MAY/JUNE 2018 GATEWAY GRAD FULFILLS CALLING Page 8 ‘UPCYCLED’ MAKES ALL THINGS NEW Page 10 PRAYER FOUNDATIONAL TO MINISTRY Page 16 MAY/JUNE 2018 Northwest Baptist Witness 1 VIEWPOINT Dream today for spiritual transformation What dream do you have for your city? west.” I believe that. I also believe “this That’s a question for every believer to is our day.” Yesterday belonged to consider. What we dream for our city others. Tomorrow belongs to the next will guide our prayers and the ministry generation. But today … today is our of our families and churches. day. Paul told the Ephesian church to “make the most of every opportunity, This morning I read the book of because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). Jonah. Every time I read Jonah I am Evil days were good days to serve somewhat stupefied with how the the Lord. That is true of our day. The book ends. Jonah was angry that God presence of evil provides us the op- Randy Adams spared the city of Nineveh. God said, portunity to make our day a good day Executive Director “Should I not care about the great in God’s kingdom. So, consider the city of Nineveh, which has more than question, “What dream do you have for 120,000 people who cannot distin- your city?” guish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?” (4:11). Marsha Gray These are the last words of that little Many of you know Marsha Gray. For book. Whether God was speaking 40 years Marsha has served North- about 120,000 children in Nineveh, west Baptists. She has worked with or whether he was speaking of the five executive directors and dozens ignorance of the people, is uncertain. of convention staff. She has been a What’s most striking is the reference to friend, advisor and confidant to her “many animals.” God spared the city, in coworkers and church leaders alike. part, because of the animals in the city. In my five years no one has helped and supported me more than Marsha. We don’t know how Jonah answered I trust her, respect her, and love her God’s question. But we should have an as my sister in Christ. No cares more answer to God’s question as it relates about the NWBC than she does. She to our city. I should have an answer as has given much of her life, and her it relates to the Northwest. My dream heart, to God’s work through North- for the Northwest is that every house- west Baptists. hold have someone praying for them, and that every household have believ- June 29th will be Marsha’s last day ers who love them with God’s love. in the office before entering a well- My dream is that every church be fully deserved retirement. Even in retire- engaged in an Acts 1:8 evangelism ment, however, she will serve us as and missions ministry. My dream is that she begins a term as a trustee of joy and gratitude permeate our wor- Gateway Seminary. More on Marsha ship gatherings. is contained in an article in this edition of the Witness (Page 11). I’ll conclude A favorite phrase is that “it is a good with a simple, “Thank you, Marsha!” day to serve the Lord in the North- 2 Northwest Baptist Witness MAY/JUNE 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES 4 Unstoppable: Teens 12 To the Ends of the Earth Challenged to Make Impact NORTHWEST BAPTIST 14 Centrifuge Celebrates WITNESS 6 Football Coach Influences 40 Years 3200 NE 109th Avenue Character Vancouver, WA 98682 16 Prayer Foundational to 360.882.2100 Ministry Gateway Grad Fulfills 8 MAY/JUNE 2018 Calling Official news magazine of the Northwest Baptist Convention 10 ‘UPCYCLED’ Makes All Things New Editor Cameron Crabtree 11 Longtime Staffer to Retire Managing Editor Sheila Allen Graphic Designer VIEWPOINT Jennifer Logue Circulation Services Dream today for spiritual transformation 2 Denise Harvey Executive Director-Treasurer Randy Adams ON THE COVER Subscriptions/Address Changes [email protected] Cover Photo - Chris Knudsen of Gresham, OR, impacted countless teens through athletics. Article ideas [email protected] Periodicals’ postage is paid at Vancouver, Wash., and additional CALENDAR OF EVENTS mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address June 2018 5-9 National Collegiate Week, changes to: 12-13 SBC, Dallas Falls Creek, OK Northwest Baptist Witness 25-26 NWBC Executive Board 27 First day of classes, PNW 3200 NE 109th Ave. 26 Nominating Committee campus Vancouver, WA 98682-7749 July 2018 September 2018 Published bi-monthly 14-19 Centrifuge, Aldersgate 9-16 Week of Prayer for NW Northwest Baptist Convention Missions & Northwest Phone: 360.882.2100 August 2018 Impact Offering Fax: 360.882.2295 2-3 Foundation Board Meeting Email: [email protected] Web: www.gonbw.org MAY/JUNE 2018 Northwest Baptist Witness 3 4 Northwest Baptist Witness MAY/JUNE 2018 TEENS CHALLENGED TO UNSTOPPABLE MAKE IMPACT ith palpable energy, hundreds of Martin stated. “Realize you want to be good enough Wstudents and leaders filled the and reject it with your whole heart. God has already given you that approval through Jesus. My life is Pathway Church campus in Gresham, about giving him glory, not guilt and working hard.” OR, for the annual Northwest Baptist Convention Student Conference. The As he continued to challenge current Christian cul- ture, Martin exhorted teens to not just accept Jesus “Unstoppable” theme was driven home as savior, but to become unstoppable by declaring each session by conference speaker Jesus as lord. Josh Martin, a pastor of Resonate Church “When you see the beauty of salvation in your life, in Pullman, WA. you long for his lordship over your life,” Martin said. “I grew up incredibly reli- WHEN YOU SEE THE BEAUTY OF SALVATION IN YOUR LIFE, YOU gious where we lit lots of LONG FOR HIS LORDSHIP OVER YOUR LIFE. HE CREATED YOU, candles, wore rosaries and had to go to confession,” LOVES YOU, DESIRES YOU AND IS INVITING YOU INTO SOMETHING Martin said. “But that taught SO BIG. WILL WE BE THE CARETAKER OF HIS WILL IN THE NORTH- me I had to do something WEST? DO YOU WANT GOD TO USE YOU IN YOUR GENERATION TO for God to get something from God. I submit to you MAKE AN IMPACT WITH AN ARMY OF UNSTOPPABLE CHRISTIANS? that is called religion and it - JOSH MARTIN is not unstoppable. Some “He created you, loves you, desires you and is invit- say 80 percent of Americans think they’ll get to ing you into something so big. Will we be the care- heaven and put good on one side and bad on the taker of his will in the Northwest? Do you want God other and hope to come out okay.” to use you in your generation to make an impact with an army of unstoppable Christians?” Martin encouraged students to realize that while religion condemns, Jesus covers you; while religion Participants took opportunities to strengthen their says do, Jesus says done. faith by attending multiple breakout sessions, with topics including competing as a Christian athlete, “The meta theme of the Bible is about religion pursu- exploring if some sins are worse than others and ing God and the gospel is about God pursuing us,” dispelling mission field myths. Continued on page 19 MAY/JUNE 2018 Northwest Baptist Witness 5 FOOTBALL COACH INFLUENCES CHARACTER t 6 years old, sitting at his father’s knee Knudsen’s son, Tyler, followed in his father’s footsteps Aduring high school football strategy and also played for his father during high school. sessions, Chris Knudsen knew he wanted Coach Knudsen enlisted GGBC youth pastor John Richardson to speak at a voluntary chapel gather- to coach football. His determination never ings prior to games. That tradition continued as Lance faltered. Logue assumed the position for many years, often speaking on issues of character. The family legacy Now, stepping down from more than three decades continues with Knuden’s son now serving as the as varsity football coach at Centennial High School defensive coordinator for the Siskiyou Community in Gresham, OR, Knudsen finished his coaching College football team in California. career with 42 years of high school sports. “I had to be careful with it in a public school, but we “At 6 years old, boys were allowed to be on the side- would meet in a classroom for chapel on game day lines and act as ball and water boys at St. Helens before locker room stuff,” Knudsen noted. “After the (OR) High School where my dad was head coach,” games, the team captains began leading the team in Knudsen said. “It was cool to know varsity boys and prayer in the end zone.” coaches would come to our house for meetings and I loved to sit and listen to them. I was intrigued with While Knudsen never had complaints from parents or the strategy and planning.” the administration, he regularly hears of coaches who have been fired over prayer. But a calm demeanor has Knudsen was a four sport athlete himself in high served him well. school. His time at Linfield College was formative in his Christian faith when the team would gather on “I do get fired up, but try to keep calm in the locker the field to intently recite the Lord’s Prayer before room and use more of the strategy and mental part kickoff. instead of the fired up part,” Knudsen said. “I would get onto referees as needed, but that decreased as I “I had great amount of respect for that coach who got older.” had great faith,” Knudsen stated.