LAITY CAN DO SOMETHING
ABOUT MISSIONS AND EDUCATION
By Burl McClellan,
Granbury, Texas
Recently this pew-sitter and possibly the only TBC member in a Southern Baptist Church, decided there must be some action that might help the Baptist I joined survive the onslaught of the fundamental group.
I do not care to be part of Dr. Jerry Falwell's voting block. It scares me when men make themselves the rule-makers. God's grace is all we have. After thinking and praying, the idea of helping train the leaders we now and will need seemed the best idea.
How could a pew-sitter help train anyone? He certainly could not teach or train people. The seminary does not need a class in "Sitting and Doing Little." Nevertheless, I can do what I have done for so long-give money so qualified people may do the work.
No, that would not be possible. My bank account will not build a new building, or provide a salary for a professor. It might buy a few reams of paper and pens.
The school would not want to fool with a bunch of little checks. My size check would probably foul their bookkeeping system. The devil put up all kinds of reasons for dropping the whole idea, but it refused to die. It just kept jabbing my brain.
A phone call would put the idea of small donations to rest. A very polite and friendly Cecilia Garcia changed that stumbling block. She said Truett Seminary would be delighted to receive any amount as a gift. All one has to do is make a check and mail it to the George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, P.O. Box 97126, Waco, Tx. 76798-7126. I decided to check it out. A check soon evolved into a nice note and receipt. It is still true; a few mites are appreciated.
Why send money to Truett Seminary?
Working there are many teachers who refused the fundamentalists' "conform or leave" philosophies at other seminaries are working there. Truett must be expanded to produce the pastors and leaders the free Baptist need. But I believe that many established churches which are uneducated about fundamentalism will call a pastor that will split their church. Most Baptists have limited interest in SBC, BGCT or TBC activities. Many members think the church is going fine if the choir sings some of the old songs and the pastor's sermon and invitation are not too long.
The seminary could have one million more dollars for teachers, scholarships, and equipment to put more trained leaders in Texas churches provided the 18,000 people who receive the TBC newsletter would each give only $56 per year.
We need more leaders for new Baptist. Millions live in our state who satisfied Christians have ignored for years. Having to build new churches may be God's way of reaching these millions.
This is not a fund drive. It is just one pew-sitter's idea of how to be of use to the cause he thinks is right. Think it over. It is something you can do and be a completely private act. Just you and God will know.
September 1999