For the week of January 11, 2001 Potpourri •BAKER - First church: Common Good in concert; Jan. 21, 10:30 a.m.; Ralph Parks, minister of music; B. K. Miller, Jr., pastor.   •POLLOCK - Pleasant Hill church: The Down East Boys in concert, Jan. 18, 7 p.m., with a special appearance by In Christ. Lyndon Marcotte, pastor.   •BASTROP - First church: The Hoppers in concert; Jan. 14, 6 p.m.; Dick Day, minister of music; Mark Strum, pastor.   •BATON ROUGE - Woodlawn church to host Evangelism Explosion Clinic, Feb. 7-11; Ray Castro, speaker; for information, call the church office at (225) 753-1667; Tommy Middleton, pastor.   •LAFAYETTE - Northside church: "Ministry Arts Tour" clown ministry featuring Duane Laflin and J. T. "Bubba" Sikes; Jan. 19, 6 - 10 p.m.; Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.; for details, contact Sheri Young at (337) 237-6956; Wayne Sistrunk, pastor.   •RUSTON - Calvary church: "Gospel Music Extravaganza"; Jan. 13, 6 - 9 p.m.; sponsored by Joe Aulds Evangelism Association; David Hastings, pastor.   •SHREVEPORT - Summer Grove church: "A Changeless Gospel for Changing Times" 2001 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference; Jan. 22-23; Roy Fish, Alvin … [Read more...]

Everyone now agrees a new millennium has begun, and there are plenty of challenges on the horizon including some hopeful ones for an American church seeking to impact its culture Remember all those stories in recent years about teenagers signing sexual abstinence pledge cards, vowing to remain sexually pure until marriage?   Tell the truth - did it cross your mind that the effort was nice but rather ineffective? After all, it was just a piece of paper, just a name scrawled across the bottom of a page.   What good could that do related to the sexual pressure young people feel in this world?   As it turns out - quite a bit.   And that makes for an encouraging "sign of the times."   Indeed, a recent study shows that teenagers who pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage are 34 percent less likely to have sex than those who do not take virginity vows.   "Pledging decreases the risk of intercourse substantially and independently," Peter Bearman and Hannah Brückner, wrote in their study, published in the American Journal of Sociology. Bearman is professor of sociology and director of the Institute for Social and Economic Theory and Research at … [Read more...]

Everyone now agrees a new millennium has begun, and there are plenty of challenges on the horizon including some hopeful ones for an American church seeking to impact its culture Sign of the time: Everyone now agrees a new millennium has begun, and there are plenty of challenges on the horizon including some hopeful ones for an American church seeking to impact its culture   Last year arrived with many fearing a technological meltdown of apocalyptic proportions - complete with food shortages, utility breakdowns and survivalist conditions.   Many Christian leaders urged churches to prepare for ministry to church members and the community in a time of need. Some even called for stockpiling food and materials to be used in a time of technological anarachy.   Instead, Y2K fizzled.   Now, at the dawn of yet another new year, the American church faces another challenge - and pre-year 2000 concerns may pale in comparison when one reflects on the signs of the times and considers the possibilities.   Forget technological anarchy.   Moral anarchy may be beginning.   The difficulties facing the church certainly are indicative of such an era, Christian … [Read more...]

Paul Daily dons fringed leather chaps over his Wrangler jeans stuffed into cowboy boots.   He stands in the corner of the indoor arena, taking in the scene. Paul Daily dons fringed leather chaps over his Wrangler jeans stuffed into cowboy boots.   He stands in the corner of the indoor arena, taking in the scene.   The crowd sits in the stands, waiting to see what the evening has in store. Jeans, long-sleeved shirts and cowboy hats are the chosen attire. Jackets help to ward off the slight chill from the autumn air, still felt inside the arena.   It is a rodeo setting. However, Daily is not just another cowboy waiting on the sidelines to ride a wild bronc or a bull in front of a cheering crowd. Instead, he uses his abilities in training horses as a way to portray how God wants to have a love relationship with people.   He leads Wild Horse Ministries, based in Trout. Daily, his family and his assistants, travel the country staging evangelistic horse-training clinics.   In June 1999, the ministry worked with Southern Baptists in the Dakotas. The effort was part of the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s partnership with the Dakota Southern Baptist … [Read more...]

Talk of recession, economic downturn and market slowdown seems to be everywhere these days.   But do not expect Louisiana Baptists to buy into the idea when it comes to taking care of their own business. Talk of recession, economic downturn and market slowdown seems to be everywhere these days.   But do not expect Louisiana Baptists to buy into the idea when it comes to taking care of their own business.   Indeed, they recently closed four annual offerings for missions and ministry efforts around the state, nation and world.   Three of them closed at record levels.   And state leaders see no reason to doubt that trend will continue into a new millennium - despite recession talk.   "Our people are continually involved in supporting missions and ministry causes," said Dean Doster, executive director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention.   "I’m as excited about the support from the churches for our work as I’ve been at any time since I arrived here."   It is with good cause.   Louisiana Baptists closed their most ambitious Cooperative Program year to date in record fashion.   Gifts for the year totaled … [Read more...]

"You don’t have to get dressed. Just put a coat on." I urge my wife, all wrapped in pajamas and sitting beside the wood-burning stove, to drive up the valley with me to see the wildlife usually visible in the early morning hours. "You don’t have to get dressed. Just put a coat on." I urge my wife, all wrapped in pajamas and sitting beside the wood-burning stove, to drive up the valley with me to see the wildlife usually visible in the early morning hours.   "We will stay on the main roads and I guarantee we will not see anyone up the valley," I say to support my effort to get on the drive before the wildlife moseys back up into the higher elevations of the mountains.   Leah pulls on her warm boots and wraps her heavy coat around her. The pajamas are heavy flannel and look better than some of the "street pants" I have seen the last few days.   The higher we go into the mountains the more the grandeur of this place becomes apparent.   We come to a place where there is an overlook of a waterfall that drops more than 250 feet. It will obviously be frozen and provide a strong Kodak moment.   The gate to the road to the waterfall is open, and there is no sign … [Read more...]

For the week of January 18, 2001 Potpourri •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: men’s retreat; Jan. 26-27; Lindsey Burns, speaker; to register or for information, call the camp at (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager. •GRAYSON - Grayson church: annual Tri-Associational Men and Boys Fish Fry and Evangelism Rally (Caldwell, Deer Creek and Richland Associations); Jan. 27, 5:30 p.m.; Oda "Tuck" Roberts, speaker; Tim Post, music; for information, call the missions office at (318) 435-6304. •HORNBECK - First church: The Chordsmen in concert; Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m.; Jerry D. Key, pastor. •LEESVILLE - East Leesville church: Doug Field’s "Purpose Driven Youth Ministry" seminar live via satellite; March 3, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; for costs and registration information, or to pre-register, go to: http://www.purposedriven.com or contact Corey Olivier, minister of students, at (337) 239-3733; Gil Arthur, pastor. •MONROE - Lighthouse church: Prophecy Conference; Jan. 21, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Jan. 22-24, 6:30 p.m. Bob White, speaker; Danny Pitts, pastor. •PINEVILLE - Louisiana College’s annual "Fill the Fieldhouse" event is scheduled for Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. The Lady Wildcats and Wildcats will face UT-Dallas. Admission is free … [Read more...]

Does the First Amendment ban any mention of Jesus in elementary public schools?   Incidents suggest some teachers and administrators still think the answer is "yes." Does the First Amendment ban any mention of Jesus in elementary public schools?   Incidents suggest some teachers and administrators still think the answer is "yes."   Last fall, a school superintendent in Alabama turned down a request by a community member to start an after-school club for students at the local elementary school - because the club would address issues from a Christian perspective.   Meanwhile, a mother in Texas said her third-grade child was told she could not do her report on Jesus, even though the assignment was for students to write about a historical hero or heroine of their choosing.   In New York, a mother said her fourth-grader was told by a teacher not to talk about Jesus in school. The girl had told a boy who was swearing that he needed to have Jesus in his heart or he would go to "you-know-where." The teacher called that harassment.   Federal guidelines distributed to public schools last year were supposed to provide common-ground answers to such issues, said … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists have a new association - but it is unlike any other they have known   Unlike a traditional Baptist association, this one has no geographical boundaries, no moderator, no affiliated churches and receives no funds. Louisiana Baptists have a new association - but it is unlike any other they have known   Unlike a traditional Baptist association, this one has no geographical boundaries, no moderator, no affiliated churches and receives no funds.   It is the "Virtual Association of Lay Baptists," and its website is designed "to be used by its members to inform and encourage one another."   The founder and operator of this "virtual association" is Charles Harper, who was second vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention last year.   "I was elected second-vice president of the state convention, and the second-vice president is such a do-nothing position," Harper said. "I wanted to do something for the convention as a layman. I thought about it and prayed about it and came up with this idea of something I could do."   The Baton Rouge resident is a member at Goodwood Baptist Church and is a retired sales and marketing … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists have a new association - but it is unlike any other they have known   Unlike a traditional Baptist association, this one has no geographical boundaries, no moderator, no affiliated churches and receives no funds. Louisiana Baptists have a new association - but it is unlike any other they have known   Unlike a traditional Baptist association, this one has no geographical boundaries, no moderator, no affiliated churches and receives no funds.   It is the "Virtual Association of Lay Baptists," and its website is designed "to be used by its members to inform and encourage one another."   The founder and operator of this "virtual association" is Charles Harper, who was second vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention last year.   "I was elected second-vice president of the state convention, and the second-vice president is such a do-nothing position," Harper said. "I wanted to do something for the convention as a layman. I thought about it and prayed about it and came up with this idea of something I could do."   The Baton Rouge resident is a member at Goodwood Baptist Church and is a retired sales and marketing … [Read more...]