By Lane Corley, Church Planting, Mission Strategy, & Life in SE Louisiana I enjoy gardening. Even though I’m not very good at it. Why? I don’t always have the time to do what’s necessary to grow and multiply plants to their fullest extent. The best gardeners know how and put in the time to create the right conditions for growth and multiplication. The very best gardeners will start with a greenhouse to nurse the plants in early stages before they are ever put in the ground. A greenhouse is a tool where you can create the perfect conditions for multiplication & growth of plants at all different stages and with various needs. I enjoy gardening in part because of the many parallels it has to church planting and ministry. I’ve began to see church as a greenhouse – a tool to create the right conditions for multiplication & growth OF DISCIPLES. Here are five truths I’m learning on church as a GREENHOUSE: Disciples must be nurtured. Like plants, like a garden, like a greenhouse, disciples need time and attention. One of the greatest books on discipleship has in its title a reminder we constantly need – Disciples Are Made, Not Born. While we are not completely responsible for the growth of a disciple, part of our … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2017
Baton Rouge man ‘baked to death’ in FEMA trailer, Congress to probe
Teen wearing Trump hat attacked on school bus
Baseball players try stem cells to avoid Tommy John surgery
Adult stem cells halt progression of MS
NASA finds ‘holy grail’ in solar system that could support alien life
Trump ends Obama executive order on school bathrooms and transgenders
Luter: Jesus won the ultimate battle and so can you
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Major battles have been fought throughout history but all those pale in comparison to the ultimate battle each person faces. For this battle has eternal implications, Fred Luter said Thursday, Feb. 23. “It’s a battle between your spirit versus your flesh, right versus wrong, your advocate versus your adversary, the Lord versus Lucifer, the devil versus the divine,” Luter told students during Louisiana College’s chapel service. “And because it’s the ultimate battle, this battle will determine whether you spend an eternity in heaven or spend eternity in hell. It’s the battle for your soul.” In this battle, each believer must be mindful of the shepherd’s provision, the serpent’s plan and the shepherd’s promise, Luter said. Luter, who is pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and the first African-American Southern Baptist Convention president, recalled how he battled a bully who would take his lunch money in school. When he was tired of fighting this battle with the bully, he stood up to her, despite threats of personal injury to himself. In the end, the bully backed off and left him alone. “Some of ya’ll just have to stand up to the bullies in … [Read more...]
Rolling Hills Ministries issues immediate call for thrift store donations
By Message Staff RUSTON – The unexpected warm weather in February is not only bringing out an early bloom in flowers but causing a need for donations in the Rolling Hills Ministries thrift stores. “Normally this time of the year, we are slow because the weather is usually cooler and people haven’t cleaned out their closets yet,” said David Abernathy, executive director of Rolling Hills. “But this year, business is booming. Because we really haven’t had a winter, people are coming in and needing clothes, knick knacks and other items that we are running low on.” Abernathy said the immediate needs include clothes, furniture, shoes and linens for its stores in Aracdia, Bossier City and Ruston. Drop-off locations are: Arcadia 1820 North Railroad Ave., 71001 Call 318-263-4822 for a donation pick up! 24-hour donation drop off Bossier City 2695 E Texas St, LA 71111 Call 318-562-3880 for a donation pick up! 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday for donations Ruston 3487 Hwy. 33, LA 71270 Call 318-251-0065 for a donation pick up! 24-hour donation drop off … [Read more...]
You have everything you need
By Waylon Bailey I bought my first personal computer in the early 80s. During that time I was professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. That early personal computer was a perfect fit for my work at the seminary. I was writing books, articles, and preparing notes for lectures. And while I wasn’t at the beginning of the personal computer revolution, I certainly was on the front end. It wasn’t long before I decided that I was ready for an upgrade. A number of my friends had a hard disc instead of the two floppy discs that I was using. As I talked with them I came to the conclusion that I really did need a hard drive and that I needed either a 20 meg, 30 meg, or 40 meg hard drive. The problem was I couldn’t decide which one. Finally, I decided to call IBM to get some advice. My call to the IBM Office was one of the most memorable conversations of my life. Not only did I learn a lot about computers, but I also received advice about what size hard drive to purchase. I’ll never forget what the sales person told me. He said that I in fact did need a hard drive. That wasn’t hard to digest. The second thing he told me made sense at the time, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. … [Read more...]
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