December 4, 2000

Texas Baptist Forum
Growth in Mexico
___Texas Baptists have played a major part in the growth of new ministries in Toluca, Mexico.
___Toluca is a city of almost 1 million people 45 miles west of Mexico City. Baptist work here is over 100 years old, but it has been rather stagnant for a number of years. Less than 5 percent of the population are evangelical Christians.
___My wife, Sandra, and I, from Livingston, arrived in Toluca in May of 1996 as career

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missionaries with the International Mission Board. Then, there were only four churches and three new missions. We began to seek volunteer groups, and many churches from Texas began to respond. They did prayerwalks, Vacation Bible Schools, concerts, witnessing, construction, ladies' Bible studies, handcrafts and Scripture distribution. Hundreds of Texans are praying for the work.
___After four years, volunteers, missionaries and national Baptists have seen the work grow to six churches and 20 new missions. Hundreds have accepted Christ, and many are being discipled and baptized. The existing Baptist churches have gained a renewed vision of reaching the valley of Toluca and have aggressive plans to reach the masses in Toluca.
___The missionaries and the Christians are very grateful to Texas Baptists for their involvement in missions. We need more intercessors to pray that the Lord will open more doors in the valley of Toluca.
___ Lynn Sasser
___ Toluca, Mexico

The last vote
___In a recent editorial, you wrote, "Now comes the real 'vote' on the (BGCT funding) reallocation proposal" (Nov. 20). This is a true statement.
___The Baptist General Convention of Texas does not want to know the desires of Texas Baptists, or they would conduct their convention differently.
___However, the people who pay the bills get the last vote.
___ David Myers
___ Mount Pleasant

Imagine the outcry
___In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Stone vs. Graham that schoolchildren in Kentucky have the right not to be assaulted by the presence of the Ten Commandments on their classroom walls.
___The court's rationale claimed, "If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps venerate and obey the commandments."
___"Conservative" leaders Richard Land (of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission) and Brent Walker (of the Baptist Joint Committee) agree. "Posting the Ten Commandments in these places is unconstitutional and bad theology ... because the Bible is God's special revelation to his people" (Nov. 20).
___Since when is it "bad theology" to place portions of God's inspired word in any place where people, saved or lost, might read and obey it?
___Can you imagine the outcry from the Southern Baptist Convention or Southern Baptists of Texas if any BGCT leader had made those remarks?
___ Jerl Watkins
___ Sweeny

Best in missions
___The Baptist Standard recently mentioned 88-year-old Lillian Beard going to Eastern Europe as a missionary to the deaf (Nov. 13). Her story is amazing.
___She began interpreting when she was 8 years old, making her a person serving the deaf for 80 years. She and her husband, Louis Beard, gave totally of themselves to deaf people of Texas. For most of those years, she served as interpreter and counselor to generations of deaf members of First Baptist Church of Houston.
___She was my mentor, among many other mentors. The list includes several career missionaries to the deaf. In her quiet and loving way, she brought about a statewide work among deaf people. She surely represents the best in missions in Texas.
___ Fred L. Wilson
___ San Angelo

All that is good
___With all the negative news surrounding Baptist life these days, I want to express appreciation for an individual who has demonstrated all that is good about Baptists.
___This month marks the end of a fruitful and positive career. Don Brown, director of missions for Collin Baptist Association, is retiring. I use the word "career" because his ministry will continue. His retirement is well-deserved, even though he will be sorely missed.
___As a late-in-life rookie pastor, I found his wisdom and encouragement to be invaluable and much appreciated. Also, his wife, Beverly, has been a good friend and mentor to my wife, helping her to find her place in ministry.
___He has a practical knowledge of God's word, a quick wit that puts people at ease and a transparent heart for God and God's people. I remember him coming alongside a new struggling congregation confronted with a moral tragedy and weeping with us, encouraging us and lifting us up.
___He is a Baptist statesman of the highest order, and I am proud to call him my friend.
___ Ronnie Chilton
___ Altoga

Result of stand
___The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship approved a statement "welcoming but not affirming" homosexuals (Oct. 23).
___For the life of me, I don't understand the difference between the content of the CBF statement and all the hullabaloo surrounding the content of similar statements issued by leadership of the SBC. If the SBC leaders had published this statement, it would cause the leadership of the BGCT and Jimmy Carter to label it "creedal."
___Example: Do we assume the leadership of the SBC has pulled the welcome mat from under the feet of women (or homosexuals for that matter) because the leadership are enlightened to feel women shouldn't pastor a church?
___The CBF has taken a stand. An article noted CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal and other leaders "said the organization can no longer dodge a controversy that is dividing many denominations." Yet Vestal supports division where others in the SBC do something similar.
___Vestal leaves a way from the brush of creedalism by saying the statement would not be used to tell any church, individual or other organization what to believe.
___Why have a statement? Why take a stand? Will churches be encouraged to read the statement? What effect will the statement have on the deliberation of CBF member churches?
___ Reuben Neiswander
___ Lake Jackson

Two mandates
___Earl Newland says a child could understand the passages quoted in his letter (Nov. 20). Let's find that child.
___A close examination of the passages from 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles reveals Jehoiachin's uncle was named Mattaniah, but his name later was changed by the Babylonian king to Zedekiah. Furthermore, Zedekiah was the brother of Jehoiachin's father, Jehoiakim. Both passages align perfectly. Confusing, but inerrant.
___On the second point, it is one thing to question the age discrepancy of Jehoiachin when he first came to reign. It is quite another to boldly assert that "God did not write the Bible." Tertullian must roll in his grave over such misguided remarks.
___Here's the bigger problem. We in the BGCT desire freedom to interpret the Bible apart from any pronouncements from the SBC. Yet as evidenced above, we frequently mishandle the word of truth. Furthermore, we do it while accusing the SBC of wrongdoing by holding Baptists accountable to accurately interpret the Bible. We somehow believe the Incarnate Word we worship as criterion will wink and look the other way as we subjugate and misuse his written word.
___Freedom to interpret Scripture comes with huge responsibility to do it accurately. Difficult passages provide no excuse to doubt the word's inerrancy.
___We are indeed to love our neighbor as Newland reminds us. We also must correctly handle the word of truth. Both mandates come from the New Testament. We cannot embrace one while ignoring the other.
___ David Sparks
___ Lewisville

Agree on truth
___I am a Southern Baptist, and I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, written by men following his instruction.
___Why can't we so-called Christians get together on the things we agree are true and forget the smaller things we never will agree on?
___John 4:35 says, "Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest."
___It is true today, and we waste time arguing instead of harvesting.
___ Bernardine McDaniel
___ Wharton
Need to get more information
___I fear that Debbie Chisolm's answer to the person who asked what to do to help the mother who cried all the time (Nov. 13) should have considered some other terrifying possibilities.
___ My beloved wife died four years ago of Alzheimer's disease, after several years of gradually increasing mental and emotional syndromes. Much less was known about that disease 10 years ago, and three doctors either did not recognize the problem or did not tell me what they suspected. Much more can be done now than was possible 10 years ago (there is no cure, but some of the pain of the caregiver and the patient can be ameliorated, and the hurt that the child expressed can be directed to loving care).
___ A family doctor may or may not be informed enough to be of help. Seek to be referred to a gerontologist, for these brain afflictions are typically problems of advanced years.
___I am not a physician, just one who married into a family with beautiful daughters who were afflicted with cruel diseases. But I believe that abnormal emotional states should be brought to the attention of knowledgeable helpers. If the doctors are of little help, get information from the national societies of as many problems as necessary to get help.
___ Craig G. Matthews
___ Dallas

'Dumbing down' or hardening of hearts?
___I have often heard moderates refer to Scripture as proof that they are right and the fundamentalists are wrong. Two such passages are 2 Corinthians 3:6 and Galatians 3:28.
___ 2 Corinthians 3:6 says, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." This speaks of freedom from legalism, lawlessness and the "letter of the law, which kills." It does not speak of any freedom to disregard the plan and purpose of God for the sake of 21st century culture.
___ Gal. 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The subject is salvation. The point is that God is no respecter of persons. The context is the grace of God as opposed to the works done under the Law. This verse is being used today to circumvent God's stated plan and purposes for the sake of 21st century culture.
___ Brethren, we need to implore God to "remove the veil from before our eyes" and let us see spiritual truth, not politically correct cultural "truth." I find it fascinating that this is the same apostle who wrote the Ephesians 5 passage on the family, yet we reject him there and exalt him here. Can this inability to discern inconsistency be the result of the "dumbing down" started in America in the 1970s? Or is it just the hardness of our hearts?
___Lain Teel
___ Waco

Time for 'Baptists of the Americas'
___In the course of human events, there comes a time for something new. That time has come for the people of America who call themselves Baptists. Therefore, the following proposal for a new Baptist denomination is being suggested. The denomination would be called the Baptists of the Americas.
___Those invited to be a part of this new denomination (though not limited to this group) would be The Baptist General Convention of Texas, Canadian Baptist Union, Progressive National Baptist Convention, American Baptist Churches, Cuban Baptists Convention, Baptist General Association of Virginia, District of Columbia Baptist Convention, General Baptist Association, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Swedish Baptist Association, Woman's Missionary Union, individual Baptist churches who wish to join and other state conventions and organizations who wish to join.
___The purpose of the Baptists of the Americas would be to further the gospel, as set forth in Matthew 28:19-20, through missions and evangelism. Each group would be allowed to maintain its own autonomy and structure, but there would be a national office housed in Kansas City, the most central location for all.
___The convention would meet annually for the purpose of working together to further the gospel. An initial exploratory meeting would be set for Kansas City in May of 2002. Representatives of each of the above mentioned organizations are invited to attend.
___Feedback relating to this idea can be sent to 7976 Christian Court, Jonesboro, Ga., 30236 or charlesandcarolyn@netzero.net.
___Charles Worthy
___Jonesboro, Ga.





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