TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM
Potter & clay
___It is unfortunate many evangelicals question whether God is in control of this world he's created.
___Open theism (Dec. 3, Jan. 7), the latest attempt to promote human sovereignty, is a man-made idea that teaches God learns like we do and decides our fate based on our choices. It is nonsense and interferes with the body of Christ's ability to appreciate God's omnipotence and omnipresence.
___Fortunately, the Apostle Paul's epistle to Rome turns this horrid thesis on its head and restores God's sovereignty to its place of honor. It explains the g
ospel is the source of power for salvation extended to whom God chooses.
___Scripture clearly teaches that God elects (Romans 8:28-32). He works for those who love him, whom he foreknew, predestined, called, conformed, justified and glorified, all in the past. Paul writes that God will have mercy on whom he chooses, and that decision has nothing to do with what we do or decide (Romans 9:15).
___When purportedly Bible-believing Christians call election a false doctrine that impugns the loving and merciful character of God, they reveal a misunderstanding of both Scriptures and God's sovereignty.
___Yes, God is all of the things listed above, but as Paul reminds, the Potter has power over the clay, and from the same lump he forms one vessel for honor and another for dishonor (Romans 9:21). The idea may offend the pride we hold in the choices we've made, but it doesn't make it less true.
___ Mike Terry
___ Dallas
America's children
___I realize there are hungry children around the earth. I also know and hate the thought that thousands of children in Texas and across the United States don't have shoes or clothes to wear and go to bed hungry every night. I see all kinds of programs on TV wanting donations to feed children in Africa, South America, the Philippines and other places, but I very seldom see one urging people to feed the children in the United States.
___The national government should turn some foreign aid to the kids at home. It's a shame that a great nation like the United States will try to feed the world and let their own go hungry.
___Dec. 30, I yielded my life to Christ and surrendered to the call to preach. I am an old man and may never preach a sermon, but if I do, I will surely bring up the needs of America's children.
___ James Young
___ Nixon
Limit words
___I respect everyone's right to an opinion, but I take issue with Bob Campbell's article concerning the relevance of the Seminary Study Committee report (Jan. 7).
___I do not know Miles Seaborn but seriously doubt that he has given any thought to J. Frank Norris or his theology in regard to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I also seriously doubt that Miles Seaborn has made this Norris agenda "crystal clear" to anyone. It is crystal clear that both sides of the controversy have agendas.
___As a recent Southwestern Seminary graduate, I can assure you that J. Frank Norris was only discussed in a negative way.
___The longer I live, the more I am convinced that we would all do well to choose our words more carefully and perhaps limit them altogether.
___ Shane Scott
___ Temple
No blackballing
___I write to address Bob Campbell's statement that SBC seminaries "will no longer produce the type of minister most of us have loved and respected" (Jan. 7). I am a student at Southwestern Seminary, where I believe God called me to prepare for ministry. My desire is to be used by God to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
___I did not grow up Baptist, so I do not know exactly what Campbell's statement means. Regardless of the meaning, its intended effect is to promote Baptist General Convention of Texas seminaries and their graduates while attempting to destroy the credibility of graduates like myself. Campbell certainly knows the personalities and politics involved in both conventions and their seminaries.
___Unquestionably, the seminary one attends will have an impact on shaping one's future in ministry. I strongly doubt, however, that students who are legitimately called by God would be influenced in such a way as to be unworthy of love and respect of those they are called to serve, regardless of which seminary they attend.
___Understandably, as BGCT president, Campbell should advocate for BGCT-supported seminaries. He should do so, however, based upon these seminaries' records rather than attempting to blackball graduates of SBC affiliated seminaries. Additionally, he should refrain from attempting to bolster his position by implicitly appropriating endorsements from deceased Texas Baptist giants who are obviously unable to state their own opinions.
___ William T. Higgins V
___ Fort Worth
Presidential proposal
___While some are finding a theological hill on which to die, it might be pertinent to ask why Christianity is increasingly irrelevant to much of our culture.
___Tune in to National Public Radio to hear how negatively evangelical Christianity often is perceived by the more educated listeners who typically call in. Have we ever wondered why? I contend it is because we haven't adequately grappled with the defining issues of our time.
___For example, I recently heard a popular evangelical radio preacher lambaste the Big Bang Theory. His presentation was narrowly one-sided with no indication he had any understanding why the Big Bang is the majority view of astronomers. The preacher should have at least "understood" what is in books like Steven Weinberg's "The First Three Minutes" before belittling the conclusions of modern astronomy. Is it any wonder Americans familiar with the data view us warily?
___Resolution of the Southern Baptist Convention conflict could actually be the occasion to help us redefine our theological hill.
___Often SBC "conservatives" cannot see past their theological constructions, and we worry they may create monolithic seminaries of 24-hour-day creationists and Old Covenant-venerating dispensationalists. Some "moderates" have never comprehended the conservatives' concerns and are defending their own orthodoxy with polemics and hair splitting.
___Adequate discussion and healing will never happen without new leadership. Therefore, I suggest centrist conservatives and moderates form a coalition behind David Crutchley as our next SBC president. He is a thoroughgoing evangelical who has said reconciliation is his "north star."
___ Richard Grannemann
___ Benbrook
Father's business
___Our God cannot be poured into the mold of a man. His ways are not our ways or his thoughts our thoughts. He is all-knowing, all-wise and just. We are at a time when time counts. The fields are white. Let's be about our Father's business, and that leaves no time for bickering and judging. Jesus, who is our example, went about doing good. So should we.
___ Gwen Hodges
___ Lampasas
Unsound logic
___I must thank the Standard for once again enlightening my narrow and insensitive mind on the subject of abortion (Jan 20).
___The Bible study authors seem to be swayed much more by what people feel than by what God's word says. Lumping abortion, war casualties and capital punishment into the same category, while a very clever ploy, is mixing apples and oranges.
___A quick visit to Mr. Webster's work defines murder as "the offense of unlawfully killing a human being ... ."
___Scripture plainly teaches that the civil magistrate has a duty to put to death a legally convicted capital offender. Casualties during time of legitimate war, while tragic and wasteful, are nonetheless unavoidable. The murder of an unborn baby is inexcusable and not without grave consequences, regardless of the circumstances attending the pregnancy.
___Here's a novel approach to evangelism you might want to try: Since the goal of evangelism is to get people to heaven, and anyone who dies before reaching the "age of accountability" gets a free ride to heaven anyway, we should promote abortion as a 100 percent effective means of achieving that goal!
___May God save us from good intentioned but biblically unsound logic.
___ Clifford Barnett
___ Madisonville
Different God
___Lately I've been reading opinions concerning the original statement that the Jews do not worship the same God as Christians.
___I have not read the full context of Al Mohler's statement (Nov. 5), but there are some very important differences between the Jews' idea of worshipping Jehovah and the Christian's God. The Jews accept God the Father and God the Holy Spirit but reject God the Son. The Christian accepts the triune God.
___Now, I don't know about you, but I am so glad that I have accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus was from the beginning (John 1:1-5). My only conclusion must be that anyone who does not worship God through the Son does not worship the same God as I.
___ M.L. Broussard
___ Hemphill
Personal sins
___I opened your Jan. 14 issue with a touch of angst. I thought to myself, "Who's going to be lambasted this week?"
___To my surprise, I saw little or no evidence of the "gotcha" reporting I have seen for the last two years. I even liked your editorial, "Christians can work to remove the reason for abortion." The Criswell articles were dynamic and a fine tribute to a great preacher, to say the least. One Texas Baptist Forum writer reminded us that controversy is healthy.
___Later I surveyed SBCLife and read the amusing but stunning article, "On my list" by Charles Lowery. It convinced me to list my own sins rather than someone else's. Perhaps this approach could alleviate a lot of battles. But then, stagnation could creep in.
___Another problem may be that we lose troops from the battles. Desertion is rampant. I'm going with Lowery's approach.
___ Donald Rankin
___ Shreveport, La.
Winds of honesty
___I want to commend Jim Pharr (Jan. 7). I am not a moderate, nor do I hold in high regard liberal theologians; however, I do respect the truth.
___When a man states he is "moderate and maybe even liberal," he is being honest, and there is no guessing about where he stands.
___Let the refreshing winds of honesty continue!
___ Ed Ethridge
___ Carrollton
Hard-working pastor
___My pastor works so hard. He doesn't have an assistant so he can go on vacation. He is our choir director and Sunday School teacher and does the yard work.
___Our church is not rich. He has been a pastor for 25 years, and we are lucky to have him. Every time someone gives him money, he buys something for the church.
___Our pastor is Mark Wells, and our church is Trinity Baptist in Pasadena. We want Pastor Mark and his family to know how much they mean to us.
___ Shirley Malloy
___ Pasadena
Another ministry
___The Southern Baptist Convention, over the past several years, has painted bull's eyes on several groups, targeting them for "conversion." It has been the Jews, Mormons, Hindus, gays, Muslims, moderate Baptists and possibly others that just don't come to mind right now.
___According to Modern Maturity magazine, it appears there is another group that should be a target of the SBC for "conversion." And who makes up this group? Nudists.
___It seems that within our country there is a growing interest in nudism, following the long-established practice popular in Europe. The article indicates people of all ages, sizes and colors are participating unashamedly in nudism. Some folks, even in their 90s, are happy nudist campers.
___It might be wise for one or two of the SBC seminaries to establish a chair of nudist studies to equip students to understand the nudists' mind and spirit and to teach witnesses how to infiltrate, unashamedly, the world of nudism in order to share the gospel. Tracts should be published on "How to witness to a nudist and maintain a straight face" to facilitate witnessing.
___Believe it or not, Jesus loves and died for the nudist, too.
___ Bill Simpson
___ San Antonio
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