WASHINGTON (RNS)—The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case involving a challenge to a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy, a move that could have nationwide implications.

The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, revolves around a Mississippi law passed in 2018 that bans all abortions after 15 weeks “except in a medical emergency or in the case of a severe fetal abnormality.” The ban was blocked by lower courts who argued it violated previous Supreme Court rulings.

The case centers on whether states are permitted to ban abortions before a fetus can survive outside the womb and is seen as a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

The Texas Legislature approved a bill banning abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected, arguably as early as six weeks. The legislation makes an exception for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest.

The bill also empowers private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone helping a woman get an abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on May 19.

New composition of the Supreme Court

Justices will likely hear the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case in the fall, marking the first time the conservative-leaning court will directly address the issue of abortion since Amy Coney Barrett was elevated to Supreme Court justice in October 2020.

Barrett, a conservative Catholic, twice voted in abortion-related cases before joining the Supreme Court, both times in ways seen as benefitting abortion restrictions. In 2006, she signed a newspaper ad opposing “abortion on demand.”

Two other justices appointed by President Trump—Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh—voted in a different case last year that could have closed two of Louisiana’s three abortion clinics. They were outvoted, with Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, joining liberals in striking down the law in question.

But with Barrett replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg since then, the conservative-leaning court may not need Roberts’ vote should they decide to uphold the Mississippi law.

Pro-life groups encouraged

March for Life, the anti-abortion group that hosts an annual event of the same name in Washington, D.C., expressed support for upholding the Mississippi law in a statement.

“States should be allowed to craft laws that are in line with both public opinion on this issue as well as basic human compassion, instead of the extreme policy that Roe imposed,” read a statement from Jeanne Mancini, the group’s president.

Elizabeth Graham of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said the Supreme Court’s consideration of the case “could be a generationally significant case for the future of abortion in America.”

“All Americans of goodwill want the state to protect their neighbors from harm, and yet, just as Jesus told us, we will argue among ourselves about who really counts as our neighbor,” said Graham, the ERLC’s vice president of operations and life initiatives.

“The question our nation must wrestle with is whether or not a child in the womb is, indeed, a preborn child and, therefore, our neighbor. As Christians, knowing the answer is not a reason to feel moral superiority, but to lament the abortion industry’s legal lies and to work to undo them. This case could be instrumental toward that end.”

Abortion rights advocates concerned

Abortion-rights advocates raised warnings about the threat to Roe.

The Supreme Court order “is an ominous sign and an alarming reminder that the threat to the legal right to abortion is imminent and real,” said Christian LoBue, chief campaigns and advocacy officer for NARAL Pro-Choice America. “If Roe v. Wade were to fall as a result of this case, states across the country are poised to ban abortion.”

Lower courts struck down Mississippi’s 15-week ban. Based on Supreme Court precedent, a federal judge ruled in 2018 the law is unconstitutional because it prohibits pre-viability abortions. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans affirmed the ruling the following year.

Alabama and Arkansas approved bans in 2019 and 2021, respectively, without a starting point in pregnancy. At least 10 states have enacted laws that prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which could occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy.

Through the first four months of 2021, a total of 13 states placed into law 61 abortion restrictions, including eight bans on the procedure, according to a report issued April 30 by the Guttmacher Institute.

With additional reporting by Tom Strode of Baptist Press and Managing Editor Ken Camp.  The 5th paragraph was edited after the story initially was posted to note Gov. Greg Abbott’s action.

WASHINGTON (BP)—State Department officials sought to provide assurances the Biden administration will maintain the United States’ commitment to international religious freedom in commenting on the latest annual report on the issue.

In its 2020 report issued May 12, the State Department assessed religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories, with officials citing high restrictions on the exercise of faith in some countries and advances in religious liberty in others.

No ‘backing away’ from religious freedom

In comments to reporters upon the report’s release, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Dan Nadel, senior official in the Office of International Religious Freedom, signaled global religious liberty would not receive less attention than it did during the Trump administration.

The Biden administration’s “promise to the world” is it “will protect and defend religious freedom around the world,” Blinken said. “We will maintain America’s longstanding leadership on this issue.”

Religious liberty “is a key foreign policy” of the Biden administration, said Nadel, who has worked on the annual report in three administrations. “There’s no equivocation there, no concern about any perception of backing away.”

Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said, “The abuses documented each year in this report should grieve us to the core, and yet, that is also why we should be grateful for the State Department’s work in shining a light on these issues.”

Moore said he is grateful Blinken called attention to the abuses occurring in China and Burma, as well as “specifically recognizing that in Saudi Arabia there is no legally allowed Christian church.”

Need for ambassador-at-large

“Yet, because this work is too important to leave to one report or announcement alone,” he urged the administration to nominate an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom “without delay. These perilous situations around the world demand an urgent and sustained response from the United States.”

On May 4, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., sent a letter—joined by a bipartisan collection of six other members of Congress—to Biden to request that he nominate an ambassador-at-large at his “earliest opportunity.”

Officers with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom—which makes policy recommendations to the State Department, president and Congress—also expressed gratitude for the annual report but called for strong policies to enforce its findings.

Some of the worst

In comments to reporters, Blinken cited the following as examples of countries in which about 80 percent of the world’s population lives with high or severe restrictions on religious freedom:

• Burma (Myanmar), where military coup leaders and others are “responsible for ethnic cleansing and other atrocities against the Rohingya people, most of whom are Muslim, and other religious and ethnic” people groups.
• China, which “broadly criminalizes religious expression and continues to commit crimes against humanity and genocide” against the Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and other religious and ethnic minorities.
• Iran, which “continues to intimidate, harass, and arrest members of minority faith groups, including Baha’i, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Sunni and Sufi Muslims.”
• Nigeria, where courts still convict and sentence people to long-term imprisonment or even death for blasphemy against Islam.
• Russia, where government officials “continue to harass, detain, and seize [the] property of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as members of Muslim minority groups on the pretense of alleged extremism.”
• Saudi Arabia, which is “the only country in the world without a Christian church” despite the presence of more than a million Christians.

Bigotry of varied forms a continuing threat

Blinken pointed to Sudan and Uzbekistan as countries that have made progress on religious freedom. Sudan, which had been removed from the State Department’s list of the world’s worst violators of religious liberty, “repealed apostasy laws and public order laws that had been used to harass members” of religious minorities, he said. Uzbekistan released hundreds of faith-based prisoners, Blinken said.

Both Blinken and Nadel pointed to continuing reports of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hate in the world.

Anti-Semitism is “on the rise worldwide, including here in the United States, as well as across Europe,” Blinken said at the news briefing. He also said hatred of Muslims “is still widespread in many countries, and this, too, is a serious problem for the United States, as well as in Europe.”

Nadel told reporters anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred and “other forms of bigotry continue to be genuine threats.”

When asked about the persecution of Christians globally, Nadel said the State Department takes “those issues extremely seriously.”

The State Department is obligated by federal law to name within six months of its report its lists of the world’s most severe violators of religious freedom.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan panel of nine members, offered its annual report in April and made its recommendations to the State Department at that time.

The commission called for the addition of India, Russia, Syria and Vietnam to the State Department’s list of “countries of particular concern” that consists of Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

It recommended Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey and Uzbekistan be added to current members Cuba and Nicaragua on the Special Watch List of violators.

The commission recommended the same list of “entities of particular concern:” Al-Shabaab; Boko Haram, the Houthis (Ansar Allah), Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Taliban.

U.S. embassies collaborate with the Office of International Religious Freedom to prepare the report each year.

OKLAHOMA CITY (BP)—When Julie Busler returned to America with her family after serving with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, everything seemed great from the outside. No one would have guessed she had returned due to a mental health crisis.

Busler and her family were serving overseas with the IMB when her struggles with depression, anxiety and trauma reached a boiling point. Busler said the true struggle came because no one knew she was in fact struggling.

“I looked happy on the outside, but on the inside, I felt like I was dying slowly, and there was so much darkness in my life, and I didn’t realize these negative intrusive thoughts I was having were actually not OK,” Busler said.

Coping skills ran out

Looking back, Busler realizes her time serving in Turkey was when her coping skills simply ran out.

Her mother’s death from cancer followed by her father’s death by suicide caused Busler to wrestle with trauma, depression and other mental health issues since early adulthood. She struggled to know how a Christian should handle mental illness.

“I think for me I was confused even as a mature believer if it was a faith problem or if it was really just an illness,” said Busler, who is now president of the Woman’s Missionary Union of Oklahoma.

“I didn’t know where I stood on that point of view, and so because I didn’t know I was paralyzed and then didn’t reach out to get help, because I wasn’t sure what I even needed.

“I felt like I have a lot of faith. I’ve followed Jesus overseas with my family, and I love him. So why am I still struggling? I think it’s a big question about whether it’s just an illness or just a faith problem, or if it can be both.”

Busler’s illness escalated to the point where she was experiencing not just intrusive thoughts, but a thought-out plan to take her own life.

After sharing this with her husband, they made the decision to visit a Turkish hospital to see a psychiatrist. Busler’s time in the hospital was difficult. She was isolated and not allowed visitors, a phone or even a Bible, even though she asked for one many times.

Her condition did not improve during her hospitalization. So, the Busler family decided to leave Turkey and return to the United States.

Rejecting the lie of perfection

After struggling to the point of attempting to take her own life, Busler returned to the hospital, this time in Oklahoma. There she began slowly to make progress through a combination of counseling, support from friends and family, medication and spiritual transformation.

Even though she had already been serving with the IMB for years, Busler said she almost had to relearn the fundamentals of Christianity after going through such a difficult season. Humility and rejecting the lie of perfection were some of the steps she said helped push her in the right direction.

“At first it was hard for me to come to terms with little baby steps because I thought: ‘I’m really mature in my faith, and I can share the gospel. I read the Bible and all these things.’ But I wasn’t putting it into practice. So, I almost had to go back to the basics and just learn how to walk with Jesus every moment,” she said.

“I was learning to embrace my weakness and realizing it’s OK if my prayer today is, ‘Jesus help me’ and not some theologically deep speech. It came down to just learning and embracing my weakness.

“We are all broken people who need Jesus. Perfection is actually unattainable. People are instead actually drawn to someone who is struggling but who walks in victory. I think there is a beauty when we admit our struggles, and being real is how God’s glory shines through our weakness.”

Busler also stressed the importance of discovering a nuanced Christian worldview on mental health.

“Mental illness itself is not a sin,” she said. “I could not help the trauma that happened to me, but I could control if I would respond to the temptation to sin based on my mental illness. I was dealing with both mental illness and certain sins in my life that required repentance.”

Busler said although she is incredibly thankful for gifts from God such as therapists and medication, those things are not her ultimate hope in life.

Inward spiritual transformation

Despite things like medication helping to get her head above water, Busler made clear it was only through inward spiritual transformation that true freedom and life are found.

“Once I started reading the Bible faithfully every day, my mind started changing,” she said. “It’s not that the depression or the mental illness went away, but my ability to thrive in it and to find joy in the sorrow is there now.

“Before this, I didn’t know that joy and sorrow could really coexist. And now I know that is normal because of our fallen bodies and that I may always struggle with these thoughts or with depression, but God really is my strength, and I know how to rely on Him now.”

Now in her role with Oklahoma WMU, Busler said she has felt a burden in recent months to start sharing her story. She hopes telling her story can help minister to those struggling with mental health.

“It is OK to get help. There is hope and help available,” Busler said. “There’s so much hope for the church, and I think people are ready to talk about mental health topics.”

A full video detailing Julie Busler’s story can be viewed at her website, and you can connect with her on social media on Instagram @juliebusler and on Facebook at Julie Busler/Author.

Joreen Hayes Bozeman of Garland, Christian educator and conference leader, died May 13. She was 90. She was born March 5, 1931, in Manning to David Franklin Hayes and Zula McGaughey Hayes, the eighth of 10 children. She married Karl Bozeman on Aug. 18, 1951, and served alongside him in ministry for decades. She was a kindergarten teacher seven years and taught preschoolers more than 30 years. She worked as the director of childhood education on a church staff and was a preschool curriculum writer for the Baptist Sunday School Board. She led training conferences in 38 states and taught leadership conferences at Glorieta Baptist Assembly and Ridgecrest Conference Center many summers. In later years, she taught senior adults, and in her final years, she played hymns on the piano for residents at the assisted living center where she and her husband lived. The Women’s Auxiliary Board at Dallas Baptist University, on which she served about 15 years, presented her the Ruth Award in 2008. She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Karl; daughter Karen Gray and husband Gary of Pine Bluff, Ark.; daughter Brenda Hass and husband Artie of Garland; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Still of Lufkin.

Cuatro años después de que un consejero escolar le dijera que su familia no podría pagar el costo de matricularse en una universidad, Kayla Abigail Miramontes se graduó la semana pasada de la East Texas Baptist University (Universidad Bautista del Este de Texas) con una Licenciatura en Ciencias en Estudios Profesionales.

“La beca ETBU que recibí a través de Convención me permitió ir a esta hermosa universidad privada, y mi escuela me dio la oportunidad de trabajar en el campus para ayudar a cubrir la otra mitad de mi matrícula. Ellos me ayudaron mucho y fueron muy flexibles al permitirme trabajar y estudiar”.

Miramontes fue una de las primeras estudiantes en recibir la beca Hispanic Christian Servant Leadership (Liderazgo del Servidor Cristiano Hispano) de ETBU en 2017. La beca cubrió el 50 por ciento de su matrícula y el total de su alojamiento y comida a lo largo de su licenciatura. Este programa es un convenio entre ETBU y la Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas.

“Tuve el apoyo de mis padres y la familia de mi iglesia. Solicité apoyo y becas que recibí por estar involucrada en mi comunidad. Mi mamá incluso consiguió un segundo trabajo para ayudar a cubrir el costo de los libros y otros gastos”. Miramontes es hija de Abel y Esmeralda Martínez.

Durante sus primeros dos años de universidad, Miramontes regresó los fines de semana a su iglesia local —Primera Iglesia Bautista de Gilmer— para servir en el ministerio de adoración.

“Es muy difícil. cuando estás estudiando, querer tomar tu Biblia, especialmente después de leer ocho capítulos del material escolar. Pero en ETBU teníamos capilla, tuve un buen grupo de amigos y la Semana de Renovación Espiritual en la primavera me cambió la vida. Es tentador dormir hasta tarde los domingos después de una semana larga. Pero animo a los estudiantes a que sigan yendo a la iglesia incluso si tienen que ir solos”.

Miramontes asistió a la Conferencia de Jovencitas SHINE en San Antonio durante su primer año de universidad. “Recuerdo a esta joven oradora que me llamó la atención porque tenía más o menos mi edad. Ella compartió cómo llevar un diario, escribiendo pensamientos y oraciones a lo largo del día. Tomé el consejo y lo apliqué. Hubieron tantos pensamientos y oraciones a lo largo de mis años universitarios… Ahora tengo al menos tres diarios completos que me recuerdan la fidelidad de Dios”.

Fue en uno de sus viajes de regreso a su iglesia natal que conoció a un joven que había comenzado a asistir a la Primera de Gilmer. A la mitad de su carrera universitaria, se casaron. Pero ella continuó con sus estudios y ahora anima a otros a seguir una educación superior incluso si no creen que puedan pagarla.

Jesse Rincones, director ejecutivo de la Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas, agradece que escuelas como East Texas Baptist University reconozcan la importancia de invertir en líderes latinos jóvenes. “No tengo ninguna duda de que su inversión dará grandes frutos aquí en Texas, y recompensas eternas más allá”.

Otros becarios 2017 a través de ETBU y Convención fueron Omar D. Aguirre, Saraí A. Muñiz y José Eduardo Hi.

Aguirre también se graduó de ETBU la semana pasada con una Licenciatura en Ciencias del Comportamiento. “Gracias a la asociación entre Convención y ETBU, pude pasar los últimos cuatro años siendo llenado, tanto académica como espiritualmente, por profesores increíbles que se preocuparon genuinamente por mí. Tuve la oportunidad de no solo ser equipado para el llamado que Dios tiene para mi vida, sino que también pude acercarme más a Él a través de mis estudios, gracias a la educación centrada en Cristo que ETBU brinda”.

Aguirre no siempre aspiró a ir a la universidad y carecía de motivación cuando era adolescente, pero le da crédito a Dios por el amor y la gracia que lo llevaron a seguir una educación superior. “Estoy asombrado por todo lo que Dios ha hecho en mi vida en los últimos cuatro años”.

Aguirre es hijo de Silvio Aguirre y Magaly Flores y trabajará como profesional de salud mental en Longview.

Muñiz, hija de Vidal y Areli Muñiz, se graduó de ETBU en mayo de 2019 con una Licenciatura en Historia. Actualmente se encuentra en el Seminario Truett, estudiando una Maestría en Divinidades, y comenzará una Maestría en Trabajo Social en la Universidad de Baylor este otoño.

“La beca ETBU a través de Convención, junto con algunas becas académicas, me dio el regalo de una educación libre de deudas. Esto me dio la oportunidad de obtener una maestría sin la carga de los préstamos escolares”, dijo Muñiz.

Ella planea continuar sirviendo a través del ministerio de la iglesia o en una organización sin fines de lucro con principios cristianos.

José Eduardo Hi se graduó la semana pasada con una Licenciatura en Religión. “Mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria sentí el llamado de Dios para dedicarme al ministerio, y Él me dio la oportunidad perfecta a través de ETBU y Convención”.

Hi es hijo de José Eduardo Hi y Olivia Hi. Planea volver a servir en su iglesia local, la Primera Iglesia Bautista Alpha en Dallas, y actualmente está buscando una oportunidad de trabajo.

Adriana Grace Tapia recibió en 2018 la beca Hispanic Christian Servant Leadership (Liderazgo del Servidor Cristiano Hispano) de ETBU a través de Convención, y también se graduó el 8 de mayo de 2021, recibiendo una Licenciatura en Artes Teatrales con honores. Es hija de Josué y Elizabeth Tapia, y planea trabajar en el área de San Antonio.

Para obtener más información sobre las becas a través de la Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas, visite www.hispanicbaptist.org/scholarships.

Four years after being told by a school counselor that her family would not be able to afford the cost of enrolling in a university, Kayla Abigail Miramontes graduated recently from East Texas Baptist University with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies degree.

“The ETBU scholarship I received through Convención made it possible for me to go to this beautiful private university,” she said. “And my school gave me the opportunity to work on campus to help cover the other half of my tuition. They are so helpful, and were flexible in allowing me to work and study.”

Marimontes was one of the first students to receive the ETBU Hispanic Christian Servant Leadership Scholarship in 2017. The scholarship covered 50 percent of her tuition and full room and board throughout her undergraduate degree. This program is a partnership between ETBU and the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas (Convención).

“I had the support of my parents and my church family. I applied for grants and scholarships that I received because I was involved in my community. And my mom even took on a second job to help cover the cost of books and other expenses, she said.”

Marimontes is the daughter of Abel and Esmeralda Martínez.

Remained active in church throughout college

During her first two years of college, Marimontes returned on the weekends to her home church in Gilmer, Primera Iglesia Bautista, to serve with the worship ministry.

“It’s really hard when you are busy studying, to want to pick up your Bible, especially after reading through eight chapters of school material. But at ETBU we had chapel, I had a good friend group, and Spiritual Renewal Week in the spring was life-changing. It’s tempting to sleep in on Sundays after a long week. But I would encourage students to continue going to church even if you have to go alone.”

Marimontes attended the SHINE Girls Conference in San Antonio during her freshman year of college.

“I remember this young speaker that captured my attention because she was around my age. She shared how to bullet journal, writing down thoughts and prayers throughout the day. I took that and I applied it,” she said. “There were so many thoughts and prayers throughout my college years. I now have at least three full bullet journals that remind me of God’s faithfulness.”

It was on one of her trips back to her home church that she met a young man who had begun attending Primera in Gilmer. Halfway through her college career, they married. But she continued with her studies, and now she encourages others to pursue higher education even if they don’t think they can afford it.

Jesse Rincones, executive director of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas is grateful that schools like East Texas Baptist University recognize the importance of investing in young Latino leaders.

“I have no doubt that their investment will prove to bear great fruit here in Texas and eternal rewards beyond,” he said.

‘Able to draw closer to God’

Other 2017 recipients of the scholarship through ETBU and Convención were Omar D. Aguirre, Sarai A. Muñiz, and José Eduardo Hi.

Aguirre also graduated from ETBU recently with a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Sciences degree.

“Thanks to the partnership between Convención and ETBU, I was able to spend the last four years being poured into, both academically and spiritually by amazing professors who genuinely cared about me,” Aguirre said. “I’ve had the opportunity to not only be equipped for the calling God has on my life, but I was also able to grow closer to God through my studies by the Christ-centered education ETBU provides.”

Aguirre did not always aspire to go to college and admittedly lacked motivation as a teenager, but he credits God for the love and grace that drove him to pursue higher education. “

I am in awe of all that God has done in my life in the last four years,” he said.

Aguirre is the son of Silvio Aguirre and Magaly Flores and will be working as a mental health professional in Longview.

‘The gift of a debt-free education’

Muñiz, daughter of Vidal and Areli Muñiz, graduated from ETBU in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in History degree. She is currently at  Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary working on a Master of Divinity degree and will begin working on a Master of Social Work degree from Baylor University this fall.

“The ETBU scholarship through Convención, paired with some academic scholarships, gave me the gift of a debt-free education. This allowed me the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree without the burden of school loans,” Muñiz said. She plans to continue serving through church ministry or a faith-based non-profit.

Jose Eduardo Hi, Jr. graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree.

“While in high school, I felt the call from God to go into ministry, and he gave me the perfect opportunity through ETBU and Convención,” he said.

Hi is the son of Jose Eduardo Hi Sr. and Olivia Hi. He plans to return to serve in his home church, Primera Iglesia Bautista Alpha in Dallas, and is currently looking for a job opportunity.

Adriana Grace Tapia was a 2018 recipient of the ETBU Hispanic Christian Servant Leadership Scholarship through Convención, and also graduated on May 8, 2021, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts degree with honors.  She is the daughter of Josue and Elizabeth Tapia, and plans to work in the San Antonio area.

To learn more about scholarships through the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, visit www.hispanicbaptist.org/scholarships

Deadly conflict raging between Israel and Hamas sparked calls to prayer and appeals for peace—and in some cases finger-pointing—from Baptists.

A message from the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel, posted May 16 on the European Baptist Federation’s Facebook page, expressed concern not only about casualties from bomb blasts and rockets, but also regarding civil unrest within their nation.

“What is happening inside Israel is very alarming,” the message from Bader Mansour, development officer with the association, stated. Mansour noted “rioting and looting” involving both Jews and Arabs.

“Many innocent people have been attacked and beaten, and [a] few people were killed. Businesses and homes were burnt down or vandalized, and extremists are trying to terrorize innocent people who do not feel safe even inside their own homes. The situation continues to be dangerous,” Mansour stated.

“In addition to the loss of lives and in property, we are mostly concerned about the spread of hatred and the destroying of co-existence that was built with lots of hard work. After all, this will stop, [but] it will take years to build what was destroyed.”

The association called its churches to three days of fasting and prayer for their nation and asked other concerned Christians to join in prayer.

Baptists in Israel specifically requested prayer:

• “For the peace of Jerusalem, including all its inhabitants and all surrounding areas—for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
• “For leaders and all those in authority that they may pursue peace so we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
• “For the healing of relationships between Jews and Arabs, especially for our young people who are exposed to this kind of hatred for the first time.”
• “For protection for our churches, communities and for our families. Some churches had to cancel their services or hold them online because of fear. Pray especially for Haifa, Acre, Lod, Ramle, Jaffa, Cana of Galilee, Turaan.”
• “For us to remember to turn our eyes to God, our refuge and strength, and to Jesus, the prince of peace.”
• “For us to live our faith by loving our neighbors as ourselves and have faith to continue being a prophetic voice amid the chaos and light amid the darkness.”

According to its website, the Nazareth-based Association of Baptist Churches in Israel includes 17 churches with a total membership of about 3,000, mostly among the Christian Arab population in the north part of the country. The association is a member organization of the Baptist World Alliance.

BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown confirmed the presence of “Baptists within both Israel and the Palestinian territories who are being directly impacted and who need our prayers.”

TBM mobile field kitchens used in Israel

Some people in Israel who have lost their homes due to bomb blasts are receiving meals at field kitchens Texas Baptist Men provided to Israel’s Emergency Volunteer Project.

TBM established a partnership with EVP in 2018 to provide the Israeli group with disaster relief equipment and train volunteers how to provide large-scale emergency food service.

Mickey Lenamon, executive director and CEO of TBM, offered a report on conditions in Israel and a call to prayer in a May 14 email to TBM supporters.

“In the midst of the conflict, our partners in Israel are using TBM mobile kitchens to meet the needs of people of all kinds who have lost their homes. In some cases, volunteers are feeding between runs to bomb shelters,” Lenamon wrote.

“Please pray for their efforts and their safety in this difficult and life-threatening effort. Pray God be glorified in all they do.

“Please pray for Israel. This situation is serious and has many ramifications around the world. Pray for those who are being impacted by the conflict, as well as those who are caught in the middle of it. Pray for a movement of God throughout the region.”

Varied perspectives on cause of conflict

In his May 13 edition of “The Daily Article,” cultural observer Jim Denison, founder of the Denison Forum, wrote about what he views as the historical and theological backstory to the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

“Iran is supporting Hamas with the materials it needs to wage war on Israel because Iranian leaders believe that attacking Israel and otherwise provoking global chaos is an essential step to the return of the Mahdi, their Messiah,” wrote Denison, who has served as theologian-in-residence with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

“As Shiites, they are also opposed to Israel’s recent peace initiative with Sunni Muslim nations and want to prevent the formation of a united Sunni front against Iranian expansion,” Denison continued. “And Hamas’ leaders are waging war against Israel because such conflict legitimizes their political position and distracts from their misgovernance of Gaza.

“For their part, some in Israel support the removal of six Palestinian families from East Jerusalem (one of the issues sparking the current conflict) because they oppose a two-state solution and want to reclaim the biblical land of Israel.”

While some point to deaths caused by both Israel and Hamas, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America lays blame for the conflict solely upon Israel.

“What’s happening is Israel/Palestine is not a ‘both sides’ situation. These are not ‘clashes.’ Israel is an apartheid state, and Palestinians live under occupation,” a May 13 statement on the fellowship’s website reads.

The article titled “What you can do to support Palestine” includes links to petitions, a statement by the United Church of Christ and information about the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement.

Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, offered a contrasting position, pledging the prayers and support of U.S. evangelicals for Israel.

“Evangelicals pressed pause on their lives to defend the State of Israel and the Jewish people against Hamas terrorists and their Iranian backers,” Moore told the Jerusalem Post last week. “Our community pushed back online in response to the disinformation coming from the terrorists, reached out to politicians obsessively, and this weekend tens of millions will pray for Israel in their churches.”

Steering clear of any political statement and making no direct mention of Israel or Hamas, Pastor Bob Roberts of Northwood Church in Keller offered a simple message on Twitter.

Roberts, who has ministered in Arab countries and promoted interfaith dialogue with Muslims globally and locally, tweeted: “Following Jesus—the Prince of Peace—means his followers, always and everywhere, ought to be peacemakers!”

NASHVILLE (BP)—Lifeway Christian Resources has completed the sale of its building in downtown Nashville for $95 million.

“I’m pleased and grateful to God for the sale of our building,” Lifeway CEO Ben Mandrell said. “This is a highly strategic decision for Lifeway’s future.”

Mandrell said he is excited about Lifeway’s next workplace and the prospects of settling into a new work environment.

“We are moving away from the idea of a ‘headquarters’ to a fully mobile and agile workforce that intentionally gathers to build strong relationships, celebrate what God is doing and share ideas,” he said.

Mandrell and other Lifeway leaders had been looking at options for their headquarters since the summer of 2019.

The company moved in to its current building in the Capitol View area of Nashville in 2017 after selling its previous building to investors. The earlier building, which housed Lifeway for more than 25 years, was imploded by its new owners in January of 2018.

“We completed a study two years ago that showed we were using the building at only 60 percent occupancy on a daily basis,” Mandrell said. “Because of a robust remote work culture, we had lots of space we weren’t using.”

Then in March 2020, Lifeway’s Nashville-based employees moved to fully remote work as the city implemented COVID-19 restrictions. Working remotely during the pandemic underscored the need to find a different type of space for employees, according to Mandrell.

“Our employees have been highly productive in this new hybrid work environment, and they’ve told us they enjoy the flexibility working from anywhere provides,” he said. “We’ve listened to them and included their feedback into our plans for a new collaboration space.”

Lifeway’s new work environment will offer a mix of conference rooms, casual meeting spaces and drop-in workstations. Employees will continue to work remotely the majority of the time and will come to the building for strategic meetings, brainstorming sessions and team building.

“Our new space will be designed to reflect Lifeway’s culture of community, connectivity and relationship-building, as we chart what’s next for the ministry of Lifeway,” Mandrell said.

The new owners of the nine-story building are two investment firms—Rubicon Equities, based in Nashville, and Meritage Group LP, based in San Francisco. Lifeway will continue to occupy a portion of the building over the near term until it determines a location for its new space.

“We are so grateful God continues to show us favor with strong financial results,” Mandrell said. “And we are committed to investing in the future with good stewardship for his kingdom work.”

La Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas desarrolla una nueva iniciativa que ayuda a iglesias bautistas Hispanas en Texas a enfrentar los desafíos únicos de la iglesia latina.

Este nuevo programa llamado Iglesias Abundantes es financiado por una subvención de la fundación Lilly Endowment, Inc.

El objetivo de Iglesias Abundantes es fortalecer y apoyar a las congregaciones bautistas hispanas de Texas a través de una experiencia de aprendizaje congregacional. Esta experiencia les ayudará a explorar el contexto de su ministerio, ganar claridad sobre su misión única dada por Dios, adaptar sus ministerios y prosperar en el servicio a sus comunidades y el Reino.

La Iniciativa

Durante un período de cinco años, hasta 50 congregaciones tendrán la oportunidad de participar en una experiencia de aprendizaje congregacional donde se explorarán los desafíos y se buscará implementar las soluciones a estos. También se brindarán recursos y fomentarán prácticas que ayudarán a resolver las demandas de los ministerios de la iglesia hispana. Durante este proceso, las congregaciones desarrollarán planes personalizados y tendrán la oportunidad de recibir recursos financieros de hasta $9,000 y poner en marcha su plan de acción.

El Dr. Tony Miranda, actual presidente de la Convención dirige esta iniciativa. “La iglesia hispana en los Estados Unidos enfrenta a tres gigantes: iglesias bilingües que se comunican en inglés y español, diversas generaciones de inmigrantes adorando dentro de una misma congregación y un constante desafío por alcanzar y activar a una población cada vez más joven. Esta iniciativa se enfoca en enfrentar particularmente estos retos”. –dice Miranda.

Experiencia de aprendizaje

El diseño del programa se basa en la experiencia de aprendizaje congregacional de Tim Shapiro como se describe en su libro, Cómo Aprende su Congregación. Recursos adecuados serán brindados en cada una de las fases de Desafío, Exploración, Descubrimiento e Implementación.

La iniciativa consiste en que los líderes de las iglesias participen en los retiros de Exploración e Implementación, que ayudarán a definir los retos e implementar las soluciones, respectivamente. El objetivo es que toda la iglesia participe en el proceso de aprendizaje congregacional durante un año e implemente exitosamente las soluciones a sus desafíos.

Se buscan estudiantes

Iglesias Abundantes también provee oportunidades para selectos estudiantes de nivel superior que están llamados al ministerio pastoral. Estos estudiantes pueden participar en el programa junto con las iglesias sin pastor.

Como mínimo, estos pastores serán capacitados en el proceso de aprendizaje congregacional que les servirá a medida que se gradúen y ministren en sus nuevos ministerios. Un resultado deseado sería que un estudiante y una iglesia sin pastor podrían encontrar una alineación durante el proceso.

Jesse Rincones, Director Ejecutivo de Convención dice “Podemos imaginar a la iglesia invitando al estudiante a ministrar en la iglesia durante el año después de la graduación para liderar a la iglesia en la fase de implementación de su plan personalizado durante la iniciativa.

Primer retiro

El primer retiro de Exploración tendrá lugar en San Antonio, Texas los días del 22 al 24 de julio del año en curso.

Las iglesias interesadas en participar en esta iniciativa deben completar su forma de registro para la fecha limite del 21 de mayo.

Más información y formas para aplicar están disponibles en el sitio web www.iglesiasabundantes.org.

WACO—Baylor University’s board of regents adopted a resolution that could open the door to allow a new chartered group that would offer care and support for LGBTQ students. At the same time, it reaffirms Baylor’s statement on human sexuality that supports “purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm.”

“The university remains committed to extending Christ-like love and grace in caring for all our students and meeting them where they are, just as Jesus did, and adhering to traditional biblical teaching of Scripture regarding human sexuality,” the resolution states.

At a teleconference for the news media following the May 14 board of regents meeting, Chair Mark Rountree characterized the adoption of the guiding principles as an opportunity “to lean more fully into the grace and truth aspects of our commitment as a Christian university.”

On the “grace” side of the equation, the board charged the administration to “look for ways to better care for, include and give a sense of belonging to our LGBT students,” Rountree said. On the “truth” side, regents reaffirmed the “traditional biblical view of human sexuality,” he noted.

Any chartered student group would be operated “consistent with our core Christian commitments and convictions around human sexuality, as well as other university policies,” he added.

‘Important … but difficult conversation’

President Linda Livingstone emphasized the resolution grew out of “an ongoing conversation” about human sexuality, which she called “a really important conversation but a difficult conversation within the Christian community.”

She expressed hope Baylor can “balance some of these tensions that we live with around the biblical beliefs of our institution and of the Christian faith, and the care and support of our students.”

Rountree added the conversations among regents that led to the resolution’s adoption were “deeply respectful” and “honored each person’s view and perspective.”

“We demonstrated—not just with this issue but certainly most recently with this one—that we as a board do not have to have a unanimity of perspective to have a unity of spirit,” he said.

‘Start with a clean slate’

Last October, the Baylor Student Senate passed a resolution by a 30-15 vote urging the university to reinterpret its statement on human sexuality and add a nondiscrimination clause to its policies for student organizations.

Three months ago, the Baylor Faculty Senate approved a resolution supporting a charter for the unofficial LGBTQ student group, Gamma Alpha Upsilon.

Rather than commit to recognizing the unofficial group, Livingstone expressed the desire to “start with a clean slate.” She voiced hope a new student organization can be developed that meets students’ needs in a way consistent with the guiding principles affirmed by the regents.

“I think it will be a collaborative process and one built on respect and care for one another,” she said.

Change to human sexuality statement ‘never a consideration’

Baylor’s statement on human sexuality includes the expectation “that Baylor students will not participate in advocacy groups, which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching.”

Any chartered student organization will be to provide “care, support and a sense of community” to the “growing population” of LGBTQ students, not be an advocacy group for a lifestyle or position on human sexuality, said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communication at Baylor.

“Opening up the statement on human sexuality was never a consideration,” Cook said.

The board-approved resolution emphasizes Baylor’s commitment to Christian principles and to “providing a loving and caring community for all students,” including those who identify as LGBTQ.

“As a board of regents, we recognize that Baylor’s LGBTQ students continue to seek care, connections and community on our campus and a sense of belonging within the Baylor Family. As an important and faithful expression of our Christian mission, we desire to establish trust with our LGBTQ students so that, among other things, they might seek out the resources provided by Baylor,” the resolution states.

The resolution reaffirms three core commitments:

• “The dignity and worth of all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, as we strive to fulfill our Christian commitment of a caring community.”
• “The biblical understanding that sexual relations of any kind outside of marriage between a man and a woman are not in keeping with the teaching of Scripture, as summarized in the university’s statement on human sexuality.”
• “Our commitment to providing a welcoming, supportive educational environment based on civility and respect for all.”

The resolution charges the university administration to “determine the appropriate pathways to provide additional care, connections and community for Baylor’s LGBTQ students, including the possibility of establishing a new, chartered student group that is consistent with Baylor’s core commitments … and the university’s policies and statements.”

About 200 COVID-19 vaccines were administered on the East Texas Baptist University campus during a free clinic hosted by ETBU in conjunction with the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Harrison County community members, as well as university friends and family, were encouraged to stop by the clinic for convenient and easy access to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Marion County Judge Leward J. LaFleur connected ETBU with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to secure the vaccines, and he later visited the COVID vaccine clinic on ETBU’s campus in support of the effort. Members of the Army National Guard administered the vaccines and handled all patient information and registration. “As a Christ-centered institution we strive to follow the example of Jesus and demonstrate love and compassion for members in our community,” said Scott Bryant, ETBU vice president for advancement. “An important part of our mission as a University is being a good neighbor and caring for the members of our community. Hosting the free COVID clinic was a unique opportunity for ETBU to demonstrate care for the physical needs of the citizens of Harrison County. Our prayer is that Harrison County will soon be free of the COVID-19 virus.”

South Texas Children’s Home Ministries dedicated facilities in Victoria and Goliad on May 5. The Jack Green Counseling Center in Victoria is named for the longtime president of STCH Ministries, who was instrumental in starting the family counseling ministry. The office will serve as a regional counseling office where STCH Ministries counselors can minister to children, families and individuals. The Petty Acres Children’s Center in Goliad will serve as a multi-purpose building for the STCH Ministries Homes for Families campus. It will include staff offices, a counseling office, play therapy room, commissary, gym and meeting spaces that will be used by the moms and children in care.

Howard Payne University conferred degrees on the first five graduates of its School of Nursing during its May 8 commencement—Adrien Barrientos of Lewisville; Hanna Crow, Josie McClung and Ashley Strong of Brownwood; and Kira Teel of San Antonio. The Texas Board of Nursing reaffirmed program approval for the baccalaureate nursing program at HPU in 2020. Nina Ouimette is dean of the HPU School of Nursing.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor awarded 415 baccalaureate degrees, 57 master’s degrees and 18 doctoral degrees at spring commencement on May 8. UMHB President Randy O’Rear presented the President’s Award for meritorious service to David Castles of Bullard. Miriam Osterlund of Midland and Stephen Rowe of Texas City received the Loyalty Cup, awarded to the students considered most representative of the ideals, traditions and spirit of the university.

East Texas Baptist University conferred 190 undergraduate degrees and 21 graduate degrees during three spring commencement exercises on May 8. ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn presented the President’s Award to Brock Garrison of Blossom, who graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Worship Studies degree. The award is presented to a graduate who is considered a Christian leader, scholar and servant within the campus and local community. Garrison, who maintained a 3.90 grade point average, has served as a leader on the worship team and as a youth ministry leader at Immanuel Baptist Church in Marshall. He participated in the marching band, symphonic band, concert choir, Hilltop Singers and Lampsato Worship Band. John Harris, dean of the School of Christian Studies and chair of the department of Christian ministry, was recognized as a Professor with Distinction for his service, scholarship, teaching and integration of faith and learning.

Thomas Kinnin, a junior from Early majoring in Christian ministry at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, was selected to give the message at the final chapel service of the 2021 spring semester. Kinnin is youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Holland. He urged students who have “fallen out of love with the church or even Jesus” due to a bad experience will give the church another chance and see the church for what it was meant to be. “If you’re struggling with the church, don’t run from it,” he said. Kinnin challenged students who are involved in church to be “devoted, authentic and loving,” wherever they are. “Even if you’re in a cashier job this summer, love people, be devoted to them, be authentic with them. Fellowship with them. Show them what the church is,” he urged.

Howard Payne University will offer a free six-part online seminar, “In the Beginning and Beyond: A Study of Genesis 1-4.” Donnie Auvenshine, vice president for academic affairs and professor of Christian studies at HPU, will teach the course. It is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on May 19 and 26 and on June 2, 9, 23 and 30 on Zoom videoconference. No academic credit will be granted, but the seminar will provide an in-depth study at no cost to participants. Registration is required. To register for the seminar, click here and complete the form.

A celebration of life service honoring Charles A. Tidwell is scheduled at 2 p.m. on June 5 at Agape Baptist Church, 3900 Southwest Blvd., in Fort Worth. Tidwell, professor of administration at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for 30 years, died Jan. 28. He was 89.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—As more Americans have access to legal marijuana, most U.S. Protestant pastors remain opposed to its use and legalization.

Five states approved marijuana legalization measures last November, including Mississippi, which became the first Southern state to approve medical marijuana. Now, 36 states have legalized it for medicinal purposes, including 15 states that have fully legalized adult marijuana use, according to CNN.

Among Protestant pastors, however, few believe marijuana use should be legal nationwide. According to a study from Lifeway Research, fewer than 1 in 5 pastors (18 percent) say it should be legalized throughout the country for any purpose. More than 3 in 4 pastors (76 percent) disagree, including 59 percent who disagree strongly. Few (6 percent) are not sure.

“There are about as many opinions on marijuana as there are ways to consume it,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “When asked about legalizing all such uses, the majority of pastors are strongly opposed.”

Differences by region and denomination

Reflecting the state laws in their respective regions, pastors in the Northeast (24 percent) are more likely to support legalization than those in the South (16 percent).

Mainline pastors (43 percent) are also more likely to believe marijuana should be legalized for any purpose than evangelical pastors (10 percent). Denominationally, Methodist (37 percent) and Presbyterian Reformed (35 percent) pastors are more likely to back legalization than Restorationist movement pastors (21 percent), Lutherans (15 percent), Pentecostals (10 percent) and Baptists (7 percent).

Todd Miles, author of the upcoming book Cannabis and the Christian, said the contrast between pastoral support and public approval should be a warning for pastors. An April 2021 Pew Research Center survey reveals 91 percent of Americans favor some type of legalization, with 60 percent supporting making marijuana legal for both medical and recreational use.

“The fact that only 18 percent of pastors support legalizations shows the influence of the clergy in America is not as strong as it once was,” Miles said.

Prepare for cultural change

Miles maintains pastors should be prepared for the coming cultural changes. “All indications are that public desire for legalization of marijuana is growing rapidly,” he said. “The church must be ready to minister in that context.”

Few pastors see nothing wrong with smoking marijuana to get high. Closely matching legalization percentages, almost 4 in 5 Protestant pastors (78 percent) agree getting high smoking marijuana is morally wrong, 17 percent disagree, and 5 percent are not sure.

“Cultural stigmas around smoking a joint have diminished, but most pastors still say it crosses a moral line,” McConnell said. “While some may connect this prohibition to state laws that still forbid this use, it is clear from their views on legalization that pastors see moral problems with getting high beyond simply disobeying government authorities.”

Evangelical pastors are almost twice as likely as mainline pastors to see smoking marijuana to get high as morally wrong (89 percent to 47 percent). Denominationally, Pentecostals (97 percent) and Baptists (92 percent) are more likely to see it as immoral than Restorationist movement (74 percent), Methodist (66 percent), Lutheran (63 percent) and Presbyterian/Reformed pastors (57 percent).

The percentage of pastors who view getting high from marijuana as sinful is less than the percentage in a previous study who say the same about getting drunk.

A 2007 Lifeway Research study found 91 percent of Protestant pastors believe getting drunk from alcohol violates biblical teaching. Among Protestant churchgoers, 87 percent say Scripture indicates people should never get drunk, according to a 2017 Lifeway Research study.

In both studies, respondents tended to draw distinctions between drinking and getting drunk. Few pastors and churchgoers believe Scripture indicates people should never drink alcohol.

“While marijuana and many other narcotics are not mentioned in the Bible, getting drunk to the point of triggering hallucinations is,” McConnell said. “There is consistent rebuke throughout Scripture for using alcohol to the point of losing control of your words and actions that pastors reflect in their reactions to marijuana today.”

Miles said he often interacts with “pastors who do not think the issue of marijuana use is relevant to the people of their congregation.”

Regardless of their perceptions, he said, pastors will be faced with the issue at some point.

“If recreational and medical marijuana are not currently legal in your home state, they soon will be,” Miles asserted. “Relying on the laws as the basis for your convictions on the wisdom of marijuana use is increasingly becoming less and less of an option.”

The mixed mode survey of 1,007 Protestant pastors was conducted Sept. 2–Oct. 1, 2020, using both phone and online interviews. Each survey was completed by the senior or sole pastor or a minister at the church. Responses were weighted by region and church size to reflect the population more accurately. The completed sample is 1,007 surveys (502 by phone, 505 online), providing 95 percent confidence the sampling error does not exceed plus or minus 3.4 percent. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.