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RELIGION
THURSDAY, JUNE 29. 2006
Life IB
Judged by
observers
Do you know that you are
being watched on a daily basis
by non-bdievers as well as by
fellow believers?
In fact, you are continually
being judged by these same
non-behevers on how you
carry yourself in certain situa
tions. This observation is not
something that can be
charged or affected by you-
nor should you really want it
to be. It’s of benefit to you
because it allows you to
remain held responsible to the
faith. Good, bad, or oiherwise,
people will continue to
observe what you say and do,
where you go, what you read,
how you dress, what your pas
times are, where and how you
worship, and how you get
along with others.
Likewise in the line of obser
vation is Christ’s church-
which we the body of believers
all represent. If the saints are
not exemplifying Christ in
their words and actions and
hfestjie, and in their relation
ships witii one another, this
sends a very poor mess^e to
those who might want to get
to know Christ better and
eventually make Him the
Lord of their lives.
Christian leaders especially
need to be out in fix/nt show
ing the way by example, but
they also must be modeling
faithful servanthood-the prac
tice of serving others accord
ing to what the master
expects.
Psalm 133:1 says, ‘Hehold,
how good and how pleasant it
is for brethren to dwell togeth
er in unity!” Not only is tinity
a great blessing fix/m God to
His people, but it also opens
the door for evangelism (see
John 17:20-21). A lack of
unity speaks volumes to the
non-Christian world the
church is trying to win to
Christ.
Such an approach is con
trary to what is usually heard
in the corporate world, where
power and assertiveness are
greatly valued. We must
remember that Christ’s king
dom is not of this world (see
John 18:36). It does not have
the same goals, nor does it uti
lize the methods so fi:^uently
employed by the world at
large. All believers need to
aspire to be servants of Christ.
LESSON BACKGROUND
In last week’s lesson we saw
how Paul took his readers-
The Corinthians-to task for
aUovidng themselves to be
divided over personalities. In
today’s text, Paul pursued this
matter further as he com
pared the true judgment of
God with the faulty judg
ments of men.
QUESTIONS
Faithful Stewards-1
Corinthians 4:1-2.
1. What is the meaning of
the word translated “minis
ters” (1 Cor. 4:1)?
The word “minister”-as Paul
uses it in this verse-translates
as servant, or “any subordi
nate acting under another’s
direction” (\hie. An Ejqwsito-
ry Dictionary of New Tfesta-
ment Words, Revell). Paul
Please see MAINTAIN/7B
PHOTO/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dorothy Counts, 15, the first black student to attend Harding High School in Charlotte, is followed from school
by shouting white students on Sept 5,1957. Dr. Edwin Tompkins (right), a family friend, escorted her.
Note of reconciliation
in 1957, Woody Cooper stood by while Dorothy
Counts was taunted at Harding High School.
His faith led him to ask her forgiveness.
By Angela Lindsay
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
She was the brave 15-year-old
black girl who walked gracefully into
the halls of then Harding High
School (now Irwin Avenue Open Ele
mentary School) on September 4,
1957 amidst a hostile chorus of jeers
and spitting.
He was the white senior classman
who watched quietly fix)m the crowd
as the historio event unfolded in fix)nt
of him.
Snce that day. Woody Cooper has
been carrying around the guilt of
standing idly by rather than coming
to the defense of Dorothy Coimts-
Scoggins’ as she took some of the first
steps toward integrating the Char-
lotte-Meddenburg School System.
‘L didn’t want to be. different fium
anybody else,” Cooper admitted. “So
I didn’t say anything, and that trou
bled me.” So, earlier this year, almost
fifty years later, Cooper finally con
tacted Counts-Scoggins to teU her so.
“It was a relief that I finally
stepped out-somethuig I should have
done fifty years ago,” said Cooper, 65,
describing the emotions he felt as he
sat down to write a letter to Counts-
Scoggins.
Though he had considered it
before. Cooper says his decision actu
ally to contact her was inspired by a
particular Sunday school lesson led
by Sam Smith, an adult Sunday
School teacher.at Assurance United
Methodist Church. Smith’s lesson
was premised on a sermon given by
C. Eric Lincoln in 1983 entitled
“Have You Been to Damascus”. The
scriptural basis for the sermon came
fix)m the story of the stoning of
Stephen in the Book of Acts. In this
text, a young man named Saul (Paul)
stood by silently and watched the
Please see FAITH/6B
Baptist women’s group will stay independent
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tbnn;-The
Southern Baptist Convention
has rejected a proposal from
its own executive committee
to biit^ the world’s largest
Protestant missionary group
for women imder its control.
The executive committee
wanted the Woman’s Mission-
ary Union either to explidtiy
reaffirm its “exclusive piumo-
tion” 5f Southern Baptist mis
sions or to simply become a
branch of the Nashville-based
SBC. But the delegates to the
Southern Baptist Conven
tion’s annual meeting-
known as “messengers”—
voted down that proposal in
Greensboro.
Formed in 1888, the
Woman’s Missionary Union is
considered an “auxiliary”—or
helper—to the denomination.
but it has always been self-
governing and financially
independent. Some critics
have said the eiecutive com
mittee’s proposal was meant
to keep the WMU fix>m work-
ii^ with more moderate, non-
SBC Baptist groups.
Dedicated to encouraging
missionary work, the Birm
ingham, Ala.-based WMU
has about 1 million members.
It has an annual budget of
about $11 million, which
comes mainly fix/m book and
magazine sales.
Even if the motion had
passed, the independent
WMU could have rejected the
idea. Wanda Lee, the WMU’s
executive director, has said
the group’s current status as
an auxiliary works well and
shouldn’t be changed.
Inmates strip-searched after religious services
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAWRENCEVILLE, Va.-
Brunswick Correctional Car
ter officers have been strip
searching inmates after some
church services, and a reli
gious leader for the prison
S5^tem wants the practice
stopped.
“This is not appropriate—
strip-searches following wor
ship services,” said Cecil E.
McFarland, president of the
Chaplain Service of the
Churches of \%’ginia Inc., a
Protestant chaplain service
for aU state prisons.
Brunswick—a 700-mmate,
medium-security facility—
apparently is the only prison
in the state with a post-ser
vice search policy McFarland
said.
Department of Corrections
spokesman Larry Traylor
.said Brunswick inmates are
strip-searched because ser
vices are hdd in a visitation
section outside the prison’s
secure area, increasing the
possibihty that contraband
might be smuggled inride.
Nevertheless, inmate
Calvin E. Lipscomb of South
Boston said some of the 70 to
75 prisoners attending a ser
vice in the visiting area June
1 were disturbed when seven
officers entered the room and
pulled out rubber gloves.
“Some have vowed, I’m not
coming back. It don’t make no
difference who comes, what
type of service it is, I just ain’t
comity,”’ said Lipscomb, who
is serving a 30-year sentence
for three cormts of involun
tary manslaughter.
‘'When they strip-search
you ... you take off everything
that you have on and squat
and cough as they do a cavity
Please see INMATES/6B
N.C.-bred
ministry
builds on
reputation
Dr. Sir Walter L. Mack Jr.
& The Union Baptist
Church Music Ministry
Going On With
Jesus, Anyhow
Carlos Fowler, producer
Winston-Salem’s Union
Baptist Church is striving to
become a nationally known
music ministry with its first
recording. It may well on
the way in doir^ so.
“Going On With Jesus, Any
how” isn’t a great recording,
but is better than some recent
outings by veteran artists.
The sound isn’t consistent. At
times it sounds as if it.was
recorded vrith hand-held
equipment. The microphone
levels vary and the mix isn’t
dean.
That aside, the music and
performances are generally
good. Assistant musical direc
tor Carlos Fowler wrote, pro
duced and arranged the bulk
of this CD and has done a fine
job. There’s a nice mix of con
temporary and traditional
songs. Even so, the entire CD
is very churchy The majority
is performed by the church
choir, with the youth choir
contributir^ two songs.
There are a few times when
sor^ and vocalist really con
nect. Carolyn Napper is fiery-
on “Stand Up Be A Witness.”
The song is churchy and so is
Napper, whipping the congre
gation into a fixinzy with ol’
school fervor. Vergie “Cookie”
Hart is just as effective on
“Going On With Jesus,” a
heart-twisting ballad that
sounds like her personal testi
mony
'The most entertaining
moments come fix)m Walter
Mack Jr. when he takes the
mic for an old-time revival
workout on “If I Can’t Say A
Word.” Mack’s one of those
singing preachers that lets
the choirs now how it was
done before everything got
fancy
This is not bad for a first
effort. Better thir^ should be
coming.
Church News
The deadline to add announcetnents to the calendar
is noon on Fridays. Fax your announcements to (704)
342-2160 or e-mail cheris.hodges@thecharlot-
tepost.com.
July 9
Shirley Caesar’s outreach ministry will host
its 34th annual conference through July 14 in
Ralrigh at Mount Calvary Word of Faith
Church, located at 3100 Sanderford Road.
'Ib register, visit -www.shirleycaesar.com.
July 11
The Women’s Initiative Network Chapter
Meeting will be held at the Doubletree South-
Park. The guest speaker wUl be Jill Felts,
owner of Classy Creations Jewelry Tb register
log on •www.womensmet.com or call (803)802-
5454.
July 14
University Park Baptist Church, 6029 Beat-
ties Ford Road, will host comic Jonathan
Slocumb at 7:30 p.m. Hckets are $13 if pur
chased in advance and $15 at the door.
o#o
July 16
The 33rd annual Women’s Day Celebration
will be at 4 p.m.
The guest speaks -will be Nfinister Chris
Whitley, first lady of Mount Moriah Baptist
Church
July 22
'The New St. Luke Church’s Youth/Young
Adult Ministry -will sponsor UNITY in Praise
Fest 2006. The outdoor event wiU take place in
the Wmchester parkir^ lot. 910 Winchester
Ave. Rain location: \^finchester Gym (across
street).
August 5
Metrofina Baptist Association will host a
Women Reaching Women Conference, spon
sored by LifeWay 'The e-vent will be held at
Carmel Baptist Church, 1145 Pine-vile-
Matthews Road. For more information, call
(704) 847-8575.