Planning and shopping for the holidays can be stressful enough on its own, but coping with holiday festivities after a loss or traumatic event can be overwhelming. Planning and shopping for the holidays can be stressful enough on its own, but coping with holiday festivities after a loss or traumatic event can be overwhelming.   Sights, sounds and smells of the holidays can trigger memories of a person who died, a past job or past family gatherings.   Keeping family traditions may seem impossible, but getting through the holidays is part of the process of recovery.   How can persons survive the holiday season when they literally do not feel like celebrating anything?   How can persons help children through the grieving process when they are not sure of the journey themselves?   In his book, "Decembered Grief," Harold Ivan Smith gives tips to surviving holidays when one does not feel like celebrating.   They include:   • Anticipate the holidays.   Approach the holidays with determination to treasure the memory of a loved one. Writing a letter to the deceased loved one allows a person to express feelings about the person’s absence. … [Read more...]

Making crossroad choices: More than 5,500 Louisiana Baptist young people recently were urged to make fundamental decisions for Christ that would change their lives Making crossroad choices: More than 5,500 Louisiana Baptist young people recently were urged to make fundamental decisions for Christ that would change their lives   In the midst of three days of high-energy focus and fun at the annual Louisiana Baptist Youth Evangelism Celebration, Rob Turner reminded several thousand teenagers of the seriousness of the moment.   "This week, many of you are faced with a crossroads in life - and so am I," said Turner, pastor at Apex Community Church in Dayton, Ohio. "I am not promised the next minute. All that we have is the eternal now. (And) What happens in this moment can really dictate the rest of your life."   Turner challenged young people to make good decisions at their crossroads moment. He was one of several speakers and artists on the schedule of the annual three-day celebration just prior to Thanksgiving.   The youth celebration traditionally is the largest Louisiana Baptist gathering each year. This year, a total of 5,599 high school students traveled to … [Read more...]

Brian Kinchen’s story never may appear on the movie screen - but Hollywood would be pressed to write a better ending for the former long-snapper of last year’s Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Brian Kinchen’s story never may appear on the movie screen - but Hollywood would be pressed to write a better ending for the former long-snapper of last year’s Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.   Kinchen shared his story with young people at the recent Youth Evangelism Celebration in Alexandria.   A 14-year veteran of the National Football League, Kinchen played college ball at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in the mid-1980s.   Kinchen said he thought he had played his last down of pro football when he retired in 2000. However, although he was a Christian who had found significance and purpose in life, he said he soon found he had a void he could not fill.   He prayed diligently that God would give him direction. Eventually, he accepted a position to teach Bible classes at Parkview Baptist School in Baton Rouge.   As the 2003 semester ended in December, he received a call to try out for the Patriots with two games remaining in the regular season. … [Read more...]

Wade Morris offered a simple challenge to thousands of Louisiana Baptist teenagers recently - depart their old ways of life for a new way. Wade Morris offered a simple challenge to thousands of Louisiana Baptist teenagers recently - depart their old ways of life for a new way.   "If you can understand what God’s love is, if your love in God can abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, then, you’ll know what’s best for your life, you can be pure when you walk this walk and you really can live a life of love," Morris told the Louisiana Baptist high school students attending the annual Youth Evangelism Celebration in Alexandria just prior to Thanksgiving.   Citing Philippians 1:3-11, the evangelist from Birmingham, Ala., explained the truth about God’s love. He said that:   • Love is not about passion but about a principle.   "In other words, it makes no difference how hard you try or what you do," Morris explained. "It’s about the principles everything is based on."   The one thing every person has in common is the need to be loved and accepted, Morris reminded the young people.   But love is not about how hard a person tries or how much he … [Read more...]

No one is any more disappointed in Dr. Yarnell’s withdrawal than I am. No one is any more disappointed in Dr. Yarnell’s withdrawal than I am. He is the kind of president we need for Louisiana College. While regretting deeply his decision to withdraw, I affirm Dr. Hudson and the original search committee for their willingness to go above and beyond to accommodate Dr. Yarnell’s request in the contract negotiations.   As I understand it, some of Dr. Yarnell’s requests would have placed the board in violations of the bylaws of Louisiana College. This trustee committee obviously wanted Dr. Yarnell to be the next president of Louisiana College, and I believe did everything they could to bring him here short of putting the college in further jeopardy with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools by violating the bylaws of the college.   God has the right man for the job, and I am confident he will guide us to that man.   Philip Robertson, Pastor Philadelphia Baptist Church Deville, La. … [Read more...]

A recent editorial rightly praised the selection of Dr. Malcolm Yarnell as president of Louisiana College. A recent editorial rightly praised the selection of Dr. Malcolm Yarnell as president of Louisiana College. Therefore, the fact that he found governance conditions imposed by the board of trustees unacceptable and withdrew his name from consideration should be a matter of serious concern.   More importantly, it indicates that the board of trustees must be held accountable by Louisiana Baptists. The board should be replaced.   No person with the level of talent and integrity that LC deserves will agree to be president of a college at which the trustees are intent on playing power games.   The faculty have earned LC nationwide acclaim (for example in the US News and World Report College Guide), but prospective students are now only aware that LC is a place where the faculty are distracted and are afraid to teach for fear that they will be reported for some misconstrued statement that does not toe the party line. It is sheer lunacy to propose that an educated person should not be exposed to the unpleasant as well as the pleasant realities of the world. Christians cannot be prepared … [Read more...]

I want to say a public word of thanks to Louisiana Baptist Convention President Philip Robertson for the manner in which he moderated the recent state convention. I want to say a public word of thanks to Louisiana Baptist Convention President Philip Robertson for the manner in which he moderated the recent state convention.   There were a lot of major issues on the floor, including his own re-election as president. He did a great job of maintaining order and keeping things fair for those on both sides of the issues. He also did it with compassion and humor, which was needed at times.   As a pastor, I have had to moderate my share of "touchy" business meetings at times, and I know how tedious it can be.   Thank you Philip for a job well done.   Jim Duck, Pastor University Baptist Church Thibodaux, La. … [Read more...]

What does the resignation of Secretary of State Colin Powell and President George Bush’s choice of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to replace him mean for the United States foreign policy regarding religious freedom issues? What does the resignation of Secretary of State Colin Powell and President George Bush’s choice of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to replace him mean for the United States foreign policy regarding religious freedom issues?   It depends on who one asks.   Bush formally selected Rice, 50, last month to succeed Powell. Rice was raised in Alabama, the daughter of an African-American Presbyterian minister. She was the first woman of color to serve as national security adviser and, if confirmed by the Senate, will break the same barrier at the State Department. She is an evangelical Christian.   Still, some say her actions as secretary of state may differ little from those of her two predecessors in regard to making religious liberty and other human rights issues more central to American foreign policy.   Larry Uzzell said he is not optimistic about Rice’s appointment translating into a renewed emphasis on religious freedom. Uzzell is … [Read more...]

Much is said these days about forces at play on families - but what are the greatest threats they face? Much is said these days about forces at play on families - but what are the greatest threats they face?   A recent national survey of Protestant ministers identifies three primary threats - divorce, negative influences from the media and materialism.   Indeed, divorce was listed as one of the top three concerns by 43 percent of all ministers surveyed.   Meanwhile, 38 percent of those surveyed cited the media as a key issue they need to help families in their communities guard against.   Thirty-six percent of percent said materialism represented a prime concern.   The study was conducted for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention by Ellison Research, a marketing research firm in Phoenix.   The study asked ministers to choose from a list of concerns related to families in contemporary America.   Other matters of concern included on the list were absentee fathers (cited by 24 percent of persons surveyed) and families that lack a stay-at-home parent (noted by 22 percent of ministers).   The rest of the list … [Read more...]

Wonderful things happen at Christmas. The dryness of the commercialization and materialism that permeates the season cannot overcome the simple - and not so simple - wonderful acts that sprout from the Spirit of Christ. Wonderful things happen at Christmas. The dryness of the commercialization and materialism that permeates the season cannot overcome the simple - and not so simple - wonderful acts that sprout from the Spirit of Christ. I remember reading about the German and American troops that were fighting at close range during World War I during the days leading to Christmas. On Christmas Eve, one army filling its muddy trenches began singing Christmas carols. Their enemies in their trenches heard the sounds and joined in the singing. Soon, soldiers from both sides of the war left their protective digs and came to fellowship with fellow Christians of opposing sides. Two brothers were at emotional war, and when Christmas came, the memories of their childhood Christmases caused them to want to experience that family warmth and closeness again. One called the other, and they both cried and left behind their bitterness. It was a time of reunion and family love. The children sat before their pile of presents, … [Read more...]