As a pastor and former missionary, Calvin Wittman says he often wonders how many more people could be reached if churches expanded their participation in Cooperative Program missions. As a pastor and former missionary, Calvin Wittman says he often wonders how many more people could be reached if churches expanded their participation in Cooperative Program missions. “A pastor has to ask, what could we do in impacting the lostness in our world if every person would get involved in the Cooperative Program?” says Wittman, pastor at Applewood Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colo. “How many more people could be reached? What could we do if every church cooperated the way they want their members to cooperate? “If we’re not, as a church, giving at least 10 percent to the Cooperative Program, how can we ask our members to tithe?” Wittman says there is not a better way for persons to do missions than the Cooperative Program. “The Cooperative Program is the most effective way to reach the world with the gospel,” says Wittman, a former Southern Baptist missionary to Spain. “That’s why we’re involved with it. We’re a missions-minded church.” This year, Applewood members are ministering in Belarus, Brazil, Kenya, … [Read more...]

Taken by themselves, the numbers are benumbing enough – a recent national report indicates almost one-third (30 percent) of Louisiana children currently live in poverty conditions. That rate leads the nation. It also translates to 351,000 Louisiana children – and half of those live in what is defined by researchers as “extreme poverty,” where annual family incomes are less than 50 percent of the established poverty level. Taken by themselves, the numbers are benumbing enough – a recent national report indicates almost one-third (30 percent) of Louisiana children currently live in poverty conditions. That rate leads the nation. It also translates to 351,000 Louisiana children – and half of those live in what is defined by researchers as “extreme poverty,” where annual family incomes are less than 50 percent of the established poverty level. In turn, a full half of all Louisiana children live in low-income households, where the annual income is less than 200 percent of the established federal poverty level. And by the way, that established poverty level is not high. In 2003, the federal poverty line was $14,824 for a family of one adult and two children. For a family of two adults and two children, the line … [Read more...]

What can one person possibly do is a question often heard when individuals are presented with the hard realities of the world. What can one person possibly do is a question often heard when individuals are presented with the hard realities of the world. For instance, what can only one do about U.S. poverty, the epidemic of child abuse, the scandalous life too many children are forced to live in this richest of all nations? Look at the statistics – too many American children are suffering, too many are living in poverty, too many are living without hope.     This especially is true in Louisiana. But what can one person do? And what should one person be expected to do? After all, there are government programs to help those in need. There are faith-based programs as well. Southern Baptists have them – world hunger offerings to feed the starving and ministries that focus on teaching the illiterate and training the unemployable and sheltering the homeless. There are all kinds of foundations and organizations and grants and programs and initiatives. So, what should one person be expected to do – even if there were anything that one person could do? Well, for one thing, each person can hope … [Read more...]

Gideon Lim is pastor of a small Chinese mission in Shreveport – but his vision extends much farther than just that area. Note: Leading up to the Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering (September 18-25), the Baptist Message will present reports on ongoing missions work across Louisiana. Information and photographs for the articles have been provided by the Louisiana Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union. Gideon Lim is pastor of a small Chinese mission in Shreveport – but his vision extends much farther than just that area. Indeed, Lim’s efforts have left what one Louisiana Baptist leader called “fingerprints for Jesus” around the world. And that is just fine with the young Chinese pastor – he expects his church to be a missions force elsewhere. “The potential of this ministry is very huge,” Lim says on a DVD testimony for the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, which lends financial support to the Chinese Baptist Mission. “Even though right now, we are small, we see more and more Chinese coming in. ... “Also, the impact of this ministry is beyond Shreveport, ...” Lim continues. “Many of those who accept Christ, they will carry the gospel with them … [Read more...]

Week of August 8, 2005 Potpourri RAYVILLE – West New Hope church: Jamie Womack, guest speaker; Aug. 14, 11 a.m.; Troy Dennard, pastor. GLOSTER – Gloster church: Jamie Womack, guest speaker; Aug. 15, 7 p.m.; Ron McLellan, pastor. SULPHUR – First church: Palmetto State Quartet in concert; Aug. 26, 7 p.m.; tickets are $8 in advance/$10 at the door; for ticket information, call (337) 527-5231; David Holder, pastor. NEW ORLEANS – Oak Park church:  “Evidence of Grace” musical; Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Isaac Hallock, minister of worship; Paul Brady, pastor. BREAUX BRIDGE – Teche church:  Faithful Heart in concert; Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Wayne Lyons, pastor. VINTON – First church: Jamie Womack, guest speaker; Aug. 21, 10:30 a.m.; Bill Holifield, pastor. DRY CREEK – Dry Creek camp:  Men’s Fish Fry; Aug. 20, 2-5 p.m. activities/singing with dinner and worship service to follow; David Hankins, guest speaker; Mackey Willis, musical guest; for information, call (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager. MANSFIELD – First church:  “Somebody is Praying Me Through” musical; Aug. 14, 6 p.m.; Gary Gregg, minister of music; Thumper Miller, pastor. BOGALUSA – First church:  Larnelle Harris in concert; Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Bob Adams, … [Read more...]

Week of August 15, 2005 Iraqi elections The Iraqi Electoral Commission will not allow Iraqi expatriates to vote on a new constitution in October, effectively locking out a quarter-million votes from mostly religious minorities living in the United States, Britain and other countries.  The decision is certain to alienate the Christian minorities who comprise most Iraqi exiles, observers say.  New parliamentary elections will be held by the end of the year, following ratification of the new constitution in October. The commission has not announced yet if those elections will be open to out-of-country voters. An Iraqi Election Commission spokesperson said the organization running the January elections in Iraq initially had estimated an expatriate turnout of 1.25 million. Instead, only 250,000 were found, a low percentage. However, officials of the International Organization of Migration, which ran the January election, note they had only two months to launch a global get-out-the-vote effort among expatriate Iraqis. Of about 3.5 million Iraqi Christians, more than half are expatriates, with concentrations in the United States and Syria. Annuity Board update GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist … [Read more...]

Week of August 15, 2005 Potpourri BOSSIER CITY – Elm Grove church: Price Harris in concert; Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Billy Flowers, pastor. SHREVEPORT – Kingston Road church:  The Bennets in concert; Aug. 28, 6 p.m.; Trey Lewis, pastor. WINNFIELD – First church: Sanctuary choir to present concert of spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan; Aug. 28, 6 p.m.; John Holland, minister of music; Lindsey Burns, pastor. MINDEN – North Acres church: Joe Aguillard, guest speaker; Aug. 28, 10:15 a.m.; Roy Strother, pastor. PINEVILLE – First church: “Ridgecrest in Cenla” Sunday school training seminar; Aug. 27, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; David Hankins, guest speaker; Gary Baldwin, pastor. BAKER – First church: J. Garland McKee, humorist, will be performing Aug. 20, 6 p.m. and guest speaking Aug. 21, 10:30 a.m.; Dennis Allen, pastor. NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Theological Seminary: “Ridgecrest on the Red” Sunday school training seminar; Sept. 10, 9 a.m-3:30 p.m.; Gene Mims, guest speaker;  early registration deadline is Aug. 23; Charles “Chuck” Kelley, president. BREAUX BRIDGE – Teche church: French Rally; Aug. 26, 9:30 a.m. - noon; meal will be provided; call (337) 507-3301 to R.S.V.P.; Wayne Lyons, pastor. PINEVILLE – … [Read more...]

The manufacturers of the coffeemaker are some nice folks. They want to help us remove even the slightest possibility of our building burning down because of a problem their coffeemakers “may” have. The manufacturers of the coffeemaker are some nice folks. They want to help us remove even the slightest possibility of our building burning down because of a problem their coffeemakers “may” have. I am sure the fact that the letter mentions the “U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission” had little to do with this recall because the letter states clearly, “We have decided to implement a voluntary corrective program with respect to these coffeemakers.” There is, however, a not-so-subtle sentence in the second paragraph, all in capital letters, “YOU SHOULD STOP USING THIS COFFEEMAKER IMMEDIATELY.” That got me to read the rest of the form letter carefully. The reason for the recall, the letter states, is: “In certain of these coffeemakers manufactured between February 5, 2001 and May 17, 2004, the plastic pour-in bowl and lid immediately above the coffeemaker’s water tank may melt or ignite as a result of electrical arcing.” The letter assures us that only 17 of the targeted 1.75 million units have melted or … [Read more...]

Beneath the rubble of news about bombings, hostage-taking and political wrangling in Iraq lies a more positive picture of fledgling evangelical churches, Compass Direct news service reported. Beneath the rubble of news about bombings, hostage-taking and political wrangling in Iraq lies a more positive picture of fledgling evangelical churches, Compass Direct news service reported. In the northeast, Iraqi Kurdistan offers a haven for Christian activity as two rival Kurdish governments grow in their toleration of Muslims becoming Christians, the recent Compass Direct report stated. In the south, the evangelical church is growing rapidly. The report comes even as many observers worry that the proposed Iraqi constitution to be voted on this fall will not offer adequate religious freedom guarantees. It also comes on the heels of an earlier mass exodus of Christians from the Mideast nation. Many of those now are returning to the country, but others still are leaving. Still, some signs of positive steps can be found. In Baghdad, 15 evangelical congregations have started since the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, Compass Direct reported. Officially, only two evangelical churches – … [Read more...]

Gonzalo Rodriquez was working in a New Orleans store in 1980 when he felt the call of God to enter the gospel ministry. Note: Leading up to the annual Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering (September 18-25), the Baptist Message will present reports on ongoing missions work across Louisiana. Information and photographs for the articles have been provided by the Louisiana Baptist Women’s Missions and Ministry Division. Gonzalo Rodriquez was working in a New Orleans store in 1980 when he felt the call of God to enter the gospel ministry. The Honduras native did not hesitate, immediately launching a small Bible study group of five people. “It was exciting because I don’t have any experience in the ministry,” recalls Rodriquez, who accepted Christ as an 18-year-old studying years earlier in Mexico. “But I said, ‘God if you call me, I’m ready to work.’ “The God who called me I knew was the God who was going to be able to help me in this ministry,” he adds. “And I love the people. That’s the most important thing. I love the people, and I’m so happy when I see people who really change their lives through Jesus Christ.” Since that time, the obedient response of … [Read more...]