Posted: 7/12/07

Baylor student’s Middle East
mission a lifetime in the making

By Rebekah Hardage

Communications Intern

WACO—Sara Phillips has embarked this summer on a journey that she has been preparing for her whole life—missions in the Middle East.

The winding path Phillips has followed has led her to a place where she believes God has been calling her all along. “God had missions written all over me since he first claimed me,” Phillips said.

The child of Mexico missionaries, Phillips hoped God would one day call her to serve south of the border as well. But that wasn’t in the cards.

Phillips attended Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., for a year where she was surrounded by non-Christians with a passion for social justice. As she studied the Middle East conflict for a class, she became fascinated with Middle Eastern culture.

After transferring to Baylor University the next year, she decided to major in international studies. While home for vacation during her junior year, her father recommended she read No god but God by Reza Aslan, which discusses the past, present and future of the Islamic faith.

“I was floored,” Phillips said. “Muslims believe in the virgin birth. They believe Jesus was a prophet. They revere him almost as much as Muhammad. In so many ways, they come so close. How could they miss it?”

After much prayer, she felt God calling her to serve women in the Middle East. “In Islam, Allah has 99 names, but none of them are Father. I want to see Muslim women come to know God as Father,” Phillips explained.

This summer she and nine other college students are sharing the gospel with Muslims in the Middle East through Go Now Missions, the student missions program of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

To help the students prepare, missionaries serving in the Middle East e-mailed the team members homework, posing theoretical questions Muslims might ask. For example: “Where in the Bible are all three parts of the Trinity found?”

As she prepared earlier this summer to immerse herself in Muslim culture, Phillips discovered some unusual challenges.

“I’ 5-foot 9-inches, so finding skirts that are long enough to cover my ankles has been a fun little challenge,” she said.

Posted: 7/12/07

World Changers bridge generation
gap with a helping hand

By Rebekah Hardage

Communications Intern

DALLAS—Clareissa Collins’ home of 50 years is full of good memories. This summer, it is getting a facelift from some young people almost a third her age, and she couldn’t be more excited.

The volunteers are a part of the World Changers program, which gives students the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and into low-income areas for a week to offer help. About 150 young people from Missouri, Georgia, Alabama, Illinois and throughout Texas served in the Dallas area.

World Changers takes place throughout the summer in weeklong sessions, volunteering in almost 100 cities across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The program gives service opportunities to youth of all ages, from middle school to college.

Collins, 89, greeted the 11 students scheduled to work at her home all week with a hug and a grateful heart. The volunteers scraped and painted the home, replaced three of its doors and poured concrete for a small patio.

Joshua Manis from Northpark Baptist Church in North Richland Hills was participating with World Changers for the fifth time. Manis hoped to show God’s love through helping others, and he likes the construction work too. “I am in a construction class at school, so I really like that part.”

Melody Choi from Fort Worth, a first time volunteer, explained, “I thought it would be good to sacrifice a week of my summer to come and devote time to helping others.” She also enjoyed getting to spend time with her friends, as well as make a few new ones.

World Changers participated with the City of Dallas through the People Helping People program to decide which houses the students will work on. Collins found out about People Helping People while looking into it for a neighbor, and signed herself up.

Kaci Barnhouse from First Baptist Church in Marshall works on the home of Clareissa Collins in Dallas as part of World Changers.

The program sent volunteers to help tear down Collins’ garage a few years ago, and officials assured her more help was on the way to paint later on. World Changers took the job and completed the project in one week.

World Changers provided the free labor, while People Helping People selected the houses and provides the necessary materials.

Shawn Edwards, World Changer Project Coordinator for Dallas, explained the goal of the program is that the volunteers “lives will be changed and exposed to missions, many for the first time, and they will become mission minded.”

The volunteers received a little help themselves from churches in the Dallas Baptist Association. Twelve local churches volunteered to provide lunch for the workers all week.

Sharon Helton, World Changers coordinator for the association, said, “The kids will be going to worship with (the churches) on Sunday and then represent the churches as missionaries for that week.”

Linda Kelly from God’s Exciting Cathedral of Praise dropped off lunch to the workers at Collins’ home. Kelly explained she and her church are grateful to the volunteers because of “the simple fact that they are trying to help in our community.”

Casa View Baptist Church, another church in Dallas Association, opened its doors to the volunteers and adult sponsors by offering a place to stay and worship each evening after a long day at work.

Clareissa Collins’ home in Dallas received a facelift, thanks to World Changers.

“The students who come to the projects, their worlds get changed,” Edwards said. “World Changers introduces them to all the opportunities for young students to do missions, and many students who come end up surrendering to the ministry and mission field.”

Collins is sure God sent these students to help her renovate her house.

“You be nice, and God will be sure there is someone to take care of you.”

And to her, that is exactly what the World Changers are—heaven sent.

Posted: 7/13/07

BGCT jumpstarts evangelism
efforts, releases plans for “Engage”

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

The Baptist General Convention of Texas will resurrect its statewide evangelism conference next winter.

The event, called Engage, will be held at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall Jan. 13-15, BGCT evangelism leader Jon Randles announced.

A 24-hour Radical Engage session Jan. 13 will be geared to young pastors and church leaders who are trying to reach postmodern communities. A more traditional evangelism emphasis will begin the next day

“We want to get the focus back on evangelism, and we know there won’t be just one way to do this,” Randles said. “We want to hear from our churches as we build an evangelism arsenal to reach Texas.”

To keep the momentum building, the BGCT will take an expanded version of the conference, called Engage XP, to four locations statewide in February, he added.

To examine the culture of evangelism, BGCT leaders listened as ministers from 65 churches representing a statewide cross-section of ethnic and cultural groups discussed “what’s working, what’s hindering and what can be done differently” earlier this spring.

Greg Wallace, pastor of Woodridge Baptist Church in Kingwood, described how his church leaders are encouraging members to identify four unchurched families, invest in the families by praying for them every week, do something socially with the families four times a year, and then invite them to four church-sponsored weekend events, such as a barbecue cook-off uniquely designed to draw unchurched people.

“We’re reaching a lot of adults and older young people,” Wallace said. “It takes about 14 to18 months to build a relationship with people to get them interested in coming to events. They feel they belong before they believe” in Christ.

The BGCT evangelism focus is encouraging, he added: “The key is getting back to being excited about doing evangelism.”

Mike Woods, pastor of Coronado Baptist Church in El Paso, reported that lifestyle evangelism has been effective as his church creates a culture of evangelism, developing and building relationships, and hosting periodic revivals and conferences to reap the harvests.

Mike Mowery, pastor of First Baptist Church in Grapevine, talked about impacting postmodern people through apologetics, a rigorous explanation and defense of the gospel. Raceway Ministries Chaplain Roger Marsh discussed how hundreds of NASCAR fans are being reached through evangelistic efforts.

Evangelism works when it is both “relational and intentional,” Randles added. To do successful evangelism with non-Christians, Christians must be intentional about building relationships and trust.

“The net must be drawn” at events where nonbelievers are given a chance respond to the gospel

Turning to a statewide evangelism strategy, participants voiced support of a plan to reach out to the state’s diverse ethnic groups and culture, and both urban and rural areas.

To meet those needs, Randles noted, several evangelism summits will be held statewide this fall in six locations. They will be designed to provide pastors and church leaders with an opportunity to share their evangelism issues and ideas.

Posted: 7/13/07

Baylor hospital ranks among best in U.S.

(DALLAS)—For the fifteenth consecutive year, U.S.News & World Report has designated Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas among the nation’s top 50 hospitals in its 2007 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue.

Baylor Dallas ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in seven of 16 specialty areas—digestive disorders (31st), endocrinology (31st), gynecology (28th), kidney disease (29th), orthopedics (23rd), respiratory disorders (33rd) and urology (44th).

Additionally, Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation ranked 15th among the nation’s top rehabilitation facilities. Baylor Rehab has been recognized in the rehabilitation category 10 years.

Baylor Dallas and Baylor Rehab are two of 173 hospitals nationally to be ranked in the magazine’s 18th annual “America’s Best Hospitals” issue, released July 16th.  

U.S.News & World Report ranks hospitals in specialties based on surveys of board-certified physicians, who name the five best hospitals in his/her area of specialty. In 12 of the categories, other quality indicators such as mortality statistics, technology, procedure volume and nursing care are considered with the reputation ratings.

Last year, Baylor University Medical Center treated nearly 40,000 inpatients and more than 250,000 outpatients. The 998-bed hospital is a Level I trauma center with 1,300 physicians on the medical staff, nearly 200 medical residents and fellows, and 5,225 employees. About 600 clinical research trials are under way at Baylor Research Institute.

Baylor Rehab is a 116-bed, not-for-profit hospital located adjacent to Baylor Dallas that specializes in comprehensive rehabilitation services, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes and other orthopaedic and neurological disorders.

Posted: 7/12/07

Philanthropic Texas Baptist family
issues challenge for BJC campaign

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—A prominent family of Texas Baptist philanthropists has given a big boost—and a challenge—to the campaign to create a permanent home for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

BJC Executive Director Brent Walker announced June 29 that the Baugh family had given $500,000 to boost the group’s campaign to build the Center for Religious Liberty on Capitol Hill.

Family representative Babs Baugh then, in a surprise announcement, said her family would match any other pledges or gifts made to the campaign between June 29 and July 15.

The center is part of a capital campaign begun in conjunction with BJC’s 70th anniversary. It would help purchase, renovate and endow a row house on Capitol Hill that would hold offices for the Washington-based group. The facility would also house working space for BJC partner organizations—such as Associated Baptist Press’s Washington Bureau—and visiting scholars.

BJC leaders, who advocate for church-state separation, have said they hope such a building will establish a highly visible presence for the Baptist conception of religious freedom near the Capitol. For most of its existence, the organization has been housed in the Washington offices of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Baughs are relatives of Eula Mae and John Baugh, who founded the SYSCO Corporation. Over the years, the Baughs have donated large sums to many Baptist causes, including BJC, Baylor University, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and ABP. John Baugh died in March at age 91.

The news came during the group’s annual luncheon in Washington, held this year in conjunction with national meetings of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the American Baptist Churches USA. Walker made the announcement about the gift in introducing the Baugh family as the recipients of BJC’s 2007 J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award.

Posted: 7/12/07

Sports camp gives children hope

By Jessica Dooley

Communications Intern

DALLAS—Two years ago, when Michal Powell was tutoring students through Buckner International’s Kids Hope USA program at Dan D. Rodgers Elementary School, she met an 11-year-old boy named Gabriel. He lived in a two-bedroom apartment complex with his mother, father, grandfather, 8-year-old twin siblings, three brothers, and 16-year-old sister and her 2-year-old son.

“Leaving the school after one of our sessions, I was struck by two things,” said Powell, a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. “First, I was amazed at how very similar Gabriel was to my own sons.

SMU football player Caleb Peveto takes time to explain skills of the game to children attending the CHAMPS Sports Camp, hosted by Park Cities Baptist Church.

“Second, I was amazed how very different Gabriel’s life was from my own sons. While Gabriel’s home and ours were only three miles apart, he lives in extreme poverty. He loves sports, but has no way to receive any coaching or support for this passion.

“It was through this experience with Gabriel that the idea of Champs was born.”

The mission of Champs Sports Camp, she explained, “is clear. For four evenings we seek volunteers to be used by God to bring his love and his message of hope through the glory of heaven to the children who participate in this camp.”

Champs Sports Camp was offered free to students entering grades four through six who live in the Vickery Meadow area of Dallas. Students are given an opportunity to develop their skills in a sport of their choice—football, soccer, basketball, or dance/cheer.

Meg York, volunteer coordinator at Park Cities, was in charge of crafts for those who did not want to engage in the sports and for campers’ parents waiting with younger siblings.

The camp also teamed up with the Fellowship of Christians Athletes, who helped provide professional coaches to lead each of the four sport skills.  In addition, members of the Southern Methodist University football, basketball and soccer teams visited the camp each night.

A camper throws a football to SMU players during camp instruction.

“We were in their shoes once, and we know what it’s like,” said Caleb Peveto, SMU football player. “We want to show them they can be successful too.”

When the students weren’t eating or perfecting the skills of their sports, they were in the auditorium singing praises, watching skits and listening to Powell as she gave a nightly devotional.

On the last night of the camp, the youth were encouraged to bring their parents for Family Night. During the devotional, children and their parents were given the New Testament in English or Spanish, and afterwards, parents watched a video of the week’s activities. The fellowship continued with a hot dog dinner in the cafeteria.

The Champs Sports Camp marks one aspect of Park Cities Baptist Church’s ongoing commitment to make an impact in the Vickery community.

“God has placed on the hearts of our church leaders the children of the Vickery Meadow area,” Powell said. “Throughout the past few years, members of our church have been going weekly to Dan D. Rogers to mentor one on one with individual students at the elementary school (through Kids Hope USA.) In addition, on Wednesday evenings once a month, members of our church have been joining students and their families for an evening of food, fun and fellowship.

Sam Silva, Buckner and Park Cities director of community ministries, calls it “evangelism.”

“It’s non-threatening environment because they know the school and it’s a great asset to meet and invite families to church.” Silva said. “The ultimate goal is for adults and children to see Jesus through volunteers and workers at (Park Cities), and that they feel the love of Christ.”

It’s through events like these that Park Cities has teamed up with Buckner to reach children through the Vickery Family Wellness Center and mentor students through Kids Hope USA.

Park Cities volunteer Meg York holds 3-year-old Daniela at the CHAMPS sports camp for at-risk youth.

Two factors—responsibility and missions—drive members of Park Cities Baptist Church to minister in the Vickery community, said Pastor Jim Denison.

“We need to encourage those close to our home. It doesn’t require a trip across town; it’s only a 10-minute drive down the road,” Denison said.

Powell told a story about four siblings who came to camp each night with their stomachs growling. And during snack time they seemed to devour everything in sight, only to want more. She soon discovered that the siblings only had a jug of a water and box of cereal at home.

Because of the hungry children, Powell made sure that every night each child left with an apple and even asked the Cooper Institute to come and speak to the students on proper nutrition and good health. After camp ended each night, Powell would take the four children home, but not before first stopping for dinner and filling the four empty bellies.

“While many might look at the difficult and challenging lives of these children and become very discouraged, together we have an opportunity to give each of these children great hope,” Powell said. “Second Corinthians 4 tells us ‘…afflictions do not compare to the eternal weight of glory.’

“No doubt these children’s lives are full of poverty, pain and frustration we could not imagine, but one thing we know for sure, because of God’s almighty love for them, through Jesus, the glory of heaven can be theirs.”

Posted: 7/12/07

In spite of disabilities, author
sees life from ‘the bright side’

By Jessica Dooley

Communications Intern

HEMPHILL—Doctors told Mary Howell’s parents their daughter— born with cerebral palsy—would never walk or talk. But with the encouragement of family and friends—and her strong faith in God—Howell exceeded all expectations.

She not learned to walk and talk, but also became an award-winning small town newspaper editor.

Even after an accident later in life left her a quadriplegic, she dictated a newspaper column. And she wrote her memoirs—the recently published book, Life on the Bright Side.

Howell, a member of First Baptist Church in Hemphill, dictated her life story to her caregiver, Connie Mitchell. Mitchell wrote by hand Howell’s words verbatim in notebooks, and then Howell’s sister, Clara Murphy, typed the notebooks’ contents on Howell’s computer.

“It’s a God thing, because who else could rattle off 57,000 words with no outline and no notes to fall back on?” Murphy said.

Although Howell has faced many trials and setbacks since birth, she never gave up on her dreams.

In spite of her cerebral palsy, her faith in God led her to complete high school and maintain a position on the dean’s list throughout college.

Years later, Howell landed a job with the local newspaper, The Sabine County Reporter. She started out as a columnist and eventually was hired as a reporter and typesetter. In time, Howell worked her way up to editor.

She won numerous awards, including first place for editorial writing from the Texas Press Women’s Association. She was selected as one of nine women for the Communicator of Achievement Award in 1985.

She wrote a poem, “Salute to America,” that received commendation from President Gerald Ford and President Ronald Reagan. An editorial she wrote was published in the Congressional Record on July 30, 1984.

But then she faced another series of setbacks. First she lost her job at the newspaper. A few months later, her mother died. Then she suffered a fall that left her unable to use either her arms or legs.

Through it all, Howell learned to rely fully on God during her tough times.

She spent most of her time accompanying her father, Clarence Howell, who served more than 20 years as pastor of First Baptist in Hemphill. Together, they visited nursing homes and hospitals. She also frequently attended the funerals and weddings he conducted.

When her father’s health began to fade and he had to limit his activities, Howell realized she needed something else to do.

Mitchell encouraged Howell to start dictating letters to the editor. Before long, she started writing a column for the paper.

“Writing my column, “On the Bright Side,” turned my world around. For the first time in 18 years, I felt as though I had a purpose, and I realized that being confined to a wheelchair did not keep me from reaching my goals. I was still Mary Howell,” she said in her book.

After Howell gave a speech, "Life on the Bright Side," God began to open doors, she said. Friends soon gave Howell the materials needed to write a book, including a new computer and Internet access.

In her book, Howell talks about her struggles, her accomplishments, her family and—most of all—her desire to follow God’s will.

Howell hopes that her book will “open up the door to be a witness and inspire people to live for God and serve the Lord no matter what.”

Her next step is to write a book with her brother-in-law, Neal Murphy, about her father. The book will include his life story and a compilation of his sermons, spanning 50 years in the ministry.

Her father died when Howell was in the process of writing her memoirs. His absence not only left an emotional strain for her, but also a financial one, she noted. Proceeds from the sell of her books will allow her to continue to help pay her caregivers.

For information on how to secure a copy of the book, e-mail paperdoll@sabinenet.com or write to P.O. Box 443 Hemphill 75948.

Posted: 7/11/07

BGCT seeks to open doors for women’s ministry

By Whitney Farr

Communications Intern

It has happened to almost everyone. A hurried person tries to open a door clearly labeled “push” and slams into an entry that won’t open.

Sometimes, women’s ministry feels the same way, said Debra Hochgraber, women’s ministry specialist with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Women’s ministry leaders may have excellent goals and dreams for the women of their church, but they don’t always know which doors to push. Hochgraber believes her role is to hold the door open for them.

Whether a ministry is blooming or booming, there are many open doors for women in the church to fit individual needs, according to Hochgraber.

“They may comfortably walk through the doors of leadership, missions or evangelism. Or they may need to walk through the doors of fellowship, friendship or even salvation,” Hochgraber said. “Each door should lead them to the same place – knowing Christ better and serving as he leads.”

Hochgraber’s position as women’s ministry coordinator was created by the BGCT as a direct response to a survey in which churches expressed the desire to have a resource for their women’s ministry.

The majority of the responders specifically requested an online speaker’s bureau for women’s events, leadership development and consultations.

The survey also inquired which types of responses from the BGCT would assist women’s leadership most. The top three responses were downloadable resources, regional training events and group training for leadership held for an individual women’s ministry.

Hochgraber offers many of the resources online through an e-letter, a speaker’s registry, a question-and-answer forum and a place for women to share ideas with other women about what worked in their ministries.

There is also a place on the website being developed for Christian women who are gifted in speaking, singing, drama and leading worship who are wanting to minister through special women’s ministry events at churches throughout the state.

“We really just want to be a resource,” Hochgraber said. “When Beth Moore was doing simulcasts and no one knew where they could go see them, we got word of where they were and put it on the website. Hundreds of women were able to go because of that.”

Hochgraber recognizes that sometimes e-mail and online communication is not enough.

“I will go and meet with a group of women who are birthing the women’s ministry in their church, train a leadership team, or meet one-on-one with a person,” Hochgraber said. “I also speak at events, retreats, banquets …wherever the need is, I am there.”

Hochgraber recently led a retreat for 25 women from First Baptist in Navasota, assisting them in creating their women’s ministry.

A few of the husbands said that their wives came home so excited from the retreat that they wanted to send them back, said Stacey Larrabee of First Baptist Church in Navasota.

“She helped us dream and showed us ways to put our dreams into action,” Larrabee said. “We are now building for the future.”

Hochgraber challenges women to think about what God would want their ministry to look like. She also helps them look at their current ministry and see what works and what doesn’t.

However large or small the women’s ministry is in a church, it should be an entry point to build relationships with other women, grow as leaders, discover and develop spiritual gifts and to become more like Christ, Hochgraber insisted.

“It’s exciting to be a part of helping women’s ministries ignite,” she said.

For more information, contact Hochgraber at 888-244-9400 or visit www.bgct.org/women.

Posted: 7/11/07

Cromartie, Land again officers
for religious-freedom panel

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—An independent federal panel charged with monitoring global conditions for religious liberty has once again elevated an evangelical scholar and leader as its chairman.

The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom also elected a Southern Baptist agency head and a prominent human-rights lawyer as vice-chairs for 2007-2008.

Michael Cromartie will serve for the next year as chairman of the bipartisan panel. Cromartie, who was appointed to the commission by President Bush, is vice president of the Washington-based Ethics & Public Policy Center, where he heads programs on religion, media and evangelicals in civic life.

Cromartie, a graduate of Covenant College and American University, has spoken and written frequently for Christian and secular news outlets including Christianity Today, National Public Radio and the Washington Times. He also served as the commission’s chairman and vice-chair.

The commissioners elect a new chairperson annually and follow a tradition of alternating between Democratic and Republican appointees. Cromartie replaces Felice Gaer, director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights of the American Jewish Committee. She was appointed to the panel by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

The incoming and outgoing chairs traded compliments, according to an announcement from the panel.

“In his three years on the commission, as well as throughout his professional life, Michael Cromartie has manifested a strong and continuing commitment to advancing the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief,” Gaer said. “The challenges to these and related freedoms of expression and association are more virulent than ever.”

Cromartie praised his predecessor’s work over the past year, which included official commission visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, special reports on Russia and Bangladesh, and an increasingly urgent focus on the perilous status of religious freedom in Iraq.

“Her unique insights and leadership helped keep the Commission’s work front and center in the vital effort to end repression worldwide —and particularly to end severe violations of human rights targeted at religious minorities or in the name of religion,” Cromartie said of Gaer.

The panel also elected as vice chairs Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and Preeta Bansal, a New York attorney now in private practice who once served as that state’s solicitor general.

The commission, established as a result of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, is charged with auditing the status of religious freedom around the world and making recommendations to U.S. policy-makers when it finds violations.

Posted: 7/10/07

BWA leaders at Ghana gathering
call for repentance, forgiveness for slavery

By Trennis Henderson

Kentucky Western Recorder

ACCRA, Ghana (ABP)—Gathered in the courtyard of Ghana’s Cape Coast Slave Castle, members of Baptist World Alliance held a somber service of memory and reconciliation July 5.

The British built the slave castle, perched on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in 1665. The fortress housed dark, dank dungeons for thousands of male and female slaves and a “door of no return,” where they were crammed into ships headed for the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe. An estimated 20 million Africans were uprooted and enslaved during the trans-Atlantic slave trade that stretched from the 15th to 19th centuries.

With 110 million members, Baptist World Alliance is the world’s largest umbrella organization for Baptists. Its annual gathering July 2-7 featured repeated references to the slave trade and calls for repentance and reconciliation; along with the service at the slave castle, the gathering included discussion sessions on “Slave Trade and the Unholy Triangle” of Europe, Africa and the Americas; “Human Dignity and Slavery;” and the ongoing crisis of slave trafficking today.

BWA members also adopted a resolution on “The 200th Anniversary of the Passing of the Act to Abolish the Slave Trade in British Colonies” that called for:

• “Freedom for the 27 million still trapped in modern-day slavery across the world.”

• “Freedom from the global systems of economic injustice and exploitation that create the circumstances that foster slavery.”

• “Freedom from all forms of racism.”

• “Freedom from our silence in the face of the above realities.”

It also called on “Baptists worldwide to stand against this ongoing and pervasive evil institution, support endeavors to eradicate it … and compassionately minister to those trapped by it.”

In a historic action, assembly members elected Neville Callam of Jamaica, a descendent of ancestors sold into slavery, as BWA’s first non-white general secretary.

During the service of memory and reconciliation, BWA leaders issued calls for remembrance, confession and pardon among the descendants of slaves, slave traders and slave owners.

Kojo Amo, general secretary of the Ghana Baptist Convention, told participants, “We ask forgiveness on behalf of our ancestors, those chiefs who reigned centuries ago and accepted guns and promises in exchange for men, women and children from their villages.”

Anne de Vries, speaking on behalf of the Dutch Baptist Union, stated, “I want to apologize because of the bitter history our country was involved in, trading African people as slaves. In fact, part of the wealth in which we are living in our country originates from that trade. … May God bless your noble nation and cure the effects of our unjust practices.”

Daniel Vestal, coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, added, “We repent and repudiate this historic evil. … We ask for divine mercy and grace to cleanse us from all the vestiges of racism and bigotry that still exist in American culture and even in American churches.”

The service’s printed program included thoughts for meditation during several moments of silence. The meditations featured quotes from such leaders as William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr. and Billy Graham. It also featured the Southern Baptist Convention’s 1995 resolution on slavery and racism, which declared: “We lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest, and … we apologize to all African-Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systematic racism in our lifetime.”

Also speaking near the slave site, a Jamaican Baptist pastor discussed the possibility of compensating descendants of the enslaved men and women.

Cawley Bolt, pastor of Ebony Vale Baptist Church in Spanish Town, Jamaica, asked listeners whether descendants of slaves “have a right to be compensated.”

“I’m not begging for anything but demanding what is ours,” he said. “One way to compensate is to put money into educational institutions.”

In a workshop July 4, Bolt also told participants, “A finger is pointed at those in the North (Europeans and Americans) … but Africans were also part of the trade. That can’t be denied.”

Bolt characterized the European slave trade as immoral and “unholy, for they defrauded the Africans by exploiting their innocence.”

Posted: 7/10/07

Baptist alliance celebrates global freedom

By Tony Cartledge

N.C. Biblical Recorder

ACCRA, Ghana (ABP)—Representatives attending the Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering in Accra, Ghana, celebrated freedom during a plenary session July 4.

BWA President David Coffey of England noted the near-concurrence of America’s Independence Day, Ghana’s Republic Day (July 1), and the July 4 release of a British journalist who had been held hostage in Palestine.

Drawing on a text from Galatians 5, Coffey said the apostle Paul had written to the Galatian church in a “thunder-and-lightning tone” due to the seriousness of a heresy that faced believers there.

That heresy was legalism, Coffey said, brought on by misleading teachers who came after Paul and convinced many that they must follow Jewish laws to be truly Christian. Paul stressed that all who trust in Jesus are made free and “clothed with Christ,” so there was no more distinction between rich and poor, slave and free.

Being free in Christ does not mean believers live without any boundaries, for “to be truly free is to be truly yoked to Christ and serving one another,” Coffey said.

Christians must resist the temptation to impose legalistic requirements as a test of fellowship, Coffey said. He asked participants to imagine what it would be like if the alliance required members to give the correct answers to a series of questions before they could have a seat at the table.

Coffey suggested that the questions might be like:

“What version of the Bible do you prefer?”

“Explain briefly just how you believe the world began, and how you think it will end.”

“What is your preferred worship style?”

“Do you dance?”

“What do you drink?”

“What do you think about the Holy Spirit?”

“When you pray, do you ever speak in a private prayer language?”

Legalistic answers should not be required for full participation in Baptist life, Coffey said. Rather, Christians should remember that “in Christ, they are free indeed.”

Earlier, Asha Sanchu spoke about how women who are exploited by the sex trade need ministries that can lead them to freedom.

Originally from the Nagaland region of India, Sanchu lives in Bangkok, Thailand. She works with an organization that provides counseling, job training, and employment opportunities to help exploited women gain freedom from the sex trade and find a better life. Many of the women also come to know Christ.

The work is demanding, risky, and tiring but “worth it all for the joyful experience of seeing the fruits of one’s labors,” Sanchu said.