By Waylon Bailey Soon churches in America will regather for public worship. We can all be thankful that we have done our best to be good citizens who cooperated with those in authority to “flatten the curve” and not overwhelm our healthcare professionals. We can be very proud to have been a part of that. But now we have the monumental task of doing things that go against our nature and all that we have learned. Not only do we have to refrain from a “holy kiss,” we also have to refrain from what we have taught our sons about a firm handshake. Churches and schools have been greatly affected and will require creative ways to fulfill their mission. Thankfully, I can let other professionals deal with how to open schools safely and to do a high quality job of education. Think with me about the church. What will we need to do this? I can’t say it more simply. We will need God. More than anything, we will need to be completely open to God to see how He will lead. I almost want to write “reimagine,” but we don’t have to reimagine church. God will lead His people. We must be open to God’s Spirit as He shows us how to regather and how to effectively serve our communities. We must adapt, and we must be adaptable. … [Read more...]

By Rebecca Holloway PINEVILLE, La. - When we first received Evan’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome, I was in my 5th month of pregnancy. One of my first thoughts when we received this news was, “This cannot be. I am not equipped to be a special needs parent!” Yet here we are 6.5 years later. We have read a lot, gotten guidance from doctors, and I have received a lot of advice from other special needs parents. However, most days we still feel ill-equipped for the job. There is a steep learning curve and much on-the-job training. But one thing I have realized over the years is that I was indeed equipped for this. My maternal grandmother was sick on and off most of my growing up years. Once my parents divorced when I was in high school and my mother went back to school to become a nurse, I helped care for her a lot – even taking her to doctor’s appointments and buying groceries for her when she was in the nursing home. As I said, my mother went back to nursing school when I was in high school, and I felt like I went to nursing school with her! She would teach me what she was learning, and after she was working full time, I got to hear many stories about her patients and how the doctors would treat them for various illnesses. Ten … [Read more...]

By John Hebert ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Unity is a key spiritual principle expressed in the Bible: two who walk together are in agreement (Amos 3:3); it is better to have two working together so that one can pick up the other if the other stumbles (Ecc. 9-12); and, a strand of rope consisting of three cords has great strength (Ecc. 3:12). Cohesion, working together for a single purpose, is an element of unity, which Jesus prayed about in His plea to the Father for you and me, living today (John 17:20-23). Building cohesion within a group is a primary task every leader must perform, so it is critically important to learn and develop this leadership skill. POWER OF COHESION Draft horses are a good example for explaining the power that is created by building cohesion. These animals are bred especially for pulling heavy loads. They are amazing beasts of burden with huge muscles, large hearts and lungs. A single draft horse weighing about 1,700 pounds can pull almost five times his body weight or 8,000 pounds. Moreover, yoked together, two of these herculean creatures can pull even more. Most people likely would guess the tandem could pull up to 16,000 pounds, but they would be wrong. Typically, two good draft … [Read more...]

By Wes Faulk For the wages of sin is death. Most of my life I have grown up knowing that sin brings death. It is ingrained into any Southern Baptist child, “for the wages of sin is death.” Your admittance of your eternal death is the first step in understanding the need you have for salvation in Jesus Christ. In the midst of the genuine crisis that COVID-19 has brought forward, many have grappled to understand how the Christian worldview explains world altering pandemics. In truth, the modern always happy version of our faith has little to offer a world paralyzed by death. The corona virus has surprised and awakened in us the understanding that we are vulnerable, mortal creatures. Perhaps it is time to renew our understanding of what scripture teaches in regards to suffering, pandemic, and death in this world. Take a step back with me all the way to the Garden of Eden. When God created the world, he created it perfect, eternal, and good. Adam, Eve, and creation lived perfectly in a perfect world. I don’t know the time frame, but within three chapters of God’s creation, we as people grew unsatisfied with the goodness of God’s creation and rebelled against God by eating from the one tree God forbade. At this point, … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, (LBM)--You might be tired of hearing that we are living in unprecedented days, and, of listening to endless reports about the crisis, quarantine, social distancing, stay-at-home orders, and flattening the curve. I know I am. So, how about some good news? Our churches are responding to the challenge with online worship, online giving, online Sunday school, and online prayer meetings. [I haven’t heard of an online dinner on the grounds, but I’m ready when someone tries that!] Others are doing drive-in church. We are at our best when our motto is: “Whatever it takes!” And you know what? You are doing great Louisiana Baptists! Louisiana Baptists also are providing real solutions to real problems in other ways: -- Louisiana College’s Pre-Engineering Department is making protective face shields and masks for hospitals. -- Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief has established a prayer line, distributed at least 24,000 N-95 respirators, and are participating in food distribution. -- Our Business Office, in cooperation with our Office of Public Policy and Communications Team, is helping associations and churches interpret the CARES Act which provides financial assistance for churches. You … [Read more...]

By Stewart Holloway How long has it been? That question is rather open ended, isn’t it? It begs a follow up question - Since what? These days we’re developing a long list of things we haven’t done in a while. How long has it been since we gathered for worship, went to a ballgame, ate at our favorite restaurant, went to class, had friends over, went in to work . . . . The long “been” creates a longing in our hearts for our favorite things but also many of the normal and mundane things of life. This question has been on my mind, creating another longing, however. I’ve been asking, “How long has it been since we saw an awakening in America?” Of course, I know the answer. While I didn’t have a course on leading your church through a world-wide pandemic in seminary, I did have an engaging doctoral seminar on spiritual awakenings. The last awakening that spread across all of America was also the first and only global awakening. It occurred over a century ago now, which means no one living today experienced it. This is the only era in America’s existence that there aren’t people alive who experienced a great awakening. On one hand, that is sad because it means no one can tell us first hand about the experience. We … [Read more...]