For the week of September 11, 2003 Cooperative Program Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled more than $16.7 million last month, an increase of $744,559 (4.7 percent) from the previous August. With just one month remaining in the Southern Baptist Convention’s fiscal year, overall gifts total a little more than $169 million, an increase of about $1.1 million (0.7 percent) from the same time last year. The total also stands more than $6.8 million (4.2 percent) ahead of budget. Meanwhile, designated gifts totaled just less than $5 million last month, an increase of more than $1 million (25.9 percent) from the previous August. For the year, designated gifts total $162.8 million, a decrease of about $4.1 million (2.5 percent) from 2002. Death penalty issue A federal appeals court has overturned some 111 death-penalty sentences, which likely will force the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify itself further on the issue. The federal court recently threw out death-penalty sentences from Arizona, Idaho and Montana. In those states, single judges can impose the death penalty in capital trials, whereas in many other states, only juries can impose execution on a convict. In one of a number of rulings … [Read more...]

"Before they know just what to do Their souls are lost Because they could never find What’s this life for" - "What’s This Life For" Mark Tremonti/Scott Stapp "Before they know just what to do Their souls are lost Because they could never find What’s this life for" - "What’s This Life For" Mark Tremonti/Scott Stapp Contrary to the belief of many in a 21st-century, youth-obsessed world, Rick Warren insists there is something worse than the end of one’s life.   "The greatest tragedy is not death but life without purpose," Warren emphasizes in his mega best-selling book from 2002, "The Purpose-Driven Life."   Warren probably would agree the second-greatest tragedy is how many people actually are living without purpose.   He wants to change that.   Give him 40 days - and he thinks he can. To be more precise, give God 40 days - and he will change it, Warren insists.   That is the whole point of "The Purpose-Driven Life." And it is the whole reason why the book has taken the Christian world by storm. It has gained book of the year honors and is being used in churches and study groups throughout the nation.   The book offers … [Read more...]

This weekend, hundreds of Louisianians are expected to gather at Grant Parish junior and senior high schools but not just for the traditional Friday night football game. This weekend, hundreds of Louisianians are expected to gather at Grant Parish junior and senior high schools but not just for the traditional Friday night football game.   Twenty-nine Louisiana Baptist churches in Big Creek Association will conduct three-night simultaneous revivals at four locations. The revivals are set for Sept. 12-14 in three school auditoriums and one church.   The 29 churches participating in the revivals began planning the "cluster revivals" last year. The churches divided into four different regions in Grant Parish. Leaders in each region were responsible for assembling the evangelists and music for their revival.   "We felt we needed, as Baptists, to make a statement in Grant Parish and felt the best way to show unity was to hold these revivals together," says Leonard Free, evangelism director for the Big Creek association and pastor at New Prospect Baptist Church in Dry Prong. "This represents a fellowship between churches. We’re all in this together to show we’re not in competition but … [Read more...]

With thousands of visitors expected to descend upon Alexandria for the Heart of Spain art exhibition, one local Louisiana Baptist church is hosting its own version of the exhibit. With thousands of visitors expected to descend upon Alexandria for the Heart of Spain art exhibition, one local Louisiana Baptist church is hosting its own version of the exhibit.   Emmanuel Baptist Church’s art exhibit, "Heart of Spain Emmanuel," correlates with the Heart of Spain, a collection of 1,000 years of Spanish religious artwork that opened for public viewing Sept. 1 and will remain so until Nov. 30.   At that point, most of the artwork featured in the Heart of Spain exhibit will return to the museums, monasteries, convents and palaces throughout Spain.   Part of the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial Celebration, the Heart of Spain exhibit features the first-time "this particular story of a thousand years of intertwined culture, conquest and civilization (has) been presented in the museum setting," the collection’s official Web site notes.   Some of the artists featured during the Heart of Spain are El Greco, Murillo, Ribalta and Goya. The Heart of Spain Web site says their work … [Read more...]

Many Louisiana Baptists will remember Frank Horton, who served for more than 20 years as the Baptist Student Union (now Baptist Collegiate Ministry) director at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Bro. Frank had a great ministry at LSU and was dearly loved by all who knew him on campus, in the churches in Judson Association and in Baton Rouge. Many Louisiana Baptists will remember Frank Horton, who served for more than 20 years as the Baptist Student Union (now Baptist Collegiate Ministry) director at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Bro. Frank had a great ministry at LSU and was dearly loved by all who knew him on campus, in the churches in Judson Association and in Baton Rouge.   He had to take early retirement because of Parkinson’s Disease in 1986, and on September 17, he will celebrate his 75th birthday.   I would like to encourage all who knew him to send him a birthday card. Though his disease has left him unresponsive, hearing from many whose life he touched would be an encouragement to his family - and who knows, he might be aware once again of how much he is loved and admired.   His address is: Rev. Frank Horton 216 Hwy 5 Enterprise, MS. … [Read more...]

For the week of September 11, 2003 • SORRENTO - Sorrento church: "Raise the Roof with Praise" celebration; Sept. 14, 10:30 a.m. with covered dish lunch to follow; T. W. Terral, guest speaker; Phillip Willis, music; Eugene Gullett, pastor.   • NATCHITOCHES - First church: Natchitoches Association annual meeting; Sept. 23, 7 p.m.; Lee Dickson, director of missions; Tommy Rush, pastor.   • MONROE - North Monroe church: Senior Adult Praise Fest; Sept. 18, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Bill Dye, pastor.   • DEVILLE - Longview church: Southern gosepl singing featuring the Pine Ridge Quartet and Brothers Redeemed; Sept. 20, 7 p.m.; Larry Hubbard, pastor.   • TIOGA - First church: Keith Manual, guest speaker; Sept. 21, 6 p.m.; David E. Cranford, pastor.   Youth   • BAKER - First church: Children and youth musical/drama"The Good News Cruise," Sept. 21, 6 p.m.; Jackie Vickers and Leslie Beard, directors; Dennis Allen, pastor.   Revivals   • WEST MONROE - New Chapel Hill church: Sept. 21, 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sept. 22-24, 7 p.m.; Phil Waldrep, evangelist; Lonnie Stewart, music; Clyde Sanchez, pastor.   • ALEXANDRIA - Riverview church: Sept. 15, 7 … [Read more...]

Instant messaging is widespread, a new baby boom is in progress and confidence in formal religion is slipping. What is a church to do? Instant messaging is widespread, a new baby boom is in progress and confidence in formal religion is slipping. What is a church to do? As far as Paul Turner is concerned, ministry leaders should consider using current cultural trends like these to reach the communities around them. "What do we need to do to reach out to the community around us?" asked Turner, a specialist with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Using various statistics, Turner demonstrated the need for churches to adjust and respond to current trends. For example, the church could make use of e-mail and the Internet, Turner said. "You sure don’t want to (fill people’s inboxes with junk e-mail), but are you using it to your advantage?" he asked. Instant messaging has become a way of life for "busters" or "20-somethings," he said. Instant messaging is two or more people having a "conversation" through their computers by either typing to each other or by using a microphone. Seventy-five percent of people under age 25 use instant messaging as a primary form of communication. … [Read more...]

When persons visit a doctor for the first time, them expect him or her to ask about their health history - past surgeries, illnesses or injuries. However, now, the doctor might ask questions about religious beliefs as well. When persons visit a doctor for the first time, them expect him or her to ask about their health history - past surgeries, illnesses or injuries. However, now, the doctor might ask questions about religious beliefs as well.   A small - but growing - number of physicians are taking patient "spiritual histories," Harold Koenig of Duke University explains. By collecting information about each patient’s religious or spiritual beliefs, he says he believes doctors can make more informed treatment decisions and help patients rally spiritual resources to aid healing.   "Neglecting the spiritual dimension is just like ignoring a patient’s social environment or psychological state, and results in failure to treat the ‘whole person,’" he says.   A spiritual history might ask - Does the patient rely on religion or spirituality to help cope with illness? Is the patient a member of a supportive spiritual community? What spiritual questions, if any, does the patient find … [Read more...]

For the week of September 18, 2003 Briefs 9-18 Iraqi relief efforts Baptist relief workers from five states visited homes and engaged in healthcare efforts among Iraqi refugees in Jordan last week. The workers originally were scheduled to go into Iraq, to begin delivery of 46,000 food boxes collected by Southern Baptists for needy families there. However, security concerns diverted the team to Jordan. Workers there sought to arrange for a portion of the boxes to be delivered to Iraqi refugees living in the country. However, red tape and other problems derailed such efforts. Instead, relief workers were able to visit some refugee homes, giving a limited amount of supplies they either had brought with them or purchased locally. The workers also provided a nominal sum of money to the refugees for rent. Relief workers also spent a day at a location where Iraqi refugees and others who are too poor to afford regular health care received some basic medical attention. "What better way to show the grace and reconciliation of God than to bring help to those who – we perceived – had hurt us," one of the stateside workers noted. Voucher program A school voucher program for the District of Columbia drew nearer to … [Read more...]