By Carmen K. Sisson, North American Mission Board freelance writer BATON ROUGE (BP) - Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continue flood recovery efforts across south Louisiana, coping with intermittent rain as they tear out insulation, sweep mud from houses and carry buckets of sodden clothing to curbs. Few areas were left unscathed last week when nearly 7 trillion gallons of rain fell, killing 13 people and damaging more than 60,000 homes in 20 parishes. State officials estimate the damages will exceed $20 billion, making the 500-year flood event one of the worst disasters to strike the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The damage begins in Hammond, La., and extends 160 miles west toward the Texas border. Along Interstate 12, once lush foliage is withered and gray. Trash flanks fences. Advertisements for home guttings become more numerous with every mile. To rest the rest of the article, please click here. … [Read more...]
Archives for August 2016
What your vote does and does not do
By Barry McCarty, Christian Examiner FORT WORTH, Texas (Christian Examiner) — A lot of you are confusing the "consent of the governed," which is what happens in a political election, with some sort of absolute moral affirmation of everything the candidate you vote for has ever said or done. Your vote does nothing of the sort. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
SMACK DOWN: Judge issues injunction against Obama admin’s transgender ‘guidance’ for schools
By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Christian Examiner) – A U.S. district judge in Texas has issued a preliminary nationwide injunction on the implementation of federal guidelines that squeeze transgender rights into the Civil Rights Act and mandate transgenders' access to the bathroom and locker room of their choice in public schools. On Sunday, U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor issued a 38-page ruling claiming the federal government's interpretation of Title IX is wrong and the expansion of the definition of "sex" to include anything other than the two anatomical or biological categories of male and female is abuse of the statute. To read the rest of the article, please click here. … [Read more...]
Top priorities for Baton Rouge flood victims
PRIORITY ITEMS NEEDED IN FLOOED AREAS. ANY OF THESE ITEMS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY FLOOD VICTIMS. Food Items: Water Bread Peanut butter and jelly Canned foods that can be eaten cold from can Breakfast Cereal Oatmeal and/or Grits Coffee Ladie’s Products: Maxi pads Deodorant Underwear Bras T-shirts (white if possible) Socks Hair brushes Towels /Wash cloths Men’s Products: Deodorant Shaving supplies T-shirts Athletic style shorts Towels /Wash cloths Cleaning needs: Bleach Rubber boots (for both ladies and men) - GREAT NEED Masks Heavy duty latex gloves All cleaning products Buckets and mops Many fans and/or dehumidifiers to help dry out Garbage bags Tables Plus size clothing People aren’t ready for any furniture items at this time. … [Read more...]
Louisiana ministry reprioritizes overseas focus to help at home
By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor COVINGTON – The decision does not come easily for Johnny Huffman of Fairhaven Ministry. But after seeing the misery and suffering caused by the recent flooding, he will not be sending a Christmas shipping container to Romania for the first time “in 15 years or 16 years.” “I, with the blessing of others involved, have decided not to ship to Romania in November this year,” said Huffman. “For many who help with the Christmas boxes, we will be directing all of those assets to helping children in the flooded areas at Christmas this year. “Under the present circumstances, I believe it is the right thing to do,” he said. While the historic flooding did not affect Huffman and his ministry at Fairhaven, he recognizes a lot of people are hurting at the moment. “So many who have had their lives completely changed in the past two weeks due to the flooding in South Louisiana. I want to assure everyone our prayers and thoughts are with everyone,” Huffman said. “But we also desire to help as The Lord makes it possible.” With his considerable contacts across the country and around the world, Huffman is putting the word out for any assistance people can provide. “To all my friends and … [Read more...]
Racial differences not a factor during rescue
By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter EAST BATON ROUGE -- Mary Cupit, 81, awoke to banging on her bedroom window in East Baton Rouge during the early hours of Aug. 14 as the new neighbor next door, Chad Tyrone, 24, knocked frantically to warn her about the rising water. By the time Mary roused her caregiver—her deaf brother Donald Cupit, 73—he had time only to throw on some clothes and grab his wallet and keys before helping his sister into a waiting car filled with neighbors they barely knew. The drive to safety took them to Tyrone’s grandmother’s house where the Cupits were welcomed as family. Five weeks earlier racial tensions had torn Baton Rouge apart. But that Sunday race did not matter. Though his first efforts to rouse his neighbor had failed, Tyrone, a Christian and an African-American, could not leave his neighbors behind. “He told me, ‘Mama, I’ve got to try one more time,’” his mother Theora Tyrone recounted of her son’s insistence as water rose in the street. “He’s always had a big heart.” Having lived only two months in the neighborhood near I-12 and Airline Hwy in Baton Rouge, Tyrone had spoken to Mary Cupit only briefly prior to the flood when he offered to mow the Cupits’ lawn. He learned later of … [Read more...]
‘This may be our moment’ for revival and reaching the lost
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer CENTRAL -- God’s people can be used to bring about hope to the community and experience revival, Tony Perkins said during a morning worship service at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in Baton Rouge Sunday morning. Perkins, interim pastor with the Greenwell Springs congregation and president of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian public policy ministry, Family Research Council, encouraged worshipers they had an opportunity to make a difference for thousands of flood victims devastated with the loss of homes and businesses. “What God has given to you give freely to others, whether that be your resources or your time or your treasure,” Perkins said during his Aug. 21 message, “Searching for God in the Storm.” “This, my friends, could be the moment that you and I have been praying for in this church,” he said. “Sometimes God answers prayers in ways that we don’t expect nor do we want.” “But we’ve been praying for revival, we’ve been praying that we would reach this community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope that comes from knowing Him,” he explained. “This may be our moment, if you and I will have hearts of gratitude, minds of obedience and souls of … [Read more...]
Facsimile of Bible translated into Belarusian language donated to Library of Congress
Leading up to a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the printing of the Bible in the Belarusian language in 2017, Andrew and Inna Ryzhkov participated in a recent ceremony at the Library of Congress to donate a facsimile edition of the Bible. The couple on Aug. 11 met with Raman Matulski, the Director of the National Library of Belarus, to donate the Francysk Skaryna’s facsimile editions of the 500-year-old Bible in the Belarussian language. They also donated the Good & Evil illustrated Bible to the Jefferson Library for the European Reading Room. Next year, the celebration will include Bible exhibitions, regional conferences on the impact of the Bible on European cultural and historical development, Bible distribution and open outreach ministries in public schools, universities and public arenas. Since 2015, Louisiana Baptist churches have participated in mission teams in the country, in partnership with Byelorussian Mission, founded by the Ryzhkovs. By 2018, plans are to have visited all six provinces in Belarus, at a rate of two per year. For more information on how your church can participate in this ministry, contact Wayne Sheppard, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director for Louisiana Baptists, at … [Read more...]
Huckabee chastises president for vacationing while Louisianans suffer
Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has published a scathing open letter criticizing Pres. Obama for his absence from flood-ravaged Louisiana, especially for vacationing all the while in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. A beloved Southern Baptist pastor and former Arkansas governor, Huckabee shamed the president for his “hustle and bustle of golf, having ice cream and strolling the quaint streets of the Vineyard” while Louisianans endure an “apocalyptic event.” Meanwhile New York businessman Donald Trump and his running mate Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, the Republican ticket for the 2016 presidential election, visited Louisiana Friday, going to Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in Baton Rouge to comfort flood victims and encourage disaster relief workers. Former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, the Democrat candidate for president, issued a statement via Facebook indicating she will delay coming to the Bayou State for the time being from in order not to be a “distraction” during the “relief effort.” The full text of Gov. Huckabee’s open letter is provided below. ----------------------------------------------- Dear Mr. President: How’s the vacation going on Martha’s Vineyard? Pretty swell … [Read more...]
Homewood Baptist’s gifts provide ladies in shelter hope, love
The Woman's Missionary Union of Homewood Baptist Church in Alexandria provided purses filled with personal hygiene items to the ladies of Hope House in the city Aug. 18. The ladies also took snacks for the children residing at the facility. … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 12
- Next Page »