[Baptist Press 11 September 1999]

Y2K authors still advising Christians to prepare for ministry opportunities

By Ken Walker

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–As the new millennium approaches, two Christian authors with
books on the "Year 2000 Problem," or "Y2K," continue to advocate
preparing for potential year-end computer problems — with ministry in mind.

"We have a responsibility to be an agent of calmness and peace," said Shaunti
Feldhahn, a former Federal Reserve analyst who wrote "Y2K: The Millennium Bug — A
Balanced Christian Response." The book has also been released in Spanish and youth
editions.

"It’s entirely possible the media could play this thing up and ‘hurricane buying’
occurs, where [grocery store] shelves are picked clean," she said. "The church
has a role to say publicly, ‘We’re going to get through this. If you’re worried about Y2K,
you shouldn’t be. We have someone who will never leave you or forsake you.’"

Michael Hyatt, whose two books were included in a recent Wall Street Journal guide to
Y2K literature, said people need to study the situation, consider how they prepare for it
and do the best they can.

Even if they can only follow the Red Cross’ recommendation to have provisions for up to
a week, that’s better than nothing, he said.

"From a Christian perspective, leave the rest with God," said Hyatt, a vice
president at Thomas Nelson Publishers in Nashville, Tenn. "We’re told in the Sermon
on the Mount we’re not to give any thought to tomorrow. That doesn’t mean we’re not to be
responsible and prudent. But it certainly means we shouldn’t be consumed with worry."

The Y2K problem began receiving a new wave of media attention this summer. Disruptions
may occur with computers not programmed to recognize years ending in four-digit dates,
meaning they may interpret "00" to mean 1900 and stop functioning or create
large-scale errors.

That has sparked predictions of interruptions in utility service, food supplies and
worldwide economic repercussions. Thus, Feldhahn believes the wise course for churches is
to make contingency plans for possible outages.

Storing water, food and other supplies in case of trouble will enable churches to
minister to people’s needs, she said, noting this can be done more effectively by networks
of churches sharing resources and insights.

Feldhahn is the founder and president of Joseph Project 2000, which has 110 affiliates
in eight nations. The Atlanta-based ministry encourages churches to work together and,
with civic leaders, to prepare. It sells Feldhahn’s books, among them a Y2K resource
guide, and maintains an Internet site, www.josephproject2000.org.

"As the body of Christ, we need to think of ourselves as separate divisions of the
same corporation, working toward the same goal," she said. "We need to put aside
our separate agendas to concentrate on the main agenda. In this case, that the church is
ready to serve and evangelize and do it well."

The most important reason to get ready is so the body of Christ can be part of the
solution instead of getting caught up in panic and being part of the problem, she said.

She refuses to recommend specific actions, saying families and churches should pray for
God’s direction about planning for their community’s needs.

However, Feldhahn advises being aware of economic risks in case the situation creates a
recession. Getting out of debt so you can survive a job layoff is more important than
storing large amounts of cash, she said.

"That’s the burden I have," she said. "The average Christian family is
loaded down with consumer credit debt. I’ve asked people which would be worse — if the
electricity were off for two weeks or they lost their job?"

Sadly, the majority of church members are ignoring the problem, Feldhahn said. Roughly
60 percent aren’t doing anything and don’t even know if their church’s telephone system
will work after Jan. 1, she said.

Another 10 percent are actively fighting the issue, quoting Christ’s admonition not to
worry about what we eat, drink or wear (Matt. 6:25); a few percent are at the other
extreme, urging a survivalist "protect yourself at all costs" stance, she said.

Approximately 25 percent see this as a chance to minister. They are either making
active preparations or are aware of the need to start soon, Feldhahn said. Some
predictions of problems haven’t come to pass, acknowledged Hyatt, who begins a publicity
push for his "Y2K Survival Guide" on Sept. 22, which begins the 100-day
countdown to Jan. 1.

For instance, 46 state governments began new fiscal years July 1 without any major
problems. Fears of a computer crash on Sept. 9 (related to an obscure computer code)
didn’t materialize.

While Hyatt said he is pleased problems didn’t occur with date-related financial
functions, he believes there is still cause for concern.

He points to a recent Social Security snafu as a prime example. In a story published in
The Washington Post Sept. 4, the agency acknowledged mailing letters to 32,000 people in
August, warning certain benefits would end Jan. 1, 1900.

"For anybody familiar with software development, that’s standard operating
procedure," he said of the incorrect date in the Social Security letters. "The
thing that scares the programmers working on this stuff is they know many of these systems
are being put back into production without adequate testing."

While dozens of programmers send him daily e-mails about the progress they’re making,
others admit there are many unpublicized problems, he said. However, he observed, in the
current political environment Y2K failures don’t lead companies to call a press
conference.

The key issue is that nobody knows how severe the extent of the problems will be, Hyatt
said. "While I have a very strong, unwavering belief in God, when it comes to Y2K,
I’m an agnostic," he said. "I just don’t know what’s going to happen. But from
my perspective, Y2K has never been about predicting the future. It’s always been about
risk management."

That is why he doesn’t complain about wasting money on fire insurance because his house
didn’t burn down. Nor is he upset when his family doesn’t experience major medical
problems, even though he pays health insurance premiums. The same is true of storing food,
water and other supplies for Y2K, he said. If the new year arrives and there aren’t major
problems, he plans to celebrate.

However, Hyatt remains skeptical of pronouncements there is no cause for alarm. He
questions statements that people need only to store a few days of groceries when
government agencies and corporations are planning for a worst-case scenario.

Eighty-five percent of Fortune 500 companies say their spending must rise above current
estimates to meet the challenge, he said, and one large retailer recently doubled its Y2K
budget. The federal government’s spending for such concerns has risen from $2.3 billion
originally to more than $8 billion today, he added.

"If it’s no big deal, why aren’t budgets going down or at least leveling
off?" Hyatt asked. "After working for years on the problem and spending billions
of dollars, we haven’t been able to get this resolved. Why do we think [a few] days after
these systems go down we can suddenly get this code fixed and get these systems back on
line?"

Still, he said, faith must ultimately be in God. All provisions for life in this world
and the one to come stem from a relationship with Jesus Christ, he said, and anyone who
puts their trust in someone else is going to be disappointed. For more information on
spiritual preparation for Y2K, check Hyatt’s home page at www.michaelhyatt.com.

—————————————————————-

Y2K continues to make headlines from wide range of societal sectors

By Ken Walker

WASHINGTON (BP)–While a noted Y2K expert believes most families need only to store a
few extra groceries for the new year, others fear Jan. 1, 2000, could bring major
disaster. In a letter published Aug. 8 in USA Today, Gartner Group CEO William Clifford
said there is no reason to withdraw money from banks and investment accounts. The reason?
The financial industry has played a leading role in Y2K preparedness, he said. The
president of the Stamford, Conn.-based firm — named the nation’s top Y2K research
consultants by USA Today — said 99 percent of Year 2000 failures will be resolved within
72 hours. Thus, all most families will need is a bag of groceries, he said.

In addition, he said advising people to buy guns in anticipation of chaos is like
yelling "fire!" in a crowded theater. Planning for violence could create a
self-fulfilling prophecy, he warned. "We have moved mountains in the past six years
to bring America’s government and corporate organizations up to speed with Year 2000
computer readiness," Clifford concluded. "It would be tragic now to see that
record spoiled because of irresponsible reporting."

Still, the potential for problems on New Year’s Day has prompted  the federal
government to establish a Y2K watch that will begin at 7 a.m. EST Dec. 31, when the nation
of New Zealand welcomes 2000.

A special White House coordination center will gather information about computer
problems here and abroad, according to a July 30 report in The Washington Post. John
Koskinen, chairman of the President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said Y2K- related
difficulties, however minor, may occur simultaneously in multiple locations. "Much
like the computer problem itself, gathering information about systems operations during
the date rollover presents the federal government, and the nation, with yet another
unprecedented challenge," he told a Senate committee.

Other challenges could include an upsurge in guerrilla violence against U.S. targets,
Reuters news service reported recently. In early July, the wire service quoted officials
of a Washington crisis management firm as warning that disruptions may be caused by
doomsday cults and unstable people.

"I think the millennium is going to usher in a period of intensive activity,"
said William Crowe, former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald
Reagan and George Bush. "We’re going to see more terrorist acts against United
States’ interests."

Crowe, who was also ambassador to Britain from 1994-97, is a senior advisor to Global
Options, a crisis management firm. The company’s CEO, Neil Livingstone, has blamed U.S.
authorities for failing to prepare the public for disruptions that may occur regardless of
how well computers adjust to 2000, Reuters reported.

"Not only is business continuity going to be a problem, but millennium madness may
also include employees going ‘postal’ and taking hostages or shooting up their
workplaces," Livingstone said.

He isn’t alone in his trepidation. In late August, Reuters reported the U.S. government
has established a new, FBI-led center to protect critical U.S. infrastructure. Center
leader Michael Vatis told Congress the agency expects to see increased — and possibly
violent — millennium-related activities among domestic hate groups and others, the news
service said.

Y2K fears include the possibility of computer hackers doing their best to use confusion
generated by the date changeover as a cover for malicious attacks, the news service
reported Sept. 1. "When systems crash at the start of the year 2000, technicians are
going to be quick to blame the Y2K problem, which is exactly the kind of vulnerability
that malicious hackers love to exploit," Reuters’ Dick Sartran wrote.

Reuters also noted the world’s largest computer security company, Network Associates,
has launched a new Internet site listing potential dangers posed by hackers. Company
spokesman Sol Viveros said network administrators will be looking for system failures, but
not necessarily virus writers. "We’ve started this initiative to let people know that
they really do have to worry about this," Viveros said.

Ironically, the Gartner Group is among those warning of possible Y2K problems. A
mid-July story published in USA Today quoted a study by the consulting firm that predicted
the computer glitch could lead to history’s largest heist.

An electronic theft topping $1 billion is possible, the newspaper reported, citing a
study of more than 1,000 of Gartner’s clients worldwide.

A primary concern is that employees hired to upgrade systems may have used methods that
will allow them to later seize control of those computers, USA Today reported, noting $11
trillion moves electronically each year among banks, corporations, governments and private
organizations.

"That’s certainly a safe prediction," computer security expert Donn Parker
said of Gartner’s forecast. "Fixing Y2K has opened up vulnerable business computer
programs to attacks by a larger group of people." "I’m very concerned,"
added Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, co-chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Year
2000. "I think the Y2K experience has opened our eyes as a society to how vulnerable
we are. If [Y2K] could cause this kind of disruption by accident, what kind of disruption
could we have if someone sought to do us harm on purpose?"

The senator is among those making preparations. Earlier this year, he disclosed that he
plans to stockpile water in a 55-gallon drum at his Salt Lake City home, according to a
Washington Post report. The newspaper reported Bennett previously had indicated he would
follow a modest plan, storing such items as extra canned food, flashlights and batteries.
Bennett also advocates keeping paper copies of financial records.

A spokesman for the senator told The Post that citizens should consult with local
officials. "Everyone needs to be able to prepare based on information they’ve
gathered about their own community’s Y2K preparedness," said Don Meter.

Another report that raised concerns — Christian author Mike Hyatt issued a special
alert last month to readers of his e-mail newsletter — originated with the U.S. Navy.
Summarized and released over the Internet Aug. 19 by former Naval officer Jim Lord, it
predicted probable or likely failures in many U.S. cities’ electrical and water systems.

But two days later, the Navy issued a statement saying there are no indications of
widespread utility failures. Rear Adm. Louis Smith told the Associated Press the report
represented "worst-case" scenarios.

The New York Times also reported the information Lord received was outdated. But the
author and lecturer told The Times, "The Navy study raises many questions not yet
addressed."

The far-reaching implications of the Year 2000 situation are reflected in a continuing
series of newspaper reports. Others in recent months have spotlighted these issues:

— Global implications. On July 23, The Washington Post reported the State Department
found about half of 161 nations surveyed face a medium to high risk of computer breakdowns
in telecommunications, energy and transportation.

Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers, the department’s inspector general, said that may have an
impact on international trade. "It would be prudent to recognize that Y2K-related
failures are inevitable, both here and abroad," she told a Senate committee.

The survey found highly industrialized countries are at low risk, but Russia and former
Eastern Bloc nations face a high probability of problems. In addition, Pentagon officials
warned Y2K power-grid failures could cause Russian defense systems to shut down, The Post
said.

To date, the newspaper said federal officials have avoided identifying foreign nations
lagging on Year 2000 computer repairs. But starting the week of Sept. 13, the State
Department plans to issue the first in a series of information sheets on the international
effects.

In a Sept. 7 story, The Post said these reports will review what computer glitches
could mean for travel, health, crime and public safety conditions abroad. More information
will be available at www.state.gov.

— Health care. Despite efforts by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to
alert the health-care industry to possible problems, response has been weak. The Post
reported on Aug. 10 that only 2 percent of approximately 10,000 health-care providers
invited to HCFA-sponsored conferences on Y2K attended the sessions. Less than 1 percent of
Medicare providers called a special hotline the agency maintains, the newspaper said.

The HCFA expects to pay $288 billion in benefits next year, The Post report noted, and
does not want to be swamped by paper claims or face delays because of problems submitting
claims electronically. Deputy administrator Michael Hash said many health-care providers
"do not seem to understand the urgency and importance of Y2K readiness."

Also of concern is whether consumers will be able to obtain enough medications in the
event of year-end problems.

USA Today reported on May 5 that some pharmaceutical companies are boosting production
in anticipation of increased purchases. Some health insurers are debating whether to relax
the customary 30-day limit on prescriptions, the newspaper said, while consumer advocates
hope to inform patients to prepare but not panic.

— Interest rates. A rush by corporations to raise capital in case of problems at the
start of the year is boosting U.S. rates, The Washington Post said in a Sept. 2 story.
Borrowers are rushing to sell billions of dollars of debt, worried that panicked investors
might not buy securities sold late this year, it reported.

"When it comes to raising money in the capital markets, it’s prudent to avoid the
last few weeks of this year and the first few weeks of next year," said Thomas Capo,
treasurer of automaker Daimler Chrysler. This flood of debt is boosting interest rates
issuers must pay to attract buyers, the newspaper said. In turn, that raises rates on
other business and consumer loans.

In addition, many lenders and investors are pulling money out of developing-country
markets, where significant computer problems are considered more likely, The Post
reported.

— Airline safety. On Sept. 10, Reuters reported the General Accounting Office of
Congress had called on the Federal Aviation Administration to continue working to prevent
problems from arising at local airports and with smaller carriers.

On July 2, The Washington Post reported that U.S. and Canadian airlines had completed
95 percent of Year 2000 computer repairs and should finish by late summer.

"We will be ready for the new millennium," Carol Hallett, president of the
Air Transport Association told White House officials.

Despite that assurance, The Post reported the State Department would begin issuing
travel advisories in late summer or early fall if any other nations or individual airports
seem vulnerable to  Y2K problems. Hallett said U.S. embassies and the International
Civil Aviation Organization are collecting readiness information from airlines and foreign
governments.

— Religion. Saying it recognized the influence of churches, in August the American
Bankers Association distributed a sample sermon to help clergy debunk apocalyptic Year
2000 scenarios.

That includes the possibility of consumers rushing to withdraw money from banks and buy
gold bullion, The Post reported Aug. 25. ABA spokesman John Hall said the sermon was only
given to bankers, with the intent of them sharing it with local clergy as a model. It
warns against the fear that some computers’ inability to read dates after 1999 will cause
massive system collapses, the newspaper reported.

In his Sept. 1 column, Scripps-Howard religion writer Terry Mattingly noted the sample
sermon generated criticism from Quentin Schultze, author of "Internet for
Christians." A professor at Calvin College, Schultze said the text used only one
biblical metaphor and never mentions Jesus. He also said the message embraced the
"great defining myth" of American culture — a belief that progress is
inevitable because technology makes life better.

"This thing reads like something a government officer would send out to clergy who
work for a state church," he told Mattingly.

— Sports. Those cautious about possible problems include the National Basketball
Association (NBA). Last March, league spokesman Chris Brienza told the Nashville
Tennessean the NBA will likely not schedule any games Dec. 31 or Jan. 1-2. "The
process of putting the schedule together is far from complete, but that’s the way we’re
leaning right now," Brienza said.

A number of Southern Baptists have produced materials concerning Y2K. The latest is
from the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Y2K task force. It has produced an informational
brochure and video with suggestions for family disaster preparation. Earlier, similar
materials were distributed by the Missouri Baptist Convention.

More information on Georgia’s resources is available at the state’s website, www.gabaptist.org or by calling 1-800-746-4422.

Western Kentucky pastor Rick Reader has written a self-published book titled,
"Y2K: Trouble Ahead?" In it, he explains the problem in non-technical terms. In
a July 20 story in the Western Recorder, the Hickman, Ky., pastor advised families to
prepare by:

— Storing bottled water, food and medicine.

— Arranging for alternative sources of heat and light.

— Keeping adequate cash on hand.

— Securing copies of important documents, such as Social Security records, bank
statements and pension fund statements.