Posted: 5/03/04

Relief agency seeks to improve life for Nigerians

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

A Texas Baptist relief and development organization wants to improve living conditions at an African Baptist ministry outpost plagued by scarce water and rudimentary sanitation.

Leaders of Partnership for the Environment, a nonprofit corporation with roots in the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission, recently visited the Baptist seminary, day school and hospital in Ogbomosho, Nigeria, to assess needs.

They discovered an overall lack of drinkable water for the 2,400 people who live in the Baptist compound, according to Terri Morgan, president and chief executive officer of the development agency.

Engineers found an inadequate number of wells and many of them dry, contaminated or in disrepair. The seminary is not connected to the city water supply.

The lack of water creates sanitation issues, said Morgan, a member of Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas. People are unable to bathe or clean dishes, utensils and medical equipment. There is no trash pickup, and waste runs along open gutters.

Terri Morgan, president and CEO of Partnership for the Environment (left), and Douglas Washington, a member of Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas (right), discuss life at the seminary in Ogbomosho, Nigeria, with a Baptist leader.

But Morgan is optimistic her organization can help resolve the situation. Engineers plan to drill new, deeper wells that should provide water for years to come. Experts will train Nigerians in well maintenance and repair. Workers also will fix some of the piping and pump problems in the community. Volunteers hope to start a landfill and encourage a sewerage management system.

“This is not a hopeless situation,” said Doug Washington, a member of Royal Lane Baptist Church. “It's just one that has to be identified, and a plan has to be laid out to correct it.”

Washington would like to return to Nigeria as soon as possible, but Partnership for the Environment lacks the funds. Leaders are attempting to raise $30,000 to launch the effort before their three-month visas expire and re-entering the largely Muslim nation becomes difficult.

The organization also is recruiting volunteers for the program, particularly experienced engineers, Morgan said.

“If we don't do something, it will only get worse,” said Washington, who is a veteran of water engineering efforts.

This development project can play a crucial role in Baptist work in Nigeria, Morgan said. By bringing Nigerians the water they need, believers would be opening people to the gospel as they improve lives.

"If you want to help people, you meet them at the point of their greatest need," she said. Donations can be made through the PFE website, www.partnershipfortheenvironment.org, or by mailing a check designated "PFE Nigerian Relief" to 333 N. Washington, Dallas 75246. For information about volunteer possibilities, contact Morgan at (214) 828-5190.

Posted: 5/03/04

On the move

Gerald Austin has resigned as interim pastor of Friendship Church in Ennis.

Byron Ayers to Mildred Church in Corsicana as youth minister, where he had been interim.

Charlie Barganier to Arcadia First Church in Santa Fe from Heights Church in Temple.

J.D. Barrow to Ballew Springs Church in Weatherford as youth minister.

Gary Baxley to Heights Church in Temple as interim minister of music.

Emil Becker has completed an interim pastorate at Harvey Church in Stephenville.

Greg Bowers to First Church in Blytheville, Ark., as pastor from Calvary Church in Garland.

Joe Brady to First Church in Centerville as minister of music and education.

David Braun to Southcrest Church in Lubbock as minister of student ministries from First Church in Gardendale, Ala.

Dale Buchanan to First Church in Luella as pastor.

Sam Burgeson to First Church in Mineral Wells as minister of education/administration from First Church in Lamesa.

Kelsey Coleman to First Church in Midway as pastor.

Mike Cord to First Church in The Woodlands as student minister.

Wayne Cotton to Hampton Road Church in DeSoto as minister of preschool and childhood education.

Wes Dean has resigned as pastor of Floyd Church in Greenville.

Norman Diehl to North Creek Church in Centerville as pastor.

Carl Douglas to Dixie Church in Whitesboro as pastor.

Gerald Dudley has completed an interim pastorate at Dixie Church in Whitesboro.

Roger English has resigned as director of missions for Concho Valley Association.

Dwight Foster to Primeria Iglesia in Goliad as pastor, where he had been interim.

Jay Foster to First Church in Brenham as minister of music.

Laura Fregin to CityChurch in Dallas as pastor.

Lee Geffert to First Church in Nixon as youth minister.

Gary Godkin to Red Springs Church in Seymour as pastor.

Paul Howie to Leon River Cowboy Church in Eastland as pastor from First Church in Tom Bean, where he was youth pastor.

Don Inman to Shiloh Church in Itasca as pastor, where he had been interim.

Jim Lafferty to First Church in Calvert as interim pastor.

Kevin Laseter to First Church in Mount Calm as interim minister of music.

Dave Lingenfelter to Fairview Church in Sherman as music minister.

Richard Macellaro has resigned as pastor of Downtown Chapel in Sherman.

Robert Magee to First Church in Roosevelt as pastor from Emmanuel Church in Lubbock.

Glenn McCollum to First Church in Wortham as interim music minister.

Dale McDaniel to First Church in Tehuacana as pastor.

John McDonald has resigned as pastor of First Church in Calvert.

Brian McKay to North Side Church in Weatherford as interim childhood minister.

Joe Meador has resigned as minister of music and youth at First Church in Campbell.

George Merriman to Leona Church in Leona as interim minister of music.

Larry Morris to First Church in Teague as associate pastor and minister of music.

Franklin Orr to Bethsaida “Y” Church in Bivins as interim pastor.

Greg Qualls to First Church in Olton as youth minister from Halfway Church in Halfway.

Stephen Richardson to First Church in Thorndale as minister of youth.

Steve Schuler to First Church in Golinda as minister of music.

Howard Schutt to Northside Church in Corsicana as administrator.

Scott Shaw to First Church in Hillsboro as minister of music.

Russell Shires has resigned as pastor of Pilot Grove Church in Whitewright.

Tracy Sims to First Church in Groesbeck as interim pastor.

Terry Snow to East Denison Church in Denison as children's ministry intern.

John Stewart to Henderson Street Church in Cleburne as worship leader.

Mark Still to First Church in Marlin as interim pastor.

Steve Tompkins to First Church in Palacios as pastor from First Church in Menard.

Larry Wilson to Central Church in Hillsboro as interim minister of music.

Forrest Wood to Harvey Church in Stephenville as pastor from Waller Church in Waller.

Robert Works to First Church in Sherman as minister of administration/education.

John Yeates to First Church in Kingwood as minister of adult discipleship from First Church in Vernon, where he was minister of education and administration.

Edwin Young to Southcrest Church in Lubbock as associate pastor of media ministry from Central Church in Henderson, N.C., where he was minister of youth and media.

Posted: 5/03/04

Oregon judge halts gay marriages, instructs
state registrar to record unions for benefits

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–Both sides of the gay-marriage debate found something to cheer in an Oregon judge's recent decision to put a halt to the same-sex marriages one county in the state had been performing.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Frank Bearden ordered a halt to gay marriages in that county, the state's most populous and home to the city of Portland. Officials there had been issuing same-sex marriage licenses since March 3, when county supervisors decided their policy against offering marriage licenses to gay couples violated the Oregon Constitution.

But Bearden also ordered the state registrar to record more than 3,000 same-sex couples who have been married in Portland since March 3. He agreed denying the couples more than 500 state benefits that accrue to married couples would be impermissible under the state constitution.

Bearden further ordered the Oregon legislature to deal with the issue of same-sex marriage within 90 days of the beginning of its next session, which convenes in June. He said the legislators would have to find a way to provide equal protection to same-sex couples–whether through full-fledged marriage or a “civil union” arrangement that extends the same benefits as marriage.

He also said the Oregon Supreme Court could further settle the issue. However, that is unlikely to happen before the legislature's deadline. Bearden said he would order Multnomah County to begin re-issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples if the legislature fails to act by the 90-day deadline.

Bearden's ruling is virtually certain to be appealed.

The county had been the last municipality in the United States still marrying same-sex couples after judges ordered city or county officials in California, New York and New Mexico to cease similar actions over the last two months.

However, that will change May 17, when a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling ordering that state to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples takes effect.

Legislators in that state have given initial approval to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but it will not take effect for at least another year. Massachusetts anti-gay-marriage groups have filed a motion with the court to stay its ruling until the amendment process is played out. However, most legal observers don't believe the court will grant the motion.

One Washington-based conservative group that has been fighting against gay marriage offered limited praise to the Oregon ruling. “Today's decision is a victory for those of us who were seeking an immediate stop to the illegal distribution of same-sex 'marriage' licenses,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

“However, the court's logic is flawed in stating that it is the Oregon Supreme Court who ultimately must decide the fate of marriage in that state. Public policy decisions, especially those as far-reaching as the radical redefinition of marriage, are meant to be determined by the people and their elected representatives in the legislature, not judges.”

Meanwhile, the head of the nation's largest gay-rights group said Bearden's decision offers some victories to her cause. “Judge Bearden recognized that Oregon can't differentiate between opposite-sex and same-sex couples when doling out the rights of marriage,” said Human Rights Campaign President Cheryl Jacques. “To do otherwise would be fundamentally wrong.”

However, Jacques said offering marriage-like civil unions in Oregon–similar to what is already practiced in Vermont–would be an insufficient resolution.

“We hope the appeals court recognizes that marriages, and only marriages, provide true equality for same-sex couples,” she said. “Vermont's civil unions were a great step forward, but they provide only a limited portion of rights.”

Posted: 5/03/04

Christians face persecution, charges
of blasphemy in Muslim Pakistan

By Deann Alford

Religion News Service

LAHORE, Pakistan–A market vendor sold Christian brothers Saleem and Rasheed Masih ice cream, then told them they had to pay for the bowls because he couldn't again serve a Muslim from the now-defiled utensils.

The brothers refused. Days later, the vendor accused the brothers of verbally insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Under Pakistani law, Section 295-C, that's blasphemy, which can be punishable by life in prison, a stiff fine or death.

The Masihs were sentenced to 35 years. They spent four years in Sahiwal Central Jail before a Lahore High Court judge acquitted them in April 2003.

But the case received wide press coverage. Fundamentalist Muslims who refused to believe their innocence immediately began pursuing them. The brothers left the jail in one car and switched to a different one as they fled into hiding. They shaved their beards and have lived in three cities since their release from prison to protect themselves from violent mobs.

A year after their acquittal the brothers, who are Roman Catholic, remain in hiding as they seek asylum in the West.

“We can't go home to our village. In Islamabad, people are looking for us. Our lives are in danger,” Rasheed Masih said. “In Pakistan, there isn't any safe place (for us).”

The Masihs are among a growing number of Pakistanis, both Christian and Muslim, whose lives have been thrown into turmoil because of allegations of blasphemy. According to prominent Karachi-based Christian attorney M.L. Shahani, from 1948 until 1986, only 14 blasphemy cases were registered. But from 1987 until 1999, 44 stood accused of blasphemy, and in 2000 alone, 52 cases were registered–43 against Muslims and nine against Christians.

Pakistan's Christian community claims to be some 4 million strong in a country of 150 million.

“Anybody can go to a police station and register a case under Section 295-C against any person,” Shahani writes in an undated report titled “Sharia and State.” “The police would immediately register a case and arrest the accused without checking the veracity of the facts.”

An accusation by a single person is all that's needed to put the alleged blasphemer behind bars, where he must prove his innocence, said Elizabeth Kendal, the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission's main researcher and writer. The charge of blasphemy itself inflames Muslim sensibilities so much that even before an arrest is made, irreparable and fatal damage has been done.

“The amount of suffering a charge of blasphemy produces is so great that the blasphemy law must be considered a serious problem,” she said. “The accusation virtually turns the victim into a 'dead man walking.'”

During colonial rule, the British enacted the blasphemy law to protect the religious sentiments of minority Muslims against majority Hindus. The law should have been abolished after Pakistan's creation as a state for Muslims, Shahani said.

Joseph Francis, director of the Lahore-based Christian organization Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, or CLAAS, said that lower courts punish all blasphemy cases “but higher courts acquit them after investigations.” CLAAS lawyers defended the Masih brothers.

But simply abolishing that law today isn't so easy. In the early 1990s, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who came to power in a 1999 coup, sought to repeal it, but a violent public outcry and general strike forced an end to his efforts. The presence of militant mobs can pressure judges to rule against defendants in even the most absurd of accusations. Fundamentalists often threaten courts that find accused blasphemers innocent.

In response to the rising numbers of blasphemy cases, CLAAS has joined Christian lawyers and political leaders in preparing a bill that will criminalize filing false blasphemy charges. Christian lawmaker Akram Gill aims to introduce the bill in the current session of Parliament.

Because the blasphemy law is used more against Muslims than those of minority faiths, Muslim opposition to the law is rising. “But it will take time,” Francis said. After the new bill is drawn up, lawmakers will need at least six months to process it. And it, too, may be met by extremist violence.

Meanwhile, as Saleem and Rasheed Masih feel pressed to leave Pakistan and begin new lives in a safer place, Saleem said that his faith sustains him in the interim. “We are optimistic that God has plans for us,” he said. “We are witnesses of God, and he will help us preach the gospel.”

Posted: 5/03/04

Most Americans want cleaner media

WASHINGTON (RNS) Three-quarters of Americans think the entertainment industry needs to reduce the amount of sex and violence in movies, television and music, a recent Gallup Poll revealed.

Most Americans said they are offended by the sex, violence and profanity in entertainment, and 75 percent said the industry should make a serious effort to reduce offensive images.

More than 60 percent said they are offended by the violence in entertainment, 58 percent by the profanity, 58 percent by sexual content and 52 percent by homosexuality.

The numbers are lower than a similar Gallup survey of almost 10 years ago. In 1995, 83 percent of Americans said the entertainment industry needed to correct the offensiveness of TV, music and movies. According to Gallup researchers, the difference in a decade is due to increasingly tolerant views among younger Americans.

Less than half of 18-to-29-year-olds said they thought the entertainment industry has an obligation to reduce violence and sex on screens and in music.

Younger Americans were also much less likely to be offended specifically by violence, profanity, sexual content or homosexuality in entertainment.

For example, profanity offended only a third of respondents ages 18-29, while 80 percent of those 65 and older said they were offended.

The poll said of those who watched the Super Bowl halftime show, only half found performer Justin Timberlake's exposing of Janet Jackson's breast offensive. Most–64 percent –said they did not think CBS should be fined for broadcasting the performance.

The poll was based on random telephone interviews with a nationwide sample of 1,008 adults. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Posted: 5/03/04

Two-thirds of Americans upset about moral climate
of the nation, but most younger Americans are generally satisfied

WASHINGTON (RNS)–An annual Gallup Poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans are dissatisfied with the country's moral and ethical climate.

But the same poll showed younger people seem to be less pessimistic than their elders.

Gallup's annual Mood of the Nation poll found that 64 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the country's moral climate, while 35 percent say they are satisfied.

Pollsters say the “fairly dim view” on American morality was likely influenced by corporate scandals involving Enron and Martha Stewart, Janet Jackson's “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl halftime show and increasing attention paid to gay marriage.

Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 seem more optimistic–in the 2003 and 2004 polls, 53 percent of younger Americans said they are satisfied with the country's morality.

Among older adults, the highest level of satisfaction–38 percent–was found among those ages 30 to 49.

Among Americans ages 65 and older, only 29 percent were satisfied.

Gallup contributing editor Heather Mason described the generational divide as “a pattern that has existed for several years.”

“Adults under the age of 30 grew up in the era of the Internet, music videos and cable television shows that continued to push the moral envelope and may not remember a time when profanity and sexual content were more taboo,” she said in Gallup's Briefing report.

The annual poll of 1,004 adults, conducted each January, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Among respondents ages 18 to 29, the margin of error is plus or minus 6 percentage points.

Percentage of Americans Who Are Satisfied or Dissatisfied with the Country's Moral and Ethical Climate:

Total: 35 percent satisfied/64 percent dissatisfied

18-29 years: 53 percent satisfied/47 percent dissatisfied

30-49 years: 38 percent satisfied/63 percent dissatisfied

50-64 years: 31 percent satisfied/67 percent dissatisfied

65+ years: 29 percent satisfied/71 percent dissatisfied

Source: Gallup Tuesday Briefing

Posted: 5/03/04

American religious activity increases,
makes people happier, polls indicate

WASHINGTON (RNS)–An annual look at the nation's religious behavior by Barna researchers has found an increase in religious practice beyond the sanctuary, while church and Sunday school attendance has remained relatively stable.

Meanwhile, a different poll indicates Americans who are religiously active–particularly those who give financially to faith communities–are more satisfied with life than those without strong faith.

The survey by Barna Research Group found increases in Bible study and small groups–excluding Sunday school and other church classes–over the last decade for all Christian churches.

Forty-four percent of adults reported reading from the Bible during the past week, an increase from 37 percent in 1994. Participation in small groups for Bible study, prayer or spiritual fellowship increased from 12 percent of adults to 20 percent.

Personal prayer increased from 77 percent of adults to 83 percent in the past five years.

Religious behaviors that remained relatively flat included church attendance, volunteering to help a church, attending Sunday school and sharing one's Christian faith with nonbelievers.

Meanwhile, a recent Gallup poll shows more than 70 percent of all respondents said they are satisfied with their lives.

Of those surveyed who identified with a religious community, 77 percent said they are satisfied, while the results dropped to 62 percent for nonreligious respondents.

The study also found that those who said they had attended worship services in the past week were more likely to be satisfied with life than those who did not attend services, 45 percent to 33 percent.

The survey asked 1,500 respondents how strongly they agreed with the statement 'I am completely satisfied with my life.' Researchers spoke to 1,000 adult members of churches, synagogues or other religious communities, and 500 non-members.

Just 39 percent of Protestants said they were satisfied with life, in contrast to 47 percent of Catholics responding that way.

The survey also showed that members who gave $2,000 or more annually to their faith communities were more likely to be satisfied with their lives than those who gave less than that amount, though income did not seem to play a role in life satisfaction among respondents.

Posted: 5/03/04

Nations choose violence because they see God on their side

By Jeffrey Macdonald

Religion News Service

BELMONT, Mass.–Terrorists are not the only ones who increasingly hear God's call to arms.

Nations riddled by threats and attacks also hear with growing clarity God summoning their forces to holy war.

That message echoed resoundingly at a recent conference of the Society for Biblical Studies, at which a handful of scholars from diverse backgrounds probed religion and the motivation for violence.

From Israel to Britain to the United States, they said, top leaders and their political constituencies show a growing willingness to justify war on the basis of a divine mandate to conquer evil.

“I believe we are seeing something new in the invigoration of religious spirit to effect social change,” said Michael Prior, author of “The Bible & Colonialism,” and religious studies professor at the University of Surrey in England.

“And in our day, violence seems to be the preferred method to see that change through.”

Rather than lament a global rise in religious violence as a strange phenomenon born in foreign cultures, conference speakers made sure to impress upon the audience that Western nations tend increasingly to drink from the same font.

“We've been obsessed with religious violence against Americans, but nobody has been considering how we do the same thing,” said Peter Miano, executive director of the Society for Biblical Studies.

“It's imperative for us to explore how our own religious ideologies lead us to perpetrate violence of our own.”

For example, in the United States, rationales for attacking and occupying Iraq may reflect growing concern for more than economic interests or Americans' safety against weapons of mass destruction, speakers said.

Many Americans also seem to feel compelled by God to rid the world of evil through the use of force, according to these scholars' interpretations of recent public discourse.

Before now, religion has seldom, if ever, entered the analytical framework of Noam Chomsky, a prolific critic of U.S. foreign policy and keynote speaker at the conference. But as he watches America get swept up in what he terms “a Third Great Awakening,” he also sees Americans–including President Bush–supporting the use of force in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere through aid to foreign armies as a matter of God-given duty.

“A sense of being commissioned to cleanse the (biblical) land of the Amalekites–all of that is very much alive today,” said Chomsky, a linguist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Providence summons Americans to the task of global reform, and when Providence summons you, you do it, whether you are Osama bin Laden or every American.”

For evidence, Chomsky referred to statements from Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in which they denounce evil and align their cause of “liberating Iraq” with the cause of God.

The public seems approving, he said, since “people don't seem to laugh or cry when Bush says, 'I have a responsibility to rid the world of evil.'”

Americans are not alone, according to conference speakers, in sensing a divine sanction for their national force.

The Israeli occupation of Gaza and West Bank territories also depends increasingly on beliefs, both in Israel and the United States, that God has ordained a Jewish state to control those regions and in some cases to rid them of non-Jewish people.

As Israeli settlements stretch farther into Palestinian territories and provoke backlash violence, the project depends increasingly on the participation of religious Jews, according to Norton Mezvinsky, co-author of “Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel.” That's because “in these exposed and isolated settlements, only religious messianic Jews are prepared to settle,” he writes.

What's more, Christian Zionists in North America see the state of Israel as a dispensation of God to gather the Jews once and for all in the Holy Land as a stage-setting prelude to Christ's return.

For this group, whom Miano regards as a vital voting block in Bush's core constituency, violence for the sake of Israel is often seen as a necessity of God's plan.

“The violence associated with the creation of the State of Israel and its continued struggles with episodic violence is understood, not as the result of political struggle between colonizer and colonized, but as the predicted and necessary birth pangs of a new eschatological age,” Miano explained.

“Thus, the earthly struggle between Israel and the Palestinians is interpreted in apocalyptic terms as part of a broader cosmic struggle between the forces of good and evil, the defining battle of which will take place on the plain of Armageddon as the Book of Revelation foretells.”

Using religion to justify violence is hardly new; speakers noted armies invoked God's name in biblical times, in the Crusades and in other eras in history.

But in the modern context, the use of force as God's chosen instrument is proving to be a reinvigorated idea–and one that keeps counter-arguments at bay.

“If you're getting messages from God, you don't need to argue,” Chomsky said. “The message is from God to eradicate evil. What's to discuss?'

Posted: 5/03/04

San Saba churches busy following up after evangelistic rally

By George Henson

Staff Writer

SAN SABA–God moved among the people of San Saba, with nearly one resident in five making a commitment to Christ at a recent evangelistic crusade. Now the churches are moving, trying to contact everyone who made a decision.

San Saba has a population of only 2,637. But 540 spiritual decisions were recorded during the recent Heart of Texas Crusade, including 284 first-time professions of faith.

The four-day event, led by evangelist Rick Gage, was just the beginning of the work. Now the churches of San Saba County and a portion of Lampasas County are following up on those decisions.

“What we're finding as we get into some of the homes is that some people did not fully understand the decision they were making,” said Sam Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in San Saba. “So, it's really important that the churches follow up and get them well-grounded in their understanding and get them involved in the life of the church.”

Many who made decisions are not waiting for the churches to come to them but are going to the churches.

“More than 40 people walked the aisle of my church the Sunday after the crusade to make public the decisions they made during the crusade,” Crosby said. “We have already started a class for new Christians. Four adults were saved in homes immediately after the crusade as the Spirit of God continues to move mightily.”

Crosby's congregation had averaged about 250 each week in Sunday school, but 310 attended the Sunday following the crusade. Easter Sunday buoyed those numbers to 550.

Twenty-four churches worked six months to prepare for the crusade, praying it would touch all the 7,000 people who live in San Saba County, and about 1,000 residents in the Lometa area of neighboring Lampasas County.

“As we prepared for the crusade, we prayed for a mighty moving of God's Spirit. We prayed like Isaiah, that God would rend the heavens and come down. And God far exceeded our expectations,” Crosby said.

More than 7,000 people attended over the course of the four evenings.

“We've never seen anything like it,” said Tom Brand, pastor of The Father's House Church. “I have been pastoring here in San Saba for almost 12 years, and this is the most exciting, unbelievable move of God that has ever hit this county. As churches worked together, we felt the greatest sense of unity and a spirit of cooperation that has ever occurred in this area.”

That spirit of cooperation has continued after the crusade. Crosby has been helping Brand's nondenominational church incorporate the FAITH outreach program into their follow-up efforts.

“Last night, they held their first real organized visitation effort,” Crosby said. “The crusade has helped them see a need to become more intentional about their outreach efforts.”

The crusade impacted not only a community and its churches, but also individuals who came to a saving faith in Christ.

Shay Hardy, a local radio disc jockey, and his wife, Betty Sue, made commitments to Christ at the crusade.

“I am a different man,” Hardy said. “This week with Jesus changed my life.”

The Hardys were baptized at First Baptist Church on Easter, along with 15 others who made professions of faith at the crusade.

Perhaps the most dramatic story of the crusade involved a man from Gonzales who came to San Saba to visit his incarcerated son at the local Texas Youth Commission facility. As he drove through San Saba, he noticed the activity at the football stadium and stopped. That night, he made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Later, Crosby learned from an employee at the juvenile correctional facility that the man died just days later in a car accident as he was driving to church.

Since the youth at the detention facility could not come to crusade services at the local football field, the crusade team went to them. More than 40 of the young people made professions of faith.

The youth in the community were likewise affected by the message they heard.

Butch Horton, youth pastor at First Baptist, said: “My students are now telling me that the peer pressure at school is to be a Christian. Christ-likeness is cool.”

It just goes to prove the old-time gospel still works, Gage said.

“It is hope for the individual, for society and for the world. Saturating our communities across America with the gospel must be done at all costs,” he said. “It takes time, money and involvement to reach lost people, but it will be eternally worth it one day.”

Posted: 5/03/04

Texas Tibits

TBM conducts essay contest. Texas Baptist Men is conducting a Father's Day essay contest. Boys can choose one of three writing topics: "Why I want to be like my dad," "My dad is the greatest because …" and "The greatest lesson my dad taught me is …." Essays from students in grades 1 to 3 should be 25 to 75 words; in grades 4 to 6, they should be 75 to 100 words; and in grades 7 to 12, they should be 100 to 200 words. Essays must be submitted to Keith Mack, Texas Baptist Men, 333 N. Washington, Dallas 75246 ormack@bgct.org by June 1. For more information, call (214) 828-5354.

Tamez named border consultant. David Tamez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Tyler, has been named border region consultant for the Baptist General Convention of Texas Church Multiplication Center. He will help facilitate church starting from El Paso to Brownsville. Before he became pastor in Tyler in 1997, Tamez was professor of pastoral ministries at Seminario Teológico Bautista Mexicano in Mexico City. He holds a master's degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Liverpool in England.

Student journalists win. The student newspapers at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Houston Baptist University and the UMHB yearbook won multiple awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention in Austin. In addition to individual awards received by staff members of the publications, the UMHB Bluebonnet yearbook placed first overall in its division, the UMHB student newspaper, The Bells, placed second and the HBU student newspaper, The Collegian, placed third. The Bluebonnet staff also was recognized recently by Taylor Publishing Company with an award of excellence for design and coverage.

Marriage enrichment conference slated. "Better Marriages for a Better World" is the theme of the International Marriage Enrichment Conference, scheduled July 8 to 10 at the downtown Radisson Plaza in Fort Worth. Held every three years, the conference is sponsored by the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment. The conference will offer more than 50 sessions on a variety of topics, as well as training workshops for ministers, therapists and family life educators. For registration information, call (800) 634-8325 or visit www.bettermarriages.org.

Baylor English prof honored. Thomas Hanks, English professor at Baylor University since 1976, was named the first recipient of the Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award during the university's recent honors convocation. The award will be presented annually to a Baylor faculty member who makes superlative contribution to the learning environment at the university, judged on the basis of teaching, research and service.

Wayland receives foundation grant for scholarships. The Betenbough Charitable Foundation donated $50,000 to the Wayland Baptist University campus in Lubbock for scholarships. The funds are designated for students working toward a career in ministry or related fields. Students may receive up to $2,500 per year, must demonstrate financial need and must maintain a 2.5 grade point average. For more information on the Betenbough Christian Ministry Scholarship, call (806) 785-9285.

ETBU commencement scheduled. East Texas Baptist University will conduct two spring commencement graduation ceremonies May 8. The 10:30 a.m. ceremony includes graduates of the schools of education, music and fine arts, and natural and social sciences. The 1:30 p.m. ceremony will include graduates of the schools of business, Christian studies, humanities and professional studies. Associate of arts degrees will be awarded during the morning ceremony. Vice President for Spiritual Development Wallace Watkins will bring the commencement address. For information, contact the office of academic affairs at (903) 923-2040.

Decatur Baptist College alumni meet. Nearly 200 alumni of Decatur Baptist College, now Dallas Baptist University, gathered for a reunion recently in Decatur. Bob Evans, professor emeritus of Bible at Oklahoma Baptist University, was named distinguished Decatur alumnus of the year. Wayne Allen, retired pastor of First Baptist Church in Carrollton, was named honorary Decatur alumnus. Allen, a former chairman of the DBU board of trustees, now serves the university as liaison with Dallas Baptist Association and teaches part-time in the Mary C. Crowley College of Christian Faith.

ETBU holds writers conference. The East Texas Baptist University School of Humanities will hold its annual East Texas Christian Writers Conference June 5. Seminar topics range from playwriting and writing children's materials to marketing articles and books. Cost for the conference is $50, with a $10 discount for high school and college students. Registration deadline is May 24. To register, visit www.etbu.edu or call (903) 923-2269.

HBU marketing wins award. The Houston Baptist University marketing department received an award of distinction from the Communicator Awards 2004 Print Media competition for its external magazine, HBU News. The Communicator Awards is an international competition that recognizes outstanding work in the communication field.

UMHB receives grant. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor recently received a $50,000 grant from the Grogan Lord Foundation for the Ida Myrtle Roberts Manning Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship. The scholarship now has a total endowment of more than $700,000. Sharon Lord Caskey of Georgetown established the scholarship in 1996 in memory of her grandmother, who attended Baylor College for Women in 1905.

Hardin-Simmons commencement set. Retiring Abilene Mayor Grady Barr and Mike Waters, president and chief executive officer for Hendrick Health System, will speak at Hardin-Simmons University's commencement exercises May 8. A record 287 students are slated to graduate. Jesse Fletcher, president emeritus of HSU who served as president of the university from 1977 to 1991, will receive an honorary doctorate.

ETBU professor named among young scholars. Allen Redmon, assistant professor of English at East Texas Baptist University, has been accepted into the Young Scholars in the Baptist Academy. Redmon will attend the Young Scholars seminar in June at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky. The seminar brings together 15 Baptist junior faculty members from across the United States.

Two Baylor professors honored. Two Baylor University religion professors–William Brackney and Dan McGee–have won awards for their scholarship on Baptist heritage. Brackney has been named the 2004 recipient of the Norman W. Cox Award, presented by the Baptist History and Heritage Society. McGee received the Richard Furman Baptist Heritage Award from Furman University. First given in 2000, the award recognizes a Furman graduate who reflects Baptist ideals by "thinking critically, living compassionately and making life-changing commitments."

Senior Saints Summit set. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor's annual Senior Saints Summit will be May 17-20. Lester Collins, pastor emeritus of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, is the featured speaker. Carol Holcomb, assistant professor in the UMHB School of Christian Studies, will teach the Bible study. The university provides on-campus housing accommodations for out-of-town participants. The cost is $110 per person or $200 per married couple. Cost for commuter participants is $75, which includes meals. For more information, contact Teresa Crothers at (254) 295-4620.

ETBU Student Foundation awards scholarships. The East Texas Baptist University Student Foundation awarded 10 students $500 scholarships during its recent Tiger Awards ceremony. Scholarship recipients are Emily Antido of Elm Grove, La.; Holly Haynes Barron and Michael Barron of Marshall; Courtney Michelle Crain of Shreveport, La.; Stephen James of Mount Enterprise; Karina Minyarova Parr, international student from Russia; Carlos Ruiz, international student from Mexico; Catherine Annette Smith of Willis; Lacey Voorhees of Laramie, Wyo.; and Debra Michelle West of Aquilla. The ETBU Student Foundation is comprised of student leaders who help raise scholarship funds for juniors and seniors, recruit new students for the university and sponsor student activities.

BUA names dean of student services. Marconi Monteiro, director of the international faculty and professional development program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston since 1999, has been named dean of student services at the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio, effective June 7. Monteiro has a doctor of education degree in educational psychology and two master's degrees from Baylor University, and he earned two bachelor's degrees from universities in Brazil. He has held faculty positions at the University of Texas Medical School, Duke University Medical Center and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

DBU dedicates British archival collection. Dallas Baptist University recently dedicated the Lord Bernard Braine of Wheatley Room and Archives on the university campus. Jill Reeves, executor of Braine's estate, presented his papers and other memorabilia to DBU, including handwritten speeches, press clippings, letters and photographs detailing more than 40 years in Parliament. Braine served as a guest lecturer at DBU in 1988. In 1992, the university named him to its board of visitors, where he served as honorary chairperson. The following year, DBU presented him an honorary doctor of humanities degree.

Hardin-Simmons names new dean. Forrest McMillan is the new dean of students at Hardin-Simmons University. McMillan joined the university staff in 1997 as a residence hall director. He has worked in enrollment services, been a grant coordinator for financial aid and has been director of recruiting since August 2002.

HBU education majors top list. The education department at Houston Baptist University recently had a 100 percent passing rate on the Texas Examination of Education Standards test. The achievement netted the department a tier one ranking among all colleges and universities in Texas under the Higher Education Act (No Child Left Behind).

ETBU plans senior adult conference. More than 1,000 senior adults are expected to attend the 15th annual senior adult conference at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, May 31 to June 3. Humorist Bill Thorn of San Angelo is featured speaker, and Bob Utley, former ETBU religion professor, will lead the Bible study. The conference includes special-interest seminars and appearances by guest choirs. For more information, call (903) 923-2069.

Baylor business school receives grant. The Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University was awarded a $48,250 grant by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, matching funds already committed by Baylor to strengthen its entrepreneurship program and expand it beyond the business school. The funds will enable Baylor to offer a new master of business administration program designed specifically for members of the invitation-only Young Entrepreneurs' Organization. The money also will allow Baylor to introduce a life sciences specialization into its master of business administration program, offer seminars to help scientists understand the entrepreneurial process for commercializing emerging technologies and create a two-hour elective for Baylor law students related to entrepreneurial issues.

Posted: 5/03/04

TOGETHER:
Lottery slots are a bad bet for Texas

If you have played video games, you know their almost-hypnotic appeal. The gambling industry exploits that by pushing video lottery terminals–VLT slots. They have been called the “crack cocaine” of gambling. Psychologists say video gambling accelerates addictive behavior through speed, nonstop playing, the perception that skill is involved and the game's hypnotizing effect.

Why is this important? The Texas Legislature, with the strong support of the governor, is looking at putting VLT slots in Texas racetracks. This also opens the door to casinos.

Under the guise of “helping the children,” the gambling industry is pouring millions of dollars into campaign contributions to get another leverage point by which they can make extravagant profits off Texans. Gambling profits wind up more in the pockets of international firms in Malaysia, South Africa and Nevada than in Texas.

The state's revenues from gambling come at the cost of what otherwise could have been spent on consumer items, saved or invested for a better and more secure future, or used to pay off debt.

The cost is sad and painful. If you have lived with a problem gambler, you know the family's desperation. Gambling produces personal poverty. Plus, states lose $3 in bankruptcies, crimes and corruption for every $1 in revenue received.

A reporter asked me: “Since people are going to gamble, what difference does it make if we have VLT slots in Texas?” First, the closer access one has to gambling the more gambling will thrive and affect more people. Second, when people can tell themselves gambling helps schools, they can lie to themselves. Third, many people will gamble if it is legal but won't if it is illegal. Fourth, the state will have a vested interest in promoting gambling once tax revenues are attached. See for example the pitiful commercial appeals to Texas citizens to keep on playing the lottery, since without encouragement, many Texans think the lottery isn't a good “bet.”

Another person asked me: “Why does this bother you? Most church members won't gamble. Why not let gamblers relieve the tax burden on your people?” Some of our people will be tempted and succumb to the lure of gambling. Others will be hurt because of family members who gamble. Employers and businesses will be hurt by theft because gambling losses will push people to do things they would never have thought they would do.

Worse, no Christian should ever seek to escape responsibility by encouraging others' weaknesses. A Christian must never encourage behavior that hurts someone God loves. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves is to build up and not tear down.

What can be done? You and your friends have great influence. Everybody understands voters are crucial to an elected official. You need to help solidify in the heart and mind of your legislator what she or he already knows is right to do.

But good intentions are not enough. You need to call or write your legislator and the governor today. This special session will not go long, hopefully. The sooner the discussion related to VLT slots puts increased gambling out of reach, the sooner they can find the best answers to this process.

There are better solutions for our schools. Anything so important to our future as public education needs to be funded in a stable, fair and equitable manner that respects our citizens and does not build our future on the backs of those who suffer most from gambling's destructive influence.

We are loved.

Posted: 5/03/04

Fine arts majors more spiritual than science
or business majors, UCLA survey indicates

By Kevin Eckstrom

Religion News Service

LOS ANGELES (RNS)–Are biology majors a bunch of godless evolutionists and business students cold-hearted capitalists? Are art and music students the ones truly in touch with their spiritual sides?

Maybe so, according to new findings from the first-ever survey of the religious habits of American college students, conducted by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles.

The national survey of 3,680 students by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute found religious commitment runs strongest among fine arts, education and humanities majors, and lowest among biology, history and sociology majors.

“Naturally, scientists are focused on the exterior world of objects and things, whereas the humanities and people in the fine arts are more focused on the interior,” said Alexander Astin, co-director of the study.

Astin defined “spiritual commitment” through a series of questions that measured personal value of religion, attendance at worship services, belief in a higher power and applying religious values to everyday life.

Sixty-two percent of fine arts majors rated high on “spiritual commitment,” compared to 52 percent of journalism majors, 44 percent of business majors, 43 percent of biology majors, 41 percent of political science majors and 37 percent of sociology majors.

In addition, the study found arts and humanities majors were twice as likely to exhibit signs of “spiritual distress”–questioning beliefs, struggling to understand evil, wrestling with religious upbringing–as business or computer science students.

Still, Astin said it is premature to label all scientists or computer whizzes as spiritually hollow. Most of these academic disciplines simply don't prompt or promote spiritual reflection, he said.

But for biology students who are training to be doctors, and business majors entering the work force in the shadow of Enron and Martha Stewart, colleges would do well to help students hone their internal spiritual and moral compasses, he said.

“I would say that's something desperately needed in modern medicine,” he said. “It's the ability of the physician to empathize with the patients' interior situation and not just treat them like a piece of meat.”

The newest findings, part of an ongoing survey of students at 46 U.S. campuses, support Astin's early data that show campuses do a poor job of fostering spiritual development. Last November, Astin said nearly two-thirds of students said their professors do not encourage discussions of spiritual matters, and 53 percent of students said time in the classroom had no impact on their spiritual development.

What's more, only 29 percent of college juniors attend religious services, compared to 52 percent of incoming freshmen.

Among Astin's other findings:

Students who party frequently are more likely to stop attending religious services, and “spiritually committed” students generally earn higher grades.

Students who score high on measures of spiritual commitment generally are healthier, happier and more involved in community service.

Education students (46 percent) showed the highest levels of “spiritual growth,” followed by one-third of journalism majors, one-quarter of political science majors and one-fifth of physical science majors.

One striking finding, however, showed that students engaged in a “spiritual quest” to find meaning in their lives also show higher levels of “psychological distress,” evidenced by stress or anxiety. Majors who tend to be more spiritually engaged–the humanities and fine arts–displayed the highest levels of physical distress, while education, business and computer science majors ranked near the bottom.

“Part of questing is not having answers. It's not necessarily a bad thing,” Astin said. “Psychological distress can be a positive thing if it leads people to solve some of their problems.”

How spiritual commitment varies
among different college majors

High levels of religious commitment

62 percent–fine arts majors

59 percent–education

57 percent–humanities

53 percent–health professional

52 percent–journalism

51 percent–psychology

44 percent–business

43 percent–physical science

43 percent–computer science

43 percent–biological science

41 percent–history or political science

37 percent–sociology

Experienced high levels of religious/spiritual growth during the first three years of college

46 percent–education majors

40 percent–fine arts

37 percent–humanities

36 percent–business

35 percent–journalism

34 percent–health professional

33 percent–psychology

28 percent–sociology

28 percent–biological science

25 percent–history or political science

22 percent–computer science

19 percent–physical science

Engaged in a “spiritual quest”

43 percent–fine arts majors

42 percent–humanities

38 percent–psychology

37 percent–journalism

33 percent–history or political science

31 percent–biological science

30 percent–sociology

29 percent–education

26 percent–health professional

24 percent–business

23 percent–computer science

19 percent–physical science

Express high levels of “spiritual distress”

31 percent–humanities majors

27 percent–fine arts

25 percent–history or political science

24 percent–sociology

24 percent–journalism

24 percent–psychology

22 percent–biological science

21 percent–physical science

18 percent–health professional

17 percent-education

15 percent–business

10 percent–computer science

Source: Higher Education Research Institute/University of California-Los Angeles.