To the Editor   I do not know Joe Aguillard, but as far I can tell he is just standing up to some who want to control Louisiana College. With their threats of leaving the college and their denigrating language it seems they want to see their candidate ushered into the position of president. Situations like the one at LC have always saddened me. Over the past 27 years I have endured attempts by some of the same type people who have wanted to remove me from my position as pastor. The mantra of those who wish to control is, “If we can’t control it then we will remove our money and our attendance and make that preacher pay for his resistance to our will.”  It seems to me like God did the calling maybe; He hasn’t called him away just yet. Where Calvinism is concerned we, as Southern Baptists embrace the total depravity of man (none good, not one), the sovereignty of God (God’s “allness” or His Omni-characteristics), and the final perseverance of the saints (or eternal security) while the other two aspects of the TULIP are debatable, we pretty much hold to those three aforementioned doctrines. I think as a respected friend of mine has stated before in a comment to your paper, “We have an elephant in the room and we are … [Read more...]

By Thom S. Rainer, President of LifeWay I travel a lot and spend a lot of time in different churches. Sadly, many times I do not feel welcome as a guest when I visit churches. The Bible is replete with admonitions of hospitality and servanthood. I just wish our church members understood that the servant-like spirit should also be manifest when we gather to worship. Guests are often uncomfortable, if not intimated, when they visit a church. We are to be gracious and sacrificial servants to them. In response to this need for more guest-friendly church members, I have devised the 10 greatest needs, at least from my perspective. I will reticently call them “commandments” and throw in a little King James English for effect. 1. Thou shalt pray for people in the services whom you don’t recognize. They are likely guests who feel uncomfortable and uncertain. 2. Thou shalt smile. Guests feel welcome when they see smiling people. (You can resume your somber expressions when you get home.) 3. Thou shalt not sit on the ends of the rows. Move to the middle so guests don’t have to walk over you. You’ll survive in your new precarious position. 4. Thou shalt not fill up the back rows first. Move to the front so guests don’t have to walk … [Read more...]

By Johnathan Patterson, NOBTS Question: Did God call Esther to sin? Jonathan Patterson responds: Esther 2 tells us that Esther was gathered, along with other young women, and placed among the king’s harem of virgins. After a year of preparation, each virgin was appointed one night only with the king and returned the next morning to the harem of the king’s concubines. Esther had been instructed by Mordecai not to reveal her racial heritage, so when it was her time she entered into the king’s chambers as instructed. The Bible never specifically tells us that Esther slept with Artaxerxes, but the implication is quite clear. So how do we then rectify what we know of God’s commandments to refrain from sexual relations outside of marriage with what we recognize to be the divine hand of guidance upon Esther’s life? Had God called Esther to sin by committing fornication? A soldier is thrust into war for the primary purpose of eliminating an enemy threat. When that soldier kills an enemy combatant, we do not consider this murder but rather the necessary consequences of the situation he or she is facing. That soldier’s choice is simple: kill or be killed. Esther’s was not a choice of retaining or surrendering her virtue; it was a … [Read more...]

By Richard Land, President of the ERLC Recently the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on same-sex marriage; it was a high-stakes moment for both American society and for the court itself. The Court heard arguments on California’s Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry) case and also reviewed the federal Defense of Marriage Act in U.S. v. Windsor. Just like in Roe v Wade, a case widely discredited by legal scholars as poor law and credited by conservatives as the spark that ignited Christian activism, the court has a massive challenge ahead of it -- threading the needle between state’s rights and the press of coastal public opinion. The California case has the potential for far-flung reverberations in all 50 states. In the Proposition 8 case, the court will decide whether to overturn a lower federal court’s renunciation of Proposition 8, in which the voters of California voted to amend their state constitution to define marriage as only between one man and one woman. The presiding judge, the since retired Vaughn R. Walker, declared that “excluding same-sex couples from marriage is simply not rationally related to a legitimate state interest.” The Obama administration filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Proposition 8 case … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/10/2013 - 09:04 Completed work orders in the shape of crosses line the wall of the St. John the Baptist Community Center in LaPlace. The organization Eight Days of Hope mobilized to bring 2,510 volunteers for eight days in March who provided 143,000 man-hours of labor valued at $4.1 million. By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter LAPLACE – Overwhelmed by flooded homes and broken lives after Hurricane Isaac last fall, Celebration Church LaPlace Pastor Checkerz Williams knelt in his gutted office and prayed, “Send us workers. Help us impact this community for Christ.” God answered by bringing Eight Days of Hope, a faith-based organization directed and co-founded by Stephen Tybor III of First Baptist Church, Tupelo, Miss., that mobilized 2,510 volunteers in March to provide 143,000 man-hours of labor for work valued at $4.1 million. Numerous first-time commitments of faith to Christ were recorded among homeowners and volunteers as the group prayed with area residents and met nightly for worship. “Our city will never be the same,” Williams said. “I believe the people of our community are much more open to the Gospel as a result of what took place over the last eight days.” Four Louisiana … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter PINEVILLE – Hearts were stirred for missions as more than 900 children and adult leaders gathered at Louisiana College March 9 for the annual “M-Jam” celebration. The Missions Jamboree, a day-long event for children in first-grade through the sixth-grade, featured international and Louisiana-based missionaries. The children met the missionaries, heard about their mission work and had the opportunity to hear their testimonies. M-Jam is a Cooperative Program-funded event sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Women’s Missions and Ministry. “Our theme for today is ‘The Glory Story.’ We need to give God the glory for our story,” said Kimberly Aguillard, LBC Children/Youth Mission Education Strategist and event coordinator, adding that the theme is based on 1 Chronicles 16:24. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples, Aguillard quoted the scripture, and added, “Your testimony is your story.” In the opening ceremony, Aguillard announced to the Girls in Action and Children in Action groups that 28 church groups present at the 2013 M-Jam were participating in the event for the first time. “That just gave me the Holy Ghost goosebumps,” Aguillard … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/10/2013 - 09:09 Dr. Paul Freed By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor STATEWIDE – A hard-hitting, media-rich, two-day, spiritual leadership conference is awakening people in churches across Louisiana to their responsibility as Christ-followers and church leaders. Reports coming in from regional events that took place earlier this year at First Baptist Amite, First Baptist Bastrop, Memorial Baptist Bogalusa and Ascension Baptist Gonzales attest to the impact of the Call of the Captain.® “I have attended many leadership conferences in the past, but the Call of the Captain stands out as one of the premier presentations available for church leadership,” said Jerry Price, director of missions for the Northeast Louisiana and Morehouse Baptist Associations. “The state-of-the-art music, videos, photographs, and superior Bible teaching make this seminar an excellent tool for training current and future leaders. “I am still basking in the glow of it,” Price said in the week after the conference at First Baptist Church of Bastrop. “I highly recommend it to all who desire to expand their knowledge of biblical leadership.” The next regional Call of the Captain conferences are April 26-27 at Cook … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/10/2013 - 09:11 By Brian Blackwell, Marketing Director STATEWIDE – When he first began using Facebook, David Harrell admits he was reluctant to use this medium of social media for ministry. But after encouragement from a fellow minister and seeing more participation by his members and growing attendance by young adults at his church, David Harrell was convinced that social media was a way to spread the Gospel and reach a lost world. “The number of our people who are using Facebook is growing which means its value as a ministry tool is growing,” said Harrell, pastor of First Baptist Choudrant. “It’s a great way to get our announcements and events before the public. Now that we’re using it, I can’t imagine not using it or something like it.” Since launching Facebook in late 2010, First Choudrant has used Facebook to post upcoming event reminders, sermon series and needs in the community. Harrell said that even those who do not attend First Choudrant have attended one of their outreach events as a result of noticing a post on the church Facebook page. “It’s a great encouragement for us to read someone’s post about looking forward to church ‘next Sunday’ or how they sensed God’s … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/10/2013 - 09:13 NEW ORLEANS – Senior Fest, a one-day event for senior adults at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary April 12, is to feature Fred Luter, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, as the main speaker. “Fred Luter will bless all who attend,” said NOBTS President Chuck Kelley. “You cannot afford to let your senior adults miss this opportunity.” In addition to chapel with Luter, Senior Fest will feature three breakout sessions on topics selected and presented by NOBTS faculty. Attendees of the event can expect insightful Bible teaching, applicable season-of-life seminars and the opportunity to meet new friends from across the region. NOBTS professors will speak from their areas of expertise and passions, ranging from archeological excavations in Israel to safe internet practices. NOBTS Provost Steve Lemke will present an overview of the current Southern Baptist Convention’s discussions about Calvinism. Bob Welch, chairman of the Christian Education Division, and Archie England, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, will focus on the value of continued formal study for senior adults. This event is to take place from 8 … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing EditorALEXANDRIA – With little fanfare, the BEL Credit Union has opened its membership doors to any member of a church that is a cooperative partner with the Louisiana Baptist Convention.   That’s good news for Louisiana Baptists, says Paul Allbritton, manager of the credit union. “We consider BEL Credit Union to be a ministry,” Allbritton said, speaking for himself and BEL’s board of directors. “We feel like the credit union can improve peoples’ personal financial situation and we promote biblical principles while doing that.” He referred to Proverbs 21:5 as one of his favorite scriptures related to money: The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit. BEL – Baptist Employees of Louisiana – Credit Union was chartered in 1975 as a credit union for employees of churches, associations and the state convention. It offers savings, individual retirement, checking, and Christmas Club accounts. It also offers new and used vehicle loans, as well as signature and savings-secured loans. In addition, it provides financing for church vans and buses, Visa check cards and online access to accounts. For those who have existing loans elsewhere, BEL CU could help save money by refinancing those … [Read more...]