Posted: 1/12/07

CYBER COLUMN:
Resolutions

By Jinny Henson

Reaping the punishment of my Christmas cookie metabolism experiment–you know the one, where you see if eating 40 cookies really does make your pants any tighter–I wrapped up the last ornament, stripped the front door of her garland and laid to rest the pillaged Greenburg turkey carcass in a terrier-proof zip lock bag. Christmas, indeed, was over for another year.

With the simple flip of the calendar from December to January, I find myself on the threshold again. Measurer by nature, I glance over my shoulder at who I was this past 12 months and contemplate what I could be in the next. With each New Year comes the patina of potential covering the lens of my perception, and it is with the bolstered vision, I resolve.

Jinny Henson

I breathe deeply and pledge to be patient rather than whipping out the ugly voice when my 8- and 10-year-old have a WWF smack-down over the front seat of my Volvo. I determine to be more attentive to God's interrupting agenda when I am already booked from 10 to 2. Swim season is only six months away, and I have yet to find a formal length swimsuit front. I will eat more tofu, do more yoga (or, at least wear the pants religiously) and invest in a better pair of tweezers for those sneaky, dark new friends erupting on my jaw line. Just for good measure, I resolve to finally get around to finishing the kids' scrapbooks–from preschool.

Besides the litany of flaws to correct, there are ambitions a tad higher on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which for the moment seem almost attainable. For starters, I determine action steps that will render me funnier than Erma Bombeck, holier than Beth Moore and with shinier hair than Victoria Osteen. Yes! I could finally (with the minor assistance of Photoshop, spray-on tan and Spanks) be selected for the Christian Babes of the South Calendar this year. Hey, it's my threshold; it could happen.

What is so captivating about the optimistic thought of being better than we have ever been? Like the would-be aviators of old, I truly believe I am one bicycle attached to a huge set of batwings away from victory. Perhaps it is self-delusion; like toddlers who promise wholeheartedly to never again brush the dog's teeth only to sneak off and fish the toothbrush out of the trash. A bifurcated nature which truly believes that we are vehicles built for greatness if we could only locate the car keys.

Is it humanly possible to keep a New Years' resolution? Weight-loss experts advise to make smaller goals you can achieve and then be sure to celebrate. Once you have reached those "goal-ettes," like adding one fruit or vegetable a day, suggests the American Dietetic Association, larger goals like eating the recommended eight to 10 daily servings will come more easily. At first, your family may think it strange when you scream, "Can I get a whoop-whoop?" while doing a victory dance and spiking the empty banana peel, but they will quickly learn to appreciate this baby step celebration when they are on the receiving end of such enthusiasm.

Another strategy to resolution success involves accountability. Audaciously tell others your plans, using pride as the fulcrum to forcibly thrust yourself from your habitual lethargy. My favorite examples are those who utilize the Christmas letter for such bold initiatives. Lines like, "This year, we're finally going to get to that storage shed and hope to unearth Mama's casserole dish collection" in the family manifesto are clearly a sprung sack of marbles. No turning back. No turning back. Once you put it out there, it's either strap on the flashlight helmet and dig into the depths of the shed or make up a really good excuse for those in Sunday school who actually read your Christmas letter.

A third route to resolution failure-avoidance is to simply fail to make any. That's the spirit. Enough of "the award goes to the guy in the ring trying" blah, blah, blah business. No, let's hear it for the prudent guy who passed on getting in there at all because he knows he will never follow through and prevail should he commit. Instead of challenging himself, he watches safely at a distance. He gets to keep two level nostrils for his recompense. The mantra here–avoid resolutions at any cost, because one simply cannot change.

As for me, I still believe. I see a glimpse of the woman I am in my mind's eye on my best day in my skinny jeans in an organized house doing whatever makes me feel fabulous. I am there talking on the phone with hours to spare because my goals are met on time and under budget. I am prayed-up, patient, witty and wise. My resolutions have all worked, and I am content beyond compare with healthy family and dogs that Swiffer their own fur off my stairs. And even though I know that vision will not be my 2007 reality, a girl can still spike her peel and shoot for the stars.

Jinny Henson is an author and stand-up comic who performs for churches and comedy clubs nationwide. When not unleashing her wacky sense of humor, this Baylor University graduate is a preacher's wife, nutty blonde and soccer mom. You can find out more about her at www.jinnyhenson.com.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/11/07

BaptistWay Bible Series for January 21

In good times and bad, Jesus is there

• John 14:1-11, 15-18, 25-27

By David Wilkinson

Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. … I will not leave you orphaned.”

These words of Jesus—offered as a promise to his disciples then and now—took on new meaning for me as I listened to a woman’s testimony near the end of a week-long spiritual formation retreat. The group had been invited to record our reflections in response to a guided meditation on John 14:1-11.

Joan movingly described a family photo of her mother and two older siblings. Her mother was 3 years old when her father (Joan’s grandfather) died at age 30. The family was poor, and with no marketable skills or resources, Joan’s grandmother was left with an agonizing decision.

The photo was taken on the day she left her children at an orphanage. “It was like something straight out of a Dickens’ novel,” Joan said. It was a cold January day. In the photo, the stair-stepped trio—ages 3, 4 and 6—are standing hand-in-hand in the falling snow, with a kind of childlike stoicism amid the tears, just before their mother gave them a final hug and drove away.

In the months that followed, the children would receive an occasional letter from their mother. The 6-year-old, just learning to read, would gather her little brother and sister on her bed and falteringly but patiently read each letter to them several times. And then they would cry together.

“My mother has always told me she had a happy childhood, and I believe her,” Joan continued. “She would tell delightful stories about life at the orphanage. But there was also a deep sadness in her life that never went away. It was the pain of being orphaned. And it was the pain of being left.”

Few things in life are as painful as the experience of being left, of being abandoned. In this second of Jesus’ “farewell discourses” collected in John 13-17, Jesus knows his disciples are about to experience the pain of being “orphaned” in a two-fold sense—first, through his humiliating and agonizing execution by Roman crucifixion, but also through his return to his Father following his resurrection. He will die, and the disciples will know three dark days of bewildering grief and despair before experiencing the euphoria of the empty tomb. Then, in the wake of his glorious resurrection, he will leave them again.

A three-fold promise

Out of love for his friends, Jesus’ primary concern in these farewell discourses is not so much the events that lie before him as what will happen to the disciples. In language they cannot comprehend—and, indeed, will understand fully only in retrospect—Jesus offers a three-fold promise.

First, he offers a place, an eternal abiding place with him in his Father’s house (14:2-3). The Greek word translated “dwelling places” (NRSV) or “mansions” (KJV) is the noun form of the verb “to abide,” a significant word in the fourth Gospel.

“Abiding” signifies a relationship characterized by trusting and even knowing, comparable to the relation of Christ to God. Such trusting and knowing are possibilities for the disciples and will, according to this text, be fulfilled rather than severed at death.

Second is the promise of the way to God. Here (v. 6), and throughout the Gospel, the writer makes clear that the way to God, whom no one has ever seen, is through the revelation of God in the Son. Jesus’ response to Thomas’ question, “How can we know the way?” (v. 5), seems to incorporate and culminate all the previous “I am” statements of the Gospel: “water,” “bread,” “light,” “resurrection and life.” Jesus is the way because in him God’s truth is revealed—not through creeds or theological propositions—but through relationship. To know Jesus is to know God.

Third, Jesus offers to every follower the promise of a presence and a power for living “in the meantime,” prior to abiding forever in God’s house (vv.15-17, 25-27). The gift of the Holy Spirit is offered to everyone who believes in the Son and prays in his name (vv. 13-14). Significantly, it is a promise not only to individuals but to the believing community, the church (the form of “you” in verses 13-14 is plural).

Jesus will come again to the disciples—and to all believers—and gather them to himself (vv. 3, 18, 28), an apparent reference to the parousia, the eschatological return of Christ. But he also will come to them through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

An advocate

No English word adequately captures the rich meaning of the Greek word parakletos, translated “advocate” or “helper” (v. 16), a term unique to John among the Gospels. This is a legal term in the sense of a counselor who supports a defendant at trial. The Greek para means “alongside,” and the root of kletos is “to call.” So, God, at Jesus’ request, will send “another paraclete” to come alongside as a defender and protector of the disciples, just as Jesus has been.

The Holy Spirit will bring power and peace beyond anything the world can provide or understand (v. 27). The Spirit will continue to “teach” the disciples “everything” and “remind” them of what Jesus has said (v. 26).

Belief in Jesus, expressed through obedience to his commandments, is the condition for Jesus’ coming. The “new commandment” Jesus has given the disciples is to love one another as he has loved them (13:34). Obedience to his commandments offers genuine evidence of love for him (13:35; 14:21, 23).

An abiding peace

It is in the light of these eternal promises that Jesus’ words of assurance, which serve as bookends for this section, can be fully heard: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and “do not let them be afraid” (vv. 1, 27).

On his deathbed, John Wesley is reported to have said, “The best of all is, God is with us.” That is the promise of John 14: God is with us to the very end.

Discussion questions

• John 14:1-3 often is read at funerals. In what ways are Jesus’ words a promise for life as well as death?

• How does the meaning of the word translated “advocate” or “paraclete” broaden your understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/10/07

Bible Studies for Life Series for January 14

Sin has far-reaching consequences

• Genesis 3:1-8,15-19,22-24

By Kenneth Lyle

Logsdon School of Theology, Abilene

People always have wondered about the deep and mysterious connection between sin and the state of the world. The question “What’s the big problem?” speaks to the heart of this issue.

There are the obvious questions people raise on a daily basis: Why do people lie, steal, cheat, kill and hate? Beyond the obvious questions, there are persistent and troubling questions asked about the pervasiveness of sin in the world and its connection to our fallen estate.

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In John 9, Jesus’ disciples betrayed an understanding of the world that saw sin connected to our individual well-being. Seeing a young blind man, the disciples ask Jesus, “Who sinned that this man was born blind?” Their inquiry leads Jesus to offer healing to the man to demonstrate God’s glory and goodness.

The narrative continues with an inquest by the synagogue rulers about the incident and concludes with the religious leaders dismissing the man born blind who can now see with the claim, “you were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” Their assumption that his personal sin is linked to his blindness matches the assumption of the disciples at the beginning of the story.

This is not an isolated event in the life of Jesus. Repeatedly, Jesus offers forgiveness of sin as a preamble to healing. There is a deep, abiding and mysterious connection between sin, both personal and corporate, and consequence, both individual and collective.

The focal passages from Genesis provide foundational answers to important questions about sin and consequence. What is the origin of sin? What are the consequences of sin? Is there any hope for a sinful fallen world? These inquiries stand at the heart of the Genesis 3:1-8; 15-19; 22-24 passages.

Genesis 2 and 3 continue the story of creation begun in chapter 1. Some scholars suggest two separate accounts of creation stand together, offering slightly different perspectives on the creation account. A careful reading of the account in chapter 1 and 2 proves an interesting comparison. For example, while chapter 1 seems to suggest the earth forms out of a watery chaos, chapter 2 has streams of water coming up from the dry ground covering the whole earth. These kinds of observations do not take away from the veracity of the accounts, but some readers may notice them.

A more fruitful approach to the varied accounts of chapter 1 and 2 is to see them as a continuation of the story of God dealing with humanity. The biblical pattern always seems to focus on God dealing with individuals. This is no less true in the creation account. God sets the broad stage of creation and then begins dealing with humans as individuals. The account of Adam and Eve sets in motion the story of God’s relationship to all of humanity that comes one person a time.

The focal passages tell us about the origin of sin, the consequences of sin and God’s response to sin. The narrative begins with a recollection of God’s command not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. Eve’s recollection of God’s command comes because of the probing question from the serpent that “was more crafty than any of the other wild animals the Lord God had made” (Genesis 3:1). That Eve recalls the command suggests she understood God’s command was for her. She, no less than we, cannot claim ignorance as a defense (compare Paul’s argument in Romans 1:18 and following). She understood God’s command was for her own good, and that God had given her and Adam abundance to eat. She and Adam were free to choose from any plant or tree in the garden, but they chose enslavement by yielding to temptation.

Temptation is not sin, but it is a warning sign sin is nearby. More often than not, we are tempted to take something that God intends for good and transform it to an opportunity for sin by our own selfish desires. Scripture tells us plainly that God is not the source of temptation (James 1:13), and that God provides help to resist temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The consequences of sin are temporal and eternal, personal and corporate. Sin affects us individually in our immediate circumstances, but it also affects those around us, both now and for the long term. The curses pronounced on the serpent, the women and the man in Genesis 3:14-19 demonstrate that sin is never an isolated event that only affects one person. There are eternal and far-reaching consequences to sin coming into the world. Paul understood that sin entered the world through one person, but had consequences for all people (Romans 5:12). However, in like manner, the solution for sin comes to the world in the person of Jesus and is available to all people.

The Genesis account anticipates God’s faithful response to human sin. Already here in this creation account we see evidence of God’s faithfulness, God’s provision and God’s plan for redeeming sinful humanity. Human birth will be painful and difficult, but humans will still bring new life into the world (v. 16). Work will require effort and sweat, but sustenance comes (vv. 17-18). Temptation, sin and death always will be present, but God will send one who will deal finally and completely with sin and death (v. 15). Yes, through one man, sin comes into the world, but thanks be to God, through the faithful obedience of one man, Jesus, God frees us from sin and death.

Discussion questions

• How do you understand the connection between sin and consequence? Do our sins affect only ourselves alone?

• What things tempt us most? What would be better than yielding to temptation?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/10/07

Bible Studies for Life Series for January 21

What is human life worth?

• Genesis 9:5-6; Psalm 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:10-11,15-16,18; 24:10-12

By Kenneth Lyle

Logsdon School of Theology, Abilene

What is human life worth? It would be great if we actually could provide an objective answer to that question, but it seems humans are not able to provide an adequate response.

By some accounts, human life is the equivalent of a few dollars worth of chemicals and the right amount of water, but parents know the life of their child is priceless. On the surface, we act as if the lives of some people are more valuable than the lives of other people. It seems clear that most of us value American lives more than European, African or Asian lives. Moreover, we seem to value the lives of people we know more than people we do not know.

So, we ask the question again: “What is human life worth?” In Christian discussions about the value of life, the conversation most often turns to questions about abortion, euthanasia, cloning, stem cell research and other hot topics. More rarely, Christians may talk about the value of life and the virtues of the death penalty. With far less frequency, we relate the question of the value of human life to issues of poverty, race, and gender. However, all of these issues relate powerfully to the question: “What is human life worth?”

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The lesson for today fulfills the requirement of dealing with the sanctity of human life. It is quite a thing to suggest that human life is sacred. God’s post-flood covenant with Noah includes strong words about the significance of life: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man” (Genesis 9:6). Because God creates each human being in the image of God, the shedding of human blood requires an accounting (9:5).

Both sides of the debate about capital punishment look to this verse for answers. Those who favor the death penalty find justification in the requirement of verse 6. Those who oppose capital punishment emphasize accountability is to God and God alone (v. 5). Regardless of your position on capital punishment, God’s covenant words with Noah suggest human life is valuable beyond measure and God expects us to take responsibility for one another.

In Psalm 139, David offers praise to God for the whole of David’s human existence. The focal passage (vv. 13-16) correctly emphasizes the wonder and complexity of the process of human birth. Life begins and God loves us even before we are born, but for David, that is not the whole story. David’s words about his own marvelous origin are magnificent, but they are not limited to his pre-birth.

David praises God because God knows every part of him—now! David says, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways” (vv. 1-3). David marvels because nothing can separate him from God and God’s faithful care. Here too, must be some clue as to the value of human life. Whoever we are, wherever we are, God cares for us.

The focal passages from Proverbs provide practical insight into the question of the value of human life. Proverbs 1 offers instruction from a father to a son about wise living. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

This admonition sets the pattern for understanding all the wisdom in Proverbs. Wise living begins with right relationship to God. The father urges his son not to get involved with violent people. Moreover, the father’s instruction suggests his son should not get involved with people who would so casually consider taking the life of another human being. These individuals “rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood” (Proverbs 1:16).

For the impure motive of greed, these individuals devalue human life and shed blood. The wise person will not join them in this activity. Christians must examine their own connections to people and institutions that devalue human life for impure motives.

The final passage from Proverbs 24 urges protection of innocent life. “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter” (24:11). God requires us to find effective, courageous, Christ-like ways of helping the most vulnerable people in our society: the unborn child, the child born into and living in poverty, the single mother, the innocent victims of war and famine.

The list goes on and on, but we cannot abdicate our responsibility to rescue innocent human life: “If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” (24:12). Jesus’ words to his disciples in Matthew 25 echo the sentiment of the sage, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me” (25:40).

From God’s perspective, all human life is valuable beyond measure. We who bear God’s image and Christ’s name must learn to value human life as God values human life.

Discussion questions

• This lesson offers a wonderful opportunity to talk about what the term “sanctity of human life” really means. What does it mean to say that human life is sacred?

• Can human life ever lose its sacredness? Is there any thing we can do that makes us less valuable to God and to each other?

• What political, economic and social issues inform by our discussion of the value of human life?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Storylist for week of 1/08/07

TAKE ME TO: Top Story |  Texas |  Opinion |  Baptists |  Faith & Culture |  Book Reviews |  Classifieds  |  Departments  |  Bible Study



• Seminary president urges neighboring pastor to resign



• DRINK TO THAT? Have Baptists watered down their objections to alcohol?


• After 52 years at one church, pastor has no plans to quit

• Texas Legislature faces critical issues

• By removing barriers, church reclaims families

• Volunteers warm orphans' hearts—and feet—in Moldova

• On the Move

• Around the State

• Texas Tidbits


• DRINK TO THAT? Have Baptists watered down their objections to alcohol?

• Alcoholism: No easy fix or single remedy

• Baptist battles dominated news in 2006, editors say

• Graham named among most-admired in poll for 50th time

• Baptist Briefs


• Amish response to violence rated top '06 newsmaker

• New Congress displays America's religious diversity

• Baptists in the House of Representatives

• Religious affiliations of Texas congressional delegation

• Exhibits feed the public's hunger for biblical history

• Apostle's grave may be beneath Rome church

• Prize-winning biologist issues plea for religion, science to save creation

• Documentary explores faith of televangelists' son


• Books reviewed in this issue are: Reimagining Evangelism: Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey by Rick Richardson, Exiled: Voices of the Southern Baptist Convention Holy War edited by Carl L. Kell and Learning to Pray Through the Psalms by James W. Sire.


• Around the State

• Cartoon

• Classified Ads

• Texas Baptist Forum


• EDITORIAL: Prophecies needed for coming year

• DOWN HOME: Are you too old to wear corduroys?

• 2nd Opinion: Six tips for building better sermons

• TOGETHER: 2007: The emphasis is on missions

• RIGHT or WRONG? Christian Reconstructionism • Texas Baptist Forum

• CYBER COLUMN by John Duncan: Grandmother's simple faith



• BaptistWay Bible Series for January 7: Believing in Jesus as the Resurrection & the Life

• Bible Studies for Life Series for January 7: Why am I here?

• Explore the Bible Series for January 7: God will guide his people past obstacles

Previously Posted

• Students provide family with extreme home makeover

• Church's flexibility helps in encounter with Hispanic seekers

• Volunteer builders ramp up efforts to assist the disabled

• UMHB student adds German flavor to Texas Christmas

• Texas Baptist Men seek to provide pure Water of Life

• Researcher finds Wayland imprint far and wide

• Movie's themes experienced by church that produced it

• Small-church pastors challenged to make a difference

• Former WMU President Huis Coy Egge dead at 95

• Georgia church votes to purge piggy name

• Volunteers' love encourages Moldovan women

• Pastors rank among top 10 on ethics list

• Holiday traditions vary among Baptists around the world

• Holiday Health: How to survive flu season

• Holiday Health: Don’t ditch diet during holidays

• Holiday Health: Ways to care for your heart

• Baptists urge Wal-Mart to practice Golden Rule

• The Baptist Standard family wishes our readers a Merry Christmas! Click to see our card

• BGCT African-American ministries director named

• Baylor's oldest new graduate receives long-awaited degree

• Chrismukkah? Hybrid holiday shows tension in religiously blended families

• Court to decide if taxpayers can sue over faith-based plan

• Ex-gay says: Treat homosexuality as temptation, not orientation

• DBU students raise funds to help hungry



See complete list of articles from our 12/18/ 2006 issue here.

Posted: 1/09/07

Explore the Bible Series for January 14

Hearing God’s word brings revival, worship

• Nehemiah 8:1-18; 9:1-37; 9:38-10:39

By Howard Anderson

Diversified Spiritual Associates, San Antonio

The first day of the seventh month was a day of convocation. The Water Gate became the place of cleansing by the refreshing power of God’s word. The effect of the word was revival and keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles. Reading, hearing, believing, obeying the word brought spiritual revival with humiliation, self-judgment, confession and true worship. The renewed covenant ushered a commitment to support God’s house and a rededication to live according to God’s word and to pursue his purposes.

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Conviction of God’s word (Nehemiah 8:1-18)

The people gathered together from the cities and the countryside of Judah. The street was a broad open space presumably located between the southeast part of the temple and the eastern wall. The people instructed Ezra to get the Book of the Law, which Ezra had brought to Jerusalem as much as 13 years before. What had been confined to private study among learned men was made public to everyone.

Everyone who “could hear with understanding” gathered on “the first of the seventh month.” This event took place just a few days after the completion of the wall for a period of about six hours. As Ezra unrolled the scroll, “the people stood,” signifying their reverence for the word.

Once the people understood the word of God, they wept. They had heard the high standard of the law, recognized their low standing before the Lord and were convicted. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites undoubtedly were glad to see the people’s conviction; however, they urged the people to stop crying and reminded them that this day was holy to the Lord.

The first day of the seventh month (v. 2) was the Feast of Trumpets. It was not a time to weep but to celebrate. The people were instructed to celebrate the feast with eating, drinking and sharing. “Strength” here means place of safety, a refuge or protection. The people’s refuge was God. They had built a wall, and they carried spears and swords, but he was their protection. They obeyed the word of the Lord and celebrated the Feast of Trumpets.

The people observed the Feast of Tabernacles according to the law. Those who lived in cities built their booths on the flat tops of their houses or in their courtyards. The priests and Levites built their booths in the courts of the temple. The people from the country constructed huts in the street before the Water Gate and the Gate of Ephraim. The reading of the law was required during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles that occurred on the Sabbath year (Deuteronomy 31:10-11).

Confession of sins (Nehemiah 9:1-37)

The people’s public worship had begun on the first day of the seventh month (8:2). More than three weeks later, the people still were engaged in public worship. The separation “from all strangers” was a sacred separation from foreign persons who worshipped other gods and whose practices might have brought harm to the integrity of the Lord’s worship by his people. The confession of the people’s own sins was for personal and corporate forgiveness; the confession of their father’s sins was for remembrance that they might not continue in past evil actions and attitudes. Approximately three hours were spent in corporate worship, and today people get restless after 30 minutes.

The importance of the name of God scarcely can be overestimated (v. 5). This psalm is based solidly on the theology of the law (the books of Moses) as would be expected following the three-week reading of the Scriptures (8:1-2). The poem’s exaltation of the Lord’s name is based on God’s own revelation of his name recorded in the Book of Exodus (3:14).

One of the fundamental teachings of Scripture is that God is not one among many. He “alone” is the living God (Deuteronomy 6:4). God alone has made all things— “heaven … earth … seas”—and he alone preserves all things; therefore, worship is due him.

Exodus tells about the plight of the Israelites in Egypt and their complaint to the Lord for deliverance. It then speaks of God’s mercy in his response to the people’s need. Nehemiah 9:9 suggests that before the people expressed their hurt, the Lord already was aware of their troubles.

The sin of the Israelites was that they acted proudly. They behaved toward God in the same way the people of Egypt had behaved toward them. The reference here is the rebellion of Israel against the Lord at Kadesh (Numbers 14:4).

The people’s rebellion went so far, they appointed a captain to take them back to Egypt. Because of God’s loyalty and steadfastness, he did not forsake his people.

“You have done right … we have done wickedly.” This is the basic reality of this chapter, and the history of God and his people. The people of Israel had been called to be the servants of God (Lev. 25:55), but here they were servants of foreign rulers. The produce of the land did not belong to them; it went to kings. Persians taxed the people for the produce of the land that was God’s gift to them.

Commitment to the covenant (Neheniah 9:38-10:39)

The psalm ends in action, not just sentiment. The intent was changed behavior. The pledge was to mirror God’s faithfulness. The new “covenant” community desired to demonstrate the faithfulness of Abraham and Sarah.

The “priests” sealed the covenant. Twenty-one priests, who were heads of households, signed the agreement in the name of the houses and families of their respective classes. The “Levites” signed the covenant. Forty-four political “leaders” of the Jewish community signed the covenant. And laypeople signed the covenant. The Nethinim were temple servants who did menial work in the sanctuary (Ezra 2:43). “They that had separated themselves from the people of the lands” were the descendents of those Israelites who had been left in the land and who joined the returning remnant. Men, women and children of sufficient age signed the covenant.

The people made four promises: (1) They promised to pay a temple tax to defray the expenses of the worship services in God’s sanctuary. (2) They promised to provide a “wood offering.” The law prescribed that wood should be constantly burning on the altar (Leviticus 6:12-13). (3) They promised to offer their “firstfruits” at the temple. The firstfruits of the ground were given to the Lord as an acknowledgment of his status as landowner (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Deuteronomy 26:2). (4) They promised to pay the priests.

Discussion questions

• How does hearing God’s word cause people to worship?

• Is is possible for longtime believers to become immune to the awe God’s word inspires?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/08/07

Kokomo church rises from
ashes, celebrates centennial

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

GORMAN—Kokomo Baptist Church found plenty of reasons to rejoice two weeks before Christmas, as members belatedly celebrated the church’s centennial and dedicated new facilities, completed less than a year after its previous building burned in a wildfire.

Worshippers packed the sanctuary for the dedication of the new building, with former members and pastors returning to be part of the celebration. Old friends reconnected, and old memories were revisited, participants said.

“It was just a happy time,” Deacon Woodrow Browning said. “You knew there was going to be a big crowd there and there would be a lot of people who were former members, and we had a couple of former pastors. To be able to see those people again and to be able to celebrate and dedicate a new building, the Holy Spirit has touched our hearts and lifted us.”

For Zelda Jordan, the dedication of the building and celebration of the church’s 100 years of service—a party delayed nearly six months because the congregation was meeting in a member’s home—marked another example of God’s faithfulness to the congregation.

“It was just a wonderful feeling knowing that God had provided this for us,” she said.

This was not the first time God provided for the church or its members, she noted. Jordan was a member of the congregation when another building burned in 1963. Then, like now, God brought the church together, she said.

In fact, that experience helped them rebuild their facilities this time. Several members knew what to do and knew how long it would take. They never doubted God’s power, she observed.

“We never lost sight that God would help us build it back,” she said.

Jordan looks forward to many more years of ministry for the church. The congregation is like a family to her, she said. She and her husband raised their children there. And when her husband and son died, she noted, the church was there for her. “It’s a community that helps each other.”

And if Jordan has her way, the church will help many others.

“I hope that it’s here until the Lord comes back,” she said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/08/07

Missouri Baptist leaders approve
team to investigate executive

By Robert Marus

Associated Baptist Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP)—In a sign of continuing turmoil within the Missouri Baptist Convention, the body’s Executive Board has appointed a committee to investigate their embattled executive director.

The group also discussed allegations that a four-year-old church in St. Louis, supported by a convention loan, is encouraging alcohol consumption.

During the board’s Dec. 12 meeting, board member Wesley Hammond made a surprise motion that the board appoint a “committee to investigate rumors affecting the character of some of our members which, if true, would render them unworthy of leadership, and cast doubt on our credibility and our integrity as an Executive Board,” according to an account by Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention’s communications arm.

The target is Executive Director David Clippard, who has been under criticism from fellow conservatives for months. Clippard stirred national attention in November when he warned that Muslims are plotting to take over the United States.

Hammond, pastor of First Baptist Church in Paris, Mo., stipulated that the investigative committee would consist of five members—the convention’s current first and second vice presidents and recording secretary and the two most recent convention presidents.

The committee will not include current convention President Mike Green, a Clippard supporter. Baptist Press reported that Hammond’s motion took Green, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Republic, Mo., unawares. He was “flabbergasted and surprised,” according to the news agency.

The motion passed 29-19, with three abstentions.

Green later presented a motion to establish a competing investigative committee. It would have been charged with studying not only allegations of impropriety by Clippard, but also allegations that members of the Executive Board had been “micromanaging” the affairs of Clippard and other MBC staff.

Green said he wanted to establish the committee “because of the ongoing unrest, dissension, distrust, disunity, questions, and contentions existing within the Missouri Baptist Convention.”

His motion also passed, on a vote of 26-22—again with three abstentions. He then withdrew the motion, tearfully saying he did not want to divide the convention further.

His motion also would have instructed the committee to study the scope and direction of the convention’s church-planting ministry, particularly as it relates to the emerging-church movement. Emerging churches tend to be new congregations made up of Generation X and Y members who worship or do ministry in ways not traditionally embraced by evangelicals.

A discussion of the convention’s church-planting ministry at the same meeting turned to criticism of one convention-affiliated congregation that is part of the emerging-church movement.

Bill Edwards, chairman of the board’s church-planting subcommittee, said his panel had discussed new affiliated churches whose leaders “personally used or promoted drinking as a part of their outreach.”

Discussion turned to The Journey, a St. Louis church planted, in part, with financial backing from the state convention. The congregation reportedly has grown from 30 to more than 1,000 in worship weekly in four years.

Board members discussed a ministry, advertised on the church’s website, where church members gather with others to discuss faith-related topics once a month at the Schlafly Bottleworks, a local brewery and pub. Called “Theology at the Bottleworks,” the church’s website describes it as one of several regular outreach events where church leaders “engage various aspects of popular culture: music, theatre, arts, and politics, seeking to have relevant dialogue with people of all backgrounds and beliefs.”

According to the Baptist Press article, Executive Board members objected to a phrase in the website’s description of the ministry that invited inquirers to “Grab a brew, give your view…”

Some also objected to a reference in the website’s biographical description of one of the church’s associate pastors. Jonathan MacIntosh said one of his favorite activities was to have drinks with his wife at a local bar.

Darrin Patrick, the church’s pastor, reportedly attributed the references to a secular design company that administers the website. He said the references would be removed, and they were gone by Dec. 20.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/08/07

BaptistWay Bible Series for January 14

Practice love beyond the limits

• John 13:1-17, 34-35

By David Wilkinson

Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth

Our church has a wonderful tradition that occurs during the ordination service for deacons. Each new deacon is presented a white hand towel as a symbol of the ministry to which he or she has been called. The towel is a tangible reminder of the spirit of Jesus, who took a towel and a basin of water to wash the feet of his disciples as described in John 13.

In reading John 13 again, it occurred to me that the “towel of servanthood” could appropriately be presented to every believer who declares his or her commitment to follow Jesus.

Farewell address

Chapter 13 marks a new section in John’s Gospel. The first 12 chapters have been devoted to a description of Jesus’ public ministry. Now, the Gospel writer deliberately slows the pace in order to focus on one evening in the life of Jesus centered around what Christians through the ages have called the Lord’s Supper.

The Gospel writer devotes five chapters to what could be called Jesus’ farewell address to his disciples. In contrast, Mark records what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper in nine short verses. This address, however, is not literally a single discourse but a collection of speeches and conversations the writer has assembled around the event of the Last Supper. He seems to assume familiarity on the part of his readers with the Lord’s Supper and makes no mention of the crucial words of institution.

The significance of the occasion is emphasized in the chapter’s opening verse. Throughout the first 12 chapters, the narrative has made repeated references to Jesus’ sensitivity to God’s will and timing in his life. In response to external pressures that would have thrown him off course in terms of his God-given mission, Jesus responded that his “hour” or “time” had not yet come (2:4; 7:6, 8; 8:20). At other times, he spoke of the “hour” that was still to come (4:21, 23; 5:25, 28).

Now, however, Jesus affirms the “hour” has arrived. In what other Gospel writers referred to as “the fullness of time,” the moment has come “for the Son of man to be glorified” (12:23). The time has come for Jesus “to depart from this world and go to the Father” (13:1). But Jesus also recognizes it is a time that will bring great agony and indescribable suffering, and his “soul is troubled” (12:27).

Larger audience

Chapter 13 introduces a shift in another sense as well. In the description of Jesus’ public ministry in chapters 1-12, we readers are observers; we are onlookers who “overhear” the words and actions of Jesus through the narrative.

Now, however, the audience shifts. In chapters 13-17, the crowds and Jesus’ opponents disappear from the scene. Jesus is alone with his inner circle and speaks directly to them. In terms of the writer’s larger purpose, however, this farewell address has been compiled to speak to the church.

More than the synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John addresses the first major crisis for the fledgling church—the departure of Jesus. Yes, Jesus has been raised, and he has returned to his Father, just as he had promised. That is the good news, and as we shall see, one of the central themes of Jesus’ farewell discourses is that the disciples will not be left alone; they will be given the Holy Spirit to guide and empower them.

But in the weeks and months following Jesus’ ascension, the disciples were faced with the unsettling reality that they faced an uncertain future without the daily, physical presence of Jesus. How are they to proceed? What are they to do to carry out Jesus’ mission in the world?

These five chapters anticipate such questions. Having “loved them to the end” (13:1), Jesus now prepares the disciples for what lies ahead.

Radical humility

With echoes of the prologue’s description in the background, the One who “had come from God and was going to God” (v. 3) does something astonishing. The poignancy of the moment is underscored by the deliberate contrast between Jesus’ awareness of his authority (“knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,” v. 3) and the deep humility of his actions. He removes his robe, wraps a towel around his waist, fills a basin with water and begins to wash the disciples’ feet (vv. 4-5).

His actions, amplified by the subsequent exchange with Peter (vv. 6-11) and then interpreted by Jesus (vv. 12-20), are at one level a lesson in humility and servanthood. But they are much more than that, and we, like Peter, miss the point if we go no further.

To wash another’s feet, dirty from traveling in sandals on dusty roads, was a menial task not required even of Jewish slaves. It is this kind of self-abasement or humiliation to which Peter objects. Indeed, this simple act of “humiliation” is soon to be followed by the ultimate humiliation of a brutal execution on a Roman cross—events that only later Peter and the other disciples will come to understand (v. 7). Furthermore, this course of events is something the Son of God deliberately chooses out of love.

In the poetic hymn the Apostle Paul incorporated into his letter to the church in Philippi, Christians are called “in humility (to) regard others as better than yourselves” and to adopt the spirit of Christ Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave … he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

With Peter and all would-be followers, this life of radical self-sacrifice is something we are invited to share with Jesus: “For I have set an example that you also should do as I have done to you” (v. 14). I can almost see Jesus rise to his feet, hand me the towel, and say, “OK, now it’s your turn.”

Discussion questions

• Madeleine L’Engle recounts a story of a student who went to a famous old rabbi with a question: “Master, in the old days there were people who could see God. Why is it that nobody sees God nowadays?” The rabbi answered, “My child, nowadays nobody can stoop so low.” L’Engle then asks, “Why are we afraid of stooping so low? Didn’t the second person of the Trinity stoop lower than we can even conceive when he willingly relinquished all power and glory to come to earth as a human baby?” How would you answer L’Engle’s question?

• What are some concrete ways you have seen Christians live out the spirit of Jesus’ example of washing the disciples’ feet?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 1/05/07

RIGHT or WRONG?
Christian Reconstructionism

I recently heard about “Christian Reconstructionism.” Some facets of it seem to run counter to historic Baptist distinctives. Is that a valid conclusion?

Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism is difficult for two reasons. First, there is diversity and even division in the movement on key issues. Second, the literary output of the movement is so enormous there is always the possibility of having missed some nuance. Certainly Rousas Rushdoony’s Institutes of Biblical Law and the works of Gary North are important resources for understanding this movement. Many features of Christian Reconstructionism are faithful renderings of Christian doctrine and as such will be favorably viewed by most Baptists. These would include the authority of Scripture, the necessity of salvation by grace through faith and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to transform our world by the work of the Holy Spirit. At least one major aspect of Christian Reconstructionism will create distance between it and important Baptist distinctives, however—its understanding of the relationship between biblical law and civil government. Christian Reconstructionists insist they do not seek Christianization of the political order by a minority of believers so as to impose a biblical ethic “on a pervasively unbelieving populace.”

“The Bible does not allow the imposition of top-down bureaucratic tyranny in the name of Christ,” North insists. Personal regeneration and the work of the Spirit, Reconstructionists say, are what enable sinful humanity to live in keeping with the law of God. But qualifying words like “minority” and “pervasively” indicate Reconstructionists are up to something. “Let’s get this straight; Christian Reconstructionism depends on majority rule,” North says. “… It depends on overwhelming acceptance of the biblical covenant, perhaps as high as the 80 percent range of adult acceptance.” Reconstructionists believe that with such an overwhelming majority of Christians populating a nation, “God’s laws should (then) be passed and enforced according to the rules of the democratic process.” In this way, Christians can invoke an important biblical principle—“that civil government is a legitimate means of evangelism.”

So, in spite of what Reconstructionists say about the need for personal regeneration and the work of the Holy Spirit, that really is only the case for about 80 percent of a given population. Evidently, fulfillment of the law of God in the lives of the remaining 20 percent can be achieved through the coercive power of the state; and Reconstructionists do mean coercive. One of the main features of biblical law they seem eager to promote is a widening application of the death penalty. They do not flinch one bit when the Old Testament applies the death penalty not simply to murder, but to homosexuality, violation of the Sabbath, the rebellious son, adultery, sorcery and any number of violations of law and order. One must expect their disappointment when in 1 Corinthians 5 Paul does not invoke Leviticus 20:11 and call for the death of the offending church member. When Deuteronomy 13:1-11 insists that any within the covenant community who advocate apostasy shall be put to death, we perhaps get the full sense of what Reconstructionists mean when they speak of “evangelism through law.” Baptists have seen this sort of “evangelism” before. The very origins of Baptist history are a rejection of this strategy. Does Christian Reconstructionism run counter to historic Baptist distinctives? Indeed it does.

Jeph Holloway, professor of religion

East Texas Baptist University

Marshall

Right or Wrong? is sponsored by the T.B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology. Send your questions about how to apply your faith to btillman@hsutx.edu.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.

Posted: 12/15/06

Texas Baptist Forum

‘Baby Jesus’

Merry Christmas. And, oh, by the way, there is no more “baby Jesus.”

•

Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.

“There are people who feel ‘excluded’ by Christian symbolism and are offended by the manger and the angels and the Child, but there have always been humorless, legalistic people. Complaint is an American art form, and in our time, it has been raised to an operatic level. To which one can only say: ‘Get a life.’” Garrison Keillor Author and radio personality (RNS) “My sense so far speaking to people is that they are understanding. They’re taking the high road and being compassionate, not condemning her.” Oscar Isaac Actor who plays Joseph in The Nativity Story, speaking about the revelation that actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, who plays Mary, is pregnant and unwed at age 16. (USA Today/RNS) “If I really want to last in life, I’ve got to stop and realize there’s a whole journey of life to live. I’ve got to remember it’s not how fast I live that’s important; it’s how well I live.” Rick Warren Pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Southern California (www.pastors.com) “Let us pray for brotherhood and for all humanity.” Pope Benedict XVI Joining Mustafa Cagrici, the grand mufti of Istanbul, in prayer beneath the dome of the Blue Mosque, one of the most prominent landmarks in the Muslim world, in Istanbul (RNS)

As one who has a relationship with God through his Son, Jesus the Messiah, I am disturbed by the image of a baby in a manger that is so prevalent at this time of year. The reasoning for this is that children can relate easily to a baby when being taught about Jesus.

At face value, the statement sounds good. I can buy into the idea of children relating to a “baby Jesus” when they are “introduced” to the Lord. But even children understand the concept of growing up.

If we are serious about helping people move to a point in their lives where they can have a “knowledge that leads unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15-16), then we need to stop feeding them milk (God loves you. Jesus loves you. Think happy thoughts.) and feed them on the meat of the word. God does love us, and the Messiah as well (John 3:16-17), but life for the Christian is appropriately described as a race to be run. It’s a mixture of Romans 7:15, 24 and Romans 8:37-39.

May every day be a celebration of God’s lovingkindness and mercy.

David Page

Sour Lake

Mutual cooperation

I would find it hard to describe myself as being inside the target demographic for your publication. I also believe we disagree on some things you believe to be fundamental to one’s moral compass. Setting those things aside, I would like to thank you for the editorial on the controversy surrounding Pastor Rick Warren’s recruiting of Sen. Barack Obama (Dec. 4).

Some things are not only more important than one’s beliefs but must also require the mutual cooperation of a wide number of people, all working together toward a goal or purpose that is unequivocally important. I’m glad you understand this, and hope there are many others in your community who understand as well.

Manuel Magaña

River Rouge, Mich.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 1/05/07

Baptist battles dominated
news in 2006, editors say

DALLAS (ABP)—The election of a pastor outside the fundamentalist power structure as president of the Southern Baptist Convention was chosen by Baptist journalists as the most important story in Baptist life in 2006—a year when denominational affairs outweighed world news in the minds of Baptists of the South.

The election of SBC President Frank Page by discontented conservatives and the resignation of Bob Reccord as head of the North American Mission Board, after a probe found ineffectiveness and extravagant spending, were the most important Baptist news stories of the past year, an annual survey of journalists conducted by Associated Baptist Press revealed.

Meanwhile, the controversy between “blogging trustee” Wade Burleson and the SBC International Mission Board and a scandal in the Rio Grande Valley over funding for phony church starts also commanded the attention of Baptists. The shift in power to a Democratic-controlled Congress was the only non-Baptist story to crack the top five.

Top five stories identified were:

1. An outsider president. In a major upset, Frank Page of South Carolina was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention over two candidates closely tied to the SBC’s fundamentalist power structure. Page, who described his election as a victory for grassroots Baptists, won slightly more than 50 percent of the June vote by pledging more openness and power-sharing among SBC conservatives.

2. Reccord resigns. After a trustee investigation produced a scathing report of poor management, Bob Reccord resigned April 17 as president of the North Amer-ican Mission Board, Southern Baptists’ second-largest mission agency. Allega-tions first surfaced in a February expose by the Christian Index newspaper. NAMB’s trustees, after their own investigation, put Reccord under strict “executive-level controls” March 23, which many observers thought would prompt his resignation. With his possible ouster looming at the May 2 trustees meeting, Reccord met April 13 with several prominent Southern Baptist pastors seeking advice. Four days later, he resigned.

3. Wade Burleson. A Oklahoma pastor and rookie trustee used his Internet blog to speak against the decision by his fellow International Mission Board trustees not to appoint missionaries who use a “private prayer language”—a variation of tongues-speaking—in their personal devotions. Trustees threatened to dismiss Burleson for posting information about the board’s deliberations. After a closed-door session March 22, however, trustees decided not to seek Burleson’s removal, which would have required approval by the SBC. Instead, the board censured him and adopted new guidelines to prohibit and punish future criticism of IMB actions by trustees. Burleson used his experience to warn of “narrowing” within the SBC and bolster Page’s nomination for president.

4. Valleygate. A five-month investigation uncovered evidence that church-starting funds from the Baptist General Convention of Texas were misused between 1999 and 2005 in the Rio Grande Valley. Independent investigators discovered that 98 percent of the 258 new churches reported by three church planters in the Valley no longer exist, and some never existed. The BGCT gave more than $1.3 million to those 258 churches. Pastors Otto Arrango, Aaron De La Torre and Armando Vera were accused and face possible legal action. The BGCT was faulted for poor oversight, uneven management, failure to abide by internal guidelines and misplaced trust.

5. A Democratic Congress. In the Nov. 4 midterm elections, Democrats gained more than a 30-seat majority over Republicans in the House and a one-seat majority in the Senate, as voters objected to the Iraq war and congressional scandals. The power shift could refocus Congress’ culture wars from arguments over church-state issues and abortion rights to battles over gay rights, embryonic stem-cell research and federal judges. The new Congress includes 68 Baptists—61 in the House and seven in the Senate.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.