March 11, 2002
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Tenor of the times
___I read with great interest "Tenor of the times" (Feb. 11), a well-written--and sadly accurate--assessment of the state of church music today.
___I spent 30 years (1960-1990) as a faculty member of the School of Church Music at Southwestern Seminary, ever in the knowledge that U2 or the Rolling Stoneswould always draw a bigger crowd than the Juilliard String Quartet.
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
___I tried as best I could throughout these years, as did all my colleagues, to resist the downward pull of gravity in the praise and worship of God. Alas, we now seem in most places to be overwhelmed by the insatiable desire of churchgoers to be entertained.
___Perhaps I should seek comfort in the one attribute I share with J.S. Bach, one of the truly great church musicians of all time, who at the end of his life was thought to be hopelessly old-fashioned and had very little influence on the church music of the next 50 years!
___ Cecil M. Roper
___ Fort Worth
Wrong notes
___If seminaries are going to teach the contemporary movement of God (Feb. 11), they are missing the point and are going to have a difficult time.
___Contemporary worship is not a program that can be taught, but a drawing and freeing of God's Spirit to move in the midst of a congregation.
___The concerns expressed in the article about how to teach and what to teach are disturbing to me. God is moving, and no matter how hard you try, you can't make a program out of it.
___Keep teaching the basics, and let God move in the hearts of his people. Don't look around to see how others are doing it, but seek the heart of God and ask him what he wants to do in your church. We've tried to "keep up with the Joneses" long enough. As a member of the praise team at Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple, our focus is upon him "who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).
___God is calling his people to do one thing, trust him. Learn, prepare and practice, but in the end, we must step out in faith and place ourselves in the Father's hand.
___ Mark Goldman
___ Temple
Apology extended
___The illustration regarding the "guitar-playing business major from Tarleton State University" (Feb. 11) was a poor analogy on my part, based on a real conversation a faculty member had with a prospective student.
___The point was that this particular student acknowledged no formal training in music of any kind from any school and still aspired to full-time vocational ministry in music.
___I want to express my deepest apologies to guitarists and business majors everywhere and to all the fine faculty and students of Tarleton State University. I have the deepest regard for all of them.
___It was not my intention to disparage any of them in any way.
___ Benjamin Harlan
___ Fort Worth
Apology extended, II
___I guess I've just been a Baptist too long. Recently, I was offended by Southwestern Seminary music Dean Benjamin Harlan's statement regarding a "guitar-playing business major from Tarleton State University."
___Rather than do anything remotely Christ-like, such as talking to him personally, I chose to strike back with a smug and tart letter to the editor.
___Imagine my distress when Dean Harlan called me to apologize and ask forgiveness for his statement. I discovered a gracious man with a humble spirit whom I liked instantly.
___I owe him a public apology and wish to thank him for a much-needed personal reminder of how the people of Christ are supposed to act.
___ Van Christian
___ Comanche
Intellect and integrity
___It was a great day for the Baptist General Convention of Texas when we got Roger Hall (who retires at the end of March as the BGCT's chief financial officer and treasurer) from the Missouri Baptist Convention.
___I have enjoyed Roger's friendship and all the years I served with him on the BGCT business and audit committee, as well as the Executive Board. I also had the privilege of serving alongside him as a member of the tellers committee at the BGCT annual meetings.
___I have always told people in my church and around Texas how lucky we are to have someone of Roger's stature as treasurer of the BGCT. He is a rare mix of professional CPA intellect as well as a strong Christian man of integrity.
___ Tom Lyles
___ Tyler
Double standard
___I continue to be amazed at the things said and done in the name of a "convention." What's happening looks like what goes on in Washington. It is politics! Nothing gets done, and the country suffers. It is the same in the Baptist world!
___Two great conventions. Wonderful ministries. No peace. Who wins? Not the lost. They see two big, rich organizations fighting over money.
___Every week in the Standard, I read how bad the Southern Baptist Convention is. Today when the SBC is suggesting churches give more to it, Charles Wade calls it "improper and mean-spirited." Was it "improper and mean-spirited" when the Baptist General Convention of Texas asked churches to accept its recommended giving plan that took money away from the SBC? There appears to be a double standard. Does the BGCT dictate what is right and wrong now?
___What is it the BGCT keeps saying about a church's freedoms? If a church should have the freedom to have a woman pastor, shouldn't it have the right to choose how to give its offerings?
___Finally, my sister-in-law and family are missionaries in Africa. Where does the BGCT come up with missionaries losing their jobs and the need to create a missionary fund? That is not what I have heard or read from the SBC. That story may meet your needs.
___The Standard should give the truth, not what its editors "think" may happen.
___ Gary Sears
___ Kopperl
'Rebel convention'
___Charles Wade recently referred to the other Baptist convention in Texas as "a rebel convention." This is interesting, since Wade has repeatedly championed the cause of Baptist freedom, the right of churches to be autonomous and "the priesthood of the believer."
___In addition, the BGCT has promoted the priority of missions and church-starting.
___This so-called "rebel convention" has been exercising their freedom as Baptists to come together as a group of autonomous churches, and they have been active in missions and church-starting to a degree that is inspiring to watch.
___One would think Wade and other leaders of the BGCT would be thrilled. If this new convention is doing the very things that Wade and the BGCT think are so important, how can they possibly be a "rebel convention"?
___ Fred Smith
___ Fort Worth
Pray and support
___As a new member of the BGCT Executive Board, I feel privileged that I have the honor to serve Texas Baptists. On my way home from the Executive Board meeting Feb. 26, I reflected on the incredible integrity, the time spent in prayer, the passion and love for lost souls, and the vision to be the presence of Christ in Texas by the BGCT.
___I came back to my ministry as a pastor with a renewed passion for God and a new commitment to my Savior, Jesus Christ.
___I encourage all Texas Baptists to pray for and support the ministries of the BGCT.
___ Mitch Wilson
___ Shallowater
Oh, the arrogance
___Oh, the arrogance of those who declare, "Any missionary that has a problem with their salary supplier ... needs to get out of the SBC and call someone else for financial assistance." Those are the words of an egotistical, harsh employer. The psalmist declared that it is the Lord who supplies every need.
___Oh, the arrogance of those who are going to "counsel" missionaries who see the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message as a creed that has a low Christology and anti-missionary predestination spirit! Jesus said that instruction and correction is the job of the Holy Spirit. Enron says it is the job of the boss.
___Oh, the arrogance of church members who make it their business to campaign to get a pastor fired over a personal disagreement. Worse is the arrogance of Morris Chapman in "counseling" my church on how our tithes and offerings should be used. That smells like papalism rather than respect for church autonomy!
___Oh, the arrogance of those who appeal for a "reconciliation candidate at the next BGCT convention" and ignore the holocaust going on in Southern Baptist life.
___Most "common Texas Baptists" realize that a gunslinger will run wild until someone stands up in the street against him. The BGCT may get wounded, but Texans will eventually get angry enough to run the gunslingers out of town.
___ Orlynn Evans
___ Nacogdoches
Different focus
___"'Teacher,' said John, 'we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he is not one of us.' 'Do not stop him,' Jesus said. 'No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me.'"
___It appears that Jesus' test of fellowship and participation in ministry had a different focus from what we see as to some today. Let us look for the fruits of the spirit in men and women, their hard labor, their effectiveness--not a willingness to sign a doctrinal statement (as required by the SBC International Mission Board).
___Traditionally, Baptists cannot agree on anything. We make jokes about it. How can we ever expect to call the greatest and the best into Christian ministry if we force them to swallow their conscience to get in the door? I respectfully dissent to this course of action.
___ Tom Harkins
___ Fort Worth
Positive stand
___As a newly retired public school superintendent who also holds the Licensed Professional Counselor certificate by the state of Texas, I am in absolute shock by the new ruling of the SBC North American Mission Board to deny the required denominational endorsement for (ordained) women in the chaplaincy.
___How does this obvious gender discrimination differ from some of the more radical Islamic groups such as the Taliban? Have any of these people read Galatians 3:28?
___At this time in my life, I question how much longer I can call myself a Southern Baptist or continue giving to an organization that promotes such backward, unbiblical and degrading positions such as the action taken against women serving in these positions.
___Thanks to the BGCT for taking a positive stand in striving to provide a method for these God-called women to continue with the Lord's work!
___ Dottie B. Chiles
___ Corpus Christi
Holy Spirit's job
___I am 72 years old this month. I've been a Southern Baptist all my adult life. I believe the Bible is God's word to man.
___Our Lord told us he would send his Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us. Who is any man or organization to think they are to do the Holy Spirit's job?
___No one should ask any Baptist to sign or pledge to them or their organization that you would abide by "their" doctrine!
___ E.M. DeFriend
___ Louise
One label
___After worrying about labels such as "conservative," "fundamental," "moderate" or whatever else, the March 4 editorial had the answer: I am a Baptist.
___That says it all.
___Now, I would just like to again be properly proud of the name because of what is has stood for--soul competency and religious liberty, the two pillars of Baptist heritage bought with the blood of martyrs having an undying faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and the perfect picture of God.
___ Thomas O. Bush
___ Dallas
Missouri convention has gall
___The Missouri Baptist Convention leadership has incredible gall.
___For years, they, along with the misled, misinformed and disingenuous Project 1000 group, have told us that if we don't like the current creedalist Missouri Baptist Convention, then leave. Now, we make plans to leave, and they call us troublemakers and say that we need to repent and be "lovingly" restored (Feb. 25).
___To suggest they will "lovingly" restore us is a crock. Will they restore us like they did Russell Dilday, Jim Hill and other great Christians who chose to respectfully differ with their non-historic Southern Baptist creedalism? I am afraid so.
___Therefore, we must leave if we are to minister in good faith.
___We must leave if we are to follow the historic tenets of our faith—church autonomy, priesthood of the believer, the Scripture as the record of God's revelation and others.
___It is interesting that the fundamentalists, self-proclaimed "people of the Bible" believe 1 Timothy does not apply to them. They are going to use the Lord's money to investigate and possibly sue five major Missouri Baptist ministries.
___We are not the ones who need repentance and restoration concerning these matters.
___John K. Boudinot
___Ashland, Mo.
Holman Bible uses gender-neutral language
___The new Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), published by a division of Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, says in Acts 4:12, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved."
___The King James and the New International versions use the word "men" rather than "people." I consider the gender-neutral
___The release of the New Testament of the Today's New International Version was announced. Many evangelical leaders endorse this new translation. However, many other evangelicals, including some Southern Baptist leaders, have criticized the TNIV due to its approach to gender translation. Southern Baptist leaders signed a statement saying the TNIV gender translations are "distorting the meaning of the text of the word of God." I read a sampling in both new translations, and I discovered something interesting.
___Both the Holman and TNIV versions appear to use more gender-neutral renderings than the King James and the NIV.
___To be sure, the TNIV uses gender-accurate translation more than the Holman. However, both new translations make accommodations for recent changes in English related to gender. Some Southern Baptist leaders have attacked translators because of their attempts to be gender-accurate. Some Southern Baptist leaders have taken some of the same steps toward gender translation as those they are attacking. Isn't this rather harsh?
___Dave Stratton
___Supply, N.C.
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