In the Witness this week

NAMB photo by John Swain

Reggie Robbins (l), NAMB missionary and pastor at Set Free Memorial Drive Ministries and Sanctuary Shelter in Decatur, Ga., baptizes a new believer.

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Atlanta shelter offers sanctuary for homeless families Published March 2, 2006: DECATUR, Ga. (NAMB)–Often discouraged and depressed, the two dozen men sitting in the church service reflect the scars, the struggles, the pain of hard lives on Atlanta’s infamous Memorial Drive. To Reginald Robbins, they are nothing less than God’s children, ready to be reclaimed and reborn.
NAMB honors BCM for student missions Published March 2, 2006: PENSACOLA (FBC)–Ranked among the top ten colleges and universities mobilizing students to missions through the North American Mission Board, the University of West Florida’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry received a plaque Feb. 16 honoring a commitment to the Great Commission through student missions.
SBC Cooperative Program enters historic juncture Published March 2, 2006: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist pastors and church members may be entering historic times in their stewardship and global outreach.

Opinion

Editorial

Senator flip-flop JAMES A SMITH SR. Executive Editor: In the matter of politics, it takes a lot to disturb me.

Point of View

How does the Southern Baptist Convention work? JOHN SULLIVAN executive director-treasurer Florida Baptist Convention: The Southern Baptist Convention has more than 42,000 affiliated churches with a combined membership of 16 million. This makes the Southern Baptist Convention the largest Baptist organization in the world.
LifeWay Research: Lighting a path for local churches THOM S. RAINER LifeWay Christian Resources: Christians live in an age where there is a gap between “what is” and “what should be.” Unfortunately, we do not fully know what “what is” really is. We do not truly understand the health of our churches, the level of commitment of their members or the level of impact churches are having in their communities. As a result churches become inefficient in reaching the spiritually lost with the Gospel.
BREAKPOINT: Three strikes against human trafficking CHARLES COLSON Breakpoint: As President Bush mentioned in his State of the Union address, human trafficking is one of the great evils of our age. Although the president concentrated on international trafficking in his speech, the sad truth is that trade in human beings is alive and well right here in the United States as well. Every year, thousands of people are brought here and forced into various kinds of slavery, including sexual slavery. This practice would be a disgrace to any nation, let alone a nation that stands for freedom and justice.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor Published March 2, 2006: Letters to the Editor may not reflect the views or opinions of the Witness. Letters may be mailed, faxed or submitted using our online form. Only letters marked clearly for publication, signed with address will be considered for use. Letters are subject to editing. Please limit letters to 250 words.

Cartoon

Cartoon JOE McKEEVER

Florida

Florida News

NAMB honors BCM for student missions: PENSACOLA (FBC)–Ranked among the top ten colleges and universities mobilizing students to missions through the North American Mission Board, the University of West Florida’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry received a plaque Feb. 16 honoring a commitment to the Great Commission through student missions.
Olive calls former NOBTS prof: PENSACOLA (FBW)–What began as a port after the storm for Leo Day and his family has become their permanent home. Pensacola’s Olive Baptist Church has called the former assistant professor of voice at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as minister of music.
Church ministry assistants increase skills through training: GRACEVILLE (BCF) – Church ministry assistants gathered Feb. 17 for the fourth annual Ministry Assistants Conference, held at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
March one-day workshops in South Florida train Sunday School, small group leaders in hot topics: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—Discover ways to strengthen Sunday School and small group ministries during a one-day South Florida Bible Study Summit to be held at two locations March 11.
Ministry evangelism is ‘DNA’ of church, pastor says: LEESBURG (FBW)–Charles Roesel woke up Sunday morning, Feb. 26, and the thought that the day would end his 29-year-ministry at First Baptist Church in Leesburg briefly brought on a panic attack.
Country pastor awarded ‘Smaller Church Pastor of the Year’: VENUS (FBC)–Located deep in a wooded community where the population numbers barely 700, First Baptist Church of Venus averages 85 in worship every week and has baptized at least 30 people during Bill Moss’ tenure as pastor.
‘Brothers is more than a metaphor’ SBTS dean of theology says: GRACEVILLE (BCF)–“What Jesus is doing in his resurrection from the dead in His intercession for us right now in the heavenly places is that He is not ashamed to call us brothers. This is a language, a word that means a great deal,” Russell D. Moore told students and visitors at The Baptist College of Florida’s (BCF) annual Powell Lectures.

Florida News Briefs

Mother Daughter Overnight events
Overseas volunteers trained in TEFL
Blind Fellowship conference March 27-31

Florida Focus

Florida Focus: A one-time announcement of special events is a free service provided by the Witness to Florida Baptist churches. Please send materials at least three weeks before the date of the event, to Florida Baptist Witness, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207, fax 904-346-0696 or submitted using our online form. Items received after deadline may appear in our exclusive on-line version.

National

National News

EC approves fundraising for rebuild: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)– Members of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee met Feb. 20-21 in Nashville and approved a $5 million fundraising campaign by the North American Mission Board as part of its “New Orleans Area Hope” volunteer initiative to rebuild and rehabilitate homes and churches damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The fundraising will commence in March and continue through February 2008.
NAMB’s Reccord has ‘family chat’ with employees, announces audit: ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–During a “family chat” with some 200 North American Mission Board employees on Feb. 22, North American Mission Board President Robert E. (Bob) Reccord advised employees to “keep your heads high, stay on task, pray a lot and reflect Christ in everything you do.”
ERLC’s Land: Church directories not for political gain: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–In a move reminiscent of the 2004 presidential campaign, the North Carolina Republican Party is reaching out to local churches in the state, asking their members for their church directories reportedly as part of “get-out-the-vote” efforts.
Euthanasia probe continuing in New Orleans, NPR reports: NEW ORLEANS (BP)–An investigation continues into allegations of euthanasia in the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans hospitals were surrounded by water and conditions were dire with little hope of evacuating patients. National Public Radio has reported that it gained access to court documents that reveal eyewitness accounts of what happened during those days.
Registrants may opt for childcare, children’s conference: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Registration is now open for families planning to enroll their children in the preschool childcare or the children’s conference from June 11-14 in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C.

National News Briefs

Supreme Court agrees to hear partial-birth abortion case: WASHINGTON (BP)–The U.S. Supreme Court announced Feb. 21 it will decide if a federal ban on partial-birth abortion is constitutional, providing pro-lifers with hope the justices will uphold the first restriction on a specific procedure since abortion was legalized 33 years ago.
Vines, Brunson highlight preaching conference: FORT WORTH, Texas (SWBTS)–Mac Brunson, who will succeed Jerry Vines as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, will be a featured speaker at the second annual Expository Preaching Workshop at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, March 6-7.

Features

Hurricanes: Baptists Respond

White House Katrina report praises faith-based groups: ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–The White House, in a report assessing the response to Hurricane Katrina, praised and commended faith-based organizations including Southern Baptists for their quick and coordinated work to aid storm victims in the Gulf states.
After Katrina, New Orleans pastor ministers to ‘one church in 3 cities’: NEW ORLEANS (BP)–The upheaval of Hurricane Katrina has turned Fred Luter into a circuit-driving preacher, journeying more than 9,000 miles in a Jeep Cherokee he started driving last fall.
Gift cards reflect Baptists’ compassion: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–“Your $200 gift to us is more like getting $2,000,” a seminary student with a wife and two daughters wrote to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Intelligent Design

SBTS & FSU profs assess Intelligent Design, evolution: MARIETTA, Ga. (BP)–Proponents of Intelligent Design claim the theory explains complexity in nature that evolution cannot. Detractors dismiss ID as religion in disguise.
Religious views should not eliminate serious discussion of ID: MARIETTA, Ga. (BP)–Should religious motivations of a theory’s proponents disqualify that theory from receiving a hearing in the public square? It’s a point that has become a central issue in the Intelligent Design-evolution debate.

Cooperative Program

SBC Cooperative Program enters historic juncture: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist pastors and church members may be entering historic times in their stewardship and global outreach.
Committee calls for increased references to CP by entities: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–A committee charged with studying a range of financial solutions within the Southern Baptist Convention is recommending that entities promote the Cooperative Program by continually referencing and promoting it in publications and printed materials.
New book promotes CP by focusing on money management: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–In an effort to maximize the work of the Southern Baptist Convention’s mission boards and other ministry groups by boosting giving through the Cooperative Program, Ken Hemphill has developed a new resource called “Making Change: A Transformational Guide to Christian Money Management.”

Annie Armstrong Offering

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Atlanta shelter offers sanctuary for homeless families: DECATUR, Ga. (NAMB)–Often discouraged and depressed, the two dozen men sitting in the church service reflect the scars, the struggles, the pain of hard lives on Atlanta’s infamous Memorial Drive. To Reginald Robbins, they are nothing less than God’s children, ready to be reclaimed and reborn.
2006 NAMB Facts: Most North American Mission Board missions personnel are jointly funded with state Baptist conventions, associations and churches, and receive support from the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. The 2006 goal is $56 million—100 percent of which will directly support missionaries and their ministries.
2006 AAEO Facts: The Reason We Give to AAEO: To help our missionary force reach for Christ an estimated 244 million lost people in the United States and Canada; that’s seven out of 10 people.
How 2006 AAEO gifts will be used: Last year (2005), receipts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions exceeded $54 million. This year’s goal of $56 million will continue to help more than 5,200 missionaries, many of them jointly sponsored through partnerships with NAMB and state conventions.

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

March 5: Put Christ First Luke 9:57-62, 14:25-33: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
March 12: Keep Praying Luke 11:1-13: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

March 5: Do You Rebel? Isaiah 1:1–4:6: Troy Bush is the minister of evangelism and missions at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.
March 12: Do You Volunteer to Serve? Isaiah 5:1–6:13: Troy Bush is the minister of evangelism and missions at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.