Posted: 6/06/03
LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for June 22

The law reveals sin, but only Christ redeems

Galatians 3:21-4:7

By Jim Perkins

Madison Hills Baptist Church, San Antonio

It has been said that to appreciate best the place where you are now, you need look no further than the place from which you came. We would be wise and blessed to do just that.

Appreciate the past

Paul reminded his readers in 3:15-18 of the impact of a distant, yet vital event: The promises of God to Abraham–and specifically the coming of the Seed (Christ)–historically preceded the introduction of the law of Moses by 430 years. Much the same as with a legal will, the covenant God established through Abraham remained in effect; its promises were unchanged and still valid even through passing of the centuries.

The apostle, however, does not denigrate the law in this passage. The law was not “opposed to the promises of God” (3:21), but instead served God's predetermined purposes.

Although impotent to save people–salvation is always by faith–the law did function to demonstrate mankind's universal and dangerous plight: Our inevitable propensity to sin. The law illuminated our inability to gain righteousness through ill-fated attempts at justification through obedience to the law, and as a consequence propelled us toward the promise of faith in Christ as Savior.

One other picture of the law is offered in 3:24-25. Paul described the function of the law as a type of stern, disciplinary “babysitter” or “guardian”–a term his Greek audience would have understood very well. The image here was of a very stern disciplinarian who accompanied the young person in his care, and who was not above using the rod to reinforce lessons and ethical mores. As such, the law did not function to wean us from sin, but instead to reveal the depth of our inevitable rebellion and the hopelessness of any self-help program.

Acknowledge

your new family

Such a grand statement in 3:26: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”! It serves as a fitting summary of the truth of the gospel: Through faith in Christ we have gone from a minor experiencing the harsh tutelage of the law (3:25), to an adult child of God, with all the rights and privileges of an heir of the promise to Abraham. We join with John as he proclaimed with great joy “that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

At the same time, to be a son or daughter of God through faith in Christ also means we are joined together with all other believers as members of a new family–the family of God. Because of our relationship to the Father, old classes or distinctions lose their importance; all have equal access to new life in Christ (3:28). Let us not forget Paul's radical (for his time) and joyful proclamation of this truth. Gender, race and social class–they were and are still today meaningless as a basis for relating to God and to one another as the family of God.

Do be faithful, however, to interpret this passage within its context and with due respect for Paul's intentions as inspired by the Spirit of God. We should neither diminish nor improperly expand its intended application to right standing with God and membership in the family of God. Additional arenas of church life are addressed in other Pauline passages; we will look there for biblical guidance.

Accept your new privileges

As becomes obvious to all Christians who spend time in his letters, Paul was a master writer and illustrator. In the current passage, the apostle has employed several analogies to emphasize the rights and freedoms we enjoy as we each become an obedient child of God through faith in Christ. Paul has reminded us that we are no longer under the curse of the law (3:13), nor are we shut up as a prisoner of sin (3:22). We are freed from the necessity of that harsh baby-sitter (3:24), and freed from the tyranny of being judged by race, rank or gender (3:28).

Paul added the analogy of a child who was an heir, but also a minor. Because of his young age, he was subjected to the strict guidance of guardians–which in some ways left the minor heir with rights no different than a slave (4:1). By contrast, however, Christians have received the full rights of an heir through faith in Christ. We are confident of this truth because of the witness of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within the believer. Through the comfort and confidence imparted because “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,” we naturally call out to our God with the appellation of respect and familial closeness: “Father” (4:6).

One last warning is appropriate: Avoid adherence to enslaving “basic principles of the world,” whether pagan religious practices exclusively, or also certain requirements of Jewish law. In either case, these basic–even evil–principles were made irrelevant because of the perfect Son, who was sent at the perfect time to redeem perfectly (and grant full rights of sonship to) those formerly under the law (4:3-5).

Questions for discussion

What “basic principles” of the world threaten the freedom we enjoy to serve Christ obediently and faithfully?

In what manner have the truths of 3:28 influenced your personal life and the life of your church?

Posted: 6/06/03
LifeWay Family Bible Series for June 15

Ministry is the privilege of every believer

Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11

By Tim Owens

First Baptist Church, Bryan

A wonderful story has been told about Poland's famous concert pianist and prime minister, Ignace Paderewski. It is a true story of a mother who took her child to a concert to expose him to the talent of the great pianist. She hoped to encourage her son in his piano lessons, which he had just begun. They arrived early at the concert and were seated near the front. Standing alone on the stage was a marvelous Steinway grand piano. As they waited for the concert to begin, the mother entered into a conversation with the people beside her.

Eventually, 8 o'clock came, and the lights began to dim. Everyone turned their attention to the stage and the grand piano. The mother looked up and was horrified. Her son was sitting at the piano and playing with one finger, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” “Oh no,” she thought, “How am I going to get him down?”

As she began to make her way to the stage, Ignace Paderewski appeared on stage. He went over and sat down beside the child. He whispered in the child's ear, “Don't quit; keep playing!” As the little boy continued to play, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began to fill in the bass part. Then with his right arm around the little boy, he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.

When Christians are playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and thinking their gifts are too small for God to use, God comes beside them, sits down with them, and whispers in their ear, “Don't quit; keep playing.”

This is the message of three passages of Scripture–Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Peter 4:10-11. Paul concludes the book of Romans by appealing to his readers to live out their faith in practical ways, including exercising their spiritual gifts. In anticipation of the end time, Peter admonished his readers to use their gifts to serve others. The church reveals itself to be a community of grace when all members are ministering with their gifts to meet the needs of others. In mutual ministry, every Christian belongs to Christ and is responsible for building up the church.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” This passage is the basis for a major shift taking place in the church of the 21st century. The following ways of “doing church” have developed over time, and they represent a subtle drift away from both biblical and effective ministry.

Most pastors and church staff members are thought of as "professionals" who perform the "important" ministries, while the laity performs the "less important" ministries.

Many lead pastors function as a CEO or COO, whose role is more administrative rather than the spiritual development of God's people.

Senior pastors are treated on the part of the church membership as the one who is paid to do the ministry, while the members consume the sermons, visits, calls, etc.

What is beginning to emerge in the church of the 21st century is a return to the biblical model of Christian ministry. More Christians no longer want mediated expressions of faith that come from “professionals,” nor do they want pastors to be merely administrative leaders who manage the church. Instead, they want spiritual leaders who can lead them into personal expressions of faith and ministry. They want a spiritual mentor who will walk with them on their journey of faith.

The churches who are willing to make this shift will experience the removal of the erroneous dichotomy between spiritual experts (clergy) and spiritual amateurs (laity). They will enjoy the liberating grace that the church is not made up of two classes of people, clergy and laity. Rather, every believer is a spiritual priest with a ministry. More Christians are unwilling to follow leaders who are doing the ministry for them. Instead they are looking for team-based leaders who are willing to say, “Come join me in spiritual growth and ministry.”

On the part of pastors and church staff, the shift requires a much more intense commitment to personal, spiritual growth. A leader cannot give what he or she does not have. The priority is to model what it means to be a Christian rather than to be a “professional minister.” To treat every believer as truly a priest in ministry means the role of the church staff shifts from “doers” to “equippers.” It means the goal in ministry shifts from being program-driven to community-driven, where all Christians are encouraged to discover their gifts in ministry, equipped in how to use those gifts and empowered to exercise their gifts for the growth of the church.

On the part of church members, the shift invites God's people to move from being spectators of ministry to being participants in ministry. Ministry leaders who are committed to equipping God's people and believers who are committed to exercising their gifts in the ministry of the church will bring the church to the “whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

Question for discussion

What has God whispered in your ear that you have been too timid to follow through on?

Posted: 6/06/03
LifeWay Family Bible Series for June 22

The Acts 2 church is a good measuring stick

Acts 2:42-47; Ephesians 4:1-6

By Tim Owens

First Baptist Church, Bryan

In American society, individualism is championed. It is true each individual must decide whether he or she will allow Jesus Christ to be Savior and Lord of life. It is true each person must give account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). However, individualism can create loneliness and isolation.

Individualism can result in fractured relationships, broken homes and divided churches. Church members may come and go to worship services while never having experienced significant and meaningful community with other believers. Acts 2:42-27 and Ephesians 4:1-6 help believers to evaluate the quality of the fellowship in their church and to make adjustments so fellowship is strengthened.

In Acts 2:42-47, the church is functioning under the effects of the day of Pentecost. These verses present a beautiful picture of a Spirit-driven church. What does a Spirit-driven church look like? First, the Spirit-driven church is a teaching church. In Acts 2, the members devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. When the Holy Spirit came upon the church, the members engaged their minds to discover more about their new-found faith in Jesus Christ.

Current churches put much emphasis on corporate worship and rightfully so, but not to the point of diminishing the teaching of Christ and his word. The Spirit-driven church is a church where the Scriptures are taught, heard, learned and practiced.

Second, the Spirit-driven church is a loving church. In Acts 2, the members devoted themselves to fellowship. The word is “koinonia.” It refers to the common life of the church, the experiences believers share together, the common love that binds believers together and the common commitment to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ. New Testament fellowship is when believers are sharing with each other the person whom they all adore, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whether believers meet in a large worship setting, in small groups or in ones and twos, the person of Christ is the most dominant topic of conversation. Koinonia is very close to another Greek word, “koinoni-kos,” which is the Greek word for generous. Luke could have had this word in mind when he was talking about koinonia. Believers were sharing life together. They were pooling their material resources together. When there were needs within the fellowship of the church, the members were determined to meet those needs.

Third, the Spirit-driven church is a worshipping church. In Acts 2, the members devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and prayer. Their fellowship culminated in corporate worship. The worship of the New Testament church was both in the temple courts and in their homes. They worshipped in one large gathering, and they worshipped in small groups. Their worship was both joyful and reverent. They worshipped with glad and sincere hearts, and as they worshipped, they were filled with awe.

Fourth, the Spirit-driven church is a witnessing church. The last sentence in Acts 2:47 reads: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” The early church was not so preoccupied with teaching, loving and worshipping that they failed to witness. Where the Holy Spirit is free to control the church, He will always create a witnessing church.

Believers can evaluate their church by the Acts 2 church. It was a church related to their teachers in submission to the Scripture. It was a church related to one another through loving fellowship. It was a church related to God through joyful, reverent worship. It was a church related to the world through gospel witness.

Ephesians 4:1-6 gives practical instruction as to how the church can guard the unity of its fellowship. While the Holy Spirit creates unity in the church, believers have the responsibility to guard it and strengthen it through humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness.

In God's sight, everyone who receives Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord of life is a part of one body. There can be different denominations, different traditions and different churches who align themselves with different church/mission-support systems. However, this passage teaches that people who have embraced by faith the one Spirit, the one Lord Jesus Christ and the one God constitute the one family of God.

The question is: Are believers eager to find a visible expression of Christian unity? It is at this very point that the mission of the church is at stake. Mission and unity hang together. When believers do not demonstrate unity in the person and mission of Jesus Christ, their witness will not be heard, and deservedly so. How can Christians preach a message of reconciliation if they are not willing to be reconciled to each other in Christ?

Unity does not mean unity at any cost. Unity does not mean diluting the essentials of the Christian faith. Unity does not refer to a single church or denominational structure. Unity does not mean we must agree on everything. But unity does mean believers magnify the things they hold in common, that believers value each other and declare a common commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Question for discussion

Looking at these characteristics of the Acts 2 church, what can you do to help your church better exemplify Christ to your community?

Posted: 6/06/03

Veteran Texas pastor Leroy Fenton

to lead Baptist Standard development

Leroy Fenton, a veteran Texas Baptist pastor and denominational leader, has been named development director of the Baptist Standard.

Fenton has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Waxahachie since 1977. He will begin his duties with the Standard in mid-summer.

“Leroy Fenton is the perfect person to guide the Standard's fund-raising efforts,” said the paper's editor, Marv Knox. “Both the board of directors and staff are thrilled that he will join us in this capacity, which is vitally important for the Standard's future.”

Fenton possesses several qualities that suit him well for his new task, Knox said.

“No one understands or believes in the Standard's mission better than Leroy,” he said. “He fully recognizes Texas Baptists need to know about the events, developments and people who are shaping the Kingdom of God in the Lone Star State. He realizes this is important for the spiritual health of the people, the vitality of the churches, the well-being of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the cause of Christ.”

In addition, Fenton's integrity, wisdom and character qualify him to call upon Texas Baptists on behalf of their newspaper, Knox added. “No leader in Texas Baptist life has earned more respect than Leroy Fenton,” he said. “All across the state, he is known as an upright, faithful and insightful Christian statesman.”

Although the Standard is affiliated with the BGCT, it is the only state Baptist paper that does not receive a subsidy from the Cooperative Program budget. The Standard began a development program two years ago to raise operating funds as well as endowment that will secure its financial viability and underwrite new ministries.

Prior to taking the Waxahachie pastorate, Fenton was pastor of Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Adamsville Baptist Church in Lampasas County and Concord Baptist Church in Yazoo County, Miss., and associate pastor of South Avenue Baptist Church in Pasadena.

Fenton has been chairman of the BGCT's Executive Board, Effectiveness/Efficiency Funding Committee, Theological Education Committee and the subcommittee that launched the Lay Theological Education program, as well as chairman of the Baptist Standard's board of directors. He was vice chairman of the BGCT's Effectiveness/Efficiency Committee. He currently is a member of the BGCT Administrative Committee.

He also has served as moderator of Ellis Baptist Association, vice moderator of Tarrant Baptist Association and on various committees in both associations and the BGCT. He has been active in community affairs in both Waxahachie and Fort Worth.

He has traveled globally and participated in missions/ministry/evangelistic trips to Brazil, Switzerland, France, Italy, Russia, Estonia, China and Mexico.

Fenton is a graduate of Mississippi College and earned bachelor's and doctor's degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taught adjunctively at Southwestern Seminary.

He and his wife, Jan, are the parents of three adult children.

Posted: 6/06/03

Builders roll in to Forestburg
with witness on wheels

By Jo Gray

Special to the Standard

FORESTBURG–When 23 motor homes and travel trailers pulled in to Forestburg recently, the locals took notice. In a community of about 400 residents, the arrival of so many strangers immediately became the topic of discussion at the post office and general store.

Shortly after a sign was erected on Highway 455–the main street through this small Montague County town–smiles were seen and answers revealed. The visitors were members of the Texas Baptist Men Builders. They had come to help construct an addition to the local Baptist church.

Setting up camp on a large dirt parking lot directly across the street from First Baptist Church, the men and women said they had come to serve God.

“We're all called to serve, and this is lots better than sitting home in the rocking chair,” said Wayne Simpkins, state coordinator of Texas Baptist Men Builders.

He and his wife, Rena, live in Byrn but are on the road about half the year.

The retired teacher said he got involved with the group about 13 years ago and has helped build 145 to 150 churches–churches that would not be able to have adequate facilities without the free labor provided by Texas Baptist Men.

“I never know how many will show up,” Simpkins said of the builders. “I don't always have as many as I think we need, but apparently the Lord thinks we have enough. We get it done.”

This is the third time some of these volunteers have set up camp in Forestburg to help the small Baptist congregation. The first time was after the church building burned in 1989. The second time was in 1998, when a new education building was constructed and the fellowship hall was expanded.

The average age of the worker is the mid-70s, Simpkins said.

Pointing to an elderly man working an electric saw, he added, “Ed Adolfson is our head carpenter. He's 81.”

Adolfson, like a few of the other regulars, is called on when Simpkins schedules the work to be done in any Texas community that deals directly with church construction.

Rena Simpkins and Peggy Rast check for prayer requests on Simpkins' hand-held computer prior to the women's Bible study and prayer meeting.

“I send five men out,” Simpkins said, listing the assignments given to each: “I send a plumber, an electrician, a carpenter, a spiritual leader and someone to set up the camp.”

By the time the other rigs roll into town, electrical outlets and water connections have been prepared at each campsite. And a washer and dryer have been placed near the center of the campsite.

Before each day's work, the men and women gather for a morning devotional. Then the walls start to go up, electricity and plumbing are installed, and the 6,700-square-foot space begins to take shape.

In two weeks of work, the volunteers transformed a metal shell into a building 70 percent finished.

Large rectangular cut-outs in the back wall of the interior marked the place for a new pipe organ to be installed. The 700-pipe Wickes organ has been donated by a former member, John David Dill of Denton, in memory of his late grandfather, Lewis Eldridge.

The new and larger worship space will help prepare the congregation for more growth, said Dale Hudspeth, building chairman. “A lot of people are moving in here from the Metroplex.”

Posted: 6/06/03

Gambling expansion a bust; social services suffer

By Ken Camp

Texas Baptist Communications

AUSTIN–Legislators generally held the line against gambling expansion in the just-ended session, according to representatives of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission.

But legislators cut programs benefiting the state's poorest and most vulnerable citizens in the process of balancing the state budget, added Phil Strickland, director of the Texas Baptist moral concerns and public policy agency.

“Every vote they cast was a stroke of the brush, painting a picture of what Texas will look like in years ahead,” he said. “In some ways, it's a good picture. But in others, it's tragic.”

Despite efforts by about 900 registered gambling lobbyists, lawmakers rejected most bids to expand legalized gambling in Texas. Proposals to legalize casino-style video terminals at Texas racetracks, to allow video gambling on Indian reservations and to permit local casinos in specific venues such as the Astrodome failed.

One exception was the approval of Texas participation in the multi-state Powerball lottery. Legislators approved the proposal when it was added as an amendment to a key education bill in the final hours of the session. Efforts by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, to strike the amendment proved unsuccessful.

Proponents of the bill claimed the high-jackpot lottery could generate more than $100 million for state coffers, a projection that Weston Ware of Texans Against Gambling labeled “ludicrous.”

“Powerball is just robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said. “Over two or three years, it's simply not going to generate the kind of significant income that its supporters claim. People who already are playing the lottery will just move their money, spending it on Powerball instead of whatever they're playing now.”

Gambling opponents also suffered a setback when legislators denied continued funding to operate a toll-free number for compulsive and problem gamblers. Gambling interests benefit by not having the hard data on gambling addiction or the stories of human suffering generated by the hotline, said Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and public policy for the Christian Life Commission.

But for the most part, gambling promoters stumbled in this session. Gambling expansion ironically failed due both to the opposition of some Republican leaders and the walkout of many House Democrats, Paynter observed.

The “Killer D's,” as they became known, temporarily relocated to Oklahoma to deny House Republicans a quorum and kill a redistricting proposal engineered by U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land. As a result, they also allowed other bills to die, including key gambling proposals.

“There was no parting of the Red River, but the Oklahoma Exodus resulted in a history-making week at the legislature,” Paynter said. “The exodus forced the redistricting bill to die in the House as deadlines ticked by. And at least seven pro-gambling bills fizzled in their House committees.”

Legislators spent much of the session struggling to pass a balanced budget. They approved a $117.4 billion spending plan that cut human services by denying budget increases and tightening eligibility requirements.

“The end result is 170,000 kids no longer eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program and up to 100,000 losing Medicaid,” Strickland said. “That means at least a quarter-million children losing access to health care.”

Medicaid changes also will result in 7,800 low-income pregnant women losing health care, according to the Health and Human Services Commission.

Legislators cut funding for home health care for the elderly by 15 percent. And flat budgets or small increases in other human-care areas actually will result in decreased services as the number of people in need continues to increase, Strickland added.

Ken Hall, president of Buckner Baptist Benevolences, noted his agency's child and family services unit will be hit with about a 3.5 percent reduction in reimbursement for its care of children.

Prison chaplains also fell victim to budget cuts. The final spending plan cut the annual budget for chaplains in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice by one-third.

Other key legislative actions included:

Campaign ethics. A reform measure supported by the Christian Life Commission appeared dead several weeks ago but was revived in the final hours of the session.

“There are 52 excellent ethics reforms in it,” Paynter said, pointing especially to provisions regarding disclosure and conflict of interest. She identified Rep. Steve Wolens, D-Dallas, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, R-Houston, as “the white-hat guys” who rescued that bill at the last minute.

Tort reform. After intense negotiations to reconcile differences between House and Senate proposals, lawmakers approved a bill capping medical malpractice lawsuits.

The compromise bill allows claimants to obtain up to $250,000 from medical personnel for pain and suffering, and it permits them to sue no more than two hospitals or nursing homes for punitive damages for a maximum of $250,000 each.

A related bill, supported by Texas Baptist child and family services agencies, protects the endowments of faith-based long-term care providers from lawsuits.

Mary Stephens, vice president for Buckner Retirement Services, said Paynter's efforts and a resolution about the issue passed by messengers to the 2002 Baptist General Convention of Texas proved valuable in persuading legislators to secure the protection care providers needed.

Vouchers. Proponents of tax-funded vouchers for students in religious schools aggressively pushed their agenda in the early weeks of the session, but they retreated after legislators soundly defeated a voucher proposal for “virtual charter schools.”

That proposal would have provided vouchers for home-school students using an online curriculum. Former U.S. Education Secretary Bill Bennett, who heads a company that sells the program, came to Austin to promote the measure.

Abortion. Lawmakers passed a bill mandating a 24-hour waiting period and requiring physicians to share information about fetal development with patients before performing abortions.

In a somewhat related move, legislators approved a prenatal protection bill. That measure establishes criminal and civil penalties for a third party who injures or takes the life of an unborn child against the mother's wishes.

Moment of silence. Legislators approved a bill requiring public school children to observe a moment of silence and to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each school day. The bill specifically states that the 60 seconds of silence can be used for prayer, meditation or quiet reflection.

Drunk driving. Lawmakers added a $100 surcharge to other penalties for people convicted of driving while intoxicated. The funds will be earmarked for emergency medical services and trauma care facilities.

Criminal justice. Legislators approved a legal defense fund for poor people, using Texas Bar Association dues and other fees paid by lawyers to finance the program.

Capital punishment. Efforts to enact a moratorium on capital punishment, to create life without parole as a sentencing option for juries, and a requirement that members of the state's Board of Pardons and Parole conduct a conference call about capital cases before voting on an execution order all failed.

Posted: 6/06/03

Survey says there's no cure-all for church growth

By Leslie Scanlon

Religion News Service

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (RNS)–Sometimes when a congregation's having trouble, folks look for the quick fix. By changing the music or moving to the suburbs or adding new programs, they think, everything will be OK.

But researchers involved in a large-scale study of U.S. congregations have found there's no one secret to success. Strong congregations can be large or small, urban or rural, and there's no simple formula for what works. But they say congregations that want to become extraordinary need to develop multiple strengths–to figure out what they do best, and to focus on those things.

The U.S. Congregational Life Survey is the largest profile of worshippers and their congregations ever produced in the United States–a survey of more than 300,000 worshippers from more than 2,200 congregations, taken in April 2001 as part of a broader body of research done in the United States, England, Australia and New Zealand. The congregations surveyed came from more than 50 faith groups, including non-denominational and Pentecostal congregations, Protestants and Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Jews, Buddhists and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Cynthia Woolever, director of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, argues that congregations can't legitimately use their size (“We're too small”) or affiliation (“We can't grow because our denomination is losing members”) as a reason not to be strong and vibrant.

The survey found examples of successful congregations of all sizes, in cities and in rural areas, in many different situations–leading Woolever and her colleagues to conclude, “Churches just really have to say, 'What's going to work for us in our location with the people who are here?'”

Among the most recent findings of the survey, as explained by Woolever:

Size does not determine a congregation's success. “Meaningful worship happens in congregations of all sizes,” not just those with the resources to put on what Woolever called “the best show.” In fact, people are more likely to participate actively in small congregations–to attend a Bible study or hold a leadership position, for example–than in bigger ones.

Conservative congregations and those that are historically black tended to do better on a number of measures than did mainline Protestant and Catholic churches. Conservative and historically black congregations were more likely to be places that helped people grow spiritually, where people found worship to be meaningful, where they actively participated and felt a sense of belonging.

Mid-sized congregations–those whose worship attendance was between 100 and 350–were given the best ratings in caring for children and youth. Catholic parishes scored the lowest in this, and conservative Protestant churches the highest.

Several factors seemed to predict growth. The strongest predictors for whether a congregation would get bigger were if the congregation did a good job caring for children and youth, had high levels of participation in small groups and other activities, and seemed welcoming to new people.

People who attend small congregations are more likely than those from mid-size or larger congregations to say they're growing spiritually and to feel empowered to use their gifts and talents for leadership. People also report a strong sense of belonging in small congregations.

Worshippers who are younger than the average age of those attending worship also have a strong sense of belonging, and “the sense of home is particularly important to younger people,” Woolever said. Congregations whose members are younger also tend to do a better job caring for children and teenagers.

When focusing on the community–everything from being involved in community service to voting and making charitable contributions–“size doesn't matter,” but mainline Protestant congregations have the strongest community focus, as do congregations with older worshippers, Woolever said.

Small congregations, conservative Protestant churches and historically black congregations have the strongest record of faith-sharing–placing the strongest emphasis on talking to others about their faith, inviting people to worship and reaching those with no connection to a congregation.

Posted: 6/06/03

Ken Hall to be nominated for
BGCT presidency at Lubbock convention

By Marv Knox

Editor

DALLAS–Ken Hall, president of Buckner Baptist Benevolences, will be nominated for president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas when it meets next fall.

Jim Denison, Hall's pastor at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, announced he will make the nomination when the BGCT convenes in Lubbock Nov. 10-11.

“I am convinced that Dr. Hall is God's man to lead Texas Baptists in the coming year and that the Lord will use him to guide us to our greatest potential for the kingdom,” Denison said.

“Under his leadership, Buckner has become the premiere global missions organization in Baptist life, connecting churches and ministries across the state to missions opportunities around the world,” Denison added. “He will guide us to the global significance Texas Baptists wish to embrace in this new century.”

Buckner, a ministry of the BGCT, will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2004. It offers child and family services in 22 communities and operates five retirement facilities across the state. It also provides support services for domestic and international adoptions and partners with groups to minister to orphans overseas.

Hall has been Buckner's president for 10 years, following a career as pastor of Texas Baptist churches.

Hall's leadership reflects the breadth of that experience, Denison noted.

“He has pastored some of the greatest churches in Texas Baptist life,” he said. “He knows the institutional work of Texas Baptists intimately. His leadership at Buckner has embraced the ethnic diversity and possibilities of our state. He is known and respected by Baptists across our convention. He will articulate our vision with clarity and motivate and energize our people to its fulfillment.”

Hall would be willing to serve as president because “I genuinely love the BGCT,” he said. “In this era of denominational change, the BGCT is the most functional denominational system. I believe in the BGCT, and I'm committed to it and its institutions and auxiliary ministries.”

He also agreed to be nominated because fellow pastors and others whom he respects and loves asked him to do it, he added.

In addition to Denison, some of those encouragers included longtime colleagues such as Pete Freeman, pastor of First Baptist Church in The Woodlands, and Rodney McGlothlin, pastor of First Baptist Church in College Station.

Hall is the right candidate at the right time because of his vision, Freeman said.

“Ken would bring a fresh and different perspective, being the head of a major Baptist institution,” he explained. “His previous pastoral and denominational experience would be invaluable to us.

“Ken knows and understands who we are as Texas Baptists and has a good perspective for where we ought to be in the future in relation to missions and evangelism. He understands where Texas Baptists need to be if we're going to be relevant.”

McGlothlin echoed that theme.

“As far as I'm concerned, Ken has been doing missions all along–doing it and not talking about it, not politicizing it” he said. “Buckner has led the way in facilitating ways for Texas Baptist churches to partner with other churches, with associations, state conventions and anyone else who's willing to cooperate. We have to find ways to connect and partner with others.

“Baptists and missions ought to be like a river flowing to the ocean–we'll find a way to get there, find a way to do it.”

Texas Baptist history offers ample precedent for a denominational agency president to serve simultaneously as state convention president.

Buckner Baptist Benevolences' founder and first president, R.C. Buckner, led the BGCT for 19 years. Three Baylor University presidents, Rufus Burleson, Samuel Palmer Brooks and Abner McCall, held the BGCT post while leading the convention's largest university. And two presidents of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lee Scarborough and E.D. Head, also accomplished the feat. Several other BGCT presidents either previously served as agency leaders or later took the helm of institutions.

Although 38 years have passed since McCall last held dual presidencies, Hall acknowledged the time may be right again.

“In an era when we're trying to redefine ourselves as a state convention to our constituency, in many ways our institutions are our churches' greatest denominational treasures,” he explained. “So, if I can encourage churches and institutions to support the BGCT, then, hopefully, I can give some credibility at this point.”

Although Hall noted he's not running for office and doesn't have a campaign platform, he said he intends to support the new world missions network being founded by the BGCT. While not touted as a missionary-sending organization, the new network is being described as a mechanism for offering Texas Baptists and their churches unique opportunities for conducting mission work worldwide.

“This is where we are,” Hall said of the network, which has not yet been named or staffed. “We need to be talking about collaborative partnerships with the BGCT rather than focusing on what used to be. It is a new day.”

The change in doing missions has been prompted in part by controversy with the Southern Baptist Convention, whose two missions agencies have drawn disfavor with some Texas Baptists, Hall acknowledged. But part of the reason for the change is a “cultural shift” that has led many churches to desire more hands-on missions participation, he added.

“The BGCT is out front on this,” he said. “It's not about control, but about cooperation, appreciation and collaboration.”

One hallmark of a Hall administration would be encouragement, he predicted.

“We need to be affirming each other,” he said. “That's my spirit, to be an affirmer. … I want to be a consensus builder and inclusive in the way we do things.

“I don't have an agenda other than listening to the people, defending who we are and getting people on board. … I'd love to make it possible for a lot of our people who felt on the outside to be on the inside.”

Pointing to what he perceives to be a change in the BGCT's response to the conflict that has divided Southern Baptists for more than two decades, Hall said: “I think, honestly, we've seen a shift in our leadership–toward who we are rather than what we're against. I want to keep that process going.”

One of Hall's presidential goals would be “to communicate a spirit of inclusiveness, of defining for the churches in our family our strengths,” he said. “The leadership of our convention believes all people deserve to be treated with dignity and honor and to hear the good news of Christ. That's who we are. … We're still preaching the uncompromised truth that God loves all people.”

Hall also would work to help Texas Baptists understand the strength of the BGCT. “We are an unbelievably strong denomination. Sometimes our people perceive us as being weak and (they) retreat, when that's absolutely false.

One of the key issues facing Texas Baptists is “redefining ourselves to our churches as a viable, necessary part of the kingdom advance,” Hall said.

“The biggest problem we have right now is that churches and individuals think the denomination is obsolete and not necessary. Rather than being unnecessary, the whole issue of collaborative ministry between churches and faith-based programs and ministries is the best example of what kingdom advance is,” he explained. “And advancing God's kingdom on earth is the mission of believers.”

Prior to becoming Buckner's president in 1994, Hall was pastor of First Baptist Church in Longview. Previous pastorates included Crestview Baptist Church in Midland, Eastwood Baptist Church in Gatesville and Riverside Baptist Church in Stephenville.

He has been a director of the Baptist Standard, chairman of the BGCT Committee on Committees, and member of the BGCT Executive Board and Resolutions Committee. He is a deacon at Park Cities Baptist Church.

He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler, earned master's and doctor's degrees from Southwestern Seminary, and is an honorary alumnus of Truett Seminary.

He and his wife, Linda, have two adult children.

Posted: 6/06/03

Four to be nominated for
Hispanic Convention presidency

By Marv Knox

Editor

Four pastors are expected to be nominated for president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas when it convenes in San Antonio June 22-24.

Baldemar Borrego, Alcides Guajardo and Angel Vela recently announced their candidacies. They join David Tamez, whose candidacy was announced earlier.

The new president will succeed Antonio Estrada of Houston, who will conclude three years as HBC president at the end of the San Antonio meeting.

Borrego, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza in Wichita Falls, was the HBC's first vice president from 1999 to 2001.

He currently is president of the HBC's Pastors' Conference. He has been a regional consultant for Texas Baptists' River Ministry.

Borrego is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, as well as founder and president of Family Integration Ministry.

He has broadcast on the radio for five years and also was a pioneer of Spanish television ministry in Wichita Falls.

He is a graduate of Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio. He and his wife, Aleida, are the parents of four children.

Borrego said the primary reason he is willing to serve as convention president is “to continue the work that has been done by the steering committee and the implementation team.” In 2001, the convention approved a 13-part strategic plan that is designed to develop leaders, make resources available to churches and help each church customize ministry to its community.

“I believe it is the right track for Hispanics in Texas,” Borrego said. “The plan is going to work fine; we're going to invite every church in the state to become participants. Some have only been a spectator, but with involvement, we can turn Texas upside down for Christ.”

He affirmed the contributions of leaders who have guided the convention through the years. “We are where we are because of their dedication and their constancy in the Baptist work,” he noted. “I have seen their tears, but also I have seen their joy when they see what has been accomplished, knowing that their work for the Lord has not been in vain.”

Borrego said he would use his presidential influence to “promote a dignified pastoral image, support a truthful unity among the Baptist churches in Texas and start implementing this program, that's going to work for every church in Texas.”

Guajardo, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Beeville, has served in a variety of denominational and church ministry positions and was a Southern Baptist home missionary 31 years.

Prior to becoming pastor of the Beeville church in 1996, he worked on the staff of Union Baptist Assiciation in the Houston area as Hispanic missions leader, missions development director and ministerial training director.

Guajardo also has served on the staffs of the Greater Orlando Baptist Association in Florida; LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tenn.; El Paso Baptist Association; Corpus Christi Baptist Association; and Hispanic Baptist Theological School. He has been pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Pasadena and was pastor of several mission congregations while he was a student in college and seminary.

He earned degrees from the University of Corpus Christi, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

He has written for numerous denominational periodicals and translated other materials. He and his wife, Frances, have written for Nuestra Tarea, a missions magazine in Spanish published by the Southern Baptist Woman's Missionary Union.

The Guajardos have three daughters and 11 grandchildren.

One of Guajardo's motivations for serving as HBC president is gratitude. “If it had not been for the denomination, I would not have a college degree and a seminary education,” he explained. “I have had an opportunity to serve at many levels in four associations, and I owe so very much to my denomination, which has given me all kinds of opportunities. Now, to the extent that I can, I would like to be able to give back.”

Guajardo also would appreciate a chance to serve “on the other side of the fence” after a career as a denominational worker, he added. “In the past, I had opportunity to consult and advise denominational leaders and help them do their work. Now, if I have the opportunity, I am able to become personally involved in leading, working with and advising people who are doing the work.”

He additionally would like to be able to “express my views (about Hispanic ministry in Texas) to people for whom those views would helpful,” he said.

As president, he would rely on his background in education to prepare pastors for effectiveness and train leadership for Hispanic churches, he said.

Guajardo also wants to see Hispanic churches “provide more resources necessary for the Baptist General Convention of Texas than we ever have before,” he said. “I think we can do a lot more to help support the BGCT in every way possible, but primarily financially.”

Vela, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Westway in El Paso, is the HBC's current first vice president.

He is a native of Durango, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with his wife, Delia, and their seven children in 1972. They are naturalized U.S. citizens.

He has been a pastor since 1977 and has been a full-time pastor for the past 12 years. Previously, he served bivocationally, driving buses while also leading churches in El Paso and Pecos.

That experience gave Vela a special sensitivity for the lives and ministry of bivocational ministers, he said.

In addition to his service as an HBC officer, Vela has been moderator of El Paso Baptist Association, where he's also been president of the Hispanic fellowship and served on committees.

Mrs. Vela has been president of the HBC pastors' wives' organization and has been chairperson of the Women Reaching Texas evangelism emphasis.

Vela earned a business administration degree in Mexico and also graduated from Southwestern Seminary.

Vela said he would want to use his experience to enhance the relationship between the Hispanic convention and the BGCT, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Convencion Nacional de Mexico and Union Bautista Latino Americana, as well as with the associations of churches statewide.

His experience as HBC first vice president would give him “the opportunity to continue the great job the president and the officers have done this far,” he said.

He also wants to place an emphasis on serving churches by helping their pastors. “My concern is the well-being of pastors and their families, because when the pastor is well taken care of, that's a sign of a healthy church, that in turn will produce healthy associations and consequently a healthy convention,” he said. “And when that happens, unity will be achieved as well.

“The situation of most of our pastors in Texas is very precarious, and we as convencion must do something to alleviate this problem, and we need to start at home first.”

Tamez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Tyler, has traveled widely in Spanish-speaking countries, training pastors.

He has been pastor of churches in Fort Worth and Tyler. He also has been professor of pastoral ministries at Seminario Teologico Bautista Mexicana, as well as director of the Christian education department and teacher at the Instituto Evangelistico de Mexico, both in Mexico. He has led pastor-training conferences in Argentina, Cuba, Honduras, Israel, Mexico, Nicaragua and Spain.

He has been a missions promoter for Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth and president of the Hispanic Baptist Fellowship in Fort Worth and the East Texas Hispanic Baptist Fellowship.

He is a graduate of the Instituto Politecnico Nacional in Mexico and Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Liverpool in England and Trinity Theological Seminary in Indiana.

He and his wife, Ruth, have three children.

Tamez said he is not seeking the presidency but will feel blessed to serve if elected.

“I am not looking for this, but I am looking to do the will of God, and if this is his will, I am available to serve in this position,” he said. “I believe in a sovereign God, and my life and ministry are in his hands.”

As president, Tamez would focus on his longtime calling to train and equip pastors for ministry, he said.

“I have a passion for pastors, and since the beginning of my ministry, the Lord has used me to minister with pastors,” he said. “Our convention has a vision to partner with the Mexican Baptist Convention and train pastors. … One of the strongest needs is to develop the leadership, to train the pastors in order to lead the people.”

One of his goals would be to help unify Hispanic Baptists, Tamez said.

“Our churches are struggling with problems, and one of the main problems I can see is unity,” he explained. “We need to learn to work together for the sake of the gospel. If we want to impact our communities, state and the uttermost parts of the world, we need to learn to work together to accomplish goals.”

Posted: 6/06/03

HSU ensemble visits Brazil

ABILENE–Students from Hardin-Simmons University were well-received in Brazil on a recent tour where they performed chamber music, contemporary Christian music and jazz.

The 10-member ensemble known as Simmons Classic was led by Loyd Hawthorne, professor of church music.

Dale and Sue Carter, retired Baptist missionaries who are members of First Baptist Church in Abilene, traveled with the group and served as translators.

The group spent a week performing concerts in Saõ Paulo, Recife and the community of Olinda. They sang in English with the exception of one piece that was sung in Portuguese.

In Recife, the ensemble sang for a full audience at the Baptist Seminary. To their surprise, the composer of the piece they performed in Portuguese was in the audience and was thrilled to hear his composition.

In Sao Paulo, they performed at a fund-raiser for Oasis Ministries, a British-Brazilian Baptist organization that helps educate children and train adults for the job market.

The city of Sao Paulo was overwhelming to the West Texans, reported John Richardson of Abilene. It is the third-largest city in the world, with a population of more than 20 million. The sight of the favelas, or Brazilian slums, especially touched him, he said.

“Houses are stacked upon houses in valleys with high-rise luxury apartments looking down on them from the hilltops–a true image of the social structure in the city,” he said.

In the community of Olinda, they visited a church and the favela's church-sponsored school, where they distributed school supplies sent from a women's group at First Baptist Church of Abilene.

Michael Austin, a senior from Dumas, said because of the interaction with the Brazilian people he now realizes that “the body of Christ isn't just my home church or American denominations–it's also all the people who sat in a hot, humid, and packed-out church to worship with us as one family through Jesus Christ.”

Posted: 6/06/03

FATHER KNOWS BEST:
Philanthropist Paul Meyer

By Lacy Elwood

Special to the Standard

WACO–Instead of receiving gifts this Father's Day, Waco multi-millionaire Paul Meyer wants to give a few to his five children and 15 grandchildren–in the way of 294 pages of inspiration.

Meyer, founder of Success Motivation, a Christian-based motivational company, spent three and a half years writing his book “Unlocking Your Legacy: 25 Keys for Success.” The book chronicles the Christian attitudes Meyer wishes to pass on to his children, a series of chapters he considers to be his legacy.

“Remember,” Meyer tells his children, “you're a Christian, and you're a Meyer. Act that way.”

For the Meyer family, acting like their 75-year-old father means living the values of integrity, honesty, discipline, love and faith in God. Meyer said he wrote the book to encourage his family to incorporate those values in their lives and also to encourage others to leave a legacy of their own.

Meyer bases the book around 25 keys to success, beginning with the “most imperative,” love. “Everything of value must start somewhere,” he wrote, and love is where every good legacy begins.

Other chapters cover “The Rise and Fall of Discipline,” “Laughing at Life,” and “Living Life with an Attitude of Gratitude.”

Meyer, a member of First Baptist Church of Woodway, writes at length about the importance of prayer. He became a Christian at 16, and he begins each day in prayer, sometimes for a few minutes and sometimes for hours.

Meyer also discusses the principle of trust in great detail in key 10, “My Word is My Bond.”

There, Meyer hits upon an aspect of trust unfamiliar to many Americans. When he makes promises, deals or even just simple agreements, he relies solely on a handshake and another person's word.

“I just shake hands with people and trust them,” he explained. “I'm suspecting of somebody that wants a contract. If he's going to cheat me later, he'll cheat me now.”

And any promises he makes are almost immediately written down, told to his wife Jane and put in a safe deposit box. At the end of each year, Meyer sorts through his promises, and those that have not been fulfilled are added to his will.

People trust him, he said, because he actually follows through with his promises and does what he says he will do.

Although his lawyers call him crazy, Meyer continues to sign deals with a simple handshake. He buys antique cars over the phone without ever seeing what he's buying and even bought an apartment complex for $1 million in a deal signed on the back of a restaurant place mat.

Even though he has run across people whose word could not be trusted, he still insists on believing in his fellow man's handshake.

“I ask God to protect me from people who want to take advantage of me, but I have been taken advantage of,” Meyer said. “But I had a pair of pants shrink up on me once, and I didn't quit wearing pants.”

His positive attitude, which he considers part of his inheritance from his parents, has carried him from a 19-year-old life insurance salesman to the owner of one of the largest companies in the world. After selling $1 million in insurance in 60 days, he set the goal to eventually sell the same amount in just one day. Others quickly picked up on his motivating attitude and suggested he teach courses in positive selling.

The courses turned into Success Motivation. Meyer claims he retired at age 70 but also admits he works just as hard at age 75 as he did when he was 45. Since his retirement, Meyer has written three books and numerous booklets and serves as the president of the Paul Meyer Family Foundation, an organization that supports his love of giving to others.

“There is no joy in the world like the joy of giving,” Meyer said.

He told the Dallas Morning News that it disturbs him that more people don't use their wealth to help others, especially Christians. Meyer began tithing in his 20s, but after hearing Christian businessman R.G. LeTourneau speak about donating 90 percent of his income to the church, he realized his endeavors weren't quite enough.

Since its inception in 1984, Meyer's foundation has donated more than $43 million, mostly to Central Texas charities and residents. Frequent recipients include Waco's Boys and Girls Club, Baylor University and the Passport to Success Foundation.

Through Passport to Success, the Meyer family has enabled thousands of disadvantaged youth and young adults to attend college. Meyer's program since has influenced several other Waco families to start college programs of their own.

“I've got a heart for kids and education because I didn't get to go to school,” Meyer explained.

Regardless of education, status, beliefs and background, everyone has a legacy to leave behind, Meyer said.

“Write down the attributes you want to pass on to your family, not just what you're going to do with your life, but the things inside of you that you want to pass on,” he advised. “Think about how you want to be remembered, and start living your life that way now.”

Posted: 6/06/03

Navy chaplain will ask messengers
to overturn NAMB policy on women

By Craig Bird & Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)–The Southern Baptist Convention's shift to endorsement of female chaplains only if they are not ordained seriously undermines the spiritual effectiveness of all ordained military chaplains, according to one of the Navy's top chaplains.

Capt. Al Hill, a lifelong Southern Baptist and a 25-year veteran chaplain, said June 3 that a motion will be presented at the June 17-18 Southern Baptist Convention to reverse the policy now practiced by the North American Mission Board, the SBC's chaplain-endorsing agency.

The policy, approved by NAMB trustees in February, permits women to be endorsed as chaplains in the military and elsewhere only if they are not ordained. The policy is aimed at appeasing conservative critics who oppose the ordination of women. Rather than not appointing any female chaplains, as some would prefer, NAMB contends ordination is not necessary for chaplains.

“Regardless of Capt. Hill's views of ordination, most Southern Baptists do not consider ordination necessary for ministry,” said NAMB spokesman Martin King.

Hill, director of the training and education division in the Navy Chief of Chaplains Office, met for two hours May 28 with John Yarbrough, NAMB vice president for evangelization–a meeting the chaplain said was conducted in “a spirit of graciousness and openness.” Hill said he left the meeting optimistic NAMB trustees would reconsider their February action, which he said is opposed by most Baptist chaplains in the Navy.

Instead, Hill said June 3, the trustees' chaplains commission declined a recommendation from Yarborough to place the issue on the agenda of the full trustee board meeting in October. Members of the commission said they would discuss the issue further at their August meeting and decide if it would be placed on the October agenda, Hill said, but that is too long to wait.

“I am surprised and disappointed,” Hill said. “They may or may not choose to recommend full board action, but waiting to find out is an unacceptable option. Their decision makes it necessary to present a motion on the floor of the convention in two weeks that will force the trustees to address the issue before the next convention.”

King, the NAMB spokesman, said the agency's policy was designed to honor the SBC's opposition to women pastors while not eliminating ministry by women.

“The North American Mission Board supports women in chaplaincy in positions that are not the equivalent of a senior pastor,” King said. “We renew our pledge to stand with any female Southern Baptist chaplain who is discriminated against because she is not ordained.”

But Hill and others say the NAMB policy is impractical. In the armed services, the position of chaplain cannot be separated from the role of pastor, Hill said, and neither can female chaplains minister exclusively to female soldiers and families, as one NAMB trustee suggested.

Moreover, “to endorse anyone who has not been ordained is to proclaim the ordination of all Southern Baptist military chaplains as unnecessary and irrelevant,” Hill added. “It is to strip all of us–in one stroke–of the sign and seal of our spiritual authority as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to do this to us while we labor in a vineyard more difficult to harvest than any local Southern Baptist church, where the infrastructure acknowledges and enhances the spiritual authority of the pastor.”

The NAMB policy does not intersect well with military culture, Hill said.

By law, there are no positions of senior pastoral leadership that are “off-limits” to women military chaplains, he pointed out. “A woman, ordained or unordained, is expected to fulfill the same pastoral role as her male counterpart, from the first day in the military to her last.”

All military chaplains, “preach the gospel, perform baptisms, provide communion, lead worship, teach the Bible, conduct weddings and funerals, visit in hospitals and jails, around the world, at sea and in the field, in peacetime and in war,” he explained.

Additionally rank, not gender, determines who is “in authority” in the military, he said. For example, he noted that a woman is the current Air Force chief of chaplains.

Hill also warned that the NAMB policy “removes Southern Baptist chaplains from the ranks of all other mainstream Christian denominations and aligns us squarely alongside Christian Scientists and Mormons, two religious groups that do not require ordination for endorsement for military chaplancy.”

Three months ago, Hill e-mailed 134 active-duty Navy chaplains endorsed by NAMB. Through May 27 he had received 40 replies and “had talked with another 12 to 15 in person.” Though specific objections vary, Hill said, none of more than 50 chaplains he has surveyed supports the NAMB policy in any way.

Late last year, NAMB dismissed Bob Vickers as director of its chaplaincy evangelism unit, reportedly because he did not enforce the ban on ordained females stringently enough.

NAMB's policy change and the dismissal of Vickers, who came up through the ranks of military chaplaincy himself, have sparked increased applications at other Baptist endorsing agencies. Both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship have experienced increased inquiries and applications for chaplaincy endorsements in recent months.