Posted: 11/12/04

Seminar explores impact of BGCT reorganization on churches

By Marv Knox

Editor

SAN ANTONIO–The implementation phase of the Baptist General Convention of Texas' most significant reorganization in two generations will focus on helping churches, according to the consultant supporting the process.

Sherrill Spies, a specialist in organizational development, discussed “What Churches Can Expect from Restructuring” in a breakout session during the BGCT annual meeting in San Antonio Nov. 8.

“What's different?” she asked of how the BGCT will function once the reorganization is complete.

The convention will “shift from program-based to church-focused,” she answered.

“We need to be able to help your church. We're not going to tell you what God's vision is for your church, but we're going to help you get there, provide you with resources to get there,” said Spies, a member of First Baptist Church in The Woodlands.

The convention will continue to develop programs and new resources, but it also will take on a consultative role, helping customize answers for churches' problems, she said.

Spies outlined core strategies that will guide the convention to serve the churches. They include:

A service center.

This operation will enable Texas Baptists to place one call and access multiple resources, she said.

The center will be staffed by knowledgeable consultants who will be answer questions about convention goods and services, she noted, pledging they will be “more than an order-taker.”

The service center will enable churches to order materials over telephone or the Internet and pay by credit card.

It also will provide referrals to specialized consultations.

A redesigned website. "BGCT technology has been behind," she conceded. "We have not had sufficient (Internet) infrastructure. That is being redesigned."

The new website will be user-friendly, with an improved search engine, “so you can find what you're looking for.”

In addition to online ordering for materials and resources, the website will enable Texas Baptists to participate in electronic forums and weblogs, which will connect them electronically and enable them to encourage and strengthen each other, she said.

Congregational consultants.

They will be knowledgeable staff members who will live and work “in your area” all over the state, she said. They will specialize in partnering with churches, associations and institutions.

They will function from a consulting model, listening to churches and developing specific suggestions for meeting their needs–not merely “prepackaged” material, she said.

The consultants will help churches develop strategic plans for conducting missions and ministries, enable connection to resources and provide increased communication, both from and to churches and associations.

Ministry specialists.

These workers will have in-depth knowledge about specific ministries, missions ventures and other church functions, Spies said.

“The ministry specialists will be located not only in Dallas, but across the state,” she added. “They will be available by phone, on the web or in person.”

They will provide consulting, training and mentoring to churches and church leaders and will help them tap the resources available to them, not only those produced by the convention, but others as well.

Connecting churches.

The convention will help churches reach and communicate with each other, she said.

Among the byproducts of the connections will be sharing information about missions, explaining ideas for doing ministry, providing peer-to-peer training and engaging in fellowship that strengthens and encourages the churches.

Advisory groups.

Collections of Texas Baptists that have expertise in or passion for various issues will work together “in multiple sites across the state,” Spies said.

The advisory groups have been a point of particular interest for Texas Baptists who fear elimination of the State Missions and Christian Life commissions will diminish the convention's emphasis on those ventures.

But the advisory groups will support that work, and they will “shape and influence the ministries of the BGCT,” while they also provide opportunities for Texas Baptists to engage in “hands-on service,” she said.

Posted: 11/12/04

New BGCT president calls on Texas
Baptists to rally around missions

By Teresa Young

For Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–Texas Baptists should unify around missions, new Baptist General Convention of Texas President Albert Reyes said shortly after his election.

“My vision is to call the Texas Baptist family to what we do best,” Reyes, president of the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio, told reporters during a news conference soon after his election as the first non-Anglo BGCT president.

“Historically, we have been at our best when we have focused our energies on the harvest, on people around us who are seeking answers to their spiritual questions–no matter their ethnic or cultural background,” said Reyes, the grandson of migrant farm workers who were converted through the efforts of Baptist missionaries.

Reyes' focus will be to help the BGCT's 5,700 congregations and 23 institutions channel energies into reaching the state for Christ through “going, giving and grounding our missional efforts.”

To achieve that goal, Texas Baptists must go cross-culturally, give of their resources and ground their mission work in prayer and deepening relationships with Jesus Christ.

As the convention's first Hispanic president, Reyes said his election speaks to the Texas Baptist family's embrace of the state's growing diversity and need to reflect that diversity.

The vote makes several statements about the state convention, he added.

“Texas has the opportunity to be a flagship and show that we know what's happening, and I hope we will step up to the plate and be a testimony for other groups everywhere,” Reyes said.

“We've been on a pattern of inclusiveness, and to come to this level says that Texas Baptists recognize the changing demographics around us and want to be inclusive–not only for these groups to be a part of the BGCT but for the leadership to be reflective of that as well.”

In response to questions about BGCT reorganization and the first vote to reduce the size of the convention's Executive Board, Reyes said the process will allow the convention to address the shifting population and the concentrations of ethnic groups.

Reyes pledged to allow churches across Texas to share their concerns the reorganization.

He said he would share facts about the current structure and guide the convention to move forward to achieve the real impact of doing missions work.

“I hope in the year to come we've talked about the issue and can move right past it to more concrete things,” Reyes said of reorganization.

“If there's only one thing I can get done this year, it will be to put our focus off of what's sidetracked us and back to what we do best–that's missions.

“If we can get our churches to focus on things outside the church, we'll have a better convention. The worst use of our time is to focus on things that don't touch others' lives.”

“Historically, we have been at our best when we have focused our energies on the harvest, on people around us who are seeking answers to their spiritual questions–no matter their ethnic or cultural background.”

Posted: 11/12/04

God rewarded TBM with expanded opportunities, leader insists

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–God noticed Texas Baptist Men's effective ministry within its home state, and he is calling volunteers to serve around the world, Executive Director Leo Smith told the Texas Baptist Men convention.

In the past year, Texas Baptist Men has continued to concentrate its ministry within Texas, but its members also have served in five other states and 15 countries.

TBM volunteers helped provide relief and recovery after flooding hit areas south of Dallas, and they did construction projects throughout the state.

God saw how TBM workers served obediently to God's calling, and now he is asking them to serve nationally and internationally more often, Smith said.

Nationally, 4,905 boys went to Royal Ambassadors camps last year. Nearly 750 people made decisions for Christ, including 732 professions of faith.

TBM Retiree Builders constructed a church in Denver.

TBM has been in demand internationally as well. The group recently sent 20.6 tons of dehydrated food to Mexico. Retiree builders helped construct a building in Canada and remodeled three churches in England. Disaster relief volunteers served in Grenada.

“God is at work in our world today,” Smith said.

And ministry opportunities continue rolling in. After the annual meeting in San Antonio, TBM leaders were scheduled to travel to South Africa to explore partnership possibilities. TBM will send a water purification unit to Zacatecas, Mexico, in the near future.

God has amazing plans in store for Texas men, Smith said.

“We're only beginning to see what God's about in Texas Baptist Men,” he said.

TBM honored Wayne Simpkins of Bryan during the group's annual meeting for his leadership among the Retiree Builders.

Simpkins was awarded a clock in recognition of his contributions to the builders, who completed many projects under his guidance, including My Father's House-Lubbock, which helps women in need.

In its business session, Texas Baptist Men elected a new president and amended its constitution to comply with February's decision to move its business meeting to the spring.

Tommy Malone of Park Central Baptist Church in Dallas was elected Texas Baptist Men president. Roger Hall of Midlothian was named vice president of the finance committee. Gene Wofford of Santa Fe was elected vice president of the policy committee. Randy Newberry of Round Rock was named vice president of the personnel committee.

The men's ministry organization altered its governing document to move its annual business meeting from the fall to the first quarter of each year.

The change was needed for Texas Baptist Men to move to its new schedule of an annual meeting in the spring and later rallies at the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention annual meeting, said outgoing TBM President Kevin Walker.

That schedule was adopted during February's TBM board of directors meeting.

To adjust for the new schedule, the next TBM annual meeting will be held in 2006.

Rallies at each convention's annual meeting will occur in 2005.

Posted: 11/12/04

Churches should prepare before
disaster strikes, TBM leaders recommend

By Teresa Young

For Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–When a disaster hits, will your church be ready?

Texas Baptist Men's Disaster Relief and Victim Relief ministries representatives raised the question at a workshop during the Baptist General Convention of Texas' annual session, and they offered tips on how a church can become prepared.

“We tend to think of disasters as a major event over a large area, like hurricanes, tornadoes or floods and things that happen somewhere else,” said TBM Executive Director Leo Smith.

“But we really need to think closer to home.”

Smith mentioned four church disasters in recent years to which Texas Baptists responded–a gunman who wreaked havoc at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth and bus crashes at Metro Baptist in Garland, Memorial Baptist in Temple and First Baptist in Eldorado. Being prepared for such events is key to picking up the pieces and healing afterward, he said.

“There is a need to think through these things before they happen,” Smith said. “When it hits, it's pandemonium, so you need to have a plan in place.”

Gene Grounds of Dallas, executive director of Victim Relief Ministries, said asking questions and playing through worst-case scenarios in advance are paramount for churches to be prepared to deal with disasters.

“There are so many things that are out of your control, so you need to have plans,” he said. “Church tragedies have a personality all their own, and churches tend to want to take ownership of everything quickly.”

Smith and Dick Talley of Dallas, ministry logistics director for TBM, said churches are in unique positions to respond to disasters that may hit their community, such as providing temporary shelter and meals for those displaced from homes, serving as a distribution center for food and supplies, providing temporary child care while families seek the help of social service agencies and offering a gathering place for counseling and relief.

To serve such roles, Talley said churches must prepare ahead of time by taking stock of their resources on hand and arranging for resources outside the church body.

Grounds encouraged churches to form a disaster and victim relief ministry team, and train leaders and key personnel how to deal with disasters affecting either the church family or the community.

It is important to know where to find emergency exits, breaker switches and phone numbers for entities that may be needed in disasters, he stressed.

Having a “crisis closet” with necessary items also is helpful, he added.

Making the church aware of who is on the crisis team and what procedures will be in case of a disaster are vital, said Smith.

"Have a plan of action that is approved by the church," he said. "You hope you'll never need it, but you'll be grateful to God if something ever happens that you had a plan."

Posted: 11/12/04

'Once in a lifetime' venture becomes
life-changing mission for TBM volunteer

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–In 1994, Sam Dunkin thought he stumbled upon a “once in a lifetime opportunity” when he found a flier noting the need for people to roof a Kenyan church.

Looking back, he says that advertisement seems more accurately described as life-changing.

He has taken a trip every year since finding the flier, helping roof 51 churches, a Bible school, kitchen and dining room–and he said God has confirmed his ministry every step of the way.

He first asked God to enable two people to become Christians through his efforts. About 20 people converted to the faith following an invitation at the dedication service for the first church he roofed.

“God said, 'You asked for two.' He said, 'Here's 20,'” said Dunkin, who received the 2004 Texas Baptist Men Parabaloni Award that recognizes “risk takers.”

Dunkin, a member of McDade Baptist Church, has developed a relationship with Kenya to the point that his pastor says he is “like a missionary.” Kenyans call him “awongo,” which is similar to a blood brother.

“Kenya's a bunch of friends,” he said.

And the circle of friends is growing. Dunkin's teams routinely include young men who want to grow in their faith. One of them is in training to be a long-term missionary. Others are strong Christians, he said.

Dunkin also brings Kenya back to his McDade congregation. He and his pastor, former Ugandan missionary Scott Talbert, frequently talk about Africa. Dunkin's efforts have energized church members.

“It has the effect of them understanding missions because he brings it back to them,” Talbert said.

Dunkin's next project is a dormitory at a Kenyan seminary that will provide students a place to stay free. That trip is scheduled for June 2-23, 2005. Looking back brought tears to his eyes as he said he is amazed at how God has used his life.

“I'm just a volunteer doing God's work,” he said.

Posted: 11/12/04

Texas WMU celebrates families involved in missions globally

By Teresa Young

For Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–With “Celebrando la familia en misiones … Celebrating the family on mission” as its theme, the Woman's Missionary Union of Texas 124th annual meeting presented the stories of families working to spread the gospel around the world.

Cheryl Gochis of San Antonio opened the WMU meeting at First Baptist Church in San Antonio with a testimony, noting stamps in her passport that marked missions involvement and education for her family and her parents.

“You have a passport, too, and tonight's stamp will read 'Celebrando la familia en misiones,'” Gochis said. “My prayer is that you will consider what that stamp will mean to you after today and after this meeting.”

Earl W. Johnston admires the period costumes worn by (left to right) Jeane Law, Wilma Reed and Barbara Baker in honor of the upcoming 125th anniversary of Woman's Missionary Union of Texas.

Outgoing WMU President Kathy Hillman of Waco said, “As Christians, we claim many different families–our biological families, our church families, the Baptist family and the Christian family worldwide–and tonight we celebrate those families on mission.”

WMU Executive Director-Treasurer Carolyn Porterfield pointed to the Old Testament story of Abraham, noting how obedience to God resulted in blessings to future generations and how knowing God is part of his followers' spiritual DNA.

“Being on mission is not just what we do; it's who we are,” Porterfield said. “Who will be blessed because of your obedience in the mission?”

Porterfield detailed WMU's staff reorganization completed in the summer, aimed at helping churches strengthen leadership in missions education, organize missions involvement and spur missions growth.

In keeping with the theme, participants heard from two South Texas families who are on mission in various ways.

Mike and Karen Perkins serve as houseparents at South Texas Children's Home in Beeville and have become involved in mission work in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, through New Life Baptist Church. Seeing the need for food in the poverty-stricken area, the Perkinses challenged Royal Ambassadors and Girls in Action at their former church to collect packages of ramen noodles to be distributed to the colonias in Mexico.

The Matson family of Victoria became involved in the project when Charlsa, an 8-year-old GA, decided to request that guests to her January birthday party bring noodles rather than gifts. The group gathered more than 600 packages and later became part of a churchwide challenge that resulted in 3,000 packages donated for the Nuevo Laredo residents.

Testimonies from two missionaries to Asia, identified as Kandy and Kathy, demonstrated the importance of mission work as families in areas closed to evangelical witness. Members of First Baptist Church in Lubbock, both women shared the vital role their home church has played in their missions endeavors, serving as prayer support and welcoming them while on furlough.

Nelda Taylor Thiede of Gonzales described her experiences on a prayerwalking trip to New York City and told about the need for other Christians to join in similar opportunities.

In her final address, Hillman shared about a 10-day visit to Athens, Greece, for the Olympics, where she and fellow WMU members worked as volunteers in First Evangelical Greek Church, providing a hospitality center near the games. The trip involved many opportunities to share the gospel and witness, especially with face painting and clowning, provided by WMU board member Suzy Wall of Hereford.

“What a celebration it was as the worldwide family of faith joined together there,” Hillman said of a worship service in the church. “I find myself wondering: Do we carry God's message with the same fervor as those carrying the Olympic torch, or do we watch as bystanders?”

Participants at the WMU annual meeting also elected officers for 2005, naming Thiede, a member of First Baptist Church in Gonzales, as president. Thiede has served in numerous positions in her church and as associational WMU director and state vice president. She also has served on the boards at Highland Lakes Encampment, WorldconneX and the Texas Christian Women's Job Corps advisory council.

Other officers are Edna Wood of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, named recording secretary for another term; Shirley McDonald of Green's Creek Baptist Church of Dublin, first promotional vice president; Nina Pinkston of Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, second promotional vice president; and Frankie Harvey of Nacogdoches Bible Fellowship, third promotional vice president.

Posted: 11/12/04

Texas WMU board fills staff vacancy,
hears reports on missions programs

By Teresa Young

For Texas Baptist Communications

SAN ANTONIO–The Woman's Missionary Union of Texas board of directors approved three recommendations involving its program staff.

At the recommendation of the personnel committee, the board voted unanimously to hire Erin Maddox of Dallas, a 2002 Hardin-Simmons University graduate, to fill a vacant missions resources program staff position.

The board also approved a personnel committee recommendation that Texas WMU program staff receive merit raises of up to 3.74 percent for 2005.

The finance committee also brought a recommendation that funding be moved from salaries into program expenses to provide contract help for Hispanic WMU work.

The board approved a recommendation by Frankie Harvey, representative of the African-American Advisory Council, that the Sisters Who Care Retreat location be moved to Waco for 2005.

The board also heard reports of Texas WMU programs, including photos and information from Girls in Action/Acteens camps for the year that reported 580 professions of faith and 400 other faith decisions at 35 missions camps held across the state.

Christine Hockin-Boyd, missions involvement program staff, described a Touch Point event in East Texas where volunteers helped clean and repair a facility that will become a home for children displaced from their own homes, held a health fair and prayerwalked a university campus.

Other projects of note were a prayerwalking trip to New York City and a MissionsFest event in New England, she said.

Debra McCammon reported on a Sisters Who Care Retreat in September at First Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston. More than 300 women from 16 associations attended, with participants bringing hygiene items for distribution to the homeless in Houston through seven different organizations.

Jeane Law of Lubbock presented a report from the 125th anniversary committee, which is preparing resources for churches to help celebrate the Texas WMU anniversary in 2005. Other plans include a celebration during the 2005 annual meeting, Summit and Texas Leadership Conference and soliciting testimonials of missions involvement by church members. The theme for the anniversary is "Sharing the Light … Passing the Torch."

In her report, Executive Director-Treasurer Carolyn Porterfield talked about the ways Texas WMU is helping to make a difference and sharing the love of God around the world.

“God has not changed his mission. He has a plan, and we are part of it,” Porterfield said. “It's a matter of helping people see things from God's perspective.”

Posted: 11/12/04

Look for common ground to avoid
worship wars, ETBU dean suggests

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

SAN ANTONIO–A church discussion about worship that begins with the divisive subject of personal musical preferences is doomed to failure, the dean of East Texas Baptist University's School of Fine Arts maintained.

Rather than beginning a congregational conversation with controversial subjects such as musical styles and the use of drama, Thomas Webster advised, find “common ground” on matters of prayer and Scripture.

“Worship should be the single most unifying factor in congregational life,” Webster told participants at a workshop held during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.

Instead, it has become divisive because churches see it as “an activity designed to meet the needs of the worshipper instead of the One we worship,” he said.

“Worship is about God. Worshippers receive blessings and benefits, but those must not be our motivation for worship.”

Average church members understand little about what the various elements of worship are designed to accomplish or what the Bible teaches about worship, Webster insisted. Instead, their ideas about worship are based primarily on their own experiences and preferences.

“When we truly seek to honor God in our worship, then our personal preferences regarding worship become less important,” he said.

Churches can help by teaching their members what the Scriptures say about worship, he suggested.

“When people understand what we are doing and why we are doing it, that eliminates much discord,” he said.

Prayer offers a good place to establish common ground for a discussion on biblical, God-honoring worship, Webster maintained.

He recommended using a variety of resources beyond extemporaneous prayers, such as studying prayers recorded in the Bible, examining liturgical resources and listening to the prayers of heroes of the faith and the testimonies of prayer warriors in a local church.

Webster strongly advocated using periods of silence in worship, allowing worshippers an occasion to reflect and pray.

“Scripture should play a very significant role in every worship service,” he added. He encouraged the public reading, recitation and dramatic presentation of Scripture in public worship.

Worship planners should set as their goal involving every church member “regardless of age, gender or status” in some kind of worship leadership role, he advised.

“We should model in corporate worship what people should be using in their private worship” such as prayer, Bible-reading and times of contemplative silence, he said.

Posted: 11/12/04

Baptist Briefs

Baptist benefactor McAfee dies. James McAfee, benefactor of Baptist educational causes, died in Atlanta, one week after heart surgery. In 1997, Mercer University named its new seminary the James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology following the couple's $10 million gift. McAfee, 65, built a successful career in health-care management and most recently served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Hallmark Systems. McAfee served the past six years as chairman of the board of the autonomous, national newsjournal Baptists Today, headquartered in Macon, Ga. He was a member of Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta.

D.C. Baptists pass $1.2 million budget. Messengers to the District of Columbia Baptist Convention overwhelmingly adopted a $1,225,842 budget, even though the convention's executive board earlier had set a $1,050,000 cap on the 2005 budget. When executive board members became aware the budget would mean the elimination of three staff positions, they reversed themselves and asked the convention's finance committee to come up with a new budget. The convention used to receive about $475,000 a year in supplemental funding from the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board. But that agency's officials decided in 2002 to discontinue the funding after a dispute over whether the regional body was too open to liberalism through its congregations and affiliations. The last year the convention received Southern Baptist funding was 2003.

GuideStone trustees approve budget. Trustees of GuideStone Financial Resources–formerly the Southern Baptist Annuity Board–approved a $55.7 million budget for the coming year, a 4.8 percent increase over 2004. President O.S. Hawkins told trustees many participants in GuideStone's medical insurance plan will see no rate increase in 2005, and about 40 percent will have reduced rates. He also announced a 10 percent reduction in rates for personal plans' long-term disability coverage. Doug Day, executive officer for benefits services, told trustees GuideStone medical plans will transition to Blue Cross Blue Shield as its single network provider Jan. 1.

Posted: 11/12/04

70-year-old Baptist layman swims
the English Channel, breaks record

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. (ABP)–George Brunstad of Wilton, Conn., gives new meaning to the term “putting feet to your faith.” In fact, he also put his arms and his legs into it. In an effort to raise awareness for his church's ministry in Haiti, the 70-year-old Baptist layman swam the English Channel.

His swim set a new record, not for speed–he finished in 15 hours, 59 minutes–but because he is the oldest person ever to tackle the channel. He broke the record of Bertram Cliffort Batt of Australia, who was 67 years old when he made the journey in 1987.

“His inspiration for the swim came when he went with our church last November on a mission trip to Haiti,” said Bob Guffey, Brunstad's pastor at Wilton Baptist Church. “George swam to raise awareness of and money for the Center of Hope orphanage and school project that (the church) sponsors in Hinche, Haiti.”

Brunstad, who is a retired American Airlines pilot, has competed in several open-water swims, even winning medals. But he said the channel swim was the most grueling feat he has undertaken.

“My preparation swimming in Long Island Sound and especially off the coast of Maine helped me,” Brunstad told the News-Times of Danbury, Conn. “But I had to swim as hard as I could for as long as I could” to make it across the channel.

Brunstad swam a total of 32 miles–seven more than a direct route across the channel from England to France.

“Near the end, I had to swim four hours to make two hours' time because of the tide coming toward me,” he recalled. “It was pulling me to the north. I had to fight it.”

Brunstad credited the “hand of the Lord” for giving him good swim conditions.

Posted: 11/12/04

ANOTHER VIEW:
'Gift' must be exercised responsibly

The role played by religious faith and moral values in the 2004 election is the biggest story to emerge in the wake of George W. Bush's victory.

It is staggering but true that in a time of war and terrorist threats, more voters cast their ballots based on their perception of the faith and moral values of the two candidates than for any other reason. The huge majority of those voters went for President Bush. They won him the election.

These voters are all around me here in Tennessee, a state that went for Bush by a large margin. They are not necessarily committed Republicans. They are not generally all that interested in politics. They are just regular folks who go to church on Sunday (and often on Wednesday), work hard all week, raise their families and try to do the right thing.

When it came time to vote, these folks could not imagine punching the chad for a candidate who had never cast a vote for any measure to restrict abortion during his 20 years in the Senate.

They heard Sen. John Kerry say he was not for gay marriage but saw he was very friendly to the organized gay-rights community. They heard him talk in general terms about his faith but had trouble embracing a candidate who seemed able to bracket off his “personal” moral beliefs from his “public” moral responsibilities.

Many of these voters don't like the war in Iraq. They don't like partisanship. They had various other concerns. But for these “moral values” voters, such hesitations about Bush were outweighed by the sense that a vote for Kerry would be a vote for the weakening of American moral values, which they already perceive to be in decline.

To put it more viscerally: For these voters to vote for Kerry would be to vote for a cultural stranger.

This is not to say that Kerry ran a bad campaign. Not surprisingly, he is being savaged in the post-election analysis, but this is most unfair. The reason why the electoral map was overwhelmingly red across the South, Midwest and Great Plains is not because of Kerry.

This is a Democratic Party problem, not a Kerry problem. Until the Democrats run a candidate who does not offend the moral values of those who decided this election, they will not win the White House or Congress again.

Before the election, an increasingly intense debate raged within the media about what it really means to vote according to Christian values. This debate will only intensify in days to come.

In a variety of venues, self-identified religious progressives pleaded with Christian voters to consider a wider understanding of “moral values” when going to the polls. They argued that such matters as war, economic and budget priorities, racial justice and environmental policies also are moral issues, because they also are addressed in the Bible.

For some vocal progressives, alarm over a narrow understanding of the key moral issues in the election led to increasingly intense opposition to Bush.

For moderate progressives, such as myself, the moral blind spots of both candidates–in different areas–made the vote an agonizing call rather than an obvious choice. For most religion/morality voters, however, the vote wasn't agonizing at all: Bush was the choice.

Democrats have much soul-searching to do. As long as abortion-rights and gay-rights activists set the agenda of the party, they will keep losing. Republicans should do some soul-searching, too, because a 51 percent-48 percent vote is not a landslide.

But the group that needs to do the most soul-searching is the religious community–churches, seminaries and Christian colleges, pastors, teachers and writers. We need to get much better at teaching the whole moral vision of the Bible, so that the voters who stream out of our churches will hang on tightly to their traditional moral convictions but also develop a deeper passion for the poor, love for God's creation, desire for racial justice, commitment to peacemaking, concern for global human rights and so on.

It is not too much to say that in an age of Republican ascendancy, and in an era in which that ascendancy depends on committed Christian voters, the people who will be most influential in setting the agenda of this nation are those who shape the moral vision of Christian communities.

If they demand that policies change because of a broad and rich understanding of biblical moral values, senators and congressmen and presidents from places like Tennessee, North Dakota and Texas will have to listen. This is real power, it is a gift, and it must be used responsibly.

David Gushee is the Graves professor of moral philosophy at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. His column is distributed by Religion News Service.

Posted: 11/12/04

DOWN HOME:
Lifetime prayers yield a blessing

“Daddy, I have something to tell you,” Lindsay said over the phone, calling me at my office late on a deadline night.

“What's that, Doll?” I asked, anticipating the next words from my oldest daughter, who has blessed me with incomprehensible joy and delight for 21 years.

“Aaron asked me to marry him.”

This was not a shock. Aaron and I went to breakfast and had “the talk” five days before, during homecoming at Hardin-Simmons University, where Lindsay and Aaron are students and where her mother, Joanna, and I met and fell in love.

Still, my eyes misted and my throat tightened. I'm not sure a father ever fully prepares for a moment like this.

I told Lindsay this was wonderful news, that I was so proud of her, that I was thrilled for her. And I meant every word of it.

Meanwhile, as I spoke, beautiful images raced through my mind–how she looked the first time her mother and I were alone with her in the hospital room; the way 4-year-old Lindsay held onto my shirt when I took Sunday afternoon naps with her, so I couldn't get up before she awoke; how she used to run to hug me when I got home from work in the afternoon; the way she talked to me in the mornings in the car in sixth grade, when I drove her to school; the first and last times I saw her perform as a drill team member in high school; how her hair smelled when I hugged her goodbye as we left her at HSU her freshman year; and more.

A father feels conflicting emotions at such a moment.

First is deep and abiding joy and gratitude. I've been praying for Aaron nearly all his life. Years before I met him, I prayed for him. And I prayed for his mom and dad, that they would raise him to be a Christ-following, God-honoring, gentle and decent man. Now, I'm grateful and glad God answered that prayer.

Second, I must admit, is a more bittersweet feeling. Before Aaron came along, I always had been the most important man in Lindsay's life. And while their love and this relationship are wonderful gifts from God, I admit I feel a bit out-of-balance.

That's OK; I'll adjust.

Especially because of what Aaron said when I asked him why he wanted to marry my firstborn daughter: She's his best friend. She always makes him laugh. He knows that at the end of every day, she'll always be the one he most wants to see, and she'll always be there for him. He thought she was gorgeous the first time he laid eyes on her. Later, he learned she was smart, and he was intrigued. And then, when he discovered she is a deeply faithful Christian, he knew she was The One.

Perfect answer: That's exactly how I would have described her mother.

Aaron is blessed–and a blessing.