Posted: 10/30/06

New Jersey court leaves gay
marriage terminology to legislature

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

TRENTON, N.J. (ABP)—The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled the state’s constitution requires that marriage rights be available to same-sex couples on an equal basis with heterosexuals. But the court left state legislators to decide whether to refer to the unions by the name “marriage” or a different term.

The decision leaves New Jersey in a situation akin to Vermont’s, where legislators in 2000 passed the nation’s first law legalizing “civil unions” for same-sex couples. Vermont’s civil unions, which followed a similar court decision, offer the same rights and benefits as marriage without using the name.

All seven justices agreed the New Jersey Constitution requires the state to extend to gay couples the same rights as married couples. However, only three justices said those rights include equal use of the term “marriage,” while the four-justice majority said use of the term is not guaranteed.

“The state has not articulated any legitimate public need for depriving same-sex couples of the host of benefits and privileges” that married couples enjoy, wrote Justice Barry Albin, who authored the majority’s opinion.

“There is no rational basis for, on the one hand, giving gays and lesbians full civil rights in their status as individuals and, on the other, giving them an incomplete set of rights when they follow the inclination of their sexual orientation and enter into committed same-sex relationships.”

Vermont and Connecticut have civil-union laws that provide identical benefits to same-sex couples as married heterosexual couples. Massachusetts, following a decision by its highest court, legalized same-sex marriage in 2004.

New Jersey already has a domestic-partnership law that grants to same-sex couples some of the rights and responsibilities of married heterosexuals. However, Albin noted that the statute does not provide gay couples or their children with equal protection of the law in several critical areas, such as adoption rights.

In the latest decision, Lewis v. Harris, the New Jersey court unanimously agreed that the state constitution’s equal-protection provision, coupled with the fact that other state laws ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, requires a remedy for such disparate treatment of same-sex couples.

The majority determined that such a decision “leaves the legislature with two apparent options. The legislature could simply amend the marriage statutes to include same-sex couples, or it could create a separate statutory structure, such as a civil union, as Connecticut and Vermont have done.”

That result would fall short for the plaintiffs—seven same-sex New Jersey couples—and most of the nation’s gay-rights organizations. They have argued that granting marriage rights without the term marriage creates a “separate-but-equal” structure.

Albin addressed that argument. “Raised here is the perplexing question—‘What’s in a name?’—and is a name itself of constitutional magnitude after the state is required to provide full statutory rights and benefits to same-sex couples?” he asked. “We are mindful that in the cultural clash over same-sex marriage, the word ‘marriage’ itself—independent of the rights and benefits of marriage—has an evocative and important meaning to both parties.”

But Albin said the legitimacy that the term “marriage” would bestow on gay couples would best be delivered through legislative, rather than judicial, action.

“The great engine for social change in this country has always been the democratic process,” he wrote. “Although courts can ensure equal treatment, they cannot guarantee social acceptance, which must come through the evolving ethos of a maturing society. Plaintiffs’ quest does not end here. Their next appeal must be to their fellow citizens whose voices are heard through their popularly elected representatives.”

But Chief Justice Deborah Poritz, in an opinion joined by her two fellow dissenters, said the term “marriage” is as integral to the rationale cited by the majority as marriage’s attendant rights and benefits.

“Labels are used to perpetuate prejudice about differences that, in this case, are embedded in the law. By excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage, the state declares that it is legitimate to differentiate between their commitments and the commitments of heterosexual couples,” she wrote.

“Ultimately, the message is that what same-sex couples have is not as important or as significant as ‘real’ marriage, that such lesser relationships cannot have the name of marriage.”

The ruling is the first major legal victory for homosexual-rights groups since the Massachusetts decision. The highest courts in two other states—New York and Washington—both recently rejected similar lawsuits filed by same-sex couples.

Several state laws and constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage have passed by wide margins since 1998, but poll numbers since then have indicated a general trend toward wider acceptance of gay marriage.

Eight states have proposals banning gay marriage before voters in the Nov. 7 elections. One prominent gay-rights opponent said the New Jersey decision should create a backlash that will boost the chances of those same-sex marriage bans passing.

“Today’s decision should give momentum to the eight states with marriage-protection amendments on the November ballot,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Washington-based Family Research Council, in a statement released shortly after the New Jersey ruling. “By mandating that the New Jersey legislature enact same-sex ‘marriage’ or civil unions, the court ignores the unique benefits of marriage between one man and one woman. Society gives benefits to marriage because marriage gives benefits to society.”

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: 10/30/06

Study finds 'surprising' level of paranormal belief

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—With Halloween fast approaching, adults across the nation are loading up on candy and decorations, planning to hunker down for a night of trick-or-treaters, parties and hi-jinx. But how many of them actually believe in the ghosts and aliens they so often display on their houses?

More than some might think.

A new study found 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted houses. More than half believe dreams can foretell the future. Twenty percent believe it’s possible to communicate with the dead. And about a quarter of the people surveyed believe some UFOs are spaceships from other worlds.

The Baylor University researchers who conducted the 2006 Baylor Study of Religion, released last month, found a “surprising” level of belief in paranormal things among people outside traditional religions.

Similarly, a December 2005 Harris Poll reported four in 10 Americans believe in ghosts, 28 percent believe in witches, and a quarter of Americans believe in astrology.

Those are surprising findings for a culture that values verifiable science and conservative religious beliefs.

Perhaps most surprising is the role education plays in determining belief in the paranormal. But it’s not what you think. Those who attended college were more likely than those who did not to believe in UFOs and alternative healing therapies, according to the Baylor study.

Lesley Northup, an associate professor of religion and culture at Florida International University, is an expert on religion and broadcasting. He said he wasn’t surprised that educated people tend to be more interested in the paranormal, since it’s the more advanced classes in high school and college that challenge students to question the possibility of things beyond the physical world.

Apparently, with exposure to abstract concepts like quantum physics and the vastness of the universe comes the willingness to consider the possibility that things aren’t exactly what they seem.

“In fact, science is telling us that lots of things we don’t understand are going on in the natural world,” Northup said. “Parallel universes and all of these things certainly may be true, in science. This is kind of a natural progression from a very modernist view of the world to a postmodernist view. Science is actually leading the way in terms of metaphysics now.”

There’s also a religious factor for some people’s beliefs, Northup said. Reality is a menu to choose from, and people are looking to things besides conventional religion to substantiate that perception, he added.

“More and more people are choosing for themselves what they think is Truth,” he said. “They pick and choose from different religions. Most people will say they’re not religious, but they’re spiritual. They don’t want to brand themselves with a particular religious group, but they still believe in supernatural forces.”

Among evangelical Christians—who believe strongly in Jesus’ virgin birth and physical resurrection—several studies have reported that they’re the least likely of all religious groups to believe in the paranormal.

In the National Study of Youth and Religion, funded by the Lilly Endowment, Mormon teens were also especially unlikely to believe in psychics. Conversely, 26 percent of Catholic teens—the highest of any religious group—reported believing in paranormal events.

Women have a proportionally high incidence of belief in supernatural and paranormal events. Chris Bader, an assistant professor of sociology who participated in the Baylor study, said millions of Americans, many of them women, share paranormal beliefs and experiences that don’t fit under any religious umbrella.

According to Bader, women are twice as likely as men to believe that psychics can foresee the future, that astrology works and that people can communicate with the dead. What’s more, females showed the highest percentages of belief on most of the items the survey listed, like Atlantis, aliens and the healing properties of crystals.

Still, he said, “belief in the paranormal is not that common, with the exception of a couple of items. Belief in God is very common.”

That belief in God takes many forms, especially in television shows and movies. Shows like Heroes, Medium and Touched by an Angel depict simplistic views of God or paranormal activity. And that’s indicative of the current culture, Northup said.

“There’s a growing acceptance of the fact that not everybody has to be religious in the same way,” he said. “There’s a growing acceptance of the fact that science and religion are not necessarily at odds with each other. This is just the pattern of the world. Sooner or later, regardless, there’s going to be change.”

Plus, he said, Einsteinian physics—his theories of special and general relativity —have opened up a new realm and way of looking at the world. And that attitude has started to seep into the social consciousness.

“People begin to open up to what used to be thought of as bizarre concepts of reality,” Northup said.

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: 10/30/06

Wellness: Weight training for a balanced workout

By Tamara Quintana

Do barbells and weight machines make you think of Mr. Universe? Don’t let these visions scare you from the great benefits of weight training, or strength training.

While aerobic exercise is important to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, develop endurance and burn calories, your physical fitness routine just isn’t complete if you don’t balance aerobics with a good weight training program.

Benefits

Visit a health club, and you’ll see men and women of all ages using both weight training equipment and free weights. Strength training offers a number of benefits:

It makes you stronger and increases muscular endurance. That means you can do everyday activities like lifting a suitcase or carrying a heavy bag of groceries more easily.

Weight training not only strengthens muscles, but it can also strengthen your bones.

Because muscle burns more calories than fat, lifting weights helps raise your metabolism so that you burn more calories even when you’re at rest.

Stronger muscles can help avoid injury and improve your balance and coordination.

Basic principles

Some important principles to understand when starting a strength training program are:

Overload. To build stronger muscles, you have to use more resistance than your body is used to. A good rule to remember is to use enough weight so that you can complete only your desired number of repetitions while still maintaining good form.

Progression. In order to continue gaining strength and muscle tone, you must increase the intensity, frequency and/or duration of your activity over time.

Specificity. Choose the right exercises to get the results you want. To build muscle mass, use heavier weights and do fewer repetitions. For endurance and strength, choose lighter weights but complete more repetitions in each set.

Rest and recovery. When you strength train, your muscles literally tear. During the day or two afterward, your body repairs these tiny tears by creating more muscle tissue. The result is increased muscle mass, strength and endurance.

Getting started

If you’ve never worked out with weights or machines before, it’s important to get guidance from a trained instructor. You won’t get the best results if you’re performing the exercises incorrectly, and you might even hurt yourself.

Your body responds to physical stress by getting stronger. Weight training can help you build a strong, toned, healthy body. No other type of exercise can make as much of a change in your body’s appearance.

Tamara Quintana is a graduate of All Saints Episcopal Hospital School of Vocational Nursing and the director of the employee wellness program for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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: 10/30/06

Wellness: Stretch it out!

By Tamara Quintana

You’ve listened to your doctor, you’ve read all the articles, and now you’ve made the commitment to make exercise a regular part of your life. Great! Your well-rounded exercise plan includes both aerobic exercise to improve your cardiovascular endurance and weight training to build strength. But are you missing something?

If stretching isn’t a part of your routine, you’re missing out on an important element. Stretching, also known as flexibility training, provides benefits such as:

Increasing your flexibility.

Giving your joints better range of motion.

Improving balance and coordination, making you less susceptible to falls.

Relieving stress by relaxing tight muscles.

Reducing your risk of injury while exercising or participating in sports.

Stretching prepares your muscles for exercise, but if you don’t do it properly, it can actually lead to muscle strain. It’s important to remember:

Do

Warm up before you stretch. Walk while moving your arms or do a low-intensity exercise for five to seven minutes first.

Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

Breathe deeply through each stretch.

Stretch again after your workout while your muscles are warmest.

Don’t

Bounce. Bouncing can cause your muscles to tear.

Push to the point of pain. You should feel only mild tension or a gentle tug

Tense up your jaw, shoulders or other body parts. Relax your whole body for best results.

Concentrate on stretching all the muscle groups you will be using or have used in your workout. But don’t stop there. If you have the time, focus a few minutes on each of the major muscle groups: calves, thighs, hips, back, neck and shoulders. Push a little further with each stretch, but never to the point of pain. On days you don’t work out, try stretching in a warm bath or shower while your muscles are relaxed and warm.

Stretching is an exercise that can be done anywhere, even at the office. You don’t need any equipment or a special place to go. Slow, relaxed stretching every day makes your muscles more flexible, reduces stress — and it feels great!

Tamara Quintana is a graduate of All Saints Episcopal Hospital School of Vocational Nursing and the director of the employee wellness program for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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: 10/30/06

Wellness: On the go

By Tamara Quintana

Let’s face it. Most of us live our lives always “on the go.” But we still need to take the time to be healthy. I recently shared this “on the go” wellness information with our marketing staff who accumulate thousands of frequent flyer miles each year.

Eating

Eating on the go often means making poor food choices. To make better choices, keep these things in mind:

Stay away from fast food restaurants and buffets. Eating healthy is all about making wise choices: portion control, grilled vs. fried, salad dressing on the side, fresh vegetables instead of fries, fresh fruit for dessert, etc.

Eat three to five times a day. Be sure to eat breakfast. It doesn’t have to be big, just a protein, a carb, and a dairy will kick-start your day. Grab an extra yogurt or fruit before you leave home for a mid-morning snack. Eat lunch. Have an afternoon snack and then eat a light dinner.

Drink plenty of water.

Exercise

Take every opportunity to exercise when you are on the go.

When traveling by car, take frequent walk breaks at parks, rest stops, tourist sites, etc. If traveling by plane, check in if necessary, then walk around until time to board.

However you are traveling, it is important to exercise your legs. While sitting, blood can collect in the lower part of your body and create deep vein thrombosis (blood clots). Just moving each heel up and down for a minute will pump the blood to the upper portion of your body.

Most hotels have some type of exercise facility. If not, exercise in your room with a jump rope, exercise bands or a DVD.

Sleep

It can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep when you are away from home. Some tips for improving sleep:

Exercise more than one to two hours before bedtime.

Don’t eat a big meal just before going to bed.

Bring your pillow from home. Sometimes that is all you need.

Bring some “white noise” to drown out unfamiliar noises. This might be radio music played very low or actual “white noise” that you can pick up in stores like Sharper Image.

Remember, if you have to be on-the-go, get going with wellness.

Tamara Quintana is a graduate of All Saints Episcopal Hospital School of Vocational Nursing and the director of the employee wellness program for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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: 10/30/06

Wellness: Nutrition facts

By Tamara Quintana

If you’re trying to plan healthy meals and snacks for yourself and your family, you already have all the information you need. Since 1994, The Food and Drug Administration has required “Nutrition Facts” labels to be placed on most food packaging.

At first glance the label might look confusing, but it is a great resource when trying to make healthy food choices.

Serving size and servings per container

It is important to know exactly what “one serving” is because all other information is based on it.

For example, you might think a pre-packaged muffin would be one serving. But if the label lists the serving size as half a muffin, with 200 calories per serving you’d be eating a whopping 400 calories if you ate a whole muffin!

Nutrients

Nutrition Facts labels list certain key nutrients that have an effect on your health. They are separated into those you should limit and those you should get enough of.

Since Americans generally get enough or too much fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium, you should try to limit the amount you get in a particular food. Since we generally don’t get enough fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium or iron, you should choose foods higher in these.

Percentage of daily value

This number tells you how much of a specific nutrient you get from eating one serving. You can use the numbers to determine if a food has a little or a lot of the nutrients listed. Here’s a quick rule of thumb.

If a food has:       It is considered to be:

5% or less      low in a nutrient

10% to 19%      a good source of a nutrient

20% or more      high in a nutrient

In this way you can use food labels to decide if a food is generally nutritious without having to keep track of percentages. When you choose a food that is high in the nutrients you should limit, like fat or sodium, you can balance that by choosing other foods that day that are low in these nutrients.

Create a well-balanced diet

Use Nutrition Facts labels to:

Control your portion sizes.

Limit fats, cholesterol, sugar and sodium.

Choose foods higher in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Make healthier food choices.

Compare similar foods.

It make seem complicated at first, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to quickly see how to make good nutrition choices for yourself and family from the Nutrition Facts right at your fingertips.

Tamara Quintana is a graduate of All Saints Episcopal Hospital School of Vocational Nursing and the director of the employee wellness program for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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: 10/30/06

Wellness: Dental health

By Tamara Quintana

We all know that the foods we eat affect our overall health, but do you consider the health of your teeth when you make food choices?

According to the American Dental Association, there is a growing concern among America’s dentists that many of their patients are consuming record numbers of sugar-filled drinks and non-nutritious snack foods that can harm teeth.

When you eat these types of foods, and even some foods that are otherwise healthy for your body, the bacteria in your mouth come in contact with sugars and starches and produce acids. If left in the mouth, these acids attack the teeth and destroy the enamel, eventually resulting in tooth decay.

Choosing the right foods at the right time

To protect your teeth, limit the amount of sugary and starchy foods you eat and the number of between meal snacks. Because the acids can remain in your mouth for 20 minutes or more, snacking throughout the day puts your teeth at greater risk.

Sugary snacks are not the only culprits when it comes to tooth decay. Even healthful foods like fruits, milk, bread, cereals and even some vegetables contain natural sugars and starches that can lead to tooth decay.

Of course you shouldn’t stop eating these foods that are healthful for your body. You just need to be smarter about how and when you eat them. For example, when choosing fruit as a snack, firm, crunchy fruits like apples or pears and raw vegetables like carrots, celery or broccoli are a better choice.

Try to save foods like bread, soft fruits (bananas, raisins) and acidic fruits (oranges, lemons, tomatoes) to eat with a meal when the mouth is producing more saliva, which washes away some of the acids.

When you do snack, choose foods that are tooth-friendly like cheese, raw vegetables, nuts or plain yogurt. Choose water as your beverage between meals, and drink plenty of it.

Come clean

Most importantly, brush and floss regularly. Whatever you eat, the sooner you get food particles and the acid they produce out of your mouth, the better off your teeth will be. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and preferably after every meal and snack. Flossing is also important for good dental health. You should floss at least once a day to dislodge any food particles stuck between the teeth.

Finally, visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings. With good choices and a little care, you can have the bright, healthy smile you want throughout your life.

Tamara Quintana is a graduate of All Saints Episcopal Hospital School of Vocational Nursing and the director of the employee wellness program for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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: 10/27/06

Former White House insider urges Christian political ‘fast'

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—A tell-all book by a former White House insider is roiling the conservative movement with its charge that top officials in President Bush’s administration have been pandering to Christian conservatives for their votes while delivering little of lasting value to the constituency.

But David Kuo’s memoir of his years in the White House and elsewhere in the conservative movement is also notable for its afterward. In it, the author—who has impeccable Religious Right credentials—calls on all Christians, conservative and otherwise, to take a two-year “fast” from political activity to re-focus on the gospel.

“Maybe Christians need to begin a fast—from politics,” Kuo wrote, in Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction.

“We need to eschew politics to focus more on practicing compassion,” Kuo, former deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, wrote.

“We need to spend more time studying Jesus and less time trying to get people elected. Instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year in support of conservative Christian advocacy groups … let’s give that money to charities and groups that are arguably closer to Jesus’ heart. And we Christians should spend less time arguing with those on the other side and more time communing with them.”

Kuo’s book caused an uproar a few days before its release, when excerpted sections in which Kuo alleges Bush officials used the faith-based issue for political gain became the basis of news stories.

Among Kuo’s more explosive allegations was that, while Bush was a man of deep evangelical Christian faith, many top White House officials ridiculed prominent Christian leaders behind their backs.

“Christian leaders, Christian media, and Christian writers…didn’t dare question or challenge (Bush) or the White House. He wasn’t a political leader to them, he was a brother in Christ,” Kuo wrote.

“What they didn’t get to see was what the White House thought of them. For most of the rest of the White House staff, evangelical leaders were people to be tolerated, not people who were truly welcomed. No group was more eye-rolling about Christians than the political affairs shop. They knew ‘the nuts’ were politically invaluable, but that was the extent of their usefulness.”

He continued: “National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘out of control,’ and just plain ‘goofy.’ The leaders spent much time lauding the president, but they were never shrewd enough to do what Billy Graham had done three decades before, to wonder whether they were being used. They were.”

Top White House aides would hold weekly conference calls with some of the most prominent leaders of the Religious Right, ostensibly to solicit their advice, Kuo said. In reality, he said, the calls were mainly to humor those leaders and keep them quiescent.

The calls regularly included leaders such as Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; high-level representatives from groups such as the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family; and conservative Christian radio hosts.

“This network of people covered virtually every area of evangelical Christianity,” Kuo wrote. “The calls began with an overview of what the president would be talking about in the coming week. If necessary, participants were asked to talk to their people about whatever issue was pending. Talking points were distributed and advice was solicited. That advice rarely went much further than the conference call. There wasn’t any malice or negligence behind this. It was just that the true purpose of these calls was to keep prominent social conservatives and their groups or audiences happy.”

Kuo also asserted the White House both heavily politicized and woefully underfunded the faith-based push, which was an effort to increase the ability of churches and other sectarian charities to receive government funding for social services.

He related the story of a meeting Bush had with a group of African-American pastors to discuss the initiative. Kuo, called in to brief Bush on the meeting, said Bush should speak to the group about how he had implemented reforms to make it easier for churches to apply for government funds.

“He interrupted me. ‘Forget about all that. Money. All these guys care about is money. They want money. How much money have we given them?’” Kuo quoted Bush as saying. “For two years I had bitten my tongue and toed the line. We in the faith-based office didn’t speak too loudly or thunder too much. We were nice. I wasn’t angry now, but I was no longer willing to lie. ‘Sir, we’ve given them virtually nothing because we have had virtually nothing to give.’”

Kuo said Bush and Karl Rove, his senior political adviser, appeared stunned when he told them there were only a few million more dollars in grants available to faith-based groups. Rove pointed to an $8 billion figure.

“He was remembering our own spin from the winter,” Kuo wrote. “Yes, I told the president, because of new regulations there was technically about $8 billion in existing programs that were now eligible for faith-based groups. But, I assured him, faith-based groups had been getting money from those programs for years.”

Kuo said Bush responded: “Eight billion. That’s what we’ll tell them. Eight billion in new funds for faith-based groups. OK, let’s go.”

Kuo said that, while Bush probably personally believed in the “compassion agenda” that included government funding for faith-based social services, he and his surrogates were not willing to expend much political capital to push an agenda that would increase social spending through Congress.

Because of those experiences, Kuo wrote, he became increasingly disaffected with pushing the agenda of the White House and the conservative Christian groups it depended on for votes. He left the faith-based office in 2003 after developing a brain tumor and now is an editor for the website Beliefnet. In opinion pieces and testimony before Congress, he has criticized the way the faith-based initiative was handled.

But, in the book, Kuo goes farther than that: He calls on Christians of all ideological stripes to abstain from politics for the next two years in order to re-evaluate our priorities.

“Patriotism—a good thing—has become part of our religion. So has partisanship,” he wrote. “We have been quietly and gradually nursed to the point where our faith and God himself are merely part of a political cause. Invoking God’s name is just a rhetorical device.”

But, he said, the moment presents “an opportunity. For the next 24 months, candidates for president, senator, representative, governor, judge, county clerk and sheriff will be seeking the conservative Christian vote, our money and our energy,” Kuo wrote. Every politician needs evangelicals. And like a teenage boy on a date with a beautiful girl, they will say anything and everything to get what they want.”

He continued: “Let’s not give it to them. Let’s tell them we are fasting from politics for a season.”

That may not be as easy as Kuo hopes. Since the book’s revelations were first publicized by MSNBC prior to it release, White House allies have shot back at Kuo. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow and former colleagues of Kuo’s from the faith-based office have disputed some of the book’s allegations.

One of the nation’s most prominent Christian groups, meanwhile, reacted by dismissing both Kuo and the “big media” publicizing the story. Focus on the Family issued a statement calling the furor over Kuo’s book “little more than a mix of sour grapes and political timing,” and said Kuo’s allegations and the timing of their release “paint the picture of a dissatisfied federal employee taking shots at the White House.”

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: 10/27/06

Seminary delays endowment transfer

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

FORT WORTH—Trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary delayed action on a recommendation to transfer $90 million in seminary endowment funds from the Baptist Foundation of Texas to Southwestern’s in-house foundation.

According to a trustee document, Paige Patterson, president of the Fort Worth-based seminary, recommended moving the funds at the Oct. 16-17 trustee meeting. A Southwestern spokesman did not say why the funds were being moved but acknowledged the action was delayed.

In the days leading up to the meeting, several Southern Baptist bloggers questioned the proposal. Some suggested Patterson, an architect of the fundamentalist movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, wanted to take a swipe at the Baptist Foundation of Texas, one of the largest Christian foundations, because it is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas rather than the fundamentalist Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

Other bloggers objected to the recommendation because it included a provision that the transferred funds be invested through a consortium of non-profit endowments called The Investment Fund for Foundations. Its various investment funds include several “sin stocks”—shares in companies related to alcohol, tobacco and gambling interests.

SBC bloggers also objected to Patterson’s recommendation of John McStay to become the new chairman of the Southwestern Seminary Foundation board.

McStay is managing partner of a Dallas investment firm. A previous firm he ran was cited for conflicts of interest and nondisclosure to clients and fined $200,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition, a biographical sketch of McStay that Southwestern officials provided to the trustees’ institutional advancement committee lists him as an elder at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas. The congregation is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a mainline Protestant group that allows women in pastoral roles and takes other positions at odds with the conservative SBC.

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: 10/27/06

Dell volunteers staff festival for
children & families in need

By Miranda Bradley

Children at Heart Foundation

ROUND ROCK—More than 200 Dell employees pitched in to sponsor the third annual Dell Fall Festival for children and families served by Texas Baptist Children’s Home and STARRY.

“We’re always blessed by Dell’s involvement in our ministries,” Texas Baptist Children’s Home Executive Director Keith Dyer said of the computer firm. “Their contribution to our children and families is immeasurable.”

The festival represents one of several volunteer projects involving the child and family services agency and Dell employees recently. In September, more than 560 Dell team members donated their time, money and work to the ministry. Projects included scraping and painting exterior and interior campus walls, landscaping and fulfilling wish lists.

“They are very dedicated, hardworking people who truly believe in what we do,” said Brenda Gilbert, volunteer coordinator at Texas Baptist Children’s Home. “It’s a pleasure to host them on our campus.”

The Dell Fall Festival was the brainchild of a Dell team three years ago. They wanted to provide one day of play for families and children in care. It has grown into a carnival atmosphere, complete with a mini-train ride, petting zoo, cakewalk, inflatable bounce houses and rock-climbing wall.

“This is awesome,” one STARRY resident said. “It’s like Christmas without Santa.”

Each child who participated in games received tickets redeemable for toys and other prizes at the end of the day. Dell volunteers cooked hamburgers and hot dogs and provided drinks alongside cotton candy, snow-cones and popcorn.

“It’s an amazing display of support for our kids,” STARRY Executive Director Don Forrester said. “The festival really gives our families a chance to forget about their worries for a little while and just enjoy each other.”

STARRY and Texas Baptist Children’s Home, both located in Round Rock, are part of Children at Heart Ministries, which cares for children and families in need. Texas Baptist Children’s Home consists of family care, a residential program for single mothers and their children; campus life, which provides a Christian home-like setting for displaced children; and HOPE—Healthy Opportunities that Protect and Empower, a community outreach program for needy families.

STARRY provides care through emergency shelter, a residential program for children removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect; foster care, which provides a temporary home for children leaving a shelter; and counseling, which provides services and programs at no charge.

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: 10/27/06

Second-generation UMHB student
from Zimbabwe makes mark

By Jennifer Sicking

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

BELTON—Spectators at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football games have a hard time not noticing Tatenda Tavaziva on the sidelines, decked out in a gaudy purple-and-gold outfit and sporting a flag of Zimbabwe on his back.

It’s Tavaziva’s way of showing pride in both his past and present.

His father, Timothy Tavaziva, graduated from UMHB and is now an associate pastor at the largest Baptist church in Zimbabwe. After he learned about the Texas Baptist school from missionaries, he moved to Central Texas to study, along with his wife and 4-month-old son, Tatenda.

Tatenda Tavaziva in full Crusader regalia at a UMHB football game. (Photo by Carol Woodward)

Upon graduation, he went back to Africa, but he dreamed of seeing his son return to Texas to attend his alma mater.

Betty Sue Beebe, UMHB alumni development director, knew Timothy Tavaziva when he attended the university and First Baptist Church in Belton.

“It’s unusual for us to have children of international students to come,” she said of Tatenda. “He’s a young man that’s liked by everyone. He fits into the culture on the campus.”

Tatenda, now a second-semester sophomore, is on his way to earning bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business management. Before he completes his studies at UMHB in 2009, he plans to earn a master’s degree in accounting.

While Tatenda doesn’t remember the university from the first time around, he’s making his mark this time—particularly at sporting events, where his attire combines passion for the Crusaders and his home country.

“Tatenda’s his own person, for sure. He eats, sleeps and breathes the Cru,” said Bear Garza, campus missionary and Tatenda’s friend. “At games, he goes nuts, and people respond to that.”

He wears a hat made from the skin of a kudu, decorated with purple-and-gold tape, along with Zimbabwe and UMHB flags. Sunglasses, with lenses removed, likewise are decorated with purple and gold. His pants have two university flags attached onto them. His shoes are wrapped with purple-and-gold tape and covered with UMHB stickers. He often carries a university flag in one hand and a Crusaders shield in the other.

The Zimbabwean flag he wears on his back is “so I never forget where I came from,” he said. “A lot of people who have gone overseas have forgotten their country’s values and where they came from. I don’t want to forget.”

Although he knew of his father’s dream, Tatenda didn’t think it would be possible for him to attend UMHB. He planned to make a career working at camps in Zimbabwe, and eventually work his way up to a camp director position.

Then one Saturday in January 2004, he returned home from a camp.

“Dad said: “Pack your bags. You’re going to Mary Hardin-Baylor on Thursday,’” he recalled.

Tatenda arrived in Texas without his luggage. After missing one of his numerous connecting flights, a domino effect ensued, and for two weeks his bags—containing everything to last him five years—were lost.

“I was praying, ‘God, am I supposed to be here?’ I was flipping out,” he said.

He also had a university tuition bill and no money to pay it. When his father attended, international students had scholarships to pay for their tuition.

All of that, he said, taught him to trust in God.

“At home, I trusted Mom for money, Dad for money for fuel, or friends for a place to stay and hang out,” he said. “Coming here put me on the edge. It was symbolic, the lost bags and the $5,000 I had to pay.”

God has continued to provide a way through scholarships, jobs and friends, he noted.

At the end of semesters, he has warned friends he may not return because of a lack of funds.

“The last day before money is due, someone would say, ‘Here Tatenda, God said to give you $2,000’ or I’d get a new job that pays more,” he said. “God always comes through.”

He also has been the recipient of the Townsend Memorial Scholarship for two years.

God also has provided in smaller areas. Tatenda often would awake to find a bar of soap, a T-shirt or a new pair of shoes by his door, left by an anonymous donor.

He’s also learned about trusting God with his studies and serving others.

At UMHB, he is sophomore class president, works three jobs and is on several club teams, as well as attending football and other sporting events in his purple-and-gold garb.

“By God’s grace, he’s still giving me a 4.0,” he said, noting he was a mediocre student during his high school years in Zimbabwe. “I’ve just been willing to serve others. I don’t think I got any cleverer or suddenly saw the light.”

Garza said Tatenda has made an impact on the campus, almost since he started.

“He’s a good bridge, a liaison between believers and nonbelievers. He meets them where they are,” he said. “He’s a leader. If he has a vision, if he puts any effort into it at all, it’s going to go through.”

UMHB students have embraced Tatenda as well.

“It’s been good to see the campus unite around him and be the family for him,” Garza said.

Tatenda plans to take what he has learned in and out of the classroom when he returns to Zimbabwe. There, he wants to open a Christian camp, of which there are few in Zimbabwe, for the young to the old.

“Dad always wanted me to preach. Mom wanted me to be an accountant. I always wanted to have fun,” he said with a laugh. “I think a camp covers that.”

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: 10/27/06

Mexico trips spark desire
to meet needs immediately

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

LOS MOCHIS, Mexico—Texas Baptist leaders are finding it too difficult to see ministry opportunities in Mexico without starting to meet them.

During the first two Baptist General Convention of Texas-sponsored vision trips to expose Texas Baptists to the needs of nearly unreached people groups in Mexico, participants felt called to help immediately.

Dexton Shores, BGCT Mexico and Borderland missions director, volunteered to provide a $500 monthly stipend from Cooperative Program funds to support a Mexican Baptist missionary ministering in San Luis Potosí.

A church started to reach the Mayo people of Sinaloa, Mexico, meets under a ramada—a primitive pole structure.

On the second vision trip, he bought eight bicycles to be used as the primary transportation for eight Mexican pastors working with the Mayos in Western Mexico. Without the bicycles, the pastors were walking up to eight miles a day as part of their ministry.

An additional $2,000 was used to purchase land for a church ministering to the Mayos. Buying land is difficult for churches in an area where people make as little as $7 a day.

Marsha Tribe of Crossroads Baptist Church in The Woodlands—who went on the first vision trip—said the needs are great in Mexico. Indigenous believers are committed to ministering in areas where few people are evangelical Christians but lack resources—and, in some cases, training—that could make ministry more significant.

“I see a huge need for long-term connection down there—for long-term leadership training,” she said.

Juan Pacheco from Primera Iglesia Bautista in El Paso said Mexican churches need help starting health clinics, training members for service and buying land. Texas Baptists can partner together to coordinate ministry efforts strategically and assist Mexican Baptists.

“Texas Baptists can help their brothers in Christ in many ways,” he said.

Don Graham of First Baptist Church in Llano said the trips furthered his resolve to assist Mexican Baptist ministry. Seeing the needs of the Mayos helped him understand how he can help the ministry there.

For more information about adopting unreached and nearly unreached people groups in Mexico, call (888) 244-9400 or visit www.bgct.org/bordermexico.

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.