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Articles by Marshal Ausberry
FIRST-PERSON: George Liele belongs on the Mount Rushmore of missionaries
FAIRFAX STATION, Va. (BP) – I am well pleased that George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism, and Missions Sunday is officially on the SBC calendar. This recognition fits an organization foundationally focused on church planting, evangelism and missions. George Liele’s work and life hit all three and more. George Liele’s life and work show all of us that no matter what our beginnings might be, if we surrender all to God, God can indeed use us according to His plans for us.
IMB celebrates George Liele, designates February as Diversity in Missions Month
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – The SBC Executive Committee voted in February 2020 to approve the first Sunday in February as the annual George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism and Missions Day, at the recommendation of the International Mission Board. The first George Liele day, recognizing the contributions of the African American pastor and and pioneering missionary, will be celebrated Sunday (Feb. 7) and will kick off a month-long recognition of the diversity of Southern Baptists serving in missions.
Sex abuse charge dropped against former children’s minister
DALLAS (BP) – A child sex abuse charge against a former Village Church minister has been dropped because of what the district attorney’s office called “a lack of probable cause.” The Dallas County District Attorney’s office filed a motion Aug. 27 to drop the case against Matthew Tonne, who was charged in January 2019 with indecent sexual contact with a child. The DA’s office asserted that the alleged victim could not and never did identify Tonne as the perpetrator.
Baptists known for excellent medical care in Indonesia
KEDIRI, Indonesia (BP) – Southern Baptists have a long history in medical missions and have continued to bring hope and healing during the COVID-19 crisis. Field workers around the world use hospitals and clinics as ministry centers to serve communities and offer physical and spiritual healthcare. In 1957, three Southern Baptist workers – nurses Ruth Ford and Everly Hayes and Dr. Kathleen Jones – founded Kediri Baptist Hospital in the city of Kediri on the island of Java in Indonesia.
Send Relief among groups fighting global hunger during COVID-19
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Send Relief is among compassion ministries responding to hunger concerns in the U.S. and globally which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Southern Baptist compassion ministry has helped an estimated 700,000 people or more in 60 countries since the pandemic began, Send Relief told Baptist Press.
Churches persevere, hold services on first post-Laura Sunday
CALCASIEU PARISH, La. (BP) — Louisiana Baptist churches damaged by Hurricane Laura may not have been able to gather in their worship centers on Sunday, but the powerful storm did not prevent them from meeting in other ways. In an emotional Facebook Live message, from inside French Corner Baptist Church in Ponchatoula, Pastor Bobby Daniels told his members of First Baptist Church, Vinton, that God is in control.
FIRST-PERSON: Confronting fear with God's Word
TIFTON, Ga. (BP) — Grandbaby number four was on her way. My daughter-in-law Ashley was at the hospital to have a cesarean section and we would soon see precious Madi’s little face. How much would she weigh? Would she look like her mother or dad? As “Yaya,” I was beyond excited to get details and be on my way to North Carolina. But, my wait kept getting longer and longer. I began to wonder what was happening and if everyone was OK. My cell rang, and it was Ashley.
Cowboy campers learn about roping, tying and Jesus
WILLISTON, Fla. (BP) — When it comes to summer camp experiences, the teens and tweens who attended Cowboy Camp at Rafter Cross Cowboy Church may have a leg up on their peers. Instead of the more traditional canoeing, archery and lake swimming, cowboy campers were roping and tying steer, catching greased pigs with their bare hands and jousting on donkeys (with pool noodles).
Katrina's 15th anniversary drowned by COVID-19, Hurricane Laura
GULFPORT, Miss. (BP) — The 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will find Gulfport Pastor Jimmy Stewart praying where First Baptist Church stood before Katrina destroyed it. But Stewart’s prayer will mark the grand opening of the Mississippi Aquarium that now occupies the plot. First Baptist Church of Gulfport has since rebuilt about 10 miles inland, and has no plans this year to commemorate Katrina. The devastating hurricane roared ashore Aug. 29, 2005.
Trump: Voters have never faced “a clearer choice”
WASHINGTON (BP) — President Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for re-election Thursday night (Aug. 27), saying American voters have never faced “a clearer choice between two parties, two visions, two philosophies or two agendas.” In his 70-minute speech from the South Lawn of the White House, Trump warned that his defeat would result in the destruction of the American way of life.
Send Relief delivers supplies as Southern Baptists ready Hurricane Laura response
LAKE CHARLES, La. (BP) – Send Relief, the compassion ministry of Southern Baptists, spent Friday (Aug. 28) delivering food and supplies for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR), beginning the morning in Beaumont, Texas, and making a final stop in Lake Charles, La., in the early afternoon. Once Hurricane Laura made landfall early Thursday (Aug. 27), Lake Charles endured the brunt of winds that reached 140 miles per hour.
SBC DIGEST: Andrew Westmoreland to retire from Samford; B&H acquires author Amy Gannett
Andrew Westmoreland announces retirement from Samford BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) — Samford University President Andrew Westmoreland, who has led the institution since 2006, will retire from the presidency effective June 30, 2021. The official announcement to Samford’s Board of Trustees was made at a called meeting on Thursday (Aug. 27). Westmoreland shared the news with students, employees and alumni in an email Friday (Aug. 28).
FIRST-PERSON: 'Crossing over' after Katrina
EDITOR’S NOTE: Jack Hunter is executive director of the New Orleans Baptist Association. Saturday (Aug. 29) is the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. NEW ORLEANS (BP) — Disaster narrows focus and frames choice. When your neighbor is busted up and bleeding out, do you go to him or pass by? This was the question Katrina put to the churches here: Would we pass by on the clean, safe and orderly side of the road, or would we cross over and go to our neighbor in his gritty, messy, costly need?
Chris Tomlin's latest album features heart, faith of country artists
NASHVILLE (BP) – It’s easy to make judgments about public figures, according to Chris Tomlin, the award-winning Christian artist. Tomlin said this proved to be true in the process of writing and recording his latest album, “Chris Tomlin and Friends,” a collaboration with multiple country music artists.
Mission:Dignity Offers Refreshment to Faithful Servants in Need
EDITOR’S NOTE: This year, Mission:Dignity Sunday on the SBC calendar will be observed on August 30. Proverbs 11:25 assures us that whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. As Bob and Lois Kendrick refreshed others in their ministry, they have been refreshed through Mission:Dignity. Bob and Lois served a total of forty-two years in the ministry, all in Oklahoma. It started in 1967 when Bob left a promising career in the financial world to give his life to the ministry.
Bible Study: Stand on the Gospel in evil days
NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week’s Bible study is adapted from the YOU curriculum. Bible Passage: Ephesians 6:10-20 Discussion Questions: — What are some characteristics of warfare? — How do you think spiritual warfare compares?
SBC DIGEST: SWBTS mourns death of Middle Eastern studies professor; Alabama church members recovered from virus
SWBTS mourns the death of Tony Maalouf By Alex Sibley FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) — Tony Maalouf, senior professor of world Christianity and Middle Eastern studies in the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, died Aug. 26 after an extended illness. He was 65. Tony Maalouf “The Southwestern Seminary community mourns the loss of our colleague Tony Maalouf,” SWBTS President Adam W. Greenway said.
Laura blasts Louisiana coast with wind and wall of seawater
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. pounded the Gulf Coast with wind and rain Thursday as Laura roared ashore in Louisiana near the Texas border, unleashing a fearsome wall of seawater and killing at least two people. Louisiana took the brunt of the damage when the Category 4 system barreled over Lake Charles, an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people. Laura’s powerful gusts blew out windows in tall buildings and tossed around glass and debris.
FIRST-PERSON: Five types of church members who will not return after the quarantine
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP) — It is one of the most common questions we get from church leaders: When will all the church members return to in-person services? Leaders do not like my response: Never. It is a reality church leaders and members are hesitant to accept. For most churches, not all the church members who were attending before the pandemic will return.
Evangelical leaders urge Ivanka Trump to help protect migrant children
Leaders of 16 evangelical organizations signed a letter to President Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump Aug. 24, asking her to leverage her influence in the Trump administration to protect unaccompanied migrant children from the dangers of child trafficking. “As Christians who believe the biblical truth that each human life is made in the image of God and should be treated with dignity, we abhor the crime of human trafficking,” the letter read.
Charles Grant named executive director of African American relations and mobilization
NASHVILLE (BP) — Charles Grant has been named executive director of African American relations and mobilization at the SBC Executive Committee. In a partnership jointly funded by the SBC EC and the North American Mission Board, Grant will work to equip and mobilize African American churches, as well as to engage potential new churches.
Churches evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura's 'unsurvivable' storm surge
CAMERON, La. (BP) — Just a mile inland from the Gulf of Mexico stands First Baptist Church of Cameron, La., which lost its sanctuary to Hurricane Rita 15 years ago. Days ahead of Hurricane Laura, Pastor Charles Hugonin was preparing his church for the worst. “We’re looking at a 10- to 15-foot storm surge, which will probably cover up to the ceiling our church,” Hugonin said Aug. 24 when Laura was only a Category 1 storm.
TRUSTEES: LifeWay cuts budget, plans for 'bridge year' in 2021
NASHVILLE (BP) – In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources unanimously approved a $210 million budget Tuesday (Aug. 25) for the 2020-2021 fiscal year that includes reductions of 17 percent year over year.
How Republicans’ stances compare with SBC resolutions
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP) –This year’s Republican National Convention was shorter than usual on official policy statements that align with Southern Baptist Convention resolutions. In lieu of a party platform, the RNC declared in a resolution its support for President Trump’s agenda, which aligns with several SBC resolutions and agrees partially with others.
FIRST-PERSON: When Alexa isn’t helpful
COLUMBUS, Ga. (BP) — Like many, I’ve been trying to bake more while spending more time around the house. More than once, I’ve shouted out to “Alexa” to help me convert cups to tablespoons. While convenient, it also helps me realize how often I ask questions and go to a tech source for answers. Don’t you love using YouTube as a training source for all of your DIY projects?
‘Everyone serves the churches’ in new structure approved by SBTC executive board
GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) — Madisonville rancher Craig Bailey drew from the New Living Bible translation of Romans 8 to encourage the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Executive Board to view the “thorns and thistles” of life from a heavenly perspective. Before voting Aug.
Virtual town hall highlights diverse African American perspectives in the SBC
FAIRFAX STATION, Va. (BP) — New York Pastor Frank Williams sees in God’s pastoral call a broader application with the advent of COVID-19 and renewed cries for racial justice. “This was the first time in all of my years of pastoral leadership that I felt the urgency to go beyond the preaching moment, in terms of addressing justice and issues of racial disparities in our city, in our country, and just being a voice and being a part of local protests as the church.
Falwell resigns as president of Liberty
LYNCHBURG, Va. (BP) – After drama, denial and dispute, it’s official: Jerry Falwell Jr. has resigned as president of Liberty University. The school announced his departure Tuesday (Aug. 25), saying Liberty’s board of trustees had accepted his resignation. The move came amid escalating controversy over Falwell’s conduct, as well as allegations that he condoned an affair between his wife and a man he described as a family friend.
FIRST-PERSON: How to be a shepherd sheep can trust
OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) – A writer spent time with a shepherd on the Texas plains. One night, the shepherd built a fire, and the sheep gathered close. Around midnight, a coyote howled in the distance, followed by another coyote from the opposite direction. The fearful sheep began bleating. The shepherd tossed logs onto the fire. As flames shot up, the writer looked out and saw 4,000 tiny lights—the fire reflected in the eyes of 2,000 sheep.
State conventions work together to offer one-day women's training event
COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) — In light of COVID-19, many Baptist state conventions have canceled onsite women’s training events. But seven conventions have joined together to develop a virtual event this fall to provide encouragement and training for women in ministry. The result – a training event called “One Day. One Focus.” – will be held Oct. 29 from 4-8 p.m. Central.
FIRST-PERSON: The 'least bad candidate'
Copyright (c) 2020 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
FIRST-PERSON: Image-bearers of God
Copyright (c) 2020 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Clergy and depression
Clergy and depression Published Thursday, October 17, 2019 by Marshal Ausberry, Baptist Press FAIRFAX STATION, Va. – Whenever clergy commit suicide, we always wonder why. We grieve the loss and pray for the family, and ask God to comfort them and heal their broken hearts. But the question lingers: "What can we do to prevent this from occurring again?" I encourage my fellow clergy and the church to put safeguards in place.
FIRST-PERSON: Clergy & depression
Copyright (c) 2019 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
MARSHAL AUSBERRY: Baptismal pool not a museum piece
By MARSHAL AUSBERRY FAIRFAX STATION, Va. (BP) -- One of the beautiful things I like about Washington, D.C., is the number of museums located in the city. There are all kinds of museums: the Air & Space Museum, the Newseum, the National Archives Building & Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Museum of the American Indian, Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Bible Museum.
MARSHAL AUSBERRY: Baptismal pool not a museum piece
Copyright (c) 2019 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
FIRST-PERSON: Blackface mars 'the soul & the mind'
Copyright (c) 2019 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. The original story can be found at http://www.bpnews.net/52373/firstperson-blackface-mars-the-soul-and-the-mind Tags: blackfaceracial reconciliation FAIRFAX STATION, Va. (BP) -- It has been said that a picture paints a thousand words. Pictures impact the soul and the mind. Logos, icons and insignias all communicate messages.
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