April 21, 2003
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM:
Goose & gander
___The North American Mission Board has claimed the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board rejected the covenant agreement between NAMB and the BGCT (March 17).
___However, the Executive Board did not reject the agreement. It rejected an addition to the agreement that was made by NAMB trus-tees.
___Terry Fox, NAMB's trustee chairman, said, "Now, they've rejected the agreement NAMB's trustees amended to specifically address their concerns" (Southern Baptist Texan, April 1).
___Is that not what they accuse the BGCT of doing? Why do they reserve the right to "amend to specifically address their concerns" for themselves. Is that not rejecting the original document by their own definition?
___It seems what is good for the goose is not good for the gander!
___
Freddy Walters
___
Cut and Shoot
Baptist 'creed'
___Ken Hemphill is retiring as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to become the national strategist for the Southern Baptist Convention's Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative.
___I recommend that their first meeting contain an agenda item addressing the fate of the Baptist Faith & Message creed.
___One important way we could "empower kingdom growth" is to trash this creed that has divided our convention, has caused many long-time dedicated missionaries to leave the field and has done nothing but promote disharmony among Baptist churches.
___It is time.
___
Betty Westbrook
___
Plano
Hearts big as Texas
___We pray that Ken Hemphill, a staunch Bible-believing conservative, will be able to lead us back into the soul-winning business and out of politics in his new role with Empowering Kingdom Growth.
___We are rejoicing in his new-founded appointment. He is a class act to be able to serve in the capacity of leading Southern Baptists to become kingdom-minded and will be a blessing to all Southern Baptists.
___He is an incredible man, and his wife, Paula, will be greatly missed by all of Texas.
___Their hearts are as big as Texas.
___
Freddie Gage
___
Euless
Avoiding the mess
___The editorial about the departure of Ken Hemphill from Southwestern Seminary (April 14) is right on target.
___As a Southwestern graduate under Russell Dilday, I attended a pastors' conference shortly after Hemphill was hired. I apprehensively spoke with him about my dismay concerning the direction of the seminary. I found him to be courteous and unfailingly polite.
___If perhaps we had men of his disposition leading the SBC, much of this mess could have been avoided.
___I am eager to see who of the elite is rewarded for his dedicated service to the "conservative resurgence" of the SBC. Control is what today's SBC is about. At the Southwestern I graduated from, we were taught servanthood.
___
Steve Martin
___
Plainview
Losing the best
___I find it disturbing that one of the best professors I had in all of college and seminary, Karen Bullock, now is being asked to leave Southwestern Seminary.
___To give someone one year to leave sounds strange. If she is a serious threat to the theology of God, why wait so long? Why not an immediate dismissal for heresy? Doesn't sound like she is a heretic.
___When I had her as a professor, I saw her as one of the finest women I have ever met in any Christian circle. I would give her an A+ in both character and integrity. She made church history come alive. It was clear she loved teaching and was there for the students.
___Having been a high school and junior college teacher, I don't think one could find a more dedicated teacher in the SBC.
___In his autobiography, Billy Graham writes: "If this extreme type of fundamentalism was of God, it would have brought revival long ago. Instead, it has brought dissension, strife, and has produced dead and lifeless churches."'
___
Gerald Polmateer
___
Atascadero, Calif.
Insecure leadership
___The SBC-controlled International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin is wrong when he says all missionaries affirmed earlier versions of the Baptist Faith & Message when they were appointed.
___My wife and I were appointed in 1956 on Baker James Cauthen's birthday. The BF&M was not abused then as it is today. That was back when there was trust, openness and integrity in Southern Baptist life.
___Now the SBC-controlled Baptist Press is discontinuing use of articles authored by Todd Starnes because of "factual and contextual errors" in an April 7 Baptist Press article he wrote.
___The article was a profile of U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige. Some congressmen wanted Secretary Paige to resign for his statements. But the SBC-controlled press only wants to shoot the messenger.
___On the mission field or in the press, the SBC leadership is evidently too insecure to allow open and honest discussions. Such freedoms do not promote their "agenda of control."
___We are thankful to be of the Baptist heritage but ashamed of such one-party antics as those practiced by leaders of the present SBC.
___
Britt Towery
___
San Angelo
Presentism needed
___The new trend toward John Calvin and his words is disturbing. I have studied his commentaries at great length and have found he was in error very often, as indicated in the footnotes.
___But I believe he did the best he could with the knowledge and experiences he had.
___We don't need Calvinism today as much as we need presentism--the urge to do the best we can with what we have.
___And may it always be so!
___
Wendell J. Neeley
___
Mesquite
Literary barbs
___Adam English (April 7) has unwittingly impaled himself upon literary barbs too numerous to detail.
___Grant Jeffrey's excellent book, "The Mysterious Bible Codes," provides ample detail to begin any objective consideration of that field. Chapter 4 highlights a specific warning to readers titled: "A Caution about Michael Drosnin's Book, 'The Bible Code.'"
___Receiving books from all quarters is a given all must endure, birthdays and holidays included. In fact, Solomon surmises, "Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh."
___That English has so wearied himself is made plain by his assertion that "The Late Great Planet Earth" belongs on his list of "wacky religious books." His slighting of Hal Lindsey is akin to Goliath's mockery of David. Let him beard that lion in his den! Lindsey's website may be found on any Internet search engine. English would do well to communicate directly with his older brother in Messiah.
___English's broad stroke attempt is common error. Jesus is the point, yet we must declare "the whole counsel of God.."
___
T.L. Farley
___
Mesquite
___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.
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