Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/03/2014 - 11:34 By Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Compensation for full-time Southern Baptist pastors has not kept pace with inflation over the past two years, while salaries for other full-time ministers and office staff increased at a rate higher than national inflation. These findings are part of the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention Compensation Study, an in-depth survey of 12,907 staff members in Southern Baptist churches. Baptist state conventions along with LifeWay Research and GuideStone Financial Resources conduct this survey every two years. All the data acquired by the study has been compiled into an online tool at LifeWay.com/CompensationSurvey. Compensation Adjusting for church size (see Methodology below), the average full-time Southern Baptist senior pastor’s compensation (salary and housing) rose 1 percent between 2012 and 2014. That rate of change was significantly lower than the 3.9 percent inflation rate for the same two-year period, according to figures supplied by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index. According to Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research, “While inflation has remained moderate by historical standards, average salaries … [Read more...]

By Mark Kelly, Baptist Press EDITOR’S NOTE: On World Hunger Sunday, Oct. 12, Southern Baptist congregations will address the hunger crisis across North America and around the world, many by focusing on the theme Hunger Happens Everywhere. Donations received are channeled through Global Hunger Relief, which uses 100 percent of each gift to meet hunger needs. For more information, visit www.globalhungerrelief.com. NASHVILLE (BP) – With World Hunger Sunday (Oct. 12) approaching, churches and other groups who want to engage the global hunger crisis have a variety of free and inexpensive resources available to them. Global Hunger Relief, the new cooperative initiative of Southern Baptist hunger ministries, offers a range of resources on its website, www.globalhungerrelief.com. Visitors will find a range of free promotional resources available – from bulletin inserts and children’s coloring pages to videos and the long-popular soup can labels. Access to art files useful in creating customized promotional items and a GHR display booth also are available. The GHR website also prominently promotes a Hunger Happens Everywhere campaign (www.helpghr.org/now) that helps churches engage hunger needs both globally and locally through the … [Read more...]

ubmitted by philip on Fri, 10/03/2014 - 11:39 … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor Are you willing to be ridiculed for your beliefs? Are you prepared to take a loss in exchange for remaining true to your faith? It seems these questions will one day have to be reckoned with considering that religious intolerance is on the rise in the United States. There really is no dispute that in America some are advocating for religious restraint when it comes to the practice of religion. Private expression is just fine. However, some insist the public expression of religion must be regulated by government. Consider that four years ago the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a California university could force Christian groups to accept non-Christian leaders. In essence, America’s high court said that faith-based organizations, specifically Christian groups, could not enforce faith or belief standards on those who would provide leadership for their organizations. In light of the SCOTUS ruling, the California State University System recently required all organizations to adopt an all access policy in order to be officially recognized by the campus on which they operated. InterVarsity, a well-respected Christian organization refused to comply. Leaders with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship announced … [Read more...]

By Jimmy Draper, President Emeritus LifeWay Christian Resources Here is an impossible dream: to think we can change our nation and our world simply by being present without being passionate and evangelistic in our faith and actions. The mere presence of Christian institutions has never been a deterrent to the downfall of nations. In fact, the opposite is true. Consider: Muhammad, the father of Islam, grew up in the sixth century, untouched by the Christian churches that surrounded him. Abdiyal Akbar Abdul-Haqq, author of “Sharing Your Faith with a Muslim,” wrote, “The evangelistic fervor and missionary fire of the church of the earliest centuries began to cool off gradually as she started on a course of increasing secularization.” When the church was confronted with the growing influence of Islam, it believed its presence was enough to make a difference. As Samuel Moffett, professor at Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea, noted: “Faced with a choice between survival and witness, the church chose survival. It turned in upon itself. It ceased to evangelize. It survived, but what survived was no longer a whole church. It was a sick, ingrown community” (quoted at findthepower.net). Communism arose at a time when … [Read more...]

By Ralph Tone, Phoenix-based church partner for LifeWay Christian Resources A lot of us remember the story of Daniel in the lion’s den as a great Sunday School lesson for kids. And it is! But did you know that Daniel was about 80 years old when he was tossed to the lions? Eighty years old. Daniel is not just an example for children. He is also an inspiration for all of us older folks who long to “finish the race” well, as the Apostle Paul would say. Here are three truths from Daniel in the lion’s den that will help us cross the finish line with a strong stride – no matter what our age! First, Daniel the octogenarian glorified God by maintaining a robust prayer life. Why was Daniel thrown to the lions anyway? Because he was a man of prayer. His crime? He refused to pray to the state-sanctioned idol. Instead, he went into his prayer closet and lifted his voice to God. The winds of political correctness never altered his devotion to God. Daniel, the 80-something prophet, made prayer a daily priority. When we were missionaries, we had a prayer supporter named Marge. Marge was an elderly woman who lived in Vermont. She had limited mobility and an unlimited desire to serve the Lord. Marge’s ministry tools consisted of two … [Read more...]

By Susie Hawkins, Author of From One Ministry Wife to Another Social media has radically altered the cultural landscape. As ministry wives, we have an unparalleled opportunity via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. to contribute to the good of our church, family and community. However, as in everything, social media also can cause great harm. It’s wise to step back occasionally and evaluate how we are leveraging our leadership platform through these connections. Here are four things to remember – the “DO”s of social media: n DO #shareyourlife (appropriately, of course). Social media offers a place for us to share our interests, family news, photos and our life in general. These posts enable our church family and community to identify with us and discover who we are. Conversely, it makes us aware of what is happening in the lives of others. n DO #useyourplatform to engage in meaningful conversations. This is one of the primary advantages of social media – a spiritual leader can address current/cultural events immediately and help others process them through a biblical lens. Using social media for purposeful conversations is effective, helpful and contributes to a strong presence online. n DO #thinkstrategically. How can … [Read more...]

By Gary Meyers, Director of Public Relations at NOBTS “So what does this prove?” Someone asked this well-intentioned question about New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s ongoing excavation in Israel of the Gezer water system after I posted an article about it two years ago. The truth is,our major find that season did not “prove” anything in the Bible. Archaeology has done much to shed light on the Bible and sometimes archaeologists uncover evidence that affirms key aspects of the biblical story. The Dead Sea Scrolls provided very early copies of most Old Testament books and gave further evidence to the reliability of Scripture. King David has been attested through inscriptions. And the unearthed ruins of biblical cities illustrate how well biblical writers understood the geography of the land. But more often than not, the finds at sites in Israel are more mundane in nature, primarily dealing with daily life of ancient peoples. This leads some to ask why biblical archaeology is important to Christians. For me, an archaeologist-in-training with only four digs under his belt, the answer is context and a love for Scripture. I think the same can be said for travel in the Bible lands. Archaeology and Bible lands travel create … [Read more...]

By Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Seminary Former President Jimmy Carter, in a recent speech in Grand Rapids, Mich., made two important points – one of which was ridiculous and the other quite correct, but not rightly applied. In the first case, Mr. Carter affirmed gay civil rights and same-sex marriage by saying Jesus Christ never discriminated against anyone. As a Sunday School teacher for most of his adult life, it seems Mr. Carter would know a little more about Jesus than that. Jesus had clear moral standards which he communicated on numerous occasions (like the woman at the well, the greedy young ruler, the woman caught in adultery, the arrogant Pharisees, etc.). Mr. Carter, and those who share his views, reduces Jesus to a sweet non-confrontationist who just loved everyone. Jesus did love everyone, unconditionally, even enough to confront their destructive behavior. So, on this point, Mr. Carter’s biblical interpretations are shaped by current culture – not the other way around. Mr. Carter’s second point is more salient. He advocates for autonomy of local Baptist churches and the necessity of government staying out of their decisions. He is right on that point but he does not finish the thought. Baptist … [Read more...]

By Diana Davis, Author of Fresh Ideas and Deacon's wives What is your priority as you arrive at church on Sunday? Is it to assure your child has two matching shoes? To lead a great small group class? Greet guests? Enjoy Christian friends? Oh, those are all quite important, but our TOP priority must be to truly worship God. How can we do that? Try these six simple tips: 1. Anticipate. Look forward to Sunday’s worship service. Faithfully commit that time to God weekly. Pray for God to bless each person there, and to speak to you personally. Quote Psalm 69:9 NLT, “Zeal for your house consumes me.” 2. Arrive early. No exceptions! You have an important appointment with the King of Kings, so don’t allow anything or anyone to make you even a split-second late. 3. Engage in the worship service. True worship is not routine. It doesn’t involve making a grocery list or checking emails. Intentionally keep your eyes and heart focused on worshipping holy God. It may help to sit near the front. 4. Participate in every part of the worship service, with joy and enthusiasm. For a Christian, worship is no spectator sport! Stand when it’s time to stand. Worship by giving your tithe. Greet during greeting time. During Scripture reading, open … [Read more...]