Cooperative Program report card • Is your church making the grade? Pages 11-13
Volume 107, No. 08
Luter builds bridges here
IB Insider
Laughter, partnership mark SBC president’s visit to Illinois
An Englishman in Elgin page 3
By Eric Reed
Al Mohler: Gay rights or civil rights page 7 Instant family page 15
Preview: SBC in Houston page 9
New feature: Potluck Blogger page 15
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Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Peoria, Illinois Permit No. 325
MAY 06, 2013
Springfield | Even when he talks about serious issues, Fred Luter does it in a way that is disarmed, uplifting, and often funny. About getting kids to church: “As a kid I had a drug problem,” he says. “My mama drug me to church, drug me to Sunday school, drug me to VBS…” But he can quickly turn the laughter to exhortation: “What would Jesus do for this iPod, iPad, iPhone, tattooed, baggy pants, underwear-showing generation? He would be concerned.” And to invitation: “Those of us who are still amazed by God’s amazing grace, those of us who never got over being saved…those of us who never got over the fact that we could be in hell today but for the grace of God, we must show compassion for this generation.” Luter’s humor was a well-used tool in his April visit to Springfield, HAPPY GUY – “If you can’t like him, you’re not going to like anybody,” Director of Missions David along with his rapid-fire preaching, Howard said of Fred Luter (right) before the SBC president arrived in Springfield for three days of stories of God’s hand in New Orpreaching, listening, and meeting with IBSA leaders. Luter’s wife, Elizabeth (left), accompanied him leans’ recovery after Hurricane Kaon his trip to Illinois. Photos by Meredith Flynn trina, and the presence of his God wants me to do this.” who wanted Luter to help him reach thoughtful and prayerful wife, Eliza“I don’t want you to think,” she out to the area’s African American beth. “I’m the silent partner in this opcountered, “I want you to know. Fred, population. Howard, who knew Luter eration,” she says, before Fred this is too big a deal for you to be when they pastored neighboring launches into a series of stories about thinking. You have to know what God churches in New Orleans, issued the the many times she has prayed for him wants.” His account is met with laughinvitation before Luter’s historic elecand confronted him. ter and applause. tion as the first black president of the Such as when he was considering a The Luters came to Illinois at the inSBC in June 2012. run for the presidency of the Southern vitation of Capital City Association “If you can’t like Fred Luter, you Baptist Convention. Director of Missions David Howard, can’t like anybody,” Howard jokes. “Elizabeth,” he told her, “I think Continued on page 8
‘I love to tell the story’ GOD IS AT WORK – That was the message at the annual Illinois Women’s Missions Celebration April 26-27. Women worshiped together and heard powerful examples of how God is drawing people to Himself around the world. The meeting, held at FBC Machesney Park, had the theme “The Story: For All Generations.” Read more about the meeting, including missionary testimonies from Chile and an Arkansas prison, on pages 4-5.
Anti-porn campaign to launch at SBC
Houston, Texas | Florida pastor Jay Dennis is issuing a wake-up call to churches who are fighting an enemy of which they may be unaware. “Churches are facing a spiritual battle against a hidden plague that is keeping many believers from fulfilling their part of God’s mission,” said Dennis, pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Fla. That hidden plague is pornography. Dennis and other SBC leaders are fighting it by launching the national “Join 1 Million Men in the War Against Pornography” campaign at this summer’s Southern Baptist Convention in Houston, Texas. A 2011 LifeWay Research survey of 1,000 pastors found 62% of them believe less than 10% of men in their Continued on page 2