By ERIN ROACH, Baptist Press   REDMOND, Wash. (BP) – A pastor in Washington state led his congregation to observe a solemn assembly this fall, to repent of sins and seek God intensely – and lives were changed. Now he is challenging other churches to throw off the grip of worldliness and set aside a day for repentance and renewed commitment.   "I’m absolutely convinced that if there is not a significant awakening in the church, we’re in serious trouble," Scott Brewer, pastor of Meadowbrook Church in Redmond, Wash., told Baptist Press.   "We are well past answers found in new strategies and new innovations and the best that we can produce. I think by and large, our churches are void of a manifest sense of God’s presence that results in His empowerment of the mission," Brewer said.   [img_assist|nid=6968|title=In response to a challenge from Scott Brewer, president of the Northwest Baptist Convention, pastors and lay leaders at the annu|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=68]Though his idea for a solemn assembly grew out of a personal retreat with God a year ago, Brewer said he was encouraged by the call of Southern Baptist Convention President Bryant Wright and other SBC leaders for churches to … [Read more...]

By Suzanne Davis, NOBTS Communications   NEW ORLEANS (BP) – At 5:30 a.m., all is quiet on the seminary campus. The sky is a deep purple, and the campus in New Orleans is illuminated only by the soft glow of the old-fashioned, wrought-iron lamp posts.   Except for a few lone joggers, it seems nearly everyone within New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s gates is still asleep. At the Sellers Music Building’s recital hall, however, there is the sound of music and the quiet murmurs of people praying.   … [Read more...]

By MICHELLE LOUVIERE   Question: I had a very difficult year last year. How can I make this year better than last year?   Michele Louviere responds : Sometimes reaching the end of a year can bring a sense of relief if that year has been difficult or painful. Starting a new year can be an opportunity for a fresh start. Unfortunately, unless you are purposeful, a new year may be nothing more than writing a new year for the date. What can you do to purposely prepare for a better new year?     First, use the ending of a year to check to make sure that you have grieved over the hurts, learned from the mistakes, and completed the needed tasks of that year. Often, people just rush through life with little thought of where they have been, where they are, or where they are going. An ending and a beginning provides the perfect opportunity to pause and evaluate.   Second, use the ending of a year as an opportunity to evaluate your current life. With a notebook, ask God to give you insight as you answer these questions – What were the highlights of the previous year? What were the greatest challenges? What did you learn during the year? What are your regrets? What was left unfinished? What did you complete? … [Read more...]

By Kirk and Jacki Lynn Greenfield, Homelife Magazine   God instituted marriage in the garden of Eden. He determined that "it is not good for the man to be alone." After considering all the creatures He had created, God declared that "for Adam no suitable helper was found." He made woman to provide the relationship that was crucial for man.   The verse often recited in weddings clearly describes what a marriage is to be: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The one-flesh union between husband and wife should occur emotionally, spiritually, and physically. A husband and wife must strive for this oneness.   Another way to view this union is as a partnership. The following five steps will help a couple achieve this partnership.     Embrace your   God-given roles.     The husband’s role is to be the head of the household. Southern Baptists are sometimes criticized for this view; however, a husband’s authority is not to be cruel or unjust. Paul compared a husband’s love for his wife to the love Christ has for the church. He also said a husband should love his wife as he loves his own body. Therefore, … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor   MARKSVILLE – A promise is a promise, 9-year-old Hannah Monk knew.   "Especially when you make it to God," she added.   … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor   MARKSVILLE – When 6-year-old Christen Monk jumped into her dad’s pickup, she saw the new red New Testament.   "I said, ‘Daddy, the Lord’s put it on my heart to give this Bible away,’" Christen said.   … [Read more...]

By QUINN LAVESPERE, Message Intern Staff Writer   NEW IBERIA – Most coaching strategies center on winning games and championships. Highland Baptist Church’s coaching strategy aims at a different type of glory.   Pastor David Denton and his staff have made strides in reaching out to their community and helping strengthen their church through a three-pronged strategy that focuses on coaching, powering up the Sunday School, and sharing the Peace of Jesus.   "The strategy covers a six-month period of time," Denton said. "We wanted to use that time to lay the groundwork for future growth."   [img_assist|nid=6978|title=Highland|desc=Pastor David Denton and his staff have made strides in reaching out to their community and helping strengthen their church through a three-pronged strategy that focuses on coaching, powering up the Sunday School, and sharing the Peace of Jesus.|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]Denton, who has been pastor at Highland since 2006, said the strategy was not created by him or members of his church but came about when Highland enlisted the help of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.   "The Louisiana Baptist Convention has a coaching strategy that they make available to … [Read more...]

By STAFF, Baptist Message   ALEXANDRIA – A 1973 Most Valuable Player in high school basketball in Louisiana recently was named director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Missions and Ministries team.   John Hebert, with roots near Forest Hill, La., takes over the missions leadership role following the retirement of Mike Canaday. Read about Canaday in the Dec. 23 issue of the Baptist Message.   "I feel like I’ve been preparing for this my whole life," Hebert said with obvious joy in being chosen as Canaday’s successor. "This position is the ultimate challenge for the person committed to missions; it’s the crown jewel of mission endeavors. You get to use your experience and what you’ve learned to shape the missions efforts of the state.   [img_assist|nid=6980|title=John Hebert|desc=Is taking over the missions leadership role following the retirement of Mike Canaday.|link=none|align=left|width=79|height=100]"My years of athletic competition have shaped my life and ministry," Hebert continued. "The value of working together as a team … has taught me some very important lessons about work and leadership."   Hebert, reared in a Christian home – his father was a deacon; his mother led the music – … [Read more...]

By BILL WARREN   QUESTION: Many people at my church still use the King James Version. What is the history and importance of that version, and should we all use it?   Bill Warren responds: The making of the translation was "authorized" by King James at a conference in 1604, but he had no role in the translation itself, did not fund it, and never "authorized" its use. King James mostly wanted a less "Calvinistic" translation than the popular "Geneva Bible" used by many of the Puritans. The KJV was a full translation based on the Greek New Testament and Hebrew Old Testament editions current at that time. The translation was made by 54 scholars working in six teams, with two teams each from Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster. The King James Version (KJV) is the most impacting English Bible translation ever made, and continues to be used and cherished by many. The KJV was released in 1611, so we are celebrating its 400th anniversary this year!   Bill Warren Ph.D. is Professor of New Testament and Greek, and Director of the H. Milton Haggard Center for New Testament Textual Studies, both at NOBTS.   The end result was a very solid translation that represented the best scholarship of the day. As for the … [Read more...]

By Mark H. Hunter, Special to the Message   BATON ROUGE – Rodrick Evan Conerly D.Min., died Dec. 23 after a heart attack. He was 61   Known to his friends and family as "Roddy," he was, since 2005, the executive director of the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, a family of 105 Southern Baptist congregations. He also was director of seminary extension classes for the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   During his ministry he served as pastor of numerous churches in Louisiana and Mississippi, and also as a foreign missionary to Peru.   [img_assist|nid=6984|title=Rodrick Conerly|desc=dies of a heart attack|link=none|align=left|width=71|height=100]A well-attended memorial service, including about 50 area pastors and dozens of friends and relatives from Mississippi, took place Monday, Dec. 27, at at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. For several hours the line of more than 400 visitors consoling the family stretched to the back of the cavernous sanctuary.   "We are here to honor a great man who lived his life to the fullest for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," said Ron Lambe, associate pastor of Istrouma Baptist and longtime friend. "If Roddy were here today, looking out at … [Read more...]