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LOCALS FOR LIFE 3 MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY 14
NOVEMBER 2015
SBTC ANNUAL MEETING 16
D E TA I L E D S C H E D U L E
Newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention N MORE NEWS AT TEXANONLINE.NET
Church planting
network sees
more than 300
come to Christ
in Rio Grande
Valley
By Alex Sibley
TEXAN Correspondent
MCALLEN Disappointment
set in with Eliseo Arreguin’s
church planting team when
no one showed up to their
inaugural Bible study in the
local library by the 2 p.m.
start time. Though they
were ready to begin the service, Arreguin instructed
them to wait another 10
minutes. Fortunately, within that time, two women
arrived, one of whom had
been invited the previous
day by a member of the
team at a nearby park. The
service proceeded with this
audience of two, and both
women showed interest in
the Word.
Following the service, one
of the women asked if Arreguin’s team could conduct a
Bible study at her home the
following week. Arreguin
agreed to do so.
“When we went to the
house,” Arreguin says, “we
were surprised to see that
the house was full. There
were 10 adults and two
children. We had a time of
music and prayer, and they
were very interested in us
VOTING: CIVIL AND BIBLICAL DUTY
BEYOND THE
VOTING BOOTH
Casting a ballot is essential, but not the
only way Christians engage in local politics
By Bonnie Pritchett
TEXAN Correspondent
HOUSTON If “all politics is
local” why do so few citizens
participate in the arena with
one of the greatest influences over their daily lives? That
quote by U.S. Speaker of the
House Tip O’Neil, a democrat from Massachusetts,
still holds true more than 20
years after his death.
A few years ago a disparate
band of pastors, reverends,
See RIO GRANDE, 3
priests and their congregants
in San Antonio put aside
their cultural and political
differences to express dissatisfaction with the mayor and
city council. Two mayoral
elections later, their unity effected a historic election and
sparked a recommitment to
Christian civic engagement.
And they are not resting on
their laurels. Although voter
participation for the May 9
general election rose 5 percent over the 2013 turnout,
ONE IN A MILLION:
‘The Bible Belt
has become a
mission field now’
By Michael Foust
TEXAN Correspondent
CANTON If churches within the Southern Baptists of Texas
Convention are to reach their goal of taking the gospel to
1 million homes by 2020 as part of the “One In A Million”
campaign, then it will take the same type of compassion,
conviction and boldness recently exhibited by an elderly
woman from Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton.
See ONE IN A MILLION, 2
it only bumped turnout percentages into the double digits. Of the 692,349 registered
voters in San Antonio, only
12.43 percent cast a ballot.
“It is not only their civic
duty, it is their biblical duty,”
said Charles Flowers, pastor of Faith Outreach in San
Antonio. “It is just part of
what you do as a citizen of
the kingdom of God.”
The Cost of Ambivalence
San Antonio is not alone.
In the 2012 presidential elec-
“It is not only
their civic duty,
it is their
biblical duty.
It is just part
of what you do
as a citizen of
the kingdom
of God.”
—CHARLES FLOWERS,
PASTOR OF FAITH
OUTREACH
IN SAN ANTONIO
tion, 58.58 percent of registered voters statewide cast
a ballot. And a review of
voter participation for the
last three mayoral elections
in major Texas cities reveals
abysmally low voter participation. Mayoral elections got
little more than a nod with
turnout ranging from 6.73 to
19.12 percent in San Antonio,
Houston, Lubbock and Dallas. The only anomaly was in
See VOTING, 8
2
MISSIONS
S O U T H E R N
ONE IN A MILLION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
An introvert by nature, she
was out of town visiting a family
member when she decided to
get outdoors and go for a walk.
Eventually, she needed to rest.
“She saw an older gentleman
sitting on a bench, and she sat
down and shared the gospel
with him,” said Lakeside Baptist
pastor Mark Moore, adding that
the woman had taken the “Can
We Talk?” evangelism training.
“Because
she
had
a
strategy and because she had
confidence, she did it,” Moore
said. “This introvert shared
with a complete stranger.”
The One In A Million
campaign is being billed as the
one of the largest evangelism
efforts in Texas history, and
it is being launched at a time
when the state is more diverse
than ever. In fact, three regions
in Texas—San Antonio, DallasPlano-Irving and Houston-Sugar
Land-Baytown—were
listed
by CNBC among the 10 most
diverse cities in America.
One In A Million also is being
launched at a period when the
gospel is desperately needed
in the state: Approximately 70
percent of Texans don’t know
Christ, which accounts for more
than 18 million people.
“Texas used to be the buckle of
the Bible Belt, but it certainly is
not any longer,” Moore said.
One In A Million has four goals:
1 Identify the lost within
Texas.
2 Train 1,000 pastors to teach
the “Can We Talk?” evangelism
strategy to their members.
3 Equip churches to take the
gospel to their community.
4 Reach 1 million homes with
the gospel by 2020.
“TEXAS USED TO BE
THE BUCKLE OF THE
BIBLE BELT, BUT IT
CERTAINLY IS NOT
ANY LONGER.”
—MARK MOORE,
LAKESIDE BAPTIST PASTOR
“OUR BIGGEST
DESIRE IS TO SEE
CHURCHES SET GOALS,
CREATE INTENTIONAL
STRATEGIES TO REACH
THOSE GOALS, AND
JOIN TOGETHER WITH
SBTC CHURCHES
FROM ACROSS
THE STATE TO DO
SOMETHING BIGGER
THAN WE COULD DO
INDIVIDUALLY.”
—NATHAN LORICK, SBTC
DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM
“Our biggest desire is to
see churches set goals, create
intentional
strategies
to
reach those goals, and join
together with SBTC churches
from across the state to do
something bigger than we
could do individually,” said
Nathan Lorick, SBTC director
of evangelism.
Begun by pastor John
Meador of First Euless, “Can We
Talk?” teaches church members
how to share the gospel with
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
family members, neighbors,
friends and co-workers during
everyday conversations.
West Conroe Baptist Church
is among the churches using
“Can We Talk?”
“Several of our folks have
said this has just given them
tremendous confidence in
sharing their faith,” said Jay
Gross, West Conroe’s pastor.
Among those is a Hispanic
couple who recently joined
West Conroe and went
through the “Can We Talk?”
training. On one Wednesday
night
during
September,
the husband stood up and
explained how he had shared
the gospel with a man he had
wanted to talk to about Christ
for a long time.
“I knew what to say and
knew how to talk to him,” the
husband said.
West Conroe is situated in
Montgomery County, an area
just north of Houston with
a population of 500,000. It’s
“rapidly growing,” Gross said.
“The world is moving here,”
Gross said. “The projected
growth of Montgomery County
is unbelievable in the next five
years. They are people from
all sorts of backgrounds. Our
folks are beginning to realize,
‘This is not your grandmother’s
little country town.’ It’s truly
become a suburban mix of
all kinds of nationalities, all
kinds of religions, all kinds of
backgrounds.”
The lostness of Texas, Gross
said, cannot be ignored.
“Our nation as a whole has so
turned away from God that it’s
affected the Bible Belt,” he said.
“The Bible Belt has become a
mission field now.”
Gross has trained about 150
members to use “Can We Talk?”
“This has to be pastor-led,”
Gross said. “We don’t hand
this off to a staff member. It’s
been so fulfilling for me as a
sbtexan
There are two primary
reasons his church goes door
to door, Webb said. First, it
“gives us a systematic way of
tracking what we’re doing”—
that is, which neighborhoods
have been reached with
the gospel. Second, it allows
people who are timid about
sharing their faith to tag
along with a staff member
who is more experienced.
“It gives us an opportunity
to give them some time on the
field watching somebody else
share the gospel—here’s what
it looks like when somebody
shares the gospel,” Webb said.
“You don’t have to say a word.
We just want you to stand
there, smile and pray quietly,
and watch. And then, with
—JAY GROSS, PASTOR
that support, it gives them the
WEST CONROE BAPTIST CHURCH
opportunity to stick their toe
in the water.
“We’ve seen great success
with that.”
If SBTC churches are to reach
pastor to know I’m training 1 million homes with the gospel
people personally. I feel more by 2020, church members must
fulfilled doing that than I have get out of their comfort zones
anything else.”
and outside of their circle of
Although “Can We Talk?” is Christian friends, Webb said.
being promoted by the SBTC,
“The longer you’ve been
it certainly is not required to a Christian, the fewer lost
participate in One In A Million, people
you’ve
probably
Lorick said.
known,” he said.
“Whatever
churches
are
Gross said Christians must get
utilizing to reach homes with the a sense of urgency.
gospel, we encourage that and
“I think it’s going to take a
are cheering that,” Lorick said.
movement of the Holy Spirit of
One of those churches that God in the hearts of his people,”
is using something different Gross said. “There’s going to
than “Can We Talk?” is Calvary have to be revival in our hearts.
Baptist Church in Kaufman, It all starts with God’s people
led by pastor Robert Webb. really
understanding
the
His church uses Share Jesus urgency of the gospel. Every
Without Fear, created and day people are dying and going
popularized by Bill Fay.
to a literal hell. I think we have
The One In A Million lost that sense of understanding
campaign, Webb said, “fits in how significant that is.”
well with what we do.”
For more information on the
“We systematically go door One In A Million campaign, visit
to door and share the gospel,” sbtexas.com/evangelism. For more
Webb said. “We drive through information on “Can We Talk?,”
our community.”
visit oneconversation.org.
“THERE’S GOING TO
HAVE TO BE REVIVAL
IN OUR HEARTS. IT
ALL STARTS WITH
GOD’S PEOPLE REALLY
UNDERSTANDING
THE URGENCY OF
THE GOSPEL. EVERY
DAY PEOPLE ARE
DYING AND GOING
TO A LITERAL HELL.
I THINK WE HAVE
LOST THAT SENSE OF
UNDERSTANDING HOW
SIGNIFICANT THAT IS.”
Dads use Gospel Project to disciple their sons
By Bob Smietana
LifeWay Christian Resources
DENVER, N.C. About once a
month, a group of fathers and
sons gather for barbecue, basketball and the Bible at the
Charlotte-area Denver Baptist
Church in North Carolina.
The concerned fathers wanted to spend time helping their
sons learn how to better follow
Jesus, so they started meeting a
few years ago.
They
call
themselves
“Boys2Men.”
Their pastor Chris Griggs
smiles at the name, as it brings
back memories of the popular
1990s R&B group Boyz II Men.
“I don’t think they know about
the singing group,” he says.
The father-son gathering started at a time when the church
didn’t have a full-time youth pastor. Some of the dads had volunteered to lead a youth weekend
Scott Bisson (standing) leads the father-son discipleship group Boys2Men in
Bible study discussion drawn from The Gospel Project curriculum.
PHOTO BY BOB LEVERONE
and came back realizing they
wanted to be more involved in
intentional discipleship.
Griggs, who attends the group
with his 10-year-old son Elijah,
says the dads who started the
group felt their sons were learning Bible stories but not the
overall story of the Bible. And
they were looking for a way to
talk about how the gospel interacts with everyday life.
To help them do that, leaders decided to have the group
study lessons from The Gospel
Project, a Bible study curriculum from LifeWay Christian
Resources centered on how all
of Scripture gives testimony to
Jesus Christ.
Each Boys2Men meeting,
usually held on a Saturday,
starts with a social time. The
sons play football and basketball while the dads sit together
and talk about the challenges
of raising young men.
Then one father gives his testimony, followed by a discussion drawing from The Gospel
Project as a springboard to get
the conversation going.
“It’s not so much a lecture as
it is, ‘Here’s the gospel—how
does it apply to your situation
in life?’“ Griggs says.
Kemp England, a police officer and one of the founders of
Boys2Men, says the group has
helped both the men and their
sons grow.
“We want to help as many
men as we can feel comfortable
proclaiming the gospel,” England says.
During the meeting, each
father and son has a chance to
discuss how that week’s lesson
applies in his own life.
For Griggs’ son, it’s about
trying to apply the gospel at
school, understanding his place
in the world and learning how
to make and keep good friends.
“For each kid it’s different,”
Griggs says. “The struggles you
face at 10 are much different
from the ones you face at 15.”
Because of the success of
Boys2Men, Denver Baptist is
starting a fathers and daughters group—also using The Gospel Project.
“These dads,” Griggs says, “really want to invest in the lives
of their kids.”
NOVEMBER 2015
TEXAS
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
3
SIX-WOMAN TEAM HOLDS COMMUNITY-WIDE
RALLY TO “DO SOMETHING” TO END ABORTION
By Sharayah Colter
Staff Writer
FORT
WORTH
Hundreds
gathered for a multi-church,
community-wide pro-life rally in
Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 23, after
six local women decided they
had to “do something” tangible
to stand for life. The event was
hosted by Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary in its
MacGorman Chapel.
The group of women, led by
Ella Bullock and Rachel Miller,
both members of Birchman
Baptist Church, includes stayat-home moms, a first-grade
teacher, a part-time political
office employee and a writer.
The women call themselves
a group of “average, everyday
Americans” who want to put
feet to their vocal stance for the
sanctity of life.
The rally focused on praying
for a revival in hearts that
would lead to a nation of people
willing to protect life at all
stages. Birchman Pastor Bob
Pearle, Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary Professor
Evan Lenow and Wedgwood
Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus
Al Meredith led the crowd in
directed prayer times.
“Our Father, our hearts are
broken over the callousness of
our country,” Pearle prayed. “...
Lord we pray for those in our
elected offices. ... And where those
officials have been cowardly and
have not voted for life, Lord I
pray that you would so convict
them that they would not be able
to rest until they get their hearts
and lives right with you.”
Lenow, who teaches ethics
at the seminary and serves as
director of the Richard Land
Center for Cultural engagement,
directed the crowd to pray for
expectant parents.
“Lord we pray for these
mothers, these fathers, these
families and extended families.
We pray that their choices would
be choices of life. We pray that
you would direct their hearts to
recognize your handiwork. And
in places where they cannot
provide for these children, may
you bring others into their lives
who can. We pray that ... our city
be a city of life,” Lenow prayed.
Meredith confessed to the
Lord that the rise in pro-abortion
culture happened on his watch
and asked the Lord to forgive
the church for not fighting more
diligently to protect life.
“Oh, Father, this is so egregious
that it hurts to talk about,”
Meredith prayed, “that we
should snuff out the lives of
millions of precious ones before
they have a chance to take their
first breath, and it happened
on my watch. Father, forgive
the silent Christians who stand
by and say nothing while this
holocaust of infants goes on. ...
Change our hearts, we plead in
Jesus’ name.”
In addition to the time of
prayer, those gathered heard
from Sen. Konni Burton
(R-Colleyville); State Rep. Matt
Krause (R-Fort Worth); and
The Village Church Fort Worth
Pastor Anthony Moore, a
SWBTS doctoral graduate.
Krause, a politician who comes
from a family full of Southern
Baptist pastors, recalled a recent
experience in which he walked
out of the Capitol after having
voted for life and was met
with protestors advocating for
abortion rights.
“They were shouting, ‘Shame
on you,’” Krause said. “But I hope
my heavenly father is looking
down saying, ‘Well done.’”
“It is never okay to end the life
of an unborn baby on purpose.”
Krause said.
Moore, in a message from
Genesis 4, reminded attendees
that, yes, they “are their
brothers’ keepers,” explaining
that Christians must be willing
to suffer with and help parents
who cannot care well for the
children they bear.
Bullock shared a personal
testimony as well in a moment
that many called the most
moving portion of the entire
rally. Standing on the stage
with two women—her bio-
logical
mother
and
her
adoptive
mother—Bullock
and her mothers shared about
God’s perfect plan for their
imperfect situation. What was
an unplanned, crisis pregnancy
for Bullock’s biological mother
allowed Bullock’s adoptive
parents’ desire to grow their
family possible.
A visibly emotional Bullock
told the crowd that in God’s
economy, there is no such thing
as an “unplanned” life.
To be surrounded by 500
people ready to stand for life
was just another fulfillment
of the perfect plan [God] put
in motion 28 years ago when
a 17-year-old found herself
pregnant and chose life,”
Bullock said after the rally.
Locals for Life leader Rachel
Miller reminded the audience
of the reason for the gathering.
“Here we are tonight because
our God is a God of life,” Miller
said. “He cares about each life
because he made every one of
them. We join him when we
say what he did is good and
worth fighting for.”
Just before leaving, attendees
were asked to look under their
seats. Those who found paper
hearts taped to the seats were
asked to stand. More than
half of the people in the room
stood up and held pink and
blue paper hearts in their air.
Those standing represented the
number of children who were
aborted during the time the
rally took place.
That sobering visual struck
high school junior Melissa
Manning, spurring her to do
more to stand for life after
leaving the rally.
“I feel more confident,” said
Manning, who volunteered
along with about 60 others. “I
feel like I can go out, reach more
people, and be educated about
it. I want to go do something. I
don’t want to just stand back.
I want to do something and
reach out to those girls who are
my age and show them how
important life is.”
In an effort to encourage
people to “do something” to
stand for life, more than a dozen
pro-life organizations from the
area were on hand to provide
attendees with information
on how to support pregnancy
help centers, how to become
adoptive parents and how to
affect legislative change that will
protect life in America.
The team founded Locals for
Life in such a way that it can be
reproduced in cities around the
nation. Locals for Life will provide
artwork files and other support to
help any interested communities
and can be contacted at
[email protected]
or
through localsforliferally.org.
RIO GRANDE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
praying for them and the needs
that they had. We also gave an
evangelistic message. After that,
we got to know each other and
shared a meal.”
Before they left, another
woman asked the church planting team if she could host a Bible
study at her house the following
day. The team again complied,
and the next day, they conducted another Bible study, this time
to an audience of 16.
Thus, in a matter of one week,
from two women came 30 people
gathering together in two different homes to study God’s Word.
“None of these people have
been saved,” Arreguin says, “but
little by little, with the relationships we are forming with them,
we know that God is working
and will continue to do so.”
Arreguin’s church plant is
one of several currently being
developed in the Rio Grande
Valley by the Southern Baptists
of Texas Convention. Missions
Associate David Ortega coor-
dinates the SBTC’s
efforts in this area,
working with local
churches to reach
the Valley through
church planting.
Barna Research Group identified the Rio Grande Valley
as the No. 4 most unchurched
area in the United States, indicating the desperate need for
new churches in this southernmost part of Texas. Ortega
realizes the importance of cooperation between believers
to overcome the challenges associated with doing ministry
there, which led him to form a
church planting network.
“I started casting vision with
a number of pastors,” Ortega
says, “and I challenged them
about coming together in a fellowship with the goal of church
planting. We’d like to see 100
churches by 2020. And it’s all of
us working together to accomplish that goal.”
This fellowship of pastors
and church planters meets once
a month to share needs, give
praise reports, and determine
ways they can work together.
The network now has nine
church plants in early stages
SBTC Missions Associate David Ortega speaks to church planters in the Rio Grande Valley at a dinner, Sept. 11.
of development. Few have
permanent locations, so their
ministries mainly include
evangelism and visitation as
well as Bible studies in local
parks and libraries. Even so,
God is clearly at work among
them.
“We’ve seen how God
worked to prepare the people,
and we’ve had at least 300
people receive Christ since
Easter of 2014,” Ortega says.
“These church planters have
come and have developed into
competent planters, and we’re
still working, but that’s been
exciting. I see a potential that
we can really do some impact
here in the Valley.”
Ortega encourages his fellow SBTC churches to join in
this effort, whether through
prayer and financial support
or through planting churches
themselves.
“We’re not going to reach
our goal if we don’t all have
this vision of reaching the
Valley; if we don’t have this
network,” he says. “It’s going
to take pastors, laypeople and
church planters. And I think
that’s the way the Lord wants
it; so no one gets the glory but
him.”
4
OPINION
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
RESPONSIBILITY IS A HARD THING
Gary Ledbetter
Editor
I
n teaching through Galatians, the relentless theme
of “freedom” has reminded
me of the enormity of the
concept. Kids often misunderstand it as, “I can do whatever I want,” as they approach
the magical ages of 16, 18 and
21. But as a 16-year-old, my
driver’s license mostly facilitated my work, and my wages
primarily went to gas, insurance, and body work. At 18, my
first act was to register for the
draft during the waning days
of the Viet Nam war. By 21,
I was alone in Dallas, a hungry,
homesick college student. Ah,
freedom!
There are delights to greater
levels of self-determination,
but the responsibility, the freedom to do right, is ever before
us. The rewards of freedom
come most often to those willing to do hard things.
Marriage is a basic, hard
thing in life—the delightful,
challenging work of getting
along with someone we usually don’t understand. Compromise is hard, forgiveness is
hard, and unselfishness is the
hardest thing of all.
We looked forward to being
parents with no idea of what it
would require of us. It’s exhausting, expensive and potentially
heartbreaking whether you
work hard at training your kids
EMBRACING FREEDOM IN CHRIST MEANS THAT
WE ARE WELCOMED INTO SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD,
AS IN GALATIANS 4:1-7. WE ARE NOW ENTRUSTED
WITH DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT THINGS. THAT’S
A GROWNUP VERSION OF FREEDOM THAT CAN
REVOLUTIONIZE FAMILIES, CHURCHES AND
COMMUNITIES.
or just slack off. I’ll say also that it
is marvelous and I recommend it
highly—it’s what grownups do—
but it leaves a mark on every aspect of your life.
We are church members also.
A church is a collection of people you didn’t pick who frustrate
and bless in a manner similar to
your blood family. If your blood
family has no irregular people,
be assured your spiritual family
will. Because Baptist churches
are congregational, my freedom
in Christ gives me the responsibility to know my brothers and
sisters, to be aware of the issues
of my church, and to behave as
an engaged and caring church
member. It takes time and can
be depleting.
My church is Southern Baptist and affiliated with two
state conventions. Freedom
and responsibilities require
that we care about the affairs
of our denomination. We have
responsibilities to know the issues and participate in the business of our state conventions
and national convention. The
freedom to do that comes with
responsibility and impacts our
global outreach.
I am a citizen of my community, state and nation. I vote on
those three levels and am thus
a part of a deliberative body
asked to make decisions about
taxes and leadership. My freedom to do what few in the history of the world have been
allowed to do is a responsibility
to vote based on my convictions and knowledge. Knowing
and voting is a “hard thing” to
those overwhelmed by political debate.
I am a child of God, the grateful recipient of undeserved
mercy, enabled to do hard
things by freedom in Christ.
Yes, freedom in Christ is freedom from sin and freedom
from the penalty of eternal
death; but it is also the gifting of work only appropriate
for mature men and women,
along with the power to do that
work. This narrow gate is the
doorway to joy unattainable in
any other way.
Do the hard work of marriage and parenthood. Love
your wife and disciple your
children, though it will cost you
more than you started with.
This is a gift that follows your
freedom in Christ. It comes
with sufficient power, and it
will leave scars you won’t mind
having, in retrospect.
Do the hard things associated with church life and
Baptist polity. They bear on
the spiritual well-being of
those around you and of those
whose faces you won’t see this
side of heaven. I’m alarmed
at the number of people who
are comfortable saying “no” to
serving their churches. Sometimes you should, but some say
it too often.
Be a godly and engaged citizen Christian. Turn off the TV
long enough to read about the
issues in local and national government. Know your Christian
convictions. Vote your Christian convictions. It won’t take
all that much time, but it evidently takes more than many
citizens currently give.
I also know that no one can
or even should give the same
level of energy to all these hard
things. Some men build great
churches but neglect their
wives and kids. Others are so
focused at home that they say
“no” to things they should do at
church. Political involvement
can take attention God meant
you to give to your family or
church. I have discovered that
some phases of life call us to
focus on different things. Perhaps the “empty nest” stage of
life is one where we can focus
on things we simply couldn’t or
shouldn’t while discipling minor children.
Keep your priorities in line,
then. Love your wife and give
yourself sacrificially to her.
Teach your kids right and godly things even if it means you
have no “me time” or sleep. Do
these things if it costs you in
other areas. But this first human priority is not in competition with your fellowship
with the family of God. Being
a good churchman is part of
what we teach our wives and
kids. Surely being an usher or
teacher on Sunday morning
or attending a business conference is not going to cripple
your family life.
Voting, reading a newspaper article and praying about
your nation are the most basic level of civic engagement.
It may be that this most basic
level is appropriate for you,
rather than one more time
consuming. If 10 percent more
Christians did that much,
it would change the face of
American politics.
Embracing
freedom
in
Christ means that we are
welcomed
into
spiritual
adulthood, as in Galatians
4:1-7. We are now entrusted
with difficult and important
things. That’s a grownup version of freedom that can revolutionize families, churches
and communities.
5 Observations as SBTC President
Jimmy Pritchard
SBTC President
I
t will conclude my two-year
tenure as president of our convention during our meetings
at Champion Forest Baptist
Church, Nov. 9-10. This has been an
incredible and humbling two years.
Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to serve our convention in this
way. Since this is my final column as
president, I would like to share with
Southern Baptist TEXAN
VOLUME
NUMBER
14 11
NOVEMBER
2015
you five observations from the past
two years about our fellowship:
1 Texas is a really big state. Because of its sheer size, we exert great
influence upon our national convention. It behooves us to lead the way
in ministry, leadership and support of
the Southern Baptist Convention.
2 Texas has become a really big
mission field. God is bringing the
world to us. Our cities and suburbs are
teeming with all kinds of people who
need to be introduced to Jesus Christ.
Our opportunities are limitless.
3 We have a lot of faithful, godly
pastors. As we have prayed across
Jim Richards, Executive Director
Contributors:
Gary K. Ledbetter, Editor
Keith Collier, Managing Editor
Tammi Ledbetter, Special Assignments Editor
Sharayah Colter, Staff Writer
Gayla Sullivan, Circulation Manager
Russell Lightner, Layout/Graphic Artist
Rob Collingsworth,
Mike Ebert, Michael
Foust, Jimmy Pritchard,
Bonnie Pritchett, Shane
Pruitt, Jane Rodgers, Alex
Sibley, Bob Smietana,
Art Toalston
sbtexan
texanonline.net
sbtexan
Texas, I have had the joy of meeting
many of you. I am impressed with our
pastors. Some are in difficult places,
others in fruitful ones, but all I have
met love the Lord, preach the Word
and are faithful. We are more numerous than you might realize, which
gives us great strength.
4 Our challenges are great. Whether
it be lukewarm members of our churches or an adversary that is becoming bold
and militant, these days are wrought
with the unknown. I would remind you
that we are part of a kingdom that shall
never be destroyed despite what challenges may arise.
5 We are much stronger when we
stand together. Whether we gather
in local settings or at our statewide
convention, we must encourage each
other to stay faithful and true during
these days.
These observations underlie the
necessity of our joining together and
serving through our state convention.
Please plan to attend the annual meeting. You are needed, and every one of
us is a vital part of our holding forth
the Word of Truth to our generation.
God bless you, Southern Baptists of
Texas. Thanks again for the privilege
to serve. See you in Houston!
The Southern Baptist Texan is the official newspaper
of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention,
P.O. Box 1988, Grapevine, Texas 76099-1988.
Toll-free 877-953-7282, Phone 817-552-2500,
FAX 817-552-2520. Email: [email protected]
Letters to the editor should be limited
to 250 words and should refrain from
personal attacks. Submit by email to
[email protected] or mail to the
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Obituaries, memorials, and classified advertisements
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a cost of 30 cents per word with a minimum of $10.
Copy must be submitted within three months of death
or event. Submit information to [email protected]
and mail check for full amount.
Individual subscriptions are free of
charge within Texas. A $10 per year
donation is requested for out-of-state
subscriptions. Email changes to
[email protected].
NOVEMBER 2015
OPINION
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
5
HOUSTON: A DIFFERENT CITY
SINCE WE LAST GATHERED
Jim Richards
Executive Director
T
he last time the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention met in
Houston, we were celebrating
the beginning of our 10th year of
ministry. Here we are seven years later
meeting in a very different city.
Houston has become the most ethnically diverse city in the United States.
There are more than 300 ethno-linguistic groups. Projections are that Houston
will be number three in population, surpassing Chicago, when the 2020 census
is taken. While Houston has many wonderful Bible practicing churches, entire
segments of the city are without the
presence of a New Testament church.
Reach Houston is an effort to plant
churches where they are needed.
Many existing churches are plateaued
or declining. Within a few short years
some of those churches will close their
doors. The SBTC has a Revitalization
Plan that can work for any church that
will work it. No plan works itself. Any
church can rebound, if the people are
willing. God wants his church to thrive.
Church planting and revitalization
are the two approaches to Reach Houston. One primary tool fuels both approaches: personal evangelism. Church
plants are a result of reaching people
with the gospel. Revitalization takes
place because new people are brought
into the kingdom and then discipled in
the church. Both approaches depend on
the planter/pastor being a personal, intentional gospel witness.
As you read in the TEXAN about missions and ministry in the churches and
by the SBTC staff, you see how God is
blessing the work we do together. From
Beaumont to Dumas, Texarkana to
Odessa, in the Borderlands and rural areas, there are opportunities for all of us
to advance the gospel. For the next five
years, let’s all pray for Houston. Let’s all
give a little time to minister in Houston.
Please continue to give through the
Cooperative Program so we can Reach
Houston. A portion of your Reach Texas
State Missions Offering will go to Reach
Houston. We are in this together.
On Nov. 10 at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston a recommendation will be made to the messengers
that we return to Houston in three
short years to have another annual
meeting. If the proposal is approved, we
will celebrate 20 years as a convention
in the city where we were birthed. By
God’s grace we will be hearing at that
time how thousands have been birthed
into God’s family because of Reach
Houston!
7 Things Church Planters Want You to Know
focused primarily on those people, not
on wooing members of other churches.
Shane Pruitt
2 Church plants could benefit from
SBTC Director of Missions
you sending people from your church.
Like green plants need air and water, every new ministry needs two basic things:
hat is a church planter? A resources and people. What a blessing
simple definition of a church it can be when established churches
planter is one who plants (or prayerfully support the work God is dostarts) a new local church. Of ing by intentionally challenging some of
course that begs the question, “What is their members to go out as laborers into
a good definition for church?” The word the harvest, to live like missionaries.
“church” originally comes from the Greek
3 Planters have put everything on
word ekklesia, which is defined as “an the line—finances, families, pride, fears,
assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root everything. One of the most amazing
meaning of “church” is not that of a build- things you can do for a church planter
is commit to walk with him through
ing but of a people.
Beyond just a Greek definition of the this process. Commit to six-months, a
word, the New Testament model of the year or a lifetime. For a planter to know
local church is a group of people who that someone else has his best interest
confess Jesus as Lord and live out the in mind instills courage to dream GodGreat Commission. So, to combine these sized dreams.
ideas, a church planter would be one
4 Planters desperately need faith
called by God to start a new movement and wisdom. When starting a church,
of people who commonly confess Jesus there are literally hundreds of decisions
as Savior and are faithful disciples of that need to be made. Church planters
Him. However, a church planter is much need prayer and counsel to help them
make wise decisions and maintain
more than a definition.
We’re still left with the question, strong faith in God. In the face of risk,
“Who is this kind of person that in the great challenges, and at times internal
process of church planting often leaves opposition, being encouraged to have
a steady salary and an established min- faith in God to do the work he has called
istry for the complete unknown? Is he them to is incredibly important.
brave, naïve or just dumb enough to try
5 Planters fear failure but know it’s
it?” Even for church planters, these are a very real possibility. Many church
planters struggle with coming to grips
sometimes hard questions to answer.
While not an exhaustive list, here with failure. Some studies have shown
are a few characteristics about church that 80 percent of all church plants do
planters that are helpful to know as you not survive past their third year. A key
pray for and support them in their work: spiritual battle is for the planter to fully
1 Planters are not trying to steal and daily give the future and the work
people from your church (at least not to God so that he is free to minister with
most of them). Church planters start joy and confidence rather than worry.
new churches to reach a segment of peo- Even the Apostle Paul suffered with
ple not hearing and/or responding to the these kinds of fearful thoughts when
gospel in a particular location. They are he wrote, “And, apart from other things,
W
there is the daily pressure on me of my
anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28).”
6 Planters need a pastor, too. They
desperately need your help, and they
know that. While they don’t necessarily
want to be constantly critiqued and prodded, they often appreciate fresh eyes, outside perspective and wisdom that comes
from experience. Sometimes they’ll ask.
Sometimes they won’t. But if you’ll listen
well and ask insightful, caring questions,
they will be glad to listen when you offer
advice and thank you for it.
7 Planters have a wife and a family.
The pioneering nature of church planting can be extremely hard on a church
planter’s spouse and children. Often,
planters are bi-vocational, meaning
they’re also working a job on top of
Pray100Plant100 is
a prayer initiative
encouraging the 2500+
Southern Baptists of Texas
Convention churches to
join together in asking
the Lord of the harvest to
raise up more laborers to
work His field in Texas.
pastoring. Pray for them and challenge
them not to sacrifice their families on
the altar of ministry. At the beginning,
planters are preachers, greeters, chairstackers, toilet-cleaners and much more.
As a result, their families can suffer. Help
them to value their wives, pastor their
children and repent when the work becomes a mistress.
So, who is this man called to plant a
church? Likely, he is nothing more than
a follower of Jesus, called by God to “go”
with nothing more than a vision that
can only come from God. But when it
comes down to it, he is just someone being obedient to the will of God, and really, that is all that matters.
Won’t you join me in praying for and
supporting our SBTC church planters
across this state?
Ask God to raise up at least 100
church planters a year to populate
the state of Texas with Biblically Based, Kingdom
Focused, and Missionally Driven churches.
PRAYER
Allow us to team up with your church
planting efforts by emailing us at
[email protected].
PARTNER
Connect with others who
are praying with us by using
#pray100plant100 on your social media sites.
PARTICIPATE
6
ANNUAL MEETING
S O U T H E R N
2015 PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS
REGISTRATION
1) Rob Ray (CHAIR)
2) Irma Ramos
3) Bruce Northam
4) Chris Moore
5) Lorenzo Ewing
First Baptist Church, Porter
First Baptist Church, Galena Park
Clay Road Baptist Church, Houston
Second Baptist Church, Angleton
The Fellowship of Love Church, Richmond
RESOLUTIONS
1) Denny Autrey (CHAIR)
2) Tony Mathews
3) Bill Kimbley
4) Evan Lenow
5) Danny Wolfe
6) Kelly Hancock
7) Michael Reeder
8) Flora Lopez
Sagemont Church, Houston
North Garland Baptist Fellowship, Garland
Forestburg Baptist Church, Forestburg
Birchman Baptist Church, Fort Worth
Northeast Houston Baptist Church, Humble
North Richland Hills Baptist Church, NRH
Harmony Hill Baptist Church, Lufkin
Champion Forest Baptist Church, Houston
TELLERS
1) Marcus Allen (CHAIR)
2) Tony Watson
3) Tim Byrd 4) Chuck Beem
5) Kevin Jordan
6) John Denby
7) John Goss
8) Saul Hernandez
9) Mike Borghese 10) Caleb Fleming 11) Brenda Ladd
12) Brandon Bales
Family Faith Baptist Church, Kingwood
First Baptist Church, Winona
Waverly Station Cowboy Fellowship, New Waverly
First Baptist Church, Rosharon
First Baptist Church, Hempstead
First Baptist Church, Spurger
Central Baptist Church, Crockett
Iglesia Bautista Semillas de Mostaza, Porter
Spring Creek Baptist, Spring
North Oaks Baptist Church, Spring
GracePoint Fellowship, Magnolia
Northeast Houston Baptist Church, Humble
PARLIAMENTARIANS
1) Aaron Meraz
2) Terry Wright
First Baptist Church, Prosper
First Baptist Church, Vidor
COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES
Term Expiring 2018
Emory Baptist Church, Emory
1) Richard Piles
2) Carolyn May
Trinity Baptist Church, Longview
First Baptist Forney En Espanol
3) Eddie Lopez B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
OFFICER NOMINEES
ANNOUNCED
HOUSTON
As
the
Southern Baptists of
Texas
Convention
(SBTC) Annual Meeting
approaches in November,
several pastors have
announced
plans
to
nominate
individuals Danny Forshee
to serve as officers of
the Bible Conference
and the convention for
2016. Nominations will
be made during the
meetings at Champion
Forest Baptist Church in
Houston, Nov. 8-10, 2015.
Steve
Washburn, Nathan Lino
pastor of First Baptist
Church in Pflugerville, plans to nominate
Danny Forshee for president of the 2016
Bible Conference. Forshee has served as
pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in
Austin since 2010. He is president of the
Danny Forshee Evangelistic Association,
has pastored churches in Texas, Virginia,
and Arkansas; and served as a professor
at Southeastern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and
Southwestern
Baptist
Theological
Seminary in Fort Worth.
He earned his M.Div. and
Ph.D. from Southwestern
Seminary.
In
March,
Chris
Osborne, pastor of Central
Baptist Church in College
Station, announced that
Dante Wright
he will nominate Nathan
Lino, pastor of Northeast Houston Baptist
Church (NEHBC) in Humble, for president
of the SBTC. Born in South Africa, Lino’s
family immigrated to the Houston area
when he was 11. He planted NEHBC in
2002 and has served previously as first
vice president of the Southern Baptist
Convention from 2012-13 as well as vice
president of the Southern Baptists of Texas
Convention from 2006-08.
Terry Turner, pastor of Mesquite
Friendship Baptist Church, plans to
nominate Dante Wright, pastor of
Sweet Home Baptist Church in Round
Rock, for vice president of the SBTC.
Wright has served the past two years as
recording secretary of the SBTC. Wright
spent 10 years as a football coach before
surrendering to ministry and coming to
pastor Sweet Home Baptist Church.
NOVEMBER 2015
ANNUAL MEETING
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
7
BIBLE CONFERENCE TO FEATURE
BREAKOUT SESSIONS, ‘LESS CEREMONY’
By Sharayah Colter
Staff Writer
HOUSTON Organizers of the 2015
Bible conference preceding the annual
meeting of the Southern Baptists
of Texas convention have added a
new feature to this year’s gathering:
breakout sessions. The sessions will
center on discipleship and will be led
by people from across Texas who have
implemented
discipleship-focused
ministry approaches in their own
churches and communities.
SBTC church ministries associate
Lance Crowell heads the convention’s
work in discipleship ministries and
explained what attendees can expect
from the discipleship-focused breakout
sessions held during the Nov. 8-9
conference at Champion Forest Baptist
Church in Houston.
“This event has been crafted to give
pastors and leaders a clear understanding
of what a multiplying disciple-maker is
and how to develop that in your church,”
Crowell said.
SBTC
pastor/church
relations
ministry associate Ted Elmore said the
convention hopes the emphasis on
discipleship will move churches beyond
simply supporting the idea of “making
disciples” to actual intentionality in
making disciples.
Bible conference vice president and
First Baptist Church of Beaumont pastor
Chris Moody says to accomplish that,
this year’s two-day gathering, themed
“Multiply: Making Disciple Makers,” will
be “an equipping conference with a best
practices attitude.”
Breakout sessions will cover a variety
of topics under the discipleship umbrella,
allowing attendees to choose sessions
that best fit their ministries and that
speak to challenges they face in their
own spheres.
Among the sessions to be offered
are “If First Baptist Beaumont Can Do
It, Anybody Can Do It,” led by Moody;
“Pastor, Mentor Your Staff,” led by Dante
Wright, pastor of Sweet Home Baptist
Church in Round Rock; and “How To
Ignite A Movement of Multiplication” led
by Craig Etheredge, pastor of First Baptist
Colleyville. Tracks geared specifically for
women and Spanish-speaking attendees
will also be among the sessions offered.
Moody says a shift from a “feeding
consumers” approach to an “equipping
equippers” approach is critical to the
furtherance of the gospel in America. He
said such a transition is also essential in
the quest to curb biblical illiteracy.
“If the church doesn’t recapture the
lost art of disciple-making, we will
continue to go the way of Europe where
Christianity was once great,” Moody
said. “That’s the kind of reformation we
need to see in America so we can move
forward.”
Crowell said the SBTC wants to assist
churches in this effort in any way
possible and will have a special booth at
the Bible conference where pastors and
leaders can get next steps helps.
“We are providing trainings, additional
conferencing and consultation to
help churches and pastors who really
want to take next steps after the Bible
conference,” Crowell said.
Crowell said the SBTC also has an eightpart video series available online for free
to help churches with disciple-making.
The videos are available at sbtexas.
com/onlinetraining/discipleship/boldmoves/c-66.
Joint worship service on Nov. 10 includes two distinct Baptist groups
by Tammi Reed Ledbetter
Special Assignments Editor
HOUSTON Two groups of Baptists
meeting in Houston during the second
week of November will come together
for a joint worship service, Tuesday,
Nov. 10. Champion Forest Baptist
Church will host in their facilities
the separate annual meetings of the
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
(SBTC) Nov. 9-10 and the Baptist
Missionary Association of Texas
(BMAT) Nov. 10-11.
Five years ago the two groups approved
“a working ministry relationship,” noting
their shared affirmation of a high view of
Scripture and basic Baptist distinctives.
That led to a common commitment to
evangelize the state and serve the Lord
through cooperative ministries.
Wes Pratt, pastor of the BMATaffiliated Northside Baptist Church in
Conroe, will deliver the message that
evening after reports are presented
by Jacksonville College President
Mike Smith and Texas Baptist Home
President Eddie Marsh, representing
the two BMA institutions that SBTC
funds. The worship team of the SBTCaffiliated West Conroe Baptist Church
will lead music along with the choir
from Jacksonville College.
SBTC has supported two of the
institutions founded by the Baptist
Missionary Association over the past
decade. The two-year Jacksonville
GROUNDED
IN THE TRUTH.
READY FOR
THE WORLD.
MIDWESTERN COLLEGE IS DEDICATED TO PREPARING AND
EQUIPPING THE LEADERS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.
Take the next step.
mbts.edu/tx10
College began receiving funds in
2004 and the Texas Baptist Home
in Waxahachie signed an affiliation
agreement in 2005.
With
autonomous
churches
spread across the U.S. in 32 states, the
Baptist Missionary Association was
founded in 1900 by 45 churches that
left the Baptist General Convention
of Texas over a perception that the
board structure might override the
sovereignty of local churches. Based
in Waxahachie, BMA counts 452 Texas
churches in its membership.
TEXAN executive editor Gary
Ledbetter wrote nearly a decade ago of
the “good unity story” that had emerged
in the state through a burgeoning
relationship between the Baptist
Missionary Association of Texas and the
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
formed in 1998.
“For about a hundred years the
Baptist Missionary Association and the
Southern Baptist Convention went their
own ways in the specifics of missionary
support,” he explained. “Southern
Baptists have been more centralized in
their support of various denominational
causes than have Missionary Baptists.
“In Texas, we are once again finding
ways to work together,” Ledbetter added,
describing “biblical and godly” unity
around “specific ministries with others
who substantially agree regarding faith
and practice.”
LA REUNIÓN ANUAL SE APROXIMA
Mike Gonzales
Director de los
Ministerios
Hispanos SBTC
I
glesias Hispanas de la Convención Bautista del Sur, hagan
planes para asistir a la Sesión en
Español de la Convención de los
Bautista del Sur de Texas. Se celebrará
en el FL Worship Center el domingo,
8 de noviembre de 2015 a las 6 pm en
la iglesia bautista Champion Forest,
15555 Stuebner Airline Rd, Houston,
TX 77069. El orador será el humorista
José Ordóñez de Colombia. Este año
el tema será, “Caminando en Unidad”
basado en Efesios 4:1-3. Tendremos
momentos de alabanzas y adoración
por los grupos de alabanza de Champion Forest y Sagemont en Español
y después de la sesión tendremos un
tiempo de compañerismo.
Esta reunión anual es un tiempo
para que las congregaciones de habla
hispana puedan celebrar y ser inspirados por la Palabra de Dios y ser
animados para alcanzar a un pueblo
perdido.
También hagan planes para asistir
a la Reunión Anual de la Convención de los Bautista del Sur de Texas
(SBTC) que serán los días 9 y 10 de
noviembre, el lunes después de la
Sesión en Español.
8
SPECIAL REPORT:
CHRISTIAN CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
VOTING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the state’s capital where 10.6 to
33.8 percent voted. (See chart
for details.)
These facts frustrate Cindy
Asmussen, advisor to the
Southern Baptists of Texas
Convention’s Texas Ethics
and Religious Liberty Committee (TERLC). She was
quick to remind that local and
state governments produce
the most laws and regulations impacting people’s lives.
Without significant Christian
influence those laws will be
drafted, approved and enforced with little to no regard
for biblical truth. Ultimately,
Christians will increasingly
find themselves in disagreement with the statutes,
Asmussen warned.
Steve Branson, pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church
in San Antonio, admitted that
until recently he rarely engaged in local politics beyond the
voting booth. But
as church members began experiencing personal and
workplace conflicts because of their Christian faith,
the pastor was compelled to act
on their behalf.
About that same time, Flowers was disturbed by the mayor and council’s liberal push.
In violation of Texas law, they
introduced a measure in 2011
providing health benefits to
same-sex partners of city employees. Despite opposition, the
measure passed.
In 2013, Julian Castro was
re-elected as mayor with
only 7.25 percent of the city’s
registered voters casting a
ballot. In a city of 1.4 million
“CHRISTIANS AND
CHURCHES OUGHT
TO HAVE A VIEW
OF STEWARDSHIP
WHEN IT COMES TO
OUR COMMUNITIES,
STATE AND NATION.
IT SEEMS THAT SO
MANY WANT TO
RUN AWAY FROM
IT, BUT GOD WANTS
US TO SPEAK LIFE
AND LIGHT INTO
THE DARKNESS
AND BE THAT
PROPHETIC VOICE.”
CINDY ASMUSSEN, ADVISOR TO
THE SBTC’S TEXAS ETHICS AND
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMITTEE
(TERLC)
S O U T H E R N
people, 29,454 secured Castro’s third term.
The repercussions of voter
apathy, particularly among
Christians, took a toll.
Castro introduced San Antonio’s version of a Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO),
which established civil rights
status for individuals based
on their sexual orientation
and gender identity. Failure to
comply will result in fines for
individuals and loss of city contracts for businesses.
Church leaders recognized
the threat it posed to their
members and
the churches
thems elves.
This was a battle they could
not avoid. To
do so, Flowers
said,
would
inevitably
impact
the
spread of the
gospel.
“Christians
and churches
ought to
have a view
of stewardship when it comes
to our communities, state
and nation,” said Asmussen.
“It seems that so many want
to run away from it, but God
wants us to speak life and light
into the darkness and be that
prophetic voice.”
Loosely knit faith-based
organizations had struggled
to be that voice in the Alamo
City. But, with the introduction of the NDO, it was obvious most city leaders were
not listening. Contributing to
the lack of influence, churches rarely cooperated to exert
political influence.
Joe Caddell, a semi-retired
businessman and Christian
political activist, was exasperated. He observed that
political liberals often unite
around a common cause in
spite of unrelated differences, yet Christian churches
had not become a force to be
reckoned with.
Recent battles with City Hall
are shifting that paradigm,
Caddell said, at least in San Antonio. Church leaders roused
overwhelming public opposition to the Non-Discrimination
Ordinance, but it passed by an
8-3 vote. A referendum effort
failed due to the burdensome
signatory requirements of the
city charter.
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
Castro’s re-election made
passage of the ordinance a foregone conclusion, “We needed
to regroup and press forward
to see that we had a godly candidate in office,” Flowers said,
citing Prov. 29:2.
Branson saw the silver lining. “I thank Castro. He united
the church in San Antonio in
ways that it had never been.”
Getting Past the ‘D’ Word
Effecting change at City
Hall required church leaders
set aside preconceived notions of what it means to be
Democrat, Republican, Protestant, Catholic,
Charismatic,
black, white or
Hispanic.
Prayer
meetings,
strategy sessions and discussions
with
the candidates brought to
the forefront their common
faith and concerns. Ultimately,
those voters sought a mayoral
candidate who shared their
biblical worldview.
Candidate Ivy Taylor, one of
three council members to vote
against the NDO, made the
grade. Her experience in city
government combined with
her Christian faith made her a
candidate the coalition could
support.
Although city officials do not
campaign under the flag of a
political party, their affiliation
is no secret. And Taylor was a
Democrat, a fact some Republican evangelicals had to look
past before seeing the common
faith and ideology they shared,
Branson said.
Church unity turned the tide
in the 2015 mayoral race as a
well-funded political machine
was defeated with the election of Taylor, San Antonio’s
first African-American mayor.
And, especially unusual, more
“POLITICS, ENTERTAINMENT, MONEY,
CHARITY ... WE NEED TO SPEAK TO ALL OF
IT. THERE IS A GROWING HUNGER FOR THE
THINGS OF GOD IN THIS COUNTRY.”
CHARLES FLOWERS,
PASTOR OF FAITH OUTREACH IN SAN ANTONIO
people voted in the June runoff than the in general election.
Having the Mayor’s Ear
Church leaders communicated to all 2,160 churches within
San Antonio that there was a
candidate they could back. The
faith-based Black Robe Regiment created a voters’ guide for
distribution in the churches.
Pastors
i n vited
Taylor to
attend Sunday
services and hosted candidate forums.
Meanwhile, pastors and
leaders of several faithbased organizations met
regularly to discuss strategy and to pray.
Taylor began participating in prayer meetings
at churches around the city.
“There was no politicking,”
Flowers said. “She led the city in
prayer. She was genuinely wanting to seek God for the city.”
Branson said evidence that
the cultural and political divide
between Christians was crumbling came when Taylor, an
east side black Democrat, was
asked to speak and pray at a
south side evangelical Hispanic
church. That, Branson said,
would have been unheard of
only a few years ago.
Taylor was outspent 7 to 1
and thrashed in the media by
run-off opponent Leticia Van
De Putte, a veteran San Antonio
politician, but Taylor prevailed
in the run-off, doubling her vote
count in all but two precincts.
“It was because the church
showed up,” said Flowers.
“They lifted the Democrat template off of her and saw her as
a Christian. It created a surge
that the political machine
could not overcome.”
Branson warned that if
Christians put off by the Democrat affiliation had not voted
they would have ensured the
election of another pro-choice,
pro-LGBT, same-sex marriage
advocate mayor. And although
he may not agree with everything the Taylor administration
does, he knows he has her ear
and the church has a seat at the
mayor’s table.
Going forward, the coalition
is eyeing the 2016 elections ensuring candidates vying for local and statewide office pass the
same litmus test as Taylor, identifying their stands on matters
of life, marriage, and the poor.
And in some races that will require a more in-depth analysis
of the candidates’ positions.
As the mayor’s race revealed,
party affiliation is not an ideological rubber stamp.
“It’s not enough anymore
to assume that someone who
runs as a conservative, and
even claims to be a Christian,
is going to govern in a right
manner regarding these issues,”
warned Asmussen.
To be direct, Caddell said
the coalition will seek to oust
Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio,
whom conservatives accuse of
using his powerful position as
Texas Speaker of the House to
stymie socially conservative
legislation.
Caddell said San Antonio’s
bitter experience created a
ground swell of like-minded
people wanting to work together. Faith-based, civic-minded
organizations are stronger, and
new ones have emerged. And
other Texas cities are asking
San Antonio’s Christian leadership for advice.
Branson saw God use leaders of many denominations
advance a common good for his
glory and the good of San Antonio. He admonishes church
leadership across the state to
act on behalf of their congregations and their cities.
Flowers, citing the apostle
Paul, admonished church
leaders to preach the whole
counsel of God which calls
people to salvation and moral
duty. Avoiding conflict inside
and outside the church is not
an option.
“Politics, entertainment, money, charity…We need to speak
to all of it,” he said. “There is a
growing hunger for the things
of God in our country.”
LOCAL ELECTIONS COUNT
NOVEM-
The closer an election is to home the more
consequential the outcome is to the home.
So why don’t citizens vote in
greater number on the local level?
Stan Stanart, clerk of Harris
County, the third largest county in
the nation, said it is simply a matter of
priorities. Citizens are so wrapped
up in their day-to-day lives that the
idea of fitting one more thing into
their schedules, like a trip to the
voting booth, is burdensome.
Texas county clerk offices facilitate and process
elections, working to make the election process as
informative and accessible as possible. Even so, few
people avail themselves of the privilege.
Stanart, a member of Champion Forest Baptist Church
in Houston, said those who care about their families,
communities and country will vote. And when
Christians do not vote, the people elected
implement laws that put Christians at odds
with their government.
Some Christians consider political engagement a
distraction from spreading the gospel and leave election
results to God’s providence. But Stanart believes the two
are inextricably intertwined, saying, “You are going to
endanger your ability to tell people about Jesus” when
failing to vote.
CITY OF LUBBOCK
CITY OF HOUSTON
229,573
POPULATION 2014: 243,839
2,099,451
POPULATION 2014: 2,239,588*
POPULATION 2010:
POPULATION 2010:
cast in 2012 Presidential
49.43%** ballots
election Harris County
58.56%
NOV. 3, 2009
NOV. 8, 2011
NOV. 5, 2013
935,073***
920,172
953,380
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
178,777
(19.12%)
121,468
(13.2%)
174,620
(18.32%)
BALLOTS CAST
BALLOTS CAST
BALLOTS CAST
1,327,407
POPULATION 2014: 1,436,697
POPULATION 2010:
MAY 9, 2009
MAY 14, 2011
MAY 11, 2013
686,415
648,682
610,456
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
76,606
(11.16%)
43,628
(6.73%)
44,283
(7.25%)
BALLOTS CAST
BALLOTS CAST
M AYO R R U N - O F F
MAY 9, 2015
REGISTERED VOTERS
19,059 (15.56%)
Uncontested (No tally)
BALLOTS CAST
CITY OF AUSTIN
790,390
POPULATION 2014: 912,791
POPULATION 2010:
61.15%
ballots cast in 2012 Presidential
election Travis County
MAY 9, 2009
447,287
BALLOTS CAST
MAY 12, 2012
461,146
CITY OF DALLAS
1,197,792
POPULATION 2014: 1,281,047
POPULATION 2010:
NOV. 14, 2014****
MAY 11, 2013
MAY 9, 2015
582,707
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
69,557
(12.91%)
39,840
(6.98%)
43,127
(7.4%)
BALLOTS CAST
DEC. 16, 2014
506,170
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
175,165 (33.8%)
77,798 (15.4%)
BALLOTS CAST
ballots cast in 2012 Presidential
election Dallas County
BALLOTS CAST
M AYO R R U N - O F F
517,718
BALLOTS CAST
126,133
REGISTERED VOTERS
48,882 (10.6%)
BALLOTS CAST
570,864
MAY 10, 2014
58,228 (13.01%)
98,344 (14.12%)
BALLOTS CAST
MAY 12, 2012
BALLOTS CAST
696,469
86,067 (12.43%)
542,274
11,483 (9.42%)
BALLOTS CAST
REGISTERED VOTERS
REGISTERED VOTERS
MAY 14, 2011
23,103 (18.29%)
REGISTERED VOTERS
692,349
60.31%
121,860
REGISTERED VOTERS
JUNE 13, 2015
REGISTERED VOTERS
BALLOTS CAST
126,308
MAY 8, 2010
REGISTERED VOTERS
BALLOTS CAST
ballots cast in 2012 Presidential
election Bexar County
BALLOTS CAST
MAY 8, 2008
122,496
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
55.92%
ballots cast in 2012 Presidential
election Lubbock County
BALLOTS CAST
*Source: U.S. Census; 2014 population figures are estimates.
**Source: All county-wide voter percentages from the Office of Texas Secretary of State.
***Source: Representative County and City Clerk offices. County Clerks, generally, do not
post city-wide results for presidential elections so county-wide numbers were used for a
general frame of reference.
****Council voted to move city elections to November to coincide with the Presidential
election. Hence the exponential increase in voter turnout for this local election. Note the
run-off election is more representative of earlier years’ turnout.
10
CHRISTIAN CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
sbtexan
T E X A N
VOTES AND VOICES COUNT
State representatives need and encourage constituent input
By Bonnie Pritchett
TEXAN Correspondent
By mid-November next year Texans
will have voted for a new president,
national and state legislators, and municipal representatives. Then what?
Civic duty does not end once a ballot is
cast. Whether your candidate won or
lost, holding elected representatives accountable is the next task at hand.
According to two state legistlators,
the first step is getting to know your
government representatives, even the
ones for whom you did not vote.
“You can’t hold people accountable if
you don’t know them,” said Texas Rep.
Scott Sanford, R-McKinney.
Fellow legislator Matt Krause, RFort Worth, agreed, asking, “How can
I effectively represent you if I haven’t
heard from you?”
When there is something to complain
about or a national crisis stirs statewide
concerns, the representatives hear from
home. But, in the interim, interaction
between elected officials and their constituents often is inconsistent.
Krause and Sanford have supported
and opposed legislation based on their
Christian convictions and constituent
input. Their convictions are grounded
and unwavering on issues of life, traditional marriage, care for the poor and
religious liberty—matters that Christians
should consider before offering support
to a candidate. While both welcome constituent feedback on the hundreds of
pieces of legislation up for consideration
each session, often it is lacking.
Cindy Asmussen, SBTC’s Texas Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee
(TERLC) advisor, said the prospect of
calling, much less meeting with, an
elected official can be overwhelming.
“Many of us feel intimidated by anything deemed ‘political.’ I know I used to,
and somewhat still do,” she said. “We have
to remember, though, that every person
and leader working in the realm of government is human. They don’t know everything; they are prone to weaknesses
and have needs like you and me.”
That’s why Krause appreciates it
when one of the 180,000 residents in
his district contacts him with opinions
on pending bills or ideas for new ones.
For example, he said a law that sought
to protect minors from sexual predators who use the internet to lure their
victims was struck down in court as unconstitutional. Fearful the ruling would
put children at risk, one of his constituents called him with an idea—don’t dismiss the entire law, just tweak it so it
will stand constitutional muster.
“That’s hugely beneficial,” Krause
said. Without the call, Krause would
not have known of the need. As a result,
new legislation was drafted and passed
with bipartisan support.
Krause and Sanford seek out their
constituents at meet-and-greet sessions,
especially when home in their districts
between sessions. Sanford remembered
the close of a 9/11 ceremony where a
man wearing a t-shirt promoting the
Democrat Party approached the Republican representative, gave him a hug,
and said, “’I’ve got some ideas and would
like to talk to you.’”
Even though they represented different political parties and, presumably, different ideas on some subjects, Sanford
said the man simply “wanted a seat at the
table” and an opportunity to be heard.
Krause said he appreciates hearing
from constituents with opposing political viewpoints. The exchanges always
give him food for thought.
Asmussen played that role often during her years as a Concerned Women
of America volunteer and, since Janu-
ary, as the TERLC advisor. The task gets
easier with each encounter, but she first
built her relationships in the Texas Capitol on prayer and good will.
“In some of the offices I walk into at
the Capitol, I find Bibles open on the
representatives’ desks. Many, actually
most, are more than willing to be prayed
with, right then and there in their offices,” Asmussen said. “They take to heart
the phone calls and emails in which
their constituents oppose or support
something they are doing.”
Sanford said a significant factor in
the overwhelming passage of the Pastor
Protection Act this past session was the
established relationships pastors, priests
and bishops had with their legislators.
When the clergy spoke, en masse, the
legislature listened.
And out of session the representatives are still working.
“They are on the job all the time. It’s
not just a six-month term. It’s a twoyear term,” said Krause.
Lawmakers are already crafting legislation for the 85th legislative session
that begins January 2017. Constituents
can—and should—know their representatives and offer counsel on matters that
concern their cities, states and nation.
Putting the walk to their talk
Texas pastors traveled to Austin to support passage of bill protecting their right to say “No.”
By Rob Collingsworth
TEXAN Correspondent
Baptists have long been known for
their fierce commitment to religious liberty, particularly their willingness to protect it when it is threatened. That legacy
was on display last May when scores of
Texas pastors—many of them Southern
Baptists—traveled to the state capitol to
support a measure drafted to protect pastors and their churches from the legal
fall-out associated with the U.S. Supreme
Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage.
It was the only piece of religious liberty legislation that received a passing
vote in the 84th session of the Texas legislature. The Pastor Protection Act, hobbled by House leadership but passed by
the Senate as SB 2065, was intended to
bolster protections afforded pastors and
churches in the U.S. Constitution and
the Texas Religious Freedom and Restoration statute. But with the Supreme
Court poised in May to strike down
all bans on same-sex marriage, Texas
clergy and legal advisors believed more
needed to be done to protect those who
would say “no” to LGBT activists.
Mike Weaver, pastor of Wild Ride
Ministries in Harper, likened the role of
pastors to that of the watchman on the
wall in Ezekiel 33. He was among the
pastors who traveled to Austin to register their support of the bill.
“If he sees trouble coming and doesn’t
warn the people, their blood is on his
hands. If he sees it and warns them, their
blood is on their own hands,” Weaver
said. “How can we see and know about
so many issues and just sit by and watch?
We’ve got what we’ve got because we’ve
allowed it to happen by being disengaged.”
Cindy Asmussen, SBTC’s Texas Ethics
and Religious Liberty Committee advisor, credits the pastors with the passage
of SB 2065.
“The law protects Texas pastors, clergy,
churches, religious organizations and
their employees from being forced to
solemnize, perform or celebrate a marriage that violates their religious beliefs,”
Asmussen said.
In light of the Supreme Court’s June
26 decision legalizing same-sex marriage—handed down only two weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2065 into
law—the Texas legislature was timely in
an effort to forestall the many problems
churches could face going forward.
Photographers and bakers in Oregon,
Colorado and Washington have been
sued for refusing to provide services for
same-sex weddings, leaving evangelicals wondering what would happen if,
when same-sex marriage was legalized
nationwide, a pastor refused to perform
the wedding or allow use of church facilities.
Craig Etheredge, pastor of First Baptist
Church in Colleyville, was one of almost
90 people who traveled to Austin in support of the House version of SB 2065 during the May 4 State Affairs Committee
hearing. Only 10 people registered to oppose the bill.
“While this is a great step for the state
of Texas, my sources in the Texas legislature expect the law to come under fire in
the days to come,” he said. “It is important
that the Christian community continue
to clearly articulate the gospel message
and God’s design for biblical marriage.
God is the one that defines marriage, not
the courts of men.”
Many pastors and their congregations
are unsure of their role in the political
process and how much they should attempt to influence government on its
various levels. Within the Southern
Baptist Convention political dialogue has
shifted from the confrontational style
of the Moral Majority, led by Virginia
pastor Jerry Falwell, in the 1980s to the
“convictional kindness” urged today by
Russell Moore, president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
In a 2013 Wall Street Journal interview, Moore said, “We [Southern Baptists] are involved in the political process,
but we must always be wary of being
co-opted by it.” He reaffirmed his belief
in traditional marriage, but added that it
shouldn’t be a “culture war political issue.”
Etheredge urged involvement by
those he knows, both in and out of his
church, but especially other pastors.
“It is imperative that pastors be involved in the defense of religious freedom,” he said. “While we have the opportunity to vote, it is imperative that
Christ followers vote for candidates that
will represent godly values and morals
in our country.”
Scott Sanford, a state representative
and executive pastor for stewardship
and operations at Cottonwood Creek
Baptist Church in McKinney, said
pastors can play a role in educating
their congregations as to who is running for office and where they stand on
key issues.
Pastors should host a meeting with
candidates and elected officials at
churches and “just talk,” he advised, cautioning them to open a dialogue instead
of a gripe list.
That conversation, from which the
pastors can glean helpful information
to pass on to their church members, can
open the channels of communication.
Sanford said enough pastors, priests and
bishops had established relationships
with their legislators that when they
spoke during the committee hearing,
lawmakers listened.
The same influence was needed on
other legislation, especially one Sanford
authored offering legal protection for
faith-based adoption agencies that refuse to facilitate adoption or foster care
by same-sex couples. The legislation
stalled, but he plans to reintroduce it in
the next session.
Still more needs to be done, Sanford said, hopeful that lawmakers will
address the conflict Christians face
when they work as government employees. He knows from experience
that the insight and influence of Texas
pastors will be necessary on a continual basis.
12
BAPTIST
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
CP SURPASSES BUDGET
PROJECTION FOR FISCAL
YEAR
....................
BAPTIST
BRIEFS
Full versions of these stories and more can be
found on Baptist Press: bpnews.net
HENDRICKS NAMED DIRECTOR
OF BP OPERATIONS
The Executive Committee has named Shawn
Hendricks as Baptist
Press director of operations. The new role will
be in addition to his regular
duties as managing editor.
As managing editor/
director of operations,
Hendricks will assume
additional administrative assignments while
continuing to direct and
edit content released
by Baptist Press. Art Toalston, who has
served as editor of Baptist Press for more
than 23 years, will transition into a new
role as senior editor. In his new position,
Toalston, 65, will step aside from some of
the daily administrative duties to devote
himself more fully to the same editing,
writing and mentoring tasks he has done
since becoming editor.
intentional break to alleviate upstream
flooding. The South Carolina Department of Transportation reported 271
road closures and 143 bridge closures.
Those wishing to donate to SBDR relief can contact the Baptist convention in
their state or visit donations.namb.net/
dr-donations. For phone donations, call
1-866-407-NAMB (6262), or mail checks
to NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA
30368-6543. Designate checks for “Disaster Relief.” Updates on the latest SBDR
response are available at namb.net/dr/
atlantic-coast-floods.
STUDY RANKS SOUTHERN
SEMINARY’S DOCTORAL
PROGRAM IN TOP 5
NEW NAMB LOGO
ANNOUNCED
The North American Mission Board
has introduced a new logo and messaging that reflects its goal to mobilize more
churches and individuals to missional
action in the effort to push back lostness and plant more churches in North
America.
“Every Life On Mission” and “Every
Church On Mission” are two phrases
NAMB will use prominently to encourage individuals and churches to become
more actively and personally involved in
missional activity.
And although the nonreligious are less
likely than other Americans to see evidence of a creator, they are more likely
to agree (46 percent) than disagree (40
percent) with the statement: “Since the
universe has organization, I think there
is a creator who designed it.”
ERLC, OTHERS ISSUE ANIMAL
CARE STATEMENT
The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has joined
with evangelical Christian leaders to issue a statement on the biblically based
treatment of animals.
Evangelical leaders unveiled the document—”Every Living Thing: An Evangelical Statement on Responsible Care
for Animals”—Sept. 30 at a Washington,
D.C., news conference.
The statement, which provides a set
of biblical beliefs guiding consideration
of the subject, calls for “compassionate
care and responsible rule” of animals
and for opposition to all cruelty toward
them. Because God creates and sustains
all animals, the document’s signers resolve “to work for the protection and
preservation of all the kinds of animals
God has created, while prioritizing human needs.”
LGBT PROTESTORS SPARK
NEWS CONF. AT SBTS
BAPTIST ETHICISTS CALL
SUICIDE LAW UNJUST,
GROTESQUE
S.C. FLOOD RESPONSE:
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
MOBILIZE
With dams continuing to fail in South
Carolina Oct. 7, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief leaders gathered by conference call to plan a multi-state long-term
response to historic flooding that has
overwhelmed the state.
South Carolina Baptist disaster relief
director Randy Creamer has placed all
of the state convention’s DR volunteers
on alert for potential service, knowing
that many of them are flood survivors
themselves. Creamer said he expects to
request assistance from fellow SBDR Region II states Alabama, Florida, Georgia
and North Carolina.
Although Hurricane Joaquin did not
make U.S. landfall, the weather pattern
it created dumped a historic deluge on
South Carolina Oct. 3-5. The rains are
blamed for 17 weather-related deaths in
North and South Carolina. Flooding is
widespread. As of Oct. 7, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division
reported 12 dam breaches, including one
The Southern Baptist Convention
ended its fiscal year $1.1 million over its
2014–2015 budgeted goal and $2.5 million over the previous year’s Cooperative
Program allocation budget gifts, according to SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page.
The SBC received $189,160,231.41
in CP allocation gifts for the year. This
amount is $2,592,620.78, or 1.39 percent,
more than it received during the last fiscal year, and is $1,160,231.41, or 0.62 percent, more than its budgeted goal of $188
million.
sbtexan
The Association of Theological Schools
ranks The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary (SBTS) fourth in producing
doctoral graduates who go on to serve as
faculty in ATS member schools, according to a recent report. SBTS improved
12 spots on the list since the last report,
released in 2001. Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary came in 11th on
the list, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary came in 16th.
SBTS President R. Albert Mohler Jr.
called the report a “significant affirmation of Southern’s leadership in preparing scholars for the church past, present
and future.”
“Southern Seminary established one
of the first research doctorates in higher
education in America and has been a
pioneer since the beginning, preparing scholars for the church through the
highest level of academic preparation,”
Mohler said.
California’s newly enacted assisted
suicide law is an affront to human dignity and the practice of medicine, Southern Baptist ethicists say.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed the End of
Life Option Act into law Oct. 5, making California the fourth state with
legalized, physician-assisted suicide.
The measure enables a person who has
been diagnosed with a terminal illness
to request a prescribed drug to end his
or her life.
Southern Baptist ethics leader Russell
Moore called Brown’s enactment of the
bill “a moral injustice.”
“The value of human life doesn’t rise
and fall depending on the quality of
that life,” said Moore, president of the
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission,
in written comments for Baptist Press.
“Legal assisted suicide is a blight upon
any culture’s conscience, and its emergence in California should ignite us to
work for justice and human dignity everywhere.”
LIFEWAY STUDY:
NONRELIGIOUS AMERICANS
SEE EVIDENCE OF CREATOR
Life didn’t just happen, most Americans say—and a surprising number of
nonreligious people agree, a newly released study says.
More than 4 in 10 of the nonreligious
believe physics and humanity point to a
creator, LifeWay Research finds. A third
say human morality indicates a creator
who defines right and wrong. The study,
released today (Oct. 7), is based on a survey taken Sept. 26-Oct. 5, 2014.
Reparative therapy is a “superficial”
response to homosexual and transgender change and Christian ministers
must instead call all people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, said
leaders of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Association of
Certified Biblical Counselors at an Oct.
5 news conference.
“We don’t think the main thing that
is needed is merely repair but rather
redemption,” said Southern Seminary
President R. Albert Mohler Jr. “When it
comes to sexuality, we do believe that
wholeness and holiness can come, and
will come, to the one who faithfully follows Christ.”
Mohler and ACBC executive director
Heath Lambert addressed local and national media to refute the claims of the
Fairness Campaign, a Louisville LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender)
advocacy group alleging a conference
being held at the seminary promoted
reparative therapy, which is a secular
method of converting sexual orientation
and gender identity.
Nearly 40 LGBT activists stood on the
sidewalk near the seminary’s Alumni
Memorial Chapel in the first of two
planned protests as a record 2,300 conference attendees registered for the
three-day conference on homosexuality
and transgenderism.
NOVEMBER 2015
CHURCH POSITIONS
PASTOR
u FBC Giddings seeks FT senior pastor. Please
submit resumes to [email protected]
or to 852 East Industry Street,
Giddings, TX 78942.
u FBC, Cameron, seeks a FT senior pastor.
Please send resume to [email protected] or
to P.O. Box 1169 Cameron, Texas 76520.
u FBC, Electra, seeks FT senior pastor. Parsonage provided. Please send resumes to First
Baptist Church, P.O. Box 466, Electra, TX 76360
or email to [email protected].
u FBC Timpson seeks a FT pastor. Resumes
will be received with a minimum of four references (name and addresses included). All
resumes must be received no later than Nov.
20, 2015, 5 p.m. Please mail to: Pastor Search
Team, c/o Don Barnett, 486 West Lake Timpson Rd, Timpson, TX 75975.
u Hispanic Ministry of North Oaks BC seeks
bi-vocational or FT pastor for Hispanic Baptist
conservative traditional congregation. Must be
able to preach and teach in Spanish. Minimal
conversational English required. Minimum of two
years theological education or pursuing a theological degree. Minimum two years of ministerial
or pastoral experience. Must accept the Baptist
Faith and Message of 2000. Send resume’ to
[email protected]. Contact Joy Radabaugh at 281-370-4060 for more information.
u Emmanuel Baptist Church SBC of Meeker, CO
seeks bi-vocational senior pastor. Resumes are
being accepted through Nov. 30. Contact Gerry
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
LaBonte, Chairman, Pastor Search Committee
at: [email protected].
u FBC of Laneville seeks a bi-vocational
pastor. Pastoral experience desirable. Salary
approx. $300/wk. Sunday morning service and
Wednesday evening study. Send resume to
FBC Laneville, PO Box 34, Laneville, TX 75667.
u Parkview BC, San Saba, seeks bi-vocational
or retired pastor who is willing to serve in a
small church. Small salary and nice parsonage available. Please send resumes to Pastor
Search Committee, Parkview Baptist Church,
PO Box 186, San Saba, TX 76877 or email
resume to [email protected].
MUSIC
u FBC Sherman seeks FT minister of music responsible for total music program of the church.
For more information or to submit a resume,
please email [email protected].
u Central BC, Pampa, seeking music minister
to lead blended worship, work with choir on
Sunday morning and lead worship on Sunday
evenings. Will lead youth worship & choir
rehearsal on Wednesdays, work withSR adult
choir and support education ministry. Please
send resumes to Norman Rushing, Pastor, at
[email protected] or mail them to: Norman Rushing, 513 E Francis, Pampa, TX 79065.
u Harleton BC seeking PT minister of music.
Please send resumes to P.O. Box 344,
Harleton, Texas 75651 or email to hbc@
harletonbaptist.org.
u FBC Rogers seeks bi-vocational music minister
to lead blended worship services with praise
band and choir. Please submit resumes to
[email protected] or mail to FBC Rogers,
PO Box 296, Rogers, TX 76569.
COMBINATION
u Oak Crest BC, Midlothian, seeks minister of
youth/discipleship to lead teaching, discipleship and other activities for 7th–12th grade
students as well as church-wide discipleship
programs. Expository teaching and preaching experience required. Submit resume and
cover letter with your testimony to ocbc.youth.
[email protected] no later than Dec. 1, 2015.
u FBC Mansfield, LA seeks FT minister of worship
and adult ministries. Send resume to: First Baptist
Church, Attn: Search Committee, 1710 McArthur
Drive, Mansfield, LA 71052.
u Rosanky BC seeks a FT youth/children’s pastor responsible for developing and overseeing all areas of the children’s ministry. Send
cover letter and resume to [email protected] or mail to RBC, PO Box 96,
Rosanky, TX 78953.
u FBC, Henrietta, seeks FT minister of music/
senior adults. Parsonage and salary dependent on experience and qualifications. Send
resume to [email protected] or mail
to FBC, attn: Search Committee, PO Box 544,
Henrietta, TX 76365.
u FBC Edgewood seeks FT minister of music/
associate pastor to plan and lead blended worship, including instrumental, praise team, and
choir rehearsal. As associate pastor, will help
with outreach and events as well as lead adult
Wednesday night Bible study and prayer meeting. Salary: $35,000-$40,000, plus staff house (4
bedroom/2 full baths). Submit resume and video
ANNOUNCEMENTS
13
of worship leading to fbcemusicministersearch@
gmail.com or mail to Gale Kimbrough, Search
Committee Chairman, FBC Edgewood, PO Box
355, Edgewood, TX 75117.
YOUTH
u College BC, Big Spring, is seeking a FT youth
minister. Please submit resumes to cbc1957@
suddenlinkmail.com.
u Hays Hills BC, Buda, seeks FT minister to
students. Must possess an MDiv and/or strong
teaching ability. Church runs 450. Contact
[email protected] or 512-295-3132, ext. 23.
u Luella FBC seeks PT youth minister. Must be
at least 21 years old and preferably an ordained
minister or working toward ordination. Contact
Anna Garza at 903-893-2252, LuellaFBC@
gmail.com, or Luella First Baptist Church, 3162
Highway 11, Sherman, TX 75090.
u Windom BC seeks PT youth minister. Send
resume to [email protected] or
Windom Baptist Church P.O. Box 1026 Windom
Texas 75492. Contact Pastor Judd Strawbridge
at 903-623-2215 www.windombaptist.com
CHILDREN
u FBC Malakoff seeks FT children’s minister or
PT interim. Responsibilities will include Sunday
morning Life Groups, children’s church, Sunday
and Wednesday night activities and any special programs or calendar events such as VBS.
Please send resumes to [email protected],
Attn: Personnel Committee.
u Luella FBC seeks PT nursery worker. Must
be at least 21 years old. If interested, contact Anna Garza at 903-893-2252 or email
[email protected].
YEAR END GIVING REMINDERS
4January 8th
Regarding 2015 year end giving, through Jan. 8 the SBTC will apply gifts postmarked by Dec.
31, 2015 to the 2015 calendar year. After Jan. 8, 2016 all gifts will be applied to the 2016 year.
42016 Gift Forms
Gift Forms will be arriving in your mailboxes in December 2015. The Gift Form is also available in a
downloadable format on our website, sbtexas.com (click on the “Resources” tab on the home page).
42016 CP Gifts
55% of all CP gifts will go to the Southern Baptist Convention for missions and ministry around
the world, while 45% will remain in state for work in Texas.
Announcements
u TEXAS BAPTIST HOME FOR CHILDREN (TBH):
TBH is seeking partnerships to raise awareness of the services as well as the needs of the
home. On Jan. 23, 2016, TBH’s adoption department will sponsor The Run for Their Lives
Round-up for the children. Our goal is to raise $25,000 this year to help support Adoption
Services of TBH. TBH exists to protect the sanctity of life and promote the preservation of
the family through foster care and adoption programs. Call Christin at 972-937-1321 ext. 249
for more information. Monetary donations can be sent to Texas Baptist Home, Attn: Christin
Barber, 629 Farley Street, Waxahachie, TX 75168.
u BILL & BETTYE ROBERTS (NATIVE AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP MISSIONS) MSC
VOLUNTEERS NAMB:
There is a great need for 10 lb. bags of red beans & rice to deliver to Navajo Reservations
in NM & AZ. They are also in need of shoes, socks, candy, and hygiene kits for children.
903-364-2515, [email protected], Bill & Bettye Roberts, 361 Harris Lane, Whitewright, Texas 75491.
u SBTC FOUNDER WRITES MEMOIRS
Ronnie Yarber, who served the SBTC in various roles including
sole employee of the convention’s precursor organization, has
written Why it had to be! —a brief memoir of his life and of the
convention’s founding. Contact Ronnie Yarber at 903.677.1937
or [email protected]. The cost is $5 per copy plus
$3 shipping.
PAID CLASSIFIEDS
u HYMNALS WANTED FOR FAMILY USE
Four specific ones preferred, in good condition. Any quantities, large or small.
*The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration (1986)
*The Baptist Hymnal (1991)
*The Baptist Hymnal (1956)
*The Broadman Hymnal (1940)
Please call Gary at 970-597-0313 or email [email protected]
u Screen printed T-shirts for church events: 5 FREE SHIRTS FOR EVERY 50 YOU BUY, plus free
shipping! Smaller orders welcome. Call Southeast Texas Printing Company (409) 622-2197.
14
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
EAST TEXAS
CHURCH’S
MOTORCYCLE
MINISTRY
SPREADS FAITH
By Jane Rodgers
TEXAN Correspondent
GLADEWATER,
Texas
For
Allen Schwab, F.A.I.T.H. Riders
has been a life-changing ride.
Schwab, who became a Christian in 2011, discovered F.A.I.T.H.
Riders when dividing his time
between his home in East Texas
and his job in Alabama.
A landscaper told Schwab
about the church-based motorcycle ministry during a casual
conversation in Birmingham,
Ala., in 2014. “He asked me if I
knew Jesus. Then he shared his
ministry of riding motorcycles
with bikers who share the
kingdom of the Lord. He invited me to go with on a ride with
the group,” Schwab recalled.
There was one problem:
Schwab did not own a motorcycle. However, his new friend
had three.
“The Lord is leading me to
give you a motorcycle,” the
man told Schwab, who at first
demurred, then realized he
needed to accept the “blessing
from God.” Schwab rode with
the Alabama group and participated in bike nights.
“My faith blossomed,” Schwab
“WE ARE USING
F.A.I.T.H RIDERS AS AN
OUTREACH MINISTRY.
THE CONSISTENT
DELIVERING OF GOD’S
WORD AT EVERY
FUNCTION IS THE
STANDARD, NO MATTER
THE EVENT.”
—ALLEN SCHWAB
said, praising the organization’s accountability structure,
guidance and mentorship.This
growth in his faith prompted
Schwab to change jobs and
move back to East Texas to be
closer to his wife and children.
Enter Gladewater’s Joy
Baptist Church and pastor
Teddy Sorrells.
“Allen and his wife rode a
motorcycle to church one Sunday, and we started talking
about motorcycles. He told me
about riding and preaching Jesus. He was on fire from his experiences with F.A.I.T.H. Riders
in Alabama,” Sorrells recalled.
Little did he know it, but Sorrells, a motorcycle enthusiast
and former rider, was about
to inherit the motorcycle that
had been gifted to Schwab as
Joy Baptist Church embraced
F.A.I.T.H. Riders as an outreach.
“We had been praying hard
to reach the community as a
whole,” Sorrells, a Gladewater native, said of Joy BC, located between Gladewater
and Kilgore. “We are out in the
country a little and had been
praying for opportunities.”
In summer 2015, Joy BC affiliated with F.A.I.T.H. Riders and
began monthly bike nights and
regular fellowship rides. They
are currently planning Bible
studies at the church geared for
riders and participation in state
and national rallies.
On Sept. 26, the Joy BC
F.A.I.T.H. Riders manned a
booth and brought their bikes
to the East Texas Second Annual Burn Run, held at the
Gladewater rodeo grounds.
The Burn Run, a fundraiser to
benefit child burn victims, was
sponsored by the Tyler and
Longview chapters of Brother’s
Keepers, a motorcycle club of
current and former firefighters.
“Our Joy BC riders rode in
the ride. The Burn Run gave
us an opportunity to meet all
kinds of folks and hand out
information about our church
and the gospel,” Sorrells said.
During the National Night
Out, Oct. 6, the church also
reached
its
community
through a block party featuring a bounce house, giveaways,
face paintings and free food.
“Motorcycles attract attention. We use that as an opportunity to open conversations with
other bikers and with people
who don’t ride,” Sorrells said.
Schwab and Sorrells look
forward to participating in the
Lone Star motorcycle rally in
Galveston next year and possibly other rallies across the
country. For now, word of
mouth spreads the news of the
Joy BC F.A.I.T.H. Riders, who
hope to use their bikes as tools
for evangelism.
“At Joy BC we are a small
church with big kingdom
hearts,” Sorrells said.
“We are using F.A.I.T.H Riders as an outreach ministry,”
Schwab said, emphasizing
monthly fellowship rides,
block parties, the manning of
booths at school functions and
Bible studies. “The consistent
delivering of God’s Word at every function is the standard, no
matter the event.”
Criswell board approves VP of Finance, policies
By Keith Collier
Managing Editor
DALLAS Criswell College trustees formally approved a vice
president of finance for the institution, elected new board officers
and approved various policies
and administrative procedures
during its fall meeting, Oct. 1.
Trustees unanimously approved the naming of Kevin
Stilley as vice president of finance and Chief Business Officer. Stilley, a Criswell graduate,
worked for a decade in human
resources and retail operations
for Borders Group before joining the college in July.
“He is spiritually committed
to exactly what the college is
about; he’s actually a graduate of
Criswell of College, he’s in min-
istry, but he’s also got significant
business experience,” President
Barry Creamer told trustees.
Trustees also elected new officers, effective Jan. 1, 2016. The
board elected Tony Rogers, pastor of Southside Baptist Church
in Bowie, Texas, as chairman;
Chris Lantrip, CEO of CyberlinkASP, as vice chairman; and
Jack Pogue, a Dallas businessman, as secretary.
The board approved eight
new trustees for 2016. According to its governing documents,
the board is comprised of 40
percent from the Criswell College Foundation, 40 percent
from the Southern Baptists of
Texas Convention and 20 percent at-large. New trustees approved to the board include
Clint Pressley (at-large), Rod
Martin (at-large), Adarose Jennings (at-large), Harold Rawlings (Criswell Foundation), Curtis Baker (Criswell Foundation),
Jarrett Stephens (Criswell Foundation), Mack Roller (SBTC), and
Anne Hettinger (SBTC). Roller
and Hettinger’s approval to the
board is pending the convention’s approval during its annual meeting in November.
Outgoing chairman John
Mann expressed appreciation
for his time on the board, saying, “Not only is the legacy of
Criswell College strong, but the
current state of Criswell College
is strong and being strengthened through the work of the
administration, faculty and the
board. The future of Criswell
College is an exciting thing that
is laid before us.”
As for administrative decisions, trustees unanimously
approved an updated version
of the institution’s conflict
of interest policy as well as
the presidential assessment
policy. Additionally, they approved minor tuition increases to undergraduate and graduate programs—from $315 to
$330 per credit hour for undergraduate courses and from
$415 to $420 per credit hour
for graduate courses.
Trustees heard reports from
various departments as well
as updates on the institution’s
“Building on Legacy” capital
campaign—a $20 million venture that includes remodeling
educational space and constructing student housing.
They also approved a new vision statement and individually signed the school’s statement of faith.
NOVEMBER 2015
SBC
T E X A N O N L I N E . N E T
15
FLOYD: AWAKENING WILL CAUSE
‘STRATEGIC REINVENTION’
By Art Toalston
Baptist Press
KANSAS CITY Merging the International Mission Board and
North American Mission Board
is a key question Southern Baptists must address if a muchprayed-for spiritual awakening comes to their network of
churches.
SBC President Ronnie Floyd
raised the question during his
address at a symposium on
“The SBC & the 21st Century:
Reflection, Renewal & Recommitment” Sept. 28-29 at Midwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Kansas City, Mo.
“Spiritual renewal leads to
strategic reinvention,” Floyd
said in an address titled “Kindling Afresh the Gift of God:
Spiritual Renewal, Strategic
Reinvention and the Southern
Baptist Convention.”
“Structure and systems flow
from the work of God; they do
not create the work of God,” said
Floyd, senior pastor of Cross
Church in northwest Arkansas
who was among the symposium’s seven featured speakers.
“I do not speak as one who
does not understand our history nor as one who is a newcomer asking questions that
are not truly relevant,” Floyd
said, citing numerous ways he
has been involved in Southern Baptist life since the late
1980s. Among them: chairman
of the SBC Executive Commit-
tee, president of the Pastors’
Conference and, most recently,
chairman of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.
“Yet, I have always been one
who has never been afraid to
challenge us in what we are doing, why we are doing it, and
even the way we may still be
doing it,” Floyd said, noting, “We
do not need to demonize any of
our people who ask questions
in the right spirit.”
Floyd set forth several “challenging questions” that Southern
Baptists will face “as we kindle
afresh the gift of God and experience moments of renewal.”
“I will propose more questions than my opinion, even
though I do have a view on
probably most of them,” Floyd
said. “Most of these questions
people have heard already, but
some may never have made it
to a public arena,” he continued.
“I believe it would be negligent
of me in dealing with my assigned topic if I chose not to
share some of these important
questions for this generation of
Baptists to consider.”
Among Floyd’s questions:
4“Do we exist to preserve
our present brand, structure,
and systems, or do we exist to
advance the gospel together regionally, statewide, nationally,
and internationally?”
The Southern Baptist Convention, founded in 1845, could
drift into a focus on structures,
budgets and competing projects
“rather than keeping our focus on our mission to reach the
world,” Floyd said. If, over time,
Southern Baptists lose “our identity and our reason for being …
this leads to people and leaders
leaving us and taking their support and vision to other places
and ministries,” he said.
4“For the sake of gospel advancement, should the International Mission Board and
North American Mission Board
become one mission board, the
Global Mission Board of the
Southern Baptist Convention?”
One reason why a single mission board has never been created, Floyd said, stems from the
specific roles of IMB and NAMB.
But he pondered whether the
dual roles are needed “within
the global culture we experience daily and with the reality that ethnicities live everywhere across the world. ... [W]
ith an undeniable global mindset in America today, is this still
the right strategy?”
The future of the SBC’s two
mission boards, Floyd said, will
involve a decision on how best
to “fast-forward the mission of
our churches” to advance the
gospel among the ethnicities of
the world.
4“Do state conventions and
associations have a future in
Southern Baptist life?”
There is a need for “boots on
the ground” to help churches
fulfill their mission, Floyd said,
suggesting that state conventions and local Baptist associations will have relevance by optimizing their mission to “serve
our churches in reaching their
God-assigned responsibility of
going, baptizing and making
disciples of all the nations.”
State conventions, associations and SBC entities, he added, “must find a way to cease
duplication and triplication locally, statewide and nationally.”
4“How will we finance our work
together in the future in the most
effective way?”
Floyd noted that Southern
Baptists’ Cooperative Program
for missions and ministry support in each state and across the
nation and world was founded
90 years ago.
“I don’t think our forefathers
would fear churches asking serious questions about our financial future and the gospel work
we do together,” he said. “If they
had not asked the question …
there would be no Cooperative
Program today.”
To strengthen the Cooperative Program, Floyd called for
“a renewal in teaching biblical
stewardship to our people, calling them boldly to 10 percent
giving through their church;”
for churches “to give more
sacrificially than ever before
“If every member would be a tither, and churches would get back to teaching
biblical stewardship, and every church gave 10 percent [of receipts to the
Cooperative Program] then every state convention could give 50/50 and that
wouldn’t be a problem,” explained Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
Executive Director Jim Richards in answer to a question posed at Midwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary regarding differences in how state conventions
divide their undesignated receipts between in-state and SBC causes. Richards
explained how SBTC moved quickly to giving 55 percent of undesignated
Cooperative Program receipts to Southern Baptist causes, retaining 45 percent,
the smallest in-state portion of any state convention in the SBC. With 18 million
of the 26 million residents of Texas professing no relationship to or knowledge
of Christ, Richards said a local SBTC-affiliated church’s contribution through the
Cooperative Program extends its evangelism and missions strategy statewide.
“No matter how large the church is, they cannot have a state missions strategy
unless we do it together.” Joining Richards on the panel were other state
convention executive directors, including (left to right) Tim Lubinus of Iowa, John
Yeats of Missouri, and Anthony Jordan of Oklahoma. Also participating was Paul
Chitwood of Kentucky with Midwestern’s president, Jason Allen, moderating the
discussion. PHOTO BY GARY LEDBETTER
through our Cooperative Program annually, beginning as
soon as possible;” and for state
conventions to “consider going
50-50 [in budgeting for their
state and the SBC] by the end of
the year 2020 or even before.”
“If we did these specific
things simultaneously … we
would see a mission explosion
statewide, nationally and internationally,” Floyd said. “What
God has given to us biblically
and missionally we must refuse
to lose financially.”
Floyd added a call for “an intentional strategy to enlist other churches in America to join
our convention” because many
churches “have the capacity for
us to become their home.”
“If they agree with us biblically
by adhering to the Baptist Faith
and Message 2000, agree with
us missiologically in the way
we advance the gospel regionally, statewide, nationally and
internationally, and agree with
us cooperatively in the way we
support our work financially and
are willing to join us in this grand
task, then we need to open our
doors to them,” Floyd said.
“I would even suggest that we
go online with this strategy, creating a ‘Join the Southern Baptist
Convention’ website and place
a link on the websites of each of
our state conventions and our
[Southern Baptist Convention]
website,” Floyd said. He also suggested that state convention and
SBC websites “create online giving for our churches … in this online world.”
4“Is there anything new we
need to create for today and
for the future that will help
our churches in their mission
of going, baptizing and making
disciples of all the nations?”
Baptists must not be thwarted by “How much will it cost?”
but focus on “Who will it
reach?” Floyd said.
“What if we had a compassion arm in our convention that
brings all we do presently and
all we could do in the future into
one entity?” he asked in reference to disaster relief, hunger
relief and other Southern Baptist initiatives. “I submit to you, if
done effectively, it may have the
capacity long-term to pay for itself sufficiently. Why? Because
Baptists are supporting some
of this now through what we
are doing already, and they are
helping pay for it through others
that are non-Baptist ministries.
“Additionally, it would place
our powerful gospel message
into this Christless culture that
is usually open to appreciating ministries of compassion,”
Floyd said.
In his conclusion, Floyd noted
that Southern Baptists gave “just
over $7 billion over the past decade” through the Cooperative
Program and the annual mission
offerings for IMB and NAMB.
“Knowing what we know
about our past and present, as
well as having the resources
of churches, people, influence,
reach and dollars,” Floyd asked,
“how can we leverage all for
the purpose of advancing the
gospel in an unprecedented
manner into places where the
gospel has never been before
regionally, statewide, nationally and globally?”
Videos of each session from
the symposium can be viewed at
mbts.edu/sbc21.
16
TEXAS
S O U T H E R N
B A P T I S T
T E X A N
sbtexan
SBTEXAS.COM/AM15
SUNDAY NIGHT, NOV. 8
Bible Conference | 5:40-8:30 PM
• Worship
• Message | Craig Etheredge
• Breakout Sessions
• Message | Gregg Matte
Sesión en Español (Spanish Session) 6 PM
MONDAY MORNING, NOV. 9
Bible Conference | 9:00-11:15 AM
• Worship
• Message | Ben Stuart
• Breakout Sessions
MEAL: Ministry Café | 11:30 AM
Chris Osborne, Ben Stuart, Craig Etheredge | $5
For tickets: sbtexas.com/am15, click on “Meals/Events” tab
MONDAY AFTERNOON, NOV. 9
Bible Conference | 1:15-3:45 PM
• Worship
• Breakout Sessions
• Message | Ken Adams
MEAL: Reach Houston Dinner | 4:30 PM | $10 | Student Building
For tickets: sbtexas.com/am15, click on “Meals/Events” tab
MONDAY EVENING, NOV. 9
Annual Meeting | 6:15-8:45 PM
• Worship
• Introduction of motions | 6:40 PM
• Reach Houston
• Prayer for Spiritual Awakening & Renewal
• President’s message | Jimmy Pritchard | 8:05 PM
9Marks at 9 | 9 PM | Student Building
TUESDAY MORNING, NOV. 10
MEAL: SWBTS Alumni & Friends Breakfast | 7 AM | FL 102
Reserve complimentary tickets at swbts.edu/sbtcbreakfast.
MEAL: Southern Seminary Alumni Breakfast | 7 AM | | AE 115/118 | $10
For tickets: sbtexas.com/am15, click on “Meals/Events” tab
Annual Meeting | 9:00-11:45 AM
• Last introduction of motions | 9:10 AM
• SBC reports
• Panel Discussion | Church & State | 10:20 AM
• Convention Sermon | Mark Estep | 11:05 AM
MEAL: President’s Luncheon | Noon | Ed Young | $10 | FL Worship Center
For tickets: sbtexas.com/am15, click on “Meals/Events” tab
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, NOV. 10
Annual Meeting | 1:15-4:30 PM
• Election of officers (first)
• SBTC Executive Board
• Election of officers (second)
• Resolutions Committee
• Election of officers (third)
• Committee on Committees
• Committee on Nominations
• Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation
• Recognition of officers
MEAL: Asian Dinner| 4:45 PM | $10 | AE 115/118
MEAL: Criswell College Dinner & Dialogue| 4:45 PM | $10 | Student Building
MEAL: African-American Fellowship Dinner| 4:45 PM | $10 | FL 102
For tickets: sbtexas.com/am15, click on “Meals/Events” tab
TUESDAY EVENING, NOV. 10
Annual Meeting | 6:20-8:35 PM
• Combined Worship with BMA of Texas
• Affiliated Ministries reports
• Guest Message | Wes Pratt
Free childcare by registration only. Visit sbtexas.com/am15, click on “childcare” tab.
Q UEST I ONS? CAL L 81 7. 5 52. 25 0 0 OR EMA IL S BT EXAS @S BTE XAS .COM