[Baptist Press 29.7.98].

Computer troubles at year 2000 called key opportunity for
church

By Ken Walker

(EDITORS’ NOTE: The following three stories focus on projected
computer problems at the turn of the century.)

ATLANTA (BP)–The possibility of widespread computer malfunctions or
computer crashes at the year 2000 could usher in historic evangelism
opportunities, say two evangelicals who have written books on the
increasingly discussed "Y2K problem."

Because many computer programs use two-digit endings for dates,
computers may interpret the upcoming turn-of-the-century "00"
to mean 1900.

Warning signs already have surfaced, according to Mike Hyatt, vice
president of Thomas Nelson Publishers and author of "The Millennium
Bug: How to Survive the Coming Chaos." His book lists such problems
as:

— In Honolulu, the Hawaii capital’s electric utility recently ran a
series of tests on its power grid to see what would happen come Jan. 1,
2000, and the system stopped working.

— Visa had to recall some credit cards with expiration dates into
the next millennium, since machines reading them thought they had
expired in the early 20th century.

— In Britain, a company’s computers mistakenly ordered the
destruction of tons of corned beef it believed was more than 100 years
old.

"When you get right down to it, the Year 2000 problem is not a
technological problem," he writes in his book, which sold 90,000
copies in two months after its release.

"We know exactly what the problem is, and we know how to fix
it. We just don’t have enough time. The job is too big, and we are
starting too late."

Shaunti Feldhahn, whose "Y2K: The Millennium Bug — A Christian
Perspective," will be released in November by Multnomah Publishers,
agreed.

"It’s important for people to understand this is not a
technical issue," said the Y2K consultant and former Federal
Reserve employee. "In 1990 it was a technical problem. Now it’s a
time and resource problem, which makes it a public policy and Christian
issue."

While few agree on the exact scope and impact of the problem, the
situation has spawned dire warnings, more than 40 books and considerable
attention from the U.S. government.

In mid-July, for example, President Bill Clinton said he would
propose federal legislation to limit liability for companies sharing
possible solutions that later prove faulty.

A week later, the U.S. Senate began hearings on the medical
industry’s efforts to repair potential computer glitches. Last year, a
British government study predicted between 600 and 1,500 deaths in
England related to Y2K problems, according to a report in USA Today.

In a recent speech, Sen. Robert Bennett, R.-Utah, chairman of the
Senate’s special committee on Year 2000 technology problems, outlined
three areas of concern.

In addition to problem software, countless numbers of computer chips
are embedded in everything from refrigerators to automotive
manufacturing equipment, he said. There is also the problem of computers
receiving faulty data through widespread networks, he added.

Noting a friend said the situation parallels the Tower of Babel,
Bennett said after Jan. 1, 2000, modern nations also may be unable to
talk to each other via vast computer networks.

"I am hoping … we use the opportunity to take the remaining
(time) to see to it that when we get to New Year’s Eve 1999, we can look
back and say that we were facing something as serious of the Tower of
Babel, but we have — as a nation and as a world — faced up to
that," he said.

Despite some ominous warnings, Hyatt and Feldhahn believe Christians
should not shrink with fear from the possibilities.

"One of the verses that has stood out to me is 2 Timothy 1:7,
that God has not given us a spirit of fear," said Hyatt, who lives
in the Nashville, Tenn., area. "As Christians, there is no reason
to panic. God is still on the throne and we do have a responsibility to
trust him.

"He has given us a spirit of power. So as impotent as we may
feel in the face of this crisis, by the spirit of Christ indwelling us,
we can meet this challenge."

Hundreds of churches across the nation already are gearing up for a
variety of scenarios by forming Y2K task forces, he said. Three are
located in the Nashville area.

In metropolitan Atlanta, a coalition of several hundred churches
plans to host a community forum Sept. 12. Among the speakers will be
Larry Burkett, radio commentator, author and founder of the nationally
known Christian Financial Concepts ministry, and Jim Lord, a computer
programmer and former contractor for the Department of Defense.

Dunwoody Baptist Church, a suburban congregation, will host a
pastors’ planning meeting regarding the forum on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Feldhahn, president of a new nonprofit organization, Joseph Project
2000 based in Atlanta, said she hopes the forum will serve as a model
for other communities and "light a fire" under the church.

Christians need to take this dilemma seriously, she said, but many
shrug it off as a technical problem that Microsoft founder Bill Gates
will fix.

"It’s absolutely an incredible opportunity for the
church," she said. "There needs to be a Christian response,
globally."

For her forthcoming book, Feldhahn interviewed such evangelical
leaders as Burkett, Henry Blackaby, special assistant to the presidents
of three SBC agencies; "700 Club" host Pat Robertson and
financial consultant Ron Blue.

Most of her book is devoted to a Christian response to the
situation, she said. Generally, those interviewed agreed on three major
issues:

1) The need to become aware of the situation and prepare for it.
While our job is not to predict the future, we should be ready to face
it, she said.

2) The need for Christian leadership and service. This is the
church’s chance to be a shining light on the hill, she said. Thus, it is
important that believers remain in cities and other areas where trouble
may occur, she emphasized.

"Larry Burkett said, ‘Why does God raise up an army if in fact
the army quits when the battle starts? That doesn’t make any sense. God
put us here to lead people to the Lord.’"

3) There may be a twofold message in this crisis. One, that God will
use it to remove our focus from modern idols of technology and
self-sufficiency. Also, it may represent his judgment.

The latter will not be aimed at the world, she said. In her
discussion with Blackaby, he pointed out that in the Bible the Lord’s
judgment usually fell on the church.

"Christian divorce and our rate of abortions are just as high
as the world’s," Feldhahn said. "We mirror all of the problems
of society. It is not unthinkable that judgment could be coming on
us."

Steps Christians can take suggested for ministry amidst ‘Y2K’
problem

By Ken Walker

ATLANTA (BP)–While few can agree on the severity of the computer
problems society will face on Jan. 1, 2000, two evangelical Christian
authors agree the church must prepare to face the worst.

Shaunti Feldhahn and Mike Hyatt, who have written books on the
so-called "Y2K problem" or "millennium bug," say
congregations should be ready with supplies of food, water, electricity
and other emergency measures.

Feldhahn, of Atlanta, compared the situation to a tornado that swept
through central Georgia in April. The church and the Red Cross helped
feed people and restore order, she said. Christians remained to minister
among the victims for the longest period of time, which helped many see
the presence of Christ, she added.

However, if the church doesn’t wake up to the possible crisis posed
by potential computer malfunctions at the turn of the century, she said
it will be unprepared for a technological tornado.

"Christians are less aware of this situation than the average
small business," she said. "Individually, people need to pray
and prepare. They need to turn their hearts to the Lord. As Henry
Blackaby says, ‘If you’re in an intimate relationship with the Lord,
that’s the most important thing.’"

"This is not a moment where, as Christians, our hearts need to
fail us," echoed Hyatt, who lives in the Nashville, Tenn., area.

"We need to be examples to our communities," he said of
the approaching Y2K problem. "We need to take the moral high ground
and be willing to share, be involved in mercy ministries and meet human
needs. We have a responsibility for the people around us, both Christian
and non-Christian."

Thus, both recommend believers store food, water and other supplies
in advance of Jan. 1, 2000, to help provide for their families and
several neighbors. When you help others you will be able to tell them
why you were prepared, Feldhahn said.

As for churches, she suggested they are equipped to meet the
potential crisis in ways individuals can’t, such as:

— purchasing expensive electric generators for emergency power.

— storing large supplies of food and providing temporary living
quarters for those caught without heat in the dead of winter.

— maintaining emergency cooking facilities that families would find
too costly or would require too much space in their homes.

Just providing the essentials of food and water can reduce disease
rates by two-thirds during a disaster, she pointed out.

"They also need to think about what if their church community
is the community around them," she said. "Right now my pastor
drives 10 miles to church. But what if suddenly people can’t get
gasoline and can only walk or ride a bike? Think about reaching out to
the people in your neighborhood."

Hyatt, who has spoken in recent months to a number of churches and
other community organizations, said he stresses two messages in
churches:

— Build awareness in the congregation and encourage people to take
responsibility for themselves. Don’t depend on government, private
industry or even the church to meet individual needs, he said.

— Be ready to help those who either don’t have the resources or the
foresight to prepare for the crisis.

"I know of churches that are laying up food banks, clothing
closets, tool chests and all the rest," Hyatt said. "Even in
our church we’ve divided up (members) geographically, into sectors. We
have a coordinator in every sector to serve as a resource point for
members and the community."

While some may question taking extraordinary steps and say they
trust in God’s miraculous provision, Hyatt said preparing for calamity
doesn’t show a lack of faith.

God could have eased the famine in Egypt, but the Lord chose to work
through Joseph by directing him to store up grain for seven years, Hyatt
said.

"If we’re prepared, we may not have had an evangelism
opportunity like this since the Civil War," said the vice president
of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

"But we’re not going to be able to take advantage of that and
do the kind of evangelism we need to do if we’re not prepared. If we
become victims, we’re going to be in the same stew with everybody
else."

Although Hyatt’s book recommends such steps as relocating to smaller
towns where it may be possible to drill water wells and find increased
safety, he said such measures were meant to point out possible
preparations people could consider.

The reality is the majority of people, especially those on low or
fixed incomes, aren’t going to be able to move anywhere, he said. That
means the church has to be prepared to meet the human needs that will
arise, he added.

"I’m opposed to survivalism as a worldview," Hyatt said.
"Survivalism is rooted in fear, it’s self-centered and it’s
ultimately not a solution.

"It basically says, ‘There is no solution, but I’m going to
survive by running into the woods and digging a hole and keeping it all
to myself.’"

Feldhahn likens the pending crisis to two historical situations that
sparked explosive growth for Christianity.

The first occurred in 165 A.D., when a plague swept the Roman
Empire. Christians stayed in the cities to help victims when many in the
ruling class fled to the countryside, she said.

In the 1660s, English Puritans were persecuted by ruling Anglicans,
she said, for refusing to bow down and agree that the king was the head
of the church. However, when a severe plague hit London around the end
of that decade, the Puritans came into the city to minister while high
church officials, doctors and others left.

Afterwards, the Puritans had the people’s respect, Feldhahn said:
"Instead of being oppressed, they were beloved by society. It led
to the First Great Awakening. That’s where Presbyterian and
Congregationalist churches came from.

"The abolition of slavery, free hospitals and building
orphanages to help kids dying on the streets — all that arose from this
period."

Southern Baptist agencies at work to prepare computers for year
2000

By Ken Walker

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist Convention agencies
currently are testing computer software in an effort to successfully
enter the 21st century without serious internal glitches. This includes
ongoing reviews from now through the first quarter of 1999 to eliminate
potential "Y2K" or "millennial bug" problems.

Generally, people have focused on programs or equipment that may not
work on Jan. 1, 2000, said Gerald Shields, director of the information
systems department at LifeWay Christian Resources (formerly the Sunday
School Board) in Nashville, Tenn.

But a more serious problem may be posed by equipment that only
appears to work properly, Shields said. For example, a program that does
not comply with Y2K standards might continue to do calculations, for
example, but show the next billing invoices are due in 100 years, he
said.

"So many calculations are based on the last two digits of the
year," Shields said. "These problems will be harder to
find."

To meet the challenge, LifeWay expects to test all but one of its
200 software applications by Jan. 1, 1999. Its Y2K team has been meeting
weekly to review the status of the project, which began a year ago.

The effort concentrates on several key areas:

— The 2,000 PCs and Macintosh computers LifeWay employees use.

— Data center equipment, such as computer file servers and voice
mail.

— Software for desktop computers, such as Windows 95, Windows NT
and Unix.

— Software that runs vital business functions like payroll,
accounts receivable and order processing.

Its self-imposed deadline of Jan. 1, 1999, will be met for all
programs except point-of-sale systems for Baptist Book Stores and
LifeWay Christian Stores, Shields said.

As another precaution, LifeWay has contacted all software suppliers,
asking for a letter certifying that their products are Y2K-compliant —
meaning they use a four-digit system that won’t be confused by data
reading "2000."

While Shields is confident the agency’s computers and systems will
be fully functional on Jan. 1, 2000, he said some minor problems could
surface, despite his team’s best efforts. The reason is that any
equipment with a computer chip regulating functions by the calendar
could be affected, he explained, ranging from heating and air
conditioning systems to elevators, copy machines and VCRs. "We
believe nobody will be 100 percent Y2K (-compliant)," he commented.

Mike Carlisle, chief information officer at the North American
Mission Board in Alpharetta, Ga., said software used at the agency is
certified by the manufacturer as Y2K-compliant.

However, the staff must perform upgrades, and the information
services team is working to ensure the software operates correctly, he
said.

"Our first concern is our UNIX platform, which operates our
accounting and human resources software," Carlisle said. "We
have the latest version, certified to be Y2K-compliant, and are
confident the upgrades will test out well."

NAMB’s second concern is general office software. The agency
utilizes Microsoft products for such daily uses as word processing and
spreadsheets.

"We’re depending on Microsoft to make sure their products
work," the information officer said, "and we have a high
degree of confidence in Microsoft."

Additionally, NAMB bought new desktop and lap computers and uses the
Windows NT operating system, which is also year 2000-compliant.

Final testing for both layers of software compliance is scheduled
for the first three months of 1999, Carlisle said. He added telephone
and voice-mail already comply with new dating standards.

However, he said there are two problems outside the agency’s
control.

One is outside suppliers; if their systems don’t comply, it may
cause NAMB ordering problems. Or, the agency may be able to place orders
but experience accounting problems because of suppliers’ billing
software, he said.

The other challenge involves technical personnel. "We currently
have three openings in our area," Carlisle. "We’re diligently
trying to find people, but Y2K is driving the price up."

The Annuity Board recently replaced software handling insurance,
general ledger and human resources, according to public relations
director Thomas Miller Jr.

While vendors have indicated these systems are ready for 2000, the
staff is preparing a test plan to ensure operational continuity, he
said. The testing will be completed this fall.

Although the board also replaced its retirement processing system in
1996, it was not 2000-compliant. Miller said the vendor has promised to
deliver a new release this fall, which will then undergo integrated
testing.

In addition, computer hardware has been replaced at the Annuity
Board. The old mainframe is gone and all business functions are done on
an IBM AS/400, he said.

"Every employee has a networked personal computer and there is
not a PC in the building that is more than three years old," said
the public relations director.

"We expect full implementation of our systems will be completed
well in advance of any year 2000 business events," Miller said.
"Beyond our own systems, the Annuity Board has requested assurance
of year 2000 compliance from our custodian bank, investment managers,
vendors and consultants."

It also will encourage all SBC churches and others who submit
contributions electronically to ensure their computer systems comply
with Y2K standards.

While the Annuity Board can test its own systems, it cannot take
responsibility for customers’ computers, Miller said. "If any of
these are not compliant, they could find themselves unable to make
contributions to accounts in a timely fashion after Dec. 31, 1999,"
he said.

The International Mission Board’s global information systems office
also has named a team to deal with the Y2K issue. They are now
contacting overseas offices and missionaries to learn what hardware and
software they use, said Jack Surma, who directs the effort.

This information is being compiled into a database, he said, which
the team will use to determine what complies with new standards and what
needs upgrading or changing.

Many software configurations are dependent on others, Surma said.
The IMB team is attempting to find out how to make each one compliant
with Y2K needs, he said.

To determine what is needed to become compliant, Surma said the team
set up testing that will be operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
They will be able to simulate the year change in running various
applications and seeing if the application works or fails, he said.

The IMB team began its work March 2. Research and testing of
products is going so well, according to global systems vice president
Jerry Burkett, it expects to complete the Y2K project next spring, well
ahead of the original July 1, 1999, target.

As of July 24, the agency had analyzed all of its computer
inventory, with the exception of its Macintosh software. Its in-house
and PC software and hardware and related computer networking were
between 30 percent and 95 percent compliant.

All vendor-provided hardware and software that are not compliant
will be replaced or upgraded, Burkett said. The 70 percent of in-house
products needing upgrading only require minor changes, he added, which
are in progress.

"The smoke has been cleared but much work remains," he
said. "We are pleased to report that our overall Y2K status is very
good. Our next challenge is to question every external interface to the
IMB that we have no direct control over."

The key to continued success of this effort is cooperation between
the global systems team and IMB offices domestically and worldwide,
Burkett said.