By Michael Foust, Writer Nashville, Tenn. Think of the worst temper tantrum your child ever threw, or the worst moment of rebellion in your teen’s life, or – if you’re still struggling – that time in your high school days when you treated your parents like dirt. I’m not talking about those times when you laughed at your 2-year-old as he or she ridiculously squirmed all over the floor because you wouldn’t budge on the no-you-can’t-eat-DVDs rule. And I’m not referring to Opie Taylor’s fake temper tantrum on “Andy Griffith,” when he tried to pitch a tantrum, but failed. I’m referencing situations in which you, as a parent, felt like a failure, and you grieved over your child’s actions. But you still loved your kid. Not really fun to ponder, huh? Several years ago, a pastor and I were talking about our children, and he disclosed how his son went through a rebellious stage as a youth. At home, the boy would say horrible things to his parents, and at church, he would walk in late and sit on the back row, talking to friends and passing notes. He and his son’s relationship, the pastor said, was a picture of the sinner’s relationship with God. The son was rebelling, just as we so often do. The father still loved his son, just as God … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever, New Orleans Pastor, have you ever had a meltdown in the pulpit? In the news recently, two Atlanta radio personalities were fired for the on-air mocking they did of a New Orleans icon, former Saints football player Steve Gleason who has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and lives in a wheelchair and speaks through a computer.   They made fun of him, parodied his situation, and someone role-played Steve speaking of his coming death and such. It was the ultimate in offensive. In the article which ran here in New Orleans, one of the terminated idiots (I’m so objective in this story, as you can see) said, “What were we thinking?” The jocks apologized, and in a subsequent story, Gleason said he accepted their apology. One of the men called it “a moronic two minutes.” No argument here. I have had a few moronic two minutes in my long lifetime, and expect some of you have as well. I know a pastor who was so exasperated with his small congregation that in a Sunday morning sermon, he berated them for their laziness and unresponsiveness and, working himself up into a lather, stalked out of the service, leaving his people sitting there. The deacons – I think the church had three – went to him that afternoon to try to … [Read more...]

By J. Randy Forbes, U.S. Congressman The First Amendment is a promise that we are free to live holistically, according to the dictates of our conscience. Recently, however, the First Amendment was subjected to assaults seeking to force the fully free exercise of faith into the most private of places: our homes and houses of worship. The intent is simple and fatal: Redefine the meaning of religious freedom, making it a secondary right when exercised in the public square. If religious freedom becomes a secondary right, how will it affect you and your family? What challenges would you face if pressured to choose between your religious convictions and your job, business or livelihood? Imagine you run a bakery. You love your customers, have never denied services to anyone and have employed openly gay individuals. One day, a regular customer and her partner order a cake for their wedding ceremony. You are very fond of this customer but believe that marriage was created by God as the union of one man and one woman. Affirming the marriage by baking a cake would violate your belief. You thank your customer for her business and politely explain that you cannot provide a cake. The next week, you receive a letter saying you have been … [Read more...]

By Bill Warren, NOBTS Question: How can I understand the Bible better when I read it? BillWarren responds: This is a broad question, so let’s approach it both in the general sense in this column, then with more detail in subsequent columns. A major key to understanding a Bible passage is to read it within its immediate context, thereby keeping in mind the text before and after the passage. Many times the theme being treated in the immediate context clarifies the meaning of the passage very quickly. For example, Phil. 4:13 is a well-known passage – I am strong enough for all through Him who strengthens me. The immediate context surrounding this passage is about making it through both positive and negative circumstances. In line with this context, Phil. 4:13 is not about being able to do anything I want or desire to do, but is actually about making it through whatever circumstance life throws my way because of being strengthened by Christ to make it through. The literary context clarifies the meaning of this verse instantly. Also, the larger context of the book has to be kept in mind, meaning considering matters like when the book was written, why, for whom, what is happening in history at that point, etc. For the New … [Read more...]

By Pete Charpentier, Louisiana College I’m sure you’ve seen it. The image is simple, but the truth behind it is profound. It’s the sight of a child at the point of “falling” into a father’s arms. Perhaps you’ve not only seen a picture like this; maybe you’ve acted it out with your child. I know I did. When my sons were young, I would stand below them while they stood on our kitchen counter. As I reached out my hands, I would ask them to leap into my arms. While the distance between us was only a few inches, it must have seemed like miles to them. I could see their little minds wrestle with trusting me. They wanted to leap, but stepping into thin air was hard. Yet, their safety was never in doubt. There was no way I was going to let them fall. My love, strength, and commitment to do whatever I had to do to catch them guaranteed their well-being. You probably already know where I’m going with this, don’t you? The title of this article seems simple and foundational: We can trust our heavenly Father. Every true believer reading this is probably already mumbling silently, “Sure, I know I can trust my heavenly Father. I learned this as a child in Sunday School. Please tell me something I haven’t already heard a thousand … [Read more...]

By Wildcat Staff, Special to the Message PINEVILLE – In an effort that was years in the making, the Louisiana College Department of Music learned July 3 that LC has been granted membership into the prestigious National Association of Schools of Music. As an accrediting organization, NASM has more than 600 members, and its acceptance of Louisiana College into that membership came after a review of both the college and music department that culminated in a final report filed by LC in May. “I was elated,” said Fred Guilbert, Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Media. ”There was just a ton of effort that went into it. “ According to Gabriel Miller, Department of Music Coordinator, the process to apply for NASM membership and accreditation started five years ago. LC had been a member previously, but let that membership lapse when the number of music majors had dwindled. But, with a recent upturn in music majors – currently more than 40 in the program – LC sought to regain accreditation from NASM as a way to not only validate the effectiveness of its program, but also to ensure that current curriculum offerings would be up to standard moving forward. Under the initial leadership of Loryn Frey and then in the last two years under … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 14:08 Teens and youth listen to Richard ‘Whitey’ Koons during a recent youth rally at Twin Bridges Baptist Church in Alexandria. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Richard “Whitey” Koons had just about everything a youth minister could dream about leading up to July 17, 1987. But a tragic event at a youth camp along the Guadalupe River that day changed his life forever. Koons – youth minister of a thriving group of young people at Seagoville Road Baptist Church in Balch Springs, Texas, at the time – was enjoying camp when they were given orders to evacuate, as the river waters were suddenly rising at the campgrounds. While the majority of the 300 campers made it to higher ground – including more than 30 from his church – 10 of his youth were swept away in the normal tranquil but suddenly raging Guadalupe River. “There is no seminary class, seminar or conference that can prepare you for what happened that fateful morning in July,” said Koons, who shared his story at a recent youth rally at Twin Bridges Baptist in Alexandria. “The struggle of identifying bodies of my teenagers, the pain of sharing with those parents who lost their kids and then the guilt of … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message WOODWORTH – GA Camp changed in a big way this year, but the girls probably didn’t notice. The name changed – to Girls Mission Camp – and it became two, two-night events instead of one week-long camp, but it was opened to younger girls – from first- through sixth-graders, and everything – missions, Bible study, music, crafts and fun – somehow fit into the time available. “We did do camp in a new way, as befitting a year of celebrating the 100th birthday of GA and the 125th birthday of WMU,” said Janie Wise, the LBC’s women’s missions and ministry strategist. “Our name change did not change our purpose of missions or GA, but opened the door for every girl in our churches to find a place at mission camp. “Yes, we went to a two-night, 2 ½ day format, primarily because we needed to have two camps in one week,” Wise continued.  “This shortened format, though, also helped to meet the needs of younger girls.” A total of 215 campers – girls, church sponsors, camp staff and faculty – registered for the camps, which took place at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. Girls came from 22 churches, with Christ Baptist in Houma probably making the longest trek. In all, 29 girls made a profession of faith; one … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 14:15 The interior of the old sanctuary of Sharon Baptist Church is known for its golden glow from the shellacked tongue and groove wood interior. By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter PORT ALLEN – The old sanctuary of Sharon Baptist Church stood empty for many years, and now he knows why, says Pastor Shawn Ostoj. God had a plan for it. During a church business meeting in late March, church members prayed about what to do about the 2,940 square-foot structure that’s not been used since 2008, when the 200 members moved the church, day care and K-8 Academy into a new, spacious steel building. “Originally we had planned to tear it down but we couldn’t bring ourselves to do it,” Ostoj said. The day after the prayer was offered, Ostoj said, Sharon Baptist member Ernest “Nubbin” Swanson learned that the 50-member House of Restoration Outreach Ministries, which currently meets in Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Batchelor, was searching for a building they could call home. Ostoj contacted the House of Restoration, a predominantly African-American congregation, and quickly realized a prayer had been answered. Sharon Baptist “sold” the brick and wood building to House of Restoration … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 14:18 Thieves broke into this safe at Crossgate Baptist Church and stole more $1,200 in funds raised by the children attending Vacation Bible school plus the Sunday offering and the payroll. By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor ROBERT – Competition grew heated between the 60 boys and girls attending Vacation Bible School at Crossgate Baptist Church. They had a goal: Help a missionary in the Philippines buy a vehicle, so he could minister to people in mountainous areas. Each day they filled pockets, backpacks and even handkerchiefs of all the coins they could acquire. Each night they saw video clips of the missionary ministering, and his need for a vehicle; and by week’s end, they had raised more than $1,200. Cheers echoed through the worship center Sunday morning at the record amount given during VBS. Young girls squealed with glee that they had won the competition. But before the church could get the money to the bank, thieves stole the small, hidden safe the money was in, plus the Sunday offering, plus payroll, in the early-morning hours before dawn on the next day. “The alarm went off at 5 a.m.; that’s how we were notified,” said Louis Husser, pastor for 21 years … [Read more...]