Evangéliumi Hírnök, 1981 (73. évfolyam, 1-16. szám)
1981-04-15 / 8. szám
8. oldal 1981. április 15. Set the Record Straight About Southern Baptist Churches Church, Wadsworth, Ohio 37.50. — Total $379.10. * Literature Hungarian Baptist Church, New York, NY $25.00; Gospel Messenger, Treasurer 54.00. — Total $79.00. * Special Mission Bethesda Church, Palm Bay, Fla. $35.00; Hungarian Baptist Church, New York, NY 50.00. — Total $85.00. * Special Project Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Kish, Bridgeport, Conn. $100.00. # Foreign Mission Silliman Memorial Church, Bridgeport, Conn. $30.00. Louis Drescher, Treasurer World Mission and Stewardship Several words from Dr. A. J. Gossip, the brilliant Scotch preacher of the last century, have remained with me since I first read them years ago. At times they have convicted me, at other times they have inspired me, but always they have remained with me. They are: “Christ has brought us light. He shows us what a glorious thing a human life can be, to what heights it can rise.... to what lengths it can go.... to what thrilling adventures it keeps summoning us. What the Cross claims from us in not merely blamelessness. (7 didn’t do it!’) What reaches in upon us at Calvary is a new conception of what goodness means: not a scrupulous avoidance of evil, but an affection, a holy passion, an enthusiasm that gives extravagantly. “Nothing is alledged against Dives __his home life, his business dealings. ... we do not know but that he was a worthy, clean living man. The priest and Levite did no harm; they simply took no notice, not wishing to be mixed up in a messy affair. For that__ all these centuries, Christ’s finger has pointed at them. To them__ and others like the rich young ruler, He would say. ‘ You are doing nothing with life except trying to keep it clean. ’ You are here to be used__life is to be spent and given!” Christians who are not spiritually, and humanely, involved with their society are not worth very much on the Divine measuring rod. They tend to fall into that category of people who are so Heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good.... Alexander Lambert (Continuation) 3. Involved Southern Baptist dedice themselves what happens to their gifts. There is public accounting for every dollar given. First, in the local churches, the people vote on their budgets, and they hear detailed descriptions of how the money is spent every month. They know what they given, and they see how it is used. Second, the churches elect messengers to the conventions and the messengers vote on their budgets, and they hear detailed reports. Third, every convention and every agency gives a public account of how the money is spent. These accounting are printed in the annuals and available to the whole world for inspection. Try finding out about the internal operation of most para-denominational groups and you will be disappointed. Not all, to be sure, but most guard their accounts, and like one man who spent huge sums for private homes in Florida, they say, “My people do not care how I spend this money. ” Baptist involved in the churches care, and their leaders give strict responsible accounting. Southern Baptist work is far from a one-man operation. 4. Involved Southern Baptists have a very strong and effective electronic ministry of their own. Some complain about what the denomination is not doing in radio and television. Granted we are not doing enough, we are doing much more than most people realize. First, there is the SBC Radio and Television Commission ministry with a very meager budget but with an enormous audience. It operates mostly on public service time. In 1978-79 there were 4,344 individual radio programs being distributed to 3,600 stations. Also in 1978-79 the Commission offered hundreds of films to television stations, including 39 “At Home With the Bible” in cooperation with the Sunday School Board. It also produced 10 hours of material for use on major networks. The dollar value of time given to Southern Baptists by the networks and local stations runs possibly to $20 million annually. Second, by far the most aggressive local church radio and television ministry in America is by Southern Baptists. In 1978 there were 4,781 churches with radio or TV broadcasts. Of these about 350 are estimated to be involved in some kind of television ministry. There are three bottom lines here. (1) Southern Baptist electronic programs are related to the local churches. They help provide ministries for people in the communities where they live, and they focus on involvement of people in the body of Christ. (2) These programs are paid for out of the tithes and offerings of the people who are involved in the churches. The people vote on how the money is to be spent. They are not paid for through public appeals for funds. (3) These programs build continuously from one generation to another. They carry over to our children and grandchildren. 5. Involved Southern Baptists financially support their balanced denominational program. The $2 billion laid in the offering plates in 1979 covers a multitude of causes. This money not only maintains the current programs, it builds for the future, and what it builds belongs not to individuals but to the people themselves. Proof of that lies in the accumulations of over 200 years of cooperative organized work. Proof one: The state conventions now have 435 agencies at work for Christ. Their total value is $1,232,755,539, and their endowments $560,283,052 —all given by the Baptists, all belonging to the Baptists, and all controlled by the Baptists. {To be continued) WISE WORDS Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you critize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give.
