Carter Offering: Promotional Resources
If you are planning to promote the Carter Offering at your church or within your small group, you can use the text below in bulletins, newsletters or other printed materials. If you need additional information on the Offering, contact Jeremy Lewis or Patricia Heys.
Deciding What to 'Be'
The Carter Offering for Religious Freedom and Human Rights
Deciding what you want to be is not easy in some parts of our world. By virtue of where you are born, your culture dictates what you will be: Shia, Christian, Kurd, Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox. It’s not a matter of choice. The Carter Offering at this year’s General Assembly in Memphis, Tenn., will be shared with the European Baptist Federation, whose work promotes the idea of religious freedom in the Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe. Learn more about the Offering at www.thefellowship.info/carteroffering.
The Carter Offering for Religious Freedom and Human Rights
The European Baptist Federation works with governments and leaders to promote religious human rights for all their country’s citizens, not just Baptists, believing that where religious freedom exists, human rights can flourish. Help the world’s citizens be free to hear the words of Christ and practice being the presence of Christ without discrimination, persecution, or oppression. Give to the works of the European Baptist Federation through the 2008 Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Offering for Religious Freedom and Human Rights at this summer’s General Assembly.
'We had 200 in worship today, despite the traffic delays.'
It's not a surprising statement, until you learn that the city church is a Middle Eastern Baptist church whose “traffic delays” are roadblocks, reminders of an ongoing war. Despite unsafe conditions, the Baptist church has grown into its own building, with women’s groups and youth activities, and even the hope of a church start on the other side of the river.
In order for Christian believers to safely worship, the European Baptist Federation continually lobbies with government officials and state religious leaders, to help them come to an understanding of the need for basic human rights, such as freedom of belief and worship.
Prepare to support the work of European Baptist Federation through the 2008 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Offering for Religious Freedom and Human Rights this summer at the CBF General Assembly in Memphis, Tenn.
Searching for a safe place to worship
A young woman in Eastern Europe ducks into a church doorway whose entrance is lined with books and Bibles. In her primarily Muslim country, this church is allowed, but barely tolerated, and not recognized. Tonight, she and others are attracted by the shiny stars decorating the tree outside, as the believers within prepare for a Christmas celebration.
"May I wear sports clothes here?” she asks. She feels her parents won’t be suspicious if she heads for the park on a Sunday; she can safely spare an hour or so for Christian communion if she can do so in her casual clothes.
The European Baptist Federation works to grow the concept of human choice in religious worship, a tenet that helped form the Baptist church hundreds of years ago. While it is a given for us in America, elsewhere – in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East – being “the presence of Christ” is still a fearful way to live.
Support the European Baptist Federation's work on behalf of religious liberty with your gifts to the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Offering for Religious Freedom and Human Rights at this summer’s General Assembly. The offering will be part of the General Session on Thursday and Friday nights. Please prepare, pray and plan to give in this special offering and encourage other free and faithful Baptists to do so as well.