Posted: 3/07/04

COMMENTARY:
Questions about "The Passion"

By Brett Younger

When I was much younger (and I have apologized to God for this) I participated in my church’s Evangelism Explosion program.

In this outreach method, the witnesser wore an unattractive gold lapel pin consisting of two question marks. When the victim asked, “Why are you wearing two questions marks?” we answered, “There are two questions I’d like to ask you. ‘If you died tonight, where would you spend eternity?’ and ‘Why should God let you into heaven?’” I learned that beginning a conversation with “If you died tonight” seldom leads to a helpful exchange of ideas.

For the last week and a half, people who would never dream of wearing two question marks have been asking a question that can lead to a helpful exchange of ideas. The question is, “Have you seen the movie?” How should we talk about “The Passion of the Christ”? What’s thoughtful? What’s beneficial? Several questions keep showing up.

Is the movie anti-Semitic?

Christians may not be the best group to decide what’s anti-Semitic. Those who called themselves Christians were partially responsible for the Holocaust as well as other violence against Jews. As a Baptist living in Fort Worth, the movie doesn’t seem likely to provoke anti-Semitic acts to me, but Jewish people around the world have a right to be concerned.

How is the movie different from the biblical accounts?

In each gospel, the story from the arrest of Jesus to his death takes about three or four pages. This movie has an 85-page script that focuses on the physical suffering of Jesus. In Matthew, the scourging, which takes 10 painfully long minutes in the film, is only a phrase. The walk to Golgotha, which feels like forever, is two verses. At Broadway Baptist Church’s screening, a little more than half of those in attendance indicated that the graphic violence got in the way of considering the whole story.

Is this a good movie for non-Christians to see?

The panel at our discussion said they wished that the movie set Jesus’ death within the context of Jesus’ life. Some people will see this film and not understand that Jesus died because he was a revolutionary who told the rich to share with the poor, hypocrites to love sinners and powerful people that they had no real power.

Do all Christians share the same understanding of the cross?

This movie seems to reflect the idea that God had to punish someone for sins and so Jesus took the beating we had coming. This theory, substitutionary atonement, is held by many devout conservative Christians. Another Christian understanding is that the cross teaches us that God suffers with us. The cross is not the revelation of God’s anger, but of the price God is always paying for all the sin and sorrow in the world.

It’s hard to discuss the things that matter most—for those who wear lapel pins and those who don’t. When an opportunity presents itself, we need to take advantage of it. Well-made movies that take Christian faith seriously don’t show up very often. We should be eager to talk about Jesus’ story, and do so with passion.

Brett Younger is pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth and writes a monthly cybercolumn for baptiststandard.com

Posted: 3/05/04

Richardson church helps Latvian
Christians break down walls with music

By George Henson

Staff Writer

RICHARDSON–Nehemiah, the Old Testament figure, was best known for building walls. But a Latvian project that bears his name focuses on breaking down walls–between a people’s desire and their ability to praise God in their own tongue.

The project, headed by members of First Baptist Church in Richardson, has a goal of raising $175,000 to build a recording studio so Latvians can write and record Christian music in their own language.

The Baltic nation of 2.3 million people, between Estonia and Lithuania, has only one recording studio. The government owns it, and it is too expensive for Christian artists in the country to use.

Joe Tom McDonald, a member of the Richardson church, first noticed the need for a recording studio during a mission trip to Riga, Latvia, during the summer of 2002 as he led praise and worship seminars.

“I noticed that they were doing a lot of the same praise and worship songs we were doing–either in English, which they were obviously uncomfortable with, or translated into Latvian, and there was definitely something lost in the translation,” he said.

He believed the seminars had been helpful to the Latvians, but so much more needed to be done.

“I thought evangelism, as well as praise and worship, would be much more effective if they were hearing it in their own language, without going through the filter of English that lost much of the richness of their own language,” he recalled.

McDonald began to explore the possibility of putting together an association of Latvian Christian songwriters and singers and opening a recording studio. Last summer he returned to Latvia to begin pursuing that dream.

He discovered he was not the first person to realize the need for the recording studio. Talis Talsbergs, founder and president of a nationwide Christian radio station, had been trying for seven years to put together a recording studio, but he lacked the expertise and resources to make it happen.

“At that point where we found that all our thinking had come together and reached the same conclusion from two continents away, that was really affirming to me that God was in this,” McDonald said.

Seven members of First Baptist Church in Richardson–McDonald, J.R. and Joycelynn Torres, Tommy Weathersbee, William Lee, Arthur Benson and Renetta Montgomery–gave $12,000. That has been enough to begin construction on the building, but much more is needed to make the dream a reality.

To help spur the effort along, Talsbergs and Latvian Christian artist Valdis Indrisonoks recently made a trip to Richardson and performed there. While in the United States, they also met with various businessmen and toured American recording studios.

Construction has already began on the building that will house the recording studio in Latvia. Additional funds are needed to complete equipping the studio.

One man has pledged to match the first $25,000 raised for the project, “so the first $25,000 translates to $50,000,” J.R. Torres said.

Bridge Builders International, a missions group already at work in Latvia, is facilitating the construction. Talsbergs’ company, Vards & Co., will run the studio after it is completed.

While he has full confidence in the people in Latvia, McDonald said God could not have picked a more unlikely group of American counterparts as their partners. McDonald is a piano tuner, Torres is a carpenter, another team member is a banker and another is a salesman for an electric company.

“It’s kind of an unlikely group to try and put together a recording studio halfway around the world, but in every Bible story it seems God chooses unlikely people to fulfill his will,” McDonald pointed out.

In a Bible study last summer, the group found its biblical example. “Nehemiah prayed about everything he did, put his trust completely in the Lord and then went to work,” J.R. Torres said. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The religious make-up of Latvia is primarily Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox, but most Latvians do not participate in organized religion.

McDonald sees the faith of the Christians of the former Soviet republic as a great hope for the future. “When you hear the stories of what these people have endured and the danger they have faced, it is far more than we have endured. They are strong believers,” he said.

“The best way we felt like we could help them was to equip them to evangelize Latvians,” he continued.

“This project, this recording studio, has the potential to reach an entire nation–well not just the nation, but the entire Baltic region,” McDonald said.

The studio would be a great asset, Indrisonoks noted. “We are called ‘The Singing Nation,'” he said. “We have more than 2 million people, but more than 3 million national songs. We have more songs than people.”

The project is crucial, especially in reaching young people with the gospel, he added.

While many Latvians do not speak or understand English, about 85 percent of the music played on his 24-hour Christian music station is in English because Latvian music is largely unavailable, Talsbergs said.

“Every day I receive letters and phone calls asking me to please play more Latvian music, but I don’t have any more to play,” he said.

“We need good Christian, good quality Latvian music in our own language,” Indrisonoks said.

“This is a basic need.”

“There are so many talented Latvian musicians, and we need to open doors to them so they can record and play their music on the radio,” McDonald said.

J.R. Torres is just glad to be able to play a part.

“We’ve been given a front-row seat to watch God work. Our job is to just shut up and pray,” he said.

Posted: 3/05/04

Enrollment at BGCT schools mixed

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

Spring semester enrollment numbers at universities affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas are a mixed bag.

Of the seven liberal arts universities that have begun the spring semester, three have experienced enrollment increases, while four have declined. The one accredited Bible college, Baptist University of the Americas, notched a 51 percent increase in the total number of students.

Houston Baptist University is on a quarterly calendar, and its spring semester does not begin until March 8, HBU spokesperson Sharon Saunders said.

Baptist University of the Americas, until last year named Hispanic Baptist Theological School, registered 207 students this spring, compared to 137 in spring 2003.

Wayland Baptist University in Plainview grew 5.5 percent, with 936 students at its main campus, compared to 887 last year. Wayland has 12 other campuses that did not start the spring semester until Feb. 16, and enrollment figures are not yet available.

Dallas Baptist University posted a 3.5 percent increase, with 4,426 students this spring, compared to 4,275 in 2003. DBU has experienced growth for the past 15 years, according to a university news release.

Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene registered 35 more students this spring, for a 1.7 percent increase and a total of 2,155 students. It is the school's second-highest enrollment in the last 10 years.

Four universities had drops in enrollment.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton had nine fewer students, for a total of 2,437, a decrease of 0.4 percent.

However, the total number of full-time students increased. “We have an increase of nearly 500 credit hours this spring compared to last spring,” said Steve Theodore, vice president for enrollment.

Baylor University in Waco enrolled 12,815 students in the spring semester, a decrease of 426 students, or 3.2 percent. The decline is largely attributed to smaller entering classes in each of the last two fall semesters and a larger graduating class in December 2003, the university reported.

Baylor's enrollment includes 10,728 undergraduates, 1,202 graduate students, 353 students at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, 419 at Baylor Law School and 113 at the U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio.

Howard Payne University in Brownwood registered 69 fewer students, with 1,266 enrolled, a decrease of 5.2 percent. Registrar Lana Wagner said HPU had a larger than normal graduating class in December.

East Texas Baptist University in Marshall registered 1,226 students in the spring, a decrease of 128 students, or 9.5 percent compared to last spring.

David Mohn, vice president for enrollment management and marketing, said the economy impacted the area of Texas where the school recruits most heavily, but he is encouraged about the future, since the university plans to move to a flat-rate guaranteed tuition.

Posted: 3/05/04

Court rules states can't be forced to fund religion

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (ABP)–The Supreme Court has ruled that, while the First Amendment may allow a state to fund scholarships to religious schools, it doesn't require all states to do so.

In their 7-2 Locke vs. Davey decision, the justices handed a major victory to supporters of strict church-state separation and a defeat to the Bush administration and other proponents of government funding for religious enterprises.

It pitted the state of Washington against one of its residents who was denied a state-funded college scholarship because he had chosen ministerial studies as his major.

The court ruled the state could deny Joshua Davey the scholarship by appealing to a section of its constitution that forbids indirect government funding of religious instruction.

The court's opinion cited the history of laws from around the country that explicitly forbid the imposition of taxes to pay for clerical salaries or training. The justices said Washington had a compelling state interest in maintaining that tradition.

“Given the historic and substantial state interest at issue, we therefore cannot conclude that the denial of funding for vocational religious instruction alone is inherently constitutionally suspect,” noted Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who wrote the majority's opinion.

In the case, Davey applied in 1999 for the state's Promise Scholarship Program, which provides state-funded tuition grants, or vouchers, to disadvantaged Washington students. The scholarships may be spent at any accredited Washington college, including religious ones.

Davey qualified for the scholarship and elected to spend it at Northwest College, a Seattle-area Bible college affiliated with the Assemblies of God. However, the state revoked the grant when Davey declared a double major that included pastoral ministries. State guidelines for the program permitted it to be spent at religious schools but not for pre-ministerial courses of study.

Davey then sued the state. Among other claims, he contended being denied the scholarship simply because he was training to be a pastor violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.

In 2002, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of an Ohio program that provided vouchers for use in private schools, including religious ones. Justices decided that case on a 5-4 vote.

However, in the Davey case, the court was not deciding whether states may engage in funding religious scholarships, but whether they must.

The court disagreed with Davey's contention that Washington state displayed unconstitutional animus toward religion because it singled out students training for religious vocations for special disfavor. The justices said Washington has the right to treat ministerial training differently because the U.S. Constitution treats religion differently.

“The subject of religion is one in which both the United States and the state constitutions embody distinct views–in favor of free exercise, but opposed to establishment–that find no counterpart with respect to other callings or professions,” Rehnquist wrote. “That a state would deal differently with religious education for the ministry than with education for other callings is a product of these views, not evidence of hostility toward religion.”

However, Justice Antonin Scalia disagreed.

“Let there be no doubt: This case is about discrimination against a religious minority,” Scalia wrote in a dissenting opinion. He was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.

The decision elated advocates of church-state separation.

“It is an extremely important and positive development in church-state law,” said Holly Hollman, general counsel for the Washington-based Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs. “I do think it is likely to have an impact on the current debates about vouchers and funding of religious charities.”

Hollman said another crucial aspect of the opinion was its strong endorsement of the idea that religion has a special constitutional role.

“One of the best things is that the court so soundly rejected the idea that to treat religion differently was the same as hostility toward religion,” she noted.

Posted: 3/05/04

Ministers turned away from schools during lunch break

By Erin Curry

Baptist Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–A Kentucky school board has upheld its decision to prohibit ministers from visiting students at school during lunch, despite protests from a local church.

Pastors from Little Flock Baptist Church outside Louisville said for 17 years the school system had allowed students to request that their ministers eat lunch with them at school, but in January Bullitt County School Superintendent Michael Eberbaugh instructed schools to end the visits.

“The Kentucky Education Reform Act says our responsibility … is to mentor the children and provide good examples and leadership for them, and so that's what we were doing when we were at the schools,” said Zach Montroy, communications director at Little Flock.

“We weren't evangelizing, and we weren't passing out literature. We weren't praying with the students. We were … there to be their friends and mentors.”

The Bullitt County school system's policy states: “Students are not permitted to bring guests or visitors to school without permission from the principal.”

The ministers said they had been accustomed to signing in and out as visitors each time they had lunch with students.

“We cannot allow individuals to just sign themselves in anytime they want to,” said Layne Abell, school board chairman.

The church presented its case to the school board. After hearing the church's case, the school board called for a recess and then went into closed session. Members decided to uphold the superintendent's original decision to end the visits and added that only parents would be allowed to have lunch with their students, Montroy said.

“We've decided not to file a legal suit against the school board now because they've decided not to let anybody in schools,” Montroy said.

Posted: 3/05/04

Whistleblower tells chilling tale of ruin

By Sean Flynt

Samford University

BIRMINGHAM (ABP)–Avoid “the slow steps to disaster” that result in ethical failure, Enron whistleblower Sherron Watkins warned Samford University students.

Watkins, one of Time magazine's Persons of the Year in 2002, now speaks throughout the country, detailing the ethical failures underlying her former employer's spectacular collapse.

Watkins was for many years a high-flying accountant who traveled the world for Enron. But at age 42, with a 2-year-old daughter to consider, Watkins traded her glamorous position for what she thought would be quiet “back room” accounting jobs.

In her new position under Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow, Watkins discovered Enron account discrepancies in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

“The math didn't add up,” she said.

When Watkins questioned her colleagues about the discrepancies, they explained to her, “without a bit of alarm in their voices,” the complex and apparently fraudulent structures at the heart of the corporation.

Watkins approached Enron Chairman Ken Lay with what she thought was shocking news–unprecedented conflicts of interest had allowed Fastow, in particular, to create structures both within and outside of Enron that enriched himself and exposed the corporation to financial ruin and legal action.

Watkins now admits she placed too much trust in Lay. He opened an investigation into her charges, but she said that effort was a “whitewash,” intended only to find any fraud Enron executives weren't already aware of.

Later, as a witness before a U.S. Senate committee investigating the collapse of Enron, Watkins learned Lay had launched a parallel, but unsuccessful, investigation to find legal grounds to fire her before she talked to journalists or federal regulators.

Six weeks later, Enron was bankrupt, Watkins was on the way to fame as a whistleblower, and the company's former executives began their slow march toward indictment.

The conduct of former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling especially outraged Watkins.

Skilling served as CEO for less than a year before suddenly resigning, citing personal reasons as well as the disappointing performance of the company's stock, she explained. While some might call in sick, Skilling “called in rich” and walked away from the mess that would destroy the company soon after his departure.

Enron declared bankruptcy Dec. 2, 2001. The next day, 5,000 Enron employees learned they had received their last Enron paycheck and might lose their health insurance as well. Revelations that Enron executives had essentially looted Enron's coffers to cushion their own fall compounded their misery, Watkins said.

“Really, it created an angry mob,” Watkins said of the executives' betrayal of their employees. “When you're the captain of the ship, you're responsible for the crew.”

Skilling, for his alleged role in the fraud, “is headed for the handcuffed perp-walk any day now,” she told the Samford audience. Less than an hour later, Internet media outlets posted photographs of a handcuffed Skilling in the custody of federal agents.

Enron is gone, but the ethical questions it raised remain. Watkins worked for Enron eight years before being moved into a position where she could observe Enron's accounting fraud.

“How was I working for a company that had become so rotten?” she wondered.

Many Enron executives were considered good Christian people, she noted. Ken Lay is the son of a Baptist minister, and his own son is studying to enter the ministry. Andrew Fastow, recently sentenced to prison for his role in Enron's collapse, is a conservative Jew. But “the Bible is chock-full of good people doing the wrong thing,” she said.

The process of ethical ruin is not as straightfoward as approaching the edge of a cliff and deciding at the last moment whether or not to take that final, catastrophic step, Watkins said. She compared the process to walking down an ever-steeper slope that doesn't advertise its dangers until one has passed the point of no return.

“It's the slow steps to disaster we all must pay attention to,” she said. Even a relatively small ethical lapse–stealing a company pen or padding an expense account–“dulls your sense of right and wrong” and compromises one's willingness to speak out against more significant lapses.

Ultimately, Watkins said, corporate ethics depend upon the ethics of the individual.

“Don't fall for any group-think or rationalization that it's OK because its not you, it's your corporation,” she warned, adding that many lower-level employees are indicted long before high-profile executives are led away in handcuffs.

Watkins also urged the students to heed their personal ethical alarms and leave unethical employers before it becomes too late. When a corporation claims to value a code of ethics but rewards those who ignore that code, it's time to leave, she said.

On paper, Enron was at the “top of the list” in corporate ethics, she said. The Enron code of ethics was ever-present on posters and other daily reminders.

Posted: 3/05/04

CBF council proposes doubling BWA financial support next year

By John Pierce

Baptists Today

ATLANTA (ABP)–Cooperative Baptist Fellowship support for the Baptist World Alliance will double to $40,000 next year if the Fellowship's general assembly adopts the $16 million budget approved by its Coordinating Council.

The additional funds would make a slight dent in an anticipated funding gap for the BWA. Southern Baptist Convention messengers in June are expected to cut the final $300,000 in SBC funding for the worldwide Baptist organization.

The Fellowship's entrance into the BWA last year has been cited as a primary reason for the SBC's planned departure from the BWA.

The Fellowship also will attempt to narrow the funding gap by collecting a BWA offering at the general assembly, to be held in Birmingham, Ala., June 24-26.

The Fellowship council recommended that African-American pastor Emmanuel McCall of Atlanta join CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal as the Fellowship's representatives to the BWA.

“Our acceptance into the BWA wasn't in our strategic plan,” Vestal told the council. “But it seemed to be the right thing to do.”

CBF Moderator-elect Bob Setzer of Macon, Ga., is studying how the Fellowship can relate most effectively to the BWA, Vestal said. He also announced BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz will host a breakfast and breakout session during the general assembly.

The Fellowship's proposed 2004-05 budget is equal to its modified spending plan in place for 2003-04, reduced because of a shortfall last year.

Finance committee member Nelson Rodriguez of Fort Worth said revenues for the current year are expected to come in at $348,000 under the revised plan. He described the proposed 2004-05 budget as “conservative.”

Jim Strawn, CBF coordinator for finance, said an additional $3.7 million in designated funds will be spent during the next budget year, bringing total expenditures for 2004-05 to nearly $20 million.

In addition to doubling the funds to BWA, the 2004-05 budget calls for creating the position of associate coordinator in faith formation, plus increases of $150,000 for staff medical insurance, $100,000 for worker's compensation insurance and $100,000 in across-the-board salary upgrades–2 percent for professional staff; 3 percent for support staff.

The council also revised the position vacated when Reba Cobb resigned as resource center coordinator last year. The council approved a new job title–coordinator of administration–and a job description that removes some supervisory responsibilities.

The new job description calls for “overseeing the daily operations of the staff” and providing “direct supervision of administrative operations.” Coordinators who do not specifically relate to administrative services will report directly to Vestal.

Personnel committee Chair Elizabeth Barnes of Raleigh, N.C., described the position as “first among equals,” in that the new staff person would represent CBF in the absence of Vestal.

The proposed budget contains some additional changes from the current one, such as another reduction of funds for partner organizations–including Associated Baptist Press, Baptist Center for Ethics, Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Baptists Today newsjournal and about a dozen institutions for theological education.

Missouri layman Charles Cantrell, chair of a committee studying relations with those partners, reported the committee's early work has been significant but “hard to quantify.” The committee has tried to define the broad use of the term “partner” in CBF life, he said.

The study committee held its third meeting in conjunction with the Feb. 19-20 council meeting and interviewed representatives of four partner organizations. The coordinating council, which proposed a 20 percent reduction in funding for Fellowship partners, created the study committee.

The council also affirmed a proposal to collaborate with state and regional Fellowship groups to increase support for the CBF Offering for Global Missions.

The plan uses the 2002-03 offering receipts as a numerical baseline. States or regions showing an increase over 2002-03 receipts would be entitled to use 10 percent of the increased amount to fund approved mission endeavors conducted by that state or regional Fellowship body.

The council also approved a recommendation to participate in a new ecumenical effort called Christian Churches Together.

Vestal, who participated in a related meeting in Texas earlier this year, called Christian Churches Together a noble and most ambitious ecumenical effort. The group includes evangelical denominations that have been reluctant to participate in the National Council of Churches.

The council affirmed efforts to continue discussions with leaders of the American Baptist Churches, USA, for an overlapping meeting in 2007 in Washington, D.C.

Posted: 3/05/04

Pressure mounts as Bush backs gay marriage ban

By Robert Marus & Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (ABP)–Ending months of silence and under increasing pressure, President Bush has announced he will support a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

However, he did not say if he would go so far as to support a measure that also outlaws marriage-like arrangements for same-sex couples nationwide–a ban some of his most conservative supporters favor.

“After more than two centuries of American jurisprudence and millennia of human experience, a few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization,” Bush said.

“If we are to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America.”

Recent actions of “activist judges” as well as some local officials made support for an amendment necessary, Bush said. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in November that the state's constitution requires it to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The same court recently reaffirmed that decision.

On Feb. 12, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered municipal officials to begin granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. More than 3,000 couples have been married since then. Officials in Sandoval County, N.M., soon followed suit.

Because of these developments, Bush has been under mounting pressure from many religious conservatives to support a constitutional amendment against gay marriage. They view the amendment as the only remedy to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide.

While most polls show that a large majority of Americans oppose legalization of same-sex marriage, barely a majority support an amendment to outlaw it. Polls also suggest the question is far less important to most voters than the economy, national security and other issues.

Reaction to Bush's announcement was swift–and reflected society's polarization.

Conservative religious leaders applauded the president's announcement and agreed any other remedy is inadequate.

“The president was right on target when he said activist courts have left the American people no other recourse,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. “Nothing short of an amendment will protect the institution of marriage from an out-of-control judiciary.”

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said Bush “has now properly concluded that we have 'reached the last resort' in preserving the sanctity of marriage.”

Citing a survey that suggests 70 percent of Americans oppose same-sex marriage, Land said, “The only way the American people can make their voice heard on this issue is to avail themselves of the mechanism provided by the founding fathers, namely amending the United States Constitution.”

But liberal Christian leaders showed their displeasure with equal fervor.

“It's disturbing that our president would be willing to write discrimination into the Constitution of the United States,” said Laura Montgomery Rutt, spokesperson for the religious gay-rights group Soulforce. “We believe that the majority of fair-minded Americans–religious leaders and people of faith–do not support” amending the Constitution for such a purpose.

The president's support for banning gay marriage is a church-state issue, because “Bush is supporting one religion's view of marriage and putting it into a government document,” Rutt said. Because of that view, “you don't have to be in favor of gay marriage to oppose the amendment.”

Stan Hastey, leader of the Alliance of Baptists and a constitutional scholar, agreed. “My view is the Constitution should be amended only in the most extreme of circumstances when there is a national consensus that is clearly settled,” he said.

“Usually when hot-button issues like this come along, it is very rare when the Constitution has been amended quickly that there has been a good result,” Hastey said. He cited Prohibition as an example of a constitutional amendment that caused more harm than good.

Although Bush announced he supports an amendment banning gay marriage, he also noted any such amendment “should fully protect marriage, while leaving the state legislatures free to make their own choices in defining legal arrangements other than marriage.”

This would allow states to create legal arrangements for same-sex couples–such as civil unions–that grant most or all of the same benefits as marriage while reserving the term “marriage” itself for heterosexual unions.

Bush also did not mention the Federal Marriage Amendment by name in his comments. Currently assigned to committees in both houses of Congress, it would ban both gay marriage and “the legal incidents thereof” nationwide.

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) predicted the House could vote on the amendment by the end of the year.

Many of the amendment's supporters have said it would only prevent courts from forcing same-sex marriage on states. But most of its opponents and many mainstream legal scholars argue its language is ambiguous enough to ban civil unions and even overturn many domestic-partnership rights that states and municipalities have long granted to same-sex couples.

Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said he would favor a constitutional amendment to protect marriage if it allows for civil unions and attendant legal rights.

In a related development, about 70 of the nation's leading conservative religious leaders have signed a letter thanking Bush for his courage in endorsing the amendment.

The letter, dated Feb. 24, includes such names as Franklin Graham, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Land, Charles Colson, Tony Perkins and D. James Kennedy.

In addition to Land, the letter is signed by four other Southern Baptist leaders, including Morris Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee.

Leaders from the Church of the Nazarene, Church of God (Holiness), Missionary Church, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and International Pentecostal Holiness Church also signed it.

“Mr. President, we applaud your courage,” the letter reads. “There have been times in our history when presidents have been called upon to make difficult decisions to protect the balance of power in our government. Abraham Lincoln did this when he refused to recognize the constitutional precedent of the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision. We think you are making just such a stand in opposing what we view as runaway courts. Thank you … for doing what is right.”

The letter promises the leaders' support in pushing an amendment.

“We pledge to you that we will do everything in our power to inform and educate our constituents about the importance and urgency of this issue both for the preservation of the family in America as well as the right ordering of our government,” it reads. “We will speak on behalf of and to our communities, encouraging their fullest participation in what must be a great national debate to preserve the sanctity of marriage and representative government.”

The leaders also praised Bush for his leadership in preserving the traditional family.

Other Southern Baptists signing the letter are Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy and research with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; and Bob Reccord, president of the North American Mission Board.

Baptist Press also contributed to this story

Posted: 3/05/04

Bivocational ministry means two places
to minister, Fort Worth pastor says

By George Henson

Staff Writer

FORT WORTH–Bivocational minister Charles Levine believes “vocational bi-ministry” might better describe his life, because he considers both his jobs to be ministry points.

In addition to being pastor of Terrace Acres Baptist Church in Fort Worth for the last 12 years, he is a counselor at Liberty Elementary School in White Settlement.

“Working here in the school, often I feel like a chaplain to the children and their families. We want to be ready to help our families and not just academically. If a child is not well-fed and well-rested, it all makes a difference,” he said.

Levine thinks his work in the school complements his ministry at church.

“I really like bivocational ministry. It gives me contact with people outside the church,” he explained. “Because of that, I think I have a better idea of what they are going through each day because I deal with the same things.

“I think it also gives me a better understanding of what can be expected of volunteer leaders in the church and the time constraints they are under.”

Since he is not completely dependent on the church financially, Levine believes he has “a bit more prophetic freedom” than some preachers.

“I don't know, but that may make me a little freer to say some things than if I was more worried about being fired,” he said.

Even so, he sees at least one drawback to the bivocational life.

“The drawback is the double schedule. I not only have committee meetings at church, but I have meetings and other events at school as well,” he pointed out. “The only way to get a day off is to get out of town. Also, I don't carry a cell phone or a pager and don't want one.”

Levine realized while he was attending East Texas Baptist University that he wanted to be involved in a ministry to Hispanics. Working for awhile with illegal aliens during his college career confirmed that sense of calling.

Levine took all the Spanish courses he could in college. Since then, he has improved his proficiency primarily through conversation with Hispanic people.

“I was going to take a Berlitz course, but they said I knew too much. So I've had to study and learn on my own,” he said. “My Spanish isn't perfect, but it's good.”

His Spanish has been an asset in both his jobs: He started a Spanish-language mission five years ago and serves as an interpreter for the school district.

The Hispanic congregation has now grown to have its own pastor, but Levine's dream is for the two cultures to meld into a single congregation.

“It's called Mision Hispana Terrace Acres, but I'm trying to get away from those divisions and begin thinking of ourselves as one in the Lord,” he said.

“I think it would be a real neat testimony to the community if we could work and worship together.”

Terrace Acres Baptist Church averages about 60 people in attendance each week, and about 40 people attend the mission's services.

The two congregations already meet together periodically, “but not as much as I would like,” he said. His plan is to integrate the two congregations, first in prayer groups and then begin joint Sunday school classes.

Theology is not a sticking point for combining the congregations, but cultural factors do weigh in, he said.

One of those things is that the Hispanic church tends to need a more personal touch. “If I want to have a meeting, in the Hispanic culture I really need to make a personal invitation to each person,” he noted, adding that in contacting Anglos, he could just send an e-mail or mail a card.

Scheduling in the Hispanic culture is more flexible than in Anglo culture, he added. “I'm not saying that either is better. That's just the way it is.”

And, of course, language produces barriers. A bilingual youth minister is helping to bridge that gap.

“God has really blessed us in that,” he said.

Levine also has tried to enhance his ministry among Hispanics by taking guitar lessons.

“I knew the Hispanic culture liked guitar music, and I like it, too. Also, it's just such a portable instrument; you can take it anywhere. It's a lot easier to carry on your back than a piano,” he joked.

While he feels a definite call to serve as a pastor, he feels fortunate he has never been forced to choose between his job at church and his job at school.

“It would be hard–really hard. I look at it as all one thing. It's all ministry. There are a lot of good Christian people in the public schools and especially this one. I know public schools get a bad rap, but the genuine caring for the students is really great,” he said. “I'm glad to be a part of that.”

He feels he has been blessed with not just one calling, but two.

“God has been very good to me. I'm very content.”

Posted: 3/05/04

WorldconneX forming 'network of networks'
to create points of connection

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

DALLAS–Texas Baptists' WorldconneX missions network has an office without furniture and a computer without an Internet connection now, but it does have a plan for becoming a network of networks, staff leader Bill Tinsley said.

WorldconneX is creating four networks focused on individuals, churches, Baptist entities and international groups, Tinsley reported to the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board at its March 2 meeting.

“God is giving us a design for the dream,” he said. “We are still very much in start-up. … We have only begun to recruit our volunteer force that will make WorldconneX effective. The engines are started. We are not off the launch pad, but we can feel the vibrations. We can sense that God is doing something new and exciting in our generation.”

Together with one other full-time staff member and two part-time employees, Tinsley is putting together four networks: PeopleconneX, ChurchconneX, BaptistconneX and a currently unnamed network focusing on international connections.

The network focused on individuals will seek to “connect strength to strength (and) connect vision to vision,” said Frank Dang, who serves as pastor of the Vietnamese Church of Fort Worth in additon to his part-time position with WorldconneX.

“We will be a catalyst to connect pastors and leaders of churches who are already effective in missions” with prospective missions workers, he explained.

The network will seek out “teachers, trainers and coaches” who can mentor new missionaries.

Likewise, the network focused on churches will identify congregations that already are engaged in missions, linking them to churches that are seeking missions opportunities, said Carol Childress, who has served the last 12 years with the Leadership Network and has joined WorldconneX in a part-time role.

The Baptist network will help connect Baptist entities in collaborative missions efforts, Tinsley explained.

"Most of our 23 Texas Baptist institutions already have an international presence with missions and ministries. WorldconneX will function to relate volunteers to these ministries, to create collaborative efforts among churches, institutions and national Baptists, and to open up new connections in other areas of the world," he said. "This collaborative cooperation will be especially important as we work closely with the Baptist World Alliance and Baptist union leaders around the world."

WorldconneX already is working with Buckner Baptist Benevolences, the Baptist University of the Americas and Baylor Health Care System in a project linking churches in Texas with Baptists in Guatemala to provide child care and medical care for needy people and theological education and leadership development for church leaders, he reported.

The network also is working with Buckner on a humanitarian aid project in Asia.

The international network will link together existing networks worldwide, said Stan Parks, who served as a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship worker in Indonesia before joining WorldconneX.

Lack of collaboration and cooperation among Christians limits the spread of the gospel, he remarked.

“We want to be a global nervous system for the body of Christ,” Parks said.

Posted: 3/05/04

Revisioning process to move BGCT forward,
put controversy behind, leaders tell board

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

DALLAS–The Baptist General Convention of Texas must seek from God a compelling vision and then organize people, processes and resources around it, Texas Baptist leaders told the convention's Executive Board.

BGCT President Ken Hall and Executive Director Charles Wade outlined for the board at its March 2 meeting their plan for a “revisioning” process to move the convention forward.

Hall told the board he loved being a Texas Baptist because Texas Baptists emphasize the local church, give priority to missions, exhibit a cooperative spirit, are growing in cultural sensitivity, are committed to Christian education and are dedicated to human justice and meeting human needs.

But he also cited concerns, underscoring the need for renewed vision.

“The denominational struggle has affected our confidence and trust. We need to move on beyond the fight. We need to accept new challenges,” said Hall, CEO of Buckner Baptist Benevolences.

“Our current system and organizational structure needs reworking. … We must build on our strengths and improve the areas of weakness.”

Hall affirmed Wade's leadership and the work of the BGCT Executive Board staff, BGCT-affiliated institutions and a “great heritage that affords us the resources to make change.”

Texas Baptists need to “be courageous,” not defensive, “believe the best about each other,” and “separate ourselves from things that keep us from extending Christ's kingdom,” he said.

Wade echoed Hall's desire to “move forward” beyond ensnaring controversies. But he expressed his personal desire for the BGCT to continue passing along church-directed missions gifts to national Baptist groups, such as the Southern Baptist Convention–a practice some elected Texas Baptist leaders have urged the BGCT to consider discontinuing.

Many “good and faithful Texas Baptists” who have been hurt by denominational turmoil in the last two decades have cut ties with the SBC, “and they want everybody to feel the way they do,” he said.

But those are decisions best made by local churches, not the state convention, he asserted.

“We honor and affirm the autonomy of the local church,” Wade said.

Proposals for revisioning and reorganization grew out of the convergence of several events, he said. Some key staff positions needed to be filled, and the responsibilities carried by the people in those posts needed to be reconsidered.

“At the same time, convention officers began to reflect the concerns of many in our state about issues that needed to be addressed,” Wade said, noting events created a climate in which Texas Baptist leaders needed to move “deliberately but quickly.”

They created four teams– one of lay leaders with business experience, one of Executive Board staff members and two groups of pastors, one for ministers age 40 and older, and the other for younger pastors.

One team met the day before the board meeting, and the other three were slated to meet before March 5.

Sherrill Spies, a seminary graduate and member of First Baptist Church in The Woodlands with experience in strategic planning and organizational design, was enlisted to work as a facilitator with the four teams.

Wade told the Executive Board he would bring a progress report on the revisioning process at the May 25 board meeting and present an organizational plan at the Sept. 28 meeting.

“You and I seek from God a new and passionate vision for Texas Baptists, a vision born in prayer and compelling enough that we will give our lives to see it accomplished unto the glory of God,” he said.

“The vision will be bold enough that without God's blessing, it cannot be done. But with God's help, every Texas Baptist can find a place to make a lasting difference in the world.”

Churches are the “key component” in turning the vision into reality, he stressed.

“We celebrate what God is doing in the churches and recognize the deep hunger of many congregations to become all that God dreams for them. We call on the convention, associations, institutions and related ministries to stand with the churches in fulfilling the vision God has given them,” Wade said.

“We want to be a convention fully committed to historic biblical truths and Baptist principles, positioning ourselves to be a convention for the future. We must embrace change both for the short term and long term in order to meet the great challenges and opportunities we have to do evangelism, start missional churches and develop faithful disciples who will change Texas and the world.”

In other business, the BGCT Executive Board:

Elected four trustees to fill vacancies on institutional boards: Hardin-Simmons University, Elaine Gabbert from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas; Wayland Baptist University, Peggy Wall from First Baptist Church of Plainview; the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Martin Knox, pastor of First Baptist Church in Temple; and the Baptist University of the Americas, Brad Russell, pastor of The Springs Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Approved $750,000 from unrestricted current funds to be placed in contingency funds to help with missions and ministry needs this year, and ratified a similar Administrative Committee action for 2003.

Authorized the creation of the Center for Christian Leadership, comprised of the office of minister/church relations, the Texas Baptist Leadership Center and the office of counseling and psychological services.

Changed the name of the minister/church relations advisory committee to the Center for Christian Leadership advisory committee.

Adopted a resolution of support and congratulations for Buckner Baptist Benevolences on its 125th anniversary.

Approved resolutions expressing appreciation and pledging prayers for Janice Coley, executive assistant to the executive director, and Nadine Henderson, administrative assistant to the BGCT chief financial officer and treasurer. Both are on medical leave from their posts.

Recognized four retiring associational directors of missions: Jack Calk from Del Rio-Uvalde, Paul Stripling from Waco, Forrest Smith from Corpus Christi and Olin Boles from Gulf Coast.

BGCT Revisioning team members

Laity team

Jim Adams, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio; Ed Alvarado, First Baptist Church, Donna; Mike Caraway, Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo; Bob Fowler, South Main Baptist Church, Houston;

John Hicks, First Baptist Church, Amarillo; Dale Jones, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas; Clifford Martin, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Mansfield; Camille Miller, First Baptist Church, Austin; and Margarita Treviño, First Baptist Church, Keller.

Pastors team 1

Mario Gonzalez, Iglesia Primera Bautista, El Paso; Stephen Hatfield, First Baptist Church, Lewisville; Travis Hart, First Baptist Church, Plainview; Don Higginbotham, First Baptist Church, Harlingen; Carl Hudson, Little River Baptist Church, Rockdale;

Charles Johnson, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio; Peter Leong, Southwest Chinese Church, Stafford; Phil Lineberger, Williams Trace Baptist Church, Sugar Land; David Mahfouz, First Baptist Church, Port Neches;

Rodney McGlothlin, First Baptist Church, College Station; Joseph Parker, David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Austin;

Randall Scott, Immanuel Baptist Church, Paris; and Candy Smith, First Baptist Church, Richardson.

Pastors team 2

Carlos Alsina, Iglesia Primera Bautista, Austin; Ann Bell, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas; Ken Blake, Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville; Tony Celelli, Second Baptist Church, Corpus Christi; Russell Diwa, Biblical Community Church, Garland;

John Durham, First Baptist Church, Irving; Lance Freeman, LifePointe Baptist Church, The Woodlands; Kevin Hall, First Baptist Church, Haskell;

Kyle Henderson, First Baptist Church, Athens; Mark Newton, First Baptist Church, San Marcos; John Petty, Trinity Baptist Church, Kerrville; and Bruce Webb, Central Baptist Church, Jacksonville.

. BGCT staff team

Carol Bowman, Colleen Brooks, Keith Crouch, Jan Daehnert, Michael Evans, David Guel, Ron Gunter, Patty Lane, Milfred Minatrea, Andre Punch, Gus Reyes, Tom Ruane and Rhonda Walden.

Posted: 3/05/04

BGCT Executive Board affirms BWA

By Marv Knox

Editor

DALLAS–Texas Baptists will support the Baptist World Alliance with prayer, money and friendship, the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board has promised.

The Executive Board approved a resolution supporting the Baptist World Alliance without discussion or dissent March 2 in Dallas.

Texas Baptists' affirmation of the BWA followed a move by the Southern Baptist Convention to withdraw from and defund the BWA, which represents 47 million Baptists in 211 Baptist conventions around the globe.

In mid-February, the SBC Executive Committee voted to pull out of the 99-year-old BWA and discontinue its financial support, which this year is budgeted for $300,000. If approved by messengers to the SBC annual meeting in June, the dissolution will be complete this fall.

A high-profile study committee recommended the SBC's departure, charging the worldwide Baptist organization with liberalism, being anti-American and disrespecting the SBC leadership.

Jerry Rankin, a member of that committee and president of the International Mission Board, said the SBC proposal is based in part on the BWA's decision last year to admit the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which was formed by Southern Baptists dissatisfied with the SBC's fundamentalist direction.

The SBC action drew immediate response from around the world, including Texas, where supporters contended the anti-BWA claims are groundless and steeped in SBC leaders' desire for control.

Wesley Shotwell, the BGCT Executive Board's vice chairman and pastor of Ash Creek Baptist Church in Azle, drafted and presented the BWA resolution.

It cites numerous reasons for supporting the BWA:

The BWA “seeks to help Baptists in every nation with evangelism, human rights, religious liberty and fellowship with other Baptists.”

It “seeks to promote Christian unity while celebrating cultural diversity among Baptists around the world.”

The BWA “works to relieve human suffering around the world through Baptist World Aid,” its relief agency.

The BGCT “has a deep and abiding desire to be in fellowship with Baptists around the world.”

The BGCT also wishes to “promote religious liberty, human rights, evangelism and relief of human suffering in every nation.”

A recent visit to Texas by BWA President Billy Kim and General Secretary Denton Lotz “demonstrated and reaffirmed” the friendship between the two groups.

Consequently, the BGCT Executive Board voted to “pledge our support for the work of the Baptist World Alliance through prayer, fellowship and financial contribution.”

The resolution also promises Texas Baptists will “stand with our Baptist brothers and sisters around the world who are wrestling with religious persecution and are fighting for religious liberty for all.”

It urges Texas Baptists to participate in the BWA's centennial celebration in Birmingham, England, in the summer of 2005.

And it encourages Baptists around the world “to remain steadfast in unity, to resist temptations of schism and to demonstrate Baptist unity through the work of the Baptist World Alliance.”

Speaking in his report before the resolution was presented, BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade affirmed the BWA and its leaders, Kim and Lotz.

He also praised the national Woman's Missionary Union, which recently voted unanimously to continue to maintain its relationship with the BWA, particularly its women's department.

“Texas Baptists have been involved (with BWA) for some time,” Wade noted. He cited missions partnerships in Europe and the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, which most recently allocated almost $140,000 into projects coordinated by Baptist World Aid.

Texas Baptists should begin planning to attend the BWA General Assembly in England in 2005, to help celebrate the organization's 100th anniversary, he urged.

“I want us to have … 'Texas Week in England.' I want hundreds from Texas to attend,” Wade said.

“I want there to be so many of us there that nobody notices who's not there,” he added, to broad laughter.

While in England, participants will be able to participate in history tours and missions tours, he reported.

The BWA is scheduled to receive $20,000 from the BGCT in this year's budget. Another allocation will be considered for next year, and churches and individuals also are being urged to support the BWA, Wade said.

Paul Montacute, director of Baptist World Aid, thanked the Executive Board on behalf of Kim and Lotz.

He also thanked Texas Baptists for their gifts to Baptist World Aid, which supported Baptists' relief and development work around the globe.

“They couldn't have done it without you,” he said.