On Mission magazine

Changing the world one home at a time

2009-07-06T14:28:00.006-04:00

This week more than 300 junior high and high school students, along with their adult leaders, are repairing, painting or roofing 35 homes in the communities of Neptune Township and Freehold, New Jersey, as part of a World Changers project taking place there.

With horns blaring, a parade of vehicles left the Neptune Hill High School parking lot at 7 a.m. After a commissioning prayer led by World Changers speaker Keith Pipes, crews were sent off to worksites scattered throughout Monmouth County.

On Neptune's 8th Avenue, the Knot Heads and the Lumber Rumblers cleared away the tall grass and overgrown shrubs that hid a beautiful century-old home. Joan MacKenzie's family has lived in the faded-blue victorian since 1944. No longer able to make the much-needed repairs to her home, World Changers stepped in and provided free labor.

MacKenzie was excited to receive help from such an unlikely bunch. The two crews are comprised of junior and senior high school students from across the country and across the Atlantic—two students working on the house are from Ireland.

"This is a good group of young people," said MacKenzie. "I'm glad to have them working on my home."

World Changers seeks to provide a dynamic, weeklong missions experience for Christian youth and adults with opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others.

They are here in New Jersey not only to work on people’s houses, but to change people’s lives with the love of Jesus Christ.

Desert Journal: Life at Camp Victory

2009-06-11T08:47:00.006-04:00

By Carol Pipes

BAGHDAD, Iraq— There’s strong and then there’s Army strong. Nowhere is that more evident than on the front lines of war. My experience embedding with the chaplains of the XVIII Airborne Corps solidified my belief that we have the best of the best serving overseas.

After three full days in Baghdad’s International Zone, we made our way by midnight Rhino to Camp Victory. Camp Victory is the primary component of the Victory Base Complex (VBC), which occupies the area surrounding the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). VBC encompasses the former Al Radwaniyah Presidential Complex and contains several man-made lakes, the Ba'ath Party House, the Victory Over Iran and Victory over America Palaces, dozens of smaller mansions for Ba’ath Party officials, and Al Faw Palace, which currently serves as the headquarters for the Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I).

VBC has most of the amenities of a stateside base—electricity, sewage, potable water, Internet, communications. It’s like a small city, complete with its own hospital, fire department, police force, water purification plant and multiple chapels. It even has a coffee shop, Pizza Hut and Burger King.

The sand-colored buildings, once inhabited by Saddam’s family and Ba’ath Party officials, blend in with the landscape. The most notable building is Al Faw Palace, Saddam’s former retreat center and one of 99 palaces built by the former dictator. Al Faw is a curious blend of marble, tile, gold trim and massive chandeliers, all surrounded by a cerulean lake and golden sand.

The half a million square foot palace—62 rooms and 29 baths—was a playground for Saddam’s sons, Uday and Qusay. Standing on one of the private balconies, you can almost imagine them fishing or water skiing on the lake below. (Note: Saddam’s land ‘o lakes was hidden behind a wall encircling the compound. It wasn’t until U.S. liberating forces swept in that Iraqi famers, not 10 yards on the other side of the wall, realized how Saddam had squandered so much water forcing them to eek out an existence from the dry ground.)

Walking up the circular, marble staircase, I feel like an Arabian version of Scarlett O’hara. Tara has nothing on this palace. Or does it? Upon close inspection, not all that glitters is gold. Much of the décor in the palace is fake, including the massive chandelier hanging in the foyer—it’s mostly plastic and gold-painted tin. Saddam’s titanic palaces matched his ego and mimicked his reign—they both lacked substance.

The U.S. military is making good use of the palace. It serves as headquarters for Mulitnational Force Iraq and all operational aspects of Operation Iraqi Freedom. And Saddam’s lake? Well, it provides soldiers with the perfect spot to relax after a hard day’s work. Some hone their fishing skills trying to catch the elusive “Saddam Bass.” While others practice their swing driving golf balls into the expansive lake.

The area has a dusty, pale beauty. Palm tree lined lakes make it easy to forget you’re in a combat zone. But the constant whop, whop, whop of Black Hawk helicopters and the occasional mortar round sent over the wire by the enemy serve as a reminder to our troops of why they’re here.

“Sometimes you can get lulled into a false sense of security,” one soldier told me. “But we’re in a combat zone and the enemy doesn’t sleep. So the Army doesn’t sleep.”

My temporary home was a trailer beside one of Saddam’s man-made lakes. The first few nights on base, I slept lightly, listening for air raid warnings and mortar rounds that never came. I’d been warned about what to do in case the enemy decided to flex their muscles—hit the ground or look for the nearest bunker. Fortunately, I never had to exercise those precautions. Once we hit our battle rhythm, though, I slept hard and sound.

Truth is, it was easy to forget we were in a combat zone, especially being at Victory. It was almost like being at camp, except that these campers carried guns and the food was better. The dining facility served everything from turkey and dressing to surf and turf. I ate a different flavor of hand-dipped ice cream almost every day. (Everyone said I’d come back 10 pounds lighter. No such luck.)

The expansive buffer between us and the Red Zone served as a protective womb. A soldier asked us one day if we’d heard explosions the night before. What? You’re kidding? He wasn’t. The enemy had sent over a couple of mortar rounds in the night. And I’d slept right through it.

At first, I felt like an interloper, camera hanging from my neck, pen and paper always in hand. But all the troops I encountered were friendly and happy to answer my endless barrage of questions. When I offered my thanks for their service and sacrifice, I almost always got the same response: “Just doin’ my job, ma’am. Just doin’ my job.”

We have an amazing group of men and women who have volunteered to leave their families behind for a year or more and selflessly put themselves in harms way. Americans have short attention spans, and as the economy tops the headlines we would do well not to forget that there’s still 140,000 of our sons and daughters in Iraq. And they are doing everything they can every day to make sure those of us back home are safe.

Their work is long and tedious and success is definitely a process. But, for the most part, troops are positive about the progress that is being made in Iraq. Life is returning, somewhat back to normal, whatever that is. Children are going back to school—schools built by U.S. troops. Iraqi soldiers, trained by U.S. soldiers, are taking on more responsibilities. And Iraqis are once again governing themselves.

Every day on base was filled with new experiences and hearing the stories of our Southern Baptist chaplains who are serving God and country. They carry no guns, yet U.S. military chaplains are considered combat multipliers. The Army recognizes its soldiers as spiritual beings, and chaplains provide care for them particularly in places where the spirit gets weary from the fight. But spiritual care goes beyond religion. No matter a soldier’s faith background, the chaplain is chaplain to all.

From counseling the young soldier whose wife just filed for divorce to being a leveling moral presence among troops trained to fight and kill, chaplains play a significant role in the success of combat operations.

Part of the chaplain’s job is to go where the soldiers go to make sure their spiritual needs are being met. Being present with the troops where they work and where they live is essential to serving them and meeting their needs. It’s a chaplain’s duty to strengthen soldiers for another day in the combat zone, to pray for them and bring comfort and hope when faced with death.

The key to being effective, chaplains say, is building relationships. As clergy in a secular institution, chaplains are not allowed to impose their religious views on others. But most would say that proselytizing would hinder developing close relationships with soldiers, and that’s where the real ministry takes place. So, chaplains continue to walk a church-state tightrope, leaving their preaching to the chapel services and allowing the cross on their uniform to speak volumes. There’s power in that tiny stitched cross. It opens doors to conversations with soldiers who need a listening ear. Much of a chaplain’s ministry occurs one-on-one in the chow hall, down at the motor pool, in the gym or standing in line at the PX.

A thick cloud of dust blocks the sun as our small convoy of SUVs bumps along the road to Camp Liberty. It’s a big day for Army Chaplain (Maj.) Mark Frederick and Navy Lt. Comdr. Nicole Battaglia. Their mission: to baptize Lt. Comdr. Battaglia. It’s mid-morning and the temperature is only in the mid-60s. The water in the baptistry is bound to be cold. But that’s not stopping these two. Battaglia knows it’s time to follow up her commitment to Christ by being baptized. Her only regret: “I wish my mom were here to see me do this. She was so excited when I told her.”

For chaplains like Frederick, this is what chaplaincy is all about—bringing God to the soldiers and soldiers to God.

Carol Pipes is editor of On Mission.

God at Work in Iraq

2009-06-09T13:35:00.000-04:00

It was explained to me that Iraq is a country that respects the freedom of worship but not the freedom of religion. In other words, Christians who are non-Muslims are allowed to worship God and meet together. Muslims, however, are prohibited from converting to Christianity.

God has placed Christians and specifically Southern Baptists in some key roles within the military in Iraq. While proselytizing Muslims is strictly prohibited, Christians in the military are demonstrating the love of God in their actions. The fruit of the Spirit that exudes from our chaplains and Christian troops is not lost on the Iraqis.

Only God knows the future of Iraq and its people. His ways are not our ways and His plans rarely fit into a nice, neat little package that we can comprehend. But God has a plan for the people of Iraq, of that I’m sure.

I heard again and again that history is being made in Iraq. “His Story” began in what is now modern-day Iraq and continues there to this day.

Around the IZ

2009-06-02T14:09:00.004-04:00

Once in Baghdad, we spent two days exploring the city within the boundaries of the IZ—now controlled by the Iraqi government. The International Zone (formerly known as the Green Zone) is a heavily guarded diplomatic/government area in central Baghdad. The IZ includes the main palaces of former President Saddam Hussein as well as the new U.S. embassy; the Monument to the Unknown Soldier; the former Baath party headquarters; the Al-Rasheed Hotel; the Convention Center; and a large park including the crossed sabers and Hussein’s famed parade grounds.

Iraq has a terrain of palm trees, incidental water and endless desert. But the citadel on the Tigris is certainly an oasis of sorts with its tree-lined streets and private gardens. Mosques and tall, skinny minarets dot the landscape of the city. Five times a day, residents are called to prayer by wailing music over a loudspeaker.

The IZ is protected by armed checkpoints, coils of razor wire, chain link fences and "T-Walls" (reinforced and blast-proof concrete slabs). Escorted by a couple of good-natured soldiers, we visited some of the pertinent “tourist” spots. When we stopped for photos, we often were met by smiling Iraqi soldiers who were all too willing to have their pictures taken.

The Iraqis are a lovely people with manners both primitive and polished, their language flowery and circuitous. Their actions are guided by traditions of conduct and morality that go back to the beginnings of civilization. With the birth of a new democracy, they have hope for a new life, a new beginning. But don’t expect them to throw off the old traditions and cloak themselves in Western ideals and culture. The Iraqi people have begun an intricate dance that will ultimately lead them to find their own balance between ancient traditions and the modern world.

Our arrival was preceded by the January provincial elections—the equivalent of U.S. state legislature elections. I read in the military paper “Stars and Stripes” that a total of 14,431 candidates, including 3,912 women, competed for 440 provincial council seats in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. The elections took place without major incident, a cause for celebration for the fledgling democracy.

The hovering storm of violence that plagued the country for so many years seems to have dissipated in Baghdad and most of Iraq, and Iraqis have started the reconstruction process. They are now about the business of building a new government, seeking national reconciliation between Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds and Christians and rebuilding their lives. There still are roadside IEDs (improvised explosive device) and car bombs, but for the most part security issues in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq have improved. U.S. forces are downsizing and turning many bases over to the Iraqis. Under the new security agreement, Iraqis now take a leading role in all operations.

“We’re trying to gain their understanding, get them believing in us,” said one U.S. soldier. “That we’re not here as the bad guys, but we are here to try to help them.”

Working with the Iraqi army and police has sometimes proved frustrating for U.S. soldiers. But I heard several soldiers say they’ve seen improvements within recent months. Many are excited to be witnesses to the birth of a new democracy. Added to that excitement is the uncertainty of the future here as troops begin to leave Iraq to fight the war on another front.

Desert Journal: Journey into Baghdad

2009-02-24T09:02:00.009-05:00

By Carol Pipes

BAGHDAD, Iraq—Four weeks ago, I boarded a plane for a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the land of desert sheiks, Aladdin's lamp and Ali Baba. A land where the desert sands hold the history of its ancient people. A land so ancient it is considered the cradle of civilization. The birthplace of Abraham. The land where Nebuchadnezzar held Israel captive. I was headed to Iraq. My mission: to embed with Southern Baptist chaplains serving in the U.S. military.

On the way to Baghdad, my co-worker and videographer, Tim Kwiat, and I overnighted at a military Life Support Area (LSA) in an undisclosed location in the Middle East. This was my first trip to the Middle East, and I marveled at the barren land surrounding the military base. Beyond the metal fence and concertina wire, laid the desert—stretches of sand for miles, with dust clouds whirling over it.

Looking out over the landscape, I imagined Bedouin tribes traveling by caravan on their desert ships. While the sand and dust soon became a nuisance, I tried to remind myself that the dust I was shaking off my pants was possibly the same sand tread upon by Abraham, Ezra or Daniel.

The LSA consists of scores of brown tents housing the 3,000 to 5,000 military personnel and contractors who pass through on their way in and out of the Middle East Theater. Fortunately for us, we spent only one night there; other are not so lucky. I met soldiers and civilians who'd been there for days with no hope yet of a flight out of this dreary tent city.

From the LSA we traveled to Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) by way of a C-130 with a plane full of soldiers. We arri

ved before dawn and were met by an officer barking orders at us to get in formation. Formation? What kind of formation? I thought to myself as I struggled to sweep the cobwebs of sleep deprivation from my head. The soldiers formed a series of straight lines. I jumped into one of the lines, thankful that the years of marching band had paid off. We received instructions on how to claim our bags and where to find chow.

After retrieving our bags, we set out to find a ride into the International Zone (IZ). The quickest way to get there is by helicopter, but a dust storm had swept in from the west and all flights had been cancelled. Our only option was to take the midnight Rhino run. It seems the military prefers to move people under the cloak of darkness.

If you don't have a helicopter at your disposal in Baghdad, there's only one safe option and that's to travel in one of the heavily armored Rhino Runner buses. It looks like a

boxy RV, but the Rhino Runner is the toughest bus on the planet.

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle led our Rhino convoy. The MRAP makes a Humvee look like a Mini Cooper. We traveled the famous "Route Irish," the name for the 7.5 mile road between the secure International Zone in Baghdad and BIAP. This stretch of highway was once one of the most dangerous roads in Iraq. I'd read about the white-knuckled rides and looming dangers of suicide bombers, ambushes and booby-trapped litter. Today, the road is probably one of the safest in Iraq, with U.S. and Iraqi military checkpoints along the way. But the U.S. military still takes precautions when transporting people on this road.

The security personnel gave us instructions about what to do in case we were ambushed or hit an IED and where to find the medic kits. Hearing the warnings, I was thankful for the helmet and Kevlar vest I'd lugged all the way from Atlanta. And even more thankful to be traveling with highly trained soldiers.

Within 30 minutes we were safely inside the International Zone. A kind soldier from the coalition press office picked us up and took us to what would be our home for the next few days.

Carol Pipes is editor of On Mission.

Baghdad Bad Boys

2009-02-17T05:00:00.012-05:00

By Carol Pipes

BAGHDAD (Iraq)--The sound of a banjo tuning bounces out the door of the coffee house at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq. Before you know it, the familiar tune of "Rocky Top" fills the air.

Every Sunday morning soldiers, airmen and marines make their way to Green Beans Cafe for a cup of joe and a chance to escape the chaos of living in a combat zone.

A little more than a year ago, a chaplain and a Southern Baptist deacon formed the Baghdad Bad Boys. Chaplain Jeff Houston and LTC Greg Rawlings, both with the 18th Airborne out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, discovered a mutual love for bluegrass and decided to start a band. One-by-one they added instruments - first a banjo, then a mandolin, next a fiddle and finally a harmonica.

They started playing on Sunday mornings for the Protestant worship service at Hope Chapel on Victory Base Complex. The next thing they knew they were invited to entertain patrons of Green Beans Cafe, the military's version of Starbucks. Every Sunday after church, they entertain the troops as they sip their lattes and cappuccinos with bluegrass standards - "Rocky Top," "Seven Bridges Road" and "Salty Dog Blues."

For a couple of hours each week, the band and those around them are transported out of the desert to a simpler time and place. Sitting in the coffee shop, you'd never know that 800 meters away lies a combat zone where the enemy reminds the troops of their presence with the occasional mortar round.

"This is our therapy," said Rawlings, only half joking. "The object is to knock the dust off our boots and go back to North Carolina for a couple of hours."

Said Houston: "We have a great time of fellowship. The few hours that we play together helps us get through the week."

The group has changed over the past year as individual deployments ended and new ones began. New players are always welcome. Like most country or bluegrass musicians, the group's dream is to one day play at the Grand Ole Opry.

It might not be the Opry, but the audience at Camp Victory couldn't be more appreciative of their performance.

The Baghdad Bad Boys wind down their set with a rousing version of "Rocky Top."Folks join in on the chorus whether they are from Tennessee or not, each thinking of a place back home.

Carol Pipes is editor of On Mission.

Desert Journal: Day 2

2009-02-13T12:26:00.007-05:00

By Carol Pipes

SOUTHWEST ASIA--Chaplain (CPT) Dallas Little has a 24/7 ministry. Little serves at an airbase in an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. He described it as a giant Greyhound bus station but with airplanes. Every day 3,000 to 5,000 troops pass by his office on their way in or out of the Middle East theater.

Little's focus is to provide a ministry of hospitality. "We provide a safe, comfortable place for travelers as they wait for transport," said Little. The chaplain's office is no more than a couple of cubicles, but they managed to create an inviting atmosphere. Visitors to this small oasis are greeted with hot coffee and, if they're lucky, Krispy Kreme donuts. "We probably go through 25-30 pots of coffee a day."

Little sees a lot of soldiers on their way back from R and R. For some the trip home brings more trouble than rest. "They've been in combat, then they go home and manifest signs of post-traumatic stress," Little said. "This often leads to trouble with the spouse. By the time they get back here, some wish they'd never gone home."

Little sees a lot of soldiers and marines who suffer from combat stress and PTS. His job is to provide a listening ear. "It's my privilege and my burden to keep anything they say to myself," said Little. "People come to us, because they know it's safe to come to us."

Last year, an estimated 20.2 suicides occurred per 100,000 soldiers, the highest since the Army began tracking the figure in 1980. The figure is just slightly higher than the national suicide rate. 2008 marked the fourth consecutive year that suicides have increase, according to the Army's 2008 Suicide Data report released in January.

"Last year the military had more deaths due to suicide than combat," said Little. "These guys are eye-to-eye with death. We try to help them deal with what they've seen and experienced."

It's an intense ministry, but Little is grateful to God for the opportunity.

Desert Journal: Day 1

2009-02-05T16:50:00.008-05:00

By Carol Pipes

KUWAIT CITY, (Kuwait)--Instant camaraderie develops between strangers when traveling to the Middle East. As I sat at the gate waiting for my flight to Kuwait City, I noticed the nods and smiles exchanged between fellow passengers. "Where you headed?" could be heard throughout the waiting area. "Baghdad." "Fallujah." "Kabul." came the replies.

I was among a handful of civilians on the flight to Kuwait. The majority of passengers were soldiers, marines and airmen headed back to the front lines to rejoin their units and platoons after much-needed R and R.

The two young soldiers sitting near me at the gate had only been home for a few days of emergency leave. Even the Army knows it's important to mourn the loss of a loved one.

I offered my condolences for each of their losses. Dave's* mother had lost her battle with cancer. Jim had lost a child and fiancee in a car accident. A death in the family is especially hard when one is thousands of miles from home.

They both quickly changed the subject, preferring to focus on the mission at hand—getting back to their respective units. We chatted about our destinations.

They were quite interested when I told them I was headed to Camp Victory in Baghdad to embed with the 18th Airborne. "I'm reporting on the work of military chaplains deployed overseas," I told them.

"Our chaplain's great," Dave said. "Every Friday he bakes bread for us and always has hot coffee. He's a good guy."

It's the small comforts that make a big difference when you're 7,000 miles from home.

They were kind enough to brief me on life in the Army and what I could expect living at an FOB (Forward Operating Base) for two and a half weeks.

My conversation with these two soldiers only solidified my reasoning for the importance of my assignment. Life in the military is hard. Many soldiers suffer from combat stress. Add to that the stress of trying to hold a family together with only the occasional phone call or email. Divorce rates among soldiers and marines are significantly high. Military chaplains have the privilege and burden to minister to these highly-trained and hard-working warriors. But how does one minister in a combat zone? That's the question I hope to have answered during my time in Iraq.

As I boarded my flight, I offered up a quick prayer for my new friends. "God, protect them and comfort them."

Carol Pipes is editor of On Mission and on assignment in the Middle East.

Names have been changed for security reasons.

Church takes on The Acts 1:8 Challenge

2008-12-04T18:02:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year, Lewisville Baptist Church in Lewisville, North Carolina, accepted The Acts 1:8 Challenge. Pastor Les Puryear has been blogging about their experience since October. Recently he posted a list of 15 ways The Acts 1:8 Challenge is already affecting their church. You can read that blog post and follow the church's path as they learn to become missional in their community.

GPS: God's Plan for Sharing

2008-06-13T18:36:00.002-04:00

The North American Mission Board unveiled an ambitious National Evangelism Initiative at the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention. Named God's Plan for Sharing, the goal is every believer sharing the Gospel and every person hearing by 2020. GPS is designed to provide the tools and perspective for fulfilling the Great Commission in North America. GPS is being launched in four languages—English, Korean, Chinese and Spanish. The initiative concentrates on four biblical markers: praying, engaging, sowing and harvesting.

To learn more about GPS, click here.

New SBC President

2008-06-10T16:56:00.000-04:00

This just in. Johnny Hunt was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Hunt is pastor of Woodstock Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia.

Bucca di Missional

2008-06-10T10:22:00.009-04:00

By Adam Miller

Over family style plates of spaghetti, linguini, and bottles of Pelligreno a hundred or so pastors chatted up the idea of crossing linguistic, cultural and other barriers that might otherwise prevent a church from reaching its community for Christ.

Blocks away from the sterile ballrooms and conference tables of the Indianapolis Conference center, attendees of the 2008 Missional Network Dinner and Panel Discussion were squeezed into a back room at Bucca di Beppo where rubbing elbows and brushing against Roman decor seemed to remind one of what it means to be missional--engaging culture and engaging people.

Exploring the challenges and practicalities of a missional community, pastors Kerry Shook, Brian Bloye, Daniel Floyd, and Shawn Lovejoy offered a brief view into the worlds of churches successfully reaching their communities.

Dinner with a Hero

2008-06-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

By Carol Pipes

I had dinner with one of my heroes last night. He's probably not on your list of who's who in the Southern Baptist Convention, but in my eyes he's a hero.

I first met Steve Fowler when he was planting a church in Houghton Lake, Michigan. As a young teen, this was my first encounter with a real life church planter. I remember thinking that Steve and his wife were totally cool. Here was an amazing couple who'd given their lives to God and moved to this small town to start a church from scratch. That made a huge impression on my young life. Of course, Steve was just following in the footsteps of his father Carrol Fowler—another Southern Baptist hero.

My church, First Baptist Church, Tullahoma, Tennessee, had a partnership with one of the Baptist associations in Michigan. For more than a decade volunteers from our church made trips to northern Michigan to help support new churches and strengthen existing ones. It was on one of those trips that I learned how to put hands and feet to my faith. I also witnessed the results of cooperative missions. And for the first time my eyes were opened to the mission field right here in North America.

I haven't seen Steve since 1989. So imagine my surprise when he and I were seated across from each other at a dinner sponsored by the Missional Network at the North American Mission Board. We were up to our elbows in lasagna when I finally realized who he was. Wow! It's not very often that you get to tell someone how their ministry and missional lifestyle impacted your own life. I'm sure it's no coincidence that we were at the same table last night in a room full of church planters. So I took the opportunity to tell Steve, who now heads the church planting team in Montana, how those trips to Michigan and working with him had given me a passion for missions and church planting.

So thanks Steve and to all the other pioneer church planters in northern Michigan and across North America. You are my heroes.

“Seize divine moments” NAMB’s Hammond challenges

2008-06-09T14:12:00.000-04:00

By Adam Miller

The rains Saturday brought a flood of ready metaphors to Southern Baptists—plenty commenting they’d “prayed for a downpour…but not literally.” Today North American Mission Board president Geoff Hammond reminded members of Calvary Baptist Church in Greenwood, Indiana, that seizing divine moments to help neighbors in need could bring that more spiritual deluge churches had anticipated.
This bright sky Sunday following Saturday’s dreary and drenched Crossover with some frustrating cancellations, Hammond set an encouraging tone and provided a challenge.
“The rain yesterday did not surprise God,” said Hammond.
Nor did the outrageous odds Jonathan faced in 1 Samuel 14 when he decided to head into battle with no more than a sword and an armor bearer, Hammond said, connecting the mission of reaching North America with the Old Testament narrative.
“Leaders know it’s about who is with you, not how many,” Hammond said. “It’s not about the who you can see. It’s about the Who you can’t see. God works through the supernatural. God is fighting for us today.”
With North America’s consistent move toward secularism and a growing number of unchurched, the odds for evangelizing the lost would be harrowing. But balking in fear, as Saul did as he tended his trepidation under the Pomegranate tree, costs the timid a chance at a miracle.
“He missed out on it,” Hammond said. “Under the pomegranate tree is a dangerous place to be.”
As Southern Baptists move into several days of celebrating God’s activity through missions, evangelism and the work of the church through the world, Hammond placed a rainy Crossover in its perspective.
“As you go home today, consider the neighbors who’s flooded yards might offer an opportunity to reach out,” he said. “You can live like a missionary right here. Seconds are ticking. We must live with urgency and seize our divine moments. You have one right now.”

Record rains can't keep this church from its Crossover '08

2008-06-07T23:53:00.000-04:00

By Mike Ebert

Each year before the Southern Baptist Convention, local churches and volunteers from throughout North America arrive early to reach out to the host city with the love of Christ. This year in Indianapolis was no different with plans for car washes, car shows, music events, block parties and much more to take place in communities throughout Greater Indianapolis.

But when we woke up this morning, it was clear that things would not go exactly as planned. Middle Indiana was hit with a 10-inch downpour which flooded rivers and streams and stranded hundreds of residents in their homes. At least two major interstates and dozens of local roads were closed due to flooding.

Needless to say, many Crossover events were cancelled. But about 17 miles west of Indianapolis, Hope Community Church in Brownsburg, carried on with a block party attended by 250 people from surrounding neighborhoods. When the torrential rains hit Saturday morning, members moved the event indoors and made the best of the situation.

"I was up praying at 6 o'clock this morning hoping the Lord would change His mind about this, but He didn't, and we said rain or shine we are committed to this event," said Jim Bohrer, Hope Community's pastor. "We advertised it, we told people we were going to do it, and we were going to keep our word whether or not it was convenient."

At least 90 people who are not regular attenders showed up for the event and at least five indicated they prayed to receive Christ. Volunteers from Michigan helped train local church members for the event, and a team of college students from Tennessee was on hand to help. When flooding cancelled other Crossover events, volunteers from North Carolina diverted to Hope Community to add their evangelistic efforts as well.

"We had some people who had done it for awhile show us the ropes so we didn't get stuck or confused or miss a beat. We were able to see this run smoothly, even with the rain because of the assistance we were given from other Southern Baptist brothers and sisters in Christ," pastor Bohrer said.

Frank Page, president of the SBC, dropped in on the block party after spending two hours sharing Christ door-to-door in the rain earlier in the day. He said Crossover is still a very important part of the annual convention.

"I know they are important because they combine the energies of the local people with visitors such as myself in a beautiful partnership and then the Gospel is shared far more than it normally would be. So it's very important and I believe it's just a great practical way to express the Great Commission."

Page said it's important to start each year's convention with Crossover "Because it shows what our priority is—winning people to Christ."

Steve Davis, executive director of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, said he takes encouragement in the fact that the impact of Crossover will last far beyond a weekend event.

"We're doing some other things connected with these events so it's not just an event but a process," Davis says. "It's the beginning of helping us plant nine new churches in the Indianapolis area. And every event is connected to a local church. So we're going to have much better follow up and we should see a much better result coming from this in terms of baptisms and strengthening church membership."

Davis said this weekend's evangelistic emphasis also is a healthy reminder for the state's evangelistic believers.

"Eighty percent of the people in Indiana do not attend any Christian church on any given Sunday," Davis said. "One of the things we're trying to do is remind Christians that Indiana is a mission field."

More than Bricks and Mortar

2008-06-07T22:53:00.000-04:00

By Carol Pipes

In the shadows of Indianapolis's city center lies Eastside Community Baptist Church. This small church has a big heart and it shows.

Cheryl Lewis, wife of pastor Terry Lewis, loves to tell the story of how God placed them in the heart of Indy. They started the church in their living room three years ago. A year later they found an old brick church on Indy's Eastside. "The building was in bad shape," said Cheryl. "The basement had been flooded years before and had begun to mold. The upstairs sanctuary needed a lot of work as well." Thanks to volunteers with Campers On Mission, the Lewis's were able to move into the refurbished building. Surprised that God was moving them so close to downtown, they soon realized it was exactly where He wanted them. Terry and Cheryl have continued what they started with the church by buying and refurbishing homes in the neighborhood. The homes are then provided as transitional housing for families living on the streets. "It's hard for homeless families—consisting of mom, dad and kids—to find shelter. We're helping to provide that."

Today, the church is more than just bricks and mortar. They've become a beacon to the community surrounding them. And today that light was magnified. Eastside church hosted a block party for friends and neighbors in the community—one of 26 block parties held in conjunction with Crossover '08.

"A block party is a great way to serve the community," said Jimmy Kinnaird, coordinator for Crossover. "It attracts people of all ages and allows the church to show the community that they care."

Volunteers from Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia and Kansas were on hand to help Eastside with this large event. A group from Hull's Grove Baptist Church in North Carolina brought anvils and hundreds of horseshoes to hand out at the block party. Every person that passed by received a personalized horseshoe with John 3:16 imprinted on the shoe as well as a printed plan of salvation. Marcus Redding, pastor of Hull's Grove Church sat and shared the gospel as he stamped the name into the iron shoe. "We have a captive audience while they wait on their horseshoe," said Marcus. "It's a great way to start a conversation about Jesus."

They started their horseshoe stamping ministry two and half years ago. Since then, they've stamped more than 12,000 shoes.

But horseshoes weren't the only means of gospel sharing. Artists painted pictures portraying the separation between God and man and Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Others mingled through the crowd talking about the life change that occurs when Christ enters one's heart.

Of course, next week the real work begins, according to Jimmy Kinnaird. The most important part of an event like this is the follow up. But the Lewises and their church family are ready to disciple those who made decisions to follow Christ today and continue to build relationships with those who are still seeking.

COSBE “Hall of Faith” Induction Dinner

2008-06-07T08:38:00.001-04:00

By Mickey Noah

For four hours last night, thunder and lightening flashed outside the huge windows at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Union Station ballroom on Illinois Street in downtown Indianapolis. A tornado watch had been issued outside and the skies turned yellow. But inside, no one cared. Some 200 Southern Baptists were enjoying the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists' inaugural "Hall of Faith" induction ceremony banquet.

After a welcome by Dr. Jerry Pipes of NAMB, a brief performance by the ventriloquist team of "Geraldine and Ricky," some praise and worship music, Dr. Johnny Hunt, COSBE advisor and senior pastor of FBC, Woodstock, Ga., charged up the audience with some of his own God-inspired thunder and lightning.

After Dr. Hunt's challenge to COSBE to keep on preaching the Gospel, COSBE president Brian Fossett presented crystal trophies to 29 living and deceased preachers—some of the SBC's greatest evangelists and revivalists.

The evangelists honored included Billy Graham and three other members of his team: Cliff Barrows, George "Bev" Shea and the deceased T.W. Wilson. Honored posthumously were evangelists Walter K. Ayers, Manley Beasley, E.J. Daniels, Ron Dunn, Mike Gilchrist, Vance Havner, Jesse Hendley, Rudy Hernandez, Eddie Martin, Angel Martinez and J. Harold Smith.

Living evangelists honored and inducted into COSBE's "Hall of Faith" included Wayne Bristow, Sam Cathey, Clyde Chiles, Freddie Gage, Junior Hill, Homer Martinez, Bailey Smith, Jerry Spencer, Bill Stafford, Jay Strack and Don Womack.

But it was 78-year-old Bette Stalnecker-Gibson, inducted for her long career as an evangelistic soloist, who brought the house down—earning the only standing ovation of the night with her rendition of "His Eye is On the Sparrow."

Shalom

2008-06-06T22:13:00.000-04:00

Tonight I worshiped with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ—members of the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship. It was a wonderful way to begin my time at the annual Southern Baptist Convention being held in Indianapolis. They are a warm and welcoming group, and they have a passion for seeing nonbelievers come to Yeshua.

The Shabbat service was a beautiful blend of Hebrew and English. With a theme of encouragement and strengthening of the saints, Rabbi Ric Worshill exhorted his audience to go out and make disciples.

The SBMF is working with the North American Mission Board and LifeWay to produce evangelism training tools to help teach believers how to share the gospel with non-believing Jews.

Carol Pipes, editor

Summer Issue of On Mission magazine

2008-05-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

The Summer 2008 issue of On Mission will be on your doorstep in just a matter of days. In this 10th anniversary edition, you'll read how God has placed each of us uniquely where we are for the purpose of growing His Kingdom. Our cover story, "God's Plan for Sharing," introduces NAMB's National Evangelism Initiative designed to provide the tools and perspective for fulfilling the Great Commission in North America by 2020.

We'll also fly you to the frozen tundra of Alaska, home to expansive and unforgiving terrain and to a spiritually lost population. It's also home to collegiate missionary Brenda Crim, who is leading students to Christ at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

In "Facing the Race of Your Life," we'll introduce you to the high-octane intensity and near-religious following of NASCAR. And to a group of Christians who love NASCAR but love the unchurched even more.

These stories and more can be found in the upcoming issue of On Mission.

We're going to SBC

2008-05-05T13:14:00.000-04:00

On Mission magazine will take you behind the scenes and into the lives of attendees at the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention. Join us as we tell the story behind the stories of Southern Baptist leaders and missionaries and of the amazing ministries going on in Indianapolis. Stay tuned June 6-11.