October 7, 2002
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Potential for improvement
___In 2000, the vast majority of messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session approved a budget that only a minority of the churches actually supported. We have a problem: Obviously, our convention meetings are out of step with our churches. Someone will want to blame people in the churches for being disinterested and failing to attend conventions. Maybe we ought to look at how the structure of our meetings keeps them away.
___The Southern Baptist Convention, the BGCT, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and all of the state conventions have meetings that most normal people cannot attend. Who does attend? People who get paid to attend--denominational employees, pastors of churches large enough to afford it (I'm in this category) and vendors to the trade show. If these stacked meetings represent the sentiment of the churches, it is only by happenstance.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
___We could do no better in 1845, but things are different today. Baptists need to harness new communications technologies to enable a broader swath of Baptist life to participate in Baptist decision-making.
___Satellite teleconferencing and Internet voting could revolutionize Baptist life. I know there are credentialing problems, but shouldn't we be hard at work to solve them when we see such potential for improvement?
___ Bart Barber
___ Farmersville
Invasive question
___I was heartsick to read the article that stated an interview with a prospective volunteer church worker with children needed to reveal "especially any incidences of abuse or molestation they might have experienced themselves" (Sept. 30).
___This is an increasingly popular and obscenely invasive question. A child predator will not respond to such a question honestly, and decent, godly people will suffer pain and humiliation by the inference that having been victimized, they are now a potential threat to children. Molested children spend their whole lives accepting that they were not responsible and learning to forgive those who were.
___While many child molesters were indeed molested as children, most molested children do not grow up to be child molesters. In other words, all poodles are dogs. But most dogs are not poodles.
___Run criminal histories, get references, require six months' church membership, supervise volunteers for a period and interview them carefully, but please do not ask this unreasonable question and make adult victims of childhood abuse feel responsible for a horrific event they had no control over.
___ After many years of serving the Lord's children and with much personal pain, I walked away from several children's ministries rather than sign a form that made me look like I had something to hide. Please don't invite this kind of heartache, confusion and misunderstanding into your church family.
___ Mary Nichols
___ Forney
God makes no error
___William Menger's letter says scriptural inerrancy "fails" in 1 Kings 7:23, alleging the Bible gives a wrong value of Pi (Sept. 30).
___If he would read just three verses further, 1 Kings 7:26 clearly states that brim was shaped like the brim of a cup and like a lily blossom. I looked at the shape of a cup and also the shape of a lily blossom, both of which have a larger brim at the top than its lower body. The brim of the sea of cast bronze was actually an outwardly jutting lip, preventing spills. (You can see a drawing showing this at www.answersingenesis.org/docs/494.asp).
___The inerrancy of the Scripture actually demands and requires that the diameter of the outer top brim would be greater than the interior diameter of the body. In other words, scriptural inerrancy does not fail. The inspired human writer accurately reported that God makes no error and no problem.
___ Tim McKeown
___ Tyler
Going the second mile
___In recent weeks, we had an occasion to share an academic concern with Robert Sloan, president of Baylor University. We just want to remind Texas Baptists what a fine leader we have in Dr. Sloan.
___His integrity, faithfulness to his word, genuine caring attitude and willingness to listen and to be helpful solved the situation. He demonstrated his strong leadership, value system and putting students first as a priority. What a joy to know someone who goes the second mile.
___ Frank & Laura Scott
___ Weatherford
In the Lord's will
___What a joy to see the article about my good friend Fred Sain (Sept. 23). We have been friends for 51 of the 53 years he has served as pastor of Prairie Hill Baptist Church.
___Fred is not only a good man, but he is an excellent preacher. Not all the good preachers are in the big churches.
___I have heard Fred preach many times. I have never heard him preach a dud. He is always fresh and feeds his flock.
___He holds several degrees from Baylor University and Southwestern Seminary. He could have preached in the largest pulpits in the land, but he felt led to stay in a small church in a rural community. I have heard him say many times that he stayed so long because God put him there and kept him there, and he was happy to be in the Lord's will.
___I don't suppose he was ever invited to preach at the Evangelism Conference or state convention, but had he been, we would all have been blessed.
___ Glen C. Smith
___ Sundown
Lead by example
___Critics of the proposed Baptist General Convention of Texas missions budget changes (Sept. 16) should consider the example of their leadership.
___The church pastored by the Southern Baptist Convention president had income of $29 million--reported in both BGCT and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention 2001 annuals--and contributed $650,000 (2.24 percent) through the Cooperative Program, with total missions giving of $1.2 million (4.13 percent). Certainly every church has the privilege of choosing its amount of missions giving, but since each member is encouraged to give at least 10 percent of total income to the local church, shouldn't the church give at least that same amount to missions?
___Considering the fact the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission's budget has increased from $1,437,455 in 1996 to $3,463,654 in 2001--five years, 140.96 percent--it's not difficult to understand their desire for increased funds. How many Texas churches have increased their budgets by 140.96 percent in the last five years?
___Some of the SBC leadership is suggesting that Texas churches support the SBTC since they pass on a larger percent of income to the SBC. But who is accepting responsibility for the 10 million-plus unchurched folks in Texas? Jesus' last statement to the disciples (Acts 1:8) demanded they do missions everywhere, beginning where they live.
___As Texas Baptists, let us support the multiple missions ministries God has given so that Texas will continue to be a mission base as well as a mission field. God, help us to lead as Jesus did, by example.
___ Bill Roe
___ Cleburne
___What do you think? Submit letters for Texas Baptist Forum via e-mail to marvknox@baptiststandard.com or regular mail at Box 660267, Dallas 75266-0267. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. They may be edited to accommodate space.
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