Posted: 11/07/03

DOWN HOME:
Letterman's in for tiring, happy time

Comedian David Letterman announced the birth of his first child last week, just a few days before our oldest daughter, Lindsay, turned 20.

Letterman is 56–nine years older than I. If you're a math whiz, you've already figured out I was 29 years younger than Letterman is now when Lindsay joined our family. Her sister, Molly, followed three years and three days later.

So, I'm celebrating Lindsay's 20th and Molly's 17th birthdays this week by counting my blessings.

No matter what else happens in this life, at least I became a father when I was young enough to enjoy, not to mention endure, having babies in the house.

MARV KNOX Editor

Honesty compels me to admit I had it pretty good during Lindsay's and Molly's babyhood. We were blessed so that Joanna, their mama, stayed home. That meant that, nearly all the time, I stayed in bed during the middle-of-the-night feedings.

But I still remember how tired Jo and I were, adjusting to the irregular rhythms of nine-pound crying, burping, spitting, pooping alarm clocks. We walked a marathon every night Lindsay was a baby–walking and patting, patting and walking–trying to get the kid to sleep. Later, I'd be bone-tired from work, and I'd read myself to sleep reciting “Goodnight, Moon” for the 5-millionth time, only to snap awake with a little voice in my ear, “Read it again, Daddy.”

“God was brilliant to devise biology so that mammals have children when they're young,” I thought many times. “Otherwise, they'd never have the energy to survive.”

But now Letterman has his first child at 56. He's already older than any of my grandparents were when I was born. They probably have a nanny for this baby. And the nursery probably is all the way across the mansion from the master bedroom. But the thought of having a baby at 56 still makes me tired.

On the other hand, our first “baby” just crossed the chasm of teenhood, and the second child is only three years and three days behind.

That makes me happy, of course. Raising children is a delight. Watching them become young adults whom you respect and admire and find fascinating is a blessing you can't really appreciate until you experience it.

Every phase of parenthood presents new opportunities and pleasures. That's why I look forward to the coming years, even the so-called empty nest.

Jo and I had a great time before we had children, and I'm sure we'll enjoy the freedom that comes with more control over our calendar.

Still, I can't help but feel a little envious of Letterman. Those years with babies and preschoolers are precious. But maybe by the time I'm his age, I'll be reading “Goodnight, Moon” to my grandkids.

Posted: 11/07/03

EDITORIAL:
What do you have to do to call your church 'Baptist'?

A lawsuit in Georgia has raised a good question: Who owns the rights to a religious name?

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta has sued Mision Catolica: Capilla de la Fe (Catholic Mission: Chapel of Faith), charging the network of Spanish-speaking churches falsely represents itself as Catholic.

“You cannot simply set up whatever church and call yourself 'Roman Catholic.' That's fraud,” archdiocese attorney David Brown declared.

Archdiocese officials claim the Capilla de la Fe churches conduct Mass, trick new immigrants into believing the congregations are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and “raise considerable funds” trading on the Catholic name.

This situation bursts with irony. On the one hand, the Roman Catholic Church says Capilla de la Fe illegally benefits from using “Catholic” in its name. On the other, more and more churches have dropped “Baptist” from their names, explaining the label is a liability when they try to reach out to people in their communities.

Although threatened by new trends, the name “Baptist” still stands for believer's baptism by immersion, the Bible, religious liberty and missions.

Suppose, however, a church still wants to write “Baptist” on its marquee. What are the absolute minimum standards, beliefs and practices that should qualify a congregation for the name?

Of course, myriad distinctions define Baptist churches. Many of them are quite common to various denominations. Let's set apart those characteristics that have given Baptists their unique perspective, form and personality.

Historically, Baptist conventions themselves have set a low bar, with two primary standards–money and “cooperation.” Both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention constitutions describe the financial qualifications required for churches to send messengers to the annual meeting, the primary yardstick for defining a church as Southern or Texas Baptist. The constitutions also stipulate that affiliated churches should be “in friendly cooperation” (SBC) or “voluntarily cooperate” (BGCT) with the conventions.

So, strictly speaking, a church can call itself “Baptist” if it gives money to a Baptist convention and in some way supports denominational programs.

But what makes a Baptist church truly Baptist? Here are some traits that have distinguished Baptists for almost 400 years:

Believer's baptism by immersion. This is where we get our name. Baptists historically believe baptism by immersion is a symbol of Christians' obedience to Jesus' command to be baptized; identification with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection for our sins; affirmation of our own death to sin and new life in Christ; and faith in eventual resurrection and eternal fellowship with Christ.

Since we do not believe baptism is necessary for salvation or has power to save, we do not baptize infants to secure their salvation. Our forebears suffered extreme persecution for refusing to baptize their infants, and yet they persevered, wearing their name “Baptist” as a badge of faithfulness.

This belief is threatened on two fronts today. Some churches are baptizing children at increasingly young ages. When children who cannot understand their actions are baptized, the practice borders on pedobaptism or infant baptism. Other churches are urged to negate the importance of believer's baptism and baptism by immersion, primarily through the influence of believers who join from other faiths–some who were baptized as infants and some who were sprinkled–who do not wish to be baptized again as an adult.

Authority of the Bible as God's word. Whatever language they use to describe it, Baptists traditionally have strongly affirmed the Bible as a completely authoritative and trustworthy guide to Christian faith and practice.

The primary challenge to the historic undertanding of the Bible now comes from the right. Some people who claim the name “Baptist” seem to elevate Scripture to the authoritative level of deity, a position seemingly taken by the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message statement.

The religious-liberty cluster. From our beginnings, Baptists have understood that each soul, every person, is competent to relate directly to God and seek divine guidance. This is why we believe in the priesthood of the believer, the doctrine that each Christian is privileged and responsible to stand before God and needs no intermediary or priest to arbitrate forgiveness of sins and holy wisdom. This is why we practice democratic church governance, because we believe God leads Baptists through the divine direction provided to the believer-priests collectively. A corollary to this is the autonomy of the local church. No ecclesiastical authority reigns over the individual congregation, because, as a gathering of believer-priests, the local church is able to chart its own course under God.

Through these understandings, Baptists historically have been the foremost champions of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. We instinctively know that to be authentic, faith must be free. Coerced faith is not faith at all. Government interference in church matters, and vice-versa, weakens the church and corrupts the government. Baptist history is written with the blood of martyrs who died for these principles. American history is written, in part, with the sweat of Baptists who labored to secure these liberties.

Unfortunately, several forces seek to undermine these principles. One is a denominational tendency toward control that seeks to tell congregations what they can and cannot do and whom God can and cannot call as their pastor. Another is a desire for funding faith-based programs that willfully accept government money, turning a blind eye to the likelihood that all such money comes with government strings attached in the form of regulations and oversight. A third is disdain for the religious beliefs of minority religions to the degree it would disallow them to practice their faith freely.

The priority of missions. With the exception of the hyper-Calvinist Primitive Baptists, Baptists have been global leaders in world missions. We take seriously Christ's command to carry the gospel to “the uttermost parts of the earth.” Even when Baptists divide, the first thing we do is start another missions program.

All kinds of Baptists continue to do all kinds of missions. The chief threat on the horizon is the resurgence of hyper-Calvinists. They claim to be missions-minded, but the logical progression of their theology would lead Baptists away from missions, since God would save whoever God chooses, no matter what people do.

Consistent contrariness. Sadly, Baptists shift toward schism. The first Baptist church endured division, and we have fought ever since. Walter Shurden wrote one of the best Baptist histories, “Not a Silent People,” as a story of denominational discord. Unfortunately, from convention conflict to worship wars, we show few signs of letting up.

Despite this last characteristic, “Baptist” is a good name. It stands for virtues that are vital among the fellowship of the faithful.

–Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

Posted: 11/07/03

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Nov. 16

Christ has given new meaning to 'triumph'

Colossians 2:6-23

By John Duncan

Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury

The theme of Christ's triumph is a basic belief for Christians. The Apostle Paul penned a letter to the church at Colossae, warning them of deceit and false teaching. He exhorted them to surrender their legalism. He further reminded them of the victory Christ purchased for them. This victory brought abundant life, forgiveness and a new life. Paul condensed his words by painting a word picture of Christ's triumph (2:15).

Triumph

The Greek word Paul used to describe Christ is “triumph” (2:15). The ancients sang a hymn in a procession to Dionysus, the Roman god of wine. We might liken this to a parade where the participants sing as they march. Later, the word referred to a triumphal procession of Roman generals who won military battles. The general defeated enemies in surrounding regions. The Roman army captured prisoners. They loaded the trophies and spoils of war in a caravan. Next, they marched to Rome. A victory celebration ensued.

As the general led his troops toward Rome, crowds gathered on the outskirts of town. The general led his men through the gates and into the streets of Rome. The general rolled into Rome on a two-wheeled chariot pulled by four horses. He glowed as he rode the chariot while dressed in purple and gold. He wore a crown of victory. The crown became a symbol of triumph. The general carried a laurel branch in his right hand and an eagle scepter in the left. These visible tokens were held high as a sign of conquest and power.

Soldiers followed behind displaying the spoils of victory. They arrogantly waved jewelry, trinkets, signs and silver for the onlookers to see. Liberated Romans, former prisoners of war, came next. Captured prisoners were led along as slaves. A pompous parade of dancers, a small group of singers and a jubilant crowd completed the procession.

The historian Josephus told of how Roman citizens decorated the city with garland laurels during a time of triumph. He further related how the Roman emperors and other military leaders of Rome marched in a triumph. The emperors were preceded by soldiers carrying the tokens of victory. Many of Titus' soldiers carried objects from the temple in their conquest of Jerusalem in 66 A.D.

The soldiers held high Jewish candelabras and the golden table. As they filed in front of jubilant Romans, they displayed the Laws of the Jews, scrolls of the Old Covenant. Following closely behind was one of the prizes of the victory in Jerusalem.

Simon the tyrant

This prize was a man named Simon (not Simon Peter). Josephus referred to him as Simon the tyrant, the son of Gioras. Simon had hidden many of his friends in a cave during the attack on Jerusalem. They stayed underground with food and provisions. When their supplies ran out, Simon emerged on the streets of Jerusalem wearing a white frock and a purple robe. He ended up, along with his friends, a captive in Roman hands. Simon was placed in bonds as a cherished prize of victory.

Simon the tyrant was pulled through Rome with a rope around his head. The bystanders mocked and humiliated him. The prize captive was then displayed in front of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Rome. He was killed as a sacrifice of victory. Upon his death, the crowd shouted for joy. The victory was complete. A feast and celebration then ended the so-called triumph.

How is the triumph of Christ different from that of a Roman general?

Christ's triumph

Christ's triumph differs from a Roman triumph. The Romans came in the pomp and splendor of feast and celebration. Their arrogance not only filled their heads but was on parade to be viewed.

Christ, on the other hand, came in humility. He entered the streets of victory not on a glistening chariot but on a lowly donkey. And while the Roman symbol of triumph was a crown, Christ's symbol of triumph was a cross. Paul alluded to the cross of Christ's triumph in 2:14. Paul clearly saw the cross as the garland laurel symbolic of Christ's victory over sin and the law. In a sense, the cross became the chariot of victory.

The Roman generals repeated their marches of triumph periodically. They did this as new battles arose and as enemies were defeated. Paul declared Christ's triumph as final. There would be no occasion to march again.

Christ's triumph, as indicated by Paul, ends with a hint of gratitude. The only other place in the New Testament where the theme of Christ's triumph appears is 2 Corinthians 2:14. There Paul addressed the Corinthian church with its many troubles. He warned the church of deceit that comes by the sly hand of Satan. Paul reminded the believers of Christ's sacrifice. He wrote words of gratitude and triumph. Paul simplified the Christian response to Christ's triumph as joyful thanksgiving.

At Colossae, triumph meant God's people could be thankful they were complete in Christ (see 2:9-15). Gratitude flowed freely because sins were forgiven in the victorious Christ. Songs of thanksgiving reigned, as believers were no longer chained to the old law. They served Christ as he showed them a new covenant. Words of thanks touched the lips of believers because evil was defeated.

Question for discussion

What has Christ redefined in your life?

Posted: 11/07/03

LifeWay Family Bible Series Lesson for Nov. 16

Complacency can strangle ministry still today

Acts 13:1-52

By David Jenkins

New Hope Baptist Church, Big Sandy

The curse of complacency, of being satisfied with the status quo, has been the greatest enemy of Christ's commission to believers to “go into all the world and preach the gospel.” Even after the Day of Pentecost, the early believers were hesitant to leave Jerusalem and carry the good news of their faith to other regions.

The first inkling of the early church's missionary spirit and outlook came with the missions of Philip to Samaria (Acts 8:5-13) and to the Ethiopian nobleman (8:26-40) and of Peter to Caesarea (10:23-48). Believers, forced to flee Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Stephen, also shared their witness in other places (8:1,4). Luke's record of the church's activity in Acts 13, however, reveals the first account of an organized missionary campaign to the Gentile world.

The birth of a vision

Sometimes God works in unexpected ways to accomplish his purposes. Who would have thought the base of missionary operation would be transferred from the church at Jerusalem, made up predominantly of Jewish believers, to the church at Antioch, where the majority of the Christians were Gentiles?

Throughout the book of Acts, we find traces of discrimination by Jewish Christians toward Gentile believers. Apparently God knew the Jerusalem church never would embrace a Gentile missionary campaign with the openness and enthusiasm of the believers in the Antioch church.

At Antioch were five dynamic, Spirit-filled leaders who were spearheading the work of the church. The church had grown by leaps and bounds, but still the hearts of these men were continually seeking God's leadership in the direction of the church's ministry. They gave themselves to fasting and prayer and thus were sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance. They were led to set apart two of their number, Saul and Barnabas, to carry the gospel to the Gentile world.

Any body of believers that sustains a vital relationship with the Lord is going to reproduce itself, just as the branches produce fruit because of their connection to the vine. Saul and Barnabas were sent out with no idea what lay ahead for them. They were armed, however, with the gospel message and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The power of the gospel

From the time Saul and Barnabas landed on the island of Cyprus, they encountered satanic opposition. For the first time, the light of Christ's gospel was penetrating the spiritual darkness of the Gentile world. Naturally, Satan did all in his power to thwart their efforts and to dissuade those who heard them from accepting the truth of their message. After the party left Cyprus, Luke referred to the two leaders as “Paul and Barnabas,” rather than Barnabas and Saul. It seems obvious that Paul became the leader of the mission.

When they arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul was invited to preach in the local synagogue. His sermon was all-inclusive. His introduction was to the men of Israel “and you Gentiles who worship God” (3:16). He began with the sojourn of God's people in Egypt and their wilderness journey to Canaan, the land God had promised them through Abraham. He covered the ministry of the judges and the prophets and explained God's plan in the reign of David. From the descendants of David came the Savior, Jesus.

Led by the Holy Spirit, Paul brought his message to a close by declaring the redemptive mission of Jesus–his crucifixion, followed by his victorious resurrection. He completed his message with the good news that forgiveness of sin was available to all who exercised faith in what Christ had accomplished. He told Jews that they could not be justified by the law of Moses, but only through Christ.

The response of the hearers

Paul's passion, his knowledge of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit in his preaching awakened a deep sense of concern in the minds and hearts of both Jews and Gentiles. As the congregation was leaving the synagogue, the people urged Paul to return and preach to them again the next Sabbath. The people followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue, and the two men urged them to “continue in the grace of God” (v. 43).

Again, Satan capitalized on the prejudice of the Jews toward the Gentiles. They were incensed that Paul would include the Gentiles in his invitation to accept God's privileges. Many devout women were swayed by the Jewish propaganda against the apostles. Some of them were wives of government officials. They were used by the Jews to influence their husbands, the chief men of the city, to arrest Paul and Barnabas and expel them from Antioch.

Paul and Barnabas “shook the dust from their feet” as they left the city. This act signified the Jews of Antioch had taken a curse upon themselves by rejecting the gospel and those who had proclaimed it to them. But the irony of it all was that those who had been changed by the gospel “were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (v. 52).

Questions for discussion

What confirmed the Lord's leadership in this missionary endeavor?

How do Christians today allow complacency to hinder the true mission of God's people?

Posted: 11/07/03

FFH stands for wholesome fun for the whole family

By Leann Callaway

Special to the Standard

The popularity of the Christian band FFH has gone “out of this world.”

Space Shuttle Endeavour astronauts took FFH's “Found a Place” album with them on their December 2000 mission. In 1999, FFH wrote and recorded a song used in a Coca-Cola national advertising campaign that aired on 4,000 radio stations. They performed a private concert for Joe Gibbs' NASCAR racing team, and they teamed with the Make a Wish Foundation to perform for a terminally ill child.

By performing halftime concerts at various sporting events, they have unique opportunities to share the message of salvation when people are least expecting to hear about it.

FFH is Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler, Michael Boggs and Brian Smith.

“We love performing at sporting events, because the people are just going to see the game, and they might hang around and say, 'What's this concert all about?'” FFH member Brian Smith explained. “Then, we present the gospel. It's awesome because we know there are people there who have never heard of Jesus before, and we get to tell them about him.”

Wherever FFH performs, they remain true to their convictions and their desire to see lives changed.

Four musical talents make up the group–Jeromy Deibler (lead vocals, guitar and piano) and his wife, Jennifer (vocals), Michael Boggs (guitar and vocals) and Smith (bass, vocals and trumpet).

Smith and Deibler grew up together and began sharing musical gifts with their home church in Pennsylvania.

“Our parents were real involved in the music of the church,” Smith explained. “My mom was the youth choir director. Jeromy's dad was the senior choir director. So, we really didn't have a choice–we had to be in choir. That's kind of where it all started, and we both played in band. Jeromy played drums, and I played trumpet. The music in both families goes way back. Even our grandparents were very musical. But we started getting really interested in music during high school. About the same time, we started FFH.”

Twelve years ago, FFH began with Smith, Deibler and two other guys at a family camp in Lancaster, Pa.

“We just got together two songs for special music at a youth talent show at the camp,” Smith said. “We just did a cappella stuff, and that's kind of how it all started. I went off to college right after high school, and we did weekend shows. We would just pack our bags and head out to do 60 to 70 shows over the summer. When I graduated college in 1996, that's when we felt like it was time to start full-time.

“So, we prayed and prayed about it because that was a big decision. I graduated with a music education degree. I could have become a teacher and had a normal income and led a normal life. But we felt like God was calling us to at least give it a shot. That's when we took that giant leap of faith. It was awesome, because while we knew it was a huge leap of faith, we also knew our parents supported us 100 percent. If we needed any help in any way, we knew our families were there backing us up.”

In 1994, Jeromy met Jennifer in Nashville, where they both were attending the Gospel Music Convention. About a year and a half later, they got married. Shortly after that, one of the original members left FFH, and the group asked her to join.

In 1998, the group met Boggs while he was leading worship at a youth camp in Missouri. “We were there for a concert, and we found out that our guitar player was leaving, so we asked Michael to join,” Smith explained. “That's kind of how the four of us came together.”

Today, FFH has a busy touring schedule. The group is on the road most of the year.

Unlike many bands, catering to a specific age group, FFH concerts are designed for the entire family. “We love to see parents and their kids coming to the concerts,” Smith said. “We've gotten tons of e-mails from parents saying, 'Your music is the only thing we can agree on.'”

Before each concert, FFH prepares spiritually by praying together.

“One thing we always know is that we need to be prayed up before we go on stage,” Smith said. “We especially pray for Jeromy, because he's the one who presents the gospel and gives his testimony. He needs to be covered in prayer because he's the front man out there.”

In their travels, FFH has impacted many lives, but one in particular holds a special place in their hearts. While they were in California, they heard about a man who was dying of cancer. His dying wish was to hear the group perform.

“We found out that 'One of These Days' was his favorite song,” Smith explained. The song says, in part, “One of these days, I'm going to see my Savior face to face.”

“His church asked us if we could somehow stop by and sing during the morning worship service. All this man wanted was to hear us sing. It was awesome how it worked out. We were actually coming through that area on Sunday morning, and so we stopped in San Jose to play in the morning worship. We played a bunch of songs, and we ended with 'One of These Days.'

“The man could hardly stand and had to be in a wheelchair. As we looked down during 'One of These Days,' he was singing every word, and he stood up out of his wheelchair. Just to see that, for the first time, the song really came to life. We realized that while this man was getting very close to seeing 'One of These Days,' he was praising God with his life.”

Posted: 11/07/03

Prof calls for raising up the sacred in burial acts

By Chris Meehan

Religion News Service

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (RNS) –Burial rituals of the Tlingit Indians in Alaska contain all the sacred and ancient elements sorely lacking in many modern funerals, according to theologian Thomas Long.

Long, professor of preaching in the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, believes American society is missing that ongoing sense of the sacred and its meaning in death.

What happens at funerals and burials speaks of the faith of a culture, professor Thomas Long says.

“We are seeing deep changes in our social fabric,” Long said during a recent symposium for funeral directors, clergy and hospice workers.

In funerals and death rituals, Long said, society “needs a sacred sense of community and of the person being very sacred. … But these things are under attack and being eroded in our mobile culture.”

“The underlying meaning of how we look at death has shifted,” Long said. “Instead of seeing a dead, sacred person as traveling to a new land accompanied the last mile by the community, we now see the deceased as dead and going nowhere.”

As part of his research on the relationship between worship and Christian practices, Long traveled to Prince of Wales Island in Alaska to view firsthand the death rituals of Native Americans.

He chose the Tlingit tribe because members hold funerals in a manner that dates back hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

There are two bands of the tribe, one known as the Ravens and the other as the Eagles. Each takes on everyday duties for members of the other band when a death occurs.

“As soon as word goes out that an Eagle died, the Ravens take care of the mundane aspects of life. This makes it possible for the Eagles to have the space they need,” Long said. Roles are reversed when a Raven dies.

Evident in this is the tight, communal nature of the Tlingits' funeral rites, which include:

Cleansing and preparation of the body by family members.

Transportation of the body in a simple coffin to the community hall, where residents gather for an all-night vigil.

Taking the coffin the next day to a church for a Christian funeral service.

After the service, driving the coffin to the water's edge, where the deceased is loaded into a boat and accompanied by the tribe's chief and the minister to a burial island.

A year later, holding a ceremony at which a tombstone is placed on the grave.

“This is not simply a series of steps,” Long said. “This is actually a piece of community drama. Properly understood, these activities are derived out of profound values.”

Those values reflect a belief that the deceased is a sacred person of worth who “is traveling to a new land and who the community is accompanying the last mile of the way.”

The Tlingits act out their communal drama to honor the dead person but not just as someone moving into another realm of being. They also believe the body itself and not just the spirit has depth and purpose.

They show in their rituals “that the dead person is someone who took up space,” Long said. “They had children and jobs. They occupied ground.”

Long was joined in the presentation by essayist, poet and funeral director Thomas Lynch and Detroit-area funeral director David Techner.

“Death is an opportunity to help people get in touch with their own faith, to discuss the great mystery and the afterlife,” said Techner, a producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Generation to Generation–Jewish Families Talk about Death.”

Techner criticized those who fail to include children in the process of the death and burial of a parent, sibling, grandparent or close friend.

Children understand much more about death or are able to as long as adults speak to them in terms that they can grasp, he said.

“We need to start making funerals meaningful for these kids,” Techner said. “Remember that children are part of a community. They grieve. They mourn. They have questions just like adults.”

Lynch decried the funeral rituals, or lack of them, he often encounters today. He said families call him from another city, ask him to cremate a dead parent and then to ship the ashes.

Techner described a couple who wanted to make sure the funeral went fast so they could go on vacation.

“For the first time in the history of our culture, we've got the warm fuzzies and the ways to deal with mindless grief,” but where does that leave us? Lynch asked.

Yet another sign of the times is the growing trend of holding memorial services in the weeks or months after the death. When this happens, there is no coffin or container of ashes in church.

“Would you do a baptism without the baby there?” Lynch asked. “The most convenient thing to do when someone dies is nothing at all.”

The changing landscape–the almost cavalier way in which some people deal with death–is likely to require new but meaningful rituals, Long said.

What they may be, he's not sure. But of one thing he is certain: “As ministers, funeral directors and hospice workers, we need to speak to people, pray with them and indicate our friendship by our presence. We need to talk to them about the holy responsibility we have of taking care of the dead.”

Posted: 11/07/03

Georgia Methodist home settles discrimination case

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

ATLANTA (ABP)–Critics of government funding for faith-based initiatives have declared victory in a Georgia case involving a Methodist child-care facility.

The state of Georgia and United Methodist Children's Home in Decatur reached separate agreements in a case involving two contentious issues–how public funds are spent at religious social-service providers and whether those providers are exempt from employment discrimination laws.

The latest settlement, announced Nov. 5, prevents the children's home from discriminating against employees or clients on the basis of religion or sexual orientation. It also prevents the home from attempting to steer clients who express questions about their own sexual orientation toward religious programs or other therapy designed to “convert” them into heterosexuals.

An earlier settlement required any organizations–including religious ones–that contract with the Georgia Department of Human Resources to separate religious activities from secular, state-funded activities in their programs.

Lambda Legal, a gay-rights organization, filed the suit on behalf of two Georgia taxpayers, Aimee Bellmore and Alan Yorker.

Bellmore was a youth counselor at the home who was fired when administrators discovered she is a lesbian. Yorker, a psychotherapist, was interviewing for a job at the home when his interviewer cut the session short upon discovering he is Jewish.

Both the employment-discrimination issue and the issue of providing taxpayer funding directly to churches and other pervasively religious organizations have been flashpoints in the controversy over President Bush's plan to provide government funding to religious service providers.

Many social conservatives have long supported government funding of faith-based initiatives. However, supporters of strict separation between church and state oppose the idea as a violation of the First Amendment's ban on government establishment of religion.

Greg Nevins, Lambda Legal's senior staff attorney, said the lawsuit was both a legal victory for his clients and good for public education on the issue.

“This forms a baseline,” he said. “If an organization is motivated by faith and they are going to take money from the government, they can't take that money and discriminate in regards either to whom they provide the services or whom they hire.”

Derrick Dickey, a spokesman for Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue said the settlement means “all Department of Human Resources contracts will provide that the faith-based organization has a clear division between its religious and secular activities, and that also in the hiring practices that there will be a distinction in the activities between the religious hiring and the secular hiring.”

But the settlement doesn't change the governor's view “that direct funding of secular activities of faith-based organizations is permissible under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” Dickey said.

Posted: 11/07/03

Hall completes triple crown with inauguration at Howard Payne

BROWNWOOD–Lanny Hall made history Oct. 17 when he was inaugurated as Howard Payne University's 18th president and became the first person to serve as president of three Texas Baptist universities.

Previously, Hall was president of Wayland Baptist University and president and chancellor of Hardin-Simmons University.

“Howard Payne is a special place, and I am here for a purpose,” Hall told the 850 people attending the inauguration ceremony.

He pledged to work to increase enrollment to 2,000 students, continue providing technology enhancements in academic programs, build the institution's endowment and raise funds for scholarships, student housing and other facilities.

Howard Payne trustee Rudy Camacho, first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, greets President Hall at the inauguration. (Dumas Photography Photos)

“I truly believe our university stands at the threshold of a new period of hope, growth and opportunity,” Hall said.

The day's events began with a prayer service at 8 a.m. in the University Chapel. The inauguration ceremony took place at 2:30 p.m. on the lawn north of Old Main Tower Plaza and was followed by a community reception.

Hall, who assumed his duties as president in March, is in the 32nd year of his career in education and government. In addition to his positions in higher education, Hall has served as a public school teacher, a congressional aide, deputy executive secretary of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and, for five years, a member of the Texas House of Representatives.

In the Texas House, he served on the Appropriations, Higher Education, Public Education, Rules and Resolutions, and Transportation committees. During the 68th Session, he served as chairman for budget and oversight of the Transportation Committee. While in the Legislature, he wrote legislation in the areas of transportation, education and health care.

Hall's current service at HPU marks the third time he has served as an administrator at the Brownwood school. He served as executive vice president and chief academic officer from 1986 to 1989 and returned for five weeks during the summer of 2002 to serve as acting president.

Lanny Hall and his wife, Carol.

He first visited the campus in 1964 when, as a ninth-grade student, he attended a student council workshop.

Bud Stephens, pastor of Lifeway Bible Church and an HPU trustee, presided at the one-hour prayer service. He has known Hall for 17 years. Stephens was a graduate student at Hardin-Simmons University while Hall served as president there.

The inauguration was held at Old Main Tower Plaza.

Prayers were led by campus leaders and friends–Carrie Dubuque, Steve McMeans, Frankie Rainey and Robert Smith.

A devotional message on prayer was delivered by Donald Williford, associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of New Testament at Hardin-Simmons University. Williford is a 1970 graduate of HPU.

Donnie Auvenshine, vice president for academic affairs, presided at the afternoon inaugural. Delegates from 60 colleges and universities were recognized.

Congratulatory greetings were delivered by eight individuals: David Fair, a member of the Brownwood City Council; Victor Carrillo, chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission; Keith Bruce, director of institutional ministries for the Baptist General Convention of Texas; Bob Riley, president of East Texas Baptist University; Jeremy Barnes, student body president; Glenda Huff, director of financial aid; Elizabeth Wallace, president of the faculty assembly; and Greg Collins, president of the HPU Alumni Association.

HPU Chancellor Don Newbury presented the chancellor's charge. Trustee Richard Jackson offered a prayer for the president.

Trustee Chairman Walter Wilson presided at the formal investiture, presenting Hall with the presidential medallion.

Posted: 11/07/03

Carbon-14 dating confirms biblical link to Hezekiah's Tunnel

JERUSALEM (RNS)–Using Carbon-14 dating techniques, Israeli and British scientists have determined that Siloam's Tunnel, a long, circuitous underground passage constructed below Jerusalem's ancient City of David probably was built about 700 B.C., when King Hezekiah ruled the land of Judea.

This photo shows the descent into the ancient Siloam's Tunnel and Gihon Spring. Scientists have determined the authenticity of the long underground tunnel, which is mentioned in the Bible. (Israel Nature and Parks Authority/RNS Photo)

The radiometric dating corroborates biblical texts such as 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:3-4 as well as an ancient inscription, discovered in 1880, on one of the tunnel's walls. Although this inscription appears to refer to Hezekiah, it does not do so by name.

This marks the first time a structure mentioned in the Bible has been dated radiometrically, according to researchers Amos Frumkin, Aryeh Shimron and Jeff Rosenbaum, who published their findings in the journal Nature.

While most scholars have long credited the 1,750-foot-long tunnel to Hezekiah–and in fact call it Hezekiah's Tunnel–based on the two biblical references, a minority insisted the passage was built centuries later.

Among other arguments, the dissenters said an enterprise this large would not have been taken during a time of war.

According to the Bible, Hezekiah built the tunnel to protect arid Jerusalem's precious water supply from the hands of the invading Assyrians.

Toward this end, the king redirected the water from the Gihon Spring toward the walled City of David–from one side of the city to the other. Modern scientists view the tunnel as a great work of water engineering.

Both the spring and the City of David are located in the Kidron Valley, outside the walls of the better-known Old City of Jerusalem, in an east Jerusalem neighborhood called Silwan.

Radiometric dating measures the decay of radioactive elements and enables researchers to estimate the age of the material being examined. Here, the scientists dated the organic material within the plaster of the tunnel and employed uranium-thorium for dating the stalactites that have been growing in the tunnel since the time it was built.

Posted: 11/07/03

HOPE program brings new direction
for teens in Round Rock complex

By Miranda Bradley

Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services

ROUND ROCK–Two months ago, 15-year-old Marquell blended right into his surroundings. Like most kids in his Meadow Ridge apartment neighborhood, he stayed out until the wee hours of the morning hanging out with friends, which usually led to trouble.

But on a cool fall evening in October, just one day before Halloween, he was spending his time in an entirely different way–carving pumpkins and stuffing goody bags for the younger children in his apartment complex.

Teenagers who live in the Meadow Ridge apartment neighborhood in Round Rock carve pumpkins with guidance from a counselor provided by Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services. The Baptist General Convention of Texas agency operates a HOPE program in the neighborhood, an acronym for Healthy Opportunities that Protect and Empower. The teens who previously got into trouble recently dedicated themselves to helping younger children in the complex.

“Little kids used to bother me some,” he said. “Now, I see that my actions make a difference to them. I'm like a big brother.”

Marquell's transformation began after attending a workshop, led by the HOPE program at Texas Baptist Children's Home in Round Rock. That event started a dialogue between the teenagers and facilitators.

“We try to make this fun and lighthearted, so the kids feel like they can just be themselves,” said Melanie Martinez, program supervisor.

HOPE, which stands for Healthy Opportunities that Protect and Empower, often sponsors parenting classes and community fairs in Round Rock-area apartment complexes. The idea is to offer on-site help for those who may not know where to find it.

Children at the Meadow Ridge apartment complex had such a need, Martinez said. “We noticed a lot of drug-related activity and destructive environments surrounding these kids. They really just needed a constructive way to spend their time.”

The initial workshop, held in August, began with 10 children. Meadow Ridge teens were so enthused by the first meeting, they asked for more. The group decided to meet the third Thursday of every month.

Teen residents of the Meadow Ridge apartment community in Round Rock decorate pumpkins for younger children.

“The best part is the kids come up with what we do at the next meeting,” Martinez said. “Pumpkin carving for the younger children was all their idea. They really want to do good things.”

Essie Romahi, social services director for Meadow Ridge, said she has seen a vast change in every aspect of the children's lives.

“I see their report cards and progress reports from school, and I can tell you all their grades have improved dramatically,” she reported. “It has been a total turnaround for them.”

Youth like Marquell, who once sought out trouble, now search for volunteer opportunities. And that, Romahi said, has caused many of them to start thinking about their futures.

“We have a group goal–everybody graduates and goes on to college,” she said. “Many of these kids didn't even have that as a concern at first. Now they are really striving.”

Posted: 11/07/03

In tough times, Israel finds a friend in evangelicals

By Michele Chabin

Religion News Service

JERUSALEM (RNS)–Times are hard in Jerusalem, with many stores, restaurants and hotels shut down due to the ongoing Palestinian uprising, but you wouldn't have known it from the rapturous smiles on the faces of the thousands of evangelical Christians who thronged to the holy city in October to support Israel.

During an exuberant opening ceremony for the weeklong Feast of Tabernacles conference organized by the International Christian Embassy, more than 3,000 pilgrims from dozens of countries displayed their love of the Jewish state, its people and its policies.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (right), makes an appearance with Malcolm Hedding (center) and Michael Utterback at the celebration of the Feast of the Tabernacles hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. The event, attended by 3,000 Christian pilgrims to Israel, highlighted the growing support for Israel among evangelical Christians.

The Jerusalem Convention Center shook with applause and sounds of praise when organizers paid homage to 50 Israeli bus drivers, some sporting ties for the occasion, who “day after day put themselves at risk.”

Like their passengers, who ride the buses despite the threat of attack, the drivers were described as “a symbol of so many in Israel who will not sit down for terror.”

The pilgrims accorded Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the keynote speaker, a thunderous standing ovation when he made his way to the stage, the kind of reception he rarely, if ever, receives from his fellow Israelis.

“Thank you for coming here,” Sharon said. “Your presence here sends a strong message to the world, and your friendship is important to us, very important.”

Realizing he was among friends, Sharon seemed to let down his guard for a moment of uncharacteristic candor.

“Everyone, myself also, I have worries,” the prime minister admitted. “We are facing so many problems here. I believe I need to see you more often. You need to come more often.”

When the applause died down, Sharon added, “I want to thank you for your solidarity and your belief in the Jewish state.”

Evangelical support for Israel and Jewish rights to the Holy Land is grounded in the belief that God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, as well as on the assumption that the Second Coming of the Messiah will not take place until the Jewish ingathering to Zion is complete.

Putting money where their belief is, over the years evangelicals from around the world have donated more than $100 million to Israeli causes.

Today, their money helps fund food and clothing for needy families, the transport and absorption of new immigrants, and even ambulances and bullet-proof vests for civilians and soldiers. Some support Jewish settlements based on the belief that the territory Israel captured in various wars is part of the biblical Land of Israel.

The evangelical community's unswerving support for Israel stands in stark contrast to the position taken by most Catholic and Orthodox Christians. The latter raise funds and lobby on behalf of Holy Land Christians, who are for the most part Arab and Palestinian.

Every year, tens of thousands of evangelicals show their solidarity by visiting Israel and pumping money into the local economy. Others make a point of selling Israeli-made products at religious events back home, in part to counteract the impact of anti-Israel boycotts.

Yechiel Eckstein, a rabbi and founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, says evangelical Christians are an important pro-Israel force in American politics.

“Since around 1980, they have been coming out with statements on behalf of Israel, when there were issues of America selling arms to Saudi Arabia. They consistently take Israel's side on settlements,” Eckstein said.

On Oct. 26, Eckstein's group sponsored its second annual Day of Prayer and Solidarity with Israel in evangelical congregations across the United States.

At a time when Israel faces not only a bloody ground war with the Palestinians but uphill battles at the United Nations and other arenas, Israeli politicians do not take this solidarity for granted, Eckstein stressed. “There's a greater realization and appreciation that in many respects evangelical Christians constitute a strategic ally for Israel and the Jewish people.”

Virtually all Israeli leaders make it a point to break bread with evangelical leaders, journalists and tour operators during their trips abroad.

American Jewish leaders also maintain close ties with their evangelical counterparts both on Capitol Hill and through inter-religious events aimed at building bridges.

Yet ties between the two communities were not always so close, Eckstein said.

Until the 1980s, the rabbi explained, the traditionally liberal Jewish community “saw evangelicals as people trying to impose their Christian agenda on America. There was the perception that Catholics and Protestants were closer to Jews on domestic issues, even though they were not supportive of Israel. (Jews) were afraid of people like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.”

But since the current intifada began three years ago, he said, “Israel's survival has been made the litmus test by which to judge a relationship.”

David Parsons, information director at the International Christian Embassy, said his community's support for Israel and its policies are based not only on spiritual concerns but on practical ones as well.

Parsons is highly critical of the Palestinians' handling of religious sites and insists only Israel can ensure free access to shrines and churches.

“Yasser Arafat has preached a lot of radical Islamic thinking that denies the Jewish and Christian connections to the Temple Mount,” Parsons said, referring to the disputed Jerusalem shrine Jews and Muslims both call holy. “His police yanked nuns and priests from the White Russian Monastery in Hebron.”

In contrast to the assertions of many local Arab Christians and Muslims, who say Israeli military closures of the West Bank and Gaza prevent them from reaching their holy places, Parsons praised Israel's record as a guardian of the holy sites, the best “of any sovereign in the Holy Land through the centuries.”

Posted: 11/07/03

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM
False charges

Keith Eitel's charge is absolutely false that the Parks administration at the Foreign Mission Board was not biblically based and continued the trend of liberalism.

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

This is a strange claim from a man who has never even discussed this with me. It also is strange that board trustees known to be very conservative who served during my years as a staff member and president include W.A. Criswell, Billy Graham, K. Owen White, W.O. Vaught, Homer Lindsay Sr., Mark Corts, Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler. None of them ever accused my predecessor, Baker James Cauthen, or me of liberalism.

Why is Eitel now making unfounded allegations?

Eitel's statement that I believe the Southern Baptist Convention was united around missions is correct. The introduction to its constitution states this. It was founded “for eliciting, combining and directing the energies of the denomination for the propagation of the gospel.”

The purpose is for home and foreign missions. Doctrine is not mentioned. When I have declared that, some ultra-conservatives accuse me of not believing sound doctrine. Not so! Baptists who united around missions did so because they believed the Bible and had strong doctrinal convictions.

I also believe true belief in Jesus Christ and the Bible will result in missions, not in doctrinal conflict nor in attacking mission efforts.

R. Keith Parks

Richardson

TV alternative

A Parents Television Council study reveals the preponderance of profanity on television and the widespread betrayal of television's “family hour.”

While not surprising, this study's findings further document the attack on today's families.

There is an alternative. Southern Baptists provide a television viewing option for today's families through our own full-time television network, FamilyNet. It offers quality family-friendly, child-safe programming, in which the good news is proclaimed. And, in concert with the North American Mission Board's Evangelism Response Center, viewers are able to call a toll-free telephone number and talk with someone who cares about them.

From “TruthQuest: California,” a FamilyNet production for youth, to “Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop,” a half-hour children's show with Olympic gold medalist (and Southern Baptist) Mary Lou Retton, to “Swan's Place,” featuring Southern Baptist humorist Dennis Swanberg, there's something for the entire family.

May I suggest an action individuals can employ to positively impact television viewing choices: Help bring FamilyNet to all Texas homes. Concerned Baptists who subscribe to cable or satellite service can ask their television provider to add FamilyNet to the lineup of channel options. For those not currently subscribing but who would like to have access to such programming, a contact to these same television outlets represents the potential for a new customer and raises the interest of the management.

For more information on becoming involved in offering a wholesome alternative in TV viewing, visit www.familynet.-com or call (800) 832-6638.

R. Chip Turner

Vice president for marketing & distribution

FamilyNet

Fort Worth

Broadened horizons

I would like to reply to David King's questions about “official teaching” at Baptist schools (Nov. 3).

I have been fortunate enough to attend two great Southern Baptist institutions–Union University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am currently in the dissertation phase of my doctorate, and I would like to say that at no time in my education did I ever feel like I was being indoctrinated, nor did I feel that I could not share my opinion.

This is not to say that my opinion always falls into one particular “theological camp,” either; it does not.

I have always had great professors who encouraged classroom discussion and reading material from all aspects of the theological landscape. Theological education is what you make of it. You, the individual, must take responsibility for your learning.

When I had the opportunity to teach theology two years ago, I always attempted to stimulate discussion. If someone spoke from a Dispensational point of view, I would call for a different opinion and vice-versa.

I encouraged them to read from outside their theological spectrum.

I am sure there are some who approach the classroom attempting to persuade others to their way of thinking, but the majority of professors in our Baptist institutions see themselves as professionals who want to help broaden the horizons of those who have committed themselves to God's calling.

Ray Wilkins

Frisco

Fundamental point

The debate on spending billions of dollars to rebuild Iraq misses a fundamental point. No matter how much some politicians now argue that we should never have gone to war in the first place, the fact is that we did and were victorious.

The money earmarked to rebuild Iraq and stabilize the area is crucial to preventing our having to go back in again down the road to fight an even more militant adversary.

Leaving before that is accomplished would mean the men and women of our armed services who gave their lives in this war died for nothing.

Paul Combs

Rockwall

National unity

After 9/11, the country united under George Bush to rid the world of terrorism. As time goes on and we move farther and farther away from that date, we seem to be forgetting that we have made a commitment.

This is a time for national unity. With troops still over there, we should spend our time praying for them, rather than arguing. We need to support our president as long as he is in power and our troops as long as they are in harm's way.

Think about that and where your priorities are. My priorities are toward my country and what's best for it, and right now what we have to do is stick together, no matter what happens.

Ryan Burgett

Cedar Hill