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FORT WORTH, TX – One opportunity that most believers experience on a fairly consistent basis is to respond in prayer to prayer requests shared by other believers or even those who are not yet believers. A friend, co-worker or fellow church member shares with you by conversation, email, phone call, or even social media a sincere prayer concern and asks if you will join him in prayer over the matter. How do you respond? I've never heard anyone say, "No, I don't have time for that, but good luck." Normally, we quickly respond that we will pray and go on about our business. Sometimes we remember the request and pray about it quickly, but I will confess there have been times that I have completely forgotten about the matter and have been unfaithful in my commitment to pray for my brother or sister. In essence, I have lied to someone. I told them I would do something and failed to do it. I have found a solution to this problem, and I have made it a practice in my life. It is not incredibly complicated, it is nothing new, but it works: When someone asks you to pray about a matter, stop whatever you are doing and pray with them right then. If you are in the store, stop and pray. If you are on campus, stop and pray. If you see it on Twitter or Facebook, stop and pray and then send the individual a private message letting them know you have prayed and will continue to pray for the situation. If you are driving and talking on the cellphone, stop and pray -- but keep your eyes open. It does not have to be a long prayer, but a sincere prayer. It does not have to be the only prayer time, but the beginning of prayer for the situation. This practice accomplishes two important things through my prayer life: 1. I never lie to anyone when I commit to pray about a matter. I say I will pray, and we pray right then. I never intended to lie before, but it occasionally happened that I would completely forget. My memory lapse made for some humbling moments when my paths crossed with that individual the next time. 2. The second thing this practice accomplished was unexpected: I have found that when I stop and pray, there is a work that takes place in my heart concerning the matter. It seems to me an immediate, quick and genuine prayer in some real way seals that request in my heart and mind. I find myself remembering it often over the next few days, writing it in my journal to pray going forward, and genuinely desiring to follow up with the one who had made the request. Bottom line: I find myself more engaged in the ministry that a specific prayer request always affords. This practice has led many times to further ministry opportunities. Maybe you have already made this a practice. If so, keep it up. If not, why not give it a try? Just commit that if someone asks you to pray about something, you will stop and seek God's face together, remembering the words of Scripture: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). Get ready: If you make this commitment, I believe someone is going to share a prayer need with you soon. What blessings does God have in store in such an opportunity? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tommy Kiker (@tommykiker on Twitter) is associate professor of pastoral theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. This column first appeared at the seminary's Theological Matters website, www.theologicalmatters.com. #JULY16

CONWAY, SC (BP) – Headed to the Carolina coast this summer for some sun and surf but also looking for a missions opportunity? Martha Bullard has just the job for you. This summer, as she has for the past seven summers, Bullard, along with volunteers from churches of the Waccamaw Baptist Association, will be manning a "sunburn trailer" in Surfside Beach, S.C. Volunteers at the trailer dole out free sunscreen, aloe gel and water, and they look for opportunities to share the Gospel with visitors from all over the world. Often, youth groups from churches outside the area will coordinate with Bullard to utilize the trailer as a staging area for their missions activities on the beach. The trailer, normally used for disaster relief operations by Waccamaw Association in Conway has wide panels on both sides that can be raised to create an open-air setting conducive to having relaxed conversations with families on their way from the public parking lot to the beach, Bullard said. The trailer is open during the summer months from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Over the course of the summer, 50-75 people, many of them senior adults, will help man the trailer, Bullard said. The ministry was started by the Baptist Nursing Fellowship many years ago, and Bullard, herself, spends three or four days a week helping man the trailer. "I'm a people person," said Bullard, a member of First Baptist Church of Surfside Beach, "and I love to tell people about the Lord." For more information about the sunburn trailer ministry this summer, contact Martha Bullard at 843-995-1320. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Butch Blume is managing editor for The Baptist Courier, the news magazine of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. #JULY16

ST. LOUIS, MO (BP) – Racial reconciliation rests at the doorsteps of the church and can only be achieved through the Gospel in action, a diverse panel of Baptist pastors said during a trailblazing discussion today (June 14) on the opening morning of the 2016 SBC annual meeting in St. Louis. Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd convened the panel at 10:52 a.m., historically including National Baptist Convention USA President Jerry Young. The two have collaborated for months to put talk into action and actually achieve racial reconciliation in a racially troubled America. "Being together here at this significant moment in America where racial disunity is occurring, and few are speaking into this discussion, it is our responsibility as the church of Jesus Christ to resound the power of the Gospel and the unconditional love of Christ for all people into this conversation," Floyd said in introducing the nine-member panel including African American, Hispanic, Anglo, American Indian and Asian pastors of varying ages. "It is our responsibility to have this historic conversation today for our present and for our future," Floyd said of the panel, titled "A National Conversation on Racism in America." He called Young, a chief speaker at the event, a "dear friend." The conversation has to become a lifestyle, Floyd said. Days before the first anniversary of the June 17, 2015, racially motivated massacre of a pastor and eight church members at the historic Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., the panel also featured in a key speaking role Marshall Blalock, pastor of Charleston's First Baptist Church. All members of the panel expressed a unity of vision and purpose, describing the church as the Light and Salt of the earth, and the only cure on this side of heaven for racism. As Young put it, "Somebody needs to pass the Salt and turn on the Light." The pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., said racism is a sin problem that can only be solved by the people God has put in place to offer the healing salvation of the Gospel. "The problem in America is a problem with the church being what God called it to be," Young said. "The problem is contaminated salt, concealed light, whereby we do not express the love of Christ nor extend His light." Blalock referenced the "grief and grace" Charleston experienced after 21-year-old white supremacist Dylann Roof slaughtered worshippers after they welcomed him into a Bible study. That experience, Blalock said, helped white Americans understand the true pain of racism. "For so many years, white people have not really been able to capture and understand the true pain, the true hurt of racism, at least not experientially," Blalock said. "But racially motivated murder hurt all of us. The white community for the first time, in some ways, would experience the depth of the pain; for the first time, beginning to understand, it was our church that was attacked, our people, our brothers and sisters, our neighbor. Our city was made one by grief." The church needs to ask itself whether it is intentionally practicing segregation, Blalock said, encouraging those present to search their hearts. "Only the Gospel can change hearts. Only the Gospel can eliminate racism," Blalock said. "Sadly, if we allow our own hearts to fall in that trap of racism it takes away from the Good News. As Dr. Young said, it covers and conceals the Light." Blalock realized years ago that he himself had a "segregated" heart, he said, when a black pastor and friend took him through an African American neighborhood and introduced him to individuals he had never taken the time to notice. "That day my friend walked me through a neighborhood where we stopped and shook hands and visited with people, and for the first time I realized it was me. My own heart was segregated," he told the thousands gathered in the convention hall. "I had no intention of living that way, just like none of you have any animus toward black people. But yet, it's subtle, and I allowed it to sneak into my soul." To the remaining eight panelists, Floyd posed questions germane to their individual ministries and circumstances. Kenny Petty, senior pastor of The Gate Church in St. Louis, spoke from the vantage point of the racial turmoil that erupted nearly two years ago in Ferguson upon the killing of Michael Brown. "What was happening then and what was present then was an infection, a historical, a societal infection that was exposed by an incident, like the incident in Charleston, the incident in Florida the killing of Trayvon," Petty said. While healing has occurred, much more is needed, he said. "The infection just didn't stop at the doorstep of the culture, but that infection was also in the church and needed to be exposed," he said. "It's a good thing that we're having sessions like this." H.B. Charles, pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., said racism is rooted in sin. The church is asleep as Jonah was asleep as a storm raged in the sea, Charles said, and "the Lord is trying to wake the church up." David Um, senior pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cambridge, Mass., and chaplain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the smartest people in the world have invented no cure for racism. "The students I encounter at these elite and intellectual institutions are most certainly not racist. Just ask them. They are the enlightened ones," he said with sarcasm. "They have evolved beyond racial divisions ... or so they assume." But they are "completely blind to their personal biases and bigotries." Um concluded, "You cannot educate away racism because you cannot educate away sin. Sin is the problem. Racism is just another sin." Former SBC President Fred Luter Jr., pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, also served on the panel. Other panelists were Timmy Chavis, pastor of Bear Swamp Baptist Church, Pembroke, N.C.; Joe Costephens, pastor of First Baptist Church, Ferguson, Mo.; D.A. Horton, pastor of Reach Fellowship, Los Angeles, and Gregg Matte, pastor of First Baptist Church, Houston. Floyd described the SBC as the most multi-ethnic and multi-lingual denomination in America, with 10,709 of the 51,441 churches and mission churches holding non-Anglo majority memberships. Of almost 1,000 churches planted in America two years ago, 58 percent were non-Anglo, Floyd said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' general assignment writer/editor. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JULY16

ST. LOUIS, MO (BP) – A capacity audience of 3,000 at The Dome in St. Louis experienced the launch of Send Relief at the 2016 Send Luncheon on Monday, part of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference. In keeping with the Send Relief theme -- bringing practical help with lasting hope -- the North American Mission Board (NAMB) presented Plymouth Baptist Church with a Send Relief trailer to augment the compassion ministry the church of 100 already accomplishes to reach the people of Plymouth, Ind. Pastor Clark Harless, his wife Raechelle and their daughter, Kennedy, joined NAMB president Kevin Ezell on stage. Ezell said Harless and his church epitomize what Send Relief can mean for a community. "Every church can do this," Ezell said. "Every pastor can. Clark is an example of a pastor helping his church to engage their community where they are. That is what Send Relief is about, every church taking its next step on mission. We must be engaging people. We must be having Gospel conversations." NAMB ambassador and pastor of Hope Church, Las Vegas, Vance Pitman opened the event. Pitman shared his enthusiasm for what the future holds. "I've been around the SBC all my life," Pitman said. "I have never been more excited about being a Southern Baptist than I am now." Pitman introduced a video celebrating this year's 50th anniversary of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. The audience recognized more than 20 state Disaster Relief leaders and volunteers in attendance. "We are never better than when we work together," Ezell said. "Nothing expresses that more than the cooperation of our state conventions and their leadership in disaster relief. For the five years following the first Send Luncheon, we tried to bring focus to our work. We have gone from 13 percent of our budget devoted to church planting to now more than 53 percent." But Ezell said church planting is just one part of what NAMB wants to help Southern Baptists accomplish. There are just over 3,000 sending and supporting churches working with church plants in the SBC. "We want to plant churches in Denver. And David (Platt) and the IMB (International Mission Board) want to reach Dubai. We want to plant churches in New York and in Nepal, but we have to start with our neighbors. Churches must be on mission in their own communities. There are so many needs in the shadows of our steeples." Ezell said NAMB did not invent compassion ministry, it has been part of the church for centuries, but that churches need to continue to push to reach people in the neighborhoods that surround them. Following a video overview, Ezell invited David Melber, NAMB vice president for Send Relief, to the stage. Melber, his team and volunteers from across the nation partnered with First Baptist Ferguson, Mo., to hold the public launch of Send Relief ministry on Crossover Saturday (June 11). "We see hurt and pain on the television every day," Melber said. "There is pain and heartbreak and hopelessness in front of us. How can we live intentionally on mission every day? That is the heart of Send Relief." Melber highlighted the day of ministry with First Baptist Ferguson and the volunteers, which included Send Relief mobile medical and dental clinics, both on display at the lunch, and available for tours during the SBC. The units are the first in what is hoped will be a fleet, which are available for use by churches, associations and state conventions for Send Relief outreach. Saturday's Send Relief launch included food distribution, a block party and smoke detector installations in the homes surrounding the church. "We saw dozens of professions of faith in Christ," Melber said. "One of the most encouraging things to me was to hear our volunteers talk about how they will engage their communities with Send Relief through their churches when they return home." Brandon Doyle, a member of the Crosspoint Church planting team in Richmond, Ind., said he was encouraged by the fellowship and sense of community at the luncheon. Crosspoint launched on May 1. "We love the Send Network and NAMB," Doyle said. "That is why we are here. On May 2, the day after our launch, a team member from NAMB called to ask how our launch went and asked how he could pray for us. That is amazing support." Finding connecting points and ideas to lead his youth group to engage their community intrigued Jerusalem Ona most about Send Relief. Ona, from Randolph, N.J., was ready to see how his students would respond. "This was great," Ona said. "It was even better than last year. We want to help our youth to focus on the community and help them meet the needs of the people, not just physical, but spiritual. We are already working to help people recovering from addictions. I think Send Relief can help us lead the youth to engage our community." The final presentation came when Ezell told the Harless family that through the generosity of private donors and the administration of Cedarville University, Kennedy's remaining tuition expenses, not already covered by her grants and scholarships, will be paid. Clark Harless suffers from multiple sclerosis, and is presently in relapse with the disease. "I may have multiple sclerosis, but it does not have me," Harless said. "Through this Christ has been glorified. It has opened doors for our staff and members to minister. Those opportunities may not have been there had I not faced this." Harless said he is convinced that what churches experience as a lack of effective ministry "is not from a lack of opportunity, but from a lack of opportunists." For more information about Send Relief, including reservation of the mobile clinics, visit www.namb.net/SendRelief. To learn more about NAMB and mission opportunities, subscribe to On Mission Today at www.onmissiontoday.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joe Conway writes for the North American Mission Board. #JULY16

ST. LOUIS, MO (BP) – The election of Steve Gaines as president on the third ballot and a historic repudiation of the Confederate battle flag were among the highlights of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 14-15 in St. Louis. The convention's resolution on the Confederate battle flag capped an emphasis on racial reconciliation throughout the meeting that included the election of a 2017 Committee on Nominations with 25 percent of its members drawn from ethnic minority groups and a panel discussion on "racial unity in America" featuring Jerry Young, president of the historically African American National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. The unofficial total of 7,321 registered messengers -- up from 5,407 last year -- also devoted an entire session to praying for awakening in America, listened to a panel discussion on "pastors and the church in American politics today" and addressed on multiple occasions whether Baptists should support Muslims' right to build mosques in the United States. When registered guests, exhibitors and others are included, the count of those at the annual meeting was tallied, as of June 15, at 11,581. Presidential election On the second ballot, neither Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., nor North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear obtained a majority, with Gaines receiving 49.96 percent, Greear 47.80 percent and 108 ballots ruled illegal. Messengers would have had to choose for the second time among the same two presidential candidates for what chief parliamentarian Barry McCarty called the first time in SBC history, but Greear withdrew his candidacy and moved that the convention elect Gaines by acclamation. Recording secretary John Yeats said the presidential election has not gone to a third ballot in at least 20 years, the time that Yeats has served as recording secretary. On the first ballot, Greear led with 44.97 percent of the vote. Louisiana pastor David Crosby was also nominated for president. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., said he decided to withdraw after praying Tuesday night because Southern Baptists "need to leave St. Louis united." Gaines told the convention "there's no way God's not doing something in all of this." Racial reconciliation The Resolutions Committee originally proposed a resolution calling believers "to consider prayerfully whether to limit, or even more so, discontinue its display," but also stating that for some the Confederate battle flag is not "a symbol of hatred, bigotry, and racism." But former SBC President James Merritt moved that the reference to the flag's not being a racist symbol for some be removed and that the convention call believers to "discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity with the whole Body of Christ, including our African American brothers and sisters." Messengers adopted Merritt's amendment and the resolution by wide margins after he told the convention support of the flag hinders evangelism among African Americans and said, "Southern Baptists are not a people of any flag. We march under the banner of the cross of Jesus and the grace of God." During a nationally televised prayer service that night, Young, of the NBC USA, said the wall of racism "is already down." Hours before the resolution's adoption, Young told Southern Baptists racism in America stems in part from the church's failure to be salt and light. "Somebody needs to pass the salt and turn on the lights," he said. Young's comments came during the racial unity panel discussion, which also included a multiethnic array of Southern Baptist leaders. Outgoing SBC President Ronnie Floyd called racism "an assault on the Gospel of Jesus Christ" during his presidential address. He recognized the great great granddaughter of Dred Scott, the slave who was a party to the infamous Supreme Court decision bearing his name. "Any form of racism," Floyd said, "defies the dignity of human life." Prayer for awakening The Tuesday night "national call to prayer" featured two hours of prayer for awakening in America and around the world. Brief addresses were delivered by a multidenominational team of leaders, including former SBC President Johnny Hunt, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, California pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie and Young. Pastors, politics and religious liberty A Wednesday afternoon panel discussion considered the role of pastors and churches in American politics. The panel featured five pastors and written comments submitted by Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mat Staver, who was unable to attend. During the panel discussion, Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, said the three most important issues in the 2016 U.S. presidential election are the sanctity of life, religious liberty and the appointment of Supreme Court justices. K. Marshall Williams, pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church in Philadelphia, said believers should also consider "systemic racism and injustice" as well as "the pipeline from school to prison" among African American males. A resolution adopted by messengers "encouraged Southern Baptists and all followers of Jesus Christ in the United States to participate in the democratic process by voting." On at least three occasions, messengers addressed Muslims' right to build mosques in America. A motion from the floor asked the convention to remove from their positions Southern Baptist "officers" and "officials" who support Muslims' right to build mosques in America. A separate motion asked the SBC to withdraw its amicus brief in a federal lawsuit involving the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge (N.J.). Both motions were ruled out of order, with the Committee on Order of Business noting the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission signed onto an amicus brief, not the SBC. The International Mission Board also signed the brief. During the ERLC report, a messenger asked ERLC President Russell Moore how any Southern Baptist can defend the right to build mosques in light of the fact some Muslims are terrorists. Moore responded that part of "what it means to be a Baptist is to support soul freedom for everyone." The Gospel, not government coercion, is the answer to Islam, he said. Missions and evangelism Messengers adopted an Executive Committee resolution of appreciation for Wanda Lee, retiring executive director/treasurer of the Woman's Missionary Union. The resolution noted that during Lee's 16-plus years of service, WMU has helped raise nearly a combined $3 billion for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions -- "which constitutes more than one-half of the total amount raised through these two offerings since they began being reported." IMB President David Platt reported that following a "difficult" reduction this year of more than 1,000 missionaries, "for 2017, we will be operating with a balanced budget with the stage set for a healthy financial future." He thanked Southern Baptists for a record Lottie Moon Offering for 2015-16, which exceeded the previous high mark by more than $11 million. North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell said NAMB planted 926 churches last year. Among all NAMB church plants, one person is baptized annually for every 14 church members. In established churches, the ratio is one baptism per 52 members, Ezell said. Crossover St. Louis, the convention's evangelistic blitz preceding the annual meeting, yielded 556 professions of faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, the first increase in three years. In other news: – Messengers granted final approval for Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary to change its name to Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. – A scheduled panel discussion in which all entity heads would have fielded messenger questions together was canceled because the Executive Committee did not approve an SBC bylaw change to allow the panel format for entity questions. Instead, each entity president fielded questions following his report. – Messengers made 22 motions, with 12 ruled out of order and 10 referred to entities or committees. – Twelve resolutions addressed topics including the June 12 terrorist attack in Orlando, Fla.; "biblical sexuality and the freedom of conscience"; requiring women to register for the military draft; and ministry to refugees. – Illinois pastor Doug Munton was elected first vice president without opposition. Missouri pastor Malachi O'Brien was elected second vice president from among two other nominees. Yeats was reelected to a 20th term as recording secretary, and Jim Wells was reelected registration secretary for a 15th term. – A Tuesday morning ceremony honored America and its veterans, with an appearance by one of the 2,000 remaining survivors of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. A messenger's motion requested that future SBC online registration forms ask messengers whether they have served in the military and that such service be indicated on messenger badges. – Chief parliamentarian McCarty was honored upon the 30th anniversary of his first service to the convention. A former minister in the Stone-Campbell tradition, McCarty joined a Southern Baptist church by baptism last summer and accepted a position on the faculty of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. #JULY16

DETROIT, MI – Storytellers Church recently celebrated their 2nd anniversary. Along with the celebration they baptized eleven new believers. On Mother’s Day, May 8, they moved their Sunday worship service out of its original meeting location in Macomb into a new facility that they will have use of seven days a week. The new site is in Chesterfield, the church’s target community. They have also raised $20,000 of support with a matching gift from a partner in Florida for the build-out of their new worship space. In addition, starting in September, Lead Pastor Bryan Ball says they will be launching a second service time. The name Storytellers really drives everything the church does. The name is their heart and is a call to evangelism, working to raise people up to share their story in their daily setting (work, school, family, etc) of what God is doing in their life. Ball says, “They may think their story is insignificant, but the church continuously tells their people to trust God to do the impossible with the insignificant.” While it may not sound like the best church growth strategy, Storytellers always tells its people to focus on this FIRST before inviting someone to church. They want to see people become comfortable with talking about Jesus in everyday life instead of focusing on getting them to church to hear the pastor talk about Jesus. In two and half years, the church has grown from the initial core of 4 people to averaging 120 on Sunday mornings. They average roughly 40 in weekly group attendance, and have baptized 34 people and dedicated 17 children. Chesterfield is home to 47,000 people with an average age of 38, and an average household income of $65,000. It is 92% Caucasian with a major portion claiming Catholicism as their "religion." Storytellers is a very solid representation of their community in every way. They have been called a blue collar church. They sought to create a church that would feel inviting to the life-long churched, the un-churched, the de-churched and everyone in between. Most of their people at one point in their lives have had some exposure to church. God has continuously used this church to show people the difference between going to church and pursuing Jesus. Pastor Bryan shared, “We have a lot of people who come in with some type of basic understanding, but in time, they have an "ah-ha" moment while at the church, and a relationship with Jesus begins.” “I love the dynamics and the makeup of our church. I love when people say they get excited to come here on Sunday's.” The Gathering in Windsor, ON celebrated its 2nd birthday in May with more than 380 in attendance and 4 people baptized. At the birthday, The Gathering announced its support for a new church plant in Sarnia, ON, with Cecil and Jayne Cogswell and Warren and Sharon Hessling leading the way. Recently, they also have identified the need to start a new work in Amhurstburg, ON. Wade Hurst has been identified as a potential planter to lead this effort. The Gathering is located in a renovated warehouse in south Windsor which is the southernmost city in Canada. It is located directly across the river from Detroit, Windsor is part of the Send Detroit vision. The city is one of Canada's major automobile manufacturing centers and is home to the headquarters of FCA Canada. Automotive facilities include the FCA Canada minivan assembly plant, two Ford Motor Company engine plants, and several tool and die and automotive parts manufacturers. The Gathering, a two year old church planting other churches is remarkable. From its inception, the church has had a heart to become part of a church planting / multiplication movement. Lead pastor, Garth Leno says, “We believe that nothing else will have the impact of dynamic, extensive church planting. One of the best ways to increase the number of Christians in a town is to increase the number of churches.” Church leaders believe church planting helps an existing church the best when the new congregation is voluntarily 'birthed' by an older 'mother' congregation. Pastor Leno says, “Our attitude to new church development is a test of whether our mindset is geared to our own institutional turf, or to the overall health and prosperity of the kingdom of God in the city. We also believe that if we don’t birth one or two new churches within the first 5 years of our existence, we will lose the zeal to do so, and it may never happen!” Southeast Michigan Flood Recovery - The SEND Relief Flood Recovery Unit at Scholfield Elementary School in Warren has met the needs of families affected by the flood of August 2014. This spring saw hundreds of collegiate students come from all over the country to help clean and rebuild homes. The prayer is that many of these students gained a connection to Detroit and that the Lord would lead them to return as church planters. The efforts of the recovery unit is coming to an end. They will no longer be accepting new teams for the rebuild effort. It’s last team work day is July 23 and will be closing operations August 31. The Flood Recovery Unit helped clean out 464 homes, has helped to rebuild 30 homes and has given three church planters a great platform for the gospel to be continually shared. #JULY16

SPRINGDALE, AR (BP) – The future of Southern Baptist Convention is on my heart this week. Perhaps now, days away from the conclusion of my two-year presidency, my feelings may lean toward being a little nostalgic. What will our future look like? If Jesus tarries His coming, how long will our convention of churches last? Only God knows the answer to these and more questions when we think about our future together. Who do we want to be in the future? This should be a concern for all of us, and we should never minimize this issue: Who do we want to be in the future? I recently heard a major political leader say that during the decision-making process, he keeps in mind that "Every step is a forward-moving step." The same is true for the future of our Southern Baptist Convention. Every step we make needs to move us forward. Nothing moves fast in a major government or a convention of churches. Checks and balances are provided at many levels. At times these may appear to bind us, but in reality, they protect us in the long term. I want to suggest some steps that will always keep us moving forward. Perhaps these steps could be more properly called axioms, which are principles or self-evident truths that are widely accepted among us. Who do we want to be in the future? 1. A Bible-believing Southern Baptist Convention While this may currently be part of our identity, the reality is that the culture mocks the authority of the Bible in 2016 and beyond. Our pastors and churches are navigating in a world unlike anything we have experienced before. Our leadership with our laypeople and one another is critical in this hour. Whatever step we take in our decision-making, we must always do so believing the Bible is infallible, trustworthy, sufficient and inerrant, progressing toward the goal set before us. 2. A Gospel-advancing Southern Baptist Convention In this diverse, complex season in American life and in the evangelical world, there really is only one passion that keeps us tied together: Advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire nation and world. Our pastors, churches and convention leaders must dig deep and find a way to experience a rebirth of sharing the Gospel personally and a renewal of our priority to evangelize the towns and cities of America and simultaneously extend the Gospel globally. We cannot retreat from this calling, but must renew our commitment to such a point that we act upon it urgently, personally, collectively, cooperatively and aggressively. 3. A Leader-developing Southern Baptist Convention In order for us to live out Ephesians 4:12, "For the training of the saints in the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ," every member in the body of Christ must be developed to do the work of the ministry in and through the local church. Until our local churches return to our members owning the ministry and personalizing the Great Commission locally, we will not seize this opportunity before us. While our six seminaries are developing just over 20,000 seminary students in their various locations, their robust effort must continue forward for God's glory. This is one of our most encouraging dynamics in Baptist life. This indicates a hope that perhaps God is preparing His called servants to impact our nation and the globe in an unprecedented way. 4. A multi-ethnic, multi-lingual Southern Baptist Convention Strengthening our commitment to becoming a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual denomination begins in the local churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. In other words, this is a local church issue more than a Southern Baptist Convention issue. The Southern Baptist Convention will mirror our churches. If our churches are going to reach the towns and cities of America with the Gospel, each church must become committed to reach people that comprise their community, including those of unique ethnicity and may speak a language other than English. The North American Mission Board informed Southern Baptists that 58 percent of the churches planted one year ago are non-white churches. In the past two years, with the appointments I am permitted to make as president of our convention, we are at the highest percentage of appointments of non-white Baptists in our history. Additionally, in last year's National Call to Prayer and with this year's National Conversation on Racial Unity in America, the Southern Baptist Convention is making great strides in this conversation and will continue to do so. But let me remind you, the key is what is happening in our churches. 5. A local church-centered Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention is not centered on our SBC national entities, state conventions, or regional associations; we are to be centered on helping our churches. These entities, conventions and associations exist for one purpose alone: for our churches. Their role is to assist our churches to carry out their God-assigned, God-anointed task of reaching the world for Christ. Otherwise, they have no reason to exist. Southern Baptists are always at our best when our churches are being assisted and equipped, and our pastors are leading not just their churches, but in their beloved Southern Baptist Convention. 6. A Generously-giving Southern Baptist Convention Southern Baptists have been able to do what we do for one reason alone: Our churches are generous in giving through the Cooperative Program and to our mission offerings. We do not need to minimize what our churches are doing already and have done together historically. While generosity must continue to grow, money usually follows vision and the unity of our fellowship together. 7. A people-loving Southern Baptist Convention Southern Baptists are not perfect, especially in our testimony together in fellowship, but we must not neglect our need to be a people-loving convention. Right now in these socially uncertain waters in America, we face an ongoing threat of being pulled into an ocean of skepticism, criticism and cynicism toward not just people in America, but even more sadly, one another. Southern Baptists should want to be known for being a people-loving convention, both within our family and outside of our family. Jesus calls us to love one another. Who we do not want to be? Daily, we face the ongoing tension between who we want to be in the future versus who we do not want to be in the future. I have encouraged us to make great choices about who we want to be in the future. Briefly, I want to declare who we do not want to be in the future: We do not want to be a convention that questions or denies the Holy Scripture and its ongoing authority until Jesus comes again. We do not want to be a convention that minimizes evangelism locally, regionally and nationally, or we will become a convention that does not advance the Gospel globally. If we lose evangelism as our priority, we will soon cease to have a convention. We do not want to be a convention that demeans the role of laypersons in our churches and minimizes the ministry of equipping from the local church to the convention level. We do not want to be a convention comprised of only Anglo/white churches, or we will soon be dead and irrelevant to our culture. We do not want to be a convention centered on ourselves, our structures, and our systems, or we will float away on the seas of selfishness. We do not want to be a convention that is comprised of selfish non-giving Christians and self-serving churches or we will cease being able to finance our work together statewide, nationally and internationally. We do not want to be a convention that erodes relationships with each other and other evangelicals through constant, ongoing skepticism, un-Christian criticism, and unattractive cynicism. I call our pastors, churches and convention leaders to a higher life and a greater level of leadership in the times in which we live today. In 2016, we need leaders to rise up as modern men and women of Issachar, "who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." (1 Chronicles 12:32) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ronnie Floyd is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. This column first appeared on Ronnie Floyd's website, www.ronniefloyd.com. #JULY16

Heavy rains on June 23 brought historic flooding to West Virginia, claiming at least 24 lives and 100 homes. Search and rescue efforts are still in progress. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams are already on the ground giving aid to survivors and comfort to those facing the loss of family and loved ones. While you may not be able to travel to the affected area, every church—every church member—can be on mission and Send Relief to West Virginia now by giving to provide food, bottled water, cleanup supplies and more for flood survivors. Give to support Disaster Relief efforts and the volunteer teams on the ground in West Virginia. Learn more about Southern Baptist response to the crisis in West Virginia. #JULY16

NASHVILLE, TN – What is Zika? Zika is a disease caused by the Zika virus, which is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, says the Centers for Disease Control. Only 1 in 5 people infected by the virus show any symptoms, the most common being fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Adults infected with Zika usually have only mild symptoms that last less than a week. Most people infected don’t get sick enough go to the hospital and very rarely die of Zika. (A rare nervous system disorder that causes temporary paralysis (Guillain-Barre syndrome) may also be linked to the infection, though that has not yet been established.) If the effect of Zika is so mild, why is there so much concern? Although Zika is rarely harmful to most adults, it could be dangerous for pregnant women and is suspected of causing birth defects in newborns. The infection of pregnant women by the virus is believed to be the cause of thousands of babies being born with microcephaly. Although no scientific evidence has confirmed a link between the virus and microcephaly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Zika a global public health emergency because of a spike in both Zika and microcephaly cases in Brazil since May 2015. What is microcephaly? Microcephaly is a condition where a baby is born with a small head or the head stops growing after birth. As the WHO notes, microcephaly is usually a rare condition, with one baby in several thousand being born with the birth defect. If this combines with poor brain growth, babies with microcephaly can have developmental disabilities. The WHO says the most reliable way to assess whether a baby has microcephaly is to measure head circumference 24 hours after birth, compare this with WHO growth standards, and continue to measure the rate of head growth in early infancy. The disease currently affects about 25,000 children every year in the United States. There is no specific treatment for microcephaly. Can a woman transmit Zika virus to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth? According to the WHO, Zika virus infection close to term could potentially be transmitted during childbirth, although this has not been proven to date. The CDC, however, claims that the Zika virus can be passed from a mother to child during pregnancy. Can a previous Zika infection cause a woman who later gets pregnant to have a baby with microcephaly? The CDC says there is no evidence to suggest that Zika virus, after it is cleared from the blood, poses a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. How is Zika transmitted? Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti in tropical regions. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue and yellow fever. As the New York Times explains, only female mosquitoes bite people since they need blood in order to lay eggs. They pick up the virus when they drink the blood of a human. The virus then travels from the mosquito’s gut through their circulatory system to their salivary glands and is injected into its next human victim. “Mosquito saliva contains proteins that keeps blood from clotting,” The New York Times adds. “When a mosquito bites it first injects saliva so that its prey’s blood does not clog its straw-like proboscis.” People can transmit the virus to mosquitos even if they themselves do not show symptoms of being infected. Can the virus be transmitted through sexual intercourse? Yes. According to the CDC, Zika virus can be spread by a man to his sex partners. Because the virus is present in semen longer than in blood, the virus can be spread when the man has symptoms, before symptoms start and after symptoms resolve. Can the virus be transmitted through blood transfusion? Currently, there have not been any confirmed blood transfusion transmission cases in the United States. There have been multiple reports of blood transfusion transmission cases in Brazil, notes the CDC, and during the French Polynesian outbreak, 2.8 percent of blood donors tested positive for Zika and in previous outbreaks, the virus has been found in blood donors. Is there a vaccine or cure for Zika? There is currently no vaccine or cure, and even diagnostic testing is difficult. Scientists say that while a vaccine could be ready for testing in two years, it may be another decade for it to be approved by regulators. What areas have been affected by Zika? Prior to 2015, Zika virus outbreaks occurred in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Since then, it has been reported in Central America, most countries in South America, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and America Samoa. No local mosquito-borne Zika virus disease cases have been reported in U.S. states, but there have been, to date, 591 travel-associated cases (including 11 involving sexual transmission of the virus). There is currently no travel ban to any of the affected countries. How are these countries responding? Several countries—including Colombia, Jamaica and Honduras—have urged women to delay having babies. El Salvador even took the controversial step of encouraging women not to get pregnant until 2018. This has been especially contentious since many of these countries have large Roman Catholic populations. “A campaign to delay pregnancy would seem to be an implicit endorsement of birth control,” The Washington Post notes. “For a region that is majority Roman Catholic, this presents a potential conflict, as the church has long condemned contraception.” Does the virus pose a threat to the Olympic Games? Last week the World Health Organization released a statement saying there is "no public health justification" for postponing or canceling the Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of the Zika outbreak. According to WHO, "based on current assessment, cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus." ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. The ERLC is dedicated to engaging the culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ and speaking to issues in the public square for the protection of religious liberty and human flourishing. Our vision can be summed up in three words: kingdom, culture and mission. For more information, visit ERLC.com. #JULY16