Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25. Like many other Southwest Louisianians, the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles evacuated to higher grounds before Hurricane Rita made landfall in the state on Sept. 24. However, on this particular Sunday, James wasn’t preaching from the pulpit but was worshipping with other believers, unaware of how many of his staff members and congregation fared after the hurricane. “That Sunday morning was real tough,” said James. “I already knew about the church’s condition, but I wondered how all our members were doing. I enjoyed worshiping at another church, but I wanted to be in my own church.” Trinity’s auditorium suffered the most damage. Debris, water and what is left of two stained-glass windows filled the structure soon after the hurricane passed through the Lake Charles area. James estimates it could be six to eight months before the auditorium is restored. However, the fellowship hall, student, preschool and children’s areas, church offices, and recreational building escaped major … [Read more...]

Week of October 3, 2005 Potpourri JENA – Nebo Ball Field:  “A Stirrin’ in the Sticks” area wide crusade; Oct. 16-21, 7 p.m. nightly; Jack Daniels, evangelist. WEST MONROE – McClendon church:  Legacy Five in concert; Oct. 15, 7 p.m.; $10 per ticket; Rick Crandall, pastor. SHREVEPORT – Trinity Heights church: “Coffee and Tea with Starla” women’s ministry event; Oct. 22, 8:30 a.m.- 12 p.m.; $10 per ticket; deadline Oct. 12, call Ilona Davis at (318) 221-2695; Billy Crosby, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Baptist Temple church:  Southern Plainsmen in concert; Oct. 16, 6 p.m.; Bill Broadwater, pastor. DUBACH – Lincoln Parish Expo center:  “Harvest for Christ” area wide crusade; Oct. 23-27, 7 p.m. nightly; Mark Lanier, music; Jack Daniels, evangelist. Homecomings HEBERT – Welcome Home church: Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m.; Bobby Ensminger, guest speaker; Bill Gueringer, pastor. FARMERVILLE – Crossroads church: Oct. 16, 10:45 a.m. with dinner on the grounds to follow; Tim Williams, guest speaker; Mark Norwood, pastor. JENA – Midway church: Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m., lunch to follow; Rick Feazell, pastor. MANIFEST – Pisgah church: 133rd;  Oct. 9, 11 a.m.; Joe Cruse, guest speaker; Jesse Watkins, interim pastor. Revivals EFFIE – … [Read more...]

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees voted unanimously to keep the seminary in New Orleans during a Sept. 27 meeting at the seminary’s temporary administrative offices in Decatur, Ga. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees voted unanimously to keep the seminary in New Orleans during a Sept. 27 meeting at the seminary’s temporary administrative offices in Decatur, Ga. Trustees also approved the administration’s plans to restore the main campus to normal operation by August 2006. “I am very excited about the passionate commitment of trustees to the city of New Orleans,” seminary President Chuck Kelley said of the vote. “After talking through the (issue), there was absolutely no reservation, no hesitation, that New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is and always will be New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.” The trustee board met on the seminary North Georgia campus in a called meeting last week to discuss the damage to the seminary campus and explore options for the future. From the beginning, the meeting took on a hopeful tone. Trustees discussed the question of returning to New Orleans before their vote. In the end, with awareness of the task facing the seminary, the … [Read more...]

A Southern Baptist Convention task force has released a report calling for greater Cooperative Program support from leaders throughout the denomination. A Southern Baptist Convention task force has released a report calling for greater Cooperative Program support from leaders throughout the denomination. The report recently was released by the eight-member Task Force on Cooperation. It includes 13 recommendations with the goal of boosting Cooperative Program giving and improving cooperation between the national and state conventions. Chief among the recommendations is one calling on elected convention leaders to come from strong Cooperative Program churches and to be “well-known advocates” of the Cooperative Program. “Never before has the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention – from entity heads down to every Sunday School teacher and pastor – needed to sound the call for evangelism and the Cooperative Program,” SBC President Bobby Welch said. “Everybody can appreciate the heartfelt and clear message of the task force – that leadership should lead the way, in both going and giving.” Southern Baptists widely have been praised for their involvement in the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. But what … [Read more...]

When Johnny Rayford received the e-mail to Mississippi pastors requesting volunteers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he decided he had to respond. When Johnny Rayford received the e-mail to Mississippi pastors requesting volunteers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he decided he had to respond. Rayford immediately gathered all the equipment he would need and headed south. However, his truck was not loaded with chain saws, cleaning supplies or water. Instead, Rayford brought cooking pots, four portable gas burners, propane tanks, a pile of spices and boxes of food on the road. He then ended up at First Baptist Church of Bay St. Louis, Miss., doing one of the things he does best. Rayford serves as pastor at Crestwood Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., and admits he is not good with a chain saw. “But I can do some cooking,” he insists. At one time, Rayford owned a Jackson restaurant called “A Little Taste of New Orleans” and was pastor of a small church. But a fire that destroyed his restaurant sent him in a new direction. He decided to be a fulltime pastor. “My restaurant was my passion,” he says. “And when it becomes your passion, it consumes you. When the restaurant burned down, I lost it all. … [Read more...]

Week of October 10, 2005 Enabling relief work Southern Baptist International Mission Board has announced employees of that agency will be allowed five days of paid administrative leave to help in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. “Without affecting any other (paid time off) or administrative leave, you can have a full week to be involved in this disaster relief,” agency President Jerry Rankin recently told staff members. “We want to do our part.” Employees may serve with whatever organization they choose – Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the Red Cross or other teams. Without the allowance, staff who wished to be personally involved in on-site relief efforts would have had to take personal vacation time. Staff members will be eligible for the five days of paid leave as long as Katrina relief efforts continue. LC schedules lecture Louisiana College has scheduled its annual Sanders Lectureship in Biblical Studies for Oct. 18-20 at 10:50 a.m.  Emir Caner, dean of the College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, will serve as the keynote speaker. The lectureship is designed to bring a Bible teacher or scholar to the campus of the Pineville school in order to lead the community in a … [Read more...]

Week of October 10, 2005 Potpourri BATON ROUGE – Foster Road church:  Mike Canady, guest speaker; Oct. 23, 10:15 a.m.; Huey Moak, pastor. WINNFIELD – First church: “Abducted” Judgement House production; Oct. 26-31, 6-8 p.m.;  $2 donation; for tickets, call (318) 628-3544; John Holland, minister of music; Brandon Lewis, minister of youth; Lindsey Burns, pastor. DERIDDER – Westview church: Beauregard Associational meeting on Oct. 13 cancelled due to hurricane Rita; Roy Lee Johnson, director of missions. LIBUSE – Philadelphia church: Emir Caner, co-author of the book “Behind the Veil,” guest speaker; Oct. 19, 6:15 p.m.; Philip Robertson, pastor. PINEVILLE – Pineville Park church: The Harrell’s in  concert;  Oct. 16, 5 p.m.; Gregory R. Carroll, pastor. Revivals ALBANY – Old Zion Hill church: Oct. 23, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 24-26, 7 p.m.; guest speakers are as follows: Sunday/Lonnie Wascom, Monday/David Hankins, Tuesday/Ken Taylor and Wednesday/Jeremy Thompson; Glenda Jelks, music; Bobby Stultz, pastor. COTTON VALLEY – Unity church: Oct. 23, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 24-26, 7 p.m.; Joe Aulds, evangelist; Cecil Marr, pastor. EROS – Oak Grove church: Oct. 16, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 17-19, 7 p.m.; … [Read more...]

Another piece about the destruction and terrible impact of sister hurricanes Katrina and Rita hardly seems necessary, but saying “thank you” certainly does. By Lynn P. Clayton LBM Editor Another piece about the destruction and terrible impact of sister hurricanes Katrina and Rita hardly seems necessary, but saying “thank you” certainly does. Again and again, the kindness, compassion and generosity of literally hundreds of thousands – probably millions – of people shown to the victims of the hurricanes have been overwhelming. Institutional generosity has been impressive. It seems every major company in America has given significantly of goods, services, manpower and money to relief efforts, as individuals have opened their hearts and pocketbooks to help. Their financial contributions will total millions upon millions of dollars. And may I say without trying to be boastful, churches and other religious organizations have been incredibly generous with services, goods, money and spiritual and moral support. This editor is bold enough to estimate that outside of government aid, at least one half of all financial and personnel assistance has come through religious organizations or because of Christian … [Read more...]

Global Maritime Ministries, the Southern Baptist ministry to the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana, has found that the world is truly at their doorstep as thousands of international seamen enter their ports each year. Global Maritime Ministries, the Southern Baptist ministry to the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana, has found that the world is truly at their doorstep as thousands of international seamen enter their ports each year. The minstry’s three-man staff often has the opportunity to share Christ with persons from countries closed to missionaries. But the presence of relief workers from across the nation and the prevalence of loss due to Hurricane Katrina have produced a myriad of new visitors and ministry opportunities for the port ministry, even as they deal with their own loss. Though no physical damage was sustained at the two centers and offices operated by the South Louisiana ministry, personal loss was much greater. Philip Vandercook, executive director of Global Maritime Ministries, and his staff returned to the New Orleans port as soon as authorities allowed, providing clothes, Bibles and supplies for those in need, including 15 Harbor Police officers … [Read more...]

Cooperative Program giving for national causes during fiscal 2004-05 that ended September 30 finished above 2003-2004’s by $6,083,167, or 3.20 percent, and exceeded the approved 2004-2005 budget for the year by $12,496,728. Cooperative Program giving for national causes during fiscal 2004-05 that ended September 30 finished above 2003-2004’s by $6,083,167, or 3.20 percent, and exceeded the approved 2004-2005 budget for the year by $12,496,728. The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Board, acting ad interim on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention, voted that beyond-the-budget contributions for the last fiscal year go to three areas of great need among Southern Baptists caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amount could be as much as $7 million. Distribution of the money will be: • One-half to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to aid faculty and students recover from losses and to help rebuild the campus. • One-fourth to the three state conventions most affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to keep ministers on their fields and to assist churches in recovery. • One-fourth to North American Mission Board for its extensive hurricane disaster relief operation. The Great Commission … [Read more...]