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THIS WEEK IN AG HISTORYBY DARRIN J. RODGERS

Born into an evangelical Methodist family, Joe Conlee was brought up in church. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree from a Methodist seminary. He married a Christian woman and accepted a small parish. But Conlee’s heart was conflicted. In seminary, his professors taught him that much within the Bible was mere superstition. He drifted away from the faith of his youth. Unable to stand his own hypocrisy, he resigned his pastorate. Conlee’s wife prayed daily for her husband, who had become a drunk. In 1897, Conlee ventured to Alaska. In Alaska, Conlee shared a cabin with two men. Bored, they began

reading a Bible that Conlee had. After months of Bible reading, the three men confessed to each other their desperation for God. They got on their knees and prayed until they felt something happen on the inside of them. Conlee returned to California in 1898 — an answer to his wife’s prayers. He identified with the Pentecostal movement and ultimately became dean of a Bible college. His testimony was widely distributed in the form of a tract, “The Lonely Cabin on the Forty Mile,” which was published by Gospel Publishing House. Read this 1936 edition of the Evangel online at s2.ag.org/dec191936.

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A COLLECTION OF THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES FROM PENEWS.ORG

SUNDAY,DEC. 20, 2015

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At first, Pastor Wendell Johnson thought the call from the alarm company on Oct. 30 was a false alarm. But the words “indication of an active fire” at Lancaster (Kentucky) First Assembly sent him hurrying to the church, where several fire crews were already on site. The church’s six-year-old family life center was in midst of an intense fire emanating from the center’s kitchen. Johnson says more than half of the building will have to be gutted and rebuilt. Initially Johnson thought it might be a matter of a few weeks before the congregation could return to the sanctuary building, but smoke, soot, and insurance issues have kept the congregation of 200 out of both buildings for more than six weeks. Yet even all these challenges, the church is going on with its biggest outreach event — the Great Bike Giveaway. Johnson explains: “We contact our county (Garrard) school officials and neighboring Lincoln County school officials and ask them each for a list of 50 of their neediest children,” Johnson says, “because we want to buy them a bike for Christmas.” Johnson says the those at the church work all year to raise money to purchase 100 20-inch bicycles. Once children are identified, the church works through the schools to get parents a letter explaining the gift. All parents need to do is register at the church, attend the Sunday morning service, and receive a free bike. Johnson says, “We pray that when they leave the church service that day, they’ll also leave with Jesus in their hearts — and He’s the greatest gift they could ever have.”

When Assemblies of God North Texas District Superintendent Rick Dubose heard of the need to house a minimum of 500 detained Central American youth who had crossed into the U.S. illegally, he thought of a refugee baby from two millennia ago. While Joseph and Mary had difficulty finding a spot to encamp for the birth of Jesus, Dubose didn’t want teenagers who had trekked hundreds of miles from their homelands to be turned away. With little advance notice, the North Texas District agreed to provide sleeping accommodations at district campground cabins as well as food for at least 500 undocumented immigrants, ages 12 to 17, for up to three weeks. The youth came across the border from Mexico, although none in this group are Mexican. Nearly all of them are from the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. In the past, North Texas District’s offers to help with immigration influxes have been declined. Last week,

however, agencies came calling. Border Patrol took legal control of the unaccompanied kids after they crossed into the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. In conjunction with U.S. Health and Human Services, Baptist Child and Family Services is responsible for virtually all programming for the immigrants, as well as supplying around 215 adult support staff, including counselors and medical personnel. Dubose quickly agreed to lodge the refugees at the district’s Lakeview Camp and Retreat Center near Waxahachie. District offices are located across the road. “These are hurting kids who have sad stories,” Dubose says. “They have experienced horrific abuse, neglect, and gang warfare.” Between 40 and 60 percent of those who are being processed will likely end up being sent back to their country of origin, Dubose says. But in the intervening three weeks, they must be fed and housed. “For just a little while, we have the

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FIRE DOES NOT STOP CHURCH FROM CHRISTMAS MINISTRYBY DAN VAN VEEN

NORTH TEXAS HAS ROOM AT THE INNBY JOHN W. KENNEDY

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During the past 15 years, two proud parents have watched all seven of their sons receive the pinnacle award in the Royal Rangers program. Steve Butler, a retired Air Force colonel, and his wife Kathy live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their seven sons, who range in age from 15 to 28, have each earned the Gold Medal of Achievement. The Butlers discovered Royal Rangers while attending Radiant Church in Colorado Springs in 1991. Due to Steve’s Air Force assignments, the family moved frequently from 1985 until his retirement in 2012, and Steve says Royal Rangers gave his sons a way to consistently find friends. “Finding a Christ-centered Boy Scout-like program was very appealing to us,” Steve says. “Regardless of where we went, if there was an Assemblies of God church with a Ranger outpost, it gave the boys an immediate set of friends and a rapport there.” Butler says his sons often would help each other through the program, and a little competition — he calls it the

“brother factor” — helped motivate the younger ones. To earn the GMA, a ranger must complete a combination of skill merits, Bible merits, leadership merits, and a capstone project. Karl Fleig, national Royal Rangers director, says earning the GMA takes commitment. He says less than five percent of all rangers complete it. “As they’re going through this, they’re learning skills, they’re learning Scriptures, and they’re learning leadership,” Fleig says. “A boy who goes through the GMA is on a very established track of mentorship.” Today, four of the Butler boys are pursuing careers in the Air Force. Zachery, 28, is a combat rescue officer. Joshua, 27, is an F-16 pilot, and Jeremey, 24, is in pilot training. Nathaniel, 21, is in his sophomore year at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Samuel, 18, Caleb, 16, and Seth, 15, are still in high school. The only girl among the children,12-year-old Danielle, has received the Honor Star award through National Girls Ministries.

Assemblies of God youth pastors and leaders have a recurring challenge — finding Pentecostal materials that address biblical issues for teens. Recently, National Girls Ministries provided a solution by releasing their Friends unit materials, in English and now in Spanish, as journal booklets that cover specific topics. “Obviously, our focus in Girls Ministries is girls,” says NGM Director Mandy Groot. “But the Friends units can easily be adapted for mixed groups in the middle school through high school age range as they deal with issues most teens face in life.” Groot says each of the six booklets contains four units. Each unit provides six weeks’ worth of materials, but can be condensed. Themes include Building Your Character, Growing in God, Making Right Choices, Knowing Your World, Developing Life Skills & Relationships, and Dealing with Hot Topics. Groot adds that it’s important to note that all Friends materials are now available in Spanish. Efraim Espinoza, AG Hispanic Relations director, says the Spanish translation of the Friends materials has been highly anticipated by girls ministries leaders, with the pamphlets being a welcomed option for Hispanic youth leaders as well.

Northwest University (AG) in Kirkland, Washington, has received a grant of $427,345 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish the new Summer Journey program through the soon-to-be-formed Center for Calling and Theological Formation. The grant is part of Lilly Endowment’s High School Youth Theology Institutes initiative, which seeks to encourage young people and develop their faith. Following a planning year, the Summer Journey will launch in 2017 on the Seattle-area campus of Northwest University. High school juniors and seniors will be invited to apply to the program beginning in fall 2016. While there, they will engage in theological reflection on how God’s story intersects their lives and their sense of God’s calling. This will take place through interactive and recreational activities, lecture/discussion sessions, formative worship opportunities, service projects in greater Seattle, and a focused wilderness experience in the Cascade Mountains. After completing the 10-day experience, the students will return to their congregations and youth ministries with a new ability to articulate their sense of vocation and its implications in their churches, communities, and beyond.

SIBLINGS REACH RANGER PINNACLEBY IAN RICHARDSON

NGM MATERIALS NEWLY ADAPTEDBY DAN VAN VEEN

NORTHWEST U. RECEIVES GRANTBY DAN VAN VEEN

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U.S. Assemblies of God General Superintendent George O. Wood is among the 30 signatories of a letter urging Secretary of State John Kerry to include Christians among the pending State Department designation of those classified as targets of Islamic State genocide. The State Department is mulling the imminent designation of Yazidis, an ethnic people concentrated in the Nineveh Province of Iraq, as a targeted group of genocide committed by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The 30 leaders – from Christian denominations, human rights groups, and academic ranks – who sent the letter to Kerry on Dec. 4 asked that Christians also be considered a

targeted genocide group by ISIS. “Christians are being persecuted in the Middle East and our government should do all it possibly can to advocate for and protect the freedom of Christians so that they may live in peace and be able to practice their faith without harassment, discrimination, displacement, restriction or persecution,” Wood says. The letter declares that Christian minorities in Iraq and Syria are being pursued for eradication in their ancient homelands, solely because of their religious beliefs. The signers asked that a small delegation from their alliance be allowed to meet with Kerry to explain the atrocities that have been committed against Christians in the region.

opportunity to give them the gospel and show them the love of Jesus,” Dubose says. “Scripture teaches us to take care of widows, orphans, and sojourners, and they qualify on two out of three.” Safety won’t be a problem, according to Ellis County Sheriff Johnny Brown. At a press conference, Brown explained that off-duty deputies are being paid around-the-clock to patrol the campgrounds and keep order. The first immigrants began arriving on Dec. 11. Under a reimbursement agreement, the North Texas District doesn’t expect to be out any funds for the benevolence. “How could we not do this?” Dubose asks. “It would be a missed opportunity

if we didn’t allow them to come. The Lord teaches to whom much is given, much is required.” The modern, nearly 400-acre campground allows for the feeding of 800 people at a time and has overall sleeping accommodations for 1,000. The complex includes a gymnasium, soccer field, and classroom space. The fewest denominational events are scheduled at the facilities each December and January. “Not many organizations have the ability to bring such a large number in,” Dubose says. “We’ve got to take care of these kids. Society may not like what we’re doing, but the Lord is pleased.”

LEADERS SEEK GENOCIDE DESIGNATION BY JOHN W. KENNEDY

Half of the 200 people who regularly attend Calvary Christian Center in Louisville, Kentucky, are immigrants. But the concern for those from overseas isn’t confined to inside the church. Lead Pastor Darren Micah Lewis and his wife, Jenna, started a ministry called Mission 1:27 (based on James 1:27), which has become the sanctioned orphan care and adoption advocacy outreach of the Kentucky Ministry Network. The couple adopted their younger daughter Joy from the Philippines three years ago. In the past five years, Mission 1:27, with support from district churches, has worked with a dozen Assemblies of God World Missions personnel in raising $40,000 in emergency funds. For example, Mission 1:27 is in an ongoing relationship with orphanages in Cambodia and the Philippines to send money and supplies. The ministry likewise provided Christmas dinner for a boy’s home in Mexico, a Royal Rangers camping equipment project in Russia, and a women’s pregnancy care center in Romania. Nathan Turney, director of Asia’s

Little Ones, has worked with Lewis for three years. “Darren has become a point person for developing a network and advocating for the needs of orphans,” Turney says. “It’s a great model for advocacy: sharing needs in your circle of influence and then gathering resources.” Lewis says he knew if the church wanted to attract immigrants, intentional steps needed to be taken. “We began to actively pray for nations in every service,” Lewis recalls. “We ask God to send the nations here.” Fourteen flags hang in the sanctuary to represent the homelands of those who have made CCCAG their church. The largest group, around 50, is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They meet for a Lingala-language service on Saturday evening and join the English-speaking main congregation on Sunday morning. Last month, CCCAG started a Saturday evening Spanish-language service led by Cuban pastors. Both congregations are Parent Affiliated Churches.

CHURCH HAS HEART FOR ORPHANSBY JOHN W. KENNEDY