By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The Christmas account records so many wonderful expressions of love. But one that often is underrepresented is the love Joseph showed for a child who was not related by blood. Moreover, we often fail to see that Joseph’s love for Jesus is an earthly example of God’s love for you and me as his adopted children. Not much is documented about Joseph as the husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus. Indeed, not one spoken word from him is included in the Bible. We do know that Joseph was of the royal bloodline of Israel (Mt. 1:1-16). However, his lineage was cursed because of his ancestor, King Jeconiah (Jer. 22:28-30). Indeed, we know that Joseph was extremely poor, despite his ties to nobility, because he could only afford two turtledoves instead of the customary lamb required for Mary’s ceremonial purification after she gave birth to Jesus (Lk. 2:22-24; Lev. 12:7-8). But Joseph’s love for a son who was not his biological child is shown in several ways: -- While betrothed to the pregnant Mary, he was willing to suffer the embarrassment of being accused of either having sex outside of marriage, or, of being married to an adulterous woman … so … [Read more...]

Everything is powered by something. Think about that for a moment – your house is powered by electricity, natural gas or possibly propane. Your car is powered by gas. Your watch is powered by a battery. Your exercise bike is powered by – you!  Everything is powered by something. … [Read more...]

“It can happen to anyone.” Have you heard this expression before? You may have said it to someone or maybe, someone said it to you when you made an uncharacteristic mistake, misunderstood someone’s direction, or overlooked something that was literally right in front of you. No matter what, no matter where, no matter when, “it can happen to anyone.” … [Read more...]

Culture. Louisiana is known for it. Our food. Our celebrations. Our hospitality. While I acknowledge and enjoy those things, my heart’s desire is for Louisiana in general, and Louisiana Baptists in particular, to be known for a culture where lives are transformed by people who are transformed  – by the power of the gospel. I’m calling this a culture of evangelism. … [Read more...]

By Marc Daniels AVONDALE, La. (LBM) -- I was reminded one morning of how nothing is wasted in the Lord’s economy. I have been pastoring at the same small church in the same hard-soil neighborhood for more than 22 years; and, at times, I get frustrated and wonder if my labor is making any kind of difference. We’re a community-based ministry and I’ve been a neighborhood pastor. Consequently, I often get calls from people I’ve never met, asking if I’d officiate a funeral for someone I don’t know. I try to make myself available as much as possible, but sometimes I feel a little bit hardened towards the idea because it seems such “outreach ministry” is unfruitful. Very few of such situated services I’ve presided over have resulted in people visiting the church, much less led to professions of faith. But I found myself having to repent when I was forced to recognize that the Lord is always at work, and He rewards even the slightest obedience with great blessings. My epiphany resulted from a phone call by a woman wanting to know if someone was available to lead a memorial service. I had to decline because of an out-of-town commitment on the requested date, but I offered to reach out to the other ministers on staff. I … [Read more...]

By Eddie Wren ZACHARY, La. (LBM) -- I am not a graduate of Louisiana Christian Uni­versity. But I have served on the board of trustees, two years as president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and then as an elected member for two terms. In that time, I have come to love and support our university, and I believe we need LCU more than ever and that we need to support her like never before. We need LCU because it is a distinctively Chris­tian voice in an increas­ingly secular society. There are many state universities that can pre­pare students for the job market. But none of them emphasize the Christian worldview in every dis­cipline the way that LCU does. Unfortunately, when many of our Louisiana Baptist children go to state schools, they sit under professors who scoff at Christianity and even try to kill the faith that parents spent years nurturing in their children. Young people have shared with me about the ridicule they endured in classes because of their faith in Christ. Sadly, I have wit­nessed more than a few leave for school as active members of the body of Christ only to return from college no longer living the faith they once possessed. Regret­tably, research shows that 66 percent of Christian students … [Read more...]