By DIANA CHANDLER, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – On the walls of a house in the Lower Ninth Ward, children and young adults draw their realities: symbols decrying rape and drugs, words proclaiming hope and strength, a tear-soaked face. Enchante’ Franklin, founder of the What About Us Community Mentoring Program, WAUS, calls it the expression room, just one area of a non-residential safe house where she mentors at-risk youth. [img_assist|nid=6905|title=Students involved in What About Us Community at St. Thomas Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]Christ is new to many of the 7- to 24-year-olds WAUS serves and introducing them to God is key to the program but difficult, Franklin said. “I’m saying to them, learn the Word, learn His ways, but I have to be careful how I teach it,” said Franklin. ”It’s really hard to just throw God at these kids, because it’s not in the home. We have to slowly give it to them in a way that it connects to their cognitive level.” Franklin pairs mentors with youth to help them connect with God, lead law-abiding lives, avoid jail, develop self-esteem, learn community service and improve academically. Franklin doesn’t call WAUS a … [Read more...]

BY JOANNE BRECHTEL, Administrative Editor JONESBORO – Ebenezer Baptist: Christmas dinner 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Candlelight Lord’s Supper 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26; Randy Lee, pastor. MINDEN – First Baptist: Holiday Luncheon for Single Senior Adults 11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 13; Christmas Caroling 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Leland Crawford, pastor. WINNSBORO – First Baptist: Christmas Vespers and handbell choir 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24; Craig Beeman, pastor. [img_assist|nid=6923|title=Birth of Christ|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=64]HAYNESVILLE – First Baptist: Christmas music 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; Shelby Cowling, pastor. HOMER – First Baptist: Deacon Christmas supper 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10; children’s Christmas program 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; James Simeon, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Baptist Temple: Christmas cantata 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. BOSSIER CITY – First Baptist:  “Gloria…A Christmas Experience” multimedia Christmas Spectacular 3 p.m., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 12; Point of Grace, special guests; tickets free; Love Loud Light Night Celebration traveling to six local communities for tree lightings and festivities; Wednesday, Dec. 15; Fred Lowery, pastor. HAUGHTON – Koran Baptist: Children’s … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor WEST MONROE – The members of Cedar Crest Baptist Church were serious about prayer even before Pastor Greg Clark arrived in December 1997. A small group met after Wednesday evening prayer meeting to pray first for direction in calling together a pastor search committee, and then to pray for that committee’s wisdom and discernment. Those involved with those prayers feel confident today the pastor search committee made the right choice. “Greg Clark is not just a great pastor; he’s a great citizen,” said John Russell. “He just reaches out all the time. It’s kind of like having a jewel in your community who is also your pastor.” Clark has led Cedar Crest to even greater involvement with prayer, and he has led in the effort to join with other churches in prayer for issues in West Monroe/Monroe. “On May 12, 2000, God clearly gave our pastor a word that Cedar Crest is to be a house of prayer,” according to the church’s website, www.ccbchurch.org. “Since then we have made it our top priority to keep prayer the central focus of all that we do.” The church added three prayer rooms when it built a new worship center. Two are assigned; a third is kept open for those who stop by for … [Read more...]

By CHARLES QUARLES, Chair of Christian Studies, Louisiana College The wise men who visited the infant Christ in Bethlehem seem to have captured the attention of Gospel readers. Church tradition has gone so far as to name their different countries of origin and even assign them names: Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. By contrast, most seem content to leave the shepherds of Bethlehem in relative obscurity. This is a huge mistake. [img_assist|nid=6909|title=Charles Quarles, Chair of Christian Studies, Louisiana College|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]The shepherds of Bethlehem were no ordinary men and their presence in the manger scene sheds enormous light on the significance of Christmas. Although our familiarity with manger scenes tends to make the presence of the shepherds of Bethlehem at Jesus’ birth seem natural, from a first-century perspective their presence there is quite unexpected. With all the kings, priests, and celebrities in the world, why would God summon this humble group of men to adore the infant Messiah and to announce his birth to others? Although we may never unravel the mysteries of divine grace, two explanations may be given. First, these men were summoned to the birth scene of … [Read more...]

By BILL WARREN, Ph.D., NOBTS Professor of New Testament and Greek Question: Who were the wise men, where did they come from, and what is their importance in the Christmas story? Bill Warren responds: The wise men, only mentioned in Matthew (2:1-12), are actually called “Magi,” a term that normally refers to religious figures who are wise through the study of the stars. Since they come from “the east” (Mathew 2:1), they are probably coming from Parthia, a region not under Roman control that included some of the former Persian Empire, with modern day Iraq being a likely geographic setting for the Magi.  Much of our additional information on them is based on the statements of early Christian writers. For example, Clement of Alexandria (about A.D. 200) notes that they are from Persia (Strommata, Book 1, chapter 15), and Tertullian (early 3rd century) says that they were generally regarded to be kings (An Answer to the Jews, chapter 9). The reason their place of origin is important can be seen in the events at the beginning of Herod the Great’s reign as king over Israel. In 40 B.C., the Parthians had backed a different ruler for Israel versus Herod the Great, resulting in three years of war before Herod finally defeated them … [Read more...]

By JOANNE BRECHTEL, Administrative Editor DEVILLE – Philadelphia Baptist: “The Invitation” Christmas presentation 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11; 10 a.m., 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; Philip Robertson, pastor. VIDALIA – First Baptist: “A Casual Christmas” featuring David Taylor; Tuesday, Dec. 14; Bill McCullin, pastor. MINDEN – First Baptist: Holiday luncheon for single senior adults 11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 13; Christmas caroling 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Leland Crawford, pastor. MANY – First Baptist: Adult Christmas musical 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. WEST MONROE – Ridge Ave. Baptist: “He is Born, Child Divine” Christmas Choir cantata 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; annual Christmas day service 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 25; David Brown, pastor. LAKE CHARLES – Sale Street Baptist:  “A Christmas Prayer” musical drama 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. WINNSBORO – First Baptist: “How Far is it to Bethlehem?” children’s musical 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; reception to follow; “The First Noel” adult choir musical 10:55 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; “Jon and Friends” musical program 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Craig Beeman, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: Adult Christmas music presentation 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; David Shaw, pastor. BAKER – First … [Read more...]

  By KELLY BOGGS, Editor, Louisiana Baptist Message   "Anyone who isn’t confused really doesn’t understand the situation," said Edward R. Murrow. Though the famed broadcast journalist died in 1965, his quip adequately describes life in our post-modern world.   Consider the following: ESPN reported recently that "a female-to-male transgender member of the George Washington University women’s basketball team wants to be identified as a man this season."   … [Read more...]

BY Michael Stewart, LBC Stewardship Strategist Arthur Laffer, chief economist during the Reagan presidency, believes an already weakened economy will get worse. Terrence Aym, at Helium.com, stated, “Arthur Laffer has analyzed the direction of the federal government over the past two years and hears alarm bells going off.” Aym continued: “The savvy economist has studied the potential impact of the historic debt, an economy hovering just above a depression, and the building pressure to raise interest rates when inflation rises in the future, and compares the ship of state to the Titanic”. [img_assist|nid=6914|title=Michael Stewart, LBC Stewardship Strategist|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=79|height=100]While nothing in or of this world will destroy believers, followers of Jesus are not immune from a rough economy. That said, Jesus’ mandate to go and make disciples is larger than ever before. How then, do pastors help their congregations find the balance between battening down their financial hatches and becoming generous givers through tithes and offerings? The answer to the aforementioned question is faithfully proclaiming the sovereignty and goodness of the Heavenly Father. When it comes to finances and … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – More than 7,000 students and their leaders filled the Rapides Coliseum for the 2010 Youth Evangelism Celebration Nov. 21-22. More importantly, 361 professions of faith – a record – plus 206 re-affirmations of faith and 22 other decisions, plus 182 students called into ministry – a second record – were made during YEC. It was the largest YEC ever, said Kevin Boles, youth ministry strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The final count was 7,024 registered for the event that concluded with a concert by the contemporary Christian inspirational group, and recent American Music Award winner, Mercy Me. That total is up from last year’s record 5,050. [img_assist|nid=6916|title=A record-setting 7,024 students and their leaders attended the 2010 Youth Evangelism Celebration Nov. 21-22.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]It was the largest event ever to take place in the Coliseum, said Kimberly Townley, the event venue’s executive director. This includes the March 30, 1977, appearance of Elvis Presley, she said. At that time, the Coliseum’s maximum capacity was 5,000, or there might have been more, she added about the “King of Rock and Roll” who emerged on the music scene in 1954 and gained … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor WEST MONROE – God’s people tend to depart, and need to return to Him, said Henry Blackaby in the opening session of the two-day Fresh Encounter conference that took place at Cedar Crest Baptist Church. Blackaby, known today as a Southern Baptist statesman, is author of the best-selling Experiencing God tome of the 1970s that remains wildly successful for its simple yet profound statements such as “God is always at work around you” and “God invites you to become involved with Him in His work,” as well as the life-changing “God’s invitation … always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.” [img_assist|nid=6918|title=Henry Blackaby spoke at Cedar Crest Baptist Church Fresh Encounter Conference.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=66|height=100]Blackaby, now 75, and his son Richard Blackaby, known for his emphasis on spiritual leadership, each spoke three times in as many sessions that sounded like the next three verses of what LBC President Rod Masteller preached at the 2010 annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “There is a drought in the power of God in our lives and in our churches,” Masteller said at the Monday evening session. It’s available … [Read more...]