February 10, 1999
Texas Baptist Forum
More than a name
___Take "Baptist" off the church signs! (Jan. 20) Why? So folks won't know who we are and then "come visitin'."
___Did you see a line of "unsaved" folks waiting to get in the doors of your church Sunday? If not, it wasn't because "Baptist" was on the sign. God never said the lost wouldcome seeking us out.
e-mail marvknox@flash.net
___The reputation of a church isn't because of the name. It's because of the people who meet there. If you'll serve, witness and lead the lost to Christ with the same caring and loving spirit our Lord showed, people will follow you to your church, and they won't care what the name says.
___What the world thinks about us is a result of what we are outside the church walls. Earn the reputation that attracts by living differently when you're away from church.
___ Norman Abernathy
___ Boyd
Weak perspective
___ Two letters (Jan. 27) that seem to have no connection do. One was concerned with dropping "Baptist" from churches and another compared Luby's to a beer joint. Both letters suffer from lack of perspective.
___Although I do not agree with Luby's decision to test market beer and wine, comparing Luby's to a beer joint is like comparing the hole in my canoe to the sinking of the Titanic. Luby's is and will be a cafeteria, not a beer joint. Comparing Luby's to a beer joint is the type of overzealous thinking that may have some churches dropping the name "Baptist."
___ Reggie Knowles
___ Kerrville
Personal choice
___Two letters (Jan. 27) concerned alcohol. A parent described losing a son to wine, and a writer said Luby's would turn into "nothing but a beer joint" if it offers beer and wine.
___I have deep sorrow for the person who lost a son and in no way mean to belittle this loss. But wine did not kill this son. It was a choice this boy made.
___We all are given free will by God. I get tired of Baptists who will not take responsibility for their actions. They say it is the wine's fault or Luby's fault. This just is not so.
___I have a sister who has been in recovery for alcohol abuse (and is doing well), but she is the one who decided to drink. Wine did not make her do it, Luby's did not make her do it. It was her choice.
___Although some have tried to twist Scripture, it seems clear that Jesus made and drank wine. Many times, the Bible caution is not that one should not drink, but that one should not be a drunkard.
___Personal responsibility has been all but forgotten. Baptists should be leading the call for its return, not blaming others for their own sins.
___ Kay Silkenson
___ Elgin
Don't Dewar's
___A double-page Dewar's ad in the Feb. 1 Newsweek is offensive and disgusting.
___A smiling young girl is pictured with the caption, "You finally have something to take home to mom besides your laundry--Dewar's Scotch Whisky."
___Many Texas Baptists, some with relatives who are alcoholics or perhaps alcoholics themselves, should recoil at the idea of a child taking whisky home to Mom.
___Even more pitiful is the implication the smiling girl may be taking her alcoholic self home to Mom. Pour this 40-percent alcohol ad, and others like it, down the drain.
___ Val F. Borum
___ Fort Worth
Contradictions
___Two seemingly contradictory articles--"Pacesetter churches recognized for baptism record" and "Don't place productivity over purpose"--shared a page Jan. 27.
___The first article lists the churches with highest percentage of baptisms, along with the pastors' names. The second quotes a message by Tommy Teague asserting, "We hide behind numbers and buildings and budgets. ... It seems we've adopted the world's success standards."
___And then an article cited a study that 60 percent of all baptisms in Texas are rebaptisms.
___If we are rebaptizing people and then giving overzealous applause to baptism numbers, we are in a precarious position.
___I am thankful for every person who has come to know our Savior or recommitted their life to Christ through a Baptist church. But my heart also aches for our Lord, who must shake his head at us as we scramble to count, recount and take credit for the great work he has done.
___ Christine Hoover
___ Arlington
'Oldest-olds'
___I was saddened but not surprised by the woman seated across from me in the emergency room. I offered to contact her pastor to come be with her as she awaited the outcome of her husband's heart attack. She hesitated, then replied: "Do not call my pastor. He has only been to see my husband once in the last four years."
___This couple, both in their 80s, are what gerontologists call the "oldest-olds." Like so many other senior adults, when health failed and they no longer attended church, they felt their pastor forgot them.
___Census figures show 166,605 people over 85 years old live in Texas. The increase in elderly Americans will be greatest among those over 85. What does this mean for churches in the 21st century?
___This pastor did not intentionally forget this couple. But it is easier to cater to the needs of those who are in church, those the pastor sees every week. Also, preaching and administrative responsibilities can be very demanding.
___I encourage those in ministry not to wait until a death occurs to make themselves available to families of the oldest-olds.
___Do it now, while they are still alive.
___ Patricia Wilgis-Patton
___ Waco
Little reminders
___Church marquee signs (Jan. 27) are cute, but they have more impact than most people realize.
___I recently read one that said, "If the wages of sin is death, let's quit before payday."
___This sin-death-quit slogan is now my screen saver on my office computer. In the heat of the battle, I need little remin-ders that, as a Christian, I am in the world but not of the world.
___ Victor Norman
___ Longview
Consequences
___I continue to be amazed at the reactions of many of my brothers and sisters in Christ with regard to President Clinton.
___The issue is not and never has been offering a fallen man forgiveness. Far be it from me, to whom infinite forgiveness has been granted, to withhold forgiveness from anyone.
___The issue is consequences. Negative consequences adhere to sinful behavior. This is a principle which we teach our children, and we dare not teach them it ceases to apply to the powerful.
___ Brad Foster
___ Fritch
Pray for victory
___Texas Baptists set out to reach our state for Christ by 2000. It was projected that if every active Baptist would just witness to four people a month, the gospel could reach every Texan by 2000. What a goal.
___Well, old Satan is furious. So what does he do? He is causing turmoil in homes, churches, associations, conventions. You see, he knows "a divided house cannot stand."
___We are seeing the convention split, pastors becoming so frustrated with churches they want to quit, divisions in churches and unrest among Christians.We are looked at as militant, back-biting, fighting, arguing people. What a shame!
___What can we do? Band together and pray. Tell Satan: "Get out of Texas, in Jesus' name. Get out of our churches, our homes and our families, and leave us alone."
___Let the Holy Spirit lead and direct us. Get the real Holy Ghost burden for Texas.
___ Don Semonski
___ Normangee
Timely opportunity
___I was pleased to read about the new positions in the State Missions Commission (Jan. 27).
___As a member of the missions committee of First Baptist Church of Midland, I have seen the need for and timeliness of reaching the Hispanic population in Texas. With over 4 million unchurched Hispanics in our state, we have an opportunity to change the future if we reach them for Christ.
___The Hispanic political and social influence will continue to grow. Texas Baptists have a small window of time to reach this current unchurched generaton or miss an opportunity to make an eternal difference in millions of lives and future generations.
___ Deborah Fikes
___ Midland
___What do you think? Submit letters to Texas Baptist Forum via e-mail to marvknox@flash.net or regular mail at Box 660267, Dallas 75266-0267.Frontpage / Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!