Posted: 10/17/03

Nov. 30

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Faith that works in the workplace

By Dan Curry

Our society is obsessed with leisure time. We live for the weekends and long for the day when we can retire. License plate frames announce people would rather be fishing, golfing, skiing, hiking and camping. Yes, people would rather be doing anything but working. Is there something wrong with work?

Listen to the words of Paul as he speaks of work and idleness. Paul writes: “We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat” (vv. 11-12).

Paul had heard more than once that some in the church were not working to support their own needs. They were “busybodies” instead of being “busy.” Instead of tending to their own business of earning a living, they were meddling in the business of others. Paul places these people in the category of those guilty of leading an unruly life.

When Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, he warned the idle busybodies to get to work (1 Thessalonians 4:11). He instructed the church leaders to “warn those who are idle” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Paul uses the word “idle” to describe the people who were being a problem. The term “idle” means “unruly” or “disorderly, as a soldier out of rank.” Apparently the problems still existed because Paul devotes this large section of his second letter to correct this problem.

Some believe the origin of this group of idlers in the church came from a group wishing to exploit the Christian love that had flourished so generously among the Macedonian Christians. Since many of the believers were more than willing to share their goods to the point of sacrifice, there were others who were willing to take advantage of this generosity.

Others believe this group of idlers may have been influenced by the Greco-Roman aristocratic disdain for manual labor. The Greek culture did place manual labor at the bottom of the ladder of prestige. Labor was only good for foreigners and slaves.

The most common thought is that this group of idlers had misinterpreted Paul's teachings about the return of Christ. All the talk about the coming of the Lord might have made some feel time was so short they did not want to waste their time on menial tasks. This cause and effect relationship is not stated explicitly in the letter, but it is a safe deduction. If that was the case, this group was now living off the generosity of the church.

Whatever the motivation or reason, this group was not working and had time on their hands. This created other problems because now this group had become “busybodies.” They were not working, and they were also disrupting those who were being faithful in their work. Paul shares with the church what they need to do, he sets himself up as an example and he exhorts the idlers to pay heed to his warning.

A command and a rule to obey

Paul commands the church to avoid fellowship with the unruly. He writes, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” (v. 6).

This is a stern command. The Greek term translated “we command” is an emphatic verb that means, “to order.” This word was a military term used to describe the commands a superior officer would give to his men. Paul was not requesting the church avoid fellowship; he was ordering it. The order was “to keep away” from these idlers. Paul uses the term “stello” which means “to avoid or pull back from.” How this was to be carried out we are not sure, but it may have included excluding them from the life and meetings of the church. This exclusion would illustrate the spiritual gap their behavior had created.

The fact that these unruly believers faced church discipline demonstrates the seriousness with which God views work. Since believers love the fellowship of other believers, being separated from this fellowship should be painful enough to bring about change in a person's life.

The drastic step of church discipline also was necessary to protect the church's reputation in the city. The world must know God desires for believers to be faithful workers who diligently work at providing for their own needs.

Paul reminds them of the rule he had given them to follow in dealing with those who refused to work. He says, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat'” (v. 10). This saying addresses the person who is able but unwilling to work, not one who is willing but unable to work. The judgment might seem harsh, but it should be understood as an incentive and not punishment.

When Paul writes of church discipline, it is redemptive and constructive. The actions recommended always are designed to correct an improper lifestyle. In this case, Paul was hopeful the ones creating a disturbance by their laziness would heed his warning and correct their lifestyle. Then they could be restored to the fellowship of the church.

An example to follow

Paul justified this command with the example he had given them while teaching in Thessalonica. He had referred to his example in his previous letter (1 Thessalonians 2:9). The church knew Paul had not taken any support from them. Instead, Paul and his companions had set the example of meeting their own needs. He admonishes them to follow his example. Paul wrote: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you” (v. 7). Paul's industriousness was in sharp contrast to the laziness of some in the church.

Only in Acts 18:3 are we told the trade by which Paul supported himself. Luke records for us that Paul was a tentmaker. Exactly what this involved is often debated. A number of early church fathers indicate the term should be broadly understood as a person who works with leather. This is quite possible since tents were often made of leather, and tentmakers probably used their skills on other types of leather products as well. Whatever the skill, we are told Paul worked diligently not to be a burden. He writes, “We worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (v. 8).

Paul makes it clear his working and making tents was not because he did not have the right to receive support. As an apostle, Paul had the right to expect financial support. Every Christian worker has the right to support from the church as they serve the Lord. A church must never use Paul's example as an excuse for not supporting its staff. Paul chose to work in Thessalonica so those who refused to work could not point to his not working as justification for their laziness. Paul's example encouraged the new believers and also silenced the idlers.

An appeal to accept

Paul's direction to the church concerning the unruly and unwilling workers is very authoritative. Repeatedly Paul uses the terms, “command” and “obey.” Paul's desire for those who were unwilling to work was a change in attitude. Why was this so great a concern?

It was a concern because of human nature and the fact that when people stop working they become dependent on others and lose their dignity. These non-workers were also an irritant, creating disunity and discord by being a burden on those who did work. This was beginning to affect the loving harmony of the church.

Paul makes a final appeal to those who have created this disturbance. He does so in the third person to avoid being too personal, but his appeal is strong. He says, “Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat” (v. 12). We do not know how the people responded, but Paul's appeal comes from his heart and with the authority of Christ.

After his direct appeal to the ones involved in this issue, Paul appeals to the church once again. His appeal comes from his concerns for the long-term effect this problem could have on the church. One long-term problem could be that the abuse of people's graciousness would discourage the givers, who might stop giving. The other consequence is that resources would be diverted from the needy.

Those who are sick, aged, widowed, orphaned or disabled are always harmed by the manipulation of the lazy. The danger was the church would grow tired of the deadbeats and become indifferent to the real needs. So Paul writes, “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right” (v. 13). Giving and helping are always the right thing to do, even when others abuse the generosity.

The proper Christian view of work affirms several truths. First, God commanded it before the fall of man. Therefore, work is not a curse but part of God's plan. Second, God set the example of work for everyone beginning with creation. Finally, work is a gift from God. Through one's work a person finds value, meaning and fulfillment in life. Work also prevents idleness that can be destructive to a person's life and to the kingdom of God.

The work ethic in our society may have eroded, but the biblical work ethic remains for us to follow. This does not mean we cannot enjoy leisure, but for leisure to meaningful it must be accompanied by purposeful work. The two go together.

Questions for discussion

In what ways have you seen the erosion of the work ethic in our society during your lifetime?

What difficulties or problems do you see in our society that could be related to the work ethic we have come to embrace?

How have the societal problems had an impact on the work and ministry of God's people and his church?

What are some ways Christians and the church could set a good example for our society in the arena of work versus idleness?

What examples do we need to set specifically for our children to ensure they see us following Paul's teaching?

Posted: 10/17/03

Nov. 9

1 Thessalonians 2: 1-12; 5: 12-13

Leadership that inspires followers

By Dan Curry

The effectiveness and growth of a church is directly related to the quality of leadership. John Maxwell, in his book “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” calls this the “Law of the Lid.” He says leadership ability is the lid that determines a person's level of effectiveness. The higher a person's quality of leadership, the greater the person's effectiveness. The church needs quality leadership that inspires followers in order to be effective.

In examining leadership in the church, most immediately evaluate the pastor. What about the scores of other leaders–staff members, Sunday School teachers, deacons, outreach leaders and committee members? A great church needs an effective pastor, but he would be helpless if it were not for the scores of other people in the church that provide dynamic leadership to the ministry. A pastor cannot build a great church by himself. There is a growing need for churches to equip more leaders.

Where does a person turn to find a model of leadership for the church? Some have turned away from the traditional models of church leadership to look elsewhere. Many have turned toward a corporate model of leadership hoping to find quick success and effectiveness. In the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives the church a great biblical model for leadership.

Paul describes effective leadership that inspired followers and had a lasting impact. Paul says, “You know brothers that our visit to you was not a failure” (2:1). Another version translates that as, “our coming to you was not in vain.” The work Paul did in Thessalonica was effective and lasting. As he evaluated his ministry with them, he said it was not a failure or in vain.

Then in the next few verses of this chapter Paul defends his leadership. He does so in response to some criticism he got after he left this city. As he defends his leadership style and his ministry with them, he gives to the church a wonderful biblical model of leadership to follow.

The motive of effective leadership

Paul begins by defending his motives. He says, “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you” (v. 3). In these words, Paul assured them his message was true and his motives were pure.

Paul emphasized he did not use manipulation to win converts. The word “trick” carried the idea of “baiting a hook.” In other words, Paul did not use trickery or a trap in sharing the gospel with them. Manipulation never lasts and always leaves people making superficial decisions. There are few people in life who have not felt at one time or another they were manipulated, forced or pressured to do something they later regretted. Effective leadership does not use manipulation.

Paul also defended himself against those who had accused him of sharing the gospel for personal gain. He said, “You know that we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed–God is our witness” (v. 5). Paul was sensitive about money matters. He did not want to give anyone a reason to accuse him of being greedy, so he explains he did not resort to flattering people for personal gain. Paul's motivation was not what he could receive from them. Selfishness and personal gain must never drive effective leaders.

Paul makes it clear his motivation was pure, his message true and his methods not deceptive or manipulative. Paul's motivation was to please God. He says: “We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts” (v. 4).

Paul viewed himself as being entrusted with the gospel. It was not a message he made up or that he received from men. He was the steward of the message God had given to him. The word “entrusted” is translated from the Greek word “dokimzao.” The word actually carried with it the idea of being approved. Paul humbly believed he was accountable to God and no one else. His motivation was to please God.

The motive for effective leadership in the church must always be to please God. There will always be those who will use manipulation in order to gain quick results. Some will resort to flattery to please men. Many potential leaders will fall into the trap of being motivated by selfish desires and personal gain. However, the leadership the church needs today comes from leaders who are faithful, who are motivated by their love for God and who desire to please him.

The manner of effective leadership

First, Paul's manner was bold. Paul and Silas had been stripped, beaten naked in public and thrown in prison while at Philippi. It had to have been an extremely painful and humiliating experience. It would have been easy for them to make excuses for not continuing to proclaim the good news.

However, when they came to Thessalonica they came with courage and boldness. Paul says, “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you this gospel in spite of strong opposition” (v. 2). It was not in their strength, but with the help of God that they were able to be free in sharing the good news.

Every church desires leaders who are bold and courageous. But more than that, they desire leaders who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be bold and free in sharing the word of God.

Second, Paul's manner was gentle. He says, “We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children (v. 7). It might seem strange for Paul to compare his manner of leadership to that of a mother. Yet when a person begins to think about the role of a mother in parenting, it becomes a great example. A mother makes sacrifices for her children, gives them nourishment and provides protection.

There is a lot being said about authoritative pastoral leadership these days. Pastoral authority is to be used carefully and rarely. Effective leadership has the gentleness of a mother nursing a child.

Third, Paul's manner was sacrificial. He says, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (v. 8). Paul gladly shared the gospel, telling them of God's love for them. Paul sincerely wanted them to be blessed and would gladly have given himself to see them come to know Jesus Christ. The manner of Paul's leadership came from the overflow of his love for people and his desire to see everyone come to know Jesus. Isn't that the kind of leadership needed in the church?

Fourth, Paul's manner was labor intensive. He says, “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” Paul was not afraid of work. It was not easy to work and minister the word at the same time. Ministry is hard work. Effective leaders always are willing to work hard.

How leadership demonstrates itself is important. Leadership that is effective in churches today will follow the manner of Paul's leadership. It will be bold, gentle, sacrificial and demanding.

The method of effective leadership

Paul's principal method was to lead by example. One slip in a person's life can damage the person's ability to be a leader for months, years or even forever. Paul understood the importance of his walk with God. Paul said, “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believe” (v. 10). Paul's life was one of integrity. People desire that in the people they follow. To be effective in leadership, a person needs to live above reproach.

Paul also used encouragement. His style was that of a father. He says, “You know that I dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” (v. 12).

Paul uses three words to describe how a father inspires. First, he used words of encouragement. The Greek word for “encouragement” means “to bring alongside to exhort.” It means he did not scold them but encouraged them. The second descriptive word Paul uses is “comfort.” This word carries basically the same meaning as encouragement but emphasizes action. Paul did not just say encouraging words, but he demonstrated his concern with comforting action. Maybe he put his arm around them or patted them on the back. The third word Paul uses is “urging.” This word has the idea of confrontation. The method of Paul's effective leadership was to encourage, comfort and confront as a father would do.

Paul has given to the church a great biblical model for effective leadership. Even today, church leaders can learn much from his motives, his manner and his methods.

How much better to obey willingly than by compulsion!

Questions for discussion

How would you define the word “leader”?

Can a person learn to be a leader?

What are some unacceptable motives for being a leader in church?

How would you define the leadership model of your church?

Is there a place for authoritative leadership in the church? If so, when should it be used?

Besides authoritative leadership, list some other types of leadership styles.

Posted: 10/17/03

Bush's faith-based plans find another door

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–Continuing a trend of piecemeal implementation of his plan to provide government money to religious social-service organizations, President Bush expanded his “faith-based initiative” through regulatory changes Sept. 22.

Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, informed reporters Bush had finalized regulatory changes in two cabinet agencies–and announced new regulatory changes in four other departments–that expand the government's ability to fund social services through religious groups, including churches.

The regulatory expansion follows similar announcements since last December, as well as several recent efforts by Republicans in Congress to attach provisions to routine spending bills that expand faith-based-organization funding in the federal programs they govern.

The initiative has been the centerpiece of Bush's domestic social agenda. Supporters argue that faith-based groups are more effective at providing social services than governmental or secular providers and therefore should be funded by government.

“Today, the real winners are addicts that are trying to access and have choice to a range of programs, and the homeless that can now enter a HUD program that can receive funds,” Towey told reporters. “And the real winners are ultimately taxpayers that can see their money spent in a good program.”

But critics have said providing direct government funding to religious groups violates the Constitution's prohibition on government establishment of religion. Some also contend that government encroachment on the freedom of religious groups will follow on the heels of government funding–and that debates over whether a particular group, such as a Muslim group, receives funding will create religious strife in the civic sphere.

Although Bush tried to get Congress to implement the faith-based initiative shortly after he took office in 2001, opposition based on such concerns killed the legislation in the Senate.

The first wave of regulatory changes came in a December 2002 announcement. The most recent action essentially achieves the same goals that Bush's original faith-based legislation would have–but bypasses Congress.

The process has “been done piecemeal, but these are the last pieces,” according to Chris Anders, the American Civil Liberties Union's head lobbyist on the faith-based issue. “They're just basically putting the faith-based imitative in place through executive order rather than through the legislative process.”

Among the most controversial aspects of the regulatory changes are provisions that explicitly allow religious organizations receiving government funding to discriminate on the basis of religion in their hiring practices. Asked if Bush was doing an end-run around Congress, Towey said the provisions simply affirm the long-standing exemption to hiring-discrimination laws under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act that churches and other pervasively religious groups enjoy.

“It preserves a civil right that has existed for three decades,” he said.

Towey noted that secular non-profit groups that contract with the government–such as Planned Parenthood–can discriminate in hiring on the basis of ideology.

“In any employment decision, there's discrimination,” he said. “The World Wildlife Fund will make discrimination based on people they hire who share their tenets and beliefs. Universities hire smart people.”

However, the Supreme Court has not issued a definitive ruling on whether religious groups receiving federal funding can discriminate in hiring for positions that are either partially or wholly funded by federal dollars.

Posted: 10/17/03

Posted: 10/17/03

Defense Dept. clarifies chaplain selection

By Adelle Banks

Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS)–The Department of Defense clarified its procedure for approving chaplains Oct. 14, after a yearlong review and at a time when members of Congress have questioned how Muslim chaplains in particular are selected.

Charles Abell, principal deputy undersecretary of Defense, told a Senate subcommittee he has signed a memorandum putting the major aspects of the policy change into effect.

“This new guidance clarifies several (Department of) Defense policies concerning prospective chaplains and, in particular, ensures that the department stays out of the business of 'approving' religious organizations,” Abell told members of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security.

Instead, he said, the Defense Department will use the Internal Revenue Service's tax-exempt status designation as “one screen” for determining organizations that qualify to offer applicants for military chaplaincy. The department policy also calls for the organization to have a constituency of lay people and a qualified chaplain candidate.

Individuals applying for chaplaincy undergo thorough background checks and affirm the First Amendment rights of military members and their families regardless of their faith or the chaplain candidate's own faith, he said.

“We do the due diligence on the individual when he or she comes forward, not the organization,” Abell told reporters after his appearance at the hearing.

Led by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., the subcommittee held the hearing to examine the appointment of Muslim chaplains to the U.S. military as well as the nation's prison system. Kyl and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have sought investigations into whether a radical form of Islam with links to terrorism has influenced the nation's military and prisons.

The hearing came just days after a Muslim military chaplain was charged with violating military rules on classified materials.

Army Chaplain Capt. Yousef Yee, who had been on temporary duty at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was detained Sept. 10. The Department of Defense's Southern Command said the charges could be dismissed, referred to a special court-martial or spark a pretrial investigation. The Army said the overall investigation into Yee's conduct could lead to additional charges.

Although he declined to speak about the Yee case, Abell said of the military's Muslim chaplains: “Right now, I don't believe there are any who are security threats.”

Yee was endorsed by the Virginia-based American Muslim Armed Forces and Veteran Affairs Council, military officials said.

The Defense Department cites that organization and the Indiana-based Islamic Society of North America as the two religious groups that are currently qualified to nominate Muslim clergy as chaplain candidates. Chaplains whose credentials have been certified by ISNA are often trained at the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences in Virginia.

Asked by senators about how the military came to use those two endorsing agencies, Abell said the groups had sought that status and gained it.

He said the military now seeks additional groups that might endorse Muslim chaplains besides the two current endorsing agencies. But he said the military still would consider candidates from the original groups unless the Justice Department or another federal agency declared either no longer “a valid agency.”

The military estimates there are about 4,158 Muslims in the military.

Nancy Luque, a lawyer for the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, told reporters outside the hearing that suggestions the school has links to terrorism are “absolutely false and scurrilous accusations.”

The school has trained nine of the 12 Muslim chaplains currently in the military, she said.

As for prison chaplains, Harley Lappin, director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, reported there are 231 full-time chaplains in the system, 10 of whom are imams. He said about 9,600 Muslim inmates (not including such “American adaptations of Islam” as the Nation of Islam) comprise 5.5 percent of the inmates.

Lappin said prison chaplains have to meet employment requirements including background checks and drug screening.

The Bureau of Prisons “is committed to providing inmates with the opportunity to practice their faith while at the same time ensuring federal prisoners are not radicalized or recruited for terrorist causes,” he said in his written testimony.

Paul Rogers, president of the American Correctional Chaplains Association, said in written testimony that reports of terrorists infiltrating prisons via religious programs have been “blown way out of proportion. Yes, some relatively minor situations have been identified, but they were stopped before escalating to dangerous levels.”

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the hearing, while focused on preventing people with questionable or violent backgrounds from becoming chaplains, illuminated a larger reality: “There is a very difficult and gray area here in terms of what is an acceptable religion in a country that tries to embrace diversity.”

Posted: 10/17/03

Bills aim to strip courts on church-state cases

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–A senator and a House member have introduced two bills designed to limit the federal courts' authority in church-state cases.

Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., have introduced the legislation in response to what they called recent “disputes and doubts … with respect to public displays of the Ten Commandments and to other public expression of religious faith.” The bills would use a constitutional formula to limit judges' ability to enforce the First Amendment's ban on government establishment of religion.

Pickering's bill, called the “Safeguarding our Religious Liberties Act,” and Allard's bill, the “Religious Liberties Restoration Act,” are virtually identical. They attempt to employ a complex interpretation of the First, 10th and 14th Amendments as well as Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution to prevent federal courts below the Supreme Court from declaring governmental displays of religion in violation of the First Amendment.

The bills specifically proscribe lower federal courts from:

Outlawing displays of the Ten Commandments on state government property.

Outlawing the display or recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, including the words “under God,” in state institutions.

Banning the display or recitation of the national motto “In God We Trust” on state property or with state backing.

Some Religious Right leaders are supporting the so-called “court-stripping” legislation.

“This bill is an important step in our efforts to rein in secularist, autocratic federal judges who are determined to subvert the will of the people, erase our history and ride roughshod over the states to achieve their own misguided goals,” said Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

But the head of another Baptist church-state agency said supporters of governmental religious displays have tried this tactic before and failed.

“These kinds of court-stripping efforts have never passed,” said Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee. “I'd be very surprised if even this Congress would adopt such a measure. If it did, the Supreme Court would most likely strike it down as a violation of the separation-of-powers doctrine.”

The Senate bill, introduced in August, is S. 1558. The House version, H.R. 3190, was introduced in September. Both have been referred to their respective chambers' judiciary committees.

Posted: 10/17/03

GUEST EDITORIAL:
BGCT format to deliver more information to messengers

By Bob Campbell

As you probably know, this year's Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session Nov. 10-11 in Lubbock has been restructured.

Workshops will replace reports.

This is an experiment based on the perception of three prior order of business committees and two arrangements committees. Independent of each other, a year ago a member of the order of business committee broached the subject of doing something to keep the conventions alive and interesting. He had mentioned it the previous year, but nothing came of it.

Although the previous order of business committee was sympathetic, nothing happened.

The same statement came up in the arrangements committee, although the two committees never interacted.

So, in my first year as president, the subject was brought up again, and we did not want to dismiss it until we had dealt with it. Two premises were discussed:

Young adults do not attend our conventions in large numbers. This is not healthy to the convention. We need a future. We must find something that will attract the younger laity.

The convention program has become too long, with a parade of people directing us to their particular reports in the Book of Reports. They try to explain their entire ministry in a few minutes.

A great many messengers head for the exits–to the exhibits, hallways, friends, a meal or a hotel room for a rest. Some stay, but a majority of messengers leave the area.

Consequently, we began thinking outside the box. How could we show the great activities and abilities of the BGCT staff to serve churches and actually give them more than a five-minute presentation? Workshops became one of our solutions.

The Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas adopted a similar plan this year with much success and only a few problems. The BGCT African-American Fellowship also tried this approach with equal success.

The North Carolina Baptist convention has been at this for three years. They have had great success as well. The North Carolinians have about the same number of messengers as we have here in Texas.

We are asking each workshop to be evaluated. We will learn by this process.

Those who attend each workshop will be interested and present by deliberate choice. I believe they will be eager to hear and interact with the leader.

More BGCT staff members from every division and department will be involved in these workshops than have ever been involved on the platform during report time.

Our goal is to make the convention more “user friendly.” In years to come, I think more lay people will want to come to the annual sessions, since the practical workshops will assist them with their actual church work. There will be more direct teaching and equipping and less reporting. The BGCT staff will be vital to this training.

Let's give it a try. Join me in praying for its success. Then, let's tweak it next year to improve it for the next convention.

Bob Campbell is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and pastor of Westbury Baptist Church in Houston

Posted: 10/17/03

Crews named chancellor at Golden Gate;
presidential search launched

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)–Bill Crews has been named chancellor of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and the trustee board's executive committee has been charged with finding his successor as president.

Crews, 67, will continue to fulfill the duties of president until his successor is named, although he has officially vacated the office of president he has held for 17 years.

Trustees affirmed the transition process in their Oct. 14 meeting on the campus near San Francisco.

Bill Crews

Currently the longest-tenured of the six Southern Baptist Convention seminary presidents, Crews was elected to lead Golden Gate in 1986.

“I will continue to give leadership to the institution until a new president is elected and installed,” he told the board. “I will then do all I can to see that any influence I might have is transferred to the person God has already chosen to be our new leader.”

Crews indicated he intends to retire at age 70.

“We have the time to make an informed decision, to pray about and find God's man for this place,” said John Funk, a California trustee and executive committee member.

“I chose to start this process based solely on what I believe to be God's will for my life and for the life of this seminary,” Crews told trustees. “There has been no pressure coming from secret meetings in faraway places but solely a decision on my part as to what is best for the seminary and my family.

“It should also become apparent that I will not be disappearing from the scene right away,” he added. “There are a number of issues vital to the future of the seminary which demand a continuity of leadership.”

Once a new president is named, Crews will serve until retirement in a more typical chancellor role, such as assisting the new president with fund-raising, constituent development and planning.

In addition to Funk, a health-care industry consultant from Westlake Village, Calif., other members of the trustee executive committee are trustee Chairman Gary Black, a retired insurance executive from Novato, Calif.; Ed Adams, a director of missions from Hesperia, Calif.; Bob Fargarson, an attorney from Brownsville, Tenn.; Janie Finlay, a homemaker from Houston; David Gill, a pastor from Antioch, Calif.; Calvin Kelly, a pastor from Birmingham, Ala.; E.W. McCall Sr., a pastor from La Puenta, Calif.; Joe Panter, a Christian businessman from Paradise Valley, Ariz.; and Bob Swift, a pastor from Mayfield, Ky.

Posted: 10/17/03

Churches urged to develop crisis response plans

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Convention

It may not be a bus wreck. It could be a tornado, flood or fire. But chances are, every church will face a crisis some time.

Congregations need to be prepared, according to Baptist General Convention of Texas staff.

“It's not if it's going to happen. It's when. Trauma is going to come to every community,” said Milfred Minatrea, associate coordinator of the BGCT Church Missions and Evangelism Section.

Churches should designate a crisis response committee before a dire situation occurs, recommended Sonny Spurger, associate director of the BGCT office of minister/church relations. Members should have a variety of talents and backgrounds to provide a well-rounded knowledge base.

They should be armed with the contact information of appropriate authorities, networks and assistance programs, he added.

The committee, in conjunction with church leadership, should write out a plan of action that covers how the congregation will minister during a crisis–to members, visitors, the community at-large and through the media, convention leaders agreed.

Congregations should assess which crisis situations are more likely to happen in their contexts, Minatrea suggested. For example, floods are more likely to happen near rivers or the coast. Tornados are a threat in North Central Texas.

Leaders also should consider how the church would respond if a crisis hits while people are in the church's facilities, Minatrea continued. This should include identifying safe areas in the church's facilities and the best routes to get to those areas. Volunteers should be trained in the action plan and in grief counseling.

Ways to serve and minister to non-members who are in the buildings should be included in the plan, Minatrea said. And measures to care for children and to contact family members in other locations should be known.

The church also must keep its role in the community in mind when forming a crisis action plan, Minatrea cautioned. In addition to preparing for ministry to relatives of anyone injured or killed in a tragedy, plans should be made to help friends and acquaintances also.

The BGCT can connect local churches with chaplains to help with counseling when needed.

Bobby Smith, director of the BGCT chaplaincy relations office, encourages Christians to remember grieving is an extended process, he said.

When counseling others, believers express more by listening than by anything they say immediately after an incident, Smith added. “In almost every situation, people don't remember what you say. They just know you were there and you care. You cared enough to stand beside them in their pain and their anguish and their hurt.”

For more help on this topic, BGCT leaders encourage church members to attend the National Organization for Victim Assistance crisis response training Feb. 9-13 in San Antonio.

The weeklong event includes victim advocacy and counselor training courses, as well as training to address physical, emotional and spiritual needs in a crisis. It is sponsored by the BGCT and San Antonio Baptist Association.

Depending on the situation, a media frenzy can send a church scrambling if it does not have a crisis communication plan, added Becky Bridges, director of the BGCT Communications Center.

She recommends designating a location away from grieving members for reporters to work. The church should pick one person with a calm demeanor to serve as a representative to the media. That person should make a list of speaking points to address basic information in front of the media. Information should be updated regularly.

This effort can help keep the phone lines clear for family members as staff no longer have to answer the same questions repeatedly, Bridges said.

Although some church leaders may be reluctant to cooperate with the media, Bridges argued that the coverage provides a unique opportunity to spread the faith.

“Tragedy often opens up a door for sharing basic truths of the gospel when normally a reporter would edit out such comments,” she said. “It is a great time to put our beliefs into action by showing compassion, faith and caring to those who are watching us closely both in front of the camera and in homes, watching TV or reading the paper.”

Crisis situations are difficult, but the way churches handle them has a strong impact on their communities, BGCT leaders said. Following an appropriate action plan helps churches meet needs more effectively.

“No one is ready for disaster when it occurs, but we need to be as prepared as we possibly can be,” Smith reminded.

For information on the San Antonio event, call (888) 311-3900 or e-mail rgram@bgct.org.

Posted: 10/17/03

Database provides missions insights

SOUTH HAMILTON, Mass.–A new online database has been launched to provide support for Christian mission workers worldwide.

The World Christian Database (www.globalchristianity .org) is billed as a user-friendly searchable Internet database.

The database was developed by Todd Johnson, professor and director of the newly established Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and funded initially by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Steve Johnson, a CBF mission worker, illustrated a potential use of the database: One Northern Africa country with a population of more than 9.4 million people has a literacy rate of 67 percent but receives only 286 Bibles annually, even though there is religious freedom without state interference, according to the database. However, a second country with a population of more than 31 million, a 46 percent literacy rate and routine government obstruction of evangelism efforts receives more than 26,000 Bibles annually.

“While there may be many reasons for disparities such as this, the World Christian Database can quickly and easily highlight potential ministry opportunities,” Johnson said. “This site is a great starting point for churches, missions groups, Sunday School classes and other people who want to invest in mission activities.”

Todd Johnson, who is co-author of the “World Christian Encyclopedia” and “World Christian Trends,” has been collecting and publishing information contained in this database for more than 20 years.

“The launch of this site is as significant as the publishing of the first edition of the encyclopedia in 1982,” he said. “It is not intended to diminish the usefulness or value of those books. But where the text is presented from the viewpoint of the authors, this site allows users to set their own criteria and extract data that they deem most useful.”

Todd Johnson is well-known as a source for missions data. His work is published annually in the “Encyclopedia Britannica” yearbook and other publications, such as the “International Bulletin of Missionary Research.” Because of this, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity receives research requests nearly every day from students, churches and journalists, and nearly half of them are turned down.

“We really can't respond to all of them,” he explained. “Many of the requests are for data we don't have, or are too complex to answer in a timely manner. We hope the World Christian Database will allow many people to seek these answers for themselves.”

The site was developed in conjunction with Breuer & Co., a Boston-based data management firm. Advanced analysis tools were developed by the company and offered on the site in various forms.

On the public site, basic research and lists are available to all users. More advanced research is available by subscription. Special software has been developed for high-powered analysis and graphic capabilities for scholars and other research institutions, also on a subscription basis.

Posted: 10/17/03

North Carolina candidate proposes
dismantling all political groups

By Steve DeVane

N.C. Biblical Recorder

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP)–The moderate candidate for president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina has released a campaign platform that calls for dismantling political groups and decreasing the amount of money the state group sends to the Southern Baptist Convention.

David Hughes, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, released the information in a four-part statement called “A New Vision for a New Day.”

Hughes said Beaufort layman Raymond Earp, who is running for first vice president, and Greensboro pastor Ken Massey, who is seeking the second vice presidency, agree with the statement.

All three have been endorsed by Mainstream Baptists of North Carolina, the state's moderate group. In November, they will face candidates endorsed by Conservative Carolina Baptists–Greensboro pastor David Horton, who is running for president; Phyllis Foy, a laywoman from Mooresville, who is running for first vice president, the office currently held by her husband; and East Flat Rock pastor Brian Davis, who is running for second vice president.

Hughes calls for groups like Mainstream Baptists and Conservative Carolina Baptists to be dismantled.

“I will ask for balance in appointments, working to assure that both moderates and conservatives have a meaningful place in the North Carolina Baptist family,” he said in the statement.

In an interview, Hughes acknowledged he helped form the Mainstream group, “but I'm now saying that the best thing that can happen is for all groups to shut down.”

Hughes said in his written statement that the convention needs to regain financial stability: “Plainly stated, our current budget formula and our multiple giving plans have contributed to the current budget crisis.”

Hughes said he would work toward changing Plan A, one of the convention's giving options, to increase the amount allocated to the state convention from 68 percent to 70 percent and decrease the amount given to the SBC from 32 percent to 30 percent. The plan would provide an extra $500,000 for use in-state, he said.

He acknowledged conservatives might react negatively to the plan to cut funds to the SBC, but he added, “We need to do something and do something quickly.” Hughes said he realizes some moderates, likewise, will be “surprised and confused” by his stance on the giving plans.

“While we had the best of intentions in creating the giving plans, and I myself have defended the giving plans in the past, it now seems clear that the state convention has suffered from them,” he said.

The state convention staff must “reinvent” itself to “meet the unique needs of an increasingly diverse array of churches,” Hughes said. A “growing number of North Carolina Baptists feel they no longer have a meaningful place in the (state convention) and are wondering aloud about their future relationship to the convention.”

Posted: 10/17/03

DOWN HOME:
We know the real hunter-gatherers

Our marriage has endured another test, and I look confidently to the future. Yet again.

Marriages periodically go through tests like this. And while they can be brutal, if you survive them, you figure the two of you possess enough love to last another lifetime.

Joanna and I endured our first test early in our marriage. We lived in Atlanta, one of the prettiest cities you'll ever find, but hilly, hilly, hilly. We just knew gas was going to $2 per gallon, and we conned ourselves into buying a small, fuel-efficient car. With a stick shift.

So, I taught my wife to drive a car with manual transmission. We yelled and screamed, but she became a fine driver with her left foot on the clutch and her right hand on the stick. And I knew we were meant for each other.

MARV KNOX Editor

Some people say wallpapering a bathroom is a similar marriage-testing experience. I don't know about that. Jo enjoys wallpapering, and I hate it. Given these proclivities, we've never tested our love against vertical stripes in a non-square room with only one “chair.”

We probably have endured many travails that try the marriage knot. But I don't remember them. Marital memory, which has a tendency to filter the hard parts, is kind that way.

However, we recently put it all on the line for the sake of our den. We bought a lamp. Not just any lamp, of course, because this item occupies a central place in our home. We bought “the” lamp.

When I go shopping with my wife, I question anthropology, archaeology, psychology and all the other -ologies I have been taught.

These sciences of human behavior tell us that, from the beginning of time, females have been the nesters and males have been the hunter-gatherers.

Open-minded social scientists have a technical term for this theory: “Baloney.”

Almost any honest husband who has shopped with his wife can tell you the female is far superior at assessing fertile gaming fields, stalking quarry and moving in for the kill.

Take our lamp-hunting trip, for example.

Jo knew exactly the part of town where we should hunt. She scoped out all the possible places to shop. She patiently led me to five or seven stores. (Since we visited some of them several times, I lost count.) She weighed and articulated the merits of each lamp and even negotiated a new lampshade, all before making the “kill.”

I, on the other hand, would've bought the first lamp that took a three-way bulb. But like mastodon hunters millennia before me, all I really cared for was bagging a trophy. Same goes for clothes, furniture, food. Everything but cars. A guy wants to get it, whatever “it” is, and get on with his life.

Fortunately, God knew we needed help, so he gave us wives. And if we survive these tests, we can live happily ever-after.