Baptist Press Stories for Aug. 20 2012 --------------------------------------- Amid Syria's nightmare, rays of light appear for nation, refugees http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38534 Pakistani Christian girl's arrest leads to probe http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38533 Via Twitter, pastors connect with church, others http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38535 5 Twitter tips for pastors http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38536 Frank Page discusses SBC issues at forum http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38537 Europe leads trend recognizing gay unions http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38538 Calvin Miller, author, pastor, prof, dies at 75 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38539 FIRST-PERSON: Praying for revival in our families http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38540 FIRST-PERSON: Pastor, abandon not the flock http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38541 BP Ledger, Aug. 20 edition http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38542 --------------------------------------- Amid Syria's nightmare, rays of light appear for nation, refugees By Erich Bridges Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38534 BEIRUT (BP) -- Could Syria's headlong descent into war and chaos get any worse? Yes -- possibly much worse. [QUOTE@left@180="God is at work in this crisis, and we're trying to find where." -- Aid worker among Syrian refugees]A grim summary: Civilian deaths in the nearly 18-month-old rebellion against the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad topped 21,000 in early August. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled their homes, seeking safety from government and militia attacks in shrinking sanctuaries within Syria or in neighboring countries. Army and rebel forces battle for control of Syria's major cities, as large swaths of the country fall under control of the rebels -- or of criminal gangs. The blood feud between the ruling Alawite sect and Sunni Muslims (the majority of Syria's population) grows more bitter by the day. Minority Christian communities fear reprisals if the Alawites fall. As the country fragments, Kurds are angling for an autonomous region like the Kurdish zone in northern Iraq, which a wary Turkey vows to prevent at any cost. Sectarian tensions and clashes are spilling across Syria's borders, particularly into volatile Lebanon. Syria's civil war is turning into a proxy struggle between Shiite Iran -- Assad's closest remaining ally -- and the Sunni states of Turkey and the Arab Middle East. It's also increasing tensions between Shiites and Sunnis across the region. Jihadist fighters are filtering into Syria to fight government forces, leading to fears of the "Iraqization" of the conflict. Israel watches with mounting alarm. "As the chaos drags on, it has become more complicated," a Christian observer based in the Middle East says. "The horrible things going on are coming from both sides" -- though most atrocities against civilians continue to be committed by the Syrian military and the feared Shabihah militia groups aligned with the Assad regime. Each new defection of a Syrian general or politician, each successful attack by rebel forces, brings predictions that the regime will collapse any moment. But the military remains far more powerful and well-armed than the rebels. The endgame might play out for months, even years to come. "The regime is done; it's just a matter of time," he predicts. "But I would be very hesitant to say that Assad is done. I think he's going to want to sow chaos [perhaps from the safety of an Alawite stronghold within Syria]. Ultimately the Sunnis will take power, but the Alawites could remain players for a long time. Assad provided stability, albeit oppressive stability. Syria might turn into what Lebanon is -- a sectarian mélange. It could get pretty messy. Or, they might trade an oppressive police state for an Islamic state. It will be a challenge either way." Yet as the darkness deepens, rays of light appear here and there, both inside Syria and in neighboring countries where Syrian refugees are fleeing for safety. At significant personal risk, a Syrian Christian couple living in a neighboring country is delivering food and other basic necessities to internal refugees -- mostly Sunni Muslims -- in an area near one of the Syrian cities hit hard by shelling and army-rebel combat. The nearby area, populated primarily by Syrian Christians, has been spared the worst of the violence. No 'safe zone' "I don't know that there's any 'safe zone' in Syria, but because this area is largely Christian, it hasn't been a target of a lot of the fighting," a Christian worker says. "A lot of refugees who didn't leave the country went to this area and sought refuge. There's a great opportunity there. We're in the very beginning stages of that project. The severity of the need is greater inside the country than what we're seeing [among refugees leaving the country]." More than 37,000 Syrians have crossed the border into northern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa region seeking sanctuary, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. They need food, clothing, medicine and shelter. Assisted by Southern Baptist hunger and relief funds, Lebanese Christians have begun a third round of aid to refugees in border areas in the north. The first round, launched when the Syrian uprising began last year, included deliveries of food and personal hygiene items. When winter set in, the emphasis moved to providing blankets, inexpensive carpets for insulation and warm clothes, since many refugees arrived with only their summer clothes. In recent months the priority has moved back to food and other basics. "Each time we're going back to some of the same families and a lot of new families," an aid worker reports. "We've seen an increase in the number of refugees, and they're coming from farther-reaching areas -- even as far as Damascus. At first they were fairly concentrated in the area right there on the border, but now a lot of refugees have made their way farther south. "Up until maybe three months ago we had fairly open access to the border area. But the violence on the border increased to the point where the army began frequently stopping us from going. We continue to have relationship with Syrian families there, but it's increasingly difficult to get to them. Some of them have come out to meet with us, but some of them we haven't seen in weeks. There's firing across the border." Even so, Christians have shared the Word of God -- in addition to physical aid and the compassion of Christ -- with thousands of Syrians looking for truth they can hold onto in difficult times. "In the midst of all the violence, you see these bright spots and know He really is at work and drawing the hearts of people to Himself," the aid worker says. "We've shared the Gospel with maybe 15,000 people and left Bibles in their hands." One is a 16-year-old Syrian girl who received a Bible late last year. Recently Christian workers entered a different household to deliver aid and the same girl was there. "None of us remembered her, but she remembered us," the worker recounts. "She pulled one of the workers aside and said she had been reading her Bible and had written down all these questions on a piece of paper. She said, 'I need you to help me understand what I'm reading. I have all these questions. Can somebody come back and explain the answers to me?' It's like the farmer who goes out to plant the seed and he doesn't know that it's growing. You come back later and you see a little sprout." Multiple Muslim and Christian-background groups -- some family-size, some much larger -- are reading and listening to the Word together in a "discovery" format that takes them from God's creation of the world to the life and work of Christ in about a month. "It's been amazing to see, even in a group of Muslims, how people are experiencing truth and the power of God's Word," he says. "Our biggest challenge is leadership development. They'll be able to do it better and carry it farther than we ever will." Able to love One of the local volunteers working with the aid team is retired from the military. He participated in many armed conflicts during his military career -- most of them clashes with the Syrian army. He was shot three times; the wounds are still visible. When he began helping Syrian refugees, at first he did it out of a sense of obligation. Not anymore. "Of all the people in the world I probably should hate the worst, it's Syrians," he now tells refugees. "But Jesus has changed me so much; He has changed my heart. Now I don't serve you because it's an obligation. It's a privilege because of the forgiveness and love Jesus has shown me. He has filled my heart with that same love, and I'm able to love you and stand beside you." In neighboring Jordan, where some 145,000 mostly Sunni Syrians have fled, similar forms of ministry continue in border areas. The Jordanian government has opened a large border camp for the hundreds of refugees arriving daily and will likely open more. But most Syrian families are living in border towns and villages -- where they struggle to locate shelter, pay rent and find work. Christians are aiding hundreds of families with food and other needs, listening, forming friendships and sharing hope. "We encourage them to share with us whatever is on their hearts so that we might know how to best meet their needs and show them His compassion," says a Christian worker. "Some of the things they have seen and experienced recently are shocking. One man we have helped was shot in the head. Another man was hit by an RPG; his arm is messed up. Some refugees we meet are complete families but many others are missing fathers, sons or brothers. No two situations seem to be the same, except that there are a lot of hurting people pouring out of Syria. We sit with them to hear about what their families are going through. If they want to talk about something from a counseling perspective, we want them to talk, but we are also always hoping for those opportunities God will provide to share and introduce other things that will truly give them peace" -- including Bibles and audio players with New Testament stories. "Despite the awful things that have happened and continue to happen, God is giving us opportunities to share His love and compassion with these refugees. That wasn't happening a whole lot beforehand. We are finding that during this time in their lives when things are in flux, they find comfort hearing about God's love for them. After our visits, they expect us to pray with them and we are doing that and more. ... Pray that we would continue to have an open door to share life with these families and that they would see His love in our actions." He and other workers in Jordan and Lebanon also ask prayer for continued open doors, for an end to the violence tearing Syria apart, for boldness and for wisdom in how best to use limited resources. "God is at work in this crisis, and we're trying to find where," says one worker. "It will take a higher level of creativity and a higher level of sacrifice. Are we going to be good stewards of the crises of our day -- even if that means greater suffering, hardship and risk?" --30-- For updates on how God is at work through the crisis in Syria and ways you can pray and help, write to love4syria@pobox.com and visit http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com. -- End of story -- Pakistani Christian girl's arrest leads to probe By Staff Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38533 WASHINGTON (BP) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has asked the country's Interior Ministry for a report about the arrest of a Christian girl on blasphemy charges for allegedly desecrating pages from the Quran, Voice of America reported Aug. 20. Police say the girl was taken into custody on Thursday (Aug. 16) after angry neighbors surrounded her house in Islamabad and accused her of burning pages inscribed with verses from the Quran. Others said she was burning papers from the garbage for cooking. Police say the girl will be held for 14 days while the case is investigated. President Zardari on Monday (Aug. 20) took "serious note" of the girl's detention and called for a report on her arrest. There are varying reports of the girl's age, with some saying she is as young as 11. Others quote police who say she is 16. There are also reports that the girl is mentally handicapped. Human rights activists say the blasphemy law in Pakistan is sometimes used to harass religious minorities. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Khan Babar said blasphemy cannot be condoned, but no one would be allowed to use it to settle personal scores. Last year, Pakistan's Minister of Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian member of the federal cabinet, was gunned down in Islamabad. And Punjab province's governor, Salman Taseer, was killed by one of his bodyguards for opposing the controversial blasphemy law. On Monday, Bhatti's brother, Paul, told VOA's Deewa Radio that "the girl is not mentally fit and also the law calls for medical examination as a prerequisite. She is a 12-year-old girl and we have talked to religious scholars on the issue and hope there will be some way out." Paul Bhatti currently serves as the prime minister's national harmony adviser. Christians are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Pakistan, making up about 5 percent of the population. --30-- This article is adapted from Voice of America's news site at www.voanews.com. -- End of story -- Via Twitter, pastors connect with church, others By Whitney Jones Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38535 Read the sidebar, "5 Twitter tips for pastors," at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38536] http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38536[/URL] NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- With social media sites like Twitter, pastors can easily connect with their church members or fellow preachers just by typing out a message and hitting "send." But navigating the constant stream of Twitter and other social networks from the standpoint of a pastor can be challenging since those websites are targeted toward more casual content. However, many pastors throughout the country are using Twitter as a tool to encourage and further teach the Gospel. Micah Fries, lead pastor at Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church in St. Joseph, Mo., said he tweets to share further thoughts on his sermons, so church members can continue to contemplate each week's message. "I guess for me Twitter -- and Facebook to a similar degree -- is much like an extension of the pulpit," he said. "So I try to use it regularly during the week as a means of extending the sermon throughout the week." But Fries does more than tweet Scripture references or sermon points. His Twitter feed includes day-to-day observations and comments on his family's activities. He said showing people both his professional and personal life is important because both aspects of life are intertwined. "I'll be talking about sanctification and 30 minutes later I'm talking about the Florida Gators, and then I'm probably going to post a picture of me making milkshakes with my daughter," Fries said. "I do that intentionally because to me that's what life looks like." For Bart Barber, pastor at First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, Twitter gives him a place to share his thoughts on the topic du jour and keep an open conversation going with fellow Christians. "A lot of times Twitter really feels like teaching in a way," he said. "It is the opportunity to react to the events of the day in a way that people who follow you see a new perspective about it or learn something about it." Unlike Fries, Barber's congregation is much smaller and many of his church members do not use Twitter. So instead of using the site mainly to reinforce sermon messages, he reaches out to other Christian leaders. "I'm using Twitter more strategically to communicate with a group of people that we share a similar mission, and they may not even be people I know. They're people who have the same affinity I have. They care about the Gospel. They care about Southern Baptists." Like Barber, Chad Driggers, who preaches at First Baptist Church in Fruitland Park, Fla., uses Twitter to follow other pastors. But he also uses Twitter to keep updated on Baptist organizations like Baptist 21 and movements like the North American Mission Board's Send North America church planting strategy. Driggers said he uses Twitter to keep "informed of what's going on within Baptist life and within Christian circles" and learn about other ministries from around the world. The social network has reconnected him to old friends, too. Driggers now talks to people he hasn't seen in years, like a student from his youth ministry days who is now a youth intern, and former classmates from his time at the Baptist College of Florida. --30-- Whitney Jones is a writer with Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- 5 Twitter tips for pastors By Whitney Jones Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38536 Read our overview story, "Via Twitter, pastors connect with members, each other," at [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38535] http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38535[/URL] NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Whether pastors use Twitter to teach, preach or reach out to fellow pastors or Christian organizations, tweeting can prove helpful for their ministry. Here are some tips for pastors ready to venture into the Twittersphere: 1. Use a Twitter client to schedule posts. Micah Fries, lead pastor at Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church in St. Joseph, Mo., suggested either HootSuite or TweetDeck. 2. Be a human on Twitter. Since the website is a social network, pastors would do well to connect with their followers by posting personal updates as well as Scripture and encouraging thoughts. Fries said his Twitter feed mirrors his everyday life. "The problem is that the majority of people on Twitter don't see it as a professional application," he said. "It's a personal application, and I think if you use it exclusively as a professional application you kind of, if you're not careful, can create this idea that you have your professional life and your personal life." 3. Don't just regurgitate quotes. Similar to the previous tip, Bart Barber, pastor at First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, said people want to connect with their pastor and see what he is passionate about, not just hear his thoughts on Scripture. "You can re-Tweet quotes from Spurgeon all day long, and that's just not likely to really grab people," he said. 4. Link to a blog. For pastors like Barber who have thoughts on issues that go beyond the 140-character limit, Twitter can act as a portal to those more detailed explanations. Just copy the link with a snappy sentence explaining what the post is about and Tweet it. 5. Limit your time on Twitter. Social media should not take priority over the people you spend every day with, so take steps to end some of the incoming notifications. "My phone is constantly going off with Twitter updates," Driggers said. "So probably somewhat at times [Twitter] could be a distraction from other things going on as I'm reading the updates." Driggers said to ensure he spends time with his family, he turns off those constant notifications on his cell phone from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day. That way he can spend his nights and early mornings free from interruption. --30-- Whitney Jones is a writer with Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Frank Page discusses SBC issues at forum By Craig Sanders Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38537 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- "The local church is God's plan to attack the gates of hell," said Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, during a special forum at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. R. Albert Mohler Jr., Southern's president, hosted Page for a discussion of major issues in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Among various issues facing the SBC, Page emphasized that the most important issue is not doctrinal, but rather the relevance of the convention to the 21st century. The methodological divide among Southern Baptists, he said, could threaten the future growth of their churches. Page celebrated the consistent desire among Southern Baptists to fulfill the Great Commission. "I think Southern Baptists have grown weary of slogans and programs," he said at the Aug. 21 forum, "but believe in the power of the Gospel." Page explained that the Executive Committee is lowering its costs so that more Cooperative Program funds go directly to missions, but he noted that the CP still depends on churches giving to support missionaries who are ready to serve. Mohler and Page discussed the challenges of a generation in which there are more missionaries ready to go than the SBC has resources to send. Page encouraged Southern's students pursuing church planting to also consider ministry in traditional church settings, noting that an aging pastoral pool is making it so that some churches aren't able to find pastors. Voicing a vision for healthy churches planting healthy churches, Page said, "We don't need more churches in America, we need more healthy churches" -- traditional churches and church plants working alongside each other for the Gospel. Concerning Calvinism, Page stated that he envisions unity in the convention in spite of differences concerning soteriology. "I challenge the students and faculty at Southern Seminary to be sensitive to our convention and respect those who may not have the same theological positions you have," Page said, calling for "a dialogue that is Christ-like and filled with the Spirit of God." Page has appointed a 16-member advisory team to help craft a strategic plan to bring together various groups within the convention who hold different opinions on Calvinism. [QUOTE@right@180=BF&M can "pull people of various soteriological beliefs together strategically and practically." -- Frank Page]Page also called for unity around the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, believing it "sufficient to pull people of various soteriological beliefs together strategically and practically" and to do the same on other theological issues among Southern Baptists. Expanded coverage of the forum can be read at the Institute on Religion & Democracy's website, http://www.theird.org/issues/faith-in-the-public-square/mohler--page-discuss-calvinism-and-other-issues-among-southern-baptists-. --30-- Craig Sanders is a writer for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. -- End of story -- Europe leads trend recognizing gay unions By Les Sillars Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38538 WASHINGTON (BP) -- A group of lawmakers from German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party has called for same-sex couples in civil partnerships to be given the same tax breaks as heterosexual married couples, continuing a trend in Europe toward legal recognition of same-sex relationships. But the idea faces skepticism among some of Merkel's traditionally minded German colleagues, who may be wondering about the long-term effects of the European experiment with sexual radicalism. Granting same-sex couples the same income tax breaks enjoyed by heterosexual married couples would add to a string of departures from conservative orthodoxy under Merkel's leadership. Those have included abandoning military conscription and speeding up Germany's exit from nuclear power. Worldwide, 10 nations have legalized homosexual marriage since 2001, most of them in Europe: Netherlands (2001), Belgium (2003), Spain and Canada (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway and Sweden (2009), Portugal, Iceland, and Argentina (2010). This year Scottish politicians proposed a plan to do the same. Stephen Baskerville, professor of international relations at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Va., and visiting lecturer at the Anglo-American University in Prague, said Europeans are generally more liberal on issues such as same-sex relationships and more supportive of the welfare state. "But as far as social consequences," Baskerville said, "Europeans can afford these luxuries more than Americans without feeling the consequences right away because they have centuries of moral capital built up by Christian faith." European societies have on many issues a cultural consensus with roots in Christianity, he said, with contributions from medieval constitutionalism, Renaissance and Reformation thought, and the Enlightenment. For example, Baskerville said, the Czech Republic is reputedly the most atheistic country in the world, yet it has, compared to the United States, relatively low rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock births: "A Czech friend explains this as the vague notion that such things are simply not right and should not be done." But in adopting the sexual radicalism that was first nurtured and propagated in the United States, he said, "Europe is squandering this moral capital, and as it does so it imports American-style problems: divorce, out-of-wedlock births, a welfare underclass, crime, and so on." Ironically, Baskerville added, "At precisely the time when Europeans are confronting the limits of the welfare state, the U.S. seems determined to vastly expand its own." In Germany, same-sex couples have been able to register civil partnerships that legally fall short of formal marriage since 2001. Heterosexual married couples can, unlike same-sex couples, reduce their tax burden by filing joint income tax returns, thus paying less than single taxpayers. Merkel's party accepts partnerships, but many in her coalition are reluctant to go further; and the German Constitution states that "marriage and the family shall enjoy the special protection of the state." Opposition parties and the Free Democrats, the junior partners in Merkel's center-right coalition who have long called for a change, welcomed the lawmakers' call. But it may be a tough sell to some of their own colleagues -- not least those in the Christian Social Union (CSU), the socially conservative Bavarian sister party to Merkel's Christian Democrats. Gerda Hasselfeldt, the head of the CSU's parliamentary group in Berlin, told German news agency DAPD she was "extremely skeptical" about granting same-sex couples equal tax treatment. "Marriage between a man and a woman has special protection because it is fundamentally directed at the propagation of life," she said. "That is not the case in homosexual relationships." --30-- Les Sillars writes for World News Service, where this story first appeared. -- End of story -- Calvin Miller, author, pastor, prof, dies at 75 By Diana Chandler Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38539 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Seminary professor, theologian and best-selling Christian author Calvin A. Miller died Sunday [Aug. 19] of complications following open heart surgery. He was 75. A former Southern Baptist pastor and professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, Miller had served from 1999-2007 at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School, most recently as professor of preaching and pastoral ministry. The author of more than 40 books, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry, he was described as a writer of love letters to the Lord. A reviewer of Miller's best-selling 1975 trilogy "The Singer" described Miller as a "troubadour, singing a love song to his Lord," Beeson dean Timothy George wrote on Beeson's website. "Calvin Miller had a palpable love for Jesus Christ and his church," George wrote, "and he will be greatly missed both here at Beeson and throughout the Body of Christ." Miller, in his most recent book "Letters to Heaven," wrote letters of love to Christians who died before him, including C.S. Lewis, whose writing style was said to be similar to Miller's. "Life is Mostly Edges," Miller's memoir, was published in 1998. He was founding pastor of Westside Baptist Church in Omaha, Neb., in 1966, and led that congregation for 25 years, shepherding it from just 10 members to more than 2,500, according to published reports. He pastored Plattsmouth Baptist Church in Nebraska from 1961-66. At Southwestern, he was professor of communication and ministry studies and writer-in-residence from 1991-98 before joining Beeson's faculty. Miller held a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee and M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. Survivors include his wife Barbara Joyce Miller and their children, Melanie and Timothy. Funeral arrangements were pending at press time. --30-- Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' staff writer. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Praying for revival in our families By Susie Hawkins Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38540 EDITOR'S NOTE: This first-person is part of a series of first-persons Baptist Press will publish in anticipation of the 40/40 Prayer Vigil for Spiritual Revival and National Renewal. The 40/40 Prayer Vigil is an initiative of the North American Mission Board and Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission to encourage Southern Baptists and other evangelicals to pray for 40 days from Sept. 26 to Nov. 4. To learn more, visit [URL=http://www.4040prayer.com]www.4040prayer.com[/URL]. DALLAS (BP) -- "Prayer invites God into the equation." So states Mark Batterson in his book, "The Circle Maker." As we pray during this 40/40 Prayer Vigil, we are factoring God into the equation by praying for a fresh move of His Spirit among our families, our communities and our churches. We are not asking God for a revival of morality or virtue or even common sense. We desperately need His direct intervention in the spiritual condition of our land. Our nation is in crisis, and as followers of Christ, we are called to be vigilant in prayer for it (Colossians 4:2). God instituted the family before He did the church or the nation -- it is the basic unit of society. As families go, so goes a nation. In light of that truth, it is no wonder that Christians are alarmed. If we look at the statistics, we see that divorce, substance abuse, the glorification of sexual promiscuity and all other societal ills have had a devastating effect on the American family -- Christian or not. While we pray for the upcoming national election specifically, we must remember that godly leaders are usually those who come from devout families, nurtured by parents who honor the Lord and intentionally train their children to pursue God's will for their lives. I recently reviewed a study I did a few years ago on women in church history, from the first century to the 21st century. I was struck at how most of these women by far did not come to Christ as adults, but rather as children. From medieval mystics such as Catherine of Sienna and Joan of Arc to pastors' wives Katie Luther and Susanna Wesley, to missionaries and social workers such as Amanda Smith, Ann Judson, Amy Carmichael, Catherine Booth, Lottie Moon and Bertha Smith, they were nurtured in the faith at an early age. Through the teaching and guidance of their parents they developed a social conscience and a determined desire to serve God unconditionally. This is the pattern we see in Scripture, parents integrating biblical principles and truths into their daily lives and family relationships (Deuteronomy 11:19). Clearly, the influence of godly parents is not just "taught, but caught," as evidenced in these examples. What happened in their homes did not stay in their homes, but was generously lived out by these women and shared with a lost world. Even today, we benefit from their voices. In light of this, it is crucial that we fervently pray for the spiritual vitality of our families. The theological and moral commitments of our future leaders are being cultivated now. The home is the laboratory of life, where all members, despite their role or age, should be seeking to live out an authentic Christianity every single day. This is inviting God into the equation! The 40/40 Prayer Vigil is intended to move us out of spiritual apathy and into the battle. Let us faithfully pray for an outpouring of God's spirit within our families, that we might truly be salt and light in our world and a witness to the power of the Gospel. --30-- Susie Hawkins is an author, Bible study teacher and speaker who lives in Dallas. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: Pastor, abandon not the flock By Ben Simpson Aug. 20 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38541 ALEXANDRIA, Tenn. (BP) -- The stillness of the night is shattered by the howl of a hungry wolf, making the wool of the sheep stand on end in terror like an electric shock just ran through it. Those little sheep really have nothing to fear as long as their brave and strong shepherd stands watching, ready to defend his sheep with his very life. The shepherd, who is a stalwart specimen of manhood, eyes the darkness to see from which way the wolf might come and then picks up his staff to ... run the other direction?! Hey, wait ... where's ... where's the shepherd going? What about your sheep?! That man by anybody's standard would be a bad shepherd. He might feed the sheep, water the sheep, and interact with the sheep, but to abandon the sheep in their greatest moment of need nullifies the good he had done. Jesus seemed to think so, as well, as He figuratively spoke of Himself as a shepherd and of people as sheep. He called Himself the Good Shepherd and defined that label as a shepherd who cares so much for the sheep that he puts his life on the line for them instead of running away (John 10:11-13). Undoubtedly, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and will one day personally shepherd His flock when He returns, but for the meantime, He has placed men over His flock who are supposed to be good shepherds, as well. These "pastors," a word derived from the Latin word for "shepherd," are ultimately measured by Jesus' definition of a good shepherd. I have been a pastor now for a decade and long very much to be a good shepherd. Yet, I have to be honest and admit that I am often tempted -- when the wolf howls -- to grab my things with haste and run. The wolf takes many forms for pastors: conflict in the church, financial issues, egregious sin in the lives of congregants, discouragement over personal shortcomings or the shortcomings of the church body, difficult people, discontent with your leadership or preaching. But before you jump up and run away into the night for safety and ease, consider: 1. Your leaving should only be by the permission of God. Paul told the Ephesian elders to "be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood," (Acts 20:28). You have been called and placed by God where you are. Since this is true, it's not up to you when to leave. He called you go there, and He will call you to leave there. Until then, stand and persevere against the wolf! 2. Your leaving very well may cause you to miss something glorious that God is doing. The 16th-century Reformers rallied around the slogan "after darkness, light." Scripture and history prove that saying to be wise. It's often the darkest of hours that precede glorious days of light. Stay put and rest in the sovereignty of God who "causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose," (Romans 8:28). Light is coming! 3. Your leaving could erode the trust of the sheep for the next shepherd. In a field, when you leave the sheep to the wolf, he likely will get a few of them, but those that remain will still be vulnerable even after they have a new shepherd because they won't trust him. They'll expect him to run when the wolf comes, leaving that next pastor an uphill climb to gain the trust of the sheep, which will cause ministry to be greatly hindered. Step back, and look at the long-term, big picture. What effect will your leaving the sheep to the wolf have on the church for years to come? 4. Your leaving might say something about your pastoral motivation. Jesus says that hirelings run away when the wolf appears (John 10:12). They are shepherding primarily for selfish reasons -- what they can get out of it -- and when the wolf shows up, a quick cost-benefit calculation leads the hireling to decide that the sheep and the benefits aren't worth the trouble of dealing with the wolf. "They don't pay me enough to mess with that!" the hireling says. In contrast, Jesus wasn't concerned about what He was getting, but whom He was serving. In fact, Jesus came not to be served but to be serve (Mark 10:45), and that caused Him to be willing to face the wolf even if it meant death. He was that concerned for the sheep! Is that same mentality in you? Ask yourself why you are pastoring and why you are thinking about leaving your flock. What motivation surfaces? Is it Christ-like? 5. Your leaving might be based on what you can do instead of what God can do. We look at situations and say in our flesh, "it's hopeless," but is that declaration ever true in light of the God of the Bible? No way! We who walk by faith and not by sight say with Jeremiah, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, ... nothing is too hard for You!" (Jeremiah 32:17). We often run away because we think that the wolf is too much for us, the whole time being right but forgetting that God will face the wolf with us. Alone, the wolf wins, but with God, the wolf loses. Don't base your decision to leave upon what you can do. Keep in mind what God, the one with whom all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), can do. Brother Pastor, when the wolf howls outside the sheepfold, abandon not the flock. May you stand firm against him and endure for the sake of the sheep and the glory of Christ, the Chief Shepherd. --30-- Ben Simpson is pastor of West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, Tenn. 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Today's BP Ledger contains items from: Baptist New Mexican Oklahoma Baptist University Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Lamb & Lion Home Video Southern Baptists Wrap Up Ministry in Ruidoso Area By John Loudat & Tammy Reed Ledbetter ALBUQUERQUE (Baptist New Mexican) -- New Mexico Baptist Disaster Relief recently completed what may have been its most demanding deployment, the eight weeks of ministry during and after the devastating Little Bear Fire north of Ruidoso. On June 9, the day after the wildfire near Alto jumped containment lines, NMBDR was activated by the American Red Cross to provide feeding and communications assistance, and shelters were opened at Trinity Baptist Church in Capitan and at the high school in Ruidoso. Pecos Valley Baptist Association's feeding team began serving meals at lunch the following day at Ruidoso High School, Central Baptist Association's communications unit began operating later that same day and First Baptist Church, Ruidoso, opened its facilities for evacuees. Communications assistance was needed because of the phone lines and cell towers that had been destroyed by the blaze. Ten days after the NMBDR volunteers were deployed, most of them had returned to their homes and preparation for the next phase of ministry had begun, with two volunteers commencing the work of doing assessments for clean up, working with homeowners who were submitting applications. The two men stayed at Canaan Trail Baptist Church in Alto, which had miraculously survived the blaze that destroyed much of the surrounding area. That second phase of ministry, which began the first week of July and concluded Aug. 4, was the most demanding part of the overall ministry project, since NMBDR was not working with Red Cross at a place that had already been set up, said Cricket Pairett, ministry assistant on the Baptist Convention of New Mexico's missions mobilization team. NMBDR, she explained, needed to provide the entire infrastructure, which included housing, logistics, operations and food. First Baptist, Ruidoso, served as the base for operations, making its facilities available to the many Baptist volunteers who came not only from across the state but from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arizona over the four-week-plus period. While some of them stayed at the church, others stayed at the auxiliary gymnasium of Ruidoso High School. Incident commanders Ira Shelton of Albuquerque, Dick Ross of Clovis and Ed Greene of Rio Rancho directed the army of volunteers from five states, who tackled 77 of the clean-up jobs that had been requested. The biggest bottleneck in operations has been the inability to get dumpsters to a dump near Alamogordo," Greene said during the time he directed the operation, describing the round trip of about 150 miles. In the initial phase of ministry in June, NMBDR volunteers logged 284 volunteer days in serving 4,156 meals to evacuees and firefighters. During the clean-up portion in July, they served volunteers 4,513 meals, working 221 volunteer days. The communications unit put in 530 hours passing on 2,218 messages. Manned by volunteers from New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, they were assisted by ham radio operators of Lincoln County. The primary work of Phase 2 was the clean up of the devastated area. They also were supported by NMBDR's mobile shower unit, which provided 510 showers; its laundry unit, which washed 387 loads of clothes; and a command staff that put in 202 volunteer days. Pairett stressed the valuable contribution of area churches, the local high school and businesses. "We couldn't have done it without them," she said. "We are grateful that you have been led and used by our Lord during our time of need," wrote Don and Pauline Romero in a note addressed to BCNM's DR staff. "You have helped countless individuals to make this crisis somewhat more bearable," they added. "The food and kind words of encouragement have not gone unnoticed. Bless you for being a blessing." A retired pilot took his loss in stride, standing near the ashes of his over 4,000-square-foot house that took a year and a half to build and only three hours to burn. "You need to wake up at 4:30 after a fire and see the beautiful universe out there and realize how miniscule this is," he said. "There's always a blessing in store, and I believe the Lord has got a good plan for us. "It's already happening," added the longtime Southern Baptist who moved to the area seven years ago from Spring, Texas. He praised the hard-working Southern Baptists of Texas Convention crew, noting that his wife plans to join New Mexico's DR team after seeing the ministry firsthand. "These guys and women are so fantastic; you don't find this in the world," he said. "If this is not a witness, I don't know what is." Texas Southern Baptists poured their hearts into the work of helping New Mexicans recover from the wildfire that raced across the area after the lightning strike, deploying 44 volunteers during the month of July and sharing their faith along the way. They were eager to return the favor of serving after Southern Baptist DR volunteers from 11 state conventions, including New Mexico, deployed last year to Texas following the Bastrop area wildfires. "It is our opportunity and privilege to share with our fellow state conventions in disaster relief ministry," stated Jim Richardson, the SBTC's DR director. "We have the opportunity to assist our neighbors during their time of need as they come to our assistance when we have a need." Most local residents were amazed at the kindness of strangers ministering to them. After the devastating loss of his home, one man struggled with this new challenge by moving into an RV trailer on his charred property. "He was very touched by the fact that people would come from so far away to help him and have no idea who he was," recalled Suzy Scott, an experienced SBTC DR volunteer from Atlanta, Texas, who drove 700 miles to reach the site. "We just told him it was because of the Lord that we were there." The Little Bear Fire ended up burning over 69 square miles, destroying 242 homes, and costing an estimated $19 million to fight. Despite the disastrous result, several residents are experiencing new life in Christ. Without a doubt, the many volunteers who were involved in the ministry are most grateful for the nine people whose lives they had been able to touch with the love of God who professed their newfound faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. --30-- John Loudat is editor of the Baptist New Mexican; Tammy Reed Ledbetter is news editor for the Southern Baptist Texan. ********* OBU students offer help in the 'Land of Smiles' SHAWNEE, Okla. (Oklahoma Baptist University) -- Filled with friendly, gracious people who value hospitality, Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles." An eight-member team from Oklahoma Baptist University traveled to the Southeast Asian country on mission to share their own smiles with third-culture kids gathered there. Southern Baptist mission representatives who live and serve in East Asia gather periodically for times of training and retreat. While the parents participate in meetings, volunteers bring Vacation Bible School and childcare to the meeting site for the representatives' children – the task for OBU's Global Outreach team. During the meetings, missionaries are encouraged in their faith and walk with Christ after a mental, physical and spiritual drain of many months of focused service in East Asia. "We invest in them by nurturing their spiritual lives as well as evangelistic and discipleship skills for their return to minister in East Asia," said Nathan*, an equipper of new missionaries in East Asia. "OBU investing in the lives of these worker's children refreshes the children as well, which in turn refreshes the family for further service." Without OBU's investment in the children, the group of workers in East Asia would not be able to nurture, encourage and invest in the entire family during the time of retreat, Curtis explained. By strengthening the entire family, the OBU team enabled missionaries to be strengthened for long-term service. The team was one of nine OBU-commissioned groups to participate in missions adventures during the summer 2012 semester. OBU's mission encourages students to integrate faith with all areas of knowledge and to engage a diverse world. More than 60 OBU students, faculty and staff embarked on summer Global Outreach (GO) Trips, sharing their faith around the globe under the leadership of Dr. Joy Turner, director of global mobilization. Some of the OBU team members initially did not feel their mission trip assignment was very exciting, but they quickly learned the value of their service. "I always thought that missions work looked all alike, but really it's just whatever needs done to contribute to the Kingdom (of God)," said Cherry Donnelly, the team's leader, who serves as secretary in OBU's Division of Music. "That's what is at the heart of missions, not a particular job description." Prior to the trip, OBU student Christopher Thrutchley said he felt "left out" of the exciting summer trips awaiting his classmates: hiking the Amazon River area, doing medical work in South Asia, living in African villages and more. "And I was just going to do daycare in a metropolitan Asian city," said Thrutchley, a sophomore from Broken Arrow, Okla. "Even though I knew I was going where God wanted me … I felt left out. However, upon arriving and seeing the faces of the [mission workers] and their families, hearing their stories, and living alongside them for eight days, my attitude completely changed. I became convinced that I was on the most productive trip of them all, because what my team was doing would have a lasting, refreshing impact on long-term workers all over East Asia. No longer did I feel left out. I felt ecstatic!" Heather Johnson, a sophomore from Duncan, Okla., said her first impression of Thailand was darkness, which overshadowed the smiles she saw. She said she felt physical darkness as the city where they served sat in a valley surrounded by mountains. But she also felt spiritual darkness as she watched local people make sacrifices to Buddhist idols. "My heart was completely broken," Johnson said. "Very few people there know about God or anything to do with Him. It was so sad to see how lost they were, even though they were smiling and happy. Their happiness was so futile, and it was so depressing seeing that and knowing that they did not see how fleeting that happiness was, and how pointless it was to sacrifice (to idols)." The trip served not only to expand the team members' worldviews, but also they learned the value of service and gifts. Working with a team from the Metro East Baptist Association in St. Louis, Mo., team members collected items to provide care packages for the representatives' families, as well as birthday gifts for each of their children. They collected food items and supplies not commonly found in foreign countries. Donnelly said each team member was allowed by the airline to check two bags, so each checked one bag full of the care package supplies. "The gifts provide a constant reminder as the workers return to East Asia that numerous Oklahomans serve alongside them in prayer," Curtis said. "There is no limit to the encouragement Oklahoma's investment will produce as these families seek to spread new life that is paved with new hope in Christ." Donnelly said the most rewarding part of her trip was meeting the Southern Baptist representatives and hearing their personal stories. "I love learning what their struggles are and how God worked through them," she said. "It helps me to learn how to pray for them." Johnson said the trip gave her a greater appreciation for living in a place where she is surrounded by like-minded believers in Christ. "It also helped me to see how urgent it is for us to spread the news (of Jesus)," she said. "There are so many people out there who do not know about Christ, and as a believer, that breaks my heart. Knowing the joy I have found in my Father makes me want to share the wonderful news with those who do not know it." For more information about OBU's Avery T. Willis Center for Global Outreach, visit http://www.okbu.edu/academics/theologymin/go/. Located in Shawnee, Okla., OBU offers 10 bachelor's degrees with 84 fields of study. The Christian liberal arts university has an overall enrollment of 1,871, with students from 37 states and 27 other countries. OBU has been rated as one of the top 10 comprehensive colleges in the West by U.S. News and World Report for 20 consecutive years and has been Oklahoma's highest rated comprehensive college in the U.S. News rankings for 18 consecutive years. For 2011-12, Forbes.com ranked OBU as the top university in Oklahoma. * Name changed for the security of mission personnel and the people with whom they work. ********** First corporate chaplain west of Mississippi River recalls nearly 65 years of ministry By Sharayah Colter FORT WORTH, Texas (SWBTS) -- Whether described as baggage, drama, problems or issues, employees in corporations around the nation often hear, "leave it at the door." In all reality though, the problems employees face in their personal lives do affect their work. Arkansas pastor Dean Newberry realized those employeesneeded Christ but knew not many of them came to church to seek Him out. A United States Air Force veteran and an alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Newberry began to feel a burden for those employees and a call from the Lord to minister to them. "In 1975, I became concerned that at that time, 95 percent of religious work was done within the four walls of the church, and, yet, less than 50 percent of American people acknowledged an identification with any particular church," said Newberry, who had been pastoring in local churches for 29 years at that point. After some research and prayer, Newberry said he received his "marching orders" from God in Mark 6:31-44, where Jesus ministers to the people out of compassion, teaches them and meets their needs. With his direction from the Lord in hand, Newberry contacted James Hudson, president of Hudson Foods Inc. in Springdale, Ark.—which later became Tyson Foods Inc.—and discussed with him the possibility of joining the Hudson team to serve as the company chaplain. Ten days later, Hudson hired Newberry for the position—a decision that helped to pioneer the marketplace chaplaincy field. No longerwould employees at Hudson be among the millions of workers admonished to leave their "problems" at the door. Instead, they would have access to a chaplain who could help them sort through the difficulties and joys of life and the inevitable effect those situations had on their work. As part of the new chaplaincy program, Hudson and Newberry constructed a chaplaincy mission statement, which The Morning News of Northwestern Arkansas published in a July 30, 1995, article about the chaplaincy program at the poultry plant. "In keeping with the company's emphasis upon human values and recognizing that our associates' work environment is impacted by their home life, mental, emotional and spiritual health, the chaplain shall provide a ministry of pastoral visitation, care and counseling to our associates and their families, regardless of their religious affiliation or beliefs," the mission statement read. Newberry's successor, Alan Tyson, a Southwestern alumnus of no relation to Tyson Foods' namesake, described the position in the same Morning News article as "wandering around" hospitals, homes and plants, getting to know employees and being available to help however they can. Although a handful of corporate chaplaincy programs existed in the East, Hudson's invitation to Newberry to join the company made Newberry the first corporate chaplain west of the Mississippi River. During the next 17 years, as Newberry developed and implemented the chaplaincy program at the poultry plant, he became affectionately known as the "Chicken Chaplain." Two years after he accepted the role of chaplain at the growing Hudson Foods, Southwestern invited Newberry to speak in chapel and to guest-teach in a chaplaincy course. Newberry, who completed his seminary degree in 1953, felt honored and privileged to encourage the students who sat in the same place he had more than two decades earlier. He realized his degree armed him with the knowledge and tools needed to follow God everywhere He would send him. "My Master of Divinity studies prepared me spiritually as a minister of the Gospel, and my religious education classes prepared me to spread the Gospel both in the pastorate and in the chaplaincy," Newberry said. When he guest-taught in the chaplaincy class with now-retired professor of pastoral ministry Gerald Marsh, Newberry said he, too, was encouraged. "When I asked [Marsh] if he could recommend to me a book on industrial chaplaincy, he replied, 'Yes, I can: The New Testament,'" Newberry recalled. "I needed to hear those words. After all, if our marching order can't be found in the New Testament, we shouldn't be marching in that direction." With that reminder, Newberry continued to march on, serving in his chaplaincy position for nearly two decades. In 1992, Newberry retired from chaplaincy and returned to the pulpit once again, leading as an interim and then a full-time senior pastor until 2005. Over a span of three decades, Newberry also served as president of the Arkansas Board of Baptists, as an executive board member of Midwestern Baptist Seminary and as chairman of the development committee at Midwestern. In 1996, Newberry celebrated 50 years of ministry, having been first ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1946, just after graduating from Ouachita Baptist University. The late Adrian Rogers, the then-pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., where one of Newberry's three sons, Phil, still serves on staff, sent a note of thanks and encouragement to Newberry for five decades of service to the Lord. But Newberry was still not finished with ministry. In 2003, in the midst of his service in the local church, Newberry began serving as a volunteer chaplain at St. Mary's Hospital (now known as Mercy Hospital of Norwest Arkansas) in Rogers, Ark. "My days as a volunteer chaplain began at 5 a.m., as my assignment was to minister to those going in for outpatient surgery," Newberry said. "Being able to touch a large number of people each year and to bring them comfort, hope and peace before a critical time in their lives has been a rich blessing from God." Pierce McIntyre, who also serves as a chaplain at the hospital, says the patients Newberry encountered indeed saw him as a blessing. "He continues to have an impact, not only while he volunteered here. Even today, he was recognized this morning at a board of trustees meeting at our hospital for his years of service here as well," McIntyre said in a July 25 interview. "He continues to have an influence in the community. Patients at the hospital really appreciated the consistency of having Dean there when they came in, to pray for them." During his eight years of service at the hospital, Newberry ministered to about 6,000 people each year. "The response from patients, family and friends has been overwhelming," Newberry said of his volunteer service. "I have been paid well for my efforts." Though health matters led Newberry to resign from the volunteer chaplaincy in December 2011, Newberry says he continues to pray for chaplaincy staff and hopes his experiences can offer encouragement to students who have felt the same call on their lives that he received many years ago. "If you have the Lord as your personal Savior, then you have everything, no matter ill or well, rich or poor, average or very successful in your efforts," Newberry said. "Always remember that you are touching lives, whatever your position of ministry that God provides." --30-- Sharayah Colter is a writer for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (www.swbts.edu/campusnews). ********** Evangelist Rev. Billy Graham lauded by top entertainers in tribute project "Thank you, Billy Graham" LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Lamb & Lion Home Video) -- Pat Boone's Lamb & Lion Home Video label is honoring Billy Graham through its "Thank You, Billy Graham" tribute project. Available in stores nationwide September 11, 2012, this multi-artist musical tribute DVD and bonus music CD will celebrate Graham's life and ministry. Some of the world's premier entertainers, from Larry King to Reba McEntire, have come together for personal testimonials and joining their voices in a multi-artist, anthemic performance of "Thank You, Billy Graham." The project was written and produced by Pat Boone, Grammy-winning rock artist David Pack from the critically acclaimed band Ambrosia, and Grammy winning country singer-songwriter Billy Dean. Special features include hours of interviews and in-studio footage condensed down into a documentary style, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the tribute. "This is a once in a lifetime celebration for a humble giant who has devoted his life to serving God and humanity," says Pack. Along with King and McEntire, other featured entertainers include country stars Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, and Marty Stuart; pop and rock artists Michael McDonald, LeAnn Rimes, John Elefante (Kansas) and John Ford Coley; R&B/gospel artists Jeffrey Osborne, Andraé Crouch and Vestal Goodman; and contemporary Christian artists TobyMac, Kevin Max and Michael Tait (dc Talk), Mark Kibble (Take 6) and Lisa Bevill among others. The film also features a special guest appearance from former CNN talk show host Larry King who narrates the song's third verse. Since he was ordained in 1939, Graham has preached to nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries, and led hundreds of thousands of individuals to make personal decisions to live for Christ. His counsel has been sought by presidents and heads of state, and he has received numerous awards, including the Congressional Gold Medal. Over 100,000 ministers have trained under his spiritual tutelage, and Graham has been preaching at White House services since FDR was president. His stadium sermons are legendary and only ended recently due to the world-famous preacher's frail health. Graham's wife, Ruth Bell Graham, died in June 2007 following a lengthy illness. "He would not want to hear it, he's such a humble man," says Boone. "But around the world, we need to say it: Thank You, Billy Graham." A portion of the proceeds from the Thank You, Billy Graham project will be donated to Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse and Mercy Corps, two charities that support humanitarian relief throughout the world. Today, at age 93 (Graham will celebrate his 94th birthday November 7th), he is still widely recognized for his humanitarian work around the globe and the work of his foundation, The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham's son, evangelist Franklin Graham, serves as President and CEO of the BGEA. Worldwide and North American distribution of Thank You, Billy Graham through all traditional and online retailers is via Allegro Media Group (https://www.allegro-music.com/) To listen to the song "Thank You Billy Graham," visit http://www.GoldLabelArtists.com/media. About The Gold Label and Lamb & Lion Home Video In the late 1990s entertainment icon and Billboard chart-topping artist Pat Boone contacted a number of his peers -- singers who'd sold millions of records -- and offered them the opportunity to make new records and be part of keeping their previous hits available. The Gold Label became a destination for keeping in touch with the biggest hits of the '40s, '50s and '60s by the legacy crooners that made them famous, including such singers as Jack Jones, Sha Na Na and The Ventures. In recent years The Gold Label began adding to its roster new artists spanning a variety of genres including vocal and instrumental, pop, jazz and neoclassical. In the 1970s and 1980s Lamb & Lion Records was home to such contemporary Christian artists as Debby Boone, Gary Chapman, Degarmo & Key, and the Boone Family. Today, like parent company The Gold Label, Lamb & Lion Records is re-releasing catalog titles from legacy Christian artists and adding new contemporary Christian artists to the label. --30-- -- End of story -- Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press 901 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Tel: 615.244.2355 Fax: 615.782.8736 email: bpress@sbc.net