American voters in various states addressed three key issues during the recent elections - gambling, drugs and traditional marriages. The results were mixed. American voters in various states addressed three key issues during the recent elections - gambling, drugs and traditional marriages. The results were mixed. On the gambling front, voters in: Tennessee and North Dakota approved implementation of state lotteries. Arizona passed a measure to extend the state lottery for 10 more years. Iowa renewed casino gambling for the next eight years. Idaho agreed to allow slot machines on Indian reservations. Arizona passed one of three referendums to expand reservation gambling. "Those states ... are simply proving the axiom of the camels nose," said Barrett Duke, vice president for research for the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "Once it gets its nose in the tent, the rest is sure to follow. "That is why it is so important to prevent gambling from ever gaining a foothold. It is very difficult to get out once it gets in. "A previous generation of Americans were so sure of this that many of them included gambling bans in their state constitutions," Duke noted. "Todays … [Read more...]
Key insurer finds 15-passenger vans ‘inherently unsafe’
More than 10,000 churches continue to operate a vehicle the Southern Baptist Conventions primary insurer of churches has declared "inherently unsafe." GuideOne is the church insurer endorsed by the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. It insures more than 50,000 churches, and about 10,000 of those maintain policies on one or more 15-passenger vans. More than 10,000 churches continue to operate a vehicle the Southern Baptist Conventions primary insurer of churches has declared "inherently unsafe." GuideOne is the church insurer endorsed by the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. It insures more than 50,000 churches, and about 10,000 of those maintain policies on one or more 15-passenger vans. However, the insurer has strongly encouraged churches to stop using the vans. "GuideOne believes 15-passenger vans to be inherently unsafe," a company statement said. "We encourage our policyholders to strongly consider other transportation options." GuideOne still covers 15-passenger vans it already has insured but has stopped writing new policies for them. It also has issued regulations about who may operate the vans. All drivers are required to have a chaffeurs or commercial … [Read more...]
Weekly Briefs
For the week of November 21, 2002 Messenger registration A total of 1,401 persons registered as messengers to last weeks Louisiana Baptist Convention in Bossier City. The total marks a decline from last year, when 1,592 messengers registered. It also marks the lowest registration total since 1,228 messengers attended the 1998 annual meeting. But the total does represent an increase from the last time the convention met in Bossier City. At that meeting in 1994, a total of 1,215 messengers registered. Vote totals Messengers engaged in a trio of ballot votes at last weeks annual meeting - all during the report of the Executive Board. Messengers cast ballots on three board recommendations within a span of minutes on Tuesday morning. These included: A vote to add the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message to convention bylaws. A total of 1,191 messengers cast ballots (including two disqualified votes) - 85 percent of the final registration total. A vote to affirm the Bible in the convention constitution. A total of 1,058 messengers cast ballots (including one disqualified vote) - 75.4 percent of the final registration total. A vote to revamp the associational director of missions … [Read more...]
20-minute sermons seem to benefit listeners, preacher
Last weeks column was a word to sermon listeners. This weeks is for sermon presenters. As did last weeks column, this one draws from Peggy Noonans book, On Speaking Well (Harper Collins, 1997). Ms. Noonan is one of the most noted recent presidential speechwriters who in this book shares from her expertise in crafting speeches for Ronald Reagan, among others. Last weeks column was a word to sermon listeners. This weeks is for sermon presenters. As did last weeks column, this one draws from Peggy Noonans book, On Speaking Well (Harper Collins, 1997). Ms. Noonan is one of the most noted recent presidential speechwriters who in this book shares from her expertise in crafting speeches for Ronald Reagan, among others. Her first "preliminary" is titled, "No Speech Should Last More than Twenty Minutes." In answering "Why?" she refers to Ronald Reagan who said no one wants to sit in an audience in respectful silence for longer than that, if that! "He also knew twenty minutes is more than enough time to say the biggest, most important thing in the world. The Gettysburg Address went three minutes or so, the Sermon on the Mount hardly more. It is usually and … [Read more...]
Messengers elect trio of state officers without opposition
Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers elected a trio of state officers last week by acclamation, with nominees endorsed by the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship sweeping the offices. Messengers granted sitting President Steve James a second term as state convention leader without opposition. James is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers elected a trio of state officers last week by acclamation, with nominees endorsed by the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship sweeping the offices. Messengers granted sitting President Steve James a second term as state convention leader without opposition. James is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. James was nominated by Ken Fryer, associate pastor at Broussard Grove Baptist Church in Prairieville. Fryer told convention messengers at last weeks annual meeting that James "has served us well, working diligently to promote a spirit of unity among all Louisiana Baptists." He noted James is unapologetically committed to inerrancy and to cooperative missions. Fryer also praised the state convention leaders commitment to evangelism and to ministering to other … [Read more...]
‘Choose not to lose the blessings of God,’ state convention leader urges
God has blessed Louisiana Baptists - and they must be careful to guard that which has been committed to their trust, Steve James stressed last week. "Choose not to lose the blessings of God," James urged persons during the annual presidents address at last weeks Louisiana Baptist Convention in Bossier City. God has blessed Louisiana Baptists - and they must be careful to guard that which has been committed to their trust, Steve James stressed last week. "Choose not to lose the blessings of God," James urged persons during the annual presidents address at last weeks Louisiana Baptist Convention in Bossier City. Too many times, Christians and churches fail to guard what they have received - and the power and presence of God is on them but for a season, said James, state convention president and pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. However, it does not have to happen that way - if Louisiana Baptists will understand four keys, James said. One, there must be a commitment to the Scriptures, he emphasized. "The Word is the gospel, ..." James stressed. "The main responsibility of every New Testament church in the convention ... … [Read more...]
State agencies take steps to solidify ties to convention
Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps - intentions, in one case - to tie themselves closer to the state denomination last week. Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message, the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home and the Baptist Retirement Center all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists. Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps - intentions, in one case - to tie themselves closer to the state denomination last week. Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message, the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home and the Baptist Retirement Center all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists. Concerns about that arose after agencies in several other states had acted to sever ties from their state convention and move to self-perpetuating boards. In response, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board appointed a study committee to examine the charters of denominational agencies and determine what - if anything - needed to be done to ensure the same scenario did not occur in … [Read more...]
Revamped director of missions structure approved
After months of discussion, Louisiana Baptists finally adopted a new system for employing and administering associational directors of missions. Messengers to last weeks annual Louisiana Baptist Convention voted 592 (50.8 percent) to 573 (49.2 percent) in favor of a revamped director of missions structure. After months of discussion, Louisiana Baptists finally adopted a new system for employing and administering associational directors of missions. Messengers to last weeks annual Louisiana Baptist Convention voted 592 (50.8 percent) to 573 (49.2 percent) in favor of a revamped director of missions structure. The approved change replaces a structure that had been used for more than four decades. As the previous process worked out, local directors of missions have been employed and administered by the state convention - working in consultation with associations - for a number of years. The previous structure allowed associations to choose from three options - to employ and administer their own director of missions, to enter into a contract by which the state convention employed and administered a director or to work out an agreement in which the association … [Read more...]
Messengers affirm Bible, Baptist Faith and Message
This year, the fourth time was the charm for those Louisiana Baptists seeking to affirm the Bible and the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. After unsuccessful tries in recent years, messengers to last weeks annual state convention voted to add the Baptist Faith and Message to convention bylaws and to affirm the inerrancy of Scripture in the denominational constitution. This year, the fourth time was the charm for those Louisiana Baptists seeking to affirm the Bible and the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. After unsuccessful tries in recent years, messengers to last weeks annual state convention voted to add the Baptist Faith and Message to convention bylaws and to affirm the inerrancy of Scripture in the denominational constitution. Both actions were approved by two-thirds majority votes - but not without debate. The pair of recommendations were presented by the LBC Executive Board. Messengers considered addition of the Baptist Faith and Message to state bylaws first. Carlton Winbery spoke against the motion. He said he always has been taught that not only was a Christian to seek all existing help and materials in interpreting Scripture but also was to … [Read more...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of November 21, 2002 Potpourri • FERRIDAY - Community church: Gospel concert; Nov. 23, 7 p.m.; Karl Wilson, pastor. • GRETNA - First church: Louisiana Sonlight in concert; Dec. 1, 10:45 a.m.; Kenneth Duke Sr., pastor. • BAKER - First church: Glory House Singers in concert; Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m.; Jim Bain, interim pastor. • MONTGOMERY - First church: The Needhams in concert; Dec. 1, 6 p.m.; Don Smith Jr., pastor. Christmas Programs • SCOTT - First church: Live nativity; Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m.; George B. Bannister, pastor. • WEST MONROE - McClendon church: "When Love Came Down" musical; Dec. 1, 6 p.m.; Janis Knight, music director; Rick Crandall, pastor. Ordinations • TULLOS - First church: Brain Rankin to the gospel ministry; George Treutlein, pastor. • ST. FRANCISVILLE - First church: Pete Easterly, Claude Mount and Scotty Owens to deacon ministry; Joe Ratcliff, pastor. • BATON ROUGE - First church: Jonas deBarros, Jeff Harris, J. C. Ligon, Cleatus "Red" Jenkins and Hank Yarbrough to deacon ministry; Burn Page, pastor. Ministers Needed • JENNINGS - First church: Full-time minister of music; send resumes to: First Baptist Church, … [Read more...]
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