NASHVILLE / August 13 / Christian Newswire / -- Five simple questions forever changed Steven Neill’s life.  After years of hatred and violence landed him in prison, he set out to do everything he could to stamp out Christianity, which he considered to be responsible for the world’s ills. 

Yet when someone walked him through the questions in LifeWay Christian Resources’ “Share Jesus Without Fear Personal Evangelism New Testament,” which includes a section with three steps for sharing the gospel, Neill the neo-Nazi was stopped in his tracks, refusing to answer the question, “according to what you’ve read, are you a sinner?”

The question haunted Neill, and the next day he gave his life to Christ. After 17 years in prison and a journey of spiritual growth, Neill was paroled and today is in full-time ministry, serving as pastor of a church in Texas.  He believes the “Share Jesus Without Fear” method was greatly used to help him confront truth and lead him to a personal relationship with Christ.

“Instead of arguing, I was sitting there reading the scripture,” Neill recalls.

“Share Jesus Without Fear” emphasizes a relational witnessing style using open-ended questions and having the other party read Bible verses out loud, based on Luke 10:26 “How do you read it?”  The method was created by Bill Fay, once a money-driven businessman with Mafia ties. Faced with jail time, he turned to Jesus for redemption and immediately began sharing his new-found faith with others. 
           
The resource offers three simple steps for sharing the gospel: Five questions to determine where God is working, seven verses to let the Bible speak for itself and five questions that lead to the point of decision.  The method teaches Christians how to navigate a witnessing conversation in everyday situations and eliminate pressure, argument and fear of rejection.

For the past 20 years, Fay has been doing “Share Jesus Without Fear”seminars around the nation, teaching scores of church members an effective, non-confrontational way of sharing their faith. “It is simple to teach, easy to understand and instant to apply,” he said.

Don Boone, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Vancleave, Miss., had Fay lead a seminar in Feb. and now is planning a larger training event with him in March 2009.

“Our entire church has gotten over fear of rejection,” Boone said.  “We have seen so many people saved it’s unbelievable.  His plan works--it’s radically awesome.” 

Fay captured the method in the book “Share Jesus Without Fear.” The “Share Jesus Without FearLeadership Kit,” which includes his book, has been revised and updated to make it even easier to teach and implement. 

The re-launched kit has a new DVD format, video introductions by Fay for each section, leader helps on CD-ROM, a workbook for groups and suggestions for implementing “Share Jesus Without Fear” into a church evangelism strategy.  The workbook is available in 37 languages. 

The kit may be purchased for $79.95. Copies of the revised “Share Jesus Without Fear” book, which is designed for general readership, may be purchased for $7.95 each.  For more information, visit www.lifeway.com/sharejesus.

Also new is a special “ShareJesus Without Fear New Testament” paperback edition, which was created as a give-away for non-Christians when sharing the gospel.  It includes all of the content to learn the “Share Jesus Without Fear” concepts in the first three pages, along with a toll-free number to the North American Mission Board’s Evangelism Response Center for those seeking spiritual help.

The back lists the 36 most common objections of coming to Christ and how to answer them.  The “Share Jesus Without Fear New Testament” costs $2 each when bought by the case and may be purchased at LifeWay Christian Stores; online at http://www.holmanbibleoutreach.org/products.asp#sjwf; or by calling toll-free at (866) 627-7796.

“What better way to conclude a conversation than to hand the other person a New Testament that contains some of the most common questions about the Christian faith with practical, biblical answers?”  Burgess said.  “At just $2 a piece, the “Share Jesus Without Fear New Testaments” are an affordable way to continue the conversation and provide a natural opportunity for follow-up visits.”

According to Fay, 97% of members of the largest evangelical denominations will die without ever sharing their faith.  The main reason is fear of rejection and failure.  Yet, ironically, “This is the one area of life in which you cannot fail,” he said.   

“The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that I’m only part of the process.  I’ve never led one person to Christ.  The Holy Spirit convicts—I just turn pages and get out of the way.”

While Fay has been jumpstarting the evangelistic batteries of churches and individuals for two decades, he knows there still is a lot of work to be done.

“Much of today’s church growth comes from people transferring from other churches.  We can’t continue the sheep-swapping business,” Fay said.  “Churches are fighting over complete and total nonsense while people in the community are dying and going to hell.”

Having members sharing their faith not only results in a more unified body, but has the added benefit of eliminating a dull Christian life, he believes.  “When you are active in sharing your faith, you experience Philemon verse 6, ‘I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.’” 

For pastors and their congregations living in a maintenance mode, Fay has good news – they can break out of that mode, be powerfully used for the sake of God’s kingdom and experience kingdom growth. 

“Christians can either be an obedient to Jesus’ command of the Great Commission or they can choose to remain active in the ‘Sin of Silence,’” he said.  “Which one are you choosing?”

March 25, 2008
By Don Beehler and Mickey Noah

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) --“How can we help you?” wasn’t the first question NSRK Ravi was expecting, especially since he had just met Phill Burgess, executive director of Holman Bible Outreach International.

Burgess had traveled from Nashville, Tenn., to Alpharetta, Ga., to meet with Ravi, who serves as director of the North American Mission Board’s Evangelism Response Center (ERC).  Although taken back a bit by the question, it didn’t take Ravi long to respond:  “Help us get the word out.”

The word he wanted to get out was about ERC’s high-tech, “virtual” telephone network, where volunteers remotely answer calls to 1-888-Jesus2000 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  Approximately 4,000 trained “telephone encouragers” spend at least 2.5 hours each month answering the center’s phones and sharing the Gospel. 

Calls are generated from a myriad of ministries and media, some outside the Southern Baptist Convention.  For instance, the ERC handles 20 percent of the calls to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  Other calls may be generated by special events or mass media campaigns (TV, radio, billboards) launched by one of the 40 state SBC conventions or other ministries.

In 2007 the ERC fielded some 41,000 calls, averaging 3,400 per month.  More than 900 callers made first-time salvation decisions.  “About one in four people calling the ERC makes some kind of decision—a commitment to ministry, to volunteer or a decision for Christ,” Ravi said.

The ERC also has relationships with 6,000 SBC “covenant” churches nationwide that commit to follow up on callers in their areas within three days.  During the follow-up, the covenant church encourages the person to be baptized, discipled and to join a local SBC church.

While these are impressive statistics for an initiative only a couple years old, Ravi envisions having 10,000 volunteers handling 100,000 calls a year.  To make this goal a reality, the ERC is in “desperate need” for more covenant churches and more volunteers, he says.  Hence, the urgent need to “get the word out.”

Holman Bible Outreach,a ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources, facilitates the translation, production and distribution of Bibles and Scripture portions for evangelism and discipleship.  As the Baptist Bible society, it also offers a supporting role for SBC entities on the front lines of evangelism and discipleship, and seeks innovative ways to come along side their work so that each organization’s strengths are maximized.

Burgess and Ravi soon hit upon the idea of including the ERC phone number in Bibles produced by the Bible society so that people had a place to go where they could speak to a live person about Christ and answer questions. As a result of their initial meeting in 2007, Holman Bible Outreach is now publishing the ERC number in all its new and reprinted Bibles and New Testaments, which are in excess of 500,000 annually.

“We often work with small churches and ministries, as well as couples and individuals, who give out Bibles for evangelistic outreach,” Burgess said.  “By having a place that people who receive a Bible can call to speak with a trained counselor about Jesus Christ, and then be able to connect that person with an ERC church, completes the evangelism loop in a way that could never be achieved otherwise.”

“This has tremendous potential,” Ravi added.  “If Southern Baptists have one number to connect everybody, this will be it.”

For Burgess, making connections and finding creative ways to partner with SBC entities, churches and other mission organizations is the heartbeat of his mission.

Earlier this year, a cooperative project between the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, Crown Financial Ministries and Holman Bible Outreach resulted in the It’s A New Day New Testament, which features a 30-day devotion series that focuses on stewardship.  The special New Testament was created in response to the need for comprehensive biblical teaching on money among Southern Baptist churches. 

In 2007, Holman Bible Outreach partnered with ministries that had outreaches to homeless people; military personnel and their families; prisoners; and poor families in several parts of the world. 

“In his book Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby encourages Christians to find God at work and join Him there,” Burgess said.  “God clearly is at work in these ministries, and our earnest desire is lend a helping hand to those who are on the front lines of evangelism and discipleship.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 9/26/08 -- LifeWay Christian Resources and the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention are hoping that a New Testament might help families reduce their debt. If that happens, churches will benefit.

The Executive Committee worked with LifeWay's Holman Bible Outreach International to develop a New Testament that includes 30 daily devotions written by Crown Financial Ministries to be used by churches with the "It's a New Day" curriculum series.

The "It's a New Day" curriculum includes a 10-week Bible study that leads individuals through the biblical principles of money management. Churches that implement a four-week emphasis on financial freedom may also use sermons provided on a DVD that teach foundational principles for handling money God's way.
Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI, said of LifeWay's contribution, "This is more than simply a New Testament. This edition contains 30 daily devotions that were developed for every member of a church to use while going through a church-wide, four-week series about giving God complete lordship in our lives, even over our finances."

Ashley Clayton, associate vice president for stewardship with the Executive Committee, said, "We are a debt-driven culture. We define ourselves by the stuff we have. People in the pews are just as much in debt as people outside of the church. Even pastors and church leaders are not immune.

"We believe Southern Baptists want to give," said Clayton, "but they just can't. Our goal is to bring liberty and freedom to believers. We may never know what an impact we can have on the Kingdom if believers are free to give. When individuals begin exercising good financial discipline personally, it will carry over to good financial discipline in the church," he added.

While financial freedom is a personal issue, Clayton believes much progress can be made when a church addresses stewardship corporately.

"Debt used to be a stigma," said Clayton. "Now we are a culture in trouble financially. Let's own up to it and face it together."

Burgess believes the New Day New Testaments encourage community for those learning about biblical principles of money management.

"With the entire congregation going through the series together, a sense of 'oneness' within the church can be created, like we are 'all in this together,'" said Burgess. "Using the New Day New Testaments during the series is like a tender walk through God's Word that can lead an entire congregation into a life-changing commitment that will bring peace in their lives."

In support of the "It's a New Day" initiative, LifeWay Christian Stores has "It's a New Day" offering envelopes available through its offering envelope service, said Ben Stroup, coordinator of LifeWay Christian Stores' offering envelope service.

With so many struggling financially outside of the church, Stroup said he believes the New Day program can also work as an outreach, as well. To support evangelistic efforts, LifeWay Christian Stores also developed New Day business cards that churches may personalize to distribute to those outside of the church who may struggle financially.

The New Day New Testaments are available by bulk order through LifeWay Christian Stores or through the HBOI Website at www.holmanbibleoutreach.com.

For more information on New Day offering envelopes, business cards and notepads, visit www.lifewaystores.com/envelopeservice.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI), a ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources, has donated Bibles and a variety of new Christian books to the U.S. Navy for libraries that serve troops in Kuwait and on one of the Navy’s newest ships.

Packages of resources were donated to a general library of Christian books for two medical facilities: the Warrior Recovery Unit (WRU) in Camp Arifjan and the Contingency Aero-medical Staging Facility (CASF) in Camp Ali Al-Salem.

The WRU is a convalescence center that gives service members a location to recuperate from mild to moderate injuries or from minor surgery. The CASF is a location where injured service members are staged as they arrive for medical care or to await to fly out of Kuwait on a medivac flight.

“The population has a high turnover rate, and troops come from all services,” said Chaplain Ben Mathis, LT, USN, who made the initial request for resources through the North American Mission Board. “There is a lot of down time here for them as they heal.”

The third location is the USS Mesa Verde, one of the newest ships in the Navy. The Mesa Verde’s chaplain, Darren Stennet, LT, has been with the ship from the beginning and was seeking to put together a ship library for the sailors.

Holman Bible Outreach, also known as the Baptist Bible Society, provided identical orders for the requests. Each location received 50 books that were a combination of general and academic Christian resources for men and women, as well as a case of 282 Holman Christian Standard Bibles.

“For me it is great to see LifeWay jump on a project so quickly and help us offer our men and women more to do then just lie around watching old movies or reading bad books,” Mathis commented. “Most of the service members I meet are spiritual and are looking for answers. Now, there are two good locations for our injured and recuperating men and women to redeem their down time by having some quality time with God.”

As for the new library on the USS Mesa Verde, “The Bibles are going like hotcakes...Wow, what a blessing,” Stennet wrote in an e-mail to HBOI.

Mathis and Stennet both made the connections to HBOI through the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Scott Reed, manager of the LifeWay Christian Store in Conyers, Ga.

Reed, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, met Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI, last year at a Memorial Day Weekend event to honor troops and their families. About 3,000 copies of the paperback Holman CSB Military Bible were given away to veterans and their relatives by HBOI over a three-day period.

Reed spoke with Burgess about the possibility of a creating a military-themed devotional and other ways of ministering to veterans. A few months later, Burgess invited him to a brainstorming meeting with Keith Travis, the chaplain evangelism team leader for NAMB, and Dave Mullis, who oversees all SBC military chaplains.

Travis and Reed kept in touch, passing ideas back and forth by e-mail. In June, Travis contacted Reed to see if he could help with Mathis’ request for Christian resources for the Kuwait medical facilities. Stennet’s request followed shortly thereafter. Reed turned to Burgess for help, and soon packages of books and a case of Bibles were on their way to each place.

“We are delighted to help meet the spiritual needs of our armed forces by providing biblical solutions to our American military chaplains, soldiers, sailors and airmen,” Burgess said. “What a blessing to have an opportunity to serve those who are serving us in far away parts of the world.”

Burgess noted that in addition to facilitating the translation, production and distribution of Bibles and Scripture portions for evangelism and discipleship, HBOI offers a supporting role for SBC entities on the front lines of evangelism and discipleship, and seeks innovative ways to come along side their work so that each organization’s strengths are maximized.

“This is an excellent example of how Southern Baptist ministries can work together to meet urgent needs,” Travis commented. “Not only was this a great way to support our military chaplains and minister to service men and women, but it also helps churches see tangible ways they can meet military needs around the globe.”

“It's been my experience that the daily realities our soldiers face, and the dangers that confront them, lead soldiers to seek answers to spiritual things,” Reed added. “The majority of soldiers come from secular, un-churched backgrounds. Faced with the possibility of suddenly being thrust into eternity, they are very open to the gospel.

Reed said he hears of needs “almost weekly” from NAMB about Southern Baptist military chaplains serving overseas looking for Christian resources so that they can be made available to the troops. He noted that divorce, spouse abuse, suicide and drug and alcohol abuse statistics are all disproportionately higher among those in the military.

As an example of the special needs many returning soldiers have as they assimilate back into American society, Reed cited a military veteran who had lost a leg in Iraq and recently was in a LifeWay store looking for a book about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from a Christian perspective. When offered the book Two Wars, he said it was biographical and that he didn't want to read about somebody else's traumatic experiences in war.

“He had seen enough and just wanted help, as do many other returning vets,” Reed said, adding, “The NAMB office offered to send the man a complimentary copy of the book The Combat Trauma Healing Manual and also referred him to a pastor who can give him sound biblical counsel.”

“Our troops today are experiencing unfathomable trauma and stress,” Reed noted. “They need good biblical counsel and the word of God.”

August 13, 2008 | by BP Staff

BEIJING (BP)--Bibles and Christian evangelistic materials are being made available free of charge to athletes and visitors at the Olympic Games in China.

Holman Bible Outreach International has provided copies of the Gospel of John from their new Mandarin Chinese Standard Bible to several organizations that will present them as gifts at the games. The Mandarin-language New Testament was completed in June, according to HBOI, an arm of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Chinese scholars worked cooperatively with Holman's translation team to produce a readable contemporary Chinese Mandarin Bible that also is theologically accurate. Work on the Old Testament is underway.

"The Chinese Standard Bible is the most accurate translation of God's Word in everyday language and will be a true source of encouragement for those who have struggled to understand outdated Chinese translations," said Phill Burgess, executive director of Holman Bible Outreach (holmanbibleoutreach.org). "We are delighted to offer the Mandarin translation of the Gospel of John, which was developed for Chinese people, by Chinese people, for free during the Olympics."

In another Bible distribution project, a special bilingual Bible produced by Amity Press, the publishing arm of the government-registered China Christian Council, is being made available at no charge in the Olympic Village where the Olympic athletes and media are housed, according to the China Daily newspaper. The English Standard Version and Chinese Union Version texts appear side by side in the edition.

In addition to the 10,000 bilingual CUV-ESV Bibles, 30,000 New Testaments and 100,000 bilingual editions of the four Gospels also will be available during the games.

"It is a great joy for all of us at Crossway Bibles to have a small part in providing God's Word to the church in China through the publication of the CUV-ESV bilingual Bible," said Lane Dennis, president of Crossway Books (crossway.org), which published the ESV translation. "We pray this is just the beginning of building partnerships with the church in China for the publication of Bible resources that will help meet the needs of the Chinese people."

A third publication, a book co-written by American evangelist Luis Palau and Chinese scholar Zhao Qizheng, also is being distributed to athletes and the media during the games.

"A Friendly Dialogue between An Atheist and A Christian" is the result of conversations between the two that began in May 2005 when Palau visited China as part of a delegation of American business, cultural and spiritual leaders, according to a statement released by the Luis Palau Association. The joint book effort seeks to build bridges of understanding through the discussion of widely varying topics, including philosophy, history, religion, science, the Bible, politics, ethics and Christianity.

Chinese publisher New World Press is making thousands of copies of the book's English version available at the Olympic press center, the Olympic Exhibition Hall, the Beijing International Media Center, at newsstands in the Olympic Village, designated Olympic Games hotels and the Beijing International Airport.

"The true spirit of the Olympics -- mutual respect and friendship -- was at the heart of 'A Friendly Dialogue' from the beginning," Palau said in the statement. "That we can share those conversations, which include a straightforward proclamation of the Gospel, at the Olympic Games is an incredible blessing and honor."

Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Mark Kelly.

January 30, 2008
By Lonnie Wilkey
KNOXVILLE — Members of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church here are working hard to keep alive the memory of the church’s namesake — legendary Southern Baptist missionary Bill Wallace.

The church commemorated the 100th anniversary of Wallace’s birth on Jan. 20 with a special Sunday morning service. That afternoon, church members gathered at Greenwood Cemetery, where Wallace’s remains are buried, to dedicate a stone marker which is a replica of one erected at the original grave site of Wallace in Wuchow, China.

Wallace, a native of Knoxville, died a martyr while serving as a Christian medical missionary with the Foreign (now International) Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Wallace was killed on Feb. 10, 1951, by the Chinese communist government. His remains were returned to Knoxville in 1985.

Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, established in 1953, is named after the missionary.

As part of the effort to remember Wallace, the church, in conjunction with Holman Bible Outreach International, provided every member family a copy of the book Bill Wallace of China, originally published in 1963.

The book, re-released to commemorate the anniversary of Wallace’s birth, will also be available for the general public later this spring at LifeWay Christian Stores, according to Phil Burgess, executive director of Holman Bible Outreach International.

“Dr. Bill Wallace, a legend and a hero, lived a life worth examining and emulating,” wrote Mike Boyd in a letter of tribute in the newly-released edition.

Boyd noted that if Wallace were alive today he would “never be comfortable with accolades or attention. “He indeed refused any temptation of fame or fortune. His love was with the people of China to whom he had been called.

“Humble obedience defines the personality of Dr. Wallace. This servant’s heart is exactly the sort of example needed among Christian leaders today,” Boyd observed.

During the morning service, Boyd noted that Wallace was not great because he was a martyr for Christ. “What made him great was because of who he was in Christ.”

Boyd observed Wallace was “an extraordinary man who did extraordinary things because he was led by an extraordinary God.”

Boyd reminded members that Bill Wallace was a man of prayer. He noted that more than 10 percent of the entire book of his life deals with prayer.

“Extraordinary people in the kingdom of God are extraordinary because they are people of prayer,” Boyd said, challenging members of the church to commit to pray.

Boyd and others are hopeful that the re-release of the Wallace book will be an inspiration to those who are not familiar with Wallace’s story and life.

“I think there are young people in our church who will be the Bill Wallaces of tomorrow,” Boyd said.
Burgess agreed, noting that the prime reason for re-releasing the book was to “encourage Christians seeking God’s call in their lives to find it.” He noted that the original request to reprint the book was made to Broadman & Holman Publishing, but they could not fulfill the request due to cost constraints.

B&H asked that Holman Bible Outreach International, Nashville, which “we refer to as our Baptist Bible Society,“ consider the request, Burgess said.

“After reading the book and prayerful consideration we knew we had to do it. Our heartbeat as an organization is to share the gospel with a hurting world,” Burgess said.

Burgess noted that his organization has committed to donate a Chinese Mandarin New Testament to the mission field for every copy of the book that is sold.

Burgess said he is convinced the timing was of God because in a few years the book may have been lost forever.

He explained that the original typesetting of the book had been lost and there were no useable files.
“We had to scan and construct from old copies of the book we secured through Amazon (an online bookstore) a completely new digital file from scratch.

“By doing this we have saved the book for future generations.”

IMB President Jerry Rankin, in a new foreword for the book, wrote: “I am grateful that this powerful biography continues to be republished and pray that Christians everywhere will continue to be inspired by this hero of the faith who willingly laid down his life for the gospel.

“It is my hope that a future generation of missionaries will emerge from boys and girls and young people who read the story of Bill Wallace and offer their lives to take Jesus to a lost world as he did.”
Wallace Memorial is doing its part to get the book into the hands of future leaders.

The church presented Burgess with a check to purchase 4,000 copies which will be distributed to every student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where Boyd serves as a trustee.

Boyd said he is hopeful this action will inspire people to make similar donations to purchase copies of books for students at the other five Southern Baptist theological seminaries.

At the afternoon service at Greenwood Cemetery, James McCluskey, the second pastor of the church who served 37 years, gave brief overview of Wallace’s life, prior to dedicating a special bronze plaque to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Wallace’s birth.

“We are thankful we can see his memory continue for generations to come,” McCluskey said.

Boyd credits McCluskey for leading the effort to keep Wallace’s memory alive over the years. “Had it not been for the vision of Jim McCluskey, this plaque would not be here,” Boyd said.

For information on when the book will be released or to pre-order a copy, contact Burgess at (615) 251-2191.

February 7, 2008
By Don Beehler

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 7, 2008) --True Love Waits and Holman Bible Outreach, both divisions of LifeWay Christian Resources, have jointly produced a special True Love Waits New Testament that includes a salvation message, an introduction to True Love Waits and a commitment page.

The TLW New Testament is being released to coincide with Valentine’s Day, a time in which a large number of True Love Waits’ abstinence-until-marriage commitment ceremonies are held in churches and other places around the world.

Thanks to a major donation to LifeWay’s A Defining Moment philanthropic campaign, 100,000 copies of the new TLW New Testament will be distributed for free throughout Africa in places where True Love Waits International has staff in place. 

Another 30,000 copies will be sold in the U.S. to churches, youth groups and individuals for $1.95 each.

“As the Baptist Bible society, we are very excited about partnering with True Love Waits in producing this New Testament, which not only will help young people keep their commitments to remain abstinent until marriage, but also will provide spiritual guidance for a variety of challenges they face each day,” said Phill Burgess, executive director of Holman Bible Outreach.

“Having a New Testament available to compliment our abstinence message in Africa, a place that has been ravaged by AIDS, gives us an added dimension,” noted Jimmy Hester, cofounder of True Love Waits. “For some young people in Africa, this may be the only New Testament they ever receive and may be the only opportunity to engage God’s Word.”

Hester said he expects youth groups to buy the TLW New Testament not only for individual and group use, but also for outreach to their friends.  In some cases, he envisions U.S. students sending New Testaments to students in Africa.

True Love Waits International will be very cautious in making sure the TLW commitment is for no gain than the blessing of being obedient to God, with the New Testaments used in follow up, according to Sharon Pumpelly, lead consultant for True Love Waits International.

“In areas where we have had New Testaments donated to us, we have seen a great number of youths make commitments to Christ in the follow up of their abstinence commitment,” she said.

“A New Testament may be given during counseling following a TLW presentation, based on the need of that moment,” Pumpelly continued.  “We also are talking about encouraging young people who are in follow-up groups to memorize scripture and then receive a New Testament.”

True Love Waits®, a biblically based initiative, is one of several approaches to challenging young people to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage. More than one hundred organizations and thousands of churches have adopted the use of True Love Waits throughout the world.  The first True Love Waits national celebration took place in July 1994, when more than 210,000 covenant cards were displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  Today, an estimated 2.5 to 3 million youth have signed commitment cards pledging sexual purity until their wedding day, and that number continues to grow worldwide.  For more information, visit www.lifeway.com/tlw.

Holman Bible Outreach is an entity of Nashville-based LifeWay Christian Resources and provides discounted or free Bibles and Scripture portions for evangelism, mission projects and training.  For more information, visit www.HolmanBibleOutreach.org.

For more information or to purchase a TLW New Testament, call (866) 627-7796 or visit www.BaptistBibleSociety.com.

May 29, 2007
By Don Beehler

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (BP) – Nearly 100,000 gathered at Stone Mountain, Ga., over Memorial Day Weekend to pay tribute to active duty and veteran U.S. troops and their families. LifeWay Christian Resources and Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI) teamed with Task Force Patriot USA, General Motors Corporation, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Stone Mountain Park to sponsor the three-day event called Task Force Patriot Salute to the Troops.

Like millions of Americas across the nation, guests paused to give thanks for the men and women who serve the United States, honor them for their selfless service and to reflect on the sacrifices soldiers have made generation after generation to protect our nation’s freedom, according to who?.

“In every respect, Task Force Patriot Salute to the Troops has been a resounding success,” said Jim Freeman, retired U.S. Army major and founder/CEO of the Atlanta-based Task Force Patriot USA, a nonprofit organization that helps U.S. military veterans and their families in times of physical, spiritual and emotional need.

The weekend included military bands, musicians, singers and military and civilian motivational speakers. Each evening guests enjoyed The Call to Freedom, a 2½-hour show combining live music and fireworks with the park’s traditional laser show. An exhibition area displayed aircraft, a bomb disposal robot and a medical corps mobile museum.

But the focus of attention was always on those who protect our nation, and speaker after speaker expressed gratitude and admiration toward our men and women in uniform.

“I am very honored to be a servant to our troops,” said country musician Aaron Tippin, who provided a free concert Sunday night. For years he has made visits to members of what he called “the finest fighting force in the world,” including annual visits to American forces in Iraq. Tippin reminded the crowd that the U.S. military is rebuilding communities in Iraq, and that U.S. soldiers bring food, medicine and toys – sometimes out of their own pockets – to orphanages.

“It’s awesome to see the public expression of what every American shares in his or her heart,” noted Navy Commander Brett Korade, who recently returned from El Salvador.

At each of the three Task Force Patriot booths guests were offered free copies of the new paperback Holman CSB Military Bible. Approximately 3,000 Bibles were given away through Holman Bible Outreach International, an entity of LifeWay Christian Resources that functions as a Bible society. One woman requested and received a case of Bibles for Fort Benning soldiers about to leave for Iraq.

“This event was all about honoring the men and women serving in our armed forces and their families,” said Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI. “We were pleased to be able to provide the Holman CSB Military Bible, which is designed to meet the specific needs of military personnel, to anyone who asked for one.”

Former SBC President Bobby Welch, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and author of You, The Warrior Leader, published by B&H Publishing Group, spoke at a Sunday worship service and a men’s conference on Monday, where he read a letter of greeting from President George W. Bush.

“It’s just a joy to say ‘thank you’ to our vets,” Welch said. “If I could shake just three veterans hands, it would be worth the travel.”

Welch suggested people make a habit out of greeting soldiers with, “Welcome home! Thank you for your service to our country!” He also encouraged people to stay involved and committed, even when times get tough. “Never, never, never give up on America, no matter how bad it gets,” he said. “That’s the very time to make your life count.”

Freeman, who noted that the courteous Task Force Patriot volunteers in orange shirts were a testimony in themselves, is already making plans for next year’s Salute to the Troops. He is urging churches to find ways to connect better with soldiers and offering Task Force Patriot’s Web site, www.taskforcepatiot.com, as a resource.

“Events like this bring unity,” said Nancy McShane whose husband, Mike, served in the Air Force for 10 years. “It makes you feel appreciated for what your spouse did.”

“This type of event pulls people back toward patriotism,” Mike McShane added.

For James L. Reed, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received a Purple Heart, the highlight of the weekend was simply “people shaking my hand and congratulating me.”

Wiping away a tear in his eye, he added softly, “It’s very touching.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – LifeWay Christian Resources and Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI) have teamed with Task Force Patriot USA, General Motors Corporation, Stone Mountain Park and the United States Air Force to create a three-day event honoring active duty and veteran U.S. troops and their families.

Task Force Patriot Salute to the Troops, the largest Memorial Day Weekend event in the Atlanta area, will take place May 26-28 at Stone Mountain Park and is expected to draw more than 100,000 people.

Former SBC President Dr. Bobby Welch, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and author of You, The Warrior Leader, is one of the featured speakers.

During the weekend celebration, Holman Bible Outreach International will introduce its new paperback Holman CSB Military Bible and give away 3,000 copies to veterans and others. HBOI, an entity of LifeWay Christian Resources, functions as a Bible society to facilitate the distribution of the Holman Christian Standard Bible and to provide affordable Bibles and scripture portions for the purpose of evangelism and ministry.

“We are honored to be part of this great event and to provide the men and women who serve our nation with a Bible that is accurate and easy to understand,” said Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI. “The Holman CSB Military Bible is designed to meet the specific needs of military personnel and was created a format that is easy to carry.”

Task Force Patriot Salute to the Troops, which also is an official U.S. Air Force 60th anniversary event, will include daily activities such as spectacular flyovers by the U.S. Air Force, military bands, musicians, singers and military and civilian motivational speakers. Each evening guests can enjoy The Call to Freedom, a 2 ½ hour show that will combine live music, fireworks and flyovers with the park’s traditional laser show.

On Sunday evening guests can enjoy a free concert by country music artist Aaron Tippin. During the Gulf War in 1990, Tippin became the first singer to go to Saudi Arabia to entertain the troops, and in 2002 he went to Afghanistan. Since 2003, he has been making annual visits to American forces in Iraq and has become the spokesperson for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

There also will be a special presentation by founders of Wreathes Across America, an exhibit of vintage racing cars and a number of Air Force demonstrations including display aircraft, gyroscope rides, bomb disposal robots and a medical corps mobile museum. For more information about the weekend, visit www.stonemountainpark.com/salute.

New Growing Faith Translation to Be Launched in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 16, 2007) – The Luis Palau Association (LPA) has selected the Holman Christian Standard Bible’s “Gospel of John” translation for its Growing Faith study book for new and recommitted Christians. The Holman CSB translation of Growing Faith will be launched at the Luis Palau Nashville CityFest outreach May 19-20, and then be used in other Palau events throughout 2008 and beyond.

LPA will use more than 170,000 Holman CSB English copies plus 45,000 Spanish copies from La Biblia de las Américas, a contemporary Spanish translation of the Scriptures from the original languages. La Biblia de las Américas New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs will be available this summer through Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI).

Established by LifeWay Christian Resources in 2001, HBOI functions as a Bible society to facilitate the distribution of the Holman CSB and to provide affordable Bibles and scripture portions for the purpose of evangelism and ministry.

“A contemporary translation like the Holman Christian Standard Bible, which is clear yet totally faithful to the original language, is essential for someone who gives his or her life to Jesus Christ,” Luis Palau said. “It is the key to growing and maturing in one’s faith.”

“What an honor it is for a world-renown evangelist such as Luis Palau to choose the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation for Nashville CityFest follow-up materials,” said Phill Burgess, executive director of Holman Bible Outreach International. “Luis is a highly respected man of God who understands the importance of people having a clear and contemporary translation of the Bible that also is biblically accurate.”

According to Burgess, HBOI recently created a New Testament based on the Holman CSB translation called The Gift, which includes a 30-day devotional guide and brief contemporary statements that elaborate on key passages of scripture. The Luis Palau Association will use The Gift’s “Gospel of John” with its unique commentaries.

Twenty years in the making, the Holman CSB is the first major English translation of the Bible in this generation. It was translated directly from the original biblical languages, and combines a precise rendering of the biblical text with a reader-friendly style geared to contemporary English usage.

The Holman CSB seeks to reflect recent changes in English by using modern punctuation, formatting and vocabulary, while avoiding slang, regionalisms or changes made specifically for the sake of political or social agendas. Modern studies in linguistics have been incorporated into the Holman CSB, including modern grammar. The new translation also takes advantage of the latest advances in biblical scholarship and computer technology that were not available to previous translators.

The Holman CSB was created by Holman, America’s oldest Bible publisher and a division of Nashville, Tennessee-based B&H Publishing Group, which is owned by LifeWay. Since the release of the entire Holman CSB in 2004, it has become one of the best-selling Bible translations on the market.

Luis Palau has preached the gospel to more than one billion people worldwide through radio, television, print, the Internet and festivals. He has spoken in person—“face to face” before live audiences—to more than 25 million people. Whether on stage, through his radio messages heard daily in over 40 countries, or in counsel and prayer with leaders from the local church to the White House, Palau consistently remains one of the world's most effective and compelling spiritual communicators.

From his early days sharing the Gospel on the streets of Buenos Aires to the "Great Music & Good News" festival evangelism ministry that has had a positive impact on audiences around the globe, Palau has continually inspired the millions who have heard his message of faith and hope. He ranked #15 in The Church Report’s recent list of “The 50 Most Influential Christians in America.” For more information about Palau, visit www.palau.org.

For more information about HBOI visit www.holmanbibleoutreach.org.

Read the story at Baptist Press...

DAYTON, Ohio (Jan. 17, 2007) – Christmas day was a bit brighter for about 130 of Dayton, Ohio’s, poor and homeless who received a free copy of the Holman Christian Standard Bible at a Christmas service and breakfast sponsored by Target Dayton Ministries, a ministry focused on meeting intercity needs.

The Bibles were donated through LifeWay Christian Resources’ Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI), which provides discounted or free Bibles and Scripture portions for evangelism, mission projects and training.

“A homeless person has to carry his or her belongings everywhere.  It is amazing to see our friends continue to carry the Bibles they were given at Christmas everywhere they go,” said Pastor Mark Stevens who, together with his wife, Cindi, directs Target Dayton Ministries.

“We greatly appreciate Holman Bible Outreach International’s support. The beautiful Bibles they provided for our people were the greatest blessing to them,” he added.

Rhonda Sturgill, a volunteer with Target Dayton, contacted LifeWay in early December requesting Bibles to give away to the needy at Target Dayton’s morning service on Christmas Day.

“I had no idea how God was going to work this out…needless to say, it has increased my faith!” Sturgill wrote in a thank you note.

HBOI’s Sparrow Projects—which comes from the old hymn His Eye is On the Sparrow—was established to handle inquiries such as Sturgill’s from ministries and churches needing help. In 2006, more than 40 requests were met by HBOI.

“We were very pleased to provide these Bibles to such as worthwhile organization as Target Dayton Ministries,” said Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI. “Our whole reason for being as an organization is to get God’s word into the hands of men and women throughout the world who otherwise might not have ready access to it.”

Read the story at Baptist Press...

Three men in Dayton, Ohio, receive free Holman Christian Standard Bibles at a Christmas Day service.

By Russ Rankin
Mar 13, 2006

DEWEY, Okla. (BP)--On March 12, America was introduced to the White family, courtesy of ABC's hit show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and a brand new house. And LifeWay Christian Resources was there behind the scenes to help make it happen.

John White, a second-generation pastor in Dewey, Okla., was known as a tender pastor with a big heart and a big family. John, his wife, Danna, and their five children filled the parsonage of Bluestem Baptist Church and were known throughout the small community 45 minutes north of Tulsa as selfless people who exemplified the two greatest commandments: They loved the Lord and their neighbors.

In April 2005, joy turned to tragedy when John's earthly life ended with a massive heart attack on the day of his 19th wedding anniversary. Instead of a celebration, Danna was made a widow, and Sarah, 17, Esther, 16, Zeb, 15, Rebekah, 14, and Ruth, 13, lost their father.

With John's meager life insurance and some community fundraisers, Danna was able to purchase two old trailers. But with no carpet, power, working kitchen, heat, or even locks on the doors, the children often spent the colder nights at friends' homes just to stay warm.

“Danna has such amazing strength,” said Cindy White, who is married to John's brother, James. “It's been such a tough year, but [Danna] has always been such a welcoming and giving person. When you've got five kids at home ... they always had friends over, kids who didn't have a place to go. They always knew they'd find love at Danna's. Even with a two-bedroom house, there was always room for people to come.”

Despite the hardship of the past year, Danna continued to have a missionary's heart, expressing repeatedly on the March 12 show her desire to minister to others in need.

In the White family episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the design team led by Ty Pennington built on Danna's desire to be a ministry beacon in her community. Providentially, the show contacted LifeWay to play a special role in its plans to help stock a chapel being built inside the home.

Karin Jarlstedt, a design producer on the show, contacted Phill Burgess, executive director of LifeWay's Holman Bible Outreach International -– which facilitates the translation, production and distribution of affordable Bibles and Scripture portions for evangelism, mission projects and training.

Jarlstedt had an urgent request for Burgess: 50 pew Bibles and 50 Baptist Hymnals -– all embossed with “The White Family Chapel.” An additional 1,000 Bibles to give away to the volunteers would be great, she added, as would some new books to stock a library.

“And she needed them yesterday,” Burgess recalled with a laugh. “But after hearing the story of Danna White and her kids, we knew there was no way we couldn't participate in blessing this family.”

Just 48 hours after being contacted by the show, everything the producers asked for was headed to Tulsa on a LifeWay truck driven by Chad Price and Marcus Rich of LifeWay's logistics department. There, they joined Burgess and employees of the Tulsa LifeWay Christian Store.

Landon Gaines, manager of the Tulsa store, said it was gratifying to watch the show on Sunday night, knowing the intense amount of work that went into building a house in five days. Even though LifeWay's contribution didn't make it to the screen, the results nevertheless were gratifying, he said.

“Our mission was to be a part of this show and to have a hand in impacting this family in a very positive way,” Gaines said. “Even though we weren't shown, it feels rewarding to know our hard work and involvement will help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ for generations to come. By helping people to know Christ, our vision statement was fulfilled again through this event.”

Gaines added that the Tulsa store employees' involvement in the show has given them “a renewed sense of vision for our store and our purpose in the community.”

“We have had several opportunities to intensify our relationships with our customers and our community because of the show,” he said. “I had a customer remark that being a part of events like this is what life is all about. Through conversations like that, we have opportunities to show and tell them about our vision and commitment.”

“God's Word is transformational,” Burgess said, “and we could see Danna White's desire for a place to touch others with the love and truth of Christ.

“Our mission is to share Christ and provide biblical solutions for life,” Burgess continued. “The first thing we did as the onsite LifeWay team was resolve that it isn't about getting seen on camera; it's about playing a role in impacting a family and the countless others that they will touch with the love of Christ in the future.”

The LifeWay group began setting up the chapel at 10:30 p.m. the night before the project's completion. After unpacking boxes of books and Bibles and stocking shelves of the library, the LifeWay employees prayed together in the chapel, again committing the fruits of their effort to God.

“Her husband may have gone home, but Danna White's ministry is just getting started in a new way,” Burgess said. “LifeWay is blessed to have been able to come alongside her in this way. This is the perfect example of seeing where God is at work and joining Him there.

“We have no idea where this could lead and what impact this show will have,” he added. “God's Word does not return void, so we know something big will happen. I am so thankful we were able to play a role in helping this family make an impact in the community.”

Photos available at Baptist Press...