DALLAS (ABP)—One out of every four adults who call themselves “evangelical” is not a “born-again” Christian, according to a recent report from the Barna Group. And that’s just the beginning of the confusion surrounding the term “evangelical.”

For instance, some political pundits tend to qualify evangelicals mainly as people who vote against abortion rights and gay marriage. Many Roman Catholics think they’re evangelical. Most Mormons don’t.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

In a called meeting Oct. 31, Executive Board directors received a report on misappropriation of church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley. It told a terrible tale. Texas Baptists spent $1.3 million to start 258 churches and only have five churches to show for it. Staff disregarded their own policies. The convention wasted six years promoting a church-starting scheme that failed miserably. Even after the FBI inquired, board leaders failed to get to the bottom of things.

Independent investigators made seven suggestions for fixing the problem: (1) Review and revise church-starting guidelines, (2) gather accurate, accessible information about new-church mortality rates, (3) integrate recordkeeping between program areas, (4) institute better internal controls over disbursements and hire an internal auditor, (5) give the accounting department authority to control and design the reporting system, (6) respond immediately to allegations of impropriety and (7) trust but verify.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia—In overcrowded outpatient clinics in Ethiopia, patients wait many hours to see medical personnel. When their needs are too complex, they’re often referred to Black Lion Hospital, where Ethiopians travel often hundreds of miles for treatment. And thanks to a Texas couple, more Ethiopians might see healing happen.

Don and Patsy Meier of First Baptist Church in El Paso recently went to Addis Ababa, where they helped introduced new and more effective medical procedures to personnel at Black Lion Hospital.

Patsy Meier helps train hospital personnel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

More Americans want less religion in public life. For the third consecutive year, the number of Americans calling for less religious influence in public life exceeded the number of Americans who want more, a new Gallup poll revealed. Most Americans, however, remain “generally satisfied” with organized religion’s role in the United States, the survey found. About 40 percent of Americans say religion’s level of influence in the nation should not change, 32 percent would like it to have less influence and 27 percent would like it to have more, the survey showed. Weekly churchgoers are much more likely to agree that religion should have greater influence on government and politics than people who go to church less frequently, the survey found. The number of Americans who think religion should have less impact has increased 10 percentage points since 2001, according to Gallup.

American economy linked to spiritual health. Most adults in the United States say the overall health of the nation’s economy is dependent on how spiritual Americans are, a survey by the Gallup Organization shows. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents said the nation’s economic health depends a “great deal” or to “some” degree on its spiritual health. The survey, called “The Spiritual State of the Union,” was conducted for the Spiritual Enterprise Institute, a West Palm Beach, Fla.-based center that focuses on building understanding of how spiritual values affect economic life. Of those Americans surveyed, more than half say their religious beliefs greatly affect their feelings about the future, and more than one-third say they affect their relationships at work and how involved they are in volunteer activities. Fourteen percent of those surveyed said they consider a decline in society—ethically, morally or religiously—to be among the top problems facing America today.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

Charles Wade asked if Baptists could be “too much like Jesus” (Jan. 22). Seven pages later, a story reported “about one-third of a penny” for every dollar of income of the average church member supports “benevolent causes outside the congregation.” Is this “too much like Jesus”?

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“I recognize we are meeting here today to consider a bill to protect chickens. But isn't protecting our nation’s young women … equally, if not more, important than our dinner entree?” James Sensenbrenner U.S. congressman, R-Wis., discussing his unsuccessful attempt to add an amendment outlawing taking minors across state lines for an abortion to a bill increasing penalties for transporting animals across state lines for the purposes of fighting (RNS) “It’s not like we’re sitting in the pews. It’s the honor system plus some third-party oversight.” Nancy Mathis Internal Revenue Service spokeswoman, speaking about how the agency doesn’t launch investigations into churches violating IRS rules about politicking unless it receives a complaint (USA Today/RNS) “My faith explains me. … We are a nation of faith. It doesn't necessarily have to be mine. But we are a nation that believes that faith is an important part of describing who we are, and our generosity, and our sense of optimism and hope. That does describe me.” Mike Huckabee Republican presidential candidate, former Arkansas governor and former Baptist pastor (Meet the Press/ABP)

Most of us have no desire to really be like the One we call “Lord.” We are too comfortable with our lifestyles and reputations to strive for the changes necessary in our lives and churches to be accused of being like Christ.

To be viewed like Jesus, the church must stop using building programs as a marketing method of excitement or as “upgrades” for the “glory of God.” This is nothing more than materialistic churches choosing to spend their money on themselves. New buildings for nongrowing churches are more for our comfort than “God’s glory.” If God had a vote at most business meetings, he would vote to spend the dollars on the needy instead of on the satisfied. 

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

Howard Payne, DBU honored for community service. The President’s Higher Education Community Honor Roll program recently recognized Howard Payne University and Dallas Baptist University. This year, the program specifically emphasized hurricane relief projects conducted by university students.

Foundation awards challenge grant to Howard Payne. Howard Payne University has received a $750,000 challenge grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Okla., to support the university’s Sharing the Vision Capital Campaign. To qualify for the grant, Howard Payne must raise the balance needed for the total group of projects by January 2008. The total cost of the projects is $7,625,000. More than $5.2 million has been raised to date.  Adding the anticipated $750,000 from the foundation, a balance of about $1.6 million remains to be raised. The Mabee grant and additional funding will be used toward renovation of existing buildings to create an art program facility, a Faith and Life Leadership Center and the welcome center, as well as creating endowments and scholarships.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans, said in the latest storm’s aftermath: “It’s like the picture you see of a severely beaten man who is on his knees, bleeding, and then he takes another blow. You wonder if this is the point where the poor fellow will just fall over and lie still.”

Executive Director BGCT Executive Board

In the midst of the trauma, First Baptist in New Orleans is reaching out to help the people of the city. “We took water, food, chainsaws and other clean-up supplies to the debris-strewn areas,” he reported. “It was another opportunity to share the love of Christ.”

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge

AUSTIN (ABP)—More than 100 leaders from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship gathered a few blocks from the Texas state capital to discuss social justice.

Current, the fellowship’s network for young leaders, hosted its eighth annual retreat at First Baptist Church in Austin, Texas.

02/16/2007 - By John Rutledge