By Message Staff Louisiana Baptist students turned out Wednesday on their campuses to pray for their family, friends, nation and school during the annual See You At The Pole. Nearly 250 students turned out at North DeSoto Middle School in Stonewall to sing, hear a short message on Acts 1:14 and pray. Jacob Ambrose, minister of local ministry evangelism at Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport, led worship and several students from the school led prayers. "God is doing some amazing things in our schools and in our community," said Zachary Almarode, youth pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Stonewall. "I was extremely ecstatic. To see that many students show up early to school to pray gives me chill bumps. What an encouragement. The next great revival in this nation will come from this generation." Turnout also was high at Alexandria Senior High School. Billy Lonsberry, lead student minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, was excited to see so many young people show up early to school for prayer. "These kids did an amazing job leading their peers this morning in prayer asking God to move in the hearts of students, their administration, their school board, our city officials, law enforcement, fire & … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2015
House OKs PPFA defunding, abortion survivors bills
By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted Sept. 18 to defund Planned Parenthood in the wake of the release of undercover videos providing evidence the organization trades in baby body parts. On the same date, the House also approved legislation to protect babies who survive abortions. House members passed the bills in the face of President Obama’s promise to veto both measures. Representatives voted 241-187 for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, H.R. 3134. The bill would place a one-year moratorium on federal money for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates while Congress investigates the organization. The vote came after the release since mid-July of 10 secretly recorded videos that show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of organs from aborted children and acknowledging their willingness to manipulate the abortion procedure to preserve body parts for sale and use. The videos also provided evidence of cutting into live babies to remove organs. The House passed the Born-alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, H.R. 3504, by 248-177. The proposal -- which builds on the 2002 Born-alive Infants Protection Act -- would require … [Read more...]
Baptists ‘not threatened’ by pope’s U.S. visit
By David Roach, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) - As Pope Francis visits the U.S., Southern Baptist leaders say they stand with his statements of biblical morality but urge Catholics to reject the Vatican's official teaching on salvation in favor of a personal relationship with Christ by faith alone. Russell Moore, president of Southern Baptists' Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, hopes Francis will speak to key moral concerns being debated in the public square during his Sept. 22-27 U.S. visit. "I hope the pope speaks with clarity about the dignity of all human life, including that of the unborn; the stability of the family, including the necessity of mothers and fathers for children; and religious liberty for all," Moore told Baptist Press in written comments. "I also hope he speaks directly as he has before to our responsibility for the most vulnerable among us, the poor, the prisoner, the immigrant and the orphan." R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, agrees and wants Francis to clarify his "decidedly mixed signals" regarding multiple issues, including human sexuality. "This pope's method is to speak to the theological left and the theological right with two different … [Read more...]
Critics say Janet Napolitano’s university statement against intolerance could violate free speech
By Kelly Ledbetter, Christian Examiner OAKLAND, Calif. (Christian Examiner) – The University of California (UC) system, under pressure to address recent anti-Semitism demonstrations, has proposed a draft of a Statement of Principles Against Intolerance, which could potentially infringe on the free speech rights of students, faculty, and staff. "Intolerance has no place at the University of California," the statement declared. "Everyone in the University community has the right to study, teach, conduct research, and work free from acts and expressions of intolerance." Numerous critics have raised the concern that UC's statement, written by UC President Janet Napolitano and others, would unnecessarily limit free speech rights on campus. Napolitano served as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009-2013 for the Obama administration. To read more, click here. … [Read more...]
WMU: More than ever, pray for IMB missionaries
By Julie Walters, WMU BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- As International Mission Board personnel who are eligible for the organization's voluntary retirement incentive prayerfully consider God's leading, Woman's Missionary Union leaders are calling for more intense prayer and support for Southern Baptist missionaries. "Ongoing, focused prayer for our missionaries has always been a foundational component of missions discipleship through WMU," said Wanda S. Lee, executive director of national WMU. "It is both a privilege and responsibility to lift up our missionaries in prayer, and so vital right now as they are making potentially life-changing decisions." National WMU will host a special time of prayer for international missionaries during an observance of the Week of Prayer for International Missions at WMU's headquarters in Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 3. In addition to prayer, WMU is seeking to help missionaries who decide to return to the U.S. with housing and transportation. Missionary housing has long been a ministry provided by WMU through a password-protected database of available housing for missionaries. WMU provides counsel to those who want to learn more about starting a missionary house ministry and facilitates … [Read more...]
Not so fast: Federal judge says Arkansas cannot defund Planned Parenthood
By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Christian Examiner) – A little more than a month after Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison ordered his state to dissolve its Medicaid provider contract with the scandal-plagued abortion provider Planned Parenthood, a federal judge has ordered it reinstated – but perhaps only temporarily. On Sept. 18, U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker granted a request from Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the Arkansas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union to block the defunding of the organization for 14 days, even after a series of 10 videos surfaced showing abortion providers negotiating the sale of fetal body parts with undercover operatives from the Center for Medical Progress. The cancellation of the Medicaid provider contract – a state contract – was to have taken effect Sept. 20. Now, both sides in the case will have two weeks to prepare further arguments as to why the funding should be permanently reinstated or denied. To read more, click here. … [Read more...]
Georgia Barnette fuels launch of multi-media initiative
By John Kyle, Louisiana Baptists Communications Director Church planting, compassion ministries, missions education and other missions-related endeavors are what typically come to mind when one thinks of state missions. In Louisiana, you can add multi-media outreach to the list. Here for You is a multi-media evangelism strategy for local churches that has become a significant part of Louisiana Baptists state missions efforts. Launched in southwest Louisiana in the summer of 2014, Here for You is a multi-platform media strategy designed to give every person in Louisiana the opportunity to say “yes” to a relationship with Jesus. According to Louisiana Baptists Communication Director John Kyle, the basis for Here for You comes from a parable of Jesus. “In Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable that includes the admonition to ‘go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.’” Kyle said. “What does this look like in 2015 and beyond? How can we get inside people’s smart phones, tablets, TV’s and other communication platforms?” Since July 2014 the spots have aired over 7,800 times on broadcast and cable outlets in southwest and northeast Louisiana. They have generated more than 135,000 online views via the splash … [Read more...]
IMB forum spotlights a unique opportunity for African Americans Baptists
By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – When it comes to international missions, the African American community may be “a sleeping giant,” said Keith Jefferson, IMB African American missional church strategist, at a recent IMB Forum at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans. The event highlighted that the time is now and the opportunity great for African American churches to invest in international missions. While a lack of missions education and exposure has been a damper to African American participation in the past, the tide is changing. “[Awareness] is beginning to grow,” Jefferson said. Fred Luter, Jr., host pastor, told the group of mostly African American lay persons and pastors that he participated in his first international mission trip – to Africa – while president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Luter served as president from 2012-14. Stories from IMB leaders of Africans that asked, “Where are the people who look like us?” convicted him, Luter said. “I was bitten by the bug of foreign missions,” Luter said. He added later, “Once you go, you always want to go back.” Featured speakers included Tony Mathews, senior pastor of North Garland Baptist Fellowship, Garland, Texas and … [Read more...]
Retiring Carson will be honored at a reception Sept. 27
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WINNSBORO – In his 50 years of ministry, James Carson has pastored Baptist churches in Texas and Louisiana for 37 years. But it’s the last 13 years as director of missions for the Tri-Association that have given Carson one of the greatest joys and fulfillments of his ministerial career. “What a privilege and blessing it has been to meet so many wonderful people and to work with some of the finest pastors of our churches,” Carson said. “I still believe these three associations are the finest in the Louisiana Baptist Convention.” After serving the churches in Caldwell, Deer Creek and Richland Baptist Associations since Feb. 1, 2002, Carson has felt led to retire from his position on Sept. 30. The reason, Carson said, is because after much prayer and thought he felt led by the Lord that now is the right time. “I have been blessed beyond measure to have made lifelong relationships with so many people through these last 50 years of ministry,” he said. To honor his time of service as director of missions, a reception is scheduled for Sept. 27 from 2 to 4 pm at the Temple Baptist Church Family Life Center in Winnsboro. Keith Dowden, pastor of South Central Baptist Church in … [Read more...]
Celebrating 20-year partnership, NOBTS dedicates new facility at Angola
By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter ANGOLA – Celebrating a 20-year partnership that has changed lives and deployed “missionaries,” New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary/Leavell College recently dedicated a new facility with expanded classroom and library space at Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola. The Aug. 27 dedication followed a graduation ceremony marking the program’s 278th graduate. “This has been the most spectacular day we could ever have,” said Warden Burl Cain. “We have a new seminary building; we doubled our capacity; and, it means less victims of violent crime.” The Joan Horner Center, an 11,000 square foot building with a computer lab, two classrooms, an auditorium and library, was named in memory of benefactor Joan Horner, founder of Premier Designs of Dallas, who with husband Andy Horner were long-time supporters of the Angola ministry. An anonymous donor provided funds for the structure. James LeBlanc, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Corrections, echoed Cain’s correlation between the program’s success and a state-wide drop in repeat offenders, crediting as a factor the work of 35 NOBTS “missionaries,” graduates who asked to transfer to other Louisiana prisons in order to plant new … [Read more...]
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