Technician’s speed spares Baptist Memorials resident

Posted: 7/21/06

Technician’s speed spares
Baptist Memorials resident

SAN ANGELO—Certified pharmacy technician Stacey Walden recently helped rescue a resident at Baptist Memorials Center.

Walden, an Angelo State University student, had offered to show the resident how to use a special medical device and made an appointment for the afternoon. When the resident did not answer the door, Walden went back to work but still telephoned with no success.

After an hour, Walden went back to the house for another try. Finding the doors locked, Walden looked through the window and noticed the resident lying on the floor.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Book Reviews

Posted: 7/21/06

Book Reviews

Syzygy: Living a Powerfully Aligned Life by Johnnie C. Godwin (Chalice Press)

In Syzygy: Living a Powerfully Aligned Life, Johnnie Godwin introduced to me a new word for an age-old concept. I found “syzygy” to be a funny new word that reminded me of the importance of proper alignment and balance in my relationships. The root of this old Greek word means to be “yoked” together, which explains the power behind the synergy that so many individuals, companies and churches long for.

What are you reading that other Texas Baptists would find helpful? Send suggestions and reviews to books@baptiststandard.com.

Godwin shares his personal journey toward discovering syzygy in his life at home, at church and at work. His practical insights reinforce the importance of us working together with each other and especially with the Lord. Life takes on new meaning and effectiveness when we take up the “yoke” of Christ.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Baptist Briefs

Posted: 7/21/06

Baptist Briefs

Graham’s final sermon? Billy Graham acknowledged his appearance at his son’s July 9 crusade could be “the last time I’ll have an opportunity to preach the gospel to an audience like this,” Religion News Service reported. At age 87, the evangelist gave the closing sermon of the three-day Metro Maryland Festival headlined by his son, Franklin Graham, and organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “Unfortunately, I’m getting too old to do this,” he said. He made a similar statement about his preaching at an appearance with his son in New Orleans in March, saying, “This is probably the last evangelistic sermon I’ll ever preach.”

Warren headed to North Korea. Government officials have invited best-selling author and Baptist pastor Rick Warren to preach to at least 15,000 people in North Korea sometime next summer, a spokesperson from Warren’s Saddleback Church confirmed. Warren acknowledged his trip could be used by the Korean government—notorious for religious persecution—as propaganda or further persecution, but he said it is worth the risks. “I know they’re going to use me, so I’m going to use them,” he told reporters.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Burgi home bubbles with boys after 1st BCFS adoption

Posted: 7/21/06

Burgi home bubbles with boys
after 1st BCFS adoption

By Craig Bird

Baptist Child & Family Services

DEL RIO—Reply quickly if 6-year-old Robert Burgi asks, “What’s your name?” He’s in a rush to say: “I’m Robert Alesandro Burgi. And my name just changed.”

But the name change isn’t as striking as the change in his life. In fact, the lives of the whole Burgi family—now home to six boys—changed because of Baptist Child & Family Services’ newly licensed adoption program.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Cartoon

Posted: 7/21/06 “I’m thinking of having my feathers colored.” News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention…

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

‘Fear of God enables him to fear no man’

Posted: 7/21/06

‘Fear of God enables him to fear no man’

By Craig Bird

Special to the Baptist Standard

SAN ANTONIO—A half-dozen Texas Baptist churches heard the voice of the persecuted church recently when Moises Guillen Solis Dominguez challenged them not to forget Christian brothers and sisters in Chiapas, Mexico.

Dominguez spoke at First Baptist Church in Gonzales, First Baptist Church in Lumberton, First Baptist Church in Silsbee, First Baptist Church in Kountze, South San Filadelfia Baptist Church in San Antonio and Nueva Jerusalem Baptist Church in Houston. He was sponsored by Norvi Mayfield Ministries, which has been working in Chiapas for years.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Despite the danger, ‘closed’ countries lure Christians

Posted: 7/21/06

Despite the danger, ‘closed’
countries lure Christians

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—As more Baptists serve in “closed” countries, more of them could find themselves in the same situation as the mission team from First Baptist Church of Forney, which was trapped in Lebanon.

But Christians appear to understand the risk and continue seeking these mission opportunities.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

2nd Opinion: Moderates, evangelicals together

Posted: 7/21/06

2nd Opinion: Moderates, evangelicals together

By Ross Shelton

I consider myself both a moderate Baptist and an evangelical Christian. Some people might be surprised to hear these two groups identified together. So, allow me to generalize:

Some Baptists consider themselves moderates, but they look with disdain upon the title “evangelical Christian” because of the controversy that took place in the Southern Baptist Convention during the past 27 years. Evangelical Christians often are thought of primarily in relationship to the Southern Baptist Convention and its leaders. Others would consider themselves evangelical Christians, yet they are uncomfortable with the title “moderate Baptist” because they assume moderates are halfway down the “slippery slope” of liberalism.

I have become increasingly uncomfortable as I have heard these groups speak poorly of each other. Having attended a northern evangelical seminary (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) for one year before transferring and graduating from a moderate Baptist seminary (Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary), I have connected and become close with each group.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

DOWN HOME: Centennial memory; Popo would be 100

Posted: 7/21/06

DOWN HOME:
Centennial memory; Popo would be 100

Do you think the summer of 1906 was as hot as the summer of 2006? Unless you’re a climatologist studying global warming, you probably don’t care.

But I’ve been thinking about 1906. One of the great events of my life happened that summer. Well, not exactly my life. But something happened that summer that made my life both possible and blessed.

That summer, Leonard Moore popped into this world on a northwestern Oklahoma homestead. He would have celebrated his 100th birthday Aug. 2. He was my mother’s father. We called him Popo.

How do you evaluate the stature of someone 100 years after his birth? Popo never ran a company or accumulated wealth or made the news. But he farmed through the Dust Bowl and survived the Great Depression. He helped rebuild his little town after a devastating tornado. He collected an array of friends. He knew Jesus as his Savior. His family adored him. He lived a successful life.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

EDITORIAL: ‘Best person available’ has character

Posted: 7/21/06

EDITORIAL:
'Best person available’ has character

Most Texans, as well as football fans everywhere, remember with fondness the formative years of the Dallas Cowboys, when they developed their persona as America’s Team. (OK, not “football fans everywhere.” Redskins and Eagles fans remember this with fear and trembling.) In those days, Tom Landry and Tex Schramm presided over the Cowboys. One simple principle prompted their gridiron greatness: Draft the best athlete available.

They might have had four terrific offensive linemen, but if the best player on the board was an offensive lineman, they drafted an offensive lineman. They needed a good defensive back, so they drafted the best athlete available—a basketball player who became an All-Pro defensive back. Their team’s victories validated their theory.

The Cowboys’ “best athlete available” principle often comes to mind. No, I’m not bucking for a front-office job with an NFL franchise. But I read papers, watch the news, and listen to people all over Texas and beyond. And whether it’s sports franchises, businesses, civic organizations or churches, the fine line between success and failure consistently parallels this principle. When the successful enterprises add new people, especially leaders, they select the best person available. To the contrary, those that are unsuccessful seem either (a) bound and determined to fill a particular slot a particular way or (b) distracted by superficial qualities that ultimately do not contribute to success.

We could discuss the infinite number of qualities that might define the “best person available” until Jesus comes back. But let me nominate one—character.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist Forum

Posted: 7/21/06

Texas Baptist Forum

Completeness of 1

I was saddened while reading “Single ministers face multiple hurdles” (July 10).

It reminds me of how dangerous exclusion is within religious groups. Eventually, no one is able to stand the test. What amazes and confuses me is that “we say” we follow and love “a Single Man” and also forget the writer of most of the New Testament was “a single man” and yet will not even allow one to minister to God’s people.

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

“To say that men and women should not inject their ‘personal morality’ into public-policy debates is a practical absurdity. If we progressives shed some of these biases, we might recognize some overlapping values that religious and secular people share.” Barak Obama U.S. Senator (D., Ill.), addressing a conference of about 600 Christian anti-poverty activists (ABP) “I didn't fancy the thought of being handed over to the Inquisition like Galileo.” Stephen Hawking The astrophysicist, who said Pope John Paul II discouraged him from attempting to figure out how the universe began (RNS) “I cannot imagine any development in human history, after the Fall, that has had a greater impact on human beings than the pill. … Prior to it, every time a couple had sex, there was a good chance of pregnancy. Once that is removed, the entire horizon of the sexual act changes. I think there could be no question that the pill gave incredible license to everything from adultery and affairs to premarital sex and within marriage to a separation of the sex act and procreation.” Al Mohler President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (New York Times Magazine/BP)

What are we afraid of? Hmm. … What does that say about us?

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

On the Move

Posted: 7/21/06

On the Move

• Rusty Arrington to Calvary Church in Pilot Point as youth minister.

• Roberto Arrubla has resigned as pastor of Iglesia Nuevo Amanecer in Cleburne.

• Roger Ashley to Parkview Church in Littlefield as pastor from Rocky Ford Church in Amherst.

• Gene BoBo to New Colony Church in Linden as minister of music.

07/21/2006 - By John Rutledge