The mammoth earthquake that shook Asia on Dec. 26 opened huge fissures on the Indian Ocean floor and changed underwater terrain far from the epicenter, scientists say. The mammoth earthquake that shook Asia on Dec. 26 opened huge fissures on the Indian Ocean floor   and changed underwater terrain far from the epicenter, scientists say. Along the region’s coastlines, the destruction and death caused by the earthquake and the tsunami waves it spawned are all too visible. However, the cataclysm also opened unseen cracks in a part of the “10/40 Window,” the wide geographical band from North Africa to Southeast Asia containing most of the people who have yet to hear the gospel. Whether those cracks open further or close quickly will be determined by prayer – and the way Christians serve the survivors. “There are few events that change the world in just a few minutes,” Asia-based mission researcher Justin Long says. “On Dec. 26th, a 9.0 earthquake changed the 10/40 Window in a matter of minutes. Islands shifted, whole towns were washed away, military bases were destroyed and major cities were heavily damaged.” Christians are sending millions of dollars and many trained volunteers to save lives and ease … [Read more...]

Week of January 24, 2005 Inauguration prayer The U.S. Supreme Court turned down a bid Jan. 19 to have prayer removed from President George Bush’s inauguration, handing atheist Michael Newdow yet another defeat. Without comment, Chief Justice William Rehnquist refused Newdow’s emergency appeal from a lower court, which had also denied his request. In the previous week, Newdow lost twice in both the district court and the appeals court. He argued that the inaugural prayer – in both the invocation and the benediction – violates the constitutional ban on government establishment of religion. Last year, Newdow was involved in the much-publicized Pledge of Allegiance case, in which he argued for the removal of “under God.” The U.S. Supreme Court handed Newdow a defeat in that case as well, leaving the pledge intact. Newdow since has refiled the case. In the prayer case, a lower court judge had ruled against Newdow, noting the practice of having an inaugural prayer “arguably can be traced back to the Inauguration of President George Washington in 1789.” New Orleans Seminary The executive committee of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustee board gave final approval to two new building projects … [Read more...]

Sam Shaw has seen the devastation caused by tornados – and the wreckage left behind by hurricanes. Sam Shaw has seen the devastation caused by tornados – and the wreckage left behind by hurricanes. None of it compares to what the Southern Baptist pastor saw when he toured areas hit in late December by the massive earthquake and tsunami waves in the Indian Ocean region. “This was multiplied 100 times worse (than anything I had seen),” says Shaw, pastor of Germantown Baptist Church near Memphis, Tenn. “I have photographs ... of debris and clothing in the trees, 10 feet off the ground – three miles from the ocean. “The devastation is so overwhelming, the sight and smell of so many dead bodies. It is apocalyptic in proportions. “It is just mind-numbing. “We were looking out at miles of countryside that had not even been touched for the removal of bodies, and I sat there thinking about all those people who died. They’re just gone,” Shaw recounts. No, the focus must fall on survivors of the disaster – and if a crisis ever demanded that Christians take risks to help people in desperate need, the suffering of millions of tsunami victims around the Indian Ocean is that crisis, Shaw emphasizes. Shaw was … [Read more...]

The phrase “two heads are better than one” rings true for the relationship between Charles and Brittany Shirey and Moss Bluff First Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter The phrase “two heads are better than one” rings true for the relationship between Charles and Brittany Shirey and Moss Bluff First Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Since 2002, the Shireys and members of the congregation have enjoyed a partnership in which the south Louisana church has sent missions teams to assist the couple’s ministry in Suriname. “Our overall desire is to be a Global Priority Church and inact the Acts 1:8 principle,” says Jack Tillery, minister of missions and college students at Moss Bluff First Baptist Church explains, referring to Christ’s commandment to share the gospel throughout the world. “(The Shireys) are part of our church, and we want to support those from our church,” Tillery explains. The Shireys are commissioned by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board to minister to a tribal society in Suriname. In doing so, they have developed a strategy goal to plant a church in every village among the Aukan people in the South American country. In order to enable their … [Read more...]

The Louisiana College Board of Trustees has spoken and the new president of Louisiana College is Joe Aguillard. Regardless of the controversy that surrounded the college and the election of a president the past year, the trustees have spoken. The Louisiana College Board of Trustees has spoken and the new president of Louisiana College is Joe Aguillard. Regardless of the controversy that surrounded the college and the election of a president the past year, the trustees have spoken. Now, the task for the trustees, the administration, the faculty and the staff is to bring the constituencies of the school together to move forward in providing solid educations while imparting Christian values. The focus of the school’s constituents must be the students and their educations. The school exists for the students, and, they have been caught in a time of turmoil not of their own making or choosing. They trusted the school to provide a quality education when they enrolled, and they continue to trust the school to provide an education of the highest quality that is respected in all circles. As Joe Aguillard’s tenure as president of the school goes, so goes the school. He has stated in various interviews that he knows … [Read more...]

Week of January 17 Tsunami relief efforts Pure drinking water – a critical need to avoid an outbreak of deadly diseases in the wake of South Asia’s tsunamis – recently got a boost from two sizeable donations from Baptists. First Baptist Church of Rome, Ga., donated $50,000 to purchase five water-purification systems for tsunami survivors in Indonesia’s refugee camps. Each unit can produce 10 gallons of fresh water a minute. Meanwhile, the Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union is sending $37,000 worth of water-purification equipment to Sumatra and other parts of Indonesia. The Georgia church’s gift came from an unprecedented budget surplus. The donations from Woman’s Missionary Union came from a pre-existing water-purification project called “Pure Water, Pure Love,” begun in 1997. A total of 457 items – ranging from water filters to portable water-purification systems for personal use –  will be delivered to Indonesia through disaster-relief teams, volunteers and other mission partners. The shipment will deplete the Woman’s Missionary Union supply of water filters, but an order has been placed for more. Woman’s Missionary Union is “committed to sending more water systems to help provide safe, clean water … [Read more...]

After a number of twists and turns – not to mention tense trustee sessions, emotional displays, protests and one lawsuit – Louisiana College has a new president. C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor After a number of twists and turns – not to mention tense trustee sessions, emotional displays, protests and one lawsuit – Louisiana College has a new president. School trustees voted in the early morning of January 18 to elect Joe Aguillard, 48, as the new leader for the college. Aguillard previously served as chair of the Louisiana College Division of Education. Aguillard proclaimed himself ready to serve and lead the college to unprecedented heights of achievement. “I am ready to lead and sacrifice, ... to serve God (at Louisiana College),” he told trustees prior to their vote. “There is no limit to what the Lord can do for this college,” he said after the vote was announced. Even Aguillard has acknowledged the hand of God – along with a commitment to open and honest communication – will be needed to move the school past some of the conflict it has experienced in the past year or so. In some ways, that conflict came to a head last week as trustees gathered for an almost eight-hour session to … [Read more...]

Baylor University President Robert Sloan Jr. has announced he will transition to chancellor of the largest Baptist university in the world, effective June 1. Baylor University President Robert Sloan Jr. has announced he will transition to chancellor of the largest Baptist university in the world, effective June 1. The announcement is the latest twist in a presidency that has seen Sloan launch an ambitious program designed to move the school into the upper echelons of American schools, even as he was forced to survive numerous challenges to his tenure. “It has been my privilege to launch the university upon the exciting journey we call Baylor 2012,” Sloan said in making the announcement. “Now that the voyage is well under way, it is time for someone new to navigate sometimes choppy waters.” Baylor Board of Regents Chair Will Davis said regents have expressed unanimous support for the change and are expected to ratify it at their Feb. 3-4 meeting. Davis said he and Sloan arrived at the decision by mutual agreement. He said an interim president and a presidential search committee will be appointed this spring. Sloan acknowledged his vision for leading the school made his presidency a lightning rod. … [Read more...]

Could varying beliefs about the Bible be at the heart of differences between Americans and Canadians on such moral issues as abortion and same-sex marriages? Could varying beliefs about the Bible be at the heart of differences between Americans and Canadians on such moral issues as abortion and same-sex marriages? New polling by the Gallup Organization suggests that could be the case, some observers say. Gallup polled about 1,000 adults in each country and found that Americans are considerably more conservative in their view of the Bible. Additional polling found that Canadians are much more liberal on the hot-button social issues of the day – such as abortion and same-sex marriages. The polls affirm that a society’s beliefs about the Bible also impact its beliefs on moral issues, said Tom Minnery, who serves as vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family. “I think it’s only common sense that there is a connection,” Minnery said. “In Western society, the basis of moral principles is the Bible. As one loses one’s belief in the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, one tends to stray away from moral principles that once were honored. ... “We’ve seen that in Canada on the … [Read more...]

After a number of twists and turns – not to mention tense trustee sessions, emotional displays, protests and one lawsuit – Louisiana College has a new president. C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor After a number of twists and turns – not to mention tense trustee sessions, emotional displays, protests and one lawsuit – Louisiana College has a new president. School trustees voted in the early morning of January 18 to elect Joe Aguillard, 48, as the new leader for the college. Aguillard previously served as chair of the Louisiana College Division of Education. Aguillard proclaimed himself ready to serve and lead the college to unprecedented heights of achievement. “I am ready to lead and sacrifice, ... to serve God (at Louisiana College),” he told trustees prior to their vote. “There is no limit to what the Lord can do for this college,” he said after the vote was announced. Even Aguillard has acknowledged the hand of God – along with a commitment to open and honest communication – will be needed to move the school past some of the conflict it has experienced in the past year or so. In some ways, that conflict came to a head last week as trustees gathered for an almost eight-hour session to … [Read more...]