May 7, 2001
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Graham's prayer
___I hope you noted Billy Graham's offering for the 2001 National Day of Prayer gatherings. (He didn't pray in the name of Jesus, but of God.)
___Compare that to the strident and xenophobic demands of those poor, oppressed Navychaplains who insist they have to "pray in the name of Jesus" at all occasions in order to be "faithful."
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___And despite pious protests to the contrary, these same "persecuted" believers violate the dictum of the One whose name they so grandly proffer and seek resolution in the civil courts.
___After 50 years of the most effective Christian gospel evangelism this world has known, I guess Billy Graham is now to be considered among the lapsed.
___God help us!
___(In Jesus' name, Amen.)
___ T.W. Harrington Jr.
___ Macon, Ga.
Non-behaving
___I read with interest your recent article on "ill-behaving" church members leading to clergy burnout (April 23).
___I thank God that I have not had to contend with such dubious behavior as described in the article. Yet, as a minister for almost 25 years, I have to say this--it's the "non-behaving" members that drive me up the wall!
___ Robert M. Barge
___ Fort Davis
More than God
___I shall agree with Phil Strickland and the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission's call for stay of executions (April 30) as soon as they link it to an end to murders, drive-by shootings, life-threatening violence to children and the weak, and treason.
___Perhaps Strickland and the commissioners wish to be more righteous than God and believe him to be wrong in his commandments in the Ten Commandments and the 20th chapter of Leviticus.
___He commanded it, but really now, was it nice to kill every living thing in Jericho except Rahab and her family, or to stone to death and burn Achan and his sons and daughters and his livestock?
___ Craig Matthews
___ Dallas
Bold step
___As a Texas Baptist, I was delighted to read of the action taken by the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission (April 30) in calling for a moratorium on executions in Texas.
___Our criminal justice system is seriously flawed, with prolems of prosecutorial misconduct, incompetent defense counsel, misused scientific evidence, and false and mistaken eyewitness testimony.
___These flaws have been documented.
___As a result, innocent people are being wrongly convicted. A few lucky ones have recently been successful in proving their innocence with new DNA evidence; however, not all cases have DNA evidence for analysis and review.
___We also know that even when a wrongly convicted person proves innocence with DNA evidence, the criminal justice system is not always capable of releasing the wrongly convicted without action by the governor, which is not politically expedient.
___The CLC is to be commended for taking the bold and courageous step of calling for a moratorium on executions at a time when the death penalty remains so very popular in our culture.
___The CLC is setting a shining example for the rest of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.
___Surely we will be held accountable for knowingly allowing a flawed system of justice to continue convicting and possibly executing innocent people.
___What could be more immoral? Thank you, CLC.
___ Keith McFarland
___ Houston
Not surprising
___It is no surprise lies are being told about the Baptist General Convention of Texas to promote support of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (April 30).
___Lies have been the dominant feature of the fundamentalist takeover in Southern Baptist life for 22 years. Lies paved the way for leadership changes in the Southern Baptist Convention.
___Now in Texas the strategy is simple: If you can't build a convention on your own merits, tear down the other and solicit member churches through lies and distortions.
___What is especially sad is that good people who just want to serve Christ are being misled. What is even sadder is that men who claim to be ministers of the gospel are participating in it or are sitting idly by and doing and saying nothing when they know better.
___ Toby Druin
___ Duncanville
Cost-counting
___Which one of you moderates or conservatives desiring to make or oppose changes in the Southern Baptist Convention did not first sit down and count the cost?
___Those beholding you are beginning to mock.
___It seems so un-Christlike to see political party practices brought into church government, too many tongues out of control and church committees being formed to study withholding or designating funds, putting God's money in escrow or withdrawing even our Baptist name from some things.
___It took years of time, much work and many prayers to build our convention, and now its effectiveness is being diminished so quickly.
___Too many in this world are on the road to hell, too little time is left to win them and too many Baptists are fighting one another.
___ Ed Whitt
___ Chilton
Concern & fear
___Some of us are concerned that "moderate" control of the BGCT has chosen to penalize over 12,000 students for ministry and missons in six SBC seminaries to promote two theological schools in Texas to compete with Southwestern Seminary.
___We also fear a future lessening of support for 10,000 Southern Baptist missionaries through the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board.
___ Paul W. Stephens
___ Austin
Toleration weak
___The recent report of the Baylor University symposium on toleration, in which the apparent purpose was to create an admirable image of toleration, was shocking inasmuch as Baylor rejoices in the J.M. Dawson Institute of Religious Freedom.
___The reason becomes clear when we read Dawson's contrast of tolerance and freedom. He writes:
___"It (toleration) is a weasel word which must be looked upon with suspicion. If received as meaning that toleration is neutral and forbids conviction, then it is utterly false. Or if supposed to demand spineless acquiescence, it is wholly vicious. Or ... if employed as a substitute for liberty, it is grossly deceptive and inadequate.
___"Toleration is negative; religious liberty is positive. Toleration is abstention from punitive measures ... restrained behavior on the part of those in privileged position. ... Religious liberty, in contrast, says: 'I disagree with what you say but sincerely accord you equal rights to express your convictions.' ...
___"Toleration is a human concession; religious liberty is the gift of God.
___"Toleration implies grounds for censure; religious liberty recognizes the uncensurable voice of the soul.
___"Toleration is a tribal hangover; religious liberty is the achievement of Christian enlightenment.
___"Toleration is granted under pressure; religious liberty springs from principle.
___"Toleration tries by ecclesiastical or state law to limit freedom in religion to worship only; religious liberty insists on freedom under constitutional guarantees for the exercise of every religious function."
___ Joseph Underwood
___ Richmond, Va.
Bogus e-mail
___Please print more articles on bogus e-mail, like the article about John Williams' new book (April 9).
___Williams says, "Believe the best about everybody, but verify." I'm a bit more skeptical. I'd say, don't forward (or quote) any e-mail messages, especially those that "demand" that you forward them.
___And any story on e-mail that is not on national airwaves such as CNN, NBC or the newspapers you can safely assume is false.
___ Denzel Holmes
___ Belton
Words can never hurt me
___Aggie jokes are part of the traditions that have made Texas A&M famous.
___If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Enjoy the jokes and laugh with the one who tells it. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.
___This is for the lady in Early who complained about the jokes (April 16).
___John Derry
___Medina
Execution objections ring hollow
___Amnesty International's charge that Timothy McVeigh's execution will turn him into a martyr for radical beliefs groups has a hollow ring to it.
___They are already trying to turn McVeigh into a poster child of the radical groups who
___Since no question of innocence arises, they must come up with other reasons for objecting to the justice of fair jeopardy. No one has the inalienable right to take innocent lives for their own whims or cause without placing their own life in jeopardy. Life behind bars where 30 years of conspiracy theories and hate-filled interviews and media coverage of his every comment or writing is not sufficient jeopardy for blowing up children and women or the casual passerby.
___Amnesty International makes no mention of the hero status for radical hate groups and even attempted rescues which might be mounted over the next three decades. It is easy to see a website established to prove that McVeigh's actions in Oklahoma City were justified and that he should be released as a folk hero.
___A man incarcerated for life for his radical views can achieve an effective martyrdom as an executed one. But, of course, AI says nothing of that distinct possibility. Adding "consensual" to the word "execution" does not change the facts in the case nor the justice of the execution.
___Cyrus B. Fletcher
___Baytown
Thanks to Texans in Alaska revival
___"Lord prepare Me to be a Sanctuary …" These were the words with which we prepared our hearts to receive our Lord’s direction in each of our revival services April 8th-11th. I, and the rest of Immanuel Baptist Church of Anchorage, Alaska, rejoiced and praised His
___ Your Executive Director, Dr. Charles Wade, came to preach for our services. His words comforted and challenged members and guests alike. We focused on Christ and His calling to each of us to follow Him. Before coming to serve as Immanuel’s pastor, I was a member of First Baptist, Arlington, where Dr. Wade served so faithfully for 24 years. I grew up in that church, and even while serving in other churches during my studies at Baylor University and George W. Truett, Seminary, Dr. Wade and FBC Arlington prayed for and supported me. I do have to say that it was good to hear him preach again. I am so glad that Texas Baptists have such a strong and dedicated leader. The people of Immanuel Baptist, like Texas Baptists, desire to hold the Baptist vision high.
___ I love Alaska and the people who call it home. God has called my wife and me to a wonderful state. How great it is to know that in addition to our brothers and sisters in Christ here in our state, we have an extended family in Texas; even though we are separated by three time zones and literally thousand of miles.
___I want to thank all Texas Baptists for sharing your ministers and resources. Alaskans and Texans have much in common, beautiful land, frontier spirit, and large states just to name a few. Most importantly though, in each state, we have people who love the Lord and want to reach our states for Him. Thank you for helping through sharing.
___Mark Goodman
___Anchorage, AK
Tribute to Sisemores, Rodgers
___I read of the recent death of Margaret Sisemore (April 23). Her husband John had preceded her in death in 1993. In 1999, a long-time co-worker with them, Hazel Rodgers, went to be with the Lord.
___From 1965 to 1970, I was privileged to work as an adult Sunday School consultant at the board under John's supervision. He, Margaret and Hazel were my mentors. I shall always believe that God used them to equip me to serve for 20 years on the faculty at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as professor of adult education.
___ The Sisemores and Hazel designed programs for adult Sunday School work that blessed Southern Baptists. They wrote more articles and led more conferences across this nation than I can number. John authored books on adult work that are treasured volumes in my personal library. The debt owed to this trio by our denomination is greater than we have recognized.
___Enthusiasm, commitment and love for the Lord were their trademarks. I believe they are hearing the "well done" of the Master.
___ Ferris Jordan
___ Baton Rouge, La.
Search committees need wisdom
___ In my experiences, the search committees, more than any group, pray diligently to understand God's will in identifying the individual God has selected for their church.
___It would be very helpful if the resume is not sent if the candidate is not truly interested in relocating.
___In the "late stages" the committee is probably trying to discern between two or three
___Translate "we felt led in another direction" as, "we liked his preaching the best." It may be a mannerism, the method of delivery, moving around too much or too little, the sermon was too long or too short, too expository, too theatrical, he lectured, he reads too fast, he didn't reach the kids, he didn't reach the elderly, or a hundred other things.
___ Committees want to be in one accord when they call a pastor and they want it to be in agreement with God most of all. Committee members each have decided how they will know God will. They express themselves, within the committee, based upon how God has answered their individual prayers.
___And in the final analysis, it is God, who "led in another direction", if we are all truly seek His will.
___God grant search committees wisdom in all their endeavors.
___ Name withheld
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