Feb
17
There is a legend of a wanderer who rounded a corner to see a large giant asleep on its side. Fearing that the giant would stir and threaten, the wanderer hid in nearby brush keeping an eye on the sleeping beast. After several hours the giant was gone – but not because it stirred and rose in gargantuan power. Curiously the wanderer watched as the extremities of the imposing beast shimmered and gradually dissolved into small, energetic dwarves – they eagerly exited out of the large form and headed out into the forests and byways. Then the arms one by one similarly dissolved into a host of duty bound sprites and so on until the giant was transformed into hundreds of energetic souls each slipping away to an appointed task. From the hiding place, the wanderer could see, there was no beast at all. The fearful form was transformed by the purposeful tasks of dedicated people one by one.
This is how I see hunger. Its shadowy, large, painful figure is blocking the road of hope. But this is also how I have seen the transformation of its beastliness….I see the hope of shimmering transformation through the simple energy of individuals willing to do their part. Like Eric Cooper, Director of the San Antonio Food bank telling of the search for his missing father. Surprised to find him hungry and on the street, he was changed forever when taking his dad to a nearby Denny’s the waitress ignored the elder man and asked Eric if he wanted a table for one. “No, no,” he blurted out, “this is my dad.”…. “No hungry person is invisible to me anymore,” Eric said. This is a picture of the Texas Hunger Initiative, a host of small acts that dismantle a giant. Bill Ludwig, USDA is sure that “No child should go to bed hungry in this country, especially in Texas.” And he means it – he passed out map after map showing where hungry children still have a gap for nutrition. “We are looking for matchmakers who can fill the gap for just a few children.” It is not much –not much effort, not much time, not much diversion from a busy life. But packing a backpack lunch or spreading sandwiches that are loaded on a delivery truck can dismantle a hunger giant.
As simple as 1,2,3….for summer 2010 a giant can be dispelled for thousands of Texas children. Every community has summer feeding sites but many of the families nearby, don’t know where to go, or when.
#1 Would you be willing to join others on May 22th to walk and pray through neighborhoods to pass out flyers that show parents and children where to get meals all summer? The beast would lose a leg thanks to you.
#2 would you be a willing volunteer to serve meals or help kids at a site that needs a few more hands on deck? This is as simple as a weekly shift, or even providing playtime games for kids that gather. Literally, it’s child’s play.
#3 Would you be willing to dismantle a beast of hunger by joining with a mission church, apartment complex or school to serve summer meals where none are available now? Many communities need a new summer site to fill the gap for hungry children, especially in neighborhoods that have recently grown or have new families moving in.
You are not alone. The Texas Hunger Initiative is marshalling an army of willing hands. Jeremy Everett, Director of the THI remarked that he looks forward to answering his young children in a few years. He wants to hear them ask incredulously, “You mean there were people in Texas who were not fed? I cannot even imagine that!” It is my hope that he can answer… “Yes, you see there used to be a massive hunger beast in the road, but little by little it dissolved away. And if you look right over here, you’ll see the ordinary people who equipped with nothing but compassionate Christian love made it go away.”
Be ye doers of the word and the relevance of the gospel will dismantle a dark and lingering beast.
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Jan
18
A Word From Suzii – Joe Haag honored for his service to the CLC
Filed Under Director's Column | 1 Comment
Rich legacy is a characteristic of the CLC. This legacy of value has been carried throughout the history of the CLC by its leaders. So, it is with honor and respect that we celebrate the retirement of Joe Haag on January 31. His faithful service represents a major contribution to the character, quality and excellence of the CLC. He has served as an exemplary and thoughtful voice and faithful leader for the CLC. Although the pace of his service to the CLC will change with this step into retirement, he will continue to be associated with the CLC on a part time basis as a writer.
On January 22, during the Christian Life Commission meeting in Dallas, there will be a luncheon honoring Joe. This day we will have an opportunity to celebrate the biblical insight and clear thinking that have shaped many of the major emphases of the Christian Life Commission over the past 32 years. Joe has helped Texas Baptists follow Christ faithfully and discern rightly. As he has written for the CLC, “As we surrender our lives to God’s purposes, God changes us. …following Christ requires discernment. The better we understand the issues which frame our lives, the better our chances of following Christ faithfully.” In surrendering his life to Christ in service, Joe has pointed us towards discernment and faith.
Let me remind you of a few contributions from Joe’s hand with the following excerpts from his writing:
– “To follow Christ means that we allow his life to gain leverage against our lives. Against our lust for power, he endures the cross. Against our pride and arrogance, he washes the disciples feet. Against our upward mobility, he brings good news to the poor…Against all lies which enslave us, he tells the truth which sets us free.”
A Covenant of Ministry – “ The context of ministry is the covenant community, which is literally the people of God created and sustained in covenant…That God’s covenant community is the context for ministry shapes our understanding of ministry and ministerial ethics in several ways: First, ministry is rightly described in plural rather than singular modifiers; ministry is ours, not mine. Secondly, ministry presupposes trusting relationships. ..we subordinate personal agendas to building up the whole Body. “
Hunger & Poverty – “The witness of scripture to Jesus’ followers regarding hunger and poverty begins with Jesus himself. According to the gospel of Luke, Jesus’ inaugural sermon at Nazareth sounds an unmistakable theme which runs through the gospel: “…he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. ..The unique witness of each of the Gospels makes it clear that the ministry of Jesus was bound inextricably to his love for the hungry multitudes about whom Mark remarked in his preface to the feeding of the five thousand, “he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
Charity and Justice – “The Bible calls us to charity, but charity is not the same as justice. Charity involves voluntary generosity, but biblical justice requires systematic and structural righteousness for all people, and particularly for the most vulnerable people in society. Although charitable giving can provide an important complement to a community that has a fair tax structure, charitable giving alone cannot raise adequate revenue to meet community needs. For the sake justice, we must we must use the arm of the law to compel the payment of taxes and tax policy must be tested by standards of justice….Charity and justice are both pillars of righteousness, but an abundance of charity does not substitute for the absence of justice.”
Religious Liberty – “Baptists who appreciate the dear costs which our forebears paid to establish and defend religious liberty and separation of church and state cannot regard threats ( to religious liberty) casually. Rather, we must act decisively to understand, claim, and share our own ecclesiastical legacy… (we must) tell the truth about the unprecedented birth and protection of religious liberty in American life as clearly and forcefully as possible. “
The Nature of an Environmental Ethic – The…notion that the world was created for humans to conquer and to exploit finds its logical bearing not in scripture but in the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution….Confident scientists and engineers saw themselves exercising their God-given right to command and control the world, and business took full advantage…W.P. Rend, 1892 says “ Smoke is the incense burning on the alter of industry. It is beautiful to me. It shows that men are changing the merely potential forces of nature into articles of comfort for humanity.” This anthropocentric orientation collides with the theocentric bearing of scripture..in which God creates, blesses and calls forth humans in God’s image to share in the stewardship of creation. ..creation is a garden which God expects humans to tend.”
Christ in you the hope of glory – “ If Christ is in us, we are possessed by the One who brings good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed, fellowship with the sinners, touch for the untouchables, and welcome to the strangers. Christ in us IS the hope of glory precisely because and only if the One who indwells us is in fact the Christ who appears to us so brilliantly in the Gospels and in the faces of the world’s poor and destitute.”
It seems like there should be some new 21st century word for retirement since there is so much accomplished for so many in the chapters beyond fulltime work. We expect to be the beneficiaries of Joe’s added time for reading, writing , and reflection. So in anticipation we can say – “For all that has been thanks; for all that shall be yes.” Joe will continue to be loved and respected by the entire CLC family.
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Dec
16
“ACCEPTIVA” – this popped up (labeled as spam) in my email inbox about April 2009. It shows up every month and now instead of dreaded spam, it is my favorite recurring email. ACCEPTIVA is good news in the gospel sense. It is the e-version of a receipt for my recurring online gift to the Hunger Offering.
Frankly, I love recurring giving… but, come to think of it, I may love it for all the wrong reasons. First off, a recurring gift makes me appear much more generous than I normally am. Admittedly, I might put the cost of the meal in my Texas Hunger Bank every month, but I am pretty sure I wouldn’t actually be turning in the collected cash to the offering every month. The offering might have to wait 6 months to get my collected gifts. Also, I so rarely write checks anymore for monthly expenses, I know I wouldn’t be writing a monthly check. So by committing to an online a recurring gift, the offering is getting money on a regular basis and I am basically on automatic pilot going about the rest of my life, but actually being more generous than normal.
Try as I may, guilty as-all-get-out, I have never been able to live up to all the admonishments of scripture and impassioned special offering appeals to be consistently intentional, sacrificial and joyful in giving. I try, honestly, to be intentional, sacrificial and joyful but the pace and demands of my life seem to work against consistency …of many kinds, it seems….but especially when it comes to money. So my second reason that I love recurring giving is that it actually allows me to act consistently, even if it is not a conscious habit every month. The consistent gifts become intentional and they can approach sacrificial, at least a sacrifice of one meal.
On my worst day when I feel like I have done nothing even remotely worthy of Jesus’ name, there is an added bonus. My gifts to the ministries of the Hunger Offering are multiplying for goodness around Texas and the world. This actually feels like grace and reminds me that God is the true generous giver.
The third reason I love recurring giving is because of the joy of junkmail. I know it is probably not at all what scripture meant when it says “God loves a cheerful giver.” But when I see that ACCEPTIVA pop up every month, I am truly happy. ACCEPTIVA is my favorite email. It reminds me that even though I may be forgetful and slow, inconsistent and negligent, hungry people are being fed in Jesus name. In spite of my shortcomings, the offering is supporting water wells in Peru and Asia, children in Africa, hungry in the colonias of the Texas border, families in Brownwood, gypsy outcasts in India, farming and local vegetables for healthy eating…etc. etc. until through 125 projects my gifts are adding at least a bit to the $740,000 of ministry across the world.
So it turns out I AM a cheerful giver – smiling at my favorite junkmail. The sight of “ACCEPTIVA”, reminds me of another scripture…”where your treasure is, your heart is also.” That is a pretty good benefit of recurring giving – my heart begins to a take trip following this treasure, to the mission and ministry of changing the world, one bite at a time in Jesus name.
The slogan of the Hunger Offering is “Give Texas Something to Say Grace Over,” giving the cost of one meal once a month to the hunger offering as a part of the Prayer, Care Share strategy of Christian discipline and generosity. Small gift, significant impact. Great idea.
But HOW?? How do I give the cost of one meal once a month? Any person or church can go to www.BGCT.org , scroll down, click GIVE ONLINE and choose the World Hunger Offering from a menu of choices. The recurring gift option allows me to give any amount every month. Back in April, I set up a recurring gift, calculating the cost of a family meal and now every month, ACCEPTIVA pops up to thank me for my gift to World Hunger.
As far as I am concerned, it was a great experiment to develop online giving for the World Hunger offering. Many of you have become Hunger Advocates and made miracles happen. Join me in learning to love your junk mail. Get your own “ACCEPTIVA”.
Oct
31
Hollywood, from Cecile B De DeMille to the latest high-tech special effects studios have shaped our expectations of what the miraculous should look like. Whether in biblical stories or adventure tales or science fiction and fantasy, the miraculous on film is mostly loud, large, and awesome; it is often either overwhelmingly majestic or shockingly violent with lighting, sound and scale expanding to the limits of the screen or, with 3D glasses, even beyond the screen.
Not so with the Gospel.
We see Jesus traveling from place to place, doing the miraculous mostly on a scale that disappoints Hollywood producers. Spitting on a beggar’s eyes? Extending a hand to a crippled man? Reversing a family burial? Touching lepers and healing the outcasts? And when he does create a miracle of some substantial scale, say feeding 5000, or calming a storm, his purpose is so, so disappointingly commonplace. His purpose is to meet immediate human needs, bring peace to his friends, transform the life of one suffering person, restore the grieving; it is not to create spontaneous worldwide dominance, or brighten the entire universe with a cosmic lightshow. No wonder we miss miracles.
One of the important parts of our recent world hunger trip to Peru, was the way God reintroduced us to the miraculous.
The miraculous was on hand in Peru. It was of the Gospel scale and not the Hollywood scale. The miraculous started with dust, endless dust. In many places, there is so much dust because there is only water for 25 minutes a day. It is powdery and fine and constantly whipped into clouds by merely living daily life.
The clouds of dust and the bright orange and yellow paint of the building announce that you are close to a school in a Peruvian village. The World Hunger Offering supports the living water ministry of Peru and we drove up to the site where our Peruvian hosts, Jaime and Orlando, parked the vintage 1941 water drilling rig on the school ground, ready to open a well to serve not just the school, but the entire village. Waiting for a “milagro” (miracle) that would give safe water 24 hours a day to their homes and their school, the children were dressed in costumes to perform dances, poems, and songs. Community leaders read resolutions and recognitions, over a sound system that was run by car batteries, taking into account the undependable electrical power. “We know this is of God. We know that you are here because of your faith in Christ,” the school director says. “Your faith, rekindles our faith,” she says. “Clean water for our school means education year round and better health and attendance.” “Clean water for our town restores a treasure of our heritage” says a 6th grade boy dressed in a costume of ancient Inca finery (his proud family leans inside the school window.)
The well is common, small, and unremarkable. It is pumping out water into a new garden plot on the school property representing the fact that with water the village can have TWO harvests a year instead of one. Medical services can come because of clean water. We read scripture, Jesus saying he brings living water, and we pray sentence prayers, in English, Spanish and Portuguese and Ketchua. Meet the miraculous.
This is one village. Jaime and Orlando, with the leadership of Larry and Joy Johnson (FBC, San Angelo) have witnessed this miracle in Jesus name more than 300 times in villages throughout the Andes and coastal regions of Peru. Three hundred wells.
Circling back to a school with a well for five years, the kindergarten playground is positioned over the well. Boys sit on the jungle gym above the humming little pump and say in enthusiastic English “Thank you Texas Baptists.” The local pastor of Iglesia Bautista Monte Sion, Pastor Helmer beams; his wife teaches bible every day. Meet the miraculous. It sounds a little like a generator and it looks a lot like being loved in the name of Christ. The government doesn’t do this, the city doesn’t do this, the families can’t do this. The church does this.
Inside the first grade classroom, an eager student pulls me aside and begins to read from a picture book telling the story of Joseph, being abandoned by his brothers, becoming Pharaoh’s leader and then meeting them again during famine. As he turns to the last page, showing Joseph in reunion with his siblings, he gestures and says “muchos hermanos” (many brothers) and then he gestures to us and says in a quick phrase “hermanos de Cristo” (brothers in Christ). He’s off to play.
Forget special effects. Meet the miraculous. It is joy amid dust, and water and people in need. It looks a lot like the Gospel version of Villa Milagro, a small place of miracles.
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Sep
28
Giving and spending – these are two things I have done all my life.
Giving – I have long associated the rituals of giving with stewardship and gratitude toward God. As early as 6, I remember raiding Dad’s change jar on his dresser for enough coins to fill the offering envelope I brought to Mrs. Sanger at church. I learned about a tithe and was challenged to give, year in and year out for more than 40 years now. But it wasn’t until recently that I really took a look at the concept of stewardship beyond giving, to the stewardship of spending.
Spending – is such a rhythm of daily life that it is almost invisible. Spending for me, like most, has often been for necessities, but also spending for special occasions, spending for family and home and creating a comfortable life. In general, if I considered my lifestyle judicious, then I considered that I was a moral spender. I am not an extravagant spender so I was content. In my contentment, however, I must confess that I have been a completely unconscious spender for most of my life.
I never really considered that my spending could be a gift to God, like giving, until I asked a simple question: Who made this? Holding a jacket in hand at the counter of a department store, remembering the news story of a sweatshop in some distant place, I allowed this haunting little question to put a face on my spending. “Who made this?” My unconscious habit, of spending, just shifted toward stewardship thinking.
Not long after this Roger and I traveled to Turkey. The first day of our trip, our wise and generous guide made a suggestion, “Although you will end the trip in Istanbul with shops of every kind…” he said “as we travel through towns and villages, I will take you to the makers of Turkey’s treasures and if you like, you can buy from them directly.” Within a few days, we bought the same porcelain plates that we would have purchased from Istanbul, but we bought them from the 3 generation family pottery in a Cappadocia village. We were welcomed by the father and shown the whole factory by sons and cousins – the special family pride captured in signature designs is a story I would never have known without knowing who had made these beautiful plates.
At our next stop, we detoured down a dusty road until we scattered chickens with our van pulling up a long drive. Inside one of the four buildings surrounding us was a group of brightly colored pots steaming with yarn dye and a bustling group of women. Eager to show off the pure wool and brilliant colors, they dipped strands of wool from the vats that looked like steeping tea, “Never bright red, in my rug,” the interpreter said repeating the cheerful voice of one of the artisans, “only RICH red in my dye.” A color distinction I would never have known but I shall never forget because it was her sheer joy to make the best that she could. She was proud and skilled. Just how skilled I learned as she took to me to the loom and tried to teach my fumbling fingers to tie the knots that flew out like silk from her touch. My attempts were met with gales of laughter from the gathered women (no interpretation needed!), and in three compassionate steps she undid and redid my knots from lumpy to graceful. Come by my office and you can appreciate her rich red rug as I do, every day.
One of our last stops was along a mountain highway where Bedouin tribes camped in hand woven goat hair tents just off the shoulder from the modern roadway. From their goats and sheep they sheared, carded and wove the wool into coats and socks and mittens and blankets. The site was almost deserted as we drove in. Only the elderly grandmother was there. Colored socks, gloves, hats, blankets and rugs were pinned to the ropes and surfaces like nautical flags. She offered us tea and invited us in to the goat hair tent. Apologetic that the family wasn’t there to greet us for a sale, she explained that her son and daughter-in-law had taken their child into the hospital at the nearby town. Tears welled up in her worried eyes, and she brushed them away. Roger prayed for the child and the doctors (whom the grandmother did not trust, we learned) and she said “I will surely be blessed by my first Christian prayer.” She showered us with embarrassing gratitude for our simple compassion. Our bags were filled with socks and gloves, and now, every time I slip them on, I know for sure who made them and I remember her with grateful humility.
There are a million plates, rugs and socks in the world, but I am blessed by knowing who made these. They are not mere commodities, but treasures because I know that their lives are full of pride to craft them, that their families eat from apricot orchards supported by this work and that hospitality and connection were gifts given to the maker and buyer. Turkey turned out to be a spiritual outpost where I learned about the stewardship of spending.
Unfortunately, my life is still filled with too much anonymous and unconscious spending, but thanks to Good News Goods and other local and personal connections, I am trading in more and more of my unconscious spending for spending with a purpose. It is an added joy to know that I support the release of a woman from exploitation or that a child has uniforms for school because I am purchasing now with a purpose. There is justice and joy in a simple quest to know “Who made this?”It turns out to be a kingdom question.
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Aug
27
Substance abuse sounds so clinical. It sounds generic. After all, “substance” is a term large enough to capture a multitude of things. So generic in fact that it kind of sanitizes the whole reality of destruction that is present in say “heroin” addiction, or “meth” addiction or “cocaine” addiction or “prescription drug” addiction. We have this way of trying to create sanitized terms that take us out of the sphere of real pain that ripples out like shock waves when meth addiction takes over a mother or sister or best friend.
Try all you want to sanitize terms, addiction is neither tidy nor clean. And the reality of addiction is not remote. I was speaking with a nutritionist from the Department of Agriculture, during the last week. Our conversation turned to schools and the baked goods kids bring for their birthdays. “Sadly,” she said “Homemade baked goods are not allowed in many schools. I know of a school,” she continued “where an entire classroom of children was sent to the hospital with serious illnesses. It turns out that the cupcakes baked for a birthday celebration were baked in the oven which had also been used to cook methamphetamine.” This is a tragic picture on so many levels, but the image that stuck in my mind was of someone trying to wrest a shred of celebratory birthday normalcy out of a nightmare of addiction.
School started yesterday here in central Texas. Three college freshmen are in ICU tonight after a night of binge drinking and a three car collision that shattered several lives for years to come. This is not the picture of the “time of your life” that was prompted by the alcohol ads and upperclassmen who seemed so cool just yesterday.
The pain and chaos of addiction is not remote and neither is the path of involvement that is required of redemption.
There is no long distance pole for touching lives that are broken by addiction. Jesus did not spend his ministry figuring out ways to keep his distance. In fact, the scripture is surprisingly graphic about Jesus’ proximity to those in desperate need. He touches them, puts his saliva on them, goes to their homes, gives them his hands and heals them. Meet two grandmothers who are teaching three generations of their families what redemption looks like:
Florence lives in a home that is only 625 square ft., built in 1945; it suffers from a bad foundation, poor plumbing and a sagging roof. It is located in one of the poorest neighborhoods of her city. She has dedicated her home and the vacant-lot-turned-playground next door to “her kids.” You can find up to 30 kids there after school. These neighborhood kids are the children of parents on crack, families riddled by alcoholism and violence. These kids need a safe place, open whenever, with showers and beds and real food. Ask Florence and she will tell you “They need a garden, a place to really play, where they know they are loved and can be a kid. They need a place close by where every time they come, I am here, I am not on drugs or drunk – I am full of love for them.” Her next door neighbor says, “Yeah, Florence, finds the broken things in everyone and does her best to bring beauty bigger than pain.” Some of her kids have graduated high school, gone to college, come back to thank her on occasion like the returning leper coming back to Jesus. “God gives me love enough for all these kids,” Florence says sincerely, “I’m tired and some days I really feel the time, but I am not too old to love good.” Redemption – it’s work.
Meet Karenna. Karenna is 83. She is widowed and well off. Her life is filled with successes, friends and family. She is vital, living in her beautiful home and carefully watching her health. She has always been a paragon in her church and her husband was the beloved deacon of his era. She has a big family spread out over Texas and beyond. Out of her 17 grandchildren there have been the ups and downs and more than a fair share of health emergencies, but this year is different. Her granddaughter left medical school to enter a drug rehab program. After a successful college career, her dream of being a doctor is shattered on the grim realities of cocaine addiction. The rehab center is hundreds of miles away, but Karenna prayed to find a way to be a part of her granddaughter’s redemption. It would be easier just to let the parents deal with it, say a few prayers and worry, fret or scold. She could be the complaining grandma or the distant grandma or the grandma that was in total denial. But every Wednesday, Karenna gets in her car and drives to AlAnon. “I am just learning,” she says “You have to go at least 6 times just to get started.” But she is not the only one learning; her whole family is learning a lot about the effort that is required when love means what it says. Watch Karenna and witness redemptive love. She is willing to put 83 year old feet to her words and go weekly to join the other family members in AlAnon and say those famous word on behalf of her granddaughter, “Hi, I am Karenna….” There are pathways to healing but they are rarely traveled alone.
Redemption – it’s not a spectator sport.
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Jul
31
Religious liberty is so central to our US foundation that on most days it is invisible to us. But religious liberty is also radical, fragile and personal. Those denied liberty feel it. The heroic defenders often suffer. Laws which are made in lofty impersonal chambers of the highest courts or legislative bodies have long fingers that reach into each neighborhood. Earlier this month I joined with seventy other faith leaders to discuss religious liberty and important policy developments that will continue to define the relationship of church and state on federal and state levels.
The Obama administration and faith based initiatives. Relationships of church and state have been a part of the American landscape for more than two hundred years. Within the new administration church state policy trends are emerging at several levels: new religion and public policy initiatives are being expanded in the State Department, the White House Advisory Council is also creating policy direction for faith based and community initiatives. There are no conclusive outcomes this early in the administration, however, the following recommendations proposed by Melissa Rogers and EJ Dionne in a paper “Serving People in Need, Safeguarding Religious Freedom (pdf),” show the parameters of discussion for some initial issues of the White House council. These recommendations include:
- Recognize and promote both financial and nonfinancial religious partnerships.
- Ensure government funding goes to programs that work.
- Use both Executive branch and Congress to forge policies; include the use of an advisory group and White House Council to seek consensus for federal legislation.
- Clarify restrictions on aid and religious activities. Monitor compliance.
- Protect the identity of religious providers.
- Specify the distinction between government funded activities and privately funded religious activities.
- Insure protection of religious liberty for service recipients.
- Study and revise religion-based hiring distinctions; the goal is to both honor religious identity and respect government funding policy.
- Simplify the process of forming 501.c.3 organizations. Create new incentives for charitable giving.
- Use peer review, evaluation and accountability measures relevant to religious organizations. Create workshops and seminars for training and outreach.
New structures in Texas to address faith based initiatives. Texas recently passed legislation that provides for some new structures to promote productivity for faith based organizations and their cooperation with the state (81st Session pdf). Dialogue, cooperation and planning among government and faith based partnerships increase the effectiveness of much needed service to Texas families. Cooperation does not happen in a vacuum, however, and explicit bodies that duly recognize faith based groups and discuss partnerships have not been designated in Texas before. This legislation directs agencies and private advisory groups to intentionally cooperate for the common good by establishing the following:
- Government Agency Liaisons – One employee from each major state agency appointed to serve as liaisons between their agency and faith and community-based organizations:
- Interagency Coordinating Group -The interagency group is composed of each of the governmental liaisons for faith and community-based organizations.
- Task Force for Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity – The task force is composed of representatives from both the government and the private sector to advise and plan to build nonprofit capacity statewide.
- Renewing Communities Account Advisory Committee – Leaders of faith and community-based organizations shall make recommendations to the executive commissioner of the HHSC regarding the Renewing Communities Account funds for capacity building.
The Texas bill has explicit protections for safeguarding religious freedom. There was significant discussion among legislators about this aspect of the bill. This bill references Federal Code 42 U.S.C. Section 604a and includes:
(j) Limitations on use of funds for certain purposes. No funds provided directly to institutions or organizations to provide services and administer programs under subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section shall be expended for sectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization.
Other references in the bill to religious protections occur in Sec 535.104 ((7) establish policies and procedures to ensure that any money appropriated from the account to the commission that is allocated to build the capacity of a faith-based organization or for a faith-based initiative, including money allocated for the establishment of the advisory committee under Section 535.108, is not used to advance a sectarian purpose or to engage in any form of proselytization.
These new Texas councils and advisory committees provide an opportunity for a variety of religious leaders to join together to direct the development of appropriate church state relationship in Texas. If you are interested in serving on any advisory bodies for Texas faith based initiatives, please send an email. Although fashioned by a robust history, religious liberty is not a dusty vestige of the past, it is contemporary and subject to change. The expression of liberty is subject to the domestications and consequences of change at state, federal and international levels.
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Jun
25
The world of politics and policy is a difficult and unforgiving landscape, especially if it is your home for ministry. There is a revolving door of people, seeking and using power. There is an ebb and flow of fluctuating rules and laws for each issue area. It is a challenge to create an effective and Christlike ministry so close to the corridors of power. The CLC responds to a wide range of issues as a reflection of our mission which has a scope too large and complex for any one congregation to effectively manage. Our goal is to be effective stewards of a framework of Biblical justice by taking that framework into the daily, constant rhythm of a legislative process. We train and learn to be involved in a large number of issues, but we are always amazed at the power of God’s grace to multiply our efforts which are simply our meager offerings to Him.
This session, sometimes the work was as big as the world. There are more slaves in today’s world than in the 1800’s and two of the major gateways for human trafficking are in Texas. Through the cooperation of the Attorney General’s office and Senate and House leaders, serious changes were proposed to balance an uneven system of laws for law enforcement and victims to construct a path to justice for human trafficking in Texas. As important as this legislation is, you would think that passage would be swift and inevitable. However, this critical legislation did not make it through the House and Senate in time for passage before a long stalemate over the voter ID bill held it up. Legislation in this situation is often referred to as ‘orphaned’ legislation – like an orphan, it must find a bill that it can be attached to and thus rescued, or it perishes because it does not get acted upon before deadlines force the bill to die. No bill is exempt from the pressure, even if the legislation remains important to its Legislative authors and sponsors, they are swamped with thousands of bills, many also orphaned.
The commitment of special people, like Shelton Green, a consultant for the CLC, was instrumental in getting human trafficking legislation rescued and moving. First, many things that the CLC is doing year round pay off: involvement in monthly meetings on the details of law enforcement implementation, coalition work discussing the needs of nonprofits that serve victims as well as prosecutors who must match a county budget, close partnership with universities, churches and ministries addressing human trafficking. Although people from around the state may see the need to restructure Texas law to address human trafficking, caring is not enough for an orphaned bill, it takes action in tight places and often at odd hours to really rescue legislation. It takes someone going office to office, staff meeting to staff meeting to rescue the orphaned bill from the inevitable death by legislative confusion. I mention this to show the dedication of the people who work on behalf of the CLC in public policy. This kind of dedication comes from a calling to ministry and God given gifts for this work. And while they are doing the heavy lifting of tedious negotiations, Shelton and other CLC staff like him, are touching lives, modeling Christlike love and speaking to a partnership with BGCT churches and ministries.
This session, sometimes the work was an unexpected act of redemption and grace. Ever since the Texas Youth Commission scandals of 2007 rocked the headlines of Texas newspapers, the legislature has been grappling with how to truly restructure the juvenile justice system to make important changes addressing abuse, neglect and corruption. The CLC has been working alongside several coalitions and agencies that are sorting out reasonable and cost effective changes. Mastering the intricacies of Texas juvenile system are overwhelming in general, then add the recent events of abuse, neglect and corruption and it seems like the kind of issue you would rather stay a million miles away from….and many people do keep their distance. This session competing legislative propositions were emerging, with bitter divides among stakeholder groups. This issue it seemed would require a sacrificial commitment; there would be no heroes or headlines.
Returning from the Peace Corps (Morocco) Samuel Gunter, a former CLC intern, joined the lead coalition for juvenile justice. It was great to have our dear friend Samuel at the table on these complex issues and his reappearance in Austin was the first of two vital supports for the CLC work. Then one Sunday morning, Patricia Pressley, a former probation attorney approached me from across the aisle at FBC. “Could you use some help at the CLC office?” Her knowledge and dedication have provided exceptional skill for an issue that just got more contentious and personal as the proposed bills and the entrenched camps started facing off House vs. Senate. There is certainly no shortage of admonitions in the gospels to pay attention to those in prison, but handling criminal justice issues will exhaust even the most dedicated advocates.
With the addition of Patricia’s contributions to the CLC team, and due to her testimony at committee hearings, our contributions to juvenile justice restructuring became more meaningful, effective and strategic. The added bonus of God’s grace was that she was in need of a place to serve as much as we were in need of her skill. We would praise her mightily for her diligence and attention to detail; she would say “What are you talking about? It was not special.” I am reminded of the same spirit of response in Matthew 25, when the sheep can’t even recall their good deeds, “Lord, now when did we see you in prison?” By all accounts the resolution to TYC was a tempest of legislative intrigue. Sadly, not all aspects of TYC restructuring are fulfilled, but major legislation was finally agreed upon and passed.
The CLC is a ministry of Texas Baptists. Like ministry in your church or on the mission field, God is constantly preparing the way for us in unlikely ways. This session He blessed us with people fitted for His kingdom work, like Shelton and Patricia. He opened doors of friendship and support from Christian brothers and sisters along the way. He sustained us when the winds of personal tragedy blew through the lives of our small staff. We are grateful to many of you reading this News that have prayed for and supported our work.
Each legislative session, we began our CLC staff meetings, intern orientations, consultations and coalition meetings by reiterating three basic principles that guide the public policy work of the CLC:
- Be guided by Biblical rationale and principles of Christian ethics.
- Be honest about yourself, about relationships with staff and elected officials and about your stated positions.
- Be expertly informed and know your facts without a doubt.
On June 1, the 81st Texas Legislative session came to a close. On June 21st the Governor’s veto period expired. We expect a Special Session to be called by Governor Perry, perhaps as early as July this summer, but surely before the expiration of major state agencies in Sept. 2010.
We will be there in ministry. God willing.
We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.
May
26
Congratulations. The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger announces the birth of a child, the Texas Hunger Initiative.
Thanks to your generosity and faithfulness, the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger has continued to grow and now supports over a hundred Texas ministries that relieve hunger and build hope. The birth of the Texas Hunger Initiative begins a process to bless and multiply impact in hunger ministry. Tens of thousands of Texans are being fed. Jesus exclaims about His disciples, “You will do greater things than I do.” His hope is to see millions of Christ followers across all boundaries of time and place acting in love as He did.
Growing in strength, the Texas Hunger Initiative will begin to empower teams of state leaders, student workers and hunger advocates. The encouragement of HOPE 2010 is to feed hungry Texas and the Texas Hunger Initiative will help extend and connect ministries within and beyond the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.
No one grows without a family. The Texas Hunger Initiative is hosted by the Baylor School of Social Work and joins with compassionate TBOWH ministries in every corner of Texas. Each of these names represents the face of generous grace to the hungry and lost. Pause to pray, or better yet, lend a hand in support to these ministries in your area – they are an alphabet of grace for Texas:
Abilene – Crescent Heights BC & Angel Food Ministries
Amarillo - CityChurch, Eastridge Community Outreach, Perkins Community Center Immanuel Baptist Kids Outreach, Freedom Baptist Church Palo Duro Cowboy Church
Austin – Austin Baptist Chapel; Baptist Community Center; First Baptist, Elgin; Hyde Park Baptist; First Baptist, Manor; First Baptist, Oak Hill; River Road Baptist; and Iglesia Bautista Principe de Paz.
Brownwood – Good Samaritan Ministries (GSM) including wild game (white tail deer).
Conroe – Burning Hope Baptist Church S.O.U.L. soup kitchen and more.
Corpus Christi – Baptist Church Inner City Mission, and Parkdale Baptist Church Christian Care Center.
Dallas area – which in 2008 served over 140,000 people in need. Baptist Benevolent Ministries of Irving; Bible Way Baptist Church; Brother Bill’s Helping Hand; Breakfast with Jesus, Shekinah Tabernacle Baptist Church; Cornerstone Care Center; Exodus Ministries; First Laotian Baptist Church; Freeman Heights Baptist Church; Friendship House, Carrollton; Friendship House, Garland; Food Gap Refugee Ministry, Gaston Oaks Baptist Church; DBA Apartment Ministries; and Open Table Project Homeless Ministry.
Decatur - Wise, Jack, and Montague counties -Harvest Baptist Association funds six food ministries.
Del Rio – First Baptist Church’s Hunger Advocacy Ministry.
El Paso - Iglesia Bautista El Divino Salvador; Misión Palabras de Vida; First Baptist Church, Clint; Iglesia Bautista Peregrino; Templo Bautista Ft. Hancock; and Dell City Hispanic. .
Ft Worth - Beautiful Feet Ministries, Bisbee Baptist Church, Broadway Baptist Church, Christian Community Assistance, Community Caring Center, Cornerstone Community Center, Eastside Ministries, G.R.A.C.E., Mission Arlington, N.E.E.D. East and West, N.I.C.A, Union Gospel Mission, West Aid, and Mercy Heart Family Relief Outreach.
Freeport Coastal – HOPE Clinic, River of Hope First Baptist, Safe Haven is a residential facility for homeless, pregnant teenagers.
Houston – Poverty Ministries Initiative of Union Baptist Association with several component ministries: Family Crisis Care Project; Food for Homebound Persons Project; Senior Adult Day Care Project; Ministries with Children Project; Language Skills Project; and Employment Support Project.
Lubbock – Red Cross, Women’s Protective Services, MH-MR, Managed Care, Adult Protective Services, Lubbock Independent School District, Exodus Prison Ministries, and churches across the Lubbock area.
Midland – Midland Baptist Crisis Center primarily serves low to mid income families whose income cannot keep pace with rising expenses and families who have never applied for food assistance and have lost jobs.
Mineral Wells – New Haven Ministries is the major provider of food for the needy in the county, serving over 600 families per month through Helping Hands food pantry.
Odessa – The Permian Basin Mission Center, 12,000 families a year.
San Antonio – Buena Voluntad Baptist Church; Christian Women’s Job Corps; MANNA, First Baptist Church; Harlandale Baptist Church; In His Hands Ministry, Mayfield Park Baptist Church; MCBC Food Pantry, Medical City Baptist Church; Amistad, First Mexican Baptist Church; St. Stephen Baptist Church; Lewis Angel Ministries, South San Filadelfia Baptist Church; Angel Food Ministry, University Park Baptist Church; Jireh Ministries, West Campus Baptist Church; Food Pantry, Redeeming Grace Baptist Church; and Resurrection Baptist Church, Lytle.
Waco – Operation Assist provides food and clothing for the needy of McLennan County, World Hunger Relief Community Gardens project – campus gardening projects to enhance students’ understanding of both good nutrition and gardening skills sufficient to provide their families with low-cost fresh vegetables.
Weatherford – Center of Hope in Weatherford serves the large population of poor people in Parker County.
We strive to make Jesus’ vision for compassion our vision. These ministries will flourish and new horizons of compassionate ministry will grow through caring partnerships and by using tools from the Texas Hunger Initiative. We are already on the way to developing habits of adventurous obedience. Follow Jesus, feed his sheep.
We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.
Apr
29
There is a new alignment of the BGCT organization that will shape and support the Christian Life Commission. Since 2000 and the turning of the millennium, the Christian Life Commission has been prayerfully and deliberately making changes. Like notches on the kitchen door, we can see where we have grown. Our changes have added to our strong foundational history and focused us firmly on the future.
As the BGCT takes on a new, future-focused structure the CLC will relate more intentionally with related ministries both within BGCT and those in the wider Baptist family of institutions. The ministries of the BGCT will be grouped under three main centers, each focusing on a main service of the BGCT: Missions /Evangelism, Education/Discipleship and Advocacy/Care. The CLC will be in the Advocacy/Care Center (pdf) along with these related ministries: Community Missions, Restorative Justice, Chaplaincy, Disaster Relief, and relations with medical, retirement and childcare BGCT institutions. This is a good neighborhood – full of dedicated and compassionate current and future partners in ministry.
Discerning God’s leadership is not a puzzle. The scripture is compelling, and the call of dedicated loving Christian leaders as our Christian Life Commissioners has been a true reflection of the hands and feet of Christ’s love in guiding the CLC. In retrospect, it is evident that the CLC has been forging strong partnerships since its inception with friends like the TB Maston Foundation, Baptist Joint Committee and more recently with ministries and institutions within and beyond the Baptist family. Experience with many partners has prepared us for this new work.
A few reminders of some milestones in the last 10 years for CLC: expanding the staff , scope and impact of the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, opening and staffing the Austin office, creating a vital partnership with Buckner International to provide the ISAAC project for immigration ministry, creating the AMEN network and video and conference resources for substance abuse ministry, providing summer Public Policy Institute for youth, creating a mentoring home for law school, seminary and social work interns. We’ve said good-by to some terrific ministries and friends – Phil Strickland, of course, Weston Ware, Mike Lundy, Carol Bowman, Jerry Reynolds.
If you are like me, one of the first questions in your mind is “How will the CLC function in the new neighborhood and will the leader of the Advocacy/Care Center understand the unique mission of the CLC?” The CLC will continue to function exactly as it does now with an independent Commission and the same charge found in the BGCT bylaws (pdf)… and the leader of the center definitely understands the CLC. The challenge is that I will be both the Director of the CLC and the Leader of the new Advocacy/Care Center. Randel Everett called me Wade Phillips (Dallas Cowboys head coach and defensive coach). It is a dual role and will require additional staff, a clear delineation of roles and a little practice. Again, looking back to lessons learned, having managed two offices in two cities for the past several years may have been God’s way of preparing the way (some say for split personality, but I prefer multi-tasking!).
Like the scripture, we lament the need for compassion and care in the world. We strive to build up the body of Christ so that we as Texas Baptists are true Christ followers in word and deed. The CLC has pursued this mission and will continue to pursue it. It is a statement of accomplishment for the effectiveness of the CLC and its ministry that Advocacy is among the main defining concepts for the future focus. With God’s grace, we will have new partners from whom to learn and with whom to share towards a kingdom vision that can flesh out our adventurous obedience to Christ.
We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.