What the Bible says about cooperation • CP giving report, Section B
Volume 109, No. 2
IB Insider How much diversity do we want? page 2 What we learned when we lost everything page 5
FEBRUARY 02, 2015
M EETING THE M IDWEST C HALLENGE
Overcoming darkness in Haiti page 9
Church leaders from 13 states converge for regional ‘Summit’ IB Team Report
Pat’s Playbook: What if my church isn’t friendly? page 11 Valentine’s Day outreach idea page 12 Can you find the word search?
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Springfield | “Listen to me, Midwest, the Father is seeking worshipers,” Frank Page intoned. “Every man woman, boy and girl on this globe needs to hear this message.” The man who calls himself “the SBC’s Chief Encouragement Officer” rallied local church leaders to advance the gospel in a region where Southern Baptists are relatively few and often far between. “I’m not trying to build a bigger denomination,” the CEO of the Convention’s Executive Committee said, “I’m trying to encourage you to help bring worshipers to Christ.” Spiritual awakening and church revitalization were main themes of the Midwest Leadership Summit held January 20-22. “What we need, more than a strategy, more than a plan, we need a fresh awakening,” Kansas pastor Andy Addis preached in the opening session. “We want to see God do amazing things, we want to be his hands and feet, that’s why we’re here!” More than 1,000 pastors and church
leaders from the Upper Midwest convened in Springfield for the inspirational equipping conference held every three years. Called the North Central States Rally since its inception 50 years ago, the Summit was renamed this year as it expanded to include 10 Baptist state conventions representing 13 states, from West Virginia to the Dakotas. The Illinois Baptist State Association hosted the event at the Springfield Crowne Plaza Hotel, providing a more central location as the Summit’s terri-
Kit available for spring prayer focus For churches planning their 2015 missions events, here’s a new option: Materials for the Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer (MIO) are in production now and will be available for use anytime this year. “Even churches that do their state missions offering during the designated week in September can hold special prayer for spiritual awakening in Illinois now,” said IBSA evangelism director Tim Sadler. “Can you imagine 1,000 Illinois churches—not waiting until one week in the fall—but praying now, and giving now?” The 2015 Mission Illinois kit features several videos, materials for a concert of prayer for missions, posters, offering envelopes, bulletin insert, and a 31-day prayer calendar.
In one video, Sadler tells the true story of a young woman who was compelled to abandon her plans—she was on an errand to buy milk—and to return to a revival service to hear more about Christ. In tears, she received Jesus as Savior. “We call it awakening, but it’s all about the salvation of lost people,” Sadler said, “and that’s our mission.” The MIO kits will be mailed to participating churches in August, as they usually are. But pastors and missions leaders who want to use the kit now are welcome to order early. Contact the IBSA Church Communications Team, Comunications@IBSA.org.
tory expanded on the western side. IBSA executive director Nate Adams chaired the planning committee. “We drove 10 hours to get here,” one conferee from South Dakota said at the registration desk, telling how his association invited church leaders and brought them in a van. “It took us two days,” a North Dakota pastor in a bolo tie responded, “but it’ll be worth it.” The buzz in the lobby was positive, as returning attenders told newcomers the value of Continued on page 6
Survey: Sunday still segregated By Bob Smietana Nashville, Tenn. | Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated hours in American life, with more than 8 in 10 congregations made up of one predominant racial group, a LifeWay Research study shows. And most worshipers, according to the study, seem to like it that way: 67% of American churchgoers say their church has done enough to become racially diverse. And less than half think their church should become more diverse. Those are among the findings of a study of church segregation by Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Researchers surveyed 994 churchgoers—who attend worship at least at Continued on page 2