TEXAS PASTORS SPEAK OUT

We have several statements from Texas pastors (some from their newsletters) to share with Texas Baptists. You read many other statements in the Baptist Standard.

“I was appalled by the ‘high-handed,’ arrogant and senseless actions of the trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. However, I am not surprised. Their actions were predictable in light of all of the other agency and institutional ‘changes’ that have occurred. The ‘Norrislike’ conduct of the fundamentalists in the SBC since 1979 has been true to form for closed-minded, dictatorial leaders who don’t need a ‘reason for their actions’ and are unaccountable to a denomination that blindly continues to provide them the funding for continuing this travesty in the SBC… Our churches need to wake up to the reality of the times and do away with their ‘slush fund’ that allows them to do as they please.”

Gerald R. Chancellor, FBC, Seagoville, Dallas Assoc.

“You have convinced me of the legitimacy of using politics in resisting the fundamentalists’ agenda. Until I read your last newsletter issue, I held to the sincere but misguided assumption that neutrality was the Christian response to the political advances of the fundamentalists. Thank you for waking me up to the real world. A platform for traditional Baptists was long overdue from which we can let our voices be heard, and more, to challenge the unrighteous actions of the fundamentalists.”

J. Estuardo Torres, Sobre La Roca Baptist, Tarrant Assoc.

“The firing of Dr. Russell Dilday has been a catalytic event in my life. I have been supportive of the moderate position in the SBC and have attempted to stay informed and have attended conventions and voted my convictions. I have, however, not made the SBC controversy an agenda item in our congregation. This event, in the context of years of other equally power-driven acts, has broken my silence. I strongly desire for Texas Baptists to move from a reactionary mode, responding to the SBC establishment with outrage, and to adopt a proactive stance that asks what God is calling Texas Baptists to be and to do and for us to get on with that agenda. I was born in a Baptist hospital, raised, converted and called to ministry in a Southern Baptist Church, educated in three of our schools, and have served SBC churches and agencies in my ministry. But the time has come for me to stop trying to chase the SBC down this unfamiliar road.”

R. Robert Creech, University Baptist, Clearlake, Union Assoc.

“The SBC died several years ago. The coffin has remained open and we have grieved and lingered at the funeral home, whispering about our sadness, for too long. The undertaker’s employees coughed loudly on March 9, trying to get our attention. It’s time to close the lid, end the memorial service, and get on with life. The undertakers have other institutions to bury. The Texas Baptist family has new ones to birth. Births are always more joyful and exciting than burials. Let’s get on with it!”

Mike Bergman, FBC, Salado, Bell Assoc.

“The Dilday firing was such a disappointment for me. I had gone to the SBC convention in Houston last summer just to try to get a ‘feeling’ as to whether the spirit and direction might be getting better. I came away feeling that the worst might actually be over. The Dilday firing shocked me back into reality that it can get worse and has.

“I do not want to abandon a church or denomination just because I disagree with some issues. But, the SBC has got to change, radically and quickly, for me to be able to trust its leadership and direction again. For the time being, I can not give my money to their missions offerings, although I will remain submissive to my church’s decisions regarding how they spend their mission dollars, including cooperative program giving.”

Philip McGraw, FBC, Alpine, Big Bend Assoc.

“I have pastored Texas Baptist churches for 48 years, and after retirement, I am now pastoring a small rural church. For the last two years we have designated the percentage that goes beyond the BGCT to the CBF. Beginning April 1, 1994, we began using Smyth-Helwys’ Sunday School literature.

“The SBC leadership does not follow Baptist polity nor exhibit the Spirit and love of Christ anymore.

“This action was not as a result of Dr. Dilday’s firing, but the firing was to be expected from the present SBC leaders.”

Bill Merritt, Grosvenor Baptist Church, Brown Assoc.

“I am pastor of Glen Cove Baptist Church. Our church voted a year ago to send all of our Cooperative Funds to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, through the Vision 2000 plan.

“We send only our Mary Hill Davis Mission offering to the BGCT. The other Mission offerings go to Global Missions at CBF.

“Also we are beginning to buy our church literature through Smyth and Helwys’.

“We have three retired Southern Baptist pastors who support our church. Our church is against the fundamentalist takeover and we support Texas Baptists Committed.

“I was at the SBC convention in 1979 and have followed the outrageous way it has all happened. I am ready to withdraw from the SBC.

“I wonder what kind of spiritual leaders Texas Baptists will be if we condone such an unjust, dishonest act against Dr. Dilday and all Texas Baptists.”

Clyde McCollough, Glen Cove Baptist, Coleman Assoc.

“I have long refrained from either stating or exercising individual ‘rights’ or ‘freedoms’ because of my loving respect for the rights and freedoms of others. I believe sincerely that the mission to which God has called us together is larger than any individuals “right” or “freedom” to express and exercise personal opinions, agendas or goals. However, to refrain longer would, in my opinion: condone and further an agenda which has splintered my beloved denomination; excuse attitudes that have driven a wedge between previously cooperating congregations; ignore actions that have shattered the overall effectiveness of our long practical and productive missions efforts; neglect maneuvers which have created an attitude of distrust among previously fellowshiping pastors and fellowships; and, avoid challenge of a conflict which has created an overwhelming state of confusion, frustration and even disgust in individual congregations and Christians.

“It is my sincere, straight-forward desire that true harmony be achieved in the SBC, even as it exists in this local congregation. Genuine efforts toward that end have failed. Until that becomes a reality, I have no choice but to continue to do the best job I can as one individual pastor on the church field upon which God has called me to serve. While genuinely open to reconciliation in our convention, I have taken the last step backward as far as the current denomination situation is concerned. I have no more room to maneuver. There is no neutral ground upon which I can stand and remain true and faithful to what and Whom I believe and strive to please. I intend to contend to keep the BGCT Baptistically free, even if that involves a complete separation from the SBC.”

Roy Taylor, FBC, Gladewater, Gregg Assoc.

“The day of Baptist people treating one another with respect, dignity, and Christlikeness seems to be in our ancient past. It is clear to me that the firing of Russell Dilday is the fundamentalists way of reminding Baptists that they have taken control, are in control, and intend to stay in control of the SBC. It remains to be seen if at some point in the future they have anything left to control.

“In my opinion I think it is time for the BGCT to give Baptists in Texas the opportunities for alternative giving if it is their desire to discontinue support of SBC leaders and SBC causes they oppose.”

Winston L. Coones, FBC, Nixon, Gambrell Assoc.

“With the firing of Russell Dilday Texas Baptists should terminate the automatic transfer of undesignated gifts into the hands of the SBC Executive Committee. Each church should be given the right and responsibility to designate gifts to world-wide causes. All funds sent from the churches through the BGCT Treasurer’s office should be kept for Texas causes only, until a church chooses to send their world-wide monies through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Southern Baptist Convention, or directly to a board or agency (e.g. the SBC Foreign Mission Board).”

Ronald L. Cook, FBC, Brownwood, Brown Assoc.

“In February, 1992, Trinity Baptist Church voted to send 2 checks, one to the BGCT and one to the CBF (Ventures Fund). Things got worse, so in January, 1993, we voted to change to the CBF Vision 2000 plan. Perhaps the hardest thing was to change our special offering to Global Missions, but we did it unanimously. Perhaps I had more problem with it than the laity. After all, I was endorsed as a chaplin with the HMB for 23 years as army and prison chaplain and had a brother who was with the FMB. But things change.

“Two things need to happen. Preachers need to wake up and realize their churches want to be autonomous and the old SBC is over.”

Jack R. Milligan, Harker Heights Baptist, Bell Assoc.

“Conservatives are angry and rightly so, because Southwestern Seminary has primarily been built by them. Frank Norris and Fundamentalist have long been trying to wreck Southwestern. They wanted to run it or wreck it. I was a student there and saw Frank Norris work his dirty tactics. Only the people have changed, not the tactics.

“J. Frank Norris grew for a while, even had his own seminary, but time took its toll and it crumbled and fell apart. But Southern Baptists, emphasizing Building a Standard Sunday School, What Baptists Believe, January Bible Study, Foreign and Home Missions, Vacation Bible Schools, Stewardship and Tithing, and Associational work, began a steady growth until the Fundamentalist takeover. Our W.M.U. did a tremendous work with missions and our youth, but sadly the Fundamentalist do not remember all of these good old days. The marvelous thing about it all was we did not have to have a dictator organization to make it run. It ran on the true and real Southern Baptist plan of “Everybody being Somebody,” and we had a real voice in our democratic process.”

Percy H. Bailey, age 78, retiring pastor, County Line Baptist Church, Diana

A DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS SPEAKS OUT

“The recent firing of Russell Dilday by the Trustees was unjustified, unnecessary, unacceptable, unholy, and un-Christian. The devil could not have dreamed up a more satanic way of doing it. Some of the trustees even hid their devious scheme from fellow trustees. “Real” Baptists do things in the light. The Bible is right, “...men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” JOHN 3:19

“Russell Dilday is a Godly Christian man. His adherence to, and belief in, the Bible is far more Christian than those who fired him. It is the trustees who voted for this dark deed who need to be fired. Enough is enough. My wife and I are not going to fund any more of this. God help us all to repent and get right with Him.”

Ferris Akins, retiring DOM, Brady-Coleman-Runnels Area

*Editor’s Note: No one should think Ferris Akins is speaking out because he is retiring May 31 and thus it is safe for him to do so. He has stood courageously for years. He preached one of the finest messages ever given on this controversy to an area-wide associational meeting in 1988. A copy of that message is available from our office for any who would like to receive it.

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