Posted: 10/29/04

EDITORIAL:
Our next president should restore civility to America

The past few weeks, have you sometimes felt battered and bruised when you clicked your TV set off? Did your ears feel assaulted as you left your business breakroom or lunchtime diner? Have you had a tension headache after Sunday school? Did your pulse pound when you read the letters to the editor in this newspaper?

You know what I'm talking about: Incivility anxiety. It's the ferocious unease millions of Americans have suffered because of this down-and-dirty political season.

If you've traveled in any of the so-called battleground states, you've seen this played out. TV ads have competed for voters, challenging them to choose George W. Bush or John Kerry. And from what we hear, most of those ads have taken the low road, mongering fear and suspicion for the sake of ballots. Although no one doubts where Texas' electoral college votes will go, we haven't been exempt from the mayhem. Thanks to re-gerrymandered congressional districts, we've heard incumbents verbally bludgeon one another for the opportunity to return to Washington and represent us in Congress.

The TV and radio attack ads would have been enough. But rank-and-file Americans seem to think they have to speak and act as venally as the candidates themselves. In our neck of the woods, we've seen a rash of vandalism against political yard signs. That's about the most polite political practice around here. You couldn't go far–to the grocery store, a restaurant, even church–without hearing the kind of partisan political opponent-bashing that would make Rush Limbaugh blush. If you've been listening, you've probably heard people ask, “How can you call yourself a Christian and vote for …” more in the past two months than in the previous two decades. And it's gotten personal. Stories abound about friends and family who have practically stopped talking to each other because they can't avoid arguments over politics and parties and candidates and issues.

That's a big reason why I'm worried about America. Of course, we've got plenty of other reasons for concern–the ever-present threat of terrorism, a war that's not going well, a sputtering economy, an educational system that's failing millions of children, ominous clouds hanging over the health care system, crippling poverty, and on and on. But the most insidious problem facing the United States–and our next president, whether it's Bush or Kerry–is the corrosive incivility eating away at our social and moral infrastructure. To quote the plaintive plea of Rodney King, “Why can't we all get along?” And if we can't re-learn to get along, how can we expect to tame the monstrous problems howling at our national door?

So, although homeland security and the Iraq war will clamor for the attention of the president elected Nov. 2, he better give attention to restoring civility to America. It's a moral, spiritual, political and social problem that deserves his best efforts. Here are some places to start:

Form a bipartisan cabinet. Surely, some Republicans and Democrats are secure, sensible and self-sacrificing enough to step up, if asked by the president, and sit on a cabinet headed by the other party. A collegial, bipartisan cabinet could set the tone for civil discourse, compromise and shared vision that could lead ordinary Americans back together.

(Lest you think this never would work, remember how a bipartisan Governor Bush worked with Democrats as his Republican administration guided Texas. This is the kind of affirmative leadership many voters thought they would get when they cast their ballots in 2000.)

Work on common goals. Find a couple of issues around which all Americans can rally and create models for mutual concern and partnership that can achieve lasting results.

For example, almost everyone knows health care needs help. The next president could convene a panel that (a) acknowledges the legitmate interests of doctors, insurance companies and health care providers but also (b) places the health interests of individual Americans above all else. If such a problem-solving team could succeed, it could demonstrate that other challenges can be overcome–if we cooperate civilly. And if health care is too tough, convene a similar problem-solving team to improve our transportation system. Anbody who has to go from Point A to Point B in America knows we can, and should, do better.

Fix a tough problem. We're failing on abortion because we've framed the issue incorrectly. Right now, it's presented as legal question of women's rights. It ought to be a common question of reducing, and ideally eliminating, abortions.

I don't know a pro-choice advocate who wants to see the abortion total increase. We need to reduce all the causes of abortion, not just the eliminate the legality of abortion. An abortion-reduction policy ought to focus on education, jobs, child care, adoption, marriage and the web of issues that influence the abortion rate. Pro-life advocates have been vexed when they come to the end of seemingly supportive presidents' terms and abortion rates have increased and they've made no progress. It's time to be pragmatic about abortion; rather than grasping for a judicial goal that may prove as elusive as the Holy Grail, work with all people of goodwill–whatever their stand on the legality of abortion–to bring the abortion rate closer and closer and closer to zero.

Say the hard, but correct, things. Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear politicians from opposing parties say, “You know, I think we agree on that” or “You're doing a good job”? What would happen if a president said: “I was wrong, and I've learned my lesson. Help me do better this time”?

Call me a Pollyanna or a Christian with misplaced faith, but I think these ideas could work. No matter if George Bush or John Kerry lives in the White House. And along the way, a more civil America would be a far, far better place to live.

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

Posted: 10/29/04

Wesley Shotwell of Azle, vice chairman of the BGCT Executive Board, responds to criticisms of proposed changes in governance.	Charles Davenport of Tulia urges the Executive Board to send the governance proposal back to committee for one year.

Executive Board recommends changes in
governance; rejects efforts to postpone

By Marv Knox

Editor

The most significant reorganization of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in five decades has cleared another hurdle.

Meeting in a called session Oct. 26, the BGCT Executive Board approved amendments to the convention's constitution that define how the BGCT governs itself.

Messengers to the BGCT annual session will consider the reorganization when they meet in San Antonio Nov. 8-9. To take effect, the changes must be approved at both the 2004 and 2005 annual sessions.

The Executive Board voted 81-28 to amend the constitution after a motion to delay the process for a year failed 38-59.

The Executive Board previously approved a set of mission, vision, values and priority statements at its regularly scheduled fall meeting Sept. 28. But board members asked for more time to think about reorganizing the convention's structure.

The reorganization would decrease the size of the Executive Board from 234 members to less than 100.

Currently, each of the BGCT's 114 affiliated associations has at least one member on the Executive Board. The new system would divide the state into 30 geographical sectors of 52,000 resident church members. Each sector would get three board members.

The reorganization also would eliminate the convention's two coordinating boards, which act as liaisons to the BGCT's schools and human-welfare ministries; its two commissions, which give direction to Executive Board staff programs; and the Administrative Committee, which serves as the convention's finance, personnel and review committee.

Glen Schmucker, pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas, Anthony Sisemore, pastor of First Baptist Church in Floydada, and David Nabors, BGCT chief financial officer, count executive board votes on a governance proposal. The plan passed.

Those functions would be assigned to committees of the new Executive Board, which would meet for two days three times a year.

Opponents and others who expressed reservations about the governance changes cited several problems with the proposals.

Executive Board Vice Chairman Wesley Shotwell, a member of the team that drafted the revisions, responded to the three major issues:

Reduction of the Executive Board's size.

“The Executive Board is legally responsible and potentially liable for litigation,” said Shotwell, pastor of Ash Creek Baptist Church in Azle. “Those who are legally liable for the decisions and policies of the organization must be well-informed and influential in the development of those policies.”

But a 234-member board cannot perform those tasks and “cannot govern effectively,” he added.

“We now have as many as a dozen committees and commissions … with no real connection to the Executive Board, who have the power to make decisions but have no legal responsibility. The Executive Board has the legal responsibility but no real opportunity to make informed decisions.”

Noting some Texas Baptists have expressed concern over decreased “participation” through a smaller board, Shotwell countered: “We must redefine what it means to be on the Executive Board–that its purpose is not for participation, but that its purpose is for governing. … Participation should not be measured by how many people are involved in governance. Participation should be measured by how many people are involved in ministry and missions.”

Responding to a concern that a smaller Executive Board will make the convention “less inclusive,” Shotwell pledged, “We will be intentionally more inclusive of some groups who have not been fairly included in the past.

“Even though there will be a smaller number of people, (the board) will be inclusive of a broader range of Texas Baptists.”

A change in representation, from a system that highlights associations to one built upon resident church membership.

“Executive Board members are not delegates from associations or churches, nor do they represent the interests of their geographical region,” Shotwell said.

He warned against “connectionalism” and “violating traditional Baptist polity” if the convention were to codify representation by associations.

The strategic planning committee focused on providing a mechanism for reflecting a cross-section of Texas Baptists on the Executive Board, he noted, predicting a new board with representation based on resident membership according to counties would break down the “systemic barriers that still prevent us from reaching our goals of inclusion.”

Acknowledging Baptists in West Texas and other rural areas worry about losing their voice on the board, Shotwell said the percentage representation on the new Executive Board would be very close to current representation.

For example, members from the Panhandle, South Plains and West Texas would comprise 10 percent of the new board, while members from those areas reflect 11.5 percent of the current board.

Consolidation of power within the Executive Board when the coordinating boards and commissions are eliminated.

“If the Executive Board is legally responsible, it needs to have the ability to make informed decisions,” Shotwell maintained.

The new structure would enable the Executive Board to work more closely with the BGCT's institutions and “give those who have the responsibility the ability to discern the right course of action.”

Pointing to concerns that the BGCT Christian Life Commission's effectiveness could be reduced, Shotwell said: “No one wants to endanger the Christian Life function of being a prophetic voice to Texas Baptists. … It is our conviction that there is no provision in the current proposal that will endanger this role.”

The proposal also streng-thens the CLC's ability to speak “for” Texas Baptists, he added.

After Shot-well's presentation, Executive Board members discussed the proposed reorganization, and some clearly indicated they did not agree.

“Things need to be changed, but this is not it,” said Van Christian, pastor of First Baptist Church in Comanche.

While the Executive Board needs more involvement and a balance between responsibility and accountability, “I do not accept that these proposals do that,” Christian said.

Also, reduction in the size of the board will diminish its representative nature, he contended. He illustrated by noting his association now has a board member, but if the reorganization passes, three members will represent 14 associations.

Charles Davenport, pastor of First Baptist Church in Tulia, added, “My concern is what the perception is going to be across the state.”

For example, some people have responded negatively because they don't understand the reorganization, and some feel the process has been “rushed,” he said, noting he was “concerned for diminished participation.”

Board members need to “distinguish between 'participation and governance' and 'participation in governance,'” pleaded David Keith, pastor of Carlton Baptist Church in Carlton. “What we're doing is decreasing 'participation in governance.'”

Keith offered a “friendly amendment” to require that at least 40 percent of the Executive Board be comprised of men, women, Anglos, non-Anglos, members of smaller churches with membership under 100 and members of larger churches.

Rudy Camacho, lay member of Iglesia Bautista Genesis in Fort Worth, affirmed that idea. “I'm thinking of people who think they're forgotten out in West Texas,” he said. “This will enhance the opportunity of those to serve who do not presently serve.”

Board members debated the merits of including the percentage requirement in the constitution. Some said the requirement is necessary to guarantee fair participation by all groups, while others said such measures should be featured in bylaws, not the constitution.

Eventually, the board approved a related amendment, which removed the percentage requirement but added “large and small churches” to a statement that says, “The membership of the Executive Board shall be generally representative of the Baptist membership in the convention and shall include men and women, Anglo and non-Anglo persons, and those who have abilities and experience needed by the board.”

Davenport asked the board to delay the issue for a year. His suggestion would have referred the recommendations back to the strategic planning committee that offered them and authorized the Executive Board chair to supplement the committee with other members. Then that group would re-examine the issue, report to the churches and provide a follow-up proposal in time for the BGCT to act on it in 2005.

“People back home don't understand it,” Davenport said of the current proposal.

“Not only do we need to be clear; we need to bring people along with us.”

“My greatest fear is this is not ready to go to the convention,” echoed Ron Bowles, minister of worship and communications at First Baptist Church in El Paso.

But Bill Skaar, pastor of First Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, predicted no end to the postponement, once it is started. "The changes are needed," he said, comparing current expectations of the board to a "giant church council that is asked to put a stamp on what others have done."

Time for change is running out, added Glen Schmucker, pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas. “Those who are 40 years and younger won't care any more about this a year from now than they do now,” he said, stressing that young adults see the convention as irrelevant and need to see the convention responsibly handling change.

Hugh Tyree, a lay member of Park Central Baptist Church in Dallas, suggested, “We ought to pass this today but ask our leadership to … come up with another plan to allow more people to participate.”

Randall Scott, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Paris, pleaded for postponement. “West Texas people cannot afford to be disenfranchised. Neither can East Texas or anyone. I believe we're on the right track, but we need to do some refining before we offend people, drive people away.”

The proposal is a responsible action in light of the Executive Board's legal liability, stressed Steve Wells, pastor of South Main Baptist Church in Houston.

Besides, the convention needs to change to demonstrate its value to younger adults, he said. Noting only five members indicated they are younger than 40, he said: “This structure is seen as irrelevant to people under 40. They will not become more active merely by getting older.”

The vote to delay for a year failed, and then the overall proposal passed.

BGCT President Ken Hall explained the proposals sprang from “the outcry of younger pastors for changes in the way Texas Baptists do their work.”

The proposals arrived through established channels, took nearly a year to develop and involved Texas Baptists representing all ages and ethnicities, men and women, clergy and laity, and small and large and rural and urban churches, Hall said.

“The purpose was to use the processes and not rush to conclusions,” he added.

“This is only one step of many,” he said, noting amending the constitution requires two years and changes cannot be implemented until after the BGCT meets in 2005.

“We'll come back with bylaws and core strategies,” Hall reported. “The intention is to use as much of the breadth and width of our convention as possible to bring changes.”

He stressed the intention of the changes is to be inclusive, not exclusive. “Nothing was done in a back room; everything was done in the open,” he said. “Every meeting we held was covered in detail by the Baptist Standard. …

“We're a family, and we're about kingdom business. God wants us to go beyond anything we could dream for ourselves. The important thing is that we do God's business with his mind and his heart.”

Posted: 10/29/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Nov. 7

Make following Christ the focus of your ministry

Luke 9:51-10:42

By Pakon Chan

Chinese Baptist Church, Arlington

Previously in the conversations of the disciples (Luke 9:57), an argument broke out among them, “as to which of them would be the greatest” (v. 46). They wanted to strive for the prominent position in this band of followers.

This concern may not have come from a bad motivation. They might just have wanted to settle some arguments as to who would be the leader if Jesus were not among them. After all, they needed a leader to take care of things when Jesus was absent. Jesus did not rebuke their behavior but took this opportunity to teach them the true meaning of leadership in God's kingdom (Mark 9:33-37).

It was natural for anyone who wanted to follow Jesus to find out where he would go, since they were concerned about the leadership position in the group. From Jesus' answer, we may infer the motivation behind that statement (Luke 9:57). They wanted to find out if Jesus could give them a promising future as a follower.

A Chinese saying states, “A good and intelligent bird will look for a right tree to make its nest.” People select their master or teacher with a similar criteria. No one wants to follow an unworthy master his entire life. In ancient Chinese culture, once a person picked a master, they would follow that master for the rest of their life.

Likewise, a good master also will set criteria to select his disciples. In the Greek and Asian cultures, some scholars or philosophers would set barriers to repulse prospective disciples with enormous demands. The purpose of this was to test them and acquire the most worthy ones.

Motivations for following Jesus

Jesus responded to his disciples with criteria his followers should meet. Jesus told them that they should not follow him with any selfish and materialistic reasons. If any one wanted to follow him for material goods, Jesus had nothing to offer–he himself didn't even have a place to stay permanently.

Jesus also told his followers to place him as the highest priority. A son was responsible for burying his father in the Jewish tradition. Most likely, the father of the son in this passage had died and been buried, and now he was waiting a year to rebury the deceased's bones.

We may have a lot of different responsibilities, but when compared with our Lord, he should always be the top priority. This is the true meaning of claiming Jesus as our Lord.

The third criterion for following Christ is concentration with determination. Many things distract us from our mission. When we say we are following Jesus, we are following his footsteps in serving in the kingdom of God. Following Jesus is synonymous with serving him and God's kingdom.

Jesus requires his servants to possess keen focus and great determination. We need to keep our eyes on the path of the plow to keep its furrow from becoming crooked. Once we set out on our journey, we should not look back until we reach the goal Jesus has set for us (Philippians 3:13-14).

Concentrating on the mission

After having said these things, Jesus “appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1). It was the time to put what they had learned into practice.

A servant of Jesus should not have clutter from material things, for he has enough things to worry about in his ministry and should not add anything not directly related to it (v. 4). After all, he should know the Lord will provide what he needs, and he will rely only on God for his survival.

A servant of Jesus will concentrate on the task, and will not be idle and chitchat with a passer-by (v. 4). Elisha told Gehazi: “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer,” (2 Kings 4:29). Gehazi had a very important mission to save a dead child. He had no time to lose, so he could not greet or talk to anyone on his way to that woman's house. Likewise, Jesus instructed his servants not to spend time with less important things, for he had commissioned the most important task to them.

A servant of Jesus will be content with whatever is given by others as support and love gifts. We do not work for reward or money, so we should not complain about anything given or even nothing given by others in return for our service. When we receive, we receive with no apology–God intends us to receive material support from whom we serve (v. 7).

Handling rejection and pride

When we are rejected as we share the gospel, we are not rejected personally. Actually, people are rejecting God (v. 16). We should not take any rejection personally. Even though we are rejected, we still need to share the gospel, for we were sent solely for this purpose, and we need to fulfill this responsibility (v. 11).

If we are successful in our ministry, we should not be proud. We should not misunderstand our ability or power to make ministry successful. The only thing we should rejoice in is our names are written in heaven (v. 20). A servant should always be humble, and let God have the glory.

Discussion questions

What motivates you to serve in church?

Do you understand that when you follow Jesus you are appointed for service?

Posted: 10/29/04

LifeWay Family Bible Series for Nov. 7

Guard against becoming resistant to wonder

Psalm 104:1-5, 13-15, 24, 27-30

By Angela Hamm

First Baptist Church, Lewisville

This month's theme is: “What Creation Says About the Creator.” Four lessons will look at this theme from the book of Psalms. The book of Psalms is perhaps the best known, best loved and most often read book in the Bible. Reading the Psalms is like reading someone's journal. The Psalms encompass a vast amount of material and is the longest book, in number of pages, in most English Bibles. The Psalms are quoted or alluded to more often in the New Testament than any other Old Testament book. The Psalms are written in beautiful poetry. Many of these verses are unforgettable.

Psalm 104

Psalm 104 has a distinct theme. It describes one of the first gifts God gave us–creation. Psalm 104 is a sustained praise to God, celebrating and revering his worth. It is a look at the awesomeness of God. Walter Brueggemann describes this psalm as an extended celebration of the goodness and awesome character of the Creator.

In verses 1-4, the writer begins with a description of the manifestation of God's power. God stretched out the sky like a tent. He rides on the wind and the clouds. God established skies to cover the earth as a tent covers tent dwellers. He laid the foundation of beams above the water in the sky. God formed all the heavenly elements including the wind, the clouds and fire. By his power, God dwells within his creation.

Psalm 104:13-15 emphasizes God's care of all forms of life. God gives water to all the beasts and the birds. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers in the skies. God provides grass, plants and trees for the cattle, man and the birds. In his wisdom, God made the earth suitable for all forms of life.

The writer breaks into the psalm with praise: “How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (v. 24). The writer senses the wonder and the reverence because it reflects the wisdom of its Creator. It is as if after rehearsing all of God's creative attributes, the writer is drawn to worship the God of all creation.

Psalm 104:27-30 now emphasizes how all creatures depend daily on God. God gives food at the proper time. He may open his hand or turn his face away. God gives life and takes life. Why? Because God is God and there is no one who compares to him.

God is awesome

Matt Redman writes: “Awe is reserved for God alone. It is the look of wonder and amazement that flows from one who has glimpsed God in his splendor. Face-down worshippers found throughout Scripture all have one thing in common: an awesome view of God.”

God is the master of the universe; he created it. He sustains it. He runs it. Creation by itself gives us all the motivation needed for worship. Worship is the furnace of the spiritual life. Our spiritual lives must be marked by the mystery and awe of God. We can never rush wonder.

A.W. Tozer writes, “No one who knows God intimately can ever be flippant in his presence.” When was the last time you looked at God and said: “God you are incredible. You are majestic and glorious and awesome!” Are you allowing yourself to be awed by God?

Most people will say they encounter God the most in nature. Nature seems to be the clearest and most accessible window for experiencing God. There is something about nature which draws us close to God.

Let's be attentive to creation. Why not spend some time focusing on the awesomeness of God in creation: take a walk, work in the garden, listen to the birds, look at the moon, watch a sunset. Stand or sit in silent awe, praising God with your heart and rejoicing in his creation. We praise and honor God when we respect, honor and enjoy creation.

A word of warning: If we are not careful, we may become indifferent to the wonder of creation. As things become more familiar to us, they seem to lose their greatness and wonder. For example, last year I was in a hotel dining room overlooking Lake Louise and the Canadian Rockies. I was in awe of the beauty. I commented to my server that his work provided him with an awesome view of God's creation. I said, “I bet you cannot wait to come to work every day so you can enjoy this wonderful view.” He replied: “Oh, I have gotten used to it. It is not that big of a deal.”

As I continue to think about my server's comment, I realize many believers reflect the same attitude. As things become familiar to us, they seem to lose their greatness and wonder; we become indifferent to the wonder of creation and the awareness of God. When life becomes routine we become resistant to wonder. May we never become resistant to wonder.

Discussion questions

Describe an awestruck moment in your life.

Are you resistant to wonder?

Posted: 10/29/04

Dallas church joins Buckner, Baylor in
providing for Guatemalan girls' home

By Felicia Fuller

Buckner News Service

ANTIGUA, Guatemala–At the Manchin Girls' Home in Antigua, structure is part of the strategy to give girls a fighting chance to succeed against tremendous odds.

Many have been abandoned. Most have been abused. All are vulnerable by nature of their gender in a society where girls seldom are encouraged to pursue an education or career.

Virtually every waking moment of a resident's day at the orphanage is spent studying, taking vocational classes, doing chores or engaging in other activities designed to inspire creativity and learning. A social worker, psychologist and pediatrician are on site.

Baylor Healthcare System is partnering with Buckner Orphan Care International to establish a community-based health program for Guatemala, which will be run from the home.

“I want to be something in my life,” says 15-year-old Selena. “That's why I really put my heart into all my workshops here. Coming out of here at least I can have initiative.”

“Whenever I was with my mom, I told her I wanted to study. She would say: 'Why do you want to study? Studying is not worth it,'” Selena recalls. “I told her I wanted to get ahead.”

Like many of her peers at the home, Selena is a survivor of family violence. After her father abandoned the family when she was an infant, she became the object of her mother's rage. “She treated me so bad, like I wasn't her daughter,” she says tearfully. “She would bite me, grab my hair and choke me around my neck.”

Selena eventually went before a judge, denounced her mother and then asked to be sent to an orphanage. “I wanted to keep studying. I don't want to keep suffering that way; I just want to get ahead.”

Since she's been at Manchin, Selena says she's growing into her potential and endeavors to become an administrator of a large corporation. Her motivation to succeed comes largely from the affirmation she's received from staff and volunteers, she notes.

Buckner ministry partner Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas has adopted the orphanage and provided funding to support health care initiatives and to hire a computer and job skills instructor. Mission teams also distribute shoes, lead Vacation Bible School and minister to the girls.

“They help us feel loved and remind us there's a God who loves us, and that even though our parents have treated us badly, he loves us anyway,” Selena says.

Martina, 14, also has a renewed sense of self since arriving at Manchin just over a year ago. “I'm doing good now. I'm studying. My mom wants me to come back, but I can't do that. I want a new family.”

A Mexico native, Martina has two brothers. Her father died when she was 10.

“When I was a little girl, my mom used to work in a bar going to bed with men,” she recalls. “We came here to Guatemala, and she started working in a bar again. She used to hit me very much. She wanted to sell me to men. I ran away to live with my grandmother.”

Sarah, 15, tells a tragically similar story. Her abusive mother tried to force her into prostitution as well. Sarah resisted and ran away to live with a woman who owned a neighborhood bar, where police would later pick her up for truancy. She hasn't seen her mother or four siblings in five years.

She says of life at the orphanage: “It's nice. I like to be here.”

In addition to offering care and guidance for troubled teenaged girls, Buckner support also helped build a babies' wing adjacent to the girls' dorms at Manchin. The new structure can accommodate 45 infants and toddlers to 4 years old.

More than 40 children currently are in care, including 26 babies less than 10 months old. Several may be available for adoption.

“We're just beginning to tap into it (Guatemalan adoptions), but we think the numbers will grow very quickly,” says Shyrel Osborne of Buckner Orphan Care International. “Kids can get backlogged in the system and live institutionalized for most of their childhood. We're doing what we can to prevent that from happening.”

The staff in the babies' wing comprises eight government workers and 15 Buckner employees who serve as nannies–their salaries paid with dollars donated by a Buckner supporter.

“We required more from their character than any type of training,” Osborne explains, adding that most were referred by pastors of various churches in Antigua.

Ingrid Garcia, Buckner nanny coordinator, says she has identified someone to train the nannies in proper childcare. Meanwhile, Buckner is taking child-care standards widely followed in the United States and translating them in Spanish so the orphanage staff can have written guidelines to follow.

Posted: 10/29/04

Emergent church signals change in
preaching, not just music, speakers say

By Craig Bird

Baylor University

WACO–Maybe the pulpit is a safe-house in the worship wars–at least for now.

In the past half-century, evangelical worship has seen a lot of changes. Music styles have morphed, orders of service have flip-flopped, chalk talks gave way to PowerPoint presentations and pew Bibles and fill-in-the-blank sermon outline forms have appeared. In some cases, the lectern has disappeared, and the speaker has “dressed down.”

But overwhelmingly, the preacher still delivers a 20- to 30-minute uninterrupted soliloquy, most often with three points. It's a lecture format, intended to inform and inspire.

However, in the postmodern-influenced emergent church–which the New York Times has called the possible “next big wave of evangelical worship”–even sermons could be changing.

“I don't think we will have master orators much longer,” predicted Chris Seay, pastor of Ecclesia in Houston and a frequent commentator on postmodern culture. “Art, dance and music are new forces that will play increasingly larger roles” if the church is to be relevant to the Millennials, today's teens and young adults.

The postmodern person “celebrates experiences” and wants to “engage all the senses,” he explained. “They have shorter attention spans, and they process information differently from earlier generations. They learn through narrative–stories–and the visual is very important.”

Pastor/author Brian McLaren agreed. “We're facing a transition from the familar/normal to something less formal. Songwriters and music publishers play important roles in the theological formation of a congregation–even more than the pastor. I'm pretty sure people don't catch themselves humming the sermon during the week.”

Two other strong emphases in postmodern Christian worship–the desire for community and the desire for contemplation–also are apt to influence the preaching, several session leaders at Baylor University's “Music and Worship in an Emerging Culture” symposium agreed.

“For a long time, church has been a place to go–but you could go and sit in the same seat for years and never know the person who sat in front of you,” said Sally Morgenthaler, author and founder of Sacra-mentis.com. “But this generation wants to be connected, to each other and to God. The preaching experiences will need to contribute to that by being about worship instead of evangelism. The gathered church worships. The scattered church is involved with its community and showing what it means to be a Christ follower.”

Contemplation and meditation may invade the sermon. “I'm convinced that sermons need intentional silences in them,” said Hulitt Gloer, professor of preaching and Christian Scripture at Baylor's Truett Seminary. “I need to invite people not just to listen to what I say but to what God is saying. It's a radical idea to listen more than we speak so they (the congregation) will know they are to be actively engaged.”

If the emergent church model is accepted, preaching will shift from the linear style to the storyteller–like Jesus, who spoke in parables.

“I pretty much preach one-point sermons,” said Louie Giglio, director of Choice Resources. “My goal is to give them one image to take away with them that will help them live their life the rest of the week. And it's all about story, inviting them into God's story, telling about others who joined God's story. They aren't hungry for information–they hunger to know that there is a God who loves them.”

The perception of pastors also will change as the role shifts from spiritual example to a fellow traveler. “I think of it as all of us going into a cave together and sharing what we've discovered with our pickaxes,” said Julie Pennington-Russell, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. “It's not like where you tie a Scripture to a chair and beat it with a rubber hose for 20 minutes to see what you can get out of it.”

The foundation of community also allows the pastor to speak the uncomfortable prophetic word.

“We have to be double agents, amphibians who are loyal to our community but also willing, when necessary, to turn on our community when it needs to be challenged. Promoting community and harmony can't keep us from saying the hard things that need to be said,” McLaren said.

But those hard things will have a fair hearing “if we've held their hands in the hospital and been with them through hard times as well as good times,” Pennington-Russell added.

Absolute honesty also makes people more willing to hear the hard things,” Seay argued. “We do a disservice to the gospel when we make the people in the Bible out to be better than they were and we pretend to be better than we are,” he explained.

“If we're honest about Abraham pimping his wife–and teaching his son to do the same thing–then the person sitting in the pew can realize, 'Hey, I'm not as bad as Abraham, so maybe God really can love me.' If he knows his pastor uses non-theological language when he stubs his toe–but still keeps trying to follow God, then he will understand he can too–even when it's hard.”

Posted: 10/29/04

Hispanic Baptist Laity Convocation About 500 Hispanic Baptist Men from throughout Texas gathered at Highland Lakes Baptist Encampment near Austin for the Hispanic Baptist Convocation of the Laity. Roland Lopez (above, right), pastor of Northwest Hispanic Baptist Church in San Antonio, speaks about "Leadership for the Future" during the convocation. In addition to hearing several keynote speakers, participants were trained through a series of breakout sessions on topics including church planting, Royal Ambassadors ministries, disaster relief, leadership and music ministry. Coordinator Eli Rodriguez of Dallas said the convocation has met its goals for the year–to train more than 1,000 Baptist men and to help more than 100 churches structure their Brotherhood organizations. (Eric Guel Photos)

Posted: 10/29/04

Korean Texas Baptists spearhead
partnership to send food to North Korea

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Texas Baptist Men recently donated $10,000 for food in North Korea to help vast numbers of people who are starving to death.

The group's donation was combined with $10,000 from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and $10,000 donated by Dallas Baptist Association and Dallas-area Korean churches. The funds bought food in China, which was shipped to North Korea.

Yoo Jong Yoon, pastor of Glory Korean Baptist Church in Dallas who spearheaded the effort, said God brought these groups together to relieve a desperate situation within North Korea.

People are struggling to get food, he said. Hospitals lack medicine. Some areas of the country do not have electricity, leaving many residents jobless as factories sit powerless. Many residents make $5 a month.

“To me, it's horrible,” said Yoon, Asian network coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. “The people there are starving to death.”

The distribution effort only helps temporarily, he acknowledged. But he is convinced God wanted him to help meet the immediate needs.

Other groups must do as they are asked to permanently fix the situation, he added.

“North Korea is 27 million people, and $30,000 of food is like a biscuit for an elephant,” he said.

Yoon has worked to help North Korea for eight years. He said he feels a kinship and calling to help his people.

“North Korea–that's my brothers and sisters,” he said.

"That's how I feel even though our politics are different and our ideologies are different. North and South Korea is one country.

“They are suffering. I feel obligated.”

Posted: 10/29/04

Hostility toward religion

Perhaps the reason so many Americans believe that church-state separation has become “too severe” (Oct. 4) is that it has become an excuse for government-sponsored hostility toward religious expression, in spite of constitutional protections.

Thomas Jefferson's famous “wall” represented his own opinion in 1802. The Supreme Court did not use Jefferson's phrase in reference to the First Amendment until 1879, and it was not elevated to constitutional authority until 1947. Since then, it has been used as the basis for government-sponsored hostility toward religion, religious expression and religious practice.

I'm not advocating a return to the excesses of the 17th and 18th centuries, against which the framers of the Constitution wrote the First Amendment. I just want an end to the overt hostility that our governments at all levels frequently demonstrate toward what has become the unwanted stepchild of civil rights–freedom of religion.

Glenn Goodrum

League City

Founding Fathers' faith

I'm surprised when Jerry Falwell and others proclaim our nation's founders intended to build a nation “under God.” Historians indicate many Founding Fathers were Deists who generally rejected the divinity of Jesus. Consider these quotes:

Thomas Paine–“I do not believe the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church or by any church that I know of.”

Benjamin Franklin–“As for Jesus of Nazareth, I believe that his morals and religion are the best the world will ever see, but I have some doubts about his divinity.”

Thomas Jefferson–“The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the mind of Jupiter.”

John Adams–“In the formation of the American governments … it will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods or were in any way under the influence of heaven. … These governments were conceived merely by use of the reason and senses. … The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”

The weight of the evidence supports the conclusion that this nation was designed by secularists motivated by reason rather than by faith.

Charles Lee Evans

Fort Worth

Church-state separation

I believe church and state should continue to be separate entities. That was how our forefathers established our nation, and I think it's a good one.

President Bush scares me when he says, “It is our duty to be faithful to the Almighty and to spread freedom.” Some countries aren't ready for democracy; let them grow into it on their own. Iran's young generation is a good example. They are paving the way for future democracy.

The same philosophy goes for stem-cell research, abortion and gay marriage. People may not personally agree with these things, but it shouldn't be up to our government to enforce a law banning them.

Ironically enough, the Bible states that we are to educate and be a good example of Christ, not to force anyone into becoming a Christian. God is the ultimate Judge.

Marie Hartzfeld

Flower Mound

Politics & pulpits

The content of recent letters to the editor and the comments about the online poll regarding church-state separation make a collective point against preaching politics from the pulpit.

If our pastors would preach the truth from the Bible, then voting Christians would be informed enough to make their own correct decisions. Pastoral endorsements of politicians are for those people who are so unsure of Christian teachings they honestly do not know who or what they should vote for.

The content and tone of these letters and comments also demonstrate why church and state must be kept separate. History also teaches this same principle.

Charles McFatter

Semmes, Ala.

Baptists' northern origin

I had to chuckle over the belief of at least one Texas Baptist that Southern Baptists were the first to introduce Baptist churches to the North, namely Minnesota and Wisconsin (Sept. 20).

It's entirely the other way around! The first Baptists in the South came from Kittery, Maine. When William Screven was persecuted for preaching against infant baptism, he took part of his flock with him to South Carolina and established the First Baptist Church in Charleston as early as 1670.

John Moulis

Augusta, Maine

Prophetic voice

A cry went out through the land. A prophetic voice was silenced. Henlee Barnette, who died recently, was a great American, a great Baptist, but most importantly, a faithful and bold Christian.

Barnette, who taught Christian ethics at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., was often the subject of ecclesiastical and political criticism. FBI files reveal he was investigated for his leadership in the civil rights movement and the anti-war protests of the Vietnam era.

He spoke out against racism, war mongering, genderism and fundamentalism. He was, like the ancient prophets of God, an advocate for the poor.

He was a great American, a proud son of the South, an outspoken Baptist who put Christ above all other allegiances. Who will pick up the torch in these days when so many who speak in the name of Christ are mere defenders of the status quo and chaplains of materialism?

He now walks with God. May his mantle not lie too long in the dust.

Raymond Bailey

Waco

Convention asset

The members of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth support our pastor, Michael Bell, 1,000 percent and endorse his candidacy for first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Our nationally renowned pastor is an asset to the convention. Few persons possess his cross-cultural credibility and legitimacy.

That is why Gary Dyer's letter (Oct. 4) was so disappointing. He didn't consider that most African-American churches are dually aligned, accounting for membership in at least two, sometimes more, conventions.

Dyer is unfamiliar with African-American church dynamics and our responsibilities to a community facing interlocking crises of racism and classism. Our church gives thousands of dollars to missions. It subsidizes educational and health needs of families. We hope a church that subscribes to the liberating mandate of Luke 4:18 would not be demeaned for taking seriously the Great Commission.

Since Dyer is unaware of what we give to cancer research, HIV/AIDS, sickle-cell anemia, diabetes, heart disease and the like, he, and those who are likeminded, should consider the truth that different cultures are authentically different in emphases, priorities and financial profiles.

Our Bible suggests such differences are not bad, negative or insidious. As our pastor says, “Our differences suggest God has an appreciation for variety.”

Unfortunately, some still feel they must misuse the word of God to buttress their parochial perspectives.

Our church will continue to grow in financial and prayer support for the BGCT. We look forward to the election of Michael Bell as its first vice president.

Hervey Bolden

Deacon chairman

Greater St. Stephen FBC

Fort Worth

Highest commodity

I was struck by the letter concerning the nomination of Michael Bell and the amount of his church's Cooperative Program gifts. The gentleman's remarks demonstrated the chasms that exists between many churches in our denomination.

Investigation of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church would have revealed an explanation for the giving amount.

I am sure the concerned brother was not aware that Greater St. Stephen Church is located in one of the poorest sections of Fort Worth.

I am sure the writer was not aware of the fact the members of the church are indigenous to that church, unlike other churches whose membership is often comprised of people who live outside the inner-city area.

I am sure the writer was unaware of the fact Greater St. Stephen Church ministers to those people who may not be welcomed in some of our “silk stocking” churches. Many of the people would not be accepted in some of our more affluent dominant-ethnic cultural church settings.

I am sure the writer has zero knowledge of the number of men and women who have been rescued from the streets because of the ministry of Greater St. Stephen Church.

Unfortunately, poor people do not posses a great amount of monetary capital, but they are precious in God's sight.

Moreover, when serving in high-crime areas with high unemployment, the highest commodity is measured by the size of the people's heart, not their bank account.

C.M. Singleton

Fort Worth

Healthy dialogue

Your article about the debate over the meaning of “priesthood of the believer” (Oct. 18) was thoughtful and well-balanced.

David Jeffrey has made good use of his academic freedom to prompt a healthy and intellectually engaging dialogue about one of our distinct doctrines. As a Latino, I cherish the opportunity to go to God without the aid of an earthly priest; but I also have been reminded that I read and interpret Scripture in the context of my local congregation and the church throughout the ages.

Carlos Colón-Quintana

Hewitt

Academic freedom

I am writing with reference to your fine article on academic freedom at Baylor (Oct. 18). Ironically, the Faculty Senate has been the greatest threat to my academic freedom at Baylor, not the administration.

At the Faculty Senate website is posted a list of leadership issues at Baylor University. Included in this list is “hiring of additional proponents of Intelligent Design despite the Polanyi Institute debacle and in the face of continued profound faculty opposition.” I am a proponent of Intelligent Design (see for example http://www.leaderu.com/offices/bradley/docs/scievidence. html). According to the Faculty Senate, I should not have been hired at Baylor. The Faculty Senate practices the very ideological narrowness for which they criticize the administration. I have also been a subject of discussion at a Faculty Senate meeting for the same reason (Nov. 19, 2002).

It is incredible that the faculty senate at a Christian university would seek to “blackball” me, despite my impeccable qualifications, because I have the audacity to believe that God designed our universe and that evidence of this can be seen in nature. Ironically, during my 24 years at Texas A&M University in mechanical engineering, I was never discriminated against because of my work in Intelligent Design.

Is it any wonder that the administration sometimes feels obliged to ignore input from the Faculty Senate? I should add that I have fallen in love with Baylor students and colleagues in my department during my first two years, and am thankful to God to be able to contribute to Baylor 2012.

Walter L. Bradley

Waco

Innocent blood

While serving in Iraq as a military chaplain, I get the Baptist Standard weeks late. I read with interest a letter that stated: “God's word has not changed to conform to society and never will. God has a lot to say about the shedding of innocent blood” (Aug. 23).

I pray all Baptist Christians will be mindful that innocent blood is shed by the hundreds and thousands during the course of human conflict. Our political parties are far from monolithic with regards to the sanctity of human life and our Savior's call to correct practice of our faith.

Like in biblical times, the sword strikes the innocent every day in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Russia. Neither political party has moral high ground with respect to the taking of innocents and the sanctity of human life.

David D. Dinkins

La Marque

Iraq's spiritual warfare

Much has been written in this paper about the war with Iraq, but nothing has been written about the greater spiritual war that has been going on in this country for the last 50 years. This war is described in Ephesians 6:14 and is Òagainst the powers of the dark world and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The hottest issue in this war for us is abortion and homosexuality. Both of these are forbidden by God and have serious consequences for the nations that disobey. These are issues that have eternal value.

We are on the brink of a crisis. Voters decide what God will do for or to America. Which will our choice be? Will we choose the good or the evil? May God have mercy on America for the millions of babies we have murdered and our sexual immorality.

Mildred Bevan

Burleson

Can he justify his vote?

J.J. Harryman referred to himself as a “yellow-dog Democrat” (Oct. 18). I have never heard that expression before. He's a child of the King!

But I have a big question for him: How can you vote for people that go along with homosexuality and same-sex marriage? My Bible says it's an abomination to God! These same people believe in abortion. Doesn't one of the Ten Commandments state, “Thou shalt not kill”?

Can he justify his vote and his belief in?

Mona Carol Workman

Boerne

Stationed in Iraq

Posted: 10/29/04

Speakers sound alarm: Respond to needs of changing world

By Marv Knox

Editor

SAN ANTONIO–Christians need to ask, “So what?” to determine how they should love and engage the world, Albert Reyes told participants at the We Love Missions Conference in San Antonio.

The question and its corollaries echoed throughout the three-day conference, sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions and Trinity Baptist Church, the host congregation.

Alarms have gone off to warn U.S. Christians the world is changing rapidly, said Reyes, president of Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio. He cited the Chinese youth rebellion at Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the implosion of the Soviet Union, as well as the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Another alarm came from conference speaker Phillip Jenkins, Reyes added.

Albert Reyes

Jenkins, historian and author of “The Next Christendom,” described the shifting “center” of Christianity from Europe and the United States to the Southern Hemisphere.

“Christianity is a religion born in Africa and Asia, and in our lifetime, it's going home,” Jenkins said. “By 2025, half of all Christians will live in Africa and South America. The center will be in Africa. …

“The most important thing right now is to understand the shape of Christianity,” he added. “We don't need to take the faith to (the Southern Hemisphere); they have faith. We need to take them the health and wealth and skills of the West.”

U.S. Christians' sense that they are the strength of world missions is out-dated, Jenkins said. “We live now in the greatest age of missions. But it's not coming from the North to the South. It's coming from the South to the South, from the South to the North,” with African, Asian and South American churches producing an increasing number of missionaries.

“The alarm went off. … This is a different world,” conceded Reyes, vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and nominee for the convention's presidency. “The question is, 'So what?'”

The stakes are enormous, he warned, noting if U.S. Christians don't change their missions involvement, “we will miss the most dramatic shift in Christian history in our lifetimes.”

Reyes offered four keys to engaging missions creatively.

First is vision. “When you look out there (in the world), what is your reaction?” he asked. “Is it fear–fear that you won't be in control?”

U.S. Christians can fear they will be a minority or they won't be the center of Christendom, but that is the wrong attitude, he advised. “You can feel fear or faith. This is the most exciting time to be alive.”

A second response is collaboration. “We need to work with people we didn't even think we needed,” he said. Poor Christians in other parts of the world don't have wealth, but they provide culture, language, passion and other assets for reaching the world for Christ.

“Look at Hispanic, African and Asian congregations and decide how we will collaborate,” he challenged. For example, Hispanics have many cultural, linguistic and physical links to the Arabic world and could be the link to reaching Muslims with the gospel.

Christians also need to focus on relationships, Reyes said. “We need to build connections with people who didn't know they mattered.”

Finally, missions-minded Christians must respond with resources, supporting others who may be better situated to accomplish missions tasks, he said.

Bill Tinsley (right), leader of WorldconneX, explains to exhibit hall visitors how the missions network can link Christians to missions opportunities around the world.

“We're talking about power and control of resources,” he said. “How are we going to resource people who don't have (material) resources? Are we going to be brave enough to give away what we don't own anyway?”

Throughout the We Love Missions conference, participants heard a barrage of missions challenges:

Ken Hall, president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, called attention to the world's need by telling a story from Winnie the Pooh in which Eeyore, the donkey, falls into a river. “Eeyore says, 'Pooh, if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind rescuing me?'” Hall recounted.

Christians must focus on rescuing a world in need, he insisted. Unfortunately, Baptists often tend to think the church exists for them, missing the command to take the “Good News” to all nations, he lamented. “Our chief task is evangelism, missions, direct involvement in the lives of people.”

He also challenged Baptists not to be isolated but to join in partnership with other Christians doing authentic ministry in a world of need.

“It grieves me that often we Christians look at what separates us instead of what unites us,” Hall said. “Let me say how strongly I affirm the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and its ministries. As a Texas Baptist, let me say it is beyond time to figure out ways to work with others to do better the task of rescuing the perishing.”

Migration is bringing the world directly to Christians, said Ann Woolger, a missionary among international refugees.

In 16 years, refugees from 64 countries have passed through the halfway house she operates in Toronto, Canada, Woolger reported.

“I have seen God loving the world. … The world is arriving here in North America, here in Texas. The world is here. The nations are among us.”

Anne Burton, a Texas native serving as a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionary at the University of Southern California, echoed a similar theme.

“There are opportunities right here in our midst,” Burton said, noting international students attend colleges and universities throughout the nation. In her situation, about 95 percent of them come from non-Christian cultures.

International students who become Christians return to their homelands carrying the gospel, she noted.

Unfortunately, many people never have had an opportunity to receive and understand the gospel, stressed Dick Hugoniot, president of Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Of the world's 6,000 languages, 2,737 do not have any Scripture portion, he said.

Wycliffe hopes to translate at least some part of the Bible into every language by 2025, Hugoniot said. “The Great Commission has not changed. We are to go into all the world–into every language group. … The mission sounds impossible, but I tell you, God is going to accomplish the impossible.”

Cooperation is vital to missions accomplishment, insisted Jerry Dailey, pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in San Antonio and president of the Texas Baptist African-American Fellowship.

“Your church can't reach everybody by itself,” Dailey said. “We need white churches. We need black churches. We need Hispanic churches. We need Vietnamese churches. One can't do it.”

Missions is part of God's plan, both for the world and for the church, said Charles Wade, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

“God values us–loves us–so much that he did not want to spend an eternity apart from us,” Wade said.

He recited the key to missions he learned from Tillie Burgin, director of Mission Arlington, a citywide missions/evangelism enterprise: “Keep telling the (gospel) story, and hang out with the people.”

Another key is taking missions personally, said Phillip Williams, vice president for church and community development at Buckner Baptist Benevolences.

“Missions is personal; it's power-packed,” Williams said. “Go where God says to; make a difference. Someone is dying. Will you make missions personal to you? It's personal to me.”

Alcides Guajardo, president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, shared those sentiments: “I love missions because I have a commission from the Lord. Our commission is very personal. It's very direct. He sent you, and he sent me. That's why I love missions. He sent me.”

The personal nature of missions often involves sacrifice, noted Patty Lane, director of intercultural initiatives for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

She told about a person who gave a friend a beautiful seashell for a present. When the recipient noted they lived a long way from the ocean and the giver, a poor person, must have walked an extremely long way to retrieve the shell, the giver simply replied, “The walk is part of the gift.”

Lane recounted sacrificial ministries by Filipino and Congolese churches and another congregation whose home country is closed to the gospel.

“Missions is about giving our walk,” she said. “God not only transforms us; that's how he transforms the world.”

Bill Tinsley, director of WorldconneX, the BGCT's new missions network, picked up on the transformational theme.

That idea began with Jesus' call for repentance–for spiritually changed lives, Tinsley said. “We cannot embrace God unless we repent. … We must be transformed–our lives, our churches, our communities, our cities, our nations, the world.”

Daniel Vestal, the CBF's coordinator, presented a three-part challenge for missions.

“We're going to fulfill the Great Commission only when we give a dialogical witness,” Vestal said. “We've got to listen and learn, then give an authentic witness, and God does the rest.”

Christians also validate their witness through “suffering love,” he added. “How do we handle our own pain and suffering in the world? What do you do with your own pain–avoid it, anesthetize it or embrace it? God will use your pain to transform you into Christ's likeness.”

And Christians must depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit, he added. “We are at a time when we may come upon a great harvest, not because of what we're doing but because of the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Love is a powerful missionary tool, said Craig, a missionary whose last name was not used because he works in an Islamic country.

He told about a Muslim neighbor who wanted to argue about the Bible versus the Koran and Christianity versus Islam. But the way to reach his neighbors is not to out-argue them; it is to love them, he said. "We want to be known as Christians–people who love God and love others," he explained. "We need more workers. There aren't enough people like us out there."

Bruce Greer, a Dove Award-winning composer and concert artist, affirmed that idea. “If we're to win the world, we've got to love it,” he reminded participants in a song.

God is working among impoverished people along the Mexico-Texas border, reported Jorge Zapata, border ministries coordinator for Buckner Children & Families Services of South Texas, which serves residents of colonias–unincorporated towns and villages–up and down the Rio Grande.

“There's a revival going on in the colonias,” Zapata said. “God has been transforming people.” For example, Buckner Border Ministries volunteers have repaired 60 houses in the region, and “every home where we have repaired, every member of the family accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.”

Baptists are saving people from starvation around the world, said Paul Montacute, director of Baptist World Aid, the relief arm of the Baptist World Alliance.

He recounted stories of hunger-relief ministry in Rwanda, Sarajevo, Kosovo and along the Burma/Thailand border. “Baptists are loving, caring for others,” he said.

But Montacute challenged what has become, for some, conventional wisdom: “Short-term (mission) trips might not always be best. With just a tithe of the airfare, we could make a significant impact on world hunger.”

The Old Testament prophet Micah offered a practical guide for modern Christians concerned about missions, suggested Barbara Baldridge, the CBF's co-coordinator of Global Missions.

Noting Micah called on God-fearing people to enact justice, love mercy and walk humbly with others, Baldridge said, “If we can do that, I think we can know we're on mission.”

Christians today cannot dodge their responsibility for missions, stressed Bill Shiell, pastor of First Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., who served as master of ceremonies for the conference.

Citing Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, he said: “The most important time is now. It is the only time we have power, in this convergence of the past and the future. … It's our turn. We are the church now.”

Lance Wallace and Craig Bird contributed to this story.

Posted: 10/29/04

Conference showcases missions
ventures involving the Fellowship

SAN ANTONIO–The We Love Missions conference provided a showcase for ventures sponsored or supported by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

CBF joined Buckner Children & Family Services in partnering with Kids Hope USA to match church volunteers with school students in a one-hour-a-week mentoring program.

CBF Global Missions Co-coordinator Barbara Baldridge, Buckner Children & Family Services Vice President Felipe Garza and Kids Hope USA Founder Virgil Gulker signed a three-year agreement that calls for the Fellowship to provide mentors from churches to 150 children in San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Waco and Lufkin.

Founded in 1995, Kids Hope USA began as a pilot project among three churches and 30 students in southwestern Michigan. Now, Kids Hope USA has more than 271 churches providing mentors for 4,700 children across the country.

The Fellowship currently partners with Buckner in the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso and Nairobi, Kenya.

"I am so grateful to Kids Hope USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship," Garza said at a signing ceremony. "We will be able to reach children, show them the love they need and share Jesus."

CBF Global Missions announced a new category of mission service that will enable “affiliates” who establish their own sources of funding to work with the missions group.

The new program will be called AsYouGo, announced Tom Ogburn, the Fellowship's associate coordinator for volunteer and partnership missions.

The program will allow individuals being sent to do missions work to affiliate with CBF Global Missions even if they are funded by churches, have full-time employment that takes them abroad or some combination of both.

The Fellowship currently has four categories of mission service–career field personnel, the short-term Global Service Corps program, Student.Go semester missions and Envoys, who are affiliated with but not funded by the Fellowship. AsYouGo replaces the Envoy category, Ogburn said.

A partnership linking CBF with four other sponsors aims to empower a San Antonio neighborhood with the designation as “one of the poorest ZIP codes in America.”

Jeremy Everett, point person for the experiment in long-term Christian community development, is employed and supervised by Baptist Child & Family Services, supplied with an office by Trinity Baptist Church and also supported by the San Antonio Baptist Association, the Baptist General Convention of Texas and CBF.

“We want to shift from benevolence to empowerment, to help the community organize and utilize its own resources and to lead the way in solving its own problems,” Everett said.

Students at the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio will continue to receive scholarships for purchasing textbooks, thanks to an ongoing partnership with CBF Global Missions.

Since 2001, Global Missions has provided $3,000 each semester for the university to distribute to students for assistance with textbooks.

Baldridge presented a check to Marconi Monteiro, BUA's dean of student services, in a special presentation during the missions conference at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Reported by Lance Wallace of CBF Communications

Posted: 10/29/04