Week of February 7, 2005 Louisiana College New Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard has selected Rouse Caffey as interim vice president for academic affairs for the school. Caffey assumed duties Feb. 2, two weeks after Aguillard was elected president of the Baptist school. Caffey replaces Don Sprowl, who serves as chair of the school’s Division of Mathematics and Computer Science and was serving in the interim vice president position. Sprowl voluntarily stepped down from that position following Aguillard’s election in order to devote more time to teaching, a school news release noted. “Dr. Caffey brings the perfect combination of administrative experience, academic excellence and a vision for faith-based liberal arts education that Louisiana College needs,” Aguillard said. Caffey is chancellor emeritus of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, having served there from 1984 to 1997. He served as chancellor of Louisiana State University at Alexandria from 1981 to 1984. He is a member at Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Financial resources GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention (formerly the Annuity Board) reached an all-time high of $8.3 billion in assets at … [Read more...]

I wanted to express my appreciation for the life and ministry of Dr. Clifton Tennison (a retired Louisiana Baptist pastor who recently died at the age of 85). Remembering a life I wanted to express my appreciation for the life and ministry of Dr. Clifton Tennison (a retired Louisiana Baptist pastor who recently died at the age of 85). The college ministry at First Baptist Church of West Monroe (where Tennison was longtime pastor) meant a great deal to me during my years at Northeast Louisiana Univeristy (now University of Louisiana at Monroe), and during that time, I surrendered to the ministry. I still remember walking to the front of the sanctuary during a Sunday night invitation and taking Dr. Tennison’s hand to tell him that God was speaking to me about going to seminary. “Dr. T” took an interest in me from then on and continued to send letters of encouragement when I started my work at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His kind words and support made all the difference for a young college student seeking God’s direction for his life. Danny Chisholm, Pastor Signal Mountain Baptist Church Good enough for me Re: January 20, 2005,  Baptist Message editorial on “Now is the time for all to pray for … [Read more...]

Almost one year ago at Easter time, a commercial movie smashed into the consciousness of the United States. "The Passion of The Christ" was an in-your-face, big-screen presentation of the writer-producer-actor Mel Gibson's understanding of the Passion of Christ, or the last 12 hours of Christ's life. Almost one year ago at Easter time, a commercial movie smashed into the consciousness of the United States. "The Passion of The Christ"  was an in-your-face, big-screen presentation of the writer-producer-actor Mel Gibson’s understanding of the Passion of Christ, or the last 12 hours of Christ’s life. A year ago, when movie houses showing the tremendous production were filled to overflowing, many wondered what the lasting impact of the movie would be. Would the movie change the lives of those who saw it? Would the movie bring revival to the church? Would the unabashedly religious movie change Hollywood’s attitude about the profitability of different kinds of movies than the ones they have been producing? A year later, we apparently know the answers to these questions, and they are not what most in the church hoped they would be. A recent Barna Research Group poll shows that the vast majority of people who … [Read more...]

Katie Vacanti-Mitchell turned 12 last April, loves the color purple, plays softball and soccer and teases her two younger brothers one minute then mothers them the next. Katie Vacanti-Mitchell turned 12 last April, loves the color purple, plays softball and soccer and teases her two younger brothers one minute then mothers them the next. She considers herself pretty ordinary. However, Vacanti-Mitchell’s world changed after her birthday when doctors diagnosed her with leukemia. The irony sobered Katie, who had spent a year growing her hair long for Locks of Love, a group that creates wigs for cancer patients from donated hair. The first night she spent in the hospital, Vacanti-Mitchell says she sat on the bathroom floor by herself, buried her face in her hands and unsuccessfully tried to muffle her sobs from her parents. “I just kept saying, ‘I don’t want to have cancer’ and ‘I just want to go home and everything be all right,’” she recalls. However, Vacanti-Mitchell did not let her sadness stick around for long. During her stay at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, she was visited by Monroe Carell Jr., founder of the medical institution and CEO of Central Parking Corp., where her dad, James, works. During … [Read more...]

Much has been written – and suggested – about the faith of President George Bush and his expressions of it. But exactly where does Bush rank among past American presidents in terms of public displays of religion? Much has been written – and suggested – about the faith of President George Bush and his expressions of it. But exactly where does Bush rank among past American presidents in terms of public displays of religion? Well, as far as author David Aikman can tell, Bush should be placed squarely in the middle on that count. “Virtually every American president in office has either been a person of faith or a supporter of the principle that faith was a good thing,” said Aikman, a former senior correspondent for Time magazine who has written a book about Bush’s Christian faith. “I think this particular president – although he has been more outspoken than most recent people in office – is absolutely in the mainstream of an important American historical tradition.” In terms of religiosity, Aikman compares the current president to Democrats Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter and to Republicans Abraham Lincoln and William McKinley. Even Thomas Jefferson – a deist – recognized the importance of religion while … [Read more...]

America soon will learn if a Louisiana Baptist will be named the next “American Idol.” Jonathan Murrell is a 25-year-old minister of music at First Baptist Church of Pollock. Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter America soon will learn if a Louisiana Baptist will be named the next “American Idol.” Jonathan Murrell is a 25-year-old minister of music at First Baptist Church of Pollock. He auditioned in New Orleans last summer with 10,000 other aspiring singers who hoped to land a spot on the television music reality show “American Idol.” After three days of auditions, Murrell was one of 16 contestants from those auditions chosen to advance to the next round of competition in Hollywood, Calif. New Orleans was one of seven cities that hosted a total of about 100,000 individuals who competed for 160 spots in the Hollywood round, which is currently on Fox television network. After two more weeks of competition – which was taped last year – the field will be narrowed to 24 contestants. Then, the show will be shown live on Fox, where, each week, viewers will vote via telephone calls and cellular telephone text messaging for the contestants they wish to remain in the competition. Murrell characterized the … [Read more...]

Now, one can add a new designation to Generation X and Generation Y – Generation M. It is the missionary generation, a fast-growing group of young adults emerging from religious colleges who are engaging the culture with values and perspectives counter to the typical secular student. Now, one can add a new designation to Generation X and Generation Y – Generation M. It is the missionary generation, a fast-growing group of young adults emerging from religious colleges who are engaging the culture with values and perspectives counter to the typical secular student. At least, that is how Naomi Schaefer Riley sees things. In her new book, “God on the Quad: How Religious Colleges and the Missionary Generation Are Changing America,” Riley explains what she learned from visiting 20 religious colleges in 2001 and 2002. The visits revealed some significant ways Generation M students are set apart, said Riley, who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other major publications. “They reject the spiritually-empty education of secular schools,” she said. “They refuse to accept the sophisticated ennui of their contemporaries. “They snub the ‘spiritual but not religious’ attitude,” Riley … [Read more...]

David Hankins acknowledged that some people shy away from using military terms and imagery these days. But when it comes to talking about the task confronting Louisiana Baptists, he is not one of them. C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor David Hankins acknowledged that some people shy away from using military terms and imagery these days. But when it comes to talking about the task confronting Louisiana Baptists, he is not one of them. “We are in the God’s army,” emphasized Hankins, who assumed full responsibility as Louisiana Baptist Convention executive director at the start of February. That means it falls to every Louisiana Baptist to “recognize that they have been enlisted in the army of the Lord Jesus, and they are to advance his kingdom,” he added. Every soldier is responsible – and the most important thing individual Louisiana Baptists can do at this time is focus on their own lives and answer God’s claim on them as participants in the kingdom of God, Hankins said. Growing the kingdom of God and moving it forward in Louisiana are key themes for Hankins as he assumes the helm of the state convention this month. He was elected to the position unanimously last fall, leaving a top … [Read more...]

Week of February 14, 2005 LBC finances Louisiana Baptists opened 2005 with a total of $1,889,107 in state Cooperative Program gifts, a decrease of $216,280 (10.3 percent) from the previous January. Nevertheless, the total still stands almost $56,000 ahead of monthly budget needs, launching the year on a positive note. In other areas of Louisiana Baptist giving: • Gifts through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions totaled almost $1.7 million last month, a drop of $34,000 (2 percent) from the previous January. The offering runs on a June 1-to-May 31 basis each year. With four months remaining in the 2004 offering, Louisiana Baptists gifts total almost $2.7 million, a decrease of $125,000  (4.5 percent) from the same time last year. • Gifts through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions totaled $136,046 last month, an increase of $32,000 (30.9 percent) from the previous January. The offering runs on the calendar year. • Gifts through the Georgia Barnette Offering for State Missions totaled $121,356 last month, an increase of $3,200 (2.7 percent) from the previous January. The offering runs on the calendar year. • Gifts through the Southern Baptist World … [Read more...]

A pair of Southern Baptists hold the most sway – or influence – over American churches and church leaders, a new poll indicates. A pair of Southern Baptists hold the most sway – or influence – over American churches and church leaders, a new poll indicates. Evangelist Billy Graham and California pastor/author Rick Warren hold the top spots in the poll by the Barna Research Group. Surprisingly, President George Bush ranks in third place. Researcher George Barna asked American pastors to name three individuals whom they believe have the greatest influence on churches and church leaders in America. While the pastors listed more than 300 different names, just 10 persons were chosen by 4 percent or more of the ministers. Graham was chosen by 34 percent of respondents, and Warren was selected by 26 percent. Bush was named by 14 percent of pastors, while focus on the Family founder James Dobson was cited by 11 percent of survey respondents. Others on the list – in descending order – were Bill Hybels (9 percent), T.D. Jakes (7 percent), John Maxwell (6 percent), George Barna (5 percent), Pope John Paul II (5 percent) and Max Lucado (4 percent). Graham led among mainline, Baptist and Pentecostal pastors. … [Read more...]