January 6, 2003
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Gone fishing
___A letter-writer classified missionary Chris Harbin as apostate and said if he believed what Harbin believes, he would throw away his Bible and go fishing on Sundays (Dec. 16).
___Isn't it interesting how beliefs affect different people in different ways? Instead of Harbin's beliefs leading him to throw his Bible away, they have caused him to commit his life to its intensive study and teaching, both in the classroom and through the written word. Instead of going fishing, Harbin has gone to Brazil to serve God there. I wonder if the writer's fundamentalist beliefs have inspired him to greater service than this.
___And from what I read, the students and administration of the seminary where Harbin serves have not thrown their Bibles away and gone fishing.
___ I don't begrudge the fundamentalist his beliefs, but what distinguishes the fundamentalist for me is not his conservative viewpoint, which I respect and agree with most of the time, but his intolerance for any interpretation or viewpoint different from his own. Those who dare disagree with him are labeled heretical, apostate or liberal, or are told they don't believe the Bible.
___
Melvis Benton
___
Longview
Mystical beings
___There has been much talk lately about "Mainstream Baptists." I don't think they exist. To me and others, the term is an oxymoron.
___"Mainstream Baptists" are some sort of mystical beings that have been foisted upon us by certain of our Southern Baptist leaders.
___If, in fact, "Mainstream Baptists" can and do exist, I know this about them: We will not find them in any of our Southern Baptist churches. They would be found in their own churches and denomination.
___
Marilyn Tate
___
Flint
Smaller circle
___I noticed one of our letter writers called the editor "self-righteous." What does he think, then, of the men who took a beautiful though man-made instrument (the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message statement) and changed it to suit their desires and further said if you do not swear agreement to the change, you are no longer one of us?
___Seems the circle has been drawn much smaller.
___I have been a member of a Southern Baptist Convention church for 69 years and always believed I was a conservative. But now I find that if I do not agree in detail with these gentlemen, I am a terrible liberal.
___One of our Baptist university professors spoke of "cafeteria Christians," who select certain Scriptures and ignore others. Maybe we should all consider the Scriptures about love more.
___
Sterling K. Cummings
___
Lockney
Comprehensive perspective
___Rick Warren's article "God expects each Christian to live a purpose-driven life" (Dec. 9) is well-intentioned but contains misleading ideas with serious consequences for the church. Warren states the Christian's mission of introducing people to God has eternal significance because it impacts the eternal destiny of people. No doubt.
___But he denigrates all other Christian activities. Of mission, he writes: "So it's more important than any job, achievement or goal you will reach during your life on Earth. ... Nothing else you do will ever matter as much as helping people establish an eternal relationship with God." If believers fail in this mission, they have wasted their lives. Only God's kingdom lasts; everything else vanishes.
___This sounds "biblical." But Warren actually endorses a compartmentalized Christianity. Only explicitly spiritual matters count, especially mission; the rest is more-or-less insignificant.
___The Bible, however, promotes a comprehensive perspective. All authority belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Everything can and should be said and done in his name (Colossians 3:17, 23), including our jobs. Whatever we do can glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). And whatever glorifies God is eternally significant! Every thought, word and deed is important to God and should be to believers. Vocation, education, parenting, citizenship, finances, recreation all matter to him.
___Warren's view of the purpose-driven Christian life is too limited. As Francis Schaeffer taught, the Lordship of Christ applies to all of life and all of life equally.
___
David Naugle
___
Duncanville
Grief over loss
___On behalf of my family and friends, please accept our condolences and prayers for the three murdered mission workers, your loss and frankly the world's loss of such generous, caring people. It shouldn't be like this. Please don't let this stop you from helping bring peace and love to the world.
___
Mitch Litrofsky
___
Chicago
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