Vacation Bible School 2009

We’re midway through VBS and using the “Crocodile Dock” theme. The children seem to be enjoying it very much and the workers are as well. The church has been transformed into a swamp of sorts and there is a lot of adventure yet remaining for the week.

I’m so appreciative to all our workers who volunteer their time and energy during this week of the summer. VBS is the best evangelistic tool the church has in reaching children with the gospel, and my prayer is that several children will give their lives to Christ this week and become candidates for baptism.

One thing that VBS does for me in particular is keep me grounded in what’s really important in church work. There’s so much administrative stuff to do. I must have missed the seminary courses on how to keep the building cooled to everyone’s satisfaction and making sure the building is open and closed properly and keeping the staff on the same page ministry wise and how to lead a church through a capital campaign. Sure, these things are important. But not nearly as important as sharing the gospel with those who might not otherwise hear it. I’m not assuming for a moment that all the kids who come have parents who believe church attendance is important. If we can help these kids associate church with a happy place, then that will be a major accomplishment. Working with the children is tiring for sure, but most of them are thankful for the attention and ready to receive a hug or other affirmation from a caring adult.

I’m thankful to our Minister of Families, Janet Hill, particularly has she has planned and prepared for this week and secured workers and volunteers. I know the work will pay off in ways we can’t even imagine, or realize by Friday when the last session ends. It’s been good thus far, and a joy to see the enthusiasm of the children and the courage of our workers. May God bless our efforts.

A Red, White, and Blue Bible

Here’s the latest in another attempt to create a special interest Bible. This time it comes wrapped in a red, white, and blue cover. The perfect gift for the 4th of July.

I’ve heard of the Green Bible, the good old Scofield Reference Bible, the Criswell Study Bible, and NIV study Bible. There’s the KJV and New KJV, plus the Cabbage Patch gospel series if you’re into a really contemporary interpretation. There’s a Bible for any Scriptural taste, and most people have several copies of them sitting on the shelf collecting dust. I’m not sure where this patriotic Bible will fit in, but many will I’m sure pick up a copy.

My only comment about this version along with other study Bibles is that we ought to let the Bible speak for itself rather than highlight particular passages that prove whatever point the editors are trying to make. In the case, I have problems with the implication that the Bible is an American  book rather than God’s holy word that has transformed the entire world with its message. I don’t need color-coded photos and quotes of former presidents telling me the virtues of this text, and I saw some of these on the website. It’s an attractive work, but it seems to have the singular purpose of extoling the virtue of America being a Christian nation.

Wrapping the Word of God in an American flag or any flag for that matter is blasphemous. The Bible is not a patriotic book; it is a book of faith for all people. And Jesus is not an American, he’s the Son of God. I’m particularly sensitive to how this impacts our missions efforts, and I don’t think this latest edition of the Bible helps us out. It might make us feel better about being Americans, but I doubt if that’s the purpose of God’s word. This might make for a good marketing strategy, but it’s a poor missions strategy.

The prophet Isaiah records “the grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God lasts forever.” That means it will last far longer than any nation will exist on this earth. I hope that our country lasts a very, very long time. I love our country and am particularly thankful for our freedoms this 4th of July weekend. But, I think this latest effort while perhaps well-intended appears to put more value on being an American patriot than being a follower of Jesus Christ.

The SBC, a Baptist university, and a youth group

It’s pretty much common knowledge to those in the Baptist kingdom that Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX was removed from the Southern Baptist Convention by its messengers a few weeks ago. The historic 125 year affiliation was dissolved in about 30 seconds, an action that really started some time ago relating to how this church wanted to do its pictorial directory. 

Now the church youth group has been disinvited from staying at the University of the Cumberlands and participating in the school’s Mountain Outreach program. A church in the area has also cancelled a concert that would have been performed by their youth choir.

Brent Beasley will begin as Broadway’s new senior pastor on July 5, and already has made news on a number of fronts. He commented on this latest development: “All these kids want to do is praise God with their singing and serve God by helping those in poverty. We’re not going to let denominational politics keep them from doing this good work.”

It’s hard to imagine looking at these young people in the eyes and telling them they aren’t welcome to stay in dorms and work with poor people because of what happened in a Baptist meeting in Louisville. That city happens to be in Kentucky,which perhaps had a bearing on the actions of this university. The greater issue for me is the message this sends to a youth group who had planned this trip for months and now the youth minister has to scramble to find somewhere else to stay and something else to do. 

We’re living in a time when it’s increasingly difficult to give young adults a reason to stay in church, and these kinds of mission projects are the ways this can be done. I am not unaware of the larger issue related to homosexuality, but don’t think hosting this youth group and giving them materials to help poor people and hearing them sing a concert poses a serious spiritual health hazard to the larger body of Christ. And pulling the plug on them less than a week before the group’s trip to KY is really lame.

Surely the university knew who Broadway Baptist was and the issue related to their publicity. They knew about the concerns some in the SBC had about them and the perception which may or may not have been reality. It would been nice for someone to have contacted the youth minister prior to June 30 to say what might happen if her church was removed from the Convention. The youth trip starts July 3rd. So much for advance notice. A better way to have responded would have been to contact the church and say that the group would be allowed to stay this time but would not be welcomed for future trips. 

I can’t imagine non-Christians treating prospective guests in this fashion. I’m beginning to wonder whether some of us have lost our manners when it comes to denominational politics. There has to be a better way to prove a point than this.

Riverside pastor delivers resignation after nine months

Brad Braxton served as senior minister of the Riverside Church in Manhattan for nine months. Unfortunately, the only thing that was delivered after this period of time was a letter of resignation. 

The Riverside Church located in Manhattan has been known as one of those “prestigeous pulpits” in our country. Through the years, several prominent preachers such as Harry Emerson Fosdick have used their position to influence their communities and public opinion.

From what I could tell, the conflict centered around Braxton’s compensation and the manner in which he was hired. It may have also related to his vision for the church and whether or not the congregation embraced that vision. Rather than continue fighting an internal battle within the church, Braxton opted to resign in order to give Riverside an opportunity to regroup and somehow move forward. I feel for him, in that he gave up a position at Vanderbilt University to move to New York. It looked like a good fit, and I hope he finds a landing place to continue ministry.

It’s never easy to see this kind of result take place in a church, yet this tumultous yet brief tenure certainly isn’t the first one to take place. I’m very sympathetic to Braxton in one sense, because he was “called” to this church under the impression that he was going to lead them and that members would follow his direction. On the other hand, he might not heeded warning signs that there was considerable opposition already forming to his pastorate. Perhaps those responsible for “vetting” Braxton did not adequately prepare the congregation for this move or go through the search process with as much clarity as they needed. Apparently, about 200 ministers and/or their resumes were reviewed in the search for a new pastor. You would think that after all this effort that their results would pay off. This was not the case, and Riverside is the latest in another episode of pastors and churches being at odds over vision, leadership, and direction.

Seeing the brevity of this tenure makes me think about “sacrificial lamb” pastorates. This is the kind when a minister follows a long tenured pastor and serves a very short period comparably, and then the one who follows enjoys a lengthy stint at that pulpit. Sometimes it hard for churches to deal with a transition of leadership, and it’s tough on those pastors and their families who live through that struggle.

From what I can tell, this seems to be another case of a pastor going to a new church without knowing the internal friction and polarities in place. It is an exciting but sometimes perilous decision to go to a new city, church, and community. No situation is perfect, no pastor is perfect, and no congregation is perfect. It truly is amazing to think that the Holy Spirit is still in the business of “calling out the called” and putting clergy and laity together.

I recall what one of my theology professors said about this relationship of pastors and churches. After a few years, the church realizes that their new pastor isn’t at all perfect and it begins to see some “warts.” However, the pastor begins to see that the church isn’t perfect and sees some warts as well. The challenge is to keep on loving each other with our visible and invisible faults to build the Kingdom of God. It’s not always easy to accomplish this feat, and there are legitimate reasons for parting ways after a brief tenure like Braxton’s. 

Today I am thankful for all my preacher friends in their respective churches and wish them well. I’m also thankful for my own place of service and for the privilege of working in my corner of the ministerial field and for the church putting up with me “warts and all.”

Baptist meetings reveal diversity and lack thereof

This is one summer that I’ll be sitting out national gatherings for Baptists. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly meets in Houston this upcoming weekend, American Baptist Churches (USA) are having their biennial right now in Pasadena, CA and Southern Baptists met in Louisville, KY a few days ago. National Baptists met as well in Detroit, MI. Aside from the business portion of their gatherings, there is another interesting point to be recognized.

This article provides a helpful comparison on just exactly who and what kind of individuals participate in these meetings. In particular, there is a contrast between ABC, CBF, and SBC when it comes to racial and gender divides among these Baptist organizations.

It’s worth noting that the racial and gender representation among the platform personnel and leadership is reflective of the local church’s attitude and vision toward this issue. CBF does not have the racial diversity, as it relates to its former SBC days, but it does attempt to be inclusive of both men and women. ABC has more diversity as it relates to both racial and gender participation, while the SBC is the least inclusive. You might gain the impression that there aren’t women capable of serving on any SBC board or committee, unless she happens to be  married to a pastor.

My only point in mentioning this is to point out the significance of having FOUR nation wide Baptist gatherings over the course of 2 weeks. This makes me look forward to a time when we can experience the kind of unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17. In the meantime, we’ll do the best we can in reaching people for Christ through the local church.

I’m still here, in a Baptist church

We’re coming up on the last Sunday of the “It’s Time” study at our church, and last Sunday the subject dealt with Baptist heritage. I was asked to speak to one of our senior adult classes and decided to talk about why I am a Baptist rather than deliver a message on the topic. My idea stemmed from a Paul Simon song in the 1970s called “Still Crazy after all these years.” I adapted the title to “Still Baptist after all these years.” This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this title used, and I credit former pastor Roger Lovette for his presentation of the issue.

There are so many dimensions of Baptist life to consider, and for this it is difficult to pinpoint only a few of them. I’m very appreciative of our Baptist freedoms as spelled out by Walter Shurden’s helpful book (Four Fragile Freedoms). This is wonderful primer of what being a Baptist is really all about, and part of that discussion relates to the local church. In thinking of Baptists 400th anniverary, I am especially grateful that Baptist churches have survived and thrived through four centuries of dissension and more importantly our shared faith in Jesus Christ.  

Baptists embrace the autonomy of the local church. Which means, that no one outside the church can tell it what to do or how to carry out its mission and ministry. Baptist churches ordain whomever they want to, without outside interference, and observe the ordinances as they see fit. The church carries out its own ministries in its own community and does not need approval from a higher ecclesiastical authority. Of course, parachurch entities can establish their own membership requirements and if a congregation violates those standards then it can be removed from fellowship. It is arguable how significant some of the issues are that cause division among Baptists. Some are considered primary, others secondary. The difficulty is finding common ground on which is which, but let me just say that Baptists respect the automony of the local church. I’ve found this especially true of CBF and ABC congregations.

As the Southern Baptist Convention meets this week, messengers will consider a recommendation to oust 125-year member Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX. There has been a great deal of attention directed at this church for its very public dispute over whether homosexual couples who are attending the church to be allowed to have their pictures taken together and seen in the pictorial directory. The church dealt with the issue by not taking individual family portraits for the directory and this has led some to conclude that the church is not serious in its opposition to this lifestyle. I mention this as an example of how local churches can choose to do what they wish, but this does not necessarily mean that they will be allowed or given approval by the larger ecclesiastical body. I expect the SBC to remove Broadway from fellowship, and both entities will move on with their respective work. You’ll find that affirmed here.

I recall Fisher Humphreys talking about the subject of local church autonomy, and his view was that the actions of the larger Baptist body did not necessarily violate the autonomy of that local church. The church was still free to do what it to in regard to its mission, ministry, ordination practices, and worship. The association, state and national conventions were also free and autonomous in establishing their membership requirements too. This approach is pretty much where I’ve come down, despite the cries of some pastors who feel the autonomy of their churches have been violated because they’ve been kicked out of the Convention. This opposition really is more a reflection on how the larger Baptist body has changed rather than how the individual church is being hindered in going its own direction.

It’s important to be part of a larger Baptist family. Connections are being made between churches more and more based on philosophical and theological grounds and not so much geographical or regional. Distance isn’t the barrier it once was, and Baptist organizations are becoming much more fluid out of necessity to remain relevant to the needs of churches. And that’s where real ministry takes place anyway. The local church in a specific community and social context is the headquarters for building the Kingdom of God. I’m glad to see this emphasis being emphasized and recovered once again. 

I was fortunate to attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary during a relatively good period of time when I could discuss, write, and learn under the guidance of wonderful professors who valued Baptist heritage and distinctives. Looking back, I can remember fellow students who are no longer in the Baptist tradition and live  out their life and ministry in other denominational structures. There are reasons for this, and I make no judgments here except to say that I understand why that is in some cases. Oftentimes it deals with conflict at some level or dispute with a Fundamentalist mindset. Other cases relate to the Baptist minister going through a divorce and finding little or no opportunity in the Baptist world.

The Lord has seen fit to keep me in the Baptist family, not so much the biggest one anymore, but a meaningful and significant one nonetheless. It’s not perfect, but it is the means to impact our world for Christ. So, to the surprise of some and chagrin of many, I say  “yes, I’m still in a Baptist church.” And one more thing: Happy 400th Birthday Baptists!

What’s Emerging from the Emergent Church

Daniel Vestal visited our church several weeks ago and during a Q and A session got this question “What do you think about the Emergent Church?” I knew this question was coming and had advised him earlier so he’d be ready for it. Not so much to avoid the question but to give an informed answer to it. I don’t recall the specifics of his reply but he indicated that the Emergent movement could be defined in so many ways that it was hard to address the subject. He did say that CBF churches affirm the deity of Christ and if the emergent church meant questioning that then the CBF is not part of that movement.

Vestal also added that he had read a few of Brian McLaren’s books and felt like he was seeking to find ways to impact 21st century culture with 1st century truths. If this is what emergent meant, then the CBF had congregations who affirmed this approach. I admit at not having much interest in the emergent approach until recently but am reading McLaren’s work The Church on the Other Side right now and will see where that takes me. I know there are others but this is where I’m starting. Here is the website for the Emergent village which should offer additional info.

I doubt if that explanation will please everyone, especially Roger Moran who is taking his concerns about the emergent movement to the Missouri Baptist Convention with a 47 page document. Yes, I said 47 pages. I’ll have to pass on that epistle and might wait for the movie instead, but I guess that’s what a livid lawyer can do. Those who have lived in Missouri longer than I have know about his attacks on the CBF in this state and beyond.

It will be interested to watch this next battle from the stands to see how his concerns play out in a state convention with opposition to his brand of politics. Fundamentalists are always looking for another fight and this one will do. The secondary and more important consideration is what affect this increased attention will have on the emergent movement. Moran feels this is a dangerous, creeping liberalism infecting Southern Baptist congregations and it needs to be addressed. I would be interested to hear what others think.

Abortion doctor murdered in church

George Tiller was performing his ushering duties today when someone shot and killed him. In the churchhouse. This guy was known as an “abortion doctor” because he was one of the few who performed late term abortions.

This whole situation has brought about a wide range of emotions, from outrage that someone would come into church and kill someone to gratitude that this particular man was stopped from performing horrific acts. I say this because there have already been some facebook remarks from one woman who was glad that someone stopped him. I won’t mention her name here, but undoubtedly her sentiments are shared by others.

I’m still processing this story, and my reason for posting here is to perhaps gain some insight from others and their viewpoints on this matter. Tiller’s using his skills to perform these late term abortions grieves me, but I am also disturbed by the glee of some Christians who are rejoicing at his murder in a house of God. The greater concern for me is the thought that there might be “copycat” killings by those who find support for bringing weapons into the house of God in order to exact revenge. This amounts to taking the law into your own hands, not to mention the already stated concern that this happened inside a church house.

I can’t imagine a doctor using his or her skills in this manner, but I also cannot fathom someone entering a place of worship to kill a man and somehow thinking this was a justifiable act. We live in a sinful world, and this issue of abortion is one of the most volatile and sensitive topics of discussion out there for our nation and the church in particular. I suspect that this latest tragedy will result in greater scrutiny of the body of Christ but perhaps also lead to an opportunity to to be a witness for Jesus Christ. No one wins in this kind of outrageous act. We cannot create a culture of life at the end of a gunbarrel.

Churches warming up to creation care

I don’t have a lengthy post on this issue right now, but it is good to hear this former SBC President indicating his concern for the environment. For a long time it did not appear the denomination had a concern about ecological issues, since the world is doomed anyway and for some persons this was a theological issue. Premillennialism in a nutshell is about the world getting worse and worse off and then Jesus comes, so any efforts to redeem our existing global community could be delaying the desired rapture of the church.

There seems to be a growing awareness and acceptance of a theology of creation care. The biblical account of creation indicates that the Lord saw everything that he had made “and it was good.” He put humankind in dominion or “stewardship” of the earth, and it is worth asking whether that practice has been followed by the world’s inhabitants. James Merritt has some good thoughts about this question. I plan on leading a study on this topic later this year, and am pleased that our church at least is recycling paper and cans and seeking ways to limit the use of paper by deferring to electronic media. The criticism to deal with comes from those who believe this kind of care for the earth could lead to worship of Mother Earth, which is worshipping the creation rather than the Creator.

We have a long way to go, but the younger generation is stepping up to the challenge. My daughter Cally, 11 years old, is telling me not to keep the water running when I shave. She is learning some other things that should help the environment at school. May the churches catch up to this effort.

Colbert debates Ehrman: “Jesus is an Elephant”

Steven Colbert had Bart Ehrman on his show last month. This brief debate is funny yet so informative. Colbert’s statement about Jesus being “an elephant” is about as good an explanation about the purpose of the four gospels as I have heard for its simplicity and clarity.