August 4, 1999
Slander committee
___I have read about the formation of the anti-slander Committee on Baptist Integrity and Daniel Vestal's open letter to Roger Moran (June 30).
___I know the committee is eager to defend the Baptist General Convention of Texas against "unjustified" attacks, and I am eager to see what they release. I hope it will be a point-by-point expose of false accusations and reports coming out of the conservative camps, such as those from Moran. That may not be easy, since Moran supposedly takes pains to ensure his claims are documented. That throws a wrench in the workings of the anti-slander committee.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@flash.net
___Slander is by definition untrue. Truth may be embarrassing or painful, but it cannot be slander. If the committee is unable to show these allegations are false, one would wonder at its purpose.
___I suspect the committee may simply be another propaganda machine, concerned more with public opinion than truth. I suspect that rather than prove the allegations made by Moran and others are false, we may simply see new allegations made against conservatives. I suspect we may not see any contrary facts to prove any accusations wrong, but we may simply see a new spin on those facts already presented by Moran and others.
___I hope I am wrong.
___ Scott Link
___ Fort Worth
Reconciliation
___Praise the Lord for reconciliation. In the Bible, it means the "re-establishment of proper, friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken."
___In Texas, it may mean the opportunity to move past the polarization and name calling of strife to a place where Texas Baptists again can be on mission under the banner of love.
___After having attended a reconciliation meeting, I left with a measure of hope for the future of Baptist cooperation in Texas.
___Perhaps a day will come when abbreviations CBF and SBT no longer will be necessary in our political discourse. Perhaps a day will come when churches won't have to face divisive issues each year like how to respond to the constant refiguring of Cooperative Program percentages in the name of political agendas. Perhaps a day will come when young pastors like me won't have to face anxiety as they are torn between two institutions they love--the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
___If you have opportunity to attend a reconciliation meeting or dialogue, make every effort to be there. Promote it in your church, speak of it in your conversations and most importantly, pray for the reconciliation of Texas Baptists.
___ James Covey
___ San Antonio
Non-prophet
___It appears Herbert Reynolds was not quite the prophet we thought he was last fall, when he called for a Baptist Convention of the Americas.
___"Association will stretch past borders" (July 14) convinces me Reynolds and Texas Baptists Committed had the plan worked out before the 1998 Baptist General Convention of Texas, where he encouraged the BGCT to form its own national convention. It certainly is a well-thought-out plan.
___Yes, Reynolds makes quite a match for Paul Pressler. Someday maybe Reynolds can write a book about how he turned the BGCT into a national convention.
___ Mac Galloway
___ Houston
Compare beliefs
___Did I read about some objections over the Southern Baptist Convention reviewing the Baptist Faith & Message (June 23)? And did I read about the charismatic movement "breaking out" in some Baptist circles (July 21)?
___Maybe it is not such a bad idea after all that some things need to be clarified. Or we could just say, "It is a matter for the local church."
___The reason I am a Southern Baptist is because we lead the way as inerrant Bible believers. I would be happy to see our beliefs "held up to the Light" and compared with the charismatic movement.
___ Earl Garrett
___ Abilene
State & family
___With all due respect to Dan Kent (July 14), educational monies should be directed toward a Muslim school--if parents so choose. The power to tax is the power to destroy. Under our traditional system, the Goliath powers of state have maneuvered their weight of taxation to squash the God-given freedom of parents to direct their children's education.
___The issue is the separation of state and family! Should government dictate how children are educated? Who knows best? Who has God put in control?
___The church-state issue is secondary. The notion that school vouchers embark upon the slippery slope to church-state entanglement is alarmist. The principles that promote vouchers equally guard against such entanglement by focusing on who should control education--parents.
___The notion that government curriculum can be excised of religious connotations is naivete. Diverse religious peoples hold that religious thoughts neither can nor should be expunged from curriculum. God relates to all of life; Christians should not let faith dissipate between Sundays! The notion that religion can be expunged is fundamentally religious. Ironically, seeking to avoid establishing religion, government schools establish a de facto religious position.
___Who should control education? By God's design, it must be parents. Baptists should believe in and fight for the separation of state and family!
___ Joe A. Friberg
___ Arlington
Factional idea
___Ray Moore's Exodus 2000 goal (to remove Christians from public schools), is unreal, unbiblical and un-Christian.
___Christians are to be in the world, separated by our lifestyles, but we are to be witnesses to those around us.
___High school students in our church come to the altar to pray for fellow students and rejoice when those students come to Christ. Even elementary school students witness to their peers.
___And who does Moore suppose will teach the children who remain in public schools if the Christian teachers depart? In 30 years of public school teaching, at least two-thirds of my colleagues were members of Christian denominations, and about half were Baptists.
___Our church membership includes school board members, the superintendent, principals, coaches, teachers, and school nurses and cafeteria workers.
___Exodus 2000 would effectively divide our communities and schools--our people--into two factions that would be alienated in their lives and purposes at a time when our Christian influence is most critical.
___ Helen Mathena
___ Springtown
Pro-altar
___Regarding "Altars, not kitchens" (July 14), I agree with A.M. Womack. I grew up in Baptist churches in the 1930s and '40s. We always had an altar bench. It was one of the most important pieces of furniture in the church.
___People knelt on bare floors and stayed there for whatever length of time it took. They prayed at home, too, but many found Jesus at those altars, and many found the answer to other needs.
___I miss the altar most of all.
___ Drusilla Warren
___ San Angelo
No altar
___I disagree with A.M. Womack regarding altars or prayer benches in Baptist churches.
___I do not need a visible altar; that can be wherever I commune with God--my bedside, before my kitchen sink, in my recliner, in the church pew or even in the church kitchen.
___And now that I have grown old with arthritic knees, I believe I can worship God from any position and let my heart kneel as I worship him.
___ Gerri McCraw
___ Wake Village
Life saver
___Please help us find the makers of the quilt that saved our child's life.
___The Woman's Missionary Union in Texas under the name of ABC Quilts and Love and Comfort to You made our adopted child two quilts in 1994. These quilts have been such a comfort to him during his many hospital stays.
___The makers have no idea what a mark they have left on our child. Please respond to: Laura Galloway, 4212 Red Spruce Ln., Carrollton 75010; phone (972) 394-0997; e-mail LauraGall@aol.com
___ Laura Galloway
___ Carrollton
Women deacons
___ I appreciate and respect a fellow Baptist's beliefs, even when I disagree, such as with the letter from Dottie Dunn (July 21).
___ The Apostle Paul's commendation of the deacon Phoebe to the Brethren (Romans 16:1) makes sense only if his letter to Timothy contains situational advice in 1 Timothy 2:12 rather than being an ironclad rule for all future generations.
___ For example, modern churches do not, per 1 Corinthians11:6, shave the heads of their female worshipers not wearing hats.
___ Some of us accept Galatians 3:2--we are no longer Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female--as a scriptural basis for qualifying women for any office in the service of the Lord.
___ William Menger
___ Huntsville
Conflicting terms
___I was grieved as I read the features about "charismatic" Baptists (July 21).
___Those are conflicting terms. Charismatic Pentecostals yes, but not charismatic Baptists.
___Bill Sharples did the right thing when he experienced his change of heart--he resigned from the Baptist church. Drew Hayes says he believes Pentecostals engage in practices he thinks are "indisputably" biblical. I say, "Then join them." Don't preach Pentecostalism and take Baptist money.
___I am not saying the gifts of the Spirit aren't from God--God moves in many different ways. If you enjoy loud music, everyone talking at once, people dancing in the aisles, hopping over the pews and falling faint in the floor, then go to Brownsville Assembly of God Church (or Pentecostal Church, etc.). That may be exactly where God would have you.
___This same God they say is in charge of this is the same God who said, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corin-thians 14:40) and "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" and "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
___ Charismatics in a Baptist church bring division and strife.
___ Linda Chamberlain
___ Caldwell
Passing judgment
___In reference to debates over whether "charismatic gifts" are for today or not, what to do about them if/when they occur --is not the absurdity of that obvious?
___Those who have not experienced something pass judgment on those who have. None can "judge" another person's spiritual experience!
___That such gifts were only given to those apostles who had personally "seen" the risen Lord is not scriptural. The Apostle Paul repeatedly mentions them, and Paul himself did not see the risen Lord until after the ascencion, by a vision.
___Consider if true manifestations of the Spirit are involved, what those who oppose them do when they oppose him!
___ If these things are not of the Holy Spirit, let God deal with it. If they are, then acting to deny, reject, oppose or prevent is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and persecution of true believers for their God-given gifts.
___ Jenell Guthrie
___ Cleveland
Recognizing truth
___It grieves my heart to read of Baptist pastors leading their flocks to abandon sound doctrine for the esoteric experiences they are finding in the "new wave" (July 21).
___I strongly urge everyone who is longing for revival to read "Counterfeit Revival" by Hank Hanegraaff.
___This will equip them in recognizing truth, and at least they will be forewarned if they choose to "catch the wave."
___ M.G. Morgan
___ Bulverde
Signs & wonders
___Those who seek after signs and wonders (July 21) need to carefully read the Scriptures. Signs were for the Jews to authenticate the gospel before the complete canon of scripture was given. Jesus chided the Jews for requiring signs instead of accepting his word by faith.
___The Corinthian church sought after signs and wonders and was chided by Paul for being immature and carnal. Many who encourage these gifts feel they are more spiritual than others are because they have them, when Paul says the Corinthians were babes in Christ! Paul says we should seek the more excellent way--a mature life of Christian love.
___Physical manifestations are not the ultimate spiritual act. They can be counterfeited and fool many. The gospel authenticates itself through changed lives and displayed love. Anything else is just a sideshow.
___ John Cunningham
___ Alvin
Cool blessing
___Recently, I was selected to sing the National Anthem for a Texas Rangers' baseball game. For this seventh grader, that is really cool!
___When a local journalist interviewed me about this, she seemed surprised when I told her I was not in my school's choir.
___I told her I was a member of the youth choirs at two churches in Paris--First Baptist Church and East Paris Baptist Church. I find that in the church choirs, kids don't make fun of how other kids sing.
___Also, Christian kids from the youth choirs like to hang out with each other, and that makes it fun.
___At the Texas Baptist Family Reunion in Glorieta, N.M., last summer, my grandfather, James Semple, took us over to Santa Fe for the annual 4th of July celebration.
___I talked the people there into letting me sing the National Anthem on the stage, and as a result, it seems many more doors have opened for me to sing.
___Singing for a Texas Rangers game is the most important thing that has ever happened to me besides the time I asked Jesus into my heart and gave him my life in third grade.
___I am so glad that he has blessed me with a Christian family and with good youth groups and church choir programs.
___ Jami Anne McKinney
___ Paris
Warped view
___The problem in the Southern Baptist Convention lies with a warped view of the priesthood of the believer. While I fully embrace this truth, I would never abuse it as have some.
___The priesthood of the believer should never be elevated above the word of God. This is the only way a professing "believer" could ever choose to remain silent on issues such as abortion, sodomy and Freemasonry.
___It is beyond disturbing that anyone taking the name of Christ could take such an ungodly position on these sins.
___Then to read the awful things said of men of God like Adrian Rogers, it is enough to shame anyone from being a Baptist.
___There lies maybe another problem.
___It seems that many in the convention are too concerned with being Baptist and not enough with what really matters. I am born again, which makes me a Christian, and Baptist comes after that.
___I just thank God that I have a pastor, Joe Arms, that preaches the full counsel of God unlike many in the other side of the convention.
___ Jeff Paul
___ Spring
Words & actions
___The question has been raised by some as to the reason for the sharp decline in attendance at the Southern Baptist Convention. I offer two suggestions.
___First, many feel everything already has been decided. The convention is not allowed to speak on the vast majority of motions made from the floor. They are referred to committee, and the committee, not the convention, makes all the decisions.
___Second, many are disturbed by the hypocritical actions of SBC leaders. During the takeover by the current leaders, they talked of doctrinal purity. They excluded longtime Baptists because these people did not believe just like the current leadership. Yet they sponsor and promote conferences featuring a preacher whose church teaches baptismal regeneration and another who has women deacons.
___They are using and endorsing preachers who do some of the same things for which they condemned fellow Southern Baptists. I believe our leaders' actions and words should match.
___ Harold Fleming
___ Porter, Okla.
Effects of abuse
___In "Psychological association reacts to critics," (July 14), I could not believe what I was reading about the American Psychological Association publishing a so-called "study" that child sexual abuse may not cause long-term effects.
___I am so glad that conservative Christian groups and the Southern Baptist Convention took a stand against this nonsense! I am an adult incest survivor, and I lead a women's group, and I can testify personally that the effects are long-term and often devastating.
___Were it not for the healing power of God and the love of friends and family, I do not know where I would be today.
___ Jerilyn Childs
___ Terrell
Luther would be dismayed
___It is disquieting to read that the Catholics and Lutherans are in such close agreement on "salvation by grace alone" that the dispute at the heart of the Reformation has been eased (July 14).
___Martin Luther, who called the Catholic Church "the slaughterhouse of souls," would be dismayed. The Protestant Reformers were not bigoted zealots or fools. Their eyes were opened by the Holy Spirit, and at the risk of losing their lives, they stood up and protested. So what is really happening here?
___Recall the words of Pope Pius XII (of World War II era): "We must not pass over in silence, or veil in ambiguous terms the truth of Catholic teaching. ... The only true union is by the return of separated Christians to the one true Church of Christ." Further, "for those who do not belong to the visible body of the Church ... none can be assured of eternal salvation, because ... they are still deprived of the helps and heavenly favors found only inside the Catholic Church."
___One can observe that Roman Catholicism is able to accommodate itself to partnership with all religious beliefs and practices. It is well documented that John Paul II has exalted the spiritual values of Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, animism and Islam. Catholic critic Abbe Daniel Le Roux has written, "Ecumenism was concerned with unity among Christians. But is now, increasingly ... seeking the union of all religions, Christian or non-Christian."
___Christians must consider carefully those with them we "partner" ourselves. Union with Catholicism is simply error.
___Janan Beckerdite
___Lake Jackson
Explain what?
___I was driving with a Methodist friend the day the San Antonio Express-News carried an article about many of our churches wanting to drop the name "Baptist."
___"How do you feel about that?" she asked. "I'm proud to be a Methodist."
___"I don't care for it," I said. Than I tried to explain why some would want to change the name because they didn't care for everything that was done in certain circles.
___Rain started coming down in torrents, and the thunder rumbled. It seemed like I heard the "giants of the faith" who had fought, bled and died for what we believe chastising me for trying to explain.
___"Explain what?" I could hear the voices say. Let's not lose the meaning of what our name stands for.
___We will never all be on the same wavelength, but we all can say, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel," and that's what Baptists are all about.
___And this we have done with hundreds of missionaries and millions of dollars in giving which represent people; and taking the hands of the unsaved around the world, and leading them into the halls of eternity.
___Let's pass the torch--not drop it ... "Baptist."
___If you do, you will weaken the flame, and have ashes instead of a fire.
___Drop "American" because some ... No!
___Drop "Christian" because some ... No!
___Let our banners fly, and if you look hard enough, you can see "Baptist" embedded at the top of the flag.
___Jewel Mae Daniel
___San Antonio
Mind readers abound
___Mind readers seem to abound on the "opinion" page of the Baptist Standard.
___In the July 21 issue, a writer apparently read the minds of the people at Broadman & Holman Publishers to learn their motivation for a new translation of the Bible. I attended the Southern Baptist Convention in Atlanta when the new translation was announced. I didn't perceive anything about a "hidden agenda" or "not having to pay royalties."
___I, too, question the need for another translation but don't believe evil intent had anything to do with it.
___In the same issue, another writer asks rhetorically if the Southern Baptist leadership no longer believes the Baptist Faith & Message. I was present for that one, too. A messenger made the motion from the floor to revise the Baptist Faith & Message. I think it's unfair to assume the SBC leadership put him up to it because they no longer believe the Baptist Faith & Message.
___If we really could read their minds, I think we'd find that people with whom we disagree don't always have evil intent.
___Joe Hewitt
___Rowlett
Good examples of marriage needed
___I read "Marriage: From fairy tale to reality" (July 21). I really do not understand why anyone would expect the teenagers today to have any type of belief in the institution of marriage. With divorces so easy to obtain, it's really nothing more than a piece of paper.
___I am a child of divorce and grew up in an extremely dysfunctional family. My so-called Christian father abandoned my mother, myself and my two sisters in 1979. When something like that happens, you realize how futile marriage is if people run when problems exist.
___I find it quite ironic that my parents would tell me and my sisters, "Don't quit" and "stop fighting, and just get along," when they cannot even do that.
___I am an extremely happily married woman now, though. My husband and I were married nine years ago.
___One way to help build strong marriages is to do weekend marriage retreats for couples. We have been to three of them with the church I was raised in, and all were very well worth it. I highly recommend these retreats.
___Another way is to date your spouse. Go out and have fun with each other. Communication and compromise are also key.
___But the main thing is we have to as a society put marriage and family first. We have to give kids today good examples to follow.
___Because without good examples, our youth should not be expected to believe in marriage. We, as married couples, have to show the youth that marriage will not always be easy, but it is worth time and the effort it requires.
___Michelle Mallin
___Houston
Confused
___I'm confused. I recently read in the Baptist Standard that Catholics signed an agreement with Lutherans stating their common belief that salvation is by faith alone (July 14).
___I subsequently heard a radio broadcast of "Catholic Answers" in which a caller asked if Catholics consider groups like Unitarians and Jehovah's Witnesses to be Christian. The Catholic response, "Neither practice approved baptism and therefore cannot be considered Christians."
___Maybe they haven't read the Standard.
___Anson R. Nash Jr.
___Corpus Christi
Point missed on vouchers
___With all due respect, I think Dan Kent misses the point of the school voucher plan (July 14). He disagreed with Muslim parents in Michigan sending their children to Muslim schools, using vouchers, contending that the voucher plan is bad because non-Christians benefit and that taxpayers are furthering religions like Islam.
___Please consider that many Christian parents are struggling to send their children to Christian schools, paying school taxes at the same time, while not receiving the benefit of that tax money. If one favors the idea of school vouchers it is because freedom of choice in education means just that.
___As Christians, we are called to witness for Jesus and shine his light into the world where Muslims or anyone else can see it, believe and be saved.
___It seems school vouchers are a different issue altogether. Christians should not be penalized further simply because non-Christians will utilize the same benefit. They are clearly two separate issues.
___Dusty Pierce
___White Oak
Charismatic worship
___I am sure that you have received hundreds of letters regarding charismatic worship (July 14), so let me add my two cents.
___I have no personal ill will against any person or organization that practices this type of worship. However, there are several items of misinformation in the article that should be addressed.
___First, to refer to the events in Pensacola, Fla., as a "revival" is a misnomer. The only thing being "revived" there is spiritual pride, divisive attitudes and unbiblical practices. Second, the author makes it sound like any Baptist church who does not engage in these worship practices is somehow "less" of a church, turning their backs on the Holy Spirit or showing pride.
___The "revival" in Pensacola focuses much more on personal experience than on sound doctrine. I have heard pastors preach that it doesn't matter what the Bible says, because they have experienced it.
___I encourage everyone to read Counterfeit Revival by Hank Hannegraaf of the Christian Research Institute, an organization that endorses Spirit-gifts.
___A true revival is characterized by confession, repentance and brokenness before God, not flashy actions, loud ecstatic speech and being "slain in the Spirit."
___Ken Sander
___Jasper
God's promises not negative
___The promises of God are not negative. Yet many pastors are saying, "God does not perform miracles today."
___Only unbelief, which is a sin, can prevent miracles. All things are possible if we believe, yes even miracles in this time.
___God said all men do not have faith, and without faith we cannot please him (Hebrews 11:6). Many pastors who do not have faith are not pleasing God, for doubt or unbelief is a sin (Romans 14:23). Therefore, many ministers are under a curse (Romans 14:23). We do not need cursed ministers as our leaders.
___I thank God that there are many ministers that hath faith and are pleasing God by praying for the sick, etc.
___Bill Taylor
___San Angelo
Distribute vouchers
___Dan Gentry Kent is an opponent of school voucher laws because he does not want to support the teaching of Islam (July 14). This could be construed to include any number of religions.
___I am not necessarily in favor of supporting the teaching of Islam but neither am I in favor of the teaching of secular humanism, which is also a religion built on faith and not scientific evidence that we evolved from lower life forms. This is the current religion of our public school system. Nor am I a universalist, believing that there are numerous ways to heaven. Christ is the only way.
___However, one must also admit that there is some truth, though not all the truth, in every religion; there is some good and moral decency inherent in all world religions.
___The sad fact is that our public school system does not do what it is supposed to do--educate children. In our district, 50 percent of those who enter the seventh grade never finish 12th. In Texas especially, the focus is not on academics but on passing the TAAS test. What a mistake.
___If we want true freedom of religion and our children educated, we ought to collect taxes and distribute vouchers to all students to attend the school of their choice, whether it be Christian, Islam, secular humanist, etc. Most parents will choose the school which best educates their kids.
___Jim Thompson
___Houston
Don't hesitate
___After reading the letter written by Dottie Dunn, (July 21) I felt the need to respond.
___I quote her, "If God intended for women to be pastors or deacons, he would have written it in there."
___In Romans 16:1-2, the Apostle Paul recommends that the church receive Phoebe as a sister in Christ and "assist her in whatsoever business she has need of."
___When God shows us a position that needs to be filled, he expects us to do something about it, or he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of making us aware of it.
___God calls women to fill positions in all walks of life, not to usurp men's jobs, but to fill a vacancy.
___I pray women will never hesitate to work wherever God places them.
___Viola Tucker
___Marble Falls
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