Jerusalem, Israel - Visiting the land of the Bible provides a dimension of understanding the Bible that may be impossible to gain any other way.   Many aspects of biblical events "come alive" when one sees firsthand a particular geographical reference in the Bible, or sees the site of a particular event. Jerusalem, Israel - Visiting the land of the Bible provides a dimension of understanding the Bible that may be impossible to gain any other way.   Many aspects of biblical events "come alive" when one sees firsthand a particular geographical reference in the Bible, or sees the site of a particular event.   This dimension is something akin to - but greater than - reading histories about the Battle of Gettysburg to understand what happened there and then actually visiting the battleground. Walking and riding on the land, seeing the geographical features and how they affected what happened there provide an important added dimension to understanding the battle.   One does not "have" to visit personally the battleground of Gettysburg to understand the significance of what happened there or to have what happened there impact his or her life. Even a casual reader of United States … [Read more...]

Shannon Baker New Orleans Seminary Christians are not motivated to serve in missions because of their awareness of people’s "lostness" - or even because of Jesus’ Great Commission command to go, Jerry Rankin contends. Christians are not motivated to serve in missions because of their awareness of people’s "lostness" - or even because of Jesus’ Great Commission command to go, Jerry Rankin contends. They are motivated because of their relationship with Jesus and the passion he has given them to glorify his name, explained Rankin, president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. "God is moving to fulfill his mission - that his name might be exalted among the nations," Rankin said in a recent chapel address during a global missions emphasis at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Indeed, 1 Chronicles 16:24-25 instructs followers of Christ to tell of God’s glory among the nations and his wonderful deeds among all the peoples - "for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised," Rankin noted. The Israelites mentioned in 1 Chronicles realized that it was not about them, Rankin explained. "It was about the nations declaring God’s glory among the nations." Rankin challenged persons to … [Read more...]

Bills still are being filed in the Louisiana Legislature - but there already are areas of concern related to gambling and other issues, Ken Ward said.   Legislators have until April 24 to file bills. However, more than 1,700 measures already have been submitted, including 80 bills related to gambling. Bills still are being filed in the Louisiana Legislature - but there already are areas of concern related to gambling and other issues, Ken Ward said.   Legislators have until April 24 to file bills. However, more than 1,700 measures already have been submitted, including 80 bills related to gambling.   Proposed bills range from attempts to limit the expansion of gambling to wholesale expansion, said Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation.   He specifically cited House Bill 50, which would allow easy local elections on video poker. As proposed, the bill would allow persons to petition for a local election - regardless of any previous votes on the issue - and agree to pay for the new vote. If a majority of voters in the targeted area (such as a parish or municipality or ward) approved of video poker, it would be allowed.   "Gambling … [Read more...]

Are Southern Baptists still southern - or has America’s largest non-Catholic body become an entity that has transcended both its name and the culture that birthed it? Are Southern Baptists still southern - or has America’s largest non-Catholic body become an entity that has transcended both its name and the culture that birthed it?   A group of historians and scholars tackled the question during a recent conference on Southern Baptists in a new millennium at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. (See related articles on Page 10)   Most participants agreed the Southern Baptist Convention has become increasingly a nationwide denomination and is less restricted in influence to the South.   Nevertheless, its connections with the South run far deeper than merely its name - and the Southern Baptist Convention itself remains an integral part of southern culture, participants explained.   "For the time being, it seems to me, the Southern Baptist Convention is more like country music or NASCAR," said John Shelton Reed, professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina. "You know it is something that is still rooted in its region and still reflects the South and its … [Read more...]

For golfing enthusiasts, all talk in this week of the Masters tournament is about which golfer will win. But for a pair of professional golfers, their thoughts likely are on a golfer who will not even be competing in the fabled tournament — the late Payne Stewart. And why not? For golfing enthusiasts, all talk in this week of the Masters tournament is about which golfer will win. But for a pair of professional golfers, their thoughts likely are on a golfer who will not even be competing in the fabled tournament — the late Payne Stewart. And why not? Lee Janzen and Darin Hoff are walking closer with the Lord today because of the life and influence of their late friend. Janzen and his family were baptized at a Texas church about five months before the plane crash that claimed the lives of Stewart and several companions. For Janzen, the tragedy emphasized that he needed to get more serious about his relationship with Christ. "It speeded up the process of learning and growing, and going from an infant in the Lord to someone growing up," Janzen says. "I certainly came along a lot more in the past year than I did in the year leading up to that." For Hoff, the impact was even more dramatic. Indeed, while he … [Read more...]

The Louisiana College Baptist Campus Ministries is hosting a benefit golf tournament at Emerald Hills Golf Resort In Florien (Hwy 171) on May 7, 2001, to help fund the efforts of LC-BSM students who will invest themselves in mission endeavors in the USA and abroad this summer. The Louisiana College Baptist Campus Ministries is hosting a benefit golf tournament at Emerald Hills Golf Resort In Florien (Hwy 171) on May 7, 2001, to help fund the efforts of LC-BSM students who will invest themselves in mission endeavors in the USA and abroad this summer.   The format for the tournament is a two-person scramble, shot-gun start beginning at 8:00 a.m. The Cost is $50 per golfer which includes 18 holes of golf, cart and hamburger bar lunch. A block of rooms at $60/day for a room with two double beds, has been secured at Emerald Hills Resort for those who prefer to arrive Sunday night. Arrangements for rooms can be made by contacting the resort directly at (318) 586-4661 and mentioning the LC tournament.   This will be a fun day to fellowship and play golf with Christian laymen, pastors and staff members from around the state. To schedule your own participation, to sponsor a pastor or other staff person … [Read more...]

Elliott and Pat Parks Nichols will work among the Wolof people of West Africa. The couple will engage in church starts in an effort to spark a church-planting movement in the highly Islamic region. He is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Since 1996, Nichols has served as mission pastor at Grace Community Baptist Mission in New Orleans. Elliott and Pat Parks Nichols will work among the Wolof people of West Africa. The couple will engage in church starts in an effort to spark a church-planting movement in the highly Islamic region. He is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Since 1996, Nichols has served as mission pastor at Grace Community Baptist Mission in New Orleans. Quintin and Kim Noble Ratliff will work to evangelize and disciple college students in northern Thailand. The former Kim Noble is daughter of Bonnie Noble of the Baton Rouge area and the late Eli Noble. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. She says her call to missions was confirmed by God during a World Missions Conference at Louisiana College. Churches the couple considers influential in their Christian growth include Zoar Baptist Church in Baton Rouge and Temple Baptist Church in … [Read more...]

For the week of April 5, 2001 Potpourri   •COLUMBIA - Cross Roads church and other SBC churches to sponsor 2001 Caldwell Parish Jesus Saves Crusade to be held April 19-25, 7 p.m., at the corner of McClary Road and Hwy. 126, 2 miles West of Grayson. For information, call the church office at (318) 649-2227 or contact Shane Duke, pastor of Cross Roads church and director of Crossover Ministries, at (318) 649-7720 or e-mail any questions to: CrossoverMin@juno.com.   •COVINGTON - First church: senior adult spring celebration; April 23-25, 10 a.m.; Frank Gunn, Landrum Leavell and James Carter, speakers; for information, contact David Rockett at (504) 892-2149; Waylon Bailey, pastor.   •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: spring Bible conference; April 23-24; Chuck Kelley and Bill Tolar, speakers; Clayton Iles and Margie Nell Walker, music; no cost; pre-register by calling (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager.   •FAIRBANKS - Fairbanks church: women’s conference; April 28, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Rhonda Kelley, speaker; registration fee is $5; to register or for information, call (318) 665-2115; Butch Goodman, pastor.   •LEESVILLE - East Leesville church: Common Good in … [Read more...]

For the week of April 12, 2001 Potpourri   •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: ladies retreat; April 27-28; Becky Brown, speaker; Lana Havens, music; cost is $35/person, $25/commuters or $15/one day; to register or for information, call the camp at (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager.   •LECOMPTE - First church: "Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames" drama presentation; April 22-24, 7 p.m.; children’s ministry provided; free admission; for information, call the church office at (318) 776-9487; Ed Chaney, interim pastor.   •KENNER - Williams Blvd. church: Sunday School Worker Training; April 21, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Buford G. Easley, pastor.   •MANY - Calvary church to co-sponsor "Alleluia! He is alive!" Easter production; April 12-13, 7 p.m. to be held at Sabine Theater; Cyle Clayton, pastor.   •WINNSBORO - Temple church: "Soul Revolution" Youth DiscipleNow 2001 Weekend; April 20, 6 p.m.; April 21, 7:30 a.m.; The Darins in concert, 7 p.m.; April 22, 9:45 a.m.; Jonas Wilson, speaker; One Way, praise team; for information, contact Mark Wilson, minister of youth, at (318) 435-5379; Jim Taylor, pastor.   •WISNER - First church: Souled Out in concert; April 22, 6 … [Read more...]