Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller is a Baptist - and so is the ministry’s most famous volunteer, former President Jimmy Carter.   However, most of the volunteers who work in the ministry to help people get out of substandard housing are not Baptists. Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller is a Baptist - and so is the ministry’s most famous volunteer, former President Jimmy Carter.   However, most of the volunteers who work in the ministry to help people get out of substandard housing are not Baptists.   That needs to change, Fuller stressed.   "Habitat needs the Baptists," Fuller said in an interview during a recent 101-home building blitz in Jacksonville, Fla. "We want a stronger Christian influence at the center of what we do."   Fuller said maintaining a religious focus in the organization is "not by accident." Indeed, he said each Habitat house constructed is "a sermon of God’s love."   The four top people with Habitat are Baptists - Fuller; his wife, Linda; and Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. All are members at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga.   However, Fuller acknowledged that evangelistic groups like Southern … [Read more...]

For the seventh consecutive year, Southern Baptists have closed their fiscal year with record Cooperative Program giving that also surpass the yearly budget.   The Southern Baptist Convention fiscal year ended September 30, with Cooperative Program gifts totaling almost $178.3 million, an increase of $10.3 million (6.1 percent) from the previous year. For the seventh consecutive year, Southern Baptists have closed their fiscal year with record Cooperative Program giving that also surpass the yearly budget.   The Southern Baptist Convention fiscal year ended September 30, with Cooperative Program gifts totaling almost $178.3 million, an increase of $10.3 million (6.1 percent) from the previous year.   "God has richly blessed the work of Southern Baptists, and I am convinced our future efforts - as we stand together for him - will also be blessed," SBC Executive Committee President Morris Chapman said of the most-recent giving totals.   This year’s total not only sets a new record but easily surpasses the approved budget goal. The final total closes $18.7 million (11.7 percent) ahead of the $159.5 million budget goal.   Chapman also noted that since the … [Read more...]

Winners of the recent Louisiana Baptist Golf Fellowship Fall Tournament have been announced.   The annual two-day fall tournament was held last month at Cypress Bend Golf Course and Resort in Many. Winners of the recent Louisiana Baptist Golf Fellowship Fall Tournament have been announced.   The annual two-day fall tournament was held last month at Cypress Bend Golf Course and Resort in Many.   Winners in the minister’s division of the medalist round included:   Championship flight: Jeff Cook of Broussard, first; Jim Faull Jr. of Pineville, second; and Ed Adcock of DeRidder, third.   First flight: Rick Henson of Lecompte, first; Randy Tompkins of Alexandria, second; and Glen Whatley of Pineville, third.   Second flight: Donald Smith of Columbia, first; Tim Everett of Alexandria, second; and Tim Hisaw of Lafayette, third.   Third flight: Ed Simmons of Lake Charles, first; Buddy Day of Alexandria, second and Rod Kirby of Lafayette, third.   Fourth flight: Gil Arthur of Leesville, first; Al Marks of Eunice, second; and Beau Colle of Pineville, third.   Winners in the layman’s division of the medalist … [Read more...]

A seven-performance Louisiana Baptist showcase of "Experiencing God ... the Musical" is set to begin this week. The first presentation of the new musical in the statewide tour is set for October 12 at First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. The performance is free and set to begin at 7 p.m. A seven-performance Louisiana Baptist showcase of "Experiencing God ... the Musical" is set to begin this week. The first presentation of the new musical in the statewide tour is set for October 12 at First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. The performance is free and set to begin at 7 p.m. The musical is to be presented by a 250-voice choir that includes the Louisiana Baptist Singing Women, Singing Ministers and a 100-voice children’s choir. Written by Claire Cloninger and Gary Rhodes, the 70-minute musical work features narration, original songs, along with some classic hymns, praise choruses and contemporary Christian songs made popular by current artists. The presentation also includes sound effects, special lighting and drama segments. The musical is based on the popular discipleship study "Experiencing God," by Henry Blackaby. In its 10-year history, "Experiencing God" has been translated into more than 45 languages, and … [Read more...]

Each year for the past six years, I’ve done a series of cartoons for the Winter Bible Study and made available to anyone requesting them. This year, the Epistle of James is the study. Each year for the past six years, I’ve done a series of cartoons for the Winter Bible Study and made available to anyone requesting them. This year, the Epistle of James is the study. The cartoons are now available and free of charge, although we ask for $2 per set to reimburse my church for the printing and postage. Most people make transparencies of the cartoons for use with an overhead projector or use them with power-point. Please send requests and $2 per set to First Baptist Church of Kenner, P.O. Box 1357, Kenner, LA 70063. Joe McKeever Pastor, FBC, Kenner Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

It is exciting for an alumnus of Louisiana College to read the reports in the Baptist Message about what is happening at our school. Dr. Rory Lee and the staff at the college are doing an outstanding job, and all Louisiana Baptists should take note of this. It is exciting for an alumnus of Louisiana College to read the reports in the Baptist Message about what is happening at our school. Dr. Rory Lee and the staff at the college are doing an outstanding job, and all Louisiana Baptists should take note of this.   The statistical comparison of the present enrollment with the period of the seventies, as reported in the Baptist Message, is very enlightening. The growth of Louisiana College actually goes back to the very beginning in 1906 when it opened with 19 students and continues through the period of the seventies when the twenty-year decline in enrollment began.   In the fall of 1951, the regular enrollment was 610. In the fall of 1974, the regular enrollment was 1,001. In the fall of 1975 the regular enrollment was 1,103. So the enrollment grew steadily to a peak of 1,398, with perhaps a few plateaus and brief lapses, until in 1977 an overall decline of 20 years began.   It is … [Read more...]

The best way to understand the value of some entities is to try to imagine what it would be like without them. Certainly this is one way Louisiana Baptists can understand the value of its longtime coworker, the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. The best way to understand the value of some entities is to try to imagine what it would be like without them. Certainly this is one way Louisiana Baptists can understand the value of its longtime coworker, the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation. The Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation (LMCF) was established primarily by giants of Louisiana Baptist history, such as J.D. Grey, Edgar Godbold and Herschel Hobbs. These men and others of equal stature in other denominations believed an independent organization could best unite the citizens of Louisiana to improve the moral, social and civic climates of this state. The LMCF celebrates this year the 50th anniversary of its birth.   The LMCF was established "to furnish an opportunity for all of the citizens of Louisiana to work together in accomplishing the purpose of this movement. Men and women of every faith and of no faith, who are anxious to make Louisiana a better state in which to live, can pool their … [Read more...]

It is the Promised Land of the Bible, the land where Jesus lived and walked and proclaimed his good news - Israel. It is a land steeped in Jewish, Orthodox, Arab and Muslim traditions. And it is a land where a small Baptist community remains, proclaiming its own gospel message to others. It is enduring - but not easy. It is the Promised Land of the Bible, the land where Jesus lived and walked and proclaimed his good news - Israel. It is a land steeped in Jewish, Orthodox, Arab and Muslim traditions. And it is a land where a small Baptist community remains, proclaiming its own gospel message to others. It is enduring - but not easy. For instance, Baptists represent the smallest Christian group in the Arab city of Nazareth where Jesus was reared. Even so, the church in that city is the mother congregation of Baptist work in Galilee, pastor Fuad Sakhnini says. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Narkis Street Baptist Church has been a stronghold of the Christian faith since before World War II. The 400 Baptists in Nazareth may seem miniscule in a city of 70,000 people where cassocked monks rub shoulders with pilgrims from the world over. Even so, Sakhnini insists there is a unique opportunity to reach … [Read more...]

If "bloom where you are planted" epitomized church life in the 1970s, today’s slogan is "you better shop around." Each year, one out of every seven adults changes churches, the Barna Research Group reports. One of six attends two or more churches on a rotating basis. Americans are a religious people - and church remains an important aspect of life for tens of millions of Americans. However, there is less concern about "brand loyalty" to churches than there used to be, explained George Barna, founder of the California-based research group. If "bloom where you are planted" epitomized church life in the 1970s, today’s slogan is "you better shop around." Each year, one out of every seven adults changes churches, the Barna Research Group reports. One of six attends two or more churches on a rotating basis. Americans are a religious people - and church remains an important aspect of life for tens of millions of Americans. However, there is less concern about "brand loyalty" to churches than there used to be, explained George Barna, founder of the California-based research group. "Although Americans do not change churches as regularly as they change the brand of gasoline they use, church loyalty is a modern … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Convention leaders once more are asking churches to help make the messenger registration pro- cess run efficiently at next month’s annual state meeting.   Louisiana Baptist churches already have been mailed a letter requesting verification of the number of messengers they are allowed to send to the annual meeting. The letter included a response card that is to be returned by October 22.   Louisiana Baptist Convention leaders once more are asking churches to help make the messenger registration pro- cess run efficiently at next month’s annual state meeting.   Louisiana Baptist churches already have been mailed a letter requesting verification of the number of messengers they are allowed to send to the annual meeting. The letter included a response card that is to be returned by October 22.   Mission churches did not receive letters - only duly-constituted churches. Members of Louisiana Baptist mission congregations may attend the convention as messengers but only if elected by the mission’s sponsoring church. The person counts as a messenger from the sponsoring church.   After the response cards are received, churches will be mailed a … [Read more...]