Misplaced worship wars? While the debate about worship forms and styles continues in places some are saying the real need is for a focus on the nature of worship itself The so-called "worship wars" that has disrupted many churches are being fought on the wrong front, researcher George Barna maintains. Misplaced worship wars? While the debate about worship forms and styles continues in places some are saying the real need is for a focus on the nature of worship itself The so-called "worship wars" that has disrupted many churches are being fought on the wrong front, researcher George Barna maintains. "Were only fighting about the style of music because our people dont know what worship is," Barna told a recent gathering of Christian musicians. A new study from the Barna Research Group suggests American churches are less conflicted regarding worship music than many people think. However, neither do church members understand the nature of worship, said Barna, head of the Barna Research Group. "The real issue is not music but the state of the heart. "Everything in Worshipland is not okay," Barna said in summarizing the new study, … [Read more...]
Weekly Briefs
For the week of November 14, 2002 Cooperative Program Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled almost $13.8 million in October, an increase of a little more than $1 million (8.5 percent) from the previous October. The month kicks off a new fiscal year for the Southern Baptist Convention, which operates on an October 1-to-September 30 basis. In the first month, Cooperative Program receipts fell $981,331 (6.6 percent) behind budget. Meanwhile, designated gifts totaled some $2.7 million last month, a drop of $560,144 (16.9 percent) from last October. Halloween treat The evangelistic spirit of Marjorie Reed was alive on Halloween. Thousands of children descended on her historic east Dallas house to receive candy and gospel tracts and to watch VeggieTales on a giant outdoor screen in the front yard. The annual outreach was begun four years ago by Reed, who died in August at the age of 78 during a service at First Baptist Church of Dallas. Members from the First Baptist Church singles department organized this years event, complete with bilingual tracts for the predominantly Hispanic children in surrounding neighborhoods. In four hours the night of Oct. 31, participants handed out 6,000 pieces of … [Read more...]
Imagine having to give three good speeches a week
Members of Baptist congregations would do well to try to understand something of the travail, albeit what is often joyful travail but always travail, involved in preparing and delivering sermons three times a week. "There was a poll a few years ago that said that of all things to be feared in life - death, disease, drowning - Americans picked as their number-one fear . . . public speaking." (On Speaking Well by Peggy Noonan, Regan Books1998, page XI), Members of Baptist congregations would do well to try to understand something of the travail, albeit what is often joyful travail but always travail, involved in preparing and delivering sermons three times a week. "There was a poll a few years ago that said that of all things to be feared in life - death, disease, drowning - Americans picked as their number-one fear . . . public speaking." (On Speaking Well by Peggy Noonan, Regan Books1998, page XI), Noonan, a noted presidential speech writer for Ronald Reagan, and those who answered the polling question could not have imagined what their fear level would be if they considered preparing and delivering three different major speeches a week, 45 to 50 weeks a year, basically to the … [Read more...]
‘That all peoples may know him’: Southern Baptists focus on fulfilling God’s passion – that everyone in the world would know his love ( Part Two )
Debbie and Wayne Brinkley thought they had a plan - they would eat in as many Chinese "chifas" (diners) as they could to learn where the Chinese living in Lima, Peru, gather. Also, when they were not eating in chifas, they would drive around Lima, marking locations on a map. Debbie and Wayne Brinkley thought they had a plan - they would eat in as many Chinese "chifas" (diners) as they could to learn where the Chinese living in Lima, Peru, gather. Also, when they were not eating in chifas, they would drive around Lima, marking locations on a map. They ate and marked - and marked some more. They noted more than 100 chifas on a single street alone. Little did they know they had embarked on an impossible mission. There are almost 6,000 chifas in Lima. The Brinkleys are Southern Baptist missionaries who recently changed from working with Spanish speakers to focusing on the more than 400,000 Chinese living in Lima. Nearly 100 percent have no relationship with Jesus Christ. "We were praying about how to reach the Chinese with the gospel," Wayne Brinkley says. "And we had the thought, What if there was a church in every chifa?" His wife answers … [Read more...]
‘That all peoples may know him’: Southern Baptists focus on fulfilling God’s passion – that everyone in the world would know his love ( Part One )
Sitting around the table, the Wong (not their real name) family laughs and talks, teasing each other as their elderly mother brings a dish of noodles from the kitchen. Chopsticks then fly, diving into the steaming hot bowl. Sitting around the table, the Wong (not their real name) family laughs and talks, teasing each other as their elderly mother brings a dish of noodles from the kitchen. Chopsticks then fly, diving into the steaming hot bowl. Off to the side sits the father of the house, smiling and reveling in the joy of children and grandchildren. He listens to the chatter as he strokes his long, gray beard. He is blessed to have such a family. All three of his daughters are married, as well as his three sons. All have jobs - hard to come by in this part of China. The rotund father glances at the clock and rises. He nudges his eldest son and then disappears. The son grabs his hat and rushes out the door. A few doors away, a young Chinese man steps up to a microphone. He belts out a guttural song much different than the karaoke his peers perform just down the street. This song is not Chinese hip-hop, but an Arabic call … [Read more...]
So, just exactly what is it that determines a healthy church?
Healthy churches are not determined by budgets, buildings or even baptisms, John Marshall stressed recently. "A great church makes a great commitment to the Great Commandment and Great Commission," said Marshall, pastor at Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo. "A healthy church must proclaim first and foremost the fact that every human being is created for the purpose of loving God." Healthy churches are not determined by budgets, buildings or even baptisms, John Marshall stressed recently. "A great church makes a great commitment to the Great Commandment and Great Commission," said Marshall, pastor at Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo. "A healthy church must proclaim first and foremost the fact that every human being is created for the purpose of loving God." In a recent lecture series at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Marshall cited three aspects of a healthy church with "heart-healthy" members - individuals must love God first, neighbor second and be a part of fulfilling the Great Commission. "The call to be a Christian is the call to give heart, soul and mind to someone above this world," he stated. "No life is fulfilled until wholly … [Read more...]
Worship pitfalls
Re: Contemporary worship services Contemporary services focus seems to be to peak the interest of youth by offering music with instrumentation at elevated decibel levels, use of abbreviated verse in songs repeated numerous times, extended periods... Re: Contemporary worship services Contemporary services focus seems to be to peak the interest of youth by offering music with instrumentation at elevated decibel levels, use of abbreviated verse in songs repeated numerous times, extended periods of standing that enables more freedom of body movement and, often, casual dress. The pastor frequently omits suit and tie, perhaps in an attempt to become one of them. Employment of psychological manipulation seems evident. The contemporary service is frequently employed by churches that offer two or more worship services and, on occasion, more than one Sunday School session. Sometimes, one Sunday School is set aside for the youth, leaving the others primarily for senior adults, since the younger adults usually follow their children. Even with one Sunday School, the young adults usually gravitate to the contemporary service. Seldom has a church opted for only a contemporary … [Read more...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of November 14, 2002 Potpourri • PITKIN - First church: Missions Celebration; Nov. 24, 11 a.m. with dinner on the grounds to follow; Monica Skiles, missionary to Tanzania, guest speaker; Stephen Laughlin, pastor. • ZACHARY - Milldale church: Accepting reservations for 2003 Bible Conference; Feb. 17-20; Bailey Smith, Jim Cymbala, Sonny Holland, Malcom Ellis, Jerry Chaddick and Bill Riddick, guest speakers; for information, call (225) 654-8168 or write Milldale Baptist Church, 11950 Milldale Rd., Zachary, LA 70791; Jimmy Robertson, pastor. Youth • DEQUINCY - First church: "Hallelujah Heart" childrens musical; Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Jared Prewitt, minister of music/education; Byron Comish, pastor. Revivals • VIDALIA - First church: Nov. 23, 7 p.m. youth night; Nov. 24, 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. senior adult night; Jeff Vernon, evangelist; Dan Glenn, music; Gary Nunn, pastor. • SHREVEPORT - Northwoods church: Nov. 17, 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Nov. 18-20, 7 p.m.; Russell Harbin, evangelist; Starla Harbin, music; Billy Stevens, pastor. • BATON ROUGE - Stevendale church: Nov. 17, 10:30 a.m. with covered dish luncheon to follow and 6:30 p.m.; Nov. 18-20, 6:30 p.m.; … [Read more...]
Recent election feature key votes on gambling, drugs, traditional marriages
American voters in various states addressed three key issues during the recent elections - gambling, drugs and traditional marriages. The results were mixed. American voters in various states addressed three key issues during the recent elections - gambling, drugs and traditional marriages. The results were mixed. On the gambling front, voters in: Tennessee and North Dakota approved implementation of state lotteries. Arizona passed a measure to extend the state lottery for 10 more years. Iowa renewed casino gambling for the next eight years. Idaho agreed to allow slot machines on Indian reservations. Arizona passed one of three referendums to expand reservation gambling. "Those states ... are simply proving the axiom of the camels nose," said Barrett Duke, vice president for research for the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "Once it gets its nose in the tent, the rest is sure to follow. "That is why it is so important to prevent gambling from ever gaining a foothold. It is very difficult to get out once it gets in. "A previous generation of Americans were so sure of this that many of them included gambling bans in their state constitutions," Duke noted. "Todays … [Read more...]
Key insurer finds 15-passenger vans ‘inherently unsafe’
More than 10,000 churches continue to operate a vehicle the Southern Baptist Conventions primary insurer of churches has declared "inherently unsafe." GuideOne is the church insurer endorsed by the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. It insures more than 50,000 churches, and about 10,000 of those maintain policies on one or more 15-passenger vans. More than 10,000 churches continue to operate a vehicle the Southern Baptist Conventions primary insurer of churches has declared "inherently unsafe." GuideOne is the church insurer endorsed by the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. It insures more than 50,000 churches, and about 10,000 of those maintain policies on one or more 15-passenger vans. However, the insurer has strongly encouraged churches to stop using the vans. "GuideOne believes 15-passenger vans to be inherently unsafe," a company statement said. "We encourage our policyholders to strongly consider other transportation options." GuideOne still covers 15-passenger vans it already has insured but has stopped writing new policies for them. It also has issued regulations about who may operate the vans. All drivers are required to have a chaffeurs or commercial … [Read more...]