BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 1 MARCH 2011 | Vol. 29, No. 3 | baptiststoday.org Fallen trees, risingrisingchurch church East Alabama congregation builds on faith page 4 COLLEGE PRESIDENTS TALK ABOUT the STATE of HIGHER EDUCATION page 30 BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 2 BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 3 John D. Pierce BAPTISTS TODAY MARCH 2011 | Vol. 29 No. 3 Executive Editor [email protected] Jackie B. Riley “To serve churches by providing a reliable source of unrestricted news coverage, thoughtful analysis, Managing Editor helpful resources and inspiring features focusing on issues of importance to Baptist Christians.” [email protected] Julie Steele Chief Operations Officer PERSPECTIVES [email protected] Tony W. Cartledge > Countering an ever-tarnishing public image..............................7 Contributing Editor By John Pierce [email protected] Bruce T. Gourley > What’s next? Clergy considering change ..............................12 An autonomous national Online Editor should ask good questions [email protected] Baptist news journal By Bill Wilson Vickie Frayne Art Director > Remembering Reaves McCall ..................................................15 Jannie Lister By John Pierce Office Assistant Bob Freeman, Kim Hovis > Bill Greenhaw was ‘truest of friends’........................................15 Marketing/Development Associates By John Pierce Walker Knight Jack U. Harwell Publisher Emeritus Editor Emeritus > Shaped in the depths: Characteristics of good preachers......16 Board of Directors By J. Daniel Day Gary F. Eubanks, Marietta, Ga. (chairman) Kelly L. Belcher, Spartanburg, S.C. > Marriage and the ‘Times’ ..........................................................23 (vice chair) By Bill Leonard Z. Allen Abbott, Peachtree City, Ga. Roy and Charlotte Smith Jimmy R. Allen, Big Canoe, Ga. > Revisiting hope ..........................................................................25 Nannette Avery, Signal Mountain, Tenn. By Peggy Haymes celebrate monthly their Thomas E. Boland, Alpharetta, Ga. late-in-life marriage. Huey Bridgman, Columbus, Ga. > KJV the only accurate English translation?..............................28 Mary Jane Cardwell, Waycross, Ga. Robert Cates, Rome, Ga. By Melody Maxwell Jack Causey, Statesville, N.C. Anthony D. Clevenger, Pensacola, Fla. > King James and Baptists: Not a love story..............................28 37 | Kenny Crump, Ruston, La. By Bruce Gourley David Currie, San Angelo, Texas James M. Dunn, Winston-Salem, N.C. R. Kirby Godsey, Macon, Ga. IN THE NEWS Ben Gross, Chattanooga, Tenn. Leslie D. Hill, Lexington, Ky. > Who are the Baptists — in Sweden?........................................10 Michael M. Massar, Tyler, Texas J. Thomas McAfee, Macon, Ga. Michael G. Queen, Wilmington, N.C. > Christine Gregory, missions leader, dies..................................14 Lee Royal, Greensboro, N.C. Mary Etta Sanders, Dalton, Ga. > Morris Ashcraft, who helped launch BTSR, dies ....................14 Charles Schaible, Macon, Ga. Macon Sheppard, Folly Beach, S.C. > Woman recounts bomb memories from Birmingham ............26 Baptists and the Walter B. Shurden, Macon, Ga. Civil War Charlotte Cook Smith, Raleigh, N.C. > Former Navy chaplain advises churches ................................27 David M. Smith, Houston, Texas on ministry to returning soldiers 150 years ago Leo Thorne, Valley Forge, Pa. Sarah Timmerman, Cairo, Ga. > Religious themes get star treatment at Sundance ..................34 March 1861 David Turner, Richmond, Va. Clement H. White, St. Petersburg, Fla. > Researcher flips gospel records, finds civil rights songs........38 By Bruce Gourley Winnie V. Williams, Seneca, S.C. 8| Baptists Today (ISSN 1072-7787) FEATURES is published monthly by: Cover photo by John Pierce. Baptists Today > College presidents talk about challenges ..............................30 P.O. Box 6318 Billie Small leads in prayer and opportunities of higher education Macon, GA 31208-6318 before breaking ground on By John Pierce Subscription rates: the new church building 1 year, $20 2 years, $35 1 year groups of 25 or more, $18 > Roy J. Smith recalls changes in Baptist life ............................35 rising in Heflin, Ala. 1 year groups of less than 25, $20 By Tony W. Cartledge Story on page 4 1 year Canada, $35 1 year foreign, $50 Periodical postage paid at Macon, Ga. 31208 and additional mailing offices IN EVERY ISSUE POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Quotation Remarks 6 Classifieds 22 Baptists Today P.O. Box 6318 Editorial 7 In the Know 22 Macon, GA 31208-6318 (478) 301-5655 Media Shelf 11 Lighter Side 24 1-877-752-5658 www.baptiststoday.org ChurchWorks! 18 Reblog 29 © 2011 Baptists Today. All rights reserved. Bible Studies 19 March 2011 • Baptists Today | 3 BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 4 FEATURE STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN PIERCE Fallen trees, TAKING TURNS — Everyone who makes up Heritage Baptist Church in Heflin, Ala., got in on turning dirt where the congregation will erect its first building and make good use of fallen trees from a 2008 storm. Below, in contributed photos, pastor Les Jones totes some of the lumber that he, Rising church his father Houston, his son Dustan and others milled. East Alabama congregation building on faith EFLIN, Ala. — Turning gatherings nearly nine years ago and grew lemons into lemonade, that’s into a small, but dedicated congregation H easy. But turning the aftermath that meets in a former high school. The of a major storm into a first church build- church, affiliated with the Cooperative ing for a new congregation takes a bit Baptist Fellowship, has created a positive more vision and work. ministry presence in the small east Houston and Betty Jones found a Alabama community of Heflin. tree on their house and 30 more across And that memorable stormy morning their winding driveway on Mother’s Day in 2008 is making a major contribution to in 2008 — preventing them from attend- the church’s future. Houston Jones, a ing the Sunday activities of Heritage retired accountant, set up a sawmill on his Baptist Church, where their son, Les property. He described the venture as Jones, is founding pastor. But church “a hobby that got out of hand.” members — along with disaster relief With the help of his son, grandson volunteers from Williams First Baptist and others, Houston has been sawing up Church in the neighboring county — the fallen pines. Coupled with the congre- brought chainsaws and muscle to free the gation’s purchase of 10 acres and seasoned Joneses from captivity. with a sense of divine destiny, the lumber All that anyone could see on that day led to a groundbreaking service on an was a big mess. unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon on Heritage started with Sunday evening Jan 30. 4 | Baptists Today • March 2011 BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 5 FEATURE TREES AND MORE TREES — Some pines from the church’s 10-acre site were added to the many downed trees to create enough lum- ber for constructing the congregation’s first building. churches around the state are eager to lend a hand. In addition to the stockpile of lumber, “I’ve got 25,000 board feet ready to go association, serves as associate pastor and leads other gifts are coming from within the congre- for this building,” said Houston after the the building committee. gation. Member Kim prayers were lifted, words of encouragement However, the congregation is wide open Waites will create shared and the ceremonial turning of the dirt to a variety of persons, said pastor Les Jones. stained-glass windows for was complete. “We have a loving congregation of people the new building. During the groundbreaking service, from diverse backgrounds who all agree that “The story is long Heflin Mayor Anna Berry rose to express Christ is Lord and love is supreme and real and detailed, but suffice appreciation for how the young congregation Baptists are free,” he affirmed. it to say that Heritage had already contributed to the spiritual health During the groundbreaking service, CBF has been blessed and and well-being of their community. Coordinator for Congregational Life Bo proven to be of the Lord Pastor Les Jones “We’re a better community because of Prosser urged the congregation to “keep doing and is here for ‘the long Heritage,” said Mayor Berry, a member of the the things you’ve been doing.” And Alabama haul,’” said Les Jones, who returned to his Episcopal Church of the Messiah that has been CBF Coordinator Ronnie Brewer assured hometown after a 25-year absence to lead in supportive of the young Baptist congregation. them that volunteers from well-established the founding of this new congregation. BT In one sense, Heritage is a family affair. Dani Small Jones, a university music teacher and wife of the pastor, leads the church in multiple roles. Her parents, Dan and Billie Small, are active leaders. Dan, a former director of missions for the local Baptist Houston Jones (left) visits with his brother, Joe Jones of Huntsville, prior to the Jan. 30 dedication service. Houston, a retired accountant, calls his sawmill operation “a hobby that got out of hand.” Stained-glass windows for the new building will be created by church member Kim Waites — who added this touch of color to the old school where the congregation currently meets. March 2011 • Baptists Today | 5 BT_Mar11_Nat_v4:2011 Baptists Today 2/14/11 3:41 PM Page 6 PERSPECTIVE quotation “ remarks ” “Mr.