I want to say a big THANK YOU to my brother Trent. He was on the banquet team this year and had a table at which he asked me to sit at. Sponsoring a table is not cheap so Thank You again. He even allowed me to have a guest, David Dover. Those of you in Waco know him as the former BSM director for MCC/TSTC and a member at Park Lake. 

     There were about 800 men there and steak and potatoes for everyone. Alton Jones was awarded the lifetime award. It was renamed last night, but I did not write it down. There were also plenty of raffles including a K5 Blazer that had been completely redone as a hunting vehicle. The lower sides, top, bumpers, and bed had all been sprayed with rhino liner; the insides cleaned up and seats redone; new tires; and the rest of the works. It was a site to behold.

This morning Beth Ann and I were invited to the President's Community Prayer Breakfast at Baylor. Dr. David Hardage, now the Director of Development for Truett Seminary, invited us to sit at the Truett Seminary table (table # 8 - on the front row). We were up early this morning, but it was worth it. The buffet started at 6:30 AM at the Ferrel Center. At 7:00 AM Chris Machen called us to worship with a song he wrote, The Lord is the Strength of My Life. President Lilley then greeted us. Other noteables on the agenda where Dr. Roland Hernandez, Waco Independent School District; Sarah Roberts, Greater Waco chamber of Commerce; Joel Boesche, St. Paul Lutheran Church of Waco; and Burt Burleson, Baylor University Chaplain and Dean for University Ministries.

 

We feel honored to have been invited and enjoyed it. Thank you, David!

It happened again this morning. On my way in to the church I was listening to the morning talk on the radio and my ears perked up when I heard something about Southern Baptists.

 

This week the Hispanic Baptist Convention, which is comprised of Hispanic members of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is meeting in Austin at Hyde Park Baptist Church. They unveiled today a national program to help immigrants, legal and illegal, with such things as citizenship and legal status. The gist of the talk this morning was along the lines of "how can Christians aid illegals when it says in the Bible we are supposed to uphold the laws."

 

It is true, we are admonshed to "obey our leaders and submit to their authority" (Heb. 13: 17). We are instructed that, perhaps except for where men have run amuck, we are to affirm that authorities established where done so by God (Romans 13:1). There are, however, a myriad of passages admonishing Chritstians to act in compassionate and redemptive ways. There is even passages telling us to obey God rather than men when men "run amuck." But, have men run amuck on the issue of setting boundries for legal and illegal residence in our country?

 

It is good for a country to have expectations of those who wish to join with it and share in its prosperity. It protects those that are citizens and rasies citizenship to a loftier place. Especially in a time such as this when the porous nature of a country's boarder could potentially invite those who desire to do harm. 

 

It is the government's job to protect its citizens. It is the church's job to act compassionately and redemptively. This, the purpose of each, is where the problem of assisting illegals is resolved. As Christian citizens we need our government to act to protect this country which allows us to be Christian. That is what goverment does best: provide for an orderly and safe society. We support our government and participate as Christian citizens to maintain a good public society. As members of God's body Christians in churches do best acting compassionately and redemptively. Yes, they may be here illegally, but they are people of worth and a creation of God that we are responsible for. As much as is in our power we must help in their present situation regardless of how they got into it. For some that will also mean helping them to a legal status. For others it will also mean assisting in sending them back to their country of origin, but doing so in a compassionate way.

 

The "separation of church and state" is a necessary thing. There are too many examples of men running amuck when the two are confused or joined. They deal with two separate worlds: the physical, temporary, earthly world and how it allows or retards people's entrance into the spiritual, eternal, heavenly existence. Allowing Christians to minister to the needs of those who do things illegally in our country, or to get into our country, reveals that as a people Americans have a heart. Supporting and participating as citizens in a govenment that has laws to maintain order and protection reveals that Christians beleive God is at work in America.

 

ARTICLE: Baptist General Convention of Texas, Buckner to offer nation's first church-based immigration ministry by John Hall

SBC Resolution: 6. On The Crisis of Illegal Immigration, June 2006

Back at our last WRBN Pastors' Conference two of the men involved with the The Baylor Religion Survey introduced us to their findings.  Their report, American Piety in the 21st Century: New Insights to the Depth and Complexity of Religion in the US yeilds interesting details of the religious attitude of Americans represented by participants.  They described what made this study different from other studies of religion in America and stated that America is not as atheistic as some would have us believe.  At some level the overwhelming majority of Americans believe in a god and predominatley in a Judeo-Christian God.