HOUSTON ‘BATHROOM ORDINANCE’ DEFEATED 2
December 2015
HUMAN TRAFFICKING MINISTRY RECEIVES SAFEHOUSE 8
BOOK REVIEWS JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 18-19
Newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention N MORE NEWS AT TEXANONLINE.NET
MARRIAGE HEROES:
Veterans and newlyweds celebrate God’s blessing
Ed and Laura Gene York have been happily married for 67 years. The two married after Ed’s infantry service in France and Germany during World War II. PHOTO BY ADAM TARLETON
By Jane Rodgers TEXAN Correspondent FORT WORTH The two largest Sunday school departments at Fort Worth’s Travis Avenue Baptist Church are the young marrieds and the senior adults. On Oct. 11, the two groups came together as the younger couples hosted an event honoring the church’s more than 70 couples and 30 widows or widowers married at least 50 years.
L O T T I E M O O N C H R I S T M A S O F F E R I N G : PA G E S 1 0 - 1 3
SUN DOESN’T SET ON THE NEED Texan meets physical needs, brings spiritual hope to Syrian refugees By Rolan Way IMB
See MARRIAGE, 6
S B T C
A N N U A L
MIDDLE EAST Texan Peter Matheson* works tirelessly to bring refugees God’s shining hope. But the heart-wrenching situation takes a great toll on the many he serves and to him personally as he ministers in the midst of tremendous suffering. It’s hard to imagine anything but a continued descending darkness closing in on Syrian and Iraqi refu-
gees, victims of a rebellion being fought against the Syrian regime and brutality caused by ISIS and other Islamic extremists. “The hardest thing in this ministry is just sitting down and listening to their hurts,” Matheson says about spending time with the refugees.
5The sun sets as Christian worker Peter Matheson* talks with a father of six children about pressing needs his family has as they live outside the refugee camps.
See REFUGEES, 10
*Name changed
M E E T I N G
REACH HOUSTON INITIATIVE LAUNCHED, BAPTISTS JOIN FOR HISTORIC GATHERING By Keith Collier Managing Editor HOUSTON Two of the core values of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC)—being kingdom-focused and missionally driven—took center stage at the convention’s annual meeting at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Nov 10-11. Messengers were challenged to join the Reach Houston church planting and church revitalization initiative, approved a motion to forward 2016 budget surplus directly to the Cooperative Program, and joined together with the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas (BMAT) for a historic worship gathering.
See ANNUAL MEETING, 14
2
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
HOUSTON ‘BATHROOM ORDINANCE’ DEFEATED AFTER 18-MONTH LEGAL BATTLE By Bonnie Pritchett TEXAN Correspondent HOUSTON Houston voters convincingly defeated a controversial Equal Rights Ordinance that critics said threatened religious liberties and put into jeopardy the safety and dignity of men and women in private places like bathrooms. Proposition 1, also referred to as “the bathroom ordinance,” failed by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent. “I think it’s significant,” Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, told the TEXAN when asked about the margin of victory. “I think there are enough people in the city who still have and will vote godly principals. A lot of people did some soul searching and said this is enough.” Young joined others at the Houston Area Pastors Council “watch party.” Everyone was cautiously optimistic the organization’s work would pay off. After 18 months of legal battles including a court trial, two Texas Supreme Court decisions, appeals and a disconcerting overreach by the mayor’s office to subpoena pastors’ sermons, council members felt they had done what they could do. The rest was in God’s hands. The year-and-half-long battle over Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance, called HERO by its supporters, created a divide within the fourth-largest and one of the most racially diverse cities in the nation. If passed, the ordinance would have required businesses and public areas to permit individuals to use the restroom of the gender with which they self-identify. Critics cited religious liberty concerns as well
Pastor Khanh Huynh, pastor of Vietnamese Baptist Church, addresses supporters after election results indicated Prop 1 was decisively defeated. PHOTO BY BONNIE PRITCHETT
as potential safety concerns if, for example, a male sexual predator claimed to identify as a woman in order to have access to women and girls in public restrooms. Houston Mayor Annise Parker, the proposition’s most ardent supporter, had choice words for the opponents of the law, as evidenced by her remarks to supporters once it was evident Proposition 1 would not pass. “This is a campaign of fearmongering and deliberate lies. Deliberate lies,” Parker said. “They just kept spewing an ugly wad of lies from our TV screens and from pulpits. This is about a small group of people who want to preserve their ability to discriminate.” A similarly divisive ordinance was passed in Fayetteville, Ark., last year. In December 2014, Fayetteville residents voted to repeal the measure only to have the same ordinance, with slight modifications, approved by the city council and the mayor six months later. And residents approved it.
“THE DEFEAT OF THIS PROPOSITION ENSURES THAT THE CONSCIENCES OF MEN AND WOMEN WILL NOT BE STEAMROLLED, AND THAT UNSUSPECTING CITIZENS WILL NOT BE PUT INTO VULNERABLE SITUATIONS.” —RUSSELL MOORE, PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION’S ETHICS & RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION
“These kinds of conflicts really pit communities against each other,” said Ron Lomax, director of missions for Washington-Madison Baptist Association in Fayetteville, Ark. Lomax could only speculate as to why residents would vote for one ordinance and not the other, but he did know that without a change of guard nothing new could go into or out of city council. The coalition of churches and civic leaders, as in Houston, that rallied to repeal the ordinance also fought to get two of their own elected to the Fayetteville city council. Only one was successful. Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area
Pastors Council, emphasized the need to do the same nationwide because the fight in Houston is not unique. Civic engagement, he said, should go hand in hand with other ministry within the community. And, for now, the racially and culturally diverse pastor coalition that fought an 18-month-long battle saw the fruit of their labor the evening of Nov. 3. “This has been a long battle,” Welch told the group after the initial results showed an overwhelming defeat of the ordinance. “There is no way we humanly could have persisted through and carried this to the conclusion without the hand
of God. So I want to give him all the glory.” The fate of Proposition 1 was being watched from across the nation. In the days before the election President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton threw their support behind the proposition. On the other side of the issue, Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, issued a press release recalling some of the darker days the Houston pastors walked through in their effort to repeal the ordinance. He recalled his comments from a year ago when the sermons of five Houston pastors were subpoenaed as part of a lawsuit. “I argued then that the preaching of the church of God does not belong to the government, and we will not hand it over. Not now. Not ever,” Moore stated. “Here, the people of Houston have spoken and said the same is true of the conscience. The defeat of this proposition ensures that the consciences of men and women will not be steamrolled, and that unsuspecting citizens will not be put into vulnerable situations.” Going forward, the pastors reminded the crowd of why they fought this good fight. Khahn Huynh, pastor of Vietnamese Baptist Church, said, “Churches, this is the beginning. We need to rise up and preach the gospel. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ—he loves the sinner but he hates sin. And that’s our language. That’s our message. We are not hating on people, but we are standing on his word. The gospel is a gospel of hope.”
Church signage required to ban handgun open carry after Jan. 1 By Keith Collier Managing Editor GRAPEVINE When Texas’ new open carry handgun law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2016, churches wishing to ban the practice should be prepared with proper signage, according to attorney Jim Guenther, who serves as legal counsel for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The new law “allows persons who hold a license to openly carry a handgun in a belt or shoulder holster,” Guenther said.
“A church may, if it chooses, prohibit persons from bringing openly carried handguns onto its property. To do so, the church must post a sign that gives notice of the church’s prohibition.” The new law is in addition to the current concealed handgun law. In both cases, a church may prohibit the carrying of handguns on church property. However, two separate signs are required, Guenther said. “If a church wishes only to prohibit openly carried handguns, it would post one sign to
that effect. If a church wishes to prohibit only concealed handguns, it would post one sign to that effect. If a church wishes to prohibit both concealed and openly carried handguns, it would post two separate signs to make those prohibitions effective,” Guenther said. “The signs may not be combined into one sign. These are two different sections in the law, involving two different licenses.” Guenther offered the following guidelines and wording for the signs:
Signs must be displayed in a place clearly visible to the public and posted at each entrance to the property. Both signs must be in English and Spanish, and “appear in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height.” The wording of a sign prohibiting concealed handguns must read as follows: Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with a concealed handgun), a person licensed under
Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun. The wording of a sign prohibiting openly carried handguns must read as follows: Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly.
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
TEXAS
3
FAITH, RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AMONG PRESIDENTIAL FORUM TOPICS By Sharayah Colter Staff Writer PLANO If most evangelical Christians are avoiding the polls and allowing leaders to be elected by non-believers, “is it any wonder we have a federal government that is assaulting life?” asked Sen. Ted Cruz during a presidential candidate forum at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Oct. 18. “There are 90 million evangelical Christians in America,” Cruz said during the event that drew about 6,000 people to hear from Cruz and five other presidential candidates. “In the 2012 election, 54 million evangelicals didn’t vote; it’s a majority of evangelical Christians.” Prestonwood pastor Jack Graham said the forum, co-hosted by his church and the Faith & Freedom Coalition, was designed to encourage evangelical Christians to vote and do so as informed citizens. Candidates attending the event included Cruz, former business CEO Carly Fiorina, former Sen. Rick Santorum, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. A range of topics was discussed during the four-hour forum. Among them were the candidates’ faith, sanctity of life and religious liberty issues. Each candidate had time to speak to the crowd before sitting down with Graham for one-onone interviews. The candidates were never on stage at the same time, but they did make reference to one another in their comments to the crowd as well as to those running for office from the Democratic Party (all of whom were also invited to the forum).
Huckabee Huckabee noted, “I haven’t come here to fight the other Republicans running for office. Most are friends, and I like them.”
“Every single one of them on that stage I believe will be a better president than any of the people that were on the stage this week [referencing candidates at the first Democratic debate, hosted by CNN and Facebook]. It’s not my goal here to stay to fight them but rather to fight for you.” In committing to fight for “you,” Huckabee went on to make it clear that “you” includes unborn Americans. “How can we ask God to bless a nation that for 42 years has ended the lives of 60 million unborn children?” he said. “This is not just a social aberration—this is uncivilized savagery for which we must repent. We must do more than be sorry about it—we must change it.” Cruz Cruz, R.-Texas, garnered the most vocal and enthusiastic support with his home-state crowd. He spoke of the encouraging signs he sees of an American awakening.
He discussed his record on standing up to Washington and defending the values upon which the nation was founded. He painted a grim picture of the current state of affairs for America both domestically and internationally. “As these threats grow darker and darker and darker, they are waking people up here and all across the country,” Cruz said. “I believe 2016 will be an election like 1980, and it took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan.” Fiorina Fiorina, the lone woman running for president in the Republican field, said, “I very much hope I can earn your support and your votes and continue to have your prayers.” Aiming some of her comments at Hillary Clinton, Fiorina added, “but I will
lic,” Santorum said, saying that he believed it was his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” who has upheld him and delivered to him political victories in standing for things like faith, life and traditional marriage. never ask for your votes or support because I’m a woman, although I am proud to be a woman. I will ask for your votes and your support because I believe I’m the most qualified candidate to win this job and the most qualified candidate to do the job.” Fiorina also discussed the importance of her faith. “I have been tested,” she said. “My faith has been tested. I have battled breast cancer. I have buried a child. And through it all, the love of my family and personal relationship with Jesus Christ has seen me through. And on this journey, my family and my faith will see me through as well.” Carson Carson acknowledged he is often criticized for having a perceived “soft demeanor.” As a young man, he said, he realized he had a hot temper that was going to land him in jail, reform school or the grave. After his temper nearly led him to take the life of another person, Carson sat down in a bathroom and began searching the Scriptures. Verse after verse seemed to be written just about him and how his temper was an indication of foolishness and selfishness.
“I stayed in that bathroom for three hours and came to an understanding during that time that to lash out at somebody—to punch somebody in the face was not a sign of strength, but weakness ... That was the last day I had an angry outburst. Some say, ‘You just learned how to hide it.’ Not true—when God fixes a problem, he doesn’t just do a paint job— he fixes it from the inside,” he said. “That’s why I have this calm demeanor that people mistake as softness. It’s not softness; it’s just the ability to look at things from lots of perspectives and not get angry about it.” As a neurosurgeon who has performed surgery on babies inside of a mother’s womb, Carson discussed abortion. He noted he could never be convinced that a baby was merely a clump of cells. Addressing a variety of other issues, Carson also focused on foreign affairs., saying he would seek not only to name America’s enemies but to destroy them before they destroy America. Santorum Former Sen. Santorum of Pennsylvania shared with the crowd something he thought might come as a surprise to many of them. “Now some of you may know I’m a Catholic—but I’m an evangelical Catho-
Santorum spoke about reforming government programs so that strong families are encouraged instead of providing incentives for fathers to not marry the mother of their children. He also spoke about fighting America’s enemies. “Seven months ago I was in ISIS Magazine,” Santorum said. “ISIS knows who I am, Iran knows who I am, and when I get sworn in … the enemies of the world will know who they have to deal with.” Bush Last to speak was Bush, who said he stands for creating a culture of life. He pointed to his fight for life in the 2005 case of Terri Schiavo and to Florida’s defunding of Planned Parenthood during his service as the state’s governor. “I’m proud of what I did,” Bush said. “Always err on side of life.”
Bush also discussed his religious beliefs. “I read the Bible from cover to cover for the first time. I got halfway through Romans and realized Jesus was my Savior, and I accepted Him as my Savior and from that moment on had a partnership with Jesus that gives me counsel,” he said. Bush said he later decided to convert to his wife’s religion—Catholicism—and now enjoys attending mass. “The blessed sacraments give me great serenity as well,” Bush said. While some in running for office would wish to “push [Christians] out of the public square,” he said, the involvement of people of faith is crucial in restoring America to the values-based nation she was built to be. “The ministry of this church and others is so important,” Bush said. “Why not do this in partnership? Hillary Clinton said people of faith just have to get over it—you can pray in your home and church pews but can’t act on your faith or consciousness. That’s wrong on every level. Who feeds the homeless? Who takes care of elder shut-ins? Is it the department of elder affairs? No. It is the faith community of people acting on their hearts.” Video of the forum is available at prestonwood.org/north-texas-presidentialforum. —With additional reporting by Tammi Reed Ledbetter
4
OPINION
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS Gary Ledbetter Editor
T
his year, I asked our SBTC staff to tell about a memorable Christmas gift they’ve given or received. Here’s what they said. God give you joy as you celebrate Christmas this year. GL Laura Adkison, pastor/ church relations—My Grandma Kester grew up an orphan and as each one of her older seven brothers got married she moved in with the young couple. Along the way she learned to sew and she became a very good seamstress. My favorite gift as a child was from her. Each Christmas I would get a hatbox filled with handmade Barbie doll clothes. I had the best-dressed Barbie on the block with all types of fancy ball gowns and such. I regret not keeping a box of the clothes. Denae Albin, church ministries—The first Christmas after I started my first full-time job, my parents’ job situations weren’t great, and my dad’s work printer had died. He couldn’t really afford a new one, so I bought him a four-in-one printer so he could even fax things to his office. It was humbling to be able to provide this simple thing my parents needed after they’d provided most of my wants and needs for 25 years. Barry Calhoun, mobilization—The best gift I have ever given was an engagement ring to my wife, Seneca, in Decem-
ber 1981, when I asked her to marry me. I remember the smile on her face. Keith Collier, communications—On the first Christmas of dating my future wife, I was told her father would love the five-dollar “Pub Songs From Ireland” CD off the Target discount rack because he liked the Irish jig music in the movie “Titanic.” He laughed hysterically when he opened it and plays it loudly every Christmas to make fun of my decision. Not the best gift ever, but it is a gift that keeps on giving. Sharayah Colter, communications—One year after my younger brother took his first post-college career job, I designed him a custom stamp he could use in signing cards and letters. It coordinated with his new industry and gave him a “personal brand” of sorts. It seemed to be really special to him since it was personalized and tailored just for him in his new endeavor. He still sends me text message pictures of how he is using the stamp, and it thrills my heart to have given him something special that he can still use and that went beyond the typical Home Depot gift card or nine-way knifescrewdriver combo. Easter Cooley, operations—A canoe pocketknife to replace the peanut pocketknife my husband lost that was his father’s. Yes, he still carries it. Ted Elmore, pastor/church relations—Around 1984, I was an itinerant evangelist and money was tight. Cheryl and
I had determined how much each of our four kids could spend on gifts for one another. I was shopping with my son and, being 8 years old, he felt he was man enough to carry his cash. While shopping, he lost his Christmas cash somewhere from car to car. He was in tears. We talked as a family, and our daughter suggested that they share their money with her brother. They did. I will never forget that Christmas. To an 8 year-old it was huge; therefore it was huge to us. My best gift given and received was a gift of sharing that helped shape our hearts as a family. Gayla Harris, missions— Christmas 2011 our daughter got her boys for the first time as foster children. They had not ever had much of anything and never even had celebrations for their birthdays. On Christmas that year we got them so nice new Nike socks; you would have thought we had given them a million dollars. They literally fell on the floor hugging them. It was quite humbling. Heath Peloquin, pastor/ church relations—I received a used baseball glove from my granddad on my 10th birthday. I did not think it was a good gift at the time, but years later after his death it became a valuable treasure. One day I pulled out of my closet to show my son when I realized that in the glove pocket it was signed by Reggie Jackson. I smiled and thought that when I first received this gift I was not grateful, but many years later I realize it is indeed a gift of love.
Shane Pruitt, missions—The best Christmas gift I ever gave was the first Christmas that Kasi and I were married. I gave her some lame country CD of a band that she’d never heard of. Her face let me know that I had made a HUGE rookie mistake as a husband. The reason it was the best is because afterwards the lame gift caused me to repent, and now my gift-giving skills have gone through a healthy sanctification process. Emily Smith, church ministries—A grandmother brought her two grandchildren to a service at our church and the children asked if they could keep attending because they loved it so much. She not only cared for her grandkids but also her step-grandkids. She didn’t have much but never asked for anything. It was difficult for me to really fuss over my frivolous ‘Christmas list’ when this family was just trying to make it from day to day. Our small group, staff and a local mission of our church adopted this family during the holiday season and provided gifts and food for the children and for the grandmother. It was true picture of what Christmas is all about. I had the pleasure to see the grandmother and one of her grandchildren make a profession of faith—truly the greatest gift. Gayla Sullivan, communications—There was a family of five in our church who had recently undergone many challenges, physically and financially. Our family of five snuck
up quietly to their porch and began singing “Silent Night.” I’ll never forget their faces as they opened the door and began singing along with us, tears streaming down the parents’ faces. Blessing their family with groceries and gifts was much better than anything I could have received. Mitch Tidwell, strategic initiatives—My parents’ dog become a pro at opening the trash can with his nose and enjoying its contents, which led to some weird digestive problems for him. So, in 2012 I bought my mom a high quality locking trash can. Mom was thrilled! Lauren Turner, evangelism— I had some friends move from Colorado Springs to Houston for a church position right before Christmas, and the house they planned to move into ended up having black mold. Their son has weak lungs, and that house would have been a terror for him with his breathing. They had to get out of that house, but they had a contract that would cost as much to break as the down-payment. I paid to break the contract on their house, so they could rent another house. It was a blessing to gift them that way! Judy Van Hooser, church ministries—I guess the best gift I ever gave was once I did a cross stitch picture for my mom of the house she grew up in and one my grandmother still had when I was growing up. It took about six months to complete and has 132 colors in it.
“BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE.” —LUKE 2:10
Merry Christmas from your SBTC staff. May God bless you and your loved ones with the joy of the Lord, especially as we celebrate his birth.
Southern Baptist TEXAN VOLUME
NUMBER
14 12
DECEMBER
2015
Jim Richards, Executive Director
Contributors:
Gary K. Ledbetter, Editor Keith Collier, Managing Editor Tammi Ledbetter, Special Assignments Editor Sharayah Colter, Staff Writer Gayla Sullivan, Circulation Manager Russell Lightner, Layout/Graphic Artist
Carolyn Cunningham, Marie Curtis, Laura Fielding, Michael Foust, Bonnie Pritchett, Jane Rodgers, S. Craig Sanders, Alex Sibley, Rolan Way
sbtexan
texanonline.net
sbtexan
The Southern Baptist Texan is the official newspaper of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, P.O. Box 1988, Grapevine, Texas 76099-1988. Toll-free 877-953-7282, Phone 817-552-2500, FAX 817-552-2520. Email:
[email protected]
Letters to the editor should be limited to 250 words and should refrain from personal attacks. Submit by email to
[email protected] or mail to the address to the left.
Obituaries, memorials, and classified advertisements listing items and services for sale will be published at a cost of 30 cents per word with a minimum of $10. Copy must be submitted within three months of death or event. Submit information to
[email protected] and mail check for full amount.
Individual subscriptions are free of charge within Texas. A $10 per year donation is requested for out-of-state subscriptions. Email changes to
[email protected].
December 2015
OPINION
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
5
TANGIBLE WAYS TO SUPPORT MISSIONARIES DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON Jim Richards Executive Director
T
he International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention represents what is best about our work together. Thousands of missionaries are sharing the gospel around the world. We can’t be everywhere at the same time, but our witness can through the faithfulness of those who are called to minister outside the United States. While we are sitting down to a turkey dinner, they are far from family and friends. They are in a different culture;
perhaps they are in a dangerous place. What can we do to support them? So many possibilities are available for our involvement with SBC missionaries. The first and most impacting is to pray for them. Pray for a missionary family or two on a daily basis. Interceding for them in the spiritual warfare they face is the most significant contribution you can make. What about actually being with the missionary family where they are? Next year plan a mission trip to be with them in the field. An incredible gift would be to invest your time to be where they are serving. This might be a personal trip or a church trip, but it would be an
incomparable encouragement. Call, Skype or use some other contact to actually converse with a missionary at this time of the year. One year I called my missionary friend on Christmas. He was so thankful for the contact, he wept. A note of appreciation would be a welcomed gesture. Let them know you are praying for them. There is also another tangible way to express your care for SBC missionaries. The Cooperative Program is the lifeline for placing and keeping missionaries on the field. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention sends 55 percent of all CP funds to the SBC. Over 50 percent of that money goes to the International Mission Board. Encour-
4 Reasons Not to be a ‘Calvinist’ Editor’s Note: The author has requested to remain anonymous.
I
am the pastor of an average-sized Southern Baptist church in Texas. I love Jesus, and I find great joy in hearing and presenting the gospel. I love my congregation, and I passionately pray for our growing contentment in Christ. I am also a “Calvinist” (at least in some sense of the designation), but I refuse to acknowledge such a thing in public. Some may accuse me of dishonesty because of this intentional unwillingness to label myself with any term related to “Calvinism.” Some have even accused me of subversion because of the “Calvinistic” indicators I have presumably displayed while remaining resolute in my refusal to wear the label. However, I believe that those in the SBC who embrace the label “Calvinist” and those who throw it like a hand-grenade do everyone a disservice. There are many reasons I believe it is unhealthy and even unbiblical to use the label; here are four of them: 1 Most people have no idea what “Calvinism” actually is. When someone says the word “Calvinism,” most Southern Baptists are utterly clueless about its meaning. Many who think they know what it means experience hair-raising concerns over impending church division, but they cannot explain why. Just ask five of your fellow SBC church members what they think of Calvinism, and you are likely to experience a range of responses—from honest ignorance to ambiguous negativity. Simply put, if someone does not
know what a label means, then the label itself only obstructs any hope for lucid dialogue. 2 “Calvinism” is a fairly broad system of theology. If one adheres to a Calvinistic view on theological matters, or if another rails against such views, neither of these individuals is likely to embrace or reject ALL that Calvin thought or taught. Even the most hostile person to Calvinism will likely be happy to affirm Calvin’s position on evangelism or missional activity. John Calvin, like all Protestant Reformers, believed that the gospel was the only message through which God would bring salvation to sinners. Therefore, Calvin was incredibly active in the arena of missions and evangelism. So, the label “Calvinism” is too broad to be particularly helpful in genuine dialogue between Christians who may or may not disagree on a host of issues. 3 Labels generally stifle productive conversation rather than encourage it. Think of a Democrat talking with a Republican. Can these two have a civil or even a friendly conversation? The answer to this question requires much more information: Are these two opposite political representatives willing to dialogue? Is either having a bad day? What are they talking about specifically? Labels can actually tell us little about the flesh-and-blood person we might have in front of us. No Arminian I know would want to be accused of advocating for a ‘nonsovereign’ God, and no Calvinist I know would argue that fallen humanity is not volitional. So, throwing a label-bomb on someone gets us nowhere.
4 There are some who seek to stir up trouble with scare tactics. I can only speak for myself here, but I have felt the strangest hostility from those who are most vocal about their worries concerning “Calvinists.” “Watch out for those Calvinists! Out them as fast as possible! How can we prevent them from ever tainting our churches again?” From where does such aggression come? It seems that some would love nothing more than to remove me from my pastoral role. Has love for my congregation earned this visceral retort? Has a clear articulation of the gospel made me a target? Have I impugned my character or defamed the name of Christ? No! I simply hold to a soteriology that closely aligns me with many shared Protestant heroes. If you parade around under the banner of “Calvinism,” please stop. I would imagine Calvin would be sickened to see people claiming to follow him; and remember, he demanded to be buried in an unmarked grave for this very reason! If you have shown distaste for “Calvinists” (whether quietly or otherwise), please stop making faces and actually look at what is on the plate. You may still walk away with some distaste for aspects of Calvin’s teaching, but at least you will know what it is. You might even discover you are capable of enjoying a meal with fellow Christians whose palates may differ from yours. Remember the Apostle Paul’s admonition from Romans 12:1618. “Live in harmony with one another. … If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
age your church to give 1 percent more in 2016 through the Cooperative Program. It may seem like a small amount, but if everyone would participate, we would see more missionaries. This is the most consistent and proven method of financially undergirding Southern Baptists’ work together. At this time of the year the International Mission Board receives a special offering—the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Lottie Moon was a SBC missionary to China a little over 100 years ago. She gave her life in service to our Lord Jesus as she reached many with the gospel. All of the Lottie Moon Offering goes to the missionar-
ies. My wife and I have consistently given to the Lottie Moon Offering. This year we will be putting an extra zero behind our usual dollar amount on the check. This will be the largest gift we have ever given to LMCO. I encourage you to prayerfully consider giving more than you ever have before so the nations may hear the gospel. If you have never given to LMCO, this is the year to start. I pray God’s blessings upon you and yours during this time of the year. While we are enjoying our Christmas season, let’s rally around the cross to lift it high to the nations. We do that by tangibly supporting our missionaries.
2016 DR TRAINING Preparing, equipping, training and mobilizing churches and volunteers to fulfill the Great Commission by meeting real needs and sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with those whose lives have been or will be affected by disasters.
sbtexas.com/dr January 8-9 Phase 1+ 2 Broadview BC, Abilene
February 1-5 SPHERE Training Rockwall
February 6 Phase 1 FBC, Kirbyville
March 4-5 Phase 1+ 2 Walnut Ridge BC, Mansfield
April 9 Phase 1
Northwest Hills BC, San Antonio
May 19-21
Unit Director Training & Leadership Development
October 7-8 Phase 1+ 2 FBC, Borger
October 20-22
Unit Director Training & Leadership Development
Visit sbtexas.com/dr
for more info & to register for trainings.
Give a Christmas Gift for a Texas Baptist Home Foster Child DEADLINE: DEC. 7 Go to tbhc.org/index.php/christmas-donation and fill out the online form before Dec. 7 to receive a wish list item to purchase for children at TBH. All gifts should be turned in to TBH offices by Dec. 7. For questions, email
[email protected] or call Cari Humphrey at 972-937-1321.
6
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
Couples swap stories during a celebration of marriage event at Travis Avenue Baptist Church, Oct. 11. The young marrieds Sunday school class hosted the event honoring the church’s more than 70 couples and 30 widows or widowers married at least 50 years. (L to R), Wade Stamey, Judy Stamey, Jana Seaborn, Neal Seaborn, Wes Black, Sandi Black, Guy Fox, Jessica Fox, Mike Morris. PHOTO BY ADAM TARLETON
MARRIAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The celebration was so meaningful that Fieldon Williams arrived sporting two black eyes and staples in his forehead from a fall that had sent him to the emergency room days earlier. Williams and his wife Colleen, married 55 years, joined fellow church members for wedding cake, punch, nuts, mints, conversation and fellowship. Several couples brought wedding albums for guests to peruse.
What is your secret to a long marriage? Larry and Susan Foxworth came to Travis Avenue Baptist Church 44 years ago as a young married couple with a baby after Larry’s graduation from Texas A&M. “We’re youngsters,” joked Larry. “We’ve only been married 47 years.” Susan offered the following secret to marriage longevity: “Don’t forget the qualities and characteristics that attracted you to that person in the first place. Those very same qualities and characteristics will drive you crazy after the first year or two because this is the difference in you. You’ve got to remember that this is what attracted you to him or her in the first place. Understand this is how God made them and appreciate that.” “There will be bumps in the road; there always are,” Larry added. “But you’ve got to know that it is God’s will that you work through it because you know that on the other side, it’s going to be better. That is how he is going to bless you.”
“We’ve got everything you need to have to have a southern wedding,” associate pastor Bernie Hargis joked to those assembled. Hargis served as the event’s emcee, opening the program with prayer and recognition of the 180 church members who had persevered in marriage. He then introduced a video by senior pastor Michael Dean, who was out of town and unable to attend. Offering congratulations to those who had been married a half-century, Dean said, “You are our heroes. The rest of us look to you as an example of what God intends for marriage to be. In our culture today, marriage is not held in high esteem. Many are trying to redefine marriage. But you can see in this room the evidence of God’s blessing on his good and perfect design of a man and woman for a lifetime for his glory.” Applause resounded as Hargis next recognized couples in the room who had been married 50-54, 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69 years or more, including Volera Kirkpatrick, a widow who had been married 70 years. Kristin and Matt Sessoms, wed seven years, expressed appreciation to these marriage veterans. Sessoms, a marriage and family counselor, commended the “longevity of commitment” of those honored. Noting that the “average marriage for couples our age is about two years,” Sessoms explained that his work involved helping couples establish a “foundation for longevity.” Sessoms praised the older couples, saying, “You are testifying to us that commitment does work and following God’s plan does matter.” Ray and Janis Raley, a couple married 30 years who joined the church as newlyweds, also addressed the crowd. “Many of the couples we are honoring today are among the very earliest investors in our marriage, and they continue to do so today,” Janis said. “You have qualities in your marriages that we notice and we admire. You possess a calm during the storms of life,” Ray added. “You have counted it all joy. You have a quiet confidence. It’s not emotionless. It’s not stoic. But it’s a quiet presence. The Bible talks about being surefooted in the Psalms. You have seen God work so many times in plenty and in your struggles.” Ray also praised the couples for their commitment to serving in the community and fellowshipping with one another. “You pray for each other. You hold confidences very dear and hold them fast. … You guys just love being together.
“YOU HAVE QUALITIES IN YOUR MARRIAGES THAT WE NOTICE AND WE ADMIRE. YOU POSSESS A CALM DURING THE STORMS OF LIFE. YOU HAVE COUNTED IT ALL JOY. YOU HAVE A QUIET CONFIDENCE. IT’S NOT EMOTIONLESS. IT’S NOT STOIC. BUT IT’S A QUIET PRESENCE. THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT BEING SUREFOOTED IN THE PSALMS. YOU HAVE SEEN GOD WORK SO MANY TIMES IN PLENTY AND IN YOUR STRUGGLES.” —RAY RALEY
It’s wonderful. You invest in the lives of those coming behind you.” A time of intergenerational fellowship around the roomful of tables followed as younger couples asked questions of older couples. The conversations were both heartfelt and deep as one generation passed its wisdom to the next. The evening concluded with prayer and a group photo of all those in attendance married 50 or more years. Michael and Meredith Hughens, members of the Travis Avenue newlywed class, handed out nametags. When asked what they hoped to gain from visiting with the older couples, Meredith replied, “There’s endless kinds of wisdom to learn from these folks. We’ve made it a year, and I feel we have learned a lot in a year. I can’t imagine how much you learn in 50-plus years.” Referencing Psalm 71:18, Wes Black, minister to senior adults, summed up the goals of the celebration: “Scott Floyd, our church counselor, and I are looking for ways our older adults can pass along their faith to the next generation, and this is one way to facilitate that.” If the smiles and laughter around Travis Avenue’s Great Room are any indication, the celebration of marriage provided just that.
What is your secret to a long marriage? When asked the secret of staying married 67 years, Ed York laughed and replied, “Saying yes.” York married his wife, Laura Gene, a Fort Worth native, after his infantry service in France and Germany during World War II. The two held hands as they told their story to the TEXAN. “Ed came home on a furlough after the war was over,” Laura Gene York recalled. “And then we were engaged. He went back for two years during the German occupation. We got married after he came back. We were 23.” “There is a little story about us getting married,” Ed York said. “When I went back to occupied Germany, they passed a law allowing fiancees to come over and marry us. They would marry us, give us a week’s honeymoon in Switzerland and have our home and servants waiting for us. And she refused to come.” “I wanted to be married at Travis Avenue where all my friends were and where we grew up,” Laura Gene explained. The couple met at the church when Ed moved to the area at age 7. The Yorks raised their family in the church, and some of the couple’s grandchildren still attend Travis Avenue. “When you get married, you get married for life,” Ed added. “Just talk” when the ups and downs of life hit, he advised. “Continue talking to the Lord. Attend church. Be with other Christian people,” Laura added. “And keep holding hands.”
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
TEXAS
7
PATTERSON CALLS CHURCH LEADERS TO INTENTIONAL EVANGELISM By Alex Sibley SWBTS
With the overall numbers of baptisms, Cooperative Program giving, Sunday school attendance and church membership among Southern Baptist churches declining, one cannot deny a general downturn in Southern Baptist life. Joking that the solution to such unfortunate realities is often to form a committee to study and then report on what churches have done wrong and need to do differently, Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson said that, even if these suggestions are followed, there will still be a downturn in the end. “The truth, as usual, is far more simple [than the hypothetical committee’s suggestions],” Patterson said. “The truth is that we’ll see an upturn when we get back into the highways and hedges and start giving the gospel to people.” During Southwestern’s chapel service, Nov. 4, Patterson recalled why God so blessed the early days of Southern Baptists that they grew to become the largest denomination in the United States. “It was very simple,” he said. “Everybody understood his obligation to take the gospel to everybody else, and a
“NOW IF THE LORD JESUS DEFINED HIS OWN MISSION AS SEEKING AND SAVING THE LOST, AND IF HE TURNED RIGHT AROUND AND SAID TO US, ‘AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, IN THE SAME WAY SEND I YOU,’ CAN THERE BE ANY QUESTION IN ANYBODY’S MIND THAT THE CHIEF REASON WE ARE LEFT ON THE EARTH ONCE WE HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN IS TO TAKE EVERYBODY WE CAN TO HEAVEN WITH US?”
large percent of them were doing it. We shared our faith, and God blessed it.” Patterson noted that Scripture presents metaphor after metaphor, particularly in the teaching of Jesus, that focuses on evangelism, and in these metaphors, one key aspect always stands out—the intentionality of the evangelist. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13, for example, says that the sower “went out to sow.” The parable of the good shepherd says the shepherd left his 99 sheep in order to search for the one that had gone astray. The metaphor of Christ’s followers being “fishers of men” calls to mind the fisherman who must get himself to the lake and cast his net into the waters.
“I’m saying this to you this morning,” Patterson said, “because so many of you have not intentionally gone into the field looking for the lost sheep; so many of you have never been out there in the boat fishing for men. … Now if the Lord Jesus defined his own mission as seeking and saving the lost, and if he turned right around and said to us, ‘As the Father has sent me, in the same way send I you,’ can there be any question in anybody’s mind that the chief reason we are left on the earth once we have been born again is to take everybody we can to heaven with us?” Patterson concluded that church leaders can do everything other than evangelism that they want to do, but
none of it will avert the downturn in Southern Baptist life. “The decline is going to go on unless we make up our minds that we will be faithful witnesses for Christ; we will accept the intentionality of getting out of bed and going out and sowing the seed; we will accept the intentionality of getting in the boat and going fishing; we will accept the intentionality of being the good shepherd, looking for the sheep that has gone astray.” “And if we do that,” Patterson said, “there’s a heavy price to be paid, but oh my goodness, what will happen will be unbelievable, because God will see and reward from heaven.”
8
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
ANTI-TRAFFICKING MINISTRY RECEIVES SAFE HOUSE By Jane Rodgers TEXAN Correspondent DALLAS Rebecca Jowers, founder and executive director of Poiema Foundation, a Dallas-based anti-human trafficking ministry, has been a woman on a mission since graduating in 2012 from Dallas Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in Christian education. That mission is to provide help for victims of human trafficking, defined by Jowers as modern slavery involving the control of a person through “force, fraud or coercion to exploit the victim for forced labor, sexual exploitation, or both.” Often the targets of human trafficking are children. Trafficking is the fastest-growing and second-largest criminal industry in the world, with an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 American children at risk for becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation, according to the Poiema Foundation website. The Department of Justice reported in 2009 that the average age a young person enters prostitution is 12 and that nearly 25 percent of victims are forced into trafficking by family members. Jowers, a wife and mother of four, believes her work with DTS’s spiritual formation department, with its emphases on leadership and articulating one’s life story, prepared her for her current role in Poiema, the non-profit she founded in 2013 with the encouragement of Rod Vestal, then a pastor at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall. During a conversation following a Lake Pointe mission trip to China in 2012, Vestal asked Jowers about her post-seminary plans. “My big, hairy, audacious goal is to establish a safe house for women coming out of human trafficking,” Jowers replied. Until then, she had only shared this vision with the Lord and her husband, Raymond. Months later, Vestal approached Jowers, saying he envisioned starting an anti-trafficking ministry at Lake Pointe. Jowers agreed to serve on the leadership team. “It turns out, I was the team!” Jowers laughed. For the next year, Jowers continued to research issues related to combatting human trafficking. She visited safe houses in Atlanta and Texas. She read volumes and attended conferences.
With help from others, she developed an after-care program based on Scripture and sound counseling principles. She recruited volunteers and accepted speaking engagements at churches, schools and community groups. In 2013, Poiema Foundation was incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit entity. “We knew if we were going to have a safe house, it would take the body of Christ, not just one church,” Jowers explained. Though an independent ministry, Poiema retains ties to Lake Pointe, where Jowers has been a member for 23 years. The church provides meeting space at its Rockwall campus, and Tracy Tuttle, pastor of local mission mobilization, advises Jowers. “We consider Poiema an alliance ministry,” Tuttle explained. “We have vetted it to ensure it aligns with our missions strategy. We encourage member involvement and provide support.” Many volunteers and board members attend the church. Jowers addresses life groups and speaks at women’s events. Lake Pointe life groups have also held fundraisers for Poiema. “Poiema is the only ministry we are connected to regarding human trafficking. The ministry provides an avenue for Lake Pointe members to become involved in serving to help others,” Tuttle added, noting that the church is considering ways to incorporate Poiema’s educational component into Lake Pointe’s student and family life ministries. By 2013, Jowers had refined Poiema’s ministry target. Her research revealed major gaps in assistance for victims over 17 who have aged out of foster care and have nowhere to go. The idea for a safe house geared for girls ages 17 to 28 emerged. “We felt called to step out in faith. God was calling us to establish a safe house,” Jowers recalled. Potential donors asked where the safe house would be located, but Poiema had no answer. “We prayed someone would donate a house. But who donates a house?” Jowers added. In April 2015, Jowers, volunteers and the organization’s board began planning fundraisers for a safe house. Halfway through the month, before any fundraisers were announced, gifts started coming in. “Before I could even step out in faith, God affirmed our work,” Jowers said. “It was as if he said, ‘I’ve got this. This is my work. You just have to show up.’”
Rebecca Jowers, executive director of Poiema Foundation, shares about how churches can be involved in anti-trafficking ministry. PHOTO COURTESY OF POIEMA
In June, fundraising took a surprising twist when Jowers was invited to speak at a women’s Sunday school class at a church in Frisco. Lunch at a restaurant afterward found Jowers at a table of eight with the friend who had invited her to speak. At lunch, Jowers answered questions about Poiema and the safe house idea. As they left the restaurant, one of the ladies told Jowers, “I think you may be the answer to my prayers.” She had a home in Texas that she no longer needed and offered its use for free. The woman explained she had been in the church service asking God what to do with her house. Jowers, dumbfounded, arranged to meet the woman at her Dallas- Rebecca Jowers explains the prevalence and problem of human trafficking to a local rotary club. area home. PHOTO COURTESY OF POIEMA “It was in excellent condition: fully furnished, a safe place with washer, dryer, lawn mower and a refrigerator,” Jowers said. in September, Jowers said. As added At first, Jowers assumed the woman blessings, Caren Martin, a Lake Pointe intended to sell or rent the home to Poi- member and insurance agent, volunema. She was wrong. teered to provide insurance for the “It’s going to be your house,” the wom- house, and the ministry was gifted a an replied. “I am giving it to Poiema.” car in October. Jowers, shocked, realized that she Eventually, the safe house will be had forgotten to ask the donor what the home to young women involved in the balance of the house note might be. She Poiema Foundation aftercare program. texted the lady, who texted back, “Paid Meanwhile, since Labor Day, the safe in full. Don’t you love those words Jesus house has been used as a transitional gave us?” home for one woman who has complet“The home is completely paid for,” ed a 14-month program. Jowers said. The community has no “She is slowly integrating back into homeowners association or restrictions. life outside a safe house,” Jowers exThe city has no zoning or housing re- plained. “We will provide housing, strictions that might impede the safe medical care, counseling, Bible study house ministry. and mentorship for her for the next The Poiema board voted to accept year until we officially open.” the house and launched fundraising Jowers hopes that the official openefforts for staffing, house mainte- ing date will be in late 2016. For more nance, operating expenses and prop- information, visit poiemafoundation. erty taxes. The legalities of deeding org or follow Poiema Foundation on the house to Poiema were finalized Facebook.
December 2015
TEXAS
9
GO TELL CRUSADE IN PAMPA SEES 800 COMMITMENTS TO CHRIST “AS THE CRUSADE BEGAN, I FELT A NUDGE TO INVITE A FRIEND WHO IS A BELIEVER. SHE CAME AND BROUGHT FIVE YOUNG LADIES WITH HER. ALL OF THEM MADE DECISIONS FOR JESUS. WHAT A JOY TO SEE THESE—AS WELL AS MANY, MANY OTHERS—SAY YES TO THE ONE WHO LOVES US COMPLETELY,” —JAN CORY
By Carolyn Cunningham PAMPA More than 800 commitments were made to Christ during the Rick Gage GO TELL Crusade in Pampa, Texas. In a town of 18,000 people located about 75 miles east of Amarillo, there were greater than 10,000 attending the four-night crusade Sept. 13-16 at Pampa High School Football Stadium, which was sponsored by community churches. GO TELL youth evangelist Steve Paysen spoke at a pre-crusade youth rally, where more than 60 young people came forward for salvation or
rededicating their lives to Christ. According to the crusade’s Facebook page administrator, Ed Sattesahn, an additional 150 asked to be prayed for that God would use them to reach their friends for Christ. On the first night of the crusade, Sattesahn recalled, “The home field stands were almost filled. The message by Rick Gage was great, and over 200 people came forward and made a decision for Christ.” Crusade attendee Jan Cory said, “I am 63 and have been involved in church my entire life. The Rick Gage Crusade
was the most meaningful event in which I have been involved. The crusade was bathed in prayer months before the crusade began. God showed up in a big way in Pampa, Texas. The Holy Spirit touched lives, and over 800 decisions were made for Christ. “As the crusade began, I felt a nudge to invite a friend who is a believer. She came and brought five young ladies with her. All of them made decisions for Jesus. What a joy to see these—as well as many, many others—say yes to the One who loves us completely,” she said.
Nepal DR efforts stymied by fuel shortages but still bear fruit By Jane Rodgers TEXAN Correspondent Sindhupalchawk, NEPAL A fuel crisis precipitated by the closure of the main road between India and Nepal in response to protests over the new Nepali constitution hindered but did not halt Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief efforts in the Sindhupalchawk region.
The road serves as the main supply line into Nepal for food and fuel. Dozens of fuel trucks are stranded at the border, Caroline Anderson of Baptist Global Response reported Nov. 11. Garry and Sherry McDugle, SBTC DR coordinators who deployed to Nepal in June 2015 and returned to the Texas in early November, recalled fuel lines that were many miles long. “People would
often wait 24-36 hours in line, sometimes receiving no fuel,” Garry McDugle said. “It was crazy. Worse than the 1970s back home.” Most of the vehicles used by SBTC volunteers required the more readily available diesel fuel, McDugle noted. “The diesel fuel was cut with kerosene and cost three times what it would in America, about $10 a gallon,” McDugle said. “Petrol or gasoline is as much as $30 a gallon.” The fuel crisis hampered projects and halted construction on schools being rebuilt in the remote mountainous regions. “For the past few weeks now most relief efforts have been minimal due to the high cost and scarcity of fuel,” McDugle added. Despite the obstacles, much fruit resulted from DR efforts as five teams rotated in to serve during the McDugles’ deployment. SBTC personnel worked with three BGR medical and relief teams as well. McDugle reported three new Christian fellowships led by Nepali nationals. “At last count, [there were] 52 salvations, nine baptisms, with others waiting for a safe time after end of the Hindu celebrations. “All this was already in motion and created by the Holy Spirit. We just got to come along for the ride,” McDugle said. “And, of course, this is the reason we do disaster relief work, to see the salvation of Jesus come alive in people’s lives!”
Following the crusade, Byron Williamson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Pampa, said, “Between last Sunday and this Sunday, we will baptize 25 with more still being followed up plus four new families are joining the church that had no church home.” Williamson noted that the crusade team’s emphasis on follow-up “was better than I’ve ever seen at similar mass evangelism efforts.” Dallas Stringer, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Pampa, said they baptized 14 after the crusade and have six more planned.
Final Rundown: SBTC DR Work In Nepal
Housing, food and shelter assistance: u 596 homes and families assessed u 900 people benefited from food distribution u 50 families received bed frames and bedding u 500 blankets distributed u 29 kitchen and laundry sets distributed u 47 hygiene kits distributed u 84 shelters built u 1,322 pieces of 12-foot tin distributed School assistance u 45 students received school supplies u 3 school buildings had cement work, wall and floor construction u 5 damaged school buildings were demolished and sites cleared u 1 new metal school building was constructed u 1 school building provided with metal walls Health and medical assistance u 1,204 people treated in BGR health clinics Church and spiritual assistance u 583 gospel presentations u 5,327 spiritual contacts u 48 Bibles distributed u 3 church fellowships started u 1 temporary church built u 1 ordination to the gospel ministry u 52 professions of faith
10
LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
“MY AIM IS TO MOVE THEM FROM ONE LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING TO ANOTHER, BUILDING INTO THEIR LIVES ONE BRICK OF TRUTH AFTER ONE BRICK OF TRUTH UNTIL BY GOD’S GRACE, THE SPIRIT OF GOD (BEGINS) WORKING IN THEIR LIVES.” —TEXAN PETER MATHESON*
REFUGEES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“They come, they arrive with little children just with the clothes on their back, because back in Syria their homes are destroyed, their businesses are destroyed … women have been raped … real torture goes on among men and young men in Syria.” While images and reports of beheadings, cruelty and pure evil continue to shadow refugees—numbering in the millions—from any light of hope, Matheson is there to tell them about a loving God who cares deeply for all who are fleeing violence and that only he can push back the descending darkness.
“My aim is to move them from one level of understanding to another, building into their lives one brick of truth after one brick of truth until by God’s grace, the spirit of God (begins) 5Syrian refugees cross the border from Syria to Jordan. “They come, they arrive with little children just with the clothes on their back, because back in Syria their homes are destroyed, their businesses are destroyed,’’ says working in their lives,” MatheChristian worker Peter Matheson.* Matheson delivers relief goods to refugees along Syria’s border, thanks to gifts son says. to Global Hunger Relief. With overwhelming challenges in the midst of constant need, Through the support of most importantly, their spiri- and hope makes a real difference it would be easy for Matheson to feel alone. But he is sustained Southern Baptists, Matheson tual needs.” in their lives, she says. and other workers are able to U.S. churches also are play“Giving to IMB is just one emotionally and spiritually as distribute boxes of food and ing a direct role in minister- of the ways we can help,” Lee well as financially by knowing other critical necessities pro- ing to refugee needs along- says. “It is very important to that believers back home in the vided through gifts to Global side Matheson. A medical support … the local workers U.S. haven’t forgotten him and Hunger Relief along the Syr- team from Mandarin Baptist here. Without funding, they share the resolve to bring light ian border. Church of Los Angeles came … cannot stay here and build where there is darkness. “From the bottom of my “We are able, through the to see the work firsthand and relationships…, and they canCooperative Program and Lot- to help. not provide for their physical heart, I thank Southern Baptists tie Moon Christmas Offering, Nurse Katherine Lee* recog- needs. They cannot provide for giving to the Cooperative to focus 100 percent on the nized that their physical pres- for food or medicine or diapers Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas [Offering] to keep ministry that God has given ence to provide medical as- or milk.” us as workers … as laborers sistance is important, but the As more and more Syrians us as workers … on the field,” in the field,” Matheson says. ongoing presence that Matheson flee the violence, Matheson Matheson says. He adds, “Yes, it’s hard, (but) “We’re able to give all of our provides is key to lasting hope. hopes he can help the refugees we’re able to minister to their attention to people who are Matheson’s physical presence out of at least one aspect of physical needs, showing the hurting by ministering to to listen and give comfort to the the darkness in which they’ve love of Christ in a practical their physical, emotional and, refugees, as well as to offer help been living. way to these people and thus opening an opportunity for them to listen.” Matheson is providing tangible hope in what appears to be a hopeless place. “My friend here asked me why we are doing all of this,” Matheson says after he had explained to a refugee father and his family why the group from California had come. Matheson told him there are 46,000 Southern Baptist churches with approximately 16 million people to lift “your group, all the refugees and the people back in Syria, before the Father.” Matheson says the man responded that if this many are going to lift them before the Father, it gives him hope. *Names changed 3Syrian refugee children play with toy cars made from tuna cans at a United Nations camp in Jordan. Of the more than 3.9 million people registered by the U.N. as Syrian refugees, more than half are below the age of 18.
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS
11
SMALL CHURCHES HAVE BIG HEARTS FOR MISSIONS By Texan staff
When it comes to missions giving, generous support of international missions comes in all sizes of churches. First Baptist Church of Swan, near Tyler, is a small congregation with an average ACP reported attendance of 38. For the last three years, the church set an ambitious goal of giving $10,000 for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. “The amazing thing is that they have exceeded their goal each year,” said Wayne Livingston, SBTC field ministry strategist. “They also raised $5,000 at the same time for a missionary connected to the church.” “It’s because of the hearts of our people for missions,” FBC Swan Pastor Bill Minson said, explaining his congregation’s generosity. “As in so many small country churches right now, we have a lot of seniors, not so many young people. We GRAPEVINE
have several people who really have hearts for missions. The whole church does, across the congregation. One couple has a son and daughter-in-law that are missionaries in Zambia. Another family has a son who was a missionary in Japan for 11 years. The church’s organist took many medical mission trips to Africa as a nurse. “I preach that the Lord has told us to make disciples. Since most of our church is made up of those who are inactive in going based on their age, they feel that is a way they can fulfill the Great Commission,” Minson added. “I don’t push or preach hard. I just say pray about what God would have you give, and our people are faithful.” On the other end of the spectrum in size is First Baptist Church of Rockwall with 1,850 in attendance and giving the largest amount of any SBTC congregation at $559,644 last year.
“Our people have bought into the fact that people really are lost without Jesus and have been willing to give sacrificially to see that others come to know him,” stated pastor Steve Swofford. “In a day when the number of lost people in the world is growing larger, we dare not let the size of our missions force grow smaller,” he said, referring to the revenue shortfall that prompted the International Mission Board to encourage voluntary retirement of missionaries. “So this year we give more than ever before, not to send more missionaries, but to keep them from having to come home.” Ferris Baptist Fellowship averages 58 people in attendance but gave $10,392 to LMCO last year. The Ferris congregation makes missions giving an emphasis, Pastor Bob Mashburn explained, crediting the church’s lack of debt for its ability to give generously.
“Our commitment has been that you can either pay debt service or you can pay missionaries. So we go that [missionaries] route,” Mashburn said, noting that the philosophy begins with church leadership. “We’re getting ready to build another building, and we’ll build that one debt free, too, Lord willing. In the meantime we have no intention of letting go of our Lottie Moon commitment,” Mashburn affirmed. “We don’t have any rich people, by the way. No [one person] writes a check for that every year. We are all in.” Commitment to missions at Ferris Baptist Fellowship is also enhanced by the active participation of church members in meaningful mission trips. The church has sponsored outreaches to China, Mexico, Thailand, Belize and Alaska, in addition to mission trips to Kansas and Tennessee in the continental United States. Next year, Ferris plans to send a group to Appalachia, Mashburn added.
“WE’RE NOBODY SPECIAL. WE’RE JUST OUT HERE IN FERRIS, TEXAS, TRYING TO SERVE THE LORD. IT’S HUMBLING WHEN A SMALL CHURCH CAN GIVE BIG. ALL WE WANT TO DO IS BRAG ABOUT WHAT GOD DID.” —PASTOR BOB MASHBURN, FERRIS BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
“You’ve got to get your people involved in missions themselves,” Mashburn said. “And if you can’t go, helping others to go is vitally important.” “We’re nobody special. We’re just out here in Ferris, Texas, trying to serve the Lord,” Mashburn said. “It’s humbling when a small church can give big. All we want to do is brag about what God did.”
C H U R C H R E S O U R C E S AVA I L A B L E
AT I M B . O R G / L O T T I E M O O N
Missionary family recognizes ‘time is short’ By Marie Curtis IMB Writer LESOTHO When Jim and Teresa Flora, IMB missionaries from Springfield, Mo., think about their life and ministry in the mountains of Lesotho, two needs come to mind: the support of their children and support from Southern Baptists. They rely on the prayers and encouragement of their three grown sons and their families in the United States, but daughters Gracie, Anna and Rebekah are a part of each day’s work in Africa. Whether they are preparing meals for volunteer teams, playing with children, or telling Bible stories, the girls consider themselves fully committed to the task of sharing the gospel with unreached Basotho people. They know every believer has a part in God’s mission. The Floras’ work is an extension of Southern Baptists’ dedication to reach the nations. They are grateful for several long-term partnering churches in Texas and Virginia and especially thank God for faithful giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the
Gracie Flora, age 17, holds a child while the grandmother seeks treatment by volunteers hosting a medical clinic. Gracie says she loves her life in Lesotho and all the adventures that it brings, such as riding horses and camping in rural villages. IMB PHOTO
continued prayers of hundreds of churches. A registered nurse, Teresa has held babies as they took their last breaths, and the whole family has grieved the loss of friends. Starving chil-
dren continue to break their hearts. Violence against women is a constant concern. Teresa confesses that a few moments have led her to say, “Lord, can we keep doing this?” “We understand that time is
short; we understand that in a nation that has the second highest HIV and AIDS rate in the world that there are people that we share the gospel with from day to day that will not be here next year,” Jim says.
“So we do work hard to be good stewards of the Lord’s time that he has given us on this earth because we do believe that it’s unacceptable that there are people who have not heard the story of Jesus.” They are careful in their daily life and work but do not live in fear. They say their faith that they are exactly where God intends for them to be is strong, and they know their daughters are part of God’s plan. “God gave them to us for a purpose, and we believe that part of that purpose is reaching the nations,” Jim says. For their family, going was the only option. “Our prayer is this, that we could teach them more by going than we could ever teach them by staying,” he adds. “We’re praying in 2015 and the years to come as we serve God in the mountains that there will be more Southern Baptists who come to put their boots on the ground so that we can get the message to every village and to every person so that they would have the opportunity to accept Christ as their own.”
12
LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
SHARING GOD’S LOVE IS ‘WATER ON DRY GROUND’ FOR CENTRAL ASIANS Youth in Central Asia work together to haul one of their peers out of the well where he has been shoveling dirt. The work is difficult, but the hope of fresh water is refreshing. IMB PHOTO
By Laura Fielding IMB Writer CENTRAL ASIA Several years ago, Christian aid worker Gary Warrior* was sitting on the floor in a Central Asian village with a congregation of about 20 people, getting ready to share about “the cost of discipleship.” Someone made the suggestion to go around the room and share their testimonies. One woman simply said, “Oh, I’m just very blessed, and I’m so thankful to be here.” Her friend elbowed her: “Explain to him your testimony, tell him what’s happening in your life with God.” But the woman again said she was “blessed” and just thankful to sing songs and read the Bible together. Her friend retorted, “You tell him the truth. You tell him that every night after you go to
these meetings, your husband beats you, and last week he beat you with a hammer!” Tears jumped to Warrior’s eyes as he thought, “How can I tell these people to go out there and suffer for Christ’s sake? “God just grabbed me by the collar, and he said, ‘You’re not asking them, I am.’” PEOPLE OF GRIEF Gary and his family—wife, Ann,* and four children, two of whom are now adults—first arrived in this Central Asian country in 1997. The former Soviet republic was suffering, broken and poor after the end of a five-year civil war. Though the Soviets tried to stamp out religion, the country did not lose its strong Muslim identity. But many of these Central Asians feel hopeless and overlooked by the world.
“There’s a poem that says, ‘Oh people of grief, tears in their eyes like orphans, anger on their lips like captives. In a forgotten land they wept alone,’” Warrior says, fighting back tears. “So for us to be able to show up here now, in this point in history, and begin to tell them that God loves them— this is water on dry ground.” Despite people’s thirst for truth and love, Christians are persecuted, not necessarily from the communist government— Warrior estimates about 30 government-registered churches and 1,000 believers in the country—but from society. Leaving Islam brings great shame on a person’s family. “Persecution comes every time the gospel is proclaimed here, but if we’re able to do it in the context of families and in communities, we can mini-
A young man looks up from the well where water has finally broken through. A little more digging and the water pipe will be ready to be set, providing clean water for this Central Asian village. “If we can get them clean drinking water, we can change everything for them,” Christian aid worker Gary Warrior* says. IMB PHOTO
mize the effects of that persecution so that people can stand together for the cause of Christ and not be chased out,” Warrior says. PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS As a pastor with a music degree and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Warrior wasn’t planning on focusing on human needs work. But after seeing that even numerous aid agencies couldn’t respond to the great number of disasters and people suffering in Central Asia, Warrior started a disaster response team of Christian workers and national believers in 1998. Being there for people on the day of disaster “gave us real access to share the gospel.” The next year in that village, War-
rior’s team planted their first church and baptized 13 people. A decade later, well-digging provided “the opportunity to make the connection between clean drinking water and the Water of Life,” Warrior says. He is also grateful the faithful givers to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Cooperative Program have “stuck with him” during his 17 years overseas. Although Warrior’s team has made about 2,000 gospel presentations every year for the past three years, it takes a long time for someone to become a Christian. But these are exciting times, he says: “I’m seeing people who are coming to faith in Christ. Not every day, but it’s happening.” Warrior and his team have planted five house churches that still meet today. In the past two years, they distributed more than 6,000 gospel DVDs. Last year, with the assistance of the Lottie Moon offering and Cooperative Program funding, the well-digging team installed 19 wells and provided clean drinking water for about 10,000 people. “God has done that because we’ve been faithful, and the people in the pews back in America have been faithful to keep giving and to keep sending … and the result is there’s a church here, and there wasn’t when I came,” Warrior says. *Names changed
Digging wells is long and difficult work, but it provides Christian aid worker Gary Warrior* and his team with many witnessing opportunities in villages as they work. It’s been satisfying to “make the connection between clean drinking water and the Water of Life,” Warrior says. IMB PHOTO
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS
13
HUNDREDS OF MISSIONARIES VOLUNTARILY RETURN TO STATES AS PLAN TO RESET IMB ADDRESSES REVENUE SHORTFALL By Tammi Reed Ledbetter Special Assignments Editor NEW ORLEANS It’s been a tough two months for Terry and Vicki Lassiter as they say goodbye to colleagues in the region where they served as Southern Baptist missionaries for the past 26 years. Offering his final report on Nov. 5 to International Mission Board trustees tasked with oversight of the Americas region, the affinity group leader from West Texas shared the stories of local believers who are now leading churches after being trained by IMB missionaries. “They’re stepping up to the plate in better ways than we could,” Terry Lassiter said, his voice choking a bit. Texas trustees Geraldo Disla of Dallas and Thom Polvogt of Katy, joined other members of the American Peoples Affinity Committee in gathering around the Lassiters to pray for their transition to Waco where Terry will return to practicing dentistry and Vicki anticipates ministering to women as opportunities arise to speak, write and serve. “Every move we’ve ever made tore my heart out,” Vicki Lassiter shared, recalling earlier stints in St. Vincent, Suriname, Ecuador and more recently, Peru. “I actually think that’s a good thing,” she added. “It should tear your heart out when you leave a place because it means you’ve really been there.” The next morning they cheered on fellow Texans Jacob and Dodie Glover, who shared their calling to work among an unreached people group in Mexico. “It is kind of neat that as we’re leaving, we see some new couples coming in,” Lassiter said. “These are good people.” Glover has childhood ties to Friendly Baptist Church in Tyler and his wife was a preacher’s kid from Oak Street Baptist Church in Colorado City. They met at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth while attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and eventually married. After one term with the IMB in Peru, their call to international missions was put on hold when the Dallas church he previously served as a youth minister asked him to fill a pastoral vacancy. Glover led them to merge with a Hispanic church, become bilingual and transition to new leadership. Their
Texans Jacob and Dodie Glover share about their calling to work among an unreached people group in Mexico during an IMB commissioning service at First Baptist Church of New Orleans, Nov. 8. IMB PHOTO
reappointment with IMB ful- come to enable the mission that fills a desire to plant their lives has been assigned, and move among a people group with no toward a balanced budget. access to the gospel. “Based upon letters of intent Seven other missionaries which have been submitted with ties to Texas will be serv- for VRIs as well as the handing in locations that cannot be raising opportunity that is still identified due to security con- to come, we are projecting that cerns. In all there were 35 new we will meet our need to remissionaries commissioned by duce the total number of our the board during a service at personnel by at least 600 peoFirst Baptist Church of New ple,” IMB President David Platt Orleans on Nov. 8, bringing the told trustees Nov. 6. total missionary count to 4,761. The $22,580,000 increase The Lassiters are just two of included in next year’s the hundreds of missionaries $278,755,000 budget “is almost accepting the Voluntary Re- entirely explained by one-time tirement Incentive offered to net costs associated with the volpersonnel over untary retirement the age of 50 with incentive,” Platt at least five years said. “God has giv“IT SHOULD TEAR of service. It’s the en us resources to YOUR HEART OUT first phase of a generously honor plan to sharply those that are WHEN YOU LEAVE reduce the numthat tranA PLACE BECAUSE making ber of personnel sition,” he assured IT MEANS YOU’VE in order to adthem, referring to dress a five-year reserve funds. REALLY BEEN revenue shortfall IMB expects to THERE.” of $120 million. save $38.6 milA second phase lion next year —VICKI LASSITER, RETURNING IMB described by IMB from the reducMISSIONARY President David tion in personnel, Platt as a “handwhile spending raising opportu$23.1 million to nity” will be ofcover VRI payfered in January outs, yielding a when all personnel and staff net savings of $15.5 million. will pray about whether God is After expressing gratitude leading them to seek vocational for growth in both Cooperaservice outside the IMB. tive Program and Lottie Moon “These are financial realities Christmas Offering gifts, Platt that we just can’t ignore,” Platt said current LMCO giving prosaid in the Nov. 6 board meet- jections are based on a historiing, pledging to budget based cal projection of the past four on the resources provided by years of receipts, rather than Southern Baptists, use that in- “our stretch goal.” That ap-
proach estimates the 2015-16 receipts at $151.8 million, an amount $23.2 million below the 2015 goal of $175 million. Proceeds from property sales are not included in the budget but will replenish and stabilize IMB reserves, which have declined from the recommended six-month level to just four. While global engagement expenses are decreased by $7.5 million, the per capita spending will increase by 10 percent per field personnel. After approving the budget, trustees received news of a plan to shift all four of the 2016 trustee meetings to Richmond, anticipating a cost savings of $750,000. Other items of business included the election of Support Services Vice President Rodney A. Freeman to serve as treasurer and Margaret Wilson as second assistant recording secretary. The board also approved the transfer of property to the national convention in Zambia and the sale of property in Zimbabwe. In response to a motion made at the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting in June that was referred to all SBC entities, trustees assured the messenger of the IMB’s commitment to “boldly promote the truth of the gospel through all media avenues available to us for the glory of God amidst the rapidly shifting moral landscape of our culture.” Trustees honored IMB leaders who are accepting the IMB’s voluntary retirement incentive, including the Las-
siters for 26 years spent in the Americas; Tim and Charlotte Cearley for 35 years in Africa; Tom and Janet Williams for 34 years in Thailand, Singapore, the regions of Western Pacific and Western Europe Region, and the office of global personnel; and David and Judy Steverson for 29 years in Thailand and more recently his tenure as chief financial officer. Platt said stories are starting to be told of new opportunities offered to missionaries who trusted God for their future after taking the VRI, including: 4a missionary in Central Asia who is transitioning to a teaching post with a university, affording continued opportunities for church planting and discipleship; 4unreached people in the city of Houston who will be reached with the gospel as a result of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention creating 25 church planting positions to be filled by returning missionaries; and 4a pastor praying a particular missionary would come to serve as missions pastor and asked the man to consider the position hours after the man and his wife had sensed the Lord telling them to take the retirement offer with no idea where they would go. “Not one of us can write these scripts and the stories being told over and over again across IMB as God is working all things together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.” Having approached the quarterly meeting with a “heavy but hopeful heart,” Platt said, “I am looking forward to the day when we’re not spending all our time talking about financial challenges but operating within the budget, talking about how we are supporting a mission force around the world that is making the gospel known, planting churches and reaching the Lampung people of Indonesia, and thousands of other people groups alongside with them as well.” Board chairman John Edie of Springfield, Mo., told trustees when they reconvene next February “the IMB as we have known it will not be the same,” as “faithful servants will be moving onto new chapters in their lives.” He reminded them that God not only knew about that but allowed it and will limit the impact. “His being faithful or capable is not the question,” Edie said. “The question is are we willing to fit into his plan for our future?”
14
ANNUAL MEETING
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
ANNUAL MEETING
a historic joint worship service on the closing night of the annual meeting. The gathering exemplified the annual meeting theme of “Walking in Unity,” drawn from Ephesians 4. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In addition to sharing in the support of two institutions, Reach Houston told messengers The SBTC officially launched Pritchard its Reach Houston initiative, from both groups, “We share a which is a plan to increase mutual commitment that the church planting and revitaliza- Bible is the inerrant and infaltion in the Greater Houston area. lible Word of God, hold to the Experts say Houston is the most truth that marriage is defined ethnically diverse megacity in in the Bible as one man and one the United States, surpassing woman mutually committed even New York City, and should in relationship till death parts eclipse Chicago as the third-larg- them, are together on the right of the unborn for life, and are est city in the country by 2020. In a video presentation on the both confessional fellowships.” He reminded those gathered new initiative, Houston pastors voiced their support of the ini- that “SBTC and BMAT together tiative. Admitting that Houston with the Lord Jesus Christ can 5Wes Pratt, pastor of the BMAT-affiliated Northside Baptist Church in Conroe, leads in a time of prayer for the advance of the gospel during a joint worship service between the BMAT and SBTC, Nov. 10. PHOTO BY ANDREW PEARLE already has many churches, be really strong in this difficult Champion Forest Baptist Church day in which we live, sharing 3Reach Houston Pastor David Fleming said, “We the gospel in the power of the Interim Director could start a new church every Holy Spirit.” Terry Coy (left) BMAT was founded in 1899 by week running 2,000 in attenasks questions to dance and still not keep up with 45 churches that left the Baptist Houston church the growth that is happening General Convention of Texas over planter Jason Crandall (center) a perception that the board strucright here in Houston.” and church SBTC Executive Director Jim ture might override the autonorevitalizer Andrew Richards believes a strategic my of local churches. Five years Johnson (right) focus on the city is needed, so ago BMAT and SBTC approved during a dinner, a working ministry relationship a search is currently underway Nov. 9. for a Reach Houston coordina- based on their shared affirmation PHOTO BY GARY LEDBETTER tor to live in the city and direct of a high view of Scripture and church planting and revitaliza- basic Baptist distinctives. The convention continues to Baptist Church in Austin, was tion efforts. Former SBTC misAttendance Budget send 55 percent of its budget for elected recording secretary. sions director Terry Coy was Final attendance numbers inMessengers approved a 2016 SBC Cooperative Program min- All nominees ran unopposed. presented as interim coordinacluded 775 registered messenbudget of $27,743,629, which istries—the highest percentage tor as the search continues. gers from 263 churches and 945 Pressler Award During its meeting following is less than a 1 percent increase of any Baptist state convenregistered guests for a total of Joshua Crutchfield, pas- 1,720 registered in attendance the annual meeting, the conven- from 2015. This budget is funded tion—while designating 45 pertion’s executive board formally by $27,391,629 in Cooperative cent for Cooperative Program tor of First Baptist Church from 303 churches. of Trenton, was this year’s approved a recommendation to Program gifts and $352,000 from ministries in Texas. recipient of the Paul Pressler set aside $1 million to facilitate partnerships with the North 2016 Annual Meeting Election of Officers Award for Distinguished returning IMB missionaries as American Mission Board and The 2016 Bible Conference and Nathan Lino, pastor of Denominational Service. Annual Meeting of the SBTC will church planters or church re- LifeWay Christian Resources. As part of the budget pro- Northeast Baptist Church in Pressler met Crutchfield take place on Nov. 13-15 at Great vitalizers for the convention’s posal, messengers approved Humble was elected conven- when he served as an intern Hills Baptist Church in Austin. Reach Houston initiative. a recommendation from the tion president. Lino, 38, be- at SBTC in 2004 and 2005 Messengers approved Gregg convention’s executive board comes the youngest SBTC pres- and continued to observe his Matte, pastor of Houston’s First Joint Worship to send 100 percent of all 2016 ident elected. Dante Wright, ministry, concluding, “Joshua Baptist Church, to deliver the Service with BMAT SBTC President Jimmy Cooperative Program receipts pastor of Sweet Home Baptist Crutchfield is successful in his 2016 convention sermon, with, Pritchard welcomed represen- that exceed the budget to the Church in Round Rock, was home as a husband and father, Cody Whitfill, pastor of River tatives from the Baptist Mis- Southern Baptist Convention elected vice president. Juan as a pastor, a student, and as a Valley Christian Fellowship in Sanchez, pastor of High Pointe man of God.” sionary Association of Texas to Cooperative Program. Bastrop, as the alternate.
Church planting strengthened with new endowment By Tammi Reed Ledbetter Special Assignments Editor HOUSTON A long-term commitment to church planting in Texas will be strengthened by a new endowment approved Nov. 11 by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Executive Board, in service of double the number of new plants to 100 churches per year. More immediately, a $1 million grant will fund Reach Houston church planting and revitalization efforts by former IMB missionaries who are voluntarily returning to the States and qualify to serve in those roles. SBTC Board Chairman David Fleming noted that many of the returning missionaries worked with people groups that exist in Houston. “These are talented, skilled and very trainable indi-
viduals, and it’s important for us as a convention to provide opportunities for them,” Fleming said. SBTC Board members accepted a plan to move away from annually funding the Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation (SBTF) through grants and endowment contributions. By allowing SBTF incremental access to the endowment corpus, staff and operations can be expanded, growing the foundation past the necessity of convention funding. SBTF Executive Director Bart McDonald explained the compelling motivation of the change is “to shift from being a consumer of resources from the convention to a provider of resources to the convention,” He said SBTF will have “operational independence with functional dependence” as SBTC’s Execu-
tive Board continues to elect SBTF board members. Approval of that plan allowed the board to shift the allocation of convention reserves in excess of six-months of operation costs, freeing up use of reserve funds for the church planting endowment. New requests from 35 churches seeking affiliation with the SBTC were approved. The number of affiliated churches stands at 2,544 with five removed, three of which had disbanded, one merged with another church and one disaffiliated. Chief Financial Officer Joe Davis reported that Cooperative Program receipts are $400,000 ahead of 2014 receipts with a net operating income of $1,164,000 through October. Contributions from SBTC churches to the Annie Arm-
strong Easter Offering for North American Missions amounted to $2,734,287 for reporting year that ended in September, $179,336 less than the previous year. With four months reported for giving through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, receipts are significantly higher at $1,019,287 as compared to $533,171 for the same period last year. Giving through the Reach Texas Offering for state missions was slightly higher than last year at $72,397 for the first month of reporting. Anticipated year-end reserves in excess of the six months goal allowed the board to approve funds for the $1 million grant to Reach Houston church planting and revitalization efforts by former IMB mis-
sionaries; a vehicle to be used in connection with the ministry in El Paso; revitalization conferences, labs and resources; and two Disaster Relief trailers for a bunk house and a laundry unit. Connection Church in Spearfish, S.D.—a four-year-old plant that has baptized 51 people, planted two churches, developed ministry among students at Black Hills University, and is in the top five Cooperative Program-giving churches in the Dakotas Baptist Convention—received a grant to fund the church’s missions and ministries in Spearfish and Sturgis. Board members re-elected David Fleming of Houston as chairman and Kie Bowman of Austin as vice-chairman. Robert Welch of Brownsboro was elected secretary.
15
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
Ken Adams, pastor of Crossroads Church in Newnan, Ga., called on Christians to abide in Christ and to teach others how to do it during the 2015 Bible Conference, Nov. 9. PHOTO BY ALLEN SUTTON
BIBLE CONFERENCE CALLS FOR DISCIPLEMAKING MOVEMENT
By Keith Collier Managing Editor HOUSTON Multiplication through disciple-making was the theme of the SBTC’s 2015 Bible Conference at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Nov. 8-9. In addition to main session speakers, this year’s conference featured breakout sessions, which allowed participants to choose specific focus areas for discipleship and included Spanish and women’s tracks. Craig Etheredge, pastor of First Baptist Church of Colleyville, opened the Bible Conference with a message from John 1:35-46. Recalling his experience as a young pastor who was discipled by older Christian businessmen in his church, Etheredge said he began to study Jesus’ model of ministry. Jesus created a movement of multiplication and the secret to his movement was disciple-making, Etheredge said. “Disciple-making is leading [people] to Christ and showing them how to walk with God in such a way that they reproduce their life in the [lives] of others,” he explained.
Jesus had an intentional plan for making disciples, which requires personal investment of time, energy and effort, Etheredge said. “I’m really convinced the longer I live that Jesus’ view of success is a church that is consistently, persistently, over time doing the hard work of making disciples that reproduce because Jesus commanded us to do it,” Etheredge said. Gregg Matte, pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church, issued a challenge for Christians to use their entire lives to disciple others. Teaching on the example of Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18, Matte explained that the couple used their marriage, their job and their home as tools for discipling the Apostle Paul and the gifted church leader Apollos. In order to be good disciple-makers, Matte said, pastors and their wives should model healthy marriages. “The number one thing we’ve got to do, gentlemen, is we’ve got to keep our marriages sound and solid.” Additionally, Matte said, often the best method for disciple-making is be-
ANNUAL MEETING
ing a good friend. Priscilla and Aquila were friends with Paul for 16 years in 3 different countries. With Apollos, they listened, invited him to learn, explained the Scriptures and released him for ministry. Ben Stuart, executive director of Breakaway Ministries in College Station, encouraged pastors to invest in the next generation. He taught from 2 Timothy 4:9-13, explaining how Paul mentored and sent out young men for ministry. “As you pursue God, do not neglect imparting these things to young men,” Stuart said. “Jesus started his ministry like this; Paul ended his ministry like this.” Stuart said churches cannot thrive without intentional investment in future generations. “We cannot be indifferent … if we care about the gospel,” Stuart said. Ken Adams, pastor of Crossroads Church in Newnan, Ga., called on Christians to abide in Christ and to teach others how to do it. Teaching from John 15:111, Adams said disciples best glorify God through bearing fruit, which includes making disciples who make disciples.
The fullness of joy Jesus refers to in John 15:11 comes when Christians multiply themselves, he said. “If you have never had that moment in your life when you have seen somebody that you have discipled making somebody else a disciple, then you will never know the joy that Jesus wants you to know.” Adams acknowledged the demands of ministry, saying pastors must be intentional in order to multiply. “The ultimate mark of a disciple is that he makes other disciples,” Adams said. Bible Conference participants elected officers for next year’s conference, which will be held at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Nov. 13-14, 2016. Danny Forshee, pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, was elected Bible Conference president. Mike Phillips, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wimberley, was elected first vice president. Rod Minor, pastor of Anderson Mills Baptist Church in Austin, was elected second vice president.
Resolutions address same-sex marriage, religious liberty, Planned Parenthood By Michael Foust TEXAN Correspondent HOUSTON Messengers to the 2015 annual meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention passed a resolution, Nov. 10, thanking government officials for adopting a law protecting pastors from being forced to perform same-sex marriages. They also approved resolutions on personal holiness, sexual sin, the dignity of human life and the sufficiency of Scripture. These were among the eight resolutions adopted with little discussion during the meeting held at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston. In June, the Texas legislature passed and Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Pastor Protection Bill, a religious liberty law that prevents ministers from being forced to officiate a same-sex marriage ceremony and also gives them legal protection in case they are sued. The related resolution passed by messengers says the new law guards pastors who refuse “to conduct marriages that violate God’s plan and
biblical outline for the sacred institution of marriage.” “We, the messengers to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention … hereby express our appreciation and thanks to the Texas executive and legislative branches for their leadership and commitment to protecting pastors and churches,” the resolution reads. That same resolution also acknowledges government officials for de-funding Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and became the subject of investigations following exposé videos released this summer outing them for the illegal sale of baby body parts. “We thank the governing bodies of Texas for ceasing public funding of Planned Parenthood, an organization that fails to recognize the dignity of all human life,” the resolution reads. Messengers also approved resolutions: u affirming Scripture as sufficient for the “totality of the Christian life.” u referencing the Ashley Madison scandal and pledging “sexual purity in our marriages
as an expression of God’s design for human sexuality.” u calling on “all Christians to unconditionally love all human beings.” u urging churches to promote adoption and to support pregnancy resource centers. u supporting a renewed commitment to live out “God’s holiness in our culture.” u expressing appreciation for outgoing SBTC President Jimmy Pritchard. u thanking Champion Forest Baptist Church for hosting the meeting. A resolution “On the Sufficiency of the Word of God for the Entire Christian Life” notes that “The totality of the Christian life, corporately and individually, in the family, in the church and in the broader society, must be based upon, focused upon and have as its goal obedience to and proclamation of the Word of God.” Messengers dealt with the Ashley Madison controversy in a resolution “On Biblical Roles and Purity in Marriage.” The resolution notes the “recent scandal involving the Ashley Madison website has made
the church more aware of the prevalence of sexual sin in our churches and our culture. “We will demonstrate sexual purity in our marriages as an expression of God’s design for human sexuality whereby the only proper context for sexual expression is between one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage,” it reads. “… We affirm that God offers his love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ to those who recognize their sin and are willing to repent and obey his word; as a result, any broken relationship can be restored.” In a resolution “On the Affirmation of Love for All,” messengers called on “all Christians to unconditionally love all human beings, who are made in the image of their Creator, regardless of age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, race, economic status, work profession, religious beliefs, political beliefs or other personal differences or distinctions.” “We agree that genuine love is owed to all and that giving such love does not mean we accept or agree with actions counter to biblical teachings, rather
such love extends the grace and mercy our Father in heaven has extended toward us,” the resolution reads. Messengers touched again on the Planned Parenthood and abortion issues in a resolution “On the Dignity of Human Life from Conception to Natural Death.” The resolution challenged Christians to treat women and unborn babies with dignity and to walk alongside those facing unwanted pregnancies with support and guidance. The resolution calls for involvement in adoption ministries and “pregnancy resource centers and other ministries which help alleviate some of the burden on the women, men and families confronting unwanted pregnancies.” Messengers also passed a resolution “On Personal Holiness” that says, “We are committed to living out God’s holiness in our culture, resulting in renewed zeal to share the gospel of Jesus with lost people for the purpose of winning them to faith in Christ and discipling them in such a way that they will in turn win others to Christ.”
16
ANNUAL MEETING
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
PANEL DISCUSSES WHEN CHRISTIAN CIVIL OBEDIENCE IS NECESSARY By Bonnie Pritchett
“I THINK IT’S TIME FOR THE CHURCH TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN WHAT WE ARE FACING THAN REACTIVE.”
TEXAN Correspondent HOUSTON With Christian and secular morality increasingly in conflict in the United States—in the public square and the courtroom—how should Christians respond to real and perceived infringements upon their duty to speak God’s truth into the culture? Is civil disobedience ever an option? A representative group of Southern Baptists whose work can be or is being impacted by the moral shift addressed these questions during a panel discussion about church and state, Nov. 10 during the 18th annual Southern Baptists of Texas Convention in Houston. The panelists included Jason Allen, president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Steven Goodspeed, attorney with The Church Law Group; O.S. Hawkins, president of Guidestone Financial Resources; Raymond Perry, pastor of Trinity Friendship Baptist Church in Wylie; Kris Segrest, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wylie; and Steve Washburn, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pflugerville. Gary Ledbetter, SBTC director of communications, moderated the discussion. Allowing for the natural conflict between Christians and the world, the panelists agreed disobedience was part of that paradigm. However, they differed on when to initiate intentional pushback to ungodly encroachments.
—RAYMOND PERRY
Raymond Perry (center), pastor of Trinity Friendship Baptist Church in Wylie, voices concerns about Christians withdrawing from engagement in civil society during a panel discussion on “Church and State” at the 2015 SBTC annual meeting, Nov. 10. PHOTO BY ANDREW PEARLE
If the cultural or legal mandate is in direct contradiction with Scripture then, yes, Christians should stand in opposition to it, Hawkins said, adding they must be willing to deal with the consequences of their actions. “This is an issue that ought to be nuanced,” said Allen. “We don’t want to gin ourselves up to be makeshift anarchists or insurrectionists where we kind of shoot from the hip,” said Allen. Christians must distinguish whether a government action is incentivizing or dis-incentivizing an action or whether it is forbidding and permitting an action. One is merely an irritant while the other comes in direct conflict with Christian convictions. One requires submission. But when and how a
Christian throws off the submissive role as it relates to the government should be given careful consideration. Pastors should take particular care to guard their pulpits, Washburn said. With few constitutional limits pastors can preach about all manner of people and issues, including politics. But politicians cross a line when they presume to speak about the morals of God. “Do politicians by their involvement decide what we as pastors, preachers and leaders can address and speak to?” Washburn asked. “Our response needs to be a unified and resounding, ‘No!’” Perry said civil society does not reflect biblical morals because Christians have with-
drawn from engagement in civil society. And it will take courage to take back what has been acquiesced. If Christians today do not take seriously the need to impact the culture for Christ, future generations will be lost. Asked how pastors can negotiate subtleties in the relationship between churches and the law, Goodspeed, an attorney, said, “One of the concerns that I have is that pastors are at risk of having the spirit of the times whispering in their ears about the selection of sermons and about the power in which they preach from the pulpit.” Goodspeed believes churches still stand on solid constitutional ground and will be the last place where “civil society impedes on the pulpits.” But
the farther an entity gets from its direct association with a church, faith-based entities, like Guidestone, come under increasing scrutiny. Goodspeed said, “You start to get out of the shadow of First Amendment protection.” But Hawkins called for perspective. The early church was persecuted—beaten, imprisoned and scattered. “I don’t see them organizing protests against the Roman government or petition drives. I see them preaching the gospel,” Hawkins said. Civil engagement is good and right, but it was not the priority of the first-century church that ignited the spread of the gospel across the world. Perry said the attack on the church will be subtle and, therefore, more damaging. Moral decay in the society will eventually be incorporated into the church as seen in the acceptance of same-sex marriage in culture and as mandated by the court. “I think it’s time for the church to be more proactive in what we are facing than reactive,” Perry said.
December 2015
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
ANNUAL MEETING
17
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PANEL: PASTORS DISCUSS TENSION BETWEEN COMPASSION, RULE OF LAW By Bonnie Pritchett TEXAN Correspondent
Few topics are as polarizing in America, even among Christians, as the subject of illegal immigration. But Christians, of all people, should be offering solutions that “embrace the tension” between loving compassion and the rule of law, said one pastor during a Criswell Collegesponsored panel discussion on the issue at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Nov. 10. The diverse panel included Andrew Hebert, pastor of Taylor Memorial Baptist Church in Hobbs, N.M.; Felix Cornier, pastor of El Companerismo Biblico El Camino in Lewisville and SBTC Field Ministry Strategist; Roland Johnson, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Keller; and David Fleming, pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston. Despite a diversity of views on the matter, the pastors agreed on two significant points: the U.S. immigration system is broken and Scripture must guide any resolution. Forum moderator Barry Creamer, president of Criswell College, asked the panelists what they want believers to understand about illegal immigration. The subject pits two diametrically opposed ideologies against each other—deportation or amnesty for all—with neither side willing to break ranks, Fleming said. That has left the nation floundering with no reform and a growing illegal popula-
tion. By “embracing the tension” between love and compassion, and justice and the rule of law believers can find common ground for reconciliation. Hebert said such a dialogue could begin as believers submit their views about immigration and those in the country illegally to the authority of Scripture. That, combined with personal relationships with undocumented immigrants, will give Christians a better understanding of who and what is at stake in the debate. “The world has come to our doorstep,” Johnson said, noting the number of undocumented immigrants ranges from 11-30 million. “What an opportunity to share the good news of the gospel.” Cornier simply asked that pastors not forget their calling as ministers. It is not their job to act as politicians or police. Instead their role affords them unique access into the lives of those living in the shadows. But what should a pastor do when he discovers a church member is in the U.S. illegally, Creamer asked? No one on the panel would report the person to the authorities, but Fleming and Cornier acknowledged the difficult situation a pastor is placed in with such a revelation. Cornier said while ministering to the needs of the individual is paramount, he also encourages them to be truthful and Christlike. “What they do with that information is up to them,” he said.
Criswell College President Barry Creamer (left) moderates a panel discussion with pastors on illegal immigration during a dinner at the SBTC annual meeting, Nov. 10. PHOTO BY ANDREW PEARLE
Hebert used to take a “hard right” political view on immigration and did so without being able to put a name or face to the issue. But once he took his current pastorate he came to know and befriend undocumented immigrants. “And they joined my church. And I baptized their children. And I began to shepherd them,” Hebert said. Citing the story of the Good Samaritan, Hebert said if someone confides they are in the country illegally, “You show them the love of Jesus Christ. We’re not the police. I feel no compelling responsibility to report them.” Fleming agreed to a point. He said, “We would, and have done, whatever we can to meet the immediate needs and to love that person to Christ and be a
community and a faith family for them.” But, he added, knowing an individual is actively breaking the law puts Christians, particularly pastors, in a different situation. The same Scripture that teaches the lesson of the Good Samaritan also teaches, in Romans 13, submission to governmental authorities. Unjust laws notwithstanding, Fleming said he wants to help the individual “make this right.” But making it right is part of what is wrong with the immigration system, the pastors contended. Their concerns included: efforts to rectify a person’s illegal status while remaining in the country with their U.S.-born children is practically impossible; 40 percent of the undocu-
mented immigrants are here with expired visas; employers and government tax coffers benefit from the labor of illegal immigrants whose status is often exploited by employers. Each pastor emphasized the need for believers to treat all people, even those in the country illegally, with compassion. Despite their immigration status they have needs the church can and should meet, most notably an introduction to the gospel. The pastors said racism cannot be tolerated in any discussion of immigration. They acknowledged it is a aggravating factor in some people’s opposition to reforming the system. Cornier concluded, “It’s such a touchy subject, and all the wrong people are talking about it. We need to get the right people to talk about it.”
Evangelism culture cultivated in churches through intentionality, 9Marks panel says by Keith Collier Managing Editor HOUSTON Pastors must be intentional and overcome fears in order to cultivate a culture of evangelism in their churches, according to a panel of pastors and professors during the 9Marks at 9 event at the SBTC Annual Meeting in Houston, Nov. 9. “You don’t have to be all that good at evangelism to do evangelism,” said Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville. Barber admitted he does not consider himself an expert evangelist, but “evangelism happens to me because I’m willing to do it despite the fact that I’m not that good at it.” Panelists—which included Barber; Don Whitney, professor of biblical spirituality at South-
ern Baptist Theological Seminary; Nathan Lorick, evangelism director for SBTC; and Juan Sanchez, pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin—agreed that intentionality is key. Whitney noted that it was easy for him as a pastor to spend all his time with Christians, so he had to go out of his way to engage lost people. “It’s got to be intentional, even for pastors,” he said. Sanchez listed several practical ways he encourages church members to be deliberate in personal evangelism: pray for unbelieving people, write down names of unbelieving people, and look for opportunities for gospel conversations. He said his church seeks to celebrate gospel conversations, even if they do not allow for a full gospel presentation. Celebrating these
intentional encounters gets the whole church talking about and praying about evangelism. When addressing obstacles for evangelism, Lorick noted most people fail to share the gospel because they fear rejection or a lack of knowledge. He said proper evangelism training in the church and giving members opportunities to witness through visitation or door-to-door evangelism help build confidence. Lorick also noted that some pastors unintentionally supply their congregation with excuses not to share the gospel, which undermines evangelism. “We make more excuses on what doesn’t work in evangelism than put effort into intentional evangelism,” Lorick said. He pointed to a pastor in the crowd who has been told by other pas-
tors that door-to-door evangelism does not work anymore but his church has experienced great success with the practice. “We make so many excuses as pastors as to why things won’t work, so we empower people to find excuses in their own life why it won’t work at the coffee shop or in their cubicle or at Walmart. There are tons of obstacles … but I really think in the church culture, one of the greatest obstacles is that from the pulpit we have given them every reason not to share the gospel versus the challenge, the commission, to be burdened and broken for the lost.” Barber encourages his congregation to be flexible in using different evangelistic approaches that fit their personality and the circumstances.
Sanchez warned against the temptation to treat evangelism as special, which assumes that someone needs special skills or techniques in order to share the gospel, when it should be normal. In a discussion on how to cultivate a culture of evangelism in the church, Whitney said such a culture can’t be developed without a clear understanding of the gospel. He encouraged churches and pastors to work hard at being clear in their presentation of the gospel as well as in helping members articulate it. Lorick said true disciple-making should always include evangelism. Sanchez agreed, adding, “Never underestimate the power of expositional preaching,” The gospel should be clear in every sermon from every text of Scripture.
18
BOOK REVIEW
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
HAWKINS OFFERS SCRIPTURE PRINCIPLES TO PUT FAITH INTO ACTION By Tammi Reed Ledbetter Special Assignments Editor DALLAS Within the week after becoming a Christian, someone handed O.S. Hawkins a slip of paper with 1 Corinthians 10:13 written on it, then looked the 17year old boy squarely in the face and said, “You better memorize this because you will need it!” Quoting the verse, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it,” Hawkins said only God knows how many times across the years he had arrived at temptation’s corner and that verse, hidden in his heart and mind, kept him on the right path. That was the starting point for Hawkins’ journey of Scripture memorization that has carried him through life every day since. His trilogy of devotionals titled The Joshua Code, The Jesus Code and The James Code were penned with the strategic purpose of addressing the three
common relationships every person has in life, encouraging memorization of key verses relating to each area. In the first book, Hawkins offered 52 verses every believer should know to relate to the upward expression of a relationship with God. The second book in the series offers 52 Scripture questions every believer should answer in describing their inward relationship with Christ. “Once we’ve been properly related to God and ourselves, then it’s the outward expression that gives credibility to our witness,” Hawkins said, describing the newest book that he designed to offer Scripture principles that put faith into action.
“If we’re really walking in the Spirit, we won’t be wearing out the seat of our pants. We will be wearing out the soles of our shoes,” he insisted. “Just like The Joshua Code, it’s not about getting people into the Word of God, it’s about getting the Word of God into us.” His daughter, Holly Hawkins Shivers, took the same concept and applied it to helping parents teach their children the same verses her dad selected for The Joshua Code, offering I Can Learn the Bible: 52 Scriptures Every Kid Should Know. Shivers wrote in her letter to parents, “We can educate our children with a biblical worldview, we can enroll them
in church activities and teach them principles to the best of our abilities, and we can pray for them, discipline them, and love them well. But there is nothing like the Word of God being planted in their hearts, taking root and producing genuine spiritual growth.” Hawkins agreed that the best time to start Scripture memorization is when children are young. “If they can repeat the dialogue of Bubble Guppies when they are preschoolers, they can learn the Bible,” he noted. From that first verse he memorized to deal with temptation, Hawkins learned to write a new memory verse in his own handwriting on a note card he keeps in his pocket. Whether at his desk or at a stoplight in the car, he reviews the first phrase until it is memorized, then the second, and so on. “It is helpful for me to quote the entire verse from memory up to a hundred times in order to ‘seal it’ in my heart and mind before going to another verse,” he added. In meditating on the verse, he sometimes puts the inflection
on a different word each time. “It’s amazing how much insight comes from this simple practice for the young and the seasoned believer alike.” Whether it’s a teenager starting out his journey of faith, a parent training a child to memorize a brief passage, or a man who has walked with Christ throughout his adult life, Hawkins stands by the promise of Joshua 1:8 that good success comes through recovering Scripture memorization and meditation. All of the royalties and proceeds from the three devotionals by O.S. Hawkins go to support Mission:Dignity, a ministry of GuideStone Financial Resources, helping supplement the income of thousands of retired ministers and their widows who are living near the poverty level. After 25 years of pastoring, Hawkins now serves as president of GuideStone which serves 250,000 pastors, church staff members, missionaries, and other workers in Christian organizations with retirement and benefit needs.
Boring, anemic prayer life can be cured by praying the Bible, Whitney says By Tammi Reed Ledbetter Special Assignments Editor SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. Don Whitney wants you to stop seeing yourself as a secondrate Christian. Having been in the same place most every believer at some point finds himself—repeating the same methodical prayers to a point of boredom—Whitney knows how easy it is to yield to the temptation of thinking, “Something must be wrong with me if I get bored in something as important as prayer.” The author of five other books on spiritual disciplines maintains that “truly bornagain, genuinely Christian people” often do not pray simply because they do not feel like it. “And the reason they don’t feel like praying is that when they do, they tend to say the same old things about the same old things,” he reasoned. A professor of biblical spirituality and associate dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary since 2005, the native Arkansawyer credits his former teacher at Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary, T. W. Hunt, with teaching him much about prayer by example. A few years later while serving his first pastorate, Whitney learned a profound yet simple lesson from R.F. Gates who held up the Bible and said, “When you pray, use the prayer book.” Whitney isn’t one to fault the believer’s spirituality, but rather the method of prayer, when trying to counsel anyone struggling with an effective prayer life. “It has to be fundamentally simple,” he explained, applicable to the 9-year-old Christian with an eagerness to grow as well as the 39-year-old saint “with a heart encrusted by the traditions and experiences of the years.” He is convinced that when the Holy Spirit enters any person, he brings his holy nature with him, resulting in a new hunger for the Word of God, fellowship with the people of God, and a longing to live in a holy body without sin. “The ever-fresh, ever-green work of the Holy Spirit” is manifested in every person in whom he dwells, Whitney reminded.
Christians tend to repeat prayers they have recorded in their minds or heard others recite when interceding for the same half-dozen things, Whitney explained, referring to typical pleas for family, future, finances, work, Christian concerns and the current crisis in their lives. “These are the areas where you devote almost all your time,” he explained. “Moreover, these are the great loves of your life, the places where your heart is.” The problem does not come from praying about the same old things, he said, but rather, “it’s that we say the same old things about the same old things,” leading to a boring prayer life, and ultimately not even feeling like praying. After setting that stage, Whitney devotes his book Praying the Bible to what he calls a fundamentally simple solution applicable to Christians of any age, intelligence or resources. He introduces the psalms as “the best place in Scripture from which to pray Scripture.” In praying the Psalms, Whitney explained,
“We are returning to God words that he expressly inspired for us to speak and sing to him.” Furthermore, he added, “You will never go through anything in life in which you cannot find the root emotions reflected in the Psalms. Exhilaration, frustration, discouragement, guilt, forgiveness, joy, gratitude, dealing with enemies, contentment, discontentment—you name it: they are all found in the book of Psalms. From the feedback he has received in teaching this method of prayer, Whitney has heard folks say it was easier to stay focused, “pray more about God and less about me,” pray for longer periods of time, approach God conversationally and meditate on his Word. The content of their prayers was applicable to life, centered on God’s will, broader in scope, heartfelt and fresh. Turning to Psalm 23, Whitney suggested a woman might pray for God to “shepherd” her children or grandchildren in various ways. On another day she could find in 1 Corinthians 13 an appeal for God to
develop in her family members the kind of love taught in that chapter. From Galatians 5 she could plead with the Lord to develop the fruit of the Spirit in her children. “The heart of her prayer— ‘Bless my children’—remains unchanged, even though her words change,” Whitney wrote. “By filtering that prayer through a different passage of Scripture each time, her prayer changes from a mind-numbing repetition of the same old things to a request that ascends from her heart to heaven in unique ways every day.” To put it more simply, Whitney encouraged readers to take the words that originated in the heart and mind of God, “circulating them through your heart and mind back to God.” That exercise allows God’s words to “become the wings of your prayers.”
December 2015
BOOK REVIEW
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
19
GOSPEL-REVEALING COMMUNITY SHOULD BE MORE THAN POTLUCKS & SMALL GROUPS By Keith Collier Managing Editor WASHINGTON, D.C. How would you define community in your church? Possible answers include such words as “potluck,” “accountability groups,” and “small groups.” In Compelling Community, Mark Dever and Jaime Dunlop define local church community as “a togetherness and commitment we experience that transcends all natural bonds— because of our commonality in Jesus Christ.” Their book not only offers a biblical paradigm for community but also practical methods for cultivating and protecting this community, as they share from 20 years of experience at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. While churches often assimilate community around demographic similarities such as age, life experiences, per-
sonal interests, etc., these natural bonds can be healthy but should not be the sum total of the gospel relationships in the church. In this sense, Dever and Dunlop challenge churches to seek supernatural community that could only be explained by the gospel. “Many relationships that naturally form in our churches would exist even if the gospel weren’t true,” they say. “That’s good, right, and helpful. But in addition, we should aspire for many relationships that exist only because the gospel.” Dever and Dunlop describe these two types of relationships as gospel-plus and gospelrevealing. Gospel-plus community adds the gospel to already naturally formed relationships in the church. However, they say, “In gospel-revealing community, many relationships would never exist but for the truth and power of the gospel—
either because of the depth of care for each other or because two people in relationship have little in common but Christ.” In this type of community, it’s not unnatural to see 20-somethings and retirees regularly caring for and discipling one another. For Dever and Dunlop, it’s not an either/or but a both/ and strategy for churches to be compelling communities that display the gospel to the world. In the first part of the book, they further explain the differences between gospel-plus and gospelrevealing relationships and challenge Christians to pursue community that is deep and wide. In the second part of the book, Dever and Dunlop discuss how preaching and corporate prayer facilitate supernatural, gospelcentered community. They also speak of local church community as a network of “spiritually intentional relationships,” where simple, informal relationships
For more details visit sbtexas.com/ec16
grow among church members. Here, conversations revolving around spiritual things are common rather than odd. They give practical ways to foster such relationships and emphasize the value of church membership. Part 3 recognizes the presence of sin that often derails gospel community and offers helpful insights on how to protect church unity and how to address sin in the church. They say, “When we are careful to follow [Jesus’] instructions, we create a culture of honesty and grace that can be experienced and seen—and that testifies to the transformative work of the gospel.” The final part of the book explains how this compelling community serves as an evangelistic witness in the world, as non-Christians see these gospel-revealing relationships and are drawn to Christ because of them. Additionally, church planting and church revitaliza-
tion are natural byproducts of such supernatural community. This book is excellent for pastors and church members alike, challenging our preconceived concepts of Christian community and stretching us to be intentional in pursuing deeper, wider relationships in the church. Such community paints a beautiful picture of the power of the gospel, which glorifies God, builds up his people, and attracts the lost.
20
BAPTIST
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
....................
BAPTIST BRIEFS Full versions of these stories and more can be found on Baptist Press: bpnews.net
DALLAS PASTORS DISCUSS POTENTIAL RESPONSES TO CITY’S NEW BATHROOM ORDINANCE The Dallas city council, in a closeddoor, late-night meeting Nov. 10, passed an ordinance allowing men into women’s restrooms. The measure was passed without public input and reportedly resembles the hotly-contested Houston ordinance, HERO, which Houston voters rejected in a 61-39 percent vote in early November. The new Dallas ordinance allows the government to fine private business owners $500 for not complying with the law. Dallas-area Baptist pastors met on a conference call in mid-November to discuss the ordinance and possible responses. The conference call, coordinated by Texas Values and the Houston Area Pastors Council, included Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas, and Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, among others.
SOUTHERN SEMINARY LAUNCHES ALBERT MOHLER APP, REDESIGNS MOHLER’S WEBSITE
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary launched a new mobile app and redesigned website for R. Albert Mohler Jr., offering users more convenient ways to engage with the evangelical leader’s content. In the past year, more than 1.6 million people visited AlbertMohler.com for the seminary president’s essays, his daily podcast “The Briefing,” and “Thinking In Public” conversations, resulting in 6.4 million pageviews. The new design offers more accessibility for mobile users, which made up more than half of the visits to the site, a trend not fully realized when the website adopted its previous look in 2012. The free Albert Mohler app is now available in the App Store (Apple only).
IN PARIS, ‘DEATH, PAIN & TERROR’ MET BY PRAYER, HOPE
T E X A N
a letter to employees Nov. 16. Rainer said the Southern Baptist entity does intend to complete the sale of its 14.5-acre campus, also located in downtown Nashville. LifeWay’s bid for the 1.5-acre property was accepted in July for $12.7 million with a $4.9 million tax incentive, lowering the overall cost to less than $8 million. Rainer, in his letter to LifeWay employees, said, “The property is a great downtown location, and would be an exciting place for our new building. But, we have concluded it’s not the best location for LifeWay. … We simply have found other potential downtown properties that are a better fit for LifeWay’s future. “We still anticipate closing on the sale of our property to [the development group] Uptown Nashville in the next few days,” Rainer continued. “And, we will let you know as soon as we can about where we intend to build LifeWay’s new headquarters.” While LifeWay has not announced a sale price, The Tennessean daily newspaper stated that Uptown Nashville will pay “around $125 million” for the property.
RACISM SATAN’S TOOL, FLOYD TELLS BAPTISTS
Friday the 13th became a day of infamy in Paris after a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris left at least 129 people dead and 350 wounded.
“This has been the worst attack in Paris since World War II,” said Tara Chaney*, an International Mission Board worker in France. “People are in a state of shock and mourning; however, there is also a sense of resolve. Parisians are slowly going about their lives. They want to prove to the terrorists that they have not won.” IMB officials reported all of their personnel in Paris are safe, although four were at the national stadium that was one of six locations targeted by terrorists. The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed responsibility, yet many Muslims around the world took to social media to condemn the attacks, citing a difference between Islam and extremist dogma. Mark Edworthy, IMB’s top strategist for Europe, said, “Some rush immediately to political or even ideological reasons behind the acts, but our workers understand the spiritual dimension of darkness in the world and the reality that violence can erupt anywhere and any time.” Edworthy added that some would think the immediate response is that Paris needs to monitor more closely the whereabouts of known terrorists or some other “empty solution” to a very complicated problem. “But our workers have one driving thought: ‘Paris needs Jesus,’” Edworthy said. For prayer resources for France, go to imb.org/france.
LIFEWAY REOPENS SEARCH FOR NEW HEADQUARTERS LifeWay Christian Resources is stepping away from the purchase of a 1.5acre site in downtown Nashville to look at other sites for a new headquarters, LifeWay President Thom Rainer said in
Racism is from Satan and his demonic forces, and the only hope for its defeat is the church of Jesus Christ united across societal divisions, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd told a culturally diverse group of Baptists in Mississippi Nov. 4. “I believe that the issue of racism is from Satan and the demonic forces of hell,” Floyd told hundreds gathered at Mission Mississippi’s racial reconciliation celebration at the Jackson Convention Center. “Racism is completely opposite from the message of Jesus Christ; it is completely opposite of the message of love; it is completely opposite of the message of dignity, value, and the sanctity of human life. It is completely opposite of the message of reconciliation.” Floyd spoke to Southern Baptists, National Baptists and others at the event aimed at exhorting and energizing pastors and the church to demonstrate the love of God in ending racism in Mississippi and the nation.
KY. BAPTISTS ELECT FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT
Kevin Smith, teaching pastor of Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, made history Nov. 10 at Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown by becoming the first African-American to be elected president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention during its 178th annual meeting. Smith was nominated by Lincoln Bingham, pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church at Shively Heights in Louisville. The race-relations pioneer in Kentucky
sbtexan
for more than three decades highlighted Smith’s contributions as a champion for racial reconciliation, church revitalization, evangelism and missions. “The Kentucky Baptist Convention is ready for the first African-American president,” Bingham said. “Smith is a Cooperative Program champion and has proven that he is a quality, committed leader.” Smith, who was the first AfricanAmerican to serve as first vice president of the KBC in 2006, defeated Jerry Tooley, director of missions for DaviessMcLean Association, who was first vice president this past year. Smith, an assistant professor of Christian preaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, captured 71.3 percent of the votes .
SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON TEXAS ABORTION LAW The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Nov. 13 to rule on a Texas law that stands to sound the death knell for many abortion clinics. The justices announced they would weigh a decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans that upheld most of the Texas measure, which requires an abortion doctor to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case a woman needs emergency hospitalization. The law also mandates abortion clinics must meet the health and safety standards of other walk-in surgical centers. If upheld by the high court, the law would reduce the number of abortion facilities in Texas from what had been about 40 to fewer than 10. Such a decision by the justices would have an impact in other states that have similar laws. The justices failed to act on an appeal of another Fifth Circuit ruling that affirmed a Mississippi law that requires admitting privileges for abortion doctors. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said after the high court issued its order, “We shouldn’t be surprised that the abortion rights lobby fights legislation that creates accountability for surgeons and clinics. The abortion industry has always operated at the expense of women and families.” The Supreme Court has not issued an opinion on abortion since 2007, when it upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. Earlier this year, the justices blocked implementation of the Texas law while the appeal process continues. Oral arguments in the case, which is Whole Woman’s Health v. Cole, are not expected until February or later.
REPORT: EFFORTS TO PUNISH SEX TRAFFICKERS IMPROVING When the advocacy group Shared Hope released its first report card on efforts to combat sex trafficking of America’s children, 26 states received a failing grade. This year’s report card, released Nov. 11, proved a surprise to Shared Hope founder Linda Smith. “I was excited there were no Fs,” Smith said. “In 2011, we had 26 states with failing grades—so many places in the United States that could be scary places for our children.” In addition to no Fs, more than half the states earned either an A or a B.
LONGEST-SERVING SOUTHERN SEMINARY PROFESSOR DIES The longest-serving faculty member in the history of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary died Nov. 11 after a battle with cancer. Maurice Hinson, 84, was the senior professor of piano at the seminary and had taught courses for 58 years.
December 2015
TEXAS
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
21
GET TO KNOW OUR SBTC TEAM NAME: MARSHA NANCE JOB: HR AND FACILITIES MANAGER CHURCH: LAKE ARLINGTON BC
WHAT DO YOU DO AT SBTC? I like to say that in the operations and finance department, we get to be servants to the servants by seeking and hiring support staff who will play a part in furthering the SBTC mission and then tending to the needs of all of our employees, I hope we enable the ministry staff to go be the hands and feet of our ministry. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR THE SBTC? Three years IF YOU COULD GAIN ANY SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND HOW WOULD YOU USE IT? A perfect memory, so that I would never forget something I’m supposed to do. WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN HAPPEN IN THE COURSE OF WORKING AT THE SBTC? Seeing our very professional staff accountant, CPA, sitting in her office working diligently and intensely while wearing her birthday tiara surrounded by big balloons. Quite the picture—as though crunching numbers in a tiara was the most natural thing!
CHURCH POSITIONS PASTOR u FBC Jewett is seeking a FT senior pastor. Send resume to donna.
[email protected] or PO Box 263, Jewett, TX 78546. u Faith BC, Quitman, is seeking FT pastor. Send resumes, including references, to be received by Jan. 31, 2016, to Faith Baptist Pastor Search Committee, c/o Kenneth Williams, PO Box 1495, Quitman, TX 75783. u FBC, Katy is seeking a senior pastor. This man should be qualified biblically, sound in doctrine, and have a desire to reach the lost. Submit your resume and references to Pastor Search Committee, First Baptist Church of Katy, 600 Pin Oak Road, Katy,TX 77494. u FBC, Electra, seeks FT senior pastor. Parsonage provided. Please send resumes to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 466, Electra, TX 76360 or e-mail to
[email protected]. u FBC in Gallatin, TN, is accepting resumes for a FT senior pastor. Please send resume to Pastor Search Committee, First Baptist Church, PO Box 369, Gallatin, TN 37066. u Sylvester BC is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Parsonage available. Send resume to Sylvester Baptist Church, PO Box 8, Sylvester, TX, 79560. u FBC Blum seeking bi-vocational pastor. Parsonage included. Send resumes to First Baptist Church, attn: Sam Howard, 207 E 3rd St, Blum, TX 76627. u Calvary BC, Woodville, is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resume to PO Box 484, Woodville, TX, 75979 or email
[email protected]. u Hispanic Ministry of North Oaks BC is seeking a bi-vocational or FT pastor. Must be able to preach and teach in Spanish. Minimal conversational English required. 2+ years of theological education; 2+ years of ministerial experience. Must accept the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000. Send resume to NorthOaksBaptist@gmail. com. Contact Joy Radabaugh at 281370-4060 for more information.
IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF PRODUCING AN ISSUE OF THE TEXAN NEWSPAPER, WHAT NEWSWORTHY TOPIC WOULD YOU MOST WANT TO INCLUDE FOR TEXAS READERS, AND WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE IT? The TEXAN does an outstanding job of bringing relevant topics to their readers’ attention, including the topic I would suggest, but I think I would suggest an article on the persecution of Christians across our world. I take so much for granted with respect to the religious liberty I enjoy and the relative ease of living out my faith in 21st century America. Understanding what it is costing many Christians in the world to follow Christ, not only gives a heavenly perspective to people like me but also motivates me to intercede for suffering Christians. And I believe we are nearing the last days when we will see persecution increase, so I need to be on the alert. IF YOUR CO-WORKERS WERE SECRETLY INTERVIEWED ABOUT YOUR MOST INTERESTING HABITS, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY? Some of my younger colleagues have expressed surprised at my eclectic taste in music: classical, 60s rock, alternative rock, to name some genres—but absolutely no country music!
u Fairdale BC in Hemphill is seeking an interim pastor for an undetermined period of time. Seminary degree preferred but not required. For more information, contact Milton Hamilton, Personnel Committee Chairman, at 409-579-9064 or 409332-2229. Please send resume to: Fairdale Baptist Church, Attn: Personnel Committee, 4820 Fairdale Rd, Hemphill, TX 75948.
u FBC Edgewood is seeking a FT minister of music/associate pastor. Salary: $35,000-$40,000, plus staff house (4 bedroom/2 full baths). Please submit resumes and a video representation of your ability to lead worship to:
[email protected] or send by mail to: Gale Kimbrough, Search Committee Chairman, FBC Edgewood, PO Box 355, Edgewood, TX 75117.
MUSIC u FBC, Sherman, is currently seeking a FT minister of music who would be responsible for the total music program of the church. For more information or to submit a resume, please email
[email protected]. u Central BC, Pampa, seeks a music minister/worship leader. Please send resumes to Norman Rushing, Pastor, at
[email protected] or mail to: Norman Rushing, 513 E Francis, Pampa, TX 79065. u Harleton BC is accepting resumes for a PT minister of music. Please send resumes to PO Box 344, Harleton, Texas 75651 or email to hbc@ harletonbaptist.org. u FBC Rogers seeks bi-vocational music minister. Please submit resumes to
[email protected] or mail to FBC Rogers, PO Box 296, Rogers, TX 76569.
YOUTH u College BC, Big Spring, seeking FT youth minister. Submit resumes to
[email protected]. u Hays Hills BC, Buda, is seeking a FT minister to students (teens). Must possess an MDiv and/or strong teaching ability. Contact
[email protected] or 512-295-3132, ext. 23. u Northrich BC, Richardson, is seeking candidates for FT or PT youth minister and/or youth/music combination. Send resumes to Pastor Brent Tucker at
[email protected]. u Boyd BC, Bonham, is searching for a PT or FT youth minister. Send resume to
[email protected]. u FBC Clarksville is seeking a PT or FT youth minister. Email resume to
[email protected] or mail to Dawn Snell, PO Box 401, Clarksville, TX 75426. For more information, call Dawn at 817-944-8600 or Sammy at 713-898-0462. u Luella FBC is seeking PT youth minister. Must be at least 21 years old and preferably an ordained minister. Must be a member of a Southern Baptist Church and have a solid Christian background. Contact Anna Garza at 903-893-2252, LuellaFBC@ gmail.com, or Luella First Baptist Church, 3162 Highway 11, Sherman, TX 75090. u Windom BC is looking for a PT youth minister. Will involve Sunday school and worship as well as Sunday and Wednesday night youth group. Send resume to:
[email protected], or Windom Baptist Church PO Box 1026 Windom Texas 75492. Contact Pastor Judd Strawbridge at 903-623-2215
COMBINATION u FBC Mansfield, LA, is seeking a FT minister of worship and adult ministries. Please send resume to: First Baptist Church, Attn: Search Committee, 1710 McArthur Drive, Mansfield, LA 71052. u FBC Keller is seeking associate pastor of worship and creative arts. For information about this position and the church, go to www.fbckeller. org or contact the church. u FBC, Henrietta, is seeking a FT minister of music/senior adults. Parsonage and salary dependent on experience/qualifications. Send resume to
[email protected] or mail to FBC, attn: Search Committee, PO Box 544, Henrietta, TX 76365.
YEAR END GIVING REMINDERS January 8th Regarding 2015 year end giving, through Jan. 8 the SBTC will apply gifts postmarked by Dec. 31, 2015 to the 2015 calendar year. After Jan. 8, 2016 all gifts will be applied to the 2016 year. 2016 Gift Forms Gift Forms will be arriving in your mailboxes in December 2015. The Gift Form is also available in a downloadable format on our website, sbtexas.com (click on the “Resources” tab on the home page). 2016 CP Gifts 55% of all CP gifts will go to the Southern Baptist Convention for missions and ministry around the world, while 45% will remain in state for work in Texas.
u Memorial Baptist Church, Killeen, is seeking an interim youth director, to win and build disciples for Christ. Three years’ experience and bachelor degree in Christian education preferred. Salary commensurate with experience, starting at $32,000; no relocation allowance. Email resume to
[email protected]
CHILDREN u FBC Rusk seeks a FT children’s director for birth through 5th. Send resume to
[email protected] or mail to Rusk First Baptist Church, Attn: Children’s Director Search Committee, PO Box 258, Rusk, TX 75785.
Announcements u BILL & BETTYE ROBERTS (NATIVE AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP MISSIONS) MSC VOLUNTEERS NAMB: There is a great need for 10 lb. bags of red beans & rice to deliver to Navajo Reservations in NM & AZ. They are also in need of shoes, socks, candy, and hygiene kits for children. 903-364-2515,
[email protected], Bill & Bettye Roberts, 361 Harris Lane, Whitewright, Texas 75491. u TEXAS BAPTIST HOME FOR CHILDREN (TBH): TBH is seeking partnerships to raise awareness of the services as well as the needs of the home. On Jan. 23, 2016, TBH’s adoption department will sponsor The Run for Their Lives Round-up for the children. Our goal is to raise $25,000 this year to help support Adoption Services of TBH. TBH exists to protect the sanctity of life and promote the preservation of the family through foster care and adoption programs. Call Christin at 972-937-1321 ext. 249 for more information. Monetary donations can be sent to Texas Baptist Home, Attn: Christin Barber, 629 Farley Street, Waxahachie, TX 75168. u TEXAS HYMN SING CONTEST: The first annual Texas Hymn Sing event is coming to Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth on Jan. 30, 2016 (This event was originally scheduled for Oct. 17, 2015, but had to be rescheduled). Grand prize for first place will be $1,000, and prizes will also be awarded to second and third place. Judging criteria and other information, including rules and registration, can be found at texashymnsing.net. There is no entry fee for the contest.
Paid Classifieds u Pastor, check out my new book on Amazon.com, “One Generation Away From Paganism” by James F. Tisdel. I can be reached at 512-6955326 or PO Box 114, McNeil, TX 78728-6399. u HYMNALS WANTED FOR FAMILY USE Four specific ones preferred, in good condition. Any quantities—large or small. *The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration (1986) *The Baptist Hymnal (1991) *The Baptist Hymnal (1956) *The Broadman Hymnal (1940) Please call Gary at 970-597-0313 or email
[email protected] u Screen printed T-shirts for church events—5 FREE SHIRTS FOR EVERY 50 YOU BUY, plus free shipping! Smaller orders welcome. Call Southeast Texas Printing Company (409) 622-2197.
22
SEMINARIES
S O U T H E R N
F A L L
B A P T I S T
T R U S T E E
sbtexan
T E X A N
M E E T I N G S
SBC SEMINARIES REPORT INCREASED ENROLLMENTS, NEW FACULTY, CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS Editor’s Note: Trustees for Southern Baptist seminaries conducted their regular meetings this fall. The following is a compilation of the highlights of these meetings, drawn from reports on Baptist Press. Read our story on Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustee meeting on page 23. By Keith Collier Managing Editor
SPURGEON LIBRARY DEDICATED, RECORD ENROLLMENT AT MIDWESTERN
President Jason Allen addresses those gathered for the Spurgeon Library dedication at Midwestern Seminary on Oct. 20. The library holds more than 6,000 books and artifacts from British pastor C.H. Spurgeon’s personal collection. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Spurgeon Library dedication, record enrollment, faculty elections and campus master plan approval highlighted Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s fall trustee meeting on Oct. 19-20. Capping more than 10 months of construction and preparations, as well as years of dreaming and planning, the seminary community celebrated the dedication of the Spurgeon Library with a ribbon cutting and official naming ceremony. Accompanied by Bill and Connie Jenkins, who donated $2.5 million for the project, President Jason Allen and his wife Karen cut the ribbon to officially open the library and then unveiled a plaque honoring the couple by naming the building that houses the library as “Jenkins Hall.” “The Spurgeon Library is the fulfillment of a vision to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ for the academy, for the church, and for the glory of God through the preservation and presentation of Charles Spurgeon’s personal library and related artifacts,” Allen said. During his president’s report to trustees, Allen announced that for the third consecutive year student headcount at Midwestern Seminary had reached record levels. This fall semester’s headcount was up 22 percent over the school’s previous top fall enrollment, which occurred in 2014. The fall headcount stands at 1,702 students, Allen reported. And he added that with the school’s second term of fall enrollment for its online program, a potential for even more growth is anticipated. Trustees elected two faculty members effective Jan. 1, 2016. Matthew C. Millsap, who joined the faculty in January, was elected as assistant director of library services and assistant professor of Christian studies. Owen D. Strachan was elected as associate professor of Christian theology and director of the Center for Theological and Cultural Engagement. Strachan, who came to Midwestern Seminary in August, is also president of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood.
GOD’S HAND ON GOLDEN GATE PHOENIX The board of trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, meeting Oct. 12-13 in Phoenix, expressed appreciation for the seminary’s
faculty, staff and students for their “efforts, endurance, prayers and amazing positive approach to the entire transition project.” After adopting the resolution of appreciation, trustees erupted in spontaneous applause for the efforts of seminary personnel during the relocation effort. “They have displayed a remarkable spirit during this transition,” vice chairman Larry Felkins said, “while moving one of the 10 largest seminaries in the world 400 miles across the state.” Golden Gate president Jeff Iorg reported on the institution’s progress and overall health during and despite the transition. A highlight was the news that the number of those enrolled in the seminary’s core programs—777 students—has remained the same since the announcement of the seminary’s move to Ontario, Calif. “While we have worked hard to manage the transition, I cannot explain these results by those efforts,” he said, “except to say it is God’s hand on Golden Gate Seminary.” The board elected Warren Haynes as director of the Contextualized Leadership Development Program. Haynes currently serves as director of missions for the Northwest Indiana Baptist Association. The seminary operates about 60 CLD centers in partnership with Baptist state conventions or associations. These centers operate in multiple languages for students with limited English skills and also serve people who do not otherwise have the educational background to enter the seminary’s core academic programs.
SBTS SEES RECORD STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. addresses the Board of Trustees in the Oct. 13 plenary session. SBTS PHOTO BY EMIL HANDKE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. Trustees of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary received a report of record student enrollment for the recently concluded 20142015 academic year and record fall enrollment for the current academic year during their Oct. 12-13 fall meeting. Seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr. summarized for trustees enrollment data for the past academic year and the fall 2015 semester, which are new records for the seminary. For the 2014-2015 academic year, there was a record non-duplicating headcount of 5,067 students in the seminary and Boyce College, surpassing the previous record of 4,792 during the 2013-2014 academic year. Among the total number of students during 20142015, 1,985 were enrolled in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program, Mohler noted. “We exist to train pastors,” he said, of which the M.Div. is the core degree—the “gold standard” and “sine qua non” for Southern Seminary. Trustees also approved the designation of Ayman S. Ibrahim as Bill and Connie Jenkins Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies. Ibrahim joined the faculty
in June as assistant professor of Islamic studies in the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry and senior fellow of the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam.
NOBTS APPROVES 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN NEW ORLEANS New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees approved a five-year strategic plan for the seminary and voted to establish a new extension center in Columbus, Ga., during their fall meeting. Seminary president Chuck Kelley also shared news of the record enrollment of 3,952 students. In his report to trustees, Kelley recounted the ways in which God provided for the seminary following Hurricane Katrina. In the 10 years after the storm NOBTS has witnessed the restoration of the campus and the launch of numerous new programs and scholarship initiatives, he said. For Kelley, the most exciting post-Katrina news came at the end of this summer when he learned of the record-setting enrollment of students during the 2014-2015 school year. Kelley said the Katrina experience helped the seminary learn to be a more resilient institution. Defining resilience as “the ability to continue when normal dramatically changes,” Kelley listed four keys to NOBTS resiliency: a comprehensive curriculum (featuring both traditional and distinctive programs); multiple delivery systems (main campus, extension, online, mentoring, travel courses); enhanced fundraising efforts; and a faculty focused on innovation (developing new skills and new ways to teach). “This is the new normal of our life at NOBTS and the key features of the way we do seminary today,” Kelley told trustees Oct. 14. Kelley presented the seminary’s five-year strategic plan for trustee approval. The strategic plan, Kelley said, is designed to help leadership focus on important initiatives and provides a mechanism for assessment. The five-year plan covers five keys areas—accreditation, promotion, enrollment, mentoring and income. Trustees voted to expand the seminary’s accessibility efforts by approving a new extension center in Columbus, Ga., offering both undergraduate and graduate study. The new center, which is scheduled to launch in August 2016 pending accreditation approval, will meet at Wynnbrook Baptist Church in Columbus.
WHITFIELD ELECTED SEBTS’ VP FOR ACADEMIC ADMIN. WAKE FOREST, N.C. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s board of trustees named Keith Whitfield as the new vice president for academic administration at its meeting Oct. 12. Whitfield joined the Southeastern faculty in 2012 as an assistant professor of theology and was soon named the associate dean of the College at Southeastern. Since 2014, he has served as the associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and faculty communications. The vice president for academic administration position is a new addition to the leadership of Southeastern. In his new role, Whitfield will assist the provost and deans in the management and implementation of academic matters. The position also oversees institutional effectiveness, the registrar’s office and library services. In addition, Southeastern’s trustees approved curriculum changes to the Master of Divinity degree, approved the creation of new student aid accounts, and voted to begin the process of updating the campus facilities master plan.
December 2015
TEXAS
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
23
TEXT-DRIVEN PREACHING DRIVES NEW SCHOOL OF PREACHING AT SOUTHWESTERN By Tammi Reed Ledbetter Special Assignments Editor FORT WORTH Asked by a trustee whether he favored the lateral move from dean of the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to lead the newly announced School of Preaching, David Allen quoted John Wayne in answering confidently, “You better know it.” “I’m convinced God has given me the lineup of lights in the harbor to know that the Lord wants me to do this,” he told a trustee committee, seizing the opportunity to advance the kingdom of God, further the ministry of Southwestern Seminary, and satisfy the desires of the school’s president and provost. The new School of Preaching will be launched in August 2016 to offer studies in preaching in classroom, seminar, workshop and conference settings. Allen, as the founding dean, defines text-driven preaching as “ex-
pository preaching in its purest form, where the structure, substance and spirit of the text drive the structure, substance and spirit of the sermon.” Joining him as the school’s faculty to provide more than 217 years of combined experience with expertise ranging from linguistics and rhetoric to history and evangelistic preaching, are Vern Charette, Barry McCarty, Matthew McKellar, Steven Smith, Denny Autrey and Kyle Walker. Allen, who has served in multiple pastorates throughout Texas, says this creates “such a dynamic that when we stand in the classroom to talk about preaching, we are not dealing with this from an ivory tower; we are people coming from the angle of practical experience, and that makes a world of difference in the teaching of preaching.” Degrees available through the school include the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), and Master
of Theology (Th.M.). In addition, the school will also offer the certificate of preaching that will supplement the Master of Divinity programs of the School of Theology and Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. “We’re coming into the life of the convention at a time when the conservative reformation has accomplished its task, but the next stage is to bring out the meaning of that in the preaching in churches,” stated Craig Blaising, executive vice president and provost. “We have the battle for the inerrant Bible being taught in the seminaries, but now is the issue of preaching the Word. It has to be preached, and this is the place to [learn how to] do it.” Since current faculty members are being moved from one school to a new one, seminary president Paige Patterson said the launch does not involve the expenditure of a great deal of money. A new dean of theology will be recommended to the board
by next spring, Patterson said, adding that he will be forever grateful for Allen’s work in that role since 2004. Beyond the classroom experience, Allen said he can imagine what can be done through ministries that flow from the School of Preaching out to the convention and beyond to a broader evangelical world and the 80 international seminaries with which Southwestern partners. “These are the things that are running around in my brain from the excitement of what God can do,” Allen said with exuberance. “He has opened the door.” Texas trustee Kevin Ueckert, pastor of First Baptist Church of Georgetown, told the TEXAN, “I’m excited about what the seminary can now offer in preaching—there are a lot of pastors who have been preaching quite a while who want to improve, and a lot of younger guys who want to preach better. This gives attention to both segments and highlights what the seminary does best.”
He praised not only Allen’s long career as a champion of text-driven preaching but expressed delight at the election of SBC parliamentarian Barry McCarty as professor of preaching and rhetoric. Others elected to the faculty include Nathan Burggraff as assistant professor of music theory, Bennie Caston as associate professor of voice, Charles Savelle as assistant professor of Bible exposition, and David Toledo as assistant professor of music ministry. Trustees participated in the dedication of the library of former SBC president and longtime Memphis pastor Adrian Rogers, displayed on the second floor of the Roberts Library, and broke ground on the Mathena Hall building, which will house the School of Missions and Evangelism and the College at Southwestern. The student services committee reported that enrollment had been up 10 percent for the last two years, with 400 more students than the previous year.
24
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
PASTOR FINDS, ‘GOD DIDN’T CALL US COWBOYS; HE CALLED US SHEPHERDS’ By S. Craig Sanders SBTS HAMLIN Cowboys roam in middle-of-nowhere West Texas. Not the city-slicking “rhinestone” kind in Dallas, but cowboys riding on horseback and pushing cattle into a pen. In these small towns, community life is a picture of a bygone era in American culture, where pastors are wellrespected and everyone’s life is on public display. When he left Southern Seminary in 2012 to become the pastor of First Baptist Church, Hamlin, Texas, John Powell tried to corral his congregation like a cowboy into a pen of spiritual and theological maturity. But a period of despair fell upon Powell when he realized the loneliness of the pastoral calling and the reality that, in the breakneck pace of church ministry, “God didn’t call us cowboys; he called us shepherds.” “Shepherds don’t push from behind, they lead from the front,” Powell said in a video interview with Southern Seminary. “I came just wanting to ride a horse fast and have that bandanna blow in the wind, but what I realized is I need to foster a tenderness and gentleness and leadership in a way that cowboys don’t.” Although he spent most of his life as a “suburban kid,” Powell, who is from Kansas City, Mo., said his family’s deep roots in West Texas agrarian society attracted him to the pleasures of rural life when he made summer visits to his grandfather’s farm. He freely admits he is not a true cowboy like many of his church members, but Powell enjoys outdoor excursions like the solitude of riding a horse and often wears a cowboy hat and boots. Powell certainly looks the part of a small-town pastor, but he said it took him nearly two years before he embraced the harsh realities of rural ministry. Before moving to Hamlin, a town of 2,100 people, Powell said he could roam freely in Louisville, Ky., without running into people he knew. But in a small town, a pastor’s life is on public display, and Powell said he soon recognized his pastoral responsibility even when he went to the grocery store or relaxed in his own home.
“SHEPHERDS DON’T PUSH FROM BEHIND, THEY LEAD FROM THE FRONT. I CAME JUST WANTING TO RIDE A HORSE FAST AND HAVE THAT BANDANNA BLOW IN THE WIND, BUT WHAT I REALIZED IS I NEED TO FOSTER A TENDERNESS AND GENTLENESS AND LEADERSHIP IN A WAY THAT COWBOYS DON’T.” —JOHN POWELL, PASTOR OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, HAMLIN
“There’s an accountability mechanism in a small town where everybody knows everyone, but there’s also a great opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed through just the simple everyday life of a man living in a small town,” Powell said. “I’ve always got to be on my game.” Powell has since become an advocate for pastors not only to serve rural communities but to dedicate their lives to these areas. He said young pastors often marginalize rural churches by using them merely as a stepping stone for
future ministry opportunities. While Powell recognizes the priority to reach the urban centers of the world, he insists shrinking rural communities also are the “ends of the earth” and need Great Commission faithfulness from ministers. “Rural church ministry involves being with people when they are at their places of worth,” Powell said, describing how he often spends time with church members at their farms, hunting trips, or businesses rather than the privacy of his church office. “Rural church ministry is a ministry of presence.” After nearly two years in Hamlin, Powell said he contemplated leaving the ministry. Despite his efforts in evangelism and expository preaching, Powell said he felt discouraged when his membership declined and no new converts joined the church. At that time, several close friends at Southern Semi-
nary, including Provost Randy Stinson and former admissions director Ben Dockery, intervened and encouraged Powell. Stinson recommended Powell read Paul David Tripp’s Dangerous Calling, which Powell credits with exposing the pride that “infiltrated” his ministry at FBC Hamlin. Contrary to some church growth strategies, Powell said his understanding of a successful ministry could not rely on instant results, increased membership and an expanded budget. Part of the reason he now encourages young pastors to commit their lives to rural church ministry is because it may take “10 years to see people catching on” to spiritual truths and exhortations. “My paradigm for success has had to become sanctified,” Powell said. “I had to realize success was not more people, it may mean less people. Success
was not more money, it may mean less money. ... Success is faithfulness, even when it’s hard, even when you want to give up.” A key to perseverance in rural ministry, Powell notes, is finding like-minded pastors in the area for mutual encouragement and friendship during times of loneliness. He said Southern Seminary has provided him with a network of alumni in rural parts of Texas with whom he can identify and share in the labors of ministry. “I’m a product of Southern. It’s part of my DNA now,” Powell said. “The school has helped to craft me into the man that I am. I would not be the pastor that I am without the education that I received and the people I befriended.” Southern Seminary’s nineminute mini-documentary on Powell is available online at http://bit.ly/1k7TRA7.
