GOLDONNA – A Ladies Night Out is planned for Friday, March 16 at Goldonna Baptist. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m.       SLIDELL – Single moms and senior adults can get a free oil change and fluid checks starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at Grace Memorial Baptist, where Bob Heustess is pastor. “Please register for this by March 15 so the proper oil filter can be purchased for you,” leaders say.       Youth at Grace Memorial are planning a Homeless Night for Friday, March 30. Teens are on the lookout now for their cardboard box homes for the night.       NEW ORLEANS – A youth mission team from North Richland Hills Baptist in Texas is spending spring break in the Bywater area of New Orleans, participating in an evangelistic thrust led by Grace Baptist, where Bill Rogers is outgoing pastor and Charlie Dale, associate pastor.       Monday through Thursday, March 12-15, the youth are to be painting the inside of DouglasHigh School, across the street from the church.       On Wednesday, March 14, Grace plans to host a block party with live band, food and “some kid stuff,” Dale wrote in an … [Read more...]

Staff changes       n      Bill Rogers, pastor, Grace Baptist, New Orleans, resigned effective April 1. Charlie Dale, associate for the last two  years, is expected to be called soon as pastor.       n      Michael Sesvold, new youth minister at Springhill Baptist, Ringgold, assisted by his soon-to-be-wife, Ashley Strother. Both from BelieversBibleChurch in Pitkin.       n      Bryan Masters has resigned as youth minister at Hebron Baptist, Denham Springs. Joe Alain is pastor.       n      Lonnie Cook, new youth minister at Hebron Baptist, Denham Springs. Joe Alain is pastor.       n      Donald Collins is new music minister at Southside Baptist, Denham Springs. Bruce McKenzie is pastor.       n      Frank Valenzano resigned as minister of music at Walker Baptist, Walker, to become pastor of One Life Baptist, a mission of Walker Baptist.       Seeking staff       n      Westside Baptist, Natchitoches, is accepting resumes for full-time minister of youth and college. Please mail to 6834 Hwy 1, Bypass, Natchitoches LA 71457 ATTN: … [Read more...]

Two leading seminary educators called on Southern Baptist churches to emulate principles emphasized by 19th- and 16th-century believers, whom they said focused careful attention on ordinances, courageous convictions and church discipline.         Part 2 in a series of 4   JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) – Two leading seminary educators called on Southern Baptist churches to emulate principles emphasized by 19th- and 16th-century believers, whom they said focused careful attention on ordinances, courageous convictions and church discipline.       The two seminary leaders, Russell D. Moore and Paige Patterson, were among the featured speakers during the Feb. 15-17 Baptist Identity Conference II at UnionUniversity in Jackson, Tenn.       Moore, senior vice president for academic administration and dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s school of theology, recalled the life of Thomas T. Eaton, a key Baptist voice in debates and controversies of the late 19th century.       Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, presented examples from the experiences and historic beliefs of … [Read more...]

Missionary work has been part of Geoff Hammond’s life from his earliest days. He was born on the mission field to British parents who were serving in Nigeria. His father was born in China to missionary parents.     ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Missionary work has been part of Geoff Hammond’s life from his earliest days. He was born on the mission field to British parents who were serving in Nigeria. His father was born in China to missionary parents.       “Among my earliest memories are the times I accompanied my dad, traveling from village to village in Africa and listening to him preach the Gospel,” the 49-year-old Hammond said.       Later, he and wife Debbie served seven years with the International Mission Board as missionaries in Brazil. Upon returning to the United States in 1997, Hammond became a director of missions in Arkansas for two years before responding to a call from Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia to be a church planting strategist. He was appointed as a missionary with the North American Mission Board in the same year and has been the SBCV’s senior associate director since 2002.       “I’m a missiologist at … [Read more...]

Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett both advocate freedom of conscience. However, the two take very different paths with this freedom – McGrath embraces Christianity and Dennett embraces atheistic Darwinian naturalism.         Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett debate the future of atheism       March 1, 2007     NEW ORLEANS -- Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett both advocate freedom of conscience. However, the two take very different paths with this freedom – McGrath embraces Christianity and Dennett embraces atheistic Darwinian naturalism.     McGrath, Oxford professor and prolific Christian author, and Dennett, philosopher and professor atTuftsUniversity, spoke on “The Future of Atheism” at the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Feb. 23-24. The forum, now in its third year, is designed to help students and ministers learn to think critically about issues in secular society.       “Truth is objective and real, anyone who is searching for truth we believe will ultimately end up at the feet of Jesus Christ,” NOBTS President Chuck Kelley said about the event. “[The … [Read more...]

Honest dialogue, rather than heated debate, characterized day two of the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Feb. 23-24. Day two features honest dialogue between theists and skeptics   March 1, 2007   By Michael McCormack   NEW ORLEANS -- Honest dialogue, rather than heated debate, characterized day two of the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Feb. 23-24.   Scholars Keith Parsons, William Lane Craig, Evan Fales and Hugh McCann continued the ongoing discussion topic of “The Future of Atheism.”   Like in Greer-Heard Forums from the past, both scholars from the Friday night dialogue – evangelical theologian Alister McGrath and atheist scholar Daniel Dennett – responded to each person’s lecture.   Parsons and Fales, who both represented an atheist point-of-view, offered some of the most important and difficult questions of the day. Parsons, professor of philosophy at the University of Houston at ClearLake, started the Saturday sessions with his paper titled “Atheism: Twilight or Dawn.”   Parsons responded to the book by McGrath titled The Twilight of Atheism, in … [Read more...]

The existence of objective moral values is evidence for God’s existence, said Paul Copan, philosopher and Christian apologist, in his plenary address February 24 to the Evangelical Philosophical Society (EPS) meeting. Copan says moral values point to the existence of God       March 1, 2007       By Marilyn Stewart       NEW ORLEANS -- The existence of objective moral values is evidence for God’s existence, said Paul Copan, philosopher and Christian apologist, in his plenary address February 24 to the Evangelical Philosophical Society (EPS) meeting.       The EPS meeting was held in tandem with the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Feb. 23-24.       “There are certain moral truths that we all know,” said Copan, associate professor of philosophy and ethics atPalm BeachAtlanticUniversity. “If objective moral values exist, then it is extremely likely that a creator exists.”       “The Future of Atheism” was the theme of the Greer-Heard Forum which slated evangelical Oxford scholar Alister McGrath in dialogue with Daniel … [Read more...]

Atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ latest book, The God Delusion, is an attempt to “shore up” the faith of atheists, contended evangelical Oxford theologian and renowned apologist, Alister McGrath. Atheist makes case to prop up dwindling faith, McGrath says March 1, 2007 By Marilyn Stewart NEW ORLEANS -- Atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ latest book, The God Delusion, is an attempt to “shore up” the faith of atheists, contended evangelical Oxford theologian and renowned apologist, Alister McGrath. McGrath, who serves as professor of historical theology and senior research fellow at HarrisManchesterCollege, Oxford, made the comments Feb. 23 at the Evangelical Philosophical Society meeting at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The event was co-sponsored by the seminary’s theological and historical studies division, and was held in tandem with the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum. “I believe Dawkins’ book was really written to persuade atheists that their faith is still valid,” said McGrath. Dawkins’ other well-known writings include The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker and promote an evolutionary view of nature that excludes any notion of God. McGrath said Dawkins’ work has … [Read more...]

Serendipity plays a role in many of the world’s greatest discoveries, and this was no less the case for biblical archaeologist Gabriel “Gaby” Barkay during a dig he led in Jerusalem 30 years ago. FORT WORTH, Texas(BP) – Serendipity plays a role in many of the world’s greatest discoveries, and this was no less the case for biblical archaeologist Gabriel “Gaby” Barkay during a dig he led in Jerusalem 30 years ago. Barkay never would have guessed that a pesky child with a hammer would reveal the resting place of the oldest piece of biblical text ever discovered. During a lecture at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Barkay took a crowd of 200 on a journey that began with slides of St. Andrews Church of Scotland, within view of Old Jerusalem. It was on the grounds of that church, erected in 1927 on a rocky knoll on the Valley of Hinnom (Ketef Hinnom), where Barkay oversaw an archaeological dig in the mid- to late-1970s. “I was looking for less-looked-at subjects: places of extra-rural, para-urban land uses,” Barkay said, describing the reasons why he chose that location as he was developing his doctoral dissertation. “I asked myself, ‘If I were a patriarch, where would I put a defensible place? Where would I put a cemetery … [Read more...]

Certain her husband, Jimmy Downs, deacon at North Acres Baptist Church here, was experiencing a mid-life crisis when he told her he wanted to start a motorcycle club, Gail Downs refused to let him buy a motorcycle for two years. MINDEN – Certain her husband, Jimmy Downs, deacon at North Acres Baptist Church here, was experiencing a mid-life crisis when he told her he wanted to start a motorcycle club, Gail Downs refused to let him buy a motorcycle for two years.       About five years ago, North Acres Baptist hosted a missions fair to generate interest in missions. Among those present was one man who belonged to the Christian Motorcycle Association. Downs thought a motorcycle club would be a perfect way to reach people on the fringe of church involvement, he said. The only problem was that he didn’t own a motorcycle.       “We eventually bought one,” he said, revealing that now his wife is also involved in the motorcycle ministry and enjoys riding herself.       “Our goal is to build relationships with like-minded riders within the basic guidelines of Christian fellowship,” he explained. “We don’t actually call ourselves a Christian group, but we … [Read more...]