For the week of August 12, 2004 Cooperative Program Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled almost $17.3 million last month, an increase of more than $3.9 million (29.9 percent) from the previous July. Ten months into the Southern Baptist Convention’s fiscal year, overall gifts total $160 million, an increase of more than $7.7 million (5.1 percent) from the same time last year. The total also stands $8.1 million (5.4 percent) ahead of budget. Meanwhile, designated gifts totaled $8.3 million last month, a drop of $135,892 (1.6 percent) from the previous July. For the year, designated gifts total $180 million an increase of $22.1 million (14 percent) from the same time last year. Whatever It Takes The Whatever It Takes 2004 conference has been set for Aug. 22-24 at First Baptist Church of West Monroe. The conference includes general sessions and more than 40 workshops on various topics related to church growth. The schedule also includes a share fair featuring all areas of ministry. Conference speakers include Kentucky pastor Bob Russell, Tennessee pastor Rick White, former NFL quarterback Danny Wuerffel and David Uth, pastor at FBC of West Monroe. Cost is $98 per person prior to Aug. 15 … [Read more...]

Although Crosspointe Baptist Church in Millington, Tenn., opened a $10 million facility in August 2003, it already is bursting at the seams. Although Crosspointe Baptist Church in Millington, Tenn., opened a $10 million facility in August 2003, it already is bursting at the seams.   Baptizing 561 people and accepting 250 transfers in the first 10 months after its move propelled Sunday morning attendance past 1,700. That compares to 200 when Steve Flockhart became pastor six years ago.   Three Sunday School times and two morning worship services are needed to handle the influx. The excitement has touched old and new members alike.   "It’s phenomenal," says Jason Dupree, who joined the congregation in 1976 when it was known as Second Baptist Church of Millington. "Nobody wants to miss church because they’re afraid they’ll miss something."   Another member, Jimmy Ray, joined four years ago.   "We have someone who’s saved every church service we have," Ray says. "It kind of makes you hungry."   While praising Flockhart as pastor, Dupree adds: "But he’s not that good. It’s God."   Still, staffers and members alike point to Flockhart’s passion for … [Read more...]

The presidential election is three months away, and one Southern Baptist family is taking a proactive voter education approach - traveling the country aboard the iVoteValues.com Mobile Voter Registration Rig and Information Center. The presidential election is three months away, and one Southern Baptist family is taking a proactive voter education approach - traveling the country aboard the iVoteValues.com Mobile Voter Registration Rig and Information Center.   The 77-foot truck - which was in Louisiana for several days last month - is equipped with seven computer screens that emphasize the importance of values-based voting and allow visitors to begin the voter registration process.   "We want people to vote their values," Jill Yochim explains.   Jill, her husband Sid and children Sydney, 13, and Tucker, 12, have traveled on the truck since mid-June and plan to continue their journey until Election Day. The effort is sponsored by the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.   When the family is not educating others about voting, they use that time to "bond." That means joking, sharing stories or reading together. Sometimes, they choose to rest on one of … [Read more...]

Three hundred days out of the year, retirees Phillip Granger and wife, Gayle, travel in their recreational vehicle. Three hundred days out of the year, retirees Phillip Granger and wife, Gayle, travel in their recreational vehicle.   But these are not trips to the lake or to the mountains.   Instead of packing a fishing pole or hiking gear, the Louisiana Baptist couple stock their camper with hammers and chain saws because they are on mission to repair and construct church buildings.   "I know God called me to this," Granger says. "I really wanted to travel (when I retired), but God said I’d travel mostly to Louisiana’s churches."   Granger is construction coordinator for Louisiana Campers on Mission. The group is part of a national Southern Baptist fellowship of Christian campers who share their faith while they camp or participate in missions activities.   "If it weren’t for us building churches, there are mission churches that wouldn’t get built," says Granger, a member at First Baptist Church of Pineville and past president of the Louisiana Campers on Mission chapter.   "This is a ministry to us. I’m a missionary and am on the … [Read more...]

John Traylor has a word for all those people concerned about the fallout of recent events at Louisiana College. John Traylor has a word for all those people concerned about the fallout of recent events at Louisiana College.   "The college is in excellent shape, ..." emphasized Traylor, who is serving as interim president of the Louisiana Baptist school in Pineville. "Accreditation is not in danger. Student loans are not in danger. Financial aid is not in danger. Scholarships are not in danger."   The word is a needed one for a school that has endured some rocky times recently.   Earlier this spring, President Rory Lee and Academic Vice President Ben Hawkins both resigned to accept other positions. Traylor was elected as interim president during a closed-door called meeting.   Meanwhile, the process for nominating a new president was launched - although grumbling about the makeup of the search committee began at once.   Then, last month, a majority of trustees signed petitions for a called meeting to remove the trustee chair and elect a new one. However, even as the call was being issued, Chair Joe Nesom of Jackson resigned.   As word of the off-campus … [Read more...]

Compliments to Lynn Clayton for his July 22 editorial in the Baptist Message on the failure of passage of the marriage protection amendment. Compliments to Lynn Clayton for his July 22 editorial in the Baptist Message on the failure of passage of the marriage protection amendment.   It is time we ignore the myth that separation of church and politics is acceptable. As Christians who are concerned about the future of our progeny, we must place in public office people who hold to the biblical moral standards that made our country great.   This means that we must become politically active and campaign vigorously for men and women who are professed Christians and will vote the biblical view on bills like the marriage protection amendment, abortion, etc.   Thank you, Mr. Clayton, for encouraging Baptists to vote and for publishing the names and addresses of our senators who failed to support this amendment.   Perhaps awakening Louisiana Baptists will contact their U.S. senators, express love to them and plead for them to support President George Bush’s marriage amendment bill.   Charles L. Bernard Opelousas, La. … [Read more...]

How would you like to play a round or two of "Jeopardy"! Remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question. How would you like to play a round or two of "Jeopardy"! Remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question.   Clue: George Bush, John Kerry, Ralph Nader.   Answer: Can a pastor or a church endorse a particular candidate for president?   Clue: Federal Marriage Amendment, stem cell research, school vouchers.   Answer: Can a pastor or a church endorse a particular position on legislative issues?   Of course, the answers above only raise more questions, and the real answers may be the difference between fulfilling a biblical calling and finding yourself squarely in the legal crosshairs of the Internal Revenue Service.   Can pastors and churches comment on political issues?   Well, yes ... and no.   Every election year, thousands of churches are frozen in inaction because they are deathly afraid the federal government is going to swoop into their church and take away their tax-exempt status. Their perspective is - it is better to do nothing than to risk a tete-a-tete with the IRS.   However, with a little … [Read more...]

In case anyone has not noticed - America is changing. Indeed, by giving way to secularization and pluralism in recent years, the Protestant majority in the United States nearly is extinct, a new study concludes. In case anyone has not noticed - America is changing. Indeed, by giving way to secularization and pluralism in recent years, the Protestant majority in the United States nearly is extinct, a new study concludes.   While the share of Protestants in America was steady for more than 200 years, the group hit a decline in 1993. That year, 63 percent of Americans said they were Protestant - but by 2002, only 52 percent claimed the label.   During the same time period, the number of people who said they had no religion rose from 9 percent to nearly 14 percent, a recently-released study by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago indicates.   "Many scholars have noted that the numbers of people who say they have ‘no religion’ is increasing, but they haven’t noted what faith group these people have been leaving," said Tom Smith, director of the survey. "It is clear that many of these people are former Protestants."   The General Social Survey is a … [Read more...]