Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 Joseph Willis Institute Opening: Shown at the opening of the Joseph Willis Institute for Great Awakening Studies are (left to right) institute director Rod Masteller; Timothy Johnson, Louisiana College executive vice president; Charles Quarles, dean of the Louisiana College Caskey School of Divinity; evangelist Sammy Tippit; historian Randy Willis; David Hankins, Louisiana Baptist Convention executive director, and Joe Aguillard, President of Louisiana College. By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press PINEVILLE, La. (BP) -- In the same year the Southern Baptist Convention has elected its first African American president, historians are hailing the work of a former slave who established the first Baptist church west of the Mississippi River. The church planter was Joseph Willis, born a mulatto slave in 1758 Bladen County, N.C., to Agerton Willis, a wealthy white English plantation owner. Joseph's mother was his father's own slave, reportedly Cherokee. When Willis first applied for Baptist ordination, he was denied because of his mixed heritage, "lest the cause of Christ should suffer reproach from the humble social position of his servant," William Paxton … [Read more...]
Luter conveys CP challenge to states
By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter Jr. is featured in a new series of videotaped appeals to churches to increase their giving to the Cooperative Program by 1 percentage point of their budgets. The appeals address state conventions individually and are designed for use at state-level meetings through next fiscal year. "Imagine if we take on the 1% Challenge that's given to us by Dr. Frank Page, that each of our churches would give an additional 1 percent [of their budgets] -- $100 million, imagine that," Luter said. "One percent would equal over $100 million to do the work that we've been challenged to do through the Great Commission by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Luter spoke both as SBC president and pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, pledging the congregation's participation in the 1% Challenge. To the Alaska Baptist Convention, which met Sept. 25-26 in Anchorage, for example, Luter said, "I want to send this out to all the pastors in Alaska just to thank you for the work that you're doing for the Kingdom of God. Guys, our DNA -- it's in us to do all that we can to impact the Kingdom of heaven and we can do this in … [Read more...]
At NOBTS chapel, Luter warns of spiritual battles
By Frank Michael McCormack, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter preached during New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Sept. 20 chapel service, his first speaking engagement there of his historic presidency. "My life has been turned upside down since this election on June 19," Luter said. "I never realized this position of Southern Baptist Convention president would bring so much notoriety." Luter said he has received phone calls from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, a call from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's camp, personal letters from former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, and a proclamation from Texas Governor Rick Perry. "Then a month ago, my wife and I got the greatest joy of our life. We sat for 45 minutes in the home, at the kitchen table, of Dr. Billy Graham," he said. Reflecting on all the experiences of the past three months, Luter, pastor of New Orleans' Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, asked for prayer. "I'm just asking for your prayers for me," he said. "It's been a great joy, and I thank God that He's allowed this historical time to happen in my life, the life of our city and the life of our … [Read more...]
Flooded graveyards among DR call-outs
Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 Recovery: Louisiana State University forensic anthropologists and volunteers from Texas Baptist Men (background) process displaced caskets and human remains in Braithwaite, La., the result of recent flooding caused by Hurricane Isaac in Plaquemines Parish. Photo by Ronald Threadgill By Mickey Noah, Baptist Press BRAITHWAITE, La. (BP) -- Jerry Jones, mass feeding coordinator for Texas Baptist Men, knows how to run a large-scale food operation during disaster responses. But he was taken aback by a request for TBM volunteers to go to Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish to recover runaway caskets. Along the Louisiana Gulf Coast -- from Braithwaite to New Orleans -- it's common local practice to bury loved ones in above-ground crypts because of the area's high water table. But after above-ground tombs in English Turn and Promised Land cemeteries near Braithwaite and another nearby cemetery were inundated by Hurricane Isaac's flood surge, dozens of caskets -- some new, some decades old -- simply popped out of the ground. Some flooded-out mausoleums contained as many as four coffins. "Our initial job was to collect and help load caskets on trucks to be taken … [Read more...]
James Dobson honored at LC Founder’s Day
Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 James Dobson Honored: Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard (left), during a special chapel service as part of the annual celebration of LC’s founding, presents Dr. James Dobson with the Louisiana College Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award. Dobson is founder of the Focus on the Family ministry, and author of 26 books on the family, By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – James Dobson’s message was a simple but poignant one: Don’t focus on your trophies – accomplishments – but rather your impact on the Kingdom of God. “I have learned if you live long enough life will eventually trash your trophies,” said the founder of Focus on the Family and author of 26 books. “If it’s not done for Jesus Christ, eventually your trophies won’t matter, much less be remembered.” Dobson, Edwin Meese III, and Alan Sears were presented with the Louisiana College Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award during a special chapel service in Guinn Auditorium as part of the annual celebration of LC’s founding on Oct. 3, 1906. Meese was the 75th Attorney General of the United States in President Ronald Reagan’s administration, and Alan Sears is CEO of Alliance … [Read more...]
Churches need to take advantage of FAIR plan refunds
By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer HAMMOND – Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hammond will soon be getting a check from the Louisiana Department of Revenue for $3,500, and it is all because they filled out some important paperwork and provided the right documentation. Can it really be that easy? Well, it may not be all that easy, but, yes, churches throughout Louisiana can get money back from the state. The church is getting a refund on the assessment it has paid for the past three year to the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s FAIR Plan. In Jerusalem’s case it is getting back the maximum refund: three years. When hurricanes Katrina and Rita barged ashore in 2005, they left a wake of destruction with which we are all very familiar. However, in addition to leveling towns and inundating communities with flood water, it dealt a huge blow to insurance companies all through the state. Many insurers have since pulled out of the state altogether and those carriers that remain are restricting which customers they’ll accept and are changing how they are willing to insure. Allstate, for example, is no longer writing wind and hurricane coverage and State Farm has all but stopped accepting new … [Read more...]
Pastors must be able to endure difficulty
By Philip Caples, Louisiana College's Caskey School of DivinityRecently I read an article about a pastor of another denomination who had been serving his church for a number of years.On one occasion, he ministered to a couple in his congregation who had experienced the sudden loss of jobs that hampered their spiritual journey and crushed their financial security. The pastor counseled them through this difficult time to discover about a month later that some church leaders had a meeting to discuss complaints about his leadership role. Without his knowledge, they voted to relieve him of his duties at the church. The pastor petitioned the leaders of the church to disclose the reason for his termination, and they shared that some irresolvable difficulties had arisen.This story generated a variety of competing emotions. On the one hand, my heart went out to the countless people and their families who were affected through this decision. On the other hand, my heart was broken for the Kingdom. Stories like this one are becoming more frequent as forced terminations continue to escalate.Also, the story suggests an increasing awareness of difficulties surfacing in Baptist life. How should a pastor deal with these difficulties as they impact … [Read more...]
First Baptist Norco uses Isaac to minister to hurting community
Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 Ice Delivery: A volunteer from First Baptist Church Norco delivers ice and water to homes flooded following the passage of Hurricane Isaac. By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter NORCO – Four months pregnant, with a toddler son at her side, Amy Lingawi realized her house had flooded during Hurricane Isaac when she saw pictures posted online by her neighborhood association. Husband Shawn Lingawi stayed behind as part of his company’s emergency response team and couldn’t check on the couple’s home for days. In Houston, Amy Lingawi could only wait. “It was hard. I worried about our neighbors and our pets,” the young mother said. “I couldn’t even talk to my husband.” Most of the young family’s possessions were ruined when water entered the home. Members and volunteers at First Norco, where a base camp for volunteers and an emergency command center has been set up to serve the St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes, are ministering to the young family. More than 7,000 homes flooded in the area. Disaster relief began at First Norco when Pastor Ken Tew returned home two days after the storm. He knew immediately where to start. “When people are in … [Read more...]
Church plants spark new life in communities
Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 Making an impact: Pastor Steve Speer (left) of His Church of Pineville has baptized 168 people in the six years since the church was planted in 2006. This young girl is being baptized in Red River. The church which was given financial assistance by the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, has seen its membership grow to more than 400 members. By Holly Jo Linzay, Special to the Message PINEVILLE/BATON ROUGE – Two church plants, aided by the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, are bringing new life and hope into their communities. The two churches, located in two very diverse geographical locations, are prime examples of how sowing into the state mission field can reap a mighty harvest for the Lord. His Church His Church in Pineville was planted from a vision of its pastor to start a disciple-making church in every major college town in Louisiana. “I had a yearning in my heart, and asked God to make a way, and His Church was born. And God is growing His church,” said Steve Speer, the pastor of His Church. On July 2, 2006, roughly 60 people gathered for the first service of His Church in a community center. From the humble beginnings of … [Read more...]
See You at the Pole day draws thousands of prayerful teenagers
Submitted by philip on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 01:00 Thousands participate: Students at Kingfisher High School, northwest of Oklahoma City, gathered Wednesday morning (Sept. 26) for the 22nd annual See You at the Pole global day of student prayer. Students shared photos, including this one, on Facebook and Twitter. By Erin Roach, Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – About a million teenagers at schools across the nation and the world gathered Sept. 26 for the 22nd annual See You at the Pole global day of student prayer. This year students used Twitter and Facebook to communicate about their involvement, with student Claire Fridey tweeting “One of my favorite days of the school year is #seeyouatthepole! Prayer is powerful!” and a user named Israel tweeting “#seeyouatthepole was a nice way to kick off the day.” See You at the Pole, which began in 1990 among a small group of teenagers in Burleson, Texas, “is simply a prayer rally where students meet at the school flagpole before school to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school and nation to God,” according to the event’s website,www.syatp.com. SYATP is student-initiated, student-organized and student-led. “SYATP helps launch teenagers and college … [Read more...]