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Posted: 11/18/05 "Does everyone have their visitation lists, tracts, pocket testaments and satellite positioning locaters?" News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in…

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

2nd Opinion: Things I learned as a BGCT officer

Posted: 11/18/05

2nd Opinion:
Things I learned as a BGCT officer

By Stacy Conner

It has been an honor to be the second vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The year has been challenging–full of early mornings, eye-opening experiences and blessings.

The BGCT is doing very good work. This has been evident in the convention's responses in this year of natural disasters. From the tsunami in southern Asia to the hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, the churches, Texas Baptist Men and staff of the BGCT have answered the call with resources and the love of Christ. These efforts went above and beyond the extraordinary tasks of ministry that are accomplished everyday. On a daily basis, Texas Baptists care for children, minister at hospital bedsides, educate students for numerous professions, prepare ministers, start churches and take on countless other tasks. All these are carried out in the name of Christ.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Court declines to hear ‘In God We Trust’ case

Posted: 11/18/05

Court declines to hear 'In God We Trust' case

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)–The Supreme Court has declined an attempt to have the words “In God We Trust” removed from the front of a North Carolina county government building.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

DOWN HOME: Do you give thanks for music’s aroma

Posted: 11/18/05

DOWN HOME:
Do you give thanks for music's aroma?

Maybe we'll enjoy fall weather at Thanksgiving, after all.

For awhile there, I had my doubts. Don't know about you, but I got sick of hearing the weatherpeople say: “Tomorrow's high just might break a record. Temperatures will be about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year.”

Don't get me wrong: I enjoy warm weather. When it's warm outside, you don't have to worry about the dog or the plants. You don't freeze when you start the car in the morning. You don't have to think so much about what to wear. Getting out of bed is easier. You can enjoy going for a walk or sitting in the backyard.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

EDITORIAL: Texas & the 21st-century Pentecost

Posted: 11/18/05

EDITORIAL:
Texas & the 21st-century Pentecost

Pentecost echoed through the ages and reverberated across Austin during the Baptist General Convention of Texas' annual meeting Nov. 14-15.

At Pentecost, God's Spirit settled on a small band of new Christians, filling them with power and boldness, as well as the ability to present the gospel so that people of many races and languages could understand it and commit themselves to Jesus. At Pentecost, God transformed the fledgling church into a mighty force that changed the world.

In Austin, God's Spirit settled on Texas Baptists as they embraced decades of good intentions and well-spoken words, filling them with power and eagerness to transform their convention into a gathering of Christians who look and sound like Texas. They took steps to ensure the gospel is tangible and compelling for people whose skin tones reflect the palette of the earth and whose tongues speak a symphony of languages. In Austin, the BGCT charted a course of inclusiveness and empowerment for the 21st century.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Health Foundation names Elston president

Posted: 11/18/05

Health Foundation names Elston president

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio trustees have named named Frank Elston as the foundation's first president and chief executive officer.

Baptist Health Foundation, created from the proceeds of the sale of Baptist Health System to Vanguard Health Systems of Nashville, Tenn., was established to fund not-for-profit healthcare services and healthcare scholarships in the greater San Antonio area.

Elston returned to San Antonio this spring after retiring from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, where he was head of its foundation from 1997 to 2005.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Florida signs for marriage

Posted: 11/18/05

Florida signs for marriage

OCALA, Fla. (ABP)–Seeking to galvanize 1,550 messengers to action, leaders of the Florida Baptist State Convention publicly signed the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment during its annual meeting Nov. 14-15 in Ocala.

Among signers was Hayes Wicker, president of the Florida convention, who was elected unanimously without opposition to a second one-year term during this meeting.

Others to sign the petition that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman included John Sullivan, state executive director-treasurer; Michael Landry of Sarasota, state convention first vice president; and Ben Bryant of Starke, president of the State Board of Missions, the Florida Baptist Convention's governing body.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Gender testing raises ethical questions

Posted: 11/18/05

Gender testing raises ethical questions

By Peggy O'Crowley

Religion News Service

NEWARK, N.J. (RNS)–With her husband serving in Afghanistan, Erin Rivera thought it would be fun to let him know the gender of their third child within weeks of her positive pregnancy test. So she purchased a Baby Gender Mentor test kit, which claims to be 99.9 percent accurate in detecting gender through fetal DNA in maternal blood samples.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

At long last, Georgians vote to cast out Mercer

Posted: 11/18/05

At long last, Georgians vote to cast out Mercer

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

COLUMBUS, Ga. (ABP)–Georgia Baptists voted Nov. 15 to begin severing their last ties with Mercer University, one of the nation's oldest and largest Baptist institutions of higher learning.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Tiny ceramic shard yields gigantic archaeological find

Posted: 11/18/05

Tiny ceramic shard yields
gigantic archaeological find

By Michele Chabin

Religion News Service

JERUSALEM (RNS)–The inscription on a ceramic shard discovered during an archaeological dig may not refer to the biblical Goliath, but the artifact's age and inscriptions may be consistent with a period referred to in the Old Testament story.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist Forum

Posted: 11/18/05

Texas Baptist Forum

Fertility & theology

“Fertility, not theology, cause of decline” (Oct. 31) introduces a foreign dichotomy. The question to be asked is why “conservative women had more children than mainline women did.” The answer is solidly theological.

• Jump to online-only letters below

Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.

"There is only one 'true north' in the Christian life. Only one purpose which will direct your life with unerring accuracy, which will guide you home every single time. … You and I will need to remember and live by this purpose, this 'true north' every day for the rest of this year, and especially as we draw nearer to the hectic holidays ahead. Otherwise, we'll die the death of a thousand Chihuahuas, one tiny bite at a time." Jim Denison Pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas ("The Word Today" e-mail devotional) "If we present the gospel simply as a life-improvement program, well, boy–there's lots of things that work to improve your life. You could get into yoga, become a vegetarian." Kirk Cameron Actor known for his role in the 1980s situation comedy Growing Pains as well as a more recent role in the Left Behind movie series, commenting on findings of a Newsweek/Beliefnet poll. (Agape Press) "Now that we're prime-time, we don't want to start acting like American idols." Christianity Today An editorial in the monthly magazine, on the responsibility of evangelicals in the news media.

The biblical worldview sees children as a blessing. God opens the womb (Genesis 29:31) and blesses with the command, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). Children are a “heritage of the Lord” and a “reward,” “arrows” filling one's quiver (Psalm 127), a reason for one to be “happy” as they gather “like olive plants around your table” (Psalm 128:2-3).

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge

Louisiana veers from recent trends

Posted: 11/18/05

Louisiana veers from recent trends

By Lacy Thompson

Louisiana Baptist Message

WEST MONROE, La. (ABP) –Messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention surprised observers by rejecting candidates and causes endorsed by the state's conservative political group.

11/18/2005 - By John Rutledge