March 10, 1999
Texas Baptist Forum
Childlike faith
___Sometimes we are not fully aware of how much children comprehend when we teach them about the word of God.
___Recently, my 8-year-old grandson, Joshua, wanted to ride his bicycle with his friends. His legs are too short to reach the pedals with ease, so his mother told him he couldn't ride it because she was afraid he would fall and hurt himself.
___Joshua keptpleading, and she kept telling him no. Finally, Joshua changed his tone and asked, "Well, what about what the Bible says?"
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___That caught his mother off guard, and she asked him, "What does the Bible say?"
___Recalling his Sunday school lesson, he replied, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
___Not only did Joshua get to ride his bicycle, but he didn't fall and hurt himself, either.
___If a little child can have such faith, why do adults linger?
___ Beverly Bailey
___ San Antonio
Y2K punishment
___Maybe the reason "Why, oh, why are we fearing Y2K won't be OK?" (Jan. 27) is that the United States has murdered 40 million babies by abortion.
___Y2K may be God's punishment for us.
___ Ed Parr
___ Garland
Christ's return
___I don't have a computer, so I don't have an opinion on what may or may not happen when the year 2000 rolls around.
___I do, however, have an opinion about all the hype going on about the end of the world or the Lord's return at the stroke of midnight Dec. 31, 1999. (Or will it be 2000?)
___While it is true the Lord's return will be soon, it also is true that only God knows when that time will be.
___To think that God will look at our man-made calendar to say to Jesus, his angels and Gabriel, "Let's return to Earth and end it all at the beginning of the millennium" is really far-fetched.
___God cares about our every thought and action and daily hurts and happiness, but he has his own timetable, and it has nothing to do with ours.
___We need to live every day as if it is our last and be ready to meet him whenever he comes-- today, tomorrow or at the stroke of midnight, Dec. 31, 1999.
___ Frances Hamrick
___ Dallas
Dispensation
___In reference to Timothy Weber's words regarding dispensationalism (Feb. 24), I thank God on a regular basis for godly men of old whom I consider to be the greatest expositors there are.
___Yes, I am very fundamental when it comes to the gospel, but I am highly insulted to be linked with the so-called "fundamentalists" of today. Trying to define a modern-day fundamentalist is kind of like trying to explain what the word "is" means. I guess by the SBC standards I am a moderate and thankful for it.
___By the Bible's standard, I am very fundamental. I still will turn to the wonderful expositors of old--men like Scofield, McGee, Greene and many others who gave us their thoughts on Scripture and left it up to the reader to either accept or reject their interpretations. I still will defend my right today to reject the so-called "authority" of men in leadership. I am definitely a dispensationalist and believe the Bible cannot be accurately understood apart from it.
___I guess if someone would ask me what I am, I would have to reply that I am a fundamental moderate dispensationalist Christian.
___ Sue Andrews
___ Hereford
Report decisions
___"Texas baptisms highest in 43 years" was the lead headline of the Feb. 24 Baptist Standard.
___I have felt for a long time how much more important it would be if our churches reported how many first-time salvation decisions are made. We Baptists would then assume such would result in baptisms.
___ Estella Brown
___ Grapeland
Substantial music
___I'm just a pew person, rarely involved with most church functions for various reasons; however, I do know this:
___Always get a congregational song leader who can direct the choir, never a choir director for congregational singing.
___Choir directors seem to have this mission to avoid the old songs, always something new (maybe something they wrote).
___Seems they try to see how many ways they can sing or repeat three or four words, and if they sing an established hymn it's probably to a different tune or at least a change in tempo, or both.
___I sure love my pastor, but these Sunday morning worship services have been different over the past five or six years. It hurts to see "the older people" mumble through some "bulletin ditty" or new version of an old song, then place the hymnal back in the pew.
___We seem to be getting more "symbolism over substance" in music and other formalities.
___ J.D. Martin
___ DeSoto
Outing Tinky
___Stephanie Kidd chides Jerry Falwell for deciding there is a homosexual Teletubby. (Feb. 24). However, it wasn't Falwell who "outed" Tinky Winky. The purple Teletubby's transmuted gender already had been reported in Time, People, The Washington Post, CNN, E-Online and The Village Voice.
___The truth about the Teletubby is offensive, but I hardly think that is Falwell's fault.
___ Brenda Spurlock
___ Lavon
Schools accountable
___Mike Phillips stated accountability is non-existent in public schools (Feb. 24). Nothing could be further from the truth.
___Over the last decade, Texas public schools have been subjected to rigorous accountability. Students must be tested, and schools are rated, not only on total performance, but on that of each subgroup.
___If the standards--which rise annually--are not met, the public is informed, and students may transfer to another school. By law, teachers, principals and superintendents are held accountable for results. If the problem is not solved, the schools may be closed or taken over by the state.
___The outcome is that Texas schools are performing much better, not only on state tests, but also on various national assessments.
___While we have not yet reached our goals, we have made dramatic progress. We in public education need everyone in our communities to be involved and support the heart of our society--its children.
___ Mary Jean George
___ School board member
___ Port Arthur
Ads target kids
___Kids can no longer fish or hunt in Texas or enjoy related state programs without seeing an alcohol ad or message being conveyed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
___The exhaustive alcohol campaign conducted for money by this state agency spans its publications, facilities, Internet site, events and press releases. Here are three examples:
___A video cartoon character at the Athens Fisheries Center includes in its message "hats off to Budweiser." Over 30,000 kids from 300 schools visited during the center's first year.
___Kids who fish or hunt must regularly refer to TP&W's "Official Hunting and Fishing Regulations." Each of the 3.1 million copies contains five pages of alcohol ads. After years of protests by parents, TP&W responded this year by adding the Budweiser cartoons and a cigarette ad.
___TP&W's web site includes alcohol messages in at least four areas.
___Lack of intent to target kids does not reduce the effect of these alcohol ads and messages. Young people trust information from their government, and the alcohol messages from the state of Texas carry unacceptable weight and influence.
___House Bill 880, sponsored by state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, would ban alcohol ads and messages from TP&W. Please write or call your legislators and ask for support for House Bill 880.
___Texans should not be silent while their state government encourages the No. 1 drug of choice among young people.
___ Jim Haire
___ Tyler
Model of virtue
___The Honorable Bill Logue, longtime judge of the 19th Judicial District of Texas, has retired. He certainly has been one of Texas' most outstanding Baptist lay leaders for many decades. Texas is blessed in that he will continue in retirement to serve as a visiting senior judge.
___His service through Seventh & James Baptist Church in Waco is well-known. His outstanding reputation for social service and for promotion of the public administration of justice is unequaled and well-deserved. He is a living example of many of the very finest Christian virtues, which have served him well on the bench and in life.
___ F.B. McGregor Jr.
___ 66th District Court judge
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