POLLOCK – In 1999, H.P. Tarpley dreamed of publishing a book of sermons to benefit pastors, especially those ministering in the rural areas with limited training. By Brian Blackwell Staff Writer POLLOCK – In 1999, H.P. Tarpley dreamed of publishing a book of sermons to benefit pastors, especially those ministering in the rural areas with limited training. Seven years later, his dream has come true with the release of A Voice Crying in the Wilderness: Sermons for Country Preachers. Tarpley’s book of 10 sermons includes topics such as heaven, grace, the meaning of Golgotha and God’s response when a person cries for help. “The purpose of this book of messages even though they in no way compare to the messages of the great men of the past is to produce constructive themes or subjects to be used to better declare the word of God,” the retired Louisiana Baptist pastor wrote in the book’s preface. A graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville, Tarpley said the manuscript for the book had been “lying around my house for quite awhile, so I finally decided to let friends and other pastors read them.” In 2005, Tarpley finished the final manuscript and took it to the LifeWay Christian Resources … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – The Louisiana Baptist women’s missions and ministry team is sponsoring a bus trip to the “Experience the Joy of Missions” conference this fall. By Janie Wise Special to the Message ALEXANDRIA – The Louisiana Baptist women’s missions and ministry team is sponsoring a bus trip to the “Experience the Joy of Missions” conference this fall. The bus will leave from Alexandria, while making one pick-up stop in Monroe, for the national Woman’s Missionary Union conference on Sept. 28, and return to Louisiana on Oct. 2. “As women, we need refreshment, relationships, renewal and time to experience personal revival,” said Cindy Townsend, LBC women’s missions and ministry team leader. “The Ridgecrest trip will offer all this and more. Come and refocus your ordinary life to His kingdom work in extraordinary ways.” During the weekend, participants will hear and meet Southern Baptist missionaries and authors and attend a concert with the Annie Moses Band.  Planned workshops will cover such topics as witnessing with confidence, families on mission, drama and prayer. The total cost for the bus trip is $520. This includes conference registration and housing, transportation, hotels en route and a … [Read more...]

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Louisiana natives A. Ray and Christine Campbell are serving in Ormond Beach, Fla., where Ray has been appointed as a church planting missionary by the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board; they join 5,300 NAMB missionaries. By Mickey Noah NAMB Communications ALPHARETTA, Ga. –  Louisiana natives A. Ray and Christine Campbell are serving in Ormond Beach, Fla., where Ray has been appointed as a church planting missionary by  the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board; they join 5,300 NAMB missionaries. Before his new post, he was regional director of the church planting division for the Florida Baptist Convention in Jacksonville, Fla. A native of Baton Rouge, Ray and Christine, have one child, three-year-old Jamel. … [Read more...]

Several years ago, I ran into a gentleman who had been one of my high school football coaches. We had only talked for a moment when he said, “Boggs, I hear you’ve become a Baptist preacher.” I said, “Yes sir, a Southern Baptist preacher.” He replied, “What’s the difference between a Southern Baptist and any other ol’ Baptist?” I said, “The Cooperative Program!” By Kelly Boggs Editor Several years ago, I ran into a gentleman who had been one of my high school football coaches. We had only talked for a moment when he said, “Boggs, I hear you’ve become a Baptist preacher.” I said, “Yes sir, a Southern Baptist preacher.” He replied, “What’s the difference between a Southern Baptist and any other ol’ Baptist?” I said, “The Cooperative Program!” I went on to share how the Cooperative Program worked and explained that, in my opinion, it was the best way to advance the Kingdom of God both locally and around the world. I was attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a small Baptist college in Central Texas, when I first grasped the significance of the Cooperative Program. As a ministerial student, I qualified for a scholarship generated from the Cooperative Program gifts of Texas Southern Baptists. In … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana pastor David Crosby intends to present a proposal at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting that will ask messengers to change the location of a future annual meeting site. By Kelly Boggs Editor NEW ORLEANS  – Louisiana pastor David Crosby intends to present a proposal at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting that will ask messengers to change the location of a future annual meeting site. “I plan on making a motion from the floor at Greensboro that in 2008 we change the location of the annual meeting from Indianapolis to New Orleans,” the pastor of First Baptist of New Orleans told the Message in a telephone interview on May 24. According to Crosby, the motivation for the motion is spiritual.     “I think this would be a strategic move by the Southern Baptist Convention to make a significant impact on not only the city of New Orleans, but the entire region,” Crosby said. “Many of us have ministered here faithfully for years and it has been a difficult city to reach. However, since the hurricane things have been different.” New Orleans is “a city on its knees,” the pastor said. “People have been significantly impacted by the disaster … [Read more...]

ARABI – God was with them in the midst of 14 feet of floodwaters, and He’s going to be with them as they serve Him anew in St. Bernard Parish, Cindy and Craig Ratliff say. By Keith Manuel Regional Reporter ARABI – God was with them in the midst of 14 feet of floodwaters, and He’s going to be with them as they serve Him anew in St. Bernard Parish, Cindy and Craig Ratliff say. The retelling of their “hurricane story,” and of the destruction and rebirth of the church they served, First Baptist Church of Arabi, fit together in this summer’s season of rebuilding. Cindy’s day on Monday, Aug. 29, started at 5 a.m. At 8:10 a.m. she got up from the couch to see what Hurricane Katrina was doing to her neighborhood, and stepped into water an inch deep in her living room. Two hours later, Cindy and Craig were standing in two inches of water, but this time the couple were on their second-floor balcony developing a plan to escape. Very soon, the water would be thigh deep and at its maximum would reach a height of 14 feet. Craig had served as youth minister for two and a half years at First Arabi before the hurricane struck. A few months after the disaster, 93 members of the New Orleans-area church met in … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – At least 10 men and women from Louisiana are slated to be on the programs of gatherings related to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, which meets the week of June 11 in Greensboro, N.C. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA – At least 10 men and women from Louisiana are slated to be on the programs of gatherings related to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, which meets the week of June 11 in Greensboro, N.C. “Louisiana Baptists have always served the larger Southern Baptist family with diligence and enthusiasm,” said David Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “The Louisianans who serve this June will represent us and our Lord well.” The annual meeting for a second year will hold forth the Everyone Can! initiative of SBC President Bobby Welch for SBC churches to baptize 1 million people during the current church year. Information about the number of baptisms in Louisiana will not be available until after Annual Church Profiles come in from the churches this fall, said Sydney Smith, administrative support for LBC’s evangelism and church growth team. “Bobby’s been a great motivator through the years,” said … [Read more...]

GREENSBORO, N.C. (BP)--With the focus on evangelism and the goal of winning and baptizing 1 million people in a year, Southern Baptists will gather at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., June 13-14, for their annual meeting. By Michael Foust Baptist Press Staff Writer GREENSBORO, N.C. (BP) – With the focus on evangelism and the goal of winning and baptizing 1 million people in a year, Southern Baptists will gather at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., June 13-14, for their annual meeting. It will mark the fifth meeting in North Carolina for the denomination, but the first since 1916 (Asheville). Southern Baptists never have met in Greensboro. “My quest is going to be to keep the collective head, heart and eyes of the messengers on our main business of witnessing, winning and baptizing,” Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch told Baptist Press. “... I think that’s especially critical in light of the ACP report.” The most recent ACP, or Annual Church Profile report, showed Southern Baptists baptizing 16,000 fewer people in 2005 compared to 2004. It will be the second consecutive year that Southern Baptists have gathered under the banner of “Everyone Can” – a … [Read more...]

The 2006 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Among the issues creating the most interest is a contested election for president. By Kelly Boggs Editor The 2006 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Among the issues creating the most interest is a contested election for president. Thus far, two men have announced they will be nominated for the post of president of the SBC when messengers gather at Greensboro June 13-14: Ronnie Floyd, pastor of First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas, and Frank Page, pastor of First Baptist Church of Taylors, South Carolina. Adding to the intrigue is a rumor indicating a third candidate may also toss his proverbial hat in the ring. If the scuttlebutt is accurate, it will only add to the debate that the contested election has already produced. And that discussion centers on the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ channel for supporting state, national and international missions and ministry. Make no mistake: Floyd and Page are cut from the same theological cloth. What distinguishes the two men is … [Read more...]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Pending approval by the full Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, two of nine recommendations to strengthen the Cooperative Program will be revised when they are presented to messengers at the SBC annual meeting next month, according to a May 26 announcement by the EC president and officers. By Baptist Press Staff NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Pending approval by the full Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, two of nine recommendations to strengthen the Cooperative Program will be revised when they are presented to messengers at the SBC annual meeting next month, according to a May 26 announcement by the EC president and officers. The announcement followed a vote by teleconference May 25. One of the recommendations now will encourage churches to increase their giving through the Cooperative Program but no longer will specify a 10 percent goal for supporting the missions and ministries of state Baptist conventions and the SBC. Another now will encourage the election of leaders whose churches “are committed to increasing systematically and enthusiastically the percentage of undesignated receipts given through the Cooperative Program,” again without mention of … [Read more...]