By David Jeremiah, Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church Reading the headlines of any newspaper today can produce anxiety and uncertainty; there’s no end to what we can worry about in our world. But in Philippians 4:9, the Bible gives us a 24-word solution to 24-hour anxiety: “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Note the progress of the verbs. The apostle Paul had come to the city of Philippi teaching the truths of the Gospel, and the Philippians had learned the message, received it into their lives, heard it proclaimed and explained, and saw it demonstrated. Now, Paul said, “Put it into practice. Do it.” The promised result was that the God of peace would be with them. Here’s the process Paul set forth to counter any terror that strikes our hearts: Learn the message First, we must learn the message. Without Christ, our world is a culture of fear. Without His forgiveness, we’re in danger of guilt. Without His pardon, we’re in danger of judgment. Without His life, we’re in danger of death. Without His promises, we’re in danger of chaos. Without His presence, we’re in danger of loneliness. Without His Gospel, we’re in danger of … [Read more...]

By Barrett Duke, Vice President of the ERLC Marijuana supporters continue to succeed with their plan to legalize this dangerous drug across the country. Their strategy is now quite obvious. They begin by playing on the public’s compassion with medical marijuana, and then follow up with their true agenda: the widespread legalization of recreational marijuana. A quick look at the 2014 vote results reveals this strategy very clearly. Oregon and Alaska, which both legalized recreational marijuana on Tuesday, have had legal medical marijuana since 1998. The medical marijuana efforts passed in those two states because voters were told it would help relieve people’s suffering. Fast forward to 2014, and they now have legal recreational marijuana. Once a state legalizes medical marijuana, proponents know it’s just a matter of time until they can advance their real agenda. Apparently, it takes about 10 to 15 years to desensitize the public enough to the dangers of marijuana to achieve the next step toward full legalization. The other two states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana followed the same trajectory as Oregon and Alaska. Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 1998 and Washington State did so in 2000. Then, in 2012, … [Read more...]

By Terri Stovall, Dean of Women's Programs at SWBTS Walking back from the mailbox last week, I stopped cold in my tracks as I eyed the last envelope in the stack of magazines, junk mail and bills. I knew what it was before I even opened it -- a letter informing me it was time for a mammogram. Instantly my mind raced back exactly two years earlier. Oct. 9 was a Tuesday. What I assumed would be a simple screening mammogram a week earlier led to a more detailed mammogram that led to a biopsy. The phone rang in my office as I was rushing out to chapel and I stopped to answer. I still remember the first words the radiologist on the line said. “Mrs. Stovall, it’s for women like you that I do what I do.” I am one of the fortunate ones. They found the cancer in its very early stages. The next six months involved a partial mastectomy, followed by a second surgery to get clean margins (i.e., they didn’t get it all the first time), six weeks of radiation, trying to tolerate cancer prevention drugs and, since my cancer feeds on estrogen, capping it off with a full hysterectomy. In the midst of all the medical procedures and appointments, one question kept nagging in the back of my mind: What happens when the body betrays? That is, what … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:46 Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd answers a question during the Prayer Summit at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Pictured from left to right are NOBTS President Chuck Kelley, previous SBC President Fred Luter, Floyd and Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn. By Frank Michael McCormack, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Three Southern Baptist leaders, in a “Prayer Summit for Spiritual Awakening” at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, challenged pastors-in-training to seek a fresh movement of God and lead their congregations to experience the same. Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, opened the prayer summit in New Orleans Seminary’s Leavell Chapel, preaching from Isaiah 63-64. “In the book of Isaiah, there was a situation in chapters 63 and 64 much like what we see in our culture today,” Floyd said. “People are realizing ‘we can’t fix ourselves.’” In Isaiah’s time, Floyd said, the people had wandered from God much like the American church has wandered from God. In his day, Isaiah called the nation to a great awakening, a return to God. The United … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:49 Elected as President of next year’s Pastors Conference was (right) Eddie Wren, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rayville; vice-president, (center) Nathan Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church Coushatta; and secretary-treasurer, (left) Chad Gilbert, pastor of Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – How does a pastor fulfill his ministry? That was the question speakers set out to answer during their 2014 Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference sermons Nov. 9-10. “We have a tough culture and somehow as a leader we have to learn how to listen to the voice of God and not the voice of others,” said Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Citing Luke 1, Floyd said to fulfill one’s ministry, a pastor must learn to rebuke the voice of Satan, refuse the voices of others and release one’s self to God. “When was the last time you surrendered your life and calling to Jesus Christ?” he said. “We need to stop telling God what He can’t do and we need to stop telling God what He should do. We need to start reminding the Lord what He has done and start declaring to God what He can … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:52 Joshua Spinks of The Way Church of Denham Springs (center) is presented a check for $35,000 from Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins (left) and Mission and Ministry Director John Hebert (right). The Spinks received a $35,000 check from the North American Mission Board Legacy Church Program and a matching $35,000 from the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering for the renovations at the former Calvary Baptist Church property in Denham Springs. The new location will be the new home for The Way, which is in its third year as a church plant. In January, Steve Beckham with Church of Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge received the $35,000/$35,000 match for their restoration of the Brookstown Church property in Baton Rouge. ON THE MOVE Steve (wife Amy) Beard new as pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church, Arcadia. Kenny (wife Anna) Rowe new as pastor at Temple Baptist Church, Springhill. Trey Waldrop new as pastor at First Baptist Church, Amite. David Tassin new as pastor at Bonner Creek Baptist Church, Franklinton. Wilton McMorris new as Associate/Youth Pastor at Milldale Baptist Church, Zachary. Billy (wife Stephanie) Stevens new as pastor at Willow Point … [Read more...]

By David Roach, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) -- If not for a Baptist church split, the Pilgrims might never have come to America. Sort of. John Smyth, who often is credited with being the first Baptist, pastored a church where many of the Christians who later came to be known as Pilgrims were members. But when Smyth began to argue with the future Pilgrims over church government, they formed another church under the leadership of John Robinson. In 1620, a portion of Robinson's congregation sailed to Plymouth, Mass., aboard the Mayflower. Following the split, Smyth became convinced that the Bible teaches believer's baptism and launched the Baptist movement. "Most people don't realize how closely the Pilgrims and the first Baptists were related. John Smyth and [Plymouth Colony governor] William Bradford knew each other, and in fact Smyth pastored the church where many of the Pilgrims were members before they left England for Holland and then sailed to America," Jason Duesing, provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press in written comments. "The world of English Separatism was very intertwined. Those that became Baptists were a formative part of the story that led to the first Thanksgiving." Smyth and … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 12:22 Newly elected officers and their wives were introduced at the end of the annual meeting. (From left) President Steve Horn, pastor First Baptist Church in Lafayette, Linett Horn; Brenda Senn, second vice-president Joe Senn, pastor of Crockett Point Baptist Church in Crowville; first vice-president Lonnie Tucker, pastor of Stillwater Baptist Church in New Orleans and Frankeya Tucker. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5   … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 12:24 Gregory Gaspard, pastor of Unity Baptist Church in Opelousas, and Mark Crook, pastor at Trees Baptist Church in Vivian, were named Exemplary Bi-Vocational Pastors of the Year. The award is given annually. This year’s awards were given during the Louisiana Baptist Retirees Lunch. Standing beside the two award winners were the spouses, Elizabeth Gaspard and Karen Crook. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5   … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 12:25 Bill Collins, Baptist College Ministry Director at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, was recognized by Baptist Collegeiate Ministry Director Mark Robinson during the 167th annual meeting at First Lafayette. Collins has served as NSU’s BCM director for the past 25 years. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5   … [Read more...]