By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The ministry can take its toll on a pastor and his family, leading in some cases to harmful addictions, isolation, separation from a spouse or termination from a church. But those results don’t have to happen, thanks to counseling sessions provided through Cooperative Program gifts and a partnership with Louisiana Baptists’ Pastoral Leadership Team and Granberry Counseling Centers. Through this partnership, up to 10 visits to a Granberry Christian counselor are provided at no cost to senior pastors, church staff members or family members. Through late July, about 45 pastors, staff members or family members had seen a counselor through the service; 84 were seen in all of 2013. Bill Robertson, director of the pastoral leadership team, said he has had numerous conversations with ministers whose marriages and ministries were saved through this counseling ministry. “Granberry provides biblically-based Christian counseling for our people,” Robertson said. “One of the biggest differences is, in the world, they don’t start with a biblical perspective of truth and what it should be. The Bible is the Christian counselor’s guidebook and we prefer their mindset,” he said. “Christian … [Read more...]
The Good News gets the cold shoulder in Portland
By Staff, World News Magazine PORTLAND, Ore. – Liberal groups in Portland, Ore., are taking an evangelical children’s camp to task for talking to the city’s youngest residents about Jesus. The camps, which operate like a traveling Vacation Bible School, have endured protests, negative advertisements in local newspapers, and accusations of being a fundamentalist sect. Child Evangelism Fellowship’s Camp Good News focuses for a week or two in different cities each year. During the school year, the group rents public school buildings to host weekly after-school activities. CEF recently won a Supreme Court case that allowed it equal access to public schools, but the groups arrival in Portland sparked unexpected anger and protests. Protect Portland Children formed to protest the camps. It heavily promotes a book called The Good News Club: The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children. It claims CES is a fundamentalist sect, teaches shame to children, and harms them psychologically with a doctrine of sin. Mississippi Pro-lifers Sue Police for Harassment JACKSON, Miss – Life Legal Defense Association (LLDF) filed suit July 23 against the Jackson, Miss., Police Department, for allegedly violating the First Amendment … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
ON THE MOVE Jeremy (wife Tami) Bullock new as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Mangham. REVIVAL/HOMECOMING Red River Baptist Church, Benton: 165th Anniversary Celebration, Aug. 31, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Wayne Dubose. Music: Richard Beeman. Dinner on the grounds will follow the service. All former members and pastors are invited. Pastor: Don Fletcher. Big Island Baptist Church, Deville: 125th Anniversary, Sept. 7, 10:30 a.m. Lunch will follow the service. Speaker: Sammy Smith. A homecoming celebration will take place after lunch. Pastor: David Gatch. Union Hall Baptist Church, Coushatta: Revival, Sept. 10-12, 7 p.m. Speaker: Craig James. For more information call 318.413.4592. Pastor: Jeff Shows. First Baptist Church, Oil City: 100th anniversary celebration, Sept. 14, 9:30 a.m. Dinner on the grounds will follow the service. Pastor: Jessie Colston LAGNIAPPE Harold Gorden McNabb passed away Aug. 4 in Fort Worth, Texas at the age of 88. A native of Denham Springs, he served as pastor of Hebron Baptist Church in Denham Springs, Pine Grove Baptist Church in Livingston, Spring Creek Baptist Church in Kentwood, Gray’s Creek Baptist Church in Denham Springs, First Baptist Church in Opelousas, Ford Park Baptist Church in Shreveport, … [Read more...]
David Platt Bio
Submitted by philip on Wed, 08/27/2014 - 12:17 International Mission Board President David Platt and his wife, Heather, are seen with their four children (from left): Joshua, Isaiah, Mara Ruth and Caleb. Platt, 36, one of the most passionate and influential voices for missions among evangelicals, was elected Aug. 27 by IMB trustees. The pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., will take office effective immediately as president of the 169-year-old organization, the largest denominational missionary-sending body among American evangelicals. He succeeds Tom Elliff, 70, who has served as IMB president since March 2011. David Platt is deeply devoted to Christ and His Word. David’s first love in ministry is disciple-making — the simple, biblical model of teaching God’s Word, mentoring others and sharing faith. He has traveled extensively to teach the Bible alongside church leaders throughout the United States and around the world. Atlanta natives, he and his wife, Heather, made their home in New Orleans, until they were displaced by flooding following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In 2006, David became the pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. He was elected IMB president Aug. 27, … [Read more...]
LA College v Sebelius – RULING (Aug 13 2014)
See the attached PDF to view the story content. PDF Download: LA College v Sebelius - RULING (Aug 13 2014).pdf … [Read more...]