May 12, 2015 • Texan Magazine • Issue #49 by Southern Baptists of Texas Convention

May 12, 2015 • ISSUE 49

RIES O T S L A B GLO TY IN I N A I T S I R OF CH AIRS H S S R C THE BALTIMORE: WHY ARE THEY SO ANGRY?

‘AVENGERS’ SEQUEL HITS ON SPIRITUAL NEED FOR A HERO

Ronjour Locke

“Why Are They So Angry?”

dd another to the list. The list of racially charged riots grows longer and longer, to the shame of those who prematurely announced the end of racism. The latest entry is my city, Baltimore, Md. The nation watched in horror as residents looted stores, attacked the police, and burned cars and buildings, including a church senior center, to ashes. The carnage left many around the country asking, “Why are they so angry?” The answer, as you might expect, is complicated, but I’ll attempt to simplify it. Simply put, sinful people sin against other sinners. At the heart of sinning against others is dehumanization. In order to violate another person, we first tend to convince ourselves that that person is not worthy of better treatment. We can do this on an individual level, and we can do this on a systemic or structural level. Racism and classism are forms of dehumanization. Racism is the dehumanization of another on the basis of skin tone. Classism is the dehumanization of another on the basis of wealth. Baltimore has harbored race and class-based dehumanization for generations. When whole

neighborhoods are not afforded the necessary schools and job opportunities to generate and sustain wealth, and when residents are not taught that they can be more than the status quo, how will they escape poverty? When men (particularly black) are prejudged as dangerous and are jailed for walking down the street, what does that say about the value of the residents in that neighborhood? How will that affect the residents’ view of justice and law enforcement? How will families rebound while Dad is in prison, or when he returns and can’t find a job because of his prison record? When help is needed, yet the police are slow to respond, what does that say about the value of the residents of that neighborhood? It should not surprise Christians that man-made structures for justice and order can be used for evil means. Christians live with the tension that all people are created in the image of God and are thus, by God’s grace, able to do great things; but all people are also riddled with sin and are thus capable of great evil. So what could be intended for justice could have unjust consequences. This by no means suggests that the authorities are categorically wrong and the residents are categorically right, as liberation theology suggests. Indeed, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sinful people tend to fight sin with sin. Gang violence, drug dealing and abusing, premarital sex, prostitution, and yes, rioting are all sinful choices made in a context of disorder. How can we help? One might suggest that we should encourage people to start over in the promised land of suburbia, but this would not help to restore the neighborhoods left behind. What we need is for people not to leave but to come. We

What we need is for people not to leave but to come. We need men and women, singles and families, to answer the call to the Great Commission. need men and women, singles and families, to answer the call to the Great Commission. Jesus’ call is to make disciples of all nations, and that must include the people in my city and others who live on the wrong side of the tracks. We need people who will plant churches and people who will help existing churches. Jesus already resolved the ethnic and economic tensions of our society by building a people who love one another and their city because they have been loved greatly by their Lord. We need new and renewed churches who will embody the love of Christ in our inner cities. I would love for you to consider coming to Baltimore. If you are not able to come, I urge you to join us from your home. How can you support inner-city churches like the ones in Baltimore? You can adopt a church to support and perhaps implant them with mature members who are ready to join in the gospel work. Above all, you can diligently pray for God’s Spirit to move mightily in the churches and neighborhoods. In doing so, perhaps along with asking why they’re so angry, we will also ask, “How could we help transform their lives with the gospel?” Ronjour Locke is pastor of First Baptist Church of Brooklyn in Baltimore, Md. Ronjour is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he and his wife, Annie, have three children.

CONTENTS

Cover Story

ISSUE

#49

Movie reviewer Michael Foust explains how the box office juggernaut Avengers: Age of Ultron resonates with mankind’s inherent desire “to believe there is someone greater than ourselves who will stand for what’s good and destroy what’s evil.” Foust also reviews Where Hope Grows, Age of Adaline, and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, providing important topics to discuss after viewing these films.

Houston pastors appeal judge’s decision regarding equal rights ordinance

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merica ristians s of tians in A ion, millions of Ch is r h C h on. Storie e g ti g u li c e e r s f r Althou o e exercise eligious p . The following ar their free r severe r e d und n u r e e of the suff ution abo rch in som hrist. u the world h amid the persec h c d te u it of C rsec resilient fa d to the global pe to claim the name te la th r e r a stories ces on e gerous pla most dan

SBC Annual Meeting Digest

TEXAN Magazine is e-published twice monthly by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, 4500 State Highway 360, Grapevine, TX 76099-1988. Jim Richards, Executive Director Gary Ledbetter, Editor Keith Collier, Managing Editor Sharayah Colter, Staff Writer Russell Lightner, Design & Layout Gayla Sullivan, Subscriptions

Contributing Writers Bonnie Pritchett, Ronjour Locke, Jane Rodgers, Michael Foust, Tom Strode, Kenneth Priest

To contact the TEXAN, visit texanonline.net/contact or call toll free 877.953.7282 (SBTC).

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Getting ready for the 2015 SBC Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16-17? We’ve compiled a number of stories and links to get you up to speed on what to expect, including key proposals, events, officer nominations, committees and registration information.

C O L U M N : Tribal Leadership

& Church Revitalization

SBTC Director of Convention Strategies Kenneth Priest explains how tribal leadership within a church can affect church revitalization. He then provides five steps for navigating change as the church experiences renewal and growth.

B R I E F LY

N AT I O N

Study: Americans wary of punishing student religious groups

CLINTON, PAUL TALK ABORTION ON 2016 CAMPAIGN TRAIL With abortion emerging as an issue in the 2016 presidential campaign, a Florida pastor involved in prolife ministries is urging believers to vote for pro-life candidates while not pinning their ultimate hope for protecting unborn children on either major political party. “As we condemn the Democrats for their views, we can’t pretend that Republicans are the champions for” the pro-life cause, Dean Inserra, pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Fla., told Baptist Press. “We can’t put our hopes into a party.” On the Democratic side, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told the Women in the World Summit “religious beliefs” are among the obstacles to “reproductive healthcare” that “have to be changed.” Pro-life groups, including LifeNews.com, interpreted her remarks as an attack against evangelicals and others who oppose abortion on religious grounds.

While disputes over who can lead student religious groups continue to be debated, few Americans appear to want groups punished for requiring their leaders to hold specific beliefs or practices, a LifeWay Research study shows. A new study finds mixed opinions about whether student religious groups should be allowed to mandate leaders’ beliefs or, because of their religious beliefs, restrict LGBT members from leadership roles. Yet nearly 7 in 10 say colleges should not withhold funding or meeting space from such organizations.

LifeWay Research asked 1,000 Americans to respond to this statement in a phone survey: “Should student religious organizations, recognized by publicly funded colleges, be allowed to require their leaders to hold specific beliefs?” About half (48 percent) say no. A similar number (46 percent) say yes. Evangelicals (51 percent) are more likely to say groups can require specific beliefs than those with no religious preference (33 percent). Read the story here.

Read the story here.

HUCKABEE, CITING SOCIAL ISSUES, ENTERS GOP FIELD With the announcement of his candidacy May 5, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee joined a field of six Republicans and two Democrats who have officially entered the race for president of the United States. At least seven additional Republicans and three additional Democrats will

“probably” run, according to The New York Times’ “2016 presidential election candidate tracker.” Huckabee, in announcing his candidacy from his hometown of Hope, Ark., spoke of surrendering his life to Christ at

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a Baptist church during Vacation Bible School, attending Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and defending life and marriage. America “has lost our way morally,” Huckabee said. “We witnessed the slaughter of over 55 million babies in the name of choice, and we are now threatening the foundation of religious liberty by criminalizing Christianity and demanding that we abandon biblical principles of natural marriage.”

A former Southern Baptist pastor, Huckabee opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, as do all other announced Republican candidates: Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. Both announced Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, support legalizing same-sex marriage and protecting the right to abortion. Read the story here.

—Briefly section compiled from Baptist Press, other news sources and staff reports

B AT U.S. CAPITOL, LEADERS PRAY IN STATUARY HALL Members of Congress— including several Southern Baptists—prayed one after another for America April 29 in the U.S. Capitol. Twenty-one representatives joined others in petitioning God during “Washington A Man of Prayer,” a nearly two-hour service in honor of the 226th anniversary of the inauguration of George Washington, the first U.S. president. The Wednesday evening event was held in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, the House of Representatives’ chamber from 1850-57 and the site of Christian worship services for much of the 19th century. Two Southern Baptists—Sen. James Lankford, R.-Okla., and Rep. Randy Forbes, R.-Va.—served as honorary hosts of the event. Lankford encouraged the audience in the Capitol and those watching by television and livestreaming to apply one of Washington’s principles: “[M]ake sure that we pray more than we complain.” Read the story here.

SCOTUS MARRIAGE DECISION COULD THREATEN SEMINARIES Southern Baptist seminary leaders are among those expressing concern at the U.S. solicitor general’s admission that nationwide legalization of gay marriage could lead to the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions that stand for traditional marriage. Also expressing concern are the National Religious Broadcasters and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Todd Linn, chairman of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s board of trustees, told Baptist Press the “prospect of legalizing gay marriage across the nation raises a host of questions and concerns for religious institutions and conservative evangelical seminaries such as SEBTS.” The concerns of Linn and others stem from an exchange at the U.S. Supreme Court April 28 between Associate Justice Samuel Alito and Solicitor General Donald Verrilli during oral arguments for the case that could result in nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage. In response to the federal government’s argument that gay marriage should be declared a constitutional right, Alito asked Verrilli about institutions that refuse to permit gay marriage, citing a 1983 decision in which the Supreme Court upheld the Internal Revenue Service’s revocation of a tax exemption for Bob Jones University, a fundamentalist Christian school in Greenville, S.C. The court “held that a college was not entitled to tax-exempt status if it opposed interracial marriage or interracial dating,” Alito said. “So would the same apply to a university or a college if it opposed same-sex marriage?” Verrilli responded, “You know, I—I don’t think I can answer that question without knowing more specifics, but it’s certainly going to be an issue. I—I don’t deny that. I don’t deny that, Justice Alito. It is—it is going to be an issue.”

B R I E F LY

W O R L D

IN NEPAL, RELIEF SUPPLIES REACHING QUAKE SURVIVORS Nepal earthquake survivors have begun receiving relief supplies provided by Southern Baptists. A Baptist Global Response assessment team, meanwhile, has made it to the quake’s epicenter and found an architect to help assess homes and buildings so survivors can know whether they are safe. The death toll from the April 25 quake has risen past 7,500 and many rural communities are troubled that relief supplies are not reaching them, according to news reports. “A source of rice has been secured and our team and their partners have been able to make deliveries in the first two communities,” BGR Executive Director Jeff Palmer said. “In one of these—a community of 45 homes that was completely destroyed—these were the first relief goods the community had seen.” The BGR disaster assessment and response team (DART) arrived in Nepal May 1 and noted much of the international aid effort is focusing on Kathmandu, the capital city. Outlying areas, where the destruction is most severe, are in great need. Read the story here.

GIDEONS DISTRIBUTE TWO BILLIONTH BIBLE While it took The Gideons International 93 years to distribute the first billion Bibles and New Testaments, it took less than 14 years to distribute the second billion. In celebration of the historic achievement, the Gideons will present Two Billionth Commemorative Bibles to leaders in nations where they are organized. Read the story here.

Read the story here.

MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 3

B R I E F LY

B A P T I S T

CP 1.39% AHEAD OF YEAR-TO-DATE PROJECTION Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 1.39 percent above the year-todate SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget projection and 1.89 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page. The year-to-date total represents money received by the Executive Committee by the close of the last business day of April and includes receipts from state conventions, churches and individuals for distribution, according to the 2014-15 SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. Read the story here.

COUNSELING CENTER TRAINS WITH BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has added a needed tool to its counseling program: the Leeke Magee Christian Counseling Center. Since the center launched last August, it has provided training for NOBTS students and become a vital resource for campus and community counseling needs. “This is something we have dreamed about for a long time,” said Kathy Steele, LMCCC director and counseling professor at NOBTS. “It gives us the opportunity to have a oneon-one, hands-on experience supervising our students, watching them, working with them, training them even more closely than we have been able to before.” Eighteen NOBTS master’s-level students counseled at the center during the spring semester. These students provide up to 300 hours of low-cost counseling each month and have seen more than 160 clients since opening. Read the story here.

GOSPEL PROJECT GOES CHRONOLOGICAL THIS FALL After three years and more than three quarters of a million weekly users, The Gospel Project is changing its approach. Starting this fall, LifeWay Christian Resource’s newest Bible study curriculum for all ages will go through the Bible chronologically. The Gospel Project: Chronological will start from the beginning for a three-year cycle through the entire Bible. “This approach allows groups to understand biblical theology as it was progressively revealed in redemptive history,” Managing Editor Trevin Wax said. “We will spend 18 months in the Old Testament and 18 months in the New,” Wax said, “with almost every study session aligned so that churches that

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want to make this journey together can unite all ages around the study of one central story per week.” Read the story here.

The Gospel and Same-Sex Marriage: Equipping the Church for a Post-Marriage Culture July 29th, 2015 | erlc.com/EquipAustin

MOORE

CARTER

BUTTERFIELD

RICHARDS

MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 5

By Michael Foust

‘AVENGERS’ SEQUEL HITS ON SPIRITUAL NEED FOR A HERO ENTERTAINMENT RATING:

uperhero movies once were a rarity at the box office, with a Superman or Batman movie released every few years accompanied by some quirky special effects that, honestly, seemed quite cool at the time.

Not so today. We’re living in what some would call the Golden Age of superhero films, with multiple superhero movies coming out each year and at least four alone in 2014. It’s gotten so crazy that movie studios are rebooting entire franchises— not decades after the most recent franchise film but a mere five years after the last one (see: Spider-Man). The latest superhero movie “mustsee” is Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron (PG-13), which brings us not one but six superheroes on screen to cater to our superhero desires. It’s a fun movie with a solid plot and intriguing ending, but before we dive into whether your family should go see it, let’s first ask the question: Why are we so drawn to superhero films? After all, three of the top 10 and five of the top 15 grossing movies of alltime worldwide are superhero films, led by the first movie in the Avengers franchise (The Avengers), which ranks No. 3 among all films and grossed $623 million domestically and $1.5 billion worldwide. Seventeenth-century Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal once argued that there’s a void inside each person that “he tries in vain to fill with everything around him,” only to find everything but God unfulfilling. We 6 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015

FAMILY FRIENDLY RATING:

often call it a “God-shaped hole.” Pascal was right—and he would have been fascinated with our modern-day superhero flicks. We’re drawn to superheroes because we want to believe there is someone greater than ourselves who will stand for what’s good and destroy what’s evil—someone who, when the story seems over and they’re even dead, can overcome the worst odds. That sounds like a lot of superheroes, but it also sounds a lot like Christ. And it’s a great topic for you and me and all of our friends. Yet something different has happened with the newest superhero films that makes me enjoy them slightly less. They’re superheroes like us—like the worst parts of us. They curse (Age of Ultron has about 15 crude words, although there are no f-words or God’s name paired with d---). They make fun of those who don’t curse (Captain America’s clean mouth becomes a running joke). They lust (Black Widow, in a morning robe at farmhouse, says she should have hopped in the shower with Bruce Banner). They demonstrate out-of-control anger (Hulk and others). They pass around hard liquor (Thor has some that’s 1,000 years old). Still, there’s plenty to like. In the movie, Tony Stark (Iron Man) accidentally creates a form of artificial intelligence (a robot-looking thing named Ultron) that then creates an army of robot drones and sets out to destroy the world. Ultron may feel pain and joy like a human, but he’s also quite blasphemous. When he finds a key component that will allow him to accomplish his goal, he shouts, “Upon this rock I will build my

church!” At another point, when he is asked his name, he states, “I am” —a direct reference to Exodus 3:14. And even later in the movie he asks Iron Man when the two are battling in an abandoned church, “Come to confess your sins?” But like all superhero films, good triumphs over evil, although I will leave out the details so as not to ruin too much of the film. There’s also a profamily message, as we see Hawkeye’s love for his family—the Avengers stay at his farmhouse—and we learn that Iron Man wants to settle down, perhaps to his own farmhouse. Is Age of Ultron family friendly? By today’s standards, perhaps, but I wouldn’t take my 7-year-old to see it. Yet it’s far cleaner than The Transformers franchise and many other similar films and contains no explicit sexuality.

WHERE HOPE GROWS (PG-13) in theaters May 15

This heartwarming story follows the life of a man with Down syndrome whose positive outlook on just about everything changes everyone around him, including a former professional baseball player who is down and out after being sent to

PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 (PG) This mostly family friendly slapstick comedy starring Kevin James (Paul Blart) and his Segway picks up after the events of 2009’s Paul Blart: Mall Cop, only this time, Blart’s wife has divorced him and his mom has been hit by a milk

AGE OF ADALINE (PG-13) What would it be like to be 29 years old for nearly 80 years, to have that fountain of youth humanity has always chased? That’s the intriguing plot behind this romance fantasy starring Blake Lively (Gossip Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), whose character, Adaline,

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

May 1-3

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

early retirement. It’s an inspiring movie that could transform our society’s view of people with Down syndrome. That’s because the star of the movie—David DeSanctis—has Down syndrome, and he is shattering every stereotype that exists about people born with his “disability.” DeSanctis plays “Produce,” an enthusiastic grocery clerk who

has two personal goals at his job: 1) encourage everyone he meets and 2) win employee of the month. Sadly, though, he gets passed over each month for the honor … but he still maintains a solid attitude. I laughed and cried. Post-movie topics to discuss: our society’s view of people with disabilities; our outlook on life when we’re down.

truck. Add to the mix that his high school daughter (played by Raini Rodriguez) is considering attending college at UCLA, and the New Jersey mall cop is on the verge of depression. But Blart takes comfort in his job, and his spirits are lifted when he and his daughter head to Las Vegas to attend a security officer’s conference at the Wynn

Hotel. Blart soon learns that a group of art-stealing thieves is at work in Vegas—and he sets out to stop them. Mall Cop 2 is that rare Hollywood comedy with absolutely no objectionable language and no sexuality. Post-movie topics to discuss: making fun of overweight people; gambling.

is involved in a car crash at age 29 that leaves her unable to age. (If you’re curious, it required freezing water and a lightning bolt.) Initially her agelessness is no big deal, but as her daughter grows up it becomes awkward, and Adaline ends up being sort of an oddity. So she decides to move every 10 years, never drawing too close to anyone.

The plot thickens when she falls for a man and then realizes his father (Harrison Ford) is her former boyfriend. The movie has about five crude or profane words, some sensuality but no nudity. Post-movie topics to discuss: our infatuation with youth; the brevity of life. *With information from Common Sense Media

Movie

Weekend Gross

Weeks in Theater

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (PG-13)

$191,271,109

2. Furious 7 (PG-13)

$6,644,140

3. The Age Of Adaline (PG-13)

$6,203,253

4. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (PG)

$5,880,022

5. Home (PG)

$3,472,177

6. Cinderella (PG)

$2,745,090

7. Ex Machina (R)

$2,286,000

8. Unfriended (R)

$2,210,960

9. The Longest Ride (PG-13)

$1,704,810

10. Woman in Gold (PG-13)

$1,605,252

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IRS A H S S R HE C T N I Y T I N ISTIA R H C F O S RIE against O s e T r S u s L s A e r B GLO wing p a feel gro ns around eric m A n i f Christia o s s n a n i o t i s l i l ories of i r t h S m . C , n n h o o g i i t u g i u o l Alth s persec ise of re u c r o i e ing are g x i w l e e o e l r l e o e r f f r e r e i v h e e th under s bound. T r a e f n f e of the o i u t s m u o d c s l e r n s o i r e w h the d churc e mid the p t a u c Christ. h t e f i s o a r f e e t p m n l a e a i l n b i res to the glo earth to claim the d e t a l e r stories aces on l p s u o r e g most dan

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Global religious liberty still languishes By Tom Strode | Baptist Press Religious liberty conditions failed to improve on the world stage in a year marked by barbarous campaigns of extremist groups in some regions, a United States watchdog panel said April 30 in its annual report. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged the State Department to add eight more countries to its list of the world’s worst violators of religious liberty. That list—consisting of what is known as “countries of particular concern” (CPCs)—already has nine members. In the 16th annual report since its establishment, the bipartisan commission did not have good news for religious liberty advocates. “Across the world, we see little evidence that religious freedom conditions have improved in any serious or tangible way,” USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett told reporters in an April 30 telephone news conference. While there were exceptions globally, she said, “When we look at the 16 countries we recommended last year for CPC status, not one of them has significantly improved its record. And in a number of them, from China to Syria, we see signs of further deterioration.” Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said USCIRF’s report “shouldn’t be kept in the halls of Congress, the White House and the State Department.” “This report ought to prompt churches also to see a call to action,” he told Baptist Press in a written statement. “We should be praying fervently for

justice and liberty for the persecuted around the world, including the many who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we ought to be raising up a generation of Christians with consciences shaped to work for soul freedom for everyone, not just for Christians and not just for Americans.” Non-state actors—extremist religious groups such as the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and Boko Haram in Nigeria—“played a huge role in fueling some of the worst humanitarian crises of our time,” Swett said. The early portion of USCIRF’s report focused on the upheaval resulting in five countries from the violent operations of nonstate actors: IN IRAQ, 2 million people—including Christians, Yazidis and moderate Muslims— were displaced within the country in 2014 during the reign of terror by ISIS. In a first for the commission, its report recommended the U.S. government call on the United Nations Security Council to refer ISIS to the International Criminal Court for prosecution. IN SYRIA, ISIS helped increase the displacement to more than 6.5 million of the pre-civil war population internally and more than 3.3 million refugees in other countries. IN NIGERIA, more than 1 million have been displaced from their homes because of Boko Haram. IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

a million or more people have fled their homes during fighting between Muslims and Christians, and nearly all the country’s mosques have been destroyed. IN BURMA, internal displacement since 2012 has grown to 140,000 Rohingya Muslims and at

(CAR),

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least 100,000 Kachin Christians as a result of violence by Buddhist extremists. Nearly 90 percent of Burma’s population is Buddhist. In its report, USCIRF recommended the addition of CAR to the State Department’s CPC list for the first time. The other seven countries the advisory panel urged the State Department to add were Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan and Vietnam. All seven were CPC recommendations by the commission last year. USCIRF called on the State Department to keep the following nine countries on the CPC list: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The State Department is expected to announce its CPC list later this year. It released its most recent list of severe violators of religious freedom in July 2014, nearly three years after its previous designations. Also April 30, USCIRF placed 10 countries on Tier 2, once known as its “watch list.” Tier 2 countries, which are on the threshold of recommendation for CPC or Tier 1 designation, are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Russia and Turkey. 10 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015

Saeed Abedini weathers Iranians’ added pressure by Baptist Press & Morning Star News ISTANBUL, Turkey Iranian authorities heightened pressure on U.S.-Iranian pastor Saeed Abedini in April, threatening to keep him in prison indefinitely, Morning Star News reported May 1. Authorities seem to be taking a “carrot-and-stick” approach to Abedini—leveling new, petty charges while promising him freedom if he abandons his faith in Christ and returns to Islam, said Tiffany Barrans, international director at the American Center for Law and Justice. “They have said, ‘Don’t think you’ll get out after eight years. We’ll add additional reasons to keep you,’“ Barrans said. “That’s the kind of threat in conjunction with an uptick of ‘If you recant, if you return to Islam, we will let you go.’ That’s not anything new, but it’s a very concentrated, intense time in the IRANIAN AUTHORITIES TO ABEDINI prison at present.” The psychological weight of new charges against other Christians “certainly has been taking its toll, because Saeed has seen it come to reality for so many others,” Barrans said. September marks Abedini’s third year in prison. According to Iranian law, most criminal offenders can apply for clemency or parole when they have served one-third of their sentences. Barrans said Abedini’s family is in the process of applying for that. So far, their efforts for clemency have met with no results. Abedini, whose 35th birthday was May 7, became a U.S. citizen in 2010. His wife Naghmeh and their two children live in the United States. The Iranian government does not recognize his U.S. citizenship. He was initially arrested in July 2012 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard during his visit to set up an orphanage. After interrogation, authorities placed Abedini under house arrest and told him to wait for a court summons to face criminal charges for his Christian faith. Two months later, in September, Abedini was arrested at his parents’ home and taken to prison. He was sentenced in January 2013 to eight years in prison for allegedly threatening “national security” by planting house churches years ago.

“‘Don’t think you’ll get out after eight years. We’ll add additional reasons to keep you.’”

Persecution of Christians lessening in Nepal By Jane Rodgers KATHMANDU, Nepal The magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 devastated a country in which the persecution of Christians is lessening but still evident, said Sam Smith*, a native of Nepal who now lives in Texas. Smith should know. He experienced persecution from the time he trusted Christ as savior as a teenager in 1989. “I was a high caste Brahmin priest from a family of Hindu priests,” Smith said. His status meant singular treatment at his village school in the mountains of western Nepal: special seating, separation from lower “untouchable” castes. “People worshiped me as a god. They asked blessings of me,” Smith

said. Families would even use water in which Smith washed his feet to purify their households or bodies. “I was considered one of 330,000,000 Hindu gods,” Smith explained. It was a heady experience for a teenager but gave him no peace. “I wondered about peace and life after death. I was hungry for reality.” Reality came when a classmate, a Christian from an underground church, gave Smith a gospel tract on John 15:16. The friend’s father gave Smith a Nepalese language copy of the Gospel of John. Smith accepted weekly invitations to the friend’s home to discuss the Bible, Jesus and God. One year later, Smith accepted Christ and was later baptized.. Then the persecution began, starting in Smith’s own family. His

“My brother and most of the village tied me up and beat me.” mother called Christianity a “cow eating religion” and banished him from her home. Smith recalled when news of his salvation spread throughout his town, villagers savagely beat him. His best friend threw him off a 40-foot bridge into a river. Forced to travel from village to village and lacking shelter, he begged for food “wherever the sun would set.” Pastors of underground churches advised Smith, “Trust in God. Jesus will make a way.” He returned briefly to his mother’s home, still unable to renounce his faith. “My brother and most of the MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 11

“I was living by faith - no agency, no IMB (International Mission Board), no individual support. I was radically convicted to share my faith with the lost people of the mountains of my country.” village tied me up and beat me,” Smith said. Smith left for Kathmandu, attending Bible college on a scholarship. Homeless again after graduation in 1994, the 20-yearold obtained a passport with the help of a Christian government official. After attending seminary in Singapore on scholarship, Smith returned to Kathmandu with a love offering from his Singapore church to begin ministering in the mountain villages. “I was living by faith—no agency, no IMB (International Mission Board), no individual support. I was radically convicted to share my faith with the lost people of the mountains of my country,” Smith recalled. His efforts were often met with resistance from village elders. “I was kicked, beaten, jailed six times, kidnapped three times.” By 2003, his name appeared on government watch lists. Capture could mean a trial and jail unless he renounced Christianity. Today, things are changing in Nepal, Smith said. No longer is the gospel “completely forbidden” as 12 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015

it was in 1989, although cities are more open than villages. Yet persecution still exists. Nepal remains up to 86 percent Hindu according to the government, Smith said. Public witness is forbidden. “No one can baptize openly. You cannot build churches. The government can even seize buildings used for worship. “Some of my Christian friends, pastors and leaders are still beaten,” Smith said. “Churches are

burned.” People even remove the caskets of Christians from local cemeteries. Yet there is hope. Smith’s mother is now a believer. The brother who once cruelly beat him is a pastor. A church of 120 meets in Smith’s mother’s home. “Persecution makes us mature in Christ, Smith said. “It challenges us to do more of the Great Commission.” *name changed

‘Sinicization’

of Christianity China’s aim by Baptist Press Persecution of Christians and other religion groups in China has increased in scope, depth and intensity in the past year, according to the latest annual reports

from religious persecution watch groups. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and the international non-profit China Aid Association USA both report high increases in abuses

5Police frequently raid Christian gatherings such as this one in Nanle County, Henan, China. CHINA AID PHOTO

against Christians and other religious groups in the 12 months of 2014. Religious persecution in China rose more than 152 percent comprising six categories of persecution, China Aid reported in its 2014 MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 13

IN 2014

152 % INCREASE IN RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN CHINA

# OF PERSONS SENTENCED FOR RELIGIOUS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IS UP

10,516 PERCENT

12 2013 TO 1,274 IN 2014 FROM ARRESTS IN

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION CASES

572 IN 2014 INDIVIDUALS PERSECUTED

17,884 IN 2014 Stats reported by China Aid Association USA

Annual Report of Religious and Human Rights Persecution in China. The largest increase was noted in the number of persons sentenced for religious and human rights violations, which rose more than 10,516 percent, from 12 arrests in 2013, to 1,274 arrests in 2014. In other categories tracked by China Aid, the number of severe abuse cases rose nearly 344 percent, rising from 16 in 2013 to 71 in 2014; religious persecution cases rose 300 percent, from 143 cases in 2013 to 572 cases in 2014; the number of individuals persecuted rose 141 percent from 7,424 to 17,884; the number detained rose more than 103 percent, from 1,470 to 2,994; and the number abused rose 384 percent, from 50 to 242. In addition to the numbers, the depth and intensity of persecution far exceeded that of 2013 and was also more widespread, China Aid reported. The government persecuted house churches as well as the government-sanctioned Three-Self churches. “The Chinese government’s persecution against the government-sanctioned Three-Self church reached a historic high not seen since the Cultural Revolution,” China Aid reported. “The persecution of the house church movement also intensified as both urban and rural house churches were thoroughly scrutinized, and in some cases forced to join the Three-Self church.” “Certain Christian sects throughout China were banned, such as ‘the Church of Almighty God,’ leading to the arrest and conviction of more than 1,000 religious adherents. The Chinese government also made significant efforts to promote ‘the construction of Christianity with Chinese characteristics,’ or ‘sinicization,’” China Aid reported, “thus attempting to transform Christian theology into a doctrine that aligns with the core values of socialism and so-called Chinese characteristics.” USCIRF, in its 2015 Annual Report, said persecution targeted any religious belief or practice the Chinese government

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“Certain Christian sects throughout China were banned, such as ‘the Church of Almighty God,’ leading to the arrest and conviction of more than 1,000 religious adherents. The Chinese government also made significant efforts to promote ‘the construction of Christianity with Chinese characteristics,’ or ‘sinicization,’ China Aid thus attempting to transform Christian theology into a doctrine that aligns with the core values of socialism and socalled Chinese characteristics.” considered a threat to national security or social harmony. “Religious freedom conditions for Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims remain particularly acute, as the government broadened its efforts to discredit and imprison religious leaders, control the selection of clergy, ban certain religious gatherings, and control the distribution of religious literature by members of these groups,” USCIRF reported. “The government also detained over a thousand unregistered Protestants in the past year, closed ‘illegal’ meeting points, and prohibited public worship activities. Unregistered Catholic clergy remain in detention or disappeared. … The Chinese government also continues to harass, detain, intimidate, and disbar attorneys who defend members of vulnerable religious groups.”

India: Anti-Christian attacks up 55 by Baptist Press/Morning Star News NEW DELHI The number of violent and nonviolent attacks against Christians in India has increased 55 percent since Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi became prime minister last year, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). During a protest by religious minorities near India’s Parliament House March 19, rights activist and Christian leader John Dayal said there have been 168 acts of aggression against Christians during Modi’s first 300 days in power. That figure compares with 108 such cases in the 300 days before Modi took office on May 26, 2014, according to the EFI. Dayal, a former member of the National Integration Council, said

the actual number of anti-Christian incidents is higher than the reported number because many cases go unreported. Incidents ranged from false accusations of “forcible conversion” to desecration of church buildings to violent attacks on Christians. “Illegal police detention of church workers and denial of constitutional rights of freedom aggravate the coercion and terror unleashed in hate speeches and campaigns of ghar wapsi [’homecoming,’ or reconversion to Hinduism],” Dayal said. “Since 2014, there has been a marked shift in public discourse.” The tone set by Modi’s National Democratic Alliance government has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country

to attack non-Hindus, Christian leaders say. Coercion to convert to Hinduism continues. Government authorities attempted to “dilute” Christmas celebrations in 2014 with a “call to observe ‘Governance Day’“ on the same date, EFI general secretary Richard Howell said. Such an action “on the day most sacred to the Christian community in India is a matter of great concern.” About 2,000 people from 80 civil society groups participated in the protest in central Delhi, asserting that Hindu extremist assaults of religious minorities are an attack against the secular nature of India’s government. Anti-Christian incidents included vandalism, burning and robbing church buildings, burning Bibles, MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 15

disrupting worship meetings and Christmas functions, beating pastors and evangelists and stopping church construction. Of the anti-Christian incidents, Dayal said 54 percent were threats, intimidation and coercion, often with police looking on. Physical violence accounted for 24 percent of all cases, including 11 percent against Christian women. Breaking statues and crosses and other acts of desecration were recorded in about 8 percent of cases. Additional desecration was “consequent to other forms of violence against institutions,” Dayal said. The number of violent incidents against religious minorities, including unreported ones, could well exceed 800, Dayal said. A pastor of Good Shepherd Community Church in New Delhi, Joshua David, told Morning Star News that at every Sunday worship

Southern Baptist worker Elvin Trueb (left) presents the gospel in a village in India’s Bihar state using his personal story of salvation. Armed with Trueb’s RAD (Rapidly Advancing Disciples) church-planting training, Rajeev Kumar (right) helped start the village’s first church that’s now seen more than a dozen people come to faith in Jesus. (Names changed for security.) PHOTO BY JOSEPH ROSE

meeting since Christmas day, two policemen have been posted outside the church. “Initially, it created a different kind of feeling among the church

members, raising some sort of suspicion among them of the possible danger in attending church services, but we are getting accustomed to it,” David said.

1cross.com

The 1Cross app is an evangelistic tool designed to share the message of the gospel in multiple languages through video/audio presentations. This brings together the TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015 Gospel presentation in many different languages to the palm of your hand.

Houston pastors appeal judge’s decision regarding equal rights ordinance By Bonnie Pritchett

What began as a legal response to the perceived overreach of the mayor and city attorney in dismissing a referendum petition has turned into something bigger, a coalition of pastors and their attorney said Thursday in announcing the appeal of their lawsuit against Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston. Evoking the oppression in the United States that birthed the Civil Rights Movement, pastors called the mayor’s actions a “crime,” “an act of discrimination” and nothing less than voter suppression. Willie Davis, pastor of MacGregor Palm Community Baptist Church and petition circulator had all his work invalidated on a premise that Andy Taylor, lead counsel for the pastors, called indefensible. “We talk about the days of my parents when poll taxes and other things were used to eliminate the process of the voting for minorities,” Davis, an AfricanAmerican, told reporters at a press conference called by the Houston Area Pastors Coalition to announce the appeal. “And here we have a city mayor … who denies the entire City of Houston the right to vote.” Taylor told the TEXAN the appeal, filed April 30, has three elements. HOUSTON

Willie Davis, pastor of MacGregor Palm Community Baptist Church and petition circulator, speaks at a press conference announcing Houston area pastors’ appeal of their lawsuit with the City of Houston over its equal rights ordinance. PHOTO BY BONNIE PRITCHETT

First, a writ of mandamus asks the Texas Supreme Court to order Houston City Secretary Anna Russell to verify the voter registration of all 54,000 petition signers—something she has not done since stopping her count just short of 20,000 after verifying the minimum number of signatures needed to pass the referendum. Her signature verification was dismissed by Parker and then-City Attorney Dave Feldman. Second, the appeal asked the Texas Court of Appeals to expedite the process, giving plaintiffs a hope of meeting the Aug. 18 deadline for getting the referendum on the November ballot. The case is likely to go

before the Texas Supreme Court. Third, Taylor filed a writ of mandamus with the appellate court asking, again, for the expedited process. A writ of mandamus is a request of a court to rule without the full benefit of court proceedings. They are rarely granted, but Taylor said because of time constraints his clients have no adequate remedy to their complaint. The average appellate process takes 6-18 months. And although rushing the process is not ideal for any of the parties, Taylor said his clients requested the action. Woodfill v. Parker will be heard by the 1st or 14th Texas Court of Appeals in Houston.

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S B C

A N N UA L

M EET I NG

DI G EST

Getting ready for the 2015 SBC Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16-17? HE R E’ S

DI G E ST

O F

SBC COLUMBUS: Praying for next Great Awakening As this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting approaches, SBC President Ronnie Floyd urges fellow Baptists to gather June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio, to cry out to God and expect great things to follow. This year’s annual meeting theme is “Great Awakening: Clear Agreement, Visible Union, Extraordinary Prayer,” based on Romans 13:11. Floyd hopes Southern Baptists of all ages and ethnicities will attend and “rise to this moment in our nation calling out to God for the next Great Awakening in our nation.” Floyd pointed to the Tuesday (June 16) evening worship service, which he has described as having the potential to be an “epic night of prayer.” See related story. Floyd has called on 11 pastors, representing a variety of backgrounds and ages, to help lead the service, which also will feature music by the Cross Church band and choir. He said he hopes the evening will spark repentance and reconciliation. “We need to model before this country what it’s like 18 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015

WHAT

E X P E C T.

for the men and women [of the SBC] to walk together in unity,” he said, “and that’s what I’m committed to leading us to do.”

Crossover Columbus With more than 140 projects, activities and opportunities lined up, metro Columbus director of missions Rich Halcombe said Columbus will be ready for this year’s Crossover on Saturday, June 13—the annual evangelistic outreach by Southern Baptists in the host city of the SBC annual meeting. Seventy-three local Metro Columbus Baptist Association (MCBA) churches are involved in the effort and will be leading local outreach in their communities. “With the local church as the lead, follow-up is built into the designed system for Crossover Columbus,” said Halcombe, noting the city’s Linden neighborhood will be an area of focus during Crossover. For an overview, or to learn more about preparing to participate in Crossover Columbus, visit www.namb. net/crossover. For additional information, visit crossovercolumbus.org. Collegiate groups can learn about opportunities at forcolumbus.org.

Proposals Messengers gathering at the Greater Columbus Convention Center will consider a variety of recommendations during the annual meeting. See related story that includes those approved by SBC Executive Committee during its meeting Feb. 17. Among them: 4a new name for Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Prompted by its decision to relocate its primary campus to the Los Angeles area from the San Francisco area, the seminary has requested that its name be changed to Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. 4an amended North American Mission Board ministry statement to include planting churches overseas in cooperation with the International Mission Board. Messengers approved a similar amendment change to the IMB’s ministry statement in 2011 to allow it to assist with unreached people groups in the U.S. and Canada. The amended NAMB statement is expected to relate particularly to military chaplains stationed at bases overseas. 4SBC bylaw amendments to allow for the potential use of electronic voting devices in the convention hall, after this year’s meeting in Columbus, and to establish a quorum for voting on all matters of SBC business as those present at the time of a ballot.

NAMB to highlight future of SBC missions Southern Baptists attending this summer’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, may find it easier to get involved in SBC missions efforts thanks to a historic level of cooperation between the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board. NAMB and IMB are working together on a variety of joint ventures for the convention, including the Send North America Luncheon, a joint exhibit and a “Sending Celebration.” The cooperative efforts are designed to make it easier for Southern Baptists attending the convention to get their churches more involved in missions. “Missions isn’t easy, but getting involved in missions should be,” said Dustin Willis, NAMB’s team leader for Send North America events. “When we work together, a church doesn’t have to run from one place to another to find out what they are going to do. Collectively, we can help mobilize churches together.” The fifth annual Send North America Luncheon will provide an opportunity for Southern Baptists to learn

more about how the two entities’ closer cooperation will help better serve Southern Baptists in the coming months and years. Both NAMB President Kevin Ezell and IMB President David Platt will share about the future of Southern Baptist missions at the luncheon. The lunch is free but a ticket will be required. You can secure tickets at snaluncheon.com. NAMB and the IMB will also share exhibit space with the SBC Executive Committee. Convention attendees can visit the exhibit to find out more about how to get their churches involved in reaching unreached people groups internationally and church planting in North America. The joint Sending Celebration will highlight 100 international and North American missionaries and the churches sending them to the field. Unlike previous commissioning services, this celebration will feature both missionaries and sending churches and will recognize the significant influence sending churches have on pushing back lostness around the world. The celebration will be held Wednesday morning, June 17.

App available for 2015 SBC annual meeting Messengers to the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting can stay informed through a free smartphone app featuring schedules, maps, alerts, speakers, newsfeeds, the “Book of Reports,” the “Daily Bulletin” and much more. The app will be available for iPhone, iPad, and Android users and can be downloaded by typing in “SBC Annual Meetings” in the device’s app store. Once the app is downloaded, it will prompt you to install the information for the 2015 meeting. This year’s preferred Twitter hashtag will be #sbc15. Messengers also can follow @SBCMeeting, @BaptistPress, @SBCLife, @sbccp, and @ SBCPastorsconf for the latest annual meeting updates.

SBC children’s, youth registrations open Registration is open for preschool child care, Giant Cow Children’s Ministries, Children in Action Missions Camp and Youth on Mission in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention’s 2015 annual meeting June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief child care volunMAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 19

teers will care for preschoolers; Giant Cow Children’s Ministries (formerly Children’s Conferences International) and Woman’s Missionary Union will guide the Children in Action Missions Camp and Youth on Mission curricula and activities. Preschool child care and activities for children who have completed grades 1-6 will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the annual meeting site. Youth who have completed grades 7-12 will worship each morning at the convention center before going into the community for hands-on mission projects. Pre-registration is required and available online at sbcannualmeeting.net under the “Children/Youth” tab. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. No onsite registration will be accepted. Read more details here. Officer Nominations Greear to nominate Floyd for 2nd term Ohio pastor Chad Keck to be 2nd VP nominee Yeats to be re-nominated as SBC recording secretary John Meador announced as Pastors’ Conf. nominee

Chad Keck

Events SBC 2015 schedule released Pastors’ Conference to spotlight Christ, not fads SBC women’s events to share ‘Radiant’ focus Seminaries slate luncheons at Columbus SBC LifeWay to screen 2 movies at SBC

John Yeats

Committees Announced Committee on Resolutions Committee on Committees SBC Exec. Comm., boards, commission, seminaries, committee nominees Tellers Committee SBC Credentials Committee

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John Meador

Kenneth Priest

Tribal Leadership & Church Revitalization

ost revitalization experts agree it takes around three years to turn around a church. In some scenarios, there is not enough time to go slow … but what if there were? What is the ideal revitalization strategy shift in a church that has a life expectancy of four, five or even more years left? Tribal leadership is the art of joining the tribe in order to bring about change without losing those presently engaged and involved in ministry. This is tough, but needed. Most revitalizers are high capacity leaders. They are unsatisfied with the status quo, especially when the status quo is not engaging the community for the cause of Christ. What should a leader do that has time and wants to rightly effect change and not lose the “shareholders?” (Shareholder is an affectionate term I use to describe the persons in the church who are essentially bankrolling the ministry. Too often these are the ones who get marginalized during a change of pastoral leadership.) The difficulty of becoming a part of the tribe is it takes time, which is why you cannot use this method in a crisis situation. Join the tribe, become the pastor they talk about and love and then begin to offer recommendations for change. Use your honeymoon phase to initiate a couple of immediate, necessary strategy shifts, but save your big capital for when they have accepted you as part of them. No one can tell you exactly when this happens, but philosophically, this is when they want you—rather than the previous pastor—doing the weddings and funerals. This can take upwards of three or more years to achieve, but when it does, you are the pastor and leader of the tribe. STEP ONE: Learn who the influencers are, both positive and negative. Whether a matriarch or patriarch, church treasurer or deacon, make

“Tribal leadership is the art of joining the tribe in order to bring about change without losing those presently engaged and involved in ministry.” certain you get to know these persons and their circles of influence. The hidden relationships are often the ones causing the most issues for pastors. As a pastor, you should know whom all influencers are connected to before you make decisions. When dealing with a positive influencer, if the person is on your side … you just got buy-in from the majority. Likewise, the same is true for a negative influencer … you will have an uphill battle without buy-in here. STEP TWO: Learn your personal leadership style and adjust when necessary. A revitalizer must know his tendencies and strive to overcome them. Use whichever style is appropriate for a given situation; in order to do this, you must learn your style and what that means. STEP THREE: Know your demographics. Not just of the community, but of the church. Understand who your people are and who you need to reach. Also, do not simply trust a demographic report; the pastor and church need to be “boots on the ground,” walking the neighborhood to be best informed of the people groups around the church. STEP FOUR: Develop a plan. Look at creation—God’s plan is intricate and specific. Man could not be created on the first day since there was no place for him. Pastors and churches need plans for reaching their communities. Determine who needs to be reached (from step three) and prayerfully develop a plan. STEP FIVE: Execute the plan. Churches that succeed in church revitalization do what they set out to do. This is the Great Commission—Jesus set us on a strategy to engage the nations for his cause from the beginning, and that is simply what we need to do. —Kenneth Priest serves as the Director of Convention Strategies for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention in Grapevine, TX. Kenneth has been leading revitalization endeavors since 2008 with the SBTC. He holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry degree with an emphasis in Church Revitalization from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO. Please contact Kenneth at kpriest@sbtexas.com.

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