By Waylon Bailey My family loves exploring caves. Actually, we don’t  really explore as much as we take guided tours. We rarely pass a cave on vacation without stopping and spending a couple of hours inside the cave. In some ways, you might think if you’ve seen one cave you’ve seen them all.  On the other hand, each cave is different and distinct. There is something very unusual about getting to see inside the earth. One of the things that happens every time you take a guided tour is that the guide will stop everyone and, after warning them, will  turn off the lights. No matter how many times I go through that drill, I am always amazed at how dark it gets. You literally cannot see your hand in front of your face. There is one other thing equally as amazing. That is, even a very small amount of light – – like a match or cigarette lighter – – will allow you to see more than you thought possible. I relate my experience in caves to spiritual things in two ways. First, we live in a very dark world. All you have to do is look at the events in Las Vegas to know that the world is very dark and seems to be getting even darker. Second, even a little light makes a huge difference. Some people look at our world … [Read more...]

By Clark Palmer What does a worship leader do?  Is a salary really necessary for someone to just lead a few songs each week? When it comes time to find a worship leader what should we look for? These are questions that come up from time and to time. I recently had occasion to think about them myself. Perhaps these observations and thoughts on this subject will be helpful. Perhaps we can move away from thinking, “why pay this person so much since they only work an hour a week.” A worship leader creates. Every Monday morning the worship leader starts with a blank page. At some point, well before Sunday, an outline of the worship service, including all the necessary parts, must appear. I say well before Sunday because after all the songs, Scriptures, and other parts are identified there is still much to be done. Creativity is required. There aren’t any style points awarded for “most creative worship service.” Creativity itself is not the goal. But a fresh, meaningful, thoughtfully planned time of worship produces engagement and impact.   Simply picking three or four hymns out of the list of thirty or so that are always sung and then plugging them into their normal spots on the standard, unchanging order of … [Read more...]

By Ron F. Hale David Hacker, a demographic historian from Binghamton University in New York, conducted research on newly digitized census data from the 19th century recalculating the death toll of the Civil War. The historic death tally has been approximately 620,000 men for over 100 years. Hacker’s new count reaches 750,000 men, and upwards to the staggering possibility of 850,000 men. 1 The Trail Who bears part of the blame for this red river of blood and the lingering costs and consequences of American slavery? This article will shed light on those who defended the institution of chattel slavery in America. Their writings, speeches, and sermons left a traceable trail. If you are a student of history or theology many of the names on the list will shock you! How could some of the most sophisticated people in America not see that the sin of slavery denied the self-evident truth “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness?” The Historian Larry E. Tise is a noted historian, researcher, archivist, author, and professor at Binghampton University. He has served as State Historic … [Read more...]

By U.S. Sen. John Kennedy It doesn’t take an expert to see that something is stalling the American economy. Last year, for the 11th year in a row, America failed to achieve 3 percent annual growth. We’re not achieving that average benchmark, much less the growth that Americans truly deserve. Times are especially hard in Louisiana. Good-paying jobs are too scarce. They were scarce before the energy market downturn and the BP oil spill. If you’re a middle-aged man with a wife and two kids in Louisiana, you’re probably wondering how your parents were able to raise four kids on a single salary. Sure, they didn’t drive a Cadillac and they ate a lot of tuna casserole, but they sent those kids to college and retired at a decent age. The sobering truth is that government is regulating and taxing people half to death. We’re chasing our ideas, our jobs and our investors into the open, waiting arms of foreign countries. In the process, we’re killing our middle class, which is the primary vehicle for economic growth. I like to speak my mind so I’ll be blunt. Ordinary people need a tax cut. Too many undeserving people at the top are getting bailouts. Too many undeserving people at the bottom are getting … [Read more...]

By Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship They call it “The Mandalay Massacre”. A 64-year-old man armed with more than 10 rifles shot and killed 58 people in what is being called “the largest mass shooting U.S. history.” Hundreds more were wounded. The question that comes to mind at a time like this is. . . Why? Why did God allow such a horrible thing to happen? A Barna Poll asked, “If you could ask God one question and you knew He would give you an answer, what would you ask?” The most common response was, “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?” If you are sharing the gospel, it won’t be long before someone asks, “How could a God of love allow tragedy, pain, and suffering?” C.S. Lewis said that the “problem of pain is atheism’s most potent weapon against the Christian faith.” More people point to the problem of evil and suffering as their reason for not believing in God than any other. It is not merely a problem; it is the problem. So, why does God allow tragedy? If God can prevent such terrible tragedies, why does He allow them to take place? Here’s the classic statement of the problem: Either God is all powerful but not all good, and therefore He doesn’t stop evil—or He’s all good but … [Read more...]

By Franklin Graham Thank God we have a president who stands for truth and is not afraid to speak truth to the whole world. President Donald J. Trump's address to the United Nations General Assembly may have been one of the best speeches ever given to that body. It made you proud to be an American. I hope you will join me in praying for this man, that God will guide and direct him. He reminded the world, “If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph.” Click here to watch the president's U.N. speech. … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn I love football. This is my time of the year. But, I didn’t have a good football weekend. The high school I played for lost and is now 0-3. The college I played for lost and is now 1-2. The local college, Louisiana’s Ragin Cajuns lost. Our state school, LSU, got embarrassed. And the Saints . . . well you know. I don’t make a lot of predictions, but let me make a minority prediction on one of those teams—LSU. Everything will be fine, maybe even better. I wouldn’t be shocked if they do not lose another game. To be more conservative in my prognostication, they will probably lose one (yeah, unfortunately, that one) and maybe two, but no more. Why such optimism after a terrible and embarrassing performance? It’s what I read in the paper this morning (yeah, I still do that and love it). Coach O said, “We didn’t practice well last Tuesday and Wednesday.” That’s it! Take nothing away from Mississippi State. They have a great team and played a great game. But, LSU did not prepare well. I don’t think the average fan has enough appreciation for how hard it is to win. Winning doesn’t just happen. Preparation is necessary We see in athletics what lack of preparation will do. Lack of preparation in our spiritual lives … [Read more...]

I may lack the words to describe what occurs to the faithful in times of personal crisis. Let it be said, simply, that there is often a quiet awareness in the midst of chaos that the Lord is there and is still in control. Millions of people have reported this persistent presence when life was systematically unraveling. On other occasions, He permits us to see evidence of His love at the critical moment of need. … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever Sunday, preaching in Biloxi, Mississippi, I asked the congregation, “How many of you were living here in 1969 when Hurricane Camille changed this coastline forever?”  A lot of hands went up. Then, “How many of you lived here in 2005 when Katrina destroyed so much of the area?”  Many more hands. I said, “So when you think of neighbors dealing with hurricanes, such as Harvey and Irma, you know.  You’ve been there.  You can pray for them with a genuine compassion and a deeper understanding.” Before they left the building, those people made generous contributions to their neighbors impacted by the hurricanes. Each hurricane is different. Each takes its own path and blows at its own speed. And each one is similar.  They destroy and uproot and flood.  Those who experience even one such storm forever identifies with the victims and veterans of all those which follow. With that in mind, it might be in order for those of us with scars from past hurricanes (for my family, it was Betsy in 1965 and Katrina 40 years later) to offer a word or two of encouragement to friends caught in the path of the latest of these monster storms. Ten words, actually… (We will try not to insult you with platitudes such … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The AMC series “Preacher” has portrayed Christ in a graphic sex scene that combines blasphemy with pornography, and regrettably Louisiana tax payers appear to be on the hook to pay for it ... MAYBE. The August 21 episode titled, “Dirty Little Secret,” showed an actor playing the role of Jesus having sex with a married woman in an extended, graphic scene with explicit vocals. The director used shadows and silhouettes to soften the two figures as they engaged in various sexual positions, but these cinematic techniques did not disguise the pornography. FAST MONEY According to news reports, Season 2 for the series was filmed in New Orleans earlier this year – presumably, including the offending episode. This makes the show eligible for state tax credits under a Louisiana law passed in 2002 intended to foster growth in the state’s film industry, also known as “Hollywood South.” The statutory program offers a 30 percent transferable tax credit for qualified in-state production expenses, including resident and non-resident labor. On top of that, in-state labor costs receive an extra 10 percent payroll tax credit. Using the data AMC filed with Louisiana Entertainment … [Read more...]