December 30, 2002
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Consummate teacher
___I was saddened to read that William Hendricks died (Dec. 16). A bigger-than-life, one-of-a-kind scholar, teacher, minister and character, he combined genuine scholarship, practical ministry and a sharp wit as few had done before or will do again.
___While serving as one of his student assistants, I was humbled by his personal devotion and genuine relationship to God. There was nothing artificial about his theology, because he practiced the truth that
Christian beliefs and Christian behavior cannot be separated.
___He will be greatly missed.
___I did have to smile when my wife reminded me of her last conversation with him. Seeing him at an airport a year or so ago, she asked him about his health. He answered her: "My doctor told me that I am probably going to die. I told him, 'Doctor, we are all going to die!'"
___ The consummate teacher, he never missed the opportunity to make a point. A genuine Christian, he must be enjoying the next life.
___
Bob Webb
___
Corsicana
Creeds & creedalism
___"Creed" is an interesting word, derived directly from the Latin "credo," which means, "I believe." Whatever one believes--good or bad, correct or incorrect, true or false--that is the credo, the creed, of that person.
___Whether you subscribe to the Pledge of Allegiance or the Communist Manifesto, the Apostles' Creed, the Baptist distinctives, the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message or any combination or variation of the above, whatever you believe is your creed. When you believe a certain creed is false, your disbelief in that creed becomes your creed.
___It is a mistake for some of our Baptist leaders to denounce all creeds. To say that our basic Baptist beliefs are not a creed, but a confessional, is a confusion of terms. This is a case of barking up the wrong tree.
___Instead, the issue at hand should center upon the word "creedalism," defined as "undue insistence upon traditional statements of belief." Does not this describe perfectly the Pharisees of old, as well as neo-Pharisees?
___
Val F. Borum
___
Fort Worth
Senior resource
___Many old people suffer from depression. Less-aged people wonder why such a problem should exist, especially when the older folk have "lived a full life" and should be willing to fade away into the sunset and never be heard from again.
___I submit--on the basis of my observation of old people for 73 years, having joined their ranks several years ago and from some study of our "oldsters" during my professional career--nothing is so depressing as the feeling of not being needed, of feeling useless.
___Many of us have college degrees, including graduate degrees and could be of great value, either in consulting or in direct work.
___To shun older people for any reason is perhaps the worst kind of discrimination. We should--have to?--consider people with "snow on their heads" as a great asset rather than a liability.
___We need to look at the training, experience and interests of our old people when we look at needs in the community, cities, churches, anywhere we have need for help in our organizations.
___Let's look at our old folks and continue to harvest richly from this population.
___
William O. Adams
___
Plano
Wonderful, open family
___Planted in the hearts of a small group of people was the desire to start a church in Conroe. Sharing a dream, 13 believers met Aug. 22, 1999. Bathed in prayer and under the guidance of Pastor Dane Riddle, this dream became reality when RiverPointe Baptist Church met for our first service in our new church building Dec. 1, 2002.
___We have many to thank.
___The Baptist General Convention of Texas provided financial help, which was needed from the beginning. It made the difference in success or failure. We are grateful for their belief in this ministry and for their many services extended to us.
___Tryon-Evergreen Baptist Association and the Baptist Church Loan Corp. offered guidance and financial support.
___Twenty-two charter members, with all but three of them being of the World War II era, would not entertain the thought of defeat.
___Thirteen sister churches committed to financial support. Their generosity is overwhelming.
___Our love and appreciation go to the Volunteer Church Builders from Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler and all the volunteers from sister churches who helped so much. Their love for the Lord was evident. Lasting Christian friendships have been formed through their ministry.
___God sent many of his children to help start this church. The family of God is unique and wonderful and is open to everyone.
___
Dorothy Langston
___
Conroe
Doing missions
___With the current emphasis on world missions, I would like to share an excerpt from a letter dated Dec. 2, 1968, my mother wrote to me:
___"Our week of prayer begins today, 9:30 to 10:30. Our goal is $1,650--$50 higher than last year. We oversubscribed our $1,600 goal last year, but my faith is weak this morning. We have engaged a Nigerian student from Wayland College to speak some time during our efforts. He is one of the young men our church has been paying tuition for--in Nigeria."
___I made my profession of faith in that church in 1936. My memory is that we did missions then as my mother described in 1968. I believe the missions spirit in that church is the same today as it has been through the years--a hands-on effort.
___Now we have all kinds of alphabet-soup organizations vying for our charitable contributions. I am comforted by the fact that as a Baptist I have the Baptist General Convention of Texas to help me do missions as in the "olden" days.
___
Jim Luscombe
___
Richardson
Rethinking missions
___After reading about how our called and sent-forth missionaries are being treated by the International Mission Board leadership, I choose to withdraw my support for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions.
___I have never advocated hurting our missionaries, but what the IMB is doing is more harmful than anything I can do.
___One of the most powerful ways in which society can speak to an issue is with our money. The missionaries who refuse to bow down to the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message are going to be fired and sent home or not sent back to the field.
___So why send my money to support a farce?
___By sending money, aren't we blessing what the IMB is doing?
___I suspect I am not the only one who is expressing hurt and pain for our missionaries. My concern for our missionaries falls on deaf ears at the IMB. After all, the missionaries are in essence no longer ours but the IMB's employees, and they feel they can tell them what they can and can't do. The churches no longer "own" the missionaries, and so maybe the churches can say lots with money. I won't let my money not have any missionary representation.
___It's time to rethink our giving to the IMB through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Are they your missionaries, or are they the IMB's?
___
Robert G. Cheatheam
___
Amarillo
Seeking truth
___The truth about firing honest, godly missionaries lies beneath the surface.
___One thing that seems to be overlooked is the fact that when certain teachings were questioned in Chris Harbin's syllabus, he stopped teaching the class. His attitude of submission is unquestionable. Months after he stopped teaching the class, he was fired.
___An IMB spokesman said Harbin's refusal to affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message was unrelated to his firing. Is it OK for our leadership to lie about these men of faith?
___To take Harbin's statements out of context and hang him as a heretic, parading it as justified when he has obviously served faithfully, is unacceptable!
___Just as the SBC leadership is removing our missionaries, they removed the name of Jesus Christ as the criterion for interpreting the Bible! Isn't it because they want to substitute their own authority for his? They have stepped way over the line of authority given them.
___The BGCT is the lone light in this dark tunnel for those who don't want to be a part of a witch hunt circling missionaries.
___Our church has doubled its giving to the BGCT in 2003, giving much less to the SBC, half of which is designated to the IMB. I applaud the BGCT leadership that will go against a powerful tide to put heart back in our convention.
___
Suzy Fuller
___
Tyler
Exposing loyalty
___Instead of the Bible being our doctrinal guideline, fundamentalists have imposed their 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, which they parade like a god. They have stolen the name "conservative" and labeled true conservatives "moderate."
___Missouri, Texas and Virginia have moderate conventions. The Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee rejected little-money Baptist General Convention of Missouri for not bowing to their 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.
___The motion to limit each state to one SBC-affiliated convention also would require big-money BGCT and Baptist General Association of Virginia to be rejected. By opposing the motion, the Executive Committee became two-faced.
___BGCT President Bob Campbell is correct in naming so-called conservatives "neo-Baptists" or new Baptists. They have submitted to the request to missionaries--to follow God-appointed leaders, whether they understand or agree.
___This dangerous loyalty of the majority was exposed at the last SBC annual meeting, when motions repeatedly were referred to the Executive Committee. If there is no voting by messengers, the Executive Committee becomes a Baptist Vatican.
___The neo-Baptist convention of Missouri voted to sue five Missouri agencies that refused to be controlled by them. The love of man-made doctrine that promoted "burn them at the stake" is now saying, "treat them as heathens" (Nov. 11).
___Moderates will never turn their backs on the priesthood of the believer.
___
Rex Ray
___
Bonham
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