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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

ISIS’ lone wolf strategy threatens West

By Barak Mendelsohn, Council on Foreign Relations A string of lone wolf terrorist attacks in France, Germany, the United States and elsewhere suggests that the phenomenon continues to spread and that it is growing increasingly lethal. Between October 2015 and August 2016 radicalized individuals, as well as “wolf packs,” carried out over 20 attacks in response to the Islamic State’s call to indiscriminately kill “nonbeliever” civilians. The lone-wolf strategy benefits the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) in several ways. First, it is cheap and relatively easy. It requires no planning on its part or even contact with, or knowledge of, the perpetrators. Second, lone wolves frustrate preventive measures since they cannot be identified ahead of time, given they have no direct connection to ISIS, and in this way, shelters the group’s Western networks from possible exposure. Third, such attacks are damaging to both a nation’s psychology and its leadership, raising fear and inciting alarmism among civilians while making governments appear helpless and even incompetent. And fourth, the worldwide proliferation of lone-wolf terrorism boosts ISIS’ image, demonstrating its reach and appeal to both enemies and sympathizers. To read … [Read more...]

Report: U.S. transfers nukes from Turkish airbase to Romania

By Staff, Haaretz.com The U.S. has started transferring American nuclear weapons stationed at an airbase in southeastern Turkey to Romania, the independent Euractiv website reported on Thursday. The reported move comes after a U.S.-based think tank said on Monday that the stockpile at Incirlik airbase, which consists of some 50 nuclear bombs, was at risk of being captured by "terrorists or other hostile forces." To read the rest of this story, please click here. … [Read more...]

Kim Davis suit dismissed, but challenges persist

By David Roach, Baptist Press ASHLAND, Ky. (BP) - Although a federal judge has dismissed three lawsuits against Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who refused to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, the religious liberty of officials in other states continues to face legal challenges. Federal judge David Bunning, who jailed Davis for five days last year, closed the court's files on all cases against her Aug. 18 and ordered them removed from the docket. "The ACLU wanted to pursue the case and continue it against Kim Davis to seek damages and attorney's fees and costs," said Davis' attorney Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a legal organization specializing in religious liberty cases. "We opposed that, and the judge ultimately granted our request and dismissed ... all three cases that were filed against her ... It's a significant development." To read the rest of the article, please click here. … [Read more...]

Disaster relief ‘angels’ continue to aid Louisiana flood survivors

By Carmen K. Sisson, North American Mission Board freelance writer BATON ROUGE (BP) - Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continue flood recovery efforts across south Louisiana, coping with intermittent rain as they tear out insulation, sweep mud from houses and carry buckets of sodden clothing to curbs. Few areas were left unscathed last week when nearly 7 trillion gallons of rain fell, killing 13 people and damaging more than 60,000 homes in 20 parishes. State officials estimate the damages will exceed $20 billion, making the 500-year flood event one of the worst disasters to strike the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The damage begins in Hammond, La., and extends 160 miles west toward the Texas border. Along Interstate 12, once lush foliage is withered and gray. Trash flanks fences. Advertisements for home guttings become more numerous with every mile. To rest the rest of the article, please click here. … [Read more...]

What your vote does and does not do

By Barry McCarty, Christian Examiner FORT WORTH, Texas (Christian Examiner) — A lot of you are confusing the "consent of the governed," which is what happens in a political election, with some sort of absolute moral affirmation of everything the candidate you vote for has ever said or done. Your vote does nothing of the sort. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

OLYMPICS: Gold medialist Brianna Rollins: I want to be known as ‘the athlete who glorified God’

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – A trio of American sprinters swept the 110-meter hurdles final Wednesday night during the Olympics, but it was the post-race interview that many TV viewers will remember. Brianna Rollins won the gold medal with a time of 12.48 seconds, while teammates Nia Ali (12.59) and Kristi Castlin (12.61) captured the silver and bronze, respectively. It was the first Olympics since 1972 that a country had swept the event. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

GuideStone announces results of internal reviews, restructuring

By Timothy E. Head, GuideStone Financial Resources communications DALLAS — GuideStone’s theme for 2015 was the “Year of Efficiency,” whereby GuideStone sought out new efficiencies in people, processes and policies. Scores of efficiencies were identified and implemented throughout the organization, including streamlining employee training and onboarding, renegotiating energy contracts and bulk mailing services, and lowered medical group sizes to help assist more churches. Coming out of that effort GuideStone has announced a realignment of certain job responsibilities and the promotion of three new executive officers from within the ranks of the organization. The restructuring dovetails with GuideStone’s update to its long-range plan, GuideStone 100, to carry the ministry to its centennial in 2018, and beyond to 2020. Many positions were combined or redeployed and a small number were eliminated. Eligible personnel were offered an early voluntary retirement package, while many other employees were reassigned to open positions. A total of nine people who were unable to be accommodated in open positions were offered severance packages. “These steps we have taken will enable us to further enhance our ministry as we prepare to … [Read more...]

OLYMPICS: Surprise gold medalist says God doesn’t care about her swimming

This article is used by permission from the Christian Examiner. By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – In the run up to the Rio Olympics, first-time Olympian Maya DiRado told a journalist she believed God didn't really care whether or not she won in the competition. "I don't think God really cares about my swimming very much," DiRado said in June. "This is not my end purpose, to make the Olympic team. My God is powerful and in control, but I don't think he cares whether I win. It's interesting theology you can get into when it's a God of victory in your sport." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

OLYMPICS: U.S. volleyball player seeks God amid trials

By Tim Ellsworth, Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP) - Micah Christenson spent the past year playing professional volleyball in Italy. Sound like fun? He thought so, too, until he got there. He couldn't speak the language and was living alone for the first time in a foreign country. He didn't have any friends on the team. And then he got sick the first week. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

OLYMPICS: Phelps claims Warren’s ‘Purpose Driven Life’ helped him avoid suicide

By Staff, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life had a profound impact on Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps, ESPN has reported. After the 2012 Olympiad, when Phelps decided he was retiring from swimming, he reportedly sank deep into depression and started drinking heavily. However, not knowing what to do in life was not his only problem. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]