By Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research It appears views about alcohol are changing among some evangelicals. I’ve had conversations about with Wesleyans in Canada, Baptists in Texas and Pentecostals in Oklahoma. All see a shift in attitude. Many conservative evangelicals have been moderationists for a long time, so an anti-alcohol sentiment is not universal among evangelicals. Sometimes observers will see “Northern Evangelicalism” as moderationist, with “Southern Evangelicalism” being abstentionists, and there is a good amount of truth in that geographic reality. I’ve always been very open that I don’t drink beverage alcohol. Part of that comes from a heritage of alcoholism that inspires this post. I’ve seen it up close and know alcoholism’s destructive power – yet, many evangelicals have not. More evangelicals may be exposed to the destructiveness of alcoholism if acceptance grows. I believe this column would not be needed if everyone shared my view, but they don’t. So my purpose is to point to a side effect of a growing acceptance of alcohol, and no one should disagree with the importance of this topic (unless you don’t believe in alcoholism). After I read the article “5 Uncomfortable Issues the Church Needs to Start … [Read more...]

By David Roach, Writer Shelbyville, Ky. There is no wrong place to start reading the Bible. The book of 2 Timothy says that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). While the apostle Paul wrote those words specifically about the Old Testament, they apply to the New Testament as well. Regardless of where you begin reading, God guarantees that the words on the page are true, sent from Him and powerful to change your life. Still, different Bible reading plans are better suited for different people. Here are a few methods to consider: n Read through the entire Bible in a year using a reading calendar. You can find many plans online for covering every single verse in one year. n To read at a slower pace, use a one-year plan but only read half of the assignment each day. This helps some people understand and apply what they read more effectively. And it will take you through the Bible in two years. n Start in one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and read a chapter each day. These books tell the story of Jesus’ life on earth and are a great place to learn about following Him. n Start at the beginning. Begin with … [Read more...]

By Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Seminary The Martin Luther King Day celebrations reminded me of a trip a few years ago that included a few minutes at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. The most surprising aspect of my visit was how small the church was. It could easily fit inside our chapel at Golden Gate, which is not very big compared to many other schools. Yet, from a relatively small church facility, a pastor used the power and influence of his pulpit to guide the Montgomery bus boycott and fuel the civil rights movement that changed our nation. The size of the church was eclipsed by two things – the power of the preached Word of God and the capabilities of the man doing the preaching. Many churches, and sadly many pastors, have lost the sense of awe the pulpit once inspired. The pulpit, as a symbol of preaching, has been removed from many churches. A seemingly good motive for this was to remove communication barriers with the congregation. While I understand the desire to change the mood toward a more dialogical approach, the lost sense of authority implied by jettisoning the furniture may have been more of a loss than intended. The African-American church still embraces the power of … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 01/31/2014 - 10:03 Jordan Easley By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – In a day of increasing opposition to the gospel, Louisiana Baptist leaders are hoping the upcoming Collegiate Evangelism Conference will equip students with the tools necessary to be a voice on their respective campuses and beyond. Set for Feb. 7-8 at East Bayou Baptist in Lafayette, the conference is expected to draw between 600 and 900 students to the annual event. In addition to high-energy music and inspiring messages, the conference will also feature breakout seminars that will focus on apologetics – speaking in defense of one’s faith. The theme of the conference is “Your Voice.” Mark Robinson, director of the LBC’s collegiate ministry team, said they hope each seminar and session will help students find their voice to speak the truth. “It’s paramount to their ability to grow as a strong follower of Christ and leader in the church,” Robinson said. Jordan Easley, a pastor and author from Hendersonville, Tenn., will be the guest speaker at the Friday evening and Saturday morning and evening sessions. All Sons and Daughters, a worship duo based out of Journey Church in Franklin, Tenn., will lead the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer The Baptist Message board during its December meeting unanimously approved the creation of Message Bookswhich will be a book publishing/producing arm of the Baptist Message. The impetus of this new endeavor came at the suggestion of Editor Kelly Boggs. He presented it not only as a new revenue stream but also as a way to promote authors with a Louisiana Baptist connection. “I spoke to an editor of a state Baptist paper who was in the process of launching a book publishing ministry,” Boggs said. “I liked the idea, because I think we have several gifted authors in Louisiana.” The Message plans to publish/produce two books in 2014. One author will be well-known to Louisiana Baptists. The other is a collaborative effort that is theological in nature and will likely be viewed as somewhat provocative. “We hope to have the two books we’re working on published by the end of the first quarter or soon thereafter,” Boggs said. In the future, Louisiana Baptists who have a desire to be published will be encouraged to submit book proposals on their prospective projects to the Baptist Message. “This new publishing/producing endeavor is a business and so when we look at a potential author, we have … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 01/31/2014 - 10:10 Tom Bilderback (right) has seen God at work in New Orleans since he became pastor of Vieux Carre Baptist in the French Quarter in 2011. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS – The French Quarter is known for its Mardi Gras bead throwers, restaurant dwellers, fortune tellers and party revelers. But some may not realize that among the partying and eating is a 49-year-old Louisiana Baptist congregation seeking to reach its community with the gospel. And the story of how its pastor was led to the city is about as remarkable as how the church has survived hurricanes and financial hardships and impacted the community for nearly five decades in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Situated one block from the infamous Bourbon Street, Vieux Carre Baptist Church draws as many as 30 into its small worship space on any given Sunday morning. Some are homeless, but most live and work in the area surrounding the church. Their occupations range from coffee house barista to shoe store sales associate to  school teacher. Living among those who work and reside in the French Quarter community has been a key to making inroads there, according to Tom Bilderback, pastor of the … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) has received a $250,000 grant as part of Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Theological School Initiative to address economic issues facing future ministers. NOBTS, the first institution created as a direct act of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1917, is one of 67 theological schools across the country to receive this funding. Personal financial pressures are severely limiting the ability of seminary graduates to accept calls to Christian ministry and undermining the effectiveness of too many pastoral leaders. To help address this issue, Lilly Endowment created the Theological School Initiative to Address Economic Issues Facing Future Ministers. The initiative’s aim is to encourage theological schools to examine and strengthen their financial and educational practices to improve the economic well-being of future pastors. All theological schools fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada were invited to submit grant proposals. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary will use its funding to help students develop financial skills and take active steps toward reducing … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE –Tommy French has been unanimously elected to serve as Louisiana College’s new Chairman of the Board by the LC board of trustees. “I am honored to welcome such a distinguished leader of our Baptist faith,” said Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard. “His leadership to our board will strengthen our effort to see Louisiana College grow, serve our students, and ultimately broaden our work throughout the world.” French founded and served as pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church for over 50 years in Baton Rouge. He has held various leadership roles in the Louisiana Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention, which included a two-year term as LBC President and 2nd Vice President of the SBC in 2000. French also served as a trustee for the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for over 10 years and was the board chairman from 2003-2005. … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message BATON ROUGE – A family advocacy organization is seeking to find the top 10 longest-married couples in the state. Louisiana Family Forum has opened nominations in its “Louisiana’s Top 10 Longest Married Couples” contest. Gene Mills, president of Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Family Forum, said the contest will honor the organization’s commitment to marriage and family. “We look forward to sharing incredible stories of faithfulness in an age when so many couples lose hope for their marriage and need a real life example to encourage their journey,” Mills said. “LFF celebrates life-long marriage and hopes to encourage Louisiana residents that love can last a lifetime.” Those eligible for the contest must have been married for at least 70 years. Eligible couples must submit their contact information and wedding date before Feb. 7 to info@lafamilyforum.org. The winning couples will receive an official statement of special recognition from Governor Bobby Jindal’s office as well as entrance into the Louisiana Family Forum Marriage Hall of Fame. Last year, Louisiana Family Forum named Norman and Norma Burmah of Marksville as the state’s longest-married couple at 82 years. They also were identified at the … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 01/31/2014 - 10:16 Members of Start Baptist Church attend a dedication ceremony on Oct. 13 for the church’s new fascinating children’s building. Using no borrowed funds (the work cost $160,000), the church’s old sanctuary was transformed into a vibrant, modern place for its youth. START – The members of one rural Northeast Louisiana church believe they are laying a foundation for growth for future generations, one building at a time. Located in a village of 657 and with an active membership of around 300, Start Baptist dedicated a new children’s building on October 13, 2013. This project will be one of several buildings for the congregation. Start Baptist Pastor Jeff Thomas said that God placed the idea in Brad Brazell’s heart while he was children’s minister of the church in 2007. Thomas believed that if the church were to have a thriving student ministry then it must also have a quality children’s ministry and thus needed such a building for that ministry. Rather than construct a new structure, the church’s old sanctuary was chosen as the future home of the children’s building. It would be the first of three phases, the other two being a fellowship building and a family life … [Read more...]