Just wanted to say that yesterday, I left a few copies of the Baptist Message in a hospital waiting room. Just wanted to say that yesterday, I left a few copies of the Baptist Message in a hospital waiting room.   Before I left, I noticed some people reading them. They were hungry for something to read - even if I didn’t say a word.   I just wanted to pass it on.   Mrs. Joe Thibodeaux Pierre Part … [Read more...]

Re; Worship styles.   As the bride of Christ, worship is not about us - it is not so we can feel good or at peace with God or even think we did God a favor. The purpose of worship is to bring glory and honor to the king of kings - Jesus. Re; Worship styles.   As the bride of Christ, worship is not about us - it is not so we can feel good or at peace with God or even think we did God a favor. The purpose of worship is to bring glory and honor to the king of kings - Jesus.   God is looking for in our worship a heart that is totally surrendered to him. Worship has to be done in spirit and truth, according to John 4:23-23.   First, you are born again and have the spirit of Christ living in your heart. Next, exalt and bring glory and praise to Jesus for who he is. God is looking for intimacy in our worship. The reason he created man was for relationship.   So, where does that leave us as a church? Should we have traditional worship or modern worship?   We can’t put God in a box.Worship leaders need to be led by the spirit of God and not man. In traditional worship, there are some worshipful songs, but most are written in different English than we speak … [Read more...]

David Bush’s four-year-old child asked the question after hearing an eight-year-old sibling use a word he did not understand.   "Daddy, what is war?"   Bush simply told his son war means soldiers from one country are fighting soldiers from another country. He made sure he did not try to explain more than he was asked. David Bush’s four-year-old child asked the question after hearing an eight-year-old sibling use a word he did not understand.   "Daddy, what is war?"   Bush simply told his son war means soldiers from one country are fighting soldiers from another country. He made sure he did not try to explain more than he was asked.   "Some parents tend to overeducate," noted Bush, minister to children at First Baptist Church in Coppell, Texas. "I think we need to keep our answers short and comforting."   As violent images from Iraq enter American living rooms through 24-hour television news coverage and war talk dominates adult conversation, some Christian parents are struggling to know how to answer questions and determine what is appropriate for their children.   "We’re seeing the war in real time, as it happens," said Julie Joiner, … [Read more...]

A season of war: As the American war against Iraq continues, Southern Baptists are in place - serving the country seeking to minister to other military personnel, working to meet the needs of loved ones back home   For Southern Baptists, the American war against Iraq is personal - as in personnel, as in men and women of faith serving in various roles for their country. A season of war: As the American war against Iraq continues, Southern Baptists are in place - serving the country seeking to minister to other military personnel, working to meet the needs of loved ones back home   For Southern Baptists, the American war against Iraq is personal - as in personnel, as in men and women of faith serving in various roles for their country.   For instance, Doyle Dunn is a Southern Baptist chaplain recently appointed as command chaplain to the USS Harry S. Truman. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and was serving as a local church pastor when he entered the chaplaincy.   In the ensuing 16 years, he has served with the Marines in Desert Storm and at the Pentagon during 9/11.   Dunn’s days now involve meetings, worship … [Read more...]

Sunday mornings are...interesting, for itinerant preachers, of which I am one. This Sunday morning experience is no exception.   This Sunday morning’s speaking engagement is in Bossier City, about two and one-half hours from home. That is two and one-half hours of interstate driving time–two and one-half hours of alone time, time to think and plan. At this early time of a Sunday morning, there is not enough traffic to interfere. Sunday mornings are...interesting, for itinerant preachers, of which I am one. This Sunday morning experience is no exception.   This Sunday morning’s speaking engagement is in Bossier City, about two and one-half hours from home. That is two and one-half hours of interstate driving time–two and one-half hours of alone time, time to think and plan. At this early time of a Sunday morning, there is not enough traffic to interfere.   Surprisingly, on this Sunday is one of those rare times when several good ideas come to mind and call for a pen and paper.   Papers abound. A pen cannot be found.   Usually pens litter the vehicle. Pens infest the console, pens crowd the glove compartment, pens laden the door pockets, pens cover the floorboard, … [Read more...]

For the week of April 10, 2003 Cooperative Program Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled almost $14.2 million, an increase of $133,401 (1 percent) from the previous March. Halfway through the Southern Baptist Convention’s fiscal year, gifts total $93.1 million, an increase of more than $1.3 million (1.5 percent) from the same time last year. The total also is more than $4.6 million (5.2 percent) ahead of budget at this time. Meanwhile, designated gifts totaled $18.4 million, a drop of more than $2.1 million (10.5 percent) from previous March. For the year, designated gifts total some $101.7 million, a decrease of almost $3.4 million (3.2 percent) from the same time last year Missionary death A Christian missionary in Central America was shot and killed March 28 during a robbery. Todd Fields, 41, had been a missionary for 13 years with Global Outreach International of Tupelo, Miss. His parents are Bob and Edwina Fields of Mount Vernon, Ky., who are retired Southern Baptist missionaries to Israel. Fields was serving as a missionary in Honduras and was driving middle-and high-school students to a retreat when a group of robbers shot him to force the van to stop. Struck twice, Fields was able … [Read more...]

The story goes, a salesman boarded the same train every Monday morning for years. He traveled his territory promoting his company’s product. For this company, the territorial salesman was the advertising director for that area - he sold the product, he promoted the product.   The salesman, after years, became friends with the engineer, fireman and conductor of the Monday morning train. The story goes, a salesman boarded the same train every Monday morning for years. He traveled his territory promoting his company’s product. For this company, the territorial salesman was the advertising director for that area - he sold the product, he promoted the product.   The salesman, after years, became friends with the engineer, fireman and conductor of the Monday morning train.   One day, the fireman - the man who kept fuel under the boiler - asked the salesman, "Why do you keep advertising that product? You are already the top selling item of that kind of product in the nation? Why don’t you just save the money you spend on advertising?"   The wise salesman replied, "Why don’t you, when you get up a head of steam in the boiler of the engine, just stop putting fuel in the … [Read more...]

The class of fifth graders groaned as the teacher explained the assignment.   "Remember the movie ‘Pay It Forward?’" he said. "Well, we’re going to try something like that. In the movie, the class was told to come up with a plan for changing the world. (The following is designed as a story to be read to children regarding the Cooperative Program)   The class of fifth graders groaned as the teacher explained the assignment.   "Remember the movie ‘Pay It Forward?’" he said. "Well, we’re going to try something like that. In the movie, the class was told to come up with a plan for changing the world.   "That’s what we’re going to do," the teacher continued. "There are a lot of things that need to be done in the world. People are hungry. People are poor. Life is getting worse in many ways.   "Your assignment is to come up with a plan for changing that," the teacher said. "And the rule is - it has to be possible. For instance, you can’t say, ‘Well, we should pass a law that everybody gets to eat’ or ‘We should find a magic genie and make three really big wishes.’"   Several persons laughed.   "There goes my idea," one boy in the back … [Read more...]

Lisa Audiffred attends Louisiana College - with the help of the Louisiana Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union.   So does Jenni Cordero, Roni Friou, Nicole Naquin and Rebecca Watts.   And for that matter, so does Jeffrey Bertrand, Philip Brooks, Andrew Pitman and Samuel West. Lisa Audiffred attends Louisiana College - with the help of the Louisiana Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union.   So does Jenni Cordero, Roni Friou, Nicole Naquin and Rebecca Watts.   And for that matter, so does Jeffrey Bertrand, Philip Brooks, Andrew Pitman and Samuel West.   Along with 42 others, these students all receive help from the Louisiana Baptist WMU Scholarship fund - to the tune of $600 per semester.   The students recently were recognized during a Woman’s Missionary Union reception at Louisiana College. They received scholarship certificates and heard the pledges of state WMU leaders to pray for them throughout the year.   "Because Louisiana’s Woman’s Missionary Union desires to make a difference in the world tomorrow, we have chosen wisely to invest in our future Christian leaders," said Cindy Townsend, director of Louisiana Baptist women’s missions and … [Read more...]

In the midst of war in Iraq, prayer is increasingly evident at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   Contributing to the momentum is the seminary community’s recent participation in the "Adopt our Troops in Prayer" initiative of the Presidential Prayer Team, an independent, nonprofit organization. In the midst of war in Iraq, prayer is increasingly evident at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   Contributing to the momentum is the seminary community’s recent participation in the "Adopt our Troops in Prayer" initiative of the Presidential Prayer Team, an independent, nonprofit organization.   "We are trying to launch an organized prayer momentum on our campus that will parallel the current threat level to our troops and their loved ones," says Endel Lee, assistant professor of preaching and pastoral ministries at the seminary’s undergraduate Leavell College.   "The president has asked for this prayer effort, ... and it seems like a significant way to contribute to the crisis no matter who you are or where you live," says Lee, who has been in the military reserves nearly 20 years.   "I know that I would appreciate others praying for me in this manner … [Read more...]