Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita March 10, 1988
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Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine, 1985-1989 Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine 3-10-1988 March 10, 1988 Arkansas Baptist State Convention Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/arbn_85-89 Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, and the Mass Communication Commons Faith In Action . In This Issue Urban Allies missions for Tarr:tnt Baptist Association and coordinator of the Urban Alli es Offer Ministry progra.m. by Ken Camp Urban Allies w:as begun in january 1985 hptbc ~ Coa"'•doa of 1b:u as a pilot project by the To:as convention FORT WORTH, Texas (BP}-Scveral in coope.ration with furant Association months ago a violent sexual assauh left a and the Home Mission Board. Most of the 17-year-oltl Fort Wonh, 'll:xas, girl in a state funding is provided through the Mary Hill of depression, isolation and menta.l Davis Offering for State Missions, an offer anguish. In desperation, the teenager's ing givm ach f.lll through most TCX2S Bap mother turned to the only au thority figure tist churches. she knew, the manager of her apartment, Urban Allies ope.rate.s in four low-income BSS8 ~I Jim Venemart who cont2.cted Urban Allies. target areas of llirant County providing Cballenglng youth to show they Urban Allies is a ministry of the Baptist basic emergency assistance, educational care by ministering to those help and lpnJted employment assisttnce, all around them Is /be purpose of Gener.tl Convention of ll::xas, the Southern Baptist Home Misstori Board and Tllrrant in the~ name of Jesus. The. program has Youth Week, March I 3~20. Baptist Assoclation,·•\designc:d to link received 'numerous\ community service established congregations to innc:r·city awards, including honors from the Fort Editor's Page. 3 churches and m prOvide resources through Worth Housing Authority and the Fort these local churches as they s«:k m Worth Independent School District. mlnisrer and witness in poverty-stricken "The idea is to cross cultural and Speak Up areas. economic barriers and then witness Letters to the Editor .. .... 4 The Urban Allies coordinator called the through established relationships," said pastor of an Urban Allies- affiliated mission Sowc:U. Currently, T.lrrant Associatlon chur Today's Issues .. : . ..... .. 4 who counseled the troubled girL In time, ches and two missions are Involved in Ur You'll Be Glad To Know . 5 both the young woman and her mother ban Allies. Sowell stressed the relationship Food & Fellowship ....... 5 made professions of faith in Christ and between support churches and inner-city opened their apartment to a home Bible congregations usually is not financial. Early Reflections .. .. 6 study. ''The emphasis is on mobilizing laypeo Priesthood of Believers . .. 6 The teenage girl, a functionally iJliter:ue ple, providing networking, resources and recent high school graduate, also current training opportunities,'' said Sowell. ''The ly is enfoUed in a literacy class sponsored process begins with ministry contacts. Faith At Work by Urban Allies. Through these contacts, persons form rela Faith In Action .... ...... 7 "When something like that happens, tionships and have the opportunity to that's when this work is most rewarding share their witness." when we're there an'ct able to respond and "It's often frustrating, but when .. so Local & State make an eternal difference in someone's meone makes a real perSonal commitment Secretaries Conference . 8 life," said Robert SOwell, director of urban to jesus Christ - it 's exciting." Bookshelf .. ...... .... 8 Hiw:,~Sse Mission Launched .. 8 Arkansas All Over ......... 9 Green On side, and as white-washed tombs full of Nation dead men's bones. The process of the Record Budget Proposed .. 10 The Inside Christian life in which Christ comes into 2 Corinthians 4:1-17 us is exactly the reverse of the condition School Criticized . ...... 10 of the Pharisees. by 11 Chapter 4 begins with one of Paul's In a world of commercial advertising 20,000 2000 ..... ... where women are portrayed as wearing Indiana Editor Resigns .. 11 favorite words, therefore. Based on what he had said previously about Christians be gloves to hide " those horrid aging spots" 'A Clear Statement' . .. .. 12 ing changed into Chrisqtkeness, he pro ;md "the good life" Is nothing more than SBC Leaders Respond ..... 13 ceeded to give examples from personal ex an extended session of teenage activism, · perience to show why adversity did not it should be comforting to the Christian to daunt his ministry. The pivotal statement note that decay is taking its toll; but a reverse process is also going on. This pro Les~ons For Living .. 14 is 4:16; it is the essence of the Christ· controlled, Splrit·fllled life. Though the cess is not because of skJn cream or credit World outward man is perishing (wasting away), cards but because the Lord is at work in our the inward man is being renewed on a day lives. We can, wlth Paul, declare that we Here To Helpn .. .. .... 15 by-day basis. The perishing and renewing may be knocked down but never knocked More Flood ':Aid Sent. .... 16 are described by their Greek verb tenses as out (v. 9); and we do not faint (v. 16). being contln.uing processes. .W.ptrd. (tom " Proclaim,"" AprU·June 1980.-Copyrlabl Bibles En Route ... ..... 16 jesuS had described his Pharisaic adver 1980 Tbc Svact..y ScboQI Board or the Southern Baptbt Colnoeotloa. AU l'flbU ftK.rw;cl. UKd by pctlllbe.kta. for Missionary Notes ...... 16 saries as pretenders, dishes which were tubKdpLioa J.n(ormttloa, wriw 10 W..tcrlal knlcct •. vlt. clean on the outside but dirty on the in- Dqll., 117 Nlftt.b A~ North, Nuh-o-lllc. TN 37134. Page 2 ARKANSAS BAPTIST NE,WSMAGAZINE !EDITOR'S PAGE§ perfect man, unto the measure of the Principles to Follow stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ep. 4, 11-13). The Scripture st:rCsse:s the necessity of Christian living. Th1s mandate is even more ). EVERETT SNEED important for those whom God has called to leadership positions. In listing the characteristics of a minister of the gospcl (bishop), Paul stresses a consistent Chris Th~ rcc~nt unsavory activities of jimmy tian cha..racter. He concludes his discussion SW2ggart is but one in a long list of im· by saying, "Moreover he (the minister) moral, unethical and unchristian activities must have a good repon of them which are by "Christian" TV pcnonalities. Because without; lest he fall into reproach and the of these tragic events, some have labelled snare of the devil" (I Ti. 3,7). aJI Christians as phony. Others have labell The most important question is, How ed all preachers and particularly all should Christians protect themselves ev2ngelists as phonies. The truth is that aga.inst religious hucksters? Cectainly Chris most preachers and most ~ngelists are tians should not withdraw their support serving the Lord sacrificially. from God-caUed pastors, religious leaders The events with the so-called "Chris and evangelists. Protection comes by an in tian" TV personalities point up some prin dividual giving his money where there is ciples which should be followed by all complete accountability. When money Is commiued Christians. Among these are: (1) cess of going to first make disciples. Those given to a local Southern Baptist church, God's primary method of doiqg his whom they had "disciplized" were to be the congregation determines its use. There kingdom work is through local New Tesu baptized, and finally, those who had is always total accountability for money menr churches, (2) God does call specific entered into the church through baptism spent o n any denominational level. individuals as " pastors-teachers" and as were to be uught. Obviously all three of Often the lifestyle of the oulrageous, "evangelists," (3) those whom God has call these activities att extremely lmportam, charismatic "religious TV personality" ed have a responsibilitY to live exemplary since our '-.ocd mentioned these in such a reveals his or her Jack of accountability. lives, and (4) Christians should give their dramatic setting. However, there is but one Bo.th the flamboyant Ufcstyle and disregard money where there is accountability. imperative, :ind this is the matter of for Christian morality show these in The tragic events surrounding jimmy "dlsclpllzlng." dividuals to be unworthy of suppon. Swaggart, Oral Roberts, Jim Bakker and God's call of pastors and ev2ngelists is Finally, Christians h ~ve a stewudship others has brought harsh condemnation to emphasized by the apostle Paul as he said, responsibility. This means proper support the cause of Christ. For example an "And he gave some, apostles; and some, of local New Tesument churches and p;o editocJal by the Gannett News Service prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, perly accounuble denominational ac declares ''SW2ggart Was Just True to Fonn.'' pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of tivities. If a church learns that it has set The thesis of the editorial seems to lx that the saints, foe the work of ministry, for the aside a scoundrel as a Christian worker. the the enlightened realized that this kind of edifying of the body of Christ: till we aU individual should be dealt with. When the unethical activity is nonnal for " preachers comf in the unity of the faith , and of the biblical pattern Is followed, the interest of and evangelists.'' What such Individuals fail knowledge of the son of God, unto a Christ's work will be protected. to realize is that God's work is to be basical ly carried on through local New Testament churches with God-c:i.tled leadership who Hve exemplary lives and are accountable to their congregations.