Helping the Tornado Victims in Moore, OK

Many of us feel a need to help in some tangible way. You are discouraged from self-deploying, or simply going down to help out. Quite frankly, you’ll most like just be in the way and become part of the problem.

The very best way to help is to pray! Pray for the ongoing rescue effort. Pray for the families who lost loved ones. Pray for the first responders and volunteers. Pray for God to be glorified in this tragedy.

In lieu of going, you can give. Everyone knows that the Red Cross provides meals to those in need during disasters. But did you know that the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief  (OK DR) is the organization that PREPARES a majority (if not all) of those meals?

OK DR is a volunteer based organization, but without the high priced CEOs that some of the relief organizations have been criticized for. The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma pays the modest salary of the director of OK DR, which is provided by Oklahoma Baptists.

When you give to OK DR, you can rest assured that 100% of your donation goes to relief efforts. Give at this link: http://www.okdisasterhelp.com/

Here in Wagoner, if you’d like to give goods, First Baptist Church is collecting items to give to victims.  They are currently asking for  bottled water, diapers, baby formula and baby wipes, and toiletries. Do not bring clothes!

Rather than duplicate the efforts of collecting and distributing, Immanuel Southern will be cooperating with FBC Wagoner. They are located at 401 NE 2nd, Wagoner, OK 74467.  Their phone is 918-485-2428.

If you’d like to go and physically do “hands-on” ministry, you are probably out of luck for this disaster.   Most disaster relief agencies, including OK DR,  require training. What you can do, however, is sign up with a disaster relief agency and be ready the next time a disaster strikes. Unfortunately, you probably won’t have to wait very long.

Missions Presentation at KBA

I was honored to serve as camp missionary this year again, at KBA.  Tuesday was about Thailand, Wednesday was about West Africa, Thursday was about China, and Friday was about Disaster Relief.

Dressed up in my Guinean Bu-bu

In my Disaster Relief Chaplain's Uniform

Ergun Caner Removed as Dean of Liberty University

Most people I know personally, don't know who Ergun Caner is and probably have only heard about Liberty University.  They don't know about any of this controversy, nor do they give a hill of beans about it.

I met Ergun Caner at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's State Evangelism Conference last January.  He seemed like a nice guy to me.

I first heard about him and his brother, Emir, back in 2002 or 03, when I attended a Global Impact Celebration at Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, when I was home on furlough from the IMB.  I was impressed when I heard one of them (I can't remember which) speak. 

Ergun's story is that he converted to Christianity in high school after having been trained in Turkey as a youth Islamic Jihadist.  His testimony in January was spellbinding and funny.

It has recently been alleged that many of the things he claimed may not be accurate.  In fact, it appears that he was raised in the US by a Christian mother and grandmother.  It appears that after 9/11, he fabricated a fantastic "testimony" that was used to sell books and book speaking venues.

Some bloggers have condemned him without a trial; others have sung his praises from the rooftops.

What these two groups of bloggers have in common is a mutual disrespect for each other as evidenced by the name calling and un-Christ-like accusations.

Frankly, it is embarrassing and shameful.

In any case, Ergun Caner is no longer President and Dean of the university.  He is being retained as a professor.

The official statement from the university says,

After a thorough and exhaustive review of Dr. Ergun Caner’s public statements, a committee consisting of four members of Liberty University’s Board of Trustees has concluded that Dr. Caner has made factual statements that are self-contradictory.

However, the committee found no evidence to suggest that Dr. Caner was not a Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager, but, instead, found discrepancies related to matters such as dates, names and places of residence.

The interesting point of the statement is that he "made factual statements that are self-contradictory."

This is a point of contention between the two sides.

The side that blindly follows Ergun says that they amount to no more than mis-statements.  The side that blindly disregards (for lack of a more accurate term) Ergun says that it is polite way to say that he lied.

I neither blindly follow Ergun or blindly disregard Ergun, but to me, there is no way in the world that any reasonable person could rationalize the testimony he has told as being simple "mis-statements."  To me, this is absurd and irresponsible.

I sincerely hope that Ergun Caner comes clean with the incredible claims he has made and is reconciled with the multitudes he has seemingly deceived.   Just as much, I sincerely hope that the two "sides" are able to moderate their emotions and begin to treat each other like brothers and sisters in Christ.

As I said in a comment on another blog, I don't have a dog in this fight.  But that is what this thing has degenerated into - a dog fight.

The worse part about it is that there are many lost people watching how Christians treat each other when they are in disagreement.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, THE WORLD IS WATCHING.  Please act like saved people instead of lost people.

Avery Willis

It was announced Monday that Avery Willis will be nominated for the President of the SBC. That excites me! He is a good man with a heart for God and missions. What a great president he will make!

A friend of mine, Micah Fries, created a "campaign" website for Avery here.