Baptists will communicate. They will either communicate through reliable channels or communicate through rumors and innuendo. And solid communication is part of the fuel that moves Baptists to do their best. Baptists will communicate. They will either communicate through reliable channels or communicate through rumors and innuendo. And solid communication is part of the fuel that moves Baptists to do their best.   For more than 100 years, the Baptist Message has worked to be a reliable, trustworthy channel of communication among Louisiana Baptists. In spite of pressures, sometimes subtle and sometimes not so subtle, to do otherwise, the Baptist Message has tried to remain true to the purposes and the people of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.   Unfortunately, some people judge a state Baptist paper totally on how the paper reports a controversy, especially if the paper covers the controversy with a "slant" that agrees with that reader’s. While controversies have sometimes dominated the thinking - even the actions - of some Louisiana and Southern Baptists, those controversies have never been the purposes of the conventions. A convention - and the news and … [Read more...]

Stephen Baldwin has just told a packed auditorium of students in Dallas about his conversion to Christ following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks. Stephen Baldwin has just told a packed auditorium of students in Dallas about his conversion to Christ following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks.   In the hallway next to the stage, a purple-haired teenager, probably 12 or 13 with tears flowing, bends Baldwin’s ears for several minutes before the veteran actor whisks him downstairs to the hospitality room to talk. After a 15-20-minute conversation, Baldwin gathers several others around and prays with the student.   "Good luck, man," the teenager tells Baldwin as he stands to leave.   "I don’t need luck, bro," Baldwin says, grinning. "I’ve got Jesus."   That fact is curious to some.   Baldwin is the youngest of a family acting clan - with older brothers Alec, Billy and Daniel - and a veteran of more than 60 movies, including "The Usual Suspects" and "8 Seconds." He also has been on television shows such as "The Young Riders," "Celebrity Mole" and "Fear Factor."   His conversion and his work in producing an "extreme sports" DVD to reach kids in the … [Read more...]

Pastor Tom Carlton’s interest in the Youth Challenge Program at Camp Minden began in May 2003, after he toured the facility during a pastors’ day. Pastor Tom Carlton’s interest in the Youth Challenge Program at Camp Minden began in May 2003, after he toured the facility during a pastors’ day.   Little did he know what his church’s involvement in the program would mean for the at-risk youth or for his Louisiana Baptist congregation.   When Carlton initially proposed that First Baptist Church of Doyline participate in the program for at-risk youth - known as cadets - his congregation expressed minimal interest.   However, after their first trip to the facility last October, he says the church never has been the same.   "It’s been phenomenal," Carlton says. "The program has been a shot in the arm for our church. It’s amazing for it to drop in our laps like it has done."   Janice Nelson agrees.   "I can’t even describe the feeling you walk away with after helping with the (Youth Challenge Program) each time," adds Nelson, a member at First Baptist Church of Doyline. "From my viewpoint, it’s been the beginning of a spiritual awakening at this … [Read more...]

September 19 is marked on Louisiana Baptist Convention calendars as Louisiana Baptist Message Sunday. In recognition of that emphasis, the following article looks at the ministry of the state newspaper. An accompanying article proposes 10 ways Louisiana Baptists can support the ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Message. Note: September 19 is marked on Louisiana Baptist Convention calendars as Louisiana Baptist Message Sunday. In recognition of that emphasis, the following article looks at the ministry of the state newspaper. An accompanying article proposes 10 ways Louisiana Baptists can support the ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Message.   After three decades as a Southern Baptist journalist, Lynn P. Clayton still is perplexed about one thing.   Why is not every Baptist a subscriber to his or her state newspaper?   "Why some Baptist churches choose to have their members ignorant of the wonderful things God is doing through their denomination has been - and will be - a profound mystery to me," said Clayton, who has served as editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message for 27 years.   For Clayton, the question of whether or not to subscribe to a state newspaper has only one … [Read more...]

The Louisiana Legislature addressed several issues of moral and social concerns this summer - but state voters will decide one regarding same-sex marriage this month The Louisiana Legislature addressed several issues of moral and social concerns this summer - but state voters will decide one regarding same-sex marriage this month   Note: Each year, following the regular session of the Louisiana Legislature, the governor has until near the end of August to sign or veto measures approved by legislators. Once that deadline has passed, the Louisiana Baptist Message then offers a look back at the session and how it fared related to key moral and social issues.   As far as the most-recent session of the Louisiana Legislature goes, Ken Ward said he sees some hopeful signs.   Indeed, when it comes to evaluating the session in terms of moral and social concerns, Ward offers solid passing grades. And when it comes to emerging trends, he offers a few solid words of hope.   "If you look at the session in regards to the top five moral and social concern issues and take out the issue of human cloning, I’d give the session a B or even a B-plus," said Ward, executive director of the … [Read more...]

Louisiana cannot be the first to pass a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages - but it is expected to become the second on Sept. 18. Louisiana cannot be the first to pass a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages - but it is expected to become the second on Sept. 18.   On that day, Louisiana residents will be asked to vote on a state constitutional amendment, explicitly designed to protect the traditional definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman.   Most observers expect the proposed constitutional amendment to pass by an easy margin, perhaps with as much as 70 percent of the vote.   That would move the state into select company. On Aug. 3, Missouri became the first state in the nation to pass a constitutional amendment on marriage.   A record number of state voters turned out for the Missouri election - and 71 percent approved the marriage statement. Only one other non-controversial ballot issue ever had gained a wider margin of victory in the state.   In Louisiana, it is uncertain how many voters will turn out for the election, typically an open primary date.   However, the presence of the amendment on the ballot … [Read more...]

Gasping for breath after finishing a series of relay games to gather clues, 10-year-old Jena Gray tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. Gasping for breath after finishing a series of relay games to gather clues, 10-year-old Jena Gray tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear.   She and her friends peered intently at a pile of index cards strewn together on the grass in the field. They quickly selected a password and ran up a steep hill to an auditorium door. Knocking, they excitedly called out the word for access inside: "God!"   But the door stayed shut.   After an emergency huddle, team members tried another password from those proposed: "Soccer!"   This time, the group was allowed entrance.   "Were you surprised when you couldn’t use ‘God’ as the password to get in?" a camp counselor asked from a brightly-lit stage as more than 200 kids found their seats. "There are a lot of countries in the world today that won’t let people in just to talk about God.   "But they will let people in to play sports," the counselor continued. "Christians can share the love of God and share Jesus by playing and teaching sports in these … [Read more...]

For the week of September 23, 2004 Next week’s issue   Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch is set to resume his 50-state tour of the nation in an effort to rally church members to win more souls for Christ. One of Welch’s final stops in the first half of his "The Everyone Can Kingdom Challenge for Evangelism" bus tour was at First Baptist Church of Norco. Because of space considerations and the approach of Hurricane Ivan, the Baptist Message did not to publish an account of the stop in this week’s issue. Next week, the newspaper will feature stories related to Welch’s tour and his challenge for Southern Baptists to baptize 1 million persons in an upcoming convention year.   Church loans   The Southern Baptist North American Mission Board has announced it will provide low-interest loans quickly and with virtually no paperwork to Southern Baptist churches damaged by Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan, as well as other natural disasters. "It’s difficult for a church without a roof or flooded classrooms to fulfill its vision to be a worldwide mission center," board President Robert Reccord said. "We’re committed to doing everything possible with our state convention and … [Read more...]

I still remember the day Marta walked into my office, plopped herself down and asked me to pray that she and Ward would be able to have children. I still remember the day Marta walked into my office, plopped herself down and asked me to pray that she and Ward would be able to have children.   I promised to pray and did so regularly. In time, they had three of the brightest, sweetest children you ever have seen. They are young adults now and barely know me, but I take joy in having prayed them into the world.   For Mack, I prayed God would send a wife. "Lord, Mack is a truly fine person," I said. "He has kept himself faithful to you. ... You must have a godly woman out there somewhere who would be right for him."   He did.   I performed Mack and Kathleen’s wedding last year.   My son Neil was on an outing with his three children. The day before, he had suggested they pray for good weather. On their way to the park, he asked 10-year-old Grant if he had prayed for this beautiful day.   "No," he said. "I forgot."   He asked 7-year-old Abby. "I forgot too," she said.   "Oh, good," said her twin Erin from the back seat. "Then, it was my … [Read more...]

The church needs a new pastor. The old way was to call a search committee. The new way is different - call a headhunter. The church needs a new pastor. The old way was to call a search committee. The new way is different - call a headhunter.   At least, David Lyons said he hopes more churches will see it that way.   A former corporate recruiter, he wants churches to benefit from the same kind of professional recruiting expertise that big companies employ to find executives.   So, in 2000, he started MinisterSearch to help churches find pastors and other staff members. So far, the firm has worked with almost 100 churches in more than a dozen denominations, including Baptist.   "We have the ability to identify and attract better candidates than a church could ever do on its own, because this is all we do, all day long," Lyons said.   Sheer numbers is MinisterSearch’s biggest selling point. A typical church committee might select a minister from a few dozen resumes.   In contrast, the MinisterSearch firm networks with thousands of ministers, including many of whom churches would never be able to consider.   "Typically, the best candidate is a … [Read more...]