Tennessee Temple University and the Tennessee Baptist Convention - Questions

A day or so ago, I received an anonymous comment on the Refugee Baptist post, Tennessee Temple - Not Quite Ready for Tennessee Baptist Convention Adoption, expressing concern over my apparent resistance to embrace the Concerned Tennessee Baptist campaign to add TTU and/or the Tennessee Temple Seminary to the TBC. Let me make myself very clear. I am not opposed to adding higher education institutions to the TBC. And, from discussions this week, I have heard wonderful things about numerous administrators and students at TTU. I have also discovered items that I believe should concern Tennessee Baptists. Here is my first question*:

Can a TTU graduate with a B.S. in Education Teach in Tennessee Public Schools?

The TTU Education department web site reads,

"Believing that God may choose to use individuals as teachers in either Christian or public schools, Tennessee Temple prepares its education graduates to serve in either."

I do not doubt the quality of the TTU teacher education program (beefing up the program with a Ph.D. or two on the education faculty would impress me more), but it is my understanding that the state of Tennessee's Department of Education will not license a graduate to teach in Tennessee public schools unless the degree is from a NCATE accredited school of education (See 54-1 on this PDF). TTU's education department does not have NCATE accreditation. The accreditations listed on this page will allow a TTU graduate to teach in a private, Christian school. Unless I am misreading the state requirements, a TTU graduate cannot get a license to teach in a Tennessee public school. Some may argue that is an advantage. Parents and students need to be aware that there may be long-term career implications if this accreditation issue is a matter of fact.

Just so we are clear, the three higher education institutions listed on the TBC Institutions page all have NCATE accreditations attached to their respective teacher education departments. I respect the efforts of those institutions to achieve this accreditation as a demonstration of their commitment to quality teacher education.

I am expressing concerns over Tennessee Temple University solely because I am see nothing but glowing recommendations and no one asking questions. Before this train leaves the station, I would really like to make sure that someone has inspected the tracks (pun intended).

Speaking of tracks, I must reflect on a dining car experience from the past sometime...it was a moving experience.
*I have more questions...for later.

Dear Pastor, Please Commit this Phrase to Memory

"preachers have no business endorsing political candidates"

Bruce Prescott writes about conservatives who are starting to endorse Mitt Romney for president..."Candidates for political office should be elected on the basis of their values, their competence and their policies, not on the basis of their religious affiliation."

Personally, I have had enough of ministers, particularly high-profile tv-types, using their venues and influence to parade candidates of one flavor or another across their respective pulpits. I want my pastor to encourage active participation in the political system and I do not mind if my pastor expounds on the qualities that the Bible proclaims that we should look for in anyone in leadership. I do not see it as any pastor's calling to encourage his flock to vote for one particular candidate over another whether that is for president of the USA, president of the SBC, president of the TBC, or president of the PTA. That's all I have to say about that.

Let's eat! I fully endorse eating (and fellowship) as a part of the political process.

People are... like a tree

The Mable Madea Simmons video below is more than just a little irreverent, but there are some great tree analogy materials here for a sermon or two regarding personal relationships. It is 7 minutes long and PG...keep the volume low if you prefer not to have your co-workers hear "hell" expletives referenced too many times (too many for my taste, anyway). Watch to the end. You may never see Patti LaBelle again, without smiling.



Hat Tip: Baptist Blogger

Warning: I have learned how to place YouTube.com videos on the Refugee Baptist...I have a good coach whose patience with the old guy is amazing. The world may not be ready for old guys and online video. Buckle up!

Sex Addicted (Christian) Women

Two stories caught my attention today that exposed my Internet porn naivety. The first is an article in the Baptist and Reflector is about Michele Washam, identified in the article as the creator of the first pornographic web site intended for women, www.just4Ladies.com (no longer a porn site, relax...yes, you there in the back row). The general theme of the story is that Washam's conversion lead to the site's transformation to a ministry for women that has now lead to a book offer. Honestly, I had never really considered that pornography obsession/addiction was is a problem for women.

The second story, America's latest epidemic: 'sex addicted women', via Bible Belt Blogger caught me off guard as well. From that post,

"According to Nielsen NetRatings, nearly one-third of the visitors to adult websites are female. Today’s Christian Woman reported that 34 percent of their online newsletter readers admitted to intentionally accessing Internet porn."

So, there is not only a problem, but the problem is even larger than I could have imagined.

It is a good thing that there are ministries that address the dysfunction, malfunction, and misinformation about sex and sexual addictions within a Christian context. As an older Baptist, I believe our historical, lack of openness to talk about sex shares part of the blame that makes such ministries necessary. That is a cheap-shot-20-20-hindsight kind of comment, I admit it. But our failure as Baptists to openly discuss the role of sex (even in marriage) has resulted in too many generations ill prepared to respond to situations and circumstances that involve an enormously powerful, God-given, human instinct. The headlines casting shame on the indiscretions of Baptist ministers and laymen are fruits of those failures.

I am reminded of a scene from Kindergarten Cop, where detective/teacher John Kimble acknowledges the raised hand of a kindergarten child whose dad is a gynecologist. The little boy blurts out, "Boys have a penis. Girls have a vagina." In the middle of the last century when I attended kindergarten, such a comment would have resulted in a quick trip to the little boys room and the introduction of a soapy washcloth into the child's mouth. I hope that we, as Baptists, are past the stupidity that silencing honest talk about sex (and other traditionally taboo subjects) is the Christian way. I am not suggesting that we teach sex education in kindergarten...but in the last year in my own Sunday School class of 'mature adults' any discussion about sex has been centered on man's sinful nature rather than how to celebrate God's gift of intimate relations. Maybe we just don get it (ok, you may chuckle at that if you wish).

As many of my posts end with a reference to food and the Baptist way of combining food and fellowship, I leave you with two words that I have just learned: flavored lubricants.

Churches Building Sends 'Gospel' Message?

I read the Baptist Standard (TX) article by Greg Warner, The Spirit in Stone, that talks about a resurgence in architectural design that is bringing back aesthetics to church buildings. It is a thought provoking read that includes a reference to the lack of designated church buildings among the Pennsylvania Amish. There was one sentence in the article that bothered me:

"Whether they speak with bold clarity or subdued elegance, our church buildings are often the most prominent and persistent gospel message their non-Christian neighbors encounter."

I do not want to take lightly the impact that the image of a church property has on an individual's perception of "church", however, I perceive the "often the most prominent and persistent gospel message" part of that quote to be cause for concern. If that truly is the case, then 'the church' (defined as the body of believers) needs to re-evaluate the persistence of our Gospel message. I have serious doubts that a church building can deliver the Gospel message...that job rests in the hands of the church, not the building. The Amish might be on to something worth emulating...perhaps the absence of a church building might deliver a more persistent, Biblically accurate, Gospel message.

Absent from the article is any reference to Lifeway's Church Architecture Department. I would like to think that Lifeway would be taking a lead in this design resurgence...but then again, the article features Baptist churches and not Lifeway churches *snark*.

Do the Amish do fellowship suppers in the same barns where they have community worship??...can you image the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting across a barn full of worshipers. Think break bread together with that vision in-mind. "Taste and see" (Psalm 34:8 KJV) Yumm!

Can it Be? The Lion Sleeps with the Lamb??

I feel pretty sure that most conservatives and most liberals in the Baptist world would agree that we will disagree on many issues. Whether or not we can learn to disagree agreeably is something that people seem to be talking about more these days.

A recent Associated Baptist Press article by Robert Marcus, "Evangelicals, liberals seek dialogue on ‘culture war’ issues", asks the feuding parties among us if we can at least work cooperatively on 5 contentious issues. "The five contentious issues the paper focuses on are the role of religion in public life, gay rights, abortion, research using human embryos, and strengthening families."

The article is worth the read. It concludes with the following,

"In order for this paper to bear more fruit, both progressives and evangelicals will need to continue the hard work of reasoning together,” the authors concluded. “We do not conclude that these conversations will be easy or that the paper’s proposals in themselves will resolve all the real disagreements and tensions on cultural issues. But we believe that the gap need not be as wide and the mistrust need not run as deep."

"But we believe that the gap need not be as wide and the mistrust need not run as deep." I certainly hope we truly believe that and act upon it soon. Can I get an 'Amen'?

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
Proverbs 15:17/NIV

Princeton Review and Tennessee Baptist Higher Education

Belmont University's Jack C. Massey School of Business made the Princeton Review Business School list. There is a Belmont News story here.

From Union University news, "Tennessee institutions joining Union on the Colleges of Distinction list are Belmont University, Christian Brothers University, Maryville College, Rhodes College, Trevecca Nazarene University and University of the South."

Congratulations Belmont University and Union University, you make the Refugee Baptists (and many 'other' Baptists) proud.

What Teenagers Want From Churches

The Barna Group released What Teenagers Look for in a Church last week. The following should concern us all,

"...the research raises caution that teenagers' prodigious appetites for spiritual activity may be waning. Since a decade ago, teenagers are less likely to pray (down from 81% in the mid-nineties), to attend worship services (down from 53%), and to read from the Bible on their own time (down from 37%)."

I thought about the report a good bit this last week and nothing particularly surprising stood out. Back in the post-cave days when I was a teenager, my church was THE place I could go and know that if I asked my parents if I could take my girlfriend that the answer would be "yes". Upon further reflection, I'll confess to the hypocritical nature of sitting on the back pew with my girlfriend and singing, "All that thrills my soul is Jesus."*

*Not sure where I heard that, but it is true.

Just My Opinion on Baptists

I read a lot of Baptist blogs (see list on the right-hand side of this page). The tone of discussion has mellowed a little in recent years and I believe that is a good sign. There are still pockets of denominational politicking that irritate me, particularly when those politics involve lines that people choose to draw, effectively reducing the level of cooperation between Baptist churches. The cartoon below isn't completely original and I would love to give proper attribution to the originator, but sadly, I cannot locate that information (if you happen to know, drop me a comment or email). All that to say, this is how I feel about the overall situation:




Thanks, Steven, for your help with the cartoon! I owe you lunch.

Belmont University Student Receives Journalism Award

If you have been around the Refugee Baptist very long, you know that the Tennessee Baptist Convention's official news paper, The Baptist & Reflector, is a frequent target of my barbs for their unbalanced coverage of TBC higher education institutions. They take it well and ignore me. I am OK with that. This morning, I received a call from a Belmont friend who tipped me to a bit of news that (I hope) will actually make the B&R. Chansin Bird, a student at Belmont University, was honored with the President's Award at the recent 2007 Excellence in Journalism Conference hosted by Baptist Press. The award comes with a $1,000 scholarship and a great deal of exposure to some of the best religious journalists in the country. I commend Chansin for her work and the well-deserved recognition.

I first read something by Chansin while she was on a Belmont sponsored mission trip to Honduras last year. Her "One bed for too many children" post on the Reporting from Honduras blog touched me deeply. Since that time, Chansin has written numerous articles for the Belmont Vision, including a recently published story on campus worship. God has great things in store for Chansin and I thank God that he is raising up students who are interested in writing!

Late update 10/16: Belmont News adds that Chansin also won first place in news writing.
Later update 10/17: Baptist Press wrap-up of the conference.

Congratulations Chansin and Belmont University!

Tennessee Temple University - Not Quite Ready for Tennessee Baptist Convention Adoption

No one has quite come out and said it yet, but the writing on the wall looks like there are Tennessee Baptists who would like to see Tennessee Temple University become the newest addition to the list of Tennessee Baptist Convention educational institutions. I am opposed to such a move. I believe very strongly that it would be a mistake. Here are my reasons:

• Tennessee Temple is not regionally accredited... Here is Temple's accreditation. Compare to Union, Carson-Newman, and Belmont. The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools is perhaps the newest/weakest route for TTU's accreditation and may not be taken seriously institutions across the country (CNP):

  "..TRACS' limited recognition is somewhat tenuous and their reputation is somewhat controversial. Students are better off enrolling in schools that are accredited by a regional association, the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, or the Association of Theological Schools, all of which are fully recognized by both accreditor-approving agencies (the Department of Education and/or CORPA) and by other academic institutions."

  
  
• There are simply too many faculty members with degrees from TTU and Temple Seminary that could be construed as faculty inbreeding. Additionally, the faculty boasts a concentration of Liberty, Luther Rice, Bob Jones, and Baptist Bible Seminary degrees...not exactly icons of Southern Baptist heritage.
  
• Entanglement with an independent Baptist church is not a prudent direction to take. For the past 50+ years, Highland Park Baptist Church could hardly call itself a SBC church (in spite of its early history) , it is not currently listed as a Tennessee Baptist Convention church, and mentions nothing of its proud SBC Heritage on the church's history page. Evidently, some TTU alumni consider themselves quite independent.
  
• The lack of honesty on the part of the supporters of this effort to simply say, "We want a conservative Baptist seminary in Tennessee" and an attempt to draw a picture of HPBC as some sort of "SBC heritage" monument is disingenuous. There is nothing wrong with the desire to have a seminary...just come on out and say it. Let's build a place where Jerry Sutton can be president of something.
• Danny Lovett is no David Dockery.
  
• There is an endorsement for this action by Jerry Vines. I think Jerry is a wonderful, God-fearing, Bible-believing man...but I wouldn't trust him any farther than I could throw an elephant. That is just my personal opinion, but you might ask some of the SBC leaders who were trampled in the 1980's if they don't share that sentiment.
  

Whew. After all that, I may need an extra glass of sweet tea!

Half of the Ballot is Complete - Mission Accomplished

Our friends over at Concerned Tennessee Baptists have released their slate of officers nominees for the upcoming Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting. We could save the convention a lot of time by getting on-board with this slate, prayerfully considering them, closing the nomination process, skipping the nomination speeches, taking up the ballots, and getting straight to the acceptance speeches and the covered dish supper. George Jackson, VP at CTB offers his full support to the following:
President: Tom McCoy
1st Vice-President: Tim McGee* Tim McGehee
2nd Vice-President: Todd Stinnett

Mr. Jackson also is, "asking for the (TBC) executive director to announce his retirement...for the good of the convention." We should all be shocked that this is happening.

I commend the CTB group for being organized enough to pull together a slate of officers to do the bidding of conservative causes. But please, do not dodge the thought that some might view this as being a bit political.

What is missing here is an opportunity for a non-Concerned Tennessee Baptists group (Unconcerned Tennessee Baptists?) to offer up a slate of officers so that open and honest debate about TBC issues (and agendas) could see more daylight. You know, something like making the candidates for office accountable for their positions.

I would like to nominate myself for a newly created post of 4th Vice President. My only official duty would be to run blind taste tests of the favorite banana pudding recipes for each of the candidates running for office in the TBC. You can tell a lot about a man from his taste for banana pudding.

*see comments below

Concerned Tennessee Baptists Awaken

After several months of peace and quiet, my friends over at Concerned Tennessee Baptists have published 12 new stories leading up to the November Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting. You can read them all, here. We'll talk amongst ourselves here in the Refugee Baptist camp before taking issue with discussing the CTB articles. After reading the articles, add a comment here on which of the dozen draws your interest the most...don't be shy now.

Best Baptist Football Commentary

There are plenty of creative folks in the ranks of Baptist sports' fans and this is one of 'em: Remember the Sabbath

I'll have a hot dog with that. Thank-you very much.

Christian Civility

Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary writes a great post, Evangelical Manners, that concludes with the following,

"Why are we so afraid actually to “reach” out with an invitation to have lunch with folks with whom we disagree? Or maybe it is not so much that we are afraid, but that we don’t even think about the need to do that kind of thing. Why not?"

I agree with Dr. Mouw and I would ask him out for lunch in spite of that (*smiles*)...it is definitely the Baptist thing to do, but something that we as Baptists seem to have lost in our heritage.

There is something about fresh-outa-the-oven chocolate chip cookies that can turn the sourest of conversations into something extraordinarily pleasant. Of course, good Baptists can argue over whose recipe is better/best while inhaling said cookies at an alarming rate. We are an amazing lot, aren't we? Pass the milk, please?

Belmont and Union Mentioned in the Same Article

It is such a rare occasion that newspapers (even the Tennessee Baptist newspaper*) mention Union University and Belmont University within the same article, I thought it appropriate to share with my Baptist friends how that is done (via chattanoogan.com):

"To be considered for inclusion in the list of 100, an institution must be an accredited, four-year institution offering bachelor's degrees and full residential facilities. It also must have had an entering freshman class in fall 2006 with a high school grade point average and/or SAT/ACT score equal to or above the national average, and an out-of-state attendance cost in 2007-08 not exceeding the national average by more than 10 percent.

The other schools ranked in Tennessee were: Belmont University, Tennessee Tech University, Union University, UT-Knoxville and UT-Martin."

See, that didn't hurt at all, did it?

Congratulations Belmont and Union (and the others as well)!

* For those keeping score, Belmont is still listed as a TBC institution although rarely mentioned in a positive (i.e. fair and balanced) light in the Baptist & Reflector, Tennessee's official Baptist newspaper.

I Recognize My Fallibility

Among Baptist bloggers, I consider the voice of Wade Burleson to be one of the very few who can simultaneously rattle our comfort zones and gracefully engage a range of opposing perspectives. I admire that quality as being fundamental to what Baptists should be about. We need to be uncomfortable with the condition of our world, the condition of our denomination, and our personal, 'oft-too-comfy' conditions. We need, also, to talk to one another in a manner that reflects Grace, even when we bitterly strongly disagree. I share this quote from Wade's blog as good food for thought:

"I wonder if dogmatism against women in ministry might one day be viewed the same as we now view Southern Baptists former dogmatism in defending slavery. I don't know. I'm just asking. It's one of the reasons I refuse to be dogmatic on my complementarian beliefs and will listen to my friends who are egalitarian.

This does not mean I doubt the Word of God. I fully trust God's Word. It means I fully comprehend my own fallibility in properly interpreting the Word of God. Let's dialogue about the issue. Let's debate the issue. Let's disagree over the issue. But we should never DIVIDE over the issue. There are far more important doctrines that UNITE us."

I, too, recognize my fallibility...I take that as a reminder that God isn't finished with me (yet), nor is he finished with those who may not agree with me. Some day, I hope that Baptists will be viewed as a strongly united body because of our ability to accept differences...rather than a divided body shredded by our inability to recognize our personal fallibilities.

With all that being said, we simply MUST agree that coffee is the official drink of SBC Sunday School...then, we can argue until we are silly over which creamer (if allowed), is divinely inspired. So there! *big smile*

I Remember Sputnik

...and it was a little scary.

Today's San Francisco Chronicle described the spacecraft:

"...a small and rather silly-looking thing, 23 inches in diameter and 184 pounds, with four feathery antennas swept back like a windblown comb-over from its high-gloss sphere."

Oddly enough, that same description matches that of my childhood pastor, except he was a little larger than 23 inches in diameter.

I am just sayin'...(to use the vernacular of today)

I Want to Hear Ron Paul

I received the following hand-written note yesterday from an old friend in Bowling Green, Kentucky. With his permission, I post his thoughts (expletives deleted) here:

Ron Paul is coming to Nashville: 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the War Memorial Auditorium. Pass the word. I believe this man has a message that needs to be heard, particularly for Democratic Party and Republican Party refugees. I have long believed that we elect people to represent us...it seems that our system of governance has turned that against us and we now elect political 'parties' to represent us. From my seat, I see two parties that are neither willing or able to work together to govern or represent their respective constituencies. I also see elected leaders who spend more time working to insure their re-election that working to represent...that is simply wrong.

If it means that I have to revolt against a two-party system, I am ready. Neither party offers me a presidential choice that I can support in good conscience. I have considered the thought that voting for an independent candidate is a wasted vote and that it might help elect someone that I do not want in office. I have voted for party candidates my entire life and feel now that I have wasted my vote by allowing a failing 'party' system to continue the demise of a representative government. If I am to 'waste' my vote, I intend to do so with a clear conscience.

Don Gray
(Edited and Posted by Will)

Baptists Discover/Confirm Peter Principle

Does anyone remember reading The Peter Principle? It is a book that deals with our tendancy to promote people to their highest level of incompetence. With all of the controversy pinging around Southern Baptist pastors who are now in institutional leadership positions, I hope someone will take the following quote from an apbnews.com article to heart:

“I’ll put it this way. He’s a great preacher, a great family man. He represents the seminary well. But he’s lacking in administration and people skills. And in order for the seminary to grow, you have to have these things.”

It is probably just me, but it seems that far too many men with seminary degrees have ended up in Southern Baptist leadership/management positions with neither the skills, training, or natural ability to actually manage. We seem to be perfectly capable of ruining great ministers by electing them to leadership positions in our institutions assuming that great ministers = great managers. Recent history is ripe with examples...think about it.