This article is used by permission of the Christian Examiner. By Todd Starnes, Fox News COLORADO SPRINGS (Christian Examiner) — The Military Religious Freedom Foundation is demanding an Air Force major be "aggressively punished" for having an open Bible on his desk at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "It [the Bible] is very obviously a statement of Christian preference, Christian primacy," MRFF founder Mikey Weinstein told me. "Had that been the Book of Satan or the Koran there would be blood in the freaking streets." He accused Maj. Steve Lewis, a supervisor at the Reserve National Security Space Institute, of "harboring and encouraging a truly abhorrent example of First Amendment civil rights violations." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
Chuck Norris: the power of a praying mother
By Ron F. Hale Growing up with an alcoholic father is a “Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” existence. Your heart-cry is to be normal (like other families) but every dashed hope marks your heart like the rings of an oak tree. Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne, and Hopalong Cassidy were the motion picture shoot-‘em-up cowboy heroes who shaped Carlos Ray Norris, Jr’s image of a man and the notion of what his father could or should have been. Little Carlos grew up dirt-poor as the oldest of three brothers in small-town Ryan, OK. He was born in 1940 with Cherokee and Irish heritage. Sixteen low-rent housing moves were made by the time Carlos was 15 years old. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
George Foreman: fighting the good fight
By Ron F. Hale People got killed every weekend in the bloody Fifth Ward of Houston, TX where George Foreman struggled to find his way as a troubled teenager. With a menacing manner and imposing physique Foreman became a bully and a mugger. Either by fate or the providence of God, Foreman found his way into a new government program called Job Corps. Charles “Doc” Broadus, a counselor and boxing coach, inspired Foreman to turn that big chip on his shoulder into punching prowess. Incredibly, in 20 short months Foreman went from being a no-name novice to becoming the world heavyweight amateur champion. Waving a small USA flag as the new heavyweight boxing gold medal winner was Foreman’s “Kodak moment” at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]
Paul Harvey’s baptism: the rest of the story
By Ron F. Hale Paul Harvey Aurandt was born on September 4, 1918 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Twenty-five years later, the surname was dropped for professional reasons as his star rose in the world of radio. Tragedy struck early as three-year-old Paul lost his father while he was in the line of duty as a Tulsa policeman. The burglar’s bullet put the family in desperate financial straits. To keep debt collectors at bay, Paul’s mother had small apartments built into their house to make money from renters. Paul built his own radio set as a kid and the magic and medium of radio remained a lifelong passion. In high school Paul worked at KVOO, a local station in Tulsa, and eventually worked in Salina (KS), Oklahoma City, Honolulu, and St. Louis. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
‘The need is great’: Unprecedented flooding leaves thousands homeless, desperately seeking help
By Will Hall, Philip Timothy and Brian Blackwell, Message Staff ALEXANDRIA -- “The need is great,” according to John Hebert, responding about the massive flooding which struck the southern part of the state after record rainfall began August 12. Hebert, state mission director who also oversees Louisiana Baptists’ combined disaster relief efforts, said the flooding has been historic, citing statistics from emergency management officials that 40,000 homes have been impacted, so far, and in some places 75 percent of them destroyed. “Some folks on the ground are suggesting upwards of 60,000 homes may be affected,” he told the Baptist Message. “Importantly, this disaster comes just a little over four months after the record spring floods which devastated the northern part of the state,” Hebert said. “This is significant because about 70 percent of Louisiana Baptist volunteers are in that part of the state, and they dealt with losses while simultaneously helping others for weeks. Now, they just got their homes in order and we are asking them to step up, again, for this recovery effort. “We need more volunteers, we need donations to purchase supplies and we need more prayers,” Hebert emphasized. RAINS FELL, WATERS … [Read more...]
Gevan Spinney: Hold on, the cavalry is on its way
By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA - On his way to Denham Springs to minister to people devastated by the historic floods, Gevan Spinney, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, told the Baptist Message he wanted folks to know help is coming. HOPE Spinney said he wanted “our friends” and “brothers and sisters” to rest assured Louisiana Baptists “are praying for you, and, we are coming.” “I know from experience being where you are it seems like it takes a while. But we want you to know the cavalry is on its way,” he emphasized. “I’ve been up here at the convention building and I’ve seen the command center,” Spinney shared. “It’s getting organized. They are putting things in place. “I looked on a board showing where shower trailer units and mud-out teams from all around are coming. Feeding trailers are coming from all over the states,” he continued. “Southern Baptists are on the way to get boots on the ground to help you through this.” HELP Spinney also made an appeal to “our churches north of Opelousas.” “Now is the time to help,” he said. “We’ve been through this. We know what it’s like. We don’t just have sympathy for our fellow Louisiana brothers and sisters in the south who have been … [Read more...]
Pray for these pastors whose homes were flooded
Please pray for these pastors, whose homes were damaged by recent flooding. Jay Avance, First Baptist Church, Baker Thomas and Bethany Fletcher, Faith Baptist Church, Baker Jeff Ginn, Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Lonnie Tucker, Still Water Baptist Church, Hammond Josh Powell, Woodland Baptist, Springfield David Collins, Blood River Baptist Church, Albany Darryl Woolery, Tammany Hills Baptist Church, Covington, Chris Fuselier, First Baptist Church, Youngsville Pat Deshotel, First Baptist Church, Welsh Jered Thomas, First Baptist Church, Lake Arthur Carolyn Conerly, widow of Roderick Conerly former LBC employee and Pastor Tommy Hicks, Antioch Baptist Church, Tickfaw Lee Rogers, First Baptist Church, Kaplan Larry and Elizabeth Langley, The Garden Baptist Church, Lafayette Kyle Sullivan, Woodlawn Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Deleece Nichols, First Baptist Church, Lafayette Bruce Worrell, Sherwood Baptist, Baton Rouge … [Read more...]
Pray for these flood-damaged churches
Please pray for these churches damaged by flooding in south Louisiana. Amite Baptist Church, Denham Springs Bethel Baptist Church, Franklinton Bethel Baptist Church, Jennings Blood River Baptist Church, Albany Carroll Baptist Church, Walker Church of Life, Baton Rouge Comite Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Cross Creek Cowboy Church, Zachary Crossroads Baptist Church, Amite Don Avenue Baptist Church, Denham Springs Eastside Baptist Church, Zachary Ebenezer Baptist Church, Hammond Emmanuel Baptist Church, Denham Springs Faith Baptist Church, Baker Fellowship Baptist Church, Central First Baptist Church, Baker First Baptist Church, Broussard First Baptist Church, Crossgate First Baptist Church, Denham Springs First Baptist Church, French Settlement First Baptist Church, Eunice First Baptist Church, Greensburg First Baptist Church, Head of Island First Baptist Church, Kaplan/parsonage First Baptist Church, Lake Arthur First Baptist Church, Lydia French Corner Baptist Church, Ponchatoula Friendship Baptist Church, Central Glen Oaks Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Gracepoint Church, Simmesport Grays Creek Baptist Church, Denham Springs Greenwell Springs … [Read more...]
‘Not again’
I think it was New York Yankee great Yogi Berra who said, “It’s like déjà vu all over again!” This is how I felt when I saw the low pressure system basically park itself over southeastern Louisiana. As I saw the videos being posted on social media and via various news outlets, I couldn’t help pray, “Lord, please, not again. Not so soon.” As you well know, we dealt with historic flooding in March across northern and western parts of our state. Volunteers from across Louisiana, as well as our Baptist brethren from a dozen or more state conventions, responded to the need. All told, volunteers spent 80 days assisting victims during the spring floods – and here we go – again. There is no answer to the “why” question on this side of heaven, but there is a promise found in Isaiah that can encourage us as we face the aftermath of another storm. “I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.” Isaiah 43:2, HCSB God promises that He’ll be with us when we pass through the waters. Even in the midst of a chaotic scene, God is there. Sometimes we sense His presence during the storm, but most often we do not. Either way, the promise is the same “I will be with … [Read more...]
Celebrating through service
Steve Masters celebrated a milestone Aug. 15 as director of the LSU Baptist Collegiate Ministry. “Having my 25th anniversary during a major disaster reminds me the most important things in life are God, family, church, friends and serving others,” Masters said. “Material goods that get flooded can be replaced. You cannot replace God!” He was joined by 20 LSU BCM students, who later helped clean out six homes in the area. Associate Director Sarah Farley challenged believers to react positively to “one of the worst disasters to hit our state. This is a great time to be the Global Church,” she proclaimed.” To be the tangible hands and feet of Jesus! Join us!” The BCM is hosting volunteer groups Aug. 26-28, Sept. 2-5 and Sept. 9-11, with housing provided at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. For information about partnering with them, contact sfarley@bcmlsu.net or lsubcm@eatel.net. … [Read more...]
