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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LBC committee proposes change for directors of missions

A Louisiana Baptist study committee has announced it will recommend that local associations assume total control of director of missions within a five-year period.   "We recommend that total financial and administrative autonomy and supervision of the director of missions be assumed by the local associations," the study committee recommendation proposed last week reads. A Louisiana Baptist study committee has announced it will recommend that local associations assume total control of director of missions within a five-year period.   "We recommend that total financial and administrative autonomy and supervision of the director of missions be assumed by the local associations," the study committee recommendation proposed last week reads.   "This process would be implemented over a maximum period of five years. Each association would work with the state convention to establish a financial phase-out over the five-year period."   The recommendation is scheduled to be presented to the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board at its September 24 meeting. If approved there, it will be presented to state convention messengers during the annual meeting in … [Read more...]

Weekly Announcements

For the week of May 30, 2002 Potpourri • BROUSSARD - First church: Truth in concert, June 10, 7 p.m.; Jeffery L. Cook, pastor. • COUSHATTA - First church: Concert of Prayer; June 2, 5:30 p.m.; Stan Horton, coordinator; Benny Alford, pastor. • FOREST HILL - Calvary church: Ralph Stapleton, guest speaker; June 9, 11 a.m.; Joel McMickin, pastor. • DEQUINCY - First church: Choir and orchestra present "Changed By the Power," June 2, 6 p.m.; Jared Prewitt, minister of music; Ronnie Burke, interim pastor. • BATON ROUGE - University church: All music worship service with special guest, Earl Taylor; June 2, 6 p.m.; Warren Miller, minister of music; B. Keith Putt, pastor. Youth • EUNICE - Acadian center: Missions camp; boys or girls grades 1-12; July 1-5; registration July 1, 3 p.m.; $87 camp fee; Chip Dickey, guest speaker; to register or for information, call (337) 457-9047; James Newsom, camp manager. • DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: RA camp for boys; ages 6-12; July 1, 9 a.m. - July 4, 2 p.m.; Eric Johnson, guest speaker; Ronnie LaLande, music; $80/$25 deposit; to register or for information, call (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager. • JACKSON - Judson Retreat center: Girls Missions camp; 1-6 grades; … [Read more...]

Growing emphasis on ‘tolerance’ impacting evangelism

Wayne Jenkins regularly does busi-ness with a man who adheres to the Muslim faith.   Meanwhile, Jenkins is a Christian, which means the two men hold very different views related to God and salvation.   Nevertheless, Jenkins speaks of the Muslim believer as somewhat of a friend. Wayne Jenkins regularly does busi-ness with a man who adheres to the Muslim faith.   Meanwhile, Jenkins is a Christian, which means the two men hold very different views related to God and salvation.   Nevertheless, Jenkins speaks of the Muslim believer as somewhat of a friend.   "Do I believe he has the right to believe as he does?" proposed Jenkins, evangelism director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. "Yes.   "Do I tolerate his beliefs? Yes.   "Am I friendly to him? Yes.   "Do I think he’s all right how he is in terms of faith? No.   "I try to build a relationship with him. I try to share the gospel with him."   Uh oh - Jenkins just messed up as far as the current American culture is concerned.   He did fine up until the last question, when his response branded him as "intolerant" - a view that more and more Americans … [Read more...]

Helping the gospel to be heard: For 57 years, Louisiana Baptists have presented an airwaves witness to South Louisiana through the French Radio Hour

What began 57 years ago as a vision to reach French-speaking individuals with the gospel has grown to a broadcast to more than 150,000 potential French Baptist Hour listeners on 13 stations in Louisiana and worldwide through the Internet. What began 57 years ago as a vision to reach French-speaking individuals with the gospel has grown to a broadcast to more than 150,000 potential French Baptist Hour listeners on 13 stations in Louisiana and worldwide through the Internet.   "It is certain that the uncompromising message of the gospel, presented with love in a non-threatening manner, has broken down walls of religious prejudice, of deep resentment and of intolerance," Louisiana Baptist Convention Language Missions Director Elie Woerner says in a paper presented May 3 to the Louisiana Baptist Convention Historical Association.   "It has slowly, but surely, helped our witness to be heard and heeded by many. ... Most of the results, however, will never be known on this side of heaven.   "Only eternity will tell."   Currently in his 30th year as director of the French Baptist Hour, Woerner says this ministry has changed drastically since the first permanent French radio … [Read more...]

Christianity and Islam – which is winning the world?

One of the oft-heard comments since Sept. 11 is that Islam is growing so rapidly, it soon will become the world’s largest religion, overtaking Christianity in just a couple of decades.   Many of these projections are traceable to the work of Harvard University scholar Samuel Huntington, who has put forward the idea of a "clash of civilizations." One of the oft-heard comments since Sept. 11 is that Islam is growing so rapidly, it soon will become the world’s largest religion, overtaking Christianity in just a couple of decades.   Many of these projections are traceable to the work of Harvard University scholar Samuel Huntington, who has put forward the idea of a "clash of civilizations."   But a new book about Christianity in the Third World says Huntington and others are missing the true global picture.   Islam is indeed expanding as Christianity loses its force in the Western world, particularly Europe, says historian and religious studies scholar Philip Jenkins, author of "The Next Christendom."   But at the same time, the numbers of Christians are exploding in the southern hemisphere, he reports.   In his Oxford University Press book, Jenkins … [Read more...]

TLW expands in Africa

True Love Waits International will expand its abstinence-until-marriage message in six African countries, utilizing $950,000 in donor gifts to LifeWay Christian Resources’ A Defining Moment capital campaign, LifeWay President Thom S. Rainer today April 11. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – True Love Waits International will expand its abstinence-until-marriage message in six African countries, utilizing $950,000 in donor gifts to LifeWay Christian Resources’ A Defining Moment capital campaign, LifeWay President Thom S. Rainer today April 11. “Although HIV/AIDS is a concern worldwide, the most concentrated and high-risk area continues to be the continent of Africa, where the life expectancy in some countries has dropped from age 42 to as low as age 30,” Rainer said. “We are very pleased to make this announcement today because we believe True Love Waits can be the answer for the AIDS epidemic on the entire continent.” Mike Arrington, a spokesman for the LifeWay capital campaign, voiced appreciation for “gifts of generous donors to A Defining Moment,” enabling True Love Waits to expand “in a continent where AIDS is literally a life-and-death battle. God has given us a program that not only is very effective but also can … [Read more...]

Chapman writes on NOBTS blog

Few Southern Baptist ministers have had such long-term ministry experience and influence on SBC life as has Morris H. Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Few Southern Baptist ministers have had such long-term ministry experience and influence on SBC life as has Morris H. Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. And from that unique perspective on Baptist life, Chapman offered his thoughts on the Southern Baptist Convention’s present state and future challenges as a guest on New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s Baptist Center blog. A native of Kosciusko, Miss., Chapman professed faith in Christ when he was 7. He answered the call to vocational Christian ministry at the age of 12. He earned both the master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He served as pastor of four churches – three in Texas and one in New Mexico. Under his leadership, each church demonstrated strong support for Cooperative Program giving, baptism and evangelism. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1990-92 and in October 1992 he … [Read more...]

The Easter precursor

Five years ago, Jack and Joni were living the “American dream” – great careers, comfortable home, predictable future. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP) – Five years ago, Jack and Joni were living the “American dream” – great careers, comfortable home, predictable future. Their dream changed radically during a short-term mission trip overseas. “God revealed to me the needs among unreached peoples,” said Jack (last name not used for security reasons). “On a mountaintop overlooking God’s creation, yet seeing the lostness, I knew that I needed to be a part of God’s plan for the nations.” Joni admitted she wasn’t sure about becoming a missionary. “Then I attended a missions meeting at our church,” she recalled. “A mother of two who had been a (two-year missionary) journeyman said, ‘Being a missionary is not a sacrifice but an honor –an honor that God has called you to work for Him all day, every day.’” Now, with their two daughters, Jack and Joni are going to share the Gospel with an unreached people group in a tough part of Asia. They were among 49 new Southern Baptist missionaries appointed March 21 by International Mission Board trustees during a service at Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn. IMB missionaries are funded by the … [Read more...]

Perry Sanders ceremony set for April 11 at NOBTS

The Perry R. Sanders Center for Ministry Excellence is home to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s doctor of ministry and doctor of educational ministry programs. NEW ORLEANS – The Perry R.Sanders Center for Ministry Excellence is home to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s doctor of ministry and doctor of educational ministry programs. Named in honor of Perry Sanders, long-time pastor at First Baptist Lafayette and NOBTS alumnus, the center promotes the “integrity of heart and skillful of hands” mentioned in Psalm 78:72. The center seeks to inspire church leaders to exhibit the same type of excellence in ministry that characterized Sanders’ 47 years as pastor of First Lafayette. “Dr. Sanders is someone who patterned what it means to be a Southern Baptist pastor, not by what he said, but by what he’s done” said Dr. Jerry Garrard, vice president of institutional advancement at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “His influence through the years, his steadfastness and his unceasing and tireless devotion to building the church” is a pattern the center seeks to promote. The PerryR. SandersCenter for Ministry Excellence is scheduled to be dedicated on April 11 with a ceremony in … [Read more...]

Nursing homes present check to First Baptist Church of Ball for new audio-visual system

Administrators of two nursing homes presented a check for $3,500 recently to Mike Hedrick, pastor of First Baptist Church of Ball. PINEVILLE – Administrators of two nursing homes presented a check for $3,500 recently to Mike Hedrick, pastor of First Baptist Church of Ball. The money is to be used for the purchase of audio-visual equipment that will better enable senior citizens in the church to participate in worship services, Hedrick said. The same health care facilities – Tioga Manor and Heritage Manor – donated a van with a wheel chair lift last summer. “We had a great need and God supplied,” said Hedrick, a barber by trade and bivocational pastor at First Ball since 1990, where about 40 people attend Sunday worship services. About 35 youngsters each week participate in Team Kid at the church on Wednesday nights.  Team Kid is a discipleship-based Bible study program developed by Lifeway Christian Resources for K-5 through sixth grade, during which God’s word is studied from a practical point of view. A Bible drill, missions study and related play are included in the Sunday evening/midweek curriculum. Teens at First Ball take a leadership role in Team Kid as part of their discipleship training. … [Read more...]