The Baptist Digest

Jesus - The Best Example

2009-11-01T05:14:07+00:00

One of the great temptations facing church leaders today is a desire to exercise absolute control in their church. Many church leaders believe that to be effective, they must micro-manage every aspect of the life of the church. They feel that they must attend every committee meeting, have every decision “cross their desk,” and personally manage all the other leaders in the church.

In the eighteenth chapter of Exodus, Jethro, Moses’ father in law, counseled Moses on the need to divest himself of some of his authority and allow others to carry some of the load. Moses had a control problem. He felt that only he could do the job. Jethro saw that ultimately this would wear Moses down and he would become ineffective as a leader.

I believe that a leader who controls a church in this way is headed for disaster, a heart attack, and/or family problems. It is simply too much for any one person to manage, especially if a church grows and ministries multiply. In fact, this style of leadership will eventually stifle the growth of the church.

There is a more fundamental reason, however, that I reject the marriage of good leadership and absolute control. It is simply not a biblical model. The Bible teaches that church leaders are to equip the saints and free them to move into ministry (Eph 4:11ff.). We lead best in the life of the church when we empower the people of God to do the work of God.

Jesus is the best example of how leadership and control should relate to each other. Jesus was a consummate leader, but He never seemed to feel the need to manage or control His followers. He led by example. He led by empowerment. He led by drawing out the best in those around Him.

If you are in a position of leadership at any level in the life of your church, learn from the master leader, Jesus, and lead, don’t manage. Especially if you are a pastor, give vision; give empowerment; and turn your church loose for ministry.

Sloth, Not The Animal Kind

2009-11-01T05:13:40+00:00

My goal in this article is to make you aware of what sloth is and help you examine your life in light of it. The next article will bring the antidote to this deadly way of life called sloth.

When God received me into his kingdom through his enabling faith, he blessed me with his grace: his favor, and his enabling power to do what I am not able to do in my own strength. He helped me understand that I had one new life to live and give. I, on my side, determined to make my life count, to focus on what matters. That took some time. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a deep yearning within, and desire to give my life to the things that matter to God, I settled on the pursuit of God’s kingdom and his righteousness.

But the tyranny of the urgent has its ways and its powers. The bearish claws of the affairs of this world create deep ruts in the soul. The “jaws” of sloth grip the heart until death slowly makes life leak out of us. Sloth, Jeff Cook says, “is indifference toward our souls” and the things that matter to God. Sloth is apathy (lack of passion) toward God, his kingdom, and his life. Sloth is laziness toward and neglect of the eternal in favor of the trivial.

Jesus was deeply concerned during his life on earth with sloth. He spoke of it in many of his parables. I mention only three here: the parables of the talents, the banquet, and the sheep and goats. This is a good stopping point. Take time and read those parables: Matthew 25:14-30; Matthew 22:1-14; Matthew 25:31-46.

A talent (an amount worth 20 years of work—half of our working lives) represents the life that God gives us and expects us to invest in knowing Him, and in reading the world for his coming. A slave’s freedom could be bought for a talent. Jesus would make us understand that a talent is the freedom we have to invest in what matters to God. One of the slaves took his life and did nothing with it. His apathy, his sloth, his indifference to his soul, earned him these awful sounding words: “Throw the worthless slave outside, into the darkness.”

Sloth, in Jesus’ eyes, is our failure to maximize our pursuit of God’s kingdom and embedding his righteousness deep into our souls. Apathetic inactivity, and purposeless waiting displeases God. As we wait for his return, we take the life given to us (grace, mercy, joy, love, hope, and faith) and wisely multiply it in God’s kingdom.

The king in the second parable invited many to his son’s wedding banquet. He was stood up. Then the streets were combed and the needy were invited. One deigned come without the proper attire for the wedding celebration. His sloth was evident in his laziness to dress for the wonderful event. The king condemns him with these awful words: “tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness.” He lacked the passion for life (the banquet) that the king has! Sloth is indifference to the life of God, with God, and for God!

The third parable, the one about sheep and goats, describes those who, at the judgment, gave a cup of water, fed the poor, visited the prisoner, and helped the widow, in his name. They represent those who are passionate about the life of the kingdom. The ones “who are cursed, and must depart from him” are the slothful, the ones our Lord did not know. They see brothers and sisters of king Jesus, but like the Priest and the Levi, go on their merry way, the broad way, which leads to destruction.

The servants that invested their lives, the banquet guests who came dressed to celebrate life with God, and the lovers of the poor and the needy, are passionate people who have rejected sloth as a way of life. They have said no to the minimum they can do for, with, and in God. They are willing to be maimed for God rather than enter unblemished into insignificance. They have said yes to a passion to love and walk with God and to love and serve others. The others were shown the door.

I for one do not wish to hear the awful words. Not from my Lord. Sloth buries the life our beautiful and good God wants us to invest in his world. He is coming back to renew it, recreate it, to make it habitable for himself eternally. May he find us passionate about Him, his kingdom, and about “putting this world to rights” in his name! Those who walk with the Master would not want it any different!

The Ken James Version - GPS Q & A For Pastors

2009-11-01T05:12:11+00:00

In the past few weeks, and especially at the KNCSB Annual Meeting, several pastors asked me questions about their churches’ involvement in the Spring event of GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing). Once again, GPS is a ten-year plan to Share the Gospel of Christ with every person in North America by 2020. The 2010 emphasis of GPS is Sharing Christ Across North America, thus our convention’s emphasis is Sharing Christ Across Kansas-Nebraska. Let me see if I can provide answers to most of the questions that I have encountered.

Q: Do I need to sign up or register my church for involvement in GPS?

A: There is no registration. At this time, we are encouraging pastors to inform and enlist their churches to participate in GPS.

Q: Where can I get information about GPS?

A: There are several sources. This column, for the rest of the year, is devoted to the dissemination of information that will help you prepare. The official website for GPS is http://www.gps2020.net . You will find graphics, DVD’s, a Pastor’s Preparation Manual, and many more items to assist you as you inform and challenge your church. You may also call me at my office: (785) 228-6800.

Q: What materials will we need, and how much will they cost?

A: The materials for the event are minimal. We will make available, through your associational office, three items: Clear plastic bags and a “Find It Here” evangelistic drop-in for your community door hanging event, and a vinyl “Find It Here” yard banner for your church. We are not charging anything for the materials, however, if a church chooses to reimburse KNCSB for materials the cost is 5 ½ cents for the bag and drop-in, and $20.00 apiece for the banners. No church will be billed for materials.

Q: How will we benefit from the media buy?

A: Your KNCSB GPS Team has made its final decision relative to the media saturation. Our two states will be covered with TV ads in March of 2010. The ads will feature the “Find It Here” testimonies, and an appeal for the viewer to access the http://www.findithere.com website or call the toll-free Evangelism Response Center. The door hanger drop-ins and the church-yard banners will bear the same images that the TV ads are portraying. We will be a part of an unprecedented event as the entire nation will be saturated with these ads at the same time.

Q: What can we be doing to get ready?

A: Use every available means to inform and engage your congregations to make a firm commitment to be intentionally involved in this wonderful opportunity for outreach. The campaign is very simple: (1) PRAYER: Make plans for prayer-walking your communities at least six weeks before Easter; (2) ENGAGING: Seek commitment from your members, and provide evangelism training for them as they become involved in (3) SOWING: With advance planning, send teams out to hang the plastic bags on the doors of your communities a week before Easter. The bags will contain only two items: The “Find It Here” Gospel presentation, and an invitation to attend the Easter events scheduled for your church, especially the Sunday Morning worship service. (4) HARVESTING: Present a simple, clear evangelistic message on Easter Sunday morning. Reveal an expectation for God to touch lives by preparing for the salvation of the lost, and the follow-up of new believers.

I pray that the pastors of the churches affiliated with KNCSB will be able to look back to Easter 2010, and say “I’m grateful that we did!” instead of “I wish we had!”

Lindsay’s Retirement Recognition Central In Annual Meeting

2009-11-01T05:11:16+00:00

Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists were urged during their annual meeting to prepare themselves to “pass on the baton.”

The meeting was held Oct. 12-13 at Country Acres Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan. It honored R. Rex (Peck) Lindsay, who is stepping down on Dec. 31 after serving nearly 40 years with the convention. Lindsay has served as KNCSB executive director since 1977. He joined the convention staff in 1971 as director of missions.

Sharing the spotlight with Lindsay was his wife, Sue. She helped develop the KNCSB church library ministry into a nationally recognized program. She also has worked tirelessly in the KNCSB archives preserving the convention’s history.

A reception after the opening session on Monday night, Oct. 12, honored the Lindsays and their family. Before the meeting session ended, they were presented with an array of gifts. Among the gifts were two books of memories compiled by Nancy Cokely, pastor’s wife in Iola, Kan.

The Lindsays’ children and their families were recognized. Natalee Beck and her husband, Todd, and their four children live in Eudora, Kan. Nate Lindsay and his wife, Marla, live in Overland Park, Kan. Marla Lindsay’s father, Mike McKinney, is pastor of Leawood Baptist Church, Leawood, Kan.

Peck Lindsay is passing the leadership baton to his successor Bob Mills. In the same way, annual-meeting participants were urged to prepare themselves to “finish well.”

The challenge came during the presidential address by Steve Holdaway. He is senior pastor of LifeSpring Church, Bellevue, Neb.

Holdaway also issued a strong call for cooperation. “I believe in cooperation,” he said.

Meeting participants included 391 messengers and 231 registered visitors.

Messengers approved the 2010 KNCSB budget of $5,752,476. This is down about 1 percent from 2009. Cooperative Program gifts from Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist churches are anticipated to be $3,246,000. This is the same as 2009. Gifts to the national Cooperative Program will remain at 32 percent.

Officers elected were:
President: Ron Pracht, pastor of Olivet Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan.
Vice president: John Shields, pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, Lexington, Neb.

Officers re-elected were:
Recording secretary: Bryan Jones, pastor of Tyler Road Southern Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan.
Assistant recording secretary: Gloria Garner, member of First Baptist Church, Burlington, Kan.
Historian: Tony Mattia, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Wamego, Kan.

Only one resolution was approved. It expressed appreciation to the host church and everyone involved in making the meeting a success.

An effort failed on amending the KNCSB bylaws to abolish the Resolutions Committee. Later in the meeting, the Committee on Committees named Blake Orr of Winfield, Kan., to the Resolutions Committee. The existing members are David VanBebber, Riley, Kan., and Dale Donnelly, Tekamah, Neb. (Al Fransen of Bellevue, Neb., rotated off.)

In other activity, numerous people were recognized for their service in missions, chaplaincy and disaster relief.

Wayne and Ruth Ann Kittelson of Omaha, Neb., received the Kelley Shelton Memorial Award for Mission Service Corps missionaries. The Kittelsons are directors of volunteers for Nebraska. MSC is the long-term volunteer program of the North American Mission Board.

Gordon Herb of Wichita, Kan., received the 2009 KNCSB Chaplaincy Award. He was an Army chaplain from 1979 to 1999. He has been a disaster-relief chaplain since 1995. His wife, Vi, serves at his side. They have served in such places as New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and in Kentucky after the severe ice storm early in 2009.

A disaster-relief award was set up this year in memory of James L. “Jim” Jones, who died in December 2008. The award will be presented to his wife, Janet, during the Western Kansas Baptist Association annual meeting.

The 2010 annual meeting will be held Oct. 11-12 at the Ramada Inn Convention Center in Kearney, Neb.

Harbour Featured In Pastors’ Conference

2009-11-01T05:10:08+00:00

In a world of “incredible change,” pastors need to “incarnate” the gospel, Brian Harbour said during the KNCSB Pastors’ Conference.

The annual event was held Monday, Oct. 12, at Country Acres Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan. It preceded the KNCSB annual meeting.

Harbour, who is retired after 42 years in the pastorate, was the featured speaker. He retired two-and-a-half years ago as pastor of First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas. Harbour now leads SeminaryPlus. Visit the Web site at http://seminaryplus.org/

“The change also is coming into the church,” he said.

Pastors have two choices in dealing with change: “bury our heads in the sand and long for the good ole days” or “incarnate” Christ in the culture.

Harbour cited the book, “Preaching as Local Theology and Folk Art” by Lenora Tubbs Tisdale. This book says a pastor should be an “ethnographer.”

“Exegete the text and exegete the people,” he said.

When Harbour went to a new congregation, he read the last five years of the church’s newsletter. He met with community officials, such as the mayor, police chief and superintendent of schools.

“Intentionally get to know the people themselves.”

Harbour gave these suggestions for effective preaching in the rapidly changing culture. Pastors need to:

“Reflect more humility.
“Reveal the process by which we reach our conclusions.
“Limit the number of ideas we introduce into each message.
“Live what we preach.”

Pastors must earn the right to lead, Harbour continued. This comes through being:

Competent
Consistent
Caring
A communicator

The conference also featured a question-and-answer session with R. Rex (Peck) Lindsay, KNCSB executive director. KNCSB President Steve Holdaway interviewed Lindsay, who is stepping down on Dec. 31 after a nearly 40-year career with KNCSB.

Lindsay emphasized that KNCSB works as a partner with Kansas-Nebraska churches and associations:
“[You are] the people who know most how to reach your community.”

He deflected praise, telling Holdaway, “The real heroes, Steve, are the men and women who have stayed in tough places.”

KNCSB Golf Tourney Draws 85

2009-11-01T05:09:31+00:00

The KNCSB Baptist Men’s Annual Golf Tournament was held on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at Lake Shawnee Golf Course, Topeka, Kansas. Eighty-five players played from thirteen churches. The tourney started at 9:00 a.m. and concluded mid-afternoon following a luncheon, fellowship, and awards time.

The tourney began with a prayer by John Lucas, KNCSB Baptist Men’s Director, for appreciation for the golf course staff and that the players, as golfers, enjoy the tourney and its opportunity for Christian fellowship.

Players donated $375.00 to KNCSB boys’ and men’s ministry while enjoying the tourney fellowship. The tournament is one of KNCSB’s annual “sports evangelism” events where men gather and share their life experiences and share their faith in Christ. Players were very positive in indicating their appreciation for the event and the opportunity to fellowship with other men and enjoy a time of fun. The tourney next year will be held on September 25, 2010.

The winners and prize recipients of the tournament were:
Championship Flight:
1st Place Team: Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, KS
2nd Place Team: Trinity Baptist Church, Pittsburg, KS
3rd Place Team: Ogden Baptist Church, Ogden, KS

First Flight:
1st Place Team: F. S. B. C., Salina, KS
2nd Place Team: Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, KS
3rd Place Team: Vista Baptist Church, Olathe, KS

Awards:
Longest drive: Ron Gillette, Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, KS
Longest putt: Clark Johnson, F. S. B. C. Topeka, KS
Closest to Pin: Gerald Appelhans, First Southern Baptist Church, Topeka, KS

RA Congress Brings Boys & Men Together In Christ

2009-11-01T05:08:37+00:00

On September 18-19, 2009, first grade through sixth grade boys gathered at First Southern Baptist Church of Hutchinson, Kansas to celebrate the Annual Royal Ambassador Congress, a camp and fellowship time for boys and men from KNCSB churches. This year the Congress continued the exciting format began in 2008, namely, being hosted by a church that has a very active Royal Ambassador ministry. The new format allows churches to send boys to camp with only the cost of one very low “church cost” to attend. This new format also allows granting scholarships to churches when warranted. The Congress now ends on Saturday allowing participants to return to their churches to celebrate Sunday worship.

The Congress was attended by seventy-eight boys, church counselors and staff. Thirteen churches and associations were represented. Adult church members and youth served as counselors and filled other volunteer positions. The theme for this year’s Congress was: “Getting Fit for God’s Mission.”

Royal Ambassadors or “RAs” are a Bible-centered, church-based, Southern Baptist mission education organization for boys in grades one through six. A Royal Ambassador’s life is guided by commitment to a life centered in God’s will and a life of accountability as evidenced in the RA Pledge:

As a Royal Ambassador I will do my best:
to become a well-informed, responsible
follower of Christ;
to have a Christlike concern for all people;
to learn how to carry the message of Christ
around the world;
to work with others in sharing Christ, and
to keep myself clean and healthy in mind
and body.

The foundation for the name “Royal Ambassadors” and its purpose is derived from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. While the RA motto is found in verse 20 (Ambassador’s For Christ), the other verses sum up Paul’s declaration of why we need to be ambassadors for Christ. RAs strive, with the guidance and leadership of committed adults, to live out these Scripture verses.

Eric Reese, an International Mission Board missionary serving in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, was the missionary speaker for the Congress. His testimony inspired the boys and men to follow God and seek His will everyday. His example of unselfish service for Christ to the poor and needy in Brazil touched the hearts of those present. Several boys shared with their counselors that they had dedicated their lives to Christ.

In addition to an evangelistic focus, educational events covered first aid and sensitivity to being alert to when a child is approached by a stranger. Learning about camping and outdoor safety was given a priority. The RAs submitted mission projects which were judged for mission focus and creativity. Boys earned trophies and ribbons for their various activities. The majority of boys camped outdoors with their adult supervision while others selected to sleep indoors.

Anyone interested in becoming an RA or wishing to start an RA Chapter for their boys in their church can contact John Lucas, KNCSB Men’s and Boy’s Ministry Director, at 800-984-9092 or 785/228-6800, Ext. 817, or by E-mail at: lucas-john_kncsb@cox.net.

Featured Video

2009-11-01T05:07:36+00:00

The Love Dare Bible Study (DVD)
by Michael Catt

This 8-session kit contains everything needed to provide a power marriage enrichment opportunity and offers a variety of thought-provoking ideas, questions, Scriptures studies, and ice breakers to enhance the experience and spark great conversations.

Leading Your Heart
The Power of Influence
Honoring and Cherishing Your Spouse
Loving with Understanding
Unconditional Love
Walking in Forgiveness
Building Your Marriage on Prayer and God’s Word
Establishing a Covenant Marriage

Available to churches cooperating with KNCSB by contacting library@kncsb.org or calling either 785/228-6800 or 800/984-9092. Ask for Sue Lindsay or Karen Stover.

Girls, Mothers Put Missions Into Action

2009-11-01T05:06:52+00:00

God “can speak to you when you’re very young,” Carol Kirkland told girls attending the KNCSB Glow missions retreat.

Kirkland was the featured speaker for the retreat held Oct. 2-3 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. She and her family formerly served in Africa and are now home in Kansas.

Glow is a retreat for girls in grades 1-6 and their mothers. It stands for “God’s Light Over the World.” This year’s retreat focused on Africa. The theme verse was, “He is a light that will reveal salvation to the nations.” Luke 2:32 (GWT)

When Kirkland was a young girl, her church had a reading emphasis about missionaries. That sparked her interest, and she kept reading.

As an eighth grader, “God spoke in my heart and said, ‘I want you to be a missionary’.” So Kirkland made all of her major life decisions with that calling in mind. In fact, when her husband, Jonathan, asked her to marry him, she asked if he felt called to missions.

The Kirkland family served on a short-term basis in Liberia and Tanzania. Before leaving Tanzania, they felt God’s call to return and serve for a longer time. When they returned to Tanzania, they served four years.

Jonathan Kirkland is a doctor. He served in the mission hospital and also went by helicopter to hold medical clinics in remote areas. Carol homeschooled their children. She also led women’s Bible studies, taught English as a second language and helped with bookkeeping in the mission hospital.

Kirkland challenged the girls to be missionaries in their homes and schools. She also stressed the importance of praying for missionaries on their birthdays.

“On our birthday, we could feel people lifting us up.”

The girls and their mothers also staged a mission project for Sudanese people living in Omaha, Neb. They collected toiletry items for the Sudanese church led by Pastor James Guek. During the retreat, they decorated gift bags to be used in distributing the items.

LifeWay Announces 2010 Women’s Events

2009-11-01T05:05:12+00:00

Nationally known women’s Bible teachers will be featured in 2010 events sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources.

Although none of these events will be held in Kansas or Nebraska, several will be within a reasonable driving distance.

“Living Proof Live” with Beth Moore will be held June 25-26, 2010, in St. Louis, Mo. The event will take place at Chaifetz Arena at St. Louis University.

Rapid City, S.D., will be the site of “Living Proof Live” on Nov. 19-20, 2010. This Beth Moore event will be held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena.

“Deeper Still” is a LifeWay event that offers the chance to hear Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer and Kay Arthur. It will be held June 11-12 at Denver University, Denver, Colo. A discount for early registration ends Jan. 15, 2010.

“Going Beyond” with Priscilla Shirer will be held Aug. 6-7 at The Church at BattleCreek, Broken Arrow, Okla.

To find more information about these events, go to http://www.lifeway.com/. In the top menu bar, click on “Family” and scroll down to “Women.” On the “LifeWay Women” page, click on “Events” in the left menu bar.

The LifeWay women’s site also tells about the upcoming release of the updated version of “Breaking Free” by Beth Moore.

Based on Isaiah 61:1-4, “Breaking Free” draws parallels between the captive Israelites and today’s believers, the Web site says.

Moore “uses Scripture to help identify spiritual strongholds in your life, no matter how big or small. She explains that anything that hinders us from the benefits of knowing God is bondage.

“First released in 1999, this updated version of Breaking Free includes 11 new video teaching messages taped live at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans.” It also includes re-edited Bible study content and testimonies from women. The study consists of 11 video sessions with 10 weeks of print study.

Download a sample session [PDF] at http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_wmn_BF_Sample.pdf

Visit Beth Moore’s “Living Proof Web site at http://www.lproof.org/

Lenexa Baptist Serves Community Through ‘S.O.S.’

2009-11-01T05:02:14+00:00

Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, Kan., touched lives and shared Christ on Saturday, Sept. 26, during a community outreach event called S.O.S.

S.O.S stands for:

Serving each other and the community
Observing the needs around us
Sharing our lives and the Gospel

Members of Lenexa Baptist Church partnered with the Quivira Place Apartment complex in Lenexa. They made repairs to the playground, served lunch, provided carnival games and a Kidz’s Street Live performance.

It was a huge success with more than 100 residents benefiting from lunch and improvements to their playground area.
Many hearts were touched and four decisions were made. The next evening three more decisions were made.

Steve Dighton is the church’s senior pastor. He is a KNCSB past president.

Visit the church’s Web site at http://www.lenexabaptist.com/

Former Kansas Pastor Dies

2009-11-01T05:01:14+00:00

David Edwards, a former Kansas pastor, died on Friday, Oct. 9, at age 51.

He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Lyndon, Kan., in the early 1980s while studying at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City.

Born in Clovis, New Mexico on Dec. 15, 1957, to Glenn and Joan Edwards, David accepted Christ at age 17 when a missionary to India came to town.

He graduated from Clovis High School in 1976. Then he attended Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, where he met his lifelong sweetheart, Lyndy Dawson, daughter of Dr. George and Dorothy Dawson. Lyndy and David were married on Sept. 6, 1980.

After graduating from college in 1980, he took his first ministry position at First Baptist Church, Lyndon, Kan. During this time, he earned his master of divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City.

His father-in-law, George, then encouraged him to pursue his PhD at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Together David and Lyndy drove for a year and a half to minister at First Baptist Church, Hennipen, Okla.

Their two daughters were born during his time in seminary: Kathryn Elisabeth was born in 1985, followed by Emily Grace in 1987.

While writing his dissertation, David ministered at a little neighborhood church, Stadium Drive Baptist, which provided a place of service and growth for many seminary students.

He accepted the call to Main Street Baptist Church in Georgetown, Texas after receiving his PhD in Theology in 1992. They moved to Georgetown in January 1994, and their son, Evan James Dawson, was born the following month.

A memorial service was held at First Baptist Church, Corsicana, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 13. Burial was in Oddfellows Cemetery in Georgetown, Texas. A second memorial service was held at Main Street Baptist Church in Georgetown on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 14.

Memorials may be sent in David’s name to the building fund of Main Street Baptist Church’s Ministry Center, 1001 Main St., Georgetown, Texas 78626.

To sign an on-line guest book, go to http://corleyfuneralhome.com/home.html

The Impact Of Peck Lindsay

2009-10-01T06:11:57+00:00

There are people who come along in your life that make a profound impact on the direction that you take and the choices that you make. Peck Lindsay has been that kind of person in my life.

Peck, as he has done with so many pastors in KNCSB, befriended me and offered his help early on in my pastorate in Mulvane, Kansas. I was amazed early on that the Executive Director would take time to reach out to a pastor who was young and not very influential.

I have learned through the years that influence and position don’t particularly impress Peck. He genuinely cares about pastors and churches. His friendship was something that I knew I could count on early in my KNCSB experience.

Peck also made an impact on the direction of my life when he invited me to help with some projects at the state office. I was first invited to work on what became the Heartland Center for Christian Leadership. Later, I was invited to work on the revamping of the Baptist Digest.

Through this experience and the willingness of my church, I became a part-time contributor to the Baptist Digest and gave some leadership to Heartland. Peck was very clear up front that I would probably never work full time for the convention. That was all right with me. I was enjoying what I was doing as a pastor of a wonderful church.

Imagine my surprise when after a few years of part-time work for the convention, Peck invited me to consider working full time for the convention. God’s timing was perfect, because I had reached the conclusion that it was time to move on from my pastoral responsibilities.

These last five years have been a refreshing time of ministry. I loved pastoring, but I love what I do now as well. In all of this Peck has really made it possible for me to grow and enjoy what I am doing. I have written about leadership in this column recently. Let me say that I believe Peck to be one of the Godliest leaders that I have had the opportunity to be around.

Peck encourages everyone to explore the God-given potential for his or her life. He understands when someone fails and is willing to help pick them up and dust them off.

Peck has challenged me intellectually as well. I learned very quickly not to ever underestimate his mind. Every time I have challenged him about an idea, he can always articulate a reason for his position that is well thought out.

We will miss his leadership but we know that his friendship will continue.

Fighting Against Envy

2009-10-01T06:10:02+00:00

Envy is a vice, a sin, a wrong attitude, thought, and action. The Bible warns against it often. If you want to do more research on envy go to http://net.bible.org/home.php.

The word envy comes from Latin invidere. En comes from “in” meaning against, and VY in envy comes from “videre” meaning to see. So to look at another person’s life, possessions, talents, achievements, gifts, and blessings causing an attitude of against because of them is what envy is about. It is also about turning inward by asking the pitiful “Why not me?” No one wants to live like this since there isn’t even a smidgen of pleasure in this sin. We want to be rid of it.

How then, shall we live free of envy, or at the least live toward an envy-free life? How do we disregard the mirror on the wall in which we desperately want to hear that we are the fairest of them all? If envy has to do with looking against others and pitying ourselves in the process, what practices offer us a fighting chance with this sin that besets us? Peter commands us to get rid of envy (1 Peter 2:1). After all envy was part of the human sentiments that committed the first murder and put Jesus on the cross (see Matt. 27:18; Mark 15:10; John 11:47)

We get rid of envy when we understand and live up to our Identity in Christ. One of the main features of the Christ event (incarnation, life, passion, resurrection, and return) is that we who are in Christ enjoy a new identity. We are new creatures who put away old things and who relish the stamp of Christ on our lives.

How does our Christian help to rid us of envy? Here’s my take. Our perception of personal worth in comparison with other people is a huge factor in envy. The envious focus on the third car garage where our neighbor’s boat is stored. They focus on the talents, on the degrees, on the year-end bonuses, and on the awards their colleagues gets. They ask why not me? Why do they have more worth than I do? It’s a short step to from here to feeling ill will against others. Possessions, affluence, blessing, and talents become the measure of a person’s worth. This is typical in the society we live in. Envy, because of this understanding of self-worth, always crouches at the door ready to incriminate.

What if our identity is not in our work, roles, achievements, or talents? The Christian is cloaked with Christ. The fruit of the Spirit marks his life, not envy or other passions of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-24). Christ in him shapes his identity. If the inner life is not formed in the likeness of Christ, his worth will be determined by his material possessions. In the end these go to the hay and stubble bin.

When the Christian steps out of her identity in Christ to wear another that is based on having and doing, she is trapped in envy’s matrix. When the Christian falsely believes that what she does is less valuable than others, envy is near. When she believes the house next door is better decorated or the kid across the street is smarter and better mannered than hers she is on the slippery slope of envy. This is a dead end. Christ bestows his worth on our families, our activities, and ourselves. This grace enables us to rest in him.

In an amazing tour de force, Paul, following in the footstep of His Master and Ours, equalizes the playing field when he put marginalized people on par with the privileged of society: husbands, fathers, and masters. For example, in Ephesians 5:21-6:9, Paul addresses wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters in a context of mutual submission. The fact that wives, children, and slaves are dignified with an address from Paul and honored for their identity in Christ, radically frees these marginalized people of his day. Worth for Paul is not based on race, gender, or status. There is room for work and achievement but only as a result of the worth that unifies our identity as Christ followers.

The Jew and the Gentile inherit sonship and oneness in Christ. Men and women benefit from following the equal opportunity Leader we obey. The haves and the have-nots are equally needy of love and grace for deliverance. We come to believe that when we abide in Christ, our identities develop from our union with Christ. This unity leads us to prefer others and to love them sacrificially. In this equality of worth in Christ there is freedom from envy. Envy is easy when doing replaces being as the foundation of our identity in Christ.

We also get rid of envy when we practice Contentment. Paul believed that contentment is an attitude worth developing. How to be content? Can Paul tell us? Paul knew times of plenty and times of scarcity. His spiritual economics rested on a reality that is beyond the material. His secret of contentment was a deep appreciation of past faithfulness of God and present experience of grace (Please take the time to deepen your understanding of contentment by meditating on these passages: Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Timothy 6:6,8; Philippians 4:11).

In practicing contentment we intentionally look beyond our mundane existence. We peer into the spiritual reality of the sufficiency of Christ that pervades our life. This practice of peering is best done in times of solitude, self-examination, and fasting. Each of these disciplines contributes a unique vantage point from which we can study our entanglement with envy. Then we can proceed to confession, repentance, reconciliation, and shalom secure in our identity in Christ. Those who walk with the Master are learning that when they experience bounty or scarcity they rejoice in Christ. At times they opt for scarcity of food and friends even when there is plenty of them around in order to appreciate, withdraw, and savor the worth that the grace of Christ bestows on our identity. Envy. Be gone! In Christ I stand content.

The Ken James Version - An Unprecedented Opportunity

2009-10-01T06:09:28+00:00

In an earlier article, I said that I thought some of the saddest words that could be spoken are “I wish we had.” On the other hand, some of the happiest words are “I’m glad we did.” I want to encourage pastors across Kansas-Nebraska to see GPS as an unprecedented opportunity that will provide us the occasion to utter one of the above statements. I hope that pastors and congregations across our convention will look back after Easter of 2010, and be able to say, “We are grateful that we seized the moment and participated in GPS.”

There has never been a time in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention when participating churches across our nation have had the opportunity to be involved in such a unified thrust to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the spring of 2010, beginning several weeks before Easter, the United States will be saturated with an unprecedented media blitz including radio, TV, billboards, and banners. The message of Find It Here will be seen and heard by millions of folks. A website (http://www.findithere.com) and a toll free telephone number will be promoted as a vehicle for people to hear and respond to a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The best part of this endeavor is that every church can capture the opportunity to be the most significant part of this massive media blitz. We will be providing Find It Here banners for every church that chooses to participate. Just imagine how a banner in your church yard will be enhanced in its impact by the radio and TV spots and the highway billboards that have caught the attention of so many people. Each participating church will become involved in PRAYING (Prayer-walking their communities); ENGAGING (Enlisting their members in evangelism training and scripture distribution); SOWING (Distributing “Find It Here” Gospel presentations and invitations to attend Easter services); and HARVESTING (Evangelistic service on Easter morning and follow-up of new believers). It is time for us to dream big dreams about what God may choose to accomplish through His churches as they concentrate on intentionally engaging the lost of their communities with the Good News of salvation.

Pastors, let me encourage you to access the official website for GPS. Go to http://www.gps.2020.net, click on the “Resources” tab at the top of the homepage. On the “Resources” page, on the left hand side, click on “Across North America”. On the next page you will be able to download a copy of the 20-page “Pastor/Church Preparation Guide”. This is an invaluable tool to assist you in early planning for maximum participation by your church in GPS.

Your KNCSB GPS Team is in the process of making the final decisions relative to our convention’s media buy. Although we will not be able to cover the entirety of our two states, we believe that the “bleed over” from our neighboring state conventions will provide media coverage for some of those areas.

This is a great time to be a part of such a bold venture. I hope you will be among those who will be able to say, “I’m glad we did!”

Wonderful Weekend For Women Draws 470

2009-10-01T06:08:44+00:00

Follow God wholeheartedly through life’s difficulties.

That was one of the challenges issued to 470 participants in the KNCSB Wonderful Weekend for Women.

The annual event was held Sept. 11-12 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. Kelly Minter, an author, speaker, singer and song writer, was the featured speaker.

Kelly Gandy, who serves in student ministry in Colorado Springs, was the featured missionary. The featured musicians were “Always, Only,” the women’s ensemble from Metropolitan Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan.

Minter spoke on “Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy.” She examined Ruth, her mother-in-law Naomi, and Orpah, her sister-in-law. Each woman had suffered heartbreaking losses but dealt with them differently: Ruth followed God wholeheartedly; Naomi followed God but clung to her bitterness; and Orpah turned away from God.

Concerning Orpah, Minter said, “I think she did what was normal. I know how to live a normal life, but I don’t think that is what goes down in history.”

The women also learned of great spiritual needs in Colorado Springs. Only 10 percent of the population attends church, Gandy said. That is despite the city being the home of such Christian organizations as Focus on the Family and the Navigators.

Gandy and her husband, Bill, work with students in Pike’s Peak Baptist Association, home of 30,000 students. They previously served at First Southern Baptist Church, Pratt, Kan.

The Gandys’ main focus is leading the Baptist Student Union at the Air Force Academy.

“These are incredible students. [They] are going to be influencing our entire nation.”

Gandy challenged WWW participants to “be a missionary right where you are.”

In other activity, the women learned the KNCSB women’s department has a new name: KNCSB Women’s Leadership. To learn more, visit the new Web site at http://knwomen.com/

In 2010, Wonderful Weekend for Women will be held Sept. 17-18 at WCC. Author and speaker Angela Thomas will be featured. Visit her Web site at
http://angelathomas.com/

Bob Mills Elected Executive Director Of KNCSB

2009-10-01T06:07:51+00:00

Bob is a native of Florida and first came to KNCSB when he attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married his wife, Lynne, on April 27, 1984. They have three children, Emily Elizabeth (23), Brittney Lynne (21), and Jordan Wayne (18).

Bob began serving in KNCSB as a Coordinator of Weekday Ministries in Kansas City Kansas Baptist Association (KCKBA) from 1974 to 1976. He also served as Director of Youth and Family Services in KCKBA. From 1976 to 1979, Bob served as the Director, Church and Community Ministries in Kansas City, Kansas. He served as Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bethel in Kansas City, Kansas from 1978-1981. In 1981 he was called to work Associate Director of the Missions Service Corps with the Home Mission Board (HMB) in Atlanta, Georgia. He was later made Director of the Mission Service Corps Department with HMB. He served for a short period of time with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in a similar position.

In 1998 Bob returned to KNCSB as the State Director of Missions and continues to serve in that position until he becomes the Executive Director on January 1, 2010. During the last decade plus, Bob has served as interim pastor of a number of KNCSB churches including, Nall Avenue, Prairie Village; First Baptist Church, Shawnee; Tyler Road, Wichita; Western Hills, Topeka; First Southern, Garden City; First Southern, Overland Park; Pleasantview, Derby; and Parkway, Kansas City.

Bob holds a B.A. degree from William Carey College in Mississippi. He also holds M.Div and D.Min degrees from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Missouri. Bob has numerous professional certificates from various groups or ministries including Church Smart, Growing Healthy Churches, Church Planter Basic Training, Supervision Training for People in Ministry and Next Level Training (NAMB)

Bob has served as chairman and member of a national task force on volunteers that involved the Home Mission Board, International Mission Board, Brotherhood, and WMU. He served as president of the Midwestern Seminary Alumni Association and as president of the State Missions Directors Fellowship. He has taught as an adjunct professor at four of our seminaries. He serves presently on the National Task Force for Associations (Lifeway) and the National Organization of Baptists Association.

Bob is a member of Covenant Baptist Church in Topeka and his wife, Lynne, serves on the Praise Team there.

A Salute To Peck Lindsay - whether he likes it or not!

2009-10-01T06:06:52+00:00

Peck Lindsay is stepping down on Dec. 31, 2009, after nearly 40 years with KNCSB. He has shunned the spotlight all of these years. But now — whether he likes it or not — the spotlight is aimed his way.

In Peck’s case, the old saying is true: “Behind every great man is a woman.” So the spotlight here in The Digest also will be aimed at Sue. As Thane Barnes, executive director in Nevada, puts it, “Like so many of us in ministry, Peck, you did marry way over your head!”

Glenn Davis sent the following tribute to Peck. Davis is director in missions in Heart of Kansas Southern Baptist Association.

By Glenn Davis
Peck Lindsay was in Kansas-Nebraska 26 years ago when I arrived at First Southern Baptist Church, Salina. I don’t remember when I first met him, but his interest in me, my family, and my ministry has been there from the beginning.

In the early years, our church was not large, nor were we able to give large amounts to the work of the convention. But I have always felt like he has valued our work. His support and encouragement over my years here has been of great value.

But Peck has offered more than encouragement. He has consistently been able to offer wisdom in difficult times. As a young pastor, and then a pastor of a growing church, and now as a DOM, I have called on him often for insight and direction. His willingness to listen and then to offer good counsel has been a blessing for me and for those over which God has placed under my care. Even when that counsel has been hard to hear, Peck has brought to life the truth of Proverbs 27:6 — “The wounds of a friend can be trusted.”

Peck has been an example for me to follow. He has dealt with conflict and criticism and challenges with strong character.

He has been an example of a man under control, not easily angered. “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
He has been an example in never giving the impression it is about him, but always pointing away from himself.
He has been an example of one who never stirs up dissention among the brothers. Peck does not say unkind and hurtful things about others and never anything behind their back that he would not say to their face. If criticism is being spoken, you can count on Peck not joining in. Instead, he often speaks well of the one being criticized.
He has been an example of one who has been faithful to the task in diligence, in personal character, and in delivering what he promises. Peck often under sells and over delivers.
Peck has been an example of 1 Peter 5:2-4. “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Though much more could be written, the last thing I will say has to do with Peck and Sue. They have been faithful friends. Through the years, both Sue and Peck have been friends to Rhonda and me. They have made extra efforts to show concern and compassion toward us.

It is with sadness that I say goodbye to a man who has led us well for decades. It is with gladness that I realize I don’t have to say goodbye to my friends, Peck and Sue Lindsay.

Sunflowers Give Spiritual Lesson

2009-10-01T06:05:23+00:00

I’m traveling a new route to school this year. Along the country roads, I have recently taken notice of fields and fields of sunflowers. Having been a city girl all my life, I am fascinated with the growing of plants and crops, harvesting, etc., that I have seen in Kansas. Having this interest, I began doing some reading about sunflowers on the Internet.

I found the following quote on Wikipedia.com:

“Sunflowers in the bud phase exhibit heliotropism. At sunrise, the faces of most sunflowers are turned towards the east. Over the course of the day, they follow the sun from east to west, while at night they return to an eastward orientation.”

What about us? Are we in the bud phase? I’m guessing most of us are still budding in different aspects of our Christian walk. None of us can boast of being mature plants just yet, though some of us are farther along than others. Are we, as these sunflowers, keeping our eyes on Him all the day through? Then at night, in expectation of the morning, turning our focus back to Him, preparing us to hear from Him, to follow Him, the following day, and the next, and the next?

Psalm 119:36 says,”Turn my heart to your statutes and not toward selfish gain.” The sunflowers follow the light all through the day, then prepare at night to follow it again the following day. They don’t think about it. It is an automatic response, to stand tall and follow the light.

We have the most wonderful light of Jesus, which many in the world do not know. What a joy to be His child, to follow Him unquestioningly, just keeping our eyes on Him, following him east to west, or wherever he leads.

September — ahh, the beginning of a new school year, and a new church year, many new programs and responsibilities at church are pulling us in all directions. I know I needed this lesson from the sunflowers. As a minister’s wife, new things are always going to be popping into your life. I hope you will remember the consistency of this example of the sunflowers. They daily look to the light, follow it, each one individually and together as a group.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24

P.S. — I hope to see you Monday, Oct. 12, at 1:30 p.m. for Tea Time for Minister’s Wives. We will meet at Immanuel Baptist in Wichita for a fellowship time together while our husbands attend the Pastors’ Conference. Email me today at granaboz@mac.com to say if you can come!

Heart To Heart

2009-10-01T06:04:49+00:00

23 “’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 (NIV)

I am thinking a lot about playing it “safe.” I love to watch someone that dares to get out of the “safe” mode and take a leap of faith. There is power in the one that dares to believe.

What would our world be like today if the disciples played it safe? John the Baptist would not have told King Herod it is a sin to sleep with your brother’s wife. Stephen would not have spoken so sincerely in the face of death or prayed Father forgive them. Peter would not have shared the gospel so boldly during Nero’s reign. Jesus would not have journeyed to Jerusalem.

Safe is dull, complacent, flat! Playing it safe doesn’t win gold medals, find new discoveries, or save souls. Playing it safe will never move mountains. Safe misses out on the abundantly more the Father so lovingly wants to pour out on us.

The opposite of safe is faith, belief, and risk—not just risk but bold risk because it is willing to move forward regardless of the unknown. Safety breeds mediocrity, the humdrum, the “Oh, that’s nice” response. True faith that moves mountains breeds excitement, adrenaline and the response of “WOW! Now that is amazing!” It can make an entire stadium of people stand to their feet in victory.

There is nothing safe about real Christianity. I wonder how many souls are lost because we believers play it safe in sharing our faith.

Dare to believe! Dare to move forward! There is no room in real Christianity for us to play it safe.

God did not play it safe with us. He knew we would mock Him, spit on Him, and kill Him on the cross. He did not play it safe for us. He came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes!

Faith asks us to expose ourselves to that which is not safe and to dare to believe that all things truly are possible for those who are in Christ Jesus. Father, where do I play it safe? Help me to believe and take steps of faith.

Where do you play it safe? I wish I could hear your response right now! If we were face to face, heart to heart, I would say, “Beloved, LEAP!”

Simply,Tara
(Feel free to contact me at tararye@tararye.com.)

A Special Weekend Just For Teen Girls

2009-10-01T06:03:37+00:00

Shine is a weekend just for teen girls in grades 7-12. It will be held Nov. 13-14, 2009 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.

The theme this year is “True Life,” based on John 10:10, “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

Jaime Jamgochian is our worship leader. Check out her website at http://www.jaimejam.com.

Registration information is in your church now. Bring your friends and enjoy a great weekend with just girls, worshipping our Father, learning about true life, ministering to unreached people in Africa, giving items to the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Salina and working around Webster. Oh, and don’t forget the Friday night pajama party carnival!

For more information call Heidi at KNCSB (800) 984-9092.

Spring Revival Preachers Available For Local Churches

2009-10-01T06:02:02+00:00

FORT WORTH, Texas (SWBTS) - Beginning next March, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary students will preach spring revival meetings and lead evangelistic outreach efforts for churches within participating Southern Baptist state conventions. Churches in these conventions can apply for student preachers from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2009.

Men from Southwestern Seminary and the College at Southwestern will be available to preach at those churches March 14-17, May 16-19 and May 23-26, 2010. Through generous gifts from John and Pat Carlson and other ministry partners, Southwestern Seminary pays for student transportation to and from the field of service. Churches, in turn, are asked to provide meals, lodging and local transportation.

For more than 50 years, the spring revival evangelism practicum at Southwestern has helped Southern Baptist churches, chapels and missions across Canada and the United States host revival meetings. Churches can expect exciting expository preaching and community engagement through personal evangelism outreach.

For church application forms, as well as more information, access the spring revival evangelism practicum’s website at http://www.swbts.edu/srep

Missionaries Head To New Assignment

2009-10-01T06:01:00+00:00

Southern Baptist missionaries Nolen and Sheilah Pridemore are heading to their new assignment in Europe.

The Pridemores, who are from Kansas, formerly served in Brazil for 22 years. They sent this e-mail update:

“We praise God for the privilege of serving Him in Europe at this time. We appreciate your prayers as we begin with all the research, building relationships, adjusting to life in the huge and beautiful city of Madrid, and most of all beginning to build a strategy based on all that we begin to observe and research.

“We will be the first of our team to arrive in Europe. Please pray for visas and other details for all our team to arrive. These are exciting days for revival of the good news of Christ in Europe. We pray for God’s leadership in all that we do.

“We really do count on your prayers. Please check our site regularly for weekly (at times daily) prayer requests and praises.“

Visit their Web site at http://www.acdprayerupdate.blogspot.com/

State Missions Offering - Impacting Our Judea

2009-09-02T15:40:20+00:00

This month is our annual emphasis on state missions with the Viola Webb Missions Offering (VWMO). Unlike many state conventions, this offering is also tied to work in your local association. Every dollar given to VWMO is divided equally between the association and the state convention. Therefore, when you give to VWMO, you are making a significant contribution to mission work in both our two-state convention and your local association.

Your gifts to VWMO will mean that more missionaries, more evangelistic activities, and more church planting activities will move forward in Nebraska and Kansas. You may not know it but 35 counties in Kansas and 54 counties in Nebraska have no Southern Baptist work. Many of these counties have no evangelical work at all.

Neither Nebraska nor Kansas is a densely populated state when you look at other parts of the country. But the lost in Kansas and Nebraska are just as much in need of salvation through Christ. This is our immediate mission field. God has given us the responsibility of reaching these people for Christ. Your gifts to VWMO along with your church’s participation in the Cooperative Program enable us to fund efforts to reach this mission field. I hope that you will prayerfully support VWMO and encourage your church to give faithfully to the Cooperative Program.

I also wanted to use my column this month to remind you about a resource available to all of our churches in KNCSB. That resource is Percept, which provides demographic data in a very understandable format. The folks at Percept have continued to improve their product and make more features available to our churches.

Both the “FirstView Report” and the “Ministry Area Profile” are now available at no cost to all of our churches. The “FirstView Report” is a quick demographic overview of your church ministry area. It gives you a real feel for the folks that God has given you an opportunity to reach for Christ. The “Ministry Area Profile” is a much more detailed picture of your church ministry area. It can be very effective for any church considering a church plant or a major new initiative.

Every church has immediate access to the “FirstView Report.” To obtain the “Ministry Area Profile” you will need to contact your Director of Missions or the state convention office. If you would like more information on these tools, feel free to contact me at 800-984-9092 or by email (tboyd@kncsb.org).

Envy: Why Not Me?

2009-09-02T15:23:16+00:00

Envy made it to the big league of seven sins along with pride, gluttony, anger, sloth, lust, and greed. Its opposite is contentment, the subject of next month’s article. The three words that give envy its impetus are “why not me”.

Is there anyone who doesn’t envy something or someone? I agree with many who croon that envy is the only sin that brings no pleasure at all. As a matter of fact envy is a feeling that is described as sadness, unhappiness, and discontent. What’s fun about that? The other six brothers and sisters of envy afford some pleasure. Envy is the black sheep of the sin family.

So why do we envy? This is worth pondering since inspired men commanded us to get rid of it (1 Peter 2:1; Galatians 5:21).

Envy is born in us when we feel that others have more status, abilities, possessions, gifts, and talents than we do. We feel we deserve what others have. That feeling takes center stage in our thoughts and birth these awful words: “why not me.” Or in the case of a national envy, why not us?

Nations envy other nations. Israel had a king: God. For reasons I can’t discern they felt a human king is better than a God king! Was Yahweh too demanding on their sinful nature as a people? Did they feel they could get away with more grumbling and posturing with a human king than with the God king? The why not us attitude took roots and sprang up like a weed “we want a king to rule over us like the other nations.”

God laments this request from his people: “They (the people that I rescued from slavery) have rejected me as their king.” And what did their envy of other kingdoms get them? Heavy taxation, wars and more wars, betrayal and intrigue in the palace, children put in front of war chariots, a divided kingdom, another day older and deeper in sin, weaker in morale and morals, subject to attacks, revenge, slavery, and loss of homeland for hundreds of years on end. Their human kings put lusts ahead of the good of the people. And what is the end result of the why not us debacle that crept up on Israel? Exile. A vagabond people! And all the human miseries attached thereunto!

If history is not written from a revisionist posture, I wonder how many wars would be attributed to malicious, nefarious, necrophilia-loving envy.

National envy is likely preceded by personal envy. Here again, the Scripture masterfully give us the reason hatred and murder came into the world: Envy produced by the why not me attitude. Envy first reared its ugly head in the midst of paradise. Envy when indulged becomes Exile, a sad alienation.

Cain championed envy in the next generation. He was lackadaisical about his sacrifice to God. His brother, Abel, was dead serious about worshipping God (pun unintended). God called Cain on his envy. It crept up on him. He nursed it. He formed it into a weapon dripping with hate and manipulation, destruction and death as he slew his own flesh and blood. The earth cried out. God stepped in. Another vagabond generation! More exile. We’re still paying for the original why not me? Why does God accept my brother and not me? It never occurred to Envious Cain to emulate the good-hearted Abel.

Today’s advertisement world runs on envy. This industry buys and sells envy. Nothing is sold in America, and now around the world, that is not envy-wrapped. This is not to say that what is advertised is not needful. But why does it need the cloak of envy? From personal care products, to cars, to gum and beer, and you name it, the advertising industry has hit on a cash cow by capitalizing on envy. “What your computer takes 3 seconds to download 10 megabytes? Mine does it in 2.” The three-second guy rushes to the store faster than speedy Gonzales outsmarting his nemesis, Sylvester the cat.

What about you and me? A friend takes me on a spin in his brand new Lexus. Bells and whistles I’ve never heard of don the dashboard. Silently, envy’s germ gets planted in my heart: Why him and not me?

The pastor five miles away has to build again. Last year we dropped another 15% percent in attendance at our church. God is good to him but what about me?

A relative retires and now takes several vacations every year. Cuba in the winter, Cancun in the spring, Florence, Italy in the summer, and a Caribbean cruise is slotted for the fall. Not fair. Why not me?

Never mind the hard work it took these relatives and friends to enjoy the benefits of their labor. What about me?

Those who walk with the Master put away envy. How, in your own life, have you been envious of other people? Can we live free of envy? How are you overcoming the sin that causes so much sadness in us? Next month, we’ll see how.

Body Building

2009-09-02T15:15:54+00:00

A few years ago, the pastor of the local church where I was a member recruited me to chair the Long Range Planning Committee. After only a few weeks, however, the reality of greater responsibility and many hours with no apparent success set in, and so I resigned.

I was what you might call “a volunteer with a ‘tude.” I felt that because I was giving my time of my own free will, I had the right to decide how and when I would serve, and to quit when I no longer felt like showing up.

Unfortunately, churches have their share of volunteers with a ‘tude: the praise team member who often notifies the praise team leader on Saturday night that she won’t be at service next morning; the Sunday school teacher who opens his lesson for the first time in the classroom; the ministry team leader who uses over-commitment as an excuse for inactivity in the ministry; the VBS coordinator who resigns two weeks before VBS begins because she feels under-appreciated.

Volunteers with a ‘tude’ are spare-time, part-time, unreliable pains in the program; and they cause many headaches and heartaches for pastors and ministry leaders.

Before casting too many stones, I must stress that I am convinced that the primary causes of this problem is that we in leadership have bought into and communicate, through our example, teaching, and preaching, a faulty theology of ministry–a theology that views compensated or “professional” ministry as vocation and uncompensated ministry as volunteerism.

Nowhere does the Bible teach that any ministry is a volunteer activity. Rather, all ministry is a divine vocation. In 1 Corinthians versse12, Paul points out that God has, through his Holy Spirit, sovereignly placed each and every member in the body of Christ as he wills, and has supernaturally gifted them to do acts of service in ministry to build and mature the body. Every member of the body, whether paid or not, is gifted and called to discipleship growth through ministry.

Therefore, every ministry that is being done consistent with the gifts and call of God is neither an option nor a personal choice. Rather, it is a God-given opportunity and responsibility to minister as the heart and hands of Jesus both to build up the body of disciples and share God’s love with the lost through service.

The words Paul used to describe his own ministry call–which, incidentally, was largely uncompensated–apply equally to every member of the body of Christ: “If I were doing this of my own free will, then I would deserve payment. But God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice” (1 Corinthians 9:17, NLT).

A biblical theology of ministry understands that every ministry call is a matter of God’s choosing and not our own. Failure to do what God has placed one in the body to do is not the exercise of a volunteer’s prerogative but a violation of a sacred trust.

The point is that God’s people–whether “professional” clergy or unpaid ministers–are called not to be “volunteers” but body builders!

We can no more refuse to do in and for the body what God has called and gifted us to do than the eye can refuse to see, the heart to beat, or the ear to hear. Failure to fulfill that call is not merely disappointing; it is as critical a dysfunction in the body of Christ as blindness is to the eye or paralysis to an arm or leg. The church will still function, but not at the level of effectiveness or efficiency it could if all its members were healthy and fulfilling the functions for which God created and placed them in the body.

The issue for those of us in equipping ministry, therefore, is not how we can recruit more ministry volunteers, but how we can grow disciples and encourage a “body building culture”–a culture that equips every member to fulfill his or her God-ordained body-building ministry.

A Not So Imaginary Trip

2009-09-01T06:14:10+00:00

It’s March 26, 2010, and the Hamilton family is loading up their car for a trip back home for the Easter holidays. They moved to Philadelphia five years ago, and, except for an emergency trip, had not had the opportunity to go back home to visit with their folks in Smalltown, Kansas.

Things hadn’t been going well for the Hamiltons, especially during the last two years. Their family relationships had become very fragile, and, quite frankly, Mr. Hamilton was at his wit’s end as to what to do. It had been three years since they stopped attending church, and he had to admit that there was something in him that longed for the recovery of the experience that was his as a boy in Smalltown, Kansas. He had fond recollections of his growing-up years when he and his parents were very involved with the activities of Elm Grove Baptist Church.

As the Hamilton family navigated the loop around Philadelphia, one of the children looked up from his text-messaging task and called attention to a billboard that bore the message, Find It Here.com. The teenage son accessed the site on his Blackberry, and quickly reported that it was some religious organization trying to get their message across. Mr. Hamilton just dismissed it as another TV preacher trying to expand his financial base.

As the family drove through Indianapolis, Madison, WI, Springfield, IL, and Kansas City, MO, they continued to see the billboards declaring Find It Here.com. Mr. Hamilton turned on the radio in one of the cities, and a voice was telling about a changed life through relationship with Jesus Christ, and the spot ended with an invitation to visit Find It Here.com. As he drove his family across the Midwest, his mind began to fill with thoughts about his own life and all that it was missing, and about his family and how their relationships had become so strained. That night they stayed in a motel, and as they watched TV, they saw a spot ad that featured a lady telling about a relationship with Jesus Christ. The ad ended with an invitation for folks to visit Find It Here.com.

As they traveled across Kansas, they saw a few more of the Find It Here.com billboards. Mr. Hamilton sensed a longing in his heart to recover something he had lost along life’s pilgrimage. Imagine their surprise as the Hamiltons, on Saturday, pulled into Smalltown, KS, and passed by Elm Grove Baptist Church whose lawn was decorated with a banner declaring Find It Here.com. There were several cars in the church parking lot.

Upon arriving at his folks’ home, they were met with a note that said, “Make yourselves comfortable. We won’t be long. We are delivering Find It Here scripture cards to the homes in our community along with an invitation to join us in our Easter Celebration at the church.”

(Note from Ken: This little vignette, I believe, is just an example of the possibilities that exist for us to have an impact on the nation through GPS next spring. Be watching for more info in future articles.)

Summer 2009 Really Was A Super Experience

2009-09-01T06:13:29+00:00

Campers at Super Summer 2009 were challenged to rebel against the culture and be positive witnesses for Christ.

The camp theme was “Rebellion,” based on Romans 12:2.

This year’s total attendance was 2,815. A total of 128 campers accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Sixty-three students indicated that God is calling them into vocational Christian service.

A strong call to repentance came from Ryan Fontenot, camp pastor for Weeks 3 and 4.

He urged campers to repent of sin and “rebel to action. What are you doing for the Lord? You have the most energy you’ll ever have in your life right now.”

Fontenot also challenged campers to share Christ with their friends and family.

“God has given each of you a realm of influence,” he said.

This year’s Super Summer offering totaled $16,511.51. It will be used to help pay for the gym floor in the new multipurpose building at WCC.

“Students will be using that floor for many, many years because of your gifts this week.” That is what Greg Savage, a member of the KNCSB Youth Evangelism (Y.E.S.) staff said during Week 3.

“Giving is an act of worship,” he reminded.

Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists are urged to pray that campers will live the decisions they made at camp.

See Super Summer photos at http://justforyouth.com/gallery/

Super Summer Camper Thought It Was A Blast

2009-09-01T06:12:46+00:00

“Rebellion: resistance to or defiance of any authority, control or tradition.” This year at Super Summer was unlike any year that I had ever experienced, with such tremendous growth and amazing people and staff. It will be the year I remember most.

From the moment we got there, I knew it was going to be an amazing week. We were the blue bandits, took second in B.L.A.S.T games, won best mascot, and participated in multiple challenge course elements like the zip line, “Ready to Fly” and the high-ropes course.

Over the week, we grew closer together, met new friends, surrendered ourselves to God and most importantly let Him take us.

In one of our church group meetings that we had every night, Pastor Casey asked us what we thought when we first heard the theme of “rebellion.” Rebellion at schools and against our parents were the answers that were the most given.

The theme turned into something so much greater than talking about how we should treat our parents or even school officials. It turned into rebelling for Christ, taking a stand for doing what is right and being the difference the world needs to see.

Over the week we learned many things. But probably the most important is that being a Christ-follower would be one of the hardest but most rewarding things that we could ever do.

We had a “funeral” and a “wedding” all in one week. The “funeral” was where we not only confessed and gave our sin up to God, but Ryan Fontenot (the camp pastor) had us find a friend that we trusted and had us tell our sin to that person as well. Whether it was sexual immorality, a porn addiction, lust or anything, we gave it up. The “wedding” was where we melded ourselves with God and we took the challenge to stand up for Him.

The message was to simply rebel against the things of this world, not to conform but transform. Romans 12:2 was the memory verse for this year, “Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.” (CEV)

It is hard to explain the wholeness of the change that happened in our youth group over that week. But I have full faith that our youth will be willing to stand up and say “Yes, I do follow Christ” and not be ashamed.

Hispanic Super Summer Challenges Youth To “Rebellion”

2009-09-01T06:11:14+00:00

Sixteen campers accepted Christ as their Savior during KNCSB Hispanic Super Summer.

The sixth annual camp was held June 22-26 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. It kicked off the 2009 KNCSB summer youth camps as it did in 2008. “Rebellion” was the 2009 camp theme, based on Romans 12:2.

This year’s camp saw a total attendance of 134 people. This was up from 120 in 2008.

Juan Carlos Veloso, Hispanic pastor in Bellevue, Neb., had just arrived on the field in 2008. He and his wife came by themselves to Hispanic Super Summer. But this year they brought 22 campers.

Jess Bluvan and his wife, Darlene, are starting a new Hispanic ministry in east Topeka, Kan. Although their ministry is just beginning, they were able to bring one camper to Hispanic Super Summer.

“I was excited that [they] were able to bring one,” said his brother Carlos Bluvan, who served as camp co-director. Jesus Leal of Great Bend, Kan., was the other camp director. His wife, Francis, is a sister of Jess and Carlos Bluvan. Their parents are Enrique and Francisca Bluvan. Enrique Bluvan is Hispanic church planter strategist in Western Kansas Baptist Association.

During evening worship sessions, camp pastor Abraham Arevalo used the “Rebellion” theme to help campers learn how to be positive rebels for Christ. Arevalo is Hispanic church planter strategist in Heart of Kansas Southern Baptist Association.

Morning classes at Hispanic Super Summer were divided by gender. Ed and Luisette Kraal were the teachers. They are from the Caribbean island nation of Curacao. The Kraals are students at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas.

Summer missionaries from Rio Grande Bible Institute played key roles in operating the camp.

Afternoon workshops during Hispanic Super Summer covered a variety of interests, including preaching, music, drama and sports evangelism. One of the more unusual—and popular—workshops gave campers a view of life in the military. Carlos Bluvan led that session. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marines. Bluvan led campers through a somewhat kinder and gentler version of Marine boot camp.

In 2010, Hispanic Super Summer will once again kick off the KNCSB summer youth camps. The dates will be June 21-25.