TEXAN Digital | August 29, 2013

August 29, 2013 • ISSUE 15

FOR The Evangelical Immigration Table is using the congressional recess to sway House members in Texas and elsewhere to take up what they deem the compassionate, ‘commonsense’ approach to immigration reform.

Burleson church’s new feature-length movie gets R rating

Lackland Air Force sergeant files complaint after being ousted for gay marriage views

Gary Ledbetter

Settling the science by fiat

I

n Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” ol’ Rip falls asleep for 20 years that include the American Revolution and wakes to find that his world has thoroughly changed.

These days I feel like that after my allotted seven hours a night. People are saying and doing inexplicable things as if they were nothing but good sense. Specifically, and because it is so basic, I’m talking about draconian measures to normalize bizarre ideas about human sexuality. Here are a few notable and current examples.

Bradley Manning, convicted of leaking classified documents and sentenced to 35 years in Leavenworth, claims that he is a woman named “Chelsea.” He wants the military to provide hormone treatments to make him more physically feminine. Earlier this year, the psychiatric profession’s diagnostic manual eliminated the term “gender identity disorder” from its list of mental health disorders to remove the implication of mental illness from the syndrome.

New Jersey’s Republican governor has signed a law making it illegal to therapeutically assist minor children in understanding their own sexuality and orientation—also called “gay conversion therapy.” Gov. Chris Christie said that although he hesitates (though not for long) to limit the choices of parents in caring for their own children, there is no “clear evidence of benefits that outweigh [the] risks” of depression and thoughts of suicide.

Besides, the expert consensus is against such treatment.

Perhaps you’ve seen our recent stories about a proposal to ban unpopular views of human sexuality from those who wish to serve or do business with the city of San Antonio or the story about an Air Force sergeant (also in San Antonio) who was relieved by his commander for refusing to affirm (he did not criticize) same-sex marriage.

Woven throughout these stories are “facts” apparently proven while I was asleep. Someone somewhere has proven that teenagers are never

confused about sexuality. Perhaps that same person has proven that there are actually more than two sexes represented in the human species. Still someone else has decided that the scorned “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the U.S. military has become “Must Affirm, Must Say So.” Of course, none of these things were proven. Each is based on dogma—a religious or philosophical worldview beyond scientific verification. In these cases, the priests of a new religion are overturning some of the most basic understandings of human society—man, woman and family. Their disciples are discarding beliefs that have a track record thousands of years long in favor of ideas less than 50 years, less than six months in some cases, old. To use Professor Lewis’ example: If a man claims to be a poached egg, he cannot in our day be called insane if sympathetic experts vote in his favor. Would you want such a man driving a car, or holding state secrets? Be careful how you answer.

We are not being called on to be tolerant; we are being required to change our minds, our very view of reality, by politicians and opinion makers (and military officers) who are not experts themselves. It is an abuse of all kinds of power. In the case of Chelsea (nee Bradley) Manning, we are being required to help a disturbed young man appear to be a woman and perhaps even house him in a women’s facility. In the case of the New Jersey law, Gov. Christie has unmistakably stepped between parents and their children and certainly based on little “clear evidence” that a compelling state interest justified his actions. In the two San Antonio examples, we are being required to mouth an opinion that happens to contradict the Texas Constitution in order to have commerce with the city.

Rip Van Winkle faced no change as surprising as these examples of bald abuses of influence and authority. Those who claim that there are no First Amendment violations built into this riot of folly are insincere or unqualified to hold the influence entrusted to them.

Contents

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Golden Gate president: Calif. values coming your way

4

Speak truth, Mohler says on 20th anniversary at Southern

8

When Burleson church set out to make movie, it never planned on an R rating

A seminary president on the West Coast is warning that the rapid loss of biblical values in California poses a substantial danger to the rest of the nation, and healthy churches are part of the solution.

3

Hearing leads to more confusion on San Antonio measure Hundreds of concerned residents voiced their opinions at a six-hour San Antonio City Council meeting on Wednesday (Aug. 29) about a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance that would bar anyone who opposes homosexuality from serving in public office or getting a city contract.

Amid cultural pressures to remain silent, R. Albert Mohler Jr. told ministers to speak the truth because souls are at stake during an Aug. 20 convocation marking his 20th anniversary as president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Members of Retta Baptist Church in Burleson are perplexed by the rating the church’s recently produced film, “My Son,” received from the Motion Picture Association of America.

6

Evangelical immigration group steps up efforts to sway Texas GOP congressmen

An evangelical group pushing for “broad, commonsense immigration reform” has upped its advertising campaign beyond $1 million with radio ads aimed at Republican congressional members in 14 states including Texas.

TEXAN Digital is e-published twice monthly by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, 4500 State Highway 360, Grapevine, TX 76099-1988.

Jim Richards, Executive Director

14

Old Testament study gets experiential for Brownsboro youth What began as an Old Testament Bible study, teaching about “God’s Covenant, God’s People, Set Apart,” became much more for students and adults of Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro.

Gary Ledbetter, Editor Jerry Pierce, Managing Editor Russell Lightner, Design & Layout Stephanie Barksdale, Subscriptions Contributing Writers Sherry Parker, Bonnie Pritchett, David Roach, Jane Rodgers, Terri Stovall To contact the TEXAN office, visit texanonline.net/contact or call toll free 877.953.7282 (SBTC)

Briefly //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// NORTH AMERICA

Golden Gate president: Calif. values coming your way A seminary president on the West Coast is warning that the rapid loss of biblical values in California poses a substantial danger to the rest of the nation.

Healthy churches are part of the solution, Jeff Iorg, president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press following a California Supreme Court decision to deny a petition to enforce Proposition 8, the voter-approved constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The issuing of gay marriage licenses is among several controversial social changes in California, from passing a transgender restroom bill to banning conversion therapy for those with same-sex attractions.

“The challenges in California to biblical values are the vanguard of what is coming to the rest of the nation,” the Texas native said. “Ground we lose here will soon be lost everywhere.”

Every step away from biblical values weakens the nation, Iorg added.

“In California, we are already overwhelmed with the results of these choices: rising alcohol and drug abuse, overcrowded prison system, social service organizations scrambling to help distressed persons, etc.,” Iorg said.

Amid the downward spiral, “the most hopeful signs are the rising tide of church planting and growing concern for pastors to revitalize existing churches through biblical preaching and teaching,” Iorg said.

The California Supreme Court, in a brief, unanimous ruling Aug. 14, did not address the constitutionality of Proposition 8 and left supporters of traditional marriage few legal options in defending the initiative approved by 7 million California voters in 2008.

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Appeals rejected for U.S. pastor in Iran An appeals court in Tehran has rejected an appeal by Iranian American pastor Saeed Abedini, whose eightyear prison sentence has garnered widespread international attention.

The appeals court decision “signals a new level of concern for Pastor Saeed’s safety,” Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, said in a written statement Aug. 26.

“By keeping the 8-year prison sentence in place, Pastor Saeed now potentially faces additional beatings and abuse inside Evin Prison— treatment that has significantly weakened him during his first year in prison,” Sekulow said.

Naghmeh Abedini, the pastor’s wife, said the news is devastating

to her family. She and the couple’s two young children reside in Idaho, where Saeed Abedini, 33, also lived before being arrested on a trip to Iran nearly a year ago.

Naghmeh Abedini said her family will be consulting with legal counsel in Iran to determine the next course of action, possibly appealing the case to the Supreme Court in Tehran or pleading for the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, to intervene and pardon Pastor Saeed.

“From past cases, we know that the decision to release my husband lies solely at the mercy of the supreme leader,” Naghmeh Abedini said. “It is imperative in the coming days, weeks and months that we remain vigilant” to call for her husband’s release.

Hearing leads to more confusion on San Antonio non-discrimination measure Vote scheduled Sept. 5 on ordinance that would bar anyone who opposes homosexuality from city office or contracts.

By David Roach SAN ANTONIO

As hundreds of concerned residents voiced their opinions at a six-hour San Antonio City Council meeting on Wednesday (Aug. 29) about a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance that would bar anyone who opposes homosexuality from serving in public office or getting a city contract, city officials appeared confused at times about the measure’s legal consequences, said Jonathan Saenz, an attorney and president of the conservative group Texas Values, an arm of Plano-based Liberty Institute.

The group testifying against the ordinance “clearly outnumber[ed]” its supporters, Saenz said from the meeting via Twitter.

The apparent confusion of council members prompted councilman Carlton Soules to say the body was not ready to vote. Councilwoman Elisa Chan, who opposes the ordinance, suggested that it be put on a city ballot for voters to decide—a suggestion that drew a standing ovation from meeting attendees.

In the council’s afternoon session, opponents of the measure—marked by blue shirts—made up more than 350 of the 400 people in the room, Saenz said.

But during the evening session, the sixhour meeting that was open for public comment, the ordinance’s supporters— marked by red shirts—made up about half of the crowd, Saenz said, adding that “reports of a ‘sea of red’ are false.”

The crowd was so large that many

listened to the discussion in overflow rooms throughout the municipal complex.

Whether transgendered people should be allowed to use any restroom they choose was a significant part of the discussion, with some gay-rights activists saying they now oppose the ordinance because it does not protect the right of men to use women’s bathrooms and vice versa, according to Saenz. Earlier in the day councilman Diego Bernal, who spearheaded the ordinance, floated a new draft specifying that the measure would not change the city’s laws prohibiting the use of restrooms for “persons of the opposite sex,” the San Antonio ExpressNews reported.

Among Saenz’s tweets from the meeting: 4“SA atty admits no analysis of other cities with LGBT ordinances, but says ‘they seem to have worked.’”

4“SA city atty having major trouble answering basic questions on ord, confused about if ‘religious exemption’ cover[s] all sections of ordinance.”

4“San Antonio City Council shows officials are confused & concerned about LGBT ordinance, even city attorney didn’t have grasp on it.”

An early draft of the proposed ordinance prohibits “appointed officials” and “member[s] of a board or commission” from demonstrating “bias, by word or deed, against any person, groups of persons, or organization on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age or disability, while acting in such public position.”

“Sexual orientation” and “gender identity” are the categories that have sparked opposition. The ordinance draft labels “bias” against homosexuals as “malfeasance” and authorizes the City Council to “remove the offending

—Briefly section was compiled from staff reports and Baptist Press

person from office.” Violation of the ordinance would be a Class C misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $500, according to the Express-News.

Businesses that have contracts with the city must include in their contracts a statement that they do not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the draft.

Bernal’s new draft says religious groups may define their own membership when making hiring decisions and adds a statement that nothing in the ordinance “shall be construed as requiring any person or organization to support or advocate any particular lifestyle or religious view, or advance any particular message or idea.”

Conservative groups, however, still believe the ordinance infringes upon religious liberty.

“This proposed ordinance contains some of the most blatant and unprecedented violations of the religious freedom of Texans that I have ever seen,” Saenz said in a statement earlier in the day. “This extreme power grab by the government shocks the conscience and tarnishes the legacy of the city of San Antonio that is so rich in religious heritage. If passed, this ordinance will be used as a weapon to silence people of faith and to punish people who hold a traditional view of marriage and sexuality. If Mayor [Julian] Castro and Councilman Diego Bernal were looking for a way to divide people in the City of San Antonio, they have found it.”

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 3

Speak truth, Mohler says on 20th anniversary at Southern

Amid cultural pressures to remain silent, R. Albert Mohler Jr. told ministers to speak the truth because souls are at stake during an Aug. 20 convocation marking his 20th anniversary as president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“We are called to be, as Scripture describes us, stewards of the mysteries of God,” Mohler said. “We are called to preach that which has been revealed. We are called to preach the Word in season and out of season. ... We are living in a time that may well be described as increasingly out of season.

Thus, we speak of the sin of silence in a time of trouble.”

Mohler’s address, “Don’t Just Stand There: Say Something: The Sin of Silence in a Time of Trouble,” follows in the tradition of two previous convocation messages at significant moments in his presidency at the Louisville, Ky., seminary.

The first, in 1993, “Don’t Just Do Something: Stand There,” set his agenda to reclaim the seminary—a central concern during the Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention. He argued that the seminary had lost its way theologically and needed to commit with integrity to its foundational doctrinal confession, the Abstract of Principles.

Ten years later, Mohler called the seminary—in a message oppositely titled, “Don’t Just Stand There: Do Something”—to re-engage in the task of the church by taking the gospel to the nations.

Speaking to the seminary community on Aug. 20 at the beginning of a new academic year, Mohler said, “We know what we believe; that’s what we confess. We know what we must do, as the Lord himself has commissioned us. And may we ever be faithful to speak what we’ve been commanded to speak.”

Mohler preached from Ezekiel 3:16-27, in which God gives the prophet responsibility for those to whom God calls him to speak. In the passage, God says to Ezekiel, “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.”

Mohler asserted that the message God gave to Ezekiel is as applicable today as it was for the ancient prophet.

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New Mexico rules photographers must compromise beliefs The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Aug. 22 that two Christian photographers who declined to photograph a same-sex union violated the state’s Human Rights Act. One justice said the photographers were “compelled by law to compromise the very religious beliefs that inspire their lives.”

In 2006 Vanessa Willock asked Elaine and Jonathan Huguenin, owners of Elane Photography, to photograph a same-sex “commitment ceremony” in the town of Taos.

Huguenin and her husband declined the job because their Christian beliefs were in conflict with the message communicated by the ceremony.

Willock found another photographer at a cheaper price but nevertheless filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission accusing Elane Photography of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The couple was later found guilty and ordered to pay thousands of dollars in fines.

“The Huguenins today can no more turn away customers on the basis of their sexual orientation— photographing a same-sex marriage ceremony—than they could refuse to photograph African-Americans or Muslims,” Justice Richard Bosson wrote in the court’s unanimous decision.

Bosson said the Christian photographers are now “compelled by law to compromise the very religious beliefs that inspire their lives.”

“Though the rule of law requires it, the result is sobering,” the justice wrote. “It will no doubt leave a tangible mark on the Huguenins and others of similar views.”

Bosson said the case provokes reflection on what the nation is about.

“At its heart, this case teaches that at some point in our lives all of us must compromise, if only a little, to accommodate the contrasting values of others,” he wrote.

Bosson said the Constitution protects the rights of the Christian photographers to pray to the God of their choice and follow religious teachings.

“But there is a price, one that we all have to pay somewhere in our civic life,” the justice wrote. “The Huguenins have to channel their conduct, not their beliefs, so as to leave space for other Americans who believe something different. That compromise is part of the glue that holds us together as a nation, the tolerance that lubricates the varied moving parts of us as a people.”

Attorney Jordan Lorence of Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the couple, said ADF is considering appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“This is very coercive, very authoritarian to crush those who do not agree and make public examples of them—and in a free society, that simply should not be,” Lorence said.

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AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 5

Evangelical group steps up efforts to sway Texas GOP congressmen on immigration reform West Texas pastor Coffey joins in radio ads calling for fair, compassionate solution.

By Jerry Pierce AMARILLO

An evangelical group pushing for “broad, commonsense immigration reform” has upped its advertising campaign beyond $1 million with radio ads aimed at Republican congressional members in 14 states including Texas, and a prominent pastor from West Texas is among the voices in the ads.

6 TEXANONLINE.NET AUGUST 29, 2013

Stan Coffey, longtime pastor of The Church at Quail Creek in Amarillo, joins a group of notable Southern Baptists supporting the efforts of the Evangelical Immigration Table “Pray for Reform” campaign.

Touted as “92 days of prayer and action to pass immigration reform,” it seeks, as Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy and research at the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, put it, “broad immigration reform, without delay” to address what the group calls “an unacceptable political stalemate” that falsely divides the issue between two extremes: “open borders and amnesty versus deportation of millions.” Evangelical Immigration Table leaders say they want neither.

Instead, the group says it wants policy that respects “God-given human dignity,” keeps families

intact, secures borders, is fair to taxpayers and creates a path to legal status or citizenship.

The $400,000 in additional ads come during a Congressional recess as many House members are back in their home districts.

Coffey, who served two terms as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention beginning at its founding in 1998, said he has long been concerned about the illegal immigration problem and that the current system is “broken.”

“The Old Testament mentions strangers in your midst something like 92 times,” Coffey told the TEXAN in an interview. “Of course, I come at it from the standpoint of compassion and the standpoint of a concerned pastor. I’m certainly not here to write or dictate legislation but just to encourage members of the House from Texas to take up this issue and deal with it.

“You think about Texas; it is a tremendous problem and usually these are people who love their family, who want to work, they want to be a part of us. The biblical worldview would dictate compassion.”

Coffey said a phone call from Duke convinced him to make his views known. Coffey recorded a radio spot for the group on Aug. 22.

Several days after the group issued a news release announcing its expanded advertising and the participation of Coffey and others, Coffey said he had yet to receive criticism from his church or community.

“I do know the people in our

“The Old Testament mentions strangers in your midst something like 92 times. Of course, I come at it from the standpoint of compassion and the standpoint of a concerned pastor. I’m certainly not here to write or dictate legislation but just to encourage members of the House from Texas to take up this issue and deal with it.”

—Stan Coffey

church in general—not every single person of course— our people have a heart for the stranger and the immigrant, for those folks who come into our state and our community,” he said.

The ERLC’s Duke said in a news release about the ad campaign, “The rule of law and love of neighbor are both necessary values for any civilized people.

They don’t have to be competing values. I am praying for our members of Congress as they engage in the nation-defining work of developing immigration solutions that temper justice with compassion.”

More than 60,000 people nationally have signed the group’s petition at pray4reform.org, but some conservatives who find near homogeneity on issues such as abortion or homosexual marriage are not singing the same tune as the Evangelical Immigration Table.

For example, a group called NumbersUSA, which advocates lower immigration levels, has its own campaign, with telephone calls and ads aimed at pressuring lawmakers to turn back any reform that includes a path to legal status.

In June the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill that would provide a 13-year path to citizenship for qualifying illegal immigrants and a $46 billion border security package, but none of the House proposals provide a path to citizenship.

Among Texas Southern Baptists who have signed the Evangelical Immigration Table petition are David Fleming, pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church, Houston; David Galvan, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida in Dallas; Lamar Cooper, professor of Old Testament at Criswell College; Malcolm Yarnell, professor of systematic theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; and Daniel Sanchez, professor of missions at Southwestern Seminary.

Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, N.C., and a former Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission president, were among the early signers.

Other states where the ads are running are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 7

RESTRICTED When Burleson church set out to make a feature-length movie, it never planned on an R rating

By Jane Rodgers BURLESON

Pastor Chuck Kitchens of Retta Baptist Church in Burleson has been surprised by a number of things associated with his church’s recently produced film, “My Son,” which was screened for 400 invited guests in Burleson on Aug. 16.

After all, a church of 300 non-Hollywood types produced a full-length, watchable movie with novice actors, an untried crew, and a budget of only $25,000, and still received praise from critics.

But most surprising—shocking really—to Kitchens, the film’s executive director, director Jarod O’Flaherty and all those involved with the movie, was the film’s R rating handed by down by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

News of the rating reached Kitchens and O’Flaherty just before the screening. Kitchens debated making a statement before the screening, then decided to let the audience see the movie before announcing its rating.

“When people have seen the film, they are shocked by the rating,” Kitchens said.

Response to news of the MPAA rating at the screening came close to an “uproar,” said Kitchens, who finally asked audience members to email their opinions to him. So far, more than two-thirds of the respondents have recommended keeping the movie’s content as is.

In a statement posted on the organization’s 8 TEXANONLINE.NET AUGUST 29, 2013

website, Joan Graves, MPAA senior vice president and chairman of the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA), explains the process of rating a film.

Filmmakers pay a submission fee to obtain an MPAA rating.

The film is then screened “in context” before an independent group of parents who fill out rating cards. Discussion follows.

The film receives its rating.

Filmmakers who wish to achieve a different rating may edit their films and resubmit to CARA, and the process begins again, Graves said. Filmmakers who disagree with the MPAA rating and do not wish to alter their films have another option.

“They can go to an appeals board which is a different board made up of industry people, distributors and exhibitors,” she added.

Kitchens and crew are examining their alternatives. As of now, they intend to go ahead with the movie’s scheduled premiere at Burleson Cinemas on the weekend of Sept. 20-21, despite the R rating.

Simply tweaking the film is not easy, Kitchens explained. The MPAA will not specify which scenes need to be changed or cut in order for the film to earn a PG-13 rating. The movie features some violence and drug use, yet these scenes are neither gratuitous nor excessive and are essential to the plot, Kitchens said.

“One scene features marijuana use by a couple of characters, but this is the reason why the main female character loses custody of her child,” said Kitchens, who noted that the film’s plot hinges on this event and that the film would lose realism and indeed would “not make sense” were the scene to be deleted.

And that scene may not even be the problem. Kitchens fears the process of editing and resubmitting the film could take so long that its premiere would be delayed.

Editing a film presents special complications for a volunteer crew operating on a shoestring budget.

For example, each edit necessitates adjustment of the musical score, and the soundtrack’s composer, a college student, is already back in school and has no time for repeated edits.

Kitchens said he believes the process of submitting and resubmitting the film to the MPAA could “go on forever.”

“We are concerned about producing the first Christian film with an R rating. But we have no choice right now. We will go on with the R rating and hope for the best,” Kitchens said. “It is to the point where we either gut the movie or nickel and dime it to death.”

Most viewers have told the filmmakers to leave the movie alone.

Many have suggested that the R

Kate Randall, who plays Jess, is shown in a courtroom scene.

“We are concerned about producing the first Christian film with an R rating. But we have no choice right now.

We will go on with the R rating and hope for the best.

It is to the point where we either gut the movie or nickel and dime it to death.”

—Pastor Chuck Kitchens of Retta Baptist Church in Burleson

rating is what God wants, that the rating may make the film even more appealing to the unchurched, Kitchens noted.

Ironically, some who objected to the release of the film with an R rating had “no problem” with the film and its content until they heard it was rated R, Kitchens said.

Pastors have indicated they are reluctant to recommend any R movie to their congregations.

Kitchens said he understands this, but he also knows that the distribution of the film to theaters nationally through the Web platform company Tugg depends in large part on the presale of tickets.

Filmmakers are depending upon church support to help get “My Son” into theaters.

Kitchens even wonders if there is an anti-Christian bias at the MPAA, noting the fact that the MPAA gave

the Sherwood Pictures film “Facing the Giants” a PG rating because of “proselytizing.”

Regardless, Kitchens and O’Flaherty now have a feature film with a controversial rating. Responses from audiences and critics have been positive. “The film is way beyond what we should have been able to do,” Kitchens said.

And the R rating is way beyond what they ever expected.

“We were hoping for just the right ‘God moment’ [at the August screening],” said Kitchens, indicating his desire that a journalist or movie distributor in attendance might become interested in promoting the film and “run with it.”

The current rating is not what he had in mind, but the controversy generated is likely to draw attention to the film in the most unanticipated of ways.

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 9

Talent in the pews made filmmaking an option for Retta Baptist Church

By Jane Rodgers BURLESON

Movie making may not technically be a spiritual gift, but Pastor Chuck Kitchens believes that God places individuals in specific churches for his purposes. The Lord brought Jarod O’Flaherty to Retta Baptist Church in Burleson and the rest is film history.

The movie “My Son,” a RettaVision production, was screened for 400 guests in Burleson on Aug. 16. The movie will premiere Sept. 20 at Burleson Premiere Cinema. An agreement with the Web platform company Tugg for distribution in theaters nationwide has been reached.

So how does a church of 300 produce a full-length feature film?

It starts with talent.

When Kitchens became pastor of Retta Baptist nearly three years ago, he noticed that the church had produced several Christian music videos directed and filmed by Jarod O’Flaherty. O’Flaherty had also produced a documentary on World War II in honor of his grandfather, a World War II veteran.

Kitchens thought, “This guy has got what it takes.” Kitchens became convinced that God wanted Retta to do a feature film. He mentioned his idea to O’Flaherty, who was skeptical. The two scheduled a meeting to discuss the idea. O’Flaherty intended to decline.

“I had planned to go tell Pastor Chuck that it would be a great idea to do the film, but I would not be involved because my work schedule would not permit it,” O’Flaherty said.

That same day, O’Flaherty’s em10 TEXANONLINE.NET AUGUST 29, 2013

The cast and crew of “My Son,” a feature-length film produced by Retta Baptist Church in Burleson.

ployer, an IT hosting company, announced a program allowing tenured employees to take two-month paid sabbaticals to “do something they were passionate about” and would otherwise be unable to do, O’Flaherty said. He no longer had an excuse.

The 31-year-old O’Flaherty’s proficiency with videography began 10 years ago when he started filming church youth events and editing the footage for church presentations. He filmed weddings, sporting events and, eventually, music videos.

O’Flaherty’s personal equipment was used in the production of “My Son.” What O’Flaherty couldn’t supply was provided by the church.

“A good portion of our film production budget that the church raised was used to purchase equipment for the film,” O’Flaherty said.

The budget for “My Son” was miniscule by Hollywood standards, a mere $25,000. However, this amount is sizable for a church of 300. No lengthy fundraising cam-

paign was necessary.

“We announced the project one evening and all the funds came in almost immediately,” O’Flaherty said. “The members of our church were excited to hear about the film.”

Even before the formal announcement at church, the movie’s plot had been scripted.

“We had developed a writer team from our church and asked them to come up with multiple script proposals,” Kitchens explained. Then a three-member executive team of O’Flaherty, Kitchens and associate producer Michael Dennis met to rate the script ideas.

“Nobody [initially] picked the idea that ended up becoming the movie,” Kitchens recalled. Yet as the team talked, the idea “came to life” in the meeting. The three men decided to go home and pray about the matter.

“When we got back together, we were all chomping at the bit to tell one another what had happened.

As we talked, more and more of the conflict that would become the

script came to life,” Kitchens said.

The movie’s plot involves the story of a young couple, Jess and Cadon, who lose custody of Jess’s young son under “questionable circumstances,” according to the film’s official website, mysonmovie.com. Cadon approaches a friend to help regain the child. Tensions escalate; a hostage crisis in a church ensues; the main characters face life-changing decisions.

The movie is Christian in theme, the gospel integrated into the story line. The film also deals with issues of race and racism.

“In so many Christian films, it almost seems like they stop acting and the characters … start witnessing to the camera,” Kitchens said. “We wanted [the gospel] to be part of an ongoing story so that it looked natural.”

“We decided we are going to have a movie that is not your typical church movie,” said Kitchens, who expressed hope that the film would reach the unchurched.

The scriptwriters were inexperienced. Differences of vision between director and writers were resolved in an eight-hour meeting and prayer session. By the end of the meeting, the writers and production team were in “complete unity,” Kitchens said. The entire script was blocked out on a white board.

Funding quickly followed the completion of the script.

Casting the movie came next.

A volunteer casting committee advertised for actors. Auditions were held at Retta Baptist. In some instances, people just knew folks who fit the part. No one was paid or a professional performer. Some were members of Retta; two came from First Baptist Burleson.

Joseph Madlock, who plays Andrew, actually worked at O’Flaherty’s company. Though the two had never

previously spoken, O’Flaherty asked Madlock to audition and the novice actor won the role.

Kitchens initially approached Restin Burk, who plays Cadon, to serve as a technical advisor to Madlock, whose character has been recently released from prison. Burk had actually been in prison himself.

Burk surprised Kitchens by asking to audition for a role in the movie.

“Restin has an incredible testimony that we have incorporated into the gospel tract we put together to accompany the film,” said Kitchens, who called Burk’s casting “one of those miracles that God just worked out.”

“Restin’s life could be a movie itself,” Kitchens said.

O’Flaherty remembered Kate Randall from a music video he had worked on in 2009 with a youth pastor in Ohio.

“I kept telling our casting team that we needed someone like Kate for the female lead. By this time she had married a soldier and was living in California. I sent her a message asking her to consider coming to Texas for three weeks to shoot a movie. It worked with her schedule, and she flew out from California and stayed with a member of our church during the filming,” O’Flaherty said.

“We are not a church that is just bursting with acting talent,” O’Flaherty added. “God obviously knew what he was doing. He had this girl 1,000 miles away he was going to bring to fill that role. Kate was better than we ever could have expected.”

Kitchens was chosen to play the father of Kate Randall’s character.

The bulk of the filming took place in July and August of 2012. Unexpected blessings abounded.

“We filmed every day, pretty much morning till night,” Kitch-

ens said. Locations were offered free of charge: a courthouse, two restaurants, convenience stores, churches. An ambulance company donated vehicles and services one day for free. The Johnson County sheriff’s department donated time, people and the use of their vehicles.

Sometimes, he noted, it even seemed God was providing special effects.

“During filming, sometimes light would be shining on walls at different times that worked out better than we could have ever imagined.

We would just stop and say, ‘Look at that! Look at what God has done for us.’ Everything seemed miraculous.”

Work continued after filming was completed. O’Flaherty, director and main cinematographer, also became the film’s editor, sound mixer and color expert.

College student Connor Watkins composed an original movie score.

“No one in the credits could be considered a professional, or experienced, or even trained in acting, lighting, recording and sound. That the story is coherent is miraculous,” O’Flaherty marveled.

Thus far, response to screenings has been positive. An independent focus group of 10 critics offered suggestions at an early screening. “When asked if they enjoyed the film, all 10 said yes,” said O’Flaherty, who added, “We urged them to give honest opinions and even pushed them to say no.”

“Our goal in making this film was not so much to entertain a Christian audience but to reach an audience that would not show up in church and would not watch traditional Christian films,” O’Flaherty explained. “Ten or 20 years from now we will still be able to watch this film. Hopefully it will still be relevant, an act of ministry that won’t go away.”

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 11

Lackland Air Force sergeant files complaint after being ousted for gay marriage views

By Bonnie Pritchett

A

SAN ANTONIO

ttorneys for a senior master sergeant at Lackland Air Force Base punished for refusing to affirm same-sex marriage have filed a formal complaint with the military against the airman’s commanding officer alleging Maj. Elisa Valenzuela violated Air Force policy and the airman’s freedom of speech and religious liberties.

In the Aug. 20 letter to Valenzuela, attorney Mike Berry of the Plano-based Liberty Institute called for a meeting to address the grievances of Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Monk, a 19-year veteran. Berry said the fact that Monk was relieved of duty following a disagreement over a matter of conscience is a violation of Air Force and Department of Defense policy.

As the only training base for Air Force recruits, Berry said the message sent to trainees at Lackland is chilling. Monk was not willing to “take his lumps” but instead wanted to send a different message.

“He feels a duty to all airman. He doesn’t want this happening again,” Berry said in a phone interview with the TEXAN. “Our rights are not abridged or forfeited due to military service.”

The point of contention between Monk and Valenzuela—same-sex marriage— did not arise until the sergeant began an investigation of another airman charged with making anti-homosexual remarks.

In the course of discussing disciplinary options with Valenzuela, a lesbian, Monk was pressed for his opinion on the subject. Valenzuela reportedly became incensed when she realized Monk did not agree with her view on same-sex mar12 TEXANONLINE.NET AUGUST 29, 2013

riage and he was relieved of duty.

Berry said initial testimony vindicates Monk of wrongdoing and, instead, reveals he became the target of a vendetta by the commander, who meted out punishment for perceived anti-homosexual discrimination.

“By virtue of the fact that she was the commanding officer and held all the cards … she felt at liberty to abuse that position,” Berry told the TEXAN in a conference call with Monk in early August.

Berry contends Monk’s dismissal was due to his Christian convictions, not actionable conduct. He stated in the letter that Valenzuela’s actions were a violation of specific military codes and religious liberty protections under the First Amendment.

Until the dispute, Monk, 38, served as the intermediary between enlisted personnel and the commanding officers at Lackland. His duties required he meet with Valenzuela about pending disciplinary actions against a junior airman who spoke against homosexual marriage while teaching a class. Following an interview with the instructor, Monk concluded the remarks were not intended to insult or provoke but were used to make a point about unity despite differences.

But some airmen complained, sparking the investigation and Monk’s meeting with Valenzuela. In late June Monk suggested his commander use the situation as a learning experience for the unit, teaching about diversity within unity.

Instead, “She took the position that his actions were discriminatory and he should be punished severely,” Monk said.

During the course of the discussion, Monk found himself the center of Valenzuela’s personal inquiry into his views about homosexual marriage and what constitutes discrimination.

“You’re not on the same page as me,” Monk recalled his commander saying. “If you can’t get on the same page as me I’ll find you some place else to be.”

In response to her queries, Monk told her he recognized discrimination when he witnessed it. But his commander became angrier as the discussion progressed, according to Monk. Valenzuela pressed Monk about his views and even implied opposition to homosexual marriage was a violation of Air Force policy.

After she asked him if opposition to same-sex marriage was discriminatory, Monk said he realized his answer could determine the fate of his job.

“I believed I was being coerced to answer in the way she wanted,” Monk said. “As a Christian I could not answer the way she wanted me to.”

Monk told his commander his opinion was grounded in Christian conviction, not any animus toward homosexuals or disrespect to Valenzuela in particular. Not satisfied with his response, Valenzuela relieved him of his duties. On Aug. 9 he received a call informing him he was separated from his unit and his reassignment to the Lackland medic unit was being expedited.

Although the reassignment was planned before his confrontation with Valenzuela, Monk was in the midst of a weeks-long process of training his replacement when he was relieved of duty and told to

“I believed I was being coerced to answer in the way she wanted. As a Christian I could not answer the way she wanted me to.”

—Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Monk

refrain from all contact with his replacement.

He was also told to clear out his office but was barred from doing so while Valenzuela was in hers just down the hall.

“I was made to feel that because I have a deeply held religious view different from hers, I was unworthy of being in her vicinity,” he said.

Monk said he was dumbfounded, adding that his faith and his job as senior master sergeant demand he treat everyone with respect.

A self-described introvert, Monk is uncomfortable with the media attention about his situation. But he told his pastor, Steven Branson of Village Parkway Baptist Church, that he couldn’t walk away from the situation for the sake of his family. That would send the wrong message to his sons, ages 12, 14, and 16, he said.

Monk said he also believes he represents countless service men and women who feel they are under scrutiny because of their faith— evidenced by dozens of email messages of support after his case made national news. Berry said he isn’t surprised, noting the majority of U.S. military personnel associate with Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Berry said the timing of Monk’s experience is noteworthy in light of an Aug. 22 report by Judicial Watch indicating Department of Defense training material depicts some conservative organizations as “hate groups” and “extremists.”

“We’re crossing a line. You can

now be punished for believing something,” Berry said.

By filing the formal complaint, Monk said he is trying to send a message to all enlistees but he also wants to clear his record. Berry said being relieved of duty, especially a high-ranking post like senior master sergeant, is a mark against his character and clean record.

In the meantime Monk said support has also come from his church, which is making sure Monk and his family have what they need.

He said he appreciated Branson accompanying him to a local television station for his appearance on the national morning news show “Fox and Friends.”

Growing up a military brat, Monk said he never lived in the same place more than four years and never felt like he had a church home until now.

“It feels good to know you’re surrounded by people who care about you,” Monk said.

This is not the first time Monk has been involved in controversy at Lackland Air Force Base. In 2012, Staff Sgt. Luis Walker was convicted of the sexual assault of female recruits. Rumors of Walker’s actions had been circulating around the base when commanders told Monk to “get to the bottom of it.”

Monk’s initial interview with one of the first victims led to the investigation of Walker and his ultimate conviction. Monk, a master sergeant at the time, helped facilitate the investigation.

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 13

Old Testament study gets experiential for Brownsboro youth

By Sherry Parker BROWNSBORO

t was a journey of biblical proportions and more than a year in the making.

The Jarhead and Soul Sister youth groups from Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro participated in a hands-on Bible study, building replicas of fixtures from the Old Testament temple. Early in the summer, a long line of students, parents, church members, deacons and the pastor marched seven-plus miles from Brownsboro to their new facility located on Highway 31.

They were guided and protected by the Brownsboro Fire Department and a police escort.

The march itself was a symbolic

Ark of the Covenant

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journey, not only to drive home the arduous methods in which the Jews cared for their hallowed Ark of the Covenant, the lampstand, the showbread table, the table of incense and other prescribed items, but it was also a call to step out boldly on faith.

Robert Welch, pastor of Rock Hill, led the way, representing the high priest, according to the Old Testament.

“These kids worked over a year on this project and learned a lot about the Bible, about their relationship with God. I think that speaks well about this next generation. I know a lot of people down this next generation—but when these kids took their Saturday mornings, their Sunday evenings, all the preparation and hard work—they gave all that to the Lord. They did a lot more today than many older adults have ever done for the Lord. I’m proud

of them and I’m proud to be their pastor. And I’m proud of what God is doing in their lives and through Rock Hill.”

During the year-long process, some students experienced peer pressure against participating in learning about the Old Testament, the temple, and how God called his people to be set apart.

“It hurts me to know that some of these kids suffered ridicule. This was to learn more about God and their faith, what they believe in.

But to truly know who Jesus Christ is, why he came and the full purpose and value for his sacrifice, one needs to understand the true nature of the Old Testament,” said one of the parents. “After all, this is part of Jesus’ heritage, and to really know him one should want to know all about him. Right?”

Katy Robertson, a high school student and a member of the Soul

Rock Hill students gather for the beginning of the procession.

Pastor Robert Welch (left) and deacon Tom Williams

Sisters, commented on the peer pressure she saw other students experience. “I know it taught me a lot about commitment. Some people dropped out and lost their connection with God and became more ‘worldly.’ As a group, we experienced a lot of peer pressure doing this. There were a lot of people who made fun of us. It became very personal.”

“Back when it first started, I don’t think we understood how big of a ‘personal journey’ it would be,” wrote Tristan Moore, a member of the Jarhead group. “Some kids thought it (the project) was pointless and didn’t get as involved as they should have, but I didn’t let them get to me. It went from being pieces of wood to actual objects that meant something biblical.

During (the work) I’ll admit it wasn’t the ‘fun-nest’ thing ever, but afterwards, I’m definitely glad we did it. It will be an experience we’ll never forget.”

Jerry Don Satterfield, also a member of the Jarhead group, remarked of the peer pressure, “There was slight persecution, but in reality, when it’s for God, it doesn’t matter. The March to the

The Jarheads boys youth group from Rock Hill gather together to pray.

Rock project was a lot of work and dedication. I’m glad I did it.”

The deacons of Rock Hill participated as well, and since the replicas of the holy temple were precursors to the coming of Christ, they thought it only fitting to build a large wooden cross that would follow the procession. The deacons took turns physically carrying the 10-foot cross down the highway to show their support for the youth’s dedication.

“It was a very moving experience,” commented Tom Williams, Rock Hill deacon chairman. “I didn’t know what to expect, but as the day went on there was a really deep sense of accomplishment and feeling like God was with us.”

When asked about what emotions he experienced stepping onto the grounds of the new facility, Williams said, “Well, not so much as walking up to the new church, but walking and reflecting, carrying the cross, and thinking about what Christ had done for us and what little bit it was to take two or three hours of our day to carry a wooden cross. These kids are our future. We marched our future right up to the new church and

hopefully they will continue on.”

Brian Cooper, a coach in the Brownwood school district, also came to show his support for members of his team. “These kids put themselves out there. They showed some leadership and their faith as they walked in front of their friends and their community unashamed. It was something special to see these kids do this.”

Many cars slowed to view the students carrying heavy wooden objects and the long procession of adults who came out to support the youth. In the end, all the students agreed that if they caused people to weigh the faithfulness of their relationships with Christ or whether or not they even had one, it was worthwhile.

“I think it’s significant that this march was one of the first events we held at our new facility, which was done by our students,” Welch said. “This speaks to me of what this is all about—it’s about the next generation, about reaching our future. I’m so proud to have been a part of it and all their hard work. I mean, this is their building. This is their church. I’m glad that they’re already stepping up and leading it.”

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 15

Sagemont presents special $200k gift for Cooperative Program

During a luncheon at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Houston, the Sagemont Foundation presented a special $200,000 gift above Sagemont’s budgeted giving through the Cooperative Program, which is Southern Baptists shared funding strategy for missions and ministry.

Pictured during the check presentation are (L-R): Sagemont Pastor John Morgan; Sagemont Executive Pastor Chuck Schneider; Sagemont layman Rex Richards; International Mission Board President Tom Elliff; and SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards. Of gifts received by the SBTC for CP missions, 45 cents of each dollar remains in Texas to further the gospel here while 55 cents is passed on for SBC national and international ministry. The IMB, with 5,000 missionaries, receives the largest single percentage of Cooperative Program giving among SBC entities.

Photo courtesy of the IMB

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Equip Mega Conference 2013

Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and president of the Southern Baptist Convention, pauses to emphasize a point during his address to pastors and church leaders during the Leadership Conversations portion of the SBTC’s 2013 Equip Mega Conference at Fallbrook Church in Houston on Aug. 16. The conference drew pastors and lay leaders to Houston over three days for consultations and breakout sessions on everything from church leadership to men’s ministry to church administration. A Black Churches Equipping Conference was also offered along with a Spanish-language track and training for transitional pastors. Photo by Jerry Pierce

Terri Stovall

Where They Are Now, Where We’re All Headed

W

omen have been created in the image of God and have been given a role to fulfill. Women can do anything they have been gifted and called to do within the boundaries and guidelines that God has placed. We serve a loving, creative God who is using women to impact this world for him in a thousand different ways. Hundreds of women have passed through the halls of Southwestern who are serving to their fullest for Christ and the church.

One of the most frequent questions people ask me about Southwestern Women’s Programs is, “What do women do with their degrees after they graduate?” The truth is, the careers and ministries are as varied as the women themselves.

Here are just a few examples: Ashley leads the women’s ministry for a Baptist state convention.

Meghan is the director of women’s ministry at a large theological seminary.

Sarah is the dean of women at a Bible institute in Florida.

Vanessa serves as assistant academic dean and director of institutional research at a college in Houston.

Michelle is a pastor’s wife who has built a home fitness business that is faith based and built on biblical principles. Part of her mission is to teach other women how to do the same so they can stay home with their children.

Spring is married to Charles who is living with muscular dystrophy and serving in a full-time speaking ministry together.

Diane serves as a missionary in Mexico.

Laura is using her home in Zambia to reach the Zambian women.

Amanda is the wife of a college minister and mother of two, who also leads Bible studies in biblical womanhood and works with her Baptist association organizing their associational

women’s events.

Ashley is a Christian voice in the marketplace who also serves as assistant minister to women at her church.

Claire is performing with a major Christian theater group.

Alanna serves as a girls’ minister.

Many others are wives and mothers, who are ministering to women and sharing their faith through their homes, churches, and every day lives. Women, both married and single, are serving in churches, parachurch organizations, on the mission field, and in the marketplace. Some are pastors’ wives, some are women’s, girls, or children’s ministers, some are serving in music ministry, and some are missionaries, church planters, and educators, serving in places near and far.

All of these women serve in different ways and different places but all are serving as women of influence.

When asked what Southwestern women do with their degrees, the list is limitless. There are a thousand different ways our female graduates are using the training they received, but they all have one thing in common. Each and every one is being used by God to make a difference in the lives of others, leading them to Christ, and helping them to grow in their faith. They are making a difference and they are doing it the way God has desgined them to.

We have a world full of women who need to know the redemptive message of Jesus Christ and how to receive the gift of life. These same women need to know how to grow in their faith and become fully developing followers of Christ. And for many, they will never hear unless a woman tells them and teaches them.

There are lives to be changed, women to influence, and families to impact. Let’s go to work my strong, saved, gifted, and called sisters in Christ . . . there is much to be done!

Terri Stovall is the dean of women’s programs at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and co-author of “Women Leading Women.” This article first appeared at biblicalwoman.com.

AUGUST 29, 2013 TEXANONLINE.NET 17

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