By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner BALTIMORE (Christian Examiner) - The U.S. District Court in Maryland, in a decision almost certainly to be appealed by secular humanists, has ruled that a cross-shaped war monument on public land can remain. On Nov. 30, the district court rejected the claim of the American Humanist Association that the cross on public land – funded by the American Legion in honor of Prince George's County residents who died in World War I – represented any establishment of religion or the preference of Christianity over other religions. The court said in its ruling that while the construction of a Latin cross can be for a religious purpose, it can "also be motivated by 'the sea of crosses' marking graves of American servicemen who died overseas. The Monument's secular commemorative purpose is reinforced by the plaque, the American Legion's seal, and the words 'valor,' 'endurance,' 'courage,' and 'devotion' written on it. None of these features any religious reference." To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2015
Backlash brewing against same-sex marriage, gay leaders fear
By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner) – Supporters of same-sex marriage are warning about a backlash against this summer's landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, and a prominent Christian sociologist says they have reason to be concerned. The anxiousness on the part of LGBT leaders follows the defeat of a transgender equal rights ordinance in Houston as well as the widespread support among Christian conservatives for Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples if her name was on them. Additionally, the Alabama Supreme Court in September ruled that the state doesn't have to recognize the adoption of children by a lesbian woman in a custody dispute across state lines. She lives in Georgia, while the biological mom and the children live in Alabama. The controversy began when the two women ended their relationship. "We are in the middle of a full-throated backlash. ... We are just seeing the beginning on the backlash. It will get worse before it gets better," Kate Kendell, the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, was quoted as saying in Time magazine. For the rest of the story, go to the Christian Examiner website. … [Read more...]
LifeWay completes sale of downtown Nashville campus
By Art Toalston, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) - LifeWay has completed the sale of its 14.5-acre campus in downtown Nashville. "Although this momentous event is cause for thanksgiving, it is also bittersweet," Thom S. Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, wrote in an email to the Southern Baptist entity's trustees and employees Nov. 24 after the sale was announced around 5 p.m. "LifeWay has served the bride of Christ from this property for more than 100 years," Rainer wrote. "Those of us who serve today continue an unbroken line of tens of thousands of employees who have stewarded the responsibility to produce trustworthy Christian resources for the church. And, we will continue to do so into the future, but from a new location." The sale was announced in a joint news release from LifeWay and Southwest Value Partners, a private real estate investment firm based in San Diego. The news release noted that LifeWay "will continue to occupy a portion of the campus over the near term until it determines the permanent location of its corporate headquarters." A sale price of $125 million cash was stated by an attorney for Southwest Value Partners to The Tennessean daily newspaper, but the joint news release did … [Read more...]
IMB notes ways to support returning missionaries
By David Roach, Baptist Press RICHMOND, Va. (BP) - With the International Mission Board expecting hundreds of missionaries to leave their positions in the coming months, the board has published a list of ways individuals and churches can support field personnel returning to the U.S. According to a Q&A posted on the IMB website and updated Nov. 18, at least 600 field personnel and stateside staff members are expected to resign as a result of a voluntary retirement incentive (VRI) offered to all personnel 50 and older with five or more years of service and a subsequent "hand-raising opportunity" for all remaining personnel to indicate a call from God to pursue non-IMB ministry opportunities. An undated document titled "Ways to Support Your Field Personnel as they Return to the U.S." recommends that churches form "re-entry teams" to assist returning missionaries with practical services, friendship and prayer. Among the IMB's suggestions: -- Let returning missionaries talk about their experiences. "Perhaps you could interview them during a worship service, invite them to lead a prayer time or share during Life Group or Sunday School times," the document states. -- Be sensitive to culture shock as missionaries … [Read more...]
Fund set up at Whitney Bank to help Slidell’s Bayou Baptist Church
SLIDELL – A fund has been set up to help Bayou Baptist Church in Slidell with rebuilding costs following a fire on Oct. 22. According to Pastor Frank Treme, the fire which he believes to have been arson caused extensive damage to all of the buildings on the church grounds. The fire destroyed a part of the building that houses classrooms, a nursery and the kitchen. While the sanctuary did not burn to the ground, the interior sustained a significant amount of damage from the smoke and water. “We have brought in the adjustors and engineers and it looks as if none of the buildings can be saved,” Treme told the Message. “We are going to demolish all of the buildings and rebuild back again on this spot. “We did it once with God’s provision and we will do it again because we are faithful to Him,” said Treme. “Right now we are proceeding slowly to see what the cost will be for the demolition and the rebuilding,” Treme continued. “We are a small congregation so to help with some of those costs not taken care of by insurance an account has been set up at Whitney Bank and anyone who would like to donate to our rebuilding efforts can go to any branch in the state and say this donation is for Bayou Baptist Church.” Whitney … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
ON THE MOVE Robert (wife Suzanne) Jameson new as bi-vocational pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Arcadia. LAGNIAPPE Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Ferriday: A Southern Christmas to Remember Christmas Tour featuring Mark Lanier and the Stephens from Northport, Ala., Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport: Bringing to the Ark-La-Tex the first ever Ice Skating Rink and Christmas Village, Dec. 4-22. For three weeks, a massive 102 foot by 52 foot rink will be placed in our parking lot visible from HWY 3132, and will offer to the community the time honored Christmas tradition of ice-skating in a safe and family-friendly environment. Near the rink will be a Christmas Village which will offer children the opportunity to create Christmas crafts for free, enjoy bounce houses and a Christmas movie at the Summer Grove movie theater. There will also be hot chocolate and concessions for purchase. Cost: $10 per person/student for those wishing to skate. The fee covers ice skating rental. Pastor: Aaron Burger. First Baptist Church, Port Allen: “A Night in Bethlehem” Dec. 4-6, 6-8 p.m. Experience a fresh look of the little town of Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. This is a walk through tour running every 10-15 … [Read more...]
The importance of the public reading of scripture
By Waylon Bailey, pastor, First Baptist Covington “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). I had never really thought about what Paul meant as he wrote to young Timothy (based on what we know in Scripture, Timothy would be between 34-39 years old at this point. See William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary, 157). He encouraged Timothy to do three things: exhort, teach, and read Scripture publicly. During one of my sermons Sunday, I noticed the congregation following the public reading of Scripture with an unusual devotion and attention. They were into what God was saying through Holy Scripture. I made a quick mental note of this (one of my humorous sayings is that you can’t preach and think at the same time!) to consider what had happened. I believe we have made much too little of the “public reading of Scripture.” This says something to the preacher. It’s easy to dismiss the public reading of Scripture as something prefatory to the sermon, but Paul makes exhorting, teaching, and the public reading of Scripture equally important. All three are essential to worship and to the life of the believer. What should we make of this? The … [Read more...]
The gift with a lot of benefits – a charitable gift annuity
Charitable gift annuities are a great way to enhance your financial picture and take advantage of tax benefits while making a lasting gift to God’s Kingdom work. A gift annuity is a relatively simple contract between you and the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. You transfer cash or other liquid assets, such as stock, bonds, or mutual funds, to the Foundation; the Foundation pays you a fixed income – an annuity – for life. The contract can be written for the life of an individual or for two lives. The gift annuity agreement allows you to name the ministry that will receive the remainder of the fund after your lifetime. That beneficiary can be your church, a Baptist institution or ministry, or divided among several ministries. Creating a charitable gift annuity (CGA) offers several tax advantages to you, the donor. n Gift Annuities qualify for a partial income tax deduction in the year the gift is made. n A portion of each annuity payment is considered to be “return of principle” during your projected life expectancy and is not subject to income tax. n Capital gains tax on appreciated securities can be partially avoided at the time of the gift. Federal estate and gift taxes are generally avoided on the amount … [Read more...]
‘Tis the season to give thanks
By Jerry Love, LBF Communications The Thanksgiving holiday has just passed when we express our gratitude to God for his care and blessings for the year. The celebration of Christmas is beginning in earnest as we thank God the Father for God the Son – Jesus – and the salvation that was given through His birth, life, death and resurrection. But there are times in our lives that we reflect and give thanks, not because the calendar says it’s time. We reflect because of the changes in the seasons of life and the effect on our hearts. I find myself at one of those junctures of life. Recently my dad passed away and joined my mom in heaven where they are eternally praising God and living “true” life. I am grateful that in the last days of his life, my dad repeatedly said he was ready to see Jesus. As I reflect on the past, and the present, I am grateful for many things. I am grateful for parents who served the Lord. My mom and dad didn’t send us to church, they took us every Sunday (both services) and Wednesday. Some of my earliest memories are of dad “leading the singin” and mom playing the piano at St. Rest Baptist Church on the White Lightning Road in northwest Lincoln Parish. Later, at Cook Baptist in Ruston, … [Read more...]
Food distribution event at NOLA Baptist clinic draws huge crowd
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS – Getting in and out of the Baptist Community Health Services clinic was a bit more difficult than usual on a Saturday in late November. For several blocks, cars in this Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood lined the streets to create a traffic jam as they waited their turn to get their hands on a coveted possession – boxes of food to feed their families for up to a week. Some volunteers unload boxes from one of three Feed the Children trucks while others walked the boxes of food to cars as they arrived on a street next to the clinic. By the time all boxes are given out, some 1200 families are served. Provided through a partnership of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton’s Play It Forward Foundation and the Baptist Friendship House, the boxes were distributed by 40 volunteers who are members of churches from the New Orleans Baptist Association, along with others who helped from Baptist Friendship House and clinic staff. Among the many volunteers who gave of their time was Ken Taylor, pastor of Gentilly Baptist Church not far from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he serves as professor of urban missions. “Jesus told us to love our fellow man and of the … [Read more...]
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