BP Ledger, Feb. 6 edition

EDITOR'S NOTE: BP Ledger carries items for reader information each week from various Southern Baptist-related entities, and news releases of interest from other sources. The items are published as received.

Today's BP Ledger includes items from:

Tennessee Baptist & Reflector (2 items)

Florida Baptist Witness

International Mission Board

Carson-Newman College

Hardin-Simmons University

C-N Cuts Faculty, Staff Positions

College addresses financial realities while planning for the future, officials say

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (Baptist & Reflector)--Carson-Newman opened the spring semester with strategic restructuring that has reduced its workforce by 11 positions, which reflects some three percent of employees.

In addition, the institution's 44-member housekeeping operation will also be outsourced in the coming weeks.

The efforts are designed to trim institutional costs and strengthen C-N's economic position for the future, say officials who noted the difficulty of such decisions.

"We are strategically addressing the financial realities that have been and continue to confront families, businesses and other educational institutions," explained Parker Leake, senior director of marketing and communications.

"While it has been difficult news to share with employees, our senior administration put everything on the table and sought to trim tightly while maintaining the academic program, Christian commitment and dedication to community service for which Carson-Newman has a strong reputation," Leake continued.

The reduction includes the cessation of three academic programs; athletic training, computer information systems and French. Program coordinators and deans of schools are working with those majors to ensure they have a degree plan and will graduate.

Five faculty members have been notified that their contracts will not be renewed for academic year 2012-13. Other eliminated positions include three mid-level administrators and three members of the clerical staff. School officials noted that faculty tenure does not come into consideration when an academic program is eliminated.

C-N will expand an existing contract with Premiere Building Maintenance to include its housekeeping operation. The Knoxville-based janitorial services vendor, which is expected to assess staffing needs in the coming weeks, has overseen a portion of the school's athletic facilities since 2008. Premiere will determine how many positions it requires and has agreed to afford due consideration to current C-N housekeeping staff members.

"These are difficult decisions, but they are necessary for us to be as lean as possible as we move forward into a strategically planned future while offering the quality academic program for which we are known," said C-N President Randall O'Brien.

"It's important that we continue to reduce costs and raise funds while trying to keep tuition increases to a minimum."

In a Dec. 7 e-mail to employees, O'Brien noted that while affirmation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was good news, responsible lean management remains important. The positive report came after the accrediting organization's Commission on Colleges examined C-N's financial records of the previous two years as well as a corresponding report written by school administrators.

O'Brien wrote, "Let us all enjoy our Season of Christmas cheer, while realizing the first of the new year calls us back to the work … of downsizing, managing lean, outsourcing, eliminating and consolidating positions, and perhaps programs, as necessary, adapting, re-inventing, innovating, recruiting, fundraising and thriving all for the golden reward of ensuring an ever greater, permanent, Christ-centered liberal arts-based college for the glory of God in our world.

"We will continue diligent efforts to match our economic strength to our level of academic excellence and continue to provide our students a great education," said O'Brien on Jan. 26.

"We strive to improve the way we operate because we are responsible stewards of our mission to change students who are in turn helping to change the world. We are the nation's leader in community service and noted as being in the top eight percent of America's colleges and universities," he continued.

"Our next goal is to become one of the country's best supported institutions."

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Evangelist Reflects on 40-Year Ministry

Oak Grove Baptist in Gray celebrates Charles 'Toonie' Cash Day on Jan. 15

By Dianne Barker, freelance writer

GRAY, Tenn. (Baptist & Reflector)--Evangelist Charles "Toonie" Cash recently was honored by Oak Grove Baptist Church here for his 40 years in full-time evangelism.

The church celebrated Charles "Toonie" Cash Day Jan. 15 by inviting the evangelist to preach at the morning and evening services and hosting a reception in the fellowship hall during the afternoon. Many people related personal stories about how the evangelist had impacted their lives.

While attending Milligan College, Cash served three-and-a-half years as pastor of Green Pine Baptist Church, Johnson City. In October, 1971, he preached a revival at Oak Grove. As the Lord blessed that meeting with overflow crowds and dozens of decisions for salvation and renewal, services were extended to two-and-a-half weeks. Professions of faith totaled 55 and baptisms, 44.

"I had sensed the Lord calling me into full-time evangelism, and He used that revival to confirm it," Cash said.

The Charles "Toonie" Cash Evangelism Association held its organizational meeting Jan. 15, 1972, a frigid night (seven degrees below zero). Despite a power outage, the group gathered around the fireplace and conducted business by candlelight.

The evangelism ministry has taken Cash coast-to-coast to 18 states, preaching revival meetings and leading special conferences, teaching Bible studies and speaking for banquets and other events. He has held three terms as president of the Fellowship of Tennessee Baptist Evangelists. He served on the board of directors of Tri-Cities Christian Schools, Blountville, for 16 years.

Cash first gained prominence for his success in athletics. He played basketball at Boones Creek High School under Coach Bobby Snyder, who retired from Daniel Boone High School, Gray, in 2005, the second winningest active basketball coach in Tennessee.

During high school, Cash made All-State and honorable mention All-American. He accepted a basketball scholarship to Milligan College, where he established several records, some still unbroken.

Cash received the bachelor of arts degree from Milligan College in 1971. The school proclaimed Feb. 13, 1971 Charles "Toonie" Cash Day at Milligan in honor of the athlete regarded as "an inspiration to others and a spokesman for Jesus Christ, exemplifying high Christian principles and leadership." In 1996 he was inducted into the school's athletics Hall of Fame.

Preaching across America, Cash has seen changes in the spiritual climate.

"During my early days in evangelism, it was common to see large numbers of people saved during a revival meeting," he said. "Now, it's hard to get lost people to attend services.

"I see complacency among God's people," he said. "The church has become so like the world, the outside community hardly sees a distinction. The Bible still says, 'Come out from among them and be ye separate.' We ought to so live that people would want what we have."

He's also noted a trend among churches to move away from the revival format to themed conferences. He said, "We desperately need revival in our country, in our churches and in our homes."

The faltering economy has taken a financial toll on churches, making it difficult for many evangelists. Cash said of the churches and individuals who support his ministry, "Their generosity has refreshed me, as Onesiphorus refreshed Paul" (referring to II Timothy 1:16).

"Through all these years, God has been faithful," he said. "He's our Father, and He's obligated to take care of us. I'm grateful for the Lord's provision."

Despite cultural changes, Cash senses a special anointing of the Spirit of God. "It makes me wonder if God is giving us one more rehearsal before he shows up to take us home."

His messages are heavy with Scripture and sprinkled with quotes from the giants who influenced his preaching. Asked to name a few, he begins, "B.R. Lakin, John R. Rice, Vance Havner, R.G. Lee, Adrian Rogers, Jerry Falwell, James Kennedy, J. Harold Smith, E.J. Daniels, Jack Hyles, D. L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, R.A. Torrey, Harold Willmington, Lee Roberson, Warren Wiersbe, M.R. DeHann, Uncle Bud Robinson, Harold Sightler, J. Vernon McGee, David Jeremiah, Richard Ratliff, Walter St. Clair, Reece Harris and on and on!"

Known for his fast-paced delivery, Cash recalled after a revival service, one young lady said, "Brother Cash, I sure do like the way you auctioned off the Word!"

He established the policy from the beginning to accept invitations on a first-come, first-served basis from churches of any size and denomination. He said, "Wherever the doors open, I can preach the Word of God in its power and purity.

"I love my work!" he said. "The Lord has been awfully good to me, an old country boy. Without Him I could do nothing. Praise His name! It's all about Him!"

Cash can be reached at (423) 477-3476 or (423) 360-1580 or tooniecash@comcast.net.

Visit his website at www.tooniecash.org. B&R — Barker is a freelance writer from Johnson City and a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church.

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Sweetening the invitation to community

Gainesville pastor & wife open cupcake and coffee shop as church outreach

By Joni B. Hannigan/Florida Baptist Witness

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Florida Baptist Witness)--Thick, frosted cupcakes and the aroma of fresh coffee beckons passerby to PattiCakes, a charming European-like storefront in a planned urban village where the homes, apartments and condos of the Haile Plantation give way to shops, restaurants and businesses.

A glass storefront showcases an ice-cream station inside, across from a cupcake and coffee bar where a barista serves up enticing fresh coffees. In the next room, cozy round tables with cushioned chairs collect chatty urbanites, while deeper, upholstered seats and coffee tables urge patrons to lift their feet off the modern area carpet.

Prices and daily specials are sprawled on glass with colorful markers. It's comfortable without being tacky; homegrown without being country. Contemporary, but not impersonal.

At PattiCakes, owners David and Jan Patterson pray with employees before opening shop each day. Workers are encouraged to prioritize building relationships with customers that can lead to sharing life stories and an invitation to the community Plantation Hall across the street.

"There's not a move them in and move them out mentality," Patterson said of the folks who visit Patticakes. Instead, he and his wife believe the shop is a practical way to express what he preaches from the pulpit each Sunday as a pastor. "It's a kind of Mary/Martha situation for us."

David Patterson is the pastor of River Cross Church, a growing congregation that owns Haile Plantation Hall where they have met since 2005.

As a former businessman, Patterson told Florida Baptist Witness he believes the "coffee shop watering hole" he and his wife have created will provide the community with a needed place to gather—and the church with a legitimate place to develop and grow relationships in order to spread the Gospel.

"We really felt as a church that God put us here as a mechanism to connect the community," Patterson said. Moving from Atlanta to plant a church in the affluent village, just miles from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Patterson had the support of the Santa Fe River Baptist Association and the Florida Baptist Convention.

"I admire their courage," Wayne Harvey, director of missions for the SFRBA told the Witness. Lauding Patterson as a pastor with unusual creative abilities, Harvey said he believes the ministry, which has already helped launch another potential church start, will continue to be successful under Patterson's leadership.

The idea of building the church around community came to the Atlanta native as he worked on a project for a class at Luther Rice Seminary. At the Gainesville location later, Patterson said it occurred to him that meeting in an unmarked building in an urban planned community was what God must have had in mind all along.

At the heart of the community, the 1,000 sq. ft. Plantation Hall, where River Cross meets for two Sunday morning worship services, is rented out for community events like weddings, exercise classes and receptions. Children's events are held in nearby buildings.

"God has given us great relationships with businesses," Patterson said, making the accommodations possible.

Still, outside of Sunday services and some adult classes that meet during the week at PattiCakes, Patterson, who wasn't a believer until he was an adult, said he felt there was a missing component.

About four years ago, he decided a coffee shop just might be the answer. The Pattersons and their congregation tossed around some ideas.

What emerged was the idea for Patticakes. And after serious study, prayer and consideration, the Pattersons still had more choices.

"My wife and I stopped to seek God's wisdom. The investment was fairly significant and this is not a church with deep pockets," Patterson said. He indicated he was unwilling to place that large of a risk on the church and instead he and his wife began to pursue it as a personal business/ministry.

Integrating their personal business into ministry doesn't appear to be a stretch for the Pattersons who have two grown children. In 2006 they purchased a condominium just blocks from the church. It didn't take them long to realize, however, it takes more than living in the same zip code to build community.

At PattiCakes, the Pattersons began to meet neighbors who lived in the community as long as them—that they had never previously met. "Some began attending our church," he said.

Still other neighbors are striking up conversations with PattiCakes employees, most of whom attend the church, all who are believers.

"We've seen some amazing things," Patterson said. "One of the things we have to do is to be ourselves and trust that God will be the one that will open up conversations and avenues for us."

Listing expectations for a sweet shop, Patterson said people "brag on our coffee being better than Starbucks." He said in one way or another the subject of God usually rises to the top.

"We have to be prepared to talk about church, what God is doing in our lives, how we are saved, what God rescued us from—and trust that God will bring those conversations about," Patterson said. Still, he insists, evangelism is not really intentional as in the sense that there's a big fish on the front door or anything, but it's just living out the Gospel.

Patterson said he learned managing Fortune 500 companies that doing your job well is a strong witness for the Lord—and there can be a healthy balance between getting the "job" done and taking time to build witnessing relationships.

Serious about their commitment, Jan Patterson recently quit her job at the local Chamber of Commerce to manage the shop.

"We feel very strongly that this is what God wanted us to do to take on whatever responsibility God wanted us to," Patterson said, "to not walk through the community with a bullhorn and say, 'come to Jesus today,' but even though it can be a painful and slow process to invest our time and energy and resources in the community to make a difference."

The results were almost immediate. One unchurched couple started attending River Cross Church right before Christmas after frequenting the shop since its October opening.

"They felt like every Christian they ever met was rude, arrogant, hypocritical—and they were surprised to see that we were Christians. And it intrigued them," Patterson said.

Another young man began asking how others would handle a particular family situation. He got helpful advice. "Progress was made," Patterson said.

Ultimately, Patterson said he would like the residents to view River Cross and PattiCakes as such assets to the community that they would be missed if they were gone. "We need to serve this community, we need to give to this community—and out of that the love of Christ that drove us to do that in the first place will begin to shine."

Laughing that he and his wife bought their condo at the height of the market, he joked that perhaps "God did that so we couldn't move."

Still—Patterson insisted, it might be that "in a very liberal college town in a very affluent area, you have a lot of people who don't think they need God and think they are too smart for God."

PattiCakes and the church are there to imbed themselves and get into the middle of everything. "We are here forever," Patterson said.

For more information, see PattiCakes on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/patticakesgnv or on their website at http://www.patticakesgnv.com/ For River Cross Church, go to http://www.rivercrosschurch.com/, and the Santa Fe River Baptist Association, go to http://www.sfrba.org/.

Joni B. Hannigan is managing editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, newsjournal of the Florida Baptist Convention.

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ASIA PRAYER REQUESTS

SOUTH ASIA (IMB)--Brief items reported by South Asia News (http://www.go2southasia.org) on Jan. 10 include:

BANGLADESH. Recently there was a story told about a woman who went to the doctor and carried her two year-old daughter with her. A hospital worker told the woman that she should just leave her daughter outside the door and go in to see the doctor. She did as the staff member said, and later she could not find her little girl. In a panic, the woman searched the hospital, only to find her daughter's dead body lying on the floor. She had been suffocated and killed while the woman saw the doctor. I told this story to a Bengali friend, sickened by this poor woman's loss and upset with her for leaving her child. My friend said, "She is poor; she did not know any better." If you are poor and someone more educated than you tells you to do something, then you do it. Wow, what a plight! Pray for the people of Bangladesh. Pray for those who are like lost sheep in need of a Shepherd and intercede for the well off and well educated in need of a Savior. Ask God to turn their mourning into dancing and to wipe every tear from their eyes.

BHUTAN. In the Buddhist temples, you will see large statues of Buddha, but you will also see statues and even separate areas devoted to the local evil deity. Pray that Bhutanese Buddhists will see evil for what it is. Ask God to grant them faith in His power so that they no longer have to fear the evil spirits but can rebuke them in the power of Jesus' name.

DIASPORA. Pray for trainings that will be held in February in Western Europe and Southeast Asia to teach Christians how to reach Hindus from the highest castes. Most Christians in India are from low-caste backgrounds, so some workers have developed ways to helpcommunicate the Gospel to higher-caste Hindus more effectively without turning them off. Pray for the participants to apply what they have learned and pray that Hindus throughout Western Europe and Southeast Asia will be more receptive to the Gospel and come to know Yeshu-ji (Jesus).

INDIA. When asked about different prayer needs for Indians, a local believer recently stated that one of the biggest needs regards the practice of idol worship. While Indians are very faithful and devoted to the idols, the idols provide no assurance to the individual, so the worshiper simply "hopes" to please the idol and, thus, be in good standing with all the gods. They are praying to gods who do not hear them or speak to them, and it is heartbreaking to see how much emphasis they place on pleasing these gods. To many Indians, all gods are one. Please pray for the millions of Indians who worship these idols. Ask that they would be willing to see and admit the emptiness they feel while worshiping and that they would have a hunger to know the truth of the God who loves them and will listen to them if they will simply cry out to Him!

MALDIVES. "The 2012 budget approved by the parliament will increase the people's income by several folds, making it a year filled with happiness for the people," President Mohamed Nasheed said on December 30, 2011. Please pray that President Nasheed, along with the Maldivian people, would come to realize that riches do not buy happiness. Pray that the Good News of eternal life in Jesus Christ would permeate the Maldives Islands.

NEPAL. Please pray that February will hold many breakthroughs and successes as Nepali nationals are held accountable to go and share their story of salvation with others. Pray that they will be obedient and diligent in sharing with others and in discipling new believers to be obedient also in sharing.

PAKISTAN. Please claim Revelation 15:2-4 with the authority of Jesus Christ and sing it in the power of the Holy Spirit for every nation (people group) represented in Karachi. In this city of millions, there are multiple languages heard: Urdu, Pushto, Balochi, Sindhi, Bengali, Brahui, Shina, Hindko, Gujarati, Memoni, Balti, Pohari, Gujar, Arabic, English and more. The promise from God is that all nations will come and worship before Him. Pray for the people in Karachi to be among those kneeling before His throne, praising the King of kings, Jesus Christ. Intercede for believers in Jesus and for those who work in the harvest fields to be focused on Jesus and keep their eyes open to see where He is working and join Him. Pray that they will go forward in boldness and wisdom. Ask that the evil one, Satan, will be bound in chains now! Plead for the people of Karachi to have open ears and hearts, ready to listen to the Gospel message and receive it, and then share it with others.

SRI LANKA. "Let the little children come to Me. Don't stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14, HCSB). She was only five years old when her religion teacher told her class that Jesus had died on the cross for their sins. She went home and cried for a week. From that time on, Jesus Christ had her heart. Though her Buddhist mother continued to take her to the temple, she belonged to Jesus. She heard Him speak to her throughout her life, and she sought to listen and follow. Today she is a mother of three young men, and she has sought diligently to teach them about the way, the truth and the life. Praise the Lord that God loves the little children and that He has a purpose and plan for each of their lives! During the Christmas holidays, many children heard how the Savior was born for them. Pray that God will water these seeds, and pray that the truth will be imbedded in their hearts that He loves them and longs to be in relationship with them. May they respond to His call. Pray also for God to "ignite a fire" in young Sri Lankan believers so that they will be obedient to share Jesus with relatives, neighbors, classmates and teachers, and pray that many will be saved because of it!

MUSIC, ART AND STORYTELLING. Pray for new believers in one people group in Sri Lanka that is mostly Muslim. As they begin to gather together, ask that they will be biblical in their worship and also culturally relevant so that others may be attracted to the message. Pray for more mature Christians working with them to teach them how to worship biblically, and ask that those Christians will not influence them to adopt anything from other cultures that would make the Gospel feel foreign to these new believers.

SOUTH ASIAN PEOPLES. You may have heard of Sunni and Shi'ite, but what about Ahmadiyya? Ahmadiyya is a persecuted Muslim people group. This Pakistan-based religion claims to be Muslim, but is considered to be a cult by mainstream Muslims. Due to persecution in Pakistan, Ahmadiyya followers are scattered throughout the world. In 2011 in Pakistan, more than 100 Ahmadiyya were baptized. Some of the new believers want to share the Good News with their Ahmadiyya brothers and sisters around the world. Pray for Ahmadiyya-background believers to find ways to become missionaries to their own people!

SOUTH ASIAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES. Give thanks to the Lord for sending cross-cultural workers into a new area of His harvest. Their assignment is to engage the more than five million South Asian migrant workers who are far from their homes, temporarily on the Arabian Peninsula. Pray specifically that God will give these new workers national partners who can help them "open the doors" to the Gospel among South Asians. Pray that God's Word would be made available to the migrant workers in both story and written form.

SOUTH ASIAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES. This month, we are asking you to pray for the Nayinda people of India. There are more than 200,000 Nayinda in southern India with no known evangelical involvement among them and no known Christians among them. They tend to be concentrated in one location, the Dakshina district of Karnataka. They speak a lesser-known language, Tulu, which isolates them from others even more! Traditionally they are barbers. In recenttimes, they have been moving into urban areas to seek jobs as barbers, as well as day laborer jobs. Pray that as theycome to thecities, they will be able to hear the Gospel in a language they can understand and take it back to their families.

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C-N Cuts Faculty, Staff Positions:

College addresses financial realities while planning for the future, officials say

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (Carson-Newman College) Carson-Newman opened the spring semester with strategic restructuring that has reduced its workforce by 11 positions, which reflects some three percent of employees.

In addition, the institution's 44-member housekeeping operation will also be outsourced in the coming weeks.

The efforts are designed to trim institutional costs and strengthen C-N's economic position for the future, say officials who noted the difficulty of such decisions.

"It's important that we continue to reduce costs and raise funds while trying to keep tuition increases to a minimum."

"We will continue diligent efforts to match our economic strength to our level of academic excellence and continue to provide our students a great education," said O'Brien on Jan. 26.

"Our next goal is to become one of the country's best supported institutions."

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Competition Pitting Rivals Ends in Bloody Tie between the Cowboys and the War Hawks

ABILENE, Texas (Hardin-Simmons University)--The second annual competition blood drive between to Christian schools, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University, both in Abilene, Texas, had a satisfying ending, but bragging rights between the rivals will have to wait another year to settle the score.

Meek Blood Center brought two bloodmobiles to the HSU campus Wednesday, Jan. 25 - Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. By the end of the day on Thursday, HSU students, faculty, and staff had filled up 94 units of blood. However, it wasn't enough for Cowboy bragging rights and a solid win over the crosstown War Hawks.

Frances Baker, marketing and business director for Meek, says, "The blood drive competition impacts many lives in the Abilene and Big Country community. The competition ended in a tie, with 94 pints donated by students, faculty, and alumni at each university. The 188 pints that were donated represent a three-day supply, and these blood donations came at a time when there was less than a one-day supply of each of the blood types."

Baker extended a hearty "thank you" to all of the participants on behalf of each patient who benefits from the friendly rivalry between the Cowboys and the War Hawks.

Baker says, "Last year's competition between HSU and McMurry was especially significant to the community. When we started our blood drive last January, I had no idea then just how significant those blood donations would be, but the universities literally saved us from running out of blood.

"You may remember, we had the ice storm the week following the blood drives, we had to close our donor center for four days. I was very thankful to the students, faculty, and staff of both universities for the spirit of friendly competition that ended up giving us an entire week's supply of lifesaving blood."

The tie was announced during half-time at the women's basketball game between HSU and McMurry at HSU's Mabee Complex.

BP Ledger, Feb. 6 edition

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