Associated Baptist Press
March 11, 2009 · (09-36)
David Wilkinson, Executive Director
Robert Marus, Managing Editor/Washington Bureau Chief
Bob Allen, Senior Writer
In this issue
Wedgwood pastor to preach Sunday at grieving Illinois church (788 words)
Police investigate money missing from Missouri Baptist nursing school (294 words)
Martial-arts seminar at Baptist school leads kung-fu master to Christ (794 words)
CBF field personnel direct training center, minister to villagers in Belize (770 words)
Wedgwood pastor to preach Sunday at grieving Illinois church
By Bob Allen (788 words)
MARYVILLE, Ill. (ABP) -- One week after its senior pastor was shot and killed while delivering a sermon, an Illinois church will welcome as its guest preacher March 15 one of the few pastors with a similar experience.
The website of First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill., said the church plans to hold its normal Sunday schedule that day. It will feature Al Meredith, pastor of Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, preaching at all three worship services.
Nearly 10 years ago a disturbed gunman walked into an evening youth rally at Wedgwood, fired more than 100 rounds from two handguns and exploded a pipe bomb. The attack killed seven and wounded seven others before the gunman took his own life.
Though Meredith was not present when the attack occurred on Sept. 15, 1999, he is one of only a few pastors with first-hand experience in coping with the aftermath of something like what happened to the Maryville congregation.
Police say Terry Sedlacek, 27, of nearby Troy, Ill., gunned down Fred Winters, a married father of two who led First Baptist Church as pastor for nearly 22 years, before stabbing himself in the throat and wounding two church members who tried to subdue him. Sedlacek faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery.
In the years since the Wedgwood shooting, Meredith has spoken publicly about the impact the attack had on the Southern Baptist flock that is affiliated with both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
An article on the Wedgwood website said the biggest question the church had to answer was the unanswerable, "Where was God when all this happened?"
Out of that struggle came a new understanding of what it means to say, "God is sovereign."
"He was there during the shootings," the article says. "He comforts us today as we grieve and as we continue to recover. Through trials he brings understanding; he strengthens our faith when there can be no understanding."
In a 2004 story in the Baptist Standard, Meredith said he had heard of other churches that fell apart after a tragedy. At conferences about dealing with trauma and grief, Meredith learned that people often start breaking down about six months after a tragedy. He responded with a six-part series of sermons about how characters in the Bible handled depression.
Meredith said the church also offered a safe place where people could discuss their doubts and anger with God openly and honestly.
"It's a healthy sign that you believe in God's sovereignty enough to be angry with him when things work out irrationally or tragically," Meredith said. "That's a rational response. And God can handle our anger."
At a 2004 conference on crime victims, Meredith said that because of the attack he was able to share the message of hope in Jesus Christ when he offered the invocation at the Cotton Bowl in 2000.
Meredith said the congregation experienced a deeper sense of God's presence in worship after the tragedy, and as news of the congregation's positive outlook spread, visitors started attending from out of town.
Attendance grew about 50 percent in the five years after the shooting, and the church sent out 120 members to launch a mission congregation in 2004.
Meredith said post-traumatic stress syndrome is "real," and it can return in waves years later, but Wedgwood Baptist Church was committed to moving on.
"Don't ask us when we'll get over it," he said. "We'll never get over it. We'll get through it."
Services at First Baptist Church of Maryville are scheduled at 8:15, 9:30 and 10:55 a.m. on Sundays. Meanwhile, the church is arranging for overflow parking and shuttle services from neighboring churches for the memorial service for Winters, scheduled for March 13.
The church website said the building is getting swamped with flowers and plants, and requested that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to a trust fund being set up for Winters' two daughters.
Information on how to give is available from the website and a Facebook page set up for prayer for the church and Winters' family. As of midday March 11, more than 10,000 members had joined the group.
Prayer services for First Baptist Church were scheduled Wednesday night, March 11, at United Methodist, Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran and Assembly of God churches in Maryville, coordinated by the town's ministerial alliance.
Dan Crawford, a member of Wedgwood Baptist Church and former professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote a book about the Wedgwood tragedy in 2000. Titled A Night of Tragedy, a Dawning of Light, the book is no longer in print but is accessible as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file on the Wedgwood website.
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
Police investigate money missing from Missouri Baptist nursing school
By Bob Allen (294 words)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (ABP) -- Police in Springfield, Mo., are investigating the suspected embezzlement of more than $500,000 from a nursing school operated jointly by a Baptist university and a Catholic hospital.
The Springfield News-Leader reported March 11 that St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences told police about the missing money on March 5. The college is operated in partnership between St John's Mercy Health System and Southwest Baptist University, a four-year school with 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students in nearby Bolivar, Mo.
The paper quoted a spokesperson of the nursing school who said one employee had been fired and the matter turned over to police. The article quoted an officer who said an arrest had been made, but the suspect's name was being withheld until charges are filed.
A television station said the same suspect is also being investigated for theft from a public-school Parent Teacher Organization in the Springfield suburb of Republic, Mo.
The Southwest Baptist University website describes the St John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences as "a unique venture between two faith-based institutions" that "offers programs in nursing that reflect its strong Judeo-Christian heritage."
The college offers both associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing, drawing on the legacy of two historic faith-based institutions.
Southwest Baptist University was founded in 1878 and is affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention. St. John's Health System was founded in Springfield, Mo., in 1891 by the Sisters of Mercy as a Catholic institution. The St. John's School of Nursing began in 1905.
Representatives of the university and hospital began working in the mid-1980s to combine their efforts to meet nursing needs in the local and regional communities. The nursing school began partnering with Southwest Baptist University to offer professional nursing degrees in 1996.
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
Martial-arts seminar at Baptist school leads kung-fu master to Christ
By Crystal Kieloch (794 words)
BLUEFIELD, Va. (ABP) -- Taiwanese kung-fu master Liu Chang probably didn't think a routine seminar he led at Virginia Baptist-affiliated Bluefield College would lead to him converting to Christianity. But that's just what happened.
Liu, a widely-respected karate expert, was one of two visiting instructors at a martial-arts seminar hosted by Doug Minnix, Bluefield's assistant professor of exercise and sport science and faculty advisor for the school's Karate Club. Liu was joined by Kimo Wall, an American karate expert who conducts seminars around the world.
"Master Liu is no typical kung-fu master," Minnix said. "He is a 12th-generation direct descendant of the White Crane system."
The White Crane system is a southern Chinese martial art widely practiced around the world. It is characterized by deep-rooted stances, intricate hand techniques and fighting mostly at close range. There are different levels of the White Crane system; the Feeding Crane level, at which Liu excels, is the most combative.
"[Liu's] technique reminds me of the legendary methods that are only read about and no longer to be found," said Minnix. "How such a remarkable individual ended up on tour with Kimo Wall and in the small town of Bluefield, I believe was orchestrated by God."
Before making his own profession of Christian faith, Minnix, who was a student at Bluefield College in the late 1980s, practiced the principles of Zen Buddhism and traveled to China to research the particular style of karate to which he was devoted.
But, "In the midst of a culture dominated by Zen, I had a God moment," Minnix recalled about his trip to China. "While walking down the streets, a young man witnessed to me about Jesus and handed me a gospel tract. This seed stayed in my heart and would remain, yet undeveloped, until I returned to Bluefield College."
Kung Fu master Liu Chang (center) offers a demonstration during a Bluefield College martial arts seminar. (PHOTO/Bluefield College)
Scott Bryan, who chairs Bluefield's exercise and sports science department, mentored Minnix during his days as a student at Bluefield and shared more about Christianity with him. During his senior year, Minnix answered the call of Christ and subsequently gave up his study of martial arts.
"But, in my devotional time, I kept running across Scriptures that seemed to run harmoniously with karate principles," Minnix said. "It was during that time that God gave me a vision for a martial-arts ministry."
That same karate ministry, which involves Scripture memorization and Bible study, is what brought Liu and Wall to Bluefield last summer. Wall, a former Zen Buddhist who also converted to Christianity and who is a longtime sensei (a Japanese title used to address teachers in martial arts) to Minnix, brought Liu to Bluefield to present the Feeding Crane system to karate students from the college and community.
But, the karate students were not the only individuals to leave the martial-arts seminar changed by the experience. During an after-hours dinner, Liu shared the details of a series of events that led him to find both lost relatives and martial-arts techniques. The circumstances, he believes, were magic, because they were too well orchestrated to be coincidence. Wall boldly responded, "Not magic, but a miracle, the power of God."
Later during the seminar, Liu received word from Taiwan that his home had been damaged by a typhoon. Concerned about his family, Liu found encouragement from people within the college and local church community. They offered Liu support and prayer. Sensing God's direction in the entire experience, Minnix gave Liu a Chinese/English Bible.
"Following some encouragement by Kimo sensei, I finally presented Mr. Liu with the gospel," Minnix said. "He opened the book, and with tears in his eyes and a humble disposition, said, 'All my life I hear about this book, but today [is] the first day I see it.'"
Minnix shared later that he, along with Wall, were amazed at how a man of such stature, position and power could be so quickly touched by God.
Minnix recalled, "He said to me, 'Now you first time from now on study Feeding Crane; now I first time from now on study the book.' I can't explain how I felt that night. God truly intervened and crossed cultural lines to connect us in a very special way."
Liu would end his trip to Bluefield with a visit to Minnix's church, and said afterward, "This is [the] first time I go to church. I feel very special power [that I have] not felt before."
Liu communicated later with Minnix and others his desire to learn more about Jesus. He also said his Bluefield experience is one he plans to share with students all over the world.
"I will never forget Bluefield," Liu said. "Bluefield is [the] place where I first talk to God. I go home and tell people here, and they cannot believe. 'You talk to God?' Amazed."
Crystal Kieloch writes for Bluefield College.
CBF field personnel direct training center, minister to villagers in Belize
By Laurie Entrekin (770 words)
ATLANTA (ABP) -- Recently appointed as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel in Belize, North Carolina natives Eric and Julie Maas serve as the directors of the Western Region Baptist Training Center. Started in the 1980s by Baptist missionaries, the 10-acre-camp hosts working mission teams, biblical training for pastors and other religious or educational retreats and conferences.
Their journey to Belize began two years ago, when the Maases were considering full-time missions work overseas. Linda Jones, missions coordinator for CBF of North Carolina visited their church and spoke with Eric, a native of Greenville, N.C., about ministry needs in the Central American country.
"She planted the initial seed," said Julie, a native of Raleigh, N.C. "We were in the process of discerning where God want[ed] us to be. We thought it was Nicaragua." Julie jokingly credits a pair of bumper stickers for jump-starting their journey to Belize. She visited her local library and saw a car in the parking lot covered with bumper stickers.
"The top left sticker said 'Belize' and the bottom right sticker, on the tailgate, said 'The answer.' Those were the only two I saw," she said.
Prayer, networking and other "subtle hints" led the Maases to decide on Belize by June 2007. By July 2008, after selling their home and nearly all their belongings, the couple moved there with their 5-year-old daughter and now 18-month old son.
The Maases have made a two-year commitment to direct the Baptist training center.
"We see it as a career move," Julie said. "If God calls us to stay in Belize or move somewhere else, we are surrendered to God's will."
Managing the day-to-day operations of the center, scheduling and assisting with group visits and caring for their own children's needs are the primary activities of the Maases' ministry.
With a background in construction management, Eric has spent considerable time doing needed repairs and maintenance to the buildings. Julie, a registered nurse, said that as they are beginning "to get the camp down pat" and starting to know their neighbors better, they are spending more time addressing the villagers' needs, both physical and spiritual.
The Baptist center is located in the middle of the small village of Camelote amid great poverty.
"Villagers are just trying to make it day in and day out, pay their bills, and get their children off to school," said Julie. "We are the eyeballs on the ground, and pretty much wherever we look, there is something that needs to be renovated or torn down, and challenges that each family faces."
Last October, when a devastating flood with a hurricane-like impact struck Belize, causing millions of dollars in damage to crops and homes, Eric was able to deliver a large box of food and a flashlight to a pregnant woman and her family who were stranded in a remote village.
"When the detailed logistics of 'how to' were unknown and seemed impossible, especially in the dark, God delivered a boat to cross that river when we didn't know if there would be one," Julie said. "The food was enough to feed the family until the water receded."
The Maases have not only ministered in the villages, but also opened the doors of their home -- the camp -- to the villagers, through informal playgroups with their children as well as organized activities. As Eric and Julie work to build relationships, they seek to put Mother Teresa's words into practice, doing "small things with great love."
"One thing God has led me to do is start a prayer group with the women in the village," said Julie. "I love to pray -- that's my passion."
For the last several months, nine to 13 women have met weekly at the center for an hour and a half for discussion and prayer time.
"We talk about the concept of prayer," said Julie. "I want to empower them with the power of prayer -- not offer money or medicine. I want them to know that God is right there with them; they don't have to leave their home or get an education to reach out to God, draw close to him, and learn who he is and his love for his people. My prayer and desire is to empower the women, with God's help, to truly have a relationship with Christ that will cause a positive ripple effect to those around them."
The Western Region Baptist Training Center operates year-round. Mission teams that have stayed at the center have led vacation Bible schools, completed construction projects, conducted evangelistic outreach, assisted schools and churches with various needs and held medical clinics.
Laurie Entrekin writes for CBF Communications.
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