By FRANK MCCORMACK, NOBTS Communications   NEW ORLEANS – During his college and seminary days in the 1970s, Dennis Phelps crisscrossed the state of Louisiana, preaching and leading evangelistic youth events as part of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation’s student outreach efforts.   "His reputation as a young preacher was very strong around the state," Ken Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation (LMCF), recalled of Phelps.   And now, Dennis Phelps Ph.D. continues that commitment to preaching as professor of preaching and director of church relations and alumni for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS). Phelps also occupies the school’s J.D. Grey Chair of Preaching.   [img_assist|nid=6986|title=Preaching Award|desc=Ken Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation, presents Dennis Phelps the J.D. Grey Preaching Award.|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=85]And it’s that commitment to preaching – especially on current, pressing moral issues – that recently earned Phelps the J.D. Grey Preaching Award, given annually by the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation.   Ward traveled to New Orleans Nov. 30 to present the award to Phelps … [Read more...]

By STAFF, Baptist Message   ALEXANDRIA – A reduced budget was approved and two plaques of appreciation were presented at the Dec. 14 semi-annual meeting of the Baptist Message Board of Trustees, which took place in the third-floor conference room of the Baptist Building.   A difficult economy resulted in the Baptist Message coming up short on what was a no-frills budget of $882,600 for 2010.   As a result, the budget for 2011 was trimmed by $66,910.   "To achieve the significant reduction meant the elimination of a staff position, which resulted in a retirement; it also meant a redesign of the paper," explained Kelly Boggs, editor of the Baptist Message.   "The cost-cutting measures we have enacted will enable us to go forward with a balanced budget for 2011," Boggs said. "Reducing the budget required some difficult, even painful, decisions, but they were unavoidable in order to be fiscally responsible."   In other business, the board adopted a new retirement gift policy designed to more appropriately recognize employees with a long tenure of service.   Robert Daniel, Director of Missions for Big Creek, Central Louisiana and North Rapides Associations, received a plaque at the … [Read more...]

By STAFF, Baptist Press   My soul is grieving deeply   And wants to say, "Goodbye."   It’s shattered into tiny pieces   Only You can make it whole.   All that is left is my faith in You   And it gives me hope in myself.   Heal my heart   Because it is no longer mine.   Partnering for Christ     Valentina is just one changed life from the ministry of Jackie and her husband Kyle and a partnership they forged three years ago with FBC Ruston. This is the fourth team that came within that time frame.   Their work has been varied, but this year they came during an annual festival in Prilep. The town of 75,000 was overrun as people from all over South Europe came to join the fun. Sunday night at the main-event concert, 200,000 people packed the streets.   Kyle and Jackie have formed a club called "Izgrev" (sunrise) through which they are reaching the people of Prilep with the Gospel. FBC printed coozies (insulated drink holders) with the club logo, filled them with water bottles and passed them out in the early evenings during the festival.   "I don’t think anyone here had ever seen or even heard of coozies, so we had to explain what they were," Jackie said. "They were a great way to get our logo out … [Read more...]

By STAFF, Baptist Press   My soul is grieving deeply   And wants to say, "Goodbye."   It’s shattered into tiny pieces   Only You can make it whole.   All that is left is my faith in You   And it gives me hope in myself.   Heal my heart   Because it is no longer mine.   Partnering for Christ     Valentina is just one changed life from the ministry of Jackie and her husband Kyle and a partnership they forged three years ago with FBC Ruston. This is the fourth team that came within that time frame.   Their work has been varied, but this year they came during an annual festival in Prilep. The town of 75,000 was overrun as people from all over South Europe came to join the fun. Sunday night at the main-event concert, 200,000 people packed the streets.   Kyle and Jackie have formed a club called "Izgrev" (sunrise) through which they are reaching the people of Prilep with the Gospel. FBC printed coozies (insulated drink holders) with the club logo, filled them with water bottles and passed them out in the early evenings during the festival.   "I don’t think anyone here had ever seen or even heard of coozies, so we had to explain what they were," Jackie said. "They were a great way to get our logo out … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor   DENISON, Texas (BP) – Aggressive missions giving doesn’t just happen, said Chet Haney, pastor of Parkside Baptist Church.   It takes a congregation with a heart for missions and a pastor with a focus and willingness "to really challenge people to stretch their vision and their concept of what they can do," said Haney, who has been Parkside’s pastor for 15 years.   Located in the bustling city of Denison, Texas, 75 miles north of Dallas and one of 65 congregations in the Grayson Baptist Association, Parkside has grown exponentially in its missions fervor.   [img_assist|nid=6990|title=Giving to Missions|desc=In 2009, members gave $14,563 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, or $22.61 per capita. Across the Southern Baptist Convention, the average member’s overall per capita gift to the offering is $14.78.|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]In 2009, members gave $14,563 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, or $22.61 per capita. Across the Southern Baptist Convention, the average member’s overall per capita gift to the offering is $14.78.   "It’s been a blessing over the years to see … [Read more...]

By DAVID E. HANKINS, Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention       He who laughs last, laughs best. This familiar saying is a reminder to us to avoid premature and presumptuous claims of victory.   The biblical proverb says, "The one who puts his armor on should not boast like the one who takes it off."   It is wise to wait until the battle is over to assess your performance.   The recent spate of pre-fight, pre-game, and pre-match rhetoric and taunting and predictions in the sports world confirms the lesson: The one who laughs last, laughs best.   There is a narrative in the synoptic gospels about some people who laughed too soon. The story is about a ruler of the synagogue. Mark and Luke tell us his name: Jairus. He has come to Jesus because his daughter, for all practical purposes, is dead.   In fact, before Jairus can direct Jesus’ thought and feet toward his house, a servant comes from the house and says, "Never mind, the girl has died." But Jairus has no other resources. All of his options were expended, and he had no other choices. He needed the One who makes the impossible possible. So Jesus accompanies him home.   Then comes the laughable … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs   Fifty-three million is a huge number. So significant is the number that its very presence makes a huge impact.   If you had $53 million in your bank account you would be financially free. If you live 53 million minutes you will celebrate 100 birthdays.   In similar fashion, the absence of 53 million of anything can have staggering impact.     … [Read more...]

By JERRY LOVE This year for Christmas, my wife’s extended family met at her younger sister’s house in Montana to celebrate Christmas. Overcoming the challenging logistics of 23 people from four generations living together on the same premises for seven nights and six days may seem like a Christmas miracle, but it was a pleasant week spent with family. Not to mention getting to relish in some of the most glorious scenery of God’s creation. One of the highlights of the week was worshiping together. My brother-in-law is the pastor of a vibrant and strong Southern Baptist church there in the Northwest corner of the state. He and my sister-in-law (she is the worship leader) have led this congregation for 19 years and helped it grow into one of the key churches in the state. Before Daniel began his message that morning, he pointed out the whole family seated together. Then he made a point about how sweet it was to be part of a family in which all were Believers in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.   0 … [Read more...]

By JERRY LOVE   There is little doubt that the current population in the United States has more wealth at its disposal that any other in history.   Numerous articles over the past ten years have given estimates from such a "small amount" of 11 trillion dollars to as much $42 trillion that will transfer from one generation to the next by 2050.   Regardless of the actual amount, the question is how that transfer could impact charitable giving, particularly Christian ministry.   Create or update your Will     January is traditionally "Make Your Will" month. As part of personal stewardship, every Believer should have a Will. You have probably heard this before and even said to yourself "I’m going to do that this year." Then the brown, heavy haze of procrastination sets in. This year, push back the haze and get your Will in order. Don’t let the general laws of Louisiana direct who will inherit the assets God has placed in your hands. Include a gift to your church or other Baptist ministry in your estate plans.     Establish a deferred gift     Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Remainder Trusts allow you or family members to receive income from funds set … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love   In mid December, Congress passed a tax bill that prevented major tax hikes for 2011. The legislative act also extended unemployment benefits and offered a temporary reduction in payroll taxes for this year, while several of the provisions impact charitable gift planning. The bill provided only temporary extensions of the provisions included and these issues will be addressed again in 2012.   In addition to holding individual tax rates steady, the major issues for gift planning are recapped here courtesy of excerpts from PGCalc.com’s January e-newsletter.   Extension of the charitable IRA rollover.   The charitable IRA rollover allows taxpayers who are 70 ½ or older to make tax-free transfers of up to $100,000 per year from a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA directly to charity. It originally went into effect for 2006 and 2007, and then extended through 2009.   The new law extends the charitable IRA rollover for two years, retroactive to January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2011. The new law allows donors to elect to treat IRA rollover gifts made before January 31, 2011 as if they were made on December 31, 2010.     Temporarily repeal the itemized   deduction … [Read more...]