By Kelly Boggs, Editor About this time a year ago Louisiana College was mired in controversy and nothing has changed today. In the words of Yogi Berra, the famed New York Yankee, “Its déjà vu all over again.” After the public release of leaked documents from confidential trustee meetings, secretly taped conversations, lawsuits and legal drafts, LC and its president, Joe Aguillard, are once again in the eye of a hurricane of controversy. The Town Talk, Alexandria’s local newspaper, has been at the forefront of the reporting on recent revelations concerning LC. The Baptist Message has sought to keep pace so Louisiana Baptists could be informed on the issues. As in the past, the Baptist Message has tried our best to only report on what was known to be fact. One of my favorite movies is “A Few Good Men.” The film in which two young Marines are accused of murder when a hazing incident goes wrong and a member of their platoon dies. Daniel Kaffee, a young naval officer with a penchant for plea bargining, is assigned to defend them. Early in the movie, Lieutenant Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, wonders if he should bother to defend the pair. “Do you believe they have a defense?” Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway, portrayed by Demi … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor
By Chad Mills, Pastor at Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City As I write this my favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys, has announced it has released a great defensive player named DeMarcus Ware. The owner of the team said it was in the best interest of both the player and the team. Sometimes it is in the best interest of teams to part ways with athletes, employees to part ways with employers and even ministers to leave churches. Those are tough decisions that require much prayer. I have watched from a distance the controversy taking place within the Louisiana Baptist Convention. I now feel compelled by love, and by Christ, to offer what I hope will be viewed as a voice of reason. I do not have an agenda or a vendetta. I don’t have an axe to grind, or as they say in the country,” I don’t have a dog in this hunt.” I recognize by voicing my opinion I may be dismissed by both “sides” of the current controversy. However, I do not believe I can remain silent any longer. I want what is best for the cause of Jesus Christ, our Baptist image, and for Louisiana College. What are lost people reading in the newspapers about Louisiana College these days? Not record enrollments or academic achievements, instead they read about … [Read more...]
Were LC recordings unethical or tragically necessary?
Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/21/2014 - 09:49 Charles Quarles By Charles L. Quarles, Former LC Vice President and Dean of the Caskey School of Divinity Editor’s note: The Town Talk, Alexandria’s daily newspaper, published this statement by Charles L. “Chuck” Quarles, former Louisiana College Vice President for Integration of Faith and Learning and Dean of LC’s Caskey School of Divinity, on Sunday, March 16. The statement is Quarles’ perspective on the on going controversy at Louisiana College. In my final two years at Louisiana College, I felt that I needed to take precautions to protect myself in the event that unscrupulous persons might in the future misrepresent my statements and attack my character. I saw only one way to verify my actual statements: recording conversations in which I was a participant as approved by the “one-party consent law” of the state of Louisiana and the federal code of the United States of America. I was not entirely comfortable with this option. I had never been in a situation that required such steps before, nor have I since. I consulted with respected Southern Baptist theologians and ethicists and with Christian attorneys and searched the Scripture for ethical principles related to … [Read more...]
Quarles should provide LC recordings for examination
Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/21/2014 - 09:54 Tommy French By Tommy French, Chairman of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees Editor’s note: The following statement was issued by Tommy French, Chairman of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees. Last June, Louisiana College, made an official request that Charles Quarles return the recording device containing the original recordings that he made surreptitiously of faculty and administration personnel. Dr. Quarles purchased this device with Louisiana College funds and had it delivered to his house. His reply to our official request was that he had lost the recording device. Having heard through social media that Dr. Quarles still had these recordings in his possession and was going to release them to the news media and others, I assumed he had found the original recording device which contained the original recordings. On March 5, 2014, I sent a second official request to Dr. Quarles to return the original recording device with the original recordings to me as chairman of the LC Board of Trustees. To date he has not responded to my letter. Recording devices and recordings in this advanced technological age can be altered or edited by most anyone who has minimal … [Read more...]
More black babies aborted than born in New York City
By Staff, World News Magazine NEW YORK CITY – According to Mario Diaz, Concerned Women for America’s legal counsel, more black babies were aborted in New York in 2012 than were born that year. He cites a report recently released by the City of New York. Diaz combed through the report to come to this startling conclusion: “There were 31,328 abortions of black babies and only 24,758 black children born. That’s 6,570 more abortions than births. The number of African-American abortions represents approximately 42 percent of abortions that took place in NYC in 2012. If you combine Hispanic women, who had 22,917 abortions, for about 31 percent of the total, these two minority groups alone make 73 percent of the total number of abortions!” Some have called such numbers a “black genocide,” and it’s hard to argue. Bill Gothard Resigns From Ministry OAK BROOK, Ill. – Bill Gothard has resigned as president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and from its board and affiliates. The announcement came in a letter to families associated with the IBLP’s Advanced Training Institute from David Waller, ATI’s administrative director. Gothard’s resignation comes just days after IBLP’s board of directors placed its longtime … [Read more...]
What good is Christian apologetics in today’s society?
By Rob Phillips, Communications Director for Missouri Baptist Convention Apologetics simply is a reasonable defense of the Christian faith. The word is derived from the Greek noun apologia and means “a defense.” Apologia and its verb form apologeomai are used nearly 20 times in the New Testament, often in the classic legal sense, but more importantly to describe the call of God to all believers to defend the Christian faith with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16). But how is sound doctrine applied practically? Put another way, what good is Christian apologetics? Apologetics has at least four practical applications. We may use apologetics to: Build There is a positive case to be made for Christianity, and apologetics helps us get there. The Bible, history, archaeology and other sources help establish that a real person named Jesus burst onto the scene 2,000 years ago. He claimed deity, performed miracles, spoke the truth, modeled compassion, died on a Roman cross, was buried and rose physically on the third day. His coming to earth was the most important event in human history. Further, apologetics helps us know who God is; who we are; why there is purpose in life; how we can be restored to a right relationship with … [Read more...]
Is the SBC truly relevant to a 21st-century world?
By James T. Draper, Interim President of Criswell College and former President of the SBC A good question and one worth asking: Does our SBC have anything significant to say to this 21st century? I ask the question here in response to the contemporary idea that the age of denominationalism is past. It does us no good – and actually does us harm – to dwell on our size, numerical goals and our heritage. We can’t live in the past. Our heritage is only as meaningful as its most recent application, meaning that all we have done in reaching the nations for Christ does not guarantee us relevance in the future. Being “Great Commission People” and “People of the Book” means daily seeking opportunities to engage the world with the power of the Gospel but in humility and with a heart of service. It is easy for us to point to all that we feel is “wrong” about the SBC. Yes, there are some things that need to be changed but mostly we need to refocus. Every individual Southern Baptist has the ability to decide whether to be part of the problem or part of the solution. The solution is found in engaging the world with the power of the Gospel in humility and service. “What relevancy does the SBC have today?” It’s a good question and here’s my … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor In the recent article on Darwin Day, “Intelligent Design” was misidentified as postulating “that an intelligent being, perhaps God, is the cause and orchestrator of the process of evolution.” This definition is actually a combination of two concepts, “Intelligent Design” and “Theistic Evolution,” accurately describing neither. Intelligent Design is a scientific theory recognizing design in creation and concluding that design comes from a designer (“an intelligent being, perhaps God”) and not from random process (evolution). Intelligent Design does not support evolution. Theistic Evolution is a theological cover story to evolution positing that God “is the cause and orchestrator of the process of evolution” directing the random (or seemingly so to us) process of evolution. Theistic Evolution supports evolution. Harold Henderson … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor As I look at our nation and churches, I believe it is plain to see that we are in a state of decline. Abortion, homosexuality, corruption, false teachings, and compromises of the gospel are on the rise, while biblical literacy, church attendance (especially among youth and young adults), and standing uncompromisingly on the Word of God seem to be trending down. I think one of the reasons for this, and also part of the solution, is male leadership (or lack thereof) in the church and in the home. Men are given the responsibility of being the head of the household under the lordship of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23) and the responsibility of overseeing and shepherding the church (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). As men it is our God given duty to see to the spiritual well-being of our families, to teach and demonstrate how to live godly lives to our children, and to be leaders in our local churches. It is the duty of older men to be examples and mentors to younger men (Titus 2:1-8). It is the responsibility of younger men to be under the guidance of godly older men. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.” Let this be a wake-up call; let us commit ourselves to … [Read more...]
Worldviews: What they are and why they matter (Part 2)
By Bob Stewart, Director of Institute for Christian Apologetics at NOBTS In my previous article I discussed briefly what worldviews are and how they function as life-guides for us. Now I wish to say more about how they work in our lives and how they guide us in ministry. When we speak to non-Christians, it is crucial that they understand what we mean. Far too often we speak a foreign language to those we are trying to reach. What language you ask? Christianese. We ask questions like: Christian: “Have you been saved?” Friend: “Well, yes, at summer camp I fell out of a canoe but my scoutmaster saved me . . .” Christian: “That’s not what I mean, I mean have you been born again?” Friend: “Uh, not lately.” Christian: “No, I mean have you been washed in the blood?” Friend: “Ugh, no, and I don’t want to be. Gross!” Christian: “You don’t get it, I’m trying to share the good news with you.” Friend: “All right, great! So what is the good news?” Christian: “You’re going to Hell!” Friend: “So . . . what’s the bad news?” Clearly our non-Christian friends must know what we mean if our efforts at ministry are ever going to be successful. We need to be on the same page, so to speak. Worldviews are thus crucial to any … [Read more...]
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