Reach people like Jesus
I read the story about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship conference on sexuality in both the Baptist Standard and the rival state Baptist group's paper. I am not completely sure if it was the same conference or not, because what was presented in the rival paper was so different, it makes it hard to determine.
In the other article, Southern Baptist Convention seminary presidents sounded like Pharisees, presenting a legalistic view but ignoring the obvious. A better response is to become like Jesus and reach people.
The prime example to me is the story of the woman at the well. The "religious" people of the day ignored the woman. Jesus went to the well and reached her. Afterward, Jesus had a conference with his disciples on equality, sexuality and evangelism.
It seems to me the CBF conference is designed to help local ministers and congregations become like Jesus, helping them meet and reach people where they are.
For me, the choice is clear. We can sit in the office of the church or seminary, or we go out to the wells of our local communities. I want to follow Jesus.
Daniel Downey
Memphis
'Non-Gospel' practices
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In your editorial, "An ancient story" (April 2), you say this is the season the church calls Lent, but you don't specify which church. In being ambiguous in this, you seem to include the Baptist church. I want to make it clear that the Baptists never had any part in Lent. This can be verified by researching the Baptist history.
We commemorate the death and resurrection of our Lord in participating in the Lord's Supper. This practice was established by our Lord and affirmed by Paul (Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26). We don't need any non-Gospel practices. The Gospels are sufficient and complete. I feel sorry for those who find the gospel of our Lord insufficient and want to improve it.
I have no quarrel with any church or religion. However, I will denounce in no uncertain terms any attempt by anyone to insert non-Gospel practices into our Baptist doctrine. The Lord warns us against false teaching (Mark 7:6-9).
This battle has many fronts. The purity of our doctrine is under assault from within.
Felipe Jesse Gonzales
San Antonio
Elderly need Jesus
There was an evangelistic crusade about 1.5 miles from our nursing home. No one invited me to go. Maybe I should not have expected it, since I live where I do. I am not the only one here who can still get around.
Now, I have been wondering how much evangelistic effort is made by churches to reach the elderly. Even if I were not here, I am not sure I could find myself in church regularly as I did most of my former life, except when I was a WalMart people greeter until 2008.
It seems the church sponsors trips for the elderly, and I could not afford to pay for even a short trip. I would probably feel like a cast-off, not anxious to spend time with people doing things which I could not afford.
About 20 years ago, I read a magazine story that cautioned churches about having programs and activities some could not afford.
Are some people being relegated to an eternity apart from God in hell?
Bob Downs
Terrell
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