President George W. Bush’s latest veto of a funding bill for embryonic stem cell research received the expected divided reaction – foes of the destructive experimentation applauded his action while supporters assailed it.  WASHINGTON (BP) – President George W. Bush’s latest veto of a funding bill for embryonic stem cell research received the expected divided reaction – foes of the destructive experimentation applauded his action while supporters assailed it. Bush vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act for the second time in less than a year June 20, reinforcing his commitment to block federal funds from being used in research that kills human embryos. The president also announced at a White House ceremony he had signed an executive order to encourage the government’s attempts to underwrite ethical stem cell studies. “Like millions of other Americans, I am extremely grateful that we have a president who understands the sanctity of every human life,” said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. “He understands that destroying human life in the hope of saving other human life is a moral line we must not cross as a nation. The president ‘gets it.’ I hope that … [Read more...]

Located in the southwestern part of the state, this association spans all of Beaurgard Parish and a western portion of Allen Parish. BEAUREGARD BAPTIST ASSOCIATION — Located in the southwestern part of the state, this association spans all of Beaurgard Parish and a western portion of Allen Parish. It also borders Texas on the west. DeRidder, the biggest city in Beauregard Parish, had a population of more than 23,000 people, according to the U.S. Census 2000 data; the parish as a whole had a population of almost 33,000.  The Beauregard Association’s eastern border in Allen Parish falls just short of the Allen Parish seat, Oberlin. Oakdale, another larger city in Allen Parish, is further east of the border as well, so that the majority of the parish that is included in the association is primarily rural. “I’ve come to appreciate what it means when you see a log truck with logs,” said Beauregard Director of Missions Don Hunt about one of the major local industries. “I never appreciated the industry until I understood what the products are doing across our nation.” The association itself has a deep sense of history rooted among the piney woods, the DOM said, especially since it is home to some of the state’s oldest … [Read more...]

Don Hunt, director of missions for the Beauregard Baptist Association, learned more than he ever expected as a student at Louisiana College in the late 1960s, he said. It was at LC that Hunt began to learn about God’s provision. DERIDDER – Don Hunt, director of missions for the Beauregard Baptist Association, learned more than he ever expected as a student at Louisiana College in the late 1960s, he said. It was at LC that Hunt began to learn about God’s provision.  Feeling the call to preach at 18, Hunt wanted to attend LC, but as one of 11 children, he knew funds were tight, he said. However, encouraged by his church, First Baptist, Lake Charles, Hunt applied for financial aid and enrolled. “When the final bill for close to $2,000 came at the end of the first semester, I had no way to pay it,” Hunt said. With the bill and final exams – which he couldn’t take until the bill was paid – hanging over his head, Hunt had a prayer meeting in his dorm asking that God would provide a way for him. That was on a Friday. On Monday, with the bill still unpaid, he went to the business office intending to resign from college. When a worker pulled his records, she discovered that Hunt’s bill had, in fact, been paid in full. … [Read more...]

A book published in April 2007 reflects almost a half century of reflection and study on my part concerning an issue that matters deeply to me as an American Christian deeply committed to the Baptist faith tradition. A book published in April 2007 reflects almost a half century of reflection and study on my part concerning an issue that matters deeply to me as an American Christian deeply committed to the Baptist faith tradition. The issue is religious freedom, and the book is The Divided States of America? What Liberals AND Conservatives Are Missing in the God-and-Country Shouting Match! One issue discussed in the book that has generated considerable interest and response is my attempt to identify and analyze three major perspectives, or models, regarding religious expression in the public square in American society. Avoidance First, there are those Americans, particularly those on the left, who have adopted a position of avoidance. They assert that things pertaining to religion have no place in the public square. They oppose manger scenes or other religious displays on government property, such as courthouse lawns, and believe students’ rights to exercise their faith should be restricted in the school house, … [Read more...]

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention that is dedicated to addressing social and moral concerns and their implications on public policy issues from City Hall to Congress. The SBC is the largest non-Catholic denomination in the country with over 16 million members. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention that is dedicated to addressing social and moral concerns and their implications on public policy issues from City Hall to Congress. The SBC is the largest non-Catholic denomination in the country with over 16 million members. With offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., the ERLC’s impact stretches from homes across the nation to the White House. Through its groundbreaking, nationally syndicated radio programs and its issues oriented publications, the ERLC provides millions of Americans with information vital to preserving the soul and spirit that makes the United States the greatest nation in history. The ERLC Vision An American society that affirms and practices Judeo-Christian values rooted in biblical authority. The ERLC Mission To awaken, inform, energize, equip, and mobilize … [Read more...]

“Our Samaria is Lethbridge, a city in southern Alberta, Canada,” he said. There, Cross Roads has been working with a Southern Baptist church planter. This summer the Minot church has planned its third mission trip to Alberta. “Our Samaria is Lethbridge, a city in southern Alberta, Canada,” he said. There, Cross Roads has been working with a Southern Baptist church planter. This summer the Minot church has planned its third mission trip to Alberta.  In August, Cross Roads is sending two people with the Dakota Baptist Convention on a mission trip to Russia, fulfilling the last part of Christ’s command to reach the ends of the earth, Knight said. In the meantime, Christian numbers in the Dakotas are slowly increasing and provide evidence of God’s work, Roach said. “We’re seeing people, a few more, that are seeing a vision for [the area] and doing some things out of the ordinary,” she added. For example, the Sturgis Bike Rally in Sturgis, S.D. was begun last year, and now people are prayer walking in preparation for the rally next month. Make Sure of this date?? “We’ve got others who are seeing needs in sister churches,” she continued, explaining that though no church has plenty, they are sharing with one another … [Read more...]

At Mississippi’s Parchman Penitentiary, 17 inmates and their families gathered in the prison’s visitation building to celebrate a first in the state’s prison system’s history – a seminary graduation ceremony. PARCHMAN, Miss. (BP) – At Mississippi’s Parchman Penitentiary, 17 inmates and their families gathered in the prison’s visitation building to celebrate a first in the state’s prison system’s history – a seminary graduation ceremony. Those 16 inmates made up the first graduating class of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s new Parchman extension center which began offering classes in 2005. NOBTS’ undergraduate ministry training at Parchman joins its inaugural prison extension center at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. The program at Parchman was jumpstarted by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s wife Marsha. Shortly after her husband took office in 2004, she began to press for a more robust educational program within the prison system. “I found out they didn’t have anything like this, and I challenged Haley’s staff to look at different models to see what other prisons were doing,” Marsha Barbour said. “Daryl Neely, Haley’s policy adviser, actually got to work on it, visited Angola, and that’s how it … [Read more...]

How can a couple of garage sales make an Acts 1:8 difference? About 20 men and women at First Bastrop can tell you how. BASTROP – How can a couple of garage sales make an Acts 1:8 difference? About 20 men and women at First Bastrop can tell you how. The group, mostly from the Adult IV Sunday School Department aged 55-80, have raised more than $12,500 for missions in the Ukraine and Canada by conducting two different garage sales in the church gym, said Ramona Westbrook, department director for the Adult IV’s at First Bastrop. “We raised a little over $7,000 the first time,’ she added. The money was sent to Mike and Linda Ray, missionaries to the Ukraine, so the two could buy a structure to remodel into a church. Ray is the former minister of education at First Bastrop. Love for fellow church members inspired the first garage sale, Westbrook said. “We just really love Mike Ray and his family.” But then the love multiplied to include strangers and neighbors. After the first garage sale, people kept asking when the next would be. Then, about a year ago, First Bastrop began helping sponsor Miramichi Valley Church in Doaktown, New Brunswick in Canada, pastor Jim Ingram said. The Adult IV’s were inspired to conduct … [Read more...]

Louisiana Women’s Missions and Ministry plans to distribute 1,300 gift boxes at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) Aug. 24-25. Volunteers are needed to pack gift boxes Aug. 1-2, and distribute them to residents Aug. 24-25. ST. GABRIEL – Louisiana Women’s Missions and Ministry plans to distribute 1,300 gift boxes at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) Aug. 24-25. Volunteers are needed to pack gift boxes Aug. 1-2, and distribute them to residents Aug. 24-25. “This is a weekend ministry opportunity that will open doors and prepare the way for women’s hearts to be open to, and hear the Gospel,” said Janie Wise, director of LBC’s Women’s Mission and Ministry team. The weekend of ministry will begin Friday, with some 60 women distributing the boxes to residents in the Correctional Institute. Saturday, “Ladies Day” will be a day of fellowship for the women inside LCIW as volunteers will hold a BBQ and activities throughout the day for the women. The weekend will conclude with an Evangelism rally on Sunday. This is the second year Louisiana Women’s Missions and Ministry has prepared gift boxes, however, Ladies Day and the Evangelism Rally are long-standing events of the Baptist Association … [Read more...]

PLAQUEMINE – Bayou Plaquemine Baptist plans a pastors/wives conference July 14 with McCain Ministries, Gary Mitchell, Mike Ferguson, Dory Davis and others. Ken Austin is pastor. HODGE – Hodge Baptist plans a Freedom Celebration Sunday, July 1, with morning worship at 10:50 a.m.; games and activities at 2 p.m. and hamburgers, hot dogs and more at 5 p.m. Norris Curry is pastor. BATON ROUGE – First Baptist Baton Rouge plans a Patriotic service at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 1, in the sanctuary of the downtown campus, with the sanctuary choir, Pelican State Brass, soloists and ensemble members. BENTON – A group from First Baptist spent June 9-16 on a mission trip to New Orleans. The church recently added three deacons: Bob Brown, Ken Lee and Tim Parker. SULPHUR – First Baptist is in the midst of  “The Summer of Missions,” with weekly gatherings in homes to study “various missions and missionaries our church supports through the Cooperative Program,” writes Pastor Dave Holder in a recent issue of The Vision newsletter. “The Cooperative Program’s genius is focusing Southern Baptist churches to do the Acts 1:8 challenge together instead of separately,” he continues. “During our Summer of Missions we will gather in host homes to … [Read more...]