Posted: 5/03/04

EDITORIAL:
So what? Apathy poses incalculable danger to church

“Those commercials drive me crazy,” my wife, Joanna, said the other night. I looked up in time to catch another frenzied attempt to convince us to annihilate the hordes of termites chomping away inside the walls of our home.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, count yourself blessed. Anti-termite commercials swarm through TV cables this time of year. They're almost as annoying and obnoxious as termites themselves.

But when I see those ads–particularly the one where the woman hoes a weed by her foundation and the whole wall falls in–I'm reminded of a pernicious pest chomping away inside the souls and psyches of Christians, particularly Baptists.

Apathy.

That's right, little ol' innocuous apathy. Most folks don't care where it ranks on the scale of sin. Few Bible scholars give it a thought. Just to check, I scoured the indexes of at least a dozen volumes of theology. Not a word about apathy.

Compared to big-time sins like greed, lust and vengeance, apathy doesn't add up to much. Kind of like comparing termites to fire, tornadoes and floods. But just as untended termites can destroy a house from the inside out, apathy can cause Christians to crumble.

“Who cares?” the apathetic soul asks. Well, God does. And, ironically, so does Satan.

On the positive side, our lives matter to God, who stamped us with the divine image. God cares about the intricate details of our lives–who we are and what we become, our relationships, our joys and sorrows, our plans and aspirations. So, if all this is important to God, who oversees the universe, the stuff of our lives ought to matter to us.

Conversely, Satan cares as well. Not for the same reasons God cares. To the contrary, the Evil One seeks whom he may destroy and devour. Of all the sins, apathy must be among his favorites. It's the gateway to so many others. Think about the people you know who have succumbed to sin. Most of the time, the descent started when they ceased to care–about God, about the feelings of family and friends, about their own self-respect. Apathy opened them up to a panorama of problems.

“OK. So what?” you ask. Be careful. You're on the verge of you-know-what.

Apathy matters because it poses an incalculable danger to the church, Baptists included. Especially Baptists.

You see, apathy often runs on the twin rails of anger and disappointment. And Baptists have been living right in the middle of those tracks.

Anger has been an ongoing part of Southern and Texas Baptist life for almost exactly 25 years. We won't rehash the battles here. But if you've paid attention at all, you know the struggle for the soul of the national and state conventions has been bruising and severe. Friends, families and churches have been divided. And just when you thought it might be over, another aspect of the dispute rose to the surface, revisiting old pain and creating new anger.

Consequently, for years now, Baptists have been disappointed. We're disappointed with the outcome of our disagreements. If you live in Texas, you're likely to be disappointed because either (a) one side won control of the Southern Baptist Convention or (b) the other side maintained control of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Many of those same Baptists are disappointed in themselves for feeling trapped in the disagreement for so long. Quite a few Baptists are disappointed in all the other Baptists for not behaving up to their standards.

And even if you never got embroiled in that cycle of anger and disappointment, you may well have encountered its corollary in your own congregation. Take worship, for example. Very likely, more churches have fought over the style of music to be used in worship than have embraced the “Baptist battles.” The pain is personal and real.

Apathy follows anger and disappointment for the same reason scar tissue forms in an untreated wound. Soul and body both seek relief. Scar tissue numbs nerves, blocking pain signals. Apathy numbs spiritual and emotional sensitivity, also blocking pain signals.

Many Baptists have dressed apathy in one of two disguises. Sweet denial pretends nothing is wrong. But just as denial in a family only provides time for dysfunction to fester, Baptist denial leads away from healing and wholeness. Blissful ignorance pretends all that is not acknowledged does not exist. But just as ignorance leads to failure in the classroom, Baptist ignorance leads to sadness, not bliss.

A significant number of Baptists downplay the danger of apathy by denigrating other values. “Why should I care about the convention anymore? It's irrelevant; this is a post-denominational age,” they explain. “I don't worry about worship music anymore. Corporate worship is overrated. I can worship with CDs at home,” they insist. Because they deny disappointment and avoid anger, they imagine they're the loving, caring ones–the mature ones who have “grown past” the causes of their apathy. And parts of their hearts have died.

Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, exposes the fallacy of such thinking. He uses a synonym for “apathy” but addresses its danger: “The opposite of love is not hate; it's indifference. … The opposite of faith is not heresy; it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death; it's indifference.”

The option is not continued anger and disappointment. A loving God does not wish that for God's children. But apathy is not the answer.

We do not need to revisit Baptist battles or church fights. We do need, however, to protect, preserve and perpetuate truth and beauty.

If your heart has grown apathetic, nurture it back to life. Renew your relationship with Christ through prayer and Bible study. And renew your passion through relationships and activity. Life is both too short and too long to stay mired in conflict and animosity that wilts your soul. Ask God to help you find like-minded believers and learn to care again.

–Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

Posted: 5/03/04

Elgin deacons learn to become
servant leaders in congregation, community

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

ELGIN–Church finances, leaky roofs and plumbing problems easily can dominate discussions in deacons meetings.

But at First Baptist Church of Elgin, deacons are setting aside that “business” to focus on serving the congregation and the community.

Following a recent study of deaconship with resources from the Baptist General Convention of Texas minister/church relations office, the deacons are emphasizing service throughout their ministry, according to Odus Crumley, deacon chairman.

During monthly meetings, leaders spend more time talking about their passions and ministry opportunities than administering church activities, Crumley said. As deacons discuss recent ministry ideas, others help formulate ideas of getting the work started.

Gerald Aalbers, pastor of the church, said the deacons are “looking to stand in the gaps” where service is needed. The deacons are searching for community and individual needs they can meet.

“We recognize all deacons are servants, but not all servants are the same,” Crumley said.

Enabling servant leadership is one of the 11 characteristics for a healthy church adopted by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

From these meeting conversations, the deacons have started a monthly luncheon that serves about 60 people. During the meal, participants minister to others in various ways, including making gift bags for shut-ins.

Deacons started a prayer breakfast for men and boys in the community. Each Sunday, the church also prays for deployed soldiers with connections to the congregation. The men deliver bags of gifts and church information to each visitor.

They also began distributing food to about 70 families a month. The men have become passionate about serving the poor or temporarily jobless through the ministry, according to Aalbers. He sees men loading and unloading bags of food each week.

“We shine where we can shine,” Crumley said. “We do the work where it needs to be done.”

These ministries strengthen the church's presence in Elgin, Crumley said. People recognize the congregation is trying to improve lives and see it as a place of hope.

“We would hope that it would enable us to share Christ and let people know we care,” Crumley said.

Expanding and strengthening the kingdom of Christ through witnessing and service is a deacon's calling, Crumley said.

“Being a deacon means saying you're going to be a servant–to follow the Christian lifestyle in our church home and workplace,” Crumley said

For more information about the BGCT's resource for encouraging servant deacons, call (888) 446-1453.

Posted: 5/03/04

ETBU grad, former basketball MVP, killed in action in Iraq

MARSHALL–A former East Texas Baptist University basketball star is among more than 700 American military personnel who have been killed in action in Iraq.

Capt. Arthur Felder of Lewisville, Ark., was one of four soldiers killed April 24 in Taji, Iraq, when mortar rounds hit their camp. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division from Hazen, Ark.

Felder, 36, graduated from ETBU in 1989.

He played on the ETBU Tigers basketball team from 1985 to 1988 and was named Most Valuable Player during his senior season. Felder ranks 5th on the ETBU all-time rebounds list with a career total of 706.

Jim Webb, former basketball coach and now professor of kinesiology at ETBU, told the Marshall News Messenger: “Arthur knew what work it took to be successful and was willing to put forward that effort. His mother had taught him to work and respect education, and they valued it.”

Felder was “one of those youngsters that was smart, dependable and everybody that knew him loved him,” Webb said.

Felder was employed at Step One of Little Rock, Ark., a court-appointed alternative school for juveniles.

He was a member of St. Luke Baptist Church in Little Rock, where he served as youth director.

Felder is survived by his mother, Cheryl Stuart of Lewisville, Ark., and son, Jaelun, 8, and a daughter, Amari, 4.

Posted: 5/03/04

Human rights group ranks U.S. third in reported executions

WASHINGTON (ABP)–The United States ranks third, behind only China and Iran, in reported executions, said a new report by a human-rights group that opposes the death penalty.

Amnesty International's annual report on the death penalty, noted four countries accounted for 84 percent of the 1,146 government-reported executions worldwide in 2003–the United States (65), China (726), Iran (108) and Vietnam (64).

The report cautioned that the actual execution figures for China, Iran and Vietnam –known human-rights abusers–were likely higher due to unreported executions.

The report also noted that the U.S. and China were the only nations in 2003 known to have executed prisoners who committed the crimes of which they were convicted while they were juveniles.

According to Amnesty International, 77 nations had abolished the death penalty altogether by the end of 2003, and 40 more had abolished it in practice. The total of 117 countries not practicing capital punishment was five more than in 2002.

Posted: 5/03/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for May 9

Paul offers words of wisdom, encouragement

2 Timothy 4

By David Morgan

Trinity Baptist Church, Harker Heights

Living in God's presence (4:1-5)

Imagine you have a few days to live. You have one final opportunity to write to a friend. What do you say? How do you say it?

Paul found himself in precisely that situation. Facing imminent execution, he penned his final instructions and reflections to Timothy. He urged his young partner to remain faithful to the gospel and the task to which God had called him. Because Timothy faced strong opposition from false teachers who littered the church's landscape, Paul used his response to his impending death to encourage Timothy's continued faithfulness. Paul offered these words with utmost seriousness and somberness.

God's servants shoulder an awesome responsibility. Paul offered his words with the realization that Christ determines his servants' destinies. While Paul would face an earthly judge who could order his execution, he claimed he served a living Christ who would ultimately judge both living and dead. Christ's appearance would finalize his kingly reign. Paul appealed to his young friend with the assurance of God's ultimate triumph.

Paul summed up Timothy's task by charging him to “preach the word,” which Paul elsewhere defined as, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Any occasion is appropriate for heralding the gospel. We should proclaim it even when we do not feel like it. We should preach it when we face opposition.

Preaching includes correction, rebuke and encouragement. Preaching turns those who have wandered off back to God's way. It rebukes (a stronger term than “corrects”) those for whom gentle persuasion was inadequate. It inspires those who struggle to remain faithful. Preaching speaks specifically to each person's situation. Care and consideration for one's feelings and for true doctrine should characterize Timothy's exhortations.

Paul anticipated a time when Christians would reject the gospel's truth and pursue teachings that teased and gratified their desires. These Christians would search for teachers who would scratch their itching ears. Tragically, Paul indicated they would find many teachers who would accept this unhealthy role.

Timothy needed to remain faithful to combat false teaching. Careful observation of these teachings would reveal whether they were true or false. He had to keep up his guard to protect the church from the encroachment of such teachers. Paul summed up Timothy's work in these situations–endure hardship, preach the gospel and fulfill all the tasks to which he had been called by God.

Looking to the future (4:6-8)

Knowing his time left on earth was short, I imagine Paul paused, smiled and thanked God once again for Timothy's friendship and faithfulness. He closed his eyes and reflected upon the future of the work he had started as he passed the torch to the next generation.

He shared his testimony as a final encouragement for Timothy. Paul recognized his life had not been wasted even as he wasted away in prison. He pictured his impending death as a final offering to God. His life was almost, but not quite, over. The Romans considered Paul their prisoner. He considered himself God's prisoner and rejoiced he could offer himself freely to God. Paul had wrestled forces aligned against Christ. He had finished the course of many years. I envision Paul's life as a marathon–bursts of speed, fatigue and struggle, and a dogged determination to finish. Through it all, Paul remained faithful to Christ and his gospel.

Paul professed no regrets. All that awaited Paul in this world was execution. What awaited him in the eternal world was the crown of righteousness. The garland, given to winners of athletic events, suggests both victory and immortality. The Lord, the “righteous Judge,” would crown his faithful servant Paul with eternal life. Paul then remembered and included all those others who had longed for Christ's appearing and who would join him triumphantly at the finish line.

Trusting in God (4:16-18)

As this letter and his life drew to a close, hear Paul again singing praises in prison (Acts 16:25). He sang alone because colleagues had deserted him. He prayed God might forgive them. (Could Paul have been remembering Stephen's death?) Although so-called friends might forsake him, God remained faithful to strengthen him. Because God strengthened him, Paul continued to proclaim the gospel. Based on past testimonies before the authorities, I suspect Paul's defense included telling the story of his conversion.

God had delivered Paul from “the lion's mouth.” He was convinced God “would rescue him from every attack.” Paul's assurance that God would bring him “safely to heaven” suggests God would enable him to remain faithful to the gospel through this final stage of his life. Quite fittingly and in true Pauline character and fashion, he praised God's faithfulness, “to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Question for discussion

What wisdom has God provided for you to share?

Posted: 5/03/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for May 16

Qualifications for church leaders spelled out

Titus 1

By David Morgan

Trinity Baptist Church, Harker Heights

Every church needs good leaders to accomplish God's purpose for it. Every church has a specific task. God calls people in each church to satisfy its unique leadership needs. Our previous studies in 1 and 2 Timothy have shown us through the Apostle Paul's instructions to Timothy how we can become worthy servants. Paul's directives to Titus will further guide us to become effective church leaders.

What makes a good leader? (1:5-9)

Paul had left his associate Titus on Crete to finish the work they had started. Although Acts does not mention that Paul ever visited Crete, many scholars believe Paul visited there after he had been released from his Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:30-31). He later was arrested again (2 Timothy 4).

Paul left the island with the work unfinished. Christians on Crete needed further instruction on how to live as a community of faith and resist false teachers. One specific task that awaited Titus was to designate leaders (“elders” and “overseers”) for the churches.

The list of qualifications for these elders parallels Paul's list in 1 Timothy 3. The traits focus on the areas of marriage and family, character and demeanor, and commitment to the integrity of the gospel.

For an elder to live a model life, he needed to be “the husband of but one wife” (literally, “a one-woman man”). Christians continue to debate how to interpret this phrase. Options include necessarily married, not remarried after divorce and married to only one woman at a time.

Paul declared the children of elders should believe and conduct themselves properly. Families may not reach this ideal where all their children are believers, but church leaders with committed families provide excellent models for others in the church. At any rate, children of elders should refrain from blatantly immoral living.

God has entrusted overseers to be stewards of God's word. A steward, usually a slave, managed another's estate and was accountable to the owner. God's stewards are accountable to the Lord as they guide people in God's truth. Thus, it is necessary that they live blameless lives. Blameless living entails resisting arrogance (“not overbearing”), withstanding impulsive anger (“not quick-tempered”), refraining from drunkenness (“not given to much wine”), refusing to attack opponents (“not violent”) and keeping from using their position for undue financial gain (“not pursuing dishonest gain”).

Paul contrasted the negative behaviors with traits that promote faithful service. Church leaders who exhibit goodness, discipline, and righteous and holy living protect themselves and the church from ungrounded accusations. They express these qualities through loving and devoted service to other believers.

Overseers need to be firmly grounded in the truth of the gospel. They have a two-fold task: To encourage faithful believers in the truth and to resist those who contradict their teachings. Specific content of this truth may be found in Titus 2:11-15.

Why are good leaders needed? (1:10-12)

Churches need quality leaders to withstand the inevitable appearance of false teachers. False teachers refuse to acknowledge those in the church with legitimate authority. They speak fluently and eloquently but have no Christian substance in their words. Paul called them deceivers and mere talkers. Jews of that day used the word “talkers” to refer to heathen worshippers. The false teachers he targeted appear to have been legalists who insisted people had to obey the Jewish law to be Christian. These legalists required circumcision and adherence to other Jewish rituals for salvation.

Paul commanded that overseers muzzle the many false teachers because of the damage inflicted on the church. The teachings were exceedingly dangerous. The “households” they were ruining could mean either house churches meeting in their homes or whole families. The desire for dishonest gain motivated these teachers. Paul cited a Cretan proverb to drive home his point concerning the depravity of these false teachers.

What about poor leaders? (1:13-16)

Paul expected Titus to take appropriate action. Titus needed to sharply rebuke false teachers. The purpose of the rebuke was redemptive, not punitive. If the false teachers accepted sound teaching, their faith might become healthy. One step to restoring their spiritual health was to reject the Jewish myths of which they were so fond. “Myths” appear to be some sort of spiritual speculation based on the Old Testament. The second aspect of the false teaching was the requirement that Christians obey Jewish legalistic requirements. The term “truth” suggests false teachers were rejecting the most basic teachings of the Christian faith.

The character and conduct of the false teachers revealed their true nature. Purity comes not from adhering to external rites such as special diets and rituals but to an internal transformation. An impure character defiles even those actions that appear to be righteous.

I've been told actions speak louder than words. Such was quite true for the false teachers. They claimed to know God, but their behavior indicated otherwise. Paul described their deeds as an abomination against God (“detestable”), disobedient and “unfit for doing anything good.”

Question for discussion

What do you think is the most important quality in a leader?

Posted: 5/03/04

LifeWay Family Bible Series for May 9

Marriage should mirror the love of Christ

1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Ephesians 5:18-33

By Rodney McGlothlin

First Baptist Church, College Station

A cartoon a number of years ago pictured the Apostle Paul walking under a banner that said, “Paul … Welcome to Corinth!” The men of the church were in the foreground ready to greet him. In the distance was a group of women waving signs that read, “Paul is unfair to women!” and “Paul is a chauvinist!” Paul was walking toward the women saying, “I see you got my letter!”

I have done hundreds of weddings, and all of them included some readings from Paul, especially 1 Corinthians 13 or Ephesians 5. I have yet to have a couple read that portion of Scripture contained in this week's lesson that says, “If they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:9). Brides and grooms generally search for nobler scriptural support in their decision to marry. There are better passages with which to gladden the hearts of their parents on that blessed day.

What is the biblical ideal for husbands and wives? This week's text shines a light on what God envisioned for a Christian marriage. 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 and Ephesians 5:18-33 (I have added verses 18-21 to the text printed in the Family Bible Study quarterlies) express Paul's theology of the home.

The home is to be a place where responsibilities are shared. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul set the context for this discussion in terms of “marital duties.”

The church must speak up today for a biblical theology of sex. We dare not leave this aspect of education to the school alone, much less to the opportunistic lowbrow humor of prime time sitcoms. Why did God create us as sexual beings? What is his purpose in giving us the gift of sex? The biblical answer includes procreation, communication (intimacy) and pleasure. When Paul speaks of mutual duty in marriage, we must not limit this to the act of sex alone. We must include the responsibilities for children, communication and joy within the home.

The home is a place where submission is volunteered. I do not think you can interpret Ephesians 5:22 apart from the context that includes verses 18-21. Most translations have included an imperative in verse 22. “Wives, submit to your husbands.” There is no verb stated in verse 22. It is implied from verse 21. In verse 21, it is not an imperative verb. It is a participle. The imperative is found in verse 18. It says, “Be filled with the Spirit.” That is the command. What follows is a series of participles; “speaking to one another,” “singing and making music in your hearts,” “always giving thanks to God” and “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Verses 22-33 flesh out how this mutual submission would work in various relationships. It is an encyclopedia of how Spirit-filled people live in relationship with each other. Can you think of a better place than the home to learn how to live together?

The submission required in this text is mutual, voluntary and beneficial to all involved. No one in the Christian life is given dictatorial status over others. Lordship is a crown that never sits easily on a human head.

Jesus said: “You are not to be like that (Gentiles who Lord it over others). Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:26). The Christian ethic is not to work your way to the top of the authority chart. It is to work your way to the bottom.

If it was good enough for Jesus, it is not too much to ask the same of husbands and wives. This submission flows voluntarily out of a Spirit-filled life in the same way that speaking, singing and thanksgiving flow from a life controlled by the Spirit. Verses 22-33 indicate wonderful benefits to all involved.

The home is a place where Christ is revealed. It is to our shame that we have argued over Paul's meaning of the word “submit” while neglecting the example of submission clearly given. Christ is our example.

Everything we do is “as to the Lord.” What does this mean? Our homes should be places where Christ is revealed through our relationships. Husband, if someone should ask you, “How much does Christ love the church?” you should be able to say, “Come with me to my home, and see how I love my wife and serve her, and you will see how Christ loves the church.” Wife, if someone should ask you, “How much does the church love Christ?” you should be able to say, “Come with me to my home and see the way I love and honor my husband and you will see the way the church is in love with Jesus.”

May our homes become places that reveal the true character of what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

Questions for discussion

What do you believe to be the most important component in growing a healthy, joyful marriage?

Why is submission such an explosive topic for some people? How would you explain the meaning of this word in Ephesians 5:22?

Posted: 5/03/04

LifeWay Family Bible Series for May 16

Children honor parents by loving their Father

Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5:1-8

By Rodney McGlothlin

First Baptist Church, College Station

Have you ever heard the voice of God?

My sons have. There is a great man of God in the church I served in Stillwater, Okla. He has a deep voice, knows and employs the King James English, and always is the narrator in the Christmas and Easter musicals.

When he would speak in church, my boys would often comment, “I like it when God talks in church.” He sounded like God to them. We often sat with him and his wife at Oklahoma State baseball games. “God” talked baseball with my boys. No wonder they love baseball to this day.

What does God sound like to you? I am sure the first time I heard God's voice, he sounded a lot like my mother and father. From them, I began to learn that I lived in an environment where trust was possible.

When it comes to life lessons that inspire trust or faith, I am certain the ultimate teacher is God himself. When he began to tug at my heart, trusting him was as natural as trusting my own parents.

This is why the words of this week's lesson are so important: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'–which is the first commandment with a promise–'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth'" (Ephesians 6:1-3).

Why should children honor their parents? It is certainly not because they are always honorable. This text should never be employed to convince anyone to tolerate abuse. Remember, Paul began this section of Scripture back in Ephesians 5 with the command to not be drunk with wine, but to be filled with the Spirit. The parents in question are assumed to be Spirit-filled, God-loving, Christ-following disciples. Such parents should be honored.

We should honor our parents because God uses families to accomplish his purposes. He chose Abraham's family so that through them he could bless all the families of the earth. He promised them a land.

Paul quoted Deuteronomy 5:16 as the “commandment with a promise.” The promise was not just long life. It included the words, “that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” God wanted them to remain in the land a long time to serve him.

New Testament families passed along their faith at home as well. Paul commented to Timothy on his family-based faith heritage with these words: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). We think of the home as being where character is formed. It is more importantly the place where faith is born.

How do we honor Spirit-filled parents? We love their Lord. I cannot think of anything I would rather my children do than to serve the Lord Jesus with their whole lives. I know it is what my parents want most for me. I have a brother who also is a pastor. I think our parents believe their raising of two sons was an act of service to God. They should be honored by their boys for pointing us to Jesus.

How do we honor Spirit-filled parents? We remember their labor of love. How can any of us repay parents for all they have done for us? I am sure they appreciated all the plaster hand castings and macaroni-covered cigar boxes we made for them during Vacation Bible School. I think they just need to know we remember their labor of love and we thank God for them. Godly parents are the heroes most needed in today's world. That is the kind of parents I had, and it is the kind of parent I want to be.

How do we honor Spirit-filled parents? We meet their needs as they met ours. My parents came running to us in the night when we had a need. They were there for us. They also took us with them when they went running to their parents in their time of need. I expect to do some running of my own when the time comes. It will not be a chore. It will be family. It will be how we honor those who gave us life and faith. What a gift!

Questions for discussion

How do you honor your father and mother? How would you like your children to honor you?

What are you doing in your home to ensure that your faith is being passed along to your children?

What example do your children see in the way that you honor your parents?

Posted: 5/03/04

Texas religious leaders unite to stand
against legalized video slot machines

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS–Leaders of the Texas religious community are standing together against a proposal that would link the funding of public education in the state to video slot machines.

Bishop Mark Herbener, interim director of the Texas Conference of Churches, said he does not know of any religious leader in the state who “thinks this is good for the moral character” of the people of Texas.

“We know of no faith group that supports this,” said Phil Strickland, director of the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Herbener, Strickland and others held a news conference at the Greater Dallas Community of Churches headquarters to voice opposition to video lottery terminals. The machines are similar to slot machines, but they allow the player to access electronic versions of various casino-type games.

Gov. Rick Perry has called a special session of the state legislature to craft a new way of funding public schools. His plan and others call for the addition of up to 40,000 video slot machines at racetracks and on Native American tribal lands.

“We want a solid future” for children in Texas, said BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade, “We do not want to build it on the backs of those who are most vulnerable.”

Various speakers pointed to the addictive nature of video slot machines and the resulting personal, family, economic and societal costs that follow.

“The more addicts we create,” the greater the “human toll,” said Ken Hall, president of Buckner Baptist Benevolences and the BGCT. “What does this do to our whole human services network?”

Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling in Rockford, Ill., said gambling addiction rates double within a 50-mile radius of casinos. As a result, he said, counties with casinos have a 14 percent higher bankruptcy rate and an 8 percent higher crime rate.

The proposed expansion of gambling in Texas would bring some benefits in terms of revenue generated, Strickland said, "but there are tremendous costs." For every dollar gambling generates for the state, it creates $3 in costs for local communities, he noted. "This will be a disaster for communities."

A constitutional amendment would be required to introduce video lottery terminals to Texas, and that would require a referendum on the November general election ballot.

Speakers expressed confidence Texas voters would reject such a proposal on the ballot, but they said it would not be a fair fight.

“There's no way you can begin to match the dollars” that would be used by the gambling industry, Strickland said. “They can dump literally millions and millions of dollars to tell their side of the story.”

Grey sees a danger in all of those dollars. “You can sell lies on television commercials,” he said.

Hall called on legislators to “make the hard choices” and vote against the gambling proposal. “I can't imagine any Texas Baptist looking favorably” on a politician who pushes this proposal, he said.

A Republican governor is doing much of the pushing, but Grey said the Republican Party platform is against gambling. "This has less to do with revenue (for schools) than with campaign contributions," he said.

Gambling opponents feel like they are getting “a fast shuffle off a stacked deck,” said Weston Ware, legislative director for Texans Against Gambling.

Perry not only is violating the anti-gambling platform on which he ran for office, but also is pressuring legislators to pass an omnibus bill that includes gambling expansion, he said.

Ware derided the governor's proposal as a “slots for tots plan” that uses Texas schoolchildren as pawns in a ploy to expand gambling in the state.

Managing Editor Ken Camp contributed to this report.

Posted: 5/03/04

Iorg named Golden Gate Theological Seminary president

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)–Trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary elected Jeff Iorg as the seminary's seventh president.

Iorg will assume his new position Aug. 1, succeeding Bill Crews, who retired after leading the seminary from 1986 until 2003.

Iorg has served as executive director-treasurer of the Northwest Baptist Convention since 1995. He was the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Ore., and also has served as a pastor in Missouri and Texas.

Since 1990, he has taught as an adjunct preaching, evangelism and leadership instructor at the seminary's Pacific Northwest Campus. Golden Gate Seminary operates five campuses in Northern California, Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, Arizona and Colorado.

Iorg is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“Now it is time to move forward together,” Iorg told trustees. “You have agreed with God, and we have agreed together with God that I am to be your president. How humbling and exciting, all at the same time.”

The election, on a 30-3 vote by trustees, followed an extensive search initiated at the board's October 2003 meeting. The 10-member search committee nominated Iorg to the full trustee board in March.

“Dr. Iorg is just the right person for this key leadership position,” said Crews, who is now serving as the seminary's chancellor. “His superb leadership at the Northwest Baptist Convention and experience at the local church along with his teaching experience uniquely qualifies him to lead this seminary.

“I am looking forward to working with him, not only in an orderly and smooth transition, but as a partner as we continue to shape effective leaders for the churches of tomorrow. I congratulate the presidential search committee on a job well done and I pledge my unqualified support to Dr. Iorg as he assumes the leadership of this great seminary.”

Gary Black, chairman of the search committee and the board of trustees, said: “I am confident in the decision by the board and the process undertaken to discover God's leader for this seminary. Dr. Iorg will be a great leader not only for Golden Gate but as representative for Southern Baptists throughout the West for decades to come.”

Dwight Honeycutt, Golden Gate's William Carleton professor of church history and member of the advisory committee that helped select Iorg, said: “Jeff Iorg is respected and appreciated by those of our faculty who know him. I can't begin to tell you how enthusiastic I am that we will have a servant-leader of such amazing gifts and integrity as Dr. Iorg to lead us in fulfilling the Golden Gate vision.”

Posted: 5/03/04

Posted: 5/03/04

Texas hunger offering gifts
rising; $750,000 goal set for 2005

By John Hall & Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

MOUNT LEBANON–World hunger gifts by Texas Baptist churches have increased 24.7 percent so far this year, and the Baptist General Convention of Texas has set a $750,000 hunger offering budget for 2005.

Funds for the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger are collected each year from October through the following September. From October 2003 to March this year, Texas Baptists gave $539,193. During the same period the previous year, $432,273 had been given. That 2003 offering ended with $648,841.

The 2005 budget will support a record 92 projects. The budget calls for 60 percent of funds, or $450,000, to go toward worldwide efforts, primarily through the Baptist World Alliance, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Texas Partnerships.

CLC leaders emphasized Mexican ministries in the budget reflect the BGCT's partnership with the National Baptist Convention of Mexico. The budget earmarks $32,000 for Mexico.

Two young men in the Palaung people group tend a garden in Thailand. Texas Baptist hunger funds help Thai families establish community gardens.

One-fourth of the allotted money, $187,000, is for Texas causes. Funds will be used statewide, including ministries in Amarillo, Austin, Brownwood, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Midland and the Rio Grande Valley.

The remaining 15 percent, $112,500, will go to causes within the United States. These ministries include work in New York, Wyoming, Arizona, California, the District of Columbia and Florida.

“The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger is a remarkable light with people around the world,” said Joe Haag, associate director of the CLC. “We go way beyond feeding people.”

CLC leaders lauded the expanding offering but insisted many needs still must be met. The budget will fund one-quarter of the requests received.

In other business, the board brainstormed ways to better connect with Texas Baptist churches. CLC Director Phil Strickland indicated three to four churches call him daily looking for help. The CLC has the programs to help, but often lacks the staff to do so., he said.

Commissioners discussed building a network of trained volunteers that would help carry out the work but indicated the CLC would need another paid staff person to coordinate those workers.

Carol Bowman, Hope for Home consultant within the CLC, noted the commission recently trained 100 ministers in marriage counseling techniques. Hope for Home is educating ministers in how to help at-risk youth.

The board adopted Christian citizenship as the topic for the 2005 statewide Christian life conference and health care as the topic for the 2006 meeting.