Erich Bridges SBC International Mission Board All the resources of the modern mission movement did not get the news of Jesus to one Asian village soon enough to save the lives of three young boys. All the resources of the modern mission movement did not get the news of Jesus to one Asian village soon enough to save the lives of three young boys. A Christian worker preached the gospel for the first time in the village earlier this year. The local chief sadly asked him, "Why did you not come here two weeks earlier?" The chief explained that a sorcerer had promised him prosperity if he would sacrifice three small children. "I was carried away by his words and kidnapped two 5-year-old boys from a neighboring village, and I sacrificed them to the gods," he confessed. "But I failed in all my attempts in kidnapping the third child. Finally, I took my 7-year-old son and sacrificed him also. If you had told me about this Jesus a little earlier, then I would have never killed those innocent children. "Why did you come so late?" the chief asked, weeping. The worker could have offered several valid reasons - that the village is just one of countless … [Read more...]
Occasional spanking not harmful to kids, new study suggests
The old-fashioned philosophy of "spare the rod and spoil the child" found a rare ally in modern psychology in a controversial study that says occasional spanking does not cause children lasting harm. The old-fashioned philosophy of "spare the rod and spoil the child" found a rare ally in modern psychology in a controversial study that says occasional spanking does not cause children lasting harm. "Were not advocating this is a strategy that should be used with kids, but we object to people wanting to ban it when we see no evidence that its harmful," said Elizabeth Owens, study co-author and a faculty member at the Institute of Human Development at the University of California at Berkeley. An expectant mother, Owens emphasized she is not advocating spanking. "And I dont plan to use it, but if there are situations where I think it would be helpful, I wouldnt be averse to using it (in a mild way)." Co-author Diana Baumrind also said she does not advocate spanking. But there is no proof it causes psychological harm, she said. Baumrind also is a faculty member at the University of California in Berkeley. The recently-released study indicated there is no … [Read more...]
LBM Commentary
Editors Note: September 16 has been set as Baptist Message Sunday in Louisiana Baptist churches. The following commentary was written in recognition of that emphasis. C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor Editors Note: September 16 has been set as Baptist Message Sunday in Louisiana Baptist churches. The following commentary was written in recognition of that emphasis. In the late spring of 1996, Jamling Tenzing Norgay climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest point on the face of the earth. His ascent came almost 43 years to the day after his father accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the top of the world, becoming one of the first two men ever to set foot on the Everest summit. It also came just days after several climbers died on Everest during a storm that trapped them on the mountain. Norgays group narrowly avoided the storm, then faced the dilemma of deciding whether to try the mountain again. They chose to do so, banding together to accomplish something that only a mere fraction of humans ever consider attempting. Overcoming obvious obstacles, the team succeeded - as a team, together. Indeed, on … [Read more...]
Where did your family spend its vacation? Was it on a missions trip?
Amanda Phifer Free-lance writer As the number of volunteers in missions explodes, not even the family vacation is sacred. Indeed, a growing number of families are ditching Sea World for flights to South America and points beyond, laden with such things as evangelistic tracts and crayons for street kids. As the number of volunteers in missions explodes, not even the family vacation is sacred. Indeed, a growing number of families are ditching Sea World for flights to South America and points beyond, laden with such things as evangelistic tracts and crayons for street kids. While most mission volunteers still are adults or youth groups, serving as families is becoming a trend, a story in FaithWorks magazine explains. One reason is family togetherness. "Youre not leaving behind somebody that youre gonna worry about the whole time," says Betty Dennis, who has taken mission trips to West Virginia and Kenya with her teenage daughter. "You dont have to arrange child care. You spend your time ministering together instead of anxious about the family back home or the family members so far away." Church-sponsored mission trips might take Christians … [Read more...]
Trying to find a good volunteer missions project? Just check the Internet
Sharon Colantonio stands in the bathroom of Avery Woods Cottage No. 7, paint roller in hand, splatters of Dover Cliff White on her baseball cap, clothes and skin. As she listens to music, she prays for the students who will live and study in this dormitory cottage this fall at the University of Mobile in Alabama. Sharon Colantonio stands in the bathroom of Avery Woods Cottage No. 7, paint roller in hand, splatters of Dover Cliff White on her baseball cap, clothes and skin. As she listens to music, she prays for the students who will live and study in this dormitory cottage this fall at the University of Mobile in Alabama. This is summer vacation for Colantonio and other Southern Baptists - including a Louisiana couple - who used the Internet to access the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board Volunteer Mobilization Information System. "I signed up on the (North American American Board) site as a volunteer, and they contacted me," says Colantonio, a 23-year-old physical education specialist. A member at First Baptist Church in Waldorf, Md., Colantonio combined the Alabama mission project with a visit to her grandparents home in a neighboring … [Read more...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of September 13, 2001 POTPOURRI COLUMBIA - Bethany church: senior adult rally; Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.; John Traylor, speaker; Celebration, music; Johnny Miller, pastor. DENHAM SPRINGS - First church: "Jesus the One and Only" Discipleship Rally-2001 for children, youth and adult; Sept. 24, 7 p.m.; Nathan Strebeck, youth leader; Geoffrey Cadby, adult leader; Danny Henderson, pastor. GRAYSON - Cross Roads church: world missions conference; Sept. 23, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sept. 24-28, 7 - 9 p.m.; Eddie Gerodias, keynote speaker; for information, contact Shane Duke, pastor, at (318) 649-2227. JACKSON - Judson Retreat Center: "Dressing for Success" womens retreat; Oct. 12-13; Rhonda Kelley, speaker; Paula Payne and Dandy Monroe, worship leaders; for information, contact Debi Morris at (225) 634-7225; Eugene Morris, manager. LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: lay renewal weekend; Sept. 21-23; for information, call the church office at (337) 478-6614; Mark Stagg, pastor. MINDEN - Harris Conference Center: Ministers Wives Retreat; Sept. 29; Betty Young, speaker; Shayla Blake, music; brunch tickets are $5; for … [Read more...]
Strong borders do not protect against terrorism from within
What more can be said about lessons to be learned from the terrible, tragic, dastardly, cowardly attack on the United States of America last Tuesday? What more can be said azbout lessons to be learned from the terrible, tragic, dastardly, cowardly attack on the United States of America last Tuesday? In the midst of the mind-numbing events of last week, some of the best, more Christ-atuned souls of our nation have spoken clearly, concisely, prophetically to the events. Insightful, helpful, comforting words have flowed to a public eagerly seeking answers to "Why?" and "How?". The human psyche has the most difficulty with uncertainty. But we must individually search our hearts and the Scriptures for our personal answers. We must draw our own responses, or adopt someone else’s answers, lest the disasters of the past week pass into history with no redemptive response in our personal lives. For this editor, among the many poignant thoughts that came by means of visual images, or words, or reflection, or Scriptures, is this truth: We are misled if we trust primarily in our nation’s military might, economic strength, human determination, or collective ability to achieve. God inspired … [Read more...]
‘Peace I leave you; my peace I give you’
C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor As the events of September 11 unfolded, a husband on out-of-town business received a call from his wife several hours away. "I want you here with me," she said. "Get your work done, and get home as fast as you can." As the events of September 11 unfolded, a husband on out-of-town business received a call from his wife several hours away. "I want you here with me," she said. "Get your work done, and get home as fast as you can." Later in the day, several co-workers who had spent the afternoon watching the surreal newscast scenes prepared to leave their office for home. "Well, I’m going to go and have my good 30-minute cry on the way to the house," one said to another. Even later that evening, as the extent of the early morning terrorist attack became grimly clear, a father telephoned his out-of-state children. "I just wanted to hear your voice," he told the oldest one. "I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you and how proud I am to be your father." Three responses to the attack on America. All emotional. All natural. All seeking some sort of connection - … [Read more...]
Growth of sports helping fuel LC enrollment increase
Enrollment at Louisiana College has been a headline story in recent years, jumping some 30 percent since 1997. A large part of the reason is sports. Enrollment at Louisiana College has been a headline story in recent years, jumping some 30 percent since 1997. A large part of the reason is sports. The Louisiana Baptist school has added several sports since Rory Lee became president of the school in 1997. While the addition of mens football has gained the most attention perhaps, the school now offers a total of five mens and five womens sports. Womens sports include basketball, softball, soccer, cross country and tennis. Mens sports include basketball, football, golf, soccer and baseball. The impact has been noticeable, school Athletic Director Sheila Thompson said. Indeed, about one-third of the incoming freshmen students this fall are athletes, she noted, moving the college ever closer to its goal of having 25 percent of its student body involved in college sports. "Its impacted the total number (of students) because if these sports had not been available, some of these students probably would not be attending Louisiana … [Read more...]
Louisiana College trustees adopt revised faculty hiring policy, affirm president
C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor In a meeting marked by an extended executive session, Louisiana College trustees eventually gave unanimous approval to a policy change for faculty hirings. In a meeting marked by an extended executive session, Louisiana College trustees eventually gave unanimous approval to a policy change for faculty hirings. After spending about two hours in executive session, school trustees voted without further discussion and with no dissent to adopt the revised policy. The new policy streamlines the previous process by allowing the president and vice president of academic affairs to extend contracts to prospective faculty members. Under the previous policy, a contract could not be extended until after faculty candidates had been approved by the academic affairs committee of the trustee board. In the future, the role of the committee will come later. After a contract has been extended, the academic affairs committee still will be responsible for approving candidates for presentation to the full board. Then, as in the past, the full board of trustees still will be responsible for final ratification of faculty … [Read more...]