Texas Baptist Forum_72505

Posted: 7/22/05

Texas Baptist Forum

Blessed to pray

I hear Russell Shires' cry in his letter, “Put down pen and pray” (June 27). As Christians, we need to pray more. There is no such thing as too much. There is no such thing as enough.

Here in America, we are so blessed. We have the right to pray, preach, witness, worship, sing, read our Bibles and vote. We have the rights to pursue happiness and to free speech, both written and oral. To neglect one would be a tragedy.

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

"People who voted for (George W. Bush) voted for him to put in conservative judges. We'll have to see what he does. We've been disappointed before by presidents who said they were going to do that … and then appointed judges who voted to uphold Roe vs. Wade and have been liberal on other … issues." Tim Wildmon President of the American Family Association, on conservative evangelicals' expectations of the president's second term (RNS) "We'll see." Pope Benedict XVI Responding to an invitation from San Antonio Archbishop José Gomez to visit the Alamo City (San Antonio Express-News) "The principles in the Bible will work for anyone. … If you give, you will be blessed. I talk about things for everyday life. I don't get deep and theological." Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays Email Address Joel Osteen Pastor of the nondenominational Lakewood Church in Houston (New York Times/RNS) "I'm thirsty for this kind of church. I want to go deep in understanding the Bible." Suhaila Tawfik A worshipper at National Evangelical Baptist Church, one of at least seven new Christian churches in Iraq (The Washington Post/RNS)

Let's encourage all Christians to be all they were set apart to be in every avenue provided by our Creator, Savior and Sustainer.

Ross H. Hardwick

Devine

Money in pockets

Strike government aid for faith-based organizations. Al-Qaida is faith-based.

Baptists could take a lesson from Alcoholics Anonymous' creed of “declining all outside contributions.”

We have plenty of money. Just take it out of tight pockets.

Billy M. Rials

Lampasas

Mode of baptism

The article on Baptist distinctives covering believer's baptism neglected convictions that are important to many “open” Baptists.

There was no mention of Landmarkism and its lasting influence of exclusiveness among many contemporary Baptist congregations toward other evangelicals with differing modes of baptism. Landmarkism strictly validated immersion baptism done in local Baptist churches.

There was no mention of John Bunyan's practice of open membership and communion convictions. Bunyan refused to divide over the issue of mode of baptism; he simply received persons as Christ received them.

There was no mention of the historical church covenant of the fellowship at Chipping Norton (Oxford), where Baptists who preferred baptism by immersion respected the great diversity and convictions held by other believing persons and groups who observed different modes of baptism.

Too often, Baptists are viewed as opposed to ecumenism and arrogantly dogmatic when it comes to the mode of baptism. Too often, the symbolic mode becomes more important than the actual spiritual/salvation washing that the ordinance of baptism reflects.

Baptism by immersion, tragically, has become an idol of ideology for many “hard-shell” Baptists. Baptism by immersion has become a creedal point rather than a new believer's beautiful confirmation of profession of faith.

Too many Baptists are more dogmatic concerning the mode of baptism than they are passionate about the literal truth of being immersed in the Holy Spirit and to total conformity to the image of Christ. It's surprising how many Greek scholars there are among Baptists when it comes to defining the Greek word for baptize!

Weldon Poise

Utopia

New creatures in Christ

After reading the article about Charles Fanning (June 27), God's heart must be heavy with the glorification of swearing and tobacco use.

I am no saint. I have used words I am not proud of, and my spirit quickens with remorse when they come out. In my youth, I did have an occasional cigar. I thought I was cool, as my college roommates and I sat around playing cards with visors, girlfriends and cigars. Even then there was an uneasiness in my spirit.

I have recently moved out of Texas and reflect upon the signage of towns welcoming visitors to their town. Hondo is famous for “Welcome to God's country. Please do not drive through it like hell.” The town I currently live in, Siloam Springs, Ark., has a sign that says: “Welcome to Siloam Springs, where Jesus is Lord. Welcome to God's country.”

If we truly want to know God and have him intimate in our hearts and lives, the sign in Siloam Springs seems to me to be more appropriate than the wink and chuckle at profanity. Let's all become new creatures in Christ as the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts to convict us of our shortcomings.

Stan Lewis

Siloam Springs, Ark.