Our mission: To inform, An international inspire and unite newspaper Vol. 71, No. 8 | August 2014 for Churches of Christ No small mission TAKING A ROAD TRIP with a spiritual focus, an Oklahoma group exemplifies a growing trend of Christian parents introducing children to mission work. BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE LOGAN, Utah sked what excited her about going on a mission trip to Utah, 5-year- old Lainey Foster smiled. “I might go swimming today or every day that I’m here,” the blond-haired cutie replied. “So that’s really good.” But as Lainey grows up, her parents pray she’ll recall more than taking nightly dips in a hotel pool, roasting s’mores at a campfire devotional or even running into rattlesnakes on a hiking excursion. DEIDRA DACUS For Josh and Jen Foster and their four Dax Curtis, Brady Owens, Bryce Foster, Logan young children, this summer’s 1,200-mile Breninger, Carter Owens, Ty Foster, Haley journey was no ordinary road trip. Dacus and Lainey Foster arrive in Utah. Rather than enjoy a traditional vacation, the Fosters and other families from the tunities to expose their children to mission Edmond Church of Christ in Oklahoma work, said Steven Bonner, who directs decided to go on a mission trip. the youth and family ministry program at Their destination: the Logan Church of Lubbock Christian University in Texas. Christ, a small-but-growing congregation “Family mission trips have seen a in this predominantly Mormon commu- marked increase in the last several years,” nity 85 miles north of Salt Lake City. Bonner said. “I believe this is, in part, due “We are going to help out a bit and to an increase in the realization that the just have fun while we’re doing it,” said best discipleship experiences occur in the BOBBY ROSS JR. 9-year-old Ty Foster. context of intergenerational relationships.” Ty Foster, 9, helps with a renovation project for the Logan Church of Like the Fosters, a growing number of Moreover, various studies have shown Christ in Utah. His father, Josh Foster, can be seen in the background. Christian parents take advantage of oppor- See FAMILY MISSION, Page 12 Their World Cup overflows: Former missionaries are fans for life BY MURRAY EVANS | FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE we went,” explained Duncan, now preaching minister for the Memorial Church of Christ Visit the Houston home of David and in Houston. “Then what we wanted for seven Barbara Duncan during the World Cup and years there was what was good for Brazil. We you’ll find it decorated in green and yellow, still want what’s good for them. the colors of the flag of Brazil, where they “Outside of Christ and money in their once served as missionaries. pocket, they would say the next best thing On days that Brazil — which is hosting this would be Brazil winning the World Cup. That year’s World Cup — is playing, the Duncans might be more important than money to serve Brazilian food and soft drinks and watch them. Because we love them, we love what the game with rapt anticipation, just like their they love. So we get very passionate about it.” PHOTO PROVIDED friends and Christian family in South America. The Duncans aren’t alone in their passion The Duncans, top right, and some of their WWW.FIFA.COM “We spent years praying for Brazil before See WORLD CUP, Page 14 fellow former missionaries root for Brazil. 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE AUGUST 2014 DA! It’s back! DA! Not Duh. But “DA,” which Yes, public schools and universities. Join means “Yes.” While everybody else is churches and individuals all across the saying “No,” Ukraine is saying “Yes!” DA! nation on September 28, 2014, to place Regions all across Ukraine are asking for THE BIBLE. Bibles in public schools and universities THE $1,000,000 S UNDAY the Bible in thousands of public schools with WE WANT EVERYONE TO GET IT. in Ukraine. Now, more than ever, hundreds of thousands of students. And now, public universities. let’s say “Yes!” Just say “DA!” EEEASTERN EUROPEANM MISSION facebook.com/EasternEuropeanMission twitter.com/@EveryoneGetsIt 800-486-1818 MillionDollarSunday.org AUGUST 2014 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Hollywood Disaster relief seeks and coordinator Joe needs Christian screenwriters Dudney dies BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE adore — and collect — embarrassing moments. Joe Dudney, who coordinated the I So, when preacher’s wife distribution of millions of dollars’ and author Serena B. Miller worth of aid to disaster victims across said “I wanted to crawl under the nation, died June 24 in Nashville, the table” during our inter- Tenn. He was 91. view, I had to Dudney, who was born on a farm in Inside Story know more. rural Tennessee, served as an elder of This partic- the Brentwood Hills Church of Christ ular painful in Nashville for 21 years. moment At age 67, soon after he retired came as as a manager for a state agriculture CHRIS CONE PHOTOGRAPHY, chrisconephoto.com Miller — a Serena B. Miller shows off the welcome sign for Sugarcreek, Ohio, the setting of her novel. agency, he became vice president and grandmother executive director of the Churches of from rural Christ Disaster Relief Effort. Ohio with He displayed boundless energy and Kimberly Mauck no college could “outrun and outwork” most diploma — of the ministry’s volunteers, his co- found herself in a Hollywood Faithful fiction workers told The Christian Chronicle. screenwriting class peopled The nonprofit is a first responder with Ivy League graduates, TO SELL BOOKS, Serena B. Miller was told that she had to include to natural disasters within the United Los Angeles natives and States, sending food, cleaning supplies people half her age. explicit sex scenes. She refused — and now her novel is a movie. and other necessities to Churches of Hence the desire to hide. Christ in affected areas, where mem- Miller, however, wasn’t BY KIMBERLY MAUCK | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE “It was very painful,” she said. “It bers distribute them to those in need, an aspiring screenwriter took, like, 12 takes.” according to its website. living on a prayer. Already erena B. Miller was utterly “The church does the work, and the a published author, she unprepared for this moment. Preacher’S WIFE, ROMANCE NOVELIST Lord gets the credit,” Dudney said in was invited to the class She was a cashier in a gas Miller, a member of the Sunshine a 2004 Dialogue with the Chronicle. by Ted Baehr, founder of station, and couldn’t even put Church of Christ in Portsmouth, Ohio, MovieGuide.org, an online Stogether a sentence for a where her husband Steve has SEE UPDATES at www.christianchronicle.org guide to movies — with faith waiting customer. preached for 20 years, is the and family in mind. Luckily, her customer was author of seven novels — and Baehr met Miller at an Tom Everett Scott, known for one forthcoming nonfiction American Christian Fiction his role in the Tom Hanks book on Amish parenting. Writers conference, where film “That Thing You Do.” Her literary career took off the website founder had “Take a deep breath. You just as her husband was diag- come to recruit Christian can do this,” he told her. nosed with bone cancer. writers to become Hollywood Miller was not having dif- “It was God’s timing,” screenwriters. ficulty making change, nor she said. “I had to write In the mid-1980s, only one was she star struck. ‘Love Finds You’ while my or two films produced in She was making a cameo husband was in 11 months Hollywood portrayed explicit appearance in a film based of hospitalization, because I Christian values, Baehr said. on her first novel, “Love MISSION PICTURES had just gotten a contract. I That number has risen expo- Finds You at Sugarcreek, Sarah Lancaster stars had a deadline. I asked God nentially in the years since. Ohio,” published in 2010, in the film adaptation ‘Why?’ but my friends said it Now MovieGuide counts when Miller was 60 years of “Love Finds You in gave me my sanity.” about 65 films per year with old. The film debuted on the Sugarcreek.” Now Serena Miller’s nov- TED PARKS Christian messages. UPtv network June 1. els are a family affair. Steve Joe Dudney stands next to boxes of relief Even the most casual Although writing is Miller’s special Miller helps her answer email and items in the warehouse of Churches of See HOLLYWOOD, Page 4 gift, acting is not. See FICTION, Page 22 Christ Disaster Relief Effort in 2013. 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY AUGUST 2014 HOLLYWOOD: Should Christians be involved? FROM PAGE 3 movie consumer can detect the “God trend” at theaters this year Know before you go (from “Son of God” to the contro- A sampling of movie review resources versial “Noah” and my personal for people of faith favorite, “Moms’ Night Out”). In fact, films with strong moral, PluggedIn.com: This website, published by Fo- patriotic and family values make cus on the Family, gives nuanced reviews as well more money than films with lots as descriptions of questionable sexual, spiritual, of profanity and sex, according to language, violent and drug and alcohol content. MovieGuide’s 2014 annual report on The site also reviews video games and music. the current state of the film industry. “Contrary to popular opinion, sex MovieGuide.org: In addition to reviews that does not sell,” the report notes. rate language, violence, nudity and sex on a scale I said earlier that I love embar- of “none” to “heavy,” this site has articles about rassing moments.