The tragic news of the deaths of four Southern Baptist missionaries and the life-threatening wounds of another in Iraq certainly causes Southern Baptists to contemplate anew our support of those who serve "in our stead." The tragic news of the deaths of four Southern Baptist missionaries and the life-threatening wounds of another in Iraq certainly causes Southern Baptists to contemplate anew our support of those who serve "in our stead."   Seeing the pictures of the smiling missionaries and brief accounts of their lives in earlier days on pages six and seven of this issue makes them more real and the loss even sadder. They were people excited about what they were doing - excited about serving God in a foreign land. This was what they believed deeply in their hearts that God called them to do, created them to do, and brought them great joy.   They went to Iraq because there was a need there. Certainly there was danger, but in a sense it was the danger that caused the need. They could not meet those needs without that danger. They went believing God was with them, and that millions of Southern Baptists back home were praying for them.   The missionaries’ crime was that they wanted to … [Read more...]

Debbie Wohler has spent more than two decades in "America’s Year-Round Playground." However, her focus is not on the myriad of activities available at Lake Tahoe - but on the mission to which God has called her. Debbie Wohler has spent more than two decades in "America’s Year-Round Playground."   However, her focus is not on the myriad of activities available at Lake Tahoe - but on the mission to which God has called her.   "Often in Scripture, it looks like it’s the small things - the salt, the light, the yeast, the seed in the soil - that add up to big things," says Wohler, who serves as a Southern Baptist missionary in the resort area that is home to 12 million visitors each year. "I think a lot of times, we want to see the big things without having done the small things."   Among the "small things" Wohler values are children. Her schedule includes serving through First Baptist Church of Tahoe City, which offers a before- and after-school program and childcare services each week. She also leads a children’s day camp during the summer, and serves as a chaplain for six ski resorts from Christmas through Easter.   "I wonder what God is going to do in these kids’ lives, … [Read more...]

Some people see the world in black and white - however, Charles Burchett is doing his best to put an end to that. Some people see the world in black and white - however, Charles Burchett is doing his best to put an end to that.   The soft-spoken-but-frank minister has become the voice for racial unity in Kirbyville, Texas, a town that has seen incidents running the gamut of racism - from cross burnings to Anglos who are reluctant to look African-Americans in the eye at the grocery store.   As pastor at First Baptist Church of Kirbyville, Buchett is familiar with the mood of the community. Even in his own congregation, a church member once relayed a message that his family would not come to worship until an African-American family was unwelcome at services.   However, against this wave of division, Burchett has set out in what he terms a spirit of "love and humility." He led his congregation to pray about the area’s racial tension, and the church now holds weekly prayer sessions about community issues.   He also has invited African-American pastors to speak at his church and has gone to several events predominantly attended by minorities.   "In war against the … [Read more...]

March 12 was the day 100 former members of Mount Olive Baptist Church near Cypremort Point planned to gather for their first service since the church closed its doors five years ago. March 12 was the day 100 former members of Mount Olive Baptist Church near Cypremort Point planned to gather for their first service since the church closed its doors five years ago. However, an arsonist set fire to the African-American church around 11:30 p.m. March 9, burning the building completely by 2 a.m., said Xavier Joshua, pastor of the Mount Olive congregation. Joshua said he was seeking to revive the church. As part of that effort, last November, he and others began removing the ceiling and preparing drywall at the old building so skilled craftsmen could work on the project. An acre of land also was cleared to make room for a loading area and parking. Four weeks ago, church members from Mississippi, Alabama and Illinois arrived to help with the project. Joshua said only one day of siding, laying tile and drywall finished remained to be completed when the church was burned. "None of the new wires we installed were connected to the ceiling’s panel," explained Joshua, who was ordained at Mount Olive 25 years … [Read more...]

Faced with the looming loss of two top administrators, Louisiana College trustees met last week to handle largely routine business. Faced with the looming loss of two top administrators, Louisiana College trustees met last week to handle largely routine business.   The pending departure of school President Rory Lee and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ben Hawkins were not discussed during the trustees’ open meeting.   Both administrators announced recently they plan to leave the school at the end of the academic year to accept positions elsewhere.   However, while that news certainly was the topic of discussion throughout the Louisiana College community, it was not a feature of the trustees’ gathering - at least not during the sessions open to the public.   Instead, trustees:   • Approved a budget for the new year.   • Granted tenure and promotion to several college faculty members.   • Received a review report from Lee.   • Granted authorization for the school to grant master of arts degrees.   In addition to the departure of Lee and Hawkins, trustees also did not revisit their December 2003 action to alter the policy … [Read more...]

Thank God for Louisiana Baptists’ Campers on Mission. Thank God for Louisiana Baptists’ Campers on Mission. Our church family has been greatly blessed by this special group of people from here in Louisiana. A group of 12 people came down the bayou to First Baptist Church of Golden Meadow during the last two weeks of February to remodel a building for us. We appreciate their sacrificial service to God on our behalf. May our heavenly father richly bless you, folks. Thank you once again. Jipper Williford Golden Meadow, La. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

The decision by the SBC Executive Committee to recommend that the Southern Baptist Convention withdraw complete funding support for the Baptist World Alliance is tragic. Should that happen, my prayer is that convention messengers will vote it down and restore full support. The decision by the SBC Executive Committee to recommend that the Southern Baptist Convention withdraw complete funding support for the Baptist World Alliance is tragic. Should that happen, my prayer is that convention messengers will vote it down and restore full support.   Historically, Southern Baptists have placed high emphasis on the absolute authority of the Bible, evangelism/missions, local church autonomy, the priesthood of all believers, religious liberty and the separation of church and state. We have celebrated our "unity in diversity" and have respected differences of opinion on issues that were subject to interpretation. These same kind of Baptists make up the member bodies of the Baptist World Alliance.   The BWA is a beautiful example of global Baptist witness and cooperation. It has modeled servant leadership in its service to Baptist bodies, not numbering above 200. I have been involved in the BWA for many … [Read more...]

Do efforts to have teenagers pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage work? Well, the answer appears to be "no" - and "yes." Do efforts to have teenagers pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage work? Well, the answer appears to be "no" - and "yes."   A recent study offered troubling statistics related to teenagers and sex - even when those teenagers have pledged to remain abstinent until marriage.   However, at the same time, Southern Baptist leaders have stressed that with the right groundwork and ongoing support, sexual abstinence campaigns like True Love Waits really can - and do - make a difference for young people.   The recent study involved 12,000 young people ages 12-18 and was conducted by Yale and Columbia universities.   Overall, the study found that 88 percent of young people who pledge themselves to sexual abstinence end up having sex before marriage. As high as that number is, it compares to 99 percent of young people who do not pledge sexual abstinence and who have sex before marriage.   At the same time, the study found that young people who pledged abstinence tended to delay the onset of sexual activity by 18 months and tended … [Read more...]

They gave all: Southern Baptists once again find themselves mourning as the surprise attack claims the lives of four mission workers seeking to bring humanitarian aid and the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Iraq They gave all: Southern Baptists once again find themselves mourning as the surprise attack claims the lives of four mission workers seeking to bring humanitarian aid and the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Iraq   They traveled to another land to minister for the sake of the gospel - in the end, they gave all for that cause - their very lives.   By now, the news is known - four Southern Baptist missions workers were killed while researching needs for humanitarian projects in northern Iraq.   Larry Elliott, 60.   Jean Dover Elliott, 58.   Karen Denise Watson, 38.   David McDonnall, 29.   And as of late last week, McDonnall’s wife, Carrie, 26, remained in critical condition as a result of the attack on the group by unidentified assailants wielding automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.   The five were attacked as they traveled in a car in eastern Mosul in northern Iraq. At press time, the attackers … [Read more...]