Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!
CRISWELL COLLEGE ENCOURAGES CUTTING GIFTS TO BGCT

At TBC, we are seldom shocked at actions by fundamentalists, but we think the mailing by Criswell College as a part of their 25th anniversary fundraising campaign probably “tops the charts in lack of gratitude.”

The letter, signed by Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, honorary chair of the campaign, and Sal Sberna, Chair of the Campaign, and pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church of Houston, chair of the campaign, is difficult to believe.

Jack and Sal wrote a fundraising letter to many Texas churches. In their letter they said:

“We never imagined the college would have the opportunity to receive funding from Texas Baptist Churches through the Cooperative Program, but by the blessing of the Lord it does. So, we are asking other Texas Baptist churches that believe in the college and what it stands for to join us in giving to the college. This year would you prayerfully consider adding the college to your state cooperative program giving for a percentage?”

They conclude their letter writing: “We have enclosed a brochure on the priorities of the college’s 25th Anniversary Campaign and a complete sample form that shows how the college can be designated through the state cooperative program.”

Their letter also contained a page titled “How to Designate Funds Beginning January 1995.”

IT GIVES AN EXAMPLE OF DESIGNATING ONLY 10% OF YOUR GIFTS TO THE BGCT AND THE OTHER 90% TO THE SBC.

Do you see the lack of gratitude in that? After the Amarillo vote which promised to respect the wishes of local churches in cooperative giving, the BGCT, in the name of fairness, allows Criswell College to receive Cooperative Program gifts. To show their appreciation, Jack and Sal send out a fundraising letter showing how churches can designate funds away from Baylor and the Christian Life Commission or even the BGCT.

To our knowledge, CBF has never done a mailing encouraging anyone to not give to the SBC.

To our knowledge, Truett Seminary at Baylor or the Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons has never done a mailing showing churches how to designate funds away from Southwestern Seminary or other SBC seminaries and encouraged them to send the money to them.

Once again, we see the clear difference in traditional Baptist principles and those practiced by the fundamentalists. Fundamentalist Texas Baptists encourage churches to designate away from the BGCT. Texas Baptist institutions continue to try and work with everyone.

February 1997