Archives
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Book Reviews
Posted: 9/30/05
Book Reviews
Through Painted Deserts: Light, God and Beauty on the Open Road by Donald Miller (Nelson Books)
The first shall be fourth, and the fourth shall hopefully not be the last. In Donald Miller's third book, Searching for God Knows What, he mentions the lack of readership his first book generated. I was disappointed to learn this new fourth book is simply a re-edit of his first. Con-sequently, if you're a Miller fan based on his acclaimed Blue Like Jazz, as I am, you'll quickly sense that Through Painted Desert is really “early Miller” before he found his edgier, postmodern voice.
That being said, this road trip memoir, which journals his escape from hometown Houston to find himself, is like any road trip, spent mostly in some long stretches of predictable characters and well-traveled inspirational landscape. Occasionally though, Miller stops off at a scenic spiritual overlook that is quite memorable. The author shines when he is unpacking a metaphor for God, such as light, in some ways that use both poetry and physics to create a theological reflection that opens up some interesting new vistas on the mystery of God. Similarly, when I read aloud a particularly moving passage that explores the finitude of life, it brought tears to the eyes of some in my Bible study group.
What are you reading that other Texas Baptists would find helpful? Send suggestions and reviews to books@baptiststandard.com. 09/30/2005 - By John Rutledge
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Baptist Briefs
Posted: 9/30/05
Baptist Briefs
IMB trustees approve Elliff as VP. International Mission Board trustees unanimously ratified the selection of Tom Elliff, longtime pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Okla., as IMB senior vice president for spiritual nurture and church relations, effective Nov. 1. Elliff, 61, served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He and his wife, Jeannie, were appointed as missionaries to Zimbabwe in 1981, but their missionary career was cut short by an automobile accident resulting in severe injuries to their daughter.
Rainer elected LifeWay president. LifeWay Christian Resources trustees unanimously elected Thom Rainer to become the ninth president of the Southern Baptist publishing house. As president-elect, Rainer will begin working alongside LifeWay President Jimmy Draper Oct. 17 until Draper's retirement Feb. 1, 2006. Rainer, 50, is dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he earned master of divinity and Ph.D. degrees at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of churches in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Indiana prior to joining Southern in 1994 as founding dean of the Billy Graham School. He is the author of 16 books, including Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unchurched Next Door and Breakout Churches. Rainer also is founder, president and CEO of The Rainer Group, a national church and denominational consultant organization. He and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three sons–Sam, Art and Jess.
NAMB offers $10 million in church loans. The Southern Baptist North American Mission Board has designated $10 million in disaster relief loans to churches affected by Hurricane Katrina. The mission agency will provide low-interest loans up to $100,000 to Southern Baptist churches for repair of church facilities, replacement of equipment or materials, or to cover expenses while a church is displaced, said Karl Dietz, director of the mission board's church finance ministry team.
09/30/2005 - By John Rutledge
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Chihuahuan Connection founder driven to meet needs
Posted: 9/30/05
The Chihuahuan Connection's 'tater-toter' hauls potatoes in bulk. Chihuahuan Connection
founder driven to meet needsBy Terri Jo Ryan
Special to the Baptist Standard
WACO–Rick Caywood, director of the Chihuahuan Connection relief agency, doesn't believe it takes “a super-spiritual guy” to serve Christ. All it takes is someone who is driven to meet needs and bring people into a right relationship with God.
09/30/2005 - By John Rutledge
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Texas Baptist Forum
Posted: 9/30/05
Texas Baptist Forum
Seven literal days
When someone who claims to love the Bible, as Mark Chancey says he does, also objects to a literal and historical six days of creation (Aug. 22), he identifies himself with those who have chosen to superimpose the theory of evolution upon the creation account God revealed in Genesis 1.
Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.
"The first Baptist minister lost his life through a dance, for Herod's birthday ball led to the murder of John. Since then, Satan has found the dance to be his helpful ally, a fruitful mother to sin. To multitudes of young people, the polished floor of the dance hall has been the toboggan slide to hell."
John Linton
Evangelist (The Sword of the Lord)"My faith and religious beliefs do not play a role in judging. I look to the law books. I don't look to the Bible."
John Roberts
President Bush's nominee for chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, answering senators' questions about his Catholic faith. (RNS)"Religious high horses are pleasing to ride. Tussles over right-opinion build crowds, fund movements, sell books, amass power and enable us to avoid the inconvenience of what Jesus actually said and did. Institutional maintenance keeps the gospel at a safe distance. Dividing and labeling people makes it unnecessary to actually deal with people."
Tom Ehrich
Writer, consultant, workshop leader and Episcopal priest from Durham, N.C. (RNS)He has chosen to accept the idea that each day represents a period of time called “long ages.”
09/30/2005 - By John Rutledge
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