Posted 9/22/03

CYBERCOLUMN:
The bridge

By John Duncan

I am sitting here under the old oak tree, wondering about a bridge. The musical duo Simon and Garfunkle used to sing “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” Early this morning while biking, I stopped on the bridge near the lake not too far from the old oak tree. But the bridge I am thinking of is in Cambridge, England.

If you travel to Cambridge, you will discover a center point in the middle of the city. The “city center” as the locals call it, swirls with activity. Near the city’s center you will find a GAP, a Marks and Spencer store for buying groceries, and a market square where you can purchase fresh flowers, a T-shirt for approximately $18, and Doc Martin’s sandals for half the price you can buy them in America. Walk a short distance, and you will find Borders, Starbucks and McDonald’s. The world shrinks, and suddenly everything starts looking the same, no matter where you travel. The college students gather at McDonald’s for lunch, so you if you are hungry, you will want to beat the rush by arriving before 11:30.

John Duncan

Walk past McDonald’s and stand on Trinity Street. Look to your left, and you will find one the world’s most recognizable architectural wonders—King’s College. If you toured King’s College with a guide, you would hear about the chapel and the mischievous stories of college students who climbed the spires like rock climbers and placed umbrellas at the highest point, some 100 feet in the air.

Walk to your right, and you will journey toward Trinity College. The neatly manicured Great Court fascinates. The field looks like a beautiful carpet of green. Spend two British pounds on the brochure that explains the buildings, history and the grandeur of all that is Trinity College. You will be interested in knowing movie producers filmed portions “Chariots of Fire” in the courtyard. The running scene where the two runners sprint around the courtyard enlivens the movie. When I traveled to Cambridge with my family last spring, we rented the movie. Why not rent the movie? I love that great line in the movie, Eric pleading with his sister about his duel call of missionary work and running Olympic races. He says: “God made me fast. And when I run I feel his (God’s) pleasure.” Take Cambridge slow. Find something in life to feel God’s pleasure.

Trinity College houses numerous treasures in the Wren Library—an eighth century copy of the epistles of Paul and an original manuscript of “Winnie the Pooh.” Walk beyond the library and the New Court and over the bridge where, beneath, lies the River Cam. Remember, we speak of a bridge, and Cambridge displays many bridges over the River Cam, including the historical Mathematical Bridge, originally built with only wood and a flawless design. Across the bridge you will find an ice cream truck. By all means, buy an ice cream cone. It sure tastes good!

Exit Trinity College and walk down Trinity Street to Saint John’s College. Saint John’s holds three courts. Architectural professionals refer to the Gothic design of the buildings as the “Wedding Cake.” Walk through the tree courts, and you will again stand on a bridge. Across the bridge and over the River Cam you will find what the locals call the Backs, a beautiful floral walking path that produces breathtaking postcards from behind the colleges.

As you view the Backs, look below the bridge and you will see students and tourists punting. No, punting is not football, but rather a journey on the River Cam in a canoe-like boat.

Stand on the bridge and note the Kitchen Bridge and the infamous Bridge of Sighs, a bridge modeled after one in Venice, Italy. Turn around, and you will see the River Cam and bridge after bridge, stone bridges made fixed in symmetrical form near perfection. The bridges have withstood walkers, bikers, rain, storms and the test of time. How can you cross the River Cam without a bridge?

Study the center point of each bridge. You will find a triangular stone called a “keystone.” The keystone locks the bridge into place. It holds the bridge together. Remove the keystone, and the bridge will crumble.

Today I am sitting here under the old oak tree, thinking of a bridge with its keystone, Jesus Christ. He locks my life into place, creating stability when a river of turmoil swirls in the world below. Jesus holds my life together. Jesus keeps my life from crumbling. In him, I can cross over one day into that glorious land with streets of gold and fields with carpets of green. Ah, the King will be there. And I can walk in the glory of all that is in the King’s domain. Peace fills my soul.

I think of Jesus, the Bridge, and I recall Jesus’ words, “My peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).

Suddenly old Augustine’s prayer comes to mind: “O Lord God, grant us peace, for all that we have is your gift. Grant us the peace of repose, the peace of the Sabbath, the peace which has no evening.”

Oh, did I tell you the sun shone high in Cambridge? Did I mention it was the middle of the day? Do you think we taste delicious ice cream in heaven? Have you stood on a bridge? Is the Bridge in you?

John Duncan is pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Texas, and the writer of numerous articles in various journals and magazines

Posted: 10/3/03

Cowboy Fellowship ropes in more
than just cowboys in Pleasanton

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

PLEASANTON–The bumper sticker reads: “Cowboy Fellowship. It's not just for cowboys anymore.”

And now the Western heritage church in Pleasanton aims to back that up.

Pete Pawelek baptizes J.P. Meuth in a horse trough at Cowboy Fellowship. More than 90 people have committed their lives to Jesus at the church since May.

While Cowboy Fellowship intentionally reaches out to people who are interested in rodeo arena events, some church members “probably couldn't tell you what a horse looks like,” said Pastor Pete Pawelek. No matter their background, he wants them to know Jesus.

The new church, sponsored by First Baptist Church of Pleasanton, Frio River Baptist Association and the Baptist General Convention of Texas, kicked off services last spring with a crowd of 172 people in the Atascosa County Show Barn.

The group included many people who attended Bible study and roping events held in the years prior to the launch.

“Everybody thought it was good, but it was still new,” Pawelek said. “We did a lot of publicity. We didn't know how many people came because it was new.”

Some may have come because it was new, but they must have found something they liked. Attendance continued to grow as high as 440 people throughout the summer, despite no air conditioning in the metal barn. About 300 regularly attend Sunday services.

As of mid-September, more than 90 people had made professions of faith in Jesus Christ through the church's efforts. Each week, at least one person has made a profession of faith.

Baptismal services are held the first Sunday of each month, followed by a church-wide meal and arena events such as roping and barrel racing.

Pawelek sees the church filling a void other congregations in the area left untouched. Worshippers feel comfortable at the church's events as they come in blue jeans, cowboy hats and boots. Some come to church from working the fields and return to work after the services.

“When people know Jesus is going to be somewhere, and the gospel is going to be presented, and they have the opportunity to encounter God, they will do what they have to do to get there,” the pastor explained.

With a steady stream of people coming to the church and to the Christian faith, the congregation launched “Saddle-Up” seminars, one-hour classes for new members. The classes outline what can be expected from the church and what the church expects from its members. They also allow the pastor to meet each new member.

Additionally, the church recently launched a couple of small discipleship groups, where Pawelek hopes members will learn the basics of the faith and begin to grow spiritually.

“The majority of our congregation is people who haven't been to church in 10 years,” he said. “Some have never been in church.”

Posted: 10/3/03

Missions Foundation gives Cowgirl Award

By Toby Druin

Editor Emeritus

A new Texas Baptist missions award is a horse of a different color.

The first Texas Cowgirl Award was presented Sept. 16 to Eunice Chambless of Abilene for her support of the Cowboy Church movement.

The award will be presented annually by the Baptist General of Convention's Church Multiplication Center and the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.

Gary Morgan (left), pastor of Cowboy Church of Ellis County, and Ron Nolen (right) of the BGCT present the Cowgirl Award to Eunice Chambless.

Ron Nolen, who heads the BGCT's effort to start cowboy churches, presented the award to Chambless, noting she helped him purchase a horse to use in his ministry.

The award, an acrylic representation of the map of Texas with the Cowboy Church logo, carries an inscription that reads: “Your life influence and possessions have inspired an entire cowboy church planting movement in Texas and beyond.” It was presented by Nolen and Gary Morgan, pastor of the Cowboy Church of Ellis County, who also gave her a western hat.

The award presentation was the highlight of a meeting of the missions foundation's board of advisers at Frontier Church, one of the newest of the cowboy churches, on Highway 77, just south of Waxahachie, and whose new building was financed with a no-interest loan from the foundation. Most of the meeting focused on the cowboy church movement.

Nolen challenged the 20-member foundation board and others attending the meeting to be aware of where cowboy churches are needed. Seventeen have been started to date, he said, and the goal is 10 to 20 per year over the next five years.

BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade spoke briefly to the board, noting Frontier Church where they were meeting “is a good symbol of our commitment to start churches wherever there are people who need them.”

Abe Zabaneh, director of the Church Starting Center, explained that Texas needs new churches because they are foundations for reaching the 10.5 million non-Christian people in the state. New churches also are forums for innovation, provide opportunities for new church leaders, focus on the future and are foundations for growth, he said.

Bill Arnold, executive director of the missions foundation, reported 628 people made 1,228 gifts to the foundation this year totaling $1.8 million. The foundation has $300,000 pending in loans for 10 churches from its no-interest loan fund and $492,000 pending for nine churches from its low-interest loan fund.

The foundation, he reported, has helped with funds for a new tool trailer for Texas Baptist Men, assisted in providing medical and dental care for orphanages in Piedras Negras, aided in construction of new Baptist Student Ministry buildings at Texas A&M University and Stephen F. Austin State University and in distributing 25,000 Spanish-language Bibles from Del Rio to Juarez.

The board approved three awards to be presented at the foundation's meeting Nov. 10 in Lubbock. The Pioneer Award for service in missions will be presented to Delbert and Mary Lou Serratt of Amarillo. The Innovator Award for creativity in missions will go to Shirley Madden of Lubbock. The Adventurer Award for leadership in missions will be presented to First Baptist Church of Plains, where Bill Wright is pastor.

Four people were re-elected to new terms on the board of advisers–Eunice Chambless, Ken Dupuy of Longview, Ed Finlay of Houston and Dan McLendon of San Antonio.

Posted: 10/3/03

Deacon brings Dead Sea Scrolls to life

By George Henson

Staff Writer

BLUM–Aubrey Richardson has a passion for archaeology, in particular the Dead Sea Scrolls. But the thing he wants most to bring to light is that the Bible is accurate and worthy of faith.

Richardson, a deacon at First Baptist Church in Blum, misses most of the Sunday night services there because he's usually in another church teaching about the Essenes of Qumran, the originators of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Aubrey Richardson, dressed as an Essene, leads a seminar on the Dead Sea Scrolls.

A retired engineer with Lockheed-Martin, he spent seven years in Israel. During much of that time, he devoted his weekends, holidays and vacation days to working with an Israeli archaeologist on digs, many around the famed site of Qumran.

His passion was so fueled that he led fund-raising efforts to obtain seismic and ground penetrating radar surveys of the Qumran plateau. The data accumulated from those tests influenced Israel's Department of Antiquities to reopen Qumran for archeological investigation and exploration after 45 years without new exploration.

Because of his help in the beginning stages, Richardson was invited back last year when exploration began anew. Uncovered was a 2,000-year-old kitchen, complete with a storage area and cooking vessels.

This experience has given him a knowledge base he wants to share with other Christians–a knowledge he hopes goes far beyond meeting an interest in archaeology of biblical lands.

“There seems to be quite an interest in the Dead Sea Scrolls, but I want to broaden that interest to share about the Essenes and their beliefs and life and relate it back to the Bible,” he explained. “My goal is to increase people's faith in their Bible and to relate how God has preserved these things through all this time to attest to the Bible's accuracy.”

Richardson knows some people doubt the Bible's accuracy in some areas, but he believes what he has learned through archaeology gives scientific proof to refute such doubts.

For instance, some skeptics doubt there was a reign by a King David. But archaeological evidence now describes the armies of a King David.

“What I really want to do is build up people's faith in the Scriptures,” Richardson said.

He does that through a 40-minute presentation in which he plays the role an Essene scribe, shows a short film of Essene life and then comes back as himself to show a variety of archeological objects.

Included in his presentation are a copy of the oldest Isaiah scroll, an ancient belt or sash he uncovered in the marl just below the Qumran plateau, pottery shards, a Roman arrowhead believed to be from about 65 A.D., and his greatest prize–the Torah on a three-foot high scroll. He never has fully extended the scroll made of animal skins sewn together, but he is sure it would be more than 100 feet long.

Richardson's ministry of sharing his knowledge with churches has taken off since April. He spends as many as three Sunday nights a month making his presentations, which several pastors say have been well received.

Allan Lane, pastor of Fort Graham Baptist Church in Whitney, said: “It is indeed a sensitively orchestrated balance of archaeology, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible. The interactive venue intrigued the inquisitive minds of our congregation into further study and research.”

John Carl, pastor of First Baptist Church in Whitney, said: “His reputation preceded him, and our house was much fuller than usual for a Sunday evening. I think Brother Richardson's presentation would be well received by any church congregation that holds curiosity for the textual history of the Bible and the people of Bible days.”

Richardson's own pastor, Sammy Simmons, likewise was impressed. “His grasp of the material presented, love of the land of the Bible and personal experiences as a volunteer in archaeology offer a unique perspective,” Simmons said.

For more information, call (254) 694-5847.

Posted: 10/3/03

DOWN HOME:
The cap was OK; his head wasn't

In most of Texas, we pretty much miss out on one of the most terrific parts of “normal” autumn–beautiful weeks when leaves turn crimson and scarlet and golden and saffron.

But at least the weather's cooled down. And at last we've folded down our tailgates in the parking lot of the purest pinnacle of the sporting universe. Namely, feud season.

MARV KNOX Editor

High school teams have entered the arch-rival grudge match part of their schedules, when “bragging rights” are up for grabs. In college ball, we've got fearsome foes squaring off against each other almost every Saturday. Last weekend, Texas Tech and Texas A&M kicked off another round. This weekend, it's the “granddaddy of them all”–Texas vs. OU.

Fortunately, I have been blessed to attend one Texas-OU ballgame. I wondered if I would get out of the Cotton Bowl alive.

This was almost three decades ago, during my sophomore year at Hardin-Simmons. My buddy Neil and I shared a table in Psychology 101, and I heard that his dad, an OU alumnus, bought two tickets to the Big Game and sent them to his only son.

So, I practiced psychological torture on Neil. I whined. For days on end. Whining is annoying in a 3-year-old. It's downright pathetic out of a 20-year-old. Finally, just a couple of days before the game, Neil asked if I wanted to go. (I now realize a girl backed out of a date, and he guessed he couldn't ask another girl, so he settled for me, figuring I'd owe him forever.)

Right after class, I broke a date with Joanna, the comely coed who later became my wife and who appreciates Texas football and understood. Well, almost understood.

More than the score (I think they tied), I remember the excitement and noise. Few experiences rival sitting in the Cotton Bowl during the Red River Shootout.

Except possibly getting shot, which I thought might happen to me. At halftime, I realized I was scorched. Being practical, I decided to buy a cap. Being loyal, it had to be a UT cap. I must've made that decision after suffering sunstroke.

Neil's dad's OU-alumni tickets were, of course, on the OU side. There I sat, with a burnt orange cap in a sea of crimson and cream. All those great Sooner fans who had been loaning these “nice college boys” their binoculars and popcorn suddenly stopped talking to us, much less offering us stuff.

Neil suggested we leave two minutes before the game ended. Dumb but not blind, I agreed.

I remember laughing as we fled the Cotton Bowl and ran to our car. Neil probably laughed because it's funny having a lunatic for a friend. I laughed because I was giddy to still have a head, much less a UT cap.

Sometimes, the Lord saves us from ourselves. All the time, God's grace is as grand as football rivalry on golden autumn afternoons.

Posted: 10/3/03

EDITORIAL:
Baylor: A century of health care

Almost exactly 100 years ago–Oct. 16, 1903–visionary Texas Baptists founded a hospital that has touched millions of lives. “Is it not now time to start a great humanitarian hospital?” asked George W. Truett, legendary pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas. Cattle baron C.C. Slaughter, one of most the generous laymen anywhere, responded by offering the first donation to make the challenge a reality. Charles McDaniel Rosser, a leading physician, supplied the expertise. Robert Cook Buckner, orphan home founder and owner of the kindest heart ever to beat in Texas, lent credibility as the first board chairman. With such leadership, the Baptist General Convention of Texas signed on. Texas Baptist Memorial Sanitarium was born.

This month, Baylor Health Care System, the sanitarium's direct descendent, celeberates its 100th anniversary, a fine time to thank God for our far-sighted ancestors' magnificent vision and for how God has multiplied its impact through the decades.

Baylor Health Care System defines itself as a “Christian ministry of healing” that “exists to serve all people through exemplary health care, education, research and community service.”

BHCS encompasses 14 hospitals and 76 other medical facilities across North Texas. Last year, the 1,900-bed system treated more than 400,000 patients, including 74,195 who were admitted and 444,581 outpatients. The system is comprised of 12,600 employees and utilizes the services of 2,414 physicians. It holds $1.6 billion in total assets and operates on $1.2 billion in revenue.

Through the decades, BHCS has been a trail-blazer among medical providers. For example:

1929, Baylor created the Baylor Plan, a pioneering hospital insurance program that developed into Blue Cross.

1938, Joseph Hill, a hematologist at Baylor, invented a machine to dry blood plasma for storage without refrigeration. Hill's invention saved thousands of soldiers' lives during World War II.

1960, Baylor surgeons performed the Southwest's first heart pacemaker implant.

1961, Baylor opened the first clinically oriented virology lab in the United States.

1983, Baylor University Medical Center became the first hospital in the Southwest to own an MRI machine.

1988, surgeons at Baylor University Medical Center performed Texas' first unrelated-donor bone marrow transplant.

1993, U.S. News & World Report recognized Baylor as one of the best hospitals in the nation, an honor it has received 11 times.

1997, Baylor surgeons pioneered using a genetically engineered pig liver to allow a patient to live while awaiting a successful liver transplant.

2000, the system became the first in the nation to screen newborns for 30 inherited diseases.

Beyond cutting-edge medicine, Baylor Health Care System always has focused on its mission to provide medical treatment to people who otherwise could not afford it. Just last year, BHCS supplied $120 million in charity health care for 24,000 patients. BHCS illustrates how Texas Baptists have taken seriously Jesus' admonition to care for “the least of these.”

That's also true because BHCS still fulfills its mission to provide a “Christian ministry of healing” by caring for the soul as well as the body.

Twenty-seven permanent chaplains serve through the system. They train 25 to 35 additional chaplains a year, and they also work with more than 120 part-time volunteer chaplains. Together, they make more than 160,000 pastoral contacts a year. They conducted 739 hours of support-group sessions, provided 1,156 hours of counseling to BHCS employees, ministered in more than 12,000 instances of deaths or medical emergencies, led 942 worship services and distributed 7,214 Bibles for babies last year.

Of course, the Baptist General Convention of Texas cannot foot the bill for all the Baylor system's costs, but the proposed 2004 BGCT Cooperative Program allocates $240,000 to help underwrite the chaplaincy program and contributes $18,000 for charity ministries.

Baylor Health Care System celebrates its 100th birthday this month, but it is not alone.

The BGCT also directly affiliates with four hospital systems–Hendrick Health System in Abilene, Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco, Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospitals in Beaumont and Orange, and Valley Baptist Health System in Harlingen. Two other systems–Baptist St. Anthony's Health System in Amarillo and Baptist Health System in San Antonio–also indirectly are related through other affiliated entities.

This emphasis on Christ-centered care for bodies as well as souls reflects in other BGCT endeavors, such as four child and family ministry enterprises and five retirement and aging-care ministries, as well as ministries to human need through River Ministry, disaster relief, Christian Women's Job Corps and other programs.

Baptists don't theologize much about whether souls in heaven can look down and see events on earth. But if so, we can only imagine these are ministries that make Truett, Slaughter, Rosser and Buckner proud–and grateful to God.
–Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

Posted: 10/3/03

EDITORIAL:
Measure churches this fall

Most Baptists are obsessive measurers. Almost every family with children has a place–maybe the pantry wall or the kitchen doorway–where they measure the kiddoes at the same time every year. Others take pictures of the youngers on the first day of school, always by the same chair or standing in the same spot. Just to see how they've grown. Just to mark the progress of time.

We come by this naturally. Southern Baptists started collecting measurements of their churches in 1870, when they asked the original Sunday School Board to prepare an annual report toting up the tallies on Sundays School statistics. Like most families' annual wall markings and photos, those reports charted growth and change. And the reports changed themselves. For decades, the report was called the Uniform Church Letter, and at one time it contained 150 measurements. Not quite 10 years ago, it became the Annual Church Profile, and it has trimmed down to 51 vital statistics.

Unfortunately, Texas Baptists aren't measuring up to our reputation as measurers, reports Clay Price, the Baptist General Convention of Texas' chief researcher and statistician. The number of Texas Baptist churches that have completed the Annual Church Profile has decreased by 15 percentage points in five years, from 82 percent of churches in 1998 to 67 percent last year. “This means one of every three congregations did not report in 2002,” he observes, noting a couple of good reasons for churches to participate in the annual survey:

First, it's biblical. Price points to Acts 1:15, where Luke records that 120 people were present when the apostles selected Matthias to join them, replacing Judas.

“I like to think (Luke) found the original 'church clerk' and got the official count of those present,” he says. “Of course, there are many other examples of numbers in the New Testament, a fact that speaks to God's concern for all humanity.”

Second, “because 'people count,' it is important for churches to count, literally,” he adds. When Southern Baptists collected the Uniform Church Letter, the emphasis focused on communicating with other churches, providing statistics on primary church tasks and developing a historical record of the denomination. With the advent of the Annual Church Profile, the primary purpose switched to helping individual churches evaluate their own ministries.

“God cares about his people, and he cares about his church,” Price insists. “The Annual Church Profile is just one way the church can examine its main tasks and build a record of the growth of God's kingdom. Even in churches where numbers are down, it is possible to see that people are studying the Bible, being baptized and participating in the life of the church”

If you are a church clerk or administrative assistant, look for the 2003 ACP materials from your associational office and complete them. Then encourage your pastor to share the report with the church to celebrate the growth of the God's kingdom this past year. If you are a pastor or church leader, help the clerk get the proper numbers. If you are a church member, look for and ask about the report. The BGCT research information office and most associations can provide a 10-year profile of statistics on individual churches. The Annual Church Profile provides a helpful yardstick. Use it to measure your church.

Posted 10/6/03

CYBERCOLUMN:
'Luther': Big movie, small crowds

By Brett Younger

Martin Luther is arguably the most important historical figure of the last thousand years. “Luther” isn’t the best movie of the last thousand years, but it is a good movie about a great story.

The film opens with a law student caught in a spectacular lightning storm. Luther is so terrified that he prays to St. Anne, promising he will become a monk if she keeps him from becoming toast. People have gone to seminary for worse reasons.

Luther works hard for the salvation the church has taught him he has to earn. He’s tortured by guilt even though his mentor assures him, “In two years, I’ve never heard you confess anything remotely interesting.”

Brett Younger

The brilliant monk is sent to Wittenberg to work on a doctorate, teach theology and preach every Sunday, because “We preach best what we need to learn most.” Luther is found by “a God whom I can love, a God who loves me.” He preaches, “To see God in faith is to look upon his friendly heart.”

Luther becomes disillusioned with a church more interested in fund raising than in being Christ. The selling of relics (first century souvenirs) and indulgences (tickets to heaven) becomes the target of Luther’s subversive wit. He points out that many saints left behind more body parts than they started out with and that “18 of the 12 apostles are buried in Spain.” He preaches that the people shouldn’t “obsess over relics and indulgences when Christ is here, in your love for each other and in the word.”

Luther emphasizes personal faith and the Bible in a way that challenges the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther’s nailing of the 95 theses on the Wittenberg church door on All Hallows’ Eve 1517 looks more like what probably happened than how you would expect a movie to portray the event. Luther’s tract is just one of many documents hanging on the community bulletin board. The visionary priest did not envision the Reformation, but the conflict was inevitable.

In 1521, at the Diet of Worms, the church leaders demand that Luther recant. He responds courageously: “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither safe nor right. God help me, here I stand.”

It’s expecting too much to ask a movie to capture the passion, wit and intelligence of Martin Luther in two hours. It’s hard to do justice to it all—the translation of the Bible into German, the encouragement of clergy to marry and the anarchy let loose by Luther’s ideas. The movie is messy like the Reformation.

The film closes with “540 million people worship in churches with roots in the Reformation.” This, of course, includes every church in the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Christians owe a debt to Luther for proclaiming the priesthood of all believers.

You need to see Luther fast, because it’s not going to challenge “The Lord of the Rings” for box office supremacy. Our family went the evening Luther opened and shared the theater with only six others. (Not many are saying, “I cannot do otherwise. Here I sit.”) It’s not often that major figures of the Christian faith are depicted in feature films; so if you see only one movie about a 16th century theologian this year, make it this one.

Brett Younger is pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth

Posted 10/9/03

CYBERCOLUMN:
Accountability

By Berry D. Simpson

I might as well admit it now: I joined Weight Watchers. I’ve got the starter kit, I’ve weighed in on their special scales, and I’ve attended two meetings in which I was the only male in the room.

I didn’t start off that way. At first what I did was what I always doI I decided to follow the Weight Watchers program without actually joining. I found lots of information on the Internet. I found several lists of foods and their points, and I found lots of tips about how to count points and watch what I do and how to convince myself to stick to my goals, and all that.

Berry D. Simpson

I also found a program to help track daily points, log my food journal, track my daily weight, calculate my body mass index and target weights, and all that cool stuff.

I was committed and ready to go. I told myself the reason I only pretended to do Weight Watchers was to save money, being the tightwad that I am. Why pay weekly fees when I can do all the work myself? But one day I realized it wasn’t the cost I was afraid of. It was the accountability.

I wasn’t really committed to the program or the results as long as I was the only one who knew what I was doing, and that has been my pattern throughout my life. In most circumstances, I am content to sit in the back of the room keeping my own score sheet and working my own goals and keeping quiet about what I am doing. I like to say that I don’t need the approval of other people and that I am self-contained and need only me. I don’t need to jump to the front of the room and make a big deal out of anything. I also tell myself I behave this way so as not to draw attention to myself or cause trouble for other people. I treat it like a virtue.

However, I realized that I often used this false humility as protection from making real commitments. Staying in the background sounded noble, but it was actually my flight from accountability.

In regard to this Weight Watchers program, I knew as long as I kept my own records and did my own reading and kept my own points, I could feel successful whether or not I actually succeeded. And since no one else would know the real story, they couldn’t check up on me or think I was failing or think I was undisciplined.

When I joined Weight Watchers officially, paid my money and decided to go to the meetings, well, it was a big deal. Now other people who are not my wife know how much I weigh and whether I have lost pounds since last week or gained since last week. For a back-row sitter like me, that is a wobbly way to live.

I must also say it is scary to go to a weight-loss meeting and be the only man in the room. Being in an official weight-loss program already seems borderline unmanly, and the meeting only adds to the discomfort. However, I am now committed, so I will be brave. Last week, I even sat in the middle of the room rather than on the back row.

I will admit to one big strategic error. I joined Weight Watchers on a Saturday, one day before we left on a seven-day cruise, and if you know anything about cruises, eating is a big part. There is food available all day every day in many varieties and unlimited volume. I was happy to come back from the cruise having gained only four pounds, but it would have been 40 pounds if I hadn’t run every morning for an hour and climbed the stairs from deck two (where we slept) to deck nine (where all the action took place) several times each day.

It would have made more sense to join Weight Watchers after we got home from the cruise, but I knew I had to make my move as soon as I had the courage worked up and shouldn’t wait until later when my intentions might cool.

A couple of days ago, Cyndi and I were discussing a friend who used to weigh more than I do now, who has since transformed himself into a very fast highly-disciplined marathon runner, and who is somewhat good looking in that flat-bellied way some women find attractive, and I realized how far I have to go to be the man of my dreams. I think there will be even more accountability in my future.

Berry Simpson, a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Midland, is a petroleum engineer, writer, runner and member of the city council in Midland.

Posted: 10/3/03

Texas Tidbits

Baylor social work rates highly. On the licensure examination of the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners, graduates from the Baylor School of Social Work bachelor of arts program achieved a 100 percent passing rate, and graduates from the Baylor master of social work program achieved an 88 percent passing rate. The passing rates for all schools in Texas are 69 percent for licensure at both levels.

Hispanic School sets record. Fall enrollment at Hispanic Baptist Theological School is the highest in its 56-year history–206 students from 15 countries speaking five languages.

Christopher Hammons

Norm Slosted

HBU names Slosted. Norm Slosted has been named vice president for student affairs at Houston Baptist University. He moves from Hope International University in California, where he was vice president for student affairs. He holds bachelor's and mater's degrees from Azusa Pacific University and is a candidate for the doctor of education degree there.

HBU receives major gifts. Woodland Baptist Church of Houston has created five endowed scholarships at Houston Baptist University with a gift of $936,000. The church also gave $51,271 toward a scholarship in memory of Ray Mayfield Jr. The university also received a gift of $500,000 from the United States Steel Corp. for a cultural arts center.

Hammons to new role at HBU. Christopher Hammons, associate professor of political science, has been named director of the master of liberal arts program at Houston Baptist University. Hammons received his doctorate and master's degree from the University of Houston and his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas.

Historical Society to meet. The Texas Baptist Historical Society will hold its annual meeting Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Southcrest Baptist Church, 3801 S. Loop 289, in Lubbock. The luncheon will include election of officers, recognition of history award winners and a presentation by Ken Camp of the BGCT Communications Center. He will speak about the history of Texas Baptist Men's disaster relief work. The luncheon is $6 per person, payable at the door, and the deadline for reservations is Oct. 29. For more information and reservations, contact the Texas Baptist Historical Society at 4144 N. Central Expressway, Suite 110, Dallas 75204; (972) 331-2235.

DBU hosts workshop with GMA. Dallas Baptist University will host Academy on Campus in partnership with the Gospel Music Association Oct. 17-18. The educational workshop and talent competition for aspiring Christian artists and songwriters will include instruction, evaluation sessions and a talent competition for unsigned artists and composers. Register online at www.dbu.edu/academy or call (214) 333-5613. Registration is limited to 400 participants.

Posted: 5/19/03

Restoration project bolsters historic Texas church

By Mark Wingfield

Managing Editor

ANDERSON–If the walls of Anderson Baptist Church could talk, they would tell stories of early Texas Baptist history.

Current renovations to the historic church won't bring the walls to life but will preserve the life of the structure, built in 1855.

The stone meeting house of Anderson Baptist Church is believed to be the oldest church building in Texas still occupied by a congregation.

The church also was the birthplace of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in 1848, although that was before the current building was erected and before the BGCT was called the BGCT.

Further, the first Baptist newspaper in Texas was published at the church in 1855. The Texas Baptist, a predecessor to the Baptist Standard, was published by George Baines, pastor of Anderson Baptist Church and grandfather of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Anderson Baptist Church also birthed the first woman's missionary organization in the state, the Female Missionary Society in the interest of Indian missions, in 1858.

This spring, the church has undertaken a major renovation of the structure, replacing the mortar that holds together the stone walls on the exterior and installing new windows.

Next in line is a renovation of the church bell tower and renovation of the fascia boards all around the roofline. The bell in the tower still is used weekly to signal the start of worship.

Estimated cost of the bell tower renovation is $20,000, an expense the church is seeking assistance with from former members and others interested in preserving Texas Baptist history.

The church will celebrate completion of the rebuilding of its walls June 22 in a service fashioned after the Old Testament account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem.

Anderson Baptist Church is the birthplace of Texas Baptist cooperation. In 1848, representatives of 23 Texas Baptist churches met there to form the Baptist State Convention.

NEXT IN LINE for restoration is the bell tower.

The church's first pastor was Z.N. Morrell, a legendary pioneer preacher who had come to Texas from Tennessee.

The church's beginnings predate the founding of Baylor University and the founding of the Southern Baptist Convention. From monthly preaching meetings in a log schoolhouse with a dirt floor, a church was established with seven members in 1844.

The current rock building was constructed with stones dug out of the surrounding hills by slave labor.

Although important in Texas history, the Anderson church never has been large, according to a published history of the congregation. That may be due to the constantly shifting population in the area and the fact that the church from its early days helped start other churches.

“The fact that the Negroes separated from Anderson Baptist Church in 1867 to form their own church probably accounts for the decline in membership from 153 in 1876 to 69 in 1880,” the history recounts. “There were 100 members in 1953. There were approximately 18 members in 1994.”

At one point, the church nearly died out, reported Dwain Steinkuehler, current pastor. Then in 1997, Jim Adams came over from First Baptist Church of Navasota to work with five widows who were keeping the Anderson church alive. Together, they grew the church to about 50 members.

Some of those members have since died, but others have come in, and the membership continues to hold at about 50, Steinkuehler said.

Despite its small size, the congregation has given about $10,000 toward the renovation project while meeting its ongoing expenses.

Steinkuehler may be addressed at Box 784, Anderson 77830. The church's phone number is (936) 873-3363.

Posted: 5/19/03

Jeff Burns	Kimberley Burns	Billy Creech	Ami Creech
Joe Ragan	Tom Reed	Robert Shehane	Carel Shehane

Around the State

Four Hardin-Simmons University graduates received special recognition at commencement exercises May 10. Bethany Teer of Arlington received the Julius Nelson Olsen Medal for having the highest grade average. Paul Matthies of Crawford received the George Skiles Award, and Gina Pavlicek of Shiner was the winner of the Minnie L. Anderson Award. Both awards are given for excelling in character, personal development and service to the university. Kirk Hancock of Abilene was the winner of the Hemphill Graduate Honor Award as the graduate who has excelled in academic studies, possesses character and behavior consistent with the university's purpose and exhibits potential for significant contribution in his chosen field.

Molly Hunt has joined Hardin-Simmons University as an admissions representive.

Hardin-Simmons University's faculty and staff organizations have elected their officers for the coming year. Faculty officers will remain Jaynne Middleton, president; Tina Tarrant, vice president; and Michelle Dose, secretary. Officers of the staff council will be Travis Seekins, president; Don Ashmore, vice president; and Joella Michael, secretary.

Appointments

Eight people with Texas ties were among the missionaries appointed by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention May 7 in Framingham, Mass.:

Jeff and Kimberly Burns will serve in the Western Pacific as evangelists and church planters. He formerly was a self-employed Christian comedian. He also formerly was youth minister at Sycamore Church in Fort Worth and singles minister at Harvest Church in Watauga. She is was the secretary to the president of Southwestern Seminary from 1995 to 1997. They have three sons, Hudson, Joseph and Caleb.

Billy and Ami Creech will serve in Western Europe in community outreach. He is minister of youth at Lakeshore Drive Church in Weatherford. They have two sons, Ian and Gabriel.

Joe Ragan will be an evangelist and church planter in Central and Eastern Europe. He is minister of education at Southwayside Church in Fort Worth.

Tom Reed will be a strategy coordinator in Eastern Africa. He is a former International Service Corps missionary in Africa, adjunct teacher at Criswell College and radio producer with USA Radio Network in Dallas. He is a member of First Church in Dallas.

Texas natives Robert and Carel Shehane will serve in Western Europe, where he will be a strategy coordinator. They have four grown children.

Retiring

Paul Stripling, as executive director of Waco Association for more than 21 years. A retirement reception will be held June 29 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Columbus Avenue Church in Waco. Last year, the association honored him on his 20th anniversary with a celebration banquet held at First Church of Woodway.

Anniversaries

Houston Garner, 40th, as pastor of Hebron Church in Bells.

Rob Morris, 10th, as worship pastor at Woodforest Church in Houston, May 5.

Calvary Church in Cisco, 50th, June 1. Jack Clack will preach, followed by lunch. Danny Martin is pastor.

Prairie Valley Church between Lone Oak and Campbell, 125th, June 6-8. Former pastor Ted White will preach Friday at 7 p.m. with a fellowship following. Former pastor Eddie Frazier will preach at 7 p.m. Saturday. Music will be provided by the Paul Cherry family. Former pastor Royce Litchfield will bring Sunday morning's message, followed by a luncheon. A bluegrass gospel concert will begin at 1:30 p.m. Tommy Witt is pastor.

First Church of Forest Hill in Fort Worth, 100th, June 22. Don Gates will be the guest preacher and Duane Blakely the guest musician. For lunch reservations, send $7.50 to 3430 Horton Road, Fort Worth 76119. Don Mitchell is pastor.

First Church in Olton, 100th, June 27-29. Kyle Streun is pastor.

Events

First Church in Merkel honored Edna Teaff for 65 years of teaching Sunday School April 27. At 91, she still is teaching a women's Bible study class each Sunday.

First Church in Howe commissioned Ernie and Terry McLaughlin as Mission Service Corps volunteers May 4.

Wade Daniel will be in concert at First Church in Conroe June 1 at 6 p.m.

Deaths

Algernon Swan, 80, March 5 in Andrews, N.C. Swan was the retired head of Hardin-Simmons University's research center, coming to the school in 1981 and taking the helm of the center in 1984. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jane; daughters, Mary Elizabeth Swan and Caroline Swan; and six grandchildren.

Alan Neely, 74, May 14 in Raleigh, N.C. A graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he taught missions at Southeastern Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary. He also served as a Southern Baptist missionary, teaching at International Theological Seminary in Cali, Colombia, from 1963 to 1976. He was active in the formation of the Alliance of Baptists and was a prolific writer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Virginia; daughters, Jennifer Wilkins and Elizabeth Forsythe; son, Roger; and four grandchildren.

Licensed

Amy Dennis and Shelly Melia to the ministry at First Church in Burleson.

Revival

Garner Church, Weatherford; May 26-28; evangelist, Mark Wheeler; music, Marksman Quartet; pastor, Alan Kuykendall.