By Russell Moore, Dean at SBTS   A respected pro-family organization has announced a boycott of Starbucks coffee. The group, which supports legal protection for traditional marriage, launched the “Dump Starbucks” campaign after a national board meeting in which the Seattle-based coffee company mentioned support for same-sex marriage as a core value of the company.   Some Christians are wondering whether we ought to join in the boycott. I say no.   It’s not that I’m saying a boycott in and of itself is always evil or wrong. It’s just that, in this case (and in many like it) a boycott exposes us to all of our worst tendencies. Christians are tempted, again and again, to fight like the devil to please the Lord.   A boycott is a display of power, particularly of economic power. The boycott shows a corporation (or government or service provider) that the aggrieved party can hurt the company, by depriving it of revenue.   The boycott, if it’s successful, eventually causes the powers-that-be to yield, conceding that they need the money of the boycott participants more than they need whatever cause they were supporting. It is a contest of who has more buying power, and thus is of more … [Read more...]

By Craig Beeman, Pastor First Baptist Winnsboro   As we participate in the Annie Armstrong Mission Offering, one of our three major missions offerings in which we participate as Louisiana Baptists, many thoughts come to mind. “How much will we raise?” “Will we give sacrificially this year?” “It sure is nice we can sit in a padded pew and reach out to the rest of the world through someone else who is called as a full-time missionary.” Ouch.   I’m afraid that that has been one of our problems as Southern Baptists. We sometime seem content to just fund the largest mission sending agency in the United States. There is nothing wrong with being part of the funding, but what are we, as individuals and churches, doing to share the gospel?   Sending missionaries should not be all we do. We are Baptist Christians who have “a story to tell to the nations.” We hold in our hearts the message which gives people hope, the love of God and freedom from the eternal effects of sin. This message changes lives, or does it?   If the gospel changes lives, then it ought to be visible to others. What God has done inside of you ought to come out of you when others encounter you.   When I served in the … [Read more...]

By Jason Hiles, Associate Dean of Caskey School of Divinity   As spring gives way to summer, folks in many of Louisiana’s churches will embark on short term mission trips in the United States and overseas. In carrying the gospel to those who do not yet know Jesus as Savior, they will participate in a work commissioned by Christ and carried out initially by his apostles.   For generations now believers have responded to this Great Commission with concern for the glory of Jesus’ name and diligence for the sake of those who live apart from Christ and under the wrath of a holy God.   Unfortunately the enemy resists at virtually every point where the Kingdom of God advances.   Satan is a formidable opponent with an arsenal of weapons that has proven effective at times, though we are not unaware of his schemes. Sometimes he fosters apathy or incites greed and self-centeredness.   Other times the enemy attempts to divide Christians over fine points of doctrine or tempts us to be so self-absorbed and focused on personal ambitions that we become inattentive to those who desperately need the life-giving message of salvation in Christ alone.   In recent years the enemy has … [Read more...]

By Archie England, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at NOBTS   Question: How can I live confident that my life is pleasing to God?   Archie England responds: To answer this, let’s investigate Proverbs 3, which concludes with two possible outcomes: blessing or cursing. Those living wisely will be rewarded with blessings, honor, and grace; those who don’t, will be cursed, mocked, and shamed (as fools).   First, Proverbs 3 presents several principles, along with corresponding benefits, in verses 1-12 (bound by “my son” statements). Six commands (three prohibitions and three exhortations) comprise this section: (1) Keep, 3:1; (2) Don’t let go, 3:3; (3) Trust, 3:5; (4) Don’t be wise, 3:7; (5) Honor, 3:9; and (6) Don’t reject, 3:11. Likewise, each command attaches a corresponding guarantee – 1) long life and peace; (2) favor and reputation; (3) straight paths; (4) health; (5) abundance; and (6) delightful, parental relationship. All six reflect what pleases God, that is, a life based upon the word of God. His Law is indeed the truth that prepares a “faithful child” for life.   But truth must be valued to make a difference. This is what the second section addresses (Prov 3:13-20). How well … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=8056|title=Spreading the Gospel|desc=IMB conference at Istrouma story, photo by mark h. hunter, Rev. Michael Cloer, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church of Rocky Mount, N.C., explains how a local church, that wants to conduct its own oversees missions to an unengaged or unreached people group, should connect with the expertise offered by IMB's staff of Missional Church Strategists, during a presentation at the Impact Your World Conference held at Istrouma Baptist in Baton Rouge on March 22-23.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=411]By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter   BATON ROUGE – More than 75 representatives from 25 area Baptist churches spent two days learning how to spread the gospel “from South Louisiana to the ends of the earth.”   The Impact Your World Conference, which took place at Istrouma Baptist Church on March 22-23, was hosted by the Louisiana Baptist Convention and five area Baptist Associations. The event featured a dozen speakers from LBC and the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Missions Board, who explained in detail how to fulfill the Great Commission to more than 3,800 unengaged and/or unreached people groups.   Also available: the … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Special to the Message   [img_assist|nid=8058|title=A Young heart|desc=Sulphur’s Addie Young, shown holding two Haitian babies, went to Haiti last month with her identical twin, Allie, her father, Steven Young, and her younger sister, Jamie, 13, on their first mission trip.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480]SULPHUR  – A wellspring of compassion flooded Addie Young’s heart after hearing her youth pastor tell about how thousands of children worldwide die each year due to drinking tainted water.   “I knew then I wanted to make a change, a difference in the world. I did some research on the internet, and decided I wanted to raise money to drill wells for clean water in Haiti,” 15-year-old Addie recalled.   Her concern about Haiti’s need for clean water was the spark that compelled Addie to start fundraisers with her church family at Houston River Baptist Church that garnered more than $15,000.   “We just mailed a check this week for the fifth water well,” Addie enthused over the amount raised, which was quadruple the amount needed for the initial goal of funding one water well.   Last month, Addie, her identical twin, Allie, her father, Steven Young, … [Read more...]

By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter   CENTRAL – When Dennis Terry was asked if he felt like he was in the middle of a tornado, the senior pastor of Greenwell Springs Baptist Church laughed and said, “bunches of them!”[img_assist|nid=8061|title=Rev. Terry|desc=Dennis Terry, senior pastor at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, preached a sermon on Sunday evening, March 18, about how Christians should be involved in the political process before introducing presidential candidate and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R., Pa., (seated left) and Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, who for nearly two hours interviewed Santorum on his views.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=438]   What started out as a patriotic Sunday evening service last month turned into a media frenzy after heavily-edited video clips of Terry’s sermon went viral across the internet and network talk shows.   Dozens of liberal web sites accused him of bigotry and hate, and he is being called all sorts of names by politically left and atheist critics. Many sites compare him to Jeremiah Wright, President Barack Obama’s former pastor who was exposed during the last election in videos cursing America.   Terry … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer   WALKER – Months ahead of schedule and coming in under budget, the construction of Victory Baptist Church in Walker, a three-year-old church plant, is on a record-setting pace.   “I’m am just blown away at how quickly this project has come together,” said Jeff Woodrich, Mission Builder and Campers on Mission Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention.   The slab was poured in late December, but the Baptist Builders did not begin framing on the 12,000 square-foot, multi-use facility until the second week in January.   Amazingly, the project is within weeks of completion, just three and a half months after work commenced, and months ahead of schedule.   “Right now, Steve [project coordinator Steve Hayes] is doing some touch up work. The weather slowed us down a little (couldn’t pour concrete), but I am meeting with the inspectors this week,” Woodrich said. “So, we are close, really, really close.”   Like Woodrich, Hayes has also been amazed at how fast everything has come together on the project.   “The Lord has truly blessed us. We have had Campers on Mission from Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee … [Read more...]

By Karen Knight, Special to the Message   CONCORD/UNION BAPTIST ASSOCIATION – God has really blessed the shoebox ministry [for Native Americans in the Farmington, N.M., area] abundantly this year.   Concord/Union Baptist Association collected 2,529 shoebox gifts,  plus blankets, throws, new coats, sweaters, new clothing, hats, gloves, school supplies, jars of jelly to pass out to adults, adult gifts, candy to pass out to children, stuffed animals, and many miscellaneous items.   Also the association collected enough money to purchase 270 of each of the following items: 20-pound bag of Blue Bird flour, 10-pound bag of pinto beans and a 3-pound can of shortening.   The cost for this year had increased, of course, from $20.73 per set to $26.37.   It also purchased six cases of apples and six cases of oranges to pass out at the churches where we had worship services.   As usual God provided what was needed. God never calls us to do anything without faithfully keeping His word and enabling us to do it. He remains faithful and stands by His word to fulfill what He has promised.   Over the last few years we have come to realize that the food items are just as … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Marketing Director   [img_assist|nid=8065|title=Learning teamwork|desc=Nearly 440 people – including 258 first through sixth graders – from 25 churches attended this year’s RA Congress, one of the highest attended ever for the event.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=427]WOODWORTH – Gibbie McMillan says he believes Royal Ambassadors are experiencing a revival in the state and pointed to a recent gathering of young men and their counselors as evidence of such.   Nearly 440 people – including 258 first through sixth graders – from 25 churches attended this year’s RA Congress, one of the highest attended ever for the event. About 340 people representing 26 churches attended last year’s RA Congress.   “The emphasis on Cooperative Program and Georgia Barnette Offering have begun to connect with some pastors and they realize the importance of missions education, therefore they are encouraging more activities for boys and girls,” said McMillan, Louisiana Baptist Convention men’s ministry and volunteer strategist. “Therefore they are encouraging more activities for boys and girls. We already have RAs in place and it is available, so they have chosen to get it started in their … [Read more...]