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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Congress’ prayer tradition upheld by federal judge

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) -- The constitutionality of legislative prayer gained reaffirmation Oct. 11 when a federal court dismissed an atheist's challenge of the U.S. House of Representatives' right to bar him from delivering an invocation. Federal Judge Rosemary Collyer of the District of Columbia said U.S. Supreme Court precedent undergirds the long tradition of prayer to open congressional sessions and the House's rules in carrying out the practice. Collyer's support for legislative prayer in Congress came three months after a federal appeals court invalidated the practice in a North Carolina county. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Benton) was among those applauding the decision. “As an attorney who defended legislative prayer for many years prior to being elected to Congress, I am thankful for the court’s decision invalidating this latest atheist challenge to our cherished tradition,” said Johnson, a member of First Baptist Church in Bossier City. “As the Supreme Court has acknowledged many times, 'we are a religious people, whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.' I look forward to continuing to start our work in Congress each day as our founders did, with a prayer to God.” Speaker of the … [Read more...]

A few things to consider when calling a worship leader

By Clark Palmer What does a worship leader do?  Is a salary really necessary for someone to just lead a few songs each week? When it comes time to find a worship leader what should we look for? These are questions that come up from time and to time. I recently had occasion to think about them myself. Perhaps these observations and thoughts on this subject will be helpful. Perhaps we can move away from thinking, “why pay this person so much since they only work an hour a week.” A worship leader creates. Every Monday morning the worship leader starts with a blank page. At some point, well before Sunday, an outline of the worship service, including all the necessary parts, must appear. I say well before Sunday because after all the songs, Scriptures, and other parts are identified there is still much to be done. Creativity is required. There aren’t any style points awarded for “most creative worship service.” Creativity itself is not the goal. But a fresh, meaningful, thoughtfully planned time of worship produces engagement and impact.   Simply picking three or four hymns out of the list of thirty or so that are always sung and then plugging them into their normal spots on the standard, unchanging order of … [Read more...]

GuideStone vows to continue advocating for minister’s housing allowance

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS, Texas – A federal district court judge ruled Oct. 6 that the minister’s housing allowance, which allows churches to designate part of eligible ministers’ income as a tax-free housing allowance, is unconstitutional. The judge in the case — Barbara Crabb, an appointee from President Jimmy Carter’s administration — made the same ruling in 2013. That ruling was overturned in 2014 by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. Both the 2013 case and this year’s case were brought by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). In 2014, the case was dismissed by the circuit court of appeals because the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the case. “We have monitored this case and its predecessor cases closely and will seek as part of a long-standing coalition of ministerial benefit boards to file a friend-of-court brief on appeal at the appropriate time,” said GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins. “The housing allowance, far from being a government endorsement of religion, as Judge Crabb contends, actually removes government from the equation. Were it not for the housing allowance, the government would be imposing a tax on religious employers and … [Read more...]