Posted: 3/02/07

Archaeologists, evangelicals
critique “Tomb” documentary

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—Archaeologists, biblical scholars and Christian leaders are casting doubt on explosive claims about the life of Jesus in a new documentary from Hollywood director-producer James Cameron.

The film, called The Lost Tomb of Jesus, presents evidence producers say could prove Jesus was married to Mary Magdelene and had a son.

At the center of Cameron’s film is a 2,000-year-old limestone tomb discovered in 1980 during an excavation project in Jerusalem. In the tomb, Amos Kloner, an archaeologist from Israel’s Bar Ilan University, found 10 stone burial boxes (also known as ossuaries). Some of the boxes had names inscribed on them: “Jesus, son of Joseph;” “Mary;” and “Judah, son of Jesus.”

Kloner and his team didn’t attach significance to the names when they first unearthed the ossuaries, because the names used were common in Palestine during the time period. However, Cameron (who produced the film) and director Simcha Jacobovici contend the bones could well have been from Jesus of Nazareth’s family.

In a Feb. 26 interview on CNN’s Larry King Live show, Jacobovici said the statistical improbability of having people named Jesus, Mary and Judah in the same tomb lent credibility to the documentary’s claim.

DNA evidence from the tomb showed that the “Jesus” and “Mary” inside were not related, which indicates they could have been married, documentary researchers said. It was unclear whether the researchers tested the DNA from the box containing Judah.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the archaeologist who first uncovered the ossuaries has criticized the documentary.

“The claim that the burial site has been found is not based on any new idea,” Kloner said. “It is only an attempt to sell. It’s a waste of money.”

Steven Ortiz, a professor of archaeology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, said most serious archaeologists and experts agree with Kloner.

“It’s a publicity stunt,” Ortiz said, adding the tomb has “been known” for years without any such hubbub. “Jesus was a very common name back then, (as was) Joseph. This isn’t anything unusual. The name Jesus became a unique name only after the resurrection.”

Had a scholarly paper—rather than a movie —publicized the claims, Ortiz said he’d be more ready to seriously consider them from an archaeological standpoint. As it stands, he said, the film’s experts are picking and choosing the facts they prefer to present, rather than telling the whole story.

“From what I’m hearing, already by the second day (after Cameron’s announcement) most scholars are just jumping on him, (saying) ‘how irresponsible,’” he said.

Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., appeared on King’s show the same night as Cameron and Jacobovici. Like the others, he called the $3.5 million-project “farcical.”

“The archaeologists there in Israel, who are the closest to this [and] who have the greatest expertise, are not only looking at this with skepticism, but basically dismissing its claims,” Mohler said.

“If Jesus had remained in the tomb, first-century opponents of Christianity would most certainly have found his body and put it on public display.”

He later said the evidence from the ossuaries would not stand in a court of law.

“It has to be an evidence trail that makes sense,” he said. “It has to be evidentiary material that fits the context. Nothing could ever prove—there’s no DNA—there’s nothing that could ever prove these bones are the bones of Jesus. It makes no sense.”

Other conservative Christian leaders also criticized the film.

Jim Tonkowich, president of the Washington-based Institute on Religion and Democracy, sent a letter to supporters Feb. 27, calling the work “a cynical ratings ploy that deserves to be buried with all of the other fantastical claims that arise about the ‘real’ Jesus this time of year.” The institute is a watchdog group that attempts to steer mainline Protestant denominations in more conservative directions.

“Much like The Da Vinci Code, the documentary promises a tantalizingly alternative view of biblical events but ultimately offers little more than groundless speculation,” he wrote. “An ossuary labeled ‘Jesus’ is about as specific to Christ as a chunk of wood that is claimed to be a part of the Ark.”

Tonkowich also criticized the Discovery Channel in general for presenting a show that “appears to be designed to tear at the fabric of the faith and hope of billions worldwide.” He said the network should recognize religious faith as “legitimate, credible and beneficial to society.”

Cameron—who won an academy award for directing the film Titanic—had a simple answer for his critics.

“I don’t profess to be an archeologist or a biblical scholar,” the director told Newsweek. “I’m a film producer. I found it compelling. I think we’re on firm ground to say that much.”

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

Posted: 3/02/07

African Children’s Choir
symbolizes hope for future

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

ABILENE—Like most boys his age, 8-year-old David dreams about what he’ll be when he grows up. This week, he wants to be an air traffic controller.

A year ago, he probably never dreamed he’d be in the United States. Born in one of the most impoverished areas of Uganda, he had little hope of getting an education.

His 9-year-old friend Esther aspires to be a professional singer, but a year ago that would have been highly improbable. A choir trip to the United States is changing their lives.

Esther and David, singers in the African Children’s Choir, use their voices to inspire children in their homeland as well as people in America. The children are two of 24 singers between the ages of 7 and 11 who make up a world-renowned choir in the middle of the Texas leg of its 28th U.S. tour.

Singing about how the pure in heart will walk the highway to heaven, the children’s choir represents millions of children in Africa. Many have lost one or both parents to war, famine or disease, organizers said.

Their voices sing for Africa’s 12 million AIDS orphans. Despite the tragedy marring their young lives, these children are full of hope.

“These children are bright, articulate and motivated to realize their potential,” said Ray Barnett, founder of the African Children’s Choir. “We believe they can make a difference, and we believe that when audiences see Africa through their eyes, they will want to partner with us to give these children every opportunity to succeed and impact their countries.”

Performing 35 concerts in Texas in five months, the choir sang Feb. 21 at Shining Star Baptist Church in Abilene.

“We wanted to send a message that indicates how churches are showing partnership with the community,” Shining Star Pastor Richard Darden said.  

Darden’s congregation partnered with Pioneer Drive Baptist Church to provide shelters and showers for the young singers, and Holiday Hills Baptist Church secured meals.

“This, we hope, will make communities aware that churches do care,” Darden explained. “We all have something in common—children at risk.”

Darden considers the choir performance an extension of his multi-ethnic congregation’s ministry and community outreach.   

To honor the choir and support the church’s community efforts, the mayor proclaimed Feb. 21 “African Children’s Choir Day” in Abilene.   

“This is a golden opportunity for Abilene to highlight the ministry of this internationally acclaimed choir,” said Gerald Davis, the Texas Baptist convention’s community development specialist. “The BGCT was glad to present a $500 grant to help provide food and lodging for the singers, their teachers and tour leaders.”

The choir’s 2006-07 tour began in Washington in May. After watching the performance in Spokane, tour leader Marci Cole had a life-changing experience.

“God moved in my heart in a huge way,” Cole said. “I immediately applied to join the organization. We want to give the kids a chance to be educated, to have opportunities they never dreamed about.”

The students on tour spend part of their days rehearsing. But more importantly, they take classes from teachers who travel with them. They also receive full tuition for the remainder of their primary, secondary and college education.

“This effort shines a spotlight on the millions of children in Africa living in impoverished conditions,” said Dawna Hodges, choir spokesperson. “Since its inception in 1984, the choir has brought hope, joy and the love of Christ to communities across the U.S., the United Kingdom and Africa.”

Traveling with the choir are two former members who returned to mentor current singers. One graduated with a diploma in radio and television production and journalism, while the other earned a music degree, which she uses to train more children.  

Through its evangelical parent organization, Music for Life Institute, the choir is providing an education for more than 7,000 children in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. It also finances relief and development projects in Africa.

The Texas tour began in December 2006 and will run through the end of April at Baptist churches statewide.

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

Posted: 3/02/07

Around the State

• Martin Wilson, associate pastor at La Verdad Community Church in El Paso, will offer the opening prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives March 7 in Washington D.C. He also is a U.S. Border Patrol chaplain.

• The Piecemakers, a knitting and crocheting group at Crestview Church in George-town, will send knitted and crocheted baby blankets and children’s sweaters with a team of volunteers who will travel to Romania in early May. Others who want to participate can go to www.forgive490.com and click on “Blankets for Romania” for patterns and more information. Blankets should be made with soft cotton yarn and children’s sweaters with wool or wool-blend yarn. Yarn donations also are being accepted.

• Ollie Finney has been named adviser of the year at Dallas Baptist University. A DBU alumna, she began serving in the college of adult education in 2000.

Anniversaries

• Gilbert Gonzales, fifth, as pastor of One Cross Three Nails Church in Lubbock, March 10.

• First Church in San Augustine, 105th, March 11. Former Pastor James Day will preach in the morning service. A luncheon will follow. David Burcham is pastor.

• Red Springs Church in Seymour, 100th, March 23-25. A time of fellowship along with a slideshow of past church events will be held at 6 p.m. Friday. A time of singing, testimonies and recounting the church’s history will be held from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday at the community center, with former pastors taking part. A brush arbor has been constructed on the church grounds for Saturday evening’s 6 p.m. meeting. A catered lunch will follow Sunday morning’s service. Among the former staff members expected to attend are Bob Tremaine, Keith Parks, Harry Garvin, Bobby Blaylock and Lynn Holly. Make reservations for the meal by March 15 by calling, (940) 889-2092. Gary Godkin is pastor.

• Zan Walker, fifth as minister of music at Oakwood Church in Lubbock, March 31.

• First Church in Pampa, 100th, April 13-15. Festivities will begin Friday at 6 p.m. with registration and a worship service. Saturday at 10 a.m., a brunch honoring the wives of former staff members will be held. A reunion choir rehearsal will be begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by a time of fellowship at 5 p.m. A banquet and program will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday morning’s worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Former staff expected to attend include Jerry Arrington, Todd Blackhurst, David Campbell, Claude Cone, John Glover, Dale Moreland, Garry Schwalk, Randy White and Joe Whitten. For more information or to make banquet reservations, call (806) 669-1155. Johnny Funderburg is pastor.

• Crossroads Church in Marshall, 60th, April 15. Service times are 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. A reception will follow the later service. For more information, call (903) 938-0882. David Rice is pastor.

Deaths

• John Cole, 90, Feb. 17 in Waco. He was pastor of churches in Milam and Bell counties while attending Southwestern Seminary, and after graduation became pastor of a congregation in Ropesville before moving to New Mexico and later California. He moved back to Texas in 1986 was a member of First Church in Waco. In 2000, he married a second time, and became a member of Park Lake Drive Church in Waco. He also was a member of the Baylor Senior Choir and for the last three years had been president of the Retired Ministers Fellowship of the Waco Regional Baptist Network. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marie, and one brother, William. He is survived by his wife, Dot; daughter, Paula Simon; son, Jim; brothers, Carl and Paul; step-son Bill McGraw; step-daughter, Charlotte Bowling; four grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.

• David Crowson, 53, Feb. 27 in Longview. A Baylor graduate, he was president of the Highway 80 Rescue Mission. A deacon at First Church in Longview, he taught Sunday school there more than 25 years. He was committed to missions, and participated in World Changers each year. He also was a supporter of Buckner International. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Jane; sons, David and Andrew; daughter, Cara Crowson; mother, Vivian Crowson; brothers, Chuck and Ken; and sister, Cathy Johnson.

Event

• Trinity River Association will hold a gospel music night at First Church in Devers March 13 beginning at 7 p.m. The Rileys and The Master’s Family will perform. The association’s executive board will meet at 6 p.m.

Ordained

• John Balena, Cliff Bottoms, Al Clark, Jerry Hall, Charles Huselton, Brian Kennedy, J.R. Mitchell, Jim Patterson, Joe Riddell and Jay Turner as deacons at First Church in Richmond.

Revival

• First Church, Devers; March 18-22; evangelist, Herman Cramer; pastor, Harry McDaniel.

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

Posted: 3/02/07

Friends bring friends to Jesus

By David Coffield

Hardin-Simmons University

ABILENE—When Autumn Moran committed her life to Jesus during a recent Bible study at Hardin-Simmons University’s Friendship House, nobody was happier than Danyel Rogers.

Although Moran had been reluctant, Rogers invited the young woman to the Bible study and earned her trust one step at a time.

Rogers is coordinator for the university’s Friendship House and lives in Moran’s neighborhood. She has gained the trust of neighbors such as Moran by living among them, walking up and down their streets and getting to know them.

That’s the hallmark of HSU’s Neighborhood Enhancement Program, an endeavor to transform the historically declining area of northern Abilene that surrounds the Texas Baptist school.

“You have to build relationships and let people know you’re there,” Rogers explained. “Then you can offer them something they need.”

Friendship House, the centerpiece of the Neighborhood Enhancement Program, launched the women’s Bible study group two years ago.

“It gave the women in the neighborhood a comfortable place to gather and (provided) supervised activities for their children while they studied God’s word,” reported Joy Steadman, a volunteer who leads the group. “People who don’t even know who lives next door are suddenly the best of friends when they get together in activities such as this.”

It was the perfect formula for Moran, who called herself a seeker until that special day.

“I knew about Jesus,” she recalled. “I wanted Jesus in my life, but I didn’t know how to make that happen. After meeting with these wonderful friends for awhile, I found it was very simple. I just had to open my heart and declare my life for him.”

Even baptism was a mystery for Moran. She wasn’t sure if she needed to join something, take a test or memorize Scripture, but she was sure it had to be difficult to get into such a life-changing club. “When I asked how to get baptized, Joy said, ‘You just have to ask.’ I said, ‘Can we do it right now?’”

Ultimately, Moran decided to plan the celebration of her salvation so family and friends could be present. After securing permission to use the outdoor fountain at nearby Abilene Christian University as a baptistery, she asked Steadman to immerse her.

“I didn’t know that someone other than a minister could perform the baptism,” Moran said. “It can be a minister, but it can also be someone who has played a meaningful role in one’s spiritual life. I wanted Joy to welcome me to the fellowship of Christ.”

As she rose from the waters, Moran emerged a new person, “I felt like a complete person for the first time in my life. I knew my search was over.”

The effect on her family was immediate.

“My son began asking about God, and we became much more active at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church,” Moran said.

She began searching for used copies of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren—which she credits, in part, to awakening her spirit—to give to people she met in the neighborhood.

“One of our priorities now is to go on a family mission trip. That mission trip might just be to the next house over, sharing the word with someone who needs God in their life,” she said.

The family will move to Houston soon, as careers take them away from the Hardin-Simmons neighborhood. But to Moran’s way of thinking, that only increases her opportunity.

“There are so many people in Houston that need to hear about Christ,” she explained. “But I will always remember these wonderful ladies who helped me hear the words I needed to hear.”

Would she teach a class in Houston? “I’m going to do anything I can,” she said. “I think I’ll probably start with a book discussion group on The Purpose Driven Life. A book discussion is nonconfrontational and comfortable. It’s a good way to share without the expectation of sharing.”

Hardin-Simmons’ Neighborhood Enhancement Program is built on the philosophy that if participants walk the streets, knock on doors and actually meet people, they will break down the barriers of mistrust that cause most renewal programs to fail.

And that’s consistent with the school’s purpose, President Craig Turner said.

“As a Christian university, Hardin-Simmons feels the responsibility to share our time, our friendships, our talents and skills, and our material blessings with those who live closest to us,” Turner noted. “We feel it is important not only to help these neighbors, but also to educate our students regarding the importance of volunteerism, philanthropy and Christian love—to teach them to actively care for their communities and their neighbors.”

Moran believes the Friendship House’s connecting and caring approach helped her turn the corner.

“I was petrified when I thought about going to a Bible study class at a church,” she recalled. “I didn’t know if I’d see talking in tongues, snake handling, or what. But when I came to a place that was open, casual and nonthreatening, it was easier. If I found someone like me who wanted God, but was timid about the process, I’d tell them my story, but I’d want them to be able to have a place like the Friendship House to come to.”

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

Posted: 3/02/07

Baptist Briefs

Hammond recommended as NAMB president. The North American Mission Board’s presidential search committee has recommended Geoffrey Hammond to become the agency’s next president. Hammon is senior associate director of the Souther Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. The NAMB board will vote on the recommendation at its March 20-21 meeting. Hammond, 49, is a graduate of Spurgeon’s Seminary in London and earned a doctor of ministry degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Final Arizona defendants sentenced. The five final defendants affiliated with a fraud scandal at the Baptist Foundation of Arizona have been sentenced. Donald Dale Deardoff, former BFA treasurer, received four years in prison and was ordered to pay $150 million in restitution. Sentenced to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay restitution after accepting plea agreements were Harold Dewayne Friend, a businessman who allegedly participated in fraudulent financial transactions; Jalma W. Hunsinger, director of two BFA subsidiaries; Edgar Alan Kuhn, former president of two BFA subsidiaries; and Richard Lee Rolfes, former owner of a firm that provided accounting services for some BFA subsidiaries. Last September, former BFA President William Crotts and former legal counsel Thomas Grabinski were sentenced to eight and six years, respectively, on fraud and racketeering charges.

Mainstream taps Texans. The Mainstream Baptist Network named four Texans to its Hall of Fame during the network’s annual convocation Feb. 23-24 in Irving. They are Vernon Davis, retired dean of Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology, and three former Baptist General Convention of Texas presidents—Clyde Glazener, pastor of Gambrell Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth; Ken Hall, president of Buckner International; and Albert Reyes, president of Buckner Children & Family Services. The Mainstream Hall of Fame honors individuals who preserve and strengthen historic Baptist principles.

Tax guide available. Ministers can get help preparing their federal income tax returns from GuideStone Financial Resources’ Ministers Tax Guide for 2006 Returns. The tax guide can be obtained from the GuideStone website, www.GuideStone.org. Printed copies or a CD version can also be obtained by calling (888) 984-8433 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central time weekdays.

BTSR preaching conference focuses on justice. “Let Justice Roll” is the theme of the Chester Brown, Hampton Baptist Church Preaching and Worship Conference May 21-23 at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. Plenary and worship sessions will explore Christ’s call to minister to “the least of these.” Author/reformer Tony Campolo and folk singer Kate Campbell are featured conference leaders. Registration is $125. For more information or to register, contact BTSR at (804) 204-1220, e-mail pwconf@btsr.edu or visit www.btsr.edu/preaching_worship_conference.html.

Netherton joins Mercer. James Netherton, the embattled president of Carson-Newman College, is resigning from the Baptist-affiliated school to become executive vice president of Mercer University. Netherton, president of Carson-Newman since 2000, was the target of 129-71 “no confidence” vote from the faculty Oct. 4, followed by similar actions by retired faculty and alumni. Previously, he was vice president and chief operating officer at Baylor University and provost at Samford University.

SNAP says ‘sorry’ to SBC. SNAP—the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and other Clergy—has apologized to Southern Baptist Convention for making false accusations that leaders had not responded to the organization. The apology came after SBC Executive Committee officials produced letters written last year, which explained how the convention handles abuse charges and related issues. “We said the SBC hadn’t replied to us, and we were wrong,” said SNAP Director David Clohessy. “I have no idea how this happened, and I’m terribly, terribly sorry. I’m very upset and embarrassed by this and deeply apologize to the convention for our mistake and for our erroneous comments to the press about the lack of reply.”

LifeWay names Waggoner VP. Brad Waggoner has been elected to the new position of vice president for research and ministry development at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville. Tenn. Waggoner has taught at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Wayland Baptist University in Plainview and East Texas Baptist University in Marshall. He also was minister of education and college pastor at Elmcrest Baptist Church in Abilene.

Agee announces retirement from college association. Bob Agee has announced his retirement as executive director of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, effective at the association’s June 2007 annual meeting or “as soon thereafter as a new executive director can be named.” Agee, 68, was president of Oklahoma Baptist University and also served as executive director of the Consortium for Global Education, a sister organization that promotes partnerships between association members and more than 80 colleges and universities worldwide.

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

Posted: 3/02/07

2nd Opinion:
Peril of the church on the defensive

By John Pierce

The counterculture approach that Jesus took and taught focused on loving enemies, embracing outcasts and giving second chances to those soundly condemned by the religious establishment. I never thought of Jesus as a culture warrior on the defensive.

However, many modern church leaders—including some high-profile Baptists—seem to relish that role.

The church on the defensive is neither attractive nor effective. It is driven by fear and sees all sorts of sociological and scientific changes—as well as most theological rethinking—as threatening.

The defensive mindset is predicated on an “us-versus-them” perspective that sees those who don’t share their viewpoint on social issues and religious doctrine as enemies needing to be changed or defeated.

In today’s evangelical subculture, we often hear about a “biblical worldview.” Christian Reconstructionist groups such as American Vision—that seeks legislatively to restore “America’s biblical foundation”—use that terminology. Their annual national meetings are called “Worldview Super Conferences.”

Indeed, the fast-moving changes in the modern world—like unprecedented communications, ethnic and religious pluralism, technological advances—can be overwhelming and deserve to be viewed through the lens of Christian reflection. But too many Christian leaders seem overly threatened and too quick to get on the defensive.

A Southern Baptist leader and state convention executive defended taking what some call a negative position by opposing social issues like civil rights for homosexuals.

“I do not believe those of us who hold to a biblical worldview can ignore and white-wash those things that are destructive to our culture and the well-being of people,” he wrote in a newspaper column.

The only problem with such a statement is that not all Christians look through the lens of the biblical revelation and see the same things this leader and other fundamentalists see that put them on the defensive. But, sadly, most people think so, and often we have to explain the difference.

While a good dose of the gospel—that is, good news—is needed in our society, I do not share the same fears that I hear coming from many Christian leaders. Staying in the Christian fort and firing verbal missiles at cultural enemies does not appear particularly helpful in advancing the kingdom of God.

Going outside our ecclesiastical walls and being Christian among those who are not may not be as scary as we sometimes think. It also may be more of what following Jesus is about.

The biggest problems with standing in defense of the status quo is that (1) the changes most often opposed inevitably occur, and (2) the church has often been wrong through the years about what was argued to be the correct biblical viewpoint. That certainly was the case concerning the treatment of Native Americans, African slavery, racial discrimination, women’s rights and more.

We also could go back to all kinds of casualties related to science—from Copernicus and Galileo to more modern battles related to Creation.

It is good when church bodies look back and confess to and repent of their wrong thinking and past actions. It is more constructive, however, to slow down, hear a variety of voices and reach a better—and perhaps new—“biblical viewpoint” at the time the issue is arising.

The alternative to being the church on the defensive is not that we are silent or accommodating of every societal change that comes along.

It is that we act out of love rather than fear that we might lose some of our cultural dominance with every change we encounter.

John Pierce is executive editor of Baptists Today, a national autonomous magazine.

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

Posted: 3/02/07

DOWN HOME:
What’s better than Wheel O’Meals?

“Where do you want to go for dinner,” Joanna asked.

“I don’t care,” I replied. “Where do you want to go?”

“Doesn’t matter. You pick.”

“No, I picked last time. It’s your turn.”

If my wife and I had a nickel for every time we’ve had this conversation, we could dine at some mighty fine restaurants.

This gastronomical getalong actually began when our girls, Lindsay and Molly, still were home. But with four of us in the mix, including a couple of teenagers, it seemed like somebody had an opinion more often back then.

We didn’t eat out as often, either.

Jo’s a terrific cook and an attentive mother. So, our girls grew up eating plenty of home-cooked meals. The dinner table was our sanctuary, our forum, our theater. My favorite place in the world.

Now, however, the girls are out of the house. Lindsay graduated from Hardin-Simmons University, got married and moved to Florida. Molly’s a sophomore at Baylor University.

Before they left, I speculated that our “empty nest” kitchen would only need a coffee pot, microwave and mini-fridge. Fortunately, Jo still loves to cook, and we’re even remembering recipes we enjoyed in the “old days,” before children’s range of tastes reduced our menu.

But with two jobs and no kids to feed, dinner sometimes becomes more an issue of logistics and timing than dietary demands or cuisine choices.

Which brings us back to our standing “you choose/no, you choose” debate.

I’ve been thinking we need a system to streamline our selections and diminish our dining discussion.

And that’s why I’m thinking about inventing the Wheel O’Meals.

Imagine this: A wooden wheel with about a dozen or 15 pie-shaped sections. Each section would bear the name of a restaurant a short drive from our home. The wheel would have a needle that spins freely until it lands on one of the sections.

Of course, we’d need some groundrules. Each of us could veto one spin. And, upon mutual consent, we would declare a “spin again” if the arrow landed on a restaurant where we’d eaten in, oh, say the past two weeks. Other than that, wherever the arrow lands, that’s where we’ll eat.

As I figure it, the Wheel O’Meals will save time, promote marital harmony and potentitally contribute to a more-balanced diet.

The Wheel O’Meals would help us select from among a range of wonderful options. Jo and I should count our blessings, since we live near scores of excellent places to eat.

And as we dine, we must remember people who don’t have enough to eat. What if each time Texas Baptists ate out, we would set aside a dollar to contribute to the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, which we’re collecting this month?

We could feed millions of hungry people in Jesus’ name.

—Marv Knox

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

Posted: 3/02/07

EDITORIAL:
Two issues resolved, 3rd straight ahead

The last time we met on this page, we waited to see how the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board meeting Feb. 26-27 would turn out. The board faced three key issues. It deftly resolved two of them, but the third still stands as Texas Baptists’ most crucial challenge:

• Church-starting scandal.

A special oversight group presented a positive report on the convention’s response to misappropriation of church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley. Executive Board staff took the lead and, supported in some cases by Executive Board directors and others, moved to implement all seven recommendations offered by outside investigators who uncovered the extent of the scandal. Although some parts of a few recommendations are not completely functional, progress has been solid. (See story, page 2.)

“Vigilance” is the watchword for moving forward in BGCT church-starting. But Texas Baptists can feel confident lessons have been learned, accountability processes are being put in place and we will benefit from a stronger, more reliable church-starting program.

• Convention authority.

Whatever else may be said from the podium of a BGCT annual meeting, messengers never again will hear that the Executive Board has “preempted” their authority. Responding to a ruling like that last year, the board approved a “statement of understanding” that declares: “This board does not intend in any way for its actions prior to an annual meeting to ‘preempt’ the role of messengers. Rather, this board seeks to perform its duties faithfully between annual meetings.” And lest a parliamentarian ever be tempted to rule otherwise, the board also proposed a constitutional amendment that clarifies the point (See story).

• Leadership/future.

Responding to scandal and correcting a parliamentary loophole are easy fixes compared to meeting the conjoined challenge of the convention’s leadership and future.

The previous editorial reported, “Texas Baptists openly speculate about the tenure of Charles Wade, the Executive Board’s executive director.” Many Texas Baptists wish those words weren’t written, and I didn’t enjoy writing them. But denying an open secret doesn’t make it go away, and dysfunction does a disservice to our Texas Baptist family. Some Texas Baptists are upset because the Valley scandal happened on Charles Wade’s watch. Others are frustrated by the pace, order and shape of convention reorganization. Wade is a seasoned pastor, and he understands leading through calamity and change means picking up baggage as well as dealing with people who don’t like how things are done.

Still, the duration of the executive director’s tenure rests with the Executive Board and the executive director himself. The Executive Board’s Executive Committee met with him behind (appropriately) closed doors for slightly more than an hour. When they emerged, nobody discussed retirement or tenure issues.

So, Charles Wade is the executive director until further notice. Many Texas Baptists will continue to speculate regarding his tenure. (A favorite denominational church-parlor game involves two parts—speculating about when leaders will leave and speculating about who will succeed them.) In the meantime, his job is guiding Texas Baptists past a church-starting scandal and a parliamentary tangle and into the future. He’s giving every intention he intends to stay on the job.

That’s an ever-challenging task, because the BGCT’s future is anything but certain.

Like it or not, the BGCT is a denominational behemoth in a post-denominational age. Trend lines are running against denominational structures, especially conventions. Some futurists even see a time when state conventions no longer exist. Many historically loyal churches already act as if state conventions don’t exist.

Still, despite technology, rapid travel, innovation and the strength and flexibility of many churches, the age-old adage remains true: We can do more together than we can do alone.

That’s the reason the Baptist General Convention of Texas has a future. Or perhaps I should say, it can have a future if it envisions that future with creativity, courage, compassion and conviction.

Texas Baptists face some God-sized tasks we can accomplish only if we work together under the power of God.

But that will require crafting a completely different kind of convention. We’ll discuss this in the next edition. Hint: It begins by poking a hole in an old bromide: “The convention exists for the churches.”

Marv Knox is editor of the Baptist Standard.

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

Posted: 3/02/07

Politics plays role in hunger
elimination, Beckmann says

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

AUSTIN (ABP)—The movement to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty for millions of people around the world is not a lost cause, the president of Bread for the World stressed.

In fact, despite the population explosion, the number of people who are undernourished is slightly lower now than it was in the early 1970s, David Beckmann said. He participated in the Ethics Without Borders conference in Austin, organized by the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Christian Life Commission.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese have escaped from extreme poverty and hunger in the last decade, and even African countries lacking much economic growth have made rapid progress in terms of child mortality rates and the number of children in school, Beckmann said.

“Based on that experience, the nations of the world in the year 2000 adopted the Millennium Development Goals: By the year 2015, we think it’s possible, and we intend to cut hunger and poverty in half in the world,” he said. “We think it’s possible to get virtually all the kids in the world into primary school, including the girls.”

The United Nations formed eight Millennium Development Goals, which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, to be met by 2015. President Bush has embraced the endeavor, Beckmann said.

A 2006 United Nations report showed some progress on the goal of halving poverty and hunger. In 1990, more than 28 percent of the developing world’s population, or 1.2 billion people, lived in extreme poverty. By 2002, the proportion was 19 percent. In Asia over the same period, the number of people living on less than $1 a day dropped by a quarter of a billion people.

Beckmann, a Lutheran clergyman and economist, said what excites him is the possibility in this century to overcome hunger and poverty.

“Those of us who read the Bible have to recognize this is the Lord God moving in our own time,” he said. “God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ hear the prayers of hungry mothers.”

The gospel is a gospel for the poor, Beckmann said. “And, in fact, the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news to the poor. Always has been. It gives people dignity and hope.”

Unfortunately, much of the poverty in parts of Asia and Africa remained unchanged, the 2006 millennium report noted. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the number of people living in extreme poverty increased by 140 million from 1990 to 2002.

More than 850 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger, Beckmann said. In the United States alone, more than 35 million people live in households that often run out of food.

Action against such poverty necessarily in-cludes political means, Beckmann said. If Chris-tians are serious about eradicating hunger, part of that action should be through implementing policies and changing laws that “keep people poor.”

He suggested extending the food-stamps program and providing debt reduction for the world’s poorest countries as preliminary measures to that effect. Twenty-five million people in the United States use food stamps every month, he said.

On Feb. 14, the Senate approved $463.5 billion to cover all domestic and foreign-aid spending for the fiscal year 2007. Poverty-focused assistance alone received a $1.4 billion increase over the amount of money dedicated to it in 2006.

Jose Antonio Ocampo, U.N. under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, said the participation of developed countries in enhancing debt relief has lent some hope to those in need.

“The data … suggest that providing every child with a primary-school education is within our grasp,” he wrote in the 2006 update.

“The handful of countries in sub-Saharan Africa that are successfully lowering HIV infection rates and expanding treatment demonstrate that the war against AIDS can be won. Step by step, we see that women are gaining in political participation that will one day result in their full equal rights.”

Beckman likewise said poverty and hunger are intertwined with other topics discussed at the ethics conference, especially HIV/AIDS and U.S. relations with governments in the Middle East.

“Our relationships with the Muslim world would clearly be improved if we were more serious as a nation about trying to overcome poverty and hunger,” Beckmann said. “There’s a lot of poverty and hunger in even fairly healthy nations in the Middle East.”

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

Posted: 3/02/07

‘Clash of civilizations’ view
too simplistic, expert says

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

AUSTIN (ABP)—The “clash of civilizations” view of Muslim and Christian conflict only prolongs problems and encourages dangerous forms of fundamentalism, a prominent scholar told participants at the Ethics Without Borders conference.

Charles Kimball, who has visited the Middle East 40 times and worked closely with Congress, the White House and the State Department, spoke at the event, organized by the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Christian Life Commission.

A professor of religion at Wake Forest University, Kimball called the clash of civilizations framework “an extremely unhelpful one” for people in the United States, most of whom know very little about Islam.

“I think it’s important to see in this kind of us-versus-them mentality the very deep Islamic bias that’s at work,” Kimball said.

“They advance a simplistic image that Islam is anti-Western, anti-us. The premise here is that Islam never modernized, never separated between church and state. That Islam is somehow incapable of differentiating between civilizations. That is simply untrue.”

The term “clash of civilizations” was first popularized in a 1993 Foreign Affairs article by Samuel Huntington. In the essay, Huntington said world politics is entering a new phase in which the fundamental source of conflict will be cultural, not ideological or economic.

“Nation-states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations,” Huntington wrote. “The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future.”

Islam was “the brilliant civilization that led the world” through much of history, Kimball said. Historians have said Western civilization was influenced by the Arab world and Islam in areas of philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, architecture and the university system.

Muslim scholars led the way in academic and scientific fronts well before their Western counterparts caught up, so to neatly divide the modern conflict into a clash of two different civilizations is much too simplistic, Kimball cautioned.

“This is not an anti-intellectual tradition,” he said. “It’s one that has been historically flexible and open. There are so many ways that we are interconnected historically with Islam that throws this premise on its ear.”

There are 10 times as many Muslims in Indonesia as Southern Baptists in the whole world and twice as many Muslims in China as Southern Baptists in the whole world, Kimbell noted. What’s more, the United States is home to more Muslim Americans than to Presbyterians or Episcopalians.

Christianity and Islam are the two largest religious traditions in the world, encompassing more than 45 percent of the world’s population. Indonesia has the most Muslims of any country.

Mohamed Elibiary, president of the Dallas-based Freedom and Justice Foundation, said in a response to Kimball’s presentation that while Islam is a varied religion, most American Muslims felt the same in the days and months after 9/11.

It was an “educational” time for them, he said, because it helped Muslim Americans “get to know our neighbors a little bit better.”

“The Jerry Falwells of the world, yeah, they ticked us off quite a bit,” Elibiary said. “All of us wanted to stand up to the bully. And we felt we were bullied. This isn’t much different than much of us feel around the world.”

And while not all Muslims agree on all aspects of Islamic theology, most have a general consensus on how to interpret holy scriptures and the teachings of the prophets, he said.

Those beliefs have traveled a long and difficult road with Christianity through the centuries, Kimball said. Like Christianity, Islam is a revolutionary monotheism.

Both religions “are talking about the same God,” he said. “There is really not much ambiguity about this. ‘Allah’ is simply the Arabic word for God.

“There is no God but God. That’s the fundamental beginning point” of Islam, Kimball said. “The name for God in Islam, in Arabic, is ‘Allah.’ This is not another god. This is the God. It’s the same God that Jews and Christians are talking about.”

Muslims and Christians simply understand God differently, Kimball said. He compared it to the way Christians often disagree even within their own denominations about certain beliefs.

Both Elibiary and Kimball stressed that at the center of the struggle to overcome a simplified view of Islam is a lack of education. That lack reinforces the depth of ignorance that feeds upon and builds “all kinds of fear in our country,” Kimball said. “Decision-makers don’t know the first thing about what they pontificate on television.”

Iran should not be confused with Afghanistan, and Lebanon should not be confused with Libya, any more than Greece with Great Britain or Sweden with Switzerland, he said.

“The importance here for us in terms of education is the willingness …,” he said. “We have to be willing to work much harder in what I call the dense thicket of particulars and quit talking in these generic terms.”

Elibiary agreed. “The fear of every minority is the majority being in hysteria,” 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: 3/02/07

Networked church key
to ministering in 21st century

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

AUSTIN—A “networked” church is poised for ministry in the 21st century, Anna Robbins of the London School of Theology claimed.

The world is being stretched by the simultaneous emphasis on context and culture as well as belief in a worldwide bond, Robbins said.

People are connecting with people on the other side of the globe, but they also understand that, much closer to home, the culture in which a person lives shapes that individual’s life, she explained.

“On the one hand, the world is growing more and more connected, more and more homogeneous. On the other hand, the world seems to be fragmenting through a recognition of difference, a plurality, a significance of context and culture,” she said during the Ethics Without Borders conference sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Christian Life Commission.

Understanding or balancing the paradox between connectedness and fragmentation is becoming increasingly complex, she said.

“It’s no longer true that what must be done is evident to all, even if how it ought to be done has always been more complex,” she lamented. “We even wonder sometimes if we’re speaking the same language across diverse contexts, let alone employing the same concepts or engaging the same rationality. We’re more and more the same, yet more and more wanting to stress our difference.”

The church is built upon the notion of Christians with a common belief in Christ working together, making it an international network, Robbins said.

“We say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and that overcomes all of our contexts,” she explained. “That overcomes all of our pluralities, and it’s not just words. It’s a reality. If Jesus Christ is who he is, he is Lord of all people at all time. We are one people, no matter where we find ourselves.”

While the church may be built upon the notion of being a network, the connections must be developed further for it to serve as effectively as possible, Robbins said.

The lives of people within the network must impact the lives of other individuals within it, she illustrated. The plight of one group of Christians needs to affect the actions of another group.

“What difference does it matter for my church community that this church community doesn’t know if they’re going to be allowed to gather to worship tomorrow?” she asked. “What does it mean when I get together with my friends Sunday that a community that I have a contact with has nothing to eat tomorrow?

“These things have to have mutually life-changing consequences. A network can do that, but only if we take more responsibility for it.”

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

Posted: 3/02/07

Development key in Texas Baptist
fight against world hunger

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger feeds people today, tomorrow and long into the future.

Funds given through the offering are used to purchase food for starving families around the world, but more than of half of the donated money is used to empower people to support themselves.

This approach is crucial in helping people breaking the cycle of poverty and hunger, stressed Joe Haag, who coordinates the offering for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission.

A ministry method that meets people at all their points of need is more likely to alter individual behavior and lead to a self-supporting lifestyle than simply a handout, he said.

To this end, the offering supports English-as-a-second-language classes, job-training efforts and starting small businesses that enable people to earn a living and support their families.

“We are saving lives through this ministry,” Haag said. “All these ministries are through Baptist channels, and they’re holistic ministries.

“In feeding hungry people and helping them to escape poverty, we show them that God loves them. There is no more powerful witness for Christ than standing with people who have run out of hope and insisting through word and deed that God is their hope.”

This year, the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger emphasis will be held in March for the first time, but Texas Baptists can give to the offering year-around.

One of the ministries the offering supports is proVision Asia, which ministers to the physically challenged in Bangalore, India. These people are considered untouchable by society, but proVision Asia helped find 80 jobs for them last year, allowing them to support themselves and put food on their tables.

“Our target market is the physically challenged—the very poor and disabled community that are the untouchables,” said proVision Asia’s Jean Kingery. 

“Mahatma Gandhi called these people ‘children of God.’ God has called proVision Asia to touch the lives that are literally thrown aside in a dominant Hindu society, where the main belief ties ‘bad karma’ with the infirmity.”

The offering also funds hunger ministries in Texas.

Union Baptist Association distributes World Hunger Offering funds to nine sites in the Houston area, feeding about 5,000 people a month. Those ministries report about 30 professions of faith in Christ each month as a result of their outreach.

Sally Hinzie, the association’s missionary to the city, said World Hunger Offering funds enable churches to provide a larger ministry than they can support by themselves.

“Most (recipients) have strategies where they do get help from their local church, but it’s not enough. Their church cannot provide enough food for the people that are coming,” she said.

“We’re in an urban area, and the distance between poverty and middle class and upper class—the gap is growing daily. We have many hungry people in the city. That’s the bad news. And many of them are working poor.”

Haag said this is exactly what the leaders of the World Hunger Offering are trying to do—expand hunger ministries around the world. This year’s offering goal is $750,000, but it supports ministry that is worth much more.

“We try to serve and improve the lives that are given us,” he said. “That’s just a small part of the larger need, but we try to do what we can.”

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