“Let’s Make a Deal” Blast From the Past on my 52nd Birthday

Our church has a “PTO” (personal time off) policy, and as a result of the twenty-some-odd days I missed last year, and the fact that I’m the associate pastor and we are still pastorless, it has been hard to schedule time away from work.  So I have quite a few days left and it is October already.  Today, October 6th, is my 52nd birthday, so I scheduled a personal time off day and stayed home.  In all of my working, adult life, I think this is the first time I’ve actually taken my birthday off, or had it as a holiday when it didn’t fall on a Saturday or Sunday.  It’s been fun.

Surfing through the channels after lunch, I discover that there’s a brand new Let’s Make a Deal show on television.  Different host, nicer set, but this version is pretty much the same show, right down to the sour deals that are part of making the wrong choice.  I remember watching it during the summer when I was a kid, in black and white, when $50 seemed like such a large prize, and someone winning a washer and dryer generated huge excitement.  The dollar amounts are a lot larger now, and the program has some interesting twists, including offering choices between an amount of money in Thai currency and the mystery behind the curtain.  But it sure did bring back memories.

In the long run, 52 is just a number based on a calendar that is measured by the earth’s rotation around the sun.  Time has passed.  Sometimes, when something jogs my memory, it seems like it’s gone by fast.  With other things, it seems like eternity has passed since it happened.  I can’t complain. Life has been a blast, for the most part, and I have really learned how to enjoy every minute of it.  I’ve been blessed to have been given 52 years of it.

It was fun to be reminded of the past, especially today.  But it is also exciting to look ahead to the future.  I don’t know what it holds, and that’s exciting.  If it has been anything like the past, it is something to look forward to.  I saw a list of core values from a church a couple of weeks ago, one of which said  “It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”  With God’s help, I’m looking forward to that. 

If I’d only known then what I know now, I don’t know that I’d have changed a thing.  And it sure makes me look forward to what I will know at some point down the road, however long it might be. 

Life’s a blessing.

Major Changes at TBC: Currie Resigns, Offices in San Angelo Close

http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10133&Itemid=53

One statement from the article in the Baptist Standard stood out:

“In recent years, as the organization has experienced financial hardship and endured questions as to its continued reason for being, the group has tried to shift from its previous role of political organizing to a new identity as promoter of BGCT ministries and institutions, as well as a voice for historic Baptist principles.”

It is extremely difficult for organizations like TBC to make this kind of transition.  There are several immediate question that is raised by this statement.  Isn’t the BGCT capable of promoting its own ministries and institutions?  Is “promoting BGCT ministries and institutions” code for “controlling BGCT ministries and institutions”?  From a practical standpoint, it seems that most of what TBC wants to do in restructuring itself is already being done, and that money contributed to keep it going might well be spent elsewhere, especially in the cash-strapped BGCT.  Aside from its inner circle of core supporters, it will be a hard sell to convince people that the continued existence of Texas Baptists Committed is anything more than organization to control the inner workings of the BGCT.  The move from San Angelo to the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex will only add weight to that speculation.

Originally, Texas Baptists Committed was organized to fight a “fundamentalist takeover” of the BGCT.  Though I am not sure the BGCT was ever in danger of being taken over by “fundamentalists,” that was the term they chose to use in preventing the Conservative Resurgence leadership in the SBC from gaining control of agencies and institutions of the BGCT.  Though that has been the outcome of their efforts, I would not necessarily say that their “success” matches up exactly with their original intentions.  The idea was to keep moderate control of the BGCT in place long enough to protect the institutions and agencies, particularly Baylor University, from takeover attempts of their trustee boards.  I don’t think they envisioned the formation of another state convention, nor did they think it would cost them 2,000 churches, with more than a third of their total membership and more than a third of their Cooperative Program budget giving.  They were successful in keeping the BGCT out of Conservative Resurgence hands, but I don’t think that a fragmented, much-reduced BGCT was what they had in mind. 

The danger of a “fundamentalist” takeover is long since over.  Conservative supporters of the SBC in Texas now have an alternative convention, and churches which are not pleased with the more moderate direction of the BGCT can simply join it, rather than go through the cumbersome and frustrating process of trying to elect officers, appoint trustees and work the system.  The fact that the institutions and agencies are still with the BGCT is not necessarily a victory that can be celebrated.  I would guess, that if current trends continue, and the cost of operating a Baptist university continues to climb that several of the schools that are uniquely affiliated with the BGCT will find a way to dually affiliate.  The groundwork is already being laid for that to happen at several of them.  It will be hard to resist a support stream from a state convention that has healthy CP contributions flowing in. 

The BGCT needs more than just an organization to help promote its ministries and institutions.  Promotion, and clinging to something nebulus like “historic Baptist principles” will not help churches meet the ministry and evangelism challenges of the time and culture.  The window for effecting the kind of change necessary to do this is closing fast, and may, in fact, already be closed on church organizations and structures designed to meet the needs of people in two generations back.  Nor will it help for Texas Baptists to remain divided, and continue to point fingers of blame at who was responsible for the split.

Free Clinic in Houston by Dr. Oz Draws 1,800

http://www.click2houston.com/news/21128766/detail.html

This is a link to a news story about a free clinic in Houston this week, sponsored by television’s Dr. Oz.  The written story does not do justice to the event, you need to watch the clip.  In October, the Houston segment will be featured on Dr. Oz’s program.

The people who showed up for this free clinic are a clear illustration of why health care reform, and health care provision in this country, should not be a political issue.  It is also an illustration of why there is need for reform.  Sure, it’s television, and sure, there’s probably an agenda behind it, though the facts are real enough.  In prosperous Texas, or at least that’s what our own politicians and media want us to think, a third of the population is unable to afford health insurance and as a result, for the most part is unable to access the health care system.

The fact that physicians, nurses and other medical professionals not only volunteered their time for this particular event, but made connections with needy people for continued treatment of their health issues down the line is a clear indication that, at least from the perspective of medical professionals, profit is not the motive for service.  It’s comforting to know that many people who have dedicated their lives to the medical profession feel the need to give generously and are willing to do so.

For those of us who are not gifted with the skills and abilities to be medical professionals, if we have a Christian conscience, if we believe that spiritual transformation is outwardly demonstrated by a changed life, then we should be motivated to find some other way to minister, to assist those who have the skills and knowledge, and make it possible for them to serve more of those who are in need.  If we believe in the sanctity of human life, then shouldn’t we believe that health care is also a basic human right?

Obviously, for most of us, that is going to mean being involved in some way other than trying to change the current system, whether that is done through the political process, or some other way.  But then, as followers of Christ, we should always be looking for ways that our spiritual gifts can be used in ministry to meet the needs of others.

The Proposed BGCT Constitutional Amendment and Bylaw Changes

Thanks to several people who pointed out that I had asked for help in bringing a constitutional amendment and bylaw change to the BGCT in November, and mentioned that I hadn’t included the text of the proposals, here they are.

ARTICLE VIII–Affiliated and Related Ministries

Section 2.  Affiliated Ministries

Delete point A. 2 and replace it with the following:

2.  No more than one member of any church affiliated with the BGCT may serve on all of the affiliated boards, boards of related institutions or agencies, or convention committees, at a time.  This does not include trustee seats of boards of colleges or universities to which the nominees are named directly by the institution.

Add to A.

9.  Once an individual has completed the customary number of terms of service on any board or committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas they are no longer eligible to be nominated for service on any other affiliated board, board of related institutions or agencies, or any committee of the convention. 

The bylaw change proposal is as follows.

Add to Article VI

Section 9.  Nomination and Term of Service

1.  No member of any church in cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas may serve on the executive board, or a convention committee, concurrently with another member of the same church.

2.  Once an executive board member or committee member has served the customary number of terms, that member is no longer eligible to be nominated for service on any affiliated board, board of related institutions or agencies, or any committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

There have already been a number of suggestions offered to streamline and make these proposals effective, and they are deeply appreciated.  Please feel free to offer further advice.  And beyond that, feel free to come to Houston to the convention and vote your support. 

You can reach me by email at deepintheheart2009@gmail.com.

Taking Names

I’m lining up people to support the amendments to the bylaws and constitution I will be moving at the BGCT in November.  I need someone with a loud voice and willingness to sit close to the front to second the motion, and others willing to speak to it during the debate.  I don’t forsee that parliamentary maneuvering will nix this motion as it has done to some in the past, since the president this time around is a fair minded individual, and isn’t, to my knowledge, on someone’s short list for an executive job in the Baptist building. 

You can email me at deepintheheart2009@gmail.com.

What the World Should See When it Looks at the Church

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:12-17 NIV

This is just one of several passages found in the New Testament, written by one of the Apostles, talking about the character and content of the body of Christ.  Peace and love, binding people together in unity, is a beautiful picture.  Being God’s creation, finding our way back to the image of the one who created us, finding our way past the false boundaries and walls that are built by selfish ambition and the pursuit of our own pleasure to the exclusion of the needs of others, is described as the desire of God for his people. 

So why is it that this image of the church is not the way most people would describe the church, any church, or a church organization?  Why do we continue to fall short of God’s desire? 

“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”  Mark 7:8. 

Does that seem like it is too simplistic?  I don’t think it is.  I’ve learned, by observation during something like 30 years of various kinds of vocational ministry, that people tend to do exactly as they please, and in order to reconcile their faith to their actions, they are quite willing to replace the commands of God with their own traditions.  Tradition has to look like genuine faith, and the end result of that is that it will come into conflict with someone else’s faith tradition as well as the commands of God, especially passages like this one in Colossians. 

So once we have developed our own faith tradition, we can then use it to justify what we want to do.  We can use it to judge the faith of others against our own, and pronounce theirs inferior on the basis of a doctrinal or theological analysis of its weakness.  We can use it to create our own loopholes with regard to our decisions to ignore passages of scripture we don’t like, such as Romans 13 with regard to submission to governing authorities and how it should be applied, or the words of Christ in Matthew 7:1-5 about judging others, or even this passage in Colossians about being unified in the love and peace of Christ. 

The traditions of men are about control.  And if the control of anything is in human hands, God isn’t part of it. 

It is especially tempting for those of us who were raised in the church to want to have it the way we like it.  We love our church, we love the fellowship and the ministry that takes place there. We get used to it being the way we like it and we sometimes forget that the way we see things isn’t perfect vision, and it may not line up with the way others see them.  It is tempting, especially if we are in a position to have some control, to make the church we love and belong to conform to our own traditions, and use the loopholes we created to justify what we do as if it were equal to God’s commands. 

That’s why there are church splits.  That’s why the church’s reputation in the community is not anywhere close to what it should be.  That’s why there are denominations and within them, further divisions.  That’s why there are two state Baptist conventions in Texas.  That’s why so many people in our culture today express an interest in spiritual things, including a willingness to explore the idea of what it means to have faith in Christ, but they don’t see that going to the church will help them accomplish that.  And it seems that, even though the church is made up of imperfect beings who live in the flesh and are prone to regular failure and frequent falls, the lessons that we should learn about all of this are difficult to absorb. 

Love.  Peace.  Unity in the body through Christ.  Building a church that lives in obedience to God and is the body of Christ in the world. 

Let’s pray that we will be all that God wants us to be.  In all things.

 

Today’s Prayer Walk

Normally, I don’t have a routine when it comes to prayer walking.  I do pray as I walk, at times, when I am prompted to do so by something I see which reminds me to pray, or by a need that comes to mind at that moment.  Today, however was a bit different.

Actually, it was more of a drive and walk than merely a walk.  Since my surgery last year, I am no longer able to walk long distances, and the places where I was praying this morning were not necessarily within walking distance of each other. 

First stop,  1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.  Unlike yesterday, this morning I found a place to park on the back side of Lafayette Park on H Street right away.  There were more people gathered outside the White House this morning, I guess because it is Saturday, along with a few people holding banners related to various causes.  I prayed for the President, for his family, for the staff, for decisions made there, all in accordance with the scripture’s instructions related to our attitude toward the civil government and those who have been placed in charge of it.  The sort of things that go with the executive branch of government seem larger than life when you are watching them on television, or hearing about them in some way, but when you are standing in front of the building in which they take place, even though they are monumental in scope, they do not seem so overwhelming.  I’m not big on gestures when it comes to prayer, bowing or closing my eyes do not seem all that natural to me, especially in public, but I did notice that others were doing the same.  That’s good to know.

The next stop was the Capitol Building, where I did walk completely around, partly for the exercise, partly because along the back side, I could stand in front of the Senate office building, the Supreme Court and the House office buildings and pray for our legislators as well.  It’s quite a walk, especially going uphill on the Independence Avenue side.  You can’t get all that close to the Capitol building itself, but I did pause at one of the corners, lay my hands on the wall, and pray.  At the Supreme Court, I was able to walk right up to the steps. 

Perhaps the most contemplative moments for me were spent walking the circle of the World War II memorial.  Of all the memorials and monuments in Washington, this one is my favorite.  I was reminded to pray for a lot of things as I walked around, not only those serving in the military, and individuals I can name who are currently serving, but for family members and friends who are related to those who have served.  Other things came to mind when I was walking around.  I had plenty of time, it is one of my favorite places in Washington, the weather was beautiful, so I stayed there for a long time. 

I finished by walking the length of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, crossed in front of the reflecting pool, and then walked through the Korean War Veterans Memorial.  War is not God’s plan for his creation, and it never was.  But the fact of the matter is that we are created in God’s image, and a war memorial is clear evidence of that.  That there have been generations of Americans who were willing to lay their lives on the line in sacrifice for others says it all.  We are, after all God’s workmanship, created to do good works in Christ Jesus.  The spark of God’s image abides within.

I did finish my prayer with a few quiet moments out of sight (in my prayer closet, so to speak)kneeling beside a bench next to the tidal pool between the Roosevelt and Jefferson memorials.  It was a great experience, a few moments of doing something that I should do every day, though without the physical reminders.

A Great Day in Philadelphia

For most people who know me, my love of history is very evident.  I taught it to high school students for a number of years, and have extensively studied it beyond even what that would require.  Visiting historical sites is as much of a thrill for me as riding giant roller coasters is for enthusiasts of that nature, or as jumping out of a plane is for those who are into the parachute experience. 

So, with the opportunity to combine a little business with pleasure, I’m spending the end of this week in Washington, DC.  Having mostly a free day yesterday, and realizing that it is not all that far to Philadelphia, I decided to go there and see the sights.  It was in the mid 60’s, temperature wise, so it was a great drive, about two and a half hours, with construction, traffic, and having to stop at several toll booths along the way. I took I-95 to Baltimore, then over to New Castle, Delaware and hopped across the bridge to 295, going up the New Jersey side to Camden, then across to Philadelphia via the Ben Franklin bridge.  Four states in less than three hours is quite an experience.

Independence Hall is a small, colonial style building sitting in the middle of a bustling downtown area, surrounded by its own quiet park, big trees, and sense of history.  Being the place where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted and signed, it is a rather plain place. 

The tour lasts fifteen minutes.  Inside, on the ground floor, are two rooms.  On the right is the old Pennsylvania colonial courtroom where, when the Declaration was being contemplated across the hall, the King’s Coat of Arms hung above the judges’ seat.  Some of the trials, and the way they were conducted, in that courtroom provided the rationale for the meeting that took place across the hall in July of 1776, trials where the jury was all male, all white, and the King’s interests determined the verdict. 

I stood in the legislative chamber where both the Declaration and the Constitution were drafted, and was overcome with emotion.  Such a small, plain room, sunlight streaming through the windows, with most of its original woodwork and brickwork, thinking that the whole world was completely changed, and a process was set in motion which would ignite some of the most idealistic changes in human history, in that place. 

Oh, there was a long, long way to go from both 1776 and 1789, and an awful lot that had to change from the way things were in those days.  People eventually came to accept ideas and incorporate into their lives practices that would not have been thinkable when those documents were drafted, but there was enough forward thinking there on those occasions to plan and prepare for future possibilities and the men who met there were remarkable by any standard.  What a gift, and a blessing from God.

It was great, for part of one day, to cross a boundary to a simpler time, and be refreshed and inspired by something as simple as a 15 minute walk through one of the most revered buildings in this country, and perhaps on the entire planet.

Reform in the BGCT: Electing a First Vice-President

http://www.kencoffee.com/2009/09/ed-jackson-for-bgct-1st-vp.html

The link above is to Ken Coffee’s blog, Strong Coffee.  There are a few occasions when I don’t necessarily see eye to eye with Ken on issues related to the BGCT, but this post is right on target.  I don’t know Ed Jackson, other than recognizing his name as both a member of the Future Focus Committee, and as the one who made the motion at the convention in Amarillo which resulted in the formation of the committee, but if Ken says he’s an O.K. guy, and that he would be of like mind with David Lowrie in regard to selections of committee members, then I’ll be glad to support his bid for FVP. 

I had a similar experience in Amarillo in 2007, as one of the nominees for FVP of the BGCT.  In the approach made to me to allow my name to be submitted for nomination, it was pointed out that the officers work as a team to make nominations, and that if Dr. Lowrie was elected, someone who would be willing to support his appointments would be necessary for his presidency to accomplish what he intended for it to do in opening the BGCT back up to its full constituency, instead of rubber stamping the TBC endorsed slate of candidates.  TBC had endorsed a full slate of candidates that year, and I was reluctant to run for a couple of reasons.  First, being neither a pastor or a layperson, I’m in that middle, somewhat nebulous ground of being a “church staff member.”  And while I have always been such, and have never considered that inferior to anything else, few people from such “second chair” positions ever run for convention office.  Second, I am not a native Texan, which sometimes seems to be a prerequisite to any kind of convention office, especially in a state where native loyalties run deep, and all of my ministry service in the state, except for a short stint while at Southwestern, has been in the Houston metro area. 

In the long run, I decided to allow the nomination because I thought there should be a choice, and because those who asked felt that a lesser known, and thus less controversial, candidate might have a better chance than those who had been vocally opposed to TBC.  My experience was somewhat opposite that of Ken’s.  Though I never had any illusion that I would win, or even come close, and was surprised and pleased that I got about 250 votes out of the thousand or so that were cast, after the vote totals in the presidential election were announced, there was a mass exodus from the hall that did not return for the FVP vote.  The fact that messengers materialized and narrowly elected Carolyn Strickland, a high profile supporter of TBC, last year in Ft. Worth, supports Ken’s contention. 

Reform needs to come to the BGCT in a more rapid progression, however, than the time that will be required to effect it by simply electing officers who make some committee appointments.  The committees and boards themselves need faster turnover, and need to be populated from a much broader constituency in a much shorter period of time if the BGCT is to even have the hope of reform, in time to make it relevant to a future that is, in effect already here.  A simple constitutional amendment and bylaw change motion, passed this year and next, limiting terms, stopping rotation, and limiting the number of individuals from any single church at any given time would easily do the trick. 

If those who are genuinely interested in reforming the BGCT don’t show up at the convention, it won’t happen.  Your support, and your votes, are needed in Houston to make this happen.  I’ve received many emails in support of these proposed motions, but they won’t pass unless you get to the convention to vote.

Specifics, Please

http://www.txbc.org/2009ARancher’sRumblings/2009September4.htm

Specifically, what lies are being told, and what would be the TBC response to them on behalf of the BGCT?