New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees voted unanimously recently not to change its articles of incorporation to name the Southern Baptist Convention as its "sole member." New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees voted unanimously recently not to change its articles of incorporation to name the Southern Baptist Convention as its "sole member." The action makes the seminary the only convention entity not to make the change. At the same time, seminary trustees approved a motion reaffirming its "deep and abiding commitment to the Southern Baptist Convention." Since the mid-1990s, denominational entities have been amending their articles of incorporation in order to make the Southern Baptist Convention what is called in legal terms their "sole member." Proponents of the process say that sole membership primarily will do two things. First, it will explain the legal relationship between the convention and its entities in terms with which modern courts are familiar, thus saving time, paperwork and money in court cases. Second, it will prevent an entitys board of trustees from doing what some college trustees have done in … [Read more...]
Church bus accident in Louisiana claims 8 lives
A tragic bus accident on I-20 last week some two miles west of Tallulah claimed the lives of eight people who were on a 16-day church tour of historic sites in southern, eastern and northeastern states. A tragic bus accident on I-20 last week some two miles west of Tallulah claimed the lives of eight people who were on a 16-day church tour of historic sites in southern, eastern and northeastern states. The bus was owned and operated by First Baptist Church of Eldorado, Texas, and the tour was sponsored by the church. The bus was eastbound on I-20 with 13 passengers and two drivers on board. News reports indicate the driver said he went to sleep at the wheel and drifted into an 18-wheeler loaded with compressed cotton and parked on the right-hand shoulder of the interstate. The driver survived the crash. John Rushing, pastor at First Baptist Church of Tallulah, said he went to the hospital to be of whatever assistance possible. Two injured passengers initially were taken to the relatively small hospital in the community but then were transferred to hospitals in Mississippi. A temporary morgue was set up at the hospital as well. Rushing said he found that there was little he could do because families of the … [Read more...]
Have you told your minister(s) lately that you love them?
Was it Eddie Arnold who first sang, "Have I told you lately that I love you..."? If it was not, it should have been. Eddie could sing that kind of song like no one before him or after. (My apologies to those readers who are too young to know about the velvet voiced Purina farm boy who sang to us every Saturday from our Philco.) Was it Eddie Arnold who first sang, "Have I told you lately that I love you..."? If it was not, it should have been. Eddie could sing that kind of song like no one before him or after. (My apologies to those readers who are too young to know about the velvet voiced Purina farm boy who sang to us every Saturday from our Philco.) That song probably got more husbands to say to their wives, "Have I told you lately that I love you?" than all the articles in Readers Digest and sermons from Baptist pulpits aimed at that purpose put together. Interesting, is it not, that we almost never have to be reminded to say what we want, but often have to be reminded to say "thank you" when we receive it? Maybe that is the reason the Southern Baptist Convention folks acknowledge the importance of designating October as Minister Appreciation Month. How refreshing, to have a legitimate month among National … [Read more...]
Weekly Briefs
For the week of October 30, 2003 Correction In last weeks Baptist Message, it was reported that Fred Lowery of Bossier City would preach at the 2003 Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference. Actually, Fred Luter of New Orleans is scheduled to preach at the conference. The conference is set for Nov. 10 at East Bayou Baptist Church in Lafayette, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Also, in last weeks Baptist Message, two errors appeared in the listing of nominees to convention committees and boards. Ken Norris was incorrectly listed as pastor at Brookwood Baptist Church in Shreveport. He actually is pastor at Benson Baptist Church in Mansfield. Charles Hutzler was incorrectly listed as pastor at Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. He actually is pastor at Hebron Baptist Church in Dry Prong. Also, the Oct. 16 story entitled "Reason to smile - LBC church reaches out in love" should have included in the byline "from material submitted by Joyce Richards Case." Photos were courtesy of Tammi Woerner. LC Wildcat Day Louisiana College has scheduled its annual Wildcat Day for November 8 on the Pineville campus. Wildcat Day is designed to give high school students an overview of college life at Louisiana College. It offers … [Read more...]
Know candidates’ moral judgment as well as their fiscal insights
Anyone who says, "You cannot legislate morality" has not read, seen or heard the news, particularly the last few weeks. One can say with accuracy that moral motivation or intent cannot be legislated and that a law does not determine the morality of an act. Anyone who says, "You cannot legislate morality" has not read, seen or heard the news, particularly the last few weeks. One can say with accuracy that moral motivation or intent cannot be legislated and that a law does not determine the morality of an act. But certainly moral actions can be legislated and immoral actions can be prohibited legislatively. Some would say almost all laws have moral and ethical considerations and implications. At this moment, several legal matters with profound moral issues are being affected by legislators, judges and government executives. On page two of this issue of the Baptist Message, a news brief reports that the United States Senate has approved a ban on partial-birth abortion and that President Bush is certain to sign the bill into law. There is little question that the bill deals directly with a moral issue, even if some believe the practice is not immoral. And, until the bill becomes law, partial … [Read more...]
For ‘Mr. Redskin,’ there is something bigger than football – the glory of God
Darrell Green has built a reputation as "Mr. Redskin" - he is fast, he is loyal and he has staying power. Darrell Green has built a reputation as "Mr. Redskin" - he is fast, he is loyal and he has staying power. Green also has a reputation as an absolute hands-down believer who is not afraid to be obedient to Christ - even if it means losing millions of dollars. Now retired, Green wowed Washington Redskins fans for 19 years as the teams cornerback. He was known best as the National Football Leagues fastest man. He held that title for a decade, lost it, then regained it a year later with a 4.24 time in the 40 yard dash. He was a football Pro-Bowler seven times and played in the Super Bowl three times. He had at least one interception in 18 consecutive seasons and compiled 53 interceptions through the course of his career. At 41, he was the oldest player to hold his position. Through it all, Green has kept football secondary to his relationship with Jesus. "Ive done a lot, but theres nothing that makes me rejoice more than knowing that, by his grace, I could live to advance his kingdom and still today have a voice to the nation on some level as to … [Read more...]
If called by God to be a leader – then, lead, speaker urges
Leaders are not better than other people - but they are different, Andy Stanley insisted recently. And they must take care to honor that God-given difference, added Stanley, an author and pastor at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga. Leaders are not better than other people - but they are different, Andy Stanley insisted recently. And they must take care to honor that God-given difference, added Stanley, an author and pastor at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga. After all, what is at stake are unreached people who will not go to a status quo church, Stanley emphasized. What is at stake is building a church intent on attracting people rather than keeping people. "Leaders hate the status quo, ..." Stanley said during the "Whatever It Takes" conference at First Baptist Church of West Monroe in late August. "Leaders love forward progress." Stanley was one of several speakers during the conference, which attracted hundreds of participants from several states. "Nothing strikes terror in a leaders heart more than the prospect of being stuck, ..." Stanley said. "God made you that way. ... God designed you to be … [Read more...]
Reaching the unchurched ( Part Two )
Reaching the unchurched: Research shows there is a key to reaching the lost - and for many, it is as simple as inviting and bringing them to church, a Baptist prof insists Reaching the unchurched: Research shows there is a key to reaching the lost - and for many, it is as simple as inviting and bringing them to church, a Baptist prof insists Thom Rainer contends he has some insights about what unchurched people think about the church and about how they can be reached. That is not surprising. He and fellow researchers have spent some 5,000 hours interviewing a group they call the "formerly unchurched" - those who had no church experience and yet found their way to faith and involvement in a local congregation. Rainer wanted to know the answer to a simple question - what happened to bring these individuals to church. The resulting responses offered important words to churches about how they must present the gospel to reach the lost. "Some of the insights they provided us were incredible," said Rainer, an author and professor of evangelism and dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Rainer presented an overview of those … [Read more...]
Reaching the unchurched ( Part One )
Reaching the unchurched: Research shows there is a key to reaching the lost - and for many, it is as simple as inviting and bringing them to church, a Baptist prof insists Reaching the unchurched: Research shows there is a key to reaching the lost - and for many, it is as simple as inviting and bringing them to church, a Baptist prof insists Southern Baptist seminary professor Thom Rainer re-members the day all of his research and preaching about reaching the unchurched came home to roost. He was having a conversation with his neighbor, a nominal, uninvolved Catholic. Just a few days earlier, he had given the man a copy of his latest book as a thank-you for picking up his mail for a few days. It was a book on reaching the unchurched. In the course of the conversation, the neighbor told Rainer he had read the book and had a question. "Why havent you ever invited me to church?" the man asked. "You talk about it all in that book, but youve never invited me to your church. Dont you like your church?" Ouch. But the man was right, Rainer indicated during a conference held earlier this summer at First Baptist Church of Covington. Even Rainer had failed to follow through on what he maintained is the key to … [Read more...]
Weekly Announcements
For the week of October 30, 2003 Potpourri NEW ORLEANS - Oak Park church: Seminarians Concert; Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m.; free admission; Paul Brady, pastor. DENHAM SPRINGS - Dallas Holm in concert; Nov. 15, 7 p.m.; $5 per person; for tickets, call (225) 664-4102; Danny Henderson, pastor. LIVINGSTON - Colyell church: David Ring, guest speaker; Nov. 2, 7 p.m.; Sanford Sherman, pastor. PIONEER - New Prospect church: Gospel Preaching/Singing event; Nov. 1, 7 p.m.; Ken Evans, Kenny Duchesne and Lee Piercy, speakers; refreshments served; Walter Cloud, pastor. PINEVILLE - Louisiana College: Art exhibit reception featuring sculptures of Morris Taft Thomas; Nov. 4, 6 p.m.; exhibit on display Nov. 4-26; call (318) 487-7435 for information; Rory Lee, president. MINDEN - Harris Assembly camp: Senior adult retreat; Nov. 5, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Randy Hales, Darrell Washam, Linda Osborne, David Abernathy, Miguel Barrios, Stephanie Reeves and Genie Norman, guests; $10 per person, includes lunch, morning refreshments; reservation deadline is Nov. 3; call (318) 377-4434; William Shaw, camp manager. WESTLAKE - First church: "Satisfaction for … [Read more...]
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