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News Articles

BP Ledger, Sept. 10 edition


EDITOR’S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received.

Today’s BP Ledger includes items from:
The Baptist Record (Mississippi)
Kentucky Baptist Convention (two items)
National Religious Broadcasters
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
International Mission Board
Campbellsville University

Baptists quick to respond in Issac aftermath
By Tony Martin/Associate Editor

LONG BEACH, Miss. (The Baptist Record) — First Church in Long Beach is no stranger to the devastating storms that roar ashore from the Gulf of Mexico. Many people along the coast still remember the iconic sight of the church’s battered rooftop cross, standing like a sentry, over the ruins of the church’s buildings after Hurricane Katrina struck seven years ago.

The church relocated farther inland from the coastline and rebuilt its facilities, and according to pastor LaRue Stephens, the new physical plant was built keeping in mind the church’s ministry in a storm.

Portions of the new church building are reinforced with concrete, and windows in the reinforced areas are extra thick and shatter-resistant. The church can house volunteers and supply its own power for extended periods of time during storm-related outages.

The planning was finally put to the test during the assault by Hurricane Isaac, which made its initial landfall on August 28. The Category 1 storm caused extensive flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi, and the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force began setting up its feeding units within a couple of days.

First Church, Long Beach, was chosen to be one of the two initial staging areas after Issac moved through. The other staging area was First Church, Pascagoula.

First Church, Long Beach, was prepared. “We have a storm preparation ministry,” said Stephens. “We help anyone in the city. All of the widows in our church have a deacon assigned to them. The deacons contact their widows and they in turn report back to us. They tell us if they’re evacuating; what needs they may have at their houses; if they need windows boarded or their yards picked up.

“We develop a master list and at the same time recruit volunteers from within the congregation who might help us. Generally, that means yard pickup, sandbagging, and boarding windows. We target our widows and single parents first, then others as needed. We help until the wind and the rain make it too dangerous. Then we ‘bunker down.'”

“One of the priorities we factored into the rebuild here was disaster relief. We wanted to be positioned to host the volunteers and accommodate disaster relief ministry teams, so we have our own generator for power so we can operate regardless of what’s happening in the community.

“Once we go under a watch, we start identifying the needs, and by the time a warning is announced, our ministry teams are in the field. When the weather is calm enough for us to get out, our Sunday School teachers start contacting their members to see if they need help.

“We start with water mitigation first, to see if there is rain or flood damage. At the same time, we develop a needs list and prioritize it for our outside that come in. We have in excess of fifty individuals in our church trained in disaster relief.”

The Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force’s feeding unit number one, a fully self-contained 18-wheeler, set up in the church parking lot and prepared 1,800 meals for lunch on Aug. 31. They prepared another 900 meals for dinner.

The feeding unit from Briar Hill Church in Florence, staged at First Church, Pascagoula, fed an additional 900 dinnertime meals.

“One of the things our people valued so much after Katrina was the partnership ministry from other churches and other faith-based organizations,” Stephens said. “That impacted the design of this building so that we can host teams and provide them a comfortable place for showers, sleeping, eating, and their strategy planning.

“We see ourselves as a launch place for teams who want to serve and minister. Our people have a strong appreciation for Southern Baptists and the Cooperative Program. We have what we have today in part because of the Cooperative Program and Margaret Lackey funds,”

The Cooperative Program is the primary funding mechanism for Southern Baptist and Mississippi Baptist ministries, while the Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering provides support for Mississippi Baptist-based ministries such as disaster relief.

“Very few families here today have not been touched by disaster relief ministries. There is a deep gratitude for the compassion shown. Our people have seen the hands and feet and eyes of Jesus through those who have come to help,” Stephens said.

A perfect example of how volunteers are serving is seen in the story of Colonial Hills Church, Southaven. About a dozen members arrived at First Church, Long Beach, on Aug. 31. The group was led by Anita Bosley, a lay person in the church and wife of one of the church’s ministers.

“Back in October of last year, our missions pastor and I sat down to talk,” Bosley recounted. “After the Tuscaloosa tornados, our church found out that a community – Smithfield, Al. – had sort of fallen through the cracks. Helping with that situation lit the fire for us. I’m a former paramedic, so it’s always been on my heart to help with disaster relief.

“We decided with our missions pastor to get involved in this, and God has been opening doors right and left for us. Our missions pastor, Jim May, and our senior pastor, Rick Sayger, are both solidly behind the ministry.

“Jim May contacted Jim Didlake [director of Men’s Ministry for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, and coordinator of the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force] and Don Gann [consultant in the Men’s Ministry Department] and set up for them to come up during our church’s missions week.

“They basically taught an introductory class on a Wednesday night and the next night we launched the church’s disaster relief team, which we call the STAT team. The term, “STAT,” obviously has disaster connotations, but it is derived from Esther 4:14, ‘for such a time as this.’ The verse basically says, if you don’t rise up and go, somebody else will.

“Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief came and did a huge training for us one Saturday,” Bosley continued. “Our people went through all different types of training. We’ve stayed in contact with the office. Then Don called and said, ‘Isaac’s coming. Can you be on standby?’ I put half on standby for Friday and the other half on Sunday.

“We have about 42 credentialed members and about 70 total. We brought about 20 down through this rotation. We have 12 with us today. We are honored and privileged to be part of this. We’re excited to be a part of this and to put to use the training we’ve received.

“Our church is very missions oriented, very service oriented. One of our mottos is ‘insiders reaching out,’ and we just want to reach everybody. This is one way we can do that.”

“We have more work to do because we did a good job the first time,” said Stephens, laughing. “We have friends bringing friends bringing friends to us.”
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Wilsons Leave Lasting Ministry Legacy at Wheelwright
By Ken Walker/KBC Communications

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (Kentucky Baptist Convention) — When Jeff Craft wound up at the Wheelwright Baptist Center nine years ago, the California native never dreamed that the long road he traveled to the eastern Kentucky town would lead to such joy.

Yet, thanks to missionaries Charles and Margie Wilson, the man who once would fight “at the drop of a hat” is now a follower of Christ.

“With their help, I became a more patient person,” said Craft, who first visited the Wheelwright center in 2004.

“Any time I need help, they’ve been there to give me guidance,” he said. “I have learned to be content, whether rich or poor, hungry or full.”

Such tributes flowed like a mountain stream at the recent reception honoring the Wilsons at the Fitzpatrick First Baptist Church activities center in Prestonsburg.

Bound for their home state of Georgia, the couple retired Aug. 31 after 32 years as missionaries with the North American Mission Board.

Twenty-six of those years were in Kentucky, with the state convention helping support their ministry.

According to Eric Allen, there are many stories similar to Craft’s, with 396 professions of faith recorded at the Wheelwright center since 1986. Allen is Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Missions Growth Team leader.

In addition, Wilson preached nearly 4,000 sermons as pastor of First Baptist Church of Wheelwright, Allen told the crowd.

“One of these days when you get to heaven there will be a lot of people thanking you for what you’ve done,” he told the couple.

“You have given your lives to the people of Floyd County. You have listened to them and cried with them. You will be missed.”

Tom Biddle, director of missions for Enterprise Baptist Association, said he will miss Mrs. Wilson’s personal assistance as his part-time secretary for the past 13 years.

“This room will hold all of us but it won’t begin to hold the lives of all those you have touched over the years,” Biddle said.

The DOM noted that the Wilsons served such diverse roles as taxi drivers, home repair contractors, mission team hosts, and leaders of a thriving deaf ministry in the region.

Their daughter, Amy Armstrong of Florence, recalled growing up in Toledo, Ohio, and later Wheelwright without much money but feeling like one of the richest kids around.

“God always provided and we had everything we needed,” she said. “I remember many Thanksgivings we had a table full of people not related to me.”

Some guests from long distances attended the reception. Among them were Francisco Espinoza of Toledo, Ohio, and deaf ministry pioneer Tina McFarland Savelyev, who does mission work in central Asia.

“They were a different kind of pastoral team,” Espinoza said of the impression the Wilsons made at Western Avenue Baptist Church. “I was used to pastors who didn’t go into the neighborhood.

“Charles tried to get people to participate in their own solution and do for themselves. They did a lot of good work.”

A former KBC employee who lived in the mountains from 1992-96, Savelyev said it wasn’t necessary to persuade the couple back then that deaf ministry was needed in the region.

“They were helpful to me in gathering of data, but we were on the same page when in recognizing that relationships were paramount,” Savelyev said. “In the process, our friendship with each other grew and became a treasure.”

Such friendship characterizes the way they have touched current members of First Baptist, such as children’s Sunday school teacher Jayne Henson.

Henson recalled being on the wrong path before she accepted Christ in 2008, thanks to the Wilsons.

“I became involved in (groups like) Alcoholics Anonymous and am spreading the gospel and teaching others about Christ,” Henson said.

Such success stories represent one of the couple’s favorite memories of their ministry career.

“We’ve worked with so many people with special problems and watched God change them,” Wilson said.

“I’ve always explained that basically what I do is provide them with the tools so that they can begin to let Christ take over their lives and change the way their lives are running.”

For Mrs. Wilson, who took continuing education courses to master sign language, she hopes her deaf ministry role will continue in Georgia.

“I’ve tried to help deaf people see that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the best thing that they can have,” she said.

Their move south is tentatively set for mid-September. It will take them closer to daughters Melinda Adkins and Marcha Thompson, six grandchildren, and Mrs. Wilson’s brother, Joe Ogletree.

Initially, they will return to their home church, Sweetwater Baptist in Thomson, which supported them on the mission field throughout their careers.

However, they may not stay long. Wilson said that serving as an interim pastor may be his next ministry after they settle into their new home.

No matter where they wind up, though, they said they will carry fond memories of Kentucky Baptists.

Mrs. Wilson expressed appreciation for the KBC’s help for their ministry tasks: “We feel that they have been very supportive.”

Out of all of the areas that they have worked in with NAMB, Kentucky demonstrated superior support, openness and willingness to resolve tough issues, her husband said.

“One thing I tremendously appreciate is the ability to work with us and not run away from the problems,” Wilson said.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention announced today that ownership of the ministry center will be transferred to Wheelwright native David Boyd and his wife, Stephanie. The Boyds are moving from West Virginia to Wheelwright later this month.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of nearly 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative offices in Louisville, including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more.

For more information, visit the KBC website at www.kybaptist.org or find “Kentucky Baptist Convention” on Facebook or follow “kentuckybaptist” on Twitter.
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Wheelwright Native to Continue Ministry Center
By Dannah Prather

WHEELWRIGHT, Ky. (Kentucky Baptist Convention) — This month, the Kentucky Baptist Convention will transfer ownership of the Wheelwright Baptist Center in Floyd County to native son David Boyd and his wife, Stephanie.

David Boyd, also known as Dabo, grew up in Wheelwright and was impacted personally, and eternally, by the ministry center and its retiring directors, Charles and Margie Wilson.

When Wilson and Boyd first met 17 years ago, “Dabo was not a Christian and didn’t have favorable leanings as far as churches go,” Charles Wilson recalled. As a member of the Wheelwright City Council, Boyd was working with Wilson to accommodate 150 World Servants set to serve in Floyd County for a summer project.

After serving alongside a World Servants team who were framing a house for a needy family in his home county, Boyd was changed.

“A few months after that, he gave his life to Christ,” Wilson said.

“Charles was my spiritual mentor,” said Boyd, who, under the Wilsons’ supervision, began Wheelwright’s Youth Fellowship Center in 1998. It was the ministry’s first-ever outreach to local youth.

And now, Boyd and his wife will start a new chapter for the ministry center that serves dozens of families and last year witnessed 37 people make professions of faith in Christ.

Boyd “grew up around that ministry. He’s familiar with what the needs are,” said Tom Biddle, director of missions for Enterprise Baptist Association. “I think (the Boyds) have a heart for this. I sense an excitement in them about getting started.”

The Wilsons recently retired after serving 32 years as North American Mission Board missionaries. They served 26 of those years in Wheelwright. With their retirement, Kentucky Baptist Convention leaders determined it was time to hand the center over to someone else.

KBC formed a small committee to seek proposals from churches or individuals interested in the work. The Boyds’ proposal was accepted last month.

“From the start, we wanted to see the ministry at Wheelwright sustained,” said Paul Chitwood, KBC executive director. “The fact that the Wilsons themselves know the Boyds and have confidence in their ability to continue the work there gives me confidence that we made the right decision.”

Eric Allen, leader of KBC’s Missions Mobilization Team, was part of the committee that accepted the Boyds’ proposal.

“David and Stephanie have been ministering in Appalachia for years through World Servants,” he noted. “The fact that David is from Wheelwright and is known by the people there, including the Wilsons, gave us a sense of assurance that God was calling the Boyds to this ministry.”

With roots in Youth for Christ, World Servants is similar to Southern Baptists’ and Kentucky Baptists’ “Changers” initiatives that mobilize believers to hands-on service while sharing the gospel with others.

Stephanie Boyd is area director for World Servants’ Appalachian initiative. She said God used a mission trip to Wheelwright when she was 16 to draw her into ministry.

“I fell in love with the community and the people,” she said. “I started crying when we were driving away.”

As a volunteer mission leader for World Servants and World Vision over the years, David Boyd has served across the U.S. and internationally, returning often to Appalachia and Wheelwright.

“The real jump we’ve seen in missions groups coming to Wheelwright over the past several years—Dabo has been influential in getting those here,” Wilson said.

The Boyds, with their sons, Stephen and Carter, will relocate from Philippi, W. Va., to Wheelwright later this month.

“We are looking forward to continuing the (Wilsons’) legacy of loving people like Christ loved us,” Mrs. Boyd said.

Her husband agreed that the center will continue “a committed process of outreach” to area residents.

“A lot of Appalachian communities are not being touched by missionaries,” Boyd said.

Wilson served as pastor of Wheelwright Baptist Church, which meets at the center. Boyd said he wants the weekly worship services to continue, estimating that “90 percent of the town doesn’t attend church” regularly.

The center will continue to hum with the activity of short-term missions teams, and will relocate World Servants’ Appalachian ministry to a more central location.

“This is a great opportunity for World Servants to be more central to all of our Appalachian community,” said Mrs. Boyd, who coordinates volunteers in Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Wilson said he, his wife and several other friends and family, have been praying for the future of the Wheelwright Center for more than four years, and it has been about a year since Boyd first spoke to Wilson about the prospect of coming back home to serve.

As he watched God bring the Boyds, step by step, closer to Wheelwright, Wilson said he has a sense of peace about the future of the ministry, and hopes that his fellow Kentucky Baptists will too.

“I’ve got a lot of faith in Dabo’s concern for people,” Wilson said. “There’s a long history of seeing how God has used him.”

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of nearly 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative offices in Louisville, including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more.

For more information, visit the KBC website at www.kybaptist.org or find “Kentucky Baptist Convention” on Facebook or follow “kentuckybaptist” on Twitter.
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Small Church Has Big Impact
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (National Religious Broadcasters) — On September 12th at 7 pm and 11 pm, CST, the NRB TV Network will air God’s Courtroom. NRB reaches into nearly 20 million U.S. households on DirecTV ch. 378, Sky Angel ch. 181, and streamed live at www.nrbnetwork.tv.

God’s Courtroom is a documentary film that presents the Gospel from a legal perspective and was made by members of a small church in Central Illinois. It was written and produced by one of its members, Bruce Kugler, who is an attorney.

In the early 1990s, Bruce spent a lot of time at the Ogle County Courthouse doing what most new lawyers do, representing clients on matters including those charged with a crime. He observed that the behavior of the defendants changed dramatically when they entered the courtroom and stood before the judge. It occurred to Bruce that one day everyone will stand before a much more powerful judge. They’re going to stand in God’s courtroom, and this heavenly judge knows everything. He cannot be appealed; His decisions are final. Afterwards when Bruce read the Bible, legal terms and concepts began to stand out. Years later, inspired by his observations in the courtroom, he put together a presentation explaining “the charge” brought by God, using legal analogies in the criminal justice system and ending his speech with the “pardon” or “plea agreement” God offers to each person. Thus was born God’s Courtroom.

Initially his intent was to present God’s Courtroom in churches only, but God had other plans. These plans included a larger audience and a crew of members from Living Faith Baptist Church in Sherman, Illinois, coming alongside with their gifts. After Bruce presented God’s Courtroom at Living Faith, Larry, a church member who had worked for television, encouraged him to let him film the presentation, and a live video was made. But it was at the urging of another friend, Jim, who saw the film and suggested the format should be changed to a documentary style and the message be enhanced by including the Abraham Lincoln historic significance of Central Illinois. A new film was designed for a broader audience interested in law, history, and architecture. The goal was to impact a wider audience. This time professional camera and sound people were hired, and with the help of volunteers from Living Faith, it was filmed in four historic courthouses, a jail, and the old Illinois Supreme Court.

Other members of Living Faith came forward and shared their talents. Garrett designed a DVD cover and ad. Kristen developed a website. Pastor Mark spent hours creating and editing the graphics used in the DVD. The new film was formatted for television, making it much more marketable for television stations, and stations began to air it, both Christian and secular. Luis, another member of Living Faith, dubbed the film into Spanish and made a radio version, which is now used in Hispanic ministries. Bruce was also asked to bring his presentation to Nicaragua. He brought along a Spanish radio CD, hoping to get it played once. However, while in Nicaragua, Bruce met Marcos, a radio announcer who desires to see all of his country come to the Lord. Marcos took Bruce’s copy and began personally contacting other stations. To date, 35 radio stations in Nicaragua have aired the program; some have played it multiple times.

The ministry of God’s Courtroom continues to grow. Bruce traveled to India, presenting God’s Courtroom at a church in Mumbai. While in India, Bruce met with Anthony who was the director of a Catholic television station. Anthony viewed the film and has since aired it eight times. Another friend, Weishin, is finalizing a Chinese translation. He plans to distribute it in Taiwan and China. When Bruce recently traveled to Israel, he met Nashat, a Christian Palestinian, who has requested the film in PAL, the format required to broadcast the film into the West Bank. Nashat urged Bruce to get it translated into Arabic and is now half completed. Back home, a “chance” encounter put Bruce in contact with James, who is involved in prison ministry and is also helping to get the film distributed in African-American churches.

Bruce never ceases to be amazed. The film has been aired on several major Christian networks including the TCT Network, NRB TV Network, and the TLN Network. What began as a simple observation twenty years ago has developed into a ministry that reaches across borders– countries and cultures. This ministry could not be done solo, and God has risen up an army within his church, equipped with the talents to produce, distribute, and pray for the film. God’s Courtroom is an example of how an inspired idea, starting with one person but joined by others in a small church can bring the Good News, God’s offer of a pardon, to thousands.

God’s Courtroom can be viewed in its entirety at www.GodsCourtroom.org. Bruce is available to speak at churches and conferences of all sizes and can be reached at [email protected].

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Southwestern offers 2013 revival preachers
By Benjamin Hawkins

FORT WORTH, Texas (SWBTS) – Churches can join Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in promoting spiritual awakening across the United States by hosting preachers during Revive this Nation, March 10-13, 2013. Revive this Nation is open to churches in all 50 states and Southwestern aims to send preachers to every state.

“We want partner churches who will join us in prayer for God to revive our nation and who will invite people to come hear the Gospel preached.” Thomas White, vice president for student services and communications, said. “Passionate men who have thoroughly prepared stand ready to preach the Word, calling believers to greater commitment and the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.”

During Revive this Nation 2012, the seminary sent out 102 preachers, who led 131 people to accept Christ as Savior and engaged more than 1,100 people in personal evangelism. To learn about Revive this Nation’s more than 50-year history and to hear the stories of God’s work during 2012, visit www.swbts.edu/southwesternnews/SNSU11.cfm .

Churches can request revival preachers and download resources at www.swbts.edu/rtn. Southwestern will pay for the roundtrip transportation of preachers to and from the revival locations. Churches provide housing, meals and local transportation.

For additional information, contact us at 817-923-1921, ext. 7300, or by email at [email protected].
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ASIA PRAYER REQUESTS

SOUTH ASIA (IMB)–Brief items reported by South Asia News (http://www.go2southasia.org) on Jan. 10 include:

BANGLADESH. “Death is all around us. Earlier today I saw a man on the side of the road who appeared to be dead after being hit by a vehicle. Later today, news came to me in a slum where I was working that a 6-month-old baby was close to death. The physical plight of so many inhabitants of Dhaka city is deplorable. Every disease and deformity known to man seems to appear before my eyes on a regular basis. Even more saddening are the diseased and decaying souls of the approximately 15 million men, women and children who make up this city. This is why we are so excited that God is working through a community ministry that was started in a slum. The team offers simple health teaching, as well as Bible stories and prayer. Some have seen God help in their physical condition, but more importantly, a handful of people have come to know true healing through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray that God will continue to bring healing to Dhaka’s millions of lost people.”

BHUTAN. Bhutan’s pristine Himalayan rivers belie its spiritual darkness. Rugged mountains stand guard, surrounding the high valleys of Bhutan like a formidable wall separating the small “Dragon Kingdom” from the rest of the world and enabling the enemy to create a powerful Tibetan Buddhist stronghold. Pray for Christ followers in Bhutan who struggle to honor Christ amidst Buddhist rituals and daily pressures to worship idols at school, in government jobs, and among their families.

INDIA. The city of Kolkata has many red-light districts with thousands of women held in bondage by that trade. There are many ministries that are bringing the love of Jesus to these women and giving them honorable lives. But Satan is opposed to this and uses many people who wish to stop these ministries because of the money made from these women. One such ministry that has been present in the city for approximately 10 years is facing opposition for the work they are doing. Please pray Psalm 5 for this ministry and those who oversee it, asking that God will protect them and that the Gospel will continue to expand among these trapped women.

MALDIVES. Almost one-fourth of the population of the Maldives is under 14 years old, and the median age in the Maldives is 26 years old (CIA World Fact book, 2012). And yet an NGO working in Maldives reports that the majority of the young people in the Maldives are bored and addicted to drugs and have little hope for the future. Pray that the young people of Maldives will discover Christ, be transformed, and become bold witnesses for Him to the rest of their nation, no matter what the cost.

NEPAL. Nepal is a country full of God’s beauty. From the flat lands in the south, to the stunning mountain peaks of the northern border, His creation gives evidence to His magnificence and love. Tragically, even so long after King Jesus’ command that we make disciples of all nations, most of the people in Nepal have never even been introduced to Him for the first time – the one true God and only hope to rescue us from sin’s penalty and give us life. Pray that local churches will demonstrate the health of reproduction – spreading among every people and place where Christ is not yet worshiped.

PAKISTAN. Muslim women tend not to share their deepest concerns or problems. They keep sickness, shameful situations, and troubles to themselves. However, they sometimes will tell a Western foreigner in hopes that they will be able to help financially. This often opens the door for some personal and focused time of sharing the love and truth of Jesus and for one-on-one prayer. Language barriers can sometimes cause difficulties with these opened doors. Please pray for the Westerns who are serving in largely Muslim countries. Pray that they will excel in their language learning and remain in God’s Word and unceasing prayer times with the Lord.

SRI LANKA. In early September, a group of Sri Lankan men set out on their first mission trip! These brothers have been faithfully serving the Lord by sharing their faith, discipling others, and in some cases, leading house churches. They headed into an area where none of them had ever been before. Please pray that Father will open doors for the Gospel and create partnerships between these brothers and other believers.

SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA. Pondicherry, established as a French colony in southern India, is a favorite vacation spot for many. In 1954, this colony was transferred to India. Since that time, a natural flow of Tamil Hindus have migrated to France. In France, some Hindus have responded to the Gospel, and a handful of Tamil churches have been started. Tamil Hindus are often overlooked by agencies and volunteer teams because of the overwhelming number of North African immigrants in France. Ask God to send harvesters to begin work among the Tamil Hindus (population: 100,000) of France.

SOUTH ASIAN FESTIVALS. On September 19, South Asian Hindus will celebrate the birthday of Ganesh, the Hindu god of wisdom. You have probably seen the elephant-headed images of this god, who is said to be able to remove all obstacles from one’s life. In preparation for the celebration, Hindus will purchase a clay Ganesh idol. It may be large or small, multi-colored or plain. The idol will be displayed in the home or it may be placed in a public location to benefit the entire community. For about a month before the special day, the idol will be worshiped and cared for as if it were a living person. Then it will be taken to a body of water in which it will be immersed and left to be washed away. Please pray for Hindus as they celebrate “Ganesh Chaturthi,” asking for opportunities for them to learn that there is one omniscient God who has provided a way for them to overcome sin and death. If you know someone who practices Hinduism, ask them about how they are celebrating Ganesh. Ask God to give you words to share with them that will help them learn more about Jesus Christ. www.WillYouCare.org/

SOUTH ASIAN UNENGAGED. There are four unengaged unreached people groups (UUPGs) in southern India that comprise half of the UUPG population in the area. These groups are the Tamil-speaking Dhobi, the Kannada-speaking Jains, the Kalal of Karnataka, and the Bania of Andhra Pradesh. Although these groups are spread across three states and speak three different languages, we praise God because there are workers in each of these areas who desire to engage these UUPGs. Pray that God will give these workers contacts and relationships that will enable them to begin to engage people of these four people groups effectively. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be active, making ready the hearts of these people to accept the Good News of Jesus Christ. Pray for the workers to have the wisdom to know the means by which the Lord would have them begin to engage these peoples!”

Give 10 Days of sacrifice for people who put all their hope and trust in idols. Download “10 Days of Sacrifice: Ganesh Festival” at www.willyoucare.org/ Begin your 10 Days on September 19th and end on September 29th. Invite your friends, your small group or your church!

Unreached people groups are the heartbeat of Asia Harvest’s ministry. Visit this site http://asiaharvest.org/videos to view video clips of more than 50 of Asia’s most unevangelized tribes and people including some from the Himalayas and South Asia.

Get fresh news about people who urgently need our prayers – suffering because of their faithfulness to Jesus – from Middle East Concern: http://www.meconcern.org.

Virtual prayer walks throughout South Asia – http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/
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Campbellsville University to induct Ron Finley and 1987-88 football teams into Hall of Fame
By Chris Megginson, sports information director

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (Campbellsville University) — In honor of the 25th season of Fighting Tiger football, Campbellsville University will induct members of the 1987 and 1888 football teams alongside former head coach Ron Finley into the CU Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. The induction will take place at halftime of the Tigers’ game against Bethel University on Saturday, Sept. 15 at Finley Stadium.

Finley, who coached the Tigers as interim head coach in their start-up junior varsity in 1987, went on to serve as the program’s head coach from 1988 to 2002.

The 1987 and 1988 teams will be inducted jointly into the Hall of Fame for helping re-establish the football program after a more than 50 year absence.

Here is a link to the rosters also at http://www.campbellsvilletigers.com/d/2012-2013/FootballRosters_87_88v1.pdf

Related Media: The late coach Ron Finley: http://app.readmedia.com/news/attachment/43220/Finley_first_year_coach.jpg
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