Tim Johnson is chairman of the Bethlehem elder council, and CEO of Impact Proven Solutions. He was selected as a finalist for the 2010 Upper Midwest Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

I asked Tim some questions about eldership and the council …

This week, Bethlehem plans to submit a purchase agreement for property in Lakeville to serve as a home for our South Campus. Please pray for God to be glorified in the process.

The purchase agreement is conditional on congregational approval. If the purchase agreement is accepted, the Bethlehem congregation would vote on its approval.

(Yesterday, the South Site celebrated their 4th Year Anniversary Celebration at Lakeville High School.)

Today marks the 100-year anniversary of the death of Florence Nightingale, the famous pioneer in nursing. She is known for developing and refining plans for hospitals and for the training of nurses.

She wrote, “It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.”

Neither should a clinic harm the unborn.

Giving is one of the joys of the Christian life. For a few, keeping track of the gifts is also a joy. This photo shows some of the actual hands that count the offerings and process the checks at Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Paul Johnson, the Financial Secretary elected by Bethlehem’s membership, and his team of tellers count and keep track of every penny that arrives in the weekend contributions.

At the Downtown Campus staff prayer meeting the other morning, Jonathan Davis, Technical Director for Media Ministries (whose birthday it is today), observed that the infinitely detailed attention God gives one individual is in no way diluted or distracted by the same kind of attention he gives all the billions of human beings now alive, or that have ever lived.

Ten medical aid workers were slaughtered in Afghanistan on Thursday. Bethlehem 
has global partners in the region, and an excerpt from one of their emails says, “We just received news of several brothers and sisters joining the white-robed saints (mentioned in Revelation 7:13ff). They aren’t hungry or thirsty. They aren’t in danger at all. Indeed, they are having their tears wiped away by the most beautiful hands in the universe.”

Redeemer of murderers, have mercy.

Christians are citizens of more than one city. Though here we have no lasting city, in the meantime we work toward the good of the city of man. And toward that end, Christians steward opportunity to vote.

Minnesota primary elections are tomorrow. See voting information for this primary, including the names of candidates for all offices, locations of polling places, candidate profiles, and more.

And I don’t mean God. God is, of course, aware of everything we do, but I’m thinking of someone else who is looking over Bethlehem’s shoulder.

The Bible says children are a reward. God has given us 85 babies and adoptions so far this year compared to 67 at this time last year. The nurseries are not keeping up. This year, 371 volunteers were trained and screened—fewer than last year. We need 74 more. Last week, because of a shortage of workers at the Downtown Campus, we had 19 babies on a list waiting to get into the nursery.

Recently, Joyce Heinrich, Minister for Early Childhood and director for the nurseries on Bethlehem’s three campuses, informed the elder council that all the Bethlehem nurseries aim to …

What would you do if you were trying to raise about $18 million in about three years? That’s what Bethlehem elders Todd Rasmuson and Klaas Van Zee are working on. They will be trying to help us do it in order to advance our vision to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area.