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 Conventions partnership with the Dakota Southern Baptist … [Read more...]
Louisiana Baptist giving – and what the numbers mean
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. "Im as excited about the support from the churches for our work as Ive 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...]
It was to be just a nice, little, scenic drive – but then
"You dont 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 dont 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...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of January 18, 2001 Potpourri DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: mens 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 Fields "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 Colleges 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...]
Expert: Religion can have a place in schools
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 Baptist seeks to use Internet to rally laypeople
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 Baptist seeks to use Internet to rally laypeople
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...]
‘If we are to make a difference, we must do more’
In most measurable areas, the Louisiana Baptist Convention is doing as good or better than ever, Dean Doster noted last week. In most measurable areas, the Louisiana Baptist Convention is doing as good or better than ever, Dean Doster noted last week. But that is not good enough, the state executive director emphasized. "If we are to make a difference, we must do more than business as usual, " Doster told members of the LBC Executive Board during the groups first meeting of 2001. That challenge was the focus of the boards meeting. Members conducted only a few matters of routine business. Instead, they focused on the "business" of the Christian faith - fulfilling the Great Commission charge to take the gospel to everyone around the world. The meeting at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth opened and closed with that challenge. In his report to board members, Doster outlined a number of positive signs related to Louisiana Baptist life. "Our churches are starting more new units of work each year. Our churches are annually baptizing near the highest number of baptisms ever recorded - over 15,000 each year. Our churches … [Read more...]
‘Free Offers!’ are usually worth what you pay for them. But
"Free Offer!" This usually means if you buy a few hundred dollars worth of stuff, you get a piece of cheap junk free, if you pay the postage. But this "Free Offer!" is on the back of a breakfast cereal box, so it merits close scrutiny. "Free Offer!" This usually means if you buy a few hundred dollars worth of stuff, you get a piece of cheap junk free, if you pay the postage. But this "Free Offer!" is on the back of a breakfast cereal box, so it merits close scrutiny. Sitting here at the kitchen table, reading the back of a cereal box takes me back to my seventh year of life. The cereal box promised a magic decoding ring with a secret compartment: "Hide secrets from all your friends." "Mother, can I order one of these?" I pleaded. We understood ordering. That was the way we got most of our stuff in this tiny town almost lost on the flat plains of West Texas. Had it not been for Sears and Wards, the abundance of the world would have been unknown to us. She paused in her housecleaning chores to give the offer a glance. "How are you going to get the quarter (for postage)?" "Ill save the pennies from the movie." We … [Read more...]
In Indonesia, Christians pray for an end to violent ethnic cleansing
The mournful horn echoes in the still air at 4 a.m. The call to prayer resounds off bullet-pocked walls and empty buildings. The Christian remnant in this Indonesian village awakens to cry out to God for peace. The mournful horn echoes in the still air at 4 a.m. The call to prayer resounds off bullet-pocked walls and empty buildings. The Christian remnant in this Indonesian village awakens to cry out to God for peace. The Christian call to prayer has been sounding every night since the conflict between Muslims and Christians erupted in Indonesias Maluku Islands in January 1999. More than 4,000 people have been killed and as many as 500,000 people displaced in this religious and political war. Jim Brown recently traveled to the Maluku Islands. He is human needs consultant for the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. While in Indonesia, his team tried to assess how Southern Baptists can help refugees - and gather evidence that the fighting in the island nation is being fueled by an outside group. "Our ambassador said the only way the international community would do anything would be if they were able to prove outside influence with this jihad war," he … [Read more...]