For the week of August 21, 2003 Potpourri   • BATON ROUGE - Stevendale church: Car show; Aug 23, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Carolina Boys in concert; Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; Michael J. LoBrutto, pastor.   • WINNFIELD - First church: Fifth Sunday Singing Concert; Aug. 31, 6 p.m.; John Holland, minister of music; Lindsey Burns, pastor.   • MANY - First church: Toledo Bend Resort Ministries Volunteer Appreciation Banquet; Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m.; Bill Black, guest speaker; Shekinah Praise Team from Southside church in Mansfield, music; call (318) 645-6601 for reservations; Steven Kelly, pastor.   • BASTROP - First church: Just Friends, blue grass gospel group, in concert during annual church wide fellowship; Aug. 31, 5-8 p.m.; Jim Ingram, pastor.   Youth   • OAKDALE - First church: Mt. Olive Associational Youth Rally; Aug. 30, 6 p.m.; Paul Vic, guest speaker; Broken Vessels, music; Stephen Laughlin, pastor.   Revivals   • SLAUGHTER - First church: Aug. 31, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sept. 1-3, 6:30 p.m.; Paul Taylor, evangelist; Ramond Taylor, music; Basil Wicker, pastor.   • LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: Aug. 24, 10:45 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Aug. 25-27, 6 … [Read more...]

Any great move of God must begin among his people, Ken Hemphill emphasized in his first major address as national strategist for Southern Baptists’ Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. However, those people must embrace God in repentance and humble obedience, he added. There is no other way. Any great move of God must begin among his people, Ken Hemphill emphasized in his first major address as national strategist for Southern Baptists’ Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. However, those people must embrace God in repentance and humble obedience, he added. There is no other way. "What God is looking for is a people that will manifest his name through radical obedience to his Word and a lifestyle that reflects his character," Hemphill said. That is the focus of the Empowering Kingdom Growth idea, he noted. "If you were thinking this Empowering Kingdom Growth is about some program that will give new juice to your Sunday School, you’re going to be disappointed," Hemphill said. "This is about radical lifestyle commitment to our father’s kingdom, for our father’s reward. And none of us may receive much glory for this here on earth. "It’s about transformation of a people called Southern Baptists so that their … [Read more...]

Clara Mae Van Brink has a simple challenge for Southern Baptists to consider - "If our families don’t look any different than other families in the world, then, why would I want to be a Christian and why would I want to come to your church?" Clara Mae Van Brink has a simple challenge for Southern Baptists to consider - "If our families don’t look any different than other families in the world, then, why would I want to be a Christian and why would I want to come to your church?"   How Southern Baptists answer the challenge could make all the difference, said Van Brink, director of preschool ministries at Peachtree Corner Baptist Church in Norcross, Ga.   Unfortunately, in Van Brink’s view, affluence and constant activity have turned the American dream into a nightmare, making it difficult for Christian families to spend time focusing on God.   "We are raising our children on activity theology - and it is killing the family," she said.   Parents must be given the skills to fashion kingdom-focused families, and it is the church’s responsibility to help, Van Brink said during a recent Southern Baptist conference.   A kingdom-focused family is one in which parents … [Read more...]

We did not intend it, but we were a food servers worst nightmare.   Thirteen hungry Baptist men ringed the long table made up of four regular size tables. It was early morning and they were ready to eat, get home to pick up their families and head to the church. Certainly none of them wanted to miss a second of Bible study. We did not intend it, but we were a food servers worst nightmare.   Thirteen hungry Baptist men ringed the long table made up of four regular size tables. It was early morning and they were ready to eat, get home to pick up their families and head to the church. Certainly none of them wanted to miss a second of Bible study.   The first man said to the server, "This will be on separate tickets."   No problem. There were only four men and two tables at the time.   The men began arriving and the sweet server tried to take their orders as they arrived. They came by twos and threes and the order taking was a challenge to say the least.   Amazingly, the nice young lady seemed to get everything straight.   Then came the challenge. We had given our orders from all sides of the table and before sitting at the table. One side was … [Read more...]

All congregations (regardless of the size or location) are relevant if people are being saved and led to walk with Jesus. I have no problem with videotapes or nationally-known preachers.. , All congregations (regardless of the size or location) are relevant if people are being saved and led to walk with Jesus. I have no problem with videotapes or nationally-known preachers, but I have a big problem when Schaller or any other refers to congregations as "struggling for relevancy." I suspect if his grandchild had recently been saved through the ministry of a congregation of 25, he would see the relevancy of the congregation.   Schaller says that churches who use a "video-based preacher" are able to gain the leadership and staff of a large church while maintaining their present facilities and people. I would like to introduce Mr. Schaller to what Southern Baptists call the "association." As a pastor for the past 27 years, I have been privileged to serve under the leadership of some gifted directors of missions, i.e. Wallace Primeaux, John Gilbert, Lawrence Clegg, Bruce Parrish and, now, Eddie DeHondt. These men of God have always been willing and able to direct me to resourceful church leaders who were more … [Read more...]

I just wanted to say that I was touched by the story about Richard Hall, the quadriplegic, on the July 24 issue of the Baptist Message (Page Twelve). There ought to be more people like him. I just wanted to say that I was touched by the story about Richard Hall, the quadriplegic, on the July 24 issue of the Baptist Message (Page Twelve). There ought to be more people like him.   Audrey Thibodeaux Pierre Part, La. … [Read more...]

Those were the first words that came to my mind as I read the July 17 article entitled "The sermon is about to begin - direct your attention to the overhead video screen." Here’s it in a nutshell. Those were the first words that came to my mind as I read the July 17 article entitled "The sermon is about to begin - direct your attention to the overhead video screen." Here’s it in a nutshell.   Mr. Lyle Schaller was basically saying the pastors of the smaller churches should "lead in other areas" but not be responsible for "providing quality preaching every Sunday." Oh, really, Mr. Schaller?   In other words, let the pastor of the local church do the marrying, burying, counseling, weeping, praying, leading, studying - and the list goes on - and let the "gifted pulpiteer" handle the task of preaching the Word of God to his flock?   What a shame that there are people in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ who would undermine the very people who are there for them in their most critical hours - the local pastor of the "small church." Mr Schaller, I may not be the pastor of one of your "megachurches." but I do love my church, and I will continue to be their pastor during the week and … [Read more...]

For the week of August 28, 2003 Briefs 8-28 Changes in the South The South is becoming less of a Christian stronghold, recent research indicates. Sunday School and church attendance and evangelism are all in decline in the region. A recent study by the Barna Research Group shows. Increased mobility is a large factor in this change, researcher George Barna said. As people from around the country move into the South, residents are exposed to more religious options. Some of these other choices are drawing younger generations, he noted. Additionally, senior adults are dropping out of the church, Barna noted. Senior attendance, evangelism involvement and volunteerism are all down nationally. African-Americans also appear to be less interested in traditional religion. Bible reading, evangelism and a belief in the “biblical God” have all declined among blacks, while the beliefs that Jesus sinned and that Satan is a symbol both increased. Since 1991, the country’s unchurched population has risen from 24 percent to 33 percent, Barna added. Even the spike in church attendance after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks should not be attributed to unchurched people but to believers returning to church, he said. ‘Softening’ … [Read more...]

Even 80 years after his death, the first Louisiana-born Southern Baptist missionary still calls Christians to be on the cutting edge of gospel ministries. Missionary David Wilson’s life is chronicled in Joe T. Poe’s book “Missions for a New Century: Lessons from the Life and Ministry of David A. Wilson.” Even 80 years after his death, the first Louisiana-born Southern Baptist missionary still calls Christians to be on the cutting edge of gospel ministries. Missionary David Wilson’s life is chronicled in Joe T. Poe’s book “Missions for a New Century: Lessons from the Life and Ministry of David A. Wilson.” “I finished the book with a chapter calling him authentic, genuine and dedicated,” Poe tells the Baptist Message. “Those characteristics gave me another hero. His example in missionary service is worthy of being known.” Poe says he wrote the book because of Wilson’s connection with the Baptist Spanish Publishing House in El Paso, Texas, where Poe worked for 42 years. Wilson started “El Expositor Biblico” Spanish Sunday School magazine, which became a publication of the Publishing House when the company began 15 years after the periodical was published in 1890. Another reason he says he wrote the book … [Read more...]

As summer nears a sweltering end, “40 Days of Purpose” is coming to the state of Louisiana. All Louisiana Baptist Building employees are preparing to engage in the study by Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren. As summer nears a sweltering end, “40 Days of Purpose” is coming to the state of Louisiana. All Louisiana Baptist Building employees are preparing to engage in the study by Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren. In addition, Baptist students at four Louisiana schools have been chosen to participate in a “40 Days of Purpose” pilot program this fall. The “40 Days of Purpose” study is based on a pair of books by Warren, pastor at Saddleback Church in California. “The Purpose-Driven Life” and “The Purpose-Driven Church” seek to foster spiritual growth by challenging persons and churches to embrace the purposes God intended. The books have captured the attention of the evangelical world. Indeed, “The Purpose-Driven Life” recently was named the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s Book of the Year for 2003. The companion 40-day study follows the thrust of the books and is designed to help persons focus on their lives and how they are being lived. Any number of Baptist groups have embraced … [Read more...]