November 10, 1999
Texas Baptist Forum
Thanks for help
___The members of Cedar Bayou Baptist Church in Baytown thank all who prayed for and assisted us financially in the lawsuit against our church. Last year, Congress passed the Religious Liberty and Charitable Donations Protection Act. The 14th Court of Appeals in Houston, using that act as the basis of their ruling, overturned a lower court's decision that the church must return to a creditor the tithes of a member who had declared bankruptcy. The time for the plaintiff to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court has expired.
___We spent over $30,000 defending ourselves and the cause of religious liberty. Because of the financial contributions of our members and many others throughout the nation, it was not necessary to tap our church budget to pay our legal expenses.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
___The money left in our Religious Liberty Defense Fund will be donated to the Alliance Defense Fund. This excellent organization is involved in helping those who, like us, fight for religious liberty and First Amendment rights.
___We also are thankful for the excellent legal representation of Douglas Laycock, professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Laycock, one of the leading scholars in constitutional law, has represented many churches in religious liberty cases. He was also actively involved in getting the Religious Liberty and Charitable Donations Protection Act passed.
___ E. Richard Steel
___ Baytown
Whatever it takes
___We as the church of Jesus Christ are the only army that has been guaranteed the victory before the first shot was fired. Our job as the church is to reach the lost.
___The younger generation out there is the future of our land. We need to be doing whatever it takes to reach them. If it takes singing more choruses than hymns, using drums, guitars and a band in worship services to reach them, then let's do that.
___I'm not saying the older people don't matter, but they are not the future of this country. The younger people are. It is our job to reach them. Jesus went to the woman at the well; she didn't come to him. We have to go and reach them.
___Folks, the church is not a retirement center for spiritual fat cats. It is the recruiting center for the army of the Lord Jesus Christ! We need to ask the Lord to forgive us for sitting back on the sidelines while hell's legions take America by storm. We as the church need to get up off of our "blessed assurance" and get involved in the warfare. The victory is ours!
___Christians of America, enough is enough. Let us arise and do exploits in the name of God! Let us reject the curse and receive the blessing! Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered in Jesus' name!
___ Dustin Evans
___ Gatesville
Wade is 'finest'
___I've known (newly elected Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director) Charles Wade since he was a student of mine at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
___Charles is one of the finest graduates Southwestern has ever had.
___In fact, I thought so much of him that I recommended him to an outstanding church in the Metroplex. The church would have called him, but he did not feel it was the will of God for him to accept a call from this church, which many would have considered an outstanding opportunity for a young preacher.
___ W.R. Estep
___ Fort Worth
Learn apologetics
___A few years ago, this 57-year-old lawyer and lifelong Baptist was led into apologetics. Apologetics is not an apology, but is rather the reasoned defense, vindication and proof of the truth of the core essentials of orthodox Christianity: God, Jesus Christ and the Bible, who and what they really are. This is necessary basic training for all Christians. We are commanded to learn and practice apologetics. Jesus was the first to do it.
___The core essentials of our faith are provable beyond a reasonable doubt!
___I've discovered that most Christians don't even know what apologetics is, or that the reasoning and evidence exists to prove the truth of our faith. The biggest surprise has been the discovery that most pastors don't either. If our brothers, sisters and pastors had been grounded in basic apologetics, the dissension within the Southern Baptist Convention would never have occurred. Everybody would have been on the same page--the Bible (correctly).
___Apologetics is not an option.
___ Tom Edwards
___ Houston
Christ's victors
___I appreciate the editorial, "Are U.S. Christians persecuted?" (Nov. 3). I recently expressed concern to my wife that Christians are drawing too much attention to themselves, citing issues of religious persecution and martyrdom.
___There is no doubt that Christians suffer for the cause of Christ. In fact, the Scriptures teach us that such sufferings are a natural byproduct of living a life as a fully devoted follower of him. We are instructed in James 1:2 to "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."
___It is often easy to get caught up in the victim mentality of today's society. This mindset often becomes the catalyst that perpetuates the demise of Christian families, for our minds are prime targets for Satan to get a foothold.
___We always must remember we have been set apart for a purpose. We are to be salt and light to a dark world. I praise Jesus that he has brought us victory in even life's bleakest moments. I pray that in all our disappointments and trials we will show the world our faith and hope in Christ.
___We absolutely must bear in mind that others are watching how we handle the difficulties of life. May our responses to adversity demonstrate that we are victors--not victims--because of the sustaining power we have in him.
___ Garrick D. Conner
___ Beeville
Preach to all
___In reference to Taylor Pendley's letter discouraging the Calvinistic teaching of God's election of his people (Oct. 27), I would note a few things.
___The Bible does not teach hyper-Calvinism. It definitely teaches God elects his people and that he saves whom he will (Ephesians 1:16 and Romans 9:13-21).?
___We are still to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature (Matthew 28:19). We are still to pray and plead with the lost that they should repent and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives (Luke 14:23). We should do everything we can to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but knowing at the same time that it is "not of him that wills, or of him that runs, but it is of God, who saves and shows mercy."
___Salvation is of the Lord. He chooses his own (John 15:16). It is up to us to plead and preach and pray that all may come since we know not the elect. We cast out the net. God will give the fish.
___I preach at our church, and I also have a jail ministry two days a week, along with a rescue mission ministry two days a week. Praise the Lord, he is giving me many souls; yet I know he must give life since men are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), and "no man can come to Christ unless the Spirit of the Father draws him" (John 6:44). To God be the glory!
___ Ewell J. Humphreys
___ Fort Worth
God's work
___Taylor Pendley states a Baptist church he visited in Wales suffered membership decline because of strong Calvinistic preaching (Oct. 27).
___That may be the case for that particular church. However, the tone of the letter suggested that Calvinists do not believe in evangelistic preaching.
___If we make a general conclusion that Calvinism does not care about evangelism and causes membership decline, we are in error. Some of the greatest evangelistic preachers that ever lived were Calvinist in their doctrine. Preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon are examples.
___The Baptist church in Wales is not losing membership solely because of Calvinism. They are losing membership because they are not reaching out to share the gospel. Salvation is the work of God. God requires that we join him to share his message of salvation to others.
___It appears to me that many Baptists have a poor understanding of Calvinism. This is sad. Some of the doctrines we believe in have their roots in biblical Calvinistic theology. The "security of the believer" or "once saved, always saved" is an example.
___ Jeff Hancock
___ Mesquite
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