TEAMS AID TEXAS FLOOD VICTIMS June 16, 2015
AGENTS OF MERCY
FIRST PRISON SEMINARY PROGRAM IN TEXAS GRADUATES 33 INMATES PASTOR PROTECTION BILL PASSES IN TX HOUSE, SENATE
///AT THE MOVIES
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS // SAN ANDREAS // SPY
Keith Collier
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What James MacDonald and Matt Chandler Can Teach Us About Humility in Church Leadership
n the span of six weeks, two prominent megachurch pastors offered humble apologies for matters related to church government. The first came in a blog post by James MacDonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Church in Chicago. MacDonald, who received criticism for a blog post four years ago that said congregationalism was from Satan, apologized April 16 for his “inflammatory,” “unbalanced,” and “unfair” analysis of churches who give final authority in decisionmaking to its members. MacDonald says while he still holds to an elder-ruled church polity—not to be confused with elder-led churches, which still give final authority to members—he admits that with both elder-ruled and congregational models, “The potential for damage to a church seems likely in both models if a lack of humility is resident in those participating in the governance.” The second apology came from Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Dallas. After concerns related to several church discipline cases went public on news outlets and the blogosphere, Chandler told Christianity Today that elders were guilty of a “domineering” approach in some cases. “We have sinned against some people—and we are owning that before God and specifically before the people we have hurt,” Chandler said. He issued a lengthy, convincing apology during his sermon May 31. I’m thankful for the humility by both of these men to own up to their comments and actions in such a
public way. They did what was right and in the right way. Both of these scenarios are a striking reminder of the need for humility in the church. As Paul exhorts, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3). The relationship between church leadership and members can easily be fractured when we fail to reflect Christlike love and humility toward one another. Likewise, the Apostle Peter exhorts elders to shepherd the flock that God has entrusted to them with carefulness and tenderness rather than compulsion and tyranny. He also urges church members to submit themselves to the elders’ care. (1 Peter 5:1-5). He concludes, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” Here, the call to humility is applied to both leaders and members. Additionally, the scenarios with MacDonald and Chandler remind us to think critically about church government. The church growth movement of the 1990s encouraged churches to take a businesslike approach to leadership and structure, with CEO pastors steering the ship in a “more efficient” system that avoided the liabilities of too many hands in the decision-making pot (i.e., congregationalism). Even congregational churches that adopted this approach essentially relegated the members’ decisionmaking solely to approving a budget and calling a senior pastor.
In recent years, more churches have adopted a plurality of elders as leadership. But, while I believe having elders is more biblical than the CEO-style of church leadership, I fear that some of the same “business principles” that guided the CEO model have filtered down into the elder model. For example, elder-ruled churches simply swap out the CEO for a board of trustees and minimize the biblical role of the congregation in matters of doctrine, membership, and discipline. (see Matthew 18:1517; Acts 6:1-5; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:3). But even in elder-led, congregational churches, these business practices can find expression when elders overstep their authority, choosing control over compassion and policies over people. Baptists have historically advocated both congregational polity and, prior to the 20th century, a plurality of elders (see Mark Dever’s By Whose Authority: Elders in Baptist Life). Even the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, W.B. Johnson, spoke of this in his book The Gospel Developed. The two can co-exist provided both the elders and members exercise the humility of Christ. But, ultimately, MacDonald is right—regardless of the model of church government (elder rule, elder led, single pastor, congregational, etc.), abuses abound when we do not demonstrate Christlike concern for and submission to one another. So, brothers and sisters, whichever camp you find yourself in, let’s practice this kind of humility and love. When we do, Christ will be glorified as the gospel is put on display to a watching world.
CONTENTS
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“I’m overwhelmed at what God has done. Only God could do this.” T EX AS LT . G O V. DAN PAT RICK
Agents of Mercy:
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PASTOR PROTECTION BILL PASSES IN TEXAS HOUSE, SENATE
FIRST SEMINARY PRISON PROGRAM I N T E X AS G RA D UAT E S 3 3 I N M AT E S Robed in caps and gowns over their white prison uniforms, 33 inmates in Texas’ maximum security Darrington Prison Unit made history May 9 as they received bachelor’s degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, becoming the inaugural graduating class of the state’s first seminary prison program.
Passage of the only surviving religious liberty bill in the 84th session of the Texas Legislature gives pastors some legal protection against litigation should they refuse to preside over a same-sex marriage. Senate Bill 2065, the Pastor Protection bill, passed overwhelmingly May 21.
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Disaster Relief Teams aid in Wimberley flooding, Jacksonville College damage TEXAN Magazine is e-published twice monthly by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, 4500 State Highway 360, Grapevine, TX 76099-1988. Jim Richards, Executive Director Gary Ledbetter, Editor Keith Collier, Managing Editor Sharayah Colter, Staff Writer Russell Lightner, Design & Layout Gayla Sullivan, Subscriptions
Contributing Writers Bryan Cribb, Bonnie Pritchett, Jane Rodgers, Michael Foust
To contact the TEXAN, visit texanonline.net/contact or call toll free 877.953.7282 (SBTC).
sbtexan
texanonline.net
sbtexan
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C O L U M N : Forgotten
Former Seminarians
Bryan Cribb, associate professor of Christianity and chair of undergraduate Christian studies at Anderson University in Anderson, S.C., addresses the common reality of those who attended seminary at one time but are not still in full-time ministry now. He offers advice to churches and these “former seminarians” in how to best move forward in ministry.
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BOY SCOUTS SHOULD ALLOW GAY LEADERS, BSA PRESIDENT SAYS The Boy Scouts of America should end its ban on gay adult leaders, BSA President Robert Gates said May 21, lending credence to the concern expressed in a 2013 Southern Baptist Convention resolution that opening the group’s membership to homosexual youth was “merely the first step toward future approval of homosexual adult leaders in the Scouts.” A policy allowing gay Scout leaders “was a matter of time,” said Ernest Easley, who was chairman of the SBC Executive Committee in 2013. “Back when they changed their thinking regarding the boys themselves, I knew that within a year or so they would reverse their stand with the leadership. And frankly, I think it was the plan to begin with: Start with the kids. We get that done. Then we come back later with the adults.”
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DEATH PENALTY DEBATE STIRRED BY BOSTON SENTENCE
Five years after an EF5 tornado carved a milewide path of destruction through Joplin, Mo., the music minister at one local church has received a community achievement award for establishing a ministry that restored nearly 40,000 photos lost during the storm, returning more than 17,000 of them to their owners. Read the story here.
Read the story here.
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JOPLIN TORNADO LED CHURCH INTO PHOTO RESTORATION
The death sentence of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, combined with four allegedly botched executions in the U.S. last year and an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on the death penalty this summer, has fueled debate among evangelicals regarding the legitimacy of capital punishment. Whether taking a convicted murderer’s life is just, whether the death penalty is applied fairly across all races and economic classes, and whether the common execution method of lethal injection is humane are among the issues under consideration. Some states have experienced difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs because European manufacturers have refused to sell them based on moral objections to the death penalty. Read the story here.
E D U C AT I O N
ECHOLS ELECTED TO LEAD BREWTON-PARKER COLLEGE
SEMINARIES URGE TAX-EXEMPTION PROTECTION
Steve Echols has been elected as the 17th president of Brewton-Parker College, one of three educational institutions affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention. Echols, 59, an Atlanta native, emerged as the top candidate for the BPC presidency, four months after the college announced a search committee following the Jan. 20 resignation of Ergun Caner after just over a year of service. Echols’ duties are effective immediately following BPC trustees’ unanimous vote May 19.
Southern Baptist educational leaders are among 74 signatories to a June 3 letter urging Congress to pass a bill protecting the tax-exempt status of schools in the event the U.S. Supreme Court approves same-sex marriage as a civil right. If the Court establishes gay marriage as the law of the land, educators are concerned there may be legal precedent to withdraw tax-exempt status to schools that uphold the biblical truth that marriage is between one man and one woman.
Read the story here.
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Read the story here.
BLACK HAWK DOWN’S STRUECKER GRADUATES FROM SEBTS Jeff Struecker, one of the heroes of the 1993 conflict in Mogadishu that inspired the movie “Black Hawk Down,” graduated this spring from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a doctor of philosophy in Christian leadership. The former Ranger and retired chaplain for the United States Army is now pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ga. During his military career, he was decorated for bravery above and beyond the call of duty for any Ranger, a special operations warrior, or soldier that resulted in saved lives. Read the story here.
—Briefly section compiled from Baptist Press, other news sources and staff reports
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AMERICA’S GOT TALENT FEATURES OUACHITA ALUMS
HOMESCHOOLERS WIN QUIZ BOWL ON MICH. PBS CHANNEL Isaac Van Loh, 16, says his team’s victory on a Michigan quiz show helped to vindicate homeschooling and prove its rigor. The Lansing Homeschool Chargers’ late-April win was the first time in the 26-year history of “QuizBusters,” a show on Michigan PBS affiliate WKAR that a homeschool team garnered the championship. “It shows that we’re not just sitting at home or going on field trips to the amusement park,” Isaac told the Lansing State Journal. “We’re actually learning stuff.” Read the story here.
Howie Mandel called the trio a “real boy band” and Howard Stern labeled them “beautifully nerdy.” The results? Triple Threat earned a standing ovation and four “yes” votes from the celebrity judges for their audition performance on the May 26 season premiere of the popular NBC program, “America’s Got Talent.” Triple Threat, a talented trio from Benton, Ark., includes two recent Ouachita Baptist University graduates, Tyler Davis and Will Richey, as well as Caleb Conrad, a student at the University of Arkansas. Following the group’s performance of MKTO’s song “Classic,” they will be moving to the next round of competition as contestants battle for the show’s $1 million grand prize. Read the story here.
DUGGAR SERIES PULLED, JOSH RESIGNS FRC FLOYD ENVISIONS ‘FORWARD’ LEADERS IN NEW BOOK As president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a pastor for 37-plus years, Ronnie Floyd has become convinced that pastors must engage in future and forward thinking. In a new book, Forward: 7 Distinguishing Marks for Future Leaders, Floyd outlines what he sees as essential characteristics for those in leadership positions currently or in the future. Read the story here.
TLC has pulled the hit series “19 Kids and Counting” in response to media reports alleging Josh Duggar, the 27-year-old son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, sexually molested five underage girls when he was a teen. Josh Duggar, now married with three children of his own, also resigned his position as a lobbyist with the Family Research Council (FRC) family values group. In a May 21 People.com story posted on the family’s blog, he apologized for the sin after allegations surfaced.
“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably, for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” Josh said in the blogpost. “I confessed this to my parents, who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities, where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.” His parents reported the incident to police 12 years ago, but no charges were ever filed, the Washington Post reported. Read the story here.
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PROCTER RETIRING FROM ALASKA CONVENTION Michael Procter is retiring effective May 2016 after more than five years as executive director/treasurer of the Alaska Baptist Convention and as executive director of the Alaska Baptist Foundation, he announced May 4. He has held the posts since January 2011 and has served in Southern Baptist ministry for 45 years, 30 of them in Alaska. Read the story here.
ERLC TO ADDRESS CULTURE AT SBC MEETING The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission will cosponsor a conversation on church and culture, launch a new equipping initiative for ministry to gays and lesbians, and relaunch a magazine during its participation at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio. Read the story here.
THOMAS GREEN TO LEAD FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION J. Thomas Green has been elected to lead the 1-million-member Florida Baptist State Convention as executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention. Green, pastor of First Baptist Church in Brandon, was tapped by the State Board of Missions during its May 29 meeting at Lake Yale Conference Center in Leesburg. He will assume his new role effective June 8. In remarks to the board, Green pledged that by November he will present an annual budget for 2016 that will send 51 percent of Cooperative Program gifts from Florida Baptist churches to the Southern Baptist Convention and 49 percent to Florida Baptist missions and ministries. Read the story here.
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‘NONES’ OPEN TO VARIETY OF DENOMINATIONS SURVEY:
Americans have a surprising openness to Christian churches, even those who are supposedly turned off to religion, a new survey from LifeWay Research shows. No matter which denomination is in the name of a church, fewer than half the nonreligious say “it’s not for me.” Their views are more favorable than unfavorable toward a wide range of faiths—Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God, and non-denominational. These findings, based on a new survey of denominational opinions by LifeWay Research, may come as a surprise to those who’ve seen recent headlines. Growing numbers of people who don’t identify with any church have gathered considerable media attention. But LifeWay Research vice president Scott McConnell said many of these “nones” aren’t as closed to church as some may assume. Read the story here.
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NEW CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE BIBLES IN CHINA A new campaign from LifeWay Christian Stores and Tyndale House Publishers allows individuals and churches to purchase Bibles for people in the world’s most populous country. The Gospel for China is a partnership between the two organizations that seeks to provide “an easy and legal way for individuals or churches to purchase Bibles for believers and seekers in China,” Cossy Pachares, vice president of LifeWay Christian Stores, said. From now until June 20, customers at any of LifeWay’s 185 stores can purchase a Bible for $5. It will then be printed in China and distributed to someone there currently without access to Scriptures. Read the story here.
IRELAND WILL NOT FORCE CHURCHES TO WED GAYS Ireland on May 22 became the first country to hold a public vote amending its constitution to allow gay marriage, but the change will not force houses of worship to perform the unions. Instead, gay couples will be able to enter in “civil marriage,” a separate institution from but affording all the legal benefits of “religious marriage,” according to the Yes Equality civil group that spearheaded the drive for the constitutional change. Read the story here.
AT THE
By Michael Foust
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS (PG-13) in theaters July 1
Just in time for Independence Day, the studio (Pure Flix) that gave us God’s Not Dead and Do You Believe? brings us a Vietnam War-themed movie that spotlights two men searching for more information about their fathers killed in the war. The hunt begins when one of the men, John Paul
SAN ANDREAS (PG-13) If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like for a pair of magnitude 9 earthquakes to rock California—followed by a tsunami that destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco—then this movie is for you. Well, not really, because like nearly every Hollywood-produced disaster
SPY (R) What do you get when you cross a raunchy comedy with a filthy espionage flick? You get Spy, a sadly typical Hollywood spoof “funny” movie that boasts around 200 profane or crude words—including more than
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
June 5-7
Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com
(played by Kevin Downes—Mom’s Night Out, Courageous) reads letters his father wrote while in Vietnam and discovers the name of a mysterious man—a man John Paul sets out to meet. The son (David A.R. White) of that mystery man is a recluse hermit who seemingly has little in common with the middle class John Paul, but the two nonetheless hit the road for a trip to the Vietnam
Memorial and eventually discover they have a bond that goes deeper than stories of war. It’s rated PG-13 for some war violence. There is no sexuality or bad language. The film also features Stephen Baldwin, Rebecca St. James, Si Robertson and Candace Cameron Bure. Post-movie discussion topics: war, healing from war and tragedy, evangelism.
movie (see: 1996’s Twister), the destruction is exaggerated and reality is tossed aside. Still, plenty of moviegoers will enjoy it. San Andreas follows the story of Los Angeles Fire Department search-and-rescue helicopter pilot Ray Gaines (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) as he sets out to save not only his fellow Californians but also his college-aged daughter,
who is trapped. The movie has plenty of violence and also about 20 curse words (including at least twice God’s name paired with d---). If you can overlook that, it also includes a convicting message: Would you and I be willing and prepared to help others in the event of a disaster? Post-movie discussion topics: sacrificing to help others, family love.
dealer—is promising. Comedies and spoofs can be far cleaner, but this one fails the test. It’s not suitable for young teens, old teens or even adults.
75 f-words—and never passes on a joke that involves sex. Oh yeah, and there’s some nudity and plenty of violence. That’s too bad, because Spy’s plot—an unassertive deskbound CIA female analyst (Melissa McCarthy) volunteers to save the world from a deadly arms
*With information from Common Sense Media
Movie
Weekend Gross
Weeks in Theater
1. Spy (R)
$30,000,000
1
2. San Andreas (PG-13)
$26,440,000
2
3. Insidious Chapter 3 (R)
$23,000,000
1
4. Entourage (R)
$10,420,000
1
5. Mad Max: Fury Road (R)
$7,970,000
4
6. Pitch Perfect 2 (PG-13)
$7,700,000
4
7. Tomorrowland (PG)
$7,022,000
3
8. Avengers: Age of Ultron (PG-13)
$6,201,000
6
9. Aloha (PG-13)
$3,300,000
2
10. Poltergeist (PG-13)
$2,850,000
3
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T E X A S
F L O O D I N G
Disaster Relief volunteers rerouted to Jacksonville College
By Jane Rodgers JACKSONVILLE Nine SBTC Disaster Relief workers en route to Wimberley were rerouted to Jacksonville College on May 27 to respond to damage caused by straight-line winds estimated by the National Weather Service at 60-80 miles per hour that blew through the East Texas community late Monday afternoon. “DR volunteers from Lufkin, Onalaska, Madisonville, Rusk and Lake Palestine are here,” Garry McDugle, SBTC DR incident commander at Jacksonville, confirmed. “Most were on their
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way to Wimberley and were redirected at the last minute to come to Jacksonville.” SBTC DR efforts have focused on Jacksonville College, where at least 20 trees are down, McDugle said. A large tree fell on a home owned by the college and used for student housing. Two of the largest trees fell into the college parking lot. SBTC volunteers have been engaged in chainsaw, rigging and climbing work, McDugle said, noting that Jacksonville College president Mike Smith is working with teams and ministering to a family living near the college
whose home was damaged by a fallen tree. As of Wednesday, electricity had not been restored to the college and to other parts of Jacksonville. McDugle expected DR efforts to extend to the home of an elderly couple across the street from Jacksonville College. “The retired couple used to teach at the college,” McDugle said. “Trees are leaning on their home, and we are planning to help them.” For more information on how you can be involved with SBTC Disaster Relief efforts, visit sbtexas.com/dr.
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DR volunteers respond quickly to flood emergency in Wimberley
By Jane Rodgers WIMBERLEY SBTC Disaster Relief personnel deployed to Hays County Monday, May 26, following the preceding Saturday’s flash floods, which devastated the town of Wimberley, destroying hundreds of homes and claiming at least three lives. At least nine remain missing, including seven members of two families staying in a vacation home on the Blanco River that was swept downstream and into a bridge. The National Weather Service called the event a “flood emergency” Saturday evening and issued a warning for residents to seek higher ground because of the “extremely dangerous and lifethreatening situation.”
SBTC DR volunteers arrived in Wimberley on Monday (Memorial Day) to assess the situation and offer assistance. “We spent the first day getting out into the community and letting them know we were here and what we have available,” said Mike Jansen of Linden, who is serving as the SBTC disaster relief “white hat,” or incident commander. Twenty-five volunteers, including two mud-out teams led by Julian Morales and David Dean, are engaged in clean-out work. “Teams are getting mud out of homes and removing furniture, flooring and sheetrock to the water line and treating houses with the Shockwave anti-mold application,” Jansen said. “We have operations, assessment and chaplain personnel on site.”
A shower and laundry unit from the FIRM Baptist Area and manned by its volunteers is also in Wimberley, Jansen said. DR personnel are being hosted by First Baptist Church Wimberley. As of Thursday, 56 work orders had been received, Jansen said. New SBTC teams are expected to rotate in over the weekend. Work has focused on homes off Flite Acres Road along the Blanco River. The work has also been spiritual. “We have been sharing the gospel with individuals,” Jansen noted, issuing an appeal for Christians to pray for the victims who have lost homes and loved ones. “We need to keep them in mind. Authorities are still searching for lost ones down here,” Jansen said. MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 7
D ARRINGTO N PRI SO N UN I T • R O SH AR O N , TEXAS
FIRST SEMINARY PRISON PROGRAM IN TEXAS GRADUATES 33 INMATES, SENDS THEM OUT AS
‘AGENTS OF MERCY’ STORY BY KEITH COLLIER
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obed in caps and gowns over their white prison uniforms, 33 inmates in Texas’ maximum security Darrington Prison Unit made history May 9 as they received bachelor’s degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, becoming the inaugural graduating class of the state’s first seminary prison program.
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“I’M OVERWHELMED AT WHAT GOD HAS DONE. ONLY GOD COULD DO THIS.” TEXAS LT. GOV. DAN PATRICK “I’m overwhelmed at what God has done,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during the ceremony inside the prison’s chapel. “Only God could do this.” Patrick served on the Senate Criminal Justice Committee prior to being elected Lt. Gov. last fall. He and Senator John Whitmire, who chairs the committee, were the legislative heads behind the creation of the program, which began in fall 2011. Each year since, a new class of 40 students has been added to the program, and the current number of enrolled students stands at 114. Looking at the graduates, most of whom will be deployed in groups of four or five to assist chaplains and minister in six other state prison units, Patrick called them “prison apostles” and charged them to “be models and examples of what Christ can do in [people’s lives] if they will give their [lives] to him.” This summer, approximately two-thirds of the graduates will be transferred to six maximum security facilities in Huntsville and Tennessee Colony to reproduce the ministries— and the radical changes— that have been witnessed in Darrington. The rest will remain at Darrington to mentor underclassemen in the program. In a press conference, May 7, Whitmire described the remarkable change in culture at the Darrington Unit over the past four years as a result of
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson leads faculty through the Darrington Prison Unit during the graduation ceremonies, May 9. SWBTS PHOTO/MATT MILLER
Raymond Ramirez, a graduate of the first seminary program in a Texas prison, listens to a charge from state officials during the commencement ceremony, May 9. SWBTS PHOTO/MATT MILLER
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the program. “When we started this, (Darrington) was one of our toughest, problematic units, and I’m here today to announce that it’s now one of our best.” During the graduation, Whitmire, who has served in the Texas Senate for 30 years, recounted the history of the program. “I have scores of programs that I’ve worked in,” he said, citing drug and alcohol programs, procedures for pregnant female inmates and other major initiatives to clean up the prison system and rehabilitate inmates. “But … nothing is more impressive and moving than to be a part of this program. … I’m a better man, a better senator, and a 10 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015
Underclassmen in Southwestern Seminary’s Darrington seminary extension program celebrate as they watch a live video feed of the prison program’s first graduation ceremony, May 9. SWBTS PHOTO/MATT MILLER
better Christian because I’m here participating in this program.” Whitmire said the seminary program demonstrates that Texas is “tough on crime” but also “smart on crime.” He told graduates that he plans to use their success in changing prison culture to argue for changes in the state’s guidelines regarding consideration of parole, which is largely based on the nature of the crime committed. “I know up to this point that you are demonstrating that you are a good risk for society,” Whitmire told graduates. “You’re going to
leave here and minister at the other units and turn lives around and save lives from crimes. I’m going to make your case that in a few years, if you continue to turn people around and behave like I know you will, work with the wardens where you are sent, and are responsible for your families, I’m going to continue to work in Austin and say, ‘Okay, the nature of the crime is important, but there are other factors. You’ve got to give my ministers the chance after they’ve saved souls in other prisons to save souls on the streets of Houston.’”
“WHAT YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED IS EXTRAORDINARY, BUT IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING. AS YOU GO OUT INTO THESE UNITS, RELY ON EACH OTHER, SUPPORT EACH OTHER, BUT RELY ULTIMATELY ON GOD. YOU WILL BE AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS. YOU WILL ALLOW GOD TO WORK THROUGH YOU TO REACH HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS.” TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE (TDJC) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRAD LIVINGSTON
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDJC) Executive Director Brad Livingston challenged graduates to take what they have learned and apply it to the ministries they will have in the prison. “What you’ve accomplished is extraordinary, but it’s just the beginning,” Livingston said. “As you go out into these units, rely on each other, support each other, but rely ultimately on God. You will be an inspiration to others. You will allow God to work through you to reach hundreds and thousands of others. “Before you know it, you will have peers in every one of our units across the state. Imagine the profound impact that God will have through you and others that follow you. I couldn’t be more proud of you.” Just before graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson gave a final charge to “his children” from Micah 6:8. Patterson pointed to the graduates’ academic achievements in the strenuous, 125-hour degree and said their education could be a “stepping stone to greatness,” but it would only be so if they were “agents of mercy … (who) walk humbly with God.” “You have done a great deal to educate the mind,” Patterson said, “but this program is a little different, isn’t it? Because the
Patrick Russo, a graduate of the first seminary program in a Texas prison, shares an emotional moment with this wife following the graduation ceremony, May 9. SWBTS PHOTO/ADAM COVINGTON
program has not just been about the mind; it’s been about the heart. And, oh, how you’ve done so unbelievably [well]. I thank God for every one of you today.” Brandon Warren, who has served as the program’s administrative assistant from its beginning in 2011, is also a Master of Divinity student at Southwestern’s Houston campus. Warren is not unfamiliar with prison, having served eight years at a different facility before his release a number of years ago. Like many of the men in the Darrington program, he found
faith in Christ while in prison. Before serving at the Darrington program, he wrote theologically rich correspondence courses on basic Christian doctrines for use in prisons across the state. At Darrington, Warren oversees students’ coursework, grades papers, assists professors and serves as a liaison between the school and the prison. As a way to honor the men in the Darrington program, with whom he has built strong friendships, Warren delayed his graduation from Southwestern and received MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 11
“YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL TO EDUCATE THE MIND. BUT THIS PROGRAM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, ISN’T IT? BECAUSE THE PROGRAM HAS NOT JUST BEEN ABOUT THE MIND; IT’S BEEN ABOUT THE HEART. AND, OH, HOW YOU’VE DONE SO UNBELIEVABLY [WELL]. I THANK GOD FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY.” SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRESIDENT PAIGE PATTERSON
permission to receive his master’s degree at the prison graduation ceremony. As he walked across the stage, the chapel erupted in applause. Attended by state dignitaries, friends and family of the graduates, seminary faculty, and friends of the Heart of Texas Foundation, the graduation was a celebration of what many described as a miracle. The vision for such a program came from Grove Norwood, executive director of the Heart of Texas Foundation, who had experienced 12 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015
a similar program by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisiana’s Angola Prison. He gained the support of Senators Patrick and Whitmire, who visited Angola to see if it could be reproduced in Texas. Norwood and the Heart of Texas Foundation have been the primary fundraisers of the entirely privately funded program, which uses no tax payer dollars. The funds raised have gone to support educational materials, computers, books for the prison’s seminary library and other program needs.
Other major contributors to the budget have been Southwestern Seminary and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, who initially gave a $116,200 grant in 2011 to provide library books, classroom furniture, technology and half of the ongoing costs for professors’ salaries and travel expenses for the first two years. For more information on the Darrington seminary program, visit www.swbts.edu/darrington.
DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT • ROSHARON, TEXAS
HAVING LOST EVERYTHING, INMATE FINDS HOPE, MINISTRY IN THE GOSPEL By Keith Collier
“MY STORY IS ONE OF LOSS.” This is how Roland Guerra, an inmate at the maximum security Darrington Prison Unit, describes his life before Christ. After making a series of poor, and criminal, decisions, he says he entered prison in a “really bad place.” Although he had heard about God’s goodness, Guerra felt his life experiences were telling a different story. He joined a Christian Bible study in prison in search for answers to his questions.
“When I lost everything that was important to me, I became desperate … and had nowhere to turn,” Guerra recalls. One day, he opened his Bible up and randomly selected the book of Job, which tells the story of a man who lost everything. “I was so intrigued by his story, how Job lost everything, and how the Lord rewarded his faithfulness,” Guerra says. He
was so drawn in by the book that he kept reading the Bible all the way through the book of Revelation and then started at the beginning in Genesis and read the rest of the Bible over the course of three months. While reading through the Gospel of Matthew one night, he got down on his knees in his cell and cried out to God to save him. His life was changed immediMAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 13
“THE SEMINARY HAS SHOWED US HOW TO READ THE BIBLE; IT’S TAUGHT US DOCTRINE; IT’S TAUGHT US THE TRADITIONS AND CREEDS; IT’S TAUGHT US HOW TO COUNSEL BIBLICALLY, HOW TO PREACH, HOW TO TEACH. WE ARE EQUIPPED NOW TO GO OUT AND SERVE.” ROLAND GUERRA, AN INMATE AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT
ately, and he began witnessing and teaching the Bible to other inmates. Sometime later, Guerra was recommended by the prison chaplain to join the inaugural class of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s undergraduate program in biblical studies and was subsequently transferred to Darrington just before classes began. When Guerra entered the program, he committed himself to reading every word of his assignments. He has kept that commitment, excelling in his classes and holding one of the highest GPAs among the graduates. Recognizing an educated man is a tool for the Lord to use, he applies his schoolwork to the Bible studies he teaches and his counseling and mentoring of other inmates. “The seminary has showed us how to read the Bible; it’s taught us doctrine; it’s taught us the traditions and creeds; it’s taught us how to counsel biblically, how to preach, how to teach,” Guerra says. “We are equipped now to go out and serve.” Guerra has earned a reputation as a mediator and pastor in the prison, which opened the door for him to be one of a few students who is allowed to “tier walk.” Essentially, the warden has given them permission to go into parts of the prison such as solitary confinement, where they would otherwise be forbidden, to pray and read the Bible with some of the most troubled prisoners. “I feel like I’m a dispenser of hope,” Guerra says. 14 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015
“God is using me to bring hope to these men who are locked up and isolated from the rest of [us].” As a result of the seminary program, Guerra says the atmosphere in the prison has changed. “It’s not the same as when we first got here,” he says. Guerra, who is serving a 30year aggravated sentence, says he’s seen a reduction in violence and stronger character development within the general population. Even better, he says, more inmates are talking about Jesus. Shortly after the seminary program started, one of the students started a ministry called Makarios, which comes from the Greek word meaning “blessed.” Makarios groups gather throughout the unit each week for discipleship and evangelism. Guerra and other students hope to take this ministry model with them in the coming months as they’re transferred to other maximum security prisons in Texas in groups of four to five to assist chaplains, minister and counsel in those units. “In prison, there are a multitude of theologies,” Guerra says, noting that inmates often have pieced together their own belief system from a “hodgepodge” of religions. “That’s why we want to preach the gospel. We believe the gospel is the answer to all of life’s problems.” Watch a video interview with Guerra at youtu.be/9_ kiG3GJFVw.
DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT • ROSHARON, TEXAS
FATHERLESS INMATE LOOKS TO INTRODUCE OTHERS TO HEAVENLY FATHER By Keith Collier
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aised in a home without a father, Tracy Williams realizes it shaped his life in more ways than one. Although he attended church and made a profession of faith as a child, he struggled as a teenager to escape the patterns that characterized his father. “I never wanted to be like my father,” Williams says, “but as I got older, I began to take on his same ways, and as a result of not having any direction in life, … I graduated from high school, had two different women pregnant at the same time, and I decided I was going to go into the Air Force. …”
“I NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE MY FATHER. BUT AS I GOT OLDER, I BEGAN TO TAKE ON HIS SAME WAYS ... ” TRACY WILLIAMS, AN INMATE AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT
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“AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, AS PEOPLE HAVE POURED INTO US, NOW WE AS BELIEVERS AND MEN OF GOD CAN IMPACT OTHER MEN’S LIVES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE GOING BACK OUT INTO SOCIETY. … AS FIELD MINISTERS, WE CAN GO OUT AND SHOW THESE YOUNG MEN LOVE AND TEACH THEM AND SHOW THEM THERE IS A BETTER WAY.” However, before he was even sworn in, police arrested him for robbery and he was given a lengthy prison sentence. That was 20 years ago. Once in prison, Williams turned back to God, reading and studying his Bible for the first time. He eventually grew in his walk with the Lord and started teaching Bible studies to other inmates. Always being one who enjoyed learning, he earned two associates degrees from a local community college before hearing about Southwestern Seminary’s new bachelor’s program inside the maximum security Darrington Prison Unit. He applied and was transferred to Darrington in 2011 to join 39 other inmates as the program’s inaugural class. “The program is beyond what I thought it would be,” Williams says. “All the different aspects of learning—history, worldviews, philosophy, even politics—make us more well-rounded [people]. Being a more well-rounded Christian will help when we combat different worldviews of other [inmates].” When Williams and his classmates arrived at Darrington, other inmates were initially skeptical, waiting to see if these students were genuine. Eventually, they began to see the ongoing impact the program would have on the general population. “The impact has been gradual,” Williams says, “but because of the seminary, the conversations about God are more lively. People want to know different doctrines or different things about God. They are interested in knowing about God.”
Williams, who enjoys writing plays and leads the prison drama team, has produced a number of shows, which draw capacity crowds. In each show, Williams works the gospel message into the storyline, often hitting on the topic of fatherlessness, which most inmates have experienced on a personal level. As a result, chapel worship attendance has increased. Today, Bible studies take place across the unit, and the atmosphere of the prison has changed dramatically. The state’s and seminary’s plan from the beginning of the program four years ago has been to send out groups of graduates to other prison units across the state to assist chaplains and minister to inmates with the hope that the entire system will experience similar changes. Although he wanted to be one of those sent out, Williams has been selected as one of a group of students who will be staying at Darrington to assist professors and mentor students in the program. “Wherever I’m at, I just want God to use me and for him to be glorified,” Williams says. “Staying back, mentoring, and helping out here to continue to establish this and get this off the ground, that would be an honor. “As a result of this program, as people have poured into us, now we as believers and men of God can impact other men’s lives, especially those that are going back out into society. … As field ministers, we can go out and show these young men love and teach them and show them there is a better way.” Watch a video interview with Williams at https:// youtu.be/u4C94b5I42E.
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DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT • ROSHARON, TEXAS
GOSPEL IMPACT TO CONTINUE BEYOND DARRINGTON, INMATE SAYS By Keith Collier
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rent Lantzsch awoke from his drunken stupor to find himself laying on his cell floor, covered in his own vomit. Lantzsch, who had just completed his first semester in Southwestern Seminary’s bachelor’s program inside the maximum security Darrington Prison Unit, realized he had hit rock bottom and was potentially throwing away a great opportunity in receiving a free education. He also realized he wasn’t a Christian and needed the Lord. “When I got here, if you would have asked me, I would have said I was a Christian,” Lantzsch says. “But if
you were to ask those around me, I’m sure they would have said no.” Lantzsch, who has served 17 years of a life sentence, says he saw the Darrington program as a free college education but had not let what he was learning change his life. “I’m taking the classes, I’m learning about who God is, about repentance and what Christ has done for us. I know these things here [pointing to his head], but
they haven’t touched here,” Lantzsch says, pointing to his heart. Laying on that cell floor, he says, “I realized that I can’t live life under my own authority, but I need God and I need forgiveness.” So, he cried out to God and said, “I’ve thrown everything away. I keep messing up. I can’t do this. I need you. I need you.” His life was forever different. “From that point on,” Lantzsch says, MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 17
“SO FAR, I’VE ONLY SEEN IT HERE AT DARRINGTON. I’VE SEEN AN IMPACT NOT JUST ON THE GUYS WHO ARE IN THE SEMINARY BUT WHAT THEY’RE TEACHING THE [GENERAL POPULATION] HERE AT DARRINGTON. AND I’M ANTICIPATING IT HAVING THAT SAME AFFECT AT THE UNITS WE GO TO. IT’S NOT GOING TO STOP HERE.” ROLAND GUERRA, AN INMATE AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY DARRINGTON PRISON UNIT
“my life changed from just knowing who God is to having God inside me.” Immediately, he experienced a burning to desire to share his faith and he began doing so with other inmates. At the same time, the biblical studies coursework strengthened his faith and given him purpose in life. Taking what he has learned in the program, Lantzsch says. “I would like to teach new Christians— tell them about Christ, who he is and what he’s done for them—and walk them through the Bible, whether it be the Old Testament or the New Testament.” Upon graduation, Lantzsch will be one of the Dar18 TEXANONLINE.NET MAY 12, 2015
rington inmates who is transferred to another prison unit in Texas to assist the chaplain and to minister there. His goal is to “find a need and fill it,” and he hopes to have opportunities to teach. “So far, I’ve only seen it here at Darrington. I’ve seen an impact not just on the guys who are in the seminary but what they’re teaching the [general population] here at Darrington. And I’m anticipating it having that same affect at the units we go to. It’s not going to stop here.” Watch an interview with Lantzsch at https://youtu.be/ HsKmyGmuMB8.
Texas Gov. signs Pastor Protection bill By Bonnie Pritchett Passage of the only surviving religious liberty bill in the 84th session of the Texas Legislature gives pastors some legal protection against litigation should they refuse to preside over a same-sex marriage. Senate Bill 2065, the Pastor Protection bill, passed overwhelmingly May 21 and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott June 11. With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to rule by the end of June on whether states must recognize same-sex marriage as a constitutionally protected right, conservative Texas legislators filed bills that would, if passed, provide legal standing for citizens, businesses and clergy against an anticipated wave of legal action. But the lack of support from state leadership and the legislators’ self-imposed censorship in the wake of protests at Indiana’s capitol in April left stymied all other legislation that would have given a legal defense for those opposed, on religious grounds, to same-sex marriage. The lone religious liberty bill to be debated, SB 2065, passed the House of Representatives 141-2 on its second reading, garnering even the support of two gay representatives. The next day it passed unanimously, 142-0, earning the votes of its two earlier opponents. The bill ensures clergy and churches cannot be compelled by the government to solemnize or facilitate a wedding that is in conflict with their deeply held religious AUSTIN
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (seated) makes comments before signing the Pastor Protection bill, June 11. Standing behind him, left to right, are Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Scott Sanford, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Sen. Craig Estes. PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
convictions. The law also provides legal standing for them if sued for refusing to perform a wedding. Although pleased with the passage of SB 2065, Cindy Asmussen, SBTC ethics and religious liberty advisor, said the lone bill does not provide legal cover for the multitude of scenarios legislators were trying to account for. The state’s RFRA statute gives a broad foundation upon which Texans can stand when defending their religious convictions but it does not provide the specific defense needed for a variety of situations, Asmussen and others argued. A statute, unlike an amendment, can be repealed by any subsequent legislature. “It’s enough for the pastors and
the clergy, but we want to protect all Texans,” said Rep. Matt Krause, R-Ft. Worth. Asmussen, who spent weeks petitioning legislators to give serious consideration to religious liberty bills and the issues they seek to proactively address, lamented that legislators did not share her sense of urgency. During the second reading of the bill May 21 questions on the House floor to Rep. Scott Sanford, R-McKinney, sponsor of the Pastor Protection bill, reflected some misunderstandings of the problems SB 2065 seeks to forestall. Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburgh, repeatedly asked Sanford if any clergy, to date, had been forced, MAY 12, 2015 TEXANONLINE.NET 19
against their religious convictions, to marry anyone or if they had been prosecuted for failure to do so. His questions indicated he saw no immediate threat to clergy. Canales, along with Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, voted against the bill May 21. “Rep. Canales, I would certainly say there are repercussions that pastors are experiencing today,” said Sanford, a pastor at Cotton Creek Baptist Church. “Pastors came in droves to the capitol to testify for this bill because they sense a need for it.” Even with the Texas marriage law and the RFRA statute in force, pastors told Sanford they are being intimidated by LGBT activists and some pastors have been asked to perform same-sex marriages. He reminded the House of the subpoenaing of five Houston pastors for
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their opposition to a city ordinance giving civil liberty protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Pastor Protection bill received the support of two gay lawmakers and other supporters of same-sex marriage, but their support was not without affirmation of same-sex marriage and nuanced statements aimed at their ideological and political opponents. “The unstated here is the LGBT community and, let me reassure those pastors out there, that some fine day my partner and I are going to be able to get married in the great state of Texas. The Supreme Court will hopefully take care of that issue for us. When that day comes, rest assured to those pastors and preachers who will take a more literal interpretation of the Bible that my partner and I of
20 years will not be going to them to bless our union,” said Cecelia Israel, D-Austin, one of two gay lawmakers to support the bill. Israel said she supported the bill as a reiteration of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution “which is a respect for religion,” not because of the legal cover its authors believe is needed in a postmarriage culture. Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, D-Laredo, (who, in his statement affirming the “good heart” of Rep. Scott Sanford, mistakenly referred to him as “Mark Sanford”) said society, in time would come around to accept same-sex marriage. When two “children of God” love each other they should have the right to marry, he concluded. There was applause from the House gallery as representatives cast their votes in favor of the bill.
Bryan Cribb
Forgotten Former Seminarians “Don’t be a ‘dropout.’”
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s a young aspiring minister-in-training, I remember hearing this caution frequently—and annoyingly—as I packed my belongings and headed to seminary. “Many seminarians are not even in full-time ministry anymore after 10 years,” I was warned. “Don’t be like them.” For me, the warning functioned almost as a “Hebrews 6-like” threat: “Once you have tasted of the heavenly gifts of ministerial training and then fall away from the ministry, it is impossible to be restored again.” Now, exactly how many former seminarians are out of full-time ministry after 10 years is unclear. But what is indisputable is that, with the number of students obtaining ministry degrees these days—whether from seminaries or from Christian colleges and divinity schools like Anderson University where I teach—we undoubtedly have large numbers of “trained up” people who aren’t actively participating in full-time vocational ministry, though many serve in a wide range of leadership and service roles in their churches. I can’t tell you how many times, though, I meet people in my limited travels, who say, “Oh, I went to seminary as well, but I’m not in ministry anymore.” Many reasons exist for such a turn of events in a former seminarian’s life—anything from a change of calling to bad experiences in church, difficult domestic issues or moral missteps. But I fear that the result is that many have experienced discouragement and depression from within and cold shoulders and condescension from without. Indeed, some in this category may be reading this article. What can we say to and do for this neglected, forgotten and often snubbed subcategory of “former seminarians”? First, if you are in this category, I would say to take encouragement. Every situation and story of a former
seminarian is different, but just because you are not in active full-time ministry does not mean that you are in disobedience against God. For every one “Jonah,” there are many more Jims and Jennys who have honestly been led in different directions by God. For instance, women seminarians who are now “just” stay-at-home mothers have told me they feel a tinge of guilt because people have said they are not “using” their training in a church or ministry-related vocation. False. My wife falls into this category, and I try to encourage her regularly that she is using her ministry gifts in the primary mission field divinely granted to us as parents—the home. Second, see ministerial training as a stewardship. Receiving specific instruction in Bible, theology, ministry, leadership and counseling is a gift from God. And while you may not be using that gift in the manner that other Christians deem normative, you still have a responsibility and privilege to use it in a manner that glorifies God and serves the church. Lead a small group. Lead your family. Lead a life of evangelism and gospel fervor. I know as a pastor, I would love to have a congregation full of theologically trained laypeople. So, third, similarly, if you are a pastor and have “former seminarians” in your congregation, seek them out. Encourage rather than exclude. Provide them opportunities to teach and serve. Use their gifts. You have a stewardship as a shepherd of the resources God has provided your church. Finally, for former seminarians, be open to where God may lead in the future. Just because you are not in full-time ministry now does not mean that you are forever banned. Always be prayerful and watchful for new opportunities to use your gifts and training. In the meantime, use those gifts of ministerial training, wherever God places you, as “Soldiers of Christ in truth arrayed.” Being a “full-time” disciple of Christ is just as important as being a “full-time” vocational minister. —Bryan Cribb is associate professor of Christianity and chair of undergraduate Christian studies at Anderson University in Anderson, S.C. This article first appeared on Baptist Press.
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