TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Sub-Standard
___I was certainly disappointed at most of the defense of the Baptist General Convention of Texas which was most of the so-called Baptist Standard (April 30). I will dub it Baptist Sub-Standard.
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__Your editors know that the only element of our up-to-now strong affiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention is due to our biblically grounded tradition that SBC members were mostly unified on until liberals started hacking away at SBC traditions, trying to modernize, pressing the thought that each church is autonomous and can peddle any message they concoct and accuse our substantial reliable leaders of lying.
___ J.B. Edwards
___ Pipe Creek
Take a look
___"BGCT says churches misled by lies and distortions" (April 30) burdened me with prayer and concern. I hope other Texas Baptists will read the article and be concerned also.
___I've followed this controversy from Day One.
___I've attended the SBC conventions in Texas and the BGCT conventions. I've read the Baptist Standard, SBC Life, the Southern Baptist Texan and other papers.
___I just want to commend the men of the BGCT for taking the stand they have in putting out the truth. They have done it in a Christian way--at conventions and in our Baptist Standard.
___If every pastor and layperson would have taken the time to study this controversy from all sides, this would have been over long ago.
___Thank you, BGCT representatives, presidents and many others who have stood strong for the BGCT.
___I do know this: God is in control, and he will bless and take care of our convention in his own time and way, in spite of the lies and distortions.
___ Tommie Roberts
___ Coleman
Higher standard
___Regarding the letter "Savage wolves" (May 14), first, while I am a member of the Lord's flock, I am no one else's sheep to be led. Second, I do consider myself a conservative/fundamentalist.
___"Conservatives" get slammed on a regular basis by many people, and any attempt to defend one's beliefs is put down. I accept that "liberals" feel the same way. This victimization of one another is just what the media loves, including the Baptist Standard.
___None of us is perfect. There will always be a tendency to generalize and criticize beliefs other than our own. However, as Christians we are called to a higher standard. When I read the Baptist Standard, I expect something different than I get from the secular media. Lately, that has not been the case.
___It saddens me that I feel disenfranchised by the Standard even though I am a Baptist and belong to a church that refrains from choosing sides in the SBC/BGCT debate. It seems the Standard is encouraging Baptists to choose sides. Isn't that called biased journalism?
___Why not focus more on what we, conservatives and liberals, BGCT and SBC, have in common? Satan does not need to send wolves to attack us when we can accomplish that ourselves.
___ Kerry Cookston
___ Terrell
Pathology of Jabez
___The first thing that jumped out at me regarding the prayer of Jabez (May 21) was the pathology.
___His birth brought his mother great pain. Consequently, she named him Jabez, which means "pain," as a constant reminder that he was to blame. Old Testament mothers gave names to children that would fulfill the mother's dreams for them. Was this her reason for giving him the name "Pain"?
___To compensate for his name, Jabez became the "good child" in the midst of his siblings. His desire was never to bring more pain, physical or psychological, to his mother. He really could have chosen to go in the opposite direction--to live his life as a constant "pain" to his mother. But with God's help, he chose to compensate, otherwise, for his own deepest emotions.
___Asking God to increase his holdings could bring into question the legitimacy of his birth. Could this have been part of his mother's pain? If he were a legitimate child, he would automatically inherit property from his father.
___If such pathology existed, it would make the prayer of Jabez all the more remarkable for what he overcame.
___Hopefully, this craze will not lead to: A church member comes to the pastor's office to confess a sin. After confessing to God, in the presence of his pastor, the pastor says, "Now go, my brother. Say the prayer of Jabez 10 times, and all will be well!"
___ Bill Simpson
___ San Antonio
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How come?
___When did the Southern Baptist churches go into the entertainment business? It seems we can't have a great, quiet and reverent service honoring our God anymore.
___We have to have high-priced entertainers to perform so that we can attract the unsaved to our churches. We have crowded God into the last 20 minutes of the time allotted for service because we must be subjected to numerous mundane choruses, skits, coffee and doughnut breaks, etc.
___If this is what the world requires to get them to church, then they really are not getting the message of God and the plan of salvation.
___ Arlyn J. Witten
___ Fort Worth
Joy in heaven
___In response to the recent letter bemoaning the applause after a baptism (May 21): The Bible states that there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.
___The word there for rejoicing can mean great or exceeding joy. The verse goes on to say this rejoicing takes place in the presence of the angels of God.
___I, too, am mid-thirties, 37. The people of our fellowship applaud after baptisms as well. They aren't applauding the act, but what the act represents. It is to be a time of great joy.
___As was stated in the letter, baptism is a symbol of our burial and resurrection. I promise you that resurrection day will be a joyous and celebrated day.
___As far as loss of reverence in worship: Don't equate quiet or somber with reverence. David danced before the ark of the Lord in reverence.
___Just because we hold something in awe or revere it doesn't mean we must be silent.
___Both exuberant joy and quiet stillness have a place in worship.
___Baptism just might be one of the times for joy.
___ Shawn Brewer
___ Eastland
Pregnancy penalty
___I read the letter about saving lives of those innocent ones who face death sentences without due process of law by abortion (May 14). They have been trying for years to stop abortions and have had very little success.
___I have a solution: If a father or son is guilty of causing an unwanted pregnancy, then he should be sent to jail for a number of months.
___You would be surprised at the drop in abortions without any other large outpouring of money or other laws.
___ E.M. Warren
___ Clifton
Tough months
___Growing up a Texan, the past few months have been tough for my family and me. Just as he does with many other pastors, ministers and missionaries, God has called us to another field. We are adjusting to life in southern Illinois, having left our families and our closest friends.
___We're not in Texas anymore.
___Both my wife, Shanon, and I spent four years at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. God used that time to prepare us for what was to come. It took me five years to complete my education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. And along with our education, we have spent several years ministering in churches in central and north Texas.
___I guess I am writing this letter just to say thank you to all Texas Baptists.
___Many of you have prayed for us even though you did not know our names. Many of you have given to both Texas and Southern Baptist causes that made our educations possible. From both sides of the political climate, individuals and churches supported us through it all.
___And just to let you know that I am not ungrateful for all your support and prayer, I wanted to say thank you.
___ Jason Gish
___ Marion, Ill.
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