October 15, 2001

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Relevant today
___Wow. I just "voted" for my favorite hymns, and what a difficult task! There are so many wonderful hymns that believers have written, making it hard to cut the list to just 10.
___Many memories came back to me of times when I have drawn on those precious hymns --their inspiring melodies and timeless words. I remember celebrations in my life, when God's word burst forth in praise through these hymns. I remember losses, when again

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

God's word came to comfort me and calm my anxious soul through these great songs.
___And now, as our nation faces both unspeakable tragic loss and certainly a satanic, evil foe, these hymns are a source of comfort and strength.
___Surely we implore God in constant prayer. We turn to our Bibles to learn of his faithfulness to his people, to receive comfort from the Psalms, and to know we are facing a foe with whom God is acquainted.
___My prayer is that we teach our children God's grace, wisdom, comfort and strength, even with the "old-fashioned" hymns of our fathers. They are just as relevant today as they were the days they were written. They will enrich our children's lives just as they have graced ours. Let us not neglect these gifts from God.
___ Linda Lytle
___ Plano

Praise for Buckner
___Thank you for your editorial relative to the attack on Buck-ner Baptist Benevolences in the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention's publication (Oct. 8). It is beyond my comprehension how any group supposedly representing Christ could so blatantly attack the ministry of Buckner. Of all the Baptist agencies I have ever known, Buckner is the one most closely associated with the caring ministry of our Lord for those in need--from before birth until the time of death.
___I am completing my ninth year as a Buckner trustee. During that time, as Baptist controversy has swirled all around, Buckner has stayed out of the convention battlefield and steadfastly ministered to the needs of hurting people. High on that list are unwed mothers who are nurtured by Buckner as they prepare to give birth. Buckner's commitment to children, the born and the unborn, has been the hallmark of her ministry. Any casual observer will recognize the erroneous implications found in Tammi Ledbetter's Baptist Press article.
___It seems apparent the goal of the attack is to bring harm to this marvelous ministry. To harm Buckner is to interfere with a ministry that touched over 80,000 lives last year. Jesus told us that to bring harm to even the least of these is to bring harm to him.
___I pray all of our churches, all of our institutions, all of our conventions and agencies, and all of our individual Baptists will become totally immersed in ministry for our Lord.
___ William M. Pratt
___ Houston

Future forecast
___Your article on faculty turnover at Southwestern Seminary (Sept. 24) would have been more helpful and even-handed if you had given more attention to the excellent new faculty that are replacing those, like myself, who have retired and others who have departed.
___These younger faculty of bright minds, strong credentials and eager spirits forecast a future Southwestern of superior quality and impressive achievement.
___ E. Earle Ellis
___ Fort Worth

Huge difference
___Marv Knox quotes Jerry Falwell as saying, in Falwell's own retraction, "I do not know if the horrific events of Sept. 11 are the judgment of God, but if they are, that judgment is on all of America--including me and all fellow sinners--and not on any particular group" (Sept. 24).
___Knox then responds, "The central idea of his first claim--which he did not retract, even in his apology--is that God punished more than 6,000 people for the behavior of others."
___Clearly, Falwell claims, in his retraction which Knox cites, only the possibility that this was God's judgment on America. When Knox says Falwell did not retract the central idea of his initial claim and then defines the retracted claim as being "that God punished more than 6,000 people for the behavior of others," Knox implies that Falwell's idea is that the attacks were definitively God's judgment when Falwell clearly advocates only the likelihood.
___The difference is huge. The stance of definitiveness implies that the person thinks he or she has a direct line with God, effectively shutting the door on theological discourse. A stance of possibility, however, makes the theological statement that it is possible that God still judges his creation for their sin, and such a stance should open the door to and inspire reasoned theological discourse.
___ Daren Butler
___ Waco

Imposter
___Who is that imposter who claims to be Marv Knox?
___ Elizabeth J. Horsley
___ Amarillo

Belief and action
___Several letters to the editor have implied only differing theological beliefs separate Baptists. Unfortunately, belief affects action.
___For more than 30 years, I was actively involved in denominational agencies. In present Baptist life, I see how beliefs are affecting actions.
___Already our seminary professors are being told to teach in line with the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message. This means students will be taught to think of a pastor's role as being that of a CEO who knows best for his church. They will be taught to interpret the Bible without looking to Jesus as our final authority. They will not be taught about the priesthood of the believer, the autonomy of the local church, or separation of church and state. Young people who wish to serve on the mission field will be guided away from such positions as doctor, nurse, teacher.
___Sunday School lessons must be written according to a limited number of aims, no matter what the thrust of the Bible material is. These aims are mostly evangelistic or are related to certain social concerns.
___And the day soon will come when churches seeking pastors and other staff members will have to ask doctrinal questions of their candidates.
___Please remember, church members, the church is yours. It is your responsibility to see that what is taught, promoted and funded by your church fits with your most dearly held theological beliefs.
___ Velma Darbo Stevens
___ Fort Worth

More confusion
___I wonder if those proposing to add, "We believe in the divine inspiration of the whole Bible and the inerrancy of the original manuscripts" to the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message have read that version of the faith statement.
___The article on the Scriptures begins: "The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter." That statement is unambiguous. There is no need to add to it, especially using a word of such uncertain meaning, definition and political overtones as "inerrancy."
___The 1963 Baptist Faith & Message is also self-consistent. It says God is "infinite in holiness and all other perfections." Consider that phrase along with the one stating we believe in God as the author of the Bible and then ask whether God is capable of authoring anything that is not divine, is not inspired and is not true. Of course not! No additional statement is necessary.
___When read prayerfully and carefully, there is no "lack of clarity," no "confusion about what we believe" about the Bible in the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message.
___Add a statement that cannot be defined and we will have more confusion than we can handle.
___ Peter R. Almond
___ Houston

Pastors' finances
___Some suggestions made in the article on pastor search committees (Aug. 27) went too far.
___The lives of the pastor and his family are on display enough in most churches without the search committee digging into the pastor's personal finances.
___How would the church feel if the pastor wanted to look into their personal finances before they could sing, teach or hold any office in the church?
___I doubt that would fly very far!
___Doctrinal issues are one thing that should be checked and open to all, but how much money my wife and I make and how we spend it is a matter between us and God.
___ Michael L. Simons
___ Cleburne

Role of women
___I’ve heard a lot of discussion about the split over the role of women in the fellowship. "Did God really say" (Genesis 3:1) that women shouldn’t serve as pastors or teachers?
___An audiotape is being circulated from the leader of one group that claims Phoebe was a deacon and that she served the fellowship in the same manor as those described in Acts 6:5. On the other hand, the apostles Paul and Peter spoke often of the role of women being in submission to their husbands. And there seems to be no scriptural proof that Priscilla ever taught Apollos while in Ephesus or that Phoebe was the "husband of one wife."
___Who should we believe? Who should we ignore?
___1 Corinthians 14 might speak to those who have an ear to hear: "Women should remain silent in the churches" (v. 34). If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I (Paul) am writing to you is the Lord’s command. If he ignores this, he himself will (should) be ignored" (vv. 37-38).
___Burt Bull
___Kingsville

Should point fingers at selves
___In light of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson’s recent comments (Sept. 24), Christians should think twice about pointing fingers at homosexuals, abortionists and the ACLU. If Christians are going to point fingers, they should point at themselves.
___Christians are supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). Unfortunately, we have become lovers of the dark and rather tasteless. When the world looks at us, they do not see a difference. Christians feast on a daily diet of gossip, lying, materialism and pride. How dare we point fingers at sinners without looking at ourselves.
___One’s race, religion or nationality does not limit sin. Sin serves as the foundation for all human atrocities. It is horrible to think that sin, capable of such destruction, dwells in every one of us. When we see sin for what it is, we cannot help but cry out to God for grace and mercy.
___Adam C. Davis
___Fort Worth

Evil acts point us to God
___God allowed terrorists to commit terrible acts because he has chosen to give all humans free will but holds all responsible for the way this freedom is used.
___Yet the cross reveals that God is not a distant God uninvolved with our suffering but one who actively engages evil, allowing it to destroy itself. God will work through these circumstances to defeat evil.
___ Look at how this event has caused Americans and the world to look beyond their own petty differences and needs. Yes, some have persisted in evil despite this tragedy – scamming concerned individuals, attacking innocent Muslims, cheering in the streets in victory. But this event draws into sharp contrast exactly what is good and what is evil, helping us to recognize our need for God and for thinking of others rather than ourselves.
___People are crying out to God. Volunteers are donating money, blood and time for others.
___These evil acts point us to God not because God causes them but because he speaks to us through them.
___But we must respond to his call. The same free will that caused this tragedy belongs to us all. Will we recognize our need for God to help us to choose the right and refuse the wrong? Will we turn to God or blame him; help our fellow human beings or injure them? Will we accept Jesus as Lord; point others to Christ?
___ We are just as responsible for our choices as the terrorists were for theirs.
___J.M. Givens Jr.
___Hawaii

Christian fundamentalists not responsible for terror
___I want to comment on the statement made by Gerald Mann (Sept. 17). He stated, in light of the tragedy of the attack on America, that "like Islam, all major world religions are plagued by fundamentalist factions…even American Christians cannot claim immunity."
___The implication is that fundamentalist Christians somehow share, to at least some extent, in the erratic and aberrant psychological behavioral and ideological traits that characterize Islamic terrorists. This is at best a gross misstatement and at worst irresponsible and uninformed.
___A check on tenets of Confucianism or Buddhism, for example, two great world religions, reveals no such things as variant elements that could be labeled "fundamentalist." His sweeping statement…"all world religions" is obviously wrong.
___Historically, American fundamentalist Christians in the northern U.S. from 1910 to 1950 were present in the major denominations and attempted to hold to and defend the so-called "fundamentals" of the historical Christian faith, the great truths of historic biblical Christianity.
___To link such stalwarts of the faith who believed in the fundamentals, such as Donald Grey Barnhouse, Harry Ironside, Charles E. Fuller and R.A. Torrey, and others, with the fringes of militant Islamic terrorists is indeed an unfortunate and egregious error.
___ Fred Howe
___Cincinnati

BGCT etiquette
___ The Texas Baptist Convention is just around the corner and I plan on being there as a messenger for my church again this year. I have attended the convention for two years. Please correct me if I am wrong in my observations. If I am right, is there anything that could be done to make things better?
___First, many messengers and their pastors come strictly to vote on issues and leave, talking and visiting and making a lot of noise while reports and testimonies are being shared from the platform. Is this acceptable behavior for Texas Baptists?
___Second, I was amazed last year when the moderator at the third session asked how many in the audience were laypersons and everyone around our group stood. Then, when I left the session to go to the restroom, I found out why. All the pastors were in the halls and foyer visiting with other pastors while all the positive and exciting reports and testimonies were being shared. Wouldn’t these same pastors be upset if their church members stood outside the worship center while the exciting parts of the service were going on?
___Third, do messengers not know how to follow directions? Most of the discussion time was wasted by messengers who did not follow the guidelines. Are pastors asked to explain to messengers what rules they need to follow if they plan to speak from a microphone. I was embarrassed and frustrated for everyone.
___ Lisa Johnson
___Henderson

Unlikely blessed event needed
___ It occurred to me when I came across Lord Byron’s poetic rendering of II Kings 19:35 the other day about the angel of the Lord taking the breath--life--from the Assyrian hosts in one fell swoop on the eve of battle, as others were given the breath of life instantaneously when the Holy Spirit came to them at Pentecost, wouldn’t it be wonderful if our enemies, "those of our own household" as well as those afar off, could be not slain in this way, but suddenly enlightened, like Paul, and repent, "with new breath and sight" as was Nineveh in Jonah’s time.
___ And turn against and repudiate their horribly misguided leaders of destruction, resisting their call to action and "going limp" as it were.
___ This is what it means to "pray for our enemies"--not instead of self defense, but our defense empowered by our prayer. We must entertain any and all possible eventualities of hope, however unlikely, while at the same being diligent and vigilant and armed, in all ways. That’s what a miracle is--the unlikely blessed event.
___ Harriet Kelley
___ Dallas

Lean not unto thine own understanding
___ What a wonderful tribute to David L. Lowrie by David L. Lowrie Jr. (Oct. 1). I can hear the Lord saying, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."
___ Thank you for publishing "Praise for dad."
___ I’ve been praying for some time that our denomination would return to the "day when our Baptist family walked together in harmony and on mission," as put so well by David Jr.
___ If we would only be careful with our tongues and pens and listen to the wise one’s words, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding," all the strife and bickering would come to an end.
___ I wonder if we have forgotten the symbol WWJD?
___ Ross Reding
___ Denton

Give positive peacemaking a chance
___ President Bush made a serious mistake as he took office, publicly saying America should disengage itself from the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and let the two adversaries settle their differences themselves.
___ Our country must stay actively involved in trying to bring peace to the Middle East. We must not favor one side over the other. To do so is to ensure failure.
___ It is time for the world to "study war no more."
___ The United States, the richest and most powerful country in the world, can lead the way in promoting peace. We should add a Peace Department to the president’s cabinet. We are very good at waging war, not very good at waging peace. This country has a good supply of peacemaking experts who know how to address injustice.
___ It is imperative we give the power of positive peacemaking a chance.
___ It is our best hope, and is one that pleases the God we trust. God will bless our peacemaking.
___ Paul L. Whiteley Sr.
___ Louisville, Ky.





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