This week marked the completion of service for our intern, Jennifer Tramel. Jennifer served the communications department here at LifeWay with distinction and left a lasting impression on all of us. 

Here are a few words of reflection, encouragement and appreciation to Jennifer from our staff:

Rob Phillips, "One of the things I admire about Jennifer is her fearlessness, especially of technology. She has been instrumental in our team's venture into the social media, and she took the lead in our efforts to produce video features for the Web. I will never forget the day our new video camera arrived. I walked past jennifer's office and saw her sitting on the floor with all the accessories spread out in front of her. By the end of the day she had mastered the new camera and the editing software!"

Kelly Shrout, "Jennifer represents all that is good about Generation Y. Hush all the talk about how this generation is lazy, selfish and spoiled ... blah, blah, blah. It's just not true! Jennifer and many recent college graduates just like her are extremely hard working, responsible and willing to roll up their sleeves to make a difference in the world. It's so refreshing to hear Jennifer's new ideas and fresh vision in communications. More importantly, Jennifer has enriched my life during our chats about life, faith and the tribulation. I know Jennifer will succeed in her career. I also have no doubt she'll succeed in life. In fact, I've been super nice to her all along because I have a feeling in 15 years she might be my boss!"

Janet Sullivan, "She came to us first to help with our switchboard, right after she got through with college for the summer, 3 years ago. We got her due to her Aunt Karen, one of our retirees that helps with the switchboard. She has turned out to be one of the most gifted, talented, helpful persons, I've ever known. We've also become very best friends, that I hope to have forever! I know God has great plans for her, wherever she may go."

Donna Grace, "Jennifer is not afraid to try new things and is so patient with all of us as we try to get more 'technology-savvy.' She is not lazy. For the last 3 years, every summer, spring and fall break, Thanksgiving and Christmas was spent here at LifeWay helping us on the switchboard and as an intern ... and making money. God has a plan for Jennifer's life.  Even though she doesn't know what it is at this moment, He does. Hang in there, Jennifer."

Kent Harville, "I guess my most funny memory of Jennifer took place at Glorieta on our first and only assignment there together covering Collegiate Week. Jennifer suggested that we eat at a place called "Cowgirls," and though it sounds seamy, it was actually pretty tame and a good place to go for lunch. After being seated at a table outside on their dining patio, she commented on how tasty
the sweet potato fries were at this place and ordered some with her sandwich. The amount of fries that came on her plate could have very well sunk the Titanic! I was aghast when Jennifer ate
every last one of them. It's amazing how such a petite young lady can down so many fries in one setting! Jennifer, apparently quite happy with herself, sat back after finishing the last tiny piece of
burned crisp on the plate, and gave a big satisfied belch. OK, she really didn't belch, but she did have that glazed over but very content look one normally has following Thanksgiving dinner.

Jennifer, you have blessed us each day over the last few months with your gentle spirit and sweet personality, and we will truly miss you. Thank you for all the help and encouragement that you have been to me, as well as for everyone else in our department. You will go far with the talents and abilities God has given you. We will be praying for you."

Katie Shull, "I can say Jennifer has the cheerful, youthful enthusiasm we sometimes lack. She graciously tackled tasks and stories that a lot of people don't want to do. She always had a bright smile and great laugh. She really has a heart for telling the personal side of the stories behind the ministry. Her welcoming personality put interviewees at ease, and she is particularly good at interviewing children and young adults. I would encourage her to keep praying and waiting on God to direct her path, because although her future may be unclear to us -- I'm sure He has great plans for her."

Brooklyn Lowery, "I think Jennifer has the biggest heart I've ever had the pleasure of encountering. There really doesn't seem to be anything she wouldn't do to help someone out. Our trip to Glorieta in August '08 was full of fun memories -- like almost getting the car stuck in the mud during a torrential downpour the first night we were there (I don't think we were actually on a road), or our special lunch with a spud at the Cowgirl Bar & Grill. That's right, I will never again eat an ice cream baked potato without thinking of Jennifer.

Keep your head up and your eyes open, Jennifer. God has great things in store for you. I pray that He will guide you always, challenge you often enough to keep you humble, and bless you beyond your wildest dreams."

Micah Carter, "Although I haven't known Jennifer as long as the others, I can affirm all they've had to say about her. She is a bright, gifted, funny, hard-working and capable person, and I am confident that the Lord will use her for his glory in tremendous ways. Take care, Jennifer. Trust the Lord in this time of transition! You are in our thoughts and prayers."

This blog post is for you, Jennifer, even though others get to eavesdrop on our farewell. Hopefully, you have been blessed to hear these words of love and appreciation from us. We have been blessed by you in so many ways.

So with these things in mind, we say, "Thank you, Jennifer Tramel."

Staff Entry

In just a couple of days I'll be attending the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Catalyst, here's a descriptor of the event from their website:

The Catalyst Conference is the largest gathering of young leaders in the country ... it's a movement, a powerful convergence, a fully immersive learning, worship and creative experience loaded with the high octane energy of thousands of like-minded next generation leaders passionately pursuing God, and gathered together to exert influence in our generation. It is a leadership experience including powerful teaching, new voices, awe-inspiring worship, unmatched creativity, and missional stories of the Gospel being lived out.

LifeWay will be well-represented by Ed Stetzer, who is speaking both in a main session and in a lab. Should prove to be an interesting conference, with speakers ranging from Stetzer to Chuck Swindoll to Dave Ramsey to Rob Bell.

I'll blog about my experience at Catalyst later, so stay tuned ...

Entry by Micah Carter

Here is a photography technique that adds the “wow” factor to a photograph and moves it to another level – and it works especially well with subjects that have interesting, distinctive or recognizable shapes.

This technique involves the photographer intentionally under-exposing his subject against a bright background, thereby causing the main subject to appear as a dark silhouette in the photograph. The result is an added sense of mystery and drama to the image, or even a sense of doom or foreboding in some cases.

My photo subject above is of the famous Spasskaya Tower, also located on the Red Square near the St. Basil’s Cathedral, the subject of my last photo blog. The front gates of this very beautiful and ornate tower, built in 1491, serve as the main entrance to the Kremlin from the square and were once used for ceremonial processions. The tower has four magnificent clock faces on each side that were installed in 1850. A large star, added by the Soviets nearly a century later, adorns the top of the tower’s steeple.  

After taking the obligatory “postcard” photos of the tower, I changed my position in relation to it until the mid-morning sun was directly behind the tower’s steeple. With its ornate detail and the large distinct star on top, I knew that a silhouette image of the tower would make a dramatic, yet recognizable photograph. Because the tower was somewhat small in relation to the immense bright sky behind it, I moved a little more to the side of it, where I could include the front portico of St. Basil’s Cathedral as a foreground element, adding another distinctive structure of interest as well as depth to the photograph. I was careful to keep the sun completely behind and blocked by the tower to avoid camera flare when taking the picture.

To take a “silhouette” picture like this, set your camera in the program or auto mode, compose your image, focus, and trip the shutter. The camera should automatically expose for the very bright background, thereby causing your main subject in the foreground to underexpose to a silhouette. By adjusting the camera’s compensation dial to a plus or minus and re-shooting your subject, the exposure can be tweaked to make the silhouette a little darker with less detail, or a little lighter, allowing more detail to be seen in the subject. If shooting the picture with manual settings, simply set the correct exposure for the bright background, rather than your subject, and take the picture.

Photo and Entry by Kent Harville
Corporate Visuals Coordinator

13,000 people gathered in Atlanta for the 2009 Catalyst Conference. Photo from catalystcouch.com.

Wow.

As a first-time participant in the Catalyst experience, I can honestly say that I am impressed. I didn't really have any preconceived ideas or expectations about the event, so I was ready for anything. Here are some indelible impressions that remain with me as I recall Catalyst '09:

• Tremendous times of worship
• Encouraging and challenging messages (especially Louie Giglio!)
• Dave Ramsey stepping on my foot and falling into me with an awkward 'hug'
• Thoughtful, engaging labs
• Impressive creative genius
• Technological wizardry
• Professor Splash!

I attended the conference on assignment, but I received much more than just a story. I was bombarded with ideas about leadership, vision, culture, church planting, and missiology -- most of which I highly value and appreciate, and some that stretched me and challenged me.

All said, Catalyst was a tremendous experience! I know I'll be looking forward to next year's conference . . . and maybe Ed Stetzer will let me tag along again to get an insider's look onstage and backstage!

Entry by Micah Carter

Speaking of Stetzer, here's a great photo taken by Kent Harville of Stetzer offering his personal reflections and insights about church planting during one of the labs at Catalyst:

Alex Pott, a resident at a group home in Asheville, N.C., operated by the North Carolina Baptist Children's Homes, runs under a parachute during a game. Photo by James Yates.

This year LifeWay celebrates 30 years of special needs ministry. In 1979, the Sunday School Board began offering printed materials for teaching special needs learners. Over the past three decades, resources have been developed and adapted to the growing needs of churches seeking to minister to those with developmental and other special needs.

As I learned of this benchmark, I thought about friends of mine who have family members with special needs. I wondered what their experiences were like, especially with respect to the church, with a loved one who needed special attention and ministry. So I sent out an e-mail asking for some honest reflection and feedback about their experiences. Here are the responses I received from my friends Travis Fleming and Jason Elder to the following questions.

Tell me about your family history with a family member with special needs.

- Jason – When I was 12 my sister, Lori Beth, was born with Down Syndrome. The doctors didn’t diagnose it until she was 2 weeks old, so for her first month of life I remember our family being anxious about the diagnosis and prognosis, yet joyful over her. We were told she would never be able to feed herself. But this past year she graduated from high school.  Boy were they wrong! Within her first year she had heart surgery, several tests and scores of doctor visits. Here my parents were, in their mid-40s, with three children ranging from a 22-year-old to this newborn, but they were resilient.

This experience brought our family together. Lori’s birth and difficulty created more love in our family. Lori is one of the most social people you will meet. When I go home to visit now she is the most famous person around. Store vendors know her from her volunteering with her community center. Students know her from her former high school and Special Olympics competitions. Others know her from church. Each time we are out with her in town we see the goodness of God as all of these people have accepted her at one level or the other. My parents disciplined her and guided her, but also allowed her to grow up and have some independence. It has been paid back with friendships, laughter and a joyful time for Lori.

- Travis – My younger sister, Joy Faye, is 32, and she was born with Down Syndrome. She is the third of four siblings in my family. Neither one of my parents had been exposed to Down's children before Joy was born. In fact, they did not know she had Down's until she was born. One of the doctors asked my parents if they wanted to put her up for adoption, but my folks thought he was crazy. Of course, they would keep Joy and love her just like the rest of their children.

It rocked their world at first – the questions that hit most parents who have special needs children: "Why does my child have to suffer? Did we do something wrong? Is God punishing us?"

Just because a parent asks these questions does not mean that they love their child any less. Parents need to know that it is okay to cry out to God; they need to know that Creator God is our refuge and our source of comfort. God's peace or presence does not leave his children even during a season where we have some hard questions to ask. God, however, through His mercy and grace granted my parents, in particular my mother, the wisdom to realize that they were chosen to have Joy because God knew they would love her unconditionally. I know that in my own life, when I was in elementary school, I didn't want my friends to know my sister had Down's for fear that they would make fun of her. I wanted to protect her. I love my sister, and I am still protective of her. But I've learned that only ignorant people make fun of the disabled. Most people love her for who she is!

What is your experience with churches that have members with special needs? Positive or negative?

- Jason – I remember our pastor visiting a lot, praying for our family and loving us. Our local church welcomed Lori and integrated her into every aspect. The kids her age have always spent time with her, befriended her and included her in prayer, games and regular life kinds of things. I have been on staff of churches with those with varying degrees of handicaps. The most impressed I have been is when a person will simply talk to the person with a disability as they would anyone else. There might be some awkward moments of misunderstanding, but they are talking with someone who is loved and treasured – by a mom, dad or sibling, and especially by their Creator.

- Travis – The people in the churches we have been a part of through the years have loved Joy and allowed her to be herself. However, the church we grew up in was a small church which did not have a program for Joy or other disabled individuals. Now, however, Joy and my parents are part of a church in Greenville, S.C., that has a special needs ministry called Noah's Ark. I think a lot of churches miss the mark on having a special needs ministry. There are scores of parents who need a church that can offer their child or their adult child an opportunity to be loved by God's grace through worship and through contextualized teaching for them.

Were your churches aware of resources that assist churches in ministering to these members?

- Jason – I don’t think a lot of churches are aware of these helpful resources, which is unfortunate. I find that most people want to love and minister in practical ways. The heart is there, but the education is not there to help the person feel competent as they minister or simply live life with the disabled. To me, it has never been an issue of heart or compassion, but more of an issue of confidence that only comes from equipping.

- Travis – The church I grew up in, I would say no. As for the church I pastor now, I would also say no for the general body. I am aware that if we could start a ministry I could do the research and find what is available. As far as what LifeWay has to offer, no, I am not fully aware of what we have to offer.

How do you currently minister and serve those with special needs? How should the church reach out and minister to people with these needs, and in what ways?

- Jason – I was once on staff of a church that met at our city’s only park and recreation center for disabled adults. We would frequently go in for meetings and would talk to some needy adults there. Often times, the church might try to duplicate a ministry that is already existing and thriving within their own community. I love it when Christians just come along side of existing works, not to take over, but to come under and serve. It is wonderful to sprinkle the good news in that way.

I would also say that there needs to be a point where we change our mindset and instead of saying, “How do I minister to them?” wesay, “How can we minster along with them?” This is about a mindset that says that everyone is a part of the church, everyone contributes something because everyone is gifted by God. I have a friend, Daniel, who was born with cerebral palsy. I met him two years ago. He spends his days downtown talking with business owners and neighbors, sharing the gospel with them. When we are together, the joy of the gospel is overflowing from him. He’s loud and has little control over his arms, so he flails. He is difficult to understand, but very articulate. He is so bold and lives his life with a focus on living, breathing and preaching that Christ is the cure for racial tension. His church has come along side of him and supports him in this ministry. Daniel is gifted and his church is blessed by it. Moreover, God is gaining glory for Himself through physical brokenness and spiritual vibrancy.

- Travis – Offer events and activities which they can relate to, and give other church members the opportunity to love on and reach out to special needs persons. They are still created in God's image, and God loves them. We should go out of our way to reach out to "the least of these."

I am so thankful for these first-person reflections on special needs ministry. While the Lord may not entrust your biological family with those with special needs (like the families of Jason and Travis), he might entrust your church family with the opportunity to reach out to, serve, minister to and minister with members of the special needs community. Hopefully, God is reminding you to remember those special people among you or around you, for His glory and their good!

Entry by Micah Carter

For more on special needs ministry resources, click here.

Lillian Bingham, wife of Senior Pastor Lincoln Bingham, enthusiastically leads the music for the Sunday morning worship service at St. Paul Baptist Church at Shively Heights (Louisville, Ky.)

I took this photo Oct. 18, which was Harvest Sunday at the church. That day the congregation celebrated the 50th anniversary of the predominantly white Shively Heights Baptist Church, and the 120th anniversary of the predominantly African-American St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. The two churches merged into one on the last Sunday of August this year, so this was also a celebration of their new joint anniversary. 

Lead Pastor Mark Payton, who co-pastors the St. Paul church with Bingham, is the former pastor of the Shively Heights congregation. To read more about this church and the work it is doing, check out "LifeWay's urban curriculum works for church in transition."

Entry and photo by Kent Harville,
Visuals specialist

Photo by Kent Harville, LifeWay's corporate visuals coordinator.

Kent Harville is a great photographer. I've enjoyed getting to know him personally, as well as professionally. From time to time, Kent will provide a photo blog for us, giving us amatuer or unexperienced photographers some expert knowledge behind the 'what' and 'how' of some of his photos -- like this one or this one.

The picture above was taken by Kent while he was on assignment in Kentucky. He and his wife stopped by Southern Seminary (my alma mater!) to check out the campus. As you'd expect, Kent found the opportunity to snap some nice photos while he was there.

Kent commented how beautiful the campus was, and I agreed. I love the rich, vibrant colors of the spring and fall seasons, as the photo implies. If you ever have the chance to visit Louisville, Kentucky, don't pass up a stop at SBTS -- and make sure you visit the bookstore!

I'm glad Kent took this picture and I'm nostalgic as I look at it. I'm reminded of my time on campus as a student (almost a decade), passing through many changing seasons. And I'm thankful for God's wisdom, creativity, and power that brings about change -- in seasons and in life.

Entry by Micah Carter (SBTS grad '02 and '08)

Talking about Halloween with most Christians is about as volatile as talking about Calvinism -- there are strongly held beliefs on both sides of the issue and typically there is more "heat than light" in the rhetoric of diverse opinions!

The spectrum of opinion varies from total acceptance of Halloween festivities to total rejection. In between are those who enjoy pillaging neighbors' homes to satisfy a sweet tooth to cautious parents wanting their kids to have good, clean fun to others turning the event into an evangelistic opportunity.

I suspect that most Christians don't have a clue about the origins of Halloween. Even more, I suspect that many just want their kids to experience the kind of fun they had as kids growing up. Many Christians believe that one can observe Halloween without embracing satanism or evil or darkness. After all, who wouldn't shovel truckloads of candy into the bag of that sweet little princess or tiny Superman or the little G.I. Joe standing in your doorway?

At the same time, there is an excellent opportunity to take a worldly tradition and use it to reach people for Jesus Christ, a.k.a., the Harvest Festival. Many churches seek to offer an alternative to the dark, evil, scary practices of Halloween by providing a family-friendly event designed to impact their communities with the gospel. Great idea, don't you think?

Still, this issue is not decided on the cuteness of trick-or-treaters or the missional concern of churches alone. There is often a mixed response -- a best of both worlds position, if you will. For many, harvest festivals allow kids (and adults, I guess) to dress up, pilfer candy and goodies, participate in cake walks, and at the same time provide an opportunity to talk with a lost neighbor about Christ, the Light of the world that overcomes the darkness.

Let me conclude by pointing you to a few resources that might provoke your thinking on this issue a little more. Be safe this Halloween. And be a witness for Christ!

Resources:

Trick or Treat? How should parents respond to Halloween? by Steve Russo

Consider these halloween alternatives by Carolyn Ross Tomlin

Christian, don't be 'afraid' to share Christ at Halloween by Bob Nigh

Christianity and the Dark Side: What about Halloween? by Albert Mohler

Entry by Micah Carter