Storylist for week of 10/29/07

TAKE ME TO: Top Story |  Texas |  Opinion |  Baptists |  Faith & Culture |  Book Reviews |  Classifieds  |  Departments  |  Bible Study





• Where your treasure is…


• Buckner's Lufkin program celebrates 10 years of ministry to single parents

• Buckner opens Child Development Center in Romania

• Howard Payne students join Cancer Walk-a-thon

• Seven young Baylor alumni to be honored at homecoming

• Baylor alumni overwhelmingly proud of alma mater, survey says

• ETBU senior enjoys roaring-good life as mascot, student-athlete

• TV news story helps make a family complete

• For Southeast Texas foster couple, 14 makes a family

• ‘I love to see people come together to worship'

• God-sized vision drives Corpus Christi church to plant churches

• Bexar County youthful offenders find a second chance with KAPS

• Students explore world of opportunities during Mary Hardin-Baylor missions week

• One blogging minister nominates another for first VP

• Texas Baptists launch young leaders network

• All-State Choir & Band trip to Germany still on

• BGCT launches distinctive online missions connector

• On the Move

• Around the State

• Texas Tidbits


• CBF council affirms UN anti-poverty goals

• New collaboration shows ‘reconstruction' of Baptist family, CBF leader maintains

• Baptist Briefs


• Conservative ‘values voters' insist on anti-abortion candidate

• Yale panelists ask: ‘Is there a theological foundation for political engagement?'

• Separation of church and state great but misunderstood by many, panelists insist

• Senator backs off on funding earmarked for religious group

• Communities feel the squeeze of accelerated church growth

• Campaign for debt relief brings unlikely allies together

• Evangelicals look overseas to global concerns

• Evangelicals debate how faith influences politics

• Evangelicals are moving into power, but ends can be unclear, author says

• Faith Digest


• BOOKS: Faith in the Halls of Power


• Classified Ads

• Cartoon

• Texas Baptist Forum


• EDITORIAL: Good words for BGCT: ‘Oh, behave'

• DOWN HOME: Abundant blessings in a chicken joint

• 2nd Opinion: A lifelong friend & the Messiah

• TOGETHER: Details about the '08 budget process

• RIGHT or WRONG? Need for forgiveness

• Texas Baptist Forum

• Cybercolumn by Berry D. Simpson: All my strength



• BaptistWay Bible Series for October 28: It's a victorious life

• Bible Studies for Life Series for October 28: RESPECT–Find out what it means

• Explore the Bible Series for October 28: Centered on Christ

• BaptistWay Bible Series for November 4: Christ's love extends to all

• Bible Studies for Life Series for November 4: Seeking your Father's approval

• Explore the Bible Series for November 4: A caring community

Previously Posted:
• BGCT presidential nominees discuss challenges, relationships

• CBF council OKs UN anti-poverty goals, hears of year-end budget shortfall

• Midwestern Seminary board meeting ends without action against Roberts


• See articles from the previous 10/22/07 issue here.

Storylist for week of 11/05/07

TAKE ME TO: Top Story |  Texas |  Opinion |  Baptists |  Faith & Culture |  Book Reviews |  Classifieds  |  Departments  |  Bible Study





• First woman BGCT president elected, budget approved


Coverage of the BGCT Annual Meeting in Amarillo
• First woman BGCT president elected, budget approved

• African-American Texas Baptists gather for worship, praise

• Texas Baptists have worldwide influence through BWA, Coffey says

• Hispanic leaders take on local and international projects

• Foundation honors three


• See a photo slideshow from the BGCT annual meeting here.

• Howard Payne honors alumni and supporters

• On the Move

• Around the State

• Texas Tidbits


• Women challenged to ‘live the joy of missions'

• Tennessee Baptists gear up for struggle over trustees

• Memphis church gives new meaning to ‘I Surrender All'

• Baptist Briefs


• Israel claims artifacts found date to first Jewish temple

• Kinder, gentler Moses pictured in new Ten Commandments movie

• The Ten Commandments –1956 vs. 2007

• Falwell's church continues fast-paced growth

• Christian human rights lawyer reports persecution in China

• Americans don't want religious pitches from presidential candidates, poll says

• Court rules for teacher in private/public school dispute

• Church welcomes the ‘Scum of the Earth'

• Faith Digest


• Book Reviews


• Classified Ads

• Cartoon

• Texas Baptist Forum

• On the Move

• Around the State


• DOWN HOME: To logo, or not to logo

• EDITORIAL: Look past gender toward priorities

• TOGETHER: God answered prayers in Amarillo

• RIGHT or WRONG? Counseling liabilities

• 2nd Opinion: Knowing how the story ends

• Texas Baptist Forum

• Cybercolumn by Brett Younger: Jesus' church



• BaptistWay Bible Series for November 4: Christ's love extends to all

• Bible Studies for Life Series for November 4: Seeking your Father's approval

• Explore the Bible Series for November 4: A caring community

• BaptistWay Bible Series for November 11: Live in response to God's mercy

• Bible Studies for Life Series for November 11: The cure for anxious care

• Explore the Bible Series for November11: The call to be Jesus

Previously Posted:
• Convention Wrapup: First woman BGCT president elected, budget approved

• ‘See yourselves as children of God,' Amarillo pastor tells Texas Baptists

• BGCT president urges Texas Baptists to feed the flocks

• Wade recounts regrets, strides as BGCT executive director

• Warren challenges BGCT to promote PEACE globally

• Currie: If Texas Baptists ‘build it, they will come'

• Future of Texas Baptist missions lies in collaborations, communication

• WMU annual meeting features theme of “shaping” for God's purpose

• Tyler pastor elected first vice president

• First woman BGCT president elected

• ‘No confidence' in Executive Board motion introduced

• Missions take forefront among ministry awards recipients

• WMU board discusses transition, plans to select interim leader

• Early messenger count tops 1,500 in Amarillo

• More than 100 profess faith in Christ during CityReach

• BGCT presidential nominees discuss challenges, relationships


• See articles from the previous 10/29/07 issue here.

Posted: 11/16/07

Around the State

• N.T. Wright, the bishop of Durham Cathedral in the Church of England and a leading New Testament scholar, will be the featured speaker at a pastors and church leaders retreat at the Laity Lodge Retreat Center Nov. 25-27. Wright is the first speaker in a series made possible by a $500,000 grant from the M.D. Mathews Foundation of Houston. For more information, call (830) 792-1210.

• East Texas Baptist University will hold a “Shadow Day” for high school seniors and college transfer students Nov. 29-30. Visiting students will have the opportunity to spend the night in the dorm, socialize with current students, visit with professors and attend classes. There also will be an activity on Thursday evening. Pre-registration is required, and a $15 nonrefundable fee must be paid. For more information, call (800) 804-3828.

First Church in Sanger held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of its family life center. The 21,000-square-foot facility also will be used for education space as well as the headquarters of a sports ministry. A full-service kitchen also is one of the building’s components, and it was used to feed 500 people at the building’s dedication banquet. The church recently called Jeff Dooley as minister of education and activities to maximize the building’s ministry capabilities. The facility cost $1.7 million. E.L. McNeal is pastor.

• Howard Payne University will hold a “Southern Gospel Christmas” concert Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Featured guests will be the Melody Boys Quartet from Little Rock, Ark. Tickets are $10 per person. Seating is limited, so advance tickets are strongly encouraged. For more information, call (325) 649-8006.

• The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor recognized several people during homecoming activities. Kay Anderson, who taught at the university 30 years and continues to volunteer as the museum curator, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Siblings Rick, George, Cecilia and Lynda Solis received the Parker Award, given to a multimember alumni family.

• Laura Bush, wife of President George Bush, spoke at Dallas Baptist University Nov. 6 as part of a Helping America’s Youth conference.

• Trustees of Wayland Baptist University have elected officers for the year. Edgar Murphy was selected chairman; Don Jackson, vice chair; George Meriwether, secretary; and Gene Meacham as assistant secretary.

• Hunter Dunfield, a senior at San Marcos Baptist Academy, was one of 400 high school students from across the country selected to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.

Anniversaries

• Abilene Baptist Association, 50th, Oct. 15. Truman Turk is director of missions.

• Curtis Brewer, 25th, as choir/orchestra director at First Church in Odessa, Oct. 28.

• Mike Sellers, fifth, as pastor of administration at Tabernacle Church in Ennis, Nov. 1.

• Rafael Flores, fifth, as pastor of Iglesia Hispana Restauracion y Vida in Waxahachie, Nov. 2.

• First Church in Somerset, 150th, Nov. 4. Sedric Wesson is pastor.

• Alamo City Christian Fellowship, 20th, Nov. 4. David Walker, the church’s pastor, started the church, so it also was his 20th anniversary.

• Donnie Page, fifth, as minister of music at Hillcrest Church in Cedar Hill, Nov. 5.

Deaths

• June Marie White, 77, Sept. 26 in Austin. She served in ministry with her husband 44 years as he was pastor in Snyder, Coahoma, Phillips, Big Spring, El Paso and, at the time of her death, Quail Valley Church in San Angelo. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Guy; sons, Guy Jr. and Danny Earl; brother, George Dugosh; sister, Sandra Grona; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

• Bouahom Keomoung-Khoune, 54, Nov. 1 in Dallas. He was pastor of the First Church Laotian Mission in Amarillo since 1983. He died while awaiting a liver transplant. He came to the United States in 1976 and moved to Amarillo in 1977. He was a member of the Lao Southern Baptists of Texas and served as president from 2003 to 2005. He also was a member of the Lao Southern Baptist Fellowship and was vice president from 1998 until 2004. He is survived by his wife, Sing; daughters, Bonnie Keomoung-Khoune and Nickie Daraphone; son, Felix; sister, Chantom Sananikone; brothers, Praseuth, Bounkeuth and Khampouth; and two grandchildren.

• Mike Graham, 60, Nov. 4 in College Station. Graham formerly was Baptist Student Ministries director at Texas A&M University and Tarleton State University. He served the College Station students 16 years. He was killed in an automobile accident. He is survived by his wife, Diane; sons, Matt and Grant; mother, Olive; and brother, Pat.

• Jeroline Baker, 75, Nov. 5 in Frankfort, Ky. She was a professor of childhood education at Southwestern Seminary 27 years. She made a lasting contribution to children’s ministry through teaching, writing and leading conferences across the country.

• Jarrell McCracken, 79, Nov. 7 in Waco. McCracken was the founder of Word, Inc., one of the world’s largest Christian entertainment companies. A one-time radio play-by-play radio announcer for Baylor Bear sports, he retained a lifelong interest in Baylor sports and was president of the Baylor University Stadium Corporation in 1972 and directed what is now the Baylor Alumni Association. He also was founder of Bentwood Farms, which managed some of the most valuable Arabian horses in the world. He was a member of Seventh and James Church in Waco throughout his life. He is survived by his wife, Judy; and children, Lisa and Tim.

Ordained

• Zack Williamson and Doug Davis as deacons at Amelia Church in Beaumont.

• Jim Conner, Steven Cooke, Glen Goodwin, George Harrell, Jeff Waits, Christopher Scott, Karl Shank, Ricky Thigpen and Mark Waters as deacons at Central Church in Livingston.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

Book Reviews

A Dream That Came to Life: The History of the Laity Lodge Retreat Center by Howard Hovde (Smyth & Helwys)

Laity Lodge Director Emeritus Howard Hovde paints a wonderful picture of a place described as “like going to heaven without having to pass through the Pearly Gates.” Hovde shares background stories of the Holdsworth and Butt families that united through the marriage of Mary Holdsworth to Howard E. Butt Sr., founder of the HEB grocery company. Together, they created a nonprofit foundation to “help meet needs of families, children and the community.” The foundation eventually purchased a 1,900-acre ranch near Leakey for children to enjoy. Their oldest son, Howard Jr., expanded the dream to include a retreat center where lay people could learn about “integrating faith and love into everyday living.”

What are you reading that other Texas Baptists would find helpful? Send suggestions and reviews to books@baptiststandard.com.

Hovde intersperses philosophy, organization and history with interesting stories of people who influenced the direction of Laity Lodge. For good measure, he adds heart stories of those influenced by the center, including author Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time) and The Message translator Eugene Peterson, who wrote while staying at Laity Lodge. A valuable appendix, including leadership tips, poems and a list of significant books, completes the work.

Inspiring stories turn what could be a dry history into a quick read.

Kathy Robinson Hillman, former president

Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, Waco

Fusion! Gospel: The Gospel of Jesus Christ by Allan Tracy (XLibris)

Allan Tracy presents a “seamless and chronological gospel presentation.” Attempts at harmonizing the Gospels commonly produce parallel-column harmonies or prose renderings. Tracy, however, weaves Gospel texts “into a single telling of events,” generally following the accepted chronology of Jesus.

Reading Jesus’ full story has undeniable value, the greatest of which is to generate further study. Without verse markings or a reference grid, finding the underlying passages for this work is a chore.

Caution rules regarding Tracy’s “merging of details,” which often requires merging verses. Blending Matthew 5:3 with Luke 6:20 yields “Happy, in spirit, are the poor” replacing spiritual poverty with worldly poverty. Luke’s “Blessed are you who hunger now” plus Matthew’s “those who mourn” becomes “Happy are those who mourn for now.”

Locating landmark passages is difficult. John’s prologue appears between John the Baptist’s ministry and Jesus’ baptism. Thus the gospel’s grand overture is neutralized and John 1:14, “The word became flesh” is omitted! One wonders what else has been excluded.

No explanations for translation or harmonization are provided, and the work begs for independent study helps. The book will be best used with informed guidance.

Mark Dunn, pastor

Rosemont Baptist Church, Montrose, Colo.

Being Christian in an Almost Chosen Nation: Thinking About Faith And Politics by H. Stephen Shoemaker (Abingdon)

The presidential election already is in full swing.

This book expresses the author’s hope that America, a superpower with strong ideals in its history, will with humility seek to become the country it ought to be.

The book’s title is derived from President Lincoln’s hope, on the verge of the Civil War in 1861, that the crisis would be used as “an humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty and of this his almost chosen people.” That combines idealism with realism.

The second half of Stephen Shoemaker’s book has notes from nine sermons he preached between 2002 and 2005. Their treatment of faith and politics stimulates the reader who needs thoughts about what our nation must be.

Bob Beck, intentional interim pastor

Fort Worth

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

Baptist Briefs

IMB stats show growth. The International Mission Board’s annual statistical report covering calendar year 2006 includes a summary of church-growth indicators reported by Southern Baptist missionaries and their overseas Baptist partners. The report noted 25,497 new churches, 12,856 new outreach groups, 609,968 baptisms, about 9.86 million church membership, 4.6 million in Bible study, 567,413 new Christians in discipleship training and more than 1.26 million total church members in discipleship training. The statistics were released during the International Mission Board trustees’ recent meeting in Springfield, Ill.

Virginia schools reach agreement. The John Leland Center for Theological Studies, a moderate Baptist seminary in Arlington, Va., and Hampton University, an African-American college in Hampton, Va., have reached a degree-granting agreement for undergraduate students. The agreement allows Leland students who have completed the seminary’s diploma in theology program to count all of their 48 hours of credit toward a bachelor’s degree in religion from Hampton.

N.M. Baptists approve record budget. Baptists in New Mexico approved the largest budget in their convention’s history at the Baptist Convention of New Mexico’s 96th annual meeting, held this year in Albuquerque, N.M. More than 350 messengers from 124 churches attended the convention at Sandia Baptist Church. Messengers approved the convention budget for 2008, which requires $4,391,157 in Cooperative Program receipts from state churches—a 6.67 percent increase over the 2007 budget. After applying an exception of $32,673 for exempt obligations, 30.5 percent of the Cooperative Program receipts—about $1.3 million—will be forwarded to the Southern Baptist Convention for national and international missions. No increase in the percentage was proposed for next year. Messengers also re-elected the entire slate of officers for a second one-year term.

Religious liberty agency sponsors essay contest. The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has launched a religious liberty essay contest. Open to Baptist high school students in the classes of 2008 and 2009, the contest offers a grand prize of $1,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. Second prize is $500, and third prize is $100. Winners will be announced next summer. Entrants are asked to write a 700- to 1,000-word essay discussing the relevance of religious faith to politics, including whether and to what extent faith should be an election issue in 2008. Entries must be postmarked by March 3, 2008. Each student must have a submission coordinator from his or her home church review the essay before submitting it to ensure that it meets all the necessary requirements, is free of typographical and grammatical errors and appropriately addresses the topic. Essays will be judged on the depth of their content and the skill with which they are written. Students should demonstrate a sound knowledge of the subject matter, support their assertions and provide bibliographical references. Essays that do not meet the minimum qualifications will not be judged. Judges reserve the right to present no awards or to reduce the number of awards if an insufficient number of deserving entries are received. Visit www.BJConline.org/contest to download registration materials and a promotional flier. For more information, contact Phallan Davis at (202) 544-4226 or e-mail pdavis@BJConline.org.

 

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

N.C. Baptists expel
gay-affirming Charlotte church

By Norman Jameson

N.C. Biblical Recorder

GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP)—North Carolina Baptists expelled Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte from their statewide group because the church accepts gay members into leadership.

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Executive Committee ruled Nov. 12 that the church was not in compliance with membership articles. While convention messengers voted overwhelmingly to hear an appeal by Myers Park the next day, they voted similarly to reject it.

By Myers Park’s own admission, its acceptance of homosexuals into positions of church leadership places the congregation in opposition to the state convention’s constitution, which says any church that affirms or blesses homosexual behavior is “not in friendly cooperation” with the convention.

A similar bylaw at the Southern Baptist Convention already has excluded several North Carolina churches from that national group, which—like the North Carolina body—is dominated by conservatives.

Myers Park deacon Nancy Walker, who spoke against the ruling, expressed appreciation that her church elected her as a deacon “without regard to my sexual orientation.” She related the loneliness and pain of homosexual friends who have been rejected by church and family.

“Open your hearts to all who seek to worship God,” Walker asked messengers, gathered in Greensboro for their annual meeting. “Reach out to people who have experienced pain and spiritual isolation.”

“No matter your vote today, I will be a witness in the world for love, compassion and reconciliation,” Walker said.

Myers Park Pastor Steve Shoemaker also addressed the messengers, saying, “I appeal to you by the mercies of God to refrain from removing churches like ours from fellowship.”

He called on North Carolina Baptists to follow the example of Jesus.

“Jesus welcomed those considered outcasts, as sinners by those religious, into the kingdom of God drawing near,” said Shoemaker. Myers Park slowly overcame its original resistance to inclusion of gay and lesbian people “as Peter overcame his resistance to including Gentiles in the kingdom of God,” he explained.

Allan Blume, president of the convention’s board of directors, emphasized that no church has been “turned in” for investigation under the new constitutional provision targeting gay-friendly churches, which was adopted last year. Myers Park had self-identified its opposition to the standard.

“They are asking to make an exception,” Blume said. “The church today has by its own admission been in violation.”

Blume told messengers Myers Park had sent no messengers to the convention for at least eight years, contributed “extremely little” financially and is aligned with several organizations that affirm or bless homosexual behavior.

During discussion, messenger Jim Burch said social scientists peg 2.5 percent of the population as living a gay or lesbian lifestyle. Applied statistically to churches, Burch said, that would mean “a great deal” of the state convention’s membership is disqualified from participation.

“We have the opportunity to use a bylaw—ill-timed and ill-passed—to club a church or to extend to them the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and say, ‘As you claim Christ as Savior and we claim Christ as Savior, then we are brothers and sisters in Christ.’”

Other discussion emphasized speakers’ views on homosexuality as sin.

“The Executive Committee is simply following governing documents of this convention, and we encourage the convention to stand with us on this decision,” Blume said. He then moved that “Myers Park no longer be considered a church in friendly cooperation, at the word of their own admission.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

2nd Opinion:
A young Baptist’s reason to remain

Five years ago, while studying at Texas A&M University, I took a job as the youth minister of a small Baptist church in the Conroe area north of Houston. Having been born and raised in a large Bible church, I entered the Baptist world relatively oblivious to the situation I was getting myself into. Needless to say, it was not long after I began to identify myself as a Baptist that I became aware of the stigma associated with that name; stigma, may I add, that was well-deserved.

I was a young Baptist minister living in a time when the leaders of my denomination were more concerned with the sexual orientation of Disney characters than the fact that roughly 7,000 children were dying of malnutrition each night. I was embarrassed that my denomination chose to use its resources to defend archaic scientific theories and remove women from leadership positions rather than to let justice roll on like a river, and I was enraged by the pettiness of it all.

It was a time when a small number of powerful leaders had so corrupted the word “Baptist” that a large number of churches found it necessary to strike it from their name, keeping their denominational affiliation secret in order to maintain some level of credibility. And it was a time when I was willing to do the same.

But although I felt hurt by the actions of some contemporary Baptists, what compelled me to stay within the denomination was the legacy left by Baptists of the past. These were men and women who shared a conviction that the freedom to work out one’s faith was more important than the transmission of right doctrine, and they believed that social concern was an integral part of that faith. They organized themselves so that each body of believers was free to choose its own path, answering only to God. They had a high view of the Holy Spirit’s power to direct the church without their assistance, and they refused to be restricted by any creed or statement of faith.

This is a new time, and I am part of a new generation of Baptists—a generation that is rising up all around the nation. We are a generation that finds great value in the principles of our Baptist heritage and yet finds it unacceptable to define ourselves by the principles of our recent predecessors. We believe the people of God are called to participate in the kingdom of God. We believe social justice speaks louder than political coercion. We believe in serving the world, rather than withdrawing from it. And we will no longer capitulate to a system that promotes intolerance and injustice in the name of dogma.

I see it all around me: I see it in the seminaries, I see it on the blogs, I see it in college groups and in the Emerging Church that is sweeping the nation. We are young, we are passionate about our values and we are mobilizing all across the country because we are unsatisfied, and we will no longer be silenced by the tyranny of a few powerful men. We are looking toward the future, and we are desperate for something new.

As a result, several thousand young Baptist leaders like me are headed to Atlanta on January 30 to participate in the New Baptist Covenant. We are going because we believe the next chapter in Baptist history is going to start sounding more like the first. We are going because we believe Baptists of tomorrow must adopt an entire new set of values—values big enough to include renewed sense of social justice and racial reconciliation. We do not expect to change 30 years of corruption in three days; we only hope to take the first step on the journey we have been called to travel.

Ken Williams is minister to students at Sunset Canyon Baptist Church in Dripping Springs.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

DOWN HOME:
Agnostic & editor agree on thanks

Sometimes, it’s downright weird how people with widely divergent worldviews can come down in the same place.

But here I am, right beside A.J. Jacobs.

He’s the author of a best-selling book, The Know-It-All. I’ve been accused of knowing practically nothing.

He’s an editor-at-large for a hoity-toity men’s magazine, Esquire. I’m the editor of a Baptist newspaper 99.9999999 percent of the readers of Esquire never heard of.

He’s an agnostic. I’m a Baptist minister.

But Jacobs and I agree that, of all the kinds of prayer, thanksgiving is the—well, I don’t know if he’d use this word, but I’m guessing it’s close—most fulfilling.

Jacobs just came out with another book, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Haven’t read it, yet, but The Christian Century carried excerpts.

He spent a year trying to do literally everything the Bible says. Ironically, his entry on stoning is both hilarious and poignant.

When he started working on prayer, a Lutheran minister explained the four types of prayer with the ACTS acrostic—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

“Right now, the one that’s working for me best is T, thanksgiving,” Jacobs writes. “The prayers … remind me that the food didn’t spontaneously generate in my fridge. They make me feel more connected, more grateful, more grounded, more aware of my place. … And they remind me that I’m lucky to have food at all. Basically, they help me get outside of my self-obsessed cranium.”

I don’t know if Jacobs would take this as a compliment or not, but let me say one thing: “Amen.”

Actually, I like the ACTS acrostic and use it often during my morning prayer time. It provides discipline and structure for my talk with God. Because of my limited imagination, adoration often sounds like a broken record. Because of my persistent sinful condition, confession also sounds mighty repetitious. And because I fall in awe of God’s infinite wisdom and power, my supplication often seems presumptuous. But because of God’s great generosity, thanksiving is easy, fun and uplifting.

Even when I don’t particularly care for how parts of my life are going, this world is full of so many wonderful things that the list of blessings for which I am (or should be) grateful is the closest I can imagine to infinity.

Just as a parent takes delight in grateful children, I’m sure our prayers of thanksgiving please God, who deserves gratitude for “every good and perfect gift.”

But I imagine what pleases God the most about our prayers of gratitude is how they reorient our spirits and set our hearts aright.

–Marv Knox

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

EDITORIAL:
Differences, defamation & grace

A thoughtful reader recently sent me a letter lamenting the landslide of personal attacks and the torrent of abusive language that characterize Baptist life these days. He specifically cited the tone of several blogs. But he also could have pointed to many church business meetings, e-mail and telephone gossip about individuals and events in the Baptist General Convention of Texas, occasional pronouncements by outsiders about our convention, and far too many Baptist dinnertables where “roast preacher” is served up as if it were a local delicacy.

The problem, friends, is a growing inability to disagree agreeably. People no longer seem to understand they can disagree with each other without being angry at each other. They stumble over the concept of honest disagreement expressed in a spirit of goodwill.

I understand this phenomenon all too well. Almost every week, I hear from people who have severe problems with disagreement. They generally fall into two categories. One group seems to love disagreeing, and hostility gets their juices flowing. They relish a good fight. The other group absolutely detests fighting and just wants everybody to get along. Problem is, they’re so conditioned by the other crowd that they now think disagreement equals fighting. So, they dysfunctionally avoid expressing honest differences for fear of fighting. Both groups can’t seem to comprehend that people, especially Christians, can disagree passionately and yet continue to love one another, care for each other, pray for the other.

Multiple factors account for this, but I blame talk radio. Call it the “Limbaughization” of America. Talk radio hosts practice “ritual defamation,” explains former Texas pastor Bruce Prescott. It’s a calculated political strategy—“defamation in retaliation for the real or imagined attitudes, opinions or beliefs of the victim, with the intention of silencing or neutralizing his or her influence, and/or making an example of them so as to discourage similar independence.” They also like it because it’s good for ratings. Americans have become so coarse and desensitized they’re titillated by the pain and humiliation of others. Call it talk radio for a generation who grew up on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th. Many bloggers unwittingly (or maybe not) have picked up on this. After all, outlandish rhetoric drives up the hits. Never mind if the tone is so extreme it casts doubt upon the truthfulness of the content.

Putting up with all of this is bad enough in the secular media in an election year. (That’s right; we’re less than 12 months from the next general election.) But it is tragic within the church of Jesus Christ. We wound the body of Christ when we tear at one another in anger and vengeance. We also harm the name of Christ before a watching world when we denigrate one another.

Of course, since we’re human and thus sinful, the temptation toward anger is strong. I know: For years, I harbored anger and bitterness toward brothers and sisters I believed (and still believe) caused harm to our national and state Baptist conventions. But one day (I remember the moment vividly) God told me to give up my anger. I’d savored it like a sweet, righteous dessert, and it was hard to push away. But I realized this was spiritual cannibalism, because I was chewing on another part of the body of Christ, his church.

Recognizing this truth does not mean forfeiting our right to disagree. Nor does it mean spiritual pacifism, allowing domination and coercion.

But it does mean adopting a spirit of humility and grace.

It means accepting the possibility we might be wrong.

It means refusing to treat brothers and sisters in Christ as objects to be vilified and ridiculed.

It means grace over law.

It means people over power.

Jesus said it best: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

No executive director
nominee likely before year’s end

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—A nominee for the next executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board is unlikely to be named before Jan. 1, the chairman of the search committee announced.

Ken Hugghins, pastor of Elkins Lake Baptist Church in Huntsville who is leading the committee, said the first round of candidate interviews continues. Once that is finished, the committee will begin narrowing the field further. To do that, committee members will analyze strengths and weaknesses of the candidates and compare those with the characteristics they value for the position.

The committee is looking for a person who can unite Texas Baptists behind core causes, bringing together the strength of Texas Baptist ministers, laypeople and institutions across diverse national denomination ties, he said.

Hugghins asked Texas Baptists to continue praying for the search committee and the person whom God already has chosen for the position.

“We appreciate Texas Baptists’ patience,” he said. “Please translate that to prayer. We trust that God is leading us to the person he would like to serve as the next executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 11/16/07

Faith Digest

Black Baptist prof told to choose college or church. Professor Denise Isom loves her work at Calvin College and her Grand Rapids church, Messiah Missionary Baptist. But her employer has told she must choose one or the other. The Calvin board has refused to exempt Isom from a rule that requires professors to attend a congregation with ties to the Christian Reformed Church. The issue sparked a student “prayer protest” and discussion about how the church-membership policies may hurt diversity on campus. Isom, an assistant professor of education since 2003, is black and her research focuses on race and education. She told the board she finally found what she was looking for at the predominantly black Messiah Missionary Baptist.

Religious activists lobby for changes in farm bill. Religious leaders led by the Bread for the World advocacy group have refused to endorse subsidies for large farm operations and demanded that senators pass an agriculture bill that supports small farmers, as well as the nation’s poor. The $288 billion farm bill, reauthorized every five years, has come under attack this year from an array of groups for its large commodity payments, subsidizing production of wheat, rice, corn, cotton and soybeans. According to the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, $164.7 billion in commodity payments were made between 1995 and 2005—and 10 percent of subsidy recipients received 73 percent of the money. The group voiced support for several proposed amendments—one seeking a $250,000 yearly cap on commodity payments to farmers; another cutting commodity payments and offering free revenue insurance for all farmers, with savings redirected to nutritional support programs.

Pittsburgh takes step toward leaving Episcopal Church. The Diocese of Pittsburgh has taken a big step out the door of the Episcopal Church, declaring itself at odds with the denomination’s more liberal view of Scripture and homosexuality and paving the way to join a more conservative Anglican branch. By a 227-82 ballot, lay and ordained delegates to Pittsburgh’s annual convention voted to change their diocese’s constitution, removing language that requires “accession” to the national church. Pittsburgh is the third U.S. diocese to take that step, following San Joaquin, Calif., and Quincy, Ill. Constitutional changes require the approval of two consecutive diocesan conventions. San Joaquin is scheduled to hold its second vote on the constitutional change in December.

Pundit/professor named Vatican ambassador. President Bush has nominated Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard Law School professor and conservative commentator, as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Glendon, 69, is a longtime opponent of abortion and gay marriage and has written widely on culture and ethics in books and scholarly journals. Her appointment must be confirmed by the Senate. The Massachusetts native has served on the President’s Council on Bioethics and—until her nomination—was an adviser to the presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.