Mark your calendar! It’s time for the WMU annual meeting Friday and Saturday, March 30-31. SHREVEPORT-- Mark your calendar! It’s time for the WMU annual meeting Friday and Saturday, March 30-31. This is an event for the entire family to enjoy. “We invite everyone – men, women, boys and girls – We offer something for everyone to live the call and inspire others to fulfill the call,” says current state WMU president Nelda Seal. In 119 years, WMU has not veered from its purpose, which is to pray for, give and do missions locally, nationally and internationally, Seal said. “Annual meeting is a time to celebrate what we do in Louisiana, bring us together for inspiration, and challenge us to take our calling – to take the cause of Christ through missions one step further,” said Janie Wise, interim director of Women’s Missions and Ministry. Throughout the meeting, dynamic speakers, Kaye Miller, president, Woman’s Missionary Union – Southern Baptist Convention; Diana Lewis of the North American Mission Board, and Michael and Madelyn [last name deleted for security purposes] of the International Mission Board, will encourage attendees to continue to ‘Live the Call.’ “We are delighted to have Kaye … [Read more...]

hurches that otherwise don’t have the resources to host a revival can contact the Louisiana chapter of Campers on Mission [COM].   STATEWIDE – Churches that otherwise don’t have the resources to host a revival can contact the Louisiana chapter of Campers on Mission [COM]. The COM group, which has about 250 members statewide, is known nationally for campground ministries. In Louisiana as in other states, COM also are involved in construction ministry of various types, including off-season repairs and maintenance at six Baptist camps across the state. Not as well known is the COM revival ministry. “It’s designed mainly to help smaller churches,” said Chaplain Bryant Barnett, of First Baptist, Ferriday. “We do everything from preaching, singing, music, handing out flyers ahead of time – whatever the church needs for us to do. ... there is no charge and we do not accept money. “We have a layman who can preach; we also have a couple of ordained ministers,” Barnett continued. “We have people within the organization who can lead singing and some who can play instruments.” Call Barnett at 318-757-4362 or Louisiana COM President Louie Miller at 318-255-2652 to make a revival request or for … [Read more...]

  SHREVEPORT – Jews for Jesus are to present: a “Christ In the Passover” Seder Service at 7 p.m. Good Friday, April 6, at Trinity Heights Baptist, Shreveport. A love offering will be taken. Lane Moore is interim pastor. ZWOLLE – AimwellBaptistChurch is to be involved in a Lay Renewal Weekend March 30 and 31, and April 1.   A 24-hour prayer vigil for the lay renewal is to start at 5 p.m. Thursday. Friday’s activities are to begin with a church-wide supper at 6:30 p.m.  Ivan Harless is the coordinator; Angie Primeaux, chairperson.  Roy W. Taylor is pastor. SHREVEPORT — The Kingstonaires are to present the Easter cantata Who Do You Say I Am? At 6 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at Kingston Road Baptist. WINNFIELD – At First Baptist, where Lindsey Burns is pastor, at 11 a.m. Palm Sunday, April 1, the worship service is to begin with a palm processional that will include the presentation of festive banners led by the sanctuary choir, assisted by members of the student ministry. At 6 p.m. Palm Sunday, the sanctuary choir at First Winnfield is to provide musical backdrop for a dramatic account of the Last Supper, which is to include the observance of the Lord’s Supper. SLIDELL – A Good Friday service … [Read more...]

Cooperative Program giving in February from the state’s nearly 1,600 Southern Baptist churches was 8.59 percent below February 2006 totals, but up 6.46 percent for the year from a year ago, according to figures released from the LBC business office.   ALEXANDRIA – Cooperative Program giving in February from the state’s nearly 1,600 Southern Baptist churches was 8.59 percent below February 2006 totals, but up 6.46 percent for the year from a year ago, according to figures released from the LBC business office. “Because of the lostness of this world, we are confident Louisiana Baptist churches will continue to use Cooperative Program giving and to move forward with greater levels of mission giving,” said Dale Lingenfelter, LBC business manager. “The Louisiana Baptist Convention adopted a $21 million budget for 2007,” Lingerfelter continued. “Cooperative Program dollars are used for starting churches, assisting churches with church health initiatives such as EKG, equipping lay leaders, scholarships for Louisiana College students, care for children at the Louisiana Baptist Homes for Children, international missionaries, language missions and many other ministries that serve the local church.” … [Read more...]

New post-abortion electronic cards from an organization with a decidedly pro-choice bent are “infuriating,” says a pro-life leader who has experienced the deadly procedure.   New: ‘Happy Abortion’ cards: (BP) – New post-abortion electronic cards from an organization with a decidedly pro-choice bent are “infuriating,” says a pro-life leader who has experienced the deadly procedure. Exhale, which describes itself as the United States’ “only nationwide non-judgmental after-abortion talkline,” is promoting the first e-mail greeting cards for women after they have abortions. The ecards “provide friends and family with an opportunity to express support and respect for loved ones after an abortion,” according to a March 13 news release from the Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit organization. Each of the five greeting cards on Exhale’s website includes a message, with space also provided for a personal note from the sender. Caron Strong, national director of Operation Outcry, decried the incongruity of the messages. “It is absolutely tragic to affirm life in one card and support the taking of life in another,” Caron said, according to LifeNews.com. “On one hand, ‘You did the right thing’; on the other, … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist associations and state conventions must face the challenges of the present in order to be viable forces in the denomination, a Baptist director of missions said. Last in a series of four history-related articles JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) – Southern Baptist associations and state conventions must face the challenges of the present in order to be viable forces in the denomination, a Baptist director of missions said. Since the first Baptist association was established in 1707 in Philadelphia, the association has continued to evolve, said Mike Day, director of missions for the Mid-South Baptist Association, based in Memphis, Tenn. After state conventions came into being and the Southern Baptist Convention was formed in 1845, their roles have become intertwined, Day noted during an address on “The Future of Baptist Associations and State Conventions” at the Baptist Identity Conference Feb. 15-17 at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. Baptist associations began to face an identity crisis after state conventions and the SBC came on the scene, Day said. That crisis heightened after the SBC Cooperative Program was established in 1925 and state conventions were given the assignment of collecting and … [Read more...]

Bobby Welch has been named to the position of Strategist for Global Evangelical Relations with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee.   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Bobby Welch has been named to the position of Strategist for Global Evangelical Relations with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. Welch is the SBC’s immediate past president and former pastor of First BaptistChurch in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he served 32 years. Morris H. Chapman, president of the Executive Committee, said Welch will be “Southern Baptists’ ambassador to those leaders in other countries who are interested in building relationships as likeminded brothers and sisters in the Lord.” Welch began his duties March 15 and will continue to live in Daytona Beach. Chapman noted that the new position of Strategist for Global Evangelical Relations is part of the Executive Committee’s implementation of a vote by messengers at the SBC’s 2004 annual meeting in Indianapolis to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance and to build relationships with evangelistically oriented Baptists and likeminded evangelicals across the globe. Funding formerly designated for the BWA was reassigned for the … [Read more...]

Mitch and Christie Schumacher are Mission Service Corps missionaries serving as founders and directors of the High Mountain Equine Outreach in London, Kentucky.   A Cooperative Program Missionary Moment LONGDON, Ky. – Mitch and Christie Schumacher are Mission Service Corps missionaries serving as founders and directors of the High Mountain Equine Outreach in London, Kentucky. The Schumachers strive to reach out to hurting individuals by teaching them the correlation between horsemanship and the God-Man relationship. According to Christie, horses by instinct will only follow a herd leader they can respect and trust to lead, protect, and provide for their needs. God has revealed many truths through this relationship about His desire for a God-Man relationship with us. Cooperative Program gifts from churches like yours are ministering to hurting individuals in Kentucky, across North America and around the world who are seeking hope and love. One accomplishment and fulfillment that comes through using our money wisely is in helping the helpless. The offering to missions through the Cooperative Program we give through church helps minister to people in need. … [Read more...]

The Dakota Baptist Convention has launched an ambitious plan to increase their total number of churches by 15 percent this year toward reaching an ever-growing population of people who don’t know Jesus.   BISMARCK, N.D. (BP) – The Dakota Baptist Convention has launched an ambitious plan to increase their total number of churches by 15 percent this year toward reaching an ever-growing population of people who don’t know Jesus. “We have 87 congregations in the two states, and we need to plant more churches because new churches reach more people,” John Guillott, state director of missions and Starting Churches team leader, told Baptist Press. “They baptize more per capita, and new churches develop new leaders and new opportunities for evangelism.” To cement their commitment, the convention’s executive board has adopted a Church Planting Proclamation, acknowledging Jesus’ command to make disciples and the early church’s example of establishing churches as recorded in the Book of Acts. “We believe the command of Jesus to make disciples of all people is intended for the church today as much as it was intended for the church in the first century,” the proclamation states in part. “We recognize that, … [Read more...]

Hurricane Katrina, blamed for wrecking New Orleans church buildings, homes and other structures, also is being credited with forcing down barriers separating predominantly black and white congregations. BATON ROUGE – Hurricane Katrina, blamed for wrecking New Orleans church buildings, homes and other structures, also is being credited with forcing down barriers separating predominantly black and white congregations. That’s the experience of leaders and congregants of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church of New Orleans and its partner churches in Baton Rouge, Istrouma Baptist and Florida Boulevard Baptist. It’s an experience church leaders want to see continue. “I am constantly amazed at how welcoming both congregations (Istrouma and Florida Boulevard Baptist) have been,” said the Rev. Fred Luter, following a recent afternoon service held for his predominantly black congregation in the sanctuary of Florida Boulevard Baptist. “This is a testimony that there should be no color lines in the body of Christ.” That sentiment is shared by his deacons. “I don’t think we could have been treated any better,” Deacon Olia Rodney said. “The doors have been opened wide to us.” Deacon Winzer Jimerson agreed, … [Read more...]