For the week of May 6, 2004 Baptist death in Iraq   A 1989 graduate of East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas, has been killed in action in Iraq. The Department of Defense announced late last month that Army Capt. Arthur Felder, 36, of Lewisville, Ark., was one of four soldiers killed in Taji, Iraq, when mortar rounds hit their camp on April 24. Felder played basketball for East Texas Baptist from 1985-1988. He was a member at St. Luke Baptist Church in Little Rock, where he served as youth director.   Protest of proposal   A broad array of secular and religious nonprofit groups recently told the Federal Election Commission that labeling them political committees would stifle the voice of the nation’s "conscience." At issue is a Republican-backed proposal to tighten fund-raising rules for so-called "527" groups that have raised millions of dollars for Democratic causes and ads that attack President George Bush. The Federal Election Commission proposal would put caps on the unlimited contributions currently allowed for such tax-exempt advocacy groups. Critics say the "527" groups are being used as a loophole for the campaign finance reforms. They want them subjected to the … [Read more...]

Last week’s editorial attempted to address the fact that most Southern and Louisiana Baptist churches have smaller memberships while fewer pastors desire to serve smaller congregations. Last week’s editorial attempted to address the fact that most Southern and Louisiana Baptist churches have smaller memberships while fewer pastors desire to serve smaller congregations. This week’s looks at what the denomination - local associations, state conventions and Southern Baptist Convention - can do to affect the situation.   Last week’s editorial states that the Baptist world has the attitude, "The better the pastor, the larger his congregation." Such an attitude may be true and in keeping with some New Testament teachings, such as the parable of the talents, but not all the teachings.   Jesus spoke clearly to his disciples’ desires to be "above" the other disciples. The earthly ambitions of James and John and their mother were not pleasing to Jesus who, as the Lowly Galilean, established no institution and served no synagogue as leader and established no religious order.   Jesus’ emphasis is upon what has been called "the level ground at the foot of the cross."   Obviously, … [Read more...]

As a child growing up in Louisiana, Matt Miller dreamed of playing in the National Football League. Last week, that dream became a reality. As a child growing up in Louisiana, Matt Miller dreamed of playing in the National Football League.   Last week, that dream became a reality.   Signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, Miller participated in the team’s mini-camp - four days of meetings, physicals and fine tuning football skills - last week.   He is the first Louisiana College football player to sign an NFL contract since the Baptist school resurrected its football program in 2000.   "It’s kind of surreal," says Miller, a member at First Baptist Church of Lafayette. "It hasn’t sunk in yet. I was excited when the Chiefs called (after the draft), but I was more excited when I signed the contract."   Miller says the worst part of the experience before mini-camp was waiting to see if a team selected him during the NFL draft, held over a two-day period recently.   "I had never watched so much television in one day in my life," Miller says. "My eyes were very red by the end of the afternoon."   On the second day, in the sixth round of the seven-round … [Read more...]

At first glance, the observed formation simply looks like the typical Marine Corps early-morning troop run. Hard-chargers wearing boots and utility trousers keep in step while double-timing to the call of a military cadence. At first glance, the observed formation simply looks like the typical Marine Corps early-morning troop run.   Hard-chargers wearing boots and utility trousers keep in step while double-timing to the call of a military cadence. But a closer look reveals a distinct difference about this particular physical training (PT) session - in place of the usual guidon (flag bearer) up front, a Marine wields a wooden cross as he leads this motivated group.   More than 60 Marines and sailors from various units recently conducted Cross PT at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan, in an effort to meditate on Christ’s suffering on the cross, says Lt. Cmdr. John Hannigan, base chaplain.   "As Christians, we believe Christ went through much pain and physical strain during this final part of his life when he showed his great love for us," he notes. "The Cross PT gives us a glimpse of that strain and is a way for us to show our love for him."   The troops pushed themselves … [Read more...]

Some entertainment giants are fighting back against the federal government’s crackdown on broadcast indecency. Some entertainment giants are fighting back against the federal government’s crackdown on broadcast indecency.   Three of the country’s largest media firms - Viacom Inc., Fox Entertainment Group Inc. and NBC - have filed petitions for the Federal Communications Commission to rescind its ruling against an on-air expletive.   On March 18, the commission overruled its own staff and decided an obscenity for male-female relations violates federal law covering radio and broadcast television. The decision reversed a ruling by the commission’s enforcement bureau on the use of the expletive during NBC’s 2003 broadcast of the Golden Globe awards.   During the broadcast, Bono, lead singer of the rock group U2, said an award was "(expletive) brilliant." Upon complaint, the FCC enforcement bureau ruled use of the word was non-sexual, as well as fleeting and isolated. However, upon review, the five-member FCC struck down its bureau’s decision, saying use of the word was profane.   Viacom and others protested that ruling.   While the agency did not comment directly on … [Read more...]

A wide range of evangelistic events will be reinforced by revival services June 10-12 during Crossover Indianapolis, the annual evangelism emphasis in the host city of the annual Southern Baptist Convention. A wide range of evangelistic events will be reinforced by revival services June 10-12 during Crossover Indianapolis, the annual evangelism emphasis in the host city of the annual Southern Baptist Convention.   The strategy is one local leaders contend will go far in helping new believers in Christ be quickly assimilated into local congregations, while also taking advantage of the local presence of vocational evangelists and pastors from across the country to lead the revivals.   "We wanted to see how many of the street decisions we could have baptized into our churches and discipled," said John Rogers, director of evangelism for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.   Response for the upcoming effort has been encouraging, Rogers said. "We have a potential of about 130 ministries across the state and somewhere around 80-90 revivals."   Most of the events are planned for June 10-12, but about 30 area churches also are planning evangelism events and revivals for … [Read more...]

Wife Leah and I were walking through a "bath and body" store. Now, do you think those folks who bathed once a week not too long ago would ever have believed there would be a store given to selling bath items? Wife Leah and I were walking through a "bath and body" store. Now, do you think those folks who bathed once a week not too long ago would ever have believed there would be a store given to selling bath items? What would they think if they discovered their "washrags" (leftover pieces of cloth from wherever) had become all kinds of bathing cloths and devices, even battery-powered scrubbers? Some of the washing devices cost more than my grandmother spent on washrags during her entire lifetime.   No longer just plain bars of soap. If you buy a bar of soap in one of these bath places, it will have all kinds of things from plastic flowers to chunks of organic matter embedded in it. There are clear bars, milky bars, pumice bars, oatmeal bars and so on.   You do not have to buy a bar to have bath soap. You can buy it in squirt bottles, pump bottles, squeeze bottles, tubes and tubs. There is even one container upon which you press the pump and the soap comes out already lathered. Pure … [Read more...]

Spring (and early summer) is in the air, and that can mean only one thing - the Louisiana Legislature is in session. And as far as Ken Ward is concerned, he hopes that means Louisiana Baptists already are keeping a close eye on what their - and other - legislators are doing. Spring (and early summer) is in the air, and that can mean only one thing - the Louisiana Legislature is in session.   And as far as Ken Ward is concerned, he hopes that means Louisiana Baptists already are keeping a close eye on what their - and other - legislators are doing.   "This shapes up as a very important session," said Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation.   "We simply cannot afford to let it go by without having a voice."   Ward should know. He has spent 25 years monitoring the legislature and providing help and resources to Louisiana citizens seeking to make a difference in their state.   Now, as Ward observes the 2004 regular session of the state legislature, he sees two key factors at play.   One is the fact that a number of new legislators are in place, as well as a new governor, all having been elected last … [Read more...]

For the week of May 13, 2004 Cooperative Program   Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled $17.5 million last month, an increase of almost $3.5 million (24.8 percent) from the previous April. Seven months into the convention’s fiscal year, overall Cooperative Program gifts total almost $113 million, an increase of $5.8 million (5.4 percent) from the same time last year. That total also stands about $6.3 million (6.3 percent) ahead of budget. Meanwhile, designated gifts given through the national convention totaled $13.4 million last month, an increase of $3.3 million (33.1 percent) from the previous April. For the year, designated gifts total $131.5 million, up $19.7 million (17.6 percent) from the same time last year.   Same-sex marriage   As the battle over same-sex marriage continues, both supporters and opponents have logged recent victories. On April 20, a California legislative committee gave initial approval to a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages in that state. The bill would change language in state law back to define marriage as a contract between "two people" rather than "a man and a woman." If passed, it would mark the first legislative … [Read more...]

Tran-si-tion, n.1. movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc. to another; change . . . Tran-si-tion, n.1. movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc. to another; change . . .   The Louisiana Baptist Convention is undergoing transition. Last week, Dean Doster, announced his retirement as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, effective at the end of this year. Earlier, Rory Lee announced his departure in May of this year from the presidency of Louisiana College to head up the children’s home work of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.   Only a year or so ago, Perry Hancock became executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s home. And the Louisiana Baptist Convention is taking the rare step of actually selling one of its agencies - the Louisiana Baptist Retirement Center - and redirecting the proceeds from that sale.   In a few years, only folks with good memories will be able to recall which Louisiana Baptists agencies there were and who their executives were in 2004!   The retirement, move and recent election of these three men means that the leadership of the two … [Read more...]