For the week of July 1, 2004
My dad is the greatest
A fourth-grade student in Swartz has received a scholarship to a Louisiana
Baptist summer camp by turning in the prize-winning essay about “Why my
dad is the greatest.” Grant Griffith sent in a one-page essay about his
father, Gary, as part of a contest sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Mens
Ministry. The contest was part of an effort to promote mentoring relationships
between fathers and sons. The winning essay read as follows:
“My dad is the greatest because he reads the Bible to me, and if I have
a question, he will answer in a way that makes me understand it better. He buys
me things when it is not a need; it is a want. He takes me fishing when he is
busy or when he has tons of work. He keeps me away from trouble; he stands up
for me and protects me from dangerous things. He makes me lunches and breakfast
in the morning. He goes to my ball games and plays racquetball with me. This
is why my dad is the greatest, and he loves me a lot.”
Louisiana members
A pair of Louisiana Baptists have been elected to serve on the 2004 Southern
Baptist Convention Committee on Nominations. Committee on Nominations members
were elected during the recent annual convention. The committee is charged with
nominating persons to fill vacancies on all convention boards and committees
throughout the upcoming year. It will present those nominees to the 2005 convention
for final approval. The committee is made up of two people from each state convention
– one layperson and one in church-related vocational work. Louisiana representatives
are Steve James, pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, and Leroy
Faith Sr., a member at First Baptist Church of Bossier City.
Marriage amendment
The U.S. Senate has scheduled debate on a constitutional marriage amendment
the week of July 12, a move that could force senators to take a position on
the issue of same-sex “marriage” during an election year. Polls indicate
the Federal Marriage Amendment has majority support among Americans – but
only 17 senators have signed on as sponsors of the legislation at this time.
The amendment needs 67 votes to pass, but it first must receive 60 votes to
prevent a filibuster. Observers say there is no guarantee that the 60-vote threshold
can be reached. Pro-family leaders are leaving nothing to chance. They are urging
persons to contact their senators and urge passage of the constitutional amendment,
which is identified as SJR 30. For Louisianians, information on contacting senators
is:
Sen. John Breaux
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4623
E-mail: senator@breaux.senate.gov
Sen. Mary Landrieu
724 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5824
Web Form: landrieu.senate.gov/webform.html
Candidate endorsement
The nations largest homosexual activist organization has endorsed Democratic
presidential candidate John Kerry, saying he is a “true leader” on
homosexual issues. In a recent release, the Human Rights Campaign group endorsed
Kerry based on his “support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
equality.” Kerry opposes a constitutional marriage amendment, voted against
the Defense of Marriage Act and supports overturning the militarys “dont
ask, dont tell” policy, the news release said. In a followup statement,
Kerry thanked the organization for its endorsement. “We have worked together
on so many battles, and we still have many challenges ahead of us, …”
he said. “I have worked for (more) than 20 years to make sure that (gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender) Americans are treated with dignity in our
society and equality in our laws. That fight is not over, and I will be there
for the fights in the future.”
New missionaries
Two persons with Louisiana ties were recently appointed by the Southern Baptist
North American Mission Board.
Laura Lynn will serve in Monroe, where she will work as a Nehemiah
Project church planter to help churches in West Monroe develop ministries in
apartment complexes, mobile home communities and other multi-housing developments.
She is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Marla Wright will serve in Whistler, British Columbia, as a Nehemiah
Project church planter to help start a congregation. She is a native of Denham
Springs and a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and Southeastern
Louisiana University in Hammond.
A political appeal
The White House is downplaying a report that President George Bush appealed
to Vatican officials to encourage U.S. bishops to take a more active role in
promoting their shared social agenda. A report in the National Catholic Reporter
said Bush sought the bishops help in pushing a constitutional amendment
to ban same-sex marriages. Bush reportedly made the request during a June meeting
with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state to the Vatican. White House
spokesman Scott McClellan has confirmed the session took place but refused to
elaborate on it. In its report, the National Catholic Reporter quoted Bush as
telling Sodano that “not all American bishops are with me” on certain
social issues and asking for the Vaticans help in encouraging them to
be more outspoken. Sodano did not respond, the report said. If Bush did seek
political help from Rome, “its a cynical move that is improper on
its face,” said Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University
of Notre Dame. Meanwhile, a Bush advisor said he would not be surprised if Bush
talked politics with Vatican officials. “I suppose what he would have said
was that we have a common shared agenda, and it would be helpful if bishops
strongly promoted these issues,” Deal Hudson said. He said it is unlikely
Rome would cooperate.
LifeWay resignation
In a surprise move, Gene Mims, 54, has announced he is leaving his post as
vice president of church resources at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern
Baptist Convention. Mims said he is leaving at the end of September to return
to the pastorate – though he does not yet have a church. The announcement
comes just months before LifeWay President Jimmy Draper is expected to announce
his retirement plans. It is a surprise because Mims was considered as a likely
candidate to succeed Draper in the top post. Mims arrived at LifeWay in 1991
to assume control of the church resources area, which is responsible for selling
Sunday School literature and other materials to churches. His announcement comes
after LifeWay revenues were down last year 0.7 percent from the previous year
and are expected to be below budget in 2004. Church resources is, by far, the
largest division in Lifeway and has suffered financially as well. Nevertheless,
both Mims and Draper said those facts did not factor into the vice presidents
decision. Mims also insisted he was not forced to resign.
Messenger totals
Kentucky Baptists sent the largest number of messengers, 861, of the 8,600
who attended last months Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.
Other leading states were Tennessee with 778 messengers, Georgia with 624, Indiana
with 568 and North Carolina with 567, convention statistics show. The number
of messengers registering online was 4,907 (57 percent), up from 40 percent
last year. The final messenger count of 8,600 represented 49 states. Last years
registration total in Phoenix was 7,077. Statistics indicate Louisiana sent
176 messengers to the annual meeting, which ranks the state 17th in messenger
total for the 2004 meeting.
The manna principle
Living on the campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is like “living
inside a miracle,” school President Chuck Kelley told Southern Baptist
Convention messengers last month. Kelley cited increased enrollment at the school
and the seminarys education program at the Louisiana State Penitentiary
in Angola as examples. He also cited two examples of what he called “the
manna principle,” in which God is faithfully meeting the seminarys
actual needs by providing just enough. One incident involves a campus construction
initiative. Officials had hoped to buy the bricks one building at a time as
money came in, only to be advised that all of the bricks be purchased at the
same time to ensure a color match. The added cost of $50,000 was not in the
budget, but the brick was purchased on faith. The next day a first-time donor
sent a check for $50,000 to the seminary, Kelley said. Another example came
when the Baptist General Convention of Texas attempted to defund the six seminaries
and other entities in 2000. The projected $125,000 shortfall put an important
construction project in jeopardy, Kelley said. But the Southern Baptists of
Texas Convention took an offering to offset the loss. It provided $125,000 –
just enough for the project.