This year, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering national goal is $170 million, which will provide support for more than 5,300 missionaries serving around the world. The Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30-Dec. 7, 2008. We recognize your significant role to help engage Southern Baptists in personalized prayer for the missionaries serving in countries located in South America – and the peoples they seek to reach.  If you think after generations of missionary work the story of Jesus has reached every corner of South America, talk to Gabriel Mugmal.  His idol-worshipping neighbors almost burned him alive for preaching the Gospel.  Gabriel boldly shared his faith with other Quichua villagers high in the Andes Mountains of northern Ecuador. He challenged them to stop the idol worship that permeated the area.  Enraged, the crowd demanded that Gabriel renounce his words. When he refused, villagers dragged Gabriel and his family to the center of town and doused them with gasoline.  The thought, “Don’t burn me,” raced through Gabriel’s mind. But he wasn’t afraid and began preaching to the crowd from Genesis.  Suddenly, the mob fell silent. A priest was so moved by Gabriel’s willingness to die for Jesus that … [Read more...]

DAY 1 - FERENANDO AND BRENDA LARZABAL: INDIGENOUS OF COLOMBIA From missions field to missionary force – that’s the dream of Fernando and Brenda Larzabal for the South American nation of Colombia.  “The Gospel has been in Colombia for more than 150 years,” Fernando says. “Our problem is that the average Colombian Christian has the perception that missions belongs to somebody else. But missions belongs to the local church.” That’s why the Larzabals are working to mobilize Colombian churches for the sake of evangelizing the country’s indigenous tribes. Isolated from the Gospel by remote locales, social prejudice and insurgent armies, more than 60 of these tribes have no knowledge of Jesus Christ. Most are animists, spirit-worshippers who live in fear of failing to appease gods they can neither know nor love. “Without God there is slavery,” Fernando says. “Without Christ there is fear and that’s what they breathe day in and day out.” Pray that more Colombian churches will grasp their Great Commission calling and respond to the indigenous tribes’ need for the Gospel. Ask the Lord to give Fernando and Brenda wisdom as they choose where to invest their time and energy. DAY 2 - RICK AND KELLY MARTINEZ: AYMARA OF … [Read more...]

Clark Springs Baptist Church Northeast Louisiana Baptist Association EROS – Pastor Mickey Hudnall’s wife, Barbara Hudnall, said, “We’re proud of what’s going on. The Lord has been blessing us.” This article corrects one from the Nov. 20 issue that had this same information, but attached to the wrong church. The Message regrets the error. This past year they have had 28 baptisms, including three adults on the evening of Oct. 19. About 90 to 110 attend Sunday service every week depending on what’s going on, she said. In November the church is planning an official baby dedication ceremony for children ages – infant up to three years old. “He [Pastor Hudnall] prays and he gives them all a little Bible,” she explained. The church does this once a year. Though presently the church is made up of quite a few older people, Mrs. Hudnall said several young families are beginning to attend the church. Youth Director Vicki Wood is leading a “boot camp” for the teens every week. When asked what they do, Hudnall said, “I have no idea.” She just knows they use the old “itty bitty church” behind the newer church building. Ban Suk KOREAN Baptist Church Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association BOSSIER … [Read more...]

Patsy Fowler recently was recognized for her 40-plus years of faithful service in the music ministry at Sharon Baptist Church by Pastor Carroll Holmes. … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS Matt (wife Leah) Palmer, new as pastor LaMourie Baptist, Lecompte. Richard (wife Regina) LaCour, new as pastor Discipleship Baptist, Pineville. Cindy Davis resigns as children’s minister at Emmanuel Baptist, Shreveport. Billy Pierce, new as interim pastor Pinecroft Baptist, Shreveport. Elaine Gardner, new as children’s director McClendon Baptist, West Monroe. Scott Conyers, new as part-time youth minister Trinity Baptist, Natchitoches. Jimmy Clark, new as pastor Eastern Heights Baptist, DeQuincy. Ted Bertrand, new as music minister First Baptist, Oakdale. Joshua Roberts resigns as associate pastor of worship and creative ministries at First Baptist, Vidalia. DEATHS Curtis Ellis, pastor and Bible teacher for 55 years in Louisiana and Mississippi, died Nov. 15.  He was 80 and resided in Slidell. Pastor Lawrence Armour of Epiphany Baptist Mission in New Orleans died Nov. 20 after a long illness. He was about 50. Alpha Cottingham died Nov. 21. She and her husband, W.O. Cottingham, started First Baptist Church of St. Rose in 1959 and served there until he retired in 2005. NEEDED Director of Missions for Big Creek, Central Louisiana and North Rapides Associations; … [Read more...]

Most pastors of smaller-membership Southern Baptist churches see what God is calling their congregations to be and do and have laid the groundwork for accomplishing the mission, but their efforts to lead are frustrated by “turf” battles and a failure to clarify and evaluate plans. NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Most pastors of smaller-membership Southern Baptist churches see what God is calling their congregations to be and do and have laid the groundwork for accomplishing the mission, but their efforts to lead are frustrated by “turf” battles and a failure to clarify and evaluate plans. According to a new study by LifeWay Research published in the November/December issue of Facts & Trends magazine, those pastors could see their congregations make progress by evaluating church ministries, organizing to reach their goals and planning for the future. Facts & Trends is the official news magazine of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. “The effectiveness of local church ministry often is jeopardized by poor organization,” said Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research. “Understanding God’s calling and the context of the church is important, but leadership requires knowing where you are, … [Read more...]

More than 500 women converged on LifeWay Nov. 11-13 for the Women’s Ministry National Leadership Training Forum. They came from across the country bringing with them a passion for serving God and their sisters in Christ. NASHVILLE, Tenn. – More than 500 women converged on LifeWay Nov. 11-13 for the Women’s Ministry National Leadership Training Forum. They came from across the country bringing with them a passion for serving God and their sisters in Christ. “LifeWay seeks to help equip women who are leading women’s ministries in their churches to reach and disciple women for Christ,” said Chris Adams, LifeWay’s senior lead women’s ministry specialist. “This forum and our other LifeWay sponsored women’s events, training and resources are designed to help women know Christ, grow in Christ and find their place of serving in His Kingdom.” Cleaning spiritual closets Jennifer Rothschild spoke to the “early bird” group who came in before the official beginning of the forum. She has a new LifeWay Bible study coming out in February, Me, Myself and Lies, based on her book, Self Talk, Soul Talk. Rothschild told the group that everyone has about 50,000 thoughts per day. Most are organizational, non-reactive types of thoughts … [Read more...]

Missions learning is the foundation of missions sending. That’s the conviction of the North American Mission Board’s Mission Education Team as they seek to help every church create missions-learning opportunities for its members. ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Missions learning is the foundation of missions sending. That’s the conviction of the North American Mission Board’s Mission Education Team as they seek to help every church create missions-learning opportunities for its members. “People don’t typically respond to what they don’t know about,” said Jim Burton, Missions Education Team leader at the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “We believe the missions challenge is as compelling as ever.” Fresh off the celebration of 100 years of missions heritage through the ministry of Royal Ambassadors, Mission Education is expanding at NAMB. One of NAMB’s nine major ministry assignments, Mission Education is exploring and developing new avenues for missions learning in Southern Baptist churches. Whether through online delivery of drop-in mission education (DIME) or creation of state convention customized Kids4Christ Around the World, NAMB Mission Education is pushing back the boundaries of traditional missions learning. The … [Read more...]

On a crisp October day in London’s Trafalgar Square, the solemn marble monuments of Great Britain’s former empire gaze upon a curious scene: LONDON (BP) – On a crisp October day in London’s Trafalgar Square, the solemn marble monuments of Great Britain’s former empire gaze upon a curious scene: It’s “Simcha on the Square,” a celebration of 350 years of Jewish life in London. Thousands gather -- and not just English Jews and gentiles eager to enjoy some kosher food and traditional music. The crowd includes people of nearly every conceivable appearance and background: turban-wearing Sikhs, Indians, Chinese, Africans, Rastafarians, hipsters, bikers. They dance or tap their toes to the beat of performances by “the Jewish Elvis” and “K-Groove,” a Klezmer-reggae-jazz band. Multicultural bliss, at least for an afternoon. Welcome to the new London. Bowler-hat London no longer exists. Nor does the London of Shakespeare, of Charles Dickens or even the 20th-century London of the Beatles. Sure, millions of tourists still visit the great sites of the old city. They still ride the double-decker red buses and flock to watch the queen and the changing of the guard. But London is no longer really an English city; it is a world city. … [Read more...]