Updated: 3/15/07

Baugh's witness, generosity recalled

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

HOUSTON (ABP)—“‘There was a man sent from God whose name was John,’” Daniel Vestal told about 800 people at a Houston memorial service for Baptist philanthropist John Baugh March 8.

Quoting the biblical description of John the Baptist from the Gospel of John, Vestal said the life of John Baugh had parallels to the New Testament prophet of the same name.

Like John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Christ, John Baugh humbly pointed others to Christ instead of himself, Vestal said.

Family and friends who were touched by Baugh’s generosity, humility and commitment to Christian freedom gathered at Tallowood Baptist Church, where he was a longtime member, to remember his life.

Baugh, who had been in declining health for several years, died unexpectedly March 5 in San Antonio. He and his wife, Eula Mae, had moved there just a week before to be near their daughter, Babs Baugh.

Although he co-founded the Sysco Corporation and built it into the world’s largest food-service company—with $30 billion in annual sales and 47,500 employees—Baugh often described himself simply as “a grocery salesman.”

Vestal, who was Baugh’s pastor from 1991 to 1996 at Tallowood, called him a man of vision, wisdom, generosity and “dogged determination.”

“He was passionate about what was right,” said Vestal, now national coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Baugh campaigned passionately against what he saw as a lack of integrity among fundamentalist leaders who took control of the Southern Baptist Convention from moderates during the 1980s and ’90s. He defended what he thought was right so fervently and tirelessly that some of his friends were uncomfortable and wished he would back off, Vestal said.

“Sometimes he was almost ‘like a voice crying in the wilderness,’” Vestal said—another allusion to John the Baptist.

Baugh also was instrumental in founding Texas Baptists Committed, an organization created to prevent a similar takeover of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which now works to preserve traditional Baptist principles in denominational life. He was author of The Battle for Baptist Integrity, a book examining the SBC takeover, and was a tireless critic of fundamentalist theology.

Born in Waco, Baugh was known for his support of Texas Baptists institutions. A regent of Baylor University from 1987 to 1996, Baugh and his wife gave the lead gift that helped establish Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary in 1994.

All told, they donated more than $25 million to Baylor, the world’s largest Baptist university—even though Baugh himself did not have a college degree. He also was a founding trustee of Houston Baptist University and a longtime director of the Baptist Foundation of Texas.

In addition, Baugh was a donor to moderate Baptist causes beyond his home state. Among his beneficiaries were Associated Baptist Press, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and CBF.

Baugh was a champion of Baptist principles, noted Herbert Reynolds, Baylor’s chancellor emeritus. “You know them, but he would want me to repeat them here—the priesthood of the believer, the sufficiency of Scripture, the autonomy of the local church, separation of church and state,” he said to the gathered mourners.

“Largely because of John Baugh” and his advocacy of those Baptist principles, “Texas Baptists have remained free” from the influence of fundamentalism, Reynolds said.

“I have never met or served with a finer, abler, more astute human being,” he said. Of his friend of 35 years, Reynolds added, “He stood with me at times when standing with me was not a very popular sport to be engaged in.”

Duane Brooks, current pastor of Tallowood, called Baugh “the epitome of a Christian gentleman.”

Vestal said Baugh’s life testified to the value of family, church and hard work; to honesty, truthfulness and integrity; and to the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

John and Eula Mae Baugh were generous “long before they had money,” Vestal said, referring to their early days in the food-delivery business. “If they hadn’t learned how to give when they had little, they wouldn’t have given when they had a lot.”

Baugh was 16 when he received his high school diploma. Shortly thereafter, his father died. Baugh hitchhiked from Waco to Houston to search for a job during the Great Depression. He worked his way up to become manager of an A&P grocery store.

And as families began living in a post-War World II environment, Baugh developed a vision.

“Baugh realized that women were not going to work back into the traditional ways of cooking, so he came up with the idea of frozen foods” and named his first company Zero Foods, Reynolds said.

The name denoted the freezing point on the Celsius temperature scale. John and Eula Mae Baugh started the company in their garage when he was 30.

In 1964, Baugh decided to bring together a dozen companies that had worked through Zero Foods in the frozen-food business, creating Sysco. Leaders of the 12 institutions elected Baugh chairman and asked him to divide their holdings.

“They accepted (his decision) because of his acumen for business and fairness,” Reynolds said.

“I asked him for $10 million—$1 million every year for 10 years,” Reynolds recalled in an interview prior to the funeral service. “We would not have Truett Seminary today without that initial commitment through the first decade.”

His legacy also lives on at Baylor through the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship for both practicing and potential entrepreneurs. The center extends an arm of support to the local and national business community to facilitate new business and further the goals of established businesses. It includes the Institute for Family Business, established in 1987, which is designed to support family-owned businesses.

Baylor dedicated the Baugh-Reynolds Campus of Truett Seminary, a 24,000-sqare-foot facility, in 2002.

Born on a Leap Year Day, Baugh had just turned 91 on Feb. 28.

Baugh is survived by his wife of 71 years, Eula Mae; their daughter, Babs Baugh, and her husband, John Jarrett, of San Antonio; granddaughters Jackie Moore and her husband, Kim Moore, of Fair Oaks Ranch, and Julie Ortiz and her husband, Carlos Ortiz, of Austin; and five great-grandchildren.

Barbara Bedrick of the Baptist General Convention of Texas contributed to this story.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/14/07

BaptistWay Bible Series for March 25

Ready to do ministry in a new way

• Acts 6:1-7

By Leroy Fenton

Baptist Standard, Dallas

A church prognosticator once asked his mother why she continued to go to the little church she attended. After a few moments of meditation, she responded, “I keep going there because it is the only thing in my life that doesn’t change.”

Someone said the only thing that is certain is change. Change is taking place everywhere in life. Why not the church? Had Jesus and the disciples listened to the Pharisees, we still would be practicing the traditions of sacrificing animals and making trips back to Jerusalem for ancient festivals.

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

Not changing is most often a cop-out for convenience and selfishness. Change must include mindset as well as stale structures. Church simply cannot be about me and my desire, but rather must be about fulfilling the calling of the Great Commission, becoming all things to all men in order to win some. When programs and structures do not work and cannot be revitalized, change becomes necessary to give the church relevance and impact.

The past has a powerful hold on mind and heart and incorporates itself into traditions that can bind creativity and curtail ingenuity. Congregations are notorious for letting once-noble practices become etched in stone and the only way to function even though the people of the world have become unresponsive and jaded to congregational habits.

The dichotomy of change is the thirst to be different while resisting that which could make a difference. Someone said insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. The anticipation of a better spiritual future is to change into a better spiritual organization. God is in the business of changing people who then bend organizations to help encourage excitement and success. Structure and governance are only tools and not ends within themselves.

Churches tend to be 50 years behind the cultural and economic development of society. Playing catch-up puts the church at a major disadvantage. Challenging the mindset and attitudes of a contemporary world is like putting new wine in old wineskins. The result is disastrous.

Change for change’s sake may have its reward but change for ministry’s sake pays great dividends. Age-old truths that never change can be carried to the cutting edge of culture, pointing to the future, addressing needs and building relationships.

Jesus was a new teacher with new teachings and a new spiritual kingdom, not of this world. Jesus and the disciples were change agents who put God and his kingdom over tradition, ritual and comfort. To create new things to stimulate better results is a characteristic of Christ, the Lord of the church.

The church, changing in an unchanging culture

Acts 3:1-5:42 provides insight to the new church’s response to opposition. The Spirit of Christ fills the new church with power, courage, strength and insight, and many responded favorably while others resisted very strongly. As one might expect, the opposition came from the religious traditionalists. The priest, temple guards and Sadducees were “greatly disturbed” (4:2), captured Peter and John and “put them in jail” (v. 3). The following day, “the rulers, elders and teachers of the law,” “the high priest” and “other men of the high priest’s family” questioned the apostles (vv. 5-7) about whom they represented. In spite of opposition, the number of believers grew to about 5,000 (v. 4). Ordered out of the Sanhedrin, the apostles refused to stop preaching, “for we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (v. 20).

Unsuccessful in destroying the church from the outside, Satan attacks within. Barnabas sold a field and brought the money to the apostles (v. 36). Ananias and Sapphira, following that example, sold a piece of property but held back part of the money for themselves and brought the other part to the apostles, pretending to have given it all.

Accused of lying to the Holy Spirit, Ananias “fell down and died” (5:5). When Sapphira conspired and lied too, she “fell down at his feet and died” (v. 10) and was buried beside her husband. Death was the punishment for lying to God, for pretending with the utmost hypocrisy.

How pretentious and hypocritical churches can be, hiding behind the façade of big buildings, perky programs, skilled performers, wealthy budgets and prestigious positions. The affluent society and the affluent church may be in great danger of self-destruction. Perhaps the church has died but no one has noticed and called for its funeral.

The persecution intensified, and the apostles were again thrown into jail. Upon their miraculous release through an angel of the Lord, the apostles began again to teach and preach (vv. 19-21). Thanks to the wisdom of Gamaliel, the Pharisee (vv. 33-40) who addressed the court with a practical appeal, the apostles were “flogged” (v. 40) and released.

The apostles left “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (v. 41) and “from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (v. 41). This new faith, the work of the risen Christ, inspired by the filling of the Holy Spirit, was creating great success in an environment of opposition by the old guard who said, “We have never done it that way before.” Unashamedly, this group of new believers refused to bow down and courageously marched against the powers and authorities of this world, giving God the glory for turning the world upside down.

The church, changing to meet human need

The church continued to increase (6:1), and size always brings problems and a need for administrative creativity. New problems required new answers and new energy. Some ingenuity was needed to organize the masses into effective cohesive structures to maximize ministry effectiveness.

The key to understanding the servant role in this passage is to understand that organizing to serve was shaped by human need. Existing for others, the church constructed a plan to accomplish a specific task. Though there were thousands of believers, a simple plan was devised by the apostles with sufficient manpower to meet the need. The apostles had caught the vision of a Christ who cared and a crowd of people that needed care.

Luke records here the first organized ministry of the church, remembering that Christ said: “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

From the immediate response, it may be concluded the neglect of the widows was not intentional. The apostles gathered the disciples together (6:2) to find a solution. The apostles had given their gifts and knowledge to the preaching and teaching ministry, a ministry to which they had been chosen and that must be continued (vv, 2,4). The apostles decided on the number. The gathered church made the selection of those who would serve, but they were to be individuals “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (6:3,5).

The apostles understood the magnitude of the need, while the congregation knew the individuals who had these proven qualities and capabilities. The seven chosen were not selected for honor or for a position but for serving the needs of the widows who felt neglected.

It seems that the church of today should take to heart this lesson. The shape of ministry should form around the need and those who serve should be equipped and capable of meeting that need. A general selection for no specific purpose usually means poor use of resources.

The laity that can serve should do so in order that those who proclaim the word can give of themselves to the ministry of reconciliation. Most churches today expect the pastor to do the ministry and the proclamation. It is very near impossible today to be a great preacher and a great pastor at the same time. The demands are too great.

The pastor’s family sits at home without father or husband while he is out administering the church, ministering to the community and struggling to find time to prepare himself for the hour of preaching.

Every Christian should see himself as a minister, a servant. Sharing respected responsibilities would do wonders to enable the church to impact its world. Find new ways and means to meet human needs and find those servant-minded folk to compassionately help touch lives and change hearts.

Discussion question

• Why do we get stuck in doing ministry the same old ways when new situations call for new approaches?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/14/07

Bible Studies for Life Series for March 25

Jesus restores our life

• John 11:1-44

By David Harp

First Baptist Church, Stanton

Professional golfer Paul Azinger was riding as high as anyone ever could in this life. He had reached his own American dream. Then Azinger was diagnosed with cancer at age 33. He had just won a PGA championship and had 10 tournament victories to his credit.

He wrote: “A genuine feeling of fear came over me. I could die from cancer. Then another reality hit me even harder. I’m going to die eventually anyway, whether from cancer or something else. It’s just a question of when. Everything I had accomplished in golf became meaningless to me. All I wanted to do was live.”

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

Then he remembered something that Larry Moody, who teaches a Bible study on the pro golf tour, had said to him: “Zinger, we’re not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. We’re in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living.”

What are we to do when faced with impossible situations? Where do we turn in life’s most desperate moments?

Our Bible study helps us answer one of life’s deepest questions: Who can help me through situations that seem hopeless?

The first section of our Bible study is John 11:1, 3, 6-7.

A man named Lazarus was a close friend of Jesus and was deathly ill. Mary and Martha are sisters to Lazarus, and they appeal to Jesus—“Lord, the one you love is sick” (John 11:3).

Jesus loved this family and stayed with them often. Friendship did not gain them some special privilege with the Son of Man. As Lazarus grew sicker with each passing day, these close friends of Jesus heard no word from him. Days went by, and still no word from Jesus. Jesus was directed by divine timing. Jesus did not come as a genie to be manipulated by friends or crisis. Jesus came to do the saving work his Father called him to do on this earth. Jesus knew in this situation all glory would go to God—no matter how desperate the situation.

The next section of our Bible study is John 11:20-27.

As Jesus approached the home of Mary and Martha, Martha ran to meet him. She told him if he had been there her brother would not have died. When Jesus said Lazarus would be raised from the dead, Martha understood Jesus to be referring to a future event. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Martha’s response is given, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).

We must remind ourselves we are not immune from the trials of this life—no one is. This passage shows us that some of the closest friends of Jesus faced the same harsh struggles of life we do. Jesus loved them greatly, but they were not exempt.

The presence of pain and suffering in the lives of faithful followers of Jesus can teach us that Christians do not have different experiences in life. Rather, they experience life differently. Our hope in Jesus does not insulate us from life’s difficulties, but it does provide a way through them and beyond them. God uses difficult experiences to make us more compassionate servants for him as we comfort others.

Our final section of Bible study is found in John 11:38-40, 43-44.

Jesus went to where Lazarus was buried and raised him to life, calling him forth from the tomb. Jesus commanded those standing there to unbind Lazarus and let him go. Jesus often tells us to do something in the situation. It may or may not make sense to us at the time, but we should trust Jesus and do what he tells us.

With the healing of Lazarus, John records for us a miracle with a message—Jesus Christ is God’s answer to death. God receives the glory for this miracle of life. People around this miracle proclaimed God’s glory and Jesus’ power over death.

I so wish we could have a Larry King kind of interview with Lazarus. We could ask a million questions. We might get them all answered, or we might not. We still would give God the glory and look to Jesus as the life giver. We also would come to realize that one day the grip of death would reach out again for Jesus’ friend Lazarus. The greatest claim on the life of Lazarus was from the testimony of Jesus himself.

“Whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die …” (John 11:26).

Discussion questions

• How do we trust Jesus when we feel helpless?

• Why doesn’t God’s timing fit ours?

• How do our trials glorify God?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/14/07

Explore the Bible Series for March 25

Submission: The sign of a well-ordered life

• 1 Peter 2:13-25

By Kathryn Aragon

First Baptist Church, Duncanville

Life is a dangerous proposition. For even the boldest among us, it is frightening to think we only have one chance to get it right. Of course, that’s where God comes into the picture. God, in his grace, has given us a guidebook telling us exactly how to get it right.

Yet having the guidebook isn’t always the comfort we imagine it will be. Quite the opposite; it can be very disturbing. After all, what do we do when the guidebook doesn’t line up with our daily experience? Where do we find the courage to risk doing things God’s way rather than our own way?

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

These are questions we must consider this week as we discuss submission. Even when we wholeheartedly believe in it, submission is a difficult issue. It goes against the grain. It demands we lay ourselves down and allow others to treat us however they wish. If life without a guidebook seems frightening, the idea of radical submission is even worse.

Our plan: submission avoidance

Even the best of us must admit we’ve developed little tricks for avoiding obedience. Let’s be honest. Submission is difficult. Of course, as Christians, we don’t want to appear nonsubmissive, so we play little games with ourselves. We memorize a few pat answers, say the right words and then evaluate each situation to see if it warrants true submission.

We have learned, you see, that there can be varying levels of submission. We can submit outwardly while our hearts are rebelling. We can submit to only a part of the demand, hoping the rest will be forgotten. We can even agree with words and then do nothing. Our hope, of course, is that we will get by without having to submit completely.

So what do we do with the Apostle Peter’s mandate to “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men” (v. 13)? We need a radical adjustment to our thinking. And we need to rethink the degree to which we trust God. Of course, this will not be an easy task. It takes real strength and courage to risk obeying God.

Henry Miller says it well: “True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself.” If these words don’t ring true, it’s because our thinking has been too influenced by the world. Remember, the wisdom of God is foolishness to man.

The world’s plan: nonsubmission

The world teaches submission is the pathway to abuse. It is the way of cowards and weaklings. It also carries with it the idea we will be giving up our precious freedom, an idea particularly repugnant to Americans. The bottom line is this: Submission suggests a loss of dignity—something we’ll avoid at all costs.

But nothing could be further from the truth. According to Peter, submission is not a dirty word, but a calling by God. As we have discussed in previous weeks, God has a plan. If we choose to obey, we are privileged to join God in his work and will reap the rewards of doing so. You see, God is not asking us to be weak. He is asking us to silence “the ignorant talk of foolish men” through our commitment to doing good (v. 15).

God’s plan: a well-ordered life

Our confusion is a result of minds clouded by worldly ideas. Whereas the world believes submission is weakness and loss of freedom, to God it is the sign of a well-ordered life. Our choice to submit to earthly authorities evidences our acceptance of God’s order, choosing his plan for our lives rather than our own. It is the proof of our submission to him.

Of course, I’m not teaching anything new. We all desire to obey God. The question remains, however: How do we submit without appearing weak? Perhaps the answer lies in a slight adjustment to our thinking. We know submission is obedience. What we need to realize is that it isn’t blind obedience.

Verse 17 tells us to love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the ruling authority. It doesn’t tell us to follow them into sin. Nor does it tell us to give up our independence. God is not asking us to stop thinking. He merely is asking us to obey him at all costs. Obeying our earthly authorities is just good practice. It keeps us in the habit of doing right.

God also asks us to fear him. True fear of God springs from understanding we will stand before him on judgment day, answering for every word, every action and every attitude. It causes us to evaluate ourselves by a different standard, a higher standard than the one the world uses.

When God asks us to submit, he is telling us to make a choice. Far from requiring mindlessness, God is granting us the ultimate freedom—choice. He wants us to choose to do right in spite of what others think, in spite of how we are treated. It is the choice to stand alone, if necessary, to obey God. It is the choice to be great in the kingdom of heaven.

Honoring authority demands obedience and respect. It is the conscious choice to lay down our own desires so God will be honored. It is not an attitude of weakness, but of strength. Initially, the world may perceive our helpfulness, kindness and unselfishness as weakness. But over time, our strength and courage will become obvious. As we stand firm against opposition, our character will be revealed.

Sound difficult? Frightening even? Peter tells us we will be commended by God for submitting, especially under unjust circumstances (v. 20). But our calling is clear. We are to follow Jesus’ example, obeying God even if it hurts.

Accepting God’s plan

It doesn’t really matter what we think of God’s plan. Part of trusting God is accepting that he knows more than we do. In his wisdom, God has established an order. Those in authority will answer to God for their use and abuse of that power. Those who are under authority will answer to God for the way they submit to authority.

The question we raised was how to submit. Our answer is simply to do it. By submitting to God’s plan, we are placing ourselves in his hands, trusting him to take care of us. And there’s no better place we could be.

There is a peace that comes from accepting God’s will and refusing to argue with him about it. Let’s choose today to give up control to God. He will give us grace to make it through any difficulties we might face.

Discussion questions

• What are the authorities God has placed over you?

• In what areas do you find it easy to submit?

• In what areas is it hard to submit?

What is your greatest fear in submitting?

• Choose one of the areas you have difficulty submitting. How could you begin trusting God in this area today?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/08/07

BaptistWay Bible Series for March 18

Christian community is worth the effort

• Acts 2:41-47

By Leroy Fenton

Baptist Standard, Dallas

The Spirit of God made an indelible impression on the Jerusalem crowd—Jews gathered from all over the known world. Peter proved through the fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel (2:16-21) and David (vv. 25-30), through eyewitness accounts of the resurrection and the awesome marking of the coming of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost that Christ was the Son of God. Christ was raised and ascended but came again in the power of the Spirit to propel his message of redemption into the hinterlands of the world. Then Peter wraps up his sermon with a conclusion and an invitation.

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

The conclusion was this, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (v. 36). Grasping the truth of the message, the crowd was convicted and asked for guidance, “What shall we do?” Peter answers with the invitation: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (vv. 38-39).

Peter preached the acceptance of Christ to receive the gift of God’s empowering Spirit and challenged the crowd to come into the spiritual kingdom through repentance, turning from their sins to Christ who would forgive them. The teachings of Christ and John the Baptist helped formulate his spontaneous message of repentance, forgiveness and baptism.

The power of the Spirit had worked in Peter’s heart and all who were gathered in the upper room and now Peter saw how God’s Spirit worked in the hearts of others. The remarkable response of some 3,000 (v. 41) who received his message was electrifying. Jesus had taught, preached, lived a perfect life and done miracles for some three years, yet only 120 or so who believed gathered in the upper room to wait for the promised coming of the Spirit.

The witness of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension needed the work of the Spirit to turn hearts to God. With the gift of the Spirit, this small church immediately had multiplied 25 times. The beginning was impressive, albeit overwhelming as the small group of 120 saw what God could do through the preaching of one man, expounding from the overflow of his Spirit-filled heart.

The explosion of the Christian faith had begun and “those who accepted his message were baptized and about 3,000 were added to their number that day” (v. 41).

Facing new challenges (2:41)

The Holy Spirit created a unique work of God, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (I Peter 2:9). Sudden and explosive growth left the small congregation of 120, who had experienced the close-knit fellowship that could meet in one room, with the responsibility of incorporating new believers into multiple, effective and informed congregations of missionaries.

Questions abounded: “What do we do?” “Tell me more about this Christ.” “Explain more about the life of this man Jesus, his miracles, his crucifixion, his sayings, his spirit, his lifestyle.” “What does baptism mean, and why should I do it?” “Explain the virgin birth.” “How do I know for certain I will go to heaven when I die?” And a thousand more issues of inquiry would come.

It would seem that in many ways, the blind were to lead the blind. The first believers still were learners, disciples hardly dry behind the ears, immature seekers of the promises of God. The teacher-learners surely provided their talent, skills and abilities to the apostles for arrangements, space, places to meet, learning aids, personal testimonies, seminars, classes and found with the help of the Holy Spirit, they were adequate to the needs of the moment. The key to creating practical and theological consistency and correct answers was in the hands of the chosen 12 apostles.

The description of the activities of these new converts is brief but revealing. Keep in mind there is no organization, no buildings, no budget, no denomination, no seminaries, no text books, no computers, no Bibles, nothing except a conversion experience to drive their energies, prophecy to bring credibility and the first-hand personal testimonies of his followers.

There is no indication in the passage that this small gathering was prepared for the response to Peter’s preaching but skipping over the detail, Luke indicates all is well in the new household of faith

Formulating the essentials of church (2:42-47)

Luke gives us a brief summary of life in the early church. More detail would be helpful, but what we have is enough to determine priorities, formulate structures, establish leadership and practice skills. Without most of the things the contemporary church considers necessary, they express their new faith in common ways and patterns that have overwhelming consequences. The stated functions are familiar and recognizable in most churches today. However, keep in mind that churches have a way of making things function without accomplishing great things for God.

Education, 2:42—First and foremost is the teaching of the apostles—those who had been with Jesus from the time he was baptized by John the Baptist, following him from Galilee to Jerusalem, to the crucifixion and the resurrection (1:21-22).

An apostle was one of divine authorization, commissioned by God, sent with authority and responsible to represent Christ. A disciple is a learner and the educational process is vital to insure the future effectiveness of this movement. We might say this was the first New Testament Sunday school or the first cell groups, without the earthly Jesus, meeting to understand their faith and responsibility. Such eager willingness to learn and obey resulted from empowerment and also a freshness of the new-birth experience.

The biblical illiteracy in today’s congregations is astounding. Too little time and effort is given to learning the Bible, its concepts, theology, philosophy, sociology, spirituality, uniqueness and truths. The whole of the Christian faith is up for grabs when we give so little time to the serious study of God’s word. Hosts of Christians consider 20 to 30 minutes on Sunday morning to be all the Bible study they need or want. Should one wonder why the church is chugging uphill, a finger of cause can be pointed here—at the lack of desire and the shallowness of knowledge. Where is the “devotion” today?

Fellowship, 2:42—The church is guided by its teaching track but runs on the wheels of fellowship. Fellowship is koinonia, meaning “fellow,” “participation,” “sharing,” “companion” and “friendship.” The group shares together a common experience of divine power or divine communion and also a communion with each other. Bonding takes place on both the divine and human level, each reciprocal to the other.

Work and leisure, communion and study, suffering and healing, joy and sorrow, victories and failures—all are shared together in as many ways as you can intellectually and emotionally comprehend. Man is a social being. A common fellowship formed around a common cause is a powerful tool of the Spirit, not unlike a log on the campfire that ignites and burns but goes out when laid aside alone.

Some common concerns permeate the challenge: the shallowness of sharing, the superficiality of friendship, the failure to identify and focus on the chosen goals of the kingdom, the selfishness of attitude, racial prejudices, social snobbishness and affluence, hypocrisy and falseness, pettiness and jealousies, pride and arrogance, and a few more we all can name.

Baptists are known for their inability to not get along, and the priesthood of the believer is exploited into a reason for breaking fellowship and hiding from spiritual and personality flaws. Rather than growing through the challenge, one may simply run and blame the issue on someone else.

How we treat each other is a sobering indication of the human soul with or without the empowerment of the Spirit. Singleness of mind, heart and soul is the product of a common Holy Spirit that breathes into man a filling of fullest proportion. The church becomes a reverse magnet to people on the outside based on perception of rejection, aloofness, self-righteousness and isolation.

Those in fellowship share in the experiences of worship through the breaking of bread and prayer. “Breaking of bread” probably refers to the Lord’s Supper which, at that time, was incorporated into the regular mealtime. Prayers are most effective when done in agreement, one with another.

Worship, 2:43—Not some, but “everyone” worshipped, “filled with awe,” a kind of anxious and fearful astonishment which characterizes the normal reaction when unexplainable wonders and miracles take place. Even after the wind, fire and tongues of Pentecost, there were events taking place through the apostles that shook the foundation of the soul as the Spirit of God made his presence felt.

Luke, again summarizing, leaves us to our own imagination providing us with the opportunity also to be in awe and exercise our faith. God can be so familiar that he becomes a lifeless idol, but, in his mystery, God reigns in the rarified atmosphere of our acknowledgment of his power and intervention into his own creation.

How often do you go to worship with an expectant anticipation of God’s presence and power? Awe is not something we do, but something we experience when God fills the temple of our soul.

Stewardship, 2:44-45—These verses add additional content to the meaning of fellowship. Fellowship is not just being together, but together, a sharing of goods, belongings and possessions “as every man had need.” Real estate was from time to time sold and the revenue was distributed to meet the physical needs of others in the fellowship.

Love for the larger community was strong enough that things held in common were given in the same way that God gave his Son and his Spirit. This part of God’s work cannot be ignored. I cannot imagine the number of lost people in hell today because of the hording of wealth by folk who claim the gift of rebirth. A missional people make giving the tithe an act of worship and obedience to a loving, giving God. God’s plan for the church includes sharing of personal possessions for the common good of the group.

Evangelism, 2:46—During this time, apparently through the witness of the believers, the preaching of the apostles and the conviction of the Spirit, others were being converted and added to the fellowship. The church did not turn inward to itself but continued the harvest, the penetration of their society with the gospel which bore fruit unto eternal life. Mass evangelism became personal evangelism, house to house, street by street.

The missional church thrives on the integration of Bible study, love for one another, worship and personal mission action—the major functions of its fellowship. However, more often than not, a congregation will focus on the first three while ignoring the last. I compare this to growing a perfect apple that rots on the tree, studying under a famous chef but never going into the kitchen, working at a fire station but never responding to a fire, getting a law degree but never going into the court room.

Churches know it all, but know nothing at all. Church programs today are designed for its members rather than the lost. Most churches use the precious time of their leaders to meet in committees to make decisions for someone else to carry out rather than focus on a fellowship filled with the Holy Spirit with a vision for evangelizing the lost and ministry to the hurting.

Committee meetings become the major work of the church and create a circular rotation of meaningless activity going nowhere and accomplishing scarce little. Hours of time are spent trying to move the church forward, but stalls out before the vital essentials of meeting human needs take place. That seems to be the Baptist way where church governance is the grandest expression of priesthood of the believers. The doctrine of the priesthood of the believer has been wed to a Washington democracy and the outcome is an icon of self-indulgence.

Biblical priesthood of the believer is not about individual voting rights but about individual responsibility before God to work out one’s own salvation with fear and trembling. Church is not all about me and what I like but rather about the Great Commission task—not just about study but work, and not just about giving but going. The contemporary church relishes the spectator role while relinquishing the spiritual responsibility for sake of convenience and comfort. The church is at ease in Zion.

The boomer generation, highly educated and mobile, has forced the current church of today to affirm personal participation in missions. The Cooperative Program was and is a mighty concept where churches join together in cooperative giving in order to be more effective in missions.

Unfortunately, as good as it has functioned, the mindset of the church has turned a great thing into an easy way out. Over the years, Christians have taken the “go” out of the mission mind-set. You cannot spell “GO” as “G-I-V-E,” “P-R-A-Y,” “W-O-R-S-H-I-P,” “E-D-U-C-A-T-E,” or “F-E-L-L-O-W-S-H-I-P.”

Discussion question

• How can genuine Christian community be developed in a world that emphasizes individualism?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/08/07

Bible Studies for Life Series for March 18

Jesus takes care of us

• John 10:1-21

By David Harp

First Baptist Church, Stanton

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

I have heard this statement all of my adult life and seek to give credit and can find no one. The words just keep passing from person to person.

The first time I remember their deep impact on my life was when I was a student at Howard Payne University. As I recall the speaker was Chester Swor. He spoke tenderly and yet passionately, and his entire talk in chapel revolved around this one point: People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

We have access to more information today than ever before. We have the Internet and cell phones that can take pictures and play our favorite songs. We have ipods and now Samsung Company even advertises “smart” ovens. We have all these modes of technology and information and yet we still are plagued with the nagging question, “Does someone, anyone care for me?”

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

Why would this question keep tugging at us?

Clearly the information so readily available at our fingertips does not provide us a sense of hope or lasting peace. We still need someone—not just something.

Our Bible study this week brings us the good news that Jesus Christ is for his people a Good Shepherd, and he knows us, and he cares for us.

Often in the Old Testament, “shepherd” was a word used to describe a spiritual leader. Shepherding was a common though hard life in the ancient world. The shepherd was never off duty. The land was desert—rocky and often slippery. Shepherds fought off wild animals from the flock of sheep. Shepherds guided and led by giving direction, not “driving” the flock. Ezekiel 34 gives a stirring rebuke to self-seeking shepherds who did not care for the sheep.

The first section of our Bible study is John 10:1-5.

Jesus, our good Shepherd, leads us. He knows our name. We are not reduced to some divine calculator or impersonal answering service. I used to always rebel at those impersonal machines. I refused to “leave my name and number.” I wanted to talk to a real, live human person.

I suppose I am mellowing with age. We do like to hear our name. A person’s name was given to represent a character trait.

In the Bible we often are compared to sheep. Sheep are vulnerable, and so are humans. Sheep needed a caring shepherd to lead and guide them. Sheep would walk with their heads down and would follow the voice of the familiar shepherd. Sheep flock together. A place of security and acceptance was vital.

Sheep are influenced easily. If one heads off in the wrong direction, the whole flock can go in the wrong direction without a caring and leading shepherd.

Jesus, our shepherd, does not drive us, but he does lead us. Maybe sheep are smarter than humans at this point—they will run away from a false teacher.

Our next major section for Bible study is John 10:7-10. In these familiar verses, Jesus declares that he came to bring life to his people. In her successful novel later made into a motion picture, The Accidental Tourist, Anne Tyler tells of a young couple whose only son is murdered. This, of course, does something to the young couple—they are torn further and further apart. Finally, they are at the point of legal separation. The wife in the story, exasperated, finally says to her husband: “Nothing ever touches you anymore. You just drift through life.” He sits quietly for a moment and then responds as much to himself as to his wife: “I don’t drift. I endure.”

The life that Jesus brings to us is much more than just enduring life. The kind of life our good shepherd brings is a full and an abundant, overflowing kind of life. The phrase John used in verse 10 to describe “the abundant life” means to have a superabundance of a thing. To have the life that Jesus brings is to have a superabundance of life. Salvation and satisfaction are found in Jesus.

The final section of our Bible study—our Shepherd lays down his life for us—is found in John 10:11-15; 17-18. Jesus is a good shepherd to his people. John recorded an earlier word of Jesus, “I am the door” (10:9). Now, in our final section, Jesus makes another claim: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (10:11).

How can Jesus be the Door and the Shepherd at the same time? Actually, there was no door that swung on hinges and had a padlock to secure the sheep. The man who was guarding it slept across the doorway so he himself was the door. Jesus closes with a remarkable statement: “No one takes it (my life) from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (10:17-18).

Will Rogers said, “We better be glad that we don’t get as much government as we pay for!” As Christians, we can be thankful that with Jesus we get more than we could ever ask for. We get life offered to us by our Good Shepherd. We get a Good Shepherd who guides and provides and protects and lays down his life for his sheep. We can follow and trust and find rest and refreshment and life with a faithful good shepherd like Jesus Christ.

Discussion questions

• Who am I going to trust as a shepherd?

• Who are the thieves Jesus described?

• Who did Jesus mean by the “hired hands”?

• Why do I need a shepherd?

• What are some ways that Jesus our Shepherd provides security for us, his sheep?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/08/07

Explore the Bible Series for March 18

Boldly Donning a New Identity

• 1 Peter 2:1-12

By Kathryn Aragon

First Baptist Church, Duncanville

What happens when someone is endowed with a special purpose or special powers? According to the movies, they become super heroes. According to the Bible, they have become children of God. Let’s take a moment to look at the difference.

Superheroes

Most comic book superheroes have special powers and a calling to use those powers for the good of mankind. Superman has super-human strength among other abilities. Batman has gadgets and gizmos and a commitment to a higher-than-average moral standing. Spiderman can create webs with his spinnerets and can move about with the ease of a spider.

For a printer-friendly version, click on the printer icon at bottom of page.

Each hero must not only learn how to use his gifts, but also when and where they are needed. But one of the earliest lessons they learn is to hide their super-ness. As they user their powers, they begin to realize that the world doesn’t always appreciate goodness and giftedness, so they create an alter-ego, the common every-day personae that prevents people from knowing who they really are.

SuperChristians

Although this works well in the comic books and movies, God has a different plan for His children. When we are born into the kingdom of God, we are endowed with a calling and the gifts necessary to fulfill that calling. This calling has been preserved for us from the beginning of time. As Paul says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

God not only has a purpose for our lives, he also equips us to accomplish that purpose. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains that each of us is equipped with different gifts. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). The giftings are different, but the purpose is the same. We are to use our powers, as the superheroes, for the good of all mankind.

To Hide or Not to Hide

Like the superheroes, we have a special calling and are endowed with special powers. But we also learn, just as the superheroes do, that there are people who are not impressed by our super-ness. They question our faith and belittle our calling, and, in some cases, may even persecute us. So far we are quite a bit like the comic-book superheroes, but that’s where the similarities end.

Comic-book superheroes handle social difficulties by hiding their identity. We, as Christians, are called to do exactly the opposite. Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden,” and “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16). We are not to hide our identity beneath a common every-day personae. We must flaunt our identity, allowing the world to see our “super suits” and watch us live as superChristians in a common world.

Your Decision Sends a Message

Think about it for a moment. What are superheroes communicating by covering up their true identity. What are we communicating when we act like closet Christians?

Though the world may criticize Christianity, they watch Christians closely. They wear a mask of scorn, but they are actively seeking answers to life’s problems. If a religion or organization offers answers, they want to see evidence that those answers will really work. Christianity offers the answers, so they want to see Christians actively demonstrating that the answers work. This is especially true since the answers we offer are so inconsistent with worldly wisdom.

When we fail to let our light shine, we are communicating that we ourselves don’t really believe in the answers that we offer. In the eyes of a seeking world, we are inconsistent. Logically, if our answers were valid, we would not be ashamed of them. In fact, we would probably be shouting them from a mountaintop. Instead, we hide our supersuits until Sunday morning and take them off again as soon as we get home.

We also demonstrate a lack of commitment, which is inconsistent with the language we use to describe our beliefs. We tell people that we aren’t merely a religion, but a faith. Faith suggests that we don’t doubt the ability of our beliefs to hold us up. Yet we will lay down our beliefs for convenience’s sake or because we feel that “in this instance” there’s a better way. The world is right to say that that’s no faith at all. We have too little commitment to our own beliefs for them to be appealing to people who are looking for lasting answers to real problems.

Not only are we being inconsistent, not only are we communicating a lack of commitment, we are also demonstrating a lack of courage. When Spiderman decides to stop being Spiderman because of the danger is poses to his family and friends, he is saying that he doubts his powers to overcome those dangers. When we try to hide our identity as children of God, we are saying that we doubt God’s ability or desire to protect us from attack.

Flaunting Your Identity Glorifies God

The truth is that God is powerful enough, and He does care enough. But God also has an agenda that spans the full scope of time, an agenda that we can’t possibly understand. Jesus teaches that sometimes bad things happen, not because God isn’t big enough to stop them and not because our sin is so great that He can’t attend to us, but because God’s glory is at the top of His agenda. Even when his friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus did not run to his aid. “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).

Like comic-book superheroes, we have been given a calling. Our job is to glorify God through everything we say and do, and to share God’s love with everyone we meet. As simple as this assignment sounds, we all know how difficult it is to live out. That’s why God has equipped us with super powers: the gifts of the Spirit and His fruit.

But our calling is even greater than that of a superhero. We are not called to passively wait for a problem, then jump into a telephone booth where we can put on our supersuit. No, we are called to actively address life’s problems. We are called to wear our supersuit every moment of every day. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Paul tells us in Romans 12:3. “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,—pleasing and perfect will.” Yes, wearing a supersuit day in and day out will attract some attention. But God wants all the attention He can get. And His reward for risking attention is that we will know Him better.

Flaunting Your Identity Is an Act of Worship

Let’s look back at Matthew 5:16, from above: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” God desires for us to wear our faith openly and unashamedly, and He promised a reward for those who dare to obey. When we openly display our Christian identity, God promises that people will notice. God will receive the glory.

Living a life of faith, then, is an act of worship that brings glory to God. In essence, this is what Peter is saying in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Today’s lesson is about coming out of the closet and donning our supersuits. It is about daring to be a superChristian in a common world. Christianity, you see, is not a casual commitment. It is a calling to a life-changing relationship with God Almighty. We cannot enter this relationship lightly. We must change.

Peter tells us to rid ourselves “of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind” (1 Peter 2:1). These are not qualities of a superhero, but of a villain. We must be sure that we wear the right supersuit. After all, the world is watching.

We can take to heart Peter’s mandate: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12). Living out our identity as children of God will definitely attract attention. It may even attract some abuse. We must simply remember that our lives have become a spiritual sacrifice, and God is glorified when His children honor Him through obedience and imitation. It’s a high calling, but the world needs to see it. They want superheroes, and they need to see our supersuits.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever seen someone whose actions don’t line up with his/her words? How does that make you feel? Does inspire you to follow them?

• Are there times when you take off your supersuit? Why?

• Read 1 Peter 2:12. Are your words or your actions more important to your testimony? What kind of impact could you have if your words and your actions always lined up?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/09/07

CLC supports stiffer penalties
for repeat child abusers

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

AUSTIN—The Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission applauds Texas lawmakers for moving quickly on a bill known as Jessica’s Law, which would stiffen penalties against repeat child abusers.

“From the beginning, we have been very concerned about any legislation that has to do with sexual predators and criminal sexual misconduct,” CLC Director Suzii Paynter said. “We take very seriously the safety of the children in Texas in all aspects of life—at home and at school.

“Jessica’s law is trying to address the seriousness of this crime and the prevalence of it. It reminds us of the many avenues of sexual crime against children and makes us aware of the tragedy of sexual predators. Harsh penalties are one part of the solution. Another tool would be identification and prevention programs that would keep this from happening in the first place.”

The legislation creates a 25-year minimum sentence for first-time child molesters and makes second child molestation violations a capital felonies, punishable by a life sentence without parole or the death penalty. The proposed bill also eliminates the statue of limitations in child sexual assault cases.

The bill, authored by Tomball Republican Rep. Debbie Riddle, passed through the House March 6, and must go through the Senate and onto the governor’s desk before it becomes law.

The legislation is named after 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, who was abducted from her Florida home, sexually assaulted and murdered by a convicted sex offender in 2005. In response, 20 states have passed some version of Jessica’s Law.

“Jessica’s Law ensures that the worst of the worst will suffer serious consequences for the abuse of any child,” Riddle said. “They will face long sentences for their crimes, and for those who cannot be deterred, they will be stopped and removed from society. I applaud Speaker (Tom) Craddick and the state leadership for recognizing the urgency of this issue and working together as a team to pass this legislation.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/09/07

Southwestern Seminary seeks trustee’s removal

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

ARLINGTON (ABP)—For the second time in as many years, a Southern Baptist institution will try to remove a rookie trustee for alleged misconduct. This time it’s Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, which is in a dispute with trustee Dwight McKissic.

Last year, trustees of the International Mission Board tried to remove Oklahoma pastor Wade Burleson from their ranks but later backed down.

In both cases, the trustee controversies emerged around the issue of “private prayer languages,” a controversial devotional practice related to speaking in tongues. And in both cases, the trustees were accused of breach of confidentiality with fellow board members. No trustee has ever been removed from a Southern Baptist board.

McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, said Southwestern’s effort to remove him as a trustee “is nothing but a 21st-century lynching of an independent-thinking black man who has demonstrated strong support for the Southern Baptist Convention. Because I will not join the ‘good old boys club,’ I’m subjected to removal as a trustee.”

McKissic preached a sermon at Southwestern Seminary last August in which he acknowledged he has practiced a private prayer language since his days as a student at Southwestern. He said he disagreed with the IMB’s November 2005 decision to amend its list of missionary qualifications to exclude those who use a “prayer language” in private.

Two months after McKissic’s sermon, Southwestern trustees adopted a policy stating the Southern Baptist seminary would not “endorse in any way, advertise or commend the conclusions of the contemporary charismatic movement including ‘private prayer language.’” McKissic was the lone trustee to vote against the measure.

Trustee chairman Van McClain said McKissic inappropriately used confidential material sent to him as a trustee in advance of the board’s meeting last October. McClain also said he is concerned about the way McKissic has expressed his disagreement with board actions and seminary policies.

McClain said trustee leaders tried to meet privately with McKissic to discuss their concerns about his behavior. But McKissic insisted on bringing outside witnesses and tape-recording the meeting, McClain said, adding that would make a private meeting impossible.

Trustee leaders will try again to meet with McKissic immediately prior to their April 2 board meeting, said McClain, who already has asked the Arlington pastor to resign. If that meeting is unsuccessful, trustees may ask the Southern Baptist Convention in June to remove him.

In a statement March 5, McKissic denied he has broken any rules of confidentiality. “In the past months, I have asked Brother McClain to provide me with copies of any confidentiality policies governing trustee material,” he wrote. “I have not received any copy of such policies, and I have been told by Brother McClain that no confidentiality policies exist.”

Despite Southwestern’s attempts to remove him, McKissic said he remains committed to the seminary. “Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is very dear to my heart, and I consider my trusteeship to be a great privilege and responsibility given by Southern Baptists. I am unwavering in my support of the institution, and I am resolved to walk prayerfully and sensitively through these troubling times.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/09/07

Court will not review policy
banning NY nativity scenes

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (ABP)—A year after a New York City mother’s appeal, the Supreme Court has declined to review a policy banning nativity scenes but allowing other holiday-season displays in the nation’s largest public school district.

The justices declined, without comment or recorded dissent, to hear an appeal in Skoros v. City of New York.

In the case, Catholic mother Andrea Skoros asked the justices to overturn two rulings by lower federal courts that said the school district did not violate her two sons’ religious freedom or her ability to raise her children without governmental religious interference when the district disallowed nativity scenes.

The schools’ policy states: “The display of secular holiday symbol decorations is permitted. Such symbols include, but are not limited to, Christmas trees, menorahs, and the (Islamic) star and crescent.”

Shortly after implementing the policy in 2001, a group of Catholic activists asked school officials to allow crèches, or nativity scenes, to be included in the displays. However, the school board denied the request.

Skoros sued the city’s public schools in 2002. In response to Skoros’ lawsuit, city attorneys argued that menorahs, dreidels, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and the star and crescent are sufficiently secular to represent the holidays celebrated by students in the diverse district. However, they contended, crèches are purely Christian religious symbols.

Attorneys for Skoros, meanwhile, countered that school officials’ interpretation of the policy unconstitutionally singled out Christianity for exclusion.

But both a federal district court and a divided three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the city.

“The principal effect of the … holiday-display policy and its interpretation is the advancement of its secular purpose,” the trial court found. “The holiday-display policy allows the presentation of symbols that, although perhaps religious in origin, have developed significant secular connotations. The symbols are used as teaching aids or resources to foster understanding and respect and are presented as part of a larger display of cultural symbols.”

Some conservative Christian activists had hoped the Supreme Court would agree to hear the case. It would have given the justices their first opportunity to render a decision on governmental religious displays since Justice Samuel Alito replaced retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. O’Connor generally ruled in opposition to governmental religious displays, while Alito’s record as an appeals-court judge and previous legal posts suggest he may be open to a looser interpretation of the First Amendment’s ban on government endorsement of religion.

The Skoros appeal was unusual in that the justices reviewed it several times in their conference meetings before deciding whether to hear the appeal. Some opponents of the New York policy hoped that meant the justices were struggling with whether to break new legal ground on a divisive cultural issue.

One church-state expert said that, while reading anything into the Supreme Court declining to hear appeals is difficult, the delay may have owed to the case’s ideological complexity.

“The people on the court who might have been most upset at the policy—the people who thought that this is discrimination against Christianity—they were in an impossible situation, because they are the same folks who believe we should leave to local government the decisions on these things,” said Chip Lupu, a professor at George Washington University Law School in Washington.

“This one was interesting because it cut across the conventional lines” on church-state issues, he said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/09/07

‘Comfortable’ Christians lose touch
with the world, Mosaic pastor insists

By Norman Jameson

North Carolina Baptist State Convention

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP)—Unlike most pastors, Erwin McManus is more comfortable talking to people outside the church than he is to rooms full of Christians, like the ones at the recent North Carolina Baptist State Convention evangelism conference.

McManus, an El Salvador native who went to high school and college in North Carolina, today leads Mosaic—a congregation that doesn’t call itself a church and meets in a nightclub and several other locations in Los Angeles.

But Mosaic’s willingness to abandon a traditional church building and meet almost nomadically in one of America’s densest, most diverse populations testifies to its commitment to take Jesus to the people. One year, the congregation met in seven locations.

McManus, author of several Christian books, grew up completely outside of faith. He brings an “unchurched” perspective to reaching people outside the church.

“We become so comfortable with each other that we lose touch with the world we live in,” he said.

McManus took issue with Christians who say people aren’t open to the gospel today. He gave examples of conversations he’s had with people who are eager to hear about Jesus. “Don’t tell me people aren’t open to God,” he said. “They’re just not open to being preached at.”

While Christians are quick to tout the doctrinal and moral admonitions of the apostle Paul, “we sometimes miss his heart, and Paul was always broken for people who were without God,” McManus said.

“You can talk about church growth and evangelism all you want, but until people are on your heart, it’s not going to matter,” he said.

McManus is impatient with Christians who flit from church to church looking for a pastor who will “feed” them. He said Christians are bulimic, spiritually “feeding” on Sunday, and then vomiting so they can feed again the next Sunday.

“My job isn’t to feed the Christians, so they can feed the sheep,” he said. “My job is to make them hungry so they can feed themselves. The church isn’t here for us. We are the church and we’re here for the world.”

Starting Mosaic was not easy, McManus said, and many times he wanted to quit. But he always found the people who brought him the most problems were those who never brought a lost person to church.

Many Christians “live life in neutral,” when instead they should be proactive, following Jesus radically and passionately, McManus said.

“Go until you get a no,” he said.

Referencing Paul’s speech to the Greeks at Thessalonica, McManus said: “At Mosaic we are prophets of an unknown God. We are taking the unknown God and making him known to those who do not know him. That’s a different job from preaching the Bible to Christians so they can feel good about what they believe.”

One of the reasons Mosaic doesn’t call itself a “church” is that members want to be the church and have those they serve recognize it in them.

“Early on, (in Jesus’ day) we didn’t call ourselves ‘Christians;’ we called ourselves ‘followers of Christ,’ and those outside (the church) called us ‘Christians,’” McManus said. “Now we call ourselves ‘Christians’ and they call us ‘hypocrites.’ The world is turned upside down.”

In a question-and-answer session following his address, McManus encouraged church leaders to stop fearing people who ask questions.

“We demand such absolute adherence to our beliefs that our children pretend to believe until they leave home,” he said.

McManus cited an atheist son of a famous pastor who said he didn’t know how to tell his dad when he was 10 years old that he didn’t believe in God.

“What kind of world have we created in which a 10-year-old boy is afraid to ask his father anything?” McManus asked.

He said a pastor cannot “just be a Bible teacher; you have to share your life with the people.”

Christians and the church are often Christ’s worst enemies, McManus contended. “Christianity is a dangerous place. We haven’t learned to treat each other well. If someone disagrees even a little from our view of the Bible, we feel justified in crucifying that person,” he said. “The movement of Jesus is different from the church a lot of times.”

Discipleship should begin with unbelievers, McManus insisted. He pointed out that the Great Commission calls Christians to “go into all the world.”

“What we’ve been doing isn’t making people better,” he said. “We can’t even keep kids who’ve been raised in Sunday school their whole life.”

Churches should seek to connect people with God and let God change them, McManus said.

“The reality is, when the living God lives in you, it makes a difference,” he said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 3/09/07

Baptist agency offers PAL
to young adults leaving foster care

By Craig Bird

Baptist Child & Family Services

KERRVILLE—Baptist Child & Family Services has opened Texas’ first Preparation for Adult Living support program outside of urban areas for youths aging out of foster care.

The Kerrville Transition Center will serve hundreds of foster and at-risk youth ages 15 to 23 across a large swath of the Hill Country, including Boerne, Comfort, Fredericksburg, Junction, Leakey and Medina.

David Sprouse, a Baptist Child & Family Services trustee and a physician in Kerrville, gets down on a child’s level at the reception following the grand opening of the Kerrville Transition Center.

“Our Preparation for Adult Living programs cover 28 counties stretching from Victoria to Del Rio, and I have long been concerned with how we could deliver the same quality of service as we do in San Antonio,” said Terri Hipps, PAL program director for Baptist Child & Family Services, a ministry affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

“The Kerrville Transition Center, in many ways, will be the ‘home’ that young men and women who grow up in foster care usually don’t have.”

 The beautifully restored, vintage 1800's house, “Is more than I dreamed. God’s finger prints are all over this. … We know we’re supposed to be here,” Hipps said.

“Two years ago the Legislature said residents of rural areas should have access to the same quality of programs as youth living in cities,” Vicki Coffee-Fletcher, division administrator of Family Focus with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, told several dozen people who gathered for the grand opening. “BCFS is the first one to respond to that challenge.”

Amber Klecka, a successful Preparation for Adult Living participant in San Antonio, came to Kerrville to support one of her favorite people, Terri Hipps. Hipps is program director for both PAL and the Kerrville Transition Center.

In addition to job skills and interpersonal skills training, hundreds of youth are expected to get help from Baptist Child & Family Services with money management, housing and transportation, health and safety issues and planning for a successful future, Hipps explained.

The transition center offers meeting rooms, computers/internet access, and even a washer and dryer for emergency laundry.

Other agencies such as Alamo WorkSource, Good Samaritan Community Services and Avalon Social Services will have offices at the center, providing ready access to a wide range of programs.

“When Child Protective Services removes children from their homes for reasons of abuse and neglect and places them with foster families, the larger community becomes their ‘parents.’ And a parent’s ultimate score card is what your children do with their lives after they leave the nest,” according to Janie Cook, executive director of Youth and Teen services for Baptist Child & Family Services.

Cheronda Tillman, San Antonio-based youth specialist for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, roused the crowd at the Kerrville Transition Center grand opening with a spirited rendition of “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” backed up by members of the Texas Hill Country Youth Choir.

“Most young adults who haven’t been in a foster program continue to get some sort of support (financial and otherwise) from their parents into their mid-20s. BCFS recognizes that reality and strives to support those youth and young adults into productive, successful adulthood.” 

Hipps provided specific examples.

“Children aren’t placed in foster care because they are ‘bad’ kids. They have bad home situations. Because they grow up in foster homes it is not unusual for a young man or woman to age out without knowing how to open a checking account much less how to manage money. Often they don’t even have a driver’s license” she said.

“Just becoming a legal adult doesn’t guarantee you have the ability to live successfully independently. Where do you go for Christmas and July 4 if you’ve lived in multiple homes growing up but are no longer a part of any of them? PAL, and now KTC, will connect them to opportunities to learn survival skills and connect them with each other and staff that really care about them so both their information needs and their emotional needs are met.”

 The Kerrville facility resulted from “a Dream Team of foundations,” Hipps said.  When Baptist Child & Family Services started exploring the possibilities, Kerrville’s Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Callioux Foundation provided start up funding and invested with the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to purchase the home.  Finally, the Meadows Foundation heard about the project and told Hipps it wanted “to fill in funding gaps you have—and fund the restoration of the facility and two of the staff positions.”

“Paired with the enthusiastic support from throughout the Kerrville community, we were bound to succeed,” Hipps said.

Three Baptist Child & Family Services staff members in addition to Hipps will work from the Kerrville center. Hipps will divide her time between the San Antonio and Kerrville offices. Other programs will provide their own staff that will be housed in the facility.

“I am thrilled that, once again, our staff has moved to fill an unmet need in the lives of youth,” Baptist Child & Family Services President Kevin Dinnin said. “Terri and her team are on a mission to help foster care alumni survive and thrive within a spiritually nurturing environment, which is why we are in Kerrville. The opportunity to partner with several other human needs agencies and the good folks of the Hill Country is an added bonus.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.