB illustrate the influence of New York City as well as other North American cities:

See SEND page 25

Ark. Baptists continue supporting gospel work in Asia WHEN Ken* (name changed for security) arrived in an unreached part of Asia nearly 20 years ago, there were only five known believers in the area.

But faithful work to plant gospel seeds and train disciple leaders has led to a great harvest.

“Now, because of the Lord using one missionary, there are 90,000 believers among this people group,” said Bob Fielding, international missions consultant for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Ken, he said, is just one example of the many long-term

missionaries to Asia who have witnessed tremendous growth in the body of Christ over the years.

Arkansas Baptists have personally seen the harvest as well.

For the past eight years, various groups of Arkansas Baptist church members, pastors

and other leaders have partnered with the International Mission Board (IMB) for the common purpose of going on short-term mission trips to minister to these missionaries in the unreached parts of Asia.

“God is at work, and that is why we keep going,” Fielding said. “What motivates me is to see our church members come back as stronger advocates for Southern Baptist missions causes. “[When on these support trips], we encourage our team to sit with a different missionary at every meal and ask questions. They are blown away by what they hear, and they come back knowing God is really at work in Asia and that He is using our mission force in tremendous ways.”

A growing number of Arkansas college students are

becoming involved in these support trips to Asia through Nehemiah teams, an IMB initiative that leads students to fulfill the Great Commission overseas, and through the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM).

Arkansas Baptists financially support the work of these missionaries and others through their Cooperative Program giving and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering gifts.

Along with such financial support, Fielding believes the greatest need of these missionaries is for Arkansas Baptists to partner with them in prayer for the lost people groups they are striving to reach with the gospel.

For more information about partnering with missionaries in Asia, contact Fielding at bfielding@absc.org.

24

August 10, 2017

Connecting for the sake of the mission: CP Share Rachel Gaddis ABSC

are an Arkansas and Southern Baptist.

In this family, the connecHOW WELL ARE YOU tion that allows you and your connected with your friends church to play an active role in and family? More than likely, disciple-making efforts around you’re sharing pictures, funny the world alongside other moments and life updates in a Southern Baptists is a netvariety of ways — email, group work called the Cooperative Program (CP). When texts, social media, you faithfully give your Snapchat — on a daily tithes and offerings to and weekly basis. It your church, you are brings you joy to be directly connected to connected so easily this network because even if distance or busy your church gives to days separate you. cooperative Southern When you chose Baptist missions every to join an Arkansas month. Put another Baptist church, you Gaddis way, the CP is our joined a family and primary platform as a network. As an Arkansas Baptist and Southern Arkansas and Southern BapBaptist, you are one of many tists for furthering the greatest believers and churches that mission and the greatest moveprioritize the Great Commis- ment there is — the gospel of sion: to make disciples of all Jesus!

Whether or not you knew nations. But you might be surprised by how connected you this already, that’s something are in carrying out the Great to be excited about, right?

Commission around the state, Well, even better news is that, nation and world because you through a new resource called

CP Share, you can now see how lives are being changed because of your faithfulness to give. CP Share is a growing collection of videos, feature stories, resource articles and infographics created to better inform you of how God is multiplying your gifts for the glory of His kingdom and to give you practical steps to do even more. Because of your desire to see souls saved, every CP Share illustrates how you are fueling missions when you click the donate button or drop your tithe in the offering plate.

CP Share is a resource for you personally and for your church family to use however you like. You do not need permission from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention to use CP Share videos, articles or resources because it is your

story of your cooperative work in the gospel. Show the videos during your offertory or share them with your finance committee, missions pastor or youth group. Reprint the stories in your church’s newslet-

ter. Use the infographics as a sermon illustration or post/ tweet them to your church’s social media. Whatever your idea, CP Share is intended to encourage giving, praying and going on mission.

You can find all CP Share videos, stories and resources

available for download at absc. org/cpshare as well as on all Arkansas Baptist social media platforms (@arkansasbaptists).

If you are having trouble finding a CP Share story, need copies of anything or have questions about downloading the videos, please contact us at the Arkansas Baptist building or via email communications@absc.org. We also want to hear from your church!

Tell us about your church’s missions projects, whether they are here in Arkansas or around the world, and what you would like to see in future CP Share stories.

Enjoy being able to connect with what is happening in your Arkansas Baptist and Southern Baptist family. Together, we can do more!

Rachel Gaddis is content manager at the ABSC.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

YOUNG

continued from page 22 recommendations will be as comprehensive as possible.

In a related move, the EC and North American Mission Board (NAMB) are launching an ongoing young leader initiative to more effectively engage younger pastors between the ages of 25 and 45.

The initiative’s goal is to

provide a sense of brotherhood for those already participating in Southern Baptist life, but also will focus on finding ways to engage those who are disconnected or minimally involved, Kevin Ezell, NAMB’s president, noted.

“I know there are thousands of young pastors who have a great contribution to make to our Southern Baptist family,” Ezell said. “We want to serve them better and let them know

25 they are loved, valued and needed.”

Page added his hope that the EC Young Leaders Advisory Council will provide valuable information that will enable the EC and NAMB to see an increase in young pastor participation.

“The Executive Committee is delighted to partner with the North American Mission Board in this process of engaging younger pas-

tors and churches,” Page said.

“Our driving imperative is to do whatever it takes to see every man, woman, boy and girl have the opportunity to hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe this partnership helps make that possible.”

Jonathan Akin, former pastor of Fairview Church in Lebanon, Tenn., has joined NAMB’s staff to lead the joint effort.

“This summer will serve as a launch date for a new day in how the SBC mobilizes our next generation of pastors,”

Page said.

The EC has hosted or sponsored several events and efforts under Page’s leadership to connect with young leaders, including the Southern Baptist Young Leader Network and formation of talkCP, a blog geared toward younger Baptists with the goal of fostering greater understanding of and participation in the CP. Roger S. Oldham is vice president for convention communications and relations for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee.

SEND

has never been before.

There are two upcoming opportunities for you and your church to learn more about NAMB’s Send North America strategy and connect with Send City church planters at the 2017 Pastors’ Conference and ABSC Annual Meeting.

Greg Sykes, 2017 Pastors’ Conference president, will interview Send City missionaries Daniel Torres (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Dean Fulks (Columbus, Ohio) and George Ross (New Orleans, La.) during a panel discussion on Monday, Nov. 6, and George Ross will be this year’s Cooperative Program (CP) breakfast guest speaker on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The 2017 Pastors’ Conference and ABSC Annual Meeting is Nov. 6-8 at First Baptist Church, Russellville.

Chad Grigsby is a member of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention church planting team.

continued from page 22 – In 2010, Forbes magazine named New York City the city with the largest global impact and influence in the world.

– The city is home to more than 2,000 arts and cultural organizations and more than 500 art galleries.

– New York is the second largest U.S. city center for film production and industry.

– New York City welcomes more than 40 million tourists each year.

– The New York City subway system is the largest mass transit system in the world.

– Close to 40 theaters make up the famous Broadway district in New York City.

To influence a city is to influence the culture. By planting churches in strategic urban centers, the influence of the gospel can now go to places it

26

August 10, 2017

Because of your faithful support...

www.arkansasbaptist.org

27

The ACP is an important tool for your church, your association and the state and national conventions. The data collected is used to identify trends in church attendance and participation. This information is then used to plan outreach and training events; thereby assisting churches in achieving the mission of reaching the lost for Jesus.

The Statistical Profile is a 13 question snapshot of a 12 month period in the life of your church. The Leadership Profile should be updated with contact information for church staff.

Be on the lookout for your church’s Annual Church Profile (ACP) packet. It should arrive sometime in late August to mid-September.

The ABN has served Arkansas Baptists since 1901

arkansasbaptist.org