The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-09/20/2016 DISCLAIMER: Baptist Press should be credited for any reprinted stories that originate with BP. Suggested credit line: Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please note that Baptist Press periodically carries stories from other sources by permission. Individuals interested in reprinting non-BP stories should contact the entity where the story originated to seek reprint permission. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Wussow to lead ERLC's D.C. office by Tom Strode Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has named one of its own -- international justice and religious freedom advocate Travis Wussow -- to direct its Washington, D.C., office. ERLC President Russell Moore announced Wussow's appointment as the new vice president for public policy, as well as general counsel, Monday (Sept. 19). In these roles, Wussow will coordinate the commission's legislative, coalition and legal efforts. He will also continue to lead its international work. Wussow, 33, is now serving as the ERLC's director of international justice and religious liberty. His family and he moved to the Middle East more than a year ago for him to establish the commission's first international office. Moore described Wussow as "the natural choice to serve with me in this vital capacity in Washington." "Travis has modeled conviction and skill in law, in advocacy and in ministry," Moore said in a news release. "During his time at the ERLC, Travis has brought unmatched insight and effectiveness in areas of international justice and freedom. I look forward to working together in our nation's capital, connecting the vision of the kingdom of Christ to the pressing issues facing the country and the world." Wussow said he is "honored and humbled to have the opportunity" to direct the ERLC's work in Washington. "Our country and our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world face significant challenges," he said in the news release, adding the ERLC "is well-positioned to provide policy and advocacy leadership in the years to come." In directing the Washington office, Wussow will succeed Barrett Duke, who has served as the ERLC's vice president for public policy and research while leading the office since 2003. The Montana Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Board unanimously approved Duke, who has worked for the ERLC for 20 years, as the state convention's new executive director Sept. 8. The convention will vote on Duke at its annual meeting in October. The ERLC's board of trustees has unanimously approved Moore's appointment of Wussow to the Washington post. Wussow will begin serving in the Washington office in January. From the office in the Middle East, Wussow leads the ERLC to collaborate with other organizations to advocate for religious freedom and social justice internationally. Under his direction, the ERLC office provides training resources on justice and religious liberty for churches and organizations, creates material for raising awareness on the issues and works with Baptist Global Response to help meet human needs. Prior to his work for the ERLC, Wussow served on the staff of The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas, for about four years, fulfilling responsibilities at the multi-campus church as general counsel and executive director of central ministries. Before serving at the church, he worked at an Austin law firm. Wussow also served previously as a fellow for the International Justice Mission, which works on behalf of human trafficking victims and the poor overseas. He holds both undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas in Austin. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST-PERSON: Reaching students -- in their own words by Shane Pruitt Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- One of the things I love most about young people is if you want to know what they're thinking, all you have to do is ask them. Sometimes, you don't even have to ask. I sat down and asked students some probing questions over the last year whenever I was speaking at student camps and conferences, discipleship events, young adult worship services, etc. "What do adults need to know about your generation?" I typically asked in starting the conversations. It was an incredible journey in becoming a student myself so that I could hear from this generation about reaching their generation. With that in mind, here are some ideas for reaching students gleaned from their own words: 1. Students want to be seen as people, not projects. If the focus of a church in reaching students is to be seen as cool, trendy or relevant, then it is missing the point. Have a desire to reach students because they are made in the image of God, they have souls and they matter to the Kingdom of God. No one wants to be someone's project, including students. 2. Students want to be a part of "doing" something. They want more out of church than sitting on a pew, listening to sermons, going to potluck dinners while waiting on a rapture bus to swoop down to pick them all up. They are not scared to die young; however, they are terrified to die at a ripe old age while not having done anything significant with their lives in their own eyes. They are not typically impressed by a church's size or budget. They're more interested in being noticed relationally and in what the church is doing outside the walls of the building. 3. Students don't despise adults. People tend to think that students don't want anything to do with the older generation. However, this generation is in desperate need for the older generation to invest in them. This is largely a fatherless generation. They often seek out or are more open to discipleship or mentorship than we tend to believe. But they won't know how to ask for it, so they ask you to "hang out." 4. Students value the "why" over the "what." They do not typically want to do something just because it's the way it's always been done or because it's what their family has always known. They are not driven by heritage. For example, students are not going to be Southern Baptists just because their parents were. If we can't answer their "why" questions or we get defensive over their questions, we'll lose them. Be ready to answer their honest questions with love, patience and kindness. Their experience with something or someone will often dictate their views more than history will. 5. Students don't want to be seen as the future of the church. Remember, if they've been redeemed with the blood of Jesus, then they're the church right now. So, let them have some ownership of the ministry and be patient with them when they mess up -- possibly a lot. A great way to keep students engaged in the ministry is by constantly communicating, illustrating and empowering participation in the vision and mission of the church. 6. Students are more globally minded. Most students are up to date on world news and affairs, especially in the area of entertainment and music. This generation may drive the older generations a little crazy because they may seem to be less patriotic to the USA. However, this is simply not the case; they just value other countries, cultures and citizens equally. They tend to view things from a global perspective instead of a national perspective. It's very possible that the Lord may accomplish the Great Commission through their interest in the nations. Educate, disciple and mobilize this generation toward the nations; they'll love you for it. 7. Students want authenticity and transparency. Nearly all students quickly grow weary of gimmicks and sleek presentations. The more transparent and vulnerable a communicator is, the more students connect. There was a time when speakers/teachers were told not to use themselves in personal illustrations; however, this generation wants to hear those personal stories. As adults, if we act as those who have it all figured out and are not in desperate need of God's grace daily, we'll lose their attention because they won't believe that we're "being real" and that our faith is unattainable for them. I'm personally encouraged by this generation of students. Even as an adult, I resonate deeply with their views. I believe God will use them to further the Great Commission, perhaps more than any previous generation. May they not be seen as projects, but instead as extremely valuable people who need to be reached through the Gospel, discipled in the Gospel, and set free with the Gospel to reach other students for the glory of Jesus Christ. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE STATES: Ark., Ore., Texas evangelism/missions news; 'I've never wanted to keep God in a box ...' by Staff Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday Today's From the States features items from: Arkansas Baptist News Northwest Baptist Witness (Oregon) Southern Baptist TEXAN ********** Ark. pastor sees ministry vision met By Rachel Gaddis DERMOTT, Ark. (Arkansas Baptist State Convention) -- Ricky Lattimore loves helping others. As a pastor who has served in Dermott for more than 20 years, Lattimore has seen the needs in his community and the Delta. "I always desired that the church I pastored would grow in every area of ministry," he said. Though Lattimore had a vision for Tabernacle Baptist Church in Dermott, he felt that together they had not made progress in ministry. "The church just flat-lined, and I flat-lined with it," Lattimore said. "I told the church, 'I don't know what else to do because I don't like people hurting, and I have a lot of people who aren't even members of the church depending on me.'" Lattimore had been praying about attending seminary when the Delta Institute began holding classes once a week in McGehee. There, he met Willie Jacobs, a member of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) church planting team, and later heard about the ministries of Arkansas Baptists across the state. "I said, 'This is me, God. This is what You wanted me to do, and You brought it right through my front door,'" Lattimore recalled. Tabernacle Baptist Church went through the process to become an Arkansas Baptist church. The partnership provided Tabernacle Baptist the opportunity to participate in Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering-supported ministries. Since then, Lattimore said, "Things have just gone higher and higher." "I want to connect with everything that Arkansas Baptists have! Our church is now able to do that," Lattimore said. In April of this year, more than 300 people attended a Delta Project block party in Dermott. During this event, 200-plus people were fed by Arkansas Baptist disaster relief volunteers, and more than 100 patients were seen by medical and dental clinic teams. Not long after the block party, Arkansas disaster relief volunteers responded to flooding and a tornado in the area. Tabernacle Baptist hosted the team and ministered alongside team members. "We posted on Facebook that Tabernacle was open to help people, and local news helped us get the word out," Lattimore said. "We were the first in the area to open, and people were coming in looking at our church because of what we were doing." Tabernacle Baptist also has a food pantry that Lattimore said brings people from across the Delta, and Tabernacle delivers food to the elderly and mentally ill. When the food pantry began to run dry a few weeks ago, funds from Arkansas Baptists' hunger ministry replenished the pantry. "I have never felt this much joy as a pastor, knowing that I can do ministry in every area," Lattimore said. "I'm learning I can do ministry in Jerusalem -- my hometown; in Judea -- my state of Arkansas; in Samaria -- outside the state; and to all the nations like Jesus said." Tabernacle Baptist plans to attend and serve during the Acts 1:8 One-Day Mission Trip in Fort Smith Oct. 1, and church members are also going on an international mission trip to Thailand. Lattimore said he has dreamed of going on international mission trips, but people thought he was crazy for saying so. "I even thought I was crazy," he said, "but I've never wanted to keep God in a box, no matter our locale." "We're in the Delta, and people are amazed that we built the kind of church we did," Lattimore added. "God was just working in everything. God brought people who wanted to follow the vision, and they are excited about going places and helping others. They aren't just coming for Sunday morning preaching or seeing hurting people and not doing anything about it." "God has really moved in the area," Lattimore said. "I associate it first of all with God Himself. But God placed Arkansas Baptists in our lives for a purpose so I can effectively do the ministry He has called me and the church to do." All of this was made possible by Arkansas Baptists' gifts to the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering. For more information visit absc.org. --30-- This article appeared in the Arkansas Baptist News (arkansasbaptist.org), newsjournal of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Rachel Gaddis is publications director for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. ********** Ore. church 'On Mission' with property By Sheila Allen PORTLAND, Ore. (Northwest Baptist Witness) -- When Randy Brown became pastor of Portland's Holgate Baptist Church in 2014, he followed a long line of leaders committed to advancing the Gospel in the city. Now, a house owned by the church on adjacent property is another vehicle for the members of Holgate Baptist to continue that legacy. Called "the white house" by church members, the home was used for various functions throughout the years -- from Sunday school space to church offices. Brown began praying about what God would have them do with the property, which needed significant repair. "I sat next to Ken Harmon at an Interstate Baptist Association meeting, and a conversation began regarding the house," recalled Brown. "Ken said he thought he had a way to use the house for mission work for those coming to Portland to advance the kingdom here." That conversation led to a partnership between Holgate Baptist and Interstate Baptist Association, with IBA contributing funds to finance necessary repairs and Holgate members supplying the labor. "We started calling it the mission house, but I wanted something more," Brown said. "I wanted to honor the memory of someone dear who gave so much to Holgate Baptist Church and the Lord." The church renamed it the Frank and Joan Mackey Mission House in memory of a former pastor who came to Portland from Oklahoma. The Mackeys came to Holgate Baptist in 1966 when the Northwest was considered "pioneer missions," said Sheila Mackey, one of six Mackey children. The family came as answer to the call of missions on Frank Mackey's life. "Many sacrificed to prepare the home and our family is quite honored that you chose to name the house in this way," Mackey remarked at the dedication service. "My dad was a man after God's heart and he led the church into missions. He always loved Holgate and told people about Jesus everywhere he went. My mother was a very special lady who quietly supported dad, which required sacrifices on her part." Repairs to the home occurred until the evening before the dedication, also the same day the first team arrived, according to John Otis, who managed the project. "Every summer I am looking for housing for summer missionaries and semester missionaries," said Ken Harmon, Northwest Collegiate Ministries director for the Northwest Baptist Convention and Interstate Baptist Association. "This will be very strategic and a huge answer to prayer to have consistent housing for summer and semester missionaries over the next few years to reach students and young adults in our city and on our campuses with the Gospel. "It's exciting to know that the association and local churches are working together to see God's kingdom advance in our region," Harmon added. "Already this has proven to be effective in that the mission team was very instrumental in a high school student coming to Christ last weekend." Another mission-focused event occurred at Holgate Baptist in recent weeks when they hosted an English as a Second Language (ESL) training workshop, which included 11 hours of intensive training for students to become certified. Ten participants from Holgate and five others from area churches attended the conference. In the Portland metro population of 2.6 million, there are approximately 150,000 residents who call SE Portland home, where Holgate Baptist is located. Ten percent of the population of SE Portland is Asian, with many other cultures represented. "Pastor Randy Brown and several other HBC members started praying and planning to be equipped to teach, with the goal of serving the community while at the same time reaching out to the lost," said Jean Oates, a church member. Two members took an ESL training session offered by the Portland Literacy Council. Further research brought HBC in touch with the North American Mission Board's Claudean Boatman, a national literacy missions coordinator. "She mentioned that our interest in ESL training for the West is an answer to years of prayer for this area," Oates added. --30-- This article appeared in the Northwest Baptist Witness (nwbaptist.org), newsjournal of the Northwest Baptist Convention. Sheila Allen is managing editor of the Northwest Baptist Witness. ********** Ministry brings gospel to Texas strip club By Jane Rodgers SAN ANGELO, Texas (Southern Baptist TEXAN) -- When Sent Church in San Angelo was founded three years ago with an emphasis on missional communities, pastor and church planter Josh Lilly never envisioned involvement in ministry to a local strip club. But after meeting Judy James, founder of LACE Ministries (Ladies Achieving Christ's Excellence), Josh realized his church had a unique opportunity to reach women caught up in the industry. LACE began as an outgrowth of James's master's level studies. A social worker with an undergraduate degree in criminology, a background in adult and juvenile probation and experience working at a rape crisis center, James researched an international network of strip club ministries and an anti-pornography ministry for graduate work in urban ministries. "The more I found out, the more I knew I wanted to do something like that," she said. "I never expected it to take off like it has. … I know I am right where God wants me to be. I know that this has been his plan all along." God's plan has taken James and a few volunteers into San Angelo's only strip club at least once a month since December 2015. Research indicated gaining entry to a club would be difficult, but this proved not to be the case for LACE. "The first time we went, we didn't know if we would get in," she recalled. Carrying gift bags of cosmetics and sundries, James and a volunteer nervously approached the club's bouncer, who called the owner. "The owner said, 'Go on back. You can go anyplace,'" James said. "We walked in and started passing out bags. Girls came off the stage and out of the dressing room to get a gift bag. … Not only did we get in, but we were given free rein to talk to anyone we wanted." James called such immediate access "unheard of" in strip club ministry. LACE emphasizes developing friendships with the dancers. "We are meeting a basic human need. Some agencies provide food and clothing. We provide love and acceptance," she explained. LACE volunteers' initial goal is "just to be their friend and tell them that Jesus loves them," James said. "They begin to ask questions like 'Why do you do this?' and it gives us an open door to share the Gospel with them." In addition to monthly visits, LACE celebrates dancers' birthdays with cakes made by a volunteer. Gift bags may include devotionals, copies of the Gospel of Mark and T-shirts emblazoned with "Jesus Loves Strippers." On Easter, LACE provided an entire Sunday dinner to the club. Dancers and employees enjoyed the meal and heard a brief Gospel presentation. "God was in the strip club," James said, adding that Sent Church paid for the dinner. "I couldn't do this without Sent Church," she said. She approached Pastor Lilly early on with her fledgling idea and asked if a strip club ministry was "something that Sent Church would do." "YES!!!" Lilly replied. "I am loving what is going on right now with LACE," Lilly said. "Judy has a great passion for the marginalized and ostracized of our community, specifically as it relates to women in the sex industry." "We do have a missional community set up to receive those people," Lilly continued, adding that only women accompany James to the club. Sent Church members also provided funds to help one dancer exit the industry and return to her family in Dallas. "We help where we can," Lilly said. For Judy James, loving the ostracized also means fielding phone calls at 2 a.m. The dancers, a largely transient population, "know how to contact us," she said. And many do, reaching out for prayer and a person to talk to. Prostitution is often associated with strip clubs, but the San Angelo club does not permit this, James said. However, with its highways and proximity to Mexico, San Angelo is a hub of human trafficking, she added. Thus LACE also focuses on education. In all aspects of the ministry, the goal is to introduce women to the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. For more information on LACE Ministries, visit laceministries.org. --30-- This article appeared in the Southern Baptist TEXAN (texanonline.net), newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Jane Rodgers is a correspondent for the Southern Baptist TEXAN. ********** EDITOR'S NOTE: From the States, published each Tuesday by Baptist Press, relays news and feature stories from state Baptist papers and other publications on initiatives by Baptist churches, associations and state conventions in evangelism, church planting and Great Commission outreach, including partnership missions. Reports about churches, associations and state conventions responding to the International Mission Board's call to embrace the world's unengaged, unreached people groups also are included in From the States, along with reports about church, associational and state convention initiatives in conjunction with the North American Mission Board's call to Southern Baptist churches to broaden their efforts in starting new churches and satellite campuses. The items appear in Baptist Press as originally published. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gaines to EC: SBC needs 'renewal from heaven' by David Roach Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Spiritual awakening, soul winning and stewardship will be the three-pronged emphasis of Steve Gaines' Southern Baptist Convention presidency, he told the SBC Executive Committee Monday (Sept. 19). Addressing the EC via video because of a scheduling conflict, Gaines said America's morally deteriorating culture evidences the need for revival and awakening. He asked Southern Baptists to pray for revival using Psalm 85:6 and Habakkuk 3:2 as prompts. Revival "is a renewal from heaven," said Gaines, pastor of the Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn. "It is when the fire of God falls" as depicted in Acts 4:31, which states, "When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness." Evangelism is closely related to revival, Gaines said, noting pastors and other spiritual leaders must renew their passion for winning souls to saving faith in Christ. One important component of evangelism, Gaines said, is the evangelistic invitation pastors should extend at the close of every message they preach. While an altar call, in which people walk to the front of a worship area to indicate their response to the Gospel, is not the only valid form of evangelistic invitation, he said, Bellevue utilizes an altar call weekly and sees people come to faith in Christ through it. "We need not only to share the Gospel, but give [people] the opportunity to repent of their sins, to believe savingly in Jesus," Gaines said. "... If we don't give that invitation, I don't care what else we preach; we have not preached the Gospel." Evangelism in the pulpit, however, is not sufficient, he said. It must be accompanied by personal soul winning by every believer -- especially church and convention leaders. Gaines suggested praying for lost people by name daily and looking for opportunities to share the Gospel one-on-one. "Leaders have to lead," he said. "If you and I don't do [personal evangelism], how can we expect anybody else to do it?" Gaines expressed concern that the harsh rhetoric of some Christian leaders regarding the 2016 U.S. presidential election could inhibit their witness. "When we speak prophetically, I want to encourage us to speak with kindness," Gaines said. "The litmus test for me is this: Whatever I say, whatever I put on social media, whatever I say from the pulpit or in personal conversation" should not "prevent me from being able to share the Gospel with that person to whom I'm speaking. "If they would not listen to me share the Gospel after I said something because I said something that was rude and inappropriate" about a political candidate, "then I have messed up," he said. Regarding stewardship, Gaines advocated the practice of tithing, which involves believers' giving a tenth of their income to God through their local churches. While some argue the New Testament does not specifically require continuation of the Old Testament's 10 percent standard, Gaines cited Matthew 23:23 to argue God's commandment to tithe remains in force. "I don't believe that we in the New Testament [era] need to give less than people in the Old Testament," Gaines said. "If you can't trust God with 10 percent of your money, how can you trust God with your eternal soul?" Tithing by every member of every Southern Baptist church would provide "all the money we need to support every ministry" at the church, associational, state convention and SBC levels, he said. Gaines concluded by urging, "If we don't have a national revival ... let's at least have a revival among Southern Baptists." -------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Grateful for what God is doing,' Page tells EC by Diana Chandler Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday NASHVILLE (BP) -- Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President and CEO Frank S. Page thanked God at the September EC meeting for His work among Southern Baptists, citing increased financial giving and a renewed commitment to the Great Commission. "I'm grateful for what God is doing in our churches. I'm grateful for what God is doing in our mission boards," Page said in his Sept. 19 plenary session remarks. "I'm grateful for what God is doing in our seminaries. I am a grateful man for what God is doing in many ways." Cooperative Program giving has surpassed projections, he said, and giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions continues to grow. The generosity of state conventions, sacrificial giving among churches and a strong economy have worked together to increase giving, he said, noting that several churches have raised Cooperative Program giving to more than $1 million a year. "As of today [Sept. 19] we have reached our (Cooperative Program) budget for 2015-16 and everything now is [above projections]," he said. "I have already told our Great Commission Council this day that we finished August of 2016, 2.8 percent over the previous year and 4.8 percent ahead of our budget projections." The SBC anticipates finishing the current fiscal year 5 percent over the $186.5 million budget, Page announced, emphasizing that the allocation formula now changes to reduce the SBC operating budget’s portion to 2.4 percent of any overage and increase the IMB’s share to 51 percent. "We're thankful that will mean even more for our seminaries, theological education, and for all of our entities, especially our mission boards," Page said, "and we're grateful we're seeing God do some wonderful things." He cited increases in Lottie Moon giving of 7.80 percent and in Annie Armstrong giving of .35 percent. The Executive Committee has operated on approximately $1 million less than the approved budget this fiscal year, Page said. "We have returned our Executive Committee to a state of fiscal health," he said. "We give thanks to the Lord for that." Southern Baptists are actively participating in convention work, Page said, citing an attendance of 12,000 messengers and guests at the 2016 SBC Annual Meeting in St. Louis that includes 28 percent as first-time attendees. More than 32,000 people in 71 countries, he said, watched the annual meeting livestream. Beginning his seventh year in his post, Page has worked to build relationships and trust among Southern Baptist churches, pastors, entities and partners. This fall alone, he will attend at least 15 Southern Baptist state convention annual meetings, he said, expressing gratefulness for the opportunity to minister in various ways. "We're seeing wonderful results," he said. "I'm a grateful man." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Evangelicals joust over Trump; Kelvin Cochran honored by Tom Strode Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday EDITOR'S NOTE: Please see additional story below on former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran being honored with the 2016 Faith & Freedom Award. WASHINGTON (BP) -- Evangelical leaders debated the appropriateness of a vote for Donald Trump during a Sept. 16 event at the National Press Club sponsored by the National Religious Broadcasters. Two supporters of the Republican nominee traded opinions with two of his opponents as a divisive campaign moves toward the Nov. 8 election. Evangelicals have not escaped the discord in response to the major-party candidacies of Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. Some have said they will vote for neither of the major candidates, while others have thrown their support to Trump, with many citing him as the "lesser of two evils" and/or arguing a refusal to vote for him is a vote for her. NRB President and CEO Jerry A. Johnson, a veteran Southern Baptist leader who served as moderator, said in introducing the debate, "Clearly there are some strong disagreements among evangelicals, but after Nov. 8 we will still be part of the same family with common concerns about our nation and common commitments to improve our nation." Before citing Trump's oft-reported character flaws, Erick Erickson -- conservative editor and Atlanta radio talk show host who opposes the GOP nominee -- told the audience, "If you've decided that you're going to vote for Donald Trump in the privacy of a voting booth, go for it. I'm not going to ask you to violate your conscience any more than anyone should ask me to violate mine." If evangelicals support Trump openly, however, Erickson said, "I think you harm your witness because we may be wrapped up in the politics of the day, but there are people longing for the Lord and are looking at Christians in this country saying, 'If they're putting their faith in a guy like him, what's in their church for me?'" National radio talk-show host Janet Parshall said evangelicals should think biblically and critically, and that begins with the Supreme Court. The next president may have the opportunity to nominate three or four justices who could serve three to four decades. "First, last and always," she asked, "what will you do with the court?" "A flawed candidate should not prevent us from opposing a more dangerous one, one who has a profoundly, clearly articulated worldview," Parshall said, adding Clinton believes "in the denigration of marriage" and "the annihilation of the preborn." Parshall told the audience, including viewers of C-SPAN, which broadcast the debate live: "God has a habit of using flawed and broken people even when it doesn't look right to us. For me, I choose to keep the republic and secure the system" by supporting Trump. Bill Wichterman, former special assistant to President George W. Bush and president of the Capitol Hill ministry Faith & Law, said he has found the "lesser of two evils" argument the most compelling for supporting Trump but has concluded "this justification is insufficient." He is concerned Trump "may be a threat to our democratic republic" because the GOP nominee "has too often demonstrated contempt for the rule of law." Trump also "corrupts us," Wichterman said. "If we support him, we become complicit in his reprobate behavior." "Many people who won't vote for Clinton because they believe she is a liar are voting for Trump because they hope he is a liar and he doesn't really mean what he says," he said. Trump supporter Harry Jackson, an African-American pastor in Maryland and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, acknowledged the challenges to Trump about racism but said Americans are "living in an interesting time where he may be the only one who is able to bring some substantive healing to the racial divide" by offering practical solutions. Jackson will vote for Trump over Clinton for three general reasons -- religious freedom, the Supreme Court, and support for Israel -- and four reasons of special interest to black and Hispanic evangelicals: education reform, urban economic empowerment, restoration of non-violent offenders after their release from prison, and pro-family tax incentives. Clinton, he said, "will simply perpetuate the status quo, and the aura of criminalization in the black community and welfare dependency will be continued." Wichterman said he plans to vote for Evan McMullin, a conservative, independent candidate. "It's an honorable path for those of us who want to be able to vote for an honorable conservative," he told the audience. Parshall said of such an approach, "Not voting for Trump is voting for Clinton. That's inarguable. It's simply a matter of math." Erickson, however, disagreed. "If I'm not voting for Trump, therefore I'm helping Hillary, well I'm not voting for Hillary, so therefore I'm voting for Trump," said Erickson, who said he will write-in former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning on his presidential ballot. Refusing to vote for Trump "just takes one voter out of the vote pool," he said. Jackson said of the electoral dilemma, "[U]ltimately, God is allowing us to see some of our biggest cultural flaws through the flaws of these candidates." In introducing the debate, Johnson noted as a nonpartisan association of Christian communicators, NRB neither supports nor opposes candidates for political office. NRB will be making available video and audio of the debate to its members by request (email press@nrb.org). C-SPAN has archived its broadcast of the debate on its website. NRB also will be posting the video on its YouTube channel. The debate was the final event of the Capitol Hill Media Summit held annually in Washington, D.C., for members of NRB's President's Council. Other speakers included: novelist Joel Rosenberg, Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, who received NRB's Faith & Freedom Award. Participants also met with Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) in his Capitol office and toured the Museum of the Bible, which is under construction near Washington's National Mall, scheduled to open in November 2017. The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers and readers. Learn more at www.nrb.org. See additional story below. --30-- Tom Strode is a writer in Fredericksburg, Va., covering news and events for the National Religious Broadcasters, Baptist Press and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. ********** NRB honors former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran with 2016 Faith & Freedom Award By NRB staff WASHINGTON (BP) -- National Religious Broadcasters presented on Sept. 15 its 2016 Faith & Freedom Award to former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, whose employment was terminated last year by the mayor because of his Christian faith and beliefs. "Last weekend was the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and one of the images that comes to mind is that of the heroic firefighters and other first responders of that day. Well, Kelvin Cochran is a firefighter among firefighters, a hero among heroes," said NRB President and CEO Jerry A. Johnson. "Now, he has become a hero not just for protecting our communities, but for standing bravely in the face of what even some extreme liberals like former Rep. Barney Frank seem to think is unjust discrimination for his faith," Johnson noted. Among prior recipients of NRB's prestigious Faith & Freedom Award is Mike Pence, governor of Indiana and 2016 Republican Party nominee for vice president of the United States. Pence was honored in 2009 as a congressman from Indiana. On Nov. 24, 2014, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed suspended Cochran for 30 days and announced that he would have to complete "sensitivity training" after complaints were received about a men's devotional book Cochran had written on his personal time. Biblical sexual morality is mentioned only briefly in the 162-page book, and an investigation that included interviews with employees found Cochran did not discriminate against anyone. Regardless, the mayor fired him, citing as his basis the need to tolerate diverse views. "Chief Cochran, my heart aches when I think of how you have been treated," said Johnson, a Southern Baptist who formerly served as dean of Boyce College, president of Criswell College and seminary administrator and trustee of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Your steadfast faith and your winsomeness even among those who have been unjust to you is a powerful testimony. We are honored to present you with NRB's 2016 Faith & Freedom Award." In accepting the award, Cochran said he was "honored and humbled beyond words," and also noted that his story "is but one of a growing list of many where a government entity and special interest groups have imposed adverse consequences on an American for publicly proclaiming a position based upon biblical truth that is not consistent with popular culture or the shifting pluralisms of political correctness." "The attack on freedom of religion and freedom of speech in our beloved United States of America is relentless," he said. "Every day, Americans have to make a choice as to whether they will live out their faith or keep their jobs or business," he noted. "As such, there is a significant need for the Body of Christ to rise to unprecedented levels of unity and solidarity regarding religious liberty." Likening suffering because of his faith to biblical accounts of persecuted government officials, Cochran said today's Christian public servants must have the same resolve and refuse to bow down. "Like Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel, it's time for Christian elected and appointed government officials to wake up," he said, noting the historical figures and their trials told in the Book of Daniel. Cochran's message to fellow Christian public servants is to be prepared for the inevitable suffering that will come their way. "We should rehearse in our hearts and decree: God has prepared me for this. God is with me," he said. "I'm not going to be discouraged by the worldly consequences of my standing. I'm going to rejoice in anticipation of the kingdom consequences that God has promised." On Feb. 18, 2015, a lawsuit against the City of Atlanta was filed on behalf of Cochran by Alliance Defending Freedom on grounds of religious discrimination. The case, Cochran v. City of Atlanta, is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. Before becoming Atlanta's fire chief in 2008, Cochran served in the same position in his hometown of Shreveport, La. In 2009, he was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as United States Fire Administrator. Cochran returned to his post in Atlanta in 2010. In 2012, Fire Chief magazine named Cochran as "Fire Chief of the Year." Cochran is an ordained minister and currently serves Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta as chief operating officer/chief strategic officer. He is married to Carolyn Marshall Cochran and the father of three children and grandfather to one grandchild. NRB annually presents the Faith & Freedom Award to a stalwart defender of religious liberty at its Capitol Hill Media Summit, the annual gathering of the NRB President's Council in Washington, D.C. Past award recipients include former Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan.), Alliance Defending Freedom President & CEO Alan Sears, former Rep. Mike Pence (R.-Ind.), Sen. Jeff Sessions (R.-Ala.), Rep. Greg Walden (R.-Ore.), Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R.-Va.), Rep. Trent Franks (R.-Ariz.), former Rep. Frank Wolf (R.-Va.), and Sen. Roy Blunt (R.-Mo.). --30-- National Religious Broadcasters staff compiled this report. -------------------------------------------------------------------- New report endangers religious liberty, critics say by Tom Strode Date: September 20, 2016 - Tuesday WASHINGTON (BP) -- Religious liberty as Americans have known it throughout their history will suffer a critical setback if a new report by the country's top civil rights panel is followed, say Southern Baptist and other advocates for the First Amendment freedom. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) declared in its Sept. 7 report protections to ensure nondiscrimination "are of preeminent importance in American jurisprudence" and religious exemptions from safeguards for such classifications as sexual orientation and gender identity "significantly infringe upon" those civil rights guarantees. USCCR Chairman Martin Castro added to the concerns of religious freedom advocates when he wrote in a statement included in the report, "The phrases 'religious liberty' and 'religious freedom' will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance." With such language, the commission and its chairman indicated the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should prevail when they clash with the rights of Americans who have religious conscience objections. The legal and legislative advances of the LGBT and same-sex marriage movements have prompted debate for at least the last decade on how the conflict between religious liberty and what has become known as sexual liberty should be resolved. The USCCR is now on record favoring sexual liberty. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, called the USCCR language on religious freedom a "logical, moral and political disaster." "For this administration to argue that religious liberty is merely a euphemism for unlawful discrimination demonstrates how deeply entrenched our federal government is in a culture war mentality against religious dissidents," Moore told Baptist Press in written comments. "Freedom of conscience isn't privilege or luxury: It is the first freedom, without which no other freedom can exist," Moore said. "This hostile attitude toward tens of millions of law-abiding Americans is tragic, and my prayer is that it would quickly give way to a recognition that soul freedom is worth defending for all." R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a popular cultural commentator, described the report as a "bombshell" that constitutes "a moral revolution that is taking place right before our eyes." The USCCR has issued "a report, with the federal government's authority, clearly stating that, contrary to the Constitution of the United States, religious liberty is going to have to take a back seat to erotic liberty or sexual liberty," Mohler said on his Sept. 15 podcast, "The Briefing." When the USCCR's chairman "puts the phrases 'religious freedom' and 'religious liberty' in scare quotes, that's a clear indication that he intends to consign them, regardless of the U.S. Constitution, to the dustbin of history," Mohler said. The USCCR released its report -- titled "Peaceful Coexistence: Reconciling Nondiscrimination Principles With Civil Liberties" -- more than three years after it held a hearing on the legal clash. The 306-page report followed a March 2013 briefing involving legal experts on different sides of the issue. In its findings, the commission endorsed briefing panelists' statements in support of other findings undoubtedly of concern to religious freedom defenders, including: -- "A doctrine that distinguishes between beliefs (which should be protected) and conduct (which should conform to the law) is fairer and easier to apply; -- "Third parties, such as employees, should not be forced to live under the religious doctrines of their employers [unless the employer is allowed to impose such constraints by virtue of the ministerial exception]; -- "A basic [civil] right as important as the freedom to marry should not be subject to religious beliefs; -- "Even a widely accepted doctrine such as the ministerial exemption should be subject to review as to whether church employees have religious duties." In addition to its findings, the USCCR made recommendations narrowing religious liberty protections. It said courts, legislators and policy-makers "must tailor religious exceptions to civil liberties and civil rights protections as narrowly as applicable law requires." The commission also called for the federal government to consider clarifying that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) "creates First Amendment Free Exercise Clause rights only for individuals and religious institutions and only to the extent that they do not unduly burden civil liberties and civil rights protections against status-based discrimination." It also urged states to adopt similar amendment to their RFRA-like laws. RFRA is a 1993 federal law that requires the government to have a compelling interest and use the narrowest possible means in burdening a person's religious exercise. President Clinton signed it into law after a broad coalition of religious freedom advocates pushed for the measure in response to a heavily criticized Supreme Court decision and following nearly unanimous approval by Congress. In his statement, Castro said, "Religious liberty was never intended to give one religion dominion over other religions, or a veto power over the civil rights and civil liberties of others. However, today, as in the past, religion is being used as both a weapon and a shield by those seeking to deny others equality." If followed by the government, the USCCR's findings and recommendations could severely restrict religious freedom and conscience protections for individuals, including employers, and institutions, including churches. Two USCCR commissioners contributed statements to the report that disagreed with the majority. One, Gail Heriot, said, "Religious liberty is sometimes referred to as our nation's 'First Freedom,' because of its preeminent position in the text of the First Amendment and its importance in the founding of our nation. "The Commission thus could just as easily -- indeed more easily -- have gone in the opposite direction of [its fifth finding]: Because religious liberty is our First Freedom, it is preeminent, and laws, including non-discrimination laws, that purport to coerce individuals into acting or prohibiting them from acting in ways that would violate their conscience 'must be weighed carefully and defined narrowly.'" Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., objected to the report in a Sept. 15 floor speech in which he said the commission's "profession of 'Peaceful Coexistence' must never quietly euthanize 'religious liberty' just because Washington lawyers and bureaucrats find it convenient and orderly to do so." "It must never be used to chip away at our most fundamental freedoms," he said. "It must never undermine the essence of what it means to be human." Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' religious liberty committee, said Castro's comments "painting those who support religious freedom with the broad brush of bigotry are reckless and reveal a profound disregard for the religious foundations of his own work." "Rest assured, if people of faith continue to be marginalized, it is the poor and vulnerable, not the Chairman and his friends, who will suffer," Lori said in a written statement. The USCCR, established in 1957 as a nonpartisan entity, consists of eight members, four appointed by the president and four by Congress. The president names the chairman and vice chairman of the panel.