January 29, 2001

Buckner set example, Wade says
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___DALLAS--Twenty-first century Christians can learn how to meet the needs of children and families by following the example of a 19th century preacher, according to the chief executive of the Texas Baptist convention.
___Charles Wade, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, shared his observations on meeting social needs in the new millennium as he gave the annual Founder's Day address for Buckner Baptist Benevolences Jan. 19.
___When R.C. Buckner saw critical needs among Texas children in the 1870s, he responded by building an orphans' home that grew into the vast ministries of Buckner Baptist Benevolences, Wade recalled.
___Current needs are no less urgent, Wade noted. According to the Texas Department of Child and Protective Services, more than 40,000 Texas children are in foster care or state conservatorship, and close to 900,000 are at risk of abuse or neglect.
___"These are children, not statistics," Wade emphasized.
___He pointed to the Old Testament story of Hagar and Ishmael and God's concern for Abraham's outcast offspring, comparing that situation to modern Texas.
___"There are children who are alone in Texas. There are single mothers who have no one to help. There are families that drive one another away. In the midst of family pain like this, God sends his angels to help," Wade said. "Aren't you glad to be a part of helping the Buckner angels be there on God's behalf for the care of children and families?"
___The life of R.C. Buckner, Wade said, reveals at least four principles to guide modern-day ministries to families:
___ Christ-like compassion. Effective ministry is motivated by a "compassion so deep and so real that it stirs us to action," he observed. "I want Texas Baptists to set the pace for being people who demonstrate the compassion of Jesus."
___ Broad cooperation. "Father Buckner" personally helped bring together the two major Baptist conventions in Texas to form the BGCT, and support for Buckner Orphans' Home helped keep the convention together through difficult years, Wade noted.
___He characterized Buckner Benevolences as "a flagship organization" among the 23 BGCT-affiliated institutions. "Ministries such as Buckner call us to a cooperative spirit that can unite us in the midst of our differences," he said.
___ Creative innovation. Just as "Father Buckner" developed creative new ministries as new needs developed, Buckner Baptist Benevolences has continued to grow and adapt, Wade said.
___He pointed to the need for Buckner's international ministries by noting that there are 100 million homeless children in the world.
___ Passionate action. "The bottom line is that meeting needs in the new millennium will take plain hard work and sacrifice," Wade said.
___"I am not hesitant to ask Texas Baptists to give and to work as never before. I plan to ask Texas Baptists to give as they have never given before, in great part to support the ministries of our wonderful institutions such as Buckner."
___

Get printer-friendly version of this story


Send this story to a friend

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!