And That's The Way It Is

by Bob Setzer, Jr.
With the death of Walter Cronkite, I lost a piece of my childhood. Growing up, he was the presence, the Voice, who reassured my family and me all was right with the world.

Of course, even then, we knew everything wasn’t alright: Vietnam, Kent State, riots in the streets, JFK and MLK, Jr. shot down in cold blood. But somehow, Walter’s calm, grandfatherly demeanor helped us believe the sun would rise again tomorrow. There was still hope. The latest crisis wasn’t the end of the world.

How reassuring to hear at 6:59 each evening, “And that’s the way it is.” Contrast that with the wimpy sign offs of today’s anchors: “I hope you have a good day” or “We hope to see you right back here tomorrow night.” When Katie Couric came on as the CBS anchor in 2006, she even appealed to her viewers to suggest her tagline. How the world has changed. Today, anybody with a cell phone camera and a Twitter account can be a “journalist.”

True, Walter’s trademark phrase was a little over the top. It’s impossible to distill the essence of the world situation down to 22 minutes, not counting commercials. But his weighty pronouncement held out the hope there is such a thing as real, objective truth in a world of ever-changing perceptions. Yes, “the truth” is best arrived at by interviewing multiple witnesses, listening to alternative interpretations of a given event, and making sure women and people of color--and not just middle-aged white guys like Walter and me--have their say. But at the end of the day, there is real truth to be found if the news isn’t reduced to entertainment or political posturing.

The New Testament pulsates with just such a conviction. There is not just one witness, but four to the epoch-making, world-reshaping event of Jesus Christ: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each speaks with a distinctive voice arising from his own life experience and the pressures and questions driving his witness. But all four Gospels share the conviction God has come near in a decisive way in Jesus Christ, and that his life, death, and resurrection change everything. As the book of Hebrews declares in its opening salvo, “Long ago God spoke in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days God has spoken to us by a Son” (Heb. 1:2).

The church doesn’t exist to pretend there are certain special people who have everything figured out. But in a world where increasingly the mantra is, “One person’s truth is as good as another’s,” we do have a holy obligation to keep our heads and hearts clear about the One who is “the way, the Truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Walter Cronkite understood the elemental human hunger to know the Big Truth above and beyond all the little truths. Let’s hope God’s Good News people do also.

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Vacation Bible School 2009

Thank you to all the children and workers who helped make VBS a great success.

From July 13-17, Kids experienced God through Bible stories, crafts, recreation, snacks, missions, music, science experiments and relationships. The time allowed kids to learn the Bible in various ways while building relationships with other kids and adults.

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The Day She Was Remembered

by Ed Grisamore
In his July 10th Telegraph column, Ed Grisamore compared Ruth Cheves’ memorial service with the Michael Jackson service held the same week. The column is a classic and appears here in a in a slightly abridged form -- Dr. Bob

There was no gold casket in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church on Thursday morning, only a gold picture frame.

There were three dozen roses and two candles at the altar. A needlepoint bookmark, made by Ruth Cheves, rested against the pages of an open Bible. There were no TV cameras on the steps, no paparazzi at the top of Poplar Street. Nobody pulled out a Blackberry to dispatch details of the funeral on “Twitter.”

I sat in the third pew, with my wife and mother, and listened to the tributes, scripture readings, beautiful music and heartfelt eulogy. If only the world could have seen this, too, I thought.

Four days ago, the planet paused to watch Michael Jackson’s memorial service. About 30.9 million viewers tuned in — more than for Ronald Reagan’s funeral but less than Princess Di’s — as if it were a ratings contest. Only about 100 people attended Ruth’s service. I’m sure Miss Ruth never would have approved of turning her farewell into a box-office attraction, anyway.

I did not watch the memorial for the “King of Pop.” Although I applaud his humanitarian efforts, his rather bizarre lifestyle was hardly worthy of hero worship. (Frankly, he lost me after the Jackson Five.) He was, however, an extraordinary talent. I’ve never seen anybody move like M.J.

Miss Ruth never married and lived alone. I once served as her deacon. For years, my family invited her to join us at Thanksgiving. She was born in 1918, grew up in Fort Hill, went to school at Fort Hawkins and joined First Baptist Church when she was 6 years old. She never caused a ripple of trouble, except for some mischief the time she and a few childhood friends waxed the trolley tracks with soap, causing a slight derailment.

Ruth was a pioneer in working with special needs children. Her studies in the field were among the first published in the U.S. She spent 16 years in the Christianity department at Mercer.

She was an avid reader and served as our church librarian. She loved crossword puzzles and classical music. She never needed a dial on her radio. She kept it planted on FM-89.7, the local public radio station.

In 1974, she was the only Georgia woman (and one of 132 in the country) asked to contribute a needlepoint panel for the United Nations in New York. She put 40,000 stitches into her square, which represented Russia.

No, I wasn’t much of a Michael Jackson fan, but I did belong to Ruth’s fan club. Her memorial service replicated the way she lived her life. No fanfare. More substance than glorification.

She was one of those saints who lived her life, served her Lord and would have been proud of the way she was remembered.

(Used by permission of the Macon Telegraph)

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The Shoeless Boy

by Bob Setzer, Jr.
On Tuesday, a little boy wandered into my office with one sandal off his foot. His mother was at the church helping to prepare for next week’s Vacation Bible School (VBS). As mom met nearby with Julie, her son went exploring and winded up on my doorstep.

I knelt to help him with his wayward sandal. After it was properly secured, he beamed and went merrily on his way.

Not long afterwards, my study door slowly swung open. I turned see my young friend bearing a pair of men’s hiking boots. I got up to greet him and he placed the boots at my feet as though they were a trophy. It was his way of saying “Thank you.” I was blessed.

Very shortly, Mom came and found her wandering son. She explained with a chuckle she spent a good part of her day trying to keep shoes on his feet. And alas, I discovered the boots were not mine to keep, but were meant for a VBS display elsewhere in the building. I gave up the boots, but the blessing remained.

One of the perks of being a pastor is getting to have children in one’s life, even after all the children in one’s home are gone. Jesus taught children are vital to our spiritual growth: “Unless you change and become like children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 18:3). Here Jesus pointed to the need for a natural, trusting love in the One he called Abba, Father. Indeed, discovering that the awesome Creator of the cosmos is also a most loving, gentle, and attentive Parent is in at the heart of entering the Kingdom of God.

Children bring a joy and spontaneity to life that keeps super-serious adults from dying of sheer boredom. Children keep us vital, young, and alive. No wonder Jesus chided his disciples when the “big boys” pushed the children away (Matthew 19:14). He needed the children as much as they needed him. Indeed, it’s hard to become like children when there are no children around. That’s why churches without children are destined to die.

Next week, our church will be teeming with children as we host an extravagant, grace-filled, Bible-rich celebration called Vacation Bible School. From nine till - 12:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, our staff ministers and many volunteer leaders will be teaching the children about Jesus. But if my encounter with the shoeless boy is any indication, the children will also be teaching us.

Drop in next week for a much needed shot of child-induced enthusiasm. Or join us next Friday at 12:15 p.m. for the VBS Commencement program and lunch, complete with jubilant VBSers waving their arms and singing their songs. It will do your heart good. And Jesus will be smiling.

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