Louisiana College trustees approved a new policy on academic freedom last week, following a process intended to address accreditation concerns. Louisiana College trustees approved a new policy on academic freedom last week, following a process intended to address accreditation concerns. The new policy is longer than the previous one – and more detailed. It defines academic freedom and outlines specific ways it will be implemented at the school. Essentially, academic freedom is defined as the “right of each member of the academic community to pursue free and responsible inquiry within the mission of Louisiana College.” Later, the policy adds, “Academic freedom is afforded to every member of the academic community and is always found within the context of the standards or norms of the institution. ... Louisiana College and its faculty recognize the Lordship of Christ and seek its meaning in each academic discipline. Academic freedom, then flows out of the deep sense of responsibility and professional preparation that mark the Christian faculty member.” A historical background section expounds on the idea by noting the policy continues to be based on historic 1940 principles and on the traditional … [Read more...]

When seminary students James and Pamela Thompson evacuated their New Orleans apartment Aug. 27, the couple never dreamed they would be the parents of a baby girl less than 24 hours later. When seminary students James and Pamela Thompson evacuated their New Orleans apartment Aug. 27, the couple never dreamed they would be the parents of a baby girl less than 24 hours later. “Being from Florida, we’d been through hurricanes,” says Pamela Thompson, who attends New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary along with her husband. “We just weren’t expecting to have a baby during a hurricane.” The couple’s story began when the seminary ordered a mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Katrina approached on Aug. 27. Instead of checking into a New Orleans-area hospital to ride out the storm, the couple researched their lodging options in other cities. Hotels in Jackson, Miss., and Monroe were booked, so they traveled four hours that afternoon to Alexandria. By the time they reached the central Louisiana town, Thompson began experiencing labor pains and checked into Rapides Regional Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The next morning, Pamela and James Thompson called their parents, who all attend the same Florida church. … [Read more...]

Former President George H.W. Bush is set to be the featured speaker for Louisiana College’s centennial celebration on Oct. 26, 2006. Former President George H.W. Bush is set to be the featured speaker for Louisiana College’s centennial celebration on Oct. 26, 2006. “The opportunity to have President George Herbert Walker Bush is an indescribable event in the life of Louisiana College,” LC President Joe Aguillard said. “His presence on our campus endorses the values and belief system that our college is pledged to fulfill and marks the first time in our 100-year history that a United States president has graced our institution in this capacity.” Bush is set to address the Louisiana College student body at a weekly chapel service and to address a scholarship luncheon in Alexandria as well. Aguillard described Bush’s scheduled visit “one of many miraculous events occurring on our campus, a priceless gift to our student body and an acknowledgement of God’s grace over our campus.” Trustee Chair Tim Johnson of Choudrant said, “This will truly be a red-letter day for Louisiana College. “For nearly a century, Louisiana College has prepared young men and women intellectually and spiritually to minister to the … [Read more...]

Norris Landry remembers a call he received one morning – from a friend he had not seen or spoken to in 25 years. Note: As part of the annual Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering (September 18-25), the Baptist Message is presenting reports on ongoing missions work across Louisiana. Information for the articles has been provided by the Louisiana Baptist Women’s Missions and Ministry Team. Norris Landry remembers a call he received one morning – from a friend he had not seen or spoken to in 25 years. The man had heard Landry’s voice on the radio and recognized his old friend. He located the number for the program and called his old acquaintance. In a nutshell, that is the power of the French radio ministry Louisiana Baptists have conducted for 60 years. On a regular basis throughout the year, Louisiana Baptists broadcast the French Baptist Hour on six stations throughout South Louisiana and on one station in the Nova Scotia area of Canada. The objective is two-fold – to share the gospel in the French language to Louisiana residents who still speak the language and to encourage French-speaking believers to engage in evangelism with their friends and … [Read more...]

Fred Luter Jr. no longer has a home or the church building where he has preached since 1986. The New Orleans pastor also has no idea where most of his flock is, nor many of his friends and family. Fred Luter Jr. no longer has a home or the church building where he has preached since 1986. The New Orleans pastor also has no idea where most of his flock is, nor many of his friends and family. But one still finds the pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans preaching a message of encouragement. Last week, he kept an appointment to preach at a chapel service at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While there, he met with family, friends and even members of his church that he had not seen since the storm. Luter and his wife left Louisiana on a previously-planned trip to Arkansas just as Hurricane Katrina drew a bead on New Orleans. They expected to be gone only a matter of days and took along only a few articles of clothing. As for his 7,000 church members, Luter said he has had contact with only about 100 of them since Katrina. “I miss them; I just don’t know where they are,” he said. For a time, Luter said he felt fear as his city flooded. But then, he said he sensed a rebuke and a … [Read more...]

A sage once appropriately said that life is a marathon, not a dash. But what Louisiana faces in the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is both a dash and a marathon. A sage once appropriately said that life is a marathon, not a dash. But what Louisiana faces in the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is both a dash and a marathon. Right now, we are running the dash – running full speed for a short distance. We are overwhelmed by immediate, short-term needs for food, clothing, shelter and comfort. This is the time to run full speed to help victims any way we can. In a matter of weeks, we will enter the marathon stage. Needed efforts will not be met quickly, easily or cheaply. We will learn of churches and parsonages that need extensive repairs or complete rebuilding. We will learn of other families who have lost their houses and everything else, including jobs. We will discover children in new towns and new schools with parents who can barely provide the essentials of life. And like in a marathon race, after awhile, our muscles and bones will begin to ache, and we will wonder if we can continue. It is at this point that we will discover how committed we are to the task of helping those in … [Read more...]

Week of September 12, 2005 LC change The inauguration of Joe Aguillard as Louisiana College president has been postponed as a result of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent relief efforts. “So many in our state are suffering because of Hurricane Katrina, and many in our college community have been affected,” Aguillard said. “We feel like our direction from God at this point in time is to focus on ministering to those who are in need. There will be time for an official inauguration later.” A worship service scheduled in conjunction with the inauguration also has been postponed. However, a prayerwalk still is set for Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. on the Pineville campus. “If ever there was a time when our campus and our state needed to be wrapped in prayer, this is it,” Aguillard said. The tentative date for the rescheduled inauguration is March 23, 2006. For information about Louisiana College efforts to assist persons affected by Hurricane Katrina, visit www.lacollege.edu/katrina/index.html. For information on the prayerwalk, visit www.lacollege.edu/prayerwalk/prayerwalk.pdf. Katrina cancellations The LifeWay Women Reaching Women Conference set for Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at First Baptist Church of Opelousas has been cancelled due … [Read more...]

Week of September 12, 2005 Potpourri DRY CREEK – Dry Creek camp: The following upcoming events have been cancelled due to the camp operating as a shelter for hurricane Katrina victims:  Community Luncheon/Sept. 15, Timothy Retreat/Sept. 16-17 and See You at the Pole Youth Rally/Sept. 17; for information, call (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager. PINEVILLE – Louisiana College: Inaugural Prayer Walk; Sept. 24, 11 a.m.; meet between Alexandria Hall and the student center; participants will receive free admission to the afternoon football game; Joe Aguillard, president. JENA – First church: Kingdom Bound Quartet in concert; Sept. 25, 6 p.m.; Dominick C. DiCarlo Jr., pastor. MONROE – Parkview church: Church Growth Conference; Sept. 18, 12:30 p.m.; free; Josh and Missy Hunt, conference leaders; call (318) 325-3174 to make reservations; Whit Holmes, pastor. WEST MONROE – Fair Park church: Tutoring Children/Youth Training sessions; Sept. 15-16, 5:30-9:30 p.m.; Sept. 17, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; $30 per person/includes materials, refreshments and two light meals; register by calling (318) 396-6306; Waymond Warren, pastor. JONESVILLE – Lismore church: Old time gospel concert featuring Stacy Gallup Owen, Bernadette … [Read more...]

The scene seems like a war room right out of a movie. People are holding a desk phone to one ear and a cell phone to the other. Charts cover the walls. Individuals rush about distributing information and asking questions. Computer keys sing as information is entered and extracted. Urgency fills the room. The scene seems like a war room right out of a movie. People are holding a desk phone to one ear and a cell phone to the other. Charts cover the walls. Individuals rush about distributing information and asking questions. Computer keys sing as information is entered and extracted. Urgency fills the room. “I have to find out the length of the airstrip to know if this plane can land there,” a haggard John Hebert explains to a volunteer in Covington. “If they can land, the man has 1,000 one-gallon gasoline cans he wants to donate. If he can land, I’m sending the cans to Hammond, and I’m trying to get some gasoline in there. We have someone talking to Exxon right now. If that comes through, I promise you, you will get gasoline.” Meanwhile Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief Director Loy Seal speaks to his secretary above the other conversations going on in the room – “See if you can get a computer person up here. It … [Read more...]

God wants to use Louisiana Baptist churches in ways they never imagined in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Rick Warren says. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter God wants to use Louisiana Baptist churches in ways they never imagined in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Rick Warren says. “I came from California to say don’t miss this opportunity,”     Warren told persons attending a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief worship rally at Florida Boulevard Baptist Church in Baton Rouge last week. “People will be more open to the gospel over the next 90 days than they ever have been in their lifetime,” asserted Warren, author of “The Purpose-Driven Life” and pastor at Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif. “God is looking for people to use. If you say ‘God use me and my church,’ he’ll use you in amazing ways.” Organized by Louisiana Baptist Convention leadership, the rally also featured Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch. About 700 persons attended the gathering. Earlier in the day, Welch and Louisiana Baptist Convention leaders met with the state’s directors of missions amd later with Southern Baptist Convention leaders. Warren also spoke to a congregation of … [Read more...]