'Who Will Be First?'

THE MINNESOTA-WISCONSIN August 2010 Read The Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Vol. 25, No. 3 BAPTIST online at www.mwbc.org FOR THE RECORD Baptists Iowa DOM nominates ‘Who will be first?’ MWBC Executive Director Leo Endel for SBC Arrival of portable president. Page 2. baptistry inspires Minnesota-Wisconsin NAMB appoints new Christians missionaries to associational, church By David Williams planting work. Page 3. Editor Minneapolis—The portable baptis- Opinion try arrived on a Tuesday. Replace “negative Jacob Rock, pastor of New Hope drama” with real love. Baptist Church in the Phillips West Page 4. neighborhood of Minneapolis, was planning a special outdoor service Media at the end of the month to “inaugu- Ministry leaders advised rate” the baptistry. But, he said, God to “Google Thyself” & had other plans. Wisconsin church goes “I really felt God telling me to as- social. Pages 6-7. semble the baptismal in the church the day we got it,” he said—although Missions he rationalized that what he really “Swing for the Fence” was doing was “making sure all the during season of giving parts were there.” to state missions. During the assembly process, Page 9. Rock said he sensed God directing him to put a sign above the pool: “Who will be first!!!” THE SPIRIT MOVES Above: Jacob Rock (right), pastor of New Hope Baptist Church On Wednesday, he changed his in Minneapolis, prepares to baptize a new Christian in the church’s portable baptis- planned sermon for that evening’s try. Having installed the baptistry the day before the weekly Wednesday-night service, service and instead preached the Rock said he had not anticipated baptizing anyone so soon. He had not filled the bap- People story of Jesus’ baptism at the Jor- tistry for the service but he credits the Holy Spirit with inspiring three people to be LifeWay Christian Stores immersed that very evening. Three others scheduled their baptisms after the service. dan River. Rock explained that “we don’t do purchases five outlets in Rock said he sensed God telling Right: Gus Christianson (right) receives a certificate commemorating his baptism Minnesota. Page 12. from Rock after being immersed during Phillips West’s National Night Out celebration baptisms until someone can walk to him, “Take a hose and fill it up with the water and understand what they water. That baptismal must be ready Aug. 3. “God gave me the idea of bringing our baptistry to the event and give people the opportunity to repent and be baptized at our church’s designated site,” the pastor are doing.” Instead, he led the fami- for tonight.” But still, Rock said, he said. Eight people were immersed. Parents dedicated seven babies to God. lies in dedicating the two preschool- wasn’t sure. He had no candidates, ers to God, and themselves to be god- so he did not fill the baptistry. thing over there tonight after the I am so thankful that God worked ly parents. But before the worship service service?’ I was a little surprised, but I through me and (that) my unbelief Three more came forward to even began that evening, a man said, ‘You certainly can.’” could not stop His Kingdom work.” schedule baptism for the next Sun- came to him and said, “I will be Rock chastised himself for a “lack The teaching did not end with day—including the man who had first.” Rock intended to baptize the of faith” that prevented him from the baptisms. Two families from said, “I will be first.” He simply man at that special service he was filling the container earlier but de- the neighborhood brought an in- didn’t have a change of clothes with planning sometime in the future. spite the last-minute preparations, fant and a toddler to be baptized. him at the time. But at the close of the sermon, “I ex- three people were baptized that eve- plained what baptism meant and ning. why we do it. As I finished speaking, “As we were baptizing them, Midwest messengers a young man in the church raised people began to show up from all his hand and said, ‘Do you mean to around the neighborhood,” Rock tell me that I can be baptized in that said. “It was simply mind blowing. New titles sharpen ministry focus By MWBC Staff not so much as directing the work Rochester, Minn.—Many staff as much as catalyzing the work,” he members of the Minnesota-Wiscon- said. “The term ‘catalyst’ is defined sin Baptist Convention recently were as ‘an agent that provokes or speeds given new ministry titles, most of significant change.’ We believe we them including the word “catalyst.” can assist Minnesota-Wisconsin Bap- “The title change came after the tist churches in making the chang- staff reorganization necessitated by es that will result in greater fruit- the elimination of the state missions fulness and effectiveness.” Here are position,” MWBC Exectuvie Director the new titles and the persons who Leo Endel said. “We went through a hold them: process of gift, experience, and inter- Church Starting Catalyst Steve Moving? est assessment and renegotiated our Melvin responsibilities and rewrote our job Ministry Catalyst Dave Wede- descriptions.” kind The MWBC Executive Board re- Church Leadership Catalyst Some of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptists attending the Southern Baptist Con- See page 4 (0810) viewed, amended and approved the Clint Calvert vention Annual Meeting June 15-16 in Orlando, Fla., pose for a photo on the floor of the convention center. Twelve messengers from Minnesota and 10 from Wis- proposed job descriptions at its May Missions Connections Catalyst consin attended. From left: Steven Melvin, David Sundeen, Jeff Nettles, Sarah En- Bob Smith meeting. Endel said the change from del, Leo Endel, Jeanne Wedekind, Dave Wedekind, Seth Ray, Bob Ray and Clint “director” to “catalyst” in the job ti- Missions Education Catalyst Calvert. Leo Endel became the first Southern Baptist from a new-work area to be tles is more than just semantics. Jeanne Wedekind nominated SBC president. See pages 2, 10 and 11 in this edition of the Minnesota- “We chose the term ‘catalyst’ over Evangelism and Stewardship Wisconsin Baptist for more coverage of the 2010 SBC Annual Meeting. ‘director’ because we see ourselves Catalyst David Sundeen 2 MINNESOTA-WISCONSIN BAPTIST BAPTISTS AUGUST 2010 MINNESOTA-WISCONSIN BAPTIST AUGUST 2010 3 Messengers embrace report, focus on Great Commission Task force: Approval signals concern for ‘lostness’ By Marv Knox One of those clear statements is the Texas Baptist Standard convention’s priority for telling people Orlando, Fla.—The Southern Bap- the world over about Jesus Christ, insist- tist Convention overwhelmingly reaf- ed Roger Spradlin, pastor of Valley Bap- firmed its intention to spread the gos- tist Church in Bakersfield, Calif., and new pel throughout the nation and around chairman of the Executive Committee. the world, members of the SBC’s Great Spradlin pointed out the convention Commission Resurgence task force said voted to move 1 percent of the Coopera- June 15. tive Program, the SBC’s unified budget, At least 75 to 80 percent of messen- from the Executive Committee to the In- gers to the SBC annual meeting ratified ternational Mission Board. One percent the task force’s seven-part set of recom- of the IMB budget translates to 46 mis- mendations, chairman Ronnie Floyd told sionaries, who will present the gospel to reporters moments after the vote. people all around the world who never DISCUSSING THE VOTE Ronnie Floyd (center) chairman of the Great Commission Resurgence Task The committee drafted the recom- have heard of Jesus, he said. Force, answers questions during a press conference after the recommendations by the task force mendations to turn the convention’s fo- “That represents more than dollars on were passed by Southern Baptist Convention messengers June 15. (Photo by Matt Miller/BP) cus toward “penetrating the lostness” a spreadsheet,” he added. “It represents of the world. They received stiff opposi- the heart” of Southern Baptists’ passion By Norman Jameson the Cooperative Program and not as a sub- tion from Morris Chapman, retiring pres- for the gospel. North Carolina Biblical Recorder stitute for Cooperative Program giving.” ident of the SBC Executive Committee, as Danny Akin, president of Southeast- Orlando, Fla.—The Southern Baptist Con- Later, task force member Albert Mohler, well as leaders of some Baptist state con- ern Baptist Theological Seminary in vention embraced a future uncertain but president of Southern Baptist Theological ventions and others who fear the chang- Wake Forest, N.C., has experienced that focused on the Great Commission when a Seminary in Louisville, Ky,, said the amend- es will erode financial support for the passion through two sons who have solid majority of messengers adopted the ed language was a welcome addition that convention. served as missionaries among Muslims. report of the Great Commission Resur- expressed the task force’s heart. “We thank all Southern Baptist for “I saw the lostness of the world. I want- gence Task Force June 15. Reaction to a preliminary report the task believing in the Great Commission,” ed us ... to catch a vision for what matters “We are a Great Commission people,” force released in February was so vociferous Christ’s mandate to spread the gospel to God,” he said of his motivation for the Task Force Chairman Ronnie Floyd thun- members made themselves available across across the globe, Floyd said, flanked by recommendations. dered when the final hand vote showed a the nation to speak to groups, answer ques- five other members of the task force. Even though the recommendations 75 to 80 percent majority favoring the sev- tions and listen.

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