APRIL 2009 | Vol. 27, No. 4 | baptiststoday.org $3.95

SShhaarriinngg tthhee SSiiddeewwaallkk Barbara Brown Taylor takes a look at the changing South page 4

James Dunn and soul freedom page 12

APRIL 2009 | Vol. 27, No. 4 John D. Pierce Executive Editor Today serves churches by providing a reliable source of [email protected] Jackie B. Riley unrestricted news coverage, thoughtful analysis and inspiring Managing Editor features focusing on issues of importance to Baptist Christians. [email protected] An autonomous national Keithen M. Tucker Baptist news journal Development and Marketing Director [email protected] Tony W. Cartledge P E R S P E C T I V E Contributing Editor [email protected] > A time for not talking about race ...... 7 Street Bruce T. Gourley John Pierce 8 Online Editor Questions [email protected] > Facing a new Baptist century ...... 16 “Why so many Baptists Vickie Frayne Larry Hovis Art Director in U.S., Texas?” > From complacency to common cause...... 17 Jannie T. Lister Connie Pursiful By Michael E. Williams Office Assistant Office Assistant Scott L. Stearman Lauryn C. Dant > Chasing a rumor ...... 31 Circulation Assistant Walker Knight Jack U. Harwell Lee Canipe Publisher Emeritus Editor Emeritus > On interpreting the Bible...... 36 Board of Directors Gary F. Eubanks, Marietta, Ga. (chairman) Alan Culpepper Kelly L. Belcher, Spartanburg, S.C. (vice chair) Z. Allen Abbott, Peachtree City, Ga. I N T H E N E W S Jimmy R. Allen, Big Canoe, Ga. Nannette Avery, Signal Mountain, Tenn. > Duke Divinity addresses effective...... 14 Ann T. Beane, Richmond, Va. Thomas E. Boland, Alpharetta, Ga. church leadership Huey Bridgman, Columbus, Ga. Robert Cates, Rome, Ga. > Russian Baptists denounce newspaper smear ...... 15 Anthony D. Clevenger, Pensacola, Fla. Kenny Crump, Ruston, La. > Ministers need help caring for their own ...... 15 David Currie, San Angelo, Texas mental health James M. Dunn, Winston-Salem, N.C. James L. Evans, Auburn, Ala. > BWA reports good news, bad news...... 26 W.M. Gilbert Jr., Lavonia, Ga. R. Kirby Godsey, Macon, Ga. > N.C. church sets example with ...... 27 Cover photo by David Price of William B. Greenhaw, Macon, Ga. Piedmont College. ‘Neighbor-love’ is Leslie D. Hill, Lexington, Ky. eco-friendly building Jimmy Little, Hartselle, Ala. at heart of Christian tradition says Michael M. Massar, Tyler, Texas > Kay Warren: Following Christ means being...... 29 Barbara Brown Taylor. Page 4 J. Thomas McAfee, Macon, Ga. William T. Neal, Stone Mountain, Ga. ‘seriously disturbed’ Ella Wall Prichard, Corpus Christi, Texas Michael G. Queen, Wilmington, N.C. > An ‘Amish’ heater the Amish can’t use? ...... 38 Mary Etta Sanders, Dalton, Ga. Macon Sheppard, Folly Beach, S.C. > Yearbook notes membership declines ...... 39 Walter B. Shurden, Macon, Ga. for largest U.S. religious groups Charlotte Cook Smith, Raleigh, N.C. David M. Smith, Houston, Texas Leo Thorne, Valley Forge, Pa. Sarah Timmerman, Cairo, Ga. 11 News journal launches campaign to Clement H. White, St. Petersburg, Fla. Advocates expand services, ensure future p. 32 Mary Jayne Allen, Chattanooga, Tenn. Randy L. Hyde, Little Rock, Ark. Sherry McGlaughlin, Liberty, Mo. David Woody, Daniel Island, S.C. F E AT U R E S Baptists Today (ISSN 1072-7787) is published monthly by: > James Dunn and soul freedom ...... 12 Baptists Today Aaron Weaver P.O. Box 6318 Macon, GA 31208-6318 > China offers opportunities for relationships...... 30 Grammy-nominated To subscribe or place with students rapper conveys an advertisement, call 478-301-5655 or Carla Wynn Davis reformed theology toll-free 1-877-752-5658. David Roach Subscription rates: 1 year, $20 2 years, $35 1 year groups of 25 or more, $15 I N E V E R Y I S S U E 1 year Canada, $35 1 year foreign, $50 Periodical postage paid Quotation Remarks 6 Classifieds 24 at Macon, Ga. 31208 Editorial 7 Readers’ Responses 25 POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Baptists Today Back-row Birdie 18 In the Know 28 P.O. Box 6318 Macon, GA 31208-6318 Formations Commentary 19 Media Shelf 34 © 2009 Baptists Today. All rights reserved. Resource Page 23 Reblog 37

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 3 F E A T U R E BY JOHN PIERCE Sharing the sidewalk Barbara Brown Taylor explores the changing South

THENS, Ga. — “Ignorant people are Finding a wide variety of religious expres- Taylor said she teaches world religions more likely to be fearful people, and sions in what was once the domain of “because it is my best shot at creating world A fearful people are more likely to hurt is getting easier. Hence, Taylor peace” and “… my Christian duty.” those they are afraid of,” said Barbara Brown and the college sponsored this February confer- Building relationships across religious Taylor in the opening session of a conference ence to help others recognize and respond to lines is essential in communities that are now sponsored by Piedmont College, where the the changing religious landscape of the South. experiencing unparalleled diversity, she said. renown preacher and author has taught full The fieldtrip education she offers to stu- “As Christians go, I’m a hopeless idealist …” time since 1997. dents is designed to counter ignorance of other she said. “I don’t want anyone dead because of Therefore, Taylor, an Episcopalian who faith traditions and to lessen fear of those who their religion.” served as a parish minister for 15 years before look and think differently. At the least, she For many Protestant Christians accus- joining the faculty of the small Congregational wants her students to be curious about faith tomed to majority status especially in school in North Georgia, drags her students to traditions other than their own. Southern towns, however, the growing reli- meet all kinds of religious people in rural com- “I’ll take curiosity over fear any day,” she gious diversity can be threatening. Why? munities and throughout metro Atlanta. said of her students’ inquiring minds when “Because we are threatened by what we Studying world religions is now a hands-on they visit a mosque, temple or other unfamil- don’t know about,” Taylor told Baptists Today experience. iar religious setting. at the conclusion of the two-day conference. “Because we’ve never been in a position of having anyone else to talk to us about their Barbara Brown Taylor leads an exploration of "Who Is My ‘truth,’ their ‘gospel,’ their ‘good news.’ We’ve Neighbor? A Changing always been the giver of the good news.” Religious South" during a Moving from her parish ministry to the February conference spon- sored by Piedmont College. college classroom, Taylor learned that the plu- ral pronoun she had used previously no longer meant the same thing. In her church setting, “we” applied to the congregation, Episcopalians or — or in the broadest sense — Christians. She was surprised by the varied religious backgrounds and experiences of her students — especially those from metro Atlanta — including “more kinds of Baptists than I ever knew existed.” Taylor tries to teach her students that learning about and respecting another person’s religious beliefs and practices do not compro- mise one’s own faith commitments. For Christians, she said, truth has much to do with “right relationships.” For those unaware of the tremendous and growing religious diversity across the U.S., Taylor pointed to the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. Its web site (www.plural- ism.org) tracks the shifts and growth, and provides multiple resources including a map that allows users to learn about the varied religious groups in a particular state. Taylor said she was most surprised by “the almost meteoric growth” of the diverse Asian community. The Immigration Act of

4 | Baptists Today • April 2009 I N F O RFMEAATTIUORNE

These Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders — among others — discuss the changing religious landscape of the South and how persons of varied faith traditions can better relate to one another. Photos by David Price/Piedmont College.

1965, she noted, opened gates that had been interfaith relationships to grow within the University of Georgia. The mosque has closed for 40 years. community. included participation in the Abraham Alliance “As someone who has known Atlanta for Bolen said that his interest in building as part of the job description for the new 30 years, that’s been a surprise — at how interfaith relationships came from two sources. imam scheduled to arrive this spring. many different Hindu temples there are — “First, because I am a Baptist.” Such interfaith efforts are crucial as the Jain temples, Sikh study centers,” she said. He explained how Baptists and Jews, religious landscape continues to change — “Buddhist temples of every kind — including alike, sought refuge and freedom in Rhode even in rural communities — said Taylor who the North American seat of the Dali Lama’s Island founded by early American Baptist and lives in Habersham County, Ga., where the monastery in India is in Atlanta, Ga.” religious liberty advocate Roger Williams. main campus of Piedmont College is located Awareness of such religious diversity, Second, Bolen said his experience of being in the tiny town of Demorest. Taylor hopes, will encourage action. a Southern Baptist seminary student in the San The county “that looked like Mayberry “‘Neighbor-love,’ I find, is at the heart of Francisco area broadened his perspective. when I immigrated there in 1992” now has my (Christian) tradition,” she said. “It gave me an experience I did not enjoy three Thai restaurants, she noted. Edward Bolen, pastor of Milledge Avenue growing up as Baptist in the South,” said the Then how should the changing religious Baptist Church in Athens, Ga., took such Valdosta, Ga., native. landscape in even rural communities impact action a few days following the terrorist The leaders of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian preaching? attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He walked the three Christian congregations have made no “I can only say how it has impacted my or four blocks from his church to the Al-Huda attempts to worship together out of respect for Christian preaching,” Taylor responded to Islamic Center and knocked on the door. their individual approaches to worship. Instead Baptists Today. “I’m always mindful of where Bolen confessed to not being a very good they focus on building relationships, learning I’m preaching. If I’m in the heart of a neighbor — having never welcomed the con- about each other’s traditions and working Christian community, I just let fly with all gregation to the community. It was the together in common community concerns. my Christian language and theology. If I beginning of a relationship that soon included “In interfaith (efforts), it’s important not know there may be people coming in from all the local synagogue, Congregation Children of to paper over differences,” said Rabbi Gerson. over, I try to preach something that will Israel, and evolved into the Abraham Alliance. He noted that he attends many conferences sound like good news to everybody sitting In a breakout session, Bolen and Rabbi where potential interfaith activities are dis- there.” Ron Gerson told of how the three congrega- cussed, but “we already have a model … Sharing one’s faith can be done faithfully, tions have partnered in recent years to build though it’s not perfect.” yet in the spirit of love, she said. Habitat for Humanity houses together and to One creative effort to foster better under- “If there’s hospitality and a willingness to simply get to know one another. standing among the three congregations was listen both ways, I’m all for it,” said Taylor. The starting point was a spaghetti dinner titled “Three faiths and a wedding.” The pas- “It’s just so often done with an unkind heart.” hosted by the Baptists — where, as the rabbi tor, rabbi and imam recruited youth from their The new religious landscape is a reality. said, “We just enjoyed the fellowship.” congregations to participate in mock weddings The only choices involve how persons respond “I’ve really not found much (anti- so that members of the other faith communi- to such changes. Semitism), but misunderstanding (between ties could witness the varied approaches. “It is one of our unique blessings as well Christians and Jews),” said Rabbi Gerson of Imam Hisham Achmed recently left as one of our unique challenges,” said Taylor, the university town. So he was eager for Athens after completing graduate work at the “to share the same sidewalk.” BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 5 P E R S P E C T I V E quo a ion t t r e m a r k s

“This world has HEARD much from the “I don’t care what people’s motives “You can’t run it like a church. You church about who we are and what we are for signing up for the car, just can’t judge anybody. You have believe. Too often they don’t SEE the that they hear the tr“uth. People came people come in with a”ll types of church as being a different entity than to Jesus in the Bible for the wrong problems and needs and situations.” others in their communities.” reasons, such as to be healed, for —Church of God chaplain Rick Mann of Oaklawn —Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny free food, or to be entertained.” Park horse track in Hot Springs, Ark. (RNS) Hunt of Woodstock, Ga., on selecting “LoveLoud — —Evangelist Ronnie Hill, who gave away a new Actions Speak Louder Than Words” as the theme for Chrysler 300 LX in a website contest open to “The art of managing nowadays the annual SBC meeting in Louisville in June anyone willing to watch a three-minute gospel seems to focus on getting someone () presentation (The Christian Index) else to pay the price. Enjoy rewards on the way up, but dodge conse- “Nothing this side of Galileo has “One of the common errors of quences on the way down.” inflamed so many Christians as founder-presidents is to hold to —Religion News Service columnist Tom Ehrich Darwin’s evolutionary tome, On the the reins of leadership too long, Origin of Species. Still, I must confess: thereby preventing the next gen- “The No. 1 byproduct of an age of I just don’t ‘get’ the fight between reli- eration from being prepared for greed is hungry souls. … Our current gion and science or faith and reason.” executive authority.” economic crisis is providing an —Marv Knox, editor of the —James Dobson, who resigned as chairman of opportunity to rethink what matters Texas Baptist Standard (ABP) Focus on the Family but will continue his and to turn away from the material- radio show and newsletter (RNS) ism that holds us in its grip.” “[Mark Driscoll] has resurrected a —Author Dick Staub in an RNS column titled particular strand of fire and brim- “We believe that we are in friendly “Greed, it turns out, isn’t so good after all” storm, one that most Americans cooperation with the Southern assumed died out with the : Baptist Convention. Our purpose Calvinism, a theology that makes Pat here today was to express that and Robertson seem warm and fuzzy.” also to share who Broadway is and —New York Times writer Molly Worthen, on the what we are about.” In the news, 25 years ago . . . controversial Seattle pastor, in an article titled —Lyn Robbins of Fort Worth’s Broadway Baptist “Even a casual reading of the New “Who would Jesus smack down?” Church after the SBC Executive Committee Testament should convince us that postponed action on whether the congregation’s too sharp a distinction has been “One of the pastors helpfully reminded tolerance of gay members disqualifies it from SBC made between the ‘ordained clergy’ me that I was no longer in Virginia membership (ABP) but back in Texas, and our Baptist and the laity. We may also be con- churches don’t celebrate Lent … So, I “We won’t start something that already vinced there is little if any scriptural began to say, let’s celebrate 40 days of exists. The church has one thing that basis for the rather elaborate type of prayer between the first day of deer every agency in your community ordination service frequently followed season and Super Bowl Sunday.” needs — people. They need volunteers in our churches.” —Randel Everett, new executive director of the … Partner where you can partner.” Baptist General Convention of Texas, on receiving a —Rick Rusaw of LifeBridge Christian Church in —T.B. Maston of Fort Worth, Texas, mild rebuke when he suggested a season of prayer, Longmont, Colo., telling a Baylor University in SBC Today, March/April 1984 fasting and repentance for Texas Baptists during conference that his congregation intentionally avoids Lent (Baptist Standard) starting new ministries (ABP)

6 | Baptists Today • April 2009 P E R S P E C T I V E e d i t o r i a l A time for not talking about race By John Pierce

outhern Baptist editor Kelly Boggs’ While such lofty affirmations sound so Such authority is granted — not grabbed. recent column in Baptist Press reveals spiritual, they ignore the reality that white Long reflection, ongoing confession and S why white conservative Christians are evangelical churches have been a major part of honest repentance must precede any meaning- not taken seriously very often in needed the problem, not the solution to racism. An ful proclamation. Maybe years after humbly discussions about race. “aggressive church” is where racial discrimina- confessing our sins — and acknowledging our The editor of the Louisiana Baptist tion was theologically justified and its related capacity for hate and our inability to read Convention newspaper, Baptist Message, prejudices were reinforced within the faithful Scripture correctly when it goes against the addressed the controversy over a political for decades. grain of our culture and economic benefit — cartoon in the New York Post that many con- Evangelical was a major then we can offer a fresh word. sidered offensive — believing it to portray obstacle to America’s quest for civil rights — But now is the time to reflect quietly on President Obama as a chimp. These racial in which the “ideals rooted … in Jesus Christ” troubling questions such as … sensitivities are understandable since for gener- concerning human equal- • How could we have missed such a basic ations such racist portrayals have been ity were ignored or biblical truth as the equality of all persons? common. misconstrued by bad • How could we treat fellow Americans — But white-guy Boggs is quick to give his biblical interpretations. even sisters and brothers in Christ — as of white-guy perspective with comments like: “I Therefore, the words less than equal value? saw nothing racial in the Post cartoon.” “So of white (especially • Why has racism been fostered by the very long as some in our country see racism behind Southern) evangelical persons who claim Jesus as Lord? every wrong, every comment and in every car- Christians ring hollow. • How could so-called Christian churches not toon, we will never make progress on the issue And Boggs is in no posi- even open their doors to people of all races? of race or be able to put the real racists in their tion to tell African Americans what they place.” “I do not believe that the Post cartoon should or should not find offensive. Then, more importantly . . . contained any racial message.” On this subject in particular, white evan- • Where are our blind spots today? Then Boggs quotes and agrees with the gelical Christians need to shut up about how • To whom will we need to apologize in the equally white, religious right figure Tony to “fix” the race problem and spend more time days and years ahead for our current sins of Perkins of the Family Research Council — seriously contemplating why our own history oppression and exclusion? who said that the solution to racial reconcilia- of race relations is so deeply marred. tion is found “in a more aggressive church Southern evangelicals have no more moral President Obama and Attorney General where we unite around ideals rooted not in authority to speak on issues of race than the Eric Holder — the first African Americans to skin color but in Jesus Christ.” Roman Catholic Church does on sexual ethics. hold their respective positions — have rightly called for more open, honest dialogue about YES! I/We want to support BAPTISTS TODAY by… race. But the best contribution from many of us would be to simply listen for a while. ______J Making a gift of $______(enclosed). White evangelical Christians are not NAME J Joining the “Friends of Freedom” and going to bridge the racial divide with procla- ______making a pledge of $______to be given mations that attempt to define what is and is over three years. (Initial gift enclosed) PHONE not racism or try to quick-fix the centuries-old J Making a gift of $______in memory or ______problem with spiritually-wrapped statements honor (circle one) of ______. ______of simplicity. J Providing a church group subscription ADDRESS Sure, it is more satisfying to tell other peo- (25 copies) through a gift of $450. ______ple the answers to all of their questions than to J Sending individual gift subscriptions to CITY _____ friends at $20 each for one year or wrestle with our own. And Baptists too often $35 for two years. (Enclose names and ______aren’t very good at the hard work of reflection, addresses of recipients.) STATE ZIP repentance and relationship building. J Exploring ways to support Baptists Today ••• We like to talk — and act as if our latest through estate planning. (Contact MAIL completed form with check to: Baptists Today, opinion is the right one for everyone else to Keithen Tucker at 1-877-752-5658 or P.O. Box 6318, Macon, GA 31208-6318 — or, to use a [email protected].) CREDIT CARD, call 1-877-752-5658. embrace. But our past actions do not afford us such a position on the subject of race. It is a BAPTISTS TODAY IS A 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. GIFTS OF SUPPORT ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. time to reflect deeply and listen to others. BT April 2009 • Baptists Today | 7 P E R S P E C T I V E BY MICHAEL E. WILLIAMS

‘STREET QUESTIONS ABOUT BAPTISTS’ Editor’s note: This is the fourth article in a series titled “Street Questions about Baptists,” in celebration of 400 years of the Baptist movement. ‘Why are there so many Baptists in America, especially in Texas?’ This question takes us to the very origins and core beliefs of Baptists — who, in their earliest days, were a despised sect within Christianity.

n English life, Anglicans and even Enthusiastic evangelism along with infor- occurred in the early part of the 19th century, Puritans generally lumped Baptists mal worship and polity typified the first of Baptists were uniquely positioned to benefit I together with groups like Quakers and these churches, Sandy Creek Baptist Church. again. The Baptist emphasis on the priest- sometimes Presbyterians in a category known These became one of the hood of believers and soul competency meant as Dissenters. The first Baptists in England, key traditions that influenced the growth of that every frontier farmer or storekeeper was a led by and John Murton, Southern Baptists. potential preacher. Likewise, due to local experienced heavy persecution at the hands of These characteristics also appealed to the church autonomy, any group of Baptists could the established Church of England. largely uneducated and fiercely independent start a church — without awaiting the The Puritans of New England and the settlers, many of Scots-Irish descent who fled approval of a regional bishop or synod or Anglican Church in the South transferred this to the frontier in search of cheap or free land some far-off mission board — and call one of persecution to the first Baptists appearing in and little government interference, and no their own to serve as pastor. the North American colonies. By 1730 only political or religious authoritarianism. While a lack of emphasis on educated about 50 Baptist churches with fewer than Due in large part to the influence of the clergy sometimes harmed the work of Baptists 2,500 members existed in the original Great Awakening and the aggressive church and led to conflict and schism, these poorly colonies. planting and evangelism of the Separate educated or uneducated leaders spread the With the Great Awakening, however, Baptists, by 1790, Baptists may have num- work of Baptists across the frontier both Baptists benefited more than perhaps any bered over 67,000 members, and Baptist North and South. other group from the revivals that spread historian Robert Gardner’s meticulous Baptists thrived in new states such as throughout the colonies — although, ironi- research identifies nearly 1,000 Baptist Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas cally, many existing Baptist churches did not churches in the newly formed republic. and the northern parts of Louisiana. As fully embrace the Awakening. The new nation’s separation of church Baptists spread westward, they took their The growth for Baptists came from many and state and religious freedom aided this beliefs with them. Congregationalists in New England (called growth. About the same time, older Regular About the same time, Baptists like “New Light” congregations) who became con- Baptists and new Separate Baptists recognized and John Mason Peck led vinced that Baptists were correct about the they had far more in common than character- churches in both the North and the South to importance of believers’ baptism. So many istics that separated them and began to draw organize and unite around missions, though revival converts adopted that it closer together. not without some fierce opposition from caused famous evangelist and Anglican George When a series of revivals eventually “anti-missions” Baptists. Whitefield to say, upon returning to the known as the Women discovered a venue for leadership colonies, that all his young chicks had become in the support and promotion of missions. ducks — alluding to their baptismal choices. Spectacular growth for Baptists continued These new Baptists formed New Light throughout the antebellum period. Baptist churches rather than joining the old In the South, however, a continued “Regular” Baptist churches. Three remarkable Michael E. Williams emphasis on personal evangelism and individ- leaders —, Martha Stearns dean of the College of ualism led to the neglect of social issues Marshall and Daniel Marshall — emerged. Humanities and Social including a nearly unanimous cultural com- Their efforts resulted in an explosion of New Services and professor of promise with slavery, unlike in the North, Light Baptist congregations called “Separatist” history at Dallas Baptist where frequently Baptists could be counted Baptists throughout North Carolina and University among the abolitionists. Virginia. This failure to confront the slavery issue

8 | Baptists Today • April 2009 P E R S P E C T I V E

unfortunately also enhanced the numerical disrupted Baptist growth in both the Deep Utilizing a cooperative, convention-style growth of Baptists in the South, who split South and in Texas. However, the emancipa- approach to missions support and eventually from Northern Baptists in 1845. tion of slaves — many having attended toward all their endeavors such as higher edu- When the first Anglos began to migrate Baptist churches — led to the formation of cation, the Southern Baptist concentration on into Texas in the 1820s, Mexican authorities new churches. The same characteristics — cooperative missions and evangelism dis- forbade the organization of churches that were local church autonomy, the priesthood of tracted them from the theological controversy not Roman Catholic. As Leon McBeth writes, believers and soul competency — that had that deterred and ultimately divided so many “Only God knows for sure when Baptists first appealed to fiercely independent whites of America’s mainline denominations in the set foot in Texas; the lesser authorities appealed to these newly freed people. 20th century. disagree among themselves.” Likewise, the opportunity to find leader- The same zealous evangelism and cooper- Some claim that Baptists could be found ship roles in their churches appealed to ative support of missions that typified in Texas as early as 1812, but the first African Americans in the same way that lead- Southern Baptists seemed especially suited to recorded Baptist preacher was Joseph Bays in ership in missions appealed to white women Texas Baptists. Gifted leaders such as George East Texas in 1820. Ironically, in defiance of in the South. W. Truett, L.R. Scarborough and E.Y. Mullins Mexican law, the first Baptist church located Thus after the Civil War, Baptists became enhanced numerical and institutional growth in Texas was an “anti-missions” congregation. the most numerous denomination among until Baptists became the largest Protestant By 1840, only about six Baptist churches African Americans in the United States and in denomination in the United States, led by existed in the republic. Texas. the Southern Baptist Convention and, most Following natural migration patterns, Yet, another reason why there are so recently, churches formerly associated with the Anglos flooded the area in the next decade many Baptists in the U.S. and Texas is that in SBC. after the U.S. annexed Texas. Immigrants — the late 19th century and throughout the Texas Baptists make up a good percent- including Baptists — were drawn by land mid- and late-20th century, Baptists contin- age of the larger number of Baptists in the where profitable cotton could be grown as it ued to focus aggressively upon missions. United States. Given that Texas is the second had in the southeastern part of the U.S. J.M. While both Northern Baptists and African- largest state in both land size and in popula- Carroll recorded that Baptists formed more American Baptists actively engaged in this tion — and given that Baptists have long than 500 new churches between 1846 and enterprise, Southern Baptists led the missions emphasized local church autonomy and inde- 1860. charge as a way of preserving and extending pendent thinking — it is not surprising that The Civil War and Reconstruction era their southern “Zion.” Baptists have flourished in Texas. BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 9

BY DAVID ROACH, Baptist Press F E A T U R E

Grammy-nominated rapper conveys Reformed theology

OUISVILLE, Ky. — What do English Puritan John Owen, pastor John Piper L and theologian Wayne Grudem have in common with rap music? This trio of theological heavyweights inspired Marcus Williams Gray to write and ‘FLAME’ record a Grammy-nominated album of hip- hop tunes that communicate Gospel truths. Gray, also known as Christian rapper “FLAME,” is a student at Boyce College, the proclaims undergraduate school of Southern Baptist Photo courtesy Baptist Press. Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. On the surface, the two seem a discordant their jaws drop and I’ve seen the Holy Spirit created me, to worship Him. Hearing the mix — the violence and sex-saturated ethos of dig inside of their heart and start to remove Gospel and His love for sinners and the call to hip-hop music and the otherworldly ethos of that stony heart. And they hear the Gospel repent — all of that just kind of gripped my biblical Christianity — but FLAME has wed through rap music.” heart,” he said. the two in a way that is proclaiming the Gray believes rap music may be a more “It was through that experience I remem- Gospel on a bold new frontier. effective tool for communicating the Gospel ber just shedding tears, man, and asking the “A lot of people say, ‘That music is of the than pop music. A rap song has three verses of Lord to forgive me for all the things I had devil,’” Gray said of rap. “Well, I agree. The 16 bars each, he said; thus, the tempo and done in my past and at that point in my message can definitely be demonic or anti- non-repetitive nature of a rap song allows present. And He saved me.” Christ. But the power in rap music in and of those verses to be packed with biblical content. Immediately God began removing vices itself is massive. So when you take the Gospel “You can’t do that normally in just a regu- from Gray’s life. He recognized that “the Lord message and you marry it to rap music, it’s a lar pop song or singing-style song,” he said. was changing me and cleaning me up.” dynamic that can’t be duplicated.” “But in this form and in this medium, you can As part of his devotional life, Gray wrote Gray’s latest album, Our World Redeemed, pack so much information in one song. And raps to God and sang to Him during quiet translates the Reformed theology of Owen, people just become liberated because they heard times. Though he had no plans to become a Piper and Grudem into a musical study of God’s heart and His Word articulated in such a recording artist, Gray began to listen to other redemption. The album was nominated for a way where it makes sense and it’s relevant.” Christian rappers and realized the potential Grammy in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Growing up in the inner city of St. Louis, power of the medium for ministry. So through Album category and has many people listening Gray was influenced by hip-hop culture from a a series of providential encounters, he began to the Gospel who wouldn’t otherwise be young age. He started rapping in fifth grade, producing albums. interested. addressing positive and benign topics. But as Among the topics his music has addressed “When people, especially those who love he aged, Gray turned darker both in his music are the Trinity, hermeneutics, the fall of man rap music, when they hear Christian rap, it’s and his lifestyle. Gangs, drugs and a party and the false teaching of the prosperity gospel. just an automatic respect if the quality is atmosphere — the more standard elements Though he gained the name FLAME good,” Gray, a biblical counseling major, said. commonly associated with the hip-hop lifestyle before becoming a Christian, Gray says it now “... People stop in their tracks, and they lend — became fixtures of his life. describes the “fire in his bones” to spread God’s you an ear. It’s almost like Mars Hill, the At age 16, God got his attention: A car Word. Areopagus. It’s just this marketplace where accident involving an 18-wheeler nearly took “People can get a full and a broad per- people want to hear your ideas.” Gray’s life. When he asked his grandmother spective of the whole counsel of God in one Though he is careful not to equate rap why God let the incident happen, she told him album,” he said. “You take 74 minutes, and with preaching, Gray said the Holy Spirit has God was trying to catch his attention. A week you can flesh out the whole counsel of God used rap to convert sinners to faith in Christ. and a half later his grandmother died, and and people can get a short synopsis of the “When they hear relevant metaphors and Gray felt broken. entire Bible in 74 minutes. So it’s a powerful similes that are from the culture but are affili- When a friend invited him to church, the platform.” BT ated with God’s Word and the Bible, it’s just a Gospel captivated him. wonderful tool in the hands of God,” he said. “When I heard the Gospel, I just wept —David Roach is a writer for Southern Baptist “And I’ve seen so many people, I’ve just seen because [I realized] the purpose for which God Theological Seminary.

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 11 F E A T U R E James Dunn and soul freedom

STORY BY AARON DOUGLAS WEAVER PHOTOS BY KEN BENNETT/WFU

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” witness to religious liberty that Baptist historian He helped develop Baptist viewpoints on Walter Shurden has called him a modern-day issues such as gambling, race relations, This famous phrase characterizes the “John Leland,” the 18th century’s strongest Christian citizenship, hunger and religious lib- ministry of Baptists such as Thomas proponent of separation of church and state. erty. Between the years 1966 to 1980, Dunn To be authentically Baptist, Dunn had transformed from a mild-mannered for- Helwys, Roger Williams and John believes, a person must defend soul freedom. mer BSU minister low on confidence to a Leland. In the last half of the 20th cen- nationally known Baptist leader with a reputa- APPLIED CHRISTIANITY tion for his aggressive but effective style in the tury, James Dunn has been the loudest A self-described “Texas-bred, Spirit-led, Bible- public square. teaching, revival-preaching, recovering and most aggressive Baptist propo- Southern Baptist,” James Milton Dunn THE BJC AND THE SBC nent for religious liberty in America. accepted a “call” to vocational ministry as a Dunn’s defense of religious liberty and the sep- 19-year-old junior at Texas Wesleyan aration of church and state became one of the unn is best known for his leadership University. Subsequently, Dunn graduated pivotal issues in the Southern Baptist as executive director of the Baptist from Southwestern Baptist Theological Convention controversy during the 1980s. D Joint Committee on Public Affairs Seminary (B. Div., 1957; D. Th., 1966). He was a primary target of the so-called (now the Baptist Joint Committee for Under the tutelage of T.B. Maston, the “Conservative Resurgence” that ultimately Religious Liberty), an organization comprised influential Southern Baptist ethicist, Dunn gained control of the SBC. In 1981, soon after of multiple Baptist bodies that deals solely was drawn more intensely toward the social the initiation of the fundamentalist plan to with religious liberty issues on Capitol Hill. concerns of “applied Christianity.” While a win the SBC, Dunn left the Texas CLC to During his career, Dunn embodied and graduate student, Dunn worked in Baptist head the Baptist Joint Committee in articulated a paradigm for Baptist political Student Union (BSU) ministries and served as Washington, D.C. engagement in the public arena that was based a pastor. He immediately addressed the threat of upon the concept of soul freedom: voluntary, Dunn joined the Texas Christian Life the Religious Right and warned that there was uncoerced faith and an unfettered individual Commission (TCLC) in 1966 and entered a particular danger whenever powerful reli- conscience before God. into the vocational arena of social Christianity. gious forces developed a close relationship to With uncompromising intensity, Dunn As associate director (1966-1968) and director partisan politics. It was civil religion at its defended soul freedom as the historic basis of (1968-1980) of the TCLC, Dunn attempted worst with God functioning as a “national religious liberty. He attempted to so identify to “stir the consciences” of Texas Baptists mascot,” he warned. with the radical component of the Baptist regarding “applied Christianity.” Fundamentalist dissatisfaction with Dunn

12 | Baptists Today • April 2009 F E A T U R E

UNFETTERED CONSCIENCE the only boundaries needed to keep individual- Ideas such as soul liberty and soul competency ism from going awry. join us! that had been trumpeted frequently in Baptist As Dunn said: “Real Baptists still test history found a home in the thought and rhet- Scripture by Jesus Christ.” Join Baptists Today in honoring James oric of Dunn. He became the heir of E.Y. Moreover, the theme of freedom and Dunn with the 2009 Judson-Rice Award on Mullins and those before him who insisted responsibility was consistently echoed in April 24 in Winston-Salem, N.C. Dinner that freedom of the individual conscience and Dunn’s writings. He also revealed his belief reservation information is available at the emphasis upon direct personal experience that genuine voluntary individual faith led a 1-877-752-5658 or www.baptiststoday.org. of God without reliance upon ecclesiastical believer into the life of the church. leaders were at the heart of the best of the Dunn believes that the separation of Baptist tradition. church and state is the logical, theological and erupted when Dunn attacked President In fact, Dunn’s work for an unfettered political consequence of a genuine uncoerced Reagan’s proposal to amend the U.S. conscience, religious liberty for all, and the faith that springs from soul freedom and Constitution with a Prayer Amendment separation of church and state was especially extends religious liberty to all. Consequently, (1982). With blunt flair, Dunn exclaimed, “It rooted in his understanding of soul freedom. he is against anything that smacks of an estab- is despicable demagoguery for the President to Dunn has often described soul freedom as “the lished religion or coercive mandated faith. play petty politics with prayer. He knows that fire that burns in the innards of every true Dunn has advocated that strict neutrality, the Supreme Court never banned prayer in Baptist.” not benignity, is the proper role for govern- schools. It can’t. Real prayer is always free.” According to Dunn, since Baptist pioneer ment in regard to religion. According to Ironically, Southern Baptist fundamental- Thomas Helwys’ bold proclamation that “the Dunn, “Churches appeal for state assistance ists agreed with the position of Dunn and the king is not Lord of the conscience,” the hall- without counting the cost. When government BJC on many religious liberty questions includ- mark of the people called Baptist is that meddles in religion, it always has the touch of ing support for the Equal Access Act and “dogged determination to be free — free and mud.” opposition to diplomatic relations with the faithful.” Dunn does not equate “the separation of Vatican. However, with his opposition to Dunn’s advocacy for an uncoerced faith church and state” with the separation of reli- Reagan’s “prayer amendment,” fundamentalists and truly voluntaristic religion led him to gion from politics, however. In a pluralistic realized that Dunn was not going to always oppose creedalism because of its threat to soul democracy, he fully understands that religion represent their interests on Capitol Hill. freedom and religious liberty. He decried and politics will mix, must mix and should To a group known for its demands of creeds as “the necessary requirement to squeeze mix. He often declared that “mixing politics conformity, this was not acceptable. in and squeak by some theological gate.” and religion is inevitable but merging church A “final straw” for Dunn’s critics was his He said: “If we have anything remotely and state is inexcusable.” involvement on the board of “People for the resembling a creed, it is the Baptist oral tradi- In his nearly 50-year-long ministerial American Way (PFAW).” While some Baptists tion that insists, ‘Ain’t nobody but Jesus gonna career as an ethicist and distinguished activist viewed PFAW as a broad-based coalition for tell me what to believe.’” for religious liberty, Dunn has offered a para- First Amendment rights, Dunn’s critics were Not surprisingly, Dunn’s understanding of digm for Baptist political engagement in the convinced it was anti-Christian. soul freedom has not been spared from criti- public arena grounded in a commitment to Southern Baptist leader cism. Like E.Y. Mullins, Dunn too has been soul freedom and the sacred regard for the said having someone identified both with criticized of promoting a radical form of unfettered conscience. PFAW and the SBC was “like putting Sodom unbounded individualism, a faith without While knowing that his view of freedom together with Jerusalem.” Dunn resigned from authority. is controversial, Dunn believes it to be rooted the PFAW board in an attempt to calm the Nearly 50 years ago, American Baptist in the nature of God, found in the Bible, and criticism, but attacks continued. historian Winthrop Hudson stated that “the literally covering the historic Baptist landscape. After several attempts to de-fund the BJC practical effect of the stress upon ‘soul compe- Dunn has been a tireless, aggressive in the 1980s, the SBC finally severed ties with tency’ as the cardinal doctrine of Baptists was fighter for soul freedom. Even critics could the agency in 1991. to make everyone’s hat their own church.” identify with the Texas oil executive who once Throughout the SBC conflict, Dunn Some contemporary Baptists — usually declared: “I’d rather have been Jacob wrestling refused to remain silent or capitulate when associated with the “Baptist Manifesto” that with the angel than to see James Dunn walk in convinced that conscience was at stake. In the advocates a communal reading rather than the door of my office.” BT face of accusations that his involvement with individual reading of Scripture — have sec- PFAW meant he was sympathetic to “porno- onded Hudson, claiming that Dunn turned —Aaron Douglas Weaver is a doctoral student graphic smut peddlers,” “baby-killing “soul competency” into “sole competency.” In in religion, politics and society in the abortionists,” and “enemies of America,” other words, Dunn made an individual the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Dunn continued to appeal to soul freedom as exclusive arbiter of what Jesus is saying. Studies at Baylor University and blogs at the essence of Baptist identity. To say soul competency was sole compe- www.thebigdaddyweave.com . This article is In his last address to the SBC, he defi- tency was a distortion, Dunn argued. Baptist adapted from his 2008 masters thesis at Baylor antly declared: “Baptists will not remain silent historic commitments to the Lordship of Jesus titled “James M. Dunn and Soul Freedom: facing the destruction of the wall of separation Christ and to the Bible as the authoritative A Paradigm for Baptist Political Engagement between church and state.” standard for religious faith and practice were in the Political Arena.”

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 13 I N F O R M A T I O N Duke Divinity addresses challenges in establishing effective church leadership By Tony W. Cartledge Far left, Duke Divinity School Contributing Editor dean Greg Jones. Left, David Odom, DURHAM, N.C. — Churches and religious director of Leadership organizations function best when they have Education at Duke effective leaders, but such leaders are often in Divinity School. Photos by Yutaka short supply. Even those who have been suc- Takarada. cessful in the past may find themselves in need of retooling to meet the demands of the pres- ent and the challenges of the future. At Duke University, a fledgling but well- funded program is working to make effective leadership education available to leaders rang- to be extraordinary storytellers, able to “draw “Call & Response.” ing from high school youth to organizational people together into a new trajectory through Within the blog, a journalist regularly CEOs. Fortified by a $14 million grant from storytelling in a compelling way.” reviews news sources and posts links to five the Lilly Endowment and additional funds One of the deepest leadership challenges, stories that the staff believes religious leaders from the Duke Endowment and other sources, especially for Protestants, has to do with insti- should be aware of. Every week the site also Leadership Education at Duke Divinity hopes tutions, Jones said. Many contemporary features one bit of data from a survey related to do for religious leaders what Coach Mike leaders struggle with whether institutions are to American religious life, along with an inter- Krzyzewski has done for Duke basketball. part of the gospel, and fail to appreciate the pretive explanation regarding its significance. David Odom, former director of the value of vibrant institutions, he said. Yet, insti- Leadership Education’s own research has Center for Congregational Health at North tutions are “crucial for carrying on a way of shown that pastors and other leaders want Carolina Baptist Hospital, was tapped to help life” and can’t be ignored. information about managing their staffs, shape the program, which was founded in Vibrant institutions in the Christian growing as leaders, and taking better care of January 2008 and is now hitting its full stride. economy include colleges, seminaries and themselves and their congregations. The Web The Lilly Endowment “felt like denominations denominational organizations “that are carriers site seeks to make that kind of information and others needed help in developing leader- and incubators of leadership,” Jones said. readily available. ship, but would not get around to investing in Although Leadership Education is new, it “All this is free,” Odom said. “You can it,” Odom told participants at a January execu- encompasses and builds upon a number of cannibalize it if you want — it doesn’t matter tive retreat for leaders in the North American established programs already under the to us — we want it to spark conversation.” Baptist Fellowship. Divinity School’s aegis. It also develops cus- In developing the program, the Divinity Speaking to the same group, Duke tomized programs for targeted leadership School is seeking to learn from and partner Divinity School dean Greg Jones said the groups both within single denominations and with other entities such as Duke’s Fuqua program seeks to develop leaders who can in cross-denominational groups. Topics focus School of Business and Duke Corporate promote three essential elements that faith on pressing issues such as clergy health and Education. In early February, the Faith and communities need to survive: “traditioned well-being, pastor assessment and debt Leadership website even featured a column on innovation, transformative leadership and management. leadership from Duke’s Coach K, who fre- vibrant institutions.” To extend its reach beyond the limited quently collaborates with the Fuqua School of Citing Jaroslav Pelikan, Jones said: number of people who can participate in semi- Business. “Tradition is the living faith of the dead. nars or special groups, Leadership Education The goal, ultimately, is to help churches Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.” has developed a Web site (www.faithandleader- and religious institutions to thrive, rather than Effective leadership cannot rely fully on ship.com) that Odom hopes will become a just struggling to survive. In doing so, Jones either one, Jones suggested. Rather, through standard resource for pastors and institutional said, the program will “develop educational “traditioned innovation” the church can recap- leaders. offerings that cultivate thriving communities ture its spiritual imagination by developing The interactive site debuted in February, that are signs, foretastes and instruments to “a way of honoring the past and engaging the and is designed to be a one-stop shop for lead- the reign of God … cultivating congregations present in a way that points to the future.” ership resources. Supported by a staff of five, it and communities that thrive in ways that Such innovation requires “transformative features a lead story related to leadership that allow Christian discipleship to flourish.” leadership” on every level, he said, leaders who changes weekly. The story, in turn, invites “We forget that our first calling is to be are able to hold divergent ideas in tension readers to give feedback and engage in dia- disciples,” Jones said. “If we keep our focus on while seeking a way forward. Such leaders tend logue through an associated blog called that, it will be significant.” BT

14 | Baptists Today • April 2009 I N F O R M A T I O N Russian Baptists denounce bogus newspaper

By Bob Allen and hurting certain political parties,” said World War II. Located on the Dnieper River, Associated Baptist Press Vitaly Vlasenko, the Russian Baptist union’s it is a port city and important rail junction for director of external church affairs. distribution of agricultural products and other MOSCOW — Russian Baptists denounced Vlasenko accused campaign workers of goods. the injection of religion into politics after a “sowing hatred between the [denominational] It is also hometown of the new Russian bogus newspaper circulated in a mayoral race confessions,” an act he termed “ugly and Patriarch, Metropolitan Kirill, who supports falsely identified a candidate as a Baptist in an totally unacceptable.” better relations between the Orthodox Church effort to besmirch his character. The article reportedly included comments and other faith groups. According to Internet reports, a counter- falsely attributed to the head of the Russian Tensions between Orthodox leaders and feit newspaper stuffed into mailboxes in the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists from minority faiths are not uncommon in the for- western Russian city of Smolensk claimed an interview that did not take place. The mer Soviet Union. Last year a court in Baptists were supporting a mayoral candidate paper carried photos of Baptist leaders with Smolensk dissolved a Methodist church for in hopes that his election would cause Baptists mismatched captions that identified them with having a Sunday school attended by four to rival the Russian Orthodox Church for incorrect names. children, but Russia’s Supreme Court later influence. Viktor Ignatenkov, pastor of First Baptist reversed the decision. “Russian Baptists are for Maslakov!” Church of Smolensk, told the Slavic Legal The First Baptist Church of Smolensk, on appeared as a banner headline in the supposed Center the candidate has no relationship to the other hand, was recognized by the govern- special edition of The Protestant, presumably Baptists and has never been a member of a ment of Vladimir Putin for its social ministries. forged as a political dirty trick. Baptist church. He said the anonymous The International Baptist Theological The article claimed that Baptists all over authors apparently intended to inflame reli- Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic, recently Russia and from around the world were hop- gious strife with statements about Baptists that sponsored a groundbreaking conference aimed ing candidate Sergy Maslakov “would become are patently false. at improving Baptist-Orthodox relations in the first Baptist mayor in Russia.” But Baptist Anatoly Pchelintsev, a university professor European contexts with an Orthodox religious leaders said Maslakov, one of 10 candidates, and chief editor of the Religion and Law jour- majority. The aim of the colloquium, attended has no known ties to Baptists. nal, told Slavic Legal Center that Baptists have by more than 30 representatives from The article alluded to rumors of rampant never conducted themselves in ways described Orthodox, Baptist, Free Evangelical and sexual immorality and pedophilia among in the newspaper or interfered in political Pentecostal traditions, was to discuss points of Baptists, and implied Russian Baptist churches activity. He joined Russian Baptists in saying tension and opportunities for enriching a are funded largely by Western sources, includ- law enforcement should investigate who was shared Christian witness. BT ing the government of the United States. behind the publication. “Political con-artists are trying to turn the Smolensk, with more than 300,000 Editor’s note: Neither Maslakov nor the candi- respected, 140-year history of Baptists in citizens, is one of Russia’s oldest cities and date whose campaign was associated with the Russia into a horror story in hopes of helping scene of some of the heaviest fighting during political stunt prevailed in the March 1 election. Ministers often need help caring for their own mental health (ABP) — Congregations often view their Clergy want to be seen as unshakeable 3. “Consult your M.D. or a psychiatrist pastors as strong, stable shepherds, but and don’t allow anyone to see what they are to discuss the possible need for anti- many ministers experience a disconnect going through. Instead, they keep “working depressants. between the image they project and the and working” to be seen as productive and 4. “Keep putting one foot in front of the mental and emotional battles to which they indispensable, Randall said. other, even if you don’t feel like it. are subject. “For some clergy, there is a long Maintain your routine.” “I have never met a clergy person, history of struggles to maintain firm self- Randall cautions against sharing while either in therapy or out, who did not suffer cohesion and self-esteem,” he said. “But in the midst of the struggles. “If a some type of wound to [himself/herself],” even pastors with a firm sense of self are depressed pastor is still functioning fairly said clinical psychologist Robert Randall, always vulnerable to having their self well, then the pastor should treat his/her who spent 37 years as minister of counsel- shaken.” depression as his/her own personal issue, ing at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ Randall recommends four steps for shared with family and select friends, but in Elmhurst, Ill. pastors facing depression: not made a congregational issue.” Clergy are not very good at taking care 1. “Admit you are depressed and need help. If the pastor’s work is impaired, he or of their health, he said. “The common 2. “Get into psychotherapy with a good she needs to inform the elected leaders to excuse is ‘not enough time,’ but the under- therapist, one who not only understands discuss the best way to inform the congre- lying problem has more to do with depression but also understands the life gation and the path that needs to be taken, narcissistic issues.” of ministry. Randall said. BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 15 G U E S T C O M M E N T A R Y Facing a new Baptist century By Larry Hovis

hat will be required of Baptists in 2. We will develop a renewed focus on the Fellowship. order to be faithful to the mission mission of God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, He wished me well, but explained that he W of God in the next Baptist cen- we will share our resources and creativity to and his church really didn’t need us. He was tury? Allow me to suggest three critical factors. strengthen churches, the front lines of min- confident of making it to retirement without 1. The New Baptist Century will be built istry. getting bogged down in any more Baptist on the firm foundation of Baptist principles. Through partnerships we will assist one organizations. In the first Baptist century in Europe and in another to form faith in persons of all ages, This is how the Lord led me to respond: the second Baptist century in America, especially children, youth, college students and “You’re right. You and your church can proba- Baptists did not suffer persecution for nomi- young adults. We will work together to call bly make it OK until you retire without the nating committee reports or giving plans. out the called in order to discover, nurture, help of any Baptist organization. But you They fought, suffered and sometimes died for and sustain current and didn’t get where you are by yourself. bedrock principles: future church leaders. “You’re a good preacher and a good The Lordship of Jesus Christ — Before We will motivate leader, but you’re not so talented to have made anything else, we are persons made in the and equip individuals it this far alone. As a teenager, your youth image of God and sinners saved by the grace and churches to share group attended a denominationally-sponsored of God through Jesus Christ, seeking to live in the Gospel of Jesus camp where you learned that God had a larger the way of Jesus. Christ by providing purpose for your life. In college, you partici- The Scriptures as our final authority for resources and opportu- pated in Baptist Student Union where you faith and practice — The Bible is authoritative nities to be on mission honed your leadership skills and received a call for individuals and congregations and in locally and globally. And to ministry. shared ministry. Any human words about the we will provide the kind of Christian fellow- “You attended a denominational seminary Scriptures are always subordinate to the ship that celebrates our oneness in Christ, with good professors, which was so inexpen- Scriptures, and therefore must never be used in respects our differences and energizes one sive you could graduate with no debt. You a coercive manner. another for participation in the mission of then had a network of ministers, professors The priesthood of every believer — God. and denominational leaders who helped you Believer-priests have both the privilege of relat- 3. We will transition from mere coopera- receive a call to that first little rural congrega- ing directly to God through Jesus Christ and tion to missional collaboration. “Missional” tion that taught you how to be a pastor. the responsibility of ministering on behalf of means that everything must be evaluated in “That same network then helped you God in the world. The symbol for our priest- light of the mission to bring about God’s king- move to a county seat First Baptist Church hood is baptism, upon profession of faith. dom “on earth as it is in heaven.” Missional and then to your current church. There was an Self-governing congregations — No out- collaboration means that congregations and entire system that nurtured, supported and side entity may have authority over the local ministry partners work together to pursue this enabled you to progress to where you are church. Congregations shape their own gover- mission. today. nance, develop membership requirements, call Often, in the last Baptist century, cooper- “What kind of system will exist to help leadership, order worship, and pursue their ation was reduced to funding and governance. the next generation of Baptists take the same unique mission in concert with partners of Churches gave money to the denomination journey you and I have taken? Who will help their own choosing. that then determined budgets and elected your son and my daughter follow God’s call in Religious liberty for all people — Baptists boards to govern agencies and institutions. their lives? If not you and me — whom?” believe the best way to cultivate religious Actual ministries were often subordinate to the In order to be faithful to God’s mission, liberty is through the separation of the institu- focus on funding and governance, leaving con- we really do need each other. As we step into a tions of government and the institutions of gregations at arm’s length from the ministries new Baptist century, we must have strong, religion. Yet we believe also that our voices — they funded. healthy Baptist organizations that are ready, as well as the voices of people of all faiths and A needed change to that system will willing and able to serve as a robust catalyst no faith — should be proclaimed freely in the require finding the most effective ways to for mutual ministry and missional collabora- public square. relate to and become engaged with ministry tion. BT Cooperating with others in God’s mission partners, to strengthen congregations and to — No individual Baptist or congregation can discover appropriate ways for congregations to —Larry Hovis is executive coordinator for the accomplish God’s mission alone. We partner affirm their partnerships publicly. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North with other Christians and churches to establish Shortly after I came to work for CBFNC, Carolina. This commentary is adapted from his and support ministries to fulfill both the Great I visited a pastor friend to invite him and his Feb. 9 address to the “New Baptist Century Commandment and the Great Commission. church to become more involved in our Convocation” in Greensboro, N.C.

16 | Baptists Today • April 2009 G U E S T C O M M E N T A R Y From complacency to common cause By Scott L. Stearman

n Feb. 7, 2008, a man walked into I must admit that for me as pastor, Racism,” produced by the Baptist Center for Kirkwood City Hall and killed six Ethics. This was an exceptionally moving the most powerful moments of this O people. It made national news. time. But for me, the important story is seen last year came when two congrega- The community-wide dialogues were in the beauty of what has happened since — instructive and helpful. Many good relation- tions came together — one very or, in a sense, before. ships were formed. I believe the organization In August 2007 my wife Cecelia began a white, one quite black. we began will continue its good work in the Community Gospel Choir as a way to bring community. blacks and whites “together in song.” Since historical context makes no sense. But I must admit that for me as a pastor, moving here in 2003 we have been dis- About two weeks after the shooting, the most powerful moments of this last year appointed in the segregated nature of St. Kirkwood Baptist Church hosted a city came when two congregations met together Louis, and both felt a call to do our small dialogue, inviting African Americans to talk — one very white, one quite black. We tried part to help. with their neighbors. Out of that meeting we to grapple with the ideals of the gospel we In January 2008 we went with staff and created an organization called “The preach and the reality of the past we’ve expe- members from Kirkwood Baptist Church to Community for Understanding and rienced. Having the commonality of a vibrant the Celebration. It Healing,” which has subsequently enlisted Baptist faith led us to a level of discussion was a beautiful experience, and we sensed a hundreds in multi-racial dialogue. that was very rich. There was an honesty and continued call to work on the racial divide. We’ve taken a serious look at issues such openness I’d never seen in a setting like this. A few days after getting home from as white privilege and the white/black After watching the section of the video Atlanta, I attended a neighborhood meeting achievement gap. It has where issues of institutional racism were in our African-American section of town. The been a rich, sometimes explored, some of the older black participants mayor, whom I knew fairly well, and one of fraught, but beautiful talked about our local “Spencer’s Grill” where the local council members were both present. journey. not so long ago they could not go inside. A couple of weeks later, the mayor The new mayor, Skin color determined that they had to stand would be in the hospital from a gunshot elected not long after at the back door. wound to the head and the council member the shooting, and all An older white member told about would be dead. The mayor would live a few city council members growing up in a “sundown town” where only months. Five victims (including two police- have been at the major- whites were allowed after the sun set. On men) would die that night. ity of the meetings. these evenings we all felt as if we were eating The shooter, known quite well by several Recently the organization sponsored an essay at the same table, knowing that the sun was church members, was a black man. All of the contest for local children. There were well setting on our divided journey. victims were white. over 300 entries. The date Feb. 7, 2008 will be forever But it was not just the villain/victim skin Nine winners were chosen, and the top etched on my brain. Every time I hear a heli- color that made the massacre a racially three (one each from grade school, middle copter, my mind goes to that night of circling charged event. Charles Thornton came from school and high school) read their essays in helicopters and a futile rushed trip to the a section of Kirkwood that was historically front of a diverse crowd of 200, including the hospital. We will not soon forget, and we African American. In 1990 it was annexed by mayor and a majority of the city council mourn those who were lost. the city. In the process of annexation, prom- members. Again, Kirkwood Baptist Church But we also celebrate that out of this ises were made or implied. Some of those was honored to serve as host. tragedy our complacency has been shaken were not kept. Out of this effort, many relationships and our sense of common cause has found In the already segregated reality of St. were formed. I now have a friendship with new life. BT Louis, tensions were heightened. Like many Pastor Jeffery Croft of the Harrison Avenue such stories, it’s complicated. Missionary Baptist Church. In October we —Scott L. Stearman is pastor of Kirkwood Suffice it to say that Thornton’s act can- joined together to conduct a one-day mis- Baptist Church in St. Louis, Mo. For not be divorced from or explained by the sional effort called “Hands On Kirkwood.” information on community efforts there, visit history of race relations in St. Louis. This In January we met on four successive www.cfuh.org. For information on “Beneath kind of act has no rational explanation, but Wednesday nights to watch and discuss the the Skin: Baptists and Racism,” visit on the other hand, to remove it from our video “Beneath the Skin: Baptists and www.ethicsdaily.com.

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 17 P E R S P E C T I V E b a c k - r o w b i r d i e Easter in us, O Lord By Keith D. Herron

ommy, why did the Easter of the terminal Sunday school class of ladies immediately stop their quiet conversations “ Bunny kill the baby Jesus?” who’ve no more classes to promote to. They with one another to smile sweetly and discern MPastors get all the tough ques- are at the end of the line; the next stop is the why I’ve come or to see if I have a good word tions. Some members haven’t yet discovered fruit salad and baked ham and green bean to share with them. I suppose they know who the glories of the Internet, so they ask about casserole served at the lunch prepared for holds the important cards in this meeting. the Bible, faith, death, fatal diseases and … their families when they die. Birdie knows My hand is mostly empty, and they play coy their children’s thorny questions. Still, I was the score, and so do the other ladies. with me. In truth, there’s not much I can stunned to get this question from the mom What I like about them is they’ve been deliver for them other than the promise to be of a preschooler. to the circus, they’ve been around the block a there for them in their moment of need with Can you really blame the little child who time or two, and there’s not much they the hope I’ll have something good to say took the story given to him by the church haven’t seen. Most often they have a wise when their day arrives. and cooked it in his own fractured thinking? word to offer the rest of us who have the In that holy moment, I remembered The kid was only working with the hand time to listen. These are the ladies who’ve British poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and dealt to him because most churches throw buried their husbands and because of the how he wrote eloquently about the deaths of every cultural image at children from Santa gender difference of mortality, they’ve formed five Franciscan nuns who drowned at the Claus to the Easter Bunny to the goblins at an unspoken bond with one another. Those mouth of the Thames River in the winter of Halloween. Children are not like adults. still with husbands know the score: They will 1876. It was an insurmountable tragedy that They don’t have the filters to separate fantasy likely give up their spouses before their own those lovely committed sisters died. Hopkins from fact. Yet, we adults act like they can. time comes around. And when that happens, searched for just the right word to describe And it takes a child a while to figure out as it likely will, they will pass their initiation his heart’s plea when he took a noun and when we’re telling the truth and when we’re into the sorority of widowhood. bent it into a verb: “Let Christ ‘easter’ in us,” not. Maybe Easter’s naturally tough for a kid Birdie helps me understand them. She he wrote. to figure out. knows their language and helps me know As I stood there gawking, Birdie gener- But why is Easter such a tough story for what the conversation is all about. She knows ously invited me into their class, pulled out a us adults to wrap our minds around? “The their language because she too is a full- chair for me to sit in and poured me a cup of Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it,” fledged member as her husband Earl died two coffee as though I belonged there. “Preacher, we say piously. But does that answer really years before I arrived as her pastor. I step into give us a good word for this season when we hold? Karl Barth once remarked that people the class gingerly to say hello, and they look past our pain and sorrow to that better come to church for only one reason — to ask, day.” What was so beautiful about her “Is it really true?” invitation was said through the So we gather up the washed and sparkle in the eyes of the women the unwashed on Easter morning to who sat around the table. Each see if we’re still up to the question. of them affirmed Birdie’s invita- Even the New Testament challenges us tion by the light in their eyes and mightily, “If our hope in Christ were by the sweetness of their smiles. In limited to this life, only we should light of their open-handed wel- of all mankind be the most to be come, I had nothing to offer them pitied!” other than to smile back broadly The child who asked and to recognize that all of us were that question so many years united in the eastering Christ who ago likely has children of his brought us together for just this own by now. And maybe the moment. question lingers in his memory Amen! Let it be so, O risen because perhaps he never heard Christ! BT an answer that makes sense to him. But Easter deserves more —Keith D. Herron is pastor of than that, don’t you think? Holmeswood Baptist Church in My friend Birdie is a part Kansas City, Mo. 18 | Baptists Today • April 2009 2009 Formations Commentary Bible Study resources for the adult Formations lessons available from Smyth & Helwys Publishing (www.helwys.com)

LESSONS FOR: into common use after the time of most of the Sunday, May 3-31, Prophets.) May 10, 2009 2009 Mordecai’s grandfather had been carried Written by Steve into Babylonian captivity, placing the story in Mordecai angers Haman McGlamery, a Ph.D. historical context. The Persians have since Esther 3:1-15 Student in sociology at conquered the Babylonians, and make up the Virginia Tech and a most powerful empire of their day. Mordecai’s Interesting Tidbit: Many scholars consider Esther former associate pastor kinswoman, Esther, is an orphan and his one of the three books in our Bible that are self- adopted daughter. Esther pleases first, not the contained short stories. king, but the king’s eunuch placed in charge of Mordecai apparently has an important role May 3, 2009 the candidates. She thereby gains advantages. as guard or gatekeeper at the city gate, as his Verse 10 introduces “the secret” central to the heroic deed at the end of chapter 2 reveals. But The king chooses Esther story: Mordecai thought it best that Esther now another character is introduced, the new hide her Jewish identity (It may be that the Esther 2:1-18 antagonist Haman. (The story has been with- change from her given Hebrew name out an antagonist since Queen Vashti was Interesting Tidbit: Esther is one of two books in Hadassah to the Persian name Esther is for unceremoniously dumped.) We don’t know how our Bible named after a woman. this purpose). Haman got in so good with the king, but the The book of Esther tells the dramatic Why would this be the case? Probably the king has seen fit to make him second in com- story of a young Jewish woman whose life, same reason some Jews have “passed” as gen- mand. And the king (at Haman’s request?) has through a series of “coincidences,” becomes tiles in more modern times — to avoid decreed that all persons are to pay Prince pivotal in the future of the Hebrew people. In persecution, to avoid calling attention to her- Haman homage. Mordecai, however, refuses to chapter 1, everything is over the top at the self as a foreigner, to avoid becoming suspect bend his knee. We are not told why. Maybe it is Persian palace. King Ahasuerus — believed to as an outsider. similar to Daniel’s story, where allegiance to the be the one known in most historical sources as After going through a long-term “extreme one true God demands that one never appear to Xerxes I, who ruled the Persian Empire from makeover,” Esther’s turn with the king comes. be subject to (certainly not be seen to be wor- 486-466 BCE (see The Broadman Bible The implication that the audition with the shipping) anyone else. Commentary, vol. 4.) — is used to getting king included sex is strong. Yet the narrator Haman apparently doesn’t notice anything he wants, and in return he holds expresses no opinion on the morals of this sit- Mordecai’s disrespect. Mordecai’s co-workers nothing back in displaying the opulence and uation, but in silence implies that such is just notice, however, and are incredulous. They try wealth of his kingdom. the way it is with pagan kings — and maybe to talk some sense into Mordecai, but when he Then, Queen Vashti refuses his command Jewish kings, too! refuses to relent, they decide to report him. to come show off her beauty to all the VIPs. Verse 11 gives a lovely picture of a pacing, Perhaps they don’t want to be seen as complicit From our 21st century vantage point, one loving adopted father concerned for his in Mordecai’s actions. Shockingly, Mordecai has might say, “You go, girl” in solidarity with her adopted daughter’s well-being. The outcome, revealed to his co-workers that he is a Jew — fight for gender equality. But in that less though, is that Esther wins the royal contest despite insisting to Esther that she keep it enlightened day, it was “You go, girl, where — out of the hundreds of beauty contestants. secret. your husband tells you to go, or you’re gone.” The writer would attribute the win to beauty Mordecai’s apparently careless indiscretion After male privilege has been restored, our (v. 7), resourcefulness (making the right soon threatens the annihilation of his — and story picks up in chapter 2 with a plan to friends, v. 9), familial love and solidarity God’s — entire people. Haman is now revealed replace the banished queen. (vv. 7, 11), trust and self-confidence (v. 15), in all of his monstrous evil. He will not be sat- The search for the right girl to marry into and discretion in keeping her identity hidden isfied simply to force Mordecai to bow down to royalty sounds like a Cinderella plotline. Verse (v. 10). him. He will not be satisfied that Mordecai be 5 introduces “a Jew” named Mordecai. (The King Ahasuerus stages a grand celebra- stripped of his royal position or that he be book of Esther and Zechariah 8:23 are perhaps tion. (Imagine the 20th century royal wedding imprisoned or tortured or even killed. the only uses of the term “Jew” in the Old of Charles and Diana many times over!) The No, Haman’s irrational, inhumane and Testament. This points to a late date for the celebration is but the beginning of the story, angry reaction to this slight is to order the writing of the book, since the term only came however. slaughter of this foreign race in their midst

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship provides these Bible study resources to church leaders through this supplement to Baptists Today. For more information on how CBF is “serving Christians and churches as they discover their God-given mission,” visit www.thefellowship.info or call 1-800-352-8741 F O R M A T I O N S C O M M E N T A R Y who, he insists, cannot be trusted to be loyal to Holy Scripture as late as the Protestant Esther “and her father’s family” if she does the Persian authorities. The only saving grace Reformation. nothing. In other words, Mordecai tells Esther, for our heroes is that Haman, rather than Mordecai and all the Jews are pictured in don’t think that “queen” trumps “Jew” when it implementing the dastardly, bloody plan imme- abject sorrow and penitence. A big burden is on comes to determining your identity and fate diately, decides that a lot (in Persian, a pur) is Mordecai. He is the one who let it slip that he should the edict be carried out. to be cast to determine the fateful day. was Jewish. He is also the one who refused to Then Mordecai gets to perhaps the most Fortunately for our heroes, the lot gives them do obeisance as commanded. Now the fate of often quoted phrase in the book of Esther: “for 11 months to intervene and prevent their own his people is at stake. Yet he is helpless to do such a time as this” (v. 14). It is a profound and destruction. anything on his own. But luckily he has a memorable statement of God’s providential care Notice that Haman never mentions to the friend in high places — his adopted daughter, for God’s children, but in oblique language king the personal slight that is behind his desire the favorite wife of the king. where the reader has to read between the lines to seek the destruction of the Jews. In fact, he Unfortunately, Esther is so isolated by the to see the fingerprints of God. never mentions who these people are. Instead, palace walls and the coterie of servants that she Perhaps there is a lesson here. The activity he slyly plays upon the king’s fears of disloyalty is seemingly the only one who has not received of God in our lives is not always made explicit; among his subjects. Just as Vashti had to be word about the edict. Finally, she hears that it could be attributed to many other things — punished to keep all the other wives in line in something is greatly troubling her adopted chance, destiny, our own resourcefulness, con- obeying their husbands, so now these people father and former guardian and provider, but fluence of events, the wise counsel of friends, must be punished so that other non-Persian hasn’t a clue what it is. So she sends a messen- etc. But who maps out our destiny? Who people in the empire won’t insist on following ger to find out. directs the confluence of events? Who brings their own laws. At least that is the implication Mordecai conveys what has happened, and friends into our lives and guides them in their of Haman’s appeal to the king. is careful to mention three particulars: assistance to us? We don’t know what is on the king’s mind (1) The amount of money Haman has Esther relents. She, like Mary, the mother or where his priorities are. (The story might offered to see that his wishes are carried out — of Jesus, is willing to carry this immense bur- lead us to believe he is preoccupied with the This would convey the gravity of the situation, den. But she wisely asks for some group next meal, the next drink, the next party.) But what the Jews are up against in trying to put a solidarity to buttress her. The castle walls may he does not ask any questions or seek more stop to the bloody plans that threaten to wipe separate her and her servants from the Jews on details on the matter. He trusts Haman too eas- them from the face of the earth. the outside, but they will feel a spiritual unity ily, and rather blithely dismisses the matter (2) The exact words of the edict, demon- through the discipline of fasting. It will likely from his concern, handing authority to Haman strating the reality that the edict has the king’s strengthen their resolve, clear their confusion to do as he pleases. approval and has been published throughout and fear, and perhaps lead to insight and power And so the die is cast. The word is spread the empire — In other words, the process is from that unnamed source of all wisdom and abroad “to destroy, to slay, and to annihilate all well in motion. power. When the three days of fasting are com- Jews, young and old, women and children, in (3) The plan for how to resolve the situa- plete, Esther says, she promises to approach the one day” (v. 13, RSV). One cannot help but tion — “Intervene on behalf of your people. king, despite the risk to herself. She will break think of the Nazi Holocaust. Sadly, other such Forget all etiquette and propriety, and throw the law, willing to pay the price with her life. genocides have been carried out throughout our yourself at his mercy. Beg, plead, cry, remon- I can’t help thinking of folks like Mahatma era. From Stalin’s and Mao’s reigns of terror to strate — whatever it takes to get through to the Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., as I reflect the killing fields of Cambodia, from the ethnic king that his dearest is under terrible distress on this passage. These and other advocates of cleansing in Bosnia to the slaughter in Rwanda, because of the plans he has put into play.” “civil disobedience,” or “nonviolent resistance” right up to our own day in Darfur, Sudan and We are not told Esther’s immediate reac- to unjust laws, show no disrespect for the need many other not-so-publicized places: all are tion. But, once she has gained her composure for law and order. Yet they decide they must chilling reminders of the evil in humanity. How and is thinking clearly, she sends a message answer to a higher power, no matter the conse- is it that we can so callously seek the destruc- back. She wants Mordecai to realize what kind quence, and do not resist arrest, imprisonment, tion of entire peoples for being different from of predicament she is in. If she approaches her even death, as the price for their actions. us, and that the world can stand on the side- husband without being summoned, she risks In the New Testament, Peter and John lines and wring their hands? We cannot help being executed. If she does nothing, her people give utterance to this principle: “Judge for your- but believe that God would have us do better will be slaughtered. The “30 days” (v. 11) likely selves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey than that. indicates the chances of the king summoning you rather than God” they told the authorities her as a matter of routine are not good. in Acts 4:19. And again, when arrested and Mordecai’s response is a bit confronta- reminded in Acts 5:28 of the orders not to May 17, 2009 tional. He is trying to put things into teach in Jesus’ name, they answer: “We must Mordecai intercedes perspective. He has faith that the Jews will be obey God rather than men.” Such conviction is saved one way or the other. Again, mention of costly, but sorely needed as a corrective for an Esther 4 God is conspicuous in its absence, but the sense imperfect system of laws that is not always just. Interesting Tidbit: Esther is the only book in our of God’s providential concern for the perpetua- Esther 4 ends with a reversal of the previ- Bible that never mentions God by name, which tion of his chosen people permeates the ous hierarchy. Up to this point Mordecai, as likely hindered its inclusion in the Jewish canon passage. Mordecai is taking on a kind of Esther’s parental guardian, has instructed her in and called into question its appropriateness as prophetic role here, predicting calamity for what to do, starting with keeping her Jewish 20 | Baptists Today • April 2009 F O R M A T I O N S C O M M E N T A R Y identity secret (2:10). As 2:20 puts it: “Esther has Haman right where she wants him. He has denouement, since Esther and Mordecai’s vic- obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought been crushed and humiliated, forced to pay tory over the enemy who threatened to kill up by him” (RSV). This also applies to his homage to that hated Jew, Mordecai, who had them is complete. But, as the writer presents telling her to approach the king on her people’s failed to pay him homage months earlier. And it, there is still this matter of the royal decree. behalf. Now, however, Mordecai is doing every- before he can recover his composure, he is The king, in his anger, has the dastardly thing “Esther … ordered him” to do. dragged off to another banquet prepared by Haman killed quickly. But the king has done Esther, which Haman has presumably forgot- nothing to undo the edict Haman had broad- ten all about in his misery. So there he is, cast throughout the empire. May 24, 2009 distracted and distraught, in the king and And so, in a bit of déjà vu, but with less Esther takes a risk queen’s presence when Esther, over glasses of dramatic suspense this time, Queen Esther wine, reveals the extent of her distress. again approaches the king in the royal court; Esther 5:1-8; 7:1-8:2 This the king cannot stand — to see the he again extends to her the golden scepter. Interesting Tidbit: Esther is one of three or four one he loves so much so hurt. “We are sold, I Esther makes her desperate plea known once books where additions — in this case, frequent and my people, to be destroyed,” laments more. Perhaps, in getting caught up in dealing mention of God — to the book can be found in Esther (7:4, RSV). Then, she uses two more with Haman’s personal treachery, this larger the Greek Apocrypha. synonyms to describe their impending doom. matter has slipped the king’s mind. But then We pick up the story on the fateful day “Had we been sold as slaves,” says Esther, “I the king reminds Esther and Mordecai that Esther will approach her husband the king, wouldn’t have bothered you. But sold to be they have already been given the authority to without being summoned, to request that he annihilated? I’ve got to plead with you to do what they are asking of the king. (It is a intercede and revoke the decree that all Jews intercede and prevent that.” common theme in the Old Testament, this are to be killed. The writer gets straight to the Notice that Esther has yet to reveal who matter of Jews finding themselves in high point: “When the king saw Queen Esther … “her people are” — but picture Haman. He positions in the court of a gentile ruler.) she found favor in his sight.” may not be thinking clearly, but something A timeline review might help here. The There is something to be said for the tells me that Esther’s talk of a people’s ordered story starts in the third year of Ahasuerus’ power of love here. (“What is your request? It destruction cuts through his fog and grabs his reign, when Queen Vashti is banished. It is shall be given you, even to the half of my attention. He realizes for the first time that more than four years later, in the 10th month kingdom” — 5:3, RSV) The implication is the the one person the king would put before him, of the 7th year of his reign, when Esther’s turn king’s love of his life, Esther, enters the room trust more than him, is a Jew. “Can it get any with the king comes around in the “contest” and the king forgets all about propriety and worse?” he may be wondering. Then, in a to be queen (2:16). It is again more than four etiquette, law and order as his heart melts and courtroom-like setting, Esther points to him years later, the 1st month in the 12th year of he welcomes her with open arms and a smile and declares, “There’s the man responsible for Ahasuerus’ reign, when Haman casts lots (pur) (or the symbolic equivalent — extending the all of this — this wicked Haman!” to determine when the slaughter of the Jews golden scepter). And it proceeds to get even worse for our should occur. The “chance” of the lots deter- We know right away that the king isn’t villain. His pleading with Esther for his life is mines that the pogrom is set for 11 months angry at Esther for coming into his presence mistaken by the king as his trying to rape her. later, in the 12th month (3:7, 13). This pro- in the court without being summoned. But as A servant, seeing the king’s anger about to vides the maximum time possible for the Jews for the king’s response to Esther’s request, on blow, points out how convenient it is that a to be miraculously delivered. Chance? Or the this we have to wait a bit. gallows has already been built — by Haman work of a certain unnamed being? Esther, in her shrewdness, has apparently orders, intended originally for his enemy Now we find that only a little more than determined that it would best serve her pur- Mordecai’s execution! After Haman’s swift fall 2 of the 11 months have elapsed. (8:10 says it pose to “butter up” her husband first. The from second in the kingdom to hung criminal, is now the 23rd day of the 3rd month). Yet a king has already shown a great propensity for the final coup de grâce is the distribution of good bit of time (several weeks, we might gluttonous behavior, and Esther knows her Haman’s two most treasured assets. Esther gets guess) would have been needed to reach the husband well. The peculiar part is her inclu- the house, and Mordecai gets the signet ring far ends of the empire to formally pronounce sion of her enemy, Haman, in her plans. — and the authority that goes with it, the the repeal of the previously proclaimed decree. Remember that, while Haman knows of king entrusting to him the administration of And again, we see a tremendous reversal Mordecai’s Jewish identity, he apparently has the largest empire in the known world. of fortune. Whereas the second most powerful no indication that he knows Esther is a Jew. man in the kingdom had sought to kill So Esther is at a strategic advantage here. She Mordecai a short time earlier, now Mordecai is May 31, 2009 knows who her enemy is and where he is, but publicly hailed as a hero and near equal to the Haman is oblivious to Esther’s plans for him. The Jews prevail king — crowned and clothed like one, too And apparently one dinner isn’t enough, for (8:15). And the Jews’ mourning and sorrow Esther 8:3-9:3, 26-28 Esther insists on inviting the two men to a have turned to unrestrained joy and elation. second dinner she has prepared, after which Interesting Tidbit: Esther is one of five books Finally, to complete the reversal, whereas she promises to make her request known. combined by Jewish scholars into one scroll, Mordecai had been wary of Esther revealing Haman is so oblivious to Esther’s plans, called the “Megilloth,” and also one of the books herself as a Jew for fear of reprisals, now gen- he is sure that her inclusion of him in the din- connected with a Jewish festival. tiles are calling themselves Jews, out of fear ners is a sign of his prominence. But Esther Today’s lesson would seem to be a bit of a and/or a desire to share in the good standing April 2009 • Baptists Today | 21 F O R M A T I O N S C O M M E N T A R Y

Jews have come into in the empire (8:17). not all loving or all merciful. Would that the story ended here, with the Our choice of verses to focus on neatly Jews inaugurating the feast of Purim to be sanitizes the story. But the fact is, Esther and observed annually at this time of year to com- her people are not satisfied with the 510 killed memorate the delivery of the Jews from in the capital the first day, so they request Haman’s devious plans. But, as is often the another day when they can slaughter 300 case with Old Testament stories, the ones we more (9:13-14). And 75,000 are reported slain are inclined to see as heroes commit the most throughout the rest of the empire. It certainly horrific acts. We may question: What were leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of one read- God’s standards in that day? Did God’s people ing this account of how a “day of feasting and misunderstand his will in this matter? Did the gladness” (9:17, 18, 22) called Purim came to writers simply get it wrong? be added to the Jewish calendar. It would seem It would seem that, in the desire to make that the gift giving and acts of charity that their victory complete, either the people of were to characterize the observance of Purim God or the recounter of the story have crossed (9:22) could appear a bit incongruent with the the line. The third alternative, that such atrocities committed by indiscriminately slaughter of and vengeance on enemies were sanctioned by God in those days, is simply slaughtering so many of God’s children. unfathomable. No matter what the justifica- Alas, such are the contradictions and con- tion argument (ex: times were different then; fusions we must wrestle with in mining the they needed to be sure no one else tried to nuggets of truth and wisdom from God’s mess with them; they were under law, not Word as handed down to us by God’s chosen grace), they all require a compromise with the people. God give us wisdom in this difficult idea of an all-loving, all-just, all-merciful God. task, and may God show mercy on us, and And if the character of God is unchanging, remind us to “love our enemies,” as Jesus that leaves us with the horrible prospect of our taught us, as we trust God to turn our sorrow lives today being in the hands of a God who is into gladness (9:22). BT

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22 | Baptists Today • April 2009 R E S O U R C E S

Brought to you this month 2009 by Sonya C. Milam The Resource Page ... creative and practical ideas Transforming children’s church into worship training

bout 10 years ago, as a new church for preschoolers. “Play church” together. Resources staff member, I was given the task Teach songs from worship services. Show the A to rejuvenate our children’s church. Children and Worship: What Is a Church to Do? colors of each church season. Teach common I naively attempted to recruit volunteers, (www.janicehaywood.com) worship terms. Have visual reminders of purchase curriculum and think of yet Come Worship With Me: A Journey Through your worship leaders and their roles. another craft and some “child-friendly” the Church Year (Ruth Bolings, Mouse Books) We begin each of our WOW sessions by songs. Thankfully, I was soon introduced to having an assigned preschooler serve as the Robbie Castleman’s book Parenting in the worship leader. This coveted position gets to Pew (InterVaristy Press), which changed my the best opportunity for learning and prac- chime the hour, lead in the Doxology and quest for separating and occupying children ticing skills, and also because children learn Gloria Patri, pass an offering plate, and lead during the adult service. best by the repetitive observation of model a prayer — all while being reminded of the Ultimately, our children’s church was behaviors, worship training is ideally suited meaning and importance of these rituals. transformed into worship training for for the preschool years. When worship training “graduates” are preschoolers. Today, these youngsters con- Convincing parents that full participa- ready to enter the corporate worship experi- tinue to learn and practice liturgical worship tion in corporate worship for their children ence, we supply them with tools needed for in a child-sized setting through “WOW: is an important Christian discipline worthy full participation. Our WOW bags include Working On Worship.” of the work required can be challenging. Bibles, bookmarks for finding pages in Using the worship hour for worship Therefore: hymnals and Bibles, tissues, and pencils. training — instead of trying to extend • Have early and frequent conversations with The worship training area is ideally Sunday school or create a new program — families about children’s worship training. located near the sanctuary and preschool involves transforming attitudes, parents, • Create dialogues that invite their concerns. areas. Our WOW meets in a foyer area — volunteers, curriculum and resources, spaces, Acknowledge these while you reflect your complete with child-sized pews — adjacent and semantics. experiences of worshiping with children. to the preschool Sunday school classes. Jana Kinnersly, a veteran of children’s • Provide resources throughout their chil- Converted classrooms and chapel spaces are ministry, feels that “we have worship wars dren’s milestones, of which Parenting in the other options. Space should also be allowed today because we have a generation who was Pew should be the first. for free play or center time. never trained in or encouraged to participate • Provide printed suggestions for preparing We love for our children’s programs to in corporate worship.” This lack of training, children for worship at home and church. have names. For children’s worship training, added to our society’s need to be entertained Anyone who is already participating in I’ve grown to dislike the traditional term consumers, creates a frightening attitude your children’s ministry and who is commit- “children’s church” as it implies that children about worship. The skills for liturgical cor- ted to your worship practices are ideal have a separate church. “Extended session” porate worship must be taught and modeled. workers. If someone can follow an order of suggests a repeat of what has already taken Worship training can help young children be worship, love preschoolers and commit to at place in Sunday school. Names such as prepared to join their families for corporate least a month’s service, this may be their “WOW: Working on Worship” or “PFW: worship and feel like participants — not niche. Ask parents to serve in your children’s Preparing for Worship” accurately reflect the spectators. worship training so that they can experience purpose of a special educational experience. Teaching children to worship is differ- the attempts you are making in training I am happy to report that our first ent from just “being still and quiet.” The their children. If possible, provide volunteers WOW graduates have now entered high ultimate goal for all worshipers is to be with a recording of the worship service they school and seem to be engaged in our moved by God’s presence and to offer him miss on their service days. worship. I notice many sitting with their praise. Learning treasured rituals of liturgy Worship training requires minimal families and participating fully in the serv- and worship takes practice and patience. resources and expenditures. Simply condense ice. They have even become our best WOW Because the first seven years of life present your church’s order of worship into a service volunteers. BT

THE RESOURCE PAGE is provided by the Congregational Life office of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in partnership with Baptists Today and for those dedicated lay leaders working in the educa- tional ministries of local churches. This month’s page was written by Sonya C. Milam, former coordinator of preschool and children’s ministries at First Baptist Church of Christ at Macon, Ga., who currently is a “stay-on-the road” mom and part-time student. Resource Page Archives are available at http://www.thefellowship.info/Resources/Church-Resources/Baptists-Today-resource-page. April 2009 • Baptists Today | 23 C L A S S I F I E D S

First Baptist Church, South Boston, Va., is seeking First Baptist Church of Jefferson City, Mo., affili- God’s leadership in finding a full-time pastor. We ated with CBF and BGCM, is seeking a full-time Minister of Children and Families prefer someone who is called to the ministry and associate pastor of discipleship. This position A growing church of approximately 1,250 mem- has a seminary degree, at least 5-10 years of will develop, administer, and promote an effective bers, affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist pastoral experience, and a strong work ethic. We and holistic discipleship ministry for adults of all Fellowship and the Southern Baptist need a candidate who is a strong spiritual leader, ages and life situations that will enhance spiritual Convention, is seeking a minister of children missions-minded, and a good administrator. First formation and growth. Previous experience in dis- and families. Preferably he or she should be a Baptist Church is associated with the BGAV/VBMB cipleship ministry is desired. A bachelor’s degree graduate of a properly accredited seminary or and CBF. Please send résumé to: Pastor Search in a related field is required; a master’s is pre- divinity school and have a minimum of two Committee, First Baptist Church, 815 N. Main St., ferred. Send résumés to: Dr. Doyle Sager, Senior years experience. This minister should feel called of God to fulfill the biblical model of min- South Boston, VA 24592, or [email protected]. Pastor, First Baptist Church, 301 E. Capitol Ave., istry through service in proclamation, teaching, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or [email protected]. pastoral care and administration. Please send a A complete job description is available at résumé to: Minister of Children Search Minister to Young Adults: Begin a full-time www.fbcjc.org. Committee, First Baptist Church, 815 Davie ministry in a unique urban setting ready for a Ave., Statesville, NC 28677. For more informa- progressive voice of faith among young adults. For tion on the church, visit www.statesvillefbc.org. a job description, go to www.hbclouisville.org.

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24 | Baptists Today • April 2009 P E R S P E C T I V E r e a d e r s ’ r e s p o n s e s

Still searching the Bible for “I too believe that women and Coptic Christians of Muhammad’s ‘true woman’ men are meant to complement time argued that Jesus could not eat or hurt or die as humans do because he was EDITOR: I will not be signing the ‘True one another in their roles.” God. This argument may explain the Woman’ document (“True Woman Koran’s rationale here. In the Bible, God’s Manifesto sponsors seek counter-revolution We complement one another when we “decree” of Genesis 3:15 says that Messiah to feminism,” February 2009, page 17). place our emphasis on how God has would suffer physically in his battle to I’m not even sure how to define a ‘True equipped each of us to function with one defeat Shaitin. Woman.’ another based on scripture and the The capitalized pronoun “We” refer- I’ve ‘searched and studied scripture’ prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is time for ring to Allah implies the same as the and find no definition of what it means to women and men to embrace a God who Hebrew plural Elohim. Grant R. Jeffrey in be a ‘True Woman.’ When I read the Bible has created us all in God’s amazing image his book, , shows I find wonderful examples of women who The Handwriting of God and begin a movement that embraces spiri- that Rabbi Simon ben Jocai and his son were led by the power of the Holy Spirit to tual giftedness and call rather than Rabbi Eliezer, writers of the Zohar, and the rule, to lead battles, to embrace Christian gender-based priorities. writers of the Targums, Jonathan ben Uziel leadership, to partner with men — includ- Kathy Pickett, Kansas City, Mo. and Onkelos the Proselyte, all taught the ing Jesus — to promote and empower the (Pickett is pastor of congregational life at mystery of God expressed as ‘Three in Kingdom of God. Holmeswood Baptist Church.) One.’” In my searching of the scripture I have Let the “fuller exposition of the discovered women who were wise enough Christian doctrine of the Trinity” begin. A not to cower to the patriarchal religious Let Christian-Muslim dialogue discussion of how the life of Jesus com- rulers of their time and mothers who were continue pares with moral living in the Quran could wise enough to find ways to save their chil- Editor: The churlish reply of the Baptist be interesting. dren from male dominancy. In my studying World Alliance to the letter from Muslim Susanne Dabney, Atlanta, Ga. of the scriptures I find wonderful stories leaders (“BWA responds to Muslim letter,” about women who used their gifts and tal- February 2009, page 12) begs a response. ents to serve God in spite of religious For those who listen respectfully, the STORY CORRECTION oppression by human authority and instead Quran gives ample content to initiate dis- In the conversation with Wayne E. Ward took their lead from the prompting of cussions between Muslims and Christians (March issue, page 4), we incorrectly God’s guidance and wisdom. about Isa/Jesus, Allah/God, and the Holy stated that his mother died when he was I read and experience a wonderful Spirit. 9 years old. It should have stated that she story of a young woman who said ‘yes’ to In the Quran, Surah XIX: 17-21, was dying of kidney failure at that time God when she was told that she would give Muhammad wrote, “... then We sent to her when he was put in the care of his aunt birth to the Savior of the World, a very Our spirit.... Marium replied to the angel, Grace Kelley. We regret the error. chosen and appointed woman. I suppose ‘When shall I have a boy and no mortal one could say that God is indeed a man has yet touched me, nor have I been made with a ‘full quiver’ theology who was set- unchaste?’ He said, ‘Even so; your Lord ting the example through Mary’s obedience says It is easy for Me: and that We may of what is a ‘true woman.’ make him a sign to men and a mercy I too believe that women and men are which has been decreed.’” meant to complement one another in their This verse in the Quran defines the role roles. However, my thorough study of of the Holy Spirit in the birth of Isa/Jesus. scripture, which has led me to ‘conclusions’ Surah IV: 157 says, “And their saying, and caused me to be ‘theologically strong ‘Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son and scripturally strong,’ leads me to under- of Marium; and they did not kill him; nei- stand that our working together as men ther did they crucify him....” Verse 158,: and women is not about gender or women “Nay! Allah took him up to himself, and staying at home as pregnant teachers, but Allah is Mighty, Wise,” also connects Isa as is instead about our God-given gifts, the divine Son of God, and agrees with the talents and calling. Bible account after the crucifixion.

This forum gives readers a chance to participate in respectful, though often passionate, dialogue on impor- tant issues. Your opinion is welcomed. Please include your name, address and phone number, and limit your letters to 200 words. Send by e-mail to [email protected], by fax to (478) 301-5021, or by mail to Editor, Baptists Today, P.O. Box 6318, Macon, GA 31208-6318. April 2009 • Baptists Today | 25 I N F O R M A T I O N BWA reports good news, bad news

By Tony W. Cartledge Lavanya attended a Baptist

FALLS CHURCH, Va. —The Baptist World Youth World Congress in 1993 Alliance executive committee heard good and responded to a call to news and bad news about the organization’s financial situation March 3-4 at the BWA surrender fully to Christ. offices near Washington, D.C. During its semi-annual session, the Barreto Jr. of Brazil as director of the committee heard General Secretary Neville Division of Freedom and Justice, a new office Callam report that contributions to the gen- approved last year. The recommendation will eral fund were down just 2.6 percent in require approval by the BWA General 2008, to $1.09 million, despite the severe Council, which will meet in Ede, the economic downturn. Meanwhile, he said, Netherlands, July 27-Aug. 1. expenditures were held to 4.6 percent below Barreto holds a doctoral degree in budget. Christian Social Ethics from Princeton Callam expressed deep appreciation to Theological Seminary, as well as degrees member bodies, churches, and individual from the McAfee School of Theology at donors, whose total giving reached $1.71 Mercer University and from the North Brazil million, allowing the BWA to end the year Baptist Theological Seminary in Recife. He “in a much better position than we thought also studied at the International Baptist likely in late September 2008.” Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech That was the good news. Leena Lavanya of India will receive the 2009 Republic. The bad news is that a 36 percent Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award He has worked extensively in academia from the . decline in the value of BWA’s investments led in Brazil and in the U.S., and has conducted to a sharp draw-down of reserves and led the reduce the budget by that amount while research on Christian and social justice issues executive committee to reduce the $2.97 mil- allowing spending to increase proportionally in Latin America. He has special interest in lion budget for 2009 by $862,000 — about if additional sources of revenue are found. working with organizations in human rights, 29 percent. Ellen Teague, BWA’s finance director, and in advocating for those who have special The BWA’s budget generally anticipates said staff members will review and prioritize needs. income from a variety of sources, including ministry plans for the year to bring spending The executive committee also named previous donations that are in restricted in line with the new budget of just $2.11 Leena Lavanya of India to be the 2009 recip- accounts. After the book value of those dona- million. ient of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) tions declined by $1.6 million during the As executive committee members Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights first three quarters of 2008, the committee expressed concern about the potential impact Award. began divesting equities from its portfolio in of such reductions, investment committee Lavanya, granddaughter of a former vice order to protect the remainder. Losses con- chair and former treasurer Clem Gimbert president of the BWA, attended a Baptist tinued into February before all stocks could underscored the new reality. Because of the Youth World Congress in 1993 and be sold, however, totaling $2.35 million in financial situation, he predicted, “BWA is responded to a call to surrender fully to 2008 and more than $200,000 in January going to change, and maybe in some radical Christ. and February. ways.” Since then, she has developed and led BWA officials said their accounting pol- BWA president David Coffey said, “This “Serve Trust,” an organization that operates icy does not allow restricted funds to decline is a very sober moment in the life of our residential homes for the aged, lepers, and in value, requiring them to transfer more BWA family,” but still expressed confidence: adults and children living with HIV/AIDS; a than $2.5 million from unrestricted reserves “God has been good to us for over 100 years, school for children in a depressed area of the to the operating fund in order to protect the and he’s not going to abandon us now.” town of Narasaraopet in southern India; and restricted funds. The transfers reduced Callam said BWA leaders have come to training programs that seek to help female reserves to about $500,000, the minimum realize the need to build a much larger donor sex workers and their daughters break out of required by BWA policy. base and encouraged those who know the the cultural caste of prostitution into which With little or no anticipated investment organization best — including those who their families were born. income for 2009 and a best-case scenario of were in the room — to set an example Lavanya, who has often been described flat giving from donors, the budget commit- through financial contributions. as the “Baptist Mother Teresa,” will receive tee anticipated an $862,000 shortfall for the In other business, the executive commit- the award during the July meeting in the fiscal year. The executive committee voted to tee voted to recommend Raimundo César Netherlands. BT

26 | Baptists Today • April 2009 I N F O R M A T I O N North Carolina church sets example with shiny new eco-friendly building By Bob Allen dor to the North Carolina Capitol, but pri- Associated Baptist Press mary access to the old building was from a smaller side street. RALEIGH, N.C. — Pullen Memorial The new addition opens up access to Baptist Church, which celebrates its 125th Hillsborough Street. A contemplation garden anniversary in 2009, is turning heads with a of preserved trees and replanted flowers, new eco-friendly building addition that eases shrubs and bushes adds a touch of green overcrowding, allows for expanded missions space open to the public to a crowded urban and establishes a strong architectural pres- area. ence along a prominent business and cultural The addition also allows Pullen thoroughfare in Raleigh, N.C. On Feb. 1, Memorial to expand services to the working the church dedicated a metal-shingled 9,800- poor, an emphasis that characterized the con- square-foot addition. Although it has already gregation at its founding in 1884. Created been affectionately nicknamed the “shiny for people who fall through the gaps in social diner,” architecturally it is tied in with Photo of new building courtesy of Pullen services, the Hope Center contains two Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh. Pullen’s original Romanesque brick-and- offices for staff, a multipurpose space with mortar sanctuary, built in 1923. perature of 64 degrees, the HVAC unit cost computers to aid job seekers, expanded space “We’ve been holding Sunday school in $170,000 more than a regular heat-pump for tutoring programs and restrooms with the hallways for more than 15 years, so it unit. But church leaders believe the system, showers and laundry facilities for the down- was clear the church needed a solution,” said with a 50-year lifespan, will begin paying for and-out. Nancy Petty, the church’s co-pastor. More itself after 10 years. Architecture critics have praised the build- than 200 people have joined Pullen The system is expected to save $6,000 a ing. New Raleigh magazine described its design Memorial since 2000, according to the year at current energy costs, and will stop as “simple,” “confident” and “sensitive.” church website, bringing the church mem- more than 250,000 pounds of carbon emis- “This addition to a historic building bership to 700 and active participants to sions into the atmosphere — the equivalent melds the slope of the earth with new and more than 1,000. Youth and children make of taking 22 cars off the road each year. redefined usable spaces,” the magazine said. up a large part of the growth. Youth Sunday Other green features include orienting “The lower story of the building addition school classes previously scattered through- the building and placing windows to make cuddles up to the existing structure and acts out three floors now have their own best use of natural light. The design provides to negotiate all of the elements of the proj- classrooms alongside a new nonprofit Hope sunlight to 80 percent of the new space, ect: a new chapel and fellowship hall, a roof Center to minister to the community’s including work and dining areas. garden, and a new entrance to the church. A homeless, jobless and marginalized. The addition also implements a “green courtyard space outside of the original sanc- A 2003 master plan set goals of making roof” — covered with vegetation and soil tuary on the Cox Avenue side continues the building more welcoming and accessible over a waterproofing membrane — expected around to the rear of the building and and expanding the church’s mission. “The to reduce storm-water runoff, the No. 1 becomes the vegetative roof of the new more we discussed it, the clearer it became source of water pollution, by 25 percent. An spaces. This exercise in placemaking yields that we also wanted to have as ‘green’ a underground cistern captures runoff from an elegant transition that weaves the build- structure as we could,” said Regina Parham, three areas, including the original church ing and its surrounding landscape into a chair of the church’s design and construction roof. The water will be used for landscape singular architecture.” committee. Building “as green as can be” irrigation. Waterless urinals, dual-flush toi- Another conscious decision for the while remaining affordable in a flagging lets and water-conserving appliances will church involved forgoing construction on economy provided a major challenge. further cut water use and save costs. undeveloped land. Instead of adding parking, Since heating and cooling account for Recycled building materials were used Pullen Memorial members reduced their 28 30 percent of an average building’s energy where possible. The wall and roof shingles parking spaces to 14, meaning most wor- consumption and power-plant emissions are made from recycled metal and never will shipers will continue to park at nearby contribute significantly to air pollution, need painting, while flooring is made of businesses or on the street. Pullen Memorial opted for a geothermal renewable resources. The new building cost $3.7 million. A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning Pullen Memorial has a high-profile loca- three-year capital campaign raised $2.2 mil- system. tion on Hillsborough Street, a historic lion in gifts and pledges. An unexpected Composed of 20 wells drilled to a depth Raleigh thoroughfare viewed as a front door bequest in 2008 left just 20 percent of total of 375 feet to tap Raleigh’s average soil tem- to North Carolina State University and corri- costs to be financed with a bank loan. BT April 2009 • Baptists Today | 27 I N F O R M A T I O N i n t h e k n o w Keeping up with people, places and events

PEOPLE Henry V. Langford received the John Bill Leonard will retire as dean of the Wake Jasper Trailblazer Award on Feb. 15 from Forest University Divinity School in June Jason Edwards has been called as pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in 2010, but will continue to teach full time as Second Baptist Church of Liberty, Mo. For Richmond, Va. The award is named for professor of church history and Baptist stud- the past two years Edwards has served as a John Jasper (1812-1901), a former slave ies in the divinity school and as professor of pastoral resident at Wilshire Baptist who became a revered preacher. Langford religion in the university’s religion depart- Church in Dallas. served Baptist churches in Georgia, ment. Leonard has served Wake Forest for 14 Kentucky, Alabama and Virginia. For 21 years. As founding dean, he recruited the Tyler C. Gillespie is associate pastor for years, he worked with the Alcohol and divinity school’s first faculty. The school youth and student ministry at Highland Drug Education Council of Virginia now claims 12 professors and 163 graduates. Park Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. For Churches and was known for writing the past two years, Gillespie has served as a letters and speaking out on behalf of social Rudy Sanchez died Feb. 7 in Dallas at age Lilly pastoral resident at Hyde Park Union justice. 72. He was a key Hispanic leader in the Church in Chicago. Baptist General Convention of Texas. BT

Lanny Hall, president of Howard Payne University, will return to Hardin-Simmons Baptist News, Baptist Views University as president. Hall will be the 15th president in Hardin-Simmons’ 118-year his- tory, returning to the university where he BAPTISTS TODAY An autonomous national Baptist news journal started as a student more than 40 years ago and where he served a decade as president and then was named chancellor in 2001. Call 1-877-752-5658

28 | Baptists Today • April 2009 I N F O R M A T I O N Kay Warren: Following Christ means being ‘seriously disturbed’

WACO, Texas (ABP) — Becoming a disciple were 33 million people with AIDS. And I wealth and happiness will ruin you. And so of Jesus Christ means being willing to say couldn’t name a single person who was HIV- will following Christ. If you’re going to be “yes” unconditionally to God, knowing he positive,” she said. ruined, why not be ruined for something that likely will lead his followers into uncomfort- “It rocked my world. It was a pivotal matters — something that lasts?” she asked. able places, Kay Warren told a conference at moment when I said ‘yes’ to Being “gloriously Baylor University. God, and he broke my heart. Global activist Kay Warren. ruined” means following the Baylor Photography/ For Warren, it meant becoming a global It turned my life upside- Robert Rogers example of Christ to “take advocate for people with HIV/AIDS, for down.” on pain that isn’t our own,” orphans and for other marginalized and That kind of “signpost she said. In Warren’s case, vulnerable groups. moment” happens when one of the first and most Her husband, Rick, is pastor of Saddle- a Christian becomes “so memorable examples back Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and author broken by brokenness, so involved an encounter with of The Purpose Driven Life. disturbed, that you feel like an HIV-positive woman who Accepting Christ’s invitation to deny self, you can’t live with it another was living — and dying — take up a cross and follow him means being second,” Warren explained. under a tree because she had “dangerously surrendered, seriously disturbed Discipleship also been expelled from her and gloriously ruined,” she told The Next Big means allowing Christ to village. Idea conference sponsored by Baylor’s School “gloriously ruin” one of his “Nothing in my faith of Social Work, Truett Theological Seminary followers for the normal life had prepared me to talk to a and the Leadership Network. he or she knew before, she dying, homeless woman Warren told participants how she became added. Warren explained that, for her, it meant living under a tree,” she said. “Nobody should “seriously disturbed” a few years ago by read- transformation from “a suburban mom with have to die alone.” ing an article about AIDS in Africa. a minivan” to an outspoken advocate for Being a disciple of Christ means doing “The article said there were 12 million HIV-positive people worldwide. what Jesus did — “making the invisible God children in Africa orphaned by AIDS. And I “The pursuit of the American dream in visible” and caring for “the least, the last and couldn’t name a single one of them. There and of itself will ruin you. Pursuit of health, the lost,” Warren said. BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 29 F E A T U R E BY CARLA WYNN DAVIS, CBF Communications

Consistently surprised China offers early opportunites to build relationships with students

TLANTA — Last fall, Brittany Phillips went back to college again. A This time it’s in another language, and it’s in China, a country whose people grabbed her heart years ago and wouldn’t let go until she returned to stay longer. As a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship rep- resentative, Phillips lives and studies in Chengdu, China, where daily she makes new friends, has new experiences and is consis- tently surprised by the opportunities God places in front of her. Though the cheerful, social type, Phillips has never been the life of the party like she Brittany Phillips is developing a collegiate became one Friday night on a local college ministry at a fast-growing new church start campus. At “English Corner,” Chinese stu- in Chengdu, China. CBF photo by Carla Wynn Davis. dents gather weekly to practice speaking English. So imagine the crowd and air of work,” she said. curiosity that a native English speaker like Commissioned in 2008 for a two-year Phillips can draw. term of service, Phillips first traveled to “What do you like about China?” the China while a student at University of Mary students asked her. “Do you like Chinese Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. food? What is life like in America?” “I really didn’t expect China to grab my And then two questions Phillips didn’t heart the way it did,” she said. “When I came see coming, partly because they opened a to China I just really fell in love with it — the door like none other: “Are you a Christian? students, the culture, the life. I felt at home.” What does that mean to you?” Determined to return, she didn’t know “It was great to be able to share with how until Meadow Oaks Baptist Church in them,” Phillips said. “But, even better, on our Temple, Texas, helped show her a way. One way back to the dorm my friend asked me Wednesday night Phillips used CBF’s mis- more about being a Christian. I was able to sions education curriculum to teach the share so much more with her about why Jesus children about Bill and Michelle Cayard, CBF is important to me and why I believe and representatives in Chengdu. trust in Jesus.” Excited about ministry possibilities in That’s the primary way the gospel travels China, Phillips applied to serve with CBF in China — person to person, friend to and months later found herself in Chengdu friend. In the Sichuan province, where less working with the same church as the Cayards. than two percent of the population is It’s an opportunity she never saw coming, but Christian, Phillips is focused on outreach to she can’t imagine living without. university students and young people in the “I’m overwhelmed with the love that I province’s largest city, Chengdu. There, a have for the Chinese people as I meet them,” church was started more than a year ago, and she said. “I just really hope that while I’m Phillips now teaches its first Sunday school here I can take hold of every opportunity that class for college students. God puts in front of me.” BT “I hope that in making friends, teaching English, teaching Sunday school, and being Information on the Cooperative Baptist obedient to other opportunities God puts in Fellowship and the Offering for Global Missions my lap that Christ can be seen in my life and is available at www.thefellowship.info.

30 | Baptists Today • April 2009 G U E S T C O M M E N T A R Y Chasing a rumor By Lee Canipe

his is, of course, the way rumors get campfire. turned to take another look, the peacock was started. One evening, diners down at I began to sympathize with Thomas. gone. T John’s Seafood looked up from their Everyone had seen Jesus but him. He’d heard As I walked home, still absorbed in the plates and out the window to discover a rumors that Jesus was on the loose, but Thomas memory of what I’d seen, Alycia passed by me peacock walking down Main Street. had not seen a thing. Jesus? Alive? in her car. She rolled her window down and The appearance of such an exotic bird Then one day it happened. On my way grinned. “Don’t you just kind of feel blessed for caused quite a stir, and a number of folks ran to out the door for lunch, I looked over my shoul- having seen it?” she half-asked, half-told me. the door to get a better view. But when they der and there it was. “Yes,” I answered. “I really do.” peeked outside, the peacock had vanished. Standing outside the glass breezeway at I remembered an episode at the end of I heard about it the next day at church. Murfreesboro Baptist Church. Brilliant blue and John’s gospel, the time Jesus appeared to “Did you know there was a peacock walking electric green. Tail feathers spread in a huge fan. Thomas. “You believe because you’ve seen,” down Main Street last night?” someone half- “Come here! Quick!” I hissed to the Jesus told him. “Blessed are those who believe asked, half-told me. church secretary. “The peacock. It’s here.” and haven’t seen.” It was, I confess, hard to believe. Such Alycia came into the connector, and the Even now I sometimes find myself day- things simply don’t happen in Murfreesboro, three of us looked at one another: Alycia, the dreaming about the peacock, wanting to be N.C. peacock and me. surprised once more by its unexpected and Confronted by my sliver of doubt — “Where did it come from?” Alycia whis- happy appearance in the midst of my ordinary “Really, now. A peacock? In Murfreesboro?” — pered. “No one knows,” I whispered back, “but days. the informant slowly backed away from the I’ve been wanting to see it for weeks now.” This Easter season, at least, I am gracefully story. “Well, that’s what I heard, at least.” Alycia: “I wonder why it came here?” Me: haunted by a rumor that turned out to be As if to taunt doubters like me, the pea- “I don’t know, but I’m glad it did.” true. BT cock soon began making other appearances Neither one of us wanted to move, but it —Lee Canipe is pastor of the First around town … in Jay and Elicia’s backyard … was lunchtime and we had to go. When I Baptist Church of Murfreesboro, N.C. on the hood of Tommy’s car … atop John and Theresa’s house. As the sightings multiplied, it became more difficult to ignore the possibility that there might very well be an actual peacock on the loose in Murfreesboro, a peacock that was liable to turn up at any place and at any time. Since I had not seen the peacock, I began to imagine that the people who had seen it were somehow different now than they were before: wiser, changed by the experience in a way that the deprived could never hope to understand. Where did this peacock come from? No one knew. But these folks — these chosen few — had seen the mystery for them- selves. I could only imagine what it might look like. One morning I was out for a run and, as usual, passed Bruce, Lloyd and Wayne walking in the opposite direction. “The peacock’s around the corner,” Bruce said. I looked and looked and looked as I ran down Maple Street, hoping for a glimpse of the peacock. No luck. It was only natural, I suppose, that all this was happening leading up to Easter, when we read stories in which Jesus shows up in the most unexpected places … in a locked room … on the road to Emmaus … at the beach … over a April 2009 • Baptists Today | 31 F E A T U R E

Five Good Reasons News journal launches campaign to Support to expand services, ensure future Baptists Today ACON, Ga. — The national news expand our reach, especially to young Baptists Baptists Today is the only auto- journal Baptists Today has and others who seek information from the nomous, national news journal M embarked on a three-year capital Internet. We will be able to broaden and serving the broader Baptist campaign, with a goal of $2.5 million in the deepen our coverage — and remain affordable community. initial phase. to churches so that their members can have The fundraising initiative, titled Baptists access to important information about the Baptists Today Today: The Voice to Sustain Baptists changing Baptist landscape.” is supported Tomorrow, will increase the endowment by Although the campaign is in its annually by $1 million to support the publica- early stage, more than $400,000 has more than tion’s future goals, while also been pledged already. The campaign is 1,000 individu- providing $1.5 million for designed to secure restricted and als who value ongoing operational expendi- unrestricted funds for Baptists Today, both faith and tures, improvements in design addressing four broad areas of need: freedom. and coverage, and technology advancements enabling it to reach a 1. The Keystone Fund will fur- Baptists Today is celebrating 25 broader, more diverse audience nish operating monies to bridge years of providing timely news, through the Internet. the financial gap between sub- thoughtful analysis and inspiring “For 25 years, Baptists Today has scription and advertising revenue and the features for a wide range of been a trusted voice for Baptists,” said Gary actual cost of annual operations, as well as Baptists. Eubanks, a layman from Marietta, Ga., and providing additional writers for expanded chairman of the Board of Directors. “We news coverage of Baptist life. Baptists Today engages nearly must take the necessary steps to ensure 2. New Opportunity Funds will provide for 3,000 Baptist theology students the future of Baptists Today, which improvements such as a more interac- and other young Baptist leaders we, as Baptists, depend on to stay tive, innovative web site and preparing to lead a new generation informed and connected. Now, enhancements to the print edition of Baptist endeavors. more than ever, it is vital to to attract a larger readership and embrace and support the advertising base. Having launched a popular Internet mission of Baptists Today.” 3. Reserve funds will provide for presence in 2000, Baptists Today in Founded as SBC Today by unexpected expenditures and rising 2009 is taking a major initiative to Walker Knight in 1983, the printing and postage costs and needed redesign and expand its web site non-profit publication has pro- upgrades. to provide more user-friendly vided Baptists with unrestricted news and 4. Endowment funds will give the pub- access and continuously updated perspectives for more than 25 years. Baptists lication a firmer financial foundation on coverage of Baptist news and com- Today remains the only autonomous, national which to plan new areas of media coverage mentary throughout the world. news journal serving the broader Baptist and outreach. community. “This fundraising campaign will ensure “I have supported Baptists Today over the that our readers receive full, dependable cov- years because I feel so strongly about its role erage of Baptist life in changing times,” said in keeping us informed,” said past Baptists Executive Editor John Pierce. “We will Today Board Chairperson Winnie V. Williams,

32 | Baptists Today • April 2009 F E A T U R E a lay leader from Seneca, S.C., who is serving as chair of the campaign. Five MORE Good Reasons “Freedom is at the very foundation of our to Support Baptists Today Baptist heritage. We cherish it. We trust in it,” she said. “Being well informed empowers us to Baptists Today is committed to the Baptists Today launched a North preserve this precious freedom. This campaign highest standards of journalistic Carolina edition in January 2008 — gives readers the opportunity to demonstrate integrity in writing and publishing. a specialized version of the news their support of Baptists Today and its role in journal with state-specific coverage retaining our freedom as Baptists.” Baptists Today successfully completed — in partnership with the A number of gift and naming opportuni- a six-year Friends of Freedom cam- Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of ties are available, from sponsoring special paign, raising more than $1 million. North Carolina and others. series on relevant topics to endowing named editorships, to providing student, church Baptists Today continues to grow in Baptists Today has begun a new or leadership subscriptions. The campaign influence and achieved record circu- three-year campaign, which will provides a wide variety of prospects for indi- lation in 2008. secure the publication to serve the viduals to support the publication at whatever broader family of Baptists for genera- level they choose. tions to come, using the resources of Gifts to the campaign may be paid over a print and the Internet to ensure that three-year period and may include cash, Baptists are informed through news stocks, real estate and bonds. Also, estate and and other helpful information that are planned gifts designated during the campaign current, accurate and inspiring. will count toward the goal. This campaign will provide needed To learn more about the Baptists Today: resources for annual operations, The Voice to Sustain Baptists Tomorrow cam- website enhancement and endow- paign, contact Keithen M. Tucker, Director of ment. Development and Marketing, Baptists Today, by phone at 1-877-752-5658 (toll-free) or [email protected]. BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 33 M E D I A S H E L F BY JOHN PIERCE Burleson late to the game

onservative Southern Baptist pastor statement of 2000 is a strong-enough guide- Wade Burleson details his recent A REVIEW — Hardball Religion: line for determining participation in SBC life C three-year battle with fundamentalist Feeling the Fury of Fundamentalism and those who feel that agencies — such as forces within the Southern Baptist Convention by Wade Burleson the IMB — should be free to add further (SBC) in Hardball Religion: Feeling the Fury of requirements of belief and practice. (2009, Smyth & Helwys Publishing, . He gives both play-by-play Trustee leadership responded to Fundamentalism www.helwys.com, ISBN 978-1-57312-527-7) coverage and color commentary. Burleson’s persistent blogging by charging him The playing field for most of the action is with “gossip and slander” — and urging him the trustee board of the SBC’s International baptized in settings other than a Southern to resign. Burleson refused — knowing that Mission Board (IMB) — where Burleson Baptist church or another congregation that SBC messengers meeting in June 2006 in caught the wrath of denominational power- teaches the doctrine of perseverance of the Greensboro, N.C., would have to hear his case brokers carrying out a well-orchestrated effort saints. in the large arena and then vote to remove or to further restrict missionary qualifications Burleson claims that, early on, he was retain him as an IMB trustee. (according to strict Landmark Baptist doc- recruited by this coalition of trustees set on Burleson humorously described one effort trine) and to undermine the leadership of IMB removing Rankin — who has previously to get him to bow out quietly and quickly: president Jerry Rankin. admitted to practicing a private form of “[A]s I walked down the hall toward the Burleson’s vocal opposition to these glossolalia (speaking in building’s exit, IMB trustee Bill Sutton, Paige efforts — along with his public revelations via tongues). Patterson’s close friend and confidante, came his blog about what he witnessed in and out of Burleson’s refusal to running up behind me. ‘Wade, Wade, stop! trustee meetings — led to his eventual censure support their pre-meeting Listen to me. Please. What do I have to do to in November 2007 and his resignation from caucuses (which he noted get you to resign? I’ll wash your feet; I’ll kiss the board in January 2008. were in violation of board your butt. Please, just tell me, what can I do Although an earlier call to have him policy) and his willing- to get you to step down for the good of every- removed from the board was rescinded, he ness to expose these one involved?’” became the first trustee in convention history efforts publicly did not Burleson said he responded: “Bill, you to be formally targeted for removal before his set well with the trustee leaders John Floyd still don’t understand. This is a matter of prin- term expired. from Tennessee, a disgruntled former IMB ciple for me. I can’t resign. I’ll see you in Burleson, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist employee, and Tom Hatley from Arkansas. Greensboro.” Church in Enid, Okla., and former two-term “They had an agenda,” wrote Burleson. Fear of Burleson speaking to the conven- president of the ultraconservative Baptist “I stood in the way. I asked too many ques- tion — and the urging of top SBC leadership at General Convention of Oklahoma, chronicles tions, and I was too persistent, particularly for a hastily called meeting — led IMB trustee the power ploys he encountered as an IMB a ‘rookie’ trustee.” leaders to pull their recommendation for trustee from 2005 until early 2008. He also Giving wide exposure to his fellow Burleson’s removal from the board. However, notes other recent actions within the SBC — trustees’ political activities and making public the chairman stripped him of influence by not such as the removal of Hebrew professor Sheri his own case against the narrow doctrinal giving him a customary committee assignment. Klouda from Southwestern Baptist Theological requirements for missionary candidates — via Blogging among Southern Baptists grew Seminary because of her gender — to reveal an his blog — infuriated trustee leaders. Burleson stronger leading up to the 2006 SBC annual aggressive fundamentalist agenda at work. justified bringing such issues into the public meeting in Greensboro — with the media Repeatedly, Burleson points to SBC arena by emphasizing the role of dissent in crediting electronic critics of the IMB trustee kingpin Paige Patterson, the president of Baptist polity. actions with influencing the election of Frank Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, Burleson’s Dec. 10, 2005 blog titled Page as SBC president over two candidates who ousted Klouda, as the powerful operative “Crusading Conservatives vs. Cooperating more closely associated with the convention’s directing influential IMB trustees as part of a Conservatives: The Battle for the Future of the power structure. larger effort to narrow the doctrinal parame- Southern Baptist Convention” shed a broad Burleson, however, seems to overestimate ters for participation within the SBC. light on the new doctrinal requirements for the impact of Page’s election as a kinder, gen- Burleson describes efforts by IMB missionaries as well as trustees’ efforts to tler supporter of the rightward SBC as well as trustees loyal to Patterson to embarrass Rankin undermine Rankin. Strong reaction to the blog that of the so-called “Garner motion” that and other IMB administrators and to impose from fellow Southern Baptists — some in sup- messengers approved at the 2007 SBC meet- Landmark doctrine on the Southern Baptist port of and others in opposition to Burleson’s ing calling the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message mission enterprise through new requirements efforts — revealed a deep divide in Southern a sufficient doctrinal guideline. that disqualify missionary candidates who have Baptist politics between those who think the Page’s two terms in office were followed “a private prayer language” or have been revised Baptist Faith and Message doctrinal by the election of , a solid player

34 | Baptists Today • April 2009 M E D I A S H E L F in the fundamentalist-shaped SBC. And Yet, Burleson — and Klouda, for that matter and handcuffs missionaries working in settings Garner’s motion was followed by quick — should have known about Patterson’s fos- where women routinely lead churches. responses from SBC agency heads arguing that silized position on female subordination and Ironically, Burleson has spoken out in their boards can and will add doctrinal param- not been surprised. defense of women ministers. In his book he eters as they choose. And did Burleson completely miss the writes: “The focus on keeping women from Yet Burleson seems optimistic about 1994 firing of Southwestern Seminary church leadership makes no sense in China somehow stemming the growing tide of fun- President Russell Dilday? Or does he consider and other places where house churches are damentalism in the SBC. And, with so many that action to be justified or somehow some- mainly composed of women.” vocal opponents of fundamentalism gone en thing other than the same fundamentalism at That is precisely why Burleson’s defense mass from the SBC already, it takes significant work that he has witnessed in recent years? of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message — that optimism to make such a claim. Likewise, Burleson’s concern that many states “… the office of pastor is limited to men Throughout his book, Burleson reveals good Southern Baptist missionary candidates as qualified by Scripture” — and his outrage what many already know about the well- are now being excluded from service by non- over the removal of a female theology profes- entrenched fundamentalism of the SBC, such as: essential doctrinal restrictions is laudable. But sor and the addition of a couple of more 1. Some of the most hostile, unscrupu- where was his voice in 2002 when these same narrow doctrinal requirements for screening lous people one can ever encounter are driven agenda-driven IMB trustees — with Rankin’s new missionaries are hard to reconcile. by religiously-masked political power. wimpy compliance — required the entire over- Burleson’s courage to stand toe-to-toe 2. Church leaders who espouse love and seas mission force to affirm the 2000 Baptist with abusive powerbrokers, to expose the mis- unity — and claim a higher commitment to Faith and Message? use of denominational authority and resources, biblical authority — can be very unloving and Dozens of committed Southern Baptist and to defend those harmed by heavy-handed divisive people. missionaries (as addressed in the book, Stand tactics is commendable. 3. Fundamentalism has no room for dis- with Christ: Why Missionaries Can’t Sign the Yet his recent “discovery” of fundamental- sent. Asking honest questions and challenging 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, 2002, Smyth ism in the Southern Baptist Convention shows the ethics of those carrying out a fundamental- & Helwys) were terminated or forced to retire just how late Burleson is getting to the game. ist agenda are considered signs of disloyalty. by the imposition of these new doctrinal The rough-and-tumble hardball he describes 4. Fundamentalists are punitive toward requirements on their consciences. Yet Burleson in this book has been going on in the SBC’s those who disagree with them or stand in the affirms this narrow doctrinal statement as power structures for more than a quarter-cen- way of their goals. “sufficient” although it violates the historic tury now. What Burleson is experiencing is 5. Otherwise good people can become Baptist principle of congregational autonomy just extra innings. BT complicit in fundamentalist efforts out of fear, ignorance or opportunism. 6. Fundamentalists like to do their deeds in darkness. Secret meetings, false rumors, and stifled or controlled information are strangely excused in the name of biblical fidelity. . 7. Ultimately, fundamentalism is about gaining or retaining power rather than about theology, spirituality or anything else. 8. Fundamentalists can’t stop. The circle is always narrowing; the noose is always tight- ening. When original “enemies” are gone, enemies are created out of one another. Burleson’s insight into the strained rela- tionships between IMB trustees and administrators is sadly interesting. He tells how communications leader Wendy Norville was treated disrespectfully when her vote count on a controversial matter did not match that of the chairman. And he recounts how Rankin would grovel before the trustee leaders and apologize for things he had not done. While Burleson is a welcomed and needed voice in warning about the destructive nature of religious fundamentalism, he seems narrowly focused. For example, he is rightfully outraged that a competent female professor at Southwestern Seminary would lose her position over gender.

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 35 G U E S T C O M M E N T A R Y On interpreting the Bible By Alan Culpepper

he story is told that when William various interpretations, consult a good multi- call to discipleship, most clearly? How does Tyndale was a young man, a priest told volume commentary (ex: New Interpreter’s Jesus offer a context for understanding the Old T him it was better that the Bible was in Bible, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary). Testament? How did the early church interpret Latin (a language only a few Englishmen could Jesus and his teachings? Where is the Bible . Take a broad view. read) and that the church told people what to 4 crossing longstanding boundaries? Where is Look at the context of believe, so false teachings could be contained. the Bible simply echoing the culture of its day? Tyndale responded, “If God spare my life, the passage, the histori- I will cause that the boy that driveth the plow cal setting and the major 7. Seek the guidance of a pastor, teacher or shall know more Scripture than thou dost.” themes of the book in friend. None of us has all the truth or is right A revolution in human history started which it appears. all the time. Keep an open mind on subjects where the Scriptures are not clear. Above all, with that declaration. Tyndale translated the 5. Consult other pas- pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. New Testament into English. His translation sages in the Bible that richly influenced the King James Version and speak on the same subject. The Bible often One of the most rewarding aspects of studying later English translations, and English-speak- speaks differently to different settings, so we the Bible is that every time we work through a ing people have been able to read and interpret have to be careful about taking any one pas- book or passage carefully, we gain insights we the Bible for themselves ever since. sage to the exclusion of others on controversial had never seen before. Thank God, even the But if we are not going to depend on a social or ethical issues. “boy that driveth the plow” may hear a word church official to tell us what the Bible means, the rest of us have missed. BT 6. If the Bible says different things in different then we face the task of interpreting the Bible —R. Alan Culpepper is dean of places, look for an ethical or theological pro- for ourselves — a challenge so daunting that Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology gression. Ask: Which verses reflect the grace we all need to approach it with a great deal of in Atlanta. This column is provided and love of Jesus, or Jesus’ uncompromising humility and seek all the help and guidance we by Associated Baptist Press. can find. Here are just a few suggestions about how to enrich your Bible study and how to work through the interpretation of difficult passages, hard texts and divisive issues:

1. Consult several translations. The King James is beautiful and irreplaceable, but it is Elizabethan English, and we have more accu- rate Greek and Hebrew texts today. Read a word-for-word translation (ex: New American Standard), a middle-of-the-road translation (ex: New International Version, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version), and a translation that renders mean- ing rather than words (ex: Contemporary English Version, New English Bible).

2. Use a good study Bible (ex: HarperCollins Study Bible, New Oxford Annotated Bible). The notes at the bottom of the page are brief but valuable comments on the text. Learn to use the marginal or cross references to lead you to related passages.

3. Buy a good one-volume commentary on the Bible (ex: The Mercer Commentary on the Bible, HarperCollins Bible Commentary). When you need to understand the issues, the history of interpretation and the arguments for

36 | Baptists Today • April 2009 REBLOG — Selections from recent blogs at BaptistsToday.org P E R S P E C T I V E

Any unemployment for non-profits?

By Tony W. Cartledge, unemployment insurance program began, unemployment insurance for nonprofit posted March 2, 2009 the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) organizations, including First Nonprofit www.tonycartledge.com was amended to exclude 501(c)(3) organiza- Companies. tions with religious affiliations. Although Another option, Shaver suggests, is that o, the nation’s economic malaise finally these organizations must pay FICA and other churches or non-profits set aside funds for Sworked its way down to your job as a taxes, they have special tax-exempt status severance packages based on employees’ staff minister, support person, or preschool and are not liable for FUTA taxes.” salary and longevity. These could help make teacher at a church or other non-profit This means laid-off employees from up for the lack of government benefits organization. That’s bad, you think, but at these organizations are not considered eligi- available to them. Churches or non-profits least you can draw unemployment while ble workers and are not entitled to should also consider providing career plan- looking for another job. unemployment insurance. There’s one possi- ning and employment transition assistance Think again. While most employers are ble exception, according to an employee to help laid-off employees return to the required to make quarterly payments to with the Economic Security Commission, work force, she says. cover the cost of state-run unemployment who told Shaver that non-profit employees “Many managers state that the worst insurance programs, religious organizations who have worked for another employer part of their job is letting people go,” are exempt. So, even though a newly unem- (presumably one that pays FUTA taxes) Shaver says. “Knowing that they can pre- ployed person might meet all the normal within the past five years could still be pare for tough economic times may help criteria for unemployment benefits, they eligible. both employer and employee rest easier.” won’t get any if they’ve been working for a In some cases, both employer and Today’s economy, like a late-season church or other non-profit organization — employee may be unaware that the familiar snowfall, brings with it more than enough unless they live in one of the few states channel for unemployment benefits is not cold and unpleasant surprises. Churches and that require non-profits to participate in the available to them. But “it doesn’t have to non-profits should plan ahead and do what program. be that way,” Shaver says. Churches and they can to cushion the blow for workers Patty Edwards Shaver, a Raleigh-based non-profits can plan ahead and be prepared they can no longer afford. career planning and employment specialist, to protect their employees. There are, in For more information, Shaver can be explains it this way: “Many years after the fact, private insurers that specialize in reached at [email protected]. BT

Pastorate is tougher now current pastor — though equally or more wars continue with the pastor caught some- gifted and committed — is constantly being where between the battling parties. Finding By John Pierce, posted Feb. 14, 2009 held to an unfair comparison. compromise between congregational sub- www.bteditor.blogspot.com Fifth, denominational conflict has groups with very strong but differing taken its toll on many Baptist pastors. opinions about what constitutes “true astoral ministry, I am convinced, is more Systems and structures that once felt like worship” is difficult and costly. Pdifficult today than in decades past. home to them have radically changed. And, seventh, regardless of church size There are a variety of reasons for such a Finding a place to belong — and one that or theological bent, most pastors spend way strong claim. the congregation affirms as well — can be too much time and energy on trivial pursuits First, there are simply more options challenging. that have no significance in Kingdom mat- (religious and secular) vying for people’s The historic Baptist principles of free- ters. This is not their desire. But hearing time on the weekends and also less guilt dom and personal responsibility that many and attempting to pacify a few high-mainte- about what God will do if you don’t show up pastors were taught to embrace and nance church members seem to take up a to church, tithe and check at least 90 per- advance — from Training Union through significant amount of a pastor’s attention. cent of the boxes on the offering envelope. seminary — are now being repudiated by While the number seven is symbolic of Second, population shifts and unprece- the very leaders of their denominational “completion,” this list could surely grow. dented pluralism are obvious factors. In powerhouse. Yet churches are slow to rec- But there is a strong-enough case here for most church settings it is simply more diffi- ognize and react to such fundamental — me to conclude that the pastoral task is cult now to bring people in and keep them and, in the case of the Southern Baptist more difficult today. engaged. Convention, fundamentalist — change. Sure, there are those rare times when Third, the embarrassing public image As one talented but burned-out pastor a pastor fails to fulfill the basic responsibili- of this humble and honorable profession is friend told me when he threw in the towel ties of the job. But in most cases we need fortified daily — and especially on Sundays a few years ago: “I’ve just concluded that, to simply give him or her a break. — by the pulpit showboats of the airways. regardless of what Southern Baptists do, How would you like to attempt to sat- Fourth, and more locally, there are this is always going to be a Southern Baptist isfy such opinionated and inflexible people always those members who think their church, and I’m not a Southern Baptist as you and me? And, remember, this is the favorite pastor in the ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s pastor anymore.” person who answers our crisis calls in the would have no problem doing successfully A sixth reason for my conclusion is wee morning hours with: “I’ll be right today what he did back then. So the that, within many congregations, worship there.” BT

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 37 I N F O R M A T I O N BY LAURA JOHNSTON, Religion News Service An ‘Amish’ heater the Amish can’t use?

CANTON, Ohio — It sounds absurd. An Amish miracle heater? cials has dropped. The cheap airtime has allowed low-budget, over-the-top commer- Really? “It’s a joke because the Amish couldn’t use the heater cials usually seen late at night to get itself,” said Donald Kraybill, an Amish expert at Elizabethtown prime-time exposure. “This is what America responds to,” College in Pennsylvania. “It’s kind of like Quakers selling Quaker Khubani said. guns. It’s sort of an oxymoron.” Jerry Sykora of Brooklyn, Ohio, responded to it. He bought the heater for his son, Paul, for Christmas, and so far, it’s ven so, that oxymoron has sold since the company was founded in June doing its job, allowing Paul Sykora to keep thousands of Roll-n-Glow electric 2007. All have been resolved, according to his Parma thermostat at 60, yet stay warm E fireplaces for Canton company the bureau, which toured Amish workshops and comfortable. Heat Surge LLC. in Ohio’s Geauga and Holmes counties as “It’s a nice-looking piece of furniture,” They’re two feet tall, 1,500 watts, part of its investigation into the com- Jerry Sykora said. “It looks like a real fire- wrapped in a mantel of oak ($547) or plaints. place.” cherry ($587). And in hokey commercials The company employs more than 300 The success of the Roll-n-Glow mir- and full-page newspaper ads, they’re touted people in Holmes County, said Commis- rors the Snuggie, the blanket-with-sleeves by women in bonnets, men in straw hats, a sioner Joe Miller, who grew up Amish. phenomenon, Khubani said. Folks are couple driving a buggy — and, in some That includes English (non-Amish) drawn to the chance to save money and publications, two nearly naked women in workers as well as Old Order and the stay cozy. bed. more-liberal Beachy Amish sects, some of “They’ve got a good thing going,” “Amish man’s new miracle idea helps whom use electricity in their shops. Khubani said of Roll-n-Glow maker Heat home heat bills hit rock bottom,” screams “Are they being exploited by this? Surge. “From what I know in the industry, one ad, fashioned to look like a newspaper Absolutely not,” said Miller, who knows sales on that have been tremendous.” article. “You’ll instantly feel bone soothing the man standing front and center in the The tremendous sales originally caused heat in any room. You will never have to be ads and says he’s Amish. “It was a shot in delivery delays, which have since been cold again.” the arm this winter,” he said. resolved, according to the Better Business It’s an enticing prospect although a In Holmes, workers build the mantels Bureau. Other complaints revolved around $20 hardware-store space heater provides in their own homes and barns, then insert the company’s claim that the heater uses the same amount of heat. It just doesn’t Chinese imported heaters in a Winesburg less energy than a coffee maker. have the Amish name, or a flickering fake assembly shop, said John Armstrong, Heat The company — which got in trouble fire. Surge’s chief administrative officer. In with the BBB last summer for selling “free” The Amish brand represents “hand- Geauga, most of the work is done in a digital TV converter boxes with $100 war- made quality, old-fashioned values, rural Middlefield shop. ranties — has since dropped the coffee charm,” said Erik Wesner, who writes a The mantels have a solid oak top and maker claim. It now tells customers the blog called Amish America. trim, Armstrong said. The sides are a heater costs about 8 cents an hour to He calls the heater ads “pretty hilari- wood-plywood combination with wood operate on the 750-watt setting. ous. . . . It’s mind-boggling because they’re veneer — “not the particle board, press- It’s also working on other Amish col- making associations with things not typi- board you typically see in a Chinese laborations, such as an infrared grill on an cally Amish.” manufacturer in big-box stores,” Amish-built wooden cart, bookshelves and The questions — Is the fireplace really Armstrong said. entertainment centers. made by the Amish? Are those real Amish Hence the non-big-box price. And the “You don’t have to be Amish to make a people in the ads? — are debated on marketing philosophy. quality product,” Armstrong said. “The blogs and consumer Web sites all over the Roll-n-Glow ads follow the as-seen-on- thing about the Amish, however, is that country. TV method, using toll-free numbers most people at some point in time have “I’m somewhat suspicious,” Kraybill promising special deals for customers who come into contact with one of their hand- said. “I think it’s an English (non-Amish) call in the next few hours, said A.J. crafted items. People have firsthand company exploiting the Amish name and Khubani, president of Telebrands Corp., knowledge of the quality.” BT image.” which also makes the Ped Egg and Clever The Canton Better Business Bureau Clasp, among other household goods. has received 39 advertising complaints (and As the economy has tanked, the rates —Laura Johnston writes for The Plain 238 complaints overall) about Heat Surge that TV stations can charge for commer- Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio.

38 | Baptists Today • April 2009 I N F O R M A T I O N Yearbook notes membership declines for both Catholics, Southern Baptists

By Bob Allen Overall membership in the top 25 groups Lindner said all this calls for rethinking Associated Baptist Press declined 0.49 percent, to about 146 million. church membership as a measure of congrega- Eileen Lindner, editor of the 2009 tional health. EW YORK — The nation’s two Yearbook, said the annual ranking is often In the 1960s, for example, growth of largest Christian denominations are viewed as gauge for relative vitality of com- evangelical churches while mainline churches N experiencing slight but statistically munions reporting either increases or declines declined prompted some to believe that con- significant membership declines, according to in membership, but in reality counting those servative churches grow because they maintain the latest edition of the National Council of numbers “is a rather imprecise art.” traditional teaching and place high expecta- Churches’ Yearbook of American & Canadian Some churches, Lindner said in a title tions on members while liberal churches, by Churches. essay published in the new Yearbook, count nature, become secularized and tepid. Released Feb. 23, the 77th annual compi- children who are baptized as infants as mem- Later studies attributed those patterns to lation of church statistics reports membership bers, while others wait until they are demographics, suggesting that higher birth in the Roman Catholic Church declined 0.59 confirmed. Still others rates and younger memberships explain percent last year. It also reported a 0.24 percent rely on a “born-again” growth and decline better than theology. drop in the Southern Baptist Convention’s experience or “believer’s Still others said declining numbers fore- membership. baptism” for counting cast a gradual secularization of American Roman Catholics are still America’s members. culture similar to what happened in Europe largest denomination, with 67 million mem- Some churches, par- following World War II. bers. Southern Baptists still rank second, with ticularly Orthodox and “Today it appears that another dimension 16.2 million. African-American com- of this discussion has been opened,” Lindner Given the groups’ respective sizes, neither munions, estimate their wrote. “Now a variety of expressions of church decline is earth-shattering, authors of the study membership based on numbers of their con- has become a part of the American religious said. But the report raises eyebrows because stituents living in a community. The National landscape, and these expressions have begun to both groups have in the past grown steadily Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc., sixth-largest alter, once again, the place of numerical assess- but now may be joining virtually every main- faith group with 5 million members; National ment of patterns of religious affiliations.” line church in experiencing persistent Baptist Convention of America, Inc., with 3.5 “Whether or not church membership membership decline. million members and ranked No. 8; and counts remain the most common measure of According to the 2009 Yearbook, just four Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., church vitality in the long term may be open of the 25 largest faith groups grew last year. ranked 11th with 2.5 million members, all fall to question,” she wrote. “There is little doubt The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under that category. that the topic of church membership and its is up 1.63 percent, to 5.8 million members in Further complicating the picture, Lindner meaning are undergoing a review in the life North America. The Assemblies of God are up said, many church members relocate, join and organization of many church bodies.” 0.96 percent, to 2.8 million members. Jehovah’s other congregations or drop out of church She said , for example, a Witnesses grew 2.12 percent and now number without removing their names from the rolls. Southern Baptist megachurch pastor and 1.09 million. The Church of God (Cleveland, Some traditions, by assessing dues based on author of The Purpose Driven Life, has Tenn.) is up 2.04 percent, to 1.05 million. the number of parishioners, encourage local reasserted the importance of membership by According to membership figures com- churches to cull their membership rolls regu- developing an elaborate “Covenant of piled by churches in 2007 and reported to the larly. But others, like those that reward Membership” for those who would affiliate Yearbook in 2008, the Catholic Church lost numerical growth, encourage padding. with his Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, 398,000 members in a year, while Southern Non-denominational and megachurch Calif. BT Baptists lost nearly 40,000. congregations often permit or encourage peo- Churches with the highest rate of mem- ple to attend but not join. Emergent-church Editor’s note: The 2009 Yearbook of American bership loss include the United Church of fellowships don’t always place emphasis on for- and Canadian Churches is available for order Christ (down 6 percent,) the African mal membership, but may instead measure at www.electronicchurch.org. A book by Albert Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (down 3.1 church effectiveness by the number of meals W. Wardin Jr., The Twelve Baptist Tribes in percent) and the Presbyterian Church, USA served or other forms of ministry. the USA: A Historical and Statistical Analysis, (down 2.79 percent). Studies show younger generations are goes beyond reported membership statistics While still losing members, the American either mistrustful of institutions or find them for better understanding the size of various Baptist Churches USA cut its previous decline irrelevant, making them less likely to join a U.S. Baptist groups. It is available at rate in half, from 1.82 percent to 0.94 percent. church. www.baptisthistory.org.

April 2009 • Baptists Today | 39 P.O. Box 6318 Macon, GA 31208-6318

What do these churches have in common? Through group subscriptions to Baptists Today, they keep up with the latest issues facing Baptists.

Ardmore Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C. First Baptist Church, Lexington, N.C. Lystra Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C. Boiling Springs Baptist Church, Boiling Springs, N.C. First Baptist Church, Lincolnton, N.C. Madison Baptist Church, Madison, Ga. Boulevard Baptist Church, Anderson, S.C. First Baptist Church, London, Ky. Mars Hill Baptist Church, Mars Hill, N.C. Broadmoor Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La. First Baptist Church, Lumberton, N.C. Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C. Broadway Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. First Baptist Church, Macon, Ga. Mount Zion Baptist Church, Macon, Ga. Brunswick Islands Baptist Church, Supply, N.C. First Baptist Church, Madison, Ga. National Heights Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Ga. Center Hill Baptist Church, Lexington, N.C. First Baptist Church, Madison, N.C. New Heights Baptist Church, Macon, Ga. Chadbourn Baptist Church, Chadbourn, N.C. First Baptist Church, Marion, N.C. Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss. College Avenue Baptist Church, Lenoir, N.C. First Baptist Church, Mocksville, N.C. North Stuart Baptist Church, Stuart, Fla. College Park Baptist Church, Orlando, Fla. First Baptist Church, Morganton, N.C. Northwest Baptist Church, Ardmore, Okla. Covenant Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C. First Baptist Church, Morrow, Ga. Oakmont Baptist Church, Greenville, N.C. Cullowhee Baptist Church, Cullowhee, N.C. First Baptist Church, Mount Airy, N.C. Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. Druid Hills Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. First Baptist Church, Mount Olive, N.C. Piney River Baptist Church, Lowesville, Va. Dunwoody Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, Tenn. Pintlala Baptist Church, Hope Hull, Ala. Edenton Baptist Church, Edenton, N.C. First Baptist Church, New Bern, N.C. Providence Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C. Emerywood Baptist Church, High Point, N.C. First Baptist Church, Orangeburg, S.C. Providence Baptist Church, Cookeville, Tenn. Faith Baptist Church, Georgetown, Ky. First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla. Providence Baptist Church, Hendersonville, N.C. Fernwood Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C. First Baptist Church, Rome, Ga. Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C. First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, N.C. First Baptist Church, Rutherfordton, N.C. Reynoldson Baptist Church, Gates, N.C. First Baptist Church, Aiken, S.C. First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga. Rolling Hills Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Ark. First Baptist Church, Anderson, S.C. First Baptist Church, Sanford, N.C. Second Baptist Church, Memphis, Tenn. First Baptist Church, Asheville, N.C. First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C. Second Baptist Church, Richmond, Va. First Baptist Church, Bladenboro, N.C. First Baptist Church, Spruce Pine, N.C. Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. First Baptist Church, Cape Girardeau, Mo. First Baptist Church, Tifton, Ga. Shades Crest Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala. First Baptist Church, Carolina Beach, N.C. First Baptist Church of Wheaton, Silver Spring, Md. Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Ga. First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga. First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C. Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, Fayetteville, N.C. First Baptist Church, Clemson, S.C. Forest Hills Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C. First Baptist Church, Columbus, Ga. Franklin Baptist Church, Franklin, Va. South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas First Baptist Church, Commerce, Ga. Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, Meridian, Miss. St. Andrews Baptist Church, Columbia, S.C. First Baptist Church, Conway, S.C. Grandin Court Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va. St. Matthews Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga. Greystone Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C. Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga. First Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga. Haddock Baptist Church, Haddock, Ga. Tabernacle Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C. First Baptist Church, Forest City, N.C. Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla. The Lakeland Fellowship, Lakeland, Fla. First Baptist Church, Frankfort, Ky. Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon, Ga. The Memorial Baptist Church, Greenville, N.C. First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Fla. Highland Park Baptist Church, Austin, Texas The Oaks Baptist Church, Lyons, Ga. First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga. Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo. University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La. First Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C. HomeStar Fellowship, Raleigh, N.C. Vineville Baptist Church, Macon, Ga. First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C. Hope Valley Baptist Church, Durham, N.C. Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, N.C. First Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C. Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Ga. Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. First Baptist Church, Hawkinsville, Ga. Kathwood Baptist Church, Columbia, S.C. Wingate Baptist Church, Wingate, N.C. First Baptist Church, Hickory, N.C. Knollwood Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C. Winter Park Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C. First Baptist Church, High Point, N.C. Lakeside Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, N.C. Woodmont Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn. First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala. Lamberth Memorial Baptist Church, Roxboro, N.C. Yates Baptist Church, Durham, N.C. First Baptist Church, Kannapolis, N.C. Lexington Avenue Baptist Church, Danville, Ky. Youngsville Baptist Church, Youngsville, N.C. First Baptist Church, Lavonia, Ga. Loray Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C. Zebulon Baptist Church, Zebulon, N.C. Your church can be better informed, too FOR AS LITTLE AS $450 A YEAR (minimum 25 subscriptions at $18 each). Just send a list of names and addresses, along with a check, to: Baptists Today, P.O. Box 6318, Macon, GA 31208-6318. (For more information, call toll-free 1-877-752-5658.)