Article VI of the U.S. Constitution says, “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this constitution, but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States” (emphasis added). Article VI of the U.S. Constitution says, “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this constitution, but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States” (emphasis added). Our Founding Fathers prohibited that a person be a person of any particular faith or of no faith to hold public office or public trust in the United States. Instead, we are to select public officials based upon their character, their public policy record, their policy positions and their vision for our country. In the famous speech delivered almost 50 … [Read more...]

What drives Louisiana’s Governor Bobby Jindal? By all accounts it’s his Christian faith, his wife Supriya and their three children, and the calling of God for him to serve in the public realm. BATON ROUGE – What drives Louisiana’s Governor Bobby Jindal? By all accounts it’s his Christian faith, his wife Supriya and their three children, and the calling of God for him to serve in the public realm. Born six months after his parents immigrated to Louisiana, he converted from his parent’s Hindu faith as a college student after a Southern Baptist friend “intent on converting the world, first introduced me to Christianity by telling me ‘you and your parents are going to hell,’” Jindal wrote in a 1993 article in America magazine, a Catholic publication. “I was hardly convinced,” Jindal wrote, but he began to examine Hinduism and its teachings. “I began reading the Bible to disprove the Christian faith I was learning both to admire and despise. … I saw myself in many of the parables and felt as if the Bible had been written especially for me. … I realized that if the Gospel stories were true, if Christ really was the Son of God, it was arrogant of me to reject Him and question the gift of salvation. … It was Truth and Love that … [Read more...]

Was it by chance that the contrails of intersecting airplanes formed the sign of the cross in a brilliant blue sky during Bobby Jindal’s inauguration as Louisiana’s governor last Monday, Jan. 14? BATON ROUGE – Was it by chance that the contrails of intersecting airplanes formed the sign of the cross in a brilliant blue sky during Bobby Jindal’s inauguration as Louisiana’s governor last Monday, Jan. 14? Was it by chance that on this picture-perfect day, a solitary white bird (too large to be a dove) swirled in the near-cloudless sky above the 3,000 or more people come to be part of the history-making event? Maybe these symbols of God’s blessings were in response to the blanket of prayer that shrouded inaugural activities. “I am very hopeful about the future of our state,” said Waylon Bailey, pastor of First Baptist Covington, who attended two inaugural prayer events, the inaugural ceremony and the inaugural ball. “I want Gov Jindal to be undergirded in prayer,” Bailey said to explain the time he took from his busy pastorate to be involved in inaugural activities. “We have high expectations for the governor and want him to know he has the support of praying people.” An “official” inaugural prayer service, which … [Read more...]

ANGIE BAPTIST, ANGIE Pastor Larry Mizell is convinced that a commitment to the Lord’s work is the best way to ensure a church is blessed. “We believe very strongly,” he said, “that churches are blessed as they do participate in missions programs.” So with their fervent commitment to missions, perhaps it’s no wonder that Angie, which Mizell says has an average Sunday School attendance of 40, (as many as 60 more joining them for worship) is in the initial stages of a renovation/expansion program. “We’re going to upgrade our classrooms and restrooms,” Mizell explained. Angie’s lay leaders, who participate in community visitation at least twice a month, are examining the structure of their worship service and other ministries to determine what improvements can be made, their pastor said. “They’re very supportive,” Mizell said of his congregants. “They listen well. Generally, when we’ve felt the Lord leading in a certain direction, they’ve been very willing to pray about it.” FIRST, ARNAUDVILLE Robert Manning, the pastor of this small congregation, knew seven years ago when Buddy Hampton asked him to take on the role that it would be quite a challenge. Baptist churches aren’t easily found in this region, … [Read more...]

COMINGS, GOINGS -Stefanie Cox, new as youth director at Downsville Baptist, Downsville. -Derek Brown, resigned as youth minister at Clifton Baptist, Franklinton. -Jessica Busko, new as a college missionary of the International Mission Board at Louisiana Tech University and Temple Baptist, Ruston. -Jeremy Scott, new as minister of youth at First Baptist, Ringgold. DEATHS -Mary French, wife of T.C. French Jr., pastor of Jefferson Baptist,  Baton Rouge, died Monday, Jan. 14. Her funeral was Jan. 17. Mrs. French founded the Jefferson Baptist Kindergarten and preschool, and was its director for 14 years. Memorials may be made through the church to the Giedeons International or the Mary French Scholarship Fund for the education of pastor’s wives. NEEDED -Clifton Baptist, Franklinton, needs part-time youth minister. Salary, benefits and housing provided. Contact Maridell Creel at mmcreel@aol.com or church office at lynette@cliftonbaptistchurch.org. -New Ramah Baptist, Castor, needs bivocational pastor. Send resume to Pastor Search Committee, New Ramah  Baptist Church, 493 New Ramah Road, Castor LA 71018. -Sale Street Baptist, Lake Charles, needs day care director, three lead teachers and one floater.  Send … [Read more...]

Republican Mike Huckabee said Jan. 10 he stands by a Southern Baptist statement of faith about marriage but added the issue “has nothing to do” with a candidate’s qualifications for president. COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) – Republican Mike Huckabee said Jan. 10 he stands by a Southern Baptist statement of faith about marriage but added the issue “has nothing to do” with a candidate’s qualifications for president. The issue was raised during the Republican South Carolina debate in reference to a 1998 full-page USA Today ad affirming an addition to the denomination’s Baptist Faith & Message that says, in part, “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the leadership of Christ.” Huckabee and his wife Janet were two of approximately 130 evangelicals whose names appeared supporting the statement. The BF&M’s 270-word article on the family, based largely on Ephesians 5, also says a husband “is to love his wife as Christ loved the church” and that a husband and wife are “of equal worth before God.” The USA Today ad addressed Southern Baptists and said, “At a time when divorce is destroying the fabric of our society, you have taken a bold stand for … [Read more...]

The two brothers who directed Facing the Giants now are working on another cinematic release – Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron – about saving a failing marriage. ALBANY, Ga. (BP) – The two brothers who directed Facing the Giants now are working on another cinematic release –  Fireproof,  starring Kirk Cameron – about saving a failing marriage. Stephen Kendrick, co-writer and director for the newest movie from Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., along with his brother Alex, wrapped up five weeks of filming their latest Christian drama in December. Earlier releases Flywheel, The Movie in 2003 and Facing the Giants in 2006 received strong reviews and calls for another installment in the feel-good, faith-based, family values vein. Facing the Giants drew $10 million in box office receipts and remains a best-selling DVD. Fireproof is scheduled to hit theaters in August; like Facing the Giants, it will be distributed through Provident Films, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures. The storyline focuses on a young couple, Caleb and Catherine Holt, whose seven-year marriage is on the rocks. Caleb is played by Cameron; Erin Bethea, a member of Sherwood Baptist and a graduate of the Baptist-affiliated University of Mobile in … [Read more...]

It’s been heartbreaking to see how many Christian young people drop out of church after graduating from high school, says Scott Brawner, who founded a program called Fusion to counter the dropoff.   KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – It’s been heartbreaking to see how many Christian young people drop out of church after graduating from high school, says Scott Brawner, who founded a program called Fusion to counter the dropoff. Established at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2005, Fusion is becoming an initiative of the International Mission Board to inspire students to continue following Christ after high school and to pursue missions as a career and calling. Fusion offers high school graduates, ages 18-24, opportunities to gain missions experience for college credit. In 2008-09, the nine-month program will still be housed at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., and operated through its undergraduate school, Midwestern Bible College, SBC. For the 2009-10 school year, Christian colleges interested in offering the Fusion program to students on their campuses can contact the IMB’s student mobilization team at 1-800-999-3113 orstudentteam@imb.org. Students attending the program currently receive 32 hours of college … [Read more...]

A lot of people will say, ‘This guy knows the whole Bible.’ EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story is part of a monthly Baptist Press series to explore and describe how individuals, churches, associations and conventions exhibit a passion for Christ and His Kingdom. FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP) – A lot of people will say, ‘This guy knows the whole Bible.’ “Well, I really don’t,” Rollin DeLap admits. “The reason they say that is because most people have memorized so little” of “the Word of God.” DeLap seems to use a capital W when he speaks of “the Word,” attaching a deeper sort of respect to the Bible than mere paper, ink and ancient stories and wisdom. When he started memorizing various passages from the Word more than 50 years ago, he was a college student who “never dreamed what impact it would have on my life.” But it led to a career of speaking at campuses across the country, exhorting collegians to put the Word of God in their hearts and to tell others about how faith in Christ, rooted in the Word and enlivened by the Holy Spirit, could change their lives. DeLap, 71, worked in student evangelism for 15 years with the North American Mission Board, 10 years with the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian … [Read more...]

No job was ever too big or too small for Jim Peters. STATEWIDE – No job was ever too big or too small for Jim Peters. When Gibbie McMillan called – he’s Men’s Ministry and Volunteer Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention – Peters freely gave of his time and talents to assist in disaster relief efforts. “He just never seems to be able to do enough,” McMillan said. “I always knew I could count on him to be there no matter how big or small the job was.” Because of his dedication and effort, Peters was named the Volunteer of the Year at the 2008 Disaster Relief Roundtable and Appreciation Banquet Friday evening. His was one of three major awards presented at the banquet. Sixty-four-year-old James Carson, Director of Missions for the Tri-Association and Disaster Relief Chaplaincy Coordinator, was presented the second annual Freddie Arnold Lifetime Achievement Award. A 42-year veteran of the ministry, Carson, last year’s recipient of the Cal Jones Leadership, has served coordinator of Disaster Relief Chaplaincy for the past four years. Before becoming coordinator, he served on a chainsaw unit. Dempsey and Peggy Haymon, who for the 19 years has been involved in disaster relief from California to Floria, were … [Read more...]