As You Have Done to the Yeast of These
by Norman Miller
"We not only distribute physical food, we give away spiritual food, too. That's why we're in business — to share God's Word," says Anne Grimes, who, along with her husband Bryan formed Harvest Time Foods in Ayden, NC, after a 1981 vision of a rolling pin and bread dough. From a shop under their carport to an automated facility, the Grimes produce chicken pastry — more commonly known as dumplings.
Sold in 17 states, each pastry package includes a Bible verse and the phone number of a 24-hour prayer line. After hearing a prayer or leaving a prayer request, most callers say the verses minister to them amid daily problems.
"No matter how smart you are, or think you are, the only way for a Christian to succeed is to obey God," says Anne. That's the "only way to get where He wants you to be."
Beam Me Up, Lord!
by James A. Smith, Sr.
What do Star Trek's Kirk and Picard, Spock and Data have to do with theology? They represent the culture's shift from modernity to postmodernity, says Baptist theologian Stanley Grenz. To Grenz the voyages of Captain Kirk's Starship Enterprise crew represent modernity: a worldview brought on by the Enlightenment, proposing that truth may be known rationally. Spock, part human, part Vulcan, embodies modernity thinking, "It's logical, Captain."
In contrast, the new breed of trekkies represent postmodernity: truth is relative to each culture; there's no overriding truth for all persons, at all times, in all places. The multi-cultural, multi-ethnic crew of "The Next Generation" often articulate this postmodernity mentality. Evangelicals must respond to this cultural shift in a manner making the Gospel relevant to the culture, Grenz asserts.
We want you to know they have wonderful Bible Drills in Mississippi!
by Jeannie Swafford
Several issues back, we ran a feature on Sword Drills, known now as Bible Drills, and the folks in Mississippi wrote to say we should have included them. After all, they have one of the largest programs in the SBC with 1,634 children and 1,095 youth participating in 1995. Mose Dangerfield, discipleship and family ministry director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention, says this success is due to promotion, leadership training and incentives. The MBC offers Bible Drill for students from 4th to 12th grade, and each year, those who have been participating for all 9 years "drill off" for a scholarship at 1 of 3 Mississippi Baptist Colleges. "I feel this is one of the best things we do as a Convention," says Dangerfield. "In a day when many adults have given up on young people, it's inspiring to see the older youth getting actively involved in the Bible Drill."
McKeever Delivers Sermons from the Pulpit and His Pen
by Debbie Moore
Joe McKeever is a preacher who doubles as a religious editorial cartoonist, or is it the other way around? A regular weekly contributor to just about all the Baptist state newspapers and several secular papers across the country, McKeever has been a pastor since 1962. He has served at FBC, Kenner, LA, a suburb of New Orleans, since 1990.
As to the cartooning, "Mom made my little sister and me draw so she could get her work done!" he says. "When I went to first grade, other kids would gather to watch me draw. To this day, I can outdraw any class of first-graders anywhere!"
More than 250,000 copies of his books of religious cartoons have been sold. These "instant cartoons" are intended to be used for church newsletters. He also produces a special package of cartoons each year to accompany the Baptist Sunday School Board's Winter Bible Study topic.
McKeever even draws when he's listening to others preach, so he encourages his church kids to bring a box of crayons with them to the services. "The kids and I know something the parents and teachers don't know: You can draw with your hands and eyes and still be listening with your ears and heart."
Money's "Best Buys" Drops Samford, Baylor
by Carrie L. Brown
Money magazine dropped Samford University and Baylor University from its "best buys" list because of their emphasis on religion. According to the magazine, the "rankings include only schools whose curriculum and campus life make students of any (or no) faith feel welcome." Although the universities have been included on the list in the past, the magazine determined that the universities' religion-related requirements made them ineligible.
