During this last year of Criminal Justice Ministry, the Greater Baton Rouge Baptist Association has maintained a discipleship program in the entire Angola system, Hunt Correctional, DCI, and in San Gabriel Prison for Women. By Marvin Collins Special to the Message BATON ROUGE – During this last year of Criminal Justice Ministry, the Greater Baton Rouge Baptist Association has maintained  a discipleship program in the entire Angola system, Hunt Correctional, DCI, and in San Gabriel Prison for Women. Year after year – since we started this ministry in 1994 with 50 men – we have seen God open new doors, raise up new leaders and start ministries in new facilities. The overall discipleship system is designed to do three, 13-week semesters every year in each prison. The basic curriculum has two tracks – one for new believers and one for more mature believers. Our teams of leaders in all the prisons are ministering to basic discipling needs, preparation for ministry and help with addictions – alcohol, drugs, sexual and more. Southern Baptists maintain groups in each compound in Angola. We are also doing tier visitation for prisoners in solitary confinement or in their dorms, and we are … [Read more...]

Summer before last, Linda Davis had her hands full – of posters proclaiming “In God We Trust.” TALLULAH – Summer before last, Linda Davis had her hands full – of posters proclaiming “In God We Trust.” Davis, who attends First Baptist here, has been placing the posters in all the government and business buildings of Tallulah, which has a population of about 7,000, she said.  Davis bought the posters from the American Family Association for $1 each. “A still, quiet voice spoke to me that this would be a ministry that I needed to do right here in Tallulah,” Davis said. “It’s just about visually expressing that it is God in whom America trusts.” “Giving out posters with our National Motto ‘In GOD we trust’ is a small way one person can help get our nation back to the original intent of our forefathers and to remind citizens about where our nation’s trust should be,” Davis said. Armed with her first 50 posters, sized 11x14, Davis began visiting local government buildings and was received with open arms, she said. Framed posters are now hanging in offices and buildings occupied by the Tallulah City Council, the police chief, the 911 offices, the county clerk’s office, and the Madison … [Read more...]

Last week’s midterm elections showed nothing more than that too many Americans vote their feelings rather than the issues, Louisiana Baptist message Editor Kelly Boggs says. ALEXANDRIA – Last week’s midterm elections showed nothing more than that too many Americans vote their feelings rather than the issues, Louisiana Baptist message Editor Kelly Boggs says. “Other people wiser than I may have a different take on it,” Boggs said. “But when you’ve got Arizona not upholding traditional marriage, South Dakota overturning their abortion ban and Missouri essentially now allowing cloning, you’ve got to ask why. “Folks were saying 2004 was D-Day for family values,” the editor continued. “Two years ago you have all these folks solidly supporting traditional moral values and just two years later you have the results we’ve seen this week across the nation? How else to explain it than that people are voting their feelings rather than the issues.” Baptist Press last week – see www.bpnews.net  – reported Wednesday morning results of voters’ choices across the nation. The headlines and opening paragraphs: 7 states pass marriage amendments, civil unions defeated in Colorado [reprinted in its … [Read more...]

After Team Impact members – body builders affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention Texas – tore 2-inch thick phone books in half, bent steel bars into complicated shapes, broke bats, and smashed 8-inch-high stacks of flaming cinder bricks, 198 people – out of more than 900 in attendance – stepped forward at the invitation to commit their lives to Christ last Wednesday night here at the W.W. Lewis Middle School Auditorium. SULPHUR – After Team Impact members – body builders affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention Texas – tore 2-inch thick phone books in half, bent steel bars into complicated shapes, broke bats, and smashed 8-inch-high stacks of flaming cinder bricks, 198 people – out of more than 900 in attendance – stepped forward at the invitation to commit their lives to Christ last Wednesday night here at the W.W. Lewis Middle School Auditorium. “[God] totally eclipsed Team Impact by showing up in a mighty way to draw students and adults to Himself,” said Rusty Dollar, minister to students at Houston River Baptist in Sulphur. “I stood in awe as hands were raised and people left their seats to publicly proclaim their new faith in Christ. I am excited and overwhelmed!” All 198 … [Read more...]

Circle Baptist Church here has changed color. Once an Anglican church, the church had been slow to match the changes that surrounded it. Now, that’s changing. BAKER—Circle Baptist Church here has changed color. Once an Anglican church, the church had been slow to match the changes that surrounded it. Now, that’s changing. “This will be the first Anglo church in our association to intentionally make the transition from Anglo to African-American without having to close the facility and then reopen the church later as an African-American church,” said Rodrick Connerly, Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge. Jose’ Mathews has accepted the call as pastor at Circle and has begun to revitalize the church by reaching the African-American community around it, Connerly said. If anyone can stand firm in the midst of change, Pastor Jose’ Mathews and his wife Othella can. They’ve had a tough year, to say the least. After losing their home and church to Katrina, the couple suffered through his stroke, her stolen identity, the loss of his mother to illness, and the loss of their son to murder. After the storm, the Mathews, along with other family – both … [Read more...]

If this were only make believe... If this were only make believe... “Be what you would seem to be – or, if you’d like it put more simply – never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise,” stated the Duchess to Alice in the children’s classic “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” When Lewis Carroll crafted the aforementioned bit of dialogue in the 1860s, he never imagined that one day it would actually make sense to someone. However, to those who advocate sexual anarchy, it makes perfect sense. A story in The Oregonian newspaper, titled “The fluidity of gender,” featured a 2005 graduate of Southridge High School located in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland. The main subject of the article was Megan “Danny” O’Dell, a young lady who claims to be a “transgender lesbian.” I know that encountering the term “transgender lesbian” has caused some of you to feel a lot like Alice did after she had gone through the looking glass. So take a deep breath and know that your eyes did not deceive you, Megan O’Dell insists she is a transgender … [Read more...]

When Christian [of Pilgrim's Progress] uses All-Prayer in the battle, the demons rush back into the pits of Hell, and do not come forth against him again. “And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert, and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare Him fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:18-20). John Bunyan, in Pilgrims Progress, writes about his Christian disciple, who he calls “Christian” fighting all kinds of battles against the forces of evil, and with great success. Then he encounters the demons that have come forth out of the very pits of Hell. He finds he is unable to stave them off, even though he uses all of the armor (Ephesians 6: 13-17) that has been given him, even the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  So he begins to engage another weapon that God has provided him that Bunyan calls, “All-Prayer.” When Christian uses All-Prayer in the battle, the demons rush back into the pits of Hell, and do not come forth … [Read more...]

Nearly 4,000 books were distributed to 32 church libraries across the state during a recent library conference at First Marrero. MARRERO – Nearly 4,000 books were distributed to 32 church libraries across the state during a recent library conference at First Marrero. The books came from individuals, churches and businesses in 17 states. More than 40 volunteers organized books by categories during the conference and boxed books for redistribution to churches that registered for the conference. “People were amazed at how many books came in,” said Hope Ferguson, event organizer. “We will never know this side of heaven the impact of helping start 27 church libraries and helping expand five more.” Ferguson, a member at First Natchitoches, has led church library conferences at both the state and national level and has co-authored the book Church Library Ministry Information Service, available from LifeWay Christian Resources. Training was offered in several areas of library ministry, by workshop leaders from Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Classes included administration for beginning librarians, classification and cataloging, collection development, promotion planning, reading club … [Read more...]

Not only do the members of two of the state’s Baptist choirs, the Singing Ministers and the Louisiana Baptist Singing Women, pay their own way for each concert, they also provide $8,000 worth of scholarships and/or funds to music students in the state. ALEXANDRIA—Not only do the members of two of the state’s Baptist choirs, the Singing Ministers and the Louisiana Baptist Singing Women, pay their own way for each concert, they also provide $8,000 worth of scholarships and/or funds to music students in the state. “These people travel all over the state and pay their own way,” said Randy Turner, the current director of the choirs and the State Music Strategist at the Louisiana Baptist Convention (LBC). “They really put out a lot of effort to be in these groups.” No LBC funds are used for the choirs, Turner said. Members pay annual dues of $15 each and furnish their own clothing. Women wear a black outfit with a strand of pearls while the men wear black suits with a white shirt and a coordinating tie. Because there are so many people in the choirs, the churches where they perform usually sponsor a meal, with choir members paying $5 each. In addition, every fall, the two choirs have separate … [Read more...]

Bruce Sides, area director for Guidestone Financial Resources, recently moved from the Dallas area to the Baton Rouge area. BATON ROUGE – Bruce Sides, area director for Guidestone Financial Resources, recently moved from the Dallas area to the Baton Rouge area. This makes him Guidestone’s prototype for an out-based person, Sides said with a wide grin. “I think it’s going to be something that will prove to be a viable option,” said Sides, a native of Baton Rouge who had been wanting to move back home to live nearer his family. As the first geographically out-based employee of Guidestone – an area director who lives out in the field as opposed to being based in Dallas – Sides’ duties will not change very much. He will continue to relate to Louisiana, Tennessee, and California.  In addition, Sides will pick up Mississippi because of his proximity to that state. There is no major difference in Sides’ relationship with Louisiana or the other states he represents, Sides said. It should not be perceived that Sides is becoming a “state representative,” the Guidestone representative added. However, the change in location does make for a more personal relationship with Guidestone clients … [Read more...]