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SOLE MEMBERSHIP

‘Balanced approach’ praised

I appreciate the balanced approach to reporting the sole membership issue in the Witness (May 13). It appears that the executive editor has upheld a high standard of providing unbiased information so that Florida Baptists can be informed on a complicated issue. I would agree with the editor in that the issue is so complicated that none of us can properly understand it by glossing articles. In the end, as I have heard Dr. Kelley state, Baptists will decide the issue. There is no rush to act in 2004. Whether it is a blue ribbon panel in 2005 or simply the options promised from the NOBTS trustees in 2005, we should let the process work.

Mark Stephens Apopka

SOLE MEMBERSHIP

EC is ‘blue ribbon committee’

“Sole membership” is an important legal issue of ownership but not nearly as complex as some have made it sound. All relevant information is readily available to Southern Baptists and the matter should be resolved in June. This issue has been extensively addressed over a period of more than eight years by all entities. The Executive Committee IS the “blue ribbon committee” responsible. Making thoughtful and beneficial recommendations is its assignment. The SBC now must choose either to let the NOBTS trustees remain the owners or require that the Convention be named the owner. A messenger need only look at Missouri. While no crisis looms, action should not be postponed for additional study or for multiple NOBTS proposals. Years of delay have now brought us a series of accusations and innuendo by respected SBC leaders against respected SBC leaders. NOBTS leaders have recently been quoted as stating that the Executive Committee has mishandled information and implied that such was intentional; they claim to have facts proving their case but refuse to provide them. They’ve even claimed they were rudely received at the February discussion of this matter. Not so. I have worked faithfully at my duties with the Executive Committee and I find such opprobrious tactics not only offensive, but scripturally impermissible. If misconduct has taken place proof of such must be required. In our secular culture when one is unable to argue the facts it is acceptable to attack those in disagreement. For Christians, this ought not to be.

Les Coggins Daytona Beach

(Editor’s note: Coggins is a member of the SBC Executive Committee.)

SENATOR KING’S APOLOGY

Example prayer offered

Maybe Senator King would not apologize for this prayer (“Senate president apologizes for Baptist pastor’s prayer,” May 6): “Yo, god, buddha, krishna, holy cow or man upstairs. We really don’t believe you are there, and even if you are, it doesn’t matter. We have no desire to listen if you speak. We refuse to please you or honor you in any decision we make, and quite frankly, we don’t want to be bothered by you pestering us. “However, since everyone before us prayed, we figured we should, too. Since we don’t want to offend anyone by this prayer, we really hope you are either not there, not listening, or better still, that you just leave us alone. We know better than you what is best for Florida. Amen.”

Ken Babington Cocoa Beach

SENATOR KING’S APOLOGY

Praying at the races

As a chaplain with Christian Motorsports International, a.k.a. Racers for Christ, and a chaplain for the Florida Baptist Convention, I was invited last year to do the invocation 23 times at various racetracks throughout Florida, from Daytona International Speedway to Homestead-Miami Speedway. I always (boldly and lovingly) pray in Jesus’ name. Of course, I have caught dissension for doing so. Nevertheless, I will point out that I have been invited to do the opening ceremonies; it would be a different story had I commandeered the microphone. More so, I keep being invited back. I recall a race in which national television (National Geographic) was filming an event. This time I closed the prayer following Jesus’ name with, “Amen and Shalom.” After the invocation, one of the camera operators, who was Jewish, approached me to thank me for saying Shalom. However, he wanted to know why I did not include Mohammed or Allah’s names. That way, he explained, no one would be offended. I pointed out to him that to do so would be hypocritical. Therefore, I close with “thus, being a Christian, I pray this in the loving name of Jesus.” The guidelines for guest chaplains from the Secretary of the Senate clearly states they are to “seek the highest denominator without compromise of conscience.” If the Senate president apologized, so be it. I am just grateful that Pastor Cloer did not. The main thing for me is this: I am not speaking to those in attendance. I am speaking one-on-one to my Heavenly Father.

Rick Barnes Fort Myers

E.J. DANIELS

Thanks for the salute

In perusing the Witness each week as I have since Dr. Solomon was the editor, I came across the salute you gave the late and great Dr. E.J. Daniels (April 22). That was a lovely tribute to the greatest Baptist preacher that Florida Baptists have produced. Over the years I have had him in revival services many times in churches where I served as pastor. Dr. Daniels and his dear wife, Elizabeth, were some of the greatest servants of God that I have ever known. They were deeply devoted to Christ and His Kingdom. On one occasion I had a luncheon appointment with him in Orlando. When I arrived I saw someone drive away in his new Cadillac, so we had to borrow an employee’s old, beat up car to drive to the restaurant. He had loaned his new car to a poor evangelist, whose car had broken down, so he could go to his revival in South Carolina. Dr. Daniels was the most generous man I have ever known. Dr. Daniels was a brilliant businessman, a magnificent preacher, a grand organizer and a tireless worker. He helped countless young, struggling preachers, of whom I was one, down through the years. In short, he was the greatest preacher I have known in my more than half century of preaching. Unlike many evangelists, he was proud of being a Southern Baptist and retained an active interest in his home church, where he was known as a tither and generous giver. Thank you for your kind article! It was a grand salute to a great man. God bless you and your ministry through Florida Baptist Witness.

Harold F. Green Susanville, Calif.

FLORIDA CONVENTION STAFF

‘Undoubtedly the best’

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Florida Baptist Convention staff! You are undoubtedly the best state convention of Southern Baptists in the United States. Each and every one of you is extremely important and vital to the advancement of Kingdom work through the local church. I grew up in a great Florida Baptist church in Pensacola. I went to seminary and then prayed that God would lead my family back to Florida. God answered my prayer and I am finishing my fourth year as a full-time Florida Baptist pastor. So I can say this without hesitancy, your wisdom, leadership and guidance have helped me tremendously. I am so glad to be a Florida Baptist. You offer the local church an immense amount of assistance, and for that I am grateful. I have been able to utilize the Convention staff to assist in my personal church ministry. With my prayers, finances and resources I will continue to support the Florida Baptist Convention staff. You are needed, loved and greatly appreciated. I am proud to be a part of the Florida Baptist Convention.

Brian Calhoun Jacksonville

KERRY AND ABORTION

Preach the Word

Morrell Bailey’s April 8 letter states, “John Kerry is for abortion, killing 800,000 souls each year.” Question: Who is in the White House, the House and the Senate? All the same party. Then why are we still having abortions? Why can’t we see the truth? Sure I am against abortions. However, I will not preach against John Kerry. God called me to preach, and preach His word. This is the judgment that starts at the pulpit, “God’s Word,” not Bailey’s word.

Cliff Mason Tallahassee

HAITI RELIEF

Others are working

In the May 20 article, “‘Operation: Beans, Rice and Water’ yields food for the soul in Haiti,” I was surprised to read the statement: “To our knowledge no other groups or organizations are giving food to the people, and many are starving to death.” The facts are, hundreds of believers and large numbers of organizations are feeding and caring for the Haitian people on a daily basis, sending food, medical supplies, paying teachers, buying school supplies, building schools and orphanages, digging wells, and so on. These people/organizations have not just started providing food and other services to the Haitian people in the wake of this present crisis, but they have been doing it faithfully for decades.  For clarification’s sake, and as an apology to the hundreds of Christians and non-Christians who have given sacrificially to the starving Haitian people, and have served in Haiti in the most severe circumstances in the western hemisphere, I would vehemently request that you publish a “clarification” of the above quoted statement.

George Zimmerman Received via e-mail

(Editor’s note: The Witness apologizes for the impression the article leaves that others are not also attempting to assist the needy in Haiti.)

LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION

Help requested

This is an invitation to partner with Christian Resources International. We are a non-profit organization providing free Christian literature to missionaries and national pastors in addition to shipping books, Bibles, Sunday School materials, tracts, and other Christian literature overseas and nationally. We support many prison ministries, new churches and missionaries who work with Native Americans all over the western United States. Since 1956, Christian Resources International has provided Bibles, Testaments, tracts, Sunday School material and other forms of God's Word to millions of people in dozens of the world's nations. I would like to meet with you to talk about CRI and how you and your church family can partner with us. Please call me at work at 727-622-3387 or after 6 p.m. at home 727-541-6973 to arrange a date for us to get together.

Joseph Tirello St. Petersburg