On Friday, Nov. 9, Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman mailed a letter to every church pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention asking him to participate in a Cooperative Program/Stewardship survey.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – On Friday, Nov. 9, Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman mailed a letter to every church pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention asking him to participate in a Cooperative Program/Stewardship survey. Chapman said the purpose of the survey is “to collect data that will provide an empirical baseline of our churches’ thoughts, feelings and perceptions about Cooperative Program/stewardship and to give us insights for developing a more focused strategy in the promotion of CP and stewardship across the convention.” LifeWay Research, the research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, is conducting the survey at the request of Chapman, who described it as the most ambitious survey conducted to date by LifeWay. Chapman stated in the letter to pastors, “Learning actual opinions and assessments is our objective.” Describing the survey as comprehensive, Chapman noted that “every pastor plus five members of each church in the convention are being asked … [Read more...]

We heard reports [at a recent meeting] about the ongoing ministries of the Rachel Sims Baptist Center and the Carver Center, both located in the uptown area of New Orleans and ministering to inner city children. Larry Miguez is over both centers, with Linda Middlebrooks assisting him at Rachel Sims and Jennifer Fannin at Carver. NEW ORLEANS – We heard reports [at a recent meeting] about the ongoing ministries of the Rachel Sims Baptist Center and the Carver Center, both located in the uptown area of New Orleans and ministering to inner city children. Larry Miguez is over both centers, with Linda Middlebrooks assisting him at Rachel Sims and Jennifer Fannin at Carver. They are incredible servants of God, pouring out their lives for Christ in some difficult situations. Lots of positive things to report. Rachel Sims and Carver are providing ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for some 22 participants at the moment. They have programs to prepare people to take their GED exams. Puppet ministries, after school homework clubs, and discipleship classes. They host volunteers in their buildings – church teams from outside our area – who come to minister in the inner city. Director Larry Miguez reports that the centers … [Read more...]

Editor’s note: Part of the purpose of the Baptist Message is building community among Southern Baptist churches in Louisiana – helping us all get to know each other better. Toward that end, we started Louisiana Landscapes 18 months ago to let readers know what was going on in churches across the state. We relied on newsletters supplied us by churches and associations. But not all the nearly 1,600 churches in Louisiana send out newsletters, so this year our goal is to contact by telephone every church in the state, to learn what God is doing through each, in order to pass on that information to our readers for inspiration, prayer support and ideas exchange – and to remind each of us how good it is to be a Louisiana Southern Baptist! WINNSBORO – Buford Brady, 70, is pastor of Lone Cedar Baptist. The church has been working for a year on the preliminary work needed before construction can begin – permits and inspections – on a new worship center to set adjacent to the current church building, which is more than 100 years old.  Earth was to have begun moving this week. About 40 people attend Sunday morning worship at Lone Cedar; 25 in Sunday School. At Christmas they celebrated the first person baptized “in several years,” … [Read more...]

COMINGS, GOINGS -Kurt Auger, new as pastor at First Baptist, Farmerville, from Paron Baptist, Sterlington. -Adam and Lisa Farris, new as youth directors at Emmanuel Baptist, Ruston. -Brandon Ramsey, new as full-time counselor at First Baptist, Ruston. -Greg Oden, new as bivocational music minister at Mt. Vernon Baptist, West Monroe. -Kevin Miles, new as student minister at New Chapel Hill Baptist, West Monroe. -Julie Cappo, new as children’s minister at New Chapel Hill Baptist, West Monroe. -Ronnie Parks, resigned as pastor at St. Clair Baptist, Boyce. -Donald Turner, new as music minister at Live Oak Baptist, Watson. -Scott Munson, new as interim minister of music at Florida Boulevard Baptist, Baton Rouge, from Riverside Baptist, Watson. -David Chelette, new as associate pastor of music and education at Riverside Baptist, Watson. -Travis Turner, new as bivocational pastor at North Eunice Baptist, Eunice. NEEDED -Webster-Claiborne Association needs pastors at the following churches: First Castor, Old Saline, Castor, Calvary, Springhill, First Cotton Valley, Fellowship Dubberly, North Acres Minden. Youth ministers are needed at First Arcadia, First Doyline, First Ringgold. -Concord-Union … [Read more...]

Marian Jordan’s life was much like the four characters on HBO’s hit show “Sex and the City,” characterized by casual sex and expensive fashion.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Marian Jordan’s life was much like the four characters on HBO’s hit show “Sex and the City,” characterized by casual sex and expensive fashion. “Sex and the City became the show that defined life for modern single girls,” Jordan writes in a new book, “Sex and the City Uncovered,” released by B&H Publishing Group. “These new [role] models taught us that sex wasn’t sacred; it was simply a biological function. It was ‘just sex.’ “I’m just a girl who believed the lie that the deep longings of my soul could be fulfilled in the lifestyle portrayed on Sex and the City,” Jordan admits. “Rescued from the emptiness, I’m here to tell other women the rest of the story.” Jordan was a single career woman living a life focused on fashion, sex, alcohol and approval. When a friend invited her to Second Baptist Church in Houston, Jordan met the love of her life – Jesus. She began to see the misconceptions portrayed by Sex and the City and set out to share her new understanding with viewers of the show, which remains in syndication. “The girls of Sex and the … [Read more...]

Motherhood Interrupted, a book to be released early this month, consists of stories of healing and hope after abortion. Sixteen women come together to offer their personal experiences on how abortion affected their lives. Motherhood Interrupted, a book to be released early this month, consists of stories of healing and hope after abortion. Sixteen women come together to offer their personal experiences on how abortion affected their lives. “These revealing stories underscore the impact of abortion on the individual, relationships and families,” said Jane Brennan, author of Motherhood Interrupted. “These courageous women overcome their shame and guilt to witness to the devastating aftermath of their choice. “Through their stories readers will understand that abortion is not the answer for women or society,” Brennan continued. “Motherhood Interrupted is a journey through acceptance, forgiveness, and healing arriving at mercy and hope.” A Google search on “abortion regret” shows this is a book sorely needed. A 30-minute film on the subject – I Was Wrong – was released in July. “Empowered and unified voices of experience speak dismissed truth into the darkest moments of child loss through choice,”  said Joyce Zounis, … [Read more...]

William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and seminary professor and current president of Olivet University International in San Francisco, says he will allow his name to be placed in nomination for Southern Baptist Convention president when messengers meet in Indianapolis in June. SAN FRANCISCO (BP) – William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and seminary professor and current president of Olivet University International in San Francisco, says he will allow his name to be placed in nomination for Southern Baptist Convention president when messengers meet in Indianapolis in June. Wagner formerly was a professor of missions at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and before that an International Mission Board missionary for 31 years in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. He served as SBC first vice president from 2003-04. He also is the pastor of a small San Francisco-area church, Snyder Lane Baptist, and the author of the 2004 book, “How Islam Plans to Change the World,” published by Kregel. “It is hard to believe that the Southern Baptist Convention, historically and currently bound together in their desire to introduce others to the Gospel all over the world, have … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. provides “the kind of visionary leader Southern Baptists need to communicate a missional conservatism and biblical clarity to the world,” stated Robert Jeffress, pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in announcing his intention to nominate the 47-year-old Mohler for Southern Baptist Convention president in June.  DALLAS (BP) – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. provides “the kind of visionary leader Southern Baptists need to communicate a missional conservatism and biblical clarity to the world,” stated Robert Jeffress, pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in announcing his intention to nominate the 47-year-old Mohler for Southern Baptist Convention president in June. In a news release provided to the Southern Baptist TEXAN Jan. 2, Jeffress said his decision is the result of prayer and concern for the future of Southern Baptists’ global witness. He said he believes Mohler would “motivate Southern Baptists to unite around cooperation for global missions and evangelism.” If elected on June 10 when messengers meet in Indianapolis, Mohler would become the seventh seminary president to … [Read more...]

The youth minister asked everyone in the circle to stand up and join hands to pray, but Roger Rice didn’t have any arms, much less hands. It was his first time at church after a long absence, and he was skeptical about how he’d be treated.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – The youth minister asked everyone in the circle to stand up and join hands to pray, but Roger Rice didn’t have any arms, much less hands. It was his first time at church after a long absence, and he was skeptical about how he’d be treated. “I wondered how he was going to react to me being right next to him,” Rice said of the youth minister at Westwood Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn. “But without any hesitation at all, he reached and touched me on the shoulder. It was at that moment that God touched my heart and I realized how stupid I had been and that I needed Christ in my life.” Rice, who stands three foot, four inches, was born in the late 1950s with severe physical handicaps caused by an inadequately tested drug that was intended to prevent miscarriages and control morning sickness. Medical professionals advised Rice’s parents to place him in a nursing home because of the burden he would be to them and because his quality of life looked dim. But a … [Read more...]

People of faith have firm positions on key issues that drive how they evaluate candidates and parties. Evangelicals may reveal differences in preferences as they seek the man or woman who best represents their values. However, there is no evidence those values as priorities have changed, and that will be a part of the story in the 2008 elections. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – In January, “reform” was the rally cry of the Democrat-controlled Congress that took office in 2007, but reform also was the prescription offered in sports with the late December release of the Mitchell Report detailing the wide extent of steroid and human growth hormone use in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, the lack of reform about liberal homosexual policies within the Episcopal Church caused the first entire diocese to break with the denomination. In Southern Baptist life, reform involved debate about the extent and impact of Calvinism in the convention. However, both political and religious news of 2007 most likely will be remembered for what it meant to events yet to come in 2008, and for the apparent strengthening ties between religion and politics at a time when public attacks against faith in the public square are on the rise. Southern … [Read more...]