Church is good for children.  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Church is good for children. That’s the message of a new study that says young children of churchgoing parents fare better behaviorally, emotionally and cognitively than do children of parents who never attend church. In fact, the more often the parents attend, the better off the kids are. The study by sociologist John P. Bartkowski and a team of researchers at Mississippi State University examined data from the nationwide Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which evaluated first-graders by interviewing parents and teachers. In the data Bartkowski used, some 9,500 parents and 8,800 teachers were interviewed. The ECLS study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. Examining the ECLS data, Bartkowski and his team concluded it is “quite clear” that religious attendance impacts children positively. His research – which claims to be a “first of its kind” study on the subject using “nationally representative data” – will be published in the journal Social Science Research. “[R]eligion does seem to be good for young children,” the study says. “The religious attendance of parents and a cohesive religious … [Read more...]

The 37 congregations in this association have big ideas about reaching the world for Christ. NORTH RAPIDES BAPTIST ASSOCIATION – The 37 congregations in this association have big ideas about reaching the world for Christ.  A partnership existed in the 1970s between the Louisiana Baptist Convention and the Korean Baptist Convention. It died, but for many years its memory lived on for both the Koreans and some people in this association, said North Rapides Director of Missions Herb Dickerson.  “The Koreans wanted to recreate a new version of it,” Dickerson said, and others in the association came up with the idea to do so. “So we built a covenant, and they signed on and we signed on.” The result has been more than 1,400 professions of faith among the Koreans over a span of about three years. The two-pronged partnership involves an exchange of sorts. In the summer, Korean children grades four through six visit the association for about seven days to attend Camp USA, staying in host homes with other children and their families, attending Vacation Bible School and immersing themselves in American culture. In the fall, the association sends witnessing teams to Korea to help churches in visitation.  Koreans generally … [Read more...]

Church WithOutWalls is building a worship center this summer with the help of Louisiana Baptist Builders and Builders for Christ. LAFAYETTE – Church WithOutWalls is building a worship center this summer with the help of Louisiana Baptist Builders and Builders for Christ. C-WOW needs a building, Pastor Chris Kopp says. They’ve been meeting in a school, and Sunday morning worship attendance now – in the fifth year of the church’s life – is 175 or more. Fifteen people have been baptized over the last year. Among present and future ministries are drug rehabilitation, financial counseling, job skills development. A building is a tool that can be used to provide space for ministry, the pastor says. But to him, a building is not the church. “I love it when people ask me where the church is,” Kopp said. “I tell them, ‘Well, let’s see. It’s 11 o’clock, so some of them are at work. Some are probably on lunch break.  Some are starting their TRUST Small Group.” TRUST – Teach, Reach, Uplift, Share, Truth – groups are small Bible study groups that meet throughout the week at various times, mostly in people’s homes, rather than as Sunday morning Bible study classes. In essence, the pastor said, C-WOW is all over Lafayette and … [Read more...]

Pastor Charles “Mike” Holloway has agreed to allow his name to be placed in nomination as a candidate for the 2007 LBC presidency. RUSTON – Pastor Charles “Mike” Holloway has agreed to allow his name to be placed in nomination as a candidate for the 2007 LBC presidency. Holloway is pastor at Cook Baptist in Ruston. He and his wife, Shirley, have two children in their 20s. “I believe you will find that Dr. Holloway brings strong, proven leadership to Louisiana Baptists,” wrote Randy Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist in Bossier City, in presenting Holloway to Baptist Message readers. Holloway has pastored four churches in Louisiana: Highland Park Monroe, First Marion and Unity, and he has been at Cook Ruston since October 2005, where he also is evangelism director for Concord-Union Association. From 1992-98 he served on the LBC Executive Board, and while there was chairman of the budget committee and vice president. He was on the NOBTS board of trustees also from 1992-98. “Mike is mission oriented and ... believes the Bible is the inerrant Word of God,” Harper wrote. “He believes the Bible should inspire us all to work together in helping one another, serving one another and loving one another to do missions and … [Read more...]

Top flight golfers from Haynesville to Houma recently spread eagle-like wings to enjoy two days of golf, fun and fellowship at OakWing Golf Club on the grounds of the former England Air Force Base. ALEXANDRIA – Top flight golfers from Haynesville to Houma recently spread eagle-like wings to enjoy two days of golf, fun and fellowship at OakWing Golf Club on the grounds of the former England Air Force Base. This fellowship of pastors and laymen known as the Baptist Golf Fellowship gather from around the state twice a year to try their respective hands at conquering the strange phenomenon known as golf. At this event, the greens become king and the players – servants of the greens for the two-day event. “The fellowship becomes stronger and many lasting bonds and friendships are formed during the gathering,” said Kelly Boggs, editor of Louisiana’s Baptist Message, which sponsors the venture with the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. “The event is growing and we look forward to many more tournaments throughout the state and invite new participants to join us as we travel to different courses,” said Wayne Taylor, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. Longtime participant and layman Don Valentine of Trout … [Read more...]

I am absolutely exasperated, infuriated, and indignant over the whole concept of political correctness. Political correctness is just another term for social, national, and religious demolition. I am absolutely exasperated, infuriated, and indignant over the whole concept of political correctness. Political correctness is just another term for social, national, and religious demolition. Because of political correctness our country has stopped getting stronger and more influential and has become weaker and less influential. We have lost all respect for authority in the home, school, church, and nation. Instead of authority ruling its constituents, the constituents rule authority. There is an insidious rebellion taking place whereby power is methodically being wrested from the traditional rulers and placed in the hands of “the occasional will of the people.” In political correctness all language, philosophy, and beliefs are reduced to the lowest common denominator so that no one is offended. Tolerance is exalted and convictions are diluted. For example, since there are those who now believe that climate change has moved from scientific theory to dogma, there are now proposals that “global warming deniers” be treated … [Read more...]

In 2007, Baptists in America are celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of the formation of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, the first inter-congregational organization of Baptists in America. In 2007, Baptists in America are celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of the formation of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, the first inter-congregational organization of Baptists in America. I had the opportunity to visit with Baptists in Philadelphia earlier this year, where I was reminded of our long and splendid history of cooperation. Not that it has come easily. Baptists are firmly committed to the doctrine of the autonomy of the local church and enter into “ecclesiastical” relationships with caution.  It was clear at the formation of the first association (and all those since then) that the local church was not subservient to the association and could withdraw at any time it wished. Even with these assurances, some Baptist congregations have refused to join associations, fearing that the prerogatives and the programs of the local church would be usurped.  These congregations have remained “independent.” I’m thankful that most Baptists (especially Southern Baptists) have seen the value of … [Read more...]

Words like loneliness, isolation and alienation describe how many people feel about their existence. Words like loneliness, isolation and alienation describe how many people feel about their existence. We have become so transient that few people live near their nuclear family. We move so often that we find it challenging to make friends. The people around us are little more than anonymous acquaintances. Sounds depressing, doesn’t it? Yet the apparent loneliness and the need for fellowship provide one of the greatest opportunities for the church to advance the Kingdom. If people need and desire fellowship and the church is the only place where authentic fellowship can occur, then why are we failing to make the connection? Tragically, many people who have attended our churches indicate that they have not experienced fellowship. Exit interviews with those who have dropped out of church indicate that many left the church because they sensed that they didn’t belong and that no one cared about them. I am a guest in a different church nearly every week, and I know that most believers do care. How, then, do we express our concern in such a manner that those attending our church will experience genuine fellowship?  I … [Read more...]

The death of Jerry Falwell brings an end to one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. The death of Jerry Falwell brings an end to one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. In so many ways, Jerry Falwell became one of the most recognizable faces for conservative Christianity in America. In the late 1970s, Falwell became concerned about the moral state of the nation and was awakened to a sense of political and social responsibility. He began to speak to these issues, calling conservative Christians to become involved in the political process. As a 16-year-old boy, I was in the crowd at the convention center in Miami Beach when Dr. Falwell joined singer Anita Bryant in holding a rally to involve Christians in the struggle against a gay rights ordinance adopted by Dade County. I had never heard of Jerry Falwell until that night – and after that experience I would never forget him. As the 1980 presidential race approached, Jerry Falwell was one of the primary leaders of a movement intended to mobilize conservative Christians for the election. Dr. Falwell founded the Moral Majority as a means of educating and mobilizing Christian citizens about moral issues such as abortion – a key issue after the … [Read more...]

Thirty-six churches in this country atmosphere minister in all of the ways that churches anywhere minister to anybody, Asssociational Director of Missions Herb Dickerson says. NORTH RAPIDES ASSOCIATION – Thirty-six churches in this country atmosphere minister in all of the ways that churches anywhere minister to anybody, Asssociational Director of Missions Herb Dickerson says. Worship and discipling opportunities, care-giving when there is grief or distress among members of the community, fellowship, and most of all, sharing the gospel with lost people are a big part of life for these small churches in open country on the outskirts of Alexandria. “Basically what our association tries to do is work under four different hats,” Dickerson said. Those “hats” are ways to serve the local church, he said. Dickerson is intent on insuring that no pastor or staff worker in the association is without a friend, that no people group is without access to the gospel, that no church is without a vision, and that no God-called lay worker is without access to good training. The DOM does a lot of one-on-one mentoring and tutoring to insure that all pastors and staff in the association are equipped with not only the skills they need to … [Read more...]