For the week of April 10, 2003 Potpourri • SIMPSON - Simpson church: Aubrey Whitlock, guest speaker; Barry Pounds, musical guest; April 14, 7 p.m.; Falis Holloway, pastor.   • LORANGER - Living Waters camp: Equipping Men Retreat, for ages 12 and up; April 25, 6 p.m.- April 26, 4 p.m.; Norman Wakefield, guest speaker; $40 per person/includes meals and lodging; $40/$25 for father/son; April 21 registration deadline; for information or to register, call (985) 643-6017; David Willoughby, camp manager.   • MANY - Many High School: Sabine and North Sabine Assocational Team Impact Rally; April 9-13, 7 p.m. nightly; love offering; for information, call First church of Many at (318) 256-5655; Lee Dickson, director of missions.   • DERIDDER - Mount Carmel church: "His" gospel singers in concert; April 19, 7 p.m.; Fred Hartzell, pastor.   • LORANGER - Living Waters camp: Senior Adult Day; April 29, 9:30 a.m. registration - 12 p.m. with lunch to follow; A. L. Palmer, main speaker; Cal Jones, guest speaker; Ivy and Anne Butler, music; $6.50 per person/$3 deposit due by April 23; for reservations, call (985) 345-1831; David Willoughby, camp manager.   • ALEXANDRIA - Parkview … [Read more...]

Sitting in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier at night can be an awe-inspiring moment.   On this night, Lt. Johnnie "Cooter" Caldwell whispers a prayer and settles into his seat. After a last salute, the catapult underneath him snaps the plane - engines at full throttle - speeding down the deck until it lifts into the air with incredible velocity. Sitting in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier at night can be an awe-inspiring moment.   On this night, Lt. Johnnie "Cooter" Caldwell whispers a prayer and settles into his seat. After a last salute, the catapult underneath him snaps the plane - engines at full throttle - speeding down the deck until it lifts into the air with incredible velocity.   It is a moment Caldwell has experienced often. He has been deployed with the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Five (VFA-105) to the USS Harry S. Truman for more than four months now. While the separation from home is hard, Caldwell says he knows he is right where God needs him to be.   "I wanted to be a pilot as early as 6 or 7 years old," said Caldwell, who is a member at London Bridge … [Read more...]

As expected, newspapers and news-casts are full of reports about the strategies and tallies and details of the war against Iraq.   But there is another story running just under the current - the role of prayer in America’s latest military conflict.   Reports from various religious news services make it clear - prayer is playing a powerful role in the midst of war. As expected, newspapers and news-casts are full of reports about the strategies and tallies and details of the war against Iraq.   But there is another story running just under the current - the role of prayer in America’s latest military conflict.   Reports from various religious news services make it clear - prayer is playing a powerful role in the midst of war.   In one headline example, the mother of an Army captain who has garnered worldwide notoriety for a heroic rescue insists her son is alive today because of God’s grace and the power of prayer.   Army Captain Chris Carter, 31, is a member at Southside Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga. On March 31, he led a daring rescue when an elderly Muslim woman got caught on a bridge in the middle of American and Iraqi gunfire. Using his vehicle … [Read more...]

For the week of April 17, 2003 Southwestern resignation Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Ken Hemphill has announced plans to resign from that post at the end of the current academic term. Hemphill, 54, said he will take "early retirement" from the seminary to become national strategist for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. He becomes the first president in the seminary’s 95-year history to leave the post voluntarily for another position. Hemphill will complete the current academic term before moving to Nashville, Tenn., where he will be jointly employed by the SBC Executive Committee and LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Hemphill came to the school as president in 1994, succeeding Russell Dilday, who had been fired by fundamental/conservative trustees. Hemphill’s decision came in the midst of a trustee meeting on the Fort Worth, Texas, campus. Among other things, during the meeting, trustees approved a $30.8 million budget for the next academic year, an increase of 1.5 percent. They also adopted a new student fee structure that moves from a matriculation fee to a tuition-based system. Officials declined to reveal the approved … [Read more...]

The images of the statue of Saddam Hussein crunching to the ground in the heart of Baghdad seared themselves in the minds of people around the world.   Those brief scenes capture the essence of why most Americans believe our military personnel are there. The images of the statue of Saddam Hussein crunching to the ground in the heart of Baghdad seared themselves in the minds of people around the world.   Those brief scenes capture the essence of why most Americans believe our military personnel are there.   When the United States troops lined Paradise Square, a handful of Iraqi men entered the square with a large, frayed rope and affixed a crude noose around the statue’s neck. They struggled to pull the huge, powerful statue to the ground, but their resources were not adequate. Their desire could not make up for their inadequate resources.   Of course, the U.S. Marines in Iraq had more than adequate resources for the task. From their masses of heavy equipment the Marines have there, a tank retriever pulled up to the statue and, in a matter of moments, brought it to the ground.   The men who earlier had rushed the statue to try to cause its fall now danced in … [Read more...]

lighthouses provide a sense of direction for marine navigation - but for Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville, the beacon serves a different purpose.   "Our church has adopted the lighthouse as a symbol of our prayerful desire to be a lighthouse of faith, hope and love," explains Weldon Moak, pastor of the Jenkins Memorial congregation. Lighthouses provide a sense of direction for marine navigation - but for Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville, the beacon serves a different purpose.   "Our church has adopted the lighthouse as a symbol of our prayerful desire to be a lighthouse of faith, hope and love," explains Weldon Moak, pastor of the Jenkins Memorial congregation.   It is hard to overlook the depictions of the lighthouses that are in the church classrooms, hallways and Moak’s office. In addition, the congregation even dedicated one that sits in the church’s front yard.   Their lighthouse stands 14-feet tall, but the church’s desire to reach the lost is immeasurable, Moak says.   "We did not want to build it so large that it distracted from the church or appeared to be an idol or something," he says. "We wanted people to be able … [Read more...]

Two veteran Southern Baptist officers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood say they can sense a spiritual awakening among soldiers at the nation’s largest military training base.   "It’s something I have noticed recently," says Col. Chester White, a 30-year Army engineer. "I have seen a real Christian movement among the military here." Two veteran Southern Baptist officers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood say they can sense a spiritual awakening among soldiers at the nation’s largest military training base.   "It’s something I have noticed recently," says Col. Chester White, a 30-year Army engineer. "I have seen a real Christian movement among the military here."   White says he thinks the revival is a result of the growing number of Christians in leadership positions and the knowledge of soldiers that they could be facing danger.   "Everybody has a tendency, I think, to stop and pray a little longer - especially if there’s a chance they’ll be going into harm’s way," White explains.   Major Jeffrey Bruns is a Southern Baptist military chaplain. He says he saw something similar in the Gulf War 12 years ago.   "I also saw it when I went into Bosnia," Bruns … [Read more...]

The 2003 Louisiana legislative session is in its early days - but there already are some scary possibilities evident, Ken Ward said.   "There’s some issues that scare me as far as what direction they could go," said Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation.   "There’s some real potential damage that could be done on some key moral and social issues." The 2003 Louisiana legislative session is in its early days - but there already are some scary possibilities evident, Ken Ward said.   "There’s some issues that scare me as far as what direction they could go," said Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation.   "There’s some real potential damage that could be done on some key moral and social issues."   Although the deadline for filing bills comes near the end of the month, more than 1,000 Senate bills already have been filled - along with more than 1,700 House measures.   Proposed legislation touch on the range of moral and social issues - including abortion, AIDS, alcohol, gambling, marriage and pornography.   "It is critical for Louisiana residents to remain alert and informed and to … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist women honored the past and took up the challenge of the future during the annual state Woman’s Missionary Union meeting last week.   "This is holy ground in Louisiana, ..." Cindy Townsend told hundreds of women from around the state just moments after she officially was installed as the new Louisiana Baptist director of women’s missions and ministry. Louisiana Baptist women honored the past and took up the challenge of the future during the annual state Woman’s Missionary Union meeting last week.   "This is holy ground in Louisiana, ..." Cindy Townsend told hundreds of women from around the state just moments after she officially was installed as the new Louisiana Baptist director of women’s missions and ministry.   "Our state needs to know Jesus. ... I have a vision for every single church having a heart for missions education. ...   I want to promote missions. ... I want to get in the dirt and touch those who hurt, ..." Townsend emphasized during a Friday evening session.   "I want us to welcome the missions lifestyle."   The Friday evening gathering was one of three sessions held at First Baptist Church of Lake Charles. More … [Read more...]

Recently, I had the opportunity to see some Louisiana high school students experience a spring break with substance.   They did not spend the week basking on the sunny beaches of Florida or skiing the powder snow of the Rockies. Recently, I had the opportunity to see some Louisiana high school students experience a spring break with substance.   They did not spend the week basking on the sunny beaches of Florida or skiing the powder snow of the Rockies.   These students spent their week building God’s kingdom in the city of New Orleans. They were short-term missionaries who did construction at one of our local churches, Bright Star Ministries, and they ministered to the homeless and travelers in the French Quarter by distributing bottled water!   I was encouraged to know that high school students were willing to give up their spring break to join God at work in the city of New Orleans.   On behalf of MissionLab New Orleans, a ministry of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, I would like to thank the student ministry of First Baptist Church of Winnsboro, under the leadership of Steve Bryan, for their investment.   Southern Baptists of Louisiana … [Read more...]