May 12, 2003
TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM
Leaders & churchgoers
___"Religious leaders and churchgoers singing from different book on war" (April 28) was very surprising.
___It did not name any person or organization that speaks for the "run of the mill" Christian. Most of them are conservative in their thinking, whether Democratic or Republican. Most are very patriotic. Most respect their president if he is any kind of leader at all. Most respect our mi
litary and respect the principles on which this nation was built.
___None of the people or organizations in the article has an understanding of these principles.
___How could the pope understand what our forefathers went through building this nation? How could he understand the fight for freedom they endured when they wrote the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution?
___The Catholic Church is not a democratic organization. In many countries, their people don't understand freedom at all.
___I disagree with Robert Edgar of the National Council of Churches. Most laymen are way out ahead of the so-called "elite prophets or shepherds."
___I remember reading about Jesus being way out ahead of the religious leadership of his day. Arrogance and blindness often take over our leadership because they forget who the real leader is!
___
Joyce Hart
___
Farwell
Role models
___For years, we have demanded that celebrities such as actors, singers and athletes be role models.
___However, when they support the pope, the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the Catholic Bishops of America and mainline Protestant denominations in opposition to an unjust and immoral war, we tell them to go back to glamorizing crime, greed and violence.
___
Robert Lopez Flynn
___
San Antonio
Forum for evil
___It is presumptive to bother with a most difficult proposal, but I hate to see such a moment of opportunity passed over. That, of course, is the bloody murder of the two Muslim clerics in that most "holy" mosque in Najaf, Iraq, recently.
___Their mission was to deal with dissension in Iraq, but instead they rendezvoused for a murderous repetition of history. They were hacked to death in the mosque that holds the tomb of Ali, the fourth successor of Mohammed. He was decapitated while praying in a mosque.
___How can Islam be called to accountability for such an evil, primitive event? Not easy, I know.
___For it to be called a religion of peace is farcical. Moderate Muslims must delete those Koranic verses that call for revenge, killing apostates, hatred, lying and a free ride to paradise for killers. The blood of so many cry for this revolutionary action, or we may as well enjoin war with Islam now rather than later. We are in collision now.
___I do not like my thoughts, but then those in 100,000-plus Algerian graves and uncounted more in Sudan graves did not want to die for a "religion."
___There must be a forum when religion turns evil.
___
C.R. Hurst
___
Tyler
Purpose of worship
___I am writing in response to Mindy Foti's letter regarding worship (April 14). It seems that the key questions we must ask are: What is the purpose of worship? Are we trying to please God or ourselves?
___If I go to a birthday party for someone else, I don't always take them a gift that I would want for myself. That's because the party isn't for me.
___When we go to worship, shouldn't we be more concerned with whether God is pleased with our gift or not? Foti says, "I am left feeling uncomfortable" and "I believe our needs have been forgotten by the restructuring of the churches." Worship is not about our feelings and our needs!
___At least four times in Psalms and once in Isaiah we are exhorted to "sing a new song." Two times in Revelation we're told a new song was sung around the throne.
___Will there be unhappy Baptists in heaven because we sing new songs? No. Why not? Because God will be glorified, and when God is glorified, somehow our "needs" get met.
___
Rick Stone
___
Glen Rose
'In God We Trust'
___I do not agree that in America maybe our motto should be "In Gods We Trust" instead of "In God We Trust," as stated by Carl L. Hess (April 14).
___He says it should be thus, since we often have our own favorite god, such as money, position or even mottos. What he seems to disagree with is that someone had praised the posting of "In God We Trust" signs in post offices around the country.
___Although this might be far-fetched, I think if the cities around the U.S. approve, I can see no problem.
___
Joe DeTeris
___
Uvalde
Missing the point
___The ultimatum given to current International Mission Board missionaries, to either sign the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message or be terminated (April 21), is not only rash and foolish, but also evidence we're missing the point.
___Jerry Rankin said he would rather a missionary resign than "undermine the integrity and credibility of the IMB." This is a significant reversal of priority.
___Scripture is undeniably clear that our purpose is to spread God's love, not to maintain some organizational image we have set up for ourselves.
___If we're so interested in looking "Baptist" that we are willing to cut the missions force, it is time for some re-examination of our values.
___
Kyle Carlson
___
Brownwood
Nameless challengers
___Most missionaries, probably all, would say God called them into that area of ministry. Now it seems that the Lord's call is being suspended, we are told, because of the lack of trust of some Southern Baptist Convention members.
___This might be more believable if some of those who wish to be reassured would stand up and be named, which has not happened. Who are these who are challenging the Lord's integrity in his calls?
___Presently the genuineness of the call depends upon a willingness to sign allegiance to the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, a man-made statement evidently used to keep missionaries in line, toeing the mark and under the authority of SBC leaders.
___Where is the Lord in this arrangement? It would seem nowhere, as his call is made null and void by man's obedience to man.
___This is indeed shocking and means the need of even more prayer for the missionaries in the dilemma they face. Pray!
___
Pauline Moore
___
Brownwood
Sad & concerned
___IMB President Jerry Rankin wrote to the missionaries who have not signed the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message: "If I do not hear from you regarding one of these options by May 5, 2003, I will be recommending that the board take action to terminate your service in their next meeting."
___I am sad and concerned over that statement. If I read my Bible correctly, it says in Matthew 28:19: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." Nowhere in the Bible does it say to sign the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.
___It saddens me that we are more concerned over man-made denominational issues than we are about winning souls to the Lord. It concerns me that the Lord called those folks to be missionaries, and now some man is about to terminate their services.
___This isn't right. Pray for the missionaries and for the folks at the SBC who made the decision to "terminate the services" of those soul-winning God-called missionaries.
___
Edward B. Pugliese
___
Mineral Wells
Spiritual decline
___Having been a Baptist for 65 years, I have seen the spiritual decline of the SBC over the past generation. It still is strong, powerful and wealthy secularly. But it has become a spiritual midget where it was once a spiritual giant--all caused by this thing called fundamentalism.
___No matter where fundamentalism thrives--with Muslims, Baptists or whomever--it always has the same characteristics. It's dictatorial, manipulative, deceitful and controlling. You think, believe, behave like I do, or you're wrong and out.
___Some fundamentalists actually kill in behalf of their beliefs. Baptists don't dare do that. They just slander and assassinate the character of those Christian brothers and sisters who disagree.
___Never mind they are serving God in the service he has called them to. If they don't sign a creed published by the fundamentalists, God's call on their lives is cancelled, and they are removed from his service. If professors dare not join the "parade" of politicians and conform to the prescribed code, they are also out.
___Of course, all of this is done in "God's name." Who would argue with God? Is this sad, or what?
___
Harold T. Waters
___
Dallas
Dying integrity
___In "My Utmost for His Highest," Oswald Chambers explains the SBC's affliction: "When we become advocates of a creed, something dies; we do not believe God, we only believe our belief about him."
___Ken Hemphill, once revered as a leader of integrity, revealed his heart by attacking the integrity of the Baptist Standard. Since he's to be employed by Morris Chapman's SBC Executive Committee. Enough said!
___There is a stark contrast with seminary professors and missionaries who steadfastly keep their integrity yet lose their jobs.
___My children graduated under Hemphill, and the truth hurts us, but with family members that (IMB President) Jerry Rankin has pressured to resign, we know the reporting of the Standard is true.
___Sadly, integrity is dying in our convention leaders, one compromise at a time. There is no reversing the lack of trust we, the people, will forever have in their word and deed. Just as Pilate thought he was trying Christ with the accusations of the Pharisees, our convention leaders think they try dedicated workers by their own standards when actually God tries them for all to know what is in their hearts.
___God will hear the missionaries' cries for provision and refuge, but we don't know what will happen to a convention whose leaders no longer believe God, do we?
___
Suzy Fuller
___
Tyler
Tomorrow's demands
___Students at Southwestern Seminary are saddened by the announcement that two gifted and effective professors will not be granted tenure. I can empathize.
___The dismissal of the professor who served as my faculty adviser while completing doctoral work at Southwestern grieved me. Trustees deemed him conservative enough to serve on the school's faculty when hired prior to the adoption of the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message. They showed him the door when he could not in good conscience sign the document. His doctrinal convictions did not change. Trustees changed the rules.
___Now, we learn that two professors who have signed the 2000 BF&M will be forced out of teaching positions at the institution during the coming year. Perhaps trustees do not believe that signing the statement of faith can enforce doctrinal accountability after all. Or maybe that is not the real issue driving the conservative agenda at Southwestern.
___The message the institution sends to future employees is clear. One's present doctrinal convictions may not satisfy the trustee board tomorrow.
___
Craig Vire
___
Burleson
Baptists missing
___I noted with great curiosity the list of speakers at the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference. Where are the Baptists?
___Why are Howard Hendricks, Tommy Nelson and David Jeremiah speaking to me at my own convention? No offense to these men, but if I want to hear them, I will attend their events. I want to hear my Baptist brothers.
___I pastor a Southern Baptists of Texas church, and at my own SBC conference, I want to hear, promote, support and amen the message of my fellow Baptists.
___No doubt Hendricks, Nelson and Jeremiah are godly men, but what message do we send to our pastors when we cannot find adequate speakers from our own ranks for our own convention?
___Our Cooperative Program dollars given to the SBC should not fund a single non-Baptist. Period!
___
Ben Macklin
___
Fort Worth
___What do you think? Submit letters to marvknox@baptiststandard.com or Box 660267, Dallas 75266-0267. Letters must be no longer than 250 words and may be edited to accommodate space.
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