WEST MONROE – McClendon Baptist offers English as a Second Language classes at 5 p.m. Sundays. Activities not happening until September: Wednesday night meals, twice-weekly exercise classes, and women’s ministry gardening club. But the praise team, band and their spouses are starting an eight-week study, Hunger for the Holy, by Calvin Miller. Church stats for May 20: 433 in Sunday school; 206 in contemporary worship and 215 in traditional worship. Tithes and offerings: $13,886.72. Rick Crandall is pastor.     HODGE – The Hodge Herald makes note of several missions and ministry opportunities for the people of Hodge Baptist: 1. Hearts of Light needs help filling a playpen for a baby boy due in early June. 2. Members of the church are part of a team from Jackson Baptist Association going to Sioux Falls, S.D. in August. 3. People are needed to lead worship Sunday mornings at Jimmy Davis State Park. 4. Rolling Hills Resort ministry needs help providing for an outdoor Bible school at a recreational area. 5. The Coalition of Christian Churches in Jackson Parish is asking for help buying school uniforms for the 2007-08 school year. 6. Disaster Relief training for those interested in this ministry is set for … [Read more...]

Welcome! Mark Carroll is new as pastor of Burning Bush Baptist in Walker. Kevin (wife Shannon) Inman is new as Baptist Collegiate Ministries director at Louisiana Technical University, from a decade at Ouachita Baptist in Arkansas. David Abernathy to First Farmerville as interim pastor. Royce Dyer to First Farmerville as interim minister of music. Kevin Daniel to Bethel Lillie as pastor. Eddie Schexnaydre to Vienna First as pastor. John Hebert, LBC regional mission strategist, to Sale Street Baptist Lake Charles, as interim pastor. Kelly Boggs, editor of the Baptist Message, to Baptist Temple Alexandria, as interim pastor. Wayne Talley to New River Baptist, St. Amant, as interim pastor. Ivy Butler to New River Baptist, St. Amant, as interim worship leader. Brian Canuteson is new as pastor of Start Baptist in Start. Transitional pastor Bill McCullin is available for a new assignment. Needed Full-time pastor needed. Send resume to Colyell Baptist Church, Attention: Pastor Search Committee, 19524 Hwy. 42, Livingston LA 70754. For information, call 225.698.6243. Part-time Music leader needed at McDonald Memorial Baptist Church in Jonesboro. Please … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page has called on organizers of a planned January 2008 gathering of moderates and liberals to focus less on their plan to “take the microphone away” from conservatives and attend more to spreading the message of the Gospel. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page has called on organizers of a planned January 2008 gathering of moderates and liberals to focus less on their plan to “take the microphone away” from conservatives and attend more to spreading the message of the Gospel. Page’s response May 25 comes about a week after former U.S. president and former Southern Baptist Jimmy Carter made a pitch to Southern Baptists to attend the New Baptist Covenant he is organizing with Bill Underwood, president of Mercer University. Bill Clinton, also a former U.S. president with Southern Baptist ties, has described himself as a “cheerleader” for the event. Clinton’s wife, Hillary, a U.S. senator from New York, is a leading contender for the Democrats’ 2008 presidential nomination. Carter invoked Page’s name May 17, saying the SBC leader “has not been negative” in discussions about the gathering. According to one media report, … [Read more...]

Results from a LifeWay Research study of teenagers indicates that many teens are confused about what it takes to get to heaven. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Results from a LifeWay Research study of teenagers indicates that many teens are confused about what it takes to get to heaven. More than 1,000 teens were surveyed in January and February 2007 by mail questionnaire. These results are compared to an identical survey conducted in 2005. Each sample consisted of 12- to 19-year-olds. Results show that 69 percent of teens believe heaven exists. Also, a majority strongly agree with the traditional Christian belief in Jesus Christ’s death for their sins as the reason they will go to heaven (53 percent). While many teens believe they will go to heaven because of their belief in Jesus Christ, one-quarter trust in their own kindness to others (27 percent) or their religiosity (26 percent) as their means to get to heaven. Out of the 69 percent of the teens who strongly or somewhat agree they will go to heaven because Jesus Christ died for their sins, 60 percent also agree that they will go to heaven because they are religious and 60 percent also agree they will go to heaven because they are kind to others. That … [Read more...]

In the shadow of the high bank of turns 1 and 2 at the Talladega Superspeedway on race weekend sat 156 RVs that made Richard Alford smile. TALLADEGA, Ala. – In the shadow of the high bank of turns 1 and 2 at the Talladega Superspeedway on race weekend sat 156 RVs that made Richard Alford smile. The RVs – parked neatly in the new Champion’s Corner Overnight Park for the April 29 Aaron’s 499 NASCAR race – constituted the first campsite designated by the speedway as alcohol-free. It was also the first at which a member of Alabama Raceway Ministries (ARM) was asked to serve as a camp host. “Champion’s Corner was a great first-time experience for Alabama Raceway Ministries,” said Alford, director of ARM for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. “The people were very receptive to our team being there and continually expressed appreciation for what our team did for and with them there.” Champion’s Corner, one of seven campgrounds with an ARM ministry site on hand during race week, was the only one at which a minister stayed overnight. “This is a relaxed setting. People open up,” said Camp Host Fred Cook, noting that at night when events wind down, some of the best relationship-building time … [Read more...]

Morningside Baptist Church had fallen on hard times. On paper, Morningside’s budget called for 10 percent of church members’ gifts to be channeled through the Cooperative Program, but often that check wasn’t written. Each month’s local expenses – water, electricity, telephone, mortgage and the like – were maxing out its income. YUMA, Ariz. (BP) –Morningside Baptist Church had fallen on hard times. On paper, Morningside’s budget called for 10 percent of church members’ gifts to be channeled through the Cooperative Program, but often that check wasn’t written. Each month’s local expenses – water, electricity, telephone, mortgage and the like – were maxing out its income. During one church business meeting, which was held in the fellowship hall to save money by not air conditioning the larger worship center in midweek, longtime church member Gladys Armbruster challenged the Yuma, Ariz., congregation. “Until the church puts missions giving first – like God wants us to tithe first – God is not going to bless the church financially,” Armbruster said. The church heeded her words and began sending in its Cooperative Program check first each week. “Our treasurer still does that today,” said pastor Gilbert Taeger … [Read more...]

Baptist Press will launch a news blog during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, allowing readers to stay updated on events throughout the two-day event in a timely manner. SAN ANTONIO (BP)--Baptist Press will launch a news blog during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, allowing readers to stay updated on events throughout the two-day event in a timely manner. Labeled "Instant News," the blog -- at www.bpnews.net/blog -- will provide updates within seconds or minutes of key events from the convention floor Tuesday and Wednesday in San Antonio. The blog will allow readers to know the nuts and bolts of news before Baptist Press posts more detailed full-length stories. "I am excited about giving our readers this resource for reliable and instant access to developments at the annual meeting," said Will Hall, executive editor of Baptist Press. The blog will begin its coverage of the annual meeting at 9 a.m. Eastern Tuesday and will report throughout the meeting on such news as: -- Vote totals for president, first vice president, second vice president and other officers. -- Results of votes on motions and resolutions. -- SBC President Frank Page's address. -- Quotes … [Read more...]

Houston Astros third baseman Morgan Ensberg vividly remembers a speaker he heard at the team’s Bible study a couple of years ago. EDITORS’ NOTE: BP Sports columnist Tim Ellsworth recently visited Florida to do a series of stories on spring training as baseball players get ready to begin the 2007 season. KISSIMMEE, Fla. (BP) – Houston Astros third baseman Morgan Ensberg vividly remembers a speaker he heard at the team’s Bible study a couple of years ago. Nanotechnologist Jim Tour gave his testimony to the team about becoming a Christian during college. “From that day on, he said he read the Bible every single day,” Ensberg said. “It really impacted me.” Tour said he had read his Bible daily for about 25 years. That commitment rubbed off on Ensberg. “From that day, about two and a half years ago, I said, ‘This is obviously a message from the Holy Spirit. I’m going to do this,’” Ensberg said. And he has. Every day, without fail, Ensberg carves out the time and makes sure he reads at least a little part of the Bible. It’s not like Ensberg had no biblical foundation in his life. His grandfathers were both Lutheran ministers, and his parents met while they were students at California Lutheran University. “I … [Read more...]

There is no such thing as retiring from the service of the Lord. SPENCER – There is no such thing as retiring from the service of the Lord. But the tradition in most Baptist churches is that as older members reach retirement age, younger members step in and take on leadership roles. At Spencer Baptist Church, the demographics of the membership and vitality of many older members have created a somewhat unusual situation. The church grew rapidly in the middle of the last century and many of those members still carry a big load. A downturn in membership during the past couple of decades contributed to the current situation, but young members Are now stepping forward as the church has begun to grow again. This small rural church located in Union Parish has a large number of members who are 70 or older, about 10 who are past their 80th birthday, and four who are more than 90 years old. Two of the church’s five deacons – Cona Spillers and Walter Thomas – are in their 90s. Spillers has served for many years as chairman of the deacon body. Spencer Baptist  Church was established Oct. 31, 1920. Its oldest member, 98-year-old Ida Mae Wilson, joined soon after the church was formed and was meeting in the Spencer Woodman … [Read more...]

Dale McLemore had just earned his degree in Christian ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and had been approved to become a Mission Service Corps MSC missionary for the North American Mission Board. DELAND, Fla. – Dale McLemore had just earned his degree in Christian ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and had been approved to become a Mission Service Corps MSC missionary for the North American Mission Board. MSC personnel are self-funded missionaries assigned by NAMB to strategic situations that have not been funded. McLemore was awaiting the final paperwork to assign him as a NAMB outreach missionary for extreme sports.  His job would have been to share Christ and help meet the spiritual needs of those involved in extreme sports – sky diving, snow skiing, deep sea diving, base jumping, rock-climbing, etc. The New Orleans resident – who would have turned 45 on June 16 – died on May 20 after a failed, high-speed competitive jump from an altitude of 5,000 feet in DeLand,Fla. “It was a sporting accident,” said Sgt. Jim Jusick of the DeLand Police Department.  Jusick said that according to eyewitness accounts, there was no equipment failure, that McLemore’s parachute had opened … [Read more...]