By Joe Dupree Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE/PONCHATOULA – Coming from South Korea to the United States of America, more specifically Louisiana, can be quite the culture shock for most people. But not for 50 Korean children, who say it is something they look forward to every year. The children are part of a cooperative area between churches in South Korea and Louisiana. “It is a large cooperative effort here,” said Susan Duke, Camp USA coordinator. “It brings our local churches together, working towards the same thing. It's foreign missions taking place right here at home.” Having around 50 Korean children was a chance for local churches, such as Gateway Baptist, Kingsville Baptist, Faith Baptist, The Gathering Place, and Cross-Branded Cowboy Church to experience their culture and to also share the American culture with the children as the gospel is displayed each day through Vacation Bible School and other activities put on by the different churches. “Most of the children go to church and believe in Jesus,” said BongJun Ko, one of the Korean adult sponsors. “After they spend time here they can take what they have learned and bring it back home to their families and churches.” One local family, who happened to … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2015
ERLC endorses bill to defund Planned Parenthood
By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) - The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission endorsed legislation to defund Planned Parenthood on the same day a fourth video was released showing an official of the abortion organization discussing trade in baby body parts. ERLC President Russell Moore wrote the leaders of both houses of Congress July 30 to announce the entity's support for a bill to eliminate federal funding for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates. In his letter, Moore told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House John Boehner the ERLC backs "the swiftest of congressional action possible" to defund Planned Parenthood. McConnell has promised to hold a vote on the ERLC-endorsed bill, S. 1881, before the Senate's August recess, which officially begins Aug. 10. The House of Representatives held no vote on defunding Planned Parenthood before it essentially entered its August recess July 29. Advocates of defunding Planned Parenthood face a difficult task. The Senate must have 60 votes, instead of just a majority, to prevent a filibuster and gain passage of the bill. President Obama opposes the defunding effort and would almost … [Read more...]
More than building and walls: Truck crashes into Erwinville Baptist sanctuary, driver flees scene
By Message Staff ERWINVILLE – Police are searching for the suspect who allegedly crashed a truck into the sanctuary at Erwinville Baptist Church and fled the scene of the accident earlier this month. According to Pastor Tyler Saucier, the vehicle was traveling at 80 mph when it hit the building around 2 am on July 19, causing major damage including to the walls and foundation of the sanctuary. He estimates damage is between $50,000 and $60,000. Saucier lives in a parsonage next to the sanctuary and heard the truck crash into the building. He said the vehicle driven was a maroon Chevrolet extended cab Z71, with significant damage to the passenger side. Even though the sanctuary sustained damage, worship services still took place a few hours later. The church met for services in the fellowship hall, where the congregation that averages 50 for Sunday morning worship will continue to meet until the sanctuary is repaired. Saucier said he wants the driver of the truck to know he is forgiven. “I am more worried about giving him a second chance than making him pay,” Saucier said. “I think God can use of this to make our church realize we are more than just building and walls. “Our worship has been great in the Sundays … [Read more...]
Horn, Walker pray for healing at huge prayer event following theater shooting
By Philip Timothy Managing Editor LAFAYETTE – Two prominent Louisiana Southern Baptist pastors were among the more than 50 pastors who spoke and prayed Wednesday night, July 29, in what is being hailed as the ‘largest prayer event to ever take place in Lafayette.” Steve Horn, pastor of First Baptist Church, Lafayette, and Mike Walker, senior pastor of Bayou Church, in Lafayette, spoke and offered words of encouragement at the inter-denominational gathering, which was attended by more than 3,000 people from 50 churches. The gathering, which was held at the Crossroads Church in Lafayette, came in the wake of the deadly shooting July 23 at the Grand Theater by John Russell Houser during the showing of ‘Train Wreck.’ The drifter from Alabama shot and killed two young women and wounded nine others before taking his own life. Horn and Walker said during times like these there is a need for God. “Wow! Three thousand people are gathering to pray for the families of the victims and our community,” Walker posted to the church’s Facebook page during the event. “I’ve been ministering for more 38 years in this town and there has never been something [the prayer event] of this magnitude,” Walker said. “There is incredible power … … [Read more...]
Church plants networking statewide
By Joe Dupree Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA - Making disciples that make disciples. That is the goal of the local church. To further grow the Kingdom of God for His glory. Since 2010, Louisiana has seen 114 Southern Baptist new churches spring up across the state. In 2015, Louisiana Baptists have already supported 26 church plants across the state with a projection of 40 new church plants by the end of the year. This summer, Church Planting Network, led by Lane Corley, Louisiana Baptist Convention church planting strategist, hosted luncheons across the state where over 100 leaders attended to get new ideas on how to start more church plants. These leaders learned that the best resource for church planting was the people. The Bible calls believers to go and spread the good news to all people. They learned how to gather, develop, encourage, deploy, and depend upon people. … [Read more...]
Prayer events to help Lafayette community to heal following deadly shooting
By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor LAFAYETTE – First Baptist Lafayette is partnering with 34 other local churches to promote two city-wide prayer events tonight and Thursday evening. Tonight’s event – a city-wide prayer service – will be held at Crossroads Church, located at 150 Verona Drive at 7 p.m. while the second will be more of a community memorial service, which is being organized by the Lafayette Consolidated Government and will be held at Blackham Coliseum. These two community events are in response to the tragic shooting deaths of Jillian Johnson, 33, and Mayci Breaux, 21, who were killed by 59-year-old John Russel Houser, an Alabama drifter who opened fire inside a crowded movie theater in Lafayette. On July 23 around 7:30 pm on during a showing of the movie “Trainwreck”, Houser of Phenix City, Ala., got up from his seat at the Grand Theatre off Johnston Street and opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun according to Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft. Johnson and Breaux, who were sitting in front of him along with nine others where shot killing both of them and wounding nine others who were transported to three area hospitals for treatment. Houser tried to escape by blending into the fleeing crowd after one of … [Read more...]
Horn: Boy Scouts’ decision puts churches in precarious position
By Philip Timothy Managing Editor Despite the strenuous objections of many religious organizations throughout the United States, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Boy Scouts of America voted to end its blanket ban on gay adult leaders on the evening of July 27 but will allow church-sponsored Scout units to maintain the exclusion for religious reasons. By a 45-12 vote during a closed-to-the-media teleconference, the BSA’s National Executive Board approved the new policy, which takes effect immediately. In a statement on the organization's website, the BSA said "chartered organizations will continue to select their adult leaders and religious chartered organizations may continue to use religious beliefs as criteria for selecting adult leaders, including in matters of sexuality." "This change allows Scouting's members and parents to select local units, chartered to organizations with similar beliefs, that best meet the needs of their families. This change also respects the right of religious chartered organizations to choose adult volunteer leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own," the statement read. The message BSA’s president, former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gate,s sent may also have … [Read more...]
Churches may have to cease their BSA sponsorship regarding the new ruling
NASHVILLE (BP) -- The Boy Scouts of America's executive board has voted to lift the Scouts' national ban on gay adult leaders and employees -- a move Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd said may hasten the exodus of Southern Baptists from Scouting. "Sadly and regrettably, I believe churches who stand on the biblical ethic of sexuality will have to cease their sponsorship and involvement in the Boy Scouts of America," Floyd told Baptist Press in written comments. "I also believe it is important that everyone understands that in reality, it is the Boy Scouts of America that is walking away from their historic heritage that has been embraced by the vast majority of Americans." The BSA executive board approved the policy change, which is effective immediately, by a 79-percent majority, the Scouts' website reported. The vote occurred during a July 27 conference call. The BSA will continue to allow troops chartered by religious organizations to exclude gays from volunteer leadership positions if homosexual behavior is incompatible with chartering organizations' religious beliefs. One Baptist leader told The Washington Post that concession may only be temporary, and churches could be forced eventually to accept … [Read more...]
What Does Love Have To Do With It?
By Joe Gutherie, Lewiston Baptist Church, Kentwood The recent United States Supreme Court opinion in favor of same-sex marriage was based on the premise that the love between two individuals is the essence of marriage. Everyone from President Obama on down has based their argument for same-sex marriage simply on if two people love each other, then that gives them the right to be married. The day the decision was reached, the pro same-sex marriage contingent proudly waved their banners “Love Wins.” One must now ask the question what is love? And is it the love between two people, or the love for God that is most important? In answering these questions, only one opinion should be considered and that is the opinion of God as found in his Holy Scriptures. God’s first commission to man was to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, Genesis 1:28. In order to accomplish this mandate according to God’s will, He instituted marriage between one man and one woman, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh, Genesis 2:24. The formula for marriage, as ordained by God, was leave, cleave, one flesh - only sex between a married husband and his wife is … [Read more...]
26-year-old in faceoff with Planned Parenthood
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BP) -- A 26-year-old activist with a video camera has moved to the forefront of cultural challengers to the nation's largest abortion provider. David Daleiden and his group Center for Medical Progress are in the process of releasing a much-publicized series of videos he says show Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) senior executives involved in selling baby body parts. The first video, released July 14, showed PPFA Senior Director of Medical Services Dr. Deborah Nucatola admitting to using partial-birth abortions to get intact body parts to sell. Daleiden released a second video July 21 showing another PPFA senior executive -- Dr. Mary Gatter, president of PPFA's Medical Directors' Council -- haggling over the price of body parts and offering to use abortion methods that will not destroy the parts -- what she called "less crunchy techniques." Questions of federal law surround both the sale of fetal tissue as well as abortions involving fetal tissue collection. How did Daleiden get these videos? "We conducted a 30-month-long investigative journalism project," he told WORLD News Service. Daleiden said he spent months networking and building relationships, noting, "You can't just walk in off … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 8
- Next Page »