March 1, 2000

Texas Baptist Forum
Show me
___Cooperative Baptists and Southern Baptists, get over it! I am so tired of this bickering.
___Do you not read your Bibles? My Bible says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their

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needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:29-32).
___What I'm hearing from both sides is not building each other up. When are you going to get on your face before God and ask his guidance? The churches do not want to hear bickering. On Sunday morning and night and Wednesday night, I want to hear how God loves me.
___Show me how I can go out and reach others for him. Show me how to pray. Teach me love, not hate.
___ Nina Tanner
___ Vernon

Rare gift
___Jim Cymbala made his point clear--churches are to serve where God's Spirit is working (Feb. 9). However, as a foreign student, I observe it is not programs, vision, planning, etc. that choke evangelistic work. It is the innate ethos of American pragmatism that quenches the movement of the Holy Spirit.
___When there is an outbreak of the Spirit, almost immediately books are written trying to capture those "timeless, never-changing principles." Then, most of the pastors or laymen will buy it, read it, use it and keep using it without question.
___On top of that, there is the thinking of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Every renewal is run to its logical end when things have gone so wrong that it is inevitable not to stop and reassess the situation.
___"Timeless principles" have their own place in the church life. However, running those principles like an invincible machine will keep the revival fire from burning. It seems that spiritual discernment--sensitivity to the Holy Spirit--is a rare gift in the churches.
___ Raymond Wong
___ Fort Worth

Destroy trust
___Let me understand. I once invited an Islamic imam to address a group of clergy here in Abilene. I was vice president in charge of setting up programs.
___According to Roger Moran and Bill Streich, I am now pro-Islam, as well as pro-Presbyterian, pro-Lutheran and pro-Methodist (Feb. 23). They were all there, and I am guilty of associating with them in a formal setting of clerical friendship.
___Paul Pressler has regularly associated with lawyers of every kind and has been a member of their committees and professional groups. I am a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains. Some of our members are women (shudder) and some are non-Christian (horrors)!
___Is it possible Streich and Moran's materials function best as a way to destroy trust? What other useful function do they serve?
___ Chuck Webber
___ Abilene

Don't back down
___Your articles about Roger Moran (Feb. 23) were very frightening. Libel and lawsuits for those who dare give his material to their church??!!! He must be the false prophet straight from the Pit.
___Thank goodness a few pastors in Missouri did not let the threat of libel scare them. Bill Webb, editor of the Missouri Word & Way, tried the same approach. It did not work. Why? Because what Roger Moran has printed is true.
___Fear will work on a lot of preachers; what a shame. I urge my fellow conservative pastors not to back down.
___By the way, the conservative pastors of Missouri have not seen a lawsuit yet, and it has been three years. It is hard to sue documented truth.
___ Chuck Williams
___ Washington, Mo.

Need to know
___Thank you for the Feb. 23 edition of the Baptist Standard. It contained two very important issues for Texas Baptists.
___Thanks for the "Bible study for Texas." These Sunday School helps will be very beneficial to our Sunday School teachers. Thank you for publishing the lessons for the whole month.
___Thanks also for all of the information on "... and nothing but the truth?" I believe Texas Baptist need to know!
___ Kenneth Flowers
___ Brownfield

Looking back
___Letters in the Feb. 16 Baptist Standard sent me to the Feb. 2 issue to see how I could have missed such biased reporting.
___Regarding the letter from Sue Nicklas about the decline of the traditional American family in the "Ozzie and Harriet" story, I did not find the story to be "ultra-liberal or un-Christlike." It merely reported the facts of our changing society as well as what churches must do to reach these people. I am pleased she does not experience the new reality of working women, but not agreeing with it will not make it go away. We should be ministering to these people instead of criticizing the studies.
___The story on the French abortion pill RU-486 also reported facts--even though we don't like them or agree with them. We still need to be informed. The potential approval of this pill will change strategies in both the pro-life and pro-choice camps. We need to spend our energy on having this pill banned in the United States.
___ Rosemary Wood
___ Lake Jackson

God is judge
___In response to Dick Tillman's letter concerning the use of money to build the Truett Baptist Theological Seminary building (Feb. 23), I would agree that Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has had many glorious years. I also have deep reservations about its current and future direction.
___Jesus--in response to Judas' question about Mary's pouring out the equivalent of a year's wages onto Jesus' feet--said, "You will always have the poor among you."
___Baptists who gave both small and large gifts to help build a building to house Truett Seminary also gave out of love for Jesus and the desire to help future generations of Texas Baptists have the opportunity to have Christ-like leaders who have been educated in an atmosphere of freedom, honesty, respect and love.
___ The impact of these people on a hurting world can be much greater than the cost of a building.
___God, who knows the depth of our love and the pain and hurt that has come out of the past two decades, alone is judge.
___ Jenne Harmon
___ Stephenville

Talk to mother
___After reading "Grandparents can help children of divorce" (Feb. 16), let me tell the grandparents communication with the children's mother is key.
___My husband and I went through a similar situation with his brother and ex-wife. Having a relationship with heir children was very important to us, so we invited the kids over frequently.
___In time, our contact with their mother became easier and the visits with the children were more frequent.
___We always made it clear that she was their mother and respected her for that. Sometimes that meant biting our tongues, but not one bad word was ever said about her.
___I know that is probably more difficult as a grandparent than an aunt and uncle. Once the mother realizes you are not there to take sides but to love the children, your relationship with her should become easier.
___ Lara Bowling
___ Blue Ridge

What God intended
___As to the need for medication for mental disorders, it is William Sprague who is actually engaged in "wrong thinking" (Feb. 16). God has given us all things richly to enjoy, so long as we use them rightly.
___Does he contend prayer rather than eating is what we need to sustain our bodies? If not, why is our "thinking apparatus" in any distinct category from our stomachs?
___As to stomachs, the Apostle Paul told Timothy to "take a little wine" for Timothy's frequent infirmities. I suggest Paul would tell me, as a manic-depressive, to "take a little lithium" for my mental "oft infirmities'" sake.
___To put the matter in perspective, during the first year and a half after my initial manic episodes, I prayed with faith, believing. I did not get better. I got worse.
___Instead of curing me, God let me get to the point where I understood I needed outside help. I thank God for that. As a result, I can happily say that, with the help of medication, I can think clearly and handle a high-pressure job as a lawyer.
___That is what God intended.
___ Thomas F. Harkins Jr.
___ Fort Worth

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