RE: Beth Moore: Southern Baptist no more

Beth Moore’s departure from the Southern Baptist Convention will not hurt her in the least. A lot of us stand with her.

I am curious about something, though. Why have we heard so much about “cancel culture” in relation to Amazon’s taking a book off of its website, but no one uses that term when Beth Moore’s Bible studies and ticket sales made a significant plunge based on her calling out Donald Trump on his decades-long public sinful behavior against women, the disabled and minorities.

Cancel culture isn’t new. It’s really just the “in” term for boycott.

Additionally, Southern Baptists hold to the belief that women shouldn’t be lead pastors. The belief that speaking behind a pulpit is sinful seems to me to be placing the pulpit as the object of worship.

Mary Manning
Aurora, Colo.

I’m not writing to defend Donald Trump or to sound critical of Beth Moore, but I am getting tired of Christians with “double standards.”

I believe I wrote to the Baptist Standard in defense of Ms. Moore speaking “behind the pulpit” in a Baptist church. There’s a difference between speaking in a church and pastoring a church.

I admit Ms. Moore has done great and noble things in serving the Lord, but what does Donald Trump have to do with no longer identifying with Southern Baptist?

Mr. Trump is far from perfect, but Ms. Moore had rather support and vote for Joe Biden—who has touched women and children inappropriately, for which there is video proof—and support the murdering of unborn children. Mr. Trump probably has done more for the “church” and protecting unborn children than any other modern-day president.

If we are to be judged on our past, we need to remove the Psalms and 1 and 2 Samuel, because King David was guilty of adultery and murder.

People, especially Christians, need to realize hate will affect your health and even kill you.

F.A. Taylor
Copperas Cove, Texas

RE: Voices: Serious problems revealed by the ERLC Task Force report

I want to give a hearty “Amen” to Jamey Yadon’s article about the ERLC report and the troubling aspects of it. It reveals with great insight some deep spiritual issues in our national convention related to partisan politics.

I have served on the advisory board of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in the past, and I have great admiration for their work and for Russell Moore’s courage and candor. I truly believe his is a much-needed prophetic voice among Southern Baptists and other evangelicals who have lost their way related to political power.

Thank you for being bold enough to publish this very honest and accurate assessment.

Ed Seay, senior pastor
First Baptist Church, Magnolia

RE: Major effort needed to rebuild refugee resettlement system

Regarding the Feb. 2 Baptist Standard article describing the effort needed to rebuild the United States refugee resettlement system, I’d like to begin at the end of the piece.

“Pastors and churches are eager to serve and pick back up where they left off,” noted Travis Wussow of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Rebuilding the system will take more than a presidential executive order. More is needed than re-staffing by World Relief and other refugee sponsoring agencies. Churches will fulfill a major role in refugee resettlement by providing hospitality at the local level.

Since the influx of refugees following the fall of Vietnam, the United States has provided refuge for millions of persons fleeing war and persecution. That refuge has resulted from a team effort by government, nonprofits, churches and individuals. Many churches in Texas and beyond have played a crucial role in helping refugees resettle in the past 50 years by meeting a variety of needs.

From the Panhandle to Palacios and from East Texas to El Paso, Texas Baptist churches and others have taken seriously the mandate to welcome the stranger. Volunteers have provided instruction in English for refugees in many settings, but ministry has not stopped at the end of class. Caring volunteers have helped refugee families find jobs, furnish apartments and provide for the educational needs of their children. Let’s get ready!

Lester Meriwether, executive director
Literary Connexus
Fort Worth

RE: Editorial: A question to focus us on what matters most: “So, what?”

The thing that matters most is presenting Jesus Christ to the developing nations of the world—Africa and far East Asia.

The issue of racial reconciliation for Black and white people in America will never come to pass. American Black people have had their administration twice in Washington. It bothers me to read racial issues being used in our academic institutions and our Baptist churches, most recently involving a Black Baptist pastor in Arlington, Texas, who appeared in the Baptist Standard.

Five decades ago, my wife and I left Kenya for Texas, to join the teams of men and women who labored day and night preaching Jesus Christ in villages and towns of East Africa. During the early 1970s, we could not get a single brother or sister from the Black congregations in America to come to East Africa to witness of the Lord.

Now as American citizens, we spend three-fourths of the year in East Africa building disciples and planting new churches.

Solomon Kimuyu
Dallas, Texas

RE: Letter: Voices: A warning from a friend: Return to your first love

Many Christians have been turned away slowly from the real Jesus to an idol. Some teachers and pastors are preaching a triumphal, earthly king, who gives orders, commands obedience, and requires adulation and even worship. They have been deceived by the ego.

Many of our people have been worshipping a lion, and have become like lions—predators. To them, meekness looks like weakness. In the reality of the present kingdom of God, meekness is awesome strength under the perfect control of the Holy Spirit. “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

We must learn to distinguish the voice of the ego from the voice of our true Shepherd. We must listen again to him. He is humble and meek as a lamb before its shearer. He sought no reputation and fled from being made a king.

If we could see clearly the sweet gentleness, love and kindness of Jesus and Father, we would fall to our knees and weep at the pride in our hearts and the arrogance in our minds.

Jesus’ way is to go lower and lower, to be of no reputation. Give it all away. Take your name off the signs. Less of us; more of him. Even Jesus, the very best of us, deflected all praise and honor to Father.

Who are these teachers, pastors and writers who have led the sheep away from their true Shepherd to an earthly king? Those who have led us astray need to be fired or converted.

Lenny Smith
Nashville

RE: Voices: A warning from a friend: Return to your first love

The warnings from Rev. Fields to the white evangelical community are an important message to hear. However, a point Rev. Fields failed to mention is the actions of those radical, supposedly evangelical Christian Republicans in our nation’s Capitol may not have reflected the thoughts or beliefs of all mainstream white evangelical Christians.

For myself, a member of the Baptist church for more than 54 years, being white or Black has never been an issue in any church of which I’ve been a member.

I lived through the 1960s in Dallas before I came into the church, but my parents did not teach me to be racist. They taught me to be respectful of all God’s creation, including all people, animals and all the Earth.

The churches I’ve attended, held membership in, and been part-time staff in over the past several decades have had members of various colors and nationalities.

I wholeheartedly agree with Rev. Fields that we must never forget our mission or our first love. However, I’m not convinced those radicals who rioted and were destructive were mainstream Baptists at all. I hope and pray they were not, just as I join with Rev. Fields in praying our political climate will not distract us from our common goal of reaching the lost of every nation, color or persuasion for Christ.

May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ save us from our own follies as we move through the next several days, and may his divine will and wisdom prevail.

Bonnie Dove
Arlington, Texas

RE: Voices: Resist Christian nationalism displayed during assault on U.S. Capitol

I disagree with the editor about a recent headline: “Resist Christian nationalism displayed during assault on U.S. Capitol.”

There is no evidence of “Christianity” on display. There was a display of religious nationalism, same as one might find in a Muslim country like Iran or Saudi Arabia.

This group of terrorists didn’t just hatch overnight. They have been nurtured for years by false prophets and other anti-American figures.

We have known what Donald Trump is for much longer than the four years he has been in office. We know he has complete contempt for the teachings of Jesus and other parts of the Bible, including telling thousands of lies. But some of the most prominent religious figures have bowed down to him and have ignored the Johnson Amendment, as well as the Bible.

We have reaped what was sown.

Carl Hess
Ozark, Ala.

RE: Greenway defends seminary presidents’ statement

I agree with the six seminary presidents’ statement, namely, that critical race theory is not compatible with the Baptist Faith and Message. Critical race theory is no different from liberation theology. It must be rejected by the SBC.

The church’s mission to engage society should always be on the basis of sola scriptura, sola Christo, sola fidei, sola gratia—nothing more, nothing else, nothing less. Nothing is more destructive to the church’s message than she becoming a channel of radicalism because of so-called systemic injustice.

Coming from a third-world country, I know what systemic oppression looks and feels like. Before I left my country of origin, some Protestant churches already had been seduced by liberation theology’s analysis of laws and institutions. Consequently, their leaders have become part of the communist politburo. They exchanged the gospel for Marxist theory and practice. They even arrived at the conclusion the gospel is an instrument of American imperialism to solidify its colonial grip.

My personal experience at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary was no different from the white students.

When the subject of race and racism is being discussed, Southern Baptists are like some people on the dance floor. They are too awkward, too anxious and too inhibited. For the most part, they are out of sync, out of rhythm, because they are too self-conscious. They bought into the idea they can’t dance and can’t jump. But they are the most helpful, honest and sincere people I’ve met. If there’s any progress in race relations, I would bet on the SBC to do it right.

Danilo Reyes
California City, Calif.

RE: Christian researcher says ‘help is on the way’ in fighting COVID

My middle son, who is a researcher, and I exchange updates about COVID-19, conspiracy theories and misinformation. He sent me another interview of Francis Collins in which he shared the same hopeful information and counsel as contained in his interview with Russell Moore.

Churches that turn COVID-19 restrictions into a “freedom of worship issue” will not be forgiven easily by a culture having lost 290,000 from COVID, which breaks down to 23,727 in Texas.

With a continuing downward trend away from the Christian faith in America—1 in 4 now identify as active in their church—making COVID a political issue will only drive folks further away from the gospel.

We need to listen with our head and our heart to Francis Collins as he shares the hope and the need to continue restrictions that can save lives.

Michael R Chancellor
Round Rock, Texas

RE: Voices: Is critical race theory incompatible with the gospel?

I am so tired of hearing intellectual drivel about race. These lectures are often delivered by people who do not have a single friend from another race who has been a welcomed guest at their table.

For nearly 50 years, I have discipled Christians to reach out in acts of kindness and inclusion to other races. My children have all followed that example, and my churches have thrown open their doors to diverse racial groups, not only to attend, but to lead.

I was at a gathering sponsored by Baylor over 25 years ago. The leader of this room full of pastors decried the fact we had no Hispanic pastors in attendance and asked how we might change that.

I asked the group how many of them ever went to lunch with a Hispanic pastor or intentionally befriended pastors of other races. There was silence. I then told them I had been at breakfast that morning with two Hispanic pastors in Kingsville, Texas.

These issues won’t be resolved by high sounding lectures, books or articles. They can only be resolved by the Great Commandment of Jesus lived out in the lives of his followers.

Dan Wooldridge, pastor
Crestview Baptist Church
Georgetown, Texas

EDITOR’S NOTE: I can’t argue with your letter. While I do think discussions and learning about race, ethnicity and culture are important—and I have learned a great deal from books—my most important learning has happened at places like the dinner table.

Congress passed the following proclamation 241 years ago:

“For his goodness wrought in conducting our forefathers to this western world; … that the earth hath produced her increase in abundance … spreading plenty through the land; that He hath … been a shield to our troops … and led them in triumph; … prospered our commerce … and above all, that he hath diffused ‘the glorious light of the gospel’ (a reference to 2 Corinthians 4:4), whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory.

“It be recommended to the several states … a day of publick and solemn THANKSGIVING to Almighty God for his mercies … and of PRAYER … that he would … pour out his holy spirit on all Ministers of the gospel … and spread the light of christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth …

“… that he would in mercy … pardon all our sins, and receive us into his favour; and finally, that he would establish the independence of these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue …” (Thomas Jefferson, Nov. 11, 1779).

Six generations later, our nation, founded upon Christianity, has removed the mention of Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Bible from every aspect of public life, including Thanksgiving. Today anyone is thanked except God.

“When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful …” (Romans 1:21). “Men shall be … unthankful, unholy …” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). “They have forsaken the LORD …” (Isaiah 1:2-4 KJV).

The Bible says: “Nations that forget God” and “will not serve (him) shall perish” (Psalm 9:17; Isaiah 60:12).

“Offer unto God thanksgiving” (Psalm 50:14). “Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks” (Psalm 50:14; 75:1).

Michael W. Ellis
Belton, Texas

EDITOR’S NOTE: Spelling and capitalization are retained from the National Archives citation.

RE: Editorial: What to make of Biden’s use of Christian faith language

The Nov. 12 editorial states that “appropriating the language of Christian faith to baptize American ways and values” is “a bipartisan problem.” I would suggest it is a church problem.

Baptists’ belief in soul competency places a responsibility on our spiritual leaders to equip the flock with the spiritual knowledge and wisdom to navigate the complex relationship between faith and politics. Since we represent Christ, we must do it with spiritual maturity if we are to do it well.

As our culture has moved away from Christianity, we too often have used earthly means toward the goal of recapturing our lost influence. We have supported a political party we believed would bring it back through the force of law. Churches have sought easy ways to increase attendance, often neglecting their spiritual mission to build mature disciples.

American Christianity seems to have settled for the easier goal of external conformity over spiritual renewal. We’ve forgotten God’s highest purposes are accomplished when his laws are written on people’s hearts, and that the power to draw unbelievers comes from God.

In seeking lesser goals, we stopped training our members in spiritual thinking and reasoning. We left them vulnerable to the exploitation and manipulation of political leaders who proclaim a faith their actions repudiate.

The discernment to recognize when the language of our faith is being used and when it is being misused requires a thorough grounding in the Bible and the spiritual wisdom to know how to apply it.

Robin Stewart
Lucas, Texas