Week of March 6, 2006 Yemeni executed for 2002 missionary killings SAN’A, Yemen – The Yemeni gunman who killed three Southern Baptist medical workers in 2002 was executed by firing squad last month. Abed Abdul Razak Kamel was shot in the central prison of the southern Ibb province as judicial officials observed, Yemen’s Saba state news agency reported. Kamel was convicted for the Dec. 30, 2002, shooting deaths of Jibla Baptist Hospital director William Koehn, physician Martha Myers and purchasing agent Kathleen Gariety. A pharmacist was seriously wounded but later recovered. Kamel admitted in court to coordinating the attack with Islamic militant activist Ali al-Jarallah. Al-Jarallah was executed Nov. 27 for plotting the medical workers’ deaths and for assassinating a prominent national politician. Yankees donate money to SBC church NEW YORK – The New York Yankees, though just in spring training, stepped up to the plate to assist a Bronx church and its soup kitchen after a break-in. The Yankees, whose stadium also is in the Bronx, presented a check for $20,000 to Daniel Dupree and Greater Universal Baptist Church recently to cover losses the church sustained during last month’s burglary. The … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – Nearly 200 students from eight colleges and universities in Louisiana chose to do missions work during their Mardi Gras break. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS – Nearly 200 students from eight colleges and universities in Louisiana chose to do missions work during their Mardi Gras break. Led by Baptist Collegiate Ministries campus directors and organized by Linda Osborne for the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Collegiate Ministries team, 185 students Feb. 25-27 first tackled the New Orleans Mission, a Christian-based homeless shelter, before swarming out around the city to do brush, shrub and tree removal and house gutting in connection with the disaster relief ministries of First Baptist Church in New Orleans. “I felt like this was not only my state, it was the least I could do,” said Hope Stevens, from the University of Louisiana at Monroe BCM. She spoke during a break from the ceiling board removal job she’d been helping with on the third floor of the mission that before Katrina had been housing 300 men a night. The building had not been flooded, but the hurricane tore the roof off the building, explained Ron Gonzales, executive director. Continual rain for … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – Last week, the Baptist Message reported tentative figures for the churches known to have baptized the most people in the 2004-05 church year. (Some records were lost or destroyed as a result of the hurricanes and levee breaches.) ALEXANDRIA – Last week, the Baptist Message reported tentative figures for the churches known to have baptized the most people in the 2004-05 church year. (Some records were lost or destroyed as a result of the hurricanes and levee breaches.) The Louisiana Baptist Convention evangelism team listed the top 10 in each of four categories: 1000+ members, 500-999 members, 125-499 members, and less than 125 members. Listed below are the top 10 churches in each of the four categories – known to have led in baptisms this past year. Congregations with 1,000 or more members: 1. Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans – 309. 2. First Baptist Church, West Monroe – 279. 3. Donahue Family Church, Pineville – 218. 4. First Baptist Church, Bossier City – 212. 5. East Bayou Baptist Church, Lafayette – 149. 6. Bellaire Baptist Church, Bossier City – 148. 7. Celebration Church, Metairie – 145. 8. Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles – 144. 9. First Baptist … [Read more...]

WESTBANK, British Columbia – For 10 years now, North American missionaries Kevin and Alicia Madden have lived 2,200 miles away from Kevin’s birthplace, Washington, Ga., but their home and hearts are firmly rooted in Canada. By Mickey Noah NAMB staff writer WESTBANK, British Columbia – For 10 years now, North American missionaries Kevin and Alicia Madden have lived 2,200 miles away from Kevin’s birthplace, Washington, Ga., but their home and hearts are firmly rooted in Canada. Madden is a church planting missionary and senior pastor of The Potter’s House Community Church in Westbank BC, a community of 30,000 people, located about four hours from Vancouver. The Maddens are among more than 5,200 missionaries in the United States, Canada and their territories supported by the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. The 2006 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering’s goal is $56 million, 100 percent of which is used for missionaries like the Maddens. Louisiana’s goal is $1.7 million. “We are so blessed by the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering,” says Madden.  “As part of the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists, we work very closely with the North American Mission Board. The funds from … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – State leaders recently honored 150 Louisiana Baptist disaster relief volunteers during an appreciation supper at the Baptist Building in Alexandria. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer ALEXANDRIA – State leaders recently honored 150 Louisiana Baptist disaster relief volunteers during an appreciation supper at the Baptist Building in Alexandria. Among those receiving awards was Linda Yeager, who was presented with a certification of appreciation for her role as the state disaster relief volunteer coordinator. “I have enjoyed working with all the staff at the Louisiana Baptist Convention,” Yeager told the Baptist Message. “I have started many long-lasting relationships with the volunteers. “Working with the missions and ministries team and assisting the victims of these disasters has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience.” Since she assumed her role  Aug. 31, Yeager has scheduled certified Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers for numerous feeding and shower units stationed in Louisiana. Yeager also has assisted in: • Scheduling volunteers for the Katrina/Rita Response Call Center located in the Baptist Building; • Matching teams interested in doing missions work in the … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – Teenagers from Donahue Family Church have been on a mission recently. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer PINEVILLE – Teenagers from Donahue Family Church have been on a mission recently. Their target – youth from 13 schools in Central Louisiana. Their method – distributing more than 7,000 fliers and 2,000 bracelets at their schools. Their reason – to attract their peers to “Wired,” a five-night evangelistic meeting at the Pineville church. The event, which began March 6 and will end March 10, features a dramatic presentation based on Wired’s theme – “Crazy.” Each night, a character was introduced who is dealing with crazy life issues such as poverty and family problems. Wired’s theme was two-fold, Michelle Neal, youth minister at Donahue Family Church, said. “The first point is to get our student leaders involved to bring glory to God,” Neal explained. “And the second point is teenage life is crazy and the media tells them what to do with their life too much.” In addition to promoting the event on area billboards and radio station, the students distributed 7,000 fliers with information about “Wired” to their classmates at schools in such towns as Tioga, Grant, Buckeye, Pineville … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – In town to cover a Baptist Collegiate Ministries disaster relief missions event, I decided to worship at Calvary since the phone book said their first service was 8:15 a.m. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS – In town  to cover a Baptist Collegiate Ministries disaster relief missions event, I decided to worship at Calvary since the phone book said their first service was 8:15 a.m. Reminder: Nothing in New Orleans is the same as it used to be. Most churches that had multiple services now are glad to be able to have even one! However, Celebration Church, where Dennis Watson is pastor, meets three times on Sundays and on Saturday evening, I found out, when almost by chance, I came across their “Transatlantic campus.” Sounded fairly pretentious to me, but it turns out Transatlantic is the name of the street. I found myself floundering in the foyer;  no one greeted me. That’s part of what happened when 75 percent of the congregation was dispersed, I found out after being “rescued” from the fear of “what do I do in this strange place?” by staff member Cindy Meilleur. High points: Superb worship led by Dwight Fitch Jr.; call to prayer at the altar long before the … [Read more...]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Ten years ago, Emil Turner left a successful pastorate at First Baptist Church of Lake Charles, La., when he accepted a call as executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Ten years ago, Emil Turner left a successful pastorate at First Baptist Church of Lake Charles, La., when he accepted a call as executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. “My wife and I were talking just last night about the great impact Louisiana Baptists have had on our lives,” Turner said on March 2. “This is our opportunity to serve the Lord and return some of the grace we have received.” Turner sent his team leader for missions ministries, Darwin Bacon, to participate March 2 in a Project NOAH rebuilding strategy meeting in New Orleans. It was not the first time Arkansas Baptists had been in Louisiana. “Our disaster relief volunteers were among the very first people into Kenner with feeding units [after Katrina,]” Turner said. “We bought refrigerated trailers in order to truck food to New Orleans.” Arkansas feeding units fed almost 2 million post-Katrina meals in Louisiana, and countless chain saw ministry projects. Arkansas Baptists also gave cash … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – “I guess I just miss my old life,” said Shirley Dolbear, formerly of East New Orleans. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS – “I guess I just miss my old life,” said Shirley Dolbear, formerly of East New Orleans. Her home was destroyed by flooding that left her – at age 86 – clinging for more than two days to the eaves of her house before her son commandeered a boat without motor or oars. That doesn’t matter now, though, she said from the steps of her FEMA trailer, parked beside her sister’s home. What does matter are friends scattered across the nation. There won’t be any more weekly lunches, Dolbear said. Life won’t ever be the same in New Orleans, people are beginning to realize. Two weeks ago they still were in shell-shock. Now they’re beginning to realize the amount of clean-up and rebuilding that will be required, and for what, ask people like Dolbear who lost not only her home and friends, but also her lifestyle. But Southern Baptists bring hope, and before a group of chain saw-toting Baptist Collegiate Ministries students left Dolbear’s sister’s home with a cleaned back yard and a pile of logs and tree branches by the front curb, the elderly woman made a … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – More than $5 million is designated for Louisiana Southern Baptists to help in the rebuilding of New Orleans, North American Mission Board officials announced this week. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS – More than $5 million is designated for Louisiana Southern Baptists to help in the rebuilding of New Orleans, North American Mission Board officials announced this week. NAMB is designating $5.14 million of its Hurricane Katrina funds for the hurricane relief rebuilding effort called Project NOAH (New Orleans Area Hope) in New Orleans and the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, said Jim Burton, NAMB volunteer mobilization director. The money is to be used for the rebuilding of 1,000 homes and 20 churches. “You’ve got to rebuild neighborhoods before you rebuild churches,” Burton said. “One of the principles we’re dealing with is that the more logistics you can do ahead of time, the easier you can make it for the responder and the more responders you’ll have.” Burton was in New Orleans late last week to strategize with about a dozen leaders from the Louisiana Baptist Convention and its churches, affected associations and even the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, … [Read more...]