They’ve just recently created a free gospel presentation iPhone Application.

My316 is a step-by-step audio visual presentation of the gospel, using a verse that nearly every Christian has memorized. That’s right, John 3:16.  You can quote it in your sleep.

How often to you quote it and actually think about what your saying?  When we quote it, we’re usually like kids sprinting to the cookie jar.  We say it as fast as we can to see who can say it the fastest.

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50% of the adults in the United States are primarily oral communicators.

58% of the USA High school graduates have never read a book after graduating from High School.

42% of college graduates never read another book after graduating from college.

So what do we know about oral communicators?

• Oral communicators can learn as well as literate people and their memory is superior to the average literate person’s memory. The problem is not one of learning but it is the presentation format through which info comes to them. Info must come to oral communicators through stories, parables, poems, music, songs, and other formats.

• Most literates mistakenly believe that if they can outline the information or put it into a series of steps or principles, anyone, including oral communicators, can understand it and recall it.  Most oral communicators do not know how to process outlines, etc.

The point?  Most of the world prefers to learn through auditory means.  They like to hear stories and proverbs.

So what does that mean for people who can read?

It means that its time to simplify. It’s time to start from the beginning, from creation and tell the stories as they are recorded in God’s word. Most of the world is waiting for us to tell God’s stories to them.  Here’s one to start with.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.
And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.”
So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.  God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning — the second day.  And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.   God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the third day.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.

God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning — the fourth day.  And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”  And there was evening, and there was morning — the fifth day.  And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.  God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Over the last two days Afghan parliament has engaged in heated debate about accusations of NGO support for the spread of Christianity in the country. This situation developed as an Afghan allegedly posed as a Christian and provided youtube “evidence” that he had infiltrated an Afghan Christian meeting. He is making all sorts of unsubstantiated allegations while the Afghan government insists that there is no evidence against these NGOs.  In Afghanistan, real evidence is not even needed in order to do damage. Allegations are damning enough in such a volatile environment.  Reports suggest that Taliban forces are using the situation to stir up demonstrations and resistance to NGOs and the Karzai government.

So what can happen through incidents such as these? What has happened in the past in a country, a state, a city, or a village when Christianity begins to reach a critical mass to the point that opposing forces feel compelled to take action?

In China what happened?  Under oppression, the church in China went through a great scourging but the church eventually multiplied rapidly over several generations.  But what happened before that rapid multiplication occurred? There were many Christians who were brutally murdered.  There were others who denounced their faith – they could not withstand the torture, the imprisonment, the threat of execution.  In China, there were also those believers whose faith was fortified.  The human tragedy, the murders, the isolation of suspected family members creates unjust suffering in such a setting.

Afghanistan is not China, but we can surmise that events such as these could create immense persecution on any NGO that is rumored to have Christian origins or interests.  Churches around the world have compassionately responded in overwhelming fashion to the devastation in Afghanistan.   These compassionate efforts by Christians and non-Christians alike through NGOs could be severely restricted in the coming days, while Western troops fight for “freedom” for the Afghan people.

Confusing matters even worse, is the fact that there is conflict in the legal system in Afghanistan – one law would provide religious freedom and the other would insist on execution for conversion to Christianity.  Who can speak out for oppressed minorities in such a setting? There are  religious minorities in Afghanistan such as the Ahmadis.  Many Afghans call them apostate and subject Ahmadis to extreme persecution. However, Ahmadis may be at a level of critical mass to the degree that the Ahmadis have some ability to speak for themselves and turn to the Afghan and International Human Rights Commission.   Christians on the other hand, officially don’t exist in Afghanistan.  They have no official voice of influence to speak for them within government circles. Any group such as the Human Rights Commission, if they attempted to speak out for Christians, might not survive the onslaught of violent attacks even from within their own ranks.

So what exactly is God up to in Afghanistan? We obviously will not know for some time but we do know that the Afghan people and these NGO’s need our prayers.  Please take time to pray for the nation of Afghanistan during this crisis.

See Reuters Report Below

Afghanistan suspends two aid groups for Christianity probe

(Reuters) - Afghanistan’s government has suspended the activities of two Western aid groups on suspicion of proselytising, an official said Monday.

World Church Services (WCS) and the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) were ordered to stop work as part of a government probe into the activities of aid groups after a private Afghan TV channel accused them of trying to convert Muslims — an offence that carries the death penalty in Afghanistan.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Economy, Sediq Amarkhil, said the government had no evidence against either organization, which started operating in the country during the rule of the Islamist Taliban, in the late 1990s.

As planning ministry in those days, the economy ministry oversaw NGO affairs.

“If proven after the investigation that they were involved in conversion activities, they will be introduced to the judicial authorities,” he said. “If not then they can resume their operations.”

Hundreds of foreign and Afghan non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are involved in essential humanitarian projects across the country — helping out in areas ranging from health to education — but some Afghans remain sceptical of their motives and suspect they could be a front for proselytising.

Officials from one suspended group declined to comment, while there was nobody immediately available from the other.

Proselytising is strictly forbidden in the Koran and illegal in deeply conservative Islamic Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of Western forces are fighting resurgent Taliban Islamists who want the expulsion of the troops as part of a holy war.

There have been bloody protests in the past in Afghanistan against the publication of images of Prophet Mohammad in some Western media.

Weeks before their ouster in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001, the Taliban detained several Western aid workers after accusing them of proselytising, but the group was freed in a raid by American special forces.

In 2007 Taliban insurgents kidnapped 21 South Koreans who were visiting as part of a church charity group and accused them of proselytising. Two of the hostages were murdered before the rest were released, although the government denied it had agreed to any ransom demands.

The latest development comes weeks after the government ordered 20 foreign aid groups and charities to close for failing to provide reports on their work and finances.

Some 152 Afghan non-governmental organizations were also ordered shut.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin, Editing by David Fox)

Add this one to your prayer list.

The most recent prayer request follows.

Mark

MissionaryBlogDigest

“God loves me very much. My wife has died, my children have died, but I am not dead yet. So, today I have heard the news of the sacrifice that Jesus died for me.”  This man, along with over 60 others suffering the effects of HIV/AIDS, received in home health care kits provided by Baptist Global Response. The kits were distributed by the area Baptist churches. Most of the patients are bed ridden. All are unable to care for themselves and require assistance from family members. As supplies were delivered, instructions were given on how to use the contents. Included are things such as bed sheets, latex gloves, vitamins, soap, nail clippers and others. They were packed in 5 gallon buckets by volunteers in the US.

While church members delivered health care necessities that most of us would not dream of being without, they also took time to share the News of God and to pray. At least three of the patients asked Jesus to be their Savior. All were touched with the love of Christ demonstrated through the hands on ministry of local Baptist believers.

Editors Note: Pray that the recipients of the health care kits would know the hope of Christ.

For more information on the health care kits or how you can be involved, visit: www.inhomecarekit.org

I want to offer a sixth option with two divergent paths. First of all, read Ed’s article to see where Southern Baptists are heading. To quote from the article,

Despite adding 162 churches across 42 state conventions, total membership slid from 16,228,438 in 2008 to 16,160,088 in 2009, a net loss of 68,350 members. The decline has occurred in spite of an increase of 7,539 baptisms year over year. The Annual Church profiles revealed a tiny (.36%) rise in total number of churches and a .37% increase in primary worship attendance.

In response to this irrefutable downward trend of the mammoth Southern Baptist denomination, Stetzer offers four ridiculous options which include denial and blaming of other factions including blaming the lost themselves. His fifth option is posited as the only viable choice.  His fifth choice is stated below.

We are a denomination in decline. Some don’t like to admit it.  But, the decline of SBC membership is not a matter of debate.  It is a matter of math.  And, if trends continue, it won’t end soon. Expect to hear “membership decline” more times than “membership growth” over the next few years.

The 5th and final option, and really the only option for us to really impact the world, is a serious self-examination as to whether how we make disciples is rooted in Scripture and delivering the gospel effectively to our mission field. We can scarcely hope to impact the world if we do not approach the gospel and kingdom of God in the same way that Christ did.

Do we value the kingdom as He did? Do we love sinners as He loved them? Do we serve as He served? Do we remind our neighbors of Jesus and tell them of His gospel?

If we cannot answer in the affirmative to these questions, then we will continue on the present path. If we can or will embrace these concepts (and others), then we can trust that God will work through us to affect a move of gospel influence across North America and the world.

Now I want to offer a sixth option with two divergent paths.    Our choice is Willing Rebirth, or Rebirth By Splintering. Yes as Ed states we must do serious self-examination. But self-examination is only profitable if it leads to the correct result.  In essence, the GCR Task Force is a group of visionary leaders who engaged in some serious self-examination on behalf of all of us.  They have given Southern Baptists as a whole the opportunity to join them in that process of personal assessment.  Now they are offering some solutions that move us, as I see it, in the correct direction.  And would the work of the GCR Task Force ever have occurred through our existing SBC structure?  Absolutely not.  There is no question in my mind that Johnny Hunt was absolutely correct in pulling together this task force for this purpose.  However, there is no way that the existing proposal gets us all the way to where we need to be in order to reverse the downward trend.

Reforming the SBC is not enough to reverse the spiraling trend. The GCR task force recommendation is a kind and gentle prodding in the direction of reform. I suspect that the GCR task force wisely ascertained that if they proposed complete overhaul of the denomination, the result would be utter upheaval and failure of their recommendations. But I assume that they know this proposal is just the beginning of what is really needed to turn away from our declining posture.  We need an SBC rebirth, not merely reform.

Remember your own salvation. If you turned to Christ as an adult you may remember this more clearly. Remember your miserable lifestyle before following Christ,  and remember the revolution that Christ brought about in your life.   He radically turned the old creature into a new one.  He took your old nature and transformed you into a new creature in Christ.  You have been radically reborn, yet you have the same physical body. Your spiritual rebirth transcends the physical dimension  into the eternal.  You and I Have Been Amazingly Reborn.

The Southern Baptist Convention needs to be completely reborn and the GCR Task Force is offering a plan which sets us up for either reform or rebirth. It is up to us to choose which one it will be.

Southern Baptists may chose the easier path of reform. Unfortunately, like salvation, we cannot be reborn partially or incompletely (reform). Rebirth is total and complete but at the same time salvation is an ongoing process of sanctification.

After spiritual rebirth, we practice the symbol of physical immersion. Complete and total immersion in water signifies the death to the old and the birth of the new in Christ.   We don’t merely dip a hand or foot in the water. We dip our entire body.

If a lost sinner can be reformed rather than reborn, then maybe  I’ll buy the same argument for the SBC. Granted, the analogy breaks down for many reasons.  But my point is this, I’m not buying the assumption that we can tweak this ship and it will stop up the leaks. If this vehicle is to take us to the next 150 years, it needs the same Biblical imperative as the old SBC, but today we need to rebuild the ship with the latest structural engineering, the most advanced technology, and the latest materials available to mankind.

Does anyone remember seeing the old foot long, half pound cell phones?   We don’t need to keep using them do we?  Let’s use iphones and PDAs.  The SBC needs to trade  in our old outdated cell phones to at least get the updated free phone that comes with the renewal plan.

So, what does total rebirth look like for the SBC? Good question and it is the question that our new leaders must address together – how can the SBC be born again?

Another blogger recently wrote, I am in favor of the GCR final report because it kicks the can down the road a little further on having the conversation in our churches that we need to have. I don’t see how we can go backwards from here.

I agree that the GCR gets the can further down the road, but, remember someone must keep kicking the can. The GCR proposal is just the first kick. And, it actually can go backwards from here.  Someone can kick this can the wrong direction.  It would not be the first time for that to happen.

Rebirth will require that over the coming years we must willingly raze (utterly destroy) some of the vestiges of our old life. That’s right, death to the old.  The truth is that the people most willing to destroy the old are those who will experience the least amount of loss.  These people, are perhaps the best ones to build a new structure.  New leaders are needed who respect the traditions but who have no ties to the old way of carrying out the vision.

Those with the most to lose are those who get fed by the SBC machine. People like me who get paid by the existing system must choose to place our own security on the altar. We will either choose temporal well-being (and fight for partial reform), or we will choose personal financial uncertainty (and at our own peril, fight for total rebirth.)  That’s right, total rebirth could mean the end of the IMB, NAMB, The Executive, as we know them. I pray that it doesn’t but if that is what God requires, so be it.  It could mean the end of some other Southern Baptist icons that we think are at the heart of who we are.  Wow!  Did I really say that?

Total Rebirth means that anything short of throwing out the Bible is to be placed in the Lord’s hands, on his altar to either preserve or set aside for the birth of a new creation.

I’m ready for rebirth, because we as Southern Baptists are on our way to becoming Johnson Avenue Baptist Church (name changed to protect the innocent.)  JABC was a great church in her day. But after 120 years she gradually declined and her remaining members tried to hold on to the property, sustain the building, and to meagerly pay a retired pastor.  The goal became, “I just want my church to be around long enough to bury me when I die.”  Eventually the last two members sold the property and a Wendy’s restaurant is now sitting on the once glorious property of the Johnson Avenue Baptist Church. The only monument which hails the glories of JABC is a sign which reads, $1 Menu Daily.

So this sixth choice is our best option – lay everything, I mean everything short of Scripture on the altar and be reborn. Then we can let God rebuild us into His new creation.  Honestly, that is not a frightening proposition. It is an awesome place to find oneself – in God’s hands to reshape us as He pleases.

There is a second part to this option of rebirth, and this is where the paths diverge. This is the one I don’t really want to mention or see materialize.  However, if we don’t willingly allow self-sacrifice to bring new life to this cooperative body of Baptists, then…

…a different kind of rebirth will occur.

It could be a rebirth into dozens of splintering groups. Perhaps a significantly large group of young leaders will form a new group that can start fresh and birth a new SBC.  Maybe they can throw out the geographical nomenclature and be global rather than Southern.  Perhaps they will become something other than a convention?  Perhaps they won’t have “boards” at all?  Perhaps they will not be able to afford six seminaries or even to sustain fully-funded missionaries?  Perhaps they will not have three different headquarters in three different cities? Maybe they will all share one administrative plan for staffing and logistics?  Maybe they will start from scratch and build a new mechanism that will take them on a century and a half journey of new growth reaching the neglected, the lost and the least reached.

But we’ve been down that painful road so many times. Do we really want that?

So my choice, is Willing and Purposeful Rebirth, rather than a spiraling, splintering rebirth.

I’m not proposing this second kind of rebirth. I’m just saying, if we aren’t willing to die on the altar…

Notice below the summary reports from a free email update that comes periodically to subscribers.  BGR to GO is a free, weekly newsletter that provides information about aid projects around the world. Having access to this executive summary of projects around the world is a great way to assist you and your small group in prayer and participation in some of those projects. Many churches are using this newsletter as a resource for prayer meetings.  Small Groups are also using it to get members involved in praying for and participating in projects around the world.

Look at the brief reports below and follow the link to signup for these occasional brief updates.

From a 5/16/10 GoBGR Report

Kabul, Afghanistan – A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the mountainous region north of Kabul, Afghanistan on April 18 killing at least 10 and injuring dozens. Preliminary estimates indicate some 2000 homes were either destroyed or damaged. While assessments are still ongoing, BGR (Baptist Global Response) partners are mobilizing emergency flour, rice, beans and cooking oil for 1200 affected families.
An initial emergency fund of $30,000 has been released for these relief goods.

BGR Area Director for Central/South Asia, Francis Horton, says, “This help will reach into very remote areas. I was in this part of Afghanistan about one month ago and the needs under normal circumstances are great.
When something like this happens, it can be devastating to families. Thank you to all who have donated to the World Hunger Fund that makes it possible to immediately connect people in need with people who care.”

Pray for those who are responding to this recent disaster. Ask God to give them wisdom. Pray for the people affected by this earthquake, that in the midst of catastrophe, they will find peace.

Clinics in Indonesia

There are several health hazards in this particular Indonesian village. Active tuberculosis, skin disorders, stomach related issues, typhoid and other tropical diseases are just a few. BGR partners are providing three one-day clinics at no charge to the residents. Medicines are also distributed under the supervision of a local registered nurse/mid/wife.  The long term goal is to revamp an already existing medical clinic.

Pray for partners as they meet the physical needs of the sick and hurting.

Pray for their protection from sickness.

Pray for good weather on the work days as well as the three one day clinics!

Alcoholism in Guatemala
Alcoholism is prevalent among the Quiche, a Mayan group numbering nearly 1.2 million in Guatemala. Alcoholics Anonymous is present in many Quiche communities, but its effectiveness has not been sufficient. BGR partners are beginning an eight
step program known as “Liberation” which utilizes methodology that is tailored to this population.

Pray that the program will help many Quiche leave their addicted lives and be reintegrated with their families and communities.

FAITH Gardening in China
In October of 2009 a typhoon struck Hainan, China. One particular village suffered massive damage to their rice crop. They are now feeling the after effects of the crop failure- dwindling food supplies and no revenue from the crop harvest. BGR partners are distributing rice and cooking oil to the families that suffered loss due to the typhoon. They will also be providing seeds for FAITH gardens.

Pray for the families that are still feeling the effects of the typhoon.

Pray that this project will help them get back on their feet.

Pray that they will feel God’s love for them as BGR partners reach out to help.

Wells in Madagascar
A community in Madagascar has a population of 4,000 most of whom live in abject poverty. The few that do have employment work as rickshaw drivers. There is no clean water supply in the three villages that make up this community. BGR and partners are hoping to establish three wells that will serve to provide clean and abundant water for these hard working people.

Pray for the local church that is involved in this project.

For information on any of these projects and how you can get involved, contact BGR at info@gobgr.org! For a FREE subscription to BGR to GO or BGR to GO for KIDS, visit our website at www.gobgr.org.

A Short Story

By Cindy Morris

Each day counts, especially when you are living with a chronic, terminal illness.  My dream to go spend a few days with our very dear friends (“Gary” and “Dot”) on their new mission assignment came true.  The four days fell perfectly in the off period between chemo treatments, and God gave me just enough strength, health and warm sunshine for the journey. Mark and I have been friends with Gary and Dot for 20 years now; they came to join our team serving a refugee community in Central Asia, in 1991.  The undeniable love of Christ, shared freely between us and in relation to needy Afghans, still rings so true in their lives and home.

Driving last Saturday from Michigan, past Lake Huron and on into Canada, brought us to the doorstep of the townhouse of our old friends. As usual Gary and Dot had prayerfully and carefully chosen their neighborhood, a strategic spot where immigrants from around the world locate, to live in the West but in a truly multicultural setting.  Just across the main street, immediately adjacent to this complex, stands a dilapidated high-rise, home to newly arrived refugees–Afghan and the like. We were out on that street soon after arrival in need of a pharmacy; on that one walk Dot introduced me to two sets of Afghan lady friends also making their way to and from the shops nearby.  The next “step up” for these refugees is across the way where our friends live.  Each three-story dwelling there, one right next to the other, seemed to spill over with single moms, boyfriends and kids; dogs, bikes and trash, needs and hurts. Dot steps next door each morning at 7:30 a.m. to pray for and brush through 9-year-old Emily’s hair, since her mother’s cancer treatment has left her right arm limp. No telling what this little ministry will mean in this girl’s life.

After Dot served us a delicious, spicy Asian meal that Saturday night, we sat with them and with a continual flow of green tea, reminiscing and hearing about their new community—the House of Prayer ministry, an effective Afghan radio outreach and what to expect for worship in their home the next day.

Late Sunday morning found a roomful of people seated on “toshak” floor pillows and a couch or two.  We sang together as teenager “Jim” led us on his guitar while his dad kept rhythm on a beloved Afghan drum.  Gary had told the house church ahead of time to feel free to share an “offering,” a praise of God’s work in our lives the week prior.  The Hispanic family, Bev (a lifelong Canadian) and Faida (an Afghan convert from Islam) shared openly; Dot sat next to the latter quietly translating for her. Each testimony stemmed from words of the Bible that had spoken into their situations and brought clarity.  Gary’s interactive lesson from the book of Luke stretched our understanding of the Kingdom of God and transposed easily into this neighborhood:  Love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to those in need without expecting back.

After prayer, Gary asked one of the children to present this week’s “GeTKO” (Getting To Know Others) question:  a random and fun way to sweeten the fellowship. That Sunday: “Where is your favorite place to sit and why?”  Young and old responded with thought and laughter.  Both tea prior, and a homemade soup afterwards were served. Everyone pitched in to help clean up.  This house church really looks/behaves like the one described in the book of Acts.

Late afternoon on Sunday we made our way across town to the home of a wonderful Afghan family. I could not hold back the tears upon hearing the way Jesus entered the life of the mom, who as a very young girl was sent away from Kabul to Russia alone, in order to escape war, famine and obtain an education.  Hers is only one story, but what a gift from God for me to finally again sip Afghan “chai” around such a testimony. Her vision of Jesus robed in white calling her to faith somehow resonates with me on a deeper level, now that cancer has brought me close to death and closer to Jesus.

The final full day in Canada started with my early elliptical workout in the basement, followed by a heart-to-heart mentoring session between Dot and her co-worker Cathy. I was kindly asked to sit in. Transparent sharing and praying, especially in regard to “controlling” our husbands, touched a place we all needed to evaluate.  Such is authentic discipleship. To be potentially great wives, moms and great ministers demands frequent discussion and tons of prayer; that, too, I have learned.

One exceptional event occurred on Monday afternoon. While the men went off to prayer walk, we girls walked in the other direction to the community center for the weekly ladies’ ethnic meeting. This time the topic was ”belly dancing” (see photo); the guest speaker shared how the origin of the dance was actually not erotic but rather a beautiful expression of color, clanging, and swaying to Egyptian song. I was surprised to see most of the dozen women from Korea, Pakistan, Iraq, North Africa and North America, without hesitation, dress up and try some moves to the music.  The endless smiles and spontaneous laughter from the group made it clear to me that this center is meeting not only practical but also deep emotional needs of women who live far from home. Now I can pray with insight for Dot and the other Christians involved, as they seek to be “salt and light” at the center on Monday afternoons.

Before Jim got home from school, the four of us adults took a nice drive north to visit the Mennonite community. The horse-drawn carriages, maple syrup museum and quilt shop are sealed in my memory as good reminders of simple living and the joy of hard work, as well as of the peace and quiet that takes over when electricity does not!  :)

That night we treated our hosts to a yummy Middle Eastern meal nearby. That’s when Gary asked his own GeTKO question:  ”So, if you could become something other than what you are today, what would it be?” Our answers included: a physical trainer, a singer, a journalist, a dancer, a doctor or an intelligence agent. Can you tell that we have hit mid-life crisis?

By the time sunny Tuesday morning came, Gary and Dot and Mark and I decided to walk again, this time toward the corner at the light for lunch at “Timmy’s”  (short for Tim Horton’s–the well known Canadian doughnut and coffee shop). Keenly aware that we had only a few hours left together, the deeper issues arose. How sweet to be “family” and freely share honestly of those most personal concerns.  And on top of that, we four have so much fun!

The time flew.  We returned home arm in arm, closed our bags, hugged and headed to the airport, out of breath and deeply satisfied.

It’s a combination of cool, relevant, contemporary, and profound, transparent and well…cool.

Check out this video because it articulates it for me.

This may be your church.  If it is, then you are my people.

See video.

Integrity, Transparency and Efficiency are the correct words for the children of Southern Baptists.  Dr. Rankin has opened the door for our agency leaders to be exactly that and hopefully win back the trust that our “youngsters” have lost in CP.

Thanks Jerry for speaking the truth about where our money goes, how it is distributed and thanks for offering some new potential solutions.

Integrity, Transparency and Efficiency by Jerry Rankin

If the problem of fulfilling the Great Commission is the need of greater financial resources then the Cooperative Program must be invigorated to become something that will compel greater giving and church support. Creating flexibility and giving ownership to churches will stimulate a willingness to increase allocations. Churches do want to be a part of doing more together than they can do independently, but they want more involvement in determining what that is.

Another factor that will create greater confidence in the system and encourage an increase in giving is to be more straightforward in what actually happens to an allocation to the CP and to be more efficient in the use of those resources. This is not to say that anyone is being dishonest, but there is suspicion about where all those funds go and what is being done with them.

Such candor could start by not calling something missions that is not. The Cooperative Program is sometimes promoted as “CP Missions” when it is evident that most of the funds don’t have anything to do with winning people to Christ, starting churches and engaging unevangelized areas with the gospel at home or overseas. This will be the topic of the next blogpost.

We must cease putting a spin on promotion in trying to make people believe CP is doing more than it is. Most of the people in the pew believe that half of the CP allocation that leaves their church goes to support international missionaries. Whenever it is said that 86 percent of CP to the SBC goes to missions, it is deceptive as most churches see that reference to CP as what their church designates as CP, not just the portion received at the national level. I have been criticized by Southern Baptist leaders over the years and accused of eroding confidence in CP by pointing out that the IMB only receives 17 percent of Cooperative Program funding from the churches rather than 50 percent.

State Conventions report how CP funds are divided between the state and SBC. But few Southern Baptists understand that there are “priority items” excerpted from funds received from the churches before the percentage division is determined. For example, most states contribute a share of contributions to Guidestone for annuity accounts of pastors and church staff, which is commendable, but it is only after those funds are withdrawn from receipts that the division is made.

Some states have also considered partnership missions as a priority item since this is funding for missions beyond their own needs and state programs. Several states have extensive work overseas, which is not always aligned with IMB strategies. That is okay, as we are not in competition with anyone seeking to reach a lost world. In fact, we are seeking to mobilize churches, associations and state conventions for involvement in our global task, but should this be the role of the state convention when it requires even more funds to be withheld by the states?

One of the more discouraging aspects of our traditional approach to the Cooperative Program is setting the annual budget for a particular year based on the amount received two years earlier. That is designed to give assurance in budget planning that funds are likely to cover the needs. But nothing could be less challenging. “Okay, Southern Baptists,” it is said, “let’s rally and try to give as much as we did year before last!” Then when that arbitrary budget level is met, most state conventions consider anything received over the budgeted amount as “their funds” to decide what to do with the excess rather than dividing all funds received according to the set percentage between the state and SBC.

If a state keeps 65 percent and sends 35 percent to the SBC, churches expect every penny of CP funds channeled through the state to be divided by that formula. Only recently have most states begun to divide all funds by the formula with the exception of “priority items.” But if that is not done, setting an arbitrarily low budget increases the likelihood the state could keep more when giving exceeds the budget.

Nothing drives commitment and sacrificial support like a compelling, passionate vision. We ought to challenge Southern Baptists to give what it takes to reach our nation and a lost world and see that funds are prioritized to actually go for that purpose. If the budget is not met, offices and programs all need to be prepared to cut back, but for goodness sake, let’s challenge our churches to give to a God-sized vision rather than appealing to them to sustain the work of past years.

Some radical efforts for operating more efficiently could go a long way toward encouraging more generous support. We are locked into organizational structures and antiquated models that absorb a massive proportion of our resources for administrative costs. Some state conventions have executive committees with more than a hundred board members. The Executive Committee and International Mission Board each have 90 members. The travel, hotels and meeting expenses are enormous.

We can’t reduce these bureaucratic systems because of a lack of trust. Since we can’t trust gifted, God-called leaders, every special interest must be represented. Committees and boards must have representation from every region of the state or nation; each gender and ethnic group must be represented as well as small churches and large churches, city churches and rural churches. The IMB has finally taken action to reduce its number of annual board meetings from six to four, but each one costs an average of $100,000! It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to come up with a more efficient and cost-effective system of governing and accountability.

The number on boards and committees could be reduced. Couldn’t several of the smaller state conventions consolidate into larger regional configurations and adequately serve the churches with a much smaller staff rather than duplicating programs and staffing needs in each state? What if our six seminaries operated under a consolidated administrative structure designed to provide theological education to Southern Baptists everywhere? Why couldn’t each one specialize in certain graduate degrees rather than duplicating programs and competing with each other for students?

The Executive Committee could be streamlined to provide administration and promotion on behalf of the Southern Baptists between our annual conventions instead of creating and funding its own ministries. “Empowering Kingdom Growth” and “Global Evangelism Relations” are well-intentioned programs, but should not we be asking what is resulting from the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to sustain their support, and how long should they be continued? Is it necessary to have a Southern Baptist Foundation overlapping with the work of state Baptist foundations?

Giving is discouraged and credibility diminished when those supported by the Cooperative Program are unwilling to reveal salaries and benefits they receive. If one is embarrassed to publicly acknowledge what they receive for “serving” an entity, a state convention or the SBC, then initiative ought to be taken to reduce their salary. Confidence in giving to the CP would be greatly enhanced by leaders being transparent in what they receive and Southern Baptists knowing how much is consumed by salaries and administrative support.

Again, I want to emphasize, I don’t think anyone is being dishonest. State budgets and SBC budgets are clearly outlined when convention action is taken. But the intricacies and complexity of how the Cooperative Program is used and where the funds all go is not really known and understood. Churches just can’t understand why more doesn’t go to missions and reaching a lost world. Lack of transparency and perceived inefficiency doesn’t encourage channeling even more funds into a generic denominational pool of funding.

http://rankinconnecting.com/2010/04/integrity-transparency-and-efficiency/

21 Year Old Jeremiah Johnson

Hands On missionary dies in motorcycle accident

4/12/2010

By IMB Staff

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)—A 21-year-old student missionary with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) was killed April 12 in a motorcycle accident in Mozambique, located in southeastern Africa.

Jeremiah Johnson, a member of Royal Palms Baptist Church in Phoenix, Ariz., and driver of the motorcycle, was riding with an interpreter (name withheld for security reasons) when the accident happened. Reports from overseas personnel say Johnson was killed instantly in the accident and his passenger was injured. Details on the interpreter’s condition and how the crash happened were not available at press time.

“Our hearts are broken,” said Charles Lord, pastor of Royal Palms. “We’re very proud of Jeremiah. God had been working in his life … he was serving the Lord to reach people who were unreached with the Gospel.”

Johnson was working with the IMB’s Hands On initiative among an unreached people group. The program enables college students to work on the mission field for a semester. Johnson was a student at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Ariz.

Johnson is the son of Diana and David Johnson. David is director of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary’s Arizona campus. Jeremiah also is survived by sisters, Rachel and Talitha; and brother, Merritt.

Lord described Johnson as courageous and willing to go wherever God was calling him to serve.

“We’re really going to miss him,” said the pastor.

Funeral arrangements are pending.