Three to receive missions awards_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

Three to receive missions awards

A West Texas church, a Lubbock ministry entrepreneur and an Amarillo couple will be honored at a Texas Baptist Missions Foundation awards luncheon in Lubbock.

The awards luncheon is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Towers in Lubbock, immediately prior to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session.

First Baptist Church of Plains will receive the Adventurer Award for leadership in missions.

As the church has become involved in hands-on missions under the guidance of Pastor Bill Wright, weekly Sunday School attendance has more than doubled in less than nine years.

More than 100 church members–nearly half the number involved in weekly Bible study–have been trained in disaster-relief work and have served from Mexico to New York. Each year, about two dozen members participate in construction teams on two or more mission trips.

Shirley Madden, founding director of My Father's House Lubbock, will receive the Innovator Award for Creativity in Missions.

Madden, a member of First Baptist Church of Lubbock, founded the city's first Christian Women's Job Corps program at University Baptist Mission. In 2000, she launched My Father's House and established the second Christian Women's Job Corps site in Lubbock.

The Living and Learning Center of My Father's House will add a residential component to Christian Women's Job Corps. Texas Baptist Men Builders worked three months earlier this year, starting construction on the facility. The center will include 18 two-bedroom apartments, classrooms, a commercial kitchen and day care and laundry facilities where women can gain hands-on job experience.

Delbert and Mary Sue Serratt of First Baptist Church in Amarillo will receive the Pioneer Award for Service in Missions.

The Serratts lead ministries related to the International Sunday School department at their church, which includes members from 17 nations. The Serratts have led conferences throughout Texas and the Southwest on ministry to internationals.

Delbert Serratt, a retired pastor and director of missions, has mentored language-church pastors and serves as a resource person for the BGCT intercultural initiatives office. Mary Lou Serratt has been involved in Woman's Missionary Union on the church, association, state and national levels. She also is a facilitator for Cambodian Bible studies for the BGCT Bible Study/Discipleship Center.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




Darrel Baergen, longtime Baptist dramatist, dies in Abilene_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

Darrel Baergen, longtime Baptist
dramatist, dies in Abilene

ABILENE–Baptist professor, playwright, director and producer Darrel Baergen died Oct. 23 in Abilene after a long battle with cancer. He was 68.

Baergen committed most of his career to teaching speech and drama in three Baptist schools.

He began at Oklahoma Baptist University and later taught twice at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, where he retired as chair of the department of communication in 2000. He also was professor and chairman of communication arts at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

During his tenure at Southwestern Seminary, he was director of the Center for Christian Communications Studies, operated jointly by the seminary and the Southern Baptist Radio & Television Commission.

In addition, he taught speech and drama at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.

Baergen wrote and directed numerous Texas Baptist drama productions. He produced a series of historical cameo vignettes for the Texas Baptist sesquicentennial in 1985. He wrote, produced and directed theme interpretations at several Baptist General Convention of Texas annual sessions in the 1990s. And in 1997, he wrote three one-act plays commissioned by the BGCT Baptist Distinctives Committee.

At the Radio & Television Commission, he produced “Sunshine Factory” and “The Good News,” which aired on the ACTS Network, and he was president of ACTS of Fort Worth.

Baergen won the Frank Sinatra Award for television production from the American Foundation for the Blind for “It was Done.” He was a board member of the Texas Association for the Performing Arts and was named an Outstanding Educator of America.

He earned degrees from Oklahoma Baptist University, Baylor University and the University of Denver.

Baergen is survived by his wife, Judy, of Abilene; sons, John and his wife, Kara, of Dallas and Jeff and his wife, Alisha, of Abilene; daughter, Jennifer Davis and her husband, Scott, of Houston; grandchildren, Gracie, Johnny, Audrey, Rebecca and Rachel Baergen; sister, Phyllis Brandon of Calvert City, Ky.; and mother-in-law, Polly Moss, of Abilene.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Melinda Baergen; sister, Elvira Boyd; and father-in-law, Fred Moss.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




Barna probes views on heaven & hell_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

Barna probes views on heaven & hell

VENTURA, Calif. (RNS)–About three-fourths of Americans believe in heaven and hell, but almost one-fourth say they have “no idea” what will happen after they die, a study by the Barna Research Group shows.

Researchers found 76 percent of respondents believe heaven exists and 71 percent believe there is a hell.

Forty-six percent of respondents said they would describe heaven as “a state of eternal existence in God's presence” while 30 percent said it is “an actual place of rest and reward where souls go after death.” Fourteen percent said heaven is “symbolic,” 5 percent said they did not believe in life after death, and 5 percent were uncertain.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said hell is “a state of eternal separation from God's presence” while 32 percent said it is “an actual place of torment and suffering where people's souls go after death.” Thirteen percent said hell is “just a symbol of an unknown bad outcome after death.” Sixteen percent said they were uncertain or did not believe in an afterlife.

Just half of 1 percent of adults said they expect to go to hell when they die, while 64 percent predicted they will end up in heaven.

But researchers found many were not so sure of their post-death destination. Twenty-four percent said they have “no idea” what will happen after they die.

Other highlights:

Less than half the people who think they are heaven-bound (43 percent) believe they will get there because they have “confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.” Another 15 percent believe they will get to heaven because they have tried to obey the Ten Commandments, while an additional 15 percent believe they will get to heaven by being a “good person.” Only 6 percent of those who believe they are bound for heaven think they'll get there because God “loves all people and will not let them perish.”

bluebull Income and education are negatively correlated with belief in heaven and hell. The more education people get or the more income they earn, the less likely they are to believe heaven and hell exist.

bluebull Nearly one in five adults believes people are reincarnated after death.

bluebull Americans report contradictory beliefs about the afterlife. Even among those who say they personally will get to heaven solely because they have confessed their sins and are depending on Jesus Christ, 50 percent believe others may get to heaven on good works.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




BGCT to meet next week in Lubbock_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

BGCT to meet next week in Lubbock

By Ken Camp

Texas Baptist Communications

Messengers from many of the 5,700 congregations affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas will consider a proposed $45.8 million budget for 2004 and elect a full slate of officers when they meet Nov. 10-11 in Lubbock.

“Your Church–Advancing God's Kingdom” is the theme of the 118th annual session of the state convention to be held at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

General business sessions of the BGCT will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 10 and from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 11. A missions emphasis program is scheduled at 7 p.m. Nov. 10.

Before and between general sessions, messengers and guests will have access to a wide range of special-interest conferences.

During business sessions, messengers will consider a recommended $45,800,960 total budget for next year, a 10 percent decrease from the 2003 budget.

The $39.77 million Cooperative Program portion of the budget is a 14 percent drop from the 2003 giving goal of $46,243,902, but it is in line with projected income for 2004, according to David Nabors, BGCT treasurer and chief financial officer.

More than half the $39.77 million recommended Cooperative Program giving plan is budgeted for institutional ministries, including $15 million for 23 schools, hospitals, child and family care ministries and homes for the aging. It also includes $3.8 million for collegiate ministries through Baptist Student Ministry programs on about 100 campuses and $3.4 million for theological education.

The proposed 2004 Cooperative Program budget includes $4.64 million for the BGCT Church Missions and Evangelism Section, including about $1.26 million for new-church support.

During the business sessions, messengers also will consider charter changes for Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio, authorizing the insititution to change its name to Baptist University of the Americas.

In other business, convention messengers will elect a new slate of officers. Bob Campbell, pastor of Westbury Baptist Church in Houston, is completing his second one-year term as president and is ineligible for re-election. First Vice President Rudy Camacho of Fort Worth and Second Vice President Debbie Ferrier of San Antonio also are completing traditional one-year terms.

Three nominees for top offices have been announced, including two denominational agency presidents and a past president of the Texas Baptist African American Fellowship.

Ken Hall, president of Buckner Baptist Benevolences, will be nominated for president by his pastor, Jim Denison of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. Hall has served as Buckner's chief executive officer 10 years. Previously, he was pastor of churches in Longview, Midland, Gatesville and Stephenville.

Albert Reyes, president of Hispanic Baptist Theological School, will be nominated for first vice president by his pastor, Charlie Johnson of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Dennis Young, founding pastor of Missouri City Baptist Church near Houston, will be nominated for second vice president by Marvin Delaney, pastor of South Park Baptist Church in Houston.

This year's BGCT annual meeting features a streamlined schedule, with fewer reports in general business sessions. Instead, BGCT program areas will be highlighted in more than 50 “learning and sharing” breakout conferences that begin at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 10.

Workshops include an open forum with convention officers, a forum with leaders of WorldconneX, and topics such as “Rethinking Blended Worship: Diversity in a Changing Culture,” “Your Total Church Doing Total Missions,” “Making Smart Financial Decisions at Your Local Church,” “Strategies for Tomorrow's Church Leaders” and “No One Looks Good in a Legal Suit: Keeping Your Church Out of Court.”

The 123rd annual meeting of Woman's Missionary Union of Texas will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at First Baptist Church of Lubbock. “Tell the Generations” is the theme of the meeting.

The Texas Baptist Men Convention will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9, in the theater of the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. “Men … Advancing God's Kingdom” is the theme of the convention, and key business includes the election of officers. Andy Andreason of McGregor is completing his term as president.

For more information about the annual session program, visit www.bgct.org.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




General comes under fire for anti-Muslim comments_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

General comes under fire for anti-Muslim comments

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–Comments by a high-ranking Pentagon official casting America's struggle against terrorism as a Muslim-versus-Christian holy war are causing prominent news outlets to call for a reprimand by the Bush administration.

Meanwhile, some on the Religious Right have stood up to defend Lt. Gen. William Boykin, who is a highly decorated veteran of covert and small-scale American military operations.

William Boykin speaks at the National FAITH Institute Jan. 27-31 at First Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Kent Harville/BP Photo)

Boykin, as the Pentagon's newly named deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, sparked nationwide controversy after two news outlets–NBC News on Oct. 15 and the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 16–revealed a series of comments he made to evangelical Christian audiences.

Appearing in uniform, he has repeatedly described the war against terrorism to these groups as a conflict between a “Christian nation” and radical Islamists.

For example, during a Jan. 28 speech at a Southern Baptist evangelism conference at First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, Fla., Boykin described his 1993 efforts to capture a Somali warlord who had boasted that Allah would protect him from defeat. “I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol,” Boykin told the audience.

In other situations, Boykin has cast American conflicts with Islamic warriors in starkly spiritual terms. Speaking in June 2002 at First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow, Okla., he described an aerial photo he had taken of the city of Mogadishu during the 1993 conflict in Somalia. Noting strange black marks in the sky in the image, the general claimed they were evidence of a demonic presence over the city.

“Ladies and gentleman, this is your enemy,” he said. “It is the principalities of darkness. It is a demonic presence in that city that God revealed to me as the enemy.”

Additionally, Boykin has said radical Islamists hate the United States “because we're a Christian nation”; has described the U.S. Army as “a Christian army”; and has said President Bush was appointed by God “for such a time as this.”

Boykin's job requires him to work closely with intelligence officers from Muslim countries. President Bush and other White House officials have taken pains since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to insist the war on terrorism is not a war against Islam.

However, a recent study released by the White House's own Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy found an overwhelming majority of respondents in nine Muslim countries surveyed perceived the United states as being anti-Islamic.

The day after they published the story revealing Boykin's comments, the L.A. Times called for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to remove him from his position. On Oct. 21, the Washington Post called President Bush to, at minimum, criticize Boykin's comments in light of the fact he recently rebuked Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for anti-Semitic comments.

So far, the White House has been silent on Boykin. Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he had not violated any military rules.

Boykin issued an apology Oct. 17, saying his comments had been taken out of context and he never intended to denigrate the Islamic faith or all Muslims.

Regarding his comments on the Somali warlord, Boykin said he had been referring not to the man's Islamic beliefs but to his “worship of money and power” as the “idolatry” that was inferior to Boykin's God.

“I am neither a zealot nor an extremist. Only a soldier who has an abiding faith,” Boykin said. “I am not anti-Islam or any other religion. I support the free exercise of all religions. For those who have been offended by my statements, I offer a sincere apology.”

He added: “I do believe radical extremists have tried to use Islam as a cause for attacks on America. As I have stated before, they are not true followers of Islam. In my view they are simply terrorists, much like the so-called 'Christians' of the white supremacy groups.”

Conservative commentators such as Family Research Council President Tony Perkins have defended Boykin's comments and suggested his critics are attacking the free-speech rights of Christians.

The pastor of the Daytona Beach church where Boykin delivered some of the controversial comments defended Boykin, whom he described as a “dear friend,” in a strongly-worded editorial released Oct. 20 by Baptist Press.

Bobby Welch, himself a military Special Forces veteran, declared: “I despise the unthinkable and asinine fact that some take cheap backstabbing shots at a real God-fearing American hero who continually risks his life to protect all of us.”

But a moderate Baptist ethicist said Boykin's comments seemed to reflect “bad theology.” Robert Parham, head of the Baptist Center for Ethics, said the real question about Boykin was whether his public statements were appropriate for someone in his position.

“Can he be trusted to act in the nation's interest instead of pursuing his own twisted theological agenda?” Parham asked in the Oct. 17 edition of the organization's e-mail newsletter, EthicsDaily.com. “The nation can ill afford a commander who sees the war on terrorism as a war between dueling deities.”

Rumsfeld announced Oct. 21 that Boykin had asked for an investigation of his past comments by the Pentagon's inspector general. The defense secretary again declined to comment on Boykin's statements, and said he would wait for the inspector general's report.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




Chapman speaks on Boykin, Episcopalians_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

Chapman speaks on Boykin, Episcopalians

By Terri Jo Ryan

Special to the Standard

NASHVILLE, Tenn.–Episcopalians fleeing “trendy theology” with the ordination of the denomination's first openly gay bishop would be welcomed into the Southern Baptist fold, said Morris Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

Speaking in a telephone interview from his Nashville office, Chapman predicted another division of the Episcopal Church USA over the issue of the bishop-elect of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson.

Because of the Southern Baptist tradition of “preaching the strong convictions we have, especially on God's word,” Chapman said, he expects conservative denominations could pick up more followers from people dismayed at their own church's “liberal bent.”

“It's politically incorrect to say the Bible teaches against homosexuality,” he said. “It's not just a matter of lifestyle anymore, but a highly charged political issue. There are major political forces within the homosexual community.”

Chapman visited Waco Oct. 25-26 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of First Baptist Church of Woodway, where he served as pastor from 1969 to 1974. His sermon drew from 2 Timothy 4:1-8, which instructs the early church on the rewards of “fighting the good fight” and “keeping the faith.”

The emphasis of the passage was not as much on the good fight as it was the good life–Paul recognizing how God has blessed him during his life, even as he is greatly persecuted for his faith in God, Chapman said.

“The Bible tells us to contend with the world. While I see flashes of hope, I also see a growing disregard for the word of God.”

President George W. Bush, he said, “has openly testified to his faith in Christ.” But no one president, one congressman, one senator or one preacher alone can bring about a change in the way Christians are being “persecuted in this country,” he said.

Among those being persecuted today, Chapman said, is Gen. William “Jerry” Boykin, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence. Boykin has testified in uniform in church venues that Islamic fanatics hate the United States “because we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian.”

Just as the Apostle Paul suffered for his public proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ, “Gen. Boykin is under assault for being open in his witness for Christ,” Chapman said. Criticism of the general, he added, seems to be “part of a concerted effort to demean Christianity.”

Chapman acknowledged it might have been “unfortunate” that Boykin mentioned Islam, “but his intent was to give the glory to God.”

Christians can rest assured that “we know who will win the battle between good and evil,” Chapman said. “We have seen a lot of young adults who are presenting themselves for missions, saying: 'Send us to the hardest places in the world. We want to go where the gospel is desperately needed. As long as we have breath, we want to proclaim his word.'”

Chapman said he would like to ask every Southern Baptist “to get before the Lord and humble themselves, so we could become the mightiest righteous force for the Lord God in any generation.”

If everyone who calls himself or herself a Baptist truly accepted the “rule and reign of God” in their hearts, “we could see the kind of revival we haven't seen in years sweep the country like a prairie fire,” he said. “It can't be manufactured. We must repent, pray and be ready for the coming of the Lord.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




Baptist Briefs_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

Baptist Briefs

bluebull FamilyNet wins award. The FamilyNet original production of "We Shall Not Be Moved" received the golden Emmy statue for outstanding documentary program at the inaugural Lone Star Emmy Awards Gala Oct. 18 in Dallas. The one-hour documentary highlights the role the African-American church played in the Civil Rights Movement. Based in Fort Worth, FamilyNet is a 24-hour television network operated by the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board.

bluebull NCC taps Baptist. Shanta Premawardhana, a Baptist pastor and a leader in interfaith work in Chicago, has been elected by the National Council of Churches as its associate general secretary for interfaith relations and director of the NCC Interfaith Relations Commission. For the past 14 years, Premawardhana has been senior pastor of Ellis Avenue Church in Chicago. He is recognized for his leadership in building relationships across social boundaries that normally divide, for training people in interfaith dialogue and for helping Christians reflect on removing anti-Judaism from the pulpit. Premawardhana is vice president of the Alliance of Baptists

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




BUCKNER IN LUBBOCK: A place to call home_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

BUCKNER IN LUBBOCK: A place to call home

By Russ Dilday

Buckner News Service

LUBBOCK–For more than 25 years, members of the Joy Sunday School class at First Baptist Church of Lubbock have opened their hearts and wallets on the first Sunday of each month to collect a special offering.

Those gifts provide allowance money for children living at Buckner Children's Home in Lubbock.

For 25 years, the same member, class secretary-treasurer Alline Jones, has deposited the money the following Monday and faithfully written a check to the home.

Buckner seniors Barbara Franks, Amber Perez and Vicki Harris are preparing for life on their own in a better way than they could have dreamed.

“Allowances are important to children,” emphasized one member. “As we raised our own children, we allowed them to have money of their own.”

“When we put that money in an envelope, we know it's going to Buckner,” said another. “We're very aware we're giving to missions.”

A third, pulling a well-used bookmark from her Bible, read a passage from it to defend the class's commitment to children: “It will not matter what my bank account was, what kind of house I lived in or what car I drove, the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

The bookmark was published years ago by Buckner.

Melissa Opheim, administrator for Buckner Children and Family Services of Lubbock, said the allowance money brings joy and satisfaction to the children as well.

“When they receive their allowance, they receive recognition for how hard they've worked all week with their chores,” she said. “We don't know how far a little recognition like that will go.”

While Buckner has services in more than 20 communities across Texas, Lubbock is the site of one of four Buckner residential group homes, a traditional children's home campus. The others are in Beaumont, Dallas and Mission.

Buckner also works in Lubbock through innovative community programs, foster care and after-school programs.

As a life-long Lubbock resident and real-estate agent by trade, Mayor Marc McDougal understands the role Buckner plays in Lubbock.

“I've been around Buckner all my life,” he said. “I'm a member of Oakwood Baptist Church, and I remember, growing up, going over there and taking Christmas presents or clothes.”

At First Baptist Church of Lubbock, a member of the Joy Sunday School class contributes her monthly gift for the children at Buckner.

“They do a lot things,” he said. “We talk (in city government) about doing after-school programs and the need to do more, and Buckner already has them in place. It keeps children off the streets, helps them with their homework and provides them with activities after school. I think that's a very important community service Buckner provides.”

When three housefuls of boys, all residents of Buckner Children's Home, pile out of their vans and cars at First Baptist Church, many of them are teens who come with what Opheim calls a “pretty tough shell.”

However, that shell softens when someone touches their lives, she said. That someone is likely to be a member of the youth leadership team at First Baptist, where Youth Pastor Jimmy Storrie said members determined “early on that we were going to treat the kids at Buckner just like the rest of our kids.”

“We made a concerted effort among our youth leaders to treat them like family,” he said. “They have the same needs as the kids who live with mom and dad–they need someone to love them, they're looking for someone to encourage them, for someone to give them hope, for someone to give them guidance along the way.”

Opheim believes “the moment of transition for our kids is the moment they accept Jesus Christ in their lives. And then the responsibility is to grow that. First Baptist provides those role models for that and the encouragement they need. The kids come down here and fit in, and it's so cool to be a part of this youth group.”

“We're a partner with Buckner,” Storrie said. “They do a great job out there with the kids, and we help with a spiritual connection.”

Some families have had five children graduate from high school, but what about five in one year? That's life at Buckner Children's Home this year, where seniors Barbara Franks, Amber Perez, Vicki Harris, Reba Reed and Billy Thornton are preparing for life after Buckner.

Youth Pastor Jimmy Storrie says the church determined early on to treat the Buckner teens just like any other teenager.

They agree that life changed dramatically for them after arriving on campus.

Harris, a 12-year resident, remembers little of life prior to Buckner. “They took me away at 3. We lived in a shack. We had 10 kids and only two bedrooms. We never did get out. Everywhere we went, we had to walk. Here, I have more room. I get to do more things than I would have at home, and my mom can work for herself instead of 10 kids.”

“When I got here, I didn't care about anything,” added Perez. “I was hurt. I was separated from my parents for no reason, it seemed like to me. But I got used to it. It made me want to change, because I used to be bad. I want to graduate, I want to go to college now. That's one reason I didn't go back home, because I knew if I went back, I'd be locked up right now.”

Franks tells a similar story. “Whenever I came here, I found out that a lot of people thought I was going to be like my mom. She was 14 when she got pregnant, but I don't want to be 14 and have a kid.

“I started going to PAL (Preparation for Adult Living), I started getting help,” she said. “I know if I was still at home, there would be no way I'd go to college. My world has changed. I never had a role model that (showed me) this could be done. I want to prove to myself that it can be done.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




Burnet readies for Bethlehem role_110303

Posted: 10/31/03
A man (left) who came up short in paying the tax collectoir (right) is about to be taken away by Roman guards in one of many scenes portrayed throughout the Bethlehem village in Burnet.

Burnet readies for Bethlehem role

By George Henson

Staff Writer

BURNET–While political unrest will keep tourists away from the city of Jesus' birth this Christmas, more than 20,000 are expected to descend on Bethlehem in the Texas Hill Country.

First Baptist Church of Burnet will mark a decade of turning back time inside its version of Bethlehem–a walled compound at the corner of Boundary and Washington streets.

Ed Keyser, new director of Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet, looks out from a balcony on the inn, where as in the biblical story, there will be no room for Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. More than 20,000 people are expected to visit the attraction.

On some nights, more people will tour Main Street Bethlehem than the population of the 4,500-person town. In years past, the line to get in has stretched down the block, five people wide.

Event organizers work hard to keep the crowds moving. Entertainers and food vendors also add special interest.

Once inside the walls of the permanent village, guests meet more than 130 actors who portray traveling families living in tents, tavern patrons, merchants, Roman soldiers, tax collectors, jailers, villagers and various craftsmen who actually demonstrate their skills as candle makers, butter and cheese churners, bakers, leather workers, blacksmiths and cane rug makers.

Structures in the small village include a two-story jail and an inn elevated above a stable. As in biblical times, there is no room at the inn for Joseph and Mary, who are forced to find shelter in a hollowed-out cave.

Main Street Bethlehem did not start out nearly so large or populated. Acutally, it started primarily within the confines of Norman Leftwich's mind.

Actors from the community who portray blacksmiths demonstrate their skills.

While driving to Austin on business in 1993, the layman ruminated on a conversation he'd had earlier with his son. He told Leftwich of a church that had built a Bethlehem-like village out of cardboard. Leftwich wondered why his church couldn't do something like that.

He took the idea to his pastor and members of the missions committee, all of whom gave him the go ahead. But he still had to figure out how to make it happen.

Leftwich traveled to Glorieta, N.M., that summer with a group of youth, and while there he tried to figure out how to construct the buildings. At Glorieta, he first drew the designs for structures made of wooden frames with cloth coverings for walls.

From that humble beginning, Main Street Bethlehem has evolved into a village that is more sturdily constructed than most homes.

The wall around the biblical city was constructed in 1997 with prison labor, as were several of the buildings. More elaborate buildings have been constructed in years since, bringing the total number of permanent structures to 11.

Until this year, Mary and Joseph's shelter had been made of wood and straw, but it burned in February. A new birthplace of Jesus, a realistic-looking cave that appears to be cut out of a sandstone ledge, will debut this year.

The village has no electrical lights visible, so open fires and lanterns light the village as it opens to visitors each evening of the re-enactment from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This year's dates are Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. Friday and Sunday evenings are typically less crowded, organizers said.

This also marks the first year Leftwich hasn't directed Main Street Bethlehem. He left First Baptist Church earlier this year to help start a new church. That doesn't mean he isn't still an integral part of things, however, said Main Street Bethlehem's new coordinator, Ed Keyser.

“If Main Street Bethehem has a mother and father, Frankie and Norman Leftwich are it,” Keyser said. “They have given so much time, money, prayer, love and coordination to this event, there wouldn't be this for people to bring their families to without them.”

The Leftwiches also continue to care year-round for the many animals used in the production.

Because of the scope of the production, it has become a community event. Most of the cast members are First Baptist members, but friends from a number of other churches also contribute their time and talents.

“If anyone wants to be involved, we can find a place for them,” Keyser said.

That help may be especially needed on Friday nights if Burnet progresses in the state football playoffs as expected. “A cast member who can step in anywhere is a very valuable person,” Leftwich said.

Typically, cast members develop two or three monologues they repeat throughout the evening, Keyser said. “In five minutes, they have an entirely new group of people, and the ones who heard it the last time have moved on.”

Extensive efforts are made to keep the experience authentic.

“Historical accuracy is a huge focus for us and is one of the things we're continually asking people to help us with,” Keyser said. For example, the prayer bench in the synagogue faces Jerusalem, and women are kept a distance from it. Also, the priest makes sure everyone knows the birds carried in cages hanging from a yoke on a woman's shoulders are not for sacrifice. “Sacrifices are only done in Jerusalem,” he explained.

Most of all, the Burnet Baptists want to keep Jesus Christ the focus of Christmas.

“Coming at the beginning of December, we hope this helps families set the tone for the entire Christmas season,” Keyser said. “Already the advertisements have started bombarding children about the newest toys, but we want to remind that the focus of Christmas is the gift that God gave through his Son.”

At Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet, volunteer actors portray a variety of people who would have been found in the biblical town of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth there. Visitors may see tax collectors and Roman guards, camels and other common animals, and craftsmen such as blacksmiths, who actually demonstrate their skills. More than 130 actors, mainly members of First Baptist Church of Burnet, fill the roles. The village has evolved into a permanent structure.


News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




cartoon_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

“And tonight, our pastor search committee will combine with our youth group for a unique scavenger hunt.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




CBF not a denomination but becoming more like one, Vestal tells council_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

CBF not a denomination but becoming
more like one, Vestal tells council

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)–The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is not really a denomination, says CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal, but it is becoming more like a denomination and indeed functions as one for some churches.

The question of what CBF will become has been a constant topic of speculation and some controversy since the organization was formed by moderate Southern Baptists in 1991. Vestal told members of the group's Coordinating Council CBF has undergone a “progression in the development of our identity.” And while no final answer has emerged, some consensus is developing around the CBF's mission, he said.

Vestal spoke during the council's fall meeting in Atlanta, during which the group adopted a budget goal of $16 million for 2004-05, began a study of funding for “partner” ministries such as seminaries, and agreed to re-evaluate the vacant position of resource center coordinator, the organization's chief operating officer.

The CBF most often describes itself as a “network of churches and individuals.” When it was founded, Vestal said, CBF served as “a relief and rescue operation” for moderate Baptists and their causes.

But it soon became a movement centered on Baptist principles, he said, and in 1993 it became a “missionary sending and supporting organization.”

“In the last three to five years,” he continued, “we have become something of a denomination-like organization for some people.”

“We have about 150 to 175 churches … that do not have any kind of relationship to the Southern Baptist Convention,” Vestal said. For those churches that relate to CBF and no other Baptist body, CBF serves in the role of a denomination or convention, he said.

“When I get past that, however, I get real squishy about numbers,” he added.

About 5,000 churches have contributed funds to and through the CBF since its inception, including about 2,000 that did so last year, Vestal said. But those churches identify with the CBF in various ways and for various reasons, so those relationships become difficult to classify, he said.

“Our emphasis has been not so much on membership as on partnership,” he explained.

While the CBF is taking on more traits of a denomination or convention, Vestal said, “we are not a denominational magisterium, we are not a denominational headquarters, and God knows we are not a denominational authority” for churches.

Instead, Vestal said, CBF is becoming more defined by its vision and mission.

“We are gaining something of a consensus around our vision. We want to be the presence of Christ. We want to incarnate the presence of Christ in the world. Our mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission. And the goal of that mission in every context is to become the presence of Christ.”

Some people use terms like denomination, convention and mission-sending organization to describe CBF, Vestal acknowledged, “but the word 'fellowship' captures us more than any other word because it describes relationships and partnership.”

The Coordinating Council heard about new or expanding partnerships with several other Baptist bodies. In July, CBF was granted membership in the Baptist World Alliance, an international network of Baptist conventions and bodies.

“We can't fully grasp the significance of what that is going to mean for us and for Baptists and for the Baptist witness around the world,” Vestal said. Already the CBF is well known and respected by BWA members, Vestal said, adding, “Our missionaries are held in high esteem around the world.”

Additionally, the CBF is collaborating with the American Baptist Churches in the USA, the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Baptist General Association of Virginia, the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, the District of Columbia Baptist Convention and Canadian Baptist groups, among others.

Philip Wise, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Lubbock and chair of the Coordinating Council's finance committee, reported that through the first three months of this fiscal year, which began in July, revenues are keeping pace with the budget. That is an improvement over last fiscal year, when the CBF had to reduce its budget.

The council adopted a “not-to-exceed” figure of $16,008,000 for the 2004-05 annual budget, the same as the reduced budget for 2003-04. Specifics of the budget will be drafted by the CBF staff and presented to the council later in the year.

The study of partner funding was prompted in part by budget constraints that forced CBF last year to cut funding for its partners, which include 13 theological schools, the Baptist Joint Committee, Associated Baptist Press, Baptists Today, the Baptist Center for Ethics and others.

The study committee's assignment included a suggestion to reduce CBF funding of partners by another 30 percent. Vestal said he is aware of “a lot of anxiety among our partners” over the study.

The partner study committee met for the first time during the council meeting. Chair Charles Cantrell of Mountain View, Mo., reported the group began by defining the questions the committee needs to address and setting the parameters for the committee.

“My hope is that this process can be about far more than money,” Vestal said. “I want it to be a celebration of our partners.”

The personnel committee announced it is evaluating the scope of the resource center coordinator position, which became vacant in August when Reba Cobb resigned to accept another position. A search committee was named.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.




BGCT-endorsed chaplains urged to keep going, to fulfill their calls_110303

Posted: 10/31/03

BGCT-endorsed chaplains urged
to keep going, to fulfill their calls

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

BURNET–Comparing chaplains to marathon runners, Bob Vickers urged chaplains endorsed by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to “finish the race” of fulfilling their call.

Chaplaincy is a seed-sowing ministry, Vickers reminded nearly 100 chaplains at a BGCT-sponsored retreat at Camp Buckner. While people may not necessarily come to Christianity in front of the chaplain's eyes, the ministers lay the foundation for other believers to build upon, said Vickers, former director of chaplaincy for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board.

Unfortunately, many chaplains feel isolated in their work, Vickers said. They believe few people inside or outside the church understand their servant ministry. There is no visible crowd to appreciate a chaplain's individual efforts meeting needs in various settings.

“You're trying to go along and do what you know God is calling you to,” Vickers said. “You strive for the finish line. You know it's out there, but you're doing it alone.”

Because chaplains do not always see the results of their work, they can begin to wonder if they have an impact, the former military chaplain said. But their ministry is powerful, he testified.

David Sandifer, a Kentucky military chaplain, told the story of how he bonded with a young man years ago. The boy followed him around, and the duo went to movies and did other activities together.

One day, the chaplain told the boy to get a haircut before they went to the movies. The boy ran down the street to meet the chaplain at the movies with a military buzz cut to be just like him.

The chaplain eventually had to move away, and the two lost contact with each other. Years later, when the minister was teaching younger chaplains how to hold a service in a combat situation, he told the story and mentioned the kid's name.

A young chaplain smiled and told the minister, “Let me tell you the rest of the story.”

The boy had grown up and become involved in a traveling ministry team in college. He led that young chaplain to faith in Christ one night in a Southern Baptist church, Sandifer said, tears rolling down his face.

“I think there are a lot of time we wonder if what we do makes any difference. My friends, it does,” Vickers affirmed.

Chaplains must cling to the purpose of making a difference in people's lives in the name of Christ, Vickers urged. This will spur them to continue their ministry no matter the obstacles–self-created or from outside sources.

“Even though some things did not turn out well for me in the job I loved with all my heart, the race goes on,” said Vickers, who by some accounts was forced out of his NAMB job due to denominational politics. “I keep serving.”

No matter how difficult the work becomes or how alone a chaplain feels, a heavenly crowd is cheering them on, Vickers said as he spoke from Hebrews 12:1-3. The encouragers spur ministers to complete their calling.

“There's this cloud of witnesses that is cheering us on,” he said. “Even though you feel like you are alone, they are there urging you to the finish line.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.