While many adults were packing up the kids and heading to getaway spots this summer, a host of Southern Baptist families went on mission to share the good news of Christ. While many adults were packing up the kids and heading to getaway spots this summer, a host of Southern Baptist families went on mission to share the good news of Christ. Ministering side-by-side, the mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, husbands and wives and grandparents and grandchildren united in Central Arkansas to take part in FamilyFEST 2001. Louisiana Baptists were among them. FamilyFEST is a national project of Womans Missionary Union that brings families together to work with local volunteers in support of ongoing missions projects. Last months effort in Little Rock, Ark., was the first-ever FamilyFEST event - and it drew more than 100 volunteers. The families represented 11 states as they participated in various outreach and witnessing projects in several Little Rock metro areas. Missions activities included backyard Bible clubs, prayerwalking, light construction, block parties, reading clubs and hunger ministries. Other projects targeted nursing homes and needy … [Read more...]
Is there hope for Africa? Missions leaders say – YES!
Mary Jane Welch SBC International Mission Board It has been called the Dark Continent, exotic and mysterious, a place of adventure and of intrigue. It has been called the Dark Continent, exotic and mysterious, a place of adventure and of intrigue. Yet, far from dark, it is multihued, colorful and populated with people facing serious challenges and embracing a hope that will last through eternity. Zacchaeus is one of those. He no longer can do many things he once did. He must count on church members to meet his familys basic needs. Even walking and breathing are difficult. But one thing the church music leader can do. He can sing praises to God. Look into his eyes while he sings - the illness goes away. "When I stand up to sing words to Jesus Christ, I feel just as strong as anyone," he says. Like many Africans, Zacchaeus is wasting away from a disease some governments fear to name. But unlike many around him, Zacchaeus has hope - the hope found in Jesus. Can all of Africa sing with the same hope? Some facts seems to say no. For instance: An estimated 25.3 million children and adults in … [Read more...]
Cancer-stricken missionary sees daughter’s birth
Abigail Clara Beaty came into the world very early July 10 - 6 pounds, 4 ounces and 19 and a half inches of precious new life. Abigail Clara Beaty came into the world very early July 10 - 6 pounds, 4 ounces and 19 and a half inches of precious new life. And her dad - cancer-stricken Southern Baptist missionary Charles Beaty - was there to see her born. In fact, he was about the only one to see it besides Mom (missionary Christy Beaty) and Grandma. "She really surprised us," a smiling Beaty said, cradling Abigail in his arms at North Kansas City Hospital. "The baby arrived before the nurses or doctor could get in the room. I was freaking a little and yelling, Get in here! And the next thing I heard was a cry. Shes doing wonderfully. Praise the Lord I was there to see her." If the Lord wills, Beaty hopes to see a lot more of Christy, Abigail and his other three children, Amanda, 8, Alex, 4, and Ashleigh, 17 months. He also is making plans - tentative ones but plans nevertheless - to take a seminary class in the fall and to do more speaking and writing about the truths God has taught him through his bout with cancer. The Beatys appeared in June at the Southern … [Read more...]
Reports of private stem-cell research draws pro-life fire
Recent reports of scientists creating human embryos or attempting to clone embryos for research with their stem cells has stirred widespread condemnation from pro-life advocates. Recent reports of scientists creating human embryos or attempting to clone embryos for research with their stem cells has stirred widespread condemnation from pro-life advocates. The critics decry the fact that the embryos must be destroyed in order for the stem cell research to continue. The revelations of such controversial work came on successive days. The Washington Post reported on July 11 and 12 that: Researchers at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Norfolk, Va., have taken stem cells from embryos created by in vitro fertilization for experimentation. In doing so, the scientists became the first in the world to procure such cells from embryos created exclusively for research purposes, The Post reported. Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology, a biotechnology firm in Worcester, Mass., have initiated experiments to clone human embryos for the purpose of deriving stem cells for research. Pro-life ethicists called the reports evidence of a cultural slide … [Read more...]
Break free from bondage, speaker urges
Christians experience true freedom in Christ only through a disciplined, lifetime commitment to renounce whatever holds them in bondage, Elizabeth Luter said. Christians experience true freedom in Christ only through a disciplined, lifetime commitment to renounce whatever holds them in bondage, Elizabeth Luter said. Pride, fear and a failure to seek forgiveness are common sources of bondage among Christians, explained Luter, whose husband, Fred, is pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. "I didnt think I was guilty of false pride, because I wasnt boastful with it," Luter said, adding that God nevertheless showed her where she had problems and guided her in addressing them. And while people sometimes say fear makes a person humble, Luter disagreed during her presentation at a Southern Baptist gathering for black church leaders. "Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from experiencing the fullness of God," she said. Failure to trust God to forgive and forget sin represents another stronghold on the lives of some Christians, Luter continued. "Daily, we have to denounce things that trap us. For years, I believed in God, but I didnt believe … [Read more...]
Government money for faith-based efforts? No thanks
President George W. Bushs desire for the federal government to help fund faith-based social improvement efforts seem to be on a fast track to congressional approval, having already been approved by two House committees. President George W. Bushs desire for the federal government to help fund faith-based social improvement efforts seem to be on a fast track to congressional approval, having already been approved by two House committees. President Bush and the congressional handlers of the bill that would establish a bureaucracy to get federal money to faith-based organizations have made several revisions to the initial proposal. These revisions have helped relieve the concerns of some of those who had reservations about the initial proposal. To this editor, the revisions point out the problem of the entire idea of federal funds going to religious or faith-based activities. The House Judiciary Committee included the following among the amendments it added to the original proposal: No funds provided by the government may be used for religious "instruction, worship or proselytization." Recipients of aid from government-funded organizations cannot be required to … [Read more...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of July 26, 2001 Potpourri OAK GROVE - First church: 2001 Bayou Macon Association Evangelism Conference; Aug. 6, 7 p.m.; Charles Wesley, speaker; The Prospectors, music; James Parker, pastor. POLLOCK - Pleasant Hill church to sponsor a "School Uniform Swap Meet" on Aug. 4, 11 a.m.; for information, contact the pastor, Lyndon Marcotte, at (318) 765-3548 or (318) 641-9050 or e-mail to: 7653548@bellsouth.net. QUITMAN - Quitman church: Bible conference; Aug. 3, 6 p.m.; Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Aug. 5, 9:30 a.m. with dinner following; Craig James, Ed Lacy and Harvey Reeves, speaker; Donald Rudd, pastor. Homecomings LOTTIE - Cane Brake church: July 29, 11 a.m.; dinner to follow; Thomas Ayo, pastor, to speak. Anniversaries SPRINGHILL - Temple church: 40th; Aug. 5, 10 a.m.; James Carson, speaker; dinner to follow; Wayne Reeves, pastor. Revivals GOLDONNA - Yankee Springs church: July 29, 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.; July 30 - Aug. 1, 7 p.m.; Joey Bignar, evangelist; Don Doughty, pastor. Licenses NATCHITOCHES - Trinity church licensed Jacob Morrow to gospel ministry: Wayne Morrow, pastor. Welcome JOYCE - J. Tommy Smith has been called to East Winnfield church as pastor. He comes from New … [Read more...]
Prayer of Jabez
A best-selling book is introducing millions of Christiazns to an obscure Old Testament Prayer - but the resulting emphasis is cause for caution among some Mark Wingfield Texas Baptist Standard A best-selling book is introducing millions of Christiazns to an obscure Old Testament Prayer - but the resulting emphasis is cause for caution among some Does God intend to give his children certain blessings - but only if they ask? Does reciting the same prayer to God every day provide power? Does praying daily for God to bless one and enlarge ones territory violate dictates of Christian humility and sacrifice? Has the so-called "health and wealth" theology found a back door into Baptist congregations? These are some of the theological questions raised by the breakaway popularity of Bruce Wilkinsons bestselling book - "The Prayer of Jabez." The book has been widely embraced by Baptist ministers and laypeople in recent months. In the book, Wilkinson urges readers to "reach for an extraordinary life" by praying the prayer of Jabez daily. Wilkinson writes that he has prayed the prayer of Jabez every day for 30 years - and has found it … [Read more...]
Prof – ‘You can learn to deal with (stress) better’
Judi Jackson was stressed. She was a full time doctoral student, as well as a seminary professor. Her husband also was a seminary professor and traveled ... a lot. Judi Jackson was stressed. She was a full time doctoral student, as well as a seminary professor. Her husband also was a seminary professor and traveled ... a lot. She had kids. Then, if that were not enough stress, the worst happened. Her mother and her father-in-law both died in a few months time. It is fitting that Jackson would be leading a recent Southern Baptist conference on handling stress. The adjunct professor of church recreation/wellness at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has learned from experience. "Stress is your bodys reaction to change - and I had a lot of changes going in a relatively short time," Jackson said during her session at Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisc. "Im not about to tell you that you can get rid of the stress in your life. You cant. All you can learn to do is to deal with it better." Jackson described the two kinds of stress. First, there is distress or bad stress. This kind of stress will … [Read more...]
I only needed two – maybe I can sell the other 5,127
They are piling up in the refrigerator, spilling onto the floor every time the door is opened. Without creative action, they will take over the place. They are piling up in the refrigerator, spilling onto the floor every time the door is opened. Without creative action, they will take over the place. Everyone orders one of those "deal meals" at a drive-through burger place. Marvelous how they come up with those cute, rhyming names. You get a burger, fries and drink in any one of three sizes. By the time you finish ordering, you feel like you have been playing 20 questions: "Would you like cheese on that? Would you like to super size it? How about big size it? What kind of drink would you like with that? Would you like some pie with that? Would you like ketchup?" Normally, I say, "No thank you" to the ketchup. I like to drive safely. Peeling the wrapper until it exposes just enough burger, juggling that, plus removing the fries from the holder, then placing them into my mouth and working the drink back and forth from the holder on the dash and into the mouth while talking on the cellular phone is about all I can handle while negotiating the Alexandria South Traffic Circle … [Read more...]
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