"I know there are other ways of doing missions, but there is no better way than the Cooperative Program. I'm talking to you as a former missionary. The Cooperative Program is the most effective way to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why we're involved with it. We're a missions-minded church."

Calvin Wittman, pastor of Applewood Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and former IMB missionary to Spain

"Another reason I'm a Southern Baptist and I want to be a Southern Baptist is for missions based on the Cooperative Program. Individual churches should do their own missions, but I think what one church can do is so limited. But together with all Southern Baptist churches and IMB [International Mission Board] and NAMB [North American Mission Board], that's really working better and working continually. It doesn't stop."

David Gill, pastor of Concord Korean Baptist Church in Martinez, California

"To have 250 souls saved in one weekend is no small thing. That was a very good weekend for San Diego."

Dwight Simpson, director of missions for the San Diego Southern Baptist Association commenting on the success of the I.C.E strategy in a city known for it's spiritual climate of indifference

"We believe our primary purpose is to reach people for Jesus. We want to do that on a local level, individual level, national level and international level, and the best tool to do that is the Cooperative Program."

Ray Sikes, pastor of First Baptist Church, Choctaw, Oklahoma

Source: Baptist Press

Church members in the U.S. are giving a smaller percentage of income to the local church than in previous years, according to a report released by Empty Tomb, Inc. The Illinois-based Christian research organization found that total contributions decreased from 3.11% of income in 1968 to 2.59% in 2003, which is a decline of 17% in the portion of income donated to the church, the report said. Only 9% of born again Christians tithed to churches in 2004, according to a recent study by Barna research.

Americans gave $91 billion in cash donations to charity in 2003, but if church members had given 10% of their incomes, the total would include an additional $156 billion to be used through churches.

The survey of 28 Protestant denominations representing 146,000 of the total estimated 350,000 congregations in the United States found that for each dollar donated to a congregation, denominations spent only 2 cents on overseas missions in 2003, down from 7 cents in the 1920s.

Source: www.emptytomb.org and Barna Research

The Sandwich generation

More Americans are feeling the affects of caring for aging parents while meeting the needs of dependent children. Nearly 45 million Americans are caring for ailing adult family members. More than 60% of these caregivers are women. The majority of female family caregivers are working women, often with children under 18.

Source: Parade, October 9, 2005

By the numbers

95% Percentage of African-American college students who believe in God, according to the recent study "The Spiritual Life of College Students" by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute

76% Percentage of white students who believe in God

The study of more than 100,000 students at 236 colleges and universities found that African Americans were far more engaged with religion and spirituality than other students.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2005

Purpose and a cup of coffee

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, is utilizing another innovative method of ministry: putting Bible-based quotes on Starbucks coffee cups.

Warren will be part of Starbucks' campaign called "The Way I See It," which is a collection of thoughts, opinions and expressions provided by notable figures that now appear on the chain's coffee cups. In the spring, some cups will begin featuring one of his quotes:

"You are not an accident. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He wanted you alive and created you for a purpose. Focusing on yourself will never reveal your real purpose. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny."

The quote will mark the first mention of God in the Starbucks quote campaign, and some people are questioning whether it's appropriate to mix marketing and religion.

Source: pastors.com

Window to the womb

An unborn baby's heart begins to beat 18 days after conception, and his fingerprints are completely established during the fourth week of development in his mother's womb.

More than 75% of women in a crisis pregnancy choose life when given the opportunity to see a sonogram of the baby they're carrying. "Pregnant mothers who see their babies on sonograms are going to be far more likely to carry their baby to term," said Richard Land, president of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "Ultrasound machines save babies' lives."

Of course, this is only possible when women can go to a pregnancy resource center with an ultrasound machine. Land estimates that less than 33% of all U.S. centers have access to ultrasound technology and a trained operator on site.

The ERLC has partnered with The Heidi Group for the Psalm 139 Project in an effort to put sonogram machines in pregnancy care centers across the nation. For more information about how your church can help save lives, call the ERLC at 800-475-9127 or go to www.psalm139project.org.

Source: SBC Life, January 2006

this & that

Generation Wired

Got Internet? Most teens do: 87% of 12- to 17-year-olds have Internet access, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2004. That's a lot more than the 66% of American adults who are wired. Teens are almost twice as likely to use instant messaging than adults: 75% of teens IM compared with only 42% of adults. And older teen girls (ages 15-17) are the most frequent Internet and cell-phone users. Other teen online activities on the rise are Internet gaming, shopping and locating health information.

Though not limited to teens, 64% of American Internet users (about 184 million) have used the computer for religious purposes, including sending or receiving spiritually related e-mails, reading about religious events, checking service dates and times and sharing prayer requests.

Source: www.pewinternet.org

Teens on mission

Have your youth ever been on a World Changers project or other mission trip? About 29% of all American teens (ages 13-17) have participated in a religious mission trip or service project at least once in their lives, according to the National Study of Youth and Religion. 18% have been on two or more trips, and 10% have served on three or more mission trips. How does that compare with teens reaching out in their own homes, schools and communities?

56% of Southern Baptist teens shared their faith with another person in the last year. SBC teens who participated in organized volunteer or community service work equaled 32%, while 44% reported directly helping homeless people, needy neighbors, friends or family in need. Not bad numbers overall, but they could be better. Maybe it's time to encourage your students to share their faith at school or make plans to go on a summer mission trip.

Sources: "NSYR Releases Major Report on Protestant Teens," "Portraits of Protestant Teens," Phil Schwadel and Christian Smith, National Study of Youth and Religion, www.youthandreligion.org, 2005 and Go! magazine, 2006

There's a new kind of spirituality, and it's coming to an organic food or aromatherapy store near you. What is influencing Hollywood stars and Wal-Mart shoppers alike? It's called metrospirituality, and chances are you already know someone who leads the life of a metrospiritual. Gwyneth Paltrow, Richard Gere and Donna Karan are all metrospirituals. The salesperson who helps you pick out the perfect blend at Teavana probably is. And the neighbor across the street who's gone Feng Shui. Are you? Do you go out of your way to buy organic food? Have you tried yoga or belly-dancing recently? Are you attracted to traditional crafts from other cultures? Have you thought about buying a hybrid car for its environmental benefits? Is there a certain aromatherapy scent that brings you comfort, especially in candle form? If most of your answers are yes, then you might count yourself among the growing number of metrospirituals-the kinder, gentler post-Yuppies who want to treat the earth and native cultures with respect, connect with their inner source and inspiration, test their bodies and expand their minds with ancient physical practices-and do it all with serious style. Metrospirituality is the mainstreaming of Taoist, Buddhist and Hindu values, among others, into an easily digestible, buyable form. Metrospirituals are searching for a connection to the planet and to each other. They're trying to fill the need for epiphany, connection or salvation with a luxury consumer product or experience.

Source: Beliefnet.com, "Riding the Metrospiritual Wave" by Ariana Speyer

What do your teens believe?

Religion is important to the vast majority of American teens, but most have a hard time expressing their beliefs and the difference their beliefs make in their lives. This info comes from the four-year National Study of Youth and Religion that included interviews with 3,370 randomly selected teens. Some of the findings include:

80%  identify themselves as Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Mormon or Jewish

82%  say they belong to a local church congregation

80%  had few or no doubts about their beliefs in the past year

71%  feel close to God

65%  prayed alone at least a few times a week

61%  definitely believe in miracles from God

52%  attend worship two or three times a month

Positive stats. But the downside is that most of the teens couldn't describe clearly or deeply what they believe-an important aspect of being able to share their faith with others.

Source: "Religion Matters to Teens, Study Says," Richard N. Ostling, Associated Press, 2005