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Children's Homes: Still a Core Church Ministry?

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Children's Homes: Still a Core Church Ministry? Our mission: To inform, An international inspire and unite newspaper Vol. 69, No. 1 | January 2012 for Churches of Christ FUNDING ON THE DECLINE Children’s homes: Still a core church ministry? BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE Kimberly said. Yet he and many colleagues DUNCAN, S.C. — Southeastern across the nation question if Children’s Home cares for Churches of Christ are as pas- neglected and abused children sionate about caring for children on a 50-acre campus overlook- in need as they once were. ing the Smoky In a survey Mountains. of 20 children’s Boys row homes in out in a boat more than a to catch bass dozen states, and bream in The Christian a spring-fed Chronicle pond. A bee- found wide- GARRETT HOSKINS keeper teaches spread concern Students at Abilene Christian University gather to pray for victims of a bus crash that killed Anabel Reid, 19. girls how to about declining cultivate honey. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOUTHEASTERN church support The home’s Southeastern Children’s Home serves amid trying Crash brings ACU community to its knees residents ride young people in three group homes. economic horses as part times and shift- ABILENE, Texas — Anabel Reid loved her family. She miles south of Abilene. She was part of a 16-per- of therapy and enjoy swing ing ministry priorities. loved her boyfriend. She loved serving children. son mission team on a bus en sets, basketball goals and a vol- “It has been tough to watch Most of all, she loved God. route to an annual service project leyball court. as more and more homes have Speaking to a crowd of more than 1,400 mourn- at the Medina Children’s Home As the Christian child-care been squeezed out of church ing the death of the Abilene Christian University in Texas. agency meets physical needs, budgets,” said Cory Long, student, Alex Wann described his 19-year-old girl- The driver, ACU professor it fulfills a more important mis- CEO of Carpenter’s Place, a friend as a “totally righteous babe of the Lord.” Michael Nicodemus, lost control sion: sharing Jesus with chil- girls’ home in Wichita, Kan., “I love you so much, but I love God more than and struck a concrete culvert. dren and families, executive “and more and more homes you,” Wann said Reid told him, as reported by As the vehicle overturned, its director Robert Kimberly said. are having to look outside the the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “She lived that canopy ripped away, ejecting 12 Reid “We’ve had eight of our kids churches to get support.” kind of life.” of its occupants. become Christians this year, For 50-plus years, children’s Reid, a sophomore at the Texas university, Emergency workers transported the injured to and so it’s been wonderful,” See CHILDREN’S HOMES, Page 12 died Nov. 4 near Ballinger, Texas, about 85 See BUS CRASH, Page 14 BOX 11000 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73136-1100 The Bible INSIDE goes CALENDAR .....................27 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. to school CURRENTS ......................17 U.S. POSTAGE PAID DIALOGUE ......................20 Eastern OKLAHOMA CITY OK European INSIGHT .........................34 PERMIT # 276 Mission at 50: INTERNATIONAL ..............8 From Bible NATIONAL ........................5 smugglers OPINION ........................29 to textbook Wrap up your shopping Remembering 2011 PARTNERS .....................23 suppliers. Find ideas to please all ages in The numbers and quotes PEOPLE ..........................24 17 our holiday gift guide. 32 that inspired. 29-31 REVIEWS .......................32 Winner of eight ‘Best of the Christian Press’ awards, 2011 | Breaking news, exclusives at www.christianchronicle.org | (405) 425-5070 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE JANUARY 2012 Ukraine Has Made The Right Calls. EEM Will Answer. Again. More and more of Ukraine wants the Bible in their Public Schools. It is becoming part of their school curriculum. Two more states, Rivne and Poltava, Ukraine are asking for bibles. Over 283,000 students in 1,494 Public Schools. We’ve been called. And we will be there. So can you. With the Bible. April 29, 2012 www.milliondollardunday.org · 800-486-1818 EEM is overseen by the Prestoncrest church of Christ, Dallas, Texas. JANUARY 2012 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Preach it, brother, but Can churches reach 7 billion souls? BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE keep it short SAN JOSE, Costa Rica TERRELL, Texas hen the global population ssemble an all-star lineup crossed the 7 billion mark — of some of the most pow- according to United Nations Aerful, passionate preach- estimates — about 125 of the ers in Churches of Christ. world’s souls were singing, Put these ministers on the Wpraying and contemplating the divine in same lectureship program, this Central American capital. and give each 20 minutes to “Why would God, who made the world, speak. want to be in a personal relationship Inside Story You prob- with us?” Bart Dodson, a missionary in ably can Honduras, asked attendees at the 48th Pan guess what American Lectureship, shortly after the happens imaginary line was crossed. next. “But he does — all 7 billion of us,” That’s Dodson said. ERIK TRYGGESTAD right: The earth’s booming Teens from Costa Rica sing Bible songs with missionary kids during the Pan American Lectureship. Incredibly population and its impact uplifting and on evangelism was a recur- nationalities, including Brazilians. Dodson’s wife, Melissa, said she found challenging ring topic at the annual At the lectureship, he gathered ideas to the diversity of ages at the lecture- Bobby Ross Jr. sermons. lectureship, a gathering of help him reach Latin Americans with the ship — and their commitment to Christ And, yes, local Christians, mission- Gospel — no matter where they live. — inspiring. stopwatches working aries in Latin America and The Christians at the lectureship repre- “The fact that we have approximately overtime and the original U.S. supporters. sented the increasing range of ages on the 7 billion people ... I think this was a Hicks schedule falling quickly by “It means to me, we have planet as average lifespan increases. really neat place for us to be when that the wayside. no time to stop and rest,” Bob Prater said Bobbie Hicks, 87, a member of happened,” Melissa Dodson said. “Almost Maybe in some congrega- about crossing the 7 billion mark. the Brownfield Church of Christ in every generation is here, and the thing we tions, the preacher can wrap Prater, a longtime missionary in Africa Texas, attended the first Pan American have in common is why we’re here.” up his message in one-third and Europe, traveled to Central America Lectureship in Guatemala in 1963. This of an hour. But at the recent from Erlangen, Germany, where he year, she brought her 29-year-old grand- INSIDE: Church members in Costa Rica share their struggles 74th annual lectureship at studies the Bible with a wide variety of daughter, Cynthia Rowan. and dreams for reaching their 4.6 million souls. See Page 10. Southwestern Christian College — the historically black Christian college east of Dallas — I got the Church planted in hotel ballroom touts ‘New Life’ impression that the buzzer sounded (figuratively, of BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE church plant as a domestic mission effort Jewel McDaniels, 34, a St. Louis native course) just as each speaker aimed at meeting people where they are and third-generation member of Churches was getting warmed up. BRIDGETON, Mo. — In a hotel restaurant, — as Jesus did the Samaritan woman at of Christ, attended a recent New Life “This does not work in weekend guests nibbled bacon and eggs the well in John 4. service with her mother, Judy, and 15-year- Ethiopia,” a smiling Behailu and sipped orange juice and coffee. The New Life church intends to reach old son, Tony. Abebe said of the time limit A short ride up a glass elevator, a less people who have no rela- McDaniels said she’s encouraged by the as he reported on mission ordinary scene occurred: About 50 men, tionship at all with God, opportunity for a fresh start away from the work in his home nation. women and children gathered in a ball- he said, as well as former walls and barriers that sometimes hamper There, he said, he’d talk for room with red-cushioned chairs and bright church members who have congregations. three hours straight. Here, chandeliers. They came not for a business become estranged. “I’m hoping that this will be a new life, a he managed to complete his meeting or a fancy banquet but to pray, “The idea is, there’s a new beginning, to break down those,” she remarks in about 30 minutes sing praises and worship God. lot of hurt. There’s a lot said. — only 10 minutes over. The St. Louis area’s newest congrega- of pain,” Jackson said. The early start time allows Jackson to What a joy it was to be tion — the New Life Church of Christ “There’s a lot of hearts that preach at New Life and then drive about Jackson in the audience as speaker — meets at 8 a.m. Sundays at the Crowne have been bruised, and 20 minutes to his regular work — as after speaker offered a fresh Plaza Hotel, near Lambert-St. Louis because of that, some of the relationships minister for the Wagner Avenue Church of perspective on the theme International Airport. are … we tolerate each other, but we don’t Christ in St. Louis. See SOUTHWESTERN, Page 4 Minister Thomas Jackson describes the get along like a family.” See NEW LIFE, Page 16 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY JANUARY 2012 www.christianchronicle.org Go online to find news updates, an expanded calendar, classifieds and much more.
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