Review of Here and Now by Robby Gallaty

     This book hits the line between scholarly work and a challenging read. It is not a super easy read but is worth your time to discover what Gallaty shared about the impact of the kingdom of God on the Here and Now. His history and culture foundation is useful for any Bible teacher. If you aren’t theologically trained, this book is for you since it will teach how to understand the life God wants for you right now and how to discover that through the Bible. If you are theologically trained, it gives you a great format and sourcebook to teach this topic to anyone. He does not shy away from the Old Testament culture and background; he embraces it as a way to illuminate God’s message to us through the Bible.

     

This is the fourth Gallaty book I’ve read. I love his approach and the fact that his writing reflects strong research and he doesn’t mind you seeing it in his footnotes. If you are a bit too comfortable staying in the New Testament, this book will stretch you understand scripture in total. Gallaty does not shy away from explanations that make you think. I have never enjoyed a liquid diet because I don’t get to chew anything. This book allows you to chew on theological truths and helps you get the perspective you need as a teacher of God’s Word. Keep on writing, Robby. I’ll keep on reading and using your books.

Why Having Women on Your Ministry Staff is a Good Idea

Back in 1994, I was hired as the first “third staff member” (part-time) of a church that had begun as a church plant several years earlier. Two full time men (senior pastor & music/youth guy) had been serving the growing church when I was hired as Minister of Education & Children. I immediately set about providing some structure to the ministries, implemented background screenings, and conducted a child safety seminar. Even then, all of the staff knew we were mandated reporters of any abuse.

Given that experience, it is difficult to believe that all these years later, churches appear to continue to not take seriously protecting both their people and their staff. Many articles are being written right now that outline how to do it. Allow me to add one more item: hire more women onto your ministry staff.

Women serving on staff as ministers is still uncommon in my denomination (Southern Baptist Convention). As I did my dissertation research on challenges facing women in those churches, the women serving often were not included in leadership meetings where such difficult issues would even be discussed. The churches included in my research were all complementarian and did not have women as elders or deacons. The research did not concern that factor except on background, but it did uncover some issues that occur when women are completely left out of leadership. Input from women is needed in our churches.

I discovered the women ministry staff faced many unique challenges due to their gender like difficulty with work/home life balance, lack of opportunity for advancement, or lower pay. Guarding against abuse is one key area is where the presence of women on the ministry staff can be an advantage. One woman interviewed during research shared that she served with a male student minister who was her supervisor and her role was to focus on ministry to the girls. She was very happy with her ministry, but frustrated to not be included in the “ministers staff meetings” especially when decisions made there directly impacted her.  It is understood that gender precludes them from serving as a pastor, but some churches still only look for men when hiring a minister. 

As a female serving on church staff for over 25 years, I have had many opportunities to serve because of my gender and not in spite of it. Women comprise more than half of the church. When we pay the men to minister and the women to “direct,” what does that say to the church about their importance or the importance of the ministry they lead? I'm not personally in favor of women being ordained, but we should not shy away from allowing women to lead, at least in ministries where women and children are present. An often-repeated phrase in our pulpits is “every member a minister” or “you are now entering the mission field,” but when we hire, we shy away from women or don’t take their contribution seriously. 

As I read the heartbreaking stories of girls seduced by men, young and old, I could easily see how the presence of a woman minister on a church staff could have been a help or a deterrent for someone taking advantage of the situation. It could also guard staff against false accusations. I contend that in addition to sharing information, that churches also consider adding more women to their ministry staff. 

Review of All That's Good

All That’s Good by Hannah Anderson (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2018)

This book made me think. The author is a skilled writer who does not shy away from saying what is on her mind. She wrote from a Christian viewpoint to help us find “all that’s good” in this world. She succeeded in helping me begin that quest personally.

Discernment is not a word I use everyday. In this context, it described the goal of separating the inconvenient from the important; the mundane from the unforgettable. Previous generations did not have the internet, 24 hour television, and instant communication to tell us what was good. This book helped me to recognize that popularity or trendy does not always equal good. Anderson’s discussion of “filter bubbles” that we engage to keep us in our own “informational comfort zones” are real phenomena that can keep us from everything good and from thinking for ourselves.

It was interesting to read in print about the tendency we have to “feel” our way in the world, basing all of our decisions not upon data, research, or wisdom—but only on feelings. It is so common to read “follow your passion” and “follow your heart” as advice to everyone from high school graduates to people contemplating divorce. Feelings are a poor barometer and offer such limited wisdom as people navigate life. She reminded us created beings that we should be looking to our creator instead of an imagined muse for direction.

The chapter on truth brought in the aspect of confession that showed Anderson’s ability to make me think deeply about truth. She encouraged honesty both personally and corporately. The discussion on justice was solid; unlike the mushiness of that word being bandied about lightly. Justice is presented as a value but also as a goal that only God can judge. She fought against the superiority many have who have found themselves the “haves” who look down at the “have nots” who do not realize all we have or attain is the result of God’s mercy and grace.

Purity is undefiled. When there is any impurity in our lives, there is always the possibility to sin—the human condition. The commonly heard phrase “there but by the grace of God go I” may become a more understood phrase for me as I navigate life from this point further. The pursuit of purity is a task of society not just a pursuit of the individual. Anderson calls on us to speak well of what should be spoken well of. Silence cannot defend the oppressed and even helps the tormentor.

From a practical standpoint, Anderson footnoted her sources and showed a well-researched book. Her scriptural undergirding was foundational to her position but did not come off as preachy or condescending at all. The book has a comfortable “homey” feel to it. She pleaded her case with the skill of an attorney and the personality of the mother whose home everyone wants to go to.

Books I Read in 2018

I'll be back with some highlights and lowlights of this reading list in my next blog. Until then, here are the books I read in 2018:

1. Words to Winners of Souls by Horatio Bonar
2. From Heaven to the Real World by Chapman
3. The Corpsewood Manor Murders in North Georgia by Petulla
4. South Beach Diet by Agatston
5. When Leadership and Discipleship Collide by Hybels
6. Lose the Clutter; Lose the Weight by Walsh
7. He’s Been Faithful by Cymbala
8. Saturate by Vanderstelt
9. Circle Maker by Batterson
10. From this Day Forward by Groeschel
11. Do Over by Acuff
12. Uninvited by TerKeurst
13. Together on God’s Mission by Hildreth
14. The Power of Prayer by Ingram
15. Discerning the Voice of God by Shirer
16. Gay Girl; Good God by Perry
17. Where There’s Hope by Smart
18. The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Gifford
19. Holiness by DeMoss Wolgemoth
20. How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge by Scroggins
21. Experiencing God Through Prayer by Blackaby
22. Around the Table by Clark
23. The Business of Being a Writer by Friedman
24. The Prayer Saturated Church by Sacks
25. Hope Heals by Wolf
26. Breaking Free by Jeffs
27. How to Sew a Button by Bried
28. Appalachia Serenade by Thomas
29. Fierce Convictions by Prior
30. The Daniel Prayer by Lotz
31. The Minister’s Wife Manual by Patterson
32. The Weekend Book Proposal by Van Cleave
33. Prayer by Keller
34. Workplace Writer’s Process by Janzer
35. The Welcoming Church by Rainer
36. Anxious for Nothing by Lucado
37. All In by Batterson
38. Seeking Allah; Finding Jesus by Qureshi
39. Kill the Spider by Whitaker
40. How to Write a Book Proposal by Larsen
41. Armor of God by Shirer
42. Chasing the Lion by Batterson
43. Uncommon Marriage by Dungy
44. Life After Darkness by Knight
45. All That’s Good by Anderson
46. Life Outside the Boat by Armbruster
47. Martin Luther by Metaxas
48. Get Off the Couch by Reynolds
49. Pray for the Flock by Croft & Fullerton
50. Hidden Christmas by Keller
51. Write Smart, Write Happy by St. John
52. Cowboy Christmas by Connealy
53. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Robinson

Deploying with Baptist Disaster Relief

Thomas and I had not taken a mission trip this year and decided to deploy the last seven days with Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief. We are both trained in mud out & recovery and administration, plus Thomas has chainsaw training. We had gone through Katrina some years ago and wanted to serve to help people in the way they had helped us in Mobile back then. Although some people deploy with a set team, we deployed as individuals and joined with others on the admin team in Dothan. This center had feeding and clean up units deployed earlier, but now just had the chainsaw crews being sent out each day with support for the volunteers provided by small feeding and laundry teams. Over 900 chainsaw and tarp requests were processed by this admin team to help people get their lives back to normal.

 Baptist Disaster Relief was begun in Texas by a Baptist Men group many years ago. Through the years, it has grown throughout the Southern Baptist Convention with many states having their own training and credentials for Disaster Relief. Teams are also formed from associations among people who know each other and team up to serve wherever there is a disaster. North American Mission Board (namb.net) has come on board in the last decade to provide a nation-wide exposure to the work of the army of volunteers working in Disaster Relief. Teams vary from communication, laundry & shower, feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, heavy equipment, administration, child-care, chaplains, flood & fire recovery, and tarp placement.

 Volunteers always wear their yellow shirts every day of deployment. Each volunteer is assigned to a location where they serve under “white hats (center leaders),” “blue hats (team leaders),” or “green hats” (association leaders). A disaster situation requires an organized system or network to provide needed services and goods that people need. This is no small task, particularly when there is no power or normal communication. There is usually a short delay where teams are “staged” to prepare to move in and set up. The needed teams are then deployed to areas where their skill and equipment can be used by those in need.

Our team occupied one half of the Recreation/Fitness Center desk at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Dothan, Alabama. We also used the "gathering area" in the fitness center. Teams were housed in Sunday School rooms of the main building. Several age-levels met in large groups on Sundays so the volunteers did not have to move out of their rooms. The volunteers took showers in the locker rooms of the Recreation/Fitness Center and ate in the church fellowship hall. The housing area would hold almost 100 volunteers at full capacity--that would be cot to cot in rooms with little extra space. This makes deployment affordable for the volunteers and puts them close to their tasks so there is no transportation issue.

In our admin area, each trained worker, brings their own computer and the Alabama State Board of Missions has a laptop and two printers that were used to process jobs, organize teams, keep track or resources, and find people. Feeding teams in Dothan were larger when they were feeding the general public in the early days following Hurricane Michael. We were there later in the deployment where that had ceased and a 4-member feeding team--also trained and deployed, provided meals for the volunteers only. It was great to not worry about meals as we worked 12-14 hour days. Hot, cooked breakfasts and dinners were provided and sack lunches were picked up after breakfast so lunch could be eaten at the job site. In the initial disaster, the entire surrounding area was impacted, but as time went on, fewer emergency needs were being requested.

The church generously provided their space for us to work and assisted us whenever possible. Many individuals provided gift cards and these were used to purchase tarps and other supplies needed. Sometimes the cards were given to homeowners who needed them to purchase items. Some resources were given from people in areas who have benefitted from the ministry in previous disasters. The admin team was responsible for organization of housing, meals, credentials, volunteers sign-ins, liability releases that had to be signed by homeowners, where each team was and what job they were working, answering the phone, and handling walk-ins. Because we were there during the end of the job, we did all parts of the process from intake, answering the phone, writing up jobs, making copies, and scanning final paperwork. During the busy early days, someone would only do one part of the job the entire day.

People who called were hurting and had problems beyond fallen trees and we worked hard to show compassion and patience while trying to help. Trained chaplains were a part of every team. Their job was to talk to the homeowner or anyone else they encountered, be a listening ear, and share the Gospel. They would also go through the neighborhood when a job was being done to see if anyone else in the area needed help. People met Jesus because of this type of ministry. Even as an admin, I had opportunities to talk with people about what motivated me to work for nothing for a week to help people I had never met. The Gospel was spoken, but it was also indelibly communicated through the actions of many of helped others, many who had no means to help themselves.

If you are a Baptist, think about being involved as a volunteer in Disaster Relief. You do have to be trained ahead of time and be willing to deploy on short notice on your own dime, but the rewards are both immediately and eternal. If you cannot volunteer, you can give through the state Baptist convention of your choice.

I Am Pro Life

By Donna J. Wright

Are pro-life voters one issue voters? No, they are not. It appears that pro-abortion or pro-choice folks see them that way. The words “pro-life” have been placed onto one issue but it does not mean there aren’t other life-promoting issues left unsupported. 

My church and denomination (Southern Baptist Convention--and we have supported this in and through our church with regular tithes of 10 % with additional giving and volunteer hours for our lifetimes) spends thousands of dollars each year providing foster care, family services, family counseling & housing, senior adult/widow assistance, and college scholarships to people who need them. This is a pro-life stance.

My church spends a portion of its income in addition to a paid and volunteer workforce to pick up food twice a week that is donated from a local grocery store. They haul, load, unload, sort, package, and give away food to needy families to supplement their diet. They can also get clothes as needed. Church members support this with additional donated food to make meals for families in need. This is a pro-life stance.

One of my denomination’s seminaries offers educational benefits to prisoners in Angola, LA. Many churches have ministries to those behind bars as well as supporting families who struggle when a loved one is incarcerated. This is a pro-life stance.

My church womens’ ministry and the Bible study group I lead have answered many calls for help from women in need. I have watched them gather diapers for new moms, school clothes and supplies; hair bows for foster kids, items and money for women seeking a new start in life after rehab or jail, scholarships for children to attend camp and church programs, and much more. This helps goes to both people we know and to strangers. They are people who just need a little extra help or encouragement This is a pro-life stance.

I am a teetotaler, believing that alcohol does not help me to live a happier life. I stand against drunkenness and drunk driving because its’ consequences kill people. I have never voted to make it easier or less expensive to purchase alcohol or illegal drugs. I support making life-saving drugs available at the least feasible cost. This is a pro-life stance.

I support humanitarian and faith-based efforts to provide clean water and nutritious food to the hungry worldwide. I support agricultural efforts to help people feed their families with extra support for widows, orphans, and children. I am trained and participate in Baptist Disaster Relief, ready to serve to help people who are the victims of catastrophe. This is a pro-life stance.

My church provides ministries to people of all ages, from birth to death. No life is ignored. Anytime there is not a group for any age, I work hard to provide them with opportunities for fellowship, Bible study, and ministry. We use our building each weekday for our largest ministry: a child development center that is non-profit and seeks to provide low-cost and safe care for children through the fifth grade. This is a pro-life stance.

Our (my husband and I) retirement funds are invested so as to, as much as possible, not support businesses that advocate alcohol, tobacco, abortion, pornography, human trafficking, gambling, among other things considered immoral by most followers of Christ. Most people don’t even think to ask these questions when it comes to investment. Most people choose investments based only on profit; these investment overseers work hard to make their money agree with what they believe is right and honors God. This is a pro-life stance.

My church gives a portion of all gifts to our denomination and almost a dozen additional ministries who make an impact locally and around the world. Some money pays for the needs of crisis pregnancy center clients. Some pays for food and medicine that is given away on mission trips. Some helps those who are trying to get out of homelessness and start over. Some provides program funds for ministry to disadvantaged children and those living in poverty. These ministries are mostly staffed by volunteers from my church and from other like-minded people in and out of other churches. Missionaries supported by my denomination whose primary goal is sharing the gospel also work to feed hungry people, build wells for clean water, and provide needed medical care around the world. This is a pro-life stance.

I am against slavery, human trafficking, and abuse of any human being. I support candidates who work to arrest and stop those who participate in this atrocity. I also support laws that thwart the abuse of people. I am pro-refugee, having spent many years helping them get settled here in the USA and learn English. This is a pro-life stance.

Once a baby’s life is saved instead of being aborted, the people advocating on behalf of that helpless boy or girl do not stop being pro-life. They help people live their lives. They, like me, may be Christians, many are nurses, doctors, social workers, foster care parents, donors and volunteers in organizations and ministries to living, walking, human beings. This is a pro-life stance.

The opposition to abortion is only the beginning. Abortion is abhorrent. It is murder of the worst order. Because this act ends a life, it gets the most attention. But it is not the end.

Some people see me as a one-issue voter. I want to know how a candidate I am considering voting for stands on that one issue. Why? Their stand on that issue tells me how they will handle the rest of the issues I am concerned about. 

This is a pro-life stance. I am pro life.

[I took this photo at a daily feeding ministry operated by a local church in South Africa while we served there.]

Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer: A Movie Review

This is a movie I did not want to see. So why should you spend $10 and see this movie?

This is a true story. If you know nothing of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, you can research him yourself. Some charges against him for murder were for babies who were to be aborted except for one woman: Karnamaya Mongar who died in the clinic. This is a man who should have been prosecuted decades earlier and almost got away with these atrocities.

The movie shows the narrative of a pro-choice district attorney who was told she would never win the case, yet tried it anyway. There was arrogance on the part of the defense who never felt they could lose a case where a fetus was the victim. 

If you believe there is a case for legal abortion, even if you choose to not watch this movie, you, at the very least, need to look up what abortion is and how it is performed in the best of clinics. Don’t be for it if you don’t know what it involves. The movie presented what happened. If you want to know that—you should watch it. 

Gosnell did a lot wrong beyond performing abortions beyond the legal limit of 24 weeks, but there was very little difference in outcome. His clinic was filthy and had untrained staff and routinely did not wait the mandated 24 hours required by law. 

Stark and cold, the defense put a well-dressed, professional abortion doctor on the stand to tell the jury what abortion was and how a legal one was performed. She meticulously described the process. The defense for Gosnell intended this witness to show how little difference there was between what was done legally and what Gosnell did illegally. Under further questioning, this same witness admitted that if a baby happens to be born alive, it is kept warm until it dies on its own. This should, in most court cases, stand in contrast to the other side of the argument: a baby delivered either dead due to lack of intervention, or snipped in the neck after birth as Gosnell practiced, but it did not contrast very much. This was for me the most indelible part of the movie and probably why it gets so little publicity. One reviewer calls this scene “purposefully misleading” but I found it to be just the opposite. Abortion may be a choice for some mothers, but it is a horrific procedure for an unborn baby to endure to die. 

So how did Gosnell come to find himself be declared guilty? His staff. There was plenty of evidence to show he was guilty without them. But the few that came forward were undeniably compelling. One had snapped a photo of Baby A laying in a surgical tray: a fully formed and developed little boy. When asked why she took a photo she said, “He looked like he could be someone’s little brother.” The photo is not shown in the movie, it does not contain any graphic or salacious photos other than the tiny feet of babies preserved in jars discovered in the clinic.

Gosnell was shown to be a sick man. His behavior both inside and outside the clinic was appalling and callous. Although he could have been motivated by the money, his behavior toward the women who came for abortions was uncaring and apathetic—it made me angry and very sad. Gosnell showed more care for his turtles that he kept in a tank in the office than he did for his patients.  

Parents, don’t worry about what your teens will see if they go to this movie. There is nothing gory aside from blood-spattered tables being taken from the clinic. They don’t even show the famous photo of baby A—you have to go online to see that. 

This movie exists because of crowd funding. It was not bankrolled by a movie company or someone rich who wanted to get their message out. 2.1 million was raised in less than two weeks—people giving their money because this message needs to be available to the public to see.

This movie was completed in 2015 and is just now in theatres due to opposition in promotion. The movie is fair and factual. It could have been a banner-waving movie condemning abortion. It is not. It you are pro-choice or pro-life, you should see it and make up your own mind. 

I recommend you eat before you go. It is not a movie where popcorn can be enjoyed so skip it and watch intently. It moves fast and does not get bogged down. Plan to stay and watch the credits where actual photos of evidence is shown. The photos look exactly like the movie. This movie took great pains to be factual. It takes much of its dialogue from court transcripts.  Don’t ever be afraid of the truth. If you are pro-choice, this movie won’t make you pro-life. It is more of a factual movie rather than one made to manipulate your thought. But either way, you need to see it. You need to know what you are talking about when discussing abortion with your children, your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. You need to know what abortion is if you are going to decide to be for or against it. 

As a side note, in doing research for this review, I had trouble finding good clear information on abortion from pro-choice websites. The clearest information was from pro-life sites. This made me wonder how many people really know what abortion is and what it does.

If you like horror movies, you will like Gosnell for all the wrong reasons. I didn’t like what I saw, but I’m glad I saw it. I highly recommend it. It is a movie I will never forget.

If you think some people only care about life in the womb and not about people who are already born, read my next blog.