|
|
TBC Newsletter | |
| March 2006 |
A LETTER FROM BILL BRIAN |
Dear David,
I am pleased to write to you reflections on my involvement with Texas Baptists Committed, across the years, since my term as a board member ended last year. I first became aware of the work of Texas Baptists Committed when John Baugh made a visit to my city, Amarillo, in the mid 1980s. He explained to a group of Baptists here the threat of a takeover of our southern Baptist seminaries and agencies by a determined, small group who wanted all Baptists to march in lock step to their way of thinking and doing. I had not paid much attention to what it means to be a Baptist before that time, although I was then a thirty-something Baptist who had been in Baptist churches all of my life. As I listened to Mr. Baugh that night, and as events unfolded, I paid closer attention in the months and years that followed, and I could see that the damage to Baptist witness was real.
Texas Baptists Committed under your leadership serves to educate Baptists who never knew, and to remind Baptists who learned but may have forgotten, the historic principles that have prospered the Baptist witness around the world. Texas Baptists Committed helped strengthen the resolve of our state convention through its messengers to reject the takeover efforts by those who were successful in taking over the Southern Baptist Convention.
Some would say that Texas is now “safe”, others that it no longer matters whether we pay attention to what
continues to be the style of leadership in our Southern Baptist Convention seminaries and agencies. I disagree with both of these views, and believe that only by paying attention to what is happening around our state, and around our nation and globe do we faithfully carry out our task as stewards of the Baptist witness as it has been known, historically.
Not only must we keep the vigil, but also Texas Baptists must continue to lead with our Baptist General
Convention of Texas in recognizing the changing ethnic landscape in Texas, to be sure that leaders of our state
Baptist institutions come not only from the historic majority represented in Texas, but also from the significant and growing minorities in our state.
I plan to continue my membership in Texas Baptists Committed, and to make over and above gifts as I am able to do so. It has been a privilege to serve with you and the other fine women and men of the board and staff of Texas Baptists Committed.
Gratefully,
Bill Brian
