On 08/08/08 at eight minutes past 8 p.m., the summer Olympics will begin in Beijing, China, fully in tune with Chinese tradition to the tiniest detail, even to its kickoff time. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) – On 08/08/08 at eight minutes past 8 p.m., the summer Olympics will begin in Beijing, China, fully in tune with Chinese tradition to the tiniest detail, even to its kickoff time. Eight is the number of prosperity and fortune in China. And in a lot of ways, the Olympics have brought just that. “It’s a matter of national pride that they are able to host this worldwide event. To them, in many ways, it is a coming out party,” says Joyce Glover, a representative of the International Mission Board’s East Asia region. “It’s showing the world they can do it, that they can meet global standards.” China’s “coming out” is from a 20th century rocked with turbulence. During that time, China staggered backward, beset by 40 years of war and political turmoil. And after the Communists seized power in 1949, the country groaned under another 40 years of calamitous government policies and crushing brutality, according to U.S. News & World Report. On the heels of that unrest, some have dubbed the current era “China’s century,” a … [Read more...]

It was an outpouring of support from a small, rural community that simply hasn’t been seen in more than 50 years. Churches, school officials and members of the community working hand-in-hand to insure Buckeye High School would be ready for the new school year. DEVILLE   It was an outpouring of support from a small, rural community that simply hasn’t been seen in more than 50 years. Churches, school officials and members of the community working hand-in-hand to insure Buckeye High School would be ready for the new school year. This story began two years ago when parish and local school administrators asked the churches in the community to help promote the need for a bond issue to pay for the replacement of the 45-year-old school. The community churches, which included four Baptist churches – Holloway, Longview, Philadelphia and Unity, – hosted town hall-like meetings promoting the need for the new high school. “We could never have passed the bond issue had not all the churches in the community come together to support it,” school board president E.L. Paulk said. “Support like this is truly unprecedented in this day and time.” The project, though, ran out of money six months before the school was completed. “We had … [Read more...]

A new DVD showcasing the need for and benefit of agricultural missions was produced and is being made available by the Louisiana Baptist Agricultural Missions Fellowship. HOMER – A new DVD showcasing the need for and benefit of agricultural missions was produced and is being made available by the Louisiana Baptist Agricultural Missions Fellowship. Music, narration and more than 200 photos tell the story of Southern Baptist agricultural missions, which started in the 1950s. That’s when the first agricultural missionaries were appointed by the SBC’s Foreign (now International) Mission Board. “Agricultural missions is the best-kept secret of the Southern Baptist Convention,” said Nelson Philpot PhD, president of what informally is known as Louisiana Ag Missions. He’s also a retired research professor and research center administrator with the LSU Agricultural Center, and professor emeritus at LSU. “The goal of producing the DVD was to enhance awareness about the realities of world hunger and poverty, as well as give emphasis to simple proven solutions to those problems, whereby people are empowered to help themselves,” Philpot explained. Ag missions in Louisiana is moving to the next level with the development of … [Read more...]

Imagine: You’ve been sent by God to a town new to you, where you don’t know anyone, to start a church. WOODWORTH – Imagine: You’ve been sent by God to a town new to you, where you don’t know anyone, to start a church. Day one. You arrive. Now what? Geoff Hammond, president of the North American Mission Board, has been there, done that, and made plans to talk about it at the annual Connections conference for church planters, set for Aug. 25-26 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. Pastors of churches participating in the EKG/Acts 1:8 process, along with pastors of churches sponsoring new works, associational directors of missions and interested others are invited to join with the 75 church planters starting churches across Louisiana, to hear from Hammond and others about  reaching people in their own culture and people group, being innovative, and meeting spiritual needs in a diverse, mobile environment, leaders say. Connections was designed by the Missions and Ministry team of the Louisiana Baptist Convention to showcase tools church planters can use to help establish healthy churches; shed light on solutions to difficult situations; and provide a way to help churches connect with church planting. The … [Read more...]

Change! It's the mantra of the political season. But what kind of change--from what to what? Change! It’s the mantra of the political season.  But what kind of change – from what to what? Will taxes go up or down?  Will we stay in Iraq or get out?  Will marriage be protected or abandoned?  Will we get restrained judges or judicial activists?  Will our children have fewer or more educational choices?  Will we go nuclear or stay with coal and oil?  Will our foreign policy be interventionist or isolationist?  The list of questions goes on and on, and voters should demand concrete answers. “Change” can’t be evaluated in a vacuum.  Before voters can make an assessment of the wisdom of change, they have to know what’s on the table.  What are they giving up and what can they expect to get in its place? And let’s face it – it’s easier to talk about change than produce it.  There are lots  of people who talk the talk, but only a few who have walked the walk. Wilberforce: An Agent of Change One of the most effective agents of change in his time was William Wilberforce.  A member of the British Parliament from 1780 to 1825, Wilberforce is a model for anyone who wants to change their culture and create a more just … [Read more...]

The ribbon was cut and the door was opened Aug. 7 to My Friends House, the newest ministry of your Louisiana Bapist Children’s Home. Children, staff and friends gathered for the special event. MONROE – The ribbon was cut and the door was opened Aug. 7 to My Friends House, the newest ministry of your Louisiana Bapist Children’s Home. Children, staff and friends gathered for the special event. My Friend’s House is an emergency care shelter designed to serve children who have been removed from their homes and families because of conditions that are a threat to the child’s safety and well being. My Friend’s House primarily will serve the 11 parishes in Region 9 of the Office of Community Services. Region 9 includes Union, Morehouse, West Carroll, East Carroll, Lincoln, Ouachita, Richland, Madison, Caldwell, Franklin, and Tensas Parishes. “My Friend’s House will provide these children with a safe and loving home-like living environment while also providing OCS ample time to make an appropriate plan for the children,” explained Darrell Washam, LBCH public relations director. Residents of My Friend’s House may stay a maximum of 105 days – an initial 45 days, plus up to two renewal periods of 30 days each, Washam added. “This … [Read more...]

Donating property can benefit tax and estate planning. ALEXANDRIA – Donating property can benefit tax and estate planning. You may have heard of using the 1031 Exchange or “like kind” exchange as a way to roll capital gains on real estate investments from one property to another to “defer” paying Capital Gains Tax.  But what if you want to get rid of a piece of property and raise cash without paying capital gains tax?  Making a charitable donation of the real estate may be the answer, said Wayne Taylor, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. If the investor plans to make a charitable donation of cash (such as tithe, special gift, or meet a pledge) to a church or other charitable organization, they can donate the property instead and keep their cash.  The donation is a quick and easy way to “dispose” of the property, and simply keep the cash that would have been donated, Taylor explained.  “The net effect of donating the property is: disposition of the property, avoidance of capital gains tax, receive a tax deduction, and retain cash that would have been given to charity,” Taylor said. “The donor may need to use the tax deduction over several years – the current tax year plus five years carry forward … [Read more...]

Miguel Barrios has seen the grace of God work through his ministry to impact the lives of Hispanics. Barrios estimates that some 60 Hispanic families living in Bernice do not go to an evangelical church. BERNICE – Miguel Barrios has seen the grace of God work through his ministry to impact the lives of Hispanics. Barrios estimates that some 60 Hispanic families living in Bernice do not go to an evangelical church.  Iglesia Bautista Nazareth, in Bernice, is one of the twelve Hispanic missions along the interstate-20 corridor that is bringing the light of the Gospel to a people in need and families in transition.  “What excites me is the work that the Lord is doing in the lives that He is changing. He is transforming the people that are living life without hope and without the Bible,” Barrios said. Helping to cross the language barrier, Miguel Barrios, a Louisiana Baptist Convention church planter and North American Mission Board Catalytic Missionary is reaching northern Louisiana’s Hispanic population.  “When you have a passion miles mean nothing.  Reaching even one family is very important for the Lord.  If somebody needs Jesus we must be willing to travel. The Lord is working in this place to see a group coming to … [Read more...]

Caulking, landscaping, painting, building, repairing, and cleaning, there is no job too big or too small for Campers on Mission. PINEVILLE – Caulking, landscaping, painting, building, repairing, and cleaning, there is no job too big or too small for Campers on Mission. Why they’re even willing to do windows, if asked. They travel the state year round helping to care for the different Baptist camps – Tall Timbers, Acadiana Baptist Center, Dry Creek, Harris Baptist Camp, Living Waters and Seeker Springs Baptist Camp, as well as  the New Orleans Seamans Center, Holly Beach Christian Resort and Louisiana College. Last week – just two weeks before school begins – more than 60 campers from across the state of Louisiana just happened to be on the LC campus busily taking care of a laundry list of jobs. COM, which is 40 years old, has been coming to LC for more than 20 years. But Louisiana College is just one of many stops for the campers during the course of a year’s time. “While we do hit all of the Baptist Camps in the state, we’ll do anything that needs doing,” COM President Warren Hopkins said. “We’ve remodeled parsonages, built churches, and worked on a variety of different projects – we are ready, willing, and able … [Read more...]

Restoration key to church’s health RAYVILLE – Over the last seven years, Boeuf River Baptist Church has spent more than $90,000 on the restoration of its 7-acre property. It’s also been involved in the restoration of countless lives. “If anyone is to be restored, it’s [prison/jail] inmates, or the guy living unbder the bridge, or the lawyer whose life is spinning out of control,” says Pastor David (wife Becky) Herrington. “You begin to touch base with these people, and I’ve seen amazing things happen. ... To me, that is what church ministry is all about. It’s about affecting people.” About 120 people attend Sunday morning worship at Boeuf River. They give 10 percent of their offerings to missions through the Cooperative Program, 2 percent more to Richland Baptist Association, and send money each month to two missionaries. “It’s a very missions-minded church,” Herrington said. “The first Sunday I was here to preach, some of the members were in Honduras.” Prison ministry is one of Boeuf River’s primary outreaches. Men and women of the church go regularly, as they are permitted by wardens and sheriffs, to have Bible study, worship and one-on-one time with inmates. “They have been judged and condemned,” Herrington … [Read more...]