August 11, 1999
Texas Baptist Forum
Live by faith
___With the recent passing of (author/entrepreneur) Bob Briner, I was again reminded of his passion to make sure Christians did not retreat from the world, but instead ventured out with courage to reshape culture. Briner spoke of being a "roaring lamb" in the world around us.
___So it is with frustration that I read of Ray Moore's desire to get Christian students out of public schools (July 28). This is another plan for Christians to live by fear and retreat toa "hunker in the bunker" mentality (to quote Leonard Sweet).
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___What would Jesus do? To quote Briner: "We must be a part of that community. We cannot be much of a 'moral disinfectant' from afar. ... The way to be salt is to replace evil with good, not to just sound off against the evil."
___ I am chagrined when Christians continue to live by fear, not by faith. Christ did not retreat from encountering the world. He challenged it, confronted it and changed it. Likewise, so should we.
___ David Huebner
___ Sugar Land
Treat women right
___I object to Paul Taylor's letter regarding women deacons (July 28). This problem is not merely a matter of interpretation but is instead a matter of application.
___The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to Timothy about a particular church or group of churches at a particular time and in a very patriarchal cultural context. Did Paul, or the Holy Spirit, intend for us to come along 2,000 years later and impose this same advice to Timothy on our own complex cultural context? I doubt it.
___The epistles are not legal documents stating God's unchangeable laws to mankind. They may contain such laws, but we must be very careful how we apply any portion of divine Scripture.
___But really, if we're going to start applying portions of Scripture literally, let's be consistent. Paul also clearly commands women to have their heads covered and to be completely silent at all times in worship. Why are these commands virtually ignored while the "no women deacons" command is considered God's truth for all time?
___For Pete's sake (and Paul's), let's stop treating women like second-class citizens and then using God's word to justify our own fear and insecurity.
___ James Moore
___ Houston
Don't apologize
___In response to "Which 10 Commandments did the House intend?"(July 14), I offer a suggestion: How about the version engraved above the head of the chief justice of the Supreme Court? That is obviously the version our founding fathers intended.
___And if Barry Lynn has a problem with the posting of such "profound theological statements," then let him consider the Supreme Court's own words in the 1892 Trinity decision: "Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian."
___This is a Christian nation. Allowing all religions to worship here does not mean we have to apologize for maintaining the rule of the Christian world view established by the founders in our laws.
___The reason all people want to come here is to enjoy the blessing God has bestowed upon us for being a covenanted people.
___ Steve White
___ Dallas
Reynolds responds
___My letter is in response to Mac Galloway's letter (Aug. 4).
___No one within Texas Baptists Committed had prior knowledge about the content of my talk at the TBC breakfast last fall. As a courtesy, I called David Currie, TBC executive director, a few days before the talk to tell him some of my remarks might result in rejoinders.
___Since about l995-96, I have advocated a full-service Texas convention, partnering outside the SBC structure with Baptists in other states and the eventual creation of a federation or convention encompassing a geographical expanse in this hemi-sphere, from the southern tip of South America through Alaska. I am aware that whether this comes to pass or not lies entirely with our Baptist people in our local churches.
___We need to focus on the future, not the past, letting Baptists enjoy the freedom to participate in whatever organized endeavors bring them fulfillment in their Christian walk and which furthers the spread of the gospel among the hundreds of millions of souls that have not heard the good news of Christ and his saving grace.
___I am so proud of Texas Baptists and the ability we have shown to remain strong in the faith while ensuring that our children, grandchildren and their children have the opportunity to know the freedom of conscience and personal relationship with Christ so many of us grew up with and have cherished, devoid of any man-made hierarchical constraints.
___ Herbert H. Reynolds
___ Waco
Improve relations
___I take issue with "The conventional view is that only Jews ... were singled out for total extermination" (June 9).
___I have never heard a Jewish person make the assertion that only Jews were singled out for extermination.
___Christians should be careful in speaking about the Holocaust and Jews. We should be mindful that as Eli Wiesel has said, "The Holocaust could not have happened were it not for the teaching of so many of the churches." It is time to look within ourselves, our attitudes, history, doctrinal statements and theology and root out anti-Jewish and anti-Semitic views. Such statements as, "God doesn't hear the prayer of a Jew," a quote by the then Southern Baptist Convention President Bailey Smith in 1980, still ring in many Jewish ears.
___There is nothing to be gained by debating whether or not Jews were the only victims. The Holocaust is an unspeakable tragedy that puts the searchlight of judgment on so much of what has passed itself off as "Christianity."
___Let us not argue who was victimized more. Let us now use all of our energies to create better relations with our Jewish brothers and sisters and work with them to ensure this never happens again.
___ Al Staggs
___ Hurst
Keep memories
___Many thanks for the feature on the Youth Revival Movement of the late 1940-'50s. You resurrected many wonderful memories and heroes out of my past. My heroes were and many still give me challenge: Jess Moody, Bruce McIver, W.F. Howard, Howard Butt, Jack Robinson and Buckner Fanning.
___Fifty years ago at the 1949 Southern Baptist Convention meeting, I sensed God's call to ministry as a teenager and responded. It was "Youth Night," which was a special night focusing on youth as part of the convention session. That night Jack Robinson gave his testimony, and Howard Butt preached.
___Later, during my freshman year at Hardin-Simmons, W.F. Howard enlisted me to join his youth revival teams, something that continued for over 10 years, including seminary days.
___Our teams went beyond Texas to conduct revivals. Some of the people I was privileged to work with were Jimmy Draper, Charlie Osburne, Bill Sherman, Britton Wood, Buddy Johnson, Ann Vinson, C.A. Roberts, Andy Odom, Veo Gray, Hal Potts, Ginger Moon, Rhea Gray and Bill O'Brien. We were a second wave inspired by the heroes and others. All of this came from the support of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
___W.F. Howard permeated the spirit of evangelism and missions among the BSU revival teams. Then joy came when Robert Naylor and Jack Terry allowed me the privilege of enlisting him to join us in teaching courses in student work here at Southwestern Seminary.
___ Phil Briggs
___ Fort Worth
Open schools
___When I was in elementary school in the 1930s, Jewish children could not attend public schools because Christianity was taught. I remember my pretty teacher reading from the children's Bible about Jesus every morning and praying for our day.
___Now I am weary of so many non-Christians feeling threatened that we are trying to force Christianity on them by using the public schools.
___Why can't we just return to having church schools since we care so much about our faith?
___That would sure seem more honest and probably increase our opportunity to reach non-Christians. Private schools might not be as expensive as we think. We already have Sunday school rooms.
___Would we be more constructive and better examples for our children if we skip the legal battles and just be respectful ambassadors of the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
___ Bobbette Henderson
___ Springtown
Help the schools
___I respond to Ray Moore Jr.'s push to remove all evangelical Christians from public schools (July 28). He claims public schools are "unsafe spritually, academically and physically." Our world is unsafe spiritually, academically and physically.
___A blanket request to remove all evangelical Christians from all public schools is dangerous. Who then will be the salt and light for the non-Christians left behind? Does that mean all Christians should resign from our secular companies and work for Christian companies? After all, companies run by non-Christians can be unsafe spiritually. We are to be in the world not of the world.
___Many staff our children's elementary school are born-again Christians. The school has one of the highest ratings in the area. God is blessing their effort with the awards that the school receives. A lot of ministry goes on through individual relationships formed by parents, teachers and students.
___If parents wish to send their children to Christian schools or home school them, that is their decision. But please do not attempt to make those of us who "choose" to let our children attend public schools feel guilty. I respect those who desire to make a choice different than mine. Instead of asking all Christians to leave the public schools, why not help them with ways to quietly change the schools through developing personal relationships and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who most need it.
___Leroy Gharis
___The Colony
___Please, please, please, Texas Baptists, do not take your Christian children out of public schools (July 28). We are to minister to the world around us. Teach your children to share the message of Jesus Christ to the lost in their schools. We should not remove all Christian influences from our schools by removing our children.
___Maurice Hill
___Henderson
___I feel compelled to respond to Dottie Dunn's comments on women deacons (July 21).
___She quoted 1 Timothy 2:12, but upon further study, one finds the word "man" can also be translated as "husband". I am convinced by Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus, and Judges 4:4, where Deborah was the judge, and therefore spiritual authority, over the entire nation of Israel, including men), that the Apostle Paul is saying here that wives are not to teach, nor usurp authority over, their husbands.
___In 1 Samuel 16:7, God tells Samuel that God doesn't look at the outward appearance as people do, but he looks at the heart. In the case of Aquila, and Priscilla, Priscilla is often mentioned first, which leads many Bible scholars to believe that Priscilla was the teacher and Aquila supported her ministry. In Romans 16:1 Phoebe is called a servant, and the word servant is also translated as deacon(ess), or minister. Many women are not taking an active roll in leadership in their churches because of the common errors many have made in thinking women were somehow unable to minister solely because of their gender.
___I highly recommend two books on this subject: "The Women Question" by Kenneth Hagin and "Who Said Women Can't Teach?" by Charles Trombley.
___Marie Sheffield
___Nederland
___I would add my voice: Do not discard the Baptist Faith & Message as advocated by Leonard Molone (online commentary, Aug. 4).
___This message has been a great teaching tool for me for as long as I can remember. It's almost like scripture! It did not need to be changed the last time.
___Dale Taylor
___Bastrop
___"Great Questions of the Bible" got me to look up the Baptist Standard online. Thanks for an interesting new perspective.
___Linda Templin
___Arlington
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