By Bill Warren, Professor of New Testament and Greek at NOBTS   Question: When I read my Bible, some of the New Testament quotations of Old Testament books do not match exactly the wording that we have in our Old Testaments. Why is this?   Bill Warren responds: This insightful question obviously comes from a good Bible study practice of looking up the New Testament (NT) quotes in the Old Testament (OT). Keep up that type of study! As a beginning point, let’s remember that the OT was written almost totally in Hebrew and the NT in Greek, so right away we have to think about the impact of translating from Hebrew into Greek when considering the OT quotes in the NT.   Indeed, the vast majority of differences in the quotes are due exactly to these language issues. The NT writers primarily used the existing Greek translation of the OT for their writings instead of making their own translations. This makes sense when we think about it: There was no need to reinvent the wheel by making yet another translation when one was already available and acceptable.   This translation began most likely in Egypt in the 3rd century B.C. The reason for Greek was because of Alexander the Great’s impact, which … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message   ALEXANDRIA – Finances can be stretched thin at this time in the United States economy. BEL Credit Union may be able to help.   BEL FCU – short for Baptist Employees of Louisiana Federal Credit Union, the only Baptist faith-based credit union in Louisiana – is positioning itself to over time be available to every member of every Baptist church and entity in Louisiana that affiliates with the Louisiana Baptist Convention. See www.belfcu.com.   For the present, membership is limited to full-time or part-time employees and their immediate families of LBC and the Children’s Home, Foundation, College and Baptist Message, plus New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   In addition, members of Baptist Temple Alexandria, First Chataignier, Mt.  Hope Oakdale, Peniel Calcasieu, Faith Alexandria, Trinity Oakdale and Aimwell Zwolle can be members. This is because their churches have requested to be added to the credit union’s field of membership, and their request has been approved by the National Credit Union Administration, which oversees the membership of credit unions across the nation.   A telephone call to Paul Allbritton, manager of the BEL Credit Union … [Read more...]

By Al Quartemont, Special to the Message ALEXANDRIA – To hear John Hebert tell it, the numbers mean everything. The State Missions and Ministry Team Leader for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Hebert knows what those numbers say – nearly three-fourths of the state’s population is within 20 miles of Interstate 10 or south of it. Only one-fourth of the LBC’s churches fall in that same area. Stating it simply, three out of four Louisiana people are being served by only one out of four LBC churches in the state. And in the areas where population is growing faster than church membership, specifically New Orleans and the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, the need for reaching the “unchurched” population is growing more critical every day. “I like to call them ‘not-yet- Christians,’” Hebert said of those numbers. “For the most part, our churches are deeply committed to missions, but this is something, that within the last 10 years, is getting a higher emphasis than we have ever given it before. We are making progress, but we need to enlist new churches to get involved.” Fortunately, the LBC has the perfect vehicle for that involvement – The Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering. Named for the first executive director of the … [Read more...]

By Quinn Lavespere, Message Staff Writer   [img_assist|nid=7510|title=Supportive congregation|desc=The congregation of Epps Baptist Church fully supports the biker and cowboy ministries as young and old turnout for events.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=480]EPPS – Epps Baptist Church pastor Johnny Smith is a busy man with a busy church.   Smith has involved himself with several ministries, including a cowboy ministry and a biker ministry, as his church looks toward a future of active servitude to Christ.   “I must say that it’s rather fun to see such all these causes going on at once,” the pastor said. “I feel it’s an honor to get to engage in this type of work for God.”   Though he’s dealing with other ministries, Smith hasn’t allowed Epps Baptist to slack off in its work for God. Indeed, the church is as active in its own ways as the pastor’s other ministries.   “We have a compassionate ministry and a food and clothing ministry, and we just started up the biker ministry,” Smith said. “We’ve also had several professions of faith during our Vacation Bible School. At this point, we have a lot of irons in the fire.  Whatever the Lord leads us to do, we’re doing … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   PINEVILLE – A 120-voice choir of senior adults from across the state undergirded the music and worship that was much of the basis for the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s first-ever Senior Adult Summer Spectacular.   The three-day Chautauqua-type event that took place at Louisiana College was sponsored by the LBC Evangelism and Church Growth team. Jeff Ingram works with seniors.   “We wanted to provide an opportunity for senior adults to come together for worship, fellowship and learning,” Ingram said. “Baptist senior adults have so much to contribute to Kingdom work, and we had hoped this conference would inspire and encourage them.”   Many said it did that and more, and they wanted still more.   “It was beautiful,” said Mary Bourque of First Baptist Church in Gueydan, who attended all three days with her husband Glenn. “I enjoyed so much the music and everything!   “We always enjoy Christian fellowship, and this was a little getaway for our 27th anniversary,” she continued, and her husband added, “We always enjoy Christian music, and this was a special treat.”   Marcia Cox of First Slaughter was at the Senior … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   ATLANTA – A professional photographer has determined to use what he calls his “God-given gift” to advance God’s kingdom.[img_assist|nid=7512|title=Jason and Kim Woody|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=465|height=640]   Health issues led Jason Woody, a member of Iatt Baptist Church near Atlanta, to rethink his life and the way he had misused his talent for photography. Once known for the erotic fine art that was “quite profitable” when sold in New Orleans, Woody said he has decided to serve God with his camera.   He came to the realization in July that “It’s time to use these talents to bring people closer to Christ,” Woody said.  He’d been growing in his faith for the last 18 months, believing God spared his life “for a reason” after a stroke at 33 and a heart attack at 40.   His desire: to provide free photos to people from the community who come to a church for a sitting. He will take the photos with a digital camera, and place them on a disk that he will give to the people. No cost to the people or to the church.   “I had never before thought of using my photography for God,” Woody said. “Now all I can think about is bringing people … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message   Comings and Goings   David (wife Libby) Savage is new as pastor of New Ebenezer Castor.   Alan Miller:  new as transitional pastor at Parkview Monroe, from transitional pastor at First Oak Grove.   Carlos Trapp:  new as senior pastor of First Oak Grove, from Park Place, Hot Springs, Ark.   Mike Russell: resigns as pastor of Pine Grove Jena.   Charles Ellzey: new as pastor of Bethel Livingston; from associate pastor.   Needed/Giving   East Fork Kentwood seeks a part-time Childrens/Youth Minister. Email resume toEastForkBaptist@hotmail.com or call Pastor Mike Shumock @ 985-229-8023.   First Lecompte seeks a part-time Children’s Minister. Call 318.613.1398.   Colyell Livingston seeks a permanent part-time music minister; apartment is available. Send resumes tocolyell@colyellbc.org or call  225.698.6243. Pastor: Bill Holifield.   Hebron Bush has a free wooden Pinewood Derby track in good condition. Call 225.665.6278. Pastor: Joe Alain.   Longview Baptist Church Deville is searching for a bivocational music minister, experienced in leading blended worship. Send resume’ to Longview … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor PLAIN DEALING – The over-wide door of what might be the oldest standing church structure in Louisiana is just for looks, these days.[img_assist|nid=7516|title=Salem Plain Dealing|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=425|height=640] Time was when it was the main entrance to Salem, which is located in Red Land, some seven rural miles northeast of Plain Dealing. The church building “was completed in 1878, and its foundation with hand-hewn walls and ceilings are yet intact,” according to a May 1946 article in The Shreveport Journal. “Plans are under way to have the old building wired with electricity, now that the REA is establishing power lines throughout all of north Bossier parish,” the article concludes. Salem, which never changed its name, celebrated its 167th homecoming July 10, with former Pastor Bob Phillips preacher, and the Blake Brothers singing. Eddy Taylor is pastor. The present church structure was built around the old. 0 … [Read more...]

By Jeff Ingram, Louisiana Baptist Convention   Months of preparation, effort, energy, time and money has been expended in getting ready for Vacation Bible School.   Now it’s Friday, the children are gone, and the workers are finishing taking down decorations and cleaning up their rooms.   Maybe there’s the closing VBS Celebration Sunday night, but for all practical purposes, VBS is over for another year.  Or is it?   Why do we have VBS? To have an intensive week of Bible studies, mission stories, upbeat music, recreation and snacks? Yes to all of the above.   But the main reason we have VBS is to discover prospects: boys and girls and their parents in our communities who are not involved in a church or Bible study; people who need the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.   VBS is not over when the last child leaves, the last decoration is packed away, or the closing night celebration ends. VBS is not over until every child and parent in the community has come to Christ.   Do you remember those enrollment/registration cards you had each child fill out during VBS?   Please don’t put a rubber band around the cards and set them on a shelf in the … [Read more...]

By Staff, NOBTS Communications   NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) President Chuck Kelley recently announced two new scholarships – one for bi-vocational ministers and another for African-American students. Money for the scholarships was donated by a Louisiana-based family foundation.   To qualify for the bi-vocational minister’s scholarship, a student must be serving a church and have employment outside the church. The scholarship is available to both full- and part-time students at NOBTS. Kelley said the new bi-vocational scholarship will help meet a crucial need.   “One of the least known facts in Southern Baptist life is how many bi-vocational ministers are serving in our churches.  We are thrilled at the opportunity to make theological training more accessible for those who are fulfilling such an important role in Southern Baptist life,” Kelley said.   The other scholarship is open to any African-American student, whether full- or part-time status. Kelley hopes the scholarship will help more African-American ministers attend NOBTS, something he believes will benefit both the seminary community and local churches.   “Southern Baptists have a … [Read more...]