Posted: 8/19/05

Posted: 8/19/05

Christian rock bridges
secular and sacred music worlds

By Beau Black

Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS)–A rock 'n' roll revival? Better believe it. Soaring sales mean Christian rock is elbowing its way onto the forefront of the Christian music industry.

The rest of the music world also is paying attention, as big labels in New York and Los Angeles come calling on now-unheard-of acts they hope will become tomorrow's P.O.D. or Switch-foot.

Christian hard rock bands Skillet, Pillar, Day Of Fire and Disciple; pop rockers The Afters; innovative rock/electronica act MuteMath, and their current tour mate Mat Kearney, a singer/songwriter/rapper; all have scored mainstream deals.

They're not alone.

Screamo band Underoath has racked up 200,000 sales on word-of-mouth and touring. DJ Andy Hunter hasn't been ringing the record store register, but his aggressive electronica tracks have appeared in dozens of movies, TV shows and commercials. His newest release hit iTunes' top 10 electronica albums.

Improved musical chops, impressive fan bases cultivated by constant touring and artists who don't trash hotel rooms are all part of the draw, say label execs like Capitol Records' Jaime Feldman. He snatched up Relient K's new record, Mmhmm, after their previous disc sold 400,000 on a small Christian label. Mmhmm has equaled that already, and now both records have gone gold.

“They recognize that when a band plays several hundred shows a year and has a base of 100,000 to 200,000 units, they have a number of things already working for them,” said Zach Kelm, Skillet's manager. “If they sign a brand new band, they don't have any of that, and you have to get a huge hit” to succeed.

While pop artists Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith and R&B siblings BeBe and CeCe Winans led the crossover charge in the late '80s, much of the success Christian rock acts are tasting today is because of a couple of groundbreaking bands.

“Switchfoot dramatically changed the landscape,” noted Brad O'Donnell, a vice president for EMI Christian Label Group, the band's Christian label home for seven years. “They weren't the only one: Jars (of Clay) knocked on the door. P.O.D. knocked it part way open. Switchfoot knocked it down. They changed what we think is possible for a Christian rock band.”

RelientK

Their success–a double platinum record, which means 2 million copies sold, and two monster radio hits–is notable in part because of their record's lyrical approach. Rather than preaching or dodging faith issues, songwriter Jon Foreman lobs questions at the listener: “This is your life/Are you who you want to be?”

For Christian artists, the answer increasingly means having a foot in both secular and sacred worlds–typically without changing their message.

Both O'Donnell and Kelm say eight of 10 acts they talk to now want to be signed in both markets.

“It's not that they don't want to be in the Christian market,” Kelm said. “They just want to look beyond that.” In addition to Skillet, he's working with two new bands that each will debut in both markets.

Steve Ford of S/R/E Recordings, home to the group Disciple, said: “More and more artists want to follow that Switchfoot model. There's an amazing band in Dallas (called) Radiant. I call up their management and ask, 'How can I be involved?' He says, 'Get us a general market deal.'”

Because of the current climate, Ford says he can call up someone at “upstream” record label Epic, and they'll listen, in this case sending a rep to hear a gig at Austin's South-by-Southwest music festival. “More bands are going, 'OK, the Christian market, that's great, but tell me about general market.' That excites me.”

Pop-oriented Christian labels have had to rethink relegating rock music to a niche.

Radio analyst Rick Welke explains the target audience for the two largest Christian radio formats–Adult Contempory and Christian Hit Radio–grew up on rock. “Now they're 20, 30 and even 40-plus years old, and it is part of who they are.”

O'Donnell's company is responding with an imprint, Credential, dedicated to breaking what he describes as a new breed of artist. Industry giant EMI's track record is dotted with big hit bands such as Newsboys and Delirious, as well as bands that quickly disappeared.

“With Credential, we're trying to respond to what's happening in the marketplace. There's a new generation of rock acts that needs a different kind of marketing.”

They are defined by their touring schedule, he explained.

“There used to be more of a distinction between a band that plays clubs, or plays youth groups. Now, they may play a club Friday night, a youth group Saturday night and a worship service Sunday. Now the lines are a lot more blurry. We need a new label that can accommodate that.”

Credential's first two acts, hard band Dizmas and the more reflective Edison Glass, are releasing this summer. O'Donnell's working with another new act, needtobreathe, jointly with Lava/Atlantic. All three are working with mainstream producers.

“They're interested in taking our stuff into their marketplace,” Ford said. “Avalon and Point of Grace have such a distinctly Christian sound–that big vocal sound–if you take that to (a mainstream label), they go, 'What is this?' You can't even find a band like that out there. It takes wisdom. Just because it sells over here doesn't mean it's viable in the general market.”

Too-direct lyrics aren't necessarily the issue, O'Donnell insisted.

“I'll be honest; sometimes we over-think the lyrical question,” he said. “Sometimes if the music were stronger, it could go more places. Sometimes what we perceive as a bias against Christian music is just that the music's not as good.”

It's possible to succeed without jettisoning faith-oriented lyrics. Skillet scored an active rock hit with the not-so-subtly titled Savior, and pop band MercyMe has marched up the AC chart three times with blatantly faith-based songs.

Skillet got their shot through a long-standing connection with producer Paul Ebersold who helmed demos they shopped to the mainstream. Kelm recalls: “He said, 'I've got a 14-year-old kid, and I'm sick of working on things that mean nothing. So, I'll invest my time with this.'”

Posted: 8/19/05

DOWN HOME:
How can you top 7,950 lovely days?

7,950.

That's how many days and nights Joanna and I lived with at least one of our daughters under our roof–from the time Lindsay entered this world almost 22 years ago until Molly went off to college last week.

Letting go hurts. If you join me here often, you know me well enough to realize I've dreaded our “empty nest” for ages. I'd wake up at night, start thinking about it, and stare at the ceiling for hours. But I never fully experienced that icepick-through-the-heart feeling until it finally happened.

Molly lived at home with us for 6,851 days. Then we packed up her clothes and new laptop computer, some favorite books and pictures, new bedding and towels and washcloths, and the old TV from up in the loft. We crammed all of it into her car and our family sedan.

I really don't know how we did it, but Jo and I also managed to fit our heavy hearts into one of those boxes with Molly's “stuff.” And we unpacked them in a tiny dorm room on the campus of Baylor University in Waco.

The departure of a youngest child signals double jeopardy for parents. Not only do you lose daily contact with this special person who is an integral part of your life, but you can't deny the fact you're moving into a new phase of that life, which has revolved around blessings of togetherness for years.

Friends tell me the “empty nest” has much to offer: More freedom to come and go. Less day-to-day responsibility. Fewer hairballs in the upstairs bathroom sink. The chance to watch what you want on TV.

But I figured out that was baloney two weeks ago, as I imagined what Molly's bedroom would look like after she left and we cleaned it up and we could see her floor for the first time in at least a decade. Although her messy room has bugged me for years, I heard myself respond to this vision of tidiness, “That's just not right.”

I don't love the mess in Molly's room, but I sure do love the girl who messed it up. What a delight she's been: Making us laugh at dinner almost every night. Forcing us to think about things we've taken for granted by asking pointed questions and not settling for easy answers. Talking about wonderful books. Hugging us and showering us with kisses. Convincing us–even me–that chick flicks and pop music are great if you share them with someone whose presence you cherish more than your next breath.

Raising our girls has been such a thrill that Molly's departure threw me into new territory. For the first time, I'm not chomping at the bit to enter the next phase of life. Starting school. Going off to college. Getting married. Having children. Taking a new job. Each time, I felt the best was yet to be. But now, I can't imagine how not having children in our home will be an improvement.

Of course, Jo and I will adjust in time, just as we did when Lindsay left for Hardin-Simmons University three years ago. Watching children blossom into young adults is an indescribable joy.

But I'll always thank God for 7,950 days of splendor with our girls.

Posted: 8/19/05

EDITORIAL:
Battle against hunger picks up allies

Maybe it's too early to declare a trend. But this summer, I attended four major religious gatherings (three Baptist, one evangelically ecumenical) and heard the same message over and over: Christians can lead the world in making poverty history and eliminating hunger.

On the eve of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, urged Baptist journalists to seek global debt relief. Specifically, he requested support for the ONE Campaign, which asks the U.S. government to allocate an additional 1 percent of its budget (up from less than 1 percent) to provide basic healthcare, education, clean water and food to “transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation of the poorest countries.” It urges the world's wealthiest countries to forgive the debt of the poorest nations. Beckmann also asked Baptists to call on Congress to pass the Hunger-Free Communities Act of 2005. Its goal is to end hunger in the United States by 2015.

A week later, at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly, Coordinator Daniel Vestal repeated his charge that Baptists ought to be at the forefront of meeting the physical needs of the very people Jesus called “the least of these.” They're the 1 billion people who live on less than $1 per day, including 800 million who teeter on the brink of starvation in what demographers call “deep hunger.”

A few weeks after that, during the Baptist World Alliance's centenary congress, speaker after speaker called on Baptists to help eliminate hunger around the globe. New BWA President David Coffey of England insisted justice, poverty and hunger ought to be a priority for Baptists around the globe. He noted poverty and hunger are personal issues for Baptists, since many of our sisters and brothers in Third World nations are among the planet's poorest people. In his inimitable style that mixes Bible, sarcasm and optimism, professor/author Tony Campolo said God will judge rich Christians who clamor for more while others die for want of enough. British Baptist Steve Chalke, whose Oasis Trust operates schools, hospitals and youth hostels for poor people on five continents, testified that no challenge, including hunger and poverty, is too great for God. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who has helped propel Habitat for Humanity to build 200,000 homes for poor people around the globe, echoed the call for individual and church response to poverty.

This month, in a Leadership Summit simulcast attended by 50,000 local-church leaders in about 100 sites across the nation, megachurch pastors Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago and Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Southern California hammered the beat-poverty theme. Warren repeated a message he delivered to the BWA–local churches can battle hunger at home and around the world. Hybels stressed that injustice, extreme poverty, hunger and AIDS ought to generate “holy discontent” among U.S. Christians so that they act out of passion.

Listening to Hybels and Warren call for an end to hunger, a question played through my mind: “What if all their followers take them up on this? We really could make hunger history.” During three decades, Hybels and Warren have built two of the nation's largest churches. Tens of thousands of pastors and other church leaders hang on their every word. When they roll out a plan for church growth, thousands of churches follow it to the letter. So, what if Christians everywhere catch their zeal for eliminating hunger and poverty?

Because hunger and poverty are so huge, churches are tempted to duck. It all seems too big. But let's start with four steps:

Advocate publicly. Join the ONE Campaign at www.one.org. (If you don't agree with advocacy, start with the next step, but don't criticize your sisters and brothers who feel led go begin here.)

Start locally. Calculate how many people your church would help if it were to lift its share of the population out of poverty and hunger. Then figure out how to feed them, help them prepare for and find jobs, and enable them to educate their children so the cycle of poverty stops. You can do this.

Give significantly. Since none of us can touch all the world's hungry, we need to work together and support direct aid. Every penny your church contributes to the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger will fund the cause.

Send a reporter. Raise enough money to send at least one respected member of your church on a mission trip that involves ministry to the poor. Then, give that person plenty of opportunities to tell about the trip. This will propel your church into the battle against hunger and poverty.

Posted: 8/19/05

Texas Baptist Forum

Danger of 'relevance'

Some years ago, Elton Trueblood warned of the cult of contemporaneity. The church can become so obsessed with being relevant that it becomes irrelevant. If the church in its quest to be cool like the culture around it becomes so indistinguishable from the slovenly and often immodest attire, lingo and music, who needs it?

People get that every day in movies, television, popular music and life in general.

Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.

"He's at total peace, which makes me think it's really the right decision. There's no second-guessing; there's no struggling. In fact, he told me, 'Anne, I have perfect peace.'" Anne Graham Lotz Author and speaker, discussing the decision by her father, evangelist Billy Graham, to quit preaching crusades (Associated Press/RNS) "As we continue to try to politicize God, or market God, or say that America is Christian, or that God is with one (political) party, or that God is here and not there, it only further points to the fact that we don't understand how big God is–and how great God is." T.D. Jakes Pastor of the Potter's House in Dallas (USA Today/RNS) "What everyone can do is to see those … we'd rather not see with new eyes, whether they be the homeless, the outcast, the terrorist, those who irritate us, our enemies. And each time we see them, repeat to ourselves that we are seeing a precious child of God." Lauran Bethell American Baptist global consultant and recipient of the Baptist World Alliance's Human Rights Award, who works to aid women trapped in prostitution (American Baptist News Service/RNS)

When the heart seriously hungers for the spiritual, it seeks an otherworld, not just more of this perverted world with a superficial gloss of religion. It seeks for a God of awe and majesty, not some divine youth director “hip” with all the latest moves.

That is the reason so many of our Baptist young people, who don't drop out of church life altogether, turn to the more liturgical denominations when they grow up. We haven't given them much in the way of mature Christianity to model. We separate them from their families at an early age, never to participate in a grownup worship environment. They draw their values from each other in the various youth groups under leadership who themselves are a product of the youth subculture.

No wonder our retention rate and impact on their spiritual lives is so feeble. Thank the Lord for those fine young people who survive despite our quest for relevance, which by the time they are grown up, has become passé.

Richard Berry

Longview

A child's step

I disagree with Roger Olson's conclusion in “When should a child be baptized?” (Aug. 8).

Asking anyone to have “a profound religious awakening with sorrow for sin and repentance” is asking much more than Christ ever intended. Romans 10:9 clearly states, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.”

This is a step that a child can take. Even Jesus himself compared having faith to that of a little child. It isn't up to the adults to question a child's salvation–only to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). God should be allowed to handle the rest.

Kim Gray

Keller

Significant decision

Thank you for publishing Roger Olson's article on children and baptism.

Having worked in children's Sunday school and Vacation Bible School for more than 30 years, this has been a question that has perplexed me. I fear that adults often try to play the part of the Holy Spirit by introducing children to the theology of salvation before they are able to make a responsible decision.

I cannot think of any other decision–college, marriage, career–that we would expect a child to make and hold to for their entire future. Yet in most Baptist churches, the most important decision of a person's life is urged upon children in a corporate setting. In the case of “decision services” during Vacation Bible School and children's night at revivals, the children present often are not even from a home where Christian parents have given them any information about what it means to follow Jesus.

Could it be that our churches would be stronger and more purposefully involved in the kingdom of God if every member came for membership after a spiritual experience initiated by the Holy Spirit instead of by adults who want this “decision” to be settled as soon as possible?

Can't we trust God to work on his timetable?

Nelda Weldon

Hewitt

Church's decision

Roger Olson's column raised excellent questions pertaining to baptism and children. There will be disagreement about what he said. That, in itself, is to be expected, but it was a thoughtful and developed opinion that concerns every Baptist church in America.

Toward the end, he said, “What I suggest is that churches give serious consideration to the matter and back up their pastors.” It is at this point I would take a different view. Baptism is not a matter to be decided by any pastor. Rather, the church should decide what is to be the rule followed, and the pastor should support the adopted stance of the church membership.

One church problem is rooted in the fact churches often have no idea who they are and simply become what the next pastor concludes is their identity. Weighty matters of church polity should never be interpreted by the pastor. The church should know what they believe about worship, the standards that are expected and the basic predetermined deportment of staff members along with the basic expectation of church governance.

Edward Clark

Danville, Ky.

Cultural decline

Many decry the loss of the American culture. The society at large is pagan now. More worrisome than that is the loss of the Christian culture within the church, the visible body of Christ in the world.

I offer three indicators we have lost our culture within the church. Many may find even the mention of these offensive, yet they are present–visibly and very noticeably present–in our congregations:

Women wearing hair styles shorter than men.

Women with tattoos.

Women getting breast-augmentation surgery.

Each of these is found in almost any church in the country, regardless of denomination or conservative/liberal leanings. Each of these indicators reflects undue attention to the world and its dictates. And each demonstrates a desire to follow personal desires before God and modesty.

Mike McNamara

Conroe

Undignified headline

It is unfortunate that the headline “Will Bush supporters receive payoff?” was used for the July 25 editorial. It seems after two elections, in which he was elected president and in which the majority of both houses of Congress have somewhat the same bent were elected, that something other than “payoff” should be used.

I believe as a long-time Republican, more than 50 years, when my party has the White House and Congress elected by a majority of voters it is something other than “payoff.” I doubt most voters went to the polls in the past several elections with a first priority of the appointment of a Supreme Court justice in mind.

It seems to me what the editor did was prejudge a person, who by all accounts is a proven lawyer and a proven judge, yet the editor has determined how that person is going to rule in a certain way on a yet unpresented case before the court. How unfortunate that such a judgment was made and stated under such an undignified headline.

H. Harold Brown

Port Neches

Positive articles

I just want to express my appreciation for the Baptist Standard. A few months ago, I wrote and was critical of the many articles that related to the Southern Baptist Convention controversy.

I am happy to say it is great to read positive articles about what is going on in Texas with so many churches and individuals. Thanks for the articles that you write. I do enjoy them.

I am proud to be a Southern Baptist and Texas Baptist Christian. Keep up the good work.

Lucy Thomas

Shepherd

History lesson

In 2000, moderate Baptists criticized the Southern Baptist Convention for deleting from the Baptist Faith & Message a reference to Jesus Christ as the criterion for interpreting the Bible. In 2005, fundamentalist Baptists are criticizing the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for deleting the Christ's name from its revised purpose statement.

Perhaps a little history can help. The first English Baptist confession of faith, published in 1611, included 27 articles. Of those articles, one mentioned the “Word” (referring to Christ's role in the Trinity). Three mentioned “Jesus Christ.” Eleven mentioned “Christ” or “Christ's.” Thus, 55 percent of the articles referred to such theological convictions as Christ's role in creation, salvation, justification, incarnation, the church, the Bible, the Lord's Supper, worship and judgment. Article 9 designated Christ as Mediator, King, Priest, Prophet and Law-giver.

The earliest Baptists made certain that they and the world knew that Christ was their Lord. They did not use the name Christ as some magic wand to wave about. Instead, they viewed Christ as the key to every phase of their existence and identity. Christ called the earliest Baptists to freedom, cooperation and accountability, and they accepted the call. For them, Christ's name was important.

Charles W. Deweese, executive director

Baptist History & Heritage Society

Brentwood, Tenn.

What do you think? Send letters to Editor Marv Knox by mail: P.O. Box 660267, Dallas 75266-0267; or by e-mail: marvknox@baptiststandard.com. Letters are limited to 250 words and may be edited to accommodate space.

Posted: 8/19/05

Musicians on mission in South Texas

By David Wilkinson

Special to the Baptist Standard

HARLINGEN–Musical talent and a heart for missions were on display as high school students from churches across the state gathered in South Texas for the 2005 Texas Baptist All-State Music & Missions event.

During a hectic and intensely hot week this summer, 89 students participated in daily rehearsals led by faculty members of two Texas Baptist colleges and hands-on ministries coordinated by the Valley Baptist Missions Education Center and Buckner Border Ministries.

The teenagers, who successfully auditioned for the choir or band, came from 43 Baptist congregations. The annual event was created as a ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas to provide “motivating, inspirational and life-changing experiences” for students from Texas Baptist churches, organizers explained.

In daily visits to four Boys and Girls Clubs in Harlingen, the young people used music, group activities, conversation and laughter to touch the lives of children in the community. Over the weekend, the choir, band and handbell ensemble performed two concerts and led a Sunday worship service.

“The opportunity to work with outstanding young musicians who are also committed believers is priceless,” said Tim Studstill, director of the BGCT's Center for Music & Worship, which sponsors the event.

Shane Boswell from First Baptist Church in Paris praised the Harlingen missions project as the best of his three all-state experiences.

“Mexico (last year) was awesome, but something about this year was different,” he said. “I really enjoyed our work at the Boys and Girls Clubs and seeing how we can affect lives by just showing a little bit of love.”

“Despite the hot weather, I would say the week was perfect,” added Ashley Green from Acton Baptist Church near Granbury. “I was so blessed to spend a week with other Christian kids and to grow closer to Christ through beautiful music.”

For Zachary Mosby from Hampton Road Baptist Church in DeSoto, “The greatest thing about the trip is the way it brings together students with the same heart for God and allows them to see God at work in their individual lives.” Mosby returned home with a new sense of excitement about “what God has in store for my life,” he said.

Choral director for the week was Monte Garrett of Howard Payne University. Band director and assistant director, respectively, were Tom Webster and Brent Farmer of East Texas Baptist University. Handbell director was Jerald Garner of Southmont Baptist Church in Denton. Accompanist was Gena Corley of Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church in Dallas.

Next summer, Texas Baptist All-State will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a week on the campus of Dallas Baptist University that will conclude with a joint concert performed by the 2006 all-state participants and alumni from previous years. The July 15 concert will be hosted by First Baptist Church in Grapevine.

For more information about Texas Baptist All-State Music & Missions, contact Debbie Smith at the BGCT Center for Music and Worship at (214) 828-5237 or debbie.smith@bgct.org.

Posted: 8/19/05

Irving church becomes
missions learning lab for students

By Leann Callaway

Special to the Baptist Standard

IRVING–The missions program of Oak View Baptist Church became a learning lab for eight student missionaries this summer.

Six of the workers served a week at the Irving church before departing for other assignments through the Baptist General Convention of Texas Center for Collegiate Ministry. Two students–Caroline Nel-son from Baylor University and Jessica Neuwirth from Hous-ton Baptist University–spent all summer at Oak View.

Student missionary Caroline Nelson poses with a young girl.

“I've always loved stepping out of my comfort zone and serving the Lord in different places, wherever he calls me,” Nelson said.

At Oak View, the students served in the Jerusalem Project, an outreach through which the church has established nine missions in surrounding neighborhoods. The program was founded by Jim Gerlach, Oak View's pastor, and is overseen by Oak View's minister of missions, Sergio Matassa.

Spending even a week with the church's far-reaching missions work made a difference in the students' lives, they reported. And for some, it provided additional preparation for a life in ministry.

The larger group of student missionaries led Kid's Clubs at three of Oak View's missions, and 21 children made professions of faith in Jesus Christ.

“We saw the Holy Spirit work according to his timetable, instead of our agenda,” said John Williamson from Texas A&M University. “At one of the apartment complexes, the kids were rough, and the gangs have had a big influence on many young lives. They could even be uncontrollable at times.”

Children at Oak View's missions show how much they enjoy the activities.

The games, songs and other activities students led at two other apartment complexes made no impact on the young people at that complex, so the student mission volunteers changed their approach.

“We ended up meeting the kids where they were and doing things like dancing around to Christian rap music, playing football and finding ways we could relate with them,” Williamson said.

“As a result of laying down our own agenda and actually showing a genuine interest, three guys that we thought were impossible to reach accepted Christ. It was amazing to see the Holy Spirit take control.”

As the rest of this group headed to the Northwest, Nelson and Neuwirth continued helping Oak View make an impact on the community.

“I knew that God was calling me to serve him this summer and to focus on others and not on myself,” Neuwirth said. “Being used to do God's work and showing love to these kids is incredible. I've never been a part of anything like this before. This experience at Oak View has been so amazing. The prayers and the blessings that have come from this church and the people who have encouraged us have meant so much. I'll never forget this experience. It has blessed my life so much.”

Student missionary Richard Benavidez dressed up as a "Ninja Turle" to capture the Children's attention.

Posted: 8/19/05

Baylor professor a delegate
to ONE Campaign summit

By Carla Wynn

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

WACO–A passion commitment to end poverty in Africa and a newspaper editorial describing the continent's needs landed Baylor Uni-versity professor Jon Singletary in Edin-burgh, Scotland, when the world's eight wealthiest nations gathered in nearby Gleneagles for this summer's G-8 Summit.

Singletary, an assistant professor of social work, was one of more than 100 ONE Campaign delegates in an international mobilization effort encouraging G-8 leaders to prioritize ending poverty in Africa.

“We were there to encourage the (U.S.) President and other leaders to continue building their support to make poverty history throughout Africa and in other developing nations,” Singletary said.

The ONE Campaign–a movement to rally Americans around crucial issues of global hunger, poverty and AIDS–and Bread for the World selected Singletary in part because of his past involvement in advocacy for Africa and his activism potential.

After Singletary wrote an editorial called “Keeping our promise to Africa” that appeared June 24 in the Waco Tribune-Herald, he was asked to serve as a delegate.

A week later, Singletary was on a plane to Philadelphia for the internationally broadcast Live 8 concert. He and other delegates then traveled to Scotland, where they met with aides to President Bush, participated in training events, and exchanged ideas for raising awareness and community support about global needs. Summit leaders made a five-year, $25 billion aid commitment to Africa, in addition to canceling debts of some poorer countries and making AIDS drugs more available to Third-World countries.

Singletary, director of Baylor's Center for Family and Community Ministries, has a particular interest in Africa, which grew during his pastorate of a Mennonite church that took several trips there.

“Out of that, I developed a passion for Africa and the needs there,” he said.

Earlier this summer, Singletary participated in Baylor's university-wide trip to Kenya, where he led his social work students. His passion for Africa intersected with the G-8 Summit's priority on addressing needs on the continent. “It made it all the more important and relevant to me,” he said.

Posted: 8/19/05

On the Move

William Campbell to First Church in Port Aransas as pastor.

Charles Collett to First Church in Kopperl as interim pastor.

Ron Cook has completed an interim pastorate at First Church in Mart.

Gary Davis to First Church in Atlanta as church administrator.

Jeremy Green to First Church in Bellmead as pastor.

Tim Guthrie to First Church in Lucas as pastor.

Michael Howard to Cowboy Church in Ennis as pastor.

Todd Mabie to Danieldale Church in Dallas as pastor.

Eric Mathis has resigned as minister of music at First Church in Valley Mills.

Todd McGrew to First Church in Linden as minister of youth.

Reagan Miller to First Church in Granbury as associate pastor of education.

O.D. Oliver, retired pastor from Gilmer, to Boca Church in Balboa, Panama, as interim pastor.

Franklin Orr to Center Grove Church in Linden as interim pastor.

Jim Reimers to Hilltop Church in Fort Worth as pastor.

Paul Stripling has completed an interim pastorate at First Church in Bellmead.

James Teafatiller to Nevada Church in Nevada as pastor.

Aaron Young to First Church in Mart as pastor from First Church in Van Vleck.

Posted: 8/19/05

Richardson woman clarifies
missions calling in Sri Lanka

By Craig Bird

Baptist Child & Family Services

When Glenda Boyer, a member of First Baptist Church in Richardson, was in junior high, she felt called by God to Christian service. She responded in a public commitment but fearfully asked her pastor, “Does this mean I have to be a missionary?”

Assured that there were other vocational choices for someone wanting to share her faith as she worked, she dedicated herself to becoming first a teacher and then a counselor.

“I would stop and ask myself every once in awhile, 'Is this it?' And while it often came very close–especially when I counsel with hospitalized children–I always wondered if there was more,” she said.

This summer, as part of a Baptist Child & Family Services mental health team that worked in Sri Lanka, she found the answer.

“Every single thing I've done in my 53 years has contributed to me being right here, right now,” she said as she took a tea break with a class of trainees that included Buddhist housewives, evangelical pastors' wives, Catholic nuns and college students.

“We could not have hand-picked better students. They are insightful and open. No one is worried because I'm here because of my Christian faith.”

Boyer, a counselor in the Allen Independent School District, and her close friend and fellow Texas Woman's University graduate student Sandra Silva, taught their group how to use play therapy to help children deal with traumatic incidents.

“If they don't deal with the emotions, the trauma can even be perpetuated into the next generation because of what kind of parents they will be,” Boyer explained.

She especially was touched when a young man, whose father died in the tsunami, confided the sessions had helped him deal with his own grief and anger as well as prepare him to help others.

The two Texas women brought five “play therapy kits.” They each filled oversized duffle bags for continued use in Sri Lankan classrooms. “Each of the trainees is anxious to use them. They all told us of specific children they knew would be helped.

“There was a world's gap between what I knew about a child's emotions and what I learned from you,” said Felice, whose husband is pastor of an evangelical church near Colombo. “This is going to make a difference in my life and in the lives of the children at the free school I started for tsunami victims in my home.”

Posted: 8/19/05

Texas Tidbits

Churches, associations honored. The Baptist General Convention of Texas honored three churches and three associations for their work in starting African-American churches. First South-west Baptist Church in Houston, where Rickie Bradshaw is pastor, received the Antioch Award for starting the most African-American churches in the last two years–14 congregations. Sure Foundation Baptist Church in Dallas started the second-most congregations with nine, and Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas started eight. Dallas Baptist Association, where Gary Hearon is executive director, received the Barnabas Award for the association starting the most African-American churches–37 congregations. Union Baptist Association started 35, and Waco Baptist Association started 13. Glenn Majors, director of BGCT Cooperative Program services, received the first E.B. Brooks Excellence in Service Award for encouraging and connecting new African-American churches with BGCT resources.

Byron Weathersbee

Baylor names interim chaplain. Byron Weathersbee, co-founder and president of Legacy Family Ministries, has been appointed interim university chaplain at Baylor University. Weathersbee, 42, will provide leadership for Baylor's twice-weekly chapel services, and pastoral care to the university community. He also will lead university ministries, directing resident chaplains, discipline-specific mission opportunities and the sports chaplain program, as well as relating to Baptist Student Ministries. Weathers-bee is a graduate of Baylor, and he earned a master's degree in religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of education degree in leadership from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served in staff positions at First Baptist Church in Gatesville, Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple and Columbus Avenue and University Baptist churches in Waco. In 1995, Weathersbee and his wife, Carla, founded Legacy Family Ministries, a nonprofit organization that does relationship development with students, marriage preparation courses for engaged couples and family camp weekends. The Weathersbees have three children–Bo, 18; Brittney, 16; and Casey, 12. They are members of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church.

BGCT revises church profiling efforts. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is revising the way it attains yearly information about churches in an effort to better serve its constituency. The convention is streamlining the traditional LifeWay Annual Church Profile reporting form from 51 categories to 17 to make it easier for congregations to indicate aspects of their respective ministries. BGCT leaders also are making category titles more generalized rather than program-specific to accommodate a wider range of outreaches. The new process will have fewer stewardship categories because some financial data can be based on actual funds given through the BGCT. Church contributions for the Texas Cooperative Program, Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions, Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions and Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions already are known and do not need to be reported through the ACP. The new forms will be capable of being scanned to help associations cut down on the amount of data entry required for each church.

Aging adults seminar focuses on Boomers. "Beckoning the Boomers" is the theme of two aging adult ministry leadership seminars, Sept. 22-23 at the Baptist Building in Dallas and Sept. 29-30 at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston. Deborah Perkins of Virginia Woman's Missionary Union will be the featured speaker at the Dallas seminar. James Ellor and Dennis Myers from the Baylor University School of Social Work, authors of a new workbook for ministries to aging adults, will speak at the Houston seminar. For more information, e-mail jerry.reynolds@bgct.org.

Posted: 8/19/05

TOGETHER:
This could be God's perfect time for us

The Samaritan woman came to the well at noonday. It was a terrible time to have to fetch water but God's perfect time for her. That day, she met a man who gave her Living Water. And she was never the same again.

Jesus Christ Living Water was the theme for the centenary Baptist World Congress in Birmingham, England, where a drama troupe from Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston helped us understand at a deeper level the gift Jesus brings to thirsty souls. The Tallowood Players is a team of 13 high school students, selected from the 90-member youth choir and led by Randy Kilpatrick, the church's associate minister of music and founder of the drama ministry.

Executive Director BGCT Executive Board

Baptists of the world loved them. As a Texan, I was justifiably proud that they represented Texas Baptists, their church, their families and their Savior with such grace and poise. What did it mean to them to be there?

Peyton will attend college this fall out of state and admitted to being fearful about leaving her family and home church. But she said, “Seeing so many people at the BWA who were the only believers within a couple of hundred miles, or who lived in a country where Christians were persecuted, I quickly realized that hundreds of people everyday are in worse conditions than I will be in, and they are simply grateful that they know our amazing God.”

Emily described being at the BWA as eye-opening. “I saw people there representing countries I had always thought of as completely lost. It was amazing to see that the power of Jesus is everywhere. … Jesus is the common thread in every heart that was there.”

You might wonder what else I took away from the week. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in California, presented his vision of harnessing the passion and presence of churches around the world in addressing five critical global challenges–spiritual emptiness, self-centered leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy. He offered a solution based on the power of God's salvation in Jesus Christ, the widespread presence of churches and the willingness of Christians to voluntarily follow their Lord into the hardest places of life. His PEACE plan calls on Christians to partner with and plant churches, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick and educate the next generation.

I reflected on a rising tide of commitment on the part of Christians across America and worldwide to make a Christ-like difference in our world. I believe we are going to see more cooperation, more determination and more passion for working together to address global needs. I believe people will again expect the life-changing power of God to flow from our lives. And once again, people will be drawn to Jesus because of the way his people love one another.

This quote captured my imagination: “We must quit praying for God to bless what we are doing and begin to pray, 'God, help me get in on what you are blessing.'” Warren gave Henry Blackaby credit for that word. Whoever said it first, I want to pass it on to all Texas Baptists because I believe this is God's perfect time for us.

We are loved.

Charles Wade is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.