September 3, 2001

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Another issue
___The age-old debate is alive and well! We've taken sides, drawn the line in the sand and fervently proclaimed our style of worship as that style which honors God the most.
___Is it traditional worship, contemporary worship or another issue all together? I believe it's another issue altogether.
___What honors God is not our worship style but our efforts to reach people with the

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gospel and to put ourselves aside for the sake of heaven's population. If that means having high-energy music that attracts those who are unchurched, lost or both, I'm all for it.
___An organ or piano are no more holy than an electric guitar and drums.
___Our church is going through the painful change of worship style. Are some unhappy? Yes. Have some left? Yes. Will others leave? Probably. Will we reach more persons with the gospel? Absolutely!
___However, if as a church, you're happy with transfer growth from other churches and other denominations, then by all means be traditional--but I doubt God will be pleased.
___But by all means, continue the debate--the entertainment value is high!
___ Steve Fasold
___ Bayou Vista

Good for Graham
___I was troubled with the letter complaining about changing popular songs' meaning with Christian lyrics (Aug. 13).
___Martin Luther took a popular pub song, changed the lyrics and created the grand "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." John Calvin considered the organ a tool of the devil! Try taking organs out of traditional churches today!
___As a pastor of a fairly new church with a contemporary bent, I would disagree with the letter writer. Christian rock is viable and oriented toward Christ.
___Just like any music medium, not all of it is good. But to dismiss "Christian rock" as something with a "jungle beat" (Is this an African put-down?) is short-sighted and misses the greater focus--to reach the lost "by all possible means" so that "I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).
___I am glad Billy Graham recognizes the attraction and power of Christian rock. If it's good enough for Billy Graham, it's pretty good for the church!
___ David Huebner
___ Sugar Land

Harming Christ
___The controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention has harmed the work of Christ in our nation. People surmise we have nothing to say about love, peace and harmony because Baptists can't get along with each other.
___Who started all the controversy? Satan--not God. He is the author of fear. The fundamentalists became fearful that errancy was leaking in. Their behavior was not from love, but fear. The moderates feared the behavior of the fundamentalists, and now we have the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. There are fine Baptists on each side.
___There is a large group of us Baptists who don't want to be in either camp. We are believers of Jesus Christ who want to reach a lost and dying world with a life-saving message. We are the bride of Christ.
___Thousands of us hang our heads in shame at the infighting that has characterized Baptists since 1978. We just want to serve Jesus. Can't we drop the labels and be called servants of God, witnesses for Jesus?
___You fundamentalists may win one battle. You moderates may win another. But why are we fighting? We should be fighting the enemy, Satan. You have given him a foothold in our denomination, and he's enjoying every minute of it.
___I don't want to go to any more political meetings and watch my brothers be polarized, for my heart might get involved, and I'd take my eyes off Jesus and the awesome responsibility for preaching his word.
___ Katherine J. Meroney
___ Houston

Advance Christ
___It is clear that most laypeople do not understand what really happened to the SBC and the damage done by the spirit of fundamentalism since 1979.
___Because we have not understood, good Baptists have ignored the atrocities committed against mainstream leaders and have gone about the business of Christ's kingdom, praying this conflict would go away.
___Because we have not understood, mainstream Christians continue to fund vicious acts against fellow Baptists by sending millions to the SBC Cooperative Program. We refuse to believe these gifts are used to destroy our brothers in Christ.
___Because we have not understood, we have trusted SBC leaders, and we have overlooked changes that have so altered our convention and undermined its mission.
___It is unbelievable Baptists will blindly follow fundamentalism without knowing where it is taking them. Without accurate information, they have allowed themselves to be caught up in its political agenda.
___Mainstream Baptists know we do not have demonic leaders in our churches, seminaries and state conventions, as charged by SBC fundamentalists. It is shocking that fellow Baptists are capable of horrendous acts of falsely accusing other believers. We cannot fail to act in love toward Baptist brothers.
___Now comes the reality that the SBC is lost forever from the mainstream majority. We now are forced to carry out our commission by other avenues.
___I pray for all Baptists, in the struggle to advance Christ in a lost world, that we are led by his Spirit and his example to all believers.
___ K.D. Boyd
___ Granbury

Lost sight
___Have we Christians lost sight of the message our Lord entrusted us to carry on to the rest of the world? Jesus embraced all people, regardless of nationality or faith, with his singular message of salvation.
___Over the years, we have used insignificant reasons to divide ourselves by these artificial boundaries we call religions or denominations. Disputes over the details of the worship service and missionary funding have split individual churches and entire religions.
___The core Christian beliefs that God created heaven and earth, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, heaven and hell are real are uncompromiseable truths that we must hold onto and even fight for.
___But all the side issues and means of worship and service are not of this level. We can differ on our opinions of administrative details, as long as we stay to the core values of the Christian faith. When we get to the judgment day, God will not check to see what church we belonged to--only if we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, having accepted him as our Lord and Savior. There will be no religions in heaven, only believers.
___Jesus taught us to embrace rather than to exclude others. We must all turn from our differences and band together spreading the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. All Christians share this common purpose and mission.
___ Danny Moore
___ Duncanville

Internet search
___Bill Williams recently lamented the demise of "the real fundamentalists" (Aug. 6). They still live via the Internet.
___A search for "J. Frank Norris" will yield 27,200 references. A search for "The Sword of the Lord" will bring back all the old names and their sermons. A search for "Fundamental Evangelistic Association" will bring a good history of Fundamentalism, a discrediting of Billy Graham and a heralding of "... 72 years of preaching, teaching, contending."
___Other sites contend that only the King James Version of the Bible is the word of God and denounce all other versions.
___Williams can turn to the Internet.
___ A.T. Maker
___ Hope, N.M.

Phenomenal Texans
___We wanted to express our appreciation for a phenomenal group of Texans who came to Connecticut this summer. Our community and church family will never be the same following the God-sized task performed by the Mission Greenwich team from Lakeside Baptist Church of Dallas.
___We were blessed beyond measure.
___As a result of their tireless efforts, the Vacation Bible School of Greenwich Baptist Church was the most productive week for the Lord's kingdom in our church's history.
___Each member of the team did an excellent job. The team's sacrifice and preparation made the week memorable and spiritually rewarding.
___ Robert W. Norman Jr.
___ Greenwich, Ct.

Potter is dangerous
___Harmless, Bob Campbell says of Harry Potter. Hardly!
___The series glorifies witchcraft, and implies that witches can be good as well as bad. It sounds to me like my brother has accepted the propaganda of the literary world. Hardly on par with Snow White and Cinderella. And, perhaps we should condemn some of the others he mentions.
___However, just because fiction includes witches does not equal the problems of clearly saying that witches can also be good, focusing on witchcraft and teaching spells. That directly contradicts the Bible and God himself.
___I don’t condone another Salem. However, God says witches deserve death, which is his judgment, not mine, and he will one day exact it. Think again before condoning what God curses!
___The Bible says we should have nothing to do with witchcraft. I think that includes promoting its familiarization among our children.
___I, too, read Harry Potter and was charmed by the story. It is great fiction, and great literature, but terrible as recommended reading for vulnerable children, many of whom, sadly, cannot tell the difference between fiction and reality.
___And, by the way, the Potter story may be fiction, but the subject world for its theme is not fiction. It is very real. And very dangerous.
___Tom Fenton
___Oxford, Ohio

Fox guarding henhouse?
___Your article about the International Mission Board trustee who went to prison (Aug. 6) was called overkill by one respondent (Aug 13). I maintain you could have and should have said more.
___If a man who defrauds investors out of millions of dollars can be made a trustee of the mission board where many millions of missionary money are handled, then the fox has been sent to guard the henhouse.
___Carroll Johnson
___Douglassville

Fraud usually reaps prison
___In response to Bill Ragsdales’s letter to the editor (Aug. 27), which he closes, "I am sure you will reap what you have sown," the reaping will all be Russell Kaemmerling’s.
___Fraud usually reaps prison punishment. As to the Standard being abusive, I’m sure those Kaemmerling defrauded feel plenty abused.
___J. Norman
___ Dallas

Thanks for story on Ammonses
___Thanks for sharing the exciting article, "We’ve a Story to tell," concerning the missionary ministry of Christian and Pam Ammons in Belen, Peru (Aug. 13).
___Chris, as a lad, was among the first persons to be baptized in the young Manhattan Baptist Church when it had established its presence on West 57th Street in New York City, under the ministry of Paul James, first Southern Baptist leader in the Northeastern seaboard. His parents, Elmer and Hazel Ammons, drove faithfully into the city from north New Jersey for Sunday School and worship.
___After his graduation from seminary, having already settled their call to missionary service, Chris and Pam worked effectively with a young congregation in the area of Princeton, N.J. It has been inspiring to follow their dedicated career as a talented team who thrive on sharing the good news of Christ among people who have never heard in places where others have never been.
___R. Quinn Pugh
___Statesboro, Ga.

Go and do likewise
___In response to Larry Holly’s letter on more mercy for Russell Kaemmerling (Aug. 13), he omitted one scripture in Matthew where the Lord threw the thieves out of the temple.
___I say, go ye, and do likewise.
___Nancy Williams
___Lake Jackson



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