March 12, 2001

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Wrong door
___Obviously, Marv Knox has been taking lessons in the social graces from James Carville. And he edits the newspaper of the newly non-denominational Baptists who are "not leaving" the Southern Baptist Convention. Based on a recent "truth-spoken-in-love" editorial, it sounds suspiciously like the Baptist General Convention of Texas has a concern

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

he is not voicing.
___First, Knox knocks the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention by charging them with "lies and innuendo to recruit churches to leave the BGCT." Marv, SBTC leaders have been very careful to avoid even the perception of "recruitment." They are leaving because you lied about taking money away from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and then took it.
___Second, Knox knocks the SBTC for "fomenting confusion and spreading lies about the BGCT." Anyone who has had their head in Texas goings-on for the last 10 years has never been confused by the SBTC. But the double-speak coming out of Dallas is overwhelming and carefully "spun." The people who are confused are those trying to reconcile the BGCT's words with their actions.
___Third, Knox knocks the SBTC's credibility. Think, man! Whose credibility is at stake when nearly 200 Baptist churches in Texas have reaffirmed their cooperation with the SBC through the SBTC since the decisions emanating from the Corpus convention?
___Fourth, Knox said it himself: "Texas Baptists are free to support the causes they desire, and the institutions are free to partner with whomever they wish." Marv, if you really believe that, why all the fuss? Knox knocks ... wrong door.
___ Lain Teel
___ Waco

Baffling hoopla
___I recently returned to Texas after serving overseas since 1996 and have been puzzled by all the hoopla going on with Texas Baptists. The dispute about the adoption of the new Baptist Faith & Message particularly has me baffled.
___Once I got home, members from local churches began to tell me what a terrible thing it was for the "conservatives" to push this off on everyone. As I studied the 1963 BF&M alongside the 2000 BF&M with no one telling me what to think about the specifics, I could not find anything that betrayed what being Baptist is all about.
___I read about Charles Wade's "aching heart" and his solution to the "false charges" in Texas churches (Feb. 26). I couldn't help but agree with him in that we do not need to listen to those who would wish to leave the BGCT. As a matter of fact, we don't need to listen to his "quick-response team" he suggests for those who are considering leaving the BGCT.
___I propose that if being a true Baptist is to believe in the "priesthood of the believer," then do what I did and discern for yourself what is "non-baptistic" in the new BF&M. If we don't need to listen to one side, then let's not listen to either side. Let only the Bible and the Holy Spirit guide your decision.
___After all, that is what being a Baptist is all about, right?
___ David R. Hutton
___ Nacogdoches

Haywire in '47
___Let's get straight on "separation of church and state." It's not in the Constitution nor in the Bill of Rights but is a Supreme Court-adopted ideology.
___The First Amendment says, "Congress shall make no law ..." The entire matter, including establishment of any principle of religious freedom, was left (via the 10th Amendment, adopted at the same time) to the states.
___Those claiming the Constitution is a secular document intended to form a secular government are wrong. Jurisdiction over religious matters was left to the states (overwhelmingly Christian and hardly secular). The federal government was not to meddle therein. One state even had a state-favored church until 1833.
___Things went haywire in1947, when the Supreme Court decided that the First Amendment's religion clauses were "incorporated" in the 14th Amendment (adopted in 1868), thus binding upon the states.
___This was judicial insanity and is logically incoherent. It reversed the original intent of the framers and freed the Supreme Court to embark upon a continuing 50-year exercise in attempting to fashion principles of freedom of religion, separation and neutrality, with dismal results.
___The irony is that the clamor for "separation" has resulted in separation of state from God. The fear of a state-favored church has led to an anti-God state.
___Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me." Consequently, state neutrality on God is impossible.
___Let's be careful what we advocate or oppose, in order to avoid shooting ourselves in the foot a second time.
___ Tom Edwards
___ Houston

No fear
___I would like to offer a thought in regard to "Perception of culture divides Baptist moderates, conservatives" (Feb. 19).
___We do not fear an establishment of religion because there is not one shred of evidence in the last 150 years that anyone anywhere has ever wanted to do that. We may fear the unnecessary phobic obsession with establishment by moderates and the ACLU that has resulted in an embrace of secularism in government--as though a godless government were desirable or as though man can be the friend of this world and not be at enmity with God.
___You fear that which has never been seen around here, and we fear inroads into Baptist life of a liberalism we have seen invade and decimate the mainline denominations.
___Excuse us for not compromising and cozying up to that, but it just doesn't look too "mainstream" to us conservatives.
___ Steve White
___ Dallas

Bathing or battle
___SBC leaders fell into temptation by attending the inaugural prayer luncheon for President Bush, offered by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and listening to the admonition of Moon, a self-claiming messiah.
___Moonies will take advantage of this incident, which hinders greatly our evangelism effort, not only for the North American Mission Board, but also for the International Mission Board.
___Korean Baptists are saddened to imagine King David seeing a woman bathing from his king's house roof while the Israel army is engaging in battle.
___ Yoo Jong Yoon
___ Dallas

God works ...
___I have heard comments of misgivings by Bill Landers (Feb. 5) expressed by other Baptists in Texas. He asks whether missions opportunities will be available for Christians doing the will of our Lord Jesus as regards his Great Commission, now that Baptists have divided.
___Demographic experts tell us Texas in the next 20 years will reflect a population with a Hispanic majority. A large portion of this population will be made up of people who will immigrate from Mexico, Central America and South America.
___This means huge opportunities for outreach, missions, church planting and evangelism right here in Texas, and open doors with our southern neighbors.
___What Satan has meant for destruction, God will change and use for good. Funding for Texas seminaries, including the Hispanic seminary, will be stronger.
___Some individuals and churches have indicated they will increase their funding for the SBC. Hallelujah! God be praised! Increased funding in all areas! More open doors! Increased opportunities for service locally, which will allow local personal missions involvement.
___I rejoice because "God works all things together for good for them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
___ Dale Williams
___ Coleman

Whose name?
___It is time to raise the question: Whatever happened to praying in Jesus' name?
___I have been greatly blessed by different ministers. However, I have a serious concern.
___Many of the ministers--yes, Southern Baptist ministers-- are addressing their prayers to the heavenly Father and closing their prayers by saying, "... in Thy name."
___Doesn't the New Testament teach that we only have access to our heavenly Father through Jesus, who is our mediator, our high priest and our advocate?
___Isn't praying in Jesus' name what separates us from the other religions of the world? A Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist would not pray in Jesus' name.
___ Dan Eakin
___ Lewisville

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