Posted: 10/31/03

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Brave Baptists

Yesterday, I said goodbye to some of the bravest Baptists I have ever known.

When I first met the members of Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Cedar Hill in December 2001, they were fractured, broken, hurting and scared. Yet they voted to face their demons and begin the journey of intentional interim ministry.

For more than a year, they looked deeply within themselves, trying to discover what led to their earlier schism, to learn how to prevent a reoccurrence of those problems, and to put into practice what they had learned.

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

During the intentional interim, there were marked moments of repentance, introspection, revelation and renewal. Today, as they get ready to call their next pastor, I leave a warm fellowship, full of hope and a renewed vision for serving Jesus.

May God bless the fruits of their labor.

I thank these dear friends for allowing me to share in their journey, their discoveries and their love.

Karl F. Fickling

Cedar Hill

Heart condition

There are two general views on the Old Testament tithe.

In one, there is only one tithe, taken annually, part of which is shared in a festival and the majority used to support the Levites. Every third year, the tithe was stored locally to support the rural Levites and the needy. People who support this view are those who speak of “the” tithe.

In the other, there are three tithes. One for the Levites (Numbers 18:21-29), one for annual festivals (Deuteronomy 14:22-27) and one every third year to support the rural Levites and the needy (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12). That's where Matthew Van Hook gets a total of 23.5 percent.

I find it an interesting commentary on the faithlessness of the Jews in honoring the tithe that we are unable to determine with certainty from their records which view is correct.

I tend to agree with Van Hook's suggestion that the New Testament standard of giving is a generous gift, which for many people today would exceed a mathematical 10 percent. However, the gift in question in Paul's letters is a love offering for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, which would have been over and above whatever they were giving to support local church leadership.

Frankly, there is no mandated, specific numerical standard for giving in the New Testament because it would reduce the whole exercise to legalism, whereas God is more concerned with the heart condition of the giver rather than the numerical precision of determining the gift.

Mike Killien

Mount Vernon, Wash.

Funeral sermons

I read with frustration “When families close the lid on faith, what's a preacher to do?” (Oct. 6).

Yes, growing numbers outside the church never have given God the “time of day.” Why should we salve their consciences when they die without God?

A life lived outside the will of God should be hopeless and miserable. That is when the message of Jesus should shine brightest against the growing darkness. That light will attract some, but it will further alienate others.

It is not the place of ministers of the gospel to provide a “meaningful secular alternative.” Why in God's name would you do that? They have died without God; what place do we have in making them feel good about it?

The article was justified by several exaggerations. Yes, ministers should take the time to know the people. No one would argue with that. But it is not abusive to state the truth in love. And the truth is that the deceased, regardless of how he or she lived, does know the truth now.

It seems today we are witnessing a further deterioration of truth in the name of tolerance and foolish reasoning!

I love funerals. God has given me a compassion and ability to comfort people. Saints of God always tell me, “Pastor, I want you to do my funeral.” They grieve, but they also are comforted by Scriptures.

The solution is not to sugar coat or appease or provide alternatives that are un-biblical.

Frank Moore

Spring

Official teaching

I have some questions for the deans and presidents of Baptist schools and of our Southern Baptist Convention as well:

Are teachers in our colleges, universities and seminaries allowed to present more than the official teaching as outlined in the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message? If not, that is indoctrination, not education. If so, are students allowed to adopt a view different from that without facing ridicule or being put down?

Is accountability being used to stifle dissent? Does it clash with academic freedom? Is it an easy way to avoid having to do the hard work of explaining clearly and persuasively why we believe what we believe?

Is it easier to dismiss those who disagree than it is to engage them in debate and an honest exchange of ideas? Is it possible that more than one viewpoint might be acceptable?

Are such books as “The Meaning of the Millennium,” which contains conflicting views of the millennium explained from four different viewpoints, no longer acceptable as textbooks or required reading?

I suppose different schools would have different policies, but it would be interesting to know.

David King

Marshall

What do you think? Submit letters for Texas Baptist Forum via e-mail to marvknox@baptiststandard.com or regular mail at Box 660267, Dallas 75266-0267. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. They may be edited to accommodate space.

Posted: 10/31/03

New Orleans trustees reject request on sole membership

NEW ORLEANS–Trustees of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary unanimously rejected a request by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee to name the SBC the “sole member” of the seminary's corporation.

All other SBC entities have acceded to the request, which was intended to prevent the possibility of a seminary or mission board ever declaring its independence from the national convention.

New Orleans Seminary President Chuck Kelley voiced strong opposition to the request on grounds of Baptist polity, suggesting such a change would result in a form of Baptist “connectionalism” rather than traditional Baptist autonomy.

He and trustees also objected to the change because of some peculiarities of Louisiana law, which is based on the Napoleonic Code rather than the British Common Law upon which the other 49 states base their law.

Despite rejecting the Executive Committee's request, New Orleans did approve a motion expressing their “deep and abiding commitment to the Southern Baptist Convention.”

In a chapel address given to open the current academic year, Kelley told students, faculty and staff he supports the SBC and the changes in leadership that have occurred within the convention over the past 25 years. However, the trust held between the seminary and the SBC should be sufficient to maintain the relationship without opening the door to what he called the dangers of connectionalism.

Executive Committee President Morris Chapman expressed disappointment in the trustees' position.

“I deeply regret the New Orleans Seminary board of trustees has chosen to pass on this opportunity to secure that institution for SBC posterity,” he said.

“Had the board adopted the Southern Baptist Convention as sole member, it would have legally clarified the seminary's relationship to the convention, the seminary's parent corporation and benefactor. More importantly, as sole member, the Southern Baptist Convention could have more easily protected the Cooperative Program, the financial lifeline for all our entities, from the avarice of today's new breed of aggressive litigators.”

Posted: 10/31/03

Nominees for BGCT boards & committees

The following information is provided in compliance with the bylaws of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Nominations to be considered by messengers to the BGCT annual session in Lubbock Nov. 10-11 are presented by the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Members, the Committee on Committees, the Committee to Nominate Coordinating Boards and the Committee on Nominations for Institution Boards.

Key unless otherwise noted: # new member; % non-church/denominational employee; ^ positions to be elected by BGCT, when the BGCT does not elect all members of the board; + positions to be elected by the board or institution itself; @ elected at an Executive Board meeting and now must be elected at convention; E/ one year extended term, reverts to 2006 term.

BGCT Executive Board Members to be re-elected

Term to expire in 2006: Michael Bell, Fort Worth; %Elaine Bleakney, Spring; Ron Bowles, El Paso; Barry Bradley, Orange; Mark Briggs, Converse; %Charles Brinkley, Fort Worth; Fernando Charles, San Antonio; Van Christian, Comanche; %Charles Creed, Jacksonville; John Crowder, West; Dean Dickens, Garland; Larry Embry, Brenham; Karen Gilbert, Dallas; %Charlie Ham, Pasadena; David Harp, Lufkin; C.O. Herchenhahn, Houston; %Marilyn Hillyer, Tyler; %Alton Holt, Silsbee; %Carl Hudson, Cameron; %Betty Huntington, Mabank; %Joanne Jones, Refugio; David Keith, Carlton; %Robert Lee King, Grand Prairie; Ly Klassen, Dallas; Betty Law, Fort Worth; %Lamar Lovvorn, Dallas; %Arnold Martin, Irving; Scott Matthews, Lovelady; Martus Miley, Houston; John Ogletree, Houston; %Mary Ann Patterson, Gilmer; Carolyn Pickens, Houston; %Barbara Pittman, Clyde; %Raymond Reese, Cuero; William Reynolds, Fort Worth; Ray Rodgers, Possum Kingdom; Glen Schmucker, Dallas; Jerry Smith, Clifton; %Wayne Smith, Lamesa; Bruce Stovall, Albany; Don Warden, Austin; Nelma Webb, Waco; Don Wilkey Jr., Onalaska; Jeff Williams, Denton; Rick Willis, Roscoe; B.L. Worsham, La Porte.

New members

Term to expire in 2006: Carlos Alsina, Austin; Larry Blackmon, Hearne; %Steven Chun, Houston; %Fred Davidson, Gruver; %Ruth Galloway, Wichita Falls; %Joanne Gartman, Pharr; %B.J. Hart, Weatherford; Joe Langley, Waxahachie; Jimmy Law, Odessa; Phil Lineberger, Sugar Land; James Mantooth, Paducah; Ron Marriot, Hurst; %?Marsha McKneely, Cherokee; Bobby Morgan, Missouri City; %Richard Muir, Sanger; %Linda Murdoch, Lubbock; %Rogers Pope Jr., Longview; %Betty Price, Fort Worth; Larry Reynolds, Denton; Wade Smith, Pottsboro; Kevin Steger, Burleson; %Pam Stiles, Fort Worth; Barry Taylor, Winters; Mark Townes, Tyler; David Valentine, Huntsville.

Members nominated to fill unexpired terms

Term to expire in 2004: Derwin Comer, Wellington; %Bruce Fielder, Amarillo; Audrene Robinson, Lake Kiowa; Mark Smith, Warren; %Charles Summers, Dimmitt.

Term to expire in 2005: Dan Dale, Seminole; %Priscella Pecina, Duncanville; Dane Riddle, Conroe; %Kenneth Taylor, Corpus Christi; Tim Williams, Kenedy.

Members nominated at large

Term to expire 2006: David Bartley, San Angelo; Scott Marsh, Weatherford.

Committee to Nominate Executive Board Members

Term to expire 2006: #% Bonnie Martinez, Chaparral, N.M., zone 11; #Bill Slaughter, La Feria, zone 3; #%Dan Slaughter, Ballinger, zone 13; #Tiffany Terry-Wright, Dallas, zone 4; #Charlotte Young, Quanah, zone 2.

Term to expire 2005: # Silvester Ayala, San Antonio, zone 10.

Committee on Nominations for Institution Boards

Term to expire 2006: #Dorothy Bowen, Amarillo, zone 1; #Ron Bowles, El Paso, zone 11; #%Emily Shelton, Lufkin, zone 6; #%Florence LeBlanc Stovall, Victoria, zone 8; #Trey Turner, Temple, zone 14.

Term to expire 2005: #%Ruben Hernandez, Corpus Christi, zone 9.

Christian Education Coordinating Board

Term to expire 2006: %Linda Brian, Amarillo; Doug Riggs, Bedford; %Charles Creed, Jacksonville; Eddy Curry, Plainview; Dot Laux, Dallas.

Institution representative, term to expire 2004: Craig Turner, president, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene.

Human Welfare Coordinating Board

Term to expire 2006: #%Cindy Meyers, Arlington; %Cynthia Archer, Tulia; Jason Lee, Katy; Mark Neeley, Mineola; %Shane Stokes, Midland.

Term to expire 2004: #Delia Vela, El Paso.

Institution representatives, term to expire 2004: Wayne Merrill, president, Baptist Memorial Ministries, San Angelo, aging care; Jerry Bradley, president, Texas Baptist Children's Home & Family Services, Round Rock, child care; Michael Waters, president, Hendrick Medical Center, Abilene, health care.

Baylor University regents

Elected in accordance with the relationship agreement approved by the BGCT Nov. 11, 1991.

Term to expire May 31, 2007: Class 6, Place 1?^%William H. Brian Jr., Amarillo; Class 5, Place 1?^%Jaclanel McFarland, Houston; Class 9, Place 1, ^%John G. Wilkerson, Lubbock; Class 6, Place 3, +Joseph B. Armes, Dallas; Class 3, Place 4, +Tommy L. Bowman, Waco; Class 6, Place 4, +%Joe E. Coleman, Sugar Land; Class 2, Place 2, +%Will D. Davis, Austin; Class 5, Place 2, +Sue Getterman, Waco; Class 3, Place 2, +%Laree Perez, Albuquerque, N.M.

Dallas Baptist University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Noble Hurley, Dallas; ^%Sally Nation, Dallas; #^Herbert Pedersen, Duncanville; ^Bobbie Pinson, Duncanville; #^%Dan Plintz, Waco; #^%Ruben Santos, Waco; ^%Charles Shellenberger, Waco; ^%Julie Turner, Dallas; #^%Joan Trew, Fort Worth; +%Nita Ford, Dallas; +%Harold Norris, Frisco; #+%Patsy Smith, Colleyville.

East Texas Baptist University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Harold Cornish, Marshall; ^%Steve Cowan, Daingerfield; ^%T.M. Davis, Marshall; ^%Tyrrel Grohman, Lufkin; #^Joy Fenner, Dallas; ^%George Fitts, Marshall; #^%Bill Hammock, Huntsville; #^%Bob Hendrix, Pittsburg; ^%Clyde Jackson, Marshall; ^%Jo Marie Jones, Jasper; ^Rocky Pope, Mesquite; ^Jim Pritchard, Forney; #^%Margaret Unkel, Dayton; @^%Julia Wade, San Augustine; #+%Richard Grammer, Longview; #+Priscella Hunt, Shreveport, La.; #+Richard Jones, Longview; #+%B.L. Shaw, Shreveport, La.

Hardin-Simmons University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Mary Bryan, Dallas; ^%Clifton Boyd, Duncanville; ^%Olivia Eudaly, Fort Worth; ^%Jacqueline Gary, Tyler; #^Jerry Joplin, Wolfforth; #^Jose Martinez Jr., Houston; ^%Bob Moody, Lubbock; #^%Ruby Shelton, Abilene; ^%John Wilson, League City.

Hispanic Baptist Theological School trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Micaela Camacho, Fort Worth; Teo Cisneros, Victoria; %Deborah Ferrier, San Antonio; Don Guthrie, San Antonio; %Barry McClenahan, San Antonio; #Charles Lee Williamson, Rowlett; #Bill Yung, El Paso.

Houston Baptist University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: #^%?Jack Carlson, Houston; #^%David Knight, Kingwood; #^Ray Still, New Braunfels.

Howard Payne University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Rhonda Boston, Allen; ^%Ron Hardin, Wichita Falls; ^%Tim Lancaster, Brownwood; ^%Richard Mabray, Victoria; ^Candace Smith, Richardson; +%Daniel Andrade, Windcrest; +%Randall Grooms, Tyler; +%Peggy Kulesz, Arlington.

San Marcos Baptist Academy trustees

Term to expire in 2006: #%Billy Belcher, Baytown; %Barbara Cunningham, Waco; %George McNiel, Buda; #Aurelia Newton, San Marcos; #%Lew Richardson, Georgetown.

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor trustees

Term to expire in 2006: #^%Sue Bounds, Lubbock; #^%Jerry Brentham, Belton; ^%John Covin, San Antonio; #^%Anne Halbert, Rosebud; ^%Betty Huber, Plano; #^Delma Jacks, Beeville; #^W.E. Robertson, Temple; ^%Marisela Saldaña, Corpus Christi; #^%Nelda Sanders, Horseshoe Bay; #^%Pat Shannon, Killeen; ^%Garlyn Shelton, Salado; #^%Platt Turner, Temple; #+%Gene Nakayama, Houston; #+Steven Wright, Houston; #+%Sara Smith, Fairfield; #+%Hannah Lee, Dallas.

Term to expire in 2004: #^Mike Harkrider, Temple.

Valley Baptist Missions/ Education Center trustees

Term to expire in 2006: #%Othal Brand Jr., McAllen; Eleanor Davis, Waco; #%Eliseo Garcia, Harlingen; #Yolanda Izaguirre, McAllen; #%Mary Watson, Harlingen.

Term to expire in 2004: @%Claudio Cruz, Harlingen; @Pat Graham, Harlingen.

Wayland Baptist University trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Gary Abercrombie, Plainview; ^Ken Coffee, San Antonio; ^%Scarborough Foreman, Tulia; ^%Eva Graham, Austin; #^%Gene Owen, Plainview; ^%C.C. Kelly, White Deer; ^% Arnold Maeker, Lubbock; #^% Mark Murdock, Lubbock; ^%Vernon Stokes, Midland; %Ken Thompson, San Antonio; +Claude Cone, Albuquerque, N.M.; +Jerry Golden, Canadian; +Terri Jesko, Arlington.

Hendrick Medical Center trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Terry Beal, Abilene; #%Scott Hibbs, Abilene; #%Hillary Moore III, Abilene; %George Owens, Cisco; %Kris Seale, Abilene; Ted Spear, Colorado City; %Dee Wilson, Abilene.

Term to expire in 2004: #%Shelly Utley, Abilene.

Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Luiz Patena Sr., Waco; %Gordon Swanson, Waco.

Memorial Hermann Hospital

Term to expire in 2006: ^%Merlin Breaux, Sour Lake; ^%Gehrig Brown, Silsbee; ^%Zack Byrd, Port Neches; ^%Micki Carpenter, Beaumont; ^%Jeff Dyson, Beaumont; ^%Terry Rozelle, Port Neches; +%Bo Crawford, Beaumont; +%Manuel Vera Jr., Vidor; +%Terry Whiddon, Beaumont.

Term to expire in 2005: @^%Nell Morris, Beaumont.

Valley Baptist Health System trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Bob Dunkin, Harlingen; #%Bill Elliff, Harlingen; %Arnie Gonzalez, San Benito; Don Higginbotham, Harlingen; %Cody Scogin, Raymondville; %Martha Zamora, Harlingen.

Baptist Community Services trustees

Term to expire in 2006: David Evans, Amarillo; #%Art Garner, Amarillo; Carl Jeans, Amarillo.

Term to expire in 2004: #%Robert Byrd, Canyon.

Baptist Memorials Ministries trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Jim Cummings Sr., San Angelo; %George Dawson, Abilene; %Zane Jones, Sweetwater; %Dale McDonald, San Angelo; #Rosa Lee Prichard, Abilene; %Bette Lu Schwarz, Mission; %George Sultemeier, Fort McKavett; #%Aubrey Todd, San Angelo; %Waylon White, San Angelo.

Term to expire in 2004: #%David Green, Sweetwater.

Baptist Child & Family Services trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Pat Ayres, Austin; %Barbara Baugh, San Antonio; #%Shelton Birch, San Antonio; %Tena Gorman, San Antonio; %Terry Green, San Antonio; #%Dick Lee, Tyler; #%Silas Ragsdale, Childress; B.F. Risinger Jr., Corsicana; %Toby Summers III, San Antonio; E/%Seth Witcher, San Antonio.

Term to expire in 2005: #David Dykes, Tyler; #%Kristi Tschoepe, Bulverde.

Buckner Baptist Benevolences trustees

Term to expire 2006: #^%Sherman Hope, Brownfield; ^%Duke Presley Jr., Dallas; ^%Ted Simpson, Early.

South Texas Children's Home trustees

Term to expire in 2006: #%René Balderas, San Antonio; %Lesle Dial, Beeville; #%Carl Hubbard, San Antonio; #%Barry McClenahan, San Antonio; E/%L'Nell Starkey, Victoria; #%Kenneth Stimson, Victoria; Tim Williams, Kenedy; %Doretha Youngblood, Mineral Wells.

Texas Baptist Children's Home trustees

Term to expire in 2006: %Robert Avery, Temple; %Rex Couch, San Marcos; #%Bill Harrison Jr., Eagle Lake; %John Hugghins Jr., Round Rock; %Nancy Logan, Waco; %Stephen Webb, Austin; %Rogers Wilson, Austin.

Baptist Standard directors

Term to expire in 2006: #Nolan Duck, Lufkin; #%Barbara Harrison, Wichita Falls; #Gilbert Montez, Highland Village; %Jim Nelson, Austin; #%James Shields, Abilene.

Term to expire in 2005: #Robert Creech, Houston.

Term to expire in 2004: #%Diane Payne, Spring.

Baptist Foundation of Texas trustees

Term to expire in 2006: ^%John Combs, Abilene; ^%George Cowden, Austin; ^%Earl Ladd, Dallas; +%Tony McKinnon, Dallas.

Posted: 10/31/03

Patterson, trustees join call for seminary offering

FORT WORTH (BP)–Paige Patterson has joined Chuck Kelley in calling for creation of a W.A. Criswell Offering for Southern Baptist Convention seminaries.

Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, made the appeal to seminary trustees Oct. 21. He echoed the earlier words of Kelley, his brother-in-law, who is president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Faced with rising costs, seminary students are taking fewer hours per semester, working more and accumulating more educational debt, Patterson warned. And that ultimately will hamper ministry, he added.

“No mission-sending agency will appoint any student from your school who has existing indebtedness,” he explained. “The average Southern Baptist church has less than 200 people in Sunday School. If students graduate with a large amount of debt, they will not be able to make enough money to climb out of debt from their education and pastor those churches.”

The SBC's Cooperative Program, which today provides about 38 percent of the cost of seminary operations, cannot fund the seminaries at the level needed without taking money away from missions, Patterson warned.

“Fifty percent of the funds are given through churches to the International Mission Board. How are we going to up the percentage of what comes to the seminaries? The only way to do that is to take away from the IMB. It's not going to happen. Or the North American Mission Board; it's not going to happen.

“I can see no hope for the funding of increasingly expensive institutions … .”

Leaders of the SBC Executive Committee have opposed creation of a seminaries offering.

An SBC Funding Study Committee recently recommended the convention would be better served by educating Southern Baptists about the Cooperative Program and challenging them to follow the biblical model of tithing.

Patterson acknowledge it was understandable that some Southern Baptist leaders feared the offering as an attempt to return to the “society days,” a period before the Cooperative Program when each organization raised its own support.

The goal of the seminary offering, he said, would not be to harm the Cooperative Program or “kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”

“My own response is that such a view is shortsighted, because in your own church, when you are getting people to give, the more they give the more they give,” Patterson said.

Southwestern trustees voted to draft a resolution of support for the offering idea and forward it to the Executive Committee.

Posted: 10/31/03

On the Move

Ken Ansell to Frontier Church in Waxahachie as pastor from Frio Church in Hereford.

Chuck Barnard to Greenbrier Church in Alvarado as pastor.

Lucas Biggs has resigned as student minister at Highland Church in Denton.

Charles Boster to Lone Star Church in Center as pastor.

Dean and Kathy Burnett to First Church in Sherwood Shores as youth ministers.

Harold Campbell has resigned as pastor of South Leon Church in Comanche.

Rob Cassell to First Church in Blum as minister of youth.

Blaine Chartier to First Church in Lexington as minister of youth.

Glynn Cooksey to First Church in Palestine as music minister.

Robert Cruit to Pine Church in Pittsburg as youth and children minister.

Glenn Dunaway to First Church in Ore City as music director.

Steve Faulkner to First Church in Gonzales as minister of music and education.

Chris Galbraith to Diamond Hill Church in Fort Worth as pastor from Hilltop Church in Fort Worth.

H.B. Graves to First Branch Fellowship in Chelsea, Vt., as church planter from Gilliland Church in Truscott, where he was pastor.

Sam Griffin to Northview Church in Lewisville as youth minister from First Church in Brownwood.

Gary Haire to First Church in Leedey, Okla., as pastor from First Church in Helotes, where he was associate pastor.

James Hall to Dawn Church in Dawn as pastor.

Donny Harbers to First Church in Hamlin as pastor from First Church in Marble Falls, where he was pastor of administration.

Jack Harris to Calvary Church in Aransas Pass as interim pastor.

Tim Heavin has resigned as pastor of Cranes Mill Church in Canyon Lake.

Dennis Heinold to First Church in Victoria as youth director.

J.V. Helms has completed an interim pastorate at First Church in Edna.

Dwaine Higgins to First Church in Omaha as pastor.

Carl Hudson has resigned as pastor of Little River Church in Cameron.

Jim Humphries to First Church in Canton as interim pastor.

Edgar Jones to First Church in Throckmorton as interim pastor.

Scott Jones to Forest Avenue Church in Sherman as pastor.

Simon Keizer has resigned as youth pastor at Fairview Church in Sherman.

Daniel Kuykandal to Genesis Church in Hereford as pastor.

Tommy Larner has resigned as pastor of Tye Church in Tye to return to the mission field.

Alan Littlejohn to Rock Hill Church in Quitman as pastor.

Gary May to Living Word Church in Venus as pastor.

Ben McGraw to Cross Point Fellowship in Greenville as pastor.

Stephen McKenzie to Salt Creek Church in Early as minister to children.

Armando Mendez to First Church in West as music director from First Mexican Church in San Antonio.

Ian Murphy to Adamsville Church in Lampasas as pastor.

Tim Neely to First Church in Sunset as pastor.

Jim Puckett to Faith Church in Kaiserslautern, Germany, as interim pastor.

Dwight Reagan to Muldoon Church in Muldoon as interim pastor.

Danny Reeves to First Church in Edna as pastor from First Church in McGregor.

Jack Ridlehoover to Tye Church in Tye as interim pastor.

Mark Ritchey to Tanglewood Church in Lexington as pastor.

Nat Simmons to First Church in West as youth pastor.

Tracey Slawson to First Church in Howe as director of children's ministry.

Ted Stecher to University Church in Clearlake as director of adult ministries.

Chris Thacker to First Church in Eagle Lake as pastor from Day Spring Church in Waco, where he was associate pastor.

Neal Tolson has completed an interim pastorate at Diamond Hill Church in Fort Worth and may be contacted at (817) 656-1606.

Posted: 10/31/03

Organ shortage, but instrument making comeback

By Hannah Lodwick

Associated Baptist Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) –Suncoast Baptist Church, a congregation of about 70 people in rural Homosassa, Fla., has been looking for an organist for almost two years.

“I always ask first-time visitors if they can play,” said Pastor John Fizer. “There is just no one who knows how.”

The job description calls for playing hymns on the congregation's electronic organ for two services on Sundays and one on Wednesdays. Accompanying the choir on anthems would be an added blessing, the pastor said, but that may be asking too much.

The Cliburn Organ at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth is the largest in the state, with 10,615 pipes. Organs come in many styles and sizes, however, and often are used in smaller churches as well.

“We have a real small church, and we can't afford to pay a lot,” Fizer conceded. “We're strapped. I've told the church they can take it out of my salary, but we just can't find anyone.”

Suncoast is typical of thousands of congregations that have an organ but no organist. And the odds are against them finding one. There is a nationwide shortage of organists, especially in smaller churches–which is most of them.

“There are plenty of fine players, but they usually compete for the larger, downtown, society churches that have big music programs,” said Howard Maple, executive secretary for the American Institute of Organ Builders. “They'll always be able to attract players. It's the small, country churches … that are the ones that suffer.”

Shifting musical trends and a lack of money and time are most often blamed for the shortage. With the growth of contemporary and “blended” worship styles, fewer young people grow up hearing the organ played in their churches. Praise choruses and soccer practice have replaced hymns and music lessons, some say.

Perhaps because of the shift in worship styles, fewer of the musically inclined are learning to play the organ–which is no easy task anyway. The number of organ majors in universities and conservatories has dropped almost 28 percent since 1985, according to the National Association of Schools of Music.

By one account, the number of churches using mostly traditional worship declined from 49 percent of American congregations in 1993 to 38 percent in 1999. Traditional churches still outnumber contemporary churches, which accounted for 22 percent of congregations in 1999. But contemporary congregations are larger on average.

According to a study published in Your Church magazine, the average Sunday morning attendance in contemporary churches is more than double that of congregations using traditional music (223 to 105).

Most organist jobs are part time, but the demographics of the modern job market have dried up the once vast pool of players able or willing to work part time.

First United Methodist Church in Duncan, Okla., looked for a part-time organist for three months, finally convincing a local college teacher to moonlight.

“We drew in candidates from (all over) Oklahoma,” church administrator Phil Greenwald said. “But at 10 hours a week, we weren't looking for someone to move here.”

The shortage is largely due to job demand and salaries, explained Tony Thurman of the American Guild of Organists in New York. “Most churches don't always support the musician as a full-time employee. With a husband and wife working full-time jobs, there is less of a chance a person will take a part-time job that pays $10,000.”

Some organists say theirs can be a thankless job, with long or unpredictable hours and little recognition or pay, which discourages potential players from joining their dwindling ranks.

An official position statement of the American Guild of Organists says, while religious institutions that offer “professional salaries for professional service rendered” have not suffered from the shortage, “institutions that are unable or unwilling to offer attractive salary packages have most often experienced difficulty.”

The difficulty of learning to play the organ contributes to the shortage of players as well.

The instrument itself, which emerged at least by the third century, is a machine of sorts. It has pipes to produce sound, a chamber to store “wind,” pressure produced by mechanics and a keyboard to control the pipes.

An organ with a modest 36 stops–knobs used to turn sound on or off–can produce more than 68 billion sound combinations. Along with the stops, most organs have at least three keyboards and some have as many as seven. Add more than 20 foot pedals and this “king of instruments” gets complicated.

Now some organ teachers are hoping that by starting with simple methods at a young age, they can develop a new generation of organ players to fill the void.

Joyce Jones, Baylor University's organist-in-residence, has written a method book for piano players who want to learn to play as quickly as possible. She taught the method in two summer music camps this year–one for adults and one for youth age 11 to 18.

“I tried to do a streamlined organ method,” Jones said. “So many of the organ methods are formidable-looking. It's so overwhelming to see 200 pages (in a music book). People say, 'I don't have time to do this.'”

The standard method for learning the organ involves working on hand and foot exercises for several weeks at a time, Jones said. Her book, “King of Instruments,” teaches the same techniques but gives fewer exercises.

“This is not a scholarly method to be used in a college,” she said. “It is for the pianist who needs to learn to play immediately.”

Jones' camps, which have run for more than 10 years, draw people from all over the nation, as well as Canada, Colombia and Japan. With the help of some of her assistants, Jones lectures to half of the class while the other half practices with organs and headphones. Then the two sections switch.

The American Guild of Organists puts on its own children's institutes throughout the country.

Encouraging young players is one way to address the shortage, Thurman said. While a part-time salary is often not enough to lure adults, younger players might find the pay desirable.

Some organ enthusiasts predict a revival of interest in churches.

“There are a number of churches who didn't use their organs who have started to use them again,” said Lester McCullough, minister of music at Lakeside Baptist Church in Lakeland, Fla. And some churches that shifted to contemporary or blended worship have started singing hymns again, he said.

“Youngsters tend to want to come back to the traditional flavor,” said McCullough, former assistant music director for the Florida Baptist Convention. “They want something deeper–more depth and theology in the songs–so hymns are coming back.”

While organs can't handle the syncopated beats of praise songs, he said, restructured hymns work well with the organ.

With prices ranging from $80,000 to more than $1 million, some smaller churches simply aren't able to afford a pipe organ. Like Suncoast Baptist in Homosassa, many turn to less-expensive electronic organs. Smaller both in sound and size, they don't use pipes at all but produce sound by amplifiers and speakers. While pipe-organ makers design unique instruments for individual churches, most electronic organs can fit in any area. Organ purists make a disdainful distinction between electronic and pipe organs, but for many congregations, electronic organs are a financial necessity.

Spanish missionaries brought the first pipe organs to the United States in the 1700s. And organ enthusiasts insist the organ is not going to disappear any time soon.

“I get so discouraged when you have so-called 'church planting experts' come in and say, 'If you want to have a growing congregation, the first thing to do is get rid of the organ,'” said Jones, the Baylor professor. “In the future, I think people will continue to realize the organ is not a dead instrument.”

Indeed, there are as many organs in use now as in 1993. Howard Maple of the American Institute of Organ Builders said organ sales have been stable in recent years–about 100 organs and 100 “rebuilds” annually–and some manufacturers have backlogs of more than six years.

Enthusiasts like the AGO's Thurman are optimistic about the organ's future. “I see organ playing as always very strong,” Thurman said. “There are enough positions in mainline churches. And there's no shortage of instruments.”

Posted: 10/31/03

'Partial-birth' abortion ban
headed for implementation

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–When President Bush gives his promised signature to a newly passed bill, it will be the first time in 30 years the federal government has restricted abortion rights for adults.

The Senate has given final approval to a bill banning certain late-term abortion procedures. The House already had passed a bill banning the procedure abortion-rights opponents term “partial-birth abortion.”

Even many politicians who generally support abortion rights oppose the procedure, which is particularly gruesome. It involves a doctor partially delivering a live fetus, then puncturing its skull and vacuuming out its brain tissue.

Abortion-rights supporters say the targeted procedure is extremely rare and the bill is vague enough to encompass other kinds of more common abortion procedures. They also fault it for failing to contain an exception to preserve the health of the mother.

The Supreme Court overturned a similar law in 2000, saying it was too broad and failed to include the health exception. Supporters of the current bill say they have solved those problems by tightening the bill's language and including in it “congressional findings” that show the procedure never is needed to preserve a woman's health.

Congress passed similar bills twice in the late 1990s. Both were vetoed by President Bill Clinton.

But President Bush, an abortion-rights opponent, has promised to sign the bill. In a statement released by the White House shortly after the Senate's vote, Bush said: “I applaud the Senate for joining the House in passing the ban on partial-birth abortion. This is very important legislation that will end an abhorrent practice and continue to build a culture of life in America. I look forward to signing it into law.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., saw the bill's passage differently.

“This is a very sad day for the women of America, a very sad day for the families of America, because what is about to happen here is this Senate is about to pass a piece of legislation that for the first time in history bans a medical procedure without making any exception for the health of a woman,” she said during floor debate on the bill.

Boxer said those on her side of the issue were willing to ban all late-term abortion procedures as long as a health exception was included. Abortion opponents often contend that bans with exceptions for the health of the mother can be abused.

Abortion-rights supporters saw the bill as an attempt to create a legal apparatus for overturning Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in all 50 states.

The Christian Coalition, in a news release under the headline “One Giant Step Toward Overturning Roe V. Wade,” also celebrated the decision. The group's president, Roberta Combs, said, “This is a very historic vote for America, and it is just a matter of time before the infamous Supreme Court decision” is overturned.

However, at least three separate groups have announced plans to take legal action against the law as soon as it takes effect. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the National Abortion Federation all have said they intend to file lawsuits against the ban.

Posted: 10/31/03

Patterson vows alliance with founders
in inaugural address at Southwestern

FORT WORTH (BP)–Paige Patterson was inaugurated eighth president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Oct. 21 with a vow to embody the standards set by the seminary's founders.

“We are headed to a full and thorough reaffirmation of the doctrine of B.H. Carroll and the founders,” Patterson said during the ceremony at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth. “We are headed to the reaffirmation of the centrality and of the incarnation of the atonement of Christ as the essential bedrock of Christianity.”

The seminary also is headed to a reaffirmation of Anabaptist reformation principles, of a church of “twice-born” men and women who bear witness of their faith through believer's baptism by immersion and a disciplined church membership, he said.

Patterson signs the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.

The sanctity of marriage and the home–along with preservation of traditional gender relationships in the home and church–will be reaffirmed at the seminary as well, Patterson said.

He also will advocate the “missionary and evangelistic zeal that so characterized Lee Scarborough, B.H. Carroll, George W. Truett and other founders of the institution,” Patterson pledged.

He also promised an emphasis on religious liberty and the autonomy of every local church, he continued.

Patterson made specific references to each of the seminary's three schools: “We shall, in the program of church music, reaffirm our determination to have music that honors Christ, avoiding both high church formalism and the embrace of worldly styles and emphases in church music. We shall attempt in our program of Christian education to have a cutting-edge program that will instruct people in how best to effectively teach the Bible, Christian witnessing, Baptist history and Baptist missions. We shall, by the grace of God, teach the clear, unadulterated, exciting exposition of God's word as the appropriate and desperately needed method of preaching in our day. We shall continue to foster a program of compassionate counseling of the hurting and confused which recognizes the sufficiency of the Scriptures in all aspects of life.”

The seminary will continue to hold its faculty and students to the highest standards of morality and ethics, he said. And the seminary never will be ashamed of its Baptist heritage, Baptist name or Anabaptist heritage, he added.

“We will labor in the constant hope and confidence of the return of Christ at the end of the age for his church. And above all else, we shall seek the approval of Jesus Christ, the Lord of the church. This, my brothers and sisters, is a tall commitment, but it is one which we must keep for the sake of Southwestern Seminary, but more especially for the sake of the 6.5 billion lost people on the face of the globe.”

Patterson was lauded by a procession of Baptist leaders, including numerous representatives from within the Southern Baptist Convention.

SBC President Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, said Patterson is one who is “living a legacy.” Graham said he hopes Patterson's passion for expository preaching and the inerrancy of the Bible will get into the “ministerial DNA” of seminary students.

Claude Thomas, pastor of First Baptist Church in Euless and president of the Southwestern Alumni Association, said Patterson brings a “hot heart and a trained mind” to the job.

Hemphill places the seminary medallion on Patterson.

Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and chairman of the SBC Council of Seminary Presidents, commended his brother-in-law's role as an architect of the so-called “conservative resurgence” in the SBC.

“The conservative resurgence and the transformation that took place as the firm root of the word of God took hold in the curricula of every one of our six seminaries is something that no one ever thought would happen on the scale that it has happened,” Kelley said.

Kelley likened Patterson's efforts within the SBC to the D-Day invasion: It was necessary in order to continue the fight, but it was not the final goal. “The real battle is to take Jesus Christ to the world,” he said.

O.S. Hawkins, president of the Annuity Board, compared Patterson to B.H. Carroll, the seminary's founder, as someone who is synonymous with courage, conviction, consistency and cooperation.

Keith Bruce, director of institutional ministries for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, said Patterson's passionate commitment to missions and evangelism reflect both the historic emphases and the current concerns of Texas Baptists.

“As you assume leadership of this great institution, we want you to know that the Baptist General Convention of Texas family prays for you, that you might lead Southwestern to an even greater and renewed passion for missions and evangelism, while building upon the academic breadth and excellence that also marks this institution,” Bruce said.

Bruce presented Patterson with commemorative copies of two books about Texas Baptist history.

Jim Richards, executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, said the SBTC's connection with Southwestern would be strengthened through Patterson's presidency. “Our shared core values make us superior partners,” Richards said.

The evening culminated with Patterson publicly signing the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.

Posted: 10/31/03

92-year-old pianist honored for service

SAN ANGELO–Baptist Memorials Center honored longtime pianist Rowena Goss for 45 years of service.

Goss, who started playing the piano when she was 8, said she felt like she wasted years by not starting earlier.

After a few years of experience, she went on to teach piano lessons to some neighborhood children, charging a penny on up to a dollar for her services. At 12, she was interviewed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and named “The Youngest Piano Teacher in Texas.”

Baptist Memorials Center Administrator Pat Crump presents a plaque to pianist Rowena Goss for her 45 years of service at the San Angelo center.

Although playing and teaching the piano has been her passion and calling, Goss also as a young adult had a short stint as a drummer in an all-girl band on a cruise ship in Europe.

“When you're young, you'll just tackle anything, and I had a lot of confidence,” Goss said. She learned to play the drums in three days by listening to the radio.

While on the ship, she met the dean of music from Louisiana State University, who heard her play the drums and offered her a fellowship and scholarship toward a master's degree in music.

At LSU, she met her husband, Dallas, who was getting his master's degree in voice. Through their marriage, they often collaborated their talents with his singing and her playing the piano for the congregation at First Baptist Church in San Angelo, as well as at Baptist Memorials Center. When her husband was killed in a car accident 10 years ago, she relied on her piano playing even more, she said.

One of the highlights of her life was performing a piano concert at First Baptist Church of San Angelo on her 90th birthday, Sept. 16, 2001. Just five days after the national tragedy of Sept. 11, 600 people filled the church to hear her play.

Another highlight has been playing the piano at Baptist Memorials chapel services since 1958, she said. “I feel like I should pay them for letting me play because I get such a blessing from the residents.”

Posted: 10/31/03

Prayer may be scary, leaders say, but shouldn't be

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Eighty-two percent of adults say they prayed to God in the last seven days, according to a recent Barna poll.

That's odd, Texas prayer leaders argue, because even many Christians are intimidated by prayer and do not know how to do it effectively.

A large portion of believers do not understand the basic principles of intercessory prayer or the fundamental notion that the action is directly relating to God, said Ted Elmore, director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas prayer and spiritual development office.

The idea that individuals are speaking directly to God and God can respond continues to amaze people, Elmore continued. Some believe only church leaders can interact directly with God, while others do not feel worthy to interact with God.

“I define prayer as a relationship,” Elmore explained. “It is communication with God. It's intimacy with God.”

Christians often are afraid to pray out loud because they do not want to sound simple or have others look down on them for not using religious language, added Terry Gooding, prayer coordinator for Vista del Sol Baptist Church and El Paso Baptist Association. Husbands and wives are slow to pray in front of each other, and a family prayer can prove to be difficult, he reported.

Difficulty with prayer is nothing new, Elmore said, noting that Jesus' first disciples struggled with it as well. They were looking for a method to get their prayers answered when Jesus gave them the model prayer, Elmore argued.

Rather than a method, Jesus' prayer has served as an example to Christians for centuries, Elmore pointed out, declaring that prayer is pouring one's heart out to God, praising God, asking for strength and looking for God to meet needs in lives.

“We all come into God's presence the same way, through the blood of Christ,” Elmore said. “When they realize that, it's like 'Wow, I can enter into the presence of God.'”

Prayer is not only speaking to God but listening to God as well, Elmore noted. Although some scholars rule out God speaking to contemporary people, Elmore believes God communicates with people as clearly as God did in the Bible.

Christians must make time to focus on God to hear God's voice, Gooding said. Some believers may have to cut out other activities to focus on what is most important–a relationship with God.

Gooding encourages Christians to begin praying for people they know well, such as a pastor, church leader, friend or family member. Once committed to that, people will see God working in those situations and will grow closer to God, she said.

As believers begin to experience a more vibrant spiritual life, “prayer becomes a journey, not a chore,” Elmore added.

For more information on prayer and prayer coordinators, contact the BGCT at (800) 288-PRAY.

Posted: 10/31/03

New Mexico disaster relief gets boost from Texas donation

By John Loudat

Baptist New Mexican

GLORIETA, N.M.–New Mexico Baptists' new disaster-relief ministry recently received a boost with the gift of a 24-foot trailer from Texas Baptist Men.

Baptists from across New Mexico have been involved in disaster-relief work for years, but a formal statewide disaster-relief program was not begun in the state until this year.

New Mexico disaster relief consultant Carl Russell (center) receives New Mexico's first trailer from Bill Piggott of Texas Baptist Men. Looking on is Martin Alletson, assistant general manager at Glorieta Conference Center.

Pecos Valley Baptist Association, based in Artesia, has been an early leader in the ministry, responding to needs such as the Cerro Grande fire in Los Alamos and massive flooding along the Texas Gulf Coast.

In 2001, the association purchased new equipment for the ministry and remodeled a donated school bus as a portable feeding unit. Barely two years later, the retired school bus no longer could meet the need of the ministry.

New Mexico Baptists considered it an answer to prayer when they received a real disaster-relief trailer from Texas Baptists, who began the ministry of caring in times of need more than three decades ago.

Joseph Tillery, director of missions for Pecos Valley Association, estimated the association would have had to spend $12,000 to buy a trailer like the one it received. Instead, the association and the Baptist Convention of New Mexico each donated $1,000 toward helping the Texas group purchase a larger trailer it needs.

The exchange took place at LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center Oct. 17. Texas Baptist Men retiree builders officially presented the trailer to Carl Russell, Central Baptist Association's ministry evangelism coordinator and BCNM disaster-relief consultant. Forrest Dickerson, co-chairman of Pecos Valley's Mission Development Council, traveled to Glorieta from Carlsbad and pulled the trailer back to its new home in Southern New Mexico.

Only four days after the trailer was transferred, it was on site in Belen, halfway across the state from its new home, feeding dinner to messengers of the annual meeting of Central Baptist Association.

Posted: 10/31/03

New tool, new desire help church find a God-focused vision

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

VICTORIA–Baptist Temple Church faces the same issues many congregations across Texas stare down daily. More than 500 people packed the Sunday School 50 years ago, but now fewer than 150 people come to worship.

The membership no longer matches the neighborhood. The church is 95 percent Anglo, but the community is 57 percent Hispanic.

A third of the congregation is between 60 and 74 years old, and two-thirds of the people have at least some college. One-third of the community is younger than 20, and only 47 percent of the church's neighbors graduated from high school.

The church split as recently as 1996, with part of the congregation starting another place of worship. Dismayed and declining, the remnant discussed closing the doors.

God-focused Vision

But the members decided God still had plans for them, and they called Gene Rice as pastor. Rice recalls being struck by the grief that permeated the church a year after the split. The pastor spent years leading his flock through their emotions.

“The people were real close to each other,” he said. “When this church split, … they would still see each other in the grocery store and not speak. It took them awhile to deal with that.”

In the summer of 2002, Rice sensed the church was ready to move forward. The congregation established a set of core values and put together a mission statement.

To specify their plans further, the church turned to the “Revision” materials offered through the Baptist General Convention of Texas Missional Church Center. The resource guides a church to establish a ministry vision for the congregation through Bible study, prayer and statistical information.

“The revisioning process was a way we could look at all the possibilities and come up with a plan we can all agree on,” Rice said.

Having a God-focused vision is one of the 11 characteristics of a healthy church identified by the BGCT.

All the Sunday School classes went through an eight-week Bible study based on the materials. Class members discussed the church's purpose and brainstormed ministry ideas.

The church studied demographics of the area, and many of their thoughts were confirmed: The congregation did not match the neighborhood.

While this information was not new, members for the first time openly discussed what to do about the situation. Information armed the church to make educated decisions, Rice said.

At a recent retreat, 48 church members recently approved a three-year plan and one-year strategy. The congregation will focus on ministering to youth and will strengthen the children's work by remodeling the facilities.

The church also wants to create a multigenerational and multicultural environment where the entire community feels welcome. This includes a blended worship service and mentoring.

The plans still must be approved by the church at large, but Rice is impressed by the stir the effort has caused to this point.

“The story is not finished. We don't know what the process is going to accomplish, but I will tell you this: There was an excitement here I have not seen. What I really hope for is a church that is courageous and finds the ministry that God sends.”

For more information about the Revision materials, contact Fred Ater at (888) 747-7700 or visit www.link2lead.com.