Louisiana Baptists targeted missions in a big way in 2007. STATEWIDE – Louisiana Baptists targeted missions in a big way in 2007. In rural villages, small towns, medium-sized cities and large metropolitan areas, and across the globe, Louisiana Baptists prayed, gave and went out to do God’s kingdom work last year. The Dec. 27 issue of the Message recapped articles from the first six months of 2007. This issue will recap what was reported on about Louisiana churches from July through December. All articles remain online at www.baptistmessage.com. Search by a main word in the headline or article. For example, to read about ministry to motorcyclists, search for the keyword “motorcycle.” July North Monroe Baptist members participated in a variety of local ministries as part of its “40 Days of Community” discipleship study. Two members at Kingsville Baptist in Pineville developed thewww.baptistbiz.com website as an online business directory. Castor churches participated in Christian Community Action Alert, an umbrella ministry that speaks out “against things that are an abomination to God, and to alert people to things they can do to take action on these issues,” according to the article that was part of a series … [Read more...]

Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program are 5.03 percent ahead of the same time frame at the end of 2006, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program are 5.03 percent ahead of the same time frame at the end of 2006, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman. As of Dec. 31, the year-to-date total of $49,731,723.42 for Cooperative Program (CP) missions is $2,379,557.16 ahead of the $47,352,166.26 received at the same point at the end of 2006. For the month, receipts of $16,493,736.26 were 1.67 percent, or $271,461.03 above the $16,222,275.23 received in December 2006. Designated giving of $11,462,092.26 for the same year-to-date period is 2.91 percent, or $343,983.30, below gifts of $11,806,075.56 received at this point last year. The $4,675,645.96 in designated gifts received last month is $483,351.17 below the $5,158,997.13 received in December 2006, a decrease of 9.37 percent. For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation … [Read more...]

Fred Lowery, Mike Walker and Dennis Watson are among eight Southern Baptist pastors on the 16-member host committee for the Jan. 14 Inaugural Prayer Breakfast sponsored by the Louisiana Renewal Project. BATON ROUGE – Fred Lowery, Mike Walker and Dennis Watson are among eight Southern Baptist pastors on the 16-member host committee for the Jan. 14 Inaugural Prayer Breakfast sponsored by the Louisiana Renewal Project. It is said to be the first inaugural prayer breakfast since Lowery, pastor of First Baptist Bossier City, hosted one for Charles E. “Buddy” Roemer in 1988. For the last 43 years, however, a governor’s prayer breakfast has taken place at the start of each year’s legislative session. The Inaugural Prayer Breakfast is open to all who want to participate, though seating is limited to space available. “I believe Governor Bobby Jindal’s agenda is right for this state, and it’s impossible without prayer,” Lowery said. “He spoke in our church twice before he was running for governor. I’ve talked with him several times; I prayed with him right before the election. “I think Christianity is about life, and as Christians we are to be not just good citizens but great citizens,” Lowery continued. “That means we have … [Read more...]

“We are still ministering to hundreds of people monthly who are still traumatized by Katrina,” reported Dennis Watson, pastor of Celebration Church, which has grown to include four campuses – two as a result of the storm, and one providentially two weeks before. METAIRIE – “We are still ministering to hundreds of people monthly who are still traumatized by Katrina,” reported Dennis Watson, pastor of Celebration Church, which has grown to include four campuses – two as a result of the storm, and one providentially two weeks before. About 600 people are in counseling with the church’s professional counseling staff, the pastor said. Many are coming to faith in Jesus Christ, he added. Celebration’s multiple ministries also include partnering with other inner-city churches, such as a National Baptist church that pre-Katrina had 225 in worship. “We are working with churches across the nation to help rebuild these congregations and ministries,” Watson said. The church also is working through its location on Transcontinental Avenue, and its other locations: Construction on the 250-seat worship facility and community/recreation center in St. Bernard, site of the former Arabi Baptist Church, is to be completed by the end of … [Read more...]

A new year is a splendid time for people to reflect on their lives and refocus their priorities. Let me join that chorus of voices reminding you to make “New Year’s resolutions.” It is a good thing to ask, “What will I do this year to build significance and service into my personal life?” A new year is a splendid time for people to reflect on their lives and refocus their priorities. Let me join that chorus of voices reminding you to make “New Year’s resolutions.” It is a good thing to ask, “What will I do this year to build significance and service into my personal life?” Churches need a time of reflection, too. Pastors are busy people. So are church lay leaders. We can become so busy that we don’t stop long enough to look at our past and refocus on our future. Are you engaging that process? That is what we hope to do with Empowering Kingdom Growth – Louisiana. If a church is already intending to use the beginning of a new year to challenge people to spiritual renewal; if a church is working toward an intentional evangelism and mission strategy so as to avoid merely surviving 52 disconnected Sundays a year; if a church recognizes the need for people to overcome financial tyranny and maximize their resources for God’s … [Read more...]

Hugh Hefner is “a pretty moral guy.” If you don’t believe it, just ask him. Hugh Hefner is “a pretty moral guy.” If you don’t believe it, just ask him. In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times some time ago, the founder of Playboy magazine reflected on religion and morality. When asked whether he had ever sinned, Hefner replied, “Oh, sure, but I haven’t pursued very much immoral behavior. I’m a pretty moral guy.” How can a man who is credited with mainstreaming pornography into American culture claim to be moral? “Now it’s morality as I perceive it,” Hefner said. “Morality is what is perceived as good for people…. I define it in a way that is truly, what I believe to be truly humanistic and rational and loving.” So there you have it. Hugh Hefner is moral because he says he is. Welcome to the world of postmodern ethics where morality is in the eye of the beholder. While not easily understood, postmodern thought is nevertheless becoming the dominant philosophy in America. According to postmodern thought, the idea of “absolute truth” is an oxymoron. At best, truth is relative and a matter of individual interpretation. At worst, truth is a social invention designed to maintain a culture’s status quo. As such, it is … [Read more...]

On Friday, Nov. 9, Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman mailed a letter to every church pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention asking him to participate in a Cooperative Program/Stewardship survey.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – On Friday, Nov. 9, Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman mailed a letter to every church pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention asking him to participate in a Cooperative Program/Stewardship survey. Chapman said the purpose of the survey is “to collect data that will provide an empirical baseline of our churches’ thoughts, feelings and perceptions about Cooperative Program/stewardship and to give us insights for developing a more focused strategy in the promotion of CP and stewardship across the convention.” LifeWay Research, the research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, is conducting the survey at the request of Chapman, who described it as the most ambitious survey conducted to date by LifeWay. Chapman stated in the letter to pastors, “Learning actual opinions and assessments is our objective.” Describing the survey as comprehensive, Chapman noted that “every pastor plus five members of each church in the convention are being asked … [Read more...]

We heard reports [at a recent meeting] about the ongoing ministries of the Rachel Sims Baptist Center and the Carver Center, both located in the uptown area of New Orleans and ministering to inner city children. Larry Miguez is over both centers, with Linda Middlebrooks assisting him at Rachel Sims and Jennifer Fannin at Carver. NEW ORLEANS – We heard reports [at a recent meeting] about the ongoing ministries of the Rachel Sims Baptist Center and the Carver Center, both located in the uptown area of New Orleans and ministering to inner city children. Larry Miguez is over both centers, with Linda Middlebrooks assisting him at Rachel Sims and Jennifer Fannin at Carver. They are incredible servants of God, pouring out their lives for Christ in some difficult situations. Lots of positive things to report. Rachel Sims and Carver are providing ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for some 22 participants at the moment. They have programs to prepare people to take their GED exams. Puppet ministries, after school homework clubs, and discipleship classes. They host volunteers in their buildings – church teams from outside our area – who come to minister in the inner city. Director Larry Miguez reports that the centers … [Read more...]

Editor’s note: Part of the purpose of the Baptist Message is building community among Southern Baptist churches in Louisiana – helping us all get to know each other better. Toward that end, we started Louisiana Landscapes 18 months ago to let readers know what was going on in churches across the state. We relied on newsletters supplied us by churches and associations. But not all the nearly 1,600 churches in Louisiana send out newsletters, so this year our goal is to contact by telephone every church in the state, to learn what God is doing through each, in order to pass on that information to our readers for inspiration, prayer support and ideas exchange – and to remind each of us how good it is to be a Louisiana Southern Baptist! WINNSBORO – Buford Brady, 70, is pastor of Lone Cedar Baptist. The church has been working for a year on the preliminary work needed before construction can begin – permits and inspections – on a new worship center to set adjacent to the current church building, which is more than 100 years old.  Earth was to have begun moving this week. About 40 people attend Sunday morning worship at Lone Cedar; 25 in Sunday School. At Christmas they celebrated the first person baptized “in several years,” … [Read more...]