Posted: 11/24/03

Baseball manager believes he's in Japan for a reason

By Toby Druin

Editor Emeritus

GEORGETOWN–If Trey Hillman were a less honorable man, he might be managing the Texas Rangers in the American League instead of the Hokkaido Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League. But it would have hurt his Christian witness, which he is able to share in unprecedented ways in his new home.

When the Rangers decided to replace Manager Jerry Narron after the 2002 season, owner Tom Hicks and General Manager John Hart met with Hillman about the job. Hillman, an Arlington native and former University of Texas-Arlington standout at shortstop, was coming off a year as director of player development for the Rangers after 12 years as a manager in the New York Yankees organization, the last three at Class AAA Columbus.

Trey Hillman visits with Pastor Jim Haskell at First Baptist Church of Georgetown after a recent service where Hillman gave his testimony.

But although he had not yet signed a contract, Hillman had a verbal agreement with the Nippon Ham Fighters to manage in 2003. He had been given permission by the Rangers to sign with the Japanese team, although he was still to manage the Rangers' instructional league in September 2002.

“It was a gut-wrenching experience but a nice experience to have,” Hillman said Nov. 16 while in Georgetown to give his testimony at First Baptist Church, where he and his family are members. Pastor Jim Haskell interviewed Hillman about his experiences as part of a sermon series on “The Purpose Driven Life.”

“I could honor the agreement with the Japanese or stay here and work with my hometown team, which had always been my dream,” Hillman said. “But it came down to believing in my heart that God wouldn't have allowed the Rangers to permit me to talk with the Japanese had it not been a part of his timing. I believe God has a reason for his timing.”

As it turned out, the Japanese team refused permission for the Rangers to talk to Hillman, even though at the time he was an employee of the Texas team, and the job went to Buck Showalter.

That he honored his agreement with the Japanese team was given extensive coverage in Japan, Hillman said.

Hillman has a two-year contract with the Fighters, who next year move from Tokyo to the northern island of Hokkaido and will play in a domed stadium in Sapporo, site of the 1972 Olympics. The team has approached him about extending his contract, he said, but if he agrees to it, he will have more control over his options. One other American major league team already has approached him about a managerial position, he said.

In the meantime, he said, he will devote his skills to improving the Fighters, who in their 29-year history traditionally have finished last or next to last in Japan's six-team Pacific League. The league plays American League rules with a designated hitter, while the Central League, also made up of six teams, plays National League rules. One other American, Bobby Valentine, also will be managing in Japan next year.

Japanese baseball is the same game as is played in America, Hillman said, but it has some variations. The balk rule is much more stringent, and there is more sacrifice bunting, even in the Pacific League. They play a 140-game schedule, rather than the 162-game schedule played by U.S. teams, but the season is spread out through much the same time period, allowing more days off.

The clubhouses are not as spacious, especially for visiting teams, he said, so visiting teams put on their uniforms in their hotel rooms before going to the ballpark.

“The biggest difference is in the fans,” he said. “They are organized in cheering sections and arrive long before a game and stay for an hour or more after the game is over. The Japanese are extremely fanatical about baseball–'yaku' in Japanese. There is a lot of fighting spirit with the intention of giving oneself up for the good of the team.”

Each team is allowed to have four foreign players, he said. He also took an American hitting coach, Gary Denbo, with him.

Hillman said he is given many opportunities to share his Christian faith.

“I believe God has given me this opportunity,” he told Haskell, “and I am beginning to see that baseball may even be a side thing with being there with my family and sharing my faith as the main thing.”

The dominant religion in Japan is Shintoism, ancestor worship, or a combination of Shintoism and Buddhism, he said. Even that is more a cultural attachment than a serious commitment, he explained.

Shortly before the season opened last spring, Hillman said, he was told that it was a team tradition to visit a Shinto shrine before beginning play. One man suggested that since it hadn't done the Fighers any good for 29 years, it might be a good time to drop the tradition. But the team went to the shrine anyway.

They were accompanied by reporters and photographers, and it became a good opportunity for Hillman to explain his own religious beliefs, he said.

Unlike in the United States where the subject is hurriedly changed when someone starts talking about religion, “the Japanese media are not intimidated by it at all,” he said. “I did more interviews in 10 months in Japan than in my previous 18 years in baseball in the United States. In Japan, it is a non-issue; it doesn't bother them for me to talk about my faith.”

Before one half-hour television interview, he was asked to write his favorite saying on a card and then was asked about it during the interview.

“I wrote down 1 Corinthians 13:13,” he said, “and told them in the interview that it was my favorite because it was from God's word, and I always try to stay focused on it, that I try to listen to God's direction and signs to lead me where he wants me to go. They were very interested.”

His interpreter asked him one day why he didn't use bad language. “I pointed to my Bible and had him read James 3 and said, 'That's why I don't. You have to control your tongue.'”

Hillman said he held chapel services for his team on several Sundays and is working on a witnessing card to give to players next year at spring training.

He and his family already have made the move to Sapporo, he noted, and his wife, Marie, found a Baptist congregation of about 25 for them and their children, T.J. and Brianna, to attend.

“We got to go twice before returning home,” he said. “A couple of the people speak English, and we listen to a translation of the Korean pastor's sermon through an earpiece.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Storylist for week of 10/30/06

• Wellness: Stretch it out!

• Wellness: On the go

• Wellness: Nutrition facts

• Wellness: Dental healtht

• Study finds 'surprising' level of paranormal belief

• New Jersey court leaves gay marriage terminology to legislature



• Valley probe forthcoming

• Fit or fat? Covered-dish dinners take toll on Baptists' health


• Valley probe forthcoming

• Fit or fat? Covered-dish dinners take toll on Baptists' health

• Baylor among most physically fit schools

• BGCT reorganized but not downsized

• Churches' Hurricane Katrina response offers lessons

• Motion: ‘Pastor, ask her to marry you'

• Empty bowls help fill ministry's empty shelves

• On the Move

• Around the State

• Texas Tidbits


• Baptist Briefs


• Network reaffirms call for ‘culture of life'


• Books reviewed in this issue: To Own a Dragon: Reflections on Growing Up Without a Father by Donald Miller & John MacMurray, Welcome to Fred by Brad Whittington, Driven by Eternity by John Bevere and The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice, From the Civil Rights Movement to Today by Charles Marsh.


• Cartoon

• Classified Ads

• Texas Ba• On the Move


• EDITORIAL: Who will you trust on Election Day?

• DOWN HOME: Never too late to do something new

• TOGETHER: ‘We do our business out in the open'

• 2nd Opinion: Political party? Irrelevant question

• RIGHT or WRONG? Christian maturity

• Texas Baptist Forum

• Cybercolumn by Berry Simpson: Hope



• BaptistWay Bible Series for October 29: Offer thanks to God for his abundant gifts

• Bible Studies for Life Series for October 29: Endure difficult times with God's strength

• Explore the Bible Series for October 29: Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for all sin

• BaptistWay Bible Series for November 5: God is the only source of true wisdom

• Bible Studies for Life Series for November 5: Live in relationship, not rebellion

• Explore the Bible Series for November 5: Exercise confidence in your relationship with God



Previously Posted
• Former White House insider urges Christian political ‘fast'

• Supreme Court refuses to hear Scout appeal

• CBF names Truett as identity partner

• Coalition urges end to Darfur genocide

• Seminary delays endowment transfer

• Dell volunteers staff festival for children & families in need

• Second-generation UMHB student from Zimbabwe makes mark

• Mexico trips spark desire to meet needs immediately

• Brazil mission trip seen as ‘anything but average'

• From far North to Deep South, DBU volunteers serve

• Volunteers give makeover ministry facility a facelift

• Josue Valerio to lead BGCT missions section

• Youth Revival Movement honored at Truett



See complete list of articles from our 10/16/ 2006 issue here.

Updated: 11/03/06

Evidence found of misuse of Valley funds

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

DALLAS—A five-month investigation uncovered evidence Baptist General Convention of Texas church starting funds were misused between 1999 and 2005 in the Rio Grande Valley.

At a called meeting of the BGCT Executive Board Oct. 31, investigators reported they discovered up to 98 percent of the 258 church starts reported by three pastors in the Valley—Otto Arango, Aaron de la Torre and Armando Vera—no longer exist. And some never existed, except on paper. The BGCT gave more than $1.3 million in start-up funding and monthly financial support to those 258 churches.

Diane Dillard, a Brownsville attorney, presenting results of independent investigation report of allegations regarding misappropriation of BGCT church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley.

The full report is available here as a pdf document. See related articles: • Evidence found of misuse of Valley funds • Investigation team outlines preventative steps • Brief excerpts from the report • Otto Arango's earnings claims disputed by directors of missions • BGCT faces challenges leaders say • EDITORIAL: Executive Board must rise to the occasion • Charles Wade has posted a response to the report here. Previously Posted: Progress of the Valley funds probe • Valley investigation could cost $150,000 • Called board meeting focuses on Valley • Executive Board endorses ongoing probe in Rio Grande Valley • Attorney hired to guide church-starting fund investigation • BGCT launches probe of church-planting funds in the Valley

Executive Director Charles Wade and his senior administrative staff, in consultation with convention attorneys, will decide whether the BGCT will pursue any legal action against individuals involved in the misuse of funds, Executive Board Chairman Bob Fowler of Houston said.

That option “should not be ruled out,” said BGCT President Michael Bell.

“I don’t think that is vindictive at all,” said Bell, pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth. “We should do due diligence on behalf of all our constituent churches and the members of those congregations. We need to be able to report to them we have done all we could do.”

Efforts were made to contact the pastors named in the report. Vera and de la Torre did not answer phone calls following the board meeting.

The Baptist Standard received an e-mail from Arango stating the investigators’ report contained 13 to 15 mistakes or contradictions. He did not specify their nature. A request for elaboration, as well as response to allegations, was not answered as of press time.

The investigation uncovered poor oversight, uneven management, failure to abide by internal guidelines and misplaced trust by some BGCT Executive Board church starting staff leaders—specifically naming Abe Zabaneh and David Guel.

However, investigators found no apparent collusion and no evidence of profiteering on the part of BGCT personnel.

Zabaneh resigned as director of the church starting center and Guel announced his immediate retirement as a regional church starting consultant Oct. 25—the day after investigators presented an executive summary of their preliminary findings to Executive Board and convention officers and senior administrative staff. Zabaneh declined comment.

In response to charges that he failed to abide by guidelines, Guel responded: “Because there was no additional staff available, we had to find a way to manage the large volume of review meetings. At my request, my supervisor assessed the situation and allowed flexibility, which in this case allowed an exception to the guidelines. To my knowledge, exceptions to guidelines were not commonplace. This was done because we felt it was the best way to facilitate serving our churches.”

Guel also questioned the investigators’ findings that up to 98 percent of the churches started by the Valley pastors on whom the investigation centered failed to survive.

“We could actually do our own inquiry and will most likely discover that a great number of persons were saved, baptized and congregationalized somewhere. I am convinced that we also can find more churches in existence than what is being claimed,” he said. “I have already heard that some (of the people) interviewed refused to provide information because of fear or trying to protect the privacy of individuals.”

The investigating attorneys said BGCT leaders failed to investigate thoroughly charges of impropriety, even though some staff knew about irregularities in the church-starting program in the Valley.

Even an FBI investigation in 2000-2001 regarding allegations of fraud failed to prompt a serious internal investigation, the report noted. Investigators said they determined the FBI terminated the probe because the BGCT—as the injured party—did not pursue the complaint.

In a photo from Standard article on church starting in 1999, about the time investigators think the funds scandal began, Aaron de la Torre, is shown with E.B. Brooks (left) and David Guel going over plans for a church building.

E.B. Brooks, who retired last year as director of the BGCT missions, evangelism and ministry area, disputed that assertion.

“The report of the investigation is replete with prejudicial terminology and reaches some conclusions by innuendo,” Brooks said. “It implies that no significant effort was made by the BGCT to address the concerns expressed in the Rio Grande Valley, the opposite of which is true. Significant staff time, energy and financial commitment were made to deal with the situation.”

Brooks said he provided to investigators a list of 13 specific actions taken between 2001 and 2003 in response to concerns expressed in the Valley.

After he retired from the BGCT, Brooks became executive director of the Piper Institute for Church Planting. Arango is the institute’s founder and president. Both Guel and Zabaneh serve on the institute’s board of directors, according to its website, www.piperinstitute.com.

Investigators also pointed out their investigation was impeded by unreliable information from BGCT staff and delays in producing documents.

“It became clear during the investigation that some of the information provided by the BGCT was unreliable. Some of the documents, such as new-church monthly reports, were found to be fabricated,” the investigators wrote.

They added discrepancies between data provided by the accounting office and the church starting center—and errors in BGCT records about active and inactive churches—made discovery of reliable information difficult.

Investigators also noted Zabaneh provided incomplete data to investigators initially, and—in spite of repeated requests—did not provide the church starting center’s policies and guidelines until Oct. 7.

“By that time, the last interview for the investigation had already been conducted, making it impossible to question witnesses on the church starting procedures,” the investigators wrote.

Officers of the BGCT and its Executive Board enlisted Brownsville attorney Diane Dillard to independently investigate alleged mishandling of church-starting funds in the Valley, and the board endorsed the investigation at its May meeting.

Dillard enlisted the help of Michael Rodriguez, a Brownsville trial attorney and former federal prosector; Carlos Barrera, a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner; and Gregorio Castillo, a Spanish-speaking investigator.

Key findings they presented to the BGCT Executive Board included:

–Some church starts in the Valley were fictitious “phantom churches” that existed only on paper.

During an interview with investigators, de la Torre acknowledged he submitted false—even fictitious—new-church covenants for acceptance by the BGCT and he falsified the signature of the pastors for new churches his congregation claimed to start.

As a part of the investigation, Castillo interviewed Emilio Azael de la Garza, who was identified on the new-church covenant for De Redentor Church on July 1, 2000, as the congregation’s pastor. He also was named as pastor on monthly reports filed with the BGCT for 10 months.

“While Mr. de la Garza said he recognized his signature (on the document), he also said that he had never been the pastor of this church and knew nothing about it,” investigators wrote in their report.

–While some house churches in the Valley developed into autonomous congregations, a large number of the home-based groups did not qualify as “churches” under the BGCT church starting center’s guidelines.

“The definition turns on the intent to become autonomous,” Rodriguez explained in his report to the board. The BGCT’s primary consideration for funding a new church is whether the congregation has the goal of ultimately becoming a church—not remaining a cell group, Bible study or satellite of an existing congregation, he said.

“All evidence gathered to date demonstrates that many of the new churches or house churches started in the Valley between 1999 and 2005 by Dr. Arango and his protégés did not fulfill all of the requirements set out for a church, including the critical requirement of intentionality or having the ultimate goal of becoming an autonomous church,” the investigators wrote in their report to the board.

Guel insisted he received assurances the house churches were more than cell groups or Bible studies.

“I consistently was assured by Aaron de la Torre that he was developing new house churches and not cells,” Guel said. “Brother Aaron was told by me repeatedly—and in front of others—that the convention did not fund cells.”

–Some pastors misused church start-up funds. Investigators did not find “substantiated proof” that funds were used for personal gain.

Investigators found BGCT start-up funds were comingled in the general account of a sponsoring church; some BGCT church start-up checks were deposited in a personal account; leftover BGCT start-up funds usually were not returned after a new church disbanded; and BGCT start-up funds for specific churches sometimes were used for other church starts, missions work of a sponsoring church or for the sponsoring church itself.

Specifically, investigators reported de la Torre acknowledged he and Arango split start-up funds from the BGCT 50/50. The BGCT issued checks to de la Torre’s church, Iglesia Bautista de Communidad in Hidalgo, designated for specific mission congregations it sponsored.

De la Torre told investigators he and Arango deposited these checks into a bank account of the Institute for Church Planting, which Arango directed. Arango then immediately gave de la Torre half of the money in cash.

Arango initially denied the 50/50 split, but after repeated questioning by investigators, he finally acknowledged the practice. He reported the funds he kept were used to reprint copies of training materials he developed. Those training volumes were used in Latin American church starting efforts, he said. Over several years, the BGCT additionally paid at least $170,000 to republish the training books.

Dillard noted de la Torre and his wife expressed remorse about their involvement, saying they “want to repent” and “want to pay restitution.”

Investigators examined questions raised by pastors in the Valley about Arango’s extravagant lifestyle, seeking to determine if he profited illicitly from church starting efforts.

Arango lives in an exclusive neighborhood and drives a Jaguar. Until recently, his wife drove a Range Rover; she now drives a Suburban. Arango told investigators the vehicles are leased, he “got a good deal” for the lot on which his home was built, and a member of his church had been contractor for his home.

“His ultimate response was that other Valley pastors were and are jealous of his success—financial, professional and personal,” the investigators wrote in their report. In his interview, Arango told the investigators “that he had made a lot of money promoting his vision of planting churches,” the report stated.

In fact, Arango disclosed the BGCT had paid him at least $500,000 in honorarium and reimbursement expenses for consulting between 1997 and 2003, investigators reported.

In addition to his $64,000 salary as pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in McAllen, Arango said he also received $4,400 per month from the BGCT and an additional $9,100 in consulting fees from four Baptist associations with whom he contracted his services—Del Rio-Uvalde (identified in the report as Eagle Pass Association), Tri-River Area, Dallas and Cooke (identified as Gainesville).

He did not provide an estimate of payments received from contracts with Union, Johnson, Gulf Coast and Coastal Bend associations. However, he told investigators he received $14,000 per month from associations—an amount that may have included the $9,100.

But investigators noted in their report they lacked the time to verify Arango’s claims, and some associational leaders disputed Arango’s assertions. (See related story.)

Brooks offers a different perspective on the funds received.

“The $600,000 to $700,000 funded to consulting work, travel and reproduction of textbooks in Dr. Arango’s work is not funding to new churches, and it shouldn’t be considered a Rio Grande Valley ministry,” he said.

“Dr. Arango worked all over Texas and Mexico. The BGCT Mexico Initiative began during these years. This leaves approximately $600,000 to $700,000 for salaries of at least two ministers of missions and funding to new churches. This is about $86,000 to $100,000 per year for the experimental project. This, from a church starting budget of between $4.5 million to $5 million per year, is not an excessive amount to spend on such a project.”

–New church development guidelines were not followed in some instances, and the guidelines were relaxed for certain pastors.

Investigators said Guel acknowledged he did not always follow church starting guidelines because there were so many applications, he could not get his work done. Guel said Brooks authorized “a relaxation of the guidelines” for a few pastors in the Valley, the investigators reported.

Zabaneh also said Brooks made an exception to guidelines to allow Guel to conduct church growth review meetings without all four members of the strategic planning team—the sponsoring church pastor, the new church pastor, an associational director of missions and a BGCT consultant—being present, the investigators said.

“Dr. Zabaneh stated that when he first became the leader of the church starting center, he believed in the new vision for starting churches in the Valley and that Dr. Brooks strongly believed in the work as well,” the investigators wrote.

“For this reason, he allowed some sponsor pastors of new church starts to circumvent the local association and guidelines.”

Brooks responded by saying the church starting effort in the Rio Grande Valley was “an experimental project” undertaken in direct response to the burgeoning Hispanic population in Texas. The project’s rapid growth overwhelmed financial and staff resources, he said.

“It was the responsibility and prerogative of my office to make exceptions to guidelines,” he said. “That assignment was made by the State Missions Commission.”

–Investigators found “no evidence that anyone at the BGCT received money for personal gain” in connection with the church start-up program in the Valley. They also found no evidence any BGCT staff knew about the 50/50 split agreement between Arango and de la Torre, nor did any BGCT staff know about “phantom churches.”

Investigators pointed to evidence some BGCT Executive Board staff knew about examples of irregularities in the church starting program in the Valley, but they found no evidence the convention staff conducted a thorough investigation into allegations.

“The BGCT should have recognized at least some of the red flags,” the investigators concluded. “However, no evidence of a thorough investigation of these matters was provided to the investigators. The lack of written investigation reports, summaries or memoranda in the BGCT files suggests that the allegations were not seen as credible.

“When asked, the BGCT witnesses had no logical explanation why there was not a thorough BGCT investigation into the allegations.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Updated: 11/03/06

Investigation team outlines preventative steps

By Marv Knox

Editor

The Baptist General Convention of Texas must take seven steps to prevent misappropriation of its church starting funds, the research team that investigated allegations of financial abuse in the Rio Grande Valley told members of the BGCT Executive Board during a called meeting Oct. 31.

Charles Wade, executive director of the Executive Board, pledged to implement some of those suggestions. Executive Board members also voted to create a liaison between the convention and churches in the Valley, who felt the sting of abuse.

“One of the most serious concerns raised by this investigation was that the BGCT did not respond appropriately,” noted Diane Dillard, a Brownsville attorney and leader of the investigative team.

Dillard and her colleagues proposed seven recommendations for preventing financial abuse in the church starting program:

• Guidelines for church starting should be reviewed and revised.

The investigators called for “clear and unequivocal” church starting policies. For example, current guidelines do not stipulate what should be done with unspent church starting funds when a church does not survive.

They also stressed that accountability measures should not be “suspended or relaxed for special pastors.” Their report indicated BGCT church starting leaders exempted at least three pastors in the Valley—Otto Arango, Aaron de la Torre and Armando Vera—from policies applied to other church starters.

The investigators called for additional measures, such as clearly detailing how a sponsoring church is expected to handle BGCT funds, depositing church starting funds directly into segregated bank accounts for each new church, reviewing each church’s progress before releasing funds, and determining what to do with “leftover” funding.

In a report issued after the investigators’ presentation, Wade told the Executive Board a task force had studied the convention’s church starting process this year.

“This group … has prepared new principles and guidelines for our church starting efforts in conjunction with our accounting department so that financial safeguards will be integrated into the very fabric of our approach,” Wade said.

The guidelines, which are to be implemented by Jan. 1, include “red flags” that will “scream out to us that something may be questionable and needs to be promptly researched and reviewed,” he said.

“We are determined that what has happened to us shall never happen again.”

• The BGCT needs more accurate and accessible information about “mortality rates”—the percentage of new churches that fail and the percentage that remain active.

Investigators noted the BGCT reported 357 churches were started in the Valley from 1999 to 2005, and 157 (44 percent) still are active. Of the Valley churches started by the four sponsoring groups headed by Arango, de la Torre and Vera, the BGCT reported 258 with 100 (39 percent) active.

However, the investigation presented a starkly different picture. Of the 357 total starts, only 62 (17 percent) remain active. And of the churches started by the three pastors, only five (2 percent) still are active.

Dillard noted better tracking mechanisms would be needed “even without the fraud.” The high mortality rate of church starts in the Valley should have called into question the feasibility of Arango’s church starting system, she explained, acknowledging, “Decision makers can’t make good decisions” without clear information.

• Recordkeeping needs to be integrated and coordinated between Executive Board program areas.

Within the Baptist Building, a single church start has been tracked by three identification numbers assigned separately by the church starting center, the accounting department and the information systems department. This process made tracking and accountability time-consuming and tedious—and sometimes impossible, Dillard said.

“The inability of the BGCT to correlate data kept under three different numbering systems impeded the progress and dramatically increased the cost for the investigation. It also prevents the presentation of meaningful data to decision makers,” the investigators’ report said. “The BGCT should have a system whereby all data regarding the funding of a new church, including all transactions, can be easily accessed in one location or reporting mechanism.”

Wade told the Executive Board the staff is implementing accounting and information technology processes “that will make it possible to evaluate by region and type our church-planting efforts.”

• Better internal controls over church starting payments are needed, so documentation can be verified.

The investigators cited discrepancies between documentation and procedures maintained by the church starting center and the accounting department.

An internal auditor might be useful to streamline and monitor the internal controls, the investigators recommended.

Wade noted the Executive Board already had heard a recommendation from its audit committee that an internal auditor be added to the staff, and that step is “now in process.”

• The BGCT accounting department should control and design the reporting system.

While other departments could give input to the reporting system’s design, the final decision should rest with the accounting department, the investigators suggested.

• Response to allegations must be immediate.

Every charge of impropriety “must be considered serious and deserving of immediate action,” the investigators advised. They suggested the internal auditor could investigate such allegations.

• Trust, but verify.

“Relying on trust is a central tenet of the BGCT’s faith-based ministry,” the investigators observed. “Relying on trust, although an admirable trait, does not serve accountability measures well.

“The church starting center is not a business, and some may argue that it should not be viewed or policed like a business. However, the BGCT is the steward of the money given for missions work; therefore, those funds and their use should be monitored, documented and controlled.”

Wade promised to strike a balance between trust and verification.

“We will continue to build within our staff a culture of mutual trust and shared vision,” he said. “We will not abandon the gift of trust because of these lapses. But we will implement ways to inspect what we expect. We will continue to trust one another, but we will verify every report and action.”

The Executive Board also will “continue to build a staff that takes joy in serving God through the work of our BGCT ministries,” Wade said.

“We have some of the most wonderful people I have ever worked with on this staff,” he added. “They are gifted and committed. They work hard. They have been through a very difficult time the last 24 months as we have reorganized our governance and restructured the staff organization. We are beginning to see the early fruits of this reorganization, and we are eager for next year.”

Admitting the church starting scandal has been “painful, discouraging and embarrassing,” Wade vowed to press on. “The staff will move forward together to achieve the mission our convention has set before us. We will encourage, facilitate and connect churches in their work to fulfill God’s mission of reconciling the world to himself.”

In an interview, Wade said this episode would not force him to step down.

“I believe I’m the best person to lead us through this,” he said. “I know the nature of what we’re dealing with, and I intend to fix it.”

Near the end of their meeting, the Executive Board voted to take steps to “build bridges” between the board and Baptists in the Valley.

They approved a motion to “affirm the work and ministries of the many pastors and churches of the Rio Grande Valley that continue to do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

They also called for establishing “a liaison between the BGCT and the churches of the Rio Grande Valley to further the effective work of church planting in the Valley.”

Managing Editor Ken Camp contributed to this report.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Updated: 11/03/06

Otto Arango's earnings claims
disputed by directors of missions

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

Investigators who probed misuse of Texas Baptist church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley reported Otto Arango—one of the central figures around whom allegations swirled—claimed he earned at least $14,000 a month from Baptist associations in Texas. But leaders of associations named in the report dispute that assertion.

Arango’s lifestyle—living in an expensive home in an exclusive neighborhood and driving luxury cars—raised questions among some fellow pastors in the Rio Grande Valley about the sources of his income. In part, their suspicions triggered the investigation that uncovered evidence of misused Texas Baptist church starting funds in the region.

When pressed by investigators acting on behalf of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and its officers, the investigating attorneys said Arango replied that he “had made a lot of money promoting his vision of planting churches.”

Otto Arango

When pressed by investigators acting on behalf of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and its officers, the investigating attorneys said Arango defended himself against assertions of fraud by saying he “had made a lot of money promoting his vision of planting churches.”

Arango asserted the BGCT had paid him at least $500,000 in honorarium and reimbursement expenses for consulting between 1997 and 2003, investigators reported.

E.B. Brooks, retired director of the BGCT missions, evangelism and ministry area, estimated the convention provided up to $700,000 to Arango’s consulting work, travel expenses and costs incurred in reprinting training materials he wrote. Brooks noted this not only involved Arango’s church starting efforts in the Valley, but also included his work around the state and in Mexico.

In addition to his $64,000 salary as pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in McAllen, Arango said he also received $4,400 per month from the BGCT and an additional $9,100 in consulting fees from four Baptist associations with whom he contracted his services—Del Rio-Uvalde (identified in the report as Eagle Pass Association), Tri-River Area, Dallas and Cooke (identified as Gainesville) the investigators' report said.

He did not provide an estimate of payments received from contracts he said he had with Union, Johnson, Gulf Coast and Coastal Bend associations. But he told investigators he received $14,000 per month from associations—an amount that may have included the $9,100.

In their report, investigators noted they had not verified the figures Arango quoted.

Subsequent interviews with associational leaders after the report became public paint a different picture of the associations’ relationship with Arango.

Tim Randolph, former director of missions for Tri-Rivers Area and now a BGCT congregational strategist, said his three-association area initially talked with Arango about a one-year working arrangement, but it never developed.

“We were going to pay him $1,500 or $1,700 a month, and he was supposed to give us four days a month working with our Hispanic churches in teaching methods to start new churches,” Randolph said, noting the associations set a goal to start four churches a year.

But before Arango’s scheduled first visit with Hispanic leaders in the Gatesville area, he called to say he was “too busy” and to ask if an associate, Gustavo Lopez, could serve in his place, Randolph recalled.

“Otto Arango never met with our pastors. It was Gustavo,” he said.

For the first couple of months, Lopez fulfilled his commitment, and pastors of small Hispanic churches who previously felt unequipped to start new congregations began to see the possibilities, Randolph said.

But before long, Lopez failed to keep his scheduled appointments, and the association cancelled its agreement, Randolph added.

Arango said Dallas Baptist Association paid him $3,200 a month, the investigators reported. Bob Dean, who became associational director of missions position in August, checked with the former director of missions and the former associate for church planting. Neither recalled any relationship with Arango. Dean also asked the association’s accountant to check employee records, and no payment to Arango was discovered.

However, further queries of another former staff member confirmed Arango was on retainer for one year to help lead Dallas Baptist Association church starting training. But Tim Ahlen, the former associate with Dallas Baptist Association, told Dean the payment was “not anywhere near $3,200 a month. He could not confirm the exact amount.”

Many of Union Association’s records only go back to 2001, when the office was flooded. But Director of Missions Tom Billings said according to his recollections and the records on hand, the only financial relationship the association had with Arango was purchasing copies of his training materials on a one-time basis.

The investigators reported Arango told them the association in Gainesville paid him $2,200 a month. But J.L. Williams, former director of missions and current treasurer for Cooke Association, said that kind of payment would have been far beyond what his association could afford, and he was unaware of any contract between the association and Arango. However, he noted until about five years ago, Cooke Association was part of North Central Baptist Area, and that might account for any confusion.

Milton Ertelt, director of missions for Southwest Metroplex Baptist Association, confirmed Arango met once or twice in 1999 with leaders of Johnson Baptist Association, as it then was known. But the association declined to enter into any financial or contractual relationship with him, Ertelt said.

Donald Hintze, director of Gulf Coast Association, reported one meeting with Arango several years ago.

“David Guel introduced us,” Hintze recalled. Guel was the regional church starting representative for the BGCT in South Texas.

Gulf Coast Association bought multiple copies of Arango’s training materials, but it had no ongoing contact with him, Hintze said.

“We had one visit—no contract, no relationship other than ordering books, nothing,” he said.

After business hours Nov. 1, the Baptist Standard received an e-mail from Arango stating the investigators’ report contained 13 to 15 mistakes or contradictions. He did not specify their nature, and he did not respond to a request for additional information prior to press time.

Notice: This story was originally posted Nov. 1, and then taken down for editing when additional information was received. It will be updated as new information becomes available.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Updated: 11/03/06

BGCT faces challenges, leaders say

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

An investigation that uncovered evidence of mismanagement and misuse of Texas Baptist church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley presents major challenges for the Baptist General Convention of Texas—and especially Executive Director Charles Wade, some state convention leaders agreed.

“Anytime a leader makes a mistake which proves significant, his or her leadership is called into question. The investigation clearly indicated that Dr. Wade’s response to concerns expressed several times over a period of years was inadequate,” said Bob Fowler of Houston, chairman of the BGCT Executive Board.

Borrego	Bell

“That was a failure of his leadership as to that particular part of his overall job. He apologized for it and took responsibility for it at the meeting” of the board.

However, failure at one point does not mean an administrator has failed overall, Fowler said. Wade’s annual review already was scheduled for the February 2007 Executive Board meeting, and his performance will be evaluated then as part of the board’s annual duties.

Fowler voiced his personal support for Wade and indicated his hope Wade will continue as executive director.

“I believe he has been an effective leader who made the mistake of taking on faith the inaccurate and incomplete responses of certain staff,” he said. “He is a very trusting person, but he has indicated that he cannot be as trusting in the future. That’s a shame, but that is a right decision, and, I believe, a realistic approach for a manager of a business—faith-based or otherwise.”

BGCT President Michael Bell agreed Wade should be judged by all he has accomplished and not by a single failure that occurred in his administration.

“I don’t think in the midst of this that all the good Charles Wade has done should be shoved aside, dismissed and not considered,” said Bell, pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

“When Charles Wade decides the time is right to end his tenure, I’d like to see it happen under better conditions and not tied to this painful affair. I’d hate to see him have to leave under the shadow of this situation.”

It would be “Pollyannaish” to pretend Wade doesn’t face serious challenges, Bell said. The executive director must work hard to help the BGCT restore trust and rebuild confidence, he said.

“But I believe he can lead us through this,” he said. “We’re going to have to work hard to restore the trust of all our constituents.”

One key group to whom the BGCT must reach out is church leaders in the Rio Grande Valley, Fowler said. Some believe the convention failed to heed their concerns for several years. Others may feel their own ministries have been smeared—even though they were not at fault.

“We must be careful to relate to the churches in the Valley,” he said. “We need to help them understand this is not an indictment of all the churches who are doing good work for the kingdom in that area of the state.”

BGCT leaders need to work closely with officers of the Hispanic Baptist Convencion of Texas—both in developing church starting guidelines and in relating to Hispanic churches, said Convencion President Baldemar Borrego.

“To tell a group of Hispanics—especially people from Mexico or Central America or South America—that home cell (groups) or a home church is not considered a church or mission—they will be offended by that,” Borrego said.

Regarding what occurred in the Valley, Borrego asserted Hispanic Baptist Convencion officers “never were informed or invited to be part of the solution. We could serve as intermediary or mediators to solve this problem in a Christian ethical proceeding.”

Relationships need to be healed, and Texas Baptists must not be distracted from their God-given missionary task, Borrego said.

“It is time to let the healing begin,” he said. “We must move on to concentrate and focus on a better vision the Lord is giving us to respond to the great challenges we have in front of us.”

Moving ahead won’t be easy, but it is essential, Bell added.

“At a time when denominationalism is in decline, something like this doesn’t help—and that’s a huge understatement,” he said.

Now the BGCT must move decisively and not “lose momentum,” he insisted.

“This is a crucial moment in the life of our convention,” Bell said. “But every critical moment always is permeated with the opportunity to do good and to move beyond the present pain and difficulty. I am convinced that we must not miss the moment, even now.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 11/03/06

EDITORIAL:
Executive Board must rise to the occasion

Now is the time for members of the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ newly reorganized Executive Board to act courageously, wisely, decisively and quickly to pull the convention back from the calamity of administrative failure. They must restore trust in the face of scandal.

The depth of calamity became apparent during the Executive Board’s called meeting Oct. 31. Members received a report on misappropriation of church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley. The report told a terrible tale—at least $1.3 million in wasted money, years lost on a failed church starting scheme, lies and deception, and finger pointing.

The tone in the room resembled previous dark days, when fundamentalists attacked our convention. The prevailing attitude was to find external evildoers, rail against the wrong they did and rally around our guys. This is the tactic that enabled the BGCT to defeat fundamentalism, for which traditional, progressive Baptists are enormously grateful.

But fundamentalism no longer is the BGCT’s gravest threat. Our beloved convention faces far greater dangers from within—apathy among Texas Baptists and perceived irrelevance of the BGCT. Now add mistrust and suspicion. A frontal assault on adversarial bloggers and a hunker-down mentality won’t sustain, much less strengthen, the convention when loyal Baptists wonder if the BGCT will steward their trust and make a difference in their churches, and when they begin to feel they could not care less.

With this report from the Valley, who could blame Texas Baptists for wondering if their hard-earned tithes and offerings are well-spent? Shortly after the investigators released their report, a deeply loyal traditional Texas Baptist asked if any funds from the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions go to church starting and if she should think about designating her contributions to specific causes. …

The investigators’ 42-page report prompted two dispiriting emotions: Betrayal and, of course, grief.

Heartbreak and disappointment leap off the pages of the report. Here are some of the most telling vignettes: We spent $1.3 million to start 258 churches and only have five churches to show for it. We spent at least six years and hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting a church starting scheme that failed miserably. Even after the situation became so grave and public that the FBI launched an investigation, BGCT leaders failed to get to the bottom of it.

How can any Texas Baptist not grieve for the lost church starting funds? How can any Texas Baptist not feel indignation for the failure of accountability? And how can any Texas Baptist not feel chagrined that those responsible for handling their tithes and offerings allowed this to go on so long?

Ironically, what grieves me even more than what went wrong the last few years in the Valley is what is likely to happen now. You see, the vast majority of Executive Board staff and employees at more than 25 BGCT agencies and institutions are deeply committed, enormously gifted, highly conscientious and richly talented Christian servants. More than any other organization I know, the BGCT is a tremendously effective missions and ministry tool. Despite scandal in the Valley, the BGCT has accomplished an infinite amount of kingdom good in the past few years.

Unfortunately, this episode will give loyal Texas Baptists pause. Their churches could reallocate their resources—money, but also time and talent—elsewhere. I plead with churches to consider the greater good and to hold back from basing their decisions regarding cooperation solely on this scandal.

In the meantime, the Executive Board members must rise to the occasion. This year, the BGCT implemented a reorganized structure that provides the board with fiduciary responsibility and authority to do what needs to be done. Board members must take five steps to restore trust:

• Implement the investigators’ seven recommendations.

• Establish an internal independent auditor, who will report directly to the board, and whose definition of “audit” will include not only financial reporting, but also all quantifiable data about the work of the board and the BGCT.

• Turn all the materials gathered in the investigation over to judicial authorities for possible criminal investigation.

• Explore every option for restitution.

• Study the Executive Board’s staff structure and administrative performance, and then make any staff and procedure changes necessary to correct problems.

Texas Baptists will look to the Executive Board with great expectation. Restoration of trust—and the future of cooperation within the BGCT—hang in the balance.

Marv Knox is editor of the Baptist Standard.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 11/03/06

Around the State

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will hold a cultural fest Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Shelton Theater of the Mabee Student Center. It is free and open to the public. It will include various types of music and expressive dance. For more information, call (254) 295-5519.

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will hold a fireworks display as a part of its homecoming festivities Nov. 10, marking the beginning of what is planned as a new tradition. Homecoming events will begin at 11 a.m. Friday during the chapel service. Following chapel, the alumni association will present its distinguished alumni award at the Heritage Club luncheon. Honorary alumni awards will be presented during the alumni fiesta that evening. The homecoming pep rally, which will include the fireworks, will begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday’s events include a golf tournament, a barbecue lunch and the 2 p.m. football game. Reservations must be made through the alumni office. For more information, call (254) 295-4599.

• East Texas Baptist Univer-sity has welcomed several new faculty members this fall, including Denise Allen, assistant professor of nursing; Eileen Baland, instructor of English; Eric Branscome, instructor of music; Robin Cook, instructor of business; Cassandra Falke, assistant professor of English; Cole Franklin, associate professor of communication; Sandy Hoover, instructor of history; Joanna Newkirk, instructor in kinesiology and associate athletic trainer; Yu Youling, visiting scholar from Lanzhou University of Technology in China; and Lin Weisheng, visiting professor from Guang-dong Teachers College of Foreign Languages and Arts in China.

San Marcos Baptist Academy held its annual sweetheart pageant recently, crowning Nicole Hoffman, center, sweetheart. Also pictured are her escort, Josh Brame, and the ladies of the court—from left, Michelle Deschner, Jacqueline Piers, Le’Resa Stokes, Arianna Taboada and Emily Rainone.

• Treacy Woods, professor in chemistry, has been named chair of the chemistry department at Houston Baptist University. She joined the faculty in 1983.

• Michael Bishop, professor of journalism at Baylor University, has been named the Fred Hartman Distinguished Professor of Journalism. A 1957 editor of the student newspaper, The Lariat, and a 1959 graduate of the university, Bishop returned to the campus in 1990, first serving as communications and marketing vice president.

• Hardin-Simmons Univer-sity has presented the John J. Keeter Alumni Service Award to Clinton and Joann Wolf. Both are 1950 graduates of the school. The Wolfs made an eight-hour drive to the school numerous times over the years as he served the alumni association as president in the mid-1960s, on the board of development from 1997 to 2001 and as a trustee of the university from 1991 to 1996, and again from 2002 through the present. Their financial generosity has enabled the Ministerial Student Hous-ing project and refurbishment of the physical therapy complex. The are members of First Baptist Church in El Paso.

• David Keith and Sheri Wells have joined the staff of Howard Payne University, assisting students in the school’s Center for Academic and Personal Success. The center offers services and seminars designed to help students set and achieve personal and academic goals. It also helps students and alumni in career and employment needs. Keith is associate director of the center, and Wells is the career services coordinator.

• The North American Mission Board has appointed five missionaries with Texas ties. Micah and Kristen Caswell are serving in Austin, where he is starting Grace Community Church. He was a singles ministry intern at First Church in Denton. They have a 1-year-old son, Mason. Kenneth and Mary Kay Dillard are serving in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is director of collegiate ministries. He is a native of Dilley. They have three children—Sarah, 24; Jay, 22; and Kelley, 15. Austin Evers has been named campus evangelism coordinator for New London, Conn. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University. He previously was an intern at Metropolitan Church in Houston and Green Acres Church in Tyler.

• Jerry and Susan Evermon have been appointed by the International Mission Board as missionaries in southeast Asia. Their home congregation is First Church in Marble Falls.

Anniversaries

• Elaine Clark, 10th, as minister to preschool at First Church in Amarillo, Oct. 29.

• Brick James, 20th, as minister of counseling and family life at Hagerman Church in Sherman, Nov. 3.

• Chuck Smith, fifth, as pastor of First Church in Gregory, Nov. 11.

• First Church in Bryan, 140th, Nov. 19. The evening service will highlight the church’s ministry in its downtown location. Following the service, there will be a church reception to display the contents of the time capsule placed in the worship center built in 1982. Tim Owens is pastor.

Deaths

• Jim Scott, 77, Oct. 6 in Fort Worth. He was pastor of Happy Hill Church in Alvarado. He previously was pastor of Willow Springs, Bethesda and Immanuel churches in Ama-rillo, First Church in Shamrock, First Church in DeWitt, Ark., and Crestmont Church in Burleson. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Homer Jr., Charles and Scotty; and sister, Mary Fuller. He is survived by his wife, Bea; sons, Larry and Harold; sister, Jane Hollaway; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

• Keith Robertson, 79, Oct. 25 in Austin. He was pastor of churches in Normanna, Papa-lote, Fowlerton, Hamilton and Algerita prior to 1959, when he graduated from Southwestern Seminary. Congregations he then pastored include First Church in Evant, First Church in Agua Dulce, West Main Church in Alice and First Church in Los Fresnos. After 17 years as pastor in Los Fresnos, he moved to San Saba and served several churches as interim pastor. In his 60 years of ministry, he preached more than 40 revivals. He served on the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and was an officer on the board of Zephyr Baptist Encampment, where he taught and preached more than 25 years. He was a member of First Church in Pflugerville at the time of his death. He was preceded in death by his brother, J.O. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jeanelle; sons, Steve and Mike; daughter, Susan Bell; sister, Lois Henderson; step-brothers, Ted and Don Salyer; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

• Marijohn Wilkin, 86, Oct. 28 in Nashville, Tenn. A Hardin-Simmons University distinguished alumnus, the Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter is best known for collaborating with Kris Kristofferson on the song “One Day at a Time.” Her songs have been performed by many musical stars including Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Patsy Cline, Rod Stewart, Joan Baez, Burl Ives, Ray Price and LeAnn Rimes. She received the HSU Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1994 and an honorary doctor of music degree from the school in 2001. She was inducted into the HSU Hall of Leaders in 2004. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Bedford Russell, while he was a prisoner of war in 1942. She is survived by her son, John Buck Wilkin.

• Katie Moseley, 18, Oct. 29 in an automobile accident north of Buffalo. A Livingston resident, she was a freshman at Baylor University. She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Jack Moseley. She is survived by her parents, Danny and Frances Moseley; sisters, Stacy Comstock, Mary Ortiz and Kristi Moseley; brothers, Chris, Johnny, Ben and Elijah; and grandparents, Earl and Ruth Jordan, and Rossi Moseley.

Events

• The first Hispanic Woman’s Conference of the Hill Country met Oct. 14 at Primera Iglesia in Fredericksburg. Margarita Treviño was the keynote speaker. Fernando Zurita is pastor.

• Grace Fellowship of Rockwall, a mission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dallas Association and Park Cities Church in Dallas, will constitute as a church Nov. 19. Ken Lovelace is pastor.

Ordained

• Marcus Foster to the ministry at Adamsville Church in Lampasas.

• Marty Richardson to the ministry at First Church in Gainesville.

• Russell Cowan to the ministry at Bellview Church in Midland.

• Tony Moye to the ministry at First Church in Kennard.

• Amy Dwight Wilkins to the ministry at King’s Cross Church in Tullahoma, Tenn. She previously served at Columbus Avenue Church in Waco, Park Cities Church in Dallas and Buckner Orphan Care Inter-national.

• Robert Ramirez to the ministry at New Life Church in Yoakum.

• James Anaya to the ministry at Travis Church in Corpus Christi.

• David Jones to the ministry at First Church in Hallsville.

• Alexander Morrison to the ministry at First Church in Brenham.

• Scott Ashby and Rob Robinson as deacons at Trinity Church in Kerrville.

• Gene Klieber and Edward Westbrook as deacons at First Church in Milano.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 11/03/06

New audio Bible features all-African-American cast

By Adelle Banks

Religion News Service

WASHNGTON (RNS)—In a new audio Bible, the Holy Trinity has some familiar voices. Actor Samuel L. Jackson plays God, actor Blair Underwood performs the role of Jesus and Dallas megachurch pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes renders the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament portion of Inspired By … The Bible Experience arrived in stores recently. The all-black cast takes on the characters of the Bible, backed with music and realistic sounds, to bring printed words to life.

The executive producers of the project—a collaboration between Inspired By Media Group and Christian publishing giant Zondervan—hope the spoken-word translation will reach a generation less interested in opening up the physical pages of the Bible.

“We wanted to create a project, a Bible experience that would communicate to a young generation and so we felt that we needed to create an urban product to do that,” said Lou “Buster” Brown, co-founder of the Inspired By Media Group and one of the four executive producers of the audio Bible.

“While it is an all-black cast, it’s not a black product by any means, because when you listen to it, you don’t hear color,” he said. “You hear the word of God.”

The 19-CD package is expected to be followed next fall by a larger Old Testament dramatization. Both books are re-enactments of the Today’s New International Version, a translation by Zondervan.

Originally, project organizers planned for a cast of dozens, but the cast list increased to more than 250 as word spread and others asked to be included.

Actor Blair Underwood provides the voice of Jesus in Inspired By … The Bible Experience, an audio version of the Bible featuring a cast of African-American actors. (RNS photo courtesy of Zondervan)

“The phone started ringing off the hook,” said Brown, who produced soundtracks for The Prince of Egypt animated film. “The project had taken on a different weight. It had become a legacy project.”

Among the first people cast were movie stars Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett and Underwood, who previously played Jesus in an independent film after getting his start on L.A. Law and later appeared in a recurring role on Sex and the City.

Washington and his wife, Pauletta, recite Song of Solomon, the eight-chapter poetic dialogue between lovers. Bassett reads the stories of Jesus’ Nativity and Resurrec-tion.

Paul Caminiti, vice president and publisher of Bibles at Zondervan, said audio Bibles already have been a staple of his company, but the talent recruited for this version doesn’t compare to past productions.

“We’ve used professional voices before, but not of the ilk of Denzel Washington and Cuba Gooding and Angela Bassett and Blair Underwood,” he said.

Jackson, whose earthly—and earthy—roles have ranged from a foul-mouthed hit-man in Pulp Fiction to a Jedi knight in Star Wars, originally was cast as an angel before being promoted to the God role in the New Testament.

Actors in some of the less heroic parts range from Cuba Gooding Jr., who plays Judas, to Eartha Kitt, who reads the part of the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Other stage and screen stars such as Ruby Dee, Alfre Woodard, LeVar Burton and Tyrese Gibson join clergy and musicians such as Creflo Dollar, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin and hip-hop star Common.

Neither Inspired By Media Group nor Zondervan required that cast members sign any kind of statement of faith.

“One of the things that we recognized is the Bible is full of people that weren’t saved,” said Brown, who describes himself as a born-again Christian who attends a nondenominational church in Porter Ranch, Calif. “That doesn’t mean that God won’t use them to deliver his word.”

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