OCTOBER 10, 2015 • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists • VOLUME 181 NO. 21 • BRnow.org

Page 10

Toronto Baptists cast vision for

N.C. partnership

Page 6 N.C. PASTORS’ CONFERENCE

to feature

JOHNNY HUNT,D.A. CARSON

IMB PERSONNEL

By K. ALLAN BLUME | BR Editor

FACE HARDDECISIONS

Michael and JuliAn Domke are missionaries who wrestle with a painful, unexpected

decision. He is the International Mission Board’s (IMB) team leader for church planting in Kiev, Ukraine. They were ap-pointed in 2008 and moved their family from Florida to Eastern Europe, antici-pating a long, fruitful ministry there.

Do the math. Domke is more than 50 years of age and has served with IMB for more than seven years.

That puts his family among IMB

personnel who received an unexpected offer Sept. 10 to take early retirement by the end of the year. The Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI) is the first step in a plan recently announced by the mission agency’s president, David Platt, to resolve the organization’s financial troubles.

Their initial response was a one of ner-vous uncertainty. “What are we going to do if we go back [to the United States]?” he asked. The Domkes are convinced God has called their family to Ukraine.

“God has done a lot of things to get us here,” he added.

Since his energy is focused on the call to make disciples in Ukraine, Domke did not know that IMB spent $210 mil-lion more than Southern Baptists gave to international missions in the past five years.

But with the facts in hand, it did not take long to face the bottom line. “I have the gift of administration,” Domke said. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist

FACE HARDDECISIONSDECISIONS

Mohler: Pope’s address sets ‘dangerous precedent’By ANDREW J.W. SMITH & JAMES A. SMITH SR.

SBTS Communications

Pope Francis’ extraordinary address before a joint session of Congress sets a “very, very, dangerous precedent,” said Southern Baptist leader R. Albert

Mohler Jr. in a live Sept. 21 interview on CNN.“No pope of the Roman Catholic Church has ever ad-

dressed a joint session of the Congress before, and for good

reason,” Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theologi-cal Seminary, told “Newsroom” anchor Carol Costello.

In addition to the live interview, CNN also noted Mohler’s concerns from a previously recorded interview with Costello in reports that aired on “Newsroom” on Sept. 22 and “AC360” on Sept. 23.

The pope addressed Congress on Sept. 24.Mohler argued the pope was invited to speak before

Michael and JuliAn Domke are among the missionaries who must decide if they should accept the early retirement plan. (Contributed photo)

See Mohler page 17

See IMB page 16

See Graham page 11

Billy Graham exhibit to

honor state’s ‘Favorite Son’

By K. ALLAN BLUME | BR Editor

T he North Carolina Museum of History will open a special exhibit to honor the life of Billy

Graham Nov. 6, the day before the famed evangelist’s 97th birthday. The exhibit will include memorabilia, displays and multimedia that document his early days as a farm boy in Charlotte, his family life, his friendships with dignitaries and his leadership through national and interna-tional crises like 9/11.

From November 2015 through July 2016 the 5,000-square-foot, privately-funded exhibit, “North Carolina’s Favor-ite Son: Billy Graham and His Remarkable Journey of Faith” (billygraham.org/landing pages/northcarolinamuseumexhibit), will be displayed at the museum in Raleigh.

Graham has been touted as one of the world’s most revered people. Last year marked the 58th time he was voted one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World” through a Gallup poll.

When N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory visited Billy Graham at his home in 2013, he pre-sented him with his latest title: “North Carolina’s Favorite Son.” The state’s House and Senate each passed subse-quent resolutions to officially declare this distinction, as well as to memorialize Graham’s late wife, Ruth Bell Graham.

After the “Favorite Son” designation became official, it became obvious to some state leaders in Raleigh, that there was little in the way of public recognition for Graham. This group went before the museum directors and petitioned to have a display to honor their special native.

“It seemed appropriate to pay homage while he is still living,” said David Bruce, assistant to Billy Graham. “And now, anyone who visits the North Carolina

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists2 Opinion

Submissions for Tar Heel VoicesPlease send no more than 300 words, along with contact information, to editor@BRnow.org or Biblical Recorder, P.O. Box 1185, Cary, NC 27512-1185. Only one letter from the same writer will be published in a 90-day period. All submissions will be edited by Recorder style guidelines. Have questions? Call (919) 847-2127.

K. ALLAN BLUMEEditor

T he lead story on the front page of this Biblical Recorder exposes the spiritual and emotional struggles

some of our International Mission Board (IMB) personnel are dealing with due to Southern Baptists’ shortage of financial support for interna-tional missions.

A recent visit to Ukraine afforded me the chance to in-terview several missionaries in the capital city of Kiev. Some I knew well; others I met for the first time.

Considering IMB president David Platt’s recent explana-tions of the financial status of the organization, I was not sure what I would hear from our missionaries. But honestly, I was very impressed with the maturity, grace and strong faith of each one who shared their story with me. I should not be surprised. After all, what kind of people has IMB been appoint-ing? These are among our best. They are mature men and women of faith.

While some Baptists jump into the blame game, our missionaries are not playing along. They are seeking God and keeping their focus on the Great Commis-sion.

I have a large number of friends who serve through IMB – some in Richmond, some in other stateside roles and many overseas – “on the field” as they say, meaning, the international mission field.

Our missions crisisMany have asked me to pray for them, and some have asked for my counsel in their decision.

I have prayed for them. I hope you are doing the same. Some have made their

decision; many have not.Two of those who have

peace about God’s direction are Marty and Melissa Childers who just completed 27 years of service with IMB in South America and Latin America, the last five years in Mexico. These native North Carolinians have filled the roles of church planter, team leader for univer-sity work, strategy coordinator, personalizer for South America,

cluster leader and affinity connection strategist representing the Americas.

Marty shared with me, “From the beginning this was not an easy decision. After the announcement was made and before they gave the parameters of who was going to qualify, we had a feeling that we were going to qualify, so we began asking for the Lord’s direction. This is not something we were looking for or on our radar.

“As difficult as this decision was, we are very supportive of our IMB leader-ship,” he added.

“We know this was not an easy deci-sion for David Platt to make. We believe he is a godly man. We want to be very emphatic that we are not bitter. We

understand that God works in different ways. We are actually looking forward to what the next step might be.”

I encourage all Southern Baptist churches to study the meaning of gener-ous giving and to spend a significant amount of time evaluating the giving level of your church both to Cooperative Program and to the Lottie Moon Christ-mas Offering for International Missions (LMCO). Ephesians 3:20 reminds us our God is able to exceed our expectations and requests. We simple need to trust Him and ask Him.

Trust God to double the amount your church gives to LMCO this year. We may not believe “our people can do it.” But it is certain that God can, and He will pro-vide. He works through people – South-ern Baptists will respond.

Consider another element in the short-fall of missions giving. It is no accident that the decline in giving parallels the decline in the circulation of Baptist state newspapers like the Biblical Recorder.

State papers reach the giving base of Southern Baptists, consistently inform-

ing them about the work God is doing through our mission agencies.

There are myriads of mission orga-nizations that are asking our people to support them every day of the year. They have mailing lists, phone numbers and email lists to reach out to their donor base.

Baptist mission agencies like IMB do not have those resources. Historically they have depended on the state papers to communicate their message. The average Southern Baptist is simply not informed about our mission work and many other issues.

Be sure your church members are get-ting the information they need through the Biblical Recorder. They need to read about the Domke and Midkiff families in Ukraine, and other stories reported through the Recorder.

Finally, I call your attention to Chuck Lawless’ excellent column on page 3, “Ways to assist returning IMB missionar-ies.” Churches have an opportunity to draw on the great wealth of experience in these returning personnel.

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OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists Opinion 3

MILTON A. HOLLIFIELD JR.

BSC executive director-treasurer

May our BSC Annual Meeting

be an ‘Echo’ for God’s glory

As the seasons begin to change and fall arrives, I look forward with great an-ticipation to our Annual Meeting. This

year’s meeting, scheduled for Nov. 2-3, is now less than a month away, and if you have not made plans to attend, I hope that you will join us in Greensboro in a few short weeks. You can find all of the details about the meeting at the event website, ncannual-meeting.org.

This year’s Annual Meeting theme is “Echo: Reproducing Gospel Life in Others,” and I believe that it embodies the true spirit of God’s call for

this Convention of churches.This theme, which is drawn from 2 Timothy 2:2,

exhorts us to make disciples who make disciples. The verse reads, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (NKJV). With this theme, we will celebrate the progress that has been made to create a disciple-making culture and impact our state for Christ as we give Him all the glory.

An echo, which begins as a small sound, be-comes something much greater when it reflects off a large surface. It becomes a repetition of sounds – not by the ability of the one who produced it, but by the power of something much greater.

Just as God made Abraham into a great nation following his act of obedience, I am confident that if we act in obedience to Him, He will bring our small actions of personal discipleship to fruition for His glory. Today, there are still more than 5.8 million lost people in our state. That number is high, but God has called us to make disciples, and we know that when He begins a work, He will “carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6). What a mighty God we serve!

What can you do in your day-to-day life to pour into the lives of others so that they may also be able to spread the gospel? Perhaps you have a friend who is searching for answers about God. You can tell them the story of how the Lord worked in your life and how He changed you. You can also pass down the message of God’s love and saving grace to the next generation by praying with your children or grandchildren and having discussions about their salvation decision and spiritual walk with Christ.

Will you join me in praying for the lost in our state? Pray that their hearts will be open to God’s Word and that they will be obedient to God’s call. Create an echo effect with the gospel for His glory. I look forward to seeing you in Greensboro!

See more involving Echo on pages 6-8 and 13.

I seldom write a post that relates only to my denomina-tion, the Southern Baptist Convention, but this one does (though believers of many denominations could

help with the needs listed in this post). I love missionar-ies, and many I know are now making prayerful decisions about retiring from the field. These are heart-wrenching days, and I encourage Southern Baptists to consider ways to assist these folks who’ve given their lives for the nations.

1. Give God a blank check. That’s been the theme of International Mission Board president, David Platt. If these missionaries are giving God a blank check and asking Him to fill in their call-ing, all of us need to do the same. My wife and I are praying, “Lord, we want to help retiring missionaries. Fill in the check to show us how.” I’m convinced Southern Baptist believers, local churches, institutions, entities, associations and state conventions should do the same.

2. Pray for the missionaries. Many are right now asking the question, “Lord, what do you want us to do?” I know many of these folks. They’re some of the godliest people I’ve ever met, and I have no doubt they want to do whatever God wants. Pray He would give them clarity – and then provide for them as they follow Him wherever He leads.

3. Contact the International Mission Board’s “tran-sition team” to learn more. Several former missionaries and staff are ready to connect missionaries with churches, institutions, and people who want to assist. You can con-tact that team at transitionteam@imb.org.

4. Provide housing. If you have empty missionary houses, unrented apartments or condos, or open vacation homes, make them available for some time for these mis-sionaries.

5. Give up a car. Perhaps you have a seldom-used vehicle available. Or maybe you can even purchase one to donate so a returning missionary won’t need to buy an automobile.

6. Provide ministry jobs. Obviously, this issue is the big one. If your church or institution is seeking someone to join your staff, remember that hundreds of veteran mis-sionaries will be available within the next several months. Don’t limit your search to stateside candidates only. In

fact, you might consider waiting a few months before making a decision to see if God might connect you with a returning missionary.

7. Provide other jobs. Many of our personnel have skills beyond ministry-related skills, and they bring talent, experience and a Christian spirit to the room. Their very presence in your company can make a difference.

8. If your church is affiliated with a Chris-tian school, reduce costs for the offspring of returning missionaries. Every tuition discount will help globally-minded parents who want their children and teens to be educated in a Christian school – and having the global per-spective of these students will strengthen your school.

9. If your church has a counseling service, make that service available. Most transitions

are difficult at some point. This one will include not only leaving people and countries that are dearly loved, but also returning to an American culture that is itself overwhelm-ing. For some of these folks, simply having the opportunity to talk to somebody might be important.

10. Sacrificially give through your local church. Fi-nancial realities have led to this voluntary retirement offer. My wife and I have, I believe, given sacrificially over the years through our tithes and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Yet, have we given as sacrificially as we should have? That’s a question we are now asking.

11. Pray again for all of our missionaries. Even those who remain on the field will be saying “good-byes” to mentors, leaders, friends, “aunts” and “uncles.” They usually understand that heartache because of the nature of their work, but the large scale of these decisions will likely compound the anguish.

12. Remember that the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) is still in effect. I realize this last point sounds almost contradictory to the rest of this post, but I can’t ig-nore either reality: many missionaries will retire, and we’re still called to take the gospel to the nations. The God who calls us will also help us figure out how to get there.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – This article first appeared at Chuck Law-less’s personal blog, chucklawless.com. Visit the site and subscribe to receive new articles. Used by permission.)

Ways to assist returning IMB missionaries

CHUCK LAWLESSGuest Column

T his is the fifth article in the Biblical Recorder series about how churches can respond to potential legal difficulties following the U.S. Supreme Court

decision in late July legalizing same-sex mar-riage. The focus of the articles has come from 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (KJV). In this installment we turn our attention to the spirit of love.

The topic of love is garnering much attention, especially as it relates to sexuality and marriage. Many proponents of same-sex marriage have made what they feel is a simple request: let those who love one another express that love in mar-riage. But that simple statement fails to express the fullness of love.

The Lord Jesus Christ displayed the greatest expression of love on Calvary’s cross. He said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Our Lord then follows that statement with,

“I no longer call you servants, but friends.” That message of love was handed to the church to proclaim to the world.

However, the world has declared that the church pro-motes hate, bigotry and intolerance. I believe it’s time for the church to take its message of love back. I’m not talking about marketing or public relations, but rather intentional and consistent demonstrations of the doctrine of love. For years now, many churches have failed to express the fullness of God’s love so we should not be surprised that the world is full of individuals that do not understand God’s love.

Let me explain: Before God called me into ministry I was a vocational agriculture teacher; specifically, I taught horticulture. As I would teach my students about photosynthesis, the process by which light fuels the creation of

sugars that are used to nourish the plant, I explained the importance of the light spectrum in this process.

BRIAN K. DAVISGuest Column

Proclaiming the fullness of God’s love

See Davis page 15

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists4

By BOB SMIETANA | LifeWay Christian Resources

A bout once a month, a group of fathers and sons gather for barbecue, basketball and the

Bible at the Charlotte-area Denver Baptist Church in North Carolina.

The concerned fathers wanted to spend time helping their sons learn how to better follow Jesus, so they started meeting a few years ago. They call them-selves “Boys2Men.”

Their pastor Chris Griggs smiles at the name, as it brings back memories of the popular 1990s R&B group Boyz II Men. “I don’t think they know about the singing group,” he says. The father-son gathering started at a time when the church didn’t have a full-time youth pastor. Some of the dads had volunteered to lead a youth weekend and came back realizing they wanted to be more involved in intention-al discipleship.

Griggs, who attends the group with his 10-year-old son Elijah, says the dads who started the group felt their sons were learning Bible stories but not the overall story of the Bible. And they were

Dads use Gospel Project to disciple their sons

looking for a way to talk about how the gospel interacts with everyday life.

To help them do that, Boys2Men leaders decided to have the group study lessons from The Gospel Project, a Bible study curriculum from LifeWay Christian Resources centered on how all of scrip-ture gives testimony to Jesus Christ. Each Boys2Men meeting, usually held on

Above, Pastor Chris Griggs and his son Elijah read a scripture passage during a Boys2Men father-son session at their North Carolina church. At right, London England reads a Bible passage.

Christian Brown plays basketball with youth minister Michael Salanik as part of a Boys2Men session for fathers and sons. (Photos by Bob Leverone)

Scott Bisson, standing, leads the father-son discipleship group Boys2Men in Bible study discussion drawn from The Gospel Project curriculum.

a Saturday, starts with a social time. The sons play football and basketball while the dads sit together and talk about the challenges of raising young men.

Then one father gives his testimony, followed by a discussion drawing from The Gospel Project as a springboard to get the conversation going.

“It’s not so much a lecture as it is,

‘Here’s the gospel – how does it apply to your situation in life?’” Griggs says.

Kemp England, a police officer and one of the founders of Boys2Men, says the group has helped both the men and their sons grow. “We want to help as many men as we can feel comfortable proclaiming the gospel,” England says.

During the meeting, each father and son has a chance to discuss how that week’s lesson applies in his own life. For Griggs’ son, it’s about trying to apply the gospel at school, understanding his place in the world and learning how to make and keep good friends. “For each kid it’s different,” Griggs says. “The struggles you face at 10 are much differ-ent from the ones you face at 15.”

Because of the success of Boys2Men, Denver Baptist is starting a fathers and daughters group – also using The Gospel Project.

“These dads,” Griggs says, “really want to invest in the lives of their kids.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Bob Smietana is former senior writer for Facts & Trends, where this article first appeared. Facts & Trends is pub-lished by LifeWay Christian Resources.)

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 5

By CHAD AUSTIN| BSC Communications

T he Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s (BSC) Board of Directors voted to approve the

proposed 2016 Cooperative Program (CP) budget and three amendments to the convention’s bylaws during its meeting Sept. 29-30 at Caraway Camp and Confer-ence Center near Asheboro.

Messengers from N.C. Baptist churches will consider and vote on the proposed budget and bylaws changes at this year’s BSC annual meeting at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro on Nov. 2-3. (For proposed changes, see page 8.)

The proposed 2016 CP budget totals $29.5 million, which represents an in-crease of $500,000 over the 2015 budget. The increase marks the first increase to the state’s CP budget since 2007, when messengers approved a two-year budget for 2008-09. The increase also means more funding will be allocated to each of the BSC’s institutions and agencies.

Additionally, changes within the pro-posed budget result in increases to the state’s allocation to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) by three percent to support missions and ministries in North

Boards approves 2016 Cooperative Program budgetAmerica and around the world. The three percent increase moves North Carolina’s allocation to the SBC from 37 percent to 40 percent.

The proposed budget also:• Increases the allocation to Fruitland

Baptist Bible College by $20,000.• Reduces the allocation of scholar-

ships as the transfer of scholarship ad-ministration moves from the convention to the N.C. Baptist Foundation.

• Eliminates the allocation for the matching GuideStone retirement benefit for pastors.

• Maintains the allocation for protec-tion benefits for pastors.

In recommending the budget to the board, Tony Honeycutt, chair of the BSC Budget Special Committee, said the com-mittee sought to develop a budget that aligned with the convention’s strategy of “impacting lostness through disciple-making.”

“We viewed the budget through the lens of how we can maximize our ability to impact lostness,” Honeycutt said.

Bartley Wooten, chair of the Articles and Bylaws Committee, presented three amendments to the convention’s bylaws. Two of the amendments provide clar-ity to the terms of service for individu-

als elected or appointed to serve on the board and convention committees. The third amendment addresses the duties of the Committee on Convention Meetings.

The first proposed amendment sets forth expectations for board members regarding their attendance at board meet-ings. The second amendment establishes criteria for the termination of committee membership if minimal standards are not met.

The third proposed amendment allows members of the Committee on Conven-tion Meetings to secure preachers to de-liver the convention sermon at the annual meeting two years in advance, rather than one year. The amendment would give the committee greater flexibility in secur-ing speakers for the convention sermon. In recent years, many of the individuals contacted by the committee are already committed for other speaking engage-ments one year in advance.

In other business, the board approved the following motions:

• Authorized Fruitland Baptist Bible College to construct a second family housing unit consisting of four apart-ments once funds for the project have been raised. Estimated cost for the proj-ect is $215,000.

• Authorized the sale of the former Baptist Campus Ministry property at N.C. State University to Blue Sky Services Development for $860,000. Proceeds from the sale will be placed in a special account to support the collegiate partner-ships ministry.

• Approved three individuals to serve on Fruitland Baptist Bible College’s Board of Directors: Buddy Freeman, pas-tor of First Baptist Church in Marshall; Douglas Goforth, pastor of Asheville Street Baptist in Morganton; and Michael Waters, pastor of Parkwood Baptist Church in Concord.

During the committee reports, Jonathan Yarboro, team leader for Col-legiate Partnerships, shared the results

of research his team conducted over the past six months that assessed the levels of “gospel presence” that currently exist on 148 college campuses within North Carolina.

The research revealed that more than 120 schools had no gospel presence on their campuses. Of those 120 schools, Yar-boro and his team also identified the top 20 campuses on which a strategic focus is needed to develop a gospel presence.

Those schools are: Cape Fear Com-munity College; Central Piedmont Community College (Cato Campus); Central Piedmont Community College (Central Campus); Central Piedmont Community College (Harris Campus); Central Piedmont Community College (Levine Campus); Central Piedmont Community College (Merancas Campus); Coastal Carolina Community College; Durham Technical Community College; Fayetteville State University; Haywood Community College; N.C. A&T State University; Surry Community College; Queens University; Randolph Commu-nity College; Tri-County Community College; the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Vance-Granville Community College; Wake Technical Community College (Main Campus); and Warren Wilson College.

Yarboro called attention to the number of community colleges on this list and explained that of the 1.2 million college students in North Carolina, 840,000 students are on community college cam-puses.

This means that 70 percent of all col-lege students in the state are on commu-nity college campuses.

Although these 20 schools will be the primary campuses that the Collegiate Partnerships Team will focus on, Yarboro said his team will continue to work with churches to reach every campus in North Carolina in keeping with his team’s vi-sion to have “no campus left” without a gospel presence in the state.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists6

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Messengers to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) will gather Nov. 2-3 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.

Visit ncannualmeeting.org or brnow.org for more informa-tion.

Monday Evening, Nov. 22:00 p.m. Exhibits, Registration Open6:30 Call to Order – Timmy D. Blair Sr. Prayer – David Butler Pledges (American & Christian flag, Bible) Committee on Convention Meetings – Josh Phillips Committee on Nominations – Reginald Bakr Historical Committee – Nathan Morton 7:00 Greetings North Carolina Baptist Men Partnerships – Richard Brunson Office of Great Commission Partnerships – Chuck Register 7:10 Worship; Theme Interpretation; Prayer Music – The NC Baptist Renewing Worship Band 7:50 Introduction of President – Cameron McGill Prayer – Fred Carlton; Music – Mercy’s Cross8:00 President’s Address – Timmy D. Blair Sr. Closing Prayer – Dena Alley Tuesday Morning, Nov. 37:30 a.m. Listening Sessions 2016 Budget Proposal (Pinehurst) Proposed Bylaw Amendments (Turnberry)

BSC Annual Meeting schedule8:00 Exhibits, Registration Open (Exhibits close at 7:30 p.m.) 8:45 Call to Order – Timmy D. Blair Sr. 8:50 Worship; Theme Interpretation; Prayer; Music – Carolina Quartet9:15 Board of Directors Report – Perry K. Brindley III Impacting Lostness through Disciple-Making – Milton A. Hollifield Jr.9:50 Music – Carolina Quartet10:00 Biblical Recorder – Allan Blume10:15 Miscellaneous Business 10:30 Election of Officers (Fixed Order of Business) – President10:35 Board of Directors Report – Perry K. Brindley III The Peoples Next Door NC – Chuck Register Articles and Bylaws – Bartley Wooten 11:00 N.C. Baptist Men/Baptists on Mission – Richard Brunson 11:15 Institution & Agency Reports North Carolina Baptist Foundation – Clay Warf North Carolina Baptist Hospital – Gary Gunderson Baptist Children’s Homes of N.C. and N.C. Baptist Aging Ministry – Michael C. Blackwell11:45 Closing Prayer – Noel De Asis Tuesday Afternoon, Nov. 31:30 p.m. Call to Order – Timmy D. Blair Sr.

1:35 Greeting – LifeWay Christian Resources1:40 Worship; Theme Interpretation; Prayer; Music – Kenny Lamm 1:55 Election of Officers – First & Second Vice President2:05 Convention Committee Report Committee on Resolutions and Memorials – Donald Goforth2:20 Music – Kenny Lamm 2:25 Board of Directors Report (Fixed Order of Business) – Perry K. Brindley III SBC Great Commission Advance Report – Ashley Clayton Proposed 2016 Budget for CP and NCMO – Tony Honeycutt 2:55 Breakout Sessions Promotion – Lynn Sasser3:00 Closing Prayer – Tamran Inayat3:15 & 4:15 Breakout Sessions (see list, page 7)

Tuesday Evening, Nov. 36:30 Call to Worship – New South Brass6:45 Call to Order – Timmy D. Blair Sr. Prayer – Jeff Dowdy6:50 Reports SBC Missions Boards (IMB and NAMB) The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission7:00 Evaluation7:10 Presentation of Officers7:15 Echo Worship Service – Greensboro Area Churches7:45 Convention Sermon – Lee Pigg Closing Prayer – Tom Wagoner

By LIZ TABLAZON | Biblical Recorder

T he 2015 Pastors’ Conference, which will be held before the Baptist State Convention of

North Carolina’s annual meeting Nov. 2-3, is going back to the basics. The theme “It Shall Not Return Void” accompanies the vision of reassuring pastors of the power of God’s Word. It is based on Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void; but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Micheal Pardue Sr., Pastors’ Confer-ence president and pastor of First Baptist Church of Icard, wanted to provide a di-verse group of speakers who share a com-mon love for God’s word and a common love for preaching and pastors. The eight speakers come from different ministry backgrounds and range from seminary presidents to retired pastors.

Pardue hopes the conference will point pastors back to the centrality of the word of God.

“I’m excited because I think we have assembled one of the best group of preachers that I remember, in my time go-ing to the pastors’ conference,” he said. “I think the pastors in our state would

Conference to highlight power of God’s Word

be hard pressed to find this quality of preaching without traveling a great dis-tance. I think pastors are going to be en-couraged and really have an opportunity to hear quality, biblically-based sermons from some of the most respected pastors and theologians around.”

Speakers include J. Gregory Lawson, professor of Christian Education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Semi-nary (SEBTS) and senior pastor at Union Chapel Baptist Church in Zebulon; Danny Akin, SEBTS president and professor of Preaching and Theology; Alvin Reid, pro-fessor of Evangelism and Student Minis-try at SEBTS; David Horner, senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh;

Richard D. Phillips, senior minister of Second Presby-terian Church in Greenville, S.C.; D.A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divin-ity School and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition; Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga.; and Gary W. Jennings, retired pastor and former pastor of East Taylorsville Baptist Church in Taylorsville.

The conference will be on Sunday, Nov. 1, 5:45-8:35 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 2, 8:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. It will be held at the Koury Convention Center in Greens-boro for the second time. The conference is free to attend, and no registration is required. For more information, visit ncannualmeeting.org.

SubmissionsThe Biblical Recorder is pleased to publish staff changes, church news and events with a statewide interest. Please send information immediately following an event, or for opportunity corner, send at least two months in advance. All submissions will be subjected to Biblical Recorder styles and guidelines and will be edited for style and length. Include cost and contact information in your email or correspondence. Send to dianna@BRnow.org or Biblical Recorder, P.O. Box 1185, Cary, NC 27512. Call (919) 847-2127.

Have story ideas or questions? Send to editor@BRnow.org.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 7

Breakout sessions will be held at the Koury Convention Cen-ter during the Baptist State

Convention of North Carolina’s annual meeting Tues., Nov. 3 from 3:15-4 p.m. and 4:15-5 p.m. Sessions are free. All ses-sions are offered at both times, with the exception of the first two listed.

A New “Normal” Part 1: warning signs for church revitalizationJohn Ewart; Room: Auditorium 1; 3:15-4 p.m.

Declining and unhealthy churches have become the norm all too often. We need a new expectation, a new normal! As a church leader, how can you diagnose and prevent poor church health? What should we be watching for and how can we be that intentional? Join experienced pas-tor, church consul-tant and professor John Ewart to dis-cover and discuss key qualitative and quantitative symptoms that character-ize a church in need of revitalization as well as how to move toward or maintain greater strength and health.

A New “Normal” Part 2: Five phases for ongoing church revitaliztionJohn Ewart; Room: Auditorium 1; 4:15-5 p.m.

What are some biblically based, prac-tical steps my church can take to actually move toward or maintain Great Commis-sion fulfillment? How can we prevent the decline or unhealthy conditions that have become so normal for so many churches? Join experienced pastor, church consul-tant and professor John Ewart to learn five phases every church should con-stantly be working through in order to be effective for the Kingdom.

Beyond One-On-One: Discipling through women’s ministryMeredith Snoddy; Room: Cedar A

The Great Commission says we are to “make disciples,” and women’s ministry plays an important part in the church see-ing this mandate fulfilled. This equipping session will help women’s ministry lead-ers learn how to make disciples through their women’s ministry and keep the process on-going.

Biblical prayers for challenging timesChris Schofield; Room: Oak A

This session will help believers and churches respond and pray biblically toward the ever-changing moral and spiritual collapse of America.

Breakout sessions offer training for messengers

Church RenewalBob Foy; Room: Bear Creek

In this session, participants will dis-cover a tool for strengthening the church by awakening, equipping and empower-ing laity to create reproducing disciples.

Church Revitalization through MultiplicationTim Ahlen; Room: Colony A

Come hear the story of how one at-risk church became a multi-congregational, multi-ethnic community that is shaking the nations for Jesus Christ at home and throughout the world.

Developing Cultural Impact Teams in the Local ChurchMark Harris; Room: Oak C

Western society is being influenced in numerous ways and from numerous sources. While some influences and some changes are positive, others call into question the claims of the gospel and the expectations of Scripture. The Family Research Council has developed resourc-es that can assist congregations impact the culture. This session will provide an introduction to cultural impact teams and how they can be developed in your church.

Disciple-making Pastors’ RoundtableDavid Cox, Joel Stephens, Brandon Ware; Room: Turnberry

Participate in a discussion with N.C. pastors from a variety of contexts on how their churches are impacting lostness through disciple-making.

Engaging Pockets of Lostness: A local church’s journeyChuck Campbell; Room: Heritage B

Join us as we share a local church’s journey engaging the largest pocket of lostness in the Greenville area. Learn practical and reproducible principles on how to discover, develop and engage pockets of lostness through disciple-making.

Growing Disciples Through Missions InvolvementN.C. Baptist Men Staff; Room: Oak B

One of the best ways to grow dis-ciples and a healthy church is through missions involvement. This session, led by N.C. Baptist Men/Baptist on Mission staff, will cover how missions can change your church and your members. The session will include practical ideas and projects at the local, state, national and international level that your church can be involved in. This breakout session is a great overview of resources for church missions involvement.

Impacting Lostness: Churches planting churchesMark Gray; Room: Heritage A

Every church in North Carolina had a birth. One of the most effective ways to impact lostness through disciple-making is in churches giving birth to new churches. Partnering with a new church positively impacts the sending church in multiple ways, and dozens are won to Jesus as new disciples. This session will reveal steps in the joyful process of giving birth and the legacy that continues.

Making Disciples in Rural North CarolinaJeff Sundell; Room: Colony B

This session will cover an American adaptation of church planting movement principles from the international mis-sion field for making disciples anytime, anywhere.

Making Disciples Through Small GroupsDerick DeLain; Room: Cedar B

This breakout will focus on best practices to develop healthy small groups that function as gospel communities on mission.

SHARE the Gospel in a Changing CultureMarty Dupree; Room: Pinehurst

This session will discuss options for engaging in gospel conversations by com-paring Acts 2 and Acts 17 strategies.

The Peoples Next Door: Discover and engage unreached people groups in North CarolinaSteve Hardy; Room: Colony C

How do we, as ordinary people, take the gospel to the peoples of the world that God is bringing here to be our neigh-bors? We will discuss how to discover people group communities in our cities through natural encounters and begin to intentionally engage them through gospel hospitality.

The Pulpit and Disciple-makingClay Smith; Room: Cedar C

The disciple-making process goes beyond preaching, but preaching is a vital and indispensable part of your church’s disciple-making strategy. This session will show how preaching can be intentionally connected to your strategy for impacting lostness through disciple-making.

When Adolescence Gets OldJonathan Yarboro, Tom Knight; Room: Olympia

The fact that 40 percent of all col-lege graduates return home to live with their parents may cause us to agree with the declaration, “30 is the new 20.” But the truth is that 20-somethings are in a unique stage that makes their lives par-ticularly fertile for the gospel. But they also represent the largest age demograph-ic absent from our churches. What does your church need to understand about them in order to close the gap, effectively communicate the gospel to them and see them become a vital part of your church’s community?

Some of your breakout leaders ...

From left, Chuck Campbell, Marty Dupree, Jonathan Yarboro and Mark Gray are some of the breakout session leaders during the annual meeting in Greensboro. Sessions will be offered Nov. 3 during the afternoon. (BSC photos)

JOHN EWART

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s Annual Meeting cover-age in this issue of the Biblical Recorder is located on pages 3, 6-8 and 13. Follow @ncbaptist, @brnow and @biblicalrecord for coverage of the annual meeting in Greensboro Nov. 2-3. Use #echonc to share your com-ments about the annual meeting via social media. Visit brnow.org to get stories leading up to, during and after the meeting. Visit ncannualmeet-ing.org to get a connection to a live feed if you are not attending.

Annual meeting theme: Echo

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists8

T he Board of Directors (Board) proposes three amendments to the bylaws of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Convention).

The Board brings no recommended amendments related to the Convention’s Articles of Incorporation.

The first two motions share similarity in focus, spe-cifically terms of service for individuals elected and/or appointed to serve on the Board and committees of the Convention. The final motion addresses the duties of the Committee on Convention meetings.

The focus of the first motion is upon the expectations of members of the Board regarding their attendance at meetings of the Board.

Currently, individuals have a minimal attendance re-quirement and absences are excused when an individual Board member simply gives notice of their absence. If members meet this minimal requirement, they will not be terminated as members of the Board. Low expecta-tions have resulted in low commitment on the part of

a few members of the Board. This low commitment impacts the work of the Board and its committees on behalf of North Carolina Baptists and increases the workload of other Board members. Therefore, the pro-posed amendment increases the expectations for Board members regarding their attendance at the meetings of the Board.

Failure to meet these proposed expectations will result in termination of Board membership.

The second motion proposes to establish criteria for the termination of Convention committee membership; at present there are no criteria.

Over the years, some individuals have been elected to serve on Convention committees and have failed to attend the meetings and participate in the committee’s work. Just as poor attendance affects the work of the Board, poor attendance impacts the work of Convention committees and increases the work of other members. The proposed amendment establishes attendance ex-

pectations and the criteria for termination from com-mittee membership should members fail to meet these expectations.

Motion three addresses one particular aspect of the duties of the Committee on Convention Meetings. This committee has found it increasingly difficult to secure commitments from potential Convention preachers for the annual meeting due to the restriction that the Committee on Convention Meetings may only make preliminary plans for the next annual meeting (one year in advance) of the Convention. Many of the individuals contacted by the Committee on Convention Meetings to bring the annual sermon fill their calendars in ad-vance and the current restriction on the committee has made its task more difficult to complete. The proposed amendment authorizes the committee to propose Con-vention preachers for two years in advance.

Contact Brian Davis, associate executive director-treasurer, at bdavis@ncbaptist.org or (800) 395-5102.

Motion 1The Board of Directors moves that Article II. A. 1. b. of the Bylaws be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following language:

Current Reading:

1. At-Large Members . . . b. In the event at-large members of the Board move from the region from which they were elected, their membership shall continue through the remainder of the calendar year. The membership of those moving from the state shall be terminated upon the date of the move from the state. In the event an at-large member fails to attend at least one (1) meeting of the Board in a calendar year, without giving due notice of the absence, the membership shall immediately terminate.

Proposed Reading:

1. At-Large Members . . . b. In the event at-large members of the Board move from the region from which they were elected, their membership shall continue through the remainder of the calendar year. The membership of those moving from the state shall be terminated upon the date of the move from the state. In addition, the membership of an at-large member shall immediately terminate in the event that either (1) the member fails to attend at least one (1) meeting of the Board in each full calendar year of the member’s term; or (2) after the first full calendar year of the member’s term, the member fails to attend at least fifty percent (50%) of the regular meetings of the Board measured from the beginning of the member’s term.

Motion 2The Board of Directors moves that Article I. C. 2. of the Bylaws be amended by adding the new sub-paragraph e., which reads as follows:

Proposed Reading:

2. Membership . . . e. The membership of members of Convention committees moving from this state shall be terminated upon the date of the move from this state. In addition, the membership of a member of a Convention committee shall immediately terminate in the event that either (1) the member fails to attend at least one (1) meeting of the Convention committee in each full calendar year of the member’s term; or (2) after the first full calendar year of the member’s term, the member fails to attend at least fifty percent (50%) of the meetings of the Convention committee measured from the beginning of the member’s term.

Motion 3The Board of Directors moves that Article I. C. 6. b. (ii) of the Bylaws be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following language:

Current Reading:

b. The Committee on Convention Meetings shall consist of eighteen (18) members serving three (3) year terms, six (6) of which shall rotate off each year. The committee’s duties shall include: . . . (ii) Recommending to the Convention the preacher for the next annual meeting of the Convention;

Proposed Reading:

b. The Committee on Convention Meetings shall consist of eighteen (18) members serving three (3) year terms, six (6) of which shall rotate off each year. The committee’s duties shall include: . . . (ii) Recommending to the Convention the preacher for the next annual meetings of the Convention (if one has not been previously approved). In addition, the committee may recommend the preacher, if desired, for the annual meeting of Convention scheduled two years in the future;

2015 summary for proposed BSC bylaw amendments

Proposed amendments to bylaws of Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 9

By SETH BROWN | BR Content Editor

Buzzwords are commonly employed by Christian confer-ence organizers to generate

interest and excitement. Passion, thrive, exponential, ignite and catalyst are just a few that one might find emblazoned across banners, T-shirts and promotional materials. There is one phrase, however, that doesn’t often headline such events: church discipline. That unpopular idea is what the 9Marks at Southeastern confer-ence featured as its theme Sept. 25-26 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Semi-nary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, N.C.

“Flattery is unloving, but accurate rebuke is a treasure to be sought,” said Mark Dever, senior pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He delivered the opening message of the two-day conference to nearly 750 attenders in SEBTS’s Binkley Chapel. Dever described church discipline as a loving part of the Christian life. It is both formative and corrective, he added. “Formative discipline is positive, direct teaching where we’re setting out biblical truth. It’s your sermons; it’s your Sunday School classes, it’s the mentoring.”

Dever went on to say, “Corrective dis-cipline would include somebody contra-

Uncommon topic addressed at 9Marks conference

dicting, or challenging, or confronting or rebuking.” He appealed to Matthew 18:15-20 to set the foundation for the practice of discipline within a local church. “Our churches should be marked by genuine concern, care and love. Part of that means we want people to repent of their sins,” Dever said.

Many Southern Baptist churches do not actively engage in discipline, ac-cording to Dever, but he urged pastors not to rush into the practice too hastily if they become convinced of its impor-tance. Instead, he encouraged “patience in shepherding,” offering teaching tips for leading congregations into the bibli-cal practice of church discipline, like

encouraging humility and making sure the church understands the significance of membership.

Garrett Kell, lead pastor of Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., led the second session, explaining what it means to “create culture of church discipline.” He emphasized God’s intent to save and care for his people, “wish-ing that none should perish.” Kell then connected God’s love to how church members should care for one another. “The love that Christ has shown you and has shown me is intended to warm our hearts toward wandering sheep,” he said. “We are intended to be little reflections of the Father.”

Kell, like Dever and other conference speakers, referenced Matthew 18:15-20 as the guiding biblical text for the process of church discipline. He explained the three steps of the process: approaching the wayward Christian privately, then with partners and finally confronting them before the whole congregation. Kell added, “A healthy church recognizes that discipline is both normal and necessary.”

SEBTS President Danny Akin opened the third session with a quote from German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Nothing can be more cruel than that leniency which abandons others to sin.” He noted that church discipline is ad-dressed throughout the New Testament, and it is a vital part of ministry, quoting from an American Baptist named John Dagg: “When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it.” Akin explained each verse from 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, noting how unchecked sin cripples a church and how godly correction is rooted in the redemptive work of Christ.

Pastor of the newly planted Anacos-tia River Church in Washington, D.C., Thabiti Anyabwile, delivered the fourth message on how to know when church discipline works. He answered the implied question in the two points of his talk: Discipline works when a church (1) feels and when it (2) forgives.

The passage Anyabwile called upon was 1 Corinthians 2:1-11, which is a word

of temperance to the Corinthian church after the scandalous case of church discipline against a man committing sexual immorality with his step-mother recorded in 1 Corinthians 5. The congre-gation allegedly responded too harshly to the sinful practice and failed to forgive the man after he repented. “It’s pos-sible that cases of discipline present the power-hungry or the power-drunk an opportunity to lord it over the church,” said Anyabwile.

He continued, “If we feel like we are against the sinner, if we feel like we are opposed to the brother or sister, that’s reason for us to stop or slow down, and begin a concert of prayer, tarrying in prayer so the Lord would help us to understand that the ones He purchased with His own blood are not be con-quered, but to be worked with, to be shepherded, to be nursed along.”

Mez McConnell, director of a church planting ministry in Scotland called 20 Schemes, addressed the topic of dealing with false teachers.

“Wolves,” as the Bible calls them, should be dealt with severely, according to McConnell. However, he emphasized the need to tell the difference between a new Christian who happens to hold an errant belief – “doctrinal immaturity” – and a false teacher who intentionally seeks to divide a church. “You must dis-cern the difference between ill-informed sheep and ravaging wolves,” said Mc-Connell. “If I disciplined everybody who said anything dumb or unbiblical in my church, I’d have nobody left,” he said, re-ferring to Romans 16:17-18. “But we must act when we come into a knowledge of sinful practice.”

Closing out the conference was Ligon Duncan, chancellor of Reformed Theo-logical Seminary and former pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Miss.

Duncan’s self-admitted goal of the talk was threefold: to convince attenders that “the Lord Jesus uses church discipline to cultivate respect, godliness and peace in a congregation.”

Panel discussions accompanied each of the main sessions, reviewing the relevant content and considering in greater detail the topic of each session. Jim Shaddix, who holds the W.A. Criswell Chair of Preaching at SEBTS, moderated a break-fast panel Sept. 26 between Akin and Duncan that featured an in-depth discus-sion of preaching in the life of a local church.

Conference videos are available online at iamgoi.ng/10p. Next year’s 9Marks at Southeastern conference is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 1 and the theme will be Christian discipleship.

A line forms to check-in at the 9Marks conference in Wake Forest. (SEBTS photo)

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists10

By SETH BROWN | BR Content Editor

Scores of baseball fans poured into the Rogers Center in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 22 to watch the hometown Blue Jays play the New York

Yankees. The majority of the cheering crowd had one thing in common; they wore iconic blue and white colors, accompanied by a stark red maple leaf that showed their loyalty to the Jays.

Aside from their allegiance to the hometown base-ball team, many Toronto residents have little else in common.

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) boasts a popula-tion of more than six million, including people from 200 ethnic groups speaking 160 languages, according to census data.

Despite the appearance of uniformity in the base-ball stadium, Toronto happens to be the most cultur-ally diverse city in the world.

A small group of fans tucked away in the upper deck of the stadium had something in common other than excitement about the game, though. The specta-tors weren’t layered in blue and white, nor were they Toronto residents.

They were N.C. Baptists that want to see the gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the diverse population in the Toronto area.

The North American Mission Board (NAMB) identified Toronto in 2011 as one of three target cities in Canada for the Send North America initiative, an effort to mobilize Baptists to plant new churches in strategic North American population centers. The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) also began a partnership in 2011 with the Canadian National Baptist Convention, alongside NAMB, to emphasize and facilitate strategic, church-to-church

partnerships with the goal of planting new churches in GTA.

BSC and NAMB hosted a Toronto Vision Tour Sept. 21-23, led by Send City Missionary Brett Porter, that highlighted current GTA ministries for N.C. churches to consider joining in partnership. Seven church lead-ers from across the state, along with two from Ohio, traveled across GTA and heard reports from multiple church leaders and NAMB staff.

Ministering in a multicultural cityJason McGibbon, NAMB church planting team

member in the West region of Toronto, outlined various ministries collectively called The Hamilton Fellowships in a suburb of Toronto. One of the minis-tries grew out of a non-profit bicycle restoration shop called New Hope Community Bikes.

Chandler Horne, NAMB church planting appren-tice, leads a weekly worship service called “shop talks.” He said, “We’ve been called to do discipleship with cyclists and their friends.” Cycling for many Canadians is more than a hobby, according to Horne; it’s a way of life. Many families rely on bicycles for basic transportation, like getting to work and grocery shopping.

The ministry, Restoration Hamilton, employs the ever-present object lesson of restoring bicycles. Horne said it’s “our way of celebrating the restoration that God is doing in the city and in people’s hearts … a way to relay to them the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Other partnership opportunities include church planting efforts in the East region of GTA. Matt Hess, who planted Fellowship Pickering in 2014, said he has a goal of 12 church plants in 10 years. Dave Strobel, who serves in the GTA Midwest region, outlined ways N.C. churches can partner on the Toronto Church Planting website, like helping to put on sports camps, day camps, family festivals and barbeques. “We need help meeting people, surveying, building relationships and sharing our faith,” he added.

Church targets downtown parkMike Seaman, former student and theology profes-

sor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in

Casting visionToronto Baptists invite more N.C. partnerships

See Toronto page 12

Mike Seaman, former student and theology professor at South-eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, talks about Trinity Life Church, the congregation he helped start two years ago. (BR photos by Seth Brown)

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 11

Museum of History will have a chance to see the influence this man from our state has had worldwide.”

“They realized there was not very much reflection of our state’s faith ele-ment, and that a display about the life of Billy Graham would satisfy much of that,” Bruce explained.

“There are definitely reflections of notable people like politicians, but this adds a missing and very important piece.”

The honor bestowed on Graham is ultimately not to draw attention to the famous preacher, but to make the name of Jesus more famous, Bruce added. “Any great honor Billy Graham receives points to his message, his integrity and his faithfulness. It’s really a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The exhibit has been about a decade in the making according to Tom Phil-lips, vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and executive director of the Billy Graham Library, based in Charlotte. Other than the Billy Graham Library, an exhibit like this has never been done.

“A lot of people go to an historic museum to look at the whole picture of a state’s history. In doing so, North Carolina Museum of History visitors will discover the spiritual history of our state through the lives of Billy and Ruth Graham,” Phillips said.

Each year an estimated 80,000 eighth graders across the state visit the muse-um. Thousands travel to Raleigh to visit various historical sites and im-portant landmarks, includ-ing large numbers of stu-dents. The museum’s most recent fiscal year counted 421,184 total visitors.

And like Bruce, Phillips is count-ing on this exhibit to inspire the next generation of North Carolinians.

He said, “The legislature voted for Billy Graham to be the state’s Favorite Son. Billy Graham is an evangelist. His whole life is the procla-mation of the gospel of Jesus Christ for commitment. So, to tell his story, there is no way around the reality of gospel proclamation and invitation.”

“I believe this exhibit will encourage all young people that God has a plan for their lives, and that He can call them to do great things, like He did with Billy Graham,” Phillips added.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to share the spiritual heritage of one man

and his wife ... and how God can work through one couple totally committed to Him.”

“My prayer is that they will walk away with the understanding

that they don’t have to be pastors, missionaries, or

world famous evange-lists to fulfill God’s call. They can do that wherever God places them,” said Phillips. “People are so busy these days;

they don’t stop for much. My prayer is

that each visitor can ‘be still’ as they tour the exhibit

and that God’s Spirit will break through and change lives.”

There is already talk about taking the display on the road to regional museums, according to Phillips.

Some denominational offices and seminaries have also expressed interest in having some or all of the display visit their facilities in the future.

The museum (ncmuseumofhistory.org) is located at 5 East Edenton Street, across from the State Capitol, in downtown Ra-leigh. Admission is free, although some special exhibits require a fee.

Continued from page 1Graham

Possible statue, stampMcCrory was in Charlotte Oct. 2 to

sign a bill, passed by the state House and Senate, to pave the way for a Billy Graham statue to be placed in the National Statu-ary Hall in Congress.

McCrory signed the bill at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte.

Congressional guidelines require that a person’s statue for Statuary Hall may only be installed posthumously.

A seven-member panel will be cre-ated to pick a sculptor and secure the

Gov. Pat McCrory visited with Billy Graham, center and below left, and his son, Franklin, in Graham’s Montreat home in 2013 after recognizing Graham as North Carolina’s “Favorite Son.” (Photo from Office of Gov. Pat McCrory)

necessary funds. Another bill that passed in the N.C. House – Billy Graham for Postage Stamp – petitions the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee of the United States Postal Service and the Postmaster General of the United States to issue a commemorative stamp honoring the evangelist.

Unlike placing a statue in the United States Capitol Building, in 2011 postal officials ended the requirement that commemorative stamps cannot feature someone who is still alive.

Morning Star News/Baptist Press

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Sept. 30 declined to meet with the wife

of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini during his trip to the United Nations, days after the Christian’s wife learned her husband had recently been tortured.

Rouhani instead said in a television interview that releasing Iranian criminals held in U.S. prisons would change the “atmosphere and environment,” hinting that such a change would be necessary for possibly freeing prisoners such as Abedini. The Iranians in question were sentenced to prison for violating the in-

Naghmeh Abedini: faith ‘more real’ than beforeternational trade embargo placed on Iran for trying to develop nuclear weapons, Rouhani said.

“There are a number of Iranians in the United States who are imprisoned, who went to prison as a result of activities related to the nuclear industry in Iran,” he said Sept. 27 on CNN. “If the Ameri-cans take the appropriate actions vis-a-vis Iranian citizens who are being impris-oned here, then the right atmosphere and environment will be created for recipro-cal action perhaps.”

Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini, reaffirmed her husband’s innocence and said the Iranian government is treating him “like a pawn in a game of chess.”

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists12

Wake Forest, relayed information about the church that he helped start two years ago, Trinity Life Church in downtown Toronto. He said the goal is not simply to plant a church, but “to be a body of Christ that multiplies into more bodies of Christ across the GTA.”

The Biblical Recorder reported Feb. 14 about Trinity Life church planter Daniel Yang, his Hmong background and his journey to Toronto. He said their strategy is simple: “Helping people to discover their destiny and identity in Christ.”

One of the ways Trinity Life imple-ments its strategy is through community outreach. They began by ministering in Regent Park, the largest project-housing complex in Canada.

City organizers were already in the process of revitalizing the crime-ridden area when Trinity Life came alongside the Toronto Boys and Girls club to serve the park in practical ways, like cleaning and event planning. “We started living on mission,” said Seaman, “and people were attracted to that.” He added, “They were attracted to something different – a church doing something in the city.”

Short-term mission teams have come from partner churches to serve with Trinity Life in various ways, like helping to carry out a citywide event in which Trinity Life participates.

Seaman said a Muslim leader recount-ed after an event, “We’re so glad Trinity Life Church is here. We don’t know how we’d pull off events like this without you guys.” Teams have also helped coordinate an evangelistic outreach tool called Big City, Big Questions.

“How can we encourage you to grow in your walk with Jesus as we live on mis-sion together?” is the driving question for Trinity Life mission teams, said Seaman. Trinity Life emphasizes that partnerships are beneficial to both parties, not just the church plant. Partner churches have also sent interns for longer, semester-length terms.

N.C. churches set partnership goals

Thomas McDonald, student pastor at

Continued from page 10TorontoWest End Baptist in Willliamston, N.C., said his goal for the trip was “to take the information … back to West End Baptist. I want to be able to share with them how we can partner with Toronto to further the kingdom of God. That is what it is all about.”

He also named some possible av-enues for partnership, including prayer, financial giving or taking mission teams to GTA. “Acts 1:8 tells us to take it to the uttermost parts of the World,” said Mc-Donald, “this includes Toronto!”

“Far too often smaller congregations are content to passively engage in mis-sions,” said Jason Currie, pastor at First Baptist Church, Grifton, N.C.

He believes “giving to Lottie Moon and praying a few times a year” are not enough. He wants to see small churches become more active in direct missions engagement “by networking together with other congregations.”

“Toronto is strategic for N.C. Baptists because of the diversity of nations that live in the Greater Toronto Area,” said Steve Hardy, team leader for BSC Office of Great Commission Partnerships. “It allows us to reach out to a great number of people groups in one geographical location.

“It is also a city of significant influ-ence on all of Canada and North America because of the half-million university students and the governmental impact of the city. If we can establish a foothold for the gospel in Toronto, we can influence all of North America.”

The Jays lost their Sept. 22 bout with the Yankees, but the game is just be-ginning for NAMB’s Send initiative in Toronto. They’re working hard to recruit N.C. churches to join their team, and step up to the plate of missions engagement. The game plan is simple: Baptists want to take the gospel to the nations, and the nations are in Toronto.

Visit torontochurchplanting.com or contact the Office of Great Commission Partnerships at the Baptist State Con-vention of North Carolina to learn more about how churches can partner with ministries in the Toronto area.

Baptist Press

T he Executive Committee has named Shawn Hendricks as Baptist Press director of opera-

tions. The new role will be in addition to his regular duties as managing editor.

As managing editor/direc-tor of operations, Hendricks will assume additional admin-istrative assignments while continuing to direct and edit content released by Baptist Press. Art Toalston, who has served as editor of Baptist Press for more than 23 years, will transition into a new role as senior editor. In his new position, Toalston, 65, will step aside from some of the daily administrative duties to devote himself more fully to the same editing, writing and mentoring tasks he has done since becom-ing editor.

“Art has devoted more than 30 years of stellar service to the Lord and Southern Baptists, first as a staff writer with In-ternational Mission Board (IMB) and then editor of Baptist Press for almost 24 years,” Roger S. Oldham, vice president for Convention communications and rela-tions with the SBC Executive Committee, said. “He has demonstrated tremendous gifting and competence across a range of journalistic skills such as time-sensitive news writing, content development and copy editing and has earned the trust of so many ministry leaders at every level of Baptist life and from every part of the world. We are grateful he will continue

Hendricks named director of Baptist Press operationsto be a vibrant part of the Baptist Press leadership team.”

Hendricks accepted the position of Baptist Press managing editor in 2013 after serving two years in the same role for the Biblical Recorder, newsjournal of

the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Before that, he served for nearly 10 years as a staff writer – and later senior writer – at the International Mission Board.

“When Shawn joined Bap-tist Press in 2013, his adminis-trative and leadership skills be-came immediately apparent,” Oldham said. “Art has worked closely with Shawn over the past couple of years to men-tor him and model before him how to manage the duties of a daily news service. We have every confidence Baptist Press will continue to thrive under his able hands as he steps into this expanded role.”

Hendricks also worked as a news and feature writer with the State Gazette daily news-paper in Dyersburg, Tenn.,

1997-98; public relations staff writer at Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hanni-bal, Mo., 1998-99; and news and feature writer at the former newsjournal for the Missouri Baptist Convention, Word & Way, 1999-2002.

A 1996 communication arts/journalism graduate from Union University in Jack-son, Tenn., Hendricks completed intern-ships with the Indiana Baptist, newsjour-nal of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, and The Jackson Sun (Tenn.) daily newspaper. He is a native of Troy,

Mo. Hendricks, 41, was selected as Bap-tist Communicators Association’s (BCA) president-elect for 2016-2017 at its April annual meeting. He was program co-chair for the BCA’s 2014 annual meeting at the LifeWay Conference Center in Ridgecrest, N.C. He and his wife Stepha-nie have a 7-year-old daughter Laura. Before becoming editor of Baptist Press in 1992, Toalston worked seven years at

the IMB as a staff writer and 10 years in reporting and journalism education in Mississippi and Ohio.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Toalston holds a mas-ter’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has studied at South-western Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he also worked in the news office. His undergraduate degree is from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.)

SHAWN HENDRICKS

ART TOALSTON

Baptist Press

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) Presi-

dent Frank S. Page has personally signed letters to more than 4,400 Southern Baptist churches that have met or ex-ceeded the 1% Cooperative Program (CP) Challenge.

Recognized for their contributions are 3,846 congregations that met the chal-lenge for the first time during the 2013-14 fiscal year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30) and 576 that met the challenge for two consecutive years, said Ashley Clayton, SBC Ex-ecutive Committee vice president for Cooperative Program and stewardship development.

The 1% CP Challenge calls on churches to increase their Cooperative Program giving by at least 1 percentage point of their budgets from undesignated gifts by

1% CP Challenge met by 4,422 churchestheir members and visitors. CP gifts un-dergird both the work of the state Baptist conventions and the SBC’s national and international missions and ministries.

In the letters in advance of October’s Cooperative Program Emphasis Month on the SBC calendar, Page reminded pastors that every Cooperative Program dollar given is an investment in Baptist outreach.

The month-long Cooperative Program emphasis spurs churches to learn about the Cooperative Program and prayerfully consider increasing their contributions. If every Southern Baptist church embrac-es the 1% CP Challenge, annual Coopera-tive Program giving would increase by nearly $100 million, Page said.

CP contributions for the current fiscal year were 1.13 percent above projections through August, Page announced in early September.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 13

RESOLUTIONS

Messengers will vote on these resolu-tions during the annual meeting Nov. 2-3.

WHEREAS, the Kingdom of God includes people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language (Revelation 7:9); and

WHEREAS, the Church is command-ed in the Scriptures to extend hospitality, which literally means the love of strang-ers (Romans 12:13, Hebrew 13:2) and to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27), including those of different ethnic and cultural back-grounds; and

WHEREAS, the God who made each human person in his image (Genesis 1:27) and who desires for each person to come to repentance and salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9); and

WHEREAS, the arrival of immigrants to our community presents a divine opportunity to participate in the Great Commission of making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) within our own state, including reaching out to entirely unreached people groups residing among us; and

WHEREAS, many of the immigrants who arrive within our State are already strong believers, who breathe new life into our local churches and our conven-tion; and

WHEREAS, the suffering experienced among immigrant members of our fellow-ship is to be of concern to all, because when one part of the body suffers, all suf-fer with it (1 Corinthians 12:26); and

Resolution on impacting lostness among immigrantsWHEREAS, the Scriptures make clear

that God has established the govern-ing authorities to do good and maintain justice (Romans 13:1-7) and we are called to respect and honor the law; and

WHEREAS, among those undocu-mented immigrants are many Christians, who desperately want to be reconciled to the law, while also being able to stay with and provide for their families; and

WHEREAS, our country’s current immigration system has not been consis-tently enforced in a way that honors and respects the law for many decades, dur-ing which time millions of immigrants have entered the United States unlaw-fully or overstayed a visa, such that North Carolina is now home to an estimated 400,000 immigrants who are present in violation of U.S. law and whose employ-ers are also in violation of law; and

WHEREAS, a growing share of our neighbors within the State of North Caro-lina—more than 7% of the total popula-tion as of 2010—are immigrants, up from less than 2% of the State’s population in 1990; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that local churches should seek to encourage distinctly bibli-cal responses to the realities of immigra-tion, framing our individual and corpo-rate response to the immigrants among us as a matter of Christian discipleship that should be informed, first and foremost, by the principles of Scripture, and be it further

RESOLVED, that local churches should pursue opportunities to tangibly

WHEREAS, the 185th annual session of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina is meeting November 3-4, 2015 in Greensboro, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Creek Baptist Church was founded in 1755 by Shubal Stearns and other Baptist followers and became the mother church of Separate Baptist churches and the source of the strong Baptist tradition in the South; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Creek Baptist Church is located near Liberty, North Carolina in Randolph County, around 25 miles southeast from the meeting loca-tion of this 2015 Convention; and

WHEREAS, There is currently located at Sandy Creek, the Sandy Creek Baptist Church, a vibrant Southern Baptist affili-ated church, the Sandy Creek Primitive Baptist Church also a vibrant congrega-tion, the Sandy Creek Baptist cemetery containing several monuments and the graves of many including Shubal Stearns,

Resolution of appreciation to Hal Yountsand the 1802 Sandy Creek Baptist Church Meeting House, the third meeting house at the Sandy Creek location; and

WHEREAS, Hal Younts, Clerk of the Sandy Creek Primitive Baptist Church, starting in 2000 and continuing through 2006, restored the 1802 Sandy Creek Baptist Church Meeting House. He maintained it and kept the Sandy Creek Meeting House open to all visitors and often met and greeted persons at the site explaining the important Baptist Heritage located at the site; and

WHEREAS, Hal Younts went to be with his Savior on September 9, 2015; and

Therefore, be it resolved that we, the messengers to the 2015 Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, express our appreciation for the late Hal Younts’ efforts in preserving the Sandy Creek Baptist site that has and continues to play such a major role in the heritage of all Baptists regardless of affiliation.

meet the needs of immigrants within their community as a demonstration of the love of Christ and in order to build relationships so as to more effectively be able to proclaim the hope of the gospel, and be it further

RESOLVED, that while North Carolina Baptists may not all agree on specific public policy responses, we are united in our call to extend love and compassion to those who are vulnerable and to reach all people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ;

and be it finallyRESOLVED, that the messengers of

the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina on November 2-3, 2015, call on our churches to demonstrate the love of Jesus and to proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to all people, regardless of country of origin, language, and that we oppose any form of bigotry, mistreatment, or exploitation of any per-son made in the image of God.

Other events before, during annual meeting

Each year messengers gather for the Bap-tist State Convention of North Carolina’s annual meeting. This year’s meeting

occurs Nov. 2-3. Before and during that time, there are events going on that people might want to attend. Pay attention to the deadlines for reservations and cost for some of the events. Here is a list:

• Pastors’ Conference: It Shall Not Return Void: The Pastor & The Power of the Word of God. See story, page 6.

• N.C. Baptist Ministers’ Wives – The 60th annual meeting is from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Nov. 2 at the Koury Convention Center. Janet Sauls is the guest speaker. Sauls was born and raised in N.C. She and her husband, Rodger, co-founded 2 Become 1 Ministries, a marriage enrichment effort to increase understanding of the differences and needs of men and women based on God’s Word. She retired in 2014 after a 30-year career with the N.C. Department of Public Safety.

• N.C. Baptist International Missionary Fellowship meets Nov. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Lind-ley Park Baptist Church in Greensboro. Call the church at (336) 292-5761 by Oct. 30 to reserve your lunch; cost is $10.

• Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary lunch – Alumni and guests are invited Nov. 2 at noon in the Blue Ashe room at the Sheraton hotel. Danny Akin, SEBTS president, will speak. Cost is $10. Register online eventbrite.com/e/southeastern-alumni-friends-luncheon-nc-baptist-convention-tick-ets-18794557026. Call (919) 761-2293 or email mard@sebts.edu.

• Hispanic Banquet and Church Planting Conference – Meeting Nov. 2 from 2-7:30 p.m. in Koury Convention Center, Victoria Room A. Visit ncannualmeeting.org/index.php?id=35. The conference centers on two sessions; one will focus on how to live life on mission; the second teaches how Hispanics can reach unreached people groups in North Carolina.

Speakers are from the International Mission Board (IMB) and North American Mission Board (NAMB). Ramon Osorio is Hispanic coordina-tor for NAMB, and Jason Carlisle is Hispanic mobilizer for IMB. The event is free, but online registration is required. Contact (800) 395-5102, ext. 5568, or wortega@ncbaptist.org.

• Sandy Creek History Tour, sponsored by the N.C. Baptist Historical Committee, leaves Koury Convention Center Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. to tour the site of Sandy Creek Baptist Church. There will be a tour of the site along with a time for questions. Register at: ncbaptist.wufoo.com/forms/historical-committee-visit-sandy-creek-nov-2-2015. Contact (800) 395-5102, ext. 5618.

• Coat Collection – N.C. Baptists are en-couraged to donate coats to Coats for the City, an outreach effort in New York City. There will be a place at the convention center for dona-tions. A donation of $2 per coat should offset the cost of getting the coats to the city.

• Great Commission Partnership Break-fast meets Nov. 3 from 7 to 8:45 a.m. in the Victoria Ballroom at Koury Convention Center. Learn about North American and international partnerships that the Great Commission Part-nerships Office has to offer. The breakfast is free but registration is required. Visit ncbaptist.wufoo.com/forms/ssj4smb1s8d4mk. The dead-line to register is Oct. 19.

• Heavenly Banquet meets Nov. 3 at noon in Guilford G at the Koury Convention Center. Multiplying Disciples Through All Peoples, based on Matthew 28:19, offers a diverse setting for people to learn about BSC’s multi-cultural ministries. Ed Tablazon, pastor of Triad Journey Church in Winston-Salem, is this year’s speaker. Deadline to register is Oct. 26. Cost is $12 per person. Register at ncbaptist.wufoo.com/forms/s9l0eq61kud6yk/. Contact (800) 395-5102, ext. 5651, or apulliam@ncbaptist.org.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists14

Fort Caswell’s fall conference for youth “Ignite Your Life” Nov. 6-8 will feature speaker E.J. Swanson. Leading worship music for the weekend will be the regionally renowned church band from Scotts Hill Church in Wilmington. The Time of your Life Tour featuring The Afters, Chris August, Unspoken and Among the Thirsty will be in concert Nov. 7. Register for $141 at fortcaswell.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IgniteYourLife Registration.pdf. Contact (910) 278-9501.

Royal Ambassadors (RA) Day Nov. 9 is a fun time for RAs to compete individu-ally and as a team with other chapters from across the state and to earn patches. Competitions may include field day type events, field games, exciting speaker and RA test competition. Each boy will be able to compete in each of the individual competitions. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with activities starting at 10 a.m. We will hear a challenge from a speaker and receive a missions offering. The day will be finished by 5 p.m. Families and other observers are welcome to attend. Cost is $11. They day will take place at 2009 Sharpe Rd., Greensboro. For more information visit ncroyalambassadors.org or contact Mark Moore at (336) 521-9207.

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) is hosting the Then Prayer Gathering based on 2 Chron. 7:14, Nov. 12-14 at three locations (Nov. 12: Nags Head Baptist Church, Nags Head; Nov. 13: Berea Baptist Church, Elizabeth City; and Nov. 14: Rocky Hock Baptist Church, Edenton) from 6-9 p.m. each night. Key speakers will be Richard Owen Roberts, president of International Awakening Ministries, and Chris Schofield, director of BSC’s Office of Prayer. The conference is free, but a love offering will be col-lected. Contact Betsy Roland at broland@ncbaptist.org or call (800) 395-5102, ext. 5513.

Christmas by the Sea retreats at Fort Caswell are specifically for retired and semi-retired adults. Two retreats, Dec. 2-4 and Dec. 7-9, will include a Caswell Christmas dinner, followed by an evening with Phyllis Elliot Elvington. Day two will feature breakfast, more time with Elvington, a matinee Christmas show at the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, a craft, dinner and “s’more” sur-prises. Groups are responsible for their transportation to Myrtle Beach, as well as their lunch while there. Call (910) 278-9501 for information or a reservation.

Youth event planned at Fort Caswell

OPPORTUNITY CORNER

Royal Ambassador Day planned Nov. 9

Prayer event planned in Northeast N.C.

Senior adults can have Christmas by the sea

CHURCH NEWS

First Baptist Church, Creedmoor Creedmoor First Baptist Church (FBC) officially dedicated the renovated Candle of Love building Sept. 20. A group of church members, community leaders and project leaders gathered for a 2 p.m. ceremony just outside of entrance of the building that was originally built in 1959. The church purchased the property to build FBC Academy on an adjacent lot. This renovated building, which once stored farming materials, was used for a storage building for years by the church. The congregation voted in February 2015 to move forward with plans to renovate. The church started renovating the building in June after almost two years of planning. James Shelley, who has served as the congregation’s senior pastor for a year, began the ceremony introducing special guests and highlighting the history of the property and team members that contributed to the project. David Richardson, associate pastor, read a passage from the Book of Matthew and thanked those in attendance for supporting the project. Academy Director Amy Holder introduced Andy Ward, president of D.W. Ward Construction Co., Inc., who was also present at dedication ceremony. A ribbon cutting, reception and tour of the building followed the ceremony, which was closed in prayer.

Union Baptist Association, Monroe Around 275 volunteers packaged 30,000 meals to feed hungry children in the United States during Union Baptist Association’s (UBA) second annual Feeding Children Everywhere event Sept. 26. Twenty churches worked for one hour each from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Monroe Crossing, a local mall, and received support from Chick-fil-A. The UBA Youth Council raised $7,500 from member congregations, other organizations and individuals within the community.

HARRY E. BYRD died Sept. 29. He received a bachelor of arts degree

from Wake Forest College (now univer-sity) and bachelor of divinity and master of theology degrees from Southeastern Seminary.

He was pastor of Cane Creek and Em-maus Baptist churches in North Caro-lina and County Line Baptist Church in Virginia.

Prior to his marriage in 1954 to Jean Farrell, the couple had committed them-selves to foreign missions if the Lord should so lead. In 1966 they were ap-pointed as missionaries to Guatemala in Central America.

After a year of language study in San Jose, Costa Rica, they entered Guatemala in 1967. He served as a field missionary in the Pacific Coastal Plain of Guatemala, l967-70.

He was a teacher at the Guatemala Baptist Seminary, l970-97. He was presi-dent of Guatemala Baptist Theological Seminary, Guatemala City, 1971-73. He served as coordinator of the Guatemala Baptist Mission, 1973-86.

During a furlough in 1989-90 he served as Eastern United States Associate Direc-tor of the Missionary Enlistment Depart-ment at the International Mission Board in Richmond, Va. He served as entry orientation coordinator for the Guate-mala Baptist Mission, 1972-97.

He wrote a manual for on the field missionary orientation entitled Getting Your Bearing on the Field that for many years was used in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and in parts of South America. He contributed as a writer for the Baptist Spanish Publishing House from time to time in works for Sunday School quarter-lies, the Spanish equivalent of Home Life magazine and other publications.

In 1998 the Byrds’ retired as missionar-ies of the International Mission Board. Since retirement, Byrd taught for five years in Spanish in the program of Semi-nary Education by Extension under the auspices of the Yates Baptist Association and the Department of Theological Edu-cation by Extension in Nashville, Tenn. He also taught in the Spanish Division of Campbell Divinity School.

On two occasions since retirement, he taught in Belize at the Belize Baptist Bible School. He also served six interim pastorates.

He is survived by his wife, Jean, of 61 years; daughters, Donna Byrd of Raleigh, Denise Shaver of Chapel Hill; son Major H. Emerson Byrd, who is an army chap-lain; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials: International Mission Board, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230.

Obituary

AROUND THE STATE

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 15

To teach the light spectrum I used, as countless instructors before me, an acro-nym – ROY G BIV. The acronym stands for the colors in the range of visible light: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In order for plants to bear fruit, they require light across the entire range of the color spectrum. Plants that only receive light from the red-orange end of the spectrum are stunted in their growth and fail to bear fruit.

To the other extreme, plants that only receive light from the indigo-violet end of the spectrum are spindly in their growth and they also fail to bear fruit. It’s my opinion that God has created men and women in much the same way as it relates to the doctrine of love.

If a living soul is only exposed to one aspect of God’s love (like mercy or holiness), they’re often stunted in their growth and they do not bear fruit. Far too many churches lean toward one characteristic of God at the expense of another, and express an incomplete doc-trine of love.

Therefore, churches must undertake some needed soul searching and ask tough questions: Why have we failed in expressing God’s love in its fullness? What must we do to disciple those in our

Continued from page 3Daviscongregations so that they understand and express the fullness of God’s love to others?

Many churches have declared that Christians “Hate the sin but love the sinner.” We have assumed there’s no gap between those statements. We’ve been wrong in that assumption. Those two phrases are miles apart if the church is not expressing the fullness of God’s love to others. Christians must respect and value every living soul, for Christ Jesus shed His blood for every living soul to be saved.

Please do not misunderstand; respect for others does not equal condoning sin. Remember, the fullness of the doctrine of love, as revealed in Scripture, requires Christians to lift high the holy expecta-tions of God as well as the grace and mercy of God.

In the matter of sexuality, consider this: The scriptures proclaim that the “marriage bed” is pure and undefiled (He-brews 13:4). However, the scriptures are equally clear that God desires to cleanse and forgive living souls of “all unrigh-teousness” (1 John 1:9). This means that we should boldly declare that all sexual activity outside the bonds of marriage as expressed in scripture is out of bounds;

but that God desires to forgive, to cleanse and to restore those who will admit, confess and repent of such sin.

In short, people will get things out of order regarding sexuality, but God desires to forgive and cleanse. When living souls recognize the love of their Creator and His expectations for their lives, change can take place. These truths are not limited simply to those involved in same-sex relationships, but those who have things out of order in every sexual relationship.

If ever there was a church that had sexuality out of order, it was the church at Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV) we read: “Or do you not know that the unrigh-teous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who prac-

tice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sancti-fied, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

For the church to truly impact the world, we must take our message back and then share and express the fullness of God’s love. But we do not stop there, for Paul concludes 2 Timothy 1:7 with a fi-nal admonition. Paul reminds us that God has given us not only power and love, but a sound mind as well. In the final install-ment we’ll give attention to the necessity for this sound mind as it relates to the matters of sexuality and marriage.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Brian K. Davis is asso-ciate executive director-treasurer at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.)

Baptist Press

Students and churches plan to set aside time Oct. 15 for Engage 24.

Southern Baptist collegiate ministry leaders from around North America launched Engage 24 in 2012 in an effort to move students who had never shared the

Students, churches plan to ‘Engage 24’gospel into becoming people who share regularly. Through Engage 24, churches and student ministries encourage all par-ticipants to share their faith once during a 24-hour period.

Churches and student ministries that want to participate in Engage 24 can visit engage24.org.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists16

to see that this ain’t gonna work. When you hear that every six months you eat up another month of reserves, and we only have a couple of months left, you just have to make some decisions.”

Domke does not believe the IMB leadership is acting hastily. “I think what our [IMB] president is doing is wise. If I was in his shoes, I would probably do the same thing. You fix things today that are broken, so you can be stronger tomorrow.”

When missionary personnel received the news Aug. 27, several members of the IMB team in Ukraine gath-ered to pray. “This has forced me to live more by faith. It’s been a faith issue for me. That’s not a bad thing,” said Domke.

“Nobody wants to go through difficulty, but anybody that’s been there will tell you that it seared something in their lives, once they got on the other side of it. The difficult things I have been through in my life – serving in the military, the passing of my Dad, the passing of my Mom – those things are markers in my life where God’s done amazing things. I think that’s what God wants to do. So I’m resolved. I believe what we [IMB] are doing is the right thing.”

The Domke family expressed sadness that Southern Baptists’ mission force will be reduced, but they be-lieve, “That’s the reality of where we are. You can’t keep missionaries on the field today for the same amount of money you could 10 years ago. God’s still God, and I’m still a servant, and we’ll do what we need to do. I believe God’s going to make us stronger and draw us closer,” he added.

Raised as an unbeliever in Michigan, Michael Domke met Christ as personal savior in the military. He was dis-cipled in Jacksonville, Fla., and enrolled in Liberty Uni-versity where he met JuliAn. He served two Southern Baptist churches in Jacksonville for 19 years – two years at First Baptist Church, Ocean Way, and 17 years at San Jose Baptist Church, filling a variety of staff positions. Serving as the church’s missions pastor, Domke knew God was calling his family to international missions.

He believes the gospel travels along relationships. “I’m here because of a relationship back in Florida.” While serving at San Jose church, a 60 year-old man from Ukraine needed a job. “The man did not speak English. He applied for a job, and I hired him as a jani-tor. Through that relationship, the senior pastor and I decided we needed to go to Ukraine to see how we can help this man’s home church. We began a five-year partnership with that church, and now, 12 years later, I’m here.”

The relationship model is part of the discipleship strategy in Ukraine. Working with struggling churches, Domke uses the T4T strategy (http://t4tonline.org/) to build relationships with unreached people.

There was a time when IMB had dozens of missionar-ies working in Ukraine. Today six IMB units serve in the capital city of Kiev. Two units are part of the seminary education team that equip internationals in church planting. “They have a really neat work with national church planters,” Domke said. They assist Ukrainian Baptists in sending out their own missionaries.

“They can go where we can’t ... for a lot less money. I really see this as key for advancing the gospel in the former Soviet Union,” he said. The nationals are better equipped and more effective than Americans who have tried to enter these countries.

The logistics teamTwo other units serve in logistics and church plant-

ing. One of those families is Kanoot and Sarah Midkiff, with their two teenage children, Fisher and Faith. They are logistics coordinators who are serving their fourth year as apprentices – first term career missionaries. Both were born in North Carolina, lived in the state most of their lives; were called to missions through N.C. Baptist churches; and both of their parents are still active in N.C. Baptist churches.

The Midkiffs sign contracts for colleagues, locate and rent apartments, purchase and sell vehicles, keep visas and other legal documents current for personnel and coordinate work with national staff. They build relation-ships, share Christ, serve in local churches and assist volunteer teams from the U.S.

The changes at IMB may expand the Midkiffs’ responsibilities. “Most of our colleagues have served eight to 20 years,” Kanoot said. “Two families recently reached retirement, and we helped them pack up. There is another family planning to retire in December, so we’ve begun with that process. Maybe the Lord is preparing us to say good-bye to others, now. This just wasn’t on our radar screen. But, this isn’t the first time we faced a financial crisis in considering our call to international missions.”

When the Midkiffs were in the early stages of pursu-ing missionary appointment in 2009-2010, IMB an-nounced the resources were not available for all who were in the application process. They were delayed. At that time Kanoot was serving as minister of missions at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone.

As the church approached the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions (LMCO), he said the church placed dozens of pairs of empty shoes on the altar of the church to represent missionaries who would not be able to go overseas unless financial support increased.

“IMB is like a family, and we feel very close to the [Richmond] staff who are making these decisions, and to our colleagues and their feelings,” Kanoot added. “Someone has to make these decisions, and we’re thankful that God has put leaders in place to support us all the way through and to pray through this.”

“We’re concerned for others, but we don’t know how all of this will affect us,” Sarah said. “My life verse keeps coming to my mind – Romans 8:28. God has as-

sured us that ‘All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.’

“We have no doubt that we were called here, but we don’t know if God will move us to another place – God knows. We would like to be here for many years, but God has a plan. I just want to be open with the Lord and say, ‘wherever you want.’ Our [IMB] president often says our lives need to be like a blank check before the Lord.”

Last year Russia invaded Ukraine. Many mission agencies began withdrawing personnel. Sarah said, “Our kids were praying, ‘Lord, please allow us to stay here.’ IMB personnel stayed. That was another way God worked in our children’s lives.”

Ukrainians were impressed that IMB missionaries did not leave in spite of the conflict. The Ukrainians were very stressed – “solemn” during the height of the conflict, Kanoot said.

“Some were so stressed by the uncertainty of the fu-ture that they did not want to even plant their gardens. That’s serious here, because if they don’t plant their gardens in the spring, they may not have enough to eat come fall and winter.”

The couple celebrates 20 years of marriage this fall. Kanoot was a journeyman with IMB in Ukraine in 1994. “Sarah’s the reason I left Ukraine to come home and get married,” he said.

They prayed about where Kanoot should attend semi-nary. “Our home church at that time was Calvary Baptist in Winston-Salem. I remember that Gary Chapman was preaching on a Sunday evening,” Kanoot explained. The sermon was about God’s call on each believer’s life. Sarah left the service convicted that she should get a seminary degree, also.

“Someone sent us some articles in the Biblical Recorder about the partnership with Ukraine. As I read through it, I saw an article in another section about a social work program that was being offered at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.” Sarah had a degree in social work from Appalachian State University. She got the application process started and got a call back. The woman asked Sarah if she would come to the seminary and work for her.

“We’ve seen God answer prayer, so we know He can provide for our needs and the needs of IMB,” Kanoot said.

Trust God’s heartAs Southern Baptists look at the financial needs

for missions, Michael Domke has a request. “I would encourage people to get involved with missionaries. I’m not saying it would solve everything, but that’s what I miss on the [international] mission field – involvement with people from America.”

Frequently missionaries leave their international field because it’s too difficult, he said.

“It’s lonely. No matter how you slice it, it’s just not easy. One of our former IMB presidents used to say, ‘It’s not the elephants that will get you, it’s the termites.’ In other words, it’s the little things that will get you to leave the field. The things that help us are the relation-ships.

“We’re an organization because we have to be; because we can work better that way, but we’re still people.

Continued from page 1IMB

See IMB page 20

Kanoot and Sarah Midkiff have no doubt about their call to interna-tional missions. The couple lives in Ukraine with two teenagers.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 17

Matthew 25:35-36 – For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. (ESV)

T he gospel always starts with sensitivity to the needs of those around us. While the

church will never be able to meet every need of human-ity, it is often insincere to share the Good News with-out also addressing people’s unmet physical needs. Likewise, meeting physical needs often opens doors for the gospel because it allows those with needs to see the sincerity of the believer. Jesus set the example for us in His ministry.

Everywhere He went, He met the physical and spiritual needs of the people with whom he interacted.

For several years, N.C. Baptists have used this principle to assist our part-ner churches in the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (MNYBA) to build bridges to people with needs. One effective way we have done this is through a ministry called Coats for the City. Last year N.C. Baptists provided more than 4,000 coats for MNYBA partner churches to distribute.

One example of a family that received coats was a young single mother who needed coats for her children. A local Baptist church not only gave coats to the family but built a relationship with this family that resulted in the mother and children attending church. As the year pro-gressed the mother gave her heart to

Christ and now the family is active in the church, and is growing in their relation-ship with Christ.

You can help with Coats for the City at the Annual Meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Caro-lina by bringing or sending new or lightly used, clean winter coats for children or adults and dropping them off at the Coats for the City

booth in the exhibit area. There you can meet workers from MNYBA who will share more details about this ministry.

To learn more about Coats for the City, visit ncbaptist.org and click on missions. Then click “Coats for the City.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Steve Hardy is a contract worker for the Office of Great Com-mission Partnerships with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Contact him at shardy@ncbaptist.org or (800) 395-5102, ext. 5654.)

HUNGRY, THIRSTY, NAKED

STEVE HARDY

Congress because of his religious leader-ship, not his political headship over the extremely small Vatican state.

“Why would the Congress of the United States join in a joint session to hear one head of one religious group?” Mohler said.

I think it’s a very, very dangerous precedent.”

Mohler said the Vatican is not “really recognized because it’s a state. ... It’s be-cause he’s the head of the Roman Catho-lic Church. And when you put it that way, the pretense that this is somehow a diplomatic visit really falls apart.”

Beyond Francis himself, Mohler said his deeper concerns are about the papal office.

“As an evangelical, my problem is not with this pope first and foremost; that’s a Catholic problem,” he said.

“My problem is with the papacy, and the evangelical concerns about the pa-pacy, as you know, go all the way back to the Reformation.”

The papal visit to Congress sug-

Continued from page 1Mohler

gests Francis, perhaps the world’s most influential religious leader, carries more political weight than is appropriate, Mohler said.

“As an evangelical I’m very concerned that ... the head of a church is being recognized as a head of state and ac-corded the kind of influence that would

normally come from an elected head of government,” he said.

Since Francis’ election in 2013, ac-cording to Mohler, “the pope has raised all kinds of expectations” for a “major liberal transformation of the church. And, frankly, I think that’s probably his agenda.”

Concerning the debate within Catholi-cism, Mohler said, “It’s a fascinating dis-cussion inside Catholicism to watch. And any of us looking into that conversation recognize, you’ve got warring visions of both who Pope Francis is and who many want him to be.”

Although official Catholic teaching has not changed, Mohler said Francis has “sent signals” of change on various politi-cal issues.

In Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, Mohler said the pope “veers far to the left” on economics and climate change in a document that was thoroughly politi-cal. Citing political commentator George Will in a recent Washington Post col-umn, Mohler noted the pope’s leftist solutions may not actually work. If the pope truly wants to help the poor and expand the middle class, Mohler noted, he will have to do it in ways that “lead to human flourishing.”

“The policies that he both implies and calls for in that encyclical are, frankly, not going to head in that direction and they haven’t anywhere in the world where they have been tried,” Mohler said.

In a Sept. 25 edition of his podcast, The Briefing, Mohler strongly criticized the substance of Pope Francis’ address to Congress, particularly noting that the pontiff never mentioned Jesus, nor abor-tion or gay marriage.

Mohler said the pope’s address to Congress “decidedly answered” the question whether he “would lean left.”

“In many ways, the pope’s appearance before Congress yesterday must send a very clear signal to conservative Catholics that they have faced exactly what they feared, a pope who is not only lean-ing left, but is going to take the Roman Catholic Church to the left with him,” Mohler said.

Failing to mention explicitly the de-fense of unborn human life and to define marriage in any specificity, the pope “let his priorities be clearly known and those priorities are the ones that in terms of the political spectrum undeniably lean left.”

The pope’s “signals of leaning left” in his priorities will eventually require a change in the substance of the Catholic Church’s teachings, Mohler said.

Mohler also expressed concern for evangelicals who are attracted to Francis’ apparently more “pietistic than doctri-nal” approach to Christian theology.

The attraction in this approach, ac-cording to Mohler is that, “It represents an opportunity to avoid having to get to the hard edges of Christian truth.

“It is an intentional effort to avoid a direct confrontation with the seculariz-ing culture.

“It is an effort to try to get along in terms of this moral revolution, not so much at this point by changing the teach-ings of his church, but by soft peddling them or in the case of his address to Con-gress not even mentioning them.”

Southern Seminary R. Albert Mohler Jr. speaks with “CNN Newsroom” anchor Carol Costello about Pope Francis’ visit to the United States.

By K. ALLAN BLUME | BR Editor

A n Aug. 29 rally on the steps of the South Carolina state capitol drew 12,000 people to hear pas-

tors and national leaders that included Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

The speakers denounced abortion and gay marriage, and they called for a spiri-tual awakening across the America.

The crowd was the largest assembly of people ever on the grounds of the S.C.

N.C. rally to give Christians a ‘voice’state capitol according to organizer Chad Watson, chairman of We Stand with God (WSWG). He is also pastor of Glory Land Baptist Church in Hartsville, S.C.

Watson said the response to the S.C. rally was so strong that it trended at the top of social media for several days and got the attention of pastors in many states including North Carolina.

Now a similar rally is set for Sat., Oct. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. on Hallifax Mall in Raleigh. It is also sponsored by WSWG.

See Rally page 20

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists18 Sunday School

Focal passage: Daniel 1:3-5; 8-13; 17-19

A ccording to Dictionary.com, the term conviction means a fixed or firm belief. I like to think of

conviction as a firm belief that will em-power you to stay the course regardless of the danger involved.

As we have seen in our lesson this week, Daniel’s conviction compelled him to stay the course and not eat the king’s food.

God has also given us other examples of people who had strong convictions. One in particular was a man named, Henry “Box” Brown who was born into slavery in Virginia during the 19th cen-tury.

In 1848, while living in Virginia, Brown’s master sold Henry’s wife and three children to a plantation in North Carolina. After this tremendous loss, Brown was determined to go to a place where slavery had been abolished. Through the help of a friend and fellow church member, Brown devised a plan to ship himself to Philadelphia.

Taking money from his savings, Brown paid $86 to be shipped in a box 3 feet long, 2 feet 8 inches deep and 2 feet

Develop Convictionwide. One source stated that “Brown’s box was transported by wagon, railroad, steamboat, wagon again, railroad, ferry, railroad and finally delivery wagon, being completed in 27 hours.

Despite the instructions on the box of “handle with care” and “this side up,” several times carriers placed the box upside-down or handled it roughly. Brown remained still and avoided detection.”

When Brown arrived at his destination, one of the men remembered Brown’s first words as, “How do you do gentlemen?” and following those words he began to a sing a Psalm from the Bible.

When I think of Brown’s experience, I cannot help but to believe how difficult it was to stay inside that box. Being turned upside down and tossed around for 27 hours must have been extremely painful.

However, because Brown believed that he would be free, he did not allow pain or the threat of death to destroy his victory. How about you? Would you be willing to suffer for what you believe?

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFEOctober 18 October 25

Focal passage: Daniel 2:13-21, 26-28a

God loves it when His people fervently pray. Throughout Christian history, God has been faithful at answering the prayers of His children. Just as we have seen in the Book of Daniel, God always meets the need (according to His wis-dom) of those who diligently seek Him.

We should note that God’s faithfulness is not limited to those just in the Bible. One of the great missionaries of our time is Helen Roseveare. She was a missionary to Zaire (now known as The Democratic Republic of the Congo). You

can find information about her power-ful testimony on the Internet and in her book, Give Me this Mountain.

She also wrote Living Faith, where she gave a powerful testimony of answered prayer.

She said, “A mother at our mission sta-tion died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot

Pray Ferventlywater bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister.

One of the girls responded: ‘Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. To-morrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won’t feel so lonely.’

That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it.

Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immedi-ately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, ‘If God sent that, I’m sure He also sent a doll!’ And she was right!

The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child’s sincere requests, and five months earlier He had led a ladies’ group to include both of those specific articles.”

When I read the scriptures and hear stories of God’s faithfulness in lives of His people it inspires me to become a greater person of prayer. How about you? I hope we can all make a fresh commit-ment to be fervent in prayer. I believe God is eager to display His glory through us.

Focal passage: Genesis 12:1-9

T here is a pattern in scripture of God pointing back to His faith-fulness, reminding His people of

how He has provided for them. It’s a pat-tern that we should emulate. It makes me think of the story of Hansel and Gretel and how they dropped pebbles along the path to remind themselves how to make their way home again. In the same way, we can leave a trail that reminds us of God’s faithfulness to us when there are times that we wander off the path or can-not see it ourselves.

In our greater context this week, we see Abram doing a similar thing (Genesis 12-13). As the Lord appears to Abram, he builds altars to worship God. It is those altars that remind Abram of God’s stead-fast love and faithfulness toward him (see Genesis 13:4). How critical that must have been in a time of uncertainty and walking by faith.

In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to leave the land of his ancestors and move to a new place.

He calls Abram to obey Him in faith; to leave the familiar and comfortable, even

in the face of risk. How does he respond to God’s call? Abram goes. “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (v. 4).

Abram’s obedience to the Lord results in multiple blessings. God promises to make him into a great nation and to make his name great (v. 2).

But it doesn’t stop there. Notice the reasoning behind the promise – “So that you will be a blessing.” In Abram, all the families of the earth will be blessed (v. 3).

This blessing is not about prestige, wealth and prosper-ity. It is pointing to the future hope of Christ. It is through the line of Abraham that the promised Messiah will later come (see Matthew 1:1).

Abram (later named Abra-ham) is considered the father of our faith. He believed that God would do as He promised and was therefore obedient to God’s call. He built altars in worship that served as a reminder of God’s never-ending faithfulness.

How is our faithful God calling you to obey?

Focal passage: Genesis 15:1-7, 13-16

Have you ever waited on some-thing, or someone, expectantly? Maybe it was a future spouse or

a child. Maybe it was provision for a job. It could even be the small, daily things

like waiting for an email to arrive or dinner to be finished. My husband and I are cur-rently waiting on a car to arrive at a local dealership. As each day passes, we wonder if it is “the day” we will be called to pick up our vehicle. As the days continue to pass with no word, we have admittedly become frustrated. Our atti-tude stems from a word called “expectations.”

Abram had expectations and rightfully so. He was

promised to be a great nation (Genesis 12:2). He was told that his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky (Genesis 13:16, 15:5). Yet he still continues childless in our passage this week (Genesis 15:2). After receiving a vision from God, Abram

expresses his frustration over not having an heir, not even one descendant.

God graciously responds to Abram’s frustration with a promise. He does not punish him for his vulnerability but rath-er asserts His sovereignty and control by promising Abram a son. What may seem impossible to man is possible with God. Abram’s frustration turns to faith in verse six: “And he believed the Lord.” Because of his faith, God declares Abram righteous. It was not anything that Abram earned; righteousness was granted as a result of his belief in God (see Romans 4:1-5).

God, then, establishes His covenant relationship with Abram and his off-spring. He lays out His plan for Abram and his descendants, including the even-tual conquest of the Promised Land.

Although Abram eventually gets to witness the realization of the promise of his son, he does not live to see the fulfill-ment of all of God’s promise to him. Yet, he had faith that He who promised was faithful.

Faith in God and His provision is the only path to righteousness. Take time to read about those who demonstrated great faith in Hebrews 11.

EXPLORE THE BIBLEOctober 18 October 25

When God Calls Waiting For The Promise

BARTLEY WOOTENPastor, Beulaville

Baptist Church

HILARY RATCHFORDMember, Hickory

Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists 19

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTSDenominationalGreater Cleveland County Baptist Association in Shelby, NC, will be accepting resumes for Associational Missionary through October 31, 2015. Email to nicole@gccba.org or mail to Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association, Attn: Search Committee, 1175 Wyke Road, Shelby, NC 28150. The South Yadkin Baptist Association is now accepting resumes for Director of Missions. Please submit cover letter and resume to: SYBA, PO Box 5249, Statesville, NC 28687, or canthony@sybaptist.org.

The Union Baptist Association (Monroe, North Carolina) is now accepting letters of interest and resumes, with references, for Director of Missions. Interested candidates should submit their material to the following email address: searchcommittee@unionbaptist.com.

PastorOak Grove Baptist Church, Boone, NC, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention is prayerfully seeking a Pastor. Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC in the community of Appalachian State University, we are a relatively small congregation, rooted in the gospel, Spirit driven and service oriented. We are a community of believers who exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Oak Grove is seeking a pastor who is biblically grounded, has a commitment to God centered worship, and is a compassionate, caring servant of God with a strong belief in the love and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord. Interested applicants should email resumes to ogbcpastorsearch@gmail.com.

Full-time senior pastor. Hopewell Baptist Church is accepting resumes for a full-time pastor. Seminary degree and pastoral expe-rience preferred. Send resume and DVD to Hopewell Search, 161 Hopewell Church Road, Seneca, S.C. 29678.

Lillington Baptist Church, Lillington, NC, seeks a full-time Pastor to lead our church into a new chapter in our history. We are a Baptist congregation committed to Baptist distinc-tives, focusing on the inspirational worship of God and applying the Bible to all areas of life. Our congregation is mission-minded with a good history of cooperative and hands-on missions. We desire a Pastor who will pos-sess strong preaching skills, be a leader in guiding and directing the church spiritually and administratively and be a person who has a servant’s heart. We affirm both men and women to serve as deacons in the church. The successful candidate will possess a strong call-ing to the pastoral ministry, hold an accredited seminary or divinity school degree, and pos-sess some years of experience in congregational ministry. Interested candidates are encour-aged to submit resume information to Pastor Search Committee, P.O. Box 160, Lillington, NC 27546, or electronically to pastorsearch@lillingtonbaptist.com. Resumes will be accepted until November 15, 2015.

First Baptist Church of Black Mountain, NC, is seeking to fill its position of Senior Pastor. We are a traditional, moderate and missional congregation with supportive relations with local and state Baptist entities. Please send cover letter and resume to Chair Bill Walker: fbcblkmtn@bellsouth.net.

FBC of Robbins, NC, is still seeking a senior pastor. The position has been vacant since Dec. 31, 2014. Although the church is moving forward under the direction of a strong inter-im pastor and strong deacons, it needs a new pastor to lead into the future. Please send re-sume to robbinsfbc@gmail.com. Deadline: Nov. 1

Full-time Senior Pastor for 125-year-old, historically active, financially sound, 600 mem-bers, conservative Baptist church. Traditional and contemporary Sunday morning services. We have a commitment to the Waccamaw Bap-tist Association and the SC Baptist Convention. Applicant must have a minimum of 10 years pastoral experience with a preferred Southern Baptist doctorate seminary degree. Resumes will be accepted until October 31, 2015, at: First Baptist Church North Myrtle Beach, P.O. Box 3821, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

Church StaffSeeking an associate pastor/minister of music and worship: Dublin First Baptist Church is a conservative, evangelical, mission minded, multi-campus church located in ru-ral southeastern NC. Job description/require-ments: www.dublinfbc.org; submit resume: rich ard.hatchell@ncfbins.com.

Associate Pastor of Worship and Disciple-ship. First Baptist Church of Mount Olive, AL, is seeking a minister of music and edu-cation, to lead a growing congregation in blended worship, and discipleship programs. Bachelors required and two to five years ex-perience preferred. Send resumes to Stephanie@fbcmo.org.

Seeking an associate pastor/minister of students: Dublin First Baptist Church is a conservative, evangelical, mission minded, multi-campus church located in rural south-eastern NC. Job description/requirements: www.dublinfbc.org; submit resume: richard.hatchell@ncfbins.com.

Penelope Baptist Church in Hickory, NC, is searching for a part-time Pastor of Youth & Children. Email resumes to pastorking@ penelopebaptistchurch.org or mail to 3310 Main Ave. NW, Hickory, NC 28601.

Placing a classified ad in the Biblical Recorder

Choose one of three avenues: • Send e-mail to: alison@BRnow.org. • Submit the information via the Recorder’s website at BRnow.org. • Send a Fax to (919) 467-6180. For more information, call the office at (919) 459-5691. Cost for Baptist churches/organizations is $1.20 per word, number and

stand-alone initial ($1.42 for commercial and non-Baptist entities) with a minimum charge of $35. Classifieds also are carried online.

Central Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, NC, is seeking a God called, full-time Student Pas-tor. This individual will be responsible to facilitate the Pre-K through 12th grade pro-grams. The primary purpose of the Student Pastor is to introduce young people to Christ, to disciple them in spiritual growth to train them in serving Christ with their life. CBC af-firms the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message. Send resumes to searchcommittee@oakridgecbc.org by October 16.

Samaria Baptist Church, Raleigh, seeks part-time Music Minister, to play piano/organ for Sunday morning music, Wednesday night rehearsal and special events. Prefer some church music experience. Send resume to: Attention HR, Samaria Baptist Church, 3621 Poole Rd, Raleigh NC 27610, or email gerdie@nc.rr.com by 10/30/15.

Southside Baptist Church, Elm City, NC, is seeking a part-time Worship Leader/Choir Director. Individual must love the Lord and be passionate about serving Him through music. Responsibilities include teaching and directing adult choir, choosing music for all services, working with pianist, Praise Team and children’s choir. Worship services are a blend of traditional and contemporary music. Call 252.446.8579 or email resume to: sbc@sbc-sbc.org.

MiscellaneousNCBAM needs wheel chair ramps funded and built across the state. Supply nails, boards or manpower. The need is great; no action too small. Call North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry: 877-506-2226.

Share the Biblical Recorder – FREE. Order a three-month free subscription. Contact Liz Tablazon at (919) 459-5693 or liz@BRnow.org to make arrangements.

MOVED? Don’t forget to change your address with the Biblical Recorder. Contact Liz Tablazon at (919) 459-5693 or liz@BRnow.org.

Do you have staff changes at your church or association? Let the BR know by calling (919) 847-2127 or email editor@BRnow.org.

Baptist Press

T he North American Mission Board (NAMB) has introduced a new logo and messaging that reflects its goal to mobilize more churches and

individuals to missional action in the effort to push back lostness and plant more churches in North America. “Every Life On Mission” and “Every Church On Mis-sion” are two phrases NAMB will use prominently to encourage individuals and churches to become more actively and personally involved in missional activity.

“In its simplest form, NAMB functions as a network that can help connect every Southern Baptist church to its next missional opportunity,” NAMB presidentKevin Ezell said.

Ultimately, NAMB’s goal is to work with its partners

NAMB announces new logoto see more churches and individuals involved directly in church planting. Research from NAMB puts the esti-mate of non-Christians in North America at more than 259 million. The Southern Baptist church-to-population ratio is 1:6,194. The Canadian Baptist church-to-popu-lation ratio is 1:115,040. These sobering numbers keep church planting at the center of NAMB’s mission focus and priority.

Ezell said the move to a new look demonstrates NAMB’s emphasis on serving churches and pastors, and the continued streamlining of strategy. Every energy and all attention will be focused on fulfilling its mission as effectively as possible by the generosity of Southern Baptists through the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

“We have seen such great progress in recent years,”

Ezell said. “We believe this new way of expressing ourselves gives us greater clarity and hopefully brings broader understanding about who we are and how we serve Southern Baptist churches.” Visit namb.net.

OCTOBER 10, 2015 • BIBLICAL RECORDER • News Journal of North Carolina Baptists20

Continued from page 16IMB“If you don’t know a missionary,

there’s something wrong – there’s a dis-connect, and that’s a problem,” Domke added. He asks Baptists not only to give to LMCO, but to build relationships with specific missionaries.

“I’m blessed to be Southern Baptist. I am so blessed to be part of the IMB. I don’t take that for granted.”

The Midkiffs said they are very grate-ful for the churches that support them through the Cooperative Program and LMCO, also. “I want to say how thankful I am for the faithful and sacrificial giving of Southern Baptists over all these years,” Sarah said.

“To see all of the missionaries who

have lived cross-culturally for so long and the reputation that we have as Southern Baptists – that we care about taking the gospel to the ends of the earth, for that I am very thankful. I’m proud to be an IMB missionary. It was a dream of mine when I was a young woman. I’m thankful to have had this opportunity, however long it lasts.”

With much emotion, Kanoot added, “God has been so gracious to us and so generous. I’ve been thinking about this song: ‘God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind. So when you don’t understand, when you can’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.’”

The full slate of speakers is uncon-firmed at press time, but is likely to include some presidential hopefuls such as Gov. Mike Huckabee.

The organization’s website says, “WSWG believes that citizens must stand unified in the spirit of our Found-ers who chose the Bible as the litmus test for law and personal rights.

“Therefore, WSWG will exalt the Bible as its final authority for faith and practice. Finally, WSWG will coor-dinate with public officials so that the voice of the people may be heard.”

The event is an attempt to “rally God’s people together,” according to Watson. “It’s an outlet for concerned Christian citizens to say to our country, ‘Christians cannot obey a law that contradicts God’s law.’

“Christian citizens need to express their conscience on matters of morality, Biblical marriage and religious liberties.”

The foundation of the movement is Acts 5:29, “But Peter and the apostles an-swered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’”

“God’s people have been put in the dilemma of deciding whether they would

obey God or man,” Watson said. He believes the voice of Christians is

being stifled in America. Voters in S.C. supported biblical mar-

riage by a 78 percent vote, and 61 percent of voters in N.C. approved biblical mar-riage.

Watson said 36 states have voted in favor of biblical mar-riage, yet the courts struck down every state amendment on marriage.

“SCOTUS stepped over the constitution of United States and the constitutions of 36 states, so we know our church constitutions are not going to protect us,” he added.

“We want to send a message to gov-ernment leaders that we cannot go along with laws that disobey God, so we will not disobey God.”

Many pastors believe the country is at a “do or die situation for religious liber-ties,” Watson said.

“God’s people have the numbers to turn this thing around. We are where we are because of our complacency and silence. It’s time to speak out.”

For more information on the rally visit WeStandWithGod.org.

Continued from page 17Rally

• Aug. 27 – International Mission Board (IMB) president, David Platt, announced an organizational restructuring plan that will reduce personnel expenses and balance their budget. IMB’s 2014 fiscal goals fell $21 million short. Deficits totaled more than $210 million in the last six years.• Sept. 10 – In the first phase of the International Mission Board’s (IMB) plan to address revenue shortfalls, leadership announced details of a voluntary retirement incentive (VRI) during town hall meetings with personnel Sept. 10. The goal of the plan, IMB leaders shared, is to offer as gener-ous a VRI as possible, while honoring the years of service of those eligible and providing smooth transitions for personnel from their current roles. IMB will offer the VRI to all eligible staff and ac-tive career missionaries age 50 and older with five or more years of service (as of Dec. 31, 2015). For a missionary couple to be eligible for the incentive, only one spouse is required to meet the qualifications.

IMB decisions