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"These calls are not being made to inform people that they are being fired. Avery is seeking to counsel missionaries and persuade them to make the affirmation," Meador said. "Everyone was asked a year ago to decide whether or not they would make this affirmation."

Then there's the report from Associated Baptist Press, an independent news service that often goes to great lengths to show that it's not controlled by the Southern Baptist leadership:

Some international missionaries supported by donations from Southern Baptist churches are getting "the call." But this call, they contend, is not from God.

Instead, the calls are being made by Avery Willis, senior vice president for overseas operations with the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. … The stress of the situation is taking a toll on missionary families, however, reported one relative of a missionary couple who refuse to sign. The stateside relative told of a missionary child who has developed physical symptoms of anxiety because of the stress the parents are under.

So far, at least 32 missionaries have resigned instead of signing the statement.

Christians held in Zimbabwe:

• Lutherans: Charges dropped against workers in Zimbabwe | Still likely to be deported for visa violations (Reuters)
  
  
• Detained aid workers freed (AFP)
  
  
• Earlier: Church workers and journalist detained in Zimbabwe | Zimbabwean authorities detained five foreign Lutheran church workers and a local journalist in a rural hotel today on suspicion that they violated the nation's stringent security laws, the workers said (Associated Press)
  
  
• Also: Church workers to be charged in Zimbabwe | Five foreign Lutheran church workers, including an American, have been put under house arrest and are expected to be charged for violating Zimbabwe's media laws and immigration regulations, diplomats said Monday (Associated Press)
  
  
• Also: Foreigners still detained (The Daily News, Harare, Zimbabwe)

Faith-based funding:

• Mentor program primed for growth | Jeb Bush wants to involve churches in mentoring (Tallahassee Democrat)
  
  
• Also: Gov. Bush wants churches involved in finding mentors (Associated Press)
  
  
• Faith-based initiative has its advocates | The President's faith-based initiative is coming to Memphis, whether you like it or not (David Waters, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis)
  
  
• Some see hope, but others fear trouble in faith-based plan | U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Newport News, can see the employment ads now: "Catholics and Jews need not apply." (Daily Press, Hampton Roads, Va.)
  
  
• 'Faith-based' policies gaining ground in states | Florida and other states are rapidly jumping onto a conservative pro-family bandwagon being made possible through "faith-based" initiatives at the White House (Women's Enews)
  
  
• When church and state mix | Civil liberties and churches alike are threatened by ever-expanding faith-based initiatives (Geov Parrish, Workingforchange.com)
  
  
• Leap of faith | In our brief three centuries, we have built a sad legacy of religious intolerance. Let's not make it a new government policy (Editorial, The San Francisco Examiner)
  
  
• Constitution? What Constitution? Bush seeks new church-state mix | What began as a laudable goal of ending government discrimination against religious groups has taken a sudden turn toward fostering religion (Editorial, The San Jose [Calif.] Mercury News)
  
  

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January (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47