Chinese Christian leader Wenzao Han dies

Posted: 2/21/06

Chinese Christian leader Wenzao Han dies

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

NANJING, China (ABP) — One of China's most prominent modern-day Christian leaders has died at the age of 83.

Wenzao Han died Feb. 3 in Nanjing. He served from 1996 to 2002 as president of the China Christian Council, and in other capacities with the organization, which is the officially state-sanctioned Protestant denomination in China.

02/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

COMMENTARY: On the death of Han Wenzao (1923-2006)

Posted: 2/21/06

COMMENTARY:
On the death of Han Wenzao (1923-2006)

By Britt Towery

The news of the death of Dr. Han Wenzao in Nanjing caught my wife and me by surprise. Jody put her hand to her mouth, for it was like losing a member of the family. We paused to pray for his wife Zhuo Zhaohua, who was by his side for six decades.

For my wife and I, Han was as fine a Christian leader as we have ever met. The term "Christian statesman" fit Han Wenzao perfectly. We enjoyed the fellowship of the Hans in their home and work with the China Christian Council which he led for many years.

In 1953 when Jody and I felt God's leading us to China as missionaries political realities made it impossible. We took the next best assignment, that of Taiwan, the Republic of China, some 100 miles off the East China coast.

02/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist Forum

Posted: 2/17/06

Texas Baptist Forum

Missing a good friend

I have lost a good friend. Phil Strickland died.

Those words haven’t completely sunk in yet. He fought cancer for so long, and so courageously, I thought he might finally win the fight. Every day he whipped cancer was one more day God blessed us. Every day he fought was one more day the children of Texas had their most effective voice. Every day Phil got up and went to work, when most of us would stay home, was one more day Texas legislators knew there was a voice of reason in the chaos of the culture wars that have engulfed our state. Every day Phil fought to stay with us was one more day defenders of religious liberty had a passionate ally.

Phil Strickland was a paradox. He was as comfortable on the deer lease as he was at a black-tie affair in North Dallas. Phil was serious and incredibly funny. He was a politician and strategist who was intensely spiritual. He had white skin, but his heart belonged to African-Americans and Hispanics. He was judicious in his speech but never failed to be heard on important issues.

02/20/2006 - By John Rutledge

Cybercolumn by Berry Simpson: Landmarks

Posted: 2/20/06

CYBER COLUMN:
Landmarks

By Berry Simpson

The guys and I were sitting around discussing our current book, Soul Salsa, by Leonard Sweet, and we spent some time on this question: What was the best day of your life, and what was the worst day of your life?

Sweet believes disciples should landmark the moments in their lives. It’s important to know when you’re having one of life’s best moments, or worst. And we should landmark both in our memories. Not to simply be stuck in the past, but as an exercise to remind us that it’s the individual moments that make our lives worth living.

02/20/2006 - By John Rutledge

RIGHT OR WRONG? Christians and politics

Posted: 2/17/06

RIGHT OR WRONG? Christians and politics

Question: How can I convey to my congregation the necessary, but appropriate, ways to interface and engage as Christians in the political context?

Answer: I’ve been told that if you want to make friends and influence people, you should never talk about religion or politics. If talking about religion and politics is not a good idea, imagine trying to find appropriate ways to relate the two. However, let me propose my Top 10 Ways for Christians to Engage Political Issues:

10. Remember that Christians are citizens of two kingdoms. Jesus recognized this with his response to a question about paying taxes: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25). Jesus came preaching the reality of God’s kingdom to people expected to declare allegiance to the Roman emperor.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

AROUND THE STATE

Posted: 2/17/06

AROUND THE STATE

• Youth With a Mission will host Take Action, a free youth event, March 4. Take Action will show participants the world of missions through video, drama, music and multimedia presentations. It also will feature workshops, exhibits, speakers and contemporary worship music. The event is free and includes a sack lunch, but a $5 donation is requested to offset costs. It will be held at Twin Oaks Ranch, six miles west of Lindale from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (903) 882-5591.

• Eight vocalists from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will join more than 250 college singers from across the southwestern United States in performing at the American Choir Director’s Convention in St. Louis, Mo., March 10. Making the trip will be Austin Daniel, Amanda Cantu, Megan Bender, Jonathan Owens, Christa Wright, Reagan Cush-man, James Venable and John Cawthon.

• A Senior Saints Summit will be held May 15-18 at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. This year’s theme, “Being the Presence of Christ” will be led by Russell Dilday, preaching; Larry Putman, music; Bill Muske, morning devotionals; and Charlie Robinson, Bible study. Cost is $125 per person or $240 per couple before March 27. Costs increase $10 after that date. Add $20 for single occupancy. Fees include all sessions and nine meals. To register or for information, call (254) 295-4606.

• Dallas Baptist University was the host of the annual Christian Association of Stu-dent Leaders conference. Spon-sored by Texas Baptist universities and the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the conference seeks to encourage fellow student leaders to make a difference on their campuses through workshops, roundtable discussions and general meeting sessions.

Pastor Jerry Raines of Hampton Road Church in DeSoto baptized 100-year-old Zula Campagna Feb. 5. Assisting Raines were Joe Bob and Chris Kindred, Campagna’s grandson and great-grandson.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Buckner adoption

Posted: 2/17/06

Buckner adoption

Adopting a child of another race brings joy along with “a fair share of challenges, acknowledges Adela Jones, clinical director for Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services. “While your love for your child is unconditional, the world we live in demands that you deal with sometimes-difficult issues.”

In response to interest from families who have adopted across color lines, Buckner has launched Shades of Love, a family-oriented support group that will include quarterly group sharing sessions, topical seminars, fun family outings and playtime for the children.

Two founding families will lead Shades of Love, and members will determine the group’s evolution, Jones said. Shades of Love is open to everyone who has adopted a child of color, whether or not the adoption was through Buckner.

Jones asked for input from interested families, “a few families willing to share the responsibility of shepherding the group” and ongoing participation.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Adoptive families find God’s love across racial lines

Posted: 2/17/06

Adoptive families find God’s love across racial lines

By Felicia Fuller

Buckner Benevolences

AUBREY—With her pigtails, purple separates and painted fingernails, 5-year-old Quincy is the quintessential girly girl. She even slurps fruit juice with gentility—pinkie extended, lips lightly pursed around the straw.

She is her mother made-over—apart from one feature. Quincy is black. Her mom, Heather Walden, is white—a bond made possible through adoption.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

BAPTIST BRIEFS

Posted: 2/17/06 BAPTIST BRIEFS Florida church considers Dallas pastor. Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, was slated to preach in view of a call to First Baptist…

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

BOOK REVIEW: Baptists shape church leaders of third millennium, author says

Posted: 2/17/06

BOOK REVIEW: Baptists shape church
leaders of third millennium, author says

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

FORT WORTH—As Christianity’s center of gravity shifts to the Southern Hemisphere, Baptists and likeminded evangelicals stand on the threshold of tremendous opportunity, said retired missions professor Justice Anderson.

Although Catholics have enjoyed established status in Latin America and Pentecostals groups have experienced explosive growth there, Baptists occupy “the golden mean between Roman Catho-licism and Pentecostal extremes,” said Anderson, who served as a missionary-professor 16 years at the International Baptist Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and 26 years as professor of missiology at South-western Baptist Theo-logical Seminary.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Church fire investigations ongoing

Posted: 2/17/06

Church fire investigations ongoing

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

CENTREVILLE, Ala. (ABP)—Federal officials continue their investigation as 10 Baptist churches in rural Alabama burned in two weeks. Authorities speculated the rash of fires could be the work of two arsonists who may be “bosom buddies.”

The most recent blaze claimed the Beaverton Freewill Baptist Church, located near the Mississippi border in the northwestern part of the state. Inspectors said the fire was the work of an arsonist, and they noted witness reports about two white males in a dark-colored SUV at the scene of several of the crimes.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

IMB backs away from trustee removal

Posted: 2/17/06

IMB backs away from trustee removal

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP)—Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board will ask the agency’s trustees to rescind an action that asked for the removal of a trustee.

But the trustee in question, Wade Burleson of Oklahoma, said the controversy that has erupted over the board’s action isn’t over.

02/17/2006 - By John Rutledge