Okay, I’m old. Everyone seems determined to remind me. Some folks at Beloit College in Wisconsin put out an annual "age gauge"to remind folks more than 40 how old we are. Stuff like kids starting to college this year were born in 1982, and how they are predated by Atari, which came along when my offsprings were kids. Like we need reminding. Okay, I’m old. Everyone seems determined to remind me. Some folks at Beloit College in Wisconsin put out an annual "age gauge"to remind folks more than 40 how old we are. Stuff like kids starting to college this year were born in 1982, and how they are predated by Atari, which came along when my offsprings were kids. Like we need reminding.   Someone sent me an E-mail - okay, stop right here. Take e-mail for instance. Hate it. Anxiety washes over me every time I click that little "Send" symbol. Who knows how it goes, even where it goes for sure. One false move, and the epistle zooms off to the black hole of cyberspace. I am so old, I remember writing by hand a postal card, sticking a penny stamp on it and trusting the postal service to get the card to the proper recipient, even if it was later than sooner. I touched it, felt it, tasted the yukkie glue on the stamp, … [Read more...]

If you have been investing in the work of the Southern Baptist Convention over the years, you should strongly consider going to the Annual Meeting of the Convention. This year, the Convention meets June 12-13 in New Orleans’ Super Dome. If you have been investing in the work of the Southern Baptist Convention over the years, you should strongly consider going to the Annual Meeting of the Convention. This year, the Convention meets June 12-13 in New Orleans’ Super Dome.   The actual convention starts on Tuesday morning at 8:00 with inspirational singing. The meeting ends at 5:35 p.m. on Wednesday.   The Convention is open to anyone wishing to attend. You do not have to be an elected messenger from your church to attend, only to vote. While convention planners do not necessarily intend the meetings to be come-and-go affairs, that is exactly what they are! You can choose whatever session you wish to attend.   This year’s convention features music from mass choirs supported by full orchestra as well as outstanding soloists. The music is comparable to the best available anywhere.   This year’s convention sermon will be preached by Louisiana’s own Fred Luter, Jr., pastor of … [Read more...]

This past week I received the Baptist Message of April 26. I live out of state and the mail is slow. In that issue I read the letter by Edith Kirkpatrick concerning her withholding final payment of $25,000 to Louisiana College. This past week I received the Baptist Message of April 26. I live out of state and the mail is slow. In that issue I read the letter by Edith Kirkpatrick concerning her withholding final payment of $25,000 to Louisiana College.   Let me say to the trustees, you’ve done well. As a former trustee, had I been given the honor of still being on the board, I would have voted with you. My wife and I are graduates of Louisiana College and we are both proud of your decision. We agree wholeheartedly with your actions in adoption of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.   I would say to anyone who disagrees and threatens to "keep their money," a fountain is no match for Biblical truth. Louisiana College was founded by people who stood for truth and wanted Christ at the center of the College. What’s more important - money or truth? As a Christian I’ll take truth over a fountain any day. Carl Weiser Rustburg, Va. … [Read more...]

Less than three weeks remain in the Louisiana legislative session - and persons cannot wait if they wish to have a voice on key issues, Ken Ward said. "Things are moving quickly," noted Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. "Key issues remain to be decided. Others - such as alcohol-related bills - are stalled, and only a public outcry will move them towards passage. Now is the time for the public to be heard." Less than three weeks remain in the Louisiana legislative session - and persons cannot wait if they wish to have a voice on key issues, Ken Ward said. "Things are moving quickly," noted Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. "Key issues remain to be decided. Others - such as alcohol-related bills - are stalled, and only a public outcry will move them towards passage. Now is the time for the public to be heard." Issues related to alcohol, abortion, gambling, marriage and family all still are pending. A listing of key bills can be accessed by visiting the Baptist Message web site at www.baptistmessage.com and accessing "LBC news." Ward urged persons to identify key bills and communicate with state leaders regarding them as soon as … [Read more...]

Much is made of changing music styles in Southern Baptist churches these days.   So one can see why New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary officials would want to make sure students gain an appreciation for all musical styles. But one might be surprised to learn that includes opera. Much is made of changing music styles in Southern Baptist churches these days.   So one can see why New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary officials would want to make sure students gain an appreciation for all musical styles. But one might be surprised to learn that includes opera.   As a means of introducing students to the arts, the seminary music faculty and others recently joined the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in presenting a pair of operas on campus - "Serenade to Music" by Ralph Vaughan Williams and "The Prodigal Son" by Claude Debussy.   "What I love about our music program is the ability of our faculty and students to do such a wide range of music so well," seminary President Chuck Kelley said of the productions. "Healthy churches come in all sorts of flavors. In training our students to prepare for this diversity, our music faculty and students are feeding us with musical … [Read more...]

Louisiana prison Chaplain Gary Sumrall will begin trying to work himself out of a job this year - with help from the Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union. Louisiana prison Chaplain Gary Sumrall will begin trying to work himself out of a job this year - with help from the Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union.   During 2001, Sumrall is scheduled to implement a pilot project at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in Baton Rouge. Called "Christian Women’s Job Corps: Behind and Beyond Bars," screened inmates will have opportunity to participate in job corps training for six months prior to their release, followed by an additional 12 months after their release.   Sumrall says he believes the ministry could "put me out of a job."   He may be right. After all, his prison has an 85 percent return rate of offenders. He said he believes that return rate will decrease drastically when the women are trained for life outside of prison. "Christian Women’s Job Corps can give these women the skills and support to start a new life when they are released instead of returning to the one that sent them to prison," he said.   While introducing the Southern Baptist Woman’s … [Read more...]

W.A. Weeks was familiar with Southern Baptists, particularly Seven Springs Baptist Church where his wife was a member and he attended sporadically.   But it was not until he experienced Christianity through Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from Seven Springs and other churches that he realized his own need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. W.A. Weeks was familiar with Southern Baptists, particularly Seven Springs Baptist Church where his wife was a member and he attended sporadically.   But it was not until he experienced Christianity through Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from Seven Springs and other churches that he realized his own need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   After Hurricane Floyd left 36 inches of water standing in the Weeks home in North Carolina in the fall of 1999, disaster relief volunteers initially helped by providing meals. Later, Southern Baptist crews came out and cleaned up the mud and debris from the home.   Finally, volunteers from First Baptist Church of Reidsville, N.C., undertook the months-long task of helping rebuild the Weeks home. Volunteer crews spent two days each week on the project. In … [Read more...]

For the week of May 31, 2001 Potpourri •BATON ROUGE - Broadmoor church: youth choir from First church, Shreveport, in concert; June 10, 6 p.m.; Randy Edwards, director, youth choir; Paul Henderson, minister of music; John W. Goodwin, pastor.   •LAPLACE - First church: SBC Sunday; June 10, 10:30 a.m.; Ted Traylor, speaker; Danny Taylor, pastor.   •MONROE - North Monroe church: Vocal Freedom Seminar led by Ray Holcomb; June 8, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.; June 9, 9 a.m. - 12 noon; cost is $25 per person; for infor-mation, contact Nancy Whaley at (318) 343-4730; David McCormick, interim minister of music; Bob Utley, interim pastor. Homecomings •CASTOR - New Ramah church: June 3; Sunday School, 10 a.m.; worship service, 11 a.m.; Jim Walsh, speaker; dinner, 12 noon; singing, 1:30 p.m. with Kelly and Shawn Walsh; Richard Shreve, pastor.   •DERIDDER - Pleasant Hill church: June 3; Sunday School, 9:15 p.m.; worship service, 10:30 a.m.; dinner, 12 noon; Alan Knuckles, pastor.   •ENTERPRISE - New Ouachita church: June 10; singing by Joyful Noise, 10 a.m.; worship service, 11 a.m.; dinner, 12 noon; Alton Thompson, pastor, to speak. Anniversaries •SHREVEPORT - Western Hills church: 40th; … [Read more...]

Jerusalem, Israel - Visiting the land of the Bible provides a dimension of understanding the Bible that may be impossible to gain any other way.   Many aspects of biblical events "come alive" when one sees firsthand a particular geographical reference in the Bible, or sees the site of a particular event. Jerusalem, Israel - Visiting the land of the Bible provides a dimension of understanding the Bible that may be impossible to gain any other way.   Many aspects of biblical events "come alive" when one sees firsthand a particular geographical reference in the Bible, or sees the site of a particular event.   This dimension is something akin to - but greater than - reading histories about the Battle of Gettysburg to understand what happened there and then actually visiting the battleground. Walking and riding on the land, seeing the geographical features and how they affected what happened there provide an important added dimension to understanding the battle.   One does not "have" to visit personally the battleground of Gettysburg to understand the significance of what happened there or to have what happened there impact his or her life. Even a casual reader of United States … [Read more...]

Shannon Baker New Orleans Seminary Christians are not motivated to serve in missions because of their awareness of people’s "lostness" - or even because of Jesus’ Great Commission command to go, Jerry Rankin contends. Christians are not motivated to serve in missions because of their awareness of people’s "lostness" - or even because of Jesus’ Great Commission command to go, Jerry Rankin contends. They are motivated because of their relationship with Jesus and the passion he has given them to glorify his name, explained Rankin, president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.   "God is moving to fulfill his mission - that his name might be exalted among the nations," Rankin said in a recent chapel address during a global missions emphasis at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   Indeed, 1 Chronicles 16:24-25 instructs followers of Christ to tell of God’s glory among the nations and his wonderful deeds among all the peoples - "for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised," Rankin noted.   The Israelites mentioned in 1 Chronicles realized that it was not about them, Rankin explained. "It was about the nations declaring God’s glory among the … [Read more...]