In the Witness this week

Legacy of learning continues through generations EVA WOLEVER Assistant Editor Published May 8, 2008: TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Nearly 30 faces, bright eyes set in wrinkled faces, watched their Sunday School teacher with the same enthusiasm displayed by a class of first-graders sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear a wonderful story. They’d been there in the basement of First Baptist Church in Tallahassee since before 8 a.m.
Webster leaves Legislature with family, principles, faith intact Florida’s longest currently serving legislator retires after 28 years Published May 8, 2008
Art celebrates creation at Wayside Baptist Church exhibit CAROLYN NICHOLS Newswriter Published May 8, 2008: MIAMI (FBW)—In an effort to equip church members to defend their faith in the God of creation, Wayside Baptist Church in Miami declared April “Creation Month.” The culmination of the emphasis was an art exhibit, “The Inspiration of Creation,” April 25-27.
Bunkley: Gambling expansion failure highlights session Passage of competing bills results in failure of evolution academic freedom JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor Published May 8, 2008: TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—With narrow defeats for pro-life and evolution academic freedom legislation during the 60-day Florida legislative session, Florida Baptist Convention legislative consultant Bill Bunkley highlighted the positive by pointing to the failure of gambling expansion bills as a “huge win for families.”

Opinion

Editorial

When no action is good—and bad ?—in legislating JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor: The recently concluded 60-day Florida legislative session demonstrated the truth that when it comes to legislating, oftentimes no action is the best result. Unfortunately, the session also underscored the tragedy when legislators fail to act when human life and children’s worldviews are at risk.

Point of View

The ‘evidence’ for evolution is a ‘hoax’ JONATHAN CONLEIGH Special to Florida Baptist Witness: “The evidence for evolution is overwhelming.”
Same old Earth, new disguise: Oprah and A New Earth CHARLES COLSON Breakpoint: You have probably heard of author Eckhart Tolle and his connection with Oprah Winfrey. What with Tolle’s bestselling book A New Earth, its repeated promotion on Oprah’s talk show, and the online course they are running together, they have become pretty difficult to miss.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor Published May 8, 2008: 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.

Florida

Florida News

Art celebrates creation at Wayside Baptist Church exhibit: MIAMI (FBW)—In an effort to equip church members to defend their faith in the God of creation, Wayside Baptist Church in Miami declared April “Creation Month.” The culmination of the emphasis was an art exhibit, “The Inspiration of Creation,” April 25-27.
Florida Bible Drillers, speaker head to national stage: ORLANDO (FBC)—Three homeschooled teenagers took top honors in the Florida State Bible Drills and Speakers Tournament April 26 in Orlando. For hundreds of Florida Baptist youth and children, the annual event, hosted by First Baptist Church in Orlando, was the culmination of months of honing Bible skills at home then exhibiting them at church and associational events.
Bible Driller urges others to hide God’s Word in their hearts: ORLANDO (FBC)—Eight years of Bible Drills have instilled life lessons in 17-year-old Lydia Kulpa of St. Augustine.
Florida Baptist Convention wins awards at Baptist Communicators: PHOENIX, ARIZ. (FBC)—The Florida Baptist Convention’s Public Relations Division staff received accolades for professional achievements from the Baptist Communicators Association during the 2008 Wilmer C. Fields Awards competition April 18 at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort in Phoenix, Ariz.
In praise of Senator Daniel Webster: Florida Baptist Witness sought comments about Sen. Daniel Webster from various persons who know him. Those comments are excerpted here, along with other praise offered on behalf of Webster in his retirement from the Florida Legislature.
Florida soldier killed with Bible nearby: SEBRING (FBW)—The thought of her son’s Bible fluttering in the wind beside his still body brought a certain comfort to Marcus Mathes’ mother when she was told he was killed in a mortar attack in Iraq April 28.
Webster leaves Legislature with family, principles, faith intact Florida’s longest currently serving legislator retires after 28 years
BCF voice professor to teach, tour in Italian countryside Kimberle Moon to lecture in voice anatomy, physiology: JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Kimberle Moon, professor of voice at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville, is touring this summer in Italy with IdeaNove, an organization dedicated to introducing Italian singers to American musical theater and providing vocal coaching from highly trained professionals.
Potential of working together realized in 1925: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—Imagine every Sunday having people lined up at your church eager to present the mission causes of their agencies and to request your financial support. While the appeal would be worthy and compelling, the constant barrage of pleas could become overwhelming.
Ed Johnson: Personal passion for Cooperative Program: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—The year was 1973 and the young pastor and his wife, serving a church in east Tennessee had finally, sadly accepted the reality that they would be unable to give birth to a child. With prayer and faith, the couple turned to Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes.
Korean congregation happily participates in Cooperative Program: MELBOURNE (FBC)—With pen in hand, David Lee writes a check each month to the Cooperative Program and remembers how the cooperation of Florida Baptists helped turned his life around. He hopes his church’s participation in the unified giving program will have a life-changing impact on others.

Legislature Watch

Bunkley: Gambling expansion failure highlights session Passage of competing bills results in failure of evolution academic freedom: TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—With narrow defeats for pro-life and evolution academic freedom legislation during the 60-day Florida legislative session, Florida Baptist Convention legislative consultant Bill Bunkley highlighted the positive by pointing to the failure of gambling expansion bills as a “huge win for families.”
Editorial When no action is good—and bad ?—in legislating: The recently concluded 60-day Florida legislative session demonstrated the truth that when it comes to legislating, oftentimes no action is the best result. Unfortunately, the session also underscored the tragedy when legislators fail to act when human life and children’s worldviews are at risk.
Tie vote kills ultrasound abortion bill in Senate: TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—In a 20-20 tie vote, the Florida Senate defeated April 30 a bill requiring women seeking an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy to have an ultrasound.

Florida News Briefs

Call to prayer issued to Florida Baptists
‘Simple church’ conference May 29
Three regional DR training events set for May and June throughout state
Harmony Bay youth camp July 7-11
Children’s music and worship week July 14-18 at Lake Yale

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

President Bush envisions International Day of Prayer: WASHINGTON (BP)—In adversity, Americans can find comfort through prayer, President Bush said May 1 in a White House observance of the 57th National Day of Prayer.
Evangelicals differ on climate, global warming: NASHVILLE (BP)—Disagreements among evangelical Christians about global warming are rooted in a fundamental question: Is human-induced climate change a real problem? And, if interviews with two evangelical advocates are any indicator, proposed responses to the issue differ dramatically, depending on how a person answers that question.
U.N. panel claims manmade global warming certain: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—The most-often quoted authority on global climate change is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific group established in 1988 by the United Nations to evaluate the risk of human-induced climate change. It was the IPCC that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore, former vice president of the United States.
International group disavows UN’s climate claims: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—TIME magazine warned that scientists had observed “bizarre and unpredictable weather patterns” which led them to believe the world was headed for “a global climatic upheaval.” Fluctuations in temperature, rainfall and sea ice were all described as signs of impending doom.
APA debate cancels after pro-homosexual speakers back out: WASHINGTON (BP)—An American Psychiatric Association symposium that was to feature speakers from both sides of the debate on homosexuality—including R. Albert Mohler Jr.—was cancelled, apparently due to lack of cooperation from those in the homosexual community.
Obama outraged by longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright’s words: WASHINGTON (BP)—Democrat Barack Obama further distanced himself from his longtime pastor April 29, saying he was outraged at comments made by Jeremiah Wright and acknowledging that their relationship has suffered.

BF&M Commentary

Baptist Faith & Message commentary 7: Regeneration: EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.

Features

Godly Women

Legacy of learning continues through generations: TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Nearly 30 faces, bright eyes set in wrinkled faces, watched their Sunday School teacher with the same enthusiasm displayed by a class of first-graders sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear a wonderful story. They’d been there in the basement of First Baptist Church in Tallahassee since before 8 a.m.
Polly Floyd desires to be an example to students: GRACEVILLE (BCF)—On any given work day, Polly Floyd is the smiling figure behind her desk at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville. Those who know her say she manages the business office with a gentle spirit and loving example.
Credit Union VP shares passion for evangelism & prayer: JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—As a youngster Lillie Andrews remembers her mother would put drops in for her earache and tell her to “just keep praying.”
Karen Green passes on faith she learned from mother, grandmother: BRANDON (FBW)—Brandon pastor’s wife Karen Green has cheered others on since she was in high school. Now, alongside her husband, Tommy, she encourages the other ministers’ wives at First Baptist Church through her “open home, open heart” ministry.

Media Montage

Eve’s ongoing influence explored in new release: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—While history is full of women who have reshaped the world, no woman has had such a significant and lasting impact as the first woman, Eve.
Blackabys’ book touts workplace ministry: ATLANTA (BP)—If your job feels more like a soap opera than a calling, you’re not alone. For many Christian professionals, work often entails navigating plenty of drama and tension.

Obituary

Wife of Homer G. Lindsay Jr. dies
Former Santa Rosa DOM dies
Retired FBC staff Frank Delrose Jr. dies

Bible Study

Bible Studies for Life

May 11: Communicate Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 2 Samuel 14:23-24, 28-33; Proverbs 4:3-6: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
May 18: Be Trustworthy 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:4-7; 20:10-17: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

May 11: The Ministry of Reconciliation Genesis 43-45: Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
May 18: Major Life Adjustments Genesis 46-47: Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.