Camp Shamrock As Homosexuality Gains Increasing Acceptance in America, Christians Can’T Escape the Headlines
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Our mission: To inform, An international inspire and unite newspaper Vol. 70, No. 9 | September 2013 for Churches of Christ Homosexuality and the church AS SOCIETY EMBRACES same-sex couples, a Texas conference equips the faithful to respond. BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE SAN ANTONIO — NBA player Jason Collins comes out as gay and makes the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Boy Scouts of America votes to allow openly gay boys into its ranks. The U.S. Supreme Court gives federal recogni- tion to same-sex marriages. Camp Shamrock As homosexuality gains increasing acceptance in America, Christians can’t escape the headlines. But how should members of Churches of Christ IN NORTHERN IRELAND, after decades of terror and mistrust, Churches — who believe God reserves sex for marriage between a man and a woman — respond? of Christ urge a new generation to become ‘instruments of peace.’ Here in the Alamo City, the Northside Church of Christ hosted a recent “Peacemakers Conference.” The focus of the two-day conference: equipping BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE the faithful to show Christ’s love to everyone — including those who experience same-sex attraction — while main- Campers and counselors gather around a stone monument at Tollymore Forest Park and prepare skits to demonstrate a Bible lesson. taining strong convictions BRYANSFORD, Northern Ireland Four decades later, sword fights are on the Bible’s rom this forested patch of the only armed conflicts in Tollymore, teachings. paradise, you could hear the captured by film crews for the medi- “It seemed car bombs. eval drama “Game of Thrones.” to me that this Even the beauty of Northern No bomb blasts are heard at Camp would be a Ireland’s Tollymore, a lush, Shamrock — just the shouts of boys, great way to green campground dotted ages 8 to 16, playing soccer behind a move beyond First in a series Fwith Gothic arches and stone bridges, uniform row of white tents. the headlines failed to provide escape from “The At times, the match gets a wee bit and the rhetoric that’s out there and talk about Troubles” — bloody years of conflict heated, and a few of the lads let fly how we can truly ‘be Jesus’ to people,” said David between Protestants loyal to the words not commonly heard at church. Allen, preaching minister for the 1,000-member British crown and Catholics who PHOTOS BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD The goalie, Roy Angell, does his Northside church. “Somehow, Jesus was able to sought unification with the Republic Roy Angell monitors campers as they best to keep the ball out of the net (minister to) broken people in ways that made of Ireland to the south. play a hunting game at Camp Shamrock. and the boys out of each other’s faces. them feel valued and loved and not condemned.” Joe Bright, who served as a “This may be the only place they The conference provided helpful insight “to missionary here in the mid-1970s, unrepeatable songs about the pope, get to see an example of godly get the ball rolling for churches to consider remembers lying in his tent at Camp and the Catholic kids were singing people trying to live godly lives,” how to address an issue that is not going away,” Shamrock — a week-long youth equally unrepeatable songs about says Angell, who served in Northern said Mark Abshier, preaching minister for the retreat sponsored by Churches of Protestants,” Bright recalled. Ireland for two years as part of MacArthur Park Church of Christ in San Antonio. Christ — and listening to explosions “Within days, however, these two Adventures in Missions, a program See SAME-SEX, Page 15 in the nearby village of Newcastle. groups had forgotten the hatred they of Sunset International Bible Institute “During the first days at camp, had learned from their parents, and in Lubbock, Texas. Now attending ABOUT THIS SERIES: How can Christians relate to those with whom the Protestant kids were singing they left camp as fast friends.” See CAMP SHAMROCK, Page 12 they disagree — without compromising the truth? See Page 30. 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 2013 While Everyone Else Is Saying No, Join churches and individuals all Ukraine Is Saying Yes! across the nation on September 29, 2013 Two states, Lviv and Luhansk, Ukraine to help place Bibles in Public Schools have asked for Bibles in 2,145 Public in Ukraine. Just say Da! Schools with 452,397 students. DA! www.MillionDollarSunday.org September 29, 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Mission trip Missionary robbed leaves father of $7,500 to build hungry for more houses for the poor HOUSTON step off the plane on a BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE spiritual high. I I’ve just spent a week in “Another great day in Honduras.” a Third World country on a That’s Marc Tindall’s typical sign-off mission trip. as he posts news about his mission work I’ve worked side by on Facebook. It’s a mantra he continues side with my two younger to profess — even after being robbed of children — $7,500 intended to build four homes for Inside Story Keaton, 16, the poor in the Central American nation. and Kendall, Tindall, a retired executive for Nabisco, 14 — to show moved to Honduras six years ago with God’s love his wife, Terri, to oversee to precious a children’s home. He had souls with just withdrawn the money far fewer from a bank in the capital, material pos- Tegucigalpa, when two sessions than Anna Philyaw directs “Thee Glorious” — a youth chorus formed for the 100th anniversary celebration men he mistook for police our family of the Church of Christ at 16th and Decatur — during Sunday school in the church’s lower level. ordered him to pull over. Bobby Ross Jr. enjoys. The men snatched the But after money from Tindall’s truck Tindall skipping lunch to catch our and fled on a motorcycle. three-hour flight back to the Reaching the heart of D.C. Tindall pursued them, eventually knocking U.S., I’m hungry. Actually, them from the motorcycle and damag- I’m S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G. FOUR MILES FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, the 100-year-old Church of Christ at 16th and ing the truck, Honduran newspaper El Before I can eat, we Decatur ministers to a multiethnic, multinational, transitory flock of believers. Heraldo reported. The thieves fled on foot. endure a too-long Customs “We are all fine, and God is good all the and Border Protection line. BY TED PARKS | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE Well-known preachers in Churches of time,” Tindall told his Facebook friends, By the time we make it Christ — T. B. Larimore, Hugo McCord adding that he was “confident that the through the line, it’s past 5 WASHINGTON and Burton Coffman — stood at the pulpit families won’t lose homes because of this.” p.m. My blood sugar level omen couldn’t vote. The United of the 16th and Decatur church, inside the Trey Morgan, minister for the Childress is running low. My grumpy States hadn’t fought in either Washington Beltway, four miles north of Church of Christ in Texas and a longtime meter is spiking. World War. the White House. The supporter of the Tindalls’ work, launched I’m feeling the physical The struggle congregation was the first a campaign on his website to replace the effects of a week of reward- for civil rights to serve in the official stolen funds. More than 800 people shared ing but exhausting workdays. Wwas a half-century away. role of endorsing military Morgan’s post on Facebook, and within 24 Fortunately, I’m close to That’s when the chaplains on behalf of hours, donors gave more than $7,500. the finish line — just a short Church of Christ at 16th Churches of Christ, said connecting flight from home. and Decatur — the first Donnis Crump, whose FOR MORE INFORMatiON, see treymorgan.net. But first: dinner. in the nation’s capital — husband, Wayne, was I salivate at the thought of got its start. minister from 1981 until the half-pound burger that Nurturing hundreds his death in 2007. I’m about to devour. of Christians whose On the cusp of its Hello, my beefy, cheese- careers would take them PHOTOS BY TED PARKS second century, 16th topped friend! to Washington over “The Lord has blessed us with it,” Ed and Decatur is a multi- My son and I get in line at the ensuing decades, Wilson says of the 16th and Decatur ethnic congregation. the airport Fuddruckers, one the church recently church’s meeting place, completed in While Christians black of my favorite burger joints. celebrated its 100th 1951, “and we’re going to try to take care and white worship He orders right before me. anniversary. Washington of it and try our best to fill it up.” together, members Soon, Keaton’s Texas- mayor Vincent C. Gray come not only from the sized burger and fries proclaimed “Church of Christ Day,” grateful United States but across the globe. ERIK TRYGGESTAD arrive. I lick my lips. The for the congregation’s “legacy of service, “Look up. It’s just a gob of nationalities Marc Tindall shares a laugh with one of the See MISSION TRIP, Page 4 ministry, fellowship, and compassion for all.” See 16TH AND DECATUR, Page 22 Hondurans he serves at a dump in Tegucigalpa. 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY SEPTEMBER 2013 www.christianchronicle.org Go online to find news updates, an expanded calendar, classifieds and much more.