Posted: 9/07/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for September 17

Trust in a God who cares for you deeply

• Psalms 23:1-6; 27:1-6

By David Wilkinson

Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth

If familiarity breeds contempt, then Psalm 23 might have been excised from the canon long ago. Instead, perhaps the most familiar and beloved of all Christian Scriptures continues to offer comfort and assurance to generation after generation of readers.

Amazingly, this brief passage still resonates with readers today, despite the enormous chasm between our modern, technology-driven urban culture and the poet’s pastoral images based in ancient Near Eastern culture. Though we are far removed from the ways of Hebrew shepherds, the psalmist’s imagery manages to connect at the deepest emotional and spiritual levels, just as it has done for century after century.

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Whatever the era, culture or circumstance, Psalm 23 speaks to humanity’s deepest fears, longings and hopes, offering comfort to the troubled soul of any age. For that reason, this cherished psalm continues to be read or recited at countless funerals and sick beds.

Surrounded by such familiarity, the challenge is to see this poetic passage with new eyes and to open our minds and hearts to reconnect with its spiritual power.

Psalm 23

The opening sentence of Psalm 23—“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”—provides the guiding metaphor that extends through the entire psalm. The image of the shepherd, of course, would have been immediately familiar to the Hebrew people and to the early Christians. The language of “green pastures,” “still waters,” “right paths,” “darkest valley” and “rod and staff” would have needed no explanation or amplification for generations of people who remained intimately familiar with the ways of the shepherd.

The shepherd’s vocation rested on a two-fold responsibility—providing for and protecting the flock entrusted to his care. These twin themes are woven throughout the psalm. The shepherd guides his flock to the safety and sustenance provided by “green pastures,” “still waters” and “right paths.”

The shepherd also leads his flock through dangers, offering not only his comforting presence but also the protection provided by the “rod and staff.” These tools of the trade—the rod and the shepherd’s crook—were used to prod a wayward sheep toward the right path, to lift a lamb to safety on a rocky ledge or to ward off predators.

Although some scholars suggest a switch in metaphors at verse 5, moving from the good shepherd to the gracious host, the weight of the evidence favors a continuation of the shepherd image, which is consistent with the role of the shepherd in ancient Near Eastern culture.

I have had the wonderful privilege of sitting in the afternoon shade beneath a Bedouin shepherd’s tent. For the Bedouin, such an experience represents more than a temporary respite from the oppressive heat in a parched and rocky land. It is more than protection from the dangers of the sun, animals or thieves. It is a gesture of hospitality extended not only to friends but to strangers.

Bedouin hospitality goes beyond mere protection, whether real or symbolic. It also means provision for the guest, including food—“you prepare a table before me” (v. 5)—and other gestures of graciousness and good will, such as anointing a guest’s head with perfumed oil (v. 5). Furthermore, as suggested by the phrase “my cup overflows” (v. 5), such hospitality extends to the generosity of spreading a feast at the feet of the guest who sits under the host’s tent.

This is the shepherd—the Good Shepherd—in whom the psalmist trusts, a God who not only provides and protects God’s people but who also welcomes them with graciousness and generosity. Yet there is another dimension to the Old Testament image of the shepherd often overlooked, for “the notion of being shepherd of persons opens up a background of tradition that is far broader than animal husbandry,” as James Mays states in his commentary on Psalms.

Mays also points out: “In the ancient Near East, the role and title of shepherd were used for leaders as a designation of their relation to the people in their charge. As a title, ‘shepherd’ came to have specific royal connotation. God and kings were called the shepherd of their people. … In narrative, song and prophecy, the Lord is called the shepherd of Israel, his flock.”

To say “The Lord is my shepherd” invokes all the richness of this theological and political background as well as the pastoral, Mays says.

Thus, the image of the shepherd not only is associated with the actions and responsibilities of actual shepherds, but also is “informed by what the Lord has done and what kings were supposed to do.”

It also should be noted that although use of the shepherd as an image of God as leader and ruler was a familiar concept in ancient Israel, its use in a first-person declaration of faith is unparalleled. Indeed, “it is the focus of the shepherd’s care on one person that gives the psalm such intimate force,” Mays continues.

Jesus, of course, added to the richness of the shepherd metaphor by adopting it to communicate his own identity and mission in the world (John 10:11). For Christians, this association with Jesus as the Good Shepherd further extends and deepens the connection with the psalmist’s language of faith and trust.

Psalm 27

This psalm, placed only a few pages from Psalm 23, also can be characterized as a psalm of trust, although the second half (vv. 7-14) invokes language traditionally associated with the lament.

Like Psalm 23, this psalm makes poetic use of metaphor in its opening sentence through the images of light, salvation and fortress. And, as in Psalm 23, the writer expresses utmost confidence in God’s protection—a blessing so real and complete that one could live without fear (vv. 1, 3, 5) in a world in which there was much to fear.

Like Psalm 23, this psalm repeatedly employs the first person pronoun in its declaration of faith: “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) and “The Lord is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1), and so forth. This language is striking. It speaks to the intimacy of the psalmist’s relationship with God, affirming the promise that the creation can enjoy a personal relationship with the Creator, a grace beyond comprehension.

On the other hand, the significance of the use of the first person should not be overextended in the sense of our modern, Western notion of the individual—a concept completely foreign to the ancient Hebrews and to the writers of the Psalms. The place of the individual is never understood apart from the larger context of the covenant community.

Like Psalm 23, this psalm expresses trust in God’s provision and protection from his enemies, utilizing images of “light” (v. 1), “shelter” (v. 5), and “tent” (v. 5).

Discussion questions

• Most of us have little real understanding of the life of the ancient Near Eastern or Middle Eastern shepherd, and whatever notions we do have often are romanticized. So, why does this image of God as shepherd continue to resonate with us?

• Can you describe an occasion when Psalm 23 spoke to you in a meaningful way?

• What are the qualities of light that make it a compelling metaphor for God (27:1)?

Posted: 9/07/06

Bible Studies for Life Series for September 17

Responding to the agony of defeat

• Joshua 7:6-7,10-13,16-21,24-26

By Kenneth Lyle

Logsdon School of Theology, Abilene

For most Christians, recollection of spiritual failure comes too often and too quickly. Unlike last week’s lesson, where the account of God’s victory at the crossing of the Jordan River provides opportunity for an appropriate response by God’s people, the narrative in Joshua 7 recounts the circumstances surrounding the people’s defeat at the city of Ai. How do God’s people respond appropriately to spiritual defeat? How do leaders appropriately lead during times of apparent spiritual failure?

The context and progression of the story of Israel’s defeat at Ai provides essential narrative detail and raises some difficult questions.

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The story begins with a cryptic revelation about Achan’s theft of some of the “devoted things” (Joshua 7:1). Prior to the final victory over the city of Jericho, God commanded, “The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord” (6:17). Joshua, unaware of Achan’s violation of the Lord’s command, bolstered by the overwhelming victory over Jericho, sends spies to assess the situation at Ai.

Hearing the spies’ report, Joshua, confident of victory, sends out a relatively small detachment of soldiers that suffers a horrible defeat (7:2-5). Joshua, filled with confusion and grief, comes before the Lord. God reveals to Joshua, “Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant … they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions” (v. 11).

Joshua then implements God’s instruction to examine each tribe, clan by clan, as they present themselves. In turn, Achan and his family come before Joshua. Achan reveals his sin, and he and his family suffer the horrible consequences (vv. 14-26). Purged of the offender, Joshua and Israel, encouraged by the Lord, attack and defeat Ai (Joshua 8).

The story raises interesting questions. What special status did the items stolen by Achan hold? If God knows the offense, why the dramatic requirement of having all the people come before Joshua? Why in this case does theft require capital punishment? Perhaps the most disturbing question raised by the story surrounds the apparent corporate punishment of an individual sin. Why does Achan’s family suffer the same horrible punishment as Achan? Finally, how does Joshua function as leader in this situation?

The narrative gives a full accounting of the items stolen by Achan: a robe, some shekels, and a wedge of gold (v. 21). The punishment for his crime seems to outweigh its severity.

In The Nine Commandments, David Noel Freedman reminds us punishment here come from the Hebrew word karet, which literally means, “to cut off.” Freedman describes karet as the “apex of penalties” reserved for the worst offenders. Why such a severe punishment meted out for simple theft? Freedman points out, “Achan’s punishment is the only instance in the Hebrew Bible of an Israelite’s being put to death for stealing, and it is the only case of stealing from the herem, what is dedicated to God.”

The items taken by Achan had a certain intrinsic value, but more importantly, they are “devoted” to God. Again Freeman: “Achan’s crime is the quintessential example of theft—theft from God.”

It should be evident from the narrative that sin does not occur in a vacuum. Achan acted independently, but all Israel suffered consequences.

Imagine the last thoughts of those who died at Ai. Picture the scene as all of Israel confronts the possibility that one among them had violated God’s command. Put yourself in the place of Achan’s wife, daughters, sons and household as they faced the ultimate punishment for sin.

While the circumstance surrounding the crime and punishment of Achan raise difficult and disturbing questions, the narrative makes the essential point that sin produces consequences that resound beyond the life of the guilty party. Our own experience confirms for us that the consequences of sin almost always involve other people. The assertion “What I do is my own business” may make us feel better, but it does not reflect reality.

Scripture presents the strong and persistent truth that we live in a fallen world where sin and death hold sway. Equally true, however, Scripture presents the truth that for the Christian, God has won the victory over sin and death. Because of what God has done in Jesus, no longer is death a necessary consequence for sin.

Finally, Joshua’s handling of the situation at Ai provides insight into how we might handle spiritual failure. Initially, Joshua erroneously blames God for the defeat at Ai, but he at least feels free to come before God to complain. As leader, Joshua does not turn away from God; rather, he falls before, speaks to and hears from God.

Joshua’s actions are instructive. When spiritual failure comes, we have access to God. We can question or even complain. However, like Joshua, we must not end the conversation prematurely. We must listen to God and respond to the call to examine and consecrate our lives. We must confront sin, moving toward confession, repentance and reconciliation.

The “apex of punishments” for sin no longer faces those who are in Christ (Romans 6:23), but we must acknowledge that sin left unchallenged or unquestioned leads to spiritual failure with consequences reaching beyond the individual involved. Likewise, confession, repentance and reconciliation result in healing and wholeness not just for the individual involved, but for the body of Christ.

Discussion questions

• How do you respond to spiritual failure?

• Has the role of repentance been lost in modern culture? Is it symptomatic of a people who refuse to take responsibility for their actions? How can this be turned around?

Posted: 9/07/06

Explore the Bible Series for September 17

Listen to God’s word and remain true

• Hebrews 3:1-15

By Howard Anderson

Diversified Spiritual Associates, San Antonio

Good works cannot generate salvation, but they are subsequent and consequential God-empowered fruits and evidences of it. Our salvation is a byproduct of grace and faith. We are required to believe for salvation, and faith is part of the gift of God that saves and cannot be exercised by one’s own power. Timely obedience is one of the great dynamics of Christian discipleship.

Faithfulness of Jesus and Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6)

We are holy, not through self-purification, but through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We share in a heavenly call that cannot be realized in our earthly circumstances, but in the glory of God’s will for our life. We are reminded to consider Jesus, who is both Apostle and High Priest. As Apostle, he represents the interest of God—salvation. As High Priest, he mediates between God and humankind, bringing God’s will to humanity and interceding for humanity in the divine presence.

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Our confession is the praise of God. It is the Christian’s recognition that their proper attitude toward God is adoration and praise. The Christian confessions of faith are that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 4:15) and the Christ (John 9:22); therefore, Jesus Christ is the center of our confession of faith in the gospel.

The house of Moses means the nation of Israel, and the house of Christ refers to the church (Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 2:12; 3:6). Both Moses and Christ faithfully fulfilled their individual divine appointments to care for the people of God. Moses was only a part of God’s household of faith, but Jesus was the architect of that household (Eph. 2:19-22), and is greater than Moses and equal to God.

Moses was faithful in his role as servant and was a testimony to that which was to come in Christ (John 5:46). Ministers, deacons and lay leadership would do well to adopt the servant position in the church. Servant to all implies a position of dignity and freedom.

If we hold fast, perseverance in faithfulness is proof of real faith. Members who allow any and everything to interfere with their salvation by withdrawing from the fellowship when difficulty arises confirm they never were truly part of God’s household (1 John 2:19). Our challenge is to abide in Jesus Christ and display the evidence of genuine membership in the household of faith. Hope rests in Jesus Christ for our salvation (Rom. 5:1,2) and ultimately eternal life (John 14:1-3).

Unfaithfulness of Moses’ generation (Hebrews 3:7-11)

The writer of Hebrews cites Psalm 95:7-11 as the words of its ultimate author, the Holy Spirit. This passage describes the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings after their delivery from Egypt. Despite God’s miraculous works and his gracious, providential faithfulness to them, the people still failed to commit themselves to him in faith (Numbers 14:22-23).

The invitation is for God’s people to come into his presence to worship. It reminds us God is the creator of all things, and all creation lives by his bounty. He is our God and we are his people—the sheep of his pasture.

The evidences of God’s goodness and care surrounded Israel in the wilderness, and yet many of the people missed the encounter with God. Often in our own wilderness situations, we miss the blessings of God and crumble under the pressure.

Their problem was not the disgusting carnal appetites but hardness of heart. They were victims of selfishness. They had too many things on their minds to observe the presence of God among them. Because of rebellion against God, an entire generation of the children of Israel was prohibited from entering into that rest in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:65).

Faithfulness required for Christians (Hebrews 3:12-15)

The essence of sin is idolatry—the refusal to worship the true God. We mistakenly adapt an attitude that as long as we avoid the striking sins and crimes, we consider ourselves sound. There is no distinction about sin; therefore, it cannot be measured by severity. Sin is evil and separates you from the love of God. You are gifted, and you sin when you hide your gift under a bushel (Ephesians 4:7). Christians must remain cognizant that they can be cut off from God by sin, as Israel was.

The Hebrews deceived themselves with the reasoning that their rejection of Jesus Christ was being faithful to the Levitical system. Their willingness to hang on to the older system was really a rejection of the living word (Hebrews 4:12) of the living God (v.12), who through Christ had opened up a new and living way (Hebrews 10:20). Choosing the path of unbelief always leads only to death (Jude 5).

“For we are made partakers of Christ” implies an action in the past has made us effective partakers of Jesus Christ if we hold to the solid foundation we have been given. The Christian’s standing is not the product of their decision, their obedience or their theological insight. We stand on the basis of God’s deed in Jesus Christ and God’s act in uniting us to Christ.

We can render our relationship with Jesus Christ meaningless by drifting away through preoccupation or neglect. But even the person who has drifted can recover his or her center again. They can find anew the great event that gives meaning and perspective to their life and build again on the foundation laid by God.

“Today” (v. 15) is used to emphasize it is the present when God’s voice is heard. We never can go back to yesterday; the only thing left is the memory and hurt. We do not have tomorrow in our grasp, so we have to make the most of the day we have. What we do today determines the good or bad of tomorrow. In the finality of life, we must realize: (1) time is short; (2) without Jesus Christ, life is hopeless; and (3) now is the time to prepare to meet God. Listen to God’s word and remain true!

Discussion questions

• How is Christ’s role as High Priest affected by a lack of confession in our lives?

• What evidences of faith are in your life?

• Why do people fail to commit themselves fully to God despite his bountiful care?

• How is the refusal to adequately worship God idolatry?

Posted: 9/06/06

Stem-cell advance raises hope, ethical questions

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

WORCESTER, Mass. (ABP)—New scientific research may defuse the culture war over embryonic stem-cell research, but it also may raise new ethical questions.

In a study publicized on the website of the journal Nature, members of a team of scientists headed by Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., reported they had successfully grown stem-cell colonies that were extracted from human embryos without destroying the embryos in the process.

Many biologists believe embryonic stem-cell research holds significant promise for treating several types of terminal diseases. Such cells are valued because they are what scientists call “pluripotent”—they have the potential to grow into many different kinds of tissue. Researchers believe tissue grown from stem cells could be used to replace diseased or destroyed tissue in patients suffering from terminal or debilitating conditions.

However, until now, scientists had not been able to extract stem cells that could multiply into stem-cell colonies, or “lines,” without destroying the donor embryo. Many abortion-rights opponents believe that destroying any embryo—at any stage of development—amounts to abortion.

In 2001 President Bush effectively banned federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. It is commonly practiced on an embryo at the blastocyst stage, with about 150 cells.

But the new technique, using technology developed for in vitro fertilization, extracts a single cell from an embryo containing only eight cells—much younger than has previously been used in research. The technique, according to the study’s authors, leaves the embryo with the ability to develop into a fetus.

However, Nature reported, the paper raises other ethical questions.

“There are fears that removing a cell from an embryo will lower its chances of implantation in the womb or alter its development and cause later health problems for the resulting child,” the journal said. “Lanza answers this by saying that the risks of the procedure are minimal and that it would only be performed on embryos that are to undergo pre-implantation genetic diagnosis anyway.”

The technique, which has been used for about 10 years to test embryos fertilized in vitro for genetic defects, has apparently produced healthy children.

The White House released a statement expressing skepticism about the development.

“Any use of human embryos for research purposes raises serious ethical concerns,” it said. “The president is hopeful that with time scientists can find ways of deriving cells like those now derived from human embryos but without the need for using embryos.”

The statement alluded to adult stem-cell research, which many abortion opponents point to as the only ethical alternative to embryonic research. However, many scientists in the field agree embryonic research holds much more potential for treating or curing a host of diseases.

Posted: 9/06/06

FDA approval of new contraceptive stirs reaction

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—After a three-year-long debate, the federal Food and Drug Administration has approved wider distribution of a “morning-after” contraceptive, angering some religious conservatives and anti-abortion groups.

FDA officials recently announced they had approved non-prescription sales of “Plan B,” a drug designed to prevent ovulation and fertilization of a woman’s egg. The decision, however, only allows women 18 years of age or older to have over-the-counter access to the drug.

The decision came just days after the agency’s acting director said he was prepared to expand the drug’s availability and President Bush expressed solidarity with that decision. Both actions angered some groups opposed to abortion rights.

“Unfortunately, the responsibility for the deaths of an untold number of preborn children rests on the shoulders of our federal government,” read a statement issued immediately after the decision by the American Life League.

Plan B is different from RU-486 (also known as Mifeprex or mifepristone), which the FDA has already approved amid similar controversy. It is intended to end pregnancies after an egg has been fertilized.

Plan B has been available for several years on a prescription basis to women of all ages. It contains higher doses of chemicals used in common birth-control pills. The two-pill regimen is supposed to be taken as soon as possible after sexual intercourse, in order to prevent an unintended pregnancy.

Some research has shown that the drug can, in rare circumstances, also prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in a woman’s womb. Pro-life groups consider that tantamount to abortion, and have opposed widening availability of Plan B for that reason. They also have opposed the drug on the basis that it may lead to more promiscuity.

Some contend the drug may be dangerous for adolescent girls to use without a doctor’s supervision.

Due to the opposition, making Plan B available on a non-prescription basis has been tied up in FDA approval channels since 2003. That year, an advisory panel of outside scientists voted overwhelmingly to approve the manufacturer’s request to allow over-the-counter availability.

But a Bush appointee at the agency decided not to accept the recommendation—spurring charges that the agency was reacting to President Bush’s conservative religious backers rather than experts on the drug.

The agency continued to delay a final decision on the issue, and controversy over it continued to mount, until mid-August of this year. That’s when President Bush’s current appointee to head the FDA, Andrew von Eschenbach, said he would support allowing over-the-counter Plan B sales to adult women. President Bush said he backed von Eschenbach’s position.

FDA officials reached an agreement with the pill’s manufacturer to limit non-prescription sales of the drug to pharmacies and health clinics, and they will still require women to show identification when requesting the drug.

In a memorandum the FDA released along with the announcement, von Eschenbach said that using “well-established state and private-sector infrastructures will allow for comprehensive and effective enforcement of the age-based restrictions.”

Posted: 9/01/06

Displaced New Orleans
resident finds home at Gracewood

By Miranda Bradley

Children at Heart Ministries

HOUSTON—Rochelle Wright lost everything to Hurricane Katrina—everything except what matters most to her.

“There was a time when I thought I was going to die,” she said, thinking back to events that changed her life. “I’ve tried to block out a lot of what happened.”

Wright had just started a job and was going through a divorce from her abusive husband when the mandatory evacuation order was given in New Orleans. With flood waters rising and her car at a mechanic’s shop, she knew she needed to act quickly. A stranger gave Wright and her 3-year-old daughter, Rayven, a ride out of their neighborhood—but not all the way to a shelter. She still had to walk several miles to the Superdome through waist-deep water, carrying her daughter and their belongings.

“I was soaking wet,” she said. “And when we got to the Superdome, I just felt like something wasn’t right.” Her suspicions were confirmed when the police began separating people into buses for evacuation.

“They tried to pull me and my daughter apart,” she said. “I refused to be away from her. I said: ‘We are either going to live together, or we are going to die together. But we aren’t going to be separated.’”

She was pushed to the back of the line.

“It felt like death,” she said. “Here we were, hundreds of us packed into this sticky, hot place with no air, no food, no nothin’. That’s when we heard the levies had broken.”

As people began to panic, Wright tried to shield her daughter, Rayven, from the chaos. Unsure where her mother and sister were, Wright clung to her faith, praying God would see them through.

Days later, she and Rayven were rescued along with the hundreds of others who had been awaiting assistance throughout the ordeal. But her struggles were far from over.

From the Superdome, she and Rayven were shipped to two states before finally being returned to Clayton, La., a small town with few conveniences.

“I would have to drive 15 miles just to get a loaf of bread,” she said.

But with no car, driving was not even an option. FEMA provided her a mobile home, but it was not equipped with lights, running water or electricity. After two months, she decided to move “to a bigger city where there were other opportunities—other places for help.”

She settled in Houston. During a brief stay at a shelter, she was referred to Gracewood, a Children at Heart Ministry that caters to mothers with children eager to become self-sufficient. She and her daughter moved to Gracewood in May.

“This place finally feels like home,” she said. “At a shelter, you’re sharing space with 200 to 300 other people. We finally have our own place and real beds to sleep in after all these months.”

Finally able to steady herself, Wright began refocusing her energies on stabilizing her life and dealing with Rayven’s reaction to the trauma they endured—reverting to sucking her thumb and clinging to her mother. But she has received help through Gracewood’s on-site counseling program.

Wright acknowledges the past year has altered her perspective.

“The experience has really humbled me,” she said. “I was raised in a two-parent home, blessed with a lot and never had to worry about food or clothes. Once I lived in the shelters, I realized that this is everyday living for some people. It’s made me appreciate what I have, despite all I’ve lost.”

Wright’s home was destroyed during the hurricane. When she finally returned to salvage what she could, she left New Orleans empty-handed. Still, she’s determined to make a new life in Houston and plans to return to school this fall. Her long-term goal is to work in home healthcare.

Even though she lost her home and belongings, Wright insists her most precious treasure still is in her arms. Keeping Rayven with her during the chaos proved to be her wisest decision, one she said she never regrets making.

“I’m glad I stuck to my guns,” she said. “There are many children who have not reunited with their families. In the end, the fact that we are still here and we’re still together is a testimony to God’s glory.”

Posted: 9/01/06

Houston faith communities
plan for future hurricanes

By Karen Campbell

Union Baptist Association

HOUSTON—A conference on disaster preparedness—scheduled in 2005 but ironically postponed due to Hurricane Katrina—stressed the importance of planning ahead for hurricanes.

Interfaith Ministries sponsored the day-long event that drew more than 400 participants.

“As we found out during hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year, the faith community standing united is a tremendous asset during a time of crisis,” Houston Mayor Bill White said, noting conferences such as this one mean “we’ll all be better prepared to deal with the next storm, and the city is a proud partner in that.”

Other presenters echoed White’s sentiments.

“You saw in Houston a city who worked together,” noted Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, referring to the city’s response to Katrina and Rita. “Our faith was tested in the face of that tragedy. Our faith was strengthened as we provided hope. This year is a great year for preparation, because we’ve seen what can happen.”

Several speakers referenced Accu-Weather predictions for at least 17 named storms in 2006.

With 800,000 to 1 million people living in a surge zone area—what former Kemah Mayor Bill King described as “like a tsunami that batters for 12 hours”—the need for planning and preparation is critical.

King, who serves on the Governor’s Task Force on Evacuation, Transportation and Logistics, gave a firsthand account as one of the evacuees who experienced traffic snarls leaving Houston during the threat of Hurricane Rita.

King offered an overview of the recent report to the governor addressing evacuation plans and a comprehensive presentation on what faith groups can look for and do.

He reviewed four of the major recommendations in the report:

• Command and control.

Noting some smaller towns along evacuation routes refused to reconfigure their city stoplights, King suggested a need for a more streamlined approach to decision making. While the report went with a compromise of a unified regional 15-member council, King confessed the committee solution was not his first choice.

“I subscribe to the adage that ‘for God so loved the world, he did not send a committee,’” he quipped.

• Fueling.

The state has acquired the software to better manage fuel distribution with the industry, King reported.

“Just filling the tanks that are usually half filled during hurricane season” virtually solves the fuel shortages that emerged during evacuation, he said.

• Special needs.

King’s loudest call to the faith community came at the point of addressing the needs of the thousands who fall into the category of “anyone who cannot evacuate self.” Special-needs individuals can register by calling 211 and provide information for retrieval during evacuation. But King noted many are reluctant to provide such information in what they perceive as a government database.

• Traffic management.

King referenced Houston’s incident management as a potential model for the aggressive approach needed during evacuation.

“No matter how brilliant these recommendations, we are never going to be ready for a hurricane (level) five in this area,” King acknowledged, adding Houston can’t seem to evacuate “100,000 people from downtown on a Friday afternoon” without stalls. Evaluating the need for evacuation is one means for addressing the overcrowded routes.

Three risk factors should be considered in any decision about evacuation, he noted—whether a person lives in the surge zone, if the residence is susceptible to flooding and if a building is able to withstand sustained winds. A prolonged lack of utilities and special medical needs also are priority concerns, he added.

Evacuating for convenience—such as not wanting to be without air conditioning or having limited groceries—would fall into the category of those who might want to evacuate after the storm, King suggested.

For more information, see King’s detailed presentation at www.weking. net.

Posted: 9/01/06

LIFE GOES ON:
Crossroads project aims to rebuild in New Orleans

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

NEW ORLEANS (ABP)—Last year, New Orleans’ Upper 9th Ward was one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, with more than 90,000 homes ruined.

This year, it’s the site of the largest Habitat for Humanity project ever undertaken by a single denomination anywhere in the world.

Teens from a youth group at First Baptist Church in Salado work on a Habitat for Humanity housing project in New Orleans. (RNS photo by Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune in New Orleans)

Inspired by David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church of New Orleans, the venture is called the Baptist Crossroads Project. Organized by the nonprofit Baptist Crossroads Foundation in partnership with Baptist Community Ministries, Crossroads plans to build about 31 houses in three months in an area still abandoned one year after the storm.

But the project predates Katrina. Crosby came up with the idea after a 2004 prayer breakfast where New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said home ownership was the most important factor in eradicating poverty. After First Baptist conducted a “40 Days of Purpose” renewal campaign that fall, the congregation embarked on an effort to build 40 homes.

The $3 million project is funded in part by a $1.5 million matching grant from Baptist Community Ministries. After the storm came, Habitat for Humanity became a matching partner as well. Crossroads plans to complete the initial 31 homes soon, and First Baptist hopes to build 100 houses in the same area over the next two years, according to project coordinator Inman Houston.

“We’re focusing here, because after the storm, this was an area that had great need,” Houston said. “But at the same time, this is an area that can and should come back.” Houston is associate pastor of community ministries and single adults at First Baptist.

To get a house, applicants must undergo a screening process that takes into account family finances and demographics. Each three-bedroom, one-bath house is worth $85,000 to $90,000, but families pay roughly $60,000 for them through a 20-year, no-interest loan.

House recipients also must provide 350 hours of “sweat” equity, said Andrew Crosby, ministry intern this summer at First Baptist and nephew of the pastor. That entails long days working on the purple, blue, pink and yellow houses slowly forming a new neighborhood. Crosby is a second-year student at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary in Waco.

Houston funnels a steady stream of volunteers from all over the country to work on the homes. Most stay for a week, sleeping in surrounding churches. They get free lunches provided by area churches as well.

Habitat for Humanity employee Matt Ritter said Baptist Crossroads averages more than 300 workers a week. Over spring break, more than 4,000 students descended on the area to help gut houses. So far, more than 600 have been completed.

The partnership between Habitat for Humanity and First Baptist of New Orleans works well because it plays to the strengths of both organizations, Houston said. While Habitat has the means to procure loans and administrate large numbers of people, the church has received gifts of money, volunteer support and counsel from state conventions like the Baptist General Convention of Texas and from churches like Dallas’ Park Cities Baptist Church, which gave almost $100,000 in undesignated funds to the New Orleans church.

Playing on those convention connections, First Baptist also provides Habitat with a constant supply of volunteer laborers.

“We can say (to Habitat leaders) that we can commit to give you X-amount of volunteers, as opposed to random individuals who work for one or two days at a time,” Houston said. “We see it like we can provide something that is very helpful for them—a level of volunteers. Honestly this summer, we haven’t had the time or need to do much recruiting.”

The key to keeping volunteer numbers up, more than a year after the storm, is constant contact with people still directly affected. Houston said the congregation has “one foot in the flood zone and one foot out of the flood zone.” As a result, members are faced with displaced people every Sunday morning.

“People who want to move on can’t do that because they sit next to people every Sunday who are rebuilding,” Houston said. “We see our own people every day who can’t escape it. Others who don’t want to go through the flood zone never have to.”

Among local authorities, Houston said, churches have become known as the places to go “if you really want to get something done.” The church has created waiting lists of houses in need of gutting and restoration.

First Baptist Church of New Orleans is unique in itself. In 2004, mostly because of “parking, accessibility and visibility” concerns, it moved from a location in uptown New Orleans to the famous Canal Street, which borders the French Quarter. Now that the church can be seen from the interstate, has adequate parking and makes use of a multipurpose venue, passersby are drawn to the building, Houston said, especially after the hurricane ruined so many other buildings.

“Where we are now is such a perfect location,” Houston said, even though the building sustained considerable, but mostly superficial, damage from the storm. “The church is the venue in New Orleans Parish. For us, we’ve seen that this magnificent building is a draw for the community.”

Now, Houston said, the church has the opportunity to partner with non-Baptist groups in need of space—from housing an Episcopal school for six months to allowing the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra to use the building for practices. They’ve even made the building available to the public school system of New Orleans.

Perhaps the most encouraging development since the hurricane, in terms of the First Baptist building, is the development of a relationship between First Baptist and Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, a primarily African-American congregation of 5,000 people.

Members from Franklin Avenue, who had been meeting only twice a month, recently began meeting each Sunday at 7:30 a.m. in the First Baptist building. First Baptist members sometimes usher in the earlier service, and a real sisterhood between the two churches has emerged, Houston said.

“Certainly this is not the way we would have chosen for that to come about, but we have seen good things happen,” he said.

Ultimately, the most important of those “good things” is intangible—it’s that the houses will show non-Christian homeowners that hope exists for the 9th Ward.

“We feel really energized by this,” Andrew Crosby said. “It’s amazing. This has been a wildly successful year.”

Posted: 9/01/06

East Texas church sends minister
to southern Louisiana

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

METAIRIE, La.—When David Jochum felt God calling him to leave First Baptist Church in Marshall to help a New Orleans-area church in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the East Texas congregation decided to send him as their missionary to southern Louisiana.

First Baptist Church agreed to pay Jochum’s full salary and benefits as pastor of enlistment at Celebration Church in Metairie, La., for one year. The Marshall church also pledged to continue their financial support up to four years on a sliding scale, as Celebration Church becomes capable of gradually assuming responsibility for the position Jochum will continue to fill there.

“We were unanimous in believing this is what God wanted us to do,” said Pastor David Packer of First Baptist Church in Marshall.

Even though the Marshall church has sufficient financial resources to provide Jochum’s support, the loss of their minister of education and administration involved sacrifice, Packer noted. He recalled an appeal Baptist missionary Lottie Moon once issued from China to churches in the United States: “Send me men who will be missed.”

“We miss David here,” he said. “Now, we’ve moved from the theoretical idea of sending him to dealing with the nitty-gritty of having to work out the details (of coping with a staff vacancy). But we look forward to what God is going to do through him down there.”

Jochum grew up in New Orleans, but he moved away years ago to attend Bible college.

“When I left, I never had any intention of coming back,” he acknowledged.

But when Katrina hit, relatives who still lived in the New Orleans area had to evacuate, and they temporarily stayed with Jochum, his wife and their four children in Marshall. Because of that personal connection, he intently followed news reports from southern Louisiana in the months following the disaster.

“God began to tug at my heart,” Jochum recalled. “He gave me a burden for my home city, but I didn’t know what to do with it.”

About that same time, First Baptist Church in Marshall started spiritual preparation for an Experiencing God weekend—a discipleship event based on Henry Blackaby’s popular book about discovering and obeying God’s will.

“I prayed that if the desire in my heart really was from the Lord, that he would show me what to do,” Jochum said. “I was thinking in terms of a mission project—not anything long-term.”

He discussed his desire to help in New Orleans with Packer. The pastor already had talked to him about his concern, First Baptist Church was not fully making use of the financial resources God had entrusted to them. Their individual concerns began to gel.

“The week before the Experiencing God weekend, the pastor came to me with a radical idea,” Jochum said. “He asked, ‘What if we sent you as our missionary to New Orleans?’”

Jochum knew about the recovery ministry Celebration Church in Metairie was providing in the aftermath of Katrina. So, after continued prayer and discussion, he contacted his friend, Dennis Watson, pastor at Celebration Church, to explore the possibility of joining his staff.

Jochum later found out his e-mail arrived while Watson and his remaining staff were in a prayer meeting. They were asking God how their church could reassemble staff with volunteers who raise their own support. Celebration Church, which drew more than 2,000 in attendance before the hurricane, dropped to about 500 when they resumed worship services five weeks after Katrina.

After receiving an enthusiastic reply from Watson, Jochum and Packer took their proposal to the missions, personnel and finance committees at First Baptist Church and then to the church’s deacons.

“They all unanimously recommended it to the church, and the church unanimously committed to a four-year plan of support,” Jochum said. He believes God has placed Celebration Church in a hurting community to minister at a strategic time.

“The church has been able to minister to people and meet needs, and it’s been at the forefront of recovery efforts,” Jochum said. Two weeks before the storm hit, Crescent City Church merged with Celebration. And another church that lost many of its members in the wake of Katrina recently also voted to merge and give its facilities to Celebration Church.

“The vision now is to be a multi-site church,” Jochum said.

Having a physical presence at multiple sites already has enabled Celebration Church to take a lead in offering relief to families in need and providing housing for volunteer builders, he noted.

Jochum started work in Metairie Aug. 2 as minister to Celebration’s Church’s home-based cell groups.

“Before the storm, the church had more than 100 cell groups. Now there are about 50,” Jochum said. “But we are getting out into the community where people are.”

And he sees incredible growth potential because people who remained in the New Orleans area after Katrina—or who have returned in recent months—have a spiritual hunger.

“Everybody really wants this city to be a better place, and as believers, we’re convinced God wants us to be a force here,” Jochum said.

“We want people to know there is hope in Jesus Christ. They are finding that hope. They need it like they never have before in their lives. And our people here at Celebration Church are sold out to God. They believe we have a mandate to reach this city for Christ.”

Posted: 9/01/06

Texas Baptists urged to adopt
unreached groups in Houston

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

HOUSTON—Significant numbers of people in Texas’ largest city never have heard the gospel.

But the Baptist General Convention of Texas is seeking to change that with a new ministry opportunity supported by the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions.

Cathy Dundas, BGCT intercultural ministries strategist, is helping Texas Baptists adopt the 100 unreached—or nearly unreached—people groups in Houston.

None of these groups has a Baptist church that shares the gospel in its language. Few have a church of any kind to minister to them.

Sharing the gospel with these groups is like ministering in a foreign mission field, Dundas said. Texas Baptist groups—including churches, Sunday school classes and youth groups—who would like to minister to unreached groups in Houston are asked to commit to three months of prayer before taking on any ministry projects.

Then they are required to go through cultural training before they become involved in hands-on ministry.

This preparation allows God to build a passion in Texas Baptist hearts for the people groups they adopt, Dundas said. These actions are what many churches do before undertaking a large missions effort.

“I just think that we’re very ‘doing’ oriented when it comes to missions projects,” she said.

“It’s what mission project can we do? With unreached people groups, prayer is the key. If you don’t pray, you’re just doing a bunch of empty activities.”

Ministering to unreached people groups changes lives today but also lays the foundation for larger ministry in the future. There are Vietnamese Baptist churches today because Texas Baptists ministered to Vietnamese refugees 25 years ago.

From there, deep relationships formed, Christians shared the gospel and churches formed.

Refugee groups still are a place where Texas Baptists can make an impact on people groups, Dundas noted.

Some of the unreached people groups will be ministered to most effectively through refugee agencies.

Texas Baptists can have a great impact on these unreached groups, Dundas believes. But they are going to have to be willing to get outside their comfort zone.