Today's BP Ledger contains items from:
William Carey Library
World News Service (two items)
Hardin-Simmons University
New Ralph D. Winter Biography Highlights Lasting Impact of Sometimes Controversial World-Changer
PASADENA, Calif. (William Carey Library) -- Legendary American missionary strategist Ralph D. Winter always provoked strong reactions, one way or another. The U.S. Center for World Mission and William Carey Library are bringing us an important biography, The Ralph D. Winter Story: How One Man Dared to Shake Up World Missions (William Carey Library, 2013), by renowned author Harold Fickett. This long overdue book captures both the genius and the controversy of a self-described "social engineer," named by TIME magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.
Winter (1924-2009), who revolutionized our understanding of the missionary task and championed a truly innovative approach to training global church leaders, had plenty of influential fans.
-- Billy Graham wrote, "Ralph Winter has not only helped promote evangelism among many mission boards around the world, but by his research, training and publishing he has accelerated world evangelization."
-- Missionary statesman Ray Tallman described him as "perhaps the most influential person in missions of the last 50 years."
However, some who worked most closely with Winter didn't always see him that way.
-- A mission administrator said: "A great deal could be written about his transient ideas and schemes, many of them impracticable and not founded upon careful planning."
-- Said another missionary colleague, frustrated by the constant questions and tinkering of Ralph Winter and his wife, Roberta: "One of the two of us will have to leave."
Both views of Winter, who founded both the U.S. Center for World Mission and William Carey Library, were true at different points in his long and productive life … and The Ralph D. Winter Story reveals how both worked together to shape the man who came up with innovative solutions to problems missionaries face in expanding the kingdom of God.
The book also shows how Winter grappled with the theological meaning of the bone-marrow cancer that eventually killed both Roberta and himself. His tentative answers on "evil intelligent design" provoked new ways of thinking, fresh controversy, and a unique initiative—the Roberta Winter Institute, which focuses on the wide open field of disease eradication for the glory of God.
The Ralph D. Winter Story: How One Man Dared to Shake Up World Missions, published by William Carey Library, provides an outstanding look at the life, ministry, and continuing influence of one of the true giants of the evangelical missionary movement, and indeed of contemporary evangelical faith.
Based in Pasadena near the campus of the U.S. Center for World Mission, William Carey Library publishes and distributes books and other materials used to mobilize individuals and organizations in world mission. Founded in 1969 to publish, at reasonable cost, the best in current thinking on world mission, William Carey Library has especially sought to assist the work of the mission executive, the field missionary and his/her home church, and the student of world mission. In publishing, William Carey Library has specialized in short print runs of valuable books that other publishers might not find attractive or feasible. In distribution, William Carey Library has sought to distribute at low cost not only its own books, but also selected mission resources from other publishers.
Founded in 1976, the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) has sought to foster cooperation between organizations focused on the world's unreached peoples. Not only is William Carey Library a cooperating agency at the USCWM, but for many years William Carey Library and the USCWM have enjoyed a management partnership in which William Carey Library has published or distributed many of the key resources the USCWM has promoted.
**********
Faithful Leadership in Indiana
By Russ Pulliam
INDIANAPOLIS (World News Service) -- The Christian conservative movement may be dwindling in other parts of the country, but in Indiana politics it has matured into a dominant influence in state government. The handoff from Gov. Mitch Daniels to his successor, former U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, on Jan. 7 illustrates the trend.
Pence is more vocal than Daniels about his personal faith in Jesus Christ and has been a favorite of Tea Party conservatives for his fiscal conservatism during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Daniels shares the same faith in Christ as Pence but has a more Presbyterian reticence in how he expresses his commitment. And during his years in the governor's mansion, Daniels has come across as more of a fiscal conservative than a social one.
Together the two Republican politicians provide an intriguing opportunity to compare and contrast how Christians carry their faith into the public arena.
For Indiana Republicans, Daniels has been the state's strongest governor since Oliver P. Morton, who served during the Civil War. Facing a big deficit when he took office in 2005, Daniels moved quickly to cut spending and balance the budget. He leased the state toll road, unleashing $2.5 billion worth of road and highway improvements that his predecessors had drawn up on paper but never could figure out how to finance. He got the General Assembly to put the state on daylight savings time—a big deal that had divided the state for years. He shortened the waiting time at Bureau of Motor Vehicle license branch facilities.
The big and small stuff added up, and Daniels won a second term in 2008, even as Barack Obama became the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election since the Lyndon Johnson landslide of 1964.
In his second term, Daniels pushed through the state's biggest education changes in history: more charter schools, private school scholarships for poor children to escape public schools, and merit pay for teachers. His fiscal conservatism came in handy during the recession, as the state suffered less than neighbors such as Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio.
Like former President Ronald Reagan, Daniels had lots of liberal critics, but even some of his critics came to appreciate parts of his second-term record. He's leaving the state with a AAA credit rating and a $1 billion surplus.
Daniels' emphasis on the economy tended to obscure a solid record as a social conservative. Quiet about how his faith drives him, he prefers Bible passages such as James 1:22, to be a doer of a Word rather than a talker about it. Before he was governor, Daniels helped start an inner-city private school in Indianapolis, Oaks Academy, with a remarkable 50-50 racial balance mixed with classical and Christian emphases. Daniels is a no-nonsense manager and doesn't cry for the cameras the way former President Bill Clinton could. But he could break down emotionally in speaking to smaller audiences about the faith side of this educational endeavor, remembering the prayer meetings late at night when the school was about to run out of money in its early years. Oaks Academy also became an anchor in a neighborhood transformation of what had been one of the worst crime sections of the city. It also indirectly laid the groundwork for education reform in the state, by showing how high expectations could lead to better education in a low-income part of town.
Daniels also gave eloquent speeches about the crying need for each child to have a father and mother staying committed to each other, for the sake of the children. He had practiced what he preached, both in deepening his faith in Christ and reuniting with his wife, Cheri, after a divorce in the 1990s.
Yet, in contrast to Pence, Daniels was never a big favorite of Christian conservative groups in Indiana or nationally. He once called for a truce on social issues debate, trying to make the point that a nation that literally runs out of cash cannot pay for military defense or anything else. Economists explaining dismal truths are seldom popular.
Even so, for a time in 2011 Daniels could have jumped into the GOP presidential race and perhaps could have offered a stronger challenge to Barack Obama than Mitt Romney. Instead he'll be president of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and try his reform-minded hand on higher education.
His successor in the governor's mansion doesn't have the same hard-nosed managerial style. Like Daniels, Pence was a conservative presidential hope in 2011, but his advisers realized he should seek executive branch experience rather than try to be the first person to go from the U.S. House of Representatives to the White House since James Garfield in 1881.
Pence talks about taking the state from good to great. A former radio talk show host, he's more of a cheerleader than Daniels. He's been a favorite among Christian conservatives in Indiana and nationally. His family is a part of the nondenominational Community Church of Greenwood, Ind., whereas Daniels has been a long-time member of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, with its history of inner-city mission in Indianapolis.
What's surprising is how two Christian conservatives, of different styles but very similar views of the world, have come to dominate Indiana in recent years, even as Barack Obama worked his electioneering magic on the state in 2008 over John McCain.
Timing may be a factor. Daniels was an influential behind-the-scenes political player for 30 years in Indiana circles. When he decided to run for governor in 2004 and try to end 16 years of Democratic dominance of the governor's mansion, other potential GOP rivals stepped out of his way. Daniels never identified himself as a conservative-movement candidate in the first place, and he wasn't especially public about his faith. But he had keen grasp of market economics and he applied it at the state level with unusual success.
Pence, 53, a decade younger than Daniels, 63, had run for the U.S. House in 1988 and 1990, losing both times. He put his Christian faith to work in the aftermath, repenting publicly of negative campaigning and befriending Democrats as he spent the 1990s in the political wilderness of Indiana talk radio. Coming back into politics in a 2000 race for the House, he quickly became a leader of conservatives in Congress and helped them enlarge their numbers and influence until he ran for governor.
The Religious Right movement may not be so much dead or dwindling as it is evolving in states such as Indiana. Politically, the movement is not only strong in the governor's office, but also in Indiana's General Assembly, with a number of younger Christian conservatives working their way into leadership positions.
The era of top-down national leadership of a Pat Robertson or a James Dobson has faded. But a voter hunger for leaders of faith and limited government is still available for the harvest by competent candidates like Daniels and Pence.
**********
Miss America Settles into College Life
PURCELLVILLE, Va. (World News Service) -- Bright-eyed and nervous, 13-year-old Teresa Scanlan jumped out of the car and waved good-bye to her mom. As the car sped away, Scanlan walked into the local theater to compete for the title of Miss Scotts Bluff County. Wearing a $12 dress from the after-prom sale at J.C. Penney, self-applied make-up, and a mouth full of braces, the frizzy-haired, glasses-wearing girl from rural Nebraska just wanted to try something different from piano competitions.
She won.
"I knew she was good, but I didn't know she would win," said Scanlan's mother, Janie.
Four pageant seasons later, Scanlan won Miss Nebraska. She went on to win the title of Miss America 2011. At 17, she was the youngest Miss America since 1938 and the only Nebraskan to hold the title.
Scanlan also is the fourth of seven homeschooled children in a conservative Christian family. Her parents initially were skeptical of pageants. They talked to her about their concerns and made sure she made conscious decisions. But the more her parents learned about the competition, the more they liked it, Scanlan said.
Now that her reign is over, Scanlan has just finished her first semester at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Va. She divides her attention between classes and speaking opportunities.
"The balance has been interesting," she said. "I think I overestimated myself and underestimated the classes."
She has pulled six all-nighters so far and has been "two seconds away from quitting." While she wants to be more involved in the college, Scanlan depends on Miss America speaking engagements for income. Still, she's happy she came, even though the past year has been tough on her faith.
Some students at Patrick Henry were unsure of how a national figure would fit in at the 300-student school.
"I thought a major icon would shake things up a bit a PHC," said freshman Noelle Garnier, but added that students are finding her down-to-earth and friendly. "People are realizing she's a person just like anyone else."
Despite the attention that comes with participating in pageants, Scanlan learned early how to come to terms with loneliness. She met new people every day, but everyone came and went. Often she cried herself to sleep in her hotel room.
"It was just me and Him sometimes," she said. "That's why Jesus is my best friend now."
Even harder was the criticism from fellow Christians who accused her of immodesty. But the Miss America pageant is not about appearance, Scanlan said. The majority of the points come from the competitor's scores in the talent and interview competitions. The winner becomes a public speaker, not a model.
Once she won, Scanlan faced other challenges: "The fame is very flattering and I appreciate it, but it starts to feel empty when people are just a fan because of your title. It becomes meaningless very quickly."
But the experience also has been very rewarding, she added. Scanlan has had the opportunity to speak on behalf of charities like the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. She created a piano album called The Dueling Pianos with Calvin Jones, the creator of the 2016: Obama's America soundtrack and her competition piece, "Whitewater Chopsticks."
Scanlan hopes to attend Harvard Law School after Patrick Henry. After that, she wants to be a stay-at-home mom and work on a future political career. She's already eying one of Nebraska's U.S. Senate seats and repeatedly tells interviewers she plans to run for president one day.
Meanwhile, Scanlan makes news even when she's not trying. The Washington Examiner reported Dec. 4 that Scanlan bought dinner just before Thanksgiving for the car behind her in the Purcellville McDonald's drive-through line. The driver ran up to thank her and recognized her as soon as she rolled the window down.
"She said, 'I believe everybody should have something nice done for them every day,'" Jennifer Helbert told the newspaper. "I reached in and gave her a hug."
**********
Ardent Supporter of HSU, Student Advocate Dies at 81
ABILENE, Texas (Hardin-Simmons University) -- Dr. David "Scotty" Holland and his wife Jacque always loved to personally hear from Hardin-Simmons University students, and especially enjoyed getting to know the student who received scholarships from HSU's Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics.
The Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics was established in 1999 with an initial $2-million gift from the Hollands. They also helped fund the Holland Medical High School and the future establishment of the Holland School of Health Sciences.
The man known for his great generosity and personal interest in HSU's students, Scotty Holland, died Saturday, Jan. 5, in Houston at the age of 81.
HSU president, Dr. Lanny Hall told HSU staff, "It is difficult to express the depth and breadth of the loss we feel in the death of Scotty Holland.
"Dr. Holland was a tremendously generous benefactor of Hardin-Simmons University. He loved this institution and tangibly demonstrated that love by the endowments he built, the scholarships he provided and through his interaction with faculty, staff and students. Scotty Holland has left deep and indelible footprints on this campus. He will be long remembered and appreciated."
The Hollands are 1949 graduates of Abilene High School. Dr. Holland attended HSU on a football scholarship before entering the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict where he served as an airborne radio operator aboard a B-25 Mitchell aircraft. Following military service, Holland received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology from the University of Texas.
Holland was the retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Pennzoil in Houston. Wayne Roy, senior development officer for HSU, said, "Scotty always took sheer delight in the accomplishment of each student." Despite his high title and demands on his time, "I recall on a stroll across campus, he would stop and talk to students, always taking a personal interest in their journey here."
Mike Hammack, HSU vice president for institutional advancement, recalled, "Scotty and Jacque would frequently tell me how much they enjoyed receiving letters from our students. They took a personal interest in each young man's or young woman's life.
During a science and math scholarship awards ceremony in 2009, attended by the Hollands, Dr. Chris McNair, dean of the Holland School of Science and Mathematics, told the students that Holland rose to the rank of CEO when, as a senior geologist, he was finally able to convince his company that there was oil to be found in the Gulf of Mexico. The statement drew a laugh from the students born in the late 1980's, since they had never known the Gulf not to have oil!
Holland, expressing his pleasure in meeting the scholarship recipients, told students, "Keep God in your life and he will take care of you. I am amazed at your ability to handle so many things. You are involved with people, and that's who you will work with and for all of your life."
Holland was born March 26, 1931, in Havana, Arkansas, the second of six children to Mae Elizabeth Scott and William Dewey Holland. His family moved to Abilene in 1946 where he met his high school sweetheart, Jacque Nell Hunter, marrying in 1952. Scotty and Jacque Nell had the first of their two sons, David Scott Jr., in 1953 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi. Their second son, Terrence Hunter, was born while Holland was attending UT.
Holland was a recipient of Hardin Simmons University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1983, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by HSU in 1990.
"Scotty Holland was one of the most generous and passionate supporters of higher learning in the history of Hardin-Simmons University," says McNair. "He and his wife Jacque have been instrumental in furthering the Christian mission and educational dreams of countless numbers of high school and college students at numerous institutions across the state of Texas.
"Scotty loved exploration geology and he shared that passion with HSU students whenever he could. His inspiration and commitment to education and scientific research led Scotty and Jacque enabling us to flourish in research, teaching, and field experiences. Dr. Holland was a dear friend to all of our faculty, staff, and students alike, and our thoughts and prayers are with his soul mate, Jacque."
Dr. Jesse Fletcher, HSU president emeritus, says of Holland, "Scotty was a personal friend with whom Mexican food, along with spouses Jacque and Dot, was a requirement when they came to town (Abilene). It was through HSU that I came to know Scotty and soon was aware of his international reputation as head of Pennzoil Exploration yet he was a down-to-earth friend and an ardent supporter of HSU. In later years that support led him to give his name and his resources to the cause of science and healthcare through HSU. He will be long remembered and sorely missed."
Holland served on the boards of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Geology Foundation of the University of Texas, Austin, and the Geology Foundation of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He was also a devoted father, grandfather and great grandfather to his children.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings. He is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, Jacque Nell; his sister Mae Rue Hazard of Arlington, Texas; sons, David Scott Holland and wife Dashika of San Antonio, Texas; Terrence Hunter Holland and wife Nita of Midland, Texas; and grandchildren Sara Michele Holland and Katie Dyan Holland, Ft. Worth, Texas; Travis Jared Holland and wife Krystal Cathleen; and great-grandchildren, Lyla Grace and Cayson Scott Holland of San Antonio.
A funeral service was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 8, at Memorial Church of Christ in Houston.
Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
Join the conversation as a VIP Member