For the first time in eight years, the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program failed to surpass the previous year’s total.   Giving through the Southern Baptist Convention giving plan reached $176,962,402 during the 2000-2001 fiscal year that closed September 30. That total represents the second-highest mark in history. For the first time in eight years, the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program failed to surpass the previous year’s total.   Giving through the Southern Baptist Convention giving plan reached $176,962,402 during the 2000-2001 fiscal year that closed September 30. That total represents the second-highest mark in history.   The final tally also surpasses the denomination’s budget by almost $9 million (5.3 percent).   However, the total falls about $1.3 million (0.8 percent) short of the total from the previous fiscal year. That showing comes after seven consecutive years in which receipts exceeded the previous year’s total.   Prior to 1991, the Cooperative Program had enjoyed 57 consecutive years of increased annual giving. However, receipts fell below the previous year’s total for three straight years (1991, 1992, 1993) before beginning the string of … [Read more...]

Only a handful of events can match the recent terrorist attacks in terms of the shock, outrage and grief they have produced in the American people. Only a handful of events can match the recent terrorist attacks in terms of the shock, outrage and grief they have produced in the American people.   The Public Agenda group has been analyzing surveys from all the major polling organizations since the attacks. Clearly, Americans’ grief is profound, and their resolve is real. For those reasons, policymakers should be careful when considering survey results on specific proposals. When 70 percent of those surveyed admit to weeping about the attacks, survey results must be seen in context - shaped by sorrow and anger.   Striking back: A massive 88 percent of Americans say the U.S. should take military action against those responsible - and yet, 73 percent of those favoring an attack also are willing to wait until specific culprits are identified.   At this point, none of the potential drawbacks seem to deter the public. Two-thirds or more favor military action even in the event of a lengthy conflict, a recession or new attacks.   The most recent CBS/New York Times poll found 68 … [Read more...]

The man was returning home from work on September 11, the day that terrorists attacked America. He stopped at a local convenience store on the way, only to find cars lined up five and six deep at each gas pump.   "What’s going on?" he asked the cashier. The man was returning home from work on September 11, the day that terrorists attacked America. He stopped at a local convenience store on the way, only to find cars lined up five and six deep at each gas pump.   "What’s going on?" he asked the cashier.   "Haven’t you heard?" the woman behind him responded. "Gas is going up at least $2 a gallon tomorrow. My friend’s son said the refineries already have been shut down. You better fill up now while you can afford it."   Have you heard? Nostradamus actually predicted the recent terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers more than four centuries ago.   A picture of the smoke curling out of the trade center buildings following the attack clearly show an image of satan.   The pictures of Palestinians celebrating the terrorist attacks actually were taken from old footage by CNN.   There is significance in the numbers related to the … [Read more...]

Had it not been for a Baptist Student Union in Louisiana, Bob Lee’s life might have been very much different. Had it not been for a Baptist Student Union in Louisiana, Bob Lee’s life might have been very much different.   It is because of the work of such a group that the Louisiana native is a Baptist today. After surrendering to the ministry in a Methodist church, Lee enrolled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Disenfranchised with his denomination, he became a Baptist through involvement in the campus Baptist Student Union group. From there, he transferred to Louisiana College in Pineville, where he met his future wife, Nancy, the first day on campus.   However, college was not the end of Lee’s involvement with Baptist Student Union. Indeed, this year, Lee is celebrating his 30th year as Baptist Student Union director for Oklahoma Baptists. Lee came to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma just three years after it became a separate department.   Lee was about to graduate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary when he received a call to serve as associate pastor at an Oklahoma Baptist church. Lee spent two years at the church before assuming the … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist collegians were challenged to continue a legacy of service with their lives recently. Louisiana Baptist collegians were challenged to continue a legacy of service with their lives recently.   "For all of us, the consistent message of Scripture would be that one of the starting points - possibly the starting point - in following Christ would be to serve others," Mike Thompson told more than 500 college students at the Louisiana Baptist Fall Collegiate Conference in Alexandria.   "If we want to be people who communicate a legacy to others and we don’t know where else to start, I’d start right there."   Thompson spoke three times during the annual conference, challenging students to heed the theme of the meeting - "Continuing the Legacy." He is associate professor of historical studies at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif.   In addition to those addresses, students participated in small-group sessions on such topics as fasting, prayer, submission and study. All of the topics were related to "Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth" by Richard Foster.   Students also participated in praise sessions and … [Read more...]

The rash of school shootings in recent years caused some Americans to reexamine life’s priorities. The events of September 11 caused us all to rearrange priorities. The rash of school shootings in recent years caused some Americans to reexamine life’s priorities. The events of September 11 caused us all to rearrange priorities.   We have bowed at the altar of the almighty dollar, paid homage to a culture of pleasure and exalted the virtues of materialism. We have devalued the importance of human life, reduced its immeasurable beauty and wonder to statistical measures and redefined human worth in terms of productivity. We have neglected proper worship of God and have confined him to a spiritual dustbin to be opened only in case of a wedding or funeral, if at all.   Events expose the fallacy of moral relativism. We saw the face of EVIL, and it was horrid beyond our wildest nightmares. Surely no thinking person could observe such an event and opine that some absolute standard of good and evil does not exist in the world. Our nation has lost its sense of right and wrong, truth and falsity, evil and good. A nation unwilling to accept a minimum standard of morality is perched dangerously over the … [Read more...]

Turn back the clock 1,950+ years. The Faith Fellowship of Damascus, Syria is gathered on a Friday evening at Wahid Saleb’s residence. A woman says, "My sister Ruth just came in from Bethsaida Turn back the clock 1,950+ years. The Faith Fellowship of Damascus, Syria is gathered on a Friday evening at Wahid Saleb’s residence. A woman says, "My sister Ruth just came in from Bethsaida - she’s the one who is married to the brother of Joseph of Arimathea, you know. She said that he told her that the chief priests in Jerusalem had given a commission to that zealot Saul of Tarsus to come here and round up all us believers to take them down for judgment!"   After a numb silence, Saleb, leader of the group, says, "There’s one thing we can do: We can pray! We can pray for him and for God’s protection for us." A long period of urgent petition to God follows.   The next day, about noon as Saul and his party approach the city, the sun seems brighter than usual. ...   The master taught us to "pray for them that despitefully use" us. Let’s pray for bin Laden, for Saddam Hussein, for Muammar Ghaddafe and for those in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Indonesia who hate us. After all, nothing is impossible to … [Read more...]

For the week of October 11, 2001 Potpourri • BAKER - First church: David Wargo’s patriotic artistic presentation; Oct. 14, 6 p.m.; B. K. Miller, Jr., pastor.   • BATON ROUGE - Florida Blvd. church: "Splashing the Living Water" women’s conference; Oct. 26, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Oct. 27, 5 - 9 p.m.; Esther Burroughs, speaker; Shayla Blake, music; cost is $25; for information, call the church office at (225) 272-3740; Stephen Trammell, pastor.   • DENHAM SPRINGS - Gray’s Creek church: Eastern La. Association annual meeting; Oct. 22, 7 p.m.; Waylon Bailey, speaker; Carl Sullivan, pastor.   • DEVILLE - Holloway church: North Rapides Association annual meeting; Oct. 18, 7 p.m.; mission fair, 6:15 p.m.; Jack West, pastor.   • DRY PRONG - Hudson Creek church: "Family Fun Day"; Oct. 20, 12 noon - 4 p.m.; food, games, door prizes and concerts by David and Karen Hodnett, HIS, Homeward Bound and Firm Foundation; for information, contact Bonnie McDaniel at (318) 640-9370 or Helen Alford at (318) 640-1522; Ed Baldwin, pastor.   • FARMERVILLE - Culbertson church: block party; music, food and games; Oct. 13, 1 - 7 p.m.; for information, call the church office at (318) 368-3411; … [Read more...]

There is a tongue-in-cheek saying that goes - "If you can hold your head while all about you are losing theirs, you simply are not aware of all the facts."   These days, one could offer a similar but not-so-tongue-in-the-cheek statement as well - "If you think there is a future for American culture, you simply have not grasped the gravity of the current situation." There is a tongue-in-cheek saying that goes - "If you can hold your head while all about you are losing theirs, you simply are not aware of all the facts."   These days, one could offer a similar but not-so-tongue-in-the-cheek statement as well - "If you think there is a future for American culture, you simply have not grasped the gravity of the current situation."   Indeed, America is well on its way to developing what could be a terminal case of moral amnesia, Christian researcher George Barna maintains.   He has numbers to back up his fear.   And he is not alone.   In a recent issue of Emerging Trends newsletter, the Princeton Religion Research Center notes that while religion is gaining ground in America, morality is slipping.   Religious practices are up, beliefs are high and … [Read more...]

May I take your order?"   Free enterprise has birthed myriad choices of fast foods. Pick the one that gives you just the nuances you want and you can enjoy it in a matter of minutes. America – this is some place. May I take your order?"   Free enterprise has birthed myriad choices of fast foods. Pick the one that gives you just the nuances you want and you can enjoy it in a matter of minutes. America – this is some place.   "Yes. I would like two pieces of chicken."   "Will that be on the Clucky-Meal or singles?"   "What’s the difference?"   "You get two sides and bread with the Clucky-Meal."   "Fine."   "Will that be white meat or dark?"   "White."   "Will that be crispy, extra crispy, triple crispy, brick-hard or regular?"   "Triple crispy."   "Will that be mild, spicy or burn your tongue off?""   "Spicy."   "What side orders do you want with that?"   "What are my choices?"   "Look at the menu board. There are too many to name."   "Can I have a double order of coleslaw?"   "Just a minute. Let me ask." Pause. "Okay, you can do … [Read more...]