DECEMBER 2009 | Vol. 27, No. 12 | baptiststoday.org $3.95 PPaassttoorraall PPaaiirr ss CCoouupplleess sshhaarriinngg mmiinniissttrryy rroolleess ppaaggee 44 FIVE GOOD WAYS to support Baptists Today Subscribe for a friend or two, and we’ll get the subscriptions Make a three-year financial pledge to 1 going right away. 2 support the ongoing ministry of Baptists Today , through “The voice to sustain Baptists tomorrow” campaign. Make a gift of $450 or more to create a group subscription Encourage your church to include 3 for your church or another the First Freedoms Project that congregation. 4 equally supports three First Amendment-focused national min - Consider making Baptists Today a part of istries — Associated Baptist Press, the your estate planning to ensure an Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty 5 autonomous and unrestricted news voice and Baptists Today news journal — in the continues into the future. annual budget. FOR INFORMATION on doing any or all of the above, call toll-free 1-478-330-5613 or email Keithen Tucker at [email protected]. DECEMBER 2009 | Vol. 27, No. 12 John D. Pierce Baptists Today serves churches by providing a reliable source of Executive Editor [email protected] unrestricted news coverage, thoughtful analysis and inspiring Jackie B. Riley features focusing on issues of importance to Baptist Christians. Managing Editor An autonomous national [email protected] Baptist news journal Keithen M. Tucker Development and Marketing Director [email protected] PERSPECTIVE Tony W. Cartledge Contributing Editor > Essentially, we divide according to our essentials ....................7 Street [email protected] By John Pierce 8 Bruce T. Gourley Question Online Editor [email protected] > An open response to an open letter ......................................14 ‘Where did Baptists Vickie Frayne By Bill Hardee get their name?’ Art Director Jannie T. Lister Connie Pursiful > Baptists and baptism at year 400 ............................................17 By Carol Crawford Office Assistant Circulation Assistant By Curtis W. Freeman Holcomb Walker Knight Jack U. Harwell Publisher Emeritus Editor Emeritus > Consequences of resurgent Baptist Calvinism ........................26 Board of Directors Gary F. Eubanks, Marietta, Ga. (chairman) By Fisher Humphreys Kelly L. Belcher, Spartanburg, S.C. (vice chair) Z. Allen Abbott, Peachtree City, Ga. Jimmy R. Allen, Big Canoe, Ga. IN THE NEWS Nannette Avery, Signal Mountain, Tenn. Ann T. Beane, Richmond, Va. Thomas E. Boland, Alpharetta, Ga. > Five questions for Jeffrey Haggray ..........................................11 Huey Bridgman, Columbus, Ga. Mary Jane Cardwell, Waycross, Ga. Robert Cates, Rome, Ga. > NAMB essential or obsolete? ..................................................12 Kenny Crump, Ruston, La. Depends on whom you ask David Currie, San Angelo, Texas James M. Dunn, Winston-Salem, N.C. R. Kirby Godsey, Macon, Ga. > The atheist who just won’t die ..................................................13 William B. Greenhaw, Macon, Ga. Leslie D. Hill, Lexington, Ky. Michael M. Massar, Tyler, Texas > Most physicians value role of chaplains ..................................16 J. Thomas McAfee, Macon, Ga. Photo by John Pierce. (Left to right) William T. Neal, Stone Mountain, Ga. > Evangelicals rethinking creation care ......................................23 Ella Wall Prichard, Corpus Christi, Texas Jeffrey and Tonya Vickery and Lisa Michael G. Queen, Wilmington, N.C. and Dean Allen share the pastorates Mary Etta Sanders, Dalton, Ga. > New series to focus on clergy, congregational health ............36 Charles Schaible, Macon, Ga. of Cullowhee Baptist Church in Macon Sheppard, Folly Beach, S.C. western North Carolina and Walter B. Shurden, Macon, Ga. > Evangelicals look to nonpolitical future ..................................38 Charlotte Cook Smith, Raleigh, N.C. Fernwood Baptist Church in David M. Smith, Houston, Texas Spartanburg, S.C., respectively. Leo Thorne, Valley Forge, Pa. > When pastors’ silent suffering turns tragic ..............................39 Sarah Timmerman, Cairo, Ga. Their friendships go back to college Clement H. White, St. Petersburg, Fla. days in South Carolina. Winnie V. Williams, Seneca, S.C. Page 4 Advocates FEATURES Mary Jayne Allen, Chattanooga, Tenn. Randy L. Hyde, Little Rock, Ark. > Connecting research, classroom learning and service ..........33 A conversation with Sherry McGlaughlin, Liberty, Mo. David Woody, Daniel Island, S.C. Mercer president Baptists Today (ISSN 1072-7787) > The pavilion people: Sticking with a plan ..............................34 Bill Underwood is published monthly by: Baptists Today > Community garden grows out of church’s outreach focus ....35 P.O. 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In the Know 21 Reblog 29 December 2009 • Baptists Today | 3 FEATURE STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN PIERCE Some married couples such as (left to right) Russ and Amy Jacks Dean, Lisa and Dean Allen, and Jeffrey and Tonya Vickery share pastorates of Baptist churches and believe this model of ministry will continue to grow. pastoral pairs Married couples sharing pastorate provide new model HARLOTTE, N.C. — After nine Deans sent a letter making a case for both. pastoral pair. Amy said it was important for years of sharing a pulpit and other “Imagine that you had a pastor whose them to clarify the specific roles they would C pastoral duties, Russ and Amy Jacks strengths and studies had been devoted fill. Dean can’t imagine doing ministry any other to pastoral care and whose interests and “It was very clear that one of us was not way. concen tration were in organization and the associate (pastor),” said Amy, who “We’ve done different (ministry) jobs in administration,” the letter proposed. “Imagine assumed the previous pastor’s office to help the same church, the same job at different that you had a pastor whose preaching style members grasp the shared role. “I took the churches, and now share a job together,” said was pastoral and relationally-oriented and lead in the first Communion and did the first Russ. “For us, by far, the best world is clergy whose method was more given to an intellec - baptism.” couple ministry.” tual approach of ideas and concepts. The church bought into the arrangement The Deans proposed the unique pastoral “Imagine that your pastor had the ability with ease, the couple said. arrangement to the search committee of Park to counsel with women when the empathetic “The (search) committee did a really Road Baptist Church in Charlotte nearly a ear of another woman was needed and to good job in educating the church (about co- decade ago. In hand they had a listing of six hear men’s concerns as only another man pastors),” Russ said. “They treat us each as areas of pastoral responsibility — worship could (or, on the other hand, to hear con - the pastor; we’ve not spent 10 minutes telling planning, administration, outreach, pastoral cerns as someone of the opposite sex). them that Amy is the pastor.” care, missions and spiritual nurture — as “Imagine that your pastor could partici - Amy said the shared ministry position spelled out by Bill Hull, theologian in resi - pate in marital counseling, perform marriages has been a very fulfilling way to do ministry dence at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in and lead family seminars and workshops with — one that offsets the isolation often experi - Birmingham, where Russ was serving on a more holistic understanding of people’s enced by solo pastors. staff. They indicated which three of these lives... Imagine that you had a pastor who, “I wouldn’t do it by myself; I’d quit a areas were best suited for each of them. literally, could attend two committee meet - long time ago,” she said. “I don’t know how ings simultaneously!” anybody pastors a church alone.” MAKING THEIR CASE The search committee agreed to an ini - The male-female balance strengthens The Charlotte church had indicated they were tial conversation about the possibility of shared pastoral ministry, said Russ. And the open to either a male or female pastor. The changing their search from a pastor to a model helps break down the structures of 4 | Baptists Today • December 2009 FEATURE male hierarchy present in many churches: to become more prevalent,” said Amy. “We still have our individual interests …,” “Just visually, there’s a benefit.” And why did they not talk with the said Jeffrey. “It’s not that we are one person.” The Deans believe their personal/profes - committee showing interest in them? Tonya added that establishing the right sional relationship has become a good model “We’re just real happy here,” said Russ. boundaries is helpful. of mutuality, cooperation and partnership — “The chemistry was just right; it’s worked “There is a professional relationship and even, or perhaps especially, when they don’t really well.” a personal relationship,” she said. “Jeffrey and necessarily see eye-to-eye. I are not going to hold hands in worship, but “I think it is really interesting for A CAMPUS CHURCH we will at the movie theater.” (church members) to see the pastors disagree In the mountain home of Western Carolina While pastoral pairs are more common and have to work it out,” said Amy, noting University, Cullowhee Baptist Church called in Southeast Asia, the Vickerys said they hope that any potential stalemates are settled by Jeffrey and Tonya Vickery as pastors seven more U.S. congregations will look at this having specific areas of responsibility to years ago. They equally divided one position good option.