Letters: Glorieta and revival, Beth Moore and racism

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RE: Voices: My experience with revival at Glorieta

I am 69 years old and “retired” from active ministry in the pastorate, U.S. Navy chaplaincy, professional hospital chaplaincy and chaplaincy for people with intellectual disabilities at Texas Health and Human Services state schools.

It all began when a high school buddy invited me to go with his church, Trinity Baptist Church of Amarillo, to a ski retreat at Glorieta. My cost of $20 included a day of skiing, but the real bargain occurred when, through the preaching of Pastor Norris Onstead, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Needless to say, my life changed forever.

I loved Glorieta Conference Center and took youth from the first church of which I was pastor. I dreamed of one day leasing or buying a cabin at the most beautiful acreage in the world. It broke my heart to hear many years ago the conference center was sold for $1. The only condolence for me was a Christian group purchased it.

Ruth Cook astutely compared the revival at Asbury with Glorieta. In my life experiences, I compare Glorieta with the Beginning.

Bobby Hendricks
San Antonio, Texas

 

RE: Beth Moore: Does God value justice? Read the Bible

I am getting tired of “holier-than-thou” Christians trying to put me on a guilt trip for being a white Christian. I am a member of a small church that is predominantly white, but also has active members who are Native Americans, Koreans, Hispanics, Blacks and first-generation Europeans—plus the white members from various regions and backgrounds of the United States. I would love for Beth Moore to speak to our church about white racism.

If Ms. Moore and others are speaking on white racism in the churches, I would like for them to start naming these churches. Bring them out in the open. Our church is a member of an association of more than 100 churches that are predominately white, and as far as I know, none are racist.

When I was in high school, I did farm chores for an elderly couple. I remember him telling me that years before, he had a Black man who worked for him and lived on the ranch. He told me on Sundays, the man would ride to a Baptist church with him and his wife. He would open a window in the church and park close enough for the man to hear the sermon. He did this because the man wasn’t allowed to enter the church. Today, that church is multiracial.


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I remember my grandfather telling of giving Black men a ride, but when he drove through Killeen, Texas, he would have the man lay down in the back seat for fear of both of them getting beat up or even killed. Killeen is now one of the most racially diverse cities in Texas.

I share these two instances to point out that was racism.

Are we to be more concerned about evangelism or “wokeism?”

F.A. Taylor
Copperas Cove, Texas


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