Dear Louisiana College family: My first day as president has arrived, and I can think of only a few events in my life that reflect the impact this next adventure God has before me. Coming to saving faith in Jesus, meeting and marrying Cathy, having children and grandchildren all were momentous and meaningful occasions. Becoming the 9th president of Louisiana College, however, is the beginning of another chapter in this life that has prepared me for the challenges and victories the future has for every stakeholder of Louisiana College. The role of president opens a new destination for me, but behind me are the familiar paths of a collegiate community and academic accomplishment, all of which are God’s blessings. I am humbled. I am blessed. In light of recent history, perhaps some may wonder why I accepted the helm of the college. In responding to the unanimous vote of our trustees I also yielded to God’s call upon my life. This gives me peace about the past and assurance for the future. Another confidence builder in what lies ahead is Louisiana College’s remarkable student body. I have met scores of our students personally. And in their bright eyes and engaging smiles I sense the weight of responsibility every one of us has for … [Read more...]

God will never give you more than you can handle. I’m sure many, if not all, of us have heard this said before. Maybe we have even said it ourselves. This is often the “go to” reply to try to comfort anyone who is going through a difficult situation, has suffered some sort of loss, or has a major decision to make. I can’t help but wonder though, is this true? Does this align with what we see in scripture? Is it true that God will never give us more than we can handle? Abraham was put into a situation he could not handle when he was promised that he would be the father of many nations. The age of Sarah and Abraham made it virtually impossible for them to be able to have any children naturally. An important detail in being the father of many nations is that you need to be able to produce offspring! They further proved their inability to handle the situation by showing a lack of faith in the promise of God. God had promised that an heir would come through Sarah. Knowing the impossibility of this, they tried to take matters into their own hands and Abraham had a son with Sarah’s servant; a decision that would have consequences for generations to come, including our present time. It is clear they were dealing with something they … [Read more...]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (BP) – Our nation once rode the wave of expansive optimism and blessed economic prosperity. Now we appear to be trying to find our place in line with the long list of mediocre economies that were corrupted by greed, injustice and violations of biblical conscience. Yet, in the scheme of things we are still immensely blessed in comparison to the rest of the world. According to GlobalRichList.com, U.S. income of just $2,000 per month places you in the top 2.24 percent of the wealthiest people in the world. That is $12.50 per hour compared to the average laborer in Zimbabwe who makes only 53 cents per hour. In a year an American worker might make $24,000. It would take the average laborer in Zimbabwe 23 years to make the same amount. Historically, our nation’s birth and prosperity demonstrated to the world the importance of freedom of conscience and personal responsibility. These are two high values in the Word of God that are worthy of acceptance by every citizen. To echo the words of the Lord Jesus when He spoke the parable of the talents to His followers, “Everyone to whom much is given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48 ESV). The Lord Jesus didn’t make this statement to simply fill the room with … [Read more...]

EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) – Perhaps you know the hymn, “The Solid Rock,” which begins with these words of testimony: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” The Solid Rock emphasizes one of the foundational truths of the Christian faith: Our salvation is based on Christ alone. The Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). This is the great legacy of the New Testament theologians. When the Gospel of Christ leaped over the boundaries of Israel and Judaism, key questions arose. Is salvation for the Gentiles too? And, if so, do these Gentiles need to become Jewish proselytes? Do they need to conform to Jewish law? Do they need to be circumcised? Do they need to adopt the Jewish calendar of Feast Days? Must they acquiesce to Jewish dietary requirements? Acts 15 recounts that a great counsel was convened to discuss these matters. The central question was: “What must a person do to be saved?” The apostles and church leaders defied efforts to impose legalism and ritualism on new believers, affirming for all time that salvation is totally by grace through faith in … [Read more...]

ATLANTA (BP) – The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is the story of a man with a hole in his soul. The Ethiopian had an emptiness that would not leave him, no matter what he tried to pack in his life. The brief narrative in Acts 8 unfolds his story around three themes. A reading man The Ethiopian had traveled from his home to Jerusalem to participate in celebratory worship. On his return home, he was reading from Isaiah’s prophecy, seeking to understand its underlying message. This was a man of great power and prestige. He had charge of the Queen’s treasury. He was likely dressed in finery and traveling in the “Rolls Royce” chariot of his time. From outward appearances, this man seemed to have everything. But the Lord, who has placed eternity in the heart of every person, was at work in his life. A running man The Lord prompted Philip to leave the revival taking place in Samaria and go on a wilderness journey. When Philip saw the chariot, the Lord instructed him to “overtake” the chariot. As Philip ran toward the chariot, he had no idea what he would find. He was not intimidated by the obvious finery of the chariot, the adornment of the horses, the attire of the attendants. He did not know what the Ethiopian was thinking … [Read more...]

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) – Jeana and I have just returned from 12 days away, with much of that time in the heart of the mission field. As we conversed one-on-one and in several meetings with our missionaries in challenging fields all over the Middle East, we were able to hear their hearts loud and clear. As I have thought about this upon my return home, I feel it is incumbent upon me to share what I am able to within the boundaries of security. In each meeting, I asked our missionaries: What do you want me to share with our churches back home? The missionaries and their leaders were not timid at all. I want to highlight the things they shared with me: 1. Pray for us Without any question, the need for prayer rang loud and clear! They are fully aware they are called to forward the Gospel message in territories of the world where this message has never been heard before. They know their giftedness in and of itself cannot penetrate the lostness of the ethnicities of people they are trying to reach. They know they need what only God Himself can do. In fact, one of the biggest challenges for which they pleaded for prayer is the ability to learn the language of Arabic. This is an ongoing challenge for them, and for a segment of their … [Read more...]