At year end, the Louisiana Baptist Cooperative Program closed right about where state leaders expected. At year end, the Louisiana Baptist Cooperative Program closed right about where state leaders expected.   Still, seeing the numbers in black and white could not have been pleasant.   After falling behind budget and last year’s pace early in 2003, the state Cooperative Program closed the year with a December surge - but it was not enough.   For the month, state Cooperative Program receipts totaled more than $2.3 million, an increase of $213,544 (9.9 percent) from the previous December.   However, for the year, state Cooperative Program receipts totaled $21,558,373, a drop of $287,855 (1.3 percent) from 2002.   The total also closed more than $2.3 million (9.9 percent) behind budget.   State convention leaders blamed the economy for the reduced total.   "Actually, the bad news is good news in the sense that the total is about where we predicted it would be," said Dean Doster, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. "The fact it didn’t get worse is good news. The fact that we kept spending within income is also good news. … [Read more...]

While the U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether taxpayers have to subsidize college students training for careers in the pulpit, in Louisiana, the answer is clear. Bruce Nolan, New Orleans Times Picayune   While the U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether taxpayers have to subsidize college students training for careers in the pulpit, in Louisiana, the answer is clear.   State taxpayers want to do so.   Louisiana is one of only three states whose laws and constitution do not forbid spending public money on private religious education, reports the Institute for Justice, a libertarian advocacy center.   Thus, unlike their counterparts in most of the country, Louisiana students equipped with Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) money can prepare for careers in the ministry at Louisiana Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College and the United Methodist Church’s Centenary College, said George Eldredge, general counsel for the state Office of Student Financial Assistance.   In 1999, the state attorney general’s office ruled that qualifying Catholic seminarians also can use TOPS money to do their undergraduate studies in philosophy at St. Joseph’s Seminary College in … [Read more...]

For the week of January 15, 2004 Potpourri   • DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: "Being God’s Kind of Man" Men’s Retreat; Jan. 30-31, Stan Alcorn and Marvin Douglass, guest speakers; Mackey Willis, music; $40/lodging; $25/commuters and $15/one day commuter; for information and to register; call (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager.   • WEST MONROE - Ridge Avenue church: "All Sports Banquet" for men/boys of all ages; Jan. 31, 6 p.m.; Blake Shelby, guest speaker; $5 per ticket; for tickets, call (318) 396-1116; David Maxwell, pastor.   • BATON ROUGE - Istrouma church: Bayou Youth Rally; Jan. 18, 8-10:30 p.m.; Paul Mints, guest speaker; LSU BCM Praise Band and various youth groups, musical guests; $8 for bowling after rally; Larkin Harris and Steve Masters, rally leaders; Stuart Rothberg, pastor.   • SHREVEPORT - Pinecroft church: Chapel Choir reunion of Sunset Acres church (now known as Springs of Grace church); Jan. 17, 2 p.m. fellowship; Jan. 18, 10:45 a.m. program; for information, call Louis Williams at (318) 688-4235 or Gary Melanson at (318) 686-5200; Gary Melanson, minister of music; Marty J. Wright, pastor.   Anniversaries   • RIVER RIDGE - Riverside … [Read more...]

It is not that they do not care - indeed, a recent study showed that 80 percent of people in their 20s insist their faith is very important in their lives. It is not that they do not care - indeed, a recent study showed that 80 percent of people in their 20s insist their faith is very important in their lives.   Nearly 60 percent claimed to have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.   Three-fourths of the age group said they prayed during the past seven days.   Nevertheless, in a typical week, additional studies by the Barna Research Group indicate that just three out of 10 twenty-somethings attend church.   In addition, only 30 percent of adults in their 20s donated something to a church during the past year.   As well - that is the same percentage of those who said they have read the Bible during any given week.   Despite the incongruity of such numbers, various religious leaders say they are not surprised by the statistics.   "I think it’s pretty much straight up with what we see here," said Scotty Jernigan, pastor of The Crossroads Church at Belforest in Daphne, Ala.   "They (twentysomethings) have not seen where church ... … [Read more...]

Tension between Israelis and Arabs is nothing new, but added attention is being paid now to events regarding a site held sacred by both - the Temple Mount. Tension between Israelis and Arabs is nothing new, but added attention is being paid now to events regarding a site held sacred by both - the Temple Mount.   Indeed, two Southern Baptist seminary professors say the tense situation at the sacred site has major implications for world peace and Christ’s second coming.   Concerns were heightened last fall with a section of wall that is part of the Islamic Museum on the mount collapsed, leaving a gaping hole measuring about 120 square feet. Some observers warned it was a sign of a pending catastrophe at the site that could spark deadly violence, including an all-out war between Jews and Arabs.   The damage also followed a 2002 report of a bulge in another wall at the Temple Mount blamed on excavations for a third mosque being built in the area. Conservationists have warned the entire structure is in danger of collapsing.   "That could be an indication of what is to come," said Steve Andrews, professor of Old Testament and archeology at Midwestern Baptist … [Read more...]

I do not like change..." A statement heard time to time around Baptist churches. It is very, very seldom true. I do not like change..." A statement heard time to time around Baptist churches. It is very, very seldom true.   If we did not like change, we would still be riding ox carts and stumbling around in the darkness. We would be pulling buckets of water out of wells for our water and building fires in mud fireplaces for warmth. We would be hunting our meat with spears hurdled with atlatls. Our feet would be covered with deer hides and our clothes would be leather - not the fashionable kinds of Fifth Avenue.   What we should say is, "I do not like change that makes me uncomfortable and threatens my comfort zone, especially at the church."   And do many find their comfort zone in churches? They only want worship during which participants sing only the same hymns they sang as children, and their parents and grandparents sang as children before them.   One church prided itself in singing only hymns church members could sing by memory. Singing the hymns by memory meant you belonged. Another church used its same "order of worship" that changed only at hymn numbers, … [Read more...]

For the published week of January 22, 2004 Arts festival   The third annual Louisiana Baptist Christian Performing Arts Festival has been set for Feb. 20-21 at Kingsville Baptist Church in Pineville. The festival is designed to offer practical, hands-on instructional seminary on various performing arts topics. It also features worship celebrations. The event is set to begin with registration on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. It is scheduled to conclude with a worship session to begin on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. Cost is $45 per person prior to Feb. 6 and $50 per person after that date. For registration details, contact the state convention youth and young adult department at (800) 622-6549 or (318) 448-3402. Space is limited.   Faith-based expansion   President George Bush has announced an expansion of the government’s ability to fund social services through churches and other religious groups. The announcement is the latest in a series of actions by the Bush administration to make it easier for religious charities to compete for government grants on the same basis as secular groups. It is known as the "faith-based initiative." The new rules open $3.7 billion in federal funds to churches and religious … [Read more...]

Survivors of a devastating earthquake in Bam, Iran, are seeing the love of God demonstrated through the work of Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from Alabama. Survivors of a devastating earthquake in Bam, Iran, are seeing the love of God demonstrated through the work of Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from Alabama.   The suffering of the city’s residents is heartbreaking, volunteers say.   The words "Alabama Disaster Relief" provided the first witness to God’s love as the team began unloading supplies on site, team leader Larry Murphy relates.   Iranian helpers saw those words stenciled on the side of supply crates and saw in "Alabama" a combination of words in their own language, he explains. "Ala" sounds like their word for God, "Ba" like their word for "with" and "ma" like "us."   As a result, the Iranians translated "Alabama Disaster Relief" to mean "‘God with us’ Disaster Relief."   "When I heard that, I just jumped and said, ‘Yes!’" Murphy says.   The Alabama team was assigned the lead role in feeding operations in Bam, a key role in the wider relief response mounted by humanitarian organizations from around the world. A … [Read more...]

Member of New Sarepta Baptist Church have demonstrated - big things can come in small packages, says Tim Everett, associate pastor for the congregation. Member of New Sarepta Baptist Church have demonstrated - big things can come in small packages, says Tim Everett, associate pastor for the congregation.   Musical artists from the church in Sarepta - a congregation of 300 in a town of 1,000 - recently joined together to record and release the CD "Jubilee 2003." The album is composed of songs written (or arranged) and performed entirely by New Sarepta members.   "Our contemporary culture seems to say that big is best and most is more and that churches must have megasized congregations and budgets to have an impact," Everett notes. "I believe New Sarepta has just scored one for the little guys."   "God’s blessed us with all this musical talent," album co-producer and gospel artist Julie Everett explains. "It just seemed like this was the vision God gave us. We wanted to do something, not just for my husband (Tim) and me, but wanted to use all the other talent."   Produced in a local home studio in a span of 40 hours recording time, the CD features Southern gospel, bluegrass … [Read more...]

Revisiting the DOM issue: LBC Executive Board members prepare to take final step of returning complete control of associational directors of missions to local level Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members took a step last week to complete a return of control for associational directors of missions back to the local level.   Board members approved a motion that asks a committee of eight to recommend a transition plan that will give local associations complete authority for hiring, firing, supervising and funding their own directors of missions.   The state convention has funded the directors of missions since the 1960s - and until 2002, it also was responsible for supervising their work, with associational input.   However, that structure created concerns among some associational members, who urged more control by local churches in determining who served as the intermediary between themselves and the state convention.   Those concerns came to a head in 2002, and the Executive Board established a committee to study the issue. After months of discussion and debate, messengers to the 2002 Louisiana Baptist Convention narrowly approved a key change in … [Read more...]