I spent all day Sept. 29 with three good friends, and it was one of the worst days of my life. We were finally able to get into New Orleans and begin the process of checking on our churches with associational worker Freddie Arnold, church builder Ed Jelks and his wife, Glenda. Guest commentary By Joe McKeever Director of Missions Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans I spent all day Sept. 29 with three good friends, and it was one of the worst days of my life. We were finally able to get into New Orleans and begin the process of checking on our churches with associational worker Freddie Arnold, church builder Ed Jelks and his wife, Glenda. We spent the day visiting more than 20 churches. We confined our visits to Orleans Parish. We drove down deserted streets with no traffic lights, with destruction on both sides, downed trees everywhere, homes boarded up, every store and every business closed. Not some and not most – every last one. From the time we entered New Orleans at 9:30 a.m. until we moved into Metairie seven hours later, we did not see one place to buy a Coke or go to the restroom. No birds were singing. One or two stray cats showed up and ran away. We saw an occasional … [Read more...]

Jim Spencer has fought his share of battles throughout his lifetime. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Jim Spencer has fought his share of battles throughout his lifetime. Six years ago, he underwent a multiple heart bypass  surgery – and fully recovered. Today, he faces one of the most decisive battles of his life – a bout with cancer. But if history is any indication, the pastor of Kingsville Baptist Church in Pineville is prepared for the fight – with the support of his church family and Louisiana Baptists,  who are preaching for Spencer while he  undergoes treatment. “God healed me six years ago, and I know he can now,” says Spencer, who has served at the Louisiana Baptist church for 29 years. “Pastors from all over Louisiana have called and reached out to me. Plus, I’ve received hundreds of cards and letters of encouragement.” Spencer learned May 10 that he has renal cell carcinoma – the most common kidney cancer among adults. During the first two months of treatment, Spencer traveled weekly to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, though now he is treated at the hospital just once every two to three weeks. Soon after Spencer began his medical treatment, interim youth minister … [Read more...]

Jerry Rankin admits he has a burden for West Africa, which perennially tops other regions in missionary resignations and ranks near the bottom of missionary appointments. Jerry Rankin admits he has a burden for West Africa, which perennially tops other regions in missionary resignations and ranks near the bottom of missionary appointments. “We experienced the heat, life in the villages, bone-jarring travel and saw the challenge of evangelizing this impoverished, disease-ridden, resistant area of the world,” said the International Mission Board president. “Many missionary families live in isolated locations without the amenities of phone service and reliable electricity. “Disease is rampant – the discussion is not whether or not one has contracted malaria, but when you last had an attack and how you are treating it. Missionaries have regularly had to evacuate countries as political coups and ethnic violence exacerbate the instability and danger.” Rankin’s comments about the discouraging environment of suffering in the region came during the recent meeting of International Mission Board trustees. West Africa was one of Southern Baptists’ earliest mission fields. In 2000, Nigeria commemorated 150 … [Read more...]

Listen to a St. Louis Cardinals radio broadcast and you won’t hear broadcasters Wayne Hagin and Rick Horton present the Gospel overtly. Their job is to talk about baseball, not about God. Listen to a St. Louis Cardinals radio broadcast and you won’t hear broadcasters Wayne Hagin and Rick Horton present the Gospel overtly. Their job is to talk about baseball, not about God. But in subtle ways, Hagin and Horton do what they can to reflect God’s grace in their lives – either over the airwaves or in their direct contact with people. “If Christ is in us, there’s going to be an aroma of Christ,” Horton said. “It has nothing to do with me. It’s just God’s grace in our life. I guess I have a hope and a belief that that shows through in ways I can’t even understand.” Hagin is the play-by-play announcer for all the Cardinals radio broadcasts. Horton, a former St. Louis pitcher, does the weekend television broadcasts with Bob Carpenter and also fills in on the radio from time to time for analyst Mike Shannon. For Hagin, the best way for him to share the Gospel with others is to live it. “The best sermon I ever heard was the one I saw,” Hagin said. “People watch how you conduct yourself. Major League Baseball … [Read more...]

We found Lynn Clayton’s editorial, “What will Katrina reveal of us? Will we look to God?” in the September 8 issue so logical, so well-thought out, so objective and perceptive. He wrote that all of us are being tested as never before – “Our endurance and patience and love and willingness ... will be tested for ... maybe even years.” He reminds us, at a crucial time, that we need to commit this tragedy into God’s hands, depending on him, not only on our wisdom, strength and goodness. “In Christ we are not victims, but victors!” he proclaims. Also, Lacy Thompson’s article in that issue was so beautifully written, approaching poetry! How true that “no word exists in human language” to accurately describe what recently happened in regions in the South and Texas. “Only God knows the word!” “And in the midst of faith, there is hurt” – and there are tears for the words that fail us. Thanks for words from your heart – sheer poetry – and biblical inspiration that opened up a clear Christian perspective in the midst of such a tragedy, a practical positive approach that so many in our area need now. I plan to read it to the Bridges Builders Bible class Sunday. Polly and A.D. (Danny) Martin Houma … [Read more...]

I’ve been waiting for somebody to say something. We’ve had 9-11 and the killer wave in Asia and now Katrina. What next? Is God trying to say something? I believe he is. I am not hearing any politicians or preachers or Baptist leaders say America needs to repent and turn to God. I am not hearing that we need to repent and call America back to God. It is time we wake up! God is judging our nation and our world. The civic leaders and powerbrokers met in Baton Rouge and planned a modified Mardi Gras and the rebuilding of the French Quarter. They said nothing about getting right with God. Now, many of our Southern Baptists are departing from the historical faith once delivered to the saints – you will find that in the book of Jude. There is no basis left for God to work from. He is left with the need to judge America, and he is, and he will. Vaughn Denton   Southaven, Miss. … [Read more...]

Week of October 17, 2005 LBC business As required by Louisiana Baptist Message articles of incorporation, notice is given that the following proposal will be presented for action to members of the Baptist Message, Inc., during a called meeting on Nov. 15 at 3:20 p.m. at First Baptist Church of West Monroe. As required, the proposal has been approved by Louisiana Baptist Message trustees. It now requires a two-thirds vote of members of Baptist Message, Inc., for final approval. The proposal reads: “Whereas the board of trustees of the Baptist Message, Inc., has determined that it is in the interest of better serving Louisiana Baptist churches to dissolve the Baptist Message corporation and transfer its assets and functions to the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Inc. “Be it resolved that the Baptist Message, Inc., effective January 1, 2006, be voluntarily dissolved without court supervision, that the assets of the corporation be transferred to the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Inc., and that Dr. Larry Thompson and Dr. Nathan Luce be, and are hereby, appointed co-liquidators for the wrapping up of the affairs of the corporation with all powers and … [Read more...]

How can he let the possibility of getting lost keep him from hunting there?” I asked. “He lives up here in the mountains.” How can he let the possibility of getting lost keep him from hunting there?” I asked. “He lives up here in the mountains.” The next day, I was hunting for elk in the area my friend hesitated to hunt because he was worried about getting lost. I never had been in this area, but it was not in an extremely remote area of the Rockies. There was a small group of cabins across only five miles of mountains and forest. Getting lost was the last thing on my mind. I left my truck above some areas of parks, or clearings as we call them in Louisiana. Hunting elk generally involves staking out a likely park and waiting for an unsuspecting elk to emerge. Elk mostly are nocturnal and in the spring and summer generally can be seen only at early morning or late afternoon – like deer in Louisiana. I waited until the last rays of daylight faded, hoping until the last minute an unsuspecting elk would appear. Then, I picked up my stuff and headed back to the truck. Darkness quickly covers mountains when the sun begins setting. I began to realize I would be going through the thick forest in total … [Read more...]

Mayor Nagin of New Orleans has the right goal, but his thinking about how to get there is terrible. It appears he thinks three negatives will make a positive. Mayor Nagin of New Orleans has the right goal, but his thinking about how to get there is terrible. It appears he thinks three negatives will make a positive. New Orleans certainly has experienced two negatives – Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And now, to fix New Orleans, he wants to create the next negative by making every hotel in New Orleans that has 500 rooms or more a casino as well. Listing all of the ways his idea is a bad one would take more space than this newspaper has. But here are a couple. First, Mr. Nagin’s memory must be very short. Apparently, he has forgotten how much trouble just one casino, Harrah’s, has had trying to stay in business in New Orleans. Former Gov. Edwin Edwards and a host of other gambling lovers said that such a casino would pump millions of dollars a week into the New Orleans economy and state coffers. A majority of state legislators fell for the smoke-and-mirrors act, and the casino opened. The casino did not provide millions of dollars every week to anyone – it went belly up. Owners of the casino that … [Read more...]

Week of October 17, 2005 Annual Meetings RIDGECREST – Ridgecrest church: Delta Association; Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m. meal with services at 6:30 p.m.; Preston Holder, pastor. Potpourri DEVILLE – Big Island church: Ricky Belgard in concert; Oct. 30, 6 p.m.; Todd Burgess, pastor. ELMER – New Hope church: “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” Ladies Conference rescheduled for Nov. 5, 8:30 a.m.-3p.m. with registration at 7:30 a.m.; $10 per ticket; for tickets, call Melissa Walters at (318) 659-3184; Wilkie Richmond, pastor. CROWVILLE – Crockett Point church: Men’s Retreat; Nov. 4, 7 p.m.; Nov. 5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Jack Daniels, evangelist; Joe Sin, pastor. JONESVILLE – Lismore church:  Ouachita/Delta Associational Evangelism Rally; Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m.; Ralph Webber, director of missions; Ken Gilmore, pastor. Youth VIDALIA – First church: One Way and M.C. Toc in concert; Nov. 4, after the local football game; concert will be held at the amphitheater on the riverfront; Trey Stevens, associate pastor of youth/recreation; Dan Glenn, pastor. Revivals QUITMAN – Beech Springs church:  Oct. 20-22, 7 p.m.; Oct. 23, 10:50 a.m.; Michael Hawley, evangelist; Larry Jinks, pastor. FOREST HILL – Elwood church: Oct. 23, 10:30 a.m. … [Read more...]