Posted: 7/21/06

Bush vetoes bill to expand
embryonic stem-cell research

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (ABP)—Simultaneously pleasing his socially conservative base and overruling large majorities in Congress and the public, President Bush used the first veto of his political career July 19 to kill a bill that would have expanded embryonic stem-cell research.

Bush returned H.R. 810, the “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005,” to Congress without his signature just a day after the Senate voted 63-37 to approve it. In a statement explaining the veto, Bush said: “If this bill were to become law, American taxpayers for the first time in our history would be compelled to fund the deliberate destruction of human embryos. Crossing this line would be a grave mistake and would needlessly encourage a conflict between science and ethics that can only do damage to both and harm our nation as a whole.”

The bill would have greatly expanded the government’s ability to fund embryonic stem-cell research. Biologists prize the cells because they can replicate themselves and have the potential to grow into almost any kind of human tissue. Therefore, they may one day be used to replace cells destroyed by diseases—such as Parkinson’s—that are currently deadly.

Most conservative religious and anti-abortion groups oppose such research, because embryos are destroyed in the process of extracting their stem cells. In one of his first acts after he took office in 2001, Bush issued an executive order severely limiting federal funding for such research.

The bill he vetoed would have mostly undone that order. The House passed it more than a year ago on a 238-194 vote, which included 50 Republicans voting in its favor. Bush threatened then to veto the bill if the Senate passed it. That chamber did not consider the bill until after Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) announced that he supported the bill.

Many pro-life groups have said they prefer research on similar cells taken from adult tissue and prefer forms of stem-cell research that do not intentionally destroy embryos. But most scientists believe the embryonic cells hold more immediate promise for curing diseases that are currently terminal, because they have the ability to develop into far many more types of tissue than other stem cells.

Supporters of embryonic stem-cell research have also noted that the bill would have authorized research only on embryos that were slated to be destroyed anyway—the fate that annually meets thousands of frozen embryos created as the by-product of fertility treatments.

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), who was one of 19 Senate Republicans who voted for the bill, pleaded with Bush from the Senate floor July 18 to reconsider his promised veto. He noted that he has watched three relatives suffer from Parkinson’s.

“To watch people die of such a malady is to instill in one’s heart a desire to err on the side of health, hope and healing, to find a cure if a cure can be found,” Smith said.

But Bush announced the veto against the backdrop of 18 families with children who were “adopted” as the extra frozen embryos of other couples, implanted in a mother’s womb and carried to term. “Each of these children … has been blessed with a chance to grow—to grow up in a loving family,” he said. “These boys and girls are not spare parts.”

Families of such “snowflake babies”—so named because of the frozen embryos from which they came but also because each snowflake has a unique structure—made several appearances around Washington with opponents of the bill. But bill supporters pointed out that, of the estimated 400,000 surplus frozen embryos in the nation’s fertility clinics, only around 100 have become snowflake babies.

Bush’s veto sent the bill back to Congress, where House leaders brought it up for a veto override vote on the evening of July 19. Although the chamber voted 235-193 against the veto, the margin did not reach the two-thirds majority necessary for a veto override.

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: 7/21/06

In crisis, churches unprepared
for dealing with media

By Angela Best

Communication Intern

Dealing with difficult situations can be trying enough for a church. Handling pressure from media can make it even harder.

As First Baptist Church in Forney has focused on getting 10 members of a church mission team trapped in Lebanon back home, the congregation also has been faced with voluminous media requests from television stations, newspapers and national news networks.

Ben Dudley, community pastor at University Baptist Church in Waco, said the volume of the media interest can come as a surprise. The church experienced a media blitz last fall, when its pastor, Kyle Lake, was electrocuted during a baptism.

“It was unexpected and overwhelming at first,” he said. “But once we realized that the media wasn’t going to just go away, we had to decide how to deal with them.”

Many churches find themselves unprepared for handling media during a crisis, so they decide to seek help. The Baptist General Convention of Texas can provide media assistance to churches dealing with the media during a crisis.

“We appointed a spokesperson for the church—a media liaison,” Dudley said. “That way, everything that was communicated came from one person, and that person knew all the details and latest information, so we were not sending mixed messages.”

Appointing one spokesperson also helps both the church and the media, since the media know exactly who to contact for information, he explained.

University Baptist Church also held a press conference to avoid multiple time-consuming interviews. Press releases proved useful, and each was posted on the church’s web site for easy viewing.

When dealing with the press, churches should anticipate questions reporters might ask, like “How many people are affected?” or “What services are you providing?” said Ferrell Foster, director of the BGCT communications team.

It is important to get the reporter’s name, media outlet name and phone number in case a spokesperson has to call back with additional or corrected information, Foster added.

Asking about the reporter’s deadline also is key, because usually it is within the same day of contact, Foster said. If the church doesn’t respond quickly, the media will go elsewhere for information.

Churches should provide telephone numbers of spokespersons whom reporters can contact to obtain more information, Dudley noted.

“The media has a job to do, and they will find a way to do it,” he said. “So, it is better to work alongside them so that the correct information goes to the public.”

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: 7/21/06

Right or Wrong?
Hospitality to Strangers

The Old Testament speaks of extending hospitality to "aliens and sojourners." Does that scriptural mandate have any application to the current debate over immigration?

Certainly, gracious treatment of the “alien and sojourner” is a fundamental theme of Scripture. “Welcoming the stranger” resides at the heart of the gospel, and witness to that gospel reflects the hospitality of God. The Bible tells of many “aliens and sojourners” who are crucial to God’s work. Abraham (Genesis 23:4), Jacob (Exodus 6:4) and Moses (Exodus 2:22) each are identified as “alien.” Jesus’ famous ancestress Ruth admits to Boaz, “I am a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10). The people of Israel dwelt as “aliens in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). Yet all of these find gracious treatment and special calling at the hands of God.

Specifically because Israel, as “aliens in the land of Egypt,” received God’s provision and guidance, so Israel must show concern for any aliens who dwell in their midst (Exodus 22:21; 23:9), knowing God “shows his love for the alien by giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). So, even at the price of economic loss, Israel is to provide for work and food for the alien in the land (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

Talk of the “alien” also appears in the New Testament.

Jesus “has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20) and identifies himself as the foreigner whom some welcome and others reject (Matthew 25:35, 43). The Apostle Paul reminds his readers in Ephesians they had been “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise” (2:12); yet God has welcomed them so that they “are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with the saints and of God’s household” (2:19). It should be no surprise that Paul encourages believers to demonstrate love for the stranger (Romans 12:13). Certainly, the parable of the Good Samaritan underscores that God’s concretely expressed mercy cannot be withheld, even if the signs of ethnic, national or racial belonging are absent (Luke 10:30-37).

At the same time, finding welcome among the people of God, a people not defined by nationality, ethnicity, social standing or language, but by faith in Christ (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; Revelation 5:9-10) creates a distance between believers and the surrounding cultures in which they find themselves—cultures that generally define themselves on such terms. So, believers are called “resident aliens” (1 Peter 1:1) and are likened to Jewish exiles living in Babylon (1 Peter 5:13). Thus, we affirm that “here we do not have a lasting city, but are seeking the city which is to come … the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 13:14; 11:10), and with Paul we confess “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

Our outlook on issues of alien immigration largely will be determined by the degree to which Christians in the United States recognize our own status as “resident aliens.”

How local congregations respond to the issues surrounding the presence of immigrants in their communities requires local deliberation and discernment. But that discernment should take place with certain commitments firmly in place: God has a special concern for those who dwell as strangers in a strange land. God has created his own people out of those whom the world counts as strangers and aliens. And God calls his people to express the same measure of grace and costly love to the alien as God has to us.

Jeph Holloway, professor of religion

East Texas Baptist University

Marshall

Right or Wrong? is sponsored by the T.B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology. Send your questions about how to apply your faith to btillman@hsutx.edu.

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: 7/19/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for July 30

Paul provides Timothy with direction for living

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 10-17

By Joseph Matos

Dallas Baptist University, Dallas

I don’t think we can adequately appreciate the struggles Timothy encountered in Ephesus. We read the letter written so long ago, and perhaps we lose sight of the very real and acute opposition he faced. We are so quick in our attempts to “translate” Paul’s words to Timothy to our own circumstances that we tend to forget Timothy’s own experiences and the encouragement and strength he derived from Paul’s words.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

This especially is so in light of Paul’s mention of the “last days.” We see that phrase and immediately think of our own time, as if Paul could see 2,000 years into the future and give a portrait of our time. But how meaningless for Timothy would this portrayal be if Paul meant our time and had little or nothing to do with Timothy’s time. Rather, Paul gave a grim portrait to Timothy.

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How do we know this? Two imperatives bracket the description of the last days and its people. First, Paul told Timothy to “mark this” (literally, know this). Second, Paul told Timothy to “have nothing to do with them” (literally, avoid them).

Timothy was to know things would be “terrible” in the last days (v. 1). Why should he know this if it didn’t directly apply to him? The biblical definition of the “last days” is the interim between Christ’s ascension to the Father and his return at the end of the age. Sure, there was a tendency in the early church to believe Christ would return in their lifetime, but that does not mark them off as any different from the generations since. Timothy, and Christians of all generations, would experience the difficult times of the last days.

What would make the times so difficult for Timothy and for generations afterward is people (v. 2). Just read the adjectives Paul used to describe the people (vv. 3-5). Nearly 20 characteristics paint the picture. These are far from flattering. Some of the descriptions describe their distorted views of themselves (boastful, proud and conceited). Many relate their actions towards others (abusive, disobedient to parents, slanderous, brutal). Others reflect their self-destructive nature (without self-control, rash). Still, many characteristics reflect their disregard for relationships (ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, treacherous). Four of the descriptions incorporate some form of the word “love.” But even these reveal their misplaced affection (lovers of themselves, lovers of money, not lovers of good, lovers of pleasure, not lovers of God).

The most damaging of Paul’s descriptions is the last one, revealing their hypocrisy and self-deceit. People would have a form of godliness but deny its power. Despite all their vices, they would still view themselves as good and godly. The only problem is their “godliness” would have no real impact in their lives.

Timothy had to avoid such people. Whether Paul was further describing the false teachers or people in general, he enjoined Timothy to keep away from them. Association with them would be counterproductive to his growth in the faith and in his ministry.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

A proper diet is not just about the kinds of foods to avoid, but also about the proper foods to eat. In the same way, Paul does not stop with telling Timothy what kinds of people would be detrimental to his faith and ministry. He guides Timothy in what would build up his faith.

First, Paul reminded Timothy of the example that was laid by Paul himself (vv. 10-13). Paul provided Timothy with the proper teaching. In addition, Paul, though not perfect, was an example for Timothy in his life. Paul had the proper purpose and faith. He exemplified patience and love. He also practiced endurance in the face of persecution and sufferings. And Paul experienced plenty of those. Paul could thus testify to the faithfulness of the Lord who rescued him from them all.

Paul was honest with Timothy. The last days could be hard. Persecution follows those living a godly life, and evil people only get worse, deceiving and being deceived. He earlier exhorted Timothy to join him in those sufferings (1:8); now he assures Timothy of God’s faithfulness in the midst of them.

Second, Timothy was to build on the foundation already set for him. He was to continue in what he learned, being confident of those from whom he learned it (an allusion to his mother and grandmother from chapter 1).

Third, Paul directed Timothy to the Scriptures. At the time Paul wrote to Timothy, this was the Old Testament. They were full of benefits for Timothy. Knowledge of the Scriptures makes one “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

The Scriptures are the repository of faith. Reading the words of Scripture leads one to the word of God (John 1:1-3, 14). Paul commended the Scriptures to Timothy, as well, because of their origin. They are “God-breathed.” As a result, they are useful to fulfill a fourfold function—teach, rebuke, correct and train in righteousness. All this is with a view to making one “thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Conclusion

Imagine Timothy’s task in Ephesus. Envision the challenges he faced. Before we read Paul’s words (and Scripture in general) with ourselves in mind, try to see how meaningful they were for Timothy. Then, knowing our circumstances often parallel Timothy’s, we can appropriate Paul’s words for ourselves. We are equipped to face challenges when we draw on the life, teaching and experiences of godly mentors coupled with the wisdom of Scripture.

Discussion questions

• Why did Paul tell Timothy to avoid people like those he described in 2:3-5? How could he have influenced them for Christ if he avoided them? Similarly, how do we balance Paul’s command to avoid certain people with the commission to preach the gospel?

• Who do you emulate as you live the Christian life?

• How would you describe your Bible study habits? Would you say you are well equipped?

• When have you experienced the Bible’s rebuke or correction?

• When have you experienced its teaching and training in righteousness?

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: 7/19/06

Family Bible Series for July 30

Pleasing God begins with desiring to obey him

• Exodus 19:4-6; 20:3-17

By Greg Ammons

First Baptist Church, Garland

A recent cartoon depicted a disgruntled school teacher holding up an unacceptable paper while showing it to an elementary student. The child responded, “I’m not an underachiever. You’re an overexpecter!”

Does this describe God? Whose fault is it that we fail God so frequently? Are we underachievers, or does God simply expect too much of us?

Perhaps the Israelites wondered these questions as they wandered in the wilderness. Three months after they left Egypt, God gave them instructions for pleasing him (Exodus 19:1). He stated clearly what he expected of his people. It was their choice whether to obey the commands.

Called to a special relationship (Exodus 19:4-6)

Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive instruction from the Lord concerning the Israelites (v. 4). While on the mountain, God described a very special relationship he enjoyed with his people. “This is what you are to say …,” Moses was instructed. “You yourselves have seen … how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, if you will obey me fully and keep my covenant … then you will be my treasured possession” (vv. 4-5). God wanted them to know that of all the nations of the earth, they were a special people (v. 6).

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My wife and I were married 18 years with no children. We did not think we could have children, but three years ago God blessed us with a son. We enjoy a special relationship with him and love him dearly. He is our treasure.

God wants his children today to know how special they are to him. As we trust Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, we begin a relationship with God that is highly treasured.

John tells us, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). If you have trusted Jesus by faith, realize how special is your relationship with God.

Devoted to God alone (Exodus 20:3-11)

God spoke words of instruction for the Israelites to Moses on Mount Sinai. These are known to us today as the Ten Commandments. The first four commands concern people’s relationship with God, and the final six commands dealt with relationships with each other.

In verses 3 through 11, Moses detailed these first four commandments and told the people the importance of their relationship with God.

The very first command God gave his people was exclusive: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (vv. 2-3). The Lord also told the Israelites they were not to fashion idols and worship them (v. 4). They were to live devoted to God alone.

Adoniram Judson served God almost 40 years as a missionary in Burma. He established many churches and translated the entire Bible into Burmese during his ministry. His life was one of unswerving devotion to God. When he accepted the calling to vocational ministry and went to Burma, he penned these words as a constant reminder to himself: “Devoted for life.”

Each of us are to please God by being devoted fully to him.

Commanded to live God’s way (Exodus 20:12-17)

Another expectation God placed upon his people was to live the way he commanded them. Verses 12 through 17 state the final six commandments, which concerned the Israelites’ relationship with one another. Their relationships with each other were to be honorable and godly. They were to honor father and mother (v. 12), while not murdering (v. 13), committing adultery (v. 14), stealing (v. 15), bearing false testimony (v. 16) or coveting a neighbor’s possessions (v. 17). It was a lofty standard, but God expected them to live his way.

A friend mentioned to another, “Wouldn’t it be nice to travel to the Middle East, climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments?” The friend replied, “It would be better to stay home and obey them.” God still expects his children to obey these ancient commands and live the way he desires.

We are blessed to have, in writing, what God says we must do to please him and what he expects of us. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great British preacher, once said, “The easiest way to tell the crookedness of a stick is to place a perfectly straight stick beside it.” The Ten Commandments are our “straight stick” by which we must gauge our actions. They are what God expects of us.

Discussion questions

• Do you truly have a special relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ?

•Would you describe yourself as totally devoted to God alone?

•Which commandment do you feel is the most difficult for Christians today to keep?

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: 7/19/06

Explore the Bible Series for July 30

The meaning of life cannot be found in pursuits

• Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12

By James Adair

Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio

What is the meaning of life? Does life, in fact, have any meaning at all?

These philosophical questions have been posed by thinkers for thousands of years, and they still continue to evoke discussion. The modern world is characterized by rapid change, technological advancement and scientific discovery, yet people remain more or less the same as their ancestors in previous generations.

In the midst of a rapidly evolving world, it may be harder today than at any time in the past for people to find any real meaning in their own lives. Our personal accomplishments seem to dwindle into insignificance in the face of world events, which are hurtling forward with breakneck speed. In such a world, can an individual human being find meaning?

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In Samuel Becket’s play “Waiting for Godot,” two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, struggle with the question of life’s meaning. The two are unsure if life really has meaning, but they are determined to act as though it did. Vladimir says to his companion: “Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! Let us do something, while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed. Not indeed that we personally are needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late! Let us represent worthily for once the foul brood to which a cruel fate consigned us!”

In a world full of uncertainty, the preacher likewise seeks meaning in life. He has already discussed and dismissed the possibilities that meaning can be found in pleasure, wisdom and work, so now he looks elsewhere.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

Perhaps, the preacher says, striving for justice is an activity that will bring meaning to life. In this respect, he treads close to the topic of the book of Job, which examines the nature of God’s justice. Like the author of Job, the preacher is not encouraged by his observations of the world around him. Contrary to his expectations that oppressors should be punished and the oppressed relieved, he sees just the opposite. Those who have power are the oppressors rather than the oppressed, so justice is rarely achieved. In any case, the search for justice cannot provide ultimate meaning in life.

Ecclesiastes 5:13-6:9

Since the search for justice focuses on the needs of others, and the preacher has concluded that path leads nowhere, maybe, he says, a person should focus on his own needs and forget others since he can have no ultimate control over how other people act.

With this idea in mind, he turns to the pursuit of riches. Since the pursuit of riches largely is an individual pursuit, maybe he will have better luck finding meaning there.

Many people today believe the pursuit of riches is a meaningful activity, and many churches also promote its value, teaching that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing and offering courses on attaining and managing wealth.

However, what the preacher discovered is not only do riches not provide meaning in life, they can be positively harmful to the person who has riches. The pursuit of wealth can rob people of the joy of life, for they are never satisfied with what they have. Like the other pursuits he has examined, the pursuit of riches proves to be ultimately meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 4:3; 6:3

According to the Talmud, the rabbinical schools of Hillel and Shammai debated the question of whether it would have been better for humanity not to have been created. After a debate that lasted two and a half years, the rabbis decided that it would indeed have been better for humanity not to have been created.

Their decision accords with the conclusion of the preacher, who says not to have been born is preferable to actually being born, because of the vanity of the world we live in. The idea that those who never existed are better off than all those who have existed smacks of pessimism, and it tends toward nihilism, the idea that no values are absolute and therefore life is meaningless. However, it must be understood that this is only the preacher’s provisional conclusion, not his final answer.

When life is spent in pursuit of ephemeral things like pleasure, riches and even justice, it is easy to come to the conclusion that life is a waste of time, without ultimate meaning. The solution to this perplexing situation is not to find another temporal pursuit in life (remember that the preacher assumes God’s work in the world is ultimately unknowable, so it cannot be a valid pursuit) but rather to revisualize life itself. That is the task the preacher will undertake in the remainder of the book.

Discussion questions

• Do you think life is more confusing now than in the past?

• Do rapid changes in technology inevitably improve life?

• Do you consider yourself a typical representative of the human race? Do your actions affect people outside your immediate sphere of influence?

• In what ways can wealth improve one’s life? In what ways can it make one’s life worse? Is the attainment of wealth a purely personal endeavor, or are other people inevitably affected, either for better or worse?

• What do you make of the Talmudic discussion about the question of the existence of human beings? Why might the rabbis have decided the world would have been better if humans had never existed? Do you agree with their conclusion?

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: 7/18/06

Southland's Friendship Class gives
retired veterans a sense of family

By Angela Best & Laura Frase

Communication Interns

SAN ANGELO—Sunday school is a veterans’ affair for 144 members of Southland Baptist Church.

Majors, corporals, privates, lieutenants, petty officers, sergeants, specialists, warrant officers, seamen, pharmacist’s mates and colonels all hold the same rank in the San Angelo church—members of Dan Keeney’s Friendship Class.

About 80 members attend the Sunday school class each week.

“The Friendship Class breaks all the rules when it comes to recommended class enrollments, but it works great for them,” admitted Jill Fulghum, Southland’s minister of education. “And I’d be crazy to ask them to go by the book!

“They are by far the largest class we have in both enrollment and attendance. I believe that if we had a bigger room—they are now meeting in our fellowship hall—they’d outgrow it also!”

The veterans, who in their youth wore the uniforms of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Seabees, served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The class includes a large proportion of veterans because these men are members of the generation that came of age when World War II came along, Keeney said. Patriotism propelled them to enlist in the war.

Fulghum agreed, noting class members grew up when God, country and patriotism peaked. As a result, they developed strong commitment to both their country and their church.

“They have stayed true to their priorities and their convictions,” Fulghum reported. “Today, our church reaps the benefit of their loyalty to churchmanship.”

The veterans reached retirement age and have settled down in San Angelo.

“San Angelo has become an excellent retirement community, because everything is geared toward the elderly,” Keeney said.

For example, after spending more than 26 years as a military chaplain, retirement and family brought Lewis Burnett to San Angelo.

When they arrived in San Angelo, the Burnetts visited several churches. But “something about the spirit of the church, about the people reaching out and the families made Southland Baptist stand out,” he said.

Burnett has been a member of Southland 10 years and is a member of the Friendship Class.

“This is one of the most unique classes I’ve seen,” he said. “The members reach out to the community and help each other. We really pray for each other and lift each other up.”

A lot of fellowship goes on in the class, and Keeney has found this class different than others because “they want to talk more and voice their opinions.”

The class is divided into ministry teams responsible for fellowships and quarterly Sunday lunches. When someone is ill, having surgery, misses Sunday school or has a need, they are there for each other.

“I think their impact is far-reaching—both within the walls of our church and in our community,” Fulghum observed.

While some of the veterans teach in other areas of the church, serve on committees and ministry divisions, and participate in the senior-adult choir—Southland Singers—they also minister throughout the city at retirement centers, where they assist other senior adults who struggle with health problems or physical disabilities.

And the influence the Friendship Class has on the church and its members is notable.

“The number of veterans impacts the church tremendously,” Burnett said. “Veterans bring not only personal experiences as Christians, but experiences from the military to a church family which is made up of people of all different ages and backgrounds.”

“I believe the Friendship Class models for us what it is to be family,” Fulghum noted. “They take care of each other, love each other and minister to each other in so many ways. I think the rest of our church recognizes that and has great respect for them.”

Keeney recalled the class started small and just grew.

“There is a lot of love in the class,” he said. “It draws people.”

“We are a family,” Burnett agreed.

“They do a tremendous ministry within their class,” Fulghum said. “They pray for each other. They minister to each other. They fellowship together.

“Their name fits them perfectly—they find friendship there.”

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: 4/16/04

Levine content with dual roles

By George Henson

George Henson

FORT WORTH—Bivocational minister Charles Levine believes “vocational bi-ministry” might better describe his life, because he considers both his jobs to be ministry points.

In addition to being pastor of Terrace Acres Baptist Church in Fort Worth for the last 12 years, he is a counselor at Liberty Elementary School in White Settlement. “Working here in the school, often I feel like a chaplain to the children and their families. We want to be ready to help our families and not just academically. If a child is not well-fed and well-rested, it all makes a difference,” he said.

He thinks his work in the school complements his ministry at church.

“I really like bivocational ministry. It gives me contact with people outside the church. Because of that, I think I have a better idea of what they are going through each day because I deal with the same things,” Levine said.

“I think it also gives me a better understanding of what can be expected of volunteer leaders in the church and the time constraints they are under.”

Since he is not completely dependent on the church financially, Levine believes he has “a bit more prophetic freedom” than some preachers.

“I don't know, but that may make me a little freer to say some things than if I was more worried about being fired,” he said.

Even so, he sees at least one drawback to the bivocational life.

“The drawback is the double schedule. I not only have committee meetings at church, but I have meetings and other events at school as well,” he pointed out. “The only way to get a day off is to get out of town. Also, I don't carry a cell phone or a pager and don't want one.”

Levine realized while he was attending East Texas Baptist University that he wanted to be involved in a ministry to Hispanics. Working for a while with illegal aliens during his college career confirmed that sense of calling.

Levine took all the Spanish courses he could in college. Since then, he has improved his proficiency primarily through conversation with Hispanic people.

“I was going to take a Berlitz course, but they said I knew too much. So I've had to study and learn on my own,” he said. “My Spanish isn't perfect, but it's good.”

His Spanish has been an asset in both his jobs—he started a Spanish-language mission five years ago, and serves as an interpreter for the school district.

The Hispanic congregation has now grown to have its own pastor, but Levine's dream is for the two cultures to meld into a single congregation.

“It's called Mision Hispana Terrace Acres, but I'm trying to get away from those divisions and begin thinking of ourselves as one in the Lord,” Levine said.

“I think it would be a real neat testimony to the community if we could work and worship together.”

Terrace Acres Baptist Church averages about 60 people in attendance each week, and about 40 people attend the mission's services.

The two congregations meet together already periodically, “but not as much as I would like,” he said. His plan is to integrate the two congregations first in prayer groups and then begin joint Sunday classes.

Theology is not a sticking point for combining the congregations, but cultural factors do weigh in, he said.

One of those things is that the Hispanic church tends to need a more personal touch. “If I want to have a meeting, in the Hispanic culture I really need to make a personal invitation to each person,” he noted, adding than in contacting Anglos, he could just send an e-mail or mail a card.

Scheduling in the Hispanic culture is more flexible than in Anglo culture, he added. “I'm not saying that either is better. That's just the way it is.” And of course, there are language barriers. A bilingual youth minister is helping to bridge that gap. “God has really blessed us in that,” he said.

Levine also has tried to enhance his ministry among Hispanics by taking guitar lessons.

“I knew the Hispanic culture liked guitar music and I like it, too. Also, it's just such a portable instrument; you can take it anywhere. It's a lot easier to carry on your back than a piano,” he joked.

While he feels a definite call to serve as a pastor, he feels fortunate he has never been forced to choose between his job at church and his job at school.

“It would be hard—really hard. I look at it as all one thing. It's all ministry. There are a lot of good Christian people in the public schools and especially this one. I know public schools get a bad rap, but the genuine caring for the students is really great,” he said. “I'm glad to be a part of that.”

He feels he has been blessed with not just one calling, but two.

“God has been very good to me. I'm very content,” he 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: 5/03/04

Baptist University of the Americas celebrates founder's day

SAN ANTONIO–Students marched with 66 flags in a “parade of nations” at the Baptist University of the Americas founder's day, representing countries the school's alumni have impacted.

“But … the past is not the focus. The current students and those coming after them are the real thrill,” said Bill Thornton, head of BUA's development council. “After their education, they will disperse like the Christians after Pentecost and literally impact countries around the world.”

Charles Johnson, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio and a member of the development council, said: “San Antonio was founded by Christian missionaries in the 1700s and named after a servant of Christ's church. Indeed, the city was claimed for Christ long ago, and now BUA is making good on that claim.”

University President Albert Reyes said the school is determined to “form men and women as transformational agents” to serve not only in communities throughout Texas, but also around the world.

“It seems like God is rearranging the peoples of the earth and bringing folks of unfamiliar cultures to our front door,” Reyes said. “Every day the Western Hemisphere is more like a neighborhood or an integrated system with parts depending on each other. We can fear the unknown cultures and worldviews, or we can become incarnational, walk down the street, knock on the door and announce that the kingdom of God is near.”

Hispanics are the most rapidly growing segment not only of the U.S. population but also of the membership of Baptist and other evangelical Christian churches, he noted.

“Today in the United States, 7.7 out of every 10 conversions to Christianity come from people with a Hispanic background,” Reyes said. “Today in Texas alone, more than 100 Hispanic Baptist churches are without pastors even as Texas Baptists aim to start 100 new Hispanic congregations each year.”

But the university's responsibility is larger than the state, he stressed.

“Mexico is more than our neighbor; she is our sister. And we will continue to build our partnerships there,” he said. The university will seek to have a worldwide impact by mobilizing a “global force of ministry leaders who will be ready to go wherever the Lord of the harvest sends them.”

To that end, Reyes predicted the school's on-campus enrollment will hit 1,000 in the next 10 years with another 1,000 studying at the university's Baptist Bible institutes across the United States and Latin America. In the last four years, the school's enrollment has jumped from 43 to 207, while extension center enrollment has swelled to 500.

“We believe our mission is essential to building a new multicultural society in a bicultural hemisphere,”Reyes said.

As a part of the founder's day celebration, the school presented awards to a Central Texas church, a former president of the institution and a San Antonio pastor.

First Baptist Church of Austin received an award for dedicated service by a church. Last fall, the church made a $40,000 donation to establish an endowed scholarship in the name of one of its members.

“I have come to the conclusion that BUA really has no future without intentional partnerships with local churches,” Reyes said.

H.B. Ramsour, former president of what was then called Mexican Baptist Bible Institute, was recognized for his “continued support and encouragement” to the school.

Brad Russell, pastor of The Springs Church in northwest San Antonio, received an award for for his work developing the new BUA logo.

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: 11/05/04

Not just Español in Hispanic churches

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Hispanic Texas Baptist congregations fill their pews with older generations of Hispanics who prefer Spanish-spoken services, but pastors maintain their churches continue to explore ways to serve the emerging generations of English-speaking adults.

Hispanic ministers across the state lament the current state of their congregations investing in the lives of children, only to see them grow up and become members of Anglo congregations.

Generations of Hispanics grow up speaking English and become more Americanized than their parents, ministers said. Children grow up wanting better facilities and specialized programs for them in English like they find at Anglo congregations.

Many want the contemporary worship services they see in Anglo churches, not the Hispanic-influenced traditional services common to congregations of immigrants. Often they leave for Anglo churches that offer programs they want.

This presents a serious issue for Hispanic congregations. Those children are more likely to be economically mobile and represent a potentially large source of income. When they leave, they also take their gifts and talents, leaving Hispanic congregations largely as they found them.

“Once you have second-generation, everyone is going to have to deal with this problem,” said Ernie Chapa, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Emanuel in McAllen. “And we're not dealing with that problem very well.”

At first glance, outsiders see Hispanic churches trying to resolve this issue with bilingual ministries. But even those vary to large degree as services evolve to meet the needs of the community, said Robert Cepeda, second vice president in the Texas Baptist Bivocational/Smaller Membership Church Minister Association.

In some cases, churches have separate English and Spanish services. Other congregations have pastors who make points in Spanish, then make them in English. Many pastors alternate between Spanish and English without repeating points.

Each of the approaches comes with an inherent risk, Cepeda noted.

When pastors use two languages in one service, they are losing part of the congregation who does not feel comfortable in that language. If they do not translate themselves during a sermon, ministers are leading part of the congregation to miss pieces of the sermon.

Having separate services to accommodate two languages can divide a congregation, Cepeda continued. This approach also can separate families when adults go to the Spanish services while their children go to the English worship.

These potential problems do not mean bilingual services cannot be effective, Cepeda insisted. Congregations simply need to be aware of the risks involved and must intentionally set out to address those issues.

Johnny Musquiz, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Houston, has seen bilingual efforts work well in his 25 years of ministry. His church has separate English and Spanish services on Sunday mornings and bilingual services on Sunday evenings.

Although he said he understands the argument that separate language services can divide a congregation, Musquiz counters that youth typically sit with their friends, not their parents, during any service, language-oriented or otherwise. It is natural for people to come together because of common interests and cultures.

Musquiz believes more bilingual churches like his are needed. They are capable of serving the continuing influx of Spanish-speaking immigrants while also meeting the needs of later generations.

“We're trying to reach anybody and everybody,” he said. “I don't want anyone to come and say, 'You don't have it in my language.'”

Chapa said he feels combining Spanish and English in one service is a temporary solution, at best. The notion may be met with initial excitement but eventually will wear on the congregation as members are lost for parts of the service.

His church has separate English and Spanish services, and the English worshippers are to break away this fall to become Crossroads Baptist Church.

“In our culture, there is so much diversity, it is hard to bring everyone together happy,” he said.

In Victoria, Teo Cisneros, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Templo, said congregations need to be flexible to meet the needs of the diverse Hispanic population. Cisneros led his congregation from a Spanish service to bilingual worship, then to an English service. Now the church is back to bilingual worship.

With the willingness to switch back and forth to and from bilingual services must come flexibility on the part of the minister, Cisneros said. He transitioned the congregation during a 10-year period that allowed him to learn English.

Then a primarily Spanish-speaking couple began coming to the church. The pastor explained to the congregation he was reintroducing some Spanish to help this couple. The members accepted the change.

“If you have a bilingual ministry, not only do you need to consider making yourself bilingual; you need to bring the other ministries with you,” he said.

Proponents of bilingual ministries insist their methods keep the family together for worship, an important factor in Hispanic culture.

They also note that bilingual efforts make their ministries more accessible to other cultures, including Anglos.

Leaders are not looking to reach Hispanics only; they are wanting to spread the gospel to all who will listen.

“My church is open to everybody,” Musquiz 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: 4/15/05

Let the living water flow freely,
Congreso participants urged

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

ARLINGTON–Let the “agua fresca”–the refreshing, living water of Jesus–flow, a pastor encouraged Hispanic youth and singles.

Jesse Rincones, pastor of Alliance Baptist Church in Lubbock, told a crowd of several thousand Hispanic youth and singles that the flow of the Spirit can wane and even be “dammed up” in people's lives if they follow sinful desires or disobey God's calling upon their lives.

The pastor cited three areas where Christians can let the “agua fresca” flow–finances, forgiveness and faithfulness.

Moments after Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director Charles Wade told the young people they would be the leaders of the many Hispanic churches the convention is starting, Rincones said Hispanic youth must give financially to make those congregations able to serve their communities.

“If we're going to start 400, 500, 600 churches, there's going to need to be resources there,” he said during the Texas Baptist His-panic Youth and Singles Congreso.

Hispanics also must remain faithful to God, trusting him to carry them, Rin-cones added, saying trust enables God to move more freely in the lives of people.

Hispanic Baptist youth should forgive and ask for forgiveness, he insisted. People act in ways that regularly need reconciliation with others. If believers ask for forgiveness, Jesus' “agua fresca” will flow stronger and affect other people, he 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: 4/29/05

Prayer, vision smooth church transition to multiculturalism

By George Henson

Staff Writer

Martin Luther King Jr. claimed Sunday from 11 a.m. until noon is the most segregated hour in America. Churches that feel a biblical mandate to change his adage encounter struggles, two Texas pastors whose congregations have made the transition reported.

“You have to have a real vision, because there is going to a price to pay,” said Mike Barrera, pastor of United Baptist Church in Laredo. “It really stretches a congregation, especially if they are Hispanics who have only worshipped with Hispanics, Anglos who have only worshipped with Anglos, African-Americans who have only worshipped with African-Americans or whatever.”

The transition is possible only through God's leadership, he said.

“The prayer em-phasis has to be focused on being sensitive to the needs of people, regardless of language, ethnicity and culture,” Barrera said.

Sometimes, survival motivates churches to become multicultural, said Rodney Woo, pastor of Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston.

Wilcrest was a much different congregation 13 years ago when Woo arrived as pastor. The church was declining, and only about 180 Anglo members remained in a multiracial neighborhood. Woo told the church he would only come if the church was open to becoming multi-ethnic. They agreed quickly, he said.

“The fear of the death of the church was pretty motivational,” he recalled.

Now, more than 500 people from 43 nations attend the church, with about 35 percent of the church remaining Anglo.

Representatives of nine nationalities make up United Baptist Church in Laredo, but the church has included as many as 17 nationalities. When Barrera came to the church eight years ago, more than 70 percent of the church was Anglo, with the rest Hispanic.

Even though some of the church's members have been transferred by their employers to different cities, those moves have been positive, Barrera said. When they move to a new city, they start looking for a multicultural congregation–oftentimes exposing the people there to the concept that people of different cultures can worship together, he explained.

United starts each Sunday at 9 a.m. with a worship service in Spanish. Sunday school follows with classes offered in Spanish, English and Mandarin Chinese. An English worship service follows Sunday school. Sunday nights are primarily in English, but sometimes a little Spanish in thrown in, Barrera said.

About 85 percent of the congregation is fluent in English. “It's our one common denominator,” he said.

The three languages for Bible study are important, as well, he pointed out.

“We feel like with those three languages we've covered 60 percent of the world's population, and that's pretty good for a mid-sized church in South Texas,” Barrera said. The church averages about 250 in worship each week.

At Wilcrest in Houston, the importance placed on being a multicultural congregation is reflected in the fact it is a key component of the church's vision statement: “Wilcrest Baptist Church is God's multi-ethnic bridge that draws all people to Jesus Christ, who transforms them from unbelievers to missionaries.”

Translating that vision into reality hasn't always been easy, Woo said.

“We started with about 50 of the 180 very committed to becoming a multi-ethnic congregation, but they didn't really know what that meant. They were committed to the biblical concept, but many were not prepared for it in a real sense,” he said.

Some of those people moved on to other congregations. People from other ethnic groups have worshipped in the multicultural setting for awhile and then returned to an ethnic church, he added.

Reaching new Christians is a good way to grow a multicultural congregation, Woo said.

“If we win them to Christ, they have no preset paradigm for what a church is supposed to look like. They don't know this isn't normal.”

Another key for his church is to involve as many members as possible in mission projects in other cultures.

“Missions is the fuel to multi-ethnic ministry,” Woo said. “Our Anglo members go on a mission trip and get a feel for what it means to be a minority.”

Both congregations look to the Bible for their vision to be a multicultural congregation. At United Baptist Church, Isaiah 56:7 is a part of the vision: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” At Wilcrest, Revelation 7:9 is a guiding Scripture: “I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language.”

“It's been a challenge, but it's been effective,” Barrera said. “And if we can do it in a city like Laredo that is 93 percent Hispanic, it can happen anywhere.”

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.