At the 50th anniversary of the Louisiana Baptist Church Music Conference, two new scholarships were initiated. The new scholarships are in addition to the two scholarships that already exist in honor of B. B. McKinney and Carroll Lowe. The goal of the scholarship program is to assist undergraduates at Louisiana College and graduates at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with training for church musicians. SHREVEPORT – At the 50th anniversary of the Louisiana Baptist Church Music Conference, two new scholarships were initiated. The new scholarships are in addition to the two scholarships that already exist in honor of B. B. McKinney and Carroll Lowe. The goal of the scholarship program is to assist undergraduates at Louisiana College and graduates at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with training for church musicians. The annual Louisiana Baptist Church Music Conference was held Aug. 3-4 at Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport.  The event celebrated 50 years of Louisiana Baptist church music ministry and was the opportunity to announce the scholarships funded by the Louisiana Baptist Singing Ministers and Women of Louisiana.   In addition to the new scholarships, former LBC Church Music State Director … [Read more...]

Hoping to head off what they call “intimidation tactics” by liberal interest groups, several leading Christian organizations have jointly issued a letter to pastors across America, explaining what churches can and cannot legally do during an election season.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Hoping to head off what they call “intimidation tactics” by liberal interest groups, several leading Christian organizations have jointly issued a letter to pastors across America, explaining what churches can and cannot legally do during an election season. The eight-page letter is being released more than a year before Americans vote on a new president, with the goal of answering questions that always arise concerning the church’s role in politics. Posted online at www.telladf.org, the letter was signed by two legal organizations – the Alliance Defense Fund and the James Madison Center for Free Speech – as well as Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America. Nearly every presidential election season includes news stories about left-wing interest groups urging the government to revoke various churches’ tax-exempt status. “The Jeffersonian ‘wall of separation’ doctrine has been twisted in an attempt to … [Read more...]

”People working together are stronger than any individual could be,” says Larry Wynn, pastor for 29 years at Hebron Baptist Church, where about 4,400 adults – plus their children – gather for Sunday morning worship.  DACULA, Ga. (BP)--”People working together are stronger than any individual could be,” says Larry Wynn, pastor for 29 years at Hebron Baptist Church, where about 4,400 adults – plus their children – gather for Sunday morning worship. At its size, Hebron could “adopt” one of the new work states in the Southern Baptist Convention or a Third World nation and make a significant impact, Wynn acknowledged. Instead, Hebron chooses to maintain its Cooperative Program commitment. “It’s just such a well-rounded ministry,” Wynn said of Southern Baptists’ unified effort to share the Gospel worldwide. “Through the Cooperative Program, we support more than 10,000 missionaries around the world, plus schools, medical programs and so much more. To me, the Cooperative Program is a no-brainer.” Hebron Baptist Church is among the top 20 churches in the Southern Baptist Convention both for number of people baptized last year and for the amount the church gives through the Cooperative Program. The Atlanta-area church has … [Read more...]

The hardest part about witnessing is turning a casual conversation into a spiritual one. Someone I once heard called it, “Going from golf to God.”  ALEXANDRIA (BP) – The hardest part about witnessing is turning a casual conversation into a spiritual one. Someone I once heard called it, “Going from golf to God.” As an obedient follower of Christ, I should want to have these kinds of conversations. The key is to think about ways to do so in advance. It’s not incredibly difficult, but like a high school boy learning how to ask a girl to a movie, it helps to plan ahead. Let me share with you a new way I am learning to do this. It’s based on three questions that I learned from an evangelism strategy called CROSS Training. Question number one is an ice-breaking question. “What is the most important thing I need to know about you today?” I asked a young lady this question the other day and she told me she got engaged over the weekend. I had a great time listening to her recount this wonderful event and she loved telling it. I particularly like to use these questions in a restaurant. After I get the answer to the first question, I tell the person helping me, “I’ve got another question to ask you. I don’t know if you can … [Read more...]

The hours are long, and the work is hard, but for bivocational pastors, it is their calling. STATEWIDE –  The hours are long, and the work is hard, but for bivocational pastors, it is their calling. And there is a growing demand for bivos as many smaller churches – consisting of 125 members or less –  do not have the numbers or the finances to be able to afford a full-time pastor. In Louisiana, there are 1,600 Baptist churches, of which 1,200 are considered to be ‘smaller’ churches. More than half  (900) of those churches have bivocational pastors leading them. “It is amazing number,” said Gary Mitchell, bivocational/smaller church strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “And we have some very amazing men here in Louisiana doing the work of God. “In the Southern Baptist Convention, there are 44,000 churches and 24,000 bivocational pastors,” Mitchell said. Jesus was not a fully compensated pastor, nor a denominational employee. The Apostle Paul, a tent maker, was also bivocational. God has shown he uses bivocationals ministers to effectively do his work. Statistics show bivocationals have, on an average, a higher baptism rate than full-time pastors (4.3 to 3.9) and, on average, have a higher enrollment … [Read more...]

Two online learning initiatives – a degree completion program and the creation of the center for online theological education – were announced by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley during an Oct. 10 meeting of NOBTS’ trustees.  NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Two online learning initiatives –  a degree completion program and the creation of the center for online theological education – were announced by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley during an Oct. 10 meeting of NOBTS’ trustees. “We are passionately committed to making theological education as accessible as possible for God-called Southern Baptists,” Kelley said. “We want to strengthen our [course] offerings through the Internet.” The degree completion program, administered by Leavell College, the seminary’s undergraduate school, allows students who have completed an associate degree through NOBTS to earn a bachelor of arts in Christian ministry. While much of the completion program can be attained through online studies, a minimum number of on-campus, short-term courses also are required. “We are excited about the opportunity to help students complete a bachelor of arts through Leavell College while maintaining the … [Read more...]

She lives in a glass house. WOODWORTH – She lives in a glass house. Her appearance, parenting skills, relationships, overt spirituality, and work ethic are tirelessly scrutinized. Multiple expectations often leave her feeling inadequate and vulnerable. She is a minister’s wife. “I’m always introduced as the pastor’s wife,” one woman complained. “Sometimes I want to shout, ‘I have a name, you know.’” She was in attendance at the annual Ministers’ Wives’ Retreat hosted by the Louisiana Baptist Convention each October at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. At the event, faithful pastoral helpmates have an opportunity to share the unique blessings and challenges that come with their role. Their stories are as varied as their looks. Some were called into ministry before they married and judged prospective suitors by the call God had on their lives. Others were determined never to marry a minister; these were usually the children of ministers. God married them off and then called their spouses. Some had been in the ministry for most of their married lives. Others were called late in life, perhaps even after retirement from a secular job. What most shared were two desires: 1) the freedom to be oneself, … [Read more...]

Jamila Brewer was one of 49 people baptized recently in the Ouachita River by First Baptist West Monroe. Jamila Brewer was one of 49 people baptized recently in the Ouachita River by First Baptist West Monroe. “This was an exciting day in the life of our church,” says Kaye Cloessner, outreach associate. “Our church fellowship turned out in record numbers. We had over 800 people attend.” First West baptized 198 people in the 2006-07 church year that ended Aug. 31. John Avant is pastor. … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Is preaching still central to Christian worship? This question is asked again and again as contemporary evangelicalism is observed. How can this be up for question? LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Is preaching still central to Christian worship? This question is asked again and again as contemporary evangelicalism is observed. How can this be up for question? In some circles, preaching has fallen on hard times. An open debate is now being waged over the character and centrality of preaching in the church. At stake is nothing less than the integrity of Christian worship and proclamation. How did this happen? Given the central place of preaching in the New Testament church, it would seem that the priority of biblical preaching should be uncontested. After all, as John A. Broadus – one of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s founding faculty – famously remarked, “Preaching is characteristic of Christianity. No other religion has made the regular and frequent assembling of groups of people, to hear religious instruction and exhortation, an integral part of Christian worship.” Yet, numerous influential voices within evangelicalism suggest that the age of the expository sermon is now past. In its place, some … [Read more...]

Have you ever opened the mail and discovered a special invitation to a significant event? Have you ever opened the mail and discovered a special invitation to a significant event? Perhaps it was an invitation to a wedding or graduation or even an inauguration. If it was logistically possible, Patty and I would send every messenger from every church a personal invitation to this year’s Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. We hope every church will determine to send its full complement of messengers to this year’s Convention. The Lord has done great things among our churches and through our cooperative ministries. We have much to celebrate about the greatness of our God at work through His people. All we have to do is look back over our shoulder to our humble beginnings in 1848 and recognize how God has powerfully used the cooperation of Louisiana Baptists to touch our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. While we celebrate, we also have some very important issues to communicate with you about the work that is yet to be done. Like many other places in North America, the lostness in our state is overwhelming and yet we sense a yearning in the heart of our churches for God-breathed revival … [Read more...]